Page:The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce - Milton (1644).djvu/15

1

THE

DOCTRINE

AND

DISCIPLINE

of DIVORCE;

Restor'd to the good of both Sexes.

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I. Booke.

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The Preface.

That Man is the occasion of his owne miseries, in most of those evills which hee imputes to Gods inflicting. The absurdity of our canonists in their decrees about divorce. The Christian imperiall Lawes fram'd with more Equity. The opinion of Hugo Grotius, and Paulus Fagius: And the purpose in generall of this Discourse.

 

Any men, whether it be their fate, or fond opinion, easily perswade themselves, if God would but be pleas'd a while to withdraw his just punishments from us, and to restraine what power either the devill, or any earthly enemy hath to worke us woe, that then mans nature would find immediate rest and releasement from all evils. But verily they who think so, if they be such as have a minde large enough to take into their thoughts a generall survey of human things, would soon prove themselves in that opinion farre deceiv'd. For though it were granted us by divine indulgence