Salvation as I will demonstrate in the latter parts of this work To understand this well one must consider Marriage in a threefold relation In relation to God who is the Author of it In relation to Man for whom it was instituted and in relation to the World to which it is a perpetual principle of subsistance In these three respects one may say that there is nothing in nature of more excellence than Marriage It is then from God and immediately from God that this holy Society draws its original He had no sooner taken Man from nothing bâ— he took out of Man the Woman foâ— the sake of Man Scarce had he crâ—ated him but he thought to marrâ— him It is not good saâ— he Gen. 2.18 for Man to be alonâ— Let us make him aâ— assistant that may be like him Thuâ— he formed an Eve to Adam from Adam himself which is not withouâ— mystery Then he pronounced theiâ— words which are of an eternal obligation to all men Man shall leaâ— his Father and his Mother and stick 〈◊〉 his Wife and they shall be two in oâ— flesh Behold Sir the Institution oâ— Marriage which is you see as ancient as the world One can observâ— nothing since the Creation that haâ— preceeded it It was the first carâ— that God took after this great Master-peice so necessary did he esteeâ— it It even seems to be in some measure a part of it and that withouâ— it it had been imperfect You 'll saâ— that it was a quality which Maâ— wanted for his perfection and thaâ— without it he had been unworthy to obtain an Empire over those creatures which the Creator gave him 〈◊〉 was perhaps for this reason that the Jews termed a Batchelour but â—alf a man How many Laws and humane Institutions are there which one esteems not only for themselves but also for the sake of their Authors who will not acknowledge that it was a great happiness for Philosophy to have been taught by Aristotle And that the Soâ—rates's and Câ—to's have done as much honour to Wisdom as Wisdom has done them who does not know likewise that the Order of Knighthood so famous among Christians is of it self a very small matter and that it draws almost all its Dignity from the very institution of Kings who had a mind thereby to make a mark of distinction between the Lords of their Court Upon this foot one may affirm that Marriage is a very considerable thing There is here more than Aristotle more than Socrates more than Cato more than a mortal King more than Moses himself the Author of the Law â—n a word more than all the Legislators together It s Institutor is Gâ— himself that is to say the Master the world the Lord of Heaven aâ— Earth the King of Ages and â—ther of Eternity Yes Sir Marriâ— is his production It is the breâ— of his mouth It is the work of 〈◊〉 hands It is the character of his Aâ—thority If the institution of Jeâ— Christ as well as the thing it seâ— makes us find in Baptism and in tâ— Eucharist a supernatural excellencâ— how should one be wanting in Mâ—riage by relation to the institutiâ— of God Behold then Sir the fiâ— degree of its excellence viz. Tâ— it is of right divine That it is 〈◊〉 universal right That it is of peâ—petual right God has ordained 〈◊〉 God has establisht it And he 〈◊〉 ordained it for all men and for 〈◊〉 times It is not good for Man to 〈◊〉 alone Let him forsake his Father aâ— Mother and joyn himself to a Wife That not only relates to Adam bâ— to all his posterity to the end 〈◊〉 the world What can be more Sâ—cred than this Law 't was God thâ— made it What can be more exteâ—sive it regards all humankind What â—n be more durable It ought to continue during the Revolution of all â—ges I introduce into the excellence of â—arriage that God has instituted it 〈◊〉 the state of Innocence and in the Terrestrial Paradise In effect methinks these two particulars should extreamly advance the price of it Undoubtedly there was nothing in that happy condition wherein God had placed our first Parents but what was very good and participated of the purity of their original They carried at that time upon their Foreheads the glorious Stamps of their Creator Sin had not yet defaced in them that curious Image of himself which he had communicated to them Holy and without defects they enjoy'd a perfect felicity All things conspir'd to their happiness Who can disagree then that the Marriage whereof they were at this time in possession was in it self and of its nature an excellent thing Is it not also the consequencâ— which follows from that place of dâ—lights wherein it was establisheâ— When God gave his Laws to his Peâ—ple he descended upon Sinai wheâ— with testimonies of his Majesty inâ—â—nitely glorious he made his voiâ—â— known to Moses and pronounced 〈◊〉 those divine Words which inspiâ—â— veneration and fear Those terribâ—â— preparations wherein God appearâ— to the Jews that sounding of Truâ—pets those flashes of Lightning aâ—â— claps of Thunder which overwhelmâ— the holy Mountain which gave â—stonishment to Moses himself aâ—â— which made the Israelites to cry oâ— We shall dye for we have seen Gâ—â—â— All this I say must without douâ—â— contribute much to their receiviâ—â— with veneration the Celestial Law They might reasonably inferr thâ— what should be directed to them froâ— a place crowned with so much glâ—ry and magnificence must be dâ—vine What opinion likewise should 〈◊〉 not have of Marriage when we sâ—â— it proceed from a bed of Innocencâ— and a Paradise of delights As hoâ—â— and august as Sinai was at the Pubâ—â—â—ation of the Law yet I dare affirm â—â—at it was nothing in comparison of â—â—at Garden of God when he instâ—tuted Marriage therein It was of â—â—at one might truly say Introite â—â—m hic Dij sunt God was in 〈◊〉 God walked therein God made 〈◊〉 that I may so speak his habiâ—â—tion of pleasure God familiarly â—â—â—kt with Man therein There was nothing but what inspired satisfactiâ—â— The Rivers wherewith it was â—â—cessantly watered were as so many â—â—rrents of delights All the Eleâ—ents concurred to render it agreeâ—â—le It was not yet subject to the â—â—regularities of Seasons the frosts of Winter and heats of Summer were never perceived there It was â—â—owned with a perpetual Spring 〈◊〉 a word there was nothing there â—â—t what was proportioned to the perfection of their being and the purity of their original nothing but â—hat exactly agreed with the happy â—ondition of innocent Man Nathaniel â—â—id to Philip through a false prepossession against Jesus Christ Can 〈◊〉 thing that 's good come out of Nazaretâ— Let us say on the other side can â—ny thing that 's bad come out of Pâ—radise We often judge of the quâ—lity of things and likewise of mâ— by the places from whence they comâ— It should be good as we say 〈◊〉 Fruit for it
it if it was capable of prâ—ducing this fruit What better râ—ward could I desire for the pains has cost me Some persons nevertheless haâ— been willing to persuade me that would be unjust to confine its whâ— effect to the conquest of one singâ— Man and that it might by runniâ— through the world gain several â—thers to the Empire of Hymeâ— Thus I was subdued to the solicitations of making it publick which have been made to me from divers places God grant that I may have no occasion to repent of it nor to apply to my Book what Ovid says with lamentation of some of his Writings Hei mihi quam paucos hac mea dicta movent Be indulgent Reader and forget not the saying of the ancient Sages That 't is easy to find fault but hard to excell Of the Parts of this BOOK PART I. Of the Excellence of Marriage pag 8. PART II. Of the Infamy of Incontinence pag. 60. PART III. Of the Motives that might reasonanably induce men to Marry pag. 83. PART IV. Where those objections which are made against Marriage and the false reasons that are alledged to rest unmarried are answered pag. 163. PART V. Of the means to Marry well and to live happy in Marriage pag. 215. ADVERTISEMENT MIscellanious Letter and Essays on several Subjects Philosophical Moral Historicaâ— Critical Amorous c. 〈◊〉 Prose and Verse Directed tâ— John Drayden Esq the Honorable George Granvill Esq Walter Moile Esq Mr. Dennis Mr. Congreve and otheâ— Eminent Men of the Age. B◠〈◊〉 al Gentlemen and Ladies â—ed for Benjamen Bragg â—e White-Heart over againsâ— â—r-Lane in Fleet-street Of the Excellency of Marriage of its Necessity and the means to live happily in it Together with the Apology of the Women against the Calumnies of the Men. THERE never was a bolder undertaking than that of this Book It s design is to establish an opinion which all Men oppose and to disengage them from an Error which is almost as ancient as the World We say every day a thousand injurious things of Marriage One would have it to be the Sepulchre of Pleasures Another looks upon it as a severe Bondage Even those who speak of it with most moderation cease not to term it a necessary Evil. Behold the error I design to confute On the otherside that Marriage is an excellent thing a happy condition and a Society full of sweetness is what exceeds belief It is even ridiculed and it is notwithstanding the truth which I propose my self to persuade Judge Sir what courage is necessary and what strong assurance one must have in the justice of his Cause to be able to prevent a repulse at the entrance of an attempt thaâ— is apparently so difficult Is it not here onâ— may truly affirm Hoc opus hic labor est You know that in effect nothing is more cried down in the World than Marriage People frame to themselves Ideas of it which cause an abhorrence I confess likewise thaâ— it has long served for a subject of detraction Where is he that has no merry Tale to relate of it or to speak better that has no iâ— reason to alledge in order to discourage others and to remove himself from it How acceptable is this Dilemma of the Philosopher those persons If thou Marryest I supposâ— thy Wife to be either handsome or ugly If she be ugly thou canst never love her if handsome thou wilt be jealous of her Whether one or t'other can one find ouâ— a severer punishment for thee How agreeable do they find this precept of another When thou art young say that it is too soon to Marry when old that it is too late How this comparison of Theodectes pleaseâ— them Marriage and Old-Age have this Resemblance to wit that Men equally desire to reach both where they are no sooner arrived but they begin to repent In a word with how much satisfaction do they hear that horrid invective of the most unjust of all men One passes but two good days with a Wife the Wedding-day and the day of her Death She is also good but in two places Vel in Thalamo vel in Tumulo either in her Bridal Bed or in her Grave As little equity as one may have can one observe without passion such vilifying of that fair half of Human-kind to whom it seems as if Nature had given all her Graces in possession The very Gods of our Metamorphosis have been affected with them They have often preferred the pleasure of being captivated under the Empire of our Mortal Goddesses before all the glory of Olympus Is it not surprizing after this that Men should affirm so much ill of them and that they should oppress their innocence with their injuries The contempt which they make of them ought to appear to us so much the more extraordinary as they cannot without them enjoy any satisfaction in life They might in some measure be able to make a shift without us buâ— we could neâ—eâ— excuse our selves from then If one believes Herodotus there was Kingdom of Women withouâ— Men The Amasons but there never was seâ— a Kingdom of Men withoâ—â— Women Even those who are insolent enough tâ— blame their defects in publick are often amorous enough to adore their Charms iâ— private witness he of whom one speakâ— That ridebat in choro amabat in thoro This false prejudice of the Men againâ— the Women is that which discourage them so much from Marriage and whaâ— ought likewise to make me despair of thâ— happy success of my undertaking if it waâ— not the most reasonable of the world But Sir my cause supports it self It is noâ— a particular one and of little consequence As much abandon'd as it is notwithstanding the most general and important causâ— that ever was since it is at the samâ— time the cause of God and Man of Heaven and Earth of Nature anâ— Grace of States and Families of the Church Militant and Church Triumphant May not one affirm in effect thaâ— all these different Subjects have an interest equally sensible in Marriage Is it not the ordinary Channel to give Chosen Vessels to God Faithfull ones tâ— the Church Members to the State Children to Families and to people Heaven and Earth with inhabitants What would become of the World without Marriage What would become of all Human-kind 'T is certain that it would soon be at an end and with it all our Interests This consideration animates my Courage and makes me even hope that in spight of the infatuation of Men and their bloudy Criticks against Marriage God will enable me to support its sacred rights and to convince them that in the bottom this of all conditions of life is most agreeable to them As to what remains I cannot make the Apology of Marriage without making that of this lovely Sex for whom all sensible men ought to have a veneration since by relation to Marriage it self it is the soundest and most considerable part I was
vertue from 〈◊〉 insults and violence After all this should one admire â—â—t in all well regulated States such â—â—â—â—nite care has been taken to cause aâ— exact observation of Marriage â—s it a wonder that in the Republick of Lycurgus the haters of it should 〈◊〉 excluded from publick sports Speâ—â—â—cles and entertainments Can one 〈◊〉 surprised that in the Commonâ—â—alth of Plato Batchelors of 35 â—â—â—rs were accounted infamous In 〈◊〉 â—ord it is miraculous that in all â—es and even amongst the barbaâ—â—â—s Nations a particular deference 〈◊〉 been payed to married men and â—â—â—t Marriage has been much more â—â—eemed than Celibacy It is Sir 〈◊〉 foundation of the world and the â—â—â—xhaustable source of Families 'T is â—â—â—t which gives Citizens to Cities â—â—â—abitants to Provinces and Subjects 〈◊〉 Kingdoms 'T is that which afâ—â—â—ds Kings to People and People to Kings 'T is that which furniâ— the Country with Labourers the Tâ—bunals with Judges the Churches wâ— Preachers and the Armies with Soâ—diers 'T is that which has produâ— Heroes on Earth and Gods in Hâ—ven Poets have married Gods 〈◊〉 well as Men. Saturne had his Cebâ— and Jupiter his Juno both which hâ— been Mothers of several of those fâ— Divinities which Pagan antiquity fâ—merly adored In a word 't is Mâ—riage that gives life to Arts and Sâ—ences That keeps up Traffick Tâ— maintains Societies and to whicâ— owing the greatest part of those whâ— some Laws and prudent Disciplinâ— without which the world would 〈◊〉 but a Cavern of Thieves Can it 〈◊〉 too much esteemed after this Aâ— needs there any more to prove tâ— nothing is better or more excâ—lent if you except a real conâ—nence Yes Sir there is required morâ— for one may make appear that it such in a manner yet more convâ—cingly You will be satisfied of 〈◊〉 if you consider it with me Fiâ— â—he bond of the most perfect most â—et and most wholsome of all huâ—â—e conjunctions And Secondly 〈◊〉 â—he exercise of the most lawful â—â—st agreeable and most absolute auâ—â—â—rity of the world Nothing unquestionably is more â—â—â—fect than this union in respect 〈◊〉 its subject to its end and to its â—â—nner Marriage unites Man and â—oman that is to say what there 〈◊〉 of most excellent and most perfect 〈◊〉 the corporeal nature what resemâ—â—â—s â—s in it self all the Beautys of this â—â—eat Universe what alone is of â—â—re value than all the other Creaâ—â—es together In fine what by the â—â—derstanding and reason with which 〈◊〉 is endowed to the exclusion of 〈◊〉 other Creatures has merited â—â—e glorious name of the Image of â—od What do you imagine to be the â—â—st part of this subject It is a â—elestial Soul It is an immortal â—pirit an angelical and immaterial â—â—bstance It is a being that partakes 〈◊〉 some sort of that of God himself â—eneca goes yet further When he considers its excellency he will havâ— it to be God himself who that aâ— I may say is come to lodge withiâ— our bodies Quid aliud voces animan nisi Deum in humano corpore hospitem Sen. Ep. 32. 'T is thaâ— makes St. Austin say 〈◊〉 That after God nothing is betteâ— than the Soul Anima post Deum nihil melius As to the Body which is the other part that Marriage unites it the Man and woman we may affirm that as miserable as it is in relation to its substance and to the various accidents to which it is subject it is notwithstanding the most perfect and most excellent work of Nature in respect of its composition which as the Psalmist so ellegantly asserts is all embroadery of its aim which is to serve as an organ to the Soul and to be as it were its Ornament Corpus est vestimentum animae says St. Chrysostom The Body is the Garment of the Soul and in a word of its use which is to be imployed in the most noble most necessary and most important actions of life Behold then the first perfection of â—â—raiage viz. That it unites Boâ—â—â—s and Souls that it joynes togeâ—â—â—r the two finest Creatures in the â—orld That it is a composition that iâ— most rare and precious in the esâ—â—â—ce of things This kind of Union 〈◊〉 seen no where else nor in any oâ—her subject The Conjunction of the Stars is a Union purely corporâ—al the Copulation of Beasts is a Union purely carnal Fornication is a Union of Body without Soul And Friendship as strong as it may be betwixt two friends is notwithstanding but a U ion of Souls without Body There is nothing but Marriage that truly unites Bodies and Souls togather Its second perfection consists in its â—nd which according to nature is to multiply men according to grace is to encrease the number of the Elect and according to Nature and Grace to retain the Sexes in the â—ounds of Wisdom Modesty and Honesty in removing the disorders of debauchery What can be more worthy of God and Man than this End I say in the last place that tâ—â— manner of this Union likewise makâ— up one of its beauties Marriage dotâ— not only joyn the Bodies it also â—nites the Souls 'T is much I confess but there is still something incomparably greater It not only unitâ— Bodies and Souls but O surprisinâ— wonder of two Bodies and twâ— Souls it makes one and the samâ— Person Man and Wife says Jesâ— Christ are no more two but one flesâ— Aristotle affirms of a real friendship that it is a soul which inhabits 〈◊〉 two Bodies But the union of Marrâ—age is still much more intimate Theâ— are no more two Bodies but one single Body no more two Souls but onâ— single Soul They are no longer twâ— Bodies tyed to one Soul No longer two Souls confounded in one Body 'T is a something I know noâ— what which is not absolutely one oâ— t'other but is more than both and cannot be expressed Possibly the Comick Poet thought of nothing less than to represent to us the wonder of this Union when he made the diverting peice of his 〈…〉 â—nphytrion It is notwithstanding â—hat he doth after the most natuâ—â—â— way imaginable in the Scene of â—â—e two Sofias He makes them to 〈◊〉 of so perfect a resemblance that â—â—ey look upon one another as one â—â—d the same person They are not 〈◊〉 all distinguishable They are two 〈◊〉 number yet but one in action and â—ovement They always speak by I and not by We. They do not say â—ou art there and I am here but I am there I am here Plautus expresses 〈◊〉 in his Language with an emphasis â—e cannot render in ours What you would persuade me no body ever heard says Amphytrion to Sosia that one man should be at the same time in two different places Nemo unquam homo antehac Plaut Amphyt Act 2. Sc. 1. Vidit nec potest fieri tempore uno Homo idem duobus locis ut simul sit By what inconceiveable art could it be that thou wast at the same moment here and in
is what deâ—troy'd our first Parents One finds nothing so sweet as the power of commanding others and of being obey'd The Sacred Author lets us know that the very Apostles dispuâ—ed concerning precedence It is cerâ—ain that this Spirit of pre-eminence â—s born with us and one may say â—hat it is perhaps the first of our â—nclinations How much then ought Men to esteem Marriage since it satisfies it in so agreeable a manner In effect all cannot be Kings in a Monarchy Dukes in an Aristocracy States and Lords in a Democracy Heaven bestows this honoâ— but on a few Yet these for the moâ— part marry and are in a right tâ— hope for Children Thus Sir of aâ— humane dominions the paternal is undoubtedly most ancient and legitimatâ— 'T is even that which has served as foundation to all others Methinks there is not enough observance of this Soveraign authoritâ— of Fathers over their Children Theâ— is not perhaps any thing in naturâ— so pleasant or so admirable Whaâ— delight to see this people of free will subjected to your wills Alwayâ— disposed to obey you always zealouâ— for your service always interesseâ— for whatsoever has relation to yoâ— Do you speak they reply to you Do you not speak they remain iâ— silence Do you blame they are submissive Do you command they arâ— full of joy Do you give directions they obey Do you prohibit they abstain Do you make appear to them an angry countenance they tremblâ— and are frightned Do you discover one of good humour and love yoâ— fill them with contentment In â— word you do even what you please â—ongst them You are the Master 〈◊〉 their good and evil destiny Withâ—t ever demanding of you the reaâ—ns of your conduct in their respect â—ey suppose it always full of wisdom â—d they take a pride in a blind subâ—ssion to it As they are satisfied â—u can never do any thing to their â—ejudice and that all your aim is but 〈◊〉 procure their good so they neâ— undertaking any thing against â—u but on the other side they efâ—t all they can to give you a testiâ—ony of their respect their zeal and â—knowledgment In fine there neâ—r was an authority more agreeaâ—e or more absolute than this It 〈◊〉 to a Father that this Verse of Juâ—nal perfectly agrees in relation to 〈◊〉 Children â—oc volo sic jubeo Sit pro â—ratione voluntas Juv. Sat. 6. â—his I will this I command my Will is my Reason There is nothing that comes neâ—er to the Divinity than this Aâ— it is principally in this regard thâ— it is the lively image of it Nobis parentes sunt Deorum imâ—nes Our Parents are as the Images 〈◊〉 the Gods You will alledge perhaps that tâ— great number of Subjects which maâ— the felicity of other Governments 〈◊〉 the misfortune of this because it mâ— needs be that all Children are 〈◊〉 of the character I represent theâ— How many doth one fee that 〈◊〉 would swear they were born oâ— to be a perpetual torment to thâ— Parents If one believes Euripiâ— Amongst a great multitude scarce will â—pear a better man than his Father Aâ— according to Sophocles There are 〈◊〉 better but many worse I deny 〈◊〉 the consequence It is but too tâ— Every place is full of ill-born Câ—dren and unhappy Fathers But 〈◊〉 in spight of this ancient Proveâ— Heroum filij noxae and whatever 〈◊〉 Pâ—ets affirm it must notwithstanding 〈◊〉 granted that it is chiefly among 〈◊〉 scum of the people that appear â—se unnatâ—ral Children who inâ—nge all the rights of Nature and â—ace of Heaven and Earth like â—er Chams and other Absaloms emâ—y their sacraligious hands either 〈◊〉 dishonour or persecute their Faâ—rs This is rarely seen amongst 〈◊〉 generous sâ—rt and in Famalies â—ll orderd I add that there are â—y few Fathers who may not if â—y will enjoy with pleasure that â—ream Authority which God has â—en them over their Children 'T is â—thing which depends only upon â—acation and the manner of bringâ— them up There are three things which exâ—amly favour this paternal governâ—nt and may much contribute to â—nder it agreeable and propitious â—e first is That Fathers do themâ—ves form their own Subjects not â—ly by the birth they take from â—em but also by the education which â—ey give them They are in some â—t Masters of their minds Nature puts them into their hands like â—zed Tables wherein is nothing 〈◊〉 yet written They may impriâ—on them such Maxims as they thiâ— fit They find there no resistancâ— They receive the propensity thâ— would give them without any oâ—position Terent. in Adelph Act. 3. Sc. 3. Vt quisque suum vult esse ita est Insomuch that it depends only 〈◊〉 them to teach them the art of â—beying and respecting They alâ— have the power to make them wiâ— It is their own fault if they doâ— enjoy that Empire whereof Senâ— affirms That the chiefest strengâ— consists in the love 〈◊〉 Subjects Sen l. 1. decl c. 19. Vnum est 〈◊〉 inexpugnabile munimentâ— amor civium In fine depends on them alone to inspiâ— them with the fairest sentiments 〈◊〉 vertue â—o semel est imbuta receâ—ns Hor. Epist lib. 1. Ep. 2. servabit odorem Testaâ—diu â—hat scent a Vessel first â—kes will affect it a great while For that end you want no store 〈◊〉 Rhetorick There needs but your â—wn proper example All Children 〈◊〉 general are pleased to imitate â—eir Fathers and to do all they see â—em practise They copy them eâ—rnally in their way of action in â—eir manners and oftentimes in their â—ry gestures Amat unusquisque sequi â—tam parentum says St. Ambrose Oâ—rator filius quae viderit patrem facientâ—n says likewise St. Austin Thus â—othing is more important for Chilâ—ren than example But nothing also 〈◊〉 more commodious for Fathers â—ho are capable of affording good â—nes They may by this means save â—n infinite number of words and disâ—ourses If we believe St Bernard Example is the best of Sermons Sernovivus efficax exemplum operis est And after Seneca there is no shorter road to virtue Leâ—gum iter est per praecepta brâ—ve efficax per exempla Sen. Ep. 6. Long is the way by Precepts short and efficacious by Examples The second advantage of this government whereof I speak is founded upon the hope which all Subjects entertain of holding one day or other the same place their Fathers do and of becoming in their turn the Kings of their Children Therefore if they have never so small a stock of reason they will take care to practice towards their Fathers those duties which they would be displeased to see unpractised towards them when they should possess the throne of Paternity if one may be allowed to speak so If we love to imitate our Fathers we do not less love to be traced of our Children It is undoubtedly for their interests to acquit themselves religiously towards us of that obedience submission and profound
They unhappily destroy themselves by this means Virg. Eclocg 8. Vt vidi ut perii ut me malus abstulit error Alas there are but few now a days like Job who made a contract with his eyes not to look upon a Virgin One sees every where lascivious eyes The Publick walks serve only to exercise their immodesty They respect not even the Altars of the Lord and the Assemblies of his People If a man discovers a Lady there of a well made agreeable aspect he willingly prefers the pleasure of observing her to that of discharging the duties of Piety There needs no more to freeze the hottest devotion Homo ex humo sine humanitate non est homo Man is made out of the earth nor is a man without humanity By the lust of the mouth I apprehend those filthy Words and Songs so unbecoming and lascivious that hurt chast ears that excite the reddest modesty and whereof the use notwithstanding is so frequent amongst men This is certainly a species of fornication as well by the pleasure that is taken in uttering these obscenities as because they are the inkindlers of concupisence and contribute much to the corrupting of the affections One may even be assured without fear of a mistake that those who are pleased with such kind of discourses are already very much corrupted in their hearts In effect the mouth speaks only from the abundance of the heart as Christ himself One is the interpreter of the other The mouth speaks ill because the heart thinks ill The effect pursues the nature of its cause and such as the principle is such also is the act Ream linguam non facit nisi mens rea We may even affirm that these lascivious tongues are almost an infallible proof of a licentious life for as St. Chrisostom says Verba sunt signa eorum Words are the images or representation of things The words of men very often give us to understand what they are There is very little appearance that a man will not act as he loves to talk and that being immodest in his conversation he should not be so in his conduct If in the morality of our Saviour one must give an account of useless words which are neither good nor evil Judge Sir what a reckoning those will have who make these impure and hurtful words a subject of diversion and who have contracted so large a habit of them that they cannot express themselves whether in speaking or in writing without naming every thing by its name As the Plautus's the Horaâ—e 's the Ovid's of the time past the Râ—halai's and the Montaign's of our time It must be confessed that nothing is more unworthy of a Gentleman than this manner of action Modesty is the thing of the world most agreeable to Man but especially essential to a Christian It is a character that denotes him from all the rest What was more carefully and earnestly recommended to us by the Apostles than a purity and sanctity in all our conversation In fine what shall I say of the excesses of the hand with relation to this miserable sin of wantonness O God what abominations what obscenities what unlawful uses what infamous things which one durst not either think or relate doth it not commit This crime which modesty will not suffer to be named as common as it is is ne'er the less enormous It was long since struck with the curse of Heaven in the person of Onan Gen 38.9 Son of Judah whereof the Scripture tells us Is it a wonder after all this that God should have so much horror for this crime Is it any surprise that he should thunder against it such dreadful menaces It is matter of consternation that he should join to it an heriditary curse upon families In a word that he should so often bring upon the people and upon private persons such terrible marks of his displeasure It must be granted that nothing is more frequent in Holy Scripture than prohibitions to commit this Sin and the examples of its punishment It is not in the Decalogue alone that God says Thou shalt not commit Adultery He speaks it in a thousand other places of his word The New Testament especially recommends to us nothing else The Sermons of our Saviour and the Epistles of the Apostles are filled therewith Their principal end is to dispose us to a purity of body and mind and they protest that nothing is more displeasing to God than the polluted Garment of the flesh It is not Sodom and Gomarrha alone that has drawn down the fire of Heaven Alas a thousand other Cities and an infinite number of other sinners have been consumed in all Ages and all Nations upon account of this unhappy Lust But admit there was nothing else except the punishments of another life and that hideous Lake of Fire and Brimstone to which in the Theology of Jesus Christ and his Apostles it necessarily leads men needs there any more to convince us that nothing is more pernicious and ought to be more soveraignly hated by us Is it not strange perhaps you 'll say that God who knows Man so well should with so much exactness prohibit a thing which is so natural to him and that he should condemn him to the punishments of Hell for a Sin which it is almost impossible for him not to commit in one of those kinds you have treated of doth not St. Paul say That the flesh is not subject to the Law of God neither can it be Rom. 8.7 I reply Sir that this great propensity it self which Man naturally has for this debauchery is one of the principal reasons that have oblig'd the Creator to joyn so much punishment to it and to thunder so many Curses upon it If inspite of his prohibition and all his threatnings Man is insolent enough to abandon himself to it as much as he doth judge to what excess he hath pushed on the crime and what he had been able to attempt without it Et nihil est Ovid. Met. L. 6. Fab 8. quod non effraeno captus amore Ausit It is then to abate a little the impetuosity of this furious passion that God has used him so He has been pleased to punish with most bitterness and severity the vice where Man finds most pleasure and for which he has most inclination to the end that the fear of so formidable a chastisement might be as a Bridle to retain him in his duty There are few of those persons left of whom one might affirm Oderunt peccare bonae virtutis amore Hor. Epist L. 1. They hate to sin for the pure love of virtue Most frequently we love this virtue not for its own sake but by reason of the punishments that attend vice Difficile est persuadere hominibus honestum propter seipsum diligendum Cic. 'T is a difficult thing to persuade men that virtue is to be lov'd for its own sake If there was
the Celebacy of Lay-men If it be a virtue certainly 't is none of the most considerable It is even of the nature of those which very often lead the way to vice What advantage doth it bring to them unless it be to expose them to great temptations unless it be to deprive them of a very commodious assistant such as a Wife is unless it be to renounce the sweetest of Societies And this for I know not what difficulties they frame to themselves whereof one part is purely imaginary another is tyed to all the conditions of life and the rest is nothing in comparison of the real pleasures of Marriage What advantages likewise return from thence to the Republick People are oftener scandalised than improved thereby and very often are seen examples of them which more deserve our horrour than our imitation I speak of worldly Batchelors and not of such as are withdrawn from the world and consecrated to the Almighty The most favourable judgment thaâ— one can make of the wisest Celebacy is that it is a virtue which dotâ— neither good nor evil Now for thâ— reason that it is without action oâ— may say that it is a kind of vice foâ— according to Cicero Virtutis laus omâ— in actione consistit From whence come this of Silius the Italian Actio si desit virtus est sutile 〈◊〉 men Virtue 's a useless Name withouâ— practice Celibacy then has nothing but thâ— name of Virtue It has neither thâ— effect nor the truth of it It is a simple quality which is very often founded upon the temper and constitutioâ— of bodies or which is of less importance upon the maxims of a carnal prudence After all man was made for Society Non solum noâ— nati sumus Cic. L. 2. We are noâ— born for our selves only It is not good that man should 〈◊〉 alone says God himself Est opus auxilio says Ovid. we have need of help Tristis eris si solus eris You 'l be sorrowful if your alone The testimony of a single person is of no account amongst Lawyers Vox unius vox nullius And as the Father of Philosophers says two are better than one both for council and action Arist L. 8. Eth. Duo simul viventes intelligere agere sunt potentiores quam unus The Divinity it self which is but one in essence is notwithstanding more than one in person And why has God created two Sexes in Nature if it was not to make us understand that one is necessary to the other and that they cannot subsist without being joyned together Are not all living creatures bent that way by a natural inclination Is it not this mutual love of males for females and females for males thet multiplies their Species and preserves the world Ovid. Nec caeant pecudes si levis absit amor If we beleive the Naturalists this desire extends to insensible things They tell us of divers Plants that can neither encrease nor fructifie without company as the Palm am ngst others And can Man after this without violating in some measure the rights of Nature despise his union with Woman that is to say what she has of most compleat and charming T is true as the Ancients say that Man is of a nature absolutely Heroical that can innocently excuse himself from her But how ridiculous and unjust is he add they that despise Marriage the first and purest of Societies But Sir if you would know the real motives of Marriage you are only to consider Man with relation to the four bodies whereof he is composed I shall call the first The Body Natural The second The Body Politick The third The Body Domestick And the fourth The Body Ecclesiastick Mankind State â—mily and Church are these four â—odies With relation to mankind â—e is Man To the State he is Citiâ—en To the Family he is Son And 〈◊〉 the Church he is Faithful These â—ur qualities put him equally under â—e obligigation of Marriage As â—an he ought to labour for the proâ—agation of mankind As Citizen â—r the preservation of the Common-â—ealth As Son he ows Successors to is Family and as Faithful he owes â—lect ones to the Church Marriage 〈◊〉 absolutely necessary to fulfill all these â—uties and to discharge all these enâ—agements They ought to be exâ—lain'd to you more at length To begin with the first point It 〈◊〉 certain that every Animal is oblig'd â—o interest himself in the conservation â—f his Species but particularly Man â—ho is king of all T is for him that all â—he rest were made and without him â—he world would be but a frightfull Soâ—itude For this reason God comâ—anded him to increase and multiply â—mmediately after his Creation And â—or the same reason he inspird him with the desire of it and gave him that eager inclination of Cooperating with another Sex wherewith all men as I have said are naturally transported It must be granted that there is nothing in nature either so violent or so necessary Without this love where 's that man that would converse with woman where 's the woman that would endure man But to the end that no abuse might be made thereof God has assigned it bounds he has fixed it between two persons he has confined it to the sacred laws of Marriage Be it as it will if it is mans duty to increase his Species it is no less his duty to marry since one cannot reasonably be done without the other Man may be considered in a double sence vel Physice vel Theologice In the Theological prospect nothing is more dispisable it 's true t is a revolted Subject It is a sinful creature It is an object of Horror to Heaven and Earth It is a composition of crimes and miseries Man says the Prophet in this respect is nothing but Vanity If one should weigh him with nothing he would â—e found even lighter They are all â—ys he elsewhere corâ—pted Psal 14.1 and become aboâ—inable by their works â—here is not one doth good But in â—e Physical and Natural sence what 〈◊〉 more admirable than Man O God â—id the same David What is Man â—at thou shouldst remember him and â—e Son of Man that thou shouldst be 〈◊〉 careful of him Thou hast made him â—t a little less than the Angels Thou â—ast crowned him with glory and hoâ—our Thou hast given him the Empire 〈◊〉 all things here below In this reâ—pect the Philosopher regards him as â—he end of all Creatures Nos sumus quodam modo â—is omnium St. Arist Anstin â—kewise instructs us that all things are â—omprised in him In homine est omâ—is creatura He considers him as the miracle of Nature Homo magnum â—t miraculum And our eloquent Ciâ—ero will have him to be of more worth â—han all other creatures together Hoâ—o caeteris animalibus longe praestat I add â—hat this same Theology which lessens him so much when it considers him in the irregularities of
more vexation and much less pleasure How many husbands ruin their Families every day by gaming How many are starved by their filthy Debaucheries How many of them are undone by mischievous affairs and destructive correspondencies from which their wives might have diverted them if they had been made acquainted with their designs After all this can be Wives be misconstrued if Patience escapes them sometimes if they are not always good humour'd and it happens that they are carried to murmur and complain of these ill husbands who by their unhappy conduct render their lives insupportable O Detractors assert as long as you will that they are cruel and violent As for me I find that they are but little so in regard of the occasion they have In the second place we may justily the women by way of exception They who condemn them so magisterially are men that is to say they are really parties and by consequence very suspicious Judges or to say better they cannot be their Judges They have an ample right to challenge them They are too much interessed in this process to have the decision referred to them As prejudiced as they are against the Sex how should they give an equitable judgment They only act in passion here which ought to make one presume the injustice of their Sentiments If Oracles or Heroes had pronounced a Sentence to the disadvantage of Women one ought I consess to have some deference for their testimony But those are neither Gods nor Demi-Gods that slander them so much They are very Men and amongst them the least sincere such as Poets are That which one of them asserted of himself may be alledged of all Ovid. Trist L. 2. Magnaque pars mendax operum est ficta meorum Thus nothing obliges us to beleive them especially in their Satyrical declamations against the Sex for it is principally in this regard that they have vented Fables and Romances Let us speak things as they are the depravation of both sexes is extream One may equally apply to both that thundring Sentence of the Scripture All the thoughts of the heart of Man are evil continually Gen. 6. But if a man would speak sincerely he would freely acknowledge that the Female Sex is least corrupted and that it still preserves some relicks of its original innocence When a man has regard only to the sweetness or the temper of women and to that gentleness of Soul which is so natural to them should he not be perswaded that they have much fewer evil qualities than men There are some notwithstanding 't is true who are insupportable and Histories give us an account of some who are capable of frightning all single men such as the wife of Job and that of Socrates But these are exceptions to the general rule which are not to be considered There would be no justice in referring to all the crime of some particulars Cur omnium fit culpa paucorum Scelus May we not assert likewise of Men what Solomon said of women that amongst a thousand 't wou'd be a hard matter to find one perfect Diogenes sought after him heretofore with his eyes shut and a Lanthorn in his hand at full Noon to let us know that it was impossible to find him Moreover to apprehend rightly the thought of Solomon it is not so disadvantagious to the Sex as 't is imagined He speaks of a thousand men with regard to the thousand Concubines he had It is as if he had said if I had a thousand Men to examine sure I should find one very reasonable But O Affliction amongst an equal number of women whom I have chosen I have not found one perfect and free from great defects One may observe that he doth not speak of women in general but of his women in particular How can any one attribute to him the belief of not one good woman he that in so many places makes the Encomium of vertuous women that speaks of them in such honourable terms and exhorts those men so often whom God has favoured with them to praise him incessantly for it As for his own I contest not but he had reason to judge of them as he did It is perhaps the most unworthy part of the triumphant Reign of Solomon to have taken such a prodigious multitude of women for his use against the express Law of the Creator But to this first offence he added still that of taking almost all of them out of the bosom of Paganism which was no less prohibited to the Jews Who makes any doubt of Gods being highly incensed at such a proceeding It may be that to punish Solomon he purposely suffered all his women to be of a disingenious temper We may very boldly say they were very wicked since they laid snares for him even to his Death His Women says the Scripture 1 Kings 11.4 made him turn his heart after other Gods in thè time of his old age The imposing charms of his women and the inventions of their mind made him fall into this Misfortune As he foresaw that he should have much adoe to get rid of their ambushes in this respect he pronounced this Sentence against them by anticipation I never found a good woman He had reason with relation to his own women but one must not extend his thoughts to all women as if he would have said that there are none good in the world which never fell into his mind and which is likewise very repugnant to the truth of things The Wives of the ancient Patriarchs an Abigal a Vasti a Susanna an Elizabeth a Dorcas a Priscilla a Penelope a Paulina a Lucretia an Arria and a hundred others whereof our sacred and prophane Histories make mention sufficiently make appear that a wise and vertuous woman is not so uncommon as 't is imagined And that even the sight of them is not difficult if a man would give himself the trouble of seeking after them as he ought Above all it 's very difficult to support the Enemies of Women when they declaim against their Chastity Is it not ridiculing God and Men to cry them down in a particular wherein they are so worthy of our Praises What 's more natural to them than this admirable vertue which they pretend women seldom have How many stratagems how many cares how many artifices must a man use in order to obtain their Favours Who can be ignorant that they make all their Joy consist in the single possession of their Husbands Horat. L. 3. Od. 14. Vnico gaudens mulier marito Is it not apparent that a woman ordinarily sees without emotion and with unactive sense the handsom'st men of the world and that as the Sun who whilst he burns the earth is never inflamed within his own Sphere she likewise burns without receiving heat In a word who can deny that modesty is inseparable from woman and that if she divests her self of it a nights to satisfy the sacred
men to it In general it approves of all that is design'd by Providence And in particular it suffers man to practise all that tends to the good and preservation of his being It s prospect is not to dispossess him of a desire so essential to him as that is but only to reduce it to its just measure and to bring it back to lawful use Thus we may affirm that this Union is no less necessary to the world than drinking and eating and all other animal functions Let us say then by consequence that it contains nothing unworthy of us provided that Reason conducts the passion to it and that the passion is not without reason therein In all this we shall affirm what is true But say they the State of a Batchellor makes us resemble Angels and Saints It is by consequence in man an admirable perfection I deny that a Celibacy purely corporeal is a perfection and that it likens us to Angels and Saints Since marriage is of the order of Nature and the institution of God and the duty of man pursuant to the proofs I have brought how should a single state which is directly opposite to it be of it self a vertue It is exactly with Celibacy as with a Fast What is more indifferent than to eat and drink Fasting is only considerable because the Church recommends the practice of it and may contribute much to the diminution of their Vices and the encrease of their Vertues But no body ever said that it was a Vertue in it self They who remain in a single state with that wisdom prescribed by the Gospel are doubtless worthy of our praises not with relation to Celibacy it self but because it may make them fitter to discharge the duties of Piety If Celibacy were a vertue then Marriage must be a crime It is indeed what the Montainists and other Hereticks formerly taught But St. Paul puts this Doctrine amongst those of the Devils And it is a long time since the Church thunder-struck it with its Anathema's As for those happy Virgins of the Revelations who follow the Lamb every where and who were never defil'd with women what follows and what precedes most clearly justifies that one must refer that to a sence purely spiritual and metaphorical 'T is evident and the Text says it that the holy Spirit means by these Virgins the 144000 mark'd out who in the same Book remain'd faithful to the Lamb Rev. 14.4 having never prostituted themselves to the Idolatries and Abominations of those Mystical women who were to make all the Earth drunk with the wine of their whoredoms but having only followed Jesus Christ in his Word and in the practice of the Precepts of his Gospel This therefore makes neither for Celibacy nor against Marriage Amogst those Virgins there might be as many married as single All the advantage of Celibacy over Marriage is that they who make a good use of it may find more easiness to serve God and avoid divers inconveniencies to which married persons are subject But besides that each State has its own difficulty as I have made appear how much hazard doth a man run in that of Celibacy by the almost insuperable difficulty of fulfilling all its duties who knows not what St. Bernard says of the Empire of our bodies over our Souls Corpus trahit animam in regionem suam Who is ignorant with what rapidity the passions draw us along who is not sensible that it is of no importance to have a purity of body without a cleanness of Soul who knows not in a word to speak with St. Austin that an humble Marriage is of much more value than a proud Virginity Melius est humile conjugium quà m superba Virginitas You see Sir how fallacious the consequence is that the Enemies of marriage would draw from this principle and that nothing is more miserable than the reasoning they make in order to sustain that it is unworthy of man Let us observe if they argue better for their second Proposition and if it be true that it doth not agree with his happiness Liberty say they is the sweetest thing in the world Enjoy all the rest you will be unhappy without that there is nothing more precious Aureae Libertas auro pretiosior omni Golden Liberty is more precious than Mines of Oar. Let a man be Rich let him be of a great Extraction let him possess all the other advantages of life if Liberty be wanting life it self is but a death Seneca was not acquainted with a greater blessing than of belonging to himself Inestimabile bonum est suum fieri It is for this reason that amongst the Lawyers a free man is invaluable Liber homo non recipit estimationem This being presupposed what can one imagine more repugnant to happiness than Marriage Is it not a real slavery if the wife depends upon the man is not the man under the dependance of the wife are they not Masters of each other can they Separate at any time Mulier aligata est legi quanto tempore vir ejus vivit Doth not the Etimology of Conjugium acquaint you that Marriage is a yoak to which the husband and wife are as it were fastned together in order to bear in common the weighty burden of those inconveniences which occur therein most certainly then conclude my adversaries it is the real Tomb of Liberty By consequence it is infinitely contrary to the happiness of man Et mihi dulce magis resoluto vivere colo 'T is granted that Marriage puts men under engagements which come very near to servitude But Sir you must not think that there is no servitude but what is scandalous and contrary to happiness Don't you know for Instance that to serve God is to reign It the same with Marriage in some measure It is a servitude I confess but it is a volutary one It gives a right of commanding Sovereignty It is rewarded with a thousand charms which are not to be found in the liberty of a single life What do you apprehend this freedom to be It is for the most part nothing but a pure licentiousness Doth it not appear how the greatest part of Batchelors live They are not confined to one woman but are concatenated by a thousand criminal passions Seneca the Philosopher conceiv'd nothing to be more infamous than the servitude of a Voluptuous Person Nulla servitus turpior est quam voluptaria These Persons imagine themselves to be free because they are not subject to the Law of Marriage But doth not the same thing happen to them exactly which fell out to those Fools whom Horace speaks of Dum vitānt stulti vitia in contraria currant Horat. Serm. Fools fly one vice run into a contrary They think to avoid one Slavery and fall into another which is worse They fly from that of Marriage which is noble and conformable to the Nature of Man and take up that of Vices which dishonours them and