A09463:65
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.
Fourthly, the praise and honour of this victory over Satan, was peculiar to Christ, and not communicable to any creature: and therefore Christ chose a desert place for this combat apart from all humane society, that no man might challenge any part of this glory to himself, but that it might be wholly Christs, as of §5right it was. Fifthly, he went into a desert place for a time, that afterward he might thence return with more credit, reverence and authority to exercise his prophetical office: for we see by experience that when a man hath been abroad for some time, he is received with more reverence at his return.
Fourthly, the praise and honour of this victory ouer Satan, was peculiar to Christ, and not communicable to any creature: and therefore Christ chose a desert place for this combate apart from all humane society, that no man might challenge any part of this glory to himselfe, but that it might be wholly Christs, as of §5right it was. Fiftly, he went into a desert place for a time, that afterward he might thence returne with more credit, reuerence and authority to exercise his propheticall office: for we see by experience that when a man hath beene abroad for some time, he is receiued with more reuerence at his returne.
The use. From hence the church of Rome would fetch a ground & warrant for their monastical life; saying, that as Christ went apart into this desert, so may men sequester themselves from ordinary societies, and live as Monks and Hermits in cloisters, woods and deserts. But this collection is absurd, as may appear by these reasons: first, Christ went not thus apart on his own head, but by the instinct and motion of the spirit of God: but the Papists admit and undertake the state of Eremitical and Monastical life without any warrant in Gods word. Secondly, Christ did thus sequester himself but once for a certain time: but with them, an Hermitical estate is ordinary and perpetual for their whole life. Thirdly, our Saviour Christ fasted truly all the while he abode in the wilderness: but Papists in their Cloisters and Hermitages do plentifully enjoy the wealth of the world in great ease and liberty. And therefore howsoever solitariness for a time may be commendable in some cases, as to meditate on the works or word of God, as Isaac did,