vnto his Church and children not onely in bestowing heauen and earth vpon them but euen giuing his glorious Angels to become ministring spirits for their protection defence comfort II. This their ministery must admonish vs to carry our selues reuerently and holily in all maner of conuersation If we were in the presence of an earthly Prince oh how carefull would we be to our behauiour both for words actions Much more then should the presence and attendance of Gods glorious angels who pitch their tents about vs if we be Gods children make vs circumspect to all our waies and the rather because their ministery is for our comfort and protection while wee keepe our selues in the straight waies of God II. point Their number It is not said one Angel but angels came and ministred vnto him Indeed when hee was in his Agonie in the garden a little before his passion one Angell came and ministred comfort vnto him so that sometime one sometime moe attended on him euen as the euill spirits come to tempt sometime one alone as Satan did heere to Christ and somtimes moe as they did when he was vpon the Crosse. And as it befell Christ so doth it to Gods children they haue somtime one good Angell to attend vpon them and sometime many so likewise haue they sometime one euill spirit to assault them and somtimes many as the man in whom the legion was And heereby falleth to the ground this common opinion that euery man hath one good Angell and one bad attending vpon him the one to protect him the other to tempt him But this opinion doth not wel stand with the tenour of the scripture which thus sets out the state of men in regard of his attendance by Angels that there are somtimes moe about him and somtime fewer whether we speake of good Angels or of euill spirits III Point The time when these good Angels came and ministred vnto Christ is noted in this word Then that is when the Diuel had done all he could against our Sauiour Christ they came not in the time of his assaults but when Satan had ended his temptations and was gone There is no doubt but the good Angels were alwaies about our Sauior Christ attending on his blessed person but at this time it is like they tooke vpon them some visible shape that so their ministery might be the more comfortable vnto him as it is like the diuel appeared in some shape for Christs greater terrour in his temptations In this circumstance of time we may obserue a worke of Gods prouidence which he pleaseth to exercise in the time of temptation vpon his owne children to wit for a time to hide his mercy from them withdrawing the sensible feeling of his fauour Thus he dealt with his beloued some Christ Iesus during the time of Satans violent temptations he concealed from him the sensible assistance of the ministerie of his Angels they shew not themselues till Satan is departed And so fareth it many times with Gods deere children vpon whom he bestowes the good graces of his spirit as a nourcing-mother to try the affection of her childe will sometime hid her selfe from it leaue it alone and suffer it to take a knocke or a fall so wil the Lord leaue his children to themselues conceale from them the signes of his fauour suffering them to be buffered in temptation for a time that they may find thereby what they are in themselues without Gods grace and by feeling the bitternesse of that estate the more to hunger and thirst after his grace and fauour the more ioifully and thankfully to embrace it when it is renued and the more carefully to keepe it all the daies of their life What made Dauid to accompt so highly of the courts of Gods house as that he esteemed the silly birds happy that might build their nests by Gods altar but his banishment thence by the persecution of Saul wherin hee was constrained to remaine in Meshech and to dwell in the tents of Kedar And so when the people of God were in Babell remembring Zion they wept oh then let my right hand forget to play if I forget thee O serusalem let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth if I prefer not Ierusalem to my chiefe ioy But vnto many this doctrine of temptations will seeme to small purpose nay altogether needlesse for that they neuer felt any such conflicts with the Diuell they defie him from their harts and they trust to God neuer to be troubled with him this is the common estate of most men those onlie excepted who haue felt how hard a thing it is truly to repent and beleeue thus to blesse themselues in a carnall peace but sillie soules they know not their owne hearts nor the fearfull case in which they stand for all the true members of Christ must be made conformable vnto their head now he was consecrated the prince of their saluation through afflictions Heb. 2. 10 his soule was heauie vnto the death before he could finish the worke of our life yea he is tempted by Satan before he is comforted by the Angels those therefore that were neuer tempted haue yet no fellowship in his afflictions they haue not begunne any conformitie with Christ so as it is like they are still bondslaues vnto Satan for if they had escaped out of his snare they should feele his assaults to get them in againe in regard heereof the childe of God is constrained to buckle hard with Satan in temptation and to pray many a time to be deliuered from his buffeting And indeed howsoeuer for the present this be not ioyous yet they may count it exceeding great gladnesse as the Apostle saith not onely for this triall of their faith which bringeth forth patience but also because herein they become like vnto Christ in his humiliation which may giue them assurance that they shall be like him in glorie for if we be dead with Christ we shall also liue with him and if we suffer we shall also raigne with him Adde further that these men that neuer felt the assault of Satan are as yet vnder a most fearfull iudgment of God in hardnesse of heart When Christ sedde fiue thousand men with fiue loaues and two fishes he distributed it by the hands of his disciples But after it is said they perceiued not this matter of the loaues and this reason is rendred because their harts were hardned vers 52. And so it is with them that neuer feele the temptations of Satan for he goeth about continually like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure as they whose hearts are not hardned do well perceiue To conclude therefore let these men who yet neuer felt in themselues these assaults of Satan vnfainedly endeuour to change the course of their liues by the practise of true repentance in eschewing euill and doing good let them giue themselues sincerely to the exercise
crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him It is commanded by God practised by Christ yeelded to by the Saints assigned by Gods prouidence and good for vs ech way We are Gods trees we shall groe better by pruning Gods pomander smell better by rubbing Gods spice he more profitable by bruising and Gods conduits we are the better by running Let vs suffer afflictions they are momentany in respect of time fauors if we respect Gods loue and a meanes to bring vs to the kingdome of God If they did consume vs we might wish them an end but they doe purge vs let vs be content They are Gods fan we are Gods wheat they are Gods boulter we are Gods meale they are Gods flame we are Gods bush they are Gods cords we are Gods sacrifice they are Gods fornace we are Gods gold The wheat will not be good without the fan nor the meale without the boulter nor the bush without the flame nor the sacrifice without the cords nor the gold without the fornace they are trials not punishments if we be sonnes punishments not trials if we be slaues Let vs then beare them they will haue an end ioy will follow they shew vs our weekenesse they moue vs to pray they shew we are in the path way to heauen and make vs contemne this present world By them we learne to repent vs of sinne past to take heed of sinne present and to foresee sinne to come By them we receiue Gods spirit are like to Christ are acquainted with Godspower haue ioy in deliuerance know benefit of prosterity made more hardy to suffer and haue cause to practise many excellent vertues They cause vs as one saith to seeke out Gods promise the promise to seeke faith faith to seeke praier and praier to finde God Seeke and yee shall finde call and he will answer waite and he will come I am to write an Epistle I must not be long Iobs messengers came not so fast on him but Iobs afflictions may come as fast vpon vs. Hath Dauid slain a Beare he shall encounter with a Lion hath he killed a Lion he must fight with Goliah hath he subdued Goliah he must make a rode vpon the Philistims are the Philistims conquered Saul wil assault him Remember Dauids troubles and feresee what may be our troubles The more righteous we are the more manifold are our troubles and he better we are the better we may indure them But as our troubles are many so are our deliuerances many God will deliuer vs out of all He that deliuered Noah from the floud Lot from Sodome Iacob from Esau Ioseph from Potiphar Moses from Pharaoh Israel from Egypt Dauid from Saul Eliah from Achab Elisha from the Syrians Naaman from his leprosie Hezechiah from the plague the three children from the fire Daniel from the Lions Ioseph from Herod the Apostles from the Iewes and Christ from the Diuell he euen he will either deliuer vs from trouble or comfort vs in trouble or mitigate troubles when they come vpon vs. He he hath promised to doe it and he that hath promised is able to do it And this he doth sometimes by no meanes sometimes by small meanes sometimes by ordinary meanes sometimes by extraordinarie sometimes contrarie to all meanes By no meanes be cured a creeple at Bethesda by small meanes he fed fiue thousand in the desert by ordinary meanes he was brought from the pinnacle by meanes extraordinary he was prouided for in hunger and contrarie to all meanes were the three children preserued in the fornace of fire I haue good cause to thinke of Gods gracious deliuerance being my selfe deliuered from a great trouble Since the time I was vnkindly dismissed from my poore charge where I would haue continued if malice had not hindred me I haue liued in an end of this City dangerously in respect of the sicknesse poorely in regard of maintenance and painfully in respect of my ministerie yet till this time hath the Lord deliuered me and as Paul said he will deliuer me if that he see it be best for me Let man therefore comfort himselfe in the Lord after two daies he will reuiue vs and the third day he will raise vs vp againe Heauiensse may endure for a night but ioy will come in the morning Doubtlesse there is a reward for the righteous verily God retaineth not his wrath for euer Could he ouercome the world and can he not ouercome many troubles in the world Yea let one plague follow another as one quaile sings to another yet as the viper leaped on Paules hand and forthwith leaped off againe so one trouble shall leape vpon the righteous and anon leap off againe though he fall he shall rise againe the righteous shall not be forsaken for euer if he hath deliuered vs from the guilt of our sinnes he will deliuer vs from the punishment of our sinnes Let vs then therefore be patient in trouble constant in hope rooted in loue let vs waite and he will come call and he will heare beleeue and he will performe repent vs of our euill committed against him and he will repent of his euils intended against vs. He is ouer vs by his prouidence about vs by his Angels in vs by his spirit with vs by his word vnder vs by his power and vpon vs by his Sonne In him is our helpe from him is our comfort by him is our victory 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 Elkanah 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 frinds Silly comforters are you all They will leaue vs as mice doe a ruinous house but the Lord like Ruthe to Naomi will neuer leaue vs nor forsake vs Especially in the houre of death which is in remembrance 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 goe into glory the other reserued in hope of like glorie and be made one day like vnto the glorious body of Christ Iesus Thus right Honorable you haue seene the righteous in affliction as Israel was in Babylon and that the Lord like Zorobabel is ready to deliuer them Though in troubles Christs 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
of his members who are but weake sinfull men Again in baptisme a man giues vp his name vnto God promising therein for euer to renounce all seruice to the Diuell the flesh and the world and contrariwise to beleeue in God and to serue him and this vow being thus made it is the will of God he should be tempted that in the schoole of temptation he might learn to practise his baptisme But here most men wil say they neuer felt by experience in themselues the trueth of this doctrine for they haue not perceiued any such combate in themselues though they haue bene baptized many yeres agone Answ. Such men whatsoeuer they be haue indeed the outward baptisme of water but they neuer yet receiued the inward baptisme of the spirit they weare Christs liuery but as yet they do seruice vnto Satan And though they haue been made partakers of the seales of the couenant yet still they abide within the kingdome of darkenesse for Christ heere teacheth by his owne example that all those who haue receiued the inward baptism of the spirit whereby they haue effectually put off sinne and put on the Lord Iesus are as sure to be tempted by Satan as himselfe was therefore let such persons as neuer yet felt in themselues this spiritual conflict now begin to reform their liues and to performe their vow of baptisme and they shal vndoubtedly find in themselues the truth of this doctrine That all that are baptized into Christ shal be tempted of the Diuell So long as the children of Israel continued vnder Pharaos bondage they were not pursued by his army but when they set their faces toward the land of Canaan then presently he makes after them with all his might and malice euen so while men liue in sinne and submit themselues to Satans spirituall bondage he will suffer all things to be in peace with them but if once they set their hearts on the heauenly Canaan and giue themselues syncerely to Gods seruice then will he with all his force pursue them meet them with armies of temptations to turne them backe into their olde way of sinne againe The silly bird that is in the snare or vnder the net so long as she lieth still feeles no harme but when she stirs offers to get away then begins her paine and the more she striues the more she finds her selfe ensnared So fareth it with silly men while they liue in sinne securely they are not troubled with Satans temptations but when they beginne to leaue their badde courses and settle themselues to serue the Lord then presently the Diuel seeks to spread his net to intangle them in his snare The consideration whereof must teach vs to watch and pray that we enter not into temptation and as Paul saith to put on the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand against the assaults of the Diuell Ephes. 6. 11. Secondly in that our Sauiour Christ after his solemne inauguration into his mediatorship was immediatly to go to be tempted we learn that all those that are set apart by God to any speciall calling euen at their verie entrance thereinto must looke for temptations This befell the head and therefore all the members must reckon for it When Moses was first called to be the guide and conducter of Gods people out of Egypt hauing slaine an Egyptian in defence of one of his brethren vpon knowledge of the fact he was fain to flie from Pharaos court into the land of Madian and there to liue a shephers life for many yeres with his father in law Iethro And Dauid was no sooner appointed by God to be king ouer his people Israel but Saul began to persecute him and so continued all his dayes And our Sauiour Christ hauing called his Apostles to their office of preaching his kingdome tooke them soone after to the sea and there falling asleepe suffered their ship to be so tossed with waues in a great tempest that they looked for nothing but present drowning so as they cried out Master saue vs we perish And this the Lord doth in great wisedome for the good of his children first to teach them that no man is able of himselfe to carry himselfe in any acceptable course of his calling without Gods speciall assistance and grace Secondly to stir vp in them those good gifts and graces which he hath formerly bestowed on them as the feare of his name the loue of his maiesty the gifts of prayer faith patience and many other which he would haue tried in the entrance of their callings and exercised in the continuance therein vnto the end Thirdly seeing Christ begins his propheticall office of treaching his church with temptations This should admonish all Ministers of the word that howsoeuer all Gods people must prepare themselues against Satans temptations yet they must doe it aboue the rest for looke as in a pitched field the enemy aimeth principally at the standerd-bearer euen so Satan and his instruments do among all Gods people bend their greatest forces against the ministers of Christ which holde vp his scepter and display his banner in the preaching of the Gospel When Iehoshuah the high priest stood before the Lord Satan stood at his right hand to resist him Zak. 3. 1. And when Ahab went to fight against the king of Syriah Satan became a lying spirit in the mouth of 400. prophets mo 1. King 22. 22. This is that great red dragon that with his taile drew downe the third part of the starres of heauen that is of the ministers and preachers of the word and cast them to the earth Reuel 12. 13. 4. This is he that desired to winnow the Disciples as wheat Luk. 22. 31. And as the king of Aram said of Ahab fight not against small nor great but against the king of Israel only 1. King 22. 31. So Satan fighteth not against any so much as the Prophets of Israel the ministers of the Church Fourthly in that Christ is tempted before he go to preach we learne that it is good and profitable for Gods ministers to be exercised with temptations euen of satan himselfe that for sundry causes first that they may know what temptations meane Secondly that they may be the more able to minister helpe and comfort to those that are tempted Thirdly to make them vnderstand the word of God aright for many places of Scripture can not so well be vnderstood by bare study onely as by temptations therewithall and it is true which one sayth well Reading meditation prayer and temptation make a diuine II. Circumstance The author or efficient cause of Christes going foorth to wit the Holy ghost noted in these words was led by the spirit The word led in the originall signifieth thus much that Iesus was carried apart by the spirit which must not bee vnderstood of any locall transportation of his bodie from the riuer
to the wildernesse as Elias was caried from earth to heauen or as Philip was taken away from the Eunuch and carried to Azotus but it was a motion of the Holy ghost wherewith Christ was filled aboue measure and made willing to encounter with Satan in that combat for so are the words by S. Luke being full of the Holy ghost hee returned from Iordan and was led by the spirit into the wildernesse that is by the inward motion and instinct of Gods spirit Againe S. Marke saying the Spirit droue him into the wildernesse giueth vs further to vnderstand that this motion in Christ from the spirit was a peculiar motion not forced or constrained but voluntary and yet very strong and effectuall Again by the spirit here is not meant the Diuell or an euill spirit but the Holy spirit of God he it was that moued Christ to goe into the wildernesse so that the meaning is this After Christ was baptized in Iordan by Iohn hee willingly tooke his iourney into the wildernesse being moued thereunto by a speciall and strong instinct of Gods holy spirit wherwith he was filled aboue measure If any aske how Christ could be led by the spirit seeing hee sends the spirit Answ. These two may well stand together for Christ must be considered two wayes first as man in the forme of a seruant secondly as God euen the sonne of God yea God himselfe Now as Christ was man he was subiect to Gods prouidēce and so was led and guided by the Holy ghost but as he is God he is not subiect to prouidēce but is the author therof and is not himselfe led or sent but together with the father sendeth the spirit The vse In this circumstance we may obserue first the exceeding holinesse of Christs manhood in that he moued not from one place to another without the speciall instinct and direction of the spirit of God By which example we are taught to suffer our selues to be ordered and guided by the spirit of God in euery thing we take in hand yea in all our thoughts words and deeds for this is the true note of euery child of God to be led by the spirit Rom. 8. 14. where the Apostle vseth the same word that S. Luke doth speaking of this leading of our Sauiour to be tempted we must therefore labour to be of Dauids disposition to haue our harts pliable to all Gods testimonies when God said Seek ye my face Dauids hart answered I seeke thy face O Lord Psal. 27. 8. and thus doing we shall suffer our selues to be directed and guided by the Holy ghost for he teacheth and guideth men by the word Secondly from this that Christ was led vnto temptatiō by the spirit of God we learne That temptations come not by chance nor yet by the will and pleasure of the Diuel only for he could not touch Iob or ought he had till God gaue him leaue nor enter into the heard of swine till Christ said go but temptations come by Gods most iust permission and not without his speciall prouidence appointment This combat of Christ with Satan was decreed of God by his speciall appointment in his eternall counsell And therefore was Christ led by the spirit to encounter with the Diuell that he might performe this one worke of a mediator namely in temptation ouercome him who by temptation ouercame all mankind And as God appointed this combate of our Sauiour so hath he also ordained the temptations of euery Christian and the circumstances thereof The theater or place of this combat is this present euill world the actors are Satan and euery Christian the beholders are men and Angels 1. Cor. 4. 9. The vmpire and iudge is God himselfe who ouerruleth Satan so as the issue cannot but be happie and blessed to those that fight manfully for hee casteth away none that be mighty valiant of courage Iob. 36. 1. he will giue an issue with the temptations 1. Cor. 10. 13. from whence we learne sundry good instructions First when we are tossed and tried by manifolde temptations we must not thinke it strange but rather count it exceeding great ioy Iam 1. 2. because it is Gods blessed will and ordinance that Satan and euery Christian should enter combat and conflict for the triall of his graces in them Secondly we are hereby taught to labour with patience to beare all trials and afflictions not vsing vnlawfull means to winde our selues out of them because they come by the speciall prouidence of the Almighty Thirdly Christ went not to be tempted till he was led by the spirit therfore no man must wittingly put himselfe into danger without a calling from God left therein hee tempt God indeed a man may be moued extraordinarily to offer himselfe into places of danger thus Paul went bound in the spirit to Hierusalem that is he willingly followed the motion of the Holy ghost which inwardly enforced him to go thither And the same may be said of many holy Martyrs who though they might haue escaped by flight yet did willingly offer themselues into the hands of their persecutours and endured the violence of their torments which wee must thinke they did by a special motion of the Holy ghost otherwise for a man to offer himselfe into danger without all warrant from God is to swarue from the practise of Christ in this place Fourthly Christ being ledde by the spirit did not seeke to shrowd himselfe from this combate so likewise if a man follow his calling according to Gods will and thereupon fall into troubles and temptations he may not seeke to escape them by neglecting his duty but with courage and patience must inure himselfe to beare them wayting on the Lord by wel-doing for his deliuerance Heere it may well be asked whether a man can lawfully and with good conscience abide in those places which are certainly knowen to be haunted with euill spirits Answ. Some indeed are so venturous bold that they feare nothing yet the trueth is no man ought on his own head abide or lodge in such places vnlesse it be within the compasse of his calling or els haue a true extraordinary motion of Gods spirit so to doe we are therefore rather to auoid them than wittingly and willingly thrust our selues into the danger of such places for if God haue giuen liberty vnto Satan to possesse such places as haue been consecrated to Idolatry or defiled by oppression and bloud or such like abhominations why should wee without warrant from God put our selues into his hands This also may serue to reprooue those men who presume so much vpō their strong faith that they neuer sticke to thrust themselues into most lewd company but let such persons beware for places of bad company are places of danger by reason of that power and liberty which Satan hath among them for there he hath a throne Reuel 2. 13. How then can it be that
like by all which God is robbed of his honour And though we condemne the Papists for giuing to Saints diuine worship yet wee must beware of despising the Saints of God in Heauen for there is due vnto them a threefold honour first thanksgiuing to God for them who inabled them by his gifts and graces to be in their times speciall instruments of good vnto Gods church Secondly we are to carrie a reuerent estimation of them being now in heauen as of the friends of God and temples of his holy spirit Thirdly we are to follow the example of their godly conuersatiōs in the duties of godlinesse But from giuing vnto them diuine worship we must carefully abstaine Againe if the diuine worship of saints be heere condemned then much more is the worshipping of their reliques then also is their instituting and obseruing fasting daies and holy daies vnto their saints heere iustly reproued Neither can our Church heerein be condemned with them though wee retaine the names of such daies among vs because it is for another end out fasts are meerely ciuill on such daies and our holy dayes turned from the adoration of saints to the seruice of God whereon also our conscience knowes her libertie giuen of God for honest labour in a lawfull calling as neede requires Further obserue how Christ heere ioines the worship of God and the seruice of God together teaching vs not to content our selues with doing the duties of Gods worship but withall wee must yeeld vnto him absolute seruice and obedience Men commonly thinke they haue done enough if on daies appointed they come to the Church and there performe outward worship vnto God in hearing the word in praier and receiuing the Sacraments these I confesse be worthy workes if they be well performed but heerein is the common errour that when they haue performed this outward worship they make no conscience of absolute seruice the thing which Christ heere ioines to worship they thinke that in their callings they may liue as they list either idly or vniustly by fraud and dissembling but seuer not thou seruice from worship which Christ hath ioyned together lest God say vnto thee forthy worship as hee did once to the Iewes My soule hateth your new moones and your appointed feasts they are a burden vnto me c. What doth God hate that worship himselfe appointed no but he hares the seuering of it from seruice and obedience wherein they should shew foorth to their brethren loue iustice and mercy he reiects all seruice at their hands because their hands were full of blood v. 15. Read Micha 6. v. 6. 7. 8. The offering of sacrifice was a speciall part of worship vnder the Law and yet though a man should bring for his sacrifice thousands of Rammes or ten thousand riuers of oile nay though he brought his first borne the fruite of his body for the sinne of his soule yet all is nothing without iustice mercy humbling himselfe and walking with his God vers 8. Let vs therefore serue God sincerely in our conuersations as wee seeme to honour him in duties of religion let vs shew the feare of God in our liues for worship without seruice is like the cutting off of a dogs head or offering swines flesh c. as I say 66. 3. which is abhomination to the Lord. Thirdly obserue that Christ addeth only to Moses words for the better clearing of Moses meaning which may serue for our iust defence against the Papists they blame vs greatly for teaching that a man is iustified by faith only saying the word only is not in any place ascribed to iustification by faith We answer in all the old testament this word only is not ioyned to this command Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and serue him and yet Christ saith it is written him only shalt thou serue because the restraint and inhibition annexed from giuing this worship and seruice to any other doth in effect include only euen so though in letters and syllables we doe not find this word only adioyned to this sentence man is iustified by faith yet because of the exclusion of workes vsually annexed to that phrase as that we are iustified by faith without the workes of the Law Rom. 3. 28. and are iustified freely by his grace v. 24. and that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law but by faith Gal. 2. 16. hereupon I say we may hold and teach and that truly according to the true sense thereof following Christs example in this place that the scripture saith a man is iustified by faith only Lastly from this commandement we must learne our duty touching Gods seruice in word we wil all acknowledge our selues to be his seruants but if heerin we will approue our selues to be his seruants we must resolue and labour to yeeld vnto him absolute obedience as well in hart mind will and affection as in outward conuersation The end of the ministery of the word is not onely to reforme the outward man but to cast downe the inward holds of sinne in the Imagination and to bring into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ. And this is done when after true repentance a man endeuoureth to yeeld vnto God totall obedience and that from the whole man in soule and body and spirit not for a time but continually VERSE 11. Then the Diuell left him and behold the Angels came and ministred vnto him THese words containe the third part of this description of Christs temptation to wit the happie euent and issue thereof in Christs glorious victory ouer the Tempter which is the principall part wherein consists the maine comfort of Gods church for as in temptation Christ stood in our roome and stead so is this victory not his a lone but the victory of his Church This issue conteines two parts First Satans departing from him Secondly the ministery of good Angels vnto him For the first Then the Diuell left him that is after that by temptations he could nothing auaile then he betakes himselfe to flight In this appeares the vnspeakeable mercie of God vnto his Church in mitigating and in due time putting an end vnto the afflictions and temptations thereof for the case of Christ the head in this conflict is the case and condition of all his members Now heere we see what a gratious issue the Lord put to these great assaults of Satan in due time his enimie flies and so will the Lord deale in all the miseries of his Church children God promiseth to Dauid concerning Salomon that if he sin hee will chastise him with the roddes of men and with the plagues of the children of men that is with such punishments as he shall be able to beare but his mercy he will not take from him The Prophet Habacucke in his complaint against the wrong violence of the wicked done to the iust is somewhat impatient towards God for his delay Hab. 1.