Reafons why ha vsrderwent it. after Aíhwednefday. Serm.g. of Light ; the other, the Prince of Darkeneffe : The field wherein they fought was a Wilderneffe where they had nothing to fuftaine them- felues withall but .ftones : Their Weapons , Wit , and Words ; the facul- ties of theVnderftanding, and the vfe of the Tongue. The Deuillsend was,to repaireadoubleloflè, or two-fold ouerthrow at our Sauiour Chriftshands: The one, That he couldneuer catch him inany the leaft fault, nor find him tripping inany oneaEtion that euer he did. And this was it that didmad him to the heart, andmightily incenfe his rage,that amongftall mankind , thereneuer yet beeing any, though neuer fo famous, neuer fo iuft, thathad efcapcd his clutches with- out receiuing Tomefoyle or other ; as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Dauid, &the like goodand holymen : that nowaman, inthe eyeof the World ofno betterthan a meanandordinarie ranke, (forfuch a one was our Sauiour held tobee)fhould efcape his fingers , and fhouldPhew himfelfe to bee the onelÿPhoenix ofthe worid.The other,that hedid notyetperfe1yknowby thateuidence ofhis hu- mane nature, &by thofe great fufpitions whichhe might haue ofhis diuine of fence,by calling tomind thofemenaces that were threatnedagainhim in Para- dice, !willput enmrtie betwixt thewoman and thee, betwixt thyfeedand herfeed ; bee !hall bruife thy head,e;e.And he began tothinke with himfelfe,What wil become of meif this bethe Bugbeare foretold by the Prophets r ueftionleffe if this be the man,I shallhardly efcapea brokenpate. Our Sauiours end was notanydefire of his owne properworth andmerit,nor (t,) any vaine glorie to thewhisvalour ; for it could beeno great glorie toboaft of Our Sanioo norno fuch wonderful) conqueft, that theSonne and Heire apparent ofHeauen ma h° ega avith fhould fubdue the Deuil. But his end was thereby to fanétifie our temptations, the Deuil,wasl as hehaddone all the reft ofour miferies,by taking them vpon himfelf,becaufe to fan&ise they fhould recouer a newbeeing,and anewhonour : And that thofe temptati- ñ;temptaU. ons which heretoforedid ferueas fteepe Rockes to throw vsdowne into Hell, fhould ferueas Ladders tobringvs toHeauen. Theoatoret faith That as Phyfiti- ons make Treacle outofSerpents ; fo ourSauiour Chrift drewanAntidote and wholfome Medicine fromthe Deuil andhis deceitsand fubtleties: fo that now, Temptation bath loft his name andftrength, andof Gally-flaues weare made Freemenby Iefus Chrift. Secondly, Our SauiourChrift didpretend by this fight, to rid the world of (z,) thatgreat feare wherin itliued. Wherbywe may fuppofe the feareful power of To free the the Deuill throughout the face ofthewholeearth.rob inhis 41. Chap.rnaketh a éearedfrom . dreadfull defcriptionof the Deuill, inthe metaphor of aWhale, or (as force A defcription wouldhaue it)of a SeaDragon;a Fifhof that exceeding greatneffe, that when of the Deuill. he difcouershimfelfe in thewaters, he feemeth tobe force little Ifland,or force pretie bigHill ; Cor sas eie s , f utafufilia ; his bodie is couered ouer with fuch ftrong fcales,as if theywere barres of Brafhe,and ribbesof Steele, and fo clofe lockt & ioynted together, that the fubtilleftaire cannot get inbetweenthe knit- tingof the ioynts ;Stornutatioeiva,lßlerelorignte, The breath ofhis noftrills is like vittolightning ; his eyes as flafhes of fire ; from his mouth comeforth flames, as out ofaFurnace ; from his nofe iffuetha thicke fmoake; his breath kindleth coles, and fetsthem on fire; there arenoweapons either offenfrue or defenfue, that can withftandhis force ; Reptetauitgull;palms, ferrum& as quafi lignumputridum, Yron tohim is as ftrawes, andfwordsof fteeleas rotten flicks. Aman ofarms may threaten himwith aMace of Iron ; a Gunner !hoot hisBill- lets at him ; anArcher, his Arrowes ; aSlinger,his Stones ; & the Pikeman,his Lance ; all which hee folittle caresfor, that hee makes butajeaft of it. In a word, .
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