AND FAMILY DISPENSATORY,. “on 
“Or WEAKNESSES contractep BEFORE MARRIAGE. 
THERE are fome diforders contracted by the fair fex, the caufe and cure of 
which are of fuch a nature, that for feveral reafons, chiefly though fhame, they are 
likely to. conceal them, and therefore may fuffer worfe confequences than can here be 
defcribed. To tell, in few words, what I mean by fuch dileales as are contracted, 
they are all fuch as the patient, by a criminal indulgence of her paffions, has herfelf 
been inftrumental in caufing, For that many of the fair, efpecially in their younger 
years, have fuffered much from a fecret vice, by which they have endeavoured to 
‘procure themfelves.thofe pleafurable fenfations which God has ordered to be the 
effects of a mutual commerce between the fexes, is a matter of late become too noto- 
rious to be doubted, and too dreadful in its confequences to be indulged in; Imean— 
that abominable vice onanifm, or fecret venery. And certainly none of them can 
take it amifs if, for their advantage, I venture fo far to expofe this practice, as to 
remove the evil confequences of it; and to prevent, as much as poffible, its continu- 
ance. The fecret vice before-mentioned is chiefly a fault of the youth of both 
fexes; and nothing is of more importance to the prefervation of human-kind in ge- 
neral than the endeavouring to prevent a practice that ftrikes at the very root of 
fecundity. Among the motives to this crime of felf-abufe, the three following 
have, Ithink, with a great deal of juftice, been affigned asthe principal. Firlt, ig- 
norance of its.nature and confequences. As to its nature, there is no exprefs pre- 
hibition of it; and therefore, many-may unhappily be induced to imagine, when 
either by ill example, their own lafcivious inclinations, or any accidentat caufe, they 
have been betrayed into an acquaintance with the practice of it, that there —_ be no 
harm in procuring to them(elves that fenfation, which, in their prefent circum- 
ftances, they cannot otherwife acquire, without'a manifeft violation of the pesoest 
laws, and the hazard of expofing themfelves to fhame and infamy. If it were sla 
for.this unfortunate miftake, we have little reafon to imagine, that perfons other wife 
and the mot obfervant of what is feemly in other particulars, would be guilty 
n{t religion and decency. The cafe of Onan, however 
: 9.) for thus wickedly defeating the - 
pious, 
of fuch an offence, both agai 
~ whom God flew (fee Genefis, ch. xxxviil. ver. 
purpofes-of generation, may anfwer the end of a prece ae bore 
teftation of this:kind of uncleannefs. Nor is this example Jefs applicable to women fag 
"than it is to men, fince we fall shew in the following ara ip a 
pable to render themfelves unapt, by fimilar prattices, ho z nan tosheetliess , 
ation. And as to its confequences, they are no els fatal to this ex than to Bie ON” 
in the. inftances. The fecrefy with which this 
as will be abundantly fhewn in the fame 10! “— a fr aia 
crime may be committed is a fecond in ducement to i eS ae 
party in all other aéts of uncleannelss but in this, there is mertacs partak ee 
A. 3L gee 
fa precept, and witnefs the divine de- poes 
