and readines is figured in doing the heasts of God Dauid had not such wings to flie swiftly yet he would runne in the way of Gods commaundements so fast as the burden of flesh would suffer him This condition our Lord and Sauiour commends vnto vs in his owne example when he professeth it is his mâ—ate and drinke to doe the will of his Father 2. It must be hearty and sincere Rom. 1.9 whom I serue in my spirit not in body and ostentation but in soule and sincerity not in hypocrisie and coldnes but in soundnes and feruencie not coacted or compelled but chearefully and without dispute The Apostle requires loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfeigned And when the Lord bids Dauid seeke his face Dauids heart answereth I will seeke thy face Psal. 27.8 Those that serue bodily Masters must not serue with eye-seruice but as the seruants of Christ Eph. 5.6 how doing the will of God from the heart and v. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in simplicity of heart What man can abide a seruant that deales deceitfully with him if he know that he outwardly pretends seruice but his heart is not with him but he dissembles loue truth faith and reuerence No more can God Men cannot see into the hearts of their seruants but the Lord doth and cannot be deceiued The fountaine of all our obedience must be a pure and sincere heart or else if the well-head bee corrupt so are all the waters that issue thence 3. It must be ruled and squared by God himselfe for God must be serued as he will be serued and not as we thinke good for God knowes what is best and what pleaseth him best All obedience is to goe by rule not our owne or others but Gods As the eyes of the handmaid is vpon the hand of her Mistresse so in our seruice must our eyes be vpon Gods direction Psal. 123.2 which is implied in that phrase Luk. 1.75 that we should serue him in righteousnesse and holinesse before him all the dayes of our life An earthly seruant must not take vp his owne worke nor doe other mens businesse but depend vpon his owne Masters mouth and direction Now God ruleth his whole seruice in respect of the 1. matter 2. manner 3. end I. For the matter Whatsoeuer I commaund that doe onely saith the Lord. Thou shalt not doe that which is good in thine owne eyes but what I commaund thee And so we are taught to pray Thy will be done II. For the manner It must be 1. Absolute 2. Totall I. Absolute without all condition on our part whereas all seruice to men must be conditionall The reason hereof is because God beeing holines it selfe can commaund nothing but what is most iust and holy but men may II. Totall both obiectiuè and subiectiuè 1. It must be totall in respect of the obiect all Gods commaundements all which call for our obedience Partiall and delicate seruice when we list or at leasure as the retainers of great men on feasts dayes is not that which liketh him but a constant diligence in all his commandements and a conscionable endeauour in all Generall seruice was holy Dauids aime Psal. 119.6 Then shall I not be confounded when I haue respect to all thy commaundements Not that we can perfectly serue him vnlesse we were perfectly sanctified but that we must make conscience of all Gods commaundements euen the least 2. It must bee totall in respect of our selues we must be wholly employed in his seruice in all our parts and powers the whole heart and all the strength is here challenged Wherein there is a notable difference betweene the seruice we owe to God and that to men We are to be seruiceable to men onely in part not wholly for the soule and conscience are not subiect to men which God especially taketh vp and lookes for Gods priuiledge it is to be the father of spirits for although we take our bodies from our parents yet our soules are immediately from God Men therefore haue no power and authority ouer our soules but God hath power both ouer soule and body and is the Lord of our conscience and spirit and therefore of due must we subiect our selues wholly in his seruice III. God ruleth his seruice in respect of the ende which is twofold intentionis termini 1. The proper aime and end of our seruice must be 1. Gods glory directly If all our seruice of men must be for God as we saw it must much more must Gods immediate seruice 2. The good of our brethren and of Gods Church which we must not scandalize but build vp for God will be serued in our seruice of men 2. We must serue our God without end he requires such an heart in his people as to feare him alwayes Deut. 5.29 and 6.13 Thou shalt serue the Lord and cleaue vnto him We allow not our seruants to cast vp our worke and make holyday at their pleasure much lesse must Gods seruants thinke it lawfull at any time to giue any seruice to Satan sinne lusts the world or any creature against the will of the Lord. This should prouoke vs to tender vnto God this seruice with heart and good will thus squared by God for the matter manner and ends of it The Apostle Eph. 6.5 6 7 8. perswadeth seruants to obey their Masters according to the flesh by three arguments all which are much more strong to perswade our seruice to our Master in heauen First saith hee it is the will of God Gods institution and the ordinance of Christ. It is enough for a seruant to know that such a thing is the ordinate will of his owne Master The second reason of the Apostle is taken from the honour of their seruice that in seruing men they serued the Lord Christ which was an honourable thing Now we serue a great Lord as good as great If a seruant were bound to a wicked and froward Master he must obey him in all lawfull things How much more are we to yeeld seruice to so good a Lord who can commaund nothing but that which is most iust holy and honourable He sets vs not about any base or ignoble seruice to worke in bricke or clay as Pharaoh commaunded the Israelites but our worke is the practise of piety and righteousnesse of prayer and praise And besides it is most beneficiall to our selues for what gaineth he by our seruice our goodnes reacheth not to him to adde a graine to his perfection Psal. 50.9.10 I will take no bullocke out of thy house for all the beasts of the forrest are mine and the sheep on a thousand mountaines If I were hungry I would not tell thee But it is our honour profit as when a noble man takes a poore snake neere him to serue him such a meane man is more honoured and pleasured then the noble man to whom he retaines The third reason of the Apostle is
maintain any security but the security of faith which is euer attended with the feare of God and feare to sinne The SECOND thing in the victory of our Sauiour is the manner of Satans leauing him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Matthew Saint Luke more plainely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implyes a bodily departure and sensible as we haue formerly shewed his presence to be Quest. What kinde of departure was this it seemes to bee a willing and voluntary subiection to Christ he bids him depart and he is gone Answ. Indeed it seemes obedience but it is nothing lesse then true obedience for 1. He came of his owne motion but went away by Christs who spake a powerfull word which he could not nor durst resist 2. He goes when he can stay no longer his commission for this time was now expired his liberty was restrained the temptations were ended God permits him now no further and now he leaues the Sonne of God and so lest he Iob in the same reason when he had vexed him as much as hee could obtaine leaue to doe 3. Satan could not change his wicked nature in leauing Christ he leaues not his malice against him only he leaueth the exercise of it for the present 4. He returnes againe afterward and sets vpon our Sauiour with new assaults which is a plaine argument he went now against his will To doe that which God commaundeth and to leaue vndone that which he forbiddeth is not alwaies a signe of true grace The deuill is commaunded to giue ouer tempting of Christ and he giueth ouer is commaunded to be gone and he goeth yet this is no argument of true grace and that which is incident vnto the deuil cannot be a signe of grace in any man but as there is a forced and fained obedience in Satan himselfe so in all his instruments which proceeds not from any true grace let them flatter themselues in it neuer so much Cain offers sacrifice as well as Abell and brings a show of obedience but his heart beeing filled with murderous thoughts was void of all grace Balaam was commaunded not to curse the people of God and he professed that if Balaac would giue his house full of siluer he would not doe it as if he had made great conscience of Gods commandement but it was much against his will for hauing receiued an answer from God not to curse them he would not be answered but went againe and againe to know the minde of God not content to rest in that answer with which he was not pleased And after that he giueth Balaac wicked counsell to send his people to Sittim to offer to their idolls where Israel was likely to fall in loue with women and so commit fornication with them by which he brought the curse of God amongst them whereby numbers of them were destroyed Here was a seeming obedience without any grace in the heart Exod. 8.19 Iannes and Iambres and the rest of the enchanters of Egypt stood out in resisting Moses and Aaron so long as they could and then gaue ouer but not of any conscience but because in the plague of the lice they saw the finger of God against which they could not preuaile The like was the obedience of the Iewes when they desisted from persecuting the Apostles Act. 5.35 because Gamaliel a doctor of the Law perceiued that they did fight against God Adde hereunto the example of Iudas who after his sinne of betraying his Lord made a faire shew of repentance confessed his sinne restored the mony bewayled and iustified his Master but all this without all grace in his heart for he went away and hanged himselfe 1. A man onely by repressing and restraining grace may both doe many things which God hath commanded and leaue vndone what God hath forbidden as Haman refrained himselfe from Mordecai Est. 5.10 though his heart was full of wrath chap. 3.5 Many other things might hinder him from the present execution of his rage against Mordecai as that Mordecai was as in a Sanctuarie the Kings gate that he was the Kings seruant that it was better to reserue him to a shamefull death and effect it by a kind of forme of law then to embrue his owne hands in the blood of the Kings seruant and so endanger himselfe But the cheife cause is Gods restraint of wicked mens furie that they cannot execute what they can determine against his Church though he vse sundrie meanes to restraine them Nay further a wicked man may be restrained from some euills which the child of God may fall into he affects an outward forme and credit and glorie of an outward profession sometimes and to attaine this ende in which he notably deceiues himselfe he cannot enioy the pleasures of sinne with greedinesse not because he conscionably hateth these sinnes but he is bridled with the credit of his profession 2. Obedience proceeding from true grace is so qualified as neither Satan nor any wicked man is capable of it For 1. It is an effect of the loue of God and of goodnesse Deut. 30.20 Choose life by louing the Lord and obeying his voice and cleauing vnto him Ios. 22.5 Take heed to the commandement and law which Moses the seruant of the Lord commaunded you that is that yee loue the Lord your God and walke in all his wayes and keepe his commaundements and cleaue vnto him Loue excludes all coaction and constraint Now wicked men resembling their father the deuill cannot loue God nor goodnesse but notwithstanding all their pretences are haters of God and enemies of righteousnes they care not for his fauour aboue life they loue not his presence nor to be with him nor his image in his child nor his will in his word nor his house nor his holinesse to resemble him nor his glory but are more troubled at the losse of a graine of their honour then all his 2. This obedience is a daughter of faith for without faith it is impossible to please God whereas wicked men haue nothing aboue corrupt nature much lesse such a supernaturall endowment as faith is which so vniteth vnto Christ as it makes him more precious then all the world 3. It proceedeth from a man wholly renewed and changed such good fruit must come from a good tree which is the work of sound grace onely 1. The vnderstanding is enlightened to discerne betweene good and euill according to Gods word 2. The will is sanctified and made willing 3. The heart is purified by faith and made a good treasurie to send out good speaches and actions 4. The conscience is purged and being perswaded of the loue of God in Christ it seekes to preserue it selfe good and pure and in all his waies out of conscience indeauours in the good that God requires and auoides the euill which he forbids 5. The affections are renewed and are sweetly perswaded by Gods Spirit to hate all euill and cleaue to that which is good to
seeth though Satans malice blindeth him that his children without such strong trialls should not be so fitted for his seruice It is a trayning of them to great emploiments and makes them not onely more expert in themselues but also farre more able to helpe others in any kind God would not exempt his naturall and onely Sonne from temptations that he might know how to helpe others that are tempted Heb. 2.18 nor the Apostles for the same end 2. Cor. 1.4.6 All sorts of men the more they set themselues to glorifie God in their places the more they should expect trialls A Christian can no sooner giue his name vnto Christ nor the spirit descend vpon him but Satan with all his malice will assault him Christ was no sooner baptized but he must goe forth to be exercised with Satan and his members also who not onely by outward profession but inward sincerity also make a league with God to renounce Satan sinne and this euill world shall not want all the molestation that Satan can create them Reu. 12. the red dragon watcheth for the child to be borne to deuoure it and such is his malice that whom he cannot hinder of saluation he will hinder of their peace and ioy as much as he can if he cannot chase vertue out of the world he can disgrace it and if he cannot quite hinder all good proceedings he will by molestation delay them as long as he may He is subtile if he cannot doe the greatest euill that he would he will doe the lesser that he may as by Sanballat he did hinder the re-edifying of the Temple The condition of the child of God is military in this life he hath Satan and all his army of wicked ones mortall foes against him Many deceiue themselues who meane to professe Religion so long onely as they may enioy peace and credit and the applause of the world so long as they may see Christ with a golden crowne and scepter and follow him into Ierusalem with Hosanna But they haue not cast their accounts right noâ— weighed the difficulties of sound profession of Christ and therefore like the foundation of the foolish builder when windes and floods rise they fall downe right with shame they forsake Christ and religion and all they looke backe and runne backe to the filthines of the world they embrace a course which standeth with their owne ease but neuer shall they haue the honour of honouring God or of effecting any thing which shall bring God true praise and themselues true peace It will be the wisedome therefore of euery Christian vndertaking any commendable action so to looke and begin with God that euer he haue another eye vpon Satan and his malice both to expect it and resolue not to be beaten off for it Shall the Israelites beeing set out of Egypt runne backe againe because Pharaoh pursues them no but hie them more hastily away Shall I giue ouer my profession because the greatest part of men hate and reproach it no I must see Satans old malice renewed who casts a flood of poysoned water against Christ himselfe who should not auoid the same measure of obloquâ—e and reproach if he liued againe vpon earth Was it thus with the greene tree it is no maruell then if it be so with a drie Shall I neglect my duty to which God and good conscience tyes me because I would not displease men and be thought no medler then farwell Gods glory if I goe about to stop the deuills mouth which if I could yet I shall neuer stop his malice The more publike a mans calling is the more doth Satan aime at him to cast him downe who doth conscionable intend it as for example 1. The Magistrate Satan stirres vp Dauid to number the people 1. Chron. 21.1 2. The minister beeing the Lords standerd-bearer the deuill seekes to winnow him especially and begges leaue to be a lying spirit in the mouths of 400 false Prophets at once And both these because God hath specially instituted these callings for the beating downe of Satans kingdome and lifting vp the scepter of Christ and againe if Satan can foile the leaders the bands are soone ouercome smite the shepheard and the sheep will be scattered cast downe Cedars and they will crush many shrubs with their fall Hence must both these be more carefull of themselues then ordinary men as beeing in greater danger as men set vpon steepe and slippery hills beset with enemies to cast them downe And the lesse that men see these oppositions the lesse seruice doe they to God or his Church For if they doe their duty in one place or other they shal heare on both sides both of Satan and his instruments Now because the deuill vseth two speciall weapons against those in higher place to make them vnprofitable or hurtfull one open the other secret it behooueth Magistrates and Ministers to watch against them both and fully resolue against both 1. Satan will stirre vp his instruments openly against them Let either or both rebuke the world of sinne and force men to walke in the narrow path of life wicked men grow mad against them and rage with all open rebukes and hellish and horrible slaunders and so farre as they dare blaspheme the ordinance it selfe in their hands Hence Ieremy was a contentious man with the whole earth both Moses and Aaron take too much vpon them What must men now because they must be counted peaceable suffer euery man to doe what he list as though there were no God nor King in Israel till iniquity so abound as it know no bounds bankes nor bottome No but we must looke both to the commandement and to the promise Ier. 1.18.19 If sinners be obdurate as iron and of brasen and impudent foreheads we must be as brasen walls to make their wickednesse recoyle and bound vpon them and with the palme tree rise against the burden that lyeth vpon vs. 2. If this will not weary them but they hold on with courage then he workes more secretly more dangerously If he see them inclined to gaine he will offer them commodities and profits If ambitious he will choake them with preferments If giuen to ease or pleasure he can easily perswade them to a course of fauouring themselues And experience shewes how commonly Satan preuailes with men some of these wayes and who would thinke him now an enemie or in the field and yet he hath wonne a fort which open force could not attaine And as beeing in great danger they must adde to this watch the meanes of their comfort and safety as 1. Let them looke to their entrance and drift vndertaking these functions not headily or hastily but as Christ did with fasting and prayer How few doe it who haue much more need then Christ had and are in greater danger then he was When ambition or couetousnesse or idlenesse or any thing but earnest desire of Gods glory leads
turned to the execution of his most righteous iudgement This serues to rectifie our iudgements in trialls and cleare our eyes to see this hand of God in them commonly we look too low at men who are but dust as though miserie came out of the dust and we looke too neere vs at the staffe or stone which with the dogge we bite but consider not the hand that smites vs. 2. Sam. 16.9 Abishai lookes at Shemâ—i that barked at Dauid and said Why doth this dead dogge curse the King But Dauid could tel him v. 10. the Lord hath bid him curse that is he hath so decreed and ordained and in his secret will bid him Let vs willingly submit our selues vnto temptations because God by his spirit leadeth vs to be tempted as he did his naturall sonne so Christ willingly yeelded himselfe to be tempted beeing led by the spirit hee was lead he was not forced and drawne to it though the triall was as great and fierce as Satan could make it and so let it be with vs. For 1. As we must be cheerefull in doing the will of God so also must we be cheerefull in suffering it True it is that tryalls and persecutions come often by the deuills meanes but neuer from the deuill 2. The Lord knoweth best in his diuine wisedome what is best for vs and in his fatherly goodnesse disposeth to vs what hee knoweth so to be 3. He that leadeth vs into the lists measureth our temptations weigheth our strength and will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able he giueth shoulders and fitteth the burden 4. Hee hath promised his presence with vs in 6. dangers and in 7. and goeth out with vs into the field not as a looker on but to supply vs with newe strength and wisedome to helpe our infirmities and vphold vs vnto victorie These considerations are forcible to worke in vs a contentment of minde with Gods fatherly appointment without which we can neuer be chearefull in trials for nature will be working in Peter himselfe and when he is an old Disciple he shall be led where he would not and oftentimes the feare of danger and trouble is greater then the triall it selfe What was it else that mooued Christ in that bitter triall when otherwise he could haue wished the cup might passe from him to say Yet not as I will but as thou wilt but the remembrance that he came to suffer as well as to doe the will of his heauenly Father What else added such courage to Paul Act. 21.13 as to say What doe ye weeping and breaking my heart I am readie not onely to be bound but also to die at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord. What else made the Martyrs so inuincible in suffering that often when they might they would not be deliuered but that they found themselues led and bound by the spirit yea strengthned to all long-suffering with ioyfulnes But we pray not to be led into temptation 1. Tentation is twofold as we said before one of triall which we must suffer with cheerefulnes the other of delusion against which we may and must pray 2. Againe there are two leaders into temptation the spirit of God leads Christ and Christians the euill spirit leads the wicked at his will we pray against this leader and not against the former 3. And further we must distinguish betweene beeing tempted and beeing led into temptation in our Sauiours sense the former is a worke of Gods mercy to try exercise or chastise any of his children the latter is a worke of iustice in which God leaues a man to himselfe so as the temptation is preuailing against him Now we pray onely against the latter which is to be left and so ouercome in temptation neither doth God so lead vs into temptation but to make vs in the ende more then conquerours So as still wee may bid temptations welcome and with cheerefulnesse submit our selues vnto them In euery triall see that the spirit lead thee for this is a sure ground of comfort and hath assured hope in it of a good ende Christ was not lead into temptation by priuate motion neither did he thrust himselfe vnto it no more must we rashly runne into or pull dangers vpon vs or thorough presumption obiect our selues vnto temptations if we doe we must needs fall and cannot expect safety because we tempt the Lord and prouoke him to withdrawe his fatherly protection from vs whereas there is no danger in following the leading and guidance of the spirit Many a man is of so strong a faith that nothing can harme him he is for all courses and all companies But how can a man be safe where Satans throne is Peter thought himselfe strong enough to goe into the high Priests hall but he found in the end it was no fit companie for him Others through vaine prefidence of Gods protection runne in times of contagion into infected houses which vpon iust calling a man may but for one to runne out of his calling in the way of an ordinarie visitation he shall find that Gods Angels haue commission to protect him no longer then he is in his way Psal. 91.11 and that beeing out of it this arrow of the Lord shall sooner hit him then another that is not halfe so confident Others are bold-hardy to set vpon the deuill in his owne holds they dare enter into and lodge in houses giuen vp by God to the deuills possession which is if it be out of ones lawfull calling to cast a mans selfe into most probable danger for whereas we ought to vse all good and lawfull meanes for the preuenting of imminent danger this is to seeke danger and hurt and commonly they that seeke it iustly finde it The issue of such presumption we may see in the sonnes of Sceva Act. 19.16 who tooke vpon them to doe as the Apostles did namely to name Christ ouer them that were possessed but the deuill seeing their want of calling thereunto ranne vpon them and ouercame them so as they fled out of the house naked and wounded Others thorough temerity and rashnes bring on themselues much woe who follow the motions of their owne spirits in their courses and neuer or seldome consider whether they haue Gods spirit before them or no they looke not for warrant out of Gods word in the things they doe or speake they begge not Gods direction and assistance they spie not in what ambush Satan lyeth what aduantages he easily taketh and so for want of Christian watchfulnes lay themselues open to many euills and dangers wherein they can meet with no great comfort because they cannot say with a good conscience Lord thou hast led mee into this estate but rather I haue cast my selfe into this danger If therefore thou wouldest find comfort in troubles keep thee in thy way that thou mayest neuer be without the leading of the spirit and then this will
against them to accuse them to God to men to their owne consciences will reckon vp al their faults and depraue whatsoeuer was best intended While he can draw them along in his seruice hee will lie close like a crafty fox and serpent in one corner or other to deuoure their soules but afterwards will terrifie them and roare like a lyon on them setting in order before them the villanies to which he himselfe tempted them crying out on them as damned wretches and making them often cry out so of themselues euen in this life and for euer in the life to come And yet alas he is the Prince of this world to whom generally most men yeeld their subiection and homage yea the God of this world to whom men offer themselues and what euer they haue or can make in sacrifice yea men sell themselues as slaues and bondmen to be ruled at his will How should this one consideration mooue men to get out of his power and out of the seruice of sinne and come to Iesus Christ who is meeke and mercifull one that couereth sinnes acquitteth and dischargeth one that answereth all accusations and crowneth our weake endeauours which himselfe worketh in vs in such sort as a cuppe of cold water shall not goe vnrewarded 2. Note how expressely Satan hath stamped this qualitie as his owne marke vpon his children who so liuely resemble him as that they haue his name also giuen them Tit. 2.3 and 2. Tim. 3.3 and 1. Tim. 3.11 For how quicke and nimble are men to goe between man and man with tales and accusations to cast bones of enmitie Sometimes charging men openly or secretly with things vtterly vntrue and false as Ziba dealt with Mephibosheth 2. Sam. 16.3 sometimes blazing infirmities which loue would haue couered sometimes aggrauating with vehemency of words facts or speeches which charity would giue a fauourable construction vnto as Doeg pleaded against Ahimelec 1. Sam. 22.9 sometimes deprauing the truth by adding to mens speeches and this cost Christ his life his enemies adding I will destroy this Temple and make another in three dayes made with hands or diminishing it by concealing that which might make for a man All which are Satanicall practises who beeing the father of lyes would chase all truth out of the world Let all Gods children labour to expresse Gods image in hating this hatefull sinne and helpe themselues thereunto by these rules 1. Consider thy charge Leuit. 19.16 Thou shalt not walke about with tales among thy people and consider that whispering and backbiting are the sinnes of men of a reprobate sense Rom. 1.29 2. Receiue no false accusation receiuers of stollen goods are accessarie to the theft if there were no receiuers there would be no theeues if no hearers no informers Driue away the slaunderer with an angry countenance as the Northwind driueth away raine Prou. 25.23 haue no pleasure in this sinne of another man Rom. 1.32 3. Doe thine owne busines looke to the duties of thine owne calling busie-bodies and pratlers are ioyned together 1. Tim. 5.13 4. Take heed of enuie malice neuer spoke well it is alwaies suspitious euer traducing Embrace the loue of thy neighbours person 5. Deale with an other mans good name as thou wouldst haue him deale with thine if it came in his way Consider thou maiest restore his goods but neuer his name once broken euer a scarre A fellon is more tolerable in a commonwealth then a slaunderer 6. In receiuing reports excuse the person so farre as thou canst construe the speech or fact in the most fauourable sense doe as thou wouldst be done to and if thou canst not aduise the reporter to looke to himselfe and tell him that in many things we sinne all 7. Curse not the deafe saith the Scripture now a man that is absent is a deafe man Obiect But I speake the truth Answ. But not truely 1. without ground thou art vncalled and vnsworne thou doest it not by way of charitable admonition to the partie himselfe or others 2. Not in a good manner without loue pitie sorrow nay thou reioycest rather in thy tale 3. Not to any other end but to fill mens mouths with prattle and bring thy brother into contempt And why speakest thou no good of him as well as euill but art like a swine in a garden that leaues all the sweet flowers to digge or wallow in a dunghil Motiues to lay aside and abhorre calumniation and slaundring 1. Charity is not suspitious but in doubtfull cases thinks the best 1. loue thinketh not euill 1. Cor. 13.5 2. it couers a multitude of sinnes Prou. 10.12 and 3. it giues to euery man his due in his goods and good name And therefore the tale-breeder tale-bearer and tale-beleeuer who doe none of these but hammer tales and slaunders vpon the anuill of enuie and set them vpon the wings of fame and report are vncharitable and vnchristian persons the deuils fewellers and gun-powder for where no wood is there the fire goeth out so where there is no tale-bearer the strife ceaseth Prou. 26.20 2. Wee haue a common prouerbe A man museth as he vseth as himselfe vseth to doe so he imagineth of another and therefore to iudge lewdly of another vpon bare suspition is commonly a note of a lewd person those that are so readie to taxe men of hypocrisie commonly are hypocrites themselues 3. It is a question among the schoolemen whether a man that hath impayred anothers good name be bound to restore as hee that hath pilfered his goods and it is concluded by all the Doctors that he is bound in conscience because a good name is better then all riches saith Salomon and because it hath more enemies then our goods euen this law of restitution and satisfaction should be of force to keep them off vs and if the law bind him that steales our goods to restore 5. fold certainly he that stealeth our name is bound to restore 50. fold because it is so farre aboue a mans substance and the blot is neuer wiped away If serpents sting vs or mad dogges or venemous beasts bite vs there is some remedy but against the tongue of the slaunderer there can none be found 4. It is one of the sinnes against the ninth commaundement to heare our neighbour falsly accused and not to cleare him if we be able Ionathan when he saw Saul stirred vp by tale-bearers against Dauid spake boldly in his defence and said Why shall he die what euill hath he done And Nicodemus when he saw the Scribes and Pharises so set against Christ that they would haue condemned him beeing absent and vnheard stood vp and said Doth our law condemne any before it heare him and know what he hath done A good rule for vs how to carry our selues towards all Christians 5. We must hold vs to our rule to iudge no man before the time 1. Cor. 4.5 and if no man then 1. Noâ— our superiours people must
not bolt out opprobrious words against their Pastors and Teachers sinne is aggrauated by the person against whom it is committed to reuile an ordinary man is odious but much more to reuile the father of our soules or bodies Pastors or Parents 2. Not godly men and professors of the Gospell as to charge them with hypocrisie and traduce with violence that which would receiue a charitable construction Heb. 6.9 3. Not such as in whom Gods graces shine more eminently then in others through pride or enuie this is a high sinne and cost Christ his life yea to disgrace and obscure Gods gifts which ought to be acknowledged with thankfulnesse is in the skirts of that vnpardonable sinne and had need be stayed betimes for it is to hate goodnesse and if it did hate it because it is goodnesse it were farre more dangerous 3. Note seeing Satan is such an Arch-accuser and that his speciall hatred is against goodnes is it any maruell that the children of God passe through many slaunderous accusations If speach be of the faithfull Preachers of the word neither Prophets nor Apostles shal auoid most dangerous slanders Amos shal be accused by Amazia to preach against the King and that the whole land is not able to beare his words chap. 7. v. 9. Paul and Silas preaching nothing but Christ are brought before the gouernours exclaimed vpon as men troubling the citie preaching ordinances not lawfull to be receiued and teaching men to worship God contrary to the law Act. 16.20 and 18.13 Let speech be of professors of the Gospell how doe men in their mindes accuse and iudge that to be done in vaine-glory which is done in simplicity and for Gods glory and that to be done in hypocrisie or for commodity or other sinister ends which God sees is done in sincerity Yea as if men did see their hearts and inside how doe they speake it that such are not the men they make shew of or if grace euidently appeare in the eminent notes of it they can so lessen so diminish and clippe the beauty and glory of it as still they shall be disgraced Our blessed Lord himselfe was accused and condemned for a malefactor yea and executed his doctrine notwithstanding most heauenly and as his enemies witnessed Neuer man spake like this man yet was condemned his wonderfull miracles obscured yea blasphemed He cast out deuills by Beelzebub and shall the seruant looke to be better then his Master Lamentable it is to see how our times accuse the first restorers of religion Luther Caluin Beza Bucer and the rest as the layers of sedition and rebellion and as lamentable that such as preach the same holy doctrine as they did should vnder the titles of Puritans and Schismatikes be coupled with Papists yea accounted worse And no maruell if the whole profession of religion be accused and religious persons made the songs of the abiect and scum of the land because the deuill is an accuser When the deuill layes off his name and nature and ceaseth to be a deuill it will be otherwise but not till then But let such as would be wise by Gods wisedome labour to see Satans malice in all this and that if to be accused bee sufficient who can be innocent 4. Note seeing Satan is such an accuseâ— of vs in himselfe and his instruments to God to men and to our owne consciences how carefull ought we to be in our whole conuersation to stop Satans mouth and the mouths of wicked men which will be open against vs How ought we to make right steppes to our feete seeing we shall be sure to heare of the least halting How ought we to examine the vprightnesse of our hearts that in those accusations we may be bold to goe to God and say Lord doe thou prooue and try mee if there be any such wickednesse in mee Rules to become inoffensiue and vnreprooueable and so stop the mouth of Satan 1. The matter of thy worke must be good and warranted by the word then God will iustify that which himselfe sets thee about and thee in it 2. The manner of doing it must be proportionall a good thing must be done well in good circumstances 3. The end must be found namely Gods glory and mans good A bad end spoiles the best action 4. In euery thing remember that Satans eye is vpon thee to accuse thee the eye of thine owne conscience to witnesse for or against thee and Gods eye to iudge thee to whom thou must stand or fall as to thine owne Lord. To be tempted The word to be tempted is spoken of 1. God 2. Man 3. Satan all tempt I. God tempteth 1. when he prooueth the graces of his children so hee prooued Abraham Gen. 22.1 and Iob. c. 7. v. 18. 2. when he discouereth the sinne and corruption which lurketh in them and thus God tempted the Israelites who when their desires in the wildernes were not satisfied vsually broke out into murmuring and impatiencie and shewed naughty hearts full of distrustfulnes And thus God is said to lead into temptation when beeing prouoked to wrath he withdraweth his grace that so his children by their falls might see their weaknes as Dauid and Peter and that the wicked might in iustice be prepared to iudgement as Pharaoh burst into blasphemie Achitophel hanged himselfe through impatiencie and Saul vsed vnlawfull meanes to escape his crosse But in these temptations of God obserue two rules 1. That the word tempting referred to God is euer taken in good part for he tempteth onely to prooue neuer to seduce and his temptations are alwaies good because they proceed from him that is goodnes it selfe and tend altogether to the good and profite of his children and are the execution of iustice on the wicked which is good also 2. That all these temptations are not to confirme Gods knowledge of men who perfectly knowes what is in them yea who seeth things that are not as though they were but to bring men beeing exercised by them to the clearer knowledge of him and themselues II. Man tempteth 1. God two wayes 2. Man both himselfe and others Man tempteth God 1. By presumption and curiosity as when men forsake the ordinary meanes of their good and presume too much vpon Gods help to try whether God will vse any other then the appointed meanes to succour them so it is said v. 7. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God 2. By distrust when men by vnwarrantable meanes try the power of God whether he can or will helpe or hurt Exod. 17.2 when the Israelites by murmuring would haue water Moses said Why tempt ye the Lord and Psal. 78.18 they tempted him in the wildernesse requiring meat for their lust and said Can God prepare a table in the wildernesse Here they tempted him by doubting 1. of his promises 2. of his presence 3. of his power 4. by limiting him to that strait 5. they thought he was bound to them
Christ himselfe once was and as Christ was in the midst of wilde beasts and was not hurt so shall his members be they may be molested and afraid of danger by them yea assaulted and slaine but not hurt If the Spirit lead thee into the wildernesse as he did Christ thou mayest be secure if for good conscience and Gods religion thou beest set vpon thou shalt not be hurt as the Martyrs were not Note 3. In that our Sauiour now is safe enough when all the meanes of safety and comfort are set against him we must learne to depend vpon him if we shall come into the like case when we haue no way to help our selues all meanes faile nay all meanes are against vs like so many wilde beasts about vs then he is able to succour vs as he was to defend himselfe alone not onely from the rage of wilde beasts but furious deuills And this is the true triall of faith when we haue no meanes yea when meanes are against vs. It is an easie thing to trust God vpon a pawne but we must trust in his word that is indeed to trust in God When the case is with vs as it was with Moses at the red sea the sea afore him the mountaines on both sides Pharaoh and his hoste behind then to say Stand still feare not and behold the saluation of the Lord here is found faith When Aram and mount Seir came against Iehoshaphat and he saw no strength or meanes of his owne he said O Lord we know not what to doe but our eyes are vnto thee and so though his army was small and his enemies like grasse on the earth trusting in God he went away with the victory And what a holy and faithfull profession was that of Iob If the Lord kill mee yet will I trust in his mercy Rules to carry our selues by faith in the outward meanes I. Where they be 1. Faith neglecteth not good meanes where they be because Gods prouidence hath affoarded them and appointed them for our good faithfull Iaacob had a good care to prouide for his family Gen. 30.30 Isaac said to his father Here is the knife and wood but where is the sacrifice Abraham answered God will prouide so let vs vse the meanes and God will prouide the rest which is wanting 2. It hath a right iudgement of them not as things to be trusted to neither art nor labour expressed by the net Hab. 1.16 nor wealth and riches expressed by the wedge of gold Iob 31.24 nor friends and alliance expressed by the arme of flesh Ier. 17.5 no nor the outward meanes of saluation Ezech. 33.31 Faith knoweth it is not bread but the staffe of bread that man liueth by Dauid lookes vpon his staffe and bowe and saith they cannot helpe him Psal. 42.6 and counteth watching and building but vaine except the Lord ioyne his helping hand Psal. 127.1 2. 3. Faith vseth meanes but expecteth no blessing from them but by the word and prayer Gen. 32.9 Iacob vseth good meanes and pollicy in diuiding his armie and separating his bands but withall giueth himselfe to prayer to get Gods arme with him Exod. 17.11 Ioshua goeth and valiantly fighteth the Lords battels but Moses must be at prayer in the mount and no longer Ioshua prospers then Moses prayeth II. Where they be not 1. Faith trusteth where means be wanting or against them Though ten thousand compassed Dauid yet would he trust Psal. 3.6 And Abraham was a notable patterne of faith when he had no meanes but all was against him in himselfe and his wife still he depended vpon the naked word that God was true and able to performe his promise Rom. 4.9.20.21 2. Faith when it may vseth no euill meanes it flies not in sickenesse to sorcerie nor in extremity to the Witch as Saul did for which he was reiected from beeing King 1. Chron. 10.13 It turneth not to fetches of policie nor to digge deepe counsells on which a woe is pronounced Isa. 29.15 It deuiseth not to smite ones betters with the tongue it taketh not aduantage of mens simplicity or forgetfulnesse 3. It obserueth how many great things God bringeth to passe without yea against the meanes to shew how little he depends vpon them and therefore it will not stint the Holy One of Israel but frame the heart to his likenes It sees the walls of Iericho fall downe by seauen dayes compassing Iosh. 6.3 It sees all Midians host discomfited by means of a dreame of a barly loafe tumbled downe from aboue into the host of Midian Iud. 7.13 and Ashurs host flie all away supposing the King of the Hittites and Egyptians to come vpon them through a noise of chariots and horses 2. King 7.6 And surely this is the course in which God often encourageth his children who thriue and growe they know not how by vertue of the promise that God will fill his with hidden treasures Whereas those that will feed themselues vpon the meanes and trust God no further Gods iustice often lets them see their folly reuenging their infidelity they eate and are not satisfied they earne money for a bottomlesse bagge Hag. 1.6 they go and trust in Physitians as Asa did and pine away their wisedome and counsell is turned to foolishnesse as Achitophels they haue horses and strength and trust to it Psal. 20.7.8 but they are fallen there where they trusted And thus God letteth men see that there is neither wisedome counsell power or successe against nor without the Lord. Note 4. Christians must not thinke much to finde men more sauage then bruit beasts seeing Christ found it so Lazarus found dogges more pitifull to him then Diues and Paul found the beasts to which he was condemned at Ephesus more mercifull then the men 1. Cor. 15.31 The like entertainement in the world must euery Christian expect NOw we come to the third point in Christs expectation of his enemie namely his imployment and that out of the Euangelists is gathered to be twofold 1. Fasting to which he ioyned praier without all doubt this S. Matthew hath that he fasted forty dayes forty nights 2. Temptation by lighter onsets as Luke saith plainely he was forty daies there tempted of the deuill and after that he was hungry and then began these three temptations In his fast consider three things 1. what kind of fast it was 2. the reasons of it 3. the continuance fourty dayes and fourtie nights For the first Of fasts there are three kinds 1. Ciuill as when men fâ—st for the health of their body or when men are so intent vpon their affaires as they take no time to eate and drinke thus Saul fasted pursuing the Philistims 1. Sam. 14.24 and those fourtie that vowed not to eate till they had slaine Paul so intent they were vpon their wickednes Act. 23.14 This is voluntarie there is also one involuntarie fast when men want what to eat or drinke as Elias fasted 1. Kin. 17.5
others let afflicted and humbled soules lay hold and make vse of this exhortation for Satan doth with so much the more violence assault them as he findeth it easier to preuaile with them for well he knowes that howsoeuer they heartily detest all other sinnes and much adoe he hath to bring them to his lure in other yet their spirits beeing oppressed and wounded by the sense of sinne and Gods dispeasure for it he findes them inclinable enough vpon euery triuiall temptation to despaire and so makes a wide breach by their improuidence watching narrowly all other things but not that which they ought most of all and which Satan most of all impugneth Quest. How may I strengthen and stablish my faith Answ. By obseruing these few directions I. Consider the excellency of this grace for those onely that know it are in loue with it and will vse meanes to preserue and increase it And this excellency appeares in these branches 1. It is the first stone to be laid in Christianity called a subsistence or foundation Heb. 11.1 from whence also Christians are styled 1. Cor. 1. and the houshold of faith Gal. 10.6 of which Christ himselfe hath vndertaken to be the author and finisher and hath appointed all his ordinances to breed and perfect it in the hearts of all that shall atteine the end of it which is saluation namely the word of faith Rom. 10.8 the sacraments the seales of faith chap. 4 11. and the prayer of faith Iam. 5.15 2. It is the beginning of our blessednes Ioh. 20.29 Blessed is he that hath not seene and yet beleeueth It espouseth vs to God and Christ and ascerteineth vs of the marriage day It honoureth God as Abraham by beleeuing gaue glory to God and makes vs witnesse that God is true which is not more honour to God then our selues Ioh. 3.33 3. All our strength is from faith Heb. 11.33 by faith the Saints subdued Kingdomes and were strong in battell faith is the victory whereby we ouercome the world by faith we stand A graine of it can worke wonders and what then can strong faith It drawes vertue from Christ who himselfe was foyled by it in the Syrophenissan All things are possible to it Mar. 9.23 Giue Peter faith he shall not sinke but shall walke on the sea Matth. 14.29 4. All our present comfort is from it peace with God and peace in our consciences Rom. 5.1.2 comfort in afflictions it beareth great weights vncrusht it selfe beeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sound and sure foundation According to the measure of faith is the measure of all other graces and comforts As a man beleeueth so he obeyeth loueth prayeth and is heard Yea not onely the measure of grace here but of glory hereafter is proportioned to the measure of faith And is it not worth preseruing and increasing II. Vse meanes to increase and strengthen it and they be these 1. Acquaint thy selfe with the word of God often read repeated preached meditated and conferred on this is the word of faith and euery thing is fed and preserued by that whereof it is begotten and the often hearing reading meditating and conferring of it doth fixe and digest it and makes it at hand to comfort the weary hands and weake knees And we must not onely frequent the audible but also the visible word that is reuerently and conscionably vse the blessed Sacraments which are signes and seales of Gods fauour and our faith Those that say they beleeue and yet neglect the word and Sacraments deceiue themselues for there is nothing to saue where is no meanes of sauing A man cares not greatly for an empty chest Neither can faith stay where she sees not her selfe respected Oh take heed of Satans subtilty who to hold men in infidelity withholds them from vision and to starue mens soules intercepts their food And in comming to the word consider the excellent promises that are made to faith and take speciall notice of places which may batter the deuills temptations to vnbeleefe 2. Obserue the tokens of Gods loue and fauour towards thee and because no man knowes loue or hatred by things before him labour to find it in spirituall things how much thy heart loueth him which is a reflexion of his loue what ioy of the spirit what assistance in former trialls what strength patience issue and vse of them thou hast Experience of God is a strong prop when the soule can gather from former time a cōclusion of Gods presence and aide for time to come So did Dauid Psal. 23. vlt. and 1. Sam. 17.34.37 and Psal. 143.4.5 and 77.7 to 13. Hath the Lord forgotten to be mercifull and shut vp his louing kindnesse in vtter displeasure I said this is my death yet I remembred the yeares of the right hand of the most High I remembred the workes of old And how iustly doe some faint in trouble for want of obseruing the wayes of God with them in former trialls and deliuerances 3. Labour to get and keep the assurance of thy adoption for then the gates of hell shall not preuaile to hurt thee The former by the witnesse of the Spirit which will alway vphold vs in afflictions if our care be not to grieue and quench him So long as the spirit of consolation possesseth the heart what sound comfort can be wanting but if he depart in displeasure neither can our faith or comfort be long vpheld The latter by keeping good conscience for faith and good conscience stand and fall together an accusing conscience weakens faith and destroyes boldnes that we dare not come neere vnto God wheras contrarily our election is made sure by good workes 2. Pet. 1.5 and by the fruits of the Spirit It stands vs in hand if we would stand against Satan in the day of triall to take heede of admitting any thing against our conscience which the Apostle compares to a shippe fraughted with precious wares such as faith loue ioy with other graces Now if we cracke our shippe of conscience we make shipwracke of faith and the other graces which good conscience had preserued 4. Faith beeing the free gift of God who is the author and finisher of it a means to stablish it is feruent and continuall prayer as the Apostles knew well enough Luk. 17.5 saying Lord increase our faith and that good man Mar. 9.24 Lord I beleeue help my vnbeleefe Christ praies for the not failing of thy faith wilt not thou pray for thy owne A speciall marke of the least measure of faith is that it can pray for more III. When thou feelest Satan assalting thy faith and hiding from thine eyes the loue of God then set before thine eyes Gods gracious promises made and to be made good to thee in Iesus Christ both because 1. of the generality of them which run without excepting thee if thou doest not except thy selfe as also 2. because they are built and grounded not vpon thy sense and feeling but
fish not a cup of cold water till he had requested it of the Samaritan who would giue him none Thou wantest friends respect in the world yea where thou well deseruest yea where thou mightest iustly expect it Remember it was his case his friends became his foes his scholler a traytor the world hated him causeles he came to his owne and his owne receiued him not he was without honour in his owne countrey he had euill repaid him for good he wept ouer Ierusalems miserie but Ierusalem laught at his Thou wantest peace of conscience canst not see a cleare look from God nor feele any ease from the sting of thy sinnes thy sorrowfull mind dries vp thy bones all outward troubles are nothing to this But remember that neuer was any so loaden with the burden of sinne as Christ when his bitter torment expressed such words as these My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee 3. Rule From these crosses by which Satan would driue thee from God labour to see how neare and graciously God draweth towards thee and thus beate him with his owne weapon 1. The Lord helpeth forward our saluation by them beeing sowre sauces to bring vs out of loue with our sweet sinnes and of this euill world plowing of ground kills the weeds and harrowing breaks the clods they be the Lords sharpe salues to draw out our secret corruptions and the Lords sope to wash foule linnen white they be the Lords vshers to teach vs his statutes to teach by a little smart both what thou hast deserued in the life to come and what Christ hath suffered for thee in bearing the whole punishment of all thy sinnes to teach thankefulnesse for contrary blessings by pouerty sickenesse trouble men learne to bee thankefull for wealth health peace to teach pity and compassion towards the misery of others to teach circumspection in our waies and more care of obedience to all Gods commandements 2. The Lord by crosses trieth and exerciseth the faith patience and sincerity of his seruants whether they will hold out as Iob for as a man by wrestling knowes his owne strength better then before so is it here 3. The Lord is neuer nearer his children then in trouble in fire and water in sixe troubles and in seauen to support them with strength and patience to giue a blessed issue and vse and turne it to his owne glory in their mightie deliuerance and to their best all things are turned to their best to recompense their light afflictions with an eternall weight of glory As Christ said of Lazarus This sickenes is not to death but that God may be glorified Ioh. 11.4 so we may say This pouerty losse disgrace c. is not to the vtter vndoing of a man but that God may haue glory in his deliuerance and glorification So much of the third drift of Satan in this first temptation now of the fourth In that the deuills last drift in it is to haue Christ in his want and hunger to vse an vnlawfull meanes of supplie note that It is an ordinary instigation and temptation of the deuill or a deuillish spirit to vse vnlawfull meanes in our want to help our selues Because Christ had no ordinary meanes of getting bread he must prouide for himselfe by extraordinary Gen. 25.29.32 Esau comes out of the field weary and hungry and almost dead for meat how must he supply his want Sell thy birthright said Satan and so he did Peter was in great danger in the High Priests hall how must he help himselfe out of their hands Denie thy Master said Satan forsweare him and curse thy selfe and thus he gat out Saul was in great straits God was gone from him he was not answered by Vrim nor oracle how shall he doe for counsell he must goe to the witch of Endor and so the deuill sends him from himselfe to himselfe who can tell him more then all his Vrim his dreams his Prophets Sarah wanted a child she had a promise of one but she laught at that Gen. 16.2 yet must she haue one another way she giues her maid to her husband and she brings an Ismael a mocker persecutor of the promised seede 1. Satan sees how easily he can weaken our confidence in God seeing we are ready to trust more in the meanes then in God he knowes our infidelity which makes vs hastie and soone weary of waiting 2. Hee knowes how derogatory this is to the promise truth power and prouidence of God who can susteine his children aswell aboue meanes without meanes yea against meanes as with them His hand is not shortened that he cannot help 3. He easily drawes on this temptation vnder a colour of necessity which we say hath no law but falsly Hence is the common speech of the world to defend any iniustice Why I must liue I must not put forth my wife and children to begge I must so exercise my calling as to maintaine my wife and familie I must vtter my wares though I lie and sweare and exact and deceiue and so vnder a colour of good and pretence of necessity no wickednesse comes amisse in the course of ones trade This teacheth vs to bewaile the pitifull estate of numbers of men taken in this snare of the deuill as 1. Numbers of men oppressed with pouerty because they say they must liue they must liue in an vnlawfull calling wherein they be slaues and drudges to euery mans sinne such as are Players Iesters Wisards Tumblers such are schollers who for preferment runne into Popish countries and betake themselues to Seminaries so become traytors Yea those that haue no calling must liue too but how by filching stealing or begging as idle and roguish vagrants and those at home whose extreame idlenes brings pouerty vpon them as an armed man Or els by gaming cheating and by their wits The whole course of all which is but a prentiship to the deuill 2. Others that exercise honest trades but easily help themselues forward by swearing lying facing false weights measures and trickes which they put vpon men They neuer sticke for a penny-profite to hazard their soules He is no quicke chapman if he cannot lie for aduantage neither can he be trusted vnlesse he sweare he must sweare or he must not sell he must sometimes make the best of an ill bargaine and with a little colour lay it vpon another mans necke for why should he willingly wrong or vndoe himselfe 3. Others a number 1. who by misdemeanours haue brought iust reproach vpon themselues and seeke to salue it by lying facing and shifting and perhaps by worse meanes This was the case and sinne of good Dauid he had corrupted himselfe with Bathsheba he was afraid the adultery would come home to him he sends for his worthy captaine Vriah to goe home to his wife that so it might be couered but when it could not that way good Vtiah must be slaine at Dauids appointment and so he would
shrines of their forefathers that often they can spend their goods and liues for it as though it were the onely truth Let vs labour to auoid these common darts these falsly concluded conclusions which Satan seeks to haue vs assent vnto It is a great subtilty of the deuill by which he ouerthrowes many and must the more circumspectly be watched against See some instances of this his stratageme in matters of faith and of practise I. In matters of faith 1. In the Scripture it is a frequent ground that God is mercifull true therefore saith Satan be bold in sinne and deferre thy repentance thou mayest repent when thou list Here is a wicked inference indeede for there is mercie with God that he may be feared and Knowest thou not that the long suffering of the Lord should lead thee to repentance 2. It is a true ground that Christ died and that for all .i. elect and beleeuers But Satan saith Therefore what needest thou care why shouldest thou be so precise is not Christ a sufficient pay-master Yes but hee paied for none but for those that walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. v. 1. 3. It is a true ground that a man must prouide for himselfe and his family or else he is worse then an infidell Hence Satan collects Thou maiest be couetous thou maiest scrape and scratch together any thing an infidell is the worst in the world and so he perswades a man that all is fish which comes to net and any winde good that brings gaine with it II. In matters of practise many wayes 1. Thou art the Son of God then make these stones bread thou mayest be a little bolder then other God will not be so angry with thee Here see a plaine Satanicall inference For the child of God must honour his Father Mal. 1.6 and feare to offend him If I by profession draw neere vnto God I must the more sanctifie my selfe and grace my profession 2. If thou beest a man a gentleman a man of valour do not put vp this wrong but reuenge this quarrell els euery one will point at thee for a dastard Here is another deuillish conclusion for a man must not step into the place of God who saith Vengeance is mine and I will repay and a Gentleman must be of gentle behauiour not sauage fierce and cruell a man of valour must passe by offences It is the glory of a man to passe by an offence Pro. 16.32 3. If thou beest an honest fellow drink sit bare vpon the ground and pledge so much to such and such a freind drinke a health to that and the other boone companion But the inference is like the former it warres with honestie and ciuilitie to drinke and swill till health bee drowned and reason banished and the partie sorted with the bruit beasts 4. If thou beest a good Catholike a true Romanist defie these heretikes die for the Romish religion but before thou diest kill thy Prince cut the throat of thy countrey blow vp the Parliament-house so shalt thou be a Martyr presently But a true Catholike cannot be a limbe of Antichrist cannot be a traytor cannot be the deuils martyr though a false Catholike a false-hearted Romanist may be a foxe a Faux an incendiarie a Clement a Rauilliac a Catholike villaine or vniuersall mischeife 5. But thou art now in danger therefore now deny thy profession forsweare thy religion abiure Christ at least cast one graine into the fire at the Emperours commandement Here is an other deuillish conclusion vpon a true premise for God bids mee in danger drawe neare vnto him and not renounce him or go further from him Christ did not by any euill meanes auoid danger for me and he hath said he will denie him before men and angels that shall denie him in this world And the further from God the nearer to danger 6. Thou art a man of learning and in a populous place why shew thy learning sometimes and preach aboue the peoples capacitie thou canst speake tongues do so and studie to be more eloquent Here is Sathans Sophistrie and learning vpon the learned the ground is often true the inference false and dangerous the Apostle Paul was a man of learning and in a populous place at Corinth but he thought nothing worthy to be known but Christ and him crucified neither stood his preaching in the enticing speach of mans wisedome but in plaine euidence of the spirit and in power and that for good reason 1. Cor. 2.2 â—6 And can I thinke that Satan hath any care of edifying my people 7. Thou art a man of knowledge and vnderstanding why doest thou heare sermons so diligently seeing thou knowest enough yea as much as the Preacher can tell thee A wicked inference of the Prince of darkenesse for true knowledge empties the heart of pride and presumption and the more I knowe the more I had need be stirred vp to practise that my stripes be not the more 8. Thou art an ignorant man thou vnderstandest not sermons why then doest thou follow them or read the Scriptures A wretched conclusion the more ignorant I am the more I need vse the meanes of knowledge the lesse I vnderstand the more I had need be taught But this ignorance is one of the cheife pillars of Satans kingdome Obiect These Preachers agree not among themselues and therefore I will beleeue neuer a one of them Ans. Thou must search for wisedome as for siluer and for vnderstanding as for gold 9. Thou art a man of good conscience of much integrity aboue other Christians and if thou beest so then separate thy selfe from these mixed companies of godly and profane Come out from among them my people least yee partake of their plagues separate from their preaching and prayers from their fellowship and companie from ciuilitie and salutation thou maiest eat their meate but say not grace with them pray for them not with them Ah but if my conscience be good I must not forsake the fellowship as the manner of some is Hebr. 10.25 as knowing that such pure assemblies cannot be found vnder the whole cope of heauen And if we would fence our selues against these wicked inferences of Satan we must carefully obserue these rules 1. Beleeue not euery spirit but prooue the spirits whether they be of God 1. Ioh. 4.1 as goldsmiths separate gold and drosse and examine euery peice of gold by the touchstone 1. Thess. 5.18 Trie all things 2. Compare doctrines and the reasons of them with the Scripture if a doctrine disagree from any part of the word it is erronious and dangerous as namely that of the reall presence which impugnes the article of Christs ascension 3. Hold fast that which is good 1. Thess. 5.18 When we haue considered and knowne truths we must with Mary lay them vp in our hearts to be readie to serue our vse Commaund these stones to be made bread We haue considered the
Deuter. 23.19 Thou shalt not lend vpon vsurie to thy brother the vsurie of money meate or any thing that may be lent But the vsurer that will liue by his money and not by Gods word saith Yea but of the Gentiles they might though not of a brother To which I say that now the partition wall is taken away and neither Iew nor Gentile remaines all are our brethren in Christ and therefore of no man must vsurie be expected vnlesse thou beest worse then a Iew. Let the vsurer answer this if he can Againe those Gentiles were of those nations of the Canaanites which they were commanded to destroy and vsury was as teeth giuen them and allowed by God to eate them vp withall Seest thou a man whome thou mayest lawfully kill take vse of him but not of thy brother Obiect I will not take vsurie of the poore but of the rich Answ. But the text is Thou shalt not take vsury of thy Brother bee hee poore or rich though the rich bee better able to suffer wrong yet thou art not by any word enabled to offer it The word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God saith Psal. 15.5 He that giueth not his money to vsury shall dwell in the Lords tabernacle and rest on his holy hill and Ezek. 18.17 hee that hath not receiued vsury and increase c. wherein it is plaine without all trickes that either to giue out or take in vsury excludes out of heauen Obiect He meanes to oppresse a man with vsurie Answ. Euery vsury is oppression and euery vsurer feares not God Leuit. 25.36 Thou shalt not take vsurie but feare the Lord. Obiect But that law was iudiciall not morall Answ. That is false for our Sauiour renewed it in the Gospel Luk. 6.35 Lend freely looking for nothing againe therefore it is morall Besides that vsury is condemned amongst the great transgressions of the morall law Ezek. 18.13 Obiect We may doe as we would be dealt by and it is charity so to lend as another may benefit himselfe Answ. No man in need would borrow but freely vnlesse he were mad neither is it charity nor humanity to take money for a duty the nature of which is to be free Charity seekes not her owne and much lesse other mens but of these sorts of wicked men the speach is true Their mercies are cruell As charitable as that vsurer is so conscionable is he that followes His conscience will not suffer him to take aboue the law not aboue ten in the hundred and that he hopes he may according to the wholesome lawes of the Land Answ. Where were his conscience if the law of King Edward the sixt were reuiued whereby it was vtterly forbidden according to the Canon of Gods word and the ancient Canons of the Church But for the Statute now in force enacted Elizab. 13. c. 8. 1. I say it alloweth no vsurie but punisheth the excesse of it 2. The title of the Act is An act against Vsurie How then is it for it 3. It calleth vsurie a detestable sinne how then can it secure thy conscience 4. All vsury aboue tenne in the hundred is punishable by the forfeit of the vsury 5. What if the lawes of men should permit what Gods law condemnes is it not plaine that this conscionable man flyeth Gods law to shelter his sinne vnder mans as though the lawes of man were the rule of conscience and not Gods lawes or as if the law of an inferiour can dispence with the law of the superiour or as if Moses permitting one euill in the Iewes namely the putting away of their wiues for preuenting a greater did allow thereof or warranted the sinne to the conscience of the hard-hearted husband Wee conclude then that the vsurer liues not by any word of God but against it And to these adde the baâ—ds of this sinne the brokers to vsurers that liue or raise gaines by letting out other mens money I will say no more to them but if he be shut out of heauen that lends his money to vsury he shall hardly get in that is his agent And humane lawes condemne theeues and accessaries It is a Statute of Henry the 7. anno 3. that all such brokers for vsurie shall pay for euery default twentie pounds and suffer halfe a yeares imprisonment and be brought to the open shame of the pillorie It is iust with God that Saul and his armour-bearer should fall together and die on their owne swords IV. Such liue not by any word of God as encroach vpon the Sabbaths of God by labouring either in themselues or in their seruants as 1. by buying or selling wares Neh. 13.18 2. by works of the sixe dayes whether in haruest or earing time Exod. 16.29 and 34.21 and Neh. 13.15 3. by trauelling for gaine or pleasure For the Sabbath was made for our spirituall profit it is a day to giue and collect almes and not gaine Manna it selfe must not be gathered on the Sabbath much lesse must more ignoble sustenance If it be sought it shall not be found Obiect 1. May I not do a little to set forward my work for the beginning of the week Answ. No Manna might not be sought though early in the morning and though it was but a little way off and required little labour Obiect 2. May I not take a faire day when it comes the weather beeing vncertaine and catching Answ. Thou mayest as well say May I not take a purse when it comes wilt thou bee a theefe and rob God of his due Should not ill weather and Gods iudgements rather force thee to repentance and obedience then to sinne Obiect 3. It lyes me vpon a bond my estate and many poore men depend vpon me Answ. First pay thy bond to God faith and obedience neuer brought losse with it and better were it to loose a little commoditie then Gods fauour and a good conscience nothing is so heauy as Gods curse for this sinne V. Common gamesters and such as make a gaine of play liue not by any word of God it is a common theft and they come directly vnder the 8. Commandement and that precept of the Apostle Eph. 4.28 Let him that stole steale no more but rather labour with his hands And as they liue out of a calling so their course is an vniust taking into their possession that which no law of God or man doth warrant them by any manner of lawfull contract and the Ciuill law and Fathers condemne that gaine which is gotten by play In the same ranke of theeues are they that liue by keeping dice-houses or gaming-houses and such places of lewd resort Let vs take some rules whereby we may comfortably passe our liues according to Gods word and auoide all these sinnes against it There are three 1. concerning our calling 2. our states 3. our maintenance of life The rule concerning our calling is this The cariage of our calling according to Gods word is a speciall
life close Christ within thy heart and hold him as thy life neuer to part with him for that pot figured the Sacraments in which Christ is propounded the food of the soule Thy heart as the Arke must containe Aarons rod that had budded signifying the discipline and gouernment of Christ vnto which thou must subiect thy selfe let this rodde flourish in thee and stoope with reuerence and feare to this scepter 2. Thy house and family must be sanctified also by setting vp and preseruing Gods worshippe there Wee read of some of the Saints who had Churches in their houses Euery Christian professing holines must haue the like care endeauour in such family-exercises as God hath prescribed as 1. In diligent teaching and instructing the family partly in reading and partly in deliuering precepts out of the word It is Gods commandement Deut. 6.7 to whet the law continually on our children and train them vp euen from childhood in the Scriptures The benefit whereof shall be 1. to fit them for the publike ministry 2. to cause the word to dwell plenteously in them 3. it is a notable means for their growth in godlinesse and to containe them in good order 2. In calling them to account for things deliuered by catechising pitifully neglected in families who yet would be thought to be Gods people This is the driuing of the nayle to the head to sticke the surer It workes care in those who easily reiect good meanes It hinders vaine thoughts words and exercises It banisheth much folly and ignorance that is bound vp in the hearts of children and seruants 3. In applying the workes of God past or present on our selues or others to mooue them to confidence and trust in God by the workes of his mercie and to feare to offend by the workes of his iustice and by this meanes the seeds not onely of true religion but of good conscience shall be sowen in them betimes this was holy Abrahams practise for which God would not hide his secret workes from him Gen. 18.19 4. In daily priuate prayer with the family at least euery morning and euening solemnly on our knees making confessions of sinnes and requests to God together with thanksgiuing Psalm 55.17 Euening and morning and at noone will I pray and make a noyse Daniel three times a day prayed and praised God in his house as he was wont chap. 6. v. 10. The excellent vse of which is the opening of the doore of Gods treasury to the family by which it is enriched with the best blessings of God Besides the Lord shall hereby haue some honour that is due to his mercie vpon the family 5. In edifying the family with Psalmes and melodie to the Lord as it is Col. 3.16 In these daily duties doth the sanctification of a family consist Whereunto we may be perswaded by these motiues 1. In that they are the practises of men fearing God such as Ioshua and his house Cornelius and his houshold 2. In that by these exercises the family shall not onely be sanctified but also blessed as Obed Edom and his house for the presence of the Arke 3. What madnesse is it to reiect and banish Gods word and worshippe out of doores and yet thinke God is there Nay where sound grace comes there is the Spirit of prayer and supplication in euery family apart Zach. 12.14 and where this worshippe of God is not set vp in families there is nothing but a conspiracie of Atheists and a wicked brood bringing Gods iudgements on themselues and the busines passing through their hands Ierusalem is called holy beeing once sanctified to the Lords vse which teacheth vs that we should reuerently both conceiue and speake of all such things as are set apart to the Lords vse 1. Some persons are consecrate to the Lord as the tribe of Leui of whom the commaundement was Thou shalt not forsake the Leuit all thy dayes And the Prophets Touch not mine annoynted and doe my Prophets no harme So in the New Testament The Minister that rules well is worthie of double honour Yea if the widowes which were set apart to inferiour offices about the poore must be honoured 1. Tim. 5.3 much more the minister that standeth in Gods place and stead Heb. 13.17 Obey them that haue the ouersight of you Thus Cornelius reuerenced Peter and the Eunuch Philip. Nay not onely the minister but euery beleeuer is separate to God and sanctified to carrie the Couenant and hath the annointing of the Spirit which the Lord acknowledgeth on them and speaketh reuerently and louingly of them calling them his holy ones yea the apple of his eye They see not this who can persecute and reuile them for hypocrites and count them as the Apostles whose doctrine they professe the scum of the world 2. Some places are for their vse to be accounted holy because God is there present in his worship as the places of our meetings not that any inherent holines is annexed to the place or cleaueth to it out of the action of Gods worship but while God is present in his worship we must account it holy ground and the house of God When God appeared in Bethel to Iaacob he said How fearefull is this place surely it is no other then the house of God Wee must therefore put off your shooes with Moses that is our base and vile our sinnefull and sensuall affections yea our lawfull if earthly thoughts when we come to this holy place Looke we bring no thoughts with vs vnbeseeming the place where God is separated from other common places to holy vses Looke that in this place we vse no gesture or behauiour vnbeseeming a man that hath busines with God beeing present To sit talking or sleeping or laughing or gazing sutes not with this place And further if God please to account the very places holy for the vse and presence of God in this vse what shall wee thinke of them that conceiue so basely of them as they would loue a Parish better in which is no Church Others profane them with base practises and vnconscionably suffer them to fall or decay and will be at no charge to make or keep them handsome sweet and beautifull Styes were fit for such swine As their affection is so is their deuotion 3. The holy ordinances of God must not be touched but with holy respect and reuerence of which it is said It is not safe to play with holy things 1. The word must be receiued read heard spoken as the holy word of God To make iests of Scripture is a wicked practise God lookes graciously on him that trembles at his word Isa. 66. 2. as good Iosiah whose heart melted hearing the words of the law So the names and attributes of God are neuer to be vsed in friuolous admirations but euery knee must bowe vnto him Phil. 2.10 Neither ought we to laugh at Gods iudgements on others 2. An oath is one of the holy ordinances of God and to sweare
Act. 14.11.19 when Paul and Barnabas came to Lycaonia to preach and publish the Gospel obserue Satans wyle in the people either they must receiue them as God and sacrifice vnto them out of blind zeale and deuotion at which the Apostles rent their cloathes or else they must take them and stone them as they did Paul and drew him out of the citie supposing he had been dead v. 19. Matth. 21.9 when Christ came riding to Ierusalem multitudes flocked after him spred their garments in the way cut down boughes to strow therein and cried Hosanna he was the sonne of Dauid the blessed one that came in the name of the Lord the people said it was Iesus the Prophet of Nazaret and all the city was mooued But before night Satan had them in another extremity such was the enuie of the Scribes and Pharisies that Christ was either glad to flie the city that night or the feare of the people that none durst entertaine and lodge him v. 17. so he left them and went into the towne of Bethania and lodged there And within few dayes after all cryed Crucifie Crucifie 1. This comes to passe because Satan is contrarie to himselfe according to his disposition are his wayes Though he be the Prince of darkenes yet can he transforme himselfe into an Angel of light 2. Cor. 11.14 He appeared in the shape of a serpent to Eue in the shape of a Prophet to Saul Sometime this crooked serpent can deny Christ to be the Sonne of God as here and somtimes preach him so to be Mark 1.24 2. His dexteritie and slynesse is another cause whereby he can make one ground and that a good and true one to serue to reare vp two extreame euills in such cunning manner as he was in hope to deceiue the wisedome of God himselfe thereby for here out of Gods word that Christ was his Sonne he inferres two contrarie conclusions both contrarie in themselues and both contrarie to Gods word 3. He knowes there is but one good and straight way to heauen that the Lord hath commanded vs to walke in that way without turning to the right or left hand that he hath placed the vertue in the meane and therefore he cares not in which extreame he can thrust vs so as we keepe out of that meane appointed Hee hateth nothing but vertue and grace which God loueth 4. He knowing the propensitie and inclination of our corrupt nature which desires to know no meane but is rather disposed to any vice in extremitie then to rest in obedience vnto Gods commandement fits vs according to our inclination and tasts vs first in one extreame then in another and holds vs there where wee best please our selues Hence wee account extreames vertues 5. Many are the by-wayes that lead to hell on all hands there being but one truth and the deuill carrieth such incessant malice to man that he cares not in which of them a man come to hell so he come at length Beware then of Sathans subtiltie of his contrarietie and extremities In matters of Gods worship his scope is to make a man either profane and cast off all care of religion or if men will not be drawne from some deuotion then he seekes to make them superstitious in which extreame he holdeth the blinded and deuout Papists who worship both false gods and the true God with a false and vaine worship Act. 17. the Apostle hauing charged the Athenians with superstition he addes this reason because he saw an altar to an vnknowne God The same of those who will worship God in deuises which he neuer commanded and place it in things which indeed hinder it And so some hate Poperie but not prophanenesse Satan aimes also at the Minister to make him idle and negligent in preaching and is well pleased with that because where vision failes people perish But if he cannot hold a man in idlenesse then he seeks to get him to preach either of pride or enuie or flatterie or for perferment or vainely and vnsoundly and then the more he preacheth he likes him neuer the worse or maliciously against good men and good wayes and then hee preacheth nothing else but what Satan if he must needs preach would doe In hearing the word he would first haue men slacke of all conscience of doing or obeying that hearing their Masters will and not doing it their stripes may be the more If he cannot doe that but sees a man make conscience of his wayes then he will make him scrupulous and make needlesse questions of euery thing and to hinder his peace he will make more sinnes then euer God made In iudging of ones owne estate he will make a man beleeue that God neuer elected such a wretch as he he neuer had truth of grace all is hypocrisie God neuer loued him so many sinnes so great falls such vnworthinesse as neuer was in any child of God On the contrarie if faith withstand this temptation then comes pride in stead of former deiection and makes him thinke his election so sure as though he take all vnlawfull liberties he shall be saued Oh the sonne of God cannot doe amisse nor the Father hate him Sometimes to destroy boldnesse of faith he will suggest that sinne is so great in such and such circumstances as it cannot be forgiuen now the heart is heauy and lumpish and hath no chearfulnesse in God But this being a little blowne ouer he will bring the same man by degrees to thinke what a foole he was for his sinnes now are not so great so dangerous as others be nor himselfe so great a sinner and now the sadnesse of sinne being shaken off he growes merry and too too light forgetting all his former heauines In the course of life he gets beyond many in these extreame courses In spirituall things numbers of men are held in a profane and wicked scorning of religion of Preachers and Professors whose names they cannot abide Some of these are sometimes called out of the snare of the deuill and then Satan is in a contrary corner he will haue them zealous but not according to knowledge If the Master will not send his seruants to plucke vp all the tares before haruest they will stand no longer in the field of the Church but grow resolute in schisme and separation In ciuill things how many examples of men haue we extreamly couetous in their youth but prodigall and voluptuous in extremity in their age and so on the contrarie and in diuers other instances Rules to auoid these extremities of Satan 1. Looke we still to to the word which pointeth vs our way for the warrant of our actions and the manner of doing them and saith This is the way walke in it Isa. 30.21 2. Watch we the ficklenesse of our nature which may be seen in the Barbarians Act. 24.4.6 who accounted Paul a God and a murderer at one time 3. Consider we what it is that we
good conscience with Paul and an vpright heart with Hezekiah he may be bold with God and reioyce in himselfe and assure himselfe that Gods power and iustice is his he will not sinke in trouble nor say Is God with me 3. Vse the meanes conscionably which God hath appointed for the attaining of good ends Paul had a word that they should all come safe to land yet they must not cast themselues into the sea nor goe out of the ship Neuer did any promise of God make the godly careles in the meanes Daniel had a promise of returne out of Babylon after 70. yeares and knew they should return and turning the booke and finding the time expired he vseth the meanes and is diligent with fasting and prayer that God would accomplish his word Dan. 9.2 Iaacob had a promise of God that he should returne into his countrey he knew all the deuills in hell could not hinder the promise yet seeing his brother Esaus wrath was a stoppe or barre he vseth meanes to remooue this let hee goes to God and wrastles with him by prayer then he sends his presents and orders his droues with all the wisdome he could and by this means preuented the danger Christ himselfe hauing staires will vse them Remember for spirituall life and naturall he must eate that would liue for spirituall warre and temporall he must carrie his weapons that would ouercome for earthly and heauenly haruest he that would reape must sowe The sicke needes the Physitian In our earthly or heauenly â—rauell let vs with Iaacob preuent whatsoeuer lets would hinder vs from our country or the end of our way 4. Whether thou seest meanes or no subiect thy will to Gods in all things If he kill thee yet trust in him still Dauid in the want of meanes of comfort said Behold here am I let the Lord doe whatsoeuer is good in his eies The three children seeing no meanes of escape escape â—nswered the King thus Our God is able to deliuer vs and if he will not yet wee will not worship thy image we are sure of his presence either for the preseruation of our bodies or the saluation of our soules VERS 8. Againe the deuill tooke him vp into an exceeding high mountaine and shewed him all the Kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them 9. And said vnto him All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worshp mee NOW are we come by Gods assistance to the third and last Temptation of our Lord and Sauiour which at this time hee sustained and powerfully vanquished For although our Sauiour had twice repelled his violence alreadie yet notwithstanding Satan continues his assault Againe Whence we may note the importunitie of Satan against Christ and his members in temptation to sinne That he is restles herein against Christ appeares in that hee dares set vpon him here againe and againe and the third time euen so long as he hath any leaue giuen him And after this our Lord himselfe lead not a life exempted and freed from temptation for Luk. 4.13 Sathan left Christ but for a season And for his members we may see in Iob how many armies of temptations he would haue oppressed him withal one could not finish his tale of dismall tydings till another came and ouertooke him euen as one waue in the sea ouertakes another And in Ioseph how did he stirre vp the hatred of his brethren against him not content with that they must cast him into a pit and there he must not rest but be drawne out either to be slaine or at least sold to the Midianites beeing in Potiphars house how was he euery day tempted by his wanton Mistresse refusing that folly how was hee hated of her and cast into a dungeon by his Master and there he lay a long time till the time came that Gods word must be verified for his aduancement 1. Because he is eagerly set vpon the destruction of mankind therefore will be hardly repulsed he seeks continually to destroy and leaues no stone vnturned 2. He hopes at least by importunitie to preuaile and by continuance of temptations to break those whome at first hee cannot foyle Well hee knowes that instance and multiplying of temptations may driue euen strong Christians sometimes to be wearie and faint in their minds And the rather because he knows the state of Gods children is not alike but as often in their bodies so the strength of grace in their soules is sometimes weakened and abated 3. His policie is oftentimes to make one temptation a preface and step to another and a lesser way to a greater For 1. considering Christs hunger it seemes small to make stones bread 2. but a greater sinne then that to cast himselfe downe when there is no need 3. but the greatest of all is plaine idolatrie Worship me 4. If one kind of temptation will not take so well he turnes to another as here If Christ will not distrust let him presume if neither let him be couetous To teach vs to beware of securitie seeing Satan takes not any truce but as a raging powerfull enemie desperate and yet hopefull of victorie will not be repulsed but assayle vs againe and againe Yea though we haue once and againe ouercome his temptations as Christ had done yet must we stand on our watch still for he will set afresh vpon vs. And why 1. This is the Apostles counsell 1. Pet. 5.8 because Satan is a continuall enemie therefore we must bee sober and watch 2. Where he is cast out hee seekes re-entry Matth. 12.24 3. Though God of his grace often restraine his malice it is not to make men secure but to haue a breathing time to fit themselues better for further triall 4. Securitie after victorie in temporall war hath prooued dangerous and hath lost more then all their valour had wonne as the Amalekites hauing taken a great spoyle of Dauids and burned Ziglag sitting downe to eate drinke and make merrie were suddenly surprized and destroyed by Dauids sword But in the spirituall combate securitie is much more deadly 5. It is the wisdome of a wise Pylot in a calme to expect and prouide for a storme and in a troubled sea after one great billow to expect another in the necke of it Euen so while we are in the troubled sea of this world it will be our wisedome to looke for one temptation in the necke of another And seeing it is with vs as with seafaring men who by much experience haue learned that in the trouble of the sea the greatest danger and tossing is towards the hauens where there is least sea roome therefore let vs towards our end in sickenes and towards death looke for Sathanâ— strongest assaults and in the meane time prepare against them Yea let vs learne to prepare against all kinds of temptations as our Sauiour here resists all kinds in these three generall ones and herein teacheth vs
meanes as 1. When men runne out of Gods ordinances and will not liue by some honest calling and meanes of life but by cards dice bowles bets cousnage and such instruments and meanes of iniurie and wrong they are conuinced to liue a lewd and wicked life for a good and honest life is blessed by God and carried by good and lawfull and honest meanes such as these be not 2. All such goods as are gotten by lying swearing deceiuing Sabboth-breaking ouer-reaching or helping forward sinne in any man are here not onely to be suspected but condemned and sentence passeth against them as such which the deuil hath taught to bring them in by euill means both of them accursed by God and the gainer for them 3. All actions which are brought to passe by vnwarrantable meanes are likewise to be suspected not to be of God who ordereth due and lawfull meanes to good and lawfull ends and hath as many pipes to conuey good vnto vs as eyes to prouide for it Saul must needs know his condition was vnhappie and his businesse vnprosperous when he must runne to the witch to helpe himselfe So their cause is worse then naught that runne to the wisard for help in diseases and losses God is gone from them and the remedie is farre worse then the disease Yet how common is it not to seeke to them by night as Saul did but euen by day as not ashamed of of it Herod he would not breake his oath no that was not for his credite but he might well know it to be a wicked one which could not be kept but by murther of Iohn Baptist. Obiect Why what would ye haue him forsworne Answ. He had brought himselfe into such a snare as either he must be forsworne or a murtherer Now of these to haue broken a cruell and wicked oath should haue hindred murther which is a sinne in an higher degree against God and man and to keep a wicked oath is worse then to make it This is rather to be thought of because euen godly men themselues are too ready to effect good things by bad meanes as Iaacob will get the blessing by lying Rahab will saue the spies by a lie Lot will saue his guests by prostituting his daughters In which how euer the Lord sometime commends the fact and faith of the parties yet he neuer commends the manner which blemished both the doers and the actions The rule that we must walke by is in Rom. 3.8 We must not doe the least euill for the greatest good Therefore let vs take heed of these base trickes of the deuill to effect our desires by wicked meanes Many condemne good men because they stand nicely vpon some small things which if they would yeeld vnto they might doe themselues and others great good but they haue learned another lesson not to doe the least thing against their conscience to procure themselues the greatest good God need not their error to glorifie himselfe and doe his people good by 4. That religion which is set forward by bad and wicked meanes is to he suspected and condemned true religion was euer maintained by truth simplicity humility patience mercie loue meekenesse c. But the Church of Rome must needs defend a bad cause the meanes are so extreamly wicked as violence and power trechery and subtilty fire and sword murthers and massacres King-killing and powder-plots lies and equiuocations and what not It was once said Omnia venalia Romae at Rome all things are salâ—able and now it may be said Romae omnia venialia at Rome all things are pardonable One demonstration for memory sake That religion which vpholds it selfe 1. by ignorance as the mother of deuotion 2. by disgracing and reproaching the holy Scriptures abhorring them no lesse then a theefe doth a paire of gallowes and warning men to take heed of them 3. by vpholding images and image-worship 4. periurie by freeing subiects from the oath of allegiance 5. disobedience yea rebellion to Princes and Parents 6. murther and massacres of all Princes and people Kings and kingdomes by sword fire poyson powder poynyard openly or trecherously 7. adulteries and fornication by their stews and sheet-punishments yea with large reuennewes by them 8. by lies legends lying and straw-miracles notable trickes and collusions as once in the images of the heathens the deuill often spake but the Priests in stead of the deuill speake thorough images and make them mooue sweat nod c. to deceiue simple people I say such a religion cannot be of God because the meanes of aduancing it are from the deuill But the Romish is such a religion therefore c. Here is a glasse for liars and boasters to see their faces in and their resemblance to their father the deuill He promiseth an whole world when all prooues but a shadow and image He takes vpon him to dispose all things in the world as though they were his whereas we must goe to our heauenly father the father of lights for euery morsell of bread Wherefore whosoeuer would any way aduantage himselfe by lying or deceiuing it is manifest the spirit of the deuill ruleth in him And therefore cast off lying as a ragge and relike of naturall corruption and speake euery man the truth to his neighbour Eph. 4.25 It is a receiued opinion in these dayes that Qui nescit dissimulare nescit viuere No dissembler no man and plaine dealing is a iewell but he that vseth it shall die a beggar and some men are too honest to thriue in the world such common speaches argue the common breach of this commaundement But know 1. How farre are we degenerate from our forefathers they liued simply by their hands according to Gods ordinance but now many liue by their wits whence it is that trades are called craftes and mysteries because more liue by craft and the sinne of their trade then the trade it selfe 2. The Lord is the auenger of all such wrong by secret cousnage and lying for he sees that thou deceiuest him that trusteth thee and because it is hidden from men his owne hand must reuenge it 3. What a shame is it and slander to Christian profession that men professing saluation by Christ should so carry their trades as a man that comes to deale with them must come so suspitiously as if he were to fall into the hands of so many theeues and hauing dealt with them hath iust cause to say that he might find more iust dealing with Turkes and infidells Whereas if this vice were put off a child might traffique in the darke without delusion The same of boasters who brag of things they haue not As Iob speakes of the Leuiathan of the sea so may we of the hellish Leuiathan He is the King of all the sonnes of pride As 1. Many beare themselues out in fine apparrell and brauery when indeede nothing is their owne if their debts were paid And if euery bird had his owne feather they might well
compact And this is euident by the confession of all witches at this day and by the Scripture Of this kind was this in our text Satan offers to compact with our Sauiour Christ and there wanted nothing but the free consent of our Sauiour to the condition But the more secret compact is the more generall and no lesse dangerous though Satan be lesse seene in it And of this kind the deuill makes many couenants in the world and innumerable persons contract with him vnderhand perhaps not thinking they do so And this two wayes 1. By a secret faith in the deuill 2. By a secret consent vnto the deuill Secret faith in the deuill is when a man vseth any superstitious or diabolicall meanes for the effecting of his desire which he knows neither in themselues nor from Gods institution haue any such power to effect things but from the power of the deuill as the vse of charmes or spells figures characters amulets scratching of a Witch or the like which hauing no power in themselues nor by Gods ordinance can doe no good but by a secret faith in the deuill who by Gods permission puts power in them to heale men for their delusion Secret consent vnto the deuill is yet more common then the former though the former be the common cure of common people namely when Satan secretly suggesteth and offereth to make a couenant and bargaine with a man without any expresse forme of contract but by inward temptation putteth the motion into the heart as of Iudas that if he will vse such an vnlawfull meanes or vpon such a condition he will effect his purpose which he earnestly desireth to attaine now the party blinding his owne iudgement by the eagernesse of his affection giues his consent to Satan and accepts the condition which mutuall and silent consent of partie with partie is a reall bargaine and couenant Satan solicites the heart and the heart consents to Satan here is a secret compact by which numbers of men are in league with the deuil that would be loath to be thought so to be Yea numbers there are that receiue the greatest part of their earthly portion at the hands of the deuill by vertue of this compact secretly beleeuing or consenting vnto him This serues to let vs see the difference between Gods gifts and the deuills in fowre things 1. Gods gifts come all from grace and loue he freely bestowes his blessings for his loue is euerlasting before our owne beeing and our inheritance is eternall aboue our merit and in the heauens aboue our reach But Satans gifts proceed out of his endles hatred and are wages of vnrighteousnesse 2. Gods gifts are deriued to vs by good and warrantable meanes diligence labour prayers Satans for the most part by wicked meanes Gods conditions are profitable and safe Satans hurtfull and dangerous by the breach of some commandement by impietie or iniustice 3. Gods gifts are first bestowed vpon vs and then obedience is required as a testification of thankefulnesse not as merit Satans are after our worke as a merit and wages of sin first fall downe and worship me and then I will giue thee all these things 4. Gods gifts are in mercie for our saluation and comfort and encouragement in his seruice Satans to draw vs from his seruice and to dragge vs to destruction Let this doctrine make vs afraid to receiue any thing from the hand of the deuill and accept of nothing but God offers For 1. God is more able and willing to doe vs good then the deuill is vnlesse we thinke with those wicked ones that it is in vaine to serue the Lord. 2. An enemy is neuer so dangerous as when he flattereth and fawneth he neuer kisseth but killeth with Ioab or betrayeth with Iudas his gifts are deare bought his conditions are intollerable he will haue a better thing for it euen our precious soules 3. A little from Gods hands is far better then if we could receiue all the world and the glory of it at the deuills for this comes with blessing with promise with contentment with good conscience so doth not the other Therefore be the iust mans portion small or great it is euer precious it hath no sorrow added to it as Salomon speaketh Quest. How may I know I receiue any thing from the deuill Answ. When any thing is gotten by the breach of any commandement of God as by swearing lying deceit oppression and the like this is a gift of the deuill and the wages of vnrighteousnes Note here how like the vsurer is to the deuill the deuill saith he will giue so the vsurer faith he will lend which should be free as gift but then comes a condition of ten in the hundreth which is more then the lending is worth Satan is an enemy to all charity and so is hee The like may be said of couetous men who will doe no good but where they looke for returne of the like or more as like the deuill as may be and altogether vnlike to God who doth good where he can receiue none sowes where he reaps not See the misery of men who accept of Satans profers 1. Such as are in open league with him as wizzards who binde themselues to renounce God and their baptisme and redemption by Christ and to beleeue in the deuill to expect aide from him and giue him body and soule for that help which is the substance of the solemne leagues made by such limmes of Satan he is of the sure side with them they can gaine nothing by him vnlesse he gaine themselues first And such by Gods law ought not to liue 2. Worldly-minded men with whom he deales as with Esau hee giues them a messe of pottage but on condition to sell their birthright a silly match is made presently an exchange of earth for heauen 3. Men impatient in losses or sicknesse who runne to the witch as not knowing what to doe with themselues But Satan neuer easeth the body of temporall paines but to cast the soule into eternall 4. Ambitious and discontented persons that take preferments of Satan vpon base conditions Absolom shall haue a kingdome on condition he will rebell against his owne father Zimri a captaine vnder Baasha 1. Kin. 16.10 shall haue the kingdome of Israel if he will rebell and slay his Master Discontented Papists shall diuide the land among themselues if they will blow vp the Parliament house Now if we would auoid the dangerous compacts with Satan let vs obserue these rules 1. Beware of profanenesse which is a sinne where men carelesly loose heauen and the ioyes thereof for these lower and earthly things as Esau to satisfie his lusts despised the blessing Heb. 12.16 Let there be none such amongst vs. 2. Beleeue the truth of Gods profers and promises to relie on them and thou shalt be fenced from Satans lies 2. Thess. 2.10 3. Consider how easily men powre out themselues for Balaams wages couetousnes
life to come is that nothing else occupie or distract vs from beeing wholly taken vp in the immediat glorifying of God without either saciety or ceasing Let vs learne to be of the same minde with our Lord Iesus in whome we haue a worthy patterne of constancie and heauenly resolution in that all the world and the glory of it could not mooue him no not by a gesture to impaire his Fathers glory The heathen man could say if he would forsweare himselfe for any thing it should be for a kingdome Absolom for a kingdome would kill his owne father Iehu for a kingdome makes no end of murthers One saith of him What was a basket full of heads to a kingdome 2. King 10.8 Herod for a kingdome kills all the male children Nay it were to be wished that onely kingdomes could draw men to mischeife for then should not Ahab murther Naboth for a field nor Iudas betray his Master for thirtie pence nor Christians and Protestants lie and sweare and forsweare and transgresse for a piece of bread How many executions haue we for 30. pence or 13. pence Which shews how degenerate men are from Christ whom all the kingdomes in the world nor the greatest things in them could mooue in the least manner and as it were indirectly to dishonour his Father Nay what shall we say of them that professe they nor no man else can trade and buy and sell to liue without some lies and dissembling sometimes These may carrie the name of Christ but the minde of Christ is farre from them Others thinke and say What need men be so nice to stand vpon so small scruples as not accept so good offers and promotions in the world which haue some condition or other annexed which their conscience cannot without offence swallow What may not â—e call a little euill good and a little good euill that so he may raise his owne estate and doe himselfe and others much good And thus be is euery where accused of indiscretion But to these wee obiect Christs example who would not be mooued with all the world to doe that he was not warranted for in the Scripture And for the imputation of indiscretion we alledge Moses example who when he was at age saith the text refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter and chose rather to suffer with the people of God And to all such alledgers we say in one word Either was Christ farre wide in refusing so great an offer or else are they As we must preferre the glory of God aboue the world so we must promote it by our best meanes The Magistrate by procuring and stablishing that whereby God may be most glorified not administring iustice by affection or reward or sparing offenders by a cruell mercy who should be made examples to others or not encouraging the godly All this dishonours God highly The minister must vse his gifts not for any priuate end but for Gods glory as a good seruant that gaines all for his Master And euery priuate man must so carrie his course of life his trade his speaches as God may bee honoured in all things his light in all things must shine that our heauenly Father may bee glorified therefore in euery thing whether it will carrie the commendation not only of truth and honesty but of Christianity and religion To stirre vs vp to this duty see some motiues 1. All creatures in their kind doe glorifie God and keep their standing the sunne the starres the heauens declare the glory of God Psal. 19.1 the oxe knoweth his owner and the asse the master of his crib Isa. 1.3 the crane swallow and turtle know their times Ier. 8.1 What a shame for Israel then not to acknowledge their benefactor but come so farre behinde the vnreasonable creatures What a shame for Christians to come behinde the Israelites who partake in far greater mercies and meanes then they did 2. Hereby we manifest our selues to be the seruants of God in resisting the dishonour of God and standing out for our Lord against Satan wicked men hypocrites whose whole desire is to obscure and darken the glory of God and as far as they can with violence to tread it vnder foote Especially hauing vowed in our baptisme so to doe He is a coward that seeing the readines and alacritie of the enemie is not by it prouoked to stout resistance especially standing in a good cause and sure of victory Can a child indure his father to be dishonoured and wronged by word or deed and put it vp Can Gods child seeing a sonne honours his father 3. Our time is but short we are in our last conflict the time of our full deliuerance and introduction into heauenly glory is at hand the crowne is in our eye almost vpon our heads already and therefore let vs encourage our selues a while to be instant for the glory of God which is our last scope and cheife expectation euen as a traueller that sees the euening come vpon him is so much the quicker till he attaine the place he desires so we hauing the euening of our life approach and our last houre should set our selues forward with more speed and alacrity towards our home holding on our right way which is the glorifying of God in all things 4. We haue a cloud of examples before vs 1. of holy men who haue endured Martyrdome and reioyced in the flames that they were worthy by their so exquisite torments to glorifie God as Christ told Peter that by such a death he should glorifie God 2. of holy Angells who spend all eternity in magnifying Gods holines and glory Isa. 6.3 one cries to another Holy holy holy is the Lord the whole world is full of his glory and Luk. 2.14 Glory bee to God in the highest heauens And shall not we approach to the Angelicall life which is the happiest of all creatures 3. of the blessed Sonne of God our head whose whole life was nothing else but a seeking of the glory of his Father And should not the members imitate the head Haue we so many faithfull guides in so dangerous a way and should we be so cold and slow in the imitation of them 5. Our glorification is indiuidually knit to our glorifying of God as 1. Sam. 2.30 Him that honoureth mee will I honour Yea Christ claimes his glory on no other condition but this but that he had glorified his Father on earth Ioh. 17.4 As among men great benefactors are well pleased with small testimonies of thankefulnesse where ability wants to performe much so the Lord accepts our small obedience and studie of glorifying him that he plentifully remunerates it Meanes to come to glorifie God in some good measure 1. Pray for wisdome and a sound iudgement Phil. 1.10 that ye may discerne things that differ beeing filled with the fruits of righteousnesse to the glorie and praise of God For euery thing will not please and glorifie God 2. Renounce thy
common estimation of the thing worshipped as if it be generally esteemed or reputed diuine and deity ascribed to that which in it selfe hath it not The host as they call it is generally held to be Christs very selfe now for a man suppose a Protestant that knowes it to remaine very bread and that no such deity or change is in it to bow downe before it to vncouer his head or vse gestures of adoration to it is an externall religious gesture and is vnlawfull although his intention be not to worship it but because in common estimation he ascribes a kind of Godhead to the creature as others doe And whereas adoration is a signe of subiection to the thing adored and a note of inferiority in deed or in will by this gesture this person makes himselfe inferiour to a creature and giueth worship and preheminence to that which in his knowledge hath neither life nor sense which is senslesse and against common reason 5. A plaine difference betweene ciuill worship and diuine is that all diuine worship is absolute and immediate which is plaine in this instance God in all his commaundements must be absolutely and simply obeyed with full obedience neuer calling any of them into question neuer expostulating or reasoning the matter with God seeme they to vs neuer so vnreasonable As Abraham against the law morall and euen against the law of nature without all reasoning riseth vp early to kill his owne sonne when God bids him who will bee simply obeyed for himselfe But all obedience to men is respectiue to God in God and for God and as farre as God hath appointed them to be obeyed and no further God must be obeyed against the Magistrate the Magistrate not against God but so farre as his commaundements are agreeable to Gods Man as man is not to be obeyed but because God hath set him ouer vs in the Church Common-wealth or familie Whence we see that ciuill worship hath his rise and ground in the worship of God and what is the cause that so little reuerence is giuen to superiours whether Magistrats or Ministers Masters or Parents in these dissolute and vnmannerly dayes but because Gods worship decayes and is not laid in the hearts of inferiours the force of whose commaundement would force reuerence to superiours What other cause is there that inferior impudent persons of both sexes take such liberty without all respect of conscience truth or manners to chatter against Gods Ministers and the Kings towards both whom God hath commaunded more then ordinary respect yea with all bitternes to scoffe raile curse threaten with horrible damnable and incessant oathes more like furies then men euen to their faces but that Gods feare is vtterly shaken out of their hearts and where Gods feare is absent how can we expect any feare of men The heathen Priests were honoured because heathen gods were feared which shall condemne Christians among whome neither Gods Priests and Ministers nor the Ministers of the King Gods vicegerent and consequently not God himselfe is feared and honoured All religious worship whether outward or inward is due to God onely For inward worship it is most expresse Ioh. 4.24 God beeing a Spirit hee must be worshipped in spirit and truth And it might be prooued in all the parts of inward worship as 1. Loue Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soule 2. Feare Isa. 8.13 Let him be thy feare and dread Feare him that is able to cast body and soule into hell 3. Trust and confidence Prou. 3.5 Trust in God with all thy heart 4. Faithfull prayer Psal. 50.15 Call vpon mee in the time of trouble and How can they call on him in whome they haue not beleeued But of this there is little question As for outward worship if religious all of it is his due onely Psal. 95.6 Come let vs kneele before him and bow downe to God our maker Whence it is manifest that all the gestures and signes of religious worshippe as bowing of the body of knees lifting vp of eyes or hands and vncouering the head with religious intention is not to be yeelded to any but the true God 1. A reason hereof is in the text because he onely is the Lord our God our Lord of absolute commaund and we his seruants whos 's our soules are and our bodies also to be at his becke in religious vse and none else and our God by the law of creation and daily preseruation as also by the couenant of grace and redemption he hath not onely created but preserueth yea redeemeth our soules and bodies also and no creature hath any right vnto vs as Dauid saith Christ refuseth here to bow to the deuill not onely because he is a deuill but because he is a creature 2. In our text we see that Satan will yeeld God is to be serued but not onely he would haue a little seruice too Nebuchadnezzar would be contented God should be serued but he would be serued too if they would but fall downe and bow to his image he desires no more Let Christ be as deuout towards his Father as he can inwardly Satan desires no more but a little outward reuerence But the three fellowes of Daniel tell the King they will worship their God onely and Christ tells Satan the cheife idolater of all that he must serue God onely euen with externall and bodily seruice 3. If outward religious worship were due to any creature then to the Angells the most glorious of all but they haue refused it and deuolued it onely to God as his prerogatiue Iudg. 13.16 Manoah beeing about to worship the Angell that appeared to him the Angell hindred him saying If thou wilt offer any sacrifice offer it to God And Paul condemneth an outward humility in worshipping of Angells Col. 2.18 Reu. 19.10 the Angell refused Iohns worship and chap. 22.8 when he fell downe at his feete to worshippe him beeing amased and perhaps not knowing whether he might not be the lambe himselfe of whose marriage hee was speaking and the reason in both places why he refused euen that outward reuerence was 1. taken from the Angells condition hee was but a fellow-seruant 2. because it was proper to God Worshippe God who is there opposed to all Angells good and bad 4. Idolatry may be committed onely in the gesture neither can we set our bodies which ought to bee presented as liuing and reasonable sacrifices to God before idoll-worship without the crime of idolatrie no externall dissembled honour can be giuen to an image with safe conscience for which cause Origen was excommunicated by the Church for offering a little incense to an idoll though he were forced thereunto by a suddaine feare 5. Some things must be had alone and admit not of a second No man can serue two Masters One woman cannot haue two husbands at once her husband is iealous of any partner or corriuall Now God
drawne from the expectation of reward or wages which if their Masters should faile God would not faile to repend vnto theÌ„ knowing that whatsoeuer good thing any man doth that same hee shall receiue of the Lord. Now if the Lord so liberally reward faithfull seruice done to meane and euen wicked men how rich and royall a reward giues he to the faithfull seruice of himselfe If gifts then may mooue vs to serue God the Lord truly saith All these doe I giue thee and more also my Christ my Spirit my selfe and life eternall No man giues such wages no seruant euer had such a pay-master To these might be added sundry other motiues as 1. To serue God is to raigne and to be a king ouer the world fleshly lusts c. and to suite with Saints and Angels 2. God hereby becomes our protector maintainer and reuenger as Dauid often prayeth Lord saue thy seruant teach thy seruant reuenge the cause of thy seruant c. 3. Seruants of vnrighteousnesse meet with the wages of vnrighteousnesse 4. All our comfort in crosses and afflictions stands in our seruice of God and a good conscience or else wee haue none 5. To feare and keepe his commaundements is the whole dutie of a man and that which makes him fully happy Notes of a good seruant of God 1. Labour to know the will of the Lord which he hath reuealed in his word as Dauid prayed Psal. 119.125 For in the Scripture he hath laid out our worke for vs and let vs expect our calling to euery businesse there let vs be ready to heare not lightly absent nor present for custome but conscience 2. Let vs serue him in affection and be glad to doe any thing to please him and grieue when we faile either in doing that we should not or in not doing that we ought or not in that manner that may please the Lord. 3. Be euer imployed in his worke How know I a mans seruant but by his labouring in his masters businesse Yee are his seruants to whom ye obey Rom. 6.16 and Ioh. 15. Yee are my disciples if yee doe whatsoeuer I command you If I see a man spend his time in the seruice of sinne of lusts of games pleasure the world c. I know whose seruant he is certenly he is not in the seruice of God he is not in Gods worke 4. Intend thy Lords profit and glorie A good seruant knowes his time and strength is his Masters and he must be profitable to him and seeke his credit It will be with euery seruant of Christ as with Onesimus Philem. 11. beeing conuerted howsoeuer before grace he were so vnprofitable and pilfering as he was vnfit for any honest mans house and much more the house of God yet now he profits the Lord and credites him and takes not his meat and drinke and wages for nothing 5. A good seruant sets forward his masters work in others he will prouoke his fellow-seruants and not smite and hinder them as the euill seruant did he will defend his Lord hee will venture his life for him he will stand also for his fellow-seruants while they are in their Masters busines he will be a law to himselfe if there were no law no discipline he will not idle out his time his eye is vpon the eye of his Master his minde vpon his account his endeauour to please him in all things VERS 11. Then the deuill left him and behold the Angells came and ministred vnto him HAuing by the assistance of God now finished the two former generall parts of this whole historie which stood in the 1. preparation and 2. the combate it selfe we proceede to the third and last which is the issue and euent of all which affordeth vs the sweete fruite and comfort of all our Sauiours former sufferings from Sathan and of our labours and endeauours in opening the same In this issue two parts are to be considered 1. Christs victorie 2. His triumph His victorie and conquest in that the deuill left him His triumph in that the Angels came and ministred vnto him In both which shine out notably the markes of his diuine power which euen in all his lowest abasements did discouer it selfe to such eies as could see it and gaue shew of a person farre aboue all that his outward presence seemed to promise as for example His conception was by the holy Ghost His birth as meane and base as might be but graced with a starre and the testimony of Angells and his circumcision with Simeons His baptisme performed by Iohn in Iordan but graced by his Fathers testimony and the Spirits descent in a visible shape of a doue Hâ—s ciuill obedience causeth him to pay tribute but he sends for it to a fish His person was called Beelzebub but Beelzebub confesseth him to be the Son of God At his passion what greater infamie then to be hanged betweene two theeues what greater glorie then to conuert and saue one of them At his apprehension they that tooke him fell backward to the ground Ioh. 18.6 In death he trode vpon deaths necke and being shut vp in the graue he opened it So here he is carried and recarried in the hands of the deuil but as one weary of his burden he is forced to leaue him on the plaine field and to giue vp the bucklers because a stronger then he is come This is the great mysterie of God manifest in the flesh 1. Tim. 3.16 In the victory of Christ consider three things 1. The time when the diuell left him then 2. The manner hee departed from him 3. How long he left him and that is in Luke for a season Then this particle may haue reference to three things 1. When the temptations were ended saith Luke namely all those which his Father had appointed him to endure at this time in the wildernes For as the Son of God knew how much to suffer so Satan would not giue ouer till he had spent all his powder and had exercised all his malice in these most hellish temptations wherein he vsed all his skill strength and malice if he might possibly in this seed of the woman ouerthrow all the sonnes of men and in the head kill all the members Whence we may Obserue the obedience of the Sonne of God who stood out resolutely and departed not the field at all nor expected any rest till all the temptations for this time were ended Christ could haue confounded Satan in the beginning of the temptations and so haue freed himselfe from further molestation but he continues and abides all the triall to the end And why 1. His loue to his Father made him submit himselfe to the lowest abasement euen to the death of the crosse and refuse no difficult seruice for which his Father sent him into the world of which this was a principall The speech of Dauid was most proper to this sonne of Dauid Behold here am I let the Lord doe with mee euen
greiue they can do no more glory to God but are at their best very vnprofitable But wicked men are neuer a whit changed but are all impure euen their minds and consciences and out of the abundance of the heart the tongue speaketh the hand worketh neither can a bitter fountaine send out sweet waters 4. Sound grace within sendeth forth an obedience which is chearefull 1. in the vndertaking loue makes labours light and nothing is hard to a good will 2. in the manner of doing it is not forced but lead ruled by the word rather then ouerruled by power it layes by all dialogue dispute murmuring and desire of dispensation 3. in the measure of doing it will endeauour in all the commandements and all duties no man so wicked but he can doe many things as Herod but he cannot yeeld to all 4. in continuance and conclusion of that he doth it holdeth on in doing things purely for a good end for Gods glory and not by fits and starts but perseueres to the ende and the crowne of the worke In all which a wicked man comes short for whatsoeuer is forced or fained must be heauily entred on and more heauily ended besides whatsoeuer is from such an one is ioyned with raigning sinne which hales and tugges him backward and toyles him out before he be halfe way in any good worke How oftē doth the Lord reiect the sacrifices of the wicked their oblations their fasts their prayers their temporary yea miraculous faith their almes and charitie yea their confessing and preaching of Christ as in the last iudgement all which had they bin fruites of sound grace they had been acceptable But God lookes not so much to the matter of the worke as the person working the manner of working and the end of the action Well as Sathan goes away when he can stay no longer and so his obedience is forced so doth sinne from most men when they can keepe it no longer and so that which seemeth obedience in them is no better then the deuills obedience in this place 1. Many refraine many sinnes for feare of hell and the curse of God they dare not hold their sinne any longer whereas they are as much in loue with it as before as Moses his parents kept him so long as they durst before they exposed him to the waters so dearely loue men the children of their owne corruption What thanke is it for a robber or fellon to leaue robbing and stealing for feare of hanging if there were no law nor Magistrate he would to his owne calling againe because he is no changeling So what thanke is it for a man to auoid sinne because of damnation here is no feare of God but feare of euill no loue of God but selfe-loue And yet this is the restraint of most men whom conscience no whit bridleth Why do men abstaine from open wronging of men by robbing stealing murthering they will say for conscience But then the same conscience would keep them from all secret deceit lying and cousenage and then the same conscience would keep them from all other sinnes also as swearing drinking dicing carding gaming pride wantonnesse and the rest A good conscience in one thing is a good conscience in all 2. The like is the obedience of many sinners that are still in league with their sins Many filthy vncleane whoremungers and harlots haue left their sinne but it is because it hath left them they haue broken their strength and either age or diseases in their bodies hinder them oh now they will pretend conscience But they can as filthily speake and as merrily remember their madde prankes as euer they acted them they want onely a bodie no mind will or affection to commit ouer the same things againe Many prodigals haue left their sinne because their wealth hath left them and pouertie feeds vpon them Many quarrellers swaggerers haue left off such furious courses why perhaps they haue got some maime or mischeife or perhaps they feare whether they doe so againe safely or no and this is all the conscience that hath calmed and quieted them but what obedience is this Is that an obedience to God for a dicer or gamester to forbeare play or rather as it is his theeuing when he wants money to stake 3. In Gods seruice what makes men come to Church to heare and pray Euery man saith Conscience Yea but good conscience workes powerfully vpon the will what then meanes the vnwillingnesse of men and heauinesse who are so farre from apprehending their weeke-occasions as if they aske their owne hearts they must tell them that on the Sabbaths of God were it not for feare of law and shame of men both which are often forgotten they would not come at all Here is obedience much like the deuills because they are of the deuills teaching The like of many seruants and childrens obedience whose comming to Church to heare their dutie is meerely forced by the compulsion of Masters and Parents and hath as little comfort in it as the deuills obedience 4. The like is to be said of late repentance at the time of death when the sinner hath held his sinne so long as he can then he would be rid of it Indeed his sinne leaues him but not the curse of it but he is so farre from leauing it as were he to liue ouer his daies againe he would put as much life into his sinne as euer before Late repentance is sieldome true euer suspicious Why doe many rich men neuer doe good while they liue but liue as vnprofitable and hurtfull as swine till they come to the knife but then when death is binding them they will giue somewhat to good vses to the poore for a sermon c. Why what mooues them Conscience they say But it is an accusing conscience crying out against their oppression vsury wrong crueltie and deceit and now this wicked conscience would stop it owne mouth by offering to God some trifle of that hee hath robbed For were it a good conscience why doth he not leaue some part of his wealth for God before it wholly leaue him Were it a free-will-offering why comes it so late why doth he not good while hee hath time Galat. 6.10 Surely God likes a liuing Christian for any man will bee a Christian dying Neither is it thanke-worthy to giue that which a man cannot keepe And commonly such gifts doe more good to others then the giuer himselfe Which is not spoken to hinder men from doing good at their deaths but to prouoke them to doe good before that time And yet better late then neuer Let vs examine all our obedience by this ground and be sure that it differ from the obedience of deuills and wicked men And that by these rules 1. God loues truth in the inward parts and refuseth all that obedience which followes not sanctification of the Spirit duties without must flow from graces within Examine now thy inward change we are his
new creatures created to good workes ioyne that in thy actions which the deuill diuorced the inner man with the outward the subiection of the soule with the obedience of the bodie 2. Examine thy loue in thy obedience that because the loue of God constraines thee thou doest what he commands and whether thou preferrest the commandement of God which is euer ioyned with his glory aboue all the world and thy obedience aboue thy profit credit ease pleasure mens fauour or disfauour whether thou canst obey God against all these This was Abrahams loue to God in so difficult a commaundement as the killing of his sonne But Satan here went away not for loue of God but for feare and beeing forced 3. Examine thy manner of obeying whether it be a willing and readie obedience If I doe it willingly saith the Apostle I haue a reward and Rom. 6.17 Ye haue obeyed from the heart or heartily And such obedience 1. repineth not as giuing God any thing too much though the dearest things of all 2. deuiseth no excuses as Saul when hee did but halfe the commaundement pretended sacrifice and the peoples instance 3. seeketh no delayes I made haste and delayed not to keepe thy righteous iudgements Psal. 119. 4. Doest thou obey in all thy commandements 1. the commaundement of faith in the Gospell aswell as the actuall obedience of the Law for one is as acceptable as the other 2. obeyest thou the commaundement aswell of doing good as of abstaining from euill for the deuill here abstaines from this euill of tempting Christ but can neuer doe any good he ioynes not these commaundements in his practise as Gods spirit doth in his precept Isa. 1.16.17 3. makest thou conscience of the least commaundement aswell as of the greatest for all of them haue a stamp of God vpon them makest thou conscience of small oaths vaine words rouing thoughts 4. doest thou obey constantly for loue is strong as death and much water cannot quench it But alasse much obedience is like that of Dauids false friends Psalm 18.44.45 strangers shall be in subiection to me but they shall shrinke away For a season Luk. 4.13 The THIRD point followeth to be considered namely how long Satan left our Lord not for euer after but for a while and surely he stayed away but a little while For if we looke into the holy story we shall see the whole life of Christ almost to be a continuall temptation and how Satan from time to time partly by himselfe and partly by his ministers assayled him This we shall see how sundry wayes Satan molested him and tempted him 1. in his ministery 2. his life 3. his death 1. In his ministery he was tempted both in his doctrine and miracles For his doctrine the Scribes and Pharises often sought to catch aduantages against him as in the case of the bill of diuorce Mat. 19.1 and of the woman taken in adultery Ioh. 8. which by Moses his law should be stoned but Master what sayest thou The Sadduces also tempted him in the case of the woman that had seuen husbands whose she should be in the resurrection Mat. 22.23 And the Lawyer concerning the great commaundement of the law vers 35. As for his miracles the seale of that doctrine they tell him to his face that he cast out deuills by Beelzebub Mat. 9.34 and 12.24 2. In his life and ciuill obedience The Pharises take counsell together how they might entangle him in his talke about paying tribute to Caesar Matth. 22.15 And when he ate meate in Matthews house Maâ— 9.11 they asked why he did eate meate with Publicans and sinners and therefore he was one of them Simon the Pharise seeing Mary Magdalen annoynting Iesus his feet with precious ointment and washâ—ng them with teares and wiping them with her haires said Surely if this man were a Prophet hee would know that this woman is a sinner and not let her meddle with him How often did they murmure at him and lie in waite for him and take vp stones to stone him and raile vpon him with most despightfull words calling him Beelzebub a Samaritan a glutton a loose companion running vp and downe with noted sinners In all which Satan was the cheife agent 3. But aboue all other temptations those were most fierce and furious with which he was afflicted torne and tormented about the time of his passion and on the crosse For then as himselfe witnesseth the prince of the world came vpon him with all his traine Ioh. 14.30 he came in himselfe and whole legions of wicked Angells with him as the Apostle plainely implyeth Coloss. 2.15 he spoyled principalities and powers and triumphed ouer them in the crosse Now or neuer Satan must win the field this is the last act Christ was neuer so beset with miserie Satan neuer had him at such an aduantage before now Gods whole wrath is vpon him and now the deuill and his Angells set vpon him so sore that in his agonie in the garden he sweates drops of water and blood and on the crosse he cryes out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Those were more secret temptations of Satan and his instruments but let vs see with what hellish darts they pierced him openly vpon the crosse not to speake of those which he endured all the time he was in examination condemnation and leading to execution For 1. They hang him between two theeues as an arch-rebell and of all sinners the greatest and dart against him the same temptation with that in all this history that he was not the Son of God If thou be the Sonne of God come downe from the crosse certainly God would not let his Sonne hang there but thou art a deluder and arch-seducer of the people 2. They tempted him with feare of death Matth. 27.42 hee saued others himselfe he cannot saue this is a wise Sauiour indeede hee cannot escape death in whose hands he is sure enough and euen ouercome alreadie of death and yet he will bee a Sauiour 3. They tempted him with vtter reiection from God as the most damned reprobate that euer was He trusted in God now let him deliuer him if he will haue him but he can neither deliuer himselfe nor God will haue none of him he abhorres him and will cast him presently to hell These and a number of the like was our Sauiour molested and tempted withall secretly and openly euen then when the wrath of his Father seased vpon him So as truely the Euangelist might say that Satan left him but for a season Christian life is but an entercourse of quiet and trouble sometime Satan leaues Christ but he comes againe and renewes his temptation so it is with the members who haue much warre but some peace many troubles but some breathing time This truth we will a while discouer both in the state of the whole church of God from time to time as also in some particular members thereof What a night
peace vnder Dauid and Salomon as we as wise and excellent a King as euer was beeing an eminent type of Christ yet we see what long ease and peace brought him to which was the ouerthrowe of his kingdome and the renting of ten parts of twelue from him to his seruant he was a King of peace as his name imported had posterity had made a league with all neighbour-nations yet God beeing prouoked brings a woefull change on him and his land So may it be to vs. 4. Consider how God hath threatntd vs of late years to bring in wofull changes to remooue the Gospell and giue away our kingdome liberties free-holds and liues to strangers Remember that admirable yeare of 88. and that no lesse admirable threatning and deliuerance in 1605. Forget not the raging and deuouring plague in which there was no peace or safety to him that went in and out Remember the furious fire in many great places of the land burning vp whole townes and villages the generall diseases and distempers in mens bodies which haue beene as vniuersall as our prouocation hath beene the change of our seasons the breaking out of waters drowning the earth the infection of the aire many barbarous conspiracies against the life of so innocent and mercifull a King and the hote conteâ—tions of many brethren in our owne Church All which are remarkeâ—ble signes of Gods displeasure if not fâ—â—eruÌ„ners of a lamentable chaâ—â—e But he that considereth how all these things are forgoâ—â—en worne away vnprofitably without all wholesome vse oâ— reformation cannoâ— but thinke that the Lord if timely repentance hinder not will take some other course and so speake as he will be heard for the truth neuer fayles which you haue heard at large One iudgement is euer a forerunner of another vnlesse repentance cuts them off Oh that God would put it in the hearts of high and low to seeke the continuance of our happie peace in our seasonable seeking of God by repentance and not seeking still to prouoke him by wilfull impenitencie Let vs not expect an end of temptation and triall while we are here below seeing Satan goes away in respect of temptation and molestation but for a season If Satan be gone he will returne yea although he cannot preuaile he will not cease to be an enemy and the longer our peace hath beene let vs thinke our change the nearer None of Gods children but the deuill is sometimes departed from them but the experience of them all shewes that hee neuer staied long away from any of them and therefore let vs bee wise although Gods goodnesse haue kept him a great while from vs not thereby to grow secure but as forecasting his comming againe arme our selues for him 1. Not mistaking our present estate which is a pilgrimage and not a paradise of ease and pleasure 2. Considering that euills foreseene loose a great part of their bitternes and they are so much the weaker against vs as we are stronger by our prouidence and foresight of them 3. Neither may we thinke much that after one or two or three assaults Satan hath not done with vs but comes againe as he did against our Lord for we seruants are not better then our Master nor better then our fellow-seruants who haue been often assaulted as Dauid first to adulterie and after that to murder and after that to pride in numbring the people and after that Satan came againe and againe And Paul was often buffeted by Satan yea after hee â—ad prayed thrice he got no release but a promise of sufficient grace 4. Neither may we conceiue it strange that after some sleighter temptations we should be vrged with fouler for Sathan commonly keepes his strongest till the last as he did to our Lord. Many say neuer were any so fowly tempted nor so often as they their flesh trembles and their haire stands an ende to thinke what foule temptations Satan suggesteth with great instance But can there be a fowler temptation then to worship the deuill himselfe yet the Son of God was teÌ„pted to it Therfore resist as he did and the sinne is not thine but Satans who shall be damned but thou shalt be saued in the day of the Lord. Satan still commeth with more malice and worst at last contrarie vnto God who is best at last In that Christian life is mixed with peace and trouble learne we not to fixe both our eies vpon any present prosperitie nor vse it as a perpetuity but hold it as a mooueable which passeth and mooueth from one to another Wee haue now a sweet sense of God but this may be ouercast he may hide himselfe and we be troubled we may now haue the ioy of our faith and presently our soules be clouded with vnbeleefe distrust and dregs of infidelity All Gods graces are still in fight often foyled by their contraries And for temporall things our health is conflicted with sickenesse our good name wounded with disgraces and defamations our friends mortall and were they not so yet mutable often becomming our greatest enemies our wealth winged and leaues vs when we haue most need of comfort our life it selfe commutable with death which is the turning of vs out of all that we loued dearest excepting God himselfe Let vs therefore fixe our eyes vpon those eternall good things and that eternall peace and that kingdome which cannot be shaken For the things which are seene are temporall but the things not seene are eternall And then whatsoeuer I loose it is but a mooueable my inheritance is safe and sure Hence we may see how like wicked men are vnto their father the deuill in their courses Satan seemes to goe from them but it is but for a season and so doe their sinnes but for a season by a counterfeit repentance As we may see in two or three instances 1. Some vpon some good motions and exhortations by Gods word and Spirit are strucke with some sense of their estate their conscience is checked and they resolue to take a new course and perhaps enter vpon it as the deuill were quite gone But hee comes againe he went but for a season and sets them as deep in their vsurie deceit gaming and wicked fellowship as euer before the dogge returnes to his vomit and the sow to her wallowing in the mire the euill spirit that seemed to be gone is returned and hath brought with him 7. worse deuills because he found his house fit for him 2. Some about the time of receiuing the communion are very deuout will make a shew of religion of prayer of repentance of charity and loue they will not sweare much that day perhaps not play but read and it may be sing Psalmes A man would thinke for so doe they that the deuill is quite gone But is is but for a season their righteousnesse is but as a morning dew their vnrighteousnesse returnes and they become as disordered in their courses as malicious in their liues