to a modest Pen so much as to write of them; they take hold of the hellish Advantage, and make the greatness, the superlative Blackness of their Offences be their Protection in the committing them; as if they were out of the reach of Reproof, because no modest Pen can dip in the Dirt, or rake in the Dunghil of their Vices, without being sullied and daub'd by them; that it would be scandalous for any modest Man so much as to mention what they do not think it scandalous to do. Thus the hardened and fearless A——— C———, who defies God and Man, laughs at Reproach, and threatens every Reprover, impudently said to his Parish Minister that modestly spoke of his Crimes, "You may talk to me here, Doctor, at home, but you dare not speak a Word of it in the Pulpit; I am out of your reach there; Why, all the Women would run out of the Church, and they'd throw Stones at you as you go along the Street if you did but mention it."
Happy Criminal! that hugs himself in being too Vile to be reproved, or so much as modestly mentioned; that his Crimes cannot be exposed because modest Ears cannot bear to hear them spoken of. Let the Offender, who is fam'd for being Revengeful, and who is not so far off as not to hear of it, resent it if he thinks fit: I am told he will soon hear more of it, where it may be spoken of without fear of his Anger.
This very Case runs parallel with what I am now engaged in; but the Age shall see the Effect shall not answer their End. Shall it be Criminal to reprove the Offence which they think it is not Criminal to commit? Must we Blush to speak of what they will not Blush todo?
