One of the chief means of defence against Temptations to Impurity, is a distrust of our selves. This distrust proceeds from an Opinion and Sense of our own Weakness, and thereby a fear of being surpriz’d and ensnar’d by Temptations; distrust will produce Vigilance, which is a second means of defence against impure Thoughts. Persons ought to be very exact and scrupulous, as to every thing that leads to Impurity, and not to take too great liberty under any vain pretences. Mortification and Exercise are very good guards against Pollution; Idleness makes People wanton and vicious, and High-feeding very much heightens unlawful Desires. Curiosity is frequently a cause of the wanderings of the Mind and Heart; and a desire of satisfying it, proceeding from a secret Passion, being a great occasion of Pollution, this also is to be guarded against: And lastly, when Persons are under any manner of Temptations, the instant they are sensible of impure Thoughts in the Soul, they should be strenuously resisted. The first reception of impure Thoughts into the Soul, shews them to be pleasing to it; and the longer they are entertain’d there, the more this Pleasure encreases; and when this Pleasure once prevails, the Man is no longer in a capacity to defend himself: And there is no surer way to prevent a Conflagration, than by thoroughly extinguishing the first spark of Fire, on its immediate appearance.
Thus much for the means to avoid Impurity, and to attain Chastity, I shall conclude this part of my Treatise, with what Mr. Ostervald observes of the Sin of Uncleanness in general, and with a few Reflections of my own, which may be of service to those, who make Chastity a difficulty. ‘All Uncleanness is a palpable Violation of our Baptismal Covenant, wherein we have solemnly oblig’d our selves to renounce the Flesh (that is to say, all sensuality and voluptuousness) as well as the World and the Devil. For there is no living up to this Profession and Obligation, without being continually upon our guard against all those sinful Lusts, which we have thus renounc’d. And indeed, what an affront is it to God, and what vile Treachery and breach of Covenant, when Persons have thus given up their Names to Christ, and promis’d to obey his holy Laws; and in particular, to abstain from all Impurity, if they shall yet draw back, and professing to know the Almighty shall in works deny him, living in wantonness and unlawful Pleasures, like the Gentiles, who knew him not, or rather in such detestable Lewdnesses, as the Wiser amongst these would have abominated? We cannot doubt, but that we are all strictly engag’d to cleanse our selves from Filthiness, both of Flesh and Spirit, and to perfect Holiness. And what a monstrous Incongruity must it be, for such to indulge themselves in any carnal and sensual Immoralities, in direct opposition to the Vow, so solemnly made against them! This must necessarily argue a great Stupidity, and regardlessness of their Duty, which is sufficiently blameable in any, but in Christians, who pretend to tread in their Saviour’s Steps, and to obey all his Commandments, is most exceedingly provoking.’
Though the Sin of Uncleanness be heinous in it self, as appears by what has been said, and is oftentimes attended with a train of Crimes, as Lying, Quarrelling, and others of a flagitious Nature, yet are many Persons so estrang’d to Religion, and even to rational Ethicks, as to be entirely supine and negligent in the suppressing of Impure Cogitations; and on the contrary entertain them with indulgence; so that by degrees, illimitable Passions are establish’d, and the tide of Impurity, at last grows so strong and rapid, that it is not to be repell’d; whence all manner of Evils succeed.
Having Theologically discuss’d the several particulars relating to Self-pollution, and other Uncleanness: I come now to my last head, treating of Generation, and the sensitive Parts effecting it; but I would by no means have my Reader think, that I examine these particulars with a design to excite Persons to Lewdness, when my Intentions are only to shew the fineness and Beauty of the Parts, whereby will appear how easily they may be violated and impair’d by an unnatural use.
CHAP. III.
A Dissertation upon Generation; and of the Parts administring thereunto.
I shall begin with the instruments of Generation in Men. All the parts of Generation merit the Title of noble Parts, as well as the Brain and the Heart; and some Authors give them the preference before the other Parts of the Body, upon this consideration, that they preserve the Species, and the others only keep up the Individuum.
The Yard is call’d by Physicians the Membrum Virile, because it distinguishes a Man from a Woman: It is plac’d at the lower and external part of the Abdomen, and is fasten’d to the Os Pubis. This Situation is the more commodious, for that it does not annoy any other part in the time of enjoyment.
It has a very peculiar Substance, containing several Vessels, Muscles, Nerves, Arteries, &c. Its Skin is finer than that of any other part, to give it a more exquisite sense. It has no Fat; for if it encreas’d in Flesh in proportion with the rest of the Body; it would not only be of too large a size, but become soft, unactive, and insensible; and would cloud the Sense necessary to excite the Passion.
The Yard performs its motions by virtue of four Muscles; two for Erection, and two for Ejaculation. These last squeeze the seminal Vesicles, and convey the Seed into the Urethra, from whence it sallies out with great force: It is divided into its Body, and two Ends; as for its two extremities one of them is call’d the Glans, or head of the Yard; the other which is fastened to the Belly, is call’d the Root, and is surrounded with Hair, especially upon its upper part, which is call’d the Pubis.