those of his own house, hee hath deny'd the faith, and is worse then an Infidel. But a deserter, say they, can have no care of them who are most his owne, therefore the deserted party is not lesse to bee righted against such a one then against an infidel. With the same evidence I argue, that man or wife who hates in wedloc, is pereptually unsociable, unpeacefull, or unduteous, either not being able, or not willing to performe what the maine ends of mariage demand in helpe and solace, cannot bee said to care for who shou'd bee dearest in the house; therefore is worse then an infidel in both regards, either in undertaking a duty which he cannot performe, to the undeserved and unspeakable injury of the other party so defrauded and betrai'd, or not performing what he hath undertaken, whenas he may or might have, to the perjury of himselfe more irreligious then heathenisme. The blamelesse person therefore hath as good a plea to sue out his delivery from this bondage, as from the desertion of an infidel. Since most writers cannot but grant that desertion is not only a local absence, but an intolerable society; or if they grant it not, the reasons of Saint Paul grant it, with all as much leave as they grant to enlarge a particular freedom from paganisme, into a general freedom from any desertion. Secondly, they reason from the likenes of either fact, the same losse redounds to the deserted by a christian, as by an infidel, the same peril of temptation. And I in like manner affirme, that if honest and free persons may be allow'd to know what is most to their owne losse, the same losse and discontent, but worse disquiet with continuall misery and temptation resides in the company, or better call'd the persecution of an unfit, or an unpeaceable consort, then by his desertion. For then the deserted may enjoy himselfe at least. And he who deserts is more favourable to the party whom his presence afflicts, then that importunat thing which is and will be ever conversant before the eyes a loyal and individual vexation. As for those who still rudely urge it no loss to mariage, no desertion, so long as the flesh is present and offers a benevolence that hates, or is justly hated, I am not of that vulgar and low perswasion, to thinke such forc'd embracements as these worth the honour, or the humanity of mariage, but farre beneath the soul of a rational and freeborne man. Thirdly they say, it is not the infidelity of the deserter, but the desertion of the infidel from which the Apostle gives this freedom; and I joyne that the Apostle could as little require our subjection to an unfit and injurious bondage present, as to an infidel absent. To free us from that which is an evil by being distant, and not from that which is an inmate, and in the bosome
