lusts, whereby he gives himſelf to idleneſs, and ſloth, which is the devils cuſhion, whereby he omits holy exerciſes, whereby he burdens his ſoul with intemperance, covetouſneſs, and ſuch like vices.
There are three degrees of our wreſtling against luſts; to wit, againſt ſuggeſtion, delight, and aſſent.
To underſtand these degrees, that of James helps, c. 1. 14, &c. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed; then when luſt hath conceived, it bringeth forth ſin; and ſin when it is finiſhed, bringeth forth death. We must then firſt reſiſt ſuggeſtions & thoughts which are either ascending from the fewel of concupiſcence or deſcending being ſuggeſted elſwhere: the firſt are not without ſin; the latter are not ſins, being cast in by Satan if ſo be we let them paſſe, and entertain them not. But if we cannot avoid the firſt degree; let us ſhun the ſecond, leſt we come to cheriſh evil thoughts with delight. But we muſt chiefly beware of the third degree, that we give not our aſſent. For the more we obey the ſinne of concupiscence, the more it increaſeth. Which that we may more and more avoid, we beſeech God the Father, in his Sonne, through the Holy Ghoſt, to which one God in Trinity, be praiſe, honour and glory, for ever and ever, Amen.
FINIS.
