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chised, enlarged, and lifted up our apprehensions de- | light and clear knowledge to be sent down among us, grees above themselves. Ye cannot make us now less would think of other matters to be constituted beyond capable, less knowing, less eagerly pursuing of the the discipline of Geneva, framed and fabricked already truth, unless ye first make yourselves, that made us to our hands. Yet when the new light which we beg so, less the lovers, less the founders of our true li- for shines in upon us, there be who envy and oppose, berty. We can grow ignorant again, brutish, formal, if it come not first in at their casements. What a coland slavish, as ye found us; but you then must first lusion is this, whenas we are exhorted by the wise man become that which ye cannot be, oppressive, arbitrary, to use diligence, "to seek for wisdom as for hidden and tyrannous, as they were from whom ye have freed treasures" early and late, that another order shall enus. That our hearts are now more capacious, our join us, to know nothing but by statute? When a man thoughts more erected to the search and expectation of hath been labouring the hardest labour in the deep greatest and exactest things, is the issue of your own mines of knowledge, hath furnished out his findings in virtue propagated in us; ye cannot suppress that, un- all their equipage, drawn forth his reasons as it were a less ye reinforce an abrogated and merciless law, that battle ranged, scattered and defeated all objections in fathers may dispatch at will their own children. And his way, calls out his adversary into the plain, offers who shall then stick closest to ye and excite others? him the advantage of wind and sun, if he please, only Not he who takes up arms for coat and conduct, and that he may try the matter by dint of argument; for his four nobles of Danegelt. Although I dispraise not his opponents then to sculk, to lay ambushments, to the defence of just immunities, yet love my peace keep a narrow bridge of licensing where the challenger better, if that were all. Give me the liberty to know, should pass, though it be valour enough in soldiership, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, is but weakness and cowardice in the wars of truth. above all liberties. For who knows not that truth is strong, next to the What would be best advised then, if it be found so Almighty; she needs no policies, nor stratagems, nor hurtful and so unequal to suppress opinions for the new-licensings to make her victorious, those are the shifts ness or the unsuitableness to a customary acceptance, and the defences that errour uses against her power: will not be my task to say; I shall only repeat what I give her but room, and do not bind her when she sleeps, have learned from one of your own honourable num- for then she speaks not true, as the old Proteus did, ber, a right noble and pious lord, who had he not sa- who spake oracles only when he was caught and bound, crificed his life and fortunes to the church and com- but then rather she turns herself into all shapes, exmonwealth, we had not now missed and bewailed a cept her own, and perhaps tunes her voice according to worthy and undoubted patron of this argument. Ye the time, as Micaiah did before Ahab, until she be adknow him, I am sure; yet I for honour's sake, and jured into her own likeness. Yet is it not impossible may it be eternal to him, shall name him, the Lord that she may have more shapes than one? What else Brook. He writing of episcopacy, and by the way is all that rank of things indifferent, wherein truth treating of sects and schisms, left ye his vote, or rather may be on this side, or on the other, without being unnow the last words of his dying charge, which I know like herself? What but a vain shadow else is the abowill ever be of dear and honoured regard with ye, so lition of "those ordinances, that hand-writing nailed full of meekness and breathing charity, that next to to the cross?" What great purchase is this christian his last testament, who bequeathed love and peace to liberty which Paul so often boasts of? His doctrine is, his disciples, I cannot call to mind where I have read that he who eats or eats not, regards a day or regards or heard words more mild and peaceful. He there ex- it not, may do either to the Lord. How many other horts us to hear with patience and humility those, how-things might be tolerated in peace, and left to conever they be miscalled, that desire to live purely, in such a use of God's ordinances, as the best guidance of their conscience gives them, and to tolerate them, though in some disconformity to ourselves. The book itself will tell us more at large, being published to the world, and dedicated to the parliament by him, who both for his life and for his death deserves, that what advice he left be not laid by without perusal.

science, had we but charity, and were it not the chief strong hold of our hypocrisy to be ever judging one another? I fear yet this iron yoke of outward conformity hath left a slavish print upon our necks; the ghost of a linen decency yet haunts us. We stumble, and are impatient at the least dividing of one visible congregation from another, though it be not in fundamentals; and through our forwardness to suppress, And now the time in special is, by privilege to write and our backwardness to recover, any enthralled piece and speak what may help to the further discussing of of truth out of the gripe of custom, we care not to matters in agitation. The temple of Janus with his keep truth separated from truth, which is the fiercest two controversal faces might now not unsignificantly rent and disunion of all. We do not see that while be set open. And though all the winds of doctrine we still affect by all means a rigid external formality, were let loose to play upon the earth, so truth be in the we may as soon fall again into a gross conforming field, we do injuriously by licensing and prohibiting to stupidity, a stark and dead congealment of "wood misdoubt her strength. Let her and falsehood grapple; and hay and stubble" forced and frozen together, who ever knew truth put to the worse, in a free and which is more to the sudden degenerating of a church open encounter? Her confuting is the best and surest than many subdichotomies of petty schisms. Not suppressing. He who hears what praying there is for that I can think well of every light separation; or

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that all in a church is to be expected "gold and silver and precious stones:" it is not possible for man to sever the wheat from the tares, the good fish from the other fry; that must be the angels' ministry at the end of mortal things. Yet if all cannot be of one mind, as who looks they should be? this doubtless is more wholesome, more prudent, and more christian, that many be tolerated rather than all compelled. I mean not tolerated popery, and open superstition, which as it extirpates all religions and civil supremacies, so itself should be extirpate, provided first that all charitable and compassionate means be used to win and regain the weak and the misled that also which is impious or evil absolutely either against faith or manners, no law can possibly permit, that intends not to unlaw itself: but those neighbouring differences, or rather indifferences, are what I speak of, whether in some point of doctrine or of discipline, which though they may be many, yet need not interrupt the unity of spirit, if we could but find among us the bond of peace. In the mean while, if any one would write, and bring his helpful hand to the slow moving reformation which we labour under, if truth have spoken to him before others, or but seemed at least to speak, who hath so bejesuited us, that we should trouble that man with asking licence to do so worthy a deed; and not consider this, that if it come to prohibiting, there is not aught more likely to be prohibited than truth itself: whose first appearance to our eyes, bleared and dimmed with prejudice and custom, is more unsightly and unplausible than many errours; even as the person is of many a great man slight and contemptible to see to. And what do they tell us vainly of new opinions, when this very opinion of theirs, that none must be heard but whom they like, is the worst and newest opinion of all others; and is the chief cause why sects and schisms do so much abound, and true knowledge is kept at distance from us; besides yet a greater danger which is in it. For when God shakes a kingdom, with strong and healthful commotions, to a general reforming, it is not untrue that many sectaries and false | teachers are then busiest in seducing. But yet more true it is, that God then raises to his own work men of rare abilities, and more than common industry, not only to look back and revise what hath been taught heretofore, but to gain further, and to go on some new enlightened steps in the discovery of truth. For such is the order of God's enlightening his church, to dispense and deal out by degrees his beam, so as our earthly eyes may best sustain it. Neither is God appointed and confined, where and out of what place these his chosen shall be first heard to speak; for he sees not as man sees, chooses not as man chooses, lest we should devote ourselves again to set places and assemblies, and outward callings of men; planting our faith one while in the old convocation house, and another while in the chapel at Westminster; when all the faith and religion that shall be there canonized, is not sufficient without plain convincement, and the charity of patient instruction, to supple the least bruise of conscience, to edify the meanest Christian, who de

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sires to walk in the spirit, and not in the letter of human trust, for all the number of voices that can be there made; no, though Harry the seventh himself there, with all his liege tombs about him, should lend them voices from the dead to swell their number. And if the men be erroneous who appear to be the leading schismatics, what withholds us but our sloth, our selfwill, and distrust in the right cause, that we do not give them gentle meetings and gentle dismissions, that we debate not and examine the matter thoroughly with liberal and frequent audience; if not for their sakes yet for our own? Seeing no man who hath tasted learning, but will confess the many ways of profiting by those who, not contented with stale receipts, are able to manage and set forth new positions to the world. And were they but as the dust and cinders of our feet, so long as in that notion they may yet serve to polish and brighten the armory of truth, even for that respect they were not utterly to be cast away. But if they be of those whom God hath fitted for the special use of these times with eminent and ample gifts, and those perhaps neither among the priests, nor among the Pharisees, and we in the haste of a precipitant zeal shall make no distinction, but resolve to stop their mouths, because we fear they come with new and dangerous opinions, as we commonly forejudge them ere we understand them; no less than woe to us, while, thinking thus to defend the gospel, we are found the persecutors!

There have been not a few since the beginning of this parliament, both of the presbytery and others, who by their unlicensed books to the contempt of an imprimatur first broke that triple ice clung about our hearts, and taught the people to see day: I hope that none of those were the persuaders to renew upon us this bondage, which they themselves have wrought so much good by contemning. But if neither the check that Moses gave to young Joshua, nor the countermand which our Saviour gave to young John, who was so ready to prohibit those whom he thought unlicensed, be not enough to admonish our elders how unacceptable to God their testy mood of prohibiting is; if neither their own remembrance what evil hath abounded in the church by this lett of licensing, and what good they themselves have begun by transgressing it, be not enough, but that they will persuade and execute the most Dominican part of the inquisition over us, and are already with one foot in the stirrup so active at suppressing, it would be no unequal distribution in the first place to suppress the suppressors themselves; whom the change of their condition hath puffed up, more than their late experience of harder times hath made wise.

And as for regulating the press, let no man think to have the honour of advising ye better than yourselves have done in that order published next before this, "That no book be printed, unless the printer's and the author's name, or at least the printer's, be registered." Those which otherwise come forth, if they be found mischievous and libellous, the fire and the executioner will be the timeliest and the most effectual remedy,

that man's prevention can use.

For this authentic Spanish policy of licensing books, if I have said aught, will prove the most unlicensed book itself within a short while; and was the immediate image of a starchamber decree to that purpose made in those very times when that court did the rest of those her pious works, for which she is now fallen from the stars with Lucifer. Whereby ye may guess what kind of state prudence, what love of the people, what care of religion or good manners there was at the contriving, although with singular hypocrisy it pretended to bind books to their good behaviour. And how it got the upper hand of your precedent order so well constituted before, if we may believe those men whose profession gives them cause to inquire most, it may be doubted there was in it the fraud of some old patentees and monopolizers in the trade of bookselling; who under pretence of the poor in their company not to be defrauded, and the just retaining of each man his several copy, (which God forbid should be gainsaid,) brought divers glossing colours to the house, which were indeed but colours,

and serving to no end except it be to exercise a superiority over their neighbours; men who do not therefore labour in an honest profession, to which learning is indebted, that they should be made other men's vassals. Another end is thought was aimed at by some of them in procuring by petition this order, that having power in their hands malignant books might the easier escape abroad, as the event shews. But of these sophisms and elenchs of merchandize I skill not: This I know, that errours in a good government | and in a bad are equally almost incident; for what magistrate may not be misinformed, and much the sooner, if liberty of printing be reduced into the power of a few? But to redress willingly and speedily what hath been erred, and in highest authority to esteem a plain advertisement more than others have done a sumptuous bride, is a virtue (honoured lords and commons!) answerable to your highest actions, and whereof none can participate but greatest and wisest men.

THE DOCTRINE AND DISCIPLINE

OF

DIVORCE;

RESTORED TO THE GOOD OF BOTH SEXES, FROM THE BONDAGE OF CANON LAW, AND OTHER MISTAKES,
TO THE TRUE MEANING OF SCRIPTURE IN THE LAW AND GOSPEL COMPARED.

WHEREIN ALSO ARE SET DOWN THE BAD CONSEQUENCES OF ABOLISHING, OR CONDEMNING
AS SIN, THAT WHICH THE LAW OF GOD ALLOWS, AND CHRIST ABOLISHED NOT.

NOW THE SECOND TIME REVISED, AND MUCH AUGMENTED, IN TWO BOOKS: TO THE PARLIAMENT
OF ENGLAND, WITH THE ASSEMBLY.

MATTHI. xiii, 52. "Every scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a house, which bringeth out of
his treasury things new and old."

PROV. Xviii. 13. "He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him."

[FIRST PUBLISHED 1643, 1644.]

TO THE PARLIAMENT OF ENGLAND, WITH THE ASSEMBLY.

If it were seriously asked, (and it would be no untimely | with errour, who being a blind and serpentine body question,) renowned parliament, select assembly! who without a head, willingly accepts what he wants, and of all teachers and masters, that have ever taught, hath supplies what her incompleteness went seeking. Hence drawn the most disciples after him, both in religion it is, that errour supports custom, custom countenances and in manners? it might be not untruly answered, errour: and these two between them would persecute Custom. Though virtue be commended for the most and chase away all truth and solid wisdom out of hupersuasive in her theory, and conscience in the plain | man life, were it not that God, rather than man, once demonstration of the spirit finds most evincing; yet in many ages calls together the prudent and religious whether it be the secret of divine will, or the original counsels of men, deputed to repress the incroachments, blindness we are born in, so it happens for the most and to work off the inveterate blots and obscurities part, that custom still is silently received for the best wrought upon our minds by the subtle insinuating of instructor. Except it be, because her method is so glib errour and custom; who, with the numerous and vuland easy, in some manner like to that vision of Ezekiel gar train of their followers, make it their chief design rolling up her sudden book of implicit knowledge, for to envy and cry down the industry of free reasoning, him that will to take and swallow down at pleasure; under the terms of humour and innovation; as if the which proving but of bad nourishment in the concoction, womb of teeming truth were to be closed up, if she as it was heedless in the devouring, puffs up unhealthily presume to bring forth aught that sorts not with their a certain big face of pretended learning, mistaken unchewed notions and suppositions. Against which among credulous men for the wholesome habit of notorious injury and abuse of man's free soul, to testify soundness and good constitution, but is indeed no and oppose the utmost that study and true labour can other than that swoln visage of counterfeit know- attain, heretofore the incitement of men reputed grave ledge and literature, which not only in private mars hath led me among others; and now the duty and the our education, but also in public is the common climber right of an instructed Christian calls me through the into every chair, where either religion is preached, or chance of good or evil report, to be the sole advocate law reported: filling each estate of life and profession of a discountenanced truth: a high enterprise, lords with abject and servile principles, depressing the high and commons! a high enterprise and a hard, and such and heaven-born spirit of man, far beneath the condition as every seventh son of a seventh son does not venture wherein either God created him, or sin hath sunk him. on. Nor have I amidst the clamour of so much envy To pursue the allegory, custom being but a mere face, and impertinence whither to appeal, but to the conas echo is a mere voice, rests not in her unaccomplish-course of so much piety and wisdom here assembled. ment, until by secret inclination she accorporate herself Bringing in my hands an ancient and most necessary,

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most charitable, and yet most injured statute of Moses; | and will do yet a while, till they get a little cordial not repealed ever by him who only had the authority, sobriety to settle their qualming zeal. But this quesbut thrown aside with much inconsiderate neglect, tion concerns not us perhaps : indeed man's disposition, under the rubbish of canonical ignorance; as once the though prone to search after vain curiosities, yet when whole law was by some such like conveyance in Jo- points of difficulty are to be discussed, appertaining to siah's time. And he who shall endeavour the amend- the removal of unreasonable wrong and burden from ment of any old neglected grievance in church or state, the perplexed life of our brother, it is incredible how or in the daily course of life, if he be gifted with abilities cold, how dull, and far from all fellow-feeling we are, of mind, that may raise him to so high an undertaking, without the spur of self-concernment. Yet if the wisI grant he hath already much whereof not to repent dom, the justice, the purity of God be to be cleared him; yet let me aread him, not to be the foreman of from foulest imputations, which are not yet avoided ; if any misjudged opinion, unless his resolutions be firmly charity be not to be degraded and trodden down under seated in a square and constant mind, not conscious to a civil ordinance; if matrimony be not to be advanced itself of any deserved blame, and regardless of un- like that exalted perdition written of to the Thessalogrounded suspicions. For this let him be sure, he shall nians," above all that is called God," or goodness, nay be boarded presently by the ruder sort, but not by dis- against them both; then I dare affirm, there will be creet and well-nurtured men, with a thousand idle found in the contents of this book that which may condescants and surmises. Who when they cannot con- cern us all. You it concerns chiefly, worthies in parfute the least joint or sinew of any passage in the book; liament! on whom, as on our deliverers, all our grievyet God forbid that truth should be truth, because they ances and cares, by the merit of your eminence and have a boisterous conceit of some pretences in the writer. fortitude, are devolved. Me it concerns next, having But were they not more busy and inquisitive than the with much labour and faithful diligence first found apostle commends, they would hear him at least, re- out, or at least with a fearless and communicative canjoicing so the truth be preached, whether of envy or dour first published to the manifest good of christendom, other pretence whatsoever:" for truth is as impossible that which, calling to witness every thing mortal and to be soiled by any outward touch, as the sunbeam; immortal, I believe unfeignedly to be true. Let not though this ill hap wait on her nativity, that she never other men think their conscience bound to search concomes into the world, but like a bastard, to the ignominy tinually after truth, to pray for enlightening from of him that brought her forth; till time, the midwife above, to publish what they think they have so obtainrather than the mother of truth, have washed and salted ed, and debar me from conceiving myself tied by the the infant, declared her legitimate, and churched the same duties. Ye have now, doubtless, by the favour father of his young Minerva, from the needless causes and appointment of God, ye have now in your hands a of his purgation. Yourselves can best witness this, great and populous nation to reform; from what corworthy patriots! and better will, no doubt, hereafter: ruption, what blindness in religion, ye know well; in for who among ye of the foremost that have travailed what a degenerate and fallen spirit from the apprehenin her behalf to the good of church or state, hath not sion of native liberty, and true manliness, I am sure ye been often traduced to be the agent of his own by-ends, find; with what unbounded licence rushing to whoreunder pretext of reformation? So much the more I doms and adulteries, needs not long inquiry: insomuch shall not be unjust to hope, that however infamy or that the fears, which men have of too strict a discipline, envy may work in other men to do her fretful will perhaps exceed the hopes, that can be in others, of ever against this discourse, yet that the experience of your introducing it with any great success. What if I own uprightness misinterpreted will put ye in mind, to should tell ye now of dispensations and indulgences, give it free audience and generous construction. What to give a little the reins, to let them play and nibble though the brood of Belial the draff of men, to whom with the bait a while; a people as hard of heart as that no liberty is pleasing, but unbridled and vagabond Egyptian colony that went to Canaan. This is the lust without pale or partition, will laugh broad per- common doctrine that adulterous and injurious divorces haps, to see so great a strength of Scripture mustering were not connived only, but with eye open allowed of up in favour, as they suppose, of their debaucheries; old for hardness of heart. But that opinion, I trust, they will know better when they shall hence learn, by then this following argument hath been well read, that honest liberty is the greatest foe to dishonest licence. will be left for one of the mysteries of an indulgent And what though others, out of a waterish and queasy Antichrist, to farm out incest by, and those his other conscience, because ever crazy and never yet sound, tributary pollutions. What middle way can be taken will rail and fancy to themselves that injury and licence then, may some interrupt, if we must neither turn to is the best of this book? Did not the distemper of their the right, nor to the left, and that the people hate to own stomachs affect them with a dizzy megrim, they be reformed? Mark then, judges and lawgivers, and would soon tie up their tongues, and discern themselves ye whose office it is to be our teachers, for I will utter like that Assyrian blasphemer, all this while reproach- now a doctrine, if ever any other, though neglected or ing not man, but the Almighty, the Holy One of Israel, not understood, yet of great and powerful importance whom they do not deny to have belawgiven his own to the governing of mankind. He who wisely would sacred people with this very allowance, which they restrain the reasonable soul of man within due bounds, now call injury and licence, and dare cry shame on, must first himself know perfectly, how far the territory

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