, whether
the devil or the devil's minister, do against thee? Whosoever sets
the hope of gain before thee to seduce thee, let him only find no
covetousness in thee; and what can he who would tempt thee by gain
effect? Whereas, if covetousness be found in thee, thou takest fire
at the sight of gain, and art taken by the bait of this corrupt
food. But if we find no covetousness in thee, the trap remains
spread in vain. Or should the tempter set before thee some woman of
surpassing beauty; if chastity be within, iniquity from without is
overcome. Therefore, that he may not take thee with the bait of a
strange woman's beauty, fight with thine own lust within; thou hast
no sensible perception of thine enemy, but of thine own
concupiscence thou hast. Thou dost not see the devil, but the object
that engageth thee thou dost see. Get the mastery then over that of
which thou art sensible within. Fight valiantly, for he who hath
regenerated thee is thy judge; he hath arranged the lists, he is
making ready the crown. But because thou wilt without doubt be
conquered, if thou have not him to aid thee, if he abandon thee,
therefore dost thou say in the prayer, "Lead us not into
temptation." The judge's wrath hath given over some to their own
lusts; and the Apostle says, "God gave them over to the lusts of
their hearts." How did he give them up? Not by forcing, but by
forsaking them.

"Deliver us from evil," may belong to the same sentence. Therefore,
that thou mayst understand it to be all one sentence, it runs thus,
"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." Therefore,
he added "but," to show that all this belongs to one sentence, "Lead
us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." How is this? I
will propose them singly. "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil." By delivering us from evil, he leadeth us not into
temptation; by not leading us into temptation, he delivereth us from
evil.

And, truly, it is a great temptation, dearly beloved, it is a great
temptation in this life, when that in us is the subject of
temptation whereby we attain pardon if, in any of our temptations,
we have fallen. It is a frightful temptation when that is taken from
us whereby we may be healed from the wounds of other temptations. I
know that ye have not yet understood me. Give me your attention,
that ye may understand. Suppose, avarice tempts a man, and he is
conquered in any single temptation