But in all manner of so diverse temptations, one marvellous comfort is that, the more we be tempted, the gladder have we cause to be.  For, as St. James saith, “Esteem and take it, my brethren, for a thing of all joy when you fall into diverse and sundry manner of temptations.”  And no marvel, for there is in this world set up (as it were) a game of wrestling, in which the people of God come in on the one side, and on the other side come mighty strong wrestlers and wily—­that is, the devils, the cursed proud damned spirits.  For it is not our flesh alone that we must wrestle with, but with the devil too.  “Our wrestling is not here,” saith St. Paul, “against flesh and blood, but against the princes and potentates of these dark regions, against the spiritual wicked ghosts of the air.”

But as God hath prepared a crown for those who on his side give his adversary the fall, so he who will not wrestle shall have none.  For, as St. Paul saith, “There shall no man have the crown but he who contendeth for it according to the law of the game.”  And then, as holy St. Bernard saith, how couldst thou fight or wrestle for it, if there were no challenger against thee who would provoke thee thereto?  And therefore may it be a great comfort, as St. James saith, to every man who feeleth himself challenged and provoked by temptation.  For thereby perceiveth he that it cometh to his course to wrestle, which shall be, unless he willingly play the coward or the fool, the matter of his eternal reward.

X

But now must this needs be to man an inestimable comfort in all temptation if his faith fail him not:  that is, that he may be sure that God is always ready to give him strength against the devil’s might and wisdom against the devil’s snares.

For, as the prophet saith, “My strength and my praise is our Lord, he hath been my safeguard.”  And the scripture saith, “Ask wisdom of God and he shall give it thee,” in order “that you may espy,” as St. Paul saith, “and perceive all the crafts.”  A great comfort may this be in all kinds of temptation, that God hath so his hand upon him who is willing to stand and will trust in him and call upon him, that he hath made him sure by many faithful promises in holy scripture that either he shall not fall or, if he sometimes through faintness of faith stagger and hap to fall, yet if he call upon God betimes his fall shall be no sore bruising to him.  But as the scripture saith, “The just man, though he fall, shall not be bruised, for our Lord holdeth under his hand.”

The prophet expresseth a plain comfortable promise of God against all temptations where he saith, “Whoso dwelleth in the help of the highest God, he shall abide in the protection or defence of the God of heaven.”  Who dwelleth, now, good cousin, in the help of the high God?  Surely, he who through a good faith abideth in the trust and confidence of God’s help, and neither, for lack of that faith and trust in his help, falleth desperate of all help, nor departeth from the hope of his help to seek himself help (as I told you the other day) from the flesh, the world, or the devil.