the lauer of the Church by whose blood we are washed from the guilt and power of sinne II. There was the inner court which was called the Sanctum or the Sanctuarie or the court of the Priests whence the Iewes were barred There was here 1. the altar of incense for sweete perfume wherein the Priests were euening and morning to burne the holy incense before the Lord as a sweet smelling sauour vnto God and no strange incense might be offered thereon Exod. 30.9 While Zacharie stood at the right side of this altar offering incense to God the Angel Gabriel stood and foretold the birth of Iohn Baptist. This was an holy type of Christ who offered himselfe on the altar of the crosse a sacrifice of sweet smell to God his Father and through whom God sauoureth a sweet smell from all our duties 2. In this court was the golden candlesticke with seuen lamps and seuen lights which were fed with most pure holy oile night and day to lighten the whole inner court And this was an holy type of Christ the light of the world enlightening all his elect with spirituall and heauenly light 3. In this court was that golden table on which the holy shewbread was euer to stand euen twelue loaues which were to be made of the purest flower of wheat and were to be renewed euery Sabbath the old loaues conuerted to the Priests vse a holy type of Christ in whom alone the Church and euerie member setting themselues continually before God are nourished and preserued vnto eternall life 4. In this court was that costly and precious vaile of blew silke and purple and scarlet and fine twined linnen made of broydered worke with Cherubims the vse of which was to separate the Sanctum from the Holy of Holies this vaile at the death of Christ was rent from the toppe to the bottome A notable representation of the flesh of Christ which hid his Diuinitie but beeing rent asunder by his passion on the crosse the way to heauen was laid open vnto vs. III. There in the temple was the Sanctum Sanctorum and in it the Oracle called the inner house of God into which onely the High Priest went alone once a yeare and that in the feast of expiation wherein all the Iewes must fast and afflict themselues A most notable type of Christ for as it was called an Oracle because God thence gaue answer in doubtfull cases so who is the Fathers Oracle but his Sonne who is the word of his Father by whom he speakes to vs by whom we speake to him and through whom the Father heareth vs In this Holy of Holies was the Arke of the Couenant and in this holy place stayed the Arke almost 430. yeares signifying Christ the author of the couenant betweene God and vs. In which Arke or chest were kept 3. things 1. the tables of the couenant written with the finger of God signifying Christ who is the fulfilling of the law 2. the rod of Aaron which had budded a type of the Priesthood of Christ who in the world seemed a dead branch and drie but after his death resurrection beganne againe to flourish and bring fruits of life to Iewes and Gentiles 3. the pot hauing Manna a holy type of Christ the bread of life and that Manna that came downe from heauen Ioh. 6.35 In this Holy of Holies ouer the Arke was the holy couer called the Propitiatory prefiguring the Lord Iesus whom the Father hath made our Propitiatory by faith in his bloud Rom. 3.25 Here also were the two glorious Cherubims set like Angels on either side the Arke looking vpon the Arke figuring the holy Angels ministring to Christ and earnestly desiring to looke into the mysterie of our saluation 1. Pet. 1.12 These were the cheife holy things established in the temple at Ierusalem but not all for there were beside these the obseruation of all holy rites appointed by God the chaire of Moses and in it the law read and expounded there were the holy persons the High Priest with all his holy garments with Vrim and Thummim and on his forhead HOLINES TO THE LORD there were other the holy Ministers of the Lord who had the Lords holy oyle vpon them of Gods owne composition with strait charge that no other should make or vse it out of this vse Yea here had liued the auncient Kings and Prophets Dauid Salomon Iosiah Hezekiah who were speciall types of Christ. In which regard Ierusalem the seat of God and Gods worship is called the citie of perfect beautie the ioy of the whole earth 3. It is called an holy citie by comparison vnto other great cities of the neighbour countryes wherein idols and deuills were worshipped in stead of God as Babylon or whose worship was the deuise of mans braine and no institution of God as Samaria Cesarea and others 2. Kin. 17.33 4. It is called holy in type two wayes 1. As it was a type of the Church militant of which the members are holy in part at least in profession For the whole Church of God was gathered together 3. times euery yeare before the Lord at the feasts of Passeouer Pentecost and Tabernacles Psal. 122.4 Thither the tribes of the Lord goe vp and appeare before the Lord. 2. As it was a type of the Church triumphant euen that celestiall Ierusalem which is aboue that new Ierusalem into which no vnholy thing can enter but is the eternall habitation of the holy God the holy Angels and Saints 5. It was called holy or the holy citie because it was the fountaine of Gods holy religion which beeing first seated there by God must be deriued thence and sent out to all other nations Mic. 4.2 The law shall goe out of Sion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem therefore was it the Metropolis and mother citie the heart of the earth placed in the midst of nations by Gods owne confession Ezek. 5.5 Nay there must the pretious blood of the holy Sonne of God bee shed which must streame and runne out to the saluation of all nations and himselfe preached the King of the Iewes vpon the crosse as vpon the theater in Hebrewe Greeke and Latine and that in the time of the Passeouer when there was a concourse of all the people of Iewes and other nations There the Apostles must giue their first witnesse of Christ and thence must carrie it into Iudea Samaria and all nations to the vtmost parts of the earth Act. 1.8 And 8.1 the Church of the New Testament was first gathered at Ierusalem and thence by persecution scattered into all nations In this regard it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy citie for all the holinesse of all other cities was deriued thence We learne out of this title what it is that makes places and persons holy euen the presence of God of his word and worship Thus the ground was called holy Exod. 3.5 and the place where Ioshua stood when the
then a merry word may we not recreate our selues now by recreation they meane gaming vnthriftinesse cousenage and the like may we not now and then be angry and impatient seeing flesh and blood is so weake and it is but an infirmitie what neede a man be so precise and scrupulous as to stand vpon such small triflles all which is but to plead for Sathan against our owne safetie He was afterwards an hungrie In these words is set downe the effect of Christs fast After he had fasted fourtie dayes and fourtie nights he began to be hungry all the while before he was not hungry neither did he want power to haue fasted longer and by his diuine power vpheld his humane nature if he pleased but now the miraculous fast beeing finished he begun to hunger Quest. How could Christ be hungry seeing he was able to feed so many thousands with seauen loaues and two fishes Besides Ioh. 4.34 he saith My meat is to doe the will of him that sent me and to finish his worke Or if he could be hungry why would hee Ans. Some haue thought that Christ needed not to eate sleep c. as we need when our bodily strength is exhaust by labour by fasting and watching And some of the Fathers as Ambrose and Theophylact vpon Mar. 11.12 hold that Christ onely by dispensation gaue his body leaue to be hungry when he pleased as though hee neither was wont nor could nor ought to be ordinarily hungry as other men nor necessarily forced to eate But we must knowe that Christ tooke vpon him a true humane body and the forme of a seruant in which he was obnoxious to all our infirmities onely sinne excepted And the infirmities which hee vndertooke not are these 1. He was not to take any which might hinder the perfection of his soule or body Of his soule as vices sinnes pronenesse to euill heauines to goodnesse Christ tooke miserable infirmities in his soule as Augustine saith such as are naturall negatiue ignorance as of the day of iudgement and the time of figges fructifying but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Damascene saith damnable and detestable Of his body because it was extraordinarily conceiued and created of the Holy Ghost who being of infinite wisedome and power could not erre or not bring his body to perfection Therefore he was not to be blind lame deafe c. which are infirmities in many other men 2. Christ was not to take all infirmities in generall for 1. Some arise of particular causes which could not be in Christ as namely some hereditary infirmities and diseases as the leprosie falling-sickenes sâ—one c. some from redundance of matter in generation haue some monstrous or superfluous part some from defect want some part or haue some part withered or scanted None of this can agree to Christs most perfect conception of the Holy Ghost 2. Some infirmities are acquisite as by surfets feauers and gowts by fulnes These could not befall Christ who neuer exceeded the meane his whole life beeing a continuall exercise of sobrietie neither had he euer any acquisite infirmity but voluntarily vndertaken 3. Some defects and infirmities are the fruit of some speciall iudgement of God as Vzziah his leprosie was a speciall stroke of Gods hand for a speciall sinne so some are borne fooles and simple Neither could these belong to Christ who had no sinne nor cause of iudgement in him 3. Christ was to take vpon him all naturall and indetractable infirmities as the Schoolemen call them and onely them Naturall that is such as follow common nature infirmities common to all men And indetractable or inculpable which detract not from the perfection of his person nor of his grace nor of the worke of our redemption Of this kinde are hunger thirst labour wearines sleep sorrow sweat and death it selfe all these are common to all men Now hunger beeing a common infirmitie incident to all men yea to Adam in innocency who was hungrie and did eate as Gen. 1.39 euery tree bearing fruit shall be to you for meat and slept c. 2. v. 21. a heauie sleep fell on the man yet without molestation therefore Christ did necessarily hunger as other men doe not by an absolute necessity for 1. hee needed not haue taken our nature or beene incarnate 2. as he was God he could haue exempted himselfe from all the abasement and miseries that he suffered neither by a coacted necessity for he willingly submitted himselfe to this necessity But by a necessity ex hypothesi or conditionate hauing taken our nature to redeeme it he was necessarily to take on him all our weaknesses sinne onely excepted for these reasons 1. He was not onely to be like a man and in the shape of a man but also a very true man like vnto his brethren in all things except sinne therefore it is said Hebr. 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to assure the truth of his incarnation against all Anthropomorphites and such like heretikes 2. This was a part of his obedience and consequently of our redemption that he suffered the same thnigs as we doe both in body and in mind verè pertulit languores nostrâ—s he hath truly borne our infirmities Isa. 53.4 3. That he might sanctifie vnto vs these infirmities and take away the sting of them least we should be wearied and faint in our mindes Heb. 12.3 and that we might haue an example in suffring 1. Pet. 2.21 4. That he might be a compassionate High Priest Heb. 2.17.18 touched with infirmity yea cloathed with our fraile nature that we should not doubt of his grace who vouchsafed to be so abased for vs. 5. Himselfe confirmeth the same in that he tooke not on him such a body of ours as Adam had before sinne but such a one as hee retained after his fall so farre as it was obnoxious to all incriminall paines of sinne namely such as was subiect to wearines Ioh. 4.6 to sorrow teares and weeping as ouer Ierusalem Luk. 19.41 and at the raising of Lazarus Ioh. 11.35.38 and in his agonie when he shed teares and vsed strong cries Heb. 5.7 to sweating water and blood in the garden yea to death it selfe from all which Adams body was free before the fall And by these his body was by a true necessity ouercome as ours are and this not for a short time or space at his pleasure but all the time of his life till he breathed out his holy spirit yea thirsting vpon the crosse it selfe Ioh. 19.28 Neither was this onely to confirme the truth of his humane nature but to fulfill all righteousnesse and carrie away all the punishment of our sinnes and so worke a perfect saluation for vs. Therefore Christ truely and necessarily was hungrie as we vse to bee As for that place in Ioh. 4.34 I answer 1. It must be meant comparatiuely in that the execution of his calling and doing of his fathers will was preferred before his meate
and drinke 2. It belongs to the hunger of the soule which is to cleaue to God and obey him in his will and so keeps not off the hunger of a naturall body 3. Christ did as Abrahams seruant did at Bethuels house who hauing meate set before him would not eate till he had done his message Gen. 24.33 and yet was subiect to hunger Quest. What is the difference betweene Christs infirmities and ours Answ. 1. They are all punishments of our sinne in vs but not punishments of his sinne in him 2. His humane nature beeing holily conceiued was in it selfe free from them all and they doe not necessarily attend it in respect of it selfe But our nature beeing tainted with originall sinne hath contracted them inseparably seeing by one man sinne came in and death of which these are forerunners by sinne went ouer all 3. Christ vndertooke them by a voluntary necessitie but in vs the necessity is forced and absolute will we nill we we must carrie them 4. In vs they be the effects of our sinne in Christ effects of mercy 5. Ours are often miserable acquisite rising from particular causes or sinnes but so were not Christs Obiect If Christ tooke not all our infirmities what say you to Damascens argument Quod est in assumptibile est incurabile how could Christ cure all our defects and not assume them all Answ. All particular defects rise out of the generall corruption and infirmity which Christ vndertooke and cured and therein these also euen as he which stops a fountaine in the head stops all the streames without more adoe Vse 1. Note the wonderfull humility of our Lord Iesus who would not onely take vpon him our nature but euen our infirmities and was not onely a man but a seruant also If he had descended beeing the Lord of glory to haue taken the nature of Angels or if of man such as Adam was in innocencie it had beene admirable humility and such as hath no fellow But to be a worme rather then a man is lower then humility it selfe Let the same minde be in vs that was in Christ Phil. 2.5 Vse 2. His infinite loue is herein set forth he was able to feed many thousands with a few loaues and little fishes yet he would want bread and be hungry himselfe he could and did giue legges to the lame yet he would be weary himselfe for vs he could fill the hearts of others with the ioyes of heauen yet he would sorrow he raised others from death and yet he died And as this commends his loue to vs so should it breed in vs a loue of him to expresse it in embracing a base estate for him and in giuing vp at his call our comforts our liberty our bodies and liues so did he for vs. Vse 3. This is a great comfort for the poore and men in want seeing Christ and his Disciples not sieldome wanted what to put in their bellies Matth. 12.1 The Disciples plucked the eares of corne and beganne to eate Christ the Lord of glory hath sanctified thy want thy hunger thy penurie by his If thou beest in the world as in a barren wildernes and liuest among hard-hearted and cruell men as so many wilde beasts thinke on Christ in this estate thou art no better of no better desert then he nor better loued of God then he and yet thou farest no worse then he Oh murmure not nor repine but say with that blessed Martyr If men take away my meate God will take away my stomacke he feeds the young rauens and will he neglect mee Onely turne all thy bodily hunger into a spirituall hunger after Christ and his merits and then thou shalt bee sure not to starue and die euerlastingly but to bee satisfied with the hidden Mannah of God Vse 4. Let rich men learne that it is not good alwaies to bee full and preuent hunger but to feele it and know what it means Christ was God and might haue auoided it but beeing man ought not and would not that he might haue sense and feeling of our infirmities and so be a compassionate High Priest What els is it that breeds hardnes of heart in rich men but want of feeling of the afflictions of Ioseph Gluttonous Diues tooke not to heart Lazarus his want and where are the poore most neglected but where there is fine and delicate diet euery day Especially the Ministers of Christ should learne to endure want and hunger as Paul had learned to want and abound and to be contented in euerie estate else they will doe but small good in their ministerie Vse 5. Christ is daily hungrie in his members Lazarus lieth still at our gates and is not yet quite dead therefore let vs put on the bowels of compassion towards him Would we not haue releiued Christ if we had liued when he did or would we not now if he should be in need Oh yes we say we would else it were pitie we should liue Well then whatsoeuer we doe to one of his little ones we doe it to himselfe and so he accepts it saying I was hungrie and yee gaue me meate I was thirstie and ye gaue me drinke Despise not thy poore fellow-member and turne not thine eye from beholding his penurie nor thine eare from hearing his moanes and deep sighes If thou shouldest heare Christ himselfe say I thirst as once he did on the crosse wouldest thou giue him vinegar and gall to drinke is that it he thirsteth after no it is thy conuersion and compassion that will satisfie him therefore vse him kindly in his members VERS 3. Then came the Tempter to him and said If thou be the Sonne of God command that these stones be made bread WEe haue heard how our Lord Iesus Christ entred into the place of combate how he was furnished attended and exercised all the time while he expected his enemie Now we come to the entrance of his aduersary and after to the onset In this entrance obserue 1. The time Then 2. The name of the aduersary the Tempter 3. The manner of his entâ—ance he came I. The time then that is when Christ had fasted 40. dayes and 40. nights and was now hungrie He was willing and ready to tempt him before and so he did now and then cast a dart at him as we heard but now supposing him to be weake hungry also he comes vpon him with might and maine and thence strengthneth himselfe and sharpeth his temptation Note hence Satans subtilty who watcheth his opportunity and taketh vs euer at the weakest Thus he set vpon Eue when she was alone in Adams absence and set Cain vpon Abel when he was alone in the field and helplesse Thus was Dinah set vpon beeing alone and was foyled Pâ—tiphars wife set vpon Ioseph alone none beeing in the house but they two and the Gospell tells vs that the enuious man sowes tares while men sleepe 1. Satan by the subtilty of his nature
words following implie That commeth out of the mouth of God that is whatsoeuer God hath decreed commaunded or promised that it shall preserue life Now the summe of Christs answer in more words is this Thou sayest I must now haue bread to satisfie my hunger or else I cannot liue but thou speakest like thy selfe If my Fathers word be to sustaine mee without this meanes I shall liue thereby without bread my Father is not tyed to ordinary meanes for preseruing of life who is all-sufficient and almighty and doth what and how he will And this cannot be doubted of seeing it is written in Deut. 8.3 by Moses that when the Israelites were in the wildernesse as I am hungry and hauing nothing to eate no more then I haue he fed them with MAN 40. yeares to teach them that man liueth not by bread onely for they had none but by euery word and meanes which himselfe appointed Besides if I should distrust my Fathers prouidence and turne all these stones into bread yet if his word come not to giue vertue and life vnto them all this would not help all this bread would be no better then stones as it was before And therefore I will still expect his word and not turne stones into bread at thine The negatiue part affoardeth vs this lesson that Outward and ordinary meanes are not of themselues sufficient to sustaine and preserue the life of man Luk. 12.15 mans life standeth not in abundance If we make an induction of all the cheife meanes either of the beeing or wel-beeing of mans life we shall easily see their insufficiencie 1. Bread is a speciall meanes appointed to strengthen the heart Psal. 104.15 but yet there is a staffe of bread which is another thing then bread and this beeing broken wee shall not bee strengthned but fade in the middest of bread Hence is the sentence accomplished against many Leu. 26.26 Ye shall eate and not be satisfied the Lord gaue the Israelites quailes in the wildernesse enough to maintaine 600000. footemen for many dayes but a secret poison was in it that the more they had the more they died as of an exceeding great plague so as the place was called the graues of lusting Num. 11.33 Yea although our bread did not grow out of the earth but fell from heauen as Mannah did yet our Sauiour saith Ioh. 6.49 Your Fathers did eate Mannah in the wildernesse and are dead 2. Clothes are a speciall meanes to preserue a man in naturall heat but yet raiment of it selfe cannot keepe him warme Hag. 1.6 Yee clothe you but ye be not warme and of Dauid in his age it is said that they couered him with clothes but no heate came to him 1. King 1.1 3. Physicke is a remedie appointed by God to regaine health and strength distempered or decayed but Asa goes to the Physitian and pines away for all that 2. Chron. 16.12 4. Money is a good meanes to prouide necessaries for the sustenance of mans life and therefore men labour and take much paines for it But both labour is in vaine except the Lord build the house Psal. 127.1 and thou shalt earne money and put it in a broken bagge or a secret rust shall consume it Hagg. 1.6 5. Strength is for the warre and a good meanes for the defence of life and right but strength alone is weakenesse Psal. 20. An horse is a vaine thing in battell and therefore Dauid goes against Goliah not with a sword or a bow but in the name of the Lord that was his strength 6. Counsell and pollicie is for a State both in peace and warre we see how soone Rehâ—boam ranne through tenne parts of his Kingdome by the bad counsell of the young men But yet there is no counsel nor pollicie that can preuaile against the Lord. Many are the deuices of mans heart but the counsell of the Lord shall stand The counsell of Achitophel which was like vnto an oracle of God was turned into follie 1. The meanes themselues are without life and in a very short time rot away of themselues or if they be liuing things as sheep oxen beasts birds and fishes they must loose their liues before they can come to be helps of ours how can they then giue life or keepe life in vs by themselues beeing dead The death of the creatures sheweth that our life is not from them but from something else 2. God hath prescribed meanes of life and tied vs vnto them but not himselfe he is able to doe whatsoeuer he will and his prouidence is of equall extent and latitude with his power which cannot be restrained to meanes these beeing finite that infinite And hence it is that meanes are ordinarily necessarie but not absolutely seeing God in his absolute power can feed vs with stones as well as raise men out of stones 3. If meanes alone could sustaine a man how comes it that the same wholesome meate that feedeth some should poison others how comes it that men vsing meanes as men in a consumption eate as much as others and yet pine away and are farnished that men labour and toyle and get money and yet thriue not but their state is in a consumption still how comes it that they who are best fed as great personages are lesse liuely and healthfull Poore day-labourers who fare hard and course laugh at rich men for maintaining Physitians and yet are still sicke poore mens children thriue better and looke fairer with Daniel and his fellowes feeding onely of course pulse then many that fare daintily with the Kings children See we not the Fathers before the flood liuing some 700. some 800. some 900. yeares and aboue of greater strength and stature by farre and they carried neere a thousand yeares vpon their backes more lightly then we can carrie halfe an hundred and yet they liued vpon herbs onely we haue also flesh and fish of all sorts with the best and most exquisite cookerie so that if our liues were pinned vpon the meanes onely where they liued neere a thousand yeares we should by our meanes liue many thousands 4. God is the God of life it is he that continues our liues and not the meanes and all meanes are in his hand to bee either blessed or blowne vpon at his pleasure What can an hammer or saw doe without the artificers hand no more can the meanes which in Gods hand are as a toole in the worke-mans whose hand can do many things without tooles but they nothing without his hand 5. What meanes that petition which euery man must daily vse for daily bread euen hee that hath the most but because hee may haue bread and want that in bread which may doe him good and helpe 1. Learne hence how to conceiue of meanes aright namely as things not to be trusted to because by one blast of God they may become vnprofitable and vnsuccessefull especially when men are
and not to the word of God at least not to euery word of God If God crosse them one way they thinke he hath no other way to doe them good If man liue by euery word of God then take heed of making that a meanes of liuing which God hath neuer warranted but see that what thou liuest by proceed out of the mouth of God How doth he liue by euery word of God that gets his liuing either in whole or in part contrary to Gods word Obiect But we see such as vse no good meanes but mantaine themselues in good estate by robbing stealing oppressing vsurie gaming false wares or weights it seemes that euen these creatures haue a word of God to sanctifie them and put vertue in them to such persons or els they could not liue by them Answ. Wee must distinguish betweene the things themselues that are gotten and the vniust manner of getting them The creatures themselues are by a generall word of God sanctified and set apart by God to feed and maintaine good and bad aswell the wicked as honest getters of them euen as the sunne and raine shines and falls vpon the iust and vniust And the vnrighteousnes of particular persons cannot alter Gods generall decree But if we consider the speciall manner of getting such goods that is not sanctified but condemned by the word of God 1. Because the person is not in Christ who restores our right vnto vs and then he is but an vsurper and a bankrupt who buildes his houses goes fine in apparell decks vp himselfe and his and spends most liberally but it is all with other mens money He that knowes not this thinks him a rich man but he that doth knoweth that he is not neither thrifty nor wealthy the creditor comes and casts him into prison and makes his bones and bodie pay the debt 2. As his person so his course is accursed for the onely way to get a blessing from God on the meanes is to vse his owne meanes who hath commaunded first to seeke the Kingdome of God and then other things and hath accursed all that wealth and maintenance of the body for which a man doth hazzard or loose his soule 3. When a man doth liue by bread against the word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God it is rather a death then a life his bread becomes poyson and as rats-bane in his bowells because he hath it without a promise and without blessing Obiect I see no such thing Answ. Many poysons are long a working but the end of such is death and the more slowly they worke the more slily and certainely they kill And if the Lord doe not inuert the order he hath set in nature by cursing the particular creature be sure he hath in his iustice reserued a curse for the vniust person and he shall not auoide it This doctrine specially applied laies hold vpon sundry sorts of men who liue contrary to the word They are these I. Such as liue out of lawfull callings which are one part of the word of God that we should get our liuing in the sweat of our browes and so long as we are in our way we haue his word we shall be prouided for And the word proceeding out of the mouth of God is that he that will not labour must not eate because he eates not his owne and such as will not liue after this word by Gods word they ought not to liue because they are idle and vnprofitable burdens of the earth who 1. abuse Gods prouidence who ties the ends and meanes together 2. infringe that good order which God hath established for the auoiding of confusion in Church or common-wealth namely that euery man should serue God in the seruice of man in some warrantable and profitable ciuill calling 3. as he is no better then an Infidell that depends onely on meanes seeing man liues by euery word of God so he that in a lawfull course of life prouides not for his family is worse then an Infidell Of this sort are our knots of companions of drinking and gaming companie and wandring rogues and beggers I knit them together because they are all of a straine and either are beggers or shall be These commonly come not to Church to heare their duties and therefore they must be taught by correction and discipline of those that are the executioners of iustice II. Such as thinke they liue well enough and yet it is by deceiuing others by stealing oppression extortion lying swearing and falshood in buying and selling and why say they may not a man help and shift for himselfe But consider 1. What a poore help it is when a man will vse vnlawfull meanes and to shift out of one euill by another He doth as the Prophet speakes auoid a lyon and a beare meets him Pilate would keep his place by vnlawfull meanes the deliuering of Christ to be crucified but besides that he brought innocent blood vpon himselfe he lost his place and slew himselfe 2. Consider that if Gods word of blessing goe not with the meanes his word of curse doth and so the Prophet Zacharie saith that the curse enters into the house of the swearer and of the theefe c. 5. v. 4. and this curse shall remaine in the midst of his house and consume the very timber and stones This curse often scatters ill-gotten goods as fast as they were euer hastily gathered if not in his owne dayes yet in some vnthrifty heire after him 3. Consider how God crosseth the vaine conceit of vniust persons they thinke all that is any way gotten to be gaine and profit but the word is Pro. 10.2 that treasures of wickednes profit nothing they cannot help a man from the hand of God nay when the euill day comes they are gone and leaue a man alone to graple with death and iudgement and turne a man naked to the sentence of condemnation for his wicked getting and holding of them III. Another sort of men who liue not by the word of God but against it are vsurers who pull themselues out of all lawfull callings and set vp a trade for the publike euill and their own priuate good which were there nothing else against it prooues it not to be of Gods deuising for euery calling of Gods deuising is helpfull to men in generall but the Spirit of God hath giuen this a name from biting and hurting But we haue the Scripture most expresly against it whether it be manifest as is a contract for gaine as for ten pound to pay eleuen at the yeares end or couert wherby men find deuises which they call mysteries to defeat the lawes and seeme to contract and either not to lend or not for gaine The word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God saith Exod. 22. vers 25. If thou lend money to my people with thee thou shalt not bee an vsurer thou shalt not oppresse him Marke how vsurie and oppression is all one And
the senses laid together were well safe-guarded Can the heart or market-place of a towne or citie be safe froÌ„ the siege of the enemie if the gates be cast open or the walls demolished or the ramparts bared of their fence and munition Why did Iob make such couenants with his eyes but that he knew that without such a fence euery obiect would be as a snare to entrappe his soule Iob. 31.1 Nay let an heart neuer so seasoned with grace suffer the senses to leake the soule is in danger of shipwracke Was there euer heart of ordinary man or woman more innocent or more filled with grace then Eues in her innocencie And yet when as Sathan set vpon her senses hee sent in by them such poyson as wrought death vnto all her posterity Rules for the ordering of our senses aright 1. Beware of the life of sense which is a bruitish life 2. Pet. 2.12 the Apostle speaketh of men lead by sensualitie euen as the bruit beasts who follow sense and appetite without all restraint Thus did the Gentiles who were therefore giuen vp to a reprobate sense Rom. 1.24 And the danger of this estate Salomon noteth Eccles. 11.9 when he bids the young man walke in the sight of his owne eies and after the lusts of his heart but withall Remember that for all this he must come to iudgement Let such thinke hereon that thinke it is free to giue vp their senses to feed themselues vpon euery obiect themselues please 2. Consider that God made the senses to minister to a right ordered heart and not the heart to follow the senses and therefore the heart must be watched that it walke not after the eie which is to inuert Gods order And what a deluge of sinne ouerfloweth the soule when the vnderstanding is buried in the senses and the heart drowned in sinfull appetites Dauid giues his eye leaue to wander and looke lustfully after Bathsheba and what waues of miserie one ouertaking another did he bring into his soule And what maruel then if naturall men neglecting their dutie in taking off their eyes from vnchast obiects neuer rest till they come to haue eies full of adulterie 2. Pet. 2.14 not ceasing to sinne according to our Sauiours speach Matth. 6.23 If the eie be euill all the bodie is darke yea and the soule too 3. Keepe the parts of Christian armour vpon thy senses that thou lie not open there A valiant captaine knowing that the enemy is easier kept out then beaten out of a citie hath great care to plant his garrison about the gates and walls there he sets his most faithfull watch and ward there he plants his cheife munition and ordnance Had Dauid kept his armour on his eie he had not been so foyled by Bathsheba If on his eare he had not been so iniurious to Mephibosheth by meanes of slandring Ziba 2. Sam. 16.3 4. Salomon wisheth vs Not to looke vpon the colour of the wine in the cuppe that is with too much pleasure to stirre vp desire Hee would haue vs keep our fence vpon our eares not to giue eare to a flatterer or whisperer but brow-beat him and driue him away with an angry countenance The Apostle Paul would haue our eares shut against euill and corrupt words which corrupt good manners Daniel desires not to tast of the Kings dainties nor will pollute himselfe with them chap. 1. v. 8. And so we must fence our whole man as we may not touch any vncleane thing and yeeld nothing to the course of waters 4. Feed thy senses with warrantable obiects 1. God 2. His word 3. The creatures 4. Thy brethren 5. Thy selfe First our eies are made to see God himselfe here below as we can in his backe-parts hereafter as we would face to face And therefore a base thing it were to fixe them vpon the vain pleasures and profits of this life This is fitter for bruit beasts that haue no higher obiect Againe what fairer or fitter obiect can we choose for our senses then himselfe that made them with all their faculties and giues vs so much comfort by them Pro. 20.12 The hearing eare and seeing eie God made them both and both of them as all things else â—e made for himselfe Further where can we better place our senses then vpon him from whom all our help commeth how ought our eies to be continually lifted vp in holy and feruent prayers and praises considering both our continuall necessities and supplyes So Dauid I lift vp mine eies vnto the hills from whence my saluation commeth Psal. 121.1 and As the eie of the handmaid is lifted vp to the hand of her Mistresse so are our eies vnto thee Psalm 123.1 Lastly how can we place our senses better then vpon him who is the most pleasant and durable obiect To see God in Christ reconciled to heare and know him become our father is so rauishing a sight as the Saints haue runne through fire and water to apprehend it And for the continuance it will feed the senses euerlastingly yea when the senses themselues decay and waxe dull this obiect shall feed them and be neuer the lesse sweet And therefore as Salomon aduiseth Eccles. 12.1 while thou hast thy senses fixe them vpon this obiect Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth before they be darke that looke out at the windowes c. If a man set his senses and feed them vpon any outward obiect wealth honour pleasure buildings and the like we may iustly say to him as our Sauiour to his disciples when they gazed vpon the beautifull workemanship of the Temple Are these the things your eies gaze vpon verily the time comes when one stone shall not be left vpon another vndemolished The like may be said of all earthly obiects whatsoeuer Onely this obiect shall grow more and more glorious and desireable Secondly God made our senses to be exercised in his holy word which leades vs to himselfe Heb. 5.14 the Apostle requires that Christians should haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 senses exercised in the word Pro. 2.2 let thine eare heare wisedome 1. Hence comes faith which is by hearing 2. Hence we draw the comforts of the Scriptures which are the consolations of God in our trouble 3. Hence are we admonished directed and wholesomly corrected Pro. 15.31 The eare that heareth the rebuke of life shall dwell among wise men 4. The danger of neglect is great 1. he that turnes his eare from hearing the law his prayer is abhominable 2. vncircumcised eares resist the holy Ghost Act. 7.51 3. itching eares that turne from the truth doe by Gods iust iudgement turne vnto fables 2. Tim. 4.3 5. It is a signe of a man that hath giuen his heart vnto God for he that giues his heart will giue his senses too knowing that God requires both Pro. 23.26 My sonne giue me thy heart and let thine eyes that is thy senses delight in my wayes And our Sauiour saith Hee that hath an
as he will In his greatest agonie he said Not my will but thy will be done For he that loueth God his commaundements are not grieuous to him 2. His loue to his Church made him stand out the vttermost perill in this dangerous combate Eph. 5.25 Christ loued his Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and exposed himselfe for it and made himselfe liable to all wrongs and dangers for it as a louing husband steps betweene his wife and danger 3. Hee persisted in the combate to teach vs to hold out after his example in temptation and to expect freedome from temptation when we haue endured all but not before It is absurd to expect the victory before the field be wonne 4. To comfort vs his members in that he hath broken asunder all Satans forces and blunted for vs the edge and points of his most fierce temptations For if this serpent had had more poison and venome in him if he had had a sharper and more deadly sting no doubt our Lord should haue beene assayled therewith and out of doubt he set all his seuen heads on work how to cast him down But Christ out-stands all and the Prince of the world found nothing in him Learne from Christs example willingly and chearefully to obey God in the greatest temptations and trialls euen to the ende of them For 1. We professe we are followers of Christ and herein he hath gone before vs in example which is of more force then many precepts 2. Wee pray that there may be but one will betweene God and vs Thy will be done These tryalls shall not be alwayes yet a little while and hee that shall come will come they bee not so long as the deuill will but as God hath appointed 4. The temptations of the godly are best at the end We haue heard of the patience of Iob saith the Apostle and what end God gaue him Blessed is the man that endureth temptation Iam. 1.12 This also reprooues such as make more hast for their peace then good speed They would haue Canaan before the Canaanites be subdued nay before they step into the wildernesse whereas the crowne is not giuen before the strife but to those that striue lawfully Who be they to whom Christ promiseth a Kingdome to eate and drinke at his table and sit on seates with him but to those that continue with him in temptation Luk. 22.28 and Reu. 2. all is promised to him that ouercommeth and Bee faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee a crowne of life We are in the Church militant beset with our enemie◠so long as we liue and can we expect victorie without blowes or thinke we our selues safe and free when we haue stood out one skirmish or two seeing our enemies are aliue euer renewing the assault No let vs resolue to the contrary with the Apostle and say I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith from henceforth is laid vp for me a crowne of glorie which the righteous iudge shall giue me at that day Wages are giuen at the end of a work and an earnest onely in the beginning Let vs hence comfort our selues for so soone as the temptation is ended we shall be deliuered When Abraham had a bloodie knife in his hand and was stretching it out to kill his sonne Gen. 22.10 God bids him stay he had been tempted enough now his comfort returnes his Isaac his ioy is preserued There is but an houre for the power of darkenesse and after that comes light Be content when God ecclipseth thy light and thou seest thy selfe beset with darkenesse waite a while make not haste though the Lord tarrie he hath not forgotten thee nor his promise the patient abiding of the iust shall not alwaies be forgotten Matth. 8.26 when the disciples had been long tossed with waues and the shippe was full of water and they expected present death then Christ awakes and rebukes the storme and there was a great calme but he had no sooner rebuked the winds but he rebuked their diffidence Lastly as Christs temptation shewes what condition we are subiect to so his victorie assures vs of ours and shewes what shall be the end of our temptations In mens battels the victorie is doubtfull here it is certaine in them the stronger for the most part ouercomes here the weaker because they are armed with the same power as Christ was Here is a difference between the godly and the wickeds temptations God leads the wicked into temptations and then leaues them he leads the godly in but he leads them out also II. Then the deuill left him namely when he had been euerie way resisted when he could fasten nothing vpon the Son of God when neither penurie and want nor temptation to vaine-glorie nor to couetousnes could mooue him then he giues ouer Whence obserue that The way to make Satan flie is strongly and stoutly to resist him Iam. 4.7 Resist the deuill and he will flie from you 1. Pet. 5.8.9 Your aduersarie the deuill goeth about as a roaring lyon seeking whom he may deuoure whom resist stedfast in the faith Eph. 4.27 Giue no place to the deuill 1. That which hath been in the head perfectly fulfilled shall be also fulfilled in the members seeing the resistance of Christ was not onely for himselfe but for his members Let no man say It is true the deuill is that strong man but Christ is stronger then hee that bindes him and makes him flie but alas what is that to me a weakling who dare not looke my enemy in the face For as our Sauiour comforted his disciples against the malice of the world so also may we be comforted against the malice of the deuill Ioh. 16. vlt. Be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world which had been but a cold comfort to them had not they shared with him in his owne victorie Which is also infinite in power and in time 2. The promise of God is that if we resist Satan he shall flie by vertue of which promise the deuill is ouercome and put to flight by the weakest member of Christ manfully resisting him for it is not the strength or worthines of our resistance that can daunt the deuill but because God hath promised to tread downe Satan vnder our feet Rom. 16.19 therefore by resisting we must tread vpon him not that our resistance is a cause but onely a meanes in which God giues victorie God promised Israel the land of Canaan and power to subdue all those nations then possessors of it by vertue of which promise if fiue Kings at once rise vp against Ioshua he must tread vpon all their neckes it was not their power that did this though they must vse means and raise all their power against them but Gods promise Say not in thine heart By my owne hand or strength or wisdome haue I taken this good land no it was because
his owne gouernment It neuer cost all the Monarchs in the world so much strength and power to settle their kingdomes and people in peace vnder them Doest thou then finde thy selfe brought into the number of Gods people Doest thou loue them entirely for Gods image and goodnes Art thou seruiceable to euery member and that in the head Here is a power put forth that hath reconciled the woolfe and the lambe the child and the cockatrice But if thou carest not for Christs ordinances and discipline his lawes are too strict thou must haue more liberty then he affoards if thy affections be rough and stirring against Gods children thou hast not yet subiected thy selfe to Christ. 4. A mighty worke of power in Christ was that he was able to foile temptations and stand out against all hellish powers so that the deuill found nothing in him Now findest thou the power and strength of Christ in the spirituall combate Doest thou chase Satan afore thee and the whole band of his temptations Wouldest thou refuse a whole world rather then sinne against God or gratifie Satan and thy selfe with the least displeasure of him All the power of Christ was set against sinne and Satans kingdome And if thou hast part in this power of Christ it abolisheth sinne in thee and strengthneth thee with full resolution against all sinne 5. A mighty worke of Christs power is to enrich his children with all necessarie graces tending to saluation and to lead them into the fruition of their eternall inheritance It cost Ioshua some labour before he could bring Israel into the good land that abounded with good things it cost our IOSHVA more Findest thou this fruite of Christs power that thy face is set towards heauen and is it with thee as with those that entred into that good land who tasted of the fruits aforehand hast thou receiued the first fruits of the Spirit doest thou grow in grace doest thou with patience expect the promises and beginne the heauenly life already hast thou hope ioy loue of God zeale for God constancie in the truth for these are purchased by this power of Christ. Then here is a creating vertue put forth a fruit of Christs mighty power magnifie this grace of God and hope for the accomplishment and finishing of the same worke by the same power the which shall preserue thee to saluation 6. A mighty worke of Christs power was the perfect fulfilling of the law Whether doest thou partake in this power art thou perfect in the way sincerely obeying God in all his commaundements doest thou subiect thy selfe to the law as the rule of thy law doest thou aime at the perfection thereof Christ loued his Father with all his heart and his neighbour as himselfe yea aboue himselfe and if this power of Christ preuaile with thee this will bee the scope and aime of all thy actions For though the obedience of the law be not necessary to iustification yet it is requisite to sanctification 7. Another worke of Christs power was that it set him free from all corruption and infirmities which he vndertooke for vs without sinne Labour to finde this power of Christ in thy soule daily freeing thee from the corruption of thy sinne and daily infirmities If the Sonne set you free ye are free indeed not onely the raigne of sinne is thrust downe but the corruption of sinne is lessned Dauid desired the Lord to giue him againe his free Spirit Psal. 51.10 11. he well knew that where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie that is not onely a redemption from damnation by our iustification but from corruption and vaine conuersation by our sanctification 8. Christs power was mighty in ruling and ordering his owne powers and faculties his vnderstanding was able to see God perfectly his will onely iust right and wise neuer bowing from the will of his Father Not my will but thy will be done His memory could neuer forget any good thing but he retained his whole duty euer before him His affections were ordered according to right iudgement His appetite neuer exceeded the bounds of sobriety and moderation His speach was gracious his actions all exemplary no spot in him from top to toe And this same power of Christ is in some measure manifest in all his members this power enlightneth the mindes of beleeuers formerly blinde to see God in part and perswadeth the will and boweth it to obey Gods will which before was captiuated to the will of the deuill it inspireth godly desires and gracious resolutions and strengthens the memory to retaine good things beeing before as rimy as a siue it guideth and altreth the affections making the beleeuer to loue good things and good men and whatsoeuer sets forward Gods glory and to hate zealously the contrary Christs power in the soule orders the appetite to sobriety in the seasonable and thankefull vse of outward mercies makes a man speake the language of Canaan and his whole course sauour of Christ. Whence it is plainely concluded that ignorant persons malicious persons libertines intemperate drunkards gluttons filthy talkers swearers loose in their behauiour open enemies to this power of Iesus Christ not submitting themselues to the rod of his mouth shall be laid vnder his rod of iron This teacheth vs to goe on fearelesly in good duties seeing this power of Christ is with vs and for vs. He is of power to protect vs against enemies and dangers Of power to strengthen vs in our duties when we are weake and feeble he will perfect his power in our weaknesse 2. Cor. 12.8 Of power to make vs inuincible in our suffrings Phil. 4.13 I can doe all things through him that inableth mee Of power to reward our least labour of loue vndertaken for him Of power to answer our prayers and to doe aboundantly aboue all we aske or think Of power to performe all his gracious promises which shal be made good to vs in due time Of power to supply vs with all good meanes in his seruice he can giue wealth and make the latter ende better as he did to Iob the diuine power giueth all things pertaining to life godlines 2. Pet. 1.3 Of power in death it selfe to keep that which wee commit vnto him till the last day Of power to rebuke diseases and command death and after death to raise our bodies to eternall life beeing cloathed with corruption and wrapped with deaths garments 1. Cor. 6.14 God hath raised vp the Lord Iesus and shall raise vs also by his power Lastly this doctrine assureth vs of our perseuerance in grace begun Christ by his power layes such fast hold on vs no seducer is able to deceiue the elect nor plucke them out of his hands for the weaknesse of God is stronger then men 1. Cor. 1.25 and when we cannot comprehend him so fast as we would he comprehends vs and preserues vs by his power to saluation 1. Pet. 1.5 Neither doth this doctrine
say that the will in the same time and thing can be willing and nilling which if it could be forced were true To vnderstand this better we must know that there be only two wayes to mooue change or bend the will First from an internall agent or principle and this is twofold 1. God himselfe the author of all naturall faculties in whose hand the heart of Kings and all men be to turne as he pleaseth as the riuers 2. The man himselfe to whom God hath committed this will who hath power to dispose it to this or that obiect as Adam in innocency had freedome in things diuine and humane and now we his posteriry in the latter Secondly by externall moouers and these are either 1. the naturall obiect of the will which is some good so apprehended in the vnderstanding and strongly vrged vpon the will or 2. some passions lusts affections and appetites which incline the will this way or that Quest. How then is it said that the deuill filled Ananias his heart to lie to the holy Ghost Act. 5.3 and of Iudas that the deuill entred into him and put into his heart to betray his Lord if he cannot mooue the will Answ. It is not denied but that something besides God can mooue the will but the question is of the manner God mooues it by his owne and absolute power euen without our selues and against our selues as when he changeth an heart of stone into an heart of flesh But other without vs cannot mooue our hearts neither by any proper power that they haue ouer them nor yet without our selues first gained vnto them but then they mooue our wills when they can either make vs apprehend and vnderstand some obiect or mooue passion or appetite whereby to incline our wills Thus the good Angels may and doe propound diuine truth and good vnto our vnderstanding and mooue our wills to embrace it and chuse it but not alwaies with effect because the power is not in them but in our selues A good Angell admonished Ioseph in a dreame by which his will was bended to prouide for Christ and himselfe Thus also the deuills and wicked Angells mooue the will by working vpon the phantasie and imagination as in many Melancholike persons to hurt themselues and others sometimes by setting good colours vpon euill so that the vnderstanding apprehending euill in the case and colour of good may bend the will to it as Peter in denying his Lord thought it good and safe for the present sometimes by raising vp passions and working in them as Saul in a passion to cast his speare to kill his good sonne Ionathan a barbarous and vnnaturall fact yet the deuill gained his will to it hauing first raised a cloud of dustie passion to darken his vnderstanding and the other Saul in his furie and hot mood to waste and persecute all that called on Christ sometimes by stirring vp lust and concupiscence as Dauid beeing enflamed with lust the deuill working on this corruption gained his will to those foule facts which aboue all blemished him As for the examples alleadged thus Peter saith that Satan filled Ananiahs heart not that he brought any new wickednes into his heart but that which he found he stirred vp and perswaded his will to play that dissembling part for he should carrie it away closely and cautelously enough And thus the deuill put treason into the heart of Iudas he knew him to be a couetous wretch and had often watched him how he was deceitfull in the administration of his Masters money now his affection beeing troubled and stuft with couetousnesse Satan vseth this as a means to perswade his will for mony to attempt this foule and barbarous treason In all which we see that our wills are not vnder the power of the deuil who deales with vs as wicked men who when they perswade any euill infuse none of their wickednes into vs but only by their speach stirre vp that which is in our selues and perswade vs thereunto 4. It is not enough for Satans malice and cruelty to bring mischeife on the bodies of men but the thing he aimes at is to bring guiltines on their soules as our Sauiour here I doubt not but he would willingly haue killed him if it had beene in his power to cast him downe as it was to carrie him vp but he had farre rather that Christ should doe it himselfe and so haue an hand in his own death In Iob Satan was not contented to cast him down in bringing misery vpon his body and estate but the thing he aimed at was Iobs casting downe himselfe by blaspheming God that so he might bring guiltines vpon his soule And Satan knowes that when he can bring a sinner to giue vp his will to his perswasion his sinne is so much the more sinnefull because to a voluntary sinne is added 1. a deliberation 2. an election of euill and a preferring it before good and 3. a willing execution of that which a corrupt vnderstanding hath embraced and a corrupt iudgement and will preferred for some corrupt end 5. Satans slinesse and vsuall subtilty in his temptations shewes that his strength lieth in inward perswasion and not in outward violence He insinuates like a serpent and pretends great good will as here Thou shalt shew thy selfe the Sonne of God as though he in earnest sought the honour of Christ and as if he would haue bettred Adams estate he said Ye shall be Gods He transformes himselfe into an Angell of light and ordinarily deales with vs as with Saul who when he saw the deuill himselfe hee made him beleeue he saw Samuel Gods worthie Prophet This doctrine serues to comfort vs considering the impotency of our enemy He is a weake enemy and cannot ouercome him who is not willing to be ouercome He can egge vs on to euill compell vs he cannot And as Christ said to Pilate Thou couldest haue no power ouer mee vnlesse it were giuen thee from aboue so Satan can haue no power but from God not ouer beasts Matth. 8.31 not ouer wicked men Ahab a wicked King could not be deceiued nor set on to mooue a needlesse warre till the Lord sealed Satans commission 1. King 22.21 And much lesse ouer the godly as we see in Iob till God said All that he hath is in thine hands till then neither he nor any thing he had was in Satans power Nay not an haire of our head falls to the ground without the prouidence of our heauenly Father And another sound ground of comfort is that as he cannot hurt vs without the will of our heauenly Father so he cannot without our owne wills for if he could he would neuer be resisted in his temptations whereas we see in Ioseph Iob and by experience in our selues that some hellish temptations are by grace and the watch ouer our hearts repelled and resisted Hence we see that nothing can doe vs harme but our owne sin death
without sinne is but a gate to life the deuill a great and cruell enemy but nothing so dangerous as our owne sinne this slaies vs without him he hurts vs not without this What reason haue we to be in loue with sinne while we professe we hate the deuill who can doe vs no such harme Which must stirre vp our watch against our owne corruption for if he plow not with our heyfer he can get no aduantage Many hauing sinned lay the blame on the deuill who they say ought them a spight or a shame But as the Lord said to Cain so say I to thee If thou doest euill sinne lyeth at thy doore and it is thy sinne not the deuills Obiect Oh but he tempted mee Answ. So he did Christ here and hadst not thou cast downe thy selfe he could not haue done It was indeed the deuills sinne that he beguiled the woman and he had his iudgement for it But it was her sinne that she was beguiled and arraigned and iudged by God for it It is the theefes sinne to steale thy mony and he shall be hanged for it but if thou leauest thy mony without doores and neuer lookest after it it is thy fault and follie and what couldst thou looke for else The deuill is a slie theefe and robber but he commits not his robbery as other theeues and Burglers he will not breake open the doore nor draw the latch but where he findes the doore open and an house prepared and swept there he comes and makes spoile Luk. 11.25 And if a man know a ranke theefe were he not worthy to be robbed that will open his doors and giue him entertainment Oh let not vs extenuate our sinne or lay the blame on the deuill who cannot hurt vs without our owne weapons He cannot make vs sweare or curse or drinke or kill or breake the Sabbath All that he can doe is to stirre vp our corruption present obiects stirre vp passion to trouble the iudgement and perswade or sollicite He can suggest he cannot force And therefore doe as Dauid taking all the blame of our sinnes vpon our selues when the deuill stirred him vp to number the people and hee came to see his follie he thought not his sinne lesse because Satan mooued him but said I haue done very foolishly Alasse these silly sheep what haue they done Take heed of Satans voice which is euer to cast thy selfe down euery temptation to sinne hath this voice in it Cast thy selfe downe and too too many heare and yeeld to the same Some cast themselues downe by casting themselues backe from God and his truth forsaking the right way Thus euery Apostate hath cast himselfe downe and hath need of that counsell Remember from whence thou art fallen and doe thy first works Others cast themselues downe by falling into a puddle of base vncleannesse as couetousnesse drunkennes swearing lying c. vnbeseeming the place name and honour of Christians Were it not too too base a deiecting of himselfe if a Noble man should sort himselfe to lie in a barne among beggars or any man to lie in a stie among swine So for a Christian to demeane himselfe like a worldling or Epicure or Atheist is as great a debasement Others cast themselues downe into the pit of despaire when any sorrowe or trouble extraordinarie presseth or pincheth them If God cast them downe a little they cast themselues downe immeasurably as Cain Iudas nay Gods seruants thinke sometimes that God hath forgotten them and will not remember seasonable mercy But doe thou in all temptations answer Satan thus No Satan I know thou canst not cast me downe God to whom the honour of it is due be praised for it and I will not cast my selfe downe if God cast me downe I shall rise againe who onely can and will turne his humiliation of me to my exaltation From hence So Luke addeth that is from the battlement which God had straitly enioyed as a meanes to keep men from falling and to preuent danger Deut. 22.8 When thou buildest a new house thou shalt make a battlement on thy roofe that thou lay not blood vpon thy house if any man fall thence And this was the manner of the Iewes buildings to build their houses not ridged as ours but with a flat roofe as most of our Churches be and battlements about and their roofes thus made serued them to many good purposes as Iosh. 2.6 Rahab brought the spies vp to the roofe of the house and hid them with the stackes of flax which shee had spread vpon the roofe Act. 10.9 Peter beeing in Ioppa in Simons house a tanner went vp vpon the house to pray Of this kind seemed that house of the Philistims which Sampson at his death pulled down vpon the roofe of which stood 3000 persons to behold while Sampson was mocked Satan seeketh especially to draw such to sinne who haue most meanes against it As Christ was not set on a pinacle which had no staires to goe downe by but where were staires and hee must notwithstanding them cast himselfe downe headlong So dealt he with Adam in his innocencie who hauing all perfections his soule and bodie were capable of yet must he needs reach at the bettering of his estate had Adam knowne any miserie yet his sin had been so much the lesse if he had been enticed vnwarrantably to mend his estate but he did as the parable speakes set an olde patch vpon a newe garment which was both idle and disgraceful And the meanes of his sinne was as idle as the ende for had he not all the trees of the garden and fruits of paradise to eate vpon and were not all els meanes enough to keep him from one forbidden fruit If God had restrained all but one he had not wronged him he had furnished him with all strength against temptation if he would haue vsed it he had no manner of discontent in his estate yet if he had been ouercome in that supposall to haue enlarged without God his owne allowance his sinne had not been in that degree and so out of measure sinnefull as the hauing of all these means made it Who must denie our Sauiour Christ but one of his disciples who must betray him but another both of them abounding with meanes to the contrarie hauing beene aduanced by Christ into the high offices of Apostleship to be next attendants of Christ who heard his doctrine saw his miracles and were eie-witnesses of the integritie of his life yea both specially warned by Christ of those particular sinnes and Peter had professed to die rather then doe it 1. The malice of Satan is such as he is not content that men sinne vnlesse he can bring them to aggrauate their sinne and doe it as sinfully as may be and therefore he is industrious to get men to sinne against the meanes For this addeth weight to the sinne and prouoketh Gods anger much more then another sinne Examples we