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clergy-courts. but hating to hear of perfect reformation; whenas they foresee that then fornication shall be aufterely cenfured, adultery punished; and marriage the appointed refuge of nature, though it hap to be never fo incongruous and difpleafing, muft yet of force be worn out, when it can be to no other purpose but of ftrife and hatred, a thing odious to God? This may be worth the study of skilful men in theology, and the reason of things. And lastly, to examine whether fome undue and ill grounded strictness upon the blameless nature of man, be not the cause in thofe places where already reformation is, that the difcipline of the Church, fo often, and fo unavoidably broken, is brought into contempt and derifion? And if it be thus, let those who are ftill bent to hold this obftinate literality, fo prepare themselves, as to fhare in the account for all thefe tranfgreffions, when it fhall be demanded at the last day, by one who will fcan and shift things with more than a literal wisdom of equity: for if these reasons be duly pondered, and that the gospel is more jealous of laying on exceffive burdens than ever the law was, left the foul of a Chriftian, which is ineftimable, fhould be overtempted and caft away; confidering alfo that many properties of nature, which the power of regeneration itself never alters, may cause diflike of converfing, even between the most fanctified; which continually grating in harsh tune together, may breed fome jar and difcord, and that end in rancour and strife, a thing fo oppofite both to marriage and to Chriftianity, it would perhaps be lefs fcandal to divorce a natural disparity, than to link violently together an unchristian diffenfion, committing two infnared fouls inevitably to kindle one another, not with the fire of love, but with a hatred irreconcileable; who, were they diffevered, would be ftraight friends in any other relation. But if an alphabetical fervility must be ftill urged, it may fo fall out, that the true Church may unwittingly ufe as much cruelty in forbidding to divorce, as the Church of Antichrift doth wilfuly in forbidding to marry.

THE END OF THE FIRST VOLUME,

T. BENSLEY, Printer, Bolt Court, Fleet Street, London.

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