I saye runne to thy ruine and destruction for the pleasant companye of thy companions but to the vttermost of thy power sequester thy selfe from them and let eternall saluation be more deere and pretious vnto thee then a shorte delighte of worldly ioye and pleasure A right pithie and profitable exhortation to forsake vice and imbrace vertue AGaine and againe thinke thus with thy selfe that I may nowe come to the laste poynt that he doth not truely repent neyther is or may be counted a Christian who continueth in sinne and wickednes neither that there is anye true faith in him who sinneth against his conscience and committeth an heynous offence Let vs not therefore be Christians in name onely being farre of from the thing it selfe neither let vs boast of faith in wordes alone but let vs truly and vnfeynedly repente let vs turne to God with all our heart let vs not trusting to our owne strength but to the helpe and assistance of God endeuour to reforme vice by vertue alwayes to liue godlily iustly innocently vprightly holily chastly soberly temperately profitably to the Churche of God friendly to the life of man and as Paule saith as it becommeth the Gospell of Christe Let vs moreouer dayly desire of our heaueÌ„ly father by our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ that he will giue vnto vs his holy spirite who may gouern guide teach sanctisie rayse vp comfort and quicken vs for Christe in the gospell hath promised that his heauenlye father will giue the same spirite vnto vs if we by harty prayer aske it of him And let vs not resiste the holy Ghost by yeelding to our wicked desires against our conscience neither let vs expell or greeue him that I may vse the word of the Apostle Paul. Let vs walke in newenesse of life let vs not serue sinne let vs giue vp our bodyes a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God let vs mortefie the fleshe with the affections and lustes thereof let vs keepe our selues vnspotted of the world let vs be renued in the spirite of our minde and put on the newe man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holines let vs be followers of God as deere children let vs walke worthye of the Lord and as it becommeth saints forbearing one another through loue endeuoring to kepe the vnitie of the spirite in the bonde of peace let vs be gentle louing one towards another let vs loue our enemies let vs blesse them that curse vs let vs doe well to them that hate vs let vs praye for them that hurt and trouble vs let vs giue meate to the hungrye drinke to the thirstie releefe to the needye let vs harbour straungers cloth the naked visite the sicke admonish him that is out of the way instructe the ignoraunte helpe the perplexed with our counsaill comfort the afflicted reconcile suche as be at discorde and variance despise worldly honours contemne vayne glorye brieflye let vs not seeke after welth and riches lett vs endeuour alwayes to subdue and represse our naturall corruption and wicked affections and let vs not onely take heede least our hearts be at anye time ouercome with surfettinge and drunkennes but let vs also by fasting and due abstinence prepare our selues to prayer and among so many deceites and inuasions of Satan the world and the flesh let vs with ardent prayer aske helpe of God Let vs not be proud in prosperitie or discouraged in aduersitie whatsoeuer we doe let vs doe all things to the glorye of God let vs not regarde onely our owne matters but rather those which are other mens Moreouer let vs so behaue our selues that none be offended by vs but that we may by our good example bring other to vertue and godlines finally let vs pray dayly and without intermission in all things let vs giue thanks let vâ—â—lwaies aspire to heaueÌ„ly things let vs contemne humane and earthly These things are hard thou wilt say I coÌ„fesse it yet are they agreable to a christian profession needeful to saluation Let vs then do our diligence that we may cast of al remissenes of mind let vs not ouermuch fauor our selues nor yeeld to our own infirmitie or euer willingly be cause that the grace of God bee in vaine in vs Let vs not only not fall into sinne wittingly but let vs also valiauntly resist the assaults of Satan neuer yeeldinge vnto him through cowardise or sluggishnes Nowe what is not to be iudged light whereby thou mayst come to that life which aboundeth with all good things to those eternal ioyes Not without cause saith the Apostle Paul I count that the afflictions of this present time are not worthye of the glorie which shall be shewed vnto vs Hereunto maketh that which is sayde in another place The eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither haue entred into the hearte of man the thinges which God hath prepared for them that loue him For how great a thing is it which can neither by force of words bee expressed nor by thought of man conceiued of what sorte it is to be a citizen and inhabitour of heauen to be an heyre of God an heyre annexed with Christe to possesse the kingdome prepared for the godly before the beginning of the worlde without end to beholde that soueraigne good to enioy the most comfortable coÌ„templation of the countenaunce of God to be conuersant in the company of Angels to haue societie with the blessed spirits to be in the assembly of the righteous together with the angels the Patriarchs the Prophets the Apostles the Martyrs finally with all the godly enioying blessed immortalitie and life euerlasting together I saye with all these to celebrate with hymnes and prayses the eternall God the fountaine of all glory What are not al the miseryes and molestations of this lyfe to be counted light if thou looke vnto the glory to come so that we oughte worthelye to be ashamed of our sluggishnesse and remissenes who when he remembreth these thinges namely the kingdom of heauen the life immortal euerlasting blessednes ioies exceeding great and infinite the companye of Angels finally the societie of all who after their life led godlily vpon the earth shall enioy a life moste blessed and eternall who I saye when he remembreth these thinges is willing to cary on the earth and doth not rather with Paule desire to be dissolued and deliuered out of the prison of this body Let vs not therefore count these things heard after which so greate commodities do ensue especially seeing on the other side they that keepe not the commandements of God that are needefull to saluation shall not onely be excluded from that felicitie whereof we haue spoken but also be cast headlong into hell fire and eternal death throwne into vtter darkenes where shal be weeping gnashing of teeth afflicted with most greuous paines and continual torments in the companie and societie of the deuils and the wicked without any hope
godlines doth vndoubtedly proceede from a sincere faith as the fruite froÌ„ the tree the effect from the cause Nowe in vvhome soeuer such a faith is they are free from the curse of the lawe from the tyranny of Satan from the daunger of death from the horror of hell they haue God to theyr father Christe to their brother they shall inherite the kingdom of heauen as the word of God vvitnesseth Forasmuch theÌ„ as the Guide vvhich vve haue spokeÌ„ of doth leade froÌ„ that vvhich is foule filthy vvhich kinde of things vve are vvont coÌ„monly to detest and loth froÌ„ that vvhich excludeth vs from the fruition of Gods benefites from that vvhich hath so bitter and grieuous an end euen eternall death and destruction and not onely thys but also directeth vs to that vvhich is so precious and profitable whiche proceedeth from the grace of God the fountaine of all goodnes which is not subiecte to worldâ—y mutations vvhich is an vndoubted fruit of a true faith and therefore they that bee endued therewith are the sonnes of God and heyres of eternall blessednes Forasmuch I say as this Guide doth thus leade direct who oughte not to be moste willing to follow the same to their no small commoditie and profit Thus haue I right reuerend father bin briefe short in a matter wherin I might haue bin larg long Howbeit I thinke those things which I haue entreated of sufficient to cause the Christian reader the better to loue like the more vvillinglye to reade and peruse this present treatise and also to embolden me to presume to publish the same vnder the protection of your reuerend name forasmuch as by the premisses is proued that it conteyneth matter very good and godly and therefore is agreing to your Christian conuersation not for any instruction vvhere right graue and greate learning aboundeth but onely for vvell liking vvhere good vvill is not vvanting which I earnestly desire and heartelye wish being little or nothing doubtfull thereof And nowe to conclude the Lord God graunt for his Christes sake that after yee haue runne the race of this mortall life ye maye reape the fruite of an vnfeyned faith euen the saluation both of body and soule Amen Your Lordships to commaund and vse in the lord W. Gace A Guide vnto godlines most worthy to be folowed of all true Christians IF they that wil be couÌ„ted Christians did so much dreade and mislike the thing it self as they doe at thys day detest the name and profession of EpicureaÌ„s or Sadducees they would no lesse surely refraine themselues from all euill doing and embrace vertue and godlines then they doe now with an obstinate mind follow vice and naughtines and liue lewdly and vngodlily neither woulde they any lesse keepe the commaundements of Almighty God then they are now voyde of all feare of his diuine maiesty But truly all of vs almost doe beare a mind not so much alienate and estraunged from the thing it selfe whiche our life deedes and conditions doe witnes as we doe dread the disdayne of the worde and vtterly mislike the bare name of the thinge For what Either can they beleeue the immortality of the soule who liue almost like beastes or can they be perswaded that there are rewardes prepared in heauen for the godlye and punishments appoynted in hell for the wicked who almoste in nothing sticke to breake the commaundements of God and runne hedlong vnto al vice either as though they verely thought that God is a thing vayne and fayned or did beleeue that the soule is extinct and doth perish with the body Now to confesse that there are some which both feare God and doe nothinge doubte that hee will in time to come either punish or reward euery one as he hath deserued of which sort surely ther are very few what one is there among a great number whom the fear of Gods iustice doth either reuoke from sinne euill doing or induce to amend and reforme his life Wherein thou mayst worthelye lament and bewayle the case of vs all maruell at our folly blindnes and madnesse who in such shortnes and vncertaintie of this life doe so behaue our selues that being nowe become euen verye olde when as our dying day is not farre of wee doe not so muche as thinke of amendinge our manners much lesse goe we about to doe the same being yet younge and in our flourishing yeeres I oftentimes entring in to consideration of this folly as it were dotage of men in deferring the amendment of their sinful life doe thinke it good to search out the causes why in so waighty a matter wheron dependes saluation wee behaue our selues so slacklye and slothfullye For these being once found out and made manifest it will not be afterward hard as I thinke to find some remedy to cure this euill Of the first cause vvhy men differre the amendment of their life FIrst therefore the chiefe principall cause hereof I thinke to be our incredulitie For if we did beleeue those thinges which are conteined in the holy scriptures of the iudgement to come of the voyce of the Archangell and the trumpe of God of the iudgement seate of the Lord before which we muste all appeare also those thinges that are mentioned of the punishments in time to come of the wicked of the life and immortall felicitie of the godly of the resurrection of the bodyes to gether with the soules either vnto assured glorye or certaine paine If I saye wee did beleeue these thinges not to be a vayne or fond fable we would surely endeuour to liue farre otherwise neither woulde wee so daily differ and prolong the amendment of our life For who liuing wickedly is not eyther striken with horror in his whole bodye or dooth not altogither tremble in his minde and hearte as often as he remembreth the last iudgement In which men must giue an accounte before the tribunall seate of God of all their thoughtes purposes sayinges and deedes and euery one must for himselfe pleade the cause of his lyfe O iudgement worthelye dreadfull to the wicked the memory whereof oughte neuer to slippe out of our minde For if the righteous shall scarcely be saued as sayeth the Apostle where shall the vngodly sinner appeare The sonne of God himselfe shall sitte the iudge of all men whiche haue bin from the creation of the world being then seuere sharpe and inexorable who is now an aduocatâ— wyth the father for them that be guiltie All shall be called to the examination of the life which they haue led the secretes of all heartes shall be opened euerye mannes conscience shal accuse reproue and conuince him In fine God wyll with iuste seueritie and rigour punish the wicked and graciously and mercifullye saue the godly that is he will reward euery man according to his works as the Apostle Paule sayth Neither shall euill deedes onely be iudged here as adulterie fornication incest sorcerye murder
reioyce on thine owne behalte for tht thou haste begun to reforme and amend thy maners so greate pleasure wilt thou take hereof and dailye more fruite and more And thou wilt without doubte nowe confesse that to be true which our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe saieth in the Gospell of Matthew My yoke is casye and my burden is lighte Hereunto maketh that whiche Ierome saieth in a certaine place Ouermuche custome of sinning saieth he maketh the waye to vertue harde and grieuous but if this custome bee contrariwise altered the waye to godlinesse is founde playne and pleasaunt Thus saieth he no lesse truely then elegantly If so be that Stilpho the philosopher as Cicero witnesseth whē he was enclined both to drunkennes lechery did so not withstandinge by learning bridle and represse his vicious nature that no man euer saw hym drunken no man euer sawe anye appearaunce of vnlawfull luste in hym why mayste not thou through Gods helpe and assistance by litle and little subdue and at the last quite shake of that I may so speake an euill custome although it hath continued euen a long time An heathen man ouer came nature shall not a Christian ouercome custome especially if he earnestlye endeuour to doe the same if he haue greate regarde to himselfe if he doe after a sorte force himselfe and nothing at all fauour or further his pronenesse to euill if in respect of his imbecillitie and weakenes he doth with ardent prayer craue Gods helpe and assistaunce if he desire that the holye Ghoste may be giuen vnto him which may stirre vp newe motions in his heart and assiste and further his studye and care which he hath to liue well But let vs nowe proceede to the rest Remedies againste the fourth cause for vvhich mē differre to amend and repent vvhich vvas sayde to be vvelth and prosperitie LEt them whome welthe and prosperitie maketh secure for this was the fourth cause of differring repentaunce call often to minde that dreadful saying which is in the Gospel of Luke Woe be to you that are rich for yee haue receiued your consolation Wo be to you that are full for ye shal hunger Wo be to you that nowe laugh for ye shall wayle and wepe Neither lette that departe out of their mynde which is sayde to the riche man in the Gospel Thou foole this night wyll they fetche awaye thy soule from thee Let them remember also those thinges which we haue spoken of before concerning them whom the flood suddenly destroyed when they looked for nothing lesse of them which perished in Sodom by fyre from heauen of the rich men whom the seruaunt of God S. Iames biddeth weepe and houle for the miseries that shall come vpon them also of the rich man mencioned in Luke which was clothed in purple and fared deliciously euerye day who being dead is tormented in hell fyre Let vs then shake of all carnall securitie Let vs not forget God in our prosperitie Let vs feare the wrath of the eternall Iudge before whose tribunall seate we must all stand and euery one for himselfe pleade his owne cause his conscience accusing him being witnesse of all things that he hath done either well or ill It most commonly commeth to passe that prosperitie puffeth vp mens mindes that such as flow in welth wax insolent and proude that riches make men stoute and stately Let vs therefore alwayes suspecte and mistruste our good fortune and prosperitie let vs againe again take hede that temporall telicitie be not cause vnto vs of eternall misery and destruction What must we then doe Paule in fewe words declareth in his firste epistle to the Corinthians It remaineth saith he brethren that they which haue wiues be as though they had none and they that weepe as thoughe they wept not and they that reioyce as though they reioiced not and they that buy as thoughe they possessed not they that vse this world as thoughe they vsed it not for the fashion of this world goeth away The Apostle sheweth here that there ought to be none or very litle care of wiues of prosperitie or aduersity of welth riches finally of all terrene and earthlye thinges but our chiefe and almost onely care oughte to be of eternall heauenly things Not without cause doth Paul bid Timothee charge them that be rich that they be not high minded and that they trust not in vncertain riches but in the liuinge god And Dauid in the booke of psalmes saith If riches increase set not your hart theron Riches are not condenmed which euen the godly haue often possessed but truste which is reposed in riches stoutnes insolēcy which commeth by them For riches and prosperitie are wont for the most part to make men stout lofty whereupon is that saying in a certain commody because they haue gotten a litle mony they are become high minded Let him therefore that is welthy rich and who in all his affaires hath prosperous successe both giue thāks vnto god take good heede that he become not insolēt and proud let him put no truste or affiance in his fortunate estate let him haue an especiall care lest that a certain securitie creping vpon him as it commonly cōmeth to passe he forget God let him beware that he become not voide of all sense of Gods wrath againste sinne so that a carnal carelesues possesse his minde he wax altogether slothful and sluggishe Vnlesse he take diligent heede of these thinges it is to be feared assuredly least that resting in hys present prosperitie he be caried awaye with a false and vayne ioye and least flatteringe himselfe with hope that his good fortune shall long continue and hauing cast of the feare of God death come vppon him in the meane season in this his securitie for the laste daye of mans life is then most commōly wont to come when it is least looked for Let alwayes therefore this sayinge of the Apostle be before the eyes of our minde When they shall say peace and safetie then shall sudden destruction come vpon them Wherefore let vs not sleepe as Paul admonisheth but let vs be vigilant and sober Let vs not say Wee shall haue peace and no euill shall come vnto vs neither let vs say as they whom the Prophet Esay speaketh of We haue made a couenaunt with death and with hell are we at agreement and thoughe there goe forth a sore plague it shall not come vnto vs Many testimonies of Gods wrath againste sinne may be founde here and there in the writinges of the Prophets and Apostles manye examples of the punishment of the wicked which euerye one reading to his own cōmoditie may be moned thereby to shake of that ouermuch security which is commonly incident to men in the time of prosperitie I mynde not here to rehearse them all least I shoulde be too long and tedious Let vs alwayes haue before our eyes those thinges which Moses mentioneth came to
it come to passe that God will take pitie vppon thee forgiue thy sinnes and receiue thee into fauour for hys sonnes sake For he is our aduocate with god who maketh intercessiō for vs and reconcileth and pacifieth our heauenly father being offended at our sinne and wickednes as Iohn in his first Epistle generall teacheth East of therefore all regard of popishe indulgences of that superstitious worship of S. Barbarie and of the habit and clothing of S. Fraunces by which thinges no man can haue any hope to obtain saluation Flie vnto Christ himselfe who is our mediator and aduocate as I haue sayd the throne of grace the reconciliation for the sinnes of the worlde the Lambe which was slaine from the beginning of the world briefly our righteousnes sanctification and redemption as the Apostle saieth to the Corinthians Doe not then that I may returne to my purpose doe not I saye prolong the amendment and reformation of thy maners trustinge to indulgences and other such trifles especiallye in such shortnes of this life the houre of most certain death being so vncertain Which death forasmuch as it is dayly imminent by reason of the vncertaine chaunces which be incident vnto vs may euen at this very instant come vpon thee vnlooked for surely by reason of the shortnes of our life as it is saide of one it can neuer be farre of Howe daungerous a thing is it then to liue in that state in which if sudden death ouertake thee there is no more hope of thy saluation That thou mayst auoid this daunger see thou alwayes liue godlily acknowledge thy sinnes flie humbly to God for mercy aske pardon and forgiuenes and throughe Christe hope and looke for saluation from god Resort also often to the ministers of Gods word and aske of them godly instructions and spirituall comforte And that thou mayst be stirred vp to remember the promises concerning remission of sinne and be more more confirmed concerning the good wyll of God towarde vs come often to the Lordes table and as Christe hath instituted feede of that body which was once offered for the sinnes of mankinde and drinke that blood which was shed for the remission of our sinnes and so being mindfull of the Lords death giue heartye thanks to God for so great benefites and sing hymnes and prayses vnto him both priuatly with thy selfe at home and publikely in the assembly of the faithfull abroade A most fruitful admonition to auoid euill company NOw that I may goe forward to other matters endeuor as much as thou may alwayes to seuer thy selfe from the companye of the wicked and to associate thy selfe as neere as can be wyth the vertuous and godlye And as one admonisheth bee conuersaunt with suche as may make thee better admit such into thy companye as thou mayste amende It is a matter of no smal importance whose familiaritie thou vsest and with whom thou daily liuest For as we are infected with the company of the wicked as with a certen contagion so by dayly liuing together with the vertuous and such as feare God we are almoste reformed and amended Be therefore familier and a frend with these latter as for the other thinke thou oughtest to haue nothinge to doe with them The same doth Salomon commaund in his Prouerbs Paule also writing to the Corinthians doth so earnestly dehort from the companye and societie of the wicked in all thinges that he will not haue vs so muche as to resort to the table with them If anye that is called a brother be a fornicatour or couetous or a worshipper of Idoles or a rayler or a drunkard or an extorsioner with him that is such see that yee eate not There be in deede other causes I graunt why he will haue such to be auoyded either lest we shoulde seeme to allowe their lewdnes and wickednes or that such when they see all men shunne their companye may be ashamed and amende but surely this is not one of the smallest causes least the contagion of their vices shoulde infect others if any haue familiaritie with them For as a little leuen leueneth a greate lumpe of dough so oftentimes the example of one dooth marre and infect a great number Nowe althoughe it be in deede difficult and hard to forsake the aquaintance and familiaritie of them with whō thou hast long liued delightfully and pleasantly thou must notwythstanding with might and maine attempte the same and verye diligentlye endeuour to sequester and seuer thy selfe from the companye of such Onely be willing and earnest in the matter and without doubte it wil goe better forward then thou lookest for And because according to the greeke prouerbe the beginning is halfe of the whole and again as Horace saith he that hath well begunne hath halfe done see in any case thou doe beginne and doubt not of the successe by considering the difficultie If as it commonly falleth out thou doe eftsones thinke vppon the feastes mery meetings and such other vaine and fond delights which thou hast had with them if thou often euen against thy will remember thy mery mates and companions see thou doe then forthwith call to mynde the shortnesse of this lyfe death that hangeth ouer our heads euery houre the laste iudgement the tribunall seate of the Lord hell fire and eternall condemnation and so as the saying is driue out one nayle with another If thou call to mind these thinges and do thus speake with thy selfe Thy felowes pleasaunt companions inuite thee vnto them suppers dinners and mery meetings allure thee what doe I If thou doe earnestly say this with thy selfe what doe I then reason after a sort gathering her strength will subdue thy desire and thy will wyll yeelde to reason exhorting to that which is best Take therfore time as I haue sayde to thinke vpon these thinges and deale aduisedly in them when any such thinge come into thy minde by the suggestion of Satan cast of all remissenes of mynd neither doe straighte giue place to thy desire nor runne whither the deuill would driue thee Doe the companyons inuite thee to drinke and make mery with them See thou then cal to mynde that which our Sauior saith in a certen place Take heede saith he that your heartes be not ouercome with surfetting drunkennes Also that which Paule saieth Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse and again drunkerds and gluttons shal not inherite the kingdome of heauen Also that which Peter saieth Be sober and vigilant moreouer that saying of Esayas Woe be vnto them that rise vp early to folow drunkennes Remember that thou must obey the authoritie of God and his Apostles rather then follow the will of wicked mē and that thou must yeld vnto reason exhorting vnto that which is best rather then consent to the deuill mouing thee to that which is worst finally that thou muste rather resist that euill spirite then grieue the holy spirite of god Do not therefore doe not
his heauenly father and endeuoureth to liue godlilye to hurte no man to deserue well of all after the example of his father being moued thereunto not so much with hope of an heauenly reward and euerlasting ioye as with a certeine exceeding and vnspeakable loue towarde God hys father He that beleeueth Paule that his body is the temple of the holy ghost that dwelleth in vs doth easily absteine from sinne and defileth not himselfe with unlawfull luste Finally he that doubteth not that he is admitted into the number of the Saints omitteth not to followe also the vertues of the Saints as pietie toward God and loue towardes our neighbour Of the cause why purposing many times to liue godlily we persist not in our good purpose and vvhat meanes may be founde to remedye the same BVt what is the cause wil some man saye that whereas we sometime thinke and purpose to liue vertuouslye godlilye chastly and soberlye yet wee doe not constantlye continue in the faythfull fulfillinge of that whyche wee haue so well determined That I maye aunsweare in fewe wordes the chiefe and principall cause hereof is the naturall naughtinesse and corruption which is in vs and that pronenesse to sinne whyche sticketh as it were in our verye bowells and marowe that is the verye fleshe which we beare about wherewith the inwarde man hath a sore and grieuous fighte and almost a continuall combat as Paule dooth witnesse This therefore wee must alwayes resiste when it prouoketh vs to vnlawfull luste and filthye pleasures to gluttonie and surfettinge to lasciuiousnesse and lecherye finally to anye other filthye factes or dishonest behauiour and with godly studies exercises abstinence and fastings bridle and bring vnder the force thereof and with continuall fobrietie and temperance of life represse and subdue the same For thys cause our Sauiour commaundeth that our harts be not oppressed with surfetting and drunkennes Paul forbiddeth vs to be drunken with wine prohibiteth gluttonie and excessiue drinking and willeth vs to be vigilant and sober Hereunto must be added dayly prayer and callinge for Gods helpe and assistance without whiche all the endeuour that we bestowe in bridlinge the fleshe and repressing the force thereof is frustrate and in vaine But the motions of the flesh being after a sort subdued ther is moreouer the world the deuil our deadly enemies wherwith we haue a cōtinual fightifor nether wil these suffer vs to presist in our purpose determinatiō to liue godlily wel For the world prouoketh to ambition pryd riot to wrath hatred enuie impatiencie sclaunderinge and ministreth occasions to other sinnes which no man can rehearse moreouer it marreth men with euill examples and corrupteth them with sundrye offences The deuill ceaseth not to induce and moue mā to y neglect of Gods word to incredulitie and diffidence to a false perswasion of himselfe to an obstinate persisting in euill to blaspheme the Lord God to impugne the knowne truth to hypocrisie superstection idolatrie and other infinite and innumerable sinnes and offences What is then to be don thou wilt say in this case Surely we must valiantly resist our enemies we must cast of all remissines of minde and faintnes of courage and with ardent and earneste prayer craue Gods ayde and helpe and trustinge there unto not despeire of the victorye But let vs here what Paule saith concerning this matter writing to the Ephesians Finally my Brethren saith he be strong in the Lorde and in the power of his might Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand againste the assaults of the deuill For we wrestle not againste fleshe and bloud but against principalities againste powers against worldly gouernours the princes of the darkenesse of thys worlde againste spirituall wickednesses which are in the hie places A little after rehearsinge by name the armour of Christians he willeth them to stand with their loines girt about with veritie hauing on the brest plate of righteousnes taking the shielde of faith whereby they may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked he willeth them moreouer to take the helmet of saluation the sworde of the spirite which is the word of God and exhorteth them to pray alwayes Thus hast thou the armour wherewith thou must fight against our aduersary the deuill who neuer omitteth day no not an houre nay scarce one moment but he alwais assaileth vs like a roring lyon goeth about seeking whom he may deuoure as the Apostle Peter saith Let vs therefore being fenced and furnished with this armour whiche Paule prescribeth valiantly resist him and he will flye from vs as sayth the Apostle Iames. Let vs daylye desyre Gods ayde and helpe Let vs praye vnto God that he will not leade vs into tentation Let vs beseeche him that for Christes sake he will deliuer vs from that wicked fende which is the continuall enemie of mankinde Howbeit let vs take speciall hede that we fall not wittingly into sinne whether the deuil wold driue vs and into voluntarye destruction neyther that we yeeld to our own imbecillity but with a stout courage resist Satan and desire of the eternall God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ that he wil helpe our infirmitie and weakenes And because the deuil doth not alwayes set vpon vs with open force but assayleth vs also priuily and by secrete meanes and as one saith flattereth that he may deceiue smileth that he may hurt allureth that he may slay and kill let vs doe our endeuour that we may wisely and warely auoyde the snares that he layeth for vs and that wee may giue hym no occasion to assaile and oppresse vs of a sudden and vnawares Hede may be more easily taken saith Cyprian where feare is manifest Let vs therefore shake of sluggishnes and ouermuch securitie in our life and feare that vnder euery stone as the saying is there is a scorpion and let vs not be quiet secure as though al things were safe sure None is soner ouertaken as a certen hea then mau saith then he that feareth nothing and securitie is very often the beginning of calamitie Doe not then if thou haste once ouercome thine enemie looke by and by for peace as though thou were alreadye pa◅e all perill Thou must alwayes stande in the battell and as it were prepared and ready to fight so that Cyprian said well that in the worlde there is nothinge but continuall conflictes wyth the deuill and dayly fighting againste his assaults and inuasions We encounter saith he with couetousnes with vncleannes with wrath with ambition we haue a dayly and grieuous fighte with carnall vices and worldlye allurements the mynde of man being as it were besieged and on euery side compassed with the inuasions of the deuill doth scarce withstande euerye one doth scarce resist them If couetousnes be conquered luste riseth vp if lust be repressed ambition succeedeth if ambition be contemned wrath doth exasperat pryde puffeth vp drunkennes inuiteth enuie