nor her own. This is about ten or twelve years since, and I never saw her again. I tell you this story, for this cause, to confirm your fears, that such kind of servants too many there be; and that God makes them sometimes like old Tod, of whom mention was made before (through the terrors that he lays upon them) to betray themselves.

I could tell you of another, that came to me with a like relation concerning herself, and the robbing of her mistress; but at this time let this suffice.

Atten. But what was that other villain addicted to? I mean young Badman's third companion.

Wise. Uncleanness: I told you before, but it seems you forgot.

Atten. Right, it was uncleanness. cleanness is also a filthy sin.

Un

Wise. It is so; and yet it is one of the most reigning sins in our day.

Atten. So they say, and that too among those that one would think had more wit, even among the great ones. Wise. The

Sins of great men danger

more is the pity; for usually examples that are set by them that are great and chief, spread sooner, and more universally, than do the sins of other men; yea, and when such men are at the head in transgressing, sin walks with a bold face through the land. As Jeremiah saith of the prophets, so may it be said of such,

ous.

"From them is profaneness gone forth into all the land;" that is, with bold and audacious face. Atten. But pray let us return again to Mr Badman and his companions. You say one of them was very vile in the commission of uncleanness,

Wise. Yes, so I say; not but that he was a drunkard, and also thievish, but he was most arch in the sin of uncleanness; this roguery was his master-piece, for he was a ringleader to them all in the beastly sin of whoredom. He was also best acquainted with such houses where they were, and so could readily lead the rest of his gang unto them. The strumpets also, because they know this young villain, would at first discover themselves in all their whorish pranks to those that he brought with him.

Atten. That is a deadly thing: I mean, it is a deadly thing to young men, when such beastly queens shall, with words and carriages that are openly tempting, discover themselves. unto them; it is hard for such to escape their

snare.

Wise. That is true, therefore the wise man's counsel is the best; "Come not near the door of her house;" for they are (as you say) very tempting, as is seen by her in the Proverbs: "I looked," says the wise man," through my casement, and beheld among the simple ones, I discerned a young man void of understanding, passing through the street near her corner, and he went the way to her house, in the twi

sons to take notice of.

person, and he had lived so long in that sin, that he had almost lost his sight. So his physicians were sent for, to whom he told his disease; but they told him, that they could do him no good, unless he would forbear his women. "Nay then," said he, " farewell sweet sight." Whence observe, that this sin, as I said, is destructive to the body; and also, that some men be so in love therewith, that they will have it, though it destroy their body.

Atten. Paul says also, that he that sins this sin, sins against his own body. But what of that? he that will run the hazard of eternal damnation to his soul, but he will commit this sin, will for it run the hazard of destroying his body. If young Badman feared not the damnation of his soul, do you think that the consideration of impairing of his body would have deterred him therefrom?

Wise. You say true. But yet, methinks, there are still such bad effects follow often, upon the commission of it, that if men would consider them, it would put, at least, a stop to their career therein.

Atten. What other evil effects attend this sin ?

Wise. Outward shame and disgrace, and that in these particulars.

First, There often follows this foul sin, the foul disease, called by us the venereal disease, which is so nauseous and stinking, so infectious to the whole body, (and so entailed to

this sin,) that hardly are any common with unclean women, but they have more or less a touch of it, to their shame.

Atten. That is a foul disease indeed! I knew a man once that rotted away with it; and another that had his nose eaten off, and his mouth almost quite sewed up thereby.

Wise. It is a disease, that where it is, it commonly declares, that the cause thereof is uncleanness. It declares to all that beholds such a man, that he is an odious, a beastly, unclean person. This is that strange punishment that Job speaks of, that is appointed to seize on these workers of iniquity.

Atten. Then it seems you think, that the strange punishment that Job there speaks of, should be the foul disease.

Wise. I have thought so indeed, and that for this reason: We see that this disease is entailed, as I may say, to this most beastly sin; nor is there any disease so entailed to any other sin, as this to this. That this is the sin to which the strange punishment is entailed, you will easily perceive, when you read the text. "I made a covenant with mine eyes," said Job, "why should I think upon a maid? For what portion is there (for that sin) from above, and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?" And then he answers himself: "Is not destruction to the wicked, and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?' This strange punishment is the pox.

Also I think this foul disease is that which

Solomon intends, when he saith, (speaking of this unclean and beastly creature. "A wound and dishonour shall he get, and his reproach shall not be turned away," A punishment Job calls it; a wound and dishonour Solomon calls it; and they both do set it as a remark upon this sin; Job calling it "a strange punishment," and Solomon a "reproach that shall not be turned away" from them that are common in it.

Átten. What other things follow upon the commission of this beastly sin?

Wise. Why, often-times it is attended with murder, with the murder of the babe begotten on the defiled bed. How common it is for the bastard-getter and bastard bearer to consent together to murder their children, will be better known at the day of judgment; yet something is manifest now.

I will tell you another story. An ancient man, one of mine acquaintance,

a man of good credit in our

country, had a mother that was a midwife, who was mostly employed in laying great persons. To this woman's house, upon a time, comes a brave young gallant on horseback, to fetch her to lay a young lady. So she addresses herself to go with him ; wherefore he takes her up behind him, and away they ride in the night. Now they had not rode far, but the gentleman alighting from his horse, took the old midwife in his arms from the horse, turned round with her