to Christians, as they were to the Jewes. But because he is but briefe, and these things of great confequence not to be kept obfcure, I fhall conceave it nothing above my duty either for the difficulty or the cenfure that may passe thereon, to communicate fuch thoughts as I alfo have had, and do offer them now in this generall labour of reformation, to the candid view both of Church and Magiftrate; efpecially because I see it the hope of good men, that thofe irregular and unfpirituall Courts have spun their utmost date in this Land; and fome better course must now be conftituted. This therefore shall be the task and period of this discourse to prove, first that other reafons of divorce befides adultery, were by the Law of Mofes, and are yet to be allow'd by the Chriftian Magiftrate as a peece of juftice, and that the words of Chrift are not hereby contraried. Next, that to prohibit absolutely any divorce whatfoever except those which Mofes excepted, is against the reafon of Law, as in due place I fhall fhew out of Fagius with many additions. He therefore who by adventuring, shall be so happy as with fucceffe to light the way of fuch an expedient liberty and truth as this, fhall reftore the much wrong'd and overforrow'd state of matrimony, not onely to thofe mercifull and life-giving remedies of Mofes, but, as much as may be, to that ferene and blisfull condition it was in at the beginning; and fhall deserve of all henfive men (confidering the troubles and diftempers which for want of this infight have bin so oft in Kingdomes, in States and Families) fhall deferve to be reckon'd among the publick benefactors of civill and humane life; above the inventors of wine and oyle; for this is a far dearer, far nobler, and more defireable cherishing to mans life, unworthily expos'd to fadnefs and mistake, which he fhall vindi

cate.

appre

Not that licence and levety and unconfented

breach of faith fhould herein be countenanc't, but that fome conscionable and tender pitty might be had of those who have unwarily in a thing they never practiz'd before, made themselves the bondmen of a Îuckless and helpless matrimony. In which Argument he whose courage can ferve him to give the first on-set, muft look for two feverall oppofitions: the one from them who have fworn themselves to long custome and the letter of the Text, will not out of the road: the other from those whofe groffe and vulgar apprehenfions conceit but low of matrimoniall purposes, and in the work of male and female thinke they have all. Nevertheleffe, it shall be here fought by due wayes to be made appeare, that those words of God in the inftitution, promifing a meet help against lonelines; and those words of Christ, That his yoke is eafie and his burden light, were not spoken in vain; for if the knot of mariage may in no case be diffolv'd but for adultery, all the burd'ns and fervices of the Law are not fo intolerable. This onely is defir'd of them who are minded to judge hardly of thus mantaining, that they would be still and heare all out, nor thinke it equall to answer deliberate reason with fudden heat and noife; remembring this, that many truths now of reverend esteeme and credit, had their birth and beginning once from fingular and private thoughts; while the most of men were otherwise poffeft; and had the fate at first to be generally exploded and exclaim'd on by many violent oppofers; yet I may erre perhaps in foothing my felfe that this present truth reviv'd, will deferve on all hands to be not finifterly receiv'd, in that it undertakes the cure of an inveterate disease crept into the best part of humane focietie: and to doe this with no fmarting corrofive, but with a smooth and pleafing leffon, which receiv'd hath the vertue to foften and difpell rooted and knotty forrowes: and

without inchantment if that be fear'd, or fpell us'd, hath regard at once both to ferious pitty, and upright honesty; that tends to the redeeming and restoring of none but such as are the object of compaffion, having in an ill houre hamper'd themselves to the utter dispatch of all their most beloved comforts and repofe for this lives term. But if we shall obftinately dislike this new overture of unexpected ease and recovery, what remains but to deplore the frowardnes of our hopeles condition, which neither can endure the estate we are in, nor admit of remedy either sharp or sweet. Sharp we our selves distast; and sweet, under whofe hands we are, is fcrupl'd and fufpected as too lufhious. In fuch a pofture Christ found the fewes, who were neither won with the aufterity of John the Baptift, and thought it too much licence to follow freely the charming pipe of him who founded and proclaim'd liberty and reliefe to all diftreffes: yet Truth in fome age or other will find her witnes, and fhall be justify'd at last by her own children.

CHAP. I.

The Pofition. Prov'd by the Law of Mofes. That Law expounded and afferted to a morall and charitable ufe, firft by Paulus Fagius, next with other additions.

O remove therefore if it be poffible, this great and fad oppreffion which through the ftrictnes of a literall interpreting hath invaded and disturb'd the dearest and most peaceable estate of houfhould fociety, to the overburdening, if not the over-whelming of many Chriftians better worth then to be fo deferted of the

I have of my Countries judgement, and the love I bear to my native language to ferv it firft with what I endeavour, made me fpeak it thus, ere I affay the verdit of outlandish readers. And perhaps alfo heer I might have ended nameles, but that the addreffe of thefe lines chiefly to the Parlament of England might have feem'd ingratefull not to acknowledge by whofe Religious care, unwearied watchfulnes, couragious and heroick refolutions, I enjoy the peace and ftudious leifure to remain,

The Honourer and Attendant of their

Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce; Reftor'd to the good of both Sexes.

THE FIRST BOOKE.

THE PREFACE.

That Man is the occafion of his owne miferies, in most of thofe evills which hee imputes to Gods inflicting. The abfurdity of our canonifts in their decrees about divorce. The Chriftian imperiall Lawes framed with more Equity. The opinion of Hugo Grotius, and Paulus Fagius: And the purpofe in generall of this Difcourfe.

Any men, whether it be their fate, or fond opinion, eafily perfwade themfelves, if God would but be pleas'd a

while to withdraw his juft punishments from us, and to reftrain what power either the devill, or any earthly enemy hath to work us woe, that then mans nature would find immediate reft and releasement from all evils. But verily they who think fo, if they be fuch as have a mind large enough to take into their thoughts a generall furvey of humane things, would foon prove themselves in that opinion farre deceiv'd. For though it were granted us by divine indulgence to be exempt from all that can be harmfull to us from without, yet the perverfneffe of