shadow so as if he had offered and could have performed the things themselves it had been no great matter he never offers and makes good any sound grace or the things of Gods Kingdom which are things only worth harkning after 4 Will he give all the Kingdoms and all the glory of them to Christ alone why what righteousness or justice could be herein Will he rob and spoyl all other Kings and Rulers in the world of their right and soveraignty which God had invested them in and this all at once and in a moment 5 Whereas he pretends a gilt he intends a dear bargain and offering nothing but pure and unmixed glory he would rob Christ our Head and all his members at once of all joy and happiness both external and eternal Of this kind are all his promises he promised to Eve Deity but it proved mortality and misery he promised Cain respect and love if he could make Abel out of the way but it proved the casting of himself out from the face of God and his Fathers family Reasons 1 He that means not in true dealing to perform any thing may promise as much as he will Satan meant not to give Christ one Kingdom and he may as well promise all as one 2 Hâ—s enmity and hatred of God and mans salvation makes him large in his promises he knows how slily temptations on the right hand steal into the heart and that no enemy is so dangerous as he that comes in pretence of kindness When he seeks to draw man to Hell with him he takes on him to teach him how to become a God When Christ was to suffer hee would have him to spare himself to hinder mans salvation he will offer Kingdoms all Kingdoms with all the wealth and pleasure of them Satan herein deals as Jacobs sons with the Sichemites they made very fair promises that if they would be circumcised they would give their Daughters and take their Daughters and dwell together as one people Gen. 34.16 But they talked deceitfully vers 13. intending only revenge upon them as they did when the Males were sore by means of their circumcising Satan can promise a Victory to Ahab but it is to chase him before his enemy to confusion 3 He knows mans credulity and folly who is easily taken with fair words which make fools fain their eyes being wholly upon things before them Besides howsoever our blessed Lord here was fenced that the least inordinate affection could not fasten upon him although he had all the objects in the world to move him yet he commonly findes men and women fitted for his turn doating upon the world and needs no such large offers as here are made to Christ but for less commodity and glory than that in one Kingdom will fall down and worship him 4 Satan is so much the larger in his promises to imitate God whom hee sees encouraging his servants by making covenant with them and promising them all the good things of this life and that to come as to Abraham All that thou seest I will give thee Now to draw men from Gods Covenant if it were possible and to disgrace the same Satan seeks to get men in league with him by larger promises of the world than ever God made to one man because that carrieth their whole desires and as God for the ratifying of his Covenant hath appointed Sacraments and Seals so the Devil hath certain words figures characters ceremonies and charms for the confirmation of his league with them and their faith in that league Vse 1. Hence observe a difference between Gods promises and the Devils 1 They differ in the matter Satan profers earthly shadows earthly Kingdoms things that glance through the sense worldly things which may bee perceived and thrust into the eye and senses all at once the best of which is but a phantasie as Paul calls the great pomp of Agrippa and Bernice Acts 25.23 things of a moment for continuance that last as long as the fulness of the Moon scarce seen but vanishing But the matter of Gods promises is the Kingdom not of Earth but of Heaven and the glory thereof to which all earthly things are but appendices things which cannot be shadowed for the eye cannot see nor the ear hear neither can it enter into the heart of an earthly man to conceive what God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 The great promises of God are matters of faith not of sense and for continuance he promiseth a Kingdom unshaken eternal reserved in the heavens a glory not withering or fading unlike the glory of flesh of all which the Prophet saith it is like the flower of the field Isa 40.6 2 They differ in the scope and aime of them Gods promises all serve to provoke and encourage men to lay hold upon the Covenant of life to draw men nearer God in faith and obedience 2 Cor. 7.1 Seeing wee have these precious promises let us clense our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and grow up unto full holiness in the fear of God But Satans promises tend to fix men in the world as here hee would make Christ the greatest worldling in it to with-draw men from God and their Covenant with him to pull them from the service of the God of Heaven to worship himself or serve their lusts or embrace the world or bow to any thing but the true God 3 They differ in the accomplishment God is ever as good or better than his word Tit. 1.2 God who cannot lye hath promised To David as Nathan witnesseth in his reproof 2 Sam. 12.8 he gave his Lords house his Lords Wives his Lords Kingdom and if that had been little he would have given him more To Salomon he promised long life or wealth or wisdome and in the accomplishment he gives him both life and wealth and wisdom But Satan is never so good as his word but a Lier in all his promises For 1 Hee wants power to perform when he promiseth that which is none of his as the Kingdoms of the world Or 2 He wants purpose and will to perform his promise For had he a purpose and mind to have given Christ the Kingdoms of the world if he had had power Doth not he envie to every man the fruition of any creature of God Can hee willingly afford a good man a good moment And did not he more malign Christs good and comfort than all other because he exceeded all other in grace and Gods Image Or 3 Wherein he hath power and purpose to be an honest Devil of his word it is with a farre more mischievous purpose as here if hee could have given the whole world he would for Christs overthrow for what cares he for the world or what use can he make of it but to make it a bait and train to catch man by it into his own destruction The ground hereof is this As every promise of God is a testimony
stablished in the faith Colos 2.7 this is that rocky foundation which shall bear up the house against all winds and weathers It is the first work of change in the heart and the first difference between man and man when God by faith purifieth the heart Acts 15. It is the foundation of all obedience for whatsoevee is not of faith is sin It is the root of all Gods worship for till we beleeve in God we can neither trust nor hope nor love nor pray nor perform any other part of his service truly or acceptably It is the mother of all good works the word is the seed of them which faith conceiveth and digesteth and so bringeth forth commanded and commended actions General faith knoweth the work to bee good in the kind of it and special justifying faith beginneth it and maketh it good in the person and endeavour of the doer and layeth hold upon Christ to cover the defects of it Hence is it that often in the Scriptures we read it to bee the first Commandement given by Christ and his Apostles to such as were desirous to know the way of life and how they might please God The Jews come to our Saviour and ask him what they might doe to work the works of God and Christ beginning here telleth them that this is the work of God that they beleeve in him whom he hath sent Joh. 6.28 29. And 1 Joh. 3.23 This is his Commandement that we beleeve in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another for we cannot perform any work of love before we beleeve In one word faith is the very soul of all obedience without which the most fightly and glorious actions be it of alms prayer preaching hearing worship or miracles themselves all are but very Corpses and Carcases of good works dead and liveless Secondly faith exalteth it self above all other graces not only in the excellent object of it which is Christ and Salvation but also in the excellent work of it above them all notwithstanding they all have their special excellencies it espouseth us unto Jesus Christ and in these espousals and contract for the present it assureth us of our marriage with him hereafter And being the condition of the New Covenant of life Joh. 3.16 it tyeth God himself unto us who is not further bound to any man than he is a beleever True it is that Love placeth it self upon Christ but it is after faith for hee must bee apprehended before he be loved Hope waiteth for salvation but faith first beleeveth it Trust leaneth upon the promises but faith first layeth hold on Christ the Author and accomplisher of them And though the Apostle say that of Faith Hope and Love Love is the chiefest 1 Cor. 13. himself interpreteth it to be in respect of durance and continuance but not in respect of our justification or acceptation with God Love indeed surviveth and lasteth longest for our sight of God as he is shall vanish faith but yet faith is before it and the mother of it Thirdly saving faith is a living thing and maketh a man to live by it It purgeth his own dwelling by purifying the heart and conscience it reneweth the spirit and mind it quickneth to all good duties for it being an instrument to unite unto Christ by it as by a bond of union wee receive from him our Head life and power to move and stirre in Christian duties yea it so governeth the whole life that we henceforth live not but Christ liveth in us In our business and labour it maketh men diligent in the work but leave the successe to God In temporal wants it faith with Abraham God will provide at least in the mountain it careth not so much for bread as the staff of it if it have means it blesseth God and useth them but trusteth not in them if it have them not it resteth on God but useth no unlawful courses for them In afflictions it stablisheth the heart with assurance of a good issue and still waiteth the Lords leasure without making haste In temptations it goeth against sence and feeling and resteth upon the naked promise yea when it can scarce apprehend any thing but wrath it will uphold the heart and rear it even when God seemeth to â—id him to trust in his mercy In the use of things Spiritualâ— as the Words Sacraments Prayer and other holy means only faith draweth vertue from Christ and all of them are unprofitable further than they are mingled with faith In the use of Temporal it is faith that weaneth the â—eaâ—â— and kâ—epeth it that earthly cares choak it not earthly pleasures possess it not and earâ—hly comforts opprâ—ss it not but it holdeth the mind heavenly in the midst of earthly business and suffereth it not to love pleasures more than God not to enjoy any comfort of the Creature above or against the comforts of God and his Word whom they acknowledge the very life of their lives and the soul of their souls and bodies here and for ever Thus is faith every where diffused if we walk we walk by faith if we live we live by faith in the Son of God if we stand we stand by faith if we dye we must dye in faith as the Patriarks did Heb. 11.13 4 This excellent grace only fenceth against temptation quieteth the distressed soul and keepeth it from sinking as once it did Peter Matth. 14.20 This is the only shield which quencheth all the fiery darts of the Devils Ephes 6.16 and 1 Pet. 5.9 Your adversary the Devil goeth about like a roaring Lion whom resist stedfast in the faith This is the victory also that overcometh the world even our faith 1 Joh. 5.4 This is the conquest over the lusts of our own flesh 1 Thess 5.8 Be sober and put on the breast-plaâ—e of faith Again as it mounâ—eth and fenceth so it stilleth the heart disquieted and distressed when it seeth it self beset with spiritual wickednesses and lusts and even almost drowned in the gulfs of sinful and earthly courses Therefore the poor Javâ—or that could not tell what to doe with himself that of an unhappy man now ready to kill himself he might become happy and an heir of Salvation was sent nâ— where else by the Apostle but to the doctrin and practise of this grac of faith This only resolveth fully the question Oh what shall I doe to be saved Beleeve in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved he getteth no other answer of Paul because he well knew that no other would have answered his question nor setled his conscience now touched with sence of his sin If he had sent him to the Word that could have done him no good if he did 〈◊〉 mingle it with faith If to his prayers only the prayer of faith is available Jam. 5.15 If to the Sacraments they must be seals of faith Rom. 4.11 or else dâ—e no more good than seals set to blanks If to a good life
teacheth us to defend all our parts but especially our head and heart and such like vital parts the very Serpent will save his head so long as he can by natural instinct whatsoever become of other parts Our chief fortress is our faith we have no grace but is worth preserving and saving yet of them all Faith is as it were the Head and leader it sends the vital spirits of heavenly life to the whole man Let grace therefore teach us to save this grace which is the heart of a Christian above all the rest and to beware of the least prick or crack in it which is dangerous A man may receive great gashes and wounds in his arms and thighes or exteriour parts and recover it well enough not so in the heart or brain Though thy comfort joy feeling yea and fruits may fail take heed thy faith thy root fail not This is that which the Apostle Peter exhorteth 1 Pet. 5.9 whom resist stedfast in the faith wherein if a man sit not very fast Satan will soon unhorse him And of all others let afflicted and humbled souls lay hold and make use of this exhortation for Satan doth with so much the more violence assault them as he findeth it easier to prevail with them for well he knows that howsoever they heartily detest all other sins and much adoe he hath to bring them to his lure in other yet their spirits being oppressed and wounded by the sense of sin and Gods displeasure for it he findes them inclinable enough upon every trivial temptation to despair and so makes a wide breach by their improvidence 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 Three general directions for the fortifying of faith Answ By observing these few directions 1 Consider the excellency of this grace for those onely that know it are in love with it and will use means to preserve and increase it And this excellency appears in these branches Excellency of faith in four things 1 It is the first stone to bee 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 himself hath undertaken to bee the Author and finisher and hath appointed all his Ordinances to breed and perfect it in the hearts of all that shall attain the end of it which is salvation namely the word of faith Rom. 10.8 the Sacraments the seals of faith chap. 4.11 and the Prayer of faith Jam. 5.15 2 It is the beginning of our blessedness John 20.29 Blessed is he that hath not seen and yet beleeveth It espouseth us to God and Christ and ascertaineth us of the marriage day It honoureth God as Abraham by beleeving gave glory to God and makes us witnesse that God is true which is not more honour to God than our selves John 3.33 3 All our strength is from faith Heb. 11.33 by faith the Saints subdued Kingdomes and were strong in battel faith is the victory whereby wee overcome the world by faith wee stand A grain of it can work wonders and what then can strong faith It draws vertue from Christ who himself was foiled by it in the Syrophenissa◠All things are possible to it Mar. 9.23 Give Peter faith hee shall not sink but shall walk on the Sea Matthew 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 uncrusht it self being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sound and sure foundation According to the measure of faith is the measure of all other graces and comforts As a man beleeveth so hee obeyeth loveth 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 preserving and increasing Means of fortifying faith four II. Use means to increase and strengthen it and they be these 1 Acquaint thy self with the word of God often read repeated preached meditated and conferred on this is the word of faith and every thing is fed and preserved by that whereof it is begotten and the often hearing reading meditating and conferring of it doth fix and digest it and makes it at hand to comfort the weary hands and weak knees And wee must not onely frequent the audible but also the visible word that is reverently and conscionably use the blessed Sacraments which are signes and seals of Gods favour and our Faith Those that say they beleeve and yet neglect the Word and Sacraments deceive themselves for there is nothing to save where is no means of saving A man cares not greatly for an empty chest Neither can faith stay where she sees not her self respected Oh take heed of Satans subtilty who to hold men in infidelity with-holds them from vision and to starve mens souls intercepts their food And in comming to the word consider the excellent promises that are made to faith and take special notice of places which may batter the devils temptations to unbeleef 2 Observe the tokens of Gods love and favour towards thee and because no man knows love or hatred by things before him labour to find it in spiritual things how much thy heart loveth him which is a reflexion of his love what joy of the Spirit what assistance in former tryals what strength patience issue and use of them thou hast Experience of God is a strong prop when the soul can gather from former time a conclusion of Gods presence and aid for time to come So did David Psal 23. ult and 1 Sam. 17.34 37. and Psal 143.4 5. and 77.7 to 13. Hath the Lord forgotten to be merciful and shut up his loving kindnesse in utter displeasure I said this is my death yet I remembred the years of the right hand of the most High I remembred the works of old And how justly do some faint in trouble for want of observing the waies of God with them in former tryals and deliverances 3 Labour to get and keep the assurance of thy adoption for then the gates of Hell shall not prevail to hurt thee The former by the witness of the Spirit which will alway uphold us in afflictions if our care bee not to grieve and quench him So long as the spirit of consolation possesseth the heart what sound comfort can bee wanting but if hee depart in displeasure neither can our faith or comfort bee long upheld The latter by keeping good conscience for faith and good conscience stand and fall together an accusing conscience weakens faith and destroies boldness that wee dare not come neer unto God whereas contrarily our election is made sure by good works 2 Pet. 1.5 and by the fruits of the Spirit It stands us in hand if wee would stand against Satan in the
malice against God If hee durst thwart so Divine a truth so strengthned from Heaven and that to Christs own face he dares and will contradict Gods VVord to thee 2 Consider if thou sufferest Satan to wrest away the credit of any part of Divine truth or the VVord of God what shall become of all our religion and the ground of our salvation all which is laid upon the truth of the word or all which our Saviour saith that not one jot of it shall fail 3 Know that by yeelding a little to Satan herein God in his justice may give thee up to such strong delusions as the Devil himself cannot be so besotted as to beleeve See it in some instances Satan beleeves there is a God and trembleth saith S. James and yet he so farre deludes a number as their sottish hearts say There is no God Psal 14.1 Satan knows there is a day of reckoning and judgement as the Devils confessed Art thou come to torment us before the time and yet he so besotteth and blindeth others that they make but a mock of all as those in Peter who mocked and said Where is his coming 2 Pet. 3.1 Satan knows that God is all an eye to whom day and darkness are alike yet in tempting men to secret sins he will make them say Tush who sees us can God see through the thick cloud The Devil knows that God is just and will not take the wicked by the hand and yet he makes the sinner beleeve his case is good enough being a most graceless man and makes one wicked man say of another as in Malachi We count the proud blessed c. The Devil knows that he that goeth on in sin shall not prosper yet he makes the sinner who turns from the word to beleeve he shall prosper As this temptation aimed to overthrow the Word of God so also the faith of Christ in that word namely to bring him from his assurance that hee was the Son of God Whence we may learn that Satan in all his temptations seekâ— to overthrow the faith of men Doct. 2. Satan in his temptations against all the members of Christ aimeth to destroy their faith This Christ himself witnesseth that Satan desired to winnow the Disciples but himself prayed that their faith might not fail Luk. 22.31 1 Thess 3.5 For this cause when I could no longer forbear I sent Timothy that I might know of your faith lest the tempter had tempted you in any sort And hence his continual practice is to bring men to the extreams of faith in adversity to despair in time of prosperity to presumption Reasons 1 He maligneth faith as being a special gift and mark of Gods elect because it is given to them only and to all them and therefore is called the faith of Gods elect Tit. 1.1 and to faith is the work of regeneration ascribed Acts 15.9 2 All Satans temptations tend to break off the Covenant and communion between God and his children and therefore must in special manner aim against faith for by faith we are made the Sons of God Gal. 3.26 and God espouseth and marrieth us unto himself by faith Hos 2.20 and by faith wee are brought into the grace by which we stand 3 He knows that faith is our shield whereby wee both keep off the fiery darts of Satan and quench the same and that faith is the victory whereby we overcome the world this is it that makes all his temptations forceless for though we have no power of our selves to withstand him yet faith gets power from Christ and lays hold on his strength which quells all the adversary-power of our salvation We stand by faith saith the Apostle and Satan sees the truth of Christs speech that the gates of Hell shall never prevail against it He hath reason therefore to labour to weaken it and to root it if it were possible out of the hearts of men and out of the world 4 All his temptations bend themselves to cut off and intercept the course of Gods love and his favours to his children he bursts with envie at the happiness of the Saints But unless he gain their faith he cannot interrupt this for by faith as by an hand we receive Christ himself given us of the Father Ephe. 3.17 and with him all his merits and all things belonging to life and godliness VVe receive the promise of the Spirit by faith Gal. 3.14 yea the presence of the Spirit who dwells in our hearts by faith we receive the hope and hold of our blessed inheritance hereafter Gal. 5.5 And whereas Satans continual drift is to estrange God and us faith only crosseth him by which wee have entrance and boldness to the throne of grace by our prayers to speak unto God freely as to our Father Ephes 3.12 Heb. 10.22 yea to ask what we will and obtain not only all corporal blessings good for us but also the sanctified and pure use of them whereas the unbeleever corrupts himself in them continually 5 Satan well knows that faith is the ground of all obedience without which the word and all Gods Ordinances are unprofitable Heb. 4.2 without which there is no pleasing of God Heb. 11.6 in any thing for whatsoever is not of faith is sin Hath he not reason then to assay by all his strength to take this hold from us Doth not he know that the foundation being overthrown the whole building must fall and the root overturned all the tree and branches come down with it Sever a man from his faith he tumbles in impiety and unrighteousness he is odious to God in all things Satan tramples upon him and leads him at his will From all which reasons we see that Satan especially in temptations aimes at our faith as he did at Christs Use 1. Those who never felt any temptation but ever beleeved never doubted No temptation no faith as they say never had faith for never had any man true faith but it was assayled most fiercely never was faith laid up in the heart of any child of God but the combate between nature and grace faith and frailty flesh and spirit was presently proclaimed Eves faith was won from her quickly Abrahams faith was mightily assayled which because in such a combate he retained hee was renowned and stiled the father of all the faithful and faithful Abraham Moses his faith was shaken and his great sin was unbeleef Job in his misery was many ways assayled to distrust God as his words import If hee kill mee I will trust in him still and Satans aym was to bring him to blaspheme God and dye Vse 2. As the Devil laboureth most against our faith Because Satan most oppugneth our faith we must most fortifie it so should we most labour in fortifying it Policy teacheth men to plant the most strength at that fort or part of the wall where the enemy plants his greatest Ordnance and makes the strongest assault And nature
down I can binde and loose subjects from their obedience at my pleasure 3 I will give thee all these if thou wilt fall down and worship me if thou wilt be my vassal and a sound Catholick let my Laws bind thy Conscience and persecute with Fire and Sword these Hereticks thus thou shalt hold thy Kingdom else not 4 But this is a small thing to challenge the Kingdoms of the world and therefore hee challengeth to be Lord of Heaven Hell and Purgatory to open and shut at his pleasure as his three Crowns imply Here is a brag that puts down the Devil quite never was the Devil overmatched in boasting and lying but by the Pope his eldest son that in him wee might have a plain demonstration of Antichrist whom the Papists themselves say must bee begotten by the Devil If thou wilt fall down and worship me NOw follows the condition of Satans large and prodigal profer which is the third thing considerable in the dart In it are two things 1 The matter he requires Worship 2 The manner fall down and worship me The thing he desireth is worship and honour due to God for so our Saviours answer implyeth that hee must worship God only And for the manner of this worship he must outwardly bow and bend unto him or prostrate his body in way of homage unto him Wherein we see marvellous cunning and malice combined 1 His cunning in making it appear so small a moat for being a worship proper to God as we see by comparing our Saviours answer with it 1 He would make it in show and appearance but a bowing of the body a small thing a gesture which God greatly regards not as if hee had said as Bathsheba to her Son 1 King 2.10 I have a small sute unto thee deny me not which small sute if Salomon had hearkned unto it had cost him the loss of his Kingdom And the same did our Salomon by his wisdome discern in this place 2 In making it so necessary a thing to worship him mee with emphasis mee of whom thou must have the world if thou hast it me who am so able and willing to reward so small a service towards me God doth not so reward his worshippers 2 His extream malice in that 1 He would rob and deprive God of his honour which is due to him alone and to no Creature else 2 Hee would have it conferred upon himself Gods greatest enemy 3 Hee would have none doe it him but Jesus Christ the Son of Gods love thus to wrong his Father the more whereas God expects no other of his enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4 He implies how little God regards or rewards his worshippers The Connexion of this condition with the premisses sheweth That Doct. 1. Satans profers are never free but upon some wicked condition or other He said he would give all the world and the glory thereof to Christ but now he adds a condition which makes it a dear bargain He offers freely he will give all the world and the glory of it but the condition is dangerous if Christ will fall down and worship him The Devil offered to put our first Parents in possession of further knowledge and no less a gift than Deity he makes as though he would out-give God but all upon this dangerous condition if they would eat the Apple which God had commanded them not to touch He would help Cain to the favour of God and all the love of his Parents but upon condition he would kill his brother Abel for when there was none else to be loved or to doe sacrifice he should obtain all Judas comes to the High Priests and saith What will yee give mee Matth. 26.15 and they appointed him thirty peeces of silver but upon his own condition to betray his Lord and Master an heavy condition for so light a sin Petiphars wife proffeâ—ed Joseph great honour and rewards but upon a foul condition of committing whoredome with her Reason 1 As Solomon saith of the Harlâ—t She hunteth for the pretious life of a man so doth Satan incessantâ—y and therefore can give nothing freely for a free gâ—â—â— is a pledge of love between parties but hee carries a mortal hatred towards mankind seeking by all means to devour us 1 Pet. 5. v. 8. Seeing therefore 〈◊〉 love is like that of a ravening Lyon to a Lamb no marvel though he bestow nothing freely 2 The end and scope of all Satans gifts is discovered in our Text viz. to pluck men from God and so bring them to damnation and indeed they are not gifts but wages paied for doing some work 2 Pet. 2.15 Balaam loved the wages of unrighteousnesse Now if wee look into the History Numb 22.17 these were great gifts and honours promised upon condition of cursing the people of God So as by the judgement of the Holy Ghost all 〈◊〉 taken upon such dangerous conditions are wages of unrighteousness And as a General never gives pay but to such as fight under his colours so Satan never gives pay of worldly preferment but to such as fight his battels 3 Never man gets any thing from Satan but by way of contract or bargain where the conclusion shall bee for himself and being the arch-enemy of all charity hee will never make an exchange but for the better Hee gives Adam an apple but it was dear bought with the loss of Gods image and all his happiness Hee offers the second Adam the whole earth but with such a condition as hee must for it forsake heaven Quest But is there any man so extream wicked that will contract with the Devil or receive any thing upon any condition at his hands Answ The Devil will do nothing for any man but by vertue of a compact and why should hee bee at any mans command but in hope of his reward no more than any man would bee at his but in the same hope But this compact is either 1 more open 2 more secret A more express and solemn contract is that of Witches Conjurers and Sorcerers wherein there is a mutual promise of service between the Devil and the Witch And this promise is not onely made by solemn words but by deeds and sealâ— as some diabolical signes figures or Ceremonies for the ratification of this league and compact And this is evident by the confession of all Witches at this day and by the Scripture Of this kinde was this in out Text Satan offers to compact with our Saviour Christ and there wanted nothing but the free consent of our Saviour to the condition But the more secret compact is the more general and no less dangerous though Satan bee lesse seen in it And of this kinde the Devil makes many Covenants in the World and innumerable persons contract with him underhand perhaps not thinking they do so And this two waies 1 By a secret Faith in the Devil 2 By a secret consent unto the Devil Secret faith in the Devil
of peace wee are by this Doctrin directed to the best and onely means to come by it namely to make our peace first with God through Jesus Christ and then if the Conscience sting or accuse and terrify look upon this brazen Serpent and that wound shall bee cured Some being wounded in spirit use means to forget their grief now the musick merry company with sundry sports must bee called in all which enlarge the wound but are far from working any cure the only Physician in this case is Jesus Christ he calleth Come to mee all that are heavy laden and I will ease you onely in him canst thou finde refreshing for thy weary soul Doest thou perceive God frowning against thy sin there is no way fâ—r thee but to get him to behold thee in the face of his annointed Psal 84.9 no merits no works no good intentions no gifts can clear his countenance to make it shine upon thee onely hee is well pleased in his Christ and with such as â—e bâ—holdeth in him and no other If men bee at oddes with thee the next way to bee at one with them is not by raging and storming against them to drive thy self further from God but to draw neer unto him in Christ â—y whom reconcile thy self unto him and then as thine own minde shall bee more composed unto peace and love so will hee also make thine enemies thy friends if hee see it good at the least restrain them so as they shall not hurt thee For if hee pitch a Covenant for us with the brute beasts of the field that they shall not hurt us much more will hee shelter us from the malice of men bee they never so brutish and unreasonable So much of this peace by Jesus Christ Now in the second place Christ was preached to Israel two waies wee are to consider the Preaching of it to the children of Israel Where two things are to bee explained 1 How Christ was preached unto the Israelites 2 Why hee was so preached unto them Concerning the former Christ was Preached to Israel two waies 1 by the word or promise 2 by deed or type For the first the main promise of all concerning this truth was that which after it was by Gods own mouth once delivered unto Adam in Paradise The seed of the woman shall bruise c. was so often repeated to Abraham Isaac and Jacob In thy seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Gen. 12.3 The same promise in substance Moses maketh to the whole people of the Jews Deut. 18.15 Also all the Prophets saith Peter from Samuel and thenceforth so many as have spoken have likewise foretold the same thing Act. 3.24 and in this regard the Jews are called the Children of the Prophets and of the Covenant which God made to the Fathers where the very same Promise made to Abraham is repeated vers 25. And the Apostle Paul is as express Gal. 3.8 The Scripture foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles through faith preached before the Gospel to Abraham saying in thee that is in thy seed shall all the Gentiles be blessed Again Christ was by deed or type preached our peace in the whole Levitical Priesthood for all that Ceremonial Worship all their Sacrifices Oblations Altars yea their Temple Ark and Propitiatory resembled and pointed at Christ our peace and yet further their very Kings and Kingdome their Priests and Prophets all of them not obscurely resembled Jesus Christ and preached him our peace who as a King delivered his subjects from all the former bondage of forein power and by his merit and triumph wrought out their peace As a Priest sacrificed himself and offered unto his Father a sweet smelling sacrifice of peace for them and as a Prophet fully delivered from his Father the whole Doctrin of peace and reconciliation Both these waies was Christ preached to the Israelites whereof for brevities sake we will for the present forbear further discourse The Second thing to bee explained is Christ was preached 〈◊〉 Israel 1 bâ— why was Christ preached our peace to the Children of Israel first and why was that Doctrin renewed to them from time to time by the hand and ministery of the Prophets Answ For three reasons 1 Because they were that seed and certain family of whom the Messiah should descend and arise for which cause they were to observe an accurate distinction of the tribes according to that Ordinance and Government which God had established amongst them that they might not bee deceived in his person when hee should in fulness of time appear 2 Because God had chosen them to bee a peculiar people hee set them up above all nations not onely in many other prerogatives but in this which was the chief of all had they seen it that the Oracles of God were committed unto them Rom. 3.2 Hee gave his Laws to Jacob his Covenants to Israel hee dealt not so with every Nation Psal 147.30 The Apostle Paul when hee had reckoned a number of the Jews advancements above the Gentiles such as were their Adoption Covenant Promises Fathers hee shutteth up all with the chief of all in these words of whom concerning the flesh Christ came Rom. 9.5 Now as that was the first that hee came of them so this is the next that hee came unto them alone first in the promises and types then in his person and appearance then in his Doctrin and miracles performed in his own person adde hereto that hee came to them in his life and death and lastly hee came first and alone to them in the Ministry and Miracles of his Holy Apostles who must not go into the way of the Gentiles nor turn themselves to other Nations till the Jews by despising that Grace offered had made themselves unworthy of life everlasting the lost sheep of the house of Israel must first bee sought up and therefore as Paul said it was necessary that the word of God should first bee spoken unto them Act. 13.46 3 That both Jew and Gentile might know that Christ came not by hap or chance or on the suddain so as his comming might not bee observed but that hee came for the time and for the manner according to the Promises and predictions of old of which our Apostle is willing in these words to imply the accomplishment Divinity of Scripture proved Observ 1. Whence wee may note 1 The Divinity of Scripture which foretelleth beforehand things which are to come to pass many hundreths yea some thousands of years after The thing that foretelleth things properly to come which have no existence in any cause or sign must needs bee of God Satan indeed can guess at some events but which have some grounds in nature or experience or can foretell a thing to come which God hath revealed to him or himself is made an executioner of as in Saul but to foretell a thing or event meerly to come is proper to God Whence it