Page:Against profane dealing with holy matrimony.djvu/9

 find, in which there is any appearance of hardship or inconvenience caused by this law. And when they have made a case, as clever lawyers can easily do, they will come to Parliament, and ask for an Act to be passed, altering this old rule; allowing widowers, whenever they please, to marry those who are now called their sisters-in-law; and of course inflicting penalties on Clergymen who refuse to marry them, or to treat them as married.

Now, we are most of us quiet people, and would gladly leave matters of law entirely to our governors: but it does so happen now and then, that a few people make a great noise, and the Parliament thinks it is all the nation, and so changes get made in a hurry, to be repented of at leisure: and surely in so precious and sacred a concern as the law of holy Matrimony, this would be especially sad and grievous. Will you then calmly consider, whether the reasons which you will find here set down are not sufficient to make us all most earnestly wish and pray, that no such alteration may take place as these persons are asking for?

First, When people have broken the law, they are not exactly the persons to come and