A14992:198
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.
3. Thirdly,1 we must use order in our spiritual warfare. It is discretion in a Captain, to begin his conquest in the fittest place, and to know which enemy to deal against first. We must in the first place, and with the chief care, oppose our chief sin. In invading the Country of an enemy, it is wisdom to begin first with the weakest; but in invading sin, we must begin with the strongest lust first. That corruption to which, in regard of bodily temper, or custom, or place, or state of life, a man is most subject to, that he must first, and most resist and weaken: for if the greater sin be suffered, the less will shelter themselves under it. Take the General of the Army, and the whole host will be discomfited: if he scape away, he will wage more soldiers, and make more work.2 Ahithophel counselled to kill David, and then should all the people ⟨p. 160⟩return in safety. It is good counsel the holy Ghost saith, that is, commodious. Hushai's words were set out with more flourishing shows; but Ahithophel gave the sounder advice for Absaloms profit. Lo, the King of our lusts must be smitten, then shall the victory be easy against the rest. He that sets not himself against his most beloved sin first and most, doth but prevaricate (as they term it) that is, object in jest against other sins, he seems to fight with sin, but he is not in good earnest. Till the Lord did smite the first-borne, Pharaoh would never yield to let Israel go. We must kill the first-borne, else shall we never pull our necks from under the yoke of spiritual bondage. Know therefore, what is the chief corruption of thine heart, whether it be pride, sullenness, carnal sorrow, anger, revenge, lust, worldliness, deceit, or whatsoever else. Consider what sin is most common in men of thy calling, rank, age, condition temperature. Consider what sin thou hast most delight in, & most profit from, and are in thy carnal inclination, most willing to follow, and most loth to leave. Now having found this, here begin thy warfare, here continue it with most heat and earnestness, make all expedition, without all delays, to cut off this member on earth, and use all diligence, and all constancy, to pull out this eye of the flesh. What ever conquest thou seemest to get in other matters, Satan will soon draw thee captive again, if this sin remain unmortified.