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THE COMBATE betwixt CHRIST and the Deuill.
Foure Sermons vpon the tempta?tions of Christ in the wildernes by Sathan, wherein are to be sene the subtile sleightes that the tempter vseth agaynst the children of God, and the meanes that God hath appoin?ted to resiste him, sanctified to our vse in the example of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST.
By Iohn Vdall Preacher of the word of God, at Kyngston vpon Thames.

IAMES. 1. 2. 3. 4. ¶My Brethren, count it exceeding ioye, when ye fall into diuers temptations: knowing that the triall of your faith, bringeth forth pacience: & let pacience haue her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entier, lacking nothing.
AT LONDON. Printed by Robert Walde-graue, for Thomas Man, and William Brome.
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TO THE RIGHT honorable HENRY Earle of Hun?tyngdon Lord Hastings. &c. Of the most No?ble Order of the Garter Knight, and Lord Pre?sident of the Counsell established in the North?partes 1. V. VVisheth increase of all spirituall graces, and true honor in this world, and that end?lesse glory that lasteth for euer.
WHEN I consider with my selfe (right honorable) that inestima?ble crowne of immortall glorie which it hath pleased God the fa?ther, in his sonne Iesus Christ, to lay1 vp in store for those, whom (of his mercy2 and free fauour) he elected vnto him selfe before the foundations of the vvorld: and with all those 3 many tribulations and afflictions, by which his heauenly vvisedome hath appointed them to enter into the same: I see (as in a glasse) be?fore myne eyes, the cause that moued our Sa?uiour Christ to say, that4 straite is the way, vvhich leadeth to life and fevv, there by thatPage  [unnumbered]finde it, and the blessed Apostle Paule to set downe:1 there is a law in my members, rebel?ling against the law of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the lawe of sinne: for as the glorious maiestie, of that heauenly ioy doth ra?uish the minde of euery man, to wishe that hee might be partaker of the same, so (on the other side) the consideration of afflictions and present calamities, that all2 those who will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer, doth not onely terri?fie many, from taking in hand the profession of Religion: but greatly3 vexeth and greeueth (euen) the deare children of God:* and maketh such a co?tradictio?, betwixt the flesh & the spi?rite, that they seeme in such wise to be distra?cted, as though they were deuided into two parts. The one striuing with mayne and might, to go, toward hell: the other labouring, by all the force that it is able, to goe towardes God. But those that euer meane to take that course which (alone) leadeth to the kingdome of hea?uen, must not onely4 seeke out of the word of God to know, what he would haue them to do, and carefully to put the same, in practise: but also, they must make their5 accompt to haue infinite, and continuall Crosses (euen) for the same: so that vnlesse, they be thus resolued, thatPage  [unnumbered]in respect of Iesus Christ, they1 accompt all things vile (and therfore for the professing, and bearing witnes vnto his truth, are contented to abide, all extremities, that Satan, the world, or their owne flesh, can rayse vp against the?) it is vnpossible that euer they should2 continue vnto the ende that they might be saued. For God in his wisedome, hath sene it most meete, that they who shall reigne with his sonne Iesus Christ, shall also be conformed vnto the simili?tude of his3 sufferinges, to4 drinke of the cup that he did drinke of, and to be Baptised with his Baptisme. Now Sata? (who is a sworne ene?my to mankinde, and seeketh as a5 roaring Li?on whom hee may deuour) taketh occasion by this decree of God to driue man into all extre?mities inward and outward: to the end that he may winne him vnto himselfe, in leauing the course of godlynesse, and giuing himselfe ouer to commit all iniquities, and that with greedi?nesse: and so much the rather because hee fin?deth our corrupt nature, conuenient matter to worke vpon, which in it6selfe is altogether e?uill: so that (excepting onely those who? it plea?seth God of his mere mercy (in Iesus Christ) to regenerate, by the7 knowledge of his word and 8 working of his holy spirite) all the posteritiePage  [unnumbered]of Adam, is vtterly seduced by Satan to be in?strumentes of enlarging his kingdome, and en?creasing their owne condemnation. And those whom the Lord hath reclaymed from the ser?uice of sinne, vnto the obedience of his Gospell haue euer bene, and to the end of the world shal?be, so tempted of Satha?, so ho?ted at, abhorred, and abused of the world, and so enticed by their owne flesh to retire vnto the league, and amitie of the world agayne: that they seeme to be of1 all men most miserable: but this is their onely comfort, and (in deede) the ioye that passeth all the pleasures of the world, that their trouble is but for a2 tyme: God will release them, and3 wipe all teares from their eyes: that as they4 are afflicted with Christ, so shall they be glori?fied and reigne with him: that the Lord ma?keth a5 glorious accompt (euen) of the death of his Saintes and reserueth their teares in6 a bottle, yea hee accompteth all the troubles of his childre? to be his7 owne, because (in deede) they suffer for his sake: but they shall not lacke their reward: yea such a reward as is, ten thou?sand times exceedyng the measure of their sor?row: for the8 troubles of this life are not wor?thy to be compared to the glory, that shalbe re?ueled. But yet we haue great neede to be com?forted,Page  [unnumbered]and stayed, least we should be1 wearied, and faynt in our myndes, for so much as no correction for the tyme, is ioyous, but tedyous sharpe and greeuous: able to make vs fall downe vnder the burthen of the same, vnlesse it please the Lord, to teach vs how, and to giue vs might to support and susteyne it: which is no where els learned neither any other meanes giuen, then onely the2 worde of God, whiche the Lord hath giuen vnto vs, for that purpose. Now, for so much as an experience, both of the subtiltie of our enemie in our afflictions, and also of the meanes how to beate him backe, is to be seene in those temptations of our Saui?our Christ in the wildernesse, because I hauing in my ordinary course Preached vppon the same, and diuers who receiued present com?fort thereby (beyng desirous to haue the conti?nuall vse of the doctrine deliuered out of them) desiring me, to pen the same: I condis?cended vnto their desire and (as neare as I could remember) haue set them downe as they were spoken: sauyng (onely) that in some par?ticular applications I haue had regarde (in writtyng) vnto those to whose handes they may come: as (in speaking) I respect myne Auditorie. And I am bolde to make choysePage  [unnumbered]of your honor to who? I may dedicate the same, partly for that I might shewe some token of thankefulnesse vnto the same, for your fauour towardes me, and especially for that I am per?swaded the doctrine, therein conteyned wilbe acceptable vnto you. The Lord of heauen and earth (from whom all true honour com?meth) increase the same vnto your due?ty more and more: for the aduaunce?ment 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.
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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.
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¶A Methode of the whole matter in this Booke.
* The temp?tatio?s of Christ ???
o Gene¦rall
* Occasio?
* Circum?staunces
* 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.
o Par?ticu?lar
* Preparation. 7
* Actio? three folde assay?led in res?pect of his
* Per?son.
* Occasion. 8.
* Thing.
* Maner. 9. Mat?ter.
* Assault with
* Distrust in God. 10. Vse of ill Meanes. 11
* Resistaunce. 12.
* Mynd in res?pect of his
* Estate
* Assault
* Circum?staunces.
* VVhe?. 13
* where. 14
* VVhat
* Thyng. 15.
* Reason. 16.
* Resistaunce. 17.
* Orna¦ment of it.
* Assault
* VVhere. 18.
* VVhat
* Shewed. 19 Promi?sed. 20.
* Resistaunce in
* Generall. 21.
* Particular. 22.
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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 ful?nesse 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 Bap?tise him) but also by the holy Ghost, discen?dyng 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 in?to the execution of his office, in the pub?licke reuelyng of himselfe vnto the world to bee that Messiah so long locked for, by whom saluation is purchased to all belee?uers whether they be Jewes or Gentiles.Page  [unnumbered]In whiche is conteined,* first his tryall, se?co?dly 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.
[ 1] (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 whe? we are bap?tised, for somuch as in the same, we1 put on the profession of Jesus Christ, and re?ceiue his cognisaunce, thereby vowing our selues to bee his souldiours, we must bee sure of this, that Sathan wilbe our profes?sed foe, to be pricking at vs, either to terri?fie or allure vs fro? 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 ad?ministred vnto others) to remember what place we are called vnto,* and what a stro?g 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 mostPage  [unnumbered]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 Satha?s campe, and fight with might and mayne a?gaynst him and his kingdome. For (if we shal trye the truth hereof by the proofe and euent) how many are fou?de whose myndes are infected with false and erronious opi?nions?* 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 whole?some doctrine and holy conuersation, and Sathans kingdome, no otherwise erected, then by false opinion and dissolute behaui?our: let vs assure our selues, that vnlesse we doe labour, by all good meanes to fur?nish our hartes with the knowledge of ho?ly doctrine, and to adorne our liues with godly behauiour: say what we will & pre?tend what we list we are reuolters fro? the obedience that we professe vnto Christ byPage  [unnumbered]our Baptisme, and instrumentes for Sa?than, whereby he strengtheneth his king?dome to our owne destruction.* Agayne it teacheth vs the state of Gods childre? here in this world to be in continuall battayle: For so long as we be vnder the protection of Christ Jesus, Satha? is our sworne foe, by whom we shalbe sure to haue all y• iniu?ries that hee can procure vs, either by his owne person, our owne flesh, or his instru?mentes, the worldlinges that knowe not God: which is a lesson needefull to be lear?ned: for some (who (in deede) measure Reli?gio? by their owne fancies) thinke it an ea?sie thyng to be a Christian, and therefore accompt euery man and woman to be one: Agayne, some would gladly be Christia?s, so that the applause of the world might al?so goe with them. Whereupon it commeth that the one neuer vndersta?deth what Re?ligion meaneth and so proceedeth sleepely to destruction, the other not hauyng cast his accomptes before, seeth those difficul?ties 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 the?Page  [unnumbered]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 ma?ny,* 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 after1 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 begyn?neth (as it were to poynte the finger) to?wardes that publicke office, whereunto he was allotted of God the Father, is forth?with assayled, shewing vnto vs,* that when?soeur 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 experie?ce in the booke of God, ye trouble of Moyses did begyn,2Whe? it came in his hart to visite his brethren,3Dauid liued quietly vn?till the Lord vsed meanes to bring him toPage  [unnumbered]Saules campe, that he might set vpon and ouercome Goliah, and afterward his trou?bles were endlesse.1Paule was not con?tradicted, but liued in great credit among the Jewes, vntill the Lord made him a Preacher of the Gospell, the? was he neuer free from slaunderous accusations, violen?ces and all kinde of iniuries, the reason whereof is, for that Sathan beyng ielous ouer his owne kingdome, and fearyng the ouerthrow thereof, when he seeth any ray?sed vp to fight agaynst it, doth most basely bestirre himselfe for the suppressing of the same. Therefore (as euery one that will do any good thyng that may be acceptable vnto God, comfortable to his conscience, and profitable to his brethren) must learne to haue an inuincible & indefatigable sto?macke, for that he shalbe sure to haue ma?ny a counterbuffet and foyle, if Sathan ca? procure it: so in the depth of all his extre?mities, and in the middest of tribulations, he may gather an argument vnto himselfe of singular co?fort, that if he do that which is warranted by the word of God, and ta?keth it in ha?d with the testimony of a good conscie?ce, he may assure himselfe (for mostPage  [unnumbered]sure it is) the more troubles that he endu?reth, the more is he in the fauour of God, & doth him y• more seruice, agaynst the ene?mies of his glory, the world and the deuill, and surely as this is a most profitable doc?trine to be learned, so is it most necessarie for all Goos people in these dayes, but most especially for those Ministers of the word of God that doe with good conscie?ce, rebuke the world of sinne, and playnly vrge the necessitie of walkyng in the narrowe path, agaynst whom the world is so mad, (partely for that iniquitie aboundeth a?mong men, and especially for that through lacke of discipline in the Churche, euery man is let alone to doe what hee list) that a man would thinke hell were broken vp, and all the hellhoundes there were trans?posed unto the shape of men, so horrible, so false, so slaunderous, and so bitter be their wordes and deedes (when they ca?) agaynst those sylie ones. But this is our stay,1 the Lord that is in heauen doth laughe them to scorne, and this is to vs an argument of great comfort, that the more they rage, the more are we assured that God is on our side.
Page  [unnumbered][ 2] (Into the wildernesse) the place where he was tryed commeth now to be conside?red, whiche was the vninhabited wilder?nesse, where were no creatures, but wilde beastes (as1Mark recordeth) amo?g which he liued for that tyme: wherunto the world may welbe compared, because of the trou?blesomnesse, intricate wayes, and daunger thereof. Our Sauiour was led by the spi?rite thyther: First that hee might come thence,* as a newman, fit to take in hand so wayghtie an enterprise, whiche also was prefigured2 by Moyses his beyng fourtie dayes in the mountayne,3 and Elias in the caue of Horeb. For the absence euen of those with who? we haue bene most co?uer?saunt, maketh the? appeare vnto vs in more reuerent acco?pte: Secondly it was that he might bee the more subiect to temptation (for Sathan alwayes getteth more adua??tage against man when he is solitary, then when hee is with company) and also lesse hyndred by the world or any thyng or per?son therein, to conquire and get the victo?ry of this enemy.
[ 3] (Led by the spirite) that is, he was con?ducted by the guidyng of Gods holy spi?rite,Page  [unnumbered]accordyng as God the Father in his wisedome had appointed. Whereby ari?seth vnto vs this doctrine very needefull to be learned, and very comfortable to be re?membred, that (notwithstandyng Sathan 1 roareth night & day, and seeketh by him selfe and his instrumentes, continually to vexe and trouble vs,* ayming at our destru?ction yet) all things are so determined and directed by Gods mightie power and pro?uidence, that no vexation of body or spirit, can befal vs, without his will and appoint?ment, whereof we haue a notable example in the seruaunt of God2Iob. whose estate, albeit Sathan did greatly enuie, yet vntill the Lorde gaue power into the enemyes hand agaynst him,* he could neither touche his goodes, his children, nor his person. The which if we doe learne aright, it will minister vnto vs manifold comfort and in?struction. For first it is vnto vs a notable shield agaynst dispayre & distrust that na?turally groweth in vs, when we are in tri?bulations, to feare, that our former estate is irrecouerable, or that the fauour of God is cleane remoued from vs. For if we doe consider with our selues that God is thePage  [unnumbered]authour of the afflictio?s of his people,* and that they are not vexed without his ap?pointement, and moreouer that it is his v?suall dealyng with his seruauntes, it must needes teach vs not to despise the correcti?on of the Lord,1 neither faynt when we are rebuked, for so much as he loueth them, that hee correcteth, and scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth. Agayne it will teach vs to take heede that we use no vn?lawfull meanes to eschew the same: for when we consider, that God, who (know?eth better then wee what is needefull for vs) hath imposed the same vpon vs,* it must needes make vs very well contented with his gracious appointment: neuer seekyng to wynd our selues from vnder his handes by those meanes that be vnlawfull, but pa?tiently to abide his leasure for the remo?uing thereof: at whose good pleasure wee shalbe sure to be deliuered, or elles it shall come to passe that the Lordes correction (whiche he in loue inflicted vpon vs) shall by our misdemeanour bee turned into the markes of his wrath and anger:* for that wee haue played the partes of vnbridled coltes, striuyng to cast of the Lordes bur?then,Page  [unnumbered]and to wynde our selues (as much as in vs lyeth) out of his gouernement & pro?tection: Moreouer, it will teach vs most carefully to vse all good & lawfull meanes for the preuentyng of daunger imminent, or the remouyng of troubles present, in both whiche many doe greatly offend: for some are so secure and carelesse, that by their owne negligente they procure to the? selues many a woe,* for that they haue not prouidently foresene the euill approching, others beyng already fallen into extremi?tie are not so vigilant in watchyng of all opportunitie of redresse, in takyng the oc?casions by those good meanes, which their wise trauaile (by the blessing of God vpon it) might haue procured vnto them, against both which this doctrine doth teache vs a lesson to bee noted, that seyng afflictions come from God (and are not els good) who onely knoweth on whom, when and how they shalbe imposed, if we desire to haue no trouble but whiche bringeth the fauour of God with it, we must so prouidently fore?cast, and vse all good meanes so carefully, that we neuer be (through our owne negli?gence) the cause of our owne trouble.
Page  [unnumbered][ 4] (Of the Deuill) that is, it was decreed of God the Father, and brought to passe by the guidaunce of Gods spirite, that Ie?sus Christ (the Sonne of God) should bee tempted of the common enemy to God and man (the Deuill.)* The name wherewith he is here termed, doth signifie in the origi?nall tongue, whiche the holy Ghost vseth, a false accuser or a carpyng disgracer, that seeketh by all subtill cauilles to disgrace the truth & those that vphold it: by whiche name is notably paynted out vnto vs, the nature of our spirituall aduersarie, to be a false accuser, and cauillyng wra?gler, which we may see by him put in practise continu?ally. 1 He falsely accused God, to cnuye the good estate of man, and therefore for?bad him the tree of knowledge of good and euill.2 Hee falsely accused Iob to serue God, not with singlenesse of hart, in duetie and with an vpright conscie?ce, but because God had blessed him: and therefore adueu?ched playnely and impudently, that if God would but touche him, Iob would curse him to his face: whiche,* nature we may see also in his children that are marked with his stampe: For if you talke with them ofPage  [unnumbered]those that doe vnfaynedly feare God: they will either falsely accuse them not to bee the persons they make shew for, (or the no?tes of godlynesse appearyng in them most euident) yet they will so lessen, extenuate, and clip the glorye of their holy conuersa?tion, that they wilbe sure that (asmuch as in the? lyeth) they shalbe disgraced. But (to returne) the tempter beyng thus described to be so cunning and so subtle, we may first see what great care and diligent payneful?nesse must bee in the course of our whole life, that not alone in the matter of godly?nesse, but also in the maner, we walke very vprightly.* For if our archeenimy or his members can but catch the least defect in the simplest circumstaunce of any of our actions, they thinke it matter inough to cauill vpon, and sufficie?t occasion to speake agaynst vs and our whole profession: Se?condly we may behold the qualitie and af?fection of Sathan in the temptations of man, and thereby how it differreth from the mynde of God in the same: For Gods intent is to trye his to fine them the more, that they may be (as the purest gold) most glorious instrumentes for his prayse: butPage  [unnumbered]the purpose of Sathan is, to darken,* extin?guish, & vtterly ouerthrow, all good things in man, and (at length) ma? himselfe to end?lesse perdition, and so the selfe same action appeareth good in God, but euill in Sa?than.
[ 5] (Iesus was led.) The sonne of the eter?nall God, equall with the Father and one with him, man like vnto vs in all thynges (1 yet without sinne) was assayled of that spirituall aduersarie the deuill. This may seeme very straunge that hee in whose na?ture was no corruption, (and therefore no matter for Sathan to worke vppon) should be tempted: but we are first to co?sider that he was very man,* in whom all naturall af?fectio?s (which of themselues are not euill) rested: whiche before they were corrupted, were capable of temptations, as we see in Adam and Heua, who were created2 ex?ceedyng good, and yet sinned not, vntill they yelded to Sathans suggestions, in whiche pure estate Christ Iesus is man. Secondly he tooke vppon him out nature, to the end that in the same he might ouer?come, (in which we are conquered of Sa?than, when he is encountered onely by ourPage  [unnumbered]owne power) so that it is not onely no straunge thyng, that he was tempted, but a thing most needefull for our benefite and comfortable for our consciences.* The cau?ses that moued him thereunto bee further to be considered, which are in number ma?ny: first, that he might (euen in temptation) wynne that, which our first parentes lost, in whiche respect, the Apostle Paule ma?keth an Antythesis betwixt Adam1 and Christ, because the one did recouer that whiche the other had lost, whiche is not in matter onely, but euen in maner also. Se?condly, that we might see and know, what a professed enemy Satha? is vnto mankind, that durst presume to assayle (euen) the sonne of God, when hee was in the forme of man. Thyrdly that he might ouercome in the fleshe, to the end that we commyng into the like combate, and fighting against the same aduersarie, may learne not to quayle or languishe, but valiauntly to set vpo? him, certaynly hoping that as our head ouerthrew him in the flesh, so will he giue power to vs (his weake members) to doe the same. Fourthly, that we may know, that temptations, tryals, and extremitiesPage  [unnumbered]whatsoeuer, can be fall vnto man, are not signes of Gods displeasure (as the worlde imagineth) for somuch as the sonne of God was partaker of them. Fiftly that in his owne person hee might shewe the manner how the aduersarie is to bee resisted, that we (who are his members) and therefore are to walke as he hath set himselfe for an example, might learne to follow him in the same. Sixtly that he hauyng experi?ence of temptations might haue the more 1 compassion towardes vs and therfore be more ready and willyng at all assayes to helpe vs.
[ 6] (To bee tempted) we see the partie that was tempted, whiche temptation is first set downe in generall, that hee was temp?ted (as Luke sayth) for the space of fourtie dayes, for (although the particular, & most especial tryall is set downe afterward, and hee is sayd to bee there fourtie dayes) we must not imagine that he was idle, but in that he was led thyther to be tempted, it must needes be, that he was in the whole course of that tyme assayled by the enemy.
Before we come to the particular temp?tations, let vs consider briefly what is toPage  [unnumbered]be founde in the Scripture, of temptatio?s, so farre as may co?cerne our present instru?ction.* And first for the word (whiche in our common speache is seldome spoken of but in euill part) it is vsed in the Scriptures both in the Hebrew and Greeke tongue in more generall signification, to trye, and the same word is most commonly vsed in both the languages,* whether mention be made of good or euill tryalles, and is of it selfe (not restrayned to parties or circumstaun?ces) indifferently to be taken.
The parties that the Scriptures tell vs, doe tempt or trye, be God, Sathan, and man: God is sayd to try1Abraham2Iob and the Israelites: Also Pharaoh Nabu?chadnezar. &c. When the Lord tryeth his seruauntes,* it is either with good successe after sharpe estate, or with extremitie af?ter happy successe, which is to the end that their faythfulnesse may appeare, and in all these thynges, they (settyng God before their eyes,* the chief goodnesse of man and preferryng his obedience before their own pleasures) doe cary an euen hand, acknow?ledgyng euery condition to come of God. The wicked on the other side, if the LordPage  [unnumbered]try them with extremitie, they burst out into blasphemie as1Pharaoh: or impati?encie as2Achitophell: or els giue them selues to all vnlawfull meanes of escape, as3Saule, if with good successe in world?ly blessinges, they abuse them, some to E?pycurisme, as4Diues, some to pride as5Nebuchadnezar:some to reuenge:6 as Absolon: some to forget God, as the7Is?raelites, so that by this may wee notably examine our selues, how we stand affected towardes the Lord, for it is most certayne, that we are within the compasse of one of these sortes of people,* Satha? tryed,8Iob,9Peter10Achab. &c. For he sifteth both the godly & wicked, the godly by the sight of Gods word & power of his spirite do re?sist him: the wicked take vp all the baytes layd for them and obey him: and therefore are not so properly sayd to be tryed. As for example, when hee assayleth man to the breach of any of the commaundementes of God and the practising of any sinne, the childe of God seyng that it is contrary to Gods word, (and therfore must needes be of the Deuil) striueth by all good meanes, to ouercome and to stand sure to the coursePage  [unnumbered]of true godlynesse. Contrarywise the wic?ked is caryed away with the present de?light of sinne, and coueteth the same with greedynesse. By this also we haue occasion to examine our selues in what estate we stand. The Scriptures tell vs also, that man doth trye: and that is two wayes, ei?ther he tryeth God,* or he tryeth man: hee tryeth GOD, when by continuaunce in sinne, and presumyng vpon Gods mercies, he proueth his patience,1 so did the Isra?elites often: such he, they among vs, that when they heare that God is mercyfull & ready to forgiue doe vpon the same gather to them selues immunitie to sinne. But the Scripture speaketh most fearefully, of such, that2 their damnation is iust, that they were3 foreordayned to that condem?nation: that they abusing Gods4 patie?ce which should lead them to repentaunce, do heape vp vnto them selues wrath agaynst the day of wrath, he tryeth man, when hee doth any thing wherewith to moue his pa?tience, or to greeue him: many such there be, who are driuen of Satha? into such im?pudencie and obstinacie, that they wil not onely goe on vnto all sinne, in the wholePage  [unnumbered]course of their life: but they will the ra?ther sinne, if they thinke it will greeue him that is wont to reproue them, cleane forgetting that themselues, beyng the of?fenders, the vengeaunce of God shall fall (not on the hearer, reprouing it according to his1 duetie) but on the doer of that whereby God is offended: This place is of Christ Iesus his temptyng by Satha?, and therefore is properly to be vnderstoode of those temptations,* wherewith the god?ly are assayled of Sathan their sworne ene?mie,* the causes that moue him thereunto, bee first in respect of God:* secondly of the godly thirdly of himselfe.* Of God, for that hee in iustice hath inflicted the payne of e?ternall woe vppon him for his rebellion,* (whiche he knoweth to be irreuocable and his former estate past recouerie) and ther?fore he laboureth (as he thincketh) to be re?uenged of God in assayling his people: in vexing him in his seruauntes: and seeking to lessen his kingdome by seducing of those whom it hath pleased God of his mercy to make worthy that calling. He doth it also in respect of man, whose estate he doth en?uie, for that it is better then his owne, andPage  [unnumbered]therefore hee laboureth by all extremities that he can deuise to vexe him in the same, to make it lesse ioyous vnto him, and to bring him, (if it were possible) to thincke his condition odious in his owne eyes: hee doth it moreouer in regard of himself, who knowyng that hee is finally to be damned, and that he is the kyng of hell, and Prince of perdition, laboureth by all meanes to bring (if it could be) the very elect into the compasse of the same, for the enlargyng of his kingdome: beyng desirous to haue all others partakers with him in that endlesse torment whereunto he is finally adiudged. The course that he taketh in these tempta?tions, is not forthwith to set before the eyes of the godly, the thing that he aymeth at, (for hee knoweth that in soule they are brought to abhorre it) but first he will sley?ly suggest into their myndes, the cogitati?ons and motions of his intent, whiche if they rest vpon, and doe not forthwith beate them backe, he will goe a step further, to witt, to bring them to consent thereunto: which once being gotten, there remayneth nothing (for the partie is wonne vnto him) but to put ye same in execution, the meanesPage  [unnumbered]whereof shall quickely bee prompted into him: so that the slightes of the enemy be?ing so subtle, if euer wee thinke to auoyde the? we must haue these two thinges,* wise?dome to discerne him, and power to resiste him. This wisedome is not humaine, nei?ther by nature, arte nor experience, but the true knowledge of Gods worde, whereby to be able to discerne the1 things that dif?fer, without which we runne headlong in?to our enemies handes and (such is our na?turall blindnesse) chose to hearken to his motions and like well of them, because he can turne him selfe into2 an Aungell of light, and make vertue to seeme vglie and vice beautifull vnto man, vnto this wise?dome and true knowledge is also power to resist him requisite to be adioyned, for to no purpose were it, if we could neuer so cun?ningly deciphar the subtilties of Sathan and discerne them at the first, vnlesse we be also able to resiste him, (for els haue we but gotten this, that where other men goe headlong into destruction and know not of it, we should wittingly & willingly do the same) this power is no way to be sought or founde within our selues, or in any thingPage  [unnumbered]that we can do, but onely of the Lord, who as he is able, so is hee willing to helpe all those that seeke to him: for so hee sayth, 1 come vnto me all ye that trauaile and are heauie burthened and I will ease you, 2 aske and you shall haue, seeke and ye shall finde, nowe this commyng vnto him is by Fayth, and repentaunce, care?fully vsing those meanes that hee hath prescribed in his word, and this must not onely be, but it must also be without delay, resisting the beginning. For Sathan is farre more easely driuen backe in the first beginning,* then afterward when he hath got more hold, for as by his continuaunce he groweth great in man, so doth he dayly lessen mans power to resist, and therfore it is no putting of from day to day, as is the maner of the wicked that know not God.
The thinges wherein he tempteth,* be diswading from euery good thing, and per?swading to the contrary: he diswadeth fro? goodnesse, by shewing the impossibilitie, the trouble and small necessitie of it: as for example when thou goest about to seeke to know Iesus Christ out of his word for thy owne comfort, hee will tell thee,* that thePage  [unnumbered]Scriptures are exceeding long, meruei?lous hard to be vnderstood, and thou hast such and such businesse to employ thy selfe about, that it is vnpossible that euer thou shouldest attayne vnto it: Also, that the troubles which do acco?pany such a course be innumerable and intollerable, as these, the world will note thee to be a puritane, and so thou shalt be come odious vnto thy frendes, who heretofore haue loued thee: persecutions haue euer bene styrred vp a?gaynst such persons, so that whereas thou now dwellest safe & hast the world at will, thou shalt be in hazard of losses, disquiet?nesse and great vexation, whereas hereto?fore thou hast taken thy pleasure in euery thyng, now must thou leaue them, thou must lay aside thy pompe and brauerie, thy dayntenesse and delightes, so that thou hadst better bee out of the worlde then to liue so austerely, besides this hee will tell thee, that it is a thyng, not so needefull, for the depth of knowledge belongeth to Di?uines and great learned me?•it is sufficient for thee to know a litle, beyng a priuate man• and to bee so strict in thy life as to follow Gods word in all pointes, is butPage  [unnumbered]curiositie, & to much scrupulousnes, for ma? is not saued by his workes, but by Gods mercy, and if thou shouldest doe thus, they would thinke, that thou art singular & con?temnest all others in respect of thy selfe, so doth he deale in seducing from euery good thing he will make thee thinke thou shalt neuer attayne vnto it, it were a turmoyle vnto thee to practise it, & it is a thyng not so needefull,* yu shalt do wel inough without it. But the child of God is to learne, that if it be a thing that God hath co?maunded, a thing whereby god may gayne glory & his Church benefite, & thine own soule co?fort, yu must be of an inuincible courage, neuer dispayre at the troubles, but co?mit the suc?cesse to him that commaundeth: & to know that it is a thing that is most needefull, or els God was vnwise to enioyne it to thee: Agayne, he perswadeth to euill by so many co?trary reasons, propounding, the profite, & pleasure, & remouyng the payne & terrour.* He will tell thee the necessitie of it, how yu canst not be without it in this world, how beneficiall & delightfull it is vnto thee, & how easie to be attained. As for exa?ple, whe? he would haue thee of no Religion, but aPage  [unnumbered]playne Atheist and tymeseruer, he will tell thee, that the worldes estate is ticklishe & vncertaine, subiect to chaunge and altera?tion, so that if thou shouldest stand stiffly to one Religion, thou shouldest be in daunger of great trouble, therfore vse thy selfe so, in the tyme of this Religion, that when a co??trary doth come, thou mayest be ready also to professe that, the necessitie and pleasure of it is great, for so shalt thou bee sure to haue all thy possessions to thy selfe, and thy posteritie, thou shalt liue quietly without any feare of alteration. And for the course it selfe it is very easely to be attayned: for if thou doe onely in a litle outward appea?raunce, satisfie the worldes request it is sufficient. But all this while hee stealeth out of thy mynde, the vew of Gods seuere vengeaunce agaynst carelesse caytiffes, his horrible punishement to them that are1 neither hote nor cold, to them that2deny him before men: and this or the like cause Satha? taketh in perswadyng to any sinne.* But the true Christian for the auoyding of these sleightes, must remember that there is but one God, and therefore no Religion can please him but one, that he created andPage  [unnumbered]I redeemed man to serue him,1 and therfore he may not make a small accompt of it:2 his soule is more precious then his body, and therefore it must principally bee pro?uided for: the Lordes protection is ouer his people, and therfore they neede3 not feare what man can doe vnto them:4 all things fall out of the best for the that feare God, & therfore come death, or life, losse of goodes or whatsoeuer els,* it shall be good for me: the parties that feele these temptations most, bee the holyest and the godlyest per?sons, as we see by Dauid, Paule, and Iesus Christ in this place. For the further that a man is gone from his allegeaunce, the so?rer foe he is vnto him, and endeuoureth the more earnestly to reclayme him agayne: but the other, that are not yet regenerated, he possesseth wholly in peace, and they obey him without resistaunce. For (beyng blind for lacke of knowledge, and sencelesse of sinne) they are led blindfold by him & wil?lingly into destruction,* and therfore to bee tempted, is not as man thinketh a dete?stable, but a comfortable thyng, and there?fore the5 Apostle Iames exhorteth vs to accompt it an exceedyng ioy, when we fallPage  [unnumbered]into diuers temptations. Most ignoraunt?ly then do they wish that seyng godly ones in afflictions of mynde, say (as is the ma?ner of many) they would not for all the world be in that case, al one as if the should say they would not for all the world be out of the clutches of the Deuill, nor bee the souldiour of Christ Iesus, to dyd him bat?taile. This temptation in the godly is ef?fectuall diuers wayes: First it aduaunceth greatly the glory of GOD:*for when so straunge and subtle an enemy, so greatly experienced in deceite, shalbe vanquished by so meane an instrument as a ma?, weake & subiect to so many infirmities, the power of GOD appeareth most mighty,* and his might most gloriously performed in1 weakenesse.* Agayne it giueth notable o?uerthrow to the enemy, and disappointeth him of his purposes: for beyng resisted he 2 flyeth away. Lastly it is beneficiall to the partie tempted two wayes: First it as?sureth his soule of the loue of God the Fa?ther to him,* whose presence he hath experi?ence of, in the beating backe of so puissaunt an aduersary: Secondly it confirmeth the myndes of the brethren to be fully perswa?ded,Page  [unnumbered]that God doth loue him (and therfore to haue all holy communion with him) be?cause they see that Sathan (whose power & sleightes they are not ignorau?t of) hath so notable an ouerthrowe in so weake an in?strument.
¶The second Sermon.

Verse. 2. 3. 4.
2. And when hee had fasted fourtie dayes, and fourtie nightes, hee was afterwarde hungry.
3. Then came to him the tempter, and sayd, If thou be the sonne of God, commaunde that these stones be made bread.
4. But he aunswering, sayd, It is written, ma? shall not liue by bread onely, but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
[ 7] ANd when he had. Now come we to the consideration of the particular tryall (which I so call in respect, that it is ex?pressedPage  [unnumbered]to vs in more particular manner) before whiche is to be considered, his pre?paratio? thereunto contained in the wordes followyng.
(When hee had fasted fourtie dayes and fourtie nightes) that is when he had bene in the wildernesse among the wilde beastes, and tasted no manner of foode for the space of fourtie dayes and fourtie nightes, in all which tyme, hee was not hungry, neither had any desire of corporall nourishment, for it is sayd, that hee was afterward hungry. The Papistes (who Apishly doe counter?fete* euery thing in the Scriptures, especi?ally those that do no way appertaine vnto them) would grounde vpon this place their Lenton Fast, and that (forsoth) they reason: Is not all that is writte?, set downe for our learnyng? is not euery action of Christ our instruction? doth hee not byd vs learne of him? and that we must take vp our Crosse and follow him: all whiche (so long as they speake generally) is true: and (being right?ly applyed) is also in particular true: but it doth not follow that therfore euery action that Christ Iesus did, it is to be imitated of vs. For the Euangelistes do commendePage  [unnumbered]vnto vs,* three sortes of actions done by our Sauiour Christ Iesus: the first are the ac?tions that were to bee done for the accom?plishment of the worke of our redemption, to wit, to be begotten without the helpe of man, to be borne of a Uirgin, to satisfie the wrath of God on the Crosse for the rede?p?tion of man: to rise agayne the thyrd day: to ascend to the right hand of god the Fa?ther and there to make intercession for ma? vnto god. Which no man will say, that we must follow. The second sort are his mira?cles, whiche hee wrought in the world, as turnyng water into wine, walking vppon the Seas, causing the surgyng waues to cease with his word, healing (in a moment) the sicke, clensing the leapers, raysing the dead: in the nu?ber whereof is this fasting, all whiche were done, not that we should striue to do the like, which neuer ma? could do sauing those to who? (in wonderfull ma?ner) he gaue the gift of doyng miracles, as the Apostles in the primatiue Churche, for the further confirmyng of their doctrine a?mong the ge?tiles, but partly to shew most euidently, that he is very god and therfore the true M••sias: and partely for the morePage  [unnumbered]assuraunce and confirmation (as the1 E?ua?gelist Iohn sayth) of our fayth: The third sorte of actions bee, his obedience to god his father: his humilitie in submitting him selfe (euen to the least) to do them good: his patience in all extremities: and his loue (e?uen) to his enemies: which we are not one?ly to labour to follow in some measure, but (which more is) to propounde vnto our sel?ues his perfection therein, and neuer to co??tent our selues with any scantlyng, but al?wayes to striue to bee more and more con?formed thereunto by imitatyng of him: But let vs a litle consider how aptly their actio? is proportionably vnto their paterne,* Christ in that whole space eate nothyng at all, they will onely refrayne from certaine meates of their owne shoulyng out, and in all others gordge themselues in most deli?cate maner: Christ did it but once and ne?uer after, they must do it euery yeare once: Christ did it, led by the spirite, they do it of their owne head, without the direction of gods spirite, for they haue no warrant for it in the word, & the spirite goeth not without the company of the word: Christ (onely did it) & forbad no particular meates, they al?lowPage  [unnumbered]certaine meates & forbid the rest, & so 1 teache the doctrine of Deuils: Lastly, Christ prescribed no set tyme of abstine?ce, nor the Apostles after him, neither knew the primatiue Church any for 400. yeares after they prescribe a determinate tyme (by an inuiolable law vnder ye great eurse) as that of the Meedes and Persians whiche may not be altered. But let them goe, and let vs come to the right vse of this action, whiche is, first in fulfillyng that which the like (of2Moyses deliueryng the law and 3Eliah restoring the law) did prefigure: to shewe that it is he who is the end of the law, and the fulfiller of the same, to the tur?nyng away of the curse, which through the breach thereof was due vnto all mankind: Secondly, it is to shew that great and ex?traordinarie actio?s are not to be enterpri?sed lightly or rashly, but with great & singu¦lar preparation, which beyng not obserued among vs. the Lord doth iustly punish our headynes, with ill successe (as is especially to be sene in ye course of the Magistracie & Ministry of this whole land) the Lord lay it not to their charge whose fault it is.
[ 8] (He was afterward hungry) that is for thePage  [unnumbered]space of the 40. dayes he was not hungry. But when they were ended he was: which declareth playnly that it was an exceeding miracle, and therefore not of vs to be fol?lowed:* we learne by this, first, that Christ Iesus though he was the eternall sonne of the euerlastyng God, yet he was also true and very man: for els could he not be sub?iect vnto hunger, which is the proper pas?sion of the flesh and bloud: Agayne hee be?yng hungry was in the wildernesse,* & had no present meanes to releiue him, to teach vs, for our co?fort, that we beyng in the like distresse, yet are we not to dispaire of gods prouidence, neither to condemne our sel?ues as out of the fauour of god: for somuch as it was, the condition of the sonne of god himselfe. But (which is the speciall drift of this place) Sathan came then vnto him to tempt him in speciall maner,* to shew vs the cunnyng of this Foxe, that doth then assayle the sonne of God in the matter of foode) as we shall see anone) when he is hu??gry, for he can watch his times, when most opportunitie serueth, and when or where man is weakest and most like to bee most easely ouerthrowne. Whiche we may seePage  [unnumbered]obserued by the holy ghost in the Scriptu?res to be his wonted maner: He set not vp?pon Eue while the Lord was placyng her with her husband, nor while Adam1 was with her, but when she was alone most de?stitute of succour: neither did hee begyn with Adam when he ment the ouerthrow of mankynde, but with the woma? the wea?ker vessell: he laboured not with Dauid (to entice him to adultry) before he was king, beyng set an worke (by the malice of his foes) with continuall trouble, nor after he was kyng either in his warres with his foraine aduersaries, or in his house beyng compassed with his seruaunts & subiectes, but when he was2 walkyng (alone) on the roofe of his palace: hee sought not to fift Peter while he was in the company of Christ Iesus and his Disciples (whose pre?sence and comfort might haue supported him) but when hee was among a company of rakehels the high3 Priestes seruyng men by the fire side. The Scripture is full of such examples, and all is to this end, to teach vs diligently to stand vpo? our garde and to watch our owne wayes very ware?ly, for when we seeme in our owne eyes inPage  [unnumbered]most happy estate, then are we most easely deceiued, so simple we be in spiritual mat?ters and so subtil our enemy is to take vs at the aduauntage.
[ 9] (Then the tempter came vnto him) the ma?ner of the speciall temptation followeth, whiche may seeme to bee either in visible presence,* (as some haue taken this place) or in sounde of voyce vnto the outwarde eares: but if we do compare his commyng with the maner of his proceedyng, and co??sider of Christes temptatio?s accordyng to the right end thereof, we shall playnly per?ceiue, that this commyng of the tempter vnto hin, is onely in motion, for where it is sayd in the wordes following hereafter, that hee shewed him all the kyngdomes of the world in a moment, if his temptyng of him were in corporall maner, it were vn?possible. For though Christ be God (and therfore infinite) yet is hee in body finite, and was in his corporalleyes able (onely) to see so farre as another man, whiche is not the thousand part of the world, & ther?fore it must be in motion that he did shew them vnto him, & so consequently he came vnto him not in bodely manner, but by of?feryngPage  [unnumbered]vnto him such cogitations: Agayne Christ Iesus taking vpon him our estate, not onely to redeeme vs, but also to bee an example vnto vs, how can his temptatio?s be our comforte when we are tempted, if they were of diuers kyndes. For it is eui?dent, that the temptations of Gods chil?dren be inward by cogitations, and there?fore the holy Ghost in the Epistle to the Hebrewes, sayth notably, that1 hee was tempted in all thynges like vnto vs, this onely excepted that his temptations were (in him without sinne) so that it serueth to our great comforte, that whensoeuer Sa?than doth any way seeke to draw vs away from the fayth and loue of our God, or co??forte of our soules, be his thoughtes neuer so secret and slye, yet it is no strau?ge thyng (though it be straunge to vs) for somuch as he attempted the same, or the like (euen) a?gaynst our head.
[ 10] (If thou be) now come we to the first as?sault which hath in it (beyng rightly consi?dered) two braunches, first he laboureth to bryng him to deubte whether hee bee the sonne of God or no: secondly to cause him vse vnlawfull meanes for the satisfying ofPage  [unnumbered]his hunger: (If thou be the sonne of God) as if he should say, thou takest thy selfe to bee the sonne of God, & in deede such a voyce was heard in the ayre, whe? thou wast bap?tised, which to be so, is iustly to be doubted. For the sonne of God is the heyre of all, to him must all Angels giue obedience, and all creatures doe seruice & be at his becke: how can it then bee that thou shouldest be he, and yet be in such extremitie, not onely to lacke the host of heauen to shew thy ma?iestie, but euen to want the necessary foode that should refresh thy body: it is vnpossi?ble that the Lord of heauen & earth should suffer his owne sonne, whom he loueth to come to such extremitie. This is a maruei?lous sore temptation, which not onely be?fell to Christ the head, but euen is incident also vnto his members. If we looke into the booke of Iob and all those speaches that his three frendes (Eliphaz Bildad, andSo?phar) vttered concernyng the power, wise?dome and iustice of God, we shall see that they doe tend onely to this, that Iob beyng in such extremitie could not bee in the fa?uour of God so highly as he professed, nei?ther could it be, if his so glorious professio?Page  [unnumbered](in the tyme of his peace) had bene sincere & single, that euer hee should fall into such miserie. This motion commeth too often, & sticketh to neare (not the ribbes) but the hart of the dearest child of God. For if we consider the present estate of our soules, how weake and faynt our fayth is,* yea and how it is (to our owne feeling) often tymes vtterly gone, our sinnes which we professe to be buried in obliuion with the Lord, and vtterly to be rased out in the bloudsheding of Christ Iesus, doe yet notwithstandyng (often) so assayle vs, lye so heauie vpon vs, and are so vitter vnto vs, as if the very paynes of hell had already seased and ta?ken possession of vs. In which case, (the ho?lyest doe best know, how often) the motion of doubting co?meth into our myndes, say?ing vnto vs, if God the father loued me, I should see his countenaunce: if Christ Ie?sus were my head, I should tast of his gra?ces: if my sinnes were forgiuen me, they would not so presse and oppresse me: how can it be that the seuere countenaunce of God should bee turned to them, whom hee loueth. Agayne for the estate of our bodies:* notwithstandyng that the righteous arePage  [unnumbered]the1 heyres of heauen and earth, for that they be2 fellow heyres with Christ Je?sus their head, yet how many are their mi?series here, in3 pouertie, in sickenesse, in trauaile in turmoyle, in slaunder and re?proch, in troubles for the profession of the truth: in troubles about the matters of this life: in troubles with their wiues, and wiues with their husbandes: with their children and seruaunts, hated of them that know them, and the? that neuer saw them, yea euen of their dearest & nearest frendes after the flesh. Then commeth in this mo?tion, can I perswade my selfe to bee in the fauour of GOD, beyng beset with such a world of trouble, and co?passed about with so great a sea of molestations?* agaynst all these and such like, our Sauiour Christes example doth minister vnto vs most singu?lar comforte: for concernyng the grief of soule, for sinne, was euer any man more or somuch loaden as he was when (hauing not his owne but our sinnes layd vpon him) he suffered the very tormentes of hell, in such wise that he burst out into these speaches of most bitter agony,4 my God my God why hast thou forsaken me? agayne for thePage  [unnumbered]troubles of the body, doth any thyng befall vnto thee that hee felt not? thou lackest foode, he was1 hungry & had nothyng, to eate: yu hast no possessio?, neither any world?ly stay to take to, hee had2 not where to hyde his head: thy fri?des become thy foes, his owne3 seruaunt and scholer betrayed him, thy owne kinsfolkes like not of thee, and hee had such good entertainement of his, that he sayth4 that a Prophet is not without honour, saue in his owne countrey & among his owne kindred: the world ha?teth thee without a cause, so it did5 him, beyng without sinne: they reward thee e?uil for good, he6 went ouer Jerusalem, and would haue gathered them as the hen gathereth her chickins, and they cryed7 Crucifie him, Crucifie him: Thou wisheth & workest their wealth & they abuse thee, he wrought their saluation, and they nay?led him to the Crosse, so that his example in all our extremities is our stay and com?fort, that whatsoeuer befall vnto vs (al?though it seeme straunge vnto vs, for that we haue not bene experienced in it, and for that it is vnpleasaunt vnto fleshe and bloude) not onely hee himselfe hath bro?kenPage  [unnumbered]the Ise, and gone through the same to geue vs an example: but euen it hath bene the continual course that God hath set his dearest & best beloued seruauntes to wade through from tyme to tyme.
[ 11] (Commaunde that these stones bee made bread) this is the second braunche of this temptation,* which Sathan subtilly infer?reth vpon the other, either in particular be?yng confessed, or in generall being denyed: for the particular he reasoneth thus: If it be so that thou wilt not bee brought from that by no meanes, but that thou wilt needes hold it for an vndoubted truth, that thou art the very sonne of God, then know this, that euery thyng is at thy commau?de?me?t and wilbe obedient at thy word, ther?fore (that thou mayest be prouided for now in thy extremitie, and not languishe for want of foode) seyng that here is no ordi?nary way of prouision, commaunde these stones that they leaue their naturall hard?nesse, and become conuenient nourishment for thine hungry body: a conclusion in rea?son very plausible, for God may doe what hee will and who may finde fault with it? for there is no law, to the law giuer, but hePage  [unnumbered]that made it may dispence with it, and he that is aboue it, is exempted fro? it. If you marke it well,* the whole drift of Satha? is, to shew Christ what great libertie he hath, and to perswade him to vse it: whiche is a temptation that the godly are much haun?ted withall, for when Sathan cannot per?swade them by all the extremities that are incident vnto them both in soule and body, that they are out of the fauour of God, the? commeth he with a counterbuffet shewyng them the largenesse of their libertie, & how many thynges are lawfull for him that is not vnder the law but vnder grace. Which is a very sore temptation and preuayleth with many in very many thynges that are euidently forbidden in the worde of God, especially, carelessenes and worldlynesse which we are to be very warie of, for it is a great step towardes that fearefull estate of those that1 turne the grace of God in?to wantonnesse, and those that thinke they may sinne,2 because they are not vnder the law, but vnder grace. Whose damna?tion the holy Ghost pronounceth to be iust, and who were before ordained to condem?nation. But it behoueth the true Christia?Page  [unnumbered]euer to stand vpon this terme: that though he be freed from sinne, yet is he carefully to striue agaynst sinne, though he be brought into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God, yet is it not that hee should any way serue sinne, but being freed from the stynge and guilt of sinne, and the curse of the law, might1 giue ouer his members to serue the liuyng God2 in all righteousnesse & true holynes all the dayes of his life: Now for the generall hee reasoneth thus:* surely thou canst not be the sonne of God, for els would he prouide for thee: & therefore thou must euen make shift for thy selfe, by some meanes as thou canst, for surely God for?getteth to bee carefull for thee, in that he offereth not present meanes of helpe. And this is also a sore temptation, & such a one as hath ouertaken the deare children of God. For3Abraham not seeyng law?full meanes to auoyde the crueltie of theAegiptians, did vse vnlawfull, by teachyng his wife to lye: Sara4 in laughyng after the promised seede gaue her mayde to her husband: Lot5 (to protect the strau?gers) offerred his daughters to be abused of the Sodomites, the6 midwiues of Egypt toPage  [unnumbered]saue the children, lyed to the kyng, Rahab1 to saue the spyes, lyed to them of Jeri?cho, the Scripture is full (but the world is more full) of such examples: for many that would loath an euill entent, doth Sathan ouertake in this to make them to bryng a good thyng to passe by vnlawfull meanes,*or to doe euill vnder the pretence and shew of goodnesse: the man that thirsteth after gayne, and desireth to be rich, committeth many a wicked fact in ye course of his trade, as in facyng, lyeing, swearyng, exacting, inhansing, deceiuyng, and what not? and all vnder pretence of this, we must liue we must vtter our wares, we must follow our trade,* we must prouide for our familie. The man that is in any extremitie, in bo?dy, in goods or credite, will easely striue by all lawfull vnlawfull meanes, to wynde himselfe out, as for exa?ple, if thou be poore, the deuill will tell thee thou must steale, for thou must liue: if thou buy an euill bar?gayne, and be like to haue great losse (thou must coulour the matter and post it ouer into an other mans necke, for thou must not willingly be vndone) if thou wouldest perswade an other in a thing which he wilPage  [unnumbered]hardly beleeue, thou mayest curse & sweare (for els he will not beleeue thee) but all this while in what estate are they? euen in the same that Sathan would haue persua?ded Christ Jesus that hee was in, namely to bee forsaken of God, to bee left to their owne prouision, then which there cannot be a more haynous sinne against the Lord: we must learne then (if we will profite by this doctrine) not onely (in most carefull wise) to goe about that which is good, but also to attempt it by godly and lawfull meanes, least while Sathan ouertake vs not in the matter, he goe behinde vs in the maner.
[ 12] (But Iesus sayd vnto him it is written. &c.) The aunswere of Christ Jesus vnto this subtill cauill of Satha? is,* thus much in ef?fect: I know that the ordinarie way which God my heauenly father hath appointed to nourishe his children withall, is bread (by which the Scripture meaneth all kinde of but yet he is not tyed vnto y• course foode) alwayes, his prouide?ce is larger, then that it should fayle, where ordinarie meanes are wanting, and therfore though I see not in the course of nature any present foode forPage  [unnumbered]my repast, yet his protection is not so straite laced that hee is not able any other wayes to prouide for me, vnlesse I do that whiche is vnlawfull to be done, especially at thy commaundement: and for the assu?raunce of this which I speake agaynst thy cauilling lye, I haue the expresse word of God on my side to ouerthrow thee: so that this beyng (in brief) the summe and sub?staunce of the aunswere of our Sauiour Christ, doth minister vnto vs diuers doc?trines for our instruction.* First we learne with what weapons we must fight agaynst Sathan, our spirituall enemy, for Christ who is our captaine, of vs is to be followed encountering with Satha? his sworne eni?my, doth lift vp agaynst him this weapon: (it is writte?) that is beateth him back with the word of God, whiche is therfore called 1 the sworde of the spirite for that it is2 sharper then a two edged sworde, cuttyng downe all imaginations whatsoeuer are reared vp agaynst the truth: & fayth which is ingendred in the hart of man is called the3 shield to quench all the firie dartes of the wicked, beyng of force by reason of that righteousnesse of Christ Jesus (where?withPage  [unnumbered]it is lined) to discry and driue away all the temptations of Sathan,* bee they throwne against it neuer so cu?ningly, those then that doe depriue men of this heauenly and onely defence for their soules, from the handes of Sathan, whether they hee Papistes denying the vse of the Scriptu?res to ignoraunt people, or carnall Gospel?lers which thinke preaching not so neede?full, so that seruice (as they call it) be read distinctly, and therefore vpon euery thyng wherewith they are disconte?ted, will seeke to muste or vtterly displace (euen) him that hath all the giftes (in notable measure) re?quired by S.Paule out of the Lordes by?neyard, that he should not dresse it. Let the? pretend what they can, and alledge what siggeleaues it please them wherewith to hide their shame, they are guiltie of the de?struction of so many soules as by them might haue bene instructed, and shalbe a?rayned, and (without repentau?ce) conuicted of highe treason agaynst Jesus Christ, in the day of Judgement, and shalbe founde guiltie of sinne so much more haynous the? that of Iudas, by how much the betraying of thousandes of soules into the handes ofPage  [unnumbered]Sathan, to eternall death, is greater then the deliuering of the body of one innocent man, to the temporall death of the body. Besides these (for so much as the bloud of the sheepe though it shalbe1 required at ye hand of the shepheard, yet the sheepe shall dye in his own sinnes) they also that either for couetousnesse will not helpe forwarde: or for worldlinesse will not attende vnto: or for negligence frequent not,* or by blind?nesse esteeme not, the continuall and ordi?narie preaching of the gospel (though they thinke it a thyng not so needefull and ther?fore come not vnto it, vntill they haue no?thing els to do) for so much as (els) they lye open for Sathan to wounde the? at his plea?sure, they shall also be conuicted in the day of reckoning, for guilty, of wilfull murthe?ring their owne soules.* For if we say, (and that truely) that he who will venture with charge of money alone, to trauaile ouer places suspected for robberie, without his weapo?s, is worthy to be robbed, for that he runneth into the handes of his enemie: much rather shall he bee so esteemed of al?mightie God a caster of himselfe willing?ly into the handes of the deuill, that trauai?lyngPage  [unnumbered]by y• theeuish places of this world (I meane the roaring of Sathan) regardeth not to haue this sword of Gods word girt to his side, nor to be fenced with the sheilde of fayth, but goyng on in the course of flesh & bloud, runneth willingly where Sathan will haue him, and seeth it not, for that he is blind1 not knowyng the Scriptures for his direction defence and comfort. If the truth of this were surely settled into our soules that we were persuaded it were so, we should haue a more lust and longing, for the knowledge of Gods word, then yet euer we had, & (euen) spare some tyme from our necessarie affaires of this world, (much more from our vanities and fleshly pleasu?res) for the publicke hearing and priuate reading of that word by whiche we shalbe 2 iudged in the end. Agayne, Christ Je?sus beyng God, hauing the whole world at his co?maundement, might haue beate him backe by the power of his might, and neuer haue spoken worde to him: But we are to note that as he came into the world, to be our redeemer, so did hee likewise, to set vs an example co?tinually in such cases as be?fell vnto him, to be followed. For whichePage  [unnumbered]cause hee taketh not himselfe to his power as he is God:* But to the word prescribed vnto ma?, to teach vs, that if we will buckle with Sathan in deede, and if euer we will truely persuade our selues of hope of victo?rie, we must learne to resist him, not as we in our own foolish wisedome thinke meet, but accordyng as our head (whereunto we must be conformed) Christ Jesus hath ge?uen vs an example in his owne person: A lesson very needefull to bee put in practise, which very fewe haue yet learned. For if you came to him that sinneth and (accor?dyng to your1 duetie) reprouing him, and persuading him to amendement,1 doe wish hym to beware of the subtiltie of Sa?than,1 and take heede that hee carie him not headlong into perdition: tushe (sayth he) I defie the deuill and all his workes, I trust he shal neuer haue power ouer me: I trow, I am not so simple, but I know, what is what,*and in the meane while hee maketh no conscience of any sinne: cares not for the knowledge of the word of God: but rather mocketh and molesteth them that do & all this while hee persuadeth himselfe that the deuill can neuer come neare him: whenPage  [unnumbered](poore soule) he is euen running headlong to destruction and seeth it not.* But Satha? will geue the leaue (nay he wil teach thee) to defie him: to spit at the namyng of him: and to rayle agaynst him: & make thee be?leeue it is sufficient, and yet will haue thee take the way that goeth directly vnto hell: if we (then) will learne to be wise, we must haue Gods word in our hartes to light vs: in our mouthes to speake for vs: and in our conuersation, to rule vs and then we shalbe sure to stand fast. The place of Scripture which Christ here vseth, is written in the eight Chapter of the booke of1 Deutero?nomie: where the holy Ghost (by the mouth of Moyses) exhorting the people of Israell to obedie?ce vnto Gods commaundements, sheweth how the Lord did in most wonder?full maner, trye, and prouide for them in the wildernesse, not geuyng them an ordi?narie meanes to get their meate withall, but in miraculous wise fed them with Manna from heauen: to shew that it is not bread onely that man liueth by: but by eue?ry word of God: that is euery decree and determination, that God in his wisedome seeth meete to put in execution, for so muchPage  [unnumbered]as hee can both make1 aboundaunce, of meates to bee vnprofitable for the preser?uations of mans life: and also preserue ma? in all extremities, when foode is wantyng & not to be had Which doth teach vs first, y• God is not tyed to outwarde meanes.* But at his good pleasure both can & will feede man, as well with bread, as without it, and prouide for man when all helpe of the crea?ture fayleth: which is a sure staffe to leane vnto, in the tyme of extremitie & distresse. Agayne that we take heede, that to the a?uoydyng of any inconuenience, we neuer vse any vnlawfull wayes, or commit any sinne agaynst God, for our own benefite, or ease: both which we see most notably prac?tised by those2 three faythfull seruaunts of God, condemned by Nabuchadnezar to bee burned in the firie fornace, saying O Nabuchadnezar,* we are not carefull to au??swere thee in this matter, behold our God whom we serue, is able to deliuer vs from the hote firie fornace, and hee will deliuer vs out of thy hand O kyng: but if not: be it knowne vnto thee (O kyng) that we will not serue thy Gods, nor worship the golde? Image thou hast set vp: where we see (forPage  [unnumbered]our example) 1. how they confesse the pow?er of God. 2. beleeue to haue the benefite of it in their distresse, 3. determine to suffer any extremitie rather then to sinne against God. O that such fayth, such zeale, such feare, and obedience were in vs: then should Gods power shine among vs more won?derfully in preseruyng his & shewyng him selfe their God, the? it doth. We learne fur?ther by this place, that as God is not tyed to meanes,* but can helpe without it when he list, & will when it is meete for his glo?ry and the comfort of his: so also hee is not tyed vnto meanes to geue it a blessing, for we see many that haue outward helpes at will, and yet the blessing of God, not be?ing vpon them, they are vnprofitable vnto them. Which doctrine (for our instruction) hath a double vse: first in particular con?cernyng foode (whiche is especially here mentioned) that for so much as God hath geuen man leaue to vse all his creatures, and to feede of them (yet with prayer,1 & thankesgeuyng) that we neuer presume to lay handes vpon the same to apply them to our bodies in the nourishment thereof, but first we call vpo? the name of God, that hisPage  [unnumbered]blessing may bee vppon the same, that hee would sanctifie them vnto vs, and vs vnto him selfe in such maner, that they may bee of force (by his power geuen vnto them) to nourish our bodies: knowyng that howsoe?uer the vse of them be common, and there?fore seeme vnto carnall men to haue pow?er in them selues to giue nourishment: yet we know by fayth grounded on Gods own word, that he that made bread, not onely ca? but also hath threatned that hee will, for the disobedie?ce of man,1 breake the staffe of bread, that is take away his blessing fro? it, that it beyng eaten shall not feede nor nourish vs. Which lesson I would to God that the prophane and Godlesse people of the world could once learne: who groue?ling vpon the grounde like hogges, and ne?uer lifting vp their myndes to God the au?thour of all those blessinges that they plen?tifully inioye, do fall to their foode like the horse to his prouender,* and beyng satisfied, depart away like the beast of the field with out vndersta?dyng: and as for him, by whose meates they are satisfied, hee neuer comes into their remembraunce, vnlesse it bee by tearyng him in peeces to blaspheme hisPage  [unnumbered]most holy name. But if they did know, that euen while they sit eatyng and drinckyng, the ha?d of God1 writteth vpon the wall, determinyng their destruction, if they knew how GOD made the2 quayles (a daintie foode) to come out at the nostrells of the Israelites in most loathsome sorte: or if they considered that GOD might iustly choke them with euery morsell that en?treth into their mouthes, they would bee more carefull to learne the lesson taught by the holy Ghost, that3 whatsoeuer we doe, whether we eate or drinke or what els soeuer, that all must be done to the glory & prayse of God, who is to be blessed for euer and euer. It is also a lesson to vs in gene?rall, concernyng all the rest of Gods crea?tures: that for as much as a man may bee great, and cursed of God, as was Pharaoh: rich and goe to hell with Diues: that wee doe not build our selues strong vpon them, thinkyng if we haue them, who may con?troll vs? and so doe what we list (as we see it is the maner of men that know not god) but contrarywise,* saying with our selues, if god meane to send a famine vpon me, all the corne in my garner shall not saue me:Page  [unnumbered]if plague and pestilence, my walled houses cannot preserue me from it: if fire & sword, my riches will not helpe me: and therefore that we pray continually vnto god, that he will so blesse his owne riches bestowed vp?on vs, & so guide vs in the vse of the same, that he by vs and them, may bee glorified, and not they turned as faggots to increase the fire of his wrathfull indignation a?gaynst vs.
¶The thyrd Sermon.

Verse. 5. 6. 7.
5. Then the Deuill tooke him vp into the holy Citie, and set him on a pinacle of the Temple.
6. And sayd vnto him. If thou be the sonne of God, cast thy selfe downe: for it is writ?ten, that hee will giue his Angels charge ouer thee, and with their handes they shall lift thee vp, least at any tyme tho• shouldest dash thy foote agaynst a stone
7. Iesus said vnto him, It is written agay• Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God
Page  [unnumbered][ 13] THen the Deuill tooke him vp) we haue sene the subtiltie of Sathan, agaynst the sonne of God in the first temptation, and how hee in most notable manner hath driue? him backe, and put him to the foyle:* a ma? would thinke that now Satha? should see, that he is the sonne of God, and so ne?uer attempt any more to assayle him, for feare of an other repulse, but he playes the part of an inuincible fighter, that hauyng offered a blow to the head, & seyng it war?ded, doth offer agayne, not at that place, but at an other: hopyng if he cannot speede, at one place, that yet he may hit in an other: for Sathan offereth not agayne, with the same temptation, but tryeth an other way cleane contrary vnto the other, as we shall see hereafter. The first thing that offereth it selfe to our consideration is the tyme when this second temptation was, namely forthwith vpo? the end of the other. Where?in may seeme to arise a doubt: for seyng that Luke telleth vs that this was the last, ???Mathew (here) that it was presently ??? the first, they may seeme to be co?•ra?••ne to the other. But we are to notePage  [unnumbered](for the solution of the doubt) that it is not the purpose of the Euangelistes to be pre?cise in the obseruyng of y• tymes, but care?fully to set downe y•thing, and therfore did euery one of them (as we see if we co?ferre the? together) set downe the things as they came conueniently to hand. Now for so much as this second te?ptation is in a mat?ter cleane contrary vnto the former, & we know (by the worde of God and our owne experience) that it is the course of Sathan, so to assayle: it may appeare that Mathew hath rather set them downe accordyng to the tyme wherein they were done, then Luke.The thyng then that we are first to insiste vppon in this place, is, the tyme of this temptation (that is) when the first tri?all was ended, then began the second to be taken in hand. Whereby we are first to learne this lesson, that when one storme or trouble is past,* and the grief of one afflic?tion ended, we must not then looke to rest vnmolested: which is worthy to be noted, for we see that fleshe and bloud naturally, persuadeth it selfe, that (one broyle beyng once ouercome) we shalbe in quietnesse and securitie afterwarde: but we may not beePage  [unnumbered]lulled in the cradle of securitie in such ma?ner, but learne, that for so much as our life 1 is a continuall warrefare: and man is2 borne to trauaile as the birde to flye: and Satha? is a sworne enemy to our peace and well fare: that we assure our selues so long as we tarie in this body3 of clay, we shal?be sure that the end of one trouble must be the begynning of an other,* and surely the due consideration of this bringeth greate case vnto him that weyeth it a right. For what is the cause that wee see so many in triall and tribulation, either impatient, or counting it vntollerable, vtterly to relent but onely this, that they haue promised vn?to them selues peace and safetie, dreame of an heauen vpo? earth, and hoping to liue as they would wish? who beyng disappoin?ted of their purpose, and falling into such a sodden sorrow (which they neuer thought vppon) doe most lamentably increase vnto themselues their owne woe. If then we will profite aright by this doctrine, wee must rather looke for the worse, then the best, and the? shall no estate too much moue vs, but in euery condition (whether of pro?speritie or aduersitie) we shall set our handPage  [unnumbered]1 to the plough, not lookyng backe, and so shalbe founde meete for the kyngdome of God. Agayne it ministreth vnto vs a doc?trine of exceeding co?fort, for though trou?bles come, one in the necke of an other, yet is not our whole life one onely trouble, without intermission. Wherein appeareth the exceedyng loue of our good and graci?ous God, who knowing our weakenesse, & pitieng our estate, hath in his vnspeakable wisedome, so tempered the afflictions of his seruauntes, that yet in the midst of the same, he geueth exceedyng comfort.* For he knoweth well inough, that if our warrefar should be one, & euer in like maner, with?out intermission, or alteration, we should fainte long before we come to the goale. Therfore it hath pleased his gracious Ma?iestie, to make them many and diuers, and to make them short, that we might haue ex?perience of his presence, in our deliuerau?ce and so be hartened on to encounter agayne with the more valour,* knowing that the enemy being heretofore beaten backe, will agayn be more easilie ouerthrowne, whe? he seeth y• victorer set vpon him a freshe: And also haue dayly proofe of the present handPage  [unnumbered]of God to assiste vs agaynst that huge and harmefull aduersarie.
[ 14] (He tooke him vp. &c.) Now it remaineth that we consider the place where this was done, to wit the holy Citie (meaning Hie?rusale?) so called (not in respect that it was a place of it selfe more holy then other pla?ces (nay) it was the? a place of greatest cor?ruption) but for that it had the sacrifices, & publicke seruice of God in it, and for that there was wont to be great holynesse, whe? the Israelites truely feared God. We must not take this place as though hee caried him thether in deede, but (as I said before) in motion, labouring to suggeste such per?suasio?s into his mynde: now in that the ho?ly ghost meaning Ierusalem, calleth it the holy Citie, he doth (no doubt) geue vs there by to vnderstand, what was the subtiltie of Sathan herein, to weete, to assayle him wt this temptation, in such a place, as might seeme to bee most voyde of Sathans pre?sence: thereby labouring the more cu?ning?ly to deceiue: Wherein we may learne a lesson most needefull to be obserued, to wit that Sathan (such is his subtiltie) when he goeth about to seduce any (that maketh aPage  [unnumbered]conscience of sinne,* & knoweth in any mea?sure how GOD is to be serued and hath a care to put the same in practise) hee will not attempt his purpose, in the name of sin, but sleely vnder ye coulour of a good thing: for we see here that he bringeth Christ Je?sus vnto Jerusalem, where he might seeme to be most voyde of any molestatio?, & there goeth about to moleste him, for (in deede) he wilbe sure to be in those1 places, and prying into those exercises, that of them?selues be most excellent. As for example, if he can not persuade with thee, to leaue of, or neuer enterprise the hearing of the word of God (because thou knowest it must bee heard) if hee can neither make thy profite keepe thee at home, nor thy pleasures cause thee to be imployed els where:* yet will he seeke to deceaue thee when thou commest there: for either hee will labour to put into thy mynde, the consideration of such a busi?nes that thou hast at home, or such a thyng that thou hast left vndone: or to make thee heauie and fall on sleepe: or els if hee can not preuayle that way,* hee will put other motions into thy minde (which of themsel?ues are very good and godly) to this endePage  [unnumbered]that he may steale thy hart from attending vnto the doctrine in ha?d. And this is a mar?ueilous subtiltie: for who would thinke that it were Sathan that putteth good co?gitations into a mans mynde. But it is most certaine, that if he can preuayle no o?ther way, yet will hee haue thee imployed in an other matter, lesse needefull for thee at that insta?t, to the end that he may make thee sinne agaynst GOD, in not listening vnto him when he speaketh vnto thee: and that he may depriue thee of the benefite of that doctrine then deliuered. I speake not all this while of those, whose myndes hee doth carie away, by the wandring of the eye, by beholdyng this man and that man: yea & often the disquietnesse of some, where at thou art greatly greeued, doth hee also vse as a meane to drawe thy hart from the thyng in hand.* The same course he taketh (euen) in the holy action of prayer, howe hard a thyng is it, for a man to pray zea?lously, feelingly, and attentiuely? either he will make thee heauy, and therfore he will say thou art vnfit to prayer, & so let it passe for that tyme: or thou feelest not the re?morse of conscience for sinne, which here?toforePage  [unnumbered]thou hast or which thou shouldest, & therefore he will bid thee take heede thou prayest not least yu offend god in thy prayer. Or if by neither of these meanes hee can dissuade thee from that holy exercise, yet will he come stealing on thee to take away thy hart from that which thou speakest, & so make it vnprofitable vnto thee. So that the true child of God doth know (for to the rest these thinges are parables) how diffi?culte and hard a thing it is to offer vnto the Lord this sacrifice, in such maner, that it may be a sweete smelling sauour in his nostrels. And when I consider the horrible estate, whereunto (euen in the eyes of ma?) Sathan hath brought the world, it maketh me quayle for feare,* and maruaile how the Lord in his iustice can abide such propha?ning of his name, and abusing of his most holy word, as is euery where to be founde. For though we be gone from the Papistes in this pointe, that we vse not an vnknowne toung (yet in the most places) we differre from them in nothing els. For we rest vp?pon the worke wrought as they did, we tosse it from poste? to piller as they did in one word, if a number of prayers he sayd,Page  [unnumbered]and a taske done, it is thought good prayer. In y• meane while the hart of him yt pray?eth is alienated, his eyes wander hether & thether: & (if neuer so little occasion to be offered) his tongue shal also beimployed to speake to him y• is next him, these be they that1 offer the sacrifice of fooles, but the Lord wilbe surely reuenged of these and such like dealinges: and of them also by whose occasion so great abhominations be committed. Let vs therfore (whiche is the drift of my speach) carefully take heede (se?ing Sathan is so subtil, that he wil labour to make the best exercises vnprofitable vn?to vs, and cause vs (vnlesse we take good heede) to sinne greeuously in them agaynst the Lord) that we continually praye vnto the Lord our god, that it would please him to direct vs, by his holy spirite, that our ad?uersarie deceiue vs not in the same. Let vs learne neuer to enterprise any such action rashly,* or soddenly (as commonly men doe) but reuerentlie, & diligently consider with our selues aforehand, what we goe about, and craue the Lordes assistaunce therein. It is not onely said that Christ was caried into Jerusalem, but also that he was pla?cedPage  [unnumbered]on the pinacle of the temple, in a most highe and eminent place aboue the rest of the whole Citie, where Sathan thought more commodiouslie to assayle him, and to be more free vpon him: Teaching vnto vs this doctrine,* that he is most bitter against those that are in highest estate, and condi?tion, and laboureth aboue all to seduce the?: because he knoweth that, as the Cedar tree is not cut downe, but in the fall thereof, all the shrubes, and inferiour trees are crushed with it so farre as it reacheth: euen so the fall of the greatest, carieth many inferious to fall with him: which Salomonwell obser?ued, whe? he sayd of a1 Prince that hark?neth vnto lyes, all his seruauntes are wic?ked, and our Sauiour Christ that sayd, if 2 the shepheard be smitten, all his sheepe are dispersed. And therefore we see that great men are brought often tymes into a most monsterous course of life, because the enemy hath laboured by the? to seduce ma?ny. We see moreouer that the Ministers of the word of God, because they bee stan?dard bearers in the host of Christ, are ei?ther, ouerthrowne by Sathan into world?linesse and vayne glory (whiche experiencePage  [unnumbered]teacheth vs to be true) or so mightely hac?ked at, by time seruers, and enemies to the truth, with tossing vp and downe, slau?ders, vile reproches, & such like, that they seeme euen to be the butte, for all mens venomed arrowes to bee shot at, and (as the Apostle sayth)1 the of scouringes of the world, & a gasing stocke to men and angels, and all because of this that the candle2 whiche they carie in their hand, is so deadly hated of the enemy, that he will neuer cease, vn?till it be extinguished or greatly darkened. If behoueth therefore all those,* whom the Lord hath set a loft in the church to be tea?chers, or the common weale to bee rulers, to watch their own wayes in most carefull maner: knowing, that if they do not great?ly aduaunce the glory of God (by the dis?charging of their duetie in an vpright con?scie?ce) their lifting vp to heauen (in regard of their excellent calling, in this worke) shalbe a meanes to throwe them the lower downe, into hell, & so to increase their con?demnation, for that they haue abused gods great graces (geuen them to aduaunce his glory) and turned them into meanes of dis?gracing the same.
Page  [unnumbered][ 15] (And sayd vnto him if thou be the sonne of God, cast thy selfe downe headlong) as if hee should haue sayd, if thou bee certaine that thou art the very sonne of GOD,* of such Maiestie and power: it is meete and con?uenient, that thou liue not here so ob?scurely, in a corner, but that thou make it knowne vnto the world, by some notable and singular miracle, that they may haue occasion, to geue thee that honour, which is due to such a person: for which there is no more fit way, then now that thou art here aloft, vpon the toppe of the temple (whiche is in this Citie where thy fathers name is called vpon, and he dayly serued) to throw thy selfe downe, from hence headlong vnto the grounde: which when the men of Jeru?salem doe behold, they can not chuse but co??fesse thee to be the onely, and very sonne of the euerlasting God, and receiue thee with a common applause, to be their Sauiour & redeemer, and so aduaunce thee among the? vnto great honour. This is in effect the summe of this temptation. Whereby we see an example of the wonderfull subtil?tie of Sathan, wherein we may note di?uers doctrines for our instruction. FirstPage  [unnumbered]how that the enemy (repeatyng agayne the former part of the first temptation, where?in he hauing the foyle, doth yet vse it as an occasion to set vpon the sonne of GOD a fresh) doth playnely declare himselfe to be of great skil and of an inuincible mynde, a?gaynst him, whom hee laboureth to ouer?throw, for if hee dealt thus with him, in whom he founde no shadow of inclination, nor weakenesse, in the maner of resistau?ce, much more will he at vs agayne, who? once he is va?quished, who (howsoeuer it pleaseth God to make vs1 more then conquerous in him that hath loued vs) ca? not chose but see in vs much weakenesses: greate fain?ting and infirmitie, in our afflictions: and therfore we may seeme (to him) to geue iust cause of hope that at length he shal captiue vs vnto his desire. UUhereof we are to marke this vse vnto our selues, that we ne?uer rest vpon any thing that we ca? do: nei?ther euer extenuate the power of Sathan in our owne imaginations (which the holy ghost hath described to be so2 great) but in continuall view of his strength and sub?tiltie, and contrariwise, our owne infirmi?tie and blindnesse, alwayes to relye vpponPage  [unnumbered]Iesus Christ our head,* shrouding our sel?ues vnder the wings of his protection: set?tyng him euer in the forefronte of the bat?taile? and then shall we bee sure, to get the victorie. Agayne we may see in the maner of this te?ptation an other of Sathans iu?glinges most needefull to bee obserued: to wit, how he assayleth not Christ Jesus wt the same agayne, or any like to it, but with a newe temptation cleane contrary to the former,* saying that thou mayest be sure i?nough from doubting, cast thy selfe downe, that thou mayest see that yu are the sonne of God to the end (as no doubt he imagined) that Christ might no way suspect it to bee the motion of euill, being so contrary vnto the other: but rather a confident ioye vpon the victory: wherewith (although hee could not deceaue the sonne of God, yet) he pre?uaileth marueilously with it, in the world: for (if we shall view the thing in his parti?culars) we see, y• seyng Satha? can not pre?uayle in the world, to keepe it still drow?ned in blinde ignoraunce, and supersti?tious deuotion: but that the same is descri?bed openly vnto men, to be detestable and leadyng to finall destruction: now doth hePage  [unnumbered]labour to bring men vnto Atheisme, and to be iust of no Religion at all. Wherewith how greatly he preuaileth (to the great dis?honor of God, & grief of all the godly) it is most manifest: for to put on the name of Religion is present with euery man, and to put of the title of Poperie (because the law doth so) but to come to the point (which in deede is the marke of a true Christian) so to1 refuse the counsell of the vngodly: so to shunne the waye of sinners: and so to abhorre the seate of the scornefull: as with all (for so the originall text is to be expou??ded in that place) to meditate in the law of God day and night, to make it2 a la?terne to our feete, and a light vnto our pathes: to lay downe all our wisedome, and our owne wayes, at the feete of Jesus Christ: and to be contented, both in Judgement, & in pra?ctise of life, to let the lyne of the worde di?rect vs. how sew such are there founde, and how thinne be they sowne, throughout this whole la?d? and all because of this,* that Sa?than would persuade vs, that the further we be from zeale: from godly life: fro? feare of offending God and his Church: the fur?ther we be from Poperie, and therfore thePage  [unnumbered]safer, as in this one example shall appeare: when we doe, by the word of GOD iustly co?demne, the tyranny and butchery of that Antechrist in captiuyng the consciences of men, vnder his slauish subiection, and then doe heare that the word of God hath pres?cribed an order in his Church to bridle the varulinesse, & amend the abuses that rest in euery one, who is called a brother: if once we desire to haue the same executed, that offences may be taken away (oh say they) yt were euen to become slaues vnto Poperie agayne: and therfore that they neuer come neare that, they wilbe sure to geue them selues to all libertie and loosenesse: in the meane while, they forget that Sathan laboured to practise so with our Sauiour Christ Iesus, to driue him too farre into ye contrary extremitie. If he can not preuaile with man to make him couetously minded, to be alwayes pludding vpo? worldly cares, that all good things may be choked in him (whereunto almost) euery man yeldeth: the? will he at him with the contrary, to driue him to carelessenesse, in respect of those thinges which he is bounde to looke vnto. In a word it is Sathans continuall prac?tise,Page  [unnumbered]neuer to let man rest in that golden meane which Gods word prescribeth, but euer to intise him to the one extremitie, or the other: and therfore we haue great need to pray vnto the Lord, to make vs wise har?ted, that we may see the course commaun?ded, and continually proceede in it. More?ouer, in ye Sathan, would haue him throw himselfe downe headlong, which is (as you haue heard) contrary vnto the other: it is to the ende that hee may make him vaynelie presumptuous, vpo? his owne power, which is a te?ptation greatly infecting the world, for notwithstandyng that we be in our sel?ues most foolish, ignoraunt, and simple, yet Sathan will steale all the sight of that out of mans mynde, and persuade him of him?selfe very highly. Whereupon it commeth that we see the whole worlde so caried a?way in pride and presumption, that euery man swelleth in his own conceite, seeking to disgrace all other men in respect of him selfe, and liketh of nothing bee it neuer so good, holy? or wisely done or sayd, but that which is forged in his owne imagination: but wee must learne the lesson of the holy Ghost set downe by the Apostle Paule, inPage  [unnumbered]1 geuing honor to preferre one & an other, and not our selues, in our owne blind per?suasion: Sathan laboureth not onely in this, to make Christ Jesus thinke too wel of himselfe, but also vppon the same to vse vnlawfull meanes, to make it knowne vn?to others, which is a brau?ch (if you marke it wel) secret poyson, wherewith he great?ly venometh mankynde. For when once he can bring man to thinke better of himselfe then others doe, or (in deede) is cause why he or they should: then will he ticle him wt vayne glory,* yt is with an inordinate desire of blazing his power & dignitie vnto men: whereunto when he can finde no fit instru?mentes, for the execution of the same, in such measure as hee would: rather then it shalbe vnatchiued (such is his thirst after prayse, & popular fame) he wilbe his owne spokesman, and pleade his owne cause, as we may see in the wordes & deedes of men: words, when men are not ashamed to com?mende of, and prayse themselues, shewyng in boasting maner what they can doe, and what great things they haue done (and of?ten, all starke lyes) thinkyng the matter neuer sufficiently knowne vntill themsel?uesPage  [unnumbered]lay it open,* in deede when me? and wo?me? (as we see in their practise will adorne (or rather disguise) them selues in such straunge and monstrous maner, as we see continually practised amongest vs: and all commeth from a braunch of that that Sa?than would gladly suggest into the sonne of God, to thinke it shall not otherwise bee knowne how noble, how worshipfull, how rich in liuynges, or great of byrth they are, and they persuade themselues, that euery man admireth their great estate thereby, when (poore soules) they take the readyest way, to be mocked and tau?ted of euery one that seeth them: esteemyng them rather of foolish, vayne, and wanton, then wise, sober, or honest behauiour. This kinde of decette is yet further to be ripped vp, for it is an infection that stealeth euen vpon him that is (otherwise) watchfull: for it is a maruei?lous hard thyng (such is our corruption) e?uen for the dearest children of God, to doe any thyng that is good, or be in any good e?state or condition, but as Sathan would haue had Christ to haue misdemeaned him selfe because hee was the sonne of God: so doth he exceedyngly labour, to make theirPage  [unnumbered]affections corrupt in the same manner. In respect whereof, I pray God that we ne?uer let passe from our remembraunce the saying of that singular vessell of God S. Paule, that sayth hee had the1 messenger of Sathan to buffet him (a pricke in his flesh) least he should be exalted aboue mea?sure, through the aboundaunce of reuelati?ons. For of all sinnes,* I am persuaded that the best and godliest ca? most hardly auoyde this, to doe any thing that is good, & not be proude of it: but let vs pray vnto God, for his grace, that our affections may be so re?formed, that we neuer ascribe any thyng to our selues, that is his: and then shall we neuer bee proude of that which is not our owne. Marke yet an other pointe of Sa?thans doinges? he carieth him vnto an high place, aboue the rest of the buildyng, but it is to the end, that he may throw him down the lower, and with the greater fall: for he meaneth neuer any thyng lesse then to be?nefite any man, but his purpose is continu?ally to seeke by all meanes his destruction: and yet will he set a goodly shewe vpon the matter, as though he laboured for his well?fare, to the ende he may the more easily de?ceaue:Page  [unnumbered]whereby we may see, that as Sa?than is contrary vnto God: so is his doyng most vnlike y• Lordes. For the Lord while he intendeth the profice of a man,* doth hu??ble him, cast him downe, and make him seeme base in his owne eyes, that hee may aduaunce him, lift him vp and adorne him with glory, and Sathan doth here cleane contrary to wit, exalteth highly, to the end he may throw downe the lower, and ther?fore we are to take heede of those thynges in this world, that either offer vnto vs pre?sent pleasure, or feede our humor in plea?sing of our selues. And on the other side, not despise the snubes and checkes that the Lord doth often lay vpon his people, for so much as (howsoeuer in present the former may be more delightfull yet) the latter in the ende (to him that hath the right vse of it) is farre more profitable. Lastly (to con?clude this point, & so to proceede) the drift of Sathan is to make him, beare him selfe to bolde vppon this that hee is the sonne of God. A practise wherewith he greatly pre?uaileth in the world. For where as GOD hath in his wisedome, set and appointed the places of men to bee diuers: some inPage  [unnumbered]great,* and some in meaner conditio?s: to the ende that by the greater his glorye might more eminently appeare in those whom he hath aduaunced: Sathan laboureth (and mightely preuaileth to deface this glori?ous ordinaunce of God, and to make it vn?profitable vnto that ende whereunto it is ordained, For he telleth Princes, & great personages, that for so much as they bee in so great and excellent estate all thyngs are lawfull for them: their will may bee their direction, and who may controll them? whereby they promise vnto the?selues great freedome to sinne: for that they are not to be censured by man (the meaner man also whom it pleaseth GOD to aduaunce, vnto dignitie, and great estate in the worlde, whereas he should reason thus: God hath in his great mercy dealt thus graciously with me, to preferre me, before many of myne e?quales and betters (no doubt) it is to this end, that I should in more notable manner aduau?ce his glory, and in greater measure bee a staffe vnto those that feare the Lord, and a shield to defe?d them agaynst the wic?ked: Sathan teacheth him to reason cleane contrary: as thus. Now I am adaunced,Page  [unnumbered]now am I inriched, now am I esteemed, I haue all thynges that I can desire,* what should now let me, why I may not geue my selfe vnto my pleasures, to feede my owne affections and be it right or wrong, who shal say nay vnto it? or who dare finde fault with it? I would to God that we had not too manifest experience, of such reaso?ninges: for where as great personages, should bee glorious in great and raxe ver?tues, for others to immitate, it falleth out (ofte?tymes) that they be patternes of most monstrous sins, vnto those that will learne to follow them. Sathan findeth such fruite towards the building vp of his kingdome, by this course, that hee infecteth all sortes of people by the same, so that not so much as the simple countreyman (if that hee can any way persuade himselfe, that superiour persons haue any good likyng of him) but will attempt whatsoeuer, shall any way serue his owne turne: alwayes thinkyng thus with himselfe: if I be crossed in it, I haue a frend,* a great man that will stand by me, and suffer me, not to haue the foyle. Fro? this fountaine doth arise all the trou?bles, and disorders that are euery where toPage  [unnumbered]be sene: which (if you marke well) you shall see, that it springeth from his brayne, that beareth himselfe bolde of his frendes that he can make, either in Court or in the cou??trey. And thus can Sathan cunningly de?ceaue the world. But (if it pleased God to put it in the harts of superiours on who? all wicked men do relye) it behoueth them to haue especiall care, who? they sta?d with, for so much as they can not choose but be guil?tie of the sinnes committed, by them, and it is now come to that passe, that a liuery coate maketh a man lawlesse where soeuer he dwelleth.
[ 16] (For it is written he shall geue his Angels charge ouer thee. &c.) Now come we to the reason that Satha? vseth,* to the end that he might with more probabilitie seeme to vrge no vnlawfull thing: his reason is thus much in effect. I persuade thee to nothyng, that either, may be any way offensiue, vnto GOD, or daungerous vnto thy person, for that which is writte? in Gods owne word, must needes please him well, & that which he hath promised, can not be vnperformed: and thou canst not bee ignoraunt that hee hath co?maunded his angels to take heede,Page  [unnumbered]vnto those that are his, & so to protect the?, agaynst all daungers that may seeme to be incident vnto them, that they shall not so much, as trippe or stumble at a stone, that lyeth in their way, a speach in appearau?ce, merueilous glorious, but in truth (beyng rightly sca?ned) most wicked and impious: for marke, his intent is (as we haue heard) to persuade Christ Jesus to sinne, and yet for the proofe of the same, hee will needes alledge the Scripture in which maner (be?fore we come to the text it selfe) there re?steth a double subtiltie, first he seyng him?selfe co?uicted by the Scripture, beginneth now to fight with the same weapon: both that hee may seeme to haue as much force on his side to persuade with, as Christ had in resistyng: and also, that he by taking that weapon into his ha?d, might cause the sonne of GOD to refuse it, and vse it no more a?gaynst him: either of which if he could ob?taine hee would not greatly doubt of the victorie. Which we are diligently to con?sider, and obserue: for Satha? knowyng that he is no way so wounded as with the word of God, vseth many sleightes from tyme to tyme, to depraue vs of the benefite of thePage  [unnumbered]same.* For either he will labour to take it vtterly away from vs (as he doth mighte?ly, by those miscreauntes the Papistes) or if he can not get that, yet will he vse some meanes or other, to make vs as good bee without it as haue it, by settyng before our eyes texte agaynst text, by shewyng vs the diuers sences wherein it hath bene taken: and all to this ende to make vs Acade?mickes, holding no certaintie of any parte of it. And therfore we haue great neede (es?pecially in these dayes, wherein the Scrip?tures are so many wayes abused & peruer?ted) to craue the Lordes gracious fauour, to open our eyes, and enlighten our vnder?standing, that we may see the1 misteries contained in his lawes: that we may with the knowledge of the text (in letter) vnder?stand also the spiritual sence and meanyng thereof, to the right reformation of our iudgements, and conuersations, according to the same. The seco?d braunch of the sub?tiltie 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 elsPage  [unnumbered]where warne vs of, namely, that hee can turne1 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• lowest hell. For would not a man thinke, that the eternall worde of the euerliuyng God, be?ing geuen vnto the sonnes of men, to teach vs to know God, and worship him aright, and to shewe vs the way to endlesse felici?tie, 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 wher?fore it is geuen vs) and yet behold how sa?than (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: espe?cially those,* that haue a generall likyng to Religion and yet are ???, in the true sence, and meanyng of the text: we see how Sathan c••ieth them from opinion to opinion and euery thyng that seemeth to haue any probable shewe of Scripture inPage  [unnumbered]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 con?sciences, 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 spirites1 whether they be of God or no: lest we (suffering the punishment of our owne carelessenesse) bee caried about with euery2 winde of doc?trine, by the deceite of men: but be so setled vppon the rocke3 Christ Jesus through the knowledge of the doctrine of the Pro?phetes 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 4 Psalme from whence he had them, you shall see a notable peece of cunnyng. For where as it is sayd here, that GOD willPage  [unnumbered]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 ther?fore he passeth it ouer. For the meanyng of the promise is, that God will protect them that walke in his wayes which he hath pre?scribed 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 head?long, but, to come downe by y• 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 exa?ple, when he would per?suade 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 whatsoeuer1 thou bindest on earth shalbe bounde in heauen, and whatsoeuer thou loosest in earth, shalbe loosed in hea?uen, but he will neuer tell him that this is restrained to the wordes of the commissionPage  [unnumbered]1 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,2 they shall no more be remembred, but hee will neuer geue him leaue to learne that the mercy3 of GOD leadeth to repen?taunce els thou heapest vp vnto thy selfe wrath agaynst the day of vengeaunce: whe? he would haue thee to be superstitiously de?uoute, and so not to care for the doctrine of the word, he hath a text4 pray continual?ly, but he will not tell thee that he whiche refuseth5 to heare the law, eue? his pray?ers are abhominable, and (in a worde) to cause thee make no co?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 yt the holy ghostPage  [unnumbered]teacheth vs in the word, least Sathan doe vtterly deceaue vs, to our owne destructio?, 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• 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 ye view of those that know not y• principles of Re?ligion, the consideration of Gods eternall decree in the predestinatio? of his elect, be?fore 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 aduaunce?ment of Gods glory, in their carefull obe?dience vnto his lawes, and commaunde?mentes: but rather, that he may make them altogether carelesse of any thing that con?cerneth God, or godlines: and so satisfie the lustes of their owne flesh with greedynesse in the whole course of their life. And there?fore he teacheth them to reason thus, GodsPage  [unnumbered]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 Lord in his word teacheth a cleane contrary con?clusion: the decree of God being vnchaun?geable, is yet secret, and knowne by none other meanes, but onely the fruites of it: whiche is the holy ghost assuring the con?science, and holy conuersation witnessing thereunto, and therfore I must labour (for the1 assuraunce of my saluation vnto my self) to liue in al holynes & godlines: & whe? I finde it, still to indeuour more & more o?bedience to the lawes of that most louyng and gracious God, that had such care ouer me, as to elect me, and ordaine me to salua?tion, before he made me. But as Sathan deceaueth the world in this pointe, so doth he in many other: as the free iustification onely by faith in Christ Jesus, doth hee set before the eyes of ma?, to make him neglect good workes: and so in all other points of true Religion.
[ 17] (Iesus sayd vnto him, it is written agayne,Page  [unnumbered]thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God) this is the aunswere of our Sauiour Christ, vnto the former assault,* which (being in wordes very brief) containeth, in effect thus much. Thou goest about to persuade me to doe that which is not lawfull: & for thy purpose thou seemest to alledge ytScripture. But know, thou this, that the place of yt Psalme (if it were true as thou alledgest it) should be contrary to an other text, where it is set downe, as a generall decree, of all men to bee followed for euer, that man must not tempt God by doyng those thyngs that are not warranted. In which aunswere (before we come to consider the wordes of the law alledged by Christ) we haue diuers lessons to be learned for our instruction. First in that hee (notwithstandyng that Sathan had presumed to vse the sworde of Gods word agaynst him) flyeth not to any other weapon (as accompting that either abused by the enemy, or vnable any way to serue his turne) we learne that although the ad?uersaries of the truth, do abuse the Scrip?tures, and peruert them to their owne de?struction: and though wicked me?, will (for the defence of sinne) and in mockyng ma?ner)Page  [unnumbered]take yt word of God in their mouthes,* yet is this no cause either to make vs care?lesse in searching yt foode of our soules out of the same: or to make it lesse of force to beate back, all our spiritual enemies. But rather to bee so much the more diligent, to meditate in the same day and night, that we may attayne vnto the true vnderstan?ding of that (for our owne comfort) which they snatching at, doe abuse to their eter?nall confusion. A lesson very needefull to be learned:* for we see that the deuil hath won?derfully preuailed with all me? in yt world (the true professours of Iesus Christ onely excepted) for if you reason with a Papist concerning any point of doctrine or an A?theist for the conuincing of any sinne, and for your warrant doe alledge the worde of God: tush (say they) euery man wil alledge Scripture for his defence, & so they thinke that they haue notably au?swered the mat?ter. But we are to learne, by the example of our Sauiour (in this place) that as the dronkarde abusing drinke, is no cause why I should refuse it, to quench my thirst: and the glutto? gordgeing himself with meate,* no cause why I should thinke meate there?byPage  [unnumbered]abused, or the blessing of God lessened in the same vnto me, for the satisfieng of my hungry body: no more was the abuse of Sathan in peruerting the Scriptures, any cause to driue Christ from defendyng his innocencie by the same: neither ought the godlesse practises of the wicked (in propha?ning the Scriptures) be any cause, why I should not make it still my direction to1 teach me true doctrine: to improue in my selfe and others erroneous opinions: to in?forme me in the way of godlinesse: to re?proue sinne and wickednesse: & to2 com?forte me in all calamities and distresses, Moreouer (if you marke the manner of Christes replye) you shall see how netably he pulleth away the visarde from Sathans face, and maketh him appeare in his owne kinde to be (as he is) an abuser of the scrip?tures, to a wicked purpose. Which is to be noted in this word (agayne) wherein, Christ maketh a contradiction (not betwixt scrip?ture and scripture) but betwixt the sence whereunto sathan would apply the text, & other places of the word of GOD: as if he should say, thou shewest thy selfe to be a de?prauer, in that thou wouldest haue a peecePage  [unnumbered]of Gods worde, so taken, as that it must needes cary with it, a manifest contrarie?tie, to other places of scripture, and there?fore thou doest abuse the text. A notable example, for our direction, when we deale with any man, that would haue the worde on his side:* to examine not onely the circu??staunces of the texte (as aboue) but also to see how that place produced by him in that his sence, accordeth with the rest of Gods word and the course thereof, wherewith if we finde it to consent, it is to be receaued, if not (by the example of the sonne of God in this place) it is otherwise to be expoun?ded. This doctrine (beyng rightly learned and vsed) is many wayes profitable. For it is first, a most excelle?t way (when we rea?son with others that being carnall, doe car?nally alledge the word) to reueale vnto the? (if they bee not wilfully blinded) their er?rour, and so to teach them to amend it. Be?sides that it is an excellent rule for vs to obserue in the reading (or by any meanes searching) the true sence of yt word of God: for oftentymes we shall meete with such places, that either by reason of the figura?tiue speach, or the phrase of the Hebrew, orPage  [unnumbered]Greeke text, which vnto our English tongue is often straunge) seeme to bee hard to bee vnderstoode, or diuersly to be taken, or els at the first sight is a Paradoxe, and strau?ge opinio?, in the course of Religion: then will, this lesson of our Sauiour Christ Jesus stand vs in good stead: namely it wil teach vs to conferre it, with other places of scrip?ture, and see how it may bee taken agrea?ble vnto them, & so expounded, according to the proportion of fayth: And further it will bee a notable shield vnto vs agaynst many and infinite temptatio?s of Sathan, where?with he laboureth to seduce vs. For he (al?most) neuer commeth vnto the godly in his owne name, but vnder coulour, and pre?tence of Gods word. Now if we haue the right vse of this lesson, it will teache vs to wey his drift to examine his proofe, and conferre it with the course of true Religi?on and godlines, and then shall we see, that howsoeuer the motion, that hee suggested into our mynde, seemed to haue his founda?tion from the Scriptures, yet was it no better then an illusion of the deuill, to en?tise vs to sinne. Moreouer in the manner of his aunswere, hee geueth vs an other mostPage  [unnumbered]excellent ensample for our instruction, for Sathan (in alledging the Scriptures) doth not alwayes leaue out a peece of the sen?tence, but sometymes he bringeth yt whole. Now as we are taught in the former doc?trine, to examine the sence, wherin he doth vse it: so (agayn) doth he teach vs, to examin the end whereat he aymeth, which Christ doth thus: Sathan alledging the promise of protection, driueth at this, to make the sonne of God sin agaynst his father: which Christ layeth open by ioyning yt co?mande?ment, with the promise and then he reaso?neth thus: My father neuer promised pro?tection vnto any that goe about to breake his commaundementes: now that whiche thou wouldest haue me to do, ca?not be per?formed without a direct breach of this law: Thou shalt not te?pt the Lord thy God. A most excellent pointe of Religion, for the Lord in his promises and co?maundementes, ay?meth at one thing, to witte, his obedience and the comfort of his children, for if hee say do this, yt conclusion is vnto a true chri?stian, yu therfore must obey him, or if he pro¦mise protectio?, mercy, spirituall, or tempo?rall blessings, the conclusion is (still) ther?forePage  [unnumbered]thou must obey him, if thou depend vp?pon him. So that this doctrine serueth to most notable vse, in the direction of mans whole life. It is true that God hath geuen vnto vs those lawes whiche (by reason of our naturall corruption) we are not able to fulfill, and therefore the authour of our saluation is onely, his mercy in his sonne Jesus Christ: yet are we to know, that the law of god is not thereby adnihillated, but 1 established, for the continuall course and direction of mans whole life: and therefore if we shall at any time, reason to our selues thus: I am saued by the mercy of GOD, therefore why should I be so strickt & pre?cise in my life? Let vs take heede, for in so doyng we turne2 the grace of God into wantonnesse: and if at any time this motio? shall come into our mynde:* I may doe such a thing, and I trust God will forgeue me, or, to bee thus, and thus obedient, to Gods word, and law, is a wearisome thing, God knoweth that we are fleshe & bloud, will beare with vs, let vs know, that it is the very temptation of Satha?, that seperateth the promise from the commaundeme?t: and would haue vs fall into sinne, and then letPage  [unnumbered]vs set this lesson before our eyes, that our Sauiour ioyned them both together, the one to shew vs the law of God, and to geue vs matter of true confidence in him: the o?ther to keepe vs in order, by continuall o?bedience vnto his lawes, to the adornyng of our profession by a godly life and co?uer?sation. Now let vs consider, the text, that our Sauiour Christ doth alledge which is writte? in Deut.1 Where Moyses (shew?ing the wonderful loue of god to the Israe?lites) persuadeth with them to take heede, how they walke, & what they do, least they tempt the Lord their God vnto anger: what it is to tempt God, we haue heard before, to wit, to try his power or his pa?tience: his power, when we, seeing hys mightie protection ouer vs, set downe in his word, doe take in hand some ventrous thing, to see whether it be true or no: hys patience, when we vnderstanding his se?uere vengeance pronounced in his word to light vpon the? that goe on carelesly in ini?quitie, doe notwithstanding, little (or no?thing at all) regard the same:* but presu?ming vpon his mercie and forgetting hys iustice) do giue our selues ouer to yt lustesPage  [unnumbered]of our owne fleshe: so that our Sauiour Christ alleageth that place to proue, that if hee should throwe himselfe downe head?long, he should tempt God, in the first sort, to wit in trying whether hee would pre?serue him or no. The doctrine (therefore) that we are to learne out of this place is this: that we must not onely haue an eye to this, that euery action which we take in hand, and euery thing that we goe about, be warranted by the word of God: but also that the maner thereof, and the meanes for the performance of the same, be suche as God himselfe hath appointed, and not such as we in our owne (foolishe wisedome) do like well of: which lesson) (if it were right?ly learned and put in execution) would be the cause of abridging many a mischief in common weales: of healing many a breath in Churches, and in letting many a ship?wracke of conscience that is euery day to be seene:*For if Princes and gouernours of kingdomes and common weales, could be contented, to lay downe all theyr honor at the1 feete of the sonne of God: and were persuaded that whatsoeuer they doe that pleaseth not him, is the greatest dis?honorPage  [unnumbered]that euer can befall them in y• world and the keeping of his commaunde •eutes (in the ruling of theyr people) their sole and onely true glorie. They woulde not so much make their will to be theyr law.* If those that would be counted the builders and maister workers in the erecting of the spirituall temple of God, could be conten?ted not onely to propound vnto themselues the building of the Churche of God, for their matter, that they would bring topasse but also (in the maner of the same) be con?tented to let the holy Ghost be theyr coun?seller, and to renounce theyr owne deuises, and let goe theyr worldly dignities: wee should not onely see the glorious beautie of the former temple (I meane the growyng of the gospell in the primatiue Churche) moste flourishingly to shine, for that the Lord woulde (according to hys promise) blesse his own ordinance, and institution: but also that kingdome of Antechrist, that hath so long bene wind-shaken (and yet fal?leth not•) quickely haue a most notable o?uerthrowe. If euery priuate person also, that hath taken vpon him the profession of the glorious gospell of Iesus Christ,* couldPage  [unnumbered]be contented (as were1 the Romaines) to obey from the heart, the forme of doctrine, wherunto he is deliuered (both for the fur?nishing of his iudgement in knowledge, and gouerning his life in practise) the name of God should not be so euill spoken of: the religion of God not so slaundered: nor the common enemie haue so iust cause to re?ioice, and say there, there, but in euery of these conditions, men are so wedded vnto theyr owne affections, and nature beareth such sway (by the instigation of the deuill) that either in the matter of theyr calling, or (at the least in the maner) they must haue a tricke of theyr own cunning: wher?by it commeth to passe (for asmuch as the Lord cannot abide to part stakes with any nor to giue his glory vnto any other)2 that the iust iudgement of the eternall & migh?tie God is vppon theyr labours, that they see moste lamentable successe in the same: and all for this, that they will presume, to prescribe vnto him, what is to be done, and to adde vnto his wisedome, whiche is euery way most pure, and perfect: but wee must learne (if we meane indeede, to profit by the doctrine of our Sauiour Christ inPage  [unnumbered]this place) not to tempt God in such sorte, but that he be our director, and counseller in euery thing that we take in hand, or els neuer presume to attempt it.
¶The fourth Sermon.

Verse. 8. 9. 10. 11.
8. Agayne the Deuill tooke him vp vnto an exceeding high mountayne and shewed him all the kingdomes of the world, and the glory of them,
9. And sayd to him, al these will I geue thee, if thou wilt fall downe and worship me.
10. Then sayd Iesus vnto him. Auoyde Sa?than: for it is written, thou shalt worshipp the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serue.
11. Then the Deuill left him: and beholde the Aungels came, and ministred vnto him.
[ 18] VNto an exceeding high moun?taine) the last temptation followeth to bee considered: The firste thyng whereof isPage  [unnumbered]the place whereunto hee brought Christ, that hee might worke his feate vpon him, whiche is a very high mountaine: not y• he caried him thether, in bodely maner, but (as they were before) offred vnto him such a co?gitation. Now in that Sathan (before hee offer vnto Christ the consideration of the thyng that he goeth about) doth first bryng him to a place (as he thinketh) most conue?nient for his purpose, we may behold in an other cuircumstaunce his cunnyng, and sub?tiltie, for as at the first hee tooke the ad?uauntage of the tyme: so here doth hee al?so of the place: yea and that before hee goeth aboute to practise the thyng. And this we haue diligently to note (that we may make good vse vnto our selues of it) for if Sathan begyn his practises agaynst the godly by bringing them into those pla?ces that are fittest for his purpose we are* carefully to take heede into what places and companies we doe come, and so much the rather in these dayes of sinne, whe? god?linesse is (almost euery where) barked at & sinne and wickednesse aduaunced and ex?tolled: so that a man shall scarse come into that company, but either he shall heare thePage  [unnumbered]Gospell of Iesus Christ, and the professors thereof euill spoken of, or the name of god (in common talke) blasphemed and taken in vayne, so that he is brought thereby in?to this straight, that hee must eyther con?sent by scilence, or sooth them vp in theyr sinnes and wickednes (and then hath Sa?than that for which hee brought him the?ther)* or els boldly (according to his duety) reproue the offenders and the? (oftentimes) the rage of the wicked is so incensed therby that he rather increaseth his dishonouring of god then (which were to be wished) ta?keth any warning to amend, and then shall the party that feareth god be greatly gree?ued, to see it, and (as many consciences be very tender) feare least he haue some way bene the cause of that outrage: how muche better (therefore) had it bene for such a one to haue taken heede before hand, and not to haue come there at al. Besides this incon?uenience, we see by experience, that manie are (often) ouertaken with that sinne (by frequenting wicked places and companie) whiche they before abhorred, and if they had known or feared that they should haue bene brought to that estate, they wouldePage  [unnumbered]haue preuented it:* as for example, manie one that in his conscience approueth the trueth of religion, and is perswaded that he ought to frequent the publike exercises of the same, and doth determine at suche a time to heare such a sermon: in the meane while falleth into the societie of the wic?ked and is among them that make no con?science of any such matter, who keepe hym worse imployed, vntill the time be past, so that when he entreth into consideration of the matter: he may iustly say with himself, surely, this companie with whome I haue bene, and this place where I was, haue frustrated my determination in better things. I speaks not al this while of drun?kennes: of whoredom: of gaming. and such like: which (oftentimes) are committed co??trary to the purpose of the partie: yea con?trary to his former affection and desire. And therefore (if euer thou meanest,* vnfey?nedly to take that course which beco?meth a true christian, and if thou wilt learne to discerne the subtitlties of Satan, to shunne them) beware of places of wickednes, and vngodly companie: and learne to frequent those places and that company where god?lines,Page  [unnumbered]is exercised, that when thou depar?test, thou mayst go away bettered, and not hindered thereby.
[ 19] (And shewed him all the kingdomes of the world, and the glory of them) we see howe the enemie wayted the opportunitie of the place, and yet hee findeth not all thinges fitly prepared to hys purpose, (for he hath experience of Christes wisedome in dis?cerning his intentes) and therfore he doth at the first onely shewe vnto Christ Iesus the matter wherein hee meaneth to tempt him: that is, he offereth vnto his considera?tion, the greatnes, the maiestie, magnifi?cence,* and glory of the kingdomes of the whole world: and so seemeth (for the time) to goe no further: wherein we may see that Satan dealing against one that hath geue? him the foyle before, and therefore (he is assured) liketh not of his practises doth vse himselfe more subtilly, then hee hath done: to teach vs, that the more, that the Lorde reuealeth his will vnto vs, and descrieth the sleightes of Satan, and the more troubles that hee hathe assayled vs withall, and we, thorow (Gods help) haue ouercome, the more slyly will he assault vs,Page  [unnumbered]to the ende that hee may more easily de?ceaue vs. And therfore we are not to make light of this enmitie, and so be carelesse (as many be) but (the forewarder wee be in the schoole of Christ) to walke the more warely, and circumspectly: knowing that our aduersarie watcheth vs moste deceiua?bly. Agayn behold how Satan offereth the bewtie of the thing, vnto his consideration & so letteth him alone: leauing (as it were) the obiect, and hys sences to work further. a matter worthy to be noted, for if Christ had bene (as all other men are) of a corrupt nature, it had bene a forcible way for hym to haue preuayled: which hee (knowing en?ough) doth vse against mankinde, and doth greatly ouertake them therwith:* for when he would bring thee to commit any sinne, he (knowing that thy nature is corrupt, & inclinable to any thing, sauing that which it should) doth offer the consideration of it vnto thy sences, as for example when hee would haue thee commit whoredome, hee will vse one meane or other, to bring thee to the sleight of the harlot & to behold her bewtie, whereunto if thy lust once geue consent, hee hath, what hee would hauePage  [unnumbered]for the resistaunce whereof we must learne that he1 that looketh vpon a woman and listeth after her in his hart committeth a?dultery, and therefore must we continually vse that notable prayer of Dauid.2 Lord turne away mine eyes that they behold not vanitie. If hee would bring thee to fall in?to dronkennesse, he will shewe to thy sight the coulour of the drinke, wherewith if y• once be delighted the? doth this follow, that thou wilt persuade thy selfe it is pleasaunt for thy tast. That we may also stay the be?ginnyng herein, we must learne the coun?sell that the holy Ghost geueth vs by the mouth of the wise kyng Salomon3 looke not then (sayth he) vppon the wine when it is red, and when it sheweth his coulour in the cup, or goeth downe pleasauntly: In the end thereof it wilbe like a serpent and hunt like a Cockatrise. To conclude, his first offer is in any temptation, to laye the thing (whiche of it selfe is lawfull) and thy sences together,* wherewith if he can see thee affected and moued, then will he pro?ceede, and therfore we haue great neede to take heede that our affections and desires doe not raunge abroad about the thingesPage  [unnumbered]that belong not vnto them, neither be too much delighted with the thinges that are of God alledged to man for his necessitie and delight: least Sathan get occasio? there?by to enter in with vs so farre, that we shal not bee able to resiste him. For though the world persuadeth it selfe, that thoughtes are free, and man may behold what he liste & wish at his pleasure, yet we must learne to tye vp our affections and keepe them in more straitly, least they open the doore to great and haynous offences. Let vs yet be?hold a further slight of Satha? in this shew of these thinges vnto Christ: namely that he offereth them not simply as they are,* but (onely) in the brest of them, for he sheweth the glory and honour of the world, but not the inconueniences and crosses that acco??pany the same, & it is a deceauable slyght. For when Satha? would make a ma? vayne glorious, if hee should together with the prayse of men, shew also the small affection that men that be wise beare vnto such per?sons: if with the present pleasure of whore?dome, he should recke? vp the sicknesses and punishmentes that follow: if with the de?lightfull tast of straunge drinke he shouldPage  [unnumbered]make mention of the sorrowes that ensue the same: in short, if with the fleshly conte?t?ment that sinne bringeth hee sheuld also speake of the troubles that follow vpon it, and what punishment such shall abyde at the hands of almighty God, he might iust?ly feare that he should preuaile but a litle. And therfore when he goeth about to bring man into any sinne, he leaueth out whatso?euer may seeme to make agaynst him, that he may the more easily obtaine his purpose: which we see him most notably to practise, agaynst our Sauiour Christ in this place: for goyng about to make him worshyp him selfe in steade of the liuyng God (who one?ly is to be worshipped) he would draw him thereunto by the desire of the souerainetie ouer kingdomes, the whiche (that it may more forcibly moue the sonne of God) hee propou?deth in the most excellent condition that it can be of, and neuer sheweth him of the great charge of a kingdome: the ficle estate of Princes, nor the greate accompt that they shall make, when the Lord of hea?uen and earth shall call them,1 to geue an accompt of their stewardshippes. And wt this course doth hee mightely blinde thePage  [unnumbered]world, for we see that men are so rauished with the glory, pleasure, and profite of this present life that for the attayning of the same they doe not onely swallow vp all the worldly inconueniences that can bee fall the?: but (which is more) make shipwracke of conscience, & tread all Religion and god?lynesse vnder foote. How true this is in the common weale, I referre it to euery mans conscience: & whether it be in the Church or no I pray you see the Judgeme?t of him that liued before me, and spake as hee saw, whiche was indifferent.*Sathan (sayth he) hath taken many of our Ministers, and caried them vppe to an exceedyng high mountaine and shewed them all the spi?rituall liuynges almost in the world. By?shoprickes, Deaneryes, Prebendes, Per?sonages and Vicarages, and hath told them: this is a wealthy Byshopricke, this is a riche Deanery, this is a fat benefice, they are all in my gift. I am the patrone of them: fall downe therefore before me and worshyp me, and if one will not con?tent you, I will giue you pluralities. Let no man thinke these thinges to bee for?ged or sucked out of myne own fingers,Page  [unnumbered]for writers make mention, that the De?uill in deede gaue the Byshopricke of Rome once, and since that tyme it was neuer good. And is he not so able nowe, thinke you to giue a poore benefice, as hee was then to giue the fattest Bysho?pricke in the world? Let no ma? be offen?ded with me for speaking that, which all the world by experie?ce seeth to be true. For where these Alymsters shoulde bee Preaches, they are tongue tyed: and that commeth not without great temptatio?. For thus he reasoneth with them: speak no more of iustification, medle no more with co?trouersies: rubbe no man on the sore: Let euery man liue as he list with?out reprehension or admonitio?, and you shall lacke no liuyng. Do you thinke that Satha? hath not sworne many to silence: I haue hea•• of diuers that at the begin?ning haue ben very godly preachers, but after they haue once ben choked vp with many liuings, they haue had such a bone their throates, as the Deuill would haue it, that they would seldome open their mouth to speake any more. This farre of his wordes. But it behoueth those thatPage  [unnumbered]will learne (in deede) to shunne the estate that Sathan would bring the sonne of god in this temptatio?, to consider of the world, and the thyngs that are therein, as they be described by the holy Ghost in the word of God, and wey the manifold snares that sa?tha? hath in the same, to seduce and deceaue withall, to the ende that they may walke vprightly in this vale of miserie, in y• true feare and obedience of Jesus Christ. It is added (by Luke) that this great glory of the world was shewed vnto the sonne of God. In the twinckling of an eye:* UUhich doth fur?ther set down vnto vs the forcible meanes that Sathan vsed to obtaine his purpose, for wee see that as pleasaunt thynges doe greatly moue the mynd of man, and the ra?ther, when no bitternesse is mingled ther?withall, so most especially when they (be?yng many and glorious) doe come altoge?ther, and of a sodayne. All which circum?stau?ces you see how wisely the enemy hath packed together. The doctrine then that we are to learne out of ye same is this: that Sathan will pretermit nothyng (be it ne?uer so litle) but he will take his aduau?tage by it to do vs harme: to ye end that we mayPage  [unnumbered]learne not to be carelesse seyng he so bestir?reth himself: nor to be neglige?t in learning to discerne his sleightes & to auoyde them, seyng he is so watchful to seeke our destru?ction, agayne in that this is sayd to be in a moment or the Twinckling of an eye, we may further behold that which before was 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 ob?iect 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 ther?of, that it is now here, & forthwith at Je?rusalem, or in any of the vttermost partes of the earth, which Sathan knowyng well inough doth labour also to make this sin?gular 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 instrume?tes of sinne and imquitie to seruePage  [unnumbered]his purpose, but also vsurpeth (euen) vppon the best and most excellent graces of God, seeking to peruert them from ye 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, ri?ches, 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 crafty?nesse: 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 forgetful?nesse 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 obedie?ce vnto God his father. And therfore we haue great neede to take heede, that the gracesPage  [unnumbered]which God hath geuen vnto vs be not abu?sed by vs through the suggestion of Sa?than, to our greater hurt and Gods disho?nour, 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 bre?thren with whom we doe liue.
[ 20] (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 pur?pose, to wit, to offer them all vnto ye 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 fro?Page  [unnumbered]the same, and therefore Satan was decei?ued of his hope and disappointed of hys purpose. But let vs consider his tempta?tion: 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 set?teth down the promise, to the end (that vn?to 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 instructi?on. And yet doth the deuill most mightelie preuayle with the world herein: for he set?teth such a colour vppon sinne, by glorious promises, and manifold pleasures and pro?fite, which come by the same that hee can easily perswade (almost) any man to com?mit 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 out?wardPage  [unnumbered]appearaunce) very perfite in it, but as for those courses that God hathe com?maunded (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 vpo? Christ: but also, for a further assuraunce (as Luke re?cordeth) auoucheth that they are deliuered vnto him, and to whome soeuer he will be?stow them. And yet we know by the scrip?tures, that1 the earth is the Lordes, and all that is therein.2 The Lorde God of heauen giueth power, strength, and glory. For there3 is no power but of god:4 he lif?teth vp and throweth downe. The5most high deuideth to the nations theyr inhe?ritaunce 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 (not?withstanding) hee preuayleth muche in the world: for they that do beleeue that these things he the Lords, and are bestowed (asPage  [unnumbered]blessings) vpon none,* but those that receiue them at hys hands (which is by those law?full 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: contrari?wise they that beleeue it not, but haue ra?ther taken out the lesson ye Sathan is the giuer of them, do by all subtle and indirect meanes seeke to attaine vnto theyr de?sire 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 ye 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 fur?ther. Contrariwise those that feare God haue not onely learned to abhorre and de?test such dealinges in themselues, but also in those monstrousAnachims that followe such wicked wayes.* But here may seeme to arise a doubt, howe this can be so, thatPage  [unnumbered]Sathan should haue so little interest in the world, seing, our sauiour Christ doth in1 diuers places cal him ye prince of this world & s. Paule calleth2him ye god of this world. I au?swere y• these be two true sayings:* sa?tha? hath nothing to do with the thinges of this world, & satha? is the god of this world, for it is euide?t that god3 made all things both in heauen & earth, which were all ex?ceedyng good, & he doth continually so pro?tect & gouerne the?, yt the4 sparow falleth not on y• grou?d, wtout his will, so y• in gene?rall they are thus to be reco?ciled, whatsoe?uer is good in ye world that is god ye ruler & disposer of: but whatsoeuer is euill yt sinne doth satha? direct & gouerne. Then he hath nothing to do with y• things of this world, so farre as they be good, & vsed to the right end: Which is to y• glory of him that made them & the benefite of the possessor, but he is prince of this world, first in respect of the sin that is co?mitted in the same, for as he was the first ye sinned, so was he y• cause of the transgression of mankinde,* & therfore is the continuall ringe leader of all vngod?lynesse. Secondly he is called the prince of this worlde in respect of that he doth, andPage  [unnumbered]not of that he may do, for he is an vsurper, to wit through sinne captiueth and subdu?eth man vnto his obedience and slauish sub?iection, whereunto men doe so generallye yeld, that he onely seemeth to be serued and the Lord of heauen and earth thrust out at the doores, and therefore is hee called the prince of this world. Thirdly he is called the god of this world for that they why (by the iust Iudgement of god) are geuen ouer 1 into a reprobate mynde, beyng2 blin?ded in their vnderstanding, doe giue them?selues ouer not to obey the truth, but to3 beleue lyes, and obey Sathan in the whole course of their life, yet all this his power and souerainetie is ruled by the raynes of Gods prouidence, that hee can doe no?thyng, without his4 leaue, no not so much as enter into5 the swine, whiche is vnto vs a great comfort and (indeede) the staffe of all our affiaunce, for when we see the malice of Sathan, the crueltie of the wicked, and our owne wickednesse we could haue nothing to resist, but onely this that Gods prouidence, whom we feare and in whom we repose our confidence, so dire?cteth all thynges that without his willPage  [unnumbered](whiche is in his sonne Iesus Christ lo?uyng towardes vs) nothing can be attemp?ted or performed.
If thou wilt fall downe and worship me) We see hys liberall offer and how bounti?full a hand he hath in that which is none of his own, and yet notwithstanding doth hee promise this vpon meere liberalitie with?out respect of anie other matter, no, it was nener hys meaning, for none shal be bene?fited by hym but such as will doe hym ho?mage: so that we may note herein Sathan, that mynde which he accused the seruaunt of God1Iob to be of: to wit that Iob dyd not serue God for nothing: but because God had enriched him therfore (onely) was he godly and feared the Lord, and why did he charge him with such a hainous crime? for sooth because he was of the same dispo?sition himselfe.* The doctrine (then) that we learne out of the same is this: that as we see Sathan to be minded, euen so (if you looke into the course of this worlde) shall we see hys instrumentes to be affec?ted: that is, to measure others by them?selues, and to (thinke though they be most wicked, and most vilely desposed) that noPage  [unnumbered]man is better: so that the deceitfull man wil trust none, but thinketh that euery ma? will beceaue him. The lyer beleeueth not an other of hys word, because hee himselfe maketh no co?science of lying, he that shun?neth y• offences that the world exclaymeth against (onely) to stop mens mouthes, doth think that no man doth more: in one word, let a man be neuer of wickedly bent, yet thinketh he no other men to be any better: contrariwise, the man whose mind is true?ly regenerated thinketh so basely of hym?selfe and by charitie (the fruit of his faith) 1 hopeth so wel of euery man, that (vnlesse he know the contrary) he alwayes iudgeth the ???. Againe you see how liberall he is of promise, but he tieth it vnto a condition: wherein you may perceiue howe contrarie his affection is vnto the mind of the Lord: it is true that God will be worshipped of all that he dealeth mercifully withall, but yet doth he freely bestow his mercy, with?out any respect of our worshipping hym a?forehand. But Sathan wilbe worshipped before he will performe his promise. So that as the contrarie disposition of God & Sathan appeare in this poynt, in like ma?nerPage  [unnumbered](if you examine it well) shall you finde them that are of God,* and them that are of their father the deuill to be, for the godly hauing obteyned mercy at the handes of God, are also enclined vnto pitie and mer?cie being carefull to doe good (accordyng to theyr power) not for gayne, but because God hath bene fauourable vnto them, the wicked (on the other side)* being minded as he is by whome they are guided, will promise very bountifully, and giue as su?gred wordes and vse as glorious termes, as though theyr tongues were made of Butter: But all that euer they promise is with an if for if, they gayne not by thee: or if thou please not theyr humor, or if thou crowch not vnto them: they will not onelie not performe the least part of theyr large promises, but thou shalt finde it in experi?ence, that they will be vnto thee (as Sa?than was euer after to Christ) thy greatest enemies, and as much as in them lyeth) do thee the greatest displeasure. Well, let vs proceede the deuill worshipped: what doth he desire when hee would haue Christ Je?sus to fall downe and worship him? surely no lesse then that whiche was due vntoPage  [unnumbered]God the father: for looke what it is that God requireth of vs in his word, when hee biddeth vs worship him, and all that doth Sathan most impudently challenge vnto him: But you will say vnto me, that Sa?than shewed himselfe herein a very foole, for no man was euer found that would say he would worship the deuill. Well, thus can he cunningly teache thee to play with termes and speeches, while he get domini?on ouer thee to make thee worship hym in deed. For (if we shal truely measure things by the lyne of trueth) we shall see that Sa?than is greatly obeyed in this poynt, for what is it to worship God but to fear him, and bring forth the fruites of the same which is obedience? Nowe we cannot tell one of vs when an other doth feare, but by the fruites, which (Christ telleth vs) the 1 Tree is knowne, by the fruit by which euery Tree is to be knowne, is obedience, and by obedience, are we knowne whose 2 seruauntes we be (as S. Paule teacheth vs) the obedience vnto God is godlines, in the keeping of his commaundementes, the obedience vnto Sathan is wickednes in transgressing the lawes of God. Now letPage  [unnumbered]vs come to the poynt: if there be moe found that giue themselues ouer vnto sinne, in neglecting of the worde of God, blasphe?ming of his holie name, profaining of hys Saboath, disobedience, whoredome,* drun?kennes, vnlawfull gettyng & slaundering: then that bee carefull to knowe GOD, and striue against all impedimentes to re?forme theyr liues according to hys holy word, it must needes follow that the grea?test number (how soeuer they pretend the contrarie) doe obey Sathan in this poynt to fall down and worship him: besides this there is an other way to worship Sathan, which many do walk in & that is thus. We know that those which worshippe God do propound vnto them selues his lawes to be obeyed, and so make godlynesse their chie?fest studie: if then wee propound any other thing for our chiefest marke, wee worship Sathan. They therefore that make theyr 1 belly theyr God (as the scripture speak?eth) in giuyng themselues ouer to Epicu?risme, and voluptuousnesse of liuing, they that are caried away with couetousnesse (which2 is Idolatry) & haue theyr grea?test care to heape vp riches together, theyPage  [unnumbered]that make the vanitie of worldly pompe and honor their principal end: (vnto one of which (almost) the whole world is admit?ted) doe not serue God, but fall downe be?fore Sathan and worship him. This is no?table, for Sathan preuayleth in this poynt yet further not onely in getting men into his iurisdiction to fail downe and worship him, but also in making men his substi?tutes herein,* creating them pettie deuils to challenge the same thinges vnto them?selues, from the handes of men whiche he himselfe would haue had giuen him there of the sonne of God: Which (in a word) is thus put in execution, when soeuer any man requireth obedience vnto hymselfe, which cannot be done without the breach of Gods commandementes, or commaun?deth anie thing which is to the hinderance of the glory of God and staying of ye course of godlines. For God hath set euery man in his seuerall place, not for the breaking, but the further obeying of his lawes, and he neuer erected that calling whiche is a stoppe vnto hys glory: For so much as he made1 all thinges to serue thereun?to. Now you see (I trust) in some measure,Page  [unnumbered]what the Deuill would haue Christ doe, and how farre hee proceedeth in practising this in the world among men. I am sure that you thinke by this tyme, yt this temp?tation is not the subtilest, but the grosest and most palpable impietie of all other, and therefore Sathan may seeme to deale foo?lishly, but we are thereby to note, that hee doth not onely deale cunnyngly but also most impudently. For we see in experience how that hee (often) laboureth to persuade men vnto most horrible facces, as to mur?ther their dearest and nearest frendes: Yea oftentymes, to make away their owne sel?ues, and (alas) hee preuaileth many tymes there withall. But yet (euen) by this may we learne (if it please God to giue vs the right vse of •t) great comfort, for first, whe? Sathan doth deale thus impudently, and shamelessel•• with vs, to suggest into our myndes, most haynous, and horrible moti?ons, we are, as carefully to resist the? (least they ouertake vs to our owne destruction)* so comfortably to lift vp our hartes in hope that God will in his good tyme cleare our myndes of such cogitations, and also per?suade the same vnto others, in the like easePage  [unnumbered]euer hoping that the Lord will geue their extremities a ioyful issue: Secondly, when we see that our troubles doe not diminish, but encrease (and in our eyes wee beyng weakned) and Sathan seemeth to insult in such boystrous maner as though he had al?most got the victory, euen in that case we haue Christ Iesus for our exa?ple, who was tempted at the last, most haynously, & ther?fore we are to be so farre fro? hanging down our heads and dispayring at the view ther?of, that we may conceaue good hope, that our deliuerannce is so much the nearer; as our foe is the fiercer and Gods presence is most forcible and fauourable, where Sa?thans enimitie is most hard and cruell.
[ 21] (Then sayd Iesus vnto him auoyde Sathan) When Christ doth see the impudencie and boldnesse of this tempter, that notwithsta??ding he was beaten backe twise before, yet he not onely setteth vpon him agayne, but in most shamefull manner, arrogateth vnto himselfe y• dominion of ye world, which (in¦deede) is none of his, though he doe vsurpe vpon it (as we haue heard) & vpon the same hath so brasen a face, as to bid Christ Je?sus the sonne of God (who was come intoPage  [unnumbered]the world to teach men, the true worship of god) to giue vnto him that honour which is due to god alone: He aunswereth him more sharply then before he did, saying vnto him auoyde Sathan, as if hee should haue sayd get thee hence, thou aduersary to me, and to all mankinde, thou enemy to all truth thou seducer and deceiuer, thou lyer and v?surper, auoyde out of my presence, for what soeuer thou promisest, if it should bee per?formed, for so much as thou art my profes?sed enemy it cannot bee of any good mea?nyng of thee,* and therefore cannot doe me any good. So that by this first braunch of the aunswere of Christ Jesus vnto sathan, we learne, to begin withall this lesson that the consideration of the name of the enemy and what it doth signifie, because it expres?seth his nature, is a forcible meanes to beate him backe and disapoynt him of his purpose, and weaken his stre?gth. And ther?fore it hath pleased the holy Ghost in the scriptures, to terme him with these titles whiche doe make manifest his disposition, as the name of Deuil signifieth a deprauer and wrangler, he is called Lyon in respect of his deuouring of men; the terme of Dra?go?Page  [unnumbered]importeth his venemous poyson, Christ sayth hee is the1 father of lyes, to shewe that he neuer meaneth so well as he prete??deth and here hee is reproued by the name of sathan which signifieth an enemy or ad?uersary.* All is to this ende that we may learne this lesson: that for so much as his whole indeuour is to destroye vs, and that he is a professed enemy vnto vs, those offers that hee seeketh to bestow vppon vs (for so much as they come from him that wisheth vs no good) though we see no hurt in them, yet are we iustly to suspect them: and ther?fore to take heede, that we in no wise yeld vnto them. Agayne we see how Christ ta?keth him vp farre more sharpely then in the former aunsweres he did, for then hee aun?swered him simply with the text, and nei?ther reproued him nor vrged the meanyng of the wordes but onely in the bare alled?ging of it, and here he not onely taketh him vp with a most sharpe reproofe, but also pressed him (as we shal see anone) with the text in more forcible manner. The cause whereof, we are to search out, that we may haue the benefite of it to our owne instruc?tion. If you marke well these thynges thatPage  [unnumbered]sathan vrged vnto Christ before this, you shal finde the? to be of an other kinde, name?ly to concerne him selfe and not God (im?mediatly) as this doth, for though it bee a dishonour vnto God, when a man is vrged to offend in the least poynt of his Religio?: yet it concerneth the Lord more nearely when one shalbe sollicited to violate that worship and honour thereof hee is very1 ielous, and which he will not giue vnto an other, and accordyng as it is more haynous in the eyes of the Lord, so is it to be estee?med a thyng more odious vnto man, and therfore to be repelled with more courage: Which (if you marke well) you shall in the practise of our Sauiour in the combate, for so long as sathan medled with those things that concerned Christ himselfe (as the mat?ter of his body) he aunswereth him (though alwayes most perfectly yet) more mildly, but when he commeth vnto this pointe, to vrge him vnto those thinges, whiche con?cerne the threatning of God from the iu?risdiction of his creatures, and depriuyng him of his glory and worship, he dealeth no more mildly, & meckely but rebuketh him in most veheme?t maner, and painteth himPage  [unnumbered]out in his naturall coulours:* so that the ex?ample of Christ is vnto vs a notable presi?dent, how to behaue our selues towardes wicked men in the world, wherof some are enemies (thought to God in deede) in pre?tence, onely to our persons: some euen in speach & behauiour professed foes vnto our Religio?, and so immediatly vnto the Lord, concerning them that are our enemies (for so much as we are to bee patternes of all pacience and1 to ouercome euill with good) we must vse our selues more gently towardes them2 reprouyng the? with all long suffering, and meekenesse, to see if it will please God to graunt the? repentaunce & deliuer them out of the snares of the De?uill: But if they be enemies vnto our Re?ligion, then are we to put on an other kind of behauiour towardes them, that is to re?siste them (euen vnto their faces) with all courage and boldnesse, that they may know y• we be zelous for the Lord God of hostes, and tender his glory, more then our owne estimation, or benefite, whiche practise (if we looke into the scriptures) we shall see to be obserued by the most notable instru?mentes of Gods glory, for that is sayd ofPage  [unnumbered]Moyses, that he was1 meekest man that was vpo? the earth, & yet none was euer ei?ther before him, or after him (Jesus Christ excepted) more filled with zeale & courage the? he shewed himselfe to be, whe? he dealt with them that were enemies to God and his truth. The Apostle Paule who in hys doctrine dothe so often exhort vs vnto 2 meekenes, and gentlenesse: yet looke what singuler boldnesse hee sheweth him selfe to bee of when hee dealt with that3 sorcerer, who would haue peruerted Ser?gius Paulus from the fayth. But (to goe no further then our sauiour himselfe, who is to vs an example of all perfection) doth not hee bid vs learne of him, for hee is lowly and meeke? doth not hee shew him?selfe in the whole course of his life most milde? and yet how4 roughly and sharpely dealeth hee with the Scribes and Phari?sies, who were deprauers of the truth of5 the law of GOD.6 We see (then) in what manner, and at what tymes we ought to be milde, & agayne when we must be ear?nest, which is a lesson needefull to be lear?ned (as generally of all true Christians so particularly & especially of vs Ministers)Page  [unnumbered]for these are suche dayes (if not worse) as our sauiour Christ spake of, that whether we come1 full or fasting, we are refused, if we pipe, they will not daunce, and if wee weepe, they will not mourne, that is of what spirite soeuer we be:* whether milde, or sharpe, whether gentle or rough, no way will please them, because they will needes be dampned. In which peruerse froward?nes this doctrine will sta?d vs in good stead that is, to be patient, and gentle in our own cause, but zelous, and whot in the cause of the Lord, and then let the world take ex?ceptions, as long, and as much as it can, our conscience will beare vs witnesse, that which GOD commaundeth: wherewith whosoeuer is offended, sinneth not against vs, but the Lord.
[ 22] (It is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue) this is the repulse that Christ giueth vnto sathan: & such a blowe as made him (finally) to de?part for that time. The wordes that are here alleadged, be not to be found, in so many sillables in any place of the scrip?tures, though the sence and meaning is in many places, that whereunto Christ al?ludethPage  [unnumbered]is written in two seuerall places of Deuteronomy, where be these wordes:1 thou shalt feare the Lorde thy God, and serue him: In stead of feare, Christ putteth worship: and to the worde (serue) hee ioy?neth (onely) both whiche are to be consi?dered: for the first: where Christ taketh worshippe for feare, the difference is no more,* but to set downe the effect in stead of the cause, for the feare of God is that reuerent opinion that man ought to haue of God, in regard of his greatnes and his own weakenes: and the worship of God, is that necessary fruite that feare bringeth forth. Nowe for asmuch as Sathan chal?lenged vnto hymselfe worshippe, which is the fruit of the feare of god (and therefore is alwaies included in the worde feare) Christ opposing his aunswere, to the de?maund of the enemie, taketh that part of the sence of the commaundement (though not the very worde) which the aduersary did seeme to arrogate vnto himselfe. Now for the worde (onelie) which Christ seem?eth to adde vnto the text, if wee marke it well, we shall see that it is most agreable to the meaning of the holy Ghost: forPage  [unnumbered]that sentence (in so much as it belongeth to the worshippe of God) must be refer?red vnto the first commandement, where?in God excludeth all others and taketh all vnto him selfe, the meaninge of it then must needes be, that this seruice is (onely) to be giuen vnto God: Agayne we know in the course of the whole scrip?tures, that when god speaketh (as we call it) indefinitely, the sence is euer to be ta?ken generally: as when he sayth1 cursed is he that maketh flesh and bloud his arm, he meaneth all and euerie sort of flesh and bloud, agayne when hee sayth, searche the scriptures, for in them you thinke to haue eternall lyfe: hee meaneth in them onely, so when he saith, thou shalt feare the Lord, and serue him, he meaneth onely him: you see then how the answere of christ though it vary something in the words of the text which he aleageth, yet it differeth nothing from the sence and meaning. Now if you marke the wordes spoken and lay them to the demaund of Sathan you shall see that they are (being thus alleaged) much more forcible then otherwise. For if Christ had spoken in generall of the feare of God, Sa?thanPage  [unnumbered](being a cauyller) might haue replied that hee required worshippe and not feare, but whe? Christ speaketh of worship, which (in deede) is conteined in feare, he stop?peth his mouth that way, agayne, if he had said thou shalt serue God: Sathan might (peraduenture) haue aunswered, so thou mayest, and yet worship mee. But when Christ addeth this word (onely) hee spea?keth no more, then the text conteyneth in it (being compared with other places) and yet cutteth of all occasions, from the ene?mies of further wrangling. The manner therefore of Christs dealing, with the text doth teach vs: that for the right ouerthro?ing of an aduersary, and conuicting of any gaynesaier,* it is greatly materiall how the scripture bee aleaged: for it is not onely, meet that the sword of the spirit be draw?en out to cut downe, all that is raysed agaynst the truth: but also, that an edge be set vppon it, by the wisedome of the hand?ler. For as euery one that canne handle a swoorde, is not bye and bye able to wounde his enemie, and defende himselfe with it, so euery one that alledgeth the Scripture (though hee alledge it truely,Page  [unnumbered]and to a good purpose) is not able to ouer?throw the aduersarie with it, vnlesse hee doe vnderstand the true meanyng of it, that hee may produce it, to the most ad?uauntage to his cause. Thus we see how Christ applyeth the Scripture, and what we haue to learne, out of the manner of the same. The doctrine that we are to obserue out of the aunswere is this, that (in the matter of Religion) not onely the hart and inward affection, is due to God,* and to bee geuen onely vnto him, but also all externe and outwarde gestures either of worde, countenance, or corporall beha?uiour. Whiche is diligently to bee noted because of our Papistes, who will confesse that God (for so much as hee is a1 spi?rite) must haue all spirituall worshyp, but (say they) that letteth not, but wee may giue outward worshyppe, vnto Sainctes Images Reliques &c. Wherein they ei?ther shewe themselues marueilous igno?raunt, or (rather) wilfully obstinate, for the worde that Christ here vseth for wor?shyppe, is not to bee vnderstoode onely of inwarde but outward worshyp rather: and signifieth (properly) to prostrate, or fallPage  [unnumbered]downe vppon the face or knees: Now for as much, as Christ vendicateth this to be due onely vnto God, it is euident that no outwarde worshyppe (in respect of Reli?gion) is due to any other, but because they will euidently shewe themselues, of set purpose, to gaynesaye the manifest truth, they flee vnto a foolishe and friuo?lous distinction of two Greeke wordes La?tria, and Doulia: and say that (in deede) the worshyppe, whiche is called Latria, is due to God, but Dulia is due to Saintes and Angels, but if I shall shewe vnto them, that both those wordes are vsed in the booke of God indifferently when the worshyp of God is spoken of,* what will then become of their distinction, for the first worde they make no question, and therefore I neede not speake of it, but let them (or their Clarkes that vnderstande the tongues) looke into the sixtenth Chap?ter, of the Epistle to the Romanes 6 the1eightenth Uerse and there they shall see that hee (speakyng of the seruice of Jesus Christ) vseth the Greeke worde, from whence Doulia is deriued: But let them goe (as not worthy to be named when wePage  [unnumbered]speake of the seruice of GOD) and let vs learne the lesson that our Sauiour doth teache vs in this place, to knowe that God will haue all inward and outwarde seruice that euer any man ought to doe, in respect of Religion, and therefore let vs take heede that while we parte stakes be?twixt him and others (who in deede can a?way with no fellow) we procure his Ma?iestie not onely to reiect our seruice as stinckyng in his nostrells, but also re?nounce vs and say at the latter end1 de?part from me, ye workers of iniquitie.
(Then the Deuill left him) Nowe fol?loweth (in a worde) the issue of his try?all: First in respect of his aduersarie. Se?condly of himselfe, of his aduersarie that he (beyng put to the foyle) went his way and left him (Luke sayeth) for a season, whereby we learne: First that the ende of tryalls is, (Iames sayth) if we resiste the Deuill hee will flee from vs. Secondly,2 that yet hee will neuer finally bee ouer?thrown so long as we liue, for as he depar?ted from Christ (but for a season) so doth he leaue vs, not as though he were vtter?ly conuicted, but as one that goeth toPage  [unnumbered]make better prouision agaynst vs, and to wayte his better opportunitie, and ther?fore wee may neuer promise our selues rest, from his assaultes so long as wee are in this tabernacle of clay (as is no?ted aboue) subiect to corruption and mortalitie: agayne it is a comforte for them that are often tempted, that they neuer distrust or dispayre, though theyr troubles are many, for so much as it was the lot of Iesus Christ the sonne of God.
(The Aungels ministred vnto him) that is, the Lord sent his holy aungels to com?fort him, not that hee was destitute before but that in his tryall he hauing lesser fee?ling of their prese?ce might now haue more consolation, in their seruice, which is the end of all the tryalls of al Gods Children, (as wee are taught in manye places of the scriptures) for that the Angels are also ap?pointed to serue for their comfort, which shalbe1 heires of saluation. And there?fore let vs with2 pacience runne the race that is set before vs, looking to Iesus the aucthour and finisher of our fayth: Let vs bee contented to abyde the blowes of Sa?than, the reproofes of the world: & pricksPage  [unnumbered]of our fleshe, knowing that as it is Gods will and determination to haue vs passe thorow the furnace of afflictions: so will he geue (in his good tyme) ioyfull issue of the same, to his owne eternall glorye, the endlesse confusion of our aduer?saryes that molest vs, & to the euerlasting consola?tion of our own soules.
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¶A Prayer after these Sermons.
MOst gracious God and louing Fa?ther, we thy vnworthy seruauntes present our selues here before thy glorious Maiestie, not trusting to our owne merites or worthynesse, but onely to thy mercy in thy sonne Iesus Christ. For we ac?knowledge, from the bottome of our hartes, a?gainst our selues, that we are not onely concea?ued and borne in sinne, but also haue continued in the same, from the beginnyng of our tyme vnto this present, transgressing thy lawes and commaundementes both in thought worde and deede, in so much that we are not worthy to appeare before thee much lesse to presume to begge or craue any good thing at thy handes, with hope to obteine the same, if thou shouldest deale with vs according to our deseruinges, not?withstanding (most mercyfull and holy Father) for as much as thou hast commaunded vs to call vpon thee, when we feele our selues lodenPage  [unnumbered]with the burthen of our sinnes, and hast promi?sed to ease vs. We trusting vnto the truth of this thy promise do come vnto thee at this pre?sent, most humbly beseeching thee (for thy sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christes sake) to par?don and forgeue vs all our sinnes, to blot them out of thy remembraunce, and to bury them is silence that they neuer appeare before thee to accuse vs. And beseeche thee (good Father) to worke in our harts an earnest loathing of sinne, a detestatio? of all iniquitie with a carefull de?sire and an vnfayned indeuour, to frame our li?ues and conuersations, according to thy blessed will. Lord for somuch as we haue learned out of thy holy word, that all those whom thou hast vouchsafed to giue into the handes of thy son Iesus Christ, shall be co?tinually (so long as they liue in this prese?t world) be assailed, with trials, temptations, tribulations and afflictions, by rea?son of the malice of Sathan, their enemy, the allurementes of the world: and the enticements of their owne sinnefull nature: We acknow?ledge and confesse, that a greater honor can no way befall vnto vs, then to be molested by thy enemies for the testimonie of thy truth: yet (Lord) such is our weakenesse by nature, and so vnfit is our fleshe to begin, or continue anyPage  [unnumbered]good thing, that we must needes quayle in the same, and vtterly renounce thee and thy truth, vnlesse thou of thy gracious goodnesse assiste vs with thy grace, in such wise, as both the loathi?nesse of our flesh (to do any good thing) be taken away, and also thy fauour so support vs, that we may be strengthened to abide in thy true feare and seruice. We beseeche thee therefore good Father (euen for his sake whose bloud thou ac?comptest not too deare for our redemption) that as it is thy will to impose vppon vs this estate of bearyng the Crosse for thy sake, so thou wouldest giue vs strength, contentednesse and pacie?ce to make vs able to vnder go the same. Lord let not our weakenesse, betray thy glory, let not our shrincking, giue aduauntage vnto thy foes: neither let our wantes, any way hin?der thy graces from comming vnto vs: but for as much as thou hast thought it most meete, to haue thy glory shewed in weakenesse, thy power to be perfect in infirmitie, and the foolish ones of the world to confounde the wise, graunt (we beseeche thee) that wee may so sight vnder the banner of Iesus Christ thy sonne, and so striue to builde his kingdome, in the middest of his enemies, that by vs thy name may be glorified,Page  [unnumbered]thy truth may be magnified, thy Sonne Christ Iesus may be aduaunced, and our soules and consciences euerlastingly comforted. Lord we pray thee graunt these gra?ces, not alone to vs that are here present. &c.
[illustration]
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