40 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
milder air and a softerbreeze,should stirup storms and
whirlwinds,and bring about the destructionof faithand the
shipwreck of salvationand of life. Therefore, beloved
brethren,we must be on our guard, and strivewith allour
powers to repel,with solicitousand fullwatchfulness,the
enemy, raging and aiming hisdartsagainsteveiypartof our
body in which we can be strickenand wounded, in accord
ance with what the Apostle Peter,in hisepistle,forewarns
and teaches,saying," Be sober,and watch ; because your
adversarythe devil,as a roaringlion,goethaboutseekingany
one to devour."1
2. He goeth about every one of us ; and even as an enemy
besiegingthosewho are shut up [ina city],he examines the
walls,and trieswhether there isany partof the walls1 less
firm and lesstrustworthy,by entrance through which he
may penetrateto the inside. He presentsto the eyesseduc
tiveforms and easy pleasures,thathe may destroychastityby
the sight. He tempts the earswith harmonious music,that
by the hearingof sweet sounds he may relax and enervate
Christianvigour. He provokes the tongue by reproaches;
he instigatesthe hand by exasperatingwrongs to the reck
lessnessof murder ; to make the cheat,he presentsdishonest
gains; to take captivethe soul by money, he heaps together
mischievoushoards; he promises earthlyhonours, that he
may depriveof heavenly ones; he makes a show of false
things,thathe may stealaway the true; and when he cannot
hiddenly deceive,he threatensplainlyand openly,holding
forth the fear of turbulentpersecutionto vanquish God's
servants— always restless,and always hostile,craftyin peace,
and fiercein persecution.
3. Wherefore, belovedbrethren,againstallthe devil'sde
ceivingsnaresor open threatenings,the mind ought to stand
arrayed and armed, ever as ready to repelas the foe isever
ready to attack. And sincethosedartsof his which creep
on us in concealmentaremore frequent,and hismore hidden
and secrethurling of them is the more severelyand fre
quentlyeffectualto our wounding, in proportionas it is the
1 1 Pet.v.8. sAccordingtosome," ofourmembers."
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