heart 1. Sam. 28.15 when the deuill would delude Saul â—nd hasten his death he layes the ground of it in Gods word and taking on him the person of Samuel saith The Lord hath done euen as he spake by my hand abusing alleadging that Scripture in 1. Sam. 15.28 The Lord will rent the Kingdome from thee this day and hath giuen it to thy neighbour who is better then thou Mar. 1.23 the deuill comes to Christ and tells him he knowes him well enough Thou art Iesus of Nazareth euen that holy One of God that holy One that was promised figured and expected euen that Redeemer and holy One of Israel Isa. 41.14 euen that holy One foretold by the Angell Luk. 1.35 And all this was by Scripture to ouerthrow both Christ himselfe and the faith of beleeuers as though there were some secret compact and familiarity betweene him and them and perhaps hence arose that speach By Beelzebub he casteth out deuills 1. Satan knowes that Scripture is the will of God reuealed and hath sway in the conscience as beeing inspired by the holy Ghost as the onely rule of faith and life and if he can turkiâ— the Scripture out of his right sense and shape he peruerts iudgment and holds the conscience in errour and these errours are dangerous and neare of kinne to obstinacy For till the truth of God come to his place againe in the conscience it will stiffen it selfe in errour euen to the death So as by this stratageme Satan vsurpes the conscience which is Gods right and so leads men at his pleasure 2. His malice sets him cleane contrary to God in his proceedings God hath giuen his Scripture to saue men by and therefore it is called a word of saluation now Satan would herein crosse the Lord in peruerting the word to mens condemnation The Scripture is in the Church as a law to the Common-wealth to containe men in the compasse of faith and godly life whence it is called Statutes and precepts and iudgements But Satan seekes to enforce it as a law to thrust men from faith and obedience The Scripture is a word of truth of holines of wisedome euery way resembling God the author Satan therefore beeing the greatest enemie to Gods image is the greatest enemie to the Scriptures and desireth to peruert them by establishing by them errours heresies false doctrines wicked and foolish opinions and practises 3. His subtilty and pollicie is not inferiour to his malice for 1. He hath a speciall slight and tricke of his owne by pretending truth to impugne it and with Scripture to fight against Scripture which he hath taught his speciall factors heretikes and seducers for why else did Christ forbid the deuill to witnesse to him but that euen that truth he speakes euer tends to destroy the truth And in the text why cites he the truth but to draw Christ into an errour 2. He will gaine to himselfe some credit by this practise for seeing speaches and testimonies depend much vpon the credit of the speaker by his quoting of Scripture he would be taken as if the truth of Scripture depended vpon or needed his witnes 4. Satan must doe thus if he will preuaile against Christ or his seruants for Scripture in the true sense of it is no patrone of sinne nor euer stands on the deuills side Of all tempâ—â—tions beware most of them which come armed with Scripture for hardlier can we espie the subtilty and danger of these then those which are directly against the Scripture And by temptations of this kinde Satan mightily preuaileth in points both of doctrine and practise which it shall not be amisse to giue some tast of and in both we shall obserue how Satan doth not so much vse as abuse Scripture I. In matters of doctrine 1. For the establishing of the Headship of the Church in the Pope the ordinary Papists haue found a Scripture in Ioh. 21.16 where Christ saith Feed my sheep I answer first that place speakes not of any headship or spirituall gouernment but of feeâ—ing by the word and Sacraments which the Pope neuer doth secondly it is a commaundement not giuen to Peter alone but to all the Apostles who were equally Apostles with him but applied to Peter specially not to note any Primacie but secretly to checke him for his threefold deniall whereby he made himselfe vnworthy to be a Disciple Obiect But Peter saith he hath two swords and therefore the Pope hath both spirituall and temporall iurisdiction Sol. This is a place of Satans alleadging when that which is spoken literally is wrested into a figuratiue sense And where Peter is commaunded Act. 10.13 to kill and eatâ— the Pope may kill and slay and eate vp whom he will or can Prince with people But this is a place literally to be taken and one part of the argument hangs with another as the dreame of a sicke man for the Pope if he be Peters successor must feed the sheep not feed on them But Bellarmine who would make the world beleeue his wit is thinner hath deuised a farre more sufficient place 1. Pet. 2.6 Behold I put in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious that is the Pope In his preface to the controuersie De Rom. Pontif. and lib. 4. cap. 5. But what may we thinke to reape from him that dares beginne his controuersie with so high a blasphemy and least we should thinke it fell inconsiderately from him he takes it vp againe For doth not both Paul and Peter teach that this stone can be meant of none but of Christ doth not both of them adde He that beleeueth in him shall not bee ashamed must we now beleeue in the Pope And who is this liuing stone that giues life to all that are built vpon him besides Christ himselfe None can arrogate it to himselfe or attribute it to another without high blasphemie Therefore I conclude this point boldly affirming that the deuill could not more impiously abuse this place then hath blasphemous Bellarmine 2. For the point of iustification by workes is alleadged that place of Iames 2.21 wherein they adde vnto the text 1. a false glosse by workes of the law 2. a false distinction saying that they iustifie as causes whereas we graunt that as effects they iustifie that is declare a man to be iustified so did Abrahams workes declare him to be iust and this is not the iustification of the person which is onely by faith but of the faith of the person which is manifestly dead without them 3. In that great sacramentary controuersie they alleadge This is my body wherein Satan hath taught them to abuse Scripture in taking that literally which is figuratiuely spoken as often to writhe that â—nto a figure which is spoken literally and whereas they exclaime against vs for denying the words of Christ as heretikes we are far from denying Christs wordâ— but disclaime their false meaning which destroyes the Scripture seeing Scripture
Scripture but vnderstand not but because they giue not vp their reason and humane wisedome which is enmity to God and scorne to be children deliuered to be taught and formed by our heauenly Master 2. With desire and loue of Christ and his truth the scope of all the Scripture is Christ and thou must desire to know and aduance nothing but Christ crucified Pro. 4.13 Loue wisedome and shee shall keep thee When men come prepossessed with opinions to set vp mens deuises and traditions and wicked opinions according to which they must interprete Scripture and not examine them by the Scripture or if they bring a purpose to magnifie the Pope and aduance his religion in stead of Christs no maruell if like the images they haue eyes and see not read and vnderstand not They loue not Christ nor will haue him to rule ouer them but his Vicar neither loue they the truth in the Canonicall Scripture further then it will stand with their Popish Canon law Or if a man come to read out of custome and coldly without feruencie and loue experience will tell him though thus he read much his profite shall be but small 3. With repentance and faith and a good heart 2. Cor. 3.14 when the heart of Israel shall be conuerted to the Lord the vaile shall be taken away this vaile is naturall ignorance and infidelity Where the former is no maruell if the word read and knowne be not vnderstood as a blinde man cannot see the sunne shining in his strength Where faith is absent and is not mingled with the word it must needs become vnprofitable Impossible it is that the wisedome of God can dwell in a wicked heart no man puts precious licour into a fustie caske This is the cause that men of great learning want sound vnderstanding because they want sound conscience Hos. 14.10 The wayes of God are right but the wicked fall in them 4. With a purpose not onely to know but to practise Ioh. 7.17 If any man will doe my will he shall know whether my doctrine bee from heauen The scope of the Scripture is not onely to beleeue in the Sonne of God but to walke in the obedience of faith Now if men read ouer all the Bible an hundred times either for knowledge onely or for vaineglory or to aduance themselues into preferments or to oppose the truth as heretikes and Papists doe no maruell if they neuer attaine the true sense of them 5. With prayer for the Spirit to lead vs into all truth because the Scriptures were inspired by Gods Spirit at first and the same Spirit is onely able to acquaint vs with his owne meaning If any man want wisedome he must aske it of God Iam. 1.5 so did Dauid Psal. 119.18 Open mine eyes that I may see the wonderfull things of thy law Is it any maruell that they who flie the iudgement of Gods Spirit and stand to the Church Pope Councells and only swallow that sense which they giue and neuer looke after Gods Spirit should misse of the true meaning of the holy Ghost and fall into and tumble in a number of errours and heresies To these might be added meditation diligence keeping of order and time speciall application and the like These things let them be brought to the reading of Gods word and no man shall loose his labour he shall be taught of God who hath promised to reueale his secret to them that feare him So much of the qualification of the person Now follow some rules which a person thus qualified must learne and keepe by him to trie when a Scripture is wrested or no. The first is that in our text conference of Scripture there the Spirit of God by plaine places expoundeth those which are more difficult Thus Nehem. 8.8 Ezra opened the Scripture by comparing it with it selfe and so made the people to vnderstand as Iunius noteth out of the originall So the Bereans hauing heard the doctrine of the Apostles searched the Scriptures that is compared their doctrine with the doctrine of the old Testament Thus the Apostles themselues teaching Christs resurrection Act. 2.16 prooue it out of the old Testament viz. Psal. 16.10 Thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption And to prooue that those words cannot be meant of Dauid himselfe he appeales to another testimony in 1. King 2. where it is said that Dauid slept with his fathers and lay buried in his sepulchre and so saw corruption This is a speciall way whereby the Scripture giueth wisedome to the simple Psal. 19.7 And for this purpose the Lord hath in great wisedome tempered the Scripture with some hard places to exercise mens senses and trie their diligence in comparing of Scripture whereof there were no need if there were no hard places How comes it that many peruert the Scripture to their owne destruction but because they conferre not one part with another which would lead them into the right sense How come the Arrians when they heare Christ say The Father is greater then I and other such sayings to hold to the death that Christ is not true God coessentiall and coequall with his Father but that they doe not compare this with other places as Ioh. 1.1 That word was God Philip. 2.6 He thought it no robbery to be equall with God Rom. 9. which is God blessed for euer And consequently that the former place speakes of his humane nature the latter of his diuine nature How could the Papists suffer shipwracke of faith and heretically erre in the foundation of religion teaching iustification by the workes of the law out of Iam. 2.21 Was not Abraham our father iustified by workes but that they conferre not other places to help them into the right sense as Rom. 4.2 and 3.20 Wee are iustified by faith without the workes of the law and Tit. 3.5 Not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done but according to his grace he saued vs. Which places beeing compared shewe that one speakes of iustification before God as Paul the other of iustification before men as Iames the former of iustifying the person the latter of iustifying the faith of the person When they read such places as these Awake thou that sleepest and Turne you turne you O house of Israel hence they conclude man hath free-will in his owne conuersion Whereas would they compare these with other places as Gen. 6.5 The whole imagination of mans heart is onely euill continually and it is God that workes both the will and the deed c. the reconciling of such places would force them to see that till God worke vs we are meere patients and after that acti agimus beeing mooued we mooue for his grace must not be idle in vs. The lewd and disordered Libertine when he reads that we are iustified by faith without workes casts off all care of his conuersation What can his workes doe what need they But he could not thus peruert the Scripture to his
things shall be neat and conuenient at home no care how Gods house lies When base trifles are preferred before Gods word and the good setling of it as stage-playes and enterludes When Gods Sabbaths and time must giue place to our callings or recreations or are passed away in Gods worship more heauily then holy-daies or worke-daies Here is a man affected more with his owne sinn then the highest causes of Gods glorie III. The reason of our Sauiours deniall For it is written Thou shalt worshippe the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue Our Sauiour had sharply reprooued Satans impudence in his bold on set this third time but yet because it is not sufficient to thrust off an aduersarie with heat of words and sharpe reproaches vnlesse there be added also a direct answer and satisfaction to the matter in hand he therefore most fully answereth by the Scriptures euen the deuill himselfe not contenting himselfe by his power to repell him which Satan now beginneth to feele vnles also by the power of the word he conuince him and thereby award the dart and breake the temptation into peices Which must be our rule in dealing with vaine and iangling aduersaries not to answer them according to their foolish disposition or prouocation nor to be like them in frowardnes or stifnes in heat and peruersnes but to answer them with words of wisdom with sound matter and moderation both to conuince them and beat downe selfe-conceit in them which is the meaning of those two precepts Prou. 26.4.5 which seeme contrarie but are easily reconciled by the due respect of persons places times and other circumstances Euer remember one rule that no aduersarie suppose the deuill himselfe is to be answered by affection or passion but by iudgement and sound reason Yea if we haue no hope to winne our aduersarie or doe him much good as Christ had none of the deuill yet we must testifie to God and his truth for the confirmation of our selues and others The testimonie alleadged is out of Deut. 10.20 Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God thou shalt serue him and Deu. 6.13 An vniuersall and affirmatiue precept by which euery creature is bound to his Creator and him alone to performe diuine worship vnto him And it is aptly applyed by Christ to this dart of Sathan For it implyeth 1. That he himselfe as now standing in this conflict with Sathan is a creature of God as he is man though otherwise as God he be equall to his Father As man he is subiect to the law and to this precept among the rest 2. That Satan is not God as he pretendeth by his vniust claimes nor any way equall to God 3. That therefore neither must he beeing a creature giue the least diuine worship from God nor he that thus claimes it can by any meanes be capable of it 4. That the Scriptures of God reserue vnto God his due worship and forbid that any creature shall share with him Christ stands not to dispute whether the sight presented were a shadow or substance nor whether he would giue it him or no but holds him to the Scripture which vpholds his Fathers right Quest. But why doth our Sauiour change and adde to the text of Scripture as not regarding that terrible woe denounced against such as adde or take away from the word and contrary to that in Deut. 12.32 Here our Sauiour 1. changeth Moses saith Thou shalt feare Christ saith Thou shalt worship 2. addeth for Moses hath not the word onely which is of Christs putting to that text Answ. 1. Here is some difference indeed in words but not in sense and therefore it is no corruption of the text nor letting out the life of it which stands not in the words but in the true sense 2. Our Lord both in great wisedome changeth the word feare into worship and iust cause for 1. Moses vseth feare which is a generall word in which is contained all such diuine duties as godly men ought to performe vnto God and our Sauiour mentions one speciall which is included in that generall which thing Moses speakes as well as hee in the generall as he that commaunds a whole commands euery part inward and outward 2. Hereby our Sauiour aptly meetes with Satans temptation If thou wilt worship me he vseth the same word not tying himselfe to Moses his words but keeping the sense but to Satans word and 3. He noteth the nearenesse and vndiuidednes of Gods feare and his worship as where the cause is there will be the effect so true feare and worship goe together where one is there will be the other and for this cause one is put for the other not here onely but elsewhere as Esa. 29.13 their feare toward mee was taught by the precept of men Christ alleadging it Matth. 15.9 saith You worship me in vaine As for the word onely added which is not in the law it no way addeth any contrary or diuerse sense to Moses but onely expoundeth or giueth a fit commentarie to the text and speaketh that plainely in one word which Moses doth in more as Deut. 2.13 Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and walke after no other gods which is all one with our Sauiours Thou shalt serue him onely As he that saith The King is the supreame gouernour and none but hee saith in effect The King is the onely supreame gouernour 3. Christ and his Apostles had a priuiledge in alleadging Scriptures without errour and were infallible expounders as well as alleadgers 4. This alteration of words is made by Christ to warrant vs that Scriptures alleadged by teachers according to their right sense although with alterations and additions are to be taken as true expositions and allegations we beeing not tyed so strictly to words as to sense For otherwise all our sermons and expositions which serue to beat out the true sense of Scriptures and apply it to seuerall vses might be condemned as idle additions to Scripture which is blasphemous 5. To warrant vs that principles of religion expounded by warrant of Scripture are truely interpreted though the Scriptures in so many formall words expresse them not As for example In the doctrine of iustification by faith we say we are iustified by faith onely before God here the Papists exclaime on vs as accursed heretikes because we read not the word onely in all the Scripture But we read it in effect and in true sense Rom. 3.28 and Eph. 2.8 by faith without workes which exclusiue is all one as to say onely by faith as our Sauiour interprets the exclusion of other gods by the word onely As if I should say I did such a thing without help is it not all one to say I onely did it If Christs interpretation be true and warrantable so must ours in the point of iustification And if the deuill himselfe had not yeelded to Christs allegation he might haue said Thou thrustest in the word onely and addest to
destruction if he compared it with such Scriptures as say that faith without workes is dead and that faith workes by loue The reconciling whereof would teach them that although works be excluded from iustification yet not from faith they must be in the person iustified though not in the iustification of his person This conference of Scripture is either in places parallel and like or in such as seeme to be opposed and vnlike The conferring of like places bringeth great light to the reader As for example 1. Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing and vncircumcision is nothing If we would vnderstand what is meant by this nothing compare we it with Gal. 5.6 In Christ Iesus neither vncircumcision auaileth any thing nor circumcision where nothing is to auaile nothing and is not referred to circumcision or vncircumcision it selfe but to the person it is nothing to his saluation So Psal. 110.1 Sit at my right hand till I make thy enemies thy footstoole If we would know whom this is meant of compare it with 1. Cor. 15.25 For Christ must raigne till he haue put all his enemies vnder his feet Psal. 2.7 Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee this place is explained by the like Heb. 1.5 For to which of the Angells said he at any time Thou art my Sonne c. Psal. 97.7 Worship him all yee Gods what is meant by Gods and whom must the Gods worshippe see Hebr. 1.6 When hee brought his first borne into the world he said Let all the Angells of God adore him Concerning vnlike places we haue this rule That they speake not either of the same thing or manner or time and by wary obseruation of the circumstances this will easily appeare in examples Ioh. 16.13 the Apostles after the gift of the Spirit were led into all truth and freed from errour Yet Peter greatly erred after that Gal. 2.11 Answ. The Apostles were led into all truth of doctrine and erred not but were not free from all error in life and conuersation now Peters error was not directly in doctrine but in conuersation with the Gentiles So as the opposition is not in the same thing Isa. 59.21 My word shall not depart from thee nor from thy seedes seed for euer saith the Lord yet Matth. 21.43 the kingdome shall bee taken from you Answ. The Prophet speaketh of the whole true Church of God which shall be perpetuall vpon earth our Sauiour of the nation of the Iewes So as the seeming opposition is not in the same Luk. 17.19 Thy faith hath made the whole here faith is greater then charitie but in 1. Cor. 13.13 charitie is greater then faith Ans. They speake not of the same faith the former place speakes of iustifying faith considered with his obiect Christ which not absolutely as a qualitie but relatiuely as apprehending Christ is greater then charitie the latter of miraculous faith which is lesse Rom. 7.22 Paul delights in the Lawe of God yet v. 23. Paul resisteth the Law of God Answ. This is indeed an opposition in the same person but not in the same part Paul stands of spirit and flesh according to the former part he delights in the law according to the latter he rebelleth against it Luk. 10.28 Life is promised to the worker This doe and liue Rom. 4.3 not to him that worketh but to him that beleeueth is faith imputed to righteousnesse Answ. Both speake of the word but not of the same part of the word which standeth of two parts the law and this promiseth life to the worker and the Gospel which promises life to the beleeuer Ioh. 5.31 If I giue testimonie to my selfe my testimony is not true Ioh. 8.14 If I testifie of my selfe my testimonie is true Answ. Consider Christs testimonie two wayes 1. As the testimonie of a singular man and thus considering himselfe as a meere man he yeilds to the Iewes that his testimony were vnfit and not sufficient in his owne cause because by the law out of the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word must stand but 2. Consider him as a diuine person comming from heauen and hauing his Father giuing witnesse with him thus his testimonie is infallible not subiect to passion or delusion And of this the latter place speaketh Matth. 10.8 Freely yee haue receiued freely giue Luk. 10.7 The workeman is worthy of his wages Answ. The places speake of the same persons but not of the same workes the former of miraculous workes which are not to be bought and sold for money the vse of them being onely to forward their ministerie the latter of the function of preaching and labour in building the Church equity requires that he that laboureth in the ministry should receiue recompence for his labour Gal. 6.6 Hos. 13.9 God is not the author of euill Amos 3.6 There is no euill in the citie which the Lord hath not done Answ. It is not the same euill but that the euill of fault this the euill of punishment Prou. 20.9 Who can say my heart is cleane Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart Answ. 1. A man absolutely considered in himselfe is all impure so the former place speaketh but relatiuely considered in Christ he is pure so the latter 2. No man is pure in respect of the presence of corruption but the godly are in respect of the efficacie and rule of it Mark 16.15 The Apostles must goe out into all the world Matth. 10.5 They must not goe into the way of the Gentiles Answ. Distinguish times and the Scripture will be consonant enough the former place is meant of preaching after Christs time the latter while he was liuing on earth Both are true because the times are diuerse Ioh. 3.17 God sent not the Sonne to iudge the world Ioh. 5.27 The Father hath giuen all iudgement to the Sonne Answ. The time of his abasement at his first comming when he came not to iudge but to be iudged must be distinguished from his second comming in glory and maiestie to iudge the quicke and the dead of this the latter Exod. 20.15 Thou shalt not steale chap. 11.2 Robbe or spoyle Egypt Answ. A speciall commandement of God neuer opposeth a generall but is onely an exception from it So of Abrahams mentall slaying of his sonne If a man of himselfe should steale or kill it is sinne but if God bid it is not Malac. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not yet it seemes he is changeable Ier. 18.7 Answ. The Scripture speakes not in the same respect God changeth not in himselfe but in respect of vs hee is changed as the schooles speake non affectiuè sed effectiuè in respect of his work not of his affection for so there is no variablenes or shadow of change in him Psal. 18.20 Iudge mee according to my righteousnesse Psal. 143.2 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant Answ. There is a twofold righteousnes one of the cause another of the person by this latter he will not
2. How generally are we in loue with our sinnes which out of Malachi we haue shewed to be a tempting of God God hath powred abundant mercies vpon vs the people of England yet we goe on to prouoke and tempt him the more his mercies the more our sinnes how can this abusing of goodnes but heap vp wrath against our selues Can there bee a greater tempting of God in his iustice then to goe on and trade in sinne without repentance presuming that God will not punish vs What a number of notorious wicked persons are resolued to adde drunkennesse to thirst and sinne to sinne and yet at last meane to be saued 3. How hardly can we be kept from wicked companies and occasions Though we be warned by Christs voice speaking in the word as Peter was yet we thrust into Caiaphas his hall and the Players hall which is the deuills schoole and will not auoide occasions till the ende of sinne bring sorrow and bitternesse incurable How easily doe men loose the watch ouer themselues against their owne resolutions and the motions of Gods word and Spirit when they might redeeme their precious time gained from their speciall calling to the generall in reading meditating praier c. presently the deuill thrusts them out of both callings to gaming drinking or bowling or such vnprofitable exercises Oh when God layes you on your death-bed this one sorrow if God euer giue you sense of your estate will be ready to sinke you that you haue loosely and vnfruitfully parted with your time and now you cannot buy an afternoone to bewaile the losse of many in with all your substance 4. How prone are we to venture and rush vpon any thing without a calling or without a warrant as when men cast themselues into vnnecessary dangers hoping that God will deliuer them Many runne on an head into vnlawfull contracts without care of any word to guide them Others strike the hand and vndoe themselues by suretiship Others cast off profitable callings and betake themselues to vnprofitable and hurtfull as vsurers and their bawds and keepers of smoake-shops And some will runne vpon ropes for praise or profit In all this men are out of their way and in a course of tempting God Would a man cast himselfe into the sea in hope he should neuer be drowned or on a perswasion hee should neuer be burnt cast himselfe into the fire Wee hauing stayres are prone to leape downe Christ our Lord would not do so 5. How common a thing is it both in matters of soule and bodie to seuer the meanes from the ende which is a plaine tempting of God as our Sauiour here calleth it Euery man hopes to goe to heauen but neuer seekes the way What a number will be saued by miracle for meanes they will vse none faith repentance knowledge mortification sanctification they are strangers yea enemies vnto God fedde the Iewes miraculously in the wildernes not in Canaan not in Egypt where meanes were Christ fed many people by miracle in the wildernesse but beeing neere the city he bought bread Ioh. 4.8 God will neuer feed thee with the heauenly Mannah by miracle where the meanes are to be had but are neglected How many will either be saued as the theefe was on the crosse or they will neuer be saued they make their saluation but an houres worke and make as short a matter of it as Balaam who would but die the death of the righteous What a tempting of God is this as if a man would adde his oath vnto Gods that he shall neuer enter into his rest Christ hath sufficiently set forth his diuine power by that example of him on the crosse he need not nor will not doe it againe in sauing thee by miracle It is a better argument Christ saued the theefe at the last houre on the crosse therefore he will not so saue me then otherwise What a common sin is it to neglect the meanes and despise the word as a weake and silly meanes as the Preachers be silly men Oh if we had greater meanes some man from the dead or some Angel from heauen or some miracles we could be better perswaded A great tempting of God as though his wisedome had failed in appointing sufficient meanes for the faith of his people Christ reprooued this infidelitie Iob. 4.48 Except ye see signes and wonders ye will not beleeue Notably Luther If God should offer me a vision I would refuse it I am so confirmed in the truth of the word How commonly doe men stand out the threats of the word plainly denounced against their sinne euen in their owne consciences which is nothing but to tempt God and try whether he will be so iust and strict In the things of this life men tempt God many wayes 1. Idle persons are tempters of God that for working might releeue themselues and theirs but they will not and yet hope to liue whose presumptuous tempting of him God reuengeth either by giuing them ouer to stealing and so they fall into the Magistrates hand or he hardens mens hearts against them that they finde not that good in an idle and wandring life which they expected These must haue water out of a rocke and be extraordinarily fed thrusting themselues out of the ordinary course which God hath put all flesh vnder viz. By the sweat of thy browes thou shalt get thy bread 2. The omitting of any ordinarie meanes of our good or ouer-prizing of any meanes is a tempting of God to take them from vs and a reuenging of the abuse Hezekiah though the Lord say he shall liue 15. yeares must not omit meanes but take drie figges and lay to the apostem Asa must not trust to Physicke for then he shall neuer come off his bedde 3. In our tryalls when wee murmure grudge make hast or vse vnlawfull meanes we tempt God and incurre this great sinne So as none of vs can wash our hands of it but it will sticke with vs and we had need daily to repent of it because it daily thrusts vs vnder the displeasure of God Labour we to nourish our confidence of Gods power and mercy which is an opposite vnto this sinne and striue against it Quest. By what meanes Answ. By obseruing these rules 1. See that in euery thing thou hast Gods word and warrant for that thou doest say not I hope I may doe this or that but I know I may do it If thou hast a word thou maiest be bold without tempting God that is the ground of faith and tempting of God is from infidelitie Act. 27.34 when Paul was in extreame perill he tells the marriners they should come safe to land Why what was his ground euen a speciall word the Angell of God told him that night that none should perish 2. Walke with God as Enoch prouoke him not by sinne then maiest thou pray vnto God and secure thy selfe vnder his wing in danger without tempting him So long as a man hath a