Three godly and fruitful sermons; the two first preached by Master John DodThree godlie and fruitful sermons; the two first preached by Maister Iohn Dod

Answer. Have you so good a persuasion of your flesh? certainly you do thereby give men just occasion to have an ill persuasion of you, and to suspect that in truth you do not much care of what religion or of what conversation you be. Others have bin as well conceited of themselves as you, and thereupon have bin bold without any calling or warrant to travel into strange countries, and being there, to see Images and to hear Masses, and to use familiarity with men of all sorts. But what hath been the event thereof? they have returned home, either of no religion, or of a false religion. This lamentable experience doth show to be most true, in many young gentlemen of the greatest houses in this our land, whose atheistical and profane carriage should be a warning unto others, not to presume upon their own strength, nor to tempt the Lord by casting themselves upon the occasions of evil.

Answere. Haue you so good a perswasion of your flesh? certainly you doe thereby giue men iust occasion to haue an ill perswasion of you, and to suspect that in truth you doe not much care of what religion or of what conuersation you be. Others haue bin as well conceited of themselues as you, and thereupō haue bin bold without any calling or warrant to trauell into strange countries, and being there, to see Images and to heare Masses, and to vse familiaritie with men of all sorts. But what hath been the euent thereof? they haue returned home, either of no religion, or of a false religion. This lamentable experience doth shew to be most true, in many yong gentlemen of the greatest houses in this our land, whose atheisticall and prophane cariage should be a warning vnto others, not to presume vpon their owne strength, nor to tempt the Lord by casting themselues vpon the occasions of euill.

Thirdly, this may serve for a caveat unto us, ⟨p. 150⟩that when we find our selves very eager and forward unto any thing, we make a stay, and a pause, examining whether the thing be lawful & good, yea or no: and if it be so, yet let us search whether our flesh be not set a work in that spiritual action which we are about: whether there be not in it some mixture of corruption, and some carnal respect or other, that maketh us so nimble and ready in the performance of it: let us (I say) look well unto our hearts in this behalf; for all is not fire from the altar, that seems to be such: it is a rare thing for us to be truly zealous of good works; and much of our heat proceedeth rather from our own flesh, then from Gods spirit; and therefore when we perceive our violence and eagerness to arise rather from some inordinate lust, then from any good and holy affection, let us curb and restrain the same, and beseech the Lord to moderate our desires, that we may do all our works in meekness and modesty, and with that good temper which beseemeth Christians.