THE LIFE o F MILTON. 399 his name, but the file eafily betrayed the author ; and afterwards a fecond edition, much augmented, with his name ; and he dedicated it to the Parliament of England with the Affembly of Divines, that as they were then confulting about the general reformation of the kingdom, they might alfo take this particular cafe ofdomain liberty into their confideration. And then, as it was objeaed, that his doc- trine was a novel notion, and a paradox that no body had ever afferted before, he endeavored to confirm his own opinion by the authority of others, and publifhed in 1644 the Judgment of Martin Bucer, &c, And as it was fill objeaed, that his do&rine could not be reconciled to Scripture, he publifhed in 1645 his Tetrachorclon or Expefitions upon the four chief places in Scripture, which treat of marriage, or nullities in marriage. At the firft appearing of the Dofirine and Difeipline of Divorce the clergy railed a heavy outcry againft it, and daily folicited the Parliament to pafs fume cenfure upon it ; and at laft one of them, in a fermon preached before the Lords and Commons on a day of humi- liation in Auguft 1644, roundly told them, that there was a book abroad, which deferved to be burnt, and that among their other fins they ought to repent, that they had not yet branded it with, fume mark of their difpleafure. And Mr. Wood informs us, that a.,p,o-nt Milton's publifhing his three books of Divorce, the Affernbly of Divines, that was then fitting at Weaminiter, took fpecial notice of them ; and notwithltanding his former fcrvices in writing againft the Bithops, caufed him to be fummoned before the Houle of Lords : but that Houfe, whether approving his Doctrine, or not favoring his accufers, foon difiniffed him. He was attacked too from the prefs as well as from the pulpit, in a a pamphlet intitled Divorce at pleafure, and in another intitled an Anfwer to the Doctrine and Difcipline of Divorce, which was licenf- ed and recommended by Mr. Jofeph Caryl, a famous Prefbyterian Divine, and author of a voluminous Commentary on the book of Job : and -Milton in his Colafterion or Reply publifhed in 1645 ex.. pollulates fmartly with the licencer, as well as handles very roughly the namelefs author. And tilde provocatio'ns, I fuppofe, contributed Plot
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