271. 272. 273. 274. 275. with the blood, and moving in a region lower than the heart was like a transitory flash, but not a steady fire. That Italians in the chase became more frozen than the Scythians after the game was taken. That none ever praised matrimony, but as men do good mustard, with tears in their eyes. For, "The bane of all pleasure, and luggage of life, Was the best could be said of a very good wife." That pride and fear made maids preserve some measures, but as for married women he never found any cruel enough to deny him in good earnest. That the most honey sweet enjoyment sours with standing, and time always made wedlock tiresome, if not loathsome. 276. All which he utter'd with such confidence as shew'd him vain enough to think himself heard with pleasure. 277. At length Wiseman asking Rake if his mother was ever married, set all the company a laughing. 278. Father. Love like sun-beams, being diffus'd, is weak and faint. But contracted to one object, is fervent and calefactory. 279. Such as corrupt and dishonour the fountain of humane propagation with impure and wandering lust, sow on sand, mingle vital blood with cor ruption, and reap diseases, hatred, shame, poverty, and death. 280. 'Tis not only the christian religion, that enjoyns the practice of modesty, the morals of the Heathens teach it. 281. 282. Aristotle says, we are not only ashamed of the act of incontinency, but of wanton gestures and lascivious discourses. Nor are we ashamed only of such lewd persons, but of their acquaintance and friends. Every vain person hath some weak side or other, whereby he exposes the ridiculousness of his humour. Some will brag of sins they ne'er committed, defaming those they cou'd not debauch; but that a wretch should pride himself in his execrable iniquity, in bearing up against the laws of God and man, and affect a reputation by it, proportion to the measure of his extravagance, is wonderful. 283. Nor is it less amazing, to see how ready the malice of the world is to help the brutality of those that throw out slovenly reports upon fair ladies. 284. Beware of debauchees, smutty and immodest discourse, lewd and obscene songs, books, pictures, balls, revellings, idleness, ease, intemperance in meat, drink, sleep, and what else may add fuel to your lust. 285. A dishonest love put all Greece in arms, and its flames reduced to ashes the fairest city in Asia. 286. A well-bred man never gives himself the liberty to speak ill of women, much less to rail against marriage, which was God's first ordinance, confirm'd by Christ's first miracle, and is honourable, holy, pure, and chast, but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. 287. When tempted to incontinence consider God's omnipresence, meditate on Christ's death and passion, and read Prov. 7. from ver. 6. to the end. 1 Heb. 13. 4. Go on. Son. ONE that had such a habit of swearing, truth and lies were uttered by him with an equal affirmation; no sooner enter'd the Club, but rapp'd out a full mouth'd oath. Whereupon, quoth WISEMAN. Other sins gratify the concupiscible, or irascible appetites, please mens love, or serve their hate, but swearing is a tastless and a fruitless sin, that brings neither pleasure to the palate, nor gain to the purse, so that according to the divine Herbert. 66 "Were I an Epicure I cou'd bate swearing." SWEARER. D. me, sir, 'tis only a custom, I mean no harm by it. 292. 293. 294. WISEMAN. "Weak is th'excuse, that is on custom built, The use of sinning lessens not the guilt." The third Commandment is, "Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain." 'Tis strange men, who own a God in their oaths, shou'd disown him in their lives, as if there were a God only to swear by, but none to believe in. 295. It were better to have no opinion of God at all, than such an opinion as is unworthy of him: For the one is unbelief, the otlier is contumely. 296. SWEARER. No canting, I beseech you, sir, I swear only as the readiest way to be believed. 297. WISEMAN. Oaths do not credit men, but men their oaths. 298. 299. One of God's judgments against swearers is, that the number of their oaths discredit even the truth they wou'd perswade. Over earnest asseverations give men suspicion, that the speaker is conscious of his own falsities. 300. SWEARER. P-x take me if I can tell when I swear, and when I don't. 301. WISEMAN. It's a bad symptom when excrements are voided without the patient's knowledge. 302. 303. SWEARER. R-t symptoms, how can I help it? |