The lips of a strange woman drop as an honey-comb, and her mouth is smoother then oyl: But her end is bitter as wormwood, and sharp as a two-edged sword. The Text here presents you with a strange woman ; with whom though I desire not to procure you a familiar acquaintance , yet I'le give you such cognizance of her, and excite that abhorrency of her baseness in all your minds, that if any have heretofore been sick for want of her company, he shall now be as sick of it; after I have made it appear that this [1] beautiful Siren, having a Womans face, ends in the Serpents tail; and discovered, not onely the Virgins-face of this unsatiable Harpye , but her cruel talons also shrowded under her wings.
But I have onely hitherto told you her name; I shall now therefore proceed further to describe her to you by her sordid actions, which will ascertain you of those miseries which are her constant waiting-women or attendants. She tricks her self up with such variety of gauderies as if she were to expose her body to bring the Devil to her lure, and tempt the Tempter himself to love her; and were that opinion of Tertullian true, That the Devils and fallen Angels had carnal commerce with the Daughters of Men , and they should desire one to satisfie their lustful appetite, I'de recommend the strange woman in the Text unto them; who like Circe is an amiable Sorceress, and when she hath once charmed her Gallant with youthful blood sparkling in his veins, and beauty dancing in his face, into the endless Circle of her lust, hee'l find a difficult [6] recovery.
Whilest I hear one Historian talk of Sempronia , and give her this character, [9] That she oftner courted men to her embraces then she was courted by them , I fancy he makes mention of the strange woman in the Text: and whilest I hear another report, that Julia arrived to that heighth of licentiousness, [10] That she would leave nothing undone which she could basely commit, either by Action or Passion, judging that lawful which pleased her humour best , me thinks he characterizes our strange woman to us.
King Solomon understanding a hot Prostitute tells us, Prov. Though the Toad hath a precious Stone in her head, yet her body is poysonous: And so, though this Strange Woman may wear a handsome countenance, and for her superficial and skin-deep beauty seem an inestimable Jewel, yet, if we view her throughly, we shall discover the venom of her impure body; for, though her lips drop as an honey comb, and her mouth is smoother then oyl, yet her end is bitter as wormwood, and sharp as a two-edg'd sword.
Upon which two Verses of the Text, as upon two pillars, I build this practical Proposition,. That the short and transitory pleasures which the strange woman affords us, are accompanied with the sharpest and most permanent evils. And that, First, Because she'l wound and stain our reputation. How full is the adulterer of fears and jealousies, scorching desires, and impatient waitings, tedious demurrs, sufferance of indignities, and amazements of discoveries, and his uncleanness is ever attended by shame which is its eldest daughter; for let us consider how infamous it has ever been, to be noted for a common Pathick , or a lustful Amoretto , how opprobriously Adulterers have been used by most Nations.
