is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God c. First our Saviour would not yeeld to Satans temptations 2 nay hee repelâ— it with great vehemence 3 Hee hath just reason so to do I. Christ would not yeeld to the temptation no not for a world Quest Why what hurt had been in it Answ 1 Hee had taken the honour of God and given it to Satan wheras thâ— Lord hath said I will give mine honour to none other 2 Hee had consented to a Lye viz. that the World was Satans in possession and disposition 3 Hee had partaked and abetted all that injustice and wrong which Satan would offer to all the inhabitants of the earth if hee had yeelded or accepted any thing from him 4 Hee had impeached his own right and present possession of all things whereof hee was right beir already invested by his Father 5 Although the worship required was external yet it was Divine and so in giving it to Satan it had been idolatrous which had intangled the Son of God in sin and unfitted him to the redemption of mankind So as in respect of God of Christ of us and the whole Church it had been every way woful and dangerous as Satan yea our Lord well knew Doct. Hence wee learn From the example of our Saviour Christ to esteem and prefer Gods glory above all the World Christ could not bee corrupted with Gold nor Silver nor Kingdomes nor Glory but as a good Physician sees all Diseases and Eye-sores without contracting hurt to himself the Glory of his Father in his eye is an antidote to preserve him without infection And no marvel seeing hee had formerly preferred the Glory of his Fathers mercy in mans salvation above the glory of Heaven it self which he left and became a man of sorrows and was numbred among the wicked to that purpose Here is an example for us which wee cannot attain but must look on a far off for our imitation to come as near it as infirmity of flesh will afford us Moses That man of God so preferred the glory of God before the world that hee made a strange choice viz. To suffer with Gods people rather than to enjoy the treasures and honours of Egypt Heb. 11.24 25. Nay hee was so set for Gods glory as hee preferred it before his own part in the book of life Exod. 32.32 Rather than thou shouldest not glorify thy mercy in thy people and rather than thou shalt give the enemy cause to blaspheme rather blot my name out of thy book let meâ— have no part in Heaven The Apostles also following the steps of our Lord for Gods glory and the Gospels cause did Glory in the Worlds contempt and rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ Act. 5.41 Paul bare in his body the markes of Christ Gal. 6. v. 17. and was a prisoner Eph. 3.1 Reasons 1 Gods glory is the chief good and the utmost extent of all his own Counsels and actions wherein hee manifesteth his Mercy or Justice Rom. 9.22 23. and so it ought to be of ours 1 Cor. 10.30 Whatsoever ye eat or drink or whatsoever yee do do all to the Glory of God An earthly child honours his Father when hee imitates him in good so do wee honour our Heavenly Father in this imitation The first thing in Gods intention must bee the first in ours 2 The practice of this duty is a fruit of Faith and a support of Faith Heb. 11.24 By faith Moses refused to bee called the Son of Pharoahs Daughter The consideration of Gods faithfulness in promising and performing better things makes these inferiour things small in our eye as Moses therefore preferred the rebukes of Christ before the treasures of Egypt because hee looked at the recompence of reward And that the sight of Gods glory worthy to bee set above all things takes the part of faith to foil temptations is apparent in our Text by the practice of our holy Saviour 3 In the Lords Prayer the first Petition is that Gods Name may bee hallowed set before the desire of daily bread yea before remission of sins because all these are but means tending and serving to the main end of all which is Gods glory All our good-spiritual and temporal are or ought to be means tending to that end 4 Gods Glory is the dearest of all things to himself of which hee is most jealous and so ought to bee to all his children as wee professe our selves to be And what can more rejoyce the heart of a gracious and ingenuous child than the honour and high respect of his Parent 5 According to out estimation of God himself is our respect of his glory and so much as wee esteem his glory so much wee esteem himself It is true that Gods glory is eternal and so abides in it self not capable of our addition or detraction and God will bee ever most glorious though wee never had been neither need hee our help to make him glorious The Sun would shine in his brightnesse and glory if all Creatures were blind and no eye saw it But yet hee will try how much glory wee will ascribe unto him and how wee prize it and how industrious wee are to magnify and exalt it not that hee can get any good by it but wee our selves reap the fruit even as the fire is not hotter because wee stand by it but we are hotter so while wee glorify God not God but our selves are become better and more glorious God loveth his glory as hee loveth himself and wee as wee love himself so we love his glory 6 This is the perfection of Christianity and Grace here and of our glory and immortality hereafter to prefer his glory above all the World The Spouse Cant. 2.18 calleth Christ her best beloved which hee could not be if sheâ— loved any thing better than him And our Saviour cashiereth him as unworthy to bee his follower that doth not at least in affection and full purpose forsake Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Goods and Lands for his sake This perfection of grace the holy Martyrs attained who rather than they would dishonour God in yeilding the least shew of Idolatry refused the whole World yea their lives And the perfection of glory in the life to come is that nothing else occupy or distract us from being wholly taken up in the immediate glorifying of God without either satiety or ceasing Vse 1. Let us learn to bee of the same minde with our Lord Jesus in whom wee have a worthy pattern of constancy and heavenly resolution in that all the world and the glory of it could not move him no not by a gesture to impair his Fathers glory The Heathen man could say if hee would forswear himself for any thing it should bee for a Kingdome Absolom for a Kingdome would kill his own Father Jehu for a Kingdome makes no end of Murthers One saith of him What was a basket full of
it was the top of an exceeding high mountain 2 How Christ came thither the Devil took him into c. 3 Why he chose that place 2 a vision represented here 1 What it was All the kingdomes of the world and the glory of them 2 How he represented them Hee shewed him 3 How long the sight lasted in a moment saith Luke 2 Dart it self in it 1 A profer All these will I give thee 2 A reason for they are mine and to whom I will I give them in Luke 3 The condition in it 1 the matter worship mee 2 the manner fall down if it be but externally 2 Repulse in it 1 The denial But Jesus answered 2 The manner Avoid Satan sharp in the Title Satan Commandement Avoid 3 the reason from a testimony of Scripture in it 1 Allegation It is written 2 precept in it 1 Person to whom Thou every man the whole man in Soul Body 2 matter shalt worship serve i. divine worship 3 object the Lord thy God and him only 3 The issue 1 Christs victory 1 The time when the Devil left him Then 1 When Christ had stoutly resisted 2 When all the temptations were ended in Luke 3 When Christ had said Avoid Satan 2 The manner Hee departed from him 3 How long for a season saith Luke 2 His triumph 1 A note of attention set as a star before it And behold 2 What we must behold 1 the coming of the Angels unto Christ here 1 When they come 2 To whom they come 3 Manner of their comming 2 Their ministery unto him where 1 How they ministred unto him by Adoring him as Conquerour comforting his soul vexed with temptation body pined with fasting 2 why they did so Not for necessity on Christs part But their own duty as to Their Lord. The head of the Church AN EXPOSITION OF Christ's Temptations MATTH 4. Vers 1 Then was Jesus led aside of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil 2 And when hee had fasted fourty daies and fourty nights hee was afterwards hungry 3 Then came the Temper to him and said If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread 4 But he answering said It is written Man shall not live by bread only but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God 5 Then the Devil took him up into the holy City and set him on a pinacle of the Temple 6 And said unto him If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down for it is written That he will give his Angels charge over thee and with their hands they shall lift thee up lest at any time thou shouldst dash thy foot against a stone 7 Jesus said unto him It is written again Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God 8 Again the Devil took him up unto an exceeding high Mountain and shewed him all the Kingdomes of the world and the glory of them 9 And said unto him All these will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship mee 10 Then said Jesus unto him Avoid Satan for it written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve 11 Then the Devil left him and behold the Angels came and ministred unto him OUR Lord Jesus Christ having passed the former part of his preparation to his Ministry and Office by his most holy Baptism of which wee have spoken at large in the former words now he proceedeth to the second which standeth in Temptation For as in the former he publikely revealed himself to bee that Messiah so long expected in whom salvation is purchased to all beleevers of Jews and Gentiles so herein hee sheweth himself most evidently to bee that promised seed of the woman who was to break the serpents head and him who was set a part and sent from his Father to destroy and dissolve the works of the Devil And therefore this holy doctrin bringing us such glad tidings of Satans confusion and our own rescue out of his hands must bee most welcome to us whereof if we would taste the sweetnesse and benefit we must stir up our best attentions affections petitions to hear with readiness receive with gladnesse and practise with fruitfulnesse such holy instructions as this Treatise will abundantly afford unto us Wherein must bee handled three things 1 The preparation to Christs combate vers 1 2. 2 The combate it self with the several assaults from vers 3. to vers 11. 3 The issue and event vers 11. The preparation hath three parts 1 Christs entring the lists by going into the wilderness 2 His expecting of the enemy by his abode and converse there 3 The entrance of his adversary The first part is inlarged by sundry circumstances as 1 The time when this combate was Then 2 The person opposed Jesus 3 His guide hee was led by the Spirit 4 The place into the wilderness 5 The end why hee came thither to be tempted of the Devil In the second part three points are afforded out of the three Evangelists 1 How hee was furnished Hee was full of the Holy Ghost Luke 4.1 2 What company hee had Hee was with the wilde Beasts Mark 1.13 3 What was his imployment 1 Hee was tempted Luk. 4.2 2 Hee fasted forty daies and forty nights and afterwards was hungry which was both the effect of his fast and the occasion of the first temptation The third general part namely the entrance of our Saviours adversary stands in three circumstances 1 The time then 2 The name of the adversary she Tempter before called a Devil 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 unto the former History of Christs Baptism which this immediately succeedeth as Mark 1.12 Immediately the Spirit driveth him note the present tense into the wildernesse so as Christ went directly from Jordan into the wilderness Then 1 When Christ undertook his high-office 2 When hee was baptised 3 When the Spirit had descended upon him 4 When hee had received testimony from Heaven that hee was the Son of God and Doctor of his Church Doct. The more God graceth his children the more Satan letteth himself to disgrace and molest them Hence note That the more God doth grace any man or advance him in gifts or place the more doth Satan set himself to disgrace and molest him Wee read not that the Devil did ever set upon Christ while hee lived as a private man though perhaps hee did but now his Father setting him apart to work mans redemption baptizing him powring his Spirit upon him and giving testimony with him that hee is the Son of his love now hee is assailed with most violent temptations No sooner is hee set apart to his office therein to glorify God and gratify man but hee is set upon by Satan a deadly enemy to both Moses was
son honours his father Thus doe all they that are subtile to pervert the straight ways of God as Elymas therefore called by Paul the child of the Devil Acts 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 up in Gods field to the molesting and anoyance of the Lords wheat Thus doe all they who when they should spend the Lords Sabbaths in his worship they worship and serve the world in buying and selling or the Devil in play and gaming in their own houses falling down to the worship of the Devil when true worshippers are in Gods house performing their homage and service to him Conclus 4. Satan prevails against numbers by drawing the affections of their hearts from the true God to something besides him to love trust and follow it more than God as the voluptuous person that makes his belly his god and so is a lover of pleasure more than of God and the covetous person making his wealth his god whom Paul therefore calls an Idolater All these and many more are worshippers of the Devil and fallen down to him and cannot possibly worship the true God II. How and by what means Satan doth thus prevail And the means are these 1 He hath often the Secular arm and Human authority 2 Chron. 11.15 Rehoboam ordained Priests for the high places for the Devils and for the Calves that he had made Thus Antichrist the Beast of Rome Revel 13.16 by power made all both small and great rich and poor bond and free to receive his mark in their hands and fore-heads So he did in our Country by fire and faggot in Queen Maries days 2 Sometimes he draws men to his own worship by policy for he can transform himself into an Angel of Light he can preach Christ for a need to overthrow the preaching of Christ Mark 1.34 he can be a lying spirit in the mouthes of four hundred false Prophets 1 King 21. at once and can put on the shape of Samuel being still a Satan 3 Sometimes by fair promises as in our text he will give a whole world to bring Christ to one sin Thou shalt have case pleasure wealth credit in a word thy hearts desire if thou wilt fall down and worship me 4 By perswasion that it is a vain thing to serve God Mal. 3.14 no joy 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 disfavour as Balac said to Balaam Thy God hath kept thee from preferment By violent persecutions Revel 12.13.15 the red dragon persecuted the woman which had brought forth the Man-child the Serpent cast out of his mouth waters like a floud to cause the woman to be carried away 6 By effectual delusion by means of Signs Wonders false Miracles and slights which Satan putteth forth to give credit to false worship as it is spoken of the great Antichrist 2 Thess 2.9 10. that he shall come by the working of Satan with power signs and lying wonders and in all deceiveableness of unrighteousness among them that perish and thus shall the beast deceive all those whose names are not written in the Book of life Thus many are deceived in Popery by the jugling and crafty conveyances of the Priests and often by Magick making their Images appear to sweat to nodde to roll their eyes to pass voyces through them and make bloud appear in the Host which they would have their people beleeve and thus Satan mightily draws them to the worship of himself Vse 1. Here let us learn to bewail the misery of men seduced by the Devil and thrust from their God whether more openly or more secretly as 1 Such as joyn to Popery renouncing the worship of the true God and fall down to the Devil to worship him Revel 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 give him power over the Scripture over the Consciences of men to make laws to bind them to pardon sins to open Heaven Hell Purgatory and receive his Bulls and Canons before the Canonical Scripture A lamentable thing that Satan gets such great ones daily to fall down and worship him 2 Such as get livings by bribery symony chopping and changing and such indirect courses here the Chaplain hath fallen down to the Devil and worshipped him and he hath bestowed the benefice 3 Such as seek to Witches for help or cunning men and women a plain and open service of the Devil by vertue of a league and compact at least secret Should not a people seek to their God or can all the Devils in Hell remove the hand of God 4 Such as by flattery dissembling injustice lying swearng or breaking the Sabbath obtain wealth or profit All this the Devil hath given thee because thou hast fallen down and worshipped him Whatsoever a man doth against the Word against his Oath or Conscience is a falling down to the Devil and a worshipping of him Vse 2. Take heed of coming under the power and service of the Devil and to that end observe these rules 1 Hold thee to Gods Word and Will in all duties of piety and justice both for matter and manner For wee must not only doe our Masters will but also according to his will 2 Hear and foster the motions of Gods Spirit which are ever according to the Word It is a note of a man given up to Satan to have continual disobedience breathing in him Ephes 2.2 The foul spirit savours nothing but the flesh 3 Renounce the world daily be not a servant to any lust neither take pleasure in it For when Satan findes a man serving pleasures he halters him with them and clogs him with cares of riches and voluptuous living Luk. 8.14 4 Walk in the light love it and such as walk in it It is a sign of a man in Satans snare to despise them that are good 2 Tim. 3.3 to make a shew of godliness denying the power thereof ver 5. Satan himself pretends light but walks in darkness and leads such as he rules in the same path 5 Contend for the faith Jud. 3. and Gods pure worship stand for God be at warre with thy sin keep an inward conflict and combate for not to be tempted of Satan is to be possessed by him Luk. 11.21 When the strong man keeps the hold all is at peace Vers 10. But Jesus answered and said Avoid Satan For it is written Thou shall worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve NOw wee come by Gods assistance to the answer of our Lord to the D vâ—â— third daâ—â— In which consider three things 1 The deniall and resistance But Jesus answered and said 2 The manner of it Avoid Satan 3 The râ—ason For it
4 Do wee know that God himself is the chief good and should not wee cast our eyes beyond our selves sinful lumps and heaps of dust that all the springs of our affections might run into this main Shall wee bestow the pitch of our affections upon lower things as earthly-minded men do when wee may satiate them with God himself and the things of his glory 5 There is no loss in neglecting our selves for God but great advantage for his eye is upon us to bee a speedy faithful and royal rewarder of us The preferring of our Lords cause above our selves is the preferment of our selves in the end Hee that loseth his life for my sake saith Christ shall find it And therefore as Caesars eye made his Souldiers prodigal of their blood so Gods eye upon us should make our selves small in our own eyes that his glory may bee maintained and reserved wholly to himself Moses preferred Gods honour before his own for hee looked for the recompence of reward Vse 1. The Use hereof belongs to such as are specially set forth to set up Gods causes The Magistrate is not now a private man to seek himself or to set forward his own designs or to shew his heat in his own private causes but to prefer Gods causes before all mens his own or others David a King how calm was hee in his own case when Shimei trayterously railed upon him and Abishai would have fetched his head Oh no said hee God hath bid him rail c But when Gods cause was in hand Oh then away from not yee wicked and I will have no wicked person in my house I will timely destroy the wicked from the house of God Good Nehemiah neglecteth his own allowance and departed from his own right for the peoples sake chap. 5. but cha 13. how zealous is hee for God hee will not let God lose his right not one whit of the Sabbath must bee allowed to any use but Sabbath-duties Such a courage for God and the Truth ought the Magistrate to have as neither for fear of men nor any mans favour or affection hee neglect any thing which God would have him do especially for the house of God and the Offices of it Alas how many Magistrates are of Gallios minde to think religion but a matter of words as if God made them governours of men only but not of Christians keepers of the second Table to preserve Peace and Justice and not of the first to preserve Piety and Religion and if they bee so why are not Blasphemies and horrible Oaths and innumerable prophanations of the Sabbath severely punished why are not Popish and prophane persons compelled to come into the house of God Shall a pilferer of a trifle of a mans goods know that the Magistrate bears not the Sword in vain and shall not hee that robs God of his Glory by Cursing Swearing contemptuous breaking of the Sabbath know the contrary The calling of a Minister is more specially to promote the causes of God which therefore must affect him above all his own respects How earnest was Christ in his Fathers work when his Parents came to seek him at twelve years old hee rebuked them for interrupting him whereas in all private converse hee gave them reverence Luk. 2. When his Disciples brought him meat hee neglected that also saying It is my meat and drink to do the wilt of my Father And if preferring Gods causes will not suffer us to respect our selves much less will wee bee hindered by others wee cannot tune our songs to mens ears but must deal faithfully and plainly though wee displease men How zealous was Christ against the Hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 23. though it created him much envy and malice When hee saw the invincible hardnesse of Heart in his hearers how did hee mourn in his spirit and looked angerly about him Mark 3.5 Surely if wee go about to please men or set up our selves in the World Gods causes will affect us slenderly Therefore it shall bee our happy portion to set the top of our ambition the glory of God and in our judgements and practice prefer the winning of souls before the winning of the World Vse 2. Let every man learn to consider what businesse God hath put in his hand to do and not bee hindered in that for that is Gods work Gods cause upon which depends some part of Gods glory And whatsoever he may glorify God in for which hee can warrant his calling let him set that forward and let no respect hinder him let him not suffer God to bee dishonoured in his family nor where hee can hinder it let the spirit of patience swallow a number of private and personal wrongs but when God comes to be wronged let him stir up the spirit of zeal and courage Vse 3. Here many are reproved who fail against this Doctrin as 1 Men that follow nature abandoning religion hot and fiery in their own quarrels not a word can bee sooner uttered against them but they are ready to draw and to stab Their own names may not be mentioned without all due respect But for Gods causes and quarrels let others look to that How hâ—t was Cain in own cause but so much the cooler in Gods causes and service Haman how busy in his own private quarrel to bring Mordecai to death yea to destroy the whole Church had not his gallows caught himself Oh beware by these examples of more zeal in thine own cause than in Gods in thy own name than in God 2 Such Ostriches as can digest any high contempt of God without indignation or reproof and can suffer men to swear and curse by God and Christ his blood wounds and tear him to small peeces It would bee thought disloyalty to hear the Kings Majesties name or title contumeliously spoken of and not bring the party to condign punishment It was an old Law among the Romans that if any man did swear by their God Janus it should bee death unless the Senate approved it or it were made before a Priest why that it might bee either punished or reproved It were well if wee had such a Law amongst us 3 When care of our own houses eat up the care of Gods house Things shall be neat and convenient at home no care how Gods house lies When base trifles are preferred before Gods Word and the good setling of it as stage-plaies and enterludes When Gods Sabbaths and time must give place to our callings or recreations or are passed away in Gods Worship more heavily than holy daies or work-daies Here is a man affected more with his own sin than the highest causes of Gods glory III. The reason of our Saviours denial For it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Our Saviour had sharply reproved Satans impudence in his bold onset this third time but yet because it is not sufficient to thrust off an adversary with heat
the Son of God into temptation and consequently God is the Author of all the Tryals of his Saints Paul went bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem Act. 20.22 Gen. 45.5 what a number of Tryals was Joseph cast into being sold to a hard Master a tempting Mistress to bands and imprisonment yet hee tells his brethren it was not they but the Lord that sent him thither 1 Gods Providence so watcheth over his Creatures Reasons that not an hair shall fall to the ground and much less shall the head of Gods Childe fall into Satans hand this providence is wakeful and suffereth nothing to come by chance or luck but from a good hand and for a good end 2 Satan although hee bee never so malicious yet is restrained and cannot tempt us until wee bee committed into his hands for the just are in the hands of God and not of Satan hee cannot touch their goods no not the swine of the faithlesse Gadarous though hee was a Legion till he had begged leave and Christ said Go and much less their bodies no more than hee could Jobs till the Lord say Lo all that hee hath is in thine hands onely save his life Hee is a Lyon in chains and as hee could attempt nothing against Christ until the Spirit led him to bee tempted and so committed him unto him so neither against his members Object But how can the Spirit lead Christ to bee tempted and not be the Author of evil Answ There is a twofold temptation one of proof or Tryal Tentatio probationis deceptionis the other of delusion by the first God tempted Abraham Gen. 22. and the Israelites Deut. 13.3 But of the second S. James saith ch 1.13 Let us man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God tempteth no man Object But this temptation of Christ was to delude and deceive him therefore evil Answ If wee consider as temptation to evil wee must conceive God to bee an actor in that which is evil sundry waies though no way the Author of evil For in the worst of them all God doth most righteously use the malice of Satan either in the punishing and blinding of the wicked or in exercising and trying his own both which are just and good As for all the sin of this action God some way an actor in that which is evil no way an author 1 It can be no work of God because it is formally no work at all but a vice and corruption inherent in it and 2. It is all left to Satan who instilleth malice and suggesteth wicked counsels and that to the destruction of men As for example 1 Sam. 16.14 an evil spirit of the Lord vexed Saul that is so farre as it was a just punishment it was of God and Satan was Gods instrument in executing his judgements so farre as it was a punishment but God left the malice of it to the wicked instrument working after his own manner But to come to the very point In the deceiving of Ahab and the false Prophets 1 King 22.22 God not only nakedly and idlely permitted but expresly commanded the wicked and lying spirit saying Goe and deceive and prevail Where we must distinguish between the righteous action of God as a just judgement and revenge of God and most properly ascribed unto him and the malice of it which was the Devils infusing corruption instigating â—o wickedness which very wickedness the wisdome of God directed and turned to the execution of his most righteous judgement Vse 1. This serves to rectifie our judgements in trials and clear our eyes to see this hand of God in them commonly wee look too low at men who are but dust as though misery came out of the dust and wee look too near us at the staff or stone which with the Dogge we bite but consider not the hand that smites us 2 Sam. 16.9 Abishai looks at Shemei that barked at David and said Why doth this dead Dogge curse the King But David could tell him vers 10. The Lord hath bid him curse that is he hath so decreed and ordained and in his secret will bid him Vse 2. Let us willingly submit our selves unto temptations because God by his Spirit leadeth us to be tempted as he did his natural Son so Christ willingly yeelded himself to be tempted being led by the Spirit he was led he was not forced and drawn to it though the trial was as great and fierce as Satan could make it 4. Reasons to be contented and cheerful intrials and so let it be with us For 1 As we must be cheerful in doing the will of God so also must wee bee cheerful in suffering it True it is that tryals and persecutions come often by the Devils means but never from the Devil 2 The Lord knoweth best in his Divine wisdome what is best for us and in his fatherly goodness disposeth to us what he knoweth so to be 3 Hee that leadeth us into the lists measureth our temptations weigheth our strength and will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able he giveth shoulders and fitteth the burden 4 He hath promised his presence with us in six dangers and in seven and goeth out with us into the field not as a looker on but to supply us with new strength and wisdome to help our infirmities and uphold us unto victory These considerations are forcible to work in us a contentment of minde with Gods fatherly appointment without which we can never be cheerful in trials for nature will be working in Peter himself and when hee is an old Disciple he shall be led where he would not and oftentimes the fear of danger and trouble Pejor est bellâ— timor ipse belli Senec. is greater than the trial it self What was it else that moved Christ in that bitter trial when otherwise hee could have wished the cup might pass from him to say Yet not as I will but as thou wilt but the remembrance that he came to suffer as well as to doe the will of his heavenly Father What else added such courage to Paul Acts 21.13 as to say What doe yee weeping and breaking my heart I am ready not only to be bound but also to dye at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord. What else made the Martyrs so invincible in suffering that often when they might they would not be delivered but that they found themselves led and bound by the Spirit yea strengthened to all long-suffering with joyfulness Obj. But we pray not to be led into temptation Ans 1 Tentation is two-â—old as wee said before one of Tryal which wee must suffer with cheerfulness the other of delusion against which wee may and must pray 2 Again there are two leaders into temptation the Spirit of God leads Christ and Christians the evil spirit leads the wicked at his will wee pray against this Leader and not against the former 3 And further wee must
special for thus long the charge of the Angels stands in force 3 Pray not to Angels but to the God of Heaven to send his Angel before thee to direct and assist thee in thy duties and ways For what God hath promised we must pray for Gen. 24.7 Abraham tells his Servant that God will send his Angel before him to take a wife for his son and this Angel prospered his Journey vers 40. And that this was the practice of the Church in Aegypt appears by Moses his message to the King of Edom Numb 20.16 being ill entreated in Aegypt we prayed to the Lord and he sent an Angel and brought us out of Aegypt I doubt not but this duty were it more faithfully practised would bring home much more success and comfort than many men find in their labour who scarce know whence or how their prosperity cometh unto them Obj. If God should send his Angels in humane form and as familiarly to converse with us as anciently they did with the Patriarks we should beleeve this doctrine but now there is certainly no such thing Ans 1. Christ is now in Heaven where our conversation ought to bee by faith rather than by the visible apparition of Angels 2 The beginnings of the Church needed such heavenly confirmation but now the Word is sufficiently confirmed by the Son himself from Heaven 3 The Scriptures are perfect and fully and plainly reveal unto us Gods will in every particular as if the Angels should come and teach us daily 4 The blessed Spirit is more abundantly given in our hearts and supplieth their absence in bodily shape and apparition 5 We must labour to get the eyes of our souls open and then we shall with Eloshaes servant see their comfortable presence notwithstanding they take no bodies to appear in Vers 7. Jesus said unto him It is written again Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God NOw followeth the repulse of our Saviour to this second temptation wherein are two things 1 His resistance 2 His reason drawn from a testimony of Scripture Jam. 4.5 I. Christ resisteth and yeeldeth not albeit hee heareth Scripture alleadged Why If yee were of God saith Christ yee would hear his word neither doth Scripture speak any thing in vain But the reason is 1 Because our Lord perceived that the Word was wrested and abused by Satan and 2 That Scripture abused binds not to obedience 3 That Scripture turned out of his right sense is not Gods Word but carries something in it besides Scripture and then if an Angel from Heaven should bring it wee must bee so farre from receiving it as to hold him accursed 4 For our example that wee should not take all allegations hand over head but as Christ here try whither they tend if to cast us down refuse them II. Christ resisteth but not without reason but by Scripture and opposeth Scripture to Scripture not as repugnant one to another but by way of collation and conferring one with another that the right use of one may overthrow the abuse of the other not in way of contrariety but of commentary Quest But why did not our Saviour shut his mouth by telling him how wickedly he had abused the text he had alleadged by adding detracting and wresting it to a contrary end and meaning Ans This might indeed have confounded him sufficiently but our Saviour his Combate is not only victorious for us but exemplary and therefore we are herein trained in our fight and encounter 1 To hold close to the Scripture in answering the Devil It is written again which word of our Saviour noteth how he buckled the Scripture to him both as a Buckler to defend him and as a Sword to foyl and wound his enemy and so must wee who are not so able to dispute with Satan about the true meaning of a place as our Lord was 2 To inform us that the best and only way to discover the abuse of Scripture is Scripture it being the only rule and judge of it self and all the controversies rising out of it And therefore the Devil no sooner heard this testimony but his mouth was shut as well knowing how the wisdom of the Father had discovered his subtilty The best Commentary of Scripture is Scripture every man is the best interpreter of himself and so the Author of the Scriptures is the best interpreter of them 3 To let us see that although Satan had abused the Scripture yet he nor wee must overcome by no other weapon and that the abuse of a thing takes not away the right use of it nor good things to be rejected because they are abused by them that can use them aright If Christ had been of the Papists mind he would have condemned and shut up the Scriptures from common men because the Devil had abused them for so doe they because Hereticks his instruments doe abuse them the Laiety may not meddle with them But it is plain that in things necessary no abuse in one takes away the right use in another As for example A murderer useth a sword to kill a man may not another use a sword or that sword in his own defence And are not the Scriptures the sword of the Spirit more necessary A Drunkard a Glutton a proud person abuse meat and drink and apparel to surfeiting drunkenness ryot and excess shall wee therefore cast away meat drink apparel and refuse the necessary use of it And is not the Word a more necessary food Because a Wolf comes in sheeps cloathing must the sheep cast away their fleece No the Prophets did not refuse the Word of the Lord because the false Prophets did say The Word of the Lord as well as they Obj. Then it is no good argument that we must reject such and such things because the Papists have abused them Ans If they be good and necessary it is not as are the Word Prayer Sacraments Churches and whatsoever stands by Gods Ordinance in Divine or Civil use But in things unnecessary that wee might bee as well or better without their use it is a good consequence Idolaters have abused them therefore we must forbear them as Bishop Jewel speaketh Doct. The infallible Judge and speaking-decider of all Controversies in the Church are the holy Scriptures in the true sense of them Our Lord here gives the true meaning of one Scripture by another in this his Controversie with the Devil Deut. 17.9 10. In any matter of difference the people must come to the Priest or Levite and they must judge and determine all differences according to the Law and all the people upon pain of death must stand to that judgement Now this Priest was a type not of the Pope but of Christ on whose mouth all must depend for the decision of all Controversies Josh 1.7 the Book of the Law was given to Joshua to decide all matters among the Jews from which he must not depart to the right hand or left hand
and turning the Book and finding the time expired hee useth the means and is diligent with fasting and prayer that God would accomplish his word Dan. 9.2 Jacob had a promise of God that hee should return into his Country he knew all the Devils in Hell could not hinder the promise yet seeing his brother Esaus wrath was a stop or bar hee useth means to remove this let he goes to God and wrastles with him by prayer then he sends his presents and orders his droves with all the wisdome hee could and by this means prevented the danger Christ himself having stairs will use them Remember for spiritual life and natural hee must eat that would live for spiritual war and temporal hee must carry his weapons that would overcome for earthly and heavenly harvest hee that would reap must sow The sick needs the Physician In our earthly or heavenly travel let us with Jacob prevent whatsoever lets would hinder us from our Countrey or the end of our way 4 Whether thou seest means or no subject thy will to Gods in all things If hee kill thee yet trust in him still David in the want of means of comfort said Behold here am I let the Lord do whatsoever is good in his eyes The three Children seeing no means of escape answered the King thus Our God is able to deliver us and if hee will not yet wee will not worship thy Image wee are sure of his presence either for the preservation of our bodies or the salvation of our souls Vers 8 Again the Devil took him up into an exceeding high Mountain and shewed him all the Kingdomes of the world and the Glory of them 9 And said unto him All these will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me NOW are wee come by Gods assistance to the third and last Temptation of our Lord and Saviour which at this time hee sustained and powerfully vanquished For although our Saviour had twice repelled his violence already yet notwithstanding Satan continues his assault Again Doctr. Whence wee may note the importunity of Satan against Christ and his members in temptation to sin That hee is restless herein against Christ appears in that hee dares set upon him here again and again and the third time even so long as hee hath any leave given him And after this our Lord himself lead not a life exempted and freed from temptation for Luk. 4.13 Satan left Christ but for a season And for his members wee may see in Job how many Armies of Temptations hee would have oppressed him withal one could not finish his tale of dismal tydings till another came and overtook him even as one wave in the Sea overtakes another And in Joseph how did hee stir up the hatred of his brethren against him not content with that they must cast him into a pit and there hee must not rest but bee drawn out either to bee slain or at least sold to the Mâ—dianites being in Potiphars house how was hee every day tempted by his wanton Mistress refusing that folly how was hee hated of her and cast into a dungeon by his Master and there he lay a long time till the time came that Gods word must bee verified for his advancement 1 Because hee is eagerly set upon the destruction of mankind Reasons and therefore will bee hardly repulsed hee seeks continually to destroy and leaves no stone unturned 2 Hee hopes at least by importunity to prevail and by continuance of temptations to break those whom at first hee cannot foyl Well hee knows that instance and multiplying of temptations may drive even strong Christians sometimes to bee weary and faint in their minds And the rather because he knows the state of Gods children is not alike but as often in their bodies so the strength of grace in their souls is sometimes weakened and abated 3 His policy is oftentimes to make one temptation a preface and step to another and a lesser way to a greater For 1 Considering Christs hunger it seems small to make stones bread 2 But a greater sin than that to cast himself down where there is no need 3 But the greatest of all is plain Idolatry Worship me 4 If one kind of Temptation will not take so well hee turns to another as here If Christ will not distrust let him presume if neither let him bee covetous Vse 1. To teach us to beware of security seeing Satan takes not any truce but as a raging powerful enemy desperate and yet hopeful of victory will not bee repulled but assail us again and again Yea though wee have once and again overcome his temptations as Christ had done yet must we stand on our watch still for hee will set afresh upon us And why 1 This is the Apostles Counsel 1 Pet. 5.8 because Satan is a continual enemy therefore wee must bee sober and watch 2 Where hee is cast out hee seeks re-entry Matth. 12.24 3 Though God of his grace often restrain his malice it is not to make men secure but to have a breathing time to fit themselves better for further tryal 4 Security after victory in temporal warre hath proved dangerous and hath lost more than all their valour had won as the Amalekites having taken a great spoil of Davids 1 Sam. 30.16 and burned Ziglag sitting down to eat and drink and make merry were suddainly surprised and destroyed by Davids sword But in the spiritual combate security is much more deadly 5 It is the wisdom of a wise Pilot in a calm to expect and provide for a storm and in a troubled Sea after one great billow to expect another in the neck of it Even so while wee are in the troubled Sea of this World it will bee our wisdome to look for one temptation in the neek of another And seeing it is with us as with Sea-faring men who by much experience have learned that in the trouble of the Sea the greatest danger and tossing is towards the Havens where there is least Sea-room therefore let us towards ouâ— end in sickness and towards death look for Satans strongest assaults and in the mean time prepare against them Yea let us learn to prepare against all kinds of temptations as our Saviour here resists all kinds in these three general ones and herein teacheth us so to do for shall Satan dare to renew so many temptations against our Lord and will hee spare any of his members Vse 2. Here is a ground of Comfort for Gods people who when temptations come thick upon them are often dismaied as though God had forsaken them and so grow weary of resistance yea and not seldome they grow into words of impatiency Never were any so molested as they Good David said once This is my death and all men are lyers even all Gods Prophets that told him hee should bee King there was no way but one he must one day fall by the hand of Saul But bee of good comfort
reverently acknowledged for something wherein God hath preferred them before us as for years gifts graces authority or such as are set over us as Parents and Fathers of bodies and souls of Church and Country And this is required by the fifth Commandement and Rom. 13.1 7. neither doth the Gospel and Christianity take away but teach civility And performed by the godly both in speech as Daniel said O King and Paul to Festus O noble Festus and also in outward behaviour and gesture as Jacob bowed seven times to Esau and Joseph taking his Sons from the knees of his Father Jacob having blessed them did reverence to his Father down to the ground Gen. 48.12 David inclined his face to the earth and bowed himself to Saul who pursued his life 1 Sam. 24.9 The like of Ruth to Boaz chap. 2. and of Abigail to David 1 Sam. 25.23 she fell on her face and bowed her self to the ground and fell at his feet 2 Of courtesie which is a fruit of humility when a man to his equals and inferiours sheweth reverence and respect as Abraham to Lot Gen. 13.8 9. and to the Hittites his inferiours cap. 23.12 he bowed himself before the people of the Land Farr unlike the surliness and stiffness of proud and conceited persons who being voyd of all good nature nurture and religion know not to bow to any neither their betters in the way of duty nor equalls in way of courtesie Divine worship is two-fold 1 Inward the sum of the first Commandement standing in fear love and the like 2 Outward bowing or reverence the sum of the second Commandement The former bindes the soul and the will and affections and the whole inner man the later the outward man to give God his worship and service and to give no part of that to any other For the word only only mentioned in the latter branch must bee extended and referred to the former too The latter of these is here meant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the word properly signifieth to kiss or adore by some outward gesture to manifest a veneration 1 Because this was it which Satan required of Christ namely to fall down or bow unto him but Christ aptly refuseth it 2 This worship proceeds from an inward fear and apprehension of a Divine excellency and power not communicable to any Creature which Satan well know for even by this bowing he would have Christ to acknowledge in him a power to dispose of all earthly things which is proper to God And him only shalt thou serve By service is not meant the inward service of the heart for the words in Deut. 6.13 Thou shalt fear the Lord and serve him will not bear it the first thereof betokening the inward service the second the outward following the former as the effect the cause Neither would our Saviour invert the order in setting the stream before the fountain Therefore this word serve serveth to expound the former as an addition signifying nothing else but the outward service of God so that Christ here shews that it is not enough to give God outward reverence but that wee must as servants perform duties according to his will so the word signifies being taken from servants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who perform service to bodily Masters in bodily actions 3 The person to be worshipped and served is God only Him only whom we call the Lord our God according to the speech of Samuel 1 Sam. 7.3 Direct your hearts unto the Lord and serve him only for his glory will hee give to no other Quest Must we give outward worship to none but God Must we not bow our knee and uncover our heads to our King and Rulers Must we not rise up to the hoare-head Levit. 19.32 Must we not serve one another in love How then must we outwardly worship and serve God only Ans We must not deny any civil worship to any man to whom God hath made it due but external religious worship must not be given to any Creature man or Angel Quest How may we know the one from the other Ans They differ greatly 1 In the kind one is servil the other social the former due to an absolute Lord and Commander the latter due from one fellow-servant to another This distinction is grounded in Revel 19.10 where the Angel refused the worship done him by John upon this ground because he was a fellow-servant and one of the brethren for John being overcome with the greatness of the Angels glory and splendor out of humane infirmity ascribed to him more than civil honour and mixed some religious worship with it which only was due to God 2 Another difference is in the intention of the mind in worshipping Religious bowing is when a man inwardly apprehends a Divine power proper to God and incommunicable to the creature or when god-head or divine properties are conceived in the thing bowed unto As for example in falling down to an Image uncovering the head praying c. the mind now conceives a Divine power in the image of knowing ones thoughts hearing helping and the like at least that God hath tied his presence and grace to such a place where such an Image is set up But the civil bowing to the King or superiour or to the Chair of estate is a meer token of civil subjection without any conceit of deity in the mind only because we see in them excellent gifts of God or in place above in the Church Common-wealth or family For the same gesture may be civil and spiritual according to the intention of the mind of the worshipper 3 The end distinguisheth them the one is to exercise godliness the other to express civility the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one done as a man is a member of Gods Kingdom the other as he is in the rank of an earthly Kingdom As for example Kissing of the Popes feet is a worship done to a man and so seems civil but being tendred to him as to the Vicar of Christ as one that can pardon sins and cannot erre this religious end makes it a religious worship and therefore none of his being not offered to any other Prince or Emperour upon the earth 4 Some difference may be taken from the common estimation of the thing worshipped as if it be generally esteemed or reputed Divine and deity ascribed to that which in it self hath it not The Host as they call it is generally held to be Christs very self now for a man suppose a Protestant that knows it to remain very bread and that no such deity or change is in it to bow down before it to uncover his head or use gestures of adoration to it is an external religious gesture and is unlawful although his intention bee not to worship it but because in common estimation he ascribes a kind of God-head to the creature as others doe And whereas adoration is a sign
of subjection to the thing adored and a note of inferiority in deed or in will by this gesture this person makes himself inferiour to a Creature and giveth worship and preheminence to that which in his knowledge hath neither life nor sense which is sensless and against common reason 5 A plain difference between Civil worship and Divine is that all Divine worship is absolute and immediate which is plain in this instance God in all his Commandements must be absolutely and simply obeyed with full obedience never calling any of them into question never expostulating or reasoning the matter with God seem they to us never so unreasonable As Abraham against the Law Moral and even against the Law of Nature without all reasoning riseth up early to kill his own son when God bids him who will be simply obeyed for himself But all obedience to men is respective to God in God and for God and as farre as God hath appointed them to be obeyed and no further God must be obeyed against the Magistrate the Magistrate not against God but so farre as his Commandements are agreeable to Gods Man as man is not to be obeyed but because God hath set him over us in the Church Common-wealth or Family Whence we see that Civil worship hath his rise and ground in the worship of God and what is the cause that so little reverence is given to superiours whether Magistrates or Ministers Masters or Parents in these dissolute and unmannerly days but because Gods worship decays and is not laid in the hearts of inferiours the force of whose Commandement would force reverence to superiours What other cause is there that inferiour impudent persons of both sexes take such liberty without all respect of conscience truth or manners to chatter against Gods Ministers and the Kings towards both whom God hath commanded more than ordinary respect yea with all bitterness to scoft rail curse threaten with horrible damnable and incessant Oathes more like Furies than men even to their faces but that Gods fear is utterly shaken out of their hearts and where Gods fear is absent how can we expect any fear of men The Heathen Priests were honoured because Heathen gods were feared which shall condemn Christians among whom neither Gods Priests and Ministers nor the Ministers of the King Gods Vicegerent and consequently not God himself is feared and honoured Doct. All religious worship whether outward or inward is due to God only For inward worship it is most express Joh. 4.24 God being a Spirit hee must bee worshipped in spirit and truth And it might be proved in all the parts of inward worship as 1 Love Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soul 2 Fear Isa 8.13 Let him be thy fear and dread Fear him that is able to cast both body and soul into hell 3 Trust and confidence Prov. 3.5 Trust in God with all thy heart 4 Faithful prayer Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the time of trouble and How can they call on him in whom they have not beleeved But of this there is little question As for outward worship if religious all of it is his due only Psal 95.6 Come let us kneel before him and bow down to God our Maker Whence it is manifest that all the gestures and signs of religious worship as bowing of the body of knees lifting up of eyes or hands and uncovering the head with religious intention is not to bee yeelded to any but the true God 1 A reason hereof is in the text because he only is the Lord our God Reasons our Lord of absolute command and we his servants whos 's our souls are and our bodies also to be at his beck in religious use and none else and our God by the Law of Creation and daily preservation as also by the Covenant of Grace and Redemption he hath not only created but preserveth yee redeemeth our souls and bodies also and no Creature hath any right unto us as David saith Christ refuseth here to bow to the Devil not only because he is a Devil but because he is a Creature 2 In our text wee see that Satan will yeeld God is to be served but not only he would have a little service too Nebuchadnezzar would bee contented God should be served but he would bee served too if they would but fall down and bow to his Image he desires no more Let Christ be as devout towards his Father as he can inwardly Satan desites no more but a little outward reverence But the three fellows of Daniel tell the King they will worship their God only and Christ tells Satan the chief Idolater of all that hee must serve God only even with external and bodily service 3 If outward religious worship were due to any Creature then to the Angels the most glorious of all but they have refused it and devolved it only to God as his Prerogative Judg. 13.16 Manoah being about to worship the Angel that appeared to him the Angel hindred him saying If thou wilt offer any sacrifice offer it to God And Paul condemneth an outward humility in worshipping of Angels Col. 2.18 Revel 19.10 the Angel refused Johns worship and chap. 22.8 when he fell down at his feet to worship him being amased and perhaps not knowing whether hee might not bee the Lamb himself of whose marriage he was speaking and the reason in both places why he refused even that outward reverence was 1 Taken from the Angels condition hee was but a fellow-servant 2 Because it was proper to God Worship God who is there opposed to all Angels good and bad 4 Idolatry may bee committed onely in the gesture neither can wee set our bodies which ought to bee presented as living and reasonable sacrificeâ— to God before Idol-Worship without the crime of Idolatry no external dissembled honour can be given to an image with safe conscience for which cause Origen was excommunicated by the Church for offering a little incease to an Idol though hee were forced thereunto by a suddain fear 5 Some things must bee had alone and admit not of a second No man can serve two Masters One woman cannot have two husbands at once her Husband is jealous of any partner or corrival Now God alone is our Master and Husband and therefore hee alone must have religious honour This serves to confute the Popish doctrin and practice of their image and Saint-worship and of giving many other waies Gods peculiar worship clean away to the Creatures not onely bowing to images of wood and stone and metal but invocating them vowing unto them offring gifts unto them lighting candles before them offring incense dedicating daies fasts feasts unto Saints departed c. Wherein they commit most horrible idolatry against this express Commandement which commandeth the service of the true God onely As wee shall see further in these grounds Grounds against image Worship 1 No image may bee made of God Thou
his glory And wee must fight against them and take part with our God for his right and as soon joyn our selves with Pagans and Infidels as with Papists one of their worships being every way as Idolatrous as the other I know there is difference in the persons whom they represent in the image between Peter and Paul and between Jupiter and Mercury But in the thing there is no difference divine worship given to an image of the one being as hateful to God as that which is given to the other Object 2 Wee worship not the image but God in the Image nor the Saints themselves but God in the Saints honour done to Gods friends is done to God himself So the Rhemists say As the worship of Image of Antichrist is the worship of Antichrist himself so the worship of the image of Christ is the worship of Christ himself In Apoc. 12.6 Answ 1. I answer 1 After the same manner the Gentiles maintained their Idolatry who instituted idols ut admoneamur divinae naturae to put them in minde of God 2 It is false which they say for they worship the images and Saints themselves as appeareth evidently in their fore-named services 3 God will bee honoured in such signes and means as himself hath appointed and not condemned neither hath hee more condemned Image-worship than his worship in an Image Besides whatsoever the Rhemists say God hath appointed what honour to give to his friends and hath denyed to give this honour to any of them Isa 42.8 All will-worship is condemned Col. 2.23 No Worship pleaseth him that is not commanded in his Word Matth. 15.9 4 Thus might they defend the most gross Idolatry as ever was as for example Jehu Worshipped God and was zealous for the Lord of Hosts 2 King 10.16 but hee Worshipped God in the two calves at Dan and Bethel for it is said v. 31. he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam Hee might with Papists have said Why I Worship no Calves but God in the Calves Yet hee was an Idolater The Samaritans and Assyrians in Samaria feared God and served their Images 2 King 17.28.33.41 that is served God in images But they were not thereby freed from horrible Idolatry for which God cast them out Judg. 17 Micha worshipped the true God in an Idol and could say as much as the Papists I worship not the Image but God in the Image for vers 3. the silver was dedicated to the Lord to make an Image and vers 13. now the Lord will bee merciful unto mee seeing I have got a Levite in my house And yet hee was a gross Idolater Exod. 32. the Israelites worshipped not the Calâ— but God in the Call for 1 They proclaimed holy-day to Jehova not to the Call ver 5. 2 The thing they desired was only some visible presence of God to go before them now in the absence of Moses vers 1. 3 They could not bee so sensless as to think that an Idol which had eyes and did not see and feet but could not walk could go before them but that God represented thereby and reconciled unto them should go before them 4 When they said These bee thy Gods Oh Israel which brought thee out of Egypt could they bee so blockish as to think a dead Idol made but the day before could bee that God which brought them many weeks before out of Egypt when it had no being Therefore by a figure of the sign put for the thing signified it is thus meant This is in honour of the God that brought thee out of Egypt Obj. They forgat God Psal 106.20 Ans It cannot be meant of all memory of God but that they forgat their duty and obedience to God together with Gods express Commandement to the contrary Yet was this condemned by God and revenged by Moses as an high Idolatry 5 It is false which the Papists say that they worship not the Image but God in the Image their common practice is to invocate Images to trust for good from them to vow offer and goe in Pilgrimage to them and make sure of protection from them This is the honour of Images to the great and high dishonour of God 6 The Papists themselves after all their flourishes are glad to leave this practice as which they had rather hold by way of dispute to toyl the Protestants than in sound judgement to help themselves Exam. Concil Tâ—id part 3. Chemnitius writes of George Gassander that after long dispute and strife to varnish over invocation of Saints he concluded thus Ego in meis precibus non soleo Sanctos invocare sed invocationem dirigo ad Deum ipsum idque in nomine Christi hoc enim tutiùs esse enistimo I for my part use not to call upon the Saints but direct my prayers to God himself and that in the name of Christ for I take this to bee the safer course And Hofmeister a great Papist after he had heaped up many opinions about invocation of Saints concludes in the words of Augustine if that Book De visitatione infirmorum was his Tutiùs jucundiùs loquor ad meum Jesum quà m ad aliquem sanctorum spirituum Dei I speak more safely and with more comfort to my Jesus than to any of those blessed Spirits that are with God And to those that doe not thus may be applied that in Jer. 2.13 This people hath committed two great evils they have left the fountain of living waters and digged to themselves wells that will hold no water I will conclude with the concession of Eâ—â—ius in his Euchiridion wherein he shews that invocation of Saints was not delivered by the Spirit of God in the Old Testament neither in Doctrin nor Commandement nor promise nor example for two reasons 1 Because that people was so prone to Idolatry 2 Because the Fathers were in limbo before Christs passion neither had the blessed vision of God Neither was it delivered in the New Testament for two reasons more 1 Because the Gentiles were very prone to return to their old Idolatry 2 Lest the Apostles should seem to teach their own honour after their death Let us take this Doctor at his word and his reasons as they are though better might be given and only hence inferre thus much If the Doctrin of Invocation of Saints be found neither in the Old nor New Testament with what conscience doe they urge it on the simple under pretence of Scripture If it be said This perhaps is but one Doctors opinion to him consents Asotus a great and learned Jesuite who tells us plainly Non doceri in scripturis sed insinuari Sanctorum invocationem that the invocation of Saints is only insinuated in the Scripture Mark the force of truth in these two great points of Justification granted by Bellarmine and of Invocation of Saints granted by all these great Papists Vse 2. Our doctrin condemns the presenting of ones body at the external Divine worship of any thing
and stratagems should we make Obj. That was heath â—nish service but the Masse is more Christian and hath good things in it Ans 1. That was the Masse from which the Protestant Princes departed 2 The Masse is as gross Idolatry as ever any was among the Gentiles being made up of Judaism Gentilism and shreds of Christianity 3 Let them tell us a difference between the bodily adultery of Heathens and Christians and wee will observe the same in the spiritual whoredome which is Idolatry Obj. 1. But what say you of Naaman the Syrian who requested leave to goe into the house of Rimmon with the King his Master and the Prophet bade him goe in peace 2 King 5.18 Ans 1. Some think he spake only of Civil and Politick presence that his Master the King might lean upon him before his Idol hee in the mean time protesting that he would never worship other god but the true God to which the Prophet condescendeth Which is the answer of Mr. Perkins upon the second Commandement and Mr. Zanchius on Ephes 5. But howsoever the gesture it self is indifferent to stand when the King stands and bow when the King boweth c. yet this gesture being cloathed with such circumstances seemeth to me not approved by the Prophet to doe this 1 In the Church 2 Before an Idol 3 In the time of publick service 4 By one professing the true God this seems not so warrantable And indeed both those famous Divines departed from this answer and gave a sounder in their latter works as appears both in Mr. Perkins his Cases of Conscience and Mr. Zanchius his Book De redemptione 2 Some think he speaks in the time past as if he should say Herein that I have bowed c. the Lord be merciful to me to which the Prophet said Goe in peace But there is no need thus to wrest either the tongue or the text 3 The best answer is that Naaman professeth it a sin to go in to bow with his Master in the house of Rimmon and therefore prayeth twice for mercy for it professing he will never now worship any but the true God neither doth he only pray against sin past nor for leave for sin to come but in sense of his own weakness and infirmity desireth mercy that he may not bee drawn from his purpose and withall stirreth up the Prophet to pray for him for grace and strength and for pardon if at any time hee should against his purpose bee drawn into his former sin and in this sense the Prophet bids him goe in peace as if he should say I will pray that God would keep thee in thy godly resolution and for strength and mercy if thou shouldest bee drawn aside and so farewell Now out of this example how can they defend that not to be a sin which himself confesseth a sin and desireth grace and mercy for and strength against Besides Naaman might seem to plead his calling for his warrantize if it were not but what calling can they plead but only newfangledness and rash running out of their way and calling Obj. 2. But Daniel worshipped the Image which Nebuchadnezzar set up else he should have been punished as his three fellows were Ans A silly argument of desperate men blaspheming the holy Prophet who before had been cast into the den of Lions for sticking unto God But if they fall to conjectures we may easily refell them in their own kind thus 1 Perhaps the Image was not near Daniel 2 If it were hee might not bee observed 3 If he were it may be the Chaldes durst not accuse him for his great grace and place with the King 4 Or if they did it may be the King would not hear them nor draw him to death for the great love he bare him or the great service he did in his Kingdom Oh therefore let not us that are Jews that is the Israel of God meddle with these Romish Samaritans Joh. 4.9 let vs not enter into their Cities nor turn into the way of the Gentiles let them bee unto us as Publicans and Heathens Oh that our young Gentlemen would not goe into this way to perform even the basell services of the Masse but hear the voyce of Christ Matthew 10.5 Vse 3. In all our service of God this precept requireth that we give him religious reverence and express it in reverent and seemly gestures especially in prayer and praise to bow our bodies and compose the parts thereof to seemly behaviours True it is that religion stands not in gestures neither doth the Scripture expresly tye us to this or that in particular but only in general to such as beseem holiness and humility See it in the example of the Saints 1 King 8.54 when Salomon had made an end of all his prayer he arose from kneeling on his knees and stretching his hands towards heaven Good Jacob being not able to bend and turn his body for age yet in worshipping God hee would lean on the end of his staffe being in his bed and bow as well as hee could Heb. 12.21 Hee might have thought the age of his body and weakness might exempt him from outward adoration yet hee makes a supply of his weakness by the help of a staff 1 Chron. 29.20 the whole Congregation of Israel in blessing the Lord bow down their heads and worshiped the Lord. And our Lord Jesus himself before his Passion fell on his face and prayed Matth. 26.39 All to teach us how reverently to demean our selves in our Lords service yea if we can convenienâ—ly with Ezra chap. 9. vers 5. to fall on our knees and spread our hands to the Lord. 1 To testifie our humility and that our souls are cast down with our bodies 2 This is a profession of the high Majesty of God before whom wee are the greater the person is among men the more reverence is to bee used in speaking to him or in being spoken unto by him but God is the greatest of all The Lord our Maker Therefore let us kneel before him Psalm 95.6 7. 3 Our reverent and humble gestures greatly help us against our own weaknesses the lifting up of our eyes and hands help us to get our hearts lifted up to God 4 It manifesteth our care to glorify God in our souls and bodies as wee are commanded 1 Cor. 6.20 and that wee acknowledge them both to bee his and both to depend upon him 5 That wee set not light by his Ordinances in which hee giveth us leave to approach unto his throne of Grace before whom the very Angels are said to cover their faces 6 Hereby wee give good example to others and provoke them also to reverence All which much condemneth the prophaneness of many whom when Satan cannot hinder from Church hee prevails against them there and in hearing the Word receiving the Sacraments and Prayer they manifest their contempt of those Holy Ordinances casting and rolling their eies here and there gazing
and a good Conscience and faith unfeigned And when the Lord bids David seek his face Davids heart answereth I will seek thy face Psal 27.8 Those that serve bodily Masters must not serve with eye-service but as the servants of Christ Eph. 5.6 how doing the will of God from the heart and ver 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in simplicity of heart What man can abide a servant that deals deceitfully with him if he know that hee outwardly pretends service but his heart is not with him but he dissembles Love Truth Faith and Reverence No more can God Men cannot see into the hearts of their servants but the Lord doth and cannot bee deceived The fountain of all our Obedience must bee a pure and sincere heart or else if the well-head be corrupt share all the waters that issue thence 3 It must bee ruled and squared by God himself Hinc obedâ—re ad audire for God must bee served as hee will bee served and not as wee think good for God knows what is best and what pleaseth him best All Obedience is to go by rule not our own or others but Gods As the eyes of the hand-maid is upon the hand of her Mistrisse so in our service must our eyes bee upon Gods direction Ps 123.2 which is implyed in that phrase Luke 1.75 That wee should serve him in righteousnesse and holinesse before him all the daies of our life An earthly servant must not take up his own work nor do other mens business but depend upon his own Masters mouth and direction Now God ruleth his whole service in respect of the 1 matter 2 manner 3 end I. For the matter Whatsoever I command that do onely saith the Lord. Thou shalt not do that which is good in thine own eyes but what I command thee And so wee are taught to pray Thy will be done II. For the manner It must bee 1 Absolute 2 Total I. Absolute without all condition on our part whereas all service to men must bee conditional The reason hereof is because God being holiness it self can command nothing but what is most just and holy but men may II. Total both objective and subjective 1 It must bee total in respect of the object all Gods Commandements all which call for our obedience Partial and delicate service when wee list or at leisure as the retainers of great men on feast-daies is not that which liketh him but a constant diligence in all his Commandements and a conscionable indeavour in all General service was holy Davids aim Psal 119.6 Then shall I not bee confounded when I have respect to all thy Commandements Not that wee can perfectly serve him unlesse wee were perfectly sanctified but that we must make conscience of all Gods Commandements even the least 2 It must bee total in respect of our selves we must be wholly imployed in his service in all our parts and powers the whole heart and all the strength is here challenged Wherein there is a notable difference between the service wee owe to God and that to men Wee are to bee serviceable to men only in part not wholly for the soul and Conscience are not subject to men which God especially taketh up and looks for Gods priviledge it is to bee the father of spirits for although wee take our bodies from our Parents yet our souls are immediately from God Men therefore have no power and authority over our souls but God hath power both over soul and body and is the Lord of our conscience and spirit and therefore of due must we subject our selves wholly in his service III. God ruleth his service in respect of the end which is twofold intentionis termini 1 The proper aym and end of our service must be 1 Gods glory directly If all our service of men must be for God as we saw it must much more must Gods immediate service 2 The good of our brethren and of Gods Church which we must not scandalize but build up for God will be served in our service of men 2 Wee must serve our God without end he requires such an heart in his people as to fear him always Deut. 5.29 and 6.13 Thou shalt serve the Lord and cleave unto him Wee allow not our servants to cast up our work and make holy-day at their pleasure much less most Gods servants think it lawful at any time to give any service to Satan Sin Lust the World or any Creature against the Will of the Lord. Vse This should provoke us to tender unto God this service with heart and good will thus squared by God for the matter manner and ends of it The Apostle Ephes 6.5 6 7 8. perswadeth servants to obey their Masters according to the flesh by three arguments all which are much more strong to perswade our service to our Master in heaven First saith he it is the will of God Gods institution and the ordinance of Christ It is enough for a servant to know that such a thing is the ordinate will of his own Master The second reason of the Apostle is taken from the honour of their service that in serving men they served the Lord Christ which was an honourable thing Now we serve a great Lord and as good as great If a servant were bound to a wicked and froward Master he must obey him in all lawful things How much more are we to yeeld service to so good a Lord who can command nothing but that which is most just holy and honourable Hee sets us not about any base or ignoble service to work in brick or clay as Pharaoh commanded the Israelites but our work is the practice of piety and righteousness of prayer and praise And besides it is most beneficial to our selves for what gaineth he by our service our goodness reacheth not to him to adde a grain to his perfection Psal 50.9 10. I will take no Bullock out of thy house for all the beasts of the forest are mine and the sheep on a thousand mountains If I were hungry I would not tell thee But it is our honour and profit as when a noble man takes a poor Sneak near him to serve him such a mean man is more honoured and pleasured than the noble man to whom he retains The third reason of the Apostle is drawn from the expectation of reward or wages which if their Masters should fail God would not fail to repend unto them knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doth that same he shall receive of the Lord. Now if the Lord so liberally reward faithful service done to mean and even wicked men how rich and royal a reward gives hee to the faithful service of himself It gifts then may move us to serve God the Lord truly saith All these doe I give thee and more also my Christ my Spirit my self and life eternal No man gives such wages no servant ever had such a pay-master To these might be added sundry other motives
late years to bring in woful changes to remove the Gospel and give away our Kingdom Liberties Freeholds and lives to strangers Remember that admirable year of eighty eight and that no less admirable threatning and deliverance in one thousand six hundred and five forget not the raging and devouring 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 up whole Towns and Villages the general diseases and distempers in mens bodies which have been as universal as our provocation hath been the change of our seasons the breaking out of waters drowning the earth the infection of the air many barbarous Conspiracies against the life of so innocent and merciful a King and the hot contentions of many brethren in our own Church All which are remarkable signs of Gods displeasure if not fore-runners of a lamentable change But he that considereth how all these things are forgotten and worn away unprofitably without all wholsome use or reformation cannot but think that the Lord if timely repentance hinder not will take some other course and so speak as hee will be heard for the truth never fayls which you have heard at large one Judgement is ever a fore runner of another unless repentance cuts them off O that God would put it in the hearts of high and low to seek the continuance of our happy peace in our seasonable seeking of God by repentance and not seeking still to provoke him by wilful impenitency Vse 2. Let us not expect an end of temptation and trial 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 return yea although he cannot prevail he will not cease to be an enemy and the longer our peace hath been let us think our change the nearer None of Gods children but the Devil is sometimes departed from them but the experience of them all shews that he never stayed long away from any of them and therefore let us be wise although Godâ— goodness have kept him a great while from us not thereby to grow secure but as fore-casting his coming again aim our selves for him 1 Nâ—t mistaking our present estate which is a pilgrimage and not a paradise of ease and pleasure 2 Considering that evils fore-seen lose a great part of their bitterness and they are so much the weaker against us as we are stronger by our providence and fore-sight of them 3 Neither may we think much that after one or two or three assaults Satan hath not done with us but comes again as he did against our Lord for wee servants are not better than our Master nor better than our fellow-servants who have been often assaulted as David first to Adultery and after that to Murder and after that to pride in numbring the people and after that Satan came again and again And Paul was often bulleted by Satan yea after hee had prayed thrice he got no release but a promise of sufficient grace 4 Neither may we conceive it strange that after some sleighter temptations we should be urged with fouler for Satan commonly keeps his strongest till the last as hee did to our Lord. Many say never were any so foulely tempted not so often as they their flesh trembles and their hair stands an end to think what foul temptations Satan suggesteth with great instance But can there bee a fouler temptation than to worship the Devil himself yet the Son of God was tempted to it Therefore resist as he did and the sin is not thine but Satans who shall bee damned but thou shalt be saved in the day of the Lord. Satan still cometh with more malice and worst at last contrary unto God who is best at last Vse 3. In that Christian life is mixed with peace and trouble learn wee not to fix both our eyes upon any present prosperity nor use it as a perpetuity but hold it as a moveable which passeth and moveth from one to another We have now a sweet sense of God but this may be over-cast he may hide himself and we be troubled we may now have the joy of our faith and presently our souls be clouded with unbelief distrust and dreggs of infidelity All Gods graces are still in sight often soyled by their contraries And for temporal things our health is conflicted with sickness our good name wounded with disgraces and defamations our friends mortal and were they not so yet mutable often becoming our greatest enemies our wealth winged and leaves us when we have most need of comfort our life it self commutable with death which is the turning of us out of all that wee loved dearest excepting God himself Let us therefore fix our eyes upon those eternal good things and that eternal peace and that Kingdom which cannot bee shaken For the things which are seen are temporal but the things not seen are eternal And then whatsoever I lose it is but a moveable my inheritance is sale and sure Vse 4. Hence wee may see how like wicked men are unto their father the Devil in their courses Satan seems to goe from them but it is but for a season and so do their sins but for a season by a counterfeit repentance As we may see in two or three instances 1 Some upon some good motions and exhortations by Gods Word and Spirit are struâ—k with some sense of their estate their conscience is checked and they resolve to take a new course and perhaps enter upon it as the Devil were quite gone But he comes again he went but for a season and sets them as deep in their usury deceit gaming and wicked fellowship as ever before the dogge returns to his vomit and the sow to her wallowing in the mire the evil spâ—rit that seemed to be gone is returned and hath brought with him seven worse Devils because he found his house fit for him 2 Some about the time of receiving the Communion are very devout will make a shew of religion of prayer of repentance of charity and love they will not swear much that day perhaps not play but read and it may bee sing Psalmes A man would think for so doe they that the Devil is quite gone But it is but for a season their righteousness is but as a morning dew their unrighteousness returns and they become as disordered in their courses as malicious in their lives the next day as ever they were before A fearful case that with Judas they receive the sop and the Devil withall 3 Others in the time of sickness are very penitent will confess all promise amendment plead for pardon crave good prayers and vow to God if hee restore them to become new men and women and now the Devil they hope is quite gone But no sooner their sickness breaks but the Devil comes again and brings all their former sins back again and they are well contented
your sanctification Colos 1.10 filled with the knowledge of his will and waâ—k worthy of the Lord c. thou must not only speak for but live to the credit of thy Master in thy speech actions attire eating drinking and whatsoever else carry thy self like a Christian else thou discreditest thy Masters house and dishonourest himself Were not hee a notable Traytor that being sworn of the Kings guard and professing all service to the King should instead of the Kings armes and coat wear the enemies so the thing it self speaketh against him who professeth Christ his Lord and yet never appears or sheweth himself in the street or abroad but in Satans livery his swearing his covetousness his filthiness his lying his whole life lead in all intemperance bewrayeth to whom hee hath given himself to obey 3 It is his will also that wee obey as well in suffering as in doing his pleasure and the reason is plain he is my Lord I am but a servant if he please to buffet and blow mee I must with all meekness submit my self yea and more be thankful for his government 2 Sam. 15.26 If hee say I have no delight in thee let him do whatsoever seemeth good in his eyes 1 Sam. 3.18 When the Lord had threatned heavy things against Heli his whole house hee answered It is the Lord let him do whatsoever seemeth good in his eyes I was dumb and opened not my mouth saith David because thou LORD didst is Psal 39.9 Thus must wee obey Christ as a Lord giving up our bodies and souls unto him by living unto him and dying unto him and this is the Apostles ground wee are the Lords Rom. 14.7 and therefore none of us liveth unto himself and none of us dyeth unto himself but living and dying wee are the Lords otherwise what a trifling and mockery were it onely to yield him a title of Lord or Master and deny him his service Why call yee mee Master Master and do not the things I speak Luk. 6.46 All which if it bee true how few shall finde Christ a Saviour for how few make him their Lord few there are that esteem this well-beloved above other well-beloveds not a few are ashamed of him and his profession many white-livered souldiers are daunted with Peter at the speeches of silly and simple persons most men never look to the hands of this Lord to acknowledge either receit of Talents or return of accounts fewest of all obey him in faith who yet are overcarried with presumption of his favour or in true sanctification though they can pretend it or in patience if they could get out of his hands if it were by flying to the Devil for help Well if Christ have no more but a title of a Lord from thee thou shalt have but a title of salvation from him and not the thing it self and if a name that thou livest content thee when thou art but dead the time commeth that when thou commest to seek thy name among the number that are saved by him thou shalt finde thy name left out of that role and set in the number of those that shall dye in their sins Christ being our Lord no other Lord can lay 〈◊〉 unto us Secondly if Christ bee the Lord of all Then have wee obtained much freedome by him both from all spiritual bondage and all that tyranny which those hard Lords Sin Death Hell Satan exercised over us our Lord hath paved the uttermost farthing and wrought a glorious redemption for us and hee having thus set us free wee are free indeed both from the guilt the punishment and service of sin Wee are free also from all Papal bondage for wee have but one Lord in Heaven who can save and destroy to whom simple obedience belongeth and to whom the Conscience is only subject The man of sin indeed would bee Lord of all and maketh laws to bind conscience where God hath left it free but as the Scriptures acknowledge but one Lord no more do wee and say more that wee cannot serve two Masters commanding such contrary things Wee are also hence freed from the fear of all earthly Tyrants if wee belong to this Lord for if hee stand with us who can bee against us Matth. 10.28 Fear not them which can kill the body onely but him who can cast both body and soul into Hell The true fear of him will eat out all those false fears of men Observ 3 Thirdly If Christ be Lord of all Then wee and all beleevers are fellow servants All beleevers are fellow servants to this Lord. and therefore ought to live and love together making no dissention or schism in our Masters house which is the Apostles reason Eph. 4.4 perswading the Ephesians to keep the Unity of faith because there is one Lord. This shall bee done if all of us who profess Christ could learn to deny our selves to follow his will not our own or other commanders yea to follow his blessed example learning daily of him to bee humble and meek patient and tender-hearted one to another forbearing and forgiving offenders hard to exasperate and easy to bee intreated And these things should wee rather strive in that according to the Apostles precept the same minde might bee in us which was in Jesus Christ Phil. 2.5 Vers 37 Yee know the word which came through all Judea beginning in Galilee after the Baptism which John Preached THE holy Apostle here beginneth the confirmation of that which hee had formerly spoken that Christ is the Messias and Lord of all to prove which hee beginneth orderly with the History of his life and death of which even these Gentiles could not bee ignorant therefore hee saith yee know the word Where if it be asked how they should come to know the doctrin of the Gospel seeing the Apostles were not yet turned to the Gentiles and Peter was now sent extraordinarily to teach them concerning Christ which had been in vain if they knew the word before we must observe Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that by the word here is not meant the word preached as in the former verse but as the word is different in the original so also is the signification and betokeneth rather a thing done than a word uttered as Matth. 18.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word or fact be confirmed Luke 2.15 Let us goo to Bethlem and see this word that is this thing which the Lord hath brought to passe The plain sence then is this Yee know the word that is the same of Christ which was quickly dispersed through all Judea in the mouthes of common men Which fame that they should not mistake him or themselves he describeth 1 By the place where it arose beginning in Galilee 2 By the time when it most prevailed after the Baptism which John preached which some expound thus After the Baptism of Christ by
manner had the promise of the Kingdom but in the mean time he was so traced and hunted by Saul that he said in himself I shall surely one day fall by the hands of Saul but howsoever the Lord still deferred his promise he knew not how to break it the Kingdome was rent from Saul and given to him that was better than he Why God delayeth to answer his children Reasons Now the chief Reasons of this dealing of the Lords with his Children are these 1 In Gods delaies there is a seasonable time for all the graces which he giveth to be set on work such as are faith patience hope prayer all which cease in the accomplishment Secondly hee will have his childrens case often desperate that his own hand may bee acknowledged in giving them unexpected deliverance How could Israel but acknowledge his out-stretched arm in their delivery when they saw nothing but the mountains before them the enemies behind them and the sea as a wall on either side and if the Lord had delivered them before they came into the bottom of the sea as he easily could have done the glory of his work had been obscured which all ages since have admired and extolled till this day How did Jonah and the Ninevites acknowledge the finger of God in calling him to that Ministery when as he seemed utterly cast away being buried in the Whales belly three days and three nights for when by the powerful Word of God the Fish was commanded to cast him on the dry ground what a worthy fruit of conversion it had in them generally the History doth declare What great glory the Lord won to himself by saving Daniel not from the Den but from the Lions teeth in the Den and the three children not from the Furnace but the very fire in the Furnace it appeareth in that the very Heathen Kings themselves made publick Edicts that no God but Daniels and no God but Shadrachs c. should bee worshipped through all their Dominions because no God could deliver their worshippers as hee had done Thirdly the Lord often longer absenteth himself from his own children that when he is returned they might make the more account of him it pleased him to deal herein as a Mother with her child who although she bee tender enough over it will sometimes get her out of sight and behind a door in the mean time the child falleth and getteth some knocks and all this to make the child perceive its own weaknesse and depend upon her so much the more Example hereof we have Cant. 3.4 when the Church had sought her beloved in her bed in the streets among the Watch-men and found him not at last after much seeking and sorrowing after him she findeth him whom her soul loved then she took hold on him and would not let him goe till she had brought him to the house of her mother Vse 1. Tedious and heavie afflictions may not bee an argument of Gods hatred It is a simple opinion of simple people that God loveth not that man who is exercised with any strange crosse especially if it be more lasting and lingring upon him Lingring afflictions no sign of Gods hatred Why dost thou not consider ignorant man that the Lord suffered his own wel-beloved Son to lye in the Grave till the third day before he raised him up What sayest thou to the Israelites in Aegypt did they cease to be the people of God or to be dear to God when the heaviest tasks were laid upon them Whose bloud was it that Manasseh made the streets of Jerusalem run with but the Saints In the Persecutions of the Primitive Church we read of thirty thousand of the dear Saints of God put to death in seventeen days under the Tyrant Maximinian and as many chained under met al 's and mines Who was it that asked if the Lord would absent himself for ever and whether his mercy was clean gone for evermore Was not this the voyce of David a man after Gods own heart Wouldst thou hear the style of Gods children in the Scriptures thou hearest them called worms of Jacob dead men of Israel Isa 41.14 Wouldest thou know their state neither is that unanswerable to that stile read Heb. 11. from verse thirty five to the thirty ninth They wandred in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins and they of whom the world was not worthy were banished the world as unworthy to live in it Impossible therefore it is as Salomon teacheth to know love or hatred by any thing before a man Eccles 9. A man may be a Dives and a Devil or little better another may be a Lazarus and a Saint Fat pastures for most part threaten slaughter when lean ware need not fear the Butcher 2 In tedious and heavy afflictions and graves of misery prescribe not unto God neither the time nor the manner of thy release but leave all to him in whose hand times and seasons and means of deliverance are Wee would not by our good wills lye one day no not one hour under affliction our spirits are as short as Jehorams was what shall I attend any longer upon the Lord is not this evil from him Some crosses more smart and durable why And hence are all those murmurings and complaints Oh never was any in such misery or so long as I am But the Lord knoweth what hee doth and whom hee hath in hand Hee seeth perhaps 1 That thou hast strong hidden corruptions thy hard knots must have hard wedges as hard bodies strong potions 2 It may bee thou wast long in thy sin before thy conversion and thy Cross is the longer to be a means to bring thy old sins into fresh memory that so thou maiest renew thy repentance 3 It may bee thou hast since given some great scandal to the Church and so thy correction abideth till thou hast testified thy repentance 4 Thy heart perhaps can tell thee that some other crosses of some other kinde have been neglected or would not have smarted half so much therefore the Lord will have this to stick by increasing the smart and with-drawing his comforts till thy great heart bee made to stoop 5 Look whether some lust as yet not denyed lendeth not a sting to this cross above all the former whether thy heart bee over-mastered or fretful and peevish for even so wee deal with our Children who when a little smart doth but set them on frowardness wee meeken and overcome with more stripes 6 Or else the Lord in mercy lingringly doth correct as thou are able to bear to bend thee and work thee to good whereas if hee should bring his chastisements roughly and at once it would break thy heart great cause therefore hast thou to subscribe to his wisdome whose waies are all justice and mercy 3 Hence wee fetch our assured comfort The Lord will seasonably remember his children at least the third day That as God delivered his Son the third day so will
by good means commâ—tteth it Bee now thine own Judge whether thou hast well looked to one when thou hast neglected to reform the disorders of such as God hath put under thy power Thou hast not a person in thine house but if it any way perish under thy hands thou must give account of the life of it to the Parents of it or to the Magistrate the Parent of the Country in like manner there is not the meanest soul in thy Family but if it perish by thy default for want of instruction correction or wise government of it thou shalt bee called before the God of the Spirits of all flesh and shalt bee arraigned and condemned for the blood of that soul And this is not to bear the burden of that soul which beareth the weight of it own sin but to bear thine own sin in not preventing that evil from him which by thy negligence came upon him Secondly it shall bee strict in regard of the things either received of us 2 In regard of things 1 done 2 received or done by us Account must bee made what goods of our Masters wee have received both for the kinds and measure What number of Talents were committed to our trust If one or more how wee have laid them out what wee have gained whether wee have faithfully returned this gain to our Master as having sought his advantage and not our own how wee have Husbanded our opportunities and redeemed our times how wee have imployed the gifts of our Minds Understanding Judgement Wisdome Learning Memory how wee have used or abused to sin the strength health and beauty of our bodies how wee have justly and charitably received in and retailed out the matter of our maintenance and revenew And in all these lesser things if our unfaithfulness bee found out let us never look to have greater matters committed unto us for the things that are done by us they shall all bee straightly judged whether they are conformable to the Law the rule of Righteousnesse or acceptable by the Gospel the restorer of our Righteousness Eccl. 12.14 God will bring every work into judgement good or evil open or secret for all things are naked before him with whom wee are to deal hee planted the ear and must needs hear and formed the eye and therefore must needs see things secret and covered with darkness Hence is hee said to have books and to open them because all things are as certainly recorded and registred by him as if hee had registers in Heaven to keep roles and records of all that ever were or shall bee to the end Yea hee hath not onely his own books of judgement in Heaven but for more surenesse that nothing escape him hee hath millions of books of record in earth that shall all help forward his judgement and give testimony to the righteousnesse of it so as every mouth shall bee stopped at that day and these are the boâ—ks of every mans particular conscience which howsoever they bee now shut or as roles folded up yet shall they also then bee opened and unfolded to give witness of whatsoever any man hath spoken or done in the flesh be it good or evil 3 In regard of words 3 This judgement shall bee strict in regard of every mans words Jude 15. In this judgement hee shall rebuke all the ungodly of all the cruel speakings which wicked sinners have spoken against him For if of every idle word wee must give account to God Matth. 12.36 much more of every wicked word Every man thinketh words are but wind and hee may speak his minde and hee hath done but in this judgement by thy words thou shalt bee justified or by thy words thou shalt bee condemned and though thou when thou hast spoken thy mind against thy brother hast done the Judge hath not done with thee 4 In regard of thoughts to be judâ—ed 4 It shall bee strict in regard of every mans thoughts for even these are not so free as men say they are nor shall go scot-free for even they are bound to the conformity of the Law as well as our words and actions The commandement is very express Thou shalt worship the Lord with all thy hears and all thy thoughts and all thy strength and when the Apostle Paul would note the damnable estate of the Ephesians before they were called to the Faith Eph. 2.3 hee setteth it forth in this that they then followed the will and counsel of their own thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adde hereunto that the Lord Jesus is the seâ—â— the sâ—archer and judge of the heart and therefore hereby shall the Throne of his judgement bee advanced above all the tribunals in the World in that the most secret thoughts and reasonings of mens hearts cannot escape him which the highest seats of justice amongst men can take no notice of at all Sin carried never so secretly shall come into a clear light Vse 1. Let this Doctrin abate somewhat the pleasure of sin which most men swallow up so delightfully yea and glory in their iniquity when they can carry it so close and clear away that men see it not and can stopp the cry of their scared conscience for the present but remember that God hath written it up and the time hasteneth when that conscience of thine now in a dead sleep and scared up shall bee awakened and become as a thousand witnesses against thee that if all other accusers should fail thy self should not fail to do that office against thy self but shalt bee both a servant to Gods justice as also the subject of it Be admonished then in time whosoever thou art to beware of all secret sins as close cousenage lying uncleanness whisperings and all other cunningly-contrived wickedness seeing there is a clear light into which they shall bee brought and by which they shall be reproved True it is that open shame of the World restraineth many one from committing open and gross sins but where conscience is wanting the same sins if they can cleanly convey them are made no bones of Hence is it that the Adulterer watcheth for the twi-light before hee go into his Neighbours house hee careth not for his chastity so bee hee may charily and cauteously compass his uncleannesse If a child of four or five years old stood by hee would forbear his sin but the presence of the mighty God that standeth at his elbow who seeth and recordeth his soul sin to bring it into judgement moveth him never a whit Would a felon commit burglary if he thought the Judge himself looked upon him would Gehezi have run after Naaman if hee had thought his Masters eye and spirit had run after him would Ananias have lyed to the Apostles if hee had thought they had known hee did so Even so is it a shame to speak what is done of many Christians in secret because their eye is not upon the judge whose eye is upon them and who