The virgin in Eden: or, The state of innocency. Deliver'd by way of image and description. Presenting a nobleman, a student, and heiress, on their progress from Sodom to Canaan. With the parable of the shepherd, Zachariah, and Mary ... To which are added, Pamela's letters proved to be immodest roman online

This added fuch Perplexity to him, that he was refolved,
fincc his private Cenfure made no Imprcflion upon her, he
would proceed to publick Remedies : a Province which Pa-
rents, he faid, claim as their Right. I return'd the Gen«
tleman this Anfwer : Sir, faid I, every Parent knows not
this Method of corrr<5ling by way of amendment; for
there muft be a critical Nicety obfer\'cd, both as to Wit
and Judgment, to find out the Temper of a Son or a
Daughter, and to diftinguifli between the different Nature
of their Paflions, between the firft Motions of Impudence,
and thofe of fincerc Modefty. Every common Parent
cannot judge in thefe Cafes. What brings one Genius to
Reafon, may drive another to Diftra<5lion. The bare dif-
covcring of the Conflitutions of thofe who are under our
Care, is not enough neither, without a particular Ajyli-
cation, to know how far we ought to carry our Refent-
ments, and how often they arc to be repeated. Befidcs»
the Time of Punifliment is likewife to be taken notice (^,
as well as the Severity to be inflicted : for a Crime may be
much more augmented, when we take the Offender in the
very A£V, than when the Fault is of a paft Date. In ibort^
there muft beThreatnings maintained on the one band, and
at the fame time Promifes on the other. And all this muft
be order'd with a wife Conduft, or clfe we deflroy our
own Reputation, and run tlie hazard of ruining the Cha-
la^rs of thofe we pretend to inftru£L

K V ;-/ • ' A Copy



A Copy of the Letter delivered to
the Author by a young Nobleman.

THE Countcfs my Mother commanded me to rea(|
your Manufcript ; which I have done. The Virgin
in Bden are divide Inftru<5ions to me : Her Example (haJI
be my Meditation till Death. I now diftinguifli betweco
Pameia*s Letters, and her Life. She reprefents Jnnocenc/
in its native Drefs : the Editor teaches more Lewdnefs than
Chaftit^ Her Converfation renders Love inofFeufivc,
ftrong and lading her LeiTons, corre£b vain Amours;
Pamela^ Epiftles are licentious Scenes. Your Virgin im-
plants in the Soul what is noble and commendable. The
Parables of the Shephcrdy Jojhua^ and Mary^ facrifice Vice,
and make Purity agreeable even in the View of the mofl Li-
centious and Vicious. They keep Virtue in Countenance,
and reftrains Youth from perifhing under violent Tempta-
tions. Their holy Living is worthy the Imitation of the
Sons and Daughters of noble Families. Should we theif
IlTue a£l according to thofe Models, After- Generations
would rife and call us blcfled. The very Name of the
State of Innocency may put lewd Livers to Shame, and
make the Licentious in love with what is truly commend-
able. Images of Virtue put a Reftraint upon itsf Enemy,
and drive their wandring Thoughts to a kind of D^fpair.
The Conferences of the Converts defcribe what is, and
what is not, the Reward of Virtue. Such Examples muft
fubdue unruly Paffions, and prevail with both Sexes to livp
the primitive Life, rather than fwim in Pomp and Gran-
deur. Who can read your Eflay, and a£t contrary to the
Virgin in Edsn ? Pamela's Romances cannot but defile the
Thoughts evpn in advanced Years ; and how much more
in Youth ? Images of Virtue and Lewdnefs painted in
one Pidure, can never facrifice Vice, nor convert the Pro-
Id igal. I now labour to enter into the State of Iimocency,
aivil for the future will never enfnare my Mind with ungo-
vernable Appetites. I fee Self-denial repulfes Thoughts of
Obfcenity, and fets a Guard over our A£tiom. The
oftner I read your VVork, but efpecially the divine Confe-
rences pf />/;> the Student and the Virgin i of the Ele-
ments,



rnents, the Earth, the Sea and the Air, that will aWalbe
and execute Wrath upon Sodom unlefs (he repents ; thole
Inilances fubduc my Paffions, and obtain a Viftory over
every thing that lays fiege to my Virtues : to retreat from
Snares are exemplary. The Virgin in Eden enters not in
Converfe with gay Youths. Where there are no Tem-
ptations, there is the lefs Danger. The Prefencc of
Vice ftrikes the Breaft with deftru6tive Darts, and fets the
Springs of Licentioufnefs floating. I know by Experience,
that iecret Intrigues fcarce ever fail to gain a Conqueft
over the Innocent. Undefiled Virtue, never treats with
Vice : (he immediately takes Wing, as a timorous Lark
purfued by the devouring Hawk. Pftfnelay had (he been
as chafte as reprefcnted, would have run to her Father*!
Cottage, as to an Ark of Security. Chaftc Virgins never
parly twice with wanton Rakes. The Editor's Works are
only Scenes varni(h*d with Deiufion, profane Stories, idle
Hiltories, deftrudtivc to the Minds and Morals of the Age.
Thcfc are my Thoughts on your Eflay on the State of Itt'-
noccncy, and the Editor's Volumes.

J am ^our Converts
X'lncoln's - Inn,
Aug. I. I74«»



A Copy of the Letter dire<9:ed to
the Author by a young Lady.

SI Ri

MY Parents commanded me, and my eldefl Brother, to
read your Manufcript, The Ideas have made deep
Impreflions upon my Mind. The >'ery Defcription of the
Virgin's Journey from Sodom to Canaan hath weaned my
Affections from the empty Pageantry I fee every Day, in
my Vifits and Converfation, That modern Pilgrim, the
Virgin's Scene of Life, fl^all advife me in every original
Virtue. Her Inftru6tions are E^^apples for our Sex tp co-
py after. Her Savings keep me awake tjll Midnight ; and
in the Morn my nrft Thoughts are travelling wi£ her to
Canaan J that I may hear the Halelujahs and Hymns (he is
now entertained with in that Choir \iiAhrahanf% Houle. I



j gJ'Miiijffiluilaiwi^* i? i ir Mi r i ii i -i"V' ii ft!iirMw i



I 78- J

am even certain, that the Branches of the Royal Familjr
will read her State of Innoccncy. Each of thofc Princes
fhall be prefent^d with Copies deliver*d from my own Hand.
I ibali let them know the Work is to me more than all the
Strokes of Eloquence. Pamelas EpifHes I compare to the
Moon in Eciipfe, and the Virgin in Eden to the Sun at its
Meiidian Height, Her Virtues are all clear Day without
one Cloud or Evening Twilight. The Editor's Worki
are d relied in various Scenes. In one Page arc Images of
LewJnefs ; in another Reprefentations of Virtue ; and in a
third he introduces Wantonnefs and Alodefty adding together
in fccret, that which any of our Sex may blufh to think
of, much more to name. Thus the Editor goes on : Vir-
tue gives a word of Rcfiihnce, then Vice doubles the At-
tack, and experts nothing lefs than taking the Fort by
Storm. What can put Innocency more in danger, an4
throw Virtue into Defpair ? Sir, pray publifli your Manu-
fcript without any Amendment ; in particular, that of the
divine Conference of Felix the Student, and the Virgin ; of
the Elements, the Earth, the Sea and the Air, that will
awake and execute Wrath upon the Sodom, Every
Article is founded on the Bafis of holy Writ. Every
Age may paint after the Virgin's Sute of Innocency.
There are no Allurements to defile the Morals of either Sex,
Thofe Ideas have inftilled in me good Thoughts, and ha-
nifhed bad Defires. Emblems that will furvive my Fune-
ral, and live till Time fhall be no more. Could I have
tny Wifh, every Page fhould be engraven on Tables of
Marble in ail Cathedrals and Churches, which would be
more afTecling to read than funeral Orations. The Times
call for fuch Leflbns to be recorded in our Temples, and Pla-
ces of divine Worlhip. Sir, pray infert thefe my Thoughts
in your Treatifes^ they may be agreeable to After-Gene-
rations, and even prevail with fome to take a Journey from
Sodojn to Canaan. By this the Treatifes may be extended
over the Chriftian World, and reach the Turksy Heathens^
and Per an Nations, that thcfe Unbelievers may receive
perfect Reprefeptations of the Elizian Fields ; not flowery
Meadows, fuch as they fancy, for the Enjoyment of beau-
tiful Women ; but Groves and Gardens, with holy Men,
fcnd with chafte Virgins, and accompany them to the Regi-
ons that are beyond our Sight.

O that I could for ever live with fuch Saints in Palaces
enlighten'd with Morning Stars^ and join with them in

Halleli*.



HalieKijahs for ever, the Church triumphanf, in cndfcft
Glory. ' •

I am ivhb Ri^ird^
St. JamcsVSquare,

Aug. 3, 174X. Toursf ice*



Manufcripts diredled to Sodom.
Signed by Felix the Student, and the Virgin*
Deliver d byway of Image and Dejcription^
PRESENTING, '

THAT in thirty Days after the Pilgrims Arrival at A-
hrahanC^ Houfe in Canaan^ they agreed in a Confe-
rence to fend Memorials to the Town of their Nativity.
The Virgin in Eden opens the Scene with the underwritten
Dedication.

DEDICATION.

Tho' it be unufual for Maids, in the Bloom of Youth,
to write divine Lcdures ; yet, as the Work comes from a
Pilgrim, now a Stranger to Sodom^ her LefTons may be
cfteemed beyond Flowers of Eloquence.

Solitude and Silence tiave given me juft Thoughts of
God, his Eflence and divine Attributes. I find it a fecret
Pieafure to hide in Groves, and walk in Shades; thcrp.I
am delighted with the Springs that run in Streams down
the Hills to their appointed Centre. Thefe Objcdis take
off my Mir.d from Shew and Pageantry.
â–  But in this I fear I offend by my comparing an earthly
Canaan to the heavenly Jerufalem. In the Morning it is
fweet to hear the airy Inhabitants break out into one Cho-
rus of Praifes to their fovereign Creator. The Sound to
me is fo melodious, that at that time I even wifh to live
always: then I am not for returning to my original Dull.
The going througJi the Alley of Death is a mekmcholy
Scene to the very innocent and chafle. At our la^ Agonies

the



frl— llr- ,.■■,■ V.:.^^.^>^.;^.. ,^..-^.^^-^. ^ j|, ^ .



the Soul IS apt to dart back, occafion'd b/ the innate Cor«
ruptidn of Nature.

What I glory in is this: Before I left Sodomy and pro-
ceeded on my Progrefs to CanaOttj with Sighs and Tears I
intreated my Neighbours to go with ihe to Jbrabam*%
Houfc, the only Situation of Peace and Silence on this Side
Eternity. Vanity, Pride and Ambition reign in Sodom:
She floats in momentary Pleafures. Emulation rages thei«
as Billows in the Sea. They rife as Storms that prefage
Wrecks; Floods to drown her Inhabitants. She deeps,
and fees not her Danger; but cries. Peace, PeaCe. In
Canaan the Voice is, IVraih^ IVraib, unlefs ihe awakes
and remembers.

At this Day I view Sodom as in a diflraded Vifion veil-
ed in Darkncfs, but ihe will not believe it. She is as Evi
in the Garden of Eden betrayed by the fubtiJ Serpent : for
whifpcr to her to confider, ihe regards it not. Her Image
is as the Portraiture of Deftru6lion ; a Widow that has lofl
her Senfes, and will not be prevailed upon to afTume the
Afpe6l ihe bore in her Virgin State. ^

In Canaan we retain Reafon ; go into the Fields and
Vineyards to behold the V'ines flourifh, and bear Grapes.
Sodom engenders wanton Idiencfs, and faiKies herfelf amia-
ble. Thb is the Delirium ihe labours under; ihe fancies
herfelf to be as fair as the Rofes, and like the Lillies in the
Valleys, tho' there is nothing but Loathfomncls and Weeds
to be found in her Garden.



The



M ll lip Ji|P,|l l il I IIWU I L III MM P I I



iifi 1 1 i-i(igfT1ri I



[81]

The Vi R G I n's Epiftle, writ in Canaan^
direded to her Brother in Sodom.



Dear Brother^

YO U tell me of the Profperlty you enjoy ; provided it be
crowned with Virtue, that is more valuable than all
other Pofleffions. What are the AfHiicnces of Life fe*
parated from true Piety ? Riches are but Shadows, fooh
vanifhed and gone. Convey your Thoughts to Canaan.
Oiler Sacrifices to Jefus: Keep to divine Duties. If
we part with them, we crucify our Faith; the End
centers in Anxiety. The Breach cf divine Preccpti
is the way to Mifcry. We then bewilder ourfelvcs in
winding and intricate Mazes: Wc are loft in Coniiifion^
and exird from divine Providence. The State of Guilt
puts the Mind in Pain, but ferious Reflections give the Vicvr
of Happinefs. What makes the laft End of Man terrible,
the looking back upon paft A£lions. SodoiA^ in which you
inhabit, is a City of Calamity. The Great and Powerful
feel the Angulfh of Envy and Ambition: The Poor and
Needy meet with crofs Blows of Fortune. Rocks lie in
the way to (hipwreck the Soul. Make your Retn?at to
Caziaafty the Port of Happinefs on this Side the Grave.
In this Courfe there are no Quickfands, no Precipices, no
Dangers nor Eddies to fink you In cndlefs Miferics.

/ remain your (kar Si/ler*
From Abraham*^ Houfe
in Canaan,



The Copy of a Letter writ in So^
dom by the Virgin's Sifter, direded
to Abrahams Houfe in Canaan.



Dear Sifter^

I Live in full Pofleflion of Plenty, and inhabit in a f!ate*
ly Pile ; but ever fince you went on your Progrefs, I
pafs my Days in Sorrow, and am as a Stranger in the

L World.



XS2]

World. When T awake in the NIghf, I gu(h out in
Showers of Tears, becaufe I went not with you to Ca»*
Tiaan to be inftru£ied in divine Principles. I am now ro-
ftrained, and cannot come to you, being enter'd into a
Marriage State. When I was a Virgin, I thought to en-
joy a thoufand SatisfucHJons in Converfation of a Man. .
Now thofe Iccas are vanished. I an-* as a Bond-Slave
chained to a Galley, conftrained to fpend my Days in Con-
verfe with my Spoufe's Concubines: If 1 caft a Frown to-
wards any of them, I am fure to receive private Refent-
ment. The only Entertainment I ha\'e, is to look upon
your Pidure in my Parlour. But that f leafing Image foon
difappears, as knowin;^ it is not the leal Frefence. It is a me-
lancholy refle£iion to me to think, that we live as in fepa-
rate Iflanis. I am like J^ajn alone in the Garden before
Eve recciverl a Being. I have neither the Company nor
ConverfaiJon of my Spoufe Day or Night, but when he is
intoxicated Vi-irh Wine, or fatiatcd his Defires. with his
Courtezans. Thefe Scenes I pafs thro gh in the Tents of
Sodom^ now in the Bloom of Youth. O that I had kept
myiclf a Maid, turned Pilgrim, and go.^e to Abroham^%
Houfe, to fing divine Hymns in that Temple of Saints.
Let Virgins lay this Epiltle before their Admirers, to let
them kiiOvv how falfe they are. Let married Women alfo
j-ead this LefTon, as often as their Conforts break through
the Vows and Proteilations of that Love and Kindnefb they
made before the ceremonial Knot was tied. This may be
of Service to our Sex in the City of Sodom crowded with
treacherous Men, whofe Emulations wander after lewd and
liccntiotjs Harlots, with Hatred in the Heart to their Con-
forts, though ever fo virtuous, beautiful, chafle, and inno*
cent.

'. I remain your forrowful Siflcr in Tears^now in Sodom.



Manu-



Manufciipts direfted from Canaan to
the City of Sodom.

Signed by Felix the Student, and the Virgin at
Abrabam\ Houfc.

PRESENT,

The Defcendants of Mofes^ Aaron^ the Pro-
phets, the Apoftlcs, and the Evangelifts.

TOE LIX open'd the Aflembly : Says he, the Element,
•*• the Earth, the Sea, the Air, will awake and execute
divine Wrath. I look upon SGdom as an Ifland ripe for
Dcftrudion : not one bright Star to be fecn in her Hemif-
phere. She is to be viewed as Noah did the old World,
threatned with Deftruftion: the Clouds feem to gather
every-where. O that the wifer Inhabitants would prepare
for themfelves an Ark of Safety to flee to, at the breaking in
of the Deluge. At this Speech the Virgin rofe up ; fays
fhe, ever fince my Arrival in Canaan^ I weep in fecret for
the Sins of Sodom, My Eyes diftil Tears, and run down
as Showers, when I think of her now in Captivity. Then
the Student fjwke in the Language of David the Royal
Prophet ; faid he, A'ly Flejh tremhles^ and I am afraid of
God's Judgments^ left the Arm of his Vengeance (hould dc-
ftroy the Ifland of my Birth. O whither (hall the Mifcra-
bly fly when the Inundation comes, and all perifh, either
in Floods of Water, Streams of Blood, or Flames of Fire.
O that Nature may not fall into Convulfions, as fhe did in
former Ages, to execute divine Wrath upon Kingdoms
and States for their Blafphemies and Infidelities. Says the
Virgin, I will deliver fome Inftances out of Records. In
the Year One thoufand four hundred and fifty-fix, upon
the fifth of December^ three Hours before Day, the whole
Kingdom of A^^^/« trembled with that Violence, that fomc
entire Towns were buried in the Earth, and great Part oC
many otliers overthrown ; in which fifty-four thoufand Per-
fons. Part fwallowed by the Earth, and Part oppreflcd by the
Ruins of Buildings, O Jcfus, what Security can Sodom
.,~y.* L a .then



[HI

then look for, when fhe is not fecure of the Earth (he is
founded upon ? VVJiat Firmnefs can there be, when the
only firm Thing is unftable? From whence may not
Death aflauh, if it fprmgs from under our Feet ?

iv//jr anfwer'd. It is not much if the Earthquake of a
whole Kingdom caufe fo great a Ruin, fmce it hath done
the fame in one City. Tlie Night in which Mauritius the
Emperor was married, three Hours after Sun-fet, the City
o( Jntioch quaked in that manner, that moil of the Build-
ings were overthrown, and fixty thoufand Corpfes remained
buried in her Ruins.

The Student teply'd. That in the Time of Tiberius
twelve of the moft principal Cities of JJia were overthrown
and funk in the Earth. And yet more cruel was that in
the Time of the Emperor Thcodcfius^ which lafled for fix
Months without Intermiffion ; and was fo univerfal, that
almoft the whole Circuit of Nature trembled, extending
to the CherJonefuSy Alexandria^ Bythiniay Antiochy Hellefponty
tlic two Phry^ia^Sy the greateft Part of the Eaft, and many
Nations of the Weft.

Since we are upon thefe Subje£b, fays Pelixy I will
mention the Fury of the Sea againft thofe who were far di-
fbnt from the Rage of its Waves, and thought themfelves
fecure in their own Houfes. Soon after the Death of the
Emperor Juliariy wherein not only the Earth trembled,
but the Ocean pafs*d over its Limits, as in a fecond Noah\
Deluge, to ijivolve the Frame of Nature, as in the firft
Chaos. Ships floated in Alexandria above the loftieft BuiW-
ings and Hills : then Ihe returned to her own ChanneL
But in this Inundation many Veflels remained upon Moun-
tains and Rocks.

Here the Student delivered himfelf as an Oracle ; fays he,
I have read the Records of mofl Nations in their native
Language. In the Days of Procopius the Tyrant, the
twenty-firfl ofjufyy the Year wherein Valentinian was firft
time Conful with his Brother, the Elements throughout
the whole Compafs of the Globe fuddenly fell into fuch
Diftempers, as neither true Stories have ever mentioned,
nor falfe feigned. A little before Break of Day, the Ele-
ments being firft overcaft with a dark Tempeft, intermix-
ed with frequent Thunder and Flafhes of Lightning. The
whole Body of Nature moved ; and the Sea being violent-
ly driven back, retired in fuch manner, as the moft hidden
Bottom of it was difcover'd, fo as many known forts of
Fiihes were fcen ftretched out upon the Mud. Thofe vaft



[ 85 1

Profundities behoWIng then the Sun, 'srhom Nature from
the Beginning of the World had hid under fo immenfe a
Mafs of Waters, many Ships remained upon the Oufe, or
floating in fmall Gullets.

The Virgin, in the Words of a moral Heathen, (aid.
Our Gods are angry; the Sun, the Moon and the Sta«
fight againft Kingdoms and States for their Offences.
What Judgments lefs than thefe can Sodom expedi, thejr
threatened her Temples with Deftrudlion. Says the Vir-
gin, Nature hath heretofore lifted up her Fury againft the
Iflands, and far extended Coafts of the Continent, and
what Cities or Buildings (he encountcr*d were violently
overthrown; infomuch as the Face of the World once
fcemed to be changed by the Difcords of Nature, which
have produced unlieard-of Prodigies. The Ocean hath
feveral times exceeded her Bounds, and entered for into
tlie Land ; and after her Swellings have been afluaged,
thoufands of dead Bodies were found, fomc with their Fa-
ces downward groveling upon the Earth, fome upwards
looking upon the Heavens, as it happened in Alexandria,

The noble Grecians^ at the Turks coming before the City
of CoTjJiantinopIe to befiege it, could not deliver themfelvet
with more Eloquence and Strength of Argument than Fe^
Ux did upon thefe Occafions. He went on with the Hi-
ftory of paft Ages ; fays he, in one thoufand two hundred
and eighteen, the enraged Billows enter*d into Phrygta^
and there were drowned in the Fields, and in their Houfcs,
more than a hundred thoufand People. And after this the
Ocean re-entring the fame Province, retired not till it had
left eighty thoufand Men, Women and Children drowned
behind it.

At thefe Speeches the Virgin wept; and in ai|
Extafy of Sorrow faid, O Infinite Being, how terrible
are thefe InflaiKes of thy Wrath for Sodom to read. O
that (he would confider what Scenes the Convulfions of
Nature a£led in the Year One thoufand five hundred and
nine, the Day of the Exaltation of the Crofs in September^
the Ocean betwixt Conflaniinople and Per-u fwelled with
that Rage and Fury, that it paUcd over the Walls of both
Cities, and there were drowned only of Turks in CGfiJfanti*
nople above thirteen thoufand.

The Student anfwer'd ; fays he, I will go yet further:
The Atlantick Ifland, feated in that fpacious Ocean betwixt
Spain and the JVeJi-Indies^ and which was a greater Part of
|he World than Afia and Africa both together, replcniihed
- .1. with



â– ^^^.^. ..^^,.^.^^.^-A..^^.^::.^j.^^^^..^y^^^^: ;...,., ,.^_ ..^ w>:y.|.^;:..



[ 86 ]•

with innumerable People, was by the Ram of only one Day
and Night, in which the Elements, as it were, melted
tliemfeives into Water, and deftroyed all the Inhabitants,
none ever having fmce appeared.

At this the Virgin wept, as a Woman who had loft her
FiriVborn, and I'ecn all her Inheritance in Flames. What,
fays fhe, cnnnot Gcd do? What Judgment does not Sodom
deferve? Cannot the Fcrce of the Elements, the Trem-
bling of tl e Earth, the Raging of the Ocean, the Storms
of Hiiil and Rain, fight againft Man in thb laft Age of the
World ? Cannot God extend his Fury even all over £«-
ropf, JJIa, Africa and America^ for their Infidelity, for the
Breach of his divine Laws?

Felix with a Stoick Gravity concluded the Conference;
faid. Nature can never keep within its Limits, when the
Deity hath commanded it to fight againft Cities, Towns
and Villages. If he arms againft any particular People,
and gives tiie Alarm to execute his Vengeance for their In-
gratitude for his infinite Benefits, they muft unavoidably
periih.

Felix tlic Student and the Virgin having thus dellver'd
their Thoughts to the Aflembly at Abraham!s Houfe in Ca*
naatiy they fat down, and the whole Body remained in a
profound Silence for near an Hour, as being ftruck with
Amazement at what may fall upon Sodcm for her repeated
Tranfgrefhons, if (he doth not confider. The next Day
the Aflembly met again in folemn manner in the Chapel,
and kept the Day as a Faft, In the Evening Abraham^ Sa-
rah and Jfaac rofc up, and gave in their Opinion of Na-
ture in Convulfions. Says Abrahaniy The Air in which we
live and breatiie, though it be an Element fweet and gentle,
yet God can draw Force out of Weaknefs. The Wind
hath torn up whole Woods by the Roots, and tranfported
Trees to diliant Places. In the Year One thoufand five
hundred and I'even, at Midnight, there arofe fuch a Tera-
peft in Germany^ that the ftrongeft Buildings fhakcd, Hou-
fes were uncover*d. Trees rooted up and removed from their
Station. Henry the Vlth being Emperor, he himfelf faw
Beams of Timber blown from the Roof of the chief Church
in Mentz^ as big as the Beams of a Winc-Prefs, and of
heavy Wood, a< Oak, flying in the Air.

Sorch, Abraharfii Wife, being in Showers of Tears, in
a low Voice dehver*d herfelf thus : fays (he. My Soul is
©ppreiN'd, It is overwhelmed within mc, only by reading
the Antiquities of Jofephusy and EuJ'eb, Pnep, kvani, ii»

whicft



. ■ t : ^UMJ^iililTJ iagitWBpwplp l l. l j ..■.)/,J l ipg»t. i ,*W< l ijL-.j P» ^l.,-Mj i jiy t mj |. wiiw



•p,:.^..^^^i.^^^....,JB^,:



-'^rf'T^'-^-iib III! HI iiiiifi iinrtfiiiimiriiirri â– 



C 87 ]

which It is recorded, that the Tower of Bah) iofiy which
was tl^e moft ilrong and prodigious Building of the Worlds
was overthrown with a Tempeft, ^and the Flocks and
Herds of the Egyptians deftroyed by Lightning. O may
not fuch divine Wrath fail upon Sodomy that City which
now glories in her Strength and Beauty.

1 hen Ifaac the Son oi Abraham anfwer'd : I am aYouth,
in my tender Years : I have read of a Storm of Hail that
fell, and flew innumerable Amorites, And in the Campa-^
nia of Bologna there fell Stones of twenty-eight Pounds