Analysis of Areopagitica

For as long as prophets, apostles, and evangelists have been writing the Word of God, mankind has been trying to decipher its real meaning hidden behind the mysterious parables and ambiguous language. Milton emphasizes in Areopagit

Mankind has had a tendency to judge each other on the basis of several different aspects of life. In A Study in Milton’s Christian Doctrine, Sewell claims “[n]o man can judge definitely the sense of scripture to another man’s conscience…The authority of the Bible is substituted for the authority of the Church; and religious liberty must begin with an acceptance of the sole authority of the Bible” (67). Sewell is utilizing a quote from Areopagitica, which essentially translates into the point that no man can judge another man on the basis of his conscience, for that is up to the discretion of the Church, which is The House of God. Yet, a “divorce in his view was a matter upon whose legitimacy only the individual conscience could judge. The centre of reference in the divorce tracts therefore shifts from the revealed will of God to the rights of the particular believer” (Barker 67). Divorce is a form of religious truth since marriage has religious symoblism and divorce illustrates the dark truth of marriage. Since this is now pertaining only to the individual, the individual has the right to choose whether or not he or she wants to judge because it is a transference of God’s will to the will of mankind. This idea, to leave God’s will for one’s own is unattainable for men who are divorced, yet want to be closer to God, though the divorce has now separated the rights of mankind from the will of God. In addition, Barker points out “Christ had positively prohibited divorce” (72). This further exemplifies the relationship that existed between God and man is further damaged.

Milton writes “[a]nd perhaps this is that doom which Adam fell into of knowing food and evil, that is to say of knowing good by evil”. Likewise, Sewell claims that “man was created perfect and fell on his own choice” (50). Because of Adam’s God-given ability of free choice, mankind now suffers the consequence of evil which is “keeping back form truth oft-times the best of m

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