A14992:148
A care-cloth
A care-cloth: or a treatise of the cumbers and troubles of marriage intended to advise them that may, to shun them; that may not, well and patiently to bear them. By William Whately, preacher of the word of God in Banbury, in Oxfordshire.A care-cloth: or a treatise of the cumbers and troubles of marriage intended to aduise them that may, to shun them; that may not, well and patiently to beare them. By William Whately, preacher of the word of God in Banbury, in Oxfordshire.
London: printed by Felix Kyngston for Thomas Man, 1624
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Who would not do that, that will make his soul to dwell at rest?
Who would not doe that, that will make his soule to dwell at rest?
3. Again, the study of mortification,1 will enable a man with inconceivable patience, yea, and cheerfulness, to bear any affliction that God shall lay upon him; yea, to look death it self in the face, though it come clothed in never so terrible attire, and with never so terrible weapons; for the sting of death, and consequently of all crosses, is sin: now, pull the sting from out of the Serpents mouth or tail, and then there is little fear, or danger in encountering her. What was the cause that the Apostle Paul was so exceeding quiet and joyful in all his calamities? but because he had in great measure subdued, and was more and more busy in subduing the corrupt lusts of his body, knocking it down,2 and bringing it in subjection, as himself speaketh. He that holdeth strong fight against the evils of his own heart (out of that peace with God and his own soul, which we said before that he should enjoy) hath freedom of Spirit, to pray unto God in his afflictions; he can run boldly to the Throne of grace (as having allowed nothing within him, that should grieve the Spirit of Grace) he can fly to the tower of Gods name (as having kept himself in the paths of righteousness, which those that do, know themselves to have all good allowance, to come thither) and when a man can freely pour forth his hart before God in crosses, then doth he also comfortably enjoy God, and then the sharpness of the cross is gone. The thing that makes crosses intolerably bitter (so that the soul cannot endure ⟨p. 114⟩the bitterness of them) is the admixture of the gall of Gods displeasure; so far as we are entire and resolute in fighting against sin, our crosses are pure from this admixture, and so they be not (to himself that bears them, howsoever they may seem to the lookers on) by the hundred part so tedious and troublesome, as that composition would make them. So the mortified man gains this by his trouble in mortification, that the Lord will suffer him to escape many troubles, and those that he must (for his own good) suffer, he shall be able to go under with ten times more quietness, and gladness, and contentedness; as an whole shoulder bears the same burden with more ease, then a sore, or swollen shoulder. It is therefore a very profitable labour that we bestow in mortifying the members on earth;