Page:The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce - Milton (1644).djvu/36

 though Beza deny. Neither is the Scripture hereby lesse inspir'd because S. Paul confesses to have writt'n therein what he had not of command; for we grant that the Spirit of God led him thus to expresse himself to Christian prudence in a matter which God thought best to leave uncommanded. Beza therefore must be warily read when he taxes S. Austine of Blasphemy for holding that S. Paul spake heer as of a thing indifferent: but if it must be a command, I shall yet the more evince it to be a command that we should herein be left free: and that out of the Greek word us'd in the 12.. which instructs us plainly there must be a joynt assent and good liking on both sides; he that will not deprave the Text, must thus render it; If a brother have an unbeleeving wife, and she joyne in consent to dwell with him (which cannot utter lesse to us then a mutuall agreement) let him not put her away for the meer surmise of Judaicall uncleannes: and the reason follows, for the body of an infidell is not polluted, neither to benevolence, nor to procreation. Moreover, this note of mutuall complacencie forbids all offer of seducement; which to a person of zeal cannot be attempted without great offence, if therfore seducement be fear'd, this place hinders not divorce. Another caution was put in this supposed command, of not bringing the beleever into bondage heerby, which doubtles might prove extreme, if Christian liberty and conscience were left to the humor of a pagan staying at pleasure to play with, or to vex and wound with a thousand scandals and burdens, above strength to bear: If therefore the conceived hope of gaining a soul, come to nothing, then charity commands that the beleever be not wearied out with endlesse waiting under many grievances sore to his spirit; but that respect be had rather to the present suffering of a true Christian, then the uncertain winning of an obdur'd heretick. The counsell we have from S. Paul to hope, cannot countermand the moral and Evangelick charge we have from God to feare seducement, to separate from the misbeleever, the unclean, the obdurat. The Apostle wisheth us to hope, but does not send us a wooll-gathering after vain hope: he saith, How knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife, that is, till he try all due means, and set some reasonable time to himselfe after which he may give over washing an Ethiope, if he will heare the advice of the Gospell. Cast not pearls before swine, saith Christ himself. Let him be to thee as a heathen. Shake the dust off thy feet. If this be not anough, hate and forsake, what relation soever. And this also that follows, must appertain to the precept, Let every man wherin he is call'd therin abide with God  abide