The Combat Betwixt Christ and the Devil, Title page – Table of contents
THE COMBATE betwixt CHRIST and the Deuill.
Foure Sermons vponupon the temptations 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 appointed 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 vponupon 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 hauehave 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.
TO THE RIGHT honorable HENRY Earle of Huntyngdon Lord Hastings. &c. Of the most Noble Order of the Garter Knight, and Lord President of the Counsell established in the Northpartes 1. V. VVisheth increase of all spirituall graces, and true honor in this world, and that endlesse glory that lasteth for euer.
WHEN I consider with my selfe (right honorable) that inestimable crowne of immortall glorie which it hath pleased God the father, in his sonne Iesus Christ, to lay1Math. 25 34. vp in store for those, whom (of his mercy2Ephes. 1. 4. 5. and free fauour) he elected vntounto him selfe before the foundations of the vvorld: and with all those 3Actes. 14. 22.many tribulations and afflictions, by which his heauenly vvisedome hath appointed them to enter into the same: I see (as in a glasse) before myne eyes, the cause that moued our Sauiour Christ to say, that4Math. 7. 14. straite is the way, vvhichwhich leadeth to life and fevv, there by that finde it, and the blessed Apostle Paule to set downe:1Rom. 7. 23. there is a law in my members, rebelling against the law of my minde and leading me captiue vntounto the lawe of sinne: for as the glorious maiestie, of that heauenly ioy doth rauish the minde of eueryevery man, to wishe that hee might be partaker of the same, so (on the other side) the consideration of afflictions and present calamities, that all22. Tim. 3 12. those who will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer, doth not onelyonly terrifie many, from taking in hand the profession of Religion: but greatly3Rom. 7. 24. vexeth and greeueth (euen) the deare children of God:Iob. 2. 3. &c. and maketh such a cōtradictiō, betwixt the flesh & the spirite, that they seeme in such wise to be distracted, 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 heauen, must not onelyonly4Iohn. 5. 39. seeke out of the word of God to know, what he would hauehave them to do, and carefully to put the same, in practise: but also, they must make their5Luke. 14. 26. &c. accompt to hauehave infinite, and continuall Crosses (euen) for the same: so that vnlesse, they be thus resolued, that in respect of Iesus Christ, they1Phil. 3. 8. accompt all things vile (and therfore for the professing, and bearing witnes vntounto his truth, are contented to abide, all extremities, that Satan, the world, or their owne flesh, can rayse vp against thē) it is vnpossible that euer they should2Math. 24 13. continue vntounto 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 vntounto the similitude of his3Rom. 8. 17. sufferinges, to4Math. 20 22. drinke of the cup that he did drinke of, and to be Baptised with his Baptisme. Now Satā (who is a sworne enemy to mankinde, and seeketh as a51. Pet. 5. 8. roaring Lion whom hee may deuour) taketh occasion by this decree of God to driue man into all extremities inward and outward: to the end that he may winne him vntounto himselfe, in leauing the course of godlynesse, and giuing himselfe ouer to commit all iniquities, and that with greedinesse: and so much the rather because hee findeth our corrupt nature, conuenient matter to worke vponupon, which in it6Gene. 6. 5. selfe is altogether euill: so that (excepting onelyonly those whō it pleaseth God of his mere mercy (in Iesus Christ) to regenerate, by the7Iohn. 15. 3. knowledge of his word and 8Ephes. 1. 13.working of his holy spirite) all the posteritie of Adam, is vtterly seduced by Satan to be instrumentes of enlarging his kingdome, and encreasing their owne condemnation. And those whom the Lord hath reclaymed from the seruice of sinne, vntounto the obedience of his Gospell hauehave euer bene, and to the end of the world shalbe, so tempted of Sathā, so hōted at, abhorred, and abused of the world, and so enticed by their owne flesh to retire vntounto the league, and amitie of the world agayne: that they seeme to be of11. Cor. 15. 19. all men most miserable: but this is their onelyonly comfort, and (in deede) the ioye that passeth all the pleasures of the world, that their trouble is but for a2Psal. 30. 5. tyme: God will release them, and3Reuel. 7. 17. wipe all teares from their eyes: that as they4Rom. 8. 17. are afflicted with Christ, so shall they be glorified and reigne with him: that the Lord maketh a5Psal. 116. 15. glorious accompt (euen) of the death of his Saintes and reserueth their teares in6Psal. 56. 8. a bottle, yea hee accompteth all the troubles of his childrē to be his7Actes. 9. 4. 5. owne, because (in deede) they suffer for his sake: but they shall not lacke their reward: yea such a reward as is, ten thousand times exceedyng the measure of their sorrow: for the8Rom. 8. 18. troubles of this life are not worthy to be compared to the glory, that shalbe reueled. But yet we hauehave great neede to be comforted, and stayed, least we should be1Heb. 12. 3. 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 vsus fall downe vnderunder the burthen of the same, vnlesse it please the Lord, to teach vsus how, and to giuegive vsus might to support and susteyne it: which is no where els learned neither any other meanes giuen, then onelyonly the2Psal. 119. worde of God, whiche the Lord hath giuen vntounto vsus, 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 Sauiour Christ in the wildernesse, because I hauing in my ordinary course Preached vppon the same, and diuers who receiued present comfort thereby (beyng desirous to hauehave the continuall vse of the doctrine deliuered out of them) desiring me, to pen the same: I condiscended vntounto their desire and (as neare as I could remember) hauehave set them downe as they were spoken: sauyng (onelyonly) that in some particular applications I hauehave had regarde (in writtyng) vntounto those to whose handes they may come: as (in speaking) I respect myne Auditorie. And I am bolde to make choyse of your honor to whō I may dedicate the same, partly for that I might shewe some token of thankefulnesse vntounto the same, for your fauour towardes me, and especially for that I am perswaded the doctrine, therein conteyned wilbe acceptable vntounto you. The Lord of heauen and earth (from whom all true honour commeth) increase the same vntounto your duety more and more: for the aduauncement 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.
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.
¶A Methode of the whole matter in this Booke.
The temptatiōs of Christ …
Generall
Occasiō
Circumstaunces
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.
Particular
Preparation. 7
Actiō three folde assayled in respect of his
Person.
Occasion. 8.
Thing.
Maner. 9. Matter.
Assault with
Distrust in God. 10. Vse of ill Meanes. 11
Resistaunce. 12.
Mynd in respect of his
Estate
Assault
Circumstaunces.
VVhē. 13
where. 14
VVhat
Thyng. 15.
Reason. 16.
Resistaunce. 17.
Ornament of it.
Assault
VVhere. 18.
VVhat
Shewed. 19 Promised. 20.
Resistaunce in
Generall. 21.
Particular. 22.