σαρκὶ μὲν μάχεσθαι καὶ παραχρῆσθαι &c., to oppose the flesh, and to treat it ill; not suffering it to have its desires; Juxnavy, but to nourish the soul by faith and by knowledge: for by substracting from the body, we make provision for the soul's increase in wisdom and goodness. Which end of abstinence we are taught in the Collect for the first Sunday in Lent; wherein we pray, that our flesh being subdued to the spirit, we may ever obey His godly motions in righteousness and true holiness.

10. And, to omit other things, I see no reason why I should not add, in the last place, that these severities are acts of a just revenge, which a sinner takes upon himself, for his former excesses; by intemperance, luxury, impurity, pride, and vain-glory.

They are but just expressions of a due indignation against his past follies; and a becoming chastisement, which he inflicts upon himself for his licentious way of living.

St. Paul himself mentions this revenge, as the last effect of the Corinthian's sorrowing

after a Godly sort.3 "For behold, this self-same thing that ye sorrowed after a Godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you (to satisfy the apostle) yea, what clearing of yourselves (of approving what he condemned) yea, what indignation (against the offender) yea, what fear, (of the apostolical censures) yea, what vehement desire (to recover, I suppose, the apostle's good opinion) yea, what zeal (for the apostle's authority, which some slighted) yea, what revenge;" (in inflicting punishments suitable to the offence.)

By which word revenge it is true (and I will not in the least prevaricate in this argument) the best interpreters, and I believe rightly, understand the punishment lately inflicted, by the sentence of excommunication pronounced against the incestuous person, according to the apostle's order. Yet it is manifest, I think, that this revenge was taken by the Church, because the man did not take it on himself. If he had been sadly afflicted, if

32 Corinth. vii. 11

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he had humbled himself by fasting and weeping and mourning, by confessing his sin, by confusion of face, and all other signs of a true penitent; the Church had not proceeded to such a degree of severity against him, as to deliver him up to Satan. And such a revenge, whether enjoined by the Church, or inflicted by a man's self, the apostle makes the fruit of a pious sorrow.

That sharp grief wherewith the heart is wounded, when it reflects upon its disobedience to a most gracious Father; those stings, which a mind conscious of such foul ingratitude, feels in itself; that shame, that selfdisplacency, and loathing, which arises out of a serious sense of a man's offences, work in him such a detestation of his former course of life, that it will incline him by afflicting and punishing himself, after such a manner as I have described, to prevent the like again.

CHAPTER VI.

THE ABUSE OF THESE EXERCISES OUGHT NOT TO HINDER THE USE: WHEREIN A FURTHER ACCOUNT IS GIVEN OF THEM.

AND

ND this course ought not to be laid aside, because some have turned this just revenge, by inflicting punishments upon themselves, such ends as I have named, into a proper satisfaction of the justice of God. Which is the fault of the Church of Rome; who, by abusing many profitable things, has made others throw them quite away.

To fancy any such satisfaction, as they speak of, (which is variously explained by them, and by some very injuriously unto our Lord Christ) is to stretch the virtue of these things too far: but if we therefore shall wholly reject them, that will be to start aside as much the other way. The Church of God, in the purest times, before the birth of those errors, which are

comprehended under the name of Popery, most earnestly recommended and enjoined such afflictions of the body, without any design of satisfying the divine justice for their sins; and yet with an intention to punish themselves for them in hope that God would graciously spare them, and accept of their unfeigned repentance; of which these were the signs and tokens; and also the beginnings of a new life, and the means to bring it to greater perfection.

The very fast of Lent was anciently prolonged to that number of days of which it now consists, for the benefit of the public penitents, that were in the Church: who by such humiliations, as I have mentioned, gave satisfaction to the Church (which was another end of their afflicting themselves) and humbly begging their pardon, promised hereafter to be better Christians; and so prepared themselves to be reconciled, and admitted to the Holy Communion at Easter.

It would be endless to recite all the passages we meet with in Ecclesiastical writers, con