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A19873 Seven sermons on, the wonderfull combate (for Gods glorie and mans saluation) betweene Christ and Sathan Delivered by the Reuerend Father in God, Doct. Andrewes, Bishop of Winchester, lately deceased.; Wonderfull combate (for Gods glorie and mans salvation) betweene Christ and Satan Andrewes, Lancelot, 1555-1626. 1627 (1627) STC 630; ESTC S119227 63,833 118

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that a great many would haue made no scruple at the matter neither would they haue counted it a temptatin but good counsell Neither would so haue cut vp Peter as Christ did to bid him go behinde him and turne their backes on him but they would rather haue turnd their backes to God and their faces after Sathan Ier. 2 27. 1 Tim. 5 15. And indeede it must needs be that either our Sauiour was vnwise in refusing so good an offer or else the World in these daies is in a wrong byas Our Sauiour we see doth not onely refuse the thing but also giues him hard words for making the offer and motion For hee doth not onely confute him here by saying Scriptum est but he addes words of bitter reprehension saying Auoyd Sathan Hee might haue giuen faire words as he did before but here he seemeth to haue left his patience The reason why he was more hot in this than in the former lis for that this toucheth the glory of God and the redemption of mankinde the former Temptations touched but himselfe in particular as the turning of stones into bread but for miracle and the casting himselfe downe was but to try God what care hee had of him But this so much toucheth the glory of God as he can hold no longer Also his longing to redeeme man caused the same Neither did he onely answer the deuill so but when his blessed Apostle who meant friendly to him moued him to the like matter he rebuked him sharply Two causes there are wherein Christ is very earnest one in counsell ministred to him tending to the impairing of Gods glory the other in practises tending to the impairing of Gods Church Iohn 2 15. there he was not only vehement in words but made a whippe to scourge them out And so in the old Testament it is said of Moses Numb 12 3. That he was a meeke man aboue all the men of the earth yet when he came to a case of Idolatrie Exod. 32 19. it is said He threw the Tables out of his hands and brake them And so farre did he loose his naturall affection to his people and Country men that he caused a great number of them to be slaine And so in a case of the Church when Corah rebelled Numb 16 15. then Moses waxed very angry for Glory be to God on high and peace on earth is the Angels song and ioy and the deuils griefe as on the other side the dishonour of God and dissention of the Church is the deuils ioy and griefe of the Angels Now besides that he doth in words rebuke him sharply hee doth no lesse in gesture also as by turning his backe vpon him as it is most like he did in saying Anoyd Sathan which is such a despightful disgrace as if that one should offer vs the like we would take it in very great disdaine Which is to vs an instruction that as there is a time when we are to keep the decill before vs and to haue our eye still vpon him and his weapon or temptation for feare least vnawares he might do vs some hurt so is there a place a time and a sinne that we are to turne our backes on and not once to looke at his temptation In affliction patience is to be tried there resist the Deuill stand to him and he will flie from ye Iam. 4 7. Here we are to set the Deuill before vs. But in a case of lust or filthy desire then do ye fly from him 1 Cor. 6 18. So in 2 Tim 2 22. we are exhorted to flye from the lusts of youth and to follow iustice there is no standing to gaze backe on the deuill and his temptations Now to the answer Scriptum est THe disputing or deciding of the Deuils Title that is whether the Kingdomes of the earth were his to giue or no Christ stands not vpon nor vpon this whether the deuill were a man of his word or no. Indeed it might well haue beene doubted whether the deuill be as good as his word his promises are not Yea and Amen as the promises of God are We may take example by Eue to whom he promised that if they did eate of the forbidden fruite that they should be like Gods but were they so indeede after they had eaten No but like the beasts that perish And as true it is that the Kingdomes are his If the Kingdome of Israel had beerie at his disposition we may be sure Dauid should neuer haue beene King as well appeareth by the troubles hee raised against him No nor Hezechi as neither of all other he would neuer choose such We may see his good will in Iob Chap. 2 7. hee could not onely be content to spoyle him of all that he had but also hee must afflict his body and so vpon the Gergashites hogges Math. 8 30. The Kingdomes are none of his but they are committed to him in some sort to dispose as himselfe faith Luke 4 6. He hath as it were an Aduowson of them to present vnto them but yet not as he there saith to giue to whom he list but to whom he is permitted God must first put all that Iob hath in his hands or else he can do nothing Abimelech Iudg. 9. and Herod Mat. 2. came to their Kingdomes by the deuils Patent they be the deuils Officers So we see daily in our daies that he bestowes Offices and presents to Churches So that as Brentius saith Many haue Panem quotidianum that cannot come by Danobis they come not to it by Gods gift yet all the interest that the deuill hath is but to present Pro haec vita tantuns As therefore it may be true that in some fort they may be giuen him so yet not to dispose as he will It is God onely that can say so for his onely they are absolutely The earth is the Lords and all the fulnesse thereof the round world and all that dwell therein Psal. 24 1. It is he the most high God that diuided to the Nations their inheritance Deut. 32 8. By him Kings reigne and Princes haue dominion Prou. 8 15. He brought Nebuchaednezzer to know That the most high God bare rule ouer the Kingdomes of men Dan. 5 21. He indeede may well say Cui voluero doea and to whomsoeuer God giueth he giueth liberally and reproacheth no man Iam. 1 5. The deuill we see exacteth more than the thing is worth and straineth the benefit of his grant with vniust couenants But Christ goes not about to answer the deuill that way but by flying ro the Scriptures as to his surest hold Therefore Dauid prayers that his minde may bee enclined to Gods Law and not to Couetousnesse Psal. 119 36. For there is a medicine for euery disease and power as well against this Temptation of Couetousnesse as against the former the Law of God can as well keepe a man from Couetousnesse as from Desperation Heauen and earth shall passe but no
out of the fountaines of saluation Esay 12 3. When there is any ill spoken of which we are to resist then it is commended to vs as an Armory whence wee may fetch any kinde of weapon which we shall need either offensiue as a sword Heb. 4 12. or defensiue as a shield Prou. 30 5. The Scripture is the broad plate that is to beare off the darts our faith is the braces or handle wherby we take hold Ephe. 6 16. and lift it vp to defend our selues withall For the Scripture is a shield Non quod dciitur sed quod dicitur Dicitur there is the strong and broad matter fit to beare off and Creditur that is the handle or braces to it God spake once or twice I haue heard it power belongeth vnto God Psal. 62 11. So that it sufficeth not that it be spoken onely by God but we must heare it too neither must wee heare it as the voyce of a man as Samuel at the first did who when God called him thought it the voice of Eli but as the voice of God that we which were dead in our sinnes he hath quickned and forgiuen vs all our trespasses 1 Thes. 2 13. This is the perfection of our faith Generally of the Scriptures this is Christs opinion confirmed by his owne practise that if the diuell come as a Serpent here is a charme for him Psal 58 5. Or if he come as a Lyon here is that is able to preuaile against him 1 Pet. 5 8. And that the deuill knowes well enough as appeareth by bis malice that hee hath alwayes borne it before it was Scripture when is was but onely Dictum For so soone as God had said Let vs make man in our likenesse that word was straight a whetstone to the deuils enuie And after the fall when the seed was promised that was and is the cause of all the deuils enmitie Gen. 31 15. So when the promise was reitterated Gen. 22. 18. that was the cause he so turmoyled all the Patriarchs But when the word was to be written and to become Scripture then his malice began to grow very hot insomuch that he caused it for anger to be broken Exod. 32 19 For the Fathers are of opinion that all the deuils busie endeuour in making the Israelites to commit idolatry with the golden Calfe was to the end that he might so heate Moses in his zeale as that in his anger he should breake the Tables of the Law by casting them hastily out of his hands We are to note therefore that there is a forceable sound in the word which the Deuill cannot abide and not onely the sound but the sight also It is written of Augustine that lying sicke on his bed he caused the seuen poenitentiall Psalmes to be painted on the wall ouer against him in great Letters that if after he should become speechlesse yet he might point to euery verse when the deuill came to tempt him and so confute him Blessed is he that hath his quiuer full of such arrowes they shall not hee ashamed Blessed is he that hath the skill to choose out fit arrowes for the purpose as the Fathers speake out of Esay 49 2. Christ saith affirmatiuely of the Scriptures that in them is eternall life Iohn 5 39. Negatiuely that the cause of error is the not knowing of them Marke 12 24. Dauid saith it was that that made him wiser than his enemies than his teachers and than the Ancients Psalm 119 98 99 110. Knowledge of the truth is the way to amendment after a fall 2 Tim. 2 26. There is much calling now adaies for the Word and others finde fault as fast that it is no better harkned vnto For as the want of obedience and all other abuses which are so much cried out against proceede not onely from the not hearing of the word but as well from the not mingling of faith with it without which mixture it is nothing worth it profiteth not Heb. 4 2. So the error of the former times was in yeelding too farre to the deuils policie by sealing vp the Scriptures and locking the storehouse and Armorie of the people It is the policie Christ tels vs of in the 11. of Lukes Gospell 22. A strong man puts the strong armed man out of his house and takes away his armour from him then he needs not feare him The like policie we read of 1 Sam. 13 19 when the Philistims had taken away all Smithes and Armour then they thought they were safe So in the time of darkenesse the deuill might let them do their good workes and what they list and yet haue them still vnder his lure that he might offend them at his pleasure that had no armour to resist him All the Children of God had a right and property in the Law of God as appeareth by Christs words Iohn 10 34. he answered them that is the common people Is it not written in your Law As though hee should say the Scripture is yours To the young man in the tenth Chapter of S Lukes Gospell and 26. verse that asked Christ what he should do to be saued Christ answereth What is written in the Law how readest thou Whereunto the answer that we cannot read or that the booke is sealed vp Esay 29 11. is as the deuill would haue it Then hath he a fit time to offer vs stones to make bread of But this answer with our Sauiour Christ will not he allowed of Now come wee to the speciall point of Christs answer It is written Man liues not by bread onely c. Deut 8 3. There is no better kinde of reasoning than that when one grants all that hath beene said by his aduersarie and proueth it to make on his part and vpon a new conceit auoyds all that his aduersarie said Here our Sauiour might confesse all that the deuill objected as that he is the Sonne of God and admit the stones were made bread and that bread were of absolute necessity and that it were so to be come by which is vntrue were we then in good case This indeed is the deuils position wherewith he would perswade all those that haue animam triticeam as the Fathers call it that those externall things are necessary to bee had and that if they haue enough thereof they are well enough as we see it to be the minde of the rich man Luke 12 19. This man hauing a wheaten soule hauing corne enough bad his soule take rest and liue merrily for many yeeres But Christ goeth further and saith Though the stones be made bread it will not auayle except it please God by the blessing of his word to giue vertue and as it were life vnto the bread there is no difference betweene it and a stone It is not the plenty or quality of victuals howsoeuer some dote vpon such externall meanes as they did which sacrificed to their net and burnt incense to their yerne Abac. 1. 16.
not suffer them in any case to receiue the least hurt that may be If euer the deuill came in his likenesse it was here In the first of Sam. 28 18. he came but in the guise of a Prophet so that in stead of saying Is Saul among the Prophets it might haue beene said What is the deuil among the Prophets But here he hath vsed himselfe so cunningly that if euer he was transformed into an Angell of light here it is verified 1 Cor. 11 14. For he commeth here like a white deuill or like a Diuine he comes with a Psalter in his hand and turnes to the place and shewes our Sauiour the 91. Psalme verse 11 12. Wherein first we are to note that the deuill readeth Psalmes as well as we and hath the words of Scripture in his mouth And 1 Sam. 28. he counterfeited Samuel so right and vsed the very words that he had vsed that they could not know him from Samuel so here he counterfeited the voice of Dauid Acts 19 15. This will make vs shake off security considering that God doth for our triall sometime deliuer the aduersarie the okey of our Armorie whereby he is able to hold argument with an Archangell Iude 9. yea with Christ himselfe as we see here How carefull therefore had we need to be to finde out a fit answer for him For onely to assault vs doth he reade the Scriptures yea but not to any good end but euen thereby to deceiue the simplicitie of men as heere to make them put their soules in aduenture to the last houre Hee hath indeed a grace with some vaine youths of the Court and vngodly Atheists to set them a scoffing at the the Scripture as Esay 28 22. But with others that haue the Scriptures in more high reuerence hee goeth another way to worke making it to them the sauour of death Rom. 7 10. The words which he vseth in the name of Samuel he vseth to make Saul dispaire and here hee vseth Dauids words to cause presumption and to make them our bane And not euerie Scripture but if there be any Scripture more full of heauenly comfort than another that of all other will the deuill abuse as indeed the Psalmes are of all the Psalmes this 91. especially and in that part if any one sentence be sweeter than another that of all other will the deuill abuse Marke the second verse here cited He shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes These last words the deuill leaues out because they make not for his purpose They shall beare thee in their hands that thou dash not thy foote against a stone And we shall see nothing can be spoken more comfortable as first in that it is said that the Angels haue charge ouer vs in all our wayes Exod. 23 20. Behold I send my Angel before thee to guide thee in the way to comfort and confirme vs. As when Iacob was in feare of his brother Esau the Angel met him Gen. 32 1. and to defend vs in all dangers and succour vs in all necessities spreading their wings ouer vs and pitching their tents about vs. Psal. 34 7. Secondly this charge not onely concerneth our head and principall members but also our feet yea Gods prouidence reacheth euen to the haires of our head for they are numbred Math 10 30. Thirdly this charge of theirs is not onely to admonish vs when danger commeth but they are actually to helpe vs as it were putting their hands betweene the ground and vs. Mat. 13 14. They shall take the rubs and offences out of our way Fourthly this do they not of curtesie as being creatures giuen by nature to loue mankinde but by speciall mandate and charge they are bound to it and haue a praecipe for it yea the very beasts and stones shall be in league with vs. This Psalme and these verses containing such comfort hath the Deuill culled to perswade men that being such sweete children of God they may venture whether and vpon what they will for the Angels attend them at an inch He bids them put the matter in adventure and then but whistle for an Angell and they will come at first he carrieth them vp to the top of the Pinacle and shewes them their own case in Annas and Herod and tels them God will require no more of them than he did at their hands and all the way as they go vp hee singeth them a Psalme of the mercies of God he carrieth them vp with a song that Gods mercy is aboue all his workes Psal. 145 9. And with Psal. 103 8. How gracious and long-suffering God is who rewardeth vs not according to our deserts And Psal. 136. That his mercy endureth for euer God therefore being so full of mercy will take all things in good part But this mercy the deuill tels them of diffeteth from the mercy Dauid meant For the mercy Dauid speaketh of is coupled with iudgement Psal. 101 1. 1 will sing mercy and iudgement to thee O Lord and Psal. 85. 10. Mercy and truth are met together Iustice and peace haue kissed each other Thus I say they shall haue musicke all the way and if any at the height thinke it a great way downe no saith the deuill you neede but a iumpe from your baptisme into heauen you shall need no stairs at all The end of the fourth Sermon THE FIFT SERMON Mathew Chap. 4. verse 7. Iesus said vnto him It is written againe Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God COnsidering that Saint Iames saith Chap. 4 5. The Scripture speaketh nothing in vaine and that as our Sauiour Christ saith Iohn 10 35. No Scripture can be disappointed it may seeme strange that the deuill comming armed with The sword of the Spirit for so is the word of God termed Ephes. 6 17. Christ giues not place but opposeth himselfe to answer Wee see that a message comming in the name of the Lord this very name abashed Nehemias Neh. 6 10. at the first hearing till he perceiued it was contrary to the law of God and so came not from him which here we see to be the cause why Christ doth not yeeld by and by vpon the hearing of the Word but sets himselfe to make answer forsomuch as the word is not of Quia dicitur onely but Quia ireditur as Augustine noteth If there bee not the mixture of faith with it whereof Paul speaketh Heb 4 2. it is nothing worth And therefore the bad spirit was nothing abashed or daunted at the hearing of the bare names of Iesus and Paul Act. 19 15. but answered I know them but who are ye They did not beleeue and therefore could do them no good but were wounded themselues glorious names would not serue the turne So was it here vsed without faith When the Scripture is here vrged against one a man would thinke it were not to bee answered by citing another place of Scripture but by some