or doe you crush him Answ. It is written God resists the proud 1. Pet. 5.5 and in giuing honour goe one before another and pride goes before the fall and that the haughtie eie is one of the sixe things which the Lord abhorres Prou. 6.17 Obiect 2. But you are a man of knowledge wise and learned what need you be so diligent in hearing sermons especially of such as are farre your inferiours you can teach them not they you Answ. It is written Isa. 5.21 Woe be to them that are wise in their own conceits and Christ hath said Hee that despiseth you despiseth mee Luk. 10.16 and that Iob despised not the counsell of his maide much lesse must I of the least Minister and that we knowe but in part and are to consider not who but what is spoken and that the same Spirit is mightie in one and in another Obiect 3. But you are a man of gifts and authoritie and these will carrie you through all and you may rise and treade such and such vnder your feete who dare say any thing to you Answ. It is written Matth. 18.6 Whosoeuer offendeth any of these little ones that beleeue in mee it were better for him a milstone were tied about his neck and he cast into the midst of the sea and Hee that doth wrong shall receiue according to the wrong that he hath done and there is no respect of persons Coloss. 3.25 Obiect 4. But you may followe the fashions of the world in strange apparell ruffian behauiour monstrous tyres who may els how else should you bee knowne to be a gentleman or a gentlewoman Answ. It is written 1. Pet. 3.3 that euen womens apparelling must not be outward as with broydered haire and gold c. but the hid man of the heart must be vncorrupt for Sarah and other holy women trusting in God did so attire themselues and againe Fashion not your selues according to this world but be renewed in the spirit of your mind Bee euer of the newest fashion there Obiect 5. But it is a small matter and of great credit to sweare and curse and speake bigge words it is a way to get reputation and be respected as a man of spirit Ans. It is written Leuit. 24.16 He that blasphemeth the name of the Lord shall be put to death all the Congregation shall stone him and Iam. 5.12 Aboue all things my brethren sweare not neither by heauen nor earth nor any other oath but let your Yea be Yea and your Nay Nay The fourth instance is in motions to wrong and iniustice Obiect 1. Thou art a great man thou hast tenants thou mayest and must liue by them they are thy seruants and thou must enrich thy selfe by them racke their rents bind them to suit and seruice they cannot resist thee Or thou art a Master keepe thy seruants wages from him make thy vse of it wearie him poore snake what can he doe pay him at thy pleasure he will endure any thing rather then loose thy worke Answ. It is written Iam. 2.13 Iudgement merciles belongs to them that shew no mercie and those that grinde the faces of the poore shall one day be ground vnder the milstone of Gods heauie displeasure and Leu. 19.13 Thou shalt not robbe thy neighbour the workemans hire shall not abide with thee till the morning The reason is in Deu. 24.15 Least thy seruant cry against thee to the Lord surely it shall be sinne vnto thee Obiect 2. But thou maiest make the best of thine owne commodities by hoising the prices and diminishing or corrupting the quantitie or qualitie No man can force thee to sell thy owne in deare times vnlesse thou wilt and much lesse to giue it away to the poore and needy then shut vp thy heart liue to thy selfe let others shift for themselues as thou doest for one Answ. It is written that couetousnesse is the root of all euill and that it is idolatrie and the Lord hath sworne by a great oath euen by his owne excellencie Amos 8.4 that he will neuer forget any of their workes that swallow vp thee poore and make the needie of the land to faile that were wearie of the Sabbath because it hindred their setting of wheate to sale that made the Epha small and the shekel great and falsified their weights and sold corrupt corne that is tooke all courses for gaine Besides the fearefull fruits of couetousnesse in Achan Gehazi Ahah Iudas Obiect 3. But thou lendest thy money too freely ten in the hundred thou maiest take by law but if by cunning trickes and deuises thou canst get twentie in the hundred thou shalt growe rich the sooner Answ. It is written Luk. 6.35 Lend freely looking for nothing againe and Deut. 23.19 Thou shalt not giue to vsury to thy brother and Exod. 22.25 If thou lend money to my people thou shalt not be an vsurer and Leu. 25.36 Thou shalt take no vsurie nor aduantage neither lend him money nor victualls to encrease and what shall it profit a man to winne the whole world and loose his owne soule Obiect 4. But thou art a poore man and defraudest thy selfe of profit thou mayest by an oath or a lie or a little cunning and sleight get good gaines and why needest thou be so nice Answ. It is written Prou. 22.2 The rich and the poore meete together and the Lord is the maker of them both that is in their persons and in their estates and Leu. 19.11.12 Yee shall not sweare by my name falsly neither defile the name of the Lord thy God and that the curse entreth into the house of the swearer and theife and yee shall not steale nor deale falsly nor lie one to another and that all that loue abhomination and lyes shall be kept without the gates of the holy Citie with dogges Reu. 22.15 and that I must not lie for Gods glory much lesse for my owne profit Obiect 5. But thou maiest reuenge thy selfe vpon thy enemie and make him know whom he hath in hand broach some vntruth or other vpon him and thou shalt at least disgrace him and if thou leâ—st him goe with this euery one will scorne thee Answ. It is written Vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord and Thou shalt not beare false witnesse and Matth. 7.12 Whatsoeuer you would that men should doe to you the same doe you to them and It is the glory of a man to passe by offences Obiect 6. But the cause is good the Catholike cause it is but a title of rebellion or treason indeed it is a meritorious worke and thou shalt be canonized a Romish Martyr if thou shalt kill a King or Queene or Prince that is an heretike but aboue all if thou canst by one terrible blow not onely kill the King Queene and Prince but also the whole Counsell all the Lords all the Iudges all the lawes all the law-makers yea and blow vp the whole Parliament house and with that three hereticall
in common talke vainely is not to shew reuerence to this holy ordinance Sweare not at all that is vncalled Matth. 5.34.35 neither beeing called but in truth iustice and iudgement for an oath is appointed to decide controuersies which other meanes cannot How few consider whether the matter be worth an oath or whether they be called to it or whether it might not haue been better passed by Yea or Nay or by a bare asseueration A wicked man is described by beeing a swearer Eccl. 9.3 but a godly man not onely not sweares from which a man by education or ciuilitie may abstaine but also feares an oath in what companie soeuer he is or what occasion soeuer he hath 3. A lot is another special ordinance of God to decide a controuersie from heauen by God himselfe when all means on earth fayle Therfore lots must not be vsed without great reuerence and prayer because the disposition of them commeth immediately from the Lord Prou. 16.33 and not but in great matters not for recreation for it is said to cause contentions to cease among the mightie Pro. 18.18 neither doe we read that it was euer vsed but in very great things as the diuiding of the land of Canaan the election of high Priests and Kings and the surrogation of Matthias into the place of Iudas Hence it followes if dice and cards be lots as I thinke they be that all play by them is vnlawfull 4. Some times are sanctified aboue other as the Sabbath day all which must be passed holily with much reuerence and respect both remembring it before it come yea reioycing in the approach of it and when it is come to sanctifie it 1. In our hearts for externall obseruation of the Sabbath without inward holinesse and affection to the duties of Gods seruice is hypocrisie 2. We must not meddle with any part of the duties of our ordinarie calling for that is no holy thing 3. Much lesse trauell to markets or faires but euery man must stay in his owne place Exod. 16.29 Neh. 13.15 to 9. 4 Least of all must we set any part of it apart to our recreations these be no holy things sports are inferiour to our lawfull callings which are to be laid aside farre from holy things and vnsutable to the Lords holy-day The like if not more may be said against pampering a mans selfe and others by feeding or feasting and of drinking or any such wicked passing away the Sabbath The same also is to be spoken of a day of feasting or publike thankesgiuing which haue the reason of a Sabbath Of these and all other Gods holy ordinances wee may say as the voice said to Peter What God hath sanctified pollute thou not A place is no longer holy then God and his worship is present Was Ierusalem a holy Citie how then is the beautifull citie become an harlot how is it that this citie which was the seat of Gods worship and the habitation and collection of the Sâ—ints is now an harbour of Turkes and Infidels ouerrunne with Turcisme or idolatrie Surely because the cause of this holinesse ceased the worshippe of God was corrupted the Sonne of God despighted the Gospel of God reiected the Saints of God murthered the day of visitation neglected And therefore they beeing infinitely departed from God and his pure worship God departs from them and God beeing gone the place ceaseth to be holy Bethel while the vision of the ladder lasted there was an holy place and so long as Gods worship continued there but when it admitted the pollution of idolatrie it must bee called Bethel no more but Bethauen When the congregation of Israel brought the Arke from Gilgal and set it vp in Shilo then was Shilo the standing house of God the seat of religion and iustice which God had chosen Iosh. 18.1 but for the sinnes of this place the Lord reiected it as Ier. 7.12 Goe now to Shilo into my place where I set my name in the beginning and behold what I did vnto it for the wickednesse of Israel if we will knowe what looke 1. Sam. 4.4 when by the villanie of Elies sonnes and outrage of the people the Lord was prouoked he gaue Israel into the hands of the Philistims there were 30000. footemen slain the Arke was taken Hophni and Phineas slaine Eli the high Priest brake his necke then did the glorie depart from Israel and the Ark neuer came at Shilo more So the Temple at Ierusalem was holy the citie holy so long as they continued in the true worship of God but after they crucified the Lord of life both citie temple as profane were destroyed so as Ierusalem although the holy citie of God if her filthines be found in her skirts she shall be bad in derision Lam. 1. the most beautifull rod if held out against God shall be broken yea the Temple of God if it become a denne of theeues God will depart from it For what is it that can tie God to any place but his own worship to which he hath tyed himselfe by promise Let not the vaine Romanist boast of the pretended chaire of Peter from which God cannot possibly depart Can God depart from Shilo for the sinnes of Priests and people where first he put his name and can he not depart from Rome Can he depart from the holy citie where he promised he would rest and can he not be driuen from the great citie of the whore to which he neuer made any such promise Can he depart in displeasure from her whose foundations were layed among the holy mountaines Psal. 87.1 and can he not depart from the whore that sitteth vpon seuen hills Shall Bethlehem where Christ was borne be forsaken and cannot Babylon where Christ is daily crucified Nay the Lord is long since departed from her and her finall confusion is at the doore And if Ierusalem once the holy citie but now a cage and nest of vncleane Saracens and Turkes be left of God what a superstitious error preuailed in former times wherein such bloody battells were fought for the recouery of the holy land most superstitiously putting religion and holines euen in the place it selfe after all the holy things were profaned and God himselfe departed The euill successe of such battells euer shewed how God was offended with such superstitious warres and another mischeife by them oppressed the Christian world to keepe it in blindnesse For the Pope making his aduantage of this blinde deuotion if any King or Prince in Christendome stood betweene him and his proceedings one way or other he would send him out of his owne country in expedition for the holy warre and there hold him till hee had effected his owne designes in that Princes countrey and so strengthned himselfe in all lands as histories manifest Let vs not beare our selues as though we had God so sure as the Papist thinkes he hath him in a boxe or pretend any vaine priuiledge that we
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-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
was afterwards hungrie 3. Then came the Tempter to him and said If thou be the Sonne of God commaund that these stones be made bread 4. But he answering said It is written Man shall not liue by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God 5. Then the deuill tooke him vp into the holy Citie and set him on a pinacle of the Temple 6. And said vnto him If thou be the Son of God cast thy selfe downe for it is written that he will giue his Angels charge ouer thee and with their hands they shal lift thee vp least at any time thou shouldst dash thy foot against a stone 7. Iesus said vnto him It is written againe Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God 8. Againe the deuill tooke him vp vnto an exceeding high mountaine and shewed him all the Kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them 9. And said vnto him All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me 10. Then said Iesus vnto him Auoide Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue 11. Then the Deuill left him and behold the Angels came and ministred vnto him OVr Lord Iesus Christ hauing passed the former part of his preparation to his ministrie and office by his most holy baptisme of which we haue spoken at large in the former words now hee proceedeth to the second which standeth in temptation For as in the former he publikely reuealed himselfe to be that Messiah so long expected in whom saluation is purchased to all beleeuers of Iewes and Gentiles so herein he sheweth himselfe most euidently to be that promised seede of the woman who was to breake the serpents head and him who was set apart and sent from his Father to destroy and dissolue the workes of the deuill And therefore this holy doctrine bringing vs such glad tidings of Satans confusion and our owne rescue out of his hands must be most welcome to vs whereof if we would tast the sweetnesse and benefit we must stirre vp our best attentions affections petitions to heare with readines receiue with gladnesse and practise with fruitfulnesse such holy instructions as this Treatise will abundantly affoard vnto vs. Wherein must be handled three things 1. The preparation to Christs combate vers 1.2 2. The combate it selfe with the seuerall assaults from v. 3. to v. 11. 3. The issue and euent v. 11. The preparation hath three parts 1. Christs entring the lists by going into the wildernes 2. His expecting of the enemie by his abode and conuerse there 3. The entrance of his aduersarie The first part is enlarged by sundrie circumstances as 1. the time when this combate was Then 2. the person opposed Iesus 3. his guide he was lead by the spirit 4. the place into the wildernesse 5. the ende why he came thither to be tempted of the deuill In the second part three points are affoarded out of the three Euangelists 1. How he was furnished hee was full of the holy Ghost Luk. 4.1 2. What company he had he was with the wilde beasts Mark 1.13 3. What was his employment 1. he was tempted Luk. 4.2 2. hee fasted fortie dayes and fortie nights and afterward was hungrie which was both the effect of his fast and the occasion of the first temptation The third generall part namely the entrance of our Sauiours aduersarie stands in three circumstances 1. the time then 2. the name of the aduersarie the tempter before called a deuill 3. the manner of his entrance he came The first circumstance in the preparation is the circumstance of time noted in the word Then which is not a word of supplement but of reference vnto the former historie of Christs baptisme which this immediately succeedeth as Mark. 1.12 Immediately the spirit driueth him note the present tense into the wildernesse so as Christ went directly from Iordan into the wildernesse Then 1. When Christ vndertooke his high office 2. When he was baptized 3. When the spirit had descended vpon him 4. When he had receiued testimonie from heauen that he was the Sonne of God and Doctor of his Church Hence note that The more God doth grace any man or aduance him in gifts or place the more doth Satan set himselfe to disgrace and molest him We read not that the Deuill did euer set vpon Christ while he liued as a priuate man though perhaps he did but now his Father setting him apart to worke mans redemption baptizing him powring his spirit vpon him and giuing testimonie with him that he is the Son of his loue now he is assailed with most violent temptations No sooner is he set apart to his office therein to glorifie God and gratifie man but he is set vpon by Satan a deadly enemy to both Moses was quiet enough till God set him apart to deliuer his brethren and after that he was neuer at quiet The like may be said of Dauid an eminent type of Christ while he kept his fathers sheepe he was at rest but if he will set vpon Goliah and be anointed King by Samuel let him looke to himselfe Saul will hunt him like a partrich and so narrowly espie his haunts that himselfe will say he must surely one day fall by the hand of Saul Zach. 3.1 when Iehoshuah the High Priest another type of Christ commeth to stand before the Lord in his seruice the Deuill commeth and standeth at his right hand to resist him The Apostle Paul so long as he was of the strict sect of the Pharisies he was highly esteemed and liued quiet enough but when he became an elect vessel to carrie the Gospel among the Gentiles then he was tryed and buffeted now he knowes that bonds and imprisonment abide him euery where 2. Cor. 7.5 and 6.5 1. Satans hostility against God and his glory and the meanes of it forceth him to hinder whatsoeuer may further Gods Kingdome and hinder his owne While the prisoner is in fetters vnder bars and bolts the Iaylour sleepes quietly and while the strong man keeps the hold all is in peace but disturbe him a little and you shall heare of him Hence it is that the more weighty any calling is and the more conscionable a man sets himselfe to discharge it which we see in Christ himselfe the more vigilantly doth Satan watch to hinder it Reach once at Satans head and he will surely reach as high as he may at thine 2. This is not without the good prouidence of God who hereby will prooue his seruants to whom he will commit some speciall worke whether they will shrinke or no hee will haue them also to haue good proofe and triall of his strength and faithfulnes in supporting them that they may the better commit themselues vnto him in time to come who hath vpheld them formerly and goe on vndanted in constant walking with him through the experience of his goodnes 3. God
these stones to be made bread Here is an inference vpon the former words If thou be the Sonne of God vpon a true ground Satan raiseth a dangerous consequence Christ was the Sonne of God true Must he therefore needs make stones bread It is an ordinary temptation of the deuill to inferre mischeiuous conclusions vpon true premisses God had no respect to Cains sacrifice as to Abels Whereas now Cain should haue offered of the best as Abel did and haue brought faith with his offering by which Abel offered a better sacrifice Heb. 11.4 Satan infeâ—res vpon it Therefore kill thy brother Saul receiued no answer of God that was true but that therefore he should goe to the wiâ—ch of Endor was Satans inference both against the law of God and Sauls owne law God is a 〈◊〉 God a true premisse and the scope of all the Scripture but that Ionah should therefore â—â—ie to Tâ—rsâ—ish and not goe to preach the destruction of Niniâ—e was a Satanicall inference A man must pittie himselfe and doe what he can to repell euill from him and auoid danger but that Christ should therefore not goe vp to Ierusalem to suffer was a dangerous consequence of Satan in Peters mouth whom therefore Christ calleth Satan 1. Satan is cunning and seeketh by mingling good and euill truth and falshood to iustifie that which is false and to draw it on with the truth If he should neuer speake truth hee could neuer deceiue halfe so much therefore he speakes many truthes to giue credit to his lies and the same he hath taught all his agents Doe we thinke that a false teacher or heretike could do any great hurt if he should not lay his leauen in a lump of truth would not euery man at first reiect him if he should bring neuer a true doctrine but therefore that his heresie may spread like a gangrene he comes with a faire pretence of many truths which cannot be denied Doe we thinke that the Church of Rome should haue so preuailed in the world or that Antichristian state should haue beene endured or could any Papist be suffered in ours or any wel-ordered countrey if they did not colour all their abhominations and false religion with some generall truths if they should not in word and shew hold and recite the articles of faith and principles of our religion concerning God in vnity of essence and trinity of person concerning Christ the Church c. were it possible that any Christian state could beare them while indeed and in truth they reuerse the whole foundation of religion and are limmes of Antichrist No their deceit is a mysterie and walks in darknes and the maske and vizards of truth with pretence of holines hath held the swords of Princes from them which else had long since beene sanctified in their ouerthrow 2. Satan can doe no other who cannot speake truth for truths sake for beeing a lyar from the beginning he loues not truth and therefore if he speake truth it is to corrupt the truth or to stablish some lie Lying is the deuills mothers tongue Ioh. 8.1 Sam. 28.17 18. Satan in the habite of Samuel spake many truths as that the Lord had rent the Kingdome from him and giuen it to Dauid because he had so spoken he would doe it and because Saul obeyed not the voice of the Lord nor executed his fierce wrath against the Amalâ—kites and that the Lord would deliuer him and the Israelites into the hand of the Philistims the next day c. But all this was to feed Saul in his delusion and hold him in his sinne as though he were Samuel as vers 17. the Lord hath done it euen as he spake by mine hand and v. 19. to morrow shalt thou bee with mee c. So in the new Testament we haue the deuills confessing Christ to be the Sonne of God the Holy One the summe of the Gospel and Paul and Silas to be the seruants of the high God Act. 16. but both Christ and his seruants put them to silence and would not haue them to speake the truth because it was to depraue and slander the whole truth as though Christ and his seruants had beene in league and agreement with the deuills and so their doctrine had beene not diuine but diabolicall Thus Satan like a barge-man lookes one way but rowes another 3. Satan sees how our nature is easily carried through a generall shew of good or truth to take in with it error and falshood hand ouer head without triall or discerning For though our blessed Sauiour would not confound stones and bread yet we easily take stones with bread and serpents with fishes The whole Masse-booke is but an heape of idolatrous prayers and ceremonies but yet because there is some shew of good in it many Scriptures and some tolerable and good prayers with many deuotions it is wholly receiued without triall of millions giuen ouer to delusion 4. Satan the prince of darknes can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light 2. Cor. 11.14 and the false Prophets will be confident that the truth is with them Zedechiah will oppose Micaiah and Hanani will smite Ieremie and make yokes against the King of Babels yoke Ier. 28.11 The Donatists in Africa cryed out that the sound Christians were traytors to the holy bookes and themselues the defendors of them The Papists at this day crie out with Dioscorus the heretike I defend the opinions of the fathers and their whole doctrine is condemned with mine Let vs learne to be wise and trie before we trust not taking all things in grosse but first examining and proouing them Falshood carries often a shew of truth and truth often couers falshood no vice appeareth in his proper colour but vnder the likenes of some vertue The Romish whore of Babylon offereth not her wine of fornications in the barke of some poisoned plant or shell of some poisonfull or venemous creature but hath conueyed them all into a cup of glistering gold Reu. 17.4 and this hath entised the great ones of the earth who gazed at the glister of the golden boule but neuer looked what was in it the glorious stile of Catholike Church Vicar of Christ Peters successor hath deceiued such as liked not to trie before they did trust and so hath vniuersality antiquity fathers consent and the like Eue should haue examined the words of the serpent and Adam the gift of his wife and then neither of them had beene deceiued The builders of Babel had they examined the motion before they had made onset had auoided that confusioÌ„ Abraham should haue tried the counsell of Sarah before he had taken her maid into his bosome This examination and triall by the touchstone of the word will shew the inconsequence of such dangerous conclusions How lamentably are many great wits and gifts giuen ouer in Popish countries for want of this sound triall taking their religion by tradition offering to the
Besides he had euen now heard the Fathers voice testifying Iesus his beloued Sonne and Christ knew if he would not beleeue the fathers voice he would not beleeue for the sonnes miracle 2. Christ would not by this miracle giue the least suspition that either he distrusted his Fathers seasonable prouidence or that hee would depend for his preseruation vpon the meanes but vpon his Fathers word he was in his Fathers worke and lead by the spirit into the wildernesse and therefore knew he should not want necessaries 3. It was an vnseasonable motion it was now a time of humiliation of temptation of affliction wherin it was fit to auoid all shew of ostentation which was the scope of the temptation for Satan would onely haue him to shew what he could doe for a need for a vaunt of his power Now in a time of serious humiliation to aduance himselfe by a miracle had been as seasonable as snow in haruest 4. Christ would not giue the least credit to Satan nor doe any thing at his desire were it good and profitable which he suggesteth for his end and issue is euer wicked and deuillish yea he would shew how he contemned the will of the tempter for he is not ouercome vnlesse he be contemned 5. Christ Iesus beeing the wisedome of his Father wel knew that Sathan grossely dissembled with him for he spake as if hee wished weâ—l vnto him and would haue his hunger satisfied but could he indeed respect the releefe of Christ did he desire Christs preseruation and welfare knew he not that he was the promised seed that must breake his head and destroy his works and therefore seeing Christ knew that Satan must needs seeke his destruction in all his attempts he had iust cause to yeeld to none of them all though they seemed neuer so beneficiall In that Christ here would not make his Diuinitie known to Satan neither by word nor miracle we may note that Christ will not purposely make himselfe knowne to such as hee knowes will make no right vse of him Luk. 22.8 when Herod saw Iesus he was exceeding glad for he had heard many things of him and hoped to haue seene some miracle But Christ would not worke any signe in his presence because he had wrought workes enough alreadie to prooue him the Son of God neither was it fit to prostitute the power of God to the pleasure of a vain man who would haue made no right vse of it Matth. 12.39 this euill and wicked generation seeketh a signe and none shall be giuen them saue the signe of the Prophet Ionah Why had they not infinite signes and miracles both then and afterward Yes but they had none such as they would haue for they would haue some extraordinarie signe as Matth. 16.1 Master shew vs a signe from heauen as if they had said Either cause the sunne to stand still or go back as in Ioshuahs and Hezekiahs daies or the Moone to stand as in Aielon or call for an extraordinarie tempest of thunder and raine as Samuel did which made all the people to feare the Lord and Samuel exceedingly 1. Sam. 12.18 or call for fire from heauen as Elijah did These and the like they thought beseeming men of God as for turning water into wine restoring of sight and legges c. those they saw little power in But why would not our Sauiour giue them such a signe as they desired Surely he had iust reason the same in this our doctrine for they did not desire it for a good end but as Luke saith expressely to tempt him not to helpe their infirmitie but to feed their curiositie neither to increase and strengthen faith but to nourish their infidelitie For had that bin their end had they not beside the doctrine of the Prophets and the fulfilling of the promises the blessed doctrine of the Sonne of God of whom some of themselues said Neuer man spake like him and for the confirmation of that many and mighty powerfull miracles which were signes from heauen shewing that he was from heauen And yet for all this they beleeued not So Matth. 27.42 the high Priests Scribes and Pharisies said If he be the King of the Iewes let him come down from the crosse and we will beleeue him No doubt Christ could but he would not not onely because it was an houre of darkenes but because he knew they would neuer haue beleeued him Psalm 22.22 23. I will declare thy name to my brethren to the seed of Iacob to Israel 1. This practise of Christ is answerable to his precept Matth. 7.6 Cast not holy things to dogges nor pearles before swine By holy things and pearles are meant the things of Gods Kingdome Christ and his merits c. so called both to shew the excellencie of them in themselues being aboue all pearles Pro. 3.14 as also our dutie to prize and lock them vp in our hearts and keep them as we do our pearles safely in our memories By dogges and hogges are meant malicious and obstinate enemies conuicted of enmitie against Gods word of whose amendement there is little hope euery man naturally is an enemie to God and his word and so a dog and a swine as Christ called the heathens and Gentiles It is not lawfull to take the childrens bread and cast it to dogs Now to such as these we must preach and offer the Sacramens yea Christ offered himselfe and came to call sinners but when his word and miracles were reiected and himselfe euill intreated as among the Pharisies then saith Christ Let them alone they are blinde leaders of the blind 2. Christ shewes himselfe vnto none but such as he loueth and loue him Ioh. 14.21 and this was the ground of Iudas his speach Lord what is the cause that thou wilt shew thy selfe to vs and not to the world the world sees him not for none seeth him but to whome he sheweth himselfe and he sheweth himselfe to none but such as loue him and none loue him but such as loue his word and keepe it vers 23. 3. This was one cause why Christ spake so many things in parables that such as would be blind might not see and such as would not make a right vse of his holy doctrine might not vnderstand Matth. 13.13 For many that heard them let them go without further question in a carelesse manner whereas the disciples of Christ inquired of him his meaning and one learned of another and so that which for the difficultie draue others away became in this manner of teaching much more easie and familiar yea much more perspicuous and cleare then any other 4. Neuer could extraordinarie means conuert such as beleeued not the word the ordinary meanes and therefore Christ neuer or seldome gratified the Scribes and Pharisies with miracles or extraordinarie meanes because they resisted his doctrine person and workes or if any wicked men saw any of his mighty workes and miracles they saw
not himselfe in them as Pharaoh what a number of miracles saw he yet he was neuer the better he would not acknowledge God nor his seruants and in the wildernes they who saw miracles euery day and moment yet not beleeuing the word of God in them were neuer the better the arme of the Lord was not made bare vnto them Ignorant persons that knowe not Christ no◠desire to knowe him are in a wofull estate beeing such as Christ counts vnworthy to reueale himselfe vnto and therefore he either keeps the means from them or leaues them without grace to make an holy vse of them In worse case are they that haue the meanes and yet no tast of them no reformation by them their couetousnes their pride their drunkennesse and vncleannesse will not be left as many that come to Church to heare the word and receiue the Sacraments and yet are no better then dogges and swine and altogether vnreformed in their liues and courses Some draw the word of God into question and would be taught by Angels or miracles as Satan here but Christ will not make himselfe knowne to them no more then to him so saith Abraham to Diues in hell when he denied his request They haue Moses and the Prophets if they will not beleeue them neither would they beleeue if one should rise from the dead Some are resolued to liue as they list let the Preachers say what they can whereas he that is in Christ to whom he reueales himselfe is a new creature for Christ speakes to the heart not to the eare onely Others say they are decreed to life or death and therefore doe what they can they cannot change Gods minde and hence neuer goe about to change themselues But had Christ shewed himselfe to these he would haue directed them to the meanes of sauing knowledge namely to the Scriptures which testifie of him Ioh. 5.29 and to faith which vnites to him and to the fruits of faith which testifie the truth of it to his glory and their comfort Others will be saued by faith alone and by a profession of the Gospell and so neglect the workes which iustifie it and the power of godlines whereas if Christ in the Ministry had reuealed himselfe to such he had quickned their faith and not left it as a carkase for faith without workes is dead Others poore simple people will be saued by mercy alone and neuer labour for knowledge faith or true feeling of their owne estate and care not how sinne abound that mercie may abound much more But had Christ met with them he would let them see their misery in the causes and effects and teach them to hunger after mercie in the meanes and hauing obtained it to goe and sinne no more least a worse thing follow Others disclaiming the doctrine of mortification and selfe-deniall therefore dislike the word as too straite a doctrine stripping them of their pleasures and profits and hence some hold on in their lusts some returne with the swine to their wallowing in the mire they cannot die to sinne they cannot liue without laughter mirth and sports Whereas had Christ reuealed himselfe vnto them hee would haue taught them that his yoke is an easier yoke then the yoke of sinne and that there is no sound comfort but in mortified affections and actions Whosoeuer would haue Christ reueale himselfe fully vnto him must labour to be thus qualified 1. He must be humble for he teacheth the humble in his wayes Psal. 25.9 but the proud he sends empty away as raine makes vallies fruitfull but falls off the mountaines which are therefore barren 2. He must long and desire to meet Christ in his ordinances for Christ is the scope of the word and Sacraments therfore desire to know nothing but Christ crucified goe to the tents of shepheards where he hath told thee thou shalt meet him And this desire if it be sincere will vent it selfe in earnest prayer to be taught of God Teach me thy statutes Oh open mine eyes that I may see the wonderfull things of thy law And it hath a promise to be answered Ioh. 14.21 I will loue him and shew my owne selfe to him 3. He must haue a conscionable indeauour and industrie to obey that part of Gods will which he reuealeth vnto him Ioh. 7.17 If any man will doe his will hee shall knowe whether the doctrine bee from God or no. The third part in the answer is the matter of it a testimony of Scripture It is written Christ might haue oppressed the deuill by his diuine power but beeing as man to be tempted he would as man ouercome 1. to magnifie mans nature 2. to torment Satan the more and 3. to teach vs how to ouercome him And by this his practise he giues to vnderstand that The word written is a chiefe part of our spirituall armour to foyle Satan by yea indeed the principall weapon of our spirituall warfare is the word of God 1. Eph. 6.17 Take vnto you the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God and therefore as a sword it serues 1. to defend vs 2. to wound Satan 3. to cut asunder all his temptations so it did serue Christ here Neither is it a carnall weapon but the sword of the Spirit that is a spirituall weapon as the fight is spirituall not made by man but tempered framed sharpned and put into our hands by the Spirit of God himselfe for whose word else 〈◊〉 it or whence hath it power but from Gods Spirit Reu. 1.16 It is called the two-edged sword which goeth out of the mouth of Christ because it is sharpe and piercing to wound all his enemies it pierceth to the very bones and marrow With this sword he slayes the wicked Isa. 11.4 with this he visites Leuiathan and slaies the dragon that is the mightiest enemies of his Church Isa. 27.1 with this sword he consumes Antichrist 2. Thess. 2.8 and with this sword he foiles the deuill here with the same he slaies corruptions and Satanicall temptations in the hearts of his owne children 2. This part of our armour was signified by the sheilds wherewith Salomons Temple was hanged Cant. 4.4 and by the smooth stones whereby Dauid smote the Philistim 1. Sam. 17.40 here the sonne of Dauid and Dauids Lord smites the Goliah of hell with a deadly wound Sauls armour is here refused worldly weapons wisedome and subtilty and one stone is taken from the fountaines of holy Scripture out of the bagge of his holy memory and by it Satan falls Yea it is the armory of the Church whence all other parts of Christian armour are to bee had 3. All the contention and fight of Satan is to fasten some error and falshood vpon vs now therefore the onely fence from error is to be girded with the girdle of truth now the title of truth is often giuen to the word of God Psal. 19.10 the iudgements of
and goe backe or stand still If he command the winds or sea to be still they shall be still and presently there shall bee a great calme If he send forth his word the mountaines of yee shall melt Psal. 147.18 If he commaund the whale he shall set Ionah on drie land cap. 2. v. 10. If he commaund the solid and senslesse earth it shall heare and rend to swallow vp Corah Dathan and Abâ—ram If he commaund the fire not to burne it shall heare and not burne the three children If he command dead men they shall heare come out of their graues as Lazarus c. and all men at the generall iudgement But as God can see without eyes and reach without hands so also doth he speake without a tongue as the light the firmament the heauens and other his workes can heare his voice without eares neither wanteth he a meanes to make his minde knowne and his pleasure manifest to the most senslesse creatures This should teach vs to depend vpon this word of God for our liues and meanes of maintaining them for so our Lord Iesus did in this barren wildernesse he would not sustaine himselfe but by Gods word Doest thou want meanes of liuing and maintenance Consider that man liues not by bread alone This word can make the aire light without and before either sunne moone or starre Gen. 1.3 This word can make the earth fruitfull before the raine had euer fallen vpon it Gen. 2.5 Wantest thou bread God hath not locked vp thy life in bread it may bee he hath another word which if thou hearest with Moses and Elias thou shalt liue without bread Asa when he was in a great straite 2. Chron. 14.11 for he was with fiue hundred and fourescore thousand to encounter with an armie of tenne hundred thousand and three hundred chariots he looked vp to this word of God and said that the Lord could saue by many or fewe or by none Hast thou meanes of liuing yet depend on this word thy life stands not in bread or in abundance if God withdrawe his word neither restoratiue quailes nor heauenly Manna if thou hadst them shall preserue thy life How often doth God blow vpon the second meanes to bring vs to this word The faith of this truth doth fence the heart with sound comfort when all outward meanes doe faile if the heart can say to it selfe What if God doe not giue me my desire by this meanes or that I know God hath more words then one more blessings then one and man liueth by euery word And faith strengthens the heart 1. By setting before the eye Gods power in this word how that one word of his mouth is enough to helpe vs one word is able to create innumerable armies of Angels and creatures one fiat is enough to make all creatures and all this to come or goe or stand still as most dutifull seruants to their Master Matth. 8. the Centurion comming to Christ for the health of his seruant desires him not to come within his roofe for he was not worthy of that fauour nor to send him any receit or physicke to doe him good but onely to speake the word and hee was sure his seruant should be healed A strong faith in a strong word It is but a word with God then how easily how presently how certainely will God doe me good if he see it good for me 2. By assuring the heart that his will is as readie to doe vs good as his word is able and it sets the promise before vs that nothing shall be wanting to them that feare God The former in the example of the leper Matth. 8. Lord if thou wilt thou canst make mee cleane and in the next words to shew he is as willing as able he saith I will be thou cleane by which word proceeding out of the mouth of God his leprosie was instantly cured his will was his word and his word was his worke The latter in the example of Abraham whose faith set before his eies Gods promise that in Isaac his seed should be called and that by Isaac he should be a Father of many nations and therefore when at Gods word he went out to offer Isaac and Isaac asked him where was the sacrifice he answered God will prouide One eye was on Gods word commanding him to slay his sonne another vpon this other word that God was able to raise him vp from the dead whence after a sort he receiued him and that he also would doe so before his promise should be frustrate 3. By setting before the Christian heart the blessed issue and successe of vnwauering confidence in the word of God The Israelites going out of Egypt and wandring in the wildernesse so many yeares by the appointment of Gods word he did supply all their wants by his word and it became all things vnto them which their hearts could desire 1. he paued them a way in the sea and suddenly made the waters a wall vnto them 2. he gaue them bread from heauen euen Angels food and that in our text was by his word 3. he gaue them water out of a rocke and that by his word he bade Moses speake to the rocke 4. hauing no means for clothes his word kept their garments for forty yeares from waxing old But what need we goe out of our text in which the example of our Head and Lord may best confirme vs for wanting bread in the wildernes he would not turne stones into bread but waited on the word of his Father till the Angells came and ministred vnto him euen so the adopted sonnes of God treading in the steps of our Lord shall by vertue of the same word alwaies finde releife one way or other Who would haue thought that euer Iob should haue swomme out of that misery hauing lost all his cattell substance and children but because when the Lord was a killing him in his owne sence he trusted in him the Lord raised him and doubled the wealth and prosperity he had before Who would haue thought that euer Daniel should haue escaped the lyons denne and teeth beeing cast in amongst them or that Peter should haue escaped Herods sword beeing bound in chaines and watched of souldiers to be brought out to death next day But trusting in the Lord this word shut the mouths of the lyons and opened the prisons iron doores and brake in sunder the chaines and so both of them were wonderfully deliuered Surely this doctrine well digested is full of comfort and quietnes and would set the heart at rest and make all outward troubles easie If a man could once get his heart to trust in the word as Dauid did Psal. 119.42 it would sustaine the soule in many troubles and bring in so sweet a contentment as the world is a stranger vnto On the contrary whence is it that mens hearts faile them and they sinke in their troubles but because they trust to the meanes
captaine of the Lords host appeared vnto him chap. 5.15 1. Whatsoeuer was in the law separated to God and his seruice was called holy the Sabbath was holy the Priests garments holy Exod. 28. Thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother Holy both because they were peculiar to the holy Priesthood for none else might put them on and because they were to be vsed in the holy place for when they came forth of the Tabernacle they must put them off and thirdly consecrate to holy vses and to be an holy type of Christs righteousnes a precious robe wherein all our sacrifices are offered The flesh was holy which was offered to the Lord in sacrifice Hagg. 2.13 For places Bethel was an holy place when Iacob saw the vision of the ladder there and the Temple was holy For people the Iewes were called an holy nation and Christians an holy Priesthood and Saints by calling 1. Pet. 2.9 For persons some are sanctified in the wombe to some speciall seruice as Ieremie cap. 1.5 and Iohn Baptist. Yea euery faithfull mans heart is as it were an Arke of God in which are kept the Tables of the Law yea the Tabernacle of God and the Temple of the holy Ghost where he pleaseth to dwell And thus was Ierusalem an holy citie so long as it continued in the true worship of God 2. This appeares by the contrarie seeing this holinesse was no further annexed to this place then God tyed his presence to it for when as the Iewes had crucified the Lord of glorie both the Temple and City as profane were destroyed and deliuered into the hand of the Romans and are now in the hands of the Turke a nest of vncleane and idolatrous beasts most sauage enemies of Christ and Christian profession 3. That place must needs be holy where the Lord dwelleth as a Master in his house teaching ordering and supplying all necessaries where Christ the holy Sonne of God walketh in the midst of the seauen golden Candlesticks beeing conuersant among the flockes of shepheards where the holy Spirit of God is present to powre out his treasures of wisedome and grace by meanes of the word and Sacraments which are his chariot and which not accompanied with the Spirit are but dead and ineffectuall to regeneration where the holy Angels are present to assist the ministery to repell hinderances to behold our order but especially desirous to looke into the mysteries of our saluation where the holy Saints vpon earth are met together to seek and see the face of the Lord ioyning together in all the parts of his pure and holy worship in hearing his holy word receiuing his holy Sacraments preferring publikely their holy prayers greatly by this meanes glorifying God and enriching their owne selues Surely this is Bethel the house of God and the gate of heauen This teacheth vs not to despise our assemblies nor to think our Churches vnholy for some corruptions Looke vpon Ierusalem Matth. 23.37 you shall see the eleuen tribes were Apostates there were in it dumbe dogges Isa. 56.10 there were Scribes and Pharisies hypocrites nay at this time the doctrine of the law was corrupted by the false glosses of the Pharisies and the Temple almost a denne of theeues full of buyers and sellers Yet for all this the Euangelist calls it the holy Citie euen when it had more corruptions in it then the Church of England hath at this day Why 1. Because there was the seruice of the true God set vp in the Temple the word preached and sacrifices offered and the meetings of the Church of God 2. Because as yet they had not receiued a bill of diuorcement Haue not we the word truely preached and the Sacraments for substance truely administred And for discipline I will say I wish we had the execution of so much as the Church alloweth Or when did the Lord giue vs a bill of diuorce or what Church hath conuinced vs that we cannot be acknowledged for a true Church If they say they of the Separation haue I answer 1. They haue laboured to discouer some errors but none fundamentall in vs nor without as many in themselues 2. Wee may well doubt whether they be a Church or no seeing by the profession of some of their teachers they will not ioyne themselues to any Church at this day vpon the face of the earth and so renounce all Communion with all the parts of the Catholike Church in the world But we must not thinke much if some vnstable persons forsake our communion seeing in the golden and flourishing age of the Apostles themselues some such there were Heb. 10.25 As for our selues we may strengthen our selues against them by these conclusions 1. We know that the word of truth is truly preached amongst vs which appeareth by the daily conuersion of thousands whereas neuer was man conuerted by a word of error Iam. 1.18 2. We know that our Ministers are of God because by them so many are begottē to God Our Sauiour thought this a good reason when he said Beleeue me that I came out from the Father for the workes sake The blind man had good insight into this matter Ioh. 9.30 saying If this man were not of God he could doe nothing and a wonderfull thing it is that ye know not whence he is and yet he hath opened mine eyes So may I say to the Separatist Doest thou not know whence that Minister is who hath opened thine eyes 3. We know that our meetings are holy meetings 1. our people is outwardly called by an holy calling and to an holy ende 2. they professe faith in Christ which is an holy profession and in charity if we see no open raigning sinne are to be iudged Saints 3. congregations are called holy in Scripture from the better part not from the greater as an heap of wheat mingled and couered with chaffe yet is called wheat 1. Cor. 6.11 Now ye are sanctified washed and iustified but in epist. 2. cap. 12. I feare that when I come among you my God will humble mee and I shall bewaile many of them that haue sinned and haue not repented of their vncleannesse and fornication and wantonnesse which they haue committed Diuerse other abuses there were yet among Saints and beloued ones 4. mixt congregations are holy in Gods acceptation esteeming them not as they are in themselues but as members of Christ. When Israel was at the best it was a rebellious and stiffenecked people yet Balaam said He saw no iniquity in Iaacob nor transgression in Israel not that there was none but that none was imputed 4. We know that we haue no warrant to separate from holy things neither for some defects cleauing to them nor for ill men either handling them or communicating in them The Prophets neuer made any separation in times of greatest corruption euen when they cried out of their wickednes 1. Sam. 2.24 Doe so no more my sonnes said Eli ye make the people trespasse
life close Christ within thy heart and hold him as thy life neuer to part with him for that pot figured the Sacraments in which Christ is propounded the food of the soule Thy heart as the Arke must containe Aarons rod that had budded signifying the discipline and gouernment of Christ vnto which thou must subiect thy selfe let this rodde flourish in thee and stoope with reuerence and feare to this scepter 2. Thy house and family must be sanctified also by setting vp and preseruing Gods worshippe there Wee read of some of the Saints who had Churches in their houses Euery Christian professing holines must haue the like care endeauour in such family-exercises as God hath prescribed as 1. In diligent teaching and instructing the family partly in reading and partly in deliuering precepts out of the word It is Gods commandement Deut. 6.7 to whet the law continually on our children and train them vp euen from childhood in the Scriptures The benefit whereof shall be 1. to fit them for the publike ministry 2. to cause the word to dwell plenteously in them 3. it is a notable means for their growth in godlinesse and to containe them in good order 2. In calling them to account for things deliuered by catechising pitifully neglected in families who yet would be thought to be Gods people This is the driuing of the nayle to the head to sticke the surer It workes care in those who easily reiect good meanes It hinders vaine thoughts words and exercises It banisheth much folly and ignorance that is bound vp in the hearts of children and seruants 3. In applying the workes of God past or present on our selues or others to mooue them to confidence and trust in God by the workes of his mercie and to feare to offend by the workes of his iustice and by this meanes the seeds not onely of true religion but of good conscience shall be sowen in them betimes this was holy Abrahams practise for which God would not hide his secret workes from him Gen. 18.19 4. In daily priuate prayer with the family at least euery morning and euening solemnly on our knees making confessions of sinnes and requests to God together with thanksgiuing Psalm 55.17 Euening and morning and at noone will I pray and make a noyse Daniel three times a day prayed and praised God in his house as he was wont chap. 6. v. 10. The excellent vse of which is the opening of the doore of Gods treasury to the family by which it is enriched with the best blessings of God Besides the Lord shall hereby haue some honour that is due to his mercie vpon the family 5. In edifying the family with Psalmes and melodie to the Lord as it is Col. 3.16 In these daily duties doth the sanctification of a family consist Whereunto we may be perswaded by these motiues 1. In that they are the practises of men fearing God such as Ioshua and his house Cornelius and his houshold 2. In that by these exercises the family shall not onely be sanctified but also blessed as Obed Edom and his house for the presence of the Arke 3. What madnesse is it to reiect and banish Gods word and worshippe out of doores and yet thinke God is there Nay where sound grace comes there is the Spirit of prayer and supplication in euery family apart Zach. 12.14 and where this worshippe of God is not set vp in families there is nothing but a conspiracie of Atheists and a wicked brood bringing Gods iudgements on themselues and the busines passing through their hands Ierusalem is called holy beeing once sanctified to the Lords vse which teacheth vs that we should reuerently both conceiue and speake of all such things as are set apart to the Lords vse 1. Some persons are consecrate to the Lord as the tribe of Leui of whom the commaundement was Thou shalt not forsake the Leuit all thy dayes And the Prophets Touch not mine annoynted and doe my Prophets no harme So in the New Testament The Minister that rules well is worthie of double honour Yea if the widowes which were set apart to inferiour offices about the poore must be honoured 1. Tim. 5.3 much more the minister that standeth in Gods place and stead Heb. 13.17 Obey them that haue the ouersight of you Thus Cornelius reuerenced Peter and the Eunuch Philip. Nay not onely the minister but euery beleeuer is separate to God and sanctified to carrie the Couenant and hath the annointing of the Spirit which the Lord acknowledgeth on them and speaketh reuerently and louingly of them calling them his holy ones yea the apple of his eye They see not this who can persecute and reuile them for hypocrites and count them as the Apostles whose doctrine they professe the scum of the world 2. Some places are for their vse to be accounted holy because God is there present in his worship as the places of our meetings not that any inherent holines is annexed to the place or cleaueth to it out of the action of Gods worship but while God is present in his worship we must account it holy ground and the house of God When God appeared in Bethel to Iaacob he said How fearefull is this place surely it is no other then the house of God Wee must therefore put off your shooes with Moses that is our base and vile our sinnefull and sensuall affections yea our lawfull if earthly thoughts when we come to this holy place Looke we bring no thoughts with vs vnbeseeming the place where God is separated from other common places to holy vses Looke that in this place we vse no gesture or behauiour vnbeseeming a man that hath busines with God beeing present To sit talking or sleeping or laughing or gazing sutes not with this place And further if God please to account the very places holy for the vse and presence of God in this vse what shall wee thinke of them that conceiue so basely of them as they would loue a Parish better in which is no Church Others profane them with base practises and vnconscionably suffer them to fall or decay and will be at no charge to make or keep them handsome sweet and beautifull Styes were fit for such swine As their affection is so is their deuotion 3. The holy ordinances of God must not be touched but with holy respect and reuerence of which it is said It is not safe to play with holy things 1. The word must be receiued read heard spoken as the holy word of God To make iests of Scripture is a wicked practise God lookes graciously on him that trembles at his word Isa. 66. 2. as good Iosiah whose heart melted hearing the words of the law So the names and attributes of God are neuer to be vsed in friuolous admirations but euery knee must bowe vnto him Phil. 2.10 Neither ought we to laugh at Gods iudgements on others 2. An oath is one of the holy ordinances of God and to sweare
haue in Exod. 32.31 when Israel had made a calfe Oh saith Moses this people haue sinned a great sinne It was great 1. in the kinde idolatry 2. in the manner beeing against such meanes it was not many dayes before that that Moses had receiued the ten commaundementâ— which themselues heard deliuered in such thunder lightning and terrible voice as made them professe what euer the Lord should commaund them by Moses they would doe and besides the ten commaundements thus vttred and deliuered Exod. 20. in the 22. verse a speciall addition was annexed Ye shall make you no Gods of siluer or gold c. They had immediately before receiued an extraordinary food by Manna which then they enioyed Moses was in the mount with God to receiue more laws for their good Aaron was with them to aduise them But against all these and many more meanes they worshippe a calfe and so highly prouoke God as after a great slaughter of men 3000. in number Moses hardly obtained pardon for the residue Dauids sinne was so much the more heinous in that he had many wiues of his owne as Nathan in the parable sheweth and maketh himselfe to confesse A rich man had many sheep and oxen and the poore man had but one lambe which ate his morsells with him and slept in his bosome which was Bathsheba in Vriahs bosome and the rich man refused to dresse any of his owne sheep and slew and dressed the poore mans sheepe Dauid himselfe hearing it before he knew it to be his owne case could say As sure as the Lord liues he shall die that hath done this and Nathan said Thou art the man c. And this sinne so prouoked the Lord that the sword neuer departed from his house and his repentance could not cut off that part of the sentence but his owne sonne Absalom must defile his fathers wiues in the sight of all Israel Hence it was also that our Lord answering Pilate aggrauated the sinne of Iudas Ioh. 19.11 Hee that deliuered me vnto thee hath the greater sinne he knewe he deliuered an innocent to death hee was warned he was a friend and familiar his sinne was a great sinne and so great as God tooke him in hand and laid the burden of it presently vpon his soule and he found no ease but in hanging himselfe 2. Sathan knowes these sinnes more trouble and wound the conscience then other because this circumstance layes the sinne directly vpon our selues and takes away excuses God was not wanting to preuent such a man cannot say he could not remedie it no good meanes was wanting to him onely he was wanting to himselfe and the meanes And thus the Lord reasoneth with his people to bring them to the sight of their owne corruption Isa. 5.4 What could I doe more to my vineyard which I haue not done 3. Sathan knowes that to sinne against meanes is a compound sinne and like to a complicated disease hardly cured for besides the sinne to which a man is drawne there is 1. a neglect of a mans owne good 2. there is a base estimation of Gods great kindnesse in offering the meanes of our good and consequently God himselfe is despised in the meanes yea there is an vnthankefull reiecting of grace offered And what is further to be done but to leaue such a one as remedilesse 4. Well knowes Satan that God hath denounced and executed greater plagues vpon these sinnes then other where meanes were not present He punished adulterie in the lawe with death not simple fornication because one had meanes to auoid the sinne the other wanted it So for theft Prou. 6.30 If a theefe steale to satisfie his soule because he is hungry men despise him not a restitution may be made he must not die comparing the sinne with adulterie in which no restitution must be made they must die the death Capernaum which was lifted vp to heauen in respect of the meanes of saluation neglecting those staires cast her selfe lower into hell then Tyrus and Sidon which neuer had the like things done in them Nay God whose nature is to be mercifull in this case takes pleasure and delights himselfe in seueritie Prou. 1.22 Yee haue despised all my counsell and set my correction at nought therefore will I laugh in your destruction This doctrine is of great vse through the whole life 1. If where more meanes be to hinder sinne there sinne is aggrauated how heauie be the sinnes of our age who in the meanes are lifted vp aboue all the ages of 1500. yeares before vs Howe may the Lord complaine of vs as Hos. 8.10 I haue written to them the great things of my lawe but they haue counted it a vaine thing The meanes that we haue doe set our sinnes in a farre higher degree then were the sinnes of our fathers Theirs were in the night ours in the day theirs were ignorances in comparison ours are presumptions of knowledge and set purpose theirs were errors and sinnes ours are rebellions and obstinacie they could scarce doe any other we will not their ignorance inuincible ous affected And as our means be greater so our iudgement and account shall be straighter for to whom God giues more of them he requires more Luk. 12.48 2. Content we not our selues that we haue staires or meanes as many who say they come to Church heare the word receiue the Sacrament haue some measure of knowledge and be able to speake of religion seeing the presence of the meanes brings Satan more fiercely vpon thee and threatneth thy greater danger if thou growest not in soundnesse of Christianity by them Consider whether the Scripture be not true saying 1. Not the hearers of the word but the doers thereof shall be iustified 2. Knowers of their Masters wil and not doers of it shall be beaten with more stripes 3. Many seeme to be partakers of grace who are peruerters of it and turne it into wantonnesse who are of old rolled or billed vnto condemnation 4. Many in the day of iudgement shall say and alleadge for themselues We haue eate and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streetes to whom the iudge shall say I tell you I knowe not whence you are depart from me ye workers of iniquity The Iewes had the ministery of Iohn of Christ and his disciples the Gospel of the kingdome preached which was as Iaacobs ladder to rise vp by the staires and sâ—aues of it vnto heauen but for all this because they walked not worthy of these meanes Christ tels them plainely to their faces that Publicans and harlots should goe into heauen before them And the same shall be said of euery formall Christian contenting himselfe with an outward shew of goodnes and not answerable to the meanes he hath without any inward or constant change by them 3. Let vs beware of Satans wyle neither to neglect means nor yet to sinne against them I. In spirituall things the meanes of
humane traditions as the Papists that worship God in images pilgrimages a thousand deuises meere strangers to the Spirit of God in Scripture thrust in by Satan for his owne seruice Conclus 3. Numbers will not be perswaded they worship the deuill when indeed they doe For as then we worship God actually when we serue and obey him so then men worship the deuil when they doe the workes of the deuill Ioh. 8. He that is a slaue a vassall to the deuill is an apparant worshipper of him Yea so neare a seruice is between them that the deuill is said to beget many sonnes in the world Ioh. 8.41 now euery sonne honours his father Thus doe all they that are subtile to peruert the straight wayes of God as Elymas therefore called by Paul the child of the deuill Act. 13.10 because he sought to hinder the word and work of God Thus doe all those tares the children of that wicked one Matth. 13.38 which grow vp in Gods field to the molesting and annoyance of the Lords wheate Thus doe all they who when they should spend the Lords Sabbaths in his worship they worship and serue the world in buying and selling or the deuill in play and gaming in their owne houses falling downe to the worship of the deuill when true worshippers are in Gods house performing their homage and seruice to him Conclus 4. Satan preuailes against numbers by drawing the affections of their hearts from the true God to something besides him to loue trust and follow it more then God as the voluptuous person that makes his bellie his God and so is a louer of pleasure more then of God and the couetous person making his wealth his God whom Paul therefore calls an idolater All these and many moe are worshippers of the deuill and fallen downe to him and cannot possibly worship the true God II. How and by what meanes Satan doth thus preuaile And the meanes are these 1. He hath often the secular arme and humane authoritie 2. Chron. 11.15 Rehoboam ordained Priests for the high places for the deuils and for the calues that he had made Thus Antichrist the beast of Rome Reu. 13.16 by power made all both small and great rich and poore bond and free to receiue his marke in their hands and foreheads So he did in our country by fire and fagot in Queen Maries dayes 2. Sometimes he drawes men to his owne worship by pollicie for he can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light he can preach Christ for a need to ouerthrow the preaching of Christ Mark 1.34 he can be a lying spirit in the mouthes of fowre hundred false prophets 1. King 21. at once and can put on the shape of Samuel beeing still a Sathan 3. Sometimes by faire promises as in our text he will giue a whole world to bring Christ to one sinne Thou shalt haue ease pleasure wealth credite in a word thy hearts desire if thou wilt fall downe and worship mee 4. By perswasion that it is a vaine thing to serue God Malach. 3.14 no ioy for the present no recompence hereafter thus he carries with him innumerable companies with things present not considering the time to come 5. By threatning of crosses losses disfauour as Balaac said to Balaam Thy God hath kept thee from preferment By violent persecutions Reuel 12.13.15 the redde dragon persecuted the woman which had brought forth the man child the serpent cast out of his mouth waters like a flood to cause the woman to be carried away 6. By effectuall delusion by meanes of signes wonders false miracles and sleights which Sathan putteth forth to giue credite to false worshippe as it is spoken of the great Antichrist 2. Thess. 2.9 10. that hee shall come by the working of Sathan with power signes and lying wonders and in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse among them that perish and thus shall the beast deceiue all those whose names are not written in the booke of life Thus many are deceiued in Poperie by the iugling and craftie conueyances of the Priests and often by magicke making their images appeare to sweate to nodde to roll their eyes to passe voices through them and make blood appeare in the hoast which they would haue their people beleeue and thus Satan mightily drawes them to the worship of himselfe Here let vs learne to bewaile the miserie of men seduced by the deuill and thrust from their God whether more openly or more secretly as 1. Such as ioyne to Poperie renouncing the worship of the true God and fall downe to the deuill to worship him Reu. 13.4 and they worshipped the dragon and the beast noting that the worship of the beast is the worship of the dragon Now they worship the beast that giue him power ouer the Scripture ouer the consciences of men to make lawes to bind them to pardon sinnes to open heauen hell purgatorie and receiue his bulls and canons before the Canonical Scripture A lamentable thing that Satan gets such great ones daily to fall downe and worship him 2. Such as get liuings by bribery symony chopping and changing and such indirect courses here the Chaplein hath fallen downe to the deuill and worshipped him and he hath bestowed the benefice 3. Such as seeke to witches for help or cunning men and wome◠a plaine and open seruice of the deuill by vertue of a league and compact at least secret Should not a people seeke to their God or can all the deuills in hell remooue the hand of God 4. Such as by flatterie dissembling iniustice lying swearing or breaking the Sabbath obtaine wealth or profit All this the deuill hath giuen thee because thou hast fallen downe and worshipped him Whatsoeuer a man doth against the word against his oath or conscience is a falling down to the deuill and a worshipping of him Take heed of comming vnder the power and seruice of the deuill and to that ende obserue these rules 1. Hold thee to Gods word and will in all duties of pietie and iustice both for matter and manner For we must not onely doe our Masters will but also according to his will 2. Heare and foster the motions of Gods Spirit which are euer according to the word It is a note of a man giuen vp to Sathan to haue continuall disobedience breathing in him Eph. 2.2 The fowle spirit sauours nothing but the flesh 3. Renounce the world daily be not a seruant to any lust neither take pleasure in it For when Sathan findes a man seruing pleasures he halters him with them and clogs him with cares of riches and voluptuous liuing Luk. 8.14 4. Walke in the light loue it and such as walke in it It is a signe of a man in Sathans snare to despise thē that are good 2. Tim. 3.3 to make a shew of godlines denying the power thereof v. 5. Satan himselfe pretends light but walkes in darkenesse and leads such as he rules in the same path 5. Contend
God loued thee It was the land of promise So here 3. Satan cannot but flie if he be resisted because he is a conquered enemie spoyled of his weapons which were most mortall and not onely conquered in Christ our head but in vs his members for to whom was that promise made but to the Church that the seede of the woman should bruise the serpents head so as his head is broken to mysticall Christ whole Christ both the head and the members let him now nibble at the heele and hiffe and gape and flie vpon them he cannot hurt them because his sting is taken away Now what can conquered enemies doe if they be still resisted but flie 4. The battell which we fight is the Lords wherein he will not bee ouercome the strength is the Lords who is mighty in battell What was the strength of Dauid to Goliah but when hee comes against him in the Name of the Lord a small and weake resistance ouerthrowes him Our armour is the Lords Put on the armour of God And it is armour of proofe It were a disgrace to his workemanship if it should euer be found slight or insufficient Our cause is the Lords a contention for the faith Fight the good fight of faith which shall preuaile against all the gates of hell Our captaine was neuer ouercome nor can be nor any one of his fellowes for they are all members of that body whereof he is the head and can a head able to saue the body suffer it selfe to be dismembred of any one member Our aidars and assistants that come in to help vs while we resist are the Angells who haue a charge to keep vs in our wayes and giue vs strength and victory they bee too strong for Satan and all his powers and they be more that be with vs then they against vs. Obeict But are not many of Gods children not onely sore thrust at but euen ouercome in temptation Nay and doth not experience shew that the more the child of God resisteth the more Satan assaulteth him And doth not another experience teach vs that the lesse he is resisted the sooner he flies and is lesse troublesome Answ. God in great wisedome suffers Satan to molest his deare children and infest them with long and strong temptations and many times to foile them and to renew his temptations and the battell day by day 1. For their humbling and exercise the Lord destroyed not all the Canaanites before Israel but left some people to hold them battell least they should grow secure Iudg. 3.1 and to teach them battell And Paul must be buffeted by Satan least he should be exalted by the multitude of reuelations 2. To make them more watchfull of their graces and keep close their faith hope loue patience c. as when robbers and pilferers are abroad men shut vp and locke their goods within so here 3. To magnifie his owne glory who manifests such power in such weaknesse and seasonably sets in for their safety and victory when in their sense they are vtterly lost But 1. Satan neuer ouercomes him that resisteth he may foile him and beate his weapon to his head yea he may send him halting away with Iaacob so long as he liues yet at length he shall ouercome if he hold on his resistance 2. Satan indeed often assaulteth where he is much resisted for he will still renew the battell Sometimes in strong Christians whom the Lord presseth forth as the leaders in his battell for strength is for the warre Iob resisted but was still assaulted because his measure of strength was such as was to be a patterne to all ordinary men Our Lord had resisted Satan once and againe but till now he flies not because he was to be the Generall of the field on whom all must looke as an example and for direction But the issue is that Satan shall flie at length and the longer and stronger his temptations are the more God glorifieth himselfe both in the victory of his seruants and confusion of the deuill as we see in both the former examples Sometimes he fiercely assayleth weaker Christians who are easilier pulled from their holds for want of knowledge iudgement or resolution these he thinkes will be tyred out with importunity and he hopes to force them to yeeld at length And surely many weaker ones inuite Satans temptations vnawares which toile them worse then death because they are so flexible Satan sometimes heares them speake in his owne language Thou art an hypocrite a great sinner aboue all men sometimes he sees them vse his weapons against themselues and so giue way to the aduersary in stead of resisting whereas stout and manfull resistance would speedily procure their peace sometimes for want of iudgement they are not able to distinguish of Satans sinnes from their owne but carrie themselues as they would take vpon themselues the deuills reckoning Alasse all this inuites him and makes him wellcome But here let the weakest beleeuer know that if he resist lawfully he shall carry away the victory let his resistance be neuer so weake and this shall make for Gods greater glory and Satans greater confusion that he is not able to stand out the field against the weakest of them whom he may seeme to scorne It was a great confusion that Satan was not able to stand against Christ himselfe but that he shall not be able to stand against a sinner a worme which turnes againe in the name of Christ is greater confusion then the former 3. Whereas Satan seemes quiet where he is least resisted it is no maruell his kingdome is not diuided against himselfe What need a captaine bend his forces against a towne which hath deliuered vp it selfe into his hand What need he set bulwarkes and cannon-shot against those walls and gates which are willingly set open When the strong man keepes the hold all things are at peace But a miserable peace it is to runne from vnder the colour of the Prince of peace to goe so peaceably and gently to the dungeon of eternall darkenesse This may comfort the child of God that he shall outstand all his temptations it is not onely possible for him to ouercome the deuill and put him to flight but also certaine For the iust man falleth seuen times a day but riseth againe Prou. 24.16 And why 1. Because Gods election is eternall and vnchangeable and his foundation sure 2. Because of Christs prayer that our faith might not faile 3. Because the godly man hath built his house on a rocke against which the windes may blowe and the floods beat but it shall stand and he is set into that head who ouercame the tempter that he might ouercome him also 4. Because of the promise that God will not forsake his child ouerlong but supply strength for the combate and giue a gracious issue And temptation preuailes onely when God addes not a second grace but standeth a farre off Obiect But was
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
seemed to oppresse the Church in the cradle when wicked Cain slew righteous Abel so as all religion and true worship seemed to be destroyed in all Adams posterity hauing onely Cain left But shortly after God gaue Adam a Seth in whom the Church was restored and preserued and pure religion propagated In Henochs time how was the worship of God profaned when the sonnes of God married the daughters of men which was the cause of the flood but afterward it was restored by Noah and Sam and by him continued to Abraham Now the Church as it was in the Arke so was it like the Arke of Noah against which the waters had a time to increase and a time also of decreasing What a night of trouble was the Church in all the while it was in Egypt a stranger for 400. yeares especially when they were oppressed with burdens and had their infants drownd in the riuer but a change came God sent and saued a Moses by whom he will deliuer his people but so as they must be acquainted with this continuall enterchange in their estate they must be no sooner deliuered out of Egypt but bee chased into the bottome of the sea but there God makes them a way and no sooner out of the sea but into the wildernesse and from thence the good land takes them and in that good land they neuer rested in one estate but sometimes had the better of their enemies and sometime for sinne their enemies had the better of them as all the history of the Iudges witnesseth In the time of the Kings how was the Church troubled and wasted in the time of Ahab and Iezabel when all Gods Prophets were slaine and true religion was quite troden downe But what a sudden change was there euen when things were at the worst did the Lord bring a strange alteration by Elijah who slew all the Prophets of Baal and restored true religion How great misery suffred the Church in the time of Manassah and Ammon but how happily was it changed by the piety of good Iosiah in whom God made his people more happie then formerly miserable But who would haue thought but that the Church had been vtterly wasted in the seuentie yeares captiuity wherein it sate in the shadow of death Yet it was happily restored by Cyrus But when his godly decrees concerning the building of the Temple were hindred by Cambyses his sonne God stirred vp Darius who fauoured the Church and commaunded the continuance and perfection of the worke but not without many vicissitudes of stormes and calmes euen after their returne as appeareth in the bookes of Ezra and Nehemiah What a raging storme was that wherein our Lord and Head of the Church was put to death now the whole Church lay bleeding and dead with him But what a change was there the third day by his glorious resurrection In the Apostles dayes how was the Church wasted when Saul had letters from the high Priests to carrie bound to Ierusalem whosoeuer called on the Lord but when he that breathed out nothing but slaughter and threatning was once conuerted then the Church had for a while rest and peace Act. 9.31 After the Apostles what a continuall storme arose against Christians which lasted 300. yeares vnder the ten monsters of men those bloody men Nero Domitian Traian Antoninus Seuerus Maximinus Decius Valerianus Aurelianus Dioclesianus whose rage was such as a man could not set his foot in Rome but tread vpon the graues of Martyrs But after this night a faire sunne rose vp in the East Constantine the Great who chased before him that horrible darknesse and brought a blessed calme But this lasted not long but his second sonne Constantius farre short of his Fathers piety with all his strength set vp and maintained that Arrian-heresie which his good father had condemned in the Nicen Councell by which as bloody persecution sprung vp in the Church as euer was before which lasted almost 80. years vntill Constance the youngest sonne of Constantine set vp againe the Nicen faith in the Westerne part of the world as Italie Greece Africke Illiricum and banished the former poyson After this what a blacke darkenesse of Mahometisme possessed the Easterne part of the world vnder which it lies sunck at this day And as pitchy and palpable darkenesse of Antichrist and Poperie occupieth the Westerne part of the world But what a light did the Lord raise vp in the midst of Poperie his zealous seruant Luther since whome the light hath mightily preuailed to the blasting of Antichrist and the consuming of him vpon his nest Yet not this without a cloud◠for To speake of our owne Church After the long darkenesse like that of Egypt had preuailed and couered for many hundred years the face of our countrey it pleased God that the light of the Gospell should peepe into our land in the dayes of King Henrie the eight but yet much clouded and opposed almost all his dayes In his sonne Edward the sixt Englands Iosiah it began to shine more brightly and a more thorough reformation was vndertaken But this sunne-shine lasted not long but in Queene Maries dayes the truth was againe cast into the fire and the bodies of Gods Saints pitilesly destroyed God in mercy for his elects sake shortened those dayes and raised vp our late Queene Elizabeth of blessed memorie in all posterities who was semper eadem in the maintenāce of the faith left Christ sitting in his kingdome and the truth triumphing ouer Poperie and Antichristian falshood which by Gods mercy we enioy vnder our gracious King This hath been the changeable estate of the Church from the beginning and eadem est ratio totius ac partium the same truth discouers it selfe in the particular members As for example Abraham now a poore man in Egypt presently enriched and made heire of the land of promise now reioycing in his Isaac and a while after stretching out his hand to kill his only sonne who also herein was a notable type of the Church now bound and presently loosed and raised vp after a sort from the dead Iacob was now afraid of Esau when he came in warlike manner to meet him with 400. men at his heeles but in a little season God lets him see a sudden change who had enclined his brothers heart to doe him no harme against his often former purposes to slay him Ioseph is now hated of his brethren after a season honoured of them now sold as a slaue to the Ismaelites afterward made a gouernour of Potiphar a Princes house now accused by his Mistresse and cast into prison but after fetched out by Pharaoh and made ruler of all his Princes and the whole land of Egypt Dauid sometimes cast downe and God hath forgotten him a while after so confident in God that he will not feare to walke in the vale of the shadow of death sometimes pursued by Saul as a traytor and rebell sometimes by Saul acknowledged his good
peace vnder Dauid and Salomon as we as wise and excellent a King as euer was beeing an eminent type of Christ yet we see what long ease and peace brought him to which was the ouerthrowe of his kingdome and the renting of ten parts of twelue from him to his seruant he was a King of peace as his name imported had posterity had made a league with all neighbour-nations yet God beeing prouoked brings a woefull change on him and his land So may it be to vs. 4. Consider how God hath threatntd vs of late years to bring in wofull changes to remooue the Gospell and giue away our kingdome liberties free-holds and liues to strangers Remember that admirable yeare of 88. and that no lesse admirable threatning and deliuerance in 1605. Forget not the raging and deuouring plague in which there was no peace or safety to him that went in and out Remember the furious fire in many great places of the land burning vp whole townes and villages the generall diseases and distempers in mens bodies which haue beene as vniuersall as our prouocation hath beene the change of our seasons the breaking out of waters drowning the earth the infection of the aire many barbarous conspiracies against the life of so innocent and mercifull a King and the hote conteâ—tions of many brethren in our owne Church All which are remarkeâ—ble signes of Gods displeasure if not fâ—â—eruÌ„ners of a lamentable chaâ—â—e But he that considereth how all these things are forgoâ—â—en worne away vnprofitably without all wholesome vse oâ— reformation cannoâ— but thinke that the Lord if timely repentance hinder not will take some other course and so speake as he will be heard for the truth neuer fayles which you haue heard at large One iudgement is euer a forerunner of another vnlesse repentance cuts them off Oh that God would put it in the hearts of high and low to seeke the continuance of our happie peace in our seasonable seeking of God by repentance and not seeking still to prouoke him by wilfull impenitencie Let vs not expect an end of temptation and triall while we are here below seeing Satan goes away in respect of temptation and molestation but for a season If Satan be gone he will returne yea although he cannot preuaile he will not cease to be an enemy and the longer our peace hath beene let vs thinke our change the nearer None of Gods children but the deuill is sometimes departed from them but the experience of them all shewes that hee neuer staied long away from any of them and therefore let vs bee wise although Gods goodnesse haue kept him a great while from vs not thereby to grow secure but as forecasting his comming againe arme our selues for him 1. Not mistaking our present estate which is a pilgrimage and not a paradise of ease and pleasure 2. Considering that euills foreseene loose a great part of their bitternes and they are so much the weaker against vs as we are stronger by our prouidence and foresight of them 3. Neither may we thinke much that after one or two or three assaults Satan hath not done with vs but comes againe as he did against our Lord for we seruants are not better then our Master nor better then our fellow-seruants who haue been often assaulted as Dauid first to adulterie and after that to murder and after that to pride in numbring the people and after that Satan came againe and againe And Paul was often buffeted by Satan yea after hee â—ad prayed thrice he got no release but a promise of sufficient grace 4. Neither may we conceiue it strange that after some sleighter temptations we should be vrged with fouler for Sathan commonly keepes his strongest till the last as he did to our Lord. Many say neuer were any so fowly tempted nor so often as they their flesh trembles and their haire stands an ende to thinke what foule temptations Satan suggesteth with great instance But can there be a fowler temptation then to worship the deuill himselfe yet the Son of God was teÌ„pted to it Therfore resist as he did and the sinne is not thine but Satans who shall be damned but thou shalt be saued in the day of the Lord. Satan still commeth with more malice and worst at last contrarie vnto God who is best at last In that Christian life is mixed with peace and trouble learne we not to fixe both our eies vpon any present prosperitie nor vse it as a perpetuity but hold it as a mooueable which passeth and mooueth from one to another Wee haue now a sweet sense of God but this may be ouercast he may hide himselfe and we be troubled we may now haue the ioy of our faith and presently our soules be clouded with vnbeleefe distrust and dregs of infidelity All Gods graces are still in fight often foyled by their contraries And for temporall things our health is conflicted with sickenesse our good name wounded with disgraces and defamations our friends mortall and were they not so yet mutable often becomming our greatest enemies our wealth winged and leaues vs when we haue most need of comfort our life it selfe commutable with death which is the turning of vs out of all that we loued dearest excepting God himselfe Let vs therefore fixe our eyes vpon those eternall good things and that eternall peace and that kingdome which cannot be shaken For the things which are seene are temporall but the things not seene are eternall And then whatsoeuer I loose it is but a mooueable my inheritance is safe and sure Hence we may see how like wicked men are vnto their father the deuill in their courses Satan seemes to goe from them but it is but for a season and so doe their sinnes but for a season by a counterfeit repentance As we may see in two or three instances 1. Some vpon some good motions and exhortations by Gods word and Spirit are strucke with some sense of their estate their conscience is checked and they resolue to take a new course and perhaps enter vpon it as the deuill were quite gone But hee comes againe he went but for a season and sets them as deep in their vsurie deceit gaming and wicked fellowship as euer before the dogge returnes to his vomit and the sow to her wallowing in the mire the euill spirit that seemed to be gone is returned and hath brought with him 7. worse deuills because he found his house fit for him 2. Some about the time of receiuing the communion are very deuout will make a shew of religion of prayer of repentance of charity and loue they will not sweare much that day perhaps not play but read and it may be sing Psalmes A man would thinke for so doe they that the deuill is quite gone But is is but for a season their righteousnesse is but as a morning dew their vnrighteousnesse returnes and they become as disordered in their courses as malicious in their liues
vers 35. Yet at length he steppes out for him acquites him and rebukes his friends and accepts his seruant and turneth his captiuitie and giues him twice as much as before hee had chap. 42. 1. Herein the wisdome of God ioyned with his power shineth forth hereby the Lord knowes how to bring light into darkenes Psal. 112.4 To the righteous ariseth light in darkenesse No darkenes or misery can keep God and the comforts and strength of his spirir from his children Yea hereby the Lord knowes how to bring light out of darkenesse as once he did in the creation Rom. 8.28 We know that all things are turned to the best to them that loue God His wisedome and power turnes things not onely good into good nor onely afflictions and trialls but euen their sinnes and infirmities like a good Physitian that tempers poyson to a remedie and of the vipers skinne makes a remedie to heale the vipers sting 2. This is the godly mans priuiledge aboue wicked ones to find God sweet to their soules either in afflictions or in the ending of them 1. Because their persons whatsoeuer their estate is are accepted with God whereas the other are reiected 2. They are sealed with the earnest of Gods Spirit and can goe vnto God in feruent prayer whereas the other want the Spirit and cannot pray to be heard Psal. 18.41 They cried but there was none to saue them euen to the Lord but he answered them not 3. They haue the grace of repentance which remooueth sinne the cause of affliction and are come out of Babylon though they liue in Babylon beeing as so many Lots in Sodome Whereas the other are impenitent and neuer remoouing the cause the effect lyes euer vpon them and growes euery day heauier then other 4. They haue peace of conscience and can sing the new song to God and the Lambe hauing a set of sweet musicke in their soules and with peace they haue patience supporting them vnto Gods seasonable deliuerance Whereas the wicked are as the raging sea and hath no peace nor patience but a senslesse vnfeelingnes of his estate their hearts beeing either ignorant ascribing all their smart to fortune or constellations or fatall necessitie or secundarie causes beeing not able to ascend so high as God the author or descend so lowe as their owne sinnes the iust meritorious causes of their euills or hardened and feared or senslesse as Nabals whose heart was as a stone dead within him 3. It is one ende of Gods extreame humbling and afflicting his children not to sinke or forsake them but at the last the powerfull worke of God may be shewed on them both for his glorie and for theirs The poore blind man Ioh. 9.3 carried his miserie a great while from his birth to his mans estate and yet our Sauiour witnesseth that it was neither for his sinne nor his parents but that the worke of God might be shewed vpon him in the miraculous cure of him when all the power of nature and art could do him no good Lazarus was extreamely humbled dead buried lying in the graue stinking who would haue thought beyond Marie that he should euer haue been raised till the last day and yet our Sauiour saith that euen that death of his was not vnto death but for the glorie of God Yea the Lord neuer bringeth any euill vpon his children wherein he intendeth not in the ende to shew them some great good as Deut. 8.16 The Lord tryed humbled and prooued his people in the wildernesse that he might doe them good at the latter end Iob. 23.10 Hee knoweth my way and trieth mee and what was the issue I shall come forth like the gold And the Apostle affirmeth that the triall of our faith which is much more precious then gold shall bee found to our praise and honour and glorie at the appearing of Iesus Christ 1. Pet. 1.7 4. God hereby manifests his care and faithfulnesse in his promises for he hath promised how euer he suspend his comfort for a time to returne in due season neither can his mercies come to an ende nor himselfe leaue his mansion finally Therefore it is that sometimes he foretells his children of euills to come that they should not come suddenly on them neither distrust his care in them nor be ignorant of a good issue out of them Sometimes he numbers them out and tells how many and how long they shall be Dan. 9.25 There shall be seauen weekes that is 39. yeares and there shall be 62. weekes that is 434. yeares and then the Messiah shall come c. And alwaies he that setteth the setting of the stars and the bounds of the sea setteth much more the period of our troubles and the furthest limits of his childrens trialls which suppose they reach euen to death it selfe they can follow them no further but then is a rest from their labour a reaping of the fruits of their suffrings a ioyfull haruest of a sorrowfull seed-time wherein the Lord meets them with a full and finall deliuerance and putteth them in full possession of all his most glorious promises Let the godly consider of their priuiledge to prouoke their patience and constancy in their greatest trialls which cannot make them vnhappy For 1. the godly mans present estate is the best for him be it what it can be the furnace is the fittest place for gold 2. His triall shall be turned to good because God hath the disposing tempering and moderating of it 3. His triall shall be but light and momentanie not in respect of the present sense but because the time of temptation shall be swallowed vp by the time of victorie 4. The ende of it shall be happie and all is well that ends well here shall be a most blessed issue And therefore let drossie Christians feare the fire who are sure to be wasted in it whilest the godly reioyce in tribulation and with Dauid walke fearelesly in the valley of the shadow of death because God who lead him in was with him to lead him out Let the godly iudge of themselues not alwaies according to their present estate or feeling which may occasion their feet almost to slippe but looke to the happie end of their trialls And though the smart continue long yet let them be assured that the Lord keepes all their bones so that not one of them shall be broken Neither let vs be weary and faint in our mindes for although God seemeth not to heare vs yet he heares vs well enough And though hee seeme to stand a farre off vs it is but a delay no deniall of our request And though he seeme to neglect vs let vs not neglect him but hold on in the prayer of faith Let this serue as a ground of comfort encouragement to vs that when with Israel we stand as it were on the sea-brinke beset with dangers then we may be still and expect the saluation of the Lord.
For as the Prophet speaketh Hab. 2.3 The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the last it shall speake and not lie if it tarrie waite for it shall surely come and shall not stay Let vs not make hast nor limit the Lord in prescribing him a time and meanes but leaue all that to his wisedome leane vpon his arme relie vpon his word he hath a mind to doe vs good and that when it shall bee most for his glorie and our saluation We are not yet perhaps in the deepe nor at the mountaine nor so destitute but we find some supports But were the case with vs as it was here with our Lord if we were in the world as in a wildernesse our food nothing but stones our companie wild beasts ready to deuoure vs no friend neare vs but the deuill tossing and tumbling vs with his temptatitions we should assuredly see the Lord extraordinarily prouiding for vs and working out for vs vnexpected comfort our extremity would be Gods opportunity God sent not Moses to deliuer Israel from vnder Pharaoh till their burdens were at the heauiest and their oppressions intollerable God might haue sent his Angell to preserue the three children from being cast into the fire but he did not till they were in the flames this was Gods time wherein he was more glorified his children more gloriously deliuered and his enemies more mightily confounded then if the Angel had come before Euen so when this land was like that fierie furnace made seauen times hotter then euer before to consume the bodies of Gods Saints in Queene Maries dayes in the midst of those flames God sent that happy Queene nowe a blessed Saint to quench those fires and deliuer our whole Church from that tyrannicall and Papall oppression Thus the Lord himselfe waites and stayes for the fittest time of our deliuerance and so must we Neuer shall the faithfull soule faile of a day of refreshing And ministred vnto him We haue spoken of the Angells comming Now the last thing considerable in this history is their ministery vnto Christ wherin are two things 1. How they minister to him 2. Why they minister I. 1. They ministred in adoring the Sonne of God the onely conquerour of the deuill and honouring him as the victorious destroyer of the Prince and commaunder of all hellish powers For the Angells reioyced in Christs victory in the deuills ouerthrowe and the saluation of the Church of God The goodnes of their nature carries them wholly to the glory of God in all their actions and motions and the good of the Church as at the birth of Christ they sung Glory to God on high on earth peace and good will to men And there is no doubt but now vpon this victory they did much more honour him and congratulate his glorious triumph 2. They ministred to him in comforting him beeing in his soule extreamely afflicted and molested with Satans temptations for how could the Sonne of God but vtterly abhorre and with fiery zeale detest such blasphemous temptations as that he should not onely distrust his Fathers prouidence but euen fall downe and worship the deuill himselfe with which temptations a sinnefull man yet in his corrupt nature would be exceedingly distracted and disturbed It is no doubt therefore but as in his agonie before his passion the Angells came to comfort him so likewise in this conflict and perturbation so soone as they might they came in to the same purpose 3. They ministred to him in releeuing his body which was now broken with hunger and watchings hauing already fasted 40. dayes and 40. nights and brought him food to allay his hunger spreading as it were a table for him in the wildernes For if they neglected not the seruant of God Elias in the wildernes beeing ready to starue for food but prouided him a meale in strength whereof he went 40. dayes and 40. nights 1. King 19.5 much lesse would they neglect the Sonne of God who was now in the same necessitie 4. They ministred to him standing about him and giuing attendance waiting as it were at his table and ready to be employed in any further seruice he had to commaund them Psal. 103.20 Ye Angells readie to execute his will Whence in Ezeck 1.11 the Angells are described with wings stretched vpward noting their propensity and readines to the commandements of Christ. II. Why the Angells doe thus minister to Christ. Answ. Not for any necessitie of his for 1. he was able to haue sustained himselfe and held out for euer against the deuill 2. hee was able to haue confounded the deuill 3. he was able to haue created food in the wildernesse without them which they could not doe for although they could fetch food elsewhere prouided yet could they not create any but 1. It was their dutie to attend him as their Lord called the Lord of the holy Angells 2. Christ would now vse their ministery and did not helpe himselfe by miracle as he might if he had pleased But wee read not that hee vsed his power for himselfe or his Disciples Himselfe beeing hungry and weary at Iaacobs well he created not food but sent his Disciples into the citie to buy bread And when his Disciples were faint and hungry they were faine to plucke eares of corne and eate it But yet he vsed not his miraculous power For miracles were wrought for the edification of others and commonly done in the presence of many whose faith was to be strengthned as the Disciples was in part already 3. This was so for our instruction and consolation that we also in our wants standing in the Lords battells may expect the presence and comfort of the Angells The priuiledge of Christ whereby he is exalted aboue all creatures hence appeareth in that the Angells minister vnto him Heb. 1.6 the Apostle prooues Christs diuinity and eminency aboue all things out of that testimony of the Psalme And let all the Angells of God worship him For he must needes be greater then all who must be honoured of all Ioh. 1.51 Christ himselfe prooues himselfe the Sonne of God because notwithstanding he is the sonne of man which plainely notes him to be 1. a true man and 2. a weake man yet they should see the heauens opened and the Angells ascending and descending vpon him as was figured in Iacobs ladder Gen. 28.12 For Christ is the ladder and onely way by which we ascend into heauen It reached from earth to heauen signifying his two natures God of his Father in heauen man of Iacobs loynes in earth Angells ascending and descending are the ministring spirits attending him for in that phrase is meant their sending out their emission and commission to their office descending to their worke and ascending to giue account of it Now according to this Prophesie of Christ two of his Disciples sawe the heauens open vpon him in his transfiguration Matth. 17.1 2. In his resurrection those keepers of the sepulcher saw the