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[unspec 1] COntinency is a Virtuo of very difficult Practice, and requires an exceeding strong and vigilant guard over our selves: For all our perfections of this kind are so many violences upon nature and inclination, which are not in a∣ny case to be withstood without much Toil and Painfulness, and very obstinate Resolutions, but in this before us especi∣ally;
because here the propensions to Vice seem to be strong∣est, and the Sollicitations to it more frequent and impor∣tunate than in any other instance whatsoever.
[unspec 2] But still the greater the difficulty of this Conquest is, the greater is its Commendation, and the more just and glorious its Triumph. And very necessary it is, that every Man should rally his Forces and engage manfully in this War with him∣self. Continency is allowed no positive Virtue, and im∣ports no more than a Man's governing and restraining him∣self so far as not to act contrary to his Duty. It produces no fruit, but consists in privation and a forbearing to act; and therefore Virginity must always imply Barrenness. This is the case of Continency considered abstractedly and in its own nature, which at this rate is of no higher a Class in the scale of Virtues than the abstaining from Gluttony and Drunkenness, or any other sort of Vicious Excess. But if we consider it in a Christian and more exalted Sense, then it imports a great deal more: for thus there are two con∣curring Qualifications which make it a very noble Virtue; the one is a settled purpose to continue in it pure and un∣blemished, with a Chast Mind and mortified Affections, no less than a Body holy and undefiled: The other, that this be done for Religious and Excellent ends, to gain greater advantages of becoming Singular, and exemplary in Piety and all manner of goodness. For (as St. August in says,) It is not the Single State that we commend in Virgins, but their Abandoning the World, and Consecrating their Souls and Bo∣dies entirely to God: Witness the Vestals of Old, and the Five Foolish Virgins in the Parable, whose Celibacy stood them in no stead at all. And here I observe by the way, how Absurd a Vanity and Popular an Errour that is, which in common speech calls the Ladies who have no blemish upon their Reputation, and who either are Chast in the Single Life or Faithful in the Married one; Women of great Virtues and great Honour. Honour! For what? Is Honour sunk so low, that the meer not doing evil and not violating one's Duty in the most Scandalous instance must pretend to that name? Why do we not by the same Reason style those Men of Honour who are under the same Circumstances? Nay, there would indeed be more Reason for this than the other, because the manner of the World puts more Opportu∣nities of offending in these respects, and exposes Men to stronger Temptations, than Women are liable to. But in truth, Honour is so far from being a Recompence due to
the abstaining from evil, that it is not every sort of good, which when punctually performed can lay claim to it; but (as was said before) those kinds and degrees of good only which bring advantage to the World, and which, besides their being beneficial, have cost great toil and trouble, and been atchieved with considerable difficulty and danger.
But besides; how few of these Continent persons arrive even at a common and very practicable Virtue? How ma∣ny of them do we find scandalously tainted with other Vices, and making up for this self-denial by indulgences to some more darling Humour or Passion? Particularly, how ex∣ceeding few are there who escape the Temptations to Vani∣ty and Presumption, and Spiritual Pride, and while they take marvellous Content in their own perfections are very liberal in their Censures and Condemnations of other Peo∣ple? Does not experience frequently convince us, how very dear some Husbands pay for the Fidelity of their Wives; who while they dispossess the Devil in one part of their Souls and preserve their Honour entire, do yet erect a Throne for him, and let him reign Triumphant in another? If then this Virtue beget insolence and Malice, Censoriousness and Imperious Pride, it is like to turn at last but to very poor account. And thus clogged will very ill deserve the name of Virtue, whatever it might be allowed otherwise: Not that I am over scrupulous, or would stand with the Sex for a Complement; and therefore, provided the flattering them with this title of Honour, will contribute any thing to the making them more tender of it, and encourage the Mo∣desty and Decency becoming their Sex and Condition, I shall be content to promote the discharge of their Duty at any rate, though it be by straining a point to gratifie an use∣ful Vanity. But to return; It is likewise observable, that In∣continency when simply and strictly considered, like other faults which are what we call Corporeal, and tending to gratifie the Carnal inclinations of Humane nature, hath no mighty Ma∣lignity in its own single self; (it being only an excess of what is natural and not contrary to Humane nature,) but then there is a train of vices so black and hideous attending it, and some or more of them so inseparable from it, that the danger of being entangled in those snares is infinite, and the consequence very fatal: For this is one of those sins that never go alone, but is accompanied with other Devils more and more wicked than it self; tainted with base and villainous circumstances of persons and places, and times
prohibited and unpardonable; Intrigues carried on, and beast∣ly satisfactions contrived by the wickedest methods; Lyes and Tricks, and all manner of Deceit; Subornation and Forswearing, and Treachery; to all which we may add that which is by no means inconsiderable; the loss of Time, the distraction of Thought, the interruption of Business, and other unbecoming Follies, which draw very great and just Scandals, and insupportable mischiefs after them.
[unspec 3] Now because this Vice hath every Quality that can ren∣der an Enemy formidable, since it is both violent and de∣ceitful, and attacks us at once with open force and secret stratagems, our Care must likewise be double; First to arm and prepare our selves for the Combat, and then to watch diligently the approaches, observe its Feints, and be well aware of those baits and wheedling Insinuations which are laid on purpose to decoy us into Ambushments and Ruine: And the more these inclinations sooth and cajole us, the more suspicious we must be, and turn the deaf Ear to their flat∣tering importunities. Among other Considerations therefore fit to be opposed to such Temptations, these that follow may not be improper to reflect upon: That another person's Beauty is nothing at all to us, what we can never call or make our own; That it is no certain happiness even to them who have it, but turns as often to their prejudice, and is at least equally disposed to do so as to their Advantage: That in short, it is a flower always withering and in decay; a very small and fanciful thing, little else but the outward skin, nay less than that, the Colour and Complection of it only; And therefore, if in this we would admire the delicacy and skill of nature let us prize it here, as we are wont to do those much more astonishing Beauties of the Sun and Moon, for their Excellencies and the good influences they shed. When we enjoy this Beauty, and have made it our own property by fair and honest means, let us even then remember that this is a very low and mean satisfaction, so far from being peculiar to the dignity of Humane nature, that Brutes all partake and are most of them supposed to exceed us in it; That the immoderate use of Pleasure wastes the Body, softens and ef∣feminates the Soul, enfeebles and darkens the understand∣ing: That a world of people have fallen miserable Sacri∣fices to their inordinate Lusts, some in the loss of their Lives, others of their Fortunes, and others of their Senses, but the Reputations murdered by it are innumerable. Con∣sider again, that there is more honour, nay, I will add more
pleasure too, in vanquishing these desires than in complying with them. And all the transports of fruition are flat and dull, nauseous and insipid, in comparison of those ravishing satisfactions which overflow in our Souls, when we have gained a virtuous and noble Conquest over our selves. And this is the general Sense of Sober Mankind; for there is no one Action in the Life of Alexander or Scipio, in which their Historians so justly glory, as that of the treatment they gave to their beautiful Captives, and the tenderness for their Honour, which the Fortune of War was generally thought a privilege to violate. This Continency and Conquest of themselves is more highly commended than all their succes∣ses, and hath more engaging Charms than the fairest of their Prisoners could ever boast of. These I say, are Considera∣tions pertinent and proper enough, but it cannot be ex∣pected they should have a constant efficacy: For this Vice abounds with Sophistry and cunning, and as it will not be reasoned with sometimes, so at other times it will not be safe to go about it; And therefore in cases of violent As∣saults, the best course will be to betake our selves to our heels and get loose from the Temptation. And it is very observable, that the Holy Ghost which bids us in all ordi∣nary cases Resist the Devil,* 1.1 with a promise that he shall flee from us; yet when he mentions Youthful Lusts, the advice is, that we would flee from them.* 1.2 Debates as well as delays are dangerous here, the Cause must be referred to a Judge un∣der shrewd suspicions of Corruption; and therefore the safest Issue we can make is to throw it out and never give it the hearing. Business, Recreation, Company, any thing to di∣vert this stream of our Thoughts and Affections into another Channel: There can be no difficulty in the Choice; for in such cases the worst Company a Man can possibly be in is to have none but his own.
[unspec 4] Now we are to observe, that both the Virtue of Conti∣nency and its contrary Vice is of several kinds and different degrees: The chief and that which I shall speak to at pre∣sent is the Conjugal sort, that mutual and inviolable Fideli∣ty between Man and Wife, which, as it was the first and highest Obligation, so is it the most sacred, the most important, and that which both Publick Society and Private Persons are deeply and inevitably interested in: And there∣fore this ought to be held in the most Profound Veneration and Esteem; and not suffered to become the Jest and com∣mon scorn of profligate Lewdness; the Diversion of a
Theatre; or the boasted Triumph of a Man of the Town. The Parties concerned in these holy Engagements must have no Affections, nor cherish any desires beyond the Chast Em∣braces of each other; but utterly Abandon the very wishes of stollen and unlawful delights, and be content to Drink the Waters of their own Cistern;* 1.3 and the running Waters of their own Well; that is, pure and innocent, unpolluted and untroubled delights of a faithful and lawful Marriage; as the Wise Man expresses it, according to the usual significan∣cy and extraordinary decency of the Scripture Stile. They that allow themselves in other liberties, fall into the blackest and most complicated guilt imaginable; they violate and Sin against their own Bodies, by making them Vessels and Instruments of Uncleanness and Dishonour; they transgress against all manner of Laws which any Man can be bound by. The Laws of Revealed Religion which forbid us to prostitute our selves to silthiness and shame, and have com∣manded the strictest purity of Conversation; the Law of Nature, which forbids the invading another Man's proper∣ty; and the tenderer the right is to him, the more de∣testable is the injustice; the Law of Reason and Equity, which enjoyns fidelity and stedfastness to promises and mu∣tual Contracts; the Laws of the Land, which have Esta∣blished Marriages as the only conveyance of Right, and giv∣ing a Title and Propriety in such cases; the undoubted Rights of Families, by grafting in a foreign growth upon the natural Stock, injuring the other Children, and trans∣ferring the fruit of a Man's Industry, his Acquisition or his Inheritance, to Strangers and Interlopers; the Laws of Justice and Charity, by starting difficulties and Disputes among Friends and Relations; alienating the Affections of Parents from their Children, and dissolving in great measure the Duty of Children to their Parents, when there are these Jealousies among them; and leaving a lasting and indelible stain upon the Unfortunate (though innocent) Posterity of so suspected a Race.
As to the other parts of this Vice I add only in one word; that though Adultery be the highest, yet it is not the only Violation of it; Men would therefore do well to see how many Aggravations of this kind just now mentioned concur in any of those allowances they make to themselves; to lay aside the byass of their present Passion, and even in ca∣ses of simple Fornication, ask their own Consciences how they should like to have the honour of a Sister or a Daugh∣ter
so injured by another person; and if they think but scurvily of such a blemish in a near Relation, this at least makes the gratification an offence against Reason and Equi∣ty, and natural Justice; nor is it in such circumstances for a Man to alledge that the partner of the crime is no other Man's, it is enough to Condemn him that She is not his own.
Jam. 4.7.
2 Tim. 11.22.
Prov. 5.15.