deceaue the sonne of God yet he preuaileth marueilously with it in the world for if we shall view the thing in his particulars we see y ◠seyng Sathā can not preuayle in the world to keepe it still drowned in blinde ignoraunce and superstitious deuotion but that the same is described openly vnto men to be detestable and leadyng to finall destruction now doth he labour to bring men vnto Atheisme and to be iust of no Religion at all Wherewith how greatly he preuaileth to the great dishonor of God grief of all the godly it is most manifest for to put on the name of Religion is present with euery man and to put of the title of Poperie because the law doth so but to come to the point which in deede is the marke of a true Christian so to refuse the counsell of the vngodly so to shunne the waye of sinners and so to abhorre the seate of the scornefull as with all for so the originall text is to be expoūded in that place to meditate in the law of God day and night to make it a lāterne to our feete and a light vnto our pathes to lay downe all our wisedome and our owne wayes at the feete of Jesus Christ and to be contented both in Judgement in practise of life to let the lyne of the worde direct vs. how sew such are there founde and how thinne be they sowne throughout this whole lād and all because of this that Sathan would persuade vs that the further we be from zeale from godly life frō feare of offending God and his Church the further we be from Poperie and therfore the safer as in this one example shall appeare when we doe by the word of GOD iustly cōdemne the tyranny and butchery of that Antechrist in captiuyng the consciences of men vnder his slauish subiection and then doe heare that the word of God hath prescribed an order in his Church to bridle the varulinesse amend the abuses that rest in euery one who is called a brother if once we desire to haue the same executed that offences may be taken away oh say they y t were euen to become slaues vnto Poperie agayne and therfore that they neuer come neare that they wilbe sure to geue them selues to all libertie and loosenesse in the meane while they forget that Sathan laboured to practise so with our Sauiour Christ Iesus to driue him too farre into y e contrary extremitie If he can not preuaile with man to make him couetously minded to be alwayes pludding vpō worldly cares that all good things may be choked in him whereunto almost euery man yeldeth thē will he at him with the contrary to driue him to carelessenesse in respect of those thinges which he is bounde to looke vnto In a word it is Sathans continuall practise neuer to let man rest in that golden meane which Gods word prescribeth but euer to intise him to the one extremitie or the other and therfore we haue great need to pray vnto the Lord to make vs wise harted that we may see the course commaunded and continually proceede in it Moreouer in y e Sathan would haue him throw himselfe downe headlong which is as you haue heard contrary vnto the other it is to the ende that hee may make him vaynelie presumptuous vpō his owne power which is a tēptation greatly infecting the world for notwithstandyng that we be in our selues most foolish ignoraunt and simple yet Sathan will steale all the sight of that out of mans mynde and persuade him of himselfe very highly Whereupon it commeth that we see the whole worlde so caried away in pride and presumption that euery man swelleth in his own conceite seeking to disgrace all other men in respect of him selfe and liketh of nothing bee it neuer so good holy or wisely done or sayd but that which is forged in his owne imagination but wee must learne the lesson of the holy Ghost set downe by the Apostle Paule in geuing honor to preferre one an other and not our selues in our owne blind persuasion Sathan laboureth not onely in this to make Christ Jesus thinke too wel of himselfe but also vppon the same to vse vnlawfull meanes to make it knowne vnto others which is a braūch if you marke it wel secret poyson wherewith he greatly venometh mankynde For when once he can bring man to thinke better of himselfe then others doe or in deede is cause why he or they should then will he ticle him w t vayne glory y t is with an inordinate desire of blazing his power dignitie vnto men whereunto when he can finde no fit instrumentes for the execution of the same in such measure as hee would rather then it shalbe vnatchiued such is his thirst after prayse popular fame he wilbe his owne spokesman and pleade his owne cause as we may see in the wordes deedes of men words when men are not ashamed to commende of and prayse themselues shewyng in boasting maner what they can doe and what great things they haue done and often all starke lyes thinkyng the matter neuer sufficiently knowne vntill themselues lay it open in deede when mē and womē as we see in their practise will adorne or rather disguise them selues in such straunge and monstrous maner as we see continually practised amongest vs and all commeth from a braunch of that that Sathan would gladly suggest into the sonne of God to thinke it shall not otherwise bee knowne how noble how worshipfull how rich in liuynges or great of byrth they are and they persuade themselues that euery man admireth their great estate thereby when poore soules they take the readyest way to be mocked and taūted of euery one that seeth them esteemyng them rather of foolish vayne and wanton then wise sober or honest behauiour This kinde of decette is yet further to be ripped vp for it is an infection that stealeth euen vpon him that is otherwise watchfull for it is a marueilous hard thyng such is our corruption euen for the dearest children of God to doe any thyng that is good or be in any good estate or condition but as Sathan would haue had Christ to haue misdemeaned him selfe because hee was the sonne of God so doth he exceedyngly labour to make their affections corrupt in the same manner In respect whereof I pray God that we neuer let passe from our remembraunce the saying of that singular vessell of God S. Paule that sayth hee had the messenger of Sathan to buffet him a pricke in his flesh least he should be exalted aboue measure through the aboundaunce of reuelations For of all sinnes I am persuaded that the best and godliest cā most hardly auoyde this to doe any thing that is good not be proude of it but let vs pray vnto God for his grace that our affections may be so reformed that we neuer ascribe any thyng to our selues that
for your fauour towardes me and especially for that I am perswaded the doctrine therein conteyned wilbe acceptable vnto you The Lord of heauen and earth from whom all true honour commeth increase the same vnto your duety more and more for the aduauncement of his glory in this world and the eternall comfort of your owne soule in the worlde of come Amen Your honors most humble to commaunde in the Lord. IOHN VDALL To the Reader THe particular braunches of the whole matter as you see in this Table are in number twentie and two looke what figures you finde any poynte marked with all in this place and the same shall you finde in the Margent of the booke where the same matter begynneth to bee handled ¶ A Methode of the whole matter in this Booke The temptatiōs of Christ 〈◊〉 Generall Occasiō Circumstaunces Tyme beyng Baptised 1. Place the wildernesse 2. Causes Good Gods holy spirite 3. Euill Sathan the tempter 4. Thyng Partie Christ Iesus 5. Matter tempted 6. Particular Preparation 7 Actiō three folde assayled in respect of his Person Occasion 8. Thing Maner 9. Matter Assault with Distrust in God 10. Vse of ill Meanes 11 Resistaunce 12. Mynd in respect of his Estate Assault Circumstaunces VVhē 13 where 14 VVhat Thyng 15. Reason 16. Resistaunce 17. Ornament of it Assault VVhere 18. VVhat Shewed 19 Promised 20. Resistaunce in Generall 21. Particular 22. Math. 4. 1. 2. 3. c. 1. Then was Iesus led aside of the spirite into the wildernesse to bee tempted of the Deuill 2. And when he had fasted fourty dayes c. WE heard the last day beloued in our Sauiour Christ how it pleased God when the fulnesse of tyme was come that his sonne our redeemer should begyn to make himselfe knowne vnto the world to declare the same not onely by the testimonie of Iohn who refused to Baptise him but also by the holy Ghost discendyng on him in visible maner the voyce of God from heauen pronouncyng him to be his beloued sonne in whom alone he is well pleased Now it remayneth that we proceede vnto the entraunce of Christ into the execution of his office in the publicke reuelyng of himselfe vnto the world to bee that Messiah so long locked for by whom saluation is purchased to all beleeuers whether they be Jewes or Gentiles In whiche is conteined first his tryall secōdly his departure into Galile his tryall conteyning those seuerall braunches that are expressed in the Table whereof we are to speake as they lye in order Then In this word is contayned the first circumstaunce whiche is the tyme when hee was tempted to witt when hee was Baptised began to enter the course of working the worke of our redemption whereby we learne that whē we are baptised for somuch as in the same we put on the profession of Jesus Christ and receiue his cognisaunce thereby vowing our selues to bee his souldiours we must bee sure of this that Sathan wilbe our professed foe to be pricking at vs either to terrifie or allure vs frō vnder the banner of our Captaine Christ Jesus and therefore we must learne so often as we thinke of our Baptisme or see the same Sacrament administred vnto others to remember what place we are called vnto and what a strōg enemy we are to encounter with all that we may be more watchfull warye that his slie subtilties do not deceiue vs nor his roaringes deuoure vs. A meditation most needefull to be thought vpon For we see that many are contented to receiue the presse money of Jesus Christ and to giue their names to be inroled into his booke who yet after all that do flee vnto Sathās campe and fight with might and mayne agaynst him and his kingdome For if we shal trye the truth hereof by the proofe and euent how many are foūde whose myndes are infected with false and erronious opinions whose liues swarme with vngodly and wicked practises and though they thus goe on from sinne to sinne yet Sathan wil perswade them that they bee Christians for that their names are registred in the number of the Baptised but if Christ be no other way truely obeyed then by wholesome doctrine and holy conuersation and Sathans kingdome no otherwise erected then by false opinion and dissolute behauiour let vs assure our selues that vnlesse we doe labour by all good meanes to furnish our hartes with the knowledge of holy doctrine and to adorne our liues with godly behauiour say what we will pretend what we list we are reuolters frō the obedience that we professe vnto Christ by our Baptisme and instrumentes for Sathan whereby he strengtheneth his kingdome to our owne destruction Agayne it teacheth vs the state of Gods childrē here in this world to be in continuall battayle For so long as we be vnder the protection of Christ Jesus Sathā is our sworne foe by whom we shalbe sure to haue all y ◠iniuries that hee can procure vs either by his owne person our owne flesh or his instrumentes the worldlinges that knowe not God which is a lesson needefull to be learned for some who in deede measure Religiō by their owne fancies thinke it an easie thyng to be a Christian and therefore accompt euery man and woman to be one Agayne some would gladly be Christiās so that the applause of the world might also goe with them Whereupon it commeth that the one neuer vnderstādeth what Religion meaneth and so proceedeth sleepely to destruction the other not hauyng cast his accomptes before seeth those difficulties therein that he was not aware of and forsaketh all both religion and profession of the same the example of our Sauiour Christ doth very notably meete with thē both with the first in shewyng what a mightie foe we shal haue in Religion and therfore it cannot be an easie thyng with the second that the difficulties wilbe many and therfore to aduise our selues before we make any profession of Christ least we be driuen thereby with shame to renounce that whiche heretofore we haue seemed to loue and so after cur settyng hand to the ploughe and looking backe be vnfit for the kingdome of God The world is full of such people whose estate is most fearefull and therfore let vs beware Moreouer we see that Christ assoone as euer hee begynneth as it were to poynte the finger towardes that publicke office whereunto he was allotted of God the Father is forthwith assayled shewing vnto vs that whensoeur it pleaseth God to moue vs to take in hand any good action the enemy wilbe sure to Crosse it withall the stumblyng blockes that he is able to lay in the way The which we see verified by experiēce in the booke of God y e trouble of Moyses did begyn Whē it came in his hart to visite his brethren Dauid liued quietly vntill the Lord vsed meanes to bring him to Saules campe that he might set vpon and ouercome
the Israelites so that by this may wee notably examine our selues how we stand affected towardes the Lord for it is most certayne that we are within the compasse of one of these sortes of people Sathā tryed Iob Peter Achab. c. For he sifteth both the godly wicked the godly by the sight of Gods word power of his spirite do resist him the wicked take vp all the baytes layd for them and obey him and therefore are not so properly sayd to be tryed As for example when hee assayleth man to the breach of any of the commaundementes of God and the practising of any sinne the childe of God seyng that it is contrary to Gods word and therfore must needes be of the Deuil striueth by all good meanes to ouercome and to stand sure to the course of true godlynesse Contrarywise the wicked is caryed away with the present delight of sinne and coueteth the same with greedynesse By this also we haue occasion to examine our selues in what estate we stand The Scriptures tell vs also that man doth trye and that is two wayes either he tryeth God or he tryeth man hee tryeth GOD when by continuaunce in sinne and presumyng vpon Gods mercies he proueth his patience so did the Israelites often such he they among vs that when they heare that God is mercyfull ready to forgiue doe vpon the same gather to them selues immunitie to sinne But the Scripture speaketh most fearefully of such that their damnation is iust that they were foreordayned to that condemnation that they abusing Gods patiēce which should lead them to repentaunce do heape vp vnto them selues wrath agaynst the day of wrath he tryeth man when hee doth any thing wherewith to moue his patience or to greeue him many such there be who are driuen of Sathā into such impudencie and obstinacie that they wil not onely goe on vnto all sinne in the whole course of their life but they will the rather sinne if they thinke it will greeue him that is wont to reproue them cleane forgetting that themselues beyng the offenders the vengeaunce of God shall fall not on the hearer reprouing it according to his duetie but on the doer of that whereby God is offended This place is of Christ Iesus his temptyng by Sathā and therefore is properly to be vnderstoode of those temptations wherewith the godly are assayled of Sathan their sworne enemie the causes that moue him thereunto bee first in respect of God secondly of the godly thirdly of himselfe Of God for that hee in iustice hath inflicted the payne of eternall woe vppon him for his rebellion whiche he knoweth to be irreuocable and his former estate past recouerie and therfore he laboureth as he thincketh to be reuenged of God in assayling his people in vexing him in his seruauntes and seeking to lessen his kingdome by seducing of those whom it hath pleased God of his mercy to make worthy that calling He doth it also in respect of man whose estate he doth enuie for that it is better then his owne and therefore hee laboureth by all extremities that he can deuise to vexe him in the same to make it lesse ioyous vnto him and to bring him if it were possible to thincke his condition odious in his owne eyes hee doth it moreouer in regard of himself who knowyng that hee is finally to be damned and that he is the kyng of hell and Prince of perdition laboureth by all meanes to bring if it could be the very elect into the compasse of the same for the enlargyng of his kingdome beyng desirous to haue all others partakers with him in that endlesse torment whereunto he is finally adiudged The course that he taketh in these temptations is not forthwith to set before the eyes of the godly the thing that he aymeth at for hee knoweth that in soule they are brought to abhorre it but first he will sleyly suggest into their myndes the cogitations and motions of his intent whiche if they rest vpon and doe not forthwith beate them backe he will goe a step further to witt to bring them to consent thereunto which once being gotten there remayneth nothing for the partie is wonne vnto him but to put y e same in execution the meanes whereof shall quickely bee prompted into him so that the slightes of the enemy being so subtle if euer wee thinke to auoyde thē we must haue these two thinges wisedome to discerne him and power to resiste him This wisedome is not humaine neither by nature arte nor experience but the true knowledge of Gods worde whereby to be able to discerne the things that differ without which we runne headlong into our enemies handes and such is our naturall blindnesse chose to hearken to his motions and like well of them because he can turne him selfe into an Aungell of light and make vertue to seeme vglie and vice beautifull vnto man vnto this wisedome and true knowledge is also power to resist him requisite to be adioyned for to no purpose were it if we could neuer so cunningly deciphar the subtilties of Sathan and discerne them at the first vnlesse we be also able to resiste him for els haue we but gotten this that where other men goe headlong into destruction and know not of it we should wittingly willingly do the same this power is no way to be sought or founde within our selues or in any thing that we can do but onely of the Lord who as he is able so is hee willing to helpe all those that seeke to him for so hee sayth come vnto me all ye that trauaile and are heauie burthened and I will ease you aske and you shall haue seeke and ye shall finde nowe this commyng vnto him is by Fayth and repentaunce carefully vsing those meanes that hee hath prescribed in his word and this must not onely be but it must also be without delay resisting the beginning For Sathan is farre more easely driuen backe in the first beginning then afterward when he hath got more hold for as by his continuaunce he groweth great in man so doth he dayly lessen mans power to resist and therfore it is no putting of from day to day as is the maner of the wicked that know not God The thinges wherein he tempteth be diswading from euery good thing and perswading to the contrary he diswadeth frō goodnesse by shewing the impossibilitie the trouble and small necessitie of it as for example when thou goest about to seeke to know Iesus Christ out of his word for thy owne comfort hee will tell thee that the Scriptures are exceeding long merueilous hard to be vnderstood and thou hast such and such businesse to employ thy selfe about that it is vnpossible that euer thou shouldest attayne vnto it Also that the troubles which do accōpany such a course be innumerable and intollerable as