The Combat Between Christ and the Devil Displayed, Title page – Dedication 1
THE COMBAT BETWEENE CHRIST AND THE Diuell displayed: OR A COMMENTARIE vponupon the Temptations of CHRIST: Preached in Cambridge by that reuerend and iudicious Diuine M. WILLIAM PERKINS. The second edition much enlarged by a more perfect copie, at the request of M. Perkins Executors, by Tho. Pierson Preacher of Gods word. Hereunto is prefixed an Analysis or generall view of this Combat: and a twofolde Table added: one of places of Scripture; the other of speciall points to be obserued.
ROM. 16. 20.
The God of Peace shall tread Satan vnderunder your feet shortly.
LVK. 22. 28. 29.
You are they which hauehave continued with me in my temptations: Therefore I appoint vntounto you a kingdome euen as my Father hath appointed vntounto me.
LONDON Printed by Melchisedech Bradwood for E. E. and are to be solde in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Swan. Anno 1606.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE Sir William Russell, L. Russell, Baron of Thornhaugh; with the vertuous Lady his wife, Grace and Peace.
VPonUpon that strange aReuel, 12. 7.battel in heauen, betweene MichaelbDan. 12. 1. the great Prince, and Satan that olde Serpent, was heard a loud voice sounding foorth ioy and woe: ioy to the heauens and to them that dwell therein: becausecReuel. 12. 12. the accuser of the brethren is cast out thence: but woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea, (that is, to the sonnes of men in this vale of teares) for the Diuell is come downe vntounto them with great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time.
In this voice (right Honourable) are two things affirmed, touching Satans▪ first, that his casting out of heauen is ioifull to the Saints; next that his comming downe on earth is wofull vntounto men. Is the matter of our woe, ioy to the Saints? Nothing lesse; but that the Diuell might be knowen to be an euill guest where euer he comes, the heauens doe reioice for his departure, and sea and earth ought to mourne for his approaching; so that he is, or at leastwise ought to be, no where welcome, except it be in hell; and all such persons may well perceiue themselues, not heauenlie but plainly hellish minded, as giuegive more kinde welcome vntounto Satan in their cheerefull practise of the works of darkenesse, then they do vntounto Iesus Christ, who dReuel. 3. 20.knockes at the doore of their hearts promising to come in and suppe with them, if they will heare his voice and open vntounto him.
But what do the heauens gaine by Satans casting downe? And how doth his descending to the earth work man such wo? Ans. For heauens gain,eReu. 12. 12. they are wel rid of the malitious accuser of the brethrē. Who would know more, must striue to get to heauen, and if more be needfull, there his information shalbe certaine. As for mans woe by Satans company here on earth, who so doubts heerof, may well suspect himselfe to hauehave already receiued of him that deadly hurt, in blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart, whereof none saue Iesus Christ the good Physitian of our soules, by thefReu. 3. 18. eie-salue, and g… Iob. 2. 27.anointing of his spirit, can worke the cure. Is it not wofull to the flockes and to the heards, when rauenous beasts do frequent their pastures? then wo to man because of Satan: for the perill of the lambe from the woolfe; of the kid from the leopard; of the fat beast from the Lion; and of the sucking child from the Aspe, is nothing comparable to the danger of man from this olde serpent, who in craft and cruelty, yea in eueryevery hurtfull property goes beyond them all. Other deuouring creatures keepe their circuites and obserue their times; they are sometime weary, and not alwaies hungry; some are vnfit for the darke, and others afraid of the light, whereby their sillie pray gets some respite: but Satan is a prince eEphes. 6. 12.of the darknesse of this world, who yet for his aduantage i2. Cor. 11. 14.can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light, so as the day and night are to him both alike for the working of our woe: he is euer greedy, and neuer weary, and therefore alwaies seeking; and if wee dreame of any restraint to him for time or place we deceiue our selues, for he was a kIoh. 8. 4….murtherer from the beginning, and so will continue till time shall be no more; and he mIob. 1. 7.compasseth the whole earth walking in it to and fro, euenn1. Pet. 5. 8. like a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may deuoure. With other creatures wo is ended, when the pray is once deuoured; but to Satans pray it is not so, for vnlesse his snare be broken and they deliuered in this life, their woe continues easelesse, endlesse and remedilesse after naturall death. Indeed the naturall man doth not perceiue that working of Satan which doth procure his woe; it may be he hath seene the plaiers and the painters Diuels, some blacke horned monster with broad eies, crooked clawes or clouen feet; and till some such thing appeare vntounto him, he neuer feareth hurt by Satan: little doth he thinke that ignorance in the scriptures, neglect of Gods worship, profaning Gods sabbaths, with greedy affecting the wealth, pompe, and pleasures of this world doe giuegive aduantage vntounto Satan against his soule; and therefore while the matters of this life do answer his desire, he can sing to himselfe this pleasant requiem; oLuc. 12. 19.soule, soule take thy rest. But our voice from heauen cries woe to all such inhabitants of the earth because of Satan; for they are of this world, and he isp2. Cor. 4. 4. their prince, and their qIoh. 14. 30.God, who hauing blinded their minds,rEphes. 2. 2. worketh in their hearts, and so keepes them sure in his possession: Indeed like a seeming friend he suffereth all sLuk. 11. 21.things to be in peace; but woefull peace, like to Absalons wine which he gaue to Ammon, thatt2. Sam. 13. 28. when his heart was most merrie therewith, his least suspected deadlie wound might light vponupon him. Euerie oneuEphes 2. 3. by nature is the childe of wrath, and so of himselfe ful of all miserie; but mercilesse Satan seekes the increase heerof, by causing the root of mans corruption to spread foorth the branches of all transgressions: indeed he is not the beginner of eueryevery sinne, for much impiety flows from mans inbred impurity; yet so sure a friend is Satan to corruption in the workes of darkenesse, that if nature doe but stretch foorth the hand, Satan will thrust at the elbow: doth Caine hate Abel? then will Satan bring this hatred from the heart to the hand, and causexGen 4. 8. Caine to kill Abel: Is Iudas couetous? then wil Satan for the satisfying of that desireaIoh. 13. 2. make him traiterous: let him find but a sparkle, he will soone kindle it to a flame; so that wofull is his comming to all naturall men.
But doth the child of God escape his hands? no verily; Satan is a professed deadly foe to all such, he is theirbRen. 12. 10. aduersarie andc1. Pet. 5. 8. accuser: that which should procure them good he seekes to hinder; and what euer may worke them woe, he will be sure to further: if they fall into sinne, he seekes to bring them to despaire; and when they endeuour to do good, he moues them to be proud: they are no sooner conuerted to the Lord, but he hath somedAct. 13. 8. Elymas to turne them backe to the world: and though they stand against that assault, yet he will pursue them still, by troubles without and terrours within; by raging foes, and flattering friends; so as in regard of Satan aduantaged by their flesh and his world, they shall find this to bee true,eIob. 14. 22. while their flesh is vponupon them, they shalbe sorrowfull; and while their soules be in them they shall mourne: Satan is a mightiefIoh. 12. 31. prince, and a wilie g2. Co…. 2. 11.serpent, and if either force or fraud may worke them woe, no child of God shall escape his hands; he spared not the greene tree, what then will he do to the dry?
But is there no remedy to man for all this woe that comes by Satan? Yes, blessed be our God who hath not left vsus for a praie vntounto his teeth, but to shew the exceeding riches of his grace and louelove to the world,hIoh. 3. 16. hath giuen his onlie begotten sonne to be our prince and our deliuerer; who in no sort iHeb. 2. 16.tooke the Angels, but the seede of Abraham: and because they were iVers. 14.partakers of flesh and bloud, he himself took part with them, that hee might destroy through death him that had the power of death, that is, the diuel. For the euidence and application of which deliuerance, he hath ordained in his church an holy ministery, whereby naturall men are brought kAct. 26. 18.from darknesse vntounto light, and from the power of Satan to himselfe; and his owne children doelEphes. 4. 15. grow vp into Christ their head, and be edified mIud. 20.in their most holie faith, throughn1. Pet. 1. 5. which they are kept by the power of God vntounto saluation. Yet we must so conceiue of this deliuerance, that as Israel being brought out of Egypt, was not presently setled in the land of Canaan, but for the space of forty yeares was exercised with sundry temptations in a barren and drie wildernesse, where they met with oNum. 21. 6.fierie serpents, and were encountred with many and strong enemies, who sought to debarre them from the promised land: so the children of God, though redeemed by Christ, are not presently translated from the bondage of corruption, to the full inheritance of perfect glory in the heauens; but must passe through this vale of teares, and in the wildernesse of this world meete with that crooked serpent the Diuell who will seeke to stinge their soules to death, and also stirre vp many anp1. Sam. 15. 2. Amelec to entrap them in the way, that either through disobedience or vnbeliefe they may be depriued of their heauenly Canaan. True it is, this match is farre vnequall, for flesh and bloud to fight against spirituall powers; yet heere is comfort, that we hauehave him for our Captaine who in hisqColoss 2 15. deepest humility spoiled our strongest aduersary,Heb 2. 14. and is nowrHebr. 2. 7. crowned with glorie and honour, being highlie exalted s1 phes. 1. 20.far aboue all might and domination at his fathers right hand, where het1. Cor. 15. 25. must reigne till he hath put all his enemies vnderunder his feet; yea till he hathuRom. 16. 20. troden Satan vnderunder the feete of all his members: only this he requireth that we should bee valiant and xEphes. 6. 10.quit our selues like men in the power of his might, knowing that the battel is the Lords, and so the victory sure before we strike a stroke. Now for the manner of our fight (a matter indeed of great moment, because ay1. Sam. 17. 49. smooth stone out of Dauids sling wil foile to the ground great Goliah) wee hauehave in this combate between Christ and the Diuell, so pregnant direction set before vsus, that vnlesse wee doe wilfully shut our eies against the light, in this behalfe wee cannot be ignorant of our duty:zRom. 15. 4 whatsoeuer was written aforetime was written for our learning; and therefore the recording of this combate is as much from Christ to eueryevery Christian, as the speach of Gideon to his souldiers, aIudg. 7. 17.looke on me and doe likewise; euen as Idoe, soe do ye; for Christ left himselfe an example that we should follow his steps, though not in his miraculous fast, yet in his couragious fight against sinne. The view heereof hath formerly beene presented to your Honors, by Master Robert Hill, bachelor of Diuinity, vnderunder this title, Satans Sophistrie answered by our Sauior Christ. And now at the intreaty of M. Perkins executors, I have published it againe; yet vnderunder a new title, and more large almost by one third part. Mine endeuour hath beene that this poore Orphane might imitate his brethren, who were the messengers of louelove vntounto our Church, while their happy father liued among vsus. What is wanting heerein, or may deserue a iust reproofe I willingly take to my self,Aenead. 9. me me adsum qui feci-&c. What I hauehave beene able to doe, I humbly commend to the church of God vnderunder your Honourable protection. If heerein I seeme presumptuous, because I am vnknowen vntounto you, I humbly craue this fauourable construction; that I chose rather by presuming to wrong my selfe, then to alienate this booke from your Honours, who had right heereto by former dedication. When your Honourable imployments in time past required your wisedome and courage, for the iust defence of our Soueraignes right, I make no question, but as well the messengers of victory ouer rebels, as the counsellers of peace, were alwaies welcome to your Honour: why then should I doubt, whether this ensuing display, being as wel a counseller of peace with God, as an Herauld of triumph through Christ ouer Satan, the Arch-enemy of our soules, will be gratefull vntounto you, who hauehave learned long since, that whosoeuer will keepe a good conscience towards God or man must endure manie a conflict with Satan?
Now that God of peace who is able to doe exceeding abundantly aboue all that wee can aske or thinke, graunt vntounto your Honours according to the riches of his mercy, so to fight the good fight of faith on earth, that you may receiue the crowne of glorie in heauen. Cambridge, Emmanuel Colledge, 25. of Iune. 1606.
Your Honours in the Lord to be commanded, THO. PIERSON.