Page:Tetrachordon - Milton (1645).djvu/55

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
TETRACHORDON.
39

heerin conform our selvs to his unrighteousness in this undue and unwise fear. For God regards more to releev by this Law the just complaints of good men, then to curb the licence of wicked men, to the crushing withall, and the overwhelming of his afflicted servants. He loves more that his Law should look with pitty upon the difficulties of his own, then with rigor upon the boundlesse riots of them who serv another Maister, and hinder'd heer by the strictnes, will break another way to wors enormities. If this Law therfore have many good reasons for which God gave it, and no intention of giving scope to leudness, but as abuse by accident comes in with every good Law, and every good thing, it cannot be wisdom in us, while we can content us with Gods wisdom, nor can be purity, if his purity will suffice us, to except against this Law, as if it foster'd licence. But if they affirm this Law had no other end, but to permitt obdurat lust, because it would bee obdurat, making the Law of God intentionally to proclame and enact sin lawful, as if the will of God were becom sinfull, or sin stronger then his direct and Law-giving will, the men would bee admonisht to look well to it, that while they are so eager to shut the dore against licence, they doe open a wors dore to blasphemy. And yet they shall bee heer furder shewn thir iniquity; what more foul common sin among us then drunkennes, and who can bee ignorant, that if the importation of Wine, and the use of all strong drink were forbid, it would both clean ridde the possibility of committing that odious vice, and men might afterwards live happily and healthfully, without the use of those intoxicating licors. Yet who is ther the severest of them all, that ever propounded to loos his Sack, his Ale, toward the certain abolishing of so great a sin, who is ther of them, the holiest, that less loves his rich Canary at meals, though it bee fetcht from places that hazard the Religion of them who fetch it, and though it make his neighbour drunk out of the same Tunne? While they forbid not therfore the use of that liquid Marchandise, which forbidd'n would utterly remove a most loathsom sin, and not impair either the health, or the refreshment of mankind, suppli'd many other wayes, why doe they forbid a Law of God, the forbidding wherof brings into an excessive bondage, oft times the best of men, and betters not the wors? Hee to remove a Nationall vice, will not pardon his cupps, nor think it concerns him to forbear the quaffing of that outlandish Grape, in his unnecessary fullnes, though other men

abuse