ouercome all perills and daungers which the enemie dayly deui∣seth. But for so much as pertaineth vnto Christ (as is sayd) whom by faith he apprehendeth, on whom he beleueth, true it is that he hath all thinges. For in Christ the deuill is ouercome, the law ful∣filled, the wrath of God pacified, and death it selfe vanquished. In this state we stand if we looke to Christ, on whom we beleue. But when we looke backe into our selues, we are forced to confesse that we are not pure, because our fayth is not yet perfect, and therefore can not perfectly apprehend perfect thinges, as S. Paule sayth: Therefore when we come to the combate, we giue place to the e∣nemy, we suffer our hope to be wrested from vs, we are cast into heauines, impaciencie, &c. Thus Christians are warriers & Gods true souldiers, which stand alwayes in the battaile, and can not be secure or voyd of feare. Therefore they are feruent in prayer and cry vnto God for succour. Contrariwise, they that are secure, pray not, for they thinke that the deuill is farre enough of, and so that faith & feeling of the good gift of God which they seemed to haue, they lose before they be ware, and when tentation commeth, they are like to a withered leafe.
Thus we see the great necessitie of prayer, and how it ought to be continually vsed among the faithfull, if not with the mouth, y•••• with the hart and harty sighes vnto God, according to the wordes of S. Paule: Let the word of Christ dwel in you plentifully: sig∣nifying that they ought to be continually exercised therein, not on∣ly by teaching the same to other publikely and priuatly, but also by earnest meditation and prayer, when they sit at home in their houses, as Moises teacheth, when they walke by the way, when they lye downe and when they rise vp. For as the Deuill goeth a∣bout like a roring lyon, strong and mighty, seeking whom he may deuoure: so are we on euery ••ide infirme and weake, pressed downe also with the flesh, full of sinne, & cariyng this treasure in earthen vesselles: In the which our fayth is as a tender plant, which be∣cause it is not yet come to perfect strength, may be easily shaken with winds and tempests. This know not they which before they haue had some triall of them selues by affliction or wrastling with the enemy, thinke them selues to be Christians and sound in faith. We must watch therefore and pray as Christ commaundeth that in our daily conflictes we may stand stedfastly against the darts of Satan which would driue vs to the contempt of God and man.