And some religious persons make
a profession of continence or chastity, and yet not in truth, their
hearts be not truly chaste. Such feigned girding of the loins cannot
make a man strong to resist the assaults of the great captain or enemy in
the evil day. Yet some get them girdles with great knots, as though they
would be surely girt, and as though they would break the devil's head
with their knotted girdles. Nay, he will not be so overcome: it is no
knot of an hempton girdle that he feareth; that is no piece of harness of
the armour of God, which may resist the assault in the evil day; it is
but feigned gear; it must be in the heart, &c.
"And be ye apparelled or clothed," saith Paul, "with the habergeon or
coat-armour of justice, that is, righteousness." Let your body be
clothed in the armour of righteousness: ye may do no wrong to any man,
but live in righteousness; not clothed with any false quarrel or privy
grudge. Ye must live rightly in God's law, following his commandments
and doctrine, clothed righteously in his armour, and not in any feigned
armour, as in a friar's coat or cowl. For the assaults of the devil be
crafty to make us put our trust in such armour, he will feign himself to
fly; but then we be most in jeopardy: for he can give us an after-clap
when we least ween; that is, suddenly return unawares to us, and then he
giveth us an after-clap that overthroweth us: this armour deceiveth us.
Pages:
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57