at our breast, or our blood, that it even forces its entrance, in spite of any resistance we can make for the present, let it at least find such a reception as we would give to an enemy, who doth in truth enter into our habitation by force, though he doth subdue us; let it not have the entertainment of a friend, of a companion for whose presence we were solicitous: if we want power and strength to reject it, let us dismiss it with such a rudeness, that it may not promise it a better welcome and reception. It was some degree of modesty in Job's adulterer, (xxiv. 25.) when his eye waited for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me, and disguised his face, that he was so far ashamed of the sin he acted, that he desired to conceal the suspicion of it from other men; though he had the guilt within himself, he abhorred the being made an example to corrupt others. Whilst there is any shame remaining upon the spirit of a transgressor, any blush discovers itself after the guilt, there is hope of the subduing and conquering that temptation; and that at last it may grow to such a detestation of the transgression itself, and of himself for transgressing, that it may even recover his lost innocence, that is, repair the state and integrity of it. The most severe philosopher, who thought human nature strong enough to suppress and extinguish all temptation, had yet great

compassion for him, qui adhuc peccare erubescit ; he thought it worth the care of philosophy itself, ut nutriendus esset hic pudor, that this disinclination and bashfulness towards vice should be so cherished and nourished, that it should not discover itself to be discerned under any other notion than of pure virtue, till it recovered strength enough to be so; and without doubt, whilst this bashfulness possesses any place in us, till the custom and malice of sin hath totally subdued the shame for sinning, there is a war kept up that may drive sin from every corner and angle of our hearts: and it may be, there have not been more men recovered and reformed by the counsels and animadversions of others, than by their own severe recollections, and reflections upon their own transgressions, and their own observations of the nature and insinuation of sin, and of the unquietness and uneasiness of it, even when it is complied with, and of the restlessness and importunity of it after it is satisfied; Ipsa voluptates eorum tepida et variis terroribus inquieta sunt, subitque cum maximè exultant solicita expectatio; hæc quam diu? They who hearken to the voice of their own consciences, and take notice of the reluctance of their own spirit in the very moment they enjoy the pleasures they most delight in, need no other remembrancers, and easily disentangle themselves from all its allurements. But, alas! we live in an age

wherein vice is not taught so perfunctorily, as to be in danger to be dislodged after it is once entered and received; the devil is too good a husband, to venture a beloved sin upon a constitution capable of being ashamed of his guests; he secures himself in that point, by chusing such proselytes as will first brag of having committed some notorious sins, before he admits them to the pleasure and guilt of them, that so the shame of being discovered to be liars may harden their faces against all other shame; the fame of being eminently wicked hath mastered and suppressed the infamy of it; and many would rather be without the pleasure of the sins they most delight in, than without the pleasure of publishing and bragging of them after the commitment; as if there would be too much innocence left, if there should not be an equal proportion of impudence planted in its place. This is it which makes us excel in all lewdness, and our youth doctors in those faculties of wickedness, which were understood in former times by some few discarded ruffians, who were banished the conversation of mankind, and of the sun itself. We travel into foreign countries, not to improve our own manners, but to learn the worst of theirs, and to transplant them carefully into our own climate; where we cultivate and polish them, that we may excel all nations in their own peculiar

vices and we have so much modesty, as to suspect that our own fancy and invention is not fertile enough to contribute improvement enough to them; and so bring them into conference and conversation with more experienced gamesters, that we may be sure to make the most of them, and imp them out with texts of scripture with all prophaneness and blasphemy, that there may appear no want of deliberation and industry in the progress we have made towards hell and damnation.

It were very well for Christianity if there were half that reverence reserved for religion, that the philosopher was assured would be always paid to that science which indeed he looked upon as religion, and defined it to be wonderful like it; Nunquam in tantum convalescet, nunquam sic contra virtutes conjurabitur, ut non philosophiæ nomen, venerabile et sacrum maneat: and indeed, this modesty and respect to, or for, our religion, was never so near rooted out of the hearts of men, since the name of religion was first heard of in the world, as it is in the present age and present practice in most nations which call themselves Christians; when poetry itself doth not administer so frequent occasions of mirth as religion doth; nor are the sayings of the poets so often applied to the most scurrilous and prophane exercises of wit, as the scripture itself is; nor indeed is any wit

so grateful and acceptable as that which is so polluted: so that it is no breach of charity, to believe that too many read the scripture, and very industriously, only that they may be readier to apply not only the phrase and expressions, but the highest mysteries contained in the whole body of the scripture, to the most wicked, prophane, and scurrilous and blasphemous subjects. Nor will they take it ill to have this believed of them, the number and quality of the offenders carrying before it an impunity for the offence; so that there may shortly be too much reason to fear that it may be dangerous to let the kingdom know quanto plures mali sint; since, as the same philosopher observed, pudorem rei tollit multitudo peccantium, et desinit esse probri loco, commune maledictum. It is high time for the sovereign power to be very vigilant and severe, when such conspiracies and combinations grow so strong; nor can there be a greater manifestation of the contempt of the government, than when great and notorious vices obtain credit and reputation.

OF DRUNKENNESS.

THAT drunkenness is a sin of very great antiquity, needs no other evidence, than that, for aught appears, it was the first sin that was committed af