The conflict between the flesh and the spirit. Or the last part of The…The conflict betvveene the flesh and the spirit. Or the last part of The…

¹BY this which hath been said it appeareth sufficiently what our enemy is; and now in the next place we are to consider that it is not an enemy to be contemned, but exceeding dangerous and pernicious; for howsoever it may seem at the first sight to be weak and of small strength, yet is it the mightiest and chiefest Captain under the prince of darkness, by whose aide and assistance he getteth the victory, and without whose help he could do nothing. For though he should assault us with a huge army of his temptations, and have his strength reenforced, and even twice doubled with the aides of all our worldly enemies, yet they could never prevail against us, but should be sure of a shameful overthrow, unless these inbred enemies did betray us into their hands, and secretly open the gates of our soul to let in the troupes of their temptations. The which is apparent in the example of our Saviour Christ, who being free from the inward corruption of the flesh, was not at all endangered with the outward temptations of the devil. And whereas the hellish sparks of his suggestions fall into our corrupt hearts (as it were) into tinder or gunpowder, by which they are nourished and much increased in their strength and violence: they did no more work upon our blessed Saviour, whose pure nature was no jot tainted with ⟨p. 65⟩carnal corruption, then a weak dart that lighteth upon an impenetrable armour, or a small spark of fire that should fall into a sea of water. Needs then must the flesh be a dangerous enemy, seeing all danger is by and through it: needs must it above all be most pernicious, seeing it exposes us to all mischief, and nothing without it were able to hurt us. The which should persuade us to bend all our strength against it, seeing if we subdue our carnal corruptions, we shall easily put to flight the devil and the world; whereas in vain shall we fight and strive against these foreign forces, if we do not first kill and crucify these secret traitors, for no more busy can we be in building forts and bulwarks to strengthen us against their strong assaults, then they will be in razing and ruinating them, that they may give an easy entrance to these outward enemies.

¹BY this which hath beene saide it appeareth sufficiently what our enemy is; and now in the next place we are to consider that it is not an enemy to be contemned, but exceeding dangerous and pernitious; for howsoeuer it may seeme at the first sight to be weake and of small strength, yet is it the mightiest and chiefest Captaine vnder the prince of darkenesse, by whose aide and assistance he getteth the victory, and without whose helpe he could doe nothing. For though he should assault vs with a huge army of his temptations, and haue his strength reenforced, and euen twise doubled with the aides of all our worldly enemies, yet they could neuer preuaile against vs, but should bee sure of a shamefull ouerthrow, vnlesse these inbred enemies did betray vs into their hands, and secretly open the gates of our soule to let in the troupes of their temptations. The which is apparent in the example of our Sauiour Christ, who being free from the inward corruption of the flesh, was not at all endaungered with the outward temptations of the diuel. And whereas the hellish sparks of his suggestions fall into our corrupt hearts (as it were) into tinder or gunpowder, by which they are nourished and much encreased in their strength and violence: they did no more worke vpon our blessed Sauiour, whose pure nature was no iot tainted with