196 Of the meaner topreférue vs fromwhoredome. theeues, enter to rob vs of our chaflity, andhe whohath a wanton, wandring,& an adulterous cis, will Toone after al- fo haue an adulterous heart. And therefore as their folly is tobe laughedat, who keepe theirpelfe and trafh vnder lock and holt, and leaue an openpaffage to their chicle treafury, whereby euery theefe may eafily enter ; fo is their behaui- our muchmore ridiculous, whokeepe their earthly riches, and tranfitory pelfe, vnder locke &key, and leaueopen the paflages of the heart vnregarded, by which the arch-theefe Satan may caufe his llauifh lulls to enter and fpoile vs ofour chiefeiewels,the purity and chaflity of the heart and foule. Manifold examples of this folly we haue recorded in the Scriptures to make vs more carefully to auoide it. Sichern Gen 34.a, looking vpon Dinah with luf}full eles was intangled in her z,S'it.Z. loue, and thereby mooued to defileher. Dauid idly gazing vpon Bethfhabe, Vriahs wife, was caught withher beauty, z.Sam,r3,t. and committed adultery with her. So Ammon beholding the beauty of his filler Thamar, was therebymooued toan incefluous rape. And therefore the formeof Syrach giueth Eccicf.1.5.8, good counfell for the auoiding ofthis mifchiefe, Chap.9.5. Gazenot on a maide, that thoufallnot by that which is preci- ous inher.ver.8.Turne away thineeiefrorn a beautifullwoman, And lookenot on others beauty : for many haue perifhedby the beauty ofwomen, for through it loue is kindled as a fire. To Gregarie. the fame purpofe one faith fitly : Nan licet intueri, quednon lrcet concupifci.It is not lawfull too earnef+ly tobehold that, which it is not lawfull tocouet, becaufe the fight is theor- dinary meanes to inflame the concupifcence. Lajcirtioue But as thofe who defire to prcferue their chaflity, ought piaster. not to be curious beholders of the beauty ofwomen,fo al- fo they mull reflrainc their lies from looking vpon other wanton fpe&acles : as for example, they may not behold lafciuious pi6,Iures,which aredumbe orators that perfwade vnto lufl,and liuelyprefidents,out ofwhich a wanton mind wawa will eafily take out apaterne of vncleanneffe for his owne blokes. imitation. Theymay not reade lafciuiousbooks andwan- ton Poets,whicheffeminate the mind,and make it tender to receiuetheimpreffionof lull. Or ifthe laudable loueofwit, eloquence,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=