THe first worde in this gospel, mo­ueth vs to pe [...]ose a part of the Chapter going afore: because it is a conseqent following former act [...] and deedes. In which Chapiter, the euan­gelist S Mathew, hath set downe the office and ministerye of S. Iohn the baptist, how he testified of Christ, and prepared the way for the people Isra­el, so much as was necessarye for his purpose, that entended to write and set forth Christ his acts, life, and con­uersation. Because therfore that now the order of the history, and course of things do so require, he beginneth to write what Christ did after his bap­tism, & most heauenly commencemēt which was immediatly going before in y^e latter end of the third chapter▪ For whereas Christ alwaies before his baptisme, was obedient vnto Io­seph & Mary, occupied & exercised con­tinually in their laboures and busi­nesses: [Page] yet now by baptisme altered, as it were, into a new man, and con­secrated vnto God his Father, whose will he came to fulfill, returned not thither whence he came, to become suche an one as hee was before, as in other solemne Feastes and times at I [...]rusalem hee was wont, but [ [...]m­mediately] after his Baptisme▪ as S. Mark termeth that, which this E­uangelist calleth [then,] hee was led of the holy ghost into the desart to bee voyd of company and conuersation of men, and to liue with beastes, where was sca [...]sity and lack of things neces­sary for the sustentation of mans life, that the Deuil might the rather take occasion to tempt him, being in a place where he wanted reliefe, then where hee had plentye of all thinges, For if Christ had beene in the Citye Ierusa­lem, or in other villages, where victu­als might haue beene come by conue­niently and in time, the deuil woulde not then so boldly haue enterprised to bring him stones to make breade: which had beene folly and in vayne, [Page] when bread had beene at hande. But because there was nothing in the de­sart for man to eat, there the tempter took occasion to tempt & to try Christ. Here, in that the Euangelist saith, Then was Iesus lead of the spirit, that is, immediatly after his baptisme, I note as a fruitfull lesson, that they which are appoynted of God to any high office or ministery▪ are, or ought to be clean altered and changed from that they haue beene before, as was heere our Sauiour Christ. Who, be­fore his baptisme, liued and labou­red ordinarily, as the common sort of men did, but after he was baptised, as he altered his liuing, so did he his la­bour, which before was bodilye exer­cise, but nowe was all spirituall and heauenly, in praying, fasting, and preaching S. Paule teacheth vs the like lesson, that after we be baptised, we are no more as we were. He saith:Rom. 6. 3. Remember ye not, that we all which are baptised in the name of Iesus Christ, are baptised with him to dye? We are buried with him by baptisme for to dye, that [Page] lyke as Christ was raised vp from death by the glory of the father: euen so we also should walke in a new life. He sayth we should now, after our baptisme walk in a new life, not in that life we were in before. For now being baptised inGal. 3. Christ, we haue put on Christ, as he writeth to the Galatians: and all they which are called to the state of grace, by baptism, put of the olde man, and put on the new, and that is the true altering and chaunging of our life. Yet, there is an other altering and chaun [...]e of life, in all them that are called to any high office. As, Mos [...]s beeing called of God to deliuer his people from the tyrannie of Pharaoh, Exod. 3. &. 4. and receiuing his office with signes & miracles from God: neither retur­ned to his Father in lawes sheepe, which he was keeping when he was called, nor liued as he was wont, but in the name of the Lorde tooke vpon him to deliuer his people, and safely conduct them thorough the Red sea, and was their pastour and gouernor, after that in the Wildernesse, Forty [Page] yeares. King Dauid also the yongest1. Sam. 16. sonne of his Father Isay, called from his fathers flock, and annoynted king by Samuell, yet left his flocke, and fol­lowed his vocation. These and such like examples doe well declare, that men called to an high office or mini­sterie, must be altered from that they were, and be conformed in life and cō ­uersation to their ministerie. Which thing, I beséech you all to doe, when­soeuer God, of his infinite goodnesse and mercye, calleth you to any high state or condition of office or ministe­rie. For you ought of very duety and conscience to alter your life and con­uersation, that it may be agreing and answearable to your office, that your office may be furnished and honored, rather with a Godly life, then defaced and stayned with a corrupt conuersa­tion. But especially you my brethren which are called of God to the digni­tie of Priesthood, to bee ministers of his secrets, Stewards of his hoshold, Preachers of his moste holy worde, Teachers of his people that liue in [Page] blindnes and ignoraunce, Pastors of his sheepe, watchmen ouer his flocke, bought with Christe his precious bloud. I beseech and exhort you in the tender mercy of God, to consider your condition, to looke to your office & du­ty, to remember your vocatiō, to haue an eye to your conscience, to which I speak, not to your eares. Now, you are not of y^e world, wherfore your cō ­uersation must bee heauenly: you are consecrated to God, your liuing must be godly. Note wel what S. Paul wri­teth to Timothie: No man that warr [...]th, entangleth him selfe with worldly busi­nesse, and that because he woulde please him, that hath chosen him to be a soul [...]i­er. God hath chosen you for his chiefe souldiers, seek therfore to please him, and entangle not your selues with worldly cares and businesse. But alas what shoulde I exhort, where exhor­tation will take no place, or desire, where intreatie will not serue? The ministerye is come to this pointe al­moste generally, that if you will ex­amin any ones liuing, you shall find [Page] more, that are worthy to be reproued, then rewarded, and more to be lamented, then well liked, suche is our im­perfection. We are called to an high office, an office of great dignity. Wee are God his ministers, and nothing appeareth lesie in vs then Godlines. M [...]ses called to bring Gods people from the tyranny of Pharaoh left kee­ping his sh [...]epe, and followed his vo­cation, wee are called to guide Gods people from darknes of ignorance, to the lighte of knowledge, from the bondage of sin, to the liberty of grace, and yet we stand in our old state, we forsake not the world, we change not our course, wee alter not our life, wee should be light, and we are darknesse, we should be ministers, and wee are become Lords, wee shoulde feede oure flocks, and we famish them Finally, we should be preachers, and wee are dumb doggs, and tongue tied. God, I beseech him, loase them, that we may worthily set foorth his prayse, which now with silence we obscure, that our light of preaching may so shine before [Page] men, that they see our good workes, with the chaunge and renuing of our liues, and so they may glorifie our fa­ther which is in heauen. Wee haue here also another lesson, both notable and very fruitfull: that al they, which are so called of God, are most obiect to all kindes of temptation, and they e­specially, which are moste in sauour with God. For our Sauiour Christe before his baptism, was not so temp­ted of the Deuill, as he was after, when hee was seperated from the worlde, and consecrated wholly to the ministerie of God, and erecution of his office, then the subtle Sophister, and craftie tempter, began to stir the coales. He perceiued Christ went a­bout to set forth the glory of his Fa­ther, which he most spitefully enuied from the begin [...]ing, and so diligent­lie sought wayes and meanes, as hee could most peruersly to let and hinder him. Neither did the malitious Ser­pent at the beginning tempt any cre­ature, but that which was made af­ter the likenes and similitude of God. [Page] hoping to deface Gods glory, if he [...] might or could deforme that creature, which was of all Creatures vnder Heauen, moste lyke vnto GOD. Euen so here, when he perceiued that Christ was by the mouth of God de­clared to be his onely beloued sonne, in whom his anger against sin, and indignation against sinners, was fully quieted and appeased: and y^t Christ now should take vpon him to worke the will of his father, so as shoulde be for his fathers glory, like as hee did before with our firste parentes, so he doth now: that is, he laboureth first to bring Christe to that point, that hee should not beleeue the voyce of God, which had sayde: This is my beloued sonne: Secondarily, from the true vn­derstanding of Gods worde, and to bring him to manifest idolatrie at the length, contrary to Gods worde. In like danger of temptation are all they, which be either in high authori­tie, as was Dauid, Zedechias, Moses, when the people grudged, or els that be greatly in Gods fauour, as the good [Page] man Iob, and Tobias, which was made blind by the Deuill, and the children of Israel in the desart, which were stirred of the Deuill to murmure against Moses and God, and diuers other which haue beene suddenly tempted. The Deuill is crafty, and tempteth not all men one way, because all men are not in loue with one thing, and because he will not seeme to be as he is, He changeth himselfe into an Angell 2. Cor. 11. of light, as S. Paule sayeth to the intent he may deceiue. Therefore he tempted Eue one way, and the iust and righte­ous man Iob an other. He tempteth Christ here one way, and afterwarde his Apostles an other. As Christ himselfe beareth witnesse, saying: Simon the Deuill hath desired you, to sift you as Luk. 22. it were wheat, but I haue praiell for thee, that thy faith fayle not. And as we see by experience, Cities, Townes, or Castles, set on high hilles or moun­taines, are most obiect to all stormie tempestes, and violence of weather: In the very like manner are they which are called to high dignitie, [Page] great authoritie, and worthy offices, most in danger of temptation and the assaultes of the Deuill. The golden writer Chrisostome, in his fourth Ho­melieChrisoft. hom. 4 in Esay. 6. vppon these wordes of the Pro­phet I say, vidi dominum. &c. hath a pre­tie similitude to confirme this to bee true. As the maner is in ships, they which haue an emptie ship feare not Pyrates of the sea, which seeke not to bruise or breake an emptie or voyde ship: but they which haue their ships full fraughted with wares and trea­sures of merchandises stand in fear of robbers, which seeke thither where gould, siluer, and precious stones are to be had: Euen so the deuill doth not easily pursue a sinner, but rather a good and godly man, who hath much riches. Let that man therfore, yee all men take heed, which eyther are pla­ced in high authoritie, or haue recei­ued gyftes and Talents at God his hand, of the wicked tempter, that go­eth about to robbe and spoyle man, of such heauenly treasures as God be­stoweth vpon him. And here also, they [Page] that haue grace may learne, that the lyfe of a Christian man, is neyther playe, nor pastime, neither daun­sing nor daliance, neither fleshly, nor licentious liberty: but a laborious and dangerous warfare, a charie and circumspect keeping of a Godlie and innocent life. Let carnall Gospellers perswade themselues they haue God by the toe, or in their boseme neuer so much: if they be not in a ward of this warfare to fight against the Deuill, the victorie of Christ shall not auaile them, but ouerthrow them with their captaine, whose lusts and desires they follow. For all they, which will liue god­lie 2. Tim. 3. in Christ Iesu, must suffer persecution, which is not without great tempta­tion. Wherefore Bainabas and Paule after they had preached at Derbe, re­turned to Lystra, leone, and Antioch, making strong the Disciples, and comforting them, with exhortations to continue in the faith, because that Act. 14. thorow many tribulations, wee must [...]n­ter into the kingdome of God. Many ex­amples might be brought to prooue, [Page] that they are most in danger of temp­tation, which are most in authoritie: But because the time will not suffer me to be long, I will come to the E­uangelist, which sayeth: Christ was led into the desart to be tempted of the Deui [...]. As these wordes declare the fact to be of God his prouidence, and no fortu­nate or vnlucky chance or happening vnto Christ: so it is an admonition for vs all, to enterprise and take no­thing in hand, that is of great weight and importaunce, vnlesse we be ledde there vnto by God his holy spirite, or commaunded by his worde to doe the same. For Christ him selfe was led of the spirit to be tempted of the Deuill, in the desart. Not to fast, but to bee tempted, and although hee fasted, it was but an accidentarie or incident thing, besides the principall matter, which was, to be tēpted. This exam­ple would be diligently noted for two causes. One is, that it is a particuler example, but once done of our Saui­our Christ in al his life: The other is. that the holy Ghost led him to worke [Page] the same miracle. And therefore it ought not to be an example of imita­tion vnto vs, as many men woulde haue it, but a wounderfull myracle once wrought of one man, and no more. Here I may note by the way, rather then speake of by leasure, how small consideration men haue vsed heretofore, which haue inioyned all them, that woulde take vpon them to be ministers of Gods worde, a single lyfe without marriage, no respect of circumstances had, eyther of him that taketh the yoke and bond vpon him, or of God, in whose power it is, to giue the gift of chastitie as it pleaseth him. For consider these two thinges, fasting, and chastitie, what affinitie they haue, and whether they be of like force or difficultie to bee obserued of man, or no. As God hath made man to liue: so he hath appointed him an ordinarie way to liue, vnlesse he haue a special prerogatiue and miraculous helpe of God, as had Moses and Elias by the space of fourty dayes. And so in like case, God hath made man to multiply [Page] & increase the worlde, to which ordinaunce with obseruation of cir­cumstaunces necessary to the same, e­uery man is bonden, saue they which haue a speciall prerogatiue of God, to lyue in fleshe without fleshe, which is an Angels nature, and not mans, as S. Hierome sayth. They may be asha­med therefore, that thus wryth and wrest the scriptures, to satisfie their licentious affections and wicked hu­mors, to condemne that in their de­crees, which in God his word, is both lawfull and laudable. Little they re­garde the leading of the holy Ghost, without whose motion they shoulde enterprise nothing, seeing our Saui­our Christ, was led of the holy Ghost into the desart, to be tempted of the Deuill.

O [...]r [...]ius supposeth forty nights to be added of the E [...]angefist, for a difference betweene the Lewes fastes, and his. For the maner of the [...] [Page] was, to fast all the day, and to eate at ntght: But Christ did not so, for the space of forty dayes, and forty nights, in all which tyme he hungred not. Two such examples of admiration rather then imitation, we haue in the olde Testament: the one is of the holy Prophet or God Moses, who beeingExod. 24. commanded of God to ascend & come vp, into the mount Sinai, to fetch the tables of the commandements which he shoulde afterwardes deliuer to his people, fasted al the tyme that he con­tinued in the Mount, which was for­ty daies, and forty nights, and al that space neither eate nor darcke, as is written in the booke of Exodus. The other is, of the Prophet Elias, who fleeing from the wicked Queene Ie­zabell 3. King. 19. Achabs wyfe, and resting him­selfe vnder a iuniper tree being wea­rie of his life and wishing to die, was sed by an Angell sent to him from God, with a cake baken on the co [...]ses and a cup of water. After which refe­ [...]ion or nourishment, he walked fourty dayes and fourty nightes a [...] [Page] strength therof, vnto Horeb. the mount of God. Our sauiour Christ therfore, whom these two Prophetes did prefi­gure, when he shoulde begin to pub­lish and preach the Gospell, departed from the company and society of man into the desart, where he fasted fourty dayes, and fourty nightes, not excee­ding the measure which Moses; and Elias had before obserued, least hee might seeme to passe the boundes of mans nature, and by a myracle make it seeme incredible that hee was true man, whom afterwards the experiēce of hunger did testify to be s [...]. So much then as Christ is better then Moses, so much is grace better then the law, because that as Saint Ioh [...] fayth▪ The lawe was giuen by Moses, but Iohn. 1. grace and truth came by Iesus Christ. For notwithstanding the lawe was written with God his own hand, and pronounced with his mouth, yet as SHeb. 20. Paul sayth: i [...] [...]ad but a shadow of good things to come, & not the things to their owne fashion. Wherefore if Moses fa­sted forty dayes twice, before he recei­ued [Page] and ministred the law, it was no derogation to Christe his dignity, to fast forty dayes, before he beganne to preach the Gospell, which is the truth of the shadows that went before. And in like sort, Elias as it followeth in the 3 of Kings the 19. Chapter: when he went a farre iourney, and shoulde bring a great matter to passe, that is, anoint, or as we in England tearm it, Crowne two Kinges, and consecrate one Prophet, fasted forty dayes, and forty nightes. Which vndoubtedlye was a great Myracle in him, both to labour a long iourney, and also to fast all the iourneys space. Christ therfore to shew himselfe nothing inferiour to either of them, fasted forty dayes and forty nightes. Vppon which fast, and the fastes of Moses and Elias, because the Church hath of long time, taken occasion to ground and institute this fast of Lent, which at this present we obserue: I entend by Gods grace and your Christian patience, by iust occa­sion of this text, and by opportunitye of the time and place, to speake some­thing [Page] of this our Lent Fast. 1 First, shewing the true definition of Fast, and that this Fast of Lent, obserued nowe by vs, can neither be grounded on the old, nor the new Testaments: 2 Secondarily, how it was first institu­ted in the Church: 3 and then, how farr our superstitious vsing of it, differeth from the first institution.

1 Fast is not, as wee commonly call and vse it, forbearing of flesh in Lent, or vpon Fridayes, Ember dayes, and such other, for so no learned man did euer take it: but it is an abstinence from all kinde of meate and drinks, wherewith mans body is nourished, and a continence from all vaine wan­ton pleasures, wherwith mans mind may be infected. This generall fast hath bene diuided into two kinds: 1 one Corporall, when wee abstaine from bodily meates, 2 the other Spirituall; when wee refrayne from all kinde of vice and sinne. Some, take Fast to be a due satisfaction of all mans sen­ses: as if a man sinne with his eyes, to turns them away, that they regard no Psal. 119. [Page] vanities, as Dauid sayth, or else to pluck Math. 5. them out (as Christ biddeth) when they offend vs. And likewise in all other partes and senses of mans bodye. Howbeit this is more spirituall then the other, that I haue recited. For in the other are included three kindes of fast. 1 One is, abstinence from meate and drinke to keepe vnder the body, that the flesh be not fierce against the spir [...]te: and that is voluntary, vsed of euery man as he seeth occasion with­out compulsion. Such is their fast, though not of like force, that for their health abstaine to disgest euil sursets, and superfluous meat. 2 An other kind is of necessitie, not enioyned man by any lawe, but by God: As in time of Dearth, Famine, and scarsitie of vi­ctuall. This fast as it is not volunta­rily vsed of man, so it is not obserued without great grudging and murmu­ring againste God which sendeth it, as a plague for our sinne. And this fast they that ly [...] in bondes and pri­son, lacking necessary meat & drinke, doe susteine and abyde. 3 The thirde [Page] kinde of fast, is a generall Fast of all men, and women. Which the Iewes often vsed, especiallye in the time of great plagues, warrs and such extre­mities, absteining from meate and drinke in ashes and sackcloth al the daye long, thereby to humble them­selues before God. Yet none of these Fasts are like that heauenlye fast of Christ, Moses, and Elias. For their fasts were aboue these fastes in all points. Wherefore touching the first part of fast, which we obserue all this Lent, it is most true that I sayd before: It could not be grounded on the old Te­stament. For notwithstanding that Moses fasted fourty dayes twise, and Elias once, yet because their fastes were miraculous, we neither ought nor can sincerely follow them. And besides, we may by as good reason follow Moses in all other miracles that hee wrought, as in this: And so like­wise Elias. For if they had beene workes as well of imitation, as ad­miration, no doubt the Iewes which were so studious to inuent new tra­ditions, [Page] would haue made this one of their cheifest. But they knew verie well that as these fastes were myra­cles: so they were in no case of man to be imitated But in examine it more nearely. Moses fasted fourty daies be­foreExod. 24. he receiued the commandements of almighty God, contayned in the two Tables: which when hee had throwne downe and broken, as hee came from the hill, for the displeasure he conceiued against Aaron, and the people: he was commanded to ascendExod. 34. the second time to receiue the law at Gods hand, and to bring and teach it the people. And so he did. Wherevpon the Iewes in remembrance of the law giuen them by Moses, keepe a solemn feast euery year, in the sixt day of y^e ninth moneth: that is, as they count their moneth on the sixt day of May. It is one of their solemne feastes cal­led Penticost, their Whitsonday, which was the fiftieth day after they were come forth of Egipt. They ob­serue a solemne Feast, but no fasting for it. In the tenth moneth the se­uenth [Page] day: they obserue and keepe one Fasting day for a remembraunce of the tables which Moses brake, whenExod. 32. he hearde that the people committed Idolatrie. Seeing therefore the Iewes yearely celebrate a memory of the law giuen, and also fast one day in re­membraunce of breaking the tables: It is not to be thought contrary, but they woulde willingly haue obserued Lent as we do, if it had bin but mans exercise, and no miracle. They obser­ued diuers dayes for faste and absti­nence, as the third day of the first mo­neth, which is September, which is talled the fast of Gedalia. In the fourth moneth they fast in remembraunce of the siege that Nabuchodon [...]zer layd a­gainst the citie Ierusalem. In the sixt month on the thirtenth day they kept the fast of Ester and Mardocheus. And although that Ester commaunded allHest. 4. the Iewes to fast three dayes and thrée nights to obtayne Gods fauour, that they might find fauour and grace be­fore the king Assuerus, and so escape the bloudy handes of Haman, which [Page] intended their deathes all in one day: yet in remembraunce of the same, the Iewes obserued but one day yearely, and that was the thirteenth day of the sixt moneth. And this fast was one of the longest fastes that I haue obseruod in the old Testament: except we should take it, that the Niniuites. fasted all the tyme that was graun­ted them for repentaunce, which was fourty dayes. But that they fasted soIonas. 3. long, it is incredible, because man, beast, and all kind of cattell fasted, or els surely the popishe church woulde not haue fayled to draw that into ex­ample, when Moses and Elias woulde not serue their purpose. Here I haue rehearsed the greatest part of the Iewes fasting dayes, which were or­dinarily and yearely vsed of them, ei­ther in remembraunce of present de­liuerie from their enmies, or some great calamitie that befell them vp­pon such dayes as they kept fasted. But our Lent fast can bee grounded on none of all these, because that in the fore sayd monethes there was but [Page] one day fasted. And as for their extra­ordinaries, which they kept by occa­sion of plague, Battell, Famine, and suche like greate calamities, as they were not certainly obserued vpō any daye: So wee can not stablish oure Lent after them, because their dayes and moneths are variable. And if we should so doe, yet our fast agreeth not with theirs, in so much as they put no such difference betweene fishe and fleshe, as we do, although indeed they had certaine kindes of fleshe prohibi­ted in their law. And as for the fast which the Secte of the Pharises in Christs time obserued twise a weeke, it were foolish to obiect it for any con­firmation of our Lent. For why shold we approoue y^t which the Pharises did, who (as both Iosephus & Epiphanius witnes) were an hereticall sect? And as they supersticiously inuēted & cōman­ded it. so they most wickedly abuse it: As we may learne by the wordes of our Sauiour, when hee warneth his disciples to take héed of their fastings, prayers, and almes deedes. Here then [Page] is no authority in the old Testament to vphold our old accustomed Lent.

Now to come to the new Testa­ment, we shal find neither reason nor authoritie there, which can make for the obseruation of the same, vnlesse we ground it vpon this fast of Christ. And that cannot be: For Christe his fast as it was much beyond mans na­ture, so naturally it ought not to bee practised or atempted of any man, be­ing not an example imitatiue, but miraculous. But the Papistes which woulde gladly beare out the matter with the authoritie of this place, al­leadge a saying of S. Gregorie, That euery action of Christ is our instruction. The saying of it selfe is moste true: but their conclusion gathered of it is most false: that we must doe al things that he did, because they are our in­struction. For this is as good a reason as theirs is: euery action of Christ is our i [...]struction, but to heale the lame, to make the blind sée, the dumb speak: the deafe heare, are actions of Christ. Therefore we must make the blind, [Page] see, the dumbe, speake &c. Who is so ignorantly blinde, that cannot see the the absurditie and foolishnesse of this reason: And what prerogatiue or preeminence should Christ haue, I pray you, if eyther we ought or could do the like? To presume to doe them were great derogation to his glory, and vn­doubtedly commeth of the pride of the Deuill, that woulde seeme to be like God. I maruell much that they can spye that in Scripture which men of profound knowledge could not see.In Mat. ho [...] 47. For Chrisostome plainlye affirmeth, y^e our sauiour Christ saith not his fast is to bee imitated, wheras he might propose his Fast of Forty dayes, but he sayth, Learn of me, for I am me [...]ke & humble in heart. In y^e new testament we haue plentifully declared vnto vs both in y^• Euangelists & in the Epi­stles of the apostles, wherin we ought to follow Christ, and yet we are in no place willed to follow his forty dayes fast. Truth it is, that the gospell both exhorteth and commandeth vs to fast but it appointeth vs no certayne day [Page] as: thou shalt fast euery Fryday and Saterday, but not y^e Sunday, neyther doth it appoint vs to fast more from flesh then fish, God his worde, makes no difference betweene the one kind, and the other. For our sauiour Christ when hee willeth vs to fast, saythe on this wise: when thou fastest, anoint thy Mat. 6. head, and wash thy face. By which words he would we should auoide hi­pocrisie, and not appear superstitious vnto the world, but that we shoulde so fast, that our Father which seeth in se­crete, may reward vs openlye. Hee ma­keth no mention heere at all, ey­ther of his fourtye dayes, or of anye kind of meate which we shoulde ab­staine from: Yea, we may see by his communication with the Scribes and Pharises, what his will was concer­ning eating of meates. For he sayth, That which goeth into the mouth of man Mat. 15. defileth not the man, but that which com­meth from the hearte, that defileth the man: as euill thoughts, murther, adultrie, fornication, theft, false witnes, and slan­ders. Wherefore Cyrill vppon these [Page] wordes of Christ, in S. Iohn his Gos­pell,Cyrill vpon Iohn. 13. By this all men shall know that yee are my Disciples, if yee loue one an other, For as much as the perfection of all vertue consisteth in loue, let no man thinke hee can attaine to anye great thing by abstinence or fasting, or by lying on the grounde, or by any vertuous exercises els, vnlesse he loue his brother: for he is not carried to the marke, but an other way. Such is Christ his commaundement concer­ning fast, not that he requireth no ab­stinence from meates at all. For as S. Luke testifteth he giueth this war­ning to his disciples, and it may well serue as a caueat for vs: Take heed to Luke. 21. your selues, least at any time your heartes be ouercharged with surfeting and drun­kennesse, and cares of this life, and least that day come on you suddenly, which shal catch as in a snare, al them that dwel vpō the earth, watch therfore & pray alwais, that yee may auoyd all these euilles. If Lent had beene so necessary for mans saluation, as the Bishoppes decrees make it, which say it is a deadly and [Page] damnable sinne to break it, certainly y^t euangelists wold not haue omitted it, no more then they did other things which they haue left vs in their wri­tings to follow. Christ in no place of y^e the new testament sayth, he y^t wil fol­low me, let him fast once in the yeare forty dais, but he saith: He that wil follow Luk. 9. me, let him deny him selfe, & take vp his crosse dayly, and follow me. If any man wil obiect that a Christian man his fast, is a part of his crosse: then I wil answere, that his crosse must bee daily taken, and so by y^e means a fast of forty dayes will not serue, but hee must fast euery daye, all the dayes of his life. If any of you require a fur­ther or playner viewe of the matter, looke vpon our Sauiour his sermons made to his Disciples in the mount. Wherein he sheweth the happye and blessed state of all Christian and faith ful beléeuers, and yet maketh no men­tion of such happinesse or beatitude, as is pretended our Lent or our absti­nence from fleshe bringeth with it. Blessed are the poore in Spirite, (saytheMat. 5. [Page] Christ) they that mourne, the meeke, they that hunger and thirst for righteousnes, the merciful, the poore in hart, the peace­makers, they that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake. &c. In all which hee saith not, they are blessed that fast for­ty dayes in Lent and abstayne from flesh: nay, there is not one worde that can bring a man to any thought or i­magination of it, except hee surmise that S. Luke make for him, because he sayth simply, Blessed are they that hun­ger, Luk. 6. for they shall be satisfied. And so make this reason: fast makes a man hungry: but the hungry are blessed. Therfore they that fast are more bles­sed, For ful resolution of which argu­ment, let S. Luke be conferred with S. Mathew and S, Luke his meaning wil easily appear. For S. Mathew his place is a perfit exposition of it, and y^t which S. Luke toucheth briefly, S. Mathew en­treateth more at large. The one saith: Blessed are they that hunger now. The o­ther saith: Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnes, for they shall be satisfied, And this blessing onely ap­pertayneth [Page] to the elect of God, not to euery Turke, or Iew, or wicked person when he is hungry. But do you think that the Apostles were either so igno­raunt, or so negligent, that neither in their acts nor in their Epistles they would make mention of it? if it had béen so necessary to saluatiō, as many make it. The apostles, at what time certain fals brethren went from Iew­rie to Antioch, perswading y^e Gentiles y^e were conuerted to y^e faith, to be circū ­cised & liue after Moses law, assem­bled them selues together to consult what was best to be done in the mat­ter. In which consultation they de­creed to send Paule and Barnabas, with other of the brethren to Antioch with letters concerning their mind, which was not to burthen them with the importable yoke of Moses law, but toAct. 15. wil them to abstain frō things offred vp to images, & bloud, & that that is strangled, and from fornication. Now if our fast from flesh had beene neces­sary for the Christians, it had beene an easie matter for the Apostles to [Page] haue set it downe in their Epistles or letters, that as they shoulde at all times forbeare the eating of those meates that were offered to Idols, from bloud. &c. So they should once in a yeare fast fourty dayes from fleshe together, as in time of Lent. But the Apostles neuer dreamed of any such superstition in fasting, much lesse en­tended to wryte of it. For they knew miracles were not to be followed. And although they prescribe fasting, yet no such fasting: but as from fleshe, so from all kinde of meates, as by their owne fast doth appeare. For S. Paule Act. 27. himself with many that were in ship with him, fasted not one day or two, but many, euen fourteene without meat or drinke: and he wryteth of his fasting to the Corinthians, but of anie such fast as this is, he speaketh in no place. Wherfore it can not be approo­ued by the euangelists. For if we wil ground it vppon Christ his fast, then must oures necessarily agree with Christes in some point, which in no point agrée any more then an Egge [Page] and an Dister, neither in tyme, place, nor in any other circumstance. As by collation of the one with the other, will appeare manifestly. For Christ was baptised the sixt of Ianuarie, and in the seuēth day (as some mē write) he was led of the holy Ghost into the desart, (or as the Euangelist sayth) by and by, or immediately after his baptism: and then he began his fast, which he continued for the space of forty dayes and forty nights, vnto the fifteenth or sixtenth day of Februarie. About what time for the most part our Lent begin­neth, sometime before, and sometime after: As this yeare it beginneth iust about the time that Christe his fast ended. Christ fasted immediatly after his Baptisme, when hee was thirtie yeares old: we fast after our baptisme indéed, but not before we be ten years old. Christ fasted but once fourty dais in thirtie three yeares: But we pre­sume to Fast fourty dayes euerye yeare, taking more vpon vs in one yeare, then wee are scarce able to perfourme in all our lyfe. Christe [Page] fasted fourty dayes from all meates: and we abstain from no meats in the forty dayes, but onely from flesh, and think we follow Christ wel to. Christ in fourty daies was not an hungred: And ere we haue fasted fourty hours, our gorge gapeth for meate, and our bellies thinke our throates be cut. In what point then doth our fast agree w^t Christ his fast? do you perceue any one thing agreeing? Yet this is mans presumption to take that most vpon him, that he is least able to do. What reasons are in scripture in the olde or new Testamentes, you may by these few perceiue. For I haue alleaged the most manifest places that make for the fast of fourty dayes, as Moses, E­lias, and our Sauiour Christ. Now therefore seeing it can not be groun­ded on scripture, I will come to the next part before proposed: and that is how it was vsed of the fathers in the Primitiue Church, and how ours a­greeth with the same.

Concerning this part, to speake the truethe: the obseruation of Lent is [Page] no new thing, not a yesterdayes bird, or inuented of late yeares: but it hath beene vsed euen from the beginning of the Primatiue Church, not then commaunded vnder any paine to be obserued of all men, but of mans vo­luntarie accord without precept. And yet they that first obserued it, preten­ded not to follow Christ his fast, nei­ther was euerie mans deuotion a­like. For it was with them, as it is in euery congregation: some are more feruent in Prayer then other some, some are more ready to fast then o­ther, some more charitable towardes the poore, and more ready to releiue their brethren, then other. All which and such like exercises were not then, nor are not now to be enioyned vpon penalties, but are freely to bee left to mans conscience to do them as his a­bilitie will suffer him. For as a man is not commanded by God his worde to giue this day more then that: So he is not commanded to fast one day more then an other, but to doe both a like, as occasion shall serue, and hee [Page] shall be able to perfourme them. And because some be poore, and haue more need to receiue then bestowe, more need to take almes then giue almes, & some be troubled with infirmities & diseases, & haue more need of meat to strengthē them, then of abstinence to humble them therfore y^e holy ghost in the scripture prouideth wel for them, and exhort [...]th them to pray, not pre­scribing them anie certaine speciall time, but at all times, and in all pla­ces. Wherby we may gather, how al these are commaunded, or not com­maunded but left to the conscience ofHist. trip. lib. 9 cap. 38. the doers. Thus at the beginning, some men better disposed then others, to shew forth a good example of their religion and mortification, began to fast fourtye dayes once in a yeare. Whose example mooued many, that longed to haue the report of religious and godly men, on the same fashion, though not with like deuotion, to fast fourty dayes also. For hipocrites can shew as faier a face sometimes as the godly in deed, and to the worlde they [Page] seeme more glorious oftentimes, that counterfait the workes of good men, then the saintes of God themselues. Well, at length the matter grewe to this issu, and the number of them that vsed this Fast did so multiply, that al they which either were not able to do the like, or not so disposed, were ac­counted skant good Christians, be­cause they followed not the common example, and so to anoyd the slaunde­rous note of vndeuout persons, rather then of a ready & willing mind, gaue their priuy consentes to confirme this example. All men thus consenting, some for religion and Godlines sake, some of hypocrisie, some to auoid slan­der, ther lacked nothing but laws to ratefie and establish this common consent. And those, the vndiscreet and vngodly Byshops not long after consti­tuted, rather to get goods, then to pro­mote godlines, and set foorth the glo­ry of God. For without regard or re­spect of persons, they clogged and fet­tered men with their leaden sawes, whose consciences they ought rather [Page] to haue disburthened by Gods word, and to haue left it at liberty, as it was before. We reade in Eusebius that theEuseb. lib. 5. cap. 24. obseruation of Lent was left free for euery man to fast, or not to fast, and that it was not generally exercised of all men after one sort. For hee allea­geth Ireneus his wordes to confirme his minde. And the wordes be these. There is a disputation touching the man­ner or kinde of fasting. Some men suppose that the Fast of Lent should be obserued but for one daie, other some two daies, Some more daies, and many fourtie daies accoumpting all the houres both of daie and night for a daie, which variety of the o [...]seruation of Lent, had not it beginning now first in our time, but longe before vs, of them (I think) which did not simplie obserue at the beginning what was com­maunded them, but fell either by negli­gence or by foolish ignoraunce, into an o­ther custome. And notwithstanding all these, though they vary among them­selues in the obseruation of Lent, yet they haue beene alwayes at quietnes, and now are at peace with vs, neither doth the di­uersitie [Page] of their fast breake the agree­ment of our fayth. Whereby you may vnderstande, that at the beginning there was no commandement giuen to bind men to forty dayes fast, séeing some fasted but one daye, some two dayes, some more, and some forty, and yet (saith he) they were all quiet and at peace, in this variety of fast. I fear me, if we should vary & differ so much in the obseruation of our Lent, (such an opinion of it is fixed in the heartes of the ignoraunt) it would breed such discention, that we should rather fall by the eares about it, then keep peace and charitie. But the vse was godly, where no man was compelled to ab­staine from fleshe, which loued not fishe. This testimony writeth Irene­us vnto Victorius the bishop of Rome. You may reade also in the tripartite history, that in the fasting dayes one man obserued one thing, an other, an other thing, For the Romans fast thrée wéekes before Easter, besides the sab­both day, and the Sonday. The Illy­rians, and all Grece, and Alexandria, [Page] fast sixe weekes, which time they call Lent. Some beginne their fast seuen weekes before Easter, and some fast but onely three wéekes. Which vari­etie declareth, that at the beginning men were not compelled, but left to their owne choice, either to fast or no. For vntill Gregorius time, the people were not commanded this exercise of fasting, but were onely perswaded by the exhortations of the Bishops. And Eusebius affirmeth, that Apollonius anEuseb. lib 5. cap. 18. ecclesiasticall wryter, reprooued Mon­tanus an heretique amongest other things, for making lawes for fasting. And in the decrees the fourth distinc­tion, we reade that Telesphorus a Bi­shop of Rome, made lawes concerning the Lent, and put a difference be­tweene the fast of the Clergie, and of the Laitie. For he commaunded that the Clergy should fast from Quinqua­gesima vntill Easter, which is seuen weekes, and that the Laitie shoulde fast but sixe weekes. Which thing to be so, Ambrose in his booke of sermons confirmeth, saying as it is in the [Page] same distinction: Quadragesima hath sixe weekes, to which Telesphorus the Bishoppe added the seuenth, and all this time they call Lent. Thus by these writers you haue hearde, how Lent was vsed in the Primatiue Church. Now it followeth, that I de­clare, how it came vnto vs as it is, and how we agree with the first vse of it.

Before Gregorius Magnus came to the Popedome, there were no straite laws made to bind man to y^e supersti­cious obseruation of Lent. But in his daies and since, the most part of grose supersticiō hath crept into the church: and he for his part, as he was very se­rious and diligent to inuent and set vp new ceremonies, so hee was verie busie also in making lawes for their continuaunce. Amongst which, hee made a law for the establishing of our fast of fourtie dayes. And because ma­nifest Scripture woulde not sit his mouth, nor serue his purpose directly; he went wickedly about to prooue it by probabilitie, alleadging this place [Page] of scripture, Thou shalt lay out the [...]ith Deut. 14. of all maner of fruits, that come forth of thy field yeare by yeare. Out of which words, he hath violently wrested and wrong this inuention: That because fourty dayes he the tenth parte of a yeare, and we be commaunded to lay out the tithes or tenthes of our yeare­ly fruites, therefore we ought dili­gently to fast them, and in no case, (except infirmities hinder vs) to breake them, but onely on sundayes. For saith he, from the first sunday of Lent vntill Easter, there be six wéeks which containe fortie two dayes. Frō which if you take sixe sundayes then there are thirtie six daies remayning, which are the tenth part of thre hun­dred three score and fiue dayes, which make the whole yeare. Now because that thirtie six dayes doe not fully an­swere to Christ his fast, they deuised amongst them to adde the foure daies going before, to make vp the iuste number of fourty. Wherein they put a monstrous greate mistery, and saye they fast fourty dayes for diuers cau­ses. [Page] One cause is, that they might re­pent and be sory, for al that they haue transgressed in the four Euangelists, and in the tenne commaundements. For tenne and foure multiplyed one with the other, maketh forty. Which reasō, what force it hath to perswade men to bind them selues to fast four­tie dayes. I trust you perceiue well inough, and I know the meanest and simplest of you is able to answere it, otherwise I would labour more in o­pening the subtletie of it. The second cause is, that they ought to conforme them selues to their heade Christe, which fasted fourty dayes. Vnto this reason I haue answered sufficiently before, and I hope you are both satis­fied and confirmed therein. For this number which they say, hath a miste­rieGen. 7. Deut. 8. in it. They alleadge many places of scripture: as in Noah his time, all fleshe without the Arke was consu­med in fourty dayes: and God fed the children of Israell in the desart with Man, fourty yeares: and was in his mothers wombe fourty weekes: He [Page] preached fourty monethes: he lay in his graue forty houres, and such like. What hidden misteries these num­bers carry in them, and how much and how aptly they make for this purpose, I leaue to your owne iudge­ments. The drift of this my talke is, to prooue vnto you, that the fast of Lent is not, nor hath not beene so frée since Gregories time, as it was before. For hee made it so straightly obser­ued, that not onely fleshe, Egges, and such meates were forbidden, but also all maner of delicates, as may bee seene by many places of the decrees.Distin. 5. de con. Now that their fast might seeme like the fast that the Primitiue Church obserued: for a while they eate no­thing before night. But when such belly God Papistes, that coulde not fast as others had done before them, bare rule, they inuented a pretie pol­licie if God would haue permitted it, and suffered them to haue brought it to passe: But because they coulde not do what they woulde, they did what they could: I meane when they could [Page] not remooue night, they altered the [...]onted time of Euerning prayer, and sayde it before noone, that then they might more lawfully cramme their paunches, and not prolong their fast vnto the Euening, as was accusto­med: Or els without all doubt, the same fast should haue continued vnto our time. Such were their delusions to make men thinke and beléeue that their fast was grounded vppon Gods worde in Scripture. And thus haue they beguiled the simple in weightier matters, and which touch more neer­lie the foundation of our faith. Now that you perceiue my meaning in these aforesayd cases: that is, that our fast of Lent is neither grounded on the olde nor new Testamentes, and that we differ from the Primitiue Church, making necessity of it, wher­as they made libertie: It shall not be needfull for me to trauaile any fur­ther in the matter. Yet because I haue sayde many thinges, which vt­terly denie our Lent fast to be groun­ded on God his worde, and all that [Page] haue heard me be not like affectioned, amongst whom perchaunce some wil rather speake the worst, then the best of those thinges that they fancie not. I must needes speake something in mine owne defence, against euill and flaunderous reports, which els would be bruited of this my sermon. I mean not (beloued) to reuoke any thing hi­therto spoken. For all that I haue said is so true, that I durst be bould to publishe it, to the view of the world, and to maintaine it against all them that be aduersaries vnto it. If ye will not credit me in these thinges, reade the ancient and learned Doctor saint Augustine in his Epistles: Where he saith, The examples of saints (meaning Epist. 86. ad Casul. con. vrb. Moses and Elias) are not of force to per­swade the fast of any one day, much lesse the fast of the Sabboth day. For of that dayes fast, he writeth purposedly a­gainst one Vrbicus. And concerning the new Testament, he saith: I peru­sing or calling to mind, that which is in the writinges of the Euangelistes, or A­postles, yea and in the whole instrument. [Page] which we call the new Testament, I see or perceiue that fast is commaunded: But vpon what dayes we ought to fast, and vpon what we ought not to fast, I finde it not decided, eyther by any commaunde­ment of the Lorde, or of the Apostles. This writeth the holy Doctor in that place. What shall we say then for the vse or continuaunce of it? Verily I wil say for my discharge, as the sayd Doctor sayth in the latter end of that Epistle, That if we wil neyther slaunder nor be slaundered, let vs follow the cu­stome of the Church where we are. If it be not contrary to Gods worde, and yet the thing vsed be commendable. For although in his Epistle to Ianu­arius Epist. ad Ia­nnati. 119. he saye, that Lent hath his au­thoritie of Moses, Elias, and Christ: Yet might he better haue aunsweared by a rule that he giueth after in the same Epistle: That those thinges which are not agaynst our fayth, nor godly and good maners, and haue somthing to the exhor­tation of a godlyer lyfe: wheresoeuer we see them instituted, or know them to bee iustituted, we should not only not improue, [Page] but with prayse and imitation followe them, if the infirmitie of some doe not so hinder, that greater harme follow. In like maner say I, touching this fast of Lent, that because it being vsed as the Fathers haue vsed it, is not contrary to any Article of our faith, nor godly conuersation, notwithstan­ding it haue no expresse ground in scripture, may be well and commen­dable vsed, so long as the King and the Counsaile for the profite and com­moditie of this Realme, pretending no holinesse or religion in it, think it expedient. And in this respect, where you fast fourty dayes, for my part I would rather wishe you to fast fourty daies more then one lesse, it beeing so necessary sor our common wealth, as it is. And therefore haue I thus much spoken, to make it knowne vnto you, that it is not any commaundement of God, but a politique and ciuill lawe made for the wealth of the Realme: and is with like reuerence and obe­dience to be obserued, as other lawes made for our maintenaunce and pre­seruation. [Page] Of which obedience to the King and his lawes, I would gladly intreat if time would suffer me. But because it passeth very fast away, I will returne to my text.

It followeth, That when Christ had fasted fourty dayes and fourty nights, he was afterward hungry. As it is an eui­dent token, that by his fast of fourtie dayes and fourty nightes, and not to hunger, there is in him a power farre aboue the nature of man: So in that he hungred, it can not be denied but he was man. And this is a meet place to prooue the humanitie of our Saui­our Christ, against all those heretikes that denied him to bee man. For in that he hungred afterward, he decla­red himselfe to be man.

THE subtle craft of the Deuill, is plainely described in this, that the Euangelist calleth him the tempter. For so long as fourtie dayes did con­tinue, [Page] and Christe was not hungry, the Deuill woulde not aduenture to tempt him: But when y^e fourty days were expired, and Christ waxed hun­grie, he tooke the occasion and began to flatter. And wheras before he doub­ted to preuail, hearing God cal Christ his dearely beloued sonne: Yet now perceiuing Christ to be hungry, he be­gan to be somewhat more confident, and yet doubted too. For these two pointes seemed very absurd to him, that he shoulde both be the sonne of God, and be hungry. And therefore here he beginneth to be busie, and by reason of his hunger to tempt and se­duce him. Beginning with our saui­our, as he had don with Eue, when heGen 3. perceiued she was desirous of the ap­ple forbidden. For when he perceiued her appetite prouoked, he perswaded her to distrust and disobey Gods word which threatned they shoulde die the death, whensoeuer they eate of the apple forbidden. These subtle waies he v­seth with all afflicted consciences and troubled mindes, when they once be­gin [Page] to faint or doubt of God his promises. In the desart when the children of Israel began to lack such su­stenance, as they had in Aegypt, hee moued them to grudge and murmure both against Moses and God. In time of dearth and famine, which is a scourge of God, hee endeuoureth to make man thinke and beleeue that God hath forgotten him, or else that God doth not regard him: otherwise, he beareth them in hande, that God according to his promise would blesse all them which keepe his will and commandements, with corne, cattell, and all other things most plentifully: and not suffer them to lack in time of neede. And where he seeth the good afflicted with y^e bad, he causeth them to grudge and murmure against God in such time of visitation. But if ye require examples of Sathans sugges­tions, you may easily remember, how of late days, in this realme he procu­red vs to murmure, grudge, & with open mouth to blaspheme God in the time of our scarscitie and pouerty, [Page] sent amongest vs for the triall of our fayth, and perfection. And because we haue not such aboundance of victuals and other thinges wherewith this realme hath heretofore beene moste plentifully blessed: the deuill moueth vs not to impute it vnto y^e true cause, which is, our abhominable liuing: but vnto a false fained cause, which is, the extirpation of hypocrisie and superstition, the rooting out of all I­dolatry, I meane, to speake plainlie, the suppression and ouerthrow of ab­beys, Monasteries, and all other false religious and rebellious houses. For thus sayth the vngodly: we had neuer good world, since the abbeys, and such other houses were pulled down, with suche blasphemous wordes against God, as it grieues me to repeat. The deuill perceiuing vs more bent to serue our bellie then God, and that we lacke part of those things which wee inioyed abundantlie before, so tempts our gready guttes, impatient of any lack, that he maketh vs to blaspheme God, and to slander his word. [Page] Hee mooueth vs not to consider how much better it is to serue the liuing Lorde in the desart with a little, then to be captiue vnder the proud hand of Pharaoh, and to continue in bondage and slauery by the fleshe pots of Egipt, But if we know how much libertie from sinne, is to bee preferred before the tyrannie of Pharaoh, or the deuil, we woulde not grudge, but be thank­full for our deliueraunce. When Ab­beis stood, & Monasteries, or houses of religion, or misrule rather, florished, we were vnder Pharaoh, the prince of darkenesse, we were Captiues to the seruitude of sinne, and bondslaues to ignoraunce: with all the wealth that we had: and now beeing set free and at liberty from the same, shal we grudge at our God, because Sathan tempteth vs? He taketh an occasion of vs, or els he would not be so busie. He tempted Eue, when he saw her delightedCiril. lib. 9. cap. 16. in Ioh. with the apple: And amongst vs hee seeth necessitie, and that we are not content with it, and therefore would haue vs murmure and grudge. [Page] In like sort dealt he with Christ, ta­king occasion of his hunger, saying: If thou be the Sonne of God, &c. As though he would haue sayd to Christ: Perchance thou thinkest thy selfe to bee the Sonne of God, because that when thou wast Baptised of Ihon, thou heardst a voice saie: This is my dearely beloued sonne, in whom I am well pleased. Yet thou mayest be deceiued: For who can thinke or beleeue that God will suffer his sonne so to be de­stitute of all comfort, to liue in the desart, to be in company with beasts, and to lacke mans helpe and succour in time of neede? Now thou art hun­grie, what wilt thou eat? Here is no bread: go to, if thou be Gods sonne as thou persuadest thy selfe, by the voice which thou heardest, linger no longer in hope, prouide for thy selfe seeing God doth not. Here is nothing to eat, and thou art fair from the City: here be stones, change them into bread, it is an easie thing for thee to do, being Gods son. Thinkest thou God loueth thee, that letteth thee hunger so long? [Page] Thou mightest quickly perceiue, that thou art deceiued being so sore hung­rie: and yet God sends thee nothing to satisfie thy desire. Thus the deuell laboured not so much to tempt Christ by bidding him satisfie his hunger, as to make him discredite God his word & that he was not Gods beloued, as before he had hard. Likewise perswa­ded he our forefather not to beleeue Gods word, which was a farre grea­ter matter then the eating of the forbidden fruite. Hee knoweth right well, that the promises of God are set foorth for the saluation of man, and that our health dependeth onely ther­vpon. And therefore hee studieth to make vs let slip our hold, and the hope that wee haue therein. Let vs then watch and be diligent, least our fayth grounded on the infallible trueth of Gods worde, by his craft be weakned and peruerted. For if he preuaile so much with vs, as to seduce vs from the veritie of Gods holy worde, & to yeeld our selues ouer as slaues to his wicked temptations: Lord what shal [Page] become of vs? will not horrour be be­sore our eyes continually to trouble and terrifie vs? Shall we not liue in darknesse and in the shadow of death, and stand euen at the brim of the pit of desperation? O then (dearely belo­ued) what need had we to be circum­spect, and to take heed of sathans sug­gestions. For he goeth about continu­ally either by him selfe or his mini­sters, euen like a roaring Lion, see­king whom he may deuour, whom re­sist in faith, as S. Peter biddeth you.Pet. 5. For though he pretend neuer so faire a countenance, and seeme to giue you neuer so good councel, though he coun­terfait the similitude of an Angell of light, yet he will be sathan and a lier still, and will seeke your confusion. Resist him therefore stedfast in faith. The wicked members of Sathan tempted our sauiour Christ, when he hanged on the crosse for mans rebēp­tion, and reuiled the mighty God with contumelious wordes: If he be the Sonne of God, let him come downe, and we will beleeue him: And if God will haue him, let him saue him, with many [Page] like wordes of detestable wickednes, and horrible blasphemie. And thus he daylie tempteth the Godly, to bring them to infidelity. Against the which I beseech you marke Christ his aun­swere, it will be much to our conso­lation and comfort. It is written: Man liueth not by breade onely, but by euerie ward that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Which testimonie or aunswere is taken out of the olde Testament, where Moses spake vnto Israell on this wise. Thou shalt remember all the Deut. 8. way, which the Lord thy God hath br [...]ght thee, this fourty yeares in the des [...]rt, that he might chasten thee and prooue thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keepe his commandements or no. Therefore hee humbled thee and made thee hungry, and fedde thee with Man, which neither thou nor thy fathers knew of, to make thee know that man must not liue by breade onely, but by eue­ry word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord must a man liue. The euan­gelist following the seuentie inter­preters addeth, euery worde (which is not in the Ebrew text) to signifie the [Page] vertue and power of God his worde, to be of as great efficacie and strēgth to nourish man, as other creatures appointed for the same. For as by his word all creatures and things were made and created: so, by and from the same worde haue all creatures their vertue and strength for mans food and nourishment. And therefore our sauiour Christ bringeth scripture to confirme, that albeit customably and ordinarily man liueth by his meate and drinke, yet God both hath, and can shewe his power other wayes. He fed the children of Israell in the de­sart, not with accustomed meates as at other times, but with a straunge maner of bread, and such as none of them knew. Séeing then, God so maruailously fedd his people in time past in the desart, and that not for fourtie dayes, but for fourtie yeares space, should he not be thought able to féede his dearely beloued sonne in the de­sart now also, vnlesse hee transub­stantiat stones into bread? If [...]e be a­ble to feede man fourty yeares with­out breade, is hee not able to feed his [Page] dearely beloued sonne fourty dayes without bread? Nay (bearly beloued) God is not bound to meanes, but sometimes he deal [...]th with meanes, sometimes without, and sometimes against all meanes, and as it plea­seth the Lorde so come all thinges to passe. For the Lorde God is omnipo­tent. What needeth bread then, when God can send him heauenly food from aboue? Man liueth not by breade onely, but by euery worde that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lorde must man lyue. Our sauiour thus with scripture con­foundeth the temptation of the deuil, that thereby we may learne to do the same, without the consent either of custome or councell. For this was the Deuill his intent, to make Christe thinke that because man lyueth com­monlie by bread and drinke, therfore Christ coulde not possibly liue any o­ther waies. But he was far deceiued: for Christe easely conuinced him. I coulde wishe that all they, which ey­ther are tempted, or asked a question, woulde vse to aunswere by scripture yea or no, and not be so much addic­ted [Page] and sworne to customes and councels. For they consider not what in­iurie they doe to the maiestie of God, that preferre mans doctrine before the holy scripture. Christ might haue aunswered otherwise if it had plea­sed him, but he aunsweared by scrip­ture, to teach vs to adhere and sticke to scripture, as to a sure ancker in all questions proposed. For hee might haue sayd, why temptest thou me? As though I coulde not lyue without breade. Can not I that giue life to o­thers, and am life it selfe, liue with­out bread, and prouide sufficiently for my selfe without thy councell? Thou hast no charge ouer me, and therefore care not for me: for I can care for my selfe? Thus might our sauiour haue cut him off, if hee had thought it con­uenient, and haue rebuked him sharp lie: but he replyed with the scripture, and that with such gentlenesse, that the deuill was more ready and more bould to tempt him now, then before. For it followeth.

THE deuill perceiuing that his former temptation preuailed not, inuenteth an other. For when hee coulde not bring Christ to infidelitie before, now he trveth him with vaine glory. It is wonderfull to see the fet­ches and shyfts that sathan vseth, and yet neuer any without some probali­tie. For it may seeme that he grounds his deuises vpon the practises of such m [...]n, as thinking they bee in Gods fauour, to winne praise and commen­dation, dare run headlong into daun­gers on their owne accord without a­ny necessity at all. This considerati­on he may seeme to haue had, when he take [...]h and setteth our Sauiour on the pinacle of the temple at Ierusa­lem, reasoning with him selfe (as it were) on this maner: For as much as my first purpose is frustrate, I wil at­tempt the matter an other way. I wil try whether vaine glory will allure him to shew some miracle at Ierusa­lem, where the multitude that looke & behold him, may magnifie and speake [Page] gloriously of him. There is no man in this desart to looke vppon him, but at Ierusa [...]em there is greate prease of people, and therefore I will lead him thither, and set him on y^e pinacle, and will him, if he be desirous of fame or glory, to throw him selfe downe head­long in the sight of all the people, that he may be had in reputation amongst them, and perchaunce be made their king & cheife gouernour. But to bring this poll [...]cie to some effect, he repea­teth the same words that he had vsed before: If thou be the sonne of God. &c. Seeing thou stickest so much to the words that thou heardest at thy bap­tisme, and that thou trustest so surely in Gods prouidence, that thou wilt not seeke for thy selfe in extreame po­uerty and hunger, caring for nothing to refreshe thy feeble body withall: it were good for thee, if thou wouldest be accounted as thou takest vpon thee to be, to shew some straunge feat to the people, to settle and perswade them in the truth of the matter. And therefore if thou wouldest follow mine aduise, I woulde giue thee councell to goe to [Page] Ierusalem, that famous and populous City, where to confirme vnto all the people which shall behold thee with a miracle, that thou art Gods son, the sauiour of the world, the Messias that they haue long looked for, thou shalt cast down thy selfe headlong from the pinacle where I will set thee. Thou needest not to doubt or feare any dan­ger, the peril is foreseene, and a reme­dy prepared. For God, whose sonns thou thinkst thou art, hath giuen his Aungels charge ouer thee, They shall take thee in their hands, least at any time thou shouldest dash thy foote against a stone. Is not this a goodly pretensed councell, to set a man in the mast of vainglory with such coloured words? What a strong perswasion was this? Tell me beloued, what Orator or counsailor of them all, can handle his matter more cunningly? Surely it is so baited with sweete and entising wordes, that it is impossible for any, but the sonne and saints of God, and such as God miraculously deliuereth, to auoid him, and escape his tempta­tion. For infinite no doubt is the nū ­ber [Page] of them, that both in time past, and at this present, Sathan hath en­chaunted and enflamed with vaine­glory: and I beseeche God there bee none amongest vs. Amen. Here you may note with me the deuill his ex­pertnes in scripture, who disdaining to take so sudden a repulse at Christs hand, alleageth one place of scripture for an other. The place that he citeth is in Dauids psalmes, where the Pro­phetPsal. 91. setting forth the happy state and felicitie of them, that are vnder Gods protection and prouidence, among o­ther comfortable verses, hath these two, which sathan in this place infer­reth against Christe, saying as it is written: He shal giue his angels charge ouer thee for to keepe thee in all thy ways They shal be are thee in their hands, that thou dash not thy foote against a stone. Which words declare, in what assu­rance they liue that put their whole trust in Gods defence, and what fa­therly care the lord hath ouer his ser­uaunts that cōmiteth them, as kings and great men do their heirs to faith­full nourses, vnto the protection of [Page] his angels, that they fal not into dan­ger. But the deuill both depraueth & abuseth the true sense & meaning of this place. For one part he omitteth which is in the Prophet, and all the rest he applieth to false promises, and wicked perswasions. For notwithstā ­ding the faithfull and elect of God be kept of angels in all their waies, yet are they not beside or against their waies. The waies of man you know are common and ordinary: and there­fore it were a madd point for a man, because aungels are his ouerseers, to take vpon him to swim ouer the sea, when he may sail ouer by ship, or for Christ to haue cast him selfe headlong from the pinacle, whē he might come downe by some other ordinary way. For this had bin to tempt God his father, & to suspect him as it were, that he would not be as good as his word. Take heed therfore how ye trust Sa­than whosoeuer ye are, yea though he bring scripture with him. For though he apply the scripture neuer so truely (which he seldom doth) yet al tendeth to your vtter destruction. Hence learn [Page] likewise, to out your whole affiaunce in the prouidence of God, and yet al­wayes vse the ordinary meanes that he hath apointed you. For otherwise you shew your selues not so much to trust in him, as to tempt him, as the deuill did our sauiour. To reason here how the deuill tooke Christe, whether bodily or by imagination, as some haue don, because it is a questiō more curious then fruitful, I thinke it bet­ter to passe it ouer, then to search it out. Let vs for our parts learn herely that the deuil is busie in tempting all them that be placed in authority. For like as that citie or castel that is set & builded on the top of an hil, is most o­pen and obiect to all stormie tempests and blasts of weather: so they that be aduanced and set (as it were) on the pinacle or top of office, honor, or dignitie, are most egged on by the deuill to cast down them selues thorow ambi­tion, vaine glory, couetousnes, & such like offences. All of vs trauaile with too much loue of our selues, and that y^• deuill espies well inough, or els hee woulde not be so néere our elbowes at [Page] all times as he is. But we minister him matter to worke on still, which vntill we cease to doe, he will neuer leaue off his temptations. For Gods sake therefore remember your selues betime, and reforme these things pre­sently, that God may haue his glory, Gods ministers ioye, and the deuill shame by your good conuersatiō. Now let vs heare what aunswere Christe made to this scripture alleaged of the deuill.

BEcause the deuil alleaged scripture our sauiour replieth with scripture againe: Thou shal [...] not tempt the Lord thy God. As though he should say: thou perswadest me to cast my selfe downe backward, and to haue no care what I do, Because God appointeth his angels to keepe me. I beleeue certainely that the angels will beare me in their handes, that I hurt not my foot against a stone. I know that God hath deputed them to kéepe mee, yet will I not follow thy wicked councell, for I haue thy mea­ning at my fingers ends. Thou woul­dest [Page] haue me to tempt God my father as thou madest the fathers in the de­sart, with miracles notnecessary. But I know their rewarde, and how they sped, I wil take héed by their harmes. I am a man, and I wil follow mans waies, and not cast my selfe headlong into daunger where I néed not. Here is a way to come vp, I will come down the same way. What néed I to tempt my God, or try whether his angels will preserue me, hauing y^• same way to descend, that I ascended? I am forbidden to do it, and euery man els, and therfore I will not. For it is wryt­ten: Thou shalt not tempt the Lorde thy God. These wordes of our sauiour are written in y^e fift book of Moses▪ where,Deut. 6. after that Moses had giuē out the ten commandements to the people, as it is in the chapter next before, and had exhorted them to feare the true God of Israel, by renuing his promises made to Abraham, Isaac, & Iacob, their fore­fathers, he forbiddeth them idolatrie, and giueth them this charge with all: Ye shal not tempt the L [...]rde your God, as yee did tempt him in the place of tempta­tion. [Page] Which was, when they came frō the desart of sin, and by the Lords ap­pointment camped at Rephidim: wher finding no water to drinke, they be­gan to chide with Moses, and asked him: Why hast thou brought vs out of Egipt, to kill vs, our children, and our cat­tell with thirst, And they tempted the Lord saying, Is the lord among vs, or no? As if they had said: thou hast brought vs into this desart, where nothing cā be found for vs to drinke. We are ve­ry thirsty, and more like to pine a way for lack of water, then to liue, vnlesse we depart, and yet thou makest vs a­byde here still. Couldst not thou haue suffered vs to tarry in Egipt, where we had plenty both of meat & drinke: but thou must leade vs hither, where we want both? We can not thinke, y^e God is among vs. For if hée were, would he suffer vs, (beeing his owne people) to be thus afflicted for lacke of drinke? Thus did they repine & gruge against Moses: and therefore he called the p [...]ac [...] Massa or Meruba, the place of temptation or strife. And to this point the deuill bringeth man in his [Page] aduersitie and affliction to think that God is displeased & angry with him, and that the promises of God apper­tain not vnto him: by that meanes to make him dis [...]aire of him selfe, and his own temptations may take place. As though God coulde no [...] be among them, whom he afflicteth, nor fauour them, whom he visiteth. S. Po [...]le vsing the wordes of Salomon, biddeth theProu. 3. Heb. 12. H [...]brewes be of an other minde: De­spise not the chastening of the Lorde, neither faint when thou art rebuked of [...]im: For whom the lord lou [...]th, he chast­ueth: and be scourgeth euery son t [...]at hee rece [...]u [...]t [...]. As God then might be and was among them, thogh he punished the Israelites with lacke of drinke, so that it was vnnecessary to try it by a­ny miracle: so it was vnneed [...]ull for Christ to prooue him selfe the sonne of God, or to try whether angels would preserue him, to cast him selfe downe headlong from the pinacle. For that had been a flat temptation. So y^e you sée how aptly Christe alleadged this place. Thou sh [...] n [...]t tempt the Lord thy God. Out of which words what l [...]ssōs [Page] may profitably be gathered. Though I haue partly shewed you before: yet marke againe I besech you, for a good thing can not be tolde too often. We learn how dangerous a thing it is to tempt, & to try God, and to trust to ex­traordinary helpes, when ordinary means are apointed for vs. This is a grieuous temptation, and yet vsed too commonly of very many in this our realme of England. For there be some idle belly God persons, that because Christ biddeth vs not to be careful for our liuing, but to looke on the byrds of the ayre, that liue and labor not, take occasion to loyter at our dores, and vt­terly neglect all honest labour, where­by they might liue like other men. But experience prooueth, and we see it with our eyes, that such persons for the most part fal to robbing & steling, and so béeing vnworthy to liue y^• will not labour for a due rewarde of their life misled, are hanged to death. And there be some, that because the letter killeth, & knowledge maketh proud, neglect ordinary study: And because Christ when hee sendeth his disciples [Page] to preach, promiseth to giue them in the same houre what they shoulde speake, thinke it not needfull to study the scrip­tures. If we shoulde looke that the holie Ghost should onely giue vs knowledge by a miracle of inspiration, and cōtemn the [...]sual meanes, wherby all men com­monly attaine to knowledge, both in Gods worde, and in all other sciences, were not this to tempt God as the deuil tempted Christ? In vaine then were the tonges, books, interpreters, readers, and all the instrumentes that God hath ap­pointed. For albeit the spirit of God o­peneth euery mans heart before hee can vnderstand, yet he giueth knowledge together with his meanes: As the Eunuch Act. 8. of Ethiopia, who vnderstanding not what he read, before God vsed the mini­stery of Philip to instruct him, doth most plainely declare. And S. Augustine in his fourth booke de doctrina christiana Aug. de doct Chri. cap. 16 saith: That if this reason were good, a man shoulde not pray at al, because God knoweth what we haue need of before we pray. Nei­ther Math. 6. should the husband man till or sow his ground, because neither he that planteth nor 1. Cor. 3. he that watereth is any thing, but God bat [Page] giueth the encrease. But thus you may sée how ready the wicked and vngodly al­waies are to tempt God, as sathan did Christ. Againe, in that Christ answea­reth the deuill his allegation of scrip­ture by the scripture, we may learne to interpret one place of scripture by an o­ther, when they seme to repugne. But surely if the deuil [...] had beene so saucy with Christ, as many are in our day [...]s, which will admit no sense, but such as pleaseth them: he might haue replyed a­gainst Christ, and sayd: It is no temp­tation of God, to cast thy selfe downe: for God hath charged his angels to keep thee in all thy wayes. So that whether thou goe downe, or cast thy selfe downe, thou shalt be safe. Thus might the de­uill haue reasoned, following the literal sense of the wordes But he was a more gentle disputer, and not so impudent in sticking to the letter as the Papistes of our daies are. He knew by Christes an­swere that he had mistaken it, & there­fore ceased to contend any longer about that text, but tryed him an other way, as ensueth.

THis is the third temptation after this Euangelist, but after Luk [...] it isLuk. 4. the second Wherby you may see they la­boured not so much of the order and ma­ner, as of the matter it selfe. They both agree of three temptations, though they vary in the order of them. But the deuill desirous to bring his purpose about, I know not thorow what ho [...]chauing the [...]oile before, is not ashamed to assay the matter againe: And therefore he vseth a more easie way. He willed not Christ here to deny God directly, nor to worke any miracle, but he went about to make him in loue with y^t world, with welth & riches, wherby many men many times decline from God vnawares. Neither doth the deuill trifle in the matter, but he offereth euen the largest and the wel­thiest kingdoms of the world, and to en­flame him, as he thought the more, hee sheweth them, and al the glory of thē in a vision. Marke the subtletie of the [...]ip­ter. He biddeth not Christ fal down and worship him on y^e plaine ground in the [Page] desart, but he taketh him vp into an excee­di [...]g high moun [...]aine, and sheweth him all the coastes and kingdomes of the worlde, in the brauest and gloriest maner that he coulde, saying: Is not this a pleasant kingdome? Is not this a welthy realm? Is not this a glorious empire? O how happy & fortunate are those rulers, y^t are in so high estate? What a delicious lyfe might he lead y^• were Lord ouer two or three of thē? Might not y^• man triumph? Al these kingdoms which thou seest are in my hand to dispose & beslow where & how I list. This I giue to this mā, and that to an other: but if thou wilt do as I would haue thée, & be ruled by me, I wil set thee aboue them all. For it is meet y^• the son of God should haue larger & greater kingdomes, then any worldly prince And therefore I am contented to giue thee, not onely al these kingdoms which thou seest, but also the power and glory of them. Thou shalt not buy them: thou shalt pay neither gold nor siluer for thē: I wil aske but reason of thee, y^e thou fal down before me, in token of obedience & homage and worship me. I require but little: yet do this, & I will perform [...] my [Page] promise. The world would think this a maruailous tēptation: here are as swéet words as can be. For who is more boūd to his lord, then he that payeth no rents for his lands? Our landlords wil not let out their groundes so good cheape. But th [...]se words as y^e tempter vseth thē, are most false and full of blasphemous I do­latry. For though the deuill, the ruler of darknes, be called the prince of y^e world, yet he is not so called, as though he had kingdomes or empires at cōmandemēt, (for the land is the lords, & in his hands are the ends of the world) but the deuil is called the prince of the world, because he ruleth & beareth the chiefe strook ouer the children of vnbeleife, which some­times in scripture are called the world. So that he lyed falsly, in saying all the kingdomes of y^• worlde were his, and it was a blasphemous pr [...]sumptiō against God, to motiō Christ Iesus to fal down & worship him. Who as he hath béene a blasphemer of God & his works frō the beginning: so he continueth in these our daies, perswading the worlde no lesse to fall downe & worship him now, then he did heretofore. For I know not how but [Page] sure it is so, & my conscience wil not suf­fer me to conceale it, Sathan hath taken many of our ministers, and carried thē vp to an exceeding high mountain, and shewed them al the spiritual liuinges almost in y^t world, Byshopricks, Dean­ries, Prehends, Personages, and vica­rages, and hath told them: this is a wel­thy Byshoprick, this is a rich Deanrie, this is a fat benefice, they are all in my gift, I am y^e patron of them: fall downe therfore before me & worship me, and if one wil not content you, I wil giue you pluralites. Let n [...]mā think these things to be forged or sucked out of mine owne fingers. For writers make mention, y^t the deuil in déed gaue the Bishoprick of Rome once, & since y^t time it was neuer good. And is he not so able now, thinke you, to giue a poore benefice, as he was then to giue the faitest bishoprick in the world? Let no man be offended with me for speaking y^t, which al y^e world by ex­periēce séeth to be true. For where these ministers should be preachers, they are tong tied: and that cōmeth not without great temptatiō. For thus he reasoneth with thē: speak no more of iustification: [Page] meddle no more with controuersies: ru [...] no mā on the sore: let euery man liue as he list without reprehensiō or admonion & you shal lack no liuing. Do you thinke that sathan hath not thus sworne many to silence? I haue hard of diuers y^e at the beginning haue beene very godly prea­chers: but after they haue bin once choo­ked vp with many liuinges, they haue had such a bone in their throates, as the deuil wold haue it, y^e they would seldem open their mouth to speake any more. I besech God giue vs grace to withstand & auoid this his flattring and sweet tēpta­tion Once not long since I spake aganst such in a place where I was, & after my sermō was ended, it was tolde me, that some called me a yong mā, & said it was but a pang of heate. & that I gaped for a liuing: which obtained I woulde be as quiet as other men. I am a yong man still, & I am not sorry for it, but I thank my God for it, who I trust will, at his pleasure, turn both my youth & mine old age to his glory For S. Paul hath taught me not to contemne youth. [...]ut where they sayd it was but a pang, y^e was not true: for I was as circumspect in it as I [Page] could, & I haue now the same mind and iudgement y^• I had then, though a little more confirmed by the scriptures & an­cient doctors: and to say I gaped for a li­uing, it is vntrue. For I might haue had since y^t time a rich and worshipfull liuing, if I would haue taken it: but if to take a benefice should make me tongtied, I had rather haue none whilst I li­ued. Yet what I should do I cannot tel, I will not presume too much of mine own strength, seeing more godly & better learned men seduced by the flattery of y^• deuil and the world. But as I am now minded, I had rather go on begging frō dore to dore, and liue in extrem pouerty then without diligent preaching to my flock liue neuer so magnificētly. I enuy no mās liuing thogh it were thrée times so much, but y^e men take vpon thē more then eyther they are able or willing to discharge, it is great sinne, and seemes to proceed from sathan his temptation. For vndoubtedly men take not so many benefices now, because they cā or mean to discharge them: but because one will not suffice to maintain them lordly and wealthily, nor to get goods together for [Page] many yeares: The gospel of long time thorow the tyrannie of the Romish An­tichrist, by whom pluralities first came, hath béen made a cloak for couetousnes. But I pray God pull of the cloake, that euery man may appeare in his plaine coat. Of these wicked Mammonites, S. Amb. de dig. s. cer. cap. 5. Ambrose in his booke de dignitate sacer­dot all saith: Through mony he hath g [...]tten honour not due vnto him, and hath lost God in his inward man: flesh hath taken the dig­nity, and the soule hath lost her honesty. The flesh being maid, is become mistres ouer the soule, and the soule which was miastres is made seruant to the flesh. Flesh hath rule o­uer the people, and the soule serueth the De­uill: to his flesh he hath gotten a benefice, and losse to his soule. What auaileth it such a one to win all the worlds, and to endamage his owne soule? I appeale to your consciences, to which I speake ra­ther then to your eares: Do you thinke Englād is not combred with many such as S. Ambrose speaketh off? Let no man take my wordes so generally as though I secluded none frō this company. For I meane onely these couetous dumbe dogs, or shadowes of ministers: not the [Page] true ministers them selues, or the good pastors of their flock. Of whom because the number is smal, and the haruest ve­ry great, let vs desire the lord daily more and more to encrease it, that his people be not starued for lack of food, but strengthened in the faith to the glory of his name. Thus haue yée hearde the third temptation of Sathan, against Christ.

BEfore, when the deuil went about to make Christe discredite God in his promises, Christ answered him mildly: but now when the deuil wil prefer him­selfe before God, our sauiour rebuk [...]th him sharply, and commandeth him to a­uoid: but with authority of scripture, as he did before. To teach vs, that scripture should be our shield, our defence and cō ­fort in al temptation. This scripture is takē out of the fift booke of Moses called Deutronomie, where Moses speaketh to y^e Deu. 6. & 10 Israelites, with like words to y^e same ef­fect: Thou shalt feare the lord thy G [...]d, and serue him. By this place our sauiour con­uinceth the deuil, & biddeth him auoide. [Page] And here, if I had lesure, I might speak of the difference, which the schoole men make betweene latria, which is the true and liuely worship of God, and dulia, which is honest obedience due to man, not forbidden by this scripture Onely it forbiddeth, to giue y^e inward worship of the mind, y^t appertaineth only to the al­mighty God, vnto any creature besids. So y^• these words of God alleged by our sauiour, import thus much, that because God had don such maruailous works, I wonderous miracles for the deliuerance of his people out of Egypt, to y^e astonish­ment not only of y^e Egyptians, but of al y^t world, nostrength nor power being able to stand or preuaile against his might: therfore they ought to feare the lord, and serue him. As though he should say: see­ing I haue shewed such power vpō Pharaoh & his host in working wonders for thy sake, O Israel, & haue deliuered thee so mercifully from all thy miseries, me thinks I may by right claim thy seruice y^u shalt feare me as a lord of magnificent strēgth & power, as an omnipotēt God, y^• made all things, y^u shalt serue & worship me, as a merciful, long suffering God: [Page] thou shalt praise me, inu [...]ate me, de­pend on me, as thy helper, thy gouernor thy protector: & that only, thou shalt séek for health, helpe, aid, succour & all of me and besides me, of none. If God then be the maker of all things, the giuer of all things, the Lorde of all things, y^e made heauē, earth, y^e sea & al that is therin, if he be giuer of life, liberty, health, welth and whatsoeuer, and haue al things vn­der his hand: did not y^e deuil lie falsly, in saying al the kingdoms of y^• world were his, and at his dispositiō? did not y^t deu [...]l work high treason against Gods maie­sty, by tempting the Lorde of life to fall down before him and worship him, & so to haue committed beastly and blasphe­mous Idolatry? But auaunt Sa [...]an, saith our sauiour, thy words preuail not, and thy temptations can take no place: for it is writtē, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God, but him onely shalt thou serue.

Wherby briefly you may vnderstande, what the true worship of God is, & how much against Gods glory is y^e worship­ping of saints: wherof, if I had not been tedious to you already, I woulde haue spoken more at large. But I wil hasten [Page] towards an end.

HEre S. Iames his saying is prooued true: resist the deuil & be wil flee from Iam. 4. you. By which example we may learne, y^e though the godly be continually temp­ted and assaulted, yet if they stande con­stātly, and shrink not, they may be sure of the victory. For, God is faithful, which wil not suffer them to be tempted aboue their 1. Cor. 10. strength as S. Paul saith, & is able (as S. Pet [...]r writeth) to deliuer the Godly from 2. Pet. 2. temptation. [...]o [...] was tempted, but he ouer came: the Apostles were sundry & many waies tempted, but they triumphed al­ways, The patriarks & Prophets haue be [...]e many times tempted, but they ne­uer fainted. And here you sée our sauiour was tempted, but he ouerthrew y^e deuill and vtterly confounded him, euen with a word of his mouth. This hath our sa­uiour bene content to do for vs, submit­ting himselfe to Satans temptation, to declare vnto vs, y^• whilste we be in this life we are in danger of temptation also but yet if we abide it stedfastly without starting, we shal be sure to win the vic­tory, as he hath done before vs. Let no [Page] man therfore either think it strange or be dismaied if he be tempted. For can y^• members spéed better then the head? Or need the members feare their trial, whē the head hath subdued the tempter? If the head had fayled, there had been some cause why the members might feare: but since it is otherwise, who is so faint hearted that can doubt of the victory? Wherefore (dearely beloued) since it is so, that Sathans temptations can not touche vs, if we persist in the faith, nor preuail against vs, if like true seruants and followers of our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ; we resist him by the scrip­tures: Let vs exercise our selues in the word of the Lord day and night, and let vs not yeeld either at the first, second, or third brunt, but let vs tarry the Lordes leasure, and in the ende we may be cer­tain euen to weary the deuil, and make him faine to forsake vs.

AFter these fourty dayes and fourty nights were expired, and sathan had left him, our sauiour began to hun [...]er: and God sent his aungels to minister [Page] such thinges as hee lacked, vnto him. This is a i [...] table patterne of cons [...]an­c [...]e and patience: He grudged at no­thing, hee [...]strusied not Gods proui­dence, but tooke all patiently that God sent: And therefore God sent his angels to comfort and relieue him. And thus may the Children of God perswade themselues, that God will prouide for them in all their extreemeties, if they put their trust in him. He fedde the ho­ly Prophet Elias by rauens, and also by [...]. King. 17. & 19. an angell. He fedde Daniel in the Lions denne. God neuer forgetteth nor forsa­keth them that trust faithfully in him. For as Dauid saith: I haue beene young, Psal. 37. and now am olde: yet did I neuer s [...]e a iust man forsaken, nor his seed seeking h [...]s bread. But a [...]asse, our faith is so weake, and our charitie so colde, our patience so small, and our sturdy st [...]maches so big, that we will rather tempt our God, spoile our neigbours, murmure & fight aganst God, if he once for our trial se [...]m to lay his heuy hande on vs, th [...] [...]ther to waite on his leasure, or to [...] vpon him, for his fauor. But I bese [...] [...] the O merciful father, so to strēgthē vs against [Page] our enemy, that we may haue a valiant conquest ouer the deuill, and all his so­citie, and that we may haue the mini­stery of the Angelical company, as here had our Sauiour and redeemer Iesus Christe: to whome with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glo­ry for euer and euer.