^PERSUASIVES 



But here it may be objefted, That our 

 Saviour in the Gofpel hath abridged us 

 of fome Pleafures of this kind, which 

 are not in themfclves finful or unlawful, as 

 having been permitted by God to the Jews^ 

 and praftifed by the Ancient Patriarchs, and 

 other men eminent for Piety, without re- 

 proof, I mean, the ufe of many Wives. 



To which I anfwer, That granting "Po- 

 lygamy not to be in it felf unlawful, or to 

 have any natural turpitude in it; yet is our 

 Saviour's Prohibition grounded upon good 

 Reafon, viz. becaufe God at the* firft cre- 

 ated Mankind Male and Female ; that is, 

 one Female only, as well as one Male; and 

 in effed he doth fo ftill ; there being as 

 many, nay more Males than Females born 

 into the World : And therefore it is unrea- 

 fonable that fome men fliould have many 

 Wives, becaufe they cannot have them un- 

 lefs others lack. i 



That there are more Males than Females 

 born, appears, by the Catalogues in all 

 places, where accounts have been taken of 

 the number of each Sex : And I doubt not 

 but the cafe is the fame in all places where 

 fuch accounts have not been taken. 



It may here be asked why thefe Appetites 

 are fo vehement and importunate ? 



Ian- 



