I Thinke it not needfull to looke after any cohe­rence betweene these words and the rest of the context. Our Apo­stles [Page 2]purpose is to giue good counsell to these scattered Iewes as con­cerning the life and pow­er of godlinesse. For the forme of it, none more forward than they: and therefore hee prescribes them such substantiall duties, as might indeed commend them to God, as the other could not. Among the rest this is one, Resist the deuill, and he will flie from you.

The parts whereof are two, Parts 2. a Direction, and a Consolation: or a Dutie directed vnto, and the blessed Fruit promi­sed [Page 3]to them that per­forme it.

Doctr. Resistance to be made vpon the deuill.From the former we learne, that it is the du­tie of Gods people to make resistance vpon Satan, till they haue gi­uen him the foile. A deuill there is, most subtill and malicious, who seeks by all means possible, to rob vs of the inheritance of the Saints in light, and make vs miserable like himselfe: and our care must be, to oppose, to resist, to disappoint him. With S. Iames ac­cords S. Paul, Eph. 4.27 [Page 4] Giue no place to the de­uill: yeeld not an inch. And with them both agreeth S. Peter, 1 epist. 5, 8, 9. Your aduersarie the deuill. Whom resist stedfast in the faith: [...], he stands against you, therefore doe you withstand him: he will bee sure to giue no ground, till he needs must, therefore turne not your backs vp­on him, stand your ground.

Here foure materi­all questions come to be answered, Foure questi­ons proposed. the so­lution whereof will [Page 5]giue great light to the Christian Combatant.

Quest. I Quest. 1. Wherein should we resist the de­uill?

I. Resist him in his owne person. Ans. In two things. First, in his owne proper suggestions. He makes not daintie of doing his worke, yea in his owne person, though the Defendant be ne­uer so meane and base in the world. None so good, but he hopes to make him bad: None so bad, but he hopes to make him worse, or at least to keepe him as bad as he is: therefore [Page 6]he refuseth not to pre­sent himselfe to any, but in a diuers man­ner; sometimes visibly, sometimes and more commonly, inuisibly; sometimes pleasingly, sometimes terribly; sometimes by outward obiects, sometimes by inward motions, and that more ordinarily. Being a spirituall na­ture, he easily applieth himselfe to our spirits, our fancies and minds: and, vnlesse he be well watched and with­stood, he makes great battery vpon the soule, [Page 7]darkens the iudgment, benummes the consci­ence, perswades the will, and distempers all the affections: and then doth his best to con [...]inue this disorder.

1 Motions to euill. Vnde venis? ab homicidijs, à sanguinib. ab a­dulterijs, &c. Orig. in Iob 1.7As for example: The deuill put into Iu­das his heart to betray Christ, and preuailed. Hee put into Dauids heart to number the people, and preuailed. He put into Eues heart to swallow the forbid­den fruit, and her owne bane, and preuailed likewise. So at this day, by the instinct of the [Page 8]deuill it is, that men are carried along to pride, to couetousnesse, to vncleannesse, and the most loathsome cour­ses, Matth. 8.32. as the swine into the lake. In this resist him.

2 Disswasions from good: as 1. from zeale.Resist him also in motions to lukewarm­nesse, or apostasie. A chiefe part of his im­ploiment is, to hinder good, that either it may not be strength­ned, or not continued. It is he that disswades men from care in the pursuit of religion; What need they be so [Page 9]hot? and what encou­ragement doth the world giue them for such peeuish courses? Master, spare thy selfe, Matth. 16.22.it shall not be so vnto thee, thou needest not be at so much charges in the matter of pietie. Here is a dart of the deuill, here resist him, and say as Christ to Peter, Vers. 23.Get thee behinde me, Satan, for thou art an offence vnto me.

Many a man he per­swades, 2. From con­stancie. not to hold out in his religious begin­nings, shewes him the course of the world, [Page 10]the backe-slidings of some, the harshnesse of his courses, and the pleasures or profits that he might haue; and, Iob 2.9. Doest thou still re­taine thine innocencie? blaspheme God, and die; forsweare thy professi­on, and all; take thy swindge, and please thy selfe, thou wilt ne­uer be younger. This is the blacke voice of a blacke spirit. Herein resist him.

II. In his in­struments.Secondly, resist him in the temptations of his instruments. That hee may leaue no stone vn­turned, [Page 11]to aduantage himselfe, or disaduan­tage man, he furnish­eth men with varietie of euill arts, and ma­keth them his factors, to deale for him in all places. For what? Though simple people take the deuill for their enemie, yet can they thinke so of their bre­thren? will their owne flesh and bloud de­ceiue them? Yes: he hath many Agents whom hee sets on worke to deceiue the world, Three sorts of factors for the deuill. and loseth not his labour.

1 First, false prophets, or erroneous teachers, who corrupt the iudg­ment with false do­ctrine; as in Poperie, Brownisme, Arminia­nisme, and other sects, which creep in among Gods people by the flie insinuation of se­ducers.

2 Secondly, libertine teachers, who infect the life by handling the word of God loosely and deceitfully; as in profanation of the Sabbath, formalitie of worshipping God, vsu­rie, &c. In all which, [Page 13]they nothing else but doe that openly, which Satan doth secretly: and therefore they are called his Ministers, 2 Cor. 11.15.

3 Thirdly, those that are either scoffers, or hinderers, or persecu­tors of the truth. Some can only barke against the Sunne, and doe no harme; as those that put nicknames, and rests, and flouts vpon Professors. Others haue authoritie also, as ouer children, and ser­uants; and these can dishearten them by [Page 14]frownes, and checks, and vile vsage, to make them weary of holi­nesse. Others haue fire and faggot to com­mand, and any extre­mities they please; and these can violently make away the godly, till the houre of dark­nesse be ouerpast.

Al these receiue their power from the dragon, Reu. 13.4. and come with his commission, as Christ intimates, Ioh. 14.30. The Prince of this world commeth: that is, in Iudas the traitor, in the Iewes my [Page 15]accusers, in the souldi­ers my executioners, in the people that wag­ged their heads, railed on me, mocked mee, bid mee come downe from the crosse, and saue my selfe.

Thus wee see, how Satan laieth about him both by himselfe, and by his instruments, to put vs to the worse. In both these, suggestions inward, and temptati­ons outward, we must make resistance vpon him. And this of the first question.

Quest. 2 Quest. 2. With what[Page 16]should we resist him? for of our selues we are bare, and naked, and vnable to encounter him.

Insufficient weapons for this warfare, three kindes. Answ. 1 Aske coniu­rers & charmers, they will tell you, you must make circles, vse spels, amulets, and I know not what.

2 Aske simple people, and they will tell you, you must spet at the mention of him, blesse your selues from him, defie him heartily, and all his workes.

3 Aske Popish Priests, and they will tell you, [Page 17]you must sprinkle your selues with holy water, carry a Crucifix about you, and crosse your selues well at your mouth, forehead, eyes, eares, breast, and other parts. These are the strawes which the de­uill hath taught men to fight withall, and in the meane time laughs at them in his sleeue: Exire se saepe dicit, & fal­l. t. epist. ad Magnum. often pretending (as Cy­prian obserued in Ex­orcists) to goe forth, and leaue the seruant of God, but deceiuing, &c.

But aske counsell at the wisdome of God, [Page 18]and we shall finde ar­mour of proofe in­deed. The word tels of spirituall scourges (as the same Father else­where calles them) wherewith the deuils are tortured; Torquentur spiritalibus fla­gris, & pote­state diuiua: lib. ad Deme­trianum. and of the power of God, whereby only they can be van­quished.

The weapons that are suffi­cient, in two heads.The meanes then of resistance stand in two sorts of Rules: 1. Of Preparation, 2. Of Op­pugnation. With some things the Christian must be furnished be­fore hand, and some other things hee must [Page 19]vse in the skirmish it selfe.

The first in three things: 1. Prepara­tiue. 1. Sound illu­mination, 3. In speciall. or know­ledge. 2. Sound humi­liation, or repentance. 3. Sound reformation, or holy life. Neuer goe into the field without these: for these are ne­cessary, and they put metall into a man, as one that may be bold.

1. Knowledge. of 3. points.First, the spirituall warrior must be care­full to get sound illu­mination, that he may know why, & in what he must resist. There­fore [Page 20]he must labour to see, 1 first, Gods institu­tion, ordaining these conflicts; Ges. 3.15. I haue put enmitie be­tweene thy seed and her seed; he shall breake thine head, and thou shalt bruise his heele. Consider, the battell is Gods, the quarrell is Gods, the armour Gods, the strength Gods, and the valour and victorie are Gods alone. And say as Da­uid,1 Sam. 17.45.I come to thee in the name of the Lord: I come not vnsent, with­out iust cause, commis­sion, [Page 21]or authoritie: no, the God of heauen preast me into the field, he gaue me my presse­money, and liuerie, and bade me fight, and so I will. Note. God makes peace for vs with him­selfe, by the attone­ment of Iesus Christ; with the creatures, by vertue of that coue­nant; with one ano­ther, by the operation of the Holy Ghost: but no peace with Satan; his sin is vnpardonable, therefore himselfe al­together vnpeaceable, vnreconcilable. Know this.

2 Secondly, know the prouision & furniture of the deuill. Be fully acquainted with his malice, and subtiltie, and vnweariablenesse: how he is expert in his forces, and diligent in mustering and exerci­sing them to the very end of thy life. Be able to say as the Apostle, 2 Cor. 2.11. We are not ignorant of his deuices. How shall a Captaine be able to enter com­bat with the enemie, if he know not his pow­er, plots, stratagems, ambushments? What [Page 23]King goeth to warre,Luk. 14.31.and sitteth not downe first, and taketh counsell, whe­ther he be able with ten thousand to meet him that commeth against him with twentie thou­sand? Should he goe forth a little way, and then flie, or send for conditions of peace? Here therefore know, that the deuill is an old serpent, the wisest of all beasts, a beast of seuen heads, and euery head hath many turnings and windings▪ Doe thy best to take an anatomie of them. Reade the [Page 24]works of those godly men, who haue ex­pounded Christs Tem­ptations: Especially learne what it is wher­in thy selfe art most as­saulted; and know these things more by practise, than by hi­storie.

Thirdly, 3 know thine owne impotencie and insufficiencie for so great a combat, both in skill and power. He that knowes himsel [...]e aright, cannot presume (as simple ones doe) that he can keepe him­selfe well enough; or [Page 25]as the sonnes of Sceua, Act. 19.14. who would needs fer­ret the fox out of his owne hole, to their owne shame & harme: But he will acknow­ledge his vnskilfulnesse and faint-heartednesse, and say to himselfe as Saul sometime said to Dauid, Alas, thou art a childe, thou art not able to fight with this man of warre, this Goliah of hell, 1 Sam. 17.33. He will flie out of himselfe for strength, betake him to the banner of Christ, and looke for the accomplishment of [Page 26]the vision shewed to Constantine, Pol. Virgil. [...], that is (in the language of Scripture) to bee a conquerour, and more than a conquerour, through him that loued him, Rom. 8.37.

This as concerning illumination.

Next, 2. Repen­tance. the spirituall warriour must looke carefully to sound hu­miliation. If hee will looke his enemie in the face, and fight the field manfully, he must first make all sure at home, and see, that there be no home-bred ene­mies, [Page 27]and lurking trai­tors within his owne walls. See Iosh. 7.10.11, 12. Euery sinne is an aduersarie to thy soule, yea a tyrant, and must not be suffered to reigne in thy mortall body, lest it set God at ods with thee. If there were no deuill in hell, yet something in thy selfe is sufficient to foile thee. Sinne is ab­solutely euill, as Satan is not. Therefore vn­roost this cursed brood, humble thy selfe be­fore God, put away the accursed thing: so [Page 28]shalt thou be able to stand, where otherwise thou must needs fall. It is our Apostles me­thod in this place; first, submit your selues to the Lord; then, resist the deuill: and verse 10. Humble your selues in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you vp; higher than Satan can reach you, or pull you downe.

3. Holinesse and integri­tie of life.Further, the spirituall warriour must haue a speciall care of sound reformation, or holy conuersation. For this is that which Satan [Page 29]most laboureth against, either to preuent it, or interrupt it; and that which most confounds him in his enterprises: therefore it is called the breast-plate of righ­teousnesse, Ephes. 6.14. because it keepes off gun-shot, darts, spears, and all the deuils mu­nition. As Iob, by sound holinesse in his heart and life, swome thorow a great streame of violent oppositions. Pro. 28.1. The righteous is as bold as a Lion: and so euery good man sindes, that vpright­nesse [Page 30]is a great prop to boldnesse and confi­dence.

II. Oppug­natiue.Now to the Rules of Oppugnation: that is, such as whereby he may either set vpon Satan, or keepe him off from giuing him the stab. A Christian pre­pared, and furnished as before, must see, that he take vnto him the whole armour of God, Eph. 6.13. and vse it, and still keepe it about him.

In 5. seuerall peeces.The seuerall peeces hereof are these:

First, 1 the word of God is the sword of the Spi­rit, [Page 31] Ephes. 6.17. able to cut off Satans temp­tations, and preserue our graces. Christ still resisted him with this, It is written; Matt. 4. Luk. 4. which put him so to a Non-plus, that he was not able to replie vpon him in the same kinde. This shewes vs the validitie of the word: It is pro­fitable to exhort, to re­proue, to conuince, and instruct in righteousnes, 2 Tim. 3.16. No error in doctrine or man­ners, but may be sup­pressed by it: no truth, no holy duty but is be­gun, [Page 32]and continued, and perfected by it: Therefore buckle this sword of the Spirit vp­on thee; Psal. 119.11. Hide the word in thy heart, that thou maist not sinne against God. Oppose Scripture to all temptations; as of earthlinesse, Col. 3.1, 2. Seeke the things which are aboue: set your affections on things aboue, and not on things vpon earth. Of pride and vaine-glory, Phil. 2.3. Let nothing be done through strife or vaine-glory, but in low­linesse of minde let each [Page 33]esteeme other better than themselues. Of loose­nesse & timorousnesse in matter of religion, Reu. 3.19. Repent, and be Zealous: and if any tell you this is peeuish, or the like, tell them againe, No, it is good to be alwayes Zealously affected in a good mat­ter, Gal. 4.18.

Secondly, faith in the Sonne of God is a speciall weapon for re­sisting the deuill: 1 Pet. 5.8, 9. Whom resist, stedfast in the faith; firmly assenting to the whole truth, especial­ly [Page 34]of the Gospell, with application of it to ones selfe for iustifica­tion, and direction, and saluation. Eph. 6.16. Aboue all, take the shield of faith, wherewith yee shall be able to quench all the fierie darts of the wicked. Faith, how it is so helpfull in this war­fare. And thus faith can helpe vs, partly for that it lateth hold vp­on Christ, who hath broken the Serpents head, and put away the enmitie, and reconci­led the Father to vs: (so it can well stand be­tweene vs and Satan; for,Rom. 8.33, 34. how can hee con­demne, [Page 35]when God iusti­fieth?) and partly, in that it drawes vertue from Christ, both in the example of his life, and by the power of his death and resurre­ction, to ouercome as he hath ouercome: He is the Head, and his in­fluence quickneth the whole Christian, to be­stirre himselfe as the member of such a powerfull Head.

3 Thirdly, another peece of our spirituall armour is hope, to wit, an assured expectation of the mercy of God, [Page 36]that he will surely pro­uide meanes for vs to hold out in grace vnto glory. This is called the helmet of saluati­on, 1 Thess. 5.8. And why a helmet? Because when Satan raineth downe his snares as thicke as haile (from the high places where he hath his abode, Eph. 6.12.) and vexeth the Christian with threats of hell and damnation, then hope lifteth the heart vpward, to a power that is higher than he, who hath said, I will not leaue thee, Heb. 13.5.nor [Page 37]forsake thee. It lookes to God aboue hope, and against hope; say­ing, Surely he is faith­full, though I be vn­faithfull: He hath cal­led me effectually, and though I of my selfe be not able to doe his will, yet he will doe it: 1 Thess. 5.24. He hath begun a good worke in me, and will surely finish it: As for thee, Satan, thou art a lier, I beleeue thee not; I will vse the meanes of perseuerance conscio­nably, and then a but­ton for thee; thou art a dogge in a chaine, [Page 38]wounded with a dead­ly wound, and the God of peace will tread thee shortly vnder my feet, Rom. 16.20.

Fourthly, 4 Patience is a speciall part of the Christians Armour: Hereby he shal be able to possesse his soule, which otherwise will be loft through fretful­nesse and impatience, Luk. 21.19. Satan is in­cessant in his malice, to wearie vs out by im­portunitie. Hee pre­uailes too often in his enterprises, to the di­sturbing of our peace [Page 39]and confidence: and hangs diuers clogs at our heeles, to keepe vs from fighting; as namely, the frownes of acquaintance, the vn­naturalnesse of friends, the reuilings of neigh­bours, & the violence of secular authoritie; that, if one cannot dis­hearten vs, another may, or all put toge­ther, may not faile. So that we haue need of pa­tience,Heb. 10.36.that wee may receiue the promises. Therefore while wee walke among these snares, and thornes, [Page 40]and rubs in our way, we must get our feet shod with the prepara­tion of the Gospell of peace, Eph. 6.15.

Fiftly, 5 Prayer is the bond that ties all the other peeces together: as there, verse 18. Praying alwayes with all praier and supplica­tion in the Spirit, and watching therunto with all perseuerance. Praier how it is helpfull. Pray, to espie a temptation when it commeth: pray, to bee able to vse the armour which God hath put vpon vs, to be resolute and cou­ragious [Page 41]for the truth, to be deliuered from euill, that wee may not enter into temptation, or be left to our selues and Satans courtesie: And when the battell goeth sore against vs, crie aloud (as Iehosa­phat in the armie) for aid and succour from God, and say, Lord rebuke Satan, magnifie thy power in confoun­ding him, and strength­ning mee, and giue me grace to resist vnto bloud.

These are the maine weapons for resisting [Page 42] Two subsidia­rie aids.the deuill: For the bet­ter managing whereof, vse these two helps.

1 First, keepe thy selfe in such a temper, that thou maist alway en­ioy the benefit of a good and a pure consci­ence. Dubbe it not with the filthinesse of any sinne: let none be admitted willingly, or wittingly, nor conti­nue vnrepented of: for this would choake thy conscience, when it should haue a voice to checke thee. Yea la­bour on the contrary, to fortifie and cheare it [Page 43] Hic murus ahe­neus esto, Nil conscire sibi, nulla pallescere culpa.vp with the sweet testi­monie of vprightnesse and integritie: So shall it be bold to speake for thee, and answer Sa­tan. Marke also the mo­tions, and checks, and recoilings of it: and make a good vse of them; because this tends to the applica­tion of the former weapons.

Secondly, 2 bee sure thou liuest indeed in the Communion of Saints. As thou beleeuest it, so make vse of it; which is, by ioyning thy forces with the rest [Page 44]of Gods people. Pray for the brethren who endure the same skir­mishes abroad in the world: help them with thy counsell, and expe­riences: and be as rea­die also to take profit from them: suffer the word of admonition, yea craue it, depend vpon their lips that they may feed thee: descrie what policies of Satan thou hast met withall, and wherein he is most happily re­pulsed: Compare tri­als, and conquests, and counsels: Ioyne all to­gether, [Page 45]and you shall all speed the better: So did the Apostles and Disciples against the rage of the deuill in his instruments, the chiefe Priests and their whole Councell, Act. 4.23-31.

And this be spoken of the second question.

Quest. 3 Quest. 3. In what manner should we re­sist the deuill? or what are the conditions of sound resistance?

1. Resist the deuill be­times. Answ. First, resist him earely and timely; and that, both in re­spect of thy life, and in [Page 46]respect of any one sin, whereby hee would haue euill done, or good left vndone.

1. In the be­ginning of thy life, 3. reas.For the former: Be­gin thy life with this holy combat, and end it in the same. Thy whole being on the face of the earth, from thy birth-day to thy dying-day, is a conti­nuall warfare. Thou art borne in a campe, among souldiers and armour: Thy Parents by their profession are of the traine band, fighting vnder the conduct and colours [Page 47]of the Lord Iesus: And canst thou expect im­munitie? expect it not: no part of thy life is free from hazzards; therefore let none be free from watchfulnes, from resistance.

And the equity here­of stands vpon three other reasons.

1 First, remember there is an old grudge be­tweene thee and Satan in this very respect. He was enuious & spight­full at the prosperitie of mankinde, as soone as it began: could not endure to see man so [Page 48]happy, and himselfe so miserable: laid about him, how to strip our fathers and vs of all those robes of blessed­nesse, wherewith God had cloathed vs, and leaue vs naked to his owne condemnation: and hee neuer ceased till he had effected his purpose. And is not this a good argument, to resist him timely? What braue or gene­rous spirit can put vp such an iniurie? What? no reuenge for so great an indignitie? Ioh. 8.44.Shall Sa­tan bee a man slayer [Page 49]from the beginning, and wilt not thou be a de­uill-slaier (at least a re­sister of the deuill) from thy beginning? Did hee owe thee a spight, when thou hadst done him no wrong, and doest thou owe him no ill-will, since he hath done thee the greatest wrong that can be? Consider his forwardnesse to vndoe thee, and be thou as forward to oppose him.

2 Secondly, consider this, that God hath scarce euer raised vp [Page 50]any notable instru­ment to repaire his de­caied Church, and de­feat Satan of his mali­cious purposes, but he hath presently bestir­red himselfe to sup­presse and hinder it, and make it forcelesse. Abel was a most faith­full and holy man, very hopefull, and likely to establish the pure wor­ship of God in his fa­milie and posteritie, if he had liued: therefore what should the deuill but cut him off quick­ly, and shed his bloud by his owne brother? [Page 51] Iehosua was willing and ready to doe much good for the Temple of the Lord at Ierusa­lem: therefore what should Satan but stand at his right hand and re­sist him? Paul, Zech. 3.1. imme­diately vpon his con­uersion set himselfe to preach the Gospell, and plant Churches among the nations: therefore what should Satan but set himselfe to stirre vp tumults, and doe his best euery way to hin­der him? The Church, 1 Thess. 2.18. the Spouse of Christ, is a woman, Reuel. 12.1. [Page 52] cloathed with the Sun, that is, in the robes of Christ the Sun of righ­teousnesse: Mal. 4.2. and the moone vnder her feet, that is, disesteeming and trampling vpon all these vaine and transi­torie things in the world: and hath vpon her head a crowne of twelue starres, that is, professeth the doctrine of the twelue Apostles, which shee accounts her crowne and glory. This woman, being married to Christ, is often with childe by her husband, to the sub­uersion [Page 53]of the king­dome of darknesse. Now marke the dispo­sition of the Prince of darknesse in this case, vers. 4. He still plaieth rex in the Church, cast­eth downe a third part of the starres from hea­uen to earth, that is, many Preachers and Professors of the truth, partly by erroneous doctrine, and partly by a prophane course of life. But especially if there be a childe to be [...]orne, who shall rule all nations with a rod of iron, that is, mightily [Page 54]subiect them to the obedience of the Go­spell; if so, now hee vseth more than ordi­nary diligence to spoile the birth, and deuoure the childe: so saith the Spirit, The dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be deliue­red, to deuoure her child as soone as it was borne.

Neuer doth there peepe a speciall beauti­full plant in the garden of God, but inconti­nently hee doth what he can to crop it away. Therefore see herein his malice, and learne [Page 55]by himselfe to resist him early. Shall he be watchfull for euill, and we not watchfull for good, or to preuent euill?

Thirdly, 3 remember thou madest a vow at the beginning of thy life in baptisme, that thou wouldest bee a faithfull souldier for Christ, from that time forward, euen to thy liues end. Euer since thou wast baptized, thou wast bound by thine owne solemne promise, to this resi­stance against Satan: [Page 56]Therefore looke to it. Where is the word of an honest man? where the word of a Christi­an? If thou hast not hi­therto resisted the de­uill, begin now, fore­slow no more time.

2. In the first proposall of any tempta­tion. Centere caput serpentis, i [...]caue primam peccati insinuationem, Cornelia Lapide in Genes. 3.Againe, resist him early (as in respect of thy life, so) in respect of any sinfull motion put into thy minde, whether to call thee from good, or egge thee on to euill. These are matters that need no deliberation, and to consult with flesh and bloud in these ca­ses, [Page 57]is most dangerous. What should fire doe neere to gunpowder, or flax? Yet such is our corrupt nature to the temptations of Sa­tan: easily conceiues mischiefe, and brings forth confusion. And what should Satan, that subtill fox, be suf­fered to set foot with­in the doores of the house of our soule? wil he not soone winde in his whole body?

If Eue will vouch­safe to enter parly with the serpent, and make a demurre concerning [Page 58]the commandement, will hee not soone worke her to pride, in­fidelitie, rebellion, and apostasie? Therefore it will be good for the sonnes of Adam, Genes. 39. to doe as Ioseph did toward his lasciuious Mistresse. Being sollicited to fol­lie, hee neuer fumbles for the matter, neuer saith, I pray giue mee time and leisure to con­sider of it, yet I cannot, but I may hereafter: no, but he giueth her a plaine deniall at first, Vers. 8, 9. God forbid that I should doe this thing [Page 59]and sinne against God, against my master, a­gainst thee his wife, my owne selfe, and the holy couenant of the Lord.

Stultis vanis (que) promissionibus nullus à corde Christiano dari debet accessus, sed primis util­lation bus obui­are debet ambi­gens manu. Cyp. de ieiumo & tentat.Hee that meanes to foile spirituall wicked­nesses, must giue the onset betimes. He must not straine his wits, and trie whether hee can stretch his conscience to swallow some ini­quitie or other, and then deuise some shift or excuse to couer the filthinesse, but giue it a cleare repulse at the first proposall.

And this is the first condition of right re­sisting the deuill.

II. Resist the deuill coura­giously.Secondly, resist him couragiously. Here we say to Gods people, as Iahaziel the Leuite sometimes said to Ieho­saphat, and the men of Iudah, going to fight against a great multi­tude of Moabites and Ammonites, 2 Chron. 20.15. Feare you not, neither be afraid for this great multitude; for the battell is not yours, but Gods: Feare not the whole legions of hel­lish infernall spirits, [Page 61]nor faint because of their forces; for if you knew all, you would see you haue small rea­son to be afraid. In the warres of men, there are many things that put courage into a man; as for example, goodnesse of the cause, valour of the Captain, trustinesse of the fel­low-souldiers, and weaknesse of the ene­mie. All this, and more than this, may be seene in this consideration.

4. grounds of courage in this fight. 1 First, whose is the battell? not ours, but Gods: therefore most [Page 62]iust, most holy, most equall and reasonable. It is only to preserue his glory to him alone, by the killing of sinne, and the maintaining of his owne Ordinan­ces: and consequently to deliuer poore cap­tiue soules from hell and damnation. And why should Satan rob God of his honour, and his people of sal­uation? Who would not be manfull in such a quarrell?

2 Secondly, who is our Captaine? is it not the Lion of the tribe of Iu­dah? [Page 63]is it not he, who ouerthrew the deuill alone in a single com­bat? Hee, Reu. 12.7, 8. who thrust downe the dragon and his angels, that their place was no more in heauen? He, who hath him in chaines, and confines him when he list, to the bottomlesse pit? Who would not doe his best seruice vn­der such a victorious leader?

Thirdly, who are our fellow-souldiers? are they not the righ­teous, who are bold as lions? are they▪ not [Page 64]such as will resist vnto bloud, Heb. 12.4. and neuer giue ouer till the field bee won? Are not the holy Angels on our side, Heb. 1.14. who are the fierie cha­riots, and glorious ar­mies of the Lord of hosts? and doe not all the godly, in all parts of the world, closely follow the same cause? Who would not bee couragious, when hee stands with such cham­pions?

4 Fourthly, who are our enemies? are they not the enemies of God and al godlinesse? [Page 65]tortured with the tor­ments of an accusing conscience, and partly with the torments of hell? Are they not of a crauenly brood, which will she if they be resi­sted? Who would not stand out the brunt of the battell, when hee knowes his enemies shall run away?

Thinke on these things, and be not of­fended either with the multitude, or the black­nesse, or the violence, or the importunitie of Satans temptations, therfore to flinch back, [Page 66]and cease fighting. Re­member it is his nature to doe his best against thee, by doing the worst, in the worst manner that may be; and when he hath spent his powder, he must be gone.

This is the second condition: Be coura­gious.

III. Resist him vniuersally.Thirdly, resist the deuill vniuersally, in all his feats and arts of de­ceiuing. Quench all the fierie darts of the wicked, Ephes. 6.16. One poisoned dart is enough to kill thee, [Page 67]one lust to condemne thee. Satan is like that Champion who said, Let me smite him once, 1 Sam. 26.8.I will not smite him the second time. Keepe but one sinne, which either the Ministerie, or thy conscience checketh, and Satan desires no more; that one is too much. What auailes, whether a man die of the pestilence, or of the famine? by a sword, or by a bullet? if he die, it is all one to him. Therefore giue no place to the deuill: labour to be as Christ, who was [Page 68]good enough for him at euery turne; the Prince of the world came, and found no­thing in him; he out­stood all Satans malice, and frustrated all his policie, Luk. 4.13. When he had ended all the tentation, he depar­ted from him for a season.

IV. Resist him wisely.Fourthly, resist the deuill wisely: March craft with subtiltie, and oppose serpentine wis­dome to the wisdome of the serpent. A man that hath a wilie and politicke fellow to [Page 69]deale withall, had need summon his wits toge­ther, and doe his best to defeat his counsels: So in this case, the Christian who hath to doe with Satan, may, and must vse many points of heauenly po­licie. Let him there­fore consider often­times with himselfe, in his retired thoughts,

1 Three points of wisdome in resisting the deuill.First, that the deuill is exceeding subtill to counterfet a truce, and make as though hee were our friend, and meant vs no harme; only to make vs se­cure, [Page 70]and heedlesse of what wee haue to doe: for ease slaieth the foo­lish, Prou. 1.32. See the straragem of the Da­nites against carelesse Laish, in Iudg. 18.7.27.28. then thinke vpon the deuill: and learne to suspect that estate, which is without suspi­cion, without iealousie, without watchfulnesse.

2 Secondly, ponder vpon this, till it bee firmly ingraffed in thy minde, that the deuill is as malicious and dangerous in small sins as in great ones; in [Page 71]those that seeme to fawne, as well as those that make the haire stand on end, they are so odious. For why? he knowes well how to make a little sinne a shooing-horn to draw on a greater. He that will be brought by cu­stome to sweare neatly, and dallie with oathes, faith and troth, or the like, will also bee brought by a stronger occasion to sweare bloudily and roaring­ly. He that in ease and peace fals backe from his care and diligence [Page 72]in good duties, may feare he shall easily be induced by persecuti­ons to fall quite away. A scorner now, will be a Bonner hereafter. Theeues doubt not, if they can put in a little boy at a window, but the house is their own. So here. For why? A small sinne entertai­ned and cherished, sti­fleth the conscience, strengthneth corrupti­on, deadeth the heart, and grieueth Gods Spi­rit. Know this, and with-stand Satan in such, as well as in o­ther [Page 73]sinnes. Here is wisdome.

Thirdly, 3 let the Christian thinke on this policie; that hee shall wisely and migh­tily resist the deuill, if hee make a counter­traine, to vndermine the vnderminer: That is, let him vse the vtter­most of his power, to chase away the works of darknesse from him­selfe, and his familie, and the place where he liueth: also to set vp the worship of God in all places, and establish it where it is, and [Page 74]maintaine, and grace, and adorne it: for this is quite contrary to the deuils machinations. It was notable policie in Scipio, when no meanes would serue to driue Hannibal out of Italie, then to set vpon Carthage, and so draw him homeward, to de­fend his owne. So that Christian, who is con­tinually infested by the malicious tempta­tions of the deuill, may deale very wisely, if he vex him againe, by en­larging the kingdome of grace: not only sa­uing [Page 75]himselfe harme­lesse, but disaduanta­ging this his desperate aduersarie by all means possible.

V. Resist him constantly.Lastly, resist the de­uill constantly: not for a day, or for a moneth, or for a yeere, or two, or three, or moe, but to thy liues end. Luk. 22.28. Abide with Christ in tentation. This is the right, and the blessed resisting. What credit is it for the Lords souldier, to stand one day, and run away the next? what good, or what com­fort, to be free to day, [Page 76]and a bondslaue tomorrow? Therefore be aduised by the Apo­stle, Eph. 6.13. Hauing done all, stand: being foiled, begin afresh: make another skir­mish, and another, and another: and neuer cease resisting, till the deuill cease tempting and molesting thee, and the crowne of con­quest be set vpon thine head.

This is the solution of the third question.

Quest. 4 Quest. 4. Why, and for what reasons should I resist the de­uill? [Page 77]and what are the grounds of this oppo­sition?

Answ. There can­not want abundance of arguments, to shew this fit and necessary: Specially in 3. heads.Reasons for resistance, 3.

I First, consider who is thine Antagonist, or the partie whom thou resistest. He is that euill one, he is Satan, he is the deuill. And either of these hath weight enough to vrge this re­sistance.

1 First, he is that euill one, [...], 1 Ioh. 5.18. The deuill, euill many wayes. exquisitely euill, euill (according [Page 78]to the deriuation of the word) with pains and industrie; so euill, that none goeth beyond him, none commeth neere him in wicked­nesse. And he is euill, both by his wilfull de­parture from God, the chiefe good, and by a transcendent naughti­nesse which is now in­herent, and seemeth all one with his nature. Euill, by occasioning the fall of mankinde, from the top of good­nesse, to the gulfe of extreme wickednesse: as also by stirring vp [Page 79]and drawing forth the corruption of mans heart. Euill, by disgra­cing and discounte­nancing all the wayes he can, all that is good, both good men, and good matters: And by aiming in all his pro­ceedings at mans grea­test euill. Now who that hath any sparke of grace or goodnesse in him, will not picke a quarrell against such a one, and stoutly main­taine the quarrell being once begun? Shall simple people be afraid of the deuill, when [Page 80]they heare him descri­bed to be a blacke grim fellow, with clawes, and hornes, and all things terrible; and shall not wee doe our best to keepe out of his clutches, when wee heare he is so euill, so incurably and despe­rately euill?

2. [...] osor, inimicus. Secondly, he is Sa­tan, an enemie, an ad­uersary▪ Euil is alwaies opposite to good: Therefore hee whom we haue found so euill, must needs proue Sa­tan, Satan, to whom he is an enemie. a ranke aduersarie to all that good is.

1 First, vnto God: He stretcheth his ioynts, and mainly bandeth his forces against the Maiestie of God pri­marily and principally, and against others for his sake. He maligneth that inexhaust foun­taine of infinite grace that is in him, thwart­eth his most holy and righteous counsels; disgraceth, defaceth, and extenuateth his most glorious works; and seeketh to rob him of his glory, peculiar to himselfe alone. Thus our Sauiour no­ted [Page 82]him for an aduersa­rie (Matt. 4.10. Auoid. Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serue:) whereas before, he was only called a tempter, and the deuill.

So in the instituti­ons which God hath appointed for the good of his people, whether spirituall or­dinances, or temporall encouragements: Here he fully sets him selfe to crosse the Lord in all his intendments. He knowes, that the more [Page 83]meanes he giueth vs to set vs forward in his seruice, the more hee looketh to be worship­ped, Luk. 12.48. and the more he will require at our hands: and, if great fa­uours be abused, the more is he dishonou­red, and his seruants endangered. If he can get Adam to sinne, in innocencie, in Para­dise, then he hath made a whole world of sin­ners, and a hell full of fire-brands. If he can worke Dauid to adul­terie, 2 Sam. 12.14. and so to mur­der, he wounds all reli­gion [Page 84]thorow his sides, and makes the Name of God to be blasphe­med greatly for his sake. Whence would he haue had Christ to fall, but from a place where were staires to goe downe? Cast thy selfe downe from hence, Luk. 4.9. And where doth he more bestirre himselfe, than in places where people haue greatest meanes of knowledge and good conscience?

Secondly, 2 he is an enemie to Christ, the promised seede, who [Page 85]came into the world to destroy the works of the deuill. 1 Ioh. 3.8. If hee cannot breake his head, hee will be still nibbling to bruise his heele. Gen. 3.15. If hee must not meddle with his Deitie, he will vex and torment his Hu­manitie to the vtter­most. And when hee cannot single with him in his owne person, be­ing now in heauen, he will be sure to iustle at his members. In the dayes of his flesh, hee stil set vpon him either by himselfe, or by his Agents. After that so­lemne [Page 86]constict at his Inauguration, he left him but for a season, Luk. 4.13. Continu­ally he sent his messen­gers to tempt him, as namely the Scribes, and Pharises, and other petty tempters. So that his whole life was nothing else but a con­tinuall warfare against the kingdome & pow­er of darknesse.

Variè diabolus amulatus est veritatem. Tert. aduers Prax. c. 1Thirdly, hee is an enemie to the Gospell; to the proceedings, and the preuailing of it. Faine hee would haue suppressed it in the cra­dle [Page 87]and infancie of it, that it should neuer haue beene preached. If that cannot be, the Preachers of it shall be set vpon on euery side, to make them desist. If that will not fadge, false Apostles and false brethren shall be raised vp, to mingle falshood with truth, and jumble together the Law and the Gospell. If that mischiefe be preuen­ted, then he will turne himselfe to another corner, and giue letters of commendation to the Apostles, to make [Page 88]them suspicious and odious: Act. 16.17. These men are the ser­uants of the most high God, which shew vnto vs the way of saluation. One way or other hee will hinder the pure and powerfull preach­ing of the word; as Paul saith, 1 Thess. 2.18. Wee would haue come vnto you (euen I Paul) once and againe, but Satan hindred vs: If not, he will doe his best to hinder the fruit­full and faithfull pra­ctise of the word so preached. Hee makes the heart of man to [Page 89]frame many obiecti­ons against it, as, that it is either an enemie to Ciuill States, or needlesse, or comfort­lesse, or preiudiciall to his thriuing in the world, to his credit, or commoditie.

Fourthly, 4 hee is an aduersarie to eminent men, who stand vp in the gap, and set them­selues to deale between God and his people, either in Church or Common-wealth. Pe­ter must be winnowed, Luk. 22.31. 2 Cor. 12.7. and Paul must be buffe­ted by the messenger of [Page 90]Satan. Which of the Lords Worthies hath he not confronted, per­secuted, and (if hee could) taken out of the Church, in any age or state thereof? It grie­ueth him much, that there is any one found, who seeketh the weale and peace of Ierusalem. One godly Minister in a whole country shall be picked out, aboue all the rest, to be a butt of contradiction, defama­tion, scoffes and re­proaches. So in Magi­stracie.

Fiftly, 5 he is an ene­mie [Page 91] to all good order among men, especially in the best things. He en­uieth the flourishing estate of a Christian Kingdome, and doth what he can to vnder­mine and blow it vp. He enuieth to people the setled course of a powerfull Ministerie, and doth what he can to interrupt and dis­solueit. He enuieth to Christians the liberties and benefits of the communion of Saints, and doth what he can to make them weary of their holy exercises, or [Page 92]otherwise disunite and scatter them, by arts and tricks that he will deuise: Whence the Apostle wisheth the Corinthians to be wise, and temper their iust seueritie with due mer­cie, 2 Cor. 2.11. lest Satan get an aduantage of vs, to wit, in making the incestuous person despaire through ex­tremitie of rigour, and consequently hindring others from so seuere a religion. He is ready to make his best of any thing: Therfore looke to him, spoile him of [Page 93]his purpose, preserue your liberties by all meanes possible.

6 Lastly, he is an ene­mie to thy selfe in parti­cular, in thy body, and soule, and goods, and friends. Hee enuieth thee euery good day that thou passest, euery benefit that thou recei­uest from God, and euery bit of bread that doth thee good. Hee grudgeth at thy pro­speritie, as sometime at Iobs. Hee still goeth about, seeking whom he may deuoure, 1 Pet. 5.8. not what, as of the [Page 94]estate, but whom, as of the man. Hee oweth thee a spight as well as any. Then giue him as good as hee brings. Who can put vp so much iniurie, and bee patient? How canst thou chuse but resist him who is an enemie to all these?

3 The deuill so called in six respects.But see further into his nature: In the third place, he is the deuill; that is, he is a traducer, a calumniator, an accu­ser. And this depends vpon the two former properties. For, hee that is so perfectly euil, [Page 95]and so strongly malici­ous as we haue seene, will neuer sticke to tra­duce, and calumniate, and falsly accuse all that he deales withall.

1 Diabolum se fe­cit, deferen do de Deo, & qui­dem falsum. Tert. aduers. Marc. l. 2. c. 10.And first, hee accu­seth God to man, telling him he is a hard Ma­ster, reapes where hee sowed not, and gathers where he scattered not, as the grumbling fel­low in the Gospell had learned to speake; and as they in the Prophet, Mal. 3.14. What profit is it to serue the Lord, or to keepe his ordinances, or to walke mournfully [Page 96]before him? None at all, it is altogether vaine. Or if not, yet nothing to that which Satan bestowes vpon his seruants: Hee will giue a world to Christ, if hee will fall downe and worship him: Did God euer giue so much to one man, for one outward reuerence, at one time? Alas they are all pidling matters that he giues, nothing comparable to the bra­uerie and iollitie which is in the world.

2 Secondly, hee accu­seth man to God, as the [Page 97]holy man Iob, chap. 1.9. Doth Iob feare God for nought? or is it not for his flocks of cat­tell, and great prospe­ritie? doest thou thinke he loueth thee for thy sake, and not his owne rather? And this is the nature of this cursed fiend, that he first pro­uoketh vs vnto sinne, (promising vs pleasure, profit, impunitie, and safetie enough,) and then goeth and puts vp a bill of enditement against vs: first he dis­swades vs from care, and conscience, and [Page 98]constancie in good du­ties, and then accuseth vs to God, of heaui­nesse, hypocrisie, and distractednesse. Thence he is called the accuser of the brethren, which accused them before God day and night, Reu. 12.10.

3 Thirdly, he accuseth man to man. One spe­ciall peece of his im­ploiment is, to breed discord and contenti­on among brethren. It is hee that stirreth vp iealousie, suspicions, and vncharitable sur­mises, in one neigh­bour [Page 99]against another: that he doth in malice, what proceedeth from charitie: that he infor­meth him of somewhat out of curiositie, not out of conscience: that he affecteth a peeuish singularitie in matter of religion, and not obedience to God. He saith to one man of another, as the Nobles said to Hanun concer­ning Dauid, 2 Sam. 10.3.Doth Dauid indeed respect Hanun? canst thou thinke hee loueth thee in deed and in truth? Still he cast­eth such bones, and de­murres, [Page 100]to separate be­tweene deare friends.

4 Fourthly, he accuseth man to himselfe. It he be an holy man, one that feareth God, and endeuoureth to perfe­ction in the way of godlinesse, he will make him beleeue, that he is but an hypocrite in all he doth, not a iot of sinceritie is in him; therefore a cast-away, a reprobate, a firebrand of hell. On the con­trary: If a man be care­lesse▪ and dissolute, and looketh not which end goeth forward in [Page 101]things of his soule, him he will make be­leeue, that his estate is better than it is; oh he is out of all hazzard, cocke-sure of eternall life, and what need he feare? Iust like the flat­terers of the tyrant Dionysius, who would licke vp his spettle, and protest it was as sweet as Nectar or Ambro­sia, the food of their gods. Thus all the sinnes of the godly are mortall, and cannot be pardoned; al the sins of the wicked are veniall, & cannot be punished.

5 Fiftly, the deuill ac­cuseth vertues for vices, and vices for vertues; and makes men fall in­to that curse of the Prophet, Esa. 5.20. Woe vnto them that call good euill, and euill good, that put darknesse for light, and light for darknesse; that put bit­ter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. What now adayes is forwardnesse in religion accounted, but foolish giddinesse? and what luke-warme­nesse, but discreet mo­deration? How often is extreme earthlinesse [Page 103]shrowded vnder the name of good husban­drie, and pride vnder the name of decencie, and apishnesse in com­plements vnder the name of good man­ners, and excessiue prodigalitie vnder the name of good nature? Who hath taught this strange imposition of new names, but that Grand Lier, the master of falshood?

6 Sixtly, he accuseth in his instruments. The deuill maketh men to bee accusers, syco­phants, picke-thanks, [Page 104]deuils, (as the word standeth in the origi­nall, 2 Tim. 3.3. [...]) Such was Doeg against Dauid, Ziba against Me­phibosheth, the false wit­nesses against Christ, and those wicked wretches who infor­med the Heathen Ro­man Emperors, Euseb. hist. ec­cles. l. 9. c. 3. that the Christians of the Primitiue Church affe­cted a temporall king­dome, and would dis­possesse them of their throne, vnlesse they were the better lookt vnto.

Now doth Satan [Page 105]thus say and vnsay, al­ter and change, put in and put out, and turne things vpside downe, that we cannot see the truth of our estate as we should? Who then would not resist this accuser, this traducer, this slanderer, this broacher of lies, and master of misse-rule?

Adde vnto all this, that he is one who will not be ouercome by faire meanes: there is no winning of a deuill with kindnesse: that will not serue the turn: Hee will ouerthrow [Page 106]thee, if thou doe not ouerthrow and chase him away. Therefore resist him.

II State precor ve­stri memores, memores quo (que) Christi: Quae sit vestra tribus, quae gloria, quis Deus, & Rex, Quis Dominus, meminisse de­cet. Prudent. in Psychom.Next consider, who thy selfe art, that must make resistance vpon Satan. Who art thou? Thou art a man, a rea­sonable creature: there­fore, as a man, prouide as well as thou canst, for thine owne safetie. Thou art a sinner, ta­ken in the snare of the deuill, and led captiue by him to doe his will, 2 Tim. 2.26. therefore deliuer thy selfe, as a bird out of the snare of [Page 107]the fowler. Thou art a Christian; therefore must partake of Christs powerfull grace and anointing, and bee a King, to conquer his and thine enemies. Thou art a baptized person, and vowedst enmitie against the de­uill, when thou recei­uedst the seale of righ­teousnesse, and entredst into the Church: there­fore performe the word of an honest man. Thou art one of the Angels of Michael; therefore must fight with him against the [Page 108]dragon and his An­gels. And one of a band of Lions; for the righteous are bold as Lions, Prou. 28.1. The same combat is perfor­med by thy brethren abroad in the world, 1 Pet. 5.9. therefore resist stedfastly (it is the Apostles argument) and stand it out: some­times one dieth in the field by cowardly vn­dermining, and some­times another, but the Lords Champions goe still away with the vi­ctorie.

III Finally, consider we [Page 109]what mischiefe hee would bring vpon vs, Mischiefes of being foiled. if he could once foile vs.

1. Priuatiue.First, all the liueli­hoods of a Christian, all his graces, and all his assurances, hee would quite take a­way. His desire is, Luk. 22.31, 32 to winnow the Saints, and make their faith faile: that by the failing thereof, all the labours of a godly Ministerie may bee lost, as the Apostle inferreth, 1 Thess. 3.5. Or if hee cannot bring them vn­to flat infidelitie, hee [Page 110]will seeke to pull them from that integritie and simplicitie which becomes the Gospell of God our Sauiour, 2 Cor. 11.3. Hee will endeuour to make them vaine, formall, hypocriticall, fantasti­call, or vnfruitfull; or to draw them from their constancie in do­ing good, and resisting euill. And hereby he aimes at their spirituall beggerie, that is, to rob them of all their hopes, and comforts, and assurances, all the ioyes of the holy [Page 111]Ghost and a good con­science, and all the glo­rie of the kingdome of heauen. Now, shall a man fight for his purse, or goods, and not re­sist for so great a patri­monie of Saints?

2. Positiue.Secondly, all euill followeth immediatly vpon thy ouerthrow. For now thou art the deuils owne childe, an vtter enemie to God and the things of God, furious and outragious by little and little, de­sperately euill, & heire of condemnation, like thy father himselfe in [Page 112]sinne and punishment, and thy torments shall be endlesse, easlesse, re­medilesse.

Resist therefore, and betimes preuent so great mischiefe.

And thus the foure questions are fully an­swered, both for clea­ring the point, and di­recting the Christian Warriour. Let vs now descend to the vses hereof.

Vse 1 A reproofe & disgrace to the easie life of many.And first, this serues to bring out of request the secure and easie condition of many people, who neither [Page 113]doe, nor wil, nor thinke they haue need to sus­pect themselues. Wee may well say of them with the Prophet, Psal. 73.4, 5. They haue no bands vpon them, either in their life or death, neither doe they come into trouble as other men; They are fat, and strong, and liuely, and in very good liking; They haue the world at will, and more indeed than heart can desire; All admire, and follow, and attend them, and speake well of them, Oh the only men in [Page 114]towne or country: and they can thinke, and speake of others, and doe to them what themselues please, yet all must be well.

Others of a meaner ranke can spend their dayes iollily, and smoothly, and conten­tedly; neighbourly men, & good Church­keepers; not only giue way to religion, but some countenance; and so pop into their graue, as fruit gathered when it is ripe.

And doe you dislike or condemn this estate, [Page 115] Vide ne fortè ideo non sit bel­lum, quia pax peruersa est. Aug. de verbis Apost. serm. 12.will some man say? I answer, Yes, and I haue iust cause so to doe: for it is as dan­gerous a condition as those who are openly prophane, if not more. But howsoeuer, it can­not be good, it cannot be safe. For, hath not the opening of this text discouered, that the life of a Christian here is the life of a souldier? Haue we not heard of warre, and fighting, and striuing, and resisting? And haue wee not seene, that this bustling is grounded vpon rea­sons [Page 116]very sufficient? Whence then is this generall carelesnesse, and vniuersall vnfee­lingnesse, which pos­sesseth the hearts of the sonnes of men? Is it indeed a pleasant, or an easie thing to be a war­riour? No trouble, no feare, no distraction in a campe? No wounds, or bloudshed in an ar­mie? Were hee not a foole that would goe into a battell aray, and yet say, Ezek. 13.10. Peace, Peace, where there can bee no peace? Examine the matter by common [Page 117]reason, and you shall finde it euidently true. Then looke backe vp­on Satan, and thinke if you can, that he is more idle or weake to follow his skirmish, than men are to follow theirs. Nay, he is more mali­cious, more puissant, more vnweariable. No truce can be taken, no fauour expected, no conditions of peace ac­cepted, vnlesse wee yeeld him all that hee asketh: and, what that is, let any one iudge.

Therefore (my bre­thren) let these things [Page 118]worke vpon our hearts, and perswade vs for time to come to fight, and fight valiantly. Let vs know, that wee haue a most pestilent, and terrible, and bloud-thirstie enemie. And knowing it, we cannot in reason but doe our best to preuent his pur­poses. Let vs be sober, and temperate in all things, not suffering our selues to be clog­ged with any distract-full hindrances, within vs, or without vs; as they that run in a race, and striue for the maste­rie. 1 Cor. 9.25. [Page 119]And not only be sober, but watch, 1 Pet. 5.8. Be sober, be vigi­lant. And not only so, but pray, Matt. 26.41. Watch and pray, that yee enter not into tentation. And more than that, Endure hardnesse, as a good souldier of Iesus Christ, 2 Tim. 2.3. Be not entangled with the affaires of this life, striue lawfully.

Vse 2 A caueat to the godly a­gainst securi­tie and luke­warmnesse.Secondly, this ser­ueth as an antidote, or preseruatiue to the children of God, to keepe them holily con­stant in that ranke [Page 120]wherein the Lord hath placed them. Often­times it commeth to passe through the weaknesse of their flesh, and the heaui­nesse of their spirit, and the occasions they haue in the world, and their familiaritie with good duties, that they doe euen stand at a stay, and know not well which way to turne themselues. To ioyne with prophane ones, they dare not, they cannot: it is against their profession, and conscience, and salua­tion. [Page 121]And to exceed themselues in the work of holinesse, they know not how. They are sure, that more grace should and may be ob­tained, but wherein, or how? Thus in a maze (as it were) and doubt­full what to doe, they easily incline to a tem­perate mediocritie, and rest content with some of the power, 2 Tim. 3.5. but more of the forme of godli­nesse: Grace they in­tend still to pursue, but without due affection: Holy exercises they will still obserue, both [Page 122]at home & at Church, but coldly, sleepily, brokenly, vnfeelingly, vnfruitfully.

This lukewarmnesse of theirs, carnall per­sons see, and laugh at it: themselues see, and bewaile it, and wish it were with them as sometimes it was at their first conuersion; to bee forward, and zealous, and doe the worke of the Lord di­ligently. But how may this be, or what should they doe?

Here now I answer by vertue of this text, [Page 123] Resist the deuill. Many meanes they haue to shake vp their securi­tie: as for example, To consider deeply and seriously the mul­titude and hainous­nesse of their sinnes, both before their rege­neration, and since: To recount their ex­treme beggerie in themselues, and vn­worthinesse to receiue the least fauour from the Lord: To prize highly the bloud of the Couenant where­with they are redee­med: and the like. But [Page 124]especially let them be carefull to remember, and carry in minde, this necessary doctrine of the Christian War­fare. For, if the noise of drums and trum­pets, if the fourbishing of swords, and the glittering of armour, and the trailing of pikes, will not stirre vp a mans spirits, what will? This therefore let the Christian man consider, and thus let him say with himselfe:

The Lord grant that thou maiest.

Vse 3 Thirdly, let this be a word of exhortation to all of vs, so to resist the deuill, th [...]t he may flie from vs. The most hold it fit to resist him; but few agree vpon the right manner. There­fore let vs deale tho­rowly in this businesse, and neuer rest till wee know wee resist as wee ought.

Quest. How may I know that?

Markes of right resisting the deuill. 1 Answ. First, if thou resistest thine owne cor­rupt and rebellious flesh, by mortification, hu­miliation, watchful­nesse, and the consci­onable vse of holy meanes. For the deuill and our owne flesh are of the same kinde in respect of sinne, and fight equally against the soule: as 1 Pet. 2.11. Abstaine from fleshly lusts, which warre against the soule: and Iam. 4.1. Lusts warre in the members. This is an home-bred enemie, lurking within our [Page 135]owne walls. Of it selfe it worketh many stra­tagems against vs, by mouing to the acts of pride, malice, reuenge, oppression, contempt of the Gospell, and the like. And the deuill is no readier to craue its assistance, than it is to afford it: working slily as he doth, and secret­ly: that the Christian almost needs not to aske that question, How shall I discerne the temptations of Sa­tan from the euill mo­tions of mine owne heart? Some difference [Page 136]there is, and a deuill may be espied by the suddennesse, and horri­blenesse, and vnnatu­rainesse, and importa­nacie of his suggesti­ons. The motions of nature are more slow, and more sutable with nature, and not so vio­lently pursued as those are. But for the most part, we need not ob­serue any such distin­ction; the flesh easily agreeing with the de­uill, and the deuill sha­ping his temptations to the desire of the flesh.

This a good Chri­stian knowes, and ther­fore he lookes home­ward principally: E­specially seeing the de­uill cannot foile him without himselfe, but himselfe can destroy himselfe without the deuill. So that well was it said, Ier. 17.9. The heart of man is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things, euen aboue that foule spirit, as foule and as blacke as he is.

Some say of Mary Magdalen, Luke 8.2. that seuen deuils were cast out of her, that is, seuen dead­ly [Page 138]sinnes, pride, adul­terie, and the rest. And we may almost say, So many sinnes as thou cherishest and maintai­nest, Quot peecata, tot daemonia. willingly and with delight of thy heart, so many deuils thou lodgest vnder the roofe of the house of thy soule. Matt. 12.43. They are vn­cleane spirits, because they beare rule ouer men by the vnclean­nesse of their hearts and liues.

Now examine thy selfe by this marke. So truly and faithfully as thou watchest against [Page 139]the corruptions of thy nature, so truly and faithfully thou resistest the deuill. And those are easily proued liers, who say they defie and scorne the deuill, yet obey their owne lusts, vse no discipline to­ward their vnrulie hearts, but take their owne swindge in any or all vngodlinesse: No, no, they agree with him well enough: he desireth no better weapons against vs, than those out of our owne armourie.

Secondly, 2 thou re­sistest [Page 140]the deuill, so long as thou desirest to resist: and this desire is euer accompanied with care and watch­fulnesse. None in the Lords field is yet ouer­come, who desireth to ouercome; yea they that fall by the sleights of Satan, and are taken away by violence, yet falling in this quar­rell, Heb. 12.4. and resisting vnto bloud, they are still con­querours, and more than conquerors. God, who accepteth the will for the deed, accepteth the faithfull purpose of [Page 141]resistance for resistance it selfe, euen when the Tempter doth some­what preuaile, & make battery vpon the soule. Christ taketh notice of the willingnesse of the spirit in his Apostles, Matt. 26.41. when hee seeth great weaknesse in their flesh.

And this note ser­ueth principally for the comfort of afflicted soules, which crie out of themselues as foiled, and such as haue cast vp the buckler to the deuill, in way of vo­luntary yeelding; yet [Page 142]minding to goe on in the skirmish as trustily as euer, and keeping the same way as be­fore. They must know, that their case is good enough, and they shall be accepted according to what they haue, 2 Cor. 8.12.and not according to what they haue not; yea ac­cording to that which they desire to haue. A man in warre that is halfe dead, doth what he can against the ene­mie, by spurning, by supplanting, or other­wise: And so doe you against the grand ene­mie [Page 143]of your soules, therefore shall not bee accounted to haue re­uolted, but shall bee crowned as well as the rest, and (it may bee) among the first. Only continue this desire, care still to maintaine the Lords right, and watch still to disap­point the aduersarie: This shall be reckoned to you for perfection of valour.

The third marke of resistance is this: 3 If thou grieuest when thou art foiled, and seekest to recouer thy selfe, and [Page 144]make amends by better trustinesse. Vndoe the works of the deuill, by morning for them, by repentance, by run­ning to the ensignes of Christ, and by doing the contrary works, of what kinde soeuer: and now know thou hast resisted. For the deuils purpose is, that thou shouldest continue vn­der a foile; and hee knowes, that if he can­not get thee to lie still in the sinne commit­ted, it will doe him no good, nor thee harme. It is one kinde of resi­stance, [Page 145]to recouer our selues after our falls. Otherwise, which of the Lords Worthies did euer resist him? 1 Chron. 21.1. 2 Sam. 24.1. Satan stirred vp Dauid to number the people, and he numbred them; which was his great sinne, so mortally pu­nished: but Dauids heart smote him for this fact, and hee made his recantation, saying, I have sinned, Vers. 17.I haue done wickedly, let thine hand be against me, and my fathers house: and so Satan was altoge­ther disappointed of [Page 146]his malicious proiect against him.

The fourth marke is: 4 If thou art troubled when thou seest the works of darknesse goe forward, and gladded to see any thing on foot that ouerthrowes the king­dome of the deuill. For he that resisteth him aright, would haue him resisted and reiected euery where, by others as well as by himselfe: hee would haue none obey him, or submit to his gouernment: he is a rebell, and an vsur­per, and therefore why [Page 147]should hee haue any place, to rule in any parts of the Lords ter­ritories? Salomon saith, When the righteous are in authoritie, the people reioyce: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourne, Prouerb. 29.2. We may applie it to this: A good man is sorrowfull, when he seeth any sent into a place, either for Magi­stracie or Ministerie, who is likely to ad­uance Poperie or pro­phanenesse, to discou­rage and weaken the hands of the godly, to [Page 148]hearten the wicked, and doe mischiefe any way among simple people; or when hee seeth the people them­selues set vpon wicked­nesse. It is euen a death to him, and his zeale doth almost consume him, Psal. 69.9. Ioh. 2.17. as is said of Dauid and our Sauiour. And on the contrary, it is ioy to his heart, to heare or see a good man come into a place where hee may doe good, or hinder euill; to see a faithfull Mini­ster set ouer a people, or good orders taken [Page 149]for the curbing of sin. For now he hopes the power of the king­dome of darknesse must totter, and now it is likely the strong holds of the strong man shall bee cast downe, & much good will be done in such a place. Therefore hee cannot but reioyce: why should hee not? And while he doth so reioyce, hee hath fur­ther cause of ioy in this also, that he is an ene­mie to the deuill, and the deuill to him.

The sift marke is, 5 [Page 150] Care in the vse of the meanes, whereby the de­uill is resisted. He that vseth physicke, resisteth the disease: and hee that is conscionable in sharpning the spiritu­all weapons before mentioned, doth resist the deuill. So much di­ligence as a man vseth in searching, and ap­plying, and laying vp the word, in strength­ning his faith, in con­firming his hope, in fortifying his patience; so much as hee striueth in praier, to be conque­rour; so much as hee [Page 151]endeuoureth to keepe his conscience cleare, and to keepe with the Lords armies, by whom the same skir­mishes are fulfilled: so much sinceritie he hath in following this com­bat with the deuill. And they that say they resist him, yet neglect these weapons, care not for the word read or preached, thinke not of increasing their faith, or any of those graces, nor make con­science of holy exerci­ses, doe lie in so say­ing: Though they [Page 152]should spet so long, that they spet out their lungs, yet the deuill would not flie from them; but keepe pos­session, and that quietly enough. For he is not expelled, but by diuine authoritie and power. Hee that meaneth to foile him indeed, will so consider, and be so diligent in vsing the ap­proued meanes of resi­stance.

The sixt marke is, 6 Feare lest thou resistest not in the due manner. This a carelesse Chri­stian neuer hath: yea [Page 153]he is more confident in his strawes and toies, than the godly is in weilding the armour set apart by God him­selfe. For most part, a carnall man thinketh not of resisting the de­uill, till he is euen rea­die to fall headlong in­to his condemnation, and then he bestirreth himselfe, after his fa­shion. Or he can see the deuill in his owne wicked practise, but it is after the sinne com­mitted, rather than be­fore: And not in small sinnes, but in great and [Page 154]crying sins only, which the world taketh no­tice of, or such as bring present punishment, & shame among men. Or if he begin at any time to resist the deuill, hee doth it so faintly, and sillily, and by halues, that hee neuer getteth out of his clut­ches. And when he is most in heart, together with some watchful­nesse, and that against all sinnes as he think­eth, yet then he is vn­constant, and leeseth the victorie one day which hee got the o­ther. [Page 155]But howsoeuer, in all his striuing, euen at the best, hee is neuer fearfull or iealous ouer his deceitfull heart, but thinkes hee doth well enough, and he doubts not at all. Whereas a true Christian feares he doth not as he should, and recompenceth his failing in the matter, by his care in the manner of resisting the deuill.

The seuenth marke is, 7 Vnfained thankful­nesse to Christ; who gi­ueth strength to resist, and to ouercome. This is a signe, that we resist [Page 156]vpon a good ground, and by a right power; not by our owne wit­tinesse; or skilfulnesse. We acknowledge wee are of our selues silly, & insufficient for such a combat, and there­fore, after it is finished, we must not liue to our selues, or sacrifice to our owne yarne, as if our owne bow and sword had saued vs; but as the Psalmist speakes, Psal. 44.3. Thy right hand, and thine arme, and the light of thy countenance because thou badst a fauour vnto [Page 157]vs: therefore to thee will we liue, for thee will we die. Thus the Saints cast all the ho­nour of the victorie vpon Christ, their head and commander, Reu. 5.10, 11, 12. Thou hast redeemed vs to God by thy bloud, and hast made vs Kings and Priests vn­to God, and wee shall reigne on the earth, &c. They ouercome the dragon by the bleud of the Lambe. Reu. 12.11. & therefore the Lambe shall haue the honour of their conquest. And they will specially ex­presse [Page 158]their thankful­nesse in holinesse of life, obseruing the lawes of their Generall, and keeping within his campe, and vnder his banner, without muti­nie, outrage, filthinesse, or any vnbeseeming behauiour. But where it is otherwise, the de­uill is not rightly resi­sted. Where Christ gets no honour in an holy and refined conuersa­tion, he neuer assisted such against Satan. For, wherefore are wee re­deemed out of the hand of our enemies, Luk. 1.74, 75. [Page 159]but that wee should serue our Redeemer in holinesse and true righ­teousnesse all the dayes of our life?

Lastly, 8 this may be some stay to a troubled and afflicted heart: If the deuill resisteth thee, thou resistest him: yea, therefore hee resisteth thee, because thou re­sistest him. For he figh­teth not with his own: why should he? or to what end? While the strong man keepeth possession, all is in peace: as while the Iaylor hath his priso­ners [Page 160]sure enough, hee lets them lie together in quietnesse enough. But, as hee bestirreth himselfe, if any of them giue him the slip, so if any man at any time begin to get out of the power of Satan, by whom hee was taken captiue at his pleasure to doe his will, pre­sently vproares and tu­mults are made, and the deuill hath officers euery where (wicked and vngodly men) who will vse all expe­dition in sending Huy and cry after the esca­ped [Page 161]Christian; and, if either violence, or sub­tiltie, or promises, or threats, or any thing will reduce him to his ancient bondage, hee shall not long continue a free man.

Take this therefore for a note of oppositi­on against the deuill, if he maintaine oppositi­on against thee. Iam. 1.2. Count it all ioy, when thou fal­lest into diuers temptati­ons. Though they be troublesome and tedi­ous to a holy heart, which hateth and ab­horreth them, & would [Page 162]faine be rid of them, yet haue they their vse also for good, and as­sure the Christian by strong consequence, that his estate is safe enough, and so long as he continueth making resistance, he need not feare. A happie man he is, that seeth the de­uill professing himselfe his enemie.

Vse 4 A censure of scorners, who dislike such discourses.Fourthly, we see by all this, how wide they are from the right, who like not such trea­tises, such practises, such care in examining ones selfe; but iest, and [Page 163]scoffe, and put off all this so necessarie a du­tie with a scornfull tush. Tush (saith one) what doe you tell vs of a deuill? when did you see him? and how doe you know him so well? and why doe you af­fright people with such words of terrour? And Tush (saith ano­ther) what needs all this preaching about this matter? a goodly Sermon! and, Hee names the deuill al­most at euery word. So some haue said of the former discourses, [Page 164]simple and blindfol­ded creatures that they are: The Lord open their eyes, that they may see how the god of this world hath blinded them, 2 Cor. 4.4. and get out of his snare. But others haue a tush too, and it is cast against them that are so carefull in resisting the deuill, as wee haue proued all­should be: Oh it is a fit of melancholie, a silli­nesse, a childishnesse: and, What man, take a good heart, put such thoughts out of your minde, Come, follow [Page 165]the world as wee doe, make your selfe merry, and leaue these vn­couth cogitations to them that are so pee­uish.

Note this.But stay, O man: this is not to resist the deuill, but to scorne him. If this troubled person should take this counsell, he should not ouercome this grand enemie of his soule, but take truce with him, and so, by pleasing himselfe in a fond and vaine peace, should lose his owne saluati­on; as thou in all likeli­hood [Page 166]must lose thine. Therefore bee aduised what thou wilt doe: these are no iesting matters: Heare what the Apostle saith, Resist the deuill, and for time to come yeeld it a duty both lawfull and ne­cessarie, that the peo­ple of God should thus care, and labour, and striue in resisting, and thou with them.

Vse 5 This heart­neth the godly.Finally, here is com­mendation and encou­ragement for them that so resist the deuill. And it shall be of worth, against all calumnies [Page 167]and scoffes of those ie­sters, whatsoeuer they be. Know (O soul­diers of the Lord) that you are in the right way. You haue rightly iudged of your life, to be (as it is) a warfare. You fight the good fight of faith, and are sure of victorie; which, when it is atchieued, there is a crowne of righteousnesse prepa­red of old, which shall certainly be put vpon your heads. You take Gods part against his and your enemies, and therefore he will take [Page 168]your part, sustaining you, and [...]iling them. You are the Angels of Michael, and shall see the time, when the great dragon (the de­uill) shall be quite cast out, and vtterly exclu­ded from heauen, no more to molest, and vex, and disquiet your righteous soules. And for the present, during the time of this con­flict, know for your comfort, that notwith­standing all his wiles, and tricks, and close following of his busi­nesse, yet vpon your [Page 169]resistance hee must a­uoid and be gone. If you vse the armour described, and vse it in the due manner before spoken of, hee cannot stand before you. So often as he giueth on­set, doe you giue him battell; and then leane vpon this faithfull pro­mise, full of consola­tion (which comes now to be handled)

And he will flie from you. The second generall part of this text.

The euent of other battels is doubtfull, victorie altogether vn­certaine: Though the [Page 170]cause be good, and the men valorous, & stand the field stoutly, yet they may goe away vanquished, as the Is­raelites a long time be­fore the Beniamites. But here the conquest is certaine: before any stroke is giuen, wee know wee shall ouer­come: euery one that will resist, shall chase away his enemie, though himselfe be ne­uer so weake, his ene­mie neuer so strong and puissant.

Quest. But how may wee vnderstand this flight [Page 171]of the deuill? and how doth he flie away, who is so incessant in temp­tations?

I answer: First, Answ. I Homil. 7. in Iosue. Ori­gen thinkes, that the Saints of God, resisting the hellish tempters when they prouoke vnto euill, doe dimi­nish the armie of the deuils, and (as it were) kill many of them: so that it is not lawfull for that spirit, which is ouercome of an holy man, liuing chastly and graciously, againe to set vpon any other man. But this is not [Page 172]so: for the same deuill, which had beene re­pelled by our Sauiour in his first temptation, did trie him with a se­cond, and a third.

Therfore secondly, 2 others (by the relation of Lombard) thinke, Lib. 2. distinct. 5 H. lit. that this of Origen must be vnderstood only of that vice, wherein the foule spirit was ouer­come: as for example, If he sollicit any good man vnto pride, and be foiled, hee may not againe sollicit vnto pride, either the same man, or any other. But [Page 173]this is wholly vncer­taine, and not materi­all to the comfort of a Christian; as our text doth intend. For if one deuill should leaue such a sinfull motion, another would follow it, and disquiet him as much as the other could possibly; especi­ally there being so ma­ny legions of them, one to succeed another in their mischieuous intendments. And what cares the deuill, by what sinne he gains a soule, if hee may be sure to gaine it? Either [Page 174]of the extremes will serue his turne suffici­ently: or an habituall neglect of good, as well as the wilfull perpetra­tion of euill.

3 A twofold flight of the deuill.Therefore thirdly, the plaine answer is this: There is a two­fold flying away, for­ced vpon the deuill by the power of God, and this his promise: One partiall and tempora­rie, the other totall and finall.

1 Partiall and temporary. That, when the child of God is enabled by the wisdome and grace of God, to reiect any [Page 175]wicked suggestion, and so is rid of the Temp­ter for that time: and, so often as the deuill reneweth his tempta­tion, so often the Chri­stian reneweth his cou­rage, in resisting him, and therefore still re­maineth conquerour. The deuill left Christ but for a season, Luk. 4.13. and no longer doth hee leaue the members of Christ. He goeth away, and returneth, and then must goe away againe, and so continueth pas­sing to and fro, beaten [Page 176]and ouerthrowne so often as he is resisted. Faine he would return and re-enter into his old house, to take and keepe more sure pos­session: but if a repulse be giuen him, he must take the repulse, and flie away.

2 Totall and finall. This, that is, the to­tall and finall flight of the deuill is at the end of the warfare, and of the Christians life, when he most bestir­reth himselfe, because his time is but short, Reu. 12.12. and he would faine lay hold on the righteous [Page 177]soule which hee long molested, to carry it among his own fiends, in eternall torments. Here he is preuented of his purpose perfect­ly. The Spirit of God assisteth the Christian heart, and vpholdeth it with faith, with pati­ence, with remem­brance of the promises, with the sense of Gods mercy, and all conue­nient supplies, accor­ding to the seuerall and particular occasions. Luk. 16.22. And at last the Angels take the soule (as the soule of Lazarus) and [Page 178]carry it into Abrahams bosome, in endlesse blessednesse. And now the whole skirmish is finished, the field won, the good fight of faith fought to the vtter­most, and the deuill fled away for euer and euer.

The point is this:

Doctr. The deuill, re­sisted, fleeth necessarily. All the Lords Warri­ours, who resist the deuill as they ought, shall ouercome, and be rid of him. They are as sure of victorie, as of trou­ble. His presence is not so tedious and tire­some, but his absence [Page 179](which is most certain) shall be as ioyous and comfortable. We fight not at vncertaintie, but know wee shall ouer­come. It was for want of resistance, that our first parents were de­ceiued, and are of the forbidden tree: that Dauid lifted vp his heart, and numbred the people: that Iudas be­trayed his Master, and so fell into his owne place: and, that euer any was subdued by the deuil, was for want of resistance. They that would ouercome, did [Page 180]ouercome, and could not be foiled. Our Sa­uiour resisted, and saw the deuill flying from him. The Apostles and Disciples resisted, and saw him fall like light­ning from heauen. Saint Paul resisted, and found grace sufficient against the messenger of Satan that buffeted him. In a word, all the Angels of Michael that fought against the dra­gon, did so thrust him to the walls, that hee was cast out, and his place found no more. Where the Christian [Page 181]findes a heart & hands, the deuill must finde wings and heeles. And why?

Reason 1 First, because of the faithfull promise of the mightie God, who is able to doe this for vs, and hath said hee will doe it. And hee hath said so, both here, Re­sist the deuill, and he will flie from you; and elsewhere, The God of peace shall bruise Satan vnder your feet shortly, Rom. 16.20. where the Apostle speakes of them that are wise vn­to good, and simple [Page 182]concerning euil; which is all one with resisting of the deuill. To such he is a God of peace, and will in a little time put an end to all their conflicts. For, faith­full is he that hath pro­mised, who also will doe it.

2 Vincatur neces­se est, quia Christus quem confitemur, in­uictus est. Cyp. de exhort. Mar­tyr.Secondly, the valour of our Captain is such, that the enemie cannot stand before him or vs. He himselfe, by him­selfe, did in single com­bat put him to the worse, and made him auoid: by whose con­duct and conquest wee [Page 183]also shall goe away vi­ctors. Wee goe not forth against these hel­lish wickednesses, in our owne name and strength, but in the name and strength of God, & by the power of Christ, who was ne­uer ouercome yet, but ouercame in euery skirmish. Reu. 12.11. They ouercame him by the bloud of the Lambe. And hereof wee may assure our selues, be­fore we set foot out of our tents and campe; as the Church of old, Psalm. 44.5. Through [Page 184]thee will we push downe our enemies: through thy Name will we tread them vnder, that rise vp against vs. The same voice of Christ, that sent away the de­uill from himselfe (A­uoid Satan) will send him away from vs also, when our temptations (as his) are ended.

3 Thirdly, the validi­tie of our armour is greatly preualent for the foile of this ene­mie. For the excellen­cie of it, it is called the armour of God: Eph. 6.13. and for the compleatnesse of [Page 185]it, it is called whole ar­mour of God. And be­cause of this, God will not haue his work­manship so much dis­paraged, as to suffer him that vseth it, to take a repulse, or suffer the armour it selfe to be broken and man­gled.

The edge of the sword of the Spirit was neuer yet blunted by the hardinesse of the enemie: no, They ouercame him by the word of their testimonie, Reu. 12.11. The Word of God is of an inuin­cible [Page 186]nature: not one tittle of it can passe away: it will vphold him that holds it forth, so that he cannot pe­rish in his afflictions.

The shield of faith was neuer yet bored or pierced thorow by any darts of the deuill, came they neuer so thicke and violent. No: this is the victorie which ouercommeth the world, 1 Ioh. 5.4. (both the Prince of it, and the malice, and the allurements, and the affrightments of it) euen our faith. Faith, as much as a graine of [Page 187]mustard seed, can doe wonders.

The helmet of salua­tion was neuer yet beat off the head of Gods Warriour, So hope is called, 1 Thess. 5.8. by any snares of fierie tempta­tions which the deuill rained downe vpon him. No: our hope is a sure anchor, so sted­fast in apprehending his Obiect, that it en­treth into that within the veile, Heb. 6.19.

By our patience wee may possesse our soules, Luk. 21.19. euen when our ene­mies are most vrgent vpon vs, and ready to [Page 188]tire vs out. Euen then, when we loue not our liues to the death, wee shall ouercome the dragon, Reuel. 12.11.

By effectuall and fer­uent praier wee shall preuaile much. Iam. 5.16. The Lord neuer heareth that voice which the Archangell spake, The Lord rebuke thee, Iude 9. but presently he consent­eth, and saith, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, euen the Lord that hath chosen Ierusalem, rebuke thee, Zech. 3.2.

So of all the parts of our Christian armour, [Page 189]they are all so cutting, and wounding, and deadly in slaying, that the enemie (as Ahab) must die of the blow, and be glad to retire.

Fourthly, 4 the deuill is indeed an enemie, but an enemie already ouercome, and smit­ten with his deaths­wound. Christ hath spoiled principalities and powers for vs, and triumphed ouer them openly vpō his Crosse, Col. 2.15. so that all our resistance is (as it were) but the kicking of a curst beast, whose [Page 190]throat is already cut; to let out his life-bloud, whereby hee doth yet spurn against vs. There was no more for the Captaines of Israel to doe, after the battell ended, but onely to tread vpon the fiue heathen Kings whom Ioshua had ouercome, Ios. 10.24. Come neere, put your feet vpon the necks of these Kings. The like is the voice of our victorious Ioshua: Come, here are ene­mies foiled to your hands, vp and trample vpon them. Christ puls [Page 191]out the sting of the old hellish serpent, and then saith in the words of the Psalmist, Ipsi Christo ap­plicat Irenaeus, l. 3. c. 38. Thou shalt tread vpon the lion and adder; the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet, Psal. 91.13. Christ put the deuill to his wings, when himselfe had beene violently tempted: And euer since he hath beene so crazie and fearfull, that the weakest member of Christ, vsing the same method and meanes of resisting, hath beene a­ble to chase him away. [Page 192]Also by vertue there­of, the ancient Belee­uers who were before Christ in time, (being the fore-ward in this barrell) did nor flie be­fore their enemie, but made him to flie, and that euery way as effi­caciously as wee can doe.

Fiftly, 5 our owne weake and fraile con­dition requireth such respite [...] some times. Sometimes the deuill must be gone, that wee may be a little refresh­ed and reuiued. Wee need a breathing time; [Page 193]and therefore it shall not be as the deuill will, who would al­wayes molest vs, and get that by importuni­tie, which by perswa­sion he could not get: but, will he, nill he, he must sometimes va­nish. The Lord knows our frame, and how we are but dust, easily foi­led with long vexati­on: therefore in com­passion to our infirmi­tie, he stinteth our ad­uersarie, what he shall doe, and how long he shall stay, and when he shall auoid; and will [Page 194]not suffer vs to be tem­pted aboue that wee are able: An issue there is of our trials, and hee will, with the tempta­tion, make a way to escape, that wee may bee able to beare it, 1 Cor. 10.13. The Lord knowes, 2 Pet. 2.9.how to deliuer the godly out of tempta­tions: both when the fit time is, and what are the meanes, and what is the measure of his seruants strength.

Likewise, hee will haue them haue time, to prepare themselues for other skirmishes: [Page 195]To repaire the brea­ches which Satan made, to fortifie their holds where they are weake, to trie their weapons in better manner, to gather their grounds of comfort together, for magna­nimitie and vnwearia­blenesse.

Finally, they shall haue some space allot­ted, that they may en­ioy comforts from God, and the ioy of their saluation. Temp­tations are vncouth, and blacke, and terri­ble, and vex a good [Page 196]heart, and disquiet the minde with an holy indignation: During which time, the Chri­stian cannot take his portion of reioycing in the Lord, as the word doth allow him. Ther­fore a time shall bee, when this harshnesse and bitternesse shall be gone, and the contrary sweetnesse succeed in the place.

Vse 1 Consolation to the godly.Heare this, yee ar­mies of the Lord, and be comforted. Reioyce ye heauens, and yee that dwell in them; Now is come saluation, and [Page 197]strength, and the king­dome of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our bre­thren is cast downe, which accused them be­fore our God day and night, Reu. 12.10.12. The deuill (as malici­ous and subtill as he is, yet) when he is resi­sted, must flie away. Hee is of a crauenly brood, and cannot stand where he findes a valiant opponent. Let this therefore stop all voices of vnquietnesse, and especially the voi­ces of desperation, [Page 198]whereby the Christian doth many times too much trouble himselfe. O (saith hee) I finde not this doctrine true: the deuill doth not so flie from mee, as you speake, but is euer assailing mee with thoughts of blasphe­mie, with idle, and fil­thy, and vnlawfull mo­tions: A fourefold answer to complaints of Satans te­diousnesse in tempting. I finde almost continuall temptati­ons. To whom I an­swer:

1 First, you say well, that the deuils tempta­tions are almost conti­nuall: for I know they [Page 199]are not continuall al­together and wholly. You finde some re­freshing betweene-whiles. And is not this some comfort? Doth it not flie away, though it be but for a while? And did he leaue your Lord and Sauiour o­therwise? It is suffici­ent, that the seruant be as his Master, and not in better estate, Matt. 10.25.

2 Secondly, our whole life on earth is a time of warfare, and no part of it can be secure from the Tempter. Know [Page 200]therefore, if he should stay till death, yet then he must be gone. If he flie not at noone, yet he must and will flie by night. Only resist, and his backe shall be turned vpon you first or last. Stay the time, and wait when it will be. And take heed you looke not for more im­munitie from trouble, than your present con­dition will permit.

3 Thirdly, you say the deuill doth not flie from you: Looke and consider how well you resist him: It may be, [Page 201]you shall finde by exa­mination, that he stai­eth the longer with you by your owne de­fault. According to our resistance is his flight: and according to our manfulnesse, his cow­ardlinesse. No won­der if he stand his ground where hee is faintly and heartlesly opposed. Our Saui­our tells vs, that some deuils are not cast out but by fasting and praier: Matt. 17.21. So also, some temptations and mo­lestations cannot bee vanquished, but by ex­traordinary [Page 202]care and striuing.

4 Fourthly, when the people of God haue their hearts testifying with them, that they haue done their best in resisting the deuill, and yet he flieth not away so perfectly as they de­sire, let them know this is matter of com­fort rather than of sor­row, and, if they could remember their grounds, they should rather reioyce than be troubled. So saith Saint Iames, chap. 1.2. My brethren, count it all ioy, [Page 203]when ye fall into diuers temptations. For this is a signe, that the deuill hath not yet won vs. He is not so silly and vnwise, as to trouble his owne. It is good to haue him our enemie, and we may well bee ioyous in this, euen in the very midst of all the throng. Woe vnto vs, when the deuill be­gins to be our friend. If we be not tried and iudged, as other of Gods people are, wee haue the more cause to trie and iudge our selues.

Vse 2 Fond to leaue godlinesse for a supposed perpetuitie of molestation.Againe, wee see by this doctrine, how fond it is to feare per­petuall molestation, and so leaue the pow­er and sound practise of godlinesse. Many thinke, and some are not ashamed to say, that if they set to such & such exercises, they shall leade a melan­cholie life euer after­ward: Oh this profes­sion of the Gospell, which Ministers vrge so much, is a tedious and vncomfortable profession; they shall be still troubled with [Page 205]the deuill, & the world will bee vpon their backs, and manifold vexations they must endure. Amongst the many errors commit­ted in this argumenta­tion, the answer to the chiefe is this: that there is no enemie they shall meet withall in these distasted wayes of ho­linesse, No enemie in Christianitie but must flie. but if he be re­sisted, hee must flie a­way. It is impossible he should stand, if we our selues be willing to chase him away. 1 Our text is plaine con­cerning the great and [Page 206]most hideous enemie, whom wee must en­counter. And as plaine is the Scripture con­cerning the other ene­mies: 2 1 Ioh. 5.4. Euery one that is borne of God, ouercammeth the world: euen when it commeth against vs with tribula­tion, and distresse, and persecution, and fa­mine, and nakednesse, and perill, and sword: In all these things wee are more than conque­rors, through him that loued vs, Rom. 8.37. 3 As for our owne flesh, and the lusts thereof, [Page 207]which warre against our soules, the Lord hath giuen vs his owne Spirit, to take part with vs against them: that, as the flesh lusteth a­gainst the spirit, Gal. 5.17. so the spirit also shall lust a­gainst the flesh, and the body of sinne shall be at last destroyed.

As for them that will haue peace without fighting, and hope to passe away their liues comfortably, not trou­bling themselues with the deuill and his tem­ptations, nor incurring the displeasure of the [Page 208]world, nor yet watch­ing the corruptions of their owne euill hearts; wee enuie them not their peace, but pitie them; hoping, and wishing, and desiring God in our praiers, that he will rowse them vp out of their fondnesse, and set them forth to know, and meet, and resist, and ouercome their enemies.

Vse 3 Be heartie in resisting: the euent will giue leaue.Thirdly, let the peo­ple of God be encou­raged hereby, to goe on stoutly in resisting the deuill; and that in the full measure, and [Page 209]due manner, before de­scribed. Let them buc­kle to them the whole armour of God, and still trie it, as Dauid did Sauls, before he went against Galiah. Let them repaire breaches, and recouer losses, and regaine time, and bee euer watchfull to saue themselues harmlesse; yea to disaduantage the enemie, and worke him what displeasure they can: which is, by furthering holinesse to the vttermost, both in themselues and others. Let them be bold as [Page 210]the righteous are affir­med to be, and goe forth to the fight con­fidently, assuring them­selues of a comfortable returne, and saying as he to Goliah, This day will the Lord deliuer thee into mine hand, and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee, 1 Sam. 17.46. I know the euent will be gladsome, and there­fore (by Gods grace) I will resist vnto bloud, to the last gaspe.

Well, hold that re­solution, and the vi­ctorie is thine, with [Page 211]the spoiles, and crowne of it.

Vse 4 Fourthly, in as much as the deuill flieth a­way in this life but only for a while, there­fore vse well the times of respite, and of his absence. Remember he will come againe. Prouide for Satans return and re-entry.The vncleane spirit, when hee is gone out of a man, findeth no rest any where: all pla­ces are drie, and vn­comfortable vnto him: and therefore he resol­ueth with himselfe, I will returne vnto my house, from whence I [Page 212]came out, Luk. 11.24. Though he must haue the full foile at last, yet he will come and doe mischiefe as long as he can. And some he hath gained by importuni­tie. Others, whom he could not winne, hee endangered shrewdly; put them to much dis­qoietnesse; got them to commit great er­rors, especially com­ming vpon them vna­wares, and soone after his departure from them. Wisdome would therefore, that euery breathing time be well [Page 213]improued, and rather preparation made for a new encounter, than triumphs for the old. Wise sea-men prouide for a storme in a calme: and wise Captaines stand vpon their guard as well after a battell, as before; fearing, lest (as the Amalekites) they lose more by their securitie, 1 Sam. 30.20. than they got by their prowesse and magnanimitie. Let the same minde and wisdome be in Christi­ans also: still to be in expectation of the de­uill and his hostilitie, [Page 214]and prouide for him accordingly. And let them thinke it enough, that they be at last rid of him, neuer to bee again molested. When they haue finished their course, & fought the good fight of faith, then the crowne shall be set vpon their heads: out now is their proba­tion.

Vse 5 Follie to ex­cuse our selues by bla­ming the de­uill.Last of all, note here, how false it is to say the deuill is the cause of thy sinne, and hee must beare the blame of it. No: he was not resifted: if he had, he [Page 215]must haue fled away: this promise of God is most faithsull, and hee that made it, is able to make it good; that (vpon thy resistance, the only necessary con­dition) it should haue beene performed. Yet this is the ordinary al­legation of carnal peo­ple, when they are ta­ken in any grosse sin: Oh the deuill owed them a spight, and now he hath paid them: the deuill tempted them, and they could not chuse, and they hope they shall not be bla­med [Page 216]for it. Smaller sins they see not, nor the deuils malice in them: and greater sinnes they put off wholly to him. So for no sinnes they betake them to serious repentance, neuer see any need of Christ, ne­uer craue mercy at the hands of God as they ought, nor entertaine the due watchfulnesse, for preuenting the like mischiefe another time. Such must know, that their sinne cannot be so posted off, but will come home to them againe. That the [Page 217]deuill tempted them, is the deuils sinne, and he shall be damned for it: but, that themselues consented, and yeelded to his temptation, is their sinne, and let them take heed they be not damned for it like­wise. Eue said, Gen. 3.13. the ser­pent beguiled her, and so he did: but that would not serue her turne. Take heed of saying and pleading as shee did, lest the like ineui­table necessitie of vn­dergoing the punish­ment befall thee also. Happie is he only, that [Page 218]resisteth the deuil: from such an one only, hee shall flie away. The Lord make vs all wise, and watchfull, and va­lorous, to espie his as­saults, and oppose him in his stratagems, that so we may be for euer freed from that miserie and condemnation, which hee and his angels are adiudged vnto.