ever it may in part; however I thought fit to insert it, to render the Crime the more odious and hateful to all. And to this I may add other pernicious Consequences proceeding from this Crime, as an irrecoverable Impotency, which renders a Man inanimate, intoxicates his reason, and debases Nature, so as to occasion the _Diabetis_ and other fatal lingering Diseases; for the aliment of the Blood is so far vitiated and impair’d by a frequent repetition of this Sin, that it is wholly unable to perform its office of Circulation with any regularity. Thus I have detected the several Fallacies, Inconsistencies, and Impositions of the Author of _ONANIA_; prov’d that he is mistaken in the Crime of _ONAN_; that the design, of his Book was to encourage Lewdness, and thereby promote the sale of destructive Medicines, which many times occasion a conflux of Humours, and incurable Diseases; shewn that Quack Preparations promote the very Sin he with views of Interest pretends to discountenance, set forth the real Crime of _ONAN_, and the Causes and fatal Consequences of Self-pollution: I now proceed to the heinousness of the _SIN_. [Illustration] _CHAP._ II. _The_ _SIN_ _of_ _SELF-POLLUTION_, _the means to avoid it, and to attain_ _CHASTITY_. The Learned _Ostervald_ treating of the several Species of Uncleanness, says it is easy to discern ‘that impure Actions are forbidden for two Reasons. First, because they are likely means of carrying Men to the grosser Crime: People don’t ordinarily arrive at the height of Wickedness all at once, but by certain Steps and Degrees. They begin with what they think lawful; they accustom themselves to violate the rules of Chastity in such Instances, as they perswade themselves, can have no great hurt in them: But then from these lesser Offences, they proceed to others, whose Wickedness they cannot but be sensible of; and so at length they fall into the more horrid Crime. But in the second place, though we should never come thus far, and our unchaste Actions should never push us on to the utmost Licentiousness, they however defile the Soul; they increase the inclination to Uncleanness, and withdraw from God; as a very little Observation will inform those, who allow themselves in these sort of Liberties.