her to keep the church or completely dissolve it, Milton sided with the dissolution of the national church in favor of local autonomy of individual congregations. He advocated the simplicity of the Presbyterian form of church government. Milton defended the rights of divorce in several tracts which later became targets for critics. These tracts were censored by parliament and Milton in response wrote Areopagitica, where he defends freedom of the press. Milton believed that the government should have the least control over the lives of individuals. His book, Paradise Lost, became a model of the destructive qualities of pride and the redeeming ideas of humility. Milton was intrigued by the motives behind those who rebel against God. In Paradise Lost, Milton’s center character, the Devil becomes the tragic but prideful hero that would rather reign in hell than serve in heaven, symbolic of the corruption of pride and potential greatness. Milton believed that human beings were responsible for their fate and that salvation could be brought about with improvement in character and God’s grace. Unlike Bunyan who believed that salvation was only given to those who were among the elect. An idea that Milton adamantly rejected.Baruch Spinoza, would be by far, one of the most controversial thinkers of the seventh century. He was excommunicated by his synagogue for his philosophy. Spinoza’s work was divided into five parts; which dealt with God, the mind, emotions, human bondage, and human freedom. His book, Ethics was attacked by both Jews and Protestants for its support of pantheism, an idea equating God with nature. According to Spinoza, God and nature are one of the same; that substance which is self-caused, free and infinite is God. God exists in everything that exists and everything is in God. This idea was revolutionary in that many of the time saw God as higher than that. His ideas were condemned by his contempo...
