How to conquer Lujl. unlawful ard no Vow can warrant a man to live in fo great fin, ( Unlefs there were fome Greater fin on the o;her fide which could not be avoided in a married life, which is hardly to be fuppofed, how~ ever Popifu Priefls think difobedjence to the Pope, and the incommodity and diferace of a m.tnitd life, &c. to be a greater lin than fornication it [elf. ) 12 If a Prince Vow chafiity when it is like to endanger the Kingdom for want of a fafe and {itrt fuccdlion, he is bound to break that Vow : Becaufe he may not lawfully give away the peoples right, nor do that which is injurious to fo many. . I3· Whetherthe Command of a Parent or Prince may diffolve the obligation of a Vow ofCelibate, Iluvc anfwered already. I now fay but this, I· When Parents or Princes may jufily command it, we may jullly obey them. But this is not one of thofe accidental evils, which rilay be lawfully done though unlawfully commanded. 2· It is Parents that God hath commiued more of this care and power to, about Childrms Marri;~ge, than to Princes. 3· Parents nor Princes may nor lawfully corn· • mand the breach of fuch a Vow, (not nullified at firfi, ) except in fuch cafes as difoblige us whether they do it or not; fo that the refolving of the main cafe doth fuffice for all. . . 14· He that by lan{ul meant can overcoroe his lull, to the mea[ure before mtntioneJ, is under no nccdlity of violating his Vow of fingle life. 1 5· I think that jt is not one of twenty that have bodies fo unavoidably prone to lua, but that by due means it might be fo far ( though not totally) overcome, without marriage, fornication; wil– full felf·pollution, or violent vexatious luaful thoughts. That is, r. If they imploy themfelves conflantly and diligently in a lawful calling, <tnd be nor guilty of fuch idltnefi, as leaveth room in their miuds and imaginations for vain and ~Ithy thoughts. If they follow fuch a calling as fhalllay a necellityupon them, to keep their Thoughts clofe tmployed about it. 2. If they ufe fuch abfii– nence ""d courfnefs in their dyer, as is meet to tame inordinate Jufts, without deftroying health : And not only a.void fulnefsandgulofity and vain {ports and pleafures, but alfo ufe convenient falling, and tame th' body by mceffary aufierities. 3· If they fufliciemly avoid all tempting company and fights, and keep at a meet difiance from them. 4· If they fet fuch a reflraint upon their Thoughts as they may do. 5· If they ufe fuch a quality of dyet and phyfick as is aptefi for the altering of thofe bodily diflempm which are the cau{e. 6. And laaly, If they are earnell in Prayer to God, and live inmortifying meditations, efpecia\ly in a confi:ant familiarity wirh a Crucified Chrifi, and with the grave, and with the Heavenly Society. He that breaketh his Vow to fave himfelf the labour and fuffering of thefe ungrateful means, I take to be perfidious, though perhaps he finfully made that Vow. And no greater a number are excufable from Continence after fuch a Vow, than thefe that have bodies fo extraordinary lufifu1, as no fuch other means can tame, (and thofe foremencioned that have extraordinary accidents to make a fingle life unlawful.) ' 16. It muft not be forgotten here that if men lruft to marriage it fe1f alone as the cute_of their lufi, without other means, fuch violent lufis as nothing elfe will cure, may poffibly be much uncUted af; terward. For Adulterers are as violent in their tufts as the unmarried, and ofttirnes find it as hard to reflrain them. And therefore the Married as well as others have need to be cateful to overcome theif Iua. And the rather bccaufe it is in them a double fin. · '7• But yet when all other means do fail, marriage is Gods appointed means, to quench thofc 1\ames from which mens Vows cannot incafes of uue neceility difoblige them, Rrr 2 CHAP.
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