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
his Sonne In him is our helpe from him is our comfort by him is our victorie and for him is our trouble In thee haue I trusted saith a king who euer was confounded that trusted in the Lord said a friend and as Elâ—anah was to Hannah in stead of many sons so God is to his in stead of many comforters Of other comforters we may say as Iob did of his friends Silly comforters are you all They wil leaue vs as mice do a ruinous house but the Lord like Ruth to Naomi will neuer leaue vs nor forsake vs. Especially in the houre of death which is in remeÌ„brance bitter to great men in that houre of death he will be with vs and command his Angels to take charge of our soules the earth to be as a bed for our bodies that so the one may go into glorie the other reserued in hope of like glorie and be made one day like vnto the glorious bodie of Christ Iesus Thus right Honourable you haue seene the righteous in afflictions as Israel was in Babylon and that the Lord like Zorobabel is readie to deliuer them Though in trobles Christ seemes as in the ship to sleepe yet in deliuerance he awakes as a man out of sleepe and as a Giant refreshed with wine He will rebuke the waues and winds of trobles and persecution and they shall flie before him as Sysera did before Debora the Philistims before Ionathâ— and his seruant And as Christ asking the womâ—â— of her accusers she answered There was none 〈◊〉 in the end aske a Christian of his troubles hâ— will say There are none He is a buckler for ouâ— left hand and a sword in our right he is an helmet on our head and harnesse for our bodie We shall look vpon troubles as Israel did on the Egyptians as the Iewes did on Goliah and as the Grecians did on Hector to triumph ouer them and as the Angell said to Ioseph They are dead that sought the childs life so the Spirit shal say to the afflicted They are dead that did seeke your life A day of deliuerance a yeare of Iubile will come and then Ioseph shall be out of prison Iacob out of seruitude and Iob shal lie no more in the dust of the earth Let vs comfort our selues with these words I haue exceeded an Epistle especially to such a small booke If the wals seeme too great for this citie abundans cautela non nocet It is vsuall for Students not onely to present their owne labours but also other mens to great personages especially such Works wherin they haue bene either Translators or ouerseers It were infinit to instance this point I am bold to do the like to your Honour at this time This Copie it was brought vnto my hand I haue conferred it with another I haue perused it at the Presse I heard diuerse of the Sermons I haue added nothing of mine owne and I desire that of those many baskets ful of most delicate diet which this worthie man hath now left behind him there may not so much as any one be lost If any such come vnto my hand surely they shall not be lost By his life had I much comfort and I will seeke to honor him after he is dead I was twentie yeares acquainted with him I at his request made the first fruites of his labours to speake English And now I am bold to present this his posthume to your patronage Your honorable Nephew his vertuous Lady your worthy sister haue heretofore accepted the labours of this man If it shall please your good Honour to do the like this Preface of mine shall remaine as a perpetuall testimonie of my dutie to you and the booke following as fully armed against all such aduersaries as shall speake against it The God of heaueÌ„ who hath made you honorable in your most honorable Progenitors make you thrice honorable in your future successors that the memoriall of the righteous may be euerlasting when as the name of the wicked shall râ—t Your Honors at commandement ROBERT HILL Fellow Of S. Iohns Coll. in Cambridge London S. Martins in the fields Ian. 12. 1604. The Printer to the Reader GEntle Reader in the life of that worthie man Master Perkins his books for the most part were printed at Cambridge The onely reason was his desire to be Corrector to his owne bookes Since he departed this life some good men haue brought me certaine labours of his I desire not to print them to make gaine to myselfe but because I would not haue his labours to be lost He was heard of many by his speech read of many in his writings and his works haue bene translated into many languages Mislike not this booke because it was printed at London his auditors can tell it was as he spake it If you say it was hard to write as he spake know this that he obserued his auditors and so spake as a diligent Baruâ— might write verbatim al that was spoken by this Ieremiah Vse this and communicate that which thou hast of his SATANS SOPHISTRIE ANSWERED BY OVR SAVIOVR CHRIST MATH 4. 1. Then was Iesus led aside of the Spirit c. IN the eleuen first verses of this Chapter are recorded and set downe vnto vs the seuerall temptations of our Sauiour Christ and in them we are to consider three especiall points First the preparation vnto the combat vers 1. and 2. Secondly the combat it selfe in three seuerall temptations vers 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Thirdly the issue and effect of this combat vers 11. The preparation hath two parts first the going forth of Christ into the wildernesse in the first verse Secondly his abode and conuersation in the wildernesse in the second verse The going forth of Christ into the wildernesse is set out by sundrie circumstances first the time then Secondly the mouing cause whereby he was caried thither namely he was led of the spirit Thirdly the place the wildernesse Fourthly the end to be tempted of the diuell Then was Iesus led In the Chapter going before is set downe the baptisme of our Sauiour Christ as also the great honour of his Baptisme And it pleased him to be baptized to shew that he was now installed into the office of a Mediator and for the greater solemnitie of his baptisme he was proclaimed by the voice of God the Father from heauen to be the chiefe Doctor and the true Prophet of the Church of God for chap. 3. 17. it is said There came a voice from heauen saying this is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased And also it is said that the Spirit of God in the likenesse of a Doue descended and light vpon him Now so soone as Christ was installed into his office of Mediator and thus solemnely baptized and proclaimed euen
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