God loued thee It was the land of promise So here 3. Satan cannot but flie if he be resisted because he is a conquered enemie spoyled of his weapons which were most mortall and not onely conquered in Christ our head but in vs his members for to whom was that promise made but to the Church that the seede of the woman should bruise the serpents head so as his head is broken to mysticall Christ whole Christ both the head and the members let him now nibble at the heele and hiffe and gape and flie vpon them he cannot hurt them because his sting is taken away Now what can conquered enemies doe if they be still resisted but flie 4. The battell which we fight is the Lords wherein he will not bee ouercome the strength is the Lords who is mighty in battell What was the strength of Dauid to Goliah but when hee comes against him in the Name of the Lord a small and weake resistance ouerthrowes him Our armour is the Lords Put on the armour of God And it is armour of proofe It were a disgrace to his workemanship if it should euer be found slight or insufficient Our cause is the Lords a contention for the faith Fight the good fight of faith which shall preuaile against all the gates of hell Our captaine was neuer ouercome nor can be nor any one of his fellowes for they are all members of that body whereof he is the head and can a head able to saue the body suffer it selfe to be dismembred of any one member Our aidars and assistants that come in to help vs while we resist are the Angells who haue a charge to keep vs in our wayes and giue vs strength and victory they bee too strong for Satan and all his powers and they be more that be with vs then they against vs. Obeict But are not many of Gods children not onely sore thrust at but euen ouercome in temptation Nay and doth not experience shew that the more the child of God resisteth the more Satan assaulteth him And doth not another experience teach vs that the lesse he is resisted the sooner he flies and is lesse troublesome Answ. God in great wisedome suffers Satan to molest his deare children and infest them with long and strong temptations and many times to foile them and to renew his temptations and the battell day by day 1. For their humbling and exercise the Lord destroyed not all the Canaanites before Israel but left some people to hold them battell least they should grow secure Iudg. 3.1 and to teach them battell And Paul must be buffeted by Satan least he should be exalted by the multitude of reuelations 2. To make them more watchfull of their graces and keep close their faith hope loue patience c. as when robbers and pilferers are abroad men shut vp and locke their goods within so here 3. To magnifie his owne glory who manifests such power in such weaknesse and seasonably sets in for their safety and victory when in their sense they are vtterly lost But 1. Satan neuer ouercomes him that resisteth he may foile him and beate his weapon to his head yea he may send him halting away with Iaacob so long as he liues yet at length he shall ouercome if he hold on his resistance 2. Satan indeed often assaulteth where he is much resisted for he will still renew the battell Sometimes in strong Christians whom the Lord presseth forth as the leaders in his battell for strength is for the warre Iob resisted but was still assaulted because his measure of strength was such as was to be a patterne to all ordinary men Our Lord had resisted Satan once and againe but till now he flies not because he was to be the Generall of the field on whom all must looke as an example and for direction But the issue is that Satan shall flie at length and the longer and stronger his temptations are the more God glorifieth himselfe both in the victory of his seruants and confusion of the deuill as we see in both the former examples Sometimes he fiercely assayleth weaker Christians who are easilier pulled from their holds for want of knowledge iudgement or resolution these he thinkes will be tyred out with importunity and he hopes to force them to yeeld at length And surely many weaker ones inuite Satans temptations vnawares which toile them worse then death because they are so flexible Satan sometimes heares them speake in his owne language Thou art an hypocrite a great sinner aboue all men sometimes he sees them vse his weapons against themselues and so giue way to the aduersary in stead of resisting whereas stout and manfull resistance would speedily procure their peace sometimes for want of iudgement they are not able to distinguish of Satans sinnes from their owne but carrie themselues as they would take vpon themselues the deuills reckoning Alasse all this inuites him and makes him wellcome But here let the weakest beleeuer know that if he resist lawfully he shall carry away the victory let his resistance be neuer so weake and this shall make for Gods greater glory and Satans greater confusion that he is not able to stand out the field against the weakest of them whom he may seeme to scorne It was a great confusion that Satan was not able to stand against Christ himselfe but that he shall not be able to stand against a sinner a worme which turnes againe in the name of Christ is greater confusion then the former 3. Whereas Satan seemes quiet where he is least resisted it is no maruell his kingdome is not diuided against himselfe What need a captaine bend his forces against a towne which hath deliuered vp it selfe into his hand What need he set bulwarkes and cannon-shot against those walls and gates which are willingly set open When the strong man keepes the hold all things are at peace But a miserable peace it is to runne from vnder the colour of the Prince of peace to goe so peaceably and gently to the dungeon of eternall darkenesse This may comfort the child of God that he shall outstand all his temptations it is not onely possible for him to ouercome the deuill and put him to flight but also certaine For the iust man falleth seuen times a day but riseth againe Prou. 24.16 And why 1. Because Gods election is eternall and vnchangeable and his foundation sure 2. Because of Christs prayer that our faith might not faile 3. Because the godly man hath built his house on a rocke against which the windes may blowe and the floods beat but it shall stand and he is set into that head who ouercame the tempter that he might ouercome him also 4. Because of the promise that God will not forsake his child ouerlong but supply strength for the combate and giue a gracious issue And temptation preuailes onely when God addes not a second grace but standeth a farre off Obiect But was
was afterwards hungrie 3. Then came the Tempter to him and said If thou be the Sonne of God commaund that these stones be made bread 4. But he answering said It is written Man shall not liue by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God 5. Then the deuill tooke him vp into the holy Citie and set him on a pinacle of the Temple 6. And said vnto him If thou be the Son of God cast thy selfe downe for it is written that he will giue his Angels charge ouer thee and with their hands they shal lift thee vp least at any time thou shouldst dash thy foot against a stone 7. Iesus said vnto him It is written againe Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God 8. Againe the deuill tooke him vp vnto an exceeding high mountaine and shewed him all the Kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them 9. And said vnto him All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me 10. Then said Iesus vnto him Auoide Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue 11. Then the Deuill left him and behold the Angels came and ministred vnto him OVr Lord Iesus Christ hauing passed the former part of his preparation to his ministrie and office by his most holy baptisme of which we haue spoken at large in the former words now hee proceedeth to the second which standeth in temptation For as in the former he publikely reuealed himselfe to be that Messiah so long expected in whom saluation is purchased to all beleeuers of Iewes and Gentiles so herein he sheweth himselfe most euidently to be that promised seede of the woman who was to breake the serpents head and him who was set apart and sent from his Father to destroy and dissolue the workes of the deuill And therefore this holy doctrine bringing vs such glad tidings of Satans confusion and our owne rescue out of his hands must be most welcome to vs whereof if we would tast the sweetnesse and benefit we must stirre vp our best attentions affections petitions to heare with readines receiue with gladnesse and practise with fruitfulnesse such holy instructions as this Treatise will abundantly affoard vnto vs. Wherein must be handled three things 1. The preparation to Christs combate vers 1.2 2. The combate it selfe with the seuerall assaults from v. 3. to v. 11. 3. The issue and euent v. 11. The preparation hath three parts 1. Christs entring the lists by going into the wildernes 2. His expecting of the enemie by his abode and conuerse there 3. The entrance of his aduersarie The first part is enlarged by sundrie circumstances as 1. the time when this combate was Then 2. the person opposed Iesus 3. his guide he was lead by the spirit 4. the place into the wildernesse 5. the ende why he came thither to be tempted of the deuill In the second part three points are affoarded out of the three Euangelists 1. How he was furnished hee was full of the holy Ghost Luk. 4.1 2. What company he had he was with the wilde beasts Mark 1.13 3. What was his employment 1. he was tempted Luk. 4.2 2. hee fasted fortie dayes and fortie nights and afterward was hungrie which was both the effect of his fast and the occasion of the first temptation The third generall part namely the entrance of our Sauiours aduersarie stands in three circumstances 1. the time then 2. the name of the aduersarie the tempter before called a deuill 3. the manner of his entrance he came The first circumstance in the preparation is the circumstance of time noted in the word Then which is not a word of supplement but of reference vnto the former historie of Christs baptisme which this immediately succeedeth as Mark. 1.12 Immediately the spirit driueth him note the present tense into the wildernesse so as Christ went directly from Iordan into the wildernesse Then 1. When Christ vndertooke his high office 2. When he was baptized 3. When the spirit had descended vpon him 4. When he had receiued testimonie from heauen that he was the Sonne of God and Doctor of his Church Hence note that The more God doth grace any man or aduance him in gifts or place the more doth Satan set himselfe to disgrace and molest him We read not that the Deuill did euer set vpon Christ while he liued as a priuate man though perhaps he did but now his Father setting him apart to worke mans redemption baptizing him powring his spirit vpon him and giuing testimonie with him that he is the Son of his loue now he is assailed with most violent temptations No sooner is he set apart to his office therein to glorifie God and gratifie man but he is set vpon by Satan a deadly enemy to both Moses was quiet enough till God set him apart to deliuer his brethren and after that he was neuer at quiet The like may be said of Dauid an eminent type of Christ while he kept his fathers sheepe he was at rest but if he will set vpon Goliah and be anointed King by Samuel let him looke to himselfe Saul will hunt him like a partrich and so narrowly espie his haunts that himselfe will say he must surely one day fall by the hand of Saul Zach. 3.1 when Iehoshuah the High Priest another type of Christ commeth to stand before the Lord in his seruice the Deuill commeth and standeth at his right hand to resist him The Apostle Paul so long as he was of the strict sect of the Pharisies he was highly esteemed and liued quiet enough but when he became an elect vessel to carrie the Gospel among the Gentiles then he was tryed and buffeted now he knowes that bonds and imprisonment abide him euery where 2. Cor. 7.5 and 6.5 1. Satans hostility against God and his glory and the meanes of it forceth him to hinder whatsoeuer may further Gods Kingdome and hinder his owne While the prisoner is in fetters vnder bars and bolts the Iaylour sleepes quietly and while the strong man keeps the hold all is in peace but disturbe him a little and you shall heare of him Hence it is that the more weighty any calling is and the more conscionable a man sets himselfe to discharge it which we see in Christ himselfe the more vigilantly doth Satan watch to hinder it Reach once at Satans head and he will surely reach as high as he may at thine 2. This is not without the good prouidence of God who hereby will prooue his seruants to whom he will commit some speciall worke whether they will shrinke or no hee will haue them also to haue good proofe and triall of his strength and faithfulnes in supporting them that they may the better commit themselues vnto him in time to come who hath vpheld them formerly and goe on vndanted in constant walking with him through the experience of his goodnes 3. God
man 1. to expect temptations 2. learne to resist them as Christ did 3. that the greatest temptation of all is not to be tempted for where Satans malice shewes not it selfe there is no good thing at all 2. Note hence that all Satans temptations bee they neuer so hellish and violent yet cannot hurt vs if we yeeld not to them He neuer more fiercely assailed any then Christ himselfe yet Christ giuing no way to him was a little troubled and grieued but not hurt So all that Satan can doe to vs is but to assaile and allure vs but force our wills he cannot for God hath not put our wills in his power Which should teach vs 1. More carefully to resist the deuill who neuer getteth aduantage of vs but by our owne voluntarie yeelding which rolls vs into his sinne and condemnation 2. Beeing fallen into sinne to accuse our owne cowardlinesse and carelesnesse many beeing fallen into mischeife lay load vpon the deuill Oh the deuill ought them a spight and he hath paid it and so lay all the blame on him not considering their owne sinne True it is the deuill spights euery man and the best most but if thou hadst not more spighted thy selfe thou hadst done well enough the deuill did mooue and gaue a rise to a sinne but who bade thee perfect and finish it Can the deuill make thee sinne without thy selfe I deny not but that thou canst not lay too much blame vpon the deuill but see thou laiest not too little vpon thy selfe 3. Note in that therefore Christ fully ouercame and was not touched with temptation because by the perfection of his holinesse he resisted at the first we must learne this wisedome if wee would not fall by temptation to resist the first motions and beat backe the first assault which is a great aduantage For if Sathan can get vs to rest vpon his suggestion he presently hopes for consent and then hasteneth the execution forward for the partie is wonne and the meanes of executing shall not be farre to seeke Hence are we commaunded to giue no place to the deuill but to breake the head of the serpent hit Goliah in the forehead tread on sinne in the shell and dash Satans brood against the stones while they are infants For 1. Satan is more easily driuen backe at the first as ill weeds growe apace in a rancke soile so by a little continuance his temptation getteth power strength and greatnes 2. Mans power is daily lessened and he is more vnable to resist as in the body the stronger the disease the weaker the body 3. Many habits grow to a nature and sieldome are habituall sinners reclaimed When saw we a drunkard conuerted or a blasphemer or a mocke-God or a rayler at religion No the delight in sinne hath deliuered them into Satans hands to be ruled at his will It is in the recouerie of the soules health as in the bodies it is more easily obtained if the disease be met with at the first assault The second point considerable is Why Christ would bee tempted For we must thinke that he voluntarily submitted himselfe vnto temptations and was not violently subiected to them seeing he who was able to cast out deuills by his very word and legions of them could if he had pleased by his owne power haue commanded the deuills not once to attempt the tempting of him And therefore one distinguisheth betweene Christs submission of which this was a branch and subiection which vsually inferres necessitie We may well assure our selues that it beeing in his power he would neuer so voluntarily haue yeelded himselfe to such an vnpleasant combate with so fowle an enemie had there not been very waighty and vrgent causes And these we shall see most specially respecting vs rather then himselfe he was incarnate not for himselfe but for vs he suffered in our nature not for himselfe but for vs that by his stripes we might be healed he subdued and vanquished the deuill not for himselfe who was neuer vnder his power but for vs and so was tempted not for himselfe but for vs and that for these reasons 1. That he might through temptation winne that which the first Adam through temptation lost and that as our fall was begun by temptation so also might our deliuerance that as the serpent by tempting the woman bereaued vs of our happinesse so the same serpent by tempting this seed of the woman might against his will helpe vs to our happinesse againe 2. That by his temptation he should not onely ouercome ours as by his death he destroyed ours but by his resistance to leaue vs a patterne how to resist the deuill He is the cheife doctor who not onely teacheth by precept but by vnfayling example how we may rise from vnder temptation He might haue driuen backe the deuill with a word but then had we wanted the benefit of his example which hath both shewed vs our coat-armour and the right manner of vsing it as he did As a faithfull captaine hee traines his souldiers and as Gideon said to his souldiers What yee see me doe that doe you 3. That he might be more able to succour them that be tempted Heb. 2.18 for in that he suffered and was tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted And Christ by beeing tempted was enabled thereunto sundry wayes 1. By experience he learned wherin the strength of Satan did lie that as Dalilah when she knew wherein Samsons great strength lay did soone disarme him so Christ spoyled Satan of his lockes 2. He tooke knowledge and felt our misery by reason of Satans temptations whereas he that hath not felt misery doth little know or beleeue the misery that another feeleth but he that hath felt the like hath a fellow-feeling of it Heb. 4.15 we haue not an High Priest which cannot be touched with infirmites but he was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne 3. As he would by temptation feele our misery so he was more enabled to shew pitie and compassion on them that are tempted Heb. 5.2 he is able sufficiently to haue compassion on them that are ignorant and out of the way because he was compassed with infirmity So as if Christ had not had experience of the force craft instance of the tempter and of the misery danger weaknes of the tempted so farre as without sinne he could he had not beene so able to succour them that are tempted as now he is 4. That by his temptation he might minister sundrie grounds of comfort vnto vs as 1. That our temptations and trialls are not signes of Gods wrath no more then they were to Christ of whom he had immediately before witnessed that he was the sonne of his loue but exercises which the Lord in wisedome vseth for the good of his children If it had beene euill to be tempted certenly Christ had not beene tempted 2. That we should not quaile
his word plainely shewing that that was the last temptation Luke hath it not in such dependance but thus And when the deuill had ended all the tentation he departed In the combate note two generalls 1. The preparation to it 2. The temptation it selfe The preparation containeth such necessarie circumstances as by which the temptation might more easily preuaile as 1. the time Then 2. the place first generall the holy Citie secondly speciall a pinacle of the Temple 3. the manner how Christ was conueyed thither The deuill tooke him vp and set him on the pinacle The temptation consists 1. of the assault 2. of the repulse The assault hath three things 1. the ground of it If thou bee the Sonne of God 2. the scope or aime namely the sinne or sinnes to which he was tempted Cast thy selfe downe 3. the argument or perswasion to enforce it For it is written he shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee c. The repulse of our Sauiour is by an other testimony of Scripture not contrarie to that which Satan alleadged but expounding it that he might in the right sense of it fence and secure himselfe from the temptation as after we shall see First of the preparation Then This particle shewes not onely the time of this temptation but also the order as I noted Satan hauing no successe in the former renewes his assault and would assay another way He had been kindly and gently vsed of Christ who had answered him courteously nay he had conuinced him by Scripture that he had nothing to say against it and yet he goes on in his malice as though hee had had both great prouocation and aduantage Whence Note the propertie of wicked men ruled by Satan who by no meanes can be brought to lay off their malice towards Gods children Deale gently with them they are like nettles the softlyer toucht the sharper they sting Deale plainly with them and conuince their consciences by the word that they haue nothing to say for themselues yet beeing conuinced they giue not ouer no more then Satan here but proceed in mischeife And what are the reasōs 1. Because the godly in their courses doe oppose themselues to the darkenes of this world now there is no fellowship between light and darknes no way to reconcile them as we may see in the example of the wicked Sodomites against Lot first he resisted their wickednes when they came about his house to abuse the two men he giues them faire words I pray you my brethren he conuinceth their consciences Doe not so wickedly and out of his weaknes he offers them his two daughters but beeing a righteous person whose soule was daily vexed with their vncleannes neither his piety nor humanity nor intreaty no nor his weaknes and sin could please them but Away with him hence he is a stranger shall he iudge and rule now we will deale worse with him then with them Gen. 19.9 2. Christ giues another reason Ioh. 8.44 You are of your father the deuill for his workes ye doe In that Chapter Christ plainely teacheth the Iewes that he is the light vers 12. they tell him he beares record of himselfe and therefore his record is false v. 13. he tells them he shall go from them and carie the light with him and they shall seeke him and not finde him what say they will he kill himselfe v. 22. he tells them that he that keepeth his word shall neuer see death then said they Now we know thou hast a deuill v. 25. He tells them Before Abraham was I am and they take vp stones to stone him Here were the children of the deuill who was a man-slayer from the beginning And of these Christ said Ye go about to kill me a man that hath told you the truth v. 40. and Ye do that which you haue seen with your father and not only seen but felt him moouing stirring in their hearts for he worketh mightily in the sonnes of disobedience Eph. 2.2 3. The more light and grace the Lord manifesteth in any of his children the more must the darknes of wicked ones fight against it It is not their innocency their holines their wisedome their peaceable course of life that can fence them nay these bring all the malice of the wicked on them and lay them open to their rage Steuen a man full of faith and power whose enemies were not able to resist the wisedome and Spirit by which he spake Act. 6.8 yet drew they him to the Councell and suborned false witnes against him where what should he doe They might and did see his face shine as the face of an Angell v. 15. In his Apologie he beginnes as a person at the barre with a louing and moouing speach Men brethren and fathers hearken afterward in the course of his speach as a faithfull seruant of God and true teacher he freely reprooues them c. 7. v. 51.52 calls them resisters of the holy Ghost betrayers and murtherers of the Iust he could conuince them out of all the Scriptures as Christ did Satan here But the more full of the holy Ghost he was the more were they filled with deuillish furie like so many deuills or furies their hearts brast for anger they gnashed with their teeth more like fell and sauage beasts then men they showted with a loud voice stopped their eares ranne vpon him cast him out of the citie and stoned him 4. The incessant malice of the wicked against the children of God is a running streame from this of the wicked one against the naturall Sonne of God the deuill would still if he could tempt and molest Christ himselfe in his owne person but that he cannot he will therefore be sure to molest him in his seruants he would obscure the glory of Christ in himselfe but seeing he cannot doe that he will doe what he can by himselfe and all his members to extinguish that glory of Christ in those beames wherewith his seruants are graced and honoured And this makes this warre so irreconciliable Therefore let vs not maruell when we see good things and good men resisted nor condemne that presently which we may see opposed but 1. Turne our eyes vpon that naturall enmitie which is between the seed of the woman and of the serpent 2. Vpon mens stubbornnes against the truth and malice by which the sinner giuen vp by God to Satan is obfirmed and hardned 3. Vpon the powerfull worke of Satan in men of great gifts that beeing conuinced in conscience euen against that light can resist godly and innocent men 4. Vpon the loue of mens sinnes profits and pleasures which sets on forward this hatred against their conscience What could Christ himselfe doe to conciliate Iudas his fauour did not he know that Christ was the Messiah did he not preach him did he not worke miracles in his Name did not Christ make him one of his family and preferre him to be the steward
humane traditions as the Papists that worship God in images pilgrimages a thousand deuises meere strangers to the Spirit of God in Scripture thrust in by Satan for his owne seruice Conclus 3. Numbers will not be perswaded they worship the deuill when indeed they doe For as then we worship God actually when we serue and obey him so then men worship the deuil when they doe the workes of the deuill Ioh. 8. He that is a slaue a vassall to the deuill is an apparant worshipper of him Yea so neare a seruice is between them that the deuill is said to beget many sonnes in the world Ioh. 8.41 now euery sonne honours his father Thus doe all they that are subtile to peruert the straight wayes of God as Elymas therefore called by Paul the child of the deuill Act. 13.10 because he sought to hinder the word and work of God Thus doe all those tares the children of that wicked one Matth. 13.38 which grow vp in Gods field to the molesting and annoyance of the Lords wheate Thus doe all they who when they should spend the Lords Sabbaths in his worship they worship and serue the world in buying and selling or the deuill in play and gaming in their owne houses falling downe to the worship of the deuill when true worshippers are in Gods house performing their homage and seruice to him Conclus 4. Satan preuailes against numbers by drawing the affections of their hearts from the true God to something besides him to loue trust and follow it more then God as the voluptuous person that makes his bellie his God and so is a louer of pleasure more then of God and the couetous person making his wealth his God whom Paul therefore calls an idolater All these and many moe are worshippers of the deuill and fallen downe to him and cannot possibly worship the true God II. How and by what meanes Satan doth thus preuaile And the meanes are these 1. He hath often the secular arme and humane authoritie 2. Chron. 11.15 Rehoboam ordained Priests for the high places for the deuils and for the calues that he had made Thus Antichrist the beast of Rome Reu. 13.16 by power made all both small and great rich and poore bond and free to receiue his marke in their hands and foreheads So he did in our country by fire and fagot in Queen Maries dayes 2. Sometimes he drawes men to his owne worship by pollicie for he can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light he can preach Christ for a need to ouerthrow the preaching of Christ Mark 1.34 he can be a lying spirit in the mouthes of fowre hundred false prophets 1. King 21. at once and can put on the shape of Samuel beeing still a Sathan 3. Sometimes by faire promises as in our text he will giue a whole world to bring Christ to one sinne Thou shalt haue ease pleasure wealth credite in a word thy hearts desire if thou wilt fall downe and worship mee 4. By perswasion that it is a vaine thing to serue God Malach. 3.14 no ioy for the present no recompence hereafter thus he carries with him innumerable companies with things present not considering the time to come 5. By threatning of crosses losses disfauour as Balaac said to Balaam Thy God hath kept thee from preferment By violent persecutions Reuel 12.13.15 the redde dragon persecuted the woman which had brought forth the man child the serpent cast out of his mouth waters like a flood to cause the woman to be carried away 6. By effectuall delusion by meanes of signes wonders false miracles and sleights which Sathan putteth forth to giue credite to false worshippe as it is spoken of the great Antichrist 2. Thess. 2.9 10. that hee shall come by the working of Sathan with power signes and lying wonders and in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse among them that perish and thus shall the beast deceiue all those whose names are not written in the booke of life Thus many are deceiued in Poperie by the iugling and craftie conueyances of the Priests and often by magicke making their images appeare to sweate to nodde to roll their eyes to passe voices through them and make blood appeare in the hoast which they would haue their people beleeue and thus Satan mightily drawes them to the worship of himselfe Here let vs learne to bewaile the miserie of men seduced by the deuill and thrust from their God whether more openly or more secretly as 1. Such as ioyne to Poperie renouncing the worship of the true God and fall downe to the deuill to worship him Reu. 13.4 and they worshipped the dragon and the beast noting that the worship of the beast is the worship of the dragon Now they worship the beast that giue him power ouer the Scripture ouer the consciences of men to make lawes to bind them to pardon sinnes to open heauen hell purgatorie and receiue his bulls and canons before the Canonical Scripture A lamentable thing that Satan gets such great ones daily to fall downe and worship him 2. Such as get liuings by bribery symony chopping and changing and such indirect courses here the Chaplein hath fallen downe to the deuill and worshipped him and he hath bestowed the benefice 3. Such as seeke to witches for help or cunning men and wome◠a plaine and open seruice of the deuill by vertue of a league and compact at least secret Should not a people seeke to their God or can all the deuills in hell remooue the hand of God 4. Such as by flatterie dissembling iniustice lying swearing or breaking the Sabbath obtaine wealth or profit All this the deuill hath giuen thee because thou hast fallen downe and worshipped him Whatsoeuer a man doth against the word against his oath or conscience is a falling down to the deuill and a worshipping of him Take heed of comming vnder the power and seruice of the deuill and to that ende obserue these rules 1. Hold thee to Gods word and will in all duties of pietie and iustice both for matter and manner For we must not onely doe our Masters will but also according to his will 2. Heare and foster the motions of Gods Spirit which are euer according to the word It is a note of a man giuen vp to Sathan to haue continuall disobedience breathing in him Eph. 2.2 The fowle spirit sauours nothing but the flesh 3. Renounce the world daily be not a seruant to any lust neither take pleasure in it For when Sathan findes a man seruing pleasures he halters him with them and clogs him with cares of riches and voluptuous liuing Luk. 8.14 4. Walke in the light loue it and such as walke in it It is a signe of a man in Sathans snare to despise thē that are good 2. Tim. 3.3 to make a shew of godlines denying the power thereof v. 5. Satan himselfe pretends light but walkes in darkenesse and leads such as he rules in the same path 5. Contend
not so much as speake to the deuills yet they obeyed his will and could as little withstand his power being absent as present Now more distinctly to know this power of Christ we must vnderstand that it is either twofold 1. of his essence called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 2. of his office called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The former is the omnipotencie of Christ as he is God equall with the Father and the holy Ghost for as his essence as the Sonne is the same so is his power an absolute creating sustaining and commanding power ruling all creatures and ouerruling in all things The latter is the power of his office as he is Mediatour and King of his Church and this power differeth from the former 1. In that it is a power receiued Matth. 28.18 All power is giuen me in heauen and in earth Phil. 2.9 God hath giuen him a Name aboue all Names whereas Christs power as God is not receiued but his owne proper power beeing God 2. That power is essentiall infinite and incommunicable to any creature this is personall communicated by dispensation of grace after a singular manner vnto Christ as God-Man and our Mediatour 3. That power is immutable vnchangeable euerlasting this power shall after a sort be determined for he must giue vp his kingdome to his Father 1. Cor. 15.24 not that Christ shall euer cease to be a powerfull head of his Church nor that he shall cease to raigne with his Father for all eternitie but look as the Father now doth not rule the Church namely as Mediatour but the Sonne so the Sonne shall not then rule his Church in the manner as he now doth as Mediator but in the same manner as his Father shall Now he rules and puts forth his power in fighting against his enemies but then all his enemies shall be â—roden vnder his feete and made his footstoole Now he manifesteth his power in gathering a Church by the word and Sacraments but then all the elect shall be gathered Now at his Fathers right hand he puts forth his power in making intercession for vs but then he shall intercede no more for vs. At the ende of the world he shall declare his mighty power in raising all the dead and sitting on iudgement on them but then there shall be no more need of this power when death shall be swallowed vp into victorie and a finall sentence is giuen on all flesh So as Christ shall not raigne as now he doth but as his Father Whence it followeth that the power by which Christ subdueth the deuills is not onely that essentiall power of his diuine nature but the power of his office whereby euen in our nature and flesh he subdueth them And this power may be distinguished according to the subiects into two kinds first that power by which he sweetly ruleth the Church as the head the memberâ— or a King his subiects and this is either directiue or coerciue Secondly that coercitiue and iudiciarie power which he exerciseth against his enemies wicked and vngodly men as a king against rebells and foes to his state and person And this power is properly raised against the deuills and his instruments against which they cannot stand 1. Christ was prophecied to be the seed of the woman that must bruise the serpents head which prophecie plainly shewes that Christ as Mediatour in our flesh must disperse all Satans forces planted against vs and for this end the Sonne of God appeared to destroy the workes of the deuill and the worke doth properly and singularly belong vnto Christ although the fruit and benefit of it by communication of grace flow vnto the Church as the body of Christ. Obiect But did not others beside Christ command the deuills Act. 8.7 when Philip preached in Samaria vncleane spirits crying came out of many and Act. 16.18 Paul turned about and commanded the vncleane spirit to come out of the maide Answ. 1. Christ did it by his owne power they by his 2. The power of Christ is one thing faith in his power is another they did it not so much by power as by faith in this power whence S. Paul chargeth the fowle spirit In the name of the Lord Iesus Christ to come out 3. Common men were able to discerne a difference betweene Christs power and others in casting out deuills Mark 1. and Luk. 4.36 feare came on them and they said among themselues With authoritie he commaunds fowle spirits and they come out that is by his power and diuine authoritie and not as other Exorcists did 4. He did worke his as a person that was God other his disciples as persons with whom God was working and confirming the doctrine with signes and wonders that followed Mar. 16. vlt. 2. All things are giuen him and put vnder his feete Ioh. 3.35 The Father loueth the Sonne and hath giuen all things into his hand Hebr. 2.8 Thou hast put all things in subiection vnder his feete And as if that were not plaine enough he setteth in the next words a large comment vpon it And in that he hath put all things in subiection vnder him he left nothing that should not be subiect onely except him which did put all things vnder him as it is 1. Cor. 15.27 So as it is plain that excepting God himselfe nothing is not subiect to Christ as Mediatour Now this may be enlarged by a speciall induction of all things Angels are subiected to his word 1. Pet. 3.22 to whom Angells and powers and might are subiect with a reason For he is the Lord of the holy Angells and set farre aboue all principalities and powers Eph. 1.21 Vnreasonable creatures heare his word and obey him Luk. 8.25 Who is this that commands the winds and the seas and they obey him Diseases obey him to the leper he saith I will be thou cleane and he is cleane immediately Matth. 8. to the lame man he saith Take vp thy bed and walke and he doth so Matth. 9.6 He meetes a blind man Ioh. 9.7 and bids him goe wash in Siloam and hee comes againe seeing Yea death it selfe heareth and departeth at his word Ioh. 11.44 At that word Lazarus came forth bound hand and foote and the time commeth when they that are in the graues shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God and come forth In one word the Apostle ascribeth to Christ that he is able to subdue all things to himselfe Phil. 3.21 all creatures all enemies sinne Sathan the graue hell death damnation and whatsoeuer resisteth his glory in himselfe or any of his members 3. Christs kingdome must be set vp against and aboue all the kingdomes of the world Dan. 2.45 the little stone cut out of the mountaine without hands breakes in peices the clay the iron brasse siluer and gold that is the kingdome of Christ shall breake all those great kingdomes and the God of heauen raiseth a kingdom to his Sonne which shall neuer be destroyed