the waues and winds of troubles and persecution and they shall flie before him as Sysera did before Debora and the Philistims before Ionathan and his seruant And as Christ asking the woman of her accuser she answered There was none so in the end aske a Christian of his troubles and he will say There are none He is a buckler for our left hand and a sword in our right he is an helmet on our head and harnesse for our body We shall looke 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 shall say to the afflicted They are dead that did seek your life A day of deliuerance a yeere of Iubile will come and then Ioseph shall be out of prison Iacob out of seruitude and Iob shall 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 bocke If the wals seeme too great for this city abundans cautela non no cet It is vsuall for students not onely to present their owne labours but also other mens to great personages especially such Workes wherein they haue beene either Translators or ouerseers It were infinit to instance this point I am bolde to doe the like to your Honour at this time This Copie it was brought vnto my hand I haue conferred it with another I haue persued it at the Presse I heard diuers of the Sermons I haue added nothing of mine owne and I desire that of those many baskets full of most delicate diet which this worthy 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 honour him after he is dead I was twenty yeeres acquainted with him I at his request made the first fruits 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 heeretofore accepted the labours of this man If it shall please your good Honor to do the like this Preface of mine shall remaine as a perpetuall testimony of my duty to you and the booke following as fully armed against all such aduersaries as shall speake against it The God of heauen 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 rot London Saint Martins in the fields Ian. 12. 1604. Your Honours at commandement ROBERT HILL Fellow of S. Iohns Coll. in Cambridge A GENERALL VIEW OF the strange Combate betweene our Sauiour CHRIST and Satan The Description of this Combate betweene Christ and Satan conteineth A Preface or Preparation consisting of Christs going forth to the place of combate Vers. 1. Christs abode and conuersing in that place Vers. 2. The Combat it selfe consisting of three great conflicts First tending to bring Christ to vnbeliefe and it consisteth of Satans preparation thereto Vers. 3. The temptation in selfe Vers. 3. Christes repulse thereof Vers. 4. Second tending to bring Christ to presumption conteining Satans preparation Vers. 5. The assault or temptation Vers. 6. Christs repulse and answer Vers. 7. Third tending to bring Christ to idolatry conteining Satans preparation Vers. 8. The assault or temptation Vers. 9. Christs repulse and answer Vers. 10. An happie issue and euent thereof consisting of Satans departing from Christ Vers. 11. The Angels ministring vnto Christ Vers. 11. Resist the Diuell and he will flee Draw neere to God and he will draw neere to you Iam. 4. 7. 8. The true grace of faith enables vs to both for 1. Pet. 5. 9. Whom resist stedfast in the faith Heb. 10. 22. Let vs draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith THE COMBATE BETWEENE CHRIST and the DIVELL expounded MAT. 4. 1. Then was Iesus led aside of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Diuell THE eleuen first verses of this chapter do conteine a briefe description of Christes tēptations wherof I haue chosen to intreat hauing formerly handled the doctrine of Conscience because all that endeuour either to get or keepe a good conscience are most of all subiect to temptations Now here we haue the speciall temptations of the Diuell wherewith he assaulted our Sauiour Christ and in Christs example the best way to auoid the same This description consisteth of three distinct parts First A Preface or preparation to a Combate betweene Christ and the Diuell vers 1. 2. Secondly The combate or conflict it selfe vers 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Thirdly The issue or euent of this combate vers 11. I. Part. The Preparation to the combate hath two parts First Christs going foorth to that place where the combate was to be fought vers 1. Secondly his abode conuersing in that place vers 2. 1. Christs going forth to the place is set out by sundry circumstances of the Euangelists as The time when he went The authour of his going The maner how he went furnished the place whither he went And the end wherefore I. Circumstance The time when Christ went foorth to be tempted is noted in this word Then what time this was we shall see in the end of the former chapter where is set downe the baptisme of our Sauiour Christ by Iohn in the riuer Iordan as also the great honour and maiesty wherewith he was there renowmed for it pleased Christ for speciall end and purpose to be baptized not as we are to put off sinne for he had none but to be ordained a Mediatour for vs that putting on our sin he might beare the burden thereof in our steed Againe in his baptisme he was distinctly proclaimed The doctour of his Church for immediately thereupon The Holy ghost descended vpon him like a doue and a voice came from heauen saying This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased Now so soone as Christ was thus solemnly inaugurated into his office and proclaimed from heauen to be the sole Doctor and Prophet of Gods Church euen then immediately without any delay was he driuen forth as Marke saith chapt 1. 12. The vse In that Christ is no sooner baptized but he is presently tempted we learne that all those who are truely baptized into Christ must make account to be tempted and prepare for a combat with the Diuell euen through the whole course of their liues for if Satan durst be so bolde as to encounter with Christ Iesus the head of the Church after his baptisme then doubtlesse he will not spare any
they should cleane escape the infection of sinne who do vsually conuerse with those that commit it without controlement He that walketh with the wise sayth Salomon shall be wise but a companion of fooles shall be made woorse so the words signifie and therefore his counsell is not to consent when sinners entise vs nor to make friendship with the angry person nor to go with the furious lest we learne their wayes and receiue destruction to our soules Fiftly in this leading of Christ by the spirit we learne a further thing so long as Christ was a priuat man he liued with Ioseph and Mary a priuate life but being baptized and thereby installed in his office of Mediatour he returnes not to Bethlem or Nazaret where he was borne and brought vp but gets him presently into the wildernesse thereto encounter with Satan and that by the motion of the spirit wherein we may see that all that are appointed and set apart by God for any speciall calling are in some sort changed by his spirit and as it were made other men When Saul was anointed to be king the text sayth God gaue him another heart 1. Sam. 10. 9. And when Dauid was made of a shepheard a king he was furnished for that place as his behauiour shewed which was such as did beseeme a king Thus the Apostles of our Sauiour Christ of poore fisher-men altogether vnlettered by the gift of Christs calling were made able ministers of the New testament and so became indeed fishers of men Mark 1. 17. Which serues to confute such men as plead extraordinary callings as many haue done some saying they were Elias some Iohn Baptist c. For if these were such men and had receiued such extraordinary callings then should they withall haue beene endued with extraordinary gifts fit for those callings but no such thing befalleth them nay it is plaine they remaine the same men they were before without any change at all in respect of gifts fit for such persons as they pretend themselues to be And to apply this to our selues we are all by nature the children of wrath and enemies vnto God but by grace we are made Kings Priests and Prophets Kings to rule ouer the world and the Diuell in respect of their prouocations vnto sinne as also to subdue in our selues our owne euill lusts and affections Priests to offer vp spirituall sacrifices vnto God as prayers and praises for his daily blessings and Prophets to instruct our selues and others in the wayes of God according to our gifts and calling Now then it behoueth vs all to become new men and to leade new liues fitting and sutable to our holy calling giuing our selues wholly to the honour and seruice of God shewing hereby that we are hereunto called by his spirit of grace and holinesse so shall we walke woorthy of the Lord and shew foorth the vertues of him that hath called vs 1. Pet. 2. 9. III. Circumstance How Christ went furnished into this place of combate which though our Euangelist Matthew hath omitted yet hath S. Luke plainly noted saying He was filled with the Holy ghost Luk. 4. 1. If any shall say this seemes to import that Christ wanted the the fulnesse of the spirit all the former part of his life if now only after his baptisme he were filled therewith I answer This fulnesse of the spirit is ascribed vnto Christ after his baptisme not as though he formerly susteined any want of the spirit but because at his baptisme he receiued a greater measure of the spirit than he had before for this we must know that Christ was alwayes filled with the spirit being an infant he had a full measure of gifts fit for his infancie and still as his growth in yeres required moe graces of the spirit he increased therein hauing in his youth in his riper yeres full measure of gifts fit for his estate in those times And at his baptisme being inaugurated into his Mediatourship he receiued such fulnesse of the spirit as was behoouefull for so high an office which because it was farre greater than before he needed therefore is he now sayd to be filled with the Holy ghost so that though Christ were alwayes full of grace yet he increased therein as his estate and calling did require The vse This serues to confute the Papists who teach that Christ had all fulnesse of spirit in his infancie euen from his conception and birth and did not grow in grace at all saue only experimentally as he had occasion to manifest the same more and more in practise But. S. Luke sayth plainly that Iesus increased in wisdome and stature and in fauour with God and men Luk. 2. 52. Againe Christ was like vnto man in all things sinne only excepted and therefore did increase in grace as man doth in gifts from time to time Further Christ goeth thus furnished to this combate that he might be able to encounter with Satan hand to hand and at the end giue him the finall ouerthrow Thus he furnished Moses for his ambassage vnto Pharaoh and Dauid for his combate with Goliah Aholiab and Bezaliel for the worke of the Tabernacle and euery one whom God imployeth about any speciall worke is furnished and fitted thereto of God with speciall gifts whereby in euery age we may see whom God placeth in any calling for they are well qualified for the duties thereof and therefore those that want gifts meet for their callings doe thrust in themselues thereto and are not placed therein of God IV. Circumstance Whither was Christ led to be tempted namely into the wildernesse that is the place chosen of God for this combate There be diuers opinions touching this place some thinke it was a little wildernes betweene Ierusalem and Iericho some the desert of Palestina others the great desert of Arabia where Elias fasted forty dayes and forty nights and where the Israelites wandered forty yeeres But seeing the Holy-ghost doth not define what wildernes this was we are not curiously to inquire after it but only know it was a desert and solitary place Let vs rather search into the reasons wherefore he chose a desert place for this combat and they are diuers First because he was to worke our redemption in great humility euen in the base and low estate of a seruant for the satisfying of Gods iustice in that nature which had sinned therefore he would not goe to Ierusalem there to shew his glory and Godhead as a little before he was proclaimed in his baptisme but he gets himselfe to a desert place void of all pompe and glory where he meant to begin this great worke for vs by encountring with our chiefest aduersary Secondly hee chose this place for the more easie encountering with our aduersarie Satan whom he was to ouercome for vs for if Christ after his baptisme should haue shewed the glory of his Godhead Satan durst not haue medled
in which we may require a signe of God not tempt him first when God commands a man to ask a signe at his hands so might Azah haue asked a signe of God for his assurance of victorie according to Gods promise yea he is blamed for not asking it when the Lord commanded him Secondly a man may aske a signe of God when it serueth for the necessary confirmation of an extraordinary calling or of some special promise of God made to man in this case did Gedion aske a signe of God for the further confirmation of his extraordinary calling to bee a Deliuerer vnto Gods people And so did Hezekiah for his further assurance in the lengthning of his life by an extraordinary promise fifteene yeares But out of these cases to aske a signe of God is to tempt him as the Pharisies did who would prescribe vnto God what kinde of miracle they would haue euen a signe from heauen not contenting themselues with those miracles which Christ did ordinarilie worke among them Thirdly a man tempts God when he goes on in any sinne against Gods commandements for hereby he makes needlesse triall of Gods iustice mercy and patience The Lord saith of his people they tempted him ten times and haue not obeied his voice Mal. 3. 15. The people murmuringly say they that worke wickednesse are set vp and they that tempt God are deliuered where working wickednesse and tempting of God are al one Which serues to admonish vs that with al speed we break off the course of our sins by repentance for while we continue in sinne we tempt God and so lie open to all his iudgements depriuing our selues of the guard and protection of Gods holy Angels nay they will become our enemies and insteed of protection execute gods heauy vengeance vpon vs. Fourthly they tempt God that impose vpon Gods people there ligious obseruation of legall ceremonies abolished by Christ Act. 15. 10. Why tempt ye God saith Peter to lay a yoake on the Disciples neckes which neither our Fathers nor we were able to beare This is to make triall of Gods power in the sauing of his people Whereby we may see how wicked and damnable the Romish religion is which wholly stands in the obseruation of ceremonies partly heathenish and partly Iudaical whereto when men submit themselues they do nothing else but tempt God Fiftly they tempt God that refuse or neglect the ordinarie and necessarie meanes of their preseruation either for body or soule as hee that being to goe ouer a water will leaue the bridge which is the ordinarie way and aduenture dangerously through the water for heerein he seekes a needlesse experience of Gods power so doe they also that neglect or contemne Gods holy ordinance for the sauing of mens soules in the ministery of the word Now to this kinde of tempting God doth Christ apply this commandement in this place as if he should say when God hath affoorded vnto men an ordinarie meanes for their helpe and safety they are not to refuse the same and seeke for safety from God extraordinarily I am now in a dangerous place I confesse vpon this pinnacle yet there is some ordinarie way to get down as staires or ladder and therefore vnlesse I would tempt the Lord my God I may not cast my selfe downe and thereby seeke for extraordinarie preseruaiton as thou perswadest me Thus also they sinne that goe into places of great danger without a calling so Peter sinned in thrusting himselfe into Caiphas hal a place of temptation as by lamentable experience he found too true Thus Dauids three Worthies sinned in aduenturing vpon their enemies host for the fetching of a little water out of the well of Bethlehem therfore when it was brought vnto him Dauid would not drinke thereof but powred it out for a sacrifice vnto the Lord 2. Sam. 23. 16. Heere some may aske whether they do not tempt God that aduenture to clime on high places to stand on spire steeples to runne on the ridge of high houses and to goe on ropes a great height from the ground Answ. Men may doe such things in a twofold estate either hauing a lawfull calling thereto as Carpenters and Masons who are to worke vpon high buildings now they without tempting of God may clime and stand on high and dangerous places or else hauing no lawfull calling thereto as they who vse to doe such things to make knowen their actiuity or only to affoord delight and admiration vnto others for their priuate gaine and aduantage and such tempt God fearefully for Christ was better able to haue cast himselfe downe from this pinnacle and haue preserued himselfe without hurt then these men are to saue themselues in their aduentures and yet hee refused so to do because hee would not tempt the Lord his God Thus much for the meaning of this commandement The doctrine for instruction hence is to be gathered from this command applied to the text which the Diuell alledgeth and it is this whosoeuer looketh for the accomplishment of Gods promises vnto him must be carefull to walke before God in the waies of his commandements and in the workes of his calling with all good conscience God indeed hath made many gratious promises in his word of blessings temporall and eternall but they that tempt God shall not find the comfort of them mens sinnes hinder these things from them Gods goodnesse is to bee seene and tasted in the waies of faith and obedience God hath promised the guard of his Angels to his children while they keep themselues in their waies if therefore thou wouldest haue this protection thou must keep thy selfe in those waies that God would haue thee to walke in Also in theri hesse of his loue God hath made a promise of euerlasting life with freedome from eternall perdition to those that beleeue in Christ Iohn 3. 16. Thou therefore that wouldest enioy the comfort of this promise to thine immortality and life must get true faith into thy heart and thereby liue all the daies of thy life The same may bee said of euery promise of God pertaining either to soule or body the fruition of them doth depend vpon the practise of some part of obedience which if thou doest neglect thou doest but presume in making title to the promise Peter tels Symon Magus plainely he had no part with them in the gifts of the spirit while his heart retained a purpose to liue in sinne Act. 8. 21. Breake off therefore the course of sinne and inure thy selfe to the practise of obedience so shall Gods promises be sweet vnto thine heart and the more thou proceedest in obedience the more comfort thou shalt find in Gods gratious promises but if thou doe lay hold on sinne the comfort of the word will depart from thee And thus much for the second temptation VERSE 8. Againe the Diuell tooke him vp into an exceeding high mountaine and shewed him all the kingdomes of the world and the