Dr. Hammond. sect. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.
10. Certainly this is so evident in it self, and so undeniably the importance of my words, that there can be no need farther to inlarge on it, much lesse to examine the weight, or meaning of his concession, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it cannot be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 but that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 doth imply such customes, the omission of which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 inferres indecency]
11. This saying of his some Readers may look on with Reverence, as not readily comprehending the importance of it, others may 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it under the appearance of a tautologie. But upon pondering, it will appear that the Author had a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in it; which be designed should bring in some advantage to his cause, and without which he was not likely to advance far, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 succeed in it.
12. Some customes we know there are, which are so highly decent, as that the omission of then necessarily infers indecency: But what are they? why such as the law of (at least 〈◊〉〈◊〉) nature prescribes, covering of nakednesse, and the like; of which 'tis evident a∣mong all that have not learnt of Carneades industriously to rase out all naturall measures of honest and dishonest, that the omission of them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 indecency, yea and necessarily in∣fers it, this sort of decency being naturall to all men that ever were, or shall be in the world, born and educated in what uation, or inured to what custome seever, and this the very first hour after our first Parents fall, before any custome had been contracted which might recommend it to them.
13 And as of these his rule is true, that the omission of these necessarily inferrs undecency, so it is in a manner proper to these, and belongs not to any other sort of things, whose decencie flowes but from some positive command though it be of God, or custome, or command of men. To such things whose decency flowes from any 〈◊〉〈◊〉 either of God or man, this rule cannot be fully applyed; for that command might have been not given, or there might be a space before it was given, or a peo∣ple to whom it was not given, and then in any of those cases the omission would not be indecent, to whom the law was not given; and so it doth not necessarily and abso∣lutely, but onely dependently on the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉; so in like manner the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 holds not in those things, whose 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is introduced onely by custome, for that Mr. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 saith, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 frequency of actions, it must againe bee granted, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 there was a time when that which now is 〈◊〉〈◊〉, was new, and so not custome; and againe, there are, or may bee Nations, with whom that custome (whatsoever can be instanced in) hath not 〈◊〉〈◊〉, which prejudges still the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 spoken of, that such omission should inferre inde∣cencie.
And so we see the summe of Mr. J. his liberal concession, viz. that decency 〈◊〉〈◊〉