A CHRISTIANS war: Wherein IS LAID OPEN THE nature of our spiritual adversary, and the manner how we must withstand his temptations. EPHES. 6. 11. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the assaults of the devill. LONDON Printed by Melchisedech Bradwood for Thomas Hauiland, and are to be sold at his shop in Gilt-spurre street without Newgate. 1613. TO THE READER. BOoke-makers now adays in their Epistles complain of the number of books that are made: their condemning of others( in their own conceits) is excuse sufficient for them to do the same: for they commonly speak against the multitude of books, and yet themselves press through the press unto the press. I am not of their mindes: I dislike not the number of good books, but of idle and fantastical heads, who sow tares among the corn; and fear not, that they may now cause laughter in other, to haue God one day laugh at their destruction. suppress all those which abuse the press, and then I haue all done. Else my writings shall much profit the Church of God, though they only hinder the printing of a lascivious play, with the multitude of which books our Church is pressed down as a cart under the sheaves. Some say: plays and such like are good books to drive away the time. I say: If plays and such like would keep the time from going away, I would allow them for good books in very dead. But if they help to drive away the time, and so take from us the necessary use of a thing so precious as the time is, which being once past is past recovery; let the Readers of them take good heed, lest they hasten their journey unto hell, for I am persuaded they help to drive them, thither with all speed. The Sermon following, since it was first preached hath long restend in peace within my study: now that it hath been within the press, it is pressed forth to war, as thou seest. God grant it may stoutly fight the Lords battels,& be a means to beat down Satans kingdom, that sin reign not in our mortal bodies. Amen, Amen. THOMAS broad. A SERMON made vpon those words of S. james, IAM. 4. 7. Resist the devill, and he will flee from you. THe holy Scripture, to the end we might know and well consider the violence& force of the devils temptations, likeneth them unto fiery darts: not only unto darts, Ephes. which by reason of their sharpness pierce easily; but, unto fiery darts, as which make a way by means of their sharpness and heat also. again, to note the difficulty of withstanding his temptations, it likeneth us to souldiers; and both his tempting us to sin, and our resisting of the same, unto a fight or battle, the most violent action in the world, where omni conatures agitur. This then being an usual allegory in the Scriptures, if I shall continue it in handling of this text, it will not I hope seem strange to any; unless happily themselves be strangers in Gods word which should dwell plentifully amongst ●oloss. 3. us, and wherewith we ought all to be well acquainted. Resist the devill. ●he Apo●es coun●l. FIrst of him whom wee are to resist, namely the devill: whereby is meant not onely the prince, termed by the Iewes, Beelzebub; but together with him the whole retinue of wicked Spirits, that is, the Dragon and his Angels, revel. 12. as S. John calleth them. he that heareth of an enemy coming to make war against him, will be careful to know both his strength, with what power he cometh; as also his wisdom, how skilful he is in managing such affairs; and lastly, his will and earnestness to put in practise that which by his strength and policy he is able to effect: for accordingly hereunto( if he be wise) he will provide to withstand him; or else, finding himself unable so to do, whiles his enemy is yet a great way off, will sand ambassadors to entreat of Luk. 14. a peace. In this our adversary then the devill, that we also may the better prepare ourselves to resist his assaults( for as for truce, there is none to bee taken with such an enemy, whom nothing can content but our everlasting perdition of soul and body) wee haue to consider both his strength and ability to do us mischief, as also his wisdom, craft and subtlety; and thirdly his will to prosecute that, which by his strength and skill he is able to bring to pass. Of the strength of our adversary. AS touching his strength; who better knoweth it than that God, which gave unto him both his strength& being? And to the end, that wee also might know it, and the better prepare ourselves to with stand his force, he hath given him a name which doth show his nature; for he is termed a Lion, who is the king of beasts, stronger than any beast of the field which the Lord God hath made. And yet, as though this roaring Lion were not able of himself to do mischief enough, he hath adjoined unto him two confederates, the flesh, and the world. It is a common saying, Nè Hercules contraduos: and how then should wee be able to encounter with three, either of which three overcame Hercules, and all the wicked( I say, wicked) strong men that ever lived? Three enemies so dangerous as these, whereof one, I mean the devill, is the prince that ruleth Ephes. 2. in the air, and seemeth to haue beset our way to heaven already: another, I mean the flesh, is within us, sticks as fast unto us as the flesh to the bone, so that we can never wholly shake it off, whiles we haue our being in the flesh: a third, I mean the world, we are in; and though wee should take the wings of the morning, and fly into the uttermost parts of the earth, yet there also would this our enemy besiege us round about. One enemy is above our heads; another is within us; and we are in the third: a threefold cord is hardly broken; and God knoweth, how few of us are able to break their bands asunder, and to cast away their cords from vs. That you may the less doubt what this Lion with his two confederates by strength is able to bring to pass, take but one example, and that shall be in S. Peter: whom though I do not aclowledge with the Papists for the strong rock whereon Christ built his Church( for then, when the rock itself was so shaken, what would haue become of the Church built thereupon?) yet with the Disciples I do aclowledge him for one of the three chief among twelve, that were ●l. 2. the chief among all the rest; and for one again, whom our saviour willed to strengthen others, When thou art converted, strengthen Luk. 22. thy brethren. Yet, Peter himself was not strong enough to wrestle with this roaring Lion, but received the foil three times on a row. When such a mighty Cedar of the foreste is so shaken; what may the little trees of the field well fear? If any think: Wee never perceived the devill so to enforce his temptations, as that he should deserve the name of a Lion for the same. Ans: It is because you slavishly and cowardly yield unto him: for certainly the devill may truly say of many in these daies, as the Centurion speaketh in the gospel; I say Mat. 8. to one, go; and he goeth: and to another, Come; and he cometh: and to my seruant, do this; and he doth it. he no sooner tempteth, but wee are ready to obey: and the strength of an enemy is not known, before resistance be offered. When having received an injury, the devill tempteth thee to reuenge the same: when he provoketh thee to commit whoredom, to steal, or to spend thy time idly, to go to plays, to the tavern, to deck thy body overmuch, &c. begin to withstand his temptations, and then shalt thou soon find, that he will fall vpon thee like a Lion indeed, so that thou shalt even be enforced( will thou, nill thou) to yield unto him many times. Not only S. Peter hath felt his force, but others also, even the most stoutest champions of Christs camp. Wherefore my counsel is with S. Paul; Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he Cor. 10. receive a fall: for his adversary the devill is a Lion, and wanteth no strength to overturn him, and lay him flat on the ground. Of the wisdom, policy, and craft of our adversary. AS touching his wisdom; who again better knoweth it than that God, which gave him both his wisdom, and being? And to the end wee also might know this, he hath given him a name whereby his nature is made manifest: for he is called a Serpent, which is wiser than any Gen. 3. beast of the field, that the Lord God hath made. And not onely so, but an Old Serpent too; as who to his wisdom that he had by nature, hath adjoined long experience. add hereunto, his knowledge: for though God only be {αβγδ}, the searcher Act. 1. of the heart and reins; yet is it very probable, that the devill knoweth all our words& works, and can shrewdly guess even at the very thoughts and intents of the heart many times. What an advantage was it for the King of Israel, that the king of Syriaes counsel was revealed unto him by the Prophet? When and 2. King. 6. where we arm, and are provided to resist, that he knows well enough: but when and where he means to assault, that we are altogether ignorant of. The like were, as if an old beaten soldier of long experience in the warres, and having his eyes in his head, should encounter with a fresh water soldier that were stark blind. What equality were there between these? That you may the less doubt, what this old Serpent by his wisdom, his craft, and skill in these matters, is able to effect, take one only example: and that shall be in Salomon the wise; I may well say, the wise, who at the first was so wise, 1. King. ●. that even dreaming he preferred wisdom before long life, riches, and the like, which many in these daies, that would be thought wise notwithstanding, will not do be they never so broad awake. Thus wise was Salomon at the first, and God added unto him afterward in far greater abundance: yet Salomon himself was not so wise, but that he was deceived by the old Serpent, and led out of the right way many yeeres together. He now that thinks himself no wiser than Salomon, hath good cause to be very circumspectly: and he that thinks himself wiser than Salomon was, hath I think far greater cause, as hereby bewraying the greatness of his folly. If any say: Wee never perceived the devill to use such craft and sleights for the bringing of his purpose to pass. Ans: It i●… because you want either care o●… wit to observe him. Watch and ward about yourselves day and night continually, as the children of this world being wise in their generation use to do, the enemy being so near at hand: and then, if you haue any eyes in your head, you may easily perceive what variety of stratagems he useth, what ambushments he layeth for you in every place. Consider I pray, how much cunning some crafty Hannibal hath attained within the space of forty yeeres: and know, that the devil by nature a Serpent hath had continual practise day and night for almost six thousand yeeres together. There is none of us, but he hath aforetime dealt with the like disposition, and knows already where wee are weakest, and how wee may be most easily foiled. If he cannot prevail when wee are in company and haue counsel about us; he will set vpon us when we are alone, as he did vpon our mother eve: if in the light we will not yield, he will lay for us in the dark, when we shall think; No man seeth us: and the Highest will not remember Eccl. 23. our sins: If of himself he can do no good, then will he set our wives, children or friends against us; and thus a mans wife becomes a Tempter or Satan unto her husband; for, Get thee Mat. 16. behind me Satan, said Christ to Peter, when he was tempted by him. If by no means he can cause us to commit wickedness in our own persons; then our children or seruants shall act it, and wee shall not forbid them, whereby wee ourselves become guilty: for, Malum qui non prohibet cum potest, jubet. The devill it seems could not cause Ahab to murder Naboth: nay, 1. King. 21 rather than he would so do, Ahab seems willing to kill himself; for he would eat no bread. But jezabel promiseth to give that, which her husband would buy: and Naboth being slain, up( saith she) take possession, for Naboth is dead. What though Naboth were dead? Shall wee think that Ahab was his heir? Yet he goes to take possession: and thus Ahab slay Naboth; Hast thou killed, and also gotten possession? saith Elijah to him. Infinite( dear brother) infinite are the sleights and stratagems of this our subtle enemy: and that God which opened Elishaes seruants eyes, enlighten the eyes of thy mind, that thou mayst both see and shun them. My counsel again shall bee with S. Paul; work ou● your salvation with fear Philip. 2. and trembling: for our adversary and devill is an old Serpent, and wants no subtlety to work and procure our destruction. Of the will and earnestness of our adversary to do us mischief. AMong men there are three special motives to make 〈◇〉. One is, a desire of enlarging their dominions and increasing their wealth: which most prevailed with that king, who told a Philosopher, that he purposed to l●ui● an army, and to set vpon another prince near adjoining. The Philosopher demanding, what he would do, when he had subdued that country: his answer was, that then he would increase his army, neither did doubt of bringing another dominion under his subiection. Thus many times: at length the Philosopher demanding, what he would do when he had subdued all those countries and spake of: the king makes him answer, that then he would return to his own kingdom, and live at case, eat, drink, and be merry. whereunto the Philosopher replies: And what letteth( O King) but that you may thus do without hazarding your person and kingdom, the event of ●ar●● being always uncertain? But thus wee see, what moved him to war ● although indeed this 〈◇〉 no perpetual motive, at length he would haue given over, and lived in peace. Another principal motive, hath been ambition and a desire of vain glory: which it seemeth most prevailed with Alexander the great; who hearing a Philosopher discoursing of I know not how many worlds besides this, brast forth into tears; and the reason was, because as yet he had not subdued one world. It seemeth, this his ambitious humour would haue been a perpetual motive, and haue caused him ambire terras continually, seeking to conquer all. But of all other, the greatest motive unto war, hath been hatred and malice. It is a true saying, Odium hoc ●●um habet boni, quod sibimet plurimùm affert mali; hatred, envy, and malice hath this one onely good property, because as a viper it hurteth him in whose bowels it is bread and nourished. But it is found too true by experience, that it hath been the greatest cause of hurt to others. Inuidus alterius rebu● macrescit opimis: and how then will he labour to make another mans good to pine and vanish away? The greedy king, and ambitious Alexander will show some pity, and their passions being more gentle, they shall not be carried so violently: but when malice drives forward, and destruction onely is intended, there must needs be deadly war. Now, what should move our adversary the devill thus to affault us with his fiery darts continually? I cannot think it to be ambition in him; much less any hope of bettering his estate: for I am not of their opinion, which term hell the devils kingdom; The devils kingdom ● of this world. ●. Tim. 3. I rather take it to be his prison, where himself together with all those that he hath taken captive shall be tormented eternally. But would you know what it is? surely, the deadly hatred, and extreme malice which he beareth us; and this, partly for our Creators sake, and partly for our own, God wee know cast him down from heaven: and seeing he cannot wreak his anger on God himself, he seeks to wreak it on man, that is, on Gods likeness. Gen. 1. Man was made, if not to fill up the places of the Angels which fell, yet to ascend up to heaven from whence they fell: wherefore no marvell, though the devill cast stumbling blocks in our way, and do his best, or worst rather, to hinder our journey thither. whatsoever the matter bee, that as you haue heard of his might and skill, you might the less doubt of his will also to do mischief, do but consider his own words in the first of job. Being there demanded by God, whence he came: I came( saith job 1. he) from compassing the earth to and fro, and from walking thorough it. he did not only compass the earth in one part; but, to and fro, this way and that way: neither did he compass or go about it only, but, He walked thorough it too, and sifted every corner within the same. Indeed, true it is, he doth not here tell us, wherefore he took such pains and was so busy, he concealeth that: but the holy Ghost hath else-where revealed it for our good, that we might the better beware of him. Your adversary the devill( saith ● Pet. 5. S. Peter) goeth about as a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may devour. here wee find wherefore he goeth about, or( to use his own words) compasseth the earth to and fro, and walketh thorough it, namely, to bring all men that live vpon the face of the earth unto ever lasting perdition. It is reported of one Esrem, a devout and religious man, that in a vision he saw the whole world and every corner thereof, set full of nets to catch men in, and at every of them a devill watching ready to devour the prey when it was taken. Whether any man had ever my such vision I cannot affirm: but surely, as S. Augustine telleth us in his book of heavenly meditations, The devill hath laid snares enriches, snares in poverty, Aug. M●dit. cap. 1● snares in meat, snares in drink, in pleasure snares, in sleep snares, and snares in watching; he hath laid snares in our words, snares in our ●●●kes, snares in all our ways, and God knoweth how many of us are daily taken in those snares? In a word: he goeth about, he compasseth the earth to and fro; and walketh thorough it, seeking earnestly, not only as a roaring Lion by might and strength, but also as an old Serpent by craft and subtlety, by his snares, nets; and traps, whom he may bring to the pit of destruction. Bee a man never so mighty, so crafty▪ and maliciously bent against another; yet being a man he must spend some time in procuring things necessary, some time in using them, and a great part of his time in sleep: again, be he a man and not a beast, the greatest part of all, in the service of God and procuring the salvation of his foul. But the devill is past hope of being saved, his head is not troubled with such matters, his eyes neither slumber not sleep: he hath nothing else to do day and night, but to work the woe of careless ma●● that scarce once in a day so much as thinks of him▪ Suppose now▪ that some mighty man, and politic, should bend himself wholly to procure the overthrow of some man of mean estates were it not a wonder but he should bring his purpose to pass? God of his mercy grant us grace well to consider of it, and in time to look about us: for as there are very few that shall enter in at the straight gate, so they shall one day find, that they were even miraculously preserved from the claws of this devouring Dragon. Not then to stand any longer in laying open the nature of this our adversary: consider only his names given him in the Scripture; and they declare it well enough. He is called Satan, i. an job. 1. adversary, to show the hatred he beareth to mankind: he is called a Tempter, because he sheweth Mat. 4. his hatred principally in tempting us to sin: he is termed a Lion, because he wants no strength; as also an old Serpent, because he wants no craft, to bring his temptations, and other his mischievous imaginations to an end: he is called a devill, i. an accuser, because having tempted us to sin and prevailed, he will afterwards accuse us for the same, though himself were the causer thereof: lastly, he is termed Abaddon, i. destroying, because he ●eu. 9. walketh about continually, seeking by all means whom he may devour. And now, Ab uno disce omnes: such as the old Dragon himself is, such are all his wicked Angels. having then so many, so mighty, so crafty and malicious aduersaries, it standeth every man vpon to provide himself in the best manner he can, that he may bee able to resist his force; for no truce( as I said) is to bee taken with such an enemy, whom nothing will satisfy in any sort, but our endless torments in the like which burneth with fire and brimstone; Of the manner how we are to resist the devill: and first, of the weapons wherewith we are to arm ourselves. THere is a learned man of our time, which holdeth it to be very probable, that the devils are sometime h●●r● with a bullet, arrow, or such like flying thorough the air: which opinion of his he groundeth partly on the Fathers, and partly on reason. Of the Fathers( he saith) there haue been, which haue so thought heretofore. Whereunto( supposing that some haue been of that opinion) my answer is; that howsoever. I well know the Fathers are but children in respect of the Apostles; yet notwithstanding I attribute much to their iudgment in any matter: and though much, yet induced not so much neither, as that I would build my faith vpon them. The Fathers I willingly aclowledge all of them were men both godly and learned, and which haue very well deserved of the Church of God: but though they were learned men, and besides that godly men too; yet an opinion of some of them may not carry away our belief without further reason: It is no wrong to them, nor rashness in us, if vpon occasion wee say of them also, Humanum est lab● errare, decipi. Not then to stand longer hereupon, I come to the other ground of his opinion, which is reason: that forasmuch as those wicked Spirits are sensible substances, when any such substance is partend asunder: by any means, it must needs bee painful; and this he thinketh doth sometime befall them, a bullet flying through the air, where they are most conversant, the devill being termed the Prince that there ruleth. Ans: The former being granted; I can hardly believe that ever the latter doth befall the Dragon or his Angels: for either by their strength and power they do repel and beat back the bullet; or else by their swiftness they do eschew it; or l●stly, by their tenuitie and thinness they do rather pierce it, than it them. If this be granted, I cannot see but that the good Angels also must needs bee subject to the like inconveniences: for they are ministering Spirits Hebr. 1. Psal. 90. sent into this world for the good of Gods chosen, and are said to compass the godly about. But indeed, experience doth sufficiently teach the contrary: for the Angels both good and bad, are spiritual substances▪ like as our souls are. If now a man be 〈…〉 through with a bullet, or run through with a sword; it would seem harsh to say; that his soul were hurt thereby. That which hurteth the body, hurteth no● the soul; and contrariwise: unless it be per accident. Surely, if this were so, then it seemeth wee might resist the devil with g 〈…〉 with swords, and such like weapons: but indeed such as one adversary is, such most our weapons be; our adversary is a Spirit, and the weapons of our w●●f●re, must not be carnal, but spiritual. The Papists haue di 〈…〉 weapons to withstand and drive away devils; but they are of their own making, of their own invention: namely, The sign of the cross; a Crucifix hung about their necks, and the like. Neither is it unknown, that some of them being thus armed( whereas otherwise they durst not, for they are a Nation much afraid of Spirits) haue been bold to walk through dark and fearful places: and indeed these are weapons very well befiting those that walk in the dark. St. Paul our general, the Apostle of us Gentiles, was better skilled in these matters, and he willeth the Ephesians to put on the whole armor of God( not the Eph. 6. armor of man, whether invented by man,( or otherwise) and mark his reason: for we wrestle not( saith he) against flesh and blood, which if we did, carnal weapons might serve the turn; but against principalities, against powers, against the worldly gouernours, the princes of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickednesses in high places. Our armor then must bee the armor of God, as indeed being the onely armor of proof against such aduersaries: and this armor must be whole also, to cover every part, lest they should haue any advantage finding any part naked. In battels of this world, I red of helmets, shields, brigandines, &c. and it is said of Goliath, that he had books of brass vpon his legs. But St. Paul, knowing ●. Sam. 17 what a dangerous enemy one must encounter withall, willeth us to arm our feet also; And your feet( saith he) sh●d with the ●ers: 15. preparation of the gospel of place: lest otherwise, in stead of running the way of Gods commandements, they become feet swift to shed ●om. 3. blood. For whereas being wounded by the darts of man, they become flow& bleed themselves: being wounded with the fiery darts of the devill, they become swift to shed the blood of other men. It stands then every Christian soldier vpon to put on the whole armor of his God: but yet indeed among those sundry weapons mentioned by our Apostle, I would most specially commend three unto you. Whereof one is a weapon of defence, I mean, the shield of faith; above all, take the shield of faith, whereby yet may quench all the fie●●● darts of the devill. Another ●● weapon of offence, I mean, the sword of the Spirit; And take the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. A third is a weapon endowed with strange and wonderful properties, for it hardeneth the shield of faith, and giveth an edge to the sword of the Spirit, and this is, Prayer: Pray always 〈◇〉 all manner of prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watch there unto with all perseverance. Of the shield of faith. TAke the shield of faith, that is, put your trust in God, and depend onely on his providence. This weapon, though needful for all men and at all times; yet would I principally commend unto two sorts of men. One is those, which are in any great bodily danger, as penury sickness, imprisonment, and the like: I would haue them take the shield of faith into their hands; and not doubt but the Lord in his good time will deliver them out of all their miseries, according to that saying of holy Scripture, Many are the troubles of the Psal. 34. righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of all. After that our saviour had fasted forty dayes and forty nights, he then waxed hungry: which occasion the devill taking hold of, came to assault or tempt him, saying: If thou be the son of God, command Mat. 4. that these stones bee made bread. As who would say: Thou hast fasted a long time, and now are hungry: here thou art in a wilderness, where no food can bee gotten: thy father seemeth utterly to haue forsaken thee: wherefore rely no longer vpon him; but shift for thyself, and if thou be the son of God, command these stones to be made bread to satisfy thine hungry appetite. Indeed, true it is, that Christ took unto him the shield of faith and manfully withstood this assault; and both knew and believed that man did not live by bread onely, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. But how few are there which haue, grace to follow this example of our captain? Abraham( we see) though the father of the Gen. 20. faithful, yet forgot to take unto him the shield of faith, being as he thought in danger of losing his life▪ and put more confidence in a lie, than he did in God himself. And when he was demanded the reason hereof, he said▪ I thought, surely the fear of God is not: in this place. What needed Abraham to care, whether the fear of God were in that place or not; had he considered that the power of God was in that and all other places; If m●n do not fear God, they teach us by their example much less to fear men. But indeed, this is the frailty of us all: for what is the matter, wherefore being sick, or in want, &c. wee run to sorcerers, fall to stealing, and seek to relieve ourselves by unlawful means; but onely because wee cast away the shield of faith, and distrust the goodness of that God, who is onely good, yea goodness itself? I know well what flesh and blood are here ●ont to say for themselves: namely, that they do not see by reason how they should escape that danger, depending onely on Gods providence, and using lawful means. But( o man) what art thou, that thus bindest the hands of thy God, and restrainest his power? will he( thinkest thou) bee beholding to the devill for the safeguard of his children? It is all one with him to save without means as by means: and how dost thou know, whether he then intendeth miraculously to relieve thee,( as he fed Elijah, and delivered Peter out 3. King. 17. Act: 12. of prison) when thou dost not see by reason how it should come to pass? But now, rather than God should thus do, and thereby make his power known, whereby men might be induced to glorify his name; thou wilt prevent him by seeking help at the devils hands. What an intolerable injury is this to almighty God? Lord lay not this sin to our charge at that day; but grant unto us thy grace, in all our wants and necessities to take unto us the shield of faith, put our trust in thee, and depend only on thy providence. A second sort of men, unto whom I would most specially commend this weapon, are those which labour under the heavy burden of their sins, and think their temptations to drunkenness, whoredom, pride, covetousness, reuenge, and the like, so strong; as that they shal hardly, if ever, bee able to overcome them. Indeed, that hardly, it must not seem strange; for as may appealle by that is said before, wee haue a dangerous enemy to deal withall: but yet, let to man cast away the shield of faith, and utterly despair of victory in the end. Was not the seed of the woman promised; which should 〈…〉 se the Serpents head? Who also hath bruised its for when he had sent forth his Captaines, I mean, his Apostles, and other Disciples, to preach the gospel of the kingdom; among whom were the two sons of thunder, he saw Satan fall Luk. 10. revel. 12 down from heaven like lightning before the thunder. again, St. John saw a battle in heaven: Mithael& his Angels fought with the Dragon and his Angels, and ●… reuailed against them. Indeed, ●●●e not to think, that Micha●… l( by interpretation, who is as God?) or Christ and the good Angels did then skirmish in the air with the devill and those wicked Angels: if any man so imagineth, he is deceived; he dreameth as it were, for this was a vision onely. But by this vision▪ as by the place of Scripture before alleged, is shewed the victory of our captain over sin and Satan, under whose banner wee manfully fighting shall likewise overcome, as sundry of Christs faithful soldiers haue found by experience, and among others S. Augustine, who telleth us as much of himself before his conversion▪ Surely, when all the devils other fiery darts are quenched, I mean, I when a man by the grace of God doth fully purpose in his heart to forsake his whoredom, drunkenness, &c▪ then commonly will the enemy strive to persuade him, that he is so wholly given to these enormities, as that it were in vain for him to purpose any amendment, he doth but kick against the prick, and even strive against the stream. But assure thyself( dear brother) if thou canst resist this temptation, and believe thou shalt haue the victory, thou shalt find that saying of thy Master true; All things are possible to Mar. 9. him that believeth. Who would haue thought that little david with a sling and a ston should haue conquered that mighty gi●●●, being armed from top to ●●●? And yet we know how soon he prevailed: for indeed what said and? Thou comest to me with 1. Sam. 1 a sword, a spear, and a shield; but I come unto thee in the name of the Lord of Hostes. And at another time: They came about Psal. 11 me like bees; but they were quenched as a fire of thorns; for in the name of the Lord I shall destroy them. howsoever then of thyself, thou art not able to encounter with thine enemies; yet go against them in the name of the Lord, and more shall hold with thee than are against thee: comè their darts, their temptations, about thee as thick as bees, yet shall they not fasten the sting of death in thee, but in the name of Cor. 15. the Lord, thou shalt overcome them. Our help standeth in the name of the Lord, which hath made heaven and earth, both soul and body, and knoweth how to deliver both out of my their extremities whatsoever only, let us, whether afflicted in body or mind, take unto us the Shield of faith, put our trust in him, and make him our shield and buckler. Of the sword of the Spirit. THis weapon our saviour Christ being tempted by the devill took unto him three times together: for the devill assaulting him thrice on a row, he thrice resisted his assaults with the word of God, It is written &c. Mat. 4. And surely it were to bee wished that we in these daies both could and would follow this example of our Lord and Master. Indeed, there is happily some difference between the devils tempting of Christ and us, as touching the manner, for it should seem that he tempted Christ by word of mouth, as likewise he did our mother eve heretofore; whereas he tempteth us commonly by suggesting evil thoughts to our mindes: but yet I see no reason, wherefore wee may not likewise withstand our adversary with the sword of the Spirit, the word of God. As suppose, that a man be tempted to distrust Gods providence, and thereupon to fall to stealing, cozening, oppressing of the poor, and the like: let him presently call to mind, how that it is written, God clotheth the ●at. 6. grass of the field; and feedeth the fowls of the air; and are not we better than these? again: It not the life more worth than meat, and the body than raiment? Seing then God hath freely given unto every man both life and body; how should he not likewise give meat and raiment, which are of less value? If a man be tempted to covetousness and confidence in worldly wealth: then let him remember how that it is written; Mans life standeth not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth. And again; Thou fool, ●uk. 12. this night shall they take away thy soul from thee, and then whose shall that be which thou hast gathered together? If a man be tempted to presume of Gods mercy, and thereupon boldly to commit sin, to steal, to bee drunken, &c. then let him straightway think within himself: it is surely written, The soul that sinneth shall die the death. again: Verily Mat. 12. I say unto you, that at the day of iudgment men shall give accounts of every idle word that they speak. If a man, seeing the grievousness of his sins, bee tempted to despair: then let him call to mind, how that it is written; Gods mercy is infinite: he delighteth 2. Cor. 1. in mercy; and no marvell, for he is the Father of mercies, and a father wee know delights in his children. Thus you see, how after the example of our captain, wee may resist the devill with the sword of the Spirit. This being so, what may wee think of our Papists, that go about to bereave the common people of this so needful a weapon; and in stead of the holy Scriptures, Gods word, sand them to dumb Images, calling them Lay-mens books? For seeing these Images haue hands, and handle not, neither can defend themselves against Spiders and such like vermin; how should they teach us to handle the sword of the Spirit, and defend ourselves against our spiritual adversary? The Papists say, in disgrace of this weapon, that the devill assaulted Christ therewith. Indeed, we find, that when our saviour had resisted the devill ●uk. 4. twice with the word of God: how that he then would needs take it into his hands likewise, hoping to wound Christ with his own weapon, and came vpon him with, It is written, that he sball give his Angels, &c. But they should haue considered, that our saviour would not let go his weapon for all that, but even then also resisted him with, It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. To let the Papists alone: what may wee well think of many amongst us in these daies, which haue no more care to come to the Church, to hear and red the holy Scriptures? Is it because they think themselves skilful enough to handle the sword of the Spirit already? If any man be wise in his own opinion, let him become a fool, that so he may be wise: if any thinks himself skilful enough already, let him learn to know his own unskilfulness, that so in time he may become skilful in some measure. But, I fear me, I know what the matter is: the sword of the Spirit hath not as yet wounded them; for were they once pricked in their hearts therewith( as they were unto whom St. Peter preached the word) they would I make no question, haue a better opinion of it, than now they haue. God grant, that they may once feel the virtue of this two-edged sword cutting backward, that so they may more carefully learn how to use it forward against their adversary the devill. Of Prayer. AS we red, that Christ being set vpon by the Tempter, thrice with stood him with the sword of the Spirit: so likewise do we find, that St. Paul in the like case had recourse three times unto this weapon. There was given unto me( saith he) a prick 2. Cor. 1● in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, &c. and I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me, or flee away. Indeed, this weapon of all others I would most specially commend unto every Christian soldier; for I know whereof we be made, how that wee are but flesh and blood, and our adversary is a Spirit, whose temptations are strong, whose darts are fiery and pierce easily. But let our adversary be a Spirit: wee know that the holy Ghost is the Spirit of power;& If( saith Christ) ye can give good gifts unto your children; how much Luk. 11● rather shall your heavenly Father give the holy Ghost to those that ask it of him? Let our adversary be a Lion; never so strong: we know that Christ our captain is the Lion of the Tribe of judah; and if we ask, of his fullness wee shall ●eu. 5. receive, that being strengthened in the inner man, we shall be able to encounter with this roaring Lion. Let him again be an old Serpent, never so politic and crafty: we know, that Christ our leader is the wisdom of his Father; and if we ask of his fullness wee shall receive, that being become wise as Serpents, wee shall not be deceived by this old Serpent, and lead out of the right way. When the devill would needs haue tried the Disciples to the uttermost; our saviour told Peter of it, and said; Behold Satan hath desired you to winnow you ●●k. 22. as wheat; but I haue prayed for thee that thy faith fail not. beloved, Satan is still Satan, that is, an adversary to mankind: he seeketh as earnestly to winnow Christs faithful Disciples as wheat at this day as ever he did. Whereas then our Lord and Master sometimes prayed for Peter and no doubt for the rest of his Disciples: let now every true Disciple learn to pray for himself, lest his enemy triumph over him. For surely this prayer is it, which hardeneth the shield of faith, that the devils fiery darts do not pierce it. This prayer again is it, which giveth an edge to the sword of the spirit, that therewith wee may wound our spiritual adversary. Though the Shield of faith,& the sword of the Spirit, will not many times serve the turn; as what true Christian hath not to his great grief often found by experience? Yet I am verily persuaded, there is scarce that man, which being set vpon by the devill, and tempted to lie, steal, forswear, oppress, &c. that hath bowed his knees, and falling down asked help of God; but God hath bowed the heauens, and come down to succour him in his distress. Peter, though one of the chief Apostles; yet may deny his Master,& with swearing, and cursing too. david, though a man after Gods own heart; yet may much wrong a man made after Gods own likeness: he may commit adultery, and take away his wife: he may make him drunken,& take away his reason: he may commit murder,& take away his life. But if Peter or david being tempted to sin, had had so much grace as presently to haue run unto God by prayer; I can hardly beleeue, they had so soon been overtaken, or received such a shameful overthrow. When Moses lifted up his hands, Israel prevailed: but ●d. 17. when he let his hands down, then indeed Amaleck had the vpper hand. To conclude then this point: of all the weapons mentioned by St. Paul Eph. 6. I most commend unto you these three, the shield of faith; the sword of the Spirit, and Prayer, as being most worthy( I take it) always to be had in a readiness: and of the three, this last, I mean Prayer, as being chief I think amongst the three worthies. Watch, and pray, lest ye enter into Mar. 14● temptation. 2. When we are to begin to resist. THe second point in the manner of our resistance, is when we are to begin to withstand our adversary: for indeed the time is principally to bee observed in all our enterprises, and of all others most especially in waging of war. As touching the time then when we are to begin this fight, it is, In the beginning: and this twofold. First, in the beginning of our lives: and thus in the daies of the Israelites, God commanded to circumcise the eighth day: before the children knew good or evil, they must submit themselves unto God, and promise obedience unto his commandements. Thus again we use to baptize our children very young, where they are signed with the sign of the cross in token that hereafter they shall fight manfully under Christs banner against the world, the flesh, and the devill. Indeed ●t was a custom in S. Augustines time to defer their baptism until twenty yeeres or upwards( as is before mentioned,) That so they might with greater honesty ( as they thought) follow their own hearts desire, and wallow in all kind of abominations: but this custom that godly father disliketh and worthily. For, Quo semel est imbuta recens, &c. look with what liquour a vessel is seasoned whiles it is yet green, it will relish of the same a long time after: and do not wee see by daily experience, that what way a young plant is bowed, it will grow that way when it is old? If whiles we are yet young plants, wee be bowed the right way; then commonly when wee are old, wee bow down to God, and resist the temptations of the devill: but if we are then bowed the wrong way; wee afterward, even to our lives end, usually how down to Mammon, and resist the good inspirations of Gods Spirit. Wherefore, let those which haue young children, take heed they bring them up in the instruction and information of the Lord. Iosephus reporteth of the children among the Iewes, that no sooner they could speak almost, but they had Moses Jaw at their fingers end, they were presently taught to handle the sword of the Spirit. I greatly fear me, lest those young children of the Iewes shal one day rise up in iudgement, and condemn, not onely the young, but the old children also among Christians; who be they never so old, yet remain still children in understanding, and know not how so much as to strike one blow with this weapon aright, and as they ought to do. again, let those which are yet young, take good heed unto themselves betimes. I haue written unto you young men( saith Saint joh. 2. ●. John) because ye are strong, in faith; and the word of God abideth in you, you are armed with the sword of the Spirit; and ye haue overcome that wicked out, the devill. But S. John and his young men are dead long ago: nay rather, I writ unto you young men, because you are weak, and unarmed, without either the shield of faith or sword of the Spirit: and are so far from overcoming that wicked one, as that you think yourselves as yet free and at your liberty to continue his seruants for a season. If we now speak to you of fighting against the vain pleasures of the world, the lusts of the flesh, and the like: you put us off to old age, when the strong men shall bow Eccl. 12. themselves, and when you are not commonly so weak in body as in mind. But if you will needs be the devils seruants so long; take heed, lest he then challenge you for his slaves, and so bind you hand and foot, as that you shall not be able so much as once to offer any resistance: surely, daily and lamentable experience teacheth no less. Secondly, we must resist in the beginning of every temptation throughout the whole course of our lives: for it is easier to keep the enemy forth of the land, whiles he is without; than when he is once entred, to drive him back again. It is the policy of this old Serpent at the first to tempt a man to sin once only; as once to steal, once to forswear, once to commit whoredom, &c. and a man shal think with himself; God be merciful to me this once onely, and I will not do the like again for to gain the whole world. But assure thyself; if the strong man once prevail, he will twice as easy prevail the second time, and thrice as easy the third time, and the oftener still the more easily: until at length it grow to a custom, and so past recovery. Can the jer. 13. black Moore( saith ieremy) change his skin? or the Leopard his spots? Then may ye do good, that are accustomend to do evil. As who would say: It is as easy for a black Moore to change his skin, and a Leopard his spots; as it is for a man accustomend to evil, to learn ever to do well: and were not this then a miracle? The reason is evident: for, Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati; A custom in sinning taketh away the sense of sin; so that what at the first seemed abominable, in time will seem no sin at all, or at least wise very tolerable. Nay, as S. Augustine telleth us, Consuetudo est fabricata natura; custom is a framed nature: one nature we bring with us into the world, and another every man frameth unto himself by a continual custom. How difficult now must it needs be for the natural man to lay away nature? Surely, Naturam expellas furcâ licet, usque recurret. yield not then by subiection to the devill, no not once onely: though the strong man would make thee beleeue, that if he may be suffered once to get into the house, he will be gone by and by, yet take heed lest he claim possession of that room ever after. Yea, at the first the devill will not commonly tempt a man to any great villainy: Nemo repentè fit turpissimus, no man becometh extreme wicked on the sudden, but by degrees, by little and little. And the first Ahab shall but ●ing. ● too greedily covet Naboths vineyard: though he be a king, he shall not go about to wrest it from him by law, much less shall he take it from him by violence: nay, he shall offer him a better for it, or else the worth of it in money. Who would haue thought a devill had been here? But Ahab knew too well the commodiousnes of Naboths vineyard, before he knew well enough, whether Naboth were willing to leave it, and what followed? Ahab took from Naboth both life and vineyard too without money or mony-worth. At the first happily thou shalt be tempted onely to read love books: afterward thou shalt haue eyes full of adultery, and a mouth too: then shalt thou fall to wanton daliances: and the end is whoredom and adultery. A man hath injured thee: should the devill at the first tempt thee to murder him? he hath no hope to prevail: wherefore at the first thou shalt onely think with thyself. Such a man hath wronged me; I will surely go reason the matter with him: then shalt thou reason so long, till at length thou grow unreasonable; and from reasoning thou shalt fall to railing, and from words to blows, whereupon ensueth bloodshed, and murder sometimes. We see what a great flamme one little spark doth kindle. If david had known, whereunto his looking on a woman would haue brought him in the end, I persuade myself he would haue turned away his eyes from beholding vanity. Principijs obsta; resist then in the beginning: consider that the devill is a Serpent, and if he can get in his head, he will easily wring in his whole body, tail and all; and then take heed, lest he fasten the sting of death in thee, whereof thou shalt hardly, if ever, be able to recover. I end with that of S. Paul; give no place to the devill. Eph. 4. 3. Where wee must begin to resist. EVery man is more addicted unto some sins, than he is to others ●there is none but hath a right eye to bee pulled out; a right hand to be cut off, and cast away: the temptations of the devill are stronger with every man some ways, than others again. It is now a profitable question, where a man were best to begin to resist the devils temptations. And whereas some happily would give counsel first to set vpon our lesser sins, the devils weakest temptations; and by degrees, having subdued them, to withstand his strongest assaults, to redress those sin which are as our right hand unto us: I, for my part, am of a clean, contrary mind in this matter. When on a time in a great assembly, a question was moved touching reformation; a great part thought best to reform the abuses which were rife among the common people first, and then consequently to see what was amiss among the nobility, and to redress that in like manner afterward. But one stepping up, said; Non à minoribus, said ● m●●oribus: for indeed, when superiors are once wholly reformed, inferiors are half; as who are ready to follow and imitate them, whereas the contrary i● seldom seen. What this man thought touching the general reformation of a Common-wealth; that I think touching the particular reformation of every private man: begin not with the lesser, but with the greater. It was politicly done of the king of Aram, when he commanded his Captaines, saying; Fight neither with 1. King. 22. small, nor great, save against the king of Israel only. And do wee not see, when david had cut off Goliahs head, how the other philistines betook them to their heels, and fled away, the Israelites joyfully pursuing them? My counsel then( gentle Reader) unto thee is, that thou look out, which way the devill is strongest with thee, and what sin it is which thou art most given unto, which biddeth defiance as it were to all the good motions of Gods Spirit, whether it be covetousness, whoredom, drunkenness, pride, &c. and then take unto thee the sword of the Spirit, Gods word, which saith, that no covetous person, whoremaster, &c. shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. And therewith first cut off Goliahs head, be sure to make goliath sure enough, never think him dead until his head be off: and then will it do thine heart good to see, how thou mayst triumph over the rascall souldiers; thou shalt be able to say of them, as one sometime said of his enemies, Veni, Vidi, Vici: thou shalt no sooner come vpon them, and see them with thine eyes, but thou shalt overcome them. Whereas, if thou first spendest thy strength on the weaker philistines, thy lesser sins, the devils weaker temptations, and findest some difficulty to master them; thy courage) will not only decrease, but thine enemies courage will also increase, and thou shalt be fain to encounter with every Philistim: for; what will every one think? He hath indeed overcome a weaker, but who knoweth, whether he can overcome me? whatsoever then thou be, that meanest to fight the Lords battle, go in this thy might against goliath himself, and the Lord shall be with thee thou valiant man. But lest any should not well perceive my meaning, it shall not he amiss to make it more plain, that see I may be sure to condescend unto the capacity of the simplest. Some man then is most given unto pride, the devill is strongest with him this way: and besides other iniquities accompanying the same, as it were souldiers their captain; such a one must needs spend much time idly every morning in adorning the body, which might better be employed in decking the hide man of 1. Pet. 3. the heart( as the Apostle speaketh) I mean, in prayer, reading, meditation, &c. again, he must also spend much money vainly in buying out landish new-fangled fopperies, as wee see they do; which might better be laid out in feeding and clothing Christs poor, hungry and naked brethren. Should I now counsel this man, when the devill tempteth him to spend his time and money so wickedly, to strive with the shield of faith, and other such like weapons, to quench these his fiery darts first of all? Without question, he should kick against the prick, and strive against the stream; he should lose his labour. Nay rather, my counsel is, that he first set vpon his pride, remove it, and then shall he very easily spend both his time and money better: whereas it is even unpossible for him to do either, pride standing in her full strength; the mother will surely maintain her daughters. Another is most dangerously sick of an ambitious humour: and then, as one that is desirous to climb higher, whatsoever is beneath him, that he must tread vpon, and thrust it downward to help himself upward. again, whatsoever is above him, whereby he meaneth to climb, that he must lay fast hold on, and whithersoever that boweth, he must bow, and still wholly apply himself to the same. he shall bee even constrained to play both the Lion in oppressing his inferiors, and the fox in flattering his superiors: let him with stand his ambition, and then he shall be able with no ado to live like a sheep of Christs fold. A third i● even taken captive of 2. Tim. the devill, and carried violently bound hand and foot unto the vain pleasures of the world, the friendship whereof is enmity with God: and, to instance in one for all, unto this unreasonable game. The attendants whereupon are chasing, swearing, and sometimes cursing of his lucke or fortune: where under the name of blind fortune he blindly and ignorantly nurseth the providence of that God, whose eyes are as clear as the sun, so that the darkness is no darkness with him, but the night is as clear as the day. My counsel now to this man is, that he gather his weapons about him, and first win the field of game the devils champion: it shall afterward bee very painful for him to continue such a seruant under sin, and so to chafe, swear, and curse, as before he did, and almost could not choose but do. The like might be said of covetousness, whoredom, &c. I pray thee( dear brother) if this condition were proposed unto thee, that wouldest thou enter into the kingdom of heaven, thou must enter maimed thereinto, and cut off not onely thy right hand, but every finger also of the same, and cast them from thee: wouldest thou bee so mad as to begin with thy little finger, and then with the next, and so in order with the rest; and last of all to cut off thy right hand? shouldst thou not by this means endure far greater torment, than otherwise thou needest? As one then that would haue thee not only to enter into heaven, but with as little pain as may be; as one that would haue thee not only to overcome the devill, but easily too: I counsel, begin not with the lesser, but with the greater. Cut off thy right hand first, and then shalt thou cut off any finger afterward without any pain at all: strike at the root, and the branches shall fall to the ground of their own accord: first cut off Goliahs head, and the other philistines shall betake them to their heels, and flee away. Thus I come to our Apostles encouragement, which is And he will flee from you. ●he Apo●les encou●gement. IF we resist, if we manfully withstand our adversary the devill, wee need not doubt of good success in this battle, wee shall obtain the victory, and cause our enemy to flee away; whereof we haue a president in our captain Christ Iesus. For having quenched the devils fiery dats, the text saith, he departed from ●k. 4. 13. him. It is not said, that Christ departed from the devill, as though he feared his darts any thing at all: but that the Tempter departed from him, as having small hope to prevail. And this example of our Master, if wee haue grace to follow, the like success shall follow I doubt not; he will flee from us in like manner. 1. Not presently. but yet, let no man deceive himself, as though his enemy would presently betake him to his heels: not so, he bears no cowards heart, to turn his back after one blow given. Nay, thou shalt find( gentle Reader) unless thou slavishly yieldest to his temptations, that he is not in vain termed a Lion, as having indeed a Lions courage: so that sometimes that is verified between the holy Ghost and him, which is said of the house of david and Saul, There was long war Sam. 3. between the house of Saul and the house of david, before the victory inclined to either part. And this is most commonly seen in that first and great combat: I mean, when first a man perceiving his miserable thraldom under Satan( whose slaves wee are all by nature) and the exceeding great danger he lives in by means thereof; beginneth, through the good motions of Gods Spirit, to draw his neck out of the collar, and to deny subiection unto him any longer. S. Augustine reporteth of himself, that before his conversion he felt a great and long combat within him, between the flesh and the Spirit, between God drawing him on the one side unto amendment of life, and the world, the flesh, and the devill, seeking to hold him back on the other side in that wicked course of life, which he had lead hitherto. In this conflict( saith that godly Father) what did I not say against myself? How did I beat, and even whip mine own soul, to make her follow thee O Lord? But she held back, she refused and excused herself: and when all her arguments were overthrown, she remained trembling and fearing as death to be restrained of her loose custom of sin. After this, all his pleasures past represented themselves before his eyes, saying; What, wilt thou depart from us, and shall wee bee with thee no more for ever, after this moment? Shall it not bee lawful for thee to do this or that any more hereafter? And then( saith Saint Augustine) O Lord, turn from the mind of thy seruant, to think of that which they objected to my soul: what filth, what shameful pleasures did they lay before mine eyes? moreover, the devill would needs persuade him, that it was unpossible for him to overcome his passions. At length, the battle still increasing, he said to God. O Lord, how long wilt thou suffer me thus? How long, how long shall I say, to morrow, to morrow? Why should I not do it now? Why should there not be an end of my filthy life, even at this hour? Thus at length after a long combat and many hot skirmishes, through the help of his God, and by the power of his might, his soul escaped as a bide out of the snare of the fowler, the snare was broken, and he was delivered. The devill( I say) will not presently give over in the first& great combat: if Moses would bring the Israelites out of Egypt, Pharaoh will not yield thereto for a long time, and no sooner shall they set one foot out of his kingdom, but he will follow with his horsemen and chariots to bring them back again with all speed. Although indeed this is also verified many times in those sundry and manifold conflicts which happen in our life time afterward. When the messenger 2. Cor. 12▪ of Satan was sent to buffet Saint Paul, he prayed to the Lord once, and he would not depart: he prayed the second time, neither would he stir a foot: and though he prayed the third time, yet, as may bee gathered by the answer God made him, the devill would not flee away notwithstanding. And what true soldier of Christ is there, which knoweth not this to bee true by daily experience? The reasons hereof are two principally: the one is yielded by St. Paul, ver: 7. Lest I should be exalted out of measure, &c. The other, by God himself, vers: 9. My grace is sufficient for thee; for my power is made perfect through weakness. It pleaseth that God, who is able to enable his seruants to put the adversary to foil out of hand, to suffer him nevertheless to contend dubio mart for a time: partly, that so his grace may be magnified, whose power in us appeareth to bee by so much the greater, by how much our own is acknowledged to bee lesser: partly again, to teach us that good lesson Nosce teipsum, to know ourselves in some good measure, that so we may be truly humbled, when we see aswell what wee want, as what we haue received. For indeed in this world we receive only the first fruits of the Rom. 8. spirit, and not the tenths: whereas many of us are no sooner entred into Christs camp, I mean, truly sanctified; but presently, as though we had received the Spirit of power in the greatest measure, and were ever fed to the full with abundance of spiritual graces, we think ourselves strong enough and well able to go vpon the Lion and Serpent,& to tread Satan under foot at our pleasure. But( alas) wretched men that we are, how often do wee prove the contrary by woeful experience in the course of our lives afterward. 2. Not for ever. SEcondly though the devill will at length flee away, yet not for ever: but still retains animum revertendi, a mind to return when occasion serveth. He departed from Christ, as wee red: but what addeth the evangelist. When all the tentation was ended, the devill departed from him for a little season: Onely, For ●uk. 4. 13. a little season. Indeed, we do not find any mention in the Scriptures of his return: but yet, as Iesus did many things which are not written in that book; so ●oh. 20. 30 ( for ought we know) he suffered many things also at the hands of Satan by his temptations, and a● the hands of his instruments; the Scribes and pharisees, by reproaches& other contumelies which are not written in that book neither. Surely these words ( for a little season) do seem to imply his return after a certain space. But whether he set vpon our captain any more, or not, without question he will not so give his souldiers over: for though he cannot prevail at one time, yet he thinks he may at another. Now St. Peter will rather die, than deny his Master: and according Mat. 26. to his promise will very valiantly adventure his life for his sake, though he and his fellowes haue but two swords, and their enemies being many come also with many swords and weapons. But within a while the devill will bring it so to pass, that Peter shall even tremble at the voice of a silly unarmed woman. he that now would rather die than deny his Master, did live notwithstanding to forswear him afterward. And suppose, that in these peaceable dayes of ours, the devill should tempt us to give the honour of the only true God unto stocks and stones and dumb images: I persuade myself, he should speedily be put to flight by very many of us; an●… were we asked, we would be read●… to promise rather to die than to deny the Gospel of Christ Iesus. But if ever the sun do arise again vpon our Land, I greatly fear me, most of us will then yield to the devils temptation, and say, as one did in queen Maryes daies. Who having in King Edwards time made the like promise as Peter did, and in the heat of persecution being put in mind thereof, answered; It is true, but I cannot burn: I thought so once indeed, but now I see, though I love my Master well, yet I love mine own life better. Were they once as hot as fire in Gods cause, the devill in time maketh them as could as water, so that for their lives they cannot burn; the fire is clean put out, when the heat of the sun riseth vpon them. Now St. Paul is ready not to Act. 21. be bound only, but to die also at jerusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus: What do you( saith he) weeping and troubling me? He is troubled with his friends, that would fain keep him out of trouble. But when St. Paul cometh to jerusalem, and is commanded Act. 23. to bee smitten contrary to the law, by him that sate to judge according to the law, he is not ready and willing to take a blow for the name of the Lord Iesus; but groweth impatient,& speaketh evil of the ruler of the people. There are, which would excuse this his fact; but it is altogether unexcusable: for though he knew him not to be the high Priest; yet, he knew him to be his judge, as by his words is manifest, Thou sittest to judge me, &c. And whereas some say, that St. Paul did not revile him, but only pronounce the punishment of God against him: he himself doth not so defend his fact; and unless he had acknowledged it for are proch, wherefore should he produce that place of Scripture, Thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of thy people? he might otherwise haue denied that he did revile; whereas he onely goeth about to excuse himself, as not knowing that he was high Priest. As Peter had his fall, so Paul stood not always upright. If the devill hath now tempted a man to injury his neighbour, and looseth his labour: then will he tempt another to injury him, that so he may repay blow for blow, railing for railing, and one injury for another. And whereas by the former at first he could not, by this means he hath often prevailed afterward. Whiles we are yet young, and children as concerning malice and all kind of iniquity: and it should then be said unto any one of us; Hereafter thou wilt prove 〈…〉 common drunkard, a horrible ●●earer, an oppressor of thy poor brethren, &c. I am persuaded, he would answer, as Hazael answered the Prophet; telling him, that he should rent in pieces women with child, and dash their young infants against the stones; Am I a dog( saith Hazael) that I should do this great 2. King. 8. thing? Am I a dog, am I a castaway, a reprobate, that I should ever blaspheme the name of my heavenly Father, that I should grind the faces of my brethren, that I should so much wrong myself, as to drink and be drunken,& c? And yet in time, the devill so prevails with many, that they do as great, yea greater things than these; and for all that( I fear me) think themselves men still, and not changed with nabuchadnezzar into the nature of savage and brute beasts. When wee haue heard Gods word against any sin; and the devill should go about to haue us offend therein within a day, or week, or the like: wee would all of us I think resist him with, It is written, Thou shalt not &c. Wherefore, what thinks the devill with himself? The time will come ere it be long, when I shall steal the word out of their hearts, when I shall get the sword of the Spirit out of their hands,& then setting vpon them, I shall obtain the victory without any resistance at all. 3. He will try some other way. THirdly, though the devill tempting to any sin, and ●… inding resistance, departeth ●… ithout ever returning to tempt ●… n like sort again: yet we are to ●… now, that he hath sundry darts of different properties,& though one bee so dull that it cannot pierce the shield of faith, yet he can and will make trial what his fellow can do. If the strong man ●… med cannot get into one room, he thinks he may into another: though he cannot break thorough ●… he wall into the house, yet he ●… opes to steal in by the door ●… r window. Surely, it is not in ●… aine that St. Paul willeth us to Ephes. 6. 18. ●… ray with all manner of prayer: ●… or the adversary will assault us ●… ll manner of ways at one time or other. When tempting Christ to distrust his fathers providence, and to provide for himself by turning stones into bread, he was withstood with Gods word, It is written, &c. the next time he goes another way to work, and saith; If thou be the son of God, cast thyself down, &c. As who would say: It is well mat. 4. 6. that thou so relyest vpon thy Father, as though he both could and would preserve thee without food: rely still vpon him, do not use the means that he hath ordained, but cast thyself down the next way, and fear not, thy father will keep thee in safety; especially, since he hath promised, and it is written also, that he will give his Angels, &c. This fiery dart being in like sort quenched, the third time he goes a third way to work. Martin Luther, that worthy instrument of Gods glory, reports of himself; that he was tempted to all kind of iniquity, to pride, to whoredom, and the like; onely covetousness excepted, to this 'vice he was never tempted as he saith. Although indeed, who knoweth, whether Luther were not tempted to covetousness also after this time, when he came to bee old? For the devil is a Serpent, crafty and politic: he well knows to what vices we are most prove both in youth& old age, and will fit his temptations accordingly. At one time or other he will try all his darts,& though he cast away many to small purpose, he cares not, they are cheap enough, they cost him nothing. Wee red, that when david 1. Sam. 1● had killed a Lion, a bear came and took a sheep out of the flock: the bear being slain in like manner, he was fain afterward to encounter with a Giant. And let all Dauids sons brethren( though indeed, not david, but Abraham be our father) assure themselves, that finis unius mali gradus erit futuri, let them look for continual assaults one on anothers neck, as having the world, the flesh, and the devill, three as dangerous enemies to the health of the soul, as a Lion, a bear, and a Giant are to the welfare of the body. Only God grant unto his children grace, that like as david having overcome the Lion and bear, took courage against the Giant; Thy seruant( saith he to Saul) slay 1. Sam. 17. 36. both the Lion and bear, wherefore this vincircumcised Philistim shall be as one of them. So wee also by our former victories over sin and Satan, may comfort ourselves against his latter assaults; and not doubt of obtaining the victory in the end, come his fiery darts never so fiercely,& seem they never so vnresistable. I was heretofore in my youth tempted to pride, to drunkenness, to whoredom, &c. but through the help of my God, and with the assistance of his holy Spirit, I then caused the adversary at length to flee away: wherefore this my temptation also in my old age to covetousness, to ambition, to reuenge, &c. this uncircumcised Philistim, the Lords enemy and mine shall be I doubt not▪ ere it he long as one of them. It is a good observation of St. Bernard( as I remember) Angels ●●ciderunt &c. The Angels fell in heaven; Adam in Paradise; and Iudas in Christs school▪ though he were the scholar of a saviour, yet was he the son of perdition; joh. 17. wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth fast in the midst of so many dangers wherein we now live, take good heed unto himself, lest he receive a fall. But thanks be unto God, which hath in such sort gotten ●● the victory through Christ out Lord, that howsoever his children may fall grievously, yet 〈◇〉 finally: though they may be often wounded, yet never killed; their deadly wound shall 〈…〉 read again; and if they haue so much grace as to resist the adversary, they are sure to put him to the soil in the end: But( alas) how few are there of us, which profess ourselves soldiers of Christs camp, that do so 〈◇〉 as offer to resist, and to fight i● our Masters quarrel? Nay rather, whereas the Lord would fight for us, though we held 〈◇〉 peace; whereas did we but stand still, and wee might behold the salvation of our God: we shamefully turn our backs in the day of battle, and start aside like a broken bow. No sooner doth the lusts of the flesh bid us go, but wee go: no sooner do the vain pleasures of the world call unto us; Come, but we come: and no sooner doth the devill say unto us, do this, but we are ready to do it out of hand without any resistance at all. Let me appeal to the consciences of men in this last and worst age of the world: How many are there, which being tempted haue betaken themselves to their weapons; haue opposed the shield of faith, haue called to mind Gods word forbidding that sin, and called vpon God for grace to withstand the same? Nay, God grant it may no● truly bee said of many at this day▪ as it was said of the Israelites heretofore; When the day of battle was come, there 1. Sam. 13 was neither sword nor spear found in the hands of any of the people. So far are we from running to our weapons in time of need, as that wee haue no weapons to run unto, and to use in our own defence. How many are there, which know not what it meaneth to resist the devill, and to haue him flee away? And do we indeed resist, and not know that we so do? or think we to overcome▪ and not resist? or hope we to obtain the crown, and not overcome? If any man so imagineth, that man greatly deceiveth himself. There are some I fear me, which please themselves herein, because they know not what these combats mean, whereof we speak: all is quiet, all is peace within them. But is it in vain think these men, that wee are termed the militant or warring Church, and that the Scripture speaketh so often of souldiers, of fighting, and spiritual weapons? A peace happily there is indeed: but such a peace it is, as the Israelites had under the philistines, when they were in such servitude, as that they durst not offer resistance, and were angry with Samson for opposing himself against them; Knowest thou not( say they) that the philistines are rulers over judge. 15● us? When jehu marched towards Izreel, jehoram sent a messenger to ask, Is it peace? Who being commanded to turn behind, 2. King. ● the King sent another with the same message. This messenger being likewise stayed, jehoram goeth himself to meet jehu: and coming to him, said, Is it peace, jehu? whereunto jehu at length makes answer, What peace? while the whoredoms of thy mother jezebel,& her witchcrafts are yet in great number? I would wish that man, which so much flattereth himself with a kind of peace, once thoroughly to enter into himself, and in good earnest to demand of his own conscience; Is it peace, o my conscience? I persuade myself, he should not need ask thrice: his conscience would make him answer a● the very first; What peace? as long as thy sins and iniquities are yet in great number? No, no,( gentle Reader) deceive not thyself: as long as thy pride, self-love, disdain, covetousness, wantonness, and such like remain within thee, if there be any peace, it is more dangerous than any was whatsoever. When the devill( for it is his suggestion) thus speaketh to thee of peace, i● stands thee vpon with all speed to make thyself ready unto the battle: for indeed, in so speaking he assaulteth thee; this is one of his fiery darts which must be quenched, and that ou● of hand, as being one of the most dangerous. he that durst set vpon the Captiane, fears not to encounter with any soldier: look not then, that he should suffer thee to be quit, he will assault thee assuredly; but if thou wouldest haue him seldom so to do, then follow the counsel of that godly Father S Chrysostome. If a dog( saith he) coming to thy table, thou castest him morsels of bread or meat, be sure he will watch thee continually, and no sooner shalt thou sit down, but he will be at hand craving more after his manner: whereas if thou givest him blows in stead of meat, thou shalt soon be rid of his company. In like sort, cast the devill a blasphemous word or wicked dead, when he provoketh thee thereunto; and no sooner shall any occasion offer itself, but he will tempt thee to the like again: whereas if when he would haue thee commit sin, thou dost not onely not yield thereunto, but thence take occasion to do good, and so give the devill a blow as it were; thou shalt cause him to take heed how he meddleth with thee any more afterward. Whiles the Romans onely withstood Hannibal, they could never wholly be rid of him; but ever and anon he would set vpon them again: until at length they sent a captain to spoil his country, whereupon he was glad presently to get him away, that he might defend his own city and people. do not then only resist the temptations of the devill, but when he tempteth thee to gluttony or drunkenness, then give thyself to abstinence and fasting; when he would haue thee reuenge aniniurie, take occasion to do good unto thine enemy; when he provokes thee to immoderate game, lascivious dancing, and such like vanities, then spend more time than ordinary in prayer, reading, and such like exercises of religion. This is the onely way for Christs soldier to be at peace. And now to end with a word of exhortation. Consider( gentle Reader) that being baptized in the name of Christ, thou hast thereby professed thyself an utter enemy to his adversary the devill: for as he saith, No man Mat. 6. can serve two Masters; for either he shall hate the one, and love the other; or else he shall lean to the one▪ and despise the other. Indeed, true it is, that if many Masters agree in one, a man may serve many as well as one: but disgreeing as God and Mammon, as a saviour and a Dest●oi●●, as Christ and the devill; it cannot be, but if he love the one, he must hate the other; if he cleave to the one, he must forsake the other; if he submit himself unto God, as S. james requireth in the former part of the verse; he must ●m. 4. 7. likewise resist the devill, as he willeth in the latter part of the same. Then wast thou signed with the sign of the cross, in token that thou shouldst manfully fight under Christs banner against the world, the flesh, and the devill: which if thou meanest to do, and by doing to please thy Master; thou must begin betimes; fight manfully, and continue to the end; for Christ liketh not milite● 〈◇〉; he must haue those which must fight a good fight, which is, if with 2. Tim. So Paul, they haue finished their course. True it is, that like as in battels of this world, the greatest brunt lieth on the younger sort, they are subject to most temptations: but yet both old and young I warrant them, shall haue their hands full, and enough to do at all times. Wherefore every morning haue this or the like meditation in thy mind. I am this day a soldier of Christs camp: I haue a mighty, a crafty, and malicious adversary, which hath nothing, else to do, save onely to seek my destruction. If I do nothing, but be idle, yet can I not be quiet: when I Am most idle, the devill will be most busy with me. If I do any thing. If I take any business in hand; the devill setteth infinite traps to take my feet▪ When I eat and drink, he layeth snares in my meat and drink: and if I eat or drink more than sufficeth nature, I am taken in his snares. When I put on my apparel, the devill layeth snared in my apparel also: and if I put on any that doth not beseem the gravity of a Christian, I am taken in his snares; and unless I do perceive it, my danger i● the greater. Whether I sleeper or wake, whether I speak or hold my peace, whether I buy or sell, whether I give or take, whether I labour or rest, whether I do any thing or do nothing, all is full of perils, I can no where be secure. Wherefore I must with that holy man job, fear all my ways: I must after the Apostles counsel, put on the whole armor Eph. 6. of God; and above all, and first of all, betake myself to prayer, without which the shield of Faith, and the Sword of the Spirit, will serve me to small purpose: I must stand on my guard at all times and in all places. Thus with S. Paul fighting a good fight and finishing my course, I shall obtain a crown of glory, which Christ the righteous judge shall give unto me at that day. Now, this care to fight the Lords battels, and to resist our adversary the devill, that so in the end wee may obtain this crown of glory, God of his mercy vouchsafe to grant unto us all for his dear sons sake Iesus Christ. Amen. FINIS.