Onania: or, the heinous sin of self-pollution and all its frightful consequences (in both sexes) considered with spiritual and physical advice to those who have already injured themselves by this abominable practice.

Date:
1756
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Onania: or, the heinous sin of self-pollution and all its frightful consequences (in both sexes) considered with spiritual and physical advice to those who have already injured themselves by this abominable practice. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [ 3°7 ] mitting it, T pracKfed it daily, all that Year, till 1 was in the one-and-twentieth Year of my Age, and then did the Lord afflict me with a fore Sicknefs ; but recovering my Health again, I followed that wicked Courfe that Year, towards the latter End of which I was afflicted with a Swelling in my Secret Parts; but recovering again, I ftill purfued^the old wicked Courfe, and my Appetite being grown fo unruly, that I could not forbear eating more at a Meal than did me good, fo that I had a continual War with myfclf ; this abominable Practice caufed me to look lean and thin, and yet I had a great Defire to look fat: Before I committed this Sin I had not fuch Thoughts in my Head, but by thefe two Contraries I was the more exceedingly tormented. Being in the two-and-twentieth Year of my Age, and ftill taking no Warning, the Lord affliaed me with a Fever, and brought me down to the Brink of the Grave, and fhewed me the infernal Pit; for I was fo very bad, that I thought I mould not have lived all one Night, and I looked to be with the Devils every Moment which did fo horribly affright me, that I can- not exprefs the Amaze I was in ; then did I beg and pray for Mercy, promifmg to lead a godly Life if it would pleafe the Lord to reftore me to my Health again ; and, in a fhort Time, my Fever abated, and, in the End, turned to an Ague, which I got Cure for; fo for a while I re- frained the former abominable Praaice ; but it was not lon^ before the Devil drew me to commit it again ; and, to make me fenfible of the Sin, the Lord caufed my old Diftemper to return upon me in a few Hours after the committing of it, fo that I was fenfible the Hand of the Lord was againft me for that Sin ; but, recovering my Health again I thought I would refrain the wicked Courfe, but the Grace of God was fo decayed in my Soul, and the Devil had o-ot fuch Power over me that I could not with- ftand his Affaults, though whenever I committed this Sin, my Heart would be heavy and forrowful, which 6f iffitt was enough to make me refrain the Praaice, but at lait my Enemy madethis forrowful Heavinefs a Means t6 draw me to commit this Sin ; for being in forrowful Heavinefs as I fat by the Fire, the Devil put it in my Mind to com- mit this Sin ; with that I rofe up, and went urto a Barn, where I committed this Sin ; but, as I entered the Bam there darted into my Mind this Thought, that there was