and final impenitence which is concluded with eternal damnation Behold here the several steps and degrees by which the Ghostly Enemy advances in his wicked practices upon poor Souls who have not had the care to keep themselves out of his snare Behold here the sad issue which Concupiscence having conceived as the Apostle Saint James speaks Jac. 1. v. 15. that is being impregnated by the Devil and her own unadvised Consent brings forth in time In fine behold here explicitely and particularly set forth what is implicitely contain'd and involved in that Text of the Apostle now alledged Concupiscence when it hath conceived brings forth sin and sin when it is consummate ingendreth Death Yet observe here if you please I do not say that Concupiscence precisely of it self alone or as it signifies meerly a natural motion and inclination stirr'd up in the phansie to such or such a thing is damnable or so much as sin properly speaking though some teach it to be so whom we are not bound much to regard It is then only sin when it is consented unto that is when after perfect advertency and taking notice of evil Thoughts and Phantasies to be stirred up in us we do voluntarily and of our own accord either rest and continue in the said Thoughts and take pleasure and delight in the things they represent to us or which is a farther degree and step in sin do actually consent in heart and will to commit the sin or sins that we think upon if opportunity were given us So that it is not Concupiscence alone but our voluntary free and deliberate yielding to it that brings forth sin or makes us guilty of sin before God SCECTION IV. Carnal Concupiscence causeth continual trouble SECT 1. It is the most troublesome sin of any 2. The troubles and usual proceedings of fond and lewd Women 3. The troubles and usual proceedings of foolish and lewd Men. Sect. 1. Carnal Concupiscence the most troublesome sin of any THat Wise Gentle Socrates verifies our assertion to wit that Carnal Concupiscence is a most troublesome sin by this Expression of his The Lascivious Man is of all others the most miserable being in a condition of perpetual disquiet and sufferance Poor Creature he never thinks upon any thing that is truly good and upon what concerns the good of his Soul least of all being wholly taken up and imploying all his Study and endeavour to find the means to fulfil his untam'd desire of pleasures and of lust to the utmost Saint Ambrose consents hereunto Carnal Concupiscence saith he is without question the most fierce froward and troublesome of all other sin how pleasing and agreeable so ever it may seem to those that consider not things well and causes the greatest unquietness to the Soul besides other mischief especially where it is much entertain'd and prosecuted Do but reflect upon the course of their lives and you will easily see in what a continual unquietness and disturbance they remain As for example If they go to Bed desiring to take their rest they are assaulted with innumerable temptations suggestions and representations of the Ghostly Enemy so that they cannot take rest If they chance to slumber their sleep is presently broken with Lascivious Dreams and Objects which their Unchaste and Lustful Phantasie presents to them so that all night long they are in trouble When the day appears their pain increaseth for then their Cares their Studies and Endeavours return upon them to think how they shall satisfie their Lusts which they cannot rest till they have satisfied what difficulties soever lie in the way and what hazards and perils soever they run their Lust must be satisfied whatsoever it costs Their spare hours most commonly passing away in or about matters of Poetry Love-letters singing unchaste and dishonest Songs studying Compliments and fine Courting Expressions which serve them with more ease to enveigle and overcome some poor silly Woman No good Actions proceed from them To pray is the most tedious thing in the World to read Spiritual Books dulls their Spirits too much to attend to Sermons or any Pious Discourse a cold and but frivolous Entertainment to Fast is too too troublesome and a kind of killing themselves In conclusion nothing pleases them nothing is delectable or agreeable to their mind but that which tends to Mirth and Wantonness in pursuance whereof and for the satisfying of their Sensual Appetites they easily suffer themselves to be drawn from all occasions of doing good and from attending to their callings charges and other honest and necessary imployments and wastefully to spend their estates and time altogether careless and neglecting their Vocation So that in fine being themselves devoid of all reason and unable through the prevalency of blinding lust to take or follow good Counsel they run with all unhappy speed and precipitancy to their own confusion both as to Body and Soul not only troubling themselves but inticing others to their Sensual Inclinations which bad and most blameable disposition of mind as I have partly observ'd before being once rooted in a Lascivious Heart according to Saint Ambrose It rejecteth all Counsel and good Advice disturbs and disquiets those that give it Entertainment though never so little and destroys those that are given up to it proclaiming Wars to those that are Chaste and constantly resist it but inflaming those thaâ— yield to it and finally consuming such as will not withdraw from it To which end it is usually attended also with a train of many other Evils and Vices that wait upon it and contribute what they can to the perfecting its wicked work as namely Flatteries Dissimulation Lying Deceits innumerable Feigning Counterfeiting and the like none of which and many other evil Arts shall be wanting when occasion requires for the Conquest of some one poor silly Woman whom Saint Paul calls the Weaker Vessel Sect. 2. The troubles and usual proceedings of fond and lewd Women Granatensis that worthy Guid and Director of Christian Souls pondering in his mind the usual proceedings of vain Women especially of those that are wantonly and lewdly inclin'd and the various Arts they practice to attract and allure Men mov'd with a passionate zeal for their Salvation he could not forbear to check their Exorbitant Vanity and Lustfulness in these words Oh saith he what Devillish Art and Cunning cannot Women invent to intice Mâ—n to their wanton Desires and yet for all their Craft and Cunning in conclusion deceive themselves and plunge their Souls into Eternal Perdition To what other thing for the most part tends all their Care Studies Employment but to be look'd upon and to intice Men wherein do they exercise their wits spend their time but in making themselves fit and ready for that work To relate particularities in this kind would be an endless work being they are numberless and not to be reckoned up in a short time However for your satisfaction I shall instance in some few In
and if â—â— happens that the objects of any of these branches or several kinds of inordinate Self-love be very predominant and prevailing in our affections it must of necessity be because the Love of God is proportionably weak and at a very low ebb in us and consequently it either puts us into or shews us to be in a most dangerous and sickly condition of soul even in the state of habitual mortal sin being withal deprived of Gods Grace for so long time as we remain in such estate so that we do not only languish but perish being destitute both of the Remedy and Physicians and although peradventure many notwithstanding their being in this bad condition through habitual Self-love do either by reason of their natural inclination or through the power of some other worldly interest forbear to commit those gross and palpable sins which Self-love and vicious affections do usually draw other men unto yet this will not excuse them nor put them in a good state towards so long as they â—re guilty and their hearts infectâ—d with Self-love But what shall we say now of â—hose who are so much subject and â—iven up to this vice that they set â—heir thoughts and endeavours wholâ— upon honours vanities pleasures â—â— as feasting and gaming or otherwise â—ngage themselves in Contentions or â—â— its at Law or siding with Factions â—n State so as that they seem to place â—heir whole delight in such things â—or although the particular actions of â—hese men considered singly may â—eem only to be venial yet let me â—ell them the whole number with â—nnumerable other aggravating cirâ—umstances renders them damnable â—nd that with great reason because â—t shews that through the vehemency â—f Self-love their affections are placed â—nd fixed in those objects as in their â—ast end which is to transgress the Hoâ—y Commandments of God in the highâ—st and most grievous manner besides the scandal they give We judge of their inward affections by their outward actions Wherefore if these worldly objects of Honours Vanities Pleasures and the like take up their whole employment or the greatest part of their time 't is evident that they are predominant over their affections and that God is not so much the object of their minds and thoughtâ— as he should be namely to reign iâ— them by Holy Love and to be the principal and chiefest end they aim at So that being destitute of Gods Grace and giving so great scandal by their life and manners they must needs be in a dangerous condition Certainly they do grosly deceive themselves in imagining that they love God above all things or that the Love of him is the most cordial of all their loves when as reflecting well upon themselves they would find that all their Love-actions and all the designs of their heart were so wholly bent and set upon worldly things that the service of God and salvation of their Souls were the least â—n all their thoughts least spoken of and least attended unto For the love by which they are bound to prefer God above themselves doth not consist in discourse and meerly talking of â—t but in doing what we are commanded and in doing it with real â—nd hearty affection therefore if they â—ntend to be cured of this dangerous Disease this languishing and Soul-â—estroying distemper of Self-love it must be as the Christian Doctrine â—oth teach and advise us to do nameâ—y that our Love of God be the most absolute the most affectionate â—nd cordial the most general and â—redominant of all other loves and â—hat it reign in us above and more â—han all other passions We must love God more then our own selves and â—ur own lives we must love him generally and in all things without â—xception that he commands us to â—ove desiring to please him more than to please our selves And besidâ— this we must be truly and sincere disposed to lose all things even thoâ— which are most dear unto us and â— suffer the greatest indignities if â—â—casion require rather than to forsaâ—â— him or lose his grace and favour aâ— consequently we must be ready â— embrace all persecutions sufferance yea death it self rather than to coâ—mit one mortal sin And this degâ—â—â— of Divine Love is the only cure the Languishing Disease and Disteâ—per of Self-love and is absolutely â—â—quisite for the Salvation of our Soâ—â— SECT 3. A Description of the same The Wise Hippocrates accordiâ—â— as 't is reported of him deplored his time very much the evil effects â—â— Avarice saying The Life of Mâ—â— is rendred miserable by the same â— may say the like with Father Caussâ—â— of Self-love since it is the most fatal plague amongst all the passions It is not a simple malady but a complex a malady composed of all the evils in the World it hath the shivering and heats of Feavors the ach and prickings of the Meagrim the rage of Tooth-ache the stupefaction of a Vertigo the furies of Phrenzy or Madness the black vapours of the Hypochondry the disturbances of the Waking and Fits of the Falling-sickness it hath the stupidities of the Lethargy the heaviness of Hearts-greif the pangs of the Collick the infections of the Leprosie the venome of Ulcers the malignity of the Plague the putrefaction of the Gangreen and whatsoever else is horrible in Nature Since therefore Self-love is such a strange and pestilent Disease in Morality that there is none like it in Nature nor more hurtful to Mankind I will dilate my self more at large with the same Father upon the Disasters that are daily in the sight â—â— the World caused by it Alas theâ—â— are millions of Men who would bâ— most fortunate and flourishing if the knew how to avoid the mischievoâ—â— power of this passion but using â—â— consideration nor endeavour to thâ— end they abandon their Bodies â—â— dishonour their Reputation to infâ—my their Estates to waste and miâ— spending and their whole lives to aâ— infinity of disturbances and torment For from hence it comes as we daâ—ly see the experience that Virgins â—â— Noble Blood and Families are stoln â—way Families dishonoured and dâ—solated and grieved parents precipitated into untimely Tombs by ingrateful Children From the same it follows that sâ— many Young Widows make shipwracâ— of their Honour in the World anâ— suffer themselves to be corrupted by incontinency that so many miserable Creatures that otherwise with the grace of God might have lived and died honourably after they have serâ—ed for a matter of talk to a City for time by reason of their evil and â—â—fortunate courses very often at last â—e in an Hospital Hence also it â—â—mes that so many Innocents are â—ade away by a death which preâ—ented their birth and many of them â—urthered and destroyed after their â—rth as it appears more or less at â—l Assizes and Sessions to the great â—ame of Christianity Besides all these how many poor â—fants are brought into this Life as â—recks at Sea are thrown upon the â—ocks or
brought to shore so expoâ—â—d to poverty and miseries that conâ—â—dering the matter well we may â—nclude and say that through Self-â—â—ve many chast Wedlocks are disturbâ—d many Poysons mingled producâ—â—g wicked effects that many Halâ—ers are put about the Necks of Self-â—â—vers many Swords drawn and â—any sad Tragedies begun in the night â—hat are ended at high-noon-day upon a Scaffold Oh how happy are thoâ— Souls which through the grace oâ— God are exempt and free from thâ— Vice of Self-lave which produceth sucâ— mischiefs and disasters in the world Let us therefore follow and use aâ— our endeavour to put in practice thâ— Wise Counsel of Solomon in thâ— Book of Ecclesiasticus Chap. 21. â— 2. As from the Face of a Serpent â—â— from sin fly from Self-love becausâ— as a Serpent comes slily upon us anâ— stingeth the Body so all sin anâ— consequently Self-love steals upon anâ— hurts the Soul SECT 4. The beginning and continuance of this pernicious Disease Saint Paul in his Epistle to the Romans giveth a true account of thiâ— old inveterate malady of our Souls saying Rom. 5. v. 12. Sicut per â—num hominem peccatum in hunc mundum intravit et per peccatum mors â—ta in omnes homines mors pertranâ—it in quo omnes peccaverunt As â—â— the Doctor of the Gentiles would â—ave said That sin which proceeds â—â—om Self-love as we have before â—emonstrated entred into this world â—rom the beginning and from the â—reation of the same by that sin of â—elf-love death passed unto all men â—n which they have all sinned for eâ—en in the Law of Nature sin was in â—he World from old and death did â—eign until Moses even on them that â—ad not actually sinn ed which is â—s much as to say that from Adam â—n the time of the Law of Nature â—here was sin in the world and â—hough in a manner they knew it not â—et this Spiritual Disease we speak of â—eigned even then as likewise in the â—ime of Moses when the Commandâ—ents or Law of God taught the conâ—rary to wit that God was displeasâ—d therewith and therefore men â—ught to avoid the same But by reason that all mankind were maculate with original sin they had no strengâ—â— of themselves-nor grace to be frâ—â— from Self-love So that thereupon sin did reign â—ver men and also death and damnaâ—tion by reason of Self-love Infant that did never actually offend beinâ— conceived and born in original sin were nevertheless lyable to death anâ— subject to all Spiritual Diseases anâ— to all the Maladies and Corruptions oâ— the Soul having their Nature defileâ— and destitute of Original Justice being averted from God by means of Adams transgression Christ only excepted who was conceived by thâ— Holy Ghost without the Seed of Man and his blessed Mother the Virgiâ— Mary who was preserved from contracting the guilt of original sin by special grace and the extraordinary perfection of God as many godly men judge but as for all the rest â—â— mankind they were born in a weak and sickly condition of Soul by reason of that sin ever since men were â—â—eated having been holden and torâ—ented by all sorts of Spiritual Diâ—â—empers even the most dangerous â—ost pestilent most violent and â—â—ntinual insomuch that by the â—â—me they were all subject to Satan â—â—d lyable to eternal sorrows they â—ere all made the Children of wrath â—e slaves of sin and every way most â—â—serable Yea these infectious â—â—seases came to such a height upon â—â—e whole race of mankind that â—â—e few only excepted they were â— swept away and perished in the â—â—neral Floud as is to be seen in â—enesis Chap. 7. v. 1 2. c. These most violent fits of sin and â—â—traordinary punishments for the â—â—me were not so soon passed over â—t many great pains and labours folâ—â—wed upon men and that for the â—ace of four hundred years together â—â—der the slavery of King Pharaoh â— the Land of Egypt after which â—â—ing delivered and freed from that cruel bondage they were soon afteâ— visited and afflicted with other grievous calamities and miseries for the space of more than Threescore Yeaâ— together to wit in the Babyloniâ— Captivity where the Royal Propheâ—â— David by the Spirit of Prophecy describes them lamenting and be moaning themselves Psalm 136. â— 1. Super flumina Babylonis illiâ— sedimus flevimus c. Vpoâ— the Rivers of Babylon there it wâ— that we sale and bewailed the aâ—flicted estate of Sion They could noâ— refrain to mourn remembring thâ— great calamities which for their siâ— God had brought even upon his owâ— Sanctuary How many other Feaverâ— sometimes continual sometimes intermitting how many heats of burning torments and pain how manâ— cold fits of desolation and want have men at several times been subject unto and made to undergo upoâ— this account Have we not heard â—â— those surprizes of sudden destructioâ— which came upon the people of Sodom â—nd Gomorrah and all the adjacent â—ountries when they were wholly â—onsumed by Fire as it is described â—en 19 v. 24. Do we not read also â—ow in the time of Elias the Prophet â—â—d at his Prayers Fire came down â—om Heaven and consumed those unâ—â—dly wretches that were sent to apâ—â—ehend him 4 Reg. 1. v. 10. How â—any cold and comfortless long fits of â—mine Pestilence and Mortality â—ere others exercised and plagued â—ith for their sinnes the Heavens â—ing so shut that it rained not for â—any years together and the earth â— parched with drought that it yieldâ—â— no water and people forced thereâ—â— in a languishing and perishing â—â—ndition to wander up and down â—â—king water to drink and finding â—e as we read Hierem. 14. 1 2 3. â— and in many other places of holy â—ipture In the sacred Gospel of Saint John â—hap 5. v. 5. we read of a man that had been diseased in body thâ— space of Thirty Eight Years in Hierusalem and had for a long time waâ—â—ed the stirring of the water there bâ— which an Angel from Heaven curâ— those which first came into the watâ—â— after the stirring of whatsoever â—â—sease they had This poor man hâ—â— lain there expecting his cure eigâ—â— and thirty years together being â—â— reason of his great weakness continâ—ally prevented by some other boâ—â— that stepped into the water befoâ—â— him and therefore deserved at lengâ—â— to be pittied by our Lord Jesus Chriâ—â— and cured by his Almighty Word aâ— Command But alass How muâ—â— more was the whole universal woâ—â— all mankind to be mourned for aâ— compassionated which had lain lâ—guishing not only the space of Thiâ— Eight Years but ever since the Crâ—â—tion of Adam that is by the accoâ—â—â— of some more than Five Thousâ—â—â— Six Hundred and Twenty Years â—â—ing all that time infected and contiâ—â—â—ly vexed with the feavor of original â—â— which lay upon all and every one â—â—d with a Thousand other actual diâ—â—empers maladies and diseases of the â—â—ul which held and afflicted parâ—â—cular persons some in one kind â—â—me
in another As for Example â—ow many distempers of wilful igâ—â—rance and errour in the mind How â—any ulcers of envy and malice in â—e will How many fallings and ofâ—â—nces happened through frailty of conâ—â—piscences It would be endless to â—â—ckon all the Infirmities and Lanâ—â—ishings of Soul that lay upon and â—pressed mankind in such a manner â— was even incurable before the comâ—â—g of Christ and till he came to â—ply his Grace and the Merits of â—s Death and Passion for their Cure â—aving after him the Balsome of the â—â—craments to that end as namely â—e Water of Holy Baptism for the â—ashing away that foul stain of Oriâ—â—nal sin in every one and of all aâ—â—ual sin committed before Baptism in such as were rightly Baptized aâ—â— the other Sacraments especially thâ— Holy Eucharist and Pennance for thâ— healing of all actual wounds maâ— in the Soul by sin committed aftâ—â— Baptism Insomuch that before tâ—â— coming of Christ and also since â—â— all those that are through sin deprivâ— of the merits of his passion and â—â— those two Sacramental Antidotes â—bove-mentioned it may be rightâ— said even now at this present whâ— the Prophet Isaias of old said of tâ—â— Israelites Omne caput languiduâ— et omne cor moerens a planta peâ— usque ad verticem non est in eo sanitâ— Isa 5. v. 5. Every Head is sâ—â— and every Heart in heaviness frâ—â— the Sole of the Foot even to the Croâ— of the Head there is no Health â—â— Soundness All their Kings all thâ— Princes all their Priests Prophâ—â— and People were Soul-sick all â— them from the highest to the loweâ— languished through ingratitude aâ— other innumerable iniquities commâ—â—â—ed against God there was none of â—hem of what condition soever but â—ad defiled themselves by sin had corrupted their wayes and were subject to many spiritual imperfections and that which rendred their condition most deplorable and despeâ—ate was as it follows in the Prophet Ibid. because that Vulnus liâ—vor plaga tumens c. their Wounds and Bruises and Putrified Swelling Sores which sin had bred in them were not bound up by the Care and Skill of any Spiritual Physician They would not repent of their sins they would do no Pennance they would hearken to no good Counsel the Holy Oyl which should have mollified their hard hearts and brought health unto them infine they would make no use of any of those Remedies which were prescribed for recovery of their Spiritual Health and for the staying of further judgments whence the Prophet adds in the same place v. 7 9. Therefore is your Land still desolate your Cities burâ— with Fire Et nisi dominus exercâ— tuum reliquisset nobis semen c. Vâ—less the Lord of Hosts had left us â— Seed we should have been ere now â— Sodom and been like unto Gomorrah â— but blessed be God who of his infâ—nite mercy doth still preserve somâ— good and holy people in the World that his Church may never fail SECT 5. How this pernicious Disease of Selâ—-love corrupeth also all Vertuâ— and good Actions The Exercise and practice of Vertues is observed and done diversâ— wayes and therefore Plotinus thâ— Philosopher distinguishes the rational Vertues of the Soul in two generâ—â— kinds making some meerly morâ— or civil to wit such as polish anâ— adorn the manners and outward conversation others he make purgativâ— of the Minde Spirit and Understandâ—â—g of Men from errours perverse â—udgments and opinions Those of the â—â—rst sort are not so absolute Vertues â—s those of the second are by which â—e are after a sort made to the likeâ—ess of God All the Vertues that are â—ertues indeed are purgative Oâ—â—ers distinguish the same Vertues inâ—â— imperfect and perfect supposing â—â—at such division serves better for the â—eclaration of their several natures â—ut it comes much to one and the â—â—me For under those which they â—le imperfect they include all those â—hich others call moral or civil and â—arce any other for those which â—â—ey call natural and humane are â—ally moral vertues and pertain to â—e polishing of the civil life not â—â—rightly indeed stiled and accounted â—â—perfect seeing that if they do not â—â—oceed from Self-love as very ofâ—â—n they do yet they are alwayes â—â—nsistent with it and tend only to â—â—me worldly object Others they call perfect because they perfect us iâ— order to God having God for theâ— principal object and end and makinâ— us pure and holy after our propâ—â— measure and degree in his sight which are all by another name righâ—ly called purgative because they purgâ— and cleanse our Souls of those Vices which bar our sight of God and maâ—â— us seem unpleasing to him In furthâ—â— Confirmation of what has been saiâ— we are to know it is the general opâ—nion of Divines That Vertues of tâ—â— first sort to wit those we call Nâ—tural Civil and Moral considerâ—â— in themselves alone or in their owâ— Nature are of no effect nor esteeâ— with God as being imperfect aâ— practiced by a certain instinct aâ— inclination of nature whereto â—â— the most part Self-love and private iâ—terest or at the best humane râ—â—son and prudence that is world wisdom carries us As for Exampâ—â— How exactly do many men yea â— wise and well grounded persons oâ—serve the Civil and Temporal Laws â— the Land The cause is they â—ar to do otherwise reflecting upon â—e penalties and punishments inflictâ— upon transgressors How many â—omen live chast and contain themâ—â—lves in the bounds of Wedlock not â— much minding to fulfil Gods Comâ—andment or to be chast continent â—r Gods sake but meerly for the â—ame and ignominy which they apâ—rehend would follow and happen to â—â—em should they abandon themâ—â—lves to sin and to an unlawful liâ—erty in that kind How many exâ—rcise patience not for the Love of â—ertue but for fear either to disturb â—hemselves to little purpose or to disâ—lease the party that gives the occaâ—â—on Morover How many are there to â—e found in the world that seem to â—ove their Friends their Kindred and â—elations that seem most dutiful and â—bservant to their Parents as in duâ—y all are obliged to be and yet how often is it likewise found that all â—â— most of these observances dutifulness complacency proceed meetly from Self-love and not out of thâ— Love of God or from any principle â—â— true Piety Love Duty c. Wâ— fear that if we should not seem loving dutiful kind c. we shoulâ— lose the good-will of others wâ— should be deprived of some great estate great fortune or great hopes anâ— thus it is for interest only and for oâ—â— own ends for the most part that wâ— are dutiful and observant towards Pâ—rents As much may be said of mâ—ny that make great shew of affectâ—on and of great Love to those of an â—ther Sex it may be feared such kinâ—nesses and courtships carry with theâ— much abuse and corruption and thâ— if the chief object or end be not lust â—â— some
is worst of all is that â—aving thus tasted the inordinate â—ensualities and Delights of the World they come by degrees to be â—isaffected and to take no pleasure in â—hings Celestial For as Saint Paul â—ith 1 Cor. 2 v. 14. Animalis hoâ—o non percipit ea quae sunt Spiritus â—ei The sensual Man petceiveth not â—hose things that are of the Spirit of â—od It is therefore a certain Truth â—â—at the more a Man approaches by â—elight and pleasure to worldly things he less his affections are to things of â—eaven and the more backward he â—oes daily from them Ah would â— God Men were as well rooted and â—xed in the Love of God as they are â—â— the Love of the World How â—ould the Pleasures and Possessions of â—e World seem tedious to them and â—ther a perpetual torment than a peretual delight joy c. For so Saint â—ugustine judgeth Lib. 13. of his â—onfessions saying The effects of â—â—ue Love that is the Love of God is sweetness but the effects of Self-loâ—â— is bitterness This is also manifest and furthâ—â— confirmed in the Gospel by the Eâ—ample of the Rich Man who as â—â— read in St. Luke Chap. 12. v. 1â— trusted so much to his wealth and the abundance which he had gather together that he said thus to â—â— Soul O anima mea quid timeâ— habes multa bona posita in annos â—â—rimos ' requiesce comede bibe â—â— lare O my Soul what fearest thâ—â— thou hast much Goods laid up for mâ— Years take thine Ease Eat Drâ—â—â— and make good Chear Eat good Mâ— Drink good Liquor Banquet â—â— fill nothing shall be wanting to thâ— See how this unhappy Man altoâ—â—ther destitute of the Comforts whâ— come from God resolves to have â—â— to take his Humane Consolation his Riches and in the Wealth he â—â— gathered but to his eternal grief â— sorrow he sound that he propt him up and rested upon a broken Stâ—â— â—r the next night that followed â—ade him see how much he was deâ—ived the Devil his and Mankinds â—eat Enemy coming and taking his â—â—ul from him Alas What good â—hat benefit did this miserable wretch â—â—ceive of all the Wealth and Goods â— had laid up he only heaped up â—â—series and eternal damnation upon â—â—mself while he put more confiâ—â—nce in the Creature that is in his â—ods Riches and Wealth than he did â—â— the Creator and relied more secure â—â—on his treasures than in God for â—hich cause at length the enemy of â—â—uls was permitted to take possession him SECT 2. By taking Delight in all manner of Sensualities of the Flesh In the second place it is no less cerâ—â—n hat man exposeth himself to most â—â—ident and great danger of his Soul in running headlong into all mannâ—â— of Fleshly Concupiscences and Lustâ— and permitting himself to sink into tâ—â— deepest abyss of sin through thâ—â— filthy kind of Self-love it being in oâ— Vice the most absolute defiance thâ— can be given to Vertue and Honestâ— and in one kind of sin the greatest prâ—varication and contempt that can â—â— declared against Gods Commanâ—ments which require Holiness in â—â— and Sanctification both of the Spiâ— and Flesh whereas through the prâ—valency of this Vice we see even â—â— daily experience many worldly mâ— loving themselves their ease and pleâ—sures over much in effect to renounâ—â— their very Baptism and all the Hoâ— Vows and Promises which eithâ—â— there or at any other time they evâ—â— made to God and his Saints and â— to enjoy their present pleasure aâ—â— to have their carnal affections and vâ—luptuousness satisfied yea for â—â— part I cannot but profess to belieâ—â— concerning many men that withâ—â— â—heir hearts they would become Aâ—heists Epicures Turks and Infidels â—r what you will any thing or noâ—hing in point of Religion proâ—ided they could be morally and well â—ssured of the Fruition of their temâ—oral pleasures and that notwithâ—â—anding they should have all their deâ—â—res in that kind accomplished in â—is world as that unfortunate Aâ—â—ila is said to have done who beâ—â—g born and educated in Christianity â—nd taken for the most Learned Man â—f his time having translated both â—e Old and New Testament also â—ritten and Composed several good â—orks or Books full of Sound and â—hristian Doctrine yet unhappy man â— length he forsook Christianity reâ—ounced his Baptism and declared himâ—â—lf a Jew for no other reason but â—â—ly to marry a Wife that was one of â—â—at profession Alas How many are to be seen eâ—ery day that do the same or like thing â—on the same or like account namely for to live at liberty in the commoâ— road of the most notorious sinners Especially if they be such persons aâ— stand in danger of being corrected and rebuked for their faults either by Bishop Superiour or Prelate of the Church SECT 3. By their Glorying and Boasting themselves in Malice and Iniquities Having in the two fore-going Paragraphs made evidently appear botâ— by Scripture Reason and sad Examples the general Ruin of Mankind by Self-love I shall not doubt in thâ— which follows in like manner to makâ— evident the dangers and manifold inconveniencies that men expose them selves unto by glorying in their siâ— and iniquities as some do and by justifying themselves when they have doâ— amiss as others Saint John the bâ— loved Disciple of Jesus Christ hath this â—einous crime in so great detestation â—hat he will not have the Faithful to â—ray for them who take delight in â—in and remain obstinately and impeâ—itently therein avouching the same â—o be a sin unto death Est peccaâ—um ad mortem non dico ut pro eo â—â—uis rogit 1 Joan. 5. v. 16. There â—s a sin saith he unto death I do â—ot say that any should pray for that â—in And verily it is no wonder that â—o great a sin to wit as the gloryâ—ng in and boasting of sin is should be greatly detested seeing the same hath been abhorred in all Ages both under the Ancient Law and the New The Prophet David enveyeth very much against those that were addicted to this sin saying unto them in â— way of correction and reproof Quid gloriaris in malitia c. Psal â—1 v. 3. Sinner why doest thou glory in thy Malice why doest thou boast â—hy self thou which art mighty in iniâ—uity As if he had said Why dareest thou be so bold so presumptuous so impudent as not only to transgress Gods Holy Commandments and thereby to offend him but to persevere obstinately therein and so far from true repentance and an humble acknowledgement of thy fault that thou takest a vain glory therein and boastest thy self for having committed so many sins so great and grievous wickedness Verily if it be as 't is commonly said humanum quid a humane thing or infirmity to fail sometimes iâ— our duty and to offend God and dâ— abolicum quid a devilish thing to persevere and continue in sin how much more devilish and detestable must it be to
becomes not thereupon more or less sad idle remiss and negligent in Gods service Wherefore if we desire to be victorious and to gain a full Conquest over all our Ghostly Enemies and all Ghostly impediments defects infirmities whatsoever let us be willing to receive all sorts of Humiliations from Gods hand and from the hands of men Let us even rejoyce and be glad whensoever we find our selves vilified and undervalued by men and whensoever we are destituted of Consolations Let us rejoyce to submit our selves not only to our chief Prelates and Superiours but also to our Equals and Inferiours following therein the example of Christ our Lord who submitted himself to such and so low as to become obedient unto death even the death of the Cross Philip. 2. v. 8. Sect. 3. By overcoming our selves and sensual Appetites You have heard of old that the life of man is a continual warfare upon Earth as the holy Job testifies in his Book Chap. 7. v. 1. saying Militia est vita hominis super terram c. We cannot live in any place or in any condition or state whatsoever without continual opposition and repugnancy we must be always fighting and consequently always in trouble and danger never secure of our selves never at perfect rest never in perfect peace and a great reason hereof is that wheresoever we go we carry in our selves and in our own bosom our Enemy who never ceases to oppugn and hinder us especially in our spiritual proceedings This S. Paul clearly insinuates 2 Cor. 4. v. 16. where he speaks of a twofold man dwelling in every one of us to wit our selves and this our Enemy saying Licet is qui for is est noster homo corrumpitur tamen qui intus est renovatur de die in diem Although that our man which is without us doth corrupt and perish by little and little yet that which is within us is renewed day by day By which expression the man without us signifies our Body together with its naturâ— Affections Concupiscences and Lusts which die or ought to die and decay in us every day and the maâ— within us our Soul or interiour Spirit with its faculties and graces which should proportionably live be renewed and every day gather more and more strength in us These two Men or parts of Man are so fast chained and joyn'd together that the one cannot be without the other and yet are so opposite and contrary the one to the other that the life of the one is the death of the other Between these two Men all the Contradictions Contentions and Opposition incident to our life are tried for which cause the Apostle attributes to them several names by which they may be distinguished the one from the other for that end calling one of them the Spirit the other Flesh the one Body the other Soul one of them the Law of the Mind Spirit Soul c. the other the Law of Bodily Members One he calls the Old Man the other he calls the New and finally as here one the Exteriour or outward Man the other the Interiour or inward all which several names do serve very properly to represent to us the several and peculiar natures properties and inclinations of these two men and that we ought to obey and follow the inclinations of the one but to reject the motions and resist the inclinations of the other following herein the Counsel of the same Blessed Apostle which he gives Galat 5. v. 16. Dico aut em vobis Spiritu ambulate desideria carnis non perficietis I say unto you to all you that desire to be happy walk in the Spirit and the lusts of the Flesh you shall not fulfil Where we see that obedience to the Spirit and its motions is commanded but the motions that is the lusts of the Flesh we must not fulfil And again Rom. 8. 13. If you walk according to the Flesh you shall die but if by the Spirit you mortifie the deeds of the Flesh you shall live It is required of us that we mortifie and overcome the Flesh by the Spirit and for as much as the Flesh rebelleth so much and so often against the Spirit the Spirit must be encouraged by all the good means we can use against the Flesh and the sensual motions thereof So that the only way for a Christian to obtain tranquility and perfect peace is to be continually fighting with this Enemy We must seek our Peace in Wars our Life in Death that is in dying to sin that we may live to God and finally our greatest liberty in servitude for if we be the servants of God and of Righteousness we shall be free from the slavery of sin and wickedness which is the best liberty of all The great courage liberty and power of a vertuous Man sheweth it self best in overcoming himself and his passions To subdue and make subject the sensual appetites of the Flesh to the Spirit is the work of a great and heroick mind as on the contrary to follow and obey them overmuch speaks a great tepidity and weakness of heart In this kind of Combate 't is no disgrace to flie and run away but rather 't is the best art of fighting for by flying and running away we are sure to gain the victory neither does any thing more discourage vex trouble and mortifie our adversary than to know that we dare not encounter we dare not come up to him By flying from the World we avoid the snares of the World by flying from the Flesh we escape the temptations of the Flesh and by flying and running from our selves we make void and of no effect all private affections all private and proper interests that may be hurtful unto us and all the private designs of Self-love So that by flying we conquer the World the Flesh the Devil our wicked selves also and all We lead captive all evil inclinations whatsoever and so pacifie and quiet our exteriour or outward Man as that we make the interiour or inward Man to reign and rule in us in much peace gaining thereby a more glorious and illustrious triumph than if we had vanquished whole armies and subdued the mightiest Kingdoms of the whole World Josue by flying and running away from the City of Hay Jos 8. 15. obtain'd a great victory over his enemies and subdued that City which but a little before had put the whole Army of Israel to flight So if you will conquer and subdue to Reason all your unreasonable and disorderly appetites the only way is to flie from them not to attend to them nor hearken to any thing they suggest The same is to be said of your fighting and contending with the world and your selves to get the victory over them you must flie you must renounce the world and deny your selves the world and all its glory magnificencâ— or vain pomp riches honours pleasures c. Your selves and all your private concupiscences lusts designs Can you
observe no mean or moderation therein according to the Rules of Religion and right Reason neglect their own health and in a very great measure for ought they know concur to the shortning of their own dayes Oh but say the Gluttons and Drunkards too Meat and Drink expel Hunger which in a short time would kill us they satisfie and support Nature Nature requires them It Is true Experience teaches the same But what saiâ—h the Psalmist Psalm 93. v. 8. Intelligit insipientes in populo stulti aliquando sapite Vnderstand ye unwise among the People yea Fools at length be Wise and learn to distinguish betwixt the Thing and the abuse of the Thing The Thing you speak of is good necessary lawful but the abuse of it is wicked and destable We allow you the use of Meat and Drink in that due measure which Nature requires and with that Moderation which Religion and the due Fear of God prescribes but you abuse it you observe no measure but run into all Excess and Intemperance and that we forbid you That we tell you is hurtful both to Body and Soul we tell you that if you exceed due measure you weaken Nature instead of strengthening it and pull it down by that which you pretend should support it For most true and worthy of all belief is that Admonition of the Holy Father Saint Chrysostom Take heed of Excess saith he meaning in Eating and Drinking for the nature of Earth is not more soon and easily corrupted and dissolved with the abundance of continual Rain and Water than this humane frail Bo-Body of Man is by the Excess and Intemperate use of Meat and Drink Know then ye Wine-bibbers ye Drunkards of Ephraim know that Wine and Meat and Drink are by the mercy and special Favour of God given to us not that we should abuse them or be made Drunk by them but that we may live Soberly Sect. 2. Drunkenness or rather the Excess of Meat and Drink is the Corruption of the Soul Saint Augustin with diverse others of the Ancient Fathers treating of the Sin of Drunkenness do frequently acknowledge what we here affirm to wit that this Vice of Intemperate Drinking is the Corâ—uption of the Soul Ebrietas aniâ—ae corruptela being a Disposition â—s it were or Testimony given in â—avour of Truth not unfrequently â— either in terms or in sense met with in their Works But for more â—lear proceeding we are to know there is a two-fold Corruption to be taken notice of in this case to wit Proper and Improper Substantial or Corruption of Substance and Accidental or Corruption only of Qualities and Manners In the first sense viz. of Substantial Corruption the Soul cannot be Corrupted because it is by Nature a Spirit Incorruptible and Immortal But in the second sense viz. of Corruption Accidental Corruption in respect of Qualities and Manners it may be and is too often Corrupted Sin Corrupts it Vice Corrupts it when it loseth the Grace of God or the Innocency and Holiness which it had pleased God to indue her withal then it becomes Corrupted Now this wicked Sin of Drunkenness being in the rank of Deadly Sin when it seizeth upon the Soul must needs Stain Poison and Corrupt the same depriving her of Grace and the State of Innocency It is like a Plague which so soon as it infects the Soul Spirituaâ— Life ceaseth and the Soul appears in the sight of God odious and ugly For a Dead Carcass or a Body overspread with Ulcers and Putrified Sores for the most part stinketh or sendeth forth some unpleasant smell that is loathsome to behold so is the Soul of a Drunkard it is Spiritually Dead and so Corrupted and Tainted with the Ulcers of Actual Sin that it appears most Loathsome and Deformed in the Sight of God his Angels and Saints We commonly see by experience that the Plague into what House soever it comes makes all the Inhabitants flie and shuts them out of doors in the same manner doth â—his Plague of Drunkenness it no sooner enters the Soul but the Grace of God departs it no sooner enters out at the same instant it expels all good Motions and Inspirations baâ—ishes and drives away the Holy Ghost with all its Graces Vertues â—nd Pious Desires infecting or making ungrateful and unacceptable even all the good Works done by such a Person which otherwise might be meritorious of Eternal Life So that in conclusion the Soul being thus devested of all her Spiritual Ornaments and Graces how can she appear otherwise than wholly deformed and corrupted in the sight of the Celestial Court Saint Basil gives Drunkenness the Character of a bewitching Devil a pleasant Poyson for to take and a pleasant Sin to commit But says he whosoever holds the same cannot hold himself and whosoever is taken by it may be said not so much to Sin as to be Sin it self because his condition renders him subject to all Sin and he is readily to be reduced to all manner of Wickedness In conclusion saith this Father the Sin of Drunkenness is worse than that of Theft Theeves commonly leave something behind them they do not always strip or leave naked those whom they Rob. But Drunkenness deprives of all Grace takes away all whatsoever is of Spiritual Nature or Ornament strips us of all our Heavenly Cloathing and leaves the poor Soul as Naked and void of all True Grace and Merit as when it came first into the World Theeves when they have got their Prey usually run away or make all the haste they can to be gone But Drunkenness sticks close holds fast and without all mercy prosecutes the poor despoiled Soul to the last even till her Death I add moreover that if a Man be taken by Theeves he may cry out he may hope to be rescued from them or at least if he sees himself in danger of Life he may call upon God and beg pardon of his Sins he has time to dispose himself for Death by an Act of Contrition and True Repentance by which means though he cannot save his Life yet at least he may save his Soul which Drunkenness will not permit to do being in that regard worse than any Sin but the Sin against the Holy a host For whotsoever kind of Sin Man commits be it of frailty be it of presumption be it mortal be it venial and happens presently upon it to find himself in eminen danger of Death yet at least by Gods Mercy he may have the Grace of Internal Repentance in Heart and Mind and perhaps also the External Help of the Church he may be Confess'd he may may receive the most Holy Communion he may have the last Sacrament Administred unto him But if one falls into present danger of Death while he is Drunk he can do none of these Drunkards while they are in their Drink are Senseless neither able in the least to help themselves nor capable to receive help from others I mean Spiritual Help and
Life strengthens that which is weak in the order of Good and very much disposes the Soul to receive and entertain the motions of the Holy Spirit This great and excellent Vertue extinguishes the heats of Concupiscences quenches the flames of Lust supports and upholds the Mind in all the Tempests and Storms of Temptations which Satan raises against her According to Saint Augustin the chief Parts and Powers of the Soul viz. The Understanding Will Memory yea even in the Senses throughout all the Parts and Members of the Body are sustained by it and kept in their due State and inabled the better to exercise their proper Functions It is saith he the safeguard of the Body the strong Fortress of Chastity the defence of Modesty and good Behaviour it preserves Love with every one and procures respect from all that are Vertuously Minded inseparably united with Honesty the continuance and establishment of Peace making all Vice and Wickedness to retire and hide their Heads for Shame What can be said of this so necessary Vertue Saint Ambrose adds that Sobriety and Abstinence conduce much to Capacity of Learning making Men fit to Study Meditate and Conceive aright of Things it is the Rule of Discipline which brings all to Perfection and the best Teacher of all Arts. He will have the same to be the Stability and Constancy of all Right Wits or Sound Judgments the unseparable Wisdom of the Memory a Remembrance of all Spiritual Good the Keeper of Secrets In a Word this great Saint will have Sobriety and Abstinence to be of that Nature as never to stand still in Idleness but to be always going forward in the Progress of Vertues coveting Fame and good Reputation not for Vanity but for Vertues sake disposing all Things with Truth and Reason and always finding Place and a good Rank with those that are most pleasing to God What can be thought more fit or more prevalent to overthrow the Vices of Gluttony and Drunkenness than the Vertues of Abstinence and Sobriety Therefore let us resolve and say with Saint Bernard If Gluttony sins alone let Abstinence alone be her Pennance if there go no other Sins along with Gluttony Abstinence alone shall suffice to Cure it For the Transgressour that is Sober and Abstinent will soon reflect upon the Transgression he hath committed he will soon repent of his Folly and be ready to detest the same with Tears and sorrows of True Contrition Sect. 6. Reflection upon the foregoing Matter The Spiritual Balsam of Sobriety and Abstinence being of such a Soveraign Vertue and Operation for the Cure of this Brutish and Beastly Disease of Gluttony and Drunkenness it behoves us and all that make profession of Christianity to have a perfect Knowledge how to apply the same in the right way and manner to our ulcerated Wounds that is how to use Abstinence and Sobriety so as they may effectually Cure our Spiritual Maladies for to be Sober and Abstemious only in point of Meat and Drink and to refrain only from Excesses in that kind will availus nothing if we refrain not also from Sin and abstain so much as in us lies from all other Vices and vicious Imperfections whatsoever For though Abstinence alone may perhaps profit the Health of our Bodies yet it will never aâ—one do good to the Languishing â—tate of our Soul Therefore if you will have perfect Cure of both that â—s of your Spiritual as well as Corâ—oral Distempers and receive the â—ull Benefit of this Holy Ointment of Sobriety and Abstinence you must follow the Counsel of David which he gives Psal 36. v. 27. in â—hese words Declina a malo â—ac bonum c. Decline in the first place from all Evil and after that do good that is you must refrain and abstain from all sin whatsoever from all Vice whatsoever from all Excesses whatsoeever that are sinful and blameable as well as from the excesses of Meat and Drink otherwise the good effects of Sobriety and Abstinence will not appear or be found in you Now to the end that they may appear take for your Director in the business Jesus Christ and let his Sobriety and Abstinence be your Example and Pattern to imitate who of his infinite goodness was pleased to take Humane Nature upon him for the Salvation of all Mankind and to make satisfaction for our Sins and particularly for our Sins of Gluttony and Drunkenness by which most commonly all other Sins find Admittanre amongst Christians and for which he satisfied by enduring Hunger and Thirst and by exercising Sobriety and Abstinence all his Life long at his Birth and in his Death In his Birth his Abstinence was such that he appear'd destitute even of all manner of necessary Provision being rejected from the Company of all Humane Creatures and reduced to the necessity of being Born in a Stable among Bruit Beasts In his Life through the whole course of it he was most Abstemious though the Pharisees falsly and wickedly slaundered him for a Glutton and Wine-bibber recommending unto us the Vertue of Abstinence by a miraculous Fast of Forty days and Forty Nights after which he suffered Hunger and in his Death Thirst in the highest degree and could find no Ease or Refreshment for it but the cruel spiteful kindness of a Spoonful of Vinegar and Gall. Calling therefore to mind the Sobriety and Abstinence of this our Chief Leader and Captain Jesus Christ let us follow his Example according to Davids Counsel Declinemus a malo Let us abhor and detest this filthy sin of Gluttony and Drunkenness and with the help of his Grace endeavour to overcome all other wicked Desires and disorderly Appetites proceeding from or leading to those Sins which of necessity we must conquer and subdue by the Vertue of Sobriety for otherwise if we yield to Gluttony and give way to Drunkenness we shall our selves be overthrown and easily made Slaves to innumerable other Vices and Sins Wherefore Declina a malo fac bonum c. Eschew Evil and do Good refrain from Vice and be Sober remembring the Gall and Vinegar which Christ was contented to taste in your behalf and for your sakes before his Death that he might redeem you from all Evil and make reparation for the Sin of Gluttony and all other Sensualities of Mankind The Third Treatise OF THE LANGUISHING DISEASES Among CHRISTIANS Proceeding from Carnal Concupiscence LONDON Printed 1677. SECTION I. Carnal Concupiscence a great Disease to Christianity SECT 1. It causeth several Corporal Diseases to Mankind 2. It infecteth all the whole World 3. Is detestable to God therefore to be avoided 4. It includeth several other Sins Sect. 1. Carnal Concupisence causeth several Corporal Diseases to Mankind THere are several sorts of Carnal or Sensual Concupiscences Since â—a large and general sense all Conâ—upiscenses or inordinate Desires whatsoever may be stiled Carnal or Sensual as being the Motions and Inclinations of Corrupt Nature and deprived Sense according
wearied our selves in the ways of wickedness and perdition unbridling our lusts and appetites to all lewd â—ctions conceiving that to be a pleaâ—ure which we now find to be pain we now find to our grief and sorrow â—hat a Woman is more bitter than Death being the snares of Hunters â—nd her heart a net to intangle men He that pleaseth God shall avoid her Company But he that continues in sin shall perish by her Finally it is in respect of Carnal Concupiscence and the overspreading prevalency of those sins of the Flesh Fornication Adultery Vncleanness Incest and the like the Angel in the Apocalypse Chap. 18. 2. Crieth with such a loud voice Cecidit cecidit Babilon c. Babilon the Great is fallen is fallen and is become the Habitation of Devils the Hold of every soul Spirit and a Cage of unclean and hateful Birds meaning the Universal Society of Fornicators Adulterers and other incestuous and lewd Sinners in whom the Devil dwells and whose filthy fellowship is carefully to be avoided by all the Servants of God according to thaâ— which follows v. 4. Exite de illa c Depart from her my People comâ— out of her quit your selves of heâ— communion or fellowship in sin thaâ— you receive not of her Plagues SECTION II. Reasons why Carnal Concupiscence is prohibited SECT 1. By it many are corrupted at the same time 2. By it the Temple of God is vilified and polluted 3. Malediction upon Transgressours 4. Serious Admonition to Sensual Livers 1. By it many are corrupted at the same time THere be many good reasons to be given why the sin of Carnal Concupiscence is so strictly forbidden by God yet we are to observe according to St. Bonaventure that the chief reason is because it is so advantagious to Satan who destroys more Souls by it than by any other sin This sin brings him always double gain whereas other sins brings him only single gain By the wicked Act of unlawful Copulation he gets two Souls at least if not more by other sins unless by chance and per accidens he gets but one Soul at a time Fornication Adultery Incest and the like sins of Carnality are seldom committed but besides the two principals there are other persons accessary thereto as commonly some Old Bawd withered with Age and ill Practices and others that by connivence consent procurement assistance or occasiongiving do lend their help and serve instead of Bawds to the lewd business In other sins there is no such need of help they may be all committed solitarily as I may say or by one single person alone by himself For this cause I say it is the opinion of some that the immortal enemy of Souls takes more pains and is more industrious and vigilant to induce and tempt mankind to sins of Carnal Concupiscence than to any others and to this agrees the observation of Saint Isidore who affirms Humane kind to be more subdued and made more slave to Satan by means of Carnality and Sensuality than by any other Vices whatsoever And verily it stands with great reason For as St. Augustin positively â—avers ' There is no Vertue no Goodness no Wisdom or Sound Judgment that can abide with the sins of the Flesh And saith not the Scripâ—ure the same Is it not said Sap. 1. 4. Into a malicious Soul Wisdome He means Divine Wisdom or that which comes from God shall not â—nter Nec habitabit in corpore subâ—itio peccatis nor be found dwelling â—n the Bodies that are subject unto â—n Such Bodies are not the Temples of God but of Satan and we know who hath said 2 Cor. 6. v. 15. What Concord or Cohabitation is there betwixt Christ who is God Blessed for ever and Belial who is the proper Spirit or Devil of Lewdness and Dishonesty Upon this account it is that like a Roaring Lyon this wicked Spirit runneth about night and day never ceasing to assault mankind with temptations agreeable to his lewd and devillish disposition to wit by presenting carnal or unchaste objects whether of persons or actions to his eyes wanton discourse or filthy speech to his ears lascivious thoughts to his mind after this manner he is continually hunting for his Prey and seeking to devour unhappy Souls it is his whole imployment by a thousand arts and wiles to draw mankind into the snare and inslave him to this filthy Vice He is an adversary that wakes and watches perpetually to do us mischief he sleeps not being incessantly attent to his imployment which is first to deceive and then to destroy us So that we may rightly say of him what the Holy Job said of his Afflicters Job 30. v. 17. Qui me comedunt non dormiunt They that consume me do not sleep They consume they make me weary of my Life by the constant pursuit of their temptations and sleep not that is they give not over their tempting so much as for a moment The Chariot of Concupiscence like that of Jehu 4 Reg. 9. 20. marcheth furiously as it needs must Belial himself the Prince of Impurites driving it it goeth through all Countries and Kingdoms never stopping or staying long in any place It is in the Court it is in the Country it is in Cities it is in Towns it is in every poor Village all in a moment and being made of Hell-Fire it casts abroad Sparkles of Concupiscence and unclean Desires on all sides a bit goes which inflame lustful hearts and set them on fire to work wickedness Thus go Drabbers commonly by Troops to Hell the Devil drves them like so many Herd of Swine as they are and more filthy into the infernal Lake where they perish for ever whereas other sinner go either single or in small companies thither Again generally speaking all other sins are proper to some particular Persons or States of Life As Pride for example seems most proper for People in high place and for great ones it being a strange indecorum that people of low and mean rank should be proud Covetousness should not be found any where but amongst professed Usurers and such as make Gold their God and the like is to be said of other sins only this sin this vile sin of Lechery or Carnal Concupiscence is common to all All sorts of People High and low Rich and Poor Young and Old Church-man and Lay-man all of them more or less have a smack of it and are too generally tainted with it There goes a story that the Devil had a Wife of whom he had begotten Seven Daughters very much resembling their Father all which when they were grown up he bestowed upon several sorts of People His Eldest Daughter was called Pride Madam Pride whom he bestowed upon Women not doubting but she would be well received by that Sex whose minds he knew were so given to Vanity Costliness of Apparel and tricking up themselves no small Symptomes of Pride that they seem to spend the greatest part of their time except
Lewdness of Discourse and Speech Unchaste Looks Lascivious Gesture and from every thing in this kind by which the holy Temple of God our Body may come to be polluted in â—ny sort by carnal impurity Be it therefore known to all you Offenders in this kind that whoâ—ver defiles Gods Temple his Body â—y any actions of Fleshly Lust he â—oes in effect destroy himself as renâ—ring himself thereby obnoxious to â—he wrath of God which if not apâ—eas'd and averted by timely repentance will in the end be his destruction if you fear not by Sin to defile and destroy the houses of God which are your selves and your own Bodies expect in time to see Gods judgment upon the houses you dwell in at least you have cause to fear and dread what he threatens that you may amend your lives and cease from that Sin by which in the judgment of Saint Augustin You do foulely corrupt your selves dishonour and do injury to God and totally deface the Image of Christ that is in you SECTION III. By what means Carnal Concupiscence that is in the Heart and Inward Intentions cometh forth to Action SECT 1. By toleration of Seusual Complacency 2. By Wilful Delectation in the Lustful Objects 3. By Wilful Consent of performing the same Sect. 1 By toleration of Sensual Complacency DIvines observe That the Sins of Carnal Concupiscence have their proceeding occasionally from all the exteriour senses Sunt in quolibet sensu aliquae delectationes ad luxuriam spectantes In every particular sense of the Body there are delectations which pertain and tend to the Sin of Luxury applying to this purpose that which is spoken by the Prophet Hieremy chap. 9. 21. Ascendrt Mors per fenestras c. Death comes in at our Windows Understanding here by Windows our Five Senses viz. Seeing Hearing Touching Tasting and Smelling and by Death Sin which is the cause of Death and the meaning of the Text to be that by our Senses through inordinate Pleasure taken in them Sin enters into the Soul and Death by Sin from which the Opinion of Saint Antoninns and the Divines that follow him dissenteth not Who teach That in the proceeding or going forward of Carnal Concupiscence to its full and comple at act there are to he observ'd seven degrees or steps of which the three first are inclos'd in the heart and there exercised by inward imagination or fancy but the other four are out of the heart and exercised by the members and actions of the Body As to the first Step of Carnal Concupiscence it is the toleration of sensual complacency or a delightsome voluntary resting in lascivious Thoughts coming to mind either by natural occasion or by the temptation and suggestion of Satan an infirmity to which depraved Nature is too much subject and insinuated by the Apostle Saint James in that passage of his Jac. 1. 31. where he saith Nemo cum tentatur dicat c. Let no man when he is tempted say that he is tempted of God for God is not a tempter of evils and tempteth no man But every one is tempted of his own Concupiscence being therewith carried away and inticed Which Concupiscence when it hath conceived bringeth forth sin and sin when it is consummated genders death Concupiscence does then begin to carry us away from God when we suffer our mind to wander about such matters though without any intention to sin which the Prophet seems to express a little more plainly Isa 1. 16. where he saith Wash you and be clean Auferte malum cogitationum vestrarum c. Take away the evil of your thoughts from before mine eyes to wit those evil Thoughts with which you suffer your minds to be so taken up that you can find no time to think upon what I command you Cast such Thoughts out of your mind as soon as you can perceive them take no delight nor pleasure in them for though perhaps they are not alwaies sinful yet they are alwayes dangerous and will quickly lead you to sin if you rest in them I accknowledg it to be most true that though the Evil Spirit plies us and pursues us never so much with his suggestions and putting lascivious thoughts into our mind they can do us no harm so long as we resist them or give no consent to them but are rather matter of merit to us for so often as we do so we do foil Satan in his assault we repulse our Ghostly Enemy and get a Victory over him for which we may expect a Crown one day if we persever to the end But if we let his Suggestions evil Thoughts to rest in us and our mind to be taken up with them after relexion especially if it be with any sport or pleasure taken we do not fight with our Ghostly Enemy but play with him and that 's dangerous Temptation verily is no sin yet it serveth as the seed of sin to which Delectation giving nourishment sin at length comes forth by willing consent and then we are utterly lost till repentance restores us But having the grace to be free from complacency or delight-taking in evil thoughts and the care conscientious and diligent care to cast them out of your mind so soon as you percieve them or reflect upon what you are thinking fear not you are pure you are innocent you are clean how impure foul and nocent soever your thoughts be Consent not to them and the badder they are the better it shall be for you for the greater the Temptation is that you overcome the greater shall be your Victory and Crown Sudden and voluntary motions to whatsoever they incline are no sin according to that of Saint Paul Rom. 7. 17. Nunc autem jam non ego operor illud c. It is not I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me By which expressions as the Annotations observe the Apostle means That though the Flesh and the inferiour parts do stir up disorderly passions motions and perturbations in the mind on the sudden and invade the same before we are well aware of it or that reason can gather up it self to put them by by reason whereof man is for a while entangled with them against his will yet so long as upon reflexion he does perceive them and perceiving them does make what resistance he can against them condemning and casting them out of his mind and deverting himself to better Thoughts there is no fear nor scruple to be had of sin many just and holy persons suffering the like perturbations in the inferiour or sensitive part of their mind otherwise called the Phantasie and also in their exteriour members to which their Understanding and Will never consents which so long as we do not it is most true what Saint Augustin says viz. That we need not say God forgive us our sins for any contingencies of this nature and it ought to be a most certain and assured sign to us that we if do not consent to