that is valuable in this: her reputation fhe puts wholly in his power that has debauch'd her; and, which is worse, her reformation too. If the should have a mind to return to vertue, fhe dares not, for fear he should divulge her former ftrayings from it: fo that, like Catiline, fhe is engag'd to future evils to fecure the past. Yea, fhe fubjects her felf, not only to his luft, but to all his humours and fancies; nay, even to all those who have been inftrumental to their privacies, none of them all being to be difpleas'd for fear of blabbing: and when 'tis remembred, what a fort of cattle they are, which are the engines in fuch affairs, there can scarce be any thing more deplorable, than to be within their lafh. 'Tis true indeed, fome have found a way to cure this uneafinefs by being their own delators, not only confeffing, but boafting their crime, and by an impudent owning, prevent all accufations: yet even this ferves but to atteft the intolerableness of the former condition, when this worst of mifchiefs is chofe as a rescue. Their impatience of being alwaies in awe makes them take up that refolution for infamy, which Cæfar did for death; who faid, 'Twas better to die once than to be always in fear. And tho' this defperate remedy may cure the fear, yet it ascertains the reproach; for, whereas in the impeachment of others there is place for doubt, and charity may

prompt

prompt fome to disbelieve it, yet when the fact is juftified by the offender, the evidence is uncontrollable, and withall doubles the infamy. For, befides that which adheres to the crime, there is a distinct portion due to the impudence; yet, like the Scorpion, it muft cure it's own fting, and tho' it increases the obloquy, yet yet it deadens the sense of it.

24. BUT when they have thus fteel'd their fore-heads against all impreffions of shame, they are ftill liable to many other painful effects of their fin. What fears of being abandon'd, what jealoufies of rivals do often torture them? And indeed not without ground: for they cannot but know, that the fame humour of variety, which engag'd their Paramours in their love, may do the fame for another, and fo on; it being as poffible to grafp the air, as to confine a wandring luft. Befides, what anxious apprehenfions have they of the approach of age, which they are fure will render them loath'd and despicable, as also of all intermediate decays of Beauty? How critically do they examine their glass? and every wrinkle, that reprefents in their face, becomes a deep gafh in the heart. But if they have at any time the leifure (or indeed the courage) to look inward, the view is yet more dreadful, a deform'd foul, spoil'd of it's innocence, and render'd almost as brutifh as the fin it has confented to. But tho'

it be in fome refpects like the Beafts that perib, it is not, it cannot be in that which would most avail it: it's endless being it cannot lofe, nor can it expect any thing from that preeminence of it's nature, but an infinity of mifery. This is fuch an amazing contemplation, as methinks, were it infifted on, fhould allay the hottest blood; no impure flames being fo fierce, as to contest with those of unquenchable fire. It is therefore, tho' a very impious, yet no unskilful artifice of thofe, who would vitiate women in their manners, to corrupt them in their Principles; and by extinguishing all hopes or fears of another world, perfwade them to immerse boldly into all the abominations of this. 'Tis faid, this is now an art of wooing, the modern preludium to the baseft proposals: it seems, this age dares not truft only to the former ways of feducement, fears there will not be women enough that will forget the interests of another World; and therefore is fain to fet up a new party of others to disbelieve it. And I fear that defign has been too profperous: many women are fo much more concern'd for their bodies than their fouls, that they are contented the one fhould be elevated upon the depreffion and debasement of the other; and whilft with a vain tranfport, they can hear, their outward form applauded as Angelical, or Divine, they can very tamely en

dure

dure to have their better part vilified and defpifed, defin'd to be only a puff of air in their noftrils, which will scatter with their exfpiring breath, or in the Atheist's Phrase, Wifd. 2. 3. 2. 3. vanifh as the foft air. Whereas they fhould confider, that they who preach this doctrine to them, defign it only to infer a pernicious ufe. 'Tis a Maxim in Politicks, that those Counfels are fufpiciously to be fcan'd, which carry in their front the advifers intereft; which certainly is never more visible than in this cafe; he that once gains this point, never needing to contest for all the reft. For he that can perfwade a woman out of her Soul, will foon command her body; and then what was at firft his intereft, becomes hers at laft; and her wishes of the mortality of her Soul, are much stronger than 'tis poffible her belief of it could be: which confirms abundantly my affirmation of the fervile, wretched condition of fuch a person. For if we judge that a very fevere slavery, which makes people defirous to refign a temporal being, what shall we think of that which provokes them to renounce an eternal ?

4

25. AND now by this gradation of mifchiefs, we may judge of the deplorable state of those who have abondon'd their Vertue; wherein I doubt not the confciences of many can, not only atteft, but may improve the description; and all I fhall fay to fuch, is only

D

to

to confult that bofom monitor; which till they do, all Homilies will be infignificant. My defign was not therefore to tell them what they too well feel, but only to point out their wrecks as warnings to others.

26. LET all thofe therefore, who are yet untainted, and, by being fo, have their judgements clear and unbiaft, confider foberly the mifery of the other condition, and that not only to applaud, but fecure their own; and when ever the outward pomps and gaudy fplendours of a vitiated Woman, feem, like that of Crefus, to boast their happiness; let them look through that Fallacy, and answer with Solon, that thofe only are happy, who are so at their end. Their moft exquifite deckings are but like the garlands on a beast defign'd for Sacrifice; their richest gems are but the chains, not of their ornament but flavery; and their gorgeous apparel, like that of Herod, covers perhaps a putrid body, (for even that doth not seldom prove their fate) or however, a more putrid Soul. They who can thus confider them, will avoid one great fnare; for 'tis not always fo much the luft of the flesh, as that of the eyes, which betrays a Woman. 'Tis the known infirmity of the Sex, to love gayety, and a fplendid appearance, which renders all temptations of that fort so connatural to them, that those who are not arriv'd to a more fober estimate of things, will scarce

be