are not skilfull confiderers of human things, who imagin to remove fin by removing the matter of fin; for, befides that it is a huge heap increafing under. the very act of diminishing, though fome part of it may for a time be withdrawn from fome perfons, it cannot from all, in fuch a univerfall thing as books are; and when this is done, yet the fin remains entire. Though ye take from a covetous man all his treasure, he has yet one jewell left, ye cannot bereave him of his covetoufneffe. Banifh all objects of luft, fhut up all youth into the fevereft difcipline that can be exercis'd in any her mitage, ye cannot make them chaste, that came not thither fo: fuch great care and wisdom is requir'd to the right

ma

managing of this point.

Suppofe we

could expell fin by this means look how much we thus expell of fin, so much we expell of vertue: for the matter of them both is the fame; remove that, and ye remove them both alike. This juftifies the high providence of GOD, who though he command us temperance, justice, continence, yet powrs out before us ev'n to a profufenes all defirable. things, and gives us minds that can wander beyond all limit and fatiety. Why should we then affect a rigor contrary to the manner of GOD and of nature, by abridging or scanting those means, which books freely permitted are, both to the triall of vertue, and the exercife of truth. It would be better done to learn that the

law

law must needs be frivolous which goes to restrain things, uncertainly and yet equally working to good, and to evill. And were I the choofer, a dram of well-doing fhould be preferr'd before many times as much the forcible hindrance of evill-doing. For GoD fure efteems the growth and compleating of one vertuous perfon, more then the reftraint of ten vitious. And albeit what ever thing we hear or fee, fitting, walking, travelling, or converfing, may be fitly call'd our book, and is of the same effect that writings are, yet grant the thing to be prohibited were only books, it appears that this order hitherto is far infufficient to the end which it intends. Do we not fee, not once or oftner, but

weekly

weekly that continu'd Court-libell against the Parlament and City, Printed, as the wet sheets can witnes, and difpers't among us, for all that licencing can doe? yet. this is the prime fervice a man would think, wherein this order fhould give proof of it felf. If it were executed, you'l fay. But certain, if execution be remiffe or blindfold now, and in this particular, what will it be hereafter, and in other books. If then the order fhall not be vain and fruftrat, behold a new labour, Lords and Commons, ye muft repeal and profcribe all fcandalous and unlicenc't books already printed and divulg'd; after ус have drawn them up into a lift, that all may know which are condemn'd, and which not; and ordain

that no forrein books be deliver'd out of

cuftody, till they have bin read over, This office will require the whole time of not a few overseers, and those no vulThere be alfo books which gar men. are partly usefull and excellent, partly culpable and pernicious; this work will afk as many more officials, to make expurgations and expunctions, that the Commonwealth of learning be not damnify'd. In fine, when the multitude of books encrease upon their hands, ye must be fain to catalogue all thofe Printers who are found frequently offending, and forbidd the importation of their whole fufpected typography. In a word, that this your order may be exact, and not deficient, ye muft reform it perfect

ly