God's judgments against whoring. Vol. I being an essay towards a general history of it, from the creation of the world to the reign of Augustulus (which according to common computation is 5190 years) and from thence down to the present year 1697 : being a collection of the most remarkable instances of uncleanness that are to be found in sacred or prophane history during that time, with observations thereon.

AN ESSAY TOWARDS A General History OF WHORING, &c.

THE Original of the Crime which is the Subject of the following Sheets, must necessarily be dedu∣ced from the Sin of our first Parents; for there is no doubt that Lust, or the inordinate motions of the Flesh did invade their Souls at the same time when their other Faculties were corrupted: And it appears plain that Idleness, the lust of the Eye, and intempe∣rance of Appetite, which ever since have been the forerunners and ushers of bodi∣ly

uncleanness, did precede the Eating of the forbidden Fruit, and that as the Natu∣ral Consequence of such Antecedents, the first thing taken notice of by our Pa∣rents after the Fall was their Nakedness, whereof they were immediately asham'd, and endeavoured to cover it. This Na∣keness say Commentators that they were so speedily made sensible of, was not only that they felt their need of a Cover to their Bodies, both for Ornament and Defence against the Injuries of the Air, &c. but that they were also sensible of the Rebellion of the flesh, which doth not only war against the Soul, but hath a natural tendency to the dissolution of the Body, there being nothing which sooner extinguishes the flame of Life than an immoderate con∣sumption of that Oyl, which nature hath provided for its nourishment. This impuri∣ty of the affections did no doubt exert it self quickly in actions, which in our first Parents could not fall under the notion of Whoredom, they being married by God himself, in the State of Innocence; yet there's little doubt to be made of its having vented it self in an immoderate use of the Marriage bed; and thus these impure desires were communicated to their Posterity, who were thereby polluted; and conceiv'd and brought forth in Iniquity.

The first direct breach of the Divine Institution of Marriage betwixt one Man and one Woman which we find Re∣corded,

was in the person of Lamch, one of Cain's Posterity, whose two Wives we find mentioned in the fourth of Gene∣sis, by which it appears plain, that Mur∣der and Whoredom are near a kin, had both of 'em their rise from one and the same Family: And according to the opi∣nion of some Interpreters did both of 'em center in this Lamech, who is thought to have been a bloody cruel Man, as is gathered from this discourse to his Wives in that Chapter, viz. I have sla•…•…n a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.

This bad example of Lamech's digamy, did quickly infect the Infant World; for we find in the next Chapter, That when men began to multiply, and that daughters were born unto them, the Sons of God saw the Daughters of men, that they were fair and they took them Wives of all that they chose. Its still to be observed that as Whoredom and Uncleanness began in Cain's Family, so there it continu'd and increas'd; and by their Contagious Ex∣ample, the Family of Seth, which did then contain the Visible Church, became also infected; and the Members of the Church having more regard to the Beau∣ty and Comeliness of the Women of Cain's Race, than to the vertue of those who were of their own Religion, their Eyes betrayed their Hearts, they lusted after their Beauty, and without any conside∣ration of Religion or Laws, took them

Wives of all that they chose, by which Interpreters understand promiscuous Mar∣riages, Polygamy, unjust Divorces, Rapes, and all manner of Lewd and Licentious pra∣ctises, which brought the Wrath of God upon the old World, and occasion'd his saying, as in the 3d verse, That his spi∣rit should not always contend with Man.

The occasion of this General Corrup∣tion of Manners is hinted to be the multiplication of Men, and particularly of the Women of Cain's Posterity, who be∣ing under no discipline, and wanting the benefit of pious Instruction and good Example, became dissolute and wanton, and no care being taken to dispose of them duly in Marriage, they took all occasions to satisfie their brutal desires, for which their dwelling in Cities (whereof Cain was the first Founder) amongst multi∣tudes of people, gave them great oppor∣tunities, it being always observ'd that in Great Cities, the numbers of dissolute per∣sons makes them to despise Laws, and follow such practices as they durst not venture upon in Villages, and Countries where they could be more easily restrain∣ed and punisht: not that I would be un∣derstood to be against the building and maintaining of Cities, which increase the Glory, Riches and Strength of Nati∣ons, but would to God that the great Cities of Christendom were not still too justly chargeable with avowed Impurities

of the same nature, which a zealous Ma∣gistracy might easily prevent. It is also the opinion of some of the learned, that the Cainites did first build themselves a City that they might strengthen one ano∣thers hands in Cruelty and Uncleanness and follow such practises with all man∣ner of impunity, which gave their Wo∣men opportunity to pamper and deck themselves that they might be the more agreeable objects of Lust; and this might also render them more amiable in the Eyes of the Posterity of Seth, who liv∣ing as 'tis presumed a Rural Life for the most part; and their Women being kept in order by Laws and Religion, and ap∣plying themselves to the Affairs of their Families, that they might approve them∣selves meet helps to their Husbands, ac∣cording to the design of God at the first Creation of Woman, did not mind the decking and adorning of their Bodies, nor the pampering of their Flesh, and cherishing their Beauties as the Cainites did, and therefore were not so pleasing to the Eye, as those lascivious Women, who behaved themselves as if God and Nature had design'd them for nothing else but a Man's bed, whereas the Divine Good∣ness appointed that they should be meet∣helps in their Religious Conversation, Industry, Care and Education of Children, to all of which those loose practices of the Cainites were diametrically opposite.

From those unequal Marriages and pro∣miscuous Copulations, proceeded a con∣tempt of Laws and Religion amongst the Cainites, and an Apostacy from God∣and Religion amongst many of the Poste∣rity of Seth; and it hath been observed amongst all Nations since, that when Reli∣gion decays uncleanness increases, and that a love to Licentiousness hath always been a great cause of Apostacy, as is but too too observable in those that are called Deists and Socinians in this present Age, most of their New Converts or rather Perverts, being people of a loose life, especially as to the point of Chastity.

The next effect of those unclean and beastly Commixtions, was an off-spring of Giants, so called as some Interpreters think from the vastness of their bulk, as being begot in raging Lust, or as others, because of their Barbarous and Salvage Manners, and filling all the World with Rapes, Cruelty and Devastation, so that by the just Judgment of God the Children of those unlawful Marriages and Promiscu∣ous Copulations, became the plague of their Parents, and the scourge of Man∣kind as well as the declared Enemies of Heaven and Religion: Whence the old doting Poets took occasion to amuse the World with the fabulous War of the Giants against Jupiter, &c.

Noah, not being able by his preaching of Righteousness, to reform the World from this horrid Debauchery, it pro∣vok'd God to bring the Deluge, which drown'd that lascivious and wicked Ge∣neration of Men, who had drown'd them∣selves in all manner of sensual Impurities, with so much obstinacy, that when that fatal Flood came it surpriz'd them, as eating, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. Thus then it's apparent that Whoredom was one of the principal Causes that brought the Wrath of God upon the old World. And it deserves our observation, that God by his Com∣mand to Noah to take only his own VVife, and the three Wives of his three Sons into the Ark with him, as he did thereby give another Testimony of his honour∣ing and approving of Marriage, he did al∣so plainly testifie against Digamy, Polyga∣my and Concubines; and that as the World was peopled at first by lawful Marriage, it should be also peopled in the same manner a second time.

To come next, to the times after the Flood, the first instance of impurity that occurs to us, is Ham's deriding his father Noah's nakedness, by which there are some Interpreters who understand that he not only told it his Brethren, but also be∣fore Women and Children, in a lascivious and filthy manner, and took occasion to fall into foolish Jesting and Sarcasms;

Nay, if we give credit to the opinion of Berosus and the Rabbins, he inchanted his Fathers Virile parts, and unman'd him; but however that is, this is certain, that he discover'd a frothy, unclean, lascivious temper, for which he was severely pu∣nisht in his posterity The Canaanites, who wallowed also in those fleshly impu∣rities when God destroyed them by the Israelites, the posterity of Sem, as shall be taken notice of in its proper place.

From Ham did also proceed Nimrod the Mighty Hunter and cruel oppressor, who was the first that laid the foundati∣on of a Tyrannical Government after the Flood, so that the observation still holds that Uncleanness, Murder and those other Crimes which lay Nations wast are near a kin, and generally the off-spring and product of one and the same Family.

That Abraham seem'd to have this No∣tion, appears from his advice given to his beautiful Wife Sarah, when he travelled with her into Egypt, viz. to say she was his Sister, because the Egyptians he suppo∣sed would have kill'd him that they might enjoy her. Whence we may likewise observe that the Holy Patriarch knew that lustful persons would rather commit Murder than be baulkt in the satisfaction of their Lusts; and yet, tho the World was at that time so much degenerated, it's plain from this passage, that the E∣gyptians

look'd upon Marriage as Sacred and Inviolable, otherwise Sarah's calling her self Abraham's Sister could have been no defence of her Husbands life: Nay, it is manifest from the History that Pharaoh design'd to have taken her to Wife, so that those Heathen Egyptians will rise up in Judgment against our Christian Debauchees, who think neither Fornication nor Adultery to be Crimes, for it's evident from this passage, that both he and his Subjects tho abominably lustful had a great regard to Marriage, which it's plain he thought necessary to render his enjoyment of Sarah lawfull.

There are several other things to be learned from this remarkable instance, as that the vanity of matching with none but those of Royal Extract had not then invad∣ed the Thrones of Princes—But at the same time it is as plain that it hath been an old and wicked Custom amongst Cour∣tiers and Nobles to be Panders to the lusts of their Monarchs, for here we find that Pharaoh's Princes Commended Sarah's Beau∣ty to him, which occasioned her being taken into his House; and would to God that no such thing had ever been justly charge∣able upon the Court of England.

There are only two Remarks more which I have to make on this Story, and shall then proceed to another, viz. that God by smiting Pharaoh and his House∣hold, all of sudden with Plagues, did

both give a Testimony of his divine dis∣pleasure against such lustful practices, and of his being a protector of Conjugal Cha∣stity.

What the nature of this Plague infli∣cted upon Pharaoh and his houshold was is not agreed upon amongst Inter∣preters. The Hebrews say, that it was a Gonorrhoea or Ulcer in his secret parts, which prevented his design: Josephus thinks it was a Pestilence and sudden Sedition in the Palace; Philo Judaeus says it was a Distem∣per both of Body and Mind, and Chryso∣stom, is of opinion that it was some Bo∣dily Plague inflicted upon him, just as Sarah was brought to his Bed; but however those things be, this is certain, that Sarah's pollution was prevented, and Pharaoh oblig'd to own that it was not lawful to take another Man's Wife.

The next instance is of Abraham him∣self, who is the first of the Posterity of Seth after the Flood, that we find to have been guilty of Digamy; it's plain that the occasion of his taking his Handmaid Ha∣ga to Wife, was his VVife Sarah's advice, and the Cause of her giving that advice, was her own Barrenness, advanced age, and fear that she should not otherwise have the promised Seed. The Causes of Abraham's consenting so easily were no doubt the same, and Polygamy being then Common in the World, his Practice ad∣ministred no occasion of Scandal, so that

his practice of marrying his Maid in those times of Ignorance which God wink∣ed at, can not afford any argument for Polygamy now, and seeing he had his Wifes consent, it will far less warrant those lascivious Intrigues which many Ma∣sters have now a days with their Maid-Ser∣vants. But that this practice of the Ho∣ly Patriarch was displeasing to God will easily appear from the punishment infli∣cted upon his Family, the Peace of which was immediately broke, by Hagar's de∣spising her Mistress, assoon as she found her self pregnant with the promised Seed as she vainly believ'd: Then Sarah up∣braids Abraham with the wrong where∣of she her self was the occasion, and forc'd him to a breach of that Marriage Bond, which by her own advice he had contracted: Hagar was also punisht for her unlawful Consent, first, by being se∣verely dealt with by Sarah, who gave her for a Wife to her Husband, and then by being thrust out of the Family and expos'd to the World, and though she was brought back again for some, time till she was delivered of her Son, Ishmael, yet her abode was of no long continuance, for she was thrust out again with this ad∣ditional affliction, that she had her Son to provide for, was expos'd to the cruel necessity of seeing him die of thirst as she apprehended, and instead of his be∣ing the promised Seed, she and he were both

Ignominiously thrust out from partaking of the Inheritance with Isaac, and she was plainly told from Heaven, that he should be a wild Man, having his hand against eve∣ry Man, and every Man's hand against him; which was speedily verified, for he be∣came a profane scoffer at Religion and the promise of God, which occasioned his expulsion from his Fathers Family and the Church. His crime is by the Apostle Paul called persecution, and his Posterity we find complained of by the Psalmist in the 83. Psalm, amongst the other perse∣cutors of the people of God, and so they have continued under several denomina∣tions to this day, as Ishmaelites, Hagarens, &c. of which latter name being ashamed, as denoting their Spurious Original, they as∣sumed to themselves the Title of Saracens, as if they were Sarah's off-spring, under which they were formidable to the Chri∣stian World for some Ages, and continue irreconcilable Enemies to the Christian Religion to this day, under the name of Arabians, Turks, &c. Such unseparable Vices are Uncleanness, Cruelty and Persecu∣tion, and so easie and natural is the Transiti∣on, from an unclean person to become an Apo∣state and Enemy to true Religion. Nor is it fit to let it pass unobserved, that a•…•… he himself wa•…•… unlawfully begot, his Po∣sterity to this day have continued to be a vile and lustful people, and itis known to the world, that it is now become an

Article of their horrid Religion, that they place their chief happiness both in this Life and that to come in the enjoyment of those impure pleasures.

Nor is it fit we should pass over what is commonly observ'd by Divines, that the very Ordinance of Circumcision, by which the fore-skin was appointed to be cut off, was a mark of God's displeasure at Incon∣tinence upon the Instrument of Generation; and likewise an evidence that those who expect his favour should mortifie that Corruption; and that it only took place upon Males, was because the be∣ginning of Generation and consequently of natural Corruption is from that Sex.

The next dreadful Instance of God's hatred and indignation at VVhoredom and Uncleanness, is his raining of Fire and Brim∣stone upon Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim, &c. the cry of their lewdness be∣ing such, that it seemed to drown the noise of all other Sins at that time. This is the first Instance we meet with of Lusts arriving to such a prodigious height, as to seek after Unnatural Objects, and it would seem their Incontinence was so fierce, that they furiously sought after every opportunity, to gratifie their bru∣tish desires, especially upon Strangers; for they had so mutually polluted one ano∣ther, that it's probable their villainous plea∣sures that way, had lost much of their relish:

Nor is it unlikely that the Comely and Beautiful aspect of those Angels added fewel to their flames, and it deserves particular observation, that the whole City both old and young was infected with this lustful Contagion, in which they were so hardened, that neither Lot's unadvised proposal of his own Daughters (to them) who were more natural and fit Objects for their Lust; nor the remarkable Judge∣ment of God upon them in striking them with blindness were able to divert them from their devilish purpose, of offering that unnatural abuse to those Messengers of God, who at last after having set Lot and his Family out of danger, be∣came the executioners of Divine Justice upon those Monsters of Impurity, and punisht their lustful flames with storms of Fire and Brimstone, which were on∣ly some precursory drops to those showers of everlasting fire, which makes the smoak of their torments to ascend for ever and ever.

Neither ought it to pass without ob∣servation, that God did not only punish themselves, but would have their Coun∣try which they had polluted to remain a Monument of their abominable Impurity, and his just Judgment, so long as the world stands: nor would Divine Justice suffer Lot's VVife to pass unpunish'd for looking back upon the place which she left with a reluctancy, and could have wisht

to have been spared, but turn'd her im∣mediately into a Pillar of Salt for her dis∣obedience and inordinate affection to her Relations and Estate, which God had justly determin'd to destroy, and not for having withheld Salt from the Angels her Guests the night before, as the Jews have fabulously delivered.—We shall conclude this passage with these few Re∣flections, viz. That the places being converted into a dead Sea, near which no Creature can live, andthe Apples and Grapes that grow upon the banks of it, which are grateful to the Eye, but when touch moulder into dust, and send forth stinking sulphureous Exhala∣tions, are fit Emblems to represent, not only the vanity, but the deadly effects of those hurtful and foolish Lusts, the satis∣faction of which is so eagerly pusued by Corrupt Nature.

The next Instance we meet with, is that of Lot's Incest with his own Daugh∣ters, or rather their Incest with him. This passage has many strange Circum∣stances that deserve our observation. It is not improbable that the lewd Conver∣sation of the Sodomites had before-hand infected the minds of those Damsels, for it's a hard matter to touch pitch and not to be defiled; Divines are of diffe∣rent opinions concerning those Women, some believing that they had actually been married, and others, that they were only betrothed, but which soever of 'em

it was, it's certain they had lost their Males; and perhaps their Fathers offer to prostitute them to save his Guests, and their having been ear witnesses at least to those unnatural villanies practis'd by the Sodomites, might possess them with extenuating thoughts of the wickedness they had in design: Yet it appears by their abominable Intrigue to Intoxicate their Father, that they durst not pro∣pound any such thing to him when he was Sober, their wickedness appears to be so much the greater, that they had but just escap'd from that storm of divine Wrath which over took the Sodomites for their Vile Lusts; That they had but a very little before seen their Mother turn'd into a Monument of God's displeasure, for having a hankering mind after that impure City, and her wicked Relations in it; That they had no doubt been often times wit∣nesses to the vexation of their Fathers Righteous Soul at the lustful practises of the Sodomites, and yet all this was not able to restrain them from pursuing their un∣clean design, and commiting one sin to ob∣tain the Commission of another. Their pretence that there was no Man left to come in unto them after the manner of all the Earth, and that therefore they were under necessity a of raising up Seed to their Father, appears to have been an ill founded suggestion of the Devil, to hide their sin from their Eyes, for they could not but

know that they had left men behind them in Zoar, they might have seen from the hill, that the whole Country was not ruined, and those di∣vine Judgments had only swallowed up the Cities of the Plain; or they might speedily have been better inform'd by their Father. Their wickedness is also aggravated by this, that as they were Sisters by Nature, they were Sisters in Iniquity, and they had no regard to their own, nor their Father's good Name, nor the scandal which by this lewd practice they gave to the Enemies of true Religion. The Scripture is silent as to any Judgments inflicted either upon their Father or them∣selves, but informs us plainly that the issue which they had by this Unlawfull Congress, were accursed, and their posterity like o∣ther spurious brood were mortal Enemies to the people of God, and perpetually excom∣municated from the Church by Divine Com∣mand, Deut. 23. 3. And thus Lot had an e∣ternal blemish fix•…•… upon his Chastity, which did formerly so much distinguish him from the other Inhabitants of Sodom, and was pu∣nished by being the Author of Debauching his Daughters himself, whom he so rashly of∣fered to be Debauched by others; so that we see raging Lust leaps over all the bounds of Law and Nature, and if not curb'd in time may rise to a surprizing and prodigious height, and bring down stupendous Judgments upon People and Persons.

The 20th. Chap. of Genesis gives us another Instance of Abraham's slavish fear and di∣strust of God's Providence which had for∣merly

delivered him, and by which frail∣ty he again endangered the Chastity of his Wife; but God took care to preserve it by keeping Abimelech from touching her, tho' he was so much taken with her Beauty, and doubted not but that he might Law∣fully Marry her, he not knowing any o∣ther, but that she was really Abraham's Si∣ster. Yet God was so much offended with Abimelech's rash attempt to which he was doubtlesly influenc'd by his Lust, for it ap∣pears that he had a Wife already, that he punish'd him and his Family with a griev∣ous distemper, as Josephus thinks as soon as he brought Sara into his House, and made all the Women belonging to him barren, or because barrenness properly so called, could not be so soon discovered, in∣flicted such distempers upon them as must necessarily occasion barrenness, so that by his Unlawfull desire of issue by another Man's Wife, he was precluded of any Lawfull Is∣sue by his own, until such time as he was made sensible of his Crime, and willing to restore Sarah to Abraham.

In the 26th. of Genesis we have a very Extraordinary Testimony against Adultery from an Heathen Prince Abimelech King of Gerar upon the occasion of Isaac's having from that same principle of slavish fear with his Father, called his Beautifull Wife his Sister, to avoid being killed for her sake, but the King perceiving him sporting more familiarly with her than 'twas decent for a Si∣ster and Brother to do, he reproved him

sharply for his having dissembled her be∣ing his Wife, whereby he not only endan∣gered her Chastity, but might have brought wrath upon the People for defiling another Man's Wife, and therefore to prevent any such thing, he forbad any of the People to meddle with Isaac or his Wife on pain of death. Certainly this Heathen Prince will rise in Judgment against those pre∣tended Christians who pollute themselves with promiscuous Lusts, and neither Account Fornication nor Adultery a Crime.

The next Instance offer'd us is that of E∣sau, who married two Wives; and those too the Daughters of Canaan, which were a Grief of Soul unto his Father and his Mother; that he Married two Wives at once, consider∣ing his Grand-Father Abraham's Example and the Custom of those dark and igno∣rant times seems not so Criminal, and yet his Father's pra•…•…ice, who had but one, ought to have had more influence upon him; but his marrying Canaanites, Profane Women, and Heathens, contrary to the Command of his Grand-Father Abraham, and not only without the Consent but a∣gainst the Inclination of his Father and Mother, was altogether unexcusable.—The Impulsive cause which mov'd him to do so, we have no reason to doubt, was his Ungovernable Lust, for that he was a Man of intemperate Appetite, and by Conse∣quence Libidinous is plain from his having profanely bartered away his Birth-Right for a Mess of Red Pottage when to be sure he

might have had other Food in his Fathers House, or if he had rejected Jacob's pro∣posal there's no great reason to think that Jacob would have been so unnatural as to have insisted upon his demand, and deni∣ed necessary Refreshment to his Brother, but he did so much idolize his own Palate and Appetite, that he preferred the satisfaction of them to every thing else, and we have the same reason to think that his Concupiscence was as Ungoverna∣ble as his Stomach, and therefore he mar∣ried two Canaanitish Women at once to satisfy his raging Lust, the fulfilling of which he prefer'd to his Father and Mo∣ther's good will; and this no doubt had no small influence in moving the latter to suborn Jacob to deprive Esau of his Blessing as well as of his Birth-right: and it's Remark∣able that as he made a Cursed choise of his Wives, he was also accursed in his Po∣sterity; who, as it appears by the Sacred History became irreconcilable Enemies to the people of God, and were always their most Barbarous and Cruel Persecu∣tors.

Esau's Marrying a third Wife of Ish∣mael's race, while the other two were a∣live, is another Argument of his Un∣bridled Lust and Enmity to true Religion. It' true that Interpreters disagree in this matter, some thinking that Esau Married this Third Wife of his Father's own kin∣dred to please him, because the Daugh∣ters of Canaan were hatefull to him, but

others seem to have more Reason, who, think that he did it out of Contempt with a design to provoke his Parents more, by contracting a new Alliance with another wicked people, who were as much Enemies to the Church, and as much or more ir∣reconcilable to his Father as the other; seeing, it's apparent that Ishmael mock'd or as the Apostle Interprets it persecuted, I∣saac from his very Infancy. And thus far we see raging incontinency and hatred at Re∣ligion go hand in hand

The next Instance that occurs to us is that of Jacob, who well may be charged with Poly∣gamy, as having four Wives at a time in∣stead of one. The first occasion of this good Patriarch's transgression in this mat∣ter, was the Wicked Craft and Deceit of Laban his Father-in-Law, who instead of Rachel whom Jacob Married, brought Leah to his Bed, and so was the cause of Jacob's Digamy and Incest, and tho' it's true, that Jacob is no where Condemned in Scrip∣ture for this, yet it's plain that he acted contrary to Divine institution, and he is reproved for it by our Saviour amongst others when he told the Pharisees, That from the beginning it was not so. There were some, and particularly the Manichees of old who inveighed against this Polygamy of the Patriarchs, and in very gross and foul Language accuse them as Whore-Masters and their Wives as Whores, but their scurrilous Arguments are well answered by Augustine against Faustus and others—There

are some who think that this Polygamy of the Patriarchs was by a peculiar in∣stinct, and particular Dispensation, and therefore as in that case it could not be blamable, neither can it now be ordina∣rily imitable, the chief Reasons they as∣sign, for their opinions are, that it was permitted for the Increasing of the Pro∣mised Seed, that Jacobs Wives, &c. were acted by more than a Natural princi∣ple, and much self-denial, in recommending their Maids to their Husband's Bed, which in ordinary Cases must be supposed to alienate his Affection from themselves. In the next place they observe that they pray'd for off-spring by their Maids and brought up their Children upon their own knees. It must be own'd that those things were Extraordinary and Contrary to the Pra∣ctice and Principle of the generality of Wo∣men; yet it's strongly presumable, that there was something of Custom as well as of instinct in this matter, and that the people of God were polluted with the bad Example of those amongst whom they lived.

But however these things were, this is certain that all the Persons concerned were one way or other punish'd for their Con∣currence in this Affair. Laban had not only the mortifi•…•…ation to see his two Daughters Jarr and Disagree, and Envy one another, but also to find his Riches and Substance decrease and to be conveighed to another hand; Leah, she was severely pu∣nish'd

by finding that she had less of her Husbands Love than her Sister, whose Bed she had unjustly defiled. Rachel was pu∣nish'd with barrenness for some time for consenting to live with Jacob as his Wife when she knew that her Father had given her eldest Sister into his Bed. Jacob's life was very uneasy betwixt his Jarring Wi∣ves, who did each of them Envy the others En∣joyment of him; Nay, he was perfectly Sub∣ject to the Command of his Imperious and Beautiful Rachel, and obliged to take a third Wife to beget Children for her, and this laid him under a necessity of obli∣ging Leah in the like manner, which as it must needs Consume his Body he being now above 80 years of age, there was no doubt but it increased his care how to pro∣vide for so many Wives and Children, at the same time he was also plagued with a Covetous Oppressing Father-in-Law, and discontented Brethren who envied his growing rich in the World.

Nor is it to be doubted but there was frequent Quarrels amongst the Children of so many different Mothers, seeing it's Com∣mon to find Children by the same Father and Mother often to disagree, and this without doubt begot mutual Broils, Con∣tentions, and Heats amongst the different Wives every one envying the prosperity or good Fortune of anothers Children. An Instance of this we have in Rachel who was so much taken with Reuben's Mandrakes that there's no doubt but she could have

wish'd they had been found by one of her own Sons. Hence also we may observe, That as the Children did every one love their own Mothers best, it must needs occasion Quarrels amongst them. It's not agreed among In∣terpreters what these Mandrakes were, some will have them to be Beautiful Fra∣grant Flowers, and others, that they were Beautiful and Delicious Apples which pro∣moted Conception, and that therefore they were so much desired by Rachel, which, if it were so, she was however disappoint∣ed for having agreed that her Husband should be with Leah that night, it occa∣sioned her Rival to have two Sons Successively one after another, and also one Daughter. But as to the Mandrakes themselves, St. Augustine against Faustus tells us, That he has seen of 'em, Diligently In∣quired into their Nature, and says, they were Apples fine to the Eye, and of a sweet Scent, but insipid taste, but very rare to be bad, and on that Account alone he thought Rachel did Covet them.

The sin of Jacob and Leah, is also ve∣ry legible in their punishment, by the foul Crimes of their Children Reuben and Di∣nah. Jacob was guilty of Incest with two Sisters, and to the great grief of his Soul, eternal Reproach of his Family, and scan∣dal to the Neighbouring Heathen; his Son Reuben committed Incest with his own Concubine Bilhah, which by the way, was another punishment upon her for consen∣ting to Marry one who had two Wives be∣fore,

and whom she had no reason to think could ever be able to perform Con∣jugal duty to so many, and 'tis not impro∣bable that this made her an easy prey to the Tentation.—Then as to Dinah, her being polluted by Schechem the Son of Ha∣mor, was another disgrace to Jacob's Fa∣mily, and brought a fresh scandal upon the Church, as well as ruin upon the Scheche∣mites, whose destruction was occasioned by the Lustful Passion of their Prince, in deal∣ing with Jacob's Daughter as with an Har∣lot, which so enraged her Brethren that by a fraudulent Covenant they obliged the Schechemites to Circumcise themselves, came upon them while they were Sore, and put all the Males to the Sword—And thus Dinah was also punished for her Conver∣sing with the Daughters of the Land, who were Idolaters and of corrupt manners; her Curiosity which is so common to young Maids was fatal to her self and many o∣thers, neither is there any thing better to be expected from those Profane Festivals, Revellings and Banquetings, which Josephus thinks the Schechemites were now taken up with:—And that Dinah either having stole away from her Mother to see how the Daughters of the Land were adorn'd, and behav'd themselves in their publick Dances, or being so far indulged as to have Li∣berty to go, the Libidinous young Prince being taken with her Beauty, and under no restraint, but dandled by an Indulgent Fa∣ther, violated her Chastity, for which himself,

his Son, and all their Male Subjects quick∣ly after lost their Lives, having first bee•…•… by the Just Judgment of God punish'd in the very Instrument of their Lasciviousness. The wound as it's usual putting them to great pain, and making them unable ei∣ther to resist or fly from Jacob's Armed Sons and Servants; and thus also the Good Old Man was punish'd by the Rape of his only Daughter, and his bleeding wound •…•…ipt open afresh by the Treachery and Cruelty of his Children. This is another Instance of a People cut off and destroyed for Uncleanness

The next thing that occurrs, is another affliction to the Good Old Patriarch, from the Evil Report of the Sons of his Con∣cubines Zilpah and Bilhah, who being the off-spring of an Unlawful Marriage were also of a Lewd Conversation themselves, and according to the opinion of some of the Hebrews, guilty of Sodomitical Impuri∣ties; But however, that was, this is plain from the Sacred Text, that they had an ill fame, and with this Joseph acquainted his Father, which occasioned their Con∣spiracy to kill Joseph, and at last to sell him, so that here Jacob was remarkably punish'd for his Polygamy; The Chil∣dren of those Concubines being both wick∣ed and haters of his Children by Law∣ful Wedlock; and tho it be not direct∣ly to our purpose yet it may not be per∣haps unpleasant to the Reader to acquaint him that the Hebrews think Jacob was just∣ly

punish'd, when made to believe that the blood of a Kid was that of his Son Joseph, because he had formerly deceived his Father and made him to believe that he was his eldest Son Esau, by putting a Kid's Skin about his Neck, &c.

Our next Instance is in Judah, who ha∣ving left his Brethren and his Father's House, and by Consequence the then Church, and Lodging with an Adulamite, fell in Love with a Canaanitish Woman, and Married her (he not then exceeding 14 Years of Age himself as Chronologers think) not only without his Father's Consent, but a∣gainst it, according to the Example of E∣sau.—How he was punish'd for this fault the following History acquaints us, viz. That having obliged his Son Er to an early and precipitant Marriage like his own, who being a Wicked Man, and as the Hebrews think, guilty of Sodomy, or as others of spilling his Seed upon the ground as his Brother Onan did, the Lord de∣stroyed him. Nor was Judah any hap∣pier in his Son Onan abovementioned, who being given to his Brothers Widow for a Husband to raise up Seed to his Bro∣ther, did maliciously spill it on the ground, that his Brother's Memory might not be continued; Whereas to die Childless had not only a Tendency to the decay, and ruin of the Family, but was also look'd upon as Reproachful, and therefore it is the opinion of Divines, that that tempo∣rary Law was constituted Deut. 25. 5. The

Rabbins according to their fabulous man∣ner, alledge, That Onan did this because he would not have Thamar's Beauty spoil∣ed by bearing Children, but whatever truth there be in that, 'tis certain that God de∣stroyed him for that Impurity, and frustra∣ting the End of Nature, which is next akin to Muuther if not a species of it, seeing it de∣stroyed that which was potentially a Man or Woman.

But Judah's punishment does not cease here, he is plagued with raging Lust in his own advanced years, and being a Wi∣dower did incestuously pollute his own Daughter-in Law Thamar, whom he took to be a Common Harlot, by which he in∣curr'd a perpetual disgrace, and brought an Indelible blot upon his Memory. From that History we may plainly also perceive that Adultery was held a Capital Crime even amongst those Canaanites, seeing Judah or∣dered his Daughter-in-Law who was in a manner betrothed to his third Son Shelah to be burnt: Nay, and that the Crime which is called simple Fornication was ac∣counted shamefull amongst them, seeing, when he sent his Friend to redeem the pledges which he had left with Thamar, but could neither find her nor them, he said, Let her take them to her lest we be ash∣med. Thamar's fact some have endeavou∣red to excuse, because say they, It did not proceed from Incontinence, but to re∣venge her self upon her Father, for not giving her Shelah to Husband as he had

promised; and others alledge that she had some knowledge that the Messiah should de∣scend from Judah, and therefore desired to be impregnated by him, but neither of these Excuses are sufficient, and there∣fore we find that she was punish'd with a perpetual Widowhood for her Incontinence; and also by a dangerous and monstrous Birth of twins, who seemed to strive which of them should be soonest rid of their Impure Mother, and by that means con∣tributed to render the Memory of their Father and Mothers Crime immortal.

The next Scripture Instance is of a mixt Nature, and contains a Glorious Tri∣umph of Chastity in the person of Joseph, against the Tentations of his Lascivious Mi∣stress, by embracing of which, he might not only have satisfied the invenile heat of Concupiscence, but also have expected Riches, Preferment, and what not by means of a Woman of her Quality, and opportu∣nity to fulfil the Lusts of the Flesh with Secrecy and Impunity, the Repeated attacks which she made upon him, his absence and unjust Expulsion from his Father's Family, which then contain d the visible Church, the Impure Example of the Egyptians, and the unavoidable danger which he must needs foresee he threw himself into, by resisting her Unlawful desires, set his Vi∣ctory off with the Creater L•…•…e, and depaints her Crime in Placker Colours; and that same History which rewards his Chast•…•…y with immortal Fame, punishes her Un•…•…∣ness

with eternal disgrace, and Brands her with a sort of Rape contrary to the Com∣mon Course of the Sex, and with abomina∣ble Cruelty in accusing the Innocent youth of her own Crime, for which he was shut up in Prison and brought in danger of his Life; such is the Rage of disappointed Lust. The Rabbins alledge that she feigned her self to be sick, or really might be so thro' her burning Lust as Amnon was for Tamar, and finding that all her Sollicitations by words could not do, or∣der'd it so as he should find her a Bed in a Room where he frequented, think∣ing thereby to add Strength to the Tentation, and if that would not do, was resolved to make use of Force, which she did al∣so attempt, but in vain. And it is also re∣markable, that her Husband, tho no doubt incens'd upon her accusing Joseph, yet was so far over-rul'd as to abstain from vio∣lence towards him, and 'tis not at all to be doubted, but when Joseph's extraordina∣ry Favour in the Court of Heaven, ad∣vanced him to the Court of Pharaoh, but this Unchaste Woman, if then alive, became a Curse and a Reproach, or if dead that her memory became Vile and Contemptible. This passage brings naturally to my mind that well known Reflection upon the Re∣formation here in England, by some loose Persons, viz. That it came from Henry VIII's Codpiece, which opprobrious saying, was probably invented by Enemies to our Re∣ligion, and as there's no doubt but that

Princes Incontinence gave him occasion to Enquire into the Pope's Power, and af∣terwards to break it when he oppos'd his divorce, so we see it is no new thing for God to bring about his own holy and pure designs, by the Impure and Wicked designs of Mortals, for here this Woman's Incon∣tinence occasion•…•…d Joseph's Imprisonment, where becoming acquainted with some of Pharaoh's Courtiers then under disgrace, that gave occasion to his being sent for to Court, and laid the Foundation of that Deliverance which the Church of God had from an Universal Famine by his means

I shall conclude this History of Joseph with one observation, that as he is Re∣corded to posterity for a Mirror of Chasti∣ty, we don't find that he was so much as he tainted with digamy or polygamy, as his Fa∣ther and Great Grand-Father were, whose Examples herein tho' they were Holy men he never followed, and this is the more Remarkable because his Dignity and Pow∣er in the Land of Egypt furnish'd him with all things necessary for Pampering the Flesh, and afforded him an opportunity of keeping as many Wives and Concubines as he pleased, and yet we find he contented himself with one, by which also we may perceive that tho' a Pattern of Chastity, yet he accounted Lawfull Marriage and Procreation of Children no violation of it as the Mad Popish Monks would pretend to do.

The next Instance we have of Divine Judgment upon Uncleanness is in the pu∣nishment inflicted upon Reuben, and pro∣phetically foretold by his Father Jacob in his last words unto his Children, or in his last Will and Testament as some are plea∣sed to call it. The Judgment pronounced against Reuben is this, Unstable as Water thou shalt not excell because thou wentest up to thy Father's Bed, then defiled'st thou it, he went up to my Couch, &c. Chronologers Reck∣on, that this was 40 years after Reuben's Incest with his Father's Concubine Bilhah, and tho' Reuben had no doubt repented of his Crime and was thereupon pardon'd by God and his Father so as to be continu∣ed both in the Church and in his Father's Family, yet now his iniquity is called to remembrance by his dying Parent, who puts Reuben to shame afresh before all his Brethren, and declares it to be the Will of God, that Reuben should be deprived of his Birth-right because of his Impuri∣ty, and that whereas being the Eldest Son he ought of right to have expected the Priesthood, Royalty, and Preeminence over his Brethren; he is now told that he should not excell, that is, he and his Posterity should neither be considerable for Strength, Valour, nor Number, and the cause is sub∣joyned because he was Unstable as Water and had defiled his Father's Bed, or had been acted by his Impetuous and Raging Lust like an inundation of Water which over-flows its Banks and drowns, the Coun∣try;

and thus as Esau lost his Birth-right by one sort of Profanity, Reuben lost it by another; and as he had resembled an Inundation of Water for Fury and Insta∣bility, so God poured him out like Wa∣ter, and made his state Unstable; and this Judgment was pronounced in the hearing of all his Brethren as the last and irre∣vocable Will of God and his Father; which, there's no reason to doubt, set it home with the greater pungency upon Reuben's Soul; and especially because not only he himself, but his Posterity also was set up as a Monument of God's Judgment against Incontinence. There are some who fabu∣lously assert, that Jacob being well vers'd in Astronomy, did read the destiny of his Sons in the Stars, where they will have the prognostication of all humane E∣vents to be writ down as in a Book; but the Event hath verified that he was acted by a more infallible Author.

The next thing that offers it self to our Consideration is the Sentence pro∣nounc'd against Simeon and Levi, who were Brethren to Reuben by Leah, joyned to Jacob as hath been formerly observed by Unlawfull Wedlock.—And that which makes the Curse inflicted upon them fit for our Remark is this, viz. That it was occasioned by their Cruelty against the Schechemites, of which the Rape committed upon their Sister Dinah was the procu∣ring Cause; so that it comes naturally to be taken notice of as one of the Judgments

which was the Consequence of Lust. The purport of their Sentence was, That they should be divided in Jacob and dispersed in Is∣rael. A very proper punishment for those who commit Crimes against the being of humane Society, to be scattered up and down upon the face of the Earth: And if we may give Credit to the Conjectures of the Learned, their Posterity inherited their Fathers Cruelty; for the Levi•…•…es, that is to say, the order of Priesthood, and descen∣dants of Levi, condemned Jesus Christ; and Judas who betray'd him, being as they say, of the T•…•…ibe of Simeon, both those Tribes had a hand in that Condemnation, which was the most cruel and unjust Sentence that ever was pronounced in the World.

The next thing which we find in the Sacred Records relating to our Subject is, That God to Testify his abhorrence of this sin of Uncleanness, gives it as the 7^th. precept to his peculiar People, Israel, that they should not commit Adultery; un∣der which Term, Uncleanness of every sort is forbidden; and being the 7^th. in order it would seem that the Divine Law∣giver did thereby intimate that they should be as frequent and particular in the Re∣membrance of this precept as they were to be of sanctifying every Seventh Day, which tho it were appointed for a rest, yet they were hereby given to understand that they were not to spend this Day in Chamber∣ing and Wantonness, nor make it the prin∣cipal Day of their impure Assignations as

our Modern Debauchees do; and tho' this precept was promulgated from Mount Si∣nai with the same solemnity of Thunder and Lightning as the rest of the Law was, yet God would have his people so pun∣ctual in the observation of it, that he ad∣ded a further sanction to it, by appoint∣ing particular punishments for the various manners of breaking it: as he that enticed and defil'd Virgin should certainly take her to Wife; but if her Father would not consent to it, the Person that defiled her should pay her Doury; but if the Virgin were betrothed and defiled in any place where she might have help upon crying out, then both Parties were to be put to death; but if the betrothed Virgin were surprized in the field, or where she could not have help upon crying out, then the Man was only to suffer death, Exod. 22. 16. Deut. 22. from 14 to the end, but in case any Man were found lying with another Mans Wife, then both the offending Par∣ties were to be stoned to Death; and if any Husband could prove that his Wife had plaid the Whore with another Man before his Marriage to her, she was like∣wise to be stoned to death.—And as a further Evidence of God's detestation of Whoredom, it was appointed Deut. 23. 2. That no Bastard should enter into the Congre∣gation of the Lord, even to his tenth Gene∣ration: Nay, so great was the care of the Divine Law-giver to have his select Peo∣ple strictly Chalte and Continent, that he

orders them to provide against all occa∣sions of Lasciviousness, or Incontinence in their very Apparel, and particularly in the 22. of Deut. and 12. he commands them to make Fringes upon the four Cor∣ners of their Garments, which some Com∣mentators understand to be Points or Laces to fasten them so that their Nakedness might not be discovered on any occasion, Breech∣es not being then in use. In that same Chap∣ter Men are forbid to wear Womens Ap∣parel, or Women Mens, lest thereby there should be an opportunity given to pro∣miscuous Lusts. By this, Effeminate Fops and Masculine Virago's are also rebuk'd: Nay, Common Reason teaches us to de∣spise and abhor such Unnatural Monsters. A Poor Heathen Poet could say,

Quem praestare potest mulier gale at a pudo∣rem Quae fugit à sexu.

What Modesty can we expect to see In Women Armed like Soldiers Cap-a pee.

The Almighty is very particular in Exe∣dus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy, in enume∣rating the different sorts of Uncleanness, which he would have his People to avoid, and after having forbid under severe Penal∣ties those more usual methods of Transgressing the Seventh Commandment, he forbids Mar∣riage within such and such degrees of Con∣sanguinity, lays restrictions upon the use of

the Marriage-Bed it self; and because our nature is so deprav'd, that when Lust has the Reins laid on its Neck, it puts Man∣kind upon the search of Unnatural Methods to satisfy it, the Divine Goodness con∣sults our Welfare so much as to make those things plainly appear to be sinful to us by his prohibition, which Nature it self at first Glance would have taught us to be so, if we did but make use of Common Reason: And therefore the approaching to a Woman in her Uncleanness; and Bestiality, or Unnatural Comixtion with Creatures of another kind, Crimes which ought to have been Buried in perpetual Oblivion, whose very Names strike Nature with fear and horrour, are expresly forbid, and the ve∣ry Brutes as well as the Man or Woman were ordered to be cut off for having suffer∣ed such a transgression of the Law of Na∣ture; and that the People might take the more care to observe both those positive and Negative precepts, he tells them that for such Abominations the Canaanites were to be driven out before them and cut off.

It is also worth our Notice, that the Explanation of this Seventh Commandment is more at large set down in the Sacred Scriptures, than that of any other of the Commandments, and that the Law-giver knowing the Frailty of humane Nature, hath been particularly Carefull and Indul∣gent in the methods appointed for Pre∣servation of Chastity, as well as Just in the

methods for discovering and punishing In∣continence.

The Liberty allow'd the Israelites in their divorces and the privilege that a new Married Man had of not being obliged to go to War the first year, are sufficient proofs of the •…•…enity of the Law-giver, and that no Person could pretend any Ju∣stifiable reason for their Incontinence. A years time for a Man and a Woman to cohabit was sufficient to establish their mutual Love, and to prevent that Lubri∣city of the flesh which is discoverable up∣on first Marriage, and might endanger the Womans Chastity if too soon deprived of her Husband, and the Man's also if all of a sudden taken from his Wife, espe∣cially to follow a Military Employment, which generally abounds with Tentations to Incontinence, and many other Crimes—And answerable to this is the Command of the Apostle, That the Husband should pay all due benevolence to the Wife, and that they should not defraud one another but with Con∣sent for a time lest Satan tempt them for their Incontinence.

Chastity was so strictly enjoyned unto this select people of God, that they were not only forbid to suffer any of their Daughters to be Whores, or any of their Sons to be Whore-Masters, as some think the word which in our Translation Deut 23. 17. is Sodo∣mites, ought to be rendered, but all man∣ner of immodesty was strictly forbid; and therefore if any Woman seeing her Hus∣band

and another Man a Quarrelling, should be so impudent in her Fury or Passi∣on as to take the other Man by the Se∣cret' Parts to oblige him to forbear Quar∣relling with her Husband, her hand was to be cut off without any pity, tho' eve∣ry Man knows that a Pressure or Gripe in those parts would quickly Force her Hus∣band's Antagonist to quit the Fray.—And by much more reason would those Judges have Condemned Women who put their hands to those parts upon a Lust∣ful Account.

The Trials appointed in the Levitical Law to find out whether the Jealousie of the Husband was well founded, was like∣wise admirably Accommodated for the Clearing of the Innocent, and condemn∣ing the Guilty. The Tokens of Vi•…•…ginity which the Learned tell us never failed in that Climate, were a Convincing proof of the Brides being a Maid or otherwise, and therefore the Linen in which the Bridegroom and she lay the first night was carefully kept by the Parents of the Bride, and taken from the Fed before proper Witnesses, as a security for their Daugh∣ters Honour. If the accusation were found false, the Husband was to be Chastis'd and Fin'd in an Hundred Shekels of Silver to the Father of the Damsel, and if it was found to be true, she was to be stoned to Death for having wrought folly in Israel; so that there's no doubt but this Custom had a mighty influence upon Parents to

watch carefully over their Daughters, and on the Virgins themselves to preserve their Chastity.

The Trial to find out whether a Wo∣man had committed Adultery after Mar∣riage, was yet more solemn and terrible, as may be seen in the 5th. of Numbers, from the 11th. to the 31st. Verse. And seeing the effect of the bitter Water which the Woman was to drink on that occa∣sion, was altogether Supernatural, viz. to make her fruitful if Innocent, and her Belly to swell and Thigh to rot if guil∣ty, it plainly demonstrated that God him∣self was the Patron of Chastity, and Reven∣ger of Adultery, and the Person found guilty upon this occasion becoming a curse among the people, it shews how odious and abominable that Crime then was in the Eyes of Man as well as in the Eyes of God; and there's no doubt but this had a very great influence upon Women to be Loyal to their Husbands, and careful to avoid giving 'em any occasion of Jealousie. It's probable that the Trial of Adultery by the Fiery ordeal, or laying so many hot Bars of Iron upon the ground, covering the Woman's Eyes, and making her go o∣ver them with her bare Feet, which she burnt if Guilty, and came off without a∣ny hurt if Innocent, was an Apish I∣mitation of this solemn and severe Jewish Trial, as many other of the Popish Super∣stitions are foolish and unwarrantable Imi∣tations of the Jewish Ceremonies; but as

they have not the Divine Institution for their Warrant, they come always short of the desired effect, and turn to the dis∣grace of the Inventers and Practitio∣ners.

It also deserves our observation that the flux of the Natural Seed in Man, the menstrua in Women, and their ordinary purgations after Child-bearing, rendred them unfit for publick worship, and were accounted unclean. Nay even the very Law∣ful Act betwixt Man and Wife went un∣der that denomination; because, as it is well observed by Divines,

the Corruption of Nature is more apt to discover it self in that Lawfull act, than perhaps in any o∣ther, and because Original Corruption is Conveyed unto us in our first Conception by that very substance whereof we are made.

The next scriptural Instance that Oc∣curs, is in the 25th. of Numbers, where we have an account that the Moabites and Midianites being afraid of the Children of Israel, the King of the Moabites sent for Balaam, a false Prophet and Enchanter, to Curse them, that he might the more easily prevail over them; but Balaam finding that it was not in his power to Curse those whom God had Blessed, gave them advice to send out their Beautiful Women among the Israelites to tempt them to Unclean∣ness; which if they could, he knew that it would render them odious in the sight of their Holy God, and bring down Judgments

upon them from the Almighty hand of Jeho∣vah, who had given them such Laws for the preservation of their Chastity as distinguish∣ed them from the polluted Nations of the Earth. We must take notice by the way, that the Moabites were the Descendants of Lot's Incestuous Brood by one of his Daugh∣ters, and 'tis very probable that they lookt upon promiscuous Copulations to be sufficient∣ly Authoriz'd by the unhappy slip of that Good man, which together with their zeal to save their Country, made them ready enough to prostitute themselves to the Is∣raelites—And they notwithstanding the prohibition and Laws of that God who had chosen them for his peculiar people, call∣ed them his first born, destroyed the Egyp∣tians and Amorites for their sakes, and as he told them himself, because of such pol∣lutions, yet they, whom Balaam's Magick could not Enchant, were so much bewitch∣ed with Lust towards the Daughters of Moab, that they first committed Whore∣dom with them, and then committed I∣dolatry to please them; so easie and natu∣ral is the transition from a wicked Life to a false Religion.

This Lewd and Ungratefull Practice did quickly kindle the Anger of the Lord a∣gainst them, which was no other way to be expiated but by the Death of those who had been Ring-Leaders of this Unclean∣ness and Idolatry, and therefore God Com∣manded the Judges and Magistrates by the Mouth of his Servant Moses, every one to

slay those Ring-Leaders and Heads of the people in their own Juridiction, who had polluted themselves, and to hang them up against the Sun, in the face of which they had committed these Abominations; so that a Thousand of those profane Great men were hanged, as the Learned do com∣pute, and Twenty Three Thousand of the Com∣mon. people were consumed by the Plague for their Whoredom.

In this General Instance of Uncleanness there is one more particularly taken no∣tice of by the Scripture, viz. That of Zim∣ri, a Prince of the Tribe of Simeon, with Cozbi the Daughter of a Prince of Midian. By the reading it would seem that this man was so far besotted with his Lustfull Passion, as neither to regard the Command of God for hanging up other Great men that were guilty of the like Crime, nor the hand of God which was gone out a∣gainst the Common People destroying those by a burning Plague who just before were burning in their Lusts, but in the very heat of God's Anger, and while the Congre∣gation were all in Tears for their Sins and Judgments, as if he would out brave the wrath of God and insult over the Calami∣ties of the people, he brought his Midi∣antish Whore in the sight of Moses and all the Congregation into his Tent, and as he made himself thus a Remarkable Sinner, the Lord did pursue him with as Remarka∣ble a Judgment, by sturring up Phinehas to go beyond the ordinary bounds of his

Vocation and become Executioner of his Justice upon this Lustfull Gallant, whom to∣gether with his Whore, he thrust through with his Javelin; so that instead of send∣ing a Priest to give him absolution, God Commissioned a Priest to be the Messen∣ger of dispatching him to everlasting flames in the very mids of his own Impure flames; and while not only the names of Common Sinners, but even those of other Great men who were hanged for the same Crimes, are buried in oblivion, the Name of this Prince and his Tribe are conveyed down to Posterity to perpetuate the Memory of his Infamy; and this Remarkable Zeal of Phine∣has was so well pleasing to God, that the Plague amongst the People did immediate∣ly cease upon it.

It's an observation naturally deducible from this passage, that the Chief Magi∣strate ought to punish Great Men in an Exemplary manner for such Great and Heinous Crimes as Whoredom and Idolatry. Here the great ones are hung up before the Sun, while Sinners of a lower rank are suffered to rot by a Common Contagion. From hence also we may observe, That then a Reformation may have prospect of Success when Ministers and Magistrates con∣cur in it, as here Phinehas did with Mo∣ses.

The horrid advice of Balaam before∣mentioned puts me in mind of the Coun∣sel which Cardinal Mazarine is generally charged with as to England, viz. That the

best way to make us Papists, was, to debauch our Morals, particularly by Whoredom. We find by the Instance just now related, that Uncleanness is a strong attractive to I∣dolatry, and whether the Lewd Example of the Court which overspread the Nation with Debauchery, did not very much pro∣mote the Popish Interest in former Reigns, and likewise lay the Foundation for that Atheism, Deism, and Socinianism which doth so much abound in this (now that the Debauchees cannot find their Account in Popery) let Experience testify.

If the Advocates of Lechery should object, that the punishments abovementioned were inflicted upon the People because of their Idolatry, and not upon the Account of their Infamous Commerce with the Daugh∣ters of Midian; it is easie to answer them that they were punish'd for both in Conjunction; and the Apostle in the first of Corinthians, 10. and 8. assigns their For∣nication as the Cause of their Judgments; it being indeed the Original Cause, and as has been said already, Whoredom and I∣dolatry have a Natural Tendency to one another, and therefore Cardinal Mazarine's Receipt. abovementioned for perverting Protestants to be Papists, may very well pass with a probatum est.

There's one thing more to be taken no∣tice of in this Instance, and that is, the Judgments which this Whoredom brought upon the Midianites as well as upon the Children of Israel. It is well enough known

that Corrupt Nature is prone enough to Revenge, and there's little reason to doubt but the Israelites were incens'd enough a∣gainst those of Midian for this Great In∣jury they had done them, yet the Almigh∣ty thought fit to whett their Revenge and Commanded them to Vex the Midianites and Smite them, because they vexed them with their Wiles, and beguil'd them in the matter of Peor and Cozbi, that is by enticing them to Idolatry and Whoredom, Peor being the Mountain where the Midianitish Baal was worshipped, for Baal was an Appel∣lative Name to Heathen Idols, as Mary is to the Popish ones, but distinguish'd by the places where the most Famous Statues or Pictures of 'em were worshiped, as our Lady of Loretto, Lady of Prague, &c. now a days.

So that here's a War declared against Midian with as good Authority and for as great and weighty Causes as ever any War was declared under Heav'n.

The Execution of which we have an account of in the 31. Chap. where it's re∣commended unto Moses as the last Mili∣tary Exploit that ever he was to perform to Avenge the Lord and the Children of Israel of the Midianites, which was accord∣ingly done by an Army Contemptible for Number, viz. 12000 Men, who destroyed a Numerous People, Governed by 5 Kings, put all their Males to the edge of the Sword, their Kings not excepted, and a∣mongst the rest Balaam the false Prophet

was slain as a just reward for his pernici∣ous Council, and so the Riches which he acquir'd and was so covetous of, that for the Lucre of 'em he would act contrary to God's Express Command, became a prey to the Israelites against whom he had gi∣ven such Hellish advice.

It is also observable that Phinehas who had formerly signalized his Zeal, is sent along with the Troops, which was both a great Honour to him and an Encouragement to them as fighting under the Auspices of Heaven, and had it been otherwise they could never possibly have Conquer'd such a great People as the Midianites appear to have been 3 by the Number of the Wo∣men saved that had never known Man, viz. 32000, their Sheep which were 675000, their Beeves 72000, and Asses 61000; so that God powred Contempt upon that Ef∣feminate Whoring Nation in destroying them by such an Inconsiderable Number of men.

It's also to be observed that Moses was very Angry with the Captains for having saved all the Women, and the reason gi∣ven for it, is this, Because they had en∣ticed the Children of Israel, first to Whore∣dom and then to Idolatry; and therefore he Commanded every Woman who had known a Man to be destroyed, and thus those Women who thought to have sav'd their Country by Prostituting them∣selves, did thereby accelerate the destru∣ction of themselves and their Country too,

and the Midianitish Men who consented to this Hellish Stratagem of exposing their Wives to save themselves did thereby pro∣cure the ruin of both, and their Virgins became a prey to the Conquerors.

The just hatred of God against this Im∣pure Nation appears likewise in this, that their Furniture, Gold, Silver, &c. was not to be made use of by the Israelites 'till purified by Fire and Water according to the nature of the thing; so abominable in the Eyes of God are all those things spot∣•…•…ed with the Flesh.

There are some who make an exception to the truth of this History of the Total destvuction of the Midianites, because they afterwards invaded Israel in great Multi∣tudes in Gideon's time, but the solution is eaise; by the Total destruction may be meant that of the Generality; or some of them might escape to the Neighbouring Nations, and return again with Foreign Colonies to re inhabit their desolate Coun∣try, which the Israelites were not to stay in, but press'd forward towards the Land of Canaan, and so the new Inhabitants as∣suming the Name of the Country might invade the Israelites in the days of Gide∣on.

We have seen the destruction of Mi∣dian, occasioned by their Uncleanness, but that of the Moabites was respited for a while, because they were the off-spring of Lot: Of such advantage is it to be descended of Godly Parents, tho' in an illegal manner.

We have already considered Incestuous and Unlawfull Marriages, as they were for∣bidden to the Israelites, whom God would have distinguish'd from other Nations, not only in respect of the purity of their Mo∣rals, but even in their Apparel, Hair, and laudable Customs: as Maimonides and others think: And we come now to consider those Incestuous Marriages and Promiscu∣ous Copulations, as the Causes of the de∣struction of the Egyptians, amongst whom they had dwelt; and of the Canaanites, in whose Land they were to dwell, as it is particularly expressed in the 18th Chapter of Leviticus.—It's true that all along in the Book of Exodus the Chief Crime of the Egyp∣tians taken notice of, is, Oppression and Per∣secution; but, as we have said before, Per∣secution and Uncleanness are Generally Companions; and we find that the mul∣tiplication of the Hebrews was one great Cause of the Envy and Hatred of the E∣gyptians towards them, which being the usual Blessing and Reward of Chastity was a severe Reproof to the Lascivious E∣gyptians, which no doubt did heighten their Enmity to the Children of Israel.—And by the Prophet's Reproof in the 20. and 23. Chapters of Ezeki•…•…l, That Israel had plaid the Harlot in the days of her Youth, when she was in the Land of Egypt; there's rea∣son to think, that too too many of the Israe∣lites were infected with the corrupt Exam∣ple of the Egyptians, who for their Pro∣miscvous Venery are Compared to Asses

and Horses, by the Prophet, in these words, Whose Members are as the Members of Asses, and whose Issue is as the Issue of Horses. Hi∣storians tell us, That it was usual amongst the Egyptians for Brothers and Sisters to Marry together; and that they made a Statute for the Lawfulness of it, because I∣sis their Goddess was Married to her Bro∣ther Osiris. Then seeing the Israelites had convers'd amongst them 200 Years, and had not only seen but learned their Cor∣rupt manners, and been witnesses to all the plagues inflicted upon them on that Account, there could not be a more pro∣per Caution given them, than to beware of their Practices.—It is also to be obser∣ved that the Arabians, amongst whom the Israelites wandered, married none but their own Kindred; That the Persians held it Lawfull for the Fathers to marry with their Daughters; and the Parthians ac∣counted it no Crime for the Mothers to marry with their Sons; so much were those Eastern Countries drowned in Uncleanness; whence it is plain that Whoredom was one of the principal Causes of their de∣struction. It's true, that in Abraham's time it would seem that such Incestuous Mar∣riages were not Common amongst the E∣gyptians, otherwise his advice to Sara to (say that she was his Sister) would have been no Argument to make the Egyptians conclude, that she was not his Wife: But it is plain from Historians, that afterwards they grew more licentious. And thus

Ptolemy Pihladelphus married his Sister Ar∣sinoe, and Soter and Philopater, Egyptian Kings, did also marry their own Sisters: And it's a known Story of the Persians, that when Cambyses King of Persia had a mind to his youngest Sister, and ask'd his Judges whether there were any Law a∣gainst it; they answered him, That they knew none, but that there was a Law, that the King's of Persia might do what they would—Then 'tis also known that the Messagates, Troglodites, Brachmans, and o∣ther Eastern People, allowed a Communi∣ty of Wives, their Philosophers taught it, and Crates and Cabades Kings of Persia, made L aws for it.

Another of the Crimes forbidden to the Israelites, and which the Canaanites, and those Eastern People were guilty of, was, causing their Seed to pass through the fire to Moloch, by which some understand that in a most fil∣thy manner they consecrated their Sperm or Seed to their Idol Priapus, as Baal's Priest of∣fered their Blood to their Idol, 1. Kings 18. and as the Manichees and Gnosticks mix∣ed the Eucharist with humane Seed; tho' the Current of Interpreters carry it for making their Children pass through be∣twixt two fires, and sometimes offering them as a burnt-Sacrifice in Honour of their Idol.

They are also charged with Sodomy, or the Unnatural Lust of Men towards Men, to which they were given up by the Just Judgment of God as a due punishment for

their Idolatry. And at the dissolution of the Monasteries here in England, our An∣ti-Christian Idolaters were found to have polluted themselves in this manner; which Crime as it brought Hell upon the Sodomites before their time, (that is, brought Fire and Brimstone upon them before they went off the Earth,) so this horrid Un∣cleanness of the Monks procur'd the dis∣solution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII. before their Religion was discharged out of the Nation.

The Egyptians and Canaanites are also charged with Bestiality, their Men and Women having committed Confusion with Beasts, and thus Pasiphae is accused of ha∣ving accompanied with a Bull, Polyphantes with a Bear, Semiramis with an Horse, and the Women of Mendis in Egypt with Goats.—Nay if we may believe the Fables of the Jews, the false Prophet Balaam, who was slain amongst the Midianites, was guilty of Bestiality with his Ass, which they foolish∣ly collect from those Words of the Beast, viz. Am not I thine Ass which thou hast rid∣den upon? It is also observable, that those brutal Commixtions were punish'd by the Infamy of the Criminals, as well as by their destruction, for we read, that the Monstrous Births have many times dis∣covered those Unnatural Crimes, and that sometimes they have been betrayed by He∣terogeneous tho perfect Births. And thus Plutarch tells us of a Boy begotten be∣twixt a Man and a Mare, and of a Girl

betwixt a Man and an Ass—And Olaus Magnus mentions a Man begotten of a Wo∣man by a Bear, who was thereupon called Ursus, and of whom many Great Danish Princes did afterwards descend—It's true that Galen denies that there can be any such Generation of Mankind, but others maintain it upon this reason, That the Partial Cause being more Noble prevails over the less Noble, as it is many times seen that a fair Woman hath brought forth a Black-a∣moor.

In fine the Land of Canaan being pol∣luted by those abominations, Vomited out her Inhabitants, the Posterity of Cham, who did so impudently behold and revile his Fathers Nakedness, and is thought to have revived the Vitions manners of the old World in his Posterity, the Sodomites and Canaanites, and thus we have an account of two more Great Nations destroyed by their Uncleanness, viz. the Egyptians and Canaanites, whose Practices the Israelites were Commanded to avoid, as they would not run the hazard of the same or greater Judgments.

The next Remarkable Instance we meet with in Scripture, is that of Sampson, who having a mind to take one of the Daugh∣ters of the Philistines to Wife, for which some Commentators are of opinion that he had a particular Revelation, or at least a Divine Instinct, she proved unfaithfull to him, and as Levi Ben Gerson alledges, the Philistine youths Committed Adulte∣ry

with her, and by that means came to the knowledge of her Husbands Riddle: and this Interpretation he thinks to be favoured by Sampson's saying, That if they had not Plowed with his Heifer they had not found out his Riddle, but whether it were so or not, this is certain, that she was guil∣ty of the breach of Conjugal Fidelity, which issued in the destruction of her Fa∣mily and People, that she thought to a∣void by this piece of Treachery. This is also certain, that she afterwards defiled the Marriage Bed, when Sampson went a∣way from her in Anger, upon the Ac∣count of discovering his Riddle which makes Levi Ben Gerson's Accusation so much the more probable, especially if we con∣sider that she was by her Father bestow∣ed upon Sampson's Companion, viz. one of those that had accompanied him at the Marriage solemnity; which discovers the Loosnesses of the Philistines in a very Emphatical manner, and made Sampson a very Just instrument of Revenge upon 'em and perhaps the Fulsomeness and Cunning of their Crime was very aptly punished by tying those stinking and Cunning Crea∣tures the Foxes tail to tail with Fire-brands betwixt them, by which they burnt the Corn∣fields and Vineyards of the Crafty and Impure Philistines. The objection which some make against this Story, viz. That it was impossible to find so many Foxes, is frivolous; it's plain that those Crea∣tures were very Numerous in Syria and

Palestine; and they are mentioned in the Canticles as spoilers of the Vines, for these Creatures are great admirers of Ripe Grapes; so that for such an Extraordi∣nary Person as Sampson to catch such a Number of Foxes where they did so much abound, was no hard matter; It's certain that they were the most proper of any Creature for his purpose, seeing they fre∣quented the Corn-fields and Vineyards, and by Consequence run straight thither; where∣as if he had made use of Dogs, they would have run to the Houses where the Peo∣ple might easily have Quenched the Brands.

The next thing observable in this pas∣sage, is, the Just punishment which was inflicted upon Sampson's Treacherous wife, and her Father, viz. That the Philistines burnt them with fire, a very proper pu∣nishment for such a Lustfull Family as this appears to have been, both by Sampson's Wife's proving false to him, who was certainly able enough to perform his Conjugal duty, and also by her Father's incestuous offer of the younger Sister to Sampson, which shews that the fear of God was not in the Family: And this Villainous practice of theirs did not only draw destruction upon themselves, but on their polluted Country, and therefore this Revenge of destroying their Corn and Wine in the first place was very proper, idleness and fulness of Bread being great provocatives to Uncleanness, and the old saying is found to be true sine Baccho &

Cerere friget Venus. Take away Corn and Wine and Lechery will cease. But this was not all the punishment inflicted upon that Impure People, for he smote them hip and thigh where ever he met them, and shortly after killed a thousand of 'em with the Jaw bone of an Ass; and thus a Villainous People were cut off in an Ig∣nominious manner, by the Jaw bone of one of the dullest and most despicable Beasts.

The next Instance of Divine Wrath a∣gainst Fornication is Sampson himself, who tho' he had been the Executioner of Gods Justice upon the Impure Philistines, yet fell into the same Crime, and Repeated it to the eminent danger, and at last to the loss of his Life: He was once Besieged by the Philistines in Gaza, when he was with a Whore, and tho' God had not deserted him then, so that he escaped them by his great strength and carrying away the Gates on his Shoulders, yet he was so far from taking warning, that he becomes enamou∣red of the Strumpet Delilah, and was so much besotted with his Lust, that tho' she had given him many demonstrations of her Treacherous design to betray him into the hands of the Philistines, yet he could not rescue himself from her snares, but at last became a Prey and Scorn to his Ene∣mies, a Scandal and a Reproach to the Peo∣ple of God, and an occasion of Triumph to Idolaters, who ascrib'd their Conquest over him to their Idols, and put him in

Prison in that same City where he first com∣mitted Uncleanness.

This is a second Scriptural Instance of snares laid against the Church of God by Unclean Women, the first being by the Midianites, and the second by the Philistines which tho' they prov'd fatal to the People of God for a time, yet both of 'em ended in the de∣struction of the Contrivers and Abettors; for the Midianites, we have heard were Tota∣ly destroyed; and now we find that Sampson destroyed more Philistines at his Death than he did during his Life, and those the Lords or Chief of 'em too.

Nor is it unworthy our observation that the Papists, who attack'd the Protestant Re∣ligion, and endeavour'd to undermine it in Charles II's. time, by Court-Whores, and others; tho' they had success for a while, yet their designs have turned to their own disgrace, and come to nothing at last.

We proceed next to the Instance of the Levites Concubine and the Men of Gibeah. This Women having plaid the Harlot left her Husband, whose Anger she dreaded, and went to her Father's House in Beth∣lehem Judah. By the Levitical Law it was more odious in a Priest's Wife or Daughter to be an Whore than in another, and there∣fore 'tis probable that to avoid the shame and punishment due to her for her Crime, she fled to her Father's House; whither the good Levite, being willing to be reconciled goes to bring her home again, and being be∣nighted

in his return, would not lodge amongst the Uncircumcis'd Canaanites in a∣ny of their Cities, but turns in to Gibeah of Benjamin, where he promis'd himself an Hospitable Reception and safe Asylum, but to his sorrow found it far otherwise, and instead of a Zoar met with a Sodom, the Wicked Inhabitants took no notice of this stranger, who was left destitute of a Lodging in their Streets, till a certain good old Man, who came from his work in the E∣vening, did Hospitably take him in and entertain him: But immediately after, those Children of Belial beset the House, and offer'd the Levite the same Unnatural In∣dignity and Affront that the Sodomites of∣fered to the Angels, who were Lot's Guests; and this old Man took much the same method to divert their wicked pur∣pose, that Lot did to divert that of the Sodomites. In fine, the poor Levite escap'd from having any violence done to his own Person, but his Concubine, whom he so entirely loved as to be reconciled to her after her having defiled his Bed, and for whose sake it's probable among other Rea∣sons he would not lodge in any of the Hea∣then Towns in his way, was so unnatu∣rally abused by those Villainous Inhabitants of Gibeah, that she died. The method which was hereupon followed by the Le∣vite does sufficiently discover his Resent∣ment of this affront, for taking her Corps, up, tho' he knew that she was justly thus punished by God for her former Unclean∣ness,

so as her sin was easie to be read in her Judgment, yet knowing also that the Inhabitants of Gibeah had committed an hor∣rid and tremendous piece of wickedness, he divided his Concubine into twelve parts, and sending them to the respective Tribes of Israel appeals to them whether any such wic∣kedness as the violation of a strangers Cha∣stity and Life had been perpetrated amongst them since their coming out of Epypt, where their Forefathers had been strangers, and thèrefore desires them to Consult what was fit to be done for the Expiation of that unheard of Crime. Thus this poor Womans Limbs were sent about as so many Monu∣ment of her Infamy and Gods Just Judg∣ments against her Adultery, and as so ma∣ny Evidences of the profligate manners of the Benjamites. But tho' here was an end of her punishment, so was there not of theirs; for the whole Kingdom of Israel assembled against them, and the Benjamites being so wicked as not to punish the offenders at their Brethrens desire, but to stand in their defence, the matter issued in a Civil War, which, tho' unfortunate at first to the Israelites, because of their not having made due application unto God, and that they relied too much upon their own strength, yet ended at last, almost in the utter de∣struction of the Tribe of Benjamin, who to∣gether with their Cities were destroyed; and they who had formerly been so Un∣hospitable to the poor Levite, are now forc'd to shelter themselves in a Rock; and

they who had been so inhumane as to Ra∣vish another Man's Wife, had never a Wo∣man left amongst them propagate or continue their Name to posterity; so bit∣ter are the Fruits of Uncleanness in the re∣sult and digestion, how pleasant soever they be to Corrupt nature in the Enjoyment and thus we have done with another In∣stance of a Peoples being ruined by Un∣cleanness, 25000 Benjamites being cut off for defending this horrid Villany, and the stain of their impurity indelibly fix'd up∣on them to all Posterity.—The Rabbins ac∣cording to their manner, assert many fa∣bulous things concerning this passage, as, that 1000 of the Benjamites fled into Eu∣rope after this disaster, because they found that their Brethren had sworn their de∣struction, that they had killed all their Wo∣men and vowed they would give them none of their Daughters, which was like to put an end to their propagation; but their flying into Europe being contrary to the Text, it's not worth taking notice of, on∣ly this we may observe, that their Lust and Uncleanness hurl'd them headlong from one Calamity to another; for after they had escap'd the Fury of the Sword, they were reduced to very pinching straits being not only deprived of the Conver∣sation of Women, which it's natural for all Men to desire, but likewise deprived of their necessary assistance, without which Men cannot at all subsist, or if they do, its but very uncomfortably, and as if Divine

Justice would have them read their sin in their punishment: After all the endeavours that were us'd to supply them with Wives they were constrained because of their want of a sufficient Number to take Wives per force for themselves, to answer the Ends of Nature, who had by force taken away another Man's Wife to satisfy their Un∣natural Lust.

The horrid Debauchery of Eli's Sons who lay with the Women as they assembled at the door of the Tabernacle of the Con∣gregation is one of the next Instances we meet with in the Sacred Scriptures; a Pra∣ctice so foul in the Eyes of all mankind, that they can more easily bear with the House ofGod's being made a Den of Thieves and Robbers than a Den of Harlots; nay such Practices have been so much detested amongst the more refin'd Heathens, that tho' we read of Eleusina Sacra, which most Authors think to have been profane and Lascivious Rites, and tho' we read also of Temples and Groves dedicated to Venus, where Women prostituted themselves to all comers, yet we read likewise that the Temple of Isis was destroyed and his Priests dispersed for a Villainous Intrigue of Sedu∣cing and Debauching a Matron under the Notion of the God Isis having desired her Company.

The Rabbins, tho' the Jews be known to be a Lascivious Unclean People and much addicted to Polygamy and Whoredome, are so much ashamed of this Villainous practice

of Eli's Sons, that they endeavour by their Comments to have it thought that they did not Debauch the Women, but on∣ly by delaying their Sacrifice obliged them to sleep or stay whole nights before the Door of the Tabernacle, or at furthest per∣swaded them to lie with their own Hus∣bands, if they were legally clean before they performed their Sacrifices. Thus Le∣vi Ben Gerson and others, but Josephus the Jewish Historian owns plainly that they De∣bauch'd other Men's Wives, partly by Vio∣lence and partly by Bribery, and by that means rendered the Worship of the Lord Contemptible and brought Judgments up∣on themselves and upon the whole peo∣ple, for not long after, we find that they were slain in a Battle against the Philistines and the Ark of God which they had the charge of, was taken, as if God would suffer the symbol of his presence to be amongst the Impure and Uncircumcised Philistines and kept by them, rather than it should stay amongst the Unclean Israelites who by their Religion were obliged to Purity and Cha∣stity.

It has been hinted before that the Le∣chery and Uncleanness of the popish Cler∣gy contributed to the dissolution of their Monasteries in England and elsewhere which, we shall touch upon again in it's proper place, but it may not be improper to take notice here, that Socrates gives us an Ac∣count, that private Confession was abolisht at Constantinople because a certain Presby∣ter

to whom a Matron had Confessed her self guilty of an heinous Offence, en∣joined her to stay in the Church and ap∣ply her self to Fasting and Prayer, under pretence of which she was found to be naught with the Deacon; whereupon, Ne∣ctarius the Bishop of Constantinople abolish'd that method of Confession.

But to return again to Eli's Sons, their punishment did not terminate in their own Persons, but reach'd their Father, who, as Josephus thinks wept continually after God had revealed to him that both his Sons should be slain in one day, and the Scripture tells us, that he fell backward and broke his Neek upon the receipt of that fatal News. It reach'd also the Wife of one of 'em, who died upon the News of her Husband's death, and the Arks being taken; and it reach'd also their Posterity who were for ever excluded from the Priests Office and had a perpetual Pover∣ty entailed upon them, as a Curse, and to make them the more sensible of the dig∣nity, from whence they had fallen, they were condemned to be a sort of slaves to the High-Priest of the succeeding Family, of whom they were to beg a morsel of Bread and Employment, so naturally does the Curse of Poverty or of bringing a Man to a piece of Bread follow upon Whore∣dom and Uncleanness.

There are some other Instances of les∣ser note, as Sauls forcing his Daughter Mi∣chal, after she had been married to David,

to marry another Man, which was an act of Unncleaness and Tyranny too, and had no doubt, its influence amongst others of that Prince's Tyrannical and Impious Acts to hasten ruin upon him.

The Instance of Abner's going into Rispah, Saul's Concubine, which Interpreters think he did in an Adulterous manner, and not by way of Lawfull Marriage, deserves our Remark; for hereby Saul suffered in his Fame after his Death, and he who had compelled his Daughter to defile her Hus∣band's Bed, had this Ignominy and punish∣ment inflicted upon his Son, that he saw his Fathers-Wife dishonourably defiled, and Abner, who was guilty of that Villanous Action, took occasion, because of his Re∣proof, to Revolt from him and to trans∣fer the Kingdom to David, and as he went about to effect it, fell into the snare which Joab had laid for him, and lost his Life.

We come, in the next place to David's Adultery with Bathsheba, a Crime, which hath many aggravations, to be committed by David a prophet who instructed others in the Law of God, and did so grosly break it himself, to be committed by David, a King who ought to have defended the Cha∣stity of his Subject, and not to have vio∣lated it himself; to be Commited by Da∣vid a holy Man, who did thereby expose Religion ro be ridicul'd, and laid a stum∣bling block before others, to commit the like Crime because of his Example, then if we consider the time, it was when

his Generals and Army were expos'd to the Fury of their Enemy in a Siege, when he ought to have been more sollicitous for the honour and dignity of his Crown and for the safety of his Subjects: Then if we consider the Person, against whom this Crime was committed, we find it to be against a Brave, Valiant and Faithfull Friend and Subject, who would not indulge him∣self in his Pleasures and Accommodations, while the Ark and People of the Lord a∣bode in Tents; tho' David, who was his Sovereign, allowed him, nay Commanded and Enticed him to do it, which height∣ned and aggravated the Crime of that Ho∣ly man, who acted herein Hypocritally and Scandalously to cover his Iniquity and gave occasion to the Israclites to think that as for Personal Conversation they had made but a sorry Exchange betwixt Saul and Da∣vid, for we don't find that Tyrant accused of Personal Uncleanness. But the bloody part of the Scene is still to be acted, Da∣vid finding that he could not effect his de∣sign by Hypocrisy, hath recourse to down∣right Violence and Murder, his Intrigue to make Uriah drunk, which he thought might provoke him to a desire of his Wife, having miscarried, he resolves to cut him off by the Sword of the Ammonites, and that too, in a fraudulent manner by order∣ing him to be set in the front of the Bat∣tle, and commanding the Men to retire from him that he might be smitten: Nay, so eager was he to have this Poor Man's

life, in order to cover his own Unclean∣ness, that he was content to Sacrifice the Lives of many more of his Subjects, so that this could be but effected; so natu∣ral is it for Uncleanness to be the Parent and occasion of Murder.

The Crime is still further aggravated if we consider how deliberately it was com∣mitted, how long he continued without Repentance, and what a severe Judgment he gave against himself, when Nathan the Pro∣phet propounded the Case to him by way of Parable. So much for David's Crime; we must now consider that of Bathsheba, she Wash'd and Bath•…•…d her self in open view of the Palace, otherwise David could ne∣ver have seen her from the Roof of his House, which argues her to have been ve∣ry Immodest, nor do we find that she made any opposition to the proposal when 'twas made to her, so little regard had she either to the Law of God or her own and her Husbands Honour. It remains then that we come to the punishment in∣flicted upon both.

The Judgment pronounced by Nathan against David, was, That the Sword should never depart from his House, that the Lord would raise up evil against him out of his own House, that he would take his Wives before his Eyes and give them unto his Neighbour, who should lie with them in the sight of the Sun, and that the Child which he had begot in Adultery, should surely die, all which was exactly fullfill∣ed,

as we shall see in the following Instan∣ces.

The first part of the punishment in∣fl•…•…cted, was the Death of the Child, and how near that went to David, may easi∣ly be perceived by his afflicting himself with fasting and lying all night upon the Earth while it was sick, and there's no doubt but this part of the punishment reach'd Bathsheba as well as him, seeing 'tis reasonable to suppose that the Death of a Child, for whom she had broke through all ties, Divine and Humane, must go ve∣ry near her.

The next part of the punishment dis∣played David's Sin in Legible Characters, and brought an horrid Disgrace upon his Family, viz. The Incest of his Son Amnon with his Daughter Tamar, the Story and Consequence of which is as follows.

Tamar, being a fair Woman, Amnon, her Brother fell in Love with her, but know∣ing that she was within the sorbidden de∣grees of Consangninity; he found he could not Lawfully enjoy her. Before we pro∣ceed any further in the History of this affair, it is proper to consider, that this Damsel's Mother was Maacha Daughter to Talmai King of G•…•…shur: Rabbi •…•…hi says, That David took this Lady Captive, and being himself Captivated with her Beauty, defil'd her and begot this Tamar, and that persevering in his Love to Maa∣cha, tho' a Heathen, he made her a Pro∣selyte, and did according as it is prescri∣bed

by the Levitical Law, Deut. 21. viz. Shav'd her Head and Eyebrows, cut her Nails, &c. and took her to Wife. Lyra∣nus and some of the later Rabbins say, That when Maacha was taken, she was with Child of this Tamar by another Husband, and this they think, favoured by her say∣ing to Amnon? Speak unto the King for he will not with-hold me from thee: But Modern In∣terpreters do with more reason think that she only said this to put him off, for if they could have been married by Law, Amnon would not have pin'd for her, but have straightway demanded her of the King, who was so indulgent to his Children, that he would never have refused it, if it could have been Lawfully Granted, and therefore Amnon knowing that this could not be done, he burned and consumed a∣way in his Unlawfull Love, which prevent∣ed his sleep, disordered his stomach, hin∣dered hi digestion and occasioned a paleness in his Countenance, which made his Friend Jonadab to guess at his Malady and put him upon that fatal Intrigue to satisfy his Lust, viz. To feign himself sick, and to desire of his Indulgent Father when he came to see him, that his Sister Tamar might come and make him some Cakes, by which means he should have an opportunity of satisfying his passion, and this being accor∣dingly put in Execution, he ravish'd her, and then his hatred to her became as ex∣cessive as ever his Love had been, so that tho it was his Interest to have concealed

his Villainy both upon the Account of his Reputation and safety: His fury was so outragious that as he had forc'd her into his Bed, he forc'd her also out of his Cham∣ber, which presently divulg'd his own shame. The Rabbins according to their fa∣bulous manner, alledge, that this hatred proceeded from the bitter Reproaches and Words which Tamar made use of against him during the Rape, or from his having hurt himself while he struggled with her, but the more probable reason is that it pro∣ceeded from those stings of Conscience and that perturbation of mind which u∣sually attends such Villainies-and thus Nero hated his Mother Mortally, and at last or∣dered her to be murdered after he had committed Incest with her, but in the Case of Amnon there was something of a spe∣cial Providence, God would have David's sin legible in his punishment, and therefore that the shame of his Children and Fa∣mily should be publick? nay it's plain, that God deprived him of his ordinary sa∣gacity, when he so easily consented to Am∣non's desire of having his Sister Tamar to bake him some Cakes, which was enough to Minister cause of suspicion, that some wicked design lay conceal'd at bottom, and in like manner he was deprived of his sagacity when about two years after he consented to Amnon's going to Absa∣lom's Feast at the sheering of his Sheep, for he might easily have conceived that his Daugh∣ter Tamar who remained desolate in her

Brother Absalom's House, kept the Memo∣ry of the indignity which Amnon had done to her fresh in Absalom's mind, and that Absalom being an Ambitious Man might also be prompted to cut off Amnon, who was David's Eldest Son, that he might make way for himself to succeed, but so God would have it, that his Judgments denounced upon David's House, because of his Murder and Adultery, might be Executed; and therefore Amnon is not on∣ly suffered to go, but the rest of the King's Sons so much deprived of their Reason and Courage, as, that they could not pre∣vent this horrid Fratricide; and thus Amnon, whom David had spared out of a fond af∣fection, tho' he ought to have died by the Law, was Justly cut off for his Incestuous Rape, and as David's Uncleanness was pu∣nish'd by Incest betwixt his own Children, so his Murder is punish'd in that same manner by this Fratricide Committed by one of his Sons, upon another, which was an early presage of Absalom's usurpation, by taking the Sword of Justice out of his Father's hand. This must without all doubt have been a very sensible affliction to David, to have one Son Murdered, and a∣nother obnoxious to lose his Life by the Law for the said Murder. It must needs also pierce him to the heart to hear the Reproaches of the wicked, who no doubt upbraided him with the Ungodly Lives of his Children and the want of Discipline in his Family.

But his affliction did not terminate here, being again reconciled to his Son Absalom which his Unwarrantable indulgence made easie to be effected, this Unnatural Mon∣ster by his Treachery and Flattery, stole away the hearts of the People from his Fa∣ther, and then broke out into a formal Re∣bellion. That the People did so readily con∣cur with him, is attributed to the perswasi∣ons of Achitophel and others, who exposing David's personal faults, as his Adultery with Bathsheba, his Murder of Uriah, spa∣ring his Incestuous Son Amnon, and deal∣ing hardly with Absalom for Executing Ju∣stice upon him; did mightily Incense them against him, and besides these, we find, that Absalom himself accus'd him of Male-Administration, and a neglect of Justice, which, by the Just Judgment of God, in order to the fullfilling of his threatning, That the Sword should never depart from David's House, did so take, that he was in great danger of losing his Crown, and it's worth our observation that the Person which occasioned him so much trou∣ble and disgrace was his own Son by a Heathen Wife, with whom he had contra∣cted Marriage out of a Lustfull princi∣ple, as has been formerly taken notice of.

Absalom, in the Course of his Rebellion, does also commit Incest with his Father's Concubines, by the Counsel of Achitophel, contrary to the positive Law of God, and thus was the threatning accomplish'd up∣on

David, of having his own Wives taken from him, and given to another, who should humble them in the sight of the Sun, and of all the People; and it is remarkable, that this Villainy was Acted upon the roof of the Kings House, where he himself did first commit Adultery with Bathsheba in his Heart—The reason of Achitophel's gi∣ving this pernicious advice; was, that he might do what in him lay to make the breach between David and Absalom Irre∣concilable, that so he might never be cal∣led to an Account for aiding Absalom in this Rebellion: and there are others, who say, that he had also a design of Revenge in it, for David's having Debauch'd Bath∣sheba, who, it's probable, was this Achito∣phel's Grand-Daughter.

As to Absalom's own part in this Vil∣lany, we have reason to think that he was thereunto prompted by Revenge and Lust both. Revenge, because his Father had not punish'd Amnon for his Rape upon Ta∣mar, his Sister; and Lust, because we find he was a Vain and Effeminate Person, and Excessively proud of his Beauty and Hair, which he nourished so prodigiously, that at the end of the year, when he poll'd it, he usually cut off about Two Hundred Shekells, which is computed at above Six Pound Averdupoize.

The next thing which in Course we are to take notice of, is the punishment inflict∣ed upon Achitophel, who gave this pernici∣ous Counsel, and upon Absalom who fol∣lowed

it: The former, tho' his Wicked advice as to the polluting of David's Con∣cubines was obey'd, yet finding his Coun∣sel as to the Military part despised, took it so much to heart, that he thereupon became a deliberate Felo de se, and after ha∣ving set his House in order, became the Executioner of a punishment upon himself, which ought to have been inflicted by the hands of others, as a Just reward for his having advised to the Commission of Ca∣pital Crimes. And thus fell Achitophcl as a true Type of Judas.

As to Absalom, his punishment was ve∣ry remarkable. His Father David against whom he had committed those Capital of∣fences, was so strangely indulgent that he gave his Captains particular Charge to deal kindly with him for his sake; but behold the Event, that Unnatural Monster, whom the Indulgence of a Father would have spared, the Justice of Heav'n would not suffer to go unpunish'd, but armed the Trees of the Forest against him, so that his Hair being caught by the branch of an Oak, that in which he so much Glo∣ried, became the means of his Ruin, and serv'd instead of a Rope to hang him up be∣twixt Heav'n and Earth, as a Monument of Divine Justice, and to shew that he was accursed; but that was not all, Divine Justice did so much Incense Joab against him that taking three Darts in his hand he soon dispatch'd him, so that he died more sorts of Deaths than one, as a Just reward

for his Complicated Crimes. R. Kimchi's Observations upon Absalom's Tragical Exit, are neither improper nor Unpleasant, Ab∣salom, says he, was thrust thro' the Heart with 3 Darts, 1. Because he stole the Ki•…•…g his Fathers heart; 2. Because he stole the heart of the Sanhedrim, that is of the 200 Senators who went with him out of the sim∣plicity of their hearts; and 3. Because he stole the Hearts of all Israel. He might have ad∣ded a 4th. that as his heart was struck thro' with raging Lust when he went in to his Fathers Concubines in the sight of the Sun, so his Heart was now struck thro' with Darts while he hung upon the Tree be∣twixt Heav'n and Earth. The Rabbi has also another Remark, which is pertinent enough, viz. That as he incestuously pol∣luted his Fathers ten Concubines, he was encompassed and slain by 10 of Joab's At∣tendants, who threw him into a Pit, and raised a Great heap of Stones over him, so that as he liv'd he died, and was Buried in an Ignominious manner, notwithstand∣ing his having erected a Pillar, which Inter∣preters think was a Funeral Monument, re∣sembling the Egyptian Pyramids, that out of his Ambition he had prepar'd for himself in the Kings dale, or Vallev where the Kings us•…•…d to solemnize publick Plays and Horse-Races. Thus did Absalom die, and thus was David punish'd for his Murder and Adultery.

The opinion of the Rabbins that Absa∣lom was sent to Hell, as soon as he died for his notorious Crimes is also Remark∣able, as discovering their thoughts of what such a Villainous Course of Life deserved, but their fabulous conceit that David by his having seven times Ingeminated the Name of his Son, delivered him from the Seven-Fold Bars of Hell, and that by his repeating it the Eighth time he occasion∣ed his being brought into Paradise, is al∣together Ridiculous.

The next thing that occurs to our Ob∣servation is the punishment inflicted by Da∣vid upon his Incestuous Concubines, their lives were spared because they were un∣der a sort of Constraint, yet seeing they were not altogether without fault, inas∣much as there's no mention made of their having resisted or cried out, he condem∣ned them to perpetual Widow-hood, and neither came near them himself, nor suf∣fered them to enjoy the Company of any other Man, as they might probably have done had he given them a Bill of divorce. It's not unreasonable to conjecture that Absalom's Beauty and the Authority which he had then usurp'd might make them the more easily consent to his Lewd Embraces, and therefore they are punish'd for their Incontinence by a perpetual deprivation of Man's Society. And thus David who violated the Chastity of another Man's Wife, is put under a necessity of part∣ting with his own Wives, which no doubt

was very cutting to him, for we must ra∣tionally suppose that he who was so indul∣gent a Father was as tender an Husband.

Tho' this Holy Mans sin was pardoned both as to the punishment which he ought to have undergone according to the Law, and as to eternal Wrath, which he de∣served, yet we find that he had but very little respite from Temporal punishment, for Absalom's Rebellion was not quite ex∣tinguish'd till another sprung out of its A∣shes. Sheba a Benjamite and Son of Belial, taking the opportunity of the Peoples Tu∣multuating Spirits, which were then in a fer∣ment, not only by reason of the late Re∣bellion, but also because the Tribe of Ju∣dah pretended to have a greater interest in David than the other Ten Tribes, soun∣ded the Trumpet to a new Rebellion, dis∣claiming any Portion in David, or Inheri∣tance in the Son of Jesse, and straightway the Inconstant Israelites followed him and a∣bandoned their Lawfull King, whom God had anointed over them—This Sheba is generally supposed to have been one of Saul's Family, and a Man of Authority, and not only envy'd David upon Saul's ac∣count, but designed to have usurp'd the Crown for himself: That Saul's Relations look•…•…d upon David as being a bloody Man, and guilty of Tyranny and Cruelty to∣wards that Family, appears plain from Shi∣mei's railing upon David in his distress, and perhaps his unjust Treatment of Mephibo∣sheth upon Ziba s false accusation, was im∣proved

by them as a New Argument to Incense the People against him, but in the mean time the Accomplishment of Nathan's Prophecy, That the Sword should never de∣part from David's House, is herein very Remarkable, for we find him not only plagu'd with one Rebellion upon the back of another, but in the midst of this Com∣motion, which made his Crown to totter, we find an Intestine discord in his own Family; he is Insulted over by his own Sister's Son Joab a Stern and Gallant General, who had the Love of the Soldiery, and Great Au∣thority among the People and as Josephus says, took him up so sharply for his unseason∣able and intemperate passion upon Absa∣lom's Death, that he threatned if he did not give over his Mourning, to betray his Crown and Dignity. And now when the Forces were assembling to suppress Sheba's Rebellion, David has this additional af∣fliction added to all the rest, that his Kins∣man Joab did Treacherously Murder A∣masa whom David had appointed to be General in that Expedition, and tho' Sheba was quickly punish'd for this Execrable se∣dition according to his demerit, yet the Citizens of Abel-Beth-Maachah, with whom there's no doubt but others concurr'd in their sentiments, accus'd David as seeking to swallow up the Inheritance of the Lord, for marching his Army so Inconsiderately against the Town, and offering to storm it without first summoning them to surren∣der the Rebel Sheba who had fled thither for Protection.

We find also in the second Book of Sa∣muel, that David, according to Nathan's threatning, was visited with diverse Exter∣naI as well as Internal Wars. Here are di∣verse Battles with the Philistines taken no∣tice of, and in one of them David run a great risk of being kill'd, had he not been seasonably rescued by Abishai.

The last thing we meet with in this Book which any way relates to our purpose, is, That Interpreters think that the General Luxury and Dissolution of manners which reigned a∣mongst the Israelites after so many Victories over their Enemies, and that Peace and Plen∣ty was Restored to them was the Cause of God's stirring up David to Number the peo∣ple, which occasioned a Plague amongst them, that like a deluge sweept away 70000 of the people, so usual is it for General Prophanity to be followed by General Judgments.

The first Book of Kings begins with an Account of a new Rebellion hatch'd against David by his Son Adonijah, Bro∣ther to Absalom, which was another bit∣ter effect of David's Unlawful Marriage with Maachah, and likewise another instance of the Accomplishment of Nathan's threat∣ning, that the Sword should not depart from his House, so that he was disturb'd as one may say in his last Minutes, with an Un∣natural Rebellion by an Ungrateful Son, whom he had so tenderly Indulged, that he had not at any time displeased him; Nay, nor so much as reproved him. This

youngman as he was Absalom's Brother, did ex∣actly tread in his steps, resembled him both in Person and Manners, and had the like fatal Exit, which (tho' he was pardon∣ed for his Rebellion) he drew upon him∣self by his Uncleanness in desiring to Wife Abishag the Shunamite, who, as Interpre∣ters think, was Married to his Father tho' he never knew her, because of his Age, upon which Account Solomon cut him off. This is another Instance of the Tragi∣cal Effects of Unnatural Lust.

The next that falls under our Notice is Solomon himself, of whom we have this Ac∣count, in the 11th. Chap. of I Kings, that he loved many strange Women, together with the Daughter of Pharaoh, Women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidoni∣ans, and Hittites; of the Nations concern∣ing which the Lord said unto the Child∣ren of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in to you, for surely they will turn away your hearts after their Gods: Solomon clave unto these in Love, and he had 700 Wives, Princesses, and three hundred Con∣cubines; and his Wives turned away his heart after other Gods, when he was old, so that he went after Ashtaroth the God∣dess of the Zidonians, after Milcom the Abomination of the Ammonites, and built an high-place for Chemosh, the Abominati∣on of Moab, and for Moloch the Abomina∣tion of the Children of Ammon.

This is certainly one of the most sur∣prizing Instances and greatest Evidences of the mischief that Raging Lust brings upon Men, that is to be found either in Sacred or Profane History. That Solomon the Wisest of men should be so far besot∣ted with Lust, or to use a softer Term, Amorous Inclinations, to as transgress that Royal Law which forbid Kings to Multi∣ply Wives to themselves, and that other Law which forbid the Children of Israel to marry with such and such Nations; but yet more, that he should be so excessive in Number which we find to be no less than 1000, whereof 700 were of Noble Extract or Princesses, and 300 of lower degree; and that which is still more sur∣prizing, that Solomon whom God call'd Je∣didiah his beloved, and made him a Type ofChrist, and to whom he had twice appear∣ed in such a solemn manner should be so far overcome with the Inticements of those Outlandish and Strange Women as to wor∣ship their Gods, and promote their Idola∣try, when he was betwixt 50 and 60 years of Age, a time as one would think more proper for him to have been preparing for Death and Eternity, and Establishing the true worship of God, for which he was the first that had built a Temple, than to be led away by such youthfull Lusts and to build high places for the abomina∣ble Idols of the Moabites, Zidonians, &c. which Interpreters say, were Immodest Sta∣tues of Priapus and Venus, that were

worshiped by the Incestuous off-spring of Lot, by his own Daughters. This is ano∣ther Confirmation of what has been so often observed, that there is no such po∣werfull attractive to Idolatry and false Re∣ligion as an Impure Life.

The next thing we are to take notice of is the punishment inflicted upon Solomon and his Posterity for their Crimes, which we find to be, that the Lord was Angry with him, threatned to rend the King∣dom from him, and to give it to his Ser∣vant, and stir'd up Enemies against him both at home and abroad, as Hadad, the Edomite, Rezon the Son of Eliada and Jeroboam the Son of Nebat, who was made King by the Children of Israel when the Ten Tribes Revolted from Rehoboam, So∣lomon's Son, as an accomplishment of this threatning.

It likewise deserves our Remark, that this fou•…•… defection of Solomon occasions a great dispute amongst Interpreters whe∣ther ever he recovered or not, because the Scripture is silent concerning it. Gre∣gory the Great, Theodoret, Prosper, Aquita∣nus, Beda Rabanus, Peter Martyr and others, think that he was damn'd for it; and Je∣rome, Ambrose, Isidore, Epiphanius, Crissus, and others; think that God gave him Repen∣tance, and that he wrote the Ecclesiastes after his Recovery. However this is plain that Solomon's Lustfulness occasioned his I∣doIatry, and both together that Revolt of the Israelites from his Posterity, which is

not the only Instance that we shall meet with of Thrones being overturned by Un∣cleanness.

We shall also observe here once for all, that those high Places and Groves, which in the time of Jeroboam, Rehoboam, and o∣ther Kings, the Israelites are accus'd of wor∣shipping their Idols in, were chosen as pla∣ces fit for their purpose, not only upon the Account on which the Heathens chose such places, viz. Because they thought them nearer the Heavens and the Heavenly Gods, as on the Contrary they worshiped in Dens and Caves to the Infernal Gods; but be∣cause there they had a greater Conveni∣ency of fullfilling their Brutish Lusts, to which they were incited by the fulsome Statues of Venus and Priapus, which they had in those places, and to whom they thought that was agreeable worship; and therefore it is that the Prophets do so often upbraid them with going a Whoring from the true God, and being lain with under every Green-Tree, and upon every High-Hill, &c. which was true in a Lite∣ral as well as Metaphorical and Spiritual Sense, so inseparable are Idolatry and Im∣purity; and here likewise we may observe once for all, That in all those Captivities and publick Calamities which befell the People of God, Uncleanness and Idolatry concurr'd, as procuring Causes; of which we have a clear Pròof in the 14th. of the 1st. Book of Kings, 23d. and 24th. Verses, where, after they are accused of building

them high places, Images and Groves un∣der every Green-Tree and upon eve∣ry high Hill; it's straightway subjoyn∣ed, that there were also Sodomites in the Land and they did according to all the Abominations of the Nations which the Lord, cast out before the Children of Is∣rael; so that Idolatry, Adultery and Un∣natural Lust, were productive of one ano∣ther, it being Just with God to give up those who did not like to retain him in their knowledge, to work all manner of Unncleanness with Greediness.

It's proper also to observe here, that as the Wicked Princes and Rulers erected those Groves and high Places, so the good ones whenever they attempted a Reforma∣tion remov'd and broke them down, as in the Instances of Jereboam, Asa, Ahab, &c.

The next Remarkable Instance is in Jeze∣bel, who was an Harlot, Persecuter, Idolater, and bloody Woman, those sins being so near a kin that they were many times found in one and the same subject, we find that she was rather worse then Ahab her Hus∣band who sold himself to do evil, and was more wicked than any King of Israel had been before him; but that which more particularly relates to our purpose is her Uncleanness and many Whoredoms where∣with she is so plainly Charged by Jehu; The Judgment of God upon her for those Crimes is very observable; she seem'd to have so little sense of approaching Ven∣geance,

tho' she had heard how Jehu cut off all Ahab's House, that as he was coming to the Pallace she painted her self in an Obstinate and Whorish manner, as if she were either resolv'd to outbrave the Judg∣ments of God and to die with Obstinacy and Impenitence in that very sin which hastned wrath upon her; or that she thought thereby to bewitch Jehu, and convert his Rage into an Amorous Passion; but be∣hold the Event, he Commands her to be thrown headlong out at the Window, which being effected, that Body which she had so much pampered and adorn'd, had the burial of an Ass, viz. To be eaten up by Dogs, and thrown as dung upon the face of the Field, as had been threatned by the Prophet, a suitable Exit for such a Vile and Abominable Life, which may serve as a dreadfull warning to our Pain∣ted Ladies.

Having thus run thro' all the principal old Testament Instances of Uncleanness and the Judgments inflicted upon those that were guilty by God, from the Crea∣tion to the Captivity of Israel.

The next thing that offers it self to our observation, is that passage in the 9th and 10th of Ezra, where, after the Restora∣tion of the People: One of the General sins which they lamented and reformed, was, their having taken strange Wives, and liv'd a Loose and Licentious life, ac∣cording to the Abominations of the Ca∣naanlies, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Am∣monites,

Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites, whom the Lord had destroyed for those Crimes; and we find that the very Priests were polluted with this Contagion, so far had Lust got the ascendent over the Laws of God. But when they had been harass'd with Judgments and brought to set about a Re∣formation, then they willingly put away those strange Wives according to the Com∣mand of the Prophets on pain of Forfeiture and Excommunication. We find also that when Nehemiah came to Rebuild Jerusalem and reform the Jews, he insisted upon their putting away of their strange Wives, and chas'd away one of the Priests, because he was Son-in-Law to Sanballat the Horonite; concerning which Josephus tells us the fol∣lowing Story, viz. That the Person thus cha∣sed away by Nehemiah, was Manasses, Bro∣ther to the High Priest Jaddus, who refusing to put away this strange Woman, was driven out of the Priesthood, and thereupon going to his Father in-Law Sanballat, who was made Prince or Governour of Samaria by Darius the last King of the Persians, he told him how he had been treated and thrust from the Priest∣hood by his Brother Jaddus or Jaiada, (whose Colleague he was) upon the account of his mar∣riage; whereupon Sanballat encouraged him to retain his Wife, promising that he would take care that he should not only enjoy the Priesthood but also the Principality of the People, and that he would obtain leave from King Dari∣us to build a Temple upon Mount Gerizim, which hangs over Samaria, and was much higher

than the rest of the Hills, and resembled that of Mount Moriah upon which the Temple of Jerusalem stood; which design took so well, that all the Jews who had transgressed in the matter of strange Wives followed this Manas∣ses, and made him a strong party. Darins in the mean time being overcome by Alexander, who was then Besieging Tyre, Sanballat went thither, acknowledged Alexander for his Sove∣raign, and obtained leave from him to build the said Temple, wherein his Son-in-Law Manasses officiated as High-Priest, and all such as transgressed the Law at Jerusalem fled to him for Protection, so that it became an Asylum or Sanctuary for dissolute Persons. This hightned the Enmity so much betwixt the Jews and Samaritans, that the former could never be reconciled to the latter, even after that Temple was demolish'd by Hircanus after 100 years standing, and the Samaritans af∣ter the said demolition, still held the Mountain on which it stood Sacred, and hated those who went to Jerusalem to wor∣ship, as appears by the Woman of Sama∣ria's treatment of our Saviour, Luke. 9. 53. Where she told him that their Fathers wor∣shipped in that Mountain, &c. The Ob∣servation which naturally results from this passage and makes it applicable to our purpose, is, that Lust or Unlawfull Love to strange Women does naturally turn a∣way the heart from God and makes Men become easie Proselytes to Idolatry or a false Religion.

Having thus gone thro' all the materi∣al passages of the old Testament which have any reference to our Subject, it may not be improper to close that part of our History with Solomon's Character of Lewd Women, Whoremongers, Whoredom, &c. of which he was the best able to give an ac∣count of any Man that ever liv'd, not only because of the assistance of the Divine spirit which inspired his Pen, but because of his own Experience. In the second of the Proverbs he tells us, That Wisdom will deliver us from the Strange Woman, who flattereth with her words, forsaketh her Husband the guide of her youth, and forgetteth her Marriage Vows, the Covenant of her God, her House inclineth unto death, and her Paths unto the dead; that is, lead both to Temporal and Eternal destructi∣on, none that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the Paths of Life; That is, few who haunt the Society of such Women do ever find Grace to repent of it, or to betake themselves again to a chaste Life.

In his 5th. Chapter he pursues her Cha∣racter thus, That her Lips drop as an Hony-Comb, and her Mouth is smoother than oil; but her end is bitter as Wormwood, sharp as a two edged Sword, her feet go down to death, her Steps take hold on Hell, her ways are move∣able, that thou canst not know them; That is sometimes fawning and sometimes frown∣ing as she thinks she can best work up∣on the humours of her Lovers: and there∣fore

he advises to remove far from her and not to come nigh her House, Lest we give our honour unto others and our years unto the cruel; that is, lest we Sacrifice our Reputation and Strength to Harlots, who are cruel both in Principles and Pra∣ctises. He adds as further ill Consequen∣ces of following Whores, Lest strangers be filled with thy Wealth, and thy La∣bours be in the House of a stranger, and thou mourn at the last, when thy Flesh and thy Body are consumed. Then he Exhorts to Conjugal Love and Chastity in the fol∣lowing manner, Drink Waters out of thine own Cistern, i. e. Content thy self with thine own Wife: Let thy Fountain be blessed, and rejoice with the Wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving Hind and the pleasant Roe; let her Breasts satisfy thee at all times, and be thou Ravish'd always with her love. Then he concludes with an Expostulation against Whoredom, from the mischiefs which attend it, thus? Why wilt thou be ravish'd with a strange Woman, and embrace the Bosom of a stranger; for the ways of Man are before the Eyes of the Lord, he pondereth all his goings: his own Ini•…•…uities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the Cords of his Sins, he shall die without instru∣ction, and in the Greatness of his Folly, he shall go astray. That is, he is so ensnared by his Lusts, that thro' his prodigious folly and madness he shall run on to eternal de∣struction, without repenting for his sins as perhaps he purposed to do.

In the 6th Chapter he pursues his Ex∣hortation to Chastity by further Argu∣ments from the mischievous Consequences of Whoredom. Thus, Keep thee from the evil Woman, from the flattery of the Tongue of a strange Woman, Lust not after her Beau∣ty in thine heart, neither let her take thee with her Eye-lids, for by means of a Whorish Wo∣man a Man is brought to a piece of Bread and the Adultress will hunt for the precious Life, that is, draws men to such Courses as destroys both their substance and health. He goes on thus, That whosoever toucheth his Neighbours Wife shall not be Inno∣cent i. e. shall not be free from guilt, shame and punishment.—He adds, That whoso commits Adultery with a Woman lack∣eth understanding, and destroyeth his own Soul: a Wound and Dishonour shall he get, and his Reproach shall not be wiped away.

In the 7th. Chapter he gives a para∣bolical Representation of Whoring, thus, At the Window of my House I look'd thro' my Casement, and behold among the simple ones a young man void of understanding, passing thro' the Street near her Corner, and he went the way to her House, in the twi-light, in the Evening, in the black and dark Night: And behold there met him a Woman, with the at∣tire of an Harlot, and subtil of Heart. She is loud and stubborn, her feet abide not in her House. Now she is without, now in the Streets, and lieth in wait at every Corner. So she caught him and kiss'd him, and with an Im∣pudent face said unto him, I have Peace-of∣ferings

with me, this day have I paid my vows (or I have been at Church at Prayers:) There∣fore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. I have deck'd my Bed with Coverings of Tap∣stery, with Carved Works, with fine Linen of Egypt, &c. He goeth after her straightway as an Ox goeth to the Slaughter, or, as a Fool to the Correction of the Stocks, till a Dart strike thro' his Liver, as a Bird hasteth to the Snare and knoweth not that 'tis for his Life.—Then he adds, she hath cast down many wounded, Yea many strong Men have been slain by her; of which he was a sad instance him∣self, for tho' he was the strongest Man in the World for Understanding and A∣bilities, yet he was very near ruin'd by strange Women.

In the 9th Chap. he calls the Whore, a Foolish, Clamorous, Simple, Ignorant, Wo∣man, and describes her Practice thus, That she sits at the Door of her House, on a seat in the high or noted places of the City, to call passengers who go right on their ways; That is who are going about their business and mind no such things. Then he describes her Guests to be simple, and those that want understanding: And such as know not that they are in the depths of Hell; Had the Royal Author lived in our days the Wits of this Age would no doubt have call'd him a Canting Coxcomb, and if the Dignity of his Scepter had not set him above it, to be sure they would have demanded satisfaction of him; but he un∣derstood

himself better, and knew that Whoring which destroyeth Kings as he expresseth it in the 30th Chapter of the Proverbs, could be no less fatal to Fops. He had given his heart to know madness and folly as much as any of 'em, and was not asham'd to declare that he found it to be such, and therefore Repented of it.

It has been observed before that bodi∣ly Uncleanness as well as Idolatry, had a great share in Provoking God to give the People of Israel and Judah upto Cap∣tivity and other publick Calamities, which appears plain to any Man that will but peruse the Prophets, and particularly Jere∣my, who Prophesied both before and after they were carried Captives into Babylon, viz. In the days of Zedekiah, &c. In the third Chapter of his Prophecy he bids them lift up their Eyes unto the high places, and see where they had not been lain with, and charges them with polluting the Land by their Whoredoms and Wickedness. In the 5th. Chap. God charges them with committing Adultery, assembling themselves by Troops in the Harlots Houses, after they had been fed to the full, and that they were as fed Horses in the morning every one Neighing after his Neighbours Wife; The very Practice of our City Beaus and modern Gallants, and as a Just reward for such Wickedness, the Lord says, Shall I not visit for these things, and shall not my Soul be avenged on such a Nati∣on

as this. And the Judgments denounced against them, are, That a Lyon out of the Forest should slay them, and a Wolf of the E∣vening should spoil them, a Leopard should watch over their Cities, and every one that went out thence should be torn in pieces, meaning that they should be destroyed by Nebu∣chadnezzar, a Potent, Greedy, Watch∣full and Cunning Enemy.—He further tells them that he would bring a Nation upon them from afar, whose Language they did not understand, who should eat up their Harvest and their Bread, which their Sons and Daughters should have ea∣ten; their Flocks and theirHerds, theirVines and their Fig-Trees, and impoverish their fenced Cities.—In the 6th. Chapter, he pur∣fues his threatnings, telling them, That their Houses should be turned unto others, with their Fields and Wives together, as a Just Judgment for their having de∣fil'd other Mens Wives; and that the Na∣tions which were to come against them should lay hold on Bow and Spear, be Cruel and shew no Mercy. May God a∣vert fuch Judgments from England which does so well deserve it, because of the pol∣lutions of her Inhabitants.

In the 23d. Chap. the Prophet Com∣plains, that the Land is full of Adulte∣rers, and because of swearing the Land mourn∣eth, the breach of the 3d. and 7th. Com∣mandment go usually together, as is to be seen in the Dammees and Debauchees of our days. In the 14th. Verse of that same

Chapter, he says, I have seen also in the Prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing, they commit Adultery, and walk in lyes; they strengthen also the hands of evil doers, that none doth return from his wicked∣ness; They are all of 'em unto me as So∣dom, and the Inhabitants thereof as Go∣morrah.—And afterwards he adds, For from the Prophets of Jerusalem is Profaneness gone forth into all the Land; And would to God that none of our Clergy did pollute them∣selves with the reigning sins of the times, nor encourage the wickedness of others by their Licentious Doctrine and loose Lives; but certainly when profanity is arriv'd to that heighth we have reason to fear that such Judgments as destroyed the Nation of the Jews lie in wait for us.

It remains, that we take notice of the Accomplishment of those dreadfull threat∣nings which were exactly fullfilled by the carrying away of King Zedekiah and the People into Captivity, the slaying of his Sons before his Eyes, and putting all the Nobles to Death, after which the City was burnt with fire, the People dispers'd, and such of them as endeavoured to resetle themselves were broke in pieces by Inte∣stine divisions. And Zedekiah and Ahab two lying Prophets, who endeavoured to perswade the people that what Jeremiah Prophesied against them should not come to pass, and hardened the people by their profligate Example of committing Adultery with their Neighbours Wives, were thro'

the Just Judgment of God burnt in the fire by Nebuchadnezzar, and the Memory of their Crime and Punishment was per∣petuated to Posterity by this Curse among the Jews: The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab whom the K. of Babylon roa∣sted in the fire; So that the fire of their Im∣pure Lust was punished by a more severe punishment than that of a fiery Ordeal, for as St. Jerome thinks, they were fried and so burnt to death by degrees, as they had from time to time burnt in their Un∣cleanness. Thus we have another Instance of a Great and Mighty People ruined by Whoredom, and how great their Ruin and Calamity was will speedily appear to any one that reads the Lamentations.

It likewise deserves our observation that the Babylonians, the Instruments in the hands of God for punishing Israel, were brought to ruin themselves, and one of the principal Causes assigned for the same is, That they grew fat as the Heifer at Grass, and bellow'd as Bulls, Jer. 50. which Calvin and other Interpreters understand to be a parallel phrase to that of Neighing after their Neighbours Wives. The Judgments threatned upon Babylon in this Chapter we find to be exactly fullfilled, and at a time too as Daniel gives us an account when their King Belshazzar was rioting and feasting with his Princes, his Wives and his Concubines, and profanely drink∣ing out of the holy Vessels which were brought from the House of God at Jeru∣salem.

It has been formerly observed that Nim∣rod the Tyrant laid the Foundation of this Monarchy, when the World began to de∣generate again after the flood, and to immerse themselves in all manner of sensualities, and therefore the Greeks ac∣cording to Bochart in his Canaan Lib. 1. Cap. 2. Confound Nimrod with Bacchus.

The Story of Semiramis Queen of Baby∣lon, and the dissolute Manners of that Peo∣ple during her Reign is well enough known. She was a Warlike Princess, and during her Regency in the Minority of her •…•…on she Enlarged her Husbands Conquests on the one hand as far as Aethiopia, and on the other as far as India, having first subdued Media, Libya, and Egypt: she likewise built a Magnificent Tomb to the Memory of Ninus her Husband, finish∣ed the City of Babylo•…•…, surrounded it with those Walls, and caused those Gardens to be made on the Top of her Palaces which made them the wonder of the World. But she Tarnished all her Glory by her Brutish Lust, it being recorded of her that she tempted the handsomest of her Soldi∣ers to lie with her, and having satisfyed her Lust caused them to be murdered, and to make them amends raised Stately Tombs, over theirGraves; at last she was so far tran∣sported by her raging Lust, that she became enamoured of her own Son, who as a Just Judgment from God slew her, as she tempted him to commit Incest with her, as is re∣lated by Justin, Diodorus Siculus, and O∣thers.

All Historians who write of the Ba'y∣lonians agree, that they were a very Lu∣xurious People, and it is not at all to be doubted but their Luxury and Lascivious∣ness as it drew down the Judgments of God upon them, so it rendred them Effeminate, and made them an easie Con∣quest to others, after they had Conquer'd so many Nations themselves. The Extent of this City was prodigious, being as Hey∣lin says 46 English Miles in Compass—Aristotle says, That it was rather a Country than a City, and that when it was surpri∣zed by the Medes and Persians, it was three days before the Inhabitants of the furthiest parts were aware of it. It's Walls were of Brick cemented with Bitumen, 32 Foot thick, 50 Cubits high, and defended by Towers 10 Foot higher. The River Eu∣phrates run thro' the middle of it, and the Walls were encompassed by deep Ditches It had a Castle 20 Furlongs in Cir∣cuit, environ'd with Towers 30 Foot in the Ground and 80 above it; yet all this strength could not secure it against those Judgments which pursued the people for their Luxury and Uncleanness, for the Persians having drained the Channel of Eu∣phrates by cutting many deep Channels on the Banks of it, march'd into the City and surpriz'd it, while Belshazzar and his Lords who should have taken care of the defence of it, were profanely Carousing with their Wives and Concubines. And to make the Judgment so much the more Remarkable,

they were terrified by the prodigy of a hand writing upon the Wall, which made Belshazzar's knees smite together for fear, and foretold the impending Fate of himself and his Guests, and the destruction of his Kingdom. It is worth our observation, that this Famous City, the wonder and the Metropolis of the World, so Beautiful and Commodiously situated, should, for the Luxury and other Crimes of the Inhabi∣tants, be turned into a Wilderness by the just Judgment of God, when according to the ordinary Methods of Men, it might be supposed that the Conquerors would have taken all imaginable care to pre∣serve such an Important City for their own Glory and Profit; but it decay'd Gradually, till at last it came to be turned into a Park for Hunting by the Kings of Persia; so that in that very place where the Impure Babylonians had been so much guilty of Whore-Hunting, their Conque∣rors took their pleasure to Hunt Beasts of a far more harmless Nature.

We have seen that Uncleanness had a great influence in occasioning the Captivi∣ty of Israel, and also in bringing down those Judgments upon Babylon, which end∣ed in the total destruction of that Famous City and Empire.—In the lesser Prophets, we have also an Account of the destructi∣on of Ninive, a Great and Mighty City, and sometimes Capital of the Assyrian Em∣pire, because of the multitude of her Whoredoms, Nahum 3. 4. It's true that some

tare of opinion that by the Whoredoms here mentioned, are chiefly meant their Political Tricks to engage people to sub∣mit to their Yoke, and Worship their I∣dols; yet it was well known that all those Eastern Nations were very much addict∣ed to bodily Uncleanness; and as we have observed before the Assyrians became very Effeminate under the Reign of Semiramis, &c. And it's plain from most of the In∣stances we have already given, that A∣dultery and Idolatry went usually hand in hand; it's also to be observed, that this destruction of Ninive is by Chronolo∣gers agreed to have preceeded that of Ba∣bylon, for though Nahum in order of the Bible, be placed among the last of the Prophets, yet according to Josephus, An∣tio. Lib. 9 Cap. 11. he Prophesied in the days of Jotham King of the Jews, and the Ac∣complishment of this Prophesie upon Ninive happened about 115 years after.

We have done with the old Testament History of the Jews, so that we must come next to Josephus, who is favourable e∣nough to his Countrymen in respect of their Uncleanness, as particularly in the Instance of the Midianitish Women, with whom he alledges they contracted Mar∣riages, and says expresly, That Zimri and Cosbi were Married, whereas the Scrip∣ture accuses them of down-right Impetu∣ous Lust; neither does this Historian Tax the Patriarchs for their Polygamy, which perhaps might be occasioned by his being

a Pharisee, who as it appears by our Saviours Arguments with some of that Sect upon the subject of Divorce had no Just Notions of those things—And there∣fore it is not to be wondered at that Jo∣sephus takes so little notice of the failings of his Countrymen as to this matter,—Yet some such Instances he has transmit∣ted to Posterity, and the first that we meet with for our purpose, is that of Ar∣chelaus King of the Jews, Herod the Great's Son, who Married Glaphyra that had been his Brother Alexander's Wife, concerning which, he tells us this Remarkable Story, That Archelaus upon the sight of this Gla∣phyra who was Daughter to Archelaus King of Cappadocia, was so inflamed with love to her, that he presently Divorced his Wife Ma∣riamne and Married her, but soon after she came to Judea, she dreamt that she saw Alexander her first Husband standing before and accosting her in this manner, viz. It had been enough for thee to have Married the King of Libya, but not contented therewith, thou comest again to mine House, Greedy of a third Husband, and which is worst of all, art now Married to my own Bro∣ther. I will not conceal nor dissemb'e this In∣jury that thou doest me, but I will recover thee against thy will and she scarcely liv'd two days; after she had related this dream to her Friends; so much for her punishment. Then as to Archelaus who had been guilty of this Adultery and Incest, he himself was sent for to Rome upon an Accusation of the Sa∣maritans who sent Ambassadors against

him to Caesar—and thereupon the Empe∣ror banisht him to Vienne in France, and confiscated all his Goods, of which pu∣nishments he was also forewarned by a Dream, and five days after the Interpre∣tation of it, was sent for by Caesar as above.

It is also observable and not at all Foreign to our purpose, that though Josephus does not accuse Herod the Great of Whoredom, but seems rather to commend his Chastity in that he held out against the Charms and Sollicitations of that Infamous Wan∣ton Cleopatra, yet he tells us, that Herod had nine Wives at a time, and doted so Impotently upon his Wife Mariamne, that when he was sent for to Rome and had some reasons to think that he shou'd ne∣ver return thence alive, he gave orders to his Brother-in-Law Joseph to put Ma∣riamne to Death, as soon as he should hear that he was dead, being unwilling that a∣ny Man should enjoy her after his death; and because Joseph discovered this Secret to Mariamne, Herod became Jealous of an Unlawful Intimacy betwixt his Brother-in-Law and her, especially being influen∣ced to believe some such thing by the In∣sinuations of his Sister Salome, Joseph's Wife, who accused her Husband of being too Familiar with Mariamne. Whether there was any truth in the accusation or not, or whether it was meer malice; yet this is certain, that Mariamne was at last put to death by her Husband, and by her own Mo∣ther charged with Disloyalty to him, and

after her death Herod had so little Go∣vernment of his passion for her, that he would frequently call for her as if she had been alive. Then as to his own punish∣ment Josephus tells us that he was cut off by a most loathsome disease, Worms ha∣ving bred in his private Parts, which cau∣sed insupportable pains, an Into lerable Stench and a Troublesome Priapism, which was a very suitable punishment for his In∣continence in having nine Wives at a time, tho' it should be granted that he was chargeable with no other Acts of Uncha∣stity.

We come now to the Apocryphal stories of Judeth and Susanna, which tho' we be∣lieve they are such as may properly be cal∣led apocryphal, seeing Josephus the Jewish Historian takes no notice of either, yet allowing them to be Fables, the Moral is good, and therefore we shall allow them a place here.

The first is that of Judith, who accord∣ing to the Author of her Book was a Rich and a Pious Widow, of a Comely Personage and Beautiful Countenance, and finding her City of Bethulia closely Besieg∣ed by the Assyrians, and their Water cut off, which made the Governours to promise a surrender in five days if relief did not come in that time, she deckt her self with her Richest and finest Ornaments, and pretending to be fled from Bethulia, be∣cause she knew it would fall into the hands of the Assyrians, and likewise to put Olo∣sernes

in a way to make an easie Conquest of the Jews, she Charmed him by her Beauty, insomuch that becoming enamou∣red of her, which was her design, he was so far besotted, that having drunk to ex∣cess because of her presence, and with an intention to defile her, he fell asleep in his Tent, where being left alone with her according to his own Command, in order to the Accomplishing of his Lustful design she had the opportunity of cutting off his head, and carrying it in Triumph to her City of Bethulia, upon which the Garrison ma∣king a Sally discomfited the Assyrians, who were surprized at this strange adventure that had befaln their General, and there∣fore had not the Courage to make head against them. Whatever be the Circum∣stances of this story that may justly occa∣sion the truth of it to be called in Questi∣on, its plain from other passages which we shall have occasion to touch in the pur∣suance of this History, that the dissolute∣ness of a General hath oftener than once occasioned the ruin of Armies.

We come now to the story of Susanna and the Elders of Israel. This Woman, says the Author, was Wife to Joacim the Chief of the Jews then Captives in Babylon, a Wo∣man of Incomparable Beauty and Admira∣ble Chastity. This Lady using to walk in her Husbands Garden in the afternoons, two of the Elders of Israel who attended at Joacim's House to execute Judgment, became inflam'd with Lust towards her,

and tho' at first they were asham'd to de∣clare it to one another, yet afterwards being hardened in their Wickedness they plotted together against this Vertuous Wo∣man, and watching an opportunity till they found her alone in the Garden, when she had sent her Maids out for Oil and Wash-balls in order to bath her self, they surpriz'd her, tempted her to Lewdness, and upon her refusal accus'd her falsly as if they had taken her in Adultery with a young man, upon which she was by the Authority of their Evidence Convicted and Condemned to die, but Just as she was going to be put to death, the Lord rai∣sed up Daniel, says the Author, to deli∣ver her, who obtaining that her Cause should be reheard, he examined the Elders afresh, and accusing them of that Villainous and Lustfull design against Susanna, Convi∣cted them of Perjury by their own Testi∣mony, the one of them saying they took her under a Mastich, and the other saying that they took her under an Holm-Tree, so that they themselves fell into the Pit which they had Digged for this Vertuous Wo∣man, and suffered the punishment which they design'd should have been inflicted upon her. Whether this story be true or not is not material to our purpose, but in the prosecution of this design we shall meet with several parallell Instances which discover the thing not to be im∣possible in it self, however improbable in re∣gard of its Circumstances.

We come now to the New Testamen times, and find it observable that our Sa∣viour in his first Sermon upon the Mount Matth. 5. inveighed against the impurity of the Jews, who for light and frivolous Causes, such as if they did not like their Wives, &c. Divorced them, which was the occasion of Uncleanness in themselves and in the Women so Divorced, who, our Saviour says they caused to commit A∣dultery if they put them away upon any other account than that of Fornication, so that 'tis plain that the Woman whom they took into their Bed in the room of her that was Divorced was no other than a Concubine, and that if the Woman so Divorced Married with another Man she thereby became an Adultress as our Sa∣viour declares more at large in the 19th of Matthew, where we have an Account of the malice and subtlety of the Phari∣sees in propounding that Question, Whe∣ther it was Lawful for a Man to put away his Wife for every Cause: For if our Savi∣our had answered in the Affirmative, then they would have proclaimed him a Friend to Uncleanness, and if In the Negative then they would have opposed him with the Au∣thority of Moses, but our Lord knowing their design referred them to the Creation, (when God made them Male and Female not Females, or diverse Women for one Man) and to the first institution of Mar∣riage, which was only betwixt one and one, and therefore it was said they two,

(not they three) four or five shall be one Flesh, which clearly subverted all that could be alledged for Polygamy or Con∣cubinage, and being the Commentary of the Lawgiver upon his own Law makes it of equal Authority with the Text, and ought for ever to shut the Mouths of such as plead for a plurality of Wives.

Then to their Argument from the Au∣thority of Moses, he answers them that Moses indeed permitted Divorces be∣cause of the hardness of their Hearts, and to prevent a greater evil, as is Customa∣ry in all Political and Civil Constitutions, as if Moses had said, It's better that you put away your Wives when you grow weary of them than Murder them; and at the same time they were obliged to give them a Bill of Divorce which was a Testimony of the Womans Innocence, and of the Husbands Levity and Impurity:—But our Saviour tells them that from the beginning it was not so, and that what God had joined no man could put asunder; which was as much as to say that common Laws allow more than is allowed by the Laws of Religion, as is clear from this Instance that in all Christian Kingdoms there are Judges Con∣stituted for deciding differences betwixt Man and Man of what nature soever they may be, for preventing Oppression and Injustice, so that the Bench is open to Trivial and Frivolous suits as well as to those that are Weighty and Material; yet the practice of such as go to Law upon every

occasion is contrary to the Apostles Com∣mand and Christian Charity, as may be seen 1 Cor. 1. 6. It is also observable that our Saviour taught those Pharisaical Zea∣lots who valued themselves upon their external sanctity, a more refin'd and high∣er degree of Chastity than they had formerly been acquainted with, viz. That the Law which forbad them to commit Adultery did not only reach the outward practice but the inward motions and thoughts of the heart, and therefore he tells them Matth, 5. 28. That whosoever lookt on a Wo∣man to Lust after her hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart, a Doctrine which does so much Gall our Modern Gallants, That we have great reason to presume it is one of the Chief Latent Causes why so many of 'em den•…•… the Author of it to be God.

We come next to the Historical passages of the new Testament, relating to our Sub∣ject.

The first we meet with is that in Mat. 14. concerning the Tetrarch Herod and He∣rodias his Brother Philip's Wife, with whom that Prince committed Incest, for which he was reproved by John the Baptist; and this did so incense the wicked Woman that nothing less could expiate this supposed Crime of the Prophet than the loss of his life, but she durst not attempt that rash∣ly, for fear of the people, who as they knew her to be a Vicious Strumpet, did also know that John was a Good Man, and esteem'd him as a Prophet; his Vertues being as

conspicuous as her Vices, and therefore she watch'd a convenient opportunity, which she found on her Gallant Herod's Birth∣day, when he was feasting and revelling with his Nobles, at which time she sent in her Daughter, the unworthy off-spring of such an Ungodly Mother, to Dance be∣fore them, where with Herod and his Company were so extreamly well pleas'd that he rash∣ly vowed to grant her whatever she would demand, and so the young Strumpet be∣ing suborn'd by the old one, demanded the Head of John the Baptist; which Herod grant∣ed her, tho much against his Will, and she carried it to her Mother in a Charger as an acceptable present, so naturally do Whoredom, Murder and Persecution agree. One would have thought that the very scandal of acting contrary to that Pity and Compassion which is so natural to the fair Sex should have restrain'd those Lewd Wo∣men from any such demand, and much more from rejoycing in any such Bloody Spectacle, but its commonly seen that Whores become void of all natural affection, and that they are hurried headlong into perdition by unbridled Lust and raging Passion.

But to return to the History of Herod and Herodias, they were not only guilty of Incest but of Adultery and a Rape, for Herod took her forcibly from his Brother Philip, and not from his Unkle Herod King of Chal∣cis as Josephus mistakes, so that it was an Atrocious and Complicated Crime, and by

the Just Judgment of God, Herod who com∣mitted this barbarous Murder upon John the Baptist against his own Conscience, rather than he would disoblige his Whore, was giv'n up to all manner of wickedness, and afterwards with his Men of War exposed our Saviour to Scorn and Laughter in his Mock Royal Robes, and so as his Ungod∣ly Father Herod the Great destroyed all the Infants, of Bethlehem with a design to cut off Christ, the Wicked Son pursuing his Fathers bad design concurr'd in the Cru∣cifying of our Saviour.

It remains that we take a view of the Judg∣ments that fell upon this Impure Couple, which Josephus in his Jewish Antiquities, lib. 18. cap. 7. & 9. gives us an account of as follows, viz. that Herod's lawful Wife, Daughter to Aretas King of Arabia Petraea, understanding his Intrigue with his Sister-in-Law Herodias, and that he had a mind to Divorce her, to make way for that vile Strumpet, fled to her Father and acquain∣ted him with it, whereupon he made War against Herod, and defeated his Army.—And in the 40th year of Christ, Herod being accused of Rebellion, was together with his Strumpet Herodias banisht by the Emperor Caligula to Lions in France, where they pe∣risht in Ignominy and Misery, and the whole Race of Herod the Great was extin∣guish'd in a 100 years time, tho the Memo∣ry of their wickedness is perpetuated to all Ages. This Instance is sufficient to convince all mankind that unclean persons are ca∣pable

of the greatest Villainy of other kinds, and justly given up of God to commit the same; for this Lustful Prince having com∣mitted double Aduletry, a Rape and Incest, did afterwards commit two of the most hor∣rid Murders that ever were committed up∣on the face of the Earth, viz. That of John the Baptist our Saviours fore-runner, and then that of ourSaviour himself; such is the enmity which uncleanness does naturally lead men into against God and Good Men, and to be given up to that enmity is certainly the most dreadful of all punishments.

The next thing that we meet with be∣longing to our Subject is the Instance of the Woman taken in Adultery, in the 8th chap. of the Evangelist St. John, and brought by the Pharisees before our Saviour, that by their ensnaring questions they might have some∣thing whereof to accuse him. Our Saviour knowing their wicked design, eluded them by stooping and writing upon the Ground. What it was that he then wrote is more cu∣riously than wisely disputed by the learned; some say that he wrote the words which he afterwards spoke to them, others, that he wrote these words, viz. Yow are Earth and you judge after an earthly manner, others that he wrote upon the Ground such Crimes of the same kind as the Pharisees were guil∣ty off, in order to put them to silence; or some short pathetical Sentence, exhorting them to the practise of Virtue and the abhor∣rence of Vice, but these being all meer con∣jectures, we let them pass. In the mean

time the Pharisees conceiving that he was put to a nonplus, and knew not what to answer, did insolently urge him to speak, which he did to their Confusion, by bid∣ding those that were without sin throw the first Stone at her, with which they were so daunted and ashamed, that they desisted from their accusation, and went out one af∣ter another, being convicted by their own Consciences, that they were Guilty as well as she; and found that neither their specu∣lative nor private uncleanness were hid from our Saviour, who had formerly told them, that lusting after a Woman was Adul∣tery in the Eyes of God; and it's probable did now point at their secret bodily un∣cleanness, when he commanded them that were Innocent to throw the first Stone at her, according to the practice of their own Law, Deut. 17. 7. which enjoyned the Witnesses to lay their hands first upon the Head of the Person convicted by their Evi∣dence, as a Testimony that they thought them worthy of Death, and that they them∣selves abhorred the Iniquity they were condemned for, whereas 'twas plain to our Saviour, that these Pharisees took care only to keep the outside clean before Men, but had no regard to inward purity of mind, nor to common honesty, so that they could but commit wickedness with secrecy and impunity; and thus they are accused by the God of Truth, as making long Prayers, and bestowing publick Alms, while at the same time they devoured Widows Houses.

The Pharisees being thus defeated and con∣victed, the Woman is freed from all her Accusers, upon which our Saviour asks her if no man had condemned her, and upon her answering no, and finding that all her Ac∣cu•…•…ers were gone, he said, neither do I con∣demn thee, go thy way and sin no more. This answer of our Saviours hath been wrested by some, as if he had thereby declared that Adultery was no capital crime under the Gospel, whereas it is plain, that he only declined the part of a Magistrate and Judge; as he did in another Case, when one Brother desired him to speak to another, that he should divide his Fathers Estate with him: Luke 12. 13. And therefore he only acts the part of a Minister, in exhorting the Woman to Repentance and Reformation, but no way extenuates her Crime: Nay, on the contrary, he seems directly to insinuate that she deserved Condemnation, and would not have reproved any Judge if he had con∣demned her; but his main design was to dis∣cover the Hypocrisie of the Pharisees, who imposed upon the people, as if they had been the most Just and upright sort of men in the World, and as an Evidence of it, brought this person taken in flagranti delicto before him who was a Preacher of Righte∣ousness, to know what his opinion was concerning her punishment; and yet when he came to put the Question home to their own Consciences, whether they were not guilty of the same Crimes, and if they were not, bid them to proceed in the execution of Ju∣stice,

they went out one by one, which was as much as if they had made an open Con∣fession of their Hypocrisie and Villainy be∣fore all the Spectators, which was partly evident before, in that they did not bring the Man as well as the Woman, which to be sure they might have done, seeing the Criminals were taken in the Act, and they ought to have done it; seeing by the Law of God he was equally guilty, and there∣fore upon the whole, to form such an Ar∣gument from this saying and practise of our Saviour, as that Adultery is not punish∣able under the New Testament, is every whit as absurd, as to say that because he declined being a Judge betwixt two Bre∣thren, about the division of their Father's Inheritance, therefore there ought to be no such thing as a division of Parents Estates amongst their Children under the New Te∣stament. Besides 'tis apparent that the de∣sign of our Saviour's coming into the World was to save peoples Souls, and not to de∣stroy their Bodies; as is evident from his mercy to Mary Magdalen, out of whom he cast Seven unclean Devils; his Converse with the Woman of Samaria, whom he convinced of the Evil of her Way; and his permitting a Woman who was a sinner, which in the New Testament Phrase, is as much as a Common Prostitute, to wipe his Feet whither Hair and to wash them with her Tears of Repentance.

These are all the Historical passages which we find relating to our Subject in the New Testament during Christ's abode upon Earth, and therefore we come next to a passage or two in Josephus, suited to our purpose. The first is in his Antiquities, lib. 18. Chap. 4. concerning Paulina a Roman Lady, Wife to Saturninus a Nobleman of Rome, upon whom Decius Mundus another Roman of Quality became so enamoured, that he tempted her by Bribes and all o∣ther methods imaginable to comply with his lustful design, offering her no less than 100000 Drachma's, which is computed at 6000 l. Sterlin, but she would by no means consent to him, whereupon he was so burnt up by his Lust, that he pined and wither'd away daily, which being observed by Ida his Father's Servant Maid, she learned his distemper, and undertook his Cure for 25000 Drachma's, which she effected thus, she understood that the Lady was particu∣larly addicted to the worship of the Hea∣then God Isis, who had a Temple at Rome, and thereupon applying her self to the Priests, she promis'd them 25000 Drachma's if they could so contrive it that Decius should enjoy the Lady in the Temple; the one half in hand and the other upon the performance of the Bargain, the Priests undertook it, and laid the Plot in the fol∣lowing manner. The Eldest of them when the Lady came to the Temple accosted her, and pretended that the God Anubis who frequented that Temple had conceiv'd

a mighty passion for her, and earnestly de∣sired her Company there one night, the Lady being charm'd with this extraordi∣nary sort of Amour, being no less than a Divine Courtship as she thought, acquain∣ted her Husband with it, who was as fond of being a Cukcold by an imaginary Deity, as some of the Indians are at present by their Brachmans: And the rest of the Ro∣man Ladys began to grudge at Paulina's good Luck, and to long for the like. The appointed time being come, Paulina makes hast to the Temple, where the Roguish Priests had Decius ready, who assoon as the Lamps were removed approach'd to his be∣loved Paulina; and under the notion of the God Anubis debauch'd her without any resistance. The deluded Lady, returned in the Morning highly honoured as she thought; but Decius meeting her a little after, re∣newed his former suit, which she rejected as usual, whereupon he told her in an up∣braiding manner, that she was not so coy the other night in the Temple of Isis, where he enjoy'd her for one fourth of the Sum that he had formerly proffered her: The poor Lady being surprized to find that she had entertained a lewd Adulterer in∣stead of a supposed Divinity, tore her hair, rent her cloaths, and discovered the Cheat to her Husband, who complaining thereof to the Emperor Titerius, he condemn'd the Priests and Ida to be hang'd, ordered the Temple to be pull'd down, the Statue of Anubis to be thrown into the Tiber, and

Decius Mundus to be banish'd,—and thus this Famous Temple was demolish'd, and the Convent of Priests destroyed, for be∣ing Pimps to the insatiable Lust of a Noble Roman he himself banish'd from his Country, which he had polluted, and Ida his Bawd pu∣nish'd as all others of the Trade ought to be.

That same Author in the 18th Book in his Antiquities and the 12th Chapter, gives us another account of a Tragedy brought upon a great number of his Countrymen, by an unlawful Amour, as follows. Anilae∣us and Asinaeus two Jews of mean Conditi∣on, upon a disgust retired into an Island of the Euphrates, where joyning with other dissolute persons and •…•…agabond Jews, they became formidable to the adjacent Coun∣tries, which they ravaged at their pleasure, and so increasing in number, were a Ter∣ror to the Princes of those Countries, and obliged them to court their friendship; but having once relax'd the discipline that they observ'd when they first form'd themselves into a Society, they lost ground, and Ani∣laeus lusting after a Parthian Lady, made War against her Husband, upon her account, and was so bewitch'd with her Amours, that he countenanc'd Idolatry for her sake, which bred discontent amongst his Follow∣ers, most of which were Jews, who com∣plaining thereof to Asinaeus his Brother, he reprov'd him for it, upon which the Parthi∣an Lady poyson'd Asinaeus; but the judge∣ment of God soon overtook them, for Mi∣thridates taking Arms against Anilaeus and

his dissolute Companions, he defeated them in Battle, and afterwards the Greeks and Syrians, who liv'd in Seleucia kill'd 50000 of the Jews, such was the fatal Consequence of Whoredom and Idolatry, which did first mutually produce one another, and then both together issued in the destruction of their followers.

The last instance that we meet with in Josephus, for our purpose is that in the 5th Book of his Wars and 9th. Chapter, where he gives us an account that during the Siege of Jerusalem by Titus the Son of Ves∣pasian, the Faction called the Zealots became Lustful, Effeminate, Lascivious, Curl'd their Hair, wore Womens Apparel, anointed themselves that their Beautymight be pleasing, thirsted after Un∣natural pleasures, and made Jerusalem a Stews and not long after followed the utter destruction of their City, Temple and Commonwealth, with the slaughter of 1100000 of their people, since which they have been Vagabonds, a Curse and a Reproach upon the face of Earth, and are noted for a Lustfull and Unclean People where ever they are, God having in his Just Judgment giv'n them up to work all manner of Uncleanness with gree∣diness, seeing their Love to their Lusts made them first reject the Pure and Holy Doctrine of our Saviour, and afterwards Crucify him, which is another Instance to confirm what has been so often obser∣ved before, that such Persons or people as wallow in their Lusts want only an Opportunity and Tentation to declare o∣pen

War against God and Religion, which always issues in their own Confusion if their Conversion don't prevent it.

We have often had occasion to observe that Whoredome hath been productive of Idolatry, and in the first Chapter of the Romans, we have the Authority of the A∣postle for it, that Idolatry hath been the pa∣rent of Uncleanness, ViceVersa, where speak∣ing of those that when they knew God by the light of nature and the works of Creation Yet because they Glorified him not as God, nei∣ther were thankful but became vain in their Imaginations, their foolish heart was darkned, and professing themselves to be Wise they became Fools, and changing the Glory of the Incor∣ruptible God into an Image, &c. Wherefore God also gave them up to Vile Affections and Uncleanness, thro' the Lusts of their own hearts to dishonour their own bodies, between them∣selves. For even their Women changed the na∣tural use into that which is against Nature, and likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the Women, burned in their Lust one to∣ward another, Men with Men working that which is unseemly, receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet; and as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a Reprobate mind to do those things which are not conve∣nient, being filled with all Unrighteousness, For∣nication, &c.

What the Apostle says of mens arriving to a great height of the knowledge of God by the light of nature, and the observati∣on of the Works of Creation and Provi∣dence is evident by many Instances, but by none more than that of Se•…•…eca, who, tho' a Heathen, hath writ more true Di∣vinity than almost all those Christian wri∣ters have done, who are known by the name of Schoolmen. Aristotle, Plato, Socrates and others are also strong proofs of this, but notwithstanding all their know∣ledge they were vain in their Imagina∣tions, and thinking themselves Wife became Fools, and so not only they themselves but the Heathens who had the benefit of their Lectures conceiving false notions of the Deity which every one of 'em would adapt to their own Fancies, they were given up of God to all manner of Un∣cleanness, and thence it came to pass that the Ancients talkt so many obscene things concerning the Yard of Priapus, one of their Heathen Divinities, and Son to Bacchus and Venus; in reality a Vile Drunken De∣baucht Stallion, whose virile parts be∣ing of an Extroardinary Size, a Com∣pany of Debaucht Women did continu∣ally haunt him, so that the Magistrates of the Town where he liv'd were forced to banish him, whereupon say the Poets Ve∣nus plagu'd them, so that they were for∣ced to build him a Temple and in their solemnities they carried about a stick in resemblance of his Yard—Of the same

nature was the Eleusina Sacra solemnized at Eleusis, a City of Greece, the procession being from thence to Athens, and of so great account was that profane Wor∣ship, that they called it Mystery by way of Eminence; the King with four Assistants presided at those solemnitics; the Ephori were not admitted to the greatest My∣steries till after a years initiation, and it was reckoned a great favour that King Demetrius was admitted to them per saltum. The Athenians had so great a passion and Veneration for those Mysteries that they thought they contributed to their leading a peaceable Life, and coming to an hap∣py end and a blessed State afterwards; the Senate was always called to see that eve∣ry thing belonging to them was perform∣ed in order, some defects about them be∣ing reckon'd Capital, and when they were reduced to the greatest straits by their E∣nemies, the Freedom and Enjoyment of those Mysteries was the last-thing they Capitulated for, and yet the thing that they kept all this pother about was according to Tertullian a very shamefull object, and therefore we shall keep the Latin vail o∣ver it, viz. Naturae Muliebris Imago, which tho' all that were admitted to them were sworn to conceal, yet the sagacity of the primitive Christians found it out. At these Ceremonies the Women used to ride in Carts and abuse one another with profane and scurrilous Language, fit indeed for Carted Whores, whence came the Proberb

De plaustro loqui. This Ceremony was in∣stituted in remembrance of Ceres seeking for her Daughter Proserpina whom the Poets fancy Pluto ravished and carried to Hell. And such was the Hypocrisie of those who had the Conduct and Manage∣ment of those solemnities, that tho' they knew' the thing to be profane in the high∣est degree, yet one of the four presidents that assisted the King during the solem∣nity had the Impudence to run about and cry procul hinc, procul ite profani, i. e. stand off and begone all profane Persons as is related by Marcrobius, Tertullian, Hesychi∣us, Athenaeus and others. Such was the madness and wickedness of the Graecians, at that time the most polite and learned people in the world; and who valued them∣selves so much upon their Learning and Philosophy, that they called all the rest of the World Barbarians, accounted the Gospel foolishness, and lookt upon the Apostle Paul to be á Babbler. Of the same na∣ture were the Feasts and Solemnities of Bacchus, Cybele and others, so ridiculous in themselves that the very Scythians, who were reckoned the most Rude and Bar∣barous of all Nations, laught at and ex∣ploded the Fancy of Worshipping Bacchus for a God, who made men drunk and mad. Yet to such Ridiculous Fopperies and A∣bominable Impurities were the wise Grae∣cians given up by the Just Judgment of God, because they were vain in their Imagina∣tions and would Accommodate the Deity

to their own Luxuriant Fancies, so that thinking themselves wise they became fools.

Parallell to this is the horrid impuri∣ty of the Popish Church and Clergy, which was much more open and notorious be∣fore the Reformation: the Rabbi's of that Church affecting to be wise above what is Written, and Introducing not only su∣perstitions of an ordinary size, but also downright Idolatry, as the Invocation and Adoration of Saints and Angels, God did Justly give them up to all manner of Un∣cleanness, notwithstanding their monasti∣cal vows and pretended Celibacy, that they became the scandal of Christianity, their Monasteries Bawdy-Houses, and at last a Butchers Shambles by murdering those Infants which they had spuriously begot, as was evident to the World by the great quantities of Childrens Skulls and other Bones which were found in their Mona∣steries, upon their dissolution in those Countries where the Reformation obtain∣ed.

It were also to be wish'd that those a mongst Protestants, who have been violent Asserters and Imposers of humane Inven∣tions in the Worship of God, would con∣sider whether that Impurity of Life and Conversation which is but too too Re∣markable amongst those who value them∣selves as being Members of their Society have not something of a Judgment of the like nature in it.

And it is also plain beyond all Contra∣diction that those who embrace the Old Arian Heresie, now revived under the name of Socinianism, Deism, &c. Have reason to look upon the dissolute lives of most of their Fraternity in this Nation as a Just Judg∣ment upon them from God for growing vain in their Imaginations and rejecting all those principles of Religion which they cannot Fathom with their shallow and Cor∣rupted reason.

We have seen under what severe Penal∣ties Chastity was enjoyn'd unto the, Jews, who under the Old Testament were the peculiar people and Church of God; and with what tremendous Judgments those who violated that Law were from time to time pursued. We have also hea•…•…d our Saviour's Exposition of the 7^th. Command∣ment, and how it reaches the Motions and Affections of the Soul as well as the ex∣ternal act, and it hath been Proved by Divine Authority that the giving of a Per∣son or People up to Uncleanness is a Just Judgment of God for having forsaken him. So that now it remains that we take no∣tice in what manner, and under what Pe∣nalties Chastity is enjoyn'd to Christians under the new Testament. We find then in the 15 of the Acts, v. 20. That For∣nications was one of the things which the first Synodical Meeting or General Coun∣cil of the Christian Church forbid, by the Authority of the Holy Ghost, by which Interpreters understand that not only Mar∣riage

within prohibited degrees, but Adulte∣ry single Fornication and keeping of Concu∣bines, or to use the term now in fashion keeping of Misses was forbid, and the rea∣son why that manifest violation of the Laws of Nature, Creation, and Revelati∣on is mixt with those things which were Temporary, as the abstaining from Blood, &c. was because the Gentiles, especially the people of the East were very much addicted to Uncleanness, and Custom had prevailed so much amongst 'em that they scarcely thought Fornication or the keep∣ing of a Concubine any sin: And that it's plain, that this first Oecumenical Council if we may so venture to call it, did not design this of Fornication as a Tempora∣ry prohibition only, will appear by the repeated injunctions and prohibitions of the Apostles throughout their Epistles, and the Sentence of exclusion from the King∣dom of Heaven, which from time to time they pronounce against Whoredom. Thus in the 6th. of Romans v. 19. He tells them that as they had yielded their Members Ser∣vants to Uncleanness, so now they were to yield their Members Servants unto Holiness. Chap. 8. 7. He tells them, That if they live after the Flesh they shall die. Chap. 13. 13, 14. We are forbid to walk in Chambering and Wantonness, or to make provision for the flesh to fullfill the Lusts thereof; the Reading of which latter Verse, St. A•…•…in was direct∣ed to by a Voice when walking in his Garden, which bid him take up the Bible and

read, and falling upon that Text he was thereby converted, he having been former∣ly much given to Uncleanness.

Then in 1 Cor. Chap. 5. he severely re∣proves the Church of Corinth, for not ha∣ving censured the incestuous Person who was one of their Members, tho' guilty of such a sort of Fornication as was not so much as named amongst the Gentiles, viz. That one should have his Fathers Wife, not that never any such thing was com∣mitted amongst the Gentiles, for History teaches us the contrary; but when it did happen it was never spoken of nor menti∣oned without horror, and was always look∣ed upon as Monstrous and Ominous: And therefore to take away the scandal from the Christian Church, the Apostle Orders him to be delivered up to Satan, i. e. Excommunicated, and cast out of the So∣ciety of the Church, by which Censure he was thrown out of the Kingdom of Christ as an Exile, and by Consequence deprived of his protection, by which he became a Subject or rather a Slave to Satan, the God of this World, there being no Me∣dium betwixt those two, of being either a Subject of Christ or a Subject of Satan, and therefore he who is cast out of the Church clave non errante, may very well be said to be delivered up to Satan. It's true there are some, who think that by these words was meant a delivering of him up to Satan to be tormented by some bodily distemper, but that Exposition is

too much forced to be relied on. In the 9th. and 11th. Verses of that Chapter the Apostle forbids them so much as to eat with a Brother who is a Fornicator, such was the purity of Life that the Holy Ghost enjoin∣ed to all Christians.

In the 6th. Chap. the Apostle informs us That neither Fornicators nor Adulterers, nor Effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind shall inherit the Kingdom of God; and by Consequence we may Judge that they were neither fit to be Members of Churches, nor indeed of Politick and Ci∣vil Societes with Christians. In the 11 Verse, he tells them such were some of you, but now ye are Sanctified. v. 13. He says that the body is not for Fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the Body. And in the 15, and 16. v. argues against Forni∣cation from the absurdity of it in Chri∣stians, who thereby made their bodies that are Members of Christ Members of an Harlot, which was as much as to say that you cannot make Christ a partaker of Forni∣cation with you, and therefore when you are guilty of those abominable sins you disunite your self from Christ, and offer violence to your own bodies by pulling your self away from Christ, and joining your self to an Harlot.

In the 18th. Verse he enjoins them to flee Fornication, because He that committeth Fornication sinneth against his own Body, that is, in a special manner, he dishonoureth his Body by making it a Member of an Har∣lot

and disuniting it from Christ; he mak∣eth that Body which the Holy Ghost dis∣daineth not to chuse for a Temple a Cage of Unclean spirits, and so provoketh the Holy spirit to abandon it, who will not dwell in an Impure place, and as Whoredom brings a more direct blemish upon the body than any other sin doth, so it tends to the dissolution and destru∣ction of the frame of the Body.

In the 7th. Chapter, the Apostle treats of Marriage as a proper Remedy against Fornication, and therefore necessary and commendable, not that it was Originally instituted as a Remedy against Fornicati∣tion, for it was appointed in Paradise, during the State of Innocence, when there was no such thing as Fornication; but it became necessary for that end since the fall, and therefore as propagation was the primary end of Marriage, the avoiding of Fornication became a Secondary end—The reason of the Apostles insisting upon this, is the opinion of Commentators, be∣cause there were some among the Corin∣thians, to whom he wrote, who Counter∣feiting Chastity despised Marriage, and fell into hurtfull and filthy Lusts; and others again under pretence of Chastity pretend∣ed to dissolve their Marriage Contract, and put away their Wives, that they might attend with more diligence and assiduity upon the Service of God, and therefore to obviate both those absurd opinions he shews the necessity and sanctity of a marriage

state, tho' he owns that in consideration of the then troublesome times, and the per∣secutions which attended the Church, it was better for those Christians who had the Gift of Continency not to marry than to encumber themselves with Families, and the necessary cares of providing for a Family, which do always follow upon Marriage; but at the same time he tells them that 'tis better to Marry than to Burn, and recalls Marriage to its Primitive institution in the 2d. Verse, thus, Let every Man have his own Wife, and let every Woman have her own Husband: By which he expresly Con∣demns Digamy and Polygamy.—And then he tells them the duty of Married Persons that tho' they might for a time abstain from the Marriage-Bed by mutual consent, in order to give themselves to fasting and prayer, yet they were not to defraud one a∣nother, but to come together again, lest Satan, the Author of all Uncleanness, shou'd tempt them for their Incontinence, so that by this Chapter it is plain, that that Ce∣libacy which the Romish Clergy pretend to observe is none of God's appointment, and therefore 'tis not to be wondred at, that they who have so contemptuously re∣jected the Sacred ordinance of Marriage should be given up to those Brutish Lusts which have made them the scandal of the Christian World. The Holy Paph•…•…tius when it was moved in the Council of Nice that the Clergy should abstain from their Wives, opposed it by his Authority, or ra∣ther

by the Apostles Authority, telling'em that Marriage was honourable, and that a Mans lying with his own Wife was no breach of Chastity, upon which the Coun∣cil commended his opinion, and ordain'd nothing in that affair as we are told by Sozomen Hist. Tripartit. Lib. 2. C. 14. So that the Canon which is now numbred amongst those of that Council forbidding the Marriage of the Clergy is with good reason lookt upon as supposititious.

In the 5th. of the Galatians, v. 19. the Apostle tells us, That the Works of the flesh are Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanness, Lasci∣viousness; and in the 24th. Verse, he tells us that they that are Christs have Crucified the flesh with the Affections and Lusts, so that those who wallow in such Impurities let 'em call themselves or be called by others what they please, 'its plain that they have for∣feited their Title to the name of Christians.

In the 2d. of the Ephesians, he reckons those who walk in the Lusts of the flesh, and fullfill the desires thereof amongst the Children of wrath and disobedience who walk according to the Prince of the power of the Air. Our Lustfull Gallants and Beaus would be rea∣dy to run any man thro' the Lungs who should call them Children of the Devil, and yet they are called such in express terms by the Holy Ghost; so that its not to be wondred at that they do so much spurn at all revealed Religion.

In the 4th. Chapter, the Apostle calls them off from the Impurities of the Gen∣tiles, who had given themselves over unto Las∣civiousness, to work all Uncleanness with Gree∣diness, telling them they had not so learned Christ. In the 5th. Chapter he commands that Fornication and Uncleanness should not once be named amongst them, neither Filthiness nor Foolish talking nor Jesting which are not con∣convenient, and the reason he subjoins, is this, That no Whoremongers nor Unclean per∣son hath any Inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God—Then whether they deserve the name of Christians whose chief delight is in Play-Houses, where Foolish Jesting and Talking is their principal En∣tertainment; or whether they are to be accounted such who wallow in Fornicati∣on and Adultery, and who make their keep∣ing of Misses and Debauching of Women the Grand subject of their Conversation, in all publick Companies, let any reason∣able man Judge,

In the 3d Chapter of the Colossians he commands Christians to mortify their Member•…•… which are upon the Earth, viz, Fornication, Uncleanness, inordinate Affection, &c. For which things sake the wrath of God cometh on Children of disobedience.

In the 11th. of the Hebrews and 16th. verse he warns them to take heed that there be no Fornicator nor Profane Person amongst them like Esau, who sold his Birth-right for one Morsel, Persons who are addicted to their Lusts being ready at any time to sell their

share of Heaven and Religion so they may but enjoy their Vile desires: and in the 13th. Chapter and 4th. Verse he tells them that Marriage is honourable in all, and the Bed unde∣filed, but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will Judge, by which the Apostle obviates the false Doctrine of those Seducers foretold in the •…•…st. of •…•…imothy and 4. who should forbid Marriage, and tells them that Whore∣dome is so grievous a sin in the sight of God, that in a peculiar manner he will pu∣nish such persons himself.

It is fit also to be observed here, that the Papists and other Sects who forbid or re∣strain the use of Marriage were there∣unto prompted at first by a false shew of Purity and Sanctity, which demonstrates how abominable they reckoned the sin of Uncleanness, when they thought that Con jugal Society rendered men unfit for their Devotions, but their unhappy mistake was attended with mischievous Consequences, for instead of that purity which they aim∣ed at by dispising Marriage which is of Divine institution, they fell into all man∣ner of Uncleanness as is known to those who have read the Histories of the Encratites, Mareionites, Fatians, Manichees, &c. whose Er∣rors and Vitious Practises as to that mat∣ter, the Popish Monks have serv'd themselves heirs to, and therefore cannot avoid fal∣ling under the reach of that Prophesie, 1st. of Timothy and 4th. tho' they have strain'd their Wits toward it off from themselvs.

The Apostle Peter in his 1st. Epistle 1. Cap. and 14. Verse forbids Christians to fashion themselves according to their former Lusts, and in his 2d Cap. 11. v. he com∣mands them to abstain from fleshly Lusts which War against the Soul In the 2d. Chapter of his 2d. Epistle he tells us, That God turned the Cities of Sodom and Gomor∣rah into ashes, making them an ensample un∣to those that after should live Ungodly. In the 9th. verse he subjoins that the Lord knows how to reserve the unjust unto the day of Judgment to be punish'd, but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the Lust of Un∣cleanness, and in the 14th. Verse he says, They shall receive the reward of Unrighteous∣ness, having eyes full of Adultery and that can∣not cease from sin.

The Apostle Jude in his General E∣pistle tells us, That Sodom and Gomorrah giving themselves over to Fornication, and go∣ing after strange flesh are set forth for an Example, suffering the Vengeance of Eternal Fire, he describes also those who walk af∣ter their Ungodly Lusts to be mockers, which is as Visible in our modern Beaus and Gal∣lants as ever it was in any, there being none who do more mock and despise Religi∣on then such, and now 'tis become Famili∣ar to them to run down Revelation and the Divine Authority of the Holy Scrip∣tures.

In the 14th of the Revelations and 4th. The 144000 who are there said to be singing a new song in Heaven, in the Company of the Lamb, are describ'd to be such as had not defi∣led themselves with Women; That is, such as had not polluted themselves with Unlaw∣full Lusts but had possessed their Vessels in Sanctification and Honour, as Christians are advised to do. 1 Thess. 4. 4. Not that they had abstain'd from Marriage, for that is Honourable and such a state as tends to the preservation of Chastity, but they had escaped the pollution which was in the World, thro' Lust; its true that the Sense of the place is not wholly restricted to a bodily Chastity, but includes also a Spi∣ritual Purity, Freedom from Idolatry, and Communication with false Religions, but that it does also relate to bodily Chasti∣stity, is unanimously agreed upon by Inter∣preters.

It is also observable that the Holy Ghost, to testify his hatred of Uncleanness hath represented Antichrist the Anti-chri∣stian Church, and the Idolatry of that So∣ciety, under the name of a Whore, the Mo∣ther of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth; those that are poyson'd with her Idola∣trous Doctrine, here presents as having com∣mitted Fornication with her, and drunk of her Golden Cup full of Abominations and Filthiness of her Fornication, Rev. 17. And indeed to any that have read the wicked Lives of many of the Popes, and consider the impurity of their Monks and Nuns,

their contempt of Marriage, their Unlaw∣full Divorces, and Dispensations for Un∣lawfull Marriages. It will appear that there's great reason to call the Church of Rome a Whore in a Literal Sense.

In the 21st. of the Revelations, we are told that Whoremongers shall have their part in the Lake which Burneth with Fire and Brimstone: and in the 23d. we are told, That Whoremogers are excluded from the new Jerusalem in Company of Murders, Ido∣laters and Sorcerers. So much for the History of Whoredom, as far as it is touch∣ed in the Old and New Testament, either as to the Instances thereof, the Judgments inflicted upon the practioners of it, the Laws concerning it, and the punishments threatned against the Breakers of those Laws, both in this World and that which is to come.

Having finished that part of our Histo∣ry for which the Scripture hath furnished us with materials. We come in the next place to profane History, for Instances re∣lating to our Subject. We have already made use of some Instances from Josephus and other Historians, Obiter as they had a Relation to the Scripture passages that we were upon, but come now to make use of them intirely for our Collections, and think it fit to acquaint the Reader that we must look back again in order of time, because 'twas thought best to have the Scripture Instances altogether.

We have formerly made mention of Se∣miramis, in the Account which we gave of the destruction of Babylon, all that we have now to add, is, that Justin. Lib. 1. gives this Account of her, that after her Husband Ninus's Death, she puts on Mans apparrell, and feigned her self to be Ninus her own Son, who was but a Youth, and there∣fore she was affraid that he would not be able to manage the Scepter, Semiramis be∣ing a Woman of low Stature, and small Voice, was easily mistaken for her Son, and the better to conceal the fraud, she covered her Arms and Legs, put a Tiara or round Ornament resembling a Bonnet, upon her head, and the better to pre∣vent suspicion of a disguise, Ordered her Subjects to apparell themselves in that same manner, under the Notion of a new fashi∣on, so that she pass'd for her Son with∣out any doubt or hesitation, and having under this disguise enlarged her Husband's Conquests as was formerly said, she con∣ceived that the Greatness of her Actions had put her beyond the reach of Envy, and therefore discovered her self, which was so far from lessening her, that it mighti∣ly advanced her Reputation, but giving her self up afterwards to Brutish Lusts, as was formerly mentioned, she became en∣amoured on her own Son, who thereup∣on killed her, and thus she tarnish'd all her former Glory and brought her self to an un∣timely death by her unnatural Lust after she Reign'd 42 years in Great Honour.

Her Son Ninus, tho' he abhorred his Mothers Incestuous Amours, yet being Heir to her Vices as well as her Throne, as if he had really changed Sexes as well as Habit with his Mother, he became Effe∣minate and Lustful, and spending his time Ingloriously among Women, was rarely seen of any men, and so concluded his days with Ignominy, leaving that unmanly pattern to his successors that they seldom were seen of any of their Subjects, and thus the Assyrian Empire which continued near 1300 years, was extinguished by the Effemina∣cy and Lusts of their Princes and People, and came to a Conclusion in the Inglori∣ous Reign of Sardanapalus, who Reigned as some Authors think when Jonah was sent to Preach Repentance to Nini∣ve, but this cannot be relied upon, the Learned do so much differ as to the point of Chronology: However, this is agreed upon by all hands, that he was a Lustfull and Effeminate Prince, and gave him∣self so much up to Voluptuousness that he would sit and Spin in a Womans Habit amongst his Concubines And see∣ing it is commonly found by Experience that people imitate the bad example of their Princes; there's no great reason to doubt but that the Ninivites, amongst whom he resided, were tainted with his Vices and became dissolute, so that they very well deserved those Judgments denounc'd against them by Jonah, and Historians, as Justin, Pe•…•…au, and Scaliger acquaint us,

That the wiser part of his Subjects loath∣ing to be Govern'd by such an unmanly Debauchee, Rebell'd against him, under the Conduct of Arsaces Governor of Media, who coming to see him and being admit∣ted to his presence with Great difficulty, found him in Womans Habit Spinning pur∣ple upon a Distaff, amongst a Company of his Whores, to whom he divided their several Tasks of Wool, &c. And perceiv∣ing him to be more Effeminate, and La∣scivious in his looks than any of the Wo∣men, he conceiv'd great Indignation that so many Warlike Men should be Gover∣ned by a Person who disown'd his Sex and handled a Distaff instead of a Sword, so that having acquainted his Companions with what he had seen, they conspired against him, Besieged him in Ninive for two years, and reduced him to such straits that in a desperate humor he retired into his Palace, where having Erected a Funeral Pile, and laid all his most precious Move∣ables upon it, he burnt himself with his Wives, Children and Pallace; (which was the only thing wherein he discovered a Manly temper) Ordering the following distich to be engraven on his Tomb

Haec habeo quae edi, quaeque Exsaturata Li∣bido Hausit at illa Jacent multa ac praeclara reli∣cta.

Which says Aristotle was a fitter Epitaph for a Bull then a King; It may be Para∣phras'd in English thus,

Those things I have which delight I ate, And also those which did my Lust asswage Yet may desires are still insatiate And that oughts left behind, enflames my rage.

The Meaes having held the Empire 350 years, it then fell into hands of the Persians under the Conduct of Cyrus; and that the Persian Women were not over modest ap∣pears by the method they took to encou∣rage their Men, when they had the worst in the Battle at first, with Astyages, viz. When the Persians began to run, their Wo∣men uncovered their Secret parts, unbraid∣ded them with Cowardice, and askt whi∣ther they would hide themselves in the Bellies of their Mothers and Wives, which did so animate them, that from a principal of shame they returned to the Battle, came off Victorious, and by that means laid the Foundation of the Persian Mo∣narchy, which was afterwards overturn'd by Fffeminacy and Lasciviousness, as we shall see in its place, and that the Persians should have immers'd themselves in Lascivi∣ousness is so much the more remarkable and inexcusable because their Emperor Cyrus to break the Warlike Temper of the Lydians, whom he had overcome, thought it not e∣nough to deprive them of their Horses and Arms, but commanded them to ex∣ercise

themselves in Publick-Houses, Plays, and Bawdy-Houses; and thus says Justin Lib. 1. this people who before Cyrus were invincible in War, mighty by their in∣dustry and redoubtable by their Valour, lost their Ancient Gallantry by their Ef∣feminate Delicacy and Luxury. And that this Wantonness had invaded their Throne is evident from the Instance of Candaules their King, who doting upon his Wife, because of her Incomparable Beauty, com∣mended her in all Companies, and not satifised with that, he was so mad as to expose her Naked to the view of Gyges his Favourite, by appointing him a Secret place in her Bed-Chamber, which the Q∣perceiving, tho' unknown to her Husband she was so much incens'd at it, that she propos'd it to Gyges, either to kill the King and enjoy her and the Kingdom, or to prepare for death himself, the former of which conditions he accepted, and per∣formed, and thus was Candaules punished for his Voluptuousness by losing his Life and Crown and having his Race extin∣guished.

Justin in his 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Book acquaints us also that one of the Magi called Comaris, being im∣ployed by Cambyses to kill his Brother Mer∣gides, performed it Secretly, and Camby∣ses dying in the mean time of a Wound he received by his own Sword, Comaris set up his own Brother Oropastes for King, instead of Mergides, to whom the Suc∣cession belonged after Cambyses, Oropastes

was very like Mergides; but the matter being afterwards suspected Orthanus a No∣ble man found it out by his own Daugh∣ter that was one of the King's Concu∣bines, she by her Father's perswasion felt Oropastes his head when he was asleep, and finding that he had no Ears, acquainted her Father with it, who thereby knew that it was Oropastes, whose Ears Camby∣ses had ordered to be cut off, and impart∣ing it to the rest of the Nobility, from whom it was easie to conceal it because the Kings of Persia under a shew of Ma∣jesty were kept from the view of their Subjects, they conspired against him and slew both the Brothers, thus was Oropastes deprived of his Life and Crown by the Treachery of one of his Concubines.

The next passage we meet with in Ju∣stin for our purpose, is that of the Scythi∣an Women, whose Husbands being long absent, he says, 15 years in subduing Asia, they sent Messengers to them, telling them, that if they did not return, they wou'd take care to have off-spring by their Neigh∣bours, and that the Women should not be to blame if the Race of the Scythians failed, whereupon they returned having imposed a small Tribute upon the Asiaticks, rather as an acknowledgment of ther Conquests then as a Reward of their Victory—

That same Author, Book 2d. tells us that the Scythians having staid 7 Years from their Wives in their 3d. Expedition in∣to Asia, the Women reckoning they had

been all cut off, Married their Servants who were left at home to look after their Catttle, so that when their Husbands re∣turned Victorious, they were look'd up∣on as Foreign Invaders, and therefore their Servants kept them out by force of Arms, so that after diverse Skirmishes with va∣rious fortune, the Scythians considering that those who opposed them were their Ser∣vants, they agreed to make use of Whips against them instead of Arms, which had so good success that their Servants, as if their Servile Spirits had returned to them, upon the sight of the Whips, fled before them.

Its also fit to take notice here, that the Women so much fam'd in the World by the Name of Amazons, were Wives to a Colony or rather an Inundation of Scythi∣ans, who settling themselves in Cappadocia about the River Thermodoon, and having subdued their Neighbours, were at last wholly cut off by a Conspiracy of the people whom they had Conquered, upon which their Women took Arms, and not only defended their own Territories, but enlarg'd their Dominions, and being ac∣customed to Govern men, lookt upon Mar∣riage as a servitude, cut off all the Men that were remaining among them, that none of them might seem more happy than the rest, by enjoyment of their Husbands, and then having obtained Peace, once a year they convers'd with the Men of Neigh∣bouring Nations, and if they brought

forth Males they, either killed them or sent them home to their Fathers, but the Females they bred up to the use of Arms, and all manly Exercises, burning one of their Dugs that it might not hinder them to bend their Bows, and preserving the other to suckle their Girls. Amongst those Amazons are said to have Reign'd the Famous Queens, Marthesia, Lampeto, Otrera, Pen∣thesilea, Thalestris, &c. and their Monar∣chy is said to have continued till the time of Alexander the Great.

Some will have all that is writ of the Amazons to be a meer Fable, and others, that all the stories of them was occasion∣ed by their Womens bearing Arms, and Fighting in Battle as well as the Men; and it may be, being more numerous in diverse of those Battles, than the Men who were either absent or consumed in those Expeditions, they had the Chief Com∣mand, as is observed by Juan Orelhan the Spa∣niard, who discovered that great River, call'd by the Name of the River of the Amazons in the West-Indies, upon the Banks of which he perceived the Women in Arms to exceed the men in number, and to Com∣mand them, and upon that Account he gave the Name aforesaid to that River.

But however the matter be, it affords us this Observation, that all Kingdoms and States ought to take care of en∣couraging Marriage, and to avoid as much as may be the Exhausting of their Men by Wars, Colonies or Conquests,

which do naturally occasion the want of a sufficient number of Males to supply the Females, whence proceeds Whoredom, Uncleanness, and Luxury, which infallibly issues in Contempt of Marriage, an Ob∣struction of Propagation, and the ruin of a people.

Before we come to give an Account how the Persian Monarchy was overturn'd by Luxury and Lasciviousness, we shall have occasion to touch upon some Remark∣able Revolutions, occasioned amongst the Greeks by Uncleanness. The first that we meet with in Justin is that of Diocles King or Governour of Athens, who having forc∣ed a young Woman, he was in Revenge thereof killed by her Brother, whereup∣on Hippias Brother to Diocles ordered the youngman to be apprehended, and put∣ting him upon the Rack, examined him concerning those that were privy to his design, the young man in further Revenge for this new Injury, Nam'd all the Ty∣rant's Friends, who being put to Death upon his Accusation, Hippias ask'd if he knew of any more that were Conscious to his Crime. To this the young man answered, That there were no more at whose Death he could gladly rejoyce but the Tyrant himself, which the Citizens took as a Signal to recover their lost Li∣berty, and drove Hippias into Exile, who thereupon joining with the Persians against his own Country was slain in Battle—And here it's proper to add that the Effemi∣nacy

and Luxury of the Persians under the Reign Xerxes, was the chief cause of the shamefull overthrows which they received by the Grecians.

The next Remarkable instance which we find for our purpose in Justin, is that in his 3d. Book of the War betwixt the Messenians and Lacedemoonians, occasioned by the former's having Ravished the Virgins be∣longing to the latter, whilst they were at Sa∣crifice, upon which the Lacedomineans bound themselves by a solemn Oath never to re∣turn into their Country till they had ta∣ken in Messenia, which laid the Founda∣tion of Intestine Discord, and Civil War in Grecia—The Siege of this Town continued 10 years, during which time the Lacedemonian Women being not able to brook the want of their Husbands Com∣pany, they sent heavy complaints to them upon that head, but the Lacedemonians be∣ing unwilling to violate their Oaths, and at the same time sensible that their people must needs decrease, they fell upon this Me∣dium, to send home all the young men who had come as Recruits to their Camp af∣ter the taking of the said Oath, and al∣lowing them the Liberty to Accompany with the Women, the Children begot by this promiscuous Copulation, were as a Brand of their Mothers Infamy called Parthenii, and arriving at the Age of 30, they were so much afraid of coming to Want, because they knew not whom to call Father, nor which way to have any Patrimony, that

under the Conduct of Phalantus Son to A∣ratus, who was the Author of the Advice to send the young men from the Camp a∣bovesaid, they resolved to seek new Ha∣bitations for themselves, and so without so much as saluting or taking leave of their Mothers, from whom they deriv'd the In∣famy of being Bastards, they arriv'd at last in Italy, subdued the Tarentines, and settled in their Country. But to return to the Messenians, they were at last over∣come by the Lacedemonians, in two Wars, the 1st, of 20 and the 2. of 14 years contin∣uance, and reduced to a miserable slavery, which was originally occasion'd as we have just now heard by their Uncleanness.

Our next Instance is in Justin Lib. 5: concerning Timea Queen to Agis King of Lacedemon, who being guilty of Adulte∣ry with Alcibiades the Athenian, while an Exile from his Country at her Husbands Court, •…•…e discovered to him the design which the Lacedemonians had against his Life, because they envied his Conduct and Glory, upon which Alcibiades fled to the Persians, and having by his cunning prevail with the Athenians to recall him, he after∣wards defeated the Lacedemonians by Sea and Land, and brought them to sue for Peace, so destructive to her Country was the Unlawfull Amours of this Whorish Queen, and so ruinous to the whole East, and particularly to Athens was the Viti∣ous Lustfull Temper of Alcibiades; the oc∣casion of whose Exile as abovementioned

was his discovery of something of the My∣stery of Ceres's Worship, or the Profane Eleu∣sina Sacra, which we have already described at large. The fatal Exit of this Great Man is also Remarkable, viz. That he was by the or∣der of the 30 Tyrants burnt in his Chamber when asleep; a suitable punishment from the hand of Divine Justice for one that had burnt in impure Lust, however he deserved better Treatment at the hands of his Country.

That same Author in his sixth Book, acquaints us that after the death of Epa∣minondas the great Theban General, the Athenians having no Enemy to whet their Emulation or Exercise their Martial Cou∣rage, grew Luxurious and Debauch'd, spent their Time and Revenues in publick Festi∣vals and Plays, frequented the Stage and Play-Houses more than the Camp, and did more extoll their Poets and Orators than their Captains and Generals; by which means they lost their Glory, and rendred themselves and all Greece and Asia a prey to the Macedo∣nians, formerly an obscure people.

Before we go any further in the Hi∣story of the Unlawful Amours of Greece it may not be improper to take notice of the ruine of Troy by the Graecians after ten years War upon the account of the Rape of fair Helena from Menelaus a Grae∣cian Prince, by Paris Son to Priamus King of Troy. This story being known to eve∣ry School-Boy, its needless to insist upon it, but we shall only observe that the Lust of Paris occasioned the ruin of that King∣dom

and City about the year of the World 2870. after it had stood near 296 years. The ruins of that Famous Town are still to be seen near the Mountain Ida about 32 German Miles South of Constantinople, up∣on the Asian side of the Hellespont or strait of the Dardanelles as a Monument of Di∣vine Justice against Whoredom.

Justin in his 7th. Book gives us this Remarkable instance of punishment infli∣cted upon the Persian Ambassadors for their Lechery, viz. That being sent by Maga∣bazus the Persian General to demand Ho∣stages from Amyntas King of Macedo∣nia, that Prince received them kind∣ly, and the Ambassadors having drank largely in the time of the Feast, so as their Lust was inflamed, they demanded that they might have the Company of the Kings Wives and Daughters at their entertain∣ment, which they said was a Pledge of Hospitality among the Persians. The King thinking fit to grant it, the Persians began to handle the Women immodestly, upon which Alexander Son to King Amyntas de∣sir'd his Father to withdraw from the Ban∣quet because of his Age and Gravity, the Prince having done so, Alexander a little while after called out the Women, pre∣tending that he would bring them back in a better dress, that so they might be the more acceptable to the Persians, and in their place brought in as many young Men in Womens Habit with orders to punish the Ambassadors for their lasciviousness, and ac∣cordingly

when they begun to handle them as they had done the Women, the young men kill'd every one of the Ambassadors with Swords which they had concealed un∣der their Garments.

In that same Book we have an instance of an abominable Incestuous Intrigue of Eurydice Wife to another Amyntas King of Macedonia, and Nephew to the for∣mer, who falling in Love with her Son-in-Law, upon promise of Marriage under∣took to murder her Husband and advance her Gallant to the Throne, but was pre∣vented by her Daughter who discovered her Mothers Incest and bloody design, yet Amyntas for the Love which he bare to the Children that he had by this wic∣ked Woman spar'd her, and the Unna∣tural Beast after his Death murdered her own Sons Alexander and Perdiccas by him, tho'for their sakes he had spared her Life; and all this mischief she committed, that she might wallow without Interruption in her Impure Lusts.

In his 9th Book he gives us an account of the death of Philip of Macedon Rather to A∣lexander the Great, which was occasioned partly by his having Divorc'd Olympias, on suspicion of Adultery, or with an Adulterous design to marry Cleopatra, and partly because he had not executed Judstice upon Attalus for having Committed Sodomy upon Pau∣sanias, who fre•…•…uently complained of it, but was always dismiss'd with scorn, and therefore watching his Opportunity he

stabb'd Philip on the day that he was mar∣ried to Cleopatra as walking betwixt his own Sons, afterwards Alexander the Great and Alexander his Son-in-Law. Thus this Great Prince who had Conquer'd many Nations and Countries, became a Conquest and Victim to his own Lusts and the Lusts of others, and occasioned likewise the death of his Paramour Cleopatra, Olympias having first murdered her Daughter, and then forc'd Cleopatra to hang her self.

His •…•…th. Book furnishes us with a very remarkable instance of Artaxerxes King of Persia, who had 115 some say 160 Sons by Concubines, and three only by Lawfull Marriage, for which Incontinence he was punish'd in the following manner, his Son Darius being by the Indulgence of Artaxerxes admitted to the Throne while he himself was alive, contrary to the Cu∣stom of the Persians, he ungratefully Con∣spired against his Father's Life, and enga∣ged 49 of his Brethren in the Conspiracy. The occasion of this Unnatural Plot was yet more vile than the Plot it self, which Justin relates thus, Artaxerxes having de∣feated and killed his Brother Cyrus in the War betwixt them, he married Aspasia Cyrus his Concubine, and her Darius wou'd have his Father to resign to him as well as his Throne, which the Indul∣gent Father promised to do at first, but repenting of it afterwards, he made her priestess to the Sun that he might have a fair pretence of denying her to Darius,

because according to the Persian supersti∣tion, those of that Office must observe perpetual Chastity. Darius taking this as a great affront, entred into the Conspi∣racy as abovementioned, which being dis∣covered, the Incestuous and Unnatural Traitor with all his Associates, their Wires and Children was cut off, that there might be no memorial left of such a hor∣rid piece of Villainy. Thus was Unclean∣ness justly punish'd both in Father and Children, and this Instance is so much the more remarkable that it fell out but a few years before the overthrow of the Persian Monarchy by Alexander the Great, which the Lasciviousness and Effeminacy of the Persians made easy to be effected.

Our next instance is Alexander the Great, who tho in the height of his Youth and Conquests he obtain'd so much Glory by abstaining from Darius his Beautiful Queen and Daughters who were his Captives, yet giving himself afterwards up to Im∣pure Pleasures, he hath thereby rendred his Infamy as Immortal as his Fame. It's observed of him by his Historian Cur∣tius, that he was always more Famous in War than after Victory, and that having broke the Power of the Persian Empire he degenerated into those very Manners or rather Vices, which made the Persians such an easie Conquest to him. That same Author in his 5th. Book gives us an Ac∣count, that Alexander having staid much longer at Babylon than he did at any o∣ther

place, the Corrupt Manners of the Citizens did more prejudice to the Di∣scipline of his Army than any thing they had met with before that time; and in∣deed the Description that Curtius gives us of the abominable Luxury and Impurity which reign'd in that City is sufficient to convince us that the Empire of which that was the Metropolis or at least the most Renowned and Greatest City, was ripe for ruin. The words of the Histo∣rian are as follow, There was nothing more corrupt than the manners of that City, and nothing more Accommodated to incite and pro∣voke Voluptuousness and Lust. The Parents and Husbands permitted their Wives and Daughters to lie with their Guests provided they gave them a Reward. Banquets, Revells and Plays were the Chief delights of the Kings and Princes of Persia. The Babylonians were wholly giv'n up to Wine, Drunkenness, and the Consequences of it. Their Women when they first came in to their Feasts and Banquets were ap∣parelied modestly enough, but in a little time after they threw off their upper Garments, and in the last place, with modesty be it spoken, vn∣cover'd their Nakedness; nor was this only the practise of the Common prostitutes, but of their Matrons and married Women, who esteem'd such promiscuous dalliance a Great piece of Com∣plaisance and Good breeding; with which De∣hauches, says our Author, that Army which Conquer'd Asia being glutted for 34 days, they had doubtless been rendred very unfit for what they undertook afterwards, if they had not been

Reinforc'd by fresh supplies of uncorrupted men from Macedonia, &c.

Our Author gives us another Instance of the Idleness and Luxury of the Persi∣an Women, viz. That when Alexander the Great had received Purple and Macedonian Apparel made by his own Sisters in a Present from home, he ordered the same to be Present∣ed to Sysigambis the Mother of Darius, with this Complement, that if she lik'd them he would furnish her with those who shou'd teach her Grand Daughters to make such, which presently drew Tears from the Persian Prin∣cess, there being nothing reckon'd more disho∣nourable amongst the Persian Women than to Card and Spin, which I take to be the mean∣ing of our Author's words to touch Wool. How much this differs from Solomon's Cha∣racter of a good Houswife, and whether the handling of Wool had not been more com∣mendable than such Dissolute Revels as we just now mentioned, let the World Judge. But to return to Alexander the Great.

After he had with great difficulty and danger past the straits of Susis, and ta∣ken Persepolis the Royal Residence of the Kings of Persia, the Lascivious Inhabitants became Executioners of Divine Justice up∣on themselves and their Impure City, for putting on their chie•…•… Ornaments of which their Luxury had made them provide a great Number, they threw themselves their Wives and Children headlong from the Walls and Precipices, and set fire to their own Houses: But that which is particularly re∣markable

as to Alexander, is that in a Drunken fit at the perswasion of Thais a Drunken Whore, says Curtius, he ordered the Famous Royal Palace of the Persian Kings to be burnt, which he had hitherto sa∣ved; and he himself threw the first firebrand into it to his perpetual Ignominy and Disgrace, However, we may plainly see by this pas∣sage that the sin of the Persians was le∣gible in their punishment, when this Fa∣mous Palace that had been polluted with such Herds of Strumpets, as the Persian Kings did usually Entertain, was burnt to Ashes at the instigation of an Infamous Strumpet, and not long after Darius himself fell by the hands of his Treacherous Subjects, which put an end to the Persian Empire.

Curtius in his 6th. Book gives us an Ac∣count how Alexander became hatefull to the Graver sort of his Captains and Generals by his degenerating into the Vices of the Persians, as, Immoderate drinking, and spending his time in Plays, and amongst Herds of Strumpets, which occasioned fre∣quent Conspiracies against him, Mutinies amongst his Souldiers; and other Com∣motions. He became likewise guilty of Sodomy with Bagoas, Darius's Eunuch, af∣fected the Persian Habit and Customs, and entertained 360 Concubines as Dari∣us had done before him, which occasion∣ed the Macedonians to grumble, and say, That he was more like to those that he had Conquer'd than a Conqueror, so that he was forc'd to prevent their sedition to

engage them in a fresh War, after he had for thirteen days satiated his Lust with Thalestris Queen of the Amazons at her own desire. While he was preparing for his Expedition against Bessus, Philotas and o∣thers of his Great Officers conspired a∣gainst his Life, but Nicomachus a Catamite having discovered it by means of Dima∣chus, who was his Companion in that Un∣natural Amour revealed it so as 'twas prevented, but it cost his Villainous Par∣amour Dimachus and others their Lives; such was the fatal Consequence of Dimachus's un∣natural Lust to himself and others.

The next Instance which Curtius affords fit for our purpose, is that of Spitamenes, who being Prince or Governor of the People called Dahee, he revolted from A∣lexander, and doting upon his Beautifull Wife, carried her with him where-ever he went, she being weary of that kind of Life, advised him to submit himself to Alex∣ander; which he took so ill, that he upbraid∣ed her with a lustfull design, thinking that her Beauty would make her acceptable to Alexander, and therefore would have kil∣led her if he had not been hindred by those about him; whereupon he forbad her to come any more into his presence, and that he might wean him self from her, he pass'd his time amongst his Concubines; but finding that he could not Conquer his passion towards her, he sent for her again, and she pretending to have forgot her for∣mer Injury, watch'd her opportunity when

he was fast asleep and cutting off his Head, took one Servant along with her, and carried it to Alexander, which proves that her Hus∣band's suspicion of her was not ill-found∣ed; but Alexander tho' he was glad to be rid of such a troublesome Enemy as Spita∣menes, did so much abhor the Barbarous and Treacherous Woman, that he Com∣manded her to depart the Camp, lest the Graecian Women should be infected by her cursed Example. Thus was Spitamenes and she both justly punished for their Unclean∣ness.

Curtius in his 8th. Book gives us another Instance of Alexander's being Conquered by his Lusts, which was thus. Cohortanes the Governor of a certain Country, ha∣ving submitted himself to Alexander, he did likewise entertain him with a Feast, and for his better diversion ordered 30 Noble Virgins to be brought in, amongst whom was his own Daughter Roxane a Lady of Incomparable Beauty; with whom Alexander (who had abstain'd from Dari∣us's fair Wife, and two Daughters, all La∣dies of much Greater Beauty and Qua∣lity) was so much taken, that in the heat of his Lust he Contracted a Marriage with this Comparatively Ignoble Lady, to the Great disgust of his Friends.

In the same Book he gives us a lively Description of the Effeminacy and Luxu∣ry of the Indians, who Inhabited about the Ganges and Dyardenes, that were some of the last of Alexander's Conquests, and

indeed Ripe for such Judgments as a Con∣quest Generally brings upon a Nation. Cur∣tius Expresses himself Elegantly concern∣ing them, thus, viz. That the Luxury of their Kings which they call Magnificence exceeds the Vices of all other Nations, they never come abroad but their Ser∣vants carry Silver Censers and Perfume all the way that the Prince is to go. He is carried in a Golden Couch hung about with Jewels—This Chair or Couch is followed by his Guards, who carry Branches of Trees with Singing-Birds and Parrots up∣on them; his Palace is supported by Gild∣•…•…d Columns, and they adorn'd with Vines inlaid with Gold, and the Effigies of such Birds upon them in Silver as they do most delight in. When the King Combs and Dresses his Hair, then he gives Audience to Ambassadors and does Justice to his peo∣ple, and his Shooes or Sandals being taken off, his Feet are Anointed and Perfum'd with precious Ointments and Perfumes; his greatest Labour is Hunting, and that is to shoot Darts at Birds and Beasts penn'd up in a Park or Cage; his Concubines in the mean time Singing about him, and ma∣king vows for his success, his short Jour∣nies he performs on Horse-Back and the longer on Elephants covered over with Gold, and a long Train of Concubines follow him in Golden Couches or Chairs. And equal to this is the Luxury of the Queen and her Attendants, so that we may rea∣dily conclude that Alexander found no

great difficulty in subduing such Debaucht and Effeminate Nations, who were full Ripe for Divine Vengeance.

We come now to the winding up of the Story of Alexander the Great, who did so far degenerate into the Manners and Vices of those People he had Con∣quer'd, that he gave Crowns to some and took away Lives from others at the will and pleasure of his Whores, and parti∣cularly of Bagoas the Eunuch, who was his Catamite. Curtius gives us an Instance of this in his 10th. Book, where he Re∣lates how Orsines a Great Persian Prince of Cyrus's off-spring, was falsely Accused and Executed, because he despis'd that Vil∣lainous Eunuch, and said that it was not Whores and Catamites that he had any regard for, but only to the King's Friends, and when this Revengefull Catamite had got Alexander to Condemn this great Man, who had at all times been very Friend∣ly and Bountifull to the King and his Retinue, he could not forbear to assist at the Execution himself, upon which Or∣sines told him Satyrically, That he had heard that Women had sometimes Govern'd Asia, but it was never Govern'd by a Guelding before. Thus Alexander being Govern'd by those Vile Persons, did upon their Accusation cut off his best Friends, and became so hate∣full to his own Greeks, that they talk'd divers times of Revolting, and at last Poyson'd him in Babylon amidst his Feasts and Revels, which was very Remarkable

that he should be Poyson'd there where he had suffered himself and his Army to be first Poysoned by the Vicious Manners of the Persians; and thus by his Luxury and Uncleanness he occasioned the Divi∣sion of that vast Empire, which he had rais'd; his Great Captains after his Death having each of them erected Monarchies for themselves in those Places where they Govern'd, which occasioned the speedier dissolution of the Graecian Monarchy, and that it was less taken notice of as not being cemented together under one head so true is it which the Wiseman tells us in the Proverbs, That many strong men have been slain and cast down by strange Women; nay, we may add that Empires and Monarchies have been over-turned by Uncleanness.

The next remarkable instance we meet with in Justin is that of Dionysius, junior the Tyrant of Sicily, who was as infamous for Uncleanness as for Cruelty, and being expelled by the Inhabitants of Syracusa, he was received by those of Locris, where having surpriz•…•…d the Castle he Tyranniz'd also over them, Ravish'd the Wives of the Great Men, and the young Women before Marriage, and would then send them back to their Sweet-hearts. The Locrenses being at that time in War with Leophron, they vow'd if they came off Con∣querers to prostitute their Virgins on the Festival of Ve•…•…us, which having neglected to do, Dionysius Circumvented the Citi∣zens thus, he advised them in order to

perform their Vow, to send all their Women with their Richest Apparel to the Tem∣ple of Venus, and chuse out a hundred of their handsomest Virgins and send them Richly adorn'd to stay a Month in a Brothell-House, but beforehand to oblige all their Men by Oath not to touch one of them, and likewise to take an Oath that none should be Married 'till all those Virgins were first dispos'd in Marriage. The Citizens thinking this a good Con∣trivance both to absolve themselves from their Oaths and to preserve the Chastity of their Virgins, did accordingly. Where∣upon Dionysius sent his Soldiers who dis∣poiled the Women both of their Honour and Ornaments, which so incens'd the Lo•…•…enses against him that they likewise drove him out of their City, and being received again by the Syracusans he Ty∣rannized over them in his usual Manner, so that they Besieged him and forcing him to lay down the Government, he liv'd in Exile at Corinth, where he spent his time in Taverns and Bawdy-Houses, went in a sordid Habit, kept the Meanest and most Rascally Company. Jangl'd with Scoun∣drels and Bawds, became a laughing stock to every Body, and would walk about in the Shambles to gaze upon the Meat that he was not able to buy, and was re∣duced so low that partly to maintain him∣self, and partly to satisfy his Tyrannical humour, he taught a Trivial School, and so concluded his Life as Ingloriously as he led it.

In his 22d. book, he gives us an In∣stance of Agathocles another Tyrant of Si∣cily, Son to a Potter, who during his youth was a Catamite, and as soon as he was of Age became a Common Stallion and a Highwayman, but being Valiant and Elo∣quent, he was advanced to Great Com∣mands in the Army, and having Commit∣ted Adultery with Damasco the Generals Lady, he succeeded in his Post after his death, and twice attempted the Soveraign∣ty of the Island, which at last he obtained, yet tho' he was prosperous for a long time and rendered himself Famous by his Vi∣ctories over the Carthaginians, Judgment pursued him at last, that he was forc'd to flee from Africk, where his two Sons were put to death by the fury of his E∣nemies, and being himself taken with a grievous Disease, his Son and Grandson made War upon one another for the Crown, wherein the latter succeeded, so that A∣gathocles was forc'd on his Death-Bed to send his Wife and two young Children to Egypt, lest they should be cut off by his Grandson, and in this Afflicted and Disconsolate Condition he ended his days; so true has it always been found that Whoremongers and Adulterers God will Judge.

In his 24th. Book, he gives us the Hi∣story of the Incestuous Amour of Ptolemy Ceraunus King of Macedonia, with his Sister, and the fatal Consequence of it to them both. Ptolemy having a mind to Usurp the

Kingdom from her two Sons, and to pos∣sess himself of her fine City of Cassandria pretended Love to her, and that he had no other design in desiring her to Wife but to make her a Queen, and that her Children should succeed him, and because she her self and her Son Ptolemy suspected him, he swore to the Sincerity of his In∣tentions upon the Altar in Jupiter's Tem∣ple, whereupon that Incestuous Marriage was contracted, and his Sister, now his Wife Arsinoe being overjoy'd at her new Title of Queen, invited the King her Hus∣band to her City of Cassandria, where all things were prepar'd to receive him with the utmost Magnificence, and she order'd her Sons to meet him with Crowns on their Heads. He Received and Embrac'd them with much seeming Affection, but as soon as he came to the Gate of the City, he ordered them both to be kill'd, and the Castle to be seiz'd, their Mother en∣deavouring in vain to cover them in her Arms and preserve them. After this Tra∣gedy as a Just punishment for her con∣senting to such an Incestuous Màrriage, she went in Exile to Samothracia, and Pto∣lemy in a little time after fell by the Sword of the Gauls, who cut off his Head and fix'd it upon a Lance.

In his 26th. Book, we have the Story of Aristotimus, Tyrant of Epirus, who ha∣ving kill'd and banish'd many of the No∣bility. The Aetolians, who entertained the Exiles, sent Ambassadors to demand the

Wives and Children of the banished, which Aristotimus pretended to grane, and as the Matrons had assembled together to go to their Husbands, he sent and spoiled them of their Apparrel, threw them in Prison kill'd the Infants in the Arms of their Mo∣thers, and Ravish'd the Virgins, which so incens'd the people against him, that un∣der the Conduct of Helematus an old man, they Conspir'd against him and cut him off.

In the Close of that Book, he gives us an Account of the Incest of Demetrius King of Macedonia, with his Mother-in-Law Ar∣sinoe, Queen of Cyrene, who had sent for him on purpose to Marry her Daughter and enjoy that Crown, but being her self taken with his Beauty, she entertained an Incestuous Commerce with him, which did so much provoke her Daughter, and the people, that by her Daughters order he was slain in her Mothers Bed, the Incestu∣ous and Impudent Woman endeavouring to preserve him by covering him with her own Body.

In the 28th. Book he likewise gives an Account of a War betwixt Antiochus King of Syria and Demetrius King of Macedonia, because the latter Married Pythia Daugh∣ter to the Queen of Epirus, whilst his Wife who was Sister to Antiochus was yet alive, so fatal hath the Adultery of Prin∣ces always been to Kings and Kingdoms.

In his 30th Book, we have the Instance of Ptolemy King of Egypt, who having mur∣dered his own Wife Eurydice, that was al∣so his Sister, he became so enamour'd on Agathocla the Strumpet, that he minded nothing but Revelling and Dancing; and thus says Justin, the King became not only a Spectator, but a Master of Villany, and committing Sodomy also with Agathocles a handsome fellow, and Brother to the Strumpet above mentioned, they and their Mother Evanthe govern'd the King and Kingdom, and disposed of all offices. In the mean-time Ptolemy died, which those vile Women concealed a long time, and so shar'd the Royal Treasure, and Govern∣ment with Villains: But the matter com∣ing at last to be known, the multitude as∣sembled, cut off Agathocles, and hang'd his Mother and Sister, such was the Tragi∣cal Exit they brought upon themselves by their uncleanness.

In his 37th. Book we have the instance of Mithridates the great King of Pontus, who married his own Sister Laod•…•…ce, in which match he was Justly unhappy, for during his long absence a viewing the chief places of Asia, she had admitted stran∣gers to his Bed, and tho' she feigned a mighty Joy at his return, yet she endea∣voured to poyson him, in order to cover her Unchastity, whereof Mithridates being advertised by a Maid, he punish'd his Wife by death for her Treachery, and tho' he himself became Great and Glorious after∣wards

by his V•…•…ctories over the Asiaticks, and his Wars with the Romans; yet Di∣vine Justice pursued him, so that he kil∣led himself in his old Age, when he heard that his Son, by that Unnatural Marriage had usurp'd the Kingdom.

In his 38th. Book we have the horrid instance of Ptolemy Physcon, who after the death of Ptolemy King of Egypt, Married his Widow, Cleopatra, who was his own Sister, kill'd her Son by her first Husband the very day of his Marriage, and after∣wards Divorc'd her self and Ravish'd her Daughter, whom he afterwards Married: This made him so hatefull to the people that they deserted the City where he dwelt, so that finding himself a King without Subjects, he was forc'd to invite strangers to reside there.—And at last became so odious that he fled with the Son, that he had begot on his Sister, ta∣king her Daughter along with him, and with a Mercenary Army made War up∣on his Sister and his Country, and sent for his eldest Son and killed him to pre∣vent the peoples chusing him in his stead. The Subjects were so much enraged with these proceedings, that they threw down his Statues and Pictures every where, which he conceiving to be done by his Sister's advice, he cut the Son that he had by her in pieces, put them up in a Box, and sent them to his Mother, on his Birth-day—Thus were they mutually plagued and punished for their Incest, and a destru∣ctive

War was kindled betwixt them, which took its first rise from their en∣flamed Lusts, and proved fatal to their Subjects as well as to themselves. Ptole∣my Physcon, or the Debauch'd, dying a lit∣tle time after, and having been some time before reconciled to his Wife and Sister Cleopatra, he left her the Kingdom of E∣gypt, she being compelled by the people to chuse her eldest Son to Govern that Kingdom, before she would resign the same, she compelled him to Divorce his Beloved Wife and Sister Cleopatra, and she being afterwards married to Cyricaenus in Syria, those Incestuous matches were pu∣nished by a mutual War betwixt the Bre∣thren Gryphus and Cyricaenus, and the lat∣ter being overcome, Gryphina Wife to Gryphus, would not be content till his Si∣ster and Wife Cleopatra, whom his Mo∣ther had made him to Divorce was mur∣dered; and Cyricaenus, obtaining a Victo∣ry over Gryphus in his Turn, put Gry∣phina to death in Revenge. Cleopatra the Mother being weary of her Son Ptolemy's Reigning with her jointly in Egypt, she stir'd up the people against him, took his Wife Seleuce from him, after she had born him two Sons, sent him into Exile, call'd his younger Brother Alexander to Reign in his stead, but he being afraid of her cruelty, abandon'd her; then the Wicked Woman being afraid that her eldest Son would make War upon her to recover the Kingdom, she sent great assistance to

Gryphus, and likewise gave him Seleuce to Wife—Having at the same time re∣call'd her Son Alexander, he understood that she laid snares for his Life, and there∣fore seiz'd and cut her off, and he him∣self was banisht by the people for this par∣ricide.—Thus were their raging Lusts punished by a mutual War and Raging cruelty against one another—And as if Heaven would have Syria and Egypt to read their sin in their punishment, they were invaded and plagued by Hierotimus King of Arabia and his Six hundred Sons, whom he had beg t on Concubines, and who attack'd the Syrians and Egyptians with separate Armies and parties.

We come next to the Roman History, where in the very threshold we are pre∣sented with an Account, that that City and Monarchy was founded by Whore∣dom. The story of Remus and Romulus be∣ing born of a Vestal Virgin, for whom it was not Lawfull to Marry, and that they were the Founders of that City, de∣monstrates the truth of Rome's being De∣riv'd from a spurious Original, and the City being once Founded, Romulus made it a Sanctuary for Vagabonds and a dis∣orderly Rabble, who were so much con∣temned by their Neighbours, that they scorn'd to give them their Daughters in Marriage, which occasion'd their Ravish∣ing the Sabine Virgins, and that brought forth a War, which endangered the o∣verthrow of this new Government in its

Infancy, as Livy gives an Account at large in his first Book Dec. 1. so fatal hath Whor∣dom and Uncleanness always proved to Societies.

Livy in that same Book and Decad gives us an Acccount that Kingly Government was overturned at Rome because of a Rape, in the manner following: The Kings Sons and Kinsmen did often spend their time in Feasting and Treating one ano∣ther, and in their Cups at supper there happened a Discourse, concerning their Wives, upon which, each man launched out in the praises of his own, and thence a Quarrel arising, Collatinus said, it was in vain to talk, since it might easily and spee∣dily be known how much his Wife Lu∣cretia excelled the rest, adding (for they were then in the Camp before Ardea) Let us mount our Horses and go see with our own Eyes what kind of Women our Wives are, and that shall be the Test, which occurs to each man upon this un∣expected Visit; so that Galloping to Rome, they went thence to Collatia, where they found Lucretia not imployed like the rest of the Kings Daughters-in-Law, viz. spen∣ding their time in Banquetting and Luxu∣ry, but sitting amongst her Maids a Spin∣ning: Whereupon it was agreed that her Husband Collatinus came off Conquerer in that dispute, and he being pleas'd with it, did Courteously invite the Royal Youths to Supper, at which time Sextus Tarqui∣nius was seiz'd with a Lustfull passion for

Lucr•…•…tia, a Lady of extraordinary Beauty and Chastity, but for that night they re∣turned again to the Camp.

Some days after Sextus Tarquinius, in order to accomplish his Lustfull design, went privily from the Camp to Collatia, attended only with one Companion, where he was kindly Entertained by Collatinus's Family who knew nothing of his Villain∣ous intent, and Conducted to his Cham∣ber after Supper, but being enflamed with Lust, when he thought every body was asleep, he came with his Sword drawn to Lucretia's Bed-side, and laying his left hand upon her Preast, told her who he was, and threatned her with present death if she spoke one word. The poor Lady be∣ing surpriz'd and afrighted, he began to mix intreaties with his threats and to ex∣press himself in such Terms, as his passion suggested, but finding that neither his soft expressions, nor Barbarous threats could prevail with her, he told her that he would stab a Slave, lay him naked by her when she was dead, and raise a report, that they were killed in the very Act of Adultery, by this means Tarquinius over∣came her, and having satisfied his Lust, went to Rome; Lucretia being thus dis∣honoured, sent immediately for her Hus∣band and Father, desiring them to come to her speedily, with each of them a tru∣sty Friend, for a Grievous Accident had befallen her; and coming accordingly, they found her very Pensive, her Husband ha∣ving

askt her the Cause, and whether she was not well: She burst out into Tears, and answered, No, how can a Woman be well that has lost her Chastity, there are yet the signs of another Man, Collatinus, in thy Bed; but my Body only is violated and my mind Guiltless, of which my death shall be a Witness, but give me your hands and promises that the Adulterer shall not escape unpunished Sextus Tarquinius is the Man who, like an Enemy rather than a Guest, came Armed to my Bed last night, and thence forced pleasures, which if you are Men, will prove fatal to him as well as to me. They endeavoured to comfort her, telling her that where there was no con∣sent there could be no fault. Upon which, she answered: Do you consider what he deserves, tho' I absolve my self from the Crime, I will not be free from the punish∣ment: Nor shall any Unchaste Woman live, to say Lucretia was her Example, and with that, she stab'd her self to the heart with a Knife which she had hid under herGarment; upon which, her Father and Husband set up a loud cry.

Whilst they were overwhelm'd with Grief, Brutus, who came along with them, pulling the Knife out of her Wound, said, I swear, by this Blood, which was so Chaste, before the King Stain'd it, and I take the Gods to Witness it, that I will cut off Sextus Tarquinius Superbus his wicked Wife and Children, with Sword, Fire, or a∣ny other violent means, I can, nor will I

suffer them, or any other from this time forward, to be King of Rome. The affli∣cted Father and Husband joined with him in this Oath, and carrying Lucretia's Bo∣dy into the Market-Place, stir'd up the people, and marching in Arms to Rome, did the like there, and inveighing against the Lust and Violence of Sextus Tarqui∣nius, he also provoked the Army to join with him against the King, who had the Gates of Rome shut against him, was Pro∣claimed an Exile, and he and his Chil∣dren expell'd the Government and the Coun∣try. The Adulterer Sextus Tarquinius, was murdered by the Gabii—The King's Fa∣mily was Plundered, and Kingly Govern∣ment Abolished after it had continued 244 years. And thus the Government was o∣ver-turned by the Lustfulness of a Prince, who thereby brought ruin and disgrace upon his Family, a fatal Exit upon him∣self, and entail'd a War upon his Coun∣try, who join'd in the Oath with Brutus to suffer none of the Tarquins to Reign at Rome.

The next passage we find for our purpose, is that in Livy Decad. 1. Lib. 3. concer∣ning the Lustfull design of Appius Claudi∣us one of the Decemvirs upon the Daugh∣ter of Virginius, a Beautiful Virgin, whom he endeavour'd to win with Money and fair Promises, but finding her Chastity inviolable he suborn'd a Client of his, to Challenge her for his slave, and ad∣judg'd her to be such in order to have

brought her into his own Lustfull Em∣braces. All the intreaties and Arguments of her Father Virginius and her Lover Ici∣lius join'd with the Complaints and Mur∣murs of the People, could not influence Appius to abandon his Lustfull Design, so that Virginius finding he had no Force to stand by him, sufficient to grapple with the Decemvirs, he snatcht a Knife from a Butcher's Stall, and cried out thus, Daugh∣ter, seeing I can do it no other way, do I vindi∣cate thy Liberty, and immediately stabb'd her, after which looking back to the Tri∣bunal, he said, to the Lustful Tyrant, Appius, with this Blood I destine thee to death. The Decemvirs order'd him to be laid hold on, but making way thro the Crowd with his Sword, he went straight to the Camp, whither a great number of Citizens follow∣ed him, while in the mean time her Lover I∣cilius and Numitorius took up Virginia's Corps, bewailing the Injustice of Appius, the un∣happy Beauty of the young Woman, and the necessity of her Father's doing what he did; and the Matrons at the same time cried out, was that the Consequence of bringing forth Children; was that the reward of Chastity; and other expostulations of the like nature. Virginius being arrived in the Camp, all over besprinkled with his Daugh∣ters blood, and the fatal Instrument of her Death in his hand, the whole Army was a∣mazed, especially seeing him followed by so many Roman Citizens in their Gowns, and having commanded Silence, they askt

him what was the matter, to which as∣soon as Grief would permit him, he held up his hands and begg'd of his fellow Soldiers, that they would not impute that to him which was Appius Claudius's Crime, nor hate him as a murderer of his own Children; that his Daughter was more dear to him than his Life, if she could have lived to enjoy her Liberty and preserve her Chastity: But when he saw her dragged like a Slave to be made a Whore on, he thought it better for him to lose his Child by Death than Disgrace that he through his Mercy to her was fallen into a shew of Cruelty, nor would he have survived his Daughter, unless he had been in hopes, by the help of his fellow Soldiers to revenge her Death. They also he knew had Daughters and Wives, nor was the Lust of Appius Claudius extinguished by his Daugh∣ters Death; but that the more he escaped pu∣nishment, the more extravagant, he would be. That by another Mans Calamity, they were taught to provide against the like injury. As for his part, his Wife was Dead, his Daugh∣ter, because she could live no longer in Chastity, died a miserable but an honest death. Where∣fore Appius's Lust had now no temptation in his House; That he would vindicate his own body from any other violence which he could of∣fer with the same courage that he did that of his Daughter. Let other men look to them∣selves and their Children. As Virginius spoke thus, the multitude answered with shouts, That they would neither be wanting to revenge his Grief, nor to vindicate their own Liberty. Upon which being encouraged by the Citi∣zens

that accompanied Virginius, they mar∣ched in Arms to the City, sat down upon the Aventine, exhorted the people to re∣trieve their Liberty, and to make new Tribunes of the people. Icilius, Virginia's Sweet-heart had the same influence upon the Army that was in the Sabines Country, so that they came and joyned those on the Aventine, and at last overturn'd the Go∣vernment of the Decemviri, whom they threatned to burn alive, and Appius Clau∣dius the Lustful Tyrant, being degraded, kill'd himself before the day of his Trial, and his Collegue Coppius did the like; such was the Issue of his unclean design upon the Government and himself. This is the second time that Whoredom overturned the form of the Roman Government.

Livy in the 8th Book of his first Decad gives us a Remarkable Instance of the pu∣nishment of Minutia a Vestal Virgin, for breaking herVow of Chastity, by commiting Incest: She became first suspected of wanton∣ness because of her Garb and Dress, which was thought too fine and curious for one of her profession; and at last she was positive∣ly accused before the High-priests, by one of her Bondmen, that turn'd Informer a∣gainst her, whereupon she was first enjoyn∣ed to abstain from her Office, and then being brought to her Trial, was after Conviction sentenc'd to be bury'd alive, which was executed accordingly at the Gate Collina, on the pav'd Causeway, which for her Crime was called Campus Sceleratus. By

this and the Instance immediately preceed∣ing, we may sufficiently see how hateful Whoredom was amongst the Romans at that time, when a Father chus'd rather to murder his only Child, than to have her made a Whore; and that they conceiv'd the breach of a Vow of Chastity could not be expiated any otherwise than by burying the Criminal alive.

In the 28th Chapter of that same Book, he gives us a Relation of the Ignominy and shame that L. Papirius an Usurer brought upon himself by his unnatural Lust, and of the benefit which accrewed to the people by a Villanous Outrage that he committed upon the Body of C. Pu•…•…s, a Comely Youth, the occasion of which was thus. There was a barbarous Custom then in use amongst the Romans, called Nexus, being a kind of obligation whereby persons that ow'd Money were bound to their Creditors, to be their Slaves, and to work wholly for them till their Debts were paid. By vir∣tue of which Custom C. Publius was forc'd to bind himself for a Debt of his Fathers to Papirius: Who being a lustful Wretch, endeavoured first to debauch the Youth by filthy Speeches and flatteries, but finding him proof against those tentations, he en∣deavoured to terrifie him with threats, and ever and anon put him in mind of his Fortune, viz. that he was a Slave, but the Honest Youth not being to be prevailed upon this way neither, the Savage Usurer converting his Lust into Rage, caus'd the

poor youth to be strip'd naked and cruelly whip'd, by which his body was desperately torn and mangled, the oppressed youth be∣ing not able to endure that Dilgrace and Torment, ran out into the Street in that condition, and cried out upon the Usurer for his Cruelty and Lust. This occasioned a Great Concourse of people, who being mov'd with Compassion towards the young∣man, and with abhorrence at the Indignity of the thing, as that which might perhaps befall themselves or their Children, they crowded into the Forum, and from thence went in a full Body to the Council Chamber, which obliged the Consuls to call a Senate; and as the Fathers entred the House, the people falling at their feet shewed them the young mans mangled and Bloody Back, whereupon a Law was passed that from thence-forward the Estate and Goods and not the Body of any Debtor should be Chargeable for Debts. Thus was Papirius justly punished for his Lust and Savage Cruelty, in losing his Money, being depri∣ved of the Object of his Lust, and brand∣ed with perpetual Infamy.

That same Author, Decad 3. lib. 2. Chap 57. tells us that Opimia and Floronia two Vestal Nuns being convicted of Whoredom were buried alive, and Lucius Cantilius Se∣cretary to the Pontiffs, that committed In∣cest with Flo•…•…onia was whipt to death by the Arch-Pontiff in the Common-hall. That this villany of the Nuns was lookt upon as a Publick and Ominous disaster, where∣upon

they sent to the Oracle of Delphos to enquire how it might be expiated and had this Answer returned, that they must bury two Couples alive in the Beast Market, viz. a French-man and a French-woman and a Greekman and a Greekwoman, which was accordingly performed.

In the third Book of that Decad, we have an account that Hannibal's Army which had not long before obtained a Glo∣rious Victory over the Romans at Cannae, became so debaucht by wintering in Capua a Lascivious City, that they spent their time in Sleep, Drunkenness, delicate Fare, Stews, Hot-houses, &c. which so weakned their Bodies and debauched their Minds, that his wintering at Capua was reckoned no less an oversight in Hannibal, than was his not marching straightway to Rome upon a defeat which he gave the Romans at Cannae, for when he marched out of Capua his Ar∣my was entangled with Harlots, and his Men were rendred so effeminate with their Luxury that they could not endure fatigues as formerly, but fled from their Colours in great numbers, and from that very time the decay of the Carthaginian Glory and Re∣putation, and the fall of their Government may take its date, such have always been the fatal consequences of Luxury or Un∣cleanness to People and Nations.

It may not be improper here to take notice of the fatal disaster of that Luxu∣rious City of Capua, which being taken by Q. Eulvius and Appius Claudius, the

Chief men of the City hastened their own deaths by Poyson, and the Senators were put to death by Q. Fulvius, tho the Senate of Rome had granted them pardon for their Lives, and then Capua was reduced to a Village, tho the Buildings were spared, but they were not allowed the privileges of a Corporation, nor the benefit of Magi∣strates.

In the 3d. Decad, Lib. 9. Chap. 17. We have an account of the brutish Lust of Ple∣minius the Roman Lieutenant at Locri, a∣gainst whom the Locrians sent Ambassadors to the Senate at Rome, where they charged him and his Officers with Ravishing their Matrons, Virgins and Ingenuous Youths, That there was not one House nor one Per∣son in Locri, but what had been injured and that all parts of their City sounded with Cries of Women and Children that were ravished, which the Senate resented so much, that Pleminius and above thirty of his Associates were sent in Chains to Rome, where Pleminius made his Exit in a Dungeon, a just and suitable punishment for one that had been guilty of so many works of Darkness.

Our next Instance is that of Sophonisba, Decad 3. Book 10 Chap. 15. She was daugh∣ter to Asdrubal the Famous Carthaginian General, and Married to Syphax King of Numidia, who being routed by Massinissa King of Massilia, and an Allie of the Ro∣mans, whom he had dispoiled of his King∣dom, Massinissa was so enchanted with Love

to Sophonisba, that he married her within a few hours of his having taken her Cap∣tive, such was his impetuous Lust and her accursed Inconstancy, for when he came into the Pallace where she was, her ad∣ress to him savoured more of a Courtesan than either of a Constant Wife or a Gene∣rous Queen, so that she seem'd rather to Court him than avoid his Embraces, for which Divine Justice soon found her out. Her Husband Syphax being taken and car∣ried before Scipio, who asked him, why he made War upon the Romans, answered, That his Palace was set on fire by Nu∣ptial Torches, when he married Sophonisba, who never rested till she had armed his Hands against himself, as well as his Guest and good Friend: yet, That amidst all his Miseries he had this Comfort still, that he saw the same Pest and Fury was got into the House and Family of his greatest Ene∣my, and that Massinissa was not more pru∣dent or constant than Syphax. This obli∣ged Scipio to rebuke and expostulate with Massinissa privately, thus: Massinissa, I be∣lieve that you saw some good things in me, not only when you came first into Spain to contract Friendship with me, but afterwards also, when I came into Africa, you committed both your self and all your Hopes to my protection: But there is no Virtue, for which I seem to be a fit Object of your Affections, wherein I glory so much as in the government and mastery I have over my Lusts; and this I would have you also, Massi∣nissa, add to your other extraordinery Qualifi∣cations,

for there is not, believe me, so much Danger to be fear'd, in our Age, from armed Foes, as from Pleasures that surrounds us on every side. After a great deal more to this purpose, he concluded thus; Subdue your passion, and have a care you do not deform many Virtues with one Vice, &c. Massinissa was so much struck with this Mercurial Speech, that after a sharp Conflict with his Passion and impetuous Amour, he sent a trusty Servant with a Cup of Poyson to Sophonisba, and to tell her, That Massinissa would wil∣lingly have perform'd his first Promise to her, as an Husband ought to his Wife, but since they that were able to do it had taken that Power out of his Hands, he was resol∣ved to make good his second Promise, That she should not be, whilst alive, in the Hands of any Roman, as being mindful of her Fa∣ther, who was a General, her Country, and the two Kings to whom she had been mar∣ried; and that she therefore should consult her own Good. To which Sophonisba, with a Constancy much more commendable than she was endow'd with when Massinissa ac∣costed her with his Amours, answer'd, I ac∣cept this Nuptial Present; nor is it unwelcome to me, if my Husband could do no more for me; yet tell him this from me, That I should have dy'd much better, if I had not been married at my Funeral: And so drank it off, without any more ado. Thus was she punish'd for her •…•…isloyalty to her Husband Syphax; for it had been an easie matter for a Woman of such vast Courage as she appears to have

been, to have deliver'd her self by Death from Massinissa's Embraces, as well before as after she had polluted her self with such an Unlawful Marriage.

The next thing suitable to our Subject, which occurs to us in this Historian, is the Controversie which happen'd among the Romans, about abrogating the Oppian Law for restraining the Luxury of Womens Ap∣parel. Marcus Portius Cato was for conti∣nuing the Law, and in his grave Oration on that Head had these remarkable Sayings concerning it, viz. That if every one of the Romans had resolv'd to maintain the majesty and prerogative of an Husband over his own Wife, we should not have had all this Trouble with the Women in general; but now our Li∣berty being restrain'd at home, by the Tyranny of our own Women, 'tis intrench'd and trampl'd upon here in the Forum.—Our Ancestors would not suffer Women to do any private Business, without the Advice of a Man, but to be at the disposal of their Parents, Bre∣thren, or Husband; but We, forsooth, now-adays, let them manage even the Com∣monwealth it self. You have often heard me complain not only of the Prodigality of Women, but of Men too, and those as well Magistrates as private Persons; and, that the City labours under two different Vices of Avarice and Luxury, which have been the Bane of all great Empires.—But, says a great Lady, I cannot endure this levelling and equality; why should not I appear all glit∣tering with Gold, and cloathed in Purple? Why

should the Poverty of others lie hid under the Umbrage of this Law, so as what they cannot have, they, if it were lawful, should seem able to buy? Will you Romans give your Wives oc∣casion to contend in this manner, that the Rich Women shall desire to have what no Woman else can purchase, and the poorer sort, lest for this very Reason they should be contemn'd, to stretch beyond their Abilities? She that can, out of her own Stock, will purchase the thing she lacks; and she that cannot, will ask her Husband; and woe be to that man who either does or does not grant their Requests, when he shall see that which he himself would not give her, given her by ano∣ther man And abundance more to this pur∣pose; which is the Opinion that the Wisest of the Romans had of Temperance, and the Abhorrence they had of Luxury, as being always the Forerunner of the Ruine of any State or People.

In the 8th Book, cap. 24, Decade 11, he gives us an Account of a memorable Judg∣ment upon a Roman Centurion, for violating the Chastity of a petty Grecian Queen, who was committed to his Custody among other Captives. The Centurion being taken with her Beauty, did first sound her Inclinations, but finding her averse to Voluntary Adul∣tery, he offer'd Violence to her Body, which Fortune had made a Slave; after which, he put her in Hopes of returning into her own Country, but at the same time bargain'd with her for so much Gold; and lest any of his own People should know it, he per∣mitted her to send one of the other Cap∣tives,

whom she pleas'd, to bring the Mo∣ney, and two of her Friends, to receive her at the side of a River, whither he went the next Night, with his Captive, to meet them. As soon as they had shew'd him the Gold, the Lady commanded her Friends to draw their Swords, and kill the Centurion; which being done, she order'd them to cut off his Head, and wrapping it up in her Gown, carried it to her Husband Ortiagon, whom before she embraced, she threw the Centurion's Head at his Feet, acquainting him what Injury she had receiv'd, and how she had reveng'd it; and spent the remaining part of her Life without any Stain upon her Conjugal Chastity.

The next thing belonging to our Subject which occurrs in this Historian, is, his Ac∣count of the Bacchanalian Rites, Decad. 4, Lib. 9, Cap. 8, &c. as follows, viz.

There came a petty Priest, or Prophet, of those Times, out of Greece into Etruria, now Tuscany, who was the chief Manager of certain Rites call'd Initia, to which Religi∣ous Performance there were added the Pleasures of Feasting and Wine, and when Wine and the Night, the Men and Women being mixt together, had extinguish'd all Sense of Shame, first there were Debauche∣ries of all sorts committed, ingennous Men and Women lay promiscuously with one∣another, and false Witnesses, false Tokens and Judgments, came out of that same Office of Roguery; and many times People were kill'd or poyson'd in their own Houses, and

frequently 'twas so order'd, that their Bo∣lies could not be found to be buried. Ma∣•…•…v Crimes were carried on by Treachery, and more by Force, and those Outrages were conceal'd, by reason of their Houlings and the noise of their Drums and Cymbals, so that no-body could hear the Cries of those that had Violence offer'd to them when they were kill'd, or had Violence offer'd to their Chastity. This Mischief came from Etruria to Rome, where the bigness of the City con∣ceal'd their Villanies.

Those Wicked Practices came at length to be discover'd by Postumius the Consul, in the following manner. P. Aebutius being left an Orphan, was educated under the tutelage of his Mother Duronia, and his Fa∣ther-in-law T. Sempronius Rutilus, of whom his Mother was mighty fond. His Father∣in-law having manag'd the Guardianship at that rate, that he could give no good Ac∣count of it, had a mind either to destroy the Young-man, or to have him oblig'd to him by some Bond; and the best Way he could contrive to effect his Design was, by the Bacchanalian Rites:—Whereupon Duronia call'd her Son, and told him, that she had vow'd when he was sick, that as soon as he recover'd she would initiate him in the Bac∣chanalia, which she was now resolv'd to perform; telling him, that he must live Chast for ten days; that on the tenth day she would carry him to Supper, and afterwards, when he was clean wash'd, into the Sacrary. Aelutius happening to impart this to Hispala Fecenia, a Curte∣san,

with whom he kept company, and who lov'd him entirely, she dissuaded him from it, telling him, it was a snare laid for his Life, and pray'd, that a thousand Curses might light on their Heads who perswaded him to it. The Youth admiring at the Disorder she was in, desir'd her to spare her Curses, for his Mo∣ther, by the Consent of his Father-in-law, had commanded him so to do; to which she replied, Your Father in-law makes haste to destroy your Credit, Hopes, and Life.—This put him into a Surprize, and made him the more eager to know what the matter was; whereupon she (begging Pardon of the Gods and Goddesses, if, forced by the Love she bore him, she reveal'd things that ought to have been conceal'd) told him, that when she was a Waiting-maid, she went along with her Mistress into that Sacrary, but since she was free, never came within it: That she knew it to be the Shop of all Cor∣ruption; that as soon as any Person was introduc'd, he was deliver'd, like a Sacri∣fice, to the Priests, who carried him into a place that rung round with Howlings, Sing ing, Cymbals, and Drums, that the Voice of any one that complain'd, when Lustful Vio∣lence was offer'd to them, might not be heard: Wherefore she desir'd and beseech'd him, that he would disengage himself from that Design, by any means whatsoever, and not throw himself headlong into that place, where he must both do and suffer all the most abominable things imaginable. Nor would she let him stir from her, before the

Young-man had promis'd that he would keep away from those Mysteries.

When he came home, his Mother began to tell him what he must do in order to his initiation; to which he answer'd, That he would not be initiated at all: Whereupon she cried out, That he was so intoxicated with that Serpent Hispala, that he had lost all respect for his Father-in-law, his Mother, and the Gods themselves. His Father-in-law laying hold of the Opportunity, turn'd him out of doors, with four Servants; whereupon the Young-man went to his Aunt Aebutia, a grave Ma∣tron, and acquainted her with the Cause of his being turn'd out; she advis'd him to make Complaint to the Consul Postumius the next day, which he did privately; the Consul did thereupon send for Aebutia, and being inform'd by her concerning her Ne∣phew Abutius, he sent likewise for Hispala, who being amaz'd that she should be sent for by a person of that Dignity, went to his House full of Fear.—The Consul taking her aside, examin'd her before his Mother-in-law Sulpicia, a noble and grave Lady, concerning what was done in the Grove of Simele, at the Bacchanals: She was so much surpriz'd, that for some time she stood speechless, and at last confess'd, That when she was a very little Girl, and a Servant, she was initiated with her Mistress, but, for some Years, she knew nothing of what they did there, and would fain have evaded any fur∣ther Questions, being afraid of the Gods (she said) whose Secrets she had discover'd, but of

Men much more, who would tear her in pieces for being such an Informer; and therefore pray'd they would send her to some place out of Italy, where she might be in Safety. The Consul promis'd, that she should live se∣cure at Rome; and then she declar'd, that there was no manner of Villany omitted at those Rites; that there were more Lustful Enormities committed by the Men, among themselves, than by the Women; that if any one were unwilling to endure such Shameless Actions, and slow to Wickedness, they were sacrific'd for Victims, for they thought nothing unlawful, which was the greatest Tenet of their Religion, that such Men as would not conspire, associate in Villany, or endure their Lustful Unclean∣ness, they carried away into secret Dens and Caves, and gave out, that they were snatch'd away by the Gods; and that for two Years past they had order'd, that no body should be initiated, who was above Twenty Years of age, because the younger they were, they thought they would be the more ready to endure their Folly and Leud∣ness. The Consul being thus throughly in∣form'd of the matter, acquainted the Se∣nate with it, and amongst other things, in his Speech to them, had these remarkable Sayings: Do you think, Romans, that Young∣men, who are initiated into this Order, are fit to be made Souldiers of? Shall we put them in Arms, that come out of such an obscene Brothel∣house? Will such Fellows as these, that are co∣ver'd all over with Buggeries of their own and

other men, fight for the Chastity of their Wives and Children? And setting forth at large the Danger that might accrue to the State by those Nightly Meetings, the Bacchanalian Rites were prohibited by Order of the Se∣nate, all the Priests of the Order were com∣manded to be shut up, and the Frequenters of those Nightly Meetings enquir'd after; such of them as they found to have been only initiated, and had said Prayers accor∣ding to the Sacred Form, which the Priests repeated before them, in which was con∣tain'd a cursed Obligation to commit all Acts of Villany and Lechery, but had not committed them, them they imprison'd; •…•…ut those whom they found to have been defil'd by Lust or Murder, false Testimo∣nies, false Tokens, forging of Wills, or other Frauds, they put to Death; after which the Bacchanalia were pull'd down at Rome, and all over Italy.

We shall conclude our Instances from Livy, with this Passage, which is the last that fam'd Historian affords us, that any way relates to our Subject.—It is pro∣per however to observe here, that the Bac∣chanalia, which we have now describ'd, may justly be reckon'd a-Kin to, if not the Off∣spring of, the Eleusina Sacra formerly men∣tion'd; both of them had their Original from Greece, and were solemniz'd with much the like Secrecy and Outrage; and both of them serve to let us see how far Humane Nature may be deprav'd by raging Lust,

when a Person or People are justly given up to it of God.

We think it proper, before we come to the Instances of the Roman Emperors, &c. which are but too too numerous, to take a view of those persons whom Plutarch has honour'd to be their Biographer, and to excerpt from thence what suits with our purpose.

We have taken notice, that Rome was founded by a spurious Brood, and in the Life of Theseus, which is the first in Plu∣tarch: We shall find that Athens had much the same sort of Original; which is the more observable, because from those two Cities the Christian Religion met with the greatest Opposition, viz. from the vain Philosophy of the former, and the more bloody and cruel Persecution of the lat∣ter.

Our Author tells us, That Theseus seems to resemble Romulus in many particulars, and in his Birth especially, both of 'em be∣ing born out of Wedlock, and of uncertain Parentage. Ageus however is reckon'd to be Father to Theseus, by Athia Daughter to Plitheus, whom having got with Child, he left a Sword and a pair of Shoes hiding them under a great Stone, and making her only privy to it, commanding her, that if she brought forth a Son, who when he came to Man's estate should be able to lift up the Stone, and take away what he had left there, she should send him away to him with those things with all Secrecy: Which

she having accordingly observ'd, her Son Theseus, after he had slain Sinnis, who from his way of murthering Men was call'd The Bender of Pines, committed Fornication with his Daughter Perigune, begot Menalippus upon her, and afterwards married her to another. The next Feat Theseus did, was the killing of Phea, a Beast of great fierce∣ness, according to some, or a cruel and lustful Woman, according to others, who had the Name of a Sow given her, from the beastliness of her Life; which, if true, she was remarkably enough punish'd, by one that was as guilty of Incontinence as her self.—The next thing we have of his Amours is, that with Ariadne, by whose Advice and Assistance he overcame the Mi∣•…•…aur; but having serv'd his Ends, he de∣serted her for another, viz. Aegle, with whom he fell in Love, and thereupon Ari∣adne died of Grief, as some say, tho' others contradict it, and alledge, She died in Childbed.—Our Author gives us also an Account of his Rape of Antiope, Princess of the Amazons,—and, in short, sums up his unlawful Amours, and the fatal Conse∣quence of them, in a few words, thus: That the Marriages of Theseus were neither ho∣nourable in their beginning, nor fortunate in their Events;—and recounts them thus, viz. that he forc'd Anaxo the Traxenian; ravish'd the Daughters of Sinnis and Cercyon; married Peribaea the Mother of Ajax, and then Pheribaea, and then Iope the Daughter of •…•…phicles: Further he is accus'd for deserting

Ariadne, as is before related, being in love with Aegle, the Daughter of Panopeus, an Action neither just nor honourable; and lastly, for the Rape of Helen, when he was fifty Years old, which fill'd all Attica with War and Blood, and occasion'd his Ba∣nishment and Death, Lycomedes having thrown him headlong from a Rock, as he had hurried himself headlong into Lustful Passion. Such was the fatal Exit of this Ethnick Hero, occasion'd by his Uncleanness.

In the Life of Lycurgus, that great Lacede∣monian Philosopher and Law-giver, we have an eminent Instance of the truth of that of the Apostle concerning the Heathens, that because when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, he gave them up to work all Uncleanness with greediness; for what less than a Judicial Blindness could so much infatuate such a wise man as Lycurgus, to al∣low a Communitv of Wives, and the pro∣miscuous Dancings of young Men and Wo∣men together naked, that must necessarily inflame their Lusts? Which is own'd by Plutarch himself, tho' cover'd under the handsom Expressions of alluring them to Mar∣riage, not upon Interest and Equality of For∣tune and Birth, but from the sweet Constraint and unsophisticated Dictates of Nature.—The Reasons of this Community of Women he en∣forc'd by these Arguments following, viz. That Children are not so much the Propriety of their Parents, as of the Commonwealth, and therefore he would not have 'em begot by the first Comers, but by the best Men that could be found:

That the Laws of other Nations seem'd to him very defective and incongruous, who were very sollicitous for the Bread of their Dogs and Hor∣ses, and sent a great way to get the best Stallions, and yet kept their Wives under Lock and Key, for fear of other Men; whereas themselves were craz'd, old, or infirm, and more fit to propagate Diseases than their Species. Certainly any man, at first sight, must needs see that those Dictates of our Philosopher are con∣trary to the Dictates of Nature, and natu∣rally Introductive of all manner of Villany and Disorders.—Reason, as well as Re∣velation, teaches us, that Jealousie is the Rage of a Man, and that there is nothing more unsupportable to Humane Nature. All Histories are full of Tragical Instances of it; and Experience teaches us, that those Nations where such promiscuous Copulati∣ons are allow'd, differ but very little from Brutes, whose Example Lycurgus proposes, and they follow. If it be objected, What we find in the Life of our Author, that so long as these Ordinances were observ'd, the Women were so far from that Scandalous Liberty which hath since been objected to them, that they knew not what the Name of Adultery meant; it may be answer•…•…d, That it implies a downright Contradiction; for if those Ordinances were observ'd, the Commonwealth of Sparta must necessarily have abounded with Adultery, whether they knew the Name of it or not: But it's pro∣bable, that seeing such a Choice of Para∣mours was allow'd them by Lycurgus's Laws,

they did not reckon lying with their Neigh∣bours Wives Adultéry: And therefore Ge∣radas might well say, That it was as impossi∣ble to find an Adulterer in Sparta, as to find a Bull with a Neck so long, that he could stand at one side of the Mountain Taygetus, and drink of the River that run on the other side of it.

It is also observable, that this Practise did not answer the End taken from his Brutish Reason, viz. to have strong and healthful Children; for we have an Account by this same Author, that if they found the Child upon its Birth to be deform'd, and of an ill Complexion, they order'd it to be cast into a deep Cavern of the Earth, near the Mountain Taygetus; and that the Women did also bath the new-born Children in Wine, thinking it would immediately kill those of a weak Constitution: And yet, notwithstanding all those Precautions, we find that they had weakly Children bred up, and those, our Author says, they em∣ploy'd in gathering Sallads and Herbs.

To conclude this point; It is not at all to be wonder'd at, that a People who al∣low'd such Unfaithfulness as to the Mar∣riage-bed, should grow so unfaithful in all their other Transactions as the Lacedemo∣nians did, which occasion'd their being ut∣terly ruin'd by the Athenians.

In the Life of Numa Pompilius, so much reverenc'd by the Romans for his Piety, and accounted the first Instituter of their Reli∣gion, we find, that when a Roman was suffi∣ciently stock'd with Children, in case his

Neighbour, who had none, should desire him to accommodate him with his Wife, that he also might have the Benefit of Issue from such a fruitful Woman: Numa al∣low'd the Husband either to lend his Wife for a time, or to loose the Bonds of Mar∣riage, and consign her into the Hands of her Paramour for ever.—An early Pre∣sage that, Rome was at last to become the Mother of Harlots, and of the Abominations of the Earth; another Instance of those wise Heathens being judicially given up of God to their Uncleanness, because they did not improve the Knowledge they had to the Glory of God, of whose Being and At∣tributes they had such clear Ideas.

In the Life of Solon we have an Account That that great Philosopher and Law-giver was guilty of Unlawful Love towards Boys, and that designing to appropriate that Bru∣tish pleasure to such as he call'd Gentlemen, he forbad the use of it to Slaves. In one of his Laws he permits an Heiress, if her Lawful Husband prove impotent, to lye with his nearest Kinsman; and yet he was so inconsistent with himself, that he permit∣ted any one to kill an Adulterer, that found him in the Act.—We shall conclude this passage with his Account of himself in this Distick:

I mind a Song, a Miss, and Glass of Wine; These are most mens Delights, and these are mine.

In the Life of Camillus we have an Ac∣count, how the Latins were defeated by their Lasciviousness and Whoredom, when they had reduced the Romans to a very great strait, the passage is thus: The Latins de∣manded a certain number of free Maids from the Romans in Marriage; the latter looking upon this as a Trick only to gain Hostages, and yet being both afraid and unable to carry on the War, they durst not positively refuse them; whereupon Tutula, or Philotis as some call her, advis'd the Ma∣gistrates to send her, and some other beauti∣ful Damosels, who were Bond-maids, habited like Free-Virgins, and while the Latins were in their Dalliances with them, they would give them a Signal to fall out upon them: Which being agreed on accordingly, Tutula in the Night-time set up a lighted Torch upon a wild Figtree, hanging up some Clothes on the Tree that hid the Torch from the Latin Camp, while it was percep∣tible to the Romans, and accordingly they sally'd, surpriz'd and destroy'd the Latins, in remembrance of which a Festival was ap∣pointed, call'd the Nonae Capraticae, where in the People run out of the City in a confused manner, calling aloud the most familiar and usual Names, as Caius, Marcus, Lucius, and the like, as they did at the Sally; and the Maid-servants, richly adorn'd, ran a∣bout, playing and jesting upon all they met, and amongst themselves use a kind of skir∣mishing, to shew they help'd in the Conflict against the Latins; and in the time of their

Feasting they sit shaded over with Boughs of wild Figtree.

Our next Instance is that bold Athenian Gentleman Pericles, whose Weak Side was Lasciviousness, and therefore he became the Subject of the Railery of the Comick Poets of his time; who upbraided him, as being the errant'st Whoremonger that ever liv'd, charg'd him with dishonest Converse with the Wife of Menippus, and of committing Incest with his own Son's Wife: His In∣trigue with Aspatia before Marriage is also much taken Notice of, and She is accus'd of being no better than a Bawd, or as the Tran∣slator expresses it, Keeper of a Vaulting-school. They did also upbraid him with the Vola∣ries or Birdcages of Pyrilampes, who being Pericles's Friend, they pretended that he us'd to present Peacocks and fine Birds to Pericles's Misses. The Punishments inflicted upon Pericles we find to be, that he was not only envied and disturb'd by Tumults and Seditions, but disquieted with the Disobe∣dience and Scurrilous Reflections of his own eldest Son, depriv'd of him and his youngest Son, whom he lov'd entirely, by Death, and constrain'd at last to repeal his own Law against Bastards enjoying any Inheri∣tance, that his Bastard Son should keep up the Name of his Family; and he was cut off too at last, by Order of the Senate: And Pericles himself, who had burnt so much in Lust, was consum'd to death by a burning Plague, his Uncleanness having fix'd such a Stain upon his Memory, as all his great

Actions have not been able to wipe off.

In the Life of Fabius Maximus we have an Account how Tarentum was betray'd to him by means of an Unchast Woman, who with her Amours and Flatteries prevail'd upon her Lover, a Noble Brutian, to betray the Town to the Romans: Fabius having sent her Brother, who was in his Army, in∣to the Town on purpose to manage the In∣trigue; or, according to others, she had formerly been Fabius's own Mistress, and he permitted her to go and corrupt the Taren∣tine Governor by her lewd Embraces, which occasion'd the taking and cruel destruction of the Town: So fatal are Harlots to all Commonwealths where they are suffer'd to re∣main unpunish'd.

We have already had occasion to observe how fatal the Impure Amours of Alcibiades was to all Greece, and particularly to Athens; but there are divers more observable Parti∣culars as to that matter, in his Life written by Plutarch, tho' he was continually attend∣ed by that excellent person Socrates, whose wholsome Instructions had much Influence upon him, yet all his Philosophy was not able to reform him. We find him accus'd, when a Boy, of a Suspicion of being a Cata∣mite; his Wife Hipparete, a virtuous Lady, and one that lov'd him entirely, abandon'd him at last, because of his multitude of Whores, and su'd for a Divorce from him; but when she p•…•…esented her self before the Magistrate for that end, Alcibiades retook her again by Force.—He is accus'd of be∣ing

Luxurious in his Eating, Drinking, and Amours, and was much despis'd by the A∣thenians, because, instead of their usual En∣signs upon his Shield, he had a Cupid paint∣ed upon it with a Thunderbolt in his Hand. Aristophon the Painter drew him sitting in the Curtesan Nemea's Arms, which much displeas'd the graver Athenians. While he was an Exile at Sparta, he debauch'd the Wife of Agis King of Lacedemon, and had a Son by her: And 'tis observable, that the cause of his being banish'd from his own Country and condemn'd to Death, was his having perform'd the debauch'd Mysteries of the Eleusina Sacra by way of Mockery. The Injury he did to Agis King of Lacede∣mon made him unsafe there, so that he fled for Security to Tisaphernes the Persian Ge∣neral. In a word, his whole Life was a continued Series of remarkable Ups and Downs: And his Death was no less remar∣kable, the Historian giving us an Account of it in this manner, viz. That having re∣tir'd to a small Village in Phrygia, with one Timandra a Mistress of his, he was, at the instance of the Lacedemonians, attack'd in his House by some Barbarians, who setting it on fire, he with much ado escap'd thro' the Flames, and was at last slain by their Darts, his Mistress Timandra having buried him with as much Decency as her Circumstances would allow. Thus did Alcibiades fall in∣gloriously by his Lusts, who had done so many Great and Glorious Actions in the World.

We have already touch'd upon the Judg∣ments which pursued Dionysius, the Lustful Tyrant of Sicily, for his Uncleanness, but meeting with a further Instance of it in the Life of Timoleon, it is thought proper to take notice of it here in the words of Plu∣tarch, viz. That all the Mischiefs and Vexa∣tions of his former Reign were abundantly repaid and outdone by those Evils and Ca∣lamities which he then suffer'd, for he liv'd to see the Funerals of his Sons in the prime of their Age, the Rapes of his Daughters in the Flower of their Virginity, and the Prostitution of his own Sister, that became his Wife, who being first villanously treat∣ed, and her Person expos'd to all the Lust and Lewdness of the common Souldiery, she was afterwards murder'd, together with her Children, and their Bodies cast into the Sea. Thus was Dionysius punish'd, as we may say, in Specie, for his Lust and Cruel∣ty.

In the Life of Pelopidas we find this re∣markable Passage concerning Archias, the Tyrant of Thebes, who having render'd himself odious to the People by his Op∣pression, and sent many of them into Exile, some of the Chief of those Exiles contriv'd his Ruine, under the Conduct of Pelopidas, thus: Philidas, who was Secretary to Ar∣chias, having invited him and some others to an Entertainment to drink freely and accompany some married Whores, he was so much taken up with his Cups and the Expectation of his Female Guests, that tho'

he had a Letter sent him discovering the Plot against his Life, and deliver'd with this Message, That it contain'd Matters of Concern, and therefore 'twas necessary he should read it; he answer'd, Matters of Concern to morrow. And as he was carrousing thus, Charon and Molon, two of the Conspirators, having put on Womens Apparel over their Armour, and thick Garlands of Firr and Pine to shade their Faces, in this man∣ner came to the Door, upon which Archion and his Guests gave an Huzza, thinking they had been the lewd Women that they expected, but were quickly undeceiv'd, and had their Hearts pierced by the Conspira∣tors Swords, at the same time when they were pierced with the Darts of raging Lust. And thus Thebes was deliver'd from Ty∣ranny.

In that same Life we have an Account how Divine Justice pursued Alexander the Tyrannical King of Pherea, for his Brutish Lust. His Wife Thebe, Daughter to Jason, being enrag'd at him for his Debaucheries, and particularly for abusing her younger Brother to his Lust, she contriv'd his Death thus;—She hid her three Brothers in a Room near to his Bedchamber, all the other Apartments being full of the Tyrant's Night-guards; before his Chamber there lay a fierce Dog chain'd, which would flye at all but the Tyrant's Wife and a Servant that fed him: When Night came Thebe went in alone to his Chamber, according to the usual Custom, and finding him asleep,

came out again, commanded the Servant to lead away the Dog, for the King would take some Rest, and then covering the Stairs with Wool, brought up her Brothers into his Chamber, where they kill'd him, and throw∣ing out his Carcass, it was trod under foot in great Contempt by the Phereans.

In the Life of Marcus Cato the Censor we find that the grave Romans thought that not so much as a Marriage, or a Night's Lodging for the Procreation of Children, nay, not a Feast or Drinking-bout, ought to be permit∣ted according to every one's Fancy, without being censur'd and enquir'd into; and there∣fore they chose two Persons, one out of the Patricians, the other out of the Commons, who were to watch, correct, and punish, if any one ran too much after Voluptuousness; and therefore Cato, tho' he met with much Opposition, because of his Severity, was prefer'd to that Imployment; and the first remarkable thing which we find perform'd by him in that Office was, the Expulsion of Lucius Quintus from the Senate, because he had, to please a Boy whom he kept as a Ca∣tamite, order'd a condemn'd Person to be executed before him at a Feast. He did also throw Manilius out of the Senate, because in the presence of his Daughter, and in open Day, he was a little too sweet upon his own Wife.—The People were so well plea∣sed with his Behaviour in his Imployment, that they erected a Statue for him in the Temple of the Goddess of Health with the following Inscription; That this was Cato

the Censor, who by his good Discipline and Or∣dinances reclaim'd the Roman Commonwealth, when 'twas declining and supinely tumbling into Vice. Yet we find that this very Man, so famous for the Severity and Uprightness of his Manners, not improving that Knowledg which God had given him, was overcome by his Lusts even in his Old-age; for Plu∣tarch says, that in his old days, when he was past a Lover's Years, he made use of Women, and particularly of a young Wench who came privately to him, which being discover'd by his Son, who took Offence thereat, the old Man, in revenge, married a young Woman, Daughter to Salonius his own Clark; and when his Son ask'd him the reason of it, he answer'd him soft and fair, Good Son, I desire to have many Children, and to leave the Commonwealth more such Citizens as thou art.

In the Life of Pyrrhus we have an Account that his multiplying of Wives with a design to enlarge his Interest, had not the happy Effect which he propos'd to himself by it, for Lanassa, one of his Wives, took so great Offence at his Inclination to the rest, that she deserted him, and married Demetrius King of Macedonia, and by that means kin∣dled a War betwixt him and Pyrrhus. In that same Life we do also find, that Pyrrhus was invited against Sparta by Cleonymus, one of the Chief Men there, because his Wife Chelidonis falling desperately in Love with A•…•…rotatus, that Youngster dishonour'd his Bed; and therefore, to revenge himself for

the Injury, he brought Pyrrhus with a great Army against Sparta, which occasion'd a great deal of Bloodshed, and endanger'd the City; however, Pyrrhus did not succeed in his Design against it, as if Providence would let him see, that he was no fit Person to re∣venge an Injury done to the Marriage Bed, who was so very guilty of that same Crime himself; and, at last, he fell by the Hands of a Woman, who seeing him engag'd with her Son in the Streets of Argos, threw a Tile upon him from the top of an House, which made him fall from his Horse, and a com∣mon Souldier did afterwards cut off his Head.

In the Life of Sylla we have this Account of him; That he us'd to sit on a Chair of State amongst beautiful Women, Mimicks, Fidlers, and such-like Rascally People, on whom he squander'd away the Revenues of whole Countries and Cities, bestowing on some of them Ladies in Marriage against their Will, so as his Gratuities were much more intolerable than his Usurpations. He kept company with Actors, Actresses, and Minstrels, drinking with 'em Night and Day: He also indulg'd himself in Unnatural Lust with Men, particularly Metrobius the Woman-actor: But behold the just Judg∣ment of God upon him;—These lascivious Courses brought him into a Disease which made his Bowels to fester, so that at last the corrupted Flesh broke forth into Lice in such prodigious quantities, that all the Hands he could employ were not able to destroy 'em,

so that his Clothes, Beds, Basons, and Meat was polluted with that Contagion: He went often into the Baths by day, to scoure and cleanse his Body, but all in vain, the course return'd so quick, and with such numerous Supplys, as overcame all manner of Rid∣dance; so that, in fine, he who had led an unclean Life dy'd of an abominable and un∣clean Disease.

In the Life of Cimon, Plutarch tells us, that he was lewd and vicious, accuses him of In-cest with his own Sister, and other unclean Practices, and at last he died of a Wound, as some Authors say, which he receiv'd from the Barbarians in a Skirmish, his Impurity having fix'd a perpetual stain upon him, which all his great Actions could never wipe off. In that same Life we meet with a re∣markable Passage concerning Pausanias the Lacedemonian, who having sollicited a young Lady of Constantinople, call'd Cleonice, to de∣bauch her, her Friends dreading the Power of the Tyrant, were forc'd to abandon her to him: Cleonice commanded the Servants to put out all the Lights, and approaching his Bed silently in the dark, she stumbled upon the Lamp, which she overturn'd and spilt: Pausanias being awak'd by the noise, and thinking it had been some Assassin to attack him, snatch'd up his Poinard and wounded her mortally, after which he never enjoy'd himself, but was disturb'd in his Thoughts, and haunted by her Ghost, so that he never had Success in any thing afterwards, and was at last slain by order of the Senate in Miner∣va's

Temple, whither he had fled for Re∣fuge.

In the Life of Lucullus we find, that there was a stop put to the Careir of his good For∣tune and Glory, chiefly by means of Clodius, his Wife's Brother, who was so unnatural a Villain as to commit Adultery and Incest with his own Sister Clodia, Lucullus's Wife, and stirring up the Fimbrian Army against Lucullus, prevented his further Conquests: Lucullus himself returning to Rome, gave himself up to all manner of Luxury, and was at last depriv'd of his Senses by a Philtre or Amorous Potion, giv'n him by Callisthenes his Freeman, to endear him to himself; so that this Great Man was not only ruin'd by the Lasciviousness of himself and others, but a stop was thereby put to the Roman Conquests, which had otherwise, says our Author, not been bounded by the Euphrates, but by the uttermost parts of the Earth, and the Hyrca∣nian Sea.

In the Life of Pompey the Great we find that famous General accus'd of unchaste A∣mours with Flora the Courtesan, whom he afterwards resign'd to his Friend Geminius, upon which she languish'd and died. We find likewise, that Sylla, to gain over this Great Man to his Party, perswaded him to put away his Wife Antistia, and to marry Aemilia Daughter-in-law to Sylla, who was at that time Wife to another Man, by whom she was big with Child. This unlawful Mar∣riage was soon after punish'd in part, for Antistius, Father to Antistia, was murder'd in

the Senate, as a Favourer of Sylla for Pom∣pey's sake, and her Mother upon this account made away with her self.—These were the Tragedies that attended that unhappy Mar∣riage, says Plutarch; and that there might be nothing wanting to compleat the last Act by Heav'ns, even Aemilia her self not long after died at Pompey's in Child-bed.

These things were the more inexcusable in Pompey, because we find that he delighted much in the discovery of Weaknesses of the same Nature in Mithridates, when he seiz'd his secret Writings, wherein, amongst other things, he found abundance of wanton Love-Letters betwixt Mithridates and his Concu∣bine Monune.—He might have taken War∣ning, one would think, of the Judgments that pursued Mithridates for his Intempe∣rance, seeing when all his Concubines were brought before Pompey, he could not but perceive the abominable Crimes into which his lustful Temper had hurried him head∣long, for most of his Concubines were either the Daughters or Wives of Princes and great Commanders, except it was one whom they call'd Stratonice, who was Daugh∣ter to a Musician; and having pleas'd Mi∣thridates, by singing before him at a Banquet, his lustful Passion was so much rais'd that he immediately took her to Bed with him, and in the Morning presented her Father (who grumbl'd that he had taken his Daughter without speaking one kind Word to him∣self) with many rich and costly Presents, and the Estate of a Nobleman lately deceas'd,

whereupon the old Fellow was so much transported, that putting on his Purple Robes, and mounting his Horse, he rode through the City, cry•…•…ng out, All this is mine, and so became the Herauld of his own, as well as of Mithridates's Folly; and to those that laugh'd at him for the same he said, There was no such Wonder in this, but rather, that he did not throw Stones at all he met, he was so much beside himself with Joy.

Another Piece of Vengeance that pursued Pompey, and wherein he might read his Crime in his Punishment, was, That his Wife Mu∣tia, during his absence, had dishonour'd his Bed; at which he was so nettl'd, that he sent her a Bill of Divorce.

Pompey, in pursuit of his Amorous Incli∣nation, did likewise commit a piece of no∣torious Injustice, in marrying Julia, Daugh∣ter to Caesar, who had been affianced before, and was to be married within a few days to Caepio, and, to appease Caepio's Anger, mar∣ried his own Daughter to him, who had formerly been espoused to Faustus, the Son of Sylla. Pompey was so much besotted with his Love to Julia, that he created abundance of Envy to himself, by committing the Go∣vernment of his Provinces and Legions into the Hands of his Friends, as his Lieutenants, whilst he himself wantonly rambl'd up and down, caressing his Wife, throughout all the Delicacies of Italy; but he was soon depriv'd of her, for she dy'd in Child-bed, her Daugh∣ter not outliving her many days.

He afterwards married Cornelia Daughter to Metellius Scipio, and Relict of Publius the Son of Crassus, a young Lady of great Quali∣ty, Beauty, and Education; but this Mar∣riage was very unpleasing to some People, who thought that she was a Match more a∣greeable to his Son, and were angry that the Affairs of the City lay neglected, while he, from whom they expected a Cure to their Distractions, went crown'd with Gar∣lands, and was revelling in his Nuptial Feasts.

It's observable, that at the very last his Fondness towards this young Lady, and his Fear that her Beauty might expose her to some Dishonour amongst the Parthians, was the chief Argument that prevail'd with him not to have recourse thither, where, in all probability, he might have been able to re∣new the War, and recover his Glory, after his Defeat in the Pharsalian Plains; so that resolving to sail for Egypt, and intrust him∣self with Ptolomy, he was, by Advice of that young King's Council, barbarously and in∣humanly murder'd, as going ashore in a Boat in order, as he thought, to a favourable Re∣ception; the distressed Cornelia and his Friends beholding this lamentable Tragedy from on board the Vessels where they were. Thus fell this Great Man, to which, it cannot be denied, that his Amorous and Sensual Tem∣per did highly contribute: Not that I would be understood positively to assert, that Un∣cleanness was the sole precuring 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of those Tragical Disasters that befel this 〈◊〉〈◊〉

Man and others, whom I have mention'd or shall mention in the course of this History, it being enough for my Design to prove, that it was always one of the visible Causes, and that it makes good the Assertion of the Wise Man in the Proverbs, where speaking of the Harlot or strange Woman in general, he says, That many strong Men have been slain by her; of which there is not a more speaking and demonstrable Instance than this of Pom∣pey, who had triumph'd over Asia, Africa, and Europe, and yet was himself a Captive and Subject of Triumph to his own Lusts.

In the Life of Cato the younger, who was not only a great Pretender to Virtue, but, compar'd with his Contemporaries, a glori∣ous Mirror of it. We find that he had no true Notions of the Honour of the Marriage Bed, nor any just Idea of Chastity; as is ap∣parent from the following Instance. Quin∣tus Hortensius, whom Plutarch calls a Man of singular Worth and approved Virtue, propos'd to Cato, That his Daughter Porcia, who was already married to Bibulus, and had already born him two Children, might be given to him as a fruitful Field, from which he might raise an Offspring; For, said he, tho' this in the Opinion of Men may seem strange, yet in Na∣ture it would be honest and profitable for the Pub∣lick, that a Woman, in the prime of her Youth, should not lye useless, and lose the Fruit of her Womb: Nor, on the other side, would it be con∣venient she should burthen and impoverish one Man, by bringing him too many Children. Also by this Communication of Families among worthy

Men, Virtue would encrease and be diffus'd thro' their Posterity, and the Commonwealth would be united and cemented by their Alliances. Yet, if Bibulus would not part with his Wife altogether, he would restore her as soon as she had brought him a Child, whereby he might be united to both their Families. Cato answer'd, That he lov'd Hor∣tensius very well, and did much approve of uni∣ting their Houses, but he thought it very strange to speak of marrying his Daughter, who was al∣ready given to another. Then Hortensius turn∣ing the Discourse, acknowledg'd, that 'twas Cato's own Wife which he desir'd, for she was young and fruitful, and he had already Children enough. To which Cato agreed, with the Consent of his Wife Martia and her Father Philip, and after the Death of Hortensius took her again, for which Caesar reproach'd him, as having a mercenary design in his Mar∣riage, saying, If Cato had need of a Wife, why did he part with her? And if he had not, why did he take her again, unless he gave her only as a Bait to Hortensius, and lent her when she was young, to have her again when she was rich?—It's plain from this Instance, that Cato was guilty of countenancing Impurity in others, if he was not actually guilty of it himself; and seeing he was unwilling to take his Daughter from Bibulus, and yet as wil∣ling to gratifie Hortensius by parting with his own Wife, it would argue, that he was weary of her, and that he would make no Scruple to use other Women, seeing he al∣low'd her to give up her self into the Embra∣ces of another Man. But now it remains

that we should take notice of the Judgments which pursued this great Man, of which, with∣out breach of Charity, we may look upon this Crime, amongst others, to have been one of the procuring Causes. It's known to every one, that he follow'd Pompey, and ad∣her'd to him against Caesar, and that after Pompey's Defeat he retir'd to Utica, where, having no hopes of retrieving his desperate Affairs, he deliberately murder'd himself, from which Design all the Endeavours of his Friends were not able to divert him: And thus the Divine Vengeance made him the Executioner of Justice upon himself, which he ought to have suffer'd by the hands of others, for that brutish and unnatural Car∣riage to his Wife.

In the Life of Demetrius Poliorcetes we have an account, that when this great Prince laid Siege to Megara, he was so far transported with a Lustful Passion for Cratesipolis the Wi∣dow of Poliperchon, a Lady of greater Beauty than Virtue, that leaving his Army, he went to make her a Visit with two or three of his Intimates; but when he came near the City of Patras, where she liv'd, he fell into an Ambush of Cassander's Men, whence with great difficulty he escap'd, by the swiftness of his Horse.—And thus he had well nigh made a surrender of his Liberty and Design to the Charms of a lascivious Woman. It is also observ'd of this Demetrius, that he had many Wives at the same time, and notwith∣standing his multiplicity of Wives, became so enamour'd upon Lamia, a beautiful Lady,

but infamous for her looseness of Conversa∣tion, that 'twas said all other Ladies were amorous of Demetrius, but Demetrius was only amorous of Lamia.

This Lustful Prince was not however sa∣tisfied with his variety of Women, but did also pollute himself with the unnatural Crime of Sodomy; and it's sloried of him, that ha∣ving been lost several days in a Debauch a∣mong his Companions, and pretending to keep his Chamber afterwards, by reason of Indisposition, his Father Antigonus came to see him, upon his approach to Demetrius's Chamber, out bolts a sprightly young Fel∣low; and Antigonus going to his Bed-side, and feeling his Pulse, Demetrius not know∣ing well how to excuse himself, pretended that he had been ill of a Fever, but that he hoped it had now left him. Yes, reply'd the King, I believe it, for I just now met it at your Chamber Door; alluding to the young Catamite that sprung out of his Chamber.

His Victories, and the Benefits which he bestow'd upon the Athenians, put their In∣vention upon the rack, to conferr new-devi∣sed Honours and Flatteries upon him, and therefore they order'd him a Lodging be∣hind Minervas Temple, in the Apartment of the Virgins, the vow'd Votaries of that Goddess, which occasion'd the Wits of the Time to say, That Minerva had got a dange∣rous Inmate; and, That it was not much to the Reputation of her Virgins Chaestity, to keep com∣pany with Demetrius. And as for Demetrius himself, he was so far from shewing any Re∣verence

to the Goddess with whom he had taken up his Quarters, that he gave himself up to the most infamous Liberties; and de∣bauch'd the young Women and Matrons of Athens to that degree, as 'tis a shame for a modest Pen to relate.

This brutish Youth was so much enrag'd with unnatural Lust, that he tempted a beau∣tiful young Man, call'd Damocles, to that de∣gree, as made him to decline all manner of publick Conversation, on purpose to avoid his design'd Passion; but Damocles going to a private Bath, the villainous Demetrius ha∣ving Information of it, surpriz'd him there, so that the poor Youth seeing no other way to avoid him, leap'd into a boiling Vessel, and so became a Martyr to his Virtue.

Demetrius was not only lustful, but profuse and prodigal in his Expences, as all lustful Persons are; so that having commanded the Athenians to raise 250 Talents for his Ser∣vice, and when they, to satisfie his demands, had levied it upon the People by distress, he gave it as a trifling Sum to Lamia, and the rest of his lewd Women, to buy them per∣fum'd Washballs for their Baths: And thus were the Athenians punish'd for giving way to the lustful Excesses of this young Prince, to whom they were so slavishly obsequious, that, contrary to their Laws, when he de∣sir'd to be enroll'd in the Fraternity of the Priests of Ceres, without attending the time commonly allotted, which injoyns, that the lesser Mysteries should be celebrated in No∣vember, and the great Solemnity in August

following, they made an Edict, that the Month of March then currant should be ac∣counted November, that Demetrius might be then admitted to the lesser Ceremonies; and as soon as that was done, by another Edict they turn'd that same Month into August; which occasion'd Philipedes the Comedian to exercise his Wit upon Stratocles, the Inven∣ter of this Trick, in the following Couplet, thus:

Prodigious Skill! how strangely flattering Fear Into one Month hath crowded all the Year!

And upon the same Stratocles's proposing that Demetrius should lodge in the Temple of Mi∣nerva, within the Castle he made the follow∣ing Lines:

Stratocles thinks it is no Sin To turn a Temple to an Inn; Or with lewd wanton Company To bless Minerva's Chastity.

We come now to treat of the Punishments which Divine Justice inflicted upon this Le∣cher, which were very sharp and severe, his Father and he both being dispoil'd of that large Empire which they had erected for themselves, out of the Ruins of that of Ale∣xander the Great. His Mother and Chil∣dren, and divers of his Wives, were made Prisoners, and he himself forsaken by the Athenians, who had formerly •…•…o much ador'd him, but now made it a capital Crime for

any body so much as to propose a Treaty or Accommodation with him; and Alexander King of Macedon miss'd little of having cut him off treacherously.

It is also remarkable, that this lustful Prince was punish'd observably in his Daugh∣ter Stratonice, who follow'd her Father's per∣nicious Example. The Story is well known to be as followeth. Demetrius having mar∣ried this his beautiful Daughter to Seleucus King of Syria, to whom she brought forth a little Son, Antiochus Son to Seleuchus by a for∣mer Marriage, fell so passionately in love with his Step-mother Stratonice, that he sicken'd upon it, and was in danger, and not daring to discover the Cause of his Distem∣per, he saw no other Remedy for his hope∣less Misfortune but what was to be expected from Despair and Death, which he therefore resolv'd upon, by abstaining from Diet. Era∣sistratus the King's Physician quickly disco∣ver'd that Love was his Distemper, but could not at first discover the Object; he therefore diligently waited in his Chamber, and when any of the Beauties of the Court came to visit the sick Prince, he curiously observ'd the Emotions and Alterations in the Countenance of Antiochus, and by that means discover'd Stratonice to be the Object of his Flames; for when she came in, either with the King, or alone, Antiochus became mute, his Passion smothering his Words, a fiery Blush would mount into his Face, he would fix his Eyes upon Stratonice, and then presently withdraw his stoln guilty Looks,

his Pulse would be disorder'd, a cold Sweat would seize upon him, and unable to support the violent Passion, he would become sensless and pale. Erasistratus having made this Dis∣covery, acquainted Seleucus, that his Son's Distemper was Love, but incurable, because it is impossible for him to enjoy the Object of his Passion, and as impossible for him to live without it. The King demanding why he could not enjoy the Object, Erasistratus an∣swer'd, Sir, because he is in love with my Wife. Upon this the King expostulated with the Physician, saying, How, my dear Erasistratus! will you not do me the Kindness as to bestow your Wife upon my Son and Successor, when there is no other way to save his Life? Nay then, Sir, re∣plied the Physician, the Object of the Prince's Love is your own Stratonice. Ah, my dear Friend, answer'd Seleucus, may some kind God or Man put the Safety of the Prince upon that Issue, I would part not only with Stratonice, but my Empire, upon condition that I might preserve Antiochus. And thereupon instantly sum∣moned a Council, wherein the Marriage of Antiochus with Stratonice was agreed upon: And thus Demetrius's Daughter pursuing her Father's Example, entertain'd an unlawful Amour.

Justice continu'd to pursue Demetrius, so that he fell sick at Pella of a desperate Mala∣dy, the true Daughter of Intemperance and Luxury; and during this Indisposition Pyr∣rhus took most part of the Kingdom of Ma∣cedonia from him; and tho' he recover'd a great part of it afterwards, yet his Army

deserting him, he was quickly despoil'd of it again; which threw Philla, one of his Wives, into such Despair, that she poison'd her self. After this he married Ptolemaida, Daughter to Euridice, his Wife Philla's Sister, so that tho' Judgment follow'd him now very close, yet he would not be diverted from his impure Amours. His Army, with which he fought against Agathocles, grew not only mu∣tinous, but was grievously afflicted with the Plague; and he being hard pressed upon by his Enemies, had recourse to Seleucus his Son-in-law, who at first was willing to have en∣tertain'd him kindly, but being otherwise advis'd by his Council, he took Arms against him, and put him so to it, that he endea∣vour'd to have kill'd himself but being pre∣vented, surrender'd himself up to Seleucus, who made him a Prisoner, but gave him ho∣nourable Entertainment. Demetrius, during this Restraint, gave himself wholly up to Intemperance, which brought Distempers upon him that kill'd him, and so he became his own Executioner.

The next Instance which Plutarch affords us is, that famous one of Mark Antony and Cleopatra. He tells us, That Antony in his Youth was debauch'd by Curio, who plung'd him into all the Inconveniences of Whoring and Drinking, and a Debt of 250 Talents, which was very shameful in one of his years. Antony did also incurr the Displeasure of the better sort of People, by his Midnight Re∣vels, his wild Expences, his rouling from one little Whore to another, his Naps in

the Day, and his Walks to digest his De∣bauches, and then at Night again his Enter∣tainments and Balls for the solemnizing the Nuptials of some Comedian or Buffoon. Cytheries the She-Comedian he doted on mightily, so that she was with him where∣ever he went, and her Equipage was as splendid as his Mother's. He lodg'd his little Whores and singing Wenches, where∣soever he pass'd, in the Houses of serious Men and Women, which gave great offence. But that which compleated his Ruin was, his falling in love with Cleopatra, upon her co∣ming to him at his Summons, for having as∣sisted Cassius in the Wars. Dalleus, who car∣ried the Message to her, had no sooner seen her admirable Beauty, but he told her, It was impossible that so beautiful a Creature could receive any ill treatment at the Hands of Anto∣ny, and therefore advis'd her to make towards him in splendid Equipage. Accordingly she embarks in the River Cydnus, the Head of her Barge did shine with inlaid Gold, the Sails were of Purple Silk, the Oars of Silver, which beat Time to the Flutes and Hautbois, she her self lay all-along under a Canopy of Cloth of Gold curiously embroider'd, dress'd as Venus is ordinarily represented, and beau∣tiful young Boys stood on each side like Cu∣pids, to fann her; her Maids were dress'd like Sea-Nymphs and Graces, some steering the Rudder, some working at the Ropes; the Perfumes diffus'd themfelves from the Vessel to the Shore, which was all cover'd with Multitudes, the People running out of

the City to see this strange Sight, left An∣tony alone upon the Tribunal, and a Rumor was spread abroad, That Venus was come to feast with Bacchus, for the common Good of Asia. As soon as she arriv'd, Antony sent to invite her to Supper, but she thought it more decent that Antony should come to her, who made no great Difficulty to do it; he found the Preparations very magnificent, but nothing was so admirable as the great num∣ber of Lights, which were all of a sudden let down in such a multitude of Branches, and so ingeniously dispos'd, some in Squares and some in Circles, that Fame cannot speak of a greater piece of Curiosity. Antony was so strangely taken with this Woman, that notwithstanding Fulvia his Wife maintain'd his Quarrels in Rome, against Caesar, with great difficulty, yet he suffer'd himself to be carried away by Cleopatra to Alexandria, there to lead an easie childish Life in Diver∣tisements too youthful for his age, and in all manner of Luxury: But they were so well pleas'd with it, that they call'd it an inimita∣ble Life. Cleopatra humour'd him in every thing, never left him Day nor Night, play'd at Dice, drank with him, hunted with him, went a rambling with him at Nights, to di∣sturb and torment People under their Win∣dows, dress'd like an ordinary Woman, for Antony went to those Frolicks in Servants disguise, and sometimes would return sound∣ly beaten.

While Antony spent his time thus in Egypt, Vengeance was pursuing him apace, for News was brought him, that his Wife Fulvia and her Brother Lucius, who had for some time maintain'd his Quarrel against Caesar, were driven out of Italy, and that the Car∣thians had over-run a great part of Asia. This rous'd him out of his Sleep, so that he set sail for Italy with Two hundred Ships, and meeting some of his Friends by the way, they told him, That his Wife Fulvia being a Woman of an ambitious Spirit, had occasion'd the War, being in hopes that the Commotions in Italy would force Antony from Cleopatra. It hap∣pen'd that Fulvia died at Sicyon, on her way to meet Antony, which made the Accommo∣dation between him and Caesar so much the easier to be effected; and, to cement this Friendship the more strongly, Antony mar∣ries Octavia, Sister to Caesar; but this Amity was not long Liv'd, new Jealousies betwixt those two Captains began suddenly to ap∣pear, tho' for some time indeed they were hinder'd by Octavia from breaking out into a Flame.

But as soon as Antony return'd into Syria, his unlawful Amours with Cleopatra took fire afresh, and he presented her with whole Kingdoms and Provinces at a time, to the great disgust of the Romans; and tho' he had assembl'd a vast Army, which made India tremble, and put all Asia in a Consternation, yet all those Preparations were of no use to him, he was so much charm'd and bewitch'd

with the Thoughts of his Mistress Cleopatra, and long'd so much to be with her, that not being able to endure the tediousness of a Meal, he would start from Table, and run to see if she were coming. In the mean time Octavia, whom he had left with her Brother Caesar, having obtain'd Leave from him to take a Journey to see Antony, she was com∣manded by him to stay at Athens, tho' she brought along with her Clothes and Money for his Army, and a reinforcement of Soul∣diers. Octavia was much displeas'd at this, as she had reason, but so it must be, for Cleo∣patra dreading that Octavia, who was a pru∣dent Woman, and powerfully ally'd, might interrupt the course of her Amours, she be∣took her self to dye for Love of Antony, which did so much prevail upon him, that he abandon'd his Design against Media, and re∣turn'd to Alexandria. This injurious Treat∣ment of Octavia did highly incense her Bro∣ther Caesar, so that he commanded her from her Husband's House into his own, which she refus'd to obey, but, like a dutiful Wife, took care not only of Antony's Children by her self, but of those also that he had by Ful∣via; which honourable Deportment of hers did very much heighten the Resentments of the Romans against Antony, who spent his time at Alexandria, in the height of Luxury and Insolence, assembling the People in the publick place, where Thrones of Gold pla∣ced in a State of Silver were erected for him and Cleopatra; their Children were stiled Kings of Kings, and she was dress'd in the

Habit of the Goddess Isis, and gave Audi∣ence to the People under that Name. These things being related to the Senate at Rome, by Caesar, did mightily alienate the Hearts of the People from Antony, and so matters came to an open Rupture betwixt him and Caesar, by means of his unlawful Amours with Cleo∣patra.

Great Military Preparations being made on both sides, Cleopatra was resolv'd to ac∣company her Paramour, dreading otherwise that a Peace might be contriv'd by the Me∣diation of Octavia; and the better to pre∣vail with him, she furnish'd near a Million of Money towards carrying on the War: And so far was Antony transported with Rage against his Lawful Wife Octavia, that he sent Orders to Rome, that she should remove out of his House, with all her Children: And he be∣hav'd himself so insolently to many Noble Romans, by Cleopatra's means, that they de∣serted him daily, and went over to Caesar, who did so much despise Antony, because of his Effeminacy, that he would talk publick∣ly, That Antony had drank Potions that bereft him of his Senses; and, that his chief Counsellors were an Eunuch and Cleopatra's Waiting-women. The Event verified, that Caesar made a true Judgment of Things; for tho' Antony had a prodigious Force, viz. no less than Five hundred Galleys, most of them of eight and ten Banks of Oars, so very rich, that they seem'd design'd for a Triumph; and besides these, he had One hundred thousand Foot, and Twelve thousand Horse, and six Vassal-Kings

attending him; yet he had no Con∣duct to manage this mighty Force, but, con∣trary to the Mind of his best Generals, he would venture all on a Sea-battel, because Cleopatra desir'd it. And this Luxurious Woman, when Fortune had not as yet de∣termin'd it against him, did perfectly lose him the Battel, by running away with sixty Sail in the heat of the Fight; and he was so far besotted with Love to her, that he im∣mediately follow'd her, leaving his Fleet en∣gag'd, and his Army without a Commander, that as Cleopatra had begun his Ruin, she might be sure to accomplish it. In a little time Antony was deserted by all his Forces and Friends, and Cleopatra and he both forc'd to sue to Caesar for his Favour, who would not grant her any, except she put Antony to death. And thus being reduc'd to Despair, and pursu'd to Alexandria it self, the Naval and Land-Force that was left deserted to Caesar, which made Antony think that Cleopa∣tra had betray'd him; and she being afraid that he might do her a Mischief in his Rage, retir'd to a Monument which she had pre∣par'd for her self, and sent him word, that she was dead, upon which he ran himself into the Belly; but, before he dy'd, Cleopatra had sent to have him brought to her in the Mo∣nument, wherein she had enclos'd her self with two Women only. When he was brought thither, she durst not open the Door, for fear of being taken alive and car∣ried to Caesar, but let down Cords, to which Antony was fasten'd, and she and her two

Women dragg'd up her dying Paramour, than which, a more sad and tragical Specta∣cle could not be seen. When she got him up, she laid him on her Bed, tore her Hair and her Clothes, and the sense of her own Misfortunes was wholly swallow'd up in the thoughts of his. She express'd the greatest Passion and Tenderness for him imaginable, calling him her Lord, her Husband, and her Emperor, but in a little time he died. Caesar being inform'd of this, sent Proculaeius to en∣deavour to take Cleopatra alive, if possible, being afraid that she would otherwise de∣stroy all her vast Treasures: Proculaeius ha∣ving sent one to treat with her at the Door, did in the mean time get in at the Window where she drew up Antony, by the help of a Scaling-ladder, and surpriz'd her, upon which she drew a Dagger to have stabb'd her self, but being prevented at that time, her Life was prolong'd for some days; and ha∣ving obtain'd Leave of Caesar to pay her last Oblations at the Tomb of the deceased An∣tony, she lamented him in most pathetical and passionate Expressions, and retiring a∣gain to her Monument, writ a Letter to Cae∣sar, desiring that she might be buried in the same Tomb with Antony, and straitway poi∣son'd her self by the bite of an Asp, which she had order'd to be brought her in a Bas∣ket of Figs, and so disappointed Caesar's de∣sign of leading her in Triumph. Thus did Justice pursue Antony and Cleopatra; and thus, by their unlawful Amours, they occa∣sion'd the death of many thousands of Men,

and at last brought themselves to that Tra∣gical Exit; as signal an Instance as any we shall meet with, of the truth of that Threat∣ning, that Whoremongers and Adulterers God will punish.

In the Life of Marcus Tul•…•…ius Cicero, Plu∣tarch informs us, That Catiline the Conspira∣tor, amongst other heinous Crimes, was ac∣cus'd of having deflower'd his own Daugh∣ter, and furnishing his wicked fellow-Con∣spirators with Women and Drink; which shews how dangerous such fellows are in any Government, and how easily they may be engag'd in Conspiracies against those who would curb them in their Excesses.

In that same Life we have an Account, that Clodius a noble Roman being in the vigor of his Youth, and in love with Pompeia, Cae∣sar's Wife, he gets privately into Caesar's House, in the Habit of a Minstrel, the Wo∣men being then offering Sacrifice there, which it was not lawful for Men either to hear or see. Clodius being a Youth, and Beardless, hoped to get to Pompeia among the Women unknown, but losing himself in the Passage of that large House by Night, Aurelia, one of Caesar's Mothers Women, 'spying him wandring up and down, enquir'd his Name, and thus, being necessitated to speak, he was known by his Voice; which being noised abroad, Caesar put away his Wife Pompeia, and Clodius was prosecuted for prophaning the Holy Rites. Cicero, tho' his Friend, yet to preserve his Quiet with Terentia his Wife, was forc'd to accuse him.

The cause of Terentia's Spite against Clo∣dius was upon the account of his Sister Clo∣dia, who had a mind to marry Cicero, by whom she was frequently visited, and this gave Terentia Ground of Jealousie. Clodius was also accus'd of Incest with his own Sisters, and of deflowring several other Wo∣men, but the Judges being brib'd, he was acquitted. It appears also plainly enough, by Plutarch, that Cicero himself was not al∣together without Blame, as to his Chastity, for he put away his Wife Terentia to marry a young Virgin, as she alledg'd, for the sake of her Beauty, or as his own emancipated Slave said, for her Riches, to satisfie his Debts. Not long after this Marriage, his Daughter Tullia died, for which he prov'd unconsolable, and put away his new-married Wife for seeming to rejoyce at her Death; but a further Judgment pursu'd him, for Antony bearing him an irreconcilable Hatred, sent Assassins after him, when he fled from Rome, and murder'd him in the 64th Year of his age, his Hands and Head being cut off, and publickly affix'd to the Rostra at Rome.

In the Life of Artaxerxes King of Persia our Author informs us, That that Prince be∣ing desperately in love with Atossa, one of his own Daughters, but concealing his Cri∣minal Passion, for fear of his Mother Parysa∣tis, the wicked Woman, to further some of her own mischievous Designs, perswaded him to marry her, contrary to the Deter∣minations of the Grecian Sages, alledging,

That he was determin'd by Providence to be a Law to the Persians; and he is also accus'd by Heraclides the Cumean, and other Historians, of having likewise married his second Daugh∣ter Amestris. The Judgments which pursu'd this lascivious Prince were, that he was de∣feated in his War with the Egyptians, and became contemptible in the Eyes of his Sub∣jects, upon the account of his unsuccessful Expedition against the Cadusians. He was also punish'd by the Controversies amongst his Sons about the Succession, and by the un∣natural and villainous Amours of his Son Ochus, with his Wife Atossa; therefore, to dash the Hopes of his Son Ochus, he pro∣claim'd Darius the elder Brother his Succes∣sor, who soon after begg'd of the King, that he would give him Aspasia, who was former∣ly Cyrus's beloved Miss, but then Concubine to Artaxerxes, who tho' he had Three hun∣dred and Sixty most exquisite Beauties in his Seraglio, could not endure to part with Aspasia to Darius; but being constrain'd to it by the Law, he afterwards took her from him, and created her Priestess to Diana, which bound her to perpetual Chastity; up∣on which account the unnatural Son conspir'd against his Father, at the Instance of Tiriba∣zus, who bore a mortal Grudge to Artaxer∣xes, for having married his own Daughter Amestris, whom he ha•…•… promis'd him to Wife; but the Plot being discover'd, Darius was put to death, as a just Recompence for his unnatural Lust and Treason. After this, Ochus, by his Interest with Arossa, was streng∣then'd

in his Hopes of Succession, found Means to cut off his other two Brothers, Ariaspes and Arsames, the Grief of which kill'd Artaxerxes. And thus was he justly punish'd by and in his own Children, because of his horrid Uncleanness, leaving his Son Ochus behind, who being the wicked Son of a wicked Parent, prov'd a Monster of Cru∣elty.

Thus we have finish'd Plutarch's select Lives, and dare referr it to the Judgment of the Ingenuous Reader, whether many of his Heroes have not been foully culpable, as to the point of Chastity, and as remarkably pu∣nish'd for the same. We come, in the next place, to search among the Roman Emperors, where we find many remarkable Instances for our purpose, and as remarkable Judg∣ments pursuing 'em.

The first is Julius Caesar, who tho' he tri∣umph'd over most part of the then known World, yet was himself triumph'd over by his Lusts. When he was High-Priest of Ju∣piter, he divorc'd Cossutia, a Lady of an Eque∣strian Family, and of a very great Fortune, to whom he had been contracted during his Minority, and married Cornelia the Daughter of Cinna: Nor could all the Arguments of Sylla the Dictator prevail upon him to part with her: Whereupon he was suspended his Sacerdotal Dignity, and had his Estate se∣questred, which forc'd him to abscond and shift his Quarters almost every Night, tho' sick of a Quartan Ague, and with much ado

obtain'd his Pardon at last. Being thus un∣faithful to the Marriage-bed, he was punish'd in the same Coin; for, having afterwards married Pompeia, she was accus'd of Unclean∣ness with Clodius, as has been already men∣tion'd, who had access to her during publick Worship; whereupon he divorc'd her. The Lasciviousness of his Mind may be also gues∣sed at by his Dream, that he had ravish'd his own Mother, which tho' those who pretended to interpret such things told him, That it was a Presage that he should arrive at the Universal Monarchy, yet is a plain Indication of the predominancy of his Lust.

Suetonius also acquaints us, That he di∣vorc'd his Daughter Julia from Servilius Coe∣pio her former Husband, (one who had stuck the fastest to him of all Men living, in his Dispute with Bibulus, his Fellow-Consul) and married her to Pompey, which made him guil∣ty of his Daughter's Adultery, and was a horrid piece of Ingratitude at the same time. And tho', it's true, he had great Success in his War against the Gauls, Germans, and Bri∣tains, yet he was not without Checks from Divine Justice, having lost a whole Legion by the Gauls, had two of his Lieutenants de∣feated on the Frontiers of Germany, and lost the greatest part of his Fleet upon the Coasts of Britain. And in his own Family he was punish'd, by the Death of his Mother, his Daughter Julia, and his Grand-daughter. Nor was he without danger of being indicted and try'd for his Life, for his Male-admini∣stration during his Consulship, and of being

utterly ruin'd by Pompey, tho' he had the good Fortune to overcome him at last in that de∣cisive Battel on the Pharsalian Plains.

Suetonius gives us a particular Enumerati∣on of his Amours, which have spread his Infamy as far as ever his Fame reach'd: His being a Catamite, and guilty of Sodomy with Nicomedes King of Bythinia, occasion'd many Railleries upon him, and expos'd him to the Contempt of his Enemies; as, when he swag∣ger'd one day in the Senate, and said, He would run down his Adversaries; they reply'd, that He would find that an hard Task for a Wo∣man; alluding to his being prostituted by Nicomedes. They call'd him also The Queen of Bythinia's Cuckoldmaker, the Bawdyhouse of Bythinia, and Nicomedes's Stable: His Ad∣versary Bibulus said of him, when he pro∣scrib'd him, That formerly he affected a King, but now a Kingdom. Octavius, a prating Fel∣low, whose Tongue usually got the start of his Wit, did one day, before a great com∣pany, when he saluted Pompey by the Name of King, give Caesar the Title of Queen. Ci∣cero upbraided him with those things in his Epistles; and when Caesar, in his Plea before the Senate for Nisa Daughter to the said Ni∣comedes, insisted upon the good Offices that King had done him, Cicero cut him sho•…•…t, saying, No more of that, let me beg you, Sir; we all know very well what has passed betwixt you two. Nay, the very Souldiers who attended his Chariot in his Gallic Triumph, amongst other Lampoons us'd upon such occasions, had this noted Lampoon:

Gallias Caesar subegit, Nicomedes Caesarem: Ecce Caesar nunc Triumphat qui subegit Gallias, Nicomedes non triumphat qui subegit Caesarem.

Which may be English'd thus:

For conqu'ring Gaul, Caesar doth Lawrels wear, But Nicomedes doth no Trophies bear, Tho' he made Conquest of the Conquerer.

He is generally said to have been much inclin'd also to lust after Women, and to have been very prodigal in his Amours. He debauch'd several Ladies of good Quality, as Posthumia the Wife of Servius Sulpitius, Lossia the Wife of Gabinius, Tertulla the Wife of Crassus, and Mucia, Pompey's Lady, insomuch that the Curio's upbraided Pompey, that the Extravagancy of his Ambition should ever induce him to marry the Daughter of that Man, for whose Intimacy with his Wife he was oblig'd to divorce her, after he had three Children by her, and frequently to own him∣self a Cuckold.

Caesar had a mighty Passion for Servilia, the Mother of Brutus, whom he presented with a Jewel that cost him 6000000 Sesterces, be∣sides other considerable Boons, and the cheap Purchase of many noble Farms expos'd to publick sale; and People being surpriz'd at her good Bargain, Cicero quibbl'd upon it, saying, They would reckon it a better Bargain if they knew that Tertia was deducta; meaning,

that she had prostituted her Daughter Terti as well as her self, to Caesar.

He likewise debauch'd several Provincial Ladies, for which his Souldiers, in his Gal∣lick Triumph, lampoon'd him in this man∣ner:

Cits, now be sure to keep your Wives at home, For here's a bald triumphant Stallion come: In Gaul they made thee pay for Whoring dear, But thou of Cits mak'st Cuckolds gratis here.

He is also accus'd of Unlawful Amours with several Queens, as Eunoe, Wife to Bogud King of Morocco, to whom he gave many magnificent Presents; but his Darling-Mi∣stress was Cleopatra, whom he often treated all Night long, and had certainly accompa∣nied her in her Pleasure-boat as far as Aethio∣pia, had not his Army refus'd to comply with the Frolick; and upon her he begat a Son, who was call'd Caesario. Nay, he was so infamous both for Active and Passive Un∣cleanness, that Curio the Father, in an Ora∣tion, call'd him, Every Woman's Man, and every Man's Woman. He was so insatiable in his Lust, that Helvius Cinna, Tribune of the People, acknowledg'd, that he had a Bill ready prepar'd by him, which Caesar com∣manded him to get pass'd into a Law, where∣by he might be authoriz'd to marry what Wives, and in what Number he pleas'd, to secure him Issue: Yet Infinite Justice order'd it so, that he left no Lawful Issue behind him.

We come now to take notice of the Judg∣ments that pursu'd him; some of 'em did re∣present his Crime in legible Characters as that of his Wife Pompeia's Intrigue with Clo∣dius, which was so publick, that Clodius was prosecuted for the same; as has been alrea∣dy mention'd. It is also very well known to what Dangers his Contests and Wars with Pompey expos'd him, and how at last he was murther'd in the Senate, notwithstanding all the Warnings he had giv'n him of the Design. And it deserves a particular Remark, that Brutus, whom many suspected to he his own Son, his infamous Familiarity with his Mo∣ther being notorious, was one of those that stabb'd him; whereupon he cried out, What, and are you one of them also, you my Son Bru∣tus? This is certainly one of the most re∣markable Instances of God's punishing Whore∣mongers and Adulterers that is to be found in History; when he who thought himself se∣cure from all Attempts, as being above them, and was so much doted on and ador'd by the People, that of their own accord they ran in quest of the Murderers up and down the Ci∣ty, and burnt their Houses, and afterwards worship'd him as a God, when this Man could not avoid the just Hand of God, which did so remarkably find him out at last, and punish him for his Uncleanness and other Crimes.

The next is Augustus Caesar, of whom Sue∣tonius gives us this following Account, That having divorc'd his Wife Scribonia, because of her froward and peevish Humour, he fell

in love with Livia Drusilla, the Wife of Ti∣berius Nero, from whom he took her by force, tho' at the same time she was big with Child; and tho he lov'd her passionately, yet he never had any Children by her, for she miscarried of the only Child that ever she conceiv'd by him, which was a very just and remarkable Judgment. He married his Daughter Julia to M. Agrippa, who was at that very time married to Marcella, and had several Children by her; and after his death he married her to Tiberius, whom he forc'd to put away his Wife, then big with Child, and who had born him diverse Children. Judgment pursu'd him for those Unjust and Tyrannical Proceedings, for both the Julia's, his Daughter and Grand-daughter, were no∣toriously infamous; his Grandsons, Caius and Lucius, he lost in Two and twenty months one after another; his third Grand∣son, Agrippa, prov'd so unruly and brutish, that he transported him into an Island, under a Guard, and obtain'd a Decree of the Se∣nate, to have him kept in the same place as long as he liv'd; and every time mention was made of the two Julia's, with Tears in his Eyes, and fetching a deep Sigh, he would utter a Verse of Homer to this purpose;

O that I ne'er the Name of Wife had known, And without Children to my Grave had gone.

Nor did he use to call them by any other Name, but those of his three Excrescencies or Imposthumes.

It is further observ'd, that he was effemi∣nate in his Youth; Marc. Antony upbraided him with being his Uncle Julius Caesar's Cata∣mite; that he had also been guilty of prosti∣tuting himself to the unnatural brutish Lust of A. Hortius, in Spain, for 300000 pieces of Mony. The whole Body of the People be∣ing also assembled one day to behold a cer∣tain Interlude, they unanimously expounded and applauded a Verse pronounced upon the Stage to his dishonour, viz.

Videsne ut Cinaedus Orbem digito temperet.

In English thus:

Behold that Catamite, how he the Orb Of spacious Earth can with his Finger curb.

His Friends own'd that he was addicted to the Crime of Adultery, but alledge in excuse of it, That it was by the familiarity with the Wives to discover the Secrets of their Husbands. Marc. Antony charges him with taking a La∣dy out of the Room in her Husbands pre∣sence, and bringing her back again with her Ears glowing and her Locks in disorder: He accuses him of putting away Scribonia, be∣cause she complain'd too freely of the Pride and Imperiousness of one of his Concubines; and that moreover he us'd to imploy Thora∣nius to find out Women for him, who, after the Bargain was made, were to be strip'd and expos'd to their View, as if they had been to be sold in open Market.

There was also a Story flew about of him, of a private Supper which he made, vulgarly call'd, The Supper of the twelve Gods, at what time the Guests sate down in the Habits of Gods and Goddesses, he himself representing Apollo, upon which the following Verses were made, viz.

Cum primum istorum conduxit mensa Choragum Sexque Deos vidit Mallia, sexque Deas. Impia dum Phoebi Caesar mendacia ludit, Dum nova divorum caenat Adulteria. Omnia se a Terris tunc Numina declinarunt, Fugit & Auratos Jupiter ipse Thronos.

In English thus:

Soon as the Vestments for the Feasts were hir'd, Six Gods, six Goddesses themselves attir'd In Mallia's view; And impious Caesar nothing would suffice But Phoebus Shape, and under that disguise Th' Adu'teries of the Gods to act anew, But then the Gods withdrew; From Sights on Earth they could not brook, And Jove himself their gilded Thrones forsook.

Thus, we see, this great and excellent Em∣peror, who was in a manner ador'd and ad∣mir'd by all Men, could not, with all his Magnificence and Bounty, and the Fame of his other Actions, wipe off that indelible Stain which those Impurities had fix'd upon his Memory; so infallibly true is it what So∣lomon hath said of the Adulterer, That a

Wound and a Dishonour he shall get, and his Re∣proach shall not be wip'd away.

The next Instance is that of Tiberius Caesar, who, to comply with the Emperor Augustus, divorc'd his Wife Agrippina, who had born him a Son, and was then big with Child, to marry Julia Daughter to the said Emperor, much against his Inclination. This Marriage as it was unlawful, did justly prove uncom∣fortable, so that some time after the Death of his Son by Julia, there arose such a Diffe∣rence betwixt them, that from that minute he forbore the use of her Bed; and she being convicted of Adulteries, a Divorce was drawn up against her in his Name, and sent him by Augustus. After this Tiberius retir'd to Ca∣praea, where he gave himself up to Drink and Lust, insomuch that he was call'd Biberius, instead of Tiberius, and Mero instead of Nero, and was waited on at Meals by Wenches. There he invented Alcoves, which he fur∣nish'd with Whores, and Catamites, and lewd Discoverers of unnatural and beastly Postures and Motions, and those he call'd Spinctriae, the Incendiaries of his Lust: He entertain'd himself by seeing them in three several rows abusing each other, thereby to excite his de∣cay'd Appetite. He provided likewise seve∣ral Chambers hung about with filthy Pictures and infamous Statues, and furnish'd them with the abominable Books of Elephantis, that if any one had a mind to be prodigiously wicked, he might not want a Pattern to sin by. He invented also in the Woods, Walks and Grottoes proper for the business of De∣bauchery,

where young People of both Sexes prostituted themselves in the Masquerades of Nymphs and Satyrs; so that, in allusion to the Island and his beastly Lustfulness, he was publickly derided by the Name Caprinaeus. One incredible piece of Debauchery he was guilty of, viz. that he debauch'd young Chil∣dren yet in ignorance, calling them his little Fry, teaching them to play between his Thighs while he swam, to lick, and tongue, and suck him like Infants not yet weaned. It is also storied of him, that when a piece of Parrhasius's Work, representing Atalanta offering her Mouth in that manner to Melea∣ger, was left him for a Legacy, with condi∣tion, that if he fancied not the Design, he should receive in lieu thereof a Million of Sesterces, he not only chose the Picture, but placed it in his very Bed-chamber. And one time, when he was performing Sacrifice, he was so seiz'd with a Fit of this unnatural Pas∣sion towards the Boy, that carried the Cen∣sor, that he could scarce restrain himself till the Sacrifice was over, and as soon as that was done, he debauch'd both that Boy and his Brother; and hearing that they upbraid∣ed one another with that Ignominy after∣wards, he order'd both their Leggs to be broken.

He was wont to abuse Women, and those of Quality too, very unnaturally; as was evident in the Case of Mallonia, who being brought him by his Panders, and resolutely withstanding his Brutish Desires, was cited before him upon the Depositions of suborn'd

Witnesses, where he ask'd her openly, if she did not yet repent of her coy Refusal, and vex'd her so, that she at last went out of Court and stabb'd her self, having before∣hand sufficiently reproach'd the old Goatish Lecher, with his nasty and obscene Mouth, upon which, in the next Farce, a severe Re∣flection was made upon him which took mightily, and was in every-body's Mouth; the Expression was thus: The old He-goat licks the Pudenda of the She-goats.

Such Practises must necessarily be thought to render him odious, and therefore he kept in his Retirement, as not daring to venture himself among the People, yet Justice found him out; our Author gives us an Account, that Caius was suppos'd to have given him Poyson, which wrought upon him by de∣grees; others say, that they starv'd him; and some, that he was stifled with a Pillow in the 78th year of his age.

The next that falls under our Considera∣tion is Caligula, of whom Suetonius gives us this following Account, viz. That during his Youth he spent Nights in haunting Brothel∣houses, and meeting upon Adulterous Assig∣nations, disguis'd in a Perruque and a long Gown, and was most passionately addicted to Dancing, Singing, and all the Alurements of the Stage; with every one of his Sisters he was incestuously familiar, and at all his Entertainments they were placed next below him by turns, while his Wife sate at the up∣per end of the Table. Among the rest, he is reported to have debauch'd Drusilla, while

he was yet but a Youth, and was once taken a-Bed with her by his Grandmother Antonia; soon after being married to Lucius Cassius Longinus, he took her away from him by force, and liv'd with her as if she had been his Wife; and, after her Death, it was his usual Oath to swear by Drusilla's Deity. As for his other Sisters, he did not love them so passionately, but did frequently prostitute them to his Ganimedes, which afforded him a more easie Opportunity to condemn them in the Case of Aemilius Lepidus, of whom he was afraid, for Adultery.

As to his Marriages, he contracted and dissolv'd 'em with equal Ignominy. Upon the very day that Livia Orestilla was married to C. Piso, he being present at the Wedding, commanded her to be brought home to his Palace as his own Wife, but within a few days turn'd her off again, and two years af∣ter banish'd her, pretending that she had convers'd privately with her Husband in the mean time. Others report, That being in∣vited to the Nuptial Supper, as he sate over against Piso, he sent one to whisper in his Ear these words, Forbear to lie with my Wife; and presently after rising from the Table, led her home along with him, and next day set forth a Decree, declaring, That he was married according to the Example of Romulus and Augustus Lollia Paulina being married to a Person of Consular Degree, and Gene∣ral of the Army, upon hearing that her Grandmother was one of the most beautiful Ladies of her Time, he became so enamour'd

of the Grandchild, that he sent for her out of the Province where she was, forc'd her from her Husband, took her to himself, and in a short time likewise turn'd her off, for∣bidding her for ever after the knowledge of any other Man. Cesonia, tho' neither hand∣som nor young, and the Mother of three Daughters by another Man, he lov'd so pas∣sionately, that he would often shew her to his Souldiers riding by his side, with her Horseman's Coat embroider'd, and frequent∣ly stark naked to his Familiars.

Being brought to want Money by those his extravagant Courses, he invented new and unheard-of Imposts; one was, that he exa∣cted from common Prostitutes the Gratuity for one Nights Familiarity, and oblig'd mar∣ried People also to pay a certain Rate for the use of the Marriage bed. He built also a Brothel-house in his own Palace with A∣partments suited to the Dignity of the place for Ladies and Gentlemen to enjoy their clandestine Amours; and, to force a Trade, he sent his Officers about to invite both young and old to bring their Mistresses to his Conveniencies, of whom, when they came, he receiv'd his ignominious Toll, which there were Persons ready to receive, and set down the Names of every Man in a Book, as Bene∣factors to Caesar's Revenue.

We come now to take notice of the Pu∣nishments which befel him: It is natural to conceive, that those Debauches impair'd his Health, so that he never had any either in Body or Mind. It was believ'd that his Wife

Cesonia had drench'd him with a Philter or Love-potion, which depriv'd him of his Sen∣ses, and almost made him mad, so that he never slept above three hours in a Night, and then also was disturb'd with trouble some Dreams and Visions; at last becoming hate∣ful and intolerable by his Lusts and Cruelty, he was cut off by Cassius Cheraea and Cornelius Sabinus, Tribunes, and other Conspirators, as he was going to see the Pyrrhick Dances, the one giving him a mortal Wound in the Neck with his Hanger, and the other run∣ning him quite through the Body. This vi∣cious Monster had render'd the Name of the Caesars so odious, that the Romans had a mind after his Death to have abolish'd their Me∣mory, and lay their Temples in Ashes.

The next Instance is Claudius Drusus Caesar, whose Father Drusus being unlawfully begot, the lustful Contagion was, it seems, by that same means convey'd to the Grandson, who in his Youth kept company with none but loose debauch'd Fellows, and follow'd their bad Example. Livia Medullina died on the very day appointed for her being married to him. His Wife Urgulanilla he divorc'd for notorious Prostitution, and every-body knows how unfaithful the infamous Messalina his Cousin-German was to him; upon which he solemnly declar'd, that he would for the future keep himself a Widower, and that he would freely forgive them, tho' they should kill him, if not. Yet soon after he fell in Treaty with Pelina, whom he had put away before, and then with Lollia Paulina; at length he

engag'd in an incestuous Amour with Agrip∣pina, Daughter to his Brother Germannicus, and suborn'd certain persons to move, that he might be constrain'd to marry Agrippina, as being the only means conducible to per∣petuate the Publick Tranquility, and that there might be a Toleration also for others to contract Marriages in the same degree, which till that time had always been accoun∣ted incestuous: He was so impatient, that he could not stay till the next day to prepare for his Wedding. There was none how∣ever that follow'd his incestuous Example, but a certain Libertine, and a chief Centuri∣on of a Legion, to both which Weddings he invited himself and his Wife Agrippina, for the encouragement of others. His Unclean∣ness was punish'd, amongst other things, by the loss of his Son Drusus, who having toss'd a Pear up into the Air, and gaping to catch it again, it fell so exactly into his Throat, that it choaked him. He was so much be∣sotted, he sign'd Writings for the settlement of a Dowry upon the Contract of Marriage between his Wife Messalina and her Adulte∣rer Silius, being made believe that 'twas only a Contrivance found out to delude the Fates themselves, and to transfer upon the Head of another Man those Disasters which the Predictions of the Soothsayers and several Prodigies had fix'd upon his Person; and at last he was poison'd by a Mushroom which Agrippina gave him.

The next Instance is Nero, the Son of Do∣mitius and the wicked Agrippina above men∣tion'd, whose future Mischievous Temper his Father predicted, when the Nobility came to compliment him upon Nero's Birth, viz. That there could nothing proceed from him and Agrippina but what was detestable, and would prove pernicious to the Commonwealth: Which every man who is acquainted with History knows to have been exactly fulfill'd.

Suetonius gives this following Account of him, viz. That his Petulancy, Lust, Luxury, Avarice, and Cruelty he practis'd by de∣grees, and at first conceal'd 'em under the Excuses of Indiscretion and Heat of Youth; but yet he could not carry it so, but that every-body saw they were rather the Vices of Nature than Age. So soon as it grew duskish, away he flew in disguse to Tippling∣houses, Cooks-shops, &c. frolicking and scou∣ring about the Streets, beating-such as were going home late from Supper; some little Shops he would also break open and rifle, and afterwards sell the Spoils. In those Quarrels he several times ran the hazard of his Life, being once almost bruis'd to death by a Senator, whose Wife he would have ta∣ken from him in the Street.

Besides a great number of Pages, whom he made use of in his unlawful Pleasures and his Contaminations of married Women, he deflower'd Rubria, one of the Vestal Virgins, and would very fain have married Acte a Slave, suborning several Persons of Consular

degree, to swear that she was of Royal Ex∣traction. Sporus, a young Boy, after he had caus'd him to be gelt, he endeavour'd to have altogether transform'd into a Woman, and after he had veil'd him, married him, and settl'd a Dowry upon him with all the Ceremonies of a sumptuous Wedding, he kept him at home as his Wife; upon which the Wits of those times said, It had been well for the World if Domitius his Father had had such a Wife. This Sporus he carried about with him, in a pompous and costly Habit, as if he had been the Empress her self, under the Title of Augusta, to all the trading Towns of Greece, and soon after shew'd him openly at Rome, in the Sigillarian Street, and would frequently kiss him as they sate toge∣ther in the same Litter. He sent for a Har∣lot, who was very like his Mother Agrippi∣na, and entertain'd her among the rest of his Concubines; and he was accus'd of abomina∣ble Incest with his own Mother as often as he rode in the same Litter with her, which was discover'd by the Pollutions that be∣smear'd his Clothes.

His own Chastity he prostituted in such a manner, that there was hardly a Member of his Body undefil'd, insomuch that at length he invented a new sort of Lechery, which was, to cover himself all over with the Skin of some wild Beast, and so to be let out of a Cage, that he might fly upon the Secrets of Men and Women that were tied to a Stake; and after he had that way gratified his mon∣strous Lust, he prostrated his own Body to

his enfranchis'd Bondman Doryphorus, who had married him as he himself had wedded Sporus, and in that passive posture counter∣feited the soft Cries and Complaints of a new-bedded Virgin. He was so very vile himself, that he believ'd every-body to be so, only that they dissembl'd their Vices, and were private in their Debauches; and if any Man would but confess their Obscenities to him, he pardon'd all the rest of their Crimes.

His impious Mother was remarkably pur∣sued by the Divine Vengeance, which gave her up to the unnatural Fury of the Monster her Son, to whom she had so unnaturally pro∣stituted her Body; for after he had divers ways attempted to rid himself of her, but in vain, he at last commanded her to be kill'd, as having conspir'd against his Life; which being effected, he ran with eager Curiosity to view the naked Body of his Mother, as she lay weltring in her Blood, and handled all her Limbs, of which he commended some for their Beauty and Shape, and disprais'd others; and happening to be thirsty in the midst of his unnatural Survey, he was so little concern'd, that he quench'd his Thirst over his murder'd Parent, who left the World with that severe Reproof to him, when his Murderers approach'd her, viz. That they should strike her Belly first, which had brought forth such a Monster into the World as Nero. After this barbarous and unnatural Murther, the wicked Monster never enjoy'd Quiet, but was constantly pursu'd with Hor∣rour

of Conscience, and cry'd out, That he was haunted by his Mother's Ghost.

Nero had also a plurality of Wives, viz. Octavia, Poppaea Sabina, and Statilia Messalina, having kill'd Atticus Vestinus, the Husband of the latter, that he might enjoy her. His Wife Octavia he endeavour'd several times to have strangled, and divorc'd her under pretence of Barrenness; but perceiving the People took her Part, he put her to death, upon a false Accusation of Adulteries. He had an entire Love to his Wife Poppaea, yet kill d her with a kick upon the Guts when she was big with Child, because she reprov'd him for staying too late at his Chariot dri∣ving Exercises. He put Antonia, the Daugh∣ter of Claudius, to death, for refusing to mar∣ry him after the death of Poppaea. He also murder d Aulus Plantius, a young Gentleman, whose Body he had forcibly defil'd before∣hand, and after he had kill'd him, used this taunting Expression, Now let my Mother go and kiss my Successor, giving it out, That he was his Mother's Gallant, and by her spurr'd on to lay Claim to the Empire.

This villainous Monster having wallow'd a long time in unnatural Lusts and cruel Murders, became hateful to every one. He set Rome on fire with his own Hands, which was a just Judgment of God upon that City, for suffering it self to be set on fire by his raging Lusts: After that, they were visited with a Pestilence, which cut off many thou∣sands of 'em. His Souldiers in two of the chief Brittish Garrisons were massacred, and

many of the Romans and their Allies were slaughter'd in other places of that Island. His Legions in the East had the Ignominy of being put under the Yoke; and all Syria was like to be lost, so closely did Vengeance pur∣sue him. Then France and Spain revolted, under the Conduct of Galba and Vindex, which so struck him, tho' he seem'd little concern'd at his former Disasters, that he sank down, and for a long time lay Speech∣less, like one that had neither Life nor Soul, and when he came to himself, he fell a tear∣ing his Clothes, thump'd himself about the Head, and at length cried out, that he was undone: But being at last convinc'd of the necessity of making head against his Enemies, his first Care was, to provide Waggons to carry his Scenical Machines and Musical In∣struments, and to have his Concubines, which he design'd to carry with him, trim'd with their Hair cut like Men, and arm'd with Battel-axes and small round Targets, after the manner of Amazons, so far was he judi∣cially given up to his Lusts.

In the mean time he was terrified with frightful Dreams and dreadful Omens, such as that he was dragg'd into hideous Darkness by his Wife Octavia, and that his Body was cover'd with a multitude of winged Emmets; the Doors of the Mausoleum flew open of their own accord, and a Voice was heard from thence, summoning him distinctly by his Name. It was also observ'd, that the last Tragedy which he acted in publick was Oedipus exil'd, which concluded in these

Words, that were very applicable to him, viz.

Thus Wife, thus Mother, and thus Father call For merited Revenge, and I must fall.

Then, upon fresh Intelligence that the Ar∣mies were revolted, he tore the Letters as he sate at Dinner, overturn'd the Table, call'd for a Dose of Poison, and retir'd into the Servilian Gardens, where he tormented him∣self with perplexing Thoughts what to do in this Distress; sometimes he thought of throwing himself at the Feet of Galba, or to implore the Assistance of the Parthians; and sometimes he thought of putting himself in Mourning, humbling himself to the People, and begging their Pardon before the Rostra, but from that was deterr'd, fearing he should be torn in pieces before he got to the Forum; so waving the matter till next day, he wak'd about Midnight, and then finding his Guards drawn off, he leap'd out of his Bed, and sent up and down for his Friends, but none of them coming to him, he went himself, with some few Attendants, to their Houses, where meeting with no admittance, he return'd to his Chamber, from whence by that time the few of his Guards that remain'd had also march'd off, having first rifled his Apart∣ments, and carried off, amongst other things, his Gold Box with the Dose of Poison in it; which put him into that Despair, that he sent for any of the publick Executioners to di∣spatch him, and none of them being to be

found, he cried out, What, have I neither Friends nor Enemies? and ran away, as if he would have thrown himself into the Tiber; but, upon second Thoughts, he began to think of some private lurking place, where he might consider what to do, and for that end mounted on Horseback barefoot, and in sordid Apparel, with a thin Handkerchief before his Face, to have retir'd to a Country House belonging to one of his enfranchis'd Bondmen, having only four Persons with him, of whom his Catamite Sporus was one; but being terrified with a violent Earthquake and the Lightning that flash'd on his Face, as an additional Affliction, he heard the Soul∣diers in the Praetorian Camp cursing him, and wishing all Prosperity to Galba. He arriv'd however at the House, into which he crept privately through a hole, lay on a Flock-bed, and had no better Dainties than brown Bread and Ditch-water. He cou•…•…d not be prevail'd on to make any further Attempts for saving his Life, but order'd a Grave to be made in his presence, and wept every time he cast his Eye upon those Funeral Preparations, crying out, What an Artist will the World lose! In the mean time he receiv'd Advice, that the Senate had declar•…•…d him an Enemy to the Publick, and that he should be sought after and punish'd after the manner of the An∣cients, viz. to be strip'd naked, have his Neck fasten'd in a forked Stick and be whip∣ped to death; with which he was so terri∣fied, that he snatch'd up two Daggers, and having felt the edges of them, sheath'd them

again, pretending that his fatal End was not yet come: And thus dallying with his End, sometimes he desir'd Sporus to begin his Moans and Lamentations; and at other times he would desire some one of the Company to shew him the way to die by his Example; and by and by he would chastize his own Pusillanimity, saying, that he liv'd basely and wretchedly, and endeavour'd to argue himself into Courage to take away his own Life; but hearing that the Horsemen were at hand, with Orders to bring him back to Rome alive, if possible, he utter'd a Verse in Greek to the sense following, viz.

I hear the swift-heel'd Coursers beat the Ground, And with their deadly Noise my Ears confound.

And then clapping the Dagger to his Throat, was assisted by Epaphroditus, the Master of his Requests, to thrust it home; and thus he ex∣pir'd, his Eyes being suddenly fix'd and sta∣ring in his Head, to the terrour of all those that beheld him. Thus was that Monster of all Villany and Uncleanness made the Execu∣tioner of Divine Wrath upon himself, it be∣ing impossible that he could fall by a more villainous Hand than his own.

The next Instance is the Emperor Galba, of whom Suetonius gives us this following Account: That in the satisfaction of his Lust he was more prone to the Male Sex; nor did he care for any of that Sex neither, but such as were overgrown and exsolete. It is reported therefore in Spain, that when

Icelus, one of the stalest of his He-concubines, brought him the News of Nero's Death, he not only receiv'd him in publick with home∣press'd Kisses, but courted and sent him a∣way to be smooth'd without delay. The Tragical Exit of this Emperor we have from the same Author, thus; That those who con∣spir'd against him having drawn him out in∣to the Streets, by false Rumours of Otho's being kill'd, the Horsemen who were in∣trusted with the Assassination galloping thro' the Throng of common People, fell upon him and stabb'd him, deserted and abandon'd by all his Followers, near the Curtian Lake, where he was left weltring in his Blood, un∣til a Common Souldier returning from a publick distribution of Corn, laid down his Burthen, and cut off his Head; and because he could not take hold of the Hair, Galba being bald, he carried it in the Lappet of his Coat, and thrusting his Thumb between his Teeth, presented it to Otho, who gave it to the Sutlers and Horseboys, and they car∣ried it round the Camp, as the Object of their Scorn and Contempt: So infallibly does Un∣cleanness bring down Vengeance upon the Heads of those who wallow in Impurities.

The Emperor Otho follows next in cou•…•…, of whom Suetonius gives us this following Account: That from his early Youth he was so prodigal, and given to Women, that his Father was often constrain'd to chastise him: He was also wont to run about the Streets in the Night with his Companions, and where he met with any that were unable to make

Resistance, or in Drink, he would cause them to be toss'd in a Blanket. After his Father's decease, he address'd himself to a Court-Lady in great Favour, as being one of the Emperor's Freed-women for whom he pre∣tended a most passionate Affection, tho' she was very old and decrepit: By her means he insinuated himself into Nero's Favour, and easily kept the highest place in his Friendship, through the conformity of their Humours, or, as others report, being familiarly en∣gag'd in mutual Prostitution. Moreover, Nero having a great Affection for Poppaea Sa∣bina, then his Mistress, took her from her Husband, and sent her to Otho, who receiv'd her into his House under colour of Marriage. And not content to have alienated her Kind∣ness from Nero, he grew so fond of her, that he could hardly brook the Emperor to be his Rival; and therefore not only refused those that were sent to bring her to the Emperor, but shut his Doors against the Emperor, him∣self standing in the Street, and with Prayers and Threatnings intermix'd redemanding the Trust committed to his Care; whereup∣on Nero dissolv'd the Marriage, and dispatch∣ed him Legate into Portugal. Nero and Gal∣ba being both cut off, as we have heard al∣ready, Otho succeeded in the Empire; but Vitellius having raised himself up against him, Otho at last became also his own Executioner, and stabb'd himself with a Dagger.

The next is Vitellius, concerning whom that same Author relates, That during his Youth he resided at Capreae, amongst Tiberius's

Catamites, insomuch that he was branded with the Sirname of Male Prostitute; and the Beauty of his Body was thought to have been the first Occasion of his Father's Advance∣ment. In the succeeding Years of his Age he was contaminated with all manner of Vice; after he came to the Empire, he sur∣render'd the greatest Share of the Govern∣ment to be manag'd by the Council, or ra∣ther at the Will and Pleasure of every infa∣mous Stage-player and Chariot-driver, more especially of Asiaticus his enfranchis'd Slave. This Male Prostitute, when but very young, after his Master and he had mutually for some time defil'd each other, being wearied with his Patron's Importunity, he ran away from him, afterwards Vitellius retaking him at Puteolae, where he was selling sowre Wine and Water mix'd together, to the poor Peo∣ple, to get a Penny, he cast him into Irons, but soon enlarg'd him, and favour'd him a∣gain with his Caresses. He afterwards sold him to a Fencer, for his churlish ill Nature, from whom he not long after stole him again, and the first day that Vitellius appear'd as Emperor, he suffer'd him to wear Gold Rings, like a Roman Knight.

Suetonius adds, That this Emperor Vitel∣lius was addicted to all sorts of Vice, but chiefly to Luxury and Cruelty; he always made three Meals a day, sometimes four, not contenting himself with Breakfast, Dinner, and Supper, unless he had his Collation af∣terwards, he would also appoint where to sup, where to debauch the same Day, and

happy he that entertain'd him who could could come off for Ten thousand Crowns at one sitting: But, above all the rest, the most famous Supper was that which was made him by his Brother, to welcome him to the City, at which time, as 'twas reported, no less than Two thousand Dishes of Fish, and Seven thousand of Fowl, all Rarities in sea∣son, were brought to the Table: Only he himself exceeded this Festival, at the Dedi∣cation of his great Platter, which, by reason of its extraordinary size, he call'd The Buck∣ler of Minerva. This Platter he fill'd with an Oglio consisting of the Livers of Thorn∣backs, the Brains of Phesants and Peacocks, the Tongues of Phaenicopters, and the milky Guts of Mullets, for which the Bowels of the Ocean were ransack'd, from the Carpa∣thian Sea to the Streights of Spain, by the Ma∣sters of the Roman Ships and Galleys. His Appetite was so insatiable and bottomless, and withal so unseasonable and sordid, that whether he were upon a Journey or offering Sacrifice, he could not forbear from snatch∣ing the Flesh of the Victim, and the parch'd Barley from the Altars, nor from tearing the Victuals from the Cooks Stalls in the Streets, whether steaming hot or of yester∣days dressing, and the Leavings of others. But this lustful and luxurious Emperor be∣coming hateful to every body, he was every where either vanquish'd or betray'd, and at last seiz'd in the Porter's Lodge of his own Palace, whence he was dragg'd ignominiously through the Snreets by the Hair, with his

Garments all torn, and at last brought to the Scalae Gemoniae, or common place of Exe∣cution, where, by gently stabbing him with small pricks at a time, they tortur'd him to death by degrees, and thence dragg'd along with an Hook, they flung his mortified Car∣cass into the Tiber.

As for the Emperor Titus, and his Son Vespatian, they were not without Blame as to the Point of Chastity, and tho' their Exits were not tragical, like those of the preceding Monsters, yet they were not without their Troubles and Reproaches, as just Punishments for their inordinate Passions. Suetonius says of Vespatian, That he had a great number of Concubines after the death of Coenis, one of which lay by him all the while of his Repose•…•… And, that being persecuted by a certain Cur∣tesan, who pretended to be ready to die for Love of him, he at length yielded to her Embraces, and gave her Four hundred Se∣sterces out of his own private Purse, which he order'd his Steward to place to his Ac∣count thus, viz. To Vespasian, for being belov'd. That same Historian observes of him, that he was much given to Drolling, and that some∣times so broad and scurrilously, that he could hardly refrain from Obscenity. He died of a sudden Looseness, as a just Punishment for his loose Life, of which the indelible Stain is convey'd to Posterity by Suetonius and other Historians.

His Son Vespatian is accus'd of sitting up till midnight revelling with the lewdest of his Companions, and that his Lechery was

notorious, by his Gangs of Catamites and Eunuchs, and the excessive Love he bore to the Queen Berenice: Upon the whole, he was generally esteem'd and talk'd of as ano∣ther Nero; but after he came to the Empire, he reform'd himself, turn'd off his Paramour Berenice, and all his Catamites, and became one of the most excellent Princes that ever sway'd the Roman Scepter: Yet so far hath the Divine Justice punish'd his Incontinence, that the Infamy of it is transmitted to Poste∣rity upon Record, and he was cut off in a manner in the Vigor of his Age, being but in his 41 st Year when he died: And of this Misfortune he was very sensible, the Histo∣rian telling us, that he look'd up toward Heaven, bitterly complaining, that his Life was wrongfully taken from him, for he had been guilty of no Action of which he need repent, excepting one only, which what it was he neither then declar'd himself, nor could it be easily guess'd by any one else, tho' some were of Opinion, that 'twas his Familiarity with his Brother's Wife Domitia, but she swore positively there was no such thing, and she would not have denied it had it been true, but rather have gloried in it; which it was usual for her to do of any kind of Lewdness. But thus his Memory and Fame justly suffers, because of his former In∣temperance.

The following Instance is that of Domitian, who was infamous from his very Youth; Nero produc'd a Note under his Hand when he was a young Man, wherein he had promi∣sed

him a Nights Lodging at any time: and he is also accus'd of having prostituted his Body to Nerva He divorc'd his Wife Do∣mitia, on pretence that she was in Love with one Paris, a Stage-player, and afterwards took her again. Being greatly addicted to Venery, he call'd frequent Coition his Bed∣wrestling, as if it had been a kind of Exer∣cise; and it is reported of him, that he would often smooth and depilate his Con∣cubines, and swim amongst the most noto∣rious Harlots. When his Brother's Daugh∣ter was offer'd him in Marriage, he would by no means accept of her, as being engag'd in Wedlock with Domitilla; but not long after, when she was married to another, he debauch'd her of his own accord, tho' Titus was then alive; but when her Father and Husband were dead, he lov'd her with a most passionate Affection, which he own'd before all the World, insomuch that after he had got her with Child, he forc'd her to mis∣carry, which was the occasion of her death. This vile Prince being justly hated for his Cruelty and Debauchery, was kill'd in his own Chamber, by those that conspir'd against him, Stephanus, Domitilla's Steward, having stabb'd him with a Dagger in the Groin, as he was reading a Paper which he •…•…ad given him, pretending it was a Discovery of a new Plot. And the Memory of this Emperor was so execrable to the Senate, that they or∣der'd all his Decrees and Titles to be every where ras'd out, and the very Memory of him utterly abolish'd; so infallibly true hath

it always been found, that Whoremongers and Adulterers God will punish.

Thus we have gone through such Instan∣ces as Livy and Suetonius afford us, and must now have recourse to other Authors for the remainder of the Roman Emperors.

The next we shall instance is the Emperor L. Aurelius Commodus Antoninus, who was ele∣vated to the Imperial Dignity about the Year of Christ 180. From his very Infan∣cy he was bent to all sorts of Vice, not∣withstanding the Care of the wise Philoso∣phers, who had the conduct of his Manners, so that Rome found in him a second Nero. He would needs pass for Hercules, Son to Ju∣piter, appear'd as he did, with the Lions Skin and Club, and would have Altars and Sacrifices, which the Senate consented to, rather than they would irritate his furious nature: He murder'd most of the Senators; was a severe Persecuter of the Christians, debauch'd his own Sisters, and entertained three hundred Concubines, and as many Boys, for his detestable Pleasures, and gave the Government of his Provinces to Men noted for Vice or Infamy: But, at last, ha∣ving design'd to cut off Martia, one of his Strumpets, she, together with the Captain of his Guards and his Lord Chamberlain, against whom he had the like Design, mix'd Poison with his Wine, which not being quick enough in its operation, they had him

strangled by a Wrestler, (with whom he us'd to exercise himself sometimes at that Sport) about the 31st year of his age; says Lampri∣dius, Eutropius, and Onuphrius.

We come next to Heliogabalus the Empe∣ror, who succeeded Macrinus, and was cal∣led the Roman Sardanapalus. His Luxury was so boundless, that when he was on the Sea∣coasts he would eat nothing but Fowl from the remotest Mountains, and when farthest from the Sea, would eat nothing but Sea-fish; he fed his Lamps with Balsam, and filled his Fish-ponds with scented Water; he married Aquila Severa, a Vestal Virgin, (tho' by the Roman Law accounted Incest) saying, That he being a Priest, their Offspring must be al∣together Heavenly. His two Coachmen were his chief Companions and fellow-Debauchees. He cut off abundance of the Senators, because they would not allow of a Senate of Women, whereof his Mother was to be President, and to determine all Female Controversies. Tho' he was but Twenty two Years old at most, he was guil∣ty of all manner of Villanies, enough to make 'those who read his History to blush: He became at last so hateful even to his own Guards, that he and his Mother were both s•…•…in in the Camp, and their Corps ex∣pos'd to all manner of Indignities from the Populace, who first threw them into a Privy, and then into the Tiber, so vile had their Lusts render'd them in the Eyes of the People.

This happen'd about the Year 222, accord∣ing to Eutropius, Lampridius, and Aurelius Victor.

The Emperor Trajan falls next under con∣sideration, who tho' a Prince excellent for Virtue and Valour, compar'd with some that went before him, yet Dion and others charge him with Cruelty and Incontinence in the unnatural Love of Boys, as also with perse∣cuting the Christians, and Excess in Wine. As to his punishment, the same Authors take notice, that he had well nigh perish'd by a dreadful Earthquake, and escap'd so narrowly, that he was forced to be drawn out of a Window; and his great Virtue and Valour have not been able to preserve his Memory from the Ignominy of those Sodomi∣tical Impurities he was guilty of.

The Emperor Caracalla was a Monster of Cruelty and Incontinence, being so impu∣dent as to marry Julia his Father's Widow; he also conspir'd the Death of his Father and Brother, so inseparable are Cruelty and Incontinence, and was at last cut off himself by a Conspiracy of his Officers.

The Emperor Gallienus, says Trebellius Pol∣lio, was a person altogether given to Sloath and Ease, his Pleasures and Lusts, which drew upon him the Hatred of all Men. When they brought him News that Egypt was lost, and that Gaul had revolted, he

was so unconcern'd, because of his sluggish Temper, that he made no other Answer but, What, can't we live without the Flax of E∣gypt, or the Jippoes of Arras? And at last was slain by some of his Captains.

Aurelius Victor gives us this Account of the Emperor Carinus, That he gave himself over to all manner of Vice, married nine Wives, and put several to death upon bare Suspi∣cion; which, says Vopiscus, made his Father afterwards disown him; and he was kill'd in 285, by one of his Captains, whose Wife he had debauch'd.

Eutropius and Croesus say of the Emperor Galerius, That he divorced his first Wife, and married Valeria, the Emperor's Daugh∣ter, persecuted the Christians in a most cruel and barbarous manner, and died of an Ulcer in his Genitals, that began to swarm with Worms; a just and suitable Punishment for his Incontinence.

Valentinian the Third became so enamou∣red on a Roman Lady, Wife to Maximus, a Senator, and afterwards Emperor, that he sollicited her continually to debauch her, but without effect: But having won all Maxi∣mus's Money, and his Ring likewise, at Dice, he sent the Ring as a Token from her Hus∣band, to come to the Palace, and when she came thither, violated her Chastity; the in∣jur'd Lady complain'd of it to her Husband,

who in revenge contriv'd the Murder of Maximus, about the Year 455.

Procopius and Baronius have left it on Re∣cord concerning the Emperor Maximus, That having caused the Emperor Valentinian the third to be kill'd for having ravish'd his Wife, he married the Empress Eudoxa by force, created his own Son Caesar, and married him to the young Eudoxa, the Emperor's Daughter. One Night, in his Amours with the Empress Eudoxa, he told her, That he kill'd the Emperor her Husband for love of her; which so incens'd her, that she sent for Genseric, King of the African Vandals, to deliver her from the Tyrant, who abandoning Rome when Genseric enter'd into it, he was kill'd by a Souldier, and af∣terwards pull'd in pieces by the Empress and her Servants, and thrown into the Ti∣ber, about seventy seven days after he began his Reign.

Thus we have gone through the several Governments and Governours of Rome, from its foundation to the Reign of Augustulus, the last of those properly call'd Roman Em∣perors, which have afforded us many remar∣kable Instances of the Tragical Effects of Lust, not only upon particular Persons and Families, but upon Kingdoms, Empires, and other Governments, and shall shut up this part of our History with an Account of the

abominable Worship of Priapus and Berecyn∣thia, and the Ludi Florales celebrated among the Romans with so much Solemnity and Im∣pudence, that it afforded Subject-matter of Reflection to their Satyrists, and Historians, who ascrib'd the Fall of the Roman Empire chiefly to that Cause.

Tostatus, in his 50th Question upon the 20th of Exodus, saith concerning the Hea∣thenish Worship of Priapus, That it was so obscene, that the very mention of it could not but offend chaste Ears. They profes∣sed in the holding of those Sacrifices that beastly Crime which the most vicious Men will hardly confess upon the Rack. The shape, says he, in which that God was re∣presented was such as Nature hath taught us to •…•…ide; and the gestures of the Priests in serving him such, as I wonder their Ma∣trons and Virgins, in whom were any spark of Modesty, could behold it with patience; and for the People who came to worship, the Sacrifice being ended, they all stepped aside into a Thicket, which was alwaies planted near the Altar of this God. and there, like Brute Beasts, promiscuously sa∣tisfied their Lust, thereby, as they concei∣ved, best pleasing their God; which was the cause, as it seems, that the true GOD commanded that no Groves should be plan∣ted near the place of his Worship; and, if any were, that they should be cut down.

Of the same nature was the Worship of Berecynthia, the Mother of the Gods; as we find described by St. Augustine, De Civit. Dei, lib. 2, cap. 4, in the following words, Ante ejus Lecticam, i. e. Such filthy Stuff was by loose prophane Varlets sung before her Chariot on the solemn day of her Lava∣tion, as was utterly unfit, I will not say for the Mother of the Gods, but of any Se∣nator, nay, of any honest Man, nay, of the Singers themselves to hear; And perchance, saith he, they would have blush'd to have spoken that before their own Mothers, at home, which in the sight of the Mother of the Gods, in the sight and hearing of in∣numerable multitudes of both Sexes, they boldly sang; and thereupon breaks out into this Exclamation: What should we call Sacri∣lege, if this were Sacrificing, what Pollution if this Purification? And if this be Sacrilege, then surely the Worshipping of God by Blasphemies and Cursings, as did the Lyn∣dians, is a degree beyond Sacrilege; who notwithstanding proceeded so far in this devilish mad Custom, that, as Lactantius says, they held it a violation of their Sa∣crifice, if during their solemn Ceremonies but a good Word chanced to slip from any Man, tho' unawares.

To these may be added the abominable Games call'd by the Romans Ludi Florales, in honour of Flora, a notorious Strumpet,

concerning which St. Augustine, in his third Book, De Civitate Dei, cap. 27, saith, Which Games of theirs, the more dishonestly, the more devoutly they were celebrated. In these the common Prostitutes, who got their mainte∣nance by that Trade, ran up and down the Streets by Day, and in the Night, with bur∣ning Torches, having their whole Bodies stark naked, and expressing the most beastly Motions and Gestures, and uttering the most filthy Speeches and Songs that could possibly be imagin'd. To these Ovid all•…•…des Fasto∣rum 5, when he says,

Turba quidem cur hos celebret Meretricia ludos, Non ex difficili cognita causa fuit.

Yet to those shameful Pastimes were their Youth admitted, thereby adding as it were Fire to the Tinder; nay, the sagest Senators, gravest Matrons, and severest Magistrates were well content to grace them with their presence, as if it had been some commen∣dable Exercise. These Floral Plays were acted but once a Year, but their Inter∣ludes upon the open Stage were acted al∣most every Day, and so abominable, that the devout Fathers of the Primitive Church could hardly write of them with Patience. Salvianus, de Gubernatione Dei, lb. 6, writes smartly concerning them, thus: Talia sunt quae illic fiunt, &c. i. e.

The things acted there are of such a nature, that a Man can scarcely speak of them, or remember

them, without some touch of Pollution. Other Offences challenge to themselves but a part of us, as impure Thoughts, the Mind; unchaste Sights, the Eye; wic∣ked Speeches, the Ear; so that when one of these is tainted, yet the rest may be clear from Pollution, but in the Theatre none of them is free from the guilt of Infection, inasmuch as the Mind is there defiled with corrupt Thoughts, the Af∣fections with naughty Desires, the Eyes by seeing, the Ears by hearing; all which are so lewd, that no Man, without blush∣ing, can so much as name them, much less fully describe them. For what mo∣dest Man is there, who can recount those Representations of beastly Actions, those filthy Speeches, and Motions, and Ge∣stures, which how sinful they are we may from hence conjecture, that they cannot well be related? which being so, behold what manner of things all, or at leastwise the greatest part, of the Romans practis'd.

And would to God that all that is here said were not too too applica∣ble to our English Playhouses.

That the Roman Luxury was incredible, appears by their own Writers, both Poets and Historians; and to that purpose Juve∣nal, in his 6th Satyr, has these remarkable Expressions:

Nunc patimur Long a pacis mala, saevior armis Luxuria incumbit, victum{que} ulsciscitur orbem Nullum crimen abest, fauinus{que} libidinis ex quo Paupertas Romana perit.

Pariterque & Luxuria nata est & Carthago sublata, saith Pliny; i. e. Luxury was born and Carthage demolish'd at the same time; meaning, that when the Romans had no Enemies to keep 'em in the exercise of their Arms, they became luxurious. And Causabon, in his Preface to Polybius, says,

It is evident that those Times are by Tacitus described in his Annals, than which there were never any Times more fruitful in most shameful and abomina∣ble Vices, or more opposite to Virtue.

And by that means, as Juvenal expresses it well, their Luxury became more destructive to them than their Arms, and by making a Conquest of them, reveng'd their Conquest of the World. And thus fell the great Ro∣man Empire.

We have already taken notice of the Lasciviousness of the Romans, and their In∣continence as to the Lusts of the Flesh; we come now to take a short view of their Luxury in other respects, which being equally a breach of the Seventh Command∣ment, were either naturally introductive of their Bodily Uncleanness, or the unavoida∣ble

Consequences of it, and contributed to the Ruine of their Empire.

To begin with their Excess in Drinking, Ammianus Marcellinus, lib. 22, says, That their Cups were heavier than their Swords; and those Cups were made of the Leaves of the Egyptian Bean, which Pliny, lib. 21, c. 15, says, were as broad as a Thessalian Hat. They had a Master of Misrule in their Carrouses, who was call'd Modipera∣tor, or Magister, whose Office was to pre∣scribe Rules, and see them executed; and the principal Chance or Lot they cast for Drinking was call'd Venus. Those Rules of Drinking they borrow'd for the most part from the Grecians, the most drunken Na∣tion that ever was; and of these Rules one was to drink down the Evening-Star, and up the Morning-Star: Saith Plautus, Ad diurnam Stellam matutinam potantes. Another Rule commonly practis'd among 'em was, to drink as many Healths as there were Let∣ters in their Mistresses Names; as appears by Martial's Epigram:

Naevia sex Cyathis, septem Justina bibatur, Quinque Lycas, Lyde quatuor, Ida tribus.

These drunken Matches were in a manner the daily Trade of their Poets, as appears to any that peruse Horace and Martial. The former, Lib. 1, Ode 37, says,

Nunc est bibendum, nunc pede libero Pulsanda tellus.

And the latter, Book 11, Epigr. 7, says,

Possum ego nil sobrius, bibenti Succurrunt mihi quindecini Poetae.

Nay, Seneca assures us, Nat. qu. 4. 13, that their Women exceeded the Men in these Debauches; Non minus pervigi•…•…ant, non minus potant: i. e. They sit up as late, they drink no less, nay, they challenge Men to the anointing of their Bodies, and the swilling down of Wine, disgorging what they eat and drink as well as they; neither do they forbear to chew up∣on Snow, as Men do, for refreshing their boiling Stomachs.

Those Debauches are yet more graphical∣ly describ'd by Pliny, lib. 14, c. 12, where he says,

To the end that we may take the more Cups, and pour it down the Throat the more lustily, we let it run through a Strainer, to abate the force thereof: Some take Hemlock before they sit down, because they must drink perforce then, or else die; and others the Powder of the Pumice-stone, and such-like Stuff, which I am asham'd to rehearse, and teach those that be ignorant of such Lewdness; and yet we see those that be the stoutest Drin∣kers lye sweating so long in the Baths and

Brothel-houses to digest their Surfeit of Wine, that ever now and then they are carried forth dead for their labour. You shall have some again, when they are in the Hot-house, that won't stay so long as they may go to their Beds, nay, nor as they may put on their Shirts, but imme∣diately, naked as they are, and panting and puffing for Breath, catch up great Tankards of Wine, to shew what valiant Champions of Bacchus they are, and pour them down one after another, till they vomit twice or thrice what they have drank.

Then describing their Pots out of which they us'd to quaff;

They were en∣graven, says he, with fair portraitures of Adulteries, as if Drunkenness it self were not sufficient to kindle the heat of Lust, and to teach them Wantonness. Then, continues he, when they come to be fud∣dled they cast their wanton Eyes upon Mens Wives; then fall they to court fair Dames and Ladies, and openly bewray their Folly even before their jealous and stern Husbands: And thus many a Man, by his lavish Tongue in his Wine, hath come by his Death, and had his Throat cut. But if they escape these Dangers, they never live to be old Men, but dye in the strength of their Youth: Hence co∣meth it that some of them look pale, with flaggy Cheeks, others have bleared and sore Eyes; and there be of 'em that shake so with their Hands, that they can∣not

hold a full Cup, but pour it on the Floor. They are generally disturb'd with fearful Dreams, which is the very begin∣ning of their Hell in this Life; or else have restless Nights; and finally, if they chance to sleep, for a due reward of their Drunkenness, they are deluded with the imaginary Conceits of the Delights of Ve∣nus, defiled with filthy abominable Pollu∣tions; and thus sleeping or waking they sin with pleasure.

Then he proceeds to particular Instances, and names Nivellius Torquatus a Milanois, who won the Victory from all the Italians in Drinking, adding, That he had gone thro' all the Degrees of Dignity at Rome, had been Pretor and Proconsul, and in all these Offices of State he won no great Name, but for drinking in the presence of Tiberius three Gallons of Wine at one draught, for which he was dubb'd Knight, by the Surname of Tricongius, or the Three Gallon Knight. This Torquatus had the Art of Drinking, never was known to falter in his Tongue, never eased himself by vomiting, always drank without drawing his Breath, and never left a drop behind in the Cup.

His next Instance is in Mark Antony, who strove to win the Victory in Drinking, and made a Profession thereof; as appear•…•…d by a Book which he publish'd under the title of his own Drunkenness, whereby he was not

asham'd to justifie his Excesses that way, and thereby approved, under pretence of his Drunkenness, all the Outrages he commit∣ted, and all those Miseries and Calamities that he brought upon the World. This Treatise, says Pliny he vomited out a little before his Defeat at Actium.

That same Author gives us two other memorable Instances of Antony's Drunken∣ness, the first as follows.

Cleopatra, his Paramour, perceiving his Jealousie of her, insomuch that he would neither eat nor drink without his Taster, she design'd to make Sport of his needless Fear; and therefore causing a Chappelet or Garland of Flowers to be made for Antony, she dipp'd all the edges of the Flowers in strong Poyson; and having thus prepar'd it, set it upon Antony's Head; and having sate at Meat a good while, and drank themselves merry, she challeng'd Antony for each of them to drink their Chappelets; and ha∣ving first drank off her own, Antony minc'd his, and putting it into his Cup, pre∣par'd to drink it off; but just as he was set∣ting it to his Head, she put her Hand be∣tween and staid him, and then utter'd these Expressions: My dear and best-beloved Anto∣ny, now see what she is whom thou dost so much dread and stand in fear of, that for thy secu∣rity thou must have extraordinary Tasters, a Cu∣riosity more nice than needful: Lo, how I am not

to seek of Means and, Opportunities to compass thy Death, if I could find in my Heart to live without thee. And then she sent for a Priso∣ner out of the Jayl, whom she caus'd to drink off the Cup that Antony had prepar'd for himself, and the poor Wretch died by that time he had well taken the Cup from his Lips.

The next Instance is this: Cleopatra being possess'd of two Pearls, the richest and fair∣est that were ever known in the World, being left to her by descent, and accounted Nature's Wonder, she began to undervalue the Expence that Antony had been at in treating her from day to day, to the ut∣most of his might; and when he demanded of her how it was possible to go beyond the magnificence and cost of his Treat, she an∣swer'd, That she would spend upon him One hun∣dred thousand Sestertii at one Supper. Antony thought that impossible, and therefore wa∣ger'd with her, that she could not do it. Next night she made him a Supper, royal enough, but much short of those that he had before prepar'd for her; whereupon he began to laugh her to Scorn, and demanded a Bill of the Particulars, to which she an∣swer'd, That what had been brought in alrea∣dy was meer Overplus, and that she would yet in that Supper eat Six hundred thousand Sestertii for her own part: Upon which she took one of those Pearls from her Ears, and dissol∣ving it in Vinegar, drank it off: And as she

was about to do the like with the other, L. Placentius, the Judge of that Wager, laid fast hold upon it, and pronounced, That Antony had lost; upon which he fell into a mighty Passion. There was an end of one Pearl; and the fellow thereof being taken from this Queen when she was a Prisoner, it was divided in two, in memory of that half Supper of theirs, and hung in the Ears of Venus at Rome, in the Temple of Pantheon. And yet, saith Pliny, as prodigal as they were, they shall not go away with the Prize; for long before their time Clodius, the Son of Aesop the Tragedian practis'd the like in Pearls of great price; so that Antony hath, to match him in all his Magnificence, one lit∣tle better than a Stageplayer.

Lest Drunkenness should be thought to be only the Vice of some particular persons among the Romans, Lipsius in his Epistles tells us, That it was a common Crime a∣mong them, because the Emperors them∣selves were deeply infected with it, and highly rewarded it in others. He names one Firmus, who was Deputy of Egypt un∣der Aurelian, and drank off two Buckets full of Wine at a time. Bonosus the Emperor was wont to say, That he was not born to live, but to drink; and when he was hang'd for some Misdemeanour, he was call'd an hanging Tankard, and not a Man. The Em∣peror Maximinus is charg'd with drinking nine Gallons of Wine in one day. And

one Phagon, in Aurelian's time, is accus'd of drinking more; insomuch that Lipsius says, He should tremble to write those things, but that he had them from good Authors. Nero promoted Piso to be Provost of Rome, for his Drunkenness; and Flaccus Pomponius to be Governour of Syria for that same Qua∣lity. He likewise prefer'd an ignoble and obscure Fellow before the Chief of the Nobility, to be a Questor or Treasurer, be∣cause he drank off nine Gallons of Wine at a Feast which Nero himself had made. And how far that beastly Vice of Drunkenness had infected the common People of Rome, appears by the Fannian Law, says Macro∣bius, Saturnal, lib. 3, c. 17, which was made against Drunkenness, because, says he, matters were come to that pass, that the greatest part of the common People of Rome came ordinarily drunk into the Council-house, to consult of the Safety of the State.

The more to excite them to Drunkenness, the Vessels out of which they drank were very costly and curious in their Workman∣ship, being chas'd, emboss'd, or wrought in Imagery and Flowerwork, as if the Painter had drawn them. These Celatures were so fram'd, that they might put them on or take them off at pleasure, and were therefore call'd Emblemata: Such was that whereof Juvenal the Satyrist speaks, Sat. 1, Stantem extra pocula Caprum; a Goat standing out from the Cup; two of this kind c•…•…st Lucius

Crassus the Oratour One hundred thousand Sesterces, that is about Five hundred thirty three Pounds Sterlin. Sometimes they were made of Onix-stones, dug from the Moun∣tains of Arabia, sometimes of Mother of Pearl, and other curious Shells; and all those kinds they richly enamel'd with Pearls and precious Stones. We drink, saith Pliny, lib. 33. 11, in rows of Pearl, and garnish our Pots with Emeralds; it delights us to hold the Indies in our Hands, as a provoca∣tion to Drunkenness. And because of the richness of their Cups, they set some at their Feasts to watch their Drinking-vessel. They thought not themselves dainty e∣nough, saith Pacatus, unless Luxury had chang'd the Season of the Year, unless Winter-roses swam upon the top of their Pots, and unless their pleasant Wines dis∣solv'd the Summer-ice in a large Gemm. They had also Cups of Murrin and Crystal of wonderful great prizes, and one of those bought for Three hundred thousand Sester∣ces, or above Five and twenty hundred Pounds Sterlin, by Nero, Petronius, who had been Consul, broke in pieces a little before his death, on a spight to Nero, that he might disinherit his Table thereof.

We shall conclude this point of their Drunkenness with the beastly Forms of many of their Cups; Vitreo bibit ille Priapo, saith Juvenal, He drinks out of a Priapus made of Glass. And Pliny to the same purpose

saith, In poculis libidines caelare Juvat, & per obscaenitates bibere: They delight to engrave their Lustful Dalliances upon their Cups; and to drink in Obscenity:

The next thing that falls under our Con∣sideration is their Gluttony, which being also a Sin of the Flesh, and an Incentive of Lust and Uncleanness, does properly belong to our Subject.

Their Luxury in this respect appear'd in their Tables, Platters, Number and Or∣der of their Servants, as well as in their Courts. They had Tables of Silver and Gold, as appears by that of Martial, Epig. 31: Sustentatque tuas Aurea mensa dapes; i. e. Thy Dishes are set upon Tables of Gold: But the Tables which they valued most were of Citron, which they brought from Africa. Tully had one which cost him Ten thou∣sand Sesterces, tho' he was both severe in his Morals, and poor, compar'd with others. A•…•…nius Pollio had one which was sold for Eleven thousand Sesterces; and the more knotty those Tables were, the more they were valued. And those Tables stood also upon Ivory Frames and Feet. Dion reports of Seneca, That notwithstanding his severe and Stoical Profession, he was stor'd with Four hundred such Tables; and Annius had three hundred of them, and as many Servants to attend them.

Then as to their Platters or Chargers, Pliny says, That Drusillanus, one of the Em∣peror Claudius's Slaves, and his Treasurer in High Spain, had a Silver Charger of Five hundred pound weight; and Vitellius had one which cost him a Million of Sesterces, or about Eight thousand Three hundred and Thirty three pounds Sterlin; so that Mu∣cianus up braided the Memorial of him, cal∣ling his Excess that way Palinarum Paludes, Platters as broad as Ponds.

Then as to their Waiters at Table, they sometimes made use of naked Wenches: And thus Tiberius the Emperor sent a Mes∣sage to Sextus Claudius, that he would come and sup with him, on condition that he would change nothing of his wonted fashion, which was, that he should have naked Wenches waiting on him at Supper. Seneca, in his 95th Epistle, faith, they had whole Troops of unfortunate Ganimedes, and Troops of exsolete or stale Catamites grown to Man's estate, waiting on them at Table, and those they rank'd into several Bands, according to their Nations and Complexions. He further tells us of the infinite number of their Cooks, Bakers, &c. and then cries out, Dii boni quantum hominum unius Venter exercet! Good God, what a num∣ber of Men doth one Belly set at work! They had also Schools, and Masters to teach the Art of Carving to their Scholars, by

Dishes fashion'd in Wood after what man∣ner and with what gesture of the Body they should cut them up.

Seneca, in his 97th Epistle, says,

Do you wonder that our Diseases are innumerable? Number our Cooks if you can. The Schools of Philosophers are empty, but how are our Kitchins frequented?

Pliny, lib. 9. 17, says, That scarce any Man was in greater request than those Cooks that could most artificially waste their Master's Substance. The infinite waste they made this way, the only Story of Api∣cius, an infamous•…•… Belly-God, may suffice to shew, who having laid up Ninety Millions of Sesterces for his Kitchin, besides many great Gifts of Princes, and a mighty Reve∣nue of the Capitol, being deep in Debt, he began at last, tho' sore against his Will, to look into his Reckonings, and found that, all being cast up, he had still remaining clear Ten Millions of Sesterces, or Eighty-three thousand Three hundred and thirty pounds Sterlin; and yet, for fear that he should live in an Hunger-starv'd fashion, he poison'd himself: Upon which Seneca ex∣claims,

How great was that Luxury to which ten Millions of Sesterces seem'd Poverty?

And that this Gluttony was common among the Romans, appears from Juvenal and Seneca; the former, Sat. 1, says, Una comedunt patrimonia mensa; They devour whole Estates at one sitting: And the latter, Ep. 95, says,

What is more lewd than a sumptuous Supper, that wastes a Knight's Revenues, of which the most frugal, if it be but any way solemn, costs Three hundred thousand Sesterces, or Two thousand Five hundred and Fifty five pounds Sterling?

Nor did they only exceed as to the Quantity and Quality, but as to the Frequency of their Banquets. Tiberius spent a Night and two days in continual eating and drinking. It was usual with Nero to eat from Noon till Midnight; and Vitellius seasted usually three or four times a Day, every sitting being va∣lued at Four hundred thousand Sesterces, or Thirty-three thousand Three hundred and thirty-three pounds Sterling; which was One million Thirty-three thousand Three hundred and thirty-two pounds Sterling per Day; being easily able to go through them all by a continual Custom of Vomiting, which was common among them: Says Se∣neca, De Consolatione ad Albinam, c. 9.

They vomit that they may eat, and eat again that they may vomit; and those Delicates which they hunt for through the World, they vouchsafe not so much as to digest:

Nay, the very Women practise it as well as Men; they eat against their Stomachs that

which they soon return by their Mouths. The number of their Courses were usually seven; and at one Feast that Monster He∣liogabalus had two and twenty Courses of the choicest Fare serv'd in. Nay, Suetonius tells us, That at a casual Supper made to the Emperor Vitellius, by his Brother, there were Two thousand of the choicest Fish, and Seven thousand Fowl, serv'd in.

Seneca, in the above-cited place, says, They fetch that from the furthest part of the Ocean which their Stomachs, weaken'd with Delicacies, will hardly admit. And then a little after he adds;

O wretched Men, says he, whose Pallates are not stir∣red but with precious Meats, especially when that which makes them be account∣ed precious is not their singular Relish or excellent Savour, but only their Scar∣city, and the Difficulty of procuring them.

Latinus Pacatus, in his Panegyrick says much the same, viz. That this our World was too narrow for their Throats; for, not valuing their Cates by their Tast, but by their Cost, they were only content with that Provision which they had from the uttermost parts of the East, or Colchus, seated beyond the Roman Empire.

Many think it (saith Plutarch, in his Book concerning the Precepts of Health)

an absurd thing not to feed liberally on things which are rare, and can hardly be got, such as the Paps of a Sow when she is newly farrow'd, Italian Mushromes, Samian Cakes, or Snow out of Egypt.

Among these Excesses, Vitellius's Platter deserves our notice, which, for the bigness of it, he call'd Minerva's Buckler; and this he cramm'd with the Livers of Guiltheads, the Brains of Phesants and Peacocks, the Tongues of Phaenicopters, and the Melts of Lampreys, brought from the Spanish and Carpathian Seas. And the like, that of Aesop the Tragedian, which he furnish'd out with the rarest Singing-birds, or such as imita∣ted Man's Voice, which cost him Six thou∣sand Sesterces, or Fifty pounds Sterling, a piece; and the whole Dish Six hundred thousand Sesterces, or Five thousand pounds Sterling; as is mention'd by Valerius and Seneca. The latter says, concerning Cali∣gula, That Nature seem'd to have brought him forth to shew what Effects the greatest Vices joyn'd with the greatest Fortune cou'd produce: And Suetonius says of him, That in thriftless Expences he exceeded the Wits of all the Prodigals that ever were, invent∣ing most monstrous kinds of Meats and Suppers; the most Orient Pearls that were to be gotten, he dissolv'd in Vinegar, and swallow'd down, and set before his Guests Bread of Victuals and Gold. And Lampri∣dius says of Heliogabalus, That at one Sup∣per

he caus'd to be serv'd in, the Heads of Six hundred Ostriches, only for the eating of their Brains.

The same Authors give surprizing Ac∣counts of the wonderful niceness of the Ro∣mans, in the strangeness, weight, and new∣ness of their Fishes; as also of the vastness of their Fishponds, and numbers of Fishes in them. They were so nice in their Fishes, that they would not eat them ex∣cept they saw them kill'd; and for that end they were brought into their Dining∣rooms swimming in Glass-bottles, that the Guests might feed their Eyes with the change of Colours that appear'd in the dying Fishes. Severus the Emperor had the Fishes brought to his Table by Men wear∣ing Garlands and Chappelets, as if they had been to sacrifice to the Gods. Licinius Crassus, counted a grave staid Citizen, mour∣ned in black for a Lamprey that died in one of his Fish ponds, and was thereupon afterwards call'd Licinius Murena, as is rela∣ted by Cice•…•…o. Octavius, Admiral of the Ro∣man Navy, finding that the Fish call'd Sca∣rus was not to be had in the Italian Seas, brought vast quantities of 'em from other parts, sow'd them in those Seas, as Men do Corn upon Lands, and for five Years together imploy'd his utmost Endeavours, if any of 'em happen'd to be taken by the Fishermen, that they should be thrown back again into the Sea. Domitian the Emperor

delighted so much in his Lampreys, that he gave each of 'em a Name, and they would come to him one by one upon his Call. Antonia, the Wife of Drusus, hung Jewels in the Gilds of a Lamprey which she lov'd; and Hortensius the Orator wept for the death of one of his Lampreys.

Their Luxury as to their Fowl was no less remarkable; those they chiefly de∣lighted in were Phoenicopters, Peacocks, Thrushes, and Pigeons, which tho' they had in great abundance, yet their Riot and Luxury made very dear, so that in Colu∣mella's time fair Pigeons were sold at Four thousand Sesterces a pair; and they had whole bands of Hunters, marching under several Colours, in the Provinces, the end of whose Wars was, to make provision for their Feasts, saith Latinus Pacatus. And they were so curious as to their Bakers, that they would give Five hundred pounds Sterling for a good one. Then they had a thousand kinds of sawces for stirring up the Appetite. They made use of Bathings and Anointings before their Feasts, Per∣fumes and sweet Odours of divers kinds at their Feasts; they strew'd their Rooms with Saffron, chang'd their Apparel, nay, and the very Roofs of their Rooms where they sate, at the bringing in of every new Dish; and, last of all, us'd such damnable lust∣ful practices after their Feasts, as are not fit to be nam'd amongst Christians; as may ap∣pear

to any that will consult the Authors above-mention'd.

The Quantities which some of them de∣vour'd at Meals is also worth our Notice. Maximinus the Emperor, saith Codrus, de∣vour'd many times in one day sixty pounds of Flesh. Clodius Albinus, in a Morning fasting, would eat Five hundred dry'd Figs, One hundred Peaches of Campania, ten Me∣lons of Ostia, twenty pound weight of Grapes of Lavica, One hundred Gnatknap∣pers, and forty Oysters. Phago, in whom Aurelian the Emperor took so much delight, would, says Vopiscus, at one Meal eat up a whole Boar, One hundred Loaves, a Wea∣ther, and a young Pigeon. And Athenaeus us'd to set before every Guest a Boar in a several Dish.

Their prodigious superfluity in their tem∣porary Buildings, and such as were only design'd for pleasure, was no less abomi∣nable, fetching Marble from the remotest parts of the Earth, hewing down the tops of Mountains, and transporting them by Sea, at the expence of many Mens Lives.

Of this nature was the Theatre of Scau∣rus, which was capable of receiving Eighty thousand persons to sit at their ease; the Stage of it had three Stories, wherein were Three hundred and sixty Columns of Mar∣ble; the nethermost part of the Stage was

of Marble, the middle of Glass, and the uppermost of gilded Boards; the Columns beneath were thirty-eight foot high, and between them there stood three thousand Statues and Images of Brass. The Hangings of this Theatre were of Cloth of Gold; and they had painted Tables, the most ex∣quisite that could be found: And yet, says Pliny, this Theatre was not to continue above a Month.

Of the same nature was Caligula's Bridge, mention'd by Suetonius, built from Puteoli to Bauly, over a Bay of the Sea, for no other use but Ostentation, and that he might imitate Xerxes; and upon this he marched with the Senate and Souldiery, in a triumphant manner, feasted and passed the Night in Dalliance and Ga∣ming.

Then, as to their permanent Amphi∣theatres, Ammianus gives us this Account of that built by Titus, viz. the heighth thereof was such, that the Eye of Man could hardly reach it. It was rear'd, saith Cassiodorus, with Rivers of Treasure poured out: It contain'd upon the very Steps of it easie Seats for Eighty-seven thousand Men; and, in other places, room for Twenty thousand more.

And as the mass of Treasure was infi∣nite which they cast away in the raising of these Buildings, only to make People sport, it was incredible what they spent in furnishing them, and setting forth their Games therein.

They spent in exhibiting Sword-fights, saith Lactantius, Treasure enough to maintain great Cities. And the Magistrate, upon Theatrical Games, says Ambrose, in his 81st Sermon, lavishes out his whole Patrimony to purchase one hours Applause.

The whole Furniture of those Theatres was sometimes all of Silver, as that of Ju∣lius Caesar and Caius Antonius, and sometimes of Gold. And thus Nero, for the Osten∣tation of his Greatness to Teredates King of Armenia, cover'd over not the Stage only, but the whole Theatre, with Gold. The Curtains which kept them from the heat of the Sun was all of Purple, embroi∣der'd with Stars of Gold, and the place below, call'd Arena, because strow'd with Sand, Nero caused to be strow'd over with Dust of Gold, he himself being to try a Match of Chariot-driving therein.

Their incredible Expence and Luxury in abusing the Creature at those Shows, mee•…•…ly out of a Principle of Pride and Ostentation, will yet further appear by the Instances fol∣lowing.

They were at a vast Expence in the multitude of Fencers, whom they hir'd for great prices, because they were to expose their Lives, besides the Charge of their Arms and Diet before they enter'd: And when they exhibited Beasts, the Relations made by Historians concerning their number are incredible.

Thus Vopiscus tells us, That the Emperor Probus commanded to be let loose at once a thousand Ostriches, a thousand Staggs, a thousand wild Boars, and a thousand fallow Deer, besides wild Goats, wild Sheep, and other Beasts, all which he gave over to the Mercy, or rather to the Rage, of the Peo∣ple, every one to catch what he could, the Circus at the same time being set all over with tall and mighty Trees, which the Souldiers took up by the Roots in the Wood, brought them thither, and fasten'd them with green Turf, and Bars, and Irons. The next day he let into the same place an hundred crested Lions, an hun∣dred Leopards of Lybia, an hundred of Syria, an hundred Lionesses, and three hun∣dred Bears; which filled the Air with Roaring, as if it had been with Thun∣der.

Nay, the Madness of Heliogabalus was yet greater, who exhibited Ships in the Circus sailing and fighting in Wine.

And, during those Shows, it was usual to refresh the Spectators with pleasant Per∣fumes, sweet Water, Oyntments, Saffron mixed with Wine, or somewhat of that kind, which they convey'd in close Pipes through the whole Amphitheatre. And the Fight being ended, they commonly cast a Largess among the People, wrapping up the Names of those things in little pellets, which they intended to give, and every one, as he could catch them, brought them to the Master of the Games, who deli∣ver'd them the things themselves specified in the Pellet; and those Gifts consisted not only in Meat, Drink, and Apparel, but in Vessels of Silver and Gold, Horses, Cat∣tel, Slaves, and the like. And Nero added curious Pictures, precious Stones, yea, Ships, Horses, Farms, Islands; A thing hardly to be credited, says Lypsius, though deli∣ver'd by Suetonius, a most faithful Histo∣rian.

Their Luxury did likewise extend it self to their Baths, which some of them had so accustom'd themselves unto, that they could neither eat nor drink without bathing first, or being sweated in a Stove. Pliny says, That the number of them at Rome, in his time, was infinite; that Agrippa, during his Aedileship, built for publick use One hun∣dred and seventy; And some of them, says Ammianus, were so large, that they were

built in the manner of Provinces. Diocle∣•…•…ian's Baths alone were so capacious, that they contain'd, for the use of Washing, Six∣teen hundred several Seats, and those all of polish'd Marble.

Seneca, in his 86th Epistle, hath most elegantly express'd, and bitterly censur'd the Ornament and Beauty of those bathing places, those of the Common People ha∣ving their Walls shining with great and precious Circles, and the Shavings of Nu∣midian Marble, inlaid with that of Alexan∣dria, their Borders painted or inlaid with diverse Colours, their Arched Roofs cover∣ed over with Glass, and the whole adorn'd with Thasian Stone, formerly a rare Sight but in Temples; and the Water was con∣vey'd into them by Silver Cocks. But how much beyond all this, says he, are the Baths of their Freed-men? how many Sta∣tues and Pillars have you there, for no other use, but only for Ornament and Ex∣pence?

Pliny goes farther, and tells us, That not only the sides of the Cisterns in which they bathed were of Silver, but the Seats and Footing for the Bottom, so as they could hardly stand for sliding upon it. Nay, Ro∣sinus, in his Roman Antiquities, says, They us'd to anoint the very Walls of their Baths with rich Oyntments, even such as were but for the use of Servants.

Another piece of their Vanity and Pride of Life was the infinite numbers of charge∣able Statues that the People of Rome erected to themselves, and those for the most part overlaid with Gold. This itching Humour of theirs to eternize themselves, as they thought they would do by this means, did in time beget almost as many Inhabitants to the City as Nature brought forth; says Cassiodorus, They were so numerous, that they fill'd every Corner, pester'd their Streets, and streighten'd their Ways; in∣somuch that an Edict was publish•…•…d in the time of Claudius, forbiddimg any private Men to erect Statues to themselves, but by Leave first obtain'd from the Senate. The basest of those Statues were made of Marble, the rest of Ivory, and Silver and Gold, and those also solid and massy. Do∣mitian would suffer no Statues to be erected for himself in the Capitol, but of massy Gold, and weighing no less than an hun∣dred pound. And Commodus had one of a thousand pound weight.

They were also at great charge in guard∣ing those Statues, and to this purpose main∣tain'd an Officer of great Honour, who had the Title of Comes Romanus; his province was to walk through the Streets of the City in the Night time, with his Souldiers, chiefly to take care that no Wrong should be offer'd to the Statues; so prodigally

careful were the Romans of their own Sha∣dows, and at the same time prodigally care∣less of the Lives of others.

We come next to take notice of their prodigality and sumptuousness in their pri∣vate Buildings. The elegant Poet Claudian speaking of them in general, says,

Qua nil in terris complectitur altius Aether, &c.

Blondus, in his Book de Roma Triumphante, says, That Cicero alone had eighteen great Houses in the Country fit to be Palaces for Kings: Their Houses were so excessive large, that a Man would wonder what use they could be of; and therefore Va∣lerius upbraids one of them, who thought he was straiten'd in his Dwelling, thus, whose House is no larger than were all Cincinna∣tus's Grounds. Some of Nero's Slaves had Kitchins which took up above two Acres of Ground; and the Lands of those who laid the Foundation of the Empire were of less extent than the Cellars of some that came after. Salust says, Their Hou∣ses and Farms were built in the manner of Cities. Nay, Seneca, de Benef. 7. 10, says, that private Mens Houses exceeded the largeness of great Cities. And Juve∣nal, Sat. 14, says, some of them exceed∣ed their chiefest Temples, and the Capi∣tol it self, in heighth; and upon the tops

of those high Houses they planted Gar∣dens, Orchards, and Groves.

Their Riches and Ornament were suita∣ble to their Greatness, for they brought the most skilful Architects from all the known parts of the World, whose Wit and Boldness was such, that they attem∣pted to effect what Nature seem'd to deny. Lucullus caus'd Mountains to be cut, to let the Sea into a Pleasure-house of his near Naples, for the conveniency of keep∣ing his Fish, and for that same purpose built Rooms in the Sea.

Amongst other Ornaments for their Hou∣ses, they delighted chiefly in Pillars or Co∣lumns of great heighth, and sometimes two hundred in number in one Gallery or En∣try. They guilded the very Beams, Roofs, and Walls of their Chambers with Pictures and precious Stones intermingled; and they so fram'd the movable Roofs of their Dining-rooms, that they could change them upon the bringing in of every new Course to the Table: And sometimes they repre∣sented Groves, with Birds singing in them. And answerable to these Roofs were their Pavements; whereupon Martial reprehends them for treading upon Onyx-stones.

We shall conclude this point with a short Account of the Houses of Domitian, Nero, and Heliogabalus.

As to Domitian's, Plutarch says thus of it;

If any Man wonder at the Magnificence of the Capitol, were he in Domitian's Palace, and saw but one Gallery, Hall, Path, or Parlour for his Concubines, he would presently cry out with Epichar∣mus, That all the Glory of the Capitol is but a Trifle, in comparison of Domitian's own House.

As to Nero's, Suetonius describes it thus:

In the Porch there was a Colossus, shap'd like himself, One hundred and twenty foot high; the House had three Galleries in it, each of them a Mile long; a stand∣ing Pool, like a Sea, surrounded with Buildings in manner of a City; Fields, in which were Arable Grounds, Pastures, Vineyards, and Woods, with a multitude of tame and wild Beasts of all kinds. In the other parts thereof all was cover'd with Gold, and shining with precious Stones, or Mother of Pearl. The Dining∣rooms were Roofed with Ivory Planks, that were movable for the casting down of Flowers, and had Pipes in them for the sprinkling of Oyntments. The Roof of the principal Dining-room was round, and wheel'd about Day and Night, ac∣cording

to the Motion of the Heavens. And when he had thus finish'd this House, he said, He began to dwell like a Man.

Then as to Heliogabalus, the same Au∣tho•…•… gives an Account,

That he built of Cedar many Barges, whose Sterns were set with Pearls and precious Stones; they carried Sails of diverse colours, and had in them Baths, Galleries, and Par∣lours of great largeness, with variety of Vines, and Trees bearing Fruit; and lying along in those, in the midst of his Musick, he was carried up and down the Coast of Campania. In the building of his Country-houses he set aside all Reason, and desir'd nothing so much, as that which was told him could not be done; so that he would order huge Piles to be laid in the Sea, to stop the course of it, cut through Rocks of the hardest Flint, raise the Plains as high as the Mountains, and level the Mountains with the Plains.

The next thing we take notice of is their Excess in Houshold-stuff. Their Bed∣steads by degrees came to be of Silver, then guilded, and at last of massy Gold. Nay, Heliogabalus had his Closestools and Chamberpots of the same; and 'twas ordi∣nary for them to have their Beds per∣fum'd with rich and precious Odours.

Then for the Ornament of their Houses, they bought them Pictures at excessive rates: Lucius Lucullus gave for the Copy of Gly∣cera with a Chappelet of Flowers in her Hand, two Talents or Three hundred and eighty Pounds Sterling. Hortensius the Ora∣tor gave for a Picture of the Argonauts One hundred forty four thousand Sesterces, or Twelve hundred pounds Sterling; of which Seneca says wittily thus: What diffe∣rence is there herein betwixt us and Children, who value counterfeit Rings, and Jewels, and Bracelets at high prices, save that we dote a∣bout Statues and Pictures, playing the fool at a dearer rate? Then the Workmanship of those Pictures was many times lascivious and beastly, and full of obscene postures, enough to corrupt the chaste Minds of the beholders.

Their Luxury in Apparel, Dressing, &c. was equal to their Luxury in all other things. Concerning their Effeminacy in general, Seneca says,

What is yet left of Good manners or Fashions we extinguish by trimming and decking our Bodies; We have exceeded the Niceness of the Women, and wear light and whorish Colours, not becoming Matrons; We fashion our Gate to a wanton and min∣cing pace, and do not walk, but creep: It is now held the accomplish'd Gallan∣try of our Youth to frizzle their Hair like Women, to speak with an affected

smallness of Voice, in tenderness of Body to match them, and to bedeck them∣selves with most undecent Trimming.

In his Book De brevitate Vitae, he says, How do they chafe if the Barber be never so little negligent! How do they take on if any thing be lopp'd off of their Foretops, if any thing lie out of order, if every thing fall not even into their Rings and Curls, which of these would not chuse, that the State whereof he is a Member should be in Combustion, rather than his Hair should be displaited. It was common for them to have their Hair plaited behind, and besmear'd with Oyntments and Per∣fumes; and for their Faces they us'd so much Slibber-sauce, such daubing and pain∣ting, that they look'd like Ulcers. Their Garments were artificially press'd, to make them shine brighter, and so curiously plai∣ted, that Hortensius the Orator commenced a Suit against his fellow in Office, for that meeting him by chance in a narrow way, he had disorder'd the Plaits of his Robe; he held it a capital matter, that a Fold upon his Shoulder was displac'd: And so excessive they were in the multitude of their Apparel, that when any of them went to the publick Baths, they had as much Apparel carried after them as might well suffice a dozen of Men. Lucullus, says Horace, Ep. 6. had Five thousand short Cloaks; and at their publick Feasts they chang'd Suits at the coming in of every

Course, meerly for Ostentation; as we have shew'd already.

It was also usual with them to have Rings on every Finger, and sometimes one for every Joynt. Nay, 'tis recorded of Charinus, that he wore six upon every Fin∣ger; and they arriv'd to that heighth of Luxury in this point, that they had Summer∣rings and Winter-rings.

Then as to their Women: If the Men were so nice, we may well suppose that their Women exceeded, concerning whom Seneca, de Benef. 7. 9, says, 'I see their Silken Apparel, if it may be call'd Ap∣parel, wherewith they can neither cover their Bodies nor their Shame, which when a Woman wears, she cannot safely swear that she is not naked. Yet these things are brought from Nations with whom we have no Traffick, that our Women may expose no less to the publick view when they come abroad, than they do to their Para∣mours in Bed.

Lollia Paulina, a Wife, and afterwards Widow to Caligula the Emperor, when she went to any ordinary Feast, us'd to have so many Jewels about her, that she shone again as she went, and offer'd to prove, that those Ornaments alone stood her in Four hundred thousand Sesterces.

St. Jerome, in Vita Pauli Eremitae, and Ter∣tullian, de habitu Muliebri, complain of the Prodigality of their Times, saying, That upon one Necklace hung the price of di∣verse Lopps; and, that upon one Twine there were threaded up Ten hundred thou∣sand Sesterces. Nay, one Pearl bought by Julius Caesar for his Paramour Servilia, the Mother of Brutus, cost him Sixty hundred thousand Sesterces, or near Forty-five thou∣sand pounds Sterling.

Nay, saith Seneca, the Women had not sufficiently brought the Men into subjection, if they did not hang two or three Patrimonies at each Ear.

Propertius accuses the Roman Ma∣trons of jetting it about with the Estates of their Heirs upon them: Yet all this had been more tolerable, had they not worn them upon their Feet, of which Pliny can hardly speak with Patience. Lib. 33. 3,

Let our Women, saith he, wear their Pearl and precious Stones upon every Finger, about their Necks, in their Ears, upon their Chappelets and Tresses, but must they also wear them upon their Feet? And Book 9. 35, he says, Nay, they garnish their Feet with them, and not only the higher, but the lower part of their Slippers, so that it is not held sufficient to wear Pearl, unless we tread and walk upon it.

Lampridius tells us of Heliogabalus, that he wore Jewels curiously engraven on his Feet, as if the Gravings of famous Work∣men could be discern'd there.

Their Women did not blush to own, that they painted their Eyebrows and Fa∣ces, and dy'd their Hair, and had such in∣finite numbers of little Boxes full of Trash for hiding their Deformities, that Ovid, as great an Admirer of the fair Sex as he was, says, Non semel hic stomacho nausea facta meo; i. e. They had oftentimes turn'd his Sto∣mach.

Their Looking-glasses were in heighth and breadth answerable to their Bodies, engraven in their Borders with Gold and Silver, and emboss'd with precious Stone;

Some of those, says Seneca, Nat. Quaest. lib. 1. 17, cost more than the Ancients gave in Dowry with their Daughters; nay, than that which by publick allow•…•… ance was given the Daughters of the poorer Emperors.

And a little further he says,

Now a days, says he, that Dow∣ry which the People of Rome gave with Scipio's Daughter, will not suffice to buy a Glass for a Manumited Slave's Daugh∣ter, and that was Eleven thousand Asses, which was upwards of Forty pound Ster∣ling; so that by this we may guess what Luxury reign'd among Persons of Quality.

Then as to the number of their Ser∣vants, they were so numerous, that Athe∣naeus says, some of them had above Twenty thousand.

Marcellinus describes their Order of rang∣ing their Servants when they went abroad, as if it had been an Army, insomuch that they were under a necessity of having Com∣ptrollers, or Nomenclators, to tell them the Names of their Servants. And, that their Women did also exceed in this kind, may be gather'd from St. Jerome's Epistle to Furia, wherein he forbids her to go a∣broad with an Army of Eunuchs marching before her, after the manner of licentious Widows.

Thus we have finish'd our Collections from the Roman History, which are sufficient to demonstrate, that that great Empire was ruin'd by Luxury and Uncleanness, and will serve to convince any judicious Reader what Monsters particular Men, and whole Nati∣ons, become when judicially given up of God to work all manner of Uncleanness with Greediness.

We come in the next place to search in∣to Ecclesiastical History, to see what we can find for our purpose there. In the 2d Book of Eusebius we find, that Simon Magus, that great Enemy to the Christian Religion, is

accus'd of keeping company with one Hele∣na, who had formerly been a common Pro∣stitute in the Stews of Tyre, a City of Phoeni∣cia, whom his Followers call'd the prime No∣tion or first Conception from him, and us'd to prostrate themselves before the Images and Pictures of this Simon and his Strumpet He∣lena. And suitable to this was their Pra∣ctise, viz. so impure, that 'twas impossible for Men of Modesty to utter them, by reason of their excessive Obscenity, there being no∣thing to be invented so impure, which their lewd Sect did not far surpass, deluding sil∣ly Women laden with all manner of Iniquity; a pregnant and strong Instance that Impuri∣ty of Life and Principle leads Men naturally to a hatred of true Religion.

The next Instance is in Book 3, Cap. 28, of the Heretick Cerinthus, of whom he says, That being a Lover of his Body, and alto∣gether carnally minded, he earnestly lusted after those things wherein he dreamt the Kingdom of Christ consisted, viz. in the sa∣tiety of the Belly, and of those parts beneath the Belly, that is, Meats, Drinks, and Mar∣riages. And Nicephorus, lib. 3, cap. 14, says, That under the name of Sacrifices Cerinthus hid his Lusts, that he might make a shew of Honesty and Decency.

Cap. 29, he gives us an account of the Ni∣colaitans, who took their denomination from Nicholas, one of the Deacons concerning

whom they say, That having a beautiful Wife, and being accus'd of Jealousie by the Apostles, he brought his Wife forth, and permitted her to marry whom she had a mind to, and that his Followers pretending to imitate him, gave themselves up to all man∣ner of Fornication, but that those Hereticks were on a sudden wholly extinct.

Book 14, Cap. 7, he gives us an account of the Gnosticks, who boasted of their amorous Potions, and of certain Spirits and Fami∣liars, maintain'd, that they who would ar∣rive to Perfection in their Mysteries, must act all things that were most filthy and un∣clean, being no other ways able to avoid the Rulers of the World, as they call them, un∣less they distributed to all of them their Dues by most filthy and detestable Acts of Obsce∣nity, which brought a Scandal on the Christians of those Times, as if they had indulg'd them∣selves in promiscuous Uncleanness with their Mothers and Sisters; but the Truth and Pu∣rity of their Doctrin and Practice did quick∣ly vindicate it self from those Calumnies.

Book 6, Cap. 8, he gives us an account of Origen's emasculating himself upon his under∣standing those words of our Saviour in a li∣teral sense, viz. Some there are who have made themselves Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heavens sake. This shews how much Fornication and Uncleanness was condem'd by the Christians in his time, and how careful he was to avoid

giving any occasion of Slander to the Ene∣mies of the Christian Religion, tho' this Act in it self was no way justifiable.

Book 7, Cap. 30, he gives us an Account, that Paulus Samosatenus, who spoke against the Godhead of Jesus Christ, and became a Founder of that Heresie, was a sensual Man, countenanc'd those call'd Subintroduc'd Wo∣men, who were neither Wives nor Concu∣bines, but a third sort, whom they kept, as they pretended, not to gratifie their Lusts, but out of a pious design: And they take particular notice, that this Paul glutted him∣self with all Sensual Delights, as Feasting, Drinking, and the like, which are the com∣mon Incentives of Lust, and that he carried two beautiful Women constantly along with him. And thus he is accus'd by an Assembly of Bishops, in their Letter to the Bishop of Rome and Alexandria, which confirms the Observation we have had sometimes occa∣sion to make, that a Love to Sensual Pleasures seems to be a great Motive to the Deists and Socinians of our Times to embrace those dam∣nable Heresies.

In his 8th Book we have an Account, That a Gentlewoman at Antioch and two beautiful Virgins her Daughters, threw themselves in∣to a River, where they were drown'd, ra∣ther than they would submit to the Brutish Lusts of their Heathen Persecuters. And in Cap. 14, of that same Book, we have a Rela∣tion,

how Maxentius, and other Persecuters of the Christians, omitted no manner of Acti∣on that was impure and libidinous; they committed Adulteries and Rapes of all sorts; he parted Husbands, by Divorce, from their lawful Wives, and when he had defil'd them he most dishonourably sent them back again to their Husbands. And thus he treated Persons of all Qualities. He passed through no City in his Journey without ravishing Women and Virgins; and these his vile Pra∣ctises succeeded according to his desire against all Persons, the Christians only excepted, who having contemn'd Death, despis'd his outra∣gious Tyranny. And thus one of the most noted Women of Alexandria, being a beauti∣ful Person, and sollicited to commit Adulte∣ry with him, chose rather to expose her Life to Danger, and so was sent into Exile: And a Roman Lady, whose Husband was Prefect of Rome, being sent for by Maxentius, in or∣der to be defil'd by him, and finding that her Husband had, for fear, permitted the Soul∣diers to carry her away, she kill'd her self, rather than she would be defil'd by the lust∣ful Tyrant. So that to the shame of many who call themselves Christians now-adays, their abominable Lecheries were formerly the Character of their Persecuters; and no∣thing could be more odious to the Primitive Christians than such vile Practises, as many who bear that Name do now indulge them∣selves in. But to return to this Monster of

Tyranny Maxentius, the Divine Vengeance pursu'd him; for, his Army being defeated by Constantine, he himself, and a great part of them, were drown'd in the Tiber, after which his Corps were dragg'd out, and his Head being cut off, it was carried about on a Launce, as a joyful Spectacle to the Peo∣ple.

Eusebius also takes notice, that the Hea∣thens were at that time punish'd with inte∣stine Wars, Famine, and Pestilence, on the account of their Persecution and those im∣pure Practises; and, that Galerius Maximia∣nus, who to his Persecution of the Christians had also added Impurity of Life, died of a most dreadful Distemper in his Genitals, and a Fistula in Ano, to the Horrour and Amaze∣ment of all that were about him, the stink of his Body being so intolerable, that it kill'd divers of his Physicians.

In his •…•…oth Book, he gives us an Account of the wicked Emperor Licinius, who to his hatred of the Christian Religion and Learn∣ing of all sorts, join'd abominable Unclean∣ness, forcing Wives from their Husbands, and giving them to be defi•…•…'d by his Slaves. Nay, his own Lustful Rage was so great, that his decrepit Years could not asswage the same, but even then he abus'd married Wo∣men and Virgins, towards the fulfilling of his insatiable Lust; at last Judgment p•…•…rsu'd

him; for being overcome by Constantine the Great, and continuing unreclaimable, not∣withstanding the Clemency us'd towards him by that gracious Christian Emperor, he or∣der'd him to be strangl'd: And thus was his Exit suitable to his inglorious Life.

Socrates, lib. 5, cap 18, gives us an Account, That the Heathen Romans had Victualling∣houses under Ground, wherein they prosti∣tuted Whores, by which Devices they tre∣pann'd many persons, some going in thither to supply themselves with Food, others to satisfie their libidinous and filthy Desires, for by a certain Engine purposely made for that end, they were convey'd from the Vi∣ctualling-house down into the Bakehouse, where they were forc'd to work, and conti∣nued there till they were grown old, and being never suffer'd to go out, their Relati∣ons took it for granted that they were dead. This Trick was chiefly put upon Strangers, and was discover'd by one of the Emperor Thcodosius's Souldiers, who being trappan'd in this manner, kill'd some of those with his Dagger that would have detain'd him; and escaping by this means, acquainted the Em∣peror with it, who order'd those Houses to be pull'd down, and the Masters of them to be punish'd. Another a•…•…ominable Custom they had, which was abolish'd also by this Emperor, of which he gives the following Account: If a Woman were taken in Adul∣tery, they shut her up in a narrow Brothel∣house,

and forc'd her to play the Whore in a most impudent manner; and during the performance of that unclean Act, they caus'd little Bells to be rung, to the end that what was done within might be known to those who passed by; of which the Emperor Theo∣dosius being inform'd, he order'd those Stews to be pull'd down, and commanded, that Women taken in Adultery should be other∣wise punish'd. It's true that Valesius, in his Notes upon this Passage, thinks that this Cu∣stom was discontinu'd long before, Adultery being punish'd by the Romans as a capital Crime, after Constantine's Reign, and says, that they were common Prostitutes, who rung Bells to invite Passengers in to them; and quotes Dio Cassius, speaking of the Empe∣ror Heliogabalus, thus: Having made a Cell within the Palace, he acted his Lechery therein, standing naked before the Door thereof, as Whores usually do, shaking his Shirt, which was hung up with Golden Rings, and with a soft, delicate, bro∣ken Voice inviting his Companions to him. So that, be how it will, it's plain that those abominable things were practis'd by the Hea∣thens, and the Houses or Vaults (whence the word Fornication is deriv'd) where they acted those Impurities were destroy'd by the Chri∣stians; whereas so many of those who call themselves by that venerable Name, in our Days, frequent such loathsom and execrable Houses.

In the 19th Chapter of that same Book, he relates how the Office of the Penitentiary Presbyter was abrogated at Constantinople, be∣cause a certain Gentlewoman, who had by him been injoyn'd to Prayer and Fasting in the Church, upon the account of her Faults, was debauch'd there by the Deacon of the said Church, for which he was ejected, and the People were in hazard of making a Tu∣mult, because that Fact had brought an Infa∣my and Disgrace upon the Church; and therefore Eudaemon, a Presbyter of that Church, advis'd Nectarius the Bishop to abolish the Penitentiary Presbyters, and to leave every person to his own Conscience for the parti∣cipation of the Holy Mysteries.

Evagrius Scholasticus, in his 3d Book, Cap. 1, gives us an Account, That the Emperor Zeno was a lewd debauch'd Man; that he gave himself wholly up to the Attempts and Alure∣ments of Lust; that he restrain'd himself from no manner of filthy and flagitious Facts, but wallow'd in the commission thereof, in such a manner, that he thought it vile and mean to commit those things in Darkness and Ob∣scurity, and that to perpetrate them openly and in the sight of all he accounted Royal and becoming an Emperor.

These Courses did quickly render Zeno odious in the sight of all Men; whereupon Basilisc•…•…s improving the general Hatred

against Zeno, usurp'd the Imperial Diadem, and dethron'd him: It's true, that Zeno af∣terwards reobtain'd his Crown, and coun∣terfeited the good Christian; but persisting however in his Impurities and Drunkenness, which threw him into an Epilepsie or Falling∣sickness, he was miserably buried by the Em∣presses Order, (says Baronius) in one of those Fits; and when he recover'd in his Grave, and cried to the Souldiers to take him out, they answer'd, That there was another chosen in his room; whereupon he intreated to be taken out, and suffer'd at least to end his days in a Monastery; but this was also denied him, and in this miserable condition he end∣ed his wretched Life, while the Souldiers in the mean time did barbarously scoff at him. This Method did his Empress Ariadne take to be reveng'd on him for having defil'd her Bed, which tho' it cannot be justified in her, yet must certainly be justified, as coming from the Hand of God.

Evagrius, Book 3, Cap. 39, gives us an ac∣count of a wicked Tax, that had continued a long time among the Romans, call'd Chrysar∣gyrum, which was impos'd upon those Wo∣men who prostituted themselves, and also upon Catamites, insomuch that this Tax, in∣stead of a Law, made loud Proclamation, That those who had a mind, might securely, and with Impunity, commit such abominable Lechery; which the good Emperor Anastasius thought so disgraceful to a Christian Empire, that he

not only abolish'd the said Tax, but burnt all the Records concerning it, and the Papers which contain'd the Methods of collecting it, that none of his Successors might renew the Infamy of this Exaction.

Having thus taken a short view of what is to be found suitable to our purpose in the Ecclesiastical Histories of Eusebius, Socrates, and Evagrius, we shall conclude this part with some account of the Pennance which the Ancients injoin'd upon Christians for Un∣cleanness, viz. The time of Pennance for Fornication was Seven Years, and for Adultery Fifteen. The Penitents presented themselves before the Door of the Church, in poor, for∣did, and ragged Apparel; being enter'd in∣to the Church, they receiv'd Ashes upon their Heads and Hair-Cloth upon their Bodies, and then went out of the Church, the Door being usually shut after them. It was custo∣mary for them to remain shut up weeping and groaning, unless on Festival days, when they presented themselves in the Church Porch; some time after they were admitted to hear the Lectures, with command to go out before Prayers. At the end of a certain time they were allow'd to pray with the Congregation, but lying all-along upon the Earth, and at length, were suffer'd to pray standing, until the Offertory, when they went out: The space of time was often a∣bridg'd by the Clergy, according as they

perceiv'd the Penitents deserv'd Indul∣gence.

Thus we see what an odious Sin Unclean∣ness was reckon'd amongst the Primitive Chri∣stians. Clemens Alexandrinus thought that there was no Mercy nor Repentance for them that were guilty of Uncleanness above once or twice. Nay, some Authors say, That in the first times perpetual Pennance was in∣join'd for Adultery, and they were scarcely admitted into Communion at the Hour of Death, till Pope Zephyrinus, about the Year 216, appointed a shorter time, wherein he was opposed by the African Churches. The Ancyran Council, Anno 315, appointed seven Years Pennance for the first Fault, and upon a Relapse forbad the receiving of them into Communion at the hour of Death. In the Synod of Illiberis, Can. 1, they injoyn the same punishment upon Bawds, and such as prostitute the Bodies of their Children. It is well known, says Bishop Taylor, that the Ci∣vil Laws in the Primitive Church punish'd Adul∣tery with Death, the Husband killing the Wife in the Act, with the Allowance of the Law.

If the Christians in Clemens Alexandrinus's time had been guilty of those Impurities which many of those that bear that Name now are, with what Face could he have up∣braided the Heathens of his time, as he does in his Admonition to the Greeks, p. 39, 40. viz. That as they had order'd the matter, by t•…•…e

Marriages, Propagation, Adulteries, and Ban∣quets of their Gods, they had turn'd Heaven into a Comical Scene, and jested Religion into Scorn and Laughter? there being nothing more usual with them, than to hang their Rooms with the Pictures of their Gods, drawn in the most obscene postures, and engag'd in the most filthy and dishonest actions, enough to shame even Vice it self. These, says he, are the Original Patterns of your soft Effeminacy; this is your brutish and prophane Divinity; these are the Doctrines of your Gods, Copartners with you in your Uncleanness and Adultery.

The like we may observe from that pas∣sage of Tertullian, ad Nationes, lib. 1, cap 4, where he says, That he knew of some Hus∣bands, when Heathens, who were so very jealous of their Wives (and possibly not with∣out reason) that a Mouse could not stir in the Room, but it must be a Gallant creeping to their Bed: Yet, upon their turning Chri∣stians, they became so eminently reserved, chaste, and modest, that there was not the least Foundation of Suspicion; their Jealou∣sie was converted into Hatred, and they vow'd they had rather their Wives should be Strumpets than Christians.

Of the same nature is the Passage of Ori∣gen to Celsus, lib. 1, p. 21. where he says, They (meaning the Heathens) must needs confess the Excellency and Divinity of Christ's Doctrin, who do but look into the Lives of those who adhere unto

it, comparing their former Course of Life with that which they now lead, and considering in what Impurities, Lusts, and Wickedness every one of them wallow'd before they embraced this Doctrin; but since, how much better they are become, inso∣much that some of them, out of a more transcen∣dent desire of Purity, and that they may worship God with a chaste Mind, deny themselves even the Pleasures of a Lawful Bed. And, lib. 7, p. 365, That the Christians had no need, as some of the best among the Gentiles had, to use Arts and Medicines, or to have Guardians over them, to preserve their Chastity, the Word of God being sufficient to expel irregular Appetites. Nay, and that which is more observable, Pliny, tho' a Heathen himself, and a persecuter, wrote to the Emperor Trajan, That the Christians de∣tested Murther, Adultery, and such other Ungod∣liness.

Tertullian, in his Apology, cap. 9, p. 10, says of the Heathens, Wherever you are, at home or abroad, Lust is your Companion; whereas Cha∣stity, diligently and faithfully preserv'd, keeps us from any such Event; and we are far from In∣cest, which ye often stumble upon in your Lusts, as we are from Whoredom, or any Excess in a mar∣ried state. And in the close of his Apology, cap. ult. p. 40, he says, While you chuse to con∣demn a Woman that is a Christian, to the Stews, rather than to the Lions, you plainly own, that the violation of Chastity is accounted by us an heavier Penalty than any Punishment or kind of Death which you can inflict upon us.

And that this may appear not to have been their Doctrin only, but also their Pra∣ctise, we referr to the Instances of the Cha∣stity of the Governor of Rome's Wife, who chose rather to kill her self than to be defil'd by the Emperor Maxentius, as before men∣tion'd. And that remarkable Instance rela∣ted by St. Jerome, in the Life of Paul the Her∣mit, Tom. 1, p. 237. In the Decian Persecu∣tion, a young Man, a Christian, in the Flower of his age, was carried into a Garden that had all things conspiring to make it a place for pleasure and delight; being laid upon a Bed of Doune, and fasten'd to it with silken Cords, the Company withdrawing, a beauti∣ful Strumpet was sent in to him, who caressing and treating him with all the Arts of Wan∣tonness, not consisting with Modesty to name, the young Man finding the Temptation rea∣dy to prevail, presently bit off his Tongue, and spit in her Face as she attempted to kiss him. Many other Instances of this nature might be added, but these are enough to testifie how much the Primitive and Ancient Christians abhorr'd Uncleanness, in Practice as well as Principle.

Then as to the Opinion which the Primi∣tive Christians had of Marriage, and their Rea∣sons for entering into it; let us hear what Athenagoras says in his Apology, p. 37. Either, says he, we marry not at all, but keep our selves always continent, or if we do marry, 'tis for no

other End, but the bringing up of Children: Whoever among us takes a Wife, according to the Laws prescrib'd us, he reckons he does it only for the begetting of Children; within this his Desires are bound and limited, as the Husbandman con∣cerns himself no further in tilling his Ground and sowing his Corn, than to bring forth the Crop at Harvest. And hence it was that they seldom married oftener than once, as Minutius Faelix says, p. 26.

Origen against Celsus, lib. 5, p. 264, says, We in all our Abstinences do it only to keep under the Body, and to bring it into subjection, endea∣vouring to mortifie the Deeds of the Body, to ex∣pel and extinguish our Members upon the Earth, Fornication, Uncleanness, Inordinate Affection, and every evil Concupiscence and Desire. The Hatred which that Great Man had against Uncleanness is sufficiently manifest by his dismembring himself, as formerly mention'd, and chusing rather to have Incense forc'd in∣to his Hand, and so offer'd up to Idols at Athens, than to have his Body abus'd by an Ethiopian, which the Heathens threatned him with.

How careful the Primitive Christians were to avoid all occasions of Uncleanness, appears from Cyprian, de Discip. & Habit. Virg. p. 167. where he justly chides some Virgins for being present at Weddings, where they laugh'd freely, could not but hear loose Discourses, see uncomely Behaviour, feed upon luxuri∣ous

Dishes, all which must not only kindle, but add Fuel to the Fire, and fill the Mind with undecent Thoughts and Desires.

St. Jerome on the other hand does as much commend such Virgins who always kept at home on Festival days, to avoid the crowds and Gazes of the People, and would never go abroad at those times when they could not venture into the publick without the greatest Care and Custody of themselves. Such was the Cautiousness of the Primitive Christians, they stood at a distance from whatever was offensive either to their Eyes or Ears. Their Ears they stopp'd against all loose idle Songs, all filthy and obscene Discourses; their Eyes they shut against all uncomely Objects, all wanton and lascivious Pictures, and, as Clemens Alexandrinus tells us, not doing any thing that seem'd to carry an ill colour with it.

The Council of Laodicea, in their 30th Canon, forbad Christian Men to use the same common Baths with Women; nay, so abo∣minable were all Uncleannesses to the ancient Church, that they were even too severe against second Marriages, as Zonaras tells us, Can. 7, Concil. Neocaes. suspended such as married twice from the Communion a whole Year. And the Council of Laodicea, Can. 1, re∣quir'd, that they should spend some time at least in Pennance, Fasting, and Prayer, before they be receiv'd to the Communion. Ter ul∣lian,

Cyprian, Minutius, Faelix, and St. Jerome, inveigh•…•…d also against second Marriages, wherein tho' they acted not only without, but even against Divine Authority, seeing the Apostle limits no number of Times, but says positively, that it is better to marry than to burn, yet it shews how careful the ancient Christians were to avoid those Impurities, which many who call themselves Christians will scarcely own now to be a Crime.

St. Ambrose says, The Apostle did well to warn Christians to flee Fornication, by which the Sons of God, says he, are made the Children of the De∣vil. Nay, the Schoolmen make simple For∣nication to be a deadly Sin, and that in such measure as Peraldus a Papist concludes, That if one who had never before sinned, but had done all the Good that could be imagin'd, should but once commit this Sin, he must of necessity be damn'd without Repentance. Aquinas says, That simple Fornication, inas much as it is against the Good of the Offspring to be brought forth, is so unlawful, that it is a deadly Sin. Epiphanius, against the Carpoeratians, Lib. 1, Tom. 2, Cap. 27, says, That because of their Debaucheries they were sent forth by Satan, to the Reproach and Scandal of the Church of God, as the Gnosticks had been before them.

Gluttony, Drunkenness, and Effeminacy were much exclaim'd against by the Ancients, because they were Incentives to Uncleanness, whereupon St. Jerome says, It's a difficult thing

to preserve Chastity in the midst of Feasting. Bernard says, That Chastity is much endanger'd by Delicacies. Ericius Putecinus saith, That Lust is nourish'd by Feasting and Dainties. And St. Augustine, in his 33d Sermon, ad Fr. in Er. gives us this strange Instance of the Ef∣fect of Drunkenness, viz.

That the Son of one Cyril a noble Citizen of Hippo, who had a Son whom he lov'd even above his Ma∣ker, not contradicting him in any Desire, nor correcting him for any Fault. This riotous Youngster, not content to roar it abroad, and spend his Father's Estate, came home drunk, villainously ravish'd his own Mother, big with Child, endeavour'd to deflower one of his Sisters, wounded two of them, that they d•…•…d and kill'd his Father outright.

FINIS.

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉