Eighteen Choice and Useful Sermons, Sermon 6
The Sixth SERMON
JAMES. 4.7.
Reſiſt the Devill and he will flie from you.
IN the beginning of this verſe we are exhorted to ſubmit our ſelves unto God, and the reaſon thereof is given by the Apoſtle in the words immediately going before, becauſe God reſiſts the proud, and gives grace to the humble. Now becauſe we cannot ſubmit our ſelves unto God, unleſs we be carefull to reſiſt the Devill, who labours by all meanes to withdraw us from godlineſs: therefore the Apoſtle addes in theſe words which I have read unto you. Reſiſt the Devill and he will flie from you.
Diviſion. The words conſiſt of theſe two parts, An exhortation, to reſiſt the Devill; and a motive or reaſon, becauſe he will flie from us if we reſiſt him. For as God is overcome by our yielding unto him, and therefore we muſt ſubmit our ſelves unto God: ſo on the contrary we muſt reſiſt the Devill, becauſe he is overcome, and will flie away from us if we reſiſt him. In the exhortatiō we may obſerve two things.
Firſt, the perſon vvhom vve muſt reſiſt.
Secondly, The manner how vve muſt reſiſt him.
And firſt for the perſon, it is the Devill, vvhoſe name vvhichwhich is here given him doth ſignifie an accuſer. And indeed his name is not given him for nought, but as Abigail ſaid of Nabal, Nabal is his name and folly is with him, ſo it may truly be ſaid of the devill,1 Sam. 25. Accuſer is his name, and accuſation is with him: for his chief delight hath been in ſlandering and accuſing even from the beginning. Somtime accuſing God unto man, as he accuſed God of envy to our firſt Parents in Paradiſe, to alienate mans affection from God: and ſomtime again, to alienate Gods affection from man: he accuſeth on the other ſide man unto God, as he accuſed Job. And therefore he is called in the 12th. Chapter of the Revelation,: The accuſer of our brethren, which accuſed them before God day and night. Now as a man that is to encounter with an Enemy, it is neceſſary that he know what his Enemy is, what weapons he will uſe, and what ſtrength, and courage, and cunning he hath, that knowing them before-hand, he may provide himſelf the better to make reſiſtance. So it is neceſſary for us to know what our Adverſary is whom we are to reſiſt, and therefore the Scripture doth ſet him out in his lively colours, and inſtructs us before-hand how ſubtile, how malicious, and how powerfull he is.
And firſt for his ſubtilty, he is called a Serpent, which ye know, is more ſubtile then any beaſt of the field: and this is the firſt name which the Scripture gives him. For he doth not alwayes roar like a Lion, but for the moſt part he lieth in wait like a Serpent, prevailing far more by his craft & policy, then by his ſtrength and power. Therefore it is that he will not appear in his own likeneſſe, but like as the wife of Jeroboam, 1 King. 14. diſgniſed her ſelfe when ſhe came to the Prophet, that ſhe might deceive him. So the devill, though he be the Prince of darkneſſe, yet he transforms himſelfe into an Angel of light that he may beguile us. For if he ſhould ſhew himſelf as he is, and in his own nature, then as one ſaith, Semel videris ſemper oder…s. If we ſaw him but once, we would hate him for ever. And therefore like Proteus he transforms himſelfe, ſomtimes into one ſhape, and ſomtimes into another, as he did into a Serpent, when he deceived Eve, who little ſuſpected that it was the devill. Now beſides his transforming and diſguiſing himſelfe, he hath mille nocendi artes, a thouſand wayes to deceive and beguile us. When he comes to tempt us to any ſin, he will ſhew us the bait, but not the hook, the pleaſure of ſin, but not the danger of it. Ye know when he tempted our Saviour Chriſt, he ſhewed him all the Kingdoms of the world, Mat. 4.and the glory of them, but for the ſorrow and miſery, the vanity and vexation which were in the world, thoſe he would not ſhew him. And ſo doth the devill deal with us when he comes to tempt us. He ſhews us the profit, the pleaſure and delight, which we ſhall reap by ſin, but for the ſorrow and miſery, the puniſhment and ſhame which ſhall attend upon ſin, he hides and conceals them, yet that he may the better prevaile againſt us, he watcheth the time when we are at the weakeſt, and then takes the opportunity to ſet upon us. When David fled from his Son Abſolon, it was the counſell of Achitophel, to purſue him in the night time while he was weary with travelling;2 Sam. 17. and it was the policy of the Philiſtins, (Judges 16) to ſet upon Sampſon, while he was at the weakeſt, and leaſt able to reſiſt them. And thus deals our ſpirituall enemy with us, he watcheth the time when we are at the weakeſt, and then takes the opportunity, when he thinks us leaſt able to reſiſt his temptations, When the Husbandman had ſowed good ſeed in his ground, Mat. 13. the enemy watched the time when men were aſleep, and then he ſowed tares among the wheat. And therefore when Peter was fallen aſleep, Marke 14. Watch and pray (ſaith our Saviour) leaſt ye fall into temptation; intimating thereby, That then the devill is moſt ready to tempt us, when he findes us leaſt fit to reſiſt his temptations. Thus when he tempted our firſt Parents in Paradiſe, that he might the better prevaile againſt them, he ſet upon Eve the weaker veſſell, and withall took the advantage of her husbands abſence, as thinking ſhe might the ſooner be overcome now ſhe was alone. Thus that he might the better prevaile againſt Peter, he watched the time when Chriſt was taken, as thinking that then (if ever) he might be drawn to deny his Maſter, when he could not acknowledge him but with great danger. And thus that he might the better prevaile againſt our Saviour, he watched the time when he was hungry with faſting, as thinking it moſt likely, that if ever he could bring him to doubt of Gods favour, now was the time when he had faſted ſo long, and God had provided no ſuſtenance for him. And therefore he then laid his ſnares for Chriſt, when he ſaw be was hungry, and had no ſuſtenance, as the Fowler layeth his limed ears of corn in a hard froſt, when he ſees that the birds are ready to famiſh. And thus he continually ſets upon us when we are at the weakeſt, and leaſt able, as he thinks, to make reſiſtance. And as he watcheth the time when we are at the weakeſt, ſo he tempts us in thoſe things wherein we are the weakeſt, by examining every mans diſpoſition and humour, and in…iſing him eſpecially to thoſe ſins; whereunto by nature he is moſt prone and inclinable. For like as a man that goeth a fiſhing, he will have ſeverall kinds of baits for ſeverall kinds of fiſh, becauſe every fiſh will not bite at every baite, but ſome are taken ſooner with one kind of bait, and ſome with another: ſo the devill hath ſeverall baits for ſeverall perſons, and before he tempts any man, he will conceive with what baite he will ſooneſt be taken. If he perceive that Chriſt is hungry with faſting, he will preſent him with ſtones to be made bread, if he perceive that Ahab is covetous, and that he hath a deſire to inlarge his poſſeſſions, he vvill preſent him with Naboths vineyard.
That like as Saluſt writes of Catilin a Traytor in Rome, that to draw others into the ſame conſpiracy with him, he uſed this policy, to fit every man according to his diſpoſition, giving horſes to thoſe that delighted in riding, Hounds to ſuch as took pleaſure in hunting, and to every man thoſe things vvhichwhich beſt liked him: So doth the Devill, he obſerves to what ſinne a man is moſt inclining, and fits his temptations as they are moſt agreeable to every mans humour.
And as his ſubtilty appeares, both in watching the time when we are at the weakeſt, and obſerving what temptation is fitteſt for us: ſo likewiſe in this, that he begins at firſt with ſmaller ſinnes, and drawes us on by degrees to evill, making the leſſe ſinnes like ſmaller wedges, to make way for greater. For he knowes that a man will ſooner yield at the firſt to a little ſinne, that ſinne will grow in the heart as the child growes in the wombe: and that if he can bring us to give entertainment but to an angry thought (though we count this but a ſmall matter) yet it will grow from the heart to the tongue, and from the tongue to the hand, ſo that many like Cain begin with anger and end with murder. For he knows that little ſinnes, if we yield unto them, will grow to be great ones and will procure our ruin.
The Swallow in the Fable, when ſhe ſaw the Husband-man begin to ſow Hemp-ſeed in his field, ſhe counſelled the Birds to peck it up: becauſe otherwiſe if it were let alone it would prove dangerous for them. The Birds could not ſee how ſo ſmall a ſeed ſhould do them any harme; but afterward vvhen it vvas grovvn ripe and vvas cut dovvn, the Husband-man made ſnares and nets of the Hemp vvhereby the Birds vvere taken. Thoſe little ſinnes vvhichwhich vve thinke ſo ſmall that they can do us no harme; yet the Devill vvill uſe them as ſnares to intrap us, and to vvork our deſtruction. And therefore he vvill begin vvith ſmall ſinnes, and dravv us on by degrees from the leſſe to the greater, as he drew on Peter from lying to perjury; and David from adultery to commit murder. And yet that he may the more eaſily deceive us, what ſin ſoever he tempts us unto, he will commonly ſet ſuch a Gloſſe upon it, that it ſhall ſeem to be either no ſinne at all, or a very ſmall matter till we have committed it. Nay, that which is ſtrange, many times when he tempts a man to never ſo hainous a ſinne; yet he will make him believe that it is a good vvork, and that he ſhall deſerve commendation, and reward for the doing of it: as when he tempted Paul to perſecute the Church, he made him believe that he did God good ſervice: and when he perſwads the Jeſuites to the murdering of Princes, he make them believe that it is a meritorious worke, and puts them in hope of being rewarded by God, as the Amalekite was in hope of being rewarded by David, 2 Sam. 1.14, 15, 16.for bringing him word that he had killed King Saul, and inſtead of a reward he was executed for it.
And as his ſubtiltie appears in tempting us to evill under the colour of good: ſo likewiſe in tempting us to do that vvhichwhich is good but to an evill end. As vvhen he tempts us vvith the Phariſees to give almes in publicke, and openly in the ſight and view of the world, that vve may be ſeene of men and commended for it. The giving of Almes is a good deed, and to give them in publick is likewiſe lawfull, that others may be moved to do the like by our example. But the Devill knows that though it be a good deed, yet if a man do it openly for vaine glory, the good deed becomes evill in the doer of it: and therefore he vvill tempt a man to do that vvhichwhich is good, where he ſees it vvill be a ſinne in him that doth it. And indeed, his craft and ſubtiltie is ſuch, & he hath ſo many vvays to deceive and beguile us, that vve have great cauſe to ſear all our vvorks leſt we be taken vvith his hook at unawars. He will do the beſt he can, to turn thoſe good gifts vvhichwhich God gives unto men, to be occaſions of ſinne.
Thus many times vvhere God gives Knovvledge and Learning, the Divill allures men thereby to pride; vvhere God gives beauty, the Devill allures men thereby to vvantonneſſe; vvhere God gives ſtrength the Devill abuſeth it to do wrong & violence; and vvhere God gives vvit, the Devill turns it to gibing & ſcoffing at others; Yet ſtill vvhen he tempts a man to ſin, he vvill extenuate the ſame make it ſeeme leſſe, and to make him to yield the more eaſily unto it, he will perſwade him that God is infinitely mercifull, and that he daily pardons many ſinnes of many that are far greater. When he hath brought a man to yield to his temptation, then he labours to make him continue in his ſinne, by putting him in hope that he hath a long time to live, and that he may repent him when he comes to be old, and all in good time. And when he hath now brought him to this, that he ſees him continue ſecure in his ſinnes, then he will go a degree further, he will labour to hinder him from hearing the word, from praying unto God, and from all other meanes that might bring him to repentance: as the enemy when he hath beſieged a City, he will ſtop all the paſſages, and will hinder any from coming to the City for their aide and aſſiſtance. And theſe are indeed his moſt uſuall vviles whereby he deceives us.
And as he is ſubtil, ſo he is very malicious. He would deale with us (if God would ſuffer him) as he dealt with Job: he would take away from us all that ever we have, and would leave us nothing, unleſſe it were that which might do us harme; as when God gave him leave to afflict Job, he took away his goods, his Servants and his Children, but left him his wife to be a croſſe unto him. Therefore it is that he is called our adverſary: your adverſary, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Pet. 5. Like a roaring Lyon, walkes about ſeeking whom he may devoure. For ſuch is his malice, that he is never at reſt, but goes compaſſing the earth from one end to the other,Job 1.7. ſeeking the deſtruction of the vvhole race of Adam, both in body and ſoule.
Now if ye ask the reaſon, why the Devill is ſo maliciouſly ſet againſt man: the reaſon is plain, becauſe that man is the Image of God. The Devil bears infinite hatred to God for caſting him out of Heaven, and becauſe he cannot do God any harme; yet he ſeekes maliciouſly to deface his Image, and to be revenged upon man: not unlike the Panther, whoſe hatred towards man is ſo implacable, as St. Baſil ſaith, that if he ſee but a mans Picture, he will ſet furiouſly upon it, and tear it in peeces.
Laſtly, As his ſubtilty and malice are great, ſo likewiſe is his power. Therefore Chriſt calles him the Prince of this World, to ſhew that his power is very great. And therefore St. Paul when he tells us, that we wreſtle not againſt fleſh and blood, but againſt Principalities and Powers: he councells us twice in the ſame Chapter, to take and put on the whole Armour of God, that ſo we might be able to reſiſt his temptations. We ſee then what this enemy is whom we are exhorted to reſiſt, one that is both ſubtil, and powerfull, and malicious. Though he were never ſo malicious againſt us, yet if he were not powerfull withall, like a curſt Cow, as the Proverb is, that hath ſhort hornes, for want of power to effect his malice, we might fear him the leſſe. Or though he were both malicious and powerfull, yet if he were not ſubtil and crafty vvithall, the danger vvere the leſſe, becauſe there vvere ſome hope that vve might over-reach him by ſome meanes or other; but being both ſubtil, malicious and powerfull, it behoves us to be more careful to make reſiſtance. And ſo from the perſon whom we muſt reſiſt. I come to the manner how we muſt reſiſt him.
The word which is here tranſlated to reſiſt, doth ſignifie to confront, and to ſtand againſt as it were face to face, to note unto us, that we are not to yield and to turn our backs,1 Sam. 17.48.49. but to ſtand manfully againſt him when he doth aſſault us. That as David when he was to fight with Goliah, he went againſt him and ſtruck him in the forehead: So we vvhenſoever we are aſſaulted by the Devill, are to ſtand againſt him face to face, and not to turn our backs like the Children of Ephraim in the day of battle.Pſalm. 78.9. Therefore we are ſtill commanded in the Scripture, to fight, to vvreſtle, to quit our ſelves like men, to withſtand and to reſiſt, but never to flie and to turn our backs.Epheſ. 6. And therefore St. Paul vvhere he particularly ſets down the vvhole Armour of a Chriſtian; vvhichwhich vve are to uſe againſt our ſpiritual enemy, yet he mentions not any part for the back: there is an Helmet for the head, a Courſelet for the breaſt, a Sword for the hand, Sandals for the feet, and a Shield to gard all the foreparts; but for the back and the hinder parts there is no Armour at all; to note unto us that we are manfully to ſtand againſt him, and not to turn our backs vvhen he doth aſſault us.
Now further, for the manner how vve are to reſiſt him, we muſt deal vvith this Enemy as men do in Warre vvhen a City is beſiedged.
Firſt, They ſhut up the Gates and make all faſt, to keep the Enemy from making entrance. And thus muſt vve do, vve muſt ſhut up as it vvere the Gates of our ſenſes, vve muſt turn away our eyes from beholding vanity, vve muſt ſtop our eares from hearing vanity, and vve muſt ſtrengthen every part and look that all be faſt, otherwiſe if he find any part to be vveaker then other, he vvill break in upon us.
We read Judges 18. that the Tribe of Dan. having no Inheritance nor poſſeſſion of their own among the Children of Iſrael, they vvent up and down like ſpies to ſurvey the Country, and finding the City Laiſh to be vveakly guarded, the Inhabitants thereof being careleſs and ſecure, and otherwiſe buſied, they made towards it, they beſieged it, and having conquered all the Inhabitants thereof, they took poſſeſſion of it.
And thus the Devill having loſt the right of his own Inheritance, and having no poſſeſſion of his own among the Children of God, he vvanders up and down like a ſpie, and finding the ſoul of man to be meanly fortified, the Inhabitants thereof, the vvit, memory, vvill, underſtanding being unprovided, he ſets upon it, and finding little or no reſiſtance, he eaſily takes it, and therefore it behoves us to keep vvatch continually, and to look carefully to our ſelves, that we give him no entrance.
Secondly, We muſt not only be carefull to keep him out vvhen he doth beſiege us; but vvithall vve muſt be carefull, and do our beſt endeavour to raiſe his ſiedge, vve muſt do the beſt vve can to beat him from the aſſault, and to put him to flight. And this is done by the vvord of God, vvhichwhich is called by the Apoſtle, the Svvord of the Spirit.Eph. 6.17. Therefore vvhen our Saviour vvas tempted by the Devill, Matth. 4. the only Weapon vvhereby he repelled him vvas the Scripture, to teach us that hovvſoever he doth aſſault us, vve muſt betake our ſelves to the Word of God to reſiſt his temptations. If he tempt us to covetouſneſs and the love of the World, vve may ſay it is vvritten,Mat. 16.26. what ſhall it profit a man to gain the whole World, and to loſe his own ſoule? If he tempt us to pride and vain glory, we muſt ſay it is written, God reſiſts the proud and gives grace to the humble. If he tempt us to malice, we muſt ſay it is written, He that hates his Brother is a murderer. James 4.6. 1 John 3.15.If he tempt us to uncleanneſs, we muſt ſay it is written, Marriage is honourable among all men, and the bed undefiled; but Whoremaſters and Adulterers God will judge. In a word,Heb. 13.4. what ſin ſoever he tempts us unto, we may find in the Scripture wherewithall we are to withſtand his Aſſaults. For the Scripture is like the Tower of David, Cantic. 4.4. that was built for an Armory, a Thouſand Bucklers (ſaith Salomon) do hang thereon, and all the ſhields of mighty men; and from thence we may fetch what Weapons ſoever we are to uſe againſt our ſpirituall enemies, and without which we can never repell their temptations.
And therefore this ſhewes their extreame folly, that regard not to have any knowledge in the Scriptures; For how ſhall their hands be able to warre and their fingers to fight that are not acquainted with the word of God, and know not how to handle the ſword of the Spirit? Such muſt needs be in a fearfull caſe, becauſe they do voluntarily diſarme themſelves, and caſt away their Weapons, and ſo betray their ſouls into the hands of the Devill, while they have not where withall to reſiſt his temptations.
If a man had an enemy that had vowed his death, how carefull would he be to provide himſelf Weapons, and to get ſome cunning how to uſe the ſame, for the ſafeguard and preſervation of his naturall life. How carefull then ſhould every one be for his ſoules ſafety, to put on the whole armour of God, and to learne to uſe aright this ſword of the Spirit; that when Sathan his mortall enemy aſſaults him, he may be the better provided to withſtand him.
It is ſaid of Hanniball a Carthaginean Captaine, that as long as Scipio his enemy was in the field and ready continually to bid him battle, he was alwayes afraid leſt he he ſhould be ſuddenly ſurprized; and therefore never ſlept but with his armour on, and with a guard of Souldiers to keep watch about him. And we read of Saul, 1 Sam. 26. That while he ſlept in the field, he had his ſpeare in a readineſs ſtuck up at his Boulſter: And ſo ſhould we, while we are in this World, which is as it were the field of temptation, wherein vve are ſo often aſſaulted by Sathan; we ſhould alwayes have the Word of God in a readines, that whenſoever he aſſailes us, vve may be able to vvithſtand him. But hovv farre are the moſt (eſpecially they that are in their youthful dayes) from doing thus? Tell them of reſiſting the Devills temptations, forſaking their pleaſures and betaking themſelves unto Gods ſervice, they vvill be ready to ſay. Why art thou come to torment us before the time. Alios mores hee atas poſtulat. Our youth requires other kind of manners, and it is needleſſe for us to do thus till vve be grovvn in yeares. For young men do commonly make account that they ſhall live long, that God vvill allovv them more liberty vvhile they are young, and vvill not require ſo much of them as of old men. But they ſhould rather conſider that which experience may teach them, that they vvho are young are as vvell ſubject to death as they who are ancient, like glaſſe which is as, brittle when it is newly made as when it is old, and ſo though they be young yet they may die ſoone; and therefore need alwayes to be in a readines againſt God ſhall call them. They ſhould conſider that which reaſon may teach them, that the longer it is before they ſeek God, the longer it will be before they can find him; as the further a man ſtrayes out of his way, the longer it will be before he can find the ſame. And they ſhould conſider that which the Scripture teacheth them, that young men as well as old ſhal be called to an account at the day of Judgement of all they have done. And they ſhould remember the precept which the Apoſtle gives here, not in the future but in the preſent time, Reſiſt the Devill, not reſiſt him hereafter. If God as they imagine, regard not what they do in their youthfull daies, what needed David to pray,Pſa. 25.7. Eccleſ. 12.1. Leuit. 5.7. Mar. 10.14. Remember not the ſinnes of my youth; or Solomon to ſay, Remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth. Why did God in the old Law, command that young Pigeons ſhould be offered unto him? Or Chriſt in the Goſpel forbid that young children ſhould be kept from him? but to ſhew that our youth is to be conſecrated to God, and to be ſeaſoned with Religion. If they think it too ſoon to forſake their ſinnes, and to begin to ſerve God in their younger yeares: God will think it too late when they come to be old, to entertaine them to be his Servants; and as they have ſpent the greateſt part of their time in the Devills ſervice; ſo God will leave them to him whoſe work they have done, to pay them their wages. We our ſelves will be loth to take ſuch a ſervant as is lame or old, and ſo unfit or unable to do us ſervice, eſpecially if he be one who while he was young and ſtrong refuſed to ſerve us: And do we think that God when we have refuſed to ſerve him in our younger years will be content to receive us, when we are old and impotent to be his ſervants? When we have ſerved his enemie with the beſt of our daies will God be content to have the leavings?Sardus de morib. Gen. lib. 3, For if we ſerve him thus, what do we elſe, then as ſome of the Heathen were wont to do, whoſe cuſtome it was that when they had eaten the meat themſelves, they did ſacrifice the bones unto their Gods.Deut. 25. We are forbiden by God to have diverſe meaſures a greater and a leſſe, becauſe they that do thus are an abomination to the Lord. If God count it abominable for a man to have divers meaſures, a greater for himſelf & a leſſe for his neighbour or a greater for his friend & a leſſe for a ſtranger; How abhominable then muſt it needs be to God, when we have divers meaſures for God and his enemies, ſerving ſinne and Sathan, with the beſt and greateſt part of our lives, and alotting the leaſt and the worſt part unto Gods ſervice. And therefore it behoves us ever while we are young, to reſiſt and withſtand the Devills temptations, to renounce our pleaſures and to betake our ſelves unto Gods ſervice. And thus much concerning the former part of theſe words, Reſiſt the Devill. I come now to the reaſon, which I will diſpatch briefly. Reſiſt the Devill and he will ſee from you.
The Devill though he be fierce when he gives the firſt aſſault, yet where he finds reſiſtance he will break up the ſiege and fly like a coward. Ye know when he tempted our Saviour Chriſt in the fourth chapter of St. Matthew, though he gave the firſt blow, yet he took the laſt; and though he gave the on-ſet and ſet firſt upon him, yet he was the firſt that ſounded the retreate, and was glad to leave him.
But it may be demanded, Whether the Devill will flee if he be reſiſted? Will he flee into Hell and be ſeen no more? No, that he will not; but if he flee from tho godly, he will be ſure to take his pleaſure of the wicked, and he will make them pay for it; If he cannot prevaile againſt our Saviour, he will enter into Judas; if he cannot have his will of men, yet rather then faile he will enter into the Swine:Math. 8.32. as a Hauke when ſhe cannot ſpeed of her prey, ſhe will ſeaſe upon carrion; But though the Devill flee when we reſiſt him, yet we muſt not be ſecure; for though he can not ſpeed at the firſt aſſault, yet he will come againe: as when he took the foile in tempting our Saviour, he departed from him as St. Luke ſaith,Luke 4.13. Luke 20.40. but for a ſeaſon. He is not like the Sadduces, Luke 20. who were ſo confounded with our Saviours anſwers, that they never durſt ask him any more queſtions; but being overcome yet he will come againe: like Pharaoh, who though he were faine to let the Iſraelites go, yet they were no ſooner gone but he preſently purſued them; or like the Philiſtins (Judges 16.) who though they had often ſet upon Sampſon and could not prevaile, yet they would not give him over but ſtill aſſaulted him. For though the Devill do take the foile, yet he will not quite give over; but when he ſees that he cannot prevaile one way, he will try if he can prevaile another. We ſee when God had given him leave to afflict Job. to try whether he could draw him to impatientie, and the Devill had taken away all his goods, killed his ſervants, and deſtroyed his children, and could not in all this prevaile againſt him; yet he would not leave him thus, but got leave of God to aſſault him afreſh, and to afflict his whole body with ſores and ulcers; for he knows that our weaknes and infirmity is ſuch, that though he cannot prevaile one way; yet another he may prevaile againſt us. If he cannot prevaile againſt David to lay hands on Saul the Lords annointed, yet he will try if he can tempt him to murder Ʋriah; If he cannot draw the Phariſee to extortion, adultery and the like Vices, he will go another way to work, and try if he can make him proud of his virtues.
And ſo though he be vanquiſht in one temptation, yet he will tempt us again; & therefore we are not to be ſecure, but after that one temptation is paſt, we muſt expect and prepare our ſelves for another; yet this is our comfort, that though the Devill aſſault us never ſo often, yet God that here exhorts us to reſiſt the Devill, will likewiſe help us to overcome him. Qui hortatur ut pugnes adjuvabit ut vincas, He ſaith St. Auguſtine that exhorts thee to fight, vvill likevviſe help thee to get the victory. If thou be ready to ſink like Peter, Mat. 14.31.he vvill put forth his hand to keep thee from ſinking: nay, if thou fall like Peter, yet he vvill not ſuffer thee to be quite overcome;Luke 22.61. but he will look back upon thee with the eye of mercy, and will raiſe thee again; For as the Devill encounters thee with new aſſaults: ſo God will ſupply thee with freſh forces, and his grace (if thou be but carefull to reſiſt the Devill) ſhall be ſufficient for thee againſt all his Temptations.
FINIS.