Can polygamy (having many wives) or bigamy (having two wives at once) have any good warrant in the face of such an explicit law against them? Are not both of them against the first institution of marriage, so that we may say, “from the beginning it was not so” (Matt. 19:8)? Yes, and also against other particular laws (Deut. 17:17; Lev. 18:18)? Lamech, one of Cain’s cursed offspring, was the first that we read of to have presumed against that ancient law (Gen. 4:19).

Objection: Afterwards many patriarchs and other saints took that liberty to themselves.

Answer: It was their sin, and a great blemish in them. The common error of the time and their insatiable desire of children made them fall into it. Many inconveniences followed. . . .

Considering the heinousness of this sin, our laws have justly made it a felony for a man to have more wives than one, or a woman more husbands.

William Gouge, Building a Godly Home: A Holy Vision for Family Life, 138-139.

This fits well with that which follows (“they two shall be one flesh”). Our English cannot well express the Greek in good sense word for word, which is thus, “they two shall be into,” or “in one flesh.” The meaning is that they which were two before marriage, by the bond of marriage are brought into one flesh, to be even as one flesh, as closely united, as the parts of the same body, and the same flesh. This unity is not through sexual intercourse (for if they be married they are one flesh, though they never know one another sexually), nor through procreation, because one child comes from them both (for though they never had a child, yet are they one flesh), but in regard of God’s institution, who has set it down for a law, and as another nature, that man and wife should be so close to one another. Their consent in marriage (by virtue of God’s institution) makes them to be one flesh.

William Gouge, Building a Godly Home: A Holy Vision for Family Life, 134-135.

“A kind of possession of heaven while we are on earth, for that which the head possesses, the body and several members also possesses. In this respect it is said that He “hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:6). . . .

Learn here how to think of the resurrection, ascension, and safety of Christ, even as of the resurrection, ascension, and safety of a head, in and with whom His body and all His members are raised, exalted, and preserved.

William Gouge, Building a Godly Home: A Holy Vision for Family Life, 118-119.

The union of Christ’s two natures is hypostatical and essential [joining Christ’s two essences, divine and human, in one person (hypostasis)], they make one person, but the union of Christ’s person and ours, is spiritual and mystical, they make one mystical body. Yet is there no difference in reality and truth of these unions. Our union with Christ is not a bit less real and true because it is mystical and spiritual; they who have the same Spirit are as truly one as those parts which have the same soul.

William Gouge, Building a Godly Home: A Holy Vision for Family Life, 115.

If he is worse than an infidel who does not provide for his own (1 Tim. 5:8), what is he that does not provide for himself? He is even worse than a beast, for nature has taught the irrational beasts to nourish and cherish themselves. If any think that it better suits beasts or natural men than saints, let them tell me which of the saints at any time, guided by God’ Spirit, wholly neglected himself. To omit all others, it is expressly noted that Christ slept (Matt. 8:24), ate (Luke 14:1), rested (John 4:6), and otherwise refreshed Himself.

William Gouge, A Holy Vision for Family Life, 102.

Theologically, there is only one Church, for Christians are now fellow citizens of the saints and of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. . . . This Church is not a human organization; it is God’s workmanship (Eph. 2:10), created in accordance with His eternal purpose in Christ (Eph. 1:4f.) that in it He might show the exceeding riches of His grace (Eph. 2:7).

“Church” by G. W. Bromiley in The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, A-D, 693.

Paul also teaches that there is to be no dividing wall in the church between Jews and Gentiles (Eph. 2:11-22; 3:36; cf. Acts 10; 11:1-18). Gentiles do not need to become Jews in order to be saved (Gal. 3:29). They do not need circumcision. Rather, they are Abraham’s children by faith, the Israel of God (Gal. 6:16), part of one body in Christ (Rom. 12:13). There is one family.

John M. Frame, Systematic Theology, 1019.

Although Gk. ekklesía became a distinctively Christian word, it has both a Greek and an OT history. In the Greek world it was used of a public assembly summoned by a herald (< ek, “out,” and kaleín, “to call”; cf. Acts 19:32, 39f.). In the LXX it was used for the Heb. qāhāl, which denotes the congregation or people of Israel, especially as gathered before the Lord (cf. Acts 7:38). It is of interest that behind the NT term stand both Greek democracy and Hebrew theocracy, the two brought together in a theocratic democracy or democratic theocracy.

“Church” in The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, A-D, gen. ed. Geoffrey W. Bromiley, 693.

But it is not enough to say that the mystery of the Trinity is in the Bible unless we recognize that the thing we are calling the Bible is a set of texts that were written, redacted, and canonized to prepare for and report on the missions of the Son and the Spirit. To somebody about to comb through the texts to find elements of the doctrine, we have to say: the Trinity is in the Bible because the Bible is in the Trinity. . . .

The triunity of God has always been, was once concealed, but is now revealed. The manner of its revelation should establish the order and structure of the doctrine concerning it, as well as the order and structure of adjacent doctrines like revelation and salvation.

Fred Sanders, The Triune God, 44, 68.

Nothing is more central or basic than union and communion with Christ. . . .

Union with Christ is really the central truth of the whole doctrine of salvation not only in its application but also in its once-for-all accomplishment in the finished work of Christ. Indeed the whole process of salvation has its origin in one phrase of union with Christ and salvation has in view the realization of other phases of union with Christ.

John Murray, Redemption – Accomplished and Applied, 161.