got the victorie Nay all the comfort of Gods children stands in this victorie of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ because now Christ stood in our stead and was tempted for our sakes so that he being our head and getting victorie ouer the diuel the Church euery member of the Church in Iesus Christ got victorie ouer Satan In the victorie we are to obserue two things First that the Diuell departed from him Secondly the Angels ministred vnto him In this departing of the Diuell from Christ we may behold the vnspeakable goodnesse of God to his Church for that which befell Christ befalleth the Church of God Now the Diuell hauing tempted Christ in three seuerall and sore temptations he encountred him in all three and resisted the Diuell in all his temptations and then the Diuell leaueth him and goeth his way Wherein we see the endlesse loue of God in that he puts an end to the afflictions of his Church though they be many and sore yet they shall last but a time and haue an end So the Lord speaketh of Salomon If he sinne I will chastise him with the rods of men and with the plagues of the children of men such as should not be too extreame but that he should be able to beare So the Prophet Habacuck he in the first chapter breaketh out into impatient speeches for the afflictions of the Church but chap. 2. vers 3. the Lord bids him waite and tels him it shall be amended and that he will put an end to their miseries the Lord hath promised that he will not suffer his children to be tempted aboue that they shall be able to beare but shall find a blessed issue of their temptations The two Prophets which were slaine for doing their message and for the testimonie of Iesus lay vnburied three dayes and an halfe but after the Lord puts into them the spirit of life againe and they reuiued and stood vp before the Lord and they that saw them shall be afraid and see them ascend vp into heauen So that we may see the Lord in mercie puts an end to all the afflictions of his children And this we may see by dayly experience some of Gods children are visited with grieuous and fearefull temptations some halfe a yeare some a whole yeare some two three foure ten yeares yet at length the Lord giues them a good issue and puts an end to their miserie and in stead of horror of conscience sends them comfort in stead of griefe ioy vnspeakable And though the Lord should suffer them to be tempted all their life long til their dying day yet then the Lord would giue them a blessed issue of all their miseries and fill their soules with exceeding comfort Here we see a notable differeÌ„ce betweene the first Adam and the second Adam The first Adam was tempted and yeelded to Satans temptations and suffered the Diuell to enter into his hart the second Adam Iesus Christ he was likewise tempted yet he yeelded not to the least assault of the Diuell neither could he euer enter into his holy heart but departeth from him and is faine to leaue him In this departure of the Diuell from Christ first marke when he departed secondly for how long he departed For the first Then the Diuell left him that is after the three temptations were ended and Christ had in great indignation bid him auoide Satan for his blasphemous speeches then the Diuell departed Here we see the best way to put the Diuell to flight and to giue him the repulse namely to resist him at the first giue him no ground But as S. Iames saith Resist the diuell and he will flie from thee when as we depend on Gods word and the blessed promises of the Gospell praying for grace from God to resist satan he shal neuer preuaile against vs but will depart And therefore it is but foolishnesse to thinke or imagine that he can be put to flight by musick merry companie sports and pastimes or such like vanities but the onely meanes to cause him to depart is the word and prayer by them alone he is resisted They take a bad course who thinke they may yeeld to Satans temptations when they are yong and purpose in their old age to resist him but if we euer yeeld vnto him we do set open the doore of our hearts vnto the Diuel we do willingly receiue him and bid him welcom and then he will not easily be driuen away nay we shal find it a hard matter if not impossible to put him to flight in our old age But as men in a dropsie the more they drinke the more they desire so the more men yeeld to his temptations the more violently will he set vpon them After that our sauiour Christ saith vnto him Auoide Satan presently he departeth and is obedient to his commaundement What was this any vertue in the Diuel to obey Christs commandement No surely it was no vertue in the Diuell for we are to vnderstand there be two kinds of obedience one is voluntary and chearfull the other by constraint and forced Voluntary obedience is that when any of the creatures of God do willingly through Gods grace mouing them obey the commaundement of God as all the good Angels of God and Adam before his fall and all the children of God that be effectually called iustified and sanctified do willingly and with chearfulnesse yeeld obedience vnto God in part Besides this there is a constrained obedience when one is vrged and compelled whether he will or not to obey another as one that is a malefactor being condemned to die he is obedient and yeeldeth himself to death he submitteth him selfe because he must neither will nor choose So the Diuell here obeyeth the voice of Christ and departeth at his commaundement but this obedience in him is no vertue because he was compelled to do it and could do none otherwise And that which here befell the Diuel shall befall all wicked impenitent sinners if they will not now obey the commandement of Christ to repent and beleeue the Gospell they shall one day in spite of their teeth be constrained will they nil they to obey that commandement at the last day of iudgement Depart ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his angels The consideratioÌ„ of this one point should 〈◊〉 all men now in the time of grace to yeeld hearty and willing obedience to the voice of Christ in repenting and turning to God leâ—â— one day we be constrained to yeeld to our eternall confusion Luke 4. 13. he saith When the diuel 〈◊〉 ended all the temptation then he departed VVhere we may note that before the Diuelâ— left our Sauiour Christ he imployed all 〈◊〉 might skill subtiltie and fraud in temptiâ—â— of Christ. And from this malicious practâ—â— of the diuell we may gather that Christ was tempted with no smal and easie temptation but that he was tempted in the
from heauen to be the sole Doctor and Prophet of the Church of God presently without delay as is Marke 1. 12. he was led aside to be tempted of the Diuell In that Christ is no sooner baptised but he is presently tempted it sheweth vs that all those which haue bene baptised and giuen vp their names to Christ must make account to be tempted and looke for temptations For if Satan durst be so bold to set vpon Iesus Christ the head who was not onely man but very God how much more will he be bold to set vpon vs who be but weake and sinfull men And therefore so soone as we haue truly giuen vp our names to God and become the faithfull souldiers of Christ and refuse to serue sinne and Satan then will the diuell incounter vs and set vpon vs and we must looke for to be tempted preparing our selues to this spirituall battell and put vpon vs the whole complete armour of God Ephes 6. 11. But most men will say this doctrine is not true for they neuer felt any such combat in themselues though they haue bin baptized many yeares I answer such men whatsoeuer they be they haue onely the outward baptisme of water and neuer receiued the inward baptisme of the Spirit and such men do indeed weare Christs liuerie but do seruice to the Diuell his enemie And therefore let such persons reforme them selues turne from their wicked and sinfull liues and seeke to serue the Lord and then they shall find this doctrine most true For the children of Israel so long as they liued vnder Pharaoh in Egypt they were not persecuted by Pharaoh but when they did set their faces towards the land of Canaan then presently he pursued them with all his malice and might So all the while men liue in Egypt that is in sin and wickednesse and serue the diuell he will let them be at quiet but if euer we once set our hearts on that heauenly Canaan and giue our selues to the seruice of God then he will with open mouth pursue vs follow vs with many armies and cast an hundred temptations in our way And as a poore bird which cometh to the shop and when she thinketh to get away then cometh all her paine and the net is spread ouer her so when men begin to leaue their euill courses and to set themselues to serue the Lord presently the Diuell doth spread his net to intangle them This must teach vs to watch and pray that we enter not into temptation Secondly in that our Sauiour is no sooner baptized ordained to be the great Doctor of the Church but he is presently tempted and encountred by Satan hence we learne that all those which be appointed of God to any speciall office in the Church or common-weale they must make account they shall be tempted and looke for Satans temptations one way or other it was that which befell the head and therefore let vs all that be his members reckon of it Example of this we haue in Moses who so soone as he was new called to be the guide and deliuerer of the children of Israel he was faine to flie when he had killed the Egyptian And Dauid was no sooner appointed by God to be King of Israell but Saule did persecute him As soone as our Sauiour Christ had called the Apostles to that office he brought them to the sea and there by his diuine power raised a storme so as they cried out Maister saue vs or else we perish And this the Lord doth in great wisdome for by this meanes he sheweth a man that he is not able of himselfe to execute the duties of his particular calling without the speciall grace of God and by these temptations and trials the Lord stirreth vp a greater loue of his Maiestie in the hearts of his children and with it many other graces as prayer patience c. and maketh these graces the better to shew themselues Seeing that our Sauiour Christ begins his propheticall office of teaching the Church of God with temptations this should admonish the Ministers of the word of God that they of all other men are subiect to Satans temptations because they be the Lords Standard-bearers and his Lieutenants against whom Satan and al his souldiers bend all their forces as souldiers often do against the standard-bearer When as Iehoshua the high Priest stood before the Lord Satan stood at his right hand to hinder him Zach. 3. 1. He was a lying spirit in the mouth of foure hundred false Prophets and this old red Dragon Reu. 12. with his taile draweth downe the third part of the stars of heauen he desired to winnow Peter and to trie him by temptations Luke 22. And as the king of Aram said of Acab Fight not against small or great but against the king of Israel so Satan fighteth not against any so much as the Prophets of Israel the Ministers of the Church So then we may see that temptations are necessary for the Ministers of the word that they may both know what they be and also learne how to comfort others in time oâ— temptation Also to teach vs the true vse of the word of God and the force of it in resisting temptation For certaine it is that temptations teach men many things which they could neuer learne by bare studie So that one sayd well Reading meditation prayer and temptations these foure make a Diuine The second point to be considered is what was the cause which moued our Sauior Christ to go into the wildernesse which was the leading of the Spirit Iesus was led aside of the spirit Luke 4. 1. or as the word signifieth he was caried apart Mark 1. 12. not by a forced but a voluntary motion This was not a locall transportation of the bodie of Christ as that of Eliah and of Philip from the Eunuch but by the inward instinct of the holy Ghost he was mooued and made willing to go as the word which Luk. 4. 1. vseth sheweth plainely And by the Spirit here is not meant the Diuell or an euill spirit but the holy Spirit of God euen the third person in the Trinitie And so we see that Christ may both guide the Spirit and be guided by the Spirit for Christ as he is man is led and guided by the Spirit but as he is God he doth guide and send his Spirit Obiection Christ sendeth the holy Ghost therefore cannot be led by it Ans. As Christ was man he was guided by Gods spirit as he was God he sent the Spirit Hence we may behold the exceeding holinesse of the manhood or humane nature of Christ who as he was man was guided by the Spirit of God euen in his mouing from one place to another And it is that which euery one should desire to be like vnto our Sauiour Christ in this viz. to suffer our selues to be guided directed by Gods holy spirit
then must be my remedy Paul The remedie for this is subiection which must be made to the iudgement and censure of the brethren and Ministers Reuel 3. 15. I know thy workes that thou art neither cold nor hote I would thou werest cold or hote Gal. 6. 2. 1. Tim. 1. 20. Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander whom I haue deliuered vnto Satan that they might learne not to blaspheme Lid. What is the second assault Paul The second assault is concerning faith Lid. How may one be thus assaulted Paul By an illusion which the Diuell casteth into the hearts of godly ones as when he saith Thou art not of the number of the elect thou art not iustified thou hast no faith thou must certainely be condemned for thy sinnes as Mat. 4. 3. Then came to him the tempter and said If thou be the Sonne of God command that these stones be made bread Now as he dealt with Christ so will he with Christians Lidia What helpes doth the Diuell abuse for the strengthening of such illusions as these Paul 1. He abuseth Aduersitie as dangers losses persecutions iealousie grieuous offences c. So in Dauid Psal. 73. 12. Loe these are the wicked yet prosper they alway and increase in riches 13. Certainely I haue cleansed mine heart in vaine and washed mine hands in innocencie In Iob 13. 23. How many art mine iniquities and sinnes Shew me my rebellion and my sinne 24. Wherefore hidest thou thy face and takest me for thine enemie 25. Will thou breake a leafe driuen to and fro and wilt thou pursue the drie stubble 2 The remembrance of sinnes past Iob 13. 26. For thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth 3 A feeling of death euen alreadie at hand Lidia How may I withstand these Paul By a true faith applying Christ with all his merits particularly after this manner I assuredly beleeue that I shall not be condemned but that I am elected and iustified in Christ and am out of all doubt that all my sinnes are pardoned Esa. 53. 11. He shall see the trauell of his soule and shall be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many for he shall beare their iniquities Rom. 8. 38. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come 39. Nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Lidia Giue me a preseruatiue that I may resist Paul Your best preseruatiue is in temptation not to behold faith but the obiect of faith which is Christ. So did Paul Philip. 3. 12. Not as though I had alreadie attained vnto it either were alreadie perfect but I follow that I may comprehend that for whose sakâ— also I am comprehended of Christ Iesus 13. One thing I do I forget that which is behind and indeuour my selfe to that which is before 14. And follow hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus So must all Ioh. 3. 14. And as Moses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lift vp that he that beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Lid. What is my falling in this assault Paul Your falling is doubtfulnesse and distrust of your election of Gods mercie Psal. 77. 6. I called to remembrance my soâ—â— in the night I comâ—â—ned with mine own heart and my spirit searched diligently 7. Will in Lord absent himselfe for euer and will he shew no more fauour 8. Is his 〈◊〉 cleane gone for euer doth his promise faile for euermore So Dauid of himselfe saith Psalm 22. 1. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and art so farre from my health and from the words of my roaring Lid. What is my remedie Paul The remedie is double First the operation of the holy Spirit stirring vp faith and increasing the same Philip. 1. 6. I am perswaded of this same thing that he that hath begunne this good worke in you will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ. Luk. 17. 5. And the Apostles said vnto the Lord Increase our faith The second is an holy meditation which is manifold 1 That it is the commandement of God that we should beleeue in Christ. 1. Ioh. 3. 23. This is then his commaundement that we beleeue in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue commaundement 2 That the Euangelicall promises are indefinite and do exclude no man vnlesse peraduenture any man do exclude himselfe Esa 55. 1. Ho euery one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without money Mat. 11. 28. Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will ease you Ioh. 3. 15. That whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life Also the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper do to euery one seuerally apply indefinite promises and therefore are very effectuall to enforce particular assurance or plerophorie of forgiuenesse of sinnes 3 That doubtfulnesse and despaire are most grieuous sinnes 4 That contrarie to hope men must vnder hope beleeue with Abraham Rom. 4. 18. Which Abraham aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that he should be the father of many nations according to that which was spoken to him So shall thy seed be 5 That the mercie of God and the merit of Christs obedience being both God and man are infinite Esa. 54. 10. For the mountaines shall remoue and the hils shall fall downe but my mercie shall not depart from thee neither shall my couenant of peace fall away saith the Lord that hath compassion on thee Psal. 103. 11. For as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercie toward them that feare him 1. Ioh. 2. 1. My babes these things write I vnto you that ye sinne not and if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust 2. And he is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world Psal. 137. 7. Let Israel waite on the Lord for the Lord is mercie and with him is great redemption 6 That God measureth the obedience due vnto him rather by the affection and desire to obey then by the act and performance of it Rom. 8. 5. For they that are after the flesh sauour the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit 7. Because the wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God for it is not subiect to the law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 7. 20. Now if I do that I would not it is no more I that do it but the sinne that dwelleth in me 21. I find
are helpes whereby men being humbled for their sinnes before God obtaine peace and holinesse of life 2. Cor. 1. 9. We receiued sentence of death in our selues because we should not trust in our selues but in God which raiseth the dead Esa. 26. 16. Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them Hos. 5. 15. I will go and returne to my place till they acknowledge their fault and seeke me in their affliction they will seeke me diligently Psal. 78. 34. When he flue them they sought him and they returned and they sought God early Ierem. 31. 18. I haue heard Ephraim lamenting thus Thou hast corrected me and I was chastised as an vntamed calfe conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted Heb. 12. 11. No chastisement for the present seeâ—eth ioyous but grieuous but afterward it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercised Psa. 30. 5. Weeping may abide at euening but ioy commeth in the morning Iohn 15. 2. Euery branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth â—â—re fruite 1. pet 1. 6. Wherein ye reioyce though now for a season if need require ye are in heauinesse through many temptations 2. Cor. 1. 4. The God of all comfort which comforteth vs in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort them which are in affliction by the comfort wherewith our selues are comforted of God Rom. 5. 3. We glory in afflictions knowing that affliction bringeth patience Heb. 2. 10. He did consecrate the Prince of their saluation through affliction We permit Chirurgians that they both bind vs lying diseased in our beds and seare vs with hot irons yea lanch and search our members with rasors and lastly we send them away vsually with friendly and kind speeches often with a golden fee for their thus handling vs. Shal we theÌ„ suffer so many things of a Chirurgian to cure a bodily disease and will we not giue God leaue to cure by afflictions the most festered diseases of our sicke soules Lidia What is to be gathered hence Paul By this we may gather that the afflictions of the godly are signes of their adoption Heb. 12. 6. Whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth 7. If ye endure chastisement God offereth himselfe vnto you as vnto sonneâ— And that they are to them the Kings high way to heauen Iames 1. 12. Blessed 〈◊〉 the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue 〈◊〉 2. Cor. 4. 17. For our light affliction which iâ— but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and an eternall waight of glory 3 That God hath promised fauour mitigation of punishment his presence and deliuerance Philip. 1. 29. 1. Cor. 10. 13. God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted aboue measure but with temptation will giue deliuerance 2. Sam. 7. 14. Psal. 50. 15. Call vpon me in time of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Psal. 121. 4. He that keepeth Israel will neither slumber nor sleepe Esa. 43. 2. When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the flouds that they do not ouerwhelme thee when thou walkest through the very fire thou shalt not burne neither shal the flame kindle vpon thee 3. For I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel thy sauiour 4 That in all troubles of the faithfull Christ is a companion 1. Pet. 4. 13. Reioyce that ye are partakers of the afflictions of Christ. 2 Cor. 4. 10. Euery where we beare about in our bodie the dying of Christ that the life of Iesus might also be made manifest in our bodies Col. 1. 21. 5 That the Angels are readie to defend such as feare God Psal. 34. 8. 2. Kings 6. 16. Feare not there are more with vs then against vs. Lidia But of all calamities the remembrance of death is fearful vnto me giue me I pray you some few preseruatiues against it Paul Against the feare of death note these preseruatiues First death it freeth the godly from the tyrannie of Satan sinne the world the flesh and eternall damnation yea froÌ„ infinite both perils and losses and doth place vs both safe and happie vnder the shadow as it were of Christs wings Secondly Christ by his death hath sanctified vnto vs both death and the graue 3 Christ is both in life and death gaine to the godly Phil. 1. 12. 4 Those consolations which the spirit of Christ doth suggest to the soules of the faithful do by many degrees surmount the dolors of death 5 The desire of that most bright and glorious beholding of God and the presence of those Saints which are departed before vs. 6 In stead of our bodies we shall be clothed with glory 2. Cor. 5. 1. 7 The sting of death namely sin is then so taken away as that that serpent can no more hurt vs. 1. Cor. 15. 55. O death where iâ— thy sting O graue where is thy victory Heb. 2. 15. That he might deliuer all them which for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage 8 We should not so much thinke of our death as to take an exact account of our life For that man cannot die ill who hath liued well and he seldome dieth well that hath liued badly 9 The Angels they stand at our elbowes that so soone as a Saint departeth they may with al speed immediatly transport his soule into heauen Soules being once in heauen remain therâ— till the last day of iudgement where they partly magnifie the name of God and partly do waite and pray for the consummation of the kingdom of glory and ful felicitie in body and soule Reu. 5. 8. And when he had taken the booke the foure beasts and the foure and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb hauing euery one harpes and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of the Saints 9. And they sang a new song saying Thou art worthy to take the booke and to open the seales thereof because thou wast killed and hast redeemed vs to God by thy bloud out of euery kinred and tong and people and nation Reuel 14. 2. I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harpes 3. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne and they cried with a loud voice saying How long Lord holy and true doest not thou iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwel on the earth Lidia Yet for all this Satan in the time of temptation and at the houre of death wil go about to perswade me that these things do not belong vnto me what must I do then Paul Descend into your owne heart see whether you haue Gods spirit or no testifying vnto you that you are Gods child for as many as haue the spirit
least to go about to proue that Christ was not the Sonne of God Another reason may be this since the diuelâ— fell and for his pride was cast downe out of heauen he beares a deadly hatred against theâ— Lord God himselfe and we shall see that 〈◊〉 this question he doth notably bewray hiâ— spite against God for when as the Lord haâ— spoken from heauen saying This is my 〈◊〉 beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased here the Diuell comes and contradicts the voice of God nay goeth about to proue God a lier in that he would make Christ beleeue that he was not the true Sonne of God Hence we may by this practise of Satan learne to discerne false teachers There haue bene many both excellent and learned men which haue denied Christ to be the sonne of God as Ebeon Cerinthus and others onely affirming that Christ was an excellent man and a worthy Prophet Now seeing they denie Iesus Christ to be the true Son of God they shew themselues to be false teachers and such as be the diuels scholers for so saith the Apostle Iohn 1. Iohn 4. 1 2 3. Again in that the diuel seekes to perswade Christ that he is not the son of God though God by his owne voice from heauen had immediatly before proclaimed him to be his Son hence we may perceiue the impudent malice of Satan who seeketh in all things to contradict God himself For if the Lord pronounce a blessing vpon any man the diuell he wil presently pronounce cursing and damnation If God testifie to a mans soule that he is the child of God the Diuell he wil labour to perswade him that he is not the child of God If the Lord affirme a wicked man to be out of Gods fauor and no child of God the diuel will labour on the contrary to perswade him that he is in good estate shal be saued and so fils his heart with extreme presumption maketh him more bold then he ought to be Commaund That is as if Satan should haue said to Christ Bid this or do but speake the word and it shall be done And herein appeareth the maruellous pollicy of Satan who in these few words the better to bring his purpose to passe toucheth three especiall points of Diuinitie First that he which is the son of God is true God equal to the Father which many heretickes haue denied and the Pharisies also did not graunt for to worke a miracle it is the proper and peculiar work of God alone Secondly the diuell confesseth that God is able to make all things of nothing and that without all meanes matter or helpers by his almightie power Thirdly he confesseth that God can effect a true miracle and that is proper to God alone neither can any creature whatsoeuer worke a miracle Now when the diuel acknowledged al this one would haue thought he should haue intended no harme in these words but the truth is we shall see that in the propounding of these points his pollicy was to ouerthrow the faith of Christ and he in propounding of the truth doth it not for any loue or liking to it but that he might more easily deceiue our Sauiour to bring him to doubt whether he was indeed that Sonne of God or not This must admonish vs to take heed that we do not alwayes giue credit to the diuel listen vnto him though he speake the truth for such is Satans pollicie that when he wold seeme most to speake the truth then he meaneth to deceiue vs most and by speaking the truth he seeketh most to ouerthrow our faith in the truth But as our sauiour Christ did refuse their testimonie though the diuels spake the truth and as Paul did not suffer the Diuel to speak in the maid though he did acknowledge the Apostles to be the seruants of the true God so we must beware how we listen to Satan euen when he speakes the truth for he neuer speakes the truth because he loueth the truth but that speaking the truth he might be sooner beleeued and more easily deceiue vs and do vs the greater harme That these stones S. Luke saith this stone in the singular nomber To reconcile these two places whereas Mathew speaks in the plural number of many stones this we must vnderstand that he speakes of Satans temptations as he first set vpon Christ and then in the beginning of his temptation he bids Christ to turne all these stones into bread Luke he saying this stone speaking but of one must be vnderstood as the Diuell vrged and inforced his temptation the better to perswade Christ to yeeld vnto it as if the Diuell should haue said It may be thou thinkest it too much to turne all these stones being so many into bread do but turne this one stone into bread because I would not trouble thee ouermuch that so I may beleeue thou art the son of God By this dealing of the diuel with Christ we may learne that when the diuell hath once begun his temptation then he will be more instant in vrging of it he is very loth to haue the repulse and therefore will vrge it and follow it but if he can gaine but a litle ground at least in some smaller matter he would be content as here to perswade Christ though he would not turne many stones into bread that he would turne but this one stone into bread And therefore we must learne that as the diuell is very instant to inforce and vrge his temptations so we must be as instant to resist them and yeeld no not in the least matter that he tempts vs to Vers. 4. But he answering said Man shall â—ot liue by bread onely but by euerie word that â—roceedeth out of the mouth of God These words containe the most wise and heauenly â—nswer of our Sauior Christ to the first temptation of the diuell and in this answer of his note three points first the answer it self And Iesus answering said secondly whence our Sauior Christ took his answer It is writteÌ„ thirdly the words of his answer Man shal not liue c. First the Spirit of God sets downe the answer of Christ to shew that he was not onely willing to incounter the Diuell but that he was most able to vanquish foile the diuell Now what a singular comfort is this to Gods Church and children to remember that our Lord and Sauior Christ Iesus was in â—his base estate of a seruant wheÌ„ he liued here vpon earth able to incounter with Satan to ouercome the diuell notwithstanding all his might and malice how much more is Iesus Christ able now being aduanced vnto the right hand of God his Father in heauen hauing all power and maiestie and being King of Kings and Lord of all Lords how much more able is he now to confound Satan to destroy al the works of the diuel in his members And this may be a great comfort vnto euery
beleeuer in the midst of temptations It is written Here we see whence our Sauior Christ tooke his answer though that 〈◊〉 could haue confounded Satan by the leaâ—â— word of his mouth and could if he had 〈◊〉 pleased called for many legions of Angelâ— from heauen to haue guarded him being thâ— true and onely son of God yet he makâ— choise of this weapon It is written And thâ— he did to teach vs that the most sufficienâ— weapon to beat back all Satans temptationâ— and to quench all the fierie darts of the diueâ— is the word of God written therefore 〈◊〉 bids vs take vp the sword of the spirit whiâ— is the word of God both to defend our seluâ—â— and also to put Satan to flight Ephes. 6. 16. Hence from the example of Christ we maâ— learne sundry instructions First seeing thâ— he made choise of the word of God as thâ— most sufficient weapon to repel Satan it condemneth that vaine and vile practise of thâ— Church of Rome who instead of this 〈◊〉 into mens hands other weapons not worâ— a rush as holy water the signe of the crossâ— c. and affirmeth that these be sufficient weâ—pons to skarre away the Diuell Alas thâ— Diuell is not so childish to feare a drop 〈◊〉 water or the shaking of a straw but our Saâ—iour Christ shewes what is that which is abâ—â—◠〈◊〉 a most sufficient weapon to beate back all â—atans temptations which he can hurle aâ—ainst vs. And therefore wicked is the praâ—tise of the Papists who locke vp the word of God from the people keeping it in an vnâ—nowne tong and so betray the poore soules â—f the people into the hands of the Diuell We see here the miserable estate of all such â—en or women which do either contemne â—r neglect the knowledge of the word of God they do wilfully betray themselues inâ—o the hands of the Diuell lay themselues oâ—en as a prey vnto him so as they hauing no â—eapon to defend themselues nor to repell â—atan thus he smites them wounds them â—ea euen cuts the throat of their poore soules â—efore they be aware We may heÌ„ce gather what is the cause why â—o many sins abound in euery place namely â—e vile and grosse ignorance of the word of God Hos. 4. 1. 3. The want of the knowledge of the Gospell and the word of God is the â—ery cause that sin so abounds in al places for â—he word of God should be vnto vs as Sauls â—eare which he vsed to set at his beds head 〈◊〉 that if any enemy set vpoÌ„ vs on the sodain â—ur weapoÌ„ might be euer at hand in readines â—hat we might answer the Diuel in his instruments if he tempt vs to any sin whatsoeuâ—â— that as here Christ said It is written so 〈◊〉 must say I may not lie sweare commit adâ—â—tery c. for it is written c. Seeing Christ by his own practise teacheâ— vs that the word of God written beleeueâ— vnderstood truly applied is the most alâ— and all-sufficient weapon to resist the diueâ— how ought this to stirre vp all men to serioâ—â— studie of the word of God How should moue euery man as he loueth his soule to â—â— bor for a sound knowledge vnderstanding of the holy Scripture seeing this is the bâ— weapon to foile the diuell If we knew thâ— any man had vowed our death and soughâ— our liues how careful wold we be to prouiâ— the best weapons we could get and also 〈◊〉 learne how to handle them and to vse theâ— so as we might be able to defend our selueâ— when we meet with our enemy Wel we 〈◊〉 not be ignorant that the diuell is the swoâ—â— enemy of our soules he lies in waite contiâ—â—ally seeking our bloud oh then if men 〈◊〉 that care of their poore soules that they ougâ—â— to haue how prouident would it make theâ— to store themselues with this most sufficieâ—â— weapon eueÌ„ the true knowledge of the wâ—â— of God! and therfore it must moue all of vâ— â—eare the word continually to study it to lay â—t vp in our hearts against the time of need â—o resist the diuell when he assaults vs. It is lamentable to consider how poore ignorant people deceiue them selues they â—ooth themselues and say they defie the diâ—uel they spit at him but alas what if two men that be enemies meet together the one well appointed with weapons of death the other hauing nothing in his hand to defend himself but defies his enemy spits at him wil this do him any good will not the other wound him and kil him And so though poore ignorant people say they defie the diuell spit at him he wil shew them no pity but giue them their deadly wound and they shall neuer know who hurt them till it be too late Now follow the words of Christs answer Man shall not liue by bread onely c. This answer of Christ is taken out of Deut. 8. 3. where Moses shews the children of Israel who were now in great extremitie pinched sore with famine and had nothing to eate that the Lord fed them with Manna to teach them that man liues not by bread only but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Man shall not liue That is man shall not preserue his naturall or temporall life in tâ—â— world I say his natural or temporal life foâ— is not meant of his spiritual life by bread 〈◊〉 that is all things necessary for the naturallâ— of man as meate drinke clothing sleep pâ—â— sick c. euen all naturall and ordinary meaâ— vsed of man for his temporall life is meant bâ— bread But by euery word He saith not in generaâ— by the word but by euery word Now 〈◊〉 hath diuers acceptions in the scriptures first it is takeÌ„ for the second person in the Trinity Iohn 1. 1. Secondly for the word of God Isâ— 40. 6. but neither of these is vnderstood iâ— this place Thirdly the word is taken for thâ— decree and wil of God for his prouidence 〈◊〉 the good wil pleasure of God and so mâ—â— we vnderstand it in this place where our sauiour Christ saith man shall liue by eueâ—â— word that is euery decree and blessing oâ— God for the life of man so it is taken Heb. 1. 3 where Christ is said to beare vp all things by his mightie word that is as the Lord haâ— created al things so doth he vphold and preserue them by his decree and prouidence Now Gods word and decree concerning the life of man may thus be distinguished namely that God hath decreed that some men should liue by bread that is by ordinary meanes secondly some should liue without ordinary bread that is without all ordinary meanes thirdly that some should liue without any means at al either ordinary or extraordinary as Moses Eliah our Sauiour Christ in their fortie dayes fast fourthly that some should liue against meanes and contrary to the course of nature as Daniel
in the Lions den the three children in the fiery fornace Which proceedeth out of the mouth of God That is by euery decree of God by euery blessing decree that God giueth out concerning the life of man So then we see the meaning of the words If any say It seemes we must liue onely by the word of God without meate or drink euen by the scriptures and the written word I answer No but we must liue and preserue our liues by euery word that is euery decree that God giueth out to preserue the life of man so that without the speciall decree and blessing of God nothing could preserue and maintain the life of man our meat could not norish vs our apparel could not warm vs c. Now let vs see how this answer of Christ is applied to the diuels temptation The diuel had labored to proue that Christ was not the sonne of God his argument was this If thâ—â— be the sonne of God commaund that theâ—â— stones be made bread but thou canst noâ— make these stones bread therefore thou 〈◊〉 not the sonne of God Our Sauior Christ doth alleage this placâ— of Scripture and doth deny the proposition or first part of the diuels argumeÌ„t for whereâ—as the diuell takes this for graunted that if â— man be hungry he must haue bread by anâ— meanes to preserue his life Christ answers 〈◊〉 is not necessary because a mans life is noâ— preserued by bread onely but it is maintained by the special decree blessing of God And indeed this is a speciall point and woâ— thy lesson to be learned as may appeare iâ— that the Lord was no lesse then fortie yeares teaching it to the children of Israel Deu. 8. 3. The vse of this doctine is manifold first hence we learne to consider aright of thâ— creatures of God namely that we do noâ— content our selues to looke vpon the substance of them but besides the outward substance we must consider the secret blessing oâ— God vpon his creatures proceeding from hiâ— word that is his decree As for example 〈◊〉 must not onely looke vpon the outward substance of bread but besides that we mâ—â— consider the blessing and decree of God that bread should be the meanes to nourish man for besides the bread there is the staffe of bread that is that power and facultie whereby it nourisheth and maintaineth life which it hath from the decree and blessing of God vpon it And as we see an old weake man take away his staffe and he wil soone fall to the ground euen so if the Lord take away the staffe of bread that is his secret blessing though a man had all the dainties vnder heauen his life would faile in the midst of theÌ„ all for the weake life of man must needs fal decay if once the Lord take away the staffe of bread For what reason is there that bread which hath no life in it should nourish our bodies giue life streÌ„gth to vs and that that which hath no heate in it as our clothes should keepe vs warme were it not for Gods word and decree and his blessing vpon them And that we may know that it is not so much bread that preserueth mans life as Gods blessing vpon bread by vertue of his word and decree we may see it plainely in that the poore mans child which fareth hardly â—is but meanely clothed is as well legged and 〈◊〉 and likes as well euen as the child of the Prince now the reason is because Godâ— blessing is all in all vpon the poore fare of the poore mans child aswell as the Kings 2 Againe seeing it is not so much bread as Gods blessing vpon bread that preserueth mans life it should teach vs al sobriety in the vse of Gods creatures for neither meate nor drinke nor clothing can do vs good vnlesse the Lord send out his word and decree and giue a blessing vnto them euen to euerie bâ—â— of bread we put into our mouthes Now if we abuse the good creatures of God in surâ—etting and excesse how can we looke that the Lord should blesse them vnto vs nay we may rather feare he will curse them for our abuse and intemperancie so that they shall hurt yea choake vs rather then do vs good 3. We must learne from hence to vse the creatures of God with inuocation vpon his name for a blessing vpon them for seeing it is not the substance of bread that nourisheth vs but the blessing of God vpon the bread who seeth not that we ought before we vse the creatures of God to craue a blessing 〈◊〉 God vpon them 4. This should teach vs to be content with our estate to moderate our affections and to take heed we do not so eagerly desire seeâ— for abundance for the blessing of God is riches enough hath not these cutting cares with it he which hath but a meane estate may be as wel blessed of God as he that hath the greatest abundance nay this immoderate seeking for abundance it argueth great distrust and vnbeleefe in the prouidence of God 5. If mans life stands not in abundance and our life is not preserued by bread alone though a man had all the bread in the world vnlesse God infuse a blessing into it this teacheth vs that we may not be so much intangled with the things of this life we must not so eagerly seeke after meat drinke clothing lands liuings gold siluer c. for in taking too much care for these things we see many mens harts are so caried away that no grace can take place in them But you will say meate drinke cloathing and such things they be my liuing I cannot liue without them I aunswer that our liues do not stand in these things alone but especially in the blessing of God vpon these meanes without which though we had all the world at commaund it could doe vs no good Againe the Lord can not onely preserue our liues by bread but euen without all meanes yea if so it please him against meanes Now then seeing our liues stand not in these meanes but especially in the blessing of God vpon them we must first seeke for the blessing of God without the which all these meanes shal become vnprofitable vnto vs and do vs no good and it is not wisedome too greedily to seeke for the things of the world seeing our life is not preserued by them alone Mans life standeth not in abundance saith Christ Luk. 12. 6 Seeing man liues not by bread alone that is mans life is not maintained by these outward meanes but by Gods blessing vpon them this must teach vs all to be content with that estate the Lord sends vs though it be poore and meane and we must learne patience in extreame miseries and afflictions And if the Lord should dealâ— with vs as he did with his seruant Iob eueÌ„ 〈◊〉 all from vs yet we
his protection to keepe within the compasse of it Iesus said vnto him It is written againe Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God In these words is coÌ„tained the answer of our Sauiour Christ to the second temptation of the Diuell wherein he doth oppose Scripture against Scripture But to expound that place which the Diuell alleaged and to shew how vilely Satan abuseth the word of God he alleageth another place of Scripture wherein our Sauiour Christ answers the Diuell that it is true God hath made sundry promises in his word of protectioÌ„ to his people but yet so as if they refuse to walke in the coÌ„mandements of God and to vse such lawfull meanes as he prescribeth in his word he is not bound to perfome them for they be made vpon that condition Againe it is written Seeing our Sauior Christ doth alleage another place of Scripture to expound that the Diuel brought against him and to shew how he abused Scripture hence we gather that the holy Scriptures are of themselues sufficient to interprete themselues for so Christ alleageth another text of scripture to expound that which Satan alleageth and to confute his abusing of it So we find that Ezra did expound the law of God and giues the sense of it by the scriptures and so expounds the one by the other Nehem. 8. 9. Iunius Now if the seruants of God could do this in the old Testament how much more may we in the new wherein many things are most plainely opened and expounded by Christ and his Apostles But the Papists cannot by any meanes yeeld to this doctrin for they hold that that which must interprete the scriptures must haue iudiciall power and authoritie to iudge of the sense of the scriptures but they hold the scriptures are but a dumbe letter and therefore are not able to iudge of the sense aÌ„d meaning of the scriptures Yet for all that we see by the example of our sauior Christ that the scriptures are of sufficient power to giue the sense of the scriptures to interprete theÌ„selues and to shew what is the true sense of the scriptures though they be dumbe And as we see that a maÌ„ may aswel shew his mind to his friend by letters and writing as by word of mouth euen so the Lord God speakes now to his people by the scriptures as well as he did in olde time by his owne liuely voice from heauen But if the Papists will yet deny the scriptures to haue power to iudge and determine of the sense of the Scriptures then would I know who hath this power giuen vnto him They answer the church must giue iudgement and determine of the sense of the scriptures but that is false for the Lord hath not giuen any such power to the Church to determine of the sense of the scriptures at her pleasure but only he hath giuen to the ministery of the word to open and expound the scriptures by the scriptures theÌ„selues As a Lawyer hath not that power to iudge of the law of his Prince and to giue what sense he listeth but onely to expound the law and to giue the sense of it by the words of the law and other circumstances coÌ„cerning the same The Church of Rome say further they 〈◊〉 determine of the sense of the scriptures either by the rule of faith or the consent of the fathers or if they faile then the Pope he is 〈◊〉 determine of them as one that cannot erre 1 Concerning the rule of Faith by which they vnderstand vnwritten traditions how can they be fit iudges to determine of the sence of the scriptures vnlesse we will giâ—e more authoritie to vnwritten verities then to the written word of God Nay onely the scriptures must be the rule of faith and only the scriptures iudge and determine of the sense of themselues 2 Neither is the consent of Fathers a sufficient rule to giue iudgement and to determine of the sense of the scriptures for we know that they being men and many of theÌ„ hauing not the knowledge of Hebrew and Greeke yea and most of all in expounding the word are subiect to error and sometimes do erre And by the same reason the Pope is no meete man to be the iudge of the scriptures and to determine what should be the sense of theÌ„ seeing he is subiect to manifold errors and many Popes haue erred in the foundations of Religion Now follow the words of Christs answer taken out of Deut. 6. 16. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God First we must search what this word to tempt signifies secondly the maner how God is said to be teÌ„pted thirdly the cause and root of this tempting of God First To tempt God is to proue or to make trial whether God be such a one as the scriptures report him to be namely whether he be so iust so mercifull so mightie as the word of God describes him to be So the Propet Dauid expounds it Psal. 95. 9. Your father 's tempted me and proued me in the desert Where to tempt is to proue Gods iustice and mercie whether he were so iust and mercifull as the word sets him out to be and as he promised to be Secondly for the manner it is not simply to tempt and to make triall of God but to tempt God is to make needlesse triall of Gods power c. when we haue no cause to try the Lord and so it is taken here in the words of Christ Thou shalt not tempt that is thou shalt not take needlesse and vnnecessarie experience and triall of Gods power and goodnesse Thirdly the cause which moueth men to tempt God is a distrustfull and vnbeleeuing heart eueÌ„ want of faith So the Israelites teÌ„pted God Psal. 78. ver 18. 22. They tempted God in their hearts and required meate for their lust And the reason is vers 22. because they did not beleeue in God and did not trust in his helpe because they did not relye vpon his care and fatherly prouideÌ„ce so that vnbeleefe was the roote of this their tempting of God So then to tempt God is to make needlesse and vnnecessarie triall and experience of his mercie goodnesse power and iustice proceeding from a distrusting heart Now God may be tempted fiue maner of wayes First when men will take vpon them to appoint God the time when the place where and the maner how God must helpe them and accomplish his promise to them Thus the Israelites in the wildernes wanting water they say Is the Lord amongst it vs or noâ— shewing that through the Lord had promised he would be with them yet vnlesse he would at that time giue them water in their need they would not giue credit to his promise Againe Psal. 78. â—0 though the Lord had giuen them water yet they say Can he giue bread also or prepare flesh for his peopleâ— still shewing that vnlesse the Lord would at their pleasures now presently send them
meate they were readie to distrust his prouidence And therefore it must admonish vs that we must not in our requests and petitions as the Bethulianes did appoint God the time place or meanes how we would be helped in pouertie sicknesse or other waies but coÌ„tinuing in prayer waite vpon the Lords leysure and leaue these circumstances to his good will and pleasure Secondly God is tempted when men will not beleeue his word but do demaund signes and wonders from heauen as the Scribes and Pharises did Ioh. 2. 18. tempt our Sauiour Christ not beleeuing his doctrine vnlesse he would confirme it by some miracle And thus all they tempt God who refuse to beleeue the doctrine of God because it is not confirmed vnto them at their pleasure by signes and wonders But some may say What is it not lawfull theÌ„ to demaund and require a signe at Gods hands Yes we may sometimes and so we reade that Gedeon did require a signe of God and sinned not so did Hezechiah 2. King 20. 8. In two cases men may aske a signe of the Lord. First when the Lord giues a man commaundement to aske a signe then we may aske it lawfully and thus the Lord bidâ— Achaz to ask a signe and he sinned in refusing to do it Secondly a man may aske a signe of God when it is necessarie for the confirmation of a man in some extraordinarie calling as we see in Gedeon being extraordinarily appointed of God to be the Captaine and deliuerer of Gods people he being not fully perswaded of this his vocation desired a signe of God not of infidelitie but the better to resolue himselfe of Gods calling him to that busines And so it was in Hezechiah to perswade himselfe of Gods extraordinarie deliuerance from an extraordinarie diâ—ease The third way whereby men tempt God is when men liue in sinne continually without repentance and so will trie Gods mercie and thus the Israelites tempted God Num. 14. 18. And so all those which liue in â—inne from day to day without repentance do indeed tempt God and abuse his patience Mal. 3. 15. And therefore seeing that this is euen to tempt God to liue in sinne without repentance it must stirre vs vp all to take heed how we runne on in sinne but that we do wiâ—â— speed repent and breake off the course of our sins for so long as we liue in sinne without repentance we tempt God and then we can promise no safetie to our selues neither looke for the protection of Gods Angels but ly euen naked to all Gods heauie iudgements The fourth manner of tempting God is to inioyne men the obseruations of the ceremoniall lawe as it appeareth Ast. 15. 10. the Iewes are said to tempt God in that they vrged the obseruation of the ceremonies of Moses And by this we may iudge of the present estate of the Church of Rome and of their religion which stands for the most part in vaine and superstitious ceremonies and that which is worse of Iudaisme and Gentilisme The last way how men tempt God is not to vse the lawfull ordinarie means which God hath appointed either concerning mens soules or concerning their bodies and this is here vnderstood in this place when Christ saith Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God When we shal refuse such lawfull and ordinarie meanes as the Lord hath appointed and vse extraordinarie euen as a man hauing a readie way ouer a bridge should leaue that and thrust himselfe into the water what were this but to tempt God Or when a man hath the ordinarie way to come downe by the steppes or staires and refusing that shold cast himselfe downe from the top of a steeple So those men who contemne the word of God and will not vouchsafe to heare what do they else but euen tempt God seeing they refuse the preaching of the word which is the ordinarie meanes to saue mens soules And thus Satan tempted our Sauiour Christ to tempt God For hauing now set him on the toppe of the temple in a dangerous place he perswades him to cast himselfe downe and he addeth that he may be bold to do so because God hath giuen his Angels charge to looke vnto him that he take no harme But our Sauiour Christ answers him That were to tempt God seeing he had the lawfull and ordinary way to go downe by the staires and therefore he had no reason to cast himselfe downe In a word all those tempt God which either refuse the ordinary meanes God hath appointed or do wilfully cast themselues into daunger being not called thereunto of God as Peter hauing no calling of God went and thrust himselfe into Caiphas hall to see what became of his maister the three Worthies which ventured through the hoast of the Philistims to fetch water at the well of Bethell for Dauid whereas he might haue had it without danger at home Here some may aske What we are to iudge of those which vse to walke on ropes on high places and on the toppe of houses whether do such men sin or not Ans. These men do so either with a calling or without a calling Such as do it by vertue of their lawfull calling as Mosons and such as build churches and houses and so by reason of their trades work on high places cannot be said to tempt God nay rather so long as they walke faithfully in their lawfull callings they may assure themselues of Gods blessing and his protection But as for those who to shew their agilitie and to make sport walke on ropes or runne vpon the roofe of houses these men hauing no calling from God so to do they cannot looke for Gods protection nay they in so doing tempt God casting themselues vpon daunger And our Sauiour Christ might a thousand times better haue done this which Satan wold haue him here to doâ— yet would he not put himselfe into needlesse daunger lest he should tempt God much lesse ought any man else aduenture to do it And in this that our Sauiour Christ vseth the ordinarie way euen the staires we may learne that if any man looke to haue Gods protection and blessing he must also make sure to vse the lawfull and ordinarie meanes appointed of God keepe himselfe within the compasse of his calling yea if we desire to find comfort in any of Gods gracious promises we must be wary to keepe our selues within the compasse of his commaundements but if we leaue them then we find no true comfort neither haue we any promise of protection from God But so long as we walke in obedience of Gods commaundements and within the compasse of our callings we haue this blessed promise from God that his Angels shall take the care of vs to guard and to defend vs. Againe the diuell taketh him into an exceeding high mountaine In the seuen verses going before we haue heard of the two first temptations of our sauior Christ
highest degree that could be for the Diuell made an end of his temptations before he left him and had his will in tempting of him and therefore no question in these three maine temptations that we haue spoken of he tēpted him as much as he could and shewed his greatest extremitie and fraud And this may appeare in that the Angels were faine to come comfort our Sauiour Christ so that he was not tempted with some light and ordinarie temptations but in most extreame manner so as his heart within him was in perplexitie anguish and griefe yet without all sinne And this may minister comfort to the children of God if any man be tempted with some grieuous temptation in some wondrous and fearefull maner that he is almost at the point of despaire yet let him stay himselfe and let him not thinke that therefore he is cast away for here we see that Iesus Christ the Son of God was tempted in the highest degree that might be and therefore the dearest seruants of God may be extreamly tempted We must learne from hence to suspend our iudgements and if we see any so fearfully tempted their temptations so extreme and grieuous that they say of them selues that they be cast-awayes or that while they yet liue they are already in hel let vs take heed we be not too rash in condemning of them neither let vs speake or thinke of them as cast-awayes for our Sauiour Christ was tempted in the highest measure that could be and why thē may not these kind of temptations befall the dearest children of God Therefore that which is written of Francis Spira that he was a reprobate a cast-away was penned very inconsiderately though he affirmed the same of himself for there did nothing befall him which may not befall a child of God for we see that our Sauiour Christ himselfe was tempted in the greatest measure that might be and we haue dayly experience from time to time that some of the deare children of God haue bene in like sort assaulted to despaire for a time to thinke themselues reprobates and cast-awayes yet it hath pleased the Lord in time to restore them to the feeling of his loue and they haue continued the faithfull seruants of God till their dying day And as it is said the diuel departed as soone as he had ended all his temptations we may gather that these three wherewith he assaulted our Sauiour Christ they be the most principall temptations of the Diuell the very ground of all other his temptations and therefore it shall be good for vs to learne to know them and the daunger of them that we may arme our selues by the example of Christ against them especially The second circumstance to be marked in the Diuels departure is that which S. Luke addeth though it be not expressed in Mathew namely that the Diuell left Christ but for a season but we neuer reade that the Diuell did tempt our Sauiour Christ after this but once vpon the crosse then indeed the Diuell and all his Angels set vpon him Coloss. 2. 15. I answer the Diuell tempts either by himselfe or else by wicked men It is true indeed we reade not that the Diuell did euer tempt Christ after his departure from him but once when he was on the crosse but he set wicked men a work in persecuting of him continually So he tempted Euah but once by himselfe but no doubt he tēpted her after many times by other means Secondly the diuell tempts by his instruments namely by wicked and vngodly mē and thus he tempted Adam not by himselfe but by Euah so he tempted Iob not onely by himselfe in casting the house vpon his children but also by his vile instruments the Sabeans and Caldeans whom he set a work to rob and spoile him and after by his mistaking friends So though we reade not that the Diuell did tempt Christ all his life time after this by himselfe yet did he it by his instruments as the Scribes and Pharises the cruell Iewes yea by Herod Pontius Pilate Annas and Caiphas and the rest he neuer ceased tempting of him after this and these temptations by his vile◠instruments were very great and grieuous vnto his sacred soule Seeing the diuell tooke this course to tempt Christ and then to depart for a while and after to returne againe we may see what is the estate of Gods Church in this world namely that the Church of God vpon earth is in a continuall intercourse of afflictions now afflicted after the Lord giues it peace for a time and then the Lord sendeth afflictions againe and as winter followeth sommer so doth ioy afflictions This being the estate of the church of God vpon earth a continuall intercourse of afflictions we must then learne what is our own particular estate while we liue in the church namely a state that is in a continuall intercourse of troubles and afflictions If we now inioy peace and rest we must make account it cannot alwaies indure but there must come a change and therefore we must beware in time of peace to prepare our selues against the time of affliction and of triall and perswade our selues the Sunne will not alwaies shine but this state will change and triall will come It followeth And behold the Angels came and ministred vnto him Here is now the second part of the victorie when as our Sauiour Christ had foiled the Diuell and put him to flight then the Angels come and minister vnto him to comfort him after this tedious combat Behold This word is a word of wonder and it sheweth there is some matter of moment that followeth and what is that the wonder is that that person whom the diuell despised and would haue troden vnder his feete euen this person is here attended vpon by the good Angels of God who are readie to offer him their seruice and come to comfort him In this ministerie of these Angels consider first the bond which caused them to attend on Christ secondly the number how many they were thirdly the time when they came to him First the bond which maketh these glorious Angels and heauenly spirits to attend and waite vpon our Sauiour Christ is this that the man Christ not the manhood of Christ but Christ God and man is Lord of all creatures euen of the Angels in heauen And the manhood of Christ though it be not Lord of Angels yet it is farre more excellent then any creature whatsoeuer yea then the blessed Angels And here we may behold the great goodnesse of God who hath exalted mans nature which was most vile by reason of sinne to be farre more excellent then any Angell in heauen as it is ioyned to the Godhead in the person of Christ. So then the Angels minister to Christ not as simply man but as God-man or God and man and so they minister to all the true members of Christ Iesus which are truly coupled and vnited vnto
his mysticall bodie Christ is that ladder of Iacob whereby the Angels of God do ascend and descend to do seruice to all those which are truly ioyned vnto Iesus Christ Gen. 28. This ought to make vs all admire the endlesse and vnspeakeable goodnes of God who hath not onely giuen vs to be Lords of heauen and earth by the meanes of Christ but euen the glorious Angels which are farre aboue man in excellencie to be our seruants to minister vnto vs to comfort and defend vs. This should moue vs all to carrie and behaue our selues reuerently and holily in all our actions and speeches seeing the glorious and blessed Angels of God do waite and attend vpon vs. Truly this ought to make vs haue great regard that no vnseemely speech or action passe from vs seeing we be in the presence of these most excellent creatures of God the blessed holy Angels to behaue our selues with greater reuerence then we would before an earthly Prince and in the presence of a mightie Monarch 2 The number of them It is not said there came one Angell as in the garden but the Angels came vnto him shewing there were mo then one And we find in the word that our Sauiour Christ had sometimes one somtimes mo to attend vpon him And so the wicked Angels come sometimes one alone as here in Christs temptations sometimes many as when Christ was on the crosse Colossians 2. 15. And so it is likewise with the good Angels of God sometimes they come one alone sometimes moe together Mow if this be true then that opinion faâ—leth to the ground which holds that euery man hath his two Angels an euill Angel to tempt him and his good Angell to defend him But if God so please he hath a legion of bad Angels to torment the badâ— and ten thousands of good Angels to comfort the good The third point is the time when theâ—â— Angels came vnto Christ Then when the diuell had now ended all his temptations not in the time of the temptations whiâ—â— Christ was tempted but immediatly after they were ended True it is the good Angels of God be â—â—waies readie to attend vpoÌ„ Christ to obâ—â— his will yet here it is said they came not 〈◊〉 our Sauiour till after his temptations 〈◊〉 then when he had most need they are 〈◊〉 of God to comfort him and as it is likeâ— they tooke vpon them some bodily shâ—â— â—â—the time as the diuell did that so they â—â—ght the better do him seruice And here in the person of our Sauiour Christ we may obserue the dealing of God â—ith his children euen as he dealt with Christ himselfe namely that the Lord doth sometime conceale his fauour and not â—hew his accustomed mercie to his children 〈◊〉 least the comfortable sense and feeling of 〈◊〉 for a time to trie his children As here the Lord with held for a time the comfort of his Angels from our Sauiour Christ yet after in is greatest need sent them to comfort him â—o the Lord dealeth with his children euen 〈◊〉 a nurse dealeth with her child setteth it â—owne and goeth and hideth her selfe for 〈◊〉 time letteth it sit still so as the child taâ—eth a knocke and it may be hurteth it selfe so as it bleedeth againe now all this she doth not because she loueth not her child 〈◊〉 that when she taketh vp her child againe into her armes it may loue her better and cling faster vnto her Euen so deaâ—eth the Lord with his children he often withdraweth the comfortable feeling of his mercie and doth as it were hide himselfe for a time that so we may the better 〈◊〉 what we are without his mercie and make more accompt of it when the Loâ—â— doth giue vs the feeling of it againe and 〈◊〉 we may loue him euer after more earneâ—â— and more constantly To conclude most men will say There 〈◊〉 no need of this doctrine of temptations 〈◊〉 they neuer felt any such matter nor are 〈◊〉 acquainted with them nay they hope thâ— say neuer to feele any such temptations 〈◊〉 they thank God that they neuer knew 〈◊〉 temptations meant Indeed these poâ—â— soules may thinke themselues happie 〈◊〉 they be in a most pitifull case and a miseâ—â—ble estate for whosoeuer belongs to Châ—â—â— he must be made in some measure conâ—â—â—mable and if they be the true memberâ— Christ they must be made sutable to thâ— head in suffering temptations Nay it is 〈◊〉 ioy and we haue iust cause of reioyciâ— when we be tempted especially if we 〈◊〉 able by the power of Christ to resist 〈◊〉 temptations as he did So saith the 〈◊〉 Ghost Iam. 1. 2. My brethren saith 〈◊〉 Apostle accompt it exceeding ioy when ye 〈◊〉 into diuerse temptations And those men which say they neuer 〈◊〉 tempted all their liues alas they haue a 〈◊〉 full iudgement of God vpon them 〈◊〉 â—â—â—dnesse of heart which makes them that 〈◊〉 feele no temptations though they be â—â—yly tempted by the Diuell to a thousand 〈◊〉 and impieties As the Disciples of Christ 〈◊〉 though they saw the miracle of Christ 〈◊〉 saw that the bread was multiplied in â—eir hands yet vnderstood it not because 〈◊〉 the hardnesse of their hearts so these blind â—â—les though Satan tempt them from day 〈◊〉 day yet they be so blinded their hearts 〈◊〉 hardned that they perceiue no such matâ—â— But if these men would learne once by the â—ord of God to see and feele their miserie â—nd so repent and be truly humbled for their 〈◊〉 and become new creatures they would 〈◊〉 be of another mind And therefore let 〈◊〉 such men pray to God that he of his merâ—le giue them the sight of their wofull miseâ—le that he would giue them soft and tender â—earts to be humbled for their sinnes that so â—â—ey may feele the want of grace and they â—â—il then confesse it is not an vnneedful thing â—â—or them to know and vndergo temptations and that vnlesse they be tempted with Christ they can haue no true ioy nor sound comfort in Christ. Maister Perkins his Prayer before his Sermons OAlmightie Lord God most merciâ—â— and louing Father in Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 are here assembled before thy glorious Mijestie to be partakers of thy heauenly worâ— which of thine infinite goodnesse and merâ—â— thou hast ordained to be the ordinary meâ—â— to worke our saluation we beseech thâ— therefore most mercifull Father to blesseâ—uery one of vs in the hearing and the spâ—â— king of thy holy word Good Lord opâ—â— our blind eyes that we may be able to vnderstand it and whereas our hearts are 〈◊〉 of hardnesse full of sinne full of manifoâ—â— rebellions good Lord soften our hard haâ—â— graunt that thy holy word may be the twâ— edged sword of the spirit to cut downe sinâ—â— and corruption in vs and make vs new 〈◊〉 tures in Iesus Christ. And whereas we 〈◊〉 troubled with many impediments in hâ—â—ring of thy word as wandring imagination in our hearts
8. Ephes. 6. 16. Psal. 91. 13. Thou shalt walk vpon the Lion and Asp the yong Lion and the Dragon shalt thou tread vnder feete Lidia How is this resistance confirmed Paul To confirme this these preseruatiues which follow are very necessary 1. When you are tempted to sinne do not only abstaine from it but earnestly loue and follow after the contrary Iohn 8. 44. 2. Neuer yeeld or consent to Satans words whether he speake the truth accuse falsly or flatter dissemblingly Iohn 8. 44. Ye are of your father the diuell and the lusts of your father ye will do he hath bin a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him when he speaketh a lie then speaketh he of his owne for he is a lier and the father thereof Marke 1. 24. And cried with a loud voice and said What haue I to do with thee Iesus the sonne of the most high God And Iesus said Hold thy peace and come out of him Act. 16. 17. She followed Paul and vs and cried saying These men are the seruants of the most high God which shew vnto vs the way of saluation c. August serm 241. 3. One temptation is to be looked for after another and then especially when our enemie after he hath set his snares is at rest for the diuel neuer maketh an end of his malice 1. Pet. 5. 8. Lidia I haue heard how to resist teach me I pray you what is his fall Paul The fall is whereby the souldier through infirmitie fainteth being subdued by the power of the enemie Gal. 6. 1. Brethrē if a man be fallen by occasion into any fault ye which are spirituall restore such a one with the spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe least thou also be tempted Lidia If I fall how may I rise Paul To this appertaineth the spirituall remedie now a remedie is a thing hauing aptnesse to restore him which is fallen to his former estate Gal. 6. 1. And here two things must alwayes be thought on 1. If there be a willing mind euery one is accepted for that grace which he hath not for that which he hath not 2. Corint 8. 12 For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not 2. In all these things whosoeuer wil leade a godly life in Christ the power of God is to be made perfect through their infirmitie 2. Cor. 12. 9. And he said vnto me My grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect through weaknesse very gladly therefore will I reioyce rather in mine infirmities that the power of God may dwell in me 10. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in reproches in necessities in persecutions in anguish for Christs sake for when I am weake then am I strong Lidia But since Satan is mine aduersarie instruct me how many his assaults be Paul Assaults are three-fold Lidia VVhich is the first Paul The first is about the Christian mans effectuall calling and the temptation is the enterprise of the Diuell to blindfold mans mind and to harden his hart lest the word of God should work in him to saluation Mat. 1◠4. And as he sowed some fell by the way side and the fowles came and deuoured them vp 5. And some fell vpon stonie ground where they had no◠much earth and anon they sprang vp because they had no depth of earth 6. And when the sun rose vp they were parched for lack of rooting withered away 7. And some fell among thornes and the thornes sprung vp and choked them 19. Whensoeuer a man heareth the word of the kingdome and vnderstandeth it not the euill one cometh and catcheth away that which was sowne in his heart and this is he which hath receiued the seed by the way side Lidia How may I resist this assault Paul A resistance in those that are called is wrought by the spirit of God that causeth men to lend their eares to heare and doth ingraffe the word in their hearts that the immortall seed of regeneration may spring in them Psal. 40. 6. Ioh. 6. 44. Act. 16. 14. Iam. 1. 21. Wherefore lay apart all filthinesse and superfluitie of maliciousnes and receiue with meeknes the word that is graffed in you which is able to saue your soules 1. Pet. 1. 22. Seeing your soules are purified in obeying the truth through the spirit to loue brotherly without faining loue one another with a pure heart feruently 1. Ioh. 3. 9. Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him neither cā he sin because he is borne of God A resistance in those that are to be called is when in a sincere heart they do ioyne the word which they haue heard with faith Luke 8. 15. But that which fell in good ground are they which with an honest and good heart heare the word and keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience Heb. 4. 2. Lidia What certaine preseruatiues are to be noted in this resistance Paul 1. Premeditation of the power and vse of the word Eccles. 4. 17. Take heed to thy feete when thou entrest into the house of the Lord and be more neare to heare then to giue the sacrifice of fooles for they know not that they do euil Cha. 5. 1. Be not rash with thy mouth n◠let thine heart be hastie to vtter a thing before God for God is in the heauen and thou art 〈◊〉 the earth therefore let thy words be few 2. Diligent attentiō of the mind Act. 16. 14. 3. An hungring desire of the heart Ioh. 7. 37. Now in the last and great day of the feast Iesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke 4. Integritie of life Psal. 26. 6. 5. The casting away of euill affections Iam. 1. 22. And be ye doers of the word and n◠hearers onely deceiuing your owne soules 6. The inward consent and agreement of the heart with the word preached Act. 2. 37. 7. An hiding of the word in the heart lest we should sinne Psalm 119. 11. I haue hid thy word in mine heart that I might not sinne against thee 8. A trembling at the presence of God in the assembly of the Church Esa. 66. 2. For all these things hath mine hand made and all these things haue bene saith the Lord and to him will I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words Act. 10. 33. Then sent I for thee immediatly and thou hast well done to come now therefore are we all here present before God to heare all things that are commaunded thee of God Lidia The God of power preserue me from this assault by these preseruatiues but how may I fall in this temptation Paul Your fall is either by a coldnesse in receiuing the word and a neglect therof or else by falling into errors Lidia What