in the world that the diuell can carrie a man or woman from one countrey to another if God giue him leaue but so as he cannot do it with such celeritie and expedition as men imagine Some foolishly thinke he can carrie one many hundred miles in an houre which is a thing impossible for such a violent motion would stop a mans breath as we see if a man fall from the toppe of an high steeple his wind is gone ere he come halfe the way to the ground Againe hence we see that the diuell may by Gods permission haue power ouer the bodies of godly men and those which haue greatest graces and strongest faith in God For seeing he had power ouer the bodie of Christ to transport it from place to place by the permission of God why may he not if God giue him leaue haue power of any mās bodie though he be neuer so true a beleeuer If he had power in the head why not in the mēbers if he had power to annoy Iob to kill his childrē destroy thē though they were no doubt the holy seruants of God why may not the diuell haue power ouer our bodies to carie a mā frō one place to another If the Diuell could by Gods permissiō tormēt the bodie of one that was a daughter of faithfull Abraham and euen 18. yeares afflict her so as she was bruised and bowed together by Satan then no doubt he can do the lesse to remoue mens bodies from place to place And this may serue to admonish those who thinke their faith is so strong that the diuel cannot annoy thē or any way bewitch them But if the diuell haue power by Gods permission to torment the bodies of the faithfull yea to destroy the bodies of Iobs childrē who no doubt were the true seruants of God he may if God giue him leaue bewitch the godliest man that liueth For we know what the holy Ghost faith that all things fall out and all things come alike to good and bad and there is no difference in outward things oftentimes betweene the children of God and the wicked To the holy citie That is Ierusalem Luk. 4. 9. Now this citie was called holy for sundrie causes First because in Ierusalem was the temple of the Lord where were the sacrifices and other ceremonies prescribe◠by God for his own worship Secondly i◠the temple they had the law of God and the bookes of Moses and the Prophets read an◠expounded vnto them Thirdly becaus◠Ierusalem was a mother Church frō whenc◠religion did flow and was dispersed into many places of the world Now for these considerations Ierusalem is called the holy citie This church at Ierusalem though it hao many corruptions in it yet our Sauiour Christ cals it holy and it was a true Church of God Then hence I conclude that the Church of God in England though there be in it many blemishes corruptions yet may it be and in truth is the true Church of God For the Church of God in England is proprotionable to the Church at Ierusalē for as they had Moses and the Prophets read and expounded so haue we nay we haue the Gospell now soundly preached which they then had not in so plaine and plentifull manner as we haue They had the Sacraments of the old Testament so we haue Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. Their Church was a mother church to deriue Religion to many other and though our Church cannot be called a Mother church yet it may be truly called a nourcing Church to many neighbour churches round about vs. As Christ and his Apostles did not therfore separate themselues or refuse to ioyne with them in the seruice of God because of the corruptions in this church at Ierusalem but did teach and preach in the Temple so none may therefore separate themselues and refuse to ioyne with the people of God in his seruice and worship because of some few corruptions that remaine in it Nay such as for these do separate themselues from Gods people do cut themselues from Christ himselfe seeing they seuer themselues from the Church of God If any shall say that the church of Rome is the true Church of God as well as the Church of Ierusalem seeing the Romish church hath as many priuiledges as the Church at Ierusalem I answer By examining the particulars it will appeare to the contrarie As first the Church of Rome braggeth that she hath her succession from the Apostles but I answer succession from persons without succession in the Apostles doctrine can be no true note of the Church Secondly the Church of Rome hath the sacrament of Baptisme yet that proues he◠not the true Church for in Samaria they had the Sacrament of circumcision and so in other places and yet it cannot be proued that they were the true Churches of God Besides I answer the church of Rome hath baptisme no otherwise then a theefe hath a true mans purse now it cannot be said that a theefe is therefore a true man because he hath a true mans purse Lastly though the Church of Rome haue the outward baptisme yet she in doctrine ouerturnes the inward baptisme namely the true imputed iustification and inherent sanctification of Christ by the spirit 3 The Church of Rome holdeth the Apostles Creed but it is onely in word for the truth is their God whome they worship is an Idoll and their Christ is a false counterfeit Christ forged by their owne braine as may appeare to all that will search their doctrine 4 She saith that they hold the word of God and the writings of the Apostles but it will appeare in their writings that they hold it but in shew not in truth for in the maine grounds of religion they ouerturne the doctrine of the Prophets Apostles Againe they hold the Scriptures but as a lanthorn holds the candle not for it selfe but for those that passe by so the Church of Rome haue the word of God not for themselues but for the good of Gods children which euer lye hid in the middest of Poperie 5 She brags that she is the mother-church of many Churches I answer we must consider that citie as Rome is and as Rome was the old Rome which was in the time of Paul was the true Church of God but as for that old Rome it is dead and buried and this new Rome is that whore of Babylon no mother-church but a cruell step-mother to Religion By al this we may see that the present church of Rome is no Church of God but onely in name and outward shew And seeing that the Diuell tempts our Sauiour Christ in the holy citie we learne that there is no place so holy but the Diuell can broach his temptations in it as we may see Zach. 3. 1. 2. and therfore this condemnes that dotage and sorcery of the Church of Rome who teach that their charmed holy water their
euen the seuerall kingdomes of the world it is manifest he knew them all and was well acquainted and had trauelled through them as he confesseth Ioh. 1. 7. And in that he could shew the chiefest glory and beautie of them in such a short time it is cleare he was cunning in them and the seuerall estates and conditions of them all And we see that the Diuel in propounding all these glorious kingdomes vnâ—â— Christ he did tempt him to ambition thaâ— he would set his heart on them and so desirâ—â— them And herein note one of his most principall practises which is the ouerturning 〈◊〉 kingdomes for the Diuell desireth to do the greatest harme and most mischiefe that he can Now in the ouerthrow of a kingdome many go to wracke and to effect this he seekes continually to puffe men vp with ambition that they may desire and gape for preferment and honor The Lord hath in mercy placed ouer vs in this kingdome a gracious Prince and a Christian Queene the Diuell hath long enuied this our prosperitie and sought sundry by-plots and manifold practises to ouerthrowe our state to cut off the head and to cast her crowne into the dust And to this purpose he hath raised vp many wicked and rebellious subiects but the Lord hath in mercie brought all to nought And therefore the remembrance of this should moue vs all to thankfulnesse for this great mercie of God in defending both Prince and people and bringing to nought all such rebellious wretches confounding those ambitious heads and all their vile and trecherous plots and deuices and we must shew this thankfulnesse in the duties of repentance and sincere obedience Secondly this must teach vs to pray vnto God continually for the preseruation of our Prince and kingdome that he would euermore confound and bring to nought all Satans policies and vile plots and practises of ambitious heads And it is our duty in token of true ioy and thankfulnesse to do as the people did in the dayes of Salomon who shouted so loud and cried out God saue king Salomon that the very earth rang againe eueÌ„ so should all true Christians to expresse the ioy of our hearts pray day and night God saue Queene Elizabeth And herein is our comfort that though the Diuell with all his malice seekes to destroy both Prince and people and the whole kingdome and hath his wicked instruments to effect the same yet the Lord God hath his Angels which take care of his Church and people and stand round about them to defend them both by sea and by land that all the Diuels in hell cannot hurt them but the Angels of God defend his children at home and beate back all our enemies from inuading of vs. All these will I giue thee These words are the very words of the Pope of Rome who as Satans vicar hath indeed the two hornes of the lambe but he speakes like the Dragon he makes himselfe equall to God he can as he sayth send to heauen and to hel set vp and pul downe Princes he can do what he list he can open and shut at his pleasure pardon sinnes and I know not what which shewes he speakes the Diuels language the language of Ashdod not of Canaan Luke 4. 6. The Diuell ads a reason further to perswade Christ for he saith All these kingdoms are mine and I caÌ„ giue them to whom I will Where first the Diuell tels a loud lie chalenging to himselfe the right of all the kingdomes of the world for it is the Lord his right alone as we may see Dan. 4. 2â— where the Lord speakes to that proud king Nâ—buchadnezar by the ministerie of Daniel I beare rule ouer the kingdomes I alone sayth the Lord God can giue them to whom I please So then the Diuell hath no power to giue them neither hath any title to them that he can bestow them at his pleasure no that belongs to God alone yet we see Satan will be an vsurper at large Secondly marke the Diuels arrogancie and shamelesse boasting in that he dares chalenge all the kingdomes of the earth to himselfe as though he were soueraigne Lord of them to do with theÌ„ at his pleasure And let vs all learne by this shamelesse lying and notorious boasting of the diuel to take heed that we be not like him in these sinnes but study to be contrary to him and therefore we must desire and study to speake the truth at all times and take heed of boasting yea rather let vs thinke as humbly and basely of our selues as possibly we can which is a good meanes to humble and cast downe our proud hearts and let such know that are giuen to these sins to lying and vaine boasting of this and that which they haue not it argues great pride and shewes they be very like the Diuell himselfe in this point If thou wilt fall downe and worship me Here is the second part of the temptation namely the condition and the maine drift of the Diuell in these words is to bring our Sauiour Christ to manifest Idolatrie euen to worship the Diuell himselfe First seeing the Diuell durst be so bold to tempt our sauiour Christ to Idolatrie and to worship himself heÌ„ce we see that the maine scope of the Diuel is especially to deface Religion and the true seruice and worship of God and therefore he assaults the Church of God and tempts men to bring them to embrace heresies schismes idolatry that he might destroy the church of God and thus he became a lying spirit in the mouth of foure hundred false prophets at one time And when Iehosuah the high Priest came into the Temple to performe the worship of God he stood vp to hinder him when he was praying for the good of the Church And so doth he in these dayes stand vp and seeke by all meanes to hinder Gods Ministers in the building vp of Gods Church When Christ hath sowne good wheate theÌ„ the Diuell soweth tares and wheÌ„ Paul would haue gone to preach the Gospell to the Thessalonians the Diuell hindred him and it is his speciall study to stop the ministery of the Gospell and therefore it is said that the Diuell cast many of Gods ministers into prison Reuel 2. 10. Reu. 16. 13. 14. there came 3 euill and vncleane spirits out of the mouth of the beast which entred into Kings houses to turne theÌ„ from the entertaining of the Gospell because that Kings be either especiall nurses to the Gospell or else if Satan can preuaile with them become greatest enemies to hinder the course of the Gospel Such frogges be these Seminarie Priests Monkes Friers and popish Iesuits which lurke commonly in Kings courts and in the places of mighty men Then seeing the Diuell is so painefull to stop the course of the Gospell to ouerturne true religion the seruice of God it must stirre vp all the Ministers of the word of God to labour and
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
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
in all our thoughts words and deeds for this is a true note of Gods children Rom. 8. 14. but as many as are not led by the Spirit of God the same are none of his Rom. 8. 9. And therefore let vs all become plyable to the motions and directions of Gods blessed spirit so as we can say as Dauid saith When thou saydst Seeke ye my face my heart answered vnto thee O Lord I will seeke thy face Againe from this that Christ was led vnto temptations by the spirit of God we learne that temptations come not by chance nor yet by the diuels will and appointment for he could not touch Iob or any thing he had till he had leaue giuen him by the Lord and he could not so much as enter into swine till Christ gaue him leaue but they come by his â—ust permission and the speciall prouidence â—nd appointment of God For as God deâ—reed that he which had ouercome all mankind should be ouercome by Christ so he â—ath appointed this combat by temptations â—o all men the place where it is tried is the world as a theater the persons as souldiers tried are Christians the person tempting is Satan our aduersarie the beholders are men and Angels the Iudge or vmpire is the Lord himselfe so that the issue shall be good And therefore when we be tempted we must not thinke it strange but rather as Iam. 1. 2. Accompt it exceeding ioy when we are tempted for the triall of our faith and obedience And also seeing they come by Gods appointment it should moue vs all to endure them patiently seeing they cannot be auoyded Seeing Christ was led to be tempted hence we learne that no man must wittingly of his own head cast himself into places of danger for Christ went not into the place of temptation til he was led by the spirit of God And so indeed if a man find himselfe moued by some extraordinary motion and instinct of the spirit he may offer himselfe vnto danger So Paul went bound in the spirit to Ierusalem that is he did willingly follow the motion 〈◊〉 Gods spirit which inforced him to go to Ieâ—rusalem And so many of the Martyrs thougâ— they might haue fled yet being moued 〈◊〉 the inward motion of the holy Ghost diâ—â—stand to the truth abide the danger and enâ—dured the fire But otherwise no man is wittingly to cast himselfe into danger yet if the Lord send any danger vnto a man in the performance of his calling and vocation walking according to Gods word he is patiently to endure it and may not seeke to auoide the same Here may be demaunded whether a maâ— may with good conscience and safely abidâ— in such places where it is certainely knownâ— that euill spirits do haunt and vse to be Although some be so venturous and bold that they feare nothing yet it is no wisdome neither is it lawfull for men to frequent and abide in those places but rather to shunnâ— them seeing the Lord hath deliuered them vp into the power of the Diuell And therefore such men as frequent such places knowâ— to be possessed do wilfully tempt God and cast themselues into needlesse danger vnlesse they haue extraordinary warrant from God This may serue to reprooue those men who say they care not into what companie they come for they perswade themselues that no companie can hurt them but let such men beware for how can it be but they shall be infected with the sinnes of those whose companie they vsually do haunt and vse He that walketh with the wise shall be wise but a companion of fooles shall be like vnto them He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled and if sinners intice thee yeeld not vnto them Againe here we see that so long as Christ liued a priuate life at home with his father in his trade all this while the Diuell lets him alone neither hath he these gifts of the holy Ghost but after he was once installed to the office of a Mediator presently the Diuell sets vpon him and when he must now be another kind of man in teaching the people of God he is led now by the spirit of God and furnished for this high and excellent calling Hence then we must learne that when we are appointed of God to any speciall office either in Church or Common-weale we must then become new men fit for those places and carie our selues sutable to our callings Thus when Saul was annointed to bâ— King he became another man thus wheâ— Dauid became of a shepheard a King he beâ— haued himselfe as a King thus the Apostle at the first were poore ignorant fisher-men but being called to be Apostles they leâ—â— their old trade and became new men eueâ— messengers of Christ to preach the Gospel to all nations This confuteth those which pleade extraordinary callings as those men who caâ— themselues Elias Iohn Baptist c. for if thesâ— were such men and had such extraordinariâ— callings they should be endued with extraordinarie gifts fit for their calling but they are not nay we see they be but ordinary men Againe by nature we be all borne the children of wrath and enemies to God but by grace are called to be Christians now theâ— it behoueth vs all to become new men to leade new liues fitting and sutable to our holy calling giuing our selues wholy to the seruice and worship of God Now if any askeâ— how Christ was furnished with these gifts â— answer out of S. Luke that he was filled with the holy Ghost chap. 4. vers 1. If any furtheâ— obiect that if he were so filled after his baptisme then he was not filled before I answerâ— againe that as in his infancie he had a meaâ—ure of gifts fit for that age so from time to â—â—me he increased in grace and after his bapâ—â—sme had a greater appearance and measure â—f gifts then before his calling to preach It followeth Into the wildernesse Here is â—he third circumstance namely the place into â—he wildernesse or desert place which place Christ did of purpose choose to be tempted â—n There be diuers opinions concerning this place some thinke it to be a litle wildernesse betwixt Ierusalem and Iericho others iudge â—t to be the desert of Arabia where Elias faâ—ted fortie dayes and fortie nights and where â—he children of Israel wandred fortie yeares But seeing the holy Ghost doth not shew what wildernes it was we are not curiously â—o inquire after it but onely know it was a desert and solitary place Let vs rather seeke the reasons wherefore he was tempted in the wildernesse first because Christ comming into the world to be â—ut Mediator tooke vpon him the base estate of a seruant and came in humiliation therefore when he was now baptized he would not go to Ierusalem to publish his honour but he went into the desert a solitary wildernesse Againe he went into the wildernesse thaâ—