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
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
his mysticall bodie Christ is that ladder of Iacob whereby the Angels of God do ascend and descend to do seruice to all those which are truly ioyned vnto Iesus Christ Gen. 28. This ought to make vs all admire the endlesse and vnspeakeable goodnes of God who hath not onely giuen vs to be Lords of heauen and earth by the meanes of Christ but euen the glorious Angels which are farre aboue man in excellencie to be our seruants to minister vnto vs to comfort and defend vs. This should moue vs all to carrie and behaue our selues reuerently and holily in all our actions and speeches seeing the glorious and blessed Angels of God do waite and attend vpon vs. Truly this ought to make vs haue great regard that no vnseemely speech or action passe from vs seeing we be in the presence of these most excellent creatures of God the blessed holy Angels to behaue our selues with greater reuerence then we would before an earthly Prince and in the presence of a mightie Monarch 2 The number of them It is not said there came one Angell as in the garden but the Angels came vnto him shewing there were mo then one And we find in the word that our Sauiour Christ had sometimes one somtimes mo to attend vpon him And so the wicked Angels come sometimes one alone as here in Christs temptations sometimes many as when Christ was on the crosse Colossians 2. 15. And so it is likewise with the good Angels of God sometimes they come one alone sometimes moe together Mow if this be true then that opinion faâ—leth to the ground which holds that euery man hath his two Angels an euill Angel to tempt him and his good Angell to defend him But if God so please he hath a legion of bad Angels to torment the badâ— and ten thousands of good Angels to comfort the good The third point is the time when theâ—â— Angels came vnto Christ Then when the diuell had now ended all his temptations not in the time of the temptations whiâ—â— Christ was tempted but immediatly after they were ended True it is the good Angels of God be â—â—waies readie to attend vpoÌ„ Christ to obâ—â— his will yet here it is said they came not 〈◊〉 our Sauiour till after his temptations 〈◊〉 then when he had most need they are 〈◊〉 of God to comfort him and as it is likeâ— they tooke vpon them some bodily shâ—â— â—â—the time as the diuell did that so they â—â—ght the better do him seruice And here in the person of our Sauiour Christ we may obserue the dealing of God â—ith his children euen as he dealt with Christ himselfe namely that the Lord doth sometime conceale his fauour and not â—hew his accustomed mercie to his children 〈◊〉 least the comfortable sense and feeling of 〈◊〉 for a time to trie his children As here the Lord with held for a time the comfort of his Angels from our Sauiour Christ yet after in is greatest need sent them to comfort him â—o the Lord dealeth with his children euen 〈◊〉 a nurse dealeth with her child setteth it â—owne and goeth and hideth her selfe for 〈◊〉 time letteth it sit still so as the child taâ—eth a knocke and it may be hurteth it selfe so as it bleedeth againe now all this she doth not because she loueth not her child 〈◊〉 that when she taketh vp her child againe into her armes it may loue her better and cling faster vnto her Euen so deaâ—eth the Lord with his children he often withdraweth the comfortable feeling of his mercie and doth as it were hide himselfe for a time that so we may the better 〈◊〉 what we are without his mercie and make more accompt of it when the Loâ—â— doth giue vs the feeling of it againe and 〈◊〉 we may loue him euer after more earneâ—â— and more constantly To conclude most men will say There 〈◊〉 no need of this doctrine of temptations 〈◊〉 they neuer felt any such matter nor are 〈◊〉 acquainted with them nay they hope thâ— say neuer to feele any such temptations 〈◊〉 they thank God that they neuer knew 〈◊〉 temptations meant Indeed these poâ—â— soules may thinke themselues happie 〈◊〉 they be in a most pitifull case and a miseâ—â—ble estate for whosoeuer belongs to Châ—â—â— he must be made in some measure conâ—â—â—mable and if they be the true memberâ— Christ they must be made sutable to thâ— head in suffering temptations Nay it is 〈◊〉 ioy and we haue iust cause of reioyciâ— when we be tempted especially if we 〈◊〉 able by the power of Christ to resist 〈◊〉 temptations as he did So saith the 〈◊〉 Ghost Iam. 1. 2. My brethren saith 〈◊〉 Apostle accompt it exceeding ioy when ye 〈◊〉 into diuerse temptations And those men which say they neuer 〈◊〉 tempted all their liues alas they haue a 〈◊〉 full iudgement of God vpon them 〈◊〉 â—â—â—dnesse of heart which makes them that 〈◊〉 feele no temptations though they be â—â—yly tempted by the Diuell to a thousand 〈◊〉 and impieties As the Disciples of Christ 〈◊〉 though they saw the miracle of Christ 〈◊〉 saw that the bread was multiplied in â—eir hands yet vnderstood it not because 〈◊〉 the hardnesse of their hearts so these blind â—â—les though Satan tempt them from day 〈◊〉 day yet they be so blinded their hearts 〈◊〉 hardned that they perceiue no such matâ—â— But if these men would learne once by the â—ord of God to see and feele their miserie â—nd so repent and be truly humbled for their 〈◊〉 and become new creatures they would 〈◊〉 be of another mind And therefore let 〈◊〉 such men pray to God that he of his merâ—le giue them the sight of their wofull miseâ—le that he would giue them soft and tender â—earts to be humbled for their sinnes that so â—â—ey may feele the want of grace and they â—â—il then confesse it is not an vnneedful thing â—â—or them to know and vndergo temptations and that vnlesse they be tempted with Christ they can haue no true ioy nor sound comfort in Christ. Maister Perkins his Prayer before his Sermons OAlmightie Lord God most merciâ—â— and louing Father in Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 are here assembled before thy glorious Mijestie to be partakers of thy heauenly worâ— which of thine infinite goodnesse and merâ—â— thou hast ordained to be the ordinary meâ—â— to worke our saluation we beseech thâ— therefore most mercifull Father to blesseâ—uery one of vs in the hearing and the spâ—â— king of thy holy word Good Lord opâ—â— our blind eyes that we may be able to vnderstand it and whereas our hearts are 〈◊〉 of hardnesse full of sinne full of manifoâ—â— rebellions good Lord soften our hard haâ—â— graunt that thy holy word may be the twâ— edged sword of the spirit to cut downe sinâ—â— and corruption in vs and make vs new 〈◊〉 tures in Iesus Christ. And whereas we 〈◊〉 troubled with many impediments in hâ—â—ring of thy word as wandring imagination in our hearts
to proceed by degrees in his temptations As first he cast into Cains mind an angry thought against his brother Abel after he preuailed and Caine had conceiued displeasure against his brother then â—he proceedeth to tempt him to murther and there he did not stay till he had brought him to vtter despaire So he dealt with Iudas first he put into Iudas mind this thought Iudas betray thy maister which though Iudas did receiue at the first yet after he letteth it taâ—â— place and then the Diuell proceedeth by dâ—grees with him till he had brought him to hâ—â— purpose And it is the diuels subtiltie first 〈◊〉 get if it be but a talent in then he will thrâ—â— in his foote yea his head and wind in hiâ— whole bodie Out of this subtile dealing of the Diuelâ— that he begins with lesser temptations anâ— proceeds by degrees it must teach vs to bâ— wise and to labour that we may stop the firâ—â— motions and inclinations to sin to resist thâ— very beginnings to euill For if Satan preuailâ— in them he will proceed to more forciblâ— temptations The fourth and last point in the abode 〈◊〉 Christ in the wildernesse is in these wordâ— He was afterward an hungrie that is when hâ— had by the diuine power and vertue of hâ—â— Godhead fasted forty daies and forty nightâ— he was at the last hungry And this Christ diâ— for our sakes for though Christ was the Soâ— of God yet for our good he was content tâ— take our nature vpon him and became truâ— man like vnto vs in all things excepting sinâ— and had not onely the will mind affection and conscience of man but also tooke vpon him the infirmities of humane nature so farre foorth as they be without sinne and therefore he was subiect to hunger and thirst The causes wherefore our Sauiour Christ was hungrie are these first that he might â—hew himself to be true man and that he had â—he infirmities of humane nature and so we see he would stop the mouthes of such as should say it was a small matter for him to last so long being the sonne of God But least we should doubt of his manhood he is here â—s we see touched with hunger a true infirmitie of mans nature Secondly he was thus hungrie that by this meanes he might cast vnto the diuell an obâ—ect to worke on and giue him occasion to be more fierce in his assaults Then came to him the Tempter and said Here begins the first combat betweene the Diuel and Christ and in it we are to consider three especiall points First the diuels preparation Then came to him the Tempter and said Secondly the temptation it selfe in these words If thou be the Sonne of God commaund that these stones be made bread Thirdly the answer and repulse of Christ vers 4. In the preparation note first the author the Tempter secondly the time then thirdly the occasion of this temptation namely the hunger of Christ fourthly the diuels coming vnto Christ. The author is here intituled the Tempter sâ— 1. Thess. 3. 5. and the cause why he is so called is because it is his desire his studie and continuall practise to tempt men and to seeke as much as he can to draw men from God to his kingdome and to this purpose he sparetâ— no paines night and day assaulting and tempting men to bring them to destruction He goeth about as a roring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure Well then seeing we know it is the diuels study night and day to tempt vs it should teach vs all as we loue our soules to watch and pray continually least we be led into temptations and so be ouercome of Satan It is our dutie to seeke to be as vnlike the Diuell as possibly we can because he is the patterne of al euill Now we see it is the diuelâ— study to hinder men from the kingdome of heauen and so to bring them to hell then oâ— the contrary seeing he labours to draw meâ— from seruing of God we should quicken vp our selues in the seruice and worship of God and to be more careful to seeke the kingdom of God our selues and to draw others to the same We must beware that we be no meanes to draw any from embracing of true religion and from the seruice and worship of God for if we do we become eueÌ„ diuels incarnate When Christ went vp to Ierusalem to performe the worke of mans redemption Peter he begins to disswade him from it and bids him fauour himselfe but Christ turneth him backe and saith Get thee behind me Satan 2. The second thing is the time when the Diuell sets vpon Christ Then namely when he perceiued Christ most weake and as he thought not able to resist him Herein appeareth the pollicie of Satan when he seeth Christ most weake the Diuell taketh occasion to lay his strongest assaults So then in the example of Christ we may see the exceeding pollicie of the Diuell in tempting of men namely he maketh choise of the fittest time to broach his temptations for he marketh prieth into men and women and when he findeth vs most weake and most vnable to resist him then is he the most strong in tempting vs especially at the houre of death and in the time of afflictioÌ„s he bendeth the force of his temptations against vs. Oh then how should this admonish vs al to prepare our selues against the day of afflictioÌ„ and the pangs of death to be stedfast in the faith to make our calling and election sure that so we may neuer finally fall away and to intreate the Lord that then when we seeme to be most weake he would aide and strengthen vs by his holy spirit to resist Satanâ— assaults The third point in the diuels preparation iâ— the occasion wherby the diuel was especially moued to tempt Christ which was his hunger Such was Satans malice against the Lord Iesus that when he could find no sin in him then he takes aduantage of Christs infirmity and seeing him now hungry begins to tempt him to vnlawful means to satisfie his hunger Now then seeing the diuell takes occasion to tempt Christ euen from the infirmitie of his humane nature as he was man hence we learne whence the diuell hath the ground of all his temptations namely from our selues and from our own nature and we our selueâ— affoord him the matter of his temptations hâ— brings the fire and bloweth it but we affoord him the fewell to set it a work The diuell obserueth the nature of men their dispositions inclinations and behauiours and continually prieth into their dealings and like vnto a prudent Captain who besieging a citie marketh where it is most weake and of least resistance and there he bends all his forces and placeth his greatest ordinance Euen so the diuel watcheth vs and our behauiours to obserue vnto what sin we be most addicted and by nature most inclined
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
beleeuer in the midst of temptations It is written Here we see whence our Sauior Christ tooke his answer though that 〈◊〉 could haue confounded Satan by the leaâ—â— word of his mouth and could if he had 〈◊〉 pleased called for many legions of Angelâ— from heauen to haue guarded him being thâ— true and onely son of God yet he makâ— choise of this weapon It is written And thâ— he did to teach vs that the most sufficienâ— weapon to beat back all Satans temptationâ— and to quench all the fierie darts of the diueâ— is the word of God written therefore 〈◊〉 bids vs take vp the sword of the spirit whiâ— is the word of God both to defend our seluâ—â— and also to put Satan to flight Ephes. 6. 16. Hence from the example of Christ we maâ— learne sundry instructions First seeing thâ— he made choise of the word of God as thâ— most sufficient weapon to repel Satan it condemneth that vaine and vile practise of thâ— Church of Rome who instead of this 〈◊〉 into mens hands other weapons not worâ— a rush as holy water the signe of the crossâ— c. and affirmeth that these be sufficient weâ—pons to skarre away the Diuell Alas thâ— Diuell is not so childish to feare a drop 〈◊〉 water or the shaking of a straw but our Saâ—iour Christ shewes what is that which is abâ—â—◠〈◊〉 a most sufficient weapon to beate back all â—atans temptations which he can hurle aâ—ainst vs. And therefore wicked is the praâ—tise of the Papists who locke vp the word of God from the people keeping it in an vnâ—nowne tong and so betray the poore soules â—f the people into the hands of the Diuell We see here the miserable estate of all such â—en or women which do either contemne â—r neglect the knowledge of the word of God they do wilfully betray themselues inâ—o the hands of the Diuell lay themselues oâ—en as a prey vnto him so as they hauing no â—eapon to defend themselues nor to repell â—atan thus he smites them wounds them â—ea euen cuts the throat of their poore soules â—efore they be aware We may heÌ„ce gather what is the cause why â—o many sins abound in euery place namely â—e vile and grosse ignorance of the word of God Hos. 4. 1. 3. The want of the knowledge of the Gospell and the word of God is the â—ery cause that sin so abounds in al places for â—he word of God should be vnto vs as Sauls â—eare which he vsed to set at his beds head 〈◊〉 that if any enemy set vpoÌ„ vs on the sodain â—ur weapoÌ„ might be euer at hand in readines â—hat we might answer the Diuel in his instruments if he tempt vs to any sin whatsoeuâ—â— that as here Christ said It is written so 〈◊〉 must say I may not lie sweare commit adâ—â—tery c. for it is written c. Seeing Christ by his own practise teacheâ— vs that the word of God written beleeueâ— vnderstood truly applied is the most alâ— and all-sufficient weapon to resist the diueâ— how ought this to stirre vp all men to serioâ—â— studie of the word of God How should moue euery man as he loueth his soule to â—â— bor for a sound knowledge vnderstanding of the holy Scripture seeing this is the bâ— weapon to foile the diuell If we knew thâ— any man had vowed our death and soughâ— our liues how careful wold we be to prouiâ— the best weapons we could get and also 〈◊〉 learne how to handle them and to vse theâ— so as we might be able to defend our selueâ— when we meet with our enemy Wel we 〈◊〉 not be ignorant that the diuell is the swoâ—â— enemy of our soules he lies in waite contiâ—â—ally seeking our bloud oh then if men 〈◊〉 that care of their poore soules that they ougâ—â— to haue how prouident would it make theâ— to store themselues with this most sufficieâ—â— weapon eueÌ„ the true knowledge of the wâ—â— of God! and therfore it must moue all of vâ— â—eare the word continually to study it to lay â—t vp in our hearts against the time of need â—o resist the diuell when he assaults vs. It is lamentable to consider how poore ignorant people deceiue them selues they â—ooth themselues and say they defie the diâ—uel they spit at him but alas what if two men that be enemies meet together the one well appointed with weapons of death the other hauing nothing in his hand to defend himself but defies his enemy spits at him wil this do him any good will not the other wound him and kil him And so though poore ignorant people say they defie the diuell spit at him he wil shew them no pity but giue them their deadly wound and they shall neuer know who hurt them till it be too late Now follow the words of Christs answer Man shall not liue by bread onely c. This answer of Christ is taken out of Deut. 8. 3. where Moses shews the children of Israel who were now in great extremitie pinched sore with famine and had nothing to eate that the Lord fed them with Manna to teach them that man liues not by bread only but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Man shall not liue That is man shall not preserue his naturall or temporall life in tâ—â— world I say his natural or temporal life foâ— is not meant of his spiritual life by bread 〈◊〉 that is all things necessary for the naturallâ— of man as meate drinke clothing sleep pâ—â— sick c. euen all naturall and ordinary meaâ— vsed of man for his temporall life is meant bâ— bread But by euery word He saith not in generaâ— by the word but by euery word Now 〈◊〉 hath diuers acceptions in the scriptures first it is takeÌ„ for the second person in the Trinity Iohn 1. 1. Secondly for the word of God Isâ— 40. 6. but neither of these is vnderstood iâ— this place Thirdly the word is taken for thâ— decree and wil of God for his prouidence 〈◊〉 the good wil pleasure of God and so mâ—â— we vnderstand it in this place where our sauiour Christ saith man shall liue by eueâ—â— word that is euery decree and blessing oâ— God for the life of man so it is taken Heb. 1. 3 where Christ is said to beare vp all things by his mightie word that is as the Lord haâ— created al things so doth he vphold and preserue them by his decree and prouidence Now Gods word and decree concerning the life of man may thus be distinguished namely that God hath decreed that some men should liue by bread that is by ordinary meanes secondly some should liue without ordinary bread that is without all ordinary meanes thirdly that some should liue without any means at al either ordinary or extraordinary as Moses Eliah our Sauiour Christ in their fortie dayes fast fourthly that some should liue against meanes and contrary to the course of nature as Daniel