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Sensuality, a Flame of immoderate Desires.
As these are Things which should be mortified and restrained, not indulged and gratified, so every indecent untimely Step taken in pursuit of this corrupt and vitiated Flame, is a Crime; and therefore I think a Marriage founded upon this Foot is neither more or less than a Matrimonial Whoredom, or at least a Degree of it. 'Tis a criminal Gust, giving Beginning to a scandalous and indecent Action, which by that means becomes criminal too, though otherwise literally lawful; that is, it becomes Matter of Scandal, and gives offence to others, which is what, by the Scripture Rule, Christians ought Industriously to avoid.
Now when a Woman, within a Month or two after her Husband's Death, shall receive the Addresses of another, or a Man within such, or sometimes a shorter Time, shall apply himself to a Woman for Matrimony, can this be supposed to be from a modest Foundation, or within the compass of religious Regards? It cannot be.
Matrimony, though it is not so regarded, is really a religious, sacred and divine Institution, it ought to be taken as such, and never undertaken without Regard to its religious Foundation: So far as it is made a stalking Horse to a corrupt and baser Desire, so far as it is made use of as a Pretence to cover the vitiated Appetite, give it what fine Words you will, and guild it over with as many fair Outsides as you will, 'tis so far turned into a Matrimonial Whoredom: The Vice is at the Bottom, the Matrimony is enter'd upon meerly to gratify it, and to please the Appetite underthe
