divorce; except you imitate the example of those nations, who feclude the whole female fex, in a manner, from all fociety with the other; and keep them imprisoned, like flaves or criminals; adding thus cruelty to unkindness, and maintaining injustice by tyranny.

But, to conclude with what was obferved before, irregularity has naturally no limits: one excefs draws on another; indeed in all vices whatever, but in none more eminently than in that corrupt difpofition, which we are now confidering. Obferve how fome of the fairest fruits are easily preferved in perfect foundness; but when once they are touched and tainted with the flightest beginnings of decay, how haftily, in fpite of all your efforts, they diffolve into rottennefs. The most easy therefore, as well as the most excellent way of being virtuous, is to be so entirely.

Im

Impetuous appetite and blind fancy must be stopt in their career, or they will hurry us to deftruction: it is our highest wisdom to restrain them, before they have carried us to a single step beyond the line of innocence and safety.

SER

1 PETER ii. 11.

DEARLY BELOVED, I BESEECH YOU AS STRANGERS AND PILGRIMS, ABSTAIN FROM FLESHLY LUSTS.

T is very proper to examine into the

reasons, and fee the utility of the precepts of Christianity. Not that our compliance is always to depend upon the iffue of fuch inquiries. We are. not in the place of lawgivers, but fubjects; VOL. II. Р

and

and

may have a very fufficient reason for our obedience, though we fhould difcern none for the commandment.

the

Most of the Christian laws indeed are plainly the laws of reafon and nature: very fame things precisely are enjoined, which would have been our duty, had the Gofpel been filent. If there be any difference between them, there is no contradiction. Christianity never requires any thing, which is forbidden by the voice of nature; never forbids, what that enjoins yet it may command certain actions, concerning which the law of nature is filent; or it may prohibit, what that permits.

Nor let it appear ftrange that there are duties, which, though conformable to our best reason, seem not rigorously prescribed and commanded by it; virtues, which the law of nature would rather applaud, than require; and restraints,