least to go about to proue that Christ was not the Sonne of God Another reason may be this since the diuelâ— fell and for his pride was cast downe out of heauen he beares a deadly hatred against theâ— Lord God himselfe and we shall see that 〈◊〉 this question he doth notably bewray hiâ— spite against God for when as the Lord haâ— spoken from heauen saying This is my 〈◊〉 beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased here the Diuell comes and contradicts the voice of God nay goeth about to proue God a lier in that he would make Christ beleeue that he was not the true Sonne of God Hence we may by this practise of Satan learne to discerne false teachers There haue bene many both excellent and learned men which haue denied Christ to be the sonne of God as Ebeon Cerinthus and others onely affirming that Christ was an excellent man and a worthy Prophet Now seeing they denie Iesus Christ to be the true Son of God they shew themselues to be false teachers and such as be the diuels scholers for so saith the Apostle Iohn 1. Iohn 4. 1 2 3. Again in that the diuel seekes to perswade Christ that he is not the son of God though God by his owne voice from heauen had immediatly before proclaimed him to be his Son hence we may perceiue the impudent malice of Satan who seeketh in all things to contradict God himself For if the Lord pronounce a blessing vpon any man the diuell he wil presently pronounce cursing and damnation If God testifie to a mans soule that he is the child of God the Diuell he wil labour to perswade him that he is not the child of God If the Lord affirme a wicked man to be out of Gods fauor and no child of God the diuel will labour on the contrary to perswade him that he is in good estate shal be saued and so fils his heart with extreme presumption maketh him more bold then he ought to be Commaund That is as if Satan should haue said to Christ Bid this or do but speake the word and it shall be done And herein appeareth the maruellous pollicy of Satan who in these few words the better to bring his purpose to passe toucheth three especiall points of Diuinitie First that he which is the son of God is true God equal to the Father which many heretickes haue denied and the Pharisies also did not graunt for to worke a miracle it is the proper and peculiar work of God alone Secondly the diuell confesseth that God is able to make all things of nothing and that without all meanes matter or helpers by his almightie power Thirdly he confesseth that God can effect a true miracle and that is proper to God alone neither can any creature whatsoeuer worke a miracle Now when the diuel acknowledged al this one would haue thought he should haue intended no harme in these words but the truth is we shall see that in the propounding of these points his pollicy was to ouerthrow the faith of Christ and he in propounding of the truth doth it not for any loue or liking to it but that he might more easily deceiue our Sauiour to bring him to doubt whether he was indeed that Sonne of God or not This must admonish vs to take heed that we do not alwayes giue credit to the diuel listen vnto him though he speake the truth for such is Satans pollicie that when he wold seeme most to speake the truth then he meaneth to deceiue vs most and by speaking the truth he seeketh most to ouerthrow our faith in the truth But as our sauiour Christ did refuse their testimonie though the diuels spake the truth and as Paul did not suffer the Diuel to speak in the maid though he did acknowledge the Apostles to be the seruants of the true God so we must beware how we listen to Satan euen when he speakes the truth for he neuer speakes the truth because he loueth the truth but that speaking the truth he might be sooner beleeued and more easily deceiue vs and do vs the greater harme That these stones S. Luke saith this stone in the singular nomber To reconcile these two places whereas Mathew speaks in the plural number of many stones this we must vnderstand that he speakes of Satans temptations as he first set vpon Christ and then in the beginning of his temptation he bids Christ to turne all these stones into bread Luke he saying this stone speaking but of one must be vnderstood as the Diuell vrged and inforced his temptation the better to perswade Christ to yeeld vnto it as if the Diuell should haue said It may be thou thinkest it too much to turne all these stones being so many into bread do but turne this one stone into bread because I would not trouble thee ouermuch that so I may beleeue thou art the son of God By this dealing of the diuel with Christ we may learne that when the diuell hath once begun his temptation then he will be more instant in vrging of it he is very loth to haue the repulse and therefore will vrge it and follow it but if he can gaine but a litle ground at least in some smaller matter he would be content as here to perswade Christ though he would not turne many stones into bread that he would turne but this one stone into bread And therefore we must learne that as the diuell is very instant to inforce and vrge his temptations so we must be as instant to resist them and yeeld no not in the least matter that he tempts vs to Vers. 4. But he answering said Man shall â—ot liue by bread onely but by euerie word that â—roceedeth out of the mouth of God These words containe the most wise and heauenly â—nswer of our Sauior Christ to the first temptation of the diuell and in this answer of his note three points first the answer it self And Iesus answering said secondly whence our Sauior Christ took his answer It is writteÌ„ thirdly the words of his answer Man shal not liue c. First the Spirit of God sets downe the answer of Christ to shew that he was not onely willing to incounter the Diuell but that he was most able to vanquish foile the diuell Now what a singular comfort is this to Gods Church and children to remember that our Lord and Sauior Christ Iesus was in â—his base estate of a seruant wheÌ„ he liued here vpon earth able to incounter with Satan to ouercome the diuell notwithstanding all his might and malice how much more is Iesus Christ able now being aduanced vnto the right hand of God his Father in heauen hauing all power and maiestie and being King of Kings and Lord of all Lords how much more able is he now to confound Satan to destroy al the works of the diuel in his members And this may be a great comfort vnto euery
his Sonne In him is our helpe from him is our comfort by him is our victorie and for him is our trouble In thee haue I trusted saith a king who euer was confounded that trusted in the Lord said a friend and as Elâ—anah was to Hannah in stead of many sons so God is to his in stead of many comforters Of other comforters we may say as Iob did of his friends Silly comforters are you all They wil leaue vs as mice do a ruinous house but the Lord like Ruth to Naomi will neuer leaue vs nor forsake vs. Especially in the houre of death which is in remeÌ„brance bitter to great men in that houre of death he will be with vs and command his Angels to take charge of our soules the earth to be as a bed for our bodies that so the one may go into glorie the other reserued in hope of like glorie and be made one day like vnto the glorious bodie of Christ Iesus Thus right Honourable you haue seene the righteous in afflictions as Israel was in Babylon and that the Lord like Zorobabel is readie to deliuer them Though in trobles Christ seemes as in the ship to sleepe yet in deliuerance he awakes as a man out of sleepe and as a Giant refreshed with wine He will rebuke the waues and winds of trobles and persecution and they shall flie before him as Sysera did before Debora the Philistims before Ionathâ— and his seruant And as Christ asking the womâ—â— of her accusers she answered There was none 〈◊〉 in the end aske a Christian of his troubles hâ— will say There are none He is a buckler for ouâ— left hand and a sword in our right he is an helmet on our head and harnesse for our bodie We shall look vpon troubles as Israel did on the Egyptians as the Iewes did on Goliah and as the Grecians did on Hector to triumph ouer them and as the Angell said to Ioseph They are dead that sought the childs life so the Spirit shal say to the afflicted They are dead that did seeke your life A day of deliuerance a yeare of Iubile will come and then Ioseph shall be out of prison Iacob out of seruitude and Iob shal lie no more in the dust of the earth Let vs comfort our selues with these words I haue exceeded an Epistle especially to such a small booke If the wals seeme too great for this citie abundans cautela non nocet It is vsuall for Students not onely to present their owne labours but also other mens to great personages especially such Works wherin they haue bene either Translators or ouerseers It were infinit to instance this point I am bold to do the like to your Honour at this time This Copie it was brought vnto my hand I haue conferred it with another I haue perused it at the Presse I heard diuerse of the Sermons I haue added nothing of mine owne and I desire that of those many baskets ful of most delicate diet which this worthie man hath now left behind him there may not so much as any one be lost If any such come vnto my hand surely they shall not be lost By his life had I much comfort and I will seeke to honor him after he is dead I was twentie yeares acquainted with him I at his request made the first fruites of his labours to speake English And now I am bold to present this his posthume to your patronage Your honorable Nephew his vertuous Lady your worthy sister haue heretofore accepted the labours of this man If it shall please your good Honour to do the like this Preface of mine shall remaine as a perpetuall testimonie of my dutie to you and the booke following as fully armed against all such aduersaries as shall speake against it The God of heaueÌ„ who hath made you honorable in your most honorable Progenitors make you thrice honorable in your future successors that the memoriall of the righteous may be euerlasting when as the name of the wicked shall râ—t Your Honors at commandement ROBERT HILL Fellow Of S. Iohns Coll. in Cambridge London S. Martins in the fields Ian. 12. 1604. The Printer to the Reader GEntle Reader in the life of that worthie man Master Perkins his books for the most part were printed at Cambridge The onely reason was his desire to be Corrector to his owne bookes Since he departed this life some good men haue brought me certaine labours of his I desire not to print them to make gaine to myselfe but because I would not haue his labours to be lost He was heard of many by his speech read of many in his writings and his works haue bene translated into many languages Mislike not this booke because it was printed at London his auditors can tell it was as he spake it If you say it was hard to write as he spake know this that he obserued his auditors and so spake as a diligent Baruâ— might write verbatim al that was spoken by this Ieremiah Vse this and communicate that which thou hast of his SATANS SOPHISTRIE ANSWERED BY OVR SAVIOVR CHRIST MATH 4. 1. Then was Iesus led aside of the Spirit c. IN the eleuen first verses of this Chapter are recorded and set downe vnto vs the seuerall temptations of our Sauiour Christ and in them we are to consider three especiall points First the preparation vnto the combat vers 1. and 2. Secondly the combat it selfe in three seuerall temptations vers 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Thirdly the issue and effect of this combat vers 11. The preparation hath two parts first the going forth of Christ into the wildernesse in the first verse Secondly his abode and conuersation in the wildernesse in the second verse The going forth of Christ into the wildernesse is set out by sundrie circumstances first the time then Secondly the mouing cause whereby he was caried thither namely he was led of the spirit Thirdly the place the wildernesse Fourthly the end to be tempted of the diuell Then was Iesus led In the Chapter going before is set downe the baptisme of our Sauiour Christ as also the great honour of his Baptisme And it pleased him to be baptized to shew that he was now installed into the office of a Mediator and for the greater solemnitie of his baptisme he was proclaimed by the voice of God the Father from heauen to be the chiefe Doctor and the true Prophet of the Church of God for chap. 3. 17. it is said There came a voice from heauen saying this is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased And also it is said that the Spirit of God in the likenesse of a Doue descended and light vpon him Now so soone as Christ was installed into his office of Mediator and thus solemnely baptized and proclaimed euen
highest degree that could be for the Diuell made an end of his temptations before he left him and had his will in tempting of him and therefore no question in these three maine temptations that we haue spoken of he tēpted him as much as he could and shewed his greatest extremitie and fraud And this may appeare in that the Angels were faine to come comfort our Sauiour Christ so that he was not tempted with some light and ordinarie temptations but in most extreame manner so as his heart within him was in perplexitie anguish and griefe yet without all sinne And this may minister comfort to the children of God if any man be tempted with some grieuous temptation in some wondrous and fearefull maner that he is almost at the point of despaire yet let him stay himselfe and let him not thinke that therefore he is cast away for here we see that Iesus Christ the Son of God was tempted in the highest degree that might be and therefore the dearest seruants of God may be extreamly tempted We must learne from hence to suspend our iudgements and if we see any so fearfully tempted their temptations so extreme and grieuous that they say of them selues that they be cast-awayes or that while they yet liue they are already in hel let vs take heed we be not too rash in condemning of them neither let vs speake or thinke of them as cast-awayes for our Sauiour Christ was tempted in the highest measure that could be and why thē may not these kind of temptations befall the dearest children of God Therefore that which is written of Francis Spira that he was a reprobate a cast-away was penned very inconsiderately though he affirmed the same of himself for there did nothing befall him which may not befall a child of God for we see that our Sauiour Christ himselfe was tempted in the greatest measure that might be and we haue dayly experience from time to time that some of the deare children of God haue bene in like sort assaulted to despaire for a time to thinke themselues reprobates and cast-awayes yet it hath pleased the Lord in time to restore them to the feeling of his loue and they haue continued the faithfull seruants of God till their dying day And as it is said the diuel departed as soone as he had ended all his temptations we may gather that these three wherewith he assaulted our Sauiour Christ they be the most principall temptations of the Diuell the very ground of all other his temptations and therefore it shall be good for vs to learne to know them and the daunger of them that we may arme our selues by the example of Christ against them especially The second circumstance to be marked in the Diuels departure is that which S. Luke addeth though it be not expressed in Mathew namely that the Diuell left Christ but for a season but we neuer reade that the Diuell did tempt our Sauiour Christ after this but once vpon the crosse then indeed the Diuell and all his Angels set vpon him Coloss. 2. 15. I answer the Diuell tempts either by himselfe or else by wicked men It is true indeed we reade not that the Diuell did euer tempt Christ after his departure from him but once when he was on the crosse but he set wicked men a work in persecuting of him continually So he tempted Euah but once by himselfe but no doubt he tēpted her after many times by other means Secondly the diuell tempts by his instruments namely by wicked and vngodly mē and thus he tempted Adam not by himselfe but by Euah so he tempted Iob not onely by himselfe in casting the house vpon his children but also by his vile instruments the Sabeans and Caldeans whom he set a work to rob and spoile him and after by his mistaking friends So though we reade not that the Diuell did tempt Christ all his life time after this by himselfe yet did he it by his instruments as the Scribes and Pharises the cruell Iewes yea by Herod Pontius Pilate Annas and Caiphas and the rest he neuer ceased tempting of him after this and these temptations by his vile◠instruments were very great and grieuous vnto his sacred soule Seeing the diuell tooke this course to tempt Christ and then to depart for a while and after to returne againe we may see what is the estate of Gods Church in this world namely that the Church of God vpon earth is in a continuall intercourse of afflictions now afflicted after the Lord giues it peace for a time and then the Lord sendeth afflictions againe and as winter followeth sommer so doth ioy afflictions This being the estate of the church of God vpon earth a continuall intercourse of afflictions we must then learne what is our own particular estate while we liue in the church namely a state that is in a continuall intercourse of troubles and afflictions If we now inioy peace and rest we must make account it cannot alwaies indure but there must come a change and therefore we must beware in time of peace to prepare our selues against the time of affliction and of triall and perswade our selues the Sunne will not alwaies shine but this state will change and triall will come It followeth And behold the Angels came and ministred vnto him Here is now the second part of the victorie when as our Sauiour Christ had foiled the Diuell and put him to flight then the Angels come and minister vnto him to comfort him after this tedious combat Behold This word is a word of wonder and it sheweth there is some matter of moment that followeth and what is that the wonder is that that person whom the diuell despised and would haue troden vnder his feete euen this person is here attended vpon by the good Angels of God who are readie to offer him their seruice and come to comfort him In this ministerie of these Angels consider first the bond which caused them to attend on Christ secondly the number how many they were thirdly the time when they came to him First the bond which maketh these glorious Angels and heauenly spirits to attend and waite vpon our Sauiour Christ is this that the man Christ not the manhood of Christ but Christ God and man is Lord of all creatures euen of the Angels in heauen And the manhood of Christ though it be not Lord of Angels yet it is farre more excellent then any creature whatsoeuer yea then the blessed Angels And here we may behold the great goodnesse of God who hath exalted mans nature which was most vile by reason of sinne to be farre more excellent then any Angell in heauen as it is ioyned to the Godhead in the person of Christ. So then the Angels minister to Christ not as simply man but as God-man or God and man and so they minister to all the true members of Christ Iesus which are truly coupled and vnited vnto
then he followes our humor and feeds vs in our owne vaine As if a man be impatient of pouertie he will egge him to stealing and to vnlawfull shifts to helpe himself if a man be couetous he wil help to prick him forward that way that he may by hook or crooke inrich himselfe and so in other sins according as he finds men affected he will fit his temptations Nay the diuell is so skilfull by the experience of so many hundred yeares that he will be prying into mens complexions and the very constitutious of their bodies and finding what humour doth most a bound he can giue a shrewd guesse to what sinne a man is inclined As if he perceiue a man to be of a cholericke complexion then the diuell will stirre him vp to quarrelling fighting and killing If he find a mans complexion to be sanguine then he seeketh to allure him to be delighted with vaine and vngodly mirth and wantonnes or at the least with immoderate mirth 〈◊〉 a man be subiect to melancholy then he wilâ— feare a man with heauy dumpish thoughts and great feares and cares in his mind And thus he dealt with the poore man that waâ— lunatick for the Diuel tooke occasion by the course of the Moone and the humour of hiâ— bodie to moue him to cast himselfe into the fire and into the water And in a word lookâ— how many infirmities weaknesses we haue we do as it were giue the diuel so many darâ— to wound vs withall for we giue him the matter of all his temptations and he taketâ— aduantage of our weaknesse and infirmities This being Satans cunning his dealing it must warne euery man to search his ownâ— heart to find what be his speciall infirmities and corruptions to which he is most pronâ— by nature and when we know them we muâ—â— labour against them to represse and subduâ— them otherwise they will be so many dartâ— and weapons which Satan will turne against our owne selues to hurt and wound vs and therefore it must be our wisdome to weakeâ— these infirmities and to labour by all gooâ— meanes to preuent the Diuell in these hiâ— temptations The fourth point in the preparation of the Diuell vnto his temptations is his coming vnto Christ. And by this that it is said the Tempter came vnto him it appeareth that he came in some visible forme as he did come to Euah in the shape of a Serpent so it is very likely he came in some bodily shape to our Sauiour Christ seeing it is said here that he came and spake vnto him If thou be the Sonne of God c. The Diuel hauing made this solemne preparation and hauing made choise of the fittest place and time and taken aduantage of the infirmitie of our Sauiour Christ now he sets vpon him and incounters Christ with his first temptation wherein the cunning Diuel disputeth like a subtill Sophister and disputeth very syllogistically and his syllogisme may be framed thus If thou be the Sonne of God then thou canst commaund that these stones be made bread but thou canst not make these stones bread therefore thou art not the son of God The maine scope of the diuels disputation in this his first temptation was this to bring Christ to distrust of his Fathers prouidence to ouerturne the faith of Christ that is that gift in Christ whereby he as he was man did beleeue in God his father and depend vpon him And in this dealing of the diuel with Christ we may behold what is the maine and principall end of all Satans temptations in the children of God viz. he labors to bring vs if it be possible to this to make shipwracke of faith whereby we beleeue the word of Godâ— to be true and thus he dealt with Euah Gen. â— he did labor to bring her to call Gods word into question and so to deny credence to it And thus he dealeth with all men seeking to keepe them in ignorance and blindnesse oâ— else in errors and wickednesse that they may not beleeue the truth of Gods word and 〈◊〉 performe obedience to it The special part of the word of God which the Diuell aymed at and which he labored toâ— bring Christ to deny credit too is that voice of God the Father coming from heauen This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased And here let vs see the practise of Satan against all the faithful children of God namely as he dealt with our Sauior Christ to perswade him if he could that he was not thâ— Son of God so he labours to perswade Godâ— children that they are not the sonnes and daughters of God he labours to make mâ— doubt of their adoption And therefore seeing the Diuel aimeth at this one thing especially to ouerturne our faith in Gods promises it should stir vs all vp to an earnest care to make our calling and election sure euen to haue it sealed vp by comfortable assurance to our soules and this will be a most sweet comfort vnto vs in time of affliction if we can find this blessed and setled perswasion that we are the sonnes and daughters of God And the diuell he careth not what men professe no though they haue all the common gifts of Gods spirit to heare the word to vnderstand to giue assent vnto it so that they want this blessed assurance of Gods speciall loue in Christ. Againe in this first temptation the Diuell tempts Christ to practise a worke of vnbeleefe For now Christ wanting bread the Diuell tempts him in the absence and want of bread to make bread of stones and so by vnlawfull meanes to help himselfe And as the Diuell dealt here with Christ seeking to tempt him to practise a work of vnbeleefe so doth he deale with vs to moue men and women in time of distresse to vse bad and vnlawfull shifts to helpe themselues As in time of pouerty and want when men see not ordinary means such as they desire he will tempt them to shift for themselues to filch and pilfer from their neighbors and to get bread by bad meanes In time of sicknesse when men cannot find help in the lawfull vse of phisick then he labours to draw them to seeke to the diuell for helpe by sending men to wise men and women as they call them and so by wicked meanes to seeke recouery of their health If thou be the Sonne of God What moued the Diuell to moue this question vnto Christ rather then any other Ans. First because the Diuel knew right wel that if Christ were the Son of God then he was that promised Messiah and Sauiour of the world and if he were that promised Messiah then he knew it was he that should bruise the Serpents head Gen. 3. 15. Now of all things the Diuell could not abide to heare of that and therfore he makes choise of this question before all other to proue or at
in the Lions den the three children in the fiery fornace Which proceedeth out of the mouth of God That is by euery decree of God by euery blessing decree that God giueth out concerning the life of man So then we see the meaning of the words If any say It seemes we must liue onely by the word of God without meate or drink euen by the scriptures and the written word I answer No but we must liue and preserue our liues by euery word that is euery decree that God giueth out to preserue the life of man so that without the speciall decree and blessing of God nothing could preserue and maintain the life of man our meat could not norish vs our apparel could not warm vs c. Now let vs see how this answer of Christ is applied to the diuels temptation The diuel had labored to proue that Christ was not the sonne of God his argument was this If thâ—â— be the sonne of God commaund that theâ—â— stones be made bread but thou canst noâ— make these stones bread therefore thou 〈◊〉 not the sonne of God Our Sauior Christ doth alleage this placâ— of Scripture and doth deny the proposition or first part of the diuels argumeÌ„t for whereâ—as the diuell takes this for graunted that if â— man be hungry he must haue bread by anâ— meanes to preserue his life Christ answers 〈◊〉 is not necessary because a mans life is noâ— preserued by bread onely but it is maintained by the special decree blessing of God And indeed this is a speciall point and woâ— thy lesson to be learned as may appeare iâ— that the Lord was no lesse then fortie yeares teaching it to the children of Israel Deu. 8. 3. The vse of this doctine is manifold first hence we learne to consider aright of thâ— creatures of God namely that we do noâ— content our selues to looke vpon the substance of them but besides the outward substance we must consider the secret blessing oâ— God vpon his creatures proceeding from hiâ— word that is his decree As for example 〈◊〉 must not onely looke vpon the outward substance of bread but besides that we mâ—â— consider the blessing and decree of God that bread should be the meanes to nourish man for besides the bread there is the staffe of bread that is that power and facultie whereby it nourisheth and maintaineth life which it hath from the decree and blessing of God vpon it And as we see an old weake man take away his staffe and he wil soone fall to the ground euen so if the Lord take away the staffe of bread that is his secret blessing though a man had all the dainties vnder heauen his life would faile in the midst of theÌ„ all for the weake life of man must needs fal decay if once the Lord take away the staffe of bread For what reason is there that bread which hath no life in it should nourish our bodies giue life streÌ„gth to vs and that that which hath no heate in it as our clothes should keepe vs warme were it not for Gods word and decree and his blessing vpon them And that we may know that it is not so much bread that preserueth mans life as Gods blessing vpon bread by vertue of his word and decree we may see it plainely in that the poore mans child which fareth hardly â—is but meanely clothed is as well legged and 〈◊〉 and likes as well euen as the child of the Prince now the reason is because Godâ— blessing is all in all vpon the poore fare of the poore mans child aswell as the Kings 2 Againe seeing it is not so much bread as Gods blessing vpon bread that preserueth mans life it should teach vs al sobriety in the vse of Gods creatures for neither meate nor drinke nor clothing can do vs good vnlesse the Lord send out his word and decree and giue a blessing vnto them euen to euerie bâ—â— of bread we put into our mouthes Now if we abuse the good creatures of God in surâ—etting and excesse how can we looke that the Lord should blesse them vnto vs nay we may rather feare he will curse them for our abuse and intemperancie so that they shall hurt yea choake vs rather then do vs good 3. We must learne from hence to vse the creatures of God with inuocation vpon his name for a blessing vpon them for seeing it is not the substance of bread that nourisheth vs but the blessing of God vpon the bread who seeth not that we ought before we vse the creatures of God to craue a blessing 〈◊〉 God vpon them 4. This should teach vs to be content with our estate to moderate our affections and to take heed we do not so eagerly desire seeâ— for abundance for the blessing of God is riches enough hath not these cutting cares with it he which hath but a meane estate may be as wel blessed of God as he that hath the greatest abundance nay this immoderate seeking for abundance it argueth great distrust and vnbeleefe in the prouidence of God 5. If mans life stands not in abundance and our life is not preserued by bread alone though a man had all the bread in the world vnlesse God infuse a blessing into it this teacheth vs that we may not be so much intangled with the things of this life we must not so eagerly seeke after meat drinke clothing lands liuings gold siluer c. for in taking too much care for these things we see many mens harts are so caried away that no grace can take place in them But you will say meate drinke cloathing and such things they be my liuing I cannot liue without them I aunswer that our liues do not stand in these things alone but especially in the blessing of God vpon these meanes without which though we had all the world at commaund it could doe vs no good Againe the Lord can not onely preserue our liues by bread but euen without all meanes yea if so it please him against meanes Now then seeing our liues stand not in these meanes but especially in the blessing of God vpon them we must first seeke for the blessing of God without the which all these meanes shal become vnprofitable vnto vs and do vs no good and it is not wisedome too greedily to seeke for the things of the world seeing our life is not preserued by them alone Mans life standeth not in abundance saith Christ Luk. 12. 6 Seeing man liues not by bread alone that is mans life is not maintained by these outward meanes but by Gods blessing vpon them this must teach vs all to be content with that estate the Lord sends vs though it be poore and meane and we must learne patience in extreame miseries and afflictions And if the Lord should dealâ— with vs as he did with his seruant Iob eueÌ„ 〈◊〉 all from vs yet we
now followeth the third In this third temptation we are to consider againe three especial points first the preparation of the Diuel ver 8. Secondly the temptatioÌ„ it selfe ver 9. Thirdly Christ his answer ver 10. And first of all seeing the Diuell doth thus arme himselfe and comes prepared three times in three seuerall temptations it should teach vs all on our parts to prepare our selues continually and to be ready to resist his temptations In the Diuels preparation note two parts first he taketh him to an exceeding high monntaine secondly he shewes him all the kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them But how could the Diuel cary our Sauiour Christ to this high mountaine I answer he might do it two wayes first by vision secondly by reall transporting of his body from Ierusalem to this mountaine Some thinke that this was onely in visioÌ„ but I rather thinke our Sauiour Christ was caried locally and really for our Sauiour Christ his temptations are not imaginary but true and reall temptations and the words import no lesse but that he was really and locally transported from the citie to the mountaine The reasons why the Diuell caried our Sauiour Christ to the mountaine are these First because the Diuell in all things desireâ— to imitate God and to become as it were Gods ape Now we reade that the Lord caried Moses to the mount Nebo to shew him all the land of Canaan so the Diuell to imitate God and by imitating God to match him and so to disgrace the Lord carieth our Sauior Christ to the mountaine as it is likely to imitate Gods dealing with Moses Secondly the Diuell caried our Sauiour Christ to this high mountaine as a most fit and conuenient place to broach this his third and last temptation now in hand In that the Diuell doth carie our Sauiour Christ from Ierusalem to this hill locally hence we learne that he may by Gods permission haue like power ouer the deare children of God not once but twise nay thrise oftentimes We see this true in our sauior Christ the head therefore if the Lord permit Satan and by his permission giue the Diuell libertie to transport our bodies from place to place we must not be discouraged Seeing the same thing befell the head it may also befall his members which we are The second part of the Diuels preparatioÌ„ is this that he shewes him all the kingdomes of the world c. Now concerning this we may not think the Diuell could do this in deed and truth to shew Christ all the seuerall kingdomes of the world as they be here placed vpon earth for that is a thing impossible for there is no hill so high that a man might see them all Nay if a maÌ„ were as high as the Sunne and could see neuer so clearely yet he could but see the one halfe of the earth and therefore we must know he shewed them in a counterfeit vision Now these visions of the Diuell they be either of the outward senses or else of the vnderstanding Of the outward senses as the delusions of the Diuel making men thinke they see that they do not see indeed So the Diuel is said to shew Samuel to Saul in a vision in his proper habite and this was indeed but a couÌ„terfet Samuel not that true Samuel who rested in the graue concerning his bodie and remained in heauen concerning his soule Secondly there be false visions and deludings of the vnderstanding as the Lord speaketh that he will make the false prophets ashamed of their lying visions And some of these visions come vnto men sleeping called dreames Deut. 13. 1. some come waking as to such as haue their braine crased they oftentimes haue visions and thinke themselues to be Kings or Prophets as Iohn Baptist c. Now concerning this vision of Christ offered by the Diuell he did it not onely to the mind of Christ but also to his out ward eye and visibly By this practise of the Diuell we may behold his wonderfull skill and power in that he can resemble to the outward senses in such a strange manner euen as he listeth so great and wonderfull matters And the like is done by Magicians and Coniurers who by the helpe of the diuel can reueale and shew things done in a farre countrey or things that be lost in a glasse or for things long passed can resemble them to outward sense in a glasse or in the aire So that those are deceiued who are of mind that they cannot do this for if the diuell could shew Christ all the kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them in so short a time then much more can he shew some one particular thing to the eye and sense of man Now let vs marke the diuels drift in this temptation setting before Christs eyes this goodly and glorious sight sure it was to this end that the diuell might by this meanes more easily wind himselfe into the heart of Christ and therefore he sets this thing before his eyes that Christ might be moued by them and take some delight in them and delighting in them might desire them and so Satan might in the end ouercome him and insnare him And this hath bene the auncient practise of the diuell as Genes 3. first to moue Evah to cast her eye vpon the apple to marke the beautie of it then to like it theÌ„ to desire and lust after it and so in the end to tast of it And thus he dealt with Christ first he shewes this glorious sight and the beautie of all these things that if he could he might haue moued him to desire them and so make his temptation take place Seeing this is Satans auncient subtiltie it must warne vs to take great heed of our outward senses especially the two senses of learning namely seeing and hearing The eyes and the â—ares be the two windowes of the Soule and if the diuell can get in his head there he will easily wind in all his bodie and poison our soules We had need therefore to counterguard our hearts to keepe them with all diligence euen aboue al watch and ward and euermore to take heed who what enters into our eyes and eares and to make sure wâ— keep carefull watch at those doores We muâ—â— pray with Dauid O Lord set a Watch before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lippes and with holy Iob make a couenant with our eyes that they behold no vanitie This if we do death shall not enter in by these doores and windowes but we shall preserue our soules in puritie Now when the diuell shewes our Sauiour Christ this goodly shew let vs mark the maner he shewes Christ all the beautie the glorie and delight of them not the troubles vexations calamities and daungers of them And thus will the diuel deale with vs if he would tempt any one to some sinne he neuer shewes but
got the victorie Nay all the comfort of Gods children stands in this victorie of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ because now Christ stood in our stead and was tempted for our sakes so that he being our head and getting victorie ouer the diuel the Church euery member of the Church in Iesus Christ got victorie ouer Satan In the victorie we are to obserue two things First that the Diuell departed from him Secondly the Angels ministred vnto him In this departing of the Diuell from Christ we may behold the vnspeakable goodnesse of God to his Church for that which befell Christ befalleth the Church of God Now the Diuell hauing tempted Christ in three seuerall and sore temptations he encountred him in all three and resisted the Diuell in all his temptations and then the Diuell leaueth him and goeth his way Wherein we see the endlesse loue of God in that he puts an end to the afflictions of his Church though they be many and sore yet they shall last but a time and haue an end So the Lord speaketh of Salomon If he sinne I will chastise him with the rods of men and with the plagues of the children of men such as should not be too extreame but that he should be able to beare So the Prophet Habacuck he in the first chapter breaketh out into impatient speeches for the afflictions of the Church but chap. 2. vers 3. the Lord bids him waite and tels him it shall be amended and that he will put an end to their miseries the Lord hath promised that he will not suffer his children to be tempted aboue that they shall be able to beare but shall find a blessed issue of their temptations The two Prophets which were slaine for doing their message and for the testimonie of Iesus lay vnburied three dayes and an halfe but after the Lord puts into them the spirit of life againe and they reuiued and stood vp before the Lord and they that saw them shall be afraid and see them ascend vp into heauen So that we may see the Lord in mercie puts an end to all the afflictions of his children And this we may see by dayly experience some of Gods children are visited with grieuous and fearefull temptations some halfe a yeare some a whole yeare some two three foure ten yeares yet at length the Lord giues them a good issue and puts an end to their miserie and in stead of horror of conscience sends them comfort in stead of griefe ioy vnspeakable And though the Lord should suffer them to be tempted all their life long til their dying day yet then the Lord would giue them a blessed issue of all their miseries and fill their soules with exceeding comfort Here we see a notable differeÌ„ce betweene the first Adam and the second Adam The first Adam was tempted and yeelded to Satans temptations and suffered the Diuell to enter into his hart the second Adam Iesus Christ he was likewise tempted yet he yeelded not to the least assault of the Diuell neither could he euer enter into his holy heart but departeth from him and is faine to leaue him In this departure of the Diuell from Christ first marke when he departed secondly for how long he departed For the first Then the Diuell left him that is after the three temptations were ended and Christ had in great indignation bid him auoide Satan for his blasphemous speeches then the Diuell departed Here we see the best way to put the Diuell to flight and to giue him the repulse namely to resist him at the first giue him no ground But as S. Iames saith Resist the diuell and he will flie from thee when as we depend on Gods word and the blessed promises of the Gospell praying for grace from God to resist satan he shal neuer preuaile against vs but will depart And therefore it is but foolishnesse to thinke or imagine that he can be put to flight by musick merry companie sports and pastimes or such like vanities but the onely meanes to cause him to depart is the word and prayer by them alone he is resisted They take a bad course who thinke they may yeeld to Satans temptations when they are yong and purpose in their old age to resist him but if we euer yeeld vnto him we do set open the doore of our hearts vnto the Diuel we do willingly receiue him and bid him welcom and then he will not easily be driuen away nay we shal find it a hard matter if not impossible to put him to flight in our old age But as men in a dropsie the more they drinke the more they desire so the more men yeeld to his temptations the more violently will he set vpon them After that our sauiour Christ saith vnto him Auoide Satan presently he departeth and is obedient to his commaundement What was this any vertue in the Diuel to obey Christs commandement No surely it was no vertue in the Diuell for we are to vnderstand there be two kinds of obedience one is voluntary and chearfull the other by constraint and forced Voluntary obedience is that when any of the creatures of God do willingly through Gods grace mouing them obey the commaundement of God as all the good Angels of God and Adam before his fall and all the children of God that be effectually called iustified and sanctified do willingly and with chearfulnesse yeeld obedience vnto God in part Besides this there is a constrained obedience when one is vrged and compelled whether he will or not to obey another as one that is a malefactor being condemned to die he is obedient and yeeldeth himself to death he submitteth him selfe because he must neither will nor choose So the Diuell here obeyeth the voice of Christ and departeth at his commaundement but this obedience in him is no vertue because he was compelled to do it and could do none otherwise And that which here befell the Diuel shall befall all wicked impenitent sinners if they will not now obey the commandement of Christ to repent and beleeue the Gospell they shall one day in spite of their teeth be constrained will they nil they to obey that commandement at the last day of iudgement Depart ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his angels The consideratioÌ„ of this one point should 〈◊〉 all men now in the time of grace to yeeld hearty and willing obedience to the voice of Christ in repenting and turning to God leâ—â— one day we be constrained to yeeld to our eternall confusion Luke 4. 13. he saith When the diuel 〈◊〉 ended all the temptation then he departed VVhere we may note that before the Diuelâ— left our Sauiour Christ he imployed all 〈◊〉 might skill subtiltie and fraud in temptiâ—â— of Christ. And from this malicious practâ—â— of the diuell we may gather that Christ was tempted with no smal and easie temptation but that he was tempted in the
are helpes whereby men being humbled for their sinnes before God obtaine peace and holinesse of life 2. Cor. 1. 9. We receiued sentence of death in our selues because we should not trust in our selues but in God which raiseth the dead Esa. 26. 16. Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them Hos. 5. 15. I will go and returne to my place till they acknowledge their fault and seeke me in their affliction they will seeke me diligently Psal. 78. 34. When he flue them they sought him and they returned and they sought God early Ierem. 31. 18. I haue heard Ephraim lamenting thus Thou hast corrected me and I was chastised as an vntamed calfe conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted Heb. 12. 11. No chastisement for the present seeâ—eth ioyous but grieuous but afterward it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercised Psa. 30. 5. Weeping may abide at euening but ioy commeth in the morning Iohn 15. 2. Euery branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth â—â—re fruite 1. pet 1. 6. Wherein ye reioyce though now for a season if need require ye are in heauinesse through many temptations 2. Cor. 1. 4. The God of all comfort which comforteth vs in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort them which are in affliction by the comfort wherewith our selues are comforted of God Rom. 5. 3. We glory in afflictions knowing that affliction bringeth patience Heb. 2. 10. He did consecrate the Prince of their saluation through affliction We permit Chirurgians that they both bind vs lying diseased in our beds and seare vs with hot irons yea lanch and search our members with rasors and lastly we send them away vsually with friendly and kind speeches often with a golden fee for their thus handling vs. Shal we theÌ„ suffer so many things of a Chirurgian to cure a bodily disease and will we not giue God leaue to cure by afflictions the most festered diseases of our sicke soules Lidia What is to be gathered hence Paul By this we may gather that the afflictions of the godly are signes of their adoption Heb. 12. 6. Whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth 7. If ye endure chastisement God offereth himselfe vnto you as vnto sonneâ— And that they are to them the Kings high way to heauen Iames 1. 12. Blessed 〈◊〉 the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue 〈◊〉 2. Cor. 4. 17. For our light affliction which iâ— but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and an eternall waight of glory 3 That God hath promised fauour mitigation of punishment his presence and deliuerance Philip. 1. 29. 1. Cor. 10. 13. God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted aboue measure but with temptation will giue deliuerance 2. Sam. 7. 14. Psal. 50. 15. Call vpon me in time of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Psal. 121. 4. He that keepeth Israel will neither slumber nor sleepe Esa. 43. 2. When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the flouds that they do not ouerwhelme thee when thou walkest through the very fire thou shalt not burne neither shal the flame kindle vpon thee 3. For I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel thy sauiour 4 That in all troubles of the faithfull Christ is a companion 1. Pet. 4. 13. Reioyce that ye are partakers of the afflictions of Christ. 2 Cor. 4. 10. Euery where we beare about in our bodie the dying of Christ that the life of Iesus might also be made manifest in our bodies Col. 1. 21. 5 That the Angels are readie to defend such as feare God Psal. 34. 8. 2. Kings 6. 16. Feare not there are more with vs then against vs. Lidia But of all calamities the remembrance of death is fearful vnto me giue me I pray you some few preseruatiues against it Paul Against the feare of death note these preseruatiues First death it freeth the godly from the tyrannie of Satan sinne the world the flesh and eternall damnation yea froÌ„ infinite both perils and losses and doth place vs both safe and happie vnder the shadow as it were of Christs wings Secondly Christ by his death hath sanctified vnto vs both death and the graue 3 Christ is both in life and death gaine to the godly Phil. 1. 12. 4 Those consolations which the spirit of Christ doth suggest to the soules of the faithful do by many degrees surmount the dolors of death 5 The desire of that most bright and glorious beholding of God and the presence of those Saints which are departed before vs. 6 In stead of our bodies we shall be clothed with glory 2. Cor. 5. 1. 7 The sting of death namely sin is then so taken away as that that serpent can no more hurt vs. 1. Cor. 15. 55. O death where iâ— thy sting O graue where is thy victory Heb. 2. 15. That he might deliuer all them which for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage 8 We should not so much thinke of our death as to take an exact account of our life For that man cannot die ill who hath liued well and he seldome dieth well that hath liued badly 9 The Angels they stand at our elbowes that so soone as a Saint departeth they may with al speed immediatly transport his soule into heauen Soules being once in heauen remain therâ— till the last day of iudgement where they partly magnifie the name of God and partly do waite and pray for the consummation of the kingdom of glory and ful felicitie in body and soule Reu. 5. 8. And when he had taken the booke the foure beasts and the foure and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb hauing euery one harpes and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of the Saints 9. And they sang a new song saying Thou art worthy to take the booke and to open the seales thereof because thou wast killed and hast redeemed vs to God by thy bloud out of euery kinred and tong and people and nation Reuel 14. 2. I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harpes 3. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne and they cried with a loud voice saying How long Lord holy and true doest not thou iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwel on the earth Lidia Yet for all this Satan in the time of temptation and at the houre of death wil go about to perswade me that these things do not belong vnto me what must I do then Paul Descend into your owne heart see whether you haue Gods spirit or no testifying vnto you that you are Gods child for as many as haue the spirit