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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	person_n	scripture_n	trinity_n	3,376	5	9.9610	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09462	Satans sophistrie ansuuered by our Sauiour Christ and in diuers sermons further manifested / by that worthy man Maister William Perkins ; to which is added, a comfort for the feeble minded, wherein is set downe the temptations of a Christian.	Perkins, William, 1558-1602.	1604 (1604)	STC 19747.7; ESTC S4051	89,009	206

beleeuer in the midst of temptations It is written Here we see whence our Sauior Christ tooke his answer though that 〈◊〉 could haue confounded Satan by the lea●● word of his mouth and could if he had 〈◊〉 pleased called for many legions of Angel● from heauen to haue guarded him being th● true and onely son of God yet he mak● choise of this weapon It is written And th● he did to teach vs that the most sufficien● weapon to beat back all Satans temptation● and to quench all the fierie darts of the diue● is the word of God written therefore 〈◊〉 bids vs take vp the sword of the spirit whi● is the word of God both to defend our selu●● and also to put Satan to flight Ephes. 6. 16. Hence from the example of Christ we ma● learne sundry instructions First seeing th● he made choise of the word of God as th● most sufficient weapon to repel Satan it condemneth that vaine and vile practise of th● Church of Rome who instead of this 〈◊〉 into mens hands other weapons not wor● a rush as holy water the signe of the cross● c. and affirmeth that these be sufficient we●pons to skarre away the Diuell Alas th● Diuell is not so childish to feare a drop 〈◊〉 water or the shaking of a straw but our Sa●iour Christ shewes what is that which is ab●●● 〈◊〉 a most sufficient weapon to beate back all ●atans temptations which he can hurle a●ainst vs. And therefore wicked is the pra●tise of the Papists who locke vp the word of God from the people keeping it in an vn●nowne tong and so betray the poore soules ●f the people into the hands of the Diuell We see here the miserable estate of all such ●en or women which do either contemne ●r neglect the knowledge of the word of God they do wilfully betray themselues in●o the hands of the Diuell lay themselues o●en as a prey vnto him so as they hauing no ●eapon to defend themselues nor to repell ●atan thus he smites them wounds them ●ea euen cuts the throat of their poore soules ●efore they be aware We may hēce gather what is the cause why ●o many sins abound in euery place namely ●e vile and grosse ignorance of the word of God Hos. 4. 1. 3. The want of the knowledge of the Gospell and the word of God is the ●ery cause that sin so abounds in al places for ●he word of God should be vnto vs as Sauls ●eare which he vsed to set at his beds head 〈◊〉 that if any enemy set vpō vs on the sodain ●ur weapō might be euer at hand in readines ●hat we might answer the Diuel in his instruments if he tempt vs to any sin whatsoeu●● that as here Christ said It is written so 〈◊〉 must say I may not lie sweare commit ad●●tery c. for it is written c. Seeing Christ by his own practise teache● vs that the word of God written beleeue● vnderstood truly applied is the most al● and all-sufficient weapon to resist the diue● how ought this to stirre vp all men to serio●● studie of the word of God How should moue euery man as he loueth his soule to ●● bor for a sound knowledge vnderstanding of the holy Scripture seeing this is the b● weapon to foile the diuell If we knew th● any man had vowed our death and sough● our liues how careful wold we be to proui● the best weapons we could get and also 〈◊〉 learne how to handle them and to vse the● so as we might be able to defend our selue● when we meet with our enemy Wel we 〈◊〉 not be ignorant that the diuell is the swo●● enemy of our soules he lies in waite conti●●ally seeking our bloud oh then if men 〈◊〉 that care of their poore soules that they oug●● to haue how prouident would it make the● to store themselues with this most sufficie●● weapon euē the true knowledge of the w●● of God! and therfore it must moue all of v● ●eare the word continually to study it to lay ●t vp in our hearts against the time of need ●o resist the diuell when he assaults vs. It is lamentable to consider how poore ignorant people deceiue them selues they ●ooth themselues and say they defie the di●uel they spit at him but alas what if two men that be enemies meet together the one well appointed with weapons of death the other hauing nothing in his hand to defend himself but defies his enemy spits at him wil this do him any good will not the other wound him and kil him And so though poore ignorant people say they defie the diuell spit at him he wil shew them no pity but giue them their deadly wound and they shall neuer know who hurt them till it be too late Now follow the words of Christs answer Man shall not liue by bread onely c. This answer of Christ is taken out of Deut. 8. 3. where Moses shews the children of Israel who were now in great extremitie pinched sore with famine and had nothing to eate that the Lord fed them with Manna to teach them that man liues not by bread only but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Man shall not liue That is man shall not preserue his naturall or temporall life in t●● world I say his natural or temporal life fo● is not meant of his spiritual life by bread 〈◊〉 that is all things necessary for the naturall● of man as meate drinke clothing sleep p●● sick c. euen all naturall and ordinary mea● vsed of man for his temporall life is meant b● bread But by euery word He saith not in genera● by the word but by euery word Now 〈◊〉 hath diuers acceptions in the scriptures first it is takē for the second person in the Trinity Iohn 1. 1. Secondly for the word of God Is● 40. 6. but neither of these is vnderstood i● this place Thirdly the word is taken for th● decree and wil of God for his prouidence 〈◊〉 the good wil pleasure of God and so m●● we vnderstand it in this place where our sauiour Christ saith man shall liue by eue●● word that is euery decree and blessing o● God for the life of man so it is taken Heb. 1. 3 where Christ is said to beare vp all things by his mightie word that is as the Lord ha● created al things so doth he vphold and preserue them by his decree and prouidence Now Gods word and decree concerning the life of man may thus be distinguished namely that God hath decreed that some men should liue by bread that is by ordinary meanes secondly some should liue without ordinary bread that is without all ordinary meanes thirdly that some should liue without any means at al either ordinary or extraordinary as Moses Eliah our Sauiour Christ in their fortie dayes fast fourthly that some should liue against meanes and contrary to the course of nature as Daniel

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 o● 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