A14992:168
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.
For the first of these,1 we will show both the lowest degree of mortification, (that without which no man can be saved) and also the highest degree of mortification, beyond which a Christian cannot reach, in this present life: and these two being known, the middle degrees betwixt these, will appear of themselves. Know then, that the lowest degree of mortification is that, which hath attained two things, which whosoever hath not attained, is not at all mortified; he that hath attained them, is in truth mortified, and then must strive forward, for greater perfection.
FOr the first of these,1 we will shew both the lowest degree of mortification, (that without which no man can bee saued) and also the highest degree of mortification, beyond which a Christian cannot reach, in this present life: and these two beeing knowne, the middle degrees betwixt these, will appeare of themselues. Know then, that the lowest degree of mortification is that, which hath attained two things, which whosoeuer hath not attained, is not at all mortified; he that hath attained them, is in truth mortified, and then must striue forward, for greater perfection.
- 1Two degrees of mortification.
The first thing is,1 to forbear the ordinary practice of gross sins, such as are expressly condemned by the letter of the Word, and by the light of nature, and such, wherein the members of the body are given as weapons of unrighteousness. No man can say he is truly mortified, till he have gotten so much power against his corrupt lusts, that he be not usually and commonly overtaken with those palpable deeds of the body, swearing, cursing, lying, railing, drunkenness, wantonness, revenge, deceit, and the like to these: for those that do such things,