Flesh they that are after the spirite do mind spiritual things Surely to be fleshly minded is death but to be ghostly minded is life peace bycause that Fleshlymindednesse is enmitie against God for it is not obedient to Gods law neither can be They therefore that are in the Flesh cannot please god The same Apostle to the Galathians sayth thus Walke in the spirite yee shal not fulfil the lustes of the flesh For the Flesh lusteth against the spirite the spirit against the flesh And those two are at strife one against another so as yee cannot do what yee woulde And again They that are Christes haue crucified the Fleshe with the affections lusts therof To be short the Apostle warneth vs almost euery where to kepe coÌ„tinual battel against the Flesh when we be once regenerated and to stryue with al earnestnesse to holde downe and subdue the sinfulnesse and corruption of our nature sticking still in our Flesh by the spirite of God to crucifie that old man of ours with Christ to clenze away the olde leuen dayly more and more and that I may vse the Apostles owne words to mortifye our earthly members as lecherie vncloanesse nycenesse and euil concupisence Therfore let vs not promise ourselues rist safetie in this life we must stand always as it were in battelray so long as wee carrye the olde man about vs and we must fyght against the Fleshe without ceassing that the bodye of sin may be done away and perish as the Apostle saith to the Romans And they that are sanctifyed by the spirite must not in any wise so deale as sinne may raigne and beare swaye in them but they must with all force withstande the sinfulnesse and forewarde inclination to offend which is bred in them and as S. Peter sayeth they must absteyne froÌ„ fleshly lustes which mayntaine warre against the spirit â–ª and they must not abandon their members as seruants too vncleannesse vnrighteousnesse from leaudnesse to leaudnesse but as seruants of rightuousnesse vnto holines Nother must they runne forwarde with blinde brayde whither so euer the flesh driueth them nor heape sinne vppon sinne but they muste fight I say continually against the fleshe as long as they liue They must subdue theyr naughtie affectioÌ„s and not cocker themselues in their ouerteÌ„dernesse nor giue head to their lustes Finally we must by al meanes endeuor to put off the old man according to that former coÌ„uersatioÌ„ which is corrupted w deceitfull lustes to be renued in the spirit of our mind so as we put on the new man which is created to Godward in true holinesse rightuousnesse as Paule saith to the Ephesians I say to put off the olde man with his deeds and to put on the newe which is renewed to the knowledge and image of him that made him as the same Apostle sayth to the Colossians and lastly to forsake all vngodlynesse worldly lustes and to liue soberly vprightly and godlily in this present worlde wayting for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and sauiour Iesus Christ who gaue him selfe for vs to redeeme vs froÌ„ all vnrightuousenesse and to clenze vs for a peculiar people to himselfe that we myght be followers of good workes as the same Apostle writeth to Titus I will adde this one thing more before I make an ende There hath bin some stryfe in our dayes who are rightly to bee taken for fleshly and who for ghostly I wil touch the matter shortly He therefore is sayde to bee Fleshly whiche strayneth not himselfe to the vttermost of his power to keepe downe the corruption and naughtie affections that are in the fleshe and as it were to purge away the old leuen but is caried by them into al kind of leaudenesse and wickednesse and rusheth wittingly and willingly against the precepts of the ten commaundements and shaking off the force of god beareth too muche with him selfe being a seruant to his bodie and that I may vse the words of the apostle Iude walking after his own lusts Contrariwise he is spirituall which being stirred vp by Gods spirite endeuoreth with all his harte to liue a holye life to obey Gods commaundements to kepe himselfe vndefyled of the world to put off the old maÌ„ to subdue the sinfulnes that is bredin him as saith the Apostle to kil the deeds of the body thorow the spirit and which feeling his fâ—esh striuing ther against doeth yet after a sorte offer violeÌ„ce to his owne nature and suffereth not him self willingly to be ouercome of his owne lustes in so muche that if he can doo no more at leastwise he suffereth not sinne to reigne in him but vpon trust of Gods hope indeuoreth to liue out of the flesh being in the flesh in the meane while bewayling his own infirmitie and weakenesse and bicause he cannot put away the renants of sinne that sticke fast in his flesh he prayeth too haue them pardoned for Christes sake For let no man looke too plucke vp quite and cleane or too remoue whole away the inbred corruption whiche is as the roote of all sins Alwayes there remains some behind vntill the flesh be brought again into dust and consumed to nothing For only death is it that dispatcheth that mischiefe In respect whereof Augustine sayeth thus there is alwayes a fighting in the bodie of this death bicause the coÌ„cupiscence wherwith we be borne cannot be ended as long as wee liue It may dayly be diminished but ended it cannot bee Concerning this difference between the fleshly the spiritual man I will cyte a few things out of Irenaeus who in his fifth booke against the Heresies of Valentine writeth in maner thus They that haue the pledge of the spirit serue not the lusts of the flesh but submit theÌ„selues to the spirit leade their life in all poynts agreingly too reason them doth the Apostle rightly call spirituall bicause Gods spirite dwelleth in them And after a few other words the vnion of the soule and bodie saith hee taking Gods spirit vntoo it maketh a man spirituall But as for them that reiect and forsake the counsell of the holy Ghost serue the lustes of the flesh liue not according too reason but are caried headlong into all sensualitie and being vtterly destitute of the breath of Gods spirit doe liue after the maner of Swine and Dogges them doeth the Apostle iustly call Fleshely bicause they mynd nothing but Fleshly things so foorth The same Authour anon after sayth thus For they that are such doe beare men in hande that they beleeue in the father and the sonne but yet doe they neuer set their myndes vppon Gods woord as they should doe neyther are they bewtifyed with the workes of righteousnesse but as I sayd afore they liue like swine and dogges giuing themselues to vncleannesse gluttome and all other vyces Iustly therefore doth the Apostle terme all such men fleshly and sensual forasmuch as
â—â—ey take not holde of Gods spirite by reason of their vnbeliefe and sensualitie but walke vnreasonably after their own lustes And the prophets call theÌ„ cattell wyld beastes common custom termeth them brute beastes without reason and in all the Lawe it selfe calleth them vncleane And anon after For the same cause sayth he the Lorde termeth them dead men For hee biddeth them let the dead bury their dead bicause they haue not the spirite in them that quickeneth the man Contrarywise as many as feare God and hope for the comming of his sonne and settle the holie Ghost in their hartes by fayth shall iustly be called men and cleane and spirituall and ghostly and alyue to God bicause they haue the spirit of the father which maketh a man cleane and rayseth him vp to the lyfe of God. Many things doth Irenaeus alledge there coÌ„cerning this matter which are in deed worthie to be red but yet am I compelled to omit them for auoyding of tediousnesse Neuerthelesse I thought it good to set downe some parte of them for the better vnderstanding of the things that I haue alledged out of Paule concerning the Flesh the spirit only so farre forth as belongeth to the present purpose Of the VVorld NOw followeth that we treat of the World which prouoketh men to many euils and coÌ„monly ministreth occasions opportunities of all kynds of sin corrupting meÌ„ by example vndoing theÌ„ by stuÌ„bling blockes First of all therfore the World stirreth vp the Fleshe which of it self ruÌ„neth a main as is said to vainglory pridâ— ouerweening For wheras all of vs are naturally desirous of glorie more or lesse according to euery mans dispositioÌ„ y World quickneth vp pricketh forward and as it were wakeneth that affection by innumerable wayes No man can willingly finde in his hart to be vnnoble vnrenoumed much lesse to be vtterly despized as a rascall there is no man but he coueteth to place put him self foorth before others And there bee a great sort who loking to be alonly magnified honored of all men not only despize other mens meanenesse in comparison of themselues and make no reckening of them but also doe alwayes eyther by open resistance or by priuie vndermyning malice and guile bite their equalles and matches for very spyte and cankred euill will bycause they enuy their vertue prayse and glory as in maner dayly examples shewe And oftentymes it falleth out that when wee see other men in honour authoritie and credite wee also stryue to bee equall with them and whatsoeuer it bee whereby renowme authoritie or dignitie may be gotten we giue our selues to it with might and mayne to atteyne the same and enuy other men for them For commonly Pryde is accompanyed with spitefulnesse But it cannot be said how great a vice Ambition or Pryde is nor howe many mischiefes spring of it Therfore that the godly man may eschew pride let him bethink him of this saying of our Sauiour in the Gospel He that exalteth himself shal be brought low And of this in the Apostle Sainct Peter See that ye haue lowlinesse of mynd setled in you for good withstandeth the loftie giueth grace to the lowely Therefore humble your selues vnder gods mightie hand that he may lift you vp when time serueth Saint Iames as it were poynting with his finger to this saying of S. Peters sayth Humble your selues in the sight of the lord he wil exalt you There are other textes of scripture besides these which are able to scare men from pryde And certesse it is very hard for a man to asswage and represse this loftinesse of mynd to think lowly humbly of himself For the roote of it is fastened deepe in mans brest springing out of the blynd self-loue which is ingraffed in all men by nature Hereof commeth the estimation and trust of our owne vertues power and wisdome and the misknowing of mans weaknesse and infirmitie This doth oftentymes breede the despizing and oppressing of others A braunche hereof is that vyce whereof the Diuell rather than the world is the breeder namely the hypocriticall pryde pharisaicall ouerweening where through men doe not only conceyue some singular opinion of their owne righteousnesse but also despize other men as vngodly in comparison of themselues Of the which matter there is a parable in S. Luke wherein Christ speaking of the praying of the pharisie and of the Publicane addeth this after speeche in the end of it that whosoeuer exalteth himself shal be brought low and whosoeuer humbleth him self shal be exalted Heerewithall agreeth the saying of the blessed virgin and mother of God that god lifteth vp and exalteth the lowlie and pulleth downe the mightie from their seates But now let vs proceed to the rest Lyke as the Fleshe is naturally giuen to ryot vnrulinesse wantonnesse euen so the world ministreth sundrie furtherances of lust nurrishments of vnstayednesse and firebronds of lecherie to the Fleshe adding fyre to fyre and oyle to the flame It setteth all kyndes of pleasures before it and whereas of it owne accord it gapeth to greedily after such things it not only quickeneth it vp with the smoothe enticementes of them but also tolleth it on and holdeth it snared in captiuitie to them Whatsoeuer the Fleshe lyketh of what sorte soeuer it bee bee it right or wrong the world doth in all poyntes feede the humor of it most perniciously soothing following smoothing and commending all things and suffering it to be caryed headlong into all mischiefe by foading the vyces and leaudnesse of it And verily the World is to the Flesh as a fit couer for such a potte as the prouerbe saith so iump doe they agree togither in all poyntes as I will shewe more playnly in due place Oftentymes also the World yeldeth both causes and occasions of spiting of backebiting of hatred of reuenge of hartburning of malice of anger of impatience of enmitie of quarellyng of slaunderyng of scoldyng of raylyng and of innumerable other sinnes And this is so true and manifeste as it can neyther bee denyed nor ought to be set foorth with moe woordes Therefore let vs bee euer in a readinesse as it were to some battell whensoeuer wee intende to set foote out of doores and to goe abroadeâ— Let vs alwayes set sure watche vppon our selues and vppon our owne myndes and when wee shall haue to doe with other men let vs looke well aboute vs vppon all our sayinges and dooyngs as though wee were among the thickeste of our enemyes Let vs eschewe Stages Gamyngs Syghtes Dauncing schooles and throngs of people least anye thyng happen to come in our syghte whych maye eyther corrupte vs by example or hurte vs by giuyng vs offence Thou meetest a woman of verye good fauour and bewtie beware thou fasten not thyne eyes vppon hir For hee that looketh vppon a woman to luste after hir is an aduouterer alreadye in hys harte sayth our Sauyour Thou meetest with a
bodie is maynteyned What sayeth Paule Nother whoremongers nor aduouterers nor nycelings shall inherite the kingdome of God againe ye knowe that no whoremonger or vncleane persone hath anye inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of god Hereunto also belongeth this saying It is the wil of God that you should be holy and absteine from al fornication And this Eschewe whoredome what so euer other sin a man committeth it is without his bodye but he that committeth whoredome sinneth against his owne body Hereunto perteyneth this saying to the Hebrewes Honorable among all men is wedlocke â— the vndefyled bed but whoremongers aduouterers God will iudge Remember what that chast and shamefast yongman Iacobs sonne answered to his mistresse when she wold haue had him to be naught with hir How may I quod he do this so great wickednesse and not sinne against God Ye see how the feare of GOD calleth Ioseph from naughtinesse And anon after when his mistresse would haue compelled him he fled away from hir left his cloke in hir hande Likewise Susanna being led by the feare of God choze rather to dy a shamfull death than to consent to aduoutrie And Sophronia of whom Eusebius writeth strake hir selfe through with a knife to the intent shee would not bedefiled with whordome Cal too minde how greuously God punished Dauid for aduouterie Remembre howe the tribe of Beniamin was slayne almost euery mothers sonne for defyling a Leuits wife and here I omit a thousand other mo bycause I wil not be to long Here peradueÌ„ture y wilt answer that thou callest all these things to minde and yet art not able to withstande thy flesh or to brydle thy lusts that thy continuall praying vnto god doth not gretly auayle thee that thy paynefull studying thine honest exercises and thy godly occupying of thy selfe do nothing profit thee finally that thine often abstineÌ„ce fasting watching thy sobernesse aduisednesse and continual keeping of companie with good men that loue god do boote thee nothing at al. Wretch that I am therefore what shall I do sayest thou I see brother I see whosoeuer thou art that thou bearest with thy selfe too much surely thou art too fleshly mynded sith that not euen wedlocke the wholsomest remedie of all others and ordeyned of God for the redresse of suche diseases as the Apostle declareth can quenche thy lust and call thee backe from whoredome Therefore suche cowardlynesse and nycenesse of minde must be put awaye and thou must wrestle lustily against the motions of the flesh with inuincible courage of Gospel-like minde and not foade thy selfe in thine owne feeblenesse Streyne thy selfe not only to beare the brunt and assault of a short time but also to beare out the lingering tediousnesse of long continuyng temptation neither fainting as ouercome or tyred with the diuels long holding out in assayling thee nor despayring of Gods helpe who doubtlesse will succour thee in tyme conuenient as sayeth the Psalmist He is too tender a carpetknight which will needes haue victorie of his enimie without putting of himselfe too any stresse or labour No man is crowned sayeth the Apostle except he performe his chalenge lawfully And truly I confesse that mans weaknesse is ouer great too withstand the flesh and the Diuell if hee haue an eye too his owne strength but yet as sayeth the Apostle wee bee able too doo all things through Iesus Christe who strengtheneth vs Therefore let vs leane to the help and defence of Christ let vs humbly pray to Christ for his assistaÌ„ce let vs continually and incessantly beseeche God the father for our Lorde Iesus Christes sake that he suffer vs not too bee ouercome of temptation but rather that hee deliuer vs from euill that is to say from the Diuell for his sonne our sauiours sake according as Christe commaunded his disciples to pray And let vs not doubt but that when we aske so according too his will God will heare vs and that he is able to doo abundantly aboue all that we can craue or wishe Remember that when thou waâ—t baptized thou diddest enter thy name into the musterbooke of thy captayne Christ and wart sworne vnto him that thou promisedst to serue him in his warrs all thy life long and that thou forsokest the worlde and the Diuell Now therefore sticke stoutly to thy tackling and shewe thy selfe a man whensoeuer the cace requireth it at thy hande in this so greate incounter agaynst the Diuell Thinkest thou that thou shalt bee crowned without getting the victorie Or that thou shalt get the victorie without battell Or that thou shalt fight without enimies to assayle thee And what else is theyr chalenge in the end but ground of euerlasting glory if thou buckle thy self to the battel with a stoute and princely courage vpon trust of Gods help Go too theÌ„ be valiaÌ„t in the Lord and in the mightinesse of his strength as the Apostle counsayleth the Ephesians to be Put on the whole complet armour of God that thou mayest be able to stande against the deuils assaultes Take to thee the shield of faith wherewith thou mayst warde all fiery dartes of that wicked finde Take to thee the spirituall sword whiche is Gods word as the same apostle teacheth vs and in resisting the Deuil looke not alonely to humane weakenesse but looke for Gods helpe with great assurednesse How effeminate is he which can not brydle his lust and refrayne from aduoutrie hauing entred into wedlocke which the apostle counselleth for auoyding of fornicatioÌ„ But surely he can yea verâ—ly can he so he bee vnfeynedly minded and do earnestly indeuer it neither cockering his own nycenesse nor discoraging himself through despayre of the heaueÌ„ly helpe which neuer fayleth such as pray hartily and continually for it For God helpeth our infirmity so we shake off cowardlynesse sloth and fight manfully and with stout corage against Satan neither doth God at any time suffer vs to be tempted aboue our power but tempereth the successe of the temptation in such wise as we may be able to beare it out as saith Paule nay rather he giueth vs victorie of our enimies by our lord Iesus Christ if we flee to him for succor and call vpon him trustfully for helpe without any doubting at all as sayth saint Iames. But let vs proceed to the rest of the vices among which the first that incount ereth vs is the vice of the bellie and the mouth which is called gluttonie or ryot Wonderfully in good soothe is the fleshe prone thereto and is verye loth to be brydeled of it She loueth to liue delicately tenderly ryotously feastingly and not sparely stayedly and soberly But the man that is rightly wel disposed and feareth GOD perswadeth himselfe that Gods will is to be followed rather than the flesh to be pampered and thervpon indeuoreth to represse gluttonie and surfetting with the contrarie vertues of sobrietie â–ª stayednesse temperance of dyet And in deed if we may beleue Phisitions contraries
trewly Satans wylinesse in assaulting vs is woonderfull For one while in tempting vs to sinne he speaketh vs faire and smileth vpon vs lessing the heynousnesse of the offence and taking away the feeling of Gods wrath for sinne by remouing his grecuous threatnings out of our remembrance and not suffering vs to minde the punishmentes that God hath executed vpon sinners in old time To bee shorte hee maketh the sinner carelesse on all sides and as sayeth Cyprian hee sootheth to deceiue smileth to smite and allureth to kill Otherwhiles on the contrarie part he woonderfully inhaunceth our sinnes beyond all measure and driueth vs almoste to dispaire by the feeling of Gods displeasure he setteth before our eyes the examples and punishmentes of other men thervpon he biddeth vs gather what we our selues ought to looke for indeuering in cōclusiō to bereue vs of all hope of forgiuenesse to draw vs to endles destructiō Those vndoutedly be the diuels fyrie darts which S. Paule speaketh of in the Epistle too the Ephesians Also this is a wonderfull wyle of the diuel aboue all the rest For like a craftsmayster and cunning forger of all mischeefe as hee is when he cannot ouercome vs by his owne feates and by the vices that he prouoketh vs vnto then laboreth he to ouercome vs by our owne weldoings O how dreadfull an enimie is hee whiche maketh euen vertue an occasion of sinning This wil become the playner by an example When he tempteth a man to surfetting and drunkennesse if the man yelde vnto him then hath he woonne him to the fulfilling of his lust whereof hee ministred matter vnto him to performe it withal And if the partie withstand it then doeth hee make him proude in his heart for hauing so good stay of himselfe And so the diuel ouercommeth euen in being ouercome Likewise when he goeth about to inflame a man with loue of mony if the man take not good heede hee is like to fal into the crime of couetousenesse whiche as saieth the Apostle is the seruing of Idolles But if to spyte Satan withall hee become the bountyfuller and kynderharted to the poore then shall he hardly shift from swelling vp with some secrete pride Thus doth Satan cōmonly cut euery mannes throte with his owne sworde as they say ▪ and like a wily and olde wringer as he is he maketh them to vse his owne trickes and suttle sleyghtes In fleeing from the smoake men fall into the fyre By reason whereof he is no lesse to bee feared when hee is ouercome than when hee ouercommeth Diuers times he fayneth himselfe to be ouerthrown and out of strength to the intente to step vp againe the fiercer He runnes away to drawe men into ambushe and to giue them the counterbuffe vnwares He giueth place openly to vanquishe by stelth To be shorte whom he cannot catch with sweetenesse and delight him he compasseth with the conceyte and wel lyking of his owne vertues Hereof sprang this bosting of the pharisies I am not a robber a wrong dealer nor an aduouterer as other men are I fast twice a weeke I giue tithes of all that I haue Rightly dothe Ambrose in a certaine place warne vs that all other vices preuayle by euil deedes but only pryde is to be taken heede of euen in wel doings And surely there is not any man that can be ready ynough to beware of pride Euen vertue it selfe as I sayd doth oftentimes minister occasion to this vice yea and it commeth to passe diuers times that we vaūt our selues to loftily in the ouerwening of our own myldenesse and in the humbling of our harts by bearing a lowe sayle insomuche that euen in mislykyng of oure pride wee doe after a sorte swell secretely in oure selues for mislyking of oure pride And so wee fall intoo the same vice that we shūned most of al. Warely therfore must we worke warely must we preuent Satans temptations and we muste labour to espye the intent and drifte of our most wily enimie yea and as sayeth Sainct Paule to knowe the very thoughtes and cōceits of Satan What then shal a christiā mā do in so many so diuers and so great assaults of his most merciles enimie Soothly he must flee to the maiestie of God for helpe he muste pray without ceassing and he must with earnest and hartie supplication beseeche the eternall God the father of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to deliuer vs for his sonne our mediatour and high priestes sake from the euill whiche neuer ceasseth one minute of an houre but assaulteth vs continually and not too suffer vs to fal or to quaile vnder temptation Also we ourselues putting from vs the ouertendernesse of our hartes must with singular stoutnesse resist the Diuel that assayleth vs maynteyning warre against him vpon assurance of gods helpe beware of the ambusshes that he hath layde redy for vs and not giue him any occasion to set vppon vs vnwares Moreouer let vs call to minde the examples of the saints that haue withstood the Diuel manfully the punishmēts that haue bin executed vpō sinners the greeuous threatnings of the holye scriptures that in so doing we may by the helpe of the holy ghost be able to ouercome the tēptations of the Diuel the easelyer to vanquish our most suttle enemy who assaulteth vs not only by himselfe but also by the worlde and chiefly by our owne flesh that is to say by our own selues and in our owne selues Neither let vs hope for peace out of hande when we happen to haue gottē once the better hande of him What then We must as yee would say stand cōtinually in battell ray for we cannot be discharged of the daunger of the diuels assaulting vntill wee bee dispatched of our life Of which matter I thinke it very expedient to adde here the words of that holy man martire of Christ saint Cipryan Simeon sayth he auoweth that Gods seruants are then at peace in free and quiet rest when they be taken out of the turmoyles of this world are arriued in the hauen dwelling place of the euerlasting safetie whē they haue put away this death are come to immortalitie For that is our peace our sure rest our stable firme continuing safety But as for the world what else do we in it than keepe continuall war against the diuel than stand in cōtinual conflict against his darts weapons we haue to incounter against couetousnes against vnchastnes against anger against vainglory we haue a continual endles combersome wrestling to indure against fleshly vices worldly allurements mans minde being beseeged as it were trenched in with the noysomnes of the diuel is scarce able to incounter him to withstād him in al places As soone as couetousnes is ouerthrowen Lecherie steps vp as soone as lecherie is suppressed ambitiō takes his place if ambition be shakē off anger wexeth fyerce pryde puffeth vp tippling inticeth enuie breaketh
concorde ielosie cutteth off friendship Thou art compelled to speake euill whiche the Lawe of God forbiddeth Thou art driuen to sweare which is not lawful So many persecutiōs doth the mind dayly suffer and with so many dangers is the hart distressed and yet doth it delight thee to stand stil heere among the diuels swords when thou shouldest rather wishe and desire to hye thee vnto Christe by the helpe of speedie death and so foorth Now like as thou muste not be proud if thou haue at any time ouercome thine enimy through the helpe of God so must thou not bee out of harte though he ouerthrowe thee as it were dash thee against the ground but thou must ryse vp againe the lustilier against thine enimie and not suffer him to go his way vnfoyled And that shalt thou do if thou praye often and hartily vnto God and craue the helpe of the holy ghost at God the fathers hand for Iesus Christs sake henceforth loke more neerly to thy self walking circumspectly and warely in all things and looking euery way aduizedly about thee that thou offend not vnwares ne dash against any thing if thou be strong in the Lord by the power of his strength as sayth the apostle finally if thou alwayes and aboue all things bee mindfull of mans frayltie that wheras thou seemest to thy selfe to stande thou loke throughly substantially to it that thou fall not and imploy thy selfe to thy saluation with feare and trembling But to returne to our former matters in the diuels tempting of vs when he pricketh vs foorth to any of the things aforesaide wee must first and formost take to vs the sword of the spirit which is gods worde after the example of our sauiour Iesus Christe who being tempted of the diuel resorted to the mistical scripture by meanes whereof he brought to passe that the diuel went away vanquished and did let him alone as the storie of the gospel witnesseth The like must we do As for example therby to make the thing more manifest if he go about to bring a mā to the neglecting of Gods worde of holy assemblies the man of God by and by fearing himself must bethinke him of his saying to S. Iohn He that is of God heareth gods worde c. My sheepe heare my voyce If he goe about to driue vs to dispayre for the vnmeasurable number of our sinnes Let vs call to remembrance this saying of our Sauiour in Iohn God so loued the worlde as he gaue his only begotten sonne to the intent that whosoeuer trusteth in him should not perishe but haue life euerlasting And this saying of the same our sauiour in Mathew Come vnto me all yee that are weerye and ouerloden and I will refresh you Also this whiche is written in the first Epistle of S. Iohn If any of vs sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father euen Iesus Chryste the righteous and he is the attonement for our sins Again herein appeared Gods loue towards vs that God sent his onely begotten son into the world too the ende that we might liue by him c. So likewise in all other of the Diuels temptations and suggestions the godly man muste as I sayde afore take to him the spirituall sworde to incounter his enimie withall and he shall go away with victory in all cōflictes through the helpe of god For without Gods grace mans indeuor is vaine and to no purpose For al our abilitie commeth of God it is Gods euery whit of it as saith that blissed man Cyprian Neither can wee hope for any victory against the Diuel by reason of the feeblenesse and infirmitie of our owne strength vnlesse God helpe vs And that is the very cause why our Lord commaundeth vs to desire of God the father that he should not leade vs into temptation but as oft we flee vnto him deliuer vs from that euil wyght whiche suffereth vs not to be in rest and quiet one minute of an houre The same Lorde of ours exhorteth vs to watch and pray least wee fall into temptation Yea the Apostle Peter quickeneth vs to sobrietie and watchfulnesse bycause of our aduersarie the Diuell who goeth about like a roring Lyon secking whom to deuour But nowe to finish this part of the diuels temptation I will breefly set downe what Tertullian sayth of that most sturdie enimie of mankinde He neuer suffereth his malice to rest saith he he matcheth he assaulteth he beseegeth if he may by any meanes eyther strike the eyes with fleshly concupiscēce or snare the minde with worldly intycementes or ouerthrowe fayth with feare of earthly authoritie or writhe one from the sure way by vntowarde traditions he spareth no stumbling-blockes he spareth no temptations To the same purpose also maketh this of saint Cyprian Our aduersary with whō we be at warres is old on auncient enimie It is ful sixe thousand yeeres ago since the diuell did first fight against man He hath now learned all kinds of tempting and al slights and trickes to ouerthrowe euen by the long continuance of his practise If he fynde Christes souldyer vnprepared rawe not heedful nor watching with all his harte he windeth about him vnwitting it he beguyleth him vnwares he deceyueth him for want of skill But if a man that keepeth Gods commaundements sticketh stoutly vnto Christ do cope with him he must needes be ouercome bycause Christ whō the man confesseth is vnvanquishable The same man in another place saith thus Wee must keepe watch my deere brethren and labour with al our power that we may with all heedfulnesse and wakernesse withstande our enimie in his rage who shooteth his dartes at vs to strike vs and wound vs in al parts of our body He goeth prying about euery one of vs and like an enimie that beseegeth the walles of a towne hee spyeth and tryeth whither any part of our members he lesse stedie and assured than it shuld be that he may breake in at it to the inner partes He offereth the eyes alluring shapes and delightfull pleasures to destroy chastitie by sight He tempteth the eares with shirle musik that the sweetnesse of the sounde may lozen and soften the corage of the Christian by heering He prouoketh the tong to misspeaking he pricketh foreward the hands to malapertnes of slaughter through prouocation of wrongs Too make a manne a deceyuer he faceth him with vniust gayne Too catch the soule with couetousnesse hee thrusteth in hurtfull commoditie To bereeue a man of the heauenly honour he promiseth him worldly honour To steale from him the true things he sheweth him the false things And when hee can not beguile couertly hee threateneth openly and apertly manacing with terror of troublesome persecution as one that is alwayes enimie to Gods seruants always restles in seking to subdue them In peace he is slye in persecution violent Therfore my deerebeloued brethren our minds must stande armed weaponed as wel against all the
diuels deceitfull slights as against all his open manaces as readie alwayes to fight against him as our enimie is alwayes redie to assayle vs Thus much sayeth saint Cyprian And this enimie is so much more to be feared than the flesh or the world not only bycause he almost neuer ceasseth to assault vs on al sides al our life long but also putteth vs to our plundge at the point of death when we be readie to giue vp the ghost At that which instant he laboreth to driue vs to dispayre by setting our sinnes before our eyes by inhauncing them wonderfully aboue mesure Moreouer at the same time he bringeth importunately to our remeÌ„brance the iudgment seate of the Lord the tormeÌ„ts of hell the fire that shall neuer be quenched furthermore Gods rigour the examples of Goddes dreadfull wrath in punishing of sinners that he may driue the wretched ma to dispayre of his saluatioÌ„ Also he casteth in a chokepeare to make him dout of gods mercie and putteth perilous thoughtes in his heade of predestination To be short he striueth to weaken the beleefe of the thynges that are to be beleued and maketh to cal al the whole doctrine of our Religion into doubt that he may so at length throwe him headlong into endlesse damnation Or if he perceiue hym selfe to win nothing that way then he transformeth himselfe into an Angel of light and whom he could not perchaunce driue to dispayre him he stirreth vp to a certaine vngodly selftrust and to a presuming vpon his own desertes and so laboureth to oppresse him vnwares with carelesnesse yea and euen standing in a fond conceyt of his own good deds Of the whiche matter forasmuch as I haue spokeÌ„ sufficiently in my booke of the comforting of the sick I wil adde no more of it here These are almost al the things that came to my mind coÌ„cerning the conflict of the Christen maÌ„ against the flesh the world the diuel which I thought good too put forth Great vndoubtedly is mannes vnabilitie to resist these enimies but yet as I sayde wee bee able to doe al things through him that strengtheneth vs and that is the sonne of God our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ. Be of good cheere saith be I haue ouercome the world Therefore let vs be of good corage and call continually vpon God for help and as our sauiour counselleth vs let vs not be weery of praying let vs eschew al occasions of sinning let vs forthw t stop the teÌ„ptations at their first enterance let vs neuer suffer them to gather strength For when men stand or tarry any thing long vppon filthy thoughtes they runne in daunger of being ouercome at the length When we haue gotten the vpper hande let vs buckle our selues new againe to the battell and not imagine the conflict to be come yet to a finall end For wee muste looke still for one temptation in anothers necke And if we be ouercome let vs not be out of hart for it For as it is true that one said that is too wit that the man which runnes away may fight againe so is it as true that the conquerour hath oftentimes bin ouercome of the vanquished Let vs doe our indeuor that whatsoeuer occasion our enemye giueth vs of sinning wee may take holde of it to doe well and as the prouerb sayeth lette vs cut his throte with his owne sworde Right hard and difficult surely is the combate with our enimie but yet is the victorie easie by the helpe of god Only let vs withstand him manfully and with stoute corage and God will helpe our indeuor that I may vse the Apostles words he wil treade downe Satan vnder our feete When our enimie tempteth vs let vs alwayes call to mynd the shortnesse and vncertaintie of this lyfe the presentnesse of death at all times and in all places the perill of vnrepentantnesse the endlesse punishments of hell but specially and aboue all thinges Gods being present euerywhere and the presence of the Angels whome our most mercifull father hathe appointed to keepe vs Let vs beare in minde that we be the temple of God â–ª and that Gods spirite dwelleth in vs Therefore let vs not I say let vs not vnhallow Gods holie temple neither let vs as sayth the Apostle greeue the holy spirite of God by following our filthye lustes and running foorth whithersoeuer oure enemie the Diuel calleth vs Let vs not driue away the Angels whom God hath set to be our kepers for the mayntenaunce of welfare the reuerence of whoÌ„ ought of right to call vs backe from sin and wickednes Let vs be ashamed to do those things in the sâ—ght of the angels which we would be loth to doe in the sight of a man Let the purenesse and holinesse of the Angels keepe vs somewhat in awe from sinning Nay rather let God himselfe who is present euery where who is the searcher of mens raynes and hartes and which looketh into the innermost conceyts of our mindes let him say I â—ray vs not onely from al leude wicked deedes but also from thinking vpon any thing that is vnhonest filthy or vncleane if wee be not vtterly godlesse stark Epicures Finally let vs indeuer to bee sobre beware that our harts be not ouercharged with surfeting and drunkennesse But as the Church of God sing in hymnes I say more sparely let vs vse Our words our meate and eke our drinke Our sleepe and Play that we may stande More stiffly stil vppon our garde And let vs shunne all naughtie things â–ª Which ouerthrowe the wauering mindes â–ª And let vs giue our wily foe No roome to vse his tyrannie Last of all let vs assure ourselues that in this harde and daungerous incounter against our inbred coruptioÌ„ pronenes to sin against the innumerable inticements of the world against the prince of darknesse and god of this world whiche maintaineth vnreconcylable war against vs the holy ghost helpeth not the cowards hartles sort nor the sluggards and slothful sort nor such as sit loytring and ydle as it were with their armes folded one within another Therefore let vs not soothe our selues in our owne weaknesse neither let vs cocker our owne nycenesse but being armed weaponed with the spirituall furniture that saint Paule maketh mention of in the Epistle too the Ephesians lette vs ioyne battell cherefully as valiant in the Lord and by the mightines of his strength as saith the apostle Let vs not giue brydle wilfully to our affections neither let vs at any time shrinke wyllingly from Gods grace They that streyne themselues are helped from aboue as they say God giueth his holy spirit for Christ the meadiators sake to them that craue it Through whose ayde and helpe mans infirmitie which else had bin vtterly vnable through the only powers of nature is nowe inabled by power from heauen if it submit it selfe thereto at leastwise so wee fayle not ourselues but beware