c. It was not so much by your design as by the will of God that I was sent hither Therefore Load your Beasts and go up to my Father into the Land of Canaan and bring him and all your Kindred from thence and I will give you of all the good things in Egypt and you shall eat the marrow of the Land Thus did the good Joseph requite the unkind wickedness and ill-will of his Brethren with love But what shall we say of the Royal Prophet King David how much was he hated by Saul and how often persecuted by him to so great extremity that he was in imminent danger of his life thereby yet he never hated Saul upon that account but did him all the good Offices he could saving him several times when he was in his power and that David might at once have ridded himself of a cruel Enemy and gained both Crown Scepter and Kingdom to which he had right sufficient being by Gods special appointment anointed King over Israel to succeed after Saul The good King found his Enemy fast asleep his Spear fixed in the ground at his head and Abner with all the rest of his people sleeping about him yet would he not hurt him And when Abisai one of the Captains of King David offer'd himself to dispatch Saul at one blow alledging some shew of reason for it Because God had now deliver'd his Enemy into his hands and he ought not to neglect the opportunity which Providence gave him of securing himself David would by no means listen to the motion but forbad him doing any such thing in these express words 1 Reg. 26. 9 10 11. Kill him not For who can extend his hand against the anointed of our Lord and be innocent Vivit Dominus quia nisi Dominus percusserit eum c. As our Lord liveth unless God shall strike him he shall not be stricken by me or that his day come to die or that descending into a Battle he perish so God be merciful to me I will not lift up my hand against our Lords Anointed The New Testament wants not innumerable other Examples of this kind namely the Examples of all the holy Martyrs both of ancient and late Times who following the Example of Christ our Saviour have ever prayed for their Enemies and Persecutors with such fervent Devotion and ardent Charity that very often their Enemies and Persecutors have been converted by that means and become great Saints and Martyrs themselves Look but into the Acts of the Apostles there you presently meet with the Blessed Martyr Saint Stephen in the midst of his Sufferings praying for his Enemies in these words Acts 7. v. 60. Domine ne statuas illis hoc peccatum Lord lay not this sin to their charge The effect of which Prayer was besides other not mentioned the present Conversion of Saint Paul one of his greatest Persecutors For behold while he was in his greatest fury against Christians and posting in all haste to Damascus with Commission and Design to make havock of the poor Church there as we read Acts 9. 4 17. Christ appeared to him saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me As if he had said I should have lost thee standing so much against me and my name But my Servant and Martyr Stephen praying for thee for his sake you are a chosen Vessel unto me and shall bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and Children of Israel In the same manner and for like reason it is reported by Saint Chrysostom of Saint James the Apostle that he who lead him to the Execution of his Martyrdom was so much moved with the great zeal and constancy of this holy Apostle that he ask'd him forgiveness for what he was to have done which the blessed Apostle most willingly gave him embracing him and saying to him Pax tibi sit Frater Peace be with thee my Broter At which Salutation the poor man was so animated and encouraged that he forthwith publickly professed himself to be a Christian and was upon that Confession made a Martyr having his head likewise cut off Let these few Examples suffise to give you strength and courage to do the same whensoever occasion shall require it of you At all times let us be prompt and willing to forgive our enemies seeing God is so ready at all times to forgive us having penitent recourse unto him Be not of the number of those who when duty requires of them to follow the example of Christ and to forgive and love their enemies make their excuse and say Christ was God and most Divinely perfect and consummate in all goodness but they are weak men and cannot reach so high perfection as to forgive and love enemies persecutors c. But in vain it is for them to use such speech it will not serve their turn it will be no just apology for them at the latter day And verily it is to be admired how such persons can say their Pater Noster or how they can address themselves to God to be forgiven in the terms they do For they say Dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut nos dimittâ—mus debitoribus nostris Forgive us our debts as we forgive our Debtors As we forgive others so let us be forgiven What iâ— this but to pronounce Sentence againsâ— our selves if we do not forgive others Delay not therefore to make good your promise and to discharge your obligation Forgive your enemies as you would be forgiven of God Love your enemies as you desire that God should love you For otherwise I do let you all know that who so hates his Neighbour or Enemy it matters not which all 's one in this case renders himself uncapable of begging forgiveness from God he is so far from obtaining his request that he cannot without most grievous sin and entangling his Soul with further guilt make such a request unless we do first lay aside all hatred by loving pardoning and forgiving our enemies in heart 't is in vain for us to expect any mercy from God It is against all reason that God should love him who is not in true Charity with all Those that wish harm to others and will not forgive injuries received it is evident they do not love they are not â—n true Charity and consequently not in God according to the Doctrine of the holy Apostle 1 Joan. 4. v. 8. He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love Sect. 4. In what manner of Love we are to love our Neighbors and our Enemies According to what we have said in the two precedent Paragaphs we must not only love our Neighbors and our Enemies but we must also forgive them yea though they should be obstinate and not repent for what they have offended us but should rather continue and encrease their enmity towards us than seem to desire reconciliation For we are not to reflect upon their obstinacy or disaffections but to perform what is requir'd on our
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
as well as others and mutual Charity in this kind is requisite on both sides Verily it is no easie matter to converse with men I mean those of worldly and common conversation without transgressing or giving offence For which reason it behoveth us prudently to comply with every one for the Love of God and as much as is possible to have a quiet and settled patience in their infirmities being always more ready to pardon pass by and over-see what happens to be amiss so far as just reason and charity permits then to check or reprove it unseasonably and with offence What the Apostle says Galat. 6. v. 2. is good counsel for us all Alter alterius onera portate Bear ye one anothers burthens and so you shall fulfil the Law of Christ And truly with great reason it is required of us that seeing we all desire to have our own defects and frailties covered our own infirmities supported our ignorances excus'd and our offences forgiven we should do the same unto others supporting one another and pardoning one another but above all things having the true Charity of God one towards another which where it rules is the bond of Perfection Colos 3. v. 14. The fifth sort of Love or Affection which the good Author Saint Vincentius suggests to us is to have an humble and reverent regard towards all men according to their dignity and quality esteeming them all as they are for our betters yielding them place and submitting our selves with all our hearts to them as justice and charity requires giving them willingly all the honour respect and reverence which their qualities dignities states and conditions do merit If they be our equals and no more it suffices that with candour and all sincerity of good will we treat them and carry our selves to them as we in like case would be treated and convers'd with by others Thus doing we shall in good manner correspond not only with that general and most equal precept of the Gospel Luc. 6. v. 31. Prout vult is â—â—t faciant vobis homines c. As ye would that men should do unto you do ye also to them but also to that more special Counsel of the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. v. 13. Subjecti estote omni Humanae Creaturae propter Deum Be subject therefore to every Humane Creature for Gods sake whether it be to the King as most Excellent or to Rulers as sent by him as likewise to what Saint Paul saith Rom. 13. v. 1. in confirmation of this Truth Omnis anima potestatibus sublimioribus subdita sit c. Let every Soul saith he be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers that be now in the world are ordained of God Obey therefore at a word and be ready to every good work that shall be commanded you Be not litigious but modest shewing all mildness and equanimity towards all men Titus 3. 2. Where yet I would have it remembred that as in the exercise of Chastity or Divine Love so in the exercise of Obedience there is an order to be observed which the Spirit of God and Christian Prudence will not fail to dictate to every one that truly loves God and desires nothing but to perform his duty An order there is I say to be observ'd in the exercise of Obedience Where Powers or Commandments clash we must obey God rather than Man and be more careful to fulfil the Divine Laws whether of God or the Catholique Church which is a Spiritual Power than the Laws of any Temporal or Earthly Power commanding contrary thereunto that is contrary to our duty to God and to the true Confession of Cathoâ—ique Faith in which case such Laws and Comandments are not to be obeyed As to the Holy Saint Vincentius his sixth sort of Love and Affection it obliges us to be at perfect agreement with all Men and to live in Concord and Amity with all so much as it is in our power to do and so far forth as our Concord and Amity with others may not displease God or tend to his dishonour for if it does such Amities are to be broken off There is no Concord betwixt Christ and Belial 2. Cor. 6. 15. We must say the self same thing with other Christians so long as they confess the Catholique Faith but if they will depart from it either in whole or in part we are not then to say as they say but to say Anathema to them and to all their wicked errours We are to agree with men in good not in evil in the Truth and in the sound Doctrine of Christian Catholique Faith not in Devillish errour The Prophet David took very much pleasure in such kind of love and in such agreement as this witness that of the Psalm 132. v. 1. where he saith O quam bonum quam jucundam habitare fratres in unum Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in Vnity And truly that Concord and Unity are both good pleasant and profitable things needs no other proof than to consider and take notice of the fruit it has produced in every well govern'd Community more especially those in the Church of God which the Apostle might seem to foresee when he said with such a passion of Holy Charity Philip. 2. v. 2. Siqua ergo consolatio in Christo c. implete gaudium meum c. If there be any Consolation in Christ if any comfort of Love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any howels of Compassion fulfil ye my joy that ye be all of one mind having all the same charity being all of one accord thinking the same thing doing nothing by Contention neither by Vain-glory but in humility each one accounting other better than themselves The like pathetique exhortation to the same end he makes Rom. 15. 5. Deus autem patientiae solatii c. The God of Patience and Comfort grant you to be of one mind of one love and affection one towards another according to Jesus Christ that of one mind and with one mouth ye may glorifie God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ The seventh and last sort of Love is that which we are chiefly to look at and regard in the Example of our Saviour Christ to wit that we have a ready mind and will to sacrifice our selves for the good of others that is to say This Love requires that we be prepared to bestow our lives for the Salvation of all Men eveâ— our Enemies occasion requiring iâ— This is a high degree of Love anâ— so commended by our Saviour him self that he saith of it Joan. 15 13. Majorem Charitatem nemo habet ut animam suam ponat quis prâ—amicis suis Greater Charity none can have than to expose or lay down his Life for his Friends And this Perfection of Love if we have not yet at least we must have so much Charity for all Mankind
filiarum Sion c. Our Lord saith he will make bald the Crown of the Head of the Proud Daughters of Sion and will discover their Baldness or want of Hair unto all In that day the Lord shall take away the bravery of their Ornaments their changes of Apparel their Gold Chains their Bracelets their Mantles their Crisping Pins their fine Linnen their Hoods and Vails and Looking-glasses the odour of their Perfumes and the sweet smells of Oyntments he will bereave them of all for their Pride and bring Deformity upon them instead of Beauty Take heed therefore and be admonished ye Proud and Unwise of this Nation What was denounced against the Daughters of Israel will be executed upon you the Daughters of England unless you repent and apply that Soveraign Remedy for this and all other Diseases of the Soul in due time and season SECTION II. Pride of Men in general SECT 1. Pride of the Spiritual Directors 2. Pride of Learned Men. 2. Pride of the better sort 4. Pride of Labouring Men Shop-keepers Servants 5. The Remedy for all the aforesaid Evils Sect. 1. The Self-pride of Spiritual Directors THat Vice that we are now enveying against is a spreading Gangreen which through tract of time and the inadvertency of Men hath overr-un and unhappily rooted it self more or less in all the Members of Christs Mystical Body that is in all sorts of Christians in all Degrees in all Orders in all States and Conditions of Men there is none entirely free from the infection of this Pest insomuch that the Holy Father Saint Cyprian reflecting hereupon and bemoaning the sad Condition of Christianity by means thereof in conclusion adds that even the Priest-hood was not free from it Etiam in Sinu Sacerdotum ambitio dormit Ambition saith he sleeps even in the Bosom of Priests This he spake to shew the growth of the Malady and no wonder for Satan we know when time was had the boldness to tempt Christ himself with this suggestion to that end taking him up into an exceeding high Mountain and there shewing him all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them saying to him Mat. 4. v. 9. Omnia haec tibi dabo c. All these things will I give thee I will make thee King of the whole World thou shalt be the only Monarch upon Earth no Greatness shall be comparable to yours if you will fall down and worship me Thus he tempts our Saviour with a motion of Pride and desire to be great and though he were shamefully rebuked for his bold attempt and departed with confusion enough from Christ yet his Disciples could not so well perceive or resist his wiles To be overthrown by the Master did but whet his Appetite to be reveng'd on the Servants and therefore he wrought the matter so that it was not long before there fell a contention amongst the Disciples which of them should be greatest Luc. 22. v. 24. That is a Spirit of Pride and Ambition got in amongst them and it is no less to be fear'd that the Mother of Zebedaeus Ghildren and her Sons were taken with the same Spirit when she made that extravagant request to our Saviour which is mentioned Matth. 20. v. 21. namely that her two Sons might sit the one on his Right Hand the other on his Left Hand in his Kingdom These instances shew the Disciples were not altogether free of Emulations and Affections of Majority and Place one over another and one before another and though it be as little to be doubted but Christ our Saviour did presently and effectually by his exhortation to Humility repress those evil motions and purge his Disciples Hearts of the Venome they had swallowed yet in many of their successors it is too apparent these Diseases do still remain not without causing much of the like Distemper in other Christians who cannot be well edified by such ill examples Where yet I would have it noted that when our Saviour upon this occasion saith to his Disciples Luc. 22. v. 26. Vos autem non sic it shall not be so with you his meaning is not absolutely to forbid or condemn Superiority or Majority in it self but only the inordinate and undue affectation and seeking thereof in those who have it not and the exercising of it with Pride haughtiness of Mind and contempt of Inferiours in those that have it Sect. 2. The Self-pride of Learned Men. By Learned Men I understand generally Divines Canonists and such as Study the Laws Ecclesiastical or Temporal as well those which aim at the Cure of Souls as the Government and Well ordering of the Body Physicians and in a word all that makes profession of Learning or have taken the degrees of Learning in the Schools concerning all which sorts of Men there is one judgment to be given They are sick of this Distemper Go if you please through all the Towns and Cities through all the Schools and Academies of Christendom go through all Colledges and Courts of Law look into all the degrees of Learning you there meet with you will quickly observe and find that Pride and Ambtion Inordinate esteem of our selves and desire to be esteem'd by others are the predominant and prevailing Humors in all those places and with all such persons You will find that geneally speaking every one studies more for Benefit more for Honour and Glory than any thing else For who minds Vertue or Conscience who makes them the principal or chief end of their Study Who regards them further than they are serviceable to their Profit and to their Glory This Saint Bernard did very well observe in his time Many Study saith he meerly that they may know the thing they study for and the Holy Saint rightly calls the same a shameful Curiosity Many others study that they may be known to be famous and Great Men for Learning which he calls a shameful Vanity Many others beside do Study that they may sell their Science and Knowledge to others partly for Pride and Ostentation partly for Profit Interest Money c. Few or none being to be found that will Study purely for Charity sake that is to be able to teach and instruct others gratis having no other motive but the Love of God and their Neighbour Sect. 3. Self-pride of the Better sort By those of the Better sort I understand here all such as are of Civil Education and Life whose Condition although it doth not dignifie them with with any Title of Honour properly speaking yet their Vertues or their Fortune make them approach next to it This sort of People if they be Rich or that Fortune any thing favours them how apt are they to be puft up with this Flatus that is with the windiness of a proud and vain Spirit how apt are they to look with envy at their Equals and with an aspect of disdain and scorn towards their inferiours How little are they pleased that their Neighbour should be compared
Sons of Israel who although in the multitude of that Nation there wanted not some that gave themselves too much to Drunkenness and Excess yet as to the generallity of that People Abstinence and Sobriety was held in great esteem amongst them for both Men and Woman would oft-times by solemn Vow unto God bind themselves to observe it which Vow was so acceptable to God that he was pleased to prescribe unto them some particular Laws to be observed by them during the time of their Vow To which end our Lord thus speaketh unto Moyses saying Num. 6. v. 2 3 4 c. Loquere ad filios Israel c. Speak saith he unto the Children of Israel and say unto them When either Man or Woman shall make a Vow to be sanctified and will consecrate themselves to our Lord they shall deprive themselves of the priviledge or liberty of drinking Wine and Strong Drink neither shall they drink any Liquor of Grapes nor eat Grapes moist or dried all the days that he is by Vow Consecrated unto our Lord he shall eat nothing that cometh or is made of the Vine Kernels nor Husk And all such Persons as did voluntarily Consecrate themselves unto God by making and observing this Vow were called Nazarites that is separated and set a-part to the special service of God To mention any more may seem tedious and truly should I undertake to mention all or to give a full and perfect report of all the Sobrieties Fastings Temperancies and Abstinencies which both the Prophets and all Ancient Fathers of the Old Testament used the very nameing of them might swell my Book into a great Volume However for the Honour of so great a Saint of whom the Saviour of the World said Inter natos mulierum c. Matth. 11. 11. Among those that are born of Women there is not one greater than he I must not forget in the conclusion of this Paragraph to remember though but in few words the great Sobriety of Saint John the Baptist the last Prophet of the Old Testament and the first of the New being the Fore-runner of our Lord Jesus Christ I will only give you the Testimony of the Evangelist concerning him Ipse autem Joannes habebat vistimentum de pilis came lorum zonam pelliceam circa lumbos suos esca autem ejus erat Locustae mel sylvestre saith Saint Matth. 3. v. 4. Saint John had his Raiment of Camels Hair and a Leathern Girdle about his Loins and his Meat was Locosts and Wild Hony His Cloathing mean and his Diet neither rich nor costly but in respect of both a perfect Ascetique and the prime Pattern of such The same Evangelist Saint Matthew speaking of Saint Johns Temperance saith Matt. 11. v. 18. that he came neither Eating nor Drinking to wit after the ordinary manner of Men but living an austere Life abstracted from the common and vain Conversation of the World for which reason the wicked Jews thinking perhaps he had been an ill-natur'd Man and done it out of hatred to Mankind said he had a Devil Our Saviour Christ came both Eating and Drinking that is in a more familiar and sociable manner of Life conversing more with Men and Eating and Drinking with them and they call him a Glutton a Wine-bibber a Friend of Publicans and Sinners Thus neither of both how innocent soever they were could gain a good word from them or escape their malicious censures So little marvel it is and so much the less ought it to trouble us that wicked Men do also now a-days so easily misconstrue the Lives and Actions of Good Men who if they be great Fasters or lead a more strict and severe Life than others commonly do then they are traduc'd and accounted Hypocrites if their Manners be more condescending and that they converse with Men in an ordinary way then they are dissolute then they are cry'd down censur'd and condemn'd for Libertins and Loose Persons The Servants must not expect to be above their Masters if this were our Saviours Lot they that will be his Disciples must be content when they meet with the like Sect. 2. Sobriety of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ The second Motive to with-draw Christians from excess in Meats and Drinks may be the Consideration of that Temperance and Sobriety which was in the Apostles and Disciples of Christ who as good Souldiers under their Captain and Chief-Leader Christ Fought the good Fight of Faith and overcame their Ghostly Enemies by this Vertue of Abstinence chastizing their Bodies by Fasting and subduing all their sensual Appetites and Inclinations of Concupiscence to the obedience of the Spirit knowing full well there was no other way leading to the Celestial Court and Kingdom of God but the way of Temperance and Sobriety witness that of St. Paul 2 Cor. 6. 27. In jejuniis saepe They fasted often and Rom. 14. v. 17. Non enim est regnum dei c. The Kingdom of God meaning his Spiritual Kingdom whereby he reigns in the Heart of his true and faithful Servants doth not consist in Meat and Drink but on the contrary in Holiness in Purity in Piety in Abstinence and the like For which cause if you peruse the Saints Lives you will find that all the Apostles and Disciples generally speaking were great Followers of their Masters Examples in this Vertue of Abstinence Saint Peter Prince of the Apostles as Holy Fathers often stile him after his Conversation according to the report of Saint Gregory Nazianzen never eat Flesh understand it of his ordinary Diet or any other Meat but Pulse all his Life long though Willyam Gazet affirms that his Diet was Bread some few Olives Figs and Herbs and his Drink pure Water However it were this is certain that he hath left good Counsel and given express Warning both to his Successors and all those of his Flock to love Sobriety and Temperance saying thus unto them 1 Pet. 5. v. 8. Sobrii estote vigilate c. Be ye sober and watch because your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion goeth about seeking whom he may devour The danger they were in should admonish them to be always upon their Guard and in a posture not to close with their Enemy but to resist him To Which end in another place 1 Pet. 1. 13. he exhorts us To gird up the loins of our mind and to be sober hoping to the utmost or with most perfect hope for the Grace that is offered or promised to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ Saint Paul follows the same Tract with Saint Peter and both by his good Example and good Counsel encourages the Faithful to be Abstemious and to restrain their Natural Appetites of Meat and Drink so that they run into no excess For his Example we may take notice of what he says of himself 1 Cor. 9. v. 27. Castigo corpus meum in servitutem redigo c. I chastize my Body saith he meaning by
and Wine it seems to me better to involve that in silence than to speak any thing of it The reason was because it was a known thing that not only Saint Anthony but all other Monks and Ascetiques beside never used any such Meat or Drink In fine this Holy Hermit remained for the most part of his Life not only in the Desart or Wilderness but in the more Rocky Desolate and Inaccessible Places thereof where company could not but with extream difficulty come to him and scarce admitting in his Old Age the small additament of a few Figs and Olives to his wonted Diet. What shall I say of Saint Paul the first Hermit and of his great Sobriety and Abstinence who lived in the Wilderness for the space of a hundred and thirteen Years in a Rocky Place nigh unto a Fountain of which he drank all that time having no other Garment than of the the Palm-Tree Leaves This Holy Man seemed to be another Elias receiving daily half a Loaf of Bread by a Raven and that for the space of Threescorce years together Saint Hierom speaking of some Monks that were in the Wilderness in the time of Saint Paul the Hermite and of their wonderful Abstinence fearing as he saith that the Reader should think it incredible what he was to report of them makes a protestation in these words Jesum testor Sanctos Angelos c. I call Jesus Christ to witness and his Holy Angels That in the same place of the Wilderness where Saint Paul heretofore lived which is adjacent to the Country of the Saracens I have seen Monks De quibus unus per triginta annos clausus hor deaceo pane lutulenta aqua vixit One of which being a Cloyster'd Man for the space of thirty years together lived with nothing but Barley Bread and Dirty Water Of another he testifies that he lived for a great many years together in a Cistern or Pit in the Wilderness receiving no other Food for his nourishment than Five Figs a day concluding his relation in these words Haec videbuntur incredibilia his qui non crediderint These things saith he will seem incredible to those that have not believed yet that which I have reported is a most certain and real Truth Now although by reading these Stories of the wonderful Abstinence and Sobriety of these Monastiques you be not moved to follow or take upon you such a strict and austere course of Life yet at least their Heroique Example should be a great Motive to you to withdraw you from all excess in Meat and Drink and make you to live temperately though you cannot live so austerely and to be content with what is sufficient though you know not how to suffer want For to encourage you the more you may be pleas'd to take a short view of what is at present to be observed of this kind in all Catholique Countries where if you were to Travel you would not fail to meet with or hear of objects worthy of your admiration in both Sexs Men and Women living in the Wilderness that is in desolate unfrequented Places or otherwise in or near unto Cities and great Towns exercising themselves with most severe Discipline and Penance and using an Abstinence not much inferiour or less strict than those above-mentioned There you will find Monasteries Convents Nunneries Hermitages and other Religious Houses or Places in which no doubt is to be made there live at this day many Persons of most exemplary Austerity and strictness in this kind witness the Houses of the Carthusians the discalceate Carmelites the reformed Benedictins the Minims and the poor Clares of Saint Francis with many other Religious Orders both of Men and Women that never eat Flesh-meat Consider the four great Orders approv'd by the Church among them you will find the Holy Order of the Seraphical Father Saint Francis who was such a Lover of the Vertue of Sobriety that he very exactly observed Five Lents in the Year In the first he fasted forty days next after the â—piphany or Twelve days of Christmass His second Lent he fasted from the Feast of the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Third Forty-days-Fast he kept from the Assumption until Michaelmass The Fourth was from the Feast of All Saints to the Nativity And the Fifth he observed Forty days before Easter according to the Institution of the Catholique Church Besides he Fasted all Frydays in the Year all Vigils Ember and Rogation days with diverse other particular days according to his own private Devotion Sect. 4. Sobriety of Great Monarchs and Ancient Philosophers We have declared in some measure the wonderful Sobriety and Abstinence which the Ancient Patriarchs and Prophets of old time the Apostles and their Successors the Ancient Fathers of the Church and other Devout People since Christs time have used who were all Christians in Name or Effect believing in the True God and unto whom the Living and True God had by Revelarion vouchsafed to make known his Holy Will Commandements and Law What shall we say of the Gentiles who knew not God had nothing but the Light and Law of Nature to instruct them Shall we find any such Vertue among them Doubtless we shall if we make search into the matter in point of Moral Vertue as this we are speaking of is we meet with many worthy Examples in the Gentiles History of Great Monarchs Kings Princes Ancient Philosophers who have excelled as in other so in this particular Vertue of Abstinence and Sobriety Most certain it is that the Kings of Egypt were by their Law forbidden Wine which they never drank but upon some eertain days and that by measure which they were not to exceed The Turks generally observe the same Prohibition being contain'd in their Alcaron though for the present I suppose their great ones may dispense with themselves herein Alexander the Great how intemperate and excessive soever his Ambition was and the desire to inlarge his Dominions yet in respect of Moderation in Meat and Drink his Practice is commendable He bore a great respect to the Ancient Philosophers and from their Instruction and Example had conceived such a Love to the Vertues of Temperance and Sobriety that it is reported of him that being in his Great Asian Expedition and Ada the Queen Caria to gain his Favour had sent him a great quantity of extraordinary Provision and many of her chief Cooks and Pastery-men to make it ready for him in the most curious and exquisite manner he return'd her answer That he had no need of Cocks for the small Dinner he used since one would serve his turn very well Cyrus that Great Monarch of the Persians from his Child-hood gave a notable Testimony how Sober and Temperate a Man he would be one day For being while he was yet very young demanded by Aslyages his Grand-Father Why he would drink no Wine He presently answered for fear
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
for though it be raw and small yet I will drink it for this once Then stretching his hand towards Heaven he said as above To thee O God I drink in a full Glass c. and haven taken it clean off he said agian O God if you do not find this Wine good blame not me for if you had afforded us better Wine this year I had drunk to you of the best Having spoke these words he fell immediately down headlong upon the place and so lay not stirring Hand or Foot void of all his Senses and Reason his Speech gone and no motion to be perceiv'd in any part of him save only in his Eyes which mov'd continually His Companion dismayed at the sad Prodigy which had befallen his Comerade gets him away in all haste and leaves him The People of the House use all the endeavour they can to remove him from the place where he lay but all 's in vain They call for help and send for the Magistrate and Chief of the Town who presently came and resolved that he should be tied with Ropes and drawn away by force this was also in vain In conclusion they all perceiv'd that it was an extraordinary Judgment of God inflicted upon him for his Sin and to terrifie others Then they resolve to consume him by Fire but the Fire will not burn So he remained in this manner a long time Alive not stirring Hand or Foot without his Speech and without receiving any sustenance of Meat or Drink doubtless to serve and be an Example of Terrours to all such Sinners as he was and at last died miserably SECTION IV. Drunkenness or the Excess of Meat or Drink causeth several Sins SECT 1. Drunkenness the Original of several Sins 2. It is a dangerous Storm to the Body 3. It raises a furious Tempest in the Tongue 4. It is the Wrack of Chastity Sect. 1. Drunkenness the Origin of several Sins THe Devil the Immortal Enemy of Mankind knowing full well that the Sin of Drunkenness is one of the most odious abominable and destable before God as containing so many Deformities and being perpetually attended more or less with so many Ill Consequences so many horrible Sins of which it is the Spawn and Seed ceaseth not every day to tempt Mankind thereâ—o till they be overthrown by it This I shall make to appear by the Example that follows bing a matâ—er of undoubted Truth and menâ—ioned by several Authors of great Credit and Estimation as namely Saint Hierome Saint Bonaventure and other Learned Divines who have attested the same by several â—eports It happened that a Young Gentleman was very much troubled with a continual Temptation of Carnal Concupiscence relating to sundry Objects by means of whom he was in danger to offend God For several years he remained firm and constant in his Duty to God yet not without being extreamly troubled with the frequent encounters which he had with Satan and beginning in some manner to doubt of the issue and whether he should not in fine be conquer'd through his assiduous Assaults Being at a time in some great perplexity of mind upon this occasion the Devil appears to him in Humane Shape and promises him he shoulâ— be instantly set free of all other Temptations and Perturbations whatsoever if he would chuse to commâ—â— but any one of these Three followinâ— Sins to wit Drunkenness Wiâ—ful-murther or Adultery The poâ—â— unfortunate Man willing to be râ—â— once for all of so many troublesoâ—â— Agitations of Mind and tedious Contests as he was daily subject to yield so far to Satans Suggestion as to consider of the Proposition made him and as for Wilful Murther he apprehended it to be such a horrid Sin in Gods Sight that he would not in any sort think of committing that Sin but abhorr'd and detested it with all earnestness The like Sentiments he had concerning Adultery resolving rather to die than to transgress the Commandment of God and do his Neighbour such wrong But as for Drunkenness seeing it to be the common Practice of so many he took that to be but a Venial Sin or an act of Humane Frailty and so made no great Conscience of it but struck up the Bargain with the Devil and consented to be Drunk thinking that to be the least Sin Time and Place is appointed the Devil and he fall to it stoutly and in conâ—lusion the Poor Man is overcome with Drink as the Devil would have it But see the malice of Satan and the mischief of Drunkenness The Man no sooner began to be a little elevated with Drink but his mind was after the Woman of the House to lust after her which Satan perceiving and knowing he was now by reason of his Drunkenness in a condition unable to resist his Temptations plies him so that he consents to commit Adultery with that Woman and being accidentally surpriz'd and taken in the Fact by the Husband to avoid the penalty of Law which was likely to be inflicted upon him by the Husbands procurement he suddenly sets upoâ— him and kills him in the same place Thus by the event of this sad Example you see how he that thought tâ— have chosen the least Sin chose thâ— greatest so dangerous a thing it â—â— to chuse any Sin even the smallest and saw himself involved in the mâ—â— heinous and execrable of Sins aâ— all this caused by the Sin of Druâ—kenness Sect. 2. Drunkenness a dangerous storm to the Body Drunkenness may be well describ'd a most dangerous storm to the Body for as a Boat or some small Vessel at Sea in a storm is tossed to and fro by the motion of the Waves so is it with the Drunkard he is in like manner tossed to and fro by the force of his Drink and this not more outwardly in Body than inwardly in mind His Body reels not more than his Braines as his Body staggers so his mind is not steady but continually agitated with various and contrary Phantasms which draw him first to this vain or sinful Object then to that which the Wise Solomon hath long since well observed comparing him for this â—eason to a Man sleeping upon the Waves at Sea Eris saith he speakâ—ng unto and instructing a Drunâ—ard sicut dormiens in medio mari c. Thou shalt be like to one that sleeps in the midst of the Sea or as the Pilot of a Ship who through slumber has lost his hold The Holy Father Saint Chrysostom extends himself more at large upon this Simile comparing the Drunkard to a Ship at Sea that is over-laden which in a Tempest is soon cast away So saith he is the case of every one that is overcharged with Meat and Drink that have taken in a greater lading of these things than Nature requires or can well bear none are more subject to be cast away Body and Soul Most certain it is that when a Ship is over-laden especially when the Sea is tempestuous or stormy that neither the
descends from above but that only whereof Saint James speaks Jac. 3. v. 15. which is Earthly Sensual and Devillish and where that is there is nothing but Inconstancy a perpetual Symptome of the Drunkards Disease and all perverse Doing Sect. 4. Drunkenness the wrack of Chastity Never was it otherwise to be seen never was any Person never was any People or Nation infamed for the Sin of Drunkenness but the same was likewise ill spoken of for their unchast Luxury The Holy Scripture joyns them commonly together to wit Drunkenness and Luxury so saith the Prophet O see Chap. 4. v. 11. Fornicatio Vinum Ebrietas auferunt cor Fornication and Drunkenness take away the Heart from God And so saith the Apostle Saint Paul Sicut in die honeste ambulemus Let us walk honestly in the day not in Riot and Drunkenness not in Chambering and Wantonness Oculi tui videbunt extraneas c. Thine eyes saith Solomon applying his Speech to one overtaken with Wine shall look after Strange Women This his Wisdom taught us and it is much to be feared that his Weakness and unhappy Failings at the end of his days were a further proof of his Doctrine For we read 3 Reg 11. v. 1. that he had Seven hundred Wives ann Three hundred Concubines so many Women could not be entertain'd without much Wine averterunt mulieres cor ejus His Women turn'd away his Heart in his Old Age from serving God to the worshiping of Idols Chamos the Idol of Moab and Melcon the Abomination of the Ammonites This great and sad Example of Humane Frailty ought to be ever before our Eyes to put us in mind of what we ought to fear in case we chuse rather to follow the Evil Example than the good Counsel of this Great and Over-happy King Exodus 32. v. 6. is said of the Children of Israel being now fallen to Idolatry and having made themselves a Golden Calf to Worship instead of the True and Living God Sedit populus manducare bibere Surrexerunt ludere The People sate down to Eat and Drink and rose up to Play Which Play in this place signifies according to the Sense and Opinion of Learned Expositors not simple or harmless sports which People might use one with another without sin but a sinful Wantonness and liberty of Luxurious Actings which usually attended Idolatry and were as certain Priviledges and Immunites granted to the Attendants of Idolatrous Service They were unchaste Sports which the People gave themselves to after they had fill'd their Bellies with Wine and good Cheer in honour of the accursed Idol which still shews how inconsistent the Vertue of Chastity is with the Vice of Intemperance Lot the Nephew of Abraham is another sad instance of this truth who in his Drunkenness defiled himself with his two Daughters committing a double crime of Incest according as the holy Text relates it Lot after the destruction of Sodom dwelling in a Cave of the Wilderness alone with his Daughters they conspire together to have issue by their Father and to that end find means to make him drunk Come say they Genes 19. 31 32 36. our Father is old and there is not a man in the earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth Come let us make our Father drink Wine and we will lye with him that we may preserve Seed of our Father Which resolution being forthwith effected the Text concludes Thus were both the Daughters of Loâ— with-child by their Father The example of Noah comes nigh also to this For though he were eveâ— by the testimony of God himselâ— Genes 7. v. 1. the only just anâ— righteous person then living in thâ— world yet happening to be over come by Wine he was found lyinâ— in such a manner as Chastity woulâ— have blusht at those parts beinâ— uncovered 3. It causeth Vain-glory in Wicked Actions 4. It causeth Filthiness and Vncleanness Sect. 1. The Excess of Meat and Drink causeth Immoderate Pleasure and Vanity IT cannot be denied but foolish and wanton Mirth immoderate Laughâ—er and those other Sensual Vanities which the World so much affects â—ave their Source in us from several Causes and are exercised upon seâ—eral Accounts yet for the most â—art they proceed from the Excess of â—eat and Drink they are as it were â—â— inseparable Adjunct though not â—â— essential Property of such Excess â—hey may be found and observ'd â—â—metimes where no such Excess is â—t such Excess is never found withâ—â—t them witness that of Exodus â—hap 32. v. 6. where it is said of the Children of Israel having newly made their Golden Calf and being very Jolly and Mirthful upon that occasion Sedit yopulus manducare bibere the people first sate down to Eat and Drink and having Eaten and Drink their fill then Surrexerunt ludere They rose up to Play they were then in a Disposition fit for idle Mirth and vain Pleasure They were then fit to Dance about the Golden Calf which they had caused Aaron to make witness also all Feasts and Banquets that are made where Wine and good Cheer being in Plenty and most commonly in Excess they seldomend but with Play anâ— vain Sport Singing Dancing or thâ— like as we see in the great Feast whicâ— King Herode made Principibus Tâ—â—bunis primis Galileae as Sainâ— Mark in his Gospel reports it Châ—â— 6. 21. to his Lords High Captains anâ— Chiif States of Galile upon his Birth day the Feast ended with Danciâ— and Sport which as the Holy Gospâ—â— shews Filia Herodiadis introiit c. The Daughter of Herodias came in and danced and in her Dancing so pleased Herod that with a rash Oath he swore to give her whatsoever she would ask though it were to the half of his Kingdom and she according to her Mothers Instruction desiring the Head of Saint John the Baptist the King though sad and troubled somewhat at her Request would not displease her So the Holy Man lost his Head to contenta Harlot and that was the end of a Riotous Feast Job that Good and Just Person knew and well considered all this and therefore we read of him that when his Sons and Daughters had Feasted and entertain'd one another with Wine and Good Cheer as their Custom was their Good and Careful Father did constantly at the end of every such Feast offer Sacrifice to God for them and for the expiation of the Sins they might have cmomitted in their Feasting and Jollity For so the Holy Text saith Job 1. 15. Consurgens diluculo offerebat holocausta pro singulis c. That he rose early and offered Burnt Offerings for every one of them Saying My Children it may be have sinned and offended God in their Mirth And thus he did continually Endeavouring thereby to the utmost of his Power that what by the Spirit of God he pronounceth of the wicked in another place viz. Chap. 21. v. 12 13. might not be verified
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
when they are in Bed or at the Table in consulting their Looking-glasses combing and plating their false Hair or some other way trimming and making themselves fine The Devils second Daughter was called Vsury and her he bestowed upon Citizens Burghers of Great Towns and some Rich Chubs in the Country that look't after her His Third call'd Felony and Robbery he bestowed upon Highway-men casheer'd Souldiers and Cadets Men commonly of high Spirits but low Fortune His fourth Daughter call'd Simony he commended to certain Church-men whom he knew much more willing to hold the place than to discharge the Office of a Bishop Cure c. The fifth called Hypocrisie he bestowed upon Bigots and Professors a sort of People successors to the Old Pharisies in outward behaviour and Shew very Demure and Seeming-Good but inwardly in Heart and private Practice far otherwise His sixth a Meager Girl call'd Envy he could not tell what to do withal she was so ill favour'd that he thought none would receive her unless she could change her Countenance so he sent her to the Universities to be bred up â—mongst Young Students whose Emulations pass for Vertues and are not counted Vice till they be come â—o full Age. His seventh was named Luxury or Carnal Lust and her he bestowed upon all sorts of People knowing that she would be welcome to all of what condition soever and to Women as well as to Men. You will easily moralize the Fable and learn by it how general and over-spreading this sin is and that whereas other Vices are as it were peculiar and proper to some persons and more frequently observed in some sort of People than in others the Vice of Lust and Carnal Concupiscence possesses all sorts pursues and molests all sorts and finally masters and prevails upon all sorts insomuch that as I have already intimated above it is the Opinion of some Considerative and Good Men exercised in the Care and Conduct of Souls that by means thereof our Ghostly Enemy intraps and gains more Souls than he does by any other or even by all other kind of sin notwithstanding it is so expresly forbidded by God and so much spoken against by all that ever spake to the World in Gods Name that is to say by Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Evangelists Ancient Fathers Bishops and all Good Pastours of the Church Avoid it therefore repent of your sin break off your abominable custom of sinning as many as are concern'd in what I speak least ye perish with the rest Sect. 2. By Carnal Concupiscence the Temple of God is defiled Domum tuam decet sanctitudo Domine in longitudinem dierum Psalm 92. 5. Of the Temple of God the Psalmist saith Holiness becometh thy House O Lord for ever And the Apostle adds 1 Cor. 3. 16. Siquis templum Dei violave rit c. If a Man defile the Temple of the Lord him shall God destroy That which is Holy must not be profan'd and when it happens to be so God threatens to vindicate the Profanation Now we have been taught above that our Bodies no less than our Souls are the Temple of God even of the Holy Spirit The Apostle tells us so 1 Cor. 6. 19. Know ye not that your Bodies are the Temple of the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in you Doubtless therefore to defile this Body of ours by Lust and Uncleanness must needs be a great and grievous sin Why Because it is a great and grievous Violation of Gods Temple which is a thing so Holy and whereof he is so tender and chary that it be kept Holy Upon this Ground the Holy Doctor Saint Augustin observing to his great grief and sorrow so many of his People addicted to Carnal Concupiscence and plunging themselves daily in the deep mire of Lust he could not refrain crying out in his Admonition to them and saying What do you mean ye unhappy ones what do you intend to do with the Temple of God which you do so pollute and profane by your lustful Concupiscence It would trouble you much you would be offended if a Church Chappel or any other Place dedicated to Gods Worship and Service should be taken and made a Brothel-house or Stews a place for the publickly-known and free committing of Adultery Fornication and other like Carnal Lasciviousness You would think it hugely strange to see the Actions of wicked unlawful voluptuousness openly perpetrated and done in any part of the Sanctuary You would be ready to say What can be compared to such Wickedness to such abominable Practices And truly you judge not amiss for nothing can be more detestable in the sight of God than to see his Holy Temple so hrribly polluted and profaned But why then will you not remember why will you not lay to heart what the Apostle tells you 1 Cor. 3. 16. Templum Deo es tu You your selves are the Temple of God Your Bodies and Souls are the Temples of Holy Ghost wherein he delighteth to dwell Why will you defile these Temples of the Living God and make them Temples of Satan by your sins and uncleanness How much ought you to fear and dread least the Holy Ghost displeased with your abominations and turpitude should forsake you for ever Saint Isidorus for this only reason concludes Luxury to be one of the chief or the chiefest Capital sin because that by all such Transgressions the holiness of Gods Temple is so greatly violated And indeed what can be more injurious and contumelious to Christ than to take his members to wit your own Bodies and make them the members of a lewd Woman a Harlot For he that is joyn'd to such a creature becomes one Body with her as if it were in lawful and holy marriage Qui adhaeret meretrici unum corpus efficitur saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. 16. Shall we dare to commit such a vileness God forbid Or can we do it and not expect the plague and vengeance of God to fall upon us Flie therefore Fornication Flie Adultery Flie all sins of Carnal Concupiscence as you would flie from a Serpent that bites and stings to death Abominate hate abhorre that foul Spirit of Belial that haunts you Bless your selves from him resist him by the grace of God and he will flie from you It is the absolute will and command of God that you do so and if you will not hear and obey wrath from God attends you and will find you out first or last to your shame and confusion according to what he hath in all ages from time to time comanded the holy Prophets and Apostles with all their lawful Successors to proclaime and publish to denounce and threaten in his name to all offenders to wit that under pain of his displeasure and of judgments Temporal and Eternal we forbear all Carnal Uncleanness whatsoever whether in Expressions Words whether in Imaginations Thoughts and whether in Actions or Works that we abstain from all Carnal Sensualities Wantonness of Behaviour
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
his heart his eyes should never give the occasion by which his Spirit should be tempted to any carnal impurities and by this means he was safe-guarded both from the cogitation and also from the delectation of sin This holy man knew full well that God was offended by all such voluntary delectations as are taken inwardly in the mind from and about sin though the actual perpeâ—ration thereof does not follow It aâ—aileth nothing according to Saint Chrysostome that the Body be chast â—f the Soul be involved in sinful â—houghts and imaginations or takes delight in obscene phansies For as we judg when the roots of Trees are â—orrupted or decaies that the Trees will not come to their full perfection of growth so in like manner when the Soul takes delight in unlawful sensual pleasures all the chaste comportments of the Body avail nothing in the Sight of God by reason that those prohibited Delectations being willingly and deliberately taken dâ— foil and deprave the heart and bannish all holy inspirations out of iâ— The Author of Purity and Chastity cannot take delight there wherâ— the author of Impurity and Uncleanness is freely admitted For he beinâ— a most pure Spirit yea Purity iâ— self hath nothing more in abomination than the Impure Delectation of our Spirit which are therefore tâ— be abandoned and shaken off with aâ— diligence as the sparkles of the infeâ—nal Chaos for fear least otherwiâ—â— they should inflame our mortal bodieâ— with the fire of Lust Wash your hearâ— from iniquity saith the Prophet Hiâ—remy that you may be saved Vâ—que quo morabuntur in Vobis cogâ— tationes noxiae How long shall evil and hurtful Thoughts abide in you It is good counsel for us all and it behoves us to consider how we make use of it Salomon saith Prov. 6. 27. Nunquid pâ—â—â—est homo abscondâ—re ignem in 〈◊〉 suo c. Can a mâ—n hide fire in â—is bosome that his Garments burn not Can he go upon hot coals and his â—eet not be burnt and 't is as much as to say he that turneth himself loose to carnal impudicities and lets his mind and heart take pleasure in them entangles himself in the briars of Sin and will quickly find himself burnt with the fire of Sensual Concupiscence which he keeps so close and carries about with him in his Bosome Beware therefore stand upon your guard â—t all times but especially then when you perceive impure motions and lustful representations to stir â—n your mind repress them at the first for if you do not but neglect them they will take hold of the rubbish of your soul and kindle such a fire there as will consume and burn up all the good that is in you Sect. 3. By wilful consent to perpetrate the outward act of Sin It is clear then that by toleration of Sensual Complacency and delight taken in the impure Thoughts and Imaginations of Sin as by Two Steps the Sin of Carnal Concupiscence proceeds or comes forth out of the heart and inward intentions to the outward and perfect act It remains that we consider next whether the willful or voluntary consent of the mind to perpetrate the outward act opportunity being given be not a Third Step. Truly noobjections can be alledg'd to the contrary All Divines without exception of any are of that opinion and affirm the same as a thing evidently warranted and grounded in Holy Scripture For first acording to the holy Evangelist Saint Matthew chap. 15. v. 19. We read that from the heart come forth evil cogitations Murder Adulteries Fornications and the like which things defile a man It seems as much as to say that whensoever Voluntary consent is given to commit either Murder Adultery Fornication or any other forbidden Act of Carnal Lust then is the Sin of Murder Adultery Fornication c. committed and then is the Soul defiled with such sin or sins respectively As for example if one gives consent in mind and heart to deflowre a Virgin or defile his Neighbours Wife though for want of opportunity or for some other occasion the outward act of such sin or sins is not perpetrated or done yet is the party that so consents culpable and guilty before God as if it had been done because the holy Scripture doth not only forbid the outward act but also the will purpose consent or desire to do it It is not onely said Thou shalt not commit Adultery in the outward act but thou shalt not so much as covet thy Neighbours Wife by any desire or purpose of thy heart to defile her And therefore our Saviour in the Gospel of Saint Matthew saith chap. 5. v. 28. Audistis quia dictum est antiquis c. You have heard it has been said of old Thou shalt not commit Aduletery But I say unto you that whosoever shall look upon a Woman to lust after her though but in his heart or internal consent he hath already committed Adultery with her by reason of the said internal consent So that this passage of the Evangelist is not only a full Declaration of our Saviours mind touching this matter but also a fair warning given to all to be careful to avoid not only the outward corporal actions of Adultery Fornication Uncleanness and the like but also the inward consent or the fostering of any will purpose or desire to commit the same if we had opportunity Most certain therefore it is and not at all to be doubted of if a man willingly gives away or consents in his mind to any such lustful Action he is in the same instant that he gives such consent overthrown and utterly fallen from the state of Grace all good Thoughts or Purposes of what kind soever vanquish and die as to any acceptance with God all former merits is lost and the sinner made a subject and slave of Satan no less really than if he had committed the sin it self in outward deed and so he continues till true and hearty repentance restores him to better state And as in all sins generally so especially in these of Carnal Concupiscence and Lust we may observe this method of Satan viz. that first he suggests the sin to mind upon the sight remembrance company or conversation of some person or otherwise upon the suggestion follows the Temptation that is some thought cast into our mind and as it were bidding us take notice of such a pleasing object from this Temptation if we be not upon our guard and resist it follows Delectation or taking pleasure in the unlawful thing represented and suggested to us from Delectation follows Consent or a determinate purpose of the heart to perpetrate the act of sin opportunity being given from Consent time places and other circumstances concurring follows the outward act or deed of sinne from the act reiterated proceeds the ill custom of sinning from custom impudence and to be insensible of sin from thence vaunting glorying and boasting of our sins and defence of sin from hence despair
we promise our selves in the end any better issue of our Lust than that we shall with Solomon become insensible both of Conscience and Honour and be given up to do and act in all things contrary to Reason contrary to Prudence contrary to all Vertue and Honesty yea unless Gods Mercy save us even with Nabuchodonosor to degenerate into Bruit Beasts Dan. 4. 33. through the prevalency of lustful Passions and the extream blindness of Mind and perversion of Judgment which they cause being overlong indulg'd unto and that God in wrath delivers impenitent obstinate Sinners up to them according as by the testimony of Saint Paul he did the Gentiles of whom it is written Rom. 1. 24 26 28 c. that God for their sins of Whoredom Idolatry and Uncleanness Corporal and Spiritual gave them up to a Spirit of Vncleanness to Vile Affections to a reprobate mind void of all sound Judgment and to do things that were not convenient and all to teach us what the horrid effects of unbridled lust are upon the minds of Men destitute of the Grace of God and given up to the power of Satan The Luxurious Man is so senseless that for the prosecution and obtaining of his Lust he puts all other Concerns in Oblivion and does things without any consideration or reason He gives his poor Soul to the Devil and Eternal Damnation for nothing Can any thing be more unreasonable He loses the Kingdom of Heaven and Eternal Glory for nothing he brings upon himself everlasting misery for nothing I say for nothing or for a thing of no value with good and wise men If some Temporal Kingdom or Principality were exposed to sale or sold away for a small inconsiderable sum of money I suppose no body would taxe me if I should say such a Kingdom or Principality were sold or given away for nothing because the price was not in any reasonable sort comparable or proportioned to the thing sold So when I say the Adulterer Fornicator the Incestuous and Vnclean Person sells his Soul to the Devil for nothing gives away his Portion in the Kingdom of Heaven Eternal Bliss Eternal Glory for nothing I am sure I speak Truth no man can justly blame me for what I say seeing all this is done for a momentary short vile pleasure or delectation of the Flesh and for the satisfaction of a sensual Appetite which no wise man that is Master of himself values neither should any well-instructed Christian admit or think of but in order to some higher and more vertuous ends viz. the lawful procreation of Children to be brought up in the Knowledge and Fear of God and for the Conservation of Conjugal Fidelity and Amity Saint Augustin is of the same mind with me and confirms what I have said by his own Testimony saying That whoever for a little short pleasure of this world he means the pleasure of a Voluptuous Carnal Act gives away that for which Christ gave himself to death to wit his Soul there can be no doubt made but in doing so he forfeits his reason quite and at the same instant shews himself to be an unreasonable senseless bruitish person scarce deserving the name of man Which considering also another most learned Divine compares a lasciâ—ious lustful Man to a foolish and unskilful Merchant who undervalues his own Merchandise and sells things that are of great worth and estimation for an inconsiderable price applying to this purpose that which is said Prov. 6. 26. Pretium scorti vix est unius panis c. The price of a Harlot is scarce worth a loaf of Bread it hardly comes to so much and yet such a Woman catches the precious Soul of Men. The meaning is what we have already said That such as joyn themselves to Harlots do pawn their Soul the most precious thing they have in the world for that which is worth just nothing The Luxurious Man therefore besides his transgressing Gods Commandement does great injury to Christ in presuming to sell that at so mean a rate which he thought worth the purchasing at so great a price Besides he sells that which is not at his own disposing he sells that which he hath not power to sell or give for according to the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. Our Souls are not our own we are bought with a great price Bodies and Souls we have both our Souls and Bodies of God our Bodies and Souls are the Temples of the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us and therefore we ought by our chaste and holy Conversation to glorifie God both in our Souls and in our Bodies Sect. 3. By reason of Carnal Concupiscence Men abide or remain in Sin and entangle themselves more and more therein Have you never observed the Snails how that naturally for the most part they lie bathing and soaking themselves in their own Jelly or filthy Pickle and if they put out at any time they carry their Shell on their Backs into which upon the least disturbance or hinderance that they met with they presently shrink and shut up themselves being of the slowest motion of any Creatures that move This sordid Creature is a perfect Emblem of a Voluptuous Man who is or by his good-will would be always wallowing in the filthy Mire of unclean Lust a loathsome Creature both for Body and Soul slow to any thing that is Good and most of all to that which would be his greatest good True Repentance and breaking off his evil custom of Sinning which is as it were the Shell upon his Back in which he resides for the most part of his Life and whither upon every little Temptation yea sometimes to divert himself from other Griefs he retires and makes an unhappy retreat He is more filthy and stinking than any Dung-hill by reason of his frequent and vile uncleanness He is a Swine that delights in nothing more than to be lying on a Dung-hill or wallowing in some Miry or Dirty Puddle placing his whole Felicity in Lustful Pleasure and satisfaction of his Inordinate Appetites in that kind persevering therein too often unhappy Man that he is till Death seizes upon him and carries him in a moment to Hell There is a saying of the Prophet Joel Chap. 1. v. 7. to this purpose Computruerunt jumenta in stercore sua The Beasts are rotted in their own Dung Upon which passage of the Holy Scripture Saint Gregory Commenting teaches that by the Beasts here said to be rotted together or putrified in their own Dung may well be understood Voluptuous Carnal and Sensually-minded Persons who Perish and Corrupt Bodies and Souls in the Dung of their own filthy Actions that which made Pope Innocent reflecting upon the same words to cry out Oh the extream turpitude of Sensuality which not only defiles Body and Soul but renders them unsavoury makes them stink and to be abominated in the Sight of God Angels and all Men that are not Beasts like themselves In which sense also it
is most true what the Apostle teaches 1 Cor. 6. 19 viz. That the Adulterer Fornicator and all such like Sinners do violate Gods Temple which is their own Body because by defiling it with Lust they make it of the Temple of God wherein the sweet Odour and Incense of Vertue and Good Works ought to be continually offered and ascending before the Divine Majesty a very Sty of Satan wherein nothing can be perceived but the filthy Steam and Ill-sent of Sin and Uncleanness Add to all this That by Carnal Concupiscence Men are entangled and tyed fast in their Inordinate Affections towards Women for which reason the Wise Man saith Ecclus 7. 27. Laqeuus Venatorum Sagena cor Mulieris c. The Lewd Women is as a Hunters-snare to Men the Devil is that Hunter hunting and pursuing poor Souls to Death by this means her Heart as Nets and-her Hands Bands In which words they that observe the Passage more curiously seem to observe three several ways or methods by which Women through Concupiscence entangle Men that is to say by Snares by Nets and by Bands and according to this they likewise observe three several sorts of Men that are more especially subject to be entangled and caught by each of those ways or methods respectively Snares are proper to catch Birds that flie in the Air and by them they understand Vain Proud High-minded and Light-minded People Nets are commonly used to catch Fishes that swim in the Water understanding by them the Glutton and Drunkard and all such as give themselves over-much to the pleasures of their Palate always by their good-will swiming in their Delicacies and Varieties of Meats and Drinks Bands are for the catching of wild and stronger Creatures by which they intend the multitude of Covetous Unjust and Worldly-minded People who offend commonly by some way of Violence Oppression Rapine Injustice Fraud c. So that in fine all sorts of People are taken one way or other by them none or at least very few escaping the consideration whereof extorted from the good Father Saint Hierome this pathetique Exclamation Oh Hell-fire saith he O those Everlasting Burnings of which Gluttony and Drunkenness are the Fewel Pride and Ambition the Flame Lewd and Filthy Speech the Spaâ—kles Infamy and Shame the Sâ—inking Smoak Impudicity and Vncleanness the Ashes and the effect Eternal Misery and Torment Sect. 4. Remedies against Carnal Concupiscence To the Soul that remembers her self and desirous to live Chaste would know what Remedies may be found against the poisonous force and infection of Carnal Concupiscence I shall in the first place with Father Causin give this Advice to wit That so long as she lives in this sinful World where Temptations to Vice are so many and great how well soever things at present seem to go with her yet that she always judges it most impossible for her to persevere to the end in that state but by the singular Gift Favour and Grace of Almighty God according to that Confession of the Wise Man beginning his Prayer to God Sap 8. v. 21. Scivi quoniam aliter non possem esse continens c. I know saith he full well that I cannot otherwise be continent unless God give me the Gift and a point of Wisdom it is to know whose Gift the Grace of Chastity and Continency is It is therefore absolute necessary that for the Gift we have particular recourse to God even to the most Holy and Vndivided Trinity begging it of him who according to Saint Gregory Nazianzen is the first of Virgins that is God our Saviour and in the second place that we address our Prayers to like purpose unto the Blessed Mother of God the Virgin Mary to our good Angel and to such other of the Blessed Saints and Angels in Heaven as we have chosen or that our Faith and Devotion have made to be our Patrons in Heaven begging their Mediation and Prayers for us that we may be always delivered from the reproaches of Belial the Spirit of Impurity and that we may pass over our Life Innocently and Holily in this present evil World possessing our Vessels that is these Bodies of ours as the Apostle speaks 1 Thes 4. v. 4. in Sanctification and Honour not in the Lust of Concupiscence and finally that through the mercies of God and the help of his Grace we may come to enjoy those Crowns and Garlands of Heavenly Glory which shall be given to those who in this Fight betwixt the Spirit and the Flesh overcome the wicked one and continue Faithful unto their Captain and General Christ Jesus unto the Death Wherefore my Advice and Counsel to all is that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 12. He that thinks he standeth let him take heed least he fall If at present you feel your selves at peace and unmolested with the suggestions and bad inclinations which others lie under and combate with daily more or less give thanks to God for his Mercy and beg the continuance of his Grace to you but enter not into any vain Complacence and Opinion of your self as if it were the effect of your own Forces it is the effect of Heavens Benignity towards you and if you presume to think otherwise it is to be fear'd you will find your errour in the sad experiment of some unhappy fall Therefore walk humbly before God trusting to his Grace not to your selves and be sure as much as you can to avoid all occasions of sin Sect. 5. Advice and Exhortation to all sorts of Persons to overcome the Vice of Carnal Concupiscence I find nothing more proper for this purpose viz. of subduing and extinguishing the motions of Carnal Concupiscence than what I have extracted for your use out of the Holy Court 1. Treatise of Love Sect. 1. S. 9. where the Pious and Learned Author Father Causin delivers himself thus Give your selves a little leisure to recollect your thoughts together and with the Eye of attentive Consideration to behold the many Disasters which wait on the experiencing of Carnal Sensualities If you be a Virgin stain not the Honour of your State vilifie not in your Flesh on Earth a Virtue to which Angels afford such Glory in Heaven Beware of that damnable curiosity which makes you desire to know what cannot be known by you but by becoming criminal If you understand what this sin is profit by your experience and betray not an eternity of Blessedness for a Pleasure so short If you be a Master of a Family or a Person of Quality mark what Saint Gregory Nazianzen says A Man saith he by means of this sin totally ruins Body and Soul Estate and Reputation He is terrible at home to his own Honshold and shameless abroad serving as an Executioner to his chaste Wife whom his unkindness and ill-carriage vexes to Death every day He is a Tyrant even to his own Children a reproach to his Friends a scourge to all his Domestiques a dishonour to his Kindred and