instruction If you marke well these thynges that sathan vrged vnto Christ before this you shal finde thē to be of an other kinde namely to concerne him selfe and not God immediatly as this doth for though it bee a dishonour vnto God when a man is vrged to offend in the least poynt of his Religiō yet it concerneth the Lord more nearely when one shalbe sollicited to violate that worship and honour thereof hee is very ielous and which he will not giue vnto an other and accordyng as it is more haynous in the eyes of the Lord so is it to be esteemed a thyng more odious vnto man and therfore to be repelled with more courage Which if you marke well you shall in the practise of our Sauiour in the combate for so long as sathan medled with those things that concerned Christ himselfe as the matter of his body he aunswereth him though alwayes most perfectly yet more mildly but when he commeth vnto this pointe to vrge him vnto those thinges whiche concerne the threatning of God from the iurisdiction of his creatures and depriuyng him of his glory and worship he dealeth no more mildly meckely but rebuketh him in most vehemēt maner and painteth him out in his naturall coulours so that the example of Christ is vnto vs a notable president how to behaue our selues towardes wicked men in the world wherof some are enemies thought to God in deede in pretence onely to our persons some euen in speach behauiour professed foes vnto our Religiō and so immediatly vnto the Lord concerning them that are our enemies for so much as we are to bee patternes of all pacience and to ouercome euill with good we must vse our selues more gently towardes them reprouyng thē with all long suffering and meekenesse to see if it will please God to graunt thē repentaunce deliuer them out of the snares of the Deuill But if they be enemies vnto our Religion then are we to put on an other kind of behauiour towardes them that is to resiste them euen vnto their faces with all courage and boldnesse that they may know y ◠we be zelous for the Lord God of hostes and tender his glory more then our owne estimation or benefite whiche practise if we looke into the scriptures we shall see to be obserued by the most notable instrumentes of Gods glory for that is sayd of Moyses that he was meekest man that was vpō the earth yet none was euer either before him or after him Jesus Christ excepted more filled with zeale courage thē he shewed himselfe to be whē he dealt with them that were enemies to God and his truth The Apostle Paule who in hys doctrine dothe so often exhort vs vnto meekenes and gentlenesse yet looke what singuler boldnesse hee sheweth him selfe to bee of when hee dealt with that sorcerer who would haue peruerted Sergius Paulus from the fayth But to goe no further then our sauiour himselfe who is to vs an example of all perfection doth not hee bid vs learne of him for hee is lowly and meeke doth not hee shew himselfe in the whole course of his life most milde and yet how roughly and sharpely dealeth hee with the Scribes and Pharisies who were deprauers of the truth of the law of GOD. We see then in what manner and at what tymes we ought to be milde agayne when we must be earnest which is a lesson needefull to be learned as generally of all true Christians so particularly especially of vs Ministers for these are suche dayes if not worse as our sauiour Christ spake of that whether we come full or fasting we are refused if we pipe they will not daunce and if wee weepe they will not mourne that is of what spirite soeuer we be whether milde or sharpe whether gentle or rough no way will please them because they will needes be dampned In which peruerse frowardnes this doctrine will stād vs in good stead that is to be patient and gentle in our own cause but zelous and whot in the cause of the Lord and then let the world take exceptions as long and as much as it can our conscience will beare vs witnesse that which GOD commaundeth wherewith whosoeuer is offended sinneth not against vs but the Lord. It is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue this is the repulse that Christ giueth vnto sathan such a blowe as made him finally to depart for that time The wordes that are here alleadged be not to be found in so many sillables in any place of the scriptures though the sence and meaning is in many places that whereunto Christ alludeth is written in two seuerall places of Deuteronomy where be these wordes thou shalt feare the Lorde thy God and serue him In stead of feare Christ putteth worship and to the worde serue hee ioyneth onely both whiche are to be considered for the first where Christ taketh worshippe for feare the difference is no more but to set downe the effect in stead of the cause for the feare of God is that reuerent opinion that man ought to haue of God in regard of his greatnes and his own weakenes and the worship of God is that necessary fruite that feare bringeth forth Nowe for asmuch as Sathan challenged vnto hymselfe worshippe which is the fruit of the feare of god and therefore is alwaies included in the worde feare Christ opposing his aunswere to the demaund of the enemie taketh that part of the sence of the commaundement though not the very worde which the aduersary did seeme to arrogate vnto himselfe Now for the worde onelie which Christ seemeth to adde vnto the text if wee marke it well we shall see that it is most agreable to the meaning of the holy Ghost for that sentence in so much as it belongeth to the worshippe of God must be referred vnto the first commandement wherein God excludeth all others and taketh all vnto him selfe the meaninge of it then must needes be that this seruice is onely to be giuen vnto God Agayne we know in the course of the whole scriptures that when god speaketh as we call it indefinitely the sence is euer to be taken generally as when he sayth cursed is he that maketh flesh and bloud his arm he meaneth all and euerie sort of flesh and bloud agayne when hee sayth searche the scriptures for in them you thinke to haue eternall lyfe hee meaneth in them onely so when he saith thou shalt feare the Lord and serue him he meaneth onely him you see then how the answere of christ though it vary something in the words of the text which he aleageth yet it differeth nothing from the sence and meaning Now if you marke the wordes spoken and lay them to the demaund of Sathan you shall see that they are being thus alleaged much more forcible then otherwise For
THE COMBATE betwixt CHRIST and the Deuill Foure Sermons vpon the temptations of Christ in the wildernes by Sathan wherein are to be sene the subtile sleightes that the tempter vseth agaynst the children of God and the meanes that God hath appointed to resiste him sanctified to our vse in the example of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST By Iohn Vdall Preacher of the word of God at Kyngston vpon Thames IAMES 1. 2. 3. 4. ¶ My Brethren count it exceeding ioye when ye fall into diuers temptations knowing that the triall of your faith bringeth forth pacience let pacience haue her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entier lacking nothing AT LONDON Printed by Robert Walde-graue for Thomas Man and William Brome TO THE RIGHT honorable HENRY Earle of Huntyngdon Lord Hastings c. Of the most Noble Order of the Garter Knight and Lord President of the Counsell established in the North-partes 1. V. VVisheth increase of all spirituall graces and true honor in this world and that endlesse glory that lasteth for euer WHEN I consider with my selfe right honorable that inestimable crowne of immortall glorie which it hath pleased God the father in his sonne Iesus Christ to lay vp in store for those whom of his mercy and free fauour he elected vnto him selfe before the foundations of the vvorld and with all those many tribulations and afflictions by which his heauenly vvisedome hath appointed them to enter into the same I see as in a glasse before myne eyes the cause that moued our Sauiour Christ to say that straite is the way vvhich leadeth to life and fevv there by that finde it and the blessed Apostle Paule to set downe there is a law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the lawe of sinne for as the glorious maiestie of that heauenly ioy doth rauish the minde of euery man to wishe that hee might be partaker of the same so on the other side the consideration of afflictions and present calamities that all those who will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer doth not onely terrifie many from taking in hand the profession of Religion but greatly vexeth and greeueth euen the deare children of God and maketh such a cōtradictiō betwixt the flesh the spirite that they seeme in such wise to be distracted as though they were deuided into two parts The one striuing with mayne and might to go toward hell the other labouring by all the force that it is able to goe towardes God But those that euer meane to take that course which alone leadeth to the kingdome of heauen must not onely seeke out of the word of God to know what he would haue them to do and carefully to put the same in practise but also they must make their accompt to haue infinite and continuall Crosses euen for the same so that vnlesse they be thus resolued that in respect of Iesus Christ they accompt all things vile and therfore for the professing and bearing witnes vnto his truth are contented to abide all extremities that Satan the world or their owne flesh can rayse vp against thē it is vnpossible that euer they should continue vnto the ende that they might be saued For God in his wisedome hath sene it most meete that they who shall reigne with his sonne Iesus Christ shall also be conformed vnto the similitude of his sufferinges to drinke of the cup that he did drinke of and to be Baptised with his Baptisme Now Satā who is a sworne enemy to mankinde and seeketh as a roaring Lion whom hee may deuour taketh occasion by this decree of God to driue man into all extremities inward and outward to the end that he may winne him vnto himselfe in leauing the course of godlynesse and giuing himselfe ouer to commit all iniquities and that with greedinesse and so much the rather because hee findeth our corrupt nature conuenient matter to worke vpon which in it selfe is altogether euill so that excepting onely those whō it pleaseth God of his mere mercy in Iesus Christ to regenerate by the knowledge of his word and working of his holy spirite all the posteritie of Adam is vtterly seduced by Satan to be instrumentes of enlarging his kingdome and encreasing their owne condemnation And those whom the Lord hath reclaymed from the seruice of sinne vnto the obedience of his Gospell haue euer bene and to the end of the world shalbe so tempted of Sathā so hōted at abhorred and abused of the world and so enticed by their owne flesh to retire vnto the league and amitie of the world agayne that they seeme to be of all men most miserable but this is their onely comfort and in deede the ioye that passeth all the pleasures of the world that their trouble is but for a tyme God will release them and wipe all teares from their eyes that as they are afflicted with Christ so shall they be glorified and reigne with him that the Lord maketh a glorious accompt euen of the death of his Saintes and reserueth their teares in a bottle yea hee accompteth all the troubles of his childrē to be his owne because in deede they suffer for his sake but they shall not lacke their reward yea such a reward as is ten thousand times exceedyng the measure of their sorrow for the troubles of this life are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shalbe reueled But yet we haue great neede to be comforted and stayed least we should be wearied and faynt in our myndes for so much as no correction for the tyme is ioyous but tedyous sharpe and greeuous able to make vs fall downe vnder the burthen of the same vnlesse it please the Lord to teach vs how and to giue vs might to support and susteyne it which is no where els learned neither any other meanes giuen then onely the worde of God whiche the Lord hath giuen vnto vs for that purpose Now for so much as an experience both of the subtiltie of our enemie in our afflictions and also of the meanes how to beate him backe is to be seene in those temptations of our Sauiour Christ in the wildernesse because I hauing in my ordinary course Preached vppon the same and diuers who receiued present comfort thereby beyng desirous to haue the continuall vse of the doctrine deliuered out of them desiring me to pen the same I condiscended vnto their desire and as neare as I could remember haue set them downe as they were spoken sauyng onely that in some particular applications I haue had regarde in writtyng vnto those to whose handes they may come as in speaking I respect myne Auditorie And I am bolde to make choyse of your honor to whō I may dedicate the same partly for that I might shewe some token of thankefulnesse vnto the same
these the world will note thee to be a puritane and so thou shalt be come odious vnto thy frendes who heretofore haue loued thee persecutions haue euer bene styrred vp agaynst such persons so that whereas thou now dwellest safe hast the world at will thou shalt be in hazard of losses disquietnesse and great vexation whereas heretofore thou hast taken thy pleasure in euery thyng now must thou leaue them thou must lay aside thy pompe and brauerie thy dayntenesse and delightes so that thou hadst better bee out of the worlde then to liue so austerely besides this hee will tell thee that it is a thyng not so needefull for the depth of knowledge belongeth to Diuines and great learned meÌ„â—it is sufficient for thee to know a litle beyng a priuate manâ— and to bee so strict in thy life as to follow Gods word in all pointes is but curiositie to much scrupulousnes for maÌ„ is not saued by his workes but by Gods mercy and if thou shouldest doe thus they would thinke that thou art singular contemnest all others in respect of thy selfe so doth he deale in seducing from euery good thing he will make thee thinke thou shalt neuer attayne vnto it it were a turmoyle vnto thee to practise it it is a thyng not so needefull y u shalt do wel inough without it But the child of God is to learne that if it be a thing that God hath coÌ„maunded a thing whereby god may gayne glory his Church benefite thine own soule coÌ„fort y u must be of an inuincible courage neuer dispayre at the troubles but coÌ„mit the successe to him that commaundeth to know that it is a thing that is most needefull or els God was vnwise to enioyne it to thee Agayne he perswadeth to euill by so many coÌ„trary reasons propounding the profite pleasure remouyng the payne terrour He will tell thee the necessitie of it how y u canst not be without it in this world how beneficiall delightfull it is vnto thee how easie to be attained As for exaÌ„ple wheÌ„ he would haue thee of no Religion but a playne Atheist and tymeseruer he will tell thee that the worldes estate is ticklishe vncertaine subiect to chaunge and alteration so that if thou shouldest stand stiffly to one Religion thou shouldest be in daunger of great trouble therfore vse thy selfe so in the tyme of this Religion that when a coÌ„trary doth come thou mayest be ready also to professe that the necessitie and pleasure of it is great for so shalt thou bee sure to haue all thy possessions to thy selfe and thy posteritie thou shalt liue quietly without any feare of alteration And for the course it selfe it is very easely to be attayned for if thou doe onely in a litle outward appearaunce satisfie the worldes request it is sufficient But all this while hee stealeth out of thy mynde the vew of Gods seuere vengeaunce agaynst carelesse caytiffes his horrible punishement to them that are neither hote nor cold to them that deny him before men and this or the like cause SathaÌ„ taketh in perswadyng to any sinne But the true Christian for the auoyding of these sleightes must remember that there is but one God and therefore no Religion can please him but one that he created and I redeemed man to serue him and therfore he may not make a small accompt of it his soule is more precious then his body and therefore it must principally bee prouided for the Lordes protection is ouer his people and therfore they neede not feare what man can doe vnto them all things fall out of the best for the that feare God therfore come death or life losse of goodes or whatsoeuer els it shall be good for me the parties that feele these temptations most bee the holyest and the godlyest persons as we see by Dauid Paule and Iesus Christ in this place For the further that a man is gone from his allegeaunce the sorer foe he is vnto him and endeuoureth the more earnestly to reclayme him agayne but the other that are not yet regenerated he possesseth wholly in peace and they obey him without resistaunce For beyng blind for lacke of knowledge and sencelesse of sinne they are led blindfold by him willingly into destruction and therfore to bee tempted is not as man thinketh a detestable but a comfortable thyng and therefore the Apostle Iames exhorteth vs to accompt it an exceedyng ioy when we fall into diuers temptations Most ignorauntly then do they wish that seyng godly ones in afflictions of mynde say as is the maner of many they would not for all the world be in that case al one as if the should say they would not for all the world be out of the clutches of the Deuill nor bee the souldiour of Christ Iesus to dyd him battaile This temptation in the godly is effectuall diuers wayes First it aduaunceth greatly the glory of GOD for when so straunge and subtle an enemy so greatly experienced in deceite shalbe vanquished by so meane an instrument as a maÌ„ weake subiect to so many infirmities the power of GOD appeareth most mighty and his might most gloriously performed in weakenesse Agayne it giueth notable ouerthrow to the enemy and disappointeth him of his purposes for beyng resisted he flyeth away Lastly it is beneficiall to the partie tempted two wayes First it assureth his soule of the loue of God the Father to him whose presence he hath experience of in the beating backe of so puissaunt an aduersary Secondly it confirmeth the myndes of the brethren to be fully perswaded that God doth loue him and therfore to haue all holy communion with him because they see that Sathan whose power sleightes they are not ignorauÌ„t of hath so notable an ouerthrowe in so weake an instrument ¶ The second Sermon Verse 2. 3. 4. 2. And when hee had fasted fourtie dayes and fourtie nightes hee was afterwarde hungry 3. Then came to him the tempter and sayd If thou be the sonne of God commaunde that these stones be made bread 4. But he aunswering sayd It is written maÌ„ shall not liue by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God ANd when he had Now come we to the consideration of the particular tryall which I so call in respect that it is expressed to vs in more particular manner before whiche is to be considered his preparatioÌ„ thereunto contained in the wordes followyng When hee had fasted fourtie dayes and fourtie nightes that is when he had bene in the wildernesse among the wilde beastes and tasted no manner of foode for the space of fourtie dayes and fourtie nightes in all which tyme hee was not hungry neither had any desire of corporall nourishment for it is sayd that hee was afterward hungry The Papistes who Apishly doe counterfete euery
outwarde eares but if we do compare his commyng with the maner of his proceedyng and cōsider of Christes temptatiōs accordyng to the right end thereof we shall playnly perceiue that this commyng of the tempter vnto hin is onely in motion for where it is sayd in the wordes following hereafter that hee shewed him all the kyngdomes of the world in a moment if his temptyng of him were in corporall maner it were vnpossible For though Christ be God and therfore infinite yet is hee in body finite and was in his corporalleyes able onely to see so farre as another man whiche is not the thousand part of the world therfore it must be in motion that he did shew them vnto him so consequently he came vnto him not in bodely manner but by offeryng vnto him such cogitations Agayne Christ Iesus taking vpon him our estate not onely to redeeme vs but also to bee an example vnto vs how can his temptatiōs be our comforte when we are tempted if they were of diuers kyndes For it is euident that the temptations of Gods children be inward by cogitations and therefore the holy Ghost in the Epistle to the Hebrewes sayth notably that hee was tempted in all thynges like vnto vs this onely excepted that his temptations were in him without sinne so that it serueth to our great comforte that whensoeuer Sathan doth any way seeke to draw vs away from the fayth and loue of our God or cōforte of our soules be his thoughtes neuer so secret and slye yet it is no straūge thyng though it be straunge to vs for somuch as he attempted the same or the like euen agaynst our head If thou be now come we to the first assault which hath in it beyng rightly considered two braunches first he laboureth to bryng him to deubte whether hee bee the sonne of God or no secondly to cause him vse vnlawfull meanes for the satisfying of his hunger If thou be the sonne of God as if he should say thou takest thy selfe to bee the sonne of God in deede such a voyce was heard in the ayre whē thou wast baptised which to be so is iustly to be doubted For the sonne of God is the heyre of all to him must all Angels giue obedience and all creatures doe seruice be at his becke how can it then bee that thou shouldest be he and yet be in such extremitie not onely to lacke the host of heauen to shew thy maiestie but euen to want the necessary foode that should refresh thy body it is vnpossible that the Lord of heauen earth should suffer his owne sonne whom he loueth to come to such extremitie This is a marueilous sore temptation which not onely befell to Christ the head but euen is incident also vnto his members If we looke into the booke of Iob and all those speaches that his three frendes Eliphaz Bildad and Sophar vttered concernyng the power wisedome and iustice of God we shall see that they doe tend onely to this that Iob beyng in such extremitie could not bee in the fauour of God so highly as he professed neither could it be if his so glorious professiō in the tyme of his peace had bene sincere single that euer hee should fall into such miserie This motion commeth too often sticketh to neare not the ribbes but the hart of the dearest child of God For if we consider the present estate of our soules how weake and faynt our fayth is yea and how it is to our owne feeling often tymes vtterly gone our sinnes which we professe to be buried in obliuion with the Lord and vtterly to be rased out in the bloudsheding of Christ Iesus doe yet notwithstandyng often so assayle vs lye so heauie vpon vs and are so vitter vnto vs as if the very paynes of hell had already seased and taken possession of vs. In which case the holyest doe best know how often the motion of doubting cōmeth into our myndes saying vnto vs if God the father loued me I should see his countenaunce if Christ Iesus were my head I should tast of his graces if my sinnes were forgiuen me they would not so presse and oppresse me how can it be that the seuere countenaunce of God should bee turned to them whom hee loueth Agayne for the estate of our bodies notwithstandyng that the righteous are the heyres of heauen and earth for that they be fellow heyres with Christ Jesus their head yet how many are their miseries here in pouertie in sickenesse in trauaile in turmoyle in slaunder and reproch in troubles for the profession of the truth in troubles about the matters of this life in troubles with their wiues and wiues with their husbandes with their children and seruaunts hated of them that know them and thē that neuer saw them yea euen of their dearest nearest frendes after the flesh Then commeth in this motion can I perswade my selfe to bee in the fauour of GOD beyng beset with such a world of trouble and cōpassed about with so great a sea of molestations agaynst all these and such like our Sauiour Christes example doth minister vnto vs most singular comforte for concernyng the grief of soule for sinne was euer any man more or somuch loaden as he was when hauing not his owne but our sinnes layd vpon him he suffered the very tormentes of hell in such wise that he burst out into these speaches of most bitter agony my God my God why hast thou forsaken me agayne for the troubles of the body doth any thyng befall vnto thee that hee felt not thou lackest foode he was hungry had nothyng to eate y u hast no possessiō neither any worldly stay to take to hee had not where to hyde his head thy frīdes become thy foes his owne seruaunt and scholer betrayed him thy owne kinsfolkes like not of thee and hee had such good entertainement of his that he sayth that a Prophet is not without honour saue in his owne countrey among his owne kindred the world hateth thee without a cause so it did him beyng without sinne they reward thee euil for good he went ouer Jerusalem and would haue gathered them as the hen gathereth her chickins and they cryed Crucifie him Crucifie him Thou wisheth workest their wealth they abuse thee he wrought their saluation and they nayled him to the Crosse so that his example in all our extremities is our stay and comfort that whatsoeuer befall vnto vs although it seeme straunge vnto vs for that we haue not bene experienced in it and for that it is vnpleasaunt vnto fleshe and bloude not onely hee himselfe hath broken the Ise and gone through the same to geue vs an example but euen it hath bene the continual course that God hath set his dearest best beloued seruauntes to wade through from tyme to tyme. Commaunde that these stones bee made bread
that doe depriue men of this heauenly and onely defence for their soules from the handes of Sathan whether they hee Papistes denying the vse of the Scriptures to ignoraunt people or carnall Gospellers which thinke preaching not so needefull so that seruice as they call it be read distinctly and therefore vpon euery thyng wherewith they are discontēted will seeke to muste or vtterly displace euen him that hath all the giftes in notable measure required by S. Paule out of the Lordes byneyard that he should not dresse it Let thē pretend what they can and alledge what siggeleaues it please them wherewith to hide their shame they are guiltie of the destruction of so many soules as by them might haue bene instructed and shalbe arayned and without repentaūce conuicted of highe treason agaynst Jesus Christ in the day of Judgement and shalbe founde guiltie of sinne so much more haynous thē that of Iudas by how much the betraying of thousandes of soules into the handes of Sathan to eternall death is greater then the deliuering of the body of one innocent man to the temporall death of the body Besides these for so much as the bloud of the sheepe though it shalbe required at y e hand of the shepheard yet the sheepe shall dye in his own sinnes they also that either for couetousnesse will not helpe forwarde or for worldlinesse will not attende vnto or for negligence frequent not or by blindnesse esteeme not the continuall and ordinarie preaching of the gospel though they thinke it a thyng not so needefull and therfore come not vnto it vntill they haue nothing els to do for so much as els they lye open for Sathan to wounde thē at his pleasure they shall also be conuicted in the day of reckoning for guilty of wilfull murthering their owne soules For if we say and that truely that he who will venture with charge of money alone to trauaile ouer places suspected for robberie without his weapōs is worthy to be robbed for that he runneth into the handes of his enemie much rather shall he bee so esteemed of almightie God a caster of himselfe willingly into the handes of the deuill that trauailyng by y ◠theeuish places of this world I meane the roaring of Sathan regardeth not to haue this sword of Gods word girt to his side nor to be fenced with the sheilde of fayth but goyng on in the course of flesh bloud runneth willingly where Sathan will haue him and seeth it not for that he is blind not knowyng the Scriptures for his direction defence and comfort If the truth of this were surely settled into our soules that we were persuaded it were so we should haue a more lust and longing for the knowledge of Gods word then yet euer we had euen spare some tyme from our necessarie affaires of this world much more from our vanities and fleshly pleasures for the publicke hearing and priuate reading of that word by whiche we shalbe iudged in the end Agayne Christ Jesus beyng God hauing the whole world at his cōmaundement might haue beate him backe by the power of his might and neuer haue spoken worde to him But we are to note that as he came into the world to be our redeemer so did hee likewise to set vs an example cōtinually in such cases as befell vnto him to be followed For whiche cause hee taketh not himselfe to his power as he is God But to the word prescribed vnto mā to teach vs that if we will buckle with Sathan in deede and if euer we will truely persuade our selues of hope of victorie we must learne to resist him not as we in our own foolish wisedome thinke meet but accordyng as our head whereunto we must be conformed Christ Jesus hath geuen vs an example in his owne person A lesson very needefull to bee put in practise which very fewe haue yet learned For if you came to him that sinneth and accordyng to your duetie reprouing him and persuading him to amendement doe wish hym to beware of the subtiltie of Sathan and take heede that hee carie him not headlong into perdition tushe sayth he I defie the deuill and all his workes I trust he shal neuer haue power ouer me I trow I am not so simple but I know what is what and in the meane while hee maketh no conscience of any sinne cares not for the knowledge of the word of God but rather mocketh and molesteth them that do all this while hee persuadeth himselfe that the deuill can neuer come neare him when poore soule he is euen running headlong to destruction and seeth it not But Sathā will geue the leaue nay he wil teach thee to defie him to spit at the namyng of him and to rayle agaynst him make thee beleeue it is sufficient and yet will haue thee take the way that goeth directly vnto hell if we then will learne to be wise we must haue Gods word in our hartes to light vs in our mouthes to speake for vs and in our conuersation to rule vs and then we shalbe sure to stand fast The place of Scripture which Christ here vseth is written in the eight Chapter of the booke of Deuteronomie where the holy Ghost by the mouth of Moyses exhorting the people of Israell to obediēce vnto Gods commaundements sheweth how the Lord did in most wonderfull maner trye and prouide for them in the wildernesse not geuyng them an ordinarie meanes to get their meate withall but in miraculous wise fed them with Manna from heauen to shew that it is not bread onely that man liueth by but by euery word of God that is euery decree and determination that God in his wisedome seeth meete to put in execution for so much as hee can both make aboundaunce of meates to bee vnprofitable for the preseruations of mans life and also preserue mā in all extremities when foode is wantyng not to be had Which doth teach vs first y ◠God is not tyed to outwarde meanes But at his good pleasure both can will feede man as well with bread as without it and prouide for man when all helpe of the creature fayleth which is a sure staffe to leane vnto in the tyme of extremitie distresse Agayne that we take heede that to the auoydyng of any inconuenience we neuer vse any vnlawfull wayes or commit any sinne agaynst God for our own benefite or ease both which we see most notably practised by those three faythfull seruaunts of God condemned by Nabuchadnezar to bee burned in the firie fornace saying O Nabuchadnezar we are not carefull to aūswere thee in this matter behold our God whom we serue is able to deliuer vs from the hote firie fornace and hee will deliuer vs out of thy hand O kyng but if not be it knowne vnto thee O kyng that we will not serue thy Gods nor worship the goldē Image thou
sathā hath nothing to do with the thinges of this world sathā is the god of this world for it is euidēt that god made all things both in heauen earth which were all exceedyng good he doth continually so protect gouerne thē y t the sparow falleth not on y ◠groūd w tout his will so y ◠in generall they are thus to be recōciled whatsoeuer is good in y e world that is god y e ruler disposer of but whatsoeuer is euill y t sinne doth sathā direct gouerne Then he hath nothing to do with y ◠things of this world so farre as they be good vsed to the right end Which is to y ◠glory of him that made them the benefite of the possessor but he is prince of this world first in respect of the sin that is cōmitted in the same for as he was the first y e sinned so was he y ◠cause of the transgression of mankinde therfore is the continuall ringe leader of all vngodlynesse Secondly he is called the prince of this worlde in respect of that he doth and not of that he may do for he is an vsurper to wit through sinne captiueth and subdueth man vnto his obedience and slauish subiection whereunto men doe so generallye yeld that he onely seemeth to be serued and the Lord of heauen and earth thrust out at the doores and therefore is hee called the prince of this world Thirdly he is called the god of this world for that they why by the iust Iudgement of god are geuen ouer into a reprobate mynde beyng blinded in their vnderstanding doe giue themselues ouer not to obey the truth but to beleue lyes and obey Sathan in the whole course of their life yet all this his power and souerainetie is ruled by the raynes of Gods prouidence that hee can doe nothyng without his leaue no not so much as enter into the swine whiche is vnto vs a great comfort and indeede the staffe of all our affiaunce for when we see the malice of Sathan the crueltie of the wicked and our owne wickednesse we could haue nothing to resist but onely this that Gods prouidence whom we feare and in whom we repose our confidence so directeth all thynges that without his will whiche is in his sonne Iesus Christ louyng towardes vs nothing can be attempted or performed If thou wilt fall downe and worship me We see hys liberall offer and how bountifull a hand he hath in that which is none of his own and yet notwithstanding doth hee promise this vpon meere liberalitie without respect of anie other matter no it was nener hys meaning for none shal be benefited by hym but such as will doe hym homage so that we may note herein Sathan that mynde which he accused the seruaunt of God Iob to be of to wit that Iob dyd not serue God for nothing but because God had enriched him therfore onely was he godly and feared the Lord and why did he charge him with such a hainous crime for sooth because he was of the same disposition himselfe The doctrine then that we learne out of the same is this that as we see Sathan to be minded euen so if you looke into the course of this worlde shall we see hys instrumentes to be affected that is to measure others by themselues and to thinke though they be most wicked and most vilely desposed that no man is better so that the deceitfull man wil trust none but thinketh that euery mā will beceaue him The lyer beleeueth not an other of hys word because hee himselfe maketh no cōscience of lying he that shunneth y ◠offences that the world exclaymeth against onely to stop mens mouthes doth think that no man doth more in one word let a man be neuer of wickedly bent yet thinketh he no other men to be any better contrariwise the man whose mind is truely regenerated thinketh so basely of hymselfe and by charitie the fruit of his faith hopeth so wel of euery man that vnlesse he know the contrary he alwayes iudgeth the 〈◊〉 Againe you see how liberall he is of promise but he tieth it vnto a condition wherein you may perceiue howe contrarie his affection is vnto the mind of the Lord it is true that God will be worshipped of all that he dealeth mercifully withall but yet doth he freely bestow his mercy without any respect of our worshipping hym aforehand But Sathan wilbe worshipped before he will performe his promise So that as the contrarie disposition of God Sathan appeare in this poynt in like maner if you examine it well shall you finde them that are of God and them that are of their father the deuill to be for the godly hauing obteyned mercy at the handes of God are also enclined vnto pitie and mercie being carefull to doe good accordyng to theyr power not for gayne but because God hath bene fauourable vnto them the wicked on the other side being minded as he is by whome they are guided will promise very bountifully and giue as sugred wordes and vse as glorious termes as though theyr tongues were made of Butter But all that euer they promise is with an if for if they gayne not by thee or if thou please not theyr humor or if thou crowch not vnto them they will not onelie not performe the least part of theyr large promises but thou shalt finde it in experience that they will be vnto thee as Sathan was euer after to Christ thy greatest enemies and as much as in them lyeth do thee the greatest displeasure Well let vs proceede the deuill worshipped what doth he desire when hee would haue Christ Jesus to fall downe and worship him surely no lesse then that whiche was due vnto God the father for looke what it is that God requireth of vs in his word when hee biddeth vs worship him and all that doth Sathan most impudently challenge vnto him But you will say vnto me that Sathan shewed himselfe herein a very foole for no man was euer found that would say he would worship the deuill Well thus can he cunningly teache thee to play with termes and speeches while he get dominion ouer thee to make thee worship hym in deed For if we shal truely measure things by the lyne of trueth we shall see that Sathan is greatly obeyed in this poynt for what is it to worship God but to fear him and bring forth the fruites of the same which is obedience Nowe we cannot tell one of vs when an other doth feare but by the fruites which Christ telleth vs the Tree is knowne by the fruit by which euery Tree is to be knowne is obedience and by obedience are we knowne whose seruauntes we be as S. Paule teacheth vs the obedience vnto God is godlines in the keeping of his commaundementes the obedience vnto Sathan is wickednes in transgressing