national and crying Sins. Hence the Ruin and Destruction of my Country!

Nor let this feem too bold an Affertion. The Hiftory of Mankind is an undeniable Confirmation of the melancholy Truth. This has been the Cafe in all the great Empires of the World. Succefs in War and profperous Trade, beget Riches and Eafe. Riches and Eafe beget Luxury. Luxury begets Debauchery and Degeneracy of Manners. Debauchery and Degeneracy of Manners beget divine Judgments. And divine Judgments beget among Mankind, Weeping and Mourning, Lamentation and Woe.

Oh Christians, "is there not fome chofen "Curfe, Some hidden Thunder in the Stores " of Heav'n, Red with uncommon Wrath, to "blaft the Man", who riots on the Spoils of injured Innocence, fports with the Miseries of his Fellow-Creatures, and tempts his Country's Ruin?

Marriage, we have feen, is the only divinely appointed Means for the Prevention of Adultery, Fornication, and Uncleannefs.

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I

And every allowed Violation of Chastity expofes the Violator to the Indignation of Almighty God.

"But-The Expences attending a married "State are fo confiderable that they do not "fuit your Fortune and Income; and there "fore you are under the disagreeable Neceffi

"ty of living criminally ".

This Objection is founded in Pride of Heart, a Diftruft of God's Providence, and a Defire of appearing fuperior to what you really are. It becomes fuch Perfons to lower their Expences, and to submit to live according to their Income, however finall that Income may be. No Man, in this happy Country, is obliged to live in Sin. No Man need want Food and Rai ́ment, and all that is neceffary for Life and Godliness. And be it ever remembered, that Bread and Water, with Peace, Love, Harmony and Innocence, is better, even in this World far better, than all the Splendors of Royalty, with the Displeasure of GOD, and a guilty accufing Confcience. But if you had rather live criminally, with Eafe and Affluence, than marry and live virtuously in a more humble Sphere; take

this along with you-" Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge".

Some who pride themselves much upon their Birth, Rank, and Family, may probably look down with Contempt upon the ignoble Vulgar, and object,-" That there is no great "Harm in corrupting and debauching the

Daughter of a poor Perfon, whose Family "and Connections make no great Figure in "the World:-If it were a young Lady of "Family and Fortune that was to be feduced, "the Affair would then be of a very ferious "Nature".

We grant, that to feduce a Perfon of Family and Fortune may be more destructive in its Confequences to Society and good Morals, because the Example of such an one is more extenfive in its Influence. Befides, it might expose the base Violator of female Modesty to the fashionable Mode of making Satisfaction at the Hazard of his Life-All which, he flatters himself, are avoided in Attempts upon Perfons of more obfcure Characters. But give me Leave to ask;-Is not a poor perfons Daughter,

Daughter equally valuable in the Eyes of an indulgent, though poor Parent, and equally precious in the impartial Eyes of Heaven? May we not further ask fuch sophistical selfdeceived Gentlemen, how they would bear to have a Wife, or a Daughter, of their own feduced, allured, undone? Ah Sirs! Such boasted Superiority of Birth, Family, Riches, Honors, Reason, Learning and Understanding, is cheap, very cheap, in the Eyes of GOD, the fupreme Intelligence. Better indeed is the humble Cottage-Swain, who lives in Innocence, Obfcurity, and fweet Simplicity, and who loves, obeys, and worships his God, than all the Sons and Daughters of Pleasure, Family and Reputation, who, by their private or public Vices, render themselves the Scourge of Mankind, and the Pefts of all virtuous Society.

You that are Fathers, you that are Mothers, you that are Parents to a rifing, blooming, beautiful Offspring, forgive me for speaking fo plainly upon this delicate, yet important, Subject. My Heart pities your Distresses, and partakes of your Anxieties. One fatal Snare,

on

one unguarded Moment, may prove the Ruin of your of your favorite Child; the Difgrace virtuous Family. Men there are, who, for a momentary Gratification, would rejoice to pluck the blowing Rofe of Virgin-Modefty; -to cloth your Children with Shame, Reproach, and Blushing;- todrag them down to the Pit of Destruction;-and to fend you yourselves with Tears and Mourning, prematurely, to your Graves.

Say, my Brethren, are these, and fuch as thefe, the Favorites of Heaven, and the Friends of Man? Many other Qualities they may have that are truly amiable and praiseworthy:-But shall those atone for Crimes like these? The better their Understanding; -the more extenfive their Learning;—the more confpicuous their Rank ;-the greater the Crimes by them committed, and the more value, deteftable the Men.-O ye Parents, you can't too highly value, the Modefty, the Innocence, the Virtue of your Children. While their Virtue, their Modefty, their Innocence, coupled with Humility, are preferved,

they