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
vs come to the vice which also is reckened of the Apostle among the workes of the flesh namely to wrathfulnesse or desire of reuenge wherwith there is no man but he is sometime yea that very often cumbered some man more and some man lesse according as euery mannes nature is For partly al men but specially those in whom choler aboundeth are most of al subiect to that vice Therfore let euery man endeuor with al earnestnesse to represse that affection as much as he can And bycause as one saith the minde is commonly ouertaken of anger before reason can prouide to disapoint it let euery man reclayme him selfe long afore continually bethinke himselfe how to resist the affection not to doe any thing in anger Let him cal to minde this saying to the Romans ▪ Derely beloued auēge not your selues but brydle your anger And this to the Ephesians Be angrie and sin not let not the sun go downe vppon your wrath And sith we reade that many of the heathen men of old time were woont to brydle their anger with incredible modestie and grauity were it not a shamefull vnseemely thing for vs christians if Gods will should not winne that thing at our hands which reason wonne at theirs namely that we shuld not yeld to that incumberāce of minde For although this affection cannot bee plucked vp by the roote and quite and cleane taken away it is so depely planted in vs yet must such rage be euer restrayned as it were brydeled and not let loode And that lyeth partly euen in a certaine willingnesse inforcing of the minde by earnest indeuer and diligent heedetaking for exercise myndfulnesse and custome and much rather reason and discretion doe greatly preuayle in this behalfe but specially in Gods helpe and grace if a man craue them humbly with earnest supplicatiō and prayer And anger is to be restrayned and with stood at the first brunt so much the more bycause other euils do breed and grow of it as hatred enimitie and stryfe which fyght ful butte against the christian profession and wherewith the sonne of God would haue his to be vtterly vnacquainted teaching them almost euery where to mayntaine mutuall loue charitie There are yet other vices of the flesh wherof I will treate in their due place and specially carelesnesse ouerlustinesse in prosperity whereby it commeth to passe that our harts forget God so as we indeuor not neither to call hartily vpon him nor to giue him thanks for his benefits nor finally feele his wrath towards vs for sinne ne giue our selues to the furthering of our saluatiō in feare and trembling by minding the amendmēt of our life In this case the godly man must strayne himselfe both to shake off that carelesnesse which accompanieth prosperitie and also to retaine modestie and to represse his ouerlustinesse by considering with him selfe that all things may be turned vpside down in the twinckling of an eye if God list And bycause that like as the fleshe becommeth proude of prosperitie so it droupeth in aduersity or else taketh it vnpatiently Let the mā that feareth God kepe some measure in that behalfe also not shrinke in hart nor pyne away with sorrow heauines nor yet storme and chafe against god But let him euer behight himselfe amendment of his state vppon trust of Gods goodnesse cal vppon God with greate assurednesse through the mediator Iesus Christ. Among the vices or rather as the Apostle termeth thē works of the flesh we must chiefly recken couetousnesse which is a lusting after another mans goods not after his owne For the flesh doth willingly seke hir own aduauntage and couet other mens goods Hence spring wylinesse crafte deceitfulnesse cousenage extortion theuerie such other naughtinesse But the godly man beareth in minde how it is forbidden in the ten commaundementes that he shoulde not couete any other mans goods neither house nor wife nor man seruaunt nor maydseruant nor Oxe nor asse nor aught els that is his neyghbours Neither is he ignoraunt howe the Apostle saith that couetousnesse is the roote of all mischiefe And therefore be laboureth by al meanes to keepe downe his affection lust of the fleshe so hee haue meate drink cloth to couer his body he is fully perswaded that he ought to holde himselfe contented with them Thus much concerning the Fleshe which is woont to stir men vp and to thrust thē forewarde to followe enioye al manner of pleasures to deale vnhonestly naughtily and finally to giue thēselues to ouercome all vices and leudnesse Whose vntameable pronenesse to concupiscence whosoeuer hath ouercome hath doutlesse attained the greatest and most glorious victorie that can be concerning which matter one of the ancient diuines writeth thus There is no greater victorie saith he thā that which is gotten of a mans owne lustes He that hathe ouercome his enimie ▪ is stronger howbeit thā another man but he that hath ouermaystred hys own lusts is stronger than himselfe He that ouerthrown his enimie hath vanquished but a forrayner but he that hath tamed his owne lust hath subdued a houshold enimy It is easier to ouercome any mischief than voluptuousnesse For al other are terrible but this is fayre spoken He that vanquisheth his lustes triumpheth ouer sin c. The Apostle willeth to mortifye the deeds of the Flesh by the spirite that is too say to fight with all our harte and with all earnestnesse of minde against the sinfull lusts wherevnto our Flesh is naturally foreward so as we indeuer to bridle the fleshe whiche is prone to all vices and runneth headlong to al sensualitie and after a sorte offer violence to our owne nature in crucifying the Fleshe with the affections lustes therof as the same Apostle saith For if ye liue after the Fleshe sayth hee yee shall dye but if ye mortify the deedes of the flesh through the spirite ye shall liue For they that are gods childrē are led by Gods spirit Wherby he sheweth that such as follow wicked lusts restraine not their sinful motions with the feare dread of God as it were by bridling them shal be in danger of gods wrath of endlesse death For we must fight fiercely against the motiōs of the flesh not do any thing against consciēce For that do they which witingly willingly rush forth of set purpose into sin wickednesse breaking Gods cōmaundementes shrinking through faynthartednesse driuing away as saith the Apostle discoraging the holy spirite of god Hereto belongeth this saying of the same Apostle let not sinne reign in your mortal bodie that you should obey it in the lustes therof nother yeelde yee your members to sinne as weapons of vnrightuousnesse But giue ouer your selues to god as raised from death and gyue ouer your members as weapons of rightuousnesse vnto god And again They that are after the fleshe sayth he do minde the things that belong to the
natures Seneca sheweth in a certaine place saying manners are taken vp of conuersation and like as certaine diseases passe from one bodie into another by touching so dothe the minde conuey ouer his vices too such as are neerest about it The drunkard draweth his companiō too the loue of wine The companie of vnchast folke effeminateth an honest man though he be neuer so constante Couetousnesse sheddeth his poyson into suche as are next about him In like case is it with vertues on the contrarie part and so foorth But yet for al that neither good bringing vp nurture be it neuer so duly ministred nor the study instruction of the best sciences nor the continual companie with the best mē can bring to passe or attain that the vices whereto eche man is naturally most inclyned should be so vtterly rooted vp as no inclyng of his owne disposition may remaine behinde For rightly doth Lucretius say Wee muste not thinke that vices can be pluckt vp roote and rynde To furious wrath more hastly one bursteth out by kinde Another is to soone inclynd to bashfulnes feare A third is ouerfondly giuen all iniuries to beare Nowe although the vices that are planted in vs by nature bee not vtterly taken awaye by the meanes aforesaide yet are they repressed by them and as it were restrayned with a brydle ▪ so as they doe not easly burst out into acte Accordingly as it is reported of Stilpo that wheras he was naturally giuen to wine and women yet he did so subdue and bridle his vicious nature by learning as no man euer sawe him delight in wine nor perceiued any inclyng of lecherie in him as Cicero writeth of him The like is reported of Socrates if my memorie fayle mee not But now let vs come to the reckening vp of the vices and faultes of the flesh First formost our inward homebred enimy which is called the flesh neuer cesseth to intice vs to foule vnhonest lustes to filthy plesures to whordom wātonnesse malapartnes all other suche things Greeuous vndoubtedly paynful in this case is the incounter of a Christian man against the fleshe insomuche that he is fayne to fight after a sorte with him selfe by reason that the flesh lusteth against the spirite and the spirite against the flesh For the man that feareth God knoweth that whoredome is to be eschewed as Paule or rather as the holy ghost teacheth by Paule He knoweth that he ought to liue chastely and honestly as God biddeth in the ten commaundments Therefore his desire is to followe Gods wil and commaundements as heauenly hestes But the infirmitie of the flesh being ouerforewarde to shamefull voluptuousnesse carryeth him another way against his will doe what he can What should the wretche do in this case or whither may he turne him selfe in this temptation and assault of the fleshe which withstandeth the spirite Truely if he be wise he wil without delay flee to the heauenly father for helpe and by godly studyes honest exercises and often howbeit moderate fastings endeuer to bridle the rage of his flesh by some meane or other and to suppresse and subdue the wantonnesse of it with continuall temperaunce of life For I take that to bee both an excellent and an helthfull remedie aboue others to keepe lust in awe And for this cause doeth our sauiour among other things will vs to beware that our hartes be not ouerloden with surfetting drunkēnesse commaunding vs also to watche and praye lest we fall into temptation The apostles likewise exhort men to sobrietie and stay of themselues forbidding them gluttonie and drunkennesse Yet are not those the only meanes to coole and quench lust it must be matched with the help and ayde of the holy ghost and specially with earnest mindefulnesse of Gods word with faith aud with prayer For first of all in our temptations God muste bee called vpon and that feruently and hartilye Gods threatenings must be set before the eyes of our minde to fray vs from sin We must forthinke what euil may insue vpon the committing of wickednesse Wee muste call to minde the examples of Gods wrath whereof there is store in the holie scriptures Then is not the ouerlustinesse of the fleshe restrayned allonly by fasting and spare dyet but muche rather as I saide afore by indeueriug to subdue or as the apostle termeth it to mortifye the lustes sinfulnesse of the flesh by arming our selues with Gods worde faith prayer and with the rest of the spirituall weapons wherof saint Paule speketh to the Ephesians And if all these meanes boote thee not howbeit that thou must not leaue off though thou speede not at the first the last shote anker that remaineth forthee to flee vnto is honest laufull mariage graūted of God to such as haue not stay of themselues according to this saying For auoyding of whoredome let euery man haue his wife and againe It is better to marrye than to burne But what if the fleshe be stil inclyned prone to aduoutrie euen in mariage as sometimes it hapeneth God almightie shielde vs of his mercie from so greate mischiefe and from so cursed and ougly wickednesse For surely that were not nowe a simple prouocation of the fleshe whose infirmitie wedlocke might remedie but rather a temptatiō of the diuel inforcing to wicked and abhominable lecherie And therefore with great stoutnesse must that enimie be withstoode so as we must neuer giue him leaue to find vs idle or weltring in sloth full ease but be alwayes occupyed in godly exercises and labours And in especially wee must take diligent heede that we out of hand discharge our mindes of all filthye thoughts and of what so euer else the diuel prompteth vs withall and putteth in our heades so as we feede not our owne humor with them ne stand long musing vpon thē but flee apace to Gods helpe pouring out our prayers before him and dryuing out those euill thoughtes with better thoughtes as one nayle is driuen oute with another Call to mynde the shortenesse of this life the approching of death euery minute of an houre the Iudgemente seate of the Lorde the paynes of hell the fyre that shall neuer bee quenched And contrarywyse the innumerable benefites of God the crosse of Christe the dwelling of the holie Ghost in vs and the Angels that are appoynted of God to shield vs the shame and reuerence of whom ought too restrayne thee alwaies from wickednesse for asmuche as they are euer present with thee hauing a continuall care of thee and furthering thee vnto al goodnesse Also bethinke thee of the sayings of holy writ whiche do threaten Gods wrathe too whoremongers aduouterers al others that are defiled with like wickednesse For what meaneth the sixth cōmaundement by saying Thou shalt not commit aduoutrie Uerily it forbiddeth all vncleannesse and vnhonest lustes and it requireth honestie and chastenesse and therewithall temperance and sobrietie whereby this cleannesse bothe of minde and
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