Holy living in which are described the means and instruments of obtaining every virute, and the remedies against every vice, and considerations serving to the resisting all temptations : together with prayers containing the whole duty of a Christian, and the parts of devotion occasians [sic], and furnished for all necessities / by Jer. Taylor.

Remedies against uncleannesse.

1. When a temptation of lust assaults thee doe not resist it by heaping up arguments a∣gainst it,* 1.1 and disputing with it, considering its offers and its danger, but flie from it, that is, thinke not at all of it; lay aside all con∣sideration concerning it, and turne away from it, by any severe and laudable thought or businesse. Saint Hierome very wittily re∣proves the Gentile superstition, who pictu∣red the Virgin Deities armed with a shield and lance, as if chastity could not be defen∣ded without warre and direct contention. No; this enemy is to be treated otherwise. If you hear it speak, though but to dispute with it, it ruines you; and the very argu∣ments you go about to answer, leave a re∣lish upon the tounge. A man may be bur∣ned if he goes neer the fire, though but to quench his house; and by handling pitch, though but to draw it from your cloths, you defile your fingers.

2. Avoid idlenesse, and fill up all the spaces of thy time with severe and useful imploy∣ment: for lust usually creeps in at those

emptinesses, where the soul is unimployed and the body is at ease. For no easie, health∣ful, and idle person was ever chast, if he could be tempted. But of all imployments, bodily labour is most useful and of greatest benefit for the driving away the Devil.

3. Give no entertainment to the begin∣nings,* 1.2 the first motions and secret whispers of the spirit of impurity. For if you totally sup∣presse it, it dies: if you permit the fornace to breathe its smoke and flame out at any vent, it will rage to the consumption of the whole. This cockatrice is soonest crushed in the shell, but if it grows, it turns to a serpent, and a Dragon, and a Devil.

4. Corporal mortification and hard usages of our body hath by all ages of the Church been accounted a good instrument and of some profit against the spirit of fornication. A spare diet, and a thin course table, sel∣dome refreshment, frequent fasts, not vio∣lent and interrupted with returns to ordi∣nary feeding, but constantly little, unplea∣sant, of wholsome but sparing nourishment: For by such cutting off the provisions of vi∣ctual we shall weaken the strengths of our Enemy. To which if we adde, lyings upon the ground, painful postures in prayer, reci∣ting our devotions with our arms extended at full length, like Moses praying against A∣malek, or our blessed SAVIOUR hang∣ing upon his painful bed of sorrows, the Crosse; and (if the lust be upon us and

sharply tempting) by inflicting any smart to overthrow the strongest passion by the most violent pain, we shall find great ease for the present, and the resolution and apt suffe∣rance against the future danger. And this was S. Pauls remedy, I bring my body under;* 1.3 he used some rudenesses towards it. But it was a great nobleness of of chastity which S. Hie••ome reports of a Son of the King of Ni∣codemia, who being tempted upon flowers and a perfumed bed with a soft violence, but yet tied down to the temptation; and sollicited with circumstances of Asian Luxury by an impure Curtesan; lest the easiness of his posture should abuse h••m, spi•• out his tongue into her face: to represent that no virtue hath cost the Saints * 1.4 so much, as this of Chastity.

5. Elie from all occasions, temptations, loosnesses of company, Balls and Revellings, undecent mixtures of wanton dancings, idle talk, private society with strange women, starings upon a beauteous face, the company of women that are singers, amorous gestures, garish and wanton dressings, feasts and liber∣ty, banquets and persumes,* 1.5 wine and strong drinks, w^ch are made to perse∣cute chastity;* 1.6 some of these being the very Prologues to lust,* 1.7 and the most

innocent of them being but like condired or pickled Mushroms, which if carefully cor∣rected,* 1.8 and seldome tasted, may be harmlesse, but can never doe good: Ever remembring that it is easier to die for chastity, then to live with it; and the Hangman could not extort a consent from some persons, from whom a Lover would have intreated it. For the glory of chastity will easily overcome the rudeness of fear and violence; but easiness and softness, and smooth temptations creep in, and like the Sun make a maiden lay by her vail and robe, which persecution like the Northern winde, made her hold fast and clap close about her.

6. He that will secure his chastity, must first cure his pride and his rage. For often∣times lust is the punishment of a proud man, to tame the vanity of his pride by the shame and affronts of unchastity: and the same in∣temperate heat that makes anger, does en∣kindle lust.* 1.9

7. If thou beest assaulted with an unclean Spirit trust not thy ••elfe alone, but run forth into company, whose reverence and mode∣sty may suppresse, or whose society may di∣vert thy thoughts: and a perpetual witness of thy conversation is of especiall use against this vice, which evaporates in the open air like Camphire, being impatient of light and wiitnesses.

8. Use frequent and earnest-prayer to the King of Purities, the first of Virgins, the

eternal GOD, who is of an essential purity; that he would be pleased to reprove and cast out the unclean Spirit. For besides the blessings of prayer by way of reward, it hath a naturall virtue to restrain this vice: because a prayer against it, is an unwillingness to act it; and so long as we heartily pray against it, our desires are secured; and then this De∣vil hath no power. This was Saint Pauls other remedy: [For this cause I besought the Lord thrice,] And there is much reason and much advantage in the use of this in∣strument; because the main thing that in this affair is to be secured is a mans minde. He that goes about to cure lust by bodily ex∣ercises alone (as Saint Pauls phrase is) or mortifications,* 1.10 shall finde them sometimes instrumental to it, and incitations of sudden desires, but alwaies insufficient and of little profit: but he that hath a chaste minde shall finde his body apt enough to take laws; and let it doe its worst, it cannot make a sinne; and in its greatest violence can but pro∣duce a little natural uneasiness, not so much trouble as a severe fasting day, or a hard nights lodging upon boords. If a man be hungry he must eat, and if he be thirsty he must drink in some convenient time, or else ••e dies: but if the body be rebellions, so the minde be chaste, let it doe its worst, if you resolve perfectly not to satisfie it, you can re∣ceive no great evil by it. Therefore the pro∣per cure is by applications to the Spirit, and securities of the minde; which can no way so well be secured as by frequent and servent prayers, and sober resolutions, and severe dis∣courses. Therefore,

9. Hither bring in succor from considera∣tion of the Divine presence, and of his holy Angels, meditation of Death, and the passions of CHRIST upon the Crosse, imitation of his purities, and of the Virgin Mary his un∣spotted and holy Mother, and of such emi∣nent Saints who in their generations were burning and shining lights, unmingled with such uncleannesses which defile the soul, and who now follow the Lamb whithersoev••r he goes.

* 1.1110. These remedies are of universal efficacy in all cases extraordinary and violent: but in ordinary and common, the remedy which GOD hath provided, that is, Honourable marriage, hath a natural efficacy, besides a virtue by Divine blessing, to cure the incon∣veniences which otherwise might afflict per∣sons temperate and sober.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 a l••bidi∣nis 〈◊〉〈◊〉 app••ci•••• le fugam, si vis obtinere vi∣cto••iam. S. Aug.

  Nella gueria d' amor chi fuge vinc••
• * 1.2

  — Quisquis in primo obstititRepulitque ••morem, tutus ac victor fuit:Qui blandi••ndo dulce nat••ivit malum,Suò recusat ferre quod subiit jugunt.Senec: Hipp••l:
• * 1.3

  In vi••a S. Paul.
• * 1.4

  B••n••dictus in sp••tis se ••o ••••tavit. S. Ma••ti∣nianus faci••m & manus. S. Johannes cognom••nto Bonus, eal••••a••s a••utos inter ungue•• & ca••nem digi••orum mir••••••it S. Theoctisius i•• stivis more ferarum vixit ne inter A••abe•• pol••u••retur.
• * 1.5

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Iulian.
• * 1.6

  Venus resam am at p••opter sabellam quam recitat. Libanius.
• * 1.7

  Venter mero aestuans citò despuntatur in libidines. S. Hieron.
• * 1.8

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 che n••nn•••• s••ae••da non vrg•••••• ••••e mi••ec••••i
• * 1.9

  — nun•• quid ego à te Magno p••ugnatant d••pose•• conside — V•••••• a su•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 mea cum confe••b•••••• i••a.Ho••at. se••m l. Sat 2.
• * 1.10

  Mens impu∣dicam f••ce••••, non corpus s••le••.
• * 1.11

  Danda est o∣pera ut ma∣trimonio de∣vi••ciantur, quod est tu∣tissimum ju∣••entutis vin∣culum. Plut: de educ. lib.