Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	body_n	earth_n	soul_n	16,341	5	5.1635	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00940	A monomachie of motiues in the mind of man: or a battell betweene vertues and vices of contrarie qualitie Wherein the imperfections and weaknesses of nature appeare so naked, that anie reasonable soule may soone see by what spirit he is lead: herevnto also, besides sundrie deuout praiers necessarilie interlaced, diuers golden sentences of S. Barnard are annexed: and also a briefe conclusion of his vpon this theame, that victorie is obtained by resisting temptation. Newlie englished by Abraham Fleming.; De conflictu vitiorum et virtutum. English	Autpertus, Ambrosius, d. 784.; Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo.; Bernard, of Clairvaux, Saint, 1090 or 91-1153.; Fleming, Abraham, 1552?-1607.	1582 (1582)	STC 11048; ESTC S102283	102,654	342

higth of his glorie and wilt thou by presumption séeke such aduancement as to exalt thy selfe on high out of the doonghill Consider thine owne estate and condition for the terme of thy life in this world examine what thou art by the words of the wise man saieng A corruptible bodie is heauie vnto the soule and the earthlie mansion kéepeth downe that vnderstanding which museth vpon manie things With what thicke and palpable darknes then thinke we is the dirt of pride obscured and defaced héere on earth when a starre which rising in the morning and beautifieng the heauen with his brightnes lost the beames of his light Heare therefore O man and listen for thy learning to the voice of truth it selfe speaking vnto thée and saieng He that followeth me walketh not in darknes but shall haue the light of life The same truth teacheth elsewhere in what points we should followe him saieng Learne of me for I am méeke and humble in hart and you shall find rest for your soules Harken O swelling pride harken I saie to the maister of humilitie and méeknes Euerie one that exalteth himselfe shall be brought lowe and he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted Againe Vpon whom doth my spirit rest but vpon the humble and quiet man and him that trembleth at my words and saiengs Listen also O swelling pride what the Apostle reporteth of this maister of humilitie exhorting men therevnto For he saith expresselie thus Let the same mind be in you which was in Christ Iesus who being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God but made himselfe of no reputation taking on him the forme of a seruant and made in the likenes of men and found in figure shape as a man he humbled himselfe made obedient vnto death euen the death of the crosse If therefore the diuine Maiestie abased himselfe with so great humilitie the infirmitie weakenes and vilenes of man ought not to be insolent proud arrogant or presumptuous 3 A Praier for the former vertue O Almightie and euerliuing God which knowest better than we our selues what is most conuenient for our condition and estate we beseech thee to powre into the vessell of our harts the pleasant and acceptable liquor of humilitie which is a vertue wherewith thou art so well pleased as with nothing more promising to such as humble and submit themselues the possession of eternall life according to the testimonie of thy sonne Christ saieng that Who soeuer abaseth himselfe like a little child he shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen O grant vnto vs we beseech thee of thine vnspeakable goodnes that we may be inriched with this most heauenlie vertue knowing that the same maketh vs like vnto Christ Iesu who came into the world as he saith of himselfe to serue and not to be serued as appeareth by the washing of his Apostles feete and by taking vpon him the shape of a seruant whereby he made himselfe of no reputation but was found and esteemed as a common and ordinarie man humbling himselfe and being obedient to the death euen to the death of the crosse for the which God his father exalted him and gaue him a name aboue all names that to the Name of IESVS euerie knee should bow both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth O teach vs trulie to humble our selues before thee according to the example which Christ shewed to his disciples that our praiers being made in humilitie and lowlinesse may please thy diuine Maiestie and that pearcing through the clouds they may not rest till they come neere nor depart till thou ô most high hast had respect therevnto Grant this for thine honour and truths sake ô omnipotent God and mercifull Father Amen The second Combat 1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vice insuing VAINE-GLORIE flieth awaie swiftlie pearceth lightlie smiteth smoothlie but woundeth shrewdlie and killeth quicklie Vaine-glorie confoundeth sch as see not such as be blind negligent and laie open themselues vnto it such as run vpon it as vpon a rocke not viewing the mischiefe thereof not marking or considering it not auoiding and forsaking it and not weieng with aduisement how vaine transitorie fraile and perishable it is For ô man if thou wouldest looke circumspectlie into vaine-glorie and esteeme of it accordinglie it should be so far from killing thee that thou wouldest rather kill vtterlie destroie and bring it to nothing 2 The ASSALT giuen by VAINE-GLORIE O Man estéeme of thy selfe as thou art surpassing all other in euerie respect If thou doo good doo it to thy commendation bestowe thy benefits where thou maiest be praised If thou be disposed to doo anie man a pleasure doo it in such conuenient place and at such a seasonable time as there may be standers by lookers on to beare witnesse thereof and to call thée by the name of a good pitifull man It is lost that is done priuilie in corners where none beholding or séeing can report of thée according to thy desart Doo therefore thy good déeds in open sight before the eies of men that they may commend thée for thy deuotion and holinesse praise thée for thy mercifulnes and reuerence thee for thy goodnesse that thou maist be counted one of Gods elect that none may contemne thée none despise thée none speake ill of thée but that all may exhibite and doo thée such honour reuerence as to thée by desart is due and apperteining 3 A praier against the former vice O Eternall God vnto whome all glorie be longeth and nothing but shame and confusion vnto vs bicause of our sinnes we beseech thee of thine infinite goodnes and clemencie to kindle in vs a detestation and mortall hatred against all inward motions rebelling and making war with the spirit And speciallie ô mercifull Father set vs at defiance with all selfe-liking of our selues all selfe-loue and selfe-trust but specialie with vain-glorie which maketh vs negligent and carelesse in giuing thee the honour due vnto thine holie name We knowe and thou seest it in vs that euen the meanest and basest person hath some infection little or much of this poisonous humor of vaine-glorie according to this saieng of the Sonne of Sirach The poore man glorieth in his knoweledge and the rich bicause of his goods and substance but let him that glorieth in his wealth feare least he fall into want O good Lord open our eies that we may not onelie see but also forsake this vanitie knowing that so long as we sauour thereof we can not smell sweete in thy presence Let not anie pompe or pride of apparell carie vs awaie ô let vs not fixe our delight in such shadowes knowing that thou disalowest it by thy seruants counsellest vs to renounce the same saieng in expresse words Bee not proud of clothing and raiment and exalt not thy selfe in the daie of honour We knowe confesse it that against the proud vaine-glorious

such a plaguie and pestilent infection what shall we think thereof if it be found in them that haue taken their fare-well of the world and bequeathed themselues wholie to the Lord To such speciallie are the words of our redéemer Christ directed in the Gospell whereby the sicknes of couetousnes might be cured Be yée not carefull saith our Sauiour what ye shall eate or what ye shall drink or what ye shall weare For after all these things doo the Gentiles séeke But first séeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes therof and all these things shall be giuen you O blessed lsaeing void of care and woorthie to be imbraced For there is none liuing so frée from care as he which desireth to possesse nothing beside Christ For vnder the condition of this promise he is allowed to haue all such necessaries as he dooth lacke As S. Paule the poore and yet rich Apostle saith As hauing nothing and yet possessing all things All things not for superfluitie but for necessitie as he prooueth in these words Hauing food and raiment let vs be therewith content But thou wilt saie peraduenture O man It is requisite that religious and godlie men should haue more in possession riches I meane and other vtensiles than other priuate housholders considering that they bestowe them better than the common people in reléeuing the poore néedie members of Christ Iesu and such like works of charitie I allow thy saieng O man but yet to pull vp couetousnes by the hard rootes as well out of the harts of the one as the other I refer all estates to the example of Lots wife to terrifie them from setting their minds vpon such a vile sinne Shée departing from among the Sodamites and forbidden to looke backe was turned into a piller of salt and so gaue vp the ghost bicause she did not as she was inioined by commandement Wherevpon Christ giuing a watch-word to beware of the like saith No man putting his hand to the plough and looking behind him is fit for the kingdome of heauen To the same effect S. Peter vseth these words Better were it for such neuer to haue knowne the waie of righteousnes than after the knowledge thereof to be turned from that which was deliuered them by an holie commandement Vnto these men agréeth the old and not so old as true prouerbe A dog returning to his vomit a sow to walowe in the mire The nature of this disease of cocouetousnes is such that the readiest and spéediest waie to ouercome and killir is continuallie to thinke vpon death and euerie minute of an houre to consider what shall be the state of a man verie shortlie after he is laid in his graue This was alwaies fixed fast and déeplie grauen in his memorie that vttered this sentence Man is but corruption and the sonne of man but a woorme This was neuer out of his mind who said whatsoeuer thou takest in hand remember the end thou shalt neuer doo amisse To what purpose then dooth the couetous worldling gather goodes They will stand him in no stead in the daie of wrath Harken O man to the voice of Iob Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I go thither againe Listen also to the words of the Apostle we brought nothing into this world neither can we carrie anie thing out of the same 3 A praier for the former vertue O Eternall and immortall God we beseech thee that the life of thy deerlie beloued sonne and his disciples during the time of their soiourning in this earth the verie inne of iniquitie may be prouocations vnto vs to spend the remnant of our flitting age in singlenes of hart innocencie and all vertuous conuersations that hauing before our eies such liuelie examples of godlines we may declare in our deeds a fruitfull imitation of them before the face of all men And bicause it is a true saieng of thy seruant S. Iames that Whosoeuer is a friend to this world is an enimie to God and that of S. Iohn that The whole world is set vpon mischiefe and that of thy Sonne Iesus Christ that The world knoweth thee not neither can receiue the spirit of truth which is the holie Ghost therefore wee most humblie craue this at thy hand ô heauenlie Father that it will please thee to bestowe vpon vs a due portion of thy grace whereby we may growe into a great contempt of the world and a bitter detestation and lothing of the vaine delights thervpon depending following herein the example of thine Apostle Saint Paule who counted the things that were vantage vnto him meere losse for Christs sake yea all things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus for whom he esteemed all things little woorth yea he iudged them no better than doong that he might win Christ And although the necessities of this life be so vrgent and manifold that oftentimes the world allureth vs vnto hir loue yet vouchsafe vs of thy mercie the light of sound iudgement and reason that we may hang wholie vpon thy prouidence and vse this world as if we vsed it not knowing that thy sonne our Sauiour and redeemer descended from heauen into the earth was crucified dead buried rose againe and ascended into heauen to the intent that he might deliuer and set vs free from this present wicked world than whom we haue not a deadlier enimie to the saluation of our soules Heare vs for thy mercie sake Amen The fourth Section and 16. Combat 1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vice insuing WHAT is a hard hart A hard hart is that onlie which feareth not it selfe bicause it feeleth not it selfe It is euen that which is not pricked with remorse touched with pitie mooued with intreating warned by instruction stirred with threatening but woorse by correction It is vnwilling to doo good vnthankfull for benefits receiued vnfaithfull in keeping counsell cruell in giuing iudgement shameles in committing filthines desperate in dangers rude in mens affairs rash in Gods matters forgetting things past neglecting things present not foreseeing things to come As for vncharitablenes it is void of all pitie it neither clotheth the naked lodgeth the houseles feedeth the hungrie refresheth the thirstie comforteth the sorowfull instructeth the simple forgiueth iniuries forbeareth vengeance or exerciseth so much as one worke of mercie or compassion And therfore wo to the hard-harted wo to the vncharitable For as they haue sowne so shall they reape 2 The ASSALT giuen by hardnes of hart or VNCHARITABLENES O Man it is good thou wert wise and sparing niggardlie and sauing Manie are mooued with mercie at the complaints of the poore and miserable some are pitifull to prisoners some to spitties or hospitals some to schooles and vniuersities some to societies or corporations which reléefe they themselues lacke before they die and learne euen with gréefe of hart what a follie it is to giue a thing which they themselues once had and might

and thine head out of quiet thou wilt run starke staring mad Againe if thou be called to the trade of a crafts-man or labourer take héed thou hurt not thy selfe with too much paine and trauell be not too earnest be not too quicke be not too carefull be not too diligent be not too busie about thy trade least thou fall into some bodilie infirmitie and sicknes whereby thou pining and consuming awaie shalt come in danger of death And therfore let spirituall exercises alone and as for bodilie busines meddle as little therewith as thou maist 3 A praier against the former vice O Louing God the Father of our Lord Iesu Christ whose will pleasure it is that we should not be wearie of well dooing plucke out of our harts we most humblie beseech thee all maner of carnall and idle motions counselling vs to the contrarie Speciallie good Lord remooue from vs the filthie vice of slothfull idlenes whereby we are made vnfit for anie Christian exercise withdrawne from praieng and fasting which are the meanes to pull downe and tame the wantonnes of this yoong heifer our flesh Suffer not so detestable a sinne to regne in vs to beare swaie in our earthlie members and to carrie vs head-long into securitie and carelesnes least whiles we be lulled asleepe in the cradle of sensualitie and make full reckoning that all is safe we be ouertaken in our sinnes and suffer due punishment Giue vs grace to followe the wholesome aduise of our Sauiour Christ giuen to his disciples namelie to watch and praie which are meanes to preuent auoid temptations taking him for an example to followe whose life was nothing else but a continuall meditation of godlines which if we could frame our selues to imitate we needed no better schoolemaister to instruct vs in the waies of righteousnes and sanctification Let vs be stirred vp we praie thee by the due consideration of thy louing kindnes towards vs to praise magnifie thee incessantlie night and daie in season out of season at home priuatelie abroad openlie secretlie by our selues in companie with others at bed and boord in speech and communication in behauiour and life eating drinking riding running sitting going walking and working that the whole course of our conuersation may be acceptable in thy sight our thoughts words and deeds setting foorth the glorie of thy name with one voice and consent That we may doo this effectuallie to the true worshipping of thy diuine Maiestie the benefit of thy people and the consolation of our owne soules vouchsafe to set strife betweene vs and slothfull idlenes that both our harts inwardlie our bodies outwardlie and so consequentlie our whole man diligentlie addicted to the discharge of our duties both towards thee ô God and all the world we may be reckoned at the last and generall audit euen the daie of doome among thy seruants not through our desarts but thy sonnes our Sauior to whom be praise for euermore Amen 1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following THis is the summe of vertuous spirituall exercise this is the forme of godlie endeuour wiselie to dispose and order things present penitentlie and in the bitternes of thy soule to consider thy misdeeds past and carefullie to prouide and fore-see things to come Liue soberlie iustlie and godlie saith the Apostle in this world soberlie in respect of the time present iustilie in respect of the time past which we must redeeme by making amends for the neglect of our former thrift godlie in respect of the time to come setting it as a sheeld to defend vs from all instant dangers and hazards that may happen hereafter I would to God we were wise for the ordering of our life present for the amending of our life past and for leading the rest of our life to come in vnfeined faith to God-ward For this is the thred of three twists whereby we are drawne to saluation namelie an orderlie conuersation an vpright iudgement and a faith vnfeined 2 The REPVLSE giuen by honest and vertuous EXERCISE O Man prolong no time neither driue off from daie to daie but whiles thou hast space doo thine indeuour to liue honestlie painfullie vertuouslie and deuoutlie Folowe thy vocation whether it be secular or ecclesiasticall appertaining to worldlie affaires or belonging to the spirit Canst thou tell O man whether thou shalt liue till to morowe Hast thou a lease of thy life from the Lord Naie marke what I speake art thou able to saie that thou shalt liue one houre to an end Is the saieng of thy Sauiour Christ out of remembrance mentioned in the Gospell Watch for you knowe not the daie nor the houre Wherefore shake off all slothfulnes of bodie and all idle cogitations of mind and let this lesson be fresh in thy memorie dailie that such as offer violence and snatch at the kingdome of heauen by force shall haue it in possession it is none inheritance for such as are luke-warme neither hot nor cold soft and effeminate persons wantous nice idle and slothfull Followe the counsell of the Apostle to praie continuallie to make supplications vnto GOD without ceasing not forgetting this that he which stirreth vp such good motions in thine hart is sufficient able to giue thée strength might to perseuere in the same Be earnest in praier zelous feruent continuall For that which the flesh accounteth too much the spirit contrariwise iudgeth too little considering that Satan is tempting vs dailie and hourelie to sift vs as it were wheate Who preserued the eie-sight of Dauid wéeping and wailing for his sinnes Who strengthened the Niniuets fasting and praieng at the preaching of Ionas Who made Paule able to passe through his long peregrination in Asia Did not the Lord Why then O man doubt not of thine eies of thy lims of thy bodie or of thy mind For God by his grace will worke that in thée which séemeth hard and vnpossible to the nature of flesh and bloud 3 A praier for the former vertue O Almightie euerlasting God who hast placed vs in this world for two speciall ends and purposes firstlie to glorifie thee in our life and conuersation directed by the rule of thy holie lawes and commandements secondlie to doo good one to another as brotherlie loue and charitable affection dooth moue and exhort vs knowing that in these two points the two tables of thy diuine precepts doo summarilie consist according to the testimonie of thy sonne our Sauiour who in few words did knit vp the ten commandements namelie in louing thee ô Lord with all our harts and our neighbours as our selues O vouchsafe vs the assistance of thy holie spirit that we may exercise our selues daie and night in the meditation of thy lawe and frame the course of our life according to the prescript rule of thy word and the good example of thy seruants our predecessors Let thy grace ouershadowe vs yea Lord let it fill vs wholie and solie

put in trust but also the interest of the same at that great audit and generall session when all flesh shall be summoned to appeare before thee the Iudge of iudges Grant this for Christes sake thy son our sauiour Amen 1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following TRVTH in the inward parts is the thing that God requireth Truth and equitie are the things which he loueth The diuell was a manqueller from the beginning and why bicause the truth was not in him Truth is the fruit of light as for lieng it is a worke of darknesse Truth is to be honoured because it ouercommeth all things truth is to be imbraced because it defendeth from shame truth is to be aduanced because it endureth for euer truth is to be regarded because it is blameles truth is to be obeied because it preuaileth As for equitie let this suffice thee ô man in few words that the greatest equitie that can be is to behaue thy selfe lowlie to thine vnderling reuerentlie to thy better and louinglie to thine equall to deale vprightlie to depart from euill and do good For the equitie and iustice of a plaine-dealing man shall direct his waies and if thine eie be single all thy bodie shall be full of light as for a double minded man he is wauering in all his waies 2 The REPVLSE giuen by TRVTH and EQVITIE O Man be not deceiued God is not mocked neither can he be deluded In séeking to deceiue him thou deceiuest thy selfe For the mouth of him whosoeuer he be that speaketh lies be it with neuer such cunning sl●nes slaieth the iouie and all liers shall haue their portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Doest thou not remember O man the words of the Prophet Dauid comprised in an answere to a demand of his making Lord saith he who shall dwell in thy tabernacle or who shall inhabit in thy holie hill The resolution followeth wherein among other there mentioned he that hath vsed no deceipt in his tongue nor done euill to his neighbour is rehearsed to haue his portion To this purpose serueth the saieng of the sonne of Sirach A lie is a wicked shame in a man yet shall it be euer in the mouth of the vnwise A théefe is better than a man that is accustomed to lie but they both shall haue destruction to heritage The conditions of liers are vnhonest and their shame is euer with them By which words O man thou maist if thou hast anie grace in thee perceiue what an odious and accursed sin lieng and dissembling is and what danger they run into that vse them And therefore be warned to auoid such a rock as maketh shipwracke of the saluation of thy soule and though thou be assalted with the swéetnes of the same yet take héed how thou puttest thy selfe in aduenture to becom acquainted therwithall To terrifie thée the more from accustoming thy tongue to such a pestilent vice set before thine eies the example of Ananias and Saphira his wife both possessed with the spirit of lieng and dissembling to the holie Ghost and therefore rewarded with sudden death O horrible iudgement of the highest God! whereby O man thou maist be instructed if thou wilt that God is the author of truth and righteousnes the louer of equitie and innocencie and a detester of double dealing and hypocrisie To conclude this matter O man followe the counsell of the Apostle giuen to the Colossians his hearers To put off the works of darkens and to walke in light to leaue lieng one to another and to speake the truth euerie man to his neighbour 3 A praier for the former vertue O God the Father of heauen the beholder of all things visible and inuisible which seest our inward and cloked thoughts be they neuer so secret darke yea which seest the issue of thē before they are conceiued much more our actions or deeds wherein is greater manifestation and appearance we beseech thee first of all to bind our manifold and innumerable sinnes in a bundell and casting them behind thy backe to drowne in the bottome of the sea that they may sinke and neuer come againe in sight Secondlie we craue at thy bountifull hands the spirit of vnderstanding and knowledge which may lead vs as it were by torch-light or rather sunne-shine to the waie of truth and equitie which ought to be the bounds and limits of a Christian life For we confesse as we can not otherwise choose in reason and conscience that we haue not girded our loines about with veritie that we haue not spoken plaine truth one to another nor vsed interchange of vpright dealing in the necessarie affaires incident to our particular vocations as we are exhorted by thine holie Apostle S. Paule And therefore being sorie that wee haue shewed our selues such past-graces partlie through carnall weaknes partlie also through want of spirituall strength but cheeflie through the subtiltie of Satan who incessantlie pitcheth his tents of trecherie about the castle of our soules we come home againe with wet and waterie cheekes with our bosoms full of teares with our harts rent and torne with the hookes of heauines with wearie knees wearie yea and wearie againe with wandering in wicked waies bowing them before thy mercie-seate and beseeching thee to be good Father vnto vs vngratious froward children Hitherto indeed yea hitherto in verie deed we haue neglected the rule of obedience and charitie the one towards thee ô Father the other towards our neighbours And though we knowe that we ought to serue thee in truth to maintaine nothing contrarie to truth to doo nothing against truth but all for and in the behalfe of truth yet how far we haue gone beyond these bounds thine is the iudgement ô Father thine is the vnderstanding As for vs we are vtterlie ignorant and senseles and therefore submit our selues to thy mercifull censure crauing gentle correction though we haue deserued sharpe chastisement if it be thy pleasure to punish or suing for remission and forgiuenes though vtterlie vnwoorthie of such grace and fauour if it be thy good will to grant vs pardon Finallie wee humblie beseech thee to increase truth and equitie in vs that being led and conducted thereby on the right hand and the left we may neuer start aside like a broken bowe but keepe on in a right course till we come to the kingdome of heauen which grant ô Father for his sake whom thou louest best Iesus the Sauiour of soules Amen The xix Combat 1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vice insuing GLVTTONIE and leacherie serue the pleasure of the flesh The aire the land the sea do scarselie suffice gluttonie For gluttonies sake it commeth to passe that poore people are spoiled that robberies are committed that extortions are practised that the hunger of the needie is turned into the fulnes of the wealthie O ye sonnes of men how long will you be heauie-hearted by reason of this your grosse and

touching afterwards it poisoneth the mind with filthie delight last of all by consenting to sinne and willingnes to worke wickednes both bodie and soule are subdued and ouercome 2 The ASSALT giuen by filthie LECHERIE O Man neuer cast this stumbling-blocke before thy conscience that leacherie is a deadlie sin and deserueth damnation Why maiest thou not without anie remorse or care vse thine owne bodie to thy harts delight Such plesures as are ordeined for thée to possesse and enioie it is reason thou shouldest without let or hinderance haue them in fruition Hast thou opportunitie of time and due season to serue thy desires Take it then neglect not such conuenient offers For time passeth and it hapneth in an houre that hapneth not in seuen yeare The eie must be satisfied with séeing the eare with hearing the tong with talking the lips with kissing the armes with imbracing and other parts of the bodie must haue their due recreation otherwise vnquietnes will insue to the disturbance of the verie heart with melancholie madnes Manie haue béene busie to bridle their lusts and fleshlie affections but they haue béen glad to giue ouer their enterprise For the concupiscences of the heart are wild beares to bind and fierce monsters that refuse to be tamed That which is naturall in thée O man and not dishonest séeke not by sinister meanes to suppresse and take this lesson for thy learning that to vndertake the maistering of such motions as are bred in thy bones and will neuer be rooted out of thy flesh is to wrestle with the wind and to cast water into the sea Againe be persuaded by counsell and reason if thou be wise and prudent For the lust of bodie is neither to be discommended nor yet condemned though some both rashlie and falslie lash out lies saieng that it is a sin which shutteth thée out of heauen That can not be so For can any creature sée further into the nature of things than the creator himselfe But the creator himselfe would not prohibit or forbid thée O man the pleasure of the flesh in carnall copulation which a companie of dizzards call the sin of leacherie when in déed it is no sin bicause it beginneth with loue and endeth with repentance and therefore why should anie one beside him attempt to perswade or exhort thée to the contrarie It is certaine that God denied not that delight vnto thée because he gaue no expresse commandement to forbeare it and he allowed it because he suffered the same to be enioied before-time euen in the beginning he permitted and misliked it not but rather thought it verie needfull and conuenient that man should haue his peculiar delectation with his woman as well as other creatures in their proper kind or else he would not haue made them hée and shée in the generall creation And therefore O man estéeme it no matter of conscience to vse thy bodie to pleasure and to satisfie thy flesh when it is kindled and set on fire with the concupiscence and lust of that which it liketh and loueth For to doo otherwise bréedeth a pensiuenesse and molestation of mind and a disquieting of euerie member 3 A praier against the former vice O Almightie God we euen we who a long time haue sate in the seate of sinners followed the trace which we found fore-troden and set our selues aworke in dooing diuers things vtterlie against the lawe of thy commandements doo heere humble and throwe downe our selues vile dust ashes and woormes-meate at the footstoole of thy mercie-seate beseeching thee to pardon all our misdeeds and follies past at the greatnes and greeuousnes whereof we quake and tremble to banish them out of the borders of our hearts where they haue harbored long and to put new tenants in possession euen cleane thoughts holie talke honest deeds and whatsoeuer else may stand with the credit of Christianitie O Lord giue vs not ouer to the lusts of the flesh least through frailtie and want of grace we commit sinne with greedines and so denieng thee in our liues whome wee professe with our lips heape vpon our owne heads hell and condemnation Let not lecherie keepe vs in bondage ô let not so ouglie and deadlie a sin reigne in our mortall bodies let it not take roote in vs ô let it not bloome and blossome in our earthlie members least we burgening and growing like ranke weeds bring foorth in fine the fruits of endles confusion A detestable vice it is ô Lord we knowe right well the dangers therevpon depending are deadlie the miseries lamentable the temporall plagues irkesome the eternall torments vnsufferable all which considered with the dread of thy iudgement oftentimes executed with sudden vengeance shall we be so gracelesse as to make our bodies brothell-houses of Satan cages of vncleane birds nests of venemous serpents and indeed verie dens of diuels O God forbid Deliuer vs sweet Lord from this desperate downe-fall hold vs vp with thy hand that we stumble not and at all assaies assist vs with thy spirit that thereby as with a sharpe syeth wee cutting in peeces that poisonfull scorpion lecherie may not feare hir sting anie more which woundeth vnto death From this sinne and all sinnes noisome to our soules and bodies set vs free for thy mercie sake ô almightie GOD Amen 1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following VNspotted CHASTITIE is the onlie iewell which in this mortall life representeth vnto vs a certaine state of eternall glorie Vnspotted chastitie is the onelie thing which at the solemnities of mariage setteth before vs a forme of that blessed countrie where wee shall not marie nor be maried giuing vs in this our earthlie booth a proofe of that same celestiall conuersation which wee shall lead in the life to come with the Saints This vessell which we beare about is brickle fraile and manie times in danger howbeit chastitie keepeth and preserueth it for sanctification yea like most sweete smelling balme it perfumeth our carcases making them trim and sauourie as if they were seasoned with the purest spice Vnspotted chastitie brideleth the senses and snaffleth the lims least otherwise they might soke in idlenes and ease run a rioting after lewd desires and beecome ranke and rotten with the pleasures of the flesh But yet for all this chastitie how beautifull amiable so euer it seeme in shew is nothing woorth without charitie it is of no value of no price of no estimation void of credit merit desart And no maruell For without charitie what good thing can be vndertaken had or obteined Faith yea but that auaileth little though it mooue mountaines Knoweledge yea but that profiteth little though it speake with the tongues of men and angels Martyrdome yea but that helpeth little though I offer my bodie to be burned Chastitie void of charitie is a lampe lacking oile Take awaie oile the lampe is not lightsome take awaie charitie and chastitie is not delightsome 2 The REPVLSE giuen by