mies just after the Roman fashion, reserving the triaries, the old-experienced soldiers, to the last. For though in show, the first rank of the devils appears more terrible; yet in very deed, all their power is nothing, unless the lusts of our hearts take part with them, and give them advantage against us. The lusts of the flesh are those traitors, which continually keep us company; we cannot be quit of them; without the devil's assistance, they are able to captivate us: what, think you, then are they able to do, being managed by so powerful, so wise an enemy? Without them, all the powers of hell and darkness are insufficient to withdraw us from our obedience, and, by consequence, from the love and favour of God. For, suppose the devil, for example, present a lustful object to our fancy, as it were holding a lascivious picture before our eyes; if we consent not in our minds to any base delight in such a spectacle; if we settle not our thoughts upon it, as upon a pleasing sight; it will be so far from doing us any harm, that it will rather prove a means to root us more deeply in the favour of God, as persons unwilling to take pay of his and our enemies.

24. But, alas! as we are ordinarily so far from this nobleness of mind, from this bravery of a Christian-like spirit, that, as if the devil were too slow to object such temptations to us, we will not await his leisure, but on all occasions be ready and desirous to raise up, and then settle, such unworthy thoughts in our minds; we will be content to spend many hours sometimes in the acting of this inward, contemplative adultery. St. Paul, speaking of those lusts of our flesh, calls them our

members, when he saith, (Coloss. iii. 5.) "Mortify your members, which are on the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence," &c. And indeed we, by our practice, make good the apostle's expression; for we account ourselves as lame, imperfect creatures without them; we know not what to do with ourselves, especially when we are alone, unless we set ourselves on work this way, by acting to ourselves such filthy sins, which perhaps natural bashfulness, want of money or opportunity, will not suffer us to put in practice. What strength have we now to oppose to these most pernicious enemies, which are so closely cemented, and even incorporated within us, that they are become, as it were, flesh of our flesh, and bones of our bones?

25. Why surely, as naturally we have received this root of bitterness in our hearts, which is apt to give an infectious tincture to all the thoughts and actions issuing from thence; so likewise it hath pleased Almighty God to imprint a new principle in our minds, to plant, as it were, a new spirit in our souls; I mean that active, powerful grace, which, without any co-operation of our own, he infuses into us, especially in our baptism; and which is afterward ával, wavρwuévov, strengthened and enlivened daily, by a constant, frequent exercising ourselves in the use of those manifold, blessed means of our salvation, the hearing, reading, and meditating, on his holy word, and participation of his heavenly mysteries. For surely, if reason alone (by the help of those worthy, grave precepts, which are extant in the treatises of moral philosophy) hath been able to change

many men from the habitual practice of several vices to a virtuous (I had like to have said also a religious) life; why should any man think so meanly of God's holy word and sacraments, as to doubt, but that much rather they should be able to make us "new creatures, to make us wise unto salvation;" especially considering that continual assistance of God's Holy Spirit, which infallibly attends the use and exercise of those his blessed means? Do you think God is so favourable to the devil or his instruments, (our lusts). that he is unwilling to have them subdued and mortified in us? And if he be not unwilling, surely much less is he unable, to perform this great work in us, even to the end.

26. Therefore, as before, speaking of those outward forces, God and his holy angels, which are ready to take our parts, and fight on our sides against the devil and his angels, we applied that saying of Elisha to his servant, If thine eyes were opened, thou shouldst perceive, that "they which are with us, are more than they which are against us;" so likewise in the case in hand we make use of that saying of St. John, "Greater is he which is in you, than he which is in the world;" implying, that God is not only in himself stronger than the devil, but also as considered in us, i. e. as working in our hearts by his grace: this way, I say, he is stronger than the devil; his Spirit cooperating with the means of our salvation, is more vigorous and powerful to renew us into the image of his holiness, if we will but do that which lies in our own power, than the devil (though taking 'his advantage of that concupiscence, which in some measure is continually resident in us) is or

can be to corrupt, and so to destroy us. For his power is not considerable, unless we be willing to join with him. Thus you see, though our enemies be allowed all the advantages they can challenge; yet in exact esteem, without any flattering of ourselves, we may conclude, that they who are ready, and desirous to join forces with us, are greater, in all respects, than they which are against us.

27. But yet, for all this, since the conducting and managing of those forces is left to our discretion, (for God will not fight single against the devil in our behalf, unless we lend him our aid and assistance) and therefore, (Judg. v. 23.) "Curse ye Meroz, saith the angel of the Lord, (in the victorious song of Deborah) curse bitterly the inhabitants thereof:" and why must poor Meroz be so bitterly cursed? "Because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty:" hereupon it may seem, that Almighty God will not put to his strength in our defence, unless we join with him; he will not be our champion to fight, whilst we sit still, only spectators of the combat. And therefore this consideration alone may be sufficient to abate that confidence, which the foregoing discourse might be apt to raise in us, especially if we be not utter strangers to ourselves, if we be not ignorant of our own weakness.

28. For satisfaction therefore to this discouragement, I will now endeavour to demonstrate by proofs drawn from undeniable reason and experience, that there is no sinful temptation so strong, but that an ordinary Christian may (by the assistance beforementioned) easily conquer

it.

And lest my proceeding herein may lie open to any manner of exception, let me choose from among you the weakest, most inexperienced Christian, I dare oppose this man against the sharpest and most furious temptation; and will make him confess, though he be (de facto) subdued by it, yet that came to pass merely by his own voluntary and affected unwatchfulness and cowardice, and that it was truly, in very deed, in his power to have resisted it. I will make choice to instance in the sin of uncleanness and fornication; a sin, that generally finds such excuse and patronage in the world, because it is supposed to be so naturally born and bred up with us, that there is no shaking it off; it is a sin so resolved upon to be unconquerable, that few men go about to restrain it. The ancient antidotes against this sin, watching and fasting, are grown out of use with us; we conclude they will do us little good against this hereditary evil, and therefore the best way is to give them clean over.

29. Yet I say, let me suppose an ordinary Christian, environed with all the strongest temptations to this so natural, and therefore concluded, so excusable a sin; let him have the most charming beauty, that has the most artificial ways of solicitation, together with opportunity, and all circumstances which are not fit to be supposed here; yet for all this, if that man should say he is not able to resist such a temptation, he lies against his own soul: for if at that instant a sudden message should interrupt him, a threatening of death, if he did not free himself from the danger of her filthy embraces, would he not do it? I desire only, that each one of you in his heart would an