A09463:179
The combat between Christ and the Devil displayedThe combat betvveene Christ and the Diuell displayed
The combat between Christ and the Devil displayed: or A commentary upon the temptations of Christ: preached in Cambridge by that reverend and judicious divine M. William PerkinsThe combat betvveene Christ and the Diuell displayed: or A commentarie vpon the temptations of Christ: preached in Cambridge by that reuerend and iudicious diuine M. William Perkins
London: printed by Melchizedek Bradwood for E. Edgar, 1606London: printed by Melchisedech Bradwood for E. Edgar, 1606
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly, God is tempted when men require a sign at his hands. Thus the Pharisees tempted Christ: Matt. 12. 38. Master we would see a sign of thee: meaning thereby to be certified whether he were the Messiah, and Luke saith, they tempted him, Luk. 11. 16. And thus do all those tempt God, which refuse to embrace the doctrine of the Gospel, because they cannot see the ministers thereof to confirm the same by miracles. Thus do many Papists plead against our religion, embracing rather the mystery of iniquity, because: it is confirmed unto them by lying wonders; not considering that the truth which we profess was once sufficiently confirmed to be the truth of God, by his own testimony thereunto in signs & wonders through the hands of his Apostles. Quest. Is every asking of a sign a tempting of God? for Gideon asked a sign when he was to be a Judge and deliverer of gods people, Judg. 6. 17. And so did Hezekiah to be assured of the lengthening of his days, 2. King. 20. 8. And yet we read not that God charged them with tempering him, but did condescend to their requests. Answ. There be two causes in which we may require a sign of God & not tempt him: first, when God commands a man to ask a sign at his hands: so might Asa have asked a sign of God, for his assurance of victory according to Gods promise, yea he isc blamed for not asking it when the Lord commanded him. Secondly, a man may ask a sign of God, when it serveth for the necessary confirmation of an extraordinary calling, or of some special promise of God made to man: in this case did Gideon ask a sign of God for the further confirmation of his extraordinary calling to be a Deliverer unto Gods people. And so did Hezekiah for his further assurance in the lengthening of his life, by an extraordinary promise, fifteen years. But out of these cases to ask a sign of God is to tempt him; as the Pharisees did, who would prescribe unto God what kind of miracle they would have, even a sign from heaven, not contenting themselves with those miracles which Christ did ordinarily work among them.
Secondly, God is tempted when men require a signe at his hands. Thus the Pharisies tempted Christ: