The Combat Betwixt Christ and the Devil, Sermon 2

The Combat Betwixt Christ and the Devil · Sermon 2

¶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, mā shall not liue by bread onelyonly, but by eueryevery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

7ANd when he had. Now come we to the consideration of the particular tryall (which I so call in respect, that it is expressed to vsus in more particular manner) before whiche is to be considered, his preparatiō 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 counterfeteHowe the Papists reason for their Lentō Fast. eueryevery thing in the Scriptures, especially those that do no way appertaine vntounto them) would grounde vponupon this place their Lenton Fast, and that (forsoth) they reason: Is not all that is writtē, set downe for our learnyng? is not eueryevery action of Christ our instruction? doth hee not byd vsus 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 rightly applyed) is also in particular true: but it doth not follow that therfore eueryevery action that Christ Iesus did, it is to be imitated of vsus. For the Euangelistes do commende vntounto vsus,Three sorts of actions done by Christ of whiche the last onelyonly is to bee followed. three sortes of actions done by our Sauiour Christ Iesus: the first are the actions that were to bee done for the accomplishment 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 redēption of man: to rise agayne the thyrd day: to ascend to the right hand of god the Father and there to make intercession for mā vntounto god. Which no man will say, that we must follow. The second sort are his miracles, 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 nūber whereof is this fasting, all whiche were done, not that we should striue to do the like, which neuer mā could do sauing those to whō (in wonderfull maner) he gaue the gift of doyng miracles, as the Apostles in the primatiue Churche, for the further confirmyng of their doctrine among the gētiles, but partly to shew most euidently, that he is very god and therfore the true M…sias: and partely for the more assuraunce and confirmation (as the11Iohn. 20. 31.John 20:31 Euāgelist 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 louelove (euen) to his enemies: which we are not onelyonly to labour to follow in some measure, but (which more is) to propounde vntounto our selues his perfection therein, and neuer to cō tent our selues with any scantlyng, but alwayes to striue to bee more and more conformed thereunto by imitatyng of him: But let vsus a litle consider how aptly their actiō is proportionably vntounto their paterne,Christes fasting & the Papistes differ in fiue pointes. Christ in that whole space eate nothyng at all, they will onelyonly refrayne from certaine meates of their owne shoulyng out, and in all others gordge themselues in most delicate maner: Christ did it but once and neuer after, they must do it eueryevery yeare once: Christ did it, led by the spirite, they do it of their owne head, without the direction of gods spirite, for they hauehave no warrant for it in the word, & the spirite goeth not without the company of the word: Christ (onelyonly did it) & forbad no particular meates, they allow certaine meates & forbid the rest, & so 111. Tim. 4. 2. 3. Augustine Epist. 86. to Castulanus. why Christ fasted fourtie dayes & 40. nightes.1 Tim 4:21 Tim 4:3teache the doctrine of Deuils: Lastly, Christ prescribed no set tyme of abstinēce, nor the Apostles after him, neither knew the primatiue Church any for 400. yeares after they prescribe a determinate tyme (by an inuiolable law vnderunder y^e great eurse) as that of the Meedes and Persians whiche may not be altered. But let them goe, and let vsus come to the right vse of this action, whiche is, first in fulfillyng that which the like (of22Erod. 34 25. Moyses deliueryng the law and 331. Kyng. 19. 8.Eliah 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 turnyng away of the curse, which through the breach thereof was due vntounto all mankind: Secondly, it is to shew that great and extraordinarie actiōs are not to be enterprised lightly or rashly, but with great & singular preparation, which beyng not obserued among vsus. the Lord doth iustly punish our headynes, with ill successe (as is especially to be sene in y^e 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 the 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 vsus to be followed:A proofe that Christ was very man. 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 subiect vntounto hunger, which is the proper passion of the flesh and bloud: Agayne hee beyng hungry was in the wildernesse,Extremitie no cause of dispayre. & had no present meanes to releiue him, to teach vsus, for our cōfort, that we beyng in the like distresse, yet are we not to dispaire of gods prouidence, neither to condemne our selues 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 vntounto him to tempt him in speciall maner,Sathan can espye his fittest opportunitie and take it. to shew vsus 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 hū 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 see obserued by the holy ghost in the Scriptures to be his wonted maner: He set not vppon Eue while the Lord was placyng her with her husband, nor while Adam 11Gene. 3. 2Gen 3:2was with her, but when she was alone most destitute of succour: neither did hee begyn with Adam when he ment the ouerthrow of mankynde, but with the womā the weaker 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 was22Sam. 22. 2. 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 presence and comfort might hauehave supported him) but when hee was among a company of rakehels the high33Luke. 22. 55.Luke 22:55 Priestes seruyng men by the fire side. The Scripture is full of such examples, and all is to this end, to teach vsus diligently to stand vpō our garde and to watch our owne wayes very warely, for when we seeme in our owne eyes in most happy estate, then are we most easely deceiued, so simple we be in spiritual matters and so subtil our enemy is to take vsus at the aduauntage.

9(Then the tempter came vntounto him) the maner of the speciall temptation followeth, whiche may seeme to bee either in visible presence,The tēpter came not vntounto Christ in visible maner, but in motion. (as some hauehave taken this place) or in sounde of voyce vntounto the outwarde eares: but if we do compare his commyng with the maner of his proceedyng, and cō sider of Christes temptatiōs accordyng to the right end thereof, we shall playnly perceiue, that this commyng of the tempter vntounto hin, is onelyonly 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 vnpossible. For though Christ be God (and therfore infinite) yet is hee in body finite, and was in his corporalleyes able (onelyonly) to see so farre as another man, whiche is not the thousand part of the world, & therfore it must be in motion that he did shew them vntounto him, & so consequently he came vntounto him not in bodely manner, but by offeryng vntounto him such cogitations: Agayne Christ Iesus taking vponupon him our estate, not onelyonly to redeeme vsus, but also to bee an example vntounto vsus, how can his temptatiōs be our comforte when we are tempted, if they were of diuers kyndes. For it is euident, that the temptations of Gods children be inward by cogitations, and therefore the holy Ghost in the Epistle to the Hebrewes, sayth notably, that11Heb. 4. 15.Heb 4:15 hee was tempted in all thynges like vntounto vsus, this onelyonly excepted that his temptations were (in him without sinne) so that it serueth to our great comforte, that whensoeuer Sathan doth any way seeke to draw vsus away from the fayth and louelove of our God, or cō forte of our soules, be his thoughtes neuer so secret and slye, yet it is no straūge thyng (though it be straunge to vsus) for somuch as he attempted the same, or the like (euen) agaynst our head.

10(If thou be) now come we to the first assault which hath in it (beyng rightly considered) 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 of 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, whē thou wast baptised, which to be so, is iustly to be doubted. For the sonne of God is the heyre of all, to him must all Angels giuegive 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 onelyonly to lacke the host of heauen to shew thy maiestie, but euen to want the necessary foode that should refresh thy body: it is vnpossible that the Lord of heauen & earth should suffer his owne sonne, whom he loueth to come to such extremitie. This is a marueilous sore temptation, which not onelyonly befell to Christ the head, but euen is incident also vntounto his members. If we looke into the booke of Iob and all those speaches that his three frendes (Eliphaz Bildad, and Sophar) vttered concernyng the power, wisedome and iustice of God, we shall see that they doe tend onelyonly to this, that Iob beyng in such extremitie could not bee in the fauour of God so highly as he professed, neither could it be, if his so glorious professiō (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,Sathan would perswade the godly to be out of the fauour of God, because they are in trouble of 1 mynde. 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 vsus, lye so heauie vponupon vsus, and are so vitter vntounto vsus, as if the very paynes of hell had already seased and taken possession of vsus. In which case, (the holyest doe best know, how often) the motion of doubting cōmeth into our myndes, saying vntounto vsus, if God the father loued me, I should see his countenaunce: if Christ Iesus were my head, I should tast of his graces: 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:2 Of body. notwithstandyng that the righteous are the11Math. 5. 5.Matt 5:5 heyres of heauen and earth, for that they be22Rom. 8. 17.Rom 8:17 fellow heyres with Christ Jesus their head, yet how many are their miseries here, in332. Cor. 11 25, 10. 29.2 Cor 11:252 Cor 11:102 Cor 11:29 pouertie, in sickenesse, in trauaile in turmoyle, in slaunder and reproch, 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 thē that neuer saw them, yea euen of their dearest & nearest frendes after the flesh. Then commeth in this motion, can I perswade my selfe to bee in the fauour of GOD, beyng beset with such a world of trouble, and cōpassed about with so great a sea of molestations?The exāple of Christ is comforte to the afflicted whether in soule or in body. agaynst all these and such like, our Sauiour Christes example doth minister vntounto vsus most singular 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 vponupon him) he suffered the very tormentes of hell, in such wise that he burst out into these speaches of most bitter agony,44Math. 27 46.Matt 27:46 my God my God why hast thou forsaken me? agayne for the troubles of the body, doth any thyng befall vntounto thee that hee felt not? thou lackest foode, he was11Math. 4. 2.Matt 4:2 hungry & had nothyng, to eate: y^u hast no possessiō, neither any worldly stay to take to, hee had22Luke. 11. 58.Luke 11:58 not where to hyde his head: thy frīdes become thy foes, his owne33Psal. 55. 13.Ps 55:13 seruaunt and scholer betrayed him, thy owne kinsfolkes like not of thee, and hee had such good entertainement of his, that he sayth44Math. 13 57.Matt 13:57 that a Prophet is not without honour, saue in his owne countrey & among his owne kindred: the world hateth thee without a cause, so it did55Psal. 35. …Ps 35 him, beyng without sinne: they reward thee euil for good, he66Luke. 19. 41. 23. 21.Luke 19:41Luke 19:23Luke 19:21 went ouer Jerusalem, and would hauehave gathered them as the hen gathereth her chickins, and they cryed77Actes. 2. 36.Acts 2:36 Crucifie him, Crucifie him: Thou wisheth & workest their wealth & they abuse thee, he wrought their saluation, and they nayled him to the Crosse, so that his example in all our extremities is our stay and comfort, that whatsoeuer befall vntounto vsus (although it seeme straunge vntounto vsus, for that we hauehave not bene experienced in it, and for that it is vnpleasaunt vntounto fleshe and bloude) not onelyonly hee himselfe hath broken the Ise, and gone through the same to geue vsus 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,The speach of Sathan vntounto the Sonne of God. which Sathan subtilly inferreth vponupon the other, either in particular beyng 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 eueryevery thyng is at thy commaūdemēt and wilbe obedient at thy word, therfore (that thou mayest be prouided for now in thy extremitie, and not languishe for want of foode) seyng that here is no ordinary way of prouision, commaunde these stones that they leaue their naturall hardnesse, and become conuenient nourishment for thine hungry body: a conclusion in reason 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 he that made it may dispence with it, and he that is aboue it, is exempted frō it. If you marke it well,Sathan vnderunder pretēce of Christian libertie perswadeth to sinne. the whole drift of Sathā 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 haunted withall, for when Sathan cannot perswade them by all the extremities that are incident vntounto them both in soule and body, that they are out of the fauour of God, thē commeth he with a counterbuffet shewyng them the largenesse of their libertie, & how many thynges are lawfull for him that is not vnderunder the law but vnderunder 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 that11Iude. 4.Jude 1:4 turne the grace of God into wantonnesse, and those that thinke they may sinne,22Rom. 3. 8.Rom 3:8 because they are not vnderunder the law, but vnderunder grace. Whose damnation the holy Ghost pronounceth to be iust, and who were before ordained to condemnation. But it behoueth the true Christiā euer to stand vponupon 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, might11Rom. 6. 13.Rom 6:13 giuegive ouer his members to serue the liuyng God22Luke. 1. 74.Luke 1:74 in all righteousnesse & true holynes all the dayes of his life: Now for the generall hee reasoneth thus:Sathan tēpteth to distrust Gods prouidence. 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 forgetteth 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. For33Gen…. 12 13. Abraham not seeyng lawfull meanes to auoyde the crueltie of the Aegiptians, did vse vnlawfull, by teachyng his wife to lye: Sara 4416. 2.in laughyng after the promised seede gaue her mayde to her husband: Lot 5519. 8.(to protect the straūgers) offerred his daughters to be abused of the Sodomites, the66Exod. 1. 19.Exod 1:19 midwiues of Egypt to saue the children, lyed to the kyng, Rahab 11Iosu. 2. 4.Josh 2:4to saue the spyes, lyed to them of Jericho, 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,How he preuaileth with them that would be rich. or to doe euill vnderunder the pretence and shew of goodnesse: the man that thirsteth after gayne, and desireth to be rich, committeth many a wicked fact in y^e course of his trade, as in facyng, lyeing, swearyng, exacting, inhansing, deceiuyng, and what not? and all vnderunder pretence of this, we must liue we must vtter our wares, we must follow our trade,How he preuaileth with thē that are in extremitie. we must prouide for our familie. The man that is in any extremitie, in body, in goods or credite, will easely striue by all lawfull vnlawfull meanes, to wynde himselfe out, as for exāple, if thou be poore, the deuill will tell thee thou must steale, for thou must liue: if thou buy an euill bargayne, and be like to hauehave 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 wil 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 hauehave persuaded 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 onelyonly (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 vsus not in the matter, he goe behinde vsus in the maner.

12(But Iesus sayd vntounto him it is written. &c.) The aunswere of Christ Jesus vntounto this subtill cauill of Sathā is,The aunswere of Christ vntounto Sathan. thus much in effect: 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 vntounto y^• course foode) alwayes, his prouidēce 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 for 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 assuraunce of this which I speake agaynst thy cauilling lye, I hauehave the expresse word of God on my side to ouerthrow thee: so that this beyng (in brief) the summe and substaunce of the aunswere of our Sauiour Christ, doth minister vntounto vsus diuers doctrines for our instruction.VVe must fight against Sathan with the word of God. First we learne with what weapons we must fight agaynst Sathan, our spirituall enemy, for Christ who is our captaine, of vsus is to be followed encountering with Sathā his sworne enimy, doth lift vp agaynst him this weapon: (it is writtē ) that is beateth him back with the word of God, whiche is therfore called 11Ephes. 6. 17.Eph 6:17the sworde of the spirite for that it is22Heb. 4. 12.Heb 4:12 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 the33Ephes. 6. 16.Eph 6:16 shield to quench all the firie dartes of the wicked, beyng of force by reason of that righteousnesse of Christ Jesus (wherewith it is lined) to discry and driue away all the temptations of Sathan,VVhat a horrible fin it is, to take the preachyng of Gods word from men. bee they throwne against it neuer so cūningly, those then that doe depriue men of this heauenly and onelyonly defence for their soules, from the handes of Sathan, whether they hee Papistes denying the vse of the Scriptures to ignoraunt people, or carnall Gospellers which thinke preaching not so needefull, so that seruice (as they call it) be read distinctly, and therefore vponupon eueryevery thyng wherewith they are discontēted, will seeke to muste or vtterly displace (euen) him that hath all the giftes (in notable measure) required by S. Paule out of the Lordes byneyard, that he should not dresse it. Let thē pretend what they can, and alledge what siggeleaues it please them wherewith to hide their shame, they are guiltie of the destruction of so many soules as by them might hauehave bene instructed, and shalbe arayned, and (without repentaūce) conuicted of highe treason agaynst Jesus Christ, in the day of Judgement, and shalbe founde guiltie of sinne so much more haynous thē that of Iudas, by how much the betraying of thousandes of soules into the handes of 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 shalbe11Ezek. 33. 8.Ezek 33:8 required at y^e 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 vntounto: or for negligence frequent not,The despisers of the preachyng of the Gospell bee wilfull murtherers. or by blindnesse esteeme not, the continuall and ordinarie preaching of the gospel (though they thinke it a thyng not so needefull and therfore come not vntounto it, vntill they hauehave nothing els to do) for so much as (els) they lye open for Sathan to wounde thē at his pleasure, they shall also be conuicted in the day of reckoning, for guilty, of wilfull murthering their owne soules.A comparison. 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 weapōs, is worthy to be robbed, for that he runneth into the handes of his enemie: much rather shall he bee so esteemed of almightie God a caster of himselfe willingly into the handes of the deuill, that trauailyng by y^• theeuish places of this world (I meane the roaring of Sathan) regardeth not to hauehave 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 hauehave him, and seeth it not, for that he is blind11Math. 22 29.Matt 22:29 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 hauehave 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 pleasures) for the publicke hearing and priuate reading of that word by whiche we shalbe 22Iohn. 14. 48.John 14:48iudged in the end. Agayne, Christ Jesus beyng God, hauing the whole world at his cōmaundement, might hauehave beate him backe by the power of his might, and neuer hauehave 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 vsus an example cōtinually in such cases as befell vntounto him, to be followed. For whiche cause hee taketh not himselfe to his power as he is God:Sathā is not resisted as we thynke good, but as Christ hath giuen vsus an example. But to the word prescribed vntounto mā, to teach vsus, that if we will buckle with Sathan in deede, and if euer we will truely persuade our selues of hope of victorie, 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 geuen vsus an example in his owne person: A lesson very needefull to bee put in practise, which very fewe hauehave yet learned. For if you came to him that sinneth and (accordyng to your11Leuit. 19. 17.Lev 19:17 duetie) reprouing him, and persuading him to amendement,11Ephe. 5. 11.Eph 5:11 doe wish hym to beware of the subtiltie of Sathan,11Heb. 10. 24.Heb 10:24 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 hauehave power ouer me: I trow, I am not so simple, but I know, what is what,How the wicked thinke of the enemy of their soules. 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: when (poore soule) he is euen running headlong to destruction and seeth it not.How Sathā deceiueth the wicked. But Sathā 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 beleeue it is sufficient, and yet will hauehave thee take the way that goeth directly vntounto hell: if we (then) will learne to be wise, we must hauehave Gods word in our hartes to light vsus: in our mouthes to speake for vsus: and in our conuersation, to rule vsus 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 of11Deut. 8. 3.Deut 8:3 Deuteronomie: where the holy Ghost (by the mouth of Moyses) exhorting the people of Israell to obediēce vntounto Gods commaundements, sheweth how the Lord did in most wonderfull maner, trye, and prouide for them in the wildernesse, not geuyng them an ordinarie meanes to get their meate withall, but in miraculous wise fed them with Manna from heauen: to shew that it is not bread onelyonly that man liueth by: but by eueryevery word of God: that is eueryevery decree and determination, that God in his wisedome seeth meete to put in execution, for so much as hee can both make11Luke. 12. 15:Luke 12:15 aboundaunce, of meates to bee vnprofitable for the preseruations of mans life: and also preserue mā in all extremities, when foode is wantyng & not to be had Which doth teach vsus first, y^• God is not tyed to outwarde meanes.God is not tyed to meanes, but can worke his will with out them as well as with them. VVe may neuer vse vnlawfull 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 creature fayleth: which is a sure staffe to leane vntounto, in the tyme of extremitie & distresse. Agayne that we take heede, that to the auoydyng 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 practised by those22Dan. 3. 16 17. 18.Dan 3:16 three faythfull seruaunts of God, condemned by Nabuchadnezar to bee burned in the firie fornace, saying O Nabuchadnezar, An example neuer to bee forgotten.we are not carefull to aū swere thee in this matter, behold our God whom we serue, is able to deliuer vsus from the hote firie fornace, and hee will deliuer vsus out of thy hand O kyng: but if not: be it knowne vntounto thee (O kyng) that we will not serue thy Gods, nor worship the goldē Image thou hast set vp: where we see (for our example) 1. how they confesse the power of God. 2. beleeue to hauehave 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 vsus: then should Gods power shine among vsus more wonderfully in preseruyng his & shewyng him selfe their God, thē it doth. We learne further by this place, that as God is not tyed to meanes,VVithout Gods blessing no meane▪ can do vsus good. but can helpe without it when he list, & will when it is meete for his glory and the comfort of his: so also hee is not tyed vntounto meanes to geue it a blessing, for we see many that hauehave outward helpes at will, and yet the blessing of God, not being vponupon them, they are vnprofitable vntounto them. Which doctrine (for our instruction) hath a double vse: first in particular concernyng 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,11Tim. 4. 5 VVith what affection we must receiue our ordinarie foode. & thankesgeuyng) that we neuer presume to lay handes vponupon the same to apply them to our bodies in the nourishment thereof, but first we call vpō the name of God, that his blessing may bee vppon the same, that hee would sanctifie them vntounto vsus, and vsus vntounto him selfe in such maner, that they may bee of force (by his power geuen vntounto them) to nourish our bodies: knowyng that howsoeuer the vse of them be common, and therefore seeme vntounto carnall men to hauehave power in them selues to giuegive nourishment: yet we know by fayth grounded on Gods own word, that he that made bread, not onelyonly cā but also hath threatned that hee will, for the disobediēce of man,11Leuit. 2… 26. Ezek. 4. 16. 5… 16. Hag. 1. 6.Lev 2:26Ezek 4:16Ezek 4:5Hag 1:6 breake the staffe of bread, that is take away his blessing frō it, that it beyng eaten shall not feede nor nourish vsus. Which lesson I would to God that the prophane and Godlesse people of the world could once learne: who groueling vponupon the grounde like hogges, and neuer lifting vp their myndes to God the authour of all those blessinges that they plentifully inioye, do fall to their foode like the horse to his prouender,How the wicked come to & goe from their mea… and beyng satisfied, depart away like the beast of the field with out vnderstādyng: 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 his most holy name. But if they did know, that euen while they sit eatyng and drinckyng, the hād of God11Dan. 5. 4.Dan 5:4 writteth vponupon the wall, determinyng their destruction, if they knew how GOD made the22Num: 1 20. 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 eueryevery morsell that entreth into their mouthes, they would bee more carefull to learne the lesson taught by the holy Ghost, that33i. Cor. 10 31.1 Cor 10:31 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 vsus in generall, concernyng all the rest of Gods creatures: 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 vponupon them, thinkyng if we hauehave them, who may controll vsus? and so doe what we list (as we see it is the maner of men that know not god) but contrarywise,The right vse of worldly blessings. saying with our selues, if god meane to send a famine vponupon me, all the corne in my garner shall not saue me: 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 vntounto god, that he will so blesse his owne riches bestowed vponupon vsus, & so guide vsus in the vse of the same, that he by vsus and them, may bee glorified, and not they turned as faggots to increase the fire of his wrathfull indignation agaynst vsus.