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
Goliah and afterward his troubles were endlesse Paule was not contradicted but liued in great credit among the Jewes vntill the Lord made him a Preacher of the Gospell thē was he neuer free from slaunderous accusations violences and all kinde of iniuries the reason whereof is for that Sathan beyng ielous ouer his owne kingdome and fearyng the ouerthrow thereof when he seeth any raysed vp to fight agaynst it doth most basely bestirre himselfe for the suppressing of the same Therefore as euery one that will do any good thyng that may be acceptable vnto God comfortable to his conscience and profitable to his brethren must learne to haue an inuincible indefatigable stomacke for that he shalbe sure to haue many a counterbuffet and foyle if Sathan cā procure it so in the depth of all his extremities and in the middest of tribulations he may gather an argument vnto himselfe of singular cōfort that if he do that which is warranted by the word of God and taketh it in hād with the testimony of a good consciēce he may assure himselfe for most sure it is the more troubles that he endureth the more is he in the fauour of God doth him y ◠more seruice agaynst the enemies of his glory the world and the deuill and surely as this is a most profitable doctrine to be learned so is it most necessarie for all Goos people in these dayes but most especially for those Ministers of the word of God that doe with good consciēce rebuke the world of sinne and playnly vrge the necessitie of walkyng in the narrowe path agaynst whom the world is so mad partely for that iniquitie aboundeth among men and especially for that through lacke of discipline in the Churche euery man is let alone to doe what hee list that a man would thinke hell were broken vp and all the hellhoundes there were transposed unto the shape of men so horrible so false so slaunderous and so bitter be their wordes and deedes when they cā agaynst those sylie ones But this is our stay the Lord that is in heauen doth laughe them to scorne and this is to vs an argument of great comfort that the more they rage the more are we assured that God is on our side Into the wildernesse the place where he was tryed commeth now to be considered whiche was the vninhabited wildernesse where were no creatures but wilde beastes as Mark recordeth amōg which he liued for that tyme wherunto the world may welbe compared because of the troublesomnesse intricate wayes and daunger thereof Our Sauiour was led by the spirite thyther First that hee might come thence as a newman fit to take in hand so wayghtie an enterprise whiche also was prefigured by Moyses his beyng fourtie dayes in the mountayne and Elias in the caue of Horeb. For the absence euen of those with whō we haue bene most cōuersaunt maketh thē appeare vnto vs in more reuerent accōpte Secondly it was that he might bee the more subiect to temptation for Sathan alwayes getteth more aduātage against man when he is solitary then when hee is with company and also lesse hyndred by the world or any thyng or person therein to conquire and get the victory of this enemy Led by the spirite that is he was conducted by the guidyng of Gods holy spirite accordyng as God the Father in his wisedome had appointed Whereby ariseth vnto vs this doctrine very needefull to be learned and very comfortable to be remembred that notwithstandyng Sathan roareth night day and seeketh by him selfe and his instrumentes continually to vexe and trouble vs ayming at our destruction yet all things are so determined and directed by Gods mightie power and prouidence that no vexation of body or spirit can befal vs without his will and appointment whereof we haue a notable example in the seruaunt of God Iob. whose estate albeit Sathan did greatly enuie yet vntill the Lorde gaue power into the enemyes hand agaynst him he could neither touche his goodes his children nor his person The which if we doe learne aright it will minister vnto vs manifold comfort and instruction For first it is vnto vs a notable shield agaynst dispayre distrust that naturally groweth in vs when we are in tribulations to feare that our former estate is irrecouerable or that the fauour of God is cleane remoued from vs. For if we doe consider with our selues that God is the authour of the afflictiōs of his people and that they are not vexed without his appointement and moreouer that it is his vsuall dealyng with his seruauntes it must needes teach vs not to despise the correction of the Lord neither faynt when we are rebuked for so much as he loueth them that hee correcteth and scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth Agayne it will teach vs to take heede that we use no vnlawfull meanes to eschew the same for when we consider that God who knoweth better then wee what is needefull for vs hath imposed the same vpon vs it must needes make vs very well contented with his gracious appointment neuer seekyng to wynd our selues from vnder his handes by those meanes that be vnlawfull but patiently to abide his leasure for the remouing thereof at whose good pleasure wee shalbe sure to be deliuered or elles it shall come to passe that the Lordes correction whiche he in loue inflicted vpon vs shall by our misdemeanour bee turned into the markes of his wrath and anger for that wee haue played the partes of vnbridled coltes striuyng to cast of the Lordes burthen and to wynde our selues as much as in vs lyeth out of his gouernement protection Moreouer it will teach vs most carefully to vse all good lawfull meanes for the preuentyng of daunger imminent or the remouyng of troubles present in both whiche many doe greatly offend for some are so secure and carelesse that by their owne negligente they procure to thē selues many a woe for that they haue not prouidently foresene the euill approching others beyng already fallen into extremitie are not so vigilant in watchyng of all opportunitie of redresse in takyng the occasions by those good meanes which their wise trauaile by the blessing of God vpon it might haue procured vnto them against both which this doctrine doth teache vs a lesson to bee noted that seyng afflictions come from God and are not els good who onely knoweth on whom when and how they shalbe imposed if we desire to haue no trouble but whiche bringeth the fauour of God with it we must so prouidently forecast and vse all good meanes so carefully that we neuer be through our owne negligence the cause of our owne trouble Of the Deuill that is it was decreed of God the Father and brought to passe by the guidaunce of Gods spirite that Iesus Christ the Sonne of God should bee tempted of the common enemy to God and man the Deuill
deceaue the sonne of God yet he preuaileth marueilously with it in the world for if we shall view the thing in his particulars we see y ◠seyng Sathā can not preuayle in the world to keepe it still drowned in blinde ignoraunce and superstitious deuotion but that the same is described openly vnto men to be detestable and leadyng to finall destruction now doth he labour to bring men vnto Atheisme and to be iust of no Religion at all Wherewith how greatly he preuaileth to the great dishonor of God grief of all the godly it is most manifest for to put on the name of Religion is present with euery man and to put of the title of Poperie because the law doth so but to come to the point which in deede is the marke of a true Christian so to refuse the counsell of the vngodly so to shunne the waye of sinners and so to abhorre the seate of the scornefull as with all for so the originall text is to be expoūded in that place to meditate in the law of God day and night to make it a lāterne to our feete and a light vnto our pathes to lay downe all our wisedome and our owne wayes at the feete of Jesus Christ and to be contented both in Judgement in practise of life to let the lyne of the worde direct vs. how sew such are there founde and how thinne be they sowne throughout this whole lād and all because of this that Sathan would persuade vs that the further we be from zeale from godly life frō feare of offending God and his Church the further we be from Poperie and therfore the safer as in this one example shall appeare when we doe by the word of GOD iustly cōdemne the tyranny and butchery of that Antechrist in captiuyng the consciences of men vnder his slauish subiection and then doe heare that the word of God hath prescribed an order in his Church to bridle the varulinesse amend the abuses that rest in euery one who is called a brother if once we desire to haue the same executed that offences may be taken away oh say they y t were euen to become slaues vnto Poperie agayne and therfore that they neuer come neare that they wilbe sure to geue them selues to all libertie and loosenesse in the meane while they forget that Sathan laboured to practise so with our Sauiour Christ Iesus to driue him too farre into y e contrary extremitie If he can not preuaile with man to make him couetously minded to be alwayes pludding vpō worldly cares that all good things may be choked in him whereunto almost euery man yeldeth thē will he at him with the contrary to driue him to carelessenesse in respect of those thinges which he is bounde to looke vnto In a word it is Sathans continuall practise neuer to let man rest in that golden meane which Gods word prescribeth but euer to intise him to the one extremitie or the other and therfore we haue great need to pray vnto the Lord to make vs wise harted that we may see the course commaunded and continually proceede in it Moreouer in y e Sathan would haue him throw himselfe downe headlong which is as you haue heard contrary vnto the other it is to the ende that hee may make him vaynelie presumptuous vpō his owne power which is a tēptation greatly infecting the world for notwithstandyng that we be in our selues most foolish ignoraunt and simple yet Sathan will steale all the sight of that out of mans mynde and persuade him of himselfe very highly Whereupon it commeth that we see the whole worlde so caried away in pride and presumption that euery man swelleth in his own conceite seeking to disgrace all other men in respect of him selfe and liketh of nothing bee it neuer so good holy or wisely done or sayd but that which is forged in his owne imagination but wee must learne the lesson of the holy Ghost set downe by the Apostle Paule in geuing honor to preferre one an other and not our selues in our owne blind persuasion Sathan laboureth not onely in this to make Christ Jesus thinke too wel of himselfe but also vppon the same to vse vnlawfull meanes to make it knowne vnto others which is a braūch if you marke it wel secret poyson wherewith he greatly venometh mankynde For when once he can bring man to thinke better of himselfe then others doe or in deede is cause why he or they should then will he ticle him w t vayne glory y t is with an inordinate desire of blazing his power dignitie vnto men whereunto when he can finde no fit instrumentes for the execution of the same in such measure as hee would rather then it shalbe vnatchiued such is his thirst after prayse popular fame he wilbe his owne spokesman and pleade his owne cause as we may see in the wordes deedes of men words when men are not ashamed to commende of and prayse themselues shewyng in boasting maner what they can doe and what great things they haue done and often all starke lyes thinkyng the matter neuer sufficiently knowne vntill themselues lay it open in deede when mē and womē as we see in their practise will adorne or rather disguise them selues in such straunge and monstrous maner as we see continually practised amongest vs and all commeth from a braunch of that that Sathan would gladly suggest into the sonne of God to thinke it shall not otherwise bee knowne how noble how worshipfull how rich in liuynges or great of byrth they are and they persuade themselues that euery man admireth their great estate thereby when poore soules they take the readyest way to be mocked and taūted of euery one that seeth them esteemyng them rather of foolish vayne and wanton then wise sober or honest behauiour This kinde of decette is yet further to be ripped vp for it is an infection that stealeth euen vpon him that is otherwise watchfull for it is a marueilous hard thyng such is our corruption euen for the dearest children of God to doe any thyng that is good or be in any good estate or condition but as Sathan would haue had Christ to haue misdemeaned him selfe because hee was the sonne of God so doth he exceedyngly labour to make their affections corrupt in the same manner In respect whereof I pray God that we neuer let passe from our remembraunce the saying of that singular vessell of God S. Paule that sayth hee had the messenger of Sathan to buffet him a pricke in his flesh least he should be exalted aboue measure through the aboundaunce of reuelations For of all sinnes I am persuaded that the best and godliest cā most hardly auoyde this to doe any thing that is good not be proude of it but let vs pray vnto God for his grace that our affections may be so reformed that we neuer ascribe any thyng to our selues that
shewed namely that the sayd temptations were not corporally but by cogitation For we know that the mynde of man in such wonderfull maner hath GOD created it can at once conceiue and see those thynges that are farre distant and as it were lay them together and make one common obiect vnto it selfe of all the world thinkyng sometymes of all at once and sometimes of one part somtimes of an other and such is the wonderfull celeritie quicknesse therof that it is now here forthwith at Jerusalem or in any of the vttermost partes of the earth which Sathan knowyng well inough doth labour also to make this singular and most excellent grace of God to serue his turne for the accomplishment of imquitie she wyng vnto vs the exceedyng malice of Sathan that not onely vseth the instrumētes of sinne and imquitie to serue his purpose but also vsurpeth euen vppon the best and most excellent graces of God seeking to peruert them from y e right vse whereunto God hath allotted them which is a thing very needefull of vs to be noted for as it pleaseth God in his great loue to mankinde to bestow his graces both of the mynde and body vpon man in most liberall measure as witte wisedome learnyng riches honour strength beautie c. so doth Sathan labour euen to make all these thyngs not onely vnprofitable vnto vs but whiche more is as instrumentes of our greater falling from GOD and so of our more greeuous Judgement For hee will teache a man to turne his wit vnto craftynesse his wisedome to iniurye others his learning to bolster peruerse opinions his riches to choake the good motions of the spirite in him his honour to the forgetfulnesse of God to honour him his strength to oppresse others and beautie to pride euen as he would haue vsed that excellent part of man in the sonne of God his mynde to be a meane to draw him from his obediēce vnto God his father And therfore we haue great neede to take heede that the graces which God hath geuen vnto vs be not abused by vs through the suggestion of Sathan to our greater hurt and Gods dishonour which we shall the better regarde if we set this alwayes before our eyes and endeuour it vnfainedly in the whole course of our life that all that we haue or are any way able to doe may be employed in such wise as may best serue to the glory of god the father the buildyng of the kingdome of Jesus Christ and the benefite of our brethren with whom we doe liue All this will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me all this while hathe Satan done no more but onely made way for his purpose for hauing set him on an exceeding high mountaine and shewed as it were before his eyes the bewtie of all kingdomes hee commeth then to his purpose to wit to offer them all vnto y e sonne of God so that he wil worship him for no doubt he thought that Christ must needs be rauished with the desire of that glorious sight and therefore woulde be willing to doe any thing for the attayning thereof which is easily to be found in man subiect to corruption but Christ was exempt frō the same and therefore Satan was deceiued of his hope and disappointed of hys purpose But let vs consider his temptation how cunningly it is disposed and set in order Sathan doth not go simply to the thing it selfe as he did in the former but before he biddeth him worship him he setteth down the promise to the end that vnto all the circumstances he might ad this as the life if Christ would haue beleeued him that he wil bestow them all vpon him but Christ saw his subtiltie and therefore resisted him and hath prouided that the same should be registred for our instruction And yet doth the deuill most mightelie preuayle with the world herein for he setteth such a colour vppon sinne by glorious promises and manifold pleasures and profite which come by the same that hee can easily perswade almost any man to commit anie sinne for that appeareth by the course that men take in this world that he hath alreadie wonne theyr heartes vnto this perswasion that he will giue them all thinges For if there be a practise whiche is cleane forbidden in the worde of God you shall finde euen the meanest in outward appearaunce very perfite in it but as for those courses that God hathe commaunded whereunto hee hath promised a blessing and which hee will haue done as seruice vnto himself if you aske them they know not what they meane if you speake of them you had as good speake to a post he doth not onelie in moste liberall maner promise to bestow all these vpō Christ but also for a further assuraunce as Luke recordeth auoucheth that they are deliuered vnto him and to whome soeuer he will bestow them And yet we know by the scriptures that the earth is the Lordes and all that is therein The Lorde God of heauen giueth power strength and glory For there is no power but of god he lifteth vp and throweth downe The most high deuideth to the nations theyr inheritaunce and seperated the sonnes of Adam so that wee may behold the impudencie of Sathan and his lying presumption that dare vindicate vnto himselfe that wherein hee hathe no interest where-withall notwithstanding hee preuayleth muche in the world for they that do beleeue that these things he the Lords and are bestowed as blessings vpon none but those that receiue them at hys hands which is by those lawfull meanes that he hymselfe in hys worde hath prescribed and warranted are careful that they neuer desire that whereunto the Lord doth not offer good meanes contrariwise they that beleeue it not but haue rather taken out the lesson y e Sathan is the giuer of them do by all subtle and indirect meanes seeke to attaine vnto theyr desire holding this for a principle that hee that dissembleth not cannot liue and this for an other that hee that dealeth iustly shall dye a begger hath not y ◠deuil think you perswaded such persons that y e world is hys and hee hathe the bestowing of it at hys pleasure yes verely And therefore they make no conscience of right or wrong they neyther feare God nor man but so they may haue theyr willes in pleasure profite or worldly estimation they care for no further Contrariwise those that feare God haue not onely learned to abhorre and detest such dealinges in themselues but also in those monstrous Anachims that followe such wicked wayes But here may seeme to arise a doubt howe this can be so that Sathan should haue so little interest in the world seing our sauiour Christ doth in diuers places cal him y e prince of this world s. Paule calleth him y e god of this world I aūswere y ◠these be two true sayings