for your fauour towardes me and especially for that I am perswaded the doctrine therein conteyned wilbe acceptable vnto you The Lord of heauen and earth from whom all true honour commeth increase the same vnto your duety more and more for the aduauncement of his glory in this world and the eternall comfort of your owne soule in the worlde of come Amen Your honors most humble to commaunde in the Lord. IOHN VDALL To the Reader THe particular braunches of the whole matter as you see in this Table are in number twentie and two looke what figures you finde any poynte marked with all in this place and the same shall you finde in the Margent of the booke where the same matter begynneth to bee handled ¶ A Methode of the whole matter in this Booke The temptatiōs of Christ 〈◊〉 Generall Occasiō Circumstaunces Tyme beyng Baptised 1. Place the wildernesse 2. Causes Good Gods holy spirite 3. Euill Sathan the tempter 4. Thyng Partie Christ Iesus 5. Matter tempted 6. Particular Preparation 7 Actiō three folde assayled in respect of his Person Occasion 8. Thing Maner 9. Matter Assault with Distrust in God 10. Vse of ill Meanes 11 Resistaunce 12. Mynd in respect of his Estate Assault Circumstaunces VVhē 13 where 14 VVhat Thyng 15. Reason 16. Resistaunce 17. Ornament of it Assault VVhere 18. VVhat Shewed 19 Promised 20. Resistaunce in Generall 21. Particular 22. Math. 4. 1. 2. 3. c. 1. Then was Iesus led aside of the spirite into the wildernesse to bee tempted of the Deuill 2. And when he had fasted fourty dayes c. WE heard the last day beloued in our Sauiour Christ how it pleased God when the fulnesse of tyme was come that his sonne our redeemer should begyn to make himselfe knowne vnto the world to declare the same not onely by the testimonie of Iohn who refused to Baptise him but also by the holy Ghost discendyng on him in visible maner the voyce of God from heauen pronouncyng him to be his beloued sonne in whom alone he is well pleased Now it remayneth that we proceede vnto the entraunce of Christ into the execution of his office in the publicke reuelyng of himselfe vnto the world to bee that Messiah so long locked for by whom saluation is purchased to all beleeuers whether they be Jewes or Gentiles In whiche is conteined first his tryall secōdly his departure into Galile his tryall conteyning those seuerall braunches that are expressed in the Table whereof we are to speake as they lye in order Then In this word is contayned the first circumstaunce whiche is the tyme when hee was tempted to witt when hee was Baptised began to enter the course of working the worke of our redemption whereby we learne that whē we are baptised for somuch as in the same we put on the profession of Jesus Christ and receiue his cognisaunce thereby vowing our selues to bee his souldiours we must bee sure of this that Sathan wilbe our professed foe to be pricking at vs either to terrifie or allure vs frō vnder the banner of our Captaine Christ Jesus and therefore we must learne so often as we thinke of our Baptisme or see the same Sacrament administred vnto others to remember what place we are called vnto and what a strōg enemy we are to encounter with all that we may be more watchfull warye that his slie subtilties do not deceiue vs nor his roaringes deuoure vs. A meditation most needefull to be thought vpon For we see that many are contented to receiue the presse money of Jesus Christ and to giue their names to be inroled into his booke who yet after all that do flee vnto Sathās campe and fight with might and mayne agaynst him and his kingdome For if we shal trye the truth hereof by the proofe and euent how many are foūde whose myndes are infected with false and erronious opinions whose liues swarme with vngodly and wicked practises and though they thus goe on from sinne to sinne yet Sathan wil perswade them that they bee Christians for that their names are registred in the number of the Baptised but if Christ be no other way truely obeyed then by wholesome doctrine and holy conuersation and Sathans kingdome no otherwise erected then by false opinion and dissolute behauiour let vs assure our selues that vnlesse we doe labour by all good meanes to furnish our hartes with the knowledge of holy doctrine and to adorne our liues with godly behauiour say what we will pretend what we list we are reuolters frō the obedience that we professe vnto Christ by our Baptisme and instrumentes for Sathan whereby he strengtheneth his kingdome to our owne destruction Agayne it teacheth vs the state of Gods childrē here in this world to be in continuall battayle For so long as we be vnder the protection of Christ Jesus Sathā is our sworne foe by whom we shalbe sure to haue all y ◠iniuries that hee can procure vs either by his owne person our owne flesh or his instrumentes the worldlinges that knowe not God which is a lesson needefull to be learned for some who in deede measure Religiō by their owne fancies thinke it an easie thyng to be a Christian and therefore accompt euery man and woman to be one Agayne some would gladly be Christiās so that the applause of the world might also goe with them Whereupon it commeth that the one neuer vnderstādeth what Religion meaneth and so proceedeth sleepely to destruction the other not hauyng cast his accomptes before seeth those difficulties therein that he was not aware of and forsaketh all both religion and profession of the same the example of our Sauiour Christ doth very notably meete with thē both with the first in shewyng what a mightie foe we shal haue in Religion and therfore it cannot be an easie thyng with the second that the difficulties wilbe many and therfore to aduise our selues before we make any profession of Christ least we be driuen thereby with shame to renounce that whiche heretofore we haue seemed to loue and so after cur settyng hand to the ploughe and looking backe be vnfit for the kingdome of God The world is full of such people whose estate is most fearefull and therfore let vs beware Moreouer we see that Christ assoone as euer hee begynneth as it were to poynte the finger towardes that publicke office whereunto he was allotted of God the Father is forthwith assayled shewing vnto vs that whensoeur it pleaseth God to moue vs to take in hand any good action the enemy wilbe sure to Crosse it withall the stumblyng blockes that he is able to lay in the way The which we see verified by experiēce in the booke of God y e trouble of Moyses did begyn Whē it came in his hart to visite his brethren Dauid liued quietly vntill the Lord vsed meanes to bring him to Saules campe that he might set vpon and ouercome
shewed namely that the sayd temptations were not corporally but by cogitation For we know that the mynde of man in such wonderfull maner hath GOD created it can at once conceiue and see those thynges that are farre distant and as it were lay them together and make one common obiect vnto it selfe of all the world thinkyng sometymes of all at once and sometimes of one part somtimes of an other and such is the wonderfull celeritie quicknesse therof that it is now here forthwith at Jerusalem or in any of the vttermost partes of the earth which Sathan knowyng well inough doth labour also to make this singular and most excellent grace of God to serue his turne for the accomplishment of imquitie she wyng vnto vs the exceedyng malice of Sathan that not onely vseth the instrumētes of sinne and imquitie to serue his purpose but also vsurpeth euen vppon the best and most excellent graces of God seeking to peruert them from y e right vse whereunto God hath allotted them which is a thing very needefull of vs to be noted for as it pleaseth God in his great loue to mankinde to bestow his graces both of the mynde and body vpon man in most liberall measure as witte wisedome learnyng riches honour strength beautie c. so doth Sathan labour euen to make all these thyngs not onely vnprofitable vnto vs but whiche more is as instrumentes of our greater falling from GOD and so of our more greeuous Judgement For hee will teache a man to turne his wit vnto craftynesse his wisedome to iniurye others his learning to bolster peruerse opinions his riches to choake the good motions of the spirite in him his honour to the forgetfulnesse of God to honour him his strength to oppresse others and beautie to pride euen as he would haue vsed that excellent part of man in the sonne of God his mynde to be a meane to draw him from his obediēce vnto God his father And therfore we haue great neede to take heede that the graces which God hath geuen vnto vs be not abused by vs through the suggestion of Sathan to our greater hurt and Gods dishonour which we shall the better regarde if we set this alwayes before our eyes and endeuour it vnfainedly in the whole course of our life that all that we haue or are any way able to doe may be employed in such wise as may best serue to the glory of god the father the buildyng of the kingdome of Jesus Christ and the benefite of our brethren with whom we doe liue All this will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me all this while hathe Satan done no more but onely made way for his purpose for hauing set him on an exceeding high mountaine and shewed as it were before his eyes the bewtie of all kingdomes hee commeth then to his purpose to wit to offer them all vnto y e sonne of God so that he wil worship him for no doubt he thought that Christ must needs be rauished with the desire of that glorious sight and therefore woulde be willing to doe any thing for the attayning thereof which is easily to be found in man subiect to corruption but Christ was exempt frō the same and therefore Satan was deceiued of his hope and disappointed of hys purpose But let vs consider his temptation how cunningly it is disposed and set in order Sathan doth not go simply to the thing it selfe as he did in the former but before he biddeth him worship him he setteth down the promise to the end that vnto all the circumstances he might ad this as the life if Christ would haue beleeued him that he wil bestow them all vpon him but Christ saw his subtiltie and therefore resisted him and hath prouided that the same should be registred for our instruction And yet doth the deuill most mightelie preuayle with the world herein for he setteth such a colour vppon sinne by glorious promises and manifold pleasures and profite which come by the same that hee can easily perswade almost any man to commit anie sinne for that appeareth by the course that men take in this world that he hath alreadie wonne theyr heartes vnto this perswasion that he will giue them all thinges For if there be a practise whiche is cleane forbidden in the worde of God you shall finde euen the meanest in outward appearaunce very perfite in it but as for those courses that God hathe commaunded whereunto hee hath promised a blessing and which hee will haue done as seruice vnto himself if you aske them they know not what they meane if you speake of them you had as good speake to a post he doth not onelie in moste liberall maner promise to bestow all these vpō Christ but also for a further assuraunce as Luke recordeth auoucheth that they are deliuered vnto him and to whome soeuer he will bestow them And yet we know by the scriptures that the earth is the Lordes and all that is therein The Lorde God of heauen giueth power strength and glory For there is no power but of god he lifteth vp and throweth downe The most high deuideth to the nations theyr inheritaunce and seperated the sonnes of Adam so that wee may behold the impudencie of Sathan and his lying presumption that dare vindicate vnto himselfe that wherein hee hathe no interest where-withall notwithstanding hee preuayleth muche in the world for they that do beleeue that these things he the Lords and are bestowed as blessings vpon none but those that receiue them at hys hands which is by those lawfull meanes that he hymselfe in hys worde hath prescribed and warranted are careful that they neuer desire that whereunto the Lord doth not offer good meanes contrariwise they that beleeue it not but haue rather taken out the lesson y e Sathan is the giuer of them do by all subtle and indirect meanes seeke to attaine vnto theyr desire holding this for a principle that hee that dissembleth not cannot liue and this for an other that hee that dealeth iustly shall dye a begger hath not y ◠deuil think you perswaded such persons that y e world is hys and hee hathe the bestowing of it at hys pleasure yes verely And therefore they make no conscience of right or wrong they neyther feare God nor man but so they may haue theyr willes in pleasure profite or worldly estimation they care for no further Contrariwise those that feare God haue not onely learned to abhorre and detest such dealinges in themselues but also in those monstrous Anachims that followe such wicked wayes But here may seeme to arise a doubt howe this can be so that Sathan should haue so little interest in the world seing our sauiour Christ doth in diuers places cal him y e prince of this world s. Paule calleth him y e god of this world I aūswere y ◠these be two true sayings
of it And therfore we haue great neede especially in these dayes wherein the Scriptures are so many wayes abused peruerted to craue the Lordes gracious fauour to open our eyes and enlighten our vnderstanding that we may see the misteries contained in his lawes that we may with the knowledge of the text in letter vnderstand also the spiritual sence and meanyng thereof to the right reformation of our iudgements and conuersations according to the same The secoÌ„d braunch of the subtiltie of Sathan in alledging the text is that he may the more easilie deceaue and with the more coulour worke his purpose and not be descried Wherein we see that verified whiche the holy Ghost doth els where warne vs of namely that hee can turne him selfe into an Angell of light that is set such a glorious face vppon the matter that he would seeme to lead a man into the highest heauen when in deede his purpose is to throw him downe to y â— lowest hell For would not a man thinke that the eternall worde of the euerliuyng God being geuen vnto the sonnes of men to teach vs to know God and worship him aright and to shewe vs the way to endlesse felicitie should neuer be spoken but to that end and therfore the very sillables of the same to carie in them alwayes great maiestie reuerence which in deede is the end wherfore it is geuen vs and yet behold how sathan as hee vseth it would make it serue his turne to teache the way to perdition Wherein though the sonne of God could quickely espy his legierdumain yet hee greatly ouertaketh mankinde with it especially those that haue a generall likyng to Religion and yet are 〈◊〉 in the true sence and meanyng of the text we see how Sathan câ—â—ieth them from opinion to opinion and euery thyng that seemeth to haue any probable shewe of Scripture in it they take by and by as an vndoubted truth Wherein as at the first he abuseth their simplicitie and vnstaydnesse so at the length hee bringeth them to an obstinate frowardnesse that in respect of their owne opinion they will not sticke to condemne those whom they know in their owne consciences to be the notable instrumentes of God to set forth his glory And therfore it behoueth vs to take heede that we truely learne to discerne the spirites whether they be of God or no lest we suffering the punishment of our owne carelessenesse bee caried about with euery winde of doctrine by the deceite of men but be so setled vppon the rocke Christ Jesus through the knowledge of the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles that the gates of hell do neuer preuayle agaynst vs. Thus much for Sathans sleight in the alledging of the text Now let vs see how he doth alledge it He shall geue his Angels charge ouer thee c. If you looke vpon the wordes of the texte alledged and conferre them with the Psalme from whence he had them you shall see a notable peece of cunnyng For where as it is sayd here that GOD will geue his Angels charge ouer those that dwell vnder the shadow of the almightie to guide them in their wayes hee leaueth out this last word their wayes whiche in deede is the very thyng that would haue made him ouerthrow himselfe And therfore he passeth it ouer For the meanyng of the promise is that God will protect them that walke in his wayes which he hath prescribed vnto them Now there is none so ignoraunt but knoweth that when a man is vpon the toppe of a pinacle his wayes to come down is not to throw himselfe headlong but to come downe by y â— stayres that be made for that purpose UUhich Sathan knowyng well inough doth leaue it out that his dealyngs may not be discryed this lesson doth hee teach many a one to put in practise as for exaÌ„ple when he would persuade a man to bee a Papist He will tell him that none can be saued but whom the Pope will and to proue it he hath a text to witte whatsoeuer thou bindest on earth shalbe bounde in heauen and whatsoeuer thou loosest in earth shalbe loosed in heauen but he will neuer tell him that this is restrained to the wordes of the commission teaching them to obserue whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you els it is your owne inuention When hee would persuade one to abyde still in his sinne he will tell him that God hath mercy euer in store and to proue it he hath a text to wit whensoeuer the wicked returneth from his sinnes they shall no more be remembred but hee will neuer geue him leaue to learne that the mercy of GOD leadeth to repentaunce els thou heapest vp vnto thy selfe wrath agaynst the day of vengeaunce wheÌ„ he would haue thee to be superstitiously deuoute and so not to care for the doctrine of the word he hath a text pray continually but he will not tell thee that he whiche refuseth to heare the law eueÌ„ his prayers are abhominable and in a worde to cause thee make no coÌ„science of any sinne hee will tell thee God is mercyfull but hee will neuer tell thee God is iust vntill the latter end then will he labour to cary thee away either in a sleepe securitie or els in setting before thine eyes the multitude of thy transgressions to driue thee to vtter desperation It is meete therefore that we be wise by the wisedome y t the holy ghost teacheth vs in the word least Sathan doe vtterly deceaue vs to our owne destructioÌ„ Behold yet an other tricke of this enemy he would cary Christ Jesus into that safe tower of Gods prouidence and protection not to the end that he may be safe in deed but that he might make him abuse y â— same to his owne ouerthrow If you looke into the doynges of the world you shall see that this lesson is greatly learned and of them that take themselues to bee no small ones vsually practised For he offreth to y e view of those that know not y â— principles of Religion the consideration of Gods eternall decree in the predestinatioÌ„ of his elect before the foundation of the world was layd not to this ende that hee would haue them rest on it as an vnremoueable rocke and haue the right vse of it for the aduauncement of Gods glory in their carefull obedience vnto his lawes and commaundementes but rather that he may make them altogether carelesse of any thing that concerneth God or godlines and so satisfie the lustes of their owne flesh with greedynesse in the whole course of their life And therefore he teacheth them to reason thus Gods decree is vnchaungeable if I be elected I cannot perish whatsoeuer I do and if I be reiected do I neuer so well I shall neuer be saued and therefore to what end should I heare Sermons pray liue godly or doe any good thing els Whereas the