A Golden Chain

Timoth. I perceive by your godly discourse, the manifold conflicts between the flesh and the spirit, and that the flesh is like to a mighty giant, such a one as was Goliath, strong, lusty, stirring, enemy to God, confederate with the devil: & the spirit like to a little child, such a one as was little David, new borne, weak and feeble, not always stirring: now then what means do you use to weaken the flesh, and strengthen the spirit?

Timoth. I perceiue by your godly discourse, the manifold conflicts between the flesh and the spirit, and that the flesh is like to a mightie gyant, such a one as was Goliah, strong, lustie, stirring, enemie to God, confederate with the deuill: & the spirit like to a little child, such a one as was little Dauid, new borne, weake and feeble, not alwaies stirring: now then what meanes doe you vse to weaken the flesh, and strengthen the spirit?

Euseb. I use to tame my flesh with prayer and fasting, watching, deeds of mercy, holy meditations and reading the Scriptures, and in bodily labour, and ⟨p. 630⟩in withdrawing all manner of pleasures from the flesh, and with exercises contrary to the vices which I find my body most inclined to, and with abstaining from all things that encourage the flesh against the spirit: as reading of toys and wanton books, seeing of plays and interludes, wanton communication, foolish jesting, and effeminate thoughts and talking of covetousness, which Paul forbiddeth, Eph. 5. magnifying of worldly promotions. If these will not mortify my flesh, then God sendeth me some troubles, and so maketh me to grow and wax perfect, and fineth and trieth me as gold in the fire of tentations and tribulations. Thus very often he maketh me to take up my cross and naileth my flesh unto it, for the mortifying thereof. Mark this, if God send thee to the sea, and promise to go with thee, he will raise up a tempest against thee, to prove whether thou wilt abide his word, and that thou mayest feel thy faith and weakness, and perceive his goodness: for if it were always fair weather and thou never brought into such jeopardy, whence his mercy only delivereth thee, thy faith should be only a presumption, & thou shouldest be ever unthankful to God, and merciless unto thy neighbour. If God promise riches, the way thereupon is poverty: whom he loveth, him he chasteneth: whom he exalteth, he casteth down: whom he saveth he first damneth: he bringeth no man to heaven, except he send him to hell first: if he promise life, he slayeth first: when he buildeth, he casteth down all first: he is no patcher; he cannot abide another mans foundation: he will not work till all be past remedy, and brought to such a case that men may see how that his hand, his power, his mercy, his goodness, his truth hath wrought altogether: he will let no man be partaker with him of his praise and glory: his works are wonderful and contrary to mans works; who ever (save he) delivered his own son, his only son, his deer son, his darling unto the death, and for his enemies, to win his enemies, to overcome them with love, that they might see love and love again, and of love likewise to do to other men, and to overcome them with well doing?