Satans Sophistry Answered, Title page – To the reader
SATANS SOPHISTRIE ANSVVERED BY OVR SAVIOVR CHRIST, AND in diuers Sermons further manifested by that worthy man Maister William Perkins. To which is added, a Comfort for the feeble minded: wherein is set downe the temptations of a Christian.
In that he suffered, and was tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. Heb. 2. 18.
LONDON, Printed by Richard Field for E. E. and are to be sold at the signe of the Swanne in Paules Church-yard. 1604.
❧To the right Honorable Sir William Russell, Lord Russell, Baron of Thornehaugh, yonger sonne to that most Christian and Honorable Earle, Frauncis Earle of Bedford, with the vertuous Ladie his wife: Grace and Peace.
RIGHT Honorable, as Iohn the Baptist was in one desert,Mat. 3. so our Sauiour Christ he was in an other:Mat. 4. 1. but as these two differed in their being in the world: so did they not accord in their being in the wildernesse. Iohn was with some men, Christ with none; Iohn was with wild men, Christ with wild beasts; Iohn was preaching, Christ praying; Iohn was baptizing, Christ fighting; Iohn was feeding, Christ fasting; Iohn was encountring with Diuels incarnate, Christ did encounter with the Prince of those Diuels. From Iohn preaching in the desert, learne we diligence in our callings: from Christ tempted in the desert, see we troubles at our calling: aPsa. 34. 19Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord deliuereth them out of all.
If it please you to giuegive these after-lines the reading, you shall see set downe that monomachie or single combat, which was hand to hand betwixt Christ and the Diuell. And as for Christ Iesus, you shall see him fasting, fighting, conquering. Fasting and an hungry, to shew he was man: fighting & encountring, to shew he was Messiah; and conquering and triumphing, to shew he was God. And as for the diuell, you shall see him obiecting, answering, flying. Obiecting, thatbMat. 4. 3. Christ might despaire;cMat. 4. 6. answering, that he might presume; anddMat. 4. 11 flying, when he could not ouercome.
In Christs temptations, we see the estate of thee1. Pe. 2. 21 Church; in Satans assault, we see his malice to thef1. Pet. 5. 8 Church. Is Christ tempted? thinke it not strange if we fall intogIoh. 15. 20 tēptations. For the griefe of the head, is the griefe of theh1. Cor. 12▪ 26. members: & the temptations of Christ, shew the temptations of iIoh. 15. 20▪Christians. It is true of Christ, thatkAct. 14. 21 by many tribulatiōs he did enter into the kingdom of God: thatlHeb. 2. 10 our High Priest was consecrated by afflictions, that so he must suffer and enter into his mLuk. 24. 26.glory.
He is no sooner borne into the world, but he is aMat. 2. 14hunted by Herod; baptized at Iordan,bMat. 3. 16▪ 4. 1. but Satan sets on him; a Preacher for repentance, but thecIoh. 7. 1. Scribes proscribe him; todLuk. 11. 15. worke miracles, but the Pharisees slaunder him. He is no sooner to suffer, buteIoh. 12. 27 the Diuell assaults him; apprehē ded, but thefIoh. 18. 28 Iewes deliuer him; deliuered, but gLuk. 23. 11.Herod derides him; derided, buthLuk 23. 24. Pilate condemnes him; condemned, but the souldiersiMat. 27. 27. abuse him. Is he on the crosse? thekMat. 27. 39. people will not pitie him: is he risen? the high Priests willlMat. 28. 15. belie him. In a word, is he vponupon earth? he is tempted in hismLuk. 11. 16. person; is he in heauen? he isnAct. 9. 4. tempted in his members. Thus the life of Christ was a warfare vponupon earth, and the life of Christians must be a warfare vponupon earth. We liue here in a sea of troubles: the sea is the world, the waues are calamities, the Church is the ship, the anker is hope, the sailes are louelove, the Saints are passengers, the hauen is heauen, and Christ is our Pilot. When the sea can continue without waues, the shippe without tossings, and passengers not be sicke vponupon the water, then shall the Church of God be without trials. We begin this voyage so soone as we are borne, and we must saile on till our dying day.
We do reade in Gods word of many kinds of temptations: God, Satan, Man, the World, & the Flesh, are said to tempt. God tempteth man to trie his obedience, Satan tempteth man to make him disobedient: men do tempt men to try what is in them: and man tempteth God, to trie what is in him. The world is a tempter, to keepe man from God: and the flesh is a tempter, to bring man to the Diuell. So God tempted Abraham aGen. 22. 1in the offering of his son: Satan bIob. 1. 18tempted Iob in the losse of his goods: ac1. King. 10. 1. Queene tempted Salomon in trying his wisedome: men dEx. 17▪ 3.tēpted God by distrust in the desert: the world tempted Demas,e1. Tim. 4. 10. when he forsooke the Apostles: and the flesh tempted Dauid,f2. Sa. 11. 4 when he fell by adulterie. Doth God tempt vsus? take heed of hypocrisie: doth Satan tempt vsus? take heed of his subtiltie: doth man tempt man? take heed of dissembling: doth man tempt God? take heed of inquiring: doth the world tempt man? take heed of apostacie: doth the flesh tempt man? take heed of carnalitie. But do we so? are we warie of these tempters? No, we are not, and therefore we fal. We fal on the right hand, by temptations in prosperitie, and we fall on the left, by temptations in aduersitie. Of the one it may be said, it hath slaineg1. Sa. 18. thousands: of the other, that it hath slaine ten thousands.
When we come and see cities dispeopled, houses defaced, and wals pulled downe, we say, the souldier hath bene there: and when we see pride in the rich, discontent in the poore, and sinne in all, we may iustly say, the Tēpter hath bin there.
Now of all other temptations, it pleaseth God to suffer his Church to be tempted with afflictions. It is neuer free either from the sword of Ishmael: which isaGen. 21. 9 a reuiling tong: or the sword of Esau, abGen. 27. 41. persecuting hand. Neither was there yet euer Christian man found, who had not his part in the cup of affliction. We must drinke of thecMat. 20. 23. same cuppe our maister did:dMat. 10. 24. the disciple is not aboue his maister.
The reasons why God doth visit vsus thus with afflictions,Reasons why God doth afflict his children▪ are: 1. To humble vsus. 2. To weane vsus. 3. To winow vsus. 4. To preuent vsus. 5. To teach vsus. 6. To enlighten vsus. 7. To honour vsus. 8. To cure vsus. 9. To crowne vsus. 10. To comfort vsus. 11. To protect vsus. 12. To adopt vsus. And last of all, to teach & comfort others. ToeEc. 3. 10. humble vsus, that we be not proud:fPsal. 119. 67. to weane vsus, that we louelove not this world:gLuk. 22. 31. to winnow vsus, that we be not chaffe:hPsal. 119. 71. to preuent vsus, that we do not sinne:iPsal. 39. 9 40. 1. to teach vsus, that we be patient in aduersitie: tokGe. 42. 21 enlighten vsus, that we see our errors: tolIam. 5. 11 honor vsus, that our faith may be manifest: to cure vsus, that wemDeu▪ 32 15. surfet not of securitie: ton2. Tim 4. 7. crowne vsus, that we may liue eternally: tooIoh. 6. 33 comfort vsus, that he may send his spirit:: topAct. 12. 7 protect vsus, that he may guide vsus by his Angels: toaHe. 12. 7. adopt vsus, that we may be his sonnes:b2. Pet. 2. 5 and to teach others, that they seeing how sin is punished in vsus, they may take heed it be not found in them: that theyc2. Cor. 1. 6 seeing our comforts in troubles, may not be discouraged in the like trials.
Thus a Christian mans diet is more sowre thē sweet: his physicke is more aloes then honie: his life is more a pilgrimage then a progresse: & his death is more despised then honoured. This if men would thinke of before, afflictions would be as welcom to the soule of man, asdRuth. 2. 8 afflicted Ruth was to the field of Boaz. But because we looke not for them before they come, think not on Gods doing when they are come, and do desire to be happie both here and hereafter: therfore we can away with the name of Naomi, but in no case would we be calledeRuth 1. 20. Mara. WefIon. 1. 15. see the sea, not the whale: thegExod. 14 11. Egyptian, not the saluation: the hDan. 6. 16 22.Lions mouth, not him that stoppeth the Lions mouth. If we could see God in our troubles, asi2. King. 6. 16. Elisha did in his, then would we say: There are more with vsus, then there are against vsus. But because we do not, therefore at eueryevery assault of the Assyrians, we say, as the seruant tok2. King. 6. 15. Elishah did: Alas maister, what shall we do? and with the disciples: lMar. 4. 38Carest thou not maister that we perish? Yet it is good for vsus to suffer affliction.mIam. 1. 12. Iob. 5. 17 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to thē that louelove him. It isaPro. 3. 11 commanded by God,bMat. 4. 2. practised by Christ, c2. Tim. 3. 12.yeelded to by the Saints,dPsal. 119. 71. assigned by Gods prouidence, and good for vsus each way. We are Gods ePsal. 1. 4.trees, we shall grow better by pruning: Gods pomander, smell better by rubbing: Gods spice, be more profitable by bruising: and Gods conduits, we are the better by running. Let vsus suffer afflictions, they aref2. Cor. 4. 17. momentanie in respect of time: gPhil. 1. 29fauors, if we respect Gods louelove, and a meanes to bring vsus to the kingdome of God. If they did consume vsus, we might wish them an end: but they do purge vsus, let vsus be content. TheyhAct 14. 21. 1. Pet. 1. 5. are Gods fan, we are Gods wheate: they are Gods boulter, we are Gods meale: they are GodsiExod. 3. flame, we are Gods bush: they are GodskGe. 22. 9. cords, we are Gods sacrifice: they are Gods f…rnace, we are Gods gold. The wheate will not be good without the fan, nor the meale without the bolter, nor the bush without the flame, nor the sacrifice without the cords, nor the gold without the fornace: they are trials, not punishments, if we be sons: punishments, not trials, if we be slaues. Let vsus then beare thē, they lPsal. 37. 37.will hauehave an end: ioymPs. 126. 5 will follow: theynIsa. 38. 10 shew vsus our weaknesse: theyoHos. 5. 15. moue vsus to pray: theypLuk. 24. 26. shew we are in the path way to heauen: andqEcc. 1. 2. make vsus contemne this present world. By them wea2. Sam. 24. 17. learn to repent vsus of sin past,bGe. 39. 9 to take heed of sinne present, and to foresee sin to come. By them wecAct. 2. 2. receiue Gods spirit,dPhi. 3. 10 are like to Christ: are acquainted eD 23. 17with Gods power: hauehavefExod. 15. 1. ioy in deliuerance: know benefite of prosperitie: made more hardie to suffer: andg1. Pet. 1. hauehave cause to practise many excellent vertues. They cause vsus (as one saith) to seeke out Gods promise: the promise to seeke faith: faith to seeke prayer: and prayer to find God.hMat. 7. 7 Seeke, and ye shall find:iIob. 22. 27. call, and he will answer:kHab. 2. 3 waite, & he wil come. I am to write an Epistle, I must not be long. IobslIob 2. messengers came not so fast on him: but Iobs afflictions may come as fast vpō vsus. Hath Dauid slainem1. Sam. 17. 37. a Bere? he shall encounter with a Lion: hath he killed a Lion?n1. Sa. 18. 27. he must fight with Goliah: hath he subdued Goliah? he must make a r…ad vponupon the Philistims: are the Philistims conquered?o1. Sa. 21. Saul wil assault him. Remēber Dauids troubles, and foresee what may be our troubles. The more righteous we are, the more manifold are our troubles: and the better we are, the better we may indure them.
But as our troubles are many, so are our deliuerances many: God will deliuer vsus out of all. He that deliueredpGen. 7. Noah frō the floud,qGen. 19. L…t frō Sodome, rGen. 33.Iacob from Esau,sGen. 41. 14. Ioseph from Potiphar, Moses from Pharaoh,aExod. 9. bExod. 12▪Israell frō Egypt,c1. Sa. 19. Dauid from Saul,d1. King. 21. Eliah from Acab,e2. Kin. 6. Elysha from the Syrians,f2. King. 5. Naaman from his leprosie,gIsa. 38. Hezechiah from the plague,hDan. 3. the three children from the fire,iDan. 6. Daniel from the Lions,kMat. 6. Ioseph from Herod, the ApostleslAct. 5. from the Iewes,mMat. 4. and Christ from the Diuell: he, euen he will either deliuer vsus frō trouble, or comfort vsus in trouble, or mitigate troubles when they come vponupon vsus.
He,nRo. 4. 21 he hath promised to do it, and he that hath promised, is able to do it. And this he doth sometimes by no meanes, sometimes by small means, sometimes by ordinarie means, sometimes by extraordinarie, sometimes contrarie to all meanes. By nooIoh. 5. 9. meanes he cured a creeple at Bethesda: bypIoh. 6. 12 small meanes he fed fiue thousand in the desert: byqMat. 4. 7 ordinarie meanes he was brought from the pinnacle: by meanes extraordinarie he was prouided for in hunger:rMat. 411▪ and contrarie to all meanes were thesDan. 5. three children preserued in the fornace of fire.
I hauehave good cause to thinke of Gods gracious deliuerance, being my selfe deliuered frō a great trouble.Saint Andrewes in Norwich. Since the time I was vnkindly dismissed from my poore charge, where I would hauehave continued, if malice had not hindred me, I hauehave liued in an end of this City: dangerously in respect of the sicknesse; poorely, in regard of maintenāce; and painfully, in respect of my ministerie: yet ti… this time hath the Lord deliuered me: and … Paule said:a2. Tim. 1 18. he will deliuer me, if that he se… it be best for me.
Let man thereforeb1. Sam. 30. 9. comfort himselfe in the Lord:cHos. 6. 2. after two dayes he will reuiue vsus, and the third day he will raise vsus vp againe:dPsal. 30. 5 Heauinesse may endure for a night, but ioy will come in the morning.ePsal. 58. 11. Doubtlesse there is a reward for the righteous: verily,fMica. 7. 8. God retaineth not his wrath for euer. Could he ouercome the world, and can he not ouercome many troubles in the world? Yea, let one plague follow another, as one quaile sings to another: yet as thegAct. 28. 3 viper leaped on Paules hand, and forthwith leaped off again, so one trouble shall leape vponupon the righteous, and anon leape off againe:hPs. 37. …4. though he fall, he shall rise againe, the righteous shall not be forsaken for euer.
If he hath deliuered vsus from the guilt of our sinnes, he will deliuer vsus from the punishment of our sins. Let vsus then therefore be patient in trouble, constant in hope, rooted in louelove: let vsus waite … he will come, call and he will heare, beleeue and he will performe, repent vsus of our euill committed against him, and he will repent of his euils intēded against vsus. He is ouer vsus by his prouidence, about vsus by his Angels, in vsus by his spirit, with vsus by his word, vnderunder vsus by his power, and vponupon vsus by his Sonne. In him is our helpe, from him is our comfort, by him is our victorie, and for him is our trouble.aPsal. 25. In thee hauehave I trusted, saith a king:bIob. 5. who euer was confounded that trusted in the Lord, said a friend? and as El…anah was toc1. Sam. 1. 8. Hannah in stead of many sons, so God is to his in stead of many comforters. Of other comforters, we may say as Iob did of his friends: dIob. 16. 2.Silly comforters are you all. They wil leaue vsus, as mice do a ruinous house: but the Lord (like eRuth 1. 16.Ruth to Naomi) will neuer leaue vsus, nor forsake vsus. Especially in the houre of death,fEcc. 41. 1. which is in remēbrance bitter to great men: in that houre of death he will be with vsus, and command hisgLuk. 16. 26. Angels to take charge of our soules, thehIsa. 57. 2. earth to be as a bed for our bodies: that so the oneiLuk. 23. may go into glorie, the other reserued in hope of like glorie, kPhil. 3. 20and be made one day like vntounto the glorious bodie of Christ Iesus. Thus right Honourable you hauehave seene the righteous in afflictions: aslPsal. 137. Israel was in Babylon: and that the Lord likemZac. 4. 6. Zorobabel is readie to deliuer them. Though in trobles Christ seemes as in thenMat. 8. 24. ship to sleepe, yet in deliuerance he awakes as a man out of sleepe, and as a Giant refreshed with wine. He will rebuke the waues and winds of trobles and persecution, and they shall flie before him as Sysera did before a…ud. 17. 4Debora, & theb1. Sam. 14. Philistims before Ionath… and his seruant. And as Christ asking the wom… of her accusers, she answered:cIoh. 8. There was none: … in the end aske a Christian of his troubles, & h… will say, There are none. He is a buckler for ou… left hand, and a sword in our right: he is an helmet on our head, and harnesse for our bodie. We shall look vponupon troubles, asdExo. 14. Israel did on the Egyptians, as thee1. Sam. 17. 52. Iewes did on Goliah, and as the Grecians did on Hector, to triumph ouer them: and as the Angell said to Ioseph:fMat. 2. 20 They are dead that sought the childs life, so the Spirit shal say to the afflicted, They are dead that did seeke your life. A day of deliuerance, a yeare of Iubile will come, and thengGen. 41. Ioseph shall be out of prison, hGen. 31.Iacob out of seruitude, andiIob 41. 12 Iob shal lie no more in the dust of the earth:k1. Thes. 4. 18. Let vsus comfort our selues with these words.
I hauehave exceeded an Epistle, especially to such a small booke. If the wals seeme too great for this citie: abundans cautela non nocet. It is vsuall for Students not onelyonly to present their owne labours, but also other mens to great personages, especially such Works wherin they hauehave bene either Translators or ouerseers. It were infinit to instance this point. I am bold to do the like to your Honour at this time. This Copie it was brought vntounto my hand, I hauehave conferred it with another, I hauehave perused it at the Presse, I heard diuerse of the Sermons, I hauehave added nothing of mine owne: and I desire, that of thoseaIoh. 6. 22 many baskets ful of most delicate diet, which this worthie man hath now left behind him, there may not so much as any one be lost. If any such come vntounto my hand, surely they shall not be lost. By his life had I much comfort, and I will seeke to honor him after he is dead. I was twentie yeares acquainted with him:The Golden chaine. I at his request made the first fruites of his labours to speake English. And now I am bold to present this his posthume to your patronage.The Earle of Bedford. The Countesse of Bedford. Your honorable Nephew, his vertuous Lady, your worthy sister, hauehave heretofore accepted the labours of this man. If it shall please your good Honour to do the like,The Countesse of Cil…erland. this Preface of mine shall remaine as a perpetuall testimonie of my dutie to you: and the booke following as fully armed against all such aduersaries as shall speake against it. The God of heauē, who hath made you honorable in your most honorable Progenitors, make you thrice honorable in your future successors: that the memoriall of the righteous may be euerlasting,Pro. 10. 7. when as the name of the wicked shall r…t.
Your Honors at commandement, ROBERT HILL, Fellow Of S. Iohns Coll. in Cambridge. London, S. Martins in the fields. Ian. 12. 1604.
The Printer to the Reader.
GEntle Reader, in the life of that worthie man Master Perkins, his books for the most part were printed at Cambridge. The onelyonly reason was, his desire to be Corrector to his owne bookes. Since he departed this life, some good men hauehave brought me certaine labours of his. I desire not to print them to make gaine to myselfe, but because I would not hauehave his labours to be lost. He was heard of many by his speech, read of many in his writings, and his works hauehave bene translated into many languages. Mislike not this booke, because it was printed at London, his auditors can tell it was as he spake it. If you say, it was hard to write as he spake: know this, that he obserued his auditors, and so spake, as a diligent Baru… might write verbatim al that was spoken by this Ieremiah.Ier. 36. 18. Vse this, and communicate that which thou hast of his.