If he threaten us with
captivity, let us answer him that it is better to be thrall unto a
man for a while, for the pleasure of God, than, by displeasing God,
to be perpetual thrall unto the devil. If he threaten us with
imprisonment, let us tell him that we would rather be man's
prisoner a while here in earth than, by forsaking the faith, be his
prisoners for ever in hell. If he put in our minds the terror of
the Turks, let us consider his false sleight, for this tale he
telleth us to make us forget him. But let us remember well that, in
respect of himself, the Turks are but a shadow. And all that they
can do can be but a flea-bite in comparison with the mischief that
he goeth about. The Turks are but his tormentors, for he himself
doth the deed. Our Lord saith in the Apocalypse, "The devil shall
send some of you to prison, to tempt you." He saith not that men
shall, but that the devil shall, himself. For without question the
devil's own deed it is, to bring us by his temptation, with fear
and force, into eternal damnation. And therefore saith St. Paul,
"Our wrestling is not against flesh and blood," etc.
Thus may we see that in such persecutions it is the midday devil
himself that maketh such incursion upon us, by the men who are his
ministers, to make us fall for fear.
Pages:
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399