Page:Tetrachordon - Milton (1645).djvu/48

 It was the Law, that for mans good and quiet, reduc't things to propriety, which were at first in common; how much more Law-like were it to assist nature in disappropriating that evil which by continuing proper becomes destructive. But hee might have bewar'd. So hee might in any other covnant, wherin the Law does not constrain error to so dear a forfeit. And yet in these matters wherin the wisest are apt to erre, all the warines that can bee, oft times nothing avails. But the Law can compell the offending party to bee more duteous. Yes, if all these kind of offences were fit in public to bee complain'd on, or beeing compell'd were any satisfaction to a mate not sottish, or malicious. And these injuries work so vehemently, that if the Law remedy them not, by separating the cause when no way els will pacify, the person not releev'd betakes him either to such disorderly courses, or to such a dull dejection as renders him either infamous, or useles to the service of God and his Country. Which the Law ought to prevent as a thing pernicious to the Common wealth; an what better prevention then this which Moses us'd?

Fifthly, The Law is to tender the liberty and the human dignity of them that live under the Law, whether it bee the mans right above the woman, or the womans just appeal against wrong and servitude. But the duties of mariage contain in them a duty of benevolence, which to doe by compulsion against the Soul, where ther can bee neither peace, nor joy, nor love, but an enthrallment to one who either cannot, or will not bee mutual in the godliest and the civilest ends of that society, is the ignoblest, and the lowest slavery that a human shape can bee put to. This Law therfore justly and piously provides against such an unmanly task of bondage as this. The civil Law, though it favour'd the setting free of a slave, yet if hee prov'd ungratefull to his Patron, reduc't him to a servil condition. If that Law did well to reduce from liberty to bondage for an ingratitude not the greatest, much more became it the Law of God to enact the restorement of a free born man from an unpurpos'd, and unworthy bondage, to a rightful liberty, for the most unnatural fraud and ingratitude that can bee committed against him. And if that Civilian Emperor in his title of Donations, permit the giver to recall his guift from him who proves unthankful towards him, yea, though hee had subscrib'd, and sign'd in the deed of his guift, not to recall it though for this very cause of ingratitude, with much more equity doth Moses Rh