The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…

We must also fight with losses and want of living, and in this point we see many to be¹ overcome: when as therefore the Lord hath brought us unto a low •bbe, we must take heed that we be •o shifters▪ For when by a simple and godly living many cannot thrive and prosper in this world, then fall they to unlawful means; and now adays rather than a man will be in want, he will take two or three livings: wherefore this temptation of want is very great, and therefore so much the more to be looked unto. Likewise when a man must fight with banishment, loss of friends, or such like, then the anguish which ari•eth thereof, it draweth from him many bitter sighs and deep groans, and through sorrow of heart, he is brought unto strange thoughts: wherefore except a man do acquit himself with these, and the rest, it will go hard but Satan will have the victory, for it is a very hard matter to endure them. There is another thing to be taken heed of, and that is this, when Satan shall behold the corruption of a man, either which is within him, or² which is outward (for whether it be inward or outward it will serve his turn) as it is in Ephes. the 6. He is spiritual wickednesses in heavenly things, he is a spiritual enemy, and in this world he is Principalities and Powers. Therefore (I say) when he beholdeth thy corruptions, he cometh to work upon thee, and stirreth up thine own conscience, and thine own reason to accuse thee, and to condemn thee: then like a spiritual enemy he cometh to intoxicate thine affections, and moveth thee sometimes with losses, sometimes with profit, sometimes with pleasures, sometimes with joy, sometimes with sorrow; when I say he doth thus bewitch thy reason and affections, and doth thus infatuate thy wits, and intoxicate thy brains, here is a very dangerous fight. And herein may a man easily perceive, that Rebecca had not such a conflict, when the two young babes were within her, as thou shalt have when Satan beginneth thus to work. And for this cause was it that the Church in Baptism did appoint that every one should even then prepare himself to fight with the Devil, with the world, his own affections, and all the lusts of the flesh.