A14992:195
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.
CHAP. X. Showing, in what manner we must use all the helps to mortification.
CHAP. X. Shewing, in what manner we must vse all the helpes to mortification.
First then,1 these things must be done seasonably; we must oppose our corruptions by prayer and meditation, when ⟨p. 157⟩they begin to arise, and use all the other means against sin, afore sin have gotten too much head,2 when corrupt inclinations do even begin to stir, and be troublesome, then must we resist them, then must we fly from the occasions of increasing them, then must we revive holy fears, and stir up our selves to watchfulness, then must we call forth holy thoughts, and stir up holy requests; we must not feed on such thoughts, we-must not let them lye quietly in the soul, we must not give them a little rest, as it were, a time of truce; for if we do, they will slyly steal away the delight of our imaginations, and so the consent of our wills, and then shall we be faint in resistance, and like enough be foiled. Every harmful beast is easiliest killed, when it is youngest. The Whelps of a Lion or a Bear, are soon and safely dispatched; let them grow longer, they will wax stronger, and cannot be slain without more trouble, and more peril. The first motions to sin, are like Lyons Whelps, let them continue a while, they will be as young Lyons, let them have liberty to get out at the tongue, they will prove ramping and roaring Lyons. Instance in fleshly lust: When a motion that way first ariseth, oppose it by prayer and meditation, it is soon quelled, and dyes. Let a man content and please his fancy in that motion, and nourish the desire, by being satisfied in it, and at last give way to some wanton words, and some degrees of dalliance, his prayers will not be available, ⟨p. 158⟩