Miscellanea spiritualia: or, Devout essaies: composed by the Honourable Walter Montagu Esq.

§. III.

What circumstances augment these faults, and Women incharged much severity in opposition to these levities.

DEsiring to compleate my charge in all points, and to denude this offending liberty of her most potent patronages, it is requisite to impeach some circum∣stances, as guilty of great aggravations in these of∣fences, namely, the quality, the reputation, and the Sex of such as favour these freedomes of speech; for though great vices may be made currant by great examples, yet they are cryed up in their own visibly base species, whereby every one knowes the matter they receive to be sordid, even while they use it: But this wantonnesse and petulancy of speech is oftentimes a kind of Alchimy, so well coloured over with wit, as it may easily passe for a good and innocent custome, when it is vented by great and observable hands, which may abuse even the Judge∣ments of their dependents, in the understanding of these licen∣ces: wherefore every one according to their degree of place, or estimation of vertue in the world, is charged with a proportio∣nate evidencing their discountenance of such liberties, for the advantage of quality may easily introduce them, and the ne∣pute of modesty may as easily disguise many of those faulry freedomes: The first of these capacities may authorize this cu∣stome, and so render it a destruction that wasteth at noone day, and the latter of them, may by a connivance bring it in as a pe∣stilence * 1.1 that walketh in darknes.

The most part of women, but especially such as this discourse is addressed unto, seem but passive, and tolerating of these levi∣ties, and many thinke that they discharge the duty of their Sex in some slight reprehensions of them, which are commonly not

of so sad a colour, but the whole company may through them see another tincture then the uppermost: lesse piercing eyes then Gods, discern what is under that veile: but surely vertu∣ous women ought to be very solemn & serious in such dislikes, especially such as have authority over the company, if they well consider that an easie Judge may do more mischiefe, then an impudent offender, by reason this publisheth the foulenes of the crime, and in that act discrediteth it, whilst the other pal∣liateth and disguiseth it, whereby the inducing the habit thereof is much endangered.

And since the weaknes of the world looketh commonly up∣on women, as the only Judges of their behaviour before them, when the Judges are conceived to be receivers, wee may ima∣gine to what a height this theft of liberty is likely to grow, and surely these light indecencies may be fitly compared to the children that theeves use to carry along with them, to put into windowes, which after they have crept in, open the doores to them that employ them, since very little freedomes stealing at first in at the eares, do often open the way to greater liberties, that expect an entry by the overtures shall be made by these first encroachments upon modesty, so that women (who have their bashfullnes and pudency given them for a guard of their weaknes and frailties) must beware of any surprisall of this out∣guard: Let those who are so bashfull and cautious in any un∣decent discovery of their bodies, know, that the admission and countenancing of this wantonnesse, is a detection of the naked∣nesse of their minds, which may prove the farre more dange∣rous temptation: I do not say but their honour may be kept alive in this ill aire of idle discourse, but certainly the unwhol∣somnesse thereof, induceth but a crazie constitution.

Let therefore all vertuous and wel-affected minds be choise in the ayre of their conversation, for though this unsound one do not change the features of their vertue, it will spoyle at least the complexion of it; all these staining levities are a sort of freckles that appeare upon the face of their piety, which taketh off much of the fairnesse and beauty of it.

Those persons then whose places in the world set their lives as patterns to be copied by others, are the most strictly bound to take care of the face and apparence of their vertue, which is never so lovely, as when it frowneth severely upon all indecent freedomes of speech: wherefore I may fitly present them with this memoriall from the Holy Spirit, to cast their thoughts up∣on in these occasions, Anger is better then laughter, because by the sadnes of the countenance the mind of the offender is corrected. * 1.2 So that all women, to whom civility, or any other respect gi∣veth power over men, should make use of it to preserve the li∣berty of their vertue, which is alway intrenched upon by any unbeseeming presumptions: and lest it may be apprehended that the retrenchment of these pleasant liberties, may flat and dead the taste of conversation, I dare answer by experience, that whosoever will enter into a course of purging his nature of that humour, (which I may call a morall jaundies that disco∣loureth the whole skin of civill conversation, and putteth us out of taste of the sweetnes of purity) shall recover the right favour and gust of purity by the same degrees he is cleansed from the other immundicity, and he will quickly find so much more pleasantnesse in the rellish of innocence, as the very smell of these herbes of Egypt will offend him, and Manna will not seeme too light a food for him, but will rather find Piety af∣fording him as many severall tastes of mirth and entertain∣ment, as his rectifyed appetite shall demand, and the savour of purity shall bring him quickly to professe, How sweet are thy words unto my taste? yea sweeter then honie to my mouth. * 1.3

Now then I will bind up all my perswasions with these bands of two Apostles, Saint Paul and Saint James, which strengthen them so firmly, as no subtilty of the most artificiall evader can loosen them, the first detesteth so much all licentiousnesse, as he forbideth even the naming any uncleannesse, filthinesse, foo∣lish * 1.4 talke, or scurrility, as incompatible with the sanctity of a Christian, and the last leaveth us this precise advice, in order to the same regulation, He that looketh into the perfect law of li∣berty, and continueth therein, being not a forgetfull hearer, but a

doer of the worke, this man shall be blessed in his deed: and if any man thinke himselfe religious, not bridling his tongue, but sedu∣cing * 1.5 his heart, this mans religion is vaine.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Psal. 19. 6.
• * 1.2

  Ecoles. 7. 4.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 118. 10.
• * 1.4

  Ephes. 5. 4.
• * 1.5

  Jam. 1. 25, 26