haue in Exod. 32.31 when Israel had made a calfe Oh saith Moses this people haue sinned a great sinne It was great 1. in the kinde idolatry 2. in the manner beeing against such meanes it was not many dayes before that that Moses had receiued the ten commaundementâ— which themselues heard deliuered in such thunder lightning and terrible voice as made them professe what euer the Lord should commaund them by Moses they would doe and besides the ten commaundements thus vttred and deliuered Exod. 20. in the 22. verse a speciall addition was annexed Ye shall make you no Gods of siluer or gold c. They had immediately before receiued an extraordinary food by Manna which then they enioyed Moses was in the mount with God to receiue more laws for their good Aaron was with them to aduise them But against all these and many more meanes they worshippe a calfe and so highly prouoke God as after a great slaughter of men 3000. in number Moses hardly obtained pardon for the residue Dauids sinne was so much the more heinous in that he had many wiues of his owne as Nathan in the parable sheweth and maketh himselfe to confesse A rich man had many sheep and oxen and the poore man had but one lambe which ate his morsells with him and slept in his bosome which was Bathsheba in Vriahs bosome and the rich man refused to dresse any of his owne sheep and slew and dressed the poore mans sheepe Dauid himselfe hearing it before he knew it to be his owne case could say As sure as the Lord liues he shall die that hath done this and Nathan said Thou art the man c. And this sinne so prouoked the Lord that the sword neuer departed from his house and his repentance could not cut off that part of the sentence but his owne sonne Absalom must defile his fathers wiues in the sight of all Israel Hence it was also that our Lord answering Pilate aggrauated the sinne of Iudas Ioh. 19.11 Hee that deliuered me vnto thee hath the greater sinne he knewe he deliuered an innocent to death hee was warned he was a friend and familiar his sinne was a great sinne and so great as God tooke him in hand and laid the burden of it presently vpon his soule and he found no ease but in hanging himselfe 2. Sathan knowes these sinnes more trouble and wound the conscience then other because this circumstance layes the sinne directly vpon our selues and takes away excuses God was not wanting to preuent such a man cannot say he could not remedie it no good meanes was wanting to him onely he was wanting to himselfe and the meanes And thus the Lord reasoneth with his people to bring them to the sight of their owne corruption Isa. 5.4 What could I doe more to my vineyard which I haue not done 3. Sathan knowes that to sinne against meanes is a compound sinne and like to a complicated disease hardly cured for besides the sinne to which a man is drawne there is 1. a neglect of a mans owne good 2. there is a base estimation of Gods great kindnesse in offering the meanes of our good and consequently God himselfe is despised in the meanes yea there is an vnthankefull reiecting of grace offered And what is further to be done but to leaue such a one as remedilesse 4. Well knowes Satan that God hath denounced and executed greater plagues vpon these sinnes then other where meanes were not present He punished adulterie in the lawe with death not simple fornication because one had meanes to auoid the sinne the other wanted it So for theft Prou. 6.30 If a theefe steale to satisfie his soule because he is hungry men despise him not a restitution may be made he must not die comparing the sinne with adulterie in which no restitution must be made they must die the death Capernaum which was lifted vp to heauen in respect of the meanes of saluation neglecting those staires cast her selfe lower into hell then Tyrus and Sidon which neuer had the like things done in them Nay God whose nature is to be mercifull in this case takes pleasure and delights himselfe in seueritie Prou. 1.22 Yee haue despised all my counsell and set my correction at nought therefore will I laugh in your destruction This doctrine is of great vse through the whole life 1. If where more meanes be to hinder sinne there sinne is aggrauated how heauie be the sinnes of our age who in the meanes are lifted vp aboue all the ages of 1500. yeares before vs Howe may the Lord complaine of vs as Hos. 8.10 I haue written to them the great things of my lawe but they haue counted it a vaine thing The meanes that we haue doe set our sinnes in a farre higher degree then were the sinnes of our fathers Theirs were in the night ours in the day theirs were ignorances in comparison ours are presumptions of knowledge and set purpose theirs were errors and sinnes ours are rebellions and obstinacie they could scarce doe any other we will not their ignorance inuincible ous affected And as our means be greater so our iudgement and account shall be straighter for to whom God giues more of them he requires more Luk. 12.48 2. Content we not our selues that we haue staires or meanes as many who say they come to Church heare the word receiue the Sacrament haue some measure of knowledge and be able to speake of religion seeing the presence of the meanes brings Satan more fiercely vpon thee and threatneth thy greater danger if thou growest not in soundnesse of Christianity by them Consider whether the Scripture be not true saying 1. Not the hearers of the word but the doers thereof shall be iustified 2. Knowers of their Masters wil and not doers of it shall be beaten with more stripes 3. Many seeme to be partakers of grace who are peruerters of it and turne it into wantonnesse who are of old rolled or billed vnto condemnation 4. Many in the day of iudgement shall say and alleadge for themselues We haue eate and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streetes to whom the iudge shall say I tell you I knowe not whence you are depart from me ye workers of iniquity The Iewes had the ministery of Iohn of Christ and his disciples the Gospel of the kingdome preached which was as Iaacobs ladder to rise vp by the staires and sâ—aues of it vnto heauen but for all this because they walked not worthy of these meanes Christ tels them plainely to their faces that Publicans and harlots should goe into heauen before them And the same shall be said of euery formall Christian contenting himselfe with an outward shew of goodnes and not answerable to the meanes he hath without any inward or constant change by them 3. Let vs beware of Satans wyle neither to neglect means nor yet to sinne against them I. In spirituall things the meanes of
these stones to be made bread Here is an inference vpon the former words If thou be the Sonne of God vpon a true ground Satan raiseth a dangerous consequence Christ was the Sonne of God true Must he therefore needs make stones bread It is an ordinary temptation of the deuill to inferre mischeiuous conclusions vpon true premisses God had no respect to Cains sacrifice as to Abels Whereas now Cain should haue offered of the best as Abel did and haue brought faith with his offering by which Abel offered a better sacrifice Heb. 11.4 Satan infeâ—res vpon it Therefore kill thy brother Saul receiued no answer of God that was true but that therefore he should goe to the wiâ—ch of Endor was Satans inference both against the law of God and Sauls owne law God is a 〈◊〉 God a true premisse and the scope of all the Scripture but that Ionah should therefore â—â—ie to Tâ—rsâ—ish and not goe to preach the destruction of Niniâ—e was a Satanicall inference A man must pittie himselfe and doe what he can to repell euill from him and auoid danger but that Christ should therefore not goe vp to Ierusalem to suffer was a dangerous consequence of Satan in Peters mouth whom therefore Christ calleth Satan 1. Satan is cunning and seeketh by mingling good and euill truth and falshood to iustifie that which is false and to draw it on with the truth If he should neuer speake truth hee could neuer deceiue halfe so much therefore he speakes many truthes to giue credit to his lies and the same he hath taught all his agents Doe we thinke that a false teacher or heretike could do any great hurt if he should not lay his leauen in a lump of truth would not euery man at first reiect him if he should bring neuer a true doctrine but therefore that his heresie may spread like a gangrene he comes with a faire pretence of many truths which cannot be denied Doe we thinke that the Church of Rome should haue so preuailed in the world or that Antichristian state should haue beene endured or could any Papist be suffered in ours or any wel-ordered countrey if they did not colour all their abhominations and false religion with some generall truths if they should not in word and shew hold and recite the articles of faith and principles of our religion concerning God in vnity of essence and trinity of person concerning Christ the Church c. were it possible that any Christian state could beare them while indeed and in truth they reuerse the whole foundation of religion and are limmes of Antichrist No their deceit is a mysterie and walks in darknes and the maske and vizards of truth with pretence of holines hath held the swords of Princes from them which else had long since beene sanctified in their ouerthrow 2. Satan can doe no other who cannot speake truth for truths sake for beeing a lyar from the beginning he loues not truth and therefore if he speake truth it is to corrupt the truth or to stablish some lie Lying is the deuills mothers tongue Ioh. 8.1 Sam. 28.17 18. Satan in the habite of Samuel spake many truths as that the Lord had rent the Kingdome from him and giuen it to Dauid because he had so spoken he would doe it and because Saul obeyed not the voice of the Lord nor executed his fierce wrath against the Amalâ—kites and that the Lord would deliuer him and the Israelites into the hand of the Philistims the next day c. But all this was to feed Saul in his delusion and hold him in his sinne as though he were Samuel as vers 17. the Lord hath done it euen as he spake by mine hand and v. 19. to morrow shalt thou bee with mee c. So in the new Testament we haue the deuills confessing Christ to be the Sonne of God the Holy One the summe of the Gospel and Paul and Silas to be the seruants of the high God Act. 16. but both Christ and his seruants put them to silence and would not haue them to speake the truth because it was to depraue and slander the whole truth as though Christ and his seruants had beene in league and agreement with the deuills and so their doctrine had beene not diuine but diabolicall Thus Satan like a barge-man lookes one way but rowes another 3. Satan sees how our nature is easily carried through a generall shew of good or truth to take in with it error and falshood hand ouer head without triall or discerning For though our blessed Sauiour would not confound stones and bread yet we easily take stones with bread and serpents with fishes The whole Masse-booke is but an heape of idolatrous prayers and ceremonies but yet because there is some shew of good in it many Scriptures and some tolerable and good prayers with many deuotions it is wholly receiued without triall of millions giuen ouer to delusion 4. Satan the prince of darknes can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light 2. Cor. 11.14 and the false Prophets will be confident that the truth is with them Zedechiah will oppose Micaiah and Hanani will smite Ieremie and make yokes against the King of Babels yoke Ier. 28.11 The Donatists in Africa cryed out that the sound Christians were traytors to the holy bookes and themselues the defendors of them The Papists at this day crie out with Dioscorus the heretike I defend the opinions of the fathers and their whole doctrine is condemned with mine Let vs learne to be wise and trie before we trust not taking all things in grosse but first examining and proouing them Falshood carries often a shew of truth and truth often couers falshood no vice appeareth in his proper colour but vnder the likenes of some vertue The Romish whore of Babylon offereth not her wine of fornications in the barke of some poisoned plant or shell of some poisonfull or venemous creature but hath conueyed them all into a cup of glistering gold Reu. 17.4 and this hath entised the great ones of the earth who gazed at the glister of the golden boule but neuer looked what was in it the glorious stile of Catholike Church Vicar of Christ Peters successor hath deceiued such as liked not to trie before they did trust and so hath vniuersality antiquity fathers consent and the like Eue should haue examined the words of the serpent and Adam the gift of his wife and then neither of them had beene deceiued The builders of Babel had they examined the motion before they had made onset had auoided that confusioÌ„ Abraham should haue tried the counsell of Sarah before he had taken her maid into his bosome This examination and triall by the touchstone of the word will shew the inconsequence of such dangerous conclusions How lamentably are many great wits and gifts giuen ouer in Popish countries for want of this sound triall taking their religion by tradition offering to the
not Dauid ouercome with temptation Answ. Yes iustly when he remitted of his watch and resistance but this was neither totally nor finally The reason is because God puts a man into the hands of the deuill two wayes 1. absolutely 2. with limitation Absolutely as when his iustice giues vp a wicked man to be wholly ruled at his will and caried headlong to destruction With limitation when a man is put into his hand to preuaile ouer him to a certaine measure as Iob and our Sauiour to be in these temptations carried and molested to a certaine measure of time and vexation Thus the Lord sometimes for a time leaueth his owne children into the hand of Satan so as he may tempt them and preuaile ouer them to the committing of fearefull sinnes as we see in Dauid and Peter which sinnes often blinde and harden them and damp their conscience that for a time they see no displeasure of God but lie secure and impenitent as Dauid well nigh a yeare But all this desertion of God was to a certaine measure at length the cloud was gone the mist dispersed the light returnd Satan resisted and forced to flie away And this is the ground of that prayer of Dauid and the Saints Lord forsake me not ouerlong not fearing that the Lord would quite take away his grace from him as the violent Lutherans teach but that he should not withdraw his second grace ouer farre or ouermuch Which prayer is grounded on a promise of God by vertue whereof we may conclude that the battel of beleeuers is not for the ouerthrow but the exercise of their faith This should stirre vp the Christian to chearefull resistance which is the condition of Satans flight Obiect Alasse he is a spirit I am flesh which is great aduantage He is a legion I am but one man he can oppresse me with number He is a principallity as strong as a roaring lyon I am a weake worme He is subtile as a serpent I am foolish and vnwise He is cruell and fierce how can I haue any heart to resist him Answ. 1. There is in euery Christian a Spirit stronger then he Ioh. 4.4 2. There be more with vs then with him 2. Chron. 32.7 feare him not 3. Hee is mighty but what can a strong man beeing disarmed doe 4. He is subtile but in our Lord are treasures of wisedome and he is made wisedome to vs of God 1. Cor. 1.30 5. He is cruell but what hurt can a lyon doe beeing in chaines or a grate Secondly in thy resistance striue lawfully How Two wayes 1. By good meanes 2. In a good manner First the meanes of resisting the deuill must not be such as are of the deuills owne deuising as crosses reliques holy-water exorcismes nor seeking to witches and sorcerers which is to cast out the deuill by Beel-zebub but by meanes appointed by our captaine who was best acquainted with this warre as 1. The word of God the holy Scriptures by which Christ made the deuill flie and so must we 1. Ioh. 2.14 I write vnto you young men because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye haue ouercome the deuill which plainely sheweth that not by spells and charmes of Scriptures but by the abiding of it in the heart to rule and order the life Satan is ouercome Satan is subtile but the word giueth wisedome to the simple which ouercomes his subtilty 2. Faith in Gods promises 1. Pet. 5.9 whom resist stedfast in the faith Christ here sets himselfe stedfastly in the word of his Father and so conquers the deuill The victory that ouercomes the world is by faith to leane on the promises of God Faith keeps in sight Christ our victorious captaine and sets the crowne of life in our eye which is laid vp for them that are faithfull to the death 3. Prayer ioyned with fasting and watching Christ entring this combate armed himselfe with fasting watching and prayer for many dayes together Dauid when Goliah drew neere tooke a stone out of his scrip and smote him in the forehead that he fell downe This stone that ouerthrowes the hellish Goliah is prayer While Moses hands are lifted vp all the armies of the Amalekites flie before Israel And S. Iames in his Epistle tells vs that if we would resist the deuill we must draw neere God c. 4. v. 8. and neuer do we draw nearer God then in effectuall and feruent praier Let the disciples vse any meanes without this the deuill will not flie whereof if they aske the reason Christ tells them the deuill is not cast out but by fasting and prayer 4. The practise of true godlines and resolution against all vnrighteousnesse Righteousnesse is called a brestplate Eph. 6.14 which is not onely that imputed righteousnesse of Christ but that inherent righteousnesse of our selues which is the studie and endeauour in a godly life and the Apostle Iames among other directions in resisting the deuill c. 4. v. 8. giueth this for one Cleanse your hearts yee sinners and purge your hearts yee wauering minded and the reason is good seeing by euery sinne and lust being nourished Satan is let in and the yeelding to any corruption is to giue him so much ground in stead of beating him out of our borders He that is in a fight abstaineth from whatsoeuer would hinder him 1. Cor. 9. and therefore from sinne which presseth downe and hangeth fast on Let vs meditate on that law Deut. 23.9 When thou goest out against thine enemies to fight abstaine from euery euill thing For this weakens vs and turnes God against vs and driues his good Angels from vs. 5. Gods Spirit Bee strong in the Lord and in the power of his might our owne strength will easily be turned against vs our own counsells cannot but cast vs downe God resisteth the proud and assisteth the humble As therefore Moses said to Israel at the redde sea beeing naked and weake not knowing what to doe so may we in this case Stand still feare not behold the saluation of the Lord Greiue not the Spirit nor quench his motions who is the spirit of power of wisedome of fortitude and counsell of strength and direction and goe forth in the boldnesse of that Spirit as Ier. 20.11 The Lord is with me like a mighty gyant therefore mine enemies shall be ouerthrowne and shall not preuaile but shall be mightily confounded Secondly the good manner of resisting the deuill that he may flie is this 1. Resist the first temptation and breake the serpents head dash the heads of Babylons brood against the stones Wise men will not let the enemie come neere the walls or the gates much lesse into the market place It is a great aduantage to giue the foyle at the first onset Giue no place to the deuill giue sinne no roome in thy heart or if Satan inwardly suggest any there close it vp let it die and neuer come out as a man that hath a
all the while hee was in the wildernesse wherein would they tie themselues to imitate him they would soone grow weary of their holines and deuotion Accursed therefore be this monkish and anchorish life which professeth open hostility to humane society which thrusts them out of their lawfull callings wherein they ought to be profitable to men in the societies of Church Common-wealth or family What are these the lights of the world that flie the light like bats and owles and prison themselues in cloysters whereas they should lighten others and not thrust their light vnder a bushel or vnder the table Are these the salt of the earth who neuer apply themselues to season the fleshly and vnsauoury manners and behauiours of men The Apostle teacheth them another lesson Heb. 10.24 saying Let vs prouoke one another to loue and to good workes not forsaking the assemblies as the manner of some is implying that to be an vnlawfull calling which cannot but faile against such duties of charity as these be It were to be wished that because the world receiueth no seasoning from them the vnprofitable burdens of the earth were cast out vpon the dunghill the place which Christ himselfe assigned vnto them Vse 2. It teacheth those that are troubled with temptations to beware of solitary and secret places because Satan is there the strongest and much lesse must they thrust themselues into desert places forgetting their weaknesse as though they would with Christ offer battell and tempt the tempter for this his practise is no warrant for vs but they must auoide the place so soone as they can and get into the society and fellowship of men Ioseph when he was alone with his Mistrisse tempting him fled out of the house so if there be none but the tempter with thee take the benefit of company so soone as thou canst but see thy company be good for bad company is farre worse then solitarines as many finde who beeing troubled in minde or tempted by Satan run to lewd company to cards dice drinking sporting and so by Beelzebub will cast out the deuill But this enlargeth the griefe and they finde in the end the remedy nothing inferiour to the disease Whereas had they resorted into the society of the godly by godly and religious communication and conuersation they had been much comforted and confirmed according to the promise of Christ Wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together in my name I will be in the midst of them Vse 3. Yet if God shall by vertue of our calling draw vs into solitary places we must be carefull so to carry our selues as wee may say with Scipio We are neuer lesse alone then when we are most alone and with our Sauiour Ioh. 16.32 I am not alone the father is with mee The faithfull need neuer be alone because they may euer be in conference with God then may they goe close to God and sharpen their prayers and meditate on his word and workes to fit them better for their callings then may they enlarge their hearts to God in confessions and praises and thus he that is led by the spirit into these solitary places is in safety because as the hills compasse Ierusalem so doth the Lord his people while they are in his seruice thus shall Satan be most disappointed who while he hopes to make our solitarines his aduantage we shall by it draw nearer vnto God and be set so much the more out of his reach Directions for solitarines 1. Watch the benefit of time to spend it best in musing vpon heauenly things and enioy the sweet liberty of conuersing with God 2. Know that no time must be spent in rouing and rangeing thoughts but must be redeemed from euill and vnprofitablenesse and therefore choice must be made of obiects presented and as little time as may bee spent in worldly and indifferent things and then with as little delight as may be Holy wisedome is euer diminishing the loue of earthly things 3. Consider the danger of sinne in thy solitarines when feare shame witnesses and counsellers are remooued and that there are no open sinnes which are not secretly first hatched and warped and therefore if we muse on any sinne let it be to ouercome it and beware of secret allurements 4. Consider the slipperines and busines of the heart which is a wandring thing like a mill euer grinding euer in motion still setting vs on worke with moe commaundements then euer God did and therefore giuing it leaue to muse we must the better watch it To be tempted of the deuill This is the fift circumstantiall point namely the end of Christs going into the wildernes Here consider two things 1. the author of the temptation the deuill 2. the end it selfe to be tempted of him The deuill that is a wicked spirit the Prince and captaine of the rest as we may gather out of Matth. 25.41 A wicked spirit not by creation but by defection Full of wickednes whence Elimaâ— the sorcerer is called the child of the deuill Act. 13.10 because he was full of deceit and wickednes Full of malice a red dragon full of poysons seeking nothing but destruction Full of craft an old serpent more craftie then all the beasts of the field Full of power called the Prince and God of the world and the power of darkenesse the strong man keeping the â—old Principalities powers c. The word comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 traijcio calumnior and signifies an accuser calumniator or slanderer hauing his name from his continuall practise For so is he called the accuser of the brethren which accuseth them before God day and night Reu. 12.10 and no maruell seeing he durst accuse God himselfe as an enuier of mans happy estate and carelesse of Christs estate here But especially he accuseth 1. Man to God as he did Iob that he serued God in hypocrisie and vpon affliction would curse him to his face chap. 1. â— 9 2. Man to man stirring vp strife and contention from one against another and by this meanes he worketh effectually in the children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 Where strife and enuying is there wisedome is sensuall and deuillish Iam. 3.15 An example hereof we haue in Saul who when the euill spirit was entred into him all manner of accusations came against innocent Dauid and were receiued that he was a traytor and one that sought Sauls life c. 3. Man to himselfe when he hath drawne a man to many loathsome sinnes then he stretcheth them beyond all the measure of mercy aggrauates Gods iustice extenuates his mercy and all to bring the sinner to despaire Thus he accused Cain Achitophel and Iudas whom he brought to confesse their sinne but to deny Gods mercy Whence note 1. the miserable estate of wicked men that serue such a Lord and Master as the deuill is who in stead of standing by them for their diligent seruice will stand
to fulfill their lusts Man tempteth others 1. When vpon iust occasion he tryes a mans affections and disposition to this or that so Ionathan tryed his father Saul how he stood affected to Dauid 1. Sam. 19.3 2. When men goe about by captious and subtile questions and with faire show of words to get matter of reprehension and accusation against others Thus the Pharises came to Christ tempting him Matth. 16.1 and thus the Herodians came to him to entangle him in his talke 3. When men allure and entise one another to euill as Pro. 1.10 11. Come let vs lay wait for blood and haue all one purse so the harlot said to the young man Come in with me let vs talke our fill of loue till the morning Man tempteth himselfe two wayes 1. when his owne concupiscence mooueth and draweth him aside to sinne Iam. 1.4 Euery man is tempted when he is drawne aside of his owne concupiscence 2. when he wilfully calls himselfe into danger as Peter when he went into Caiaphas the High Priests hall among Christs enemies and his here he is mooued to denie his Master and Satan preuailes against him III. Satan tempteth and in his tempting goeth beyond all these 1. When by outward obiects he stirreth vp inward corruption as Dauid walking on his leds and seeing Bathsheba the deuil wrought lust in him 2. By infusing inwardly euill motions and thoughts without obiects and thus stood he vp against Israel and caused Dauid to number the people a thing meerely needlesse as Ioab confessed 1. Chron. 21.1 2 3. Now thus God cannot tempt to euill he withdraweth his spirit by outward occasions he brings to light the sinnes of men and punisheth one sinne with an other but mooueth no man to euill and much lesse driueth him to it and least of all infuseth wickednesse into any mans heart which to thinke were high blasphemie So men by tempting may stirre vp corruption in others but to infuse wickednesse into the heart belongs onely to Satan because of his spirituall nature and ready entercourse with our spirits Now seeing these temptations of the deuil are so wicked comming from euill and tending to euill two points are worthy our consideration 1. How Christ beeing so holy and powerfull could be tempted of the deuill 2. Why he would bee so tempted For the former 1. It is not against the holinesse of Christ to be subiect to temptation without sinne no more then to hunger thirst weepe 2. Nor against the power of Christ to be tempted no more then it was a signe of infirmity and weakenesse in Adam so to be before infirmity and weakenes came in It argued not impotencie in Christ to die nay so to die argued omnipotency So it was not weakenes in Christ to be tempted but willingnesse and so to be tempted argued vertue and strength But howsoeuer the Apostle saith Christ was tempted and like vs in all things yet without sinne and Christ himselfe Ioh. 14.30 The Prince of this world commeth and hath nought in mee that is no sinne at all yet it is hard to be conceiued and therefore we will explaine it by these propositions 1. That temptation that wholly riseth from another and not from a mans selfe is not necessarily mixed with sinne But such were the temptations of Satan to Christ wholly hatched by the deuill for there was no manner of euill thought no corruption in the holy person of Christ for any such to rise forth of We indeed haue many temptations arising out of our owne corruptions which are sinne in the beginning though no consent be giuen vnto them but are presently resisted but no such thing could be in the holy nature of Christ. A fire kindled within the house is dangerous but the lightning comming from without beeing but a flash is without danger Ioseph allured by the words of his Mistresse resisted and fled away Gen. 39.12 this was not his sinne And Hezekiah prouoked to distrust by Rabshakies rayling letter resisted and was confident 2. King 19.10 it was not his sinne the temptation was wholly without 2. Those temptations which are offered by others either by voice gesture or outward obiects or else by inward thoughts vtterly abhorred without the least liking are not the sinnes of them that are tempted their exercises and trialls they be not their sinnes But such were the temptations of Christ hee was troubled and vexed with them as appeares by his Auoide Satan and the voices and obiects carried to his eare and eye yea motions to infidelitie couetousnesse and idolatrie to his mind but yet by the perfect light of his minde and the vnchangeable holinesse of his will were instantly repelled and gained not the least affection and much lesse left the least infection behind them True it is that euill thoughts cast into our mindes can hardly be cast out without some taint for we are ready as tinder to receiue such sparkles we must pause vpon them till they gaine some delight if not content But it was not so with Christ whose perfect holinesse was as water to quench all such sparkles 3. Of temptation there are three degrees 1. suggestion 2. delight 3. consent Suggestion is the meere motion of another altogether without vs and cannot be our sinne if neither of the latter come to it either of which two is a token of infirmitie But Christs temptations were all in suggestion because he stood fast without alteration of his minde without the least delight or consent to the thing tempted vnto Whereunto serueth that distinction of glancing and permanent motions the former passing through the heart without any footing against no commaundement the latter either without consent against the tenth or with consent against all the nine Hence note 1. Seeing Christ himselfe of so holy condition was subiect to be tempted let no man liuing looke to be exempted from temptations Our Lord Iesus that had no inward corruption to stirre vp any motion in him cannot auoide outward obiects and perswasions to sinne But our case is farre otherwise for suppose there were no deuill assayling vs no outward obiect that could be presented to vs yet we are tempted and led away by our owne concupiscence we need no moouing or stirring but runne headlong of our selues into sinne If we had no enemies to batter downe our wals and holds without vs we haue inward and domesticall rebels and traytors which continually betray vs. Where is the man now that boasts he was neuer tempted and hee hath so strong a faith and is of such holinesse as he defieth Satan and will spit in his face and he neuer was molested by him But pitifull is this delusion Is thy faith stronger thy holines greater then Christs No no Satan is gone away with all the strong man hath all in peace els thou shouldst heare of him and tell me an other tale This example of Christ well considered would teach thee another lesson namely like a wise
Kingdomes together Answ. Here we can hold no longer but in such a temptation as is to so direct a worshippe of the deuill with our Lord say Auoid Satan be packing foule deuill for it is written Rom. 13.1 Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers and 1. Pet. 2.14 Submit your selues to all manner ordinance of man and the fearefull iudgement of Corah Dathan and Abiram with their complices betide such Catholike rebels as dare lift vp their hands against the Lords annointed not to cut off his lap but his life which is the life and breath of all his people The like vse hath the Scripture in the right vse of it against all errors heresies as we may see in these instances 1. If the Papists would teach vs iustification by workes Answ. It is written Rom. 3.20 by the workes of the law shall no flesh be iustified and the like in Gal. 3.3.4.5 And Paul had as many merits as any yet he would not be found in his owne righteousnes Phil. 3.9 and our righteousnes is but as filthinesse or filthie clouts and after our best endeauours we are but vnprofitable seruants 2. If they vrge vs with transubstantiation and reall presence Answ. It is written that after Christ had giuen the Sacrament he went into the garden and suffered which he could not if he had beene eaten before and not beeing glorified and 2. remembrance is of things absent 3. he continues in heauen till his comming to iudgement Act. 3.21 4. the Fathers ate the same Sacramentall bread 1. Cor. 10.3 and yet Christ was not then in the flesh 5. there is no alteration in the signe of Baptisme and there is the same vse of the signe of the Lords Supper 3. If they obiect vnto vs 7. Sacraments we reply against their 5. bastard ones as in that of Matrimonie for the rest thus 1. it hath no signe instituted by God when he brought Eue to Adam here is matrimony but no signe the ring which they make a signe is not 2. it is not proper to the Church as Sacraments are but common to Iewes Turkes and Infidels 3. euery Sacrament belongs to euery member of the Church but matrimony belongs not to their Priests and Votaries 4. all Sacraments serue to confirme faith so doth not Matrimony Adam in innocencie had no need of faith but he had need of Matrimony 4. If they tell vs that by Baptisme originall sinne is quite washed away we answer No true Baptisme takes away the guilt but not the beeing of sinne and it is written of Dauid Psal. 51.5 that he confessed he was still in originall sinne see also Rom. 7.7 and Iam. 1.13 5. If they would thrust vpon vs the absolute necessitie of Baptisme Answ. It is written that circumcision being the same in signification and vse with Baptisme was omitted in the wildernes 40. yeares and that Dauid doubted not of his vncircumcised childs saluation and that children are holy through their beleeuing parents 1. Cor. 7.14 6. If they will administer the Communion but in one kinde against this their sacrilegious practise we haue Christs institution and the example of the Apostles besides the Primitiue Church This mighty effect of the word in the right vse of it shewes the Scriptures to be of God and the authoritie of God and not of man as the Papists teach vs not of the Church of Fathers Councells Popes in Peters fictitious chaire or the company of Cardinals What writing of man can haue authority ouer mens consciences as Gods word hath Or who will beleeue the Church that will not beleeue the Scripture Is not the word truth and all men liars and subiect to error Now shall that which is not subiect to error be subiect to that which is subiect to error Whatsoeuer writing doth indeed confirme error is not Canonicall Scripture for this confutes all error in practise and in iudgement therefore Apocryphall bookes are not Canonicall and diuine Scripture 1. because in euery of them there is some repugnance to the Scripture 2. because they were not wriâ—ten by any Prophet nor in Hebrew nor 3. giuen to the Iewes as Gods Oracles as all the old Testament was Rom. 3.1.2 4. because Christ and the Apostles cited not any of them This I speake not against the bookes which containe in them many good moralls and in my iudgement may of all humane histories be best vsed but against the Papists who would thrust vpon vs inuocation of Saints and prayer for the dead c. from their authority See hence the reason why Satan and all his instruments were euer enemies to the true preaching and professing of the word namely because in the right vse it is the only hammer of the Kingdome of darknes He storms not at frothy and foolish deliuery or at Professors that are loose and vngirt can take liberty for any thing they list Onely faithfull Preachers and Professors that rightly preach and professe beare the burden of Satans and the worlds malice Christs innocencie and the Apostles power could not fence them from it Lastly acknowledge it a singular priuiledge of the Church so beset with enemies to haue so sufficient and perfect a word 1. written that all men might haue the benefit of it 2. preached and rightly diuided according to euery mans particular necessity It is a great comfort that poore as well as rich base as well as noble haue a share in it in an equall large manner The cheife priuiledge of the Church of the Iewes was to keepe Gods word in the letter Psal. 147.19.20 and Rom. 3.2 but it will be our preheminence aboue them if we locke vp the true sence of it in our hearts Iob. 22.22 and Pro. 22. It is a sure stay and a sheild to them that walke vprightly No theefe nor robber can steale it no it cannot be taken away with our liues it is Maries good part which was neuer taken from her neither can be from vs beeing a perpetuall freehold Now followeth the fourth thing in this allegation of Christ to wit the parts of the diuine testimony 1. Negatiue Man liues not by bread onely 2. Affirmatiue But by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God First of the sence of the negatiue part Man that is a meere common and ordinary man and much lesse I that am the Sonne of God Liueth not that is preserueth not the naturall life of his body By bread is meant all necessarie and ordinary meanes of meat drinke rest sleepe physicke recreation for so it is also vsed in the fourth petition of the Lords prayer Onely here bread is not opposed to other meanes of sustenance as flesh fish c. but to Gods blessing without which it cannot sustaine our bodies But by euery word that is euery thing a common Hebraisme verbum for res and more specially for the decree and ordinance of God appointed to sustaine man so the
without sinne is but a gate to life the deuill a great and cruell enemy but nothing so dangerous as our owne sinne this slaies vs without him he hurts vs not without this What reason haue we to be in loue with sinne while we professe we hate the deuill who can doe vs no such harme Which must stirre vp our watch against our owne corruption for if he plow not with our heyfer he can get no aduantage Many hauing sinned lay the blame on the deuill who they say ought them a spight or a shame But as the Lord said to Cain so say I to thee If thou doest euill sinne lyeth at thy doore and it is thy sinne not the deuills Obiect Oh but he tempted mee Answ. So he did Christ here and hadst not thou cast downe thy selfe he could not haue done It was indeed the deuills sinne that he beguiled the woman and he had his iudgement for it But it was her sinne that she was beguiled and arraigned and iudged by God for it It is the theefes sinne to steale thy mony and he shall be hanged for it but if thou leauest thy mony without doores and neuer lookest after it it is thy fault and follie and what couldst thou looke for else The deuill is a slie theefe and robber but he commits not his robbery as other theeues and Burglers he will not breake open the doore nor draw the latch but where he findes the doore open and an house prepared and swept there he comes and makes spoile Luk. 11.25 And if a man know a ranke theefe were he not worthy to be robbed that will open his doors and giue him entertainment Oh let not vs extenuate our sinne or lay the blame on the deuill who cannot hurt vs without our owne weapons He cannot make vs sweare or curse or drinke or kill or breake the Sabbath All that he can doe is to stirre vp our corruption present obiects stirre vp passion to trouble the iudgement and perswade or sollicite He can suggest he cannot force And therefore doe as Dauid taking all the blame of our sinnes vpon our selues when the deuill stirred him vp to number the people and hee came to see his follie he thought not his sinne lesse because Satan mooued him but said I haue done very foolishly Alasse these silly sheep what haue they done Take heed of Satans voice which is euer to cast thy selfe down euery temptation to sinne hath this voice in it Cast thy selfe downe and too too many heare and yeeld to the same Some cast themselues downe by casting themselues backe from God and his truth forsaking the right way Thus euery Apostate hath cast himselfe downe and hath need of that counsell Remember from whence thou art fallen and doe thy first works Others cast themselues downe by falling into a puddle of base vncleannesse as couetousnesse drunkennes swearing lying c. vnbeseeming the place name and honour of Christians Were it not too too base a deiecting of himselfe if a Noble man should sort himselfe to lie in a barne among beggars or any man to lie in a stie among swine So for a Christian to demeane himselfe like a worldling or Epicure or Atheist is as great a debasement Others cast themselues downe into the pit of despaire when any sorrowe or trouble extraordinarie presseth or pincheth them If God cast them downe a little they cast themselues downe immeasurably as Cain Iudas nay Gods seruants thinke sometimes that God hath forgotten them and will not remember seasonable mercy But doe thou in all temptations answer Satan thus No Satan I know thou canst not cast me downe God to whom the honour of it is due be praised for it and I will not cast my selfe downe if God cast me downe I shall rise againe who onely can and will turne his humiliation of me to my exaltation From hence So Luke addeth that is from the battlement which God had straitly enioyed as a meanes to keep men from falling and to preuent danger Deut. 22.8 When thou buildest a new house thou shalt make a battlement on thy roofe that thou lay not blood vpon thy house if any man fall thence And this was the manner of the Iewes buildings to build their houses not ridged as ours but with a flat roofe as most of our Churches be and battlements about and their roofes thus made serued them to many good purposes as Iosh. 2.6 Rahab brought the spies vp to the roofe of the house and hid them with the stackes of flax which shee had spread vpon the roofe Act. 10.9 Peter beeing in Ioppa in Simons house a tanner went vp vpon the house to pray Of this kind seemed that house of the Philistims which Sampson at his death pulled down vpon the roofe of which stood 3000 persons to behold while Sampson was mocked Satan seeketh especially to draw such to sinne who haue most meanes against it As Christ was not set on a pinacle which had no staires to goe downe by but where were staires and hee must notwithstanding them cast himselfe downe headlong So dealt he with Adam in his innocencie who hauing all perfections his soule and bodie were capable of yet must he needs reach at the bettering of his estate had Adam knowne any miserie yet his sin had been so much the lesse if he had been enticed vnwarrantably to mend his estate but he did as the parable speakes set an olde patch vpon a newe garment which was both idle and disgraceful And the meanes of his sinne was as idle as the ende for had he not all the trees of the garden and fruits of paradise to eate vpon and were not all els meanes enough to keep him from one forbidden fruit If God had restrained all but one he had not wronged him he had furnished him with all strength against temptation if he would haue vsed it he had no manner of discontent in his estate yet if he had been ouercome in that supposall to haue enlarged without God his owne allowance his sinne had not been in that degree and so out of measure sinnefull as the hauing of all these means made it Who must denie our Sauiour Christ but one of his disciples who must betray him but another both of them abounding with meanes to the contrarie hauing beene aduanced by Christ into the high offices of Apostleship to be next attendants of Christ who heard his doctrine saw his miracles and were eie-witnesses of the integritie of his life yea both specially warned by Christ of those particular sinnes and Peter had professed to die rather then doe it 1. The malice of Satan is such as he is not content that men sinne vnlesse he can bring them to aggrauate their sinne and doe it as sinfully as may be and therefore he is industrious to get men to sinne against the meanes For this addeth weight to the sinne and prouoketh Gods anger much more then another sinne Examples we
stands not in words but in sense 4. To establish the false doctrine of free-will they furnish themselues with that place in Ier. 17.7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is But what doe they else but imitate the deuill in cutting off that part of the text which makes against them for in the next verse it followeth The heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things who can know it shewing that man in himselfe is vtterly destitute of all grace 5. For the Iesuiticall tricke of equiuocation or mentall reseruation they haue Scripture and Example Ioh. 1.21 they asked Iohn if he were a Prophet he said No whereas he was one for Zachary called him the Prophet of the Highest and Christ said that there was not a greater Prophet then Iohn therefore Iohn equiuocated Answ. Whatsoeuer was the true meaning of the question that Iohn answered plainely vnto If they meant to aske him if he were that singular Prophet whom they fancied to come together with their Messiah he truely answered no. If he were any of the auncient Prophets who were long before Christ he truely answered in that sense no. If he were a Prophet by his proper office he truely answered no. For howsoeuer he was by grace and power a Prophet beeing sent of God to reprooue and conuert sinners yet by ordinarie office he was no Prophet neither did he prophesie But what is this to those mentall reseruations Are you a Priest Garnet No saith he meaning not a Priest of Apollo or Iupiter Were not you in England at such a time No not as the Sunne in the firmament or as a King in a Kingdome A strange madnesse that men professing knowledge zeale should so dally with lies and oaths which tricks of theirs were they iustifiable and sound we should haue little vse of Magistracy or tribunalls especially where matters are determined by mens oathes he were a verie blocke that would suffer any thing to be fastened vpon him The murderer might sweare he neuer slew man namely with the iaw-bone of an asse as Sampson did The drunkard might sweare hee drunke neuer a droppe if he can inwardly conceiue of water or aqua â—oelestiâ— or the Poets nectar or what he can faigne The adultrâ—â—â—e might sweare she was neuer touâ—ht if she can inwardly conceiue of any creature as of a Bull or a Swanne as the Poets faigne of Pasâ—phâ—e and Laeda And were is lawfull to dally with God and mens consciences after this manner we could pay them home in their owne kind for suppose a man were in their Inquisition and were asked if the Pope were Supreame ouer all Kings if a man were disposed to equiuocate be might say and sweare yea reseruing his secret meaning not by right but onely in his owne proud and ambitious desire and thus delude them II. In matters of practise you shall haue no sinner but he hath a Scripture reached to him to lie safe vnder in the holding of his sinne but robbed and turned out of the right sense The Atheist that cares for no Scripture yet hath one text for himselfe Eccl. 7.18 Bâ—e not iust ouermuch nor ouerwise and so he hath enough to cast off all care of knowledge and conscience The image-munger hath a text to let nothing be lost he hath a good vse for his images if they cannot serue to worship they may serue for ornament The swearer hath a text in Ieremie Thou shalt sweare in truth righteousnesse and iudgement therefore he will sweare so long as he sweareth nothing but that which is true The Sabbath-breaker hath his text The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath The murderer and adulterer thinke themselues safe seeing they finde Dauid in both these sinnes and yet commended of God The drunkard hath his lesson Drinke no longer water but a little wine for thy stomacke and often infirmities sake The couetous person knows that he that prouides not for his family is worse then an Infidell which through many mens wickednesse is a ground of much couetousnesse The lazie Protestant hath his text We are saued by grace and iustified by the blood of Christ freely what can his workes doe what need they The idle person hath his text Care not for to morrowe let the morrowe care for it selfe The vsurer hath his plaine place Matth. 25.27 that I might haue receiued my owne with vsurie The theefe hath the theefe on the crosse repenting at the last The carnall Gospeller cares not what sinne he venture on because where sinne hath abounded there grace hath abounded much more The carelesse Libertine is predestinated to life or death doe what he can and doe not what he list he cannot change Gods decree and so he will doe what he list The obdurate and hardned sinner saith At what time soeuer a sinner repents God will put all his sinnes out of his remembrance and therefore he will not repent till he be dying Lastly the vniust person he hath his rule in the vniust steward who was commended by Christ who was indeed commended for his prouidence not for his iniustice In all these thou mayest hold this for a good rule It is the deuills diuinitie to confirme thy selfe in any sinne by whatsoeuer thou hearest or readest in Gods Booke all which in Gods meaning is direct and the onely preseruatiue against all sinne NOw we are to consider this comfortable Scripture in the holy vse of it not as we haue it wrested and mangled by Sathan but as we finde it set downe by the holy Ghost Psalm 91.11 For hee shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy waies They shall beare thee in their hands that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone In which words the godly are secured and assured of safetie in danger not onely because the Lord himselfe is become their refuge and protection as in the words going before but in that to his owne fatherly care and prouidence he hath added a guard of Angels to whose care also he hath committed the godly Wherein for explication we will note these particulars 1. What is the ministerie of the Angels namely to be the godly mans keepers 2. Who sealeth their commission He hath giuen them charge 3. The limitation of it In all thy wayes 4. The manner they shall beare thee vp in their hands 5. The end least thou dash thy foot against a stone Which is a borrowed speach taken from mothers or nurses who lead or carrie their tender children in their hands that they stumble and fall not to hurt or endanger themselues The word Angell is a name not of nature for so they be spirits but of office ministring Spirits to God to Iesus Christ and to Gods elect His Angels that is the good and elect Angels called his 1. By creation for they had not beeing of themselues 2. By more immediate ministerie they assist him and stand before his face whereas
all the land of Canaan and was commaunded to die This is generally held to be the mount to which Christ was carried and so could I thinke were it not that it was quite without Palestina and not in the land of Canaan for Moses onely there did see the good land but must not enter into it 8. There were within Palestina besides these mount Basan and mount Hermon very high hills in comparison of which Sion is said to be a little hill Psal. 42.6 and 68.16 Now it is very probable that this temptation was vpon one of these hills but we must not be curious to determine where the Scripture doth not Which soeuer it was the text saith it was an exceeding high one II. How came Christ thither Answ. After the same manner that he was formerly transported vnto the top of the pinacle as we haue shewed in the former temptation 1. The more to humble and abase Christ. 2. To terrifie him if it might be to see himselfe so carried and tossed by Satan III. Why did Satan make choise of this place Answ. 1. Because it best fitted his temptation and furthers his purpose for if he had stood in a valley and made a show of the world and the glory of it it might more easily be discouered to be a delusion and deceit But here is a braue prospect 2. He is to promise mountaines and great matters and therefore brings him to a mountaine there to view his commodities which he would barter 3. Some say he chose a mountaine in way of imitation of God or rather we may say in exprobration of him who in the mount Nebo let Moses see all Canaan but Satan doth more 1. Moses must goe vp that mount God carries him not but the deuill carries Christ. 2. God lets Moses see onely the land of Canaan the deuill lets Christ see all the Kingdoms and glorie of all countries 3. God will giue a small country to a country of people to possesse so long as they giue him his worship and seruice but the deuill will giue all the world to Christ alone if he will but once fall downe and worship him Hence note Satan had Christ in the wildernes a low and solitary place he could doe no good vpon him he raiseth him extraordinarily to the pinacle of the Temple and Christ is to good for him there now he thinkes him not yet high enough but if he can get hiâ— to the top of an exceeding high mountaine he despaires not but to obtaine his purpose against him This pollicie of Satan teacheth vs that Those that are in highest places are in greatest danger of falling And when he vseth one temptation against a man in the wildernesse in a low and meane estate he doubles his forces and secondeth his assaults against a man set aloft and in the mountaine as his practise against our Sauiour teacheth Saul while he was in a low and priuate estate was dutifull and humble but beeing raised into the throne of the kingdome how did Satan preuaile against him till God vttely reiected him Nay Dauid himselfe while he was in the vallie was holy full of vowes prayers watchfulnesse he was meeke and mercifull but beeing set in the chiefe seat of the kingdome as it were in the mountaine how soule bloody proud became he by Satans malice as in adulterie murther and numbring the people was manifest 1. Satan as he thought to haue great aduantage against our Sauiour euen by the place so he knows that the mountaine that is the high places will affoard him aduantage against vs For whereas low estate keeps vs carefull and respectiue of our selues the mountaine makes vs forgetfull proud insolent voluptuous as good Hezekiah in his sicknesse could pray weepe and be humble enough but no sooner recouered he his mountaine but he prides himselfe in his wealth and treasures Dauid confesseth of himselfe that in his prosperity he said he should neuer be mooued because God had made his mountaine strong Psal. 30.7 Thus easily doth vaine confidence creep on him that sees himselfe stand on a mountaine though otherwise his heart be according to God No maruell then if ease slay the fooles and the prosperitie of the foolish destroy them Prou. 1.32 if Satan haue them in the mountaine he needs no more their owne state will ouerthrow them 2. Satan as he desires men in the mountaine that is in high place to sinne so he desires that euery sinner were in a mountaine or high place because as the place it selfe will drawe forth that corruption which is within so it will hold them in their sinne For great men commonly are not more licentious then incorrigible hardly are they reclaimed and who dares call them to account And besides their sinnes are more infectious and scandalous for all the eies of inferiours are vpon them A man that stands vpon an high mountaine is a faire marke and may be seene of millions at once So as if in the common-wealth Rehoboam commiâ— idolatry all Iudah will doe the like vnder euery green tree a 〈◊〉 vnder euery green hill 1. Kin. 14.22 In the Church if the high Priests contemne Christ the people will buffet him and spit in his face Matth. 26.67 In the familie if the Fathers eate sowre grapes the childrens teeth are set on edge Commonly the prouerbs are verified like Prince like subiects like Priest like people like mother like daughter Nothing can lie on the mountaines but it easily slideth downe into the vallies 3. Satan herein directly opposeth God in his course and proceedings for the Lord aduancing men and carrying them into these mountaines of the Church Commonwealth or Familie he therefore raiseth them that they should be greater instruments of his glory and mans good Now Satan mightily striues to haue these the greatest instruments of Gods dishonour and hurt of humane society Well he knowes that the punishment of such mens sinnes ceaseth not in their owne persons but descendeth on the vallies round about them If Ahab make all Israel to sinne all Israel shall be scattered as sheep without a shepheard Dauid numbers the people all his people are plagued he sins with the sword and the sword shall neuer depart from his house good Iosiah met with that threatning fowre hundred yeares after The deuil cannot bring a greater mischeife into the earth then by throwing downe such as stand in high places of the Church and Common-wealth Therefore let prayer be made especially for all in authoritie and emâ—nencie 1. Tim. 2.2 Not onely in respect of the burthen of their calling and the hazzard and perill of their persons but especially because of Satans speciall malice against them and the multitude of their temptations the place is slippery and dangerous to fall How doe we puffe vp our selues when our small things goe well with vs How could we be easily carried away with the tickling of vaine glory and pleasure who scarse tast of them
eare to heare let him heare Seeing therefore that this is so notable a meanes of guiding our senses let vs more carefully giue vp and take vp our eyes and eares with the sight and sound of Gods word vpon all occasions in the hearing and reading of the Scripture I would aske the most carnall man that is whether this in sound iudgment be not a better obiect for our senses then bowles or tables and fitter for all times especially for the Sabbath Thirdly God made our senses to profit our selues by his creatures that by them we might glorifie him their Creator and not by them corrupt or insnare our selues Isa. 40.26 Lift vp your eyes aloft and behold who created all these things This vse Dauid maketh Psal. 8. when I see the heauens the earth and the workes of thy hands then said I Lord what is man that thou art so mindfull of him and concludes the Psalme thus How excellent is thy name through all the world And why 1. The inuisible things of God his power and diuinity and eternity were made visible to the very Gentiles by things created Rom. 1.20 And shall we either not looke on them or so looke vpon them as they to make vs inexcusable shall wee onely enioy the naturall vse and no spirituall or diuine vse from them 2. Consider that God for this purpose hath made the countenance of man not as the beasts groueling on the earth but erected vnto heauen and he hath made the eye of man not as the beasts but as Anatomists obserue hath giuen it one muscle which they want whereby he can turne his eye directly vpwards with admirable quicknes that it should not so fix it selfe vpon any thing below as the couetous eye doth but by occasion of things below turne it selfe vpward to their Creator Yea he hath compassed our eyes with browes and lids and fences from dust and earth that though we looke sometimes on the earth yet the least dust or earth should not get into them 3. Let vs labour to vse our senses in beholding Gods workes as they in Ioh. 2.23 that saw the workes of Christ of whom it is said Many beleeued in the name of Christ seeing the workes that he did So let the works which we see God hath done be at least inducements to beleeue him so much the more Fourthly God made our senses in respect of our brethren both to benefit them and our selues by them 1. Our eyes to behold their miserie to pitie them to releeue them Turne not thine eyes from thine owne flesh Herein the vnmercifull Priest and L'euit were condemned by the pitifull Samaritan Our eares to heare the crie of the poore Prou. 21.13 he that turnes his eare from the crie of the poore himselfe shall crie and not be heard Numbers neuer make this vse of their eares but God hath a deafe eare for them 2. Our eyes to see the good example of our brethren to imitate them to glorifie God for them Our eares to heare their godly counsells admonitions reproofes and so be bettered by them 3. Our eyes to see and consider their danger to pull them out of their infirmities the fire and to cast out the mote of their eyes Our eares to heare what is fit to bee spoken of them to defend their good names if they be traduced For God hath giuen vs two eares not rashly to receiue euery information but to reserue one for the partie least he be condemned vnheard vnconuinced Fiftly and lastly God made our senses in respect of our selues not onely to be faithfull keepers of the body but diligent factors and agents for our owne soules as 1. That our eyes should euer bee looking homewards and to the end of our way as quicke and expedite trauellers and not fix themselues vpon euery thing we see here below This is done by heauenly conuersation 2. Our eares should be bored to the perpetuall seruice and obedience of our God as our Lord himselfe was Psal. 40.7 Thou hast bored mine eare alluding to that ceremony in the law Exod. 21.6 If a seruant would not part from his Master his eare must be bored and nailed to the post of the house and thus he became a perpetuall seruant he was nailed and fixed to that house and seruice So wee must yeelde an obedient eare as Salomon calls it vnto the counsells will and commaundement of our Lord and Master Iesus Christ. 3. Our eyes were made to be conduits of teares for our owne sinne and miserie and for the sinne and wretchednes of other men Psal. 119.136 Dauids eyes gushed out with riuers of teares because men keepe not the word how wept he then for his owne sinnes that wept so for others Good Lot his righteous soule was vexed in hearing and seeing the vncleane conuersation of the Sodomites Thus should our senses be so farre from conceiuing pleasure in sinnefull obiects as these must be the continuall greefe of our soules And can we indeed looke vpon our selues and not see something which is a brand of our sin or can we behold any creature and not see some expresse prints and markes of our sinne and vanity vpon it Surely this one meditation would be effectuall to keep vs from casting our eyes vpon vnlawfull obiects and so from making our selues a prey to the deuill This serues to reprooue such as faile in this watch of the senses for who doth not yet some farre more dangerously Such as haue in their houses Popish pictures and images which are alluring harlots corrupters of the heart which is an opening of the doore to the deuill a signe of a man willing to be seduced Experience shewes that when a man is in loue with such images he easily falls out with Gods image in himselfe and Gods children 2. Such as delight in lasciuious pictures and filthy portraytures of naked men or women in whole or such parts as may stirre the corruption of the heart which should be beaten downe by all meanes We need bring no oile to this flame Yet the deuill hath gotten such pictures in request in this wanton age wherein euery thing is almost proportionall 3. Such are farre from this watch of their senses as so attire and disguise themselues or lay open their nakednes to insnare the senses of others Let them not say they thinke no hurt in it vnlesse they can be sure that no other thinke hurt by it 4. Such as like the images haue eares and heare not eyes and see not care not to heare the word or read it neuer tast Gods goodnes in it neither doth the breath of heauenly life euer passe through their noses 5. Such as frequent wicked company and delight in the vngracious actions and speaches that they heare and see or can digest them without reproofe or dislike manifested The deuill hath a through-fare among such companies who are conspired against God and goodnes Adde vnto these such as read or haue in their houses lasciuious
fish not a cup of cold water till he had requested it of the Samaritan who would giue him none Thou wantest friends respect in the world yea where thou well deseruest yea where thou mightest iustly expect it Remember it was his case his friends became his foes his scholler a traytor the world hated him causeles he came to his owne and his owne receiued him not he was without honour in his owne countrey he had euill repaid him for good he wept ouer Ierusalems miserie but Ierusalem laught at his Thou wantest peace of conscience canst not see a cleare look from God nor feele any ease from the sting of thy sinnes thy sorrowfull mind dries vp thy bones all outward troubles are nothing to this But remember that neuer was any so loaden with the burden of sinne as Christ when his bitter torment expressed such words as these My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee 3. Rule From these crosses by which Satan would driue thee from God labour to see how neare and graciously God draweth towards thee and thus beate him with his owne weapon 1. The Lord helpeth forward our saluation by them beeing sowre sauces to bring vs out of loue with our sweet sinnes and of this euill world plowing of ground kills the weeds and harrowing breaks the clods they be the Lords sharpe salues to draw out our secret corruptions and the Lords sope to wash foule linnen white they be the Lords vshers to teach vs his statutes to teach by a little smart both what thou hast deserued in the life to come and what Christ hath suffered for thee in bearing the whole punishment of all thy sinnes to teach thankefulnesse for contrary blessings by pouerty sickenesse trouble men learne to bee thankefull for wealth health peace to teach pity and compassion towards the misery of others to teach circumspection in our waies and more care of obedience to all Gods commandements 2. The Lord by crosses trieth and exerciseth the faith patience and sincerity of his seruants whether they will hold out as Iob for as a man by wrestling knowes his owne strength better then before so is it here 3. The Lord is neuer nearer his children then in trouble in fire and water in sixe troubles and in seauen to support them with strength and patience to giue a blessed issue and vse and turne it to his owne glory in their mightie deliuerance and to their best all things are turned to their best to recompense their light afflictions with an eternall weight of glory As Christ said of Lazarus This sickenes is not to death but that God may be glorified Ioh. 11.4 so we may say This pouerty losse disgrace c. is not to the vtter vndoing of a man but that God may haue glory in his deliuerance and glorification So much of the third drift of Satan in this first temptation now of the fourth In that the deuills last drift in it is to haue Christ in his want and hunger to vse an vnlawfull meanes of supplie note that It is an ordinary instigation and temptation of the deuill or a deuillish spirit to vse vnlawfull meanes in our want to help our selues Because Christ had no ordinary meanes of getting bread he must prouide for himselfe by extraordinary Gen. 25.29.32 Esau comes out of the field weary and hungry and almost dead for meat how must he supply his want Sell thy birthright said Satan and so he did Peter was in great danger in the High Priests hall how must he help himselfe out of their hands Denie thy Master said Satan forsweare him and curse thy selfe and thus he gat out Saul was in great straits God was gone from him he was not answered by Vrim nor oracle how shall he doe for counsell he must goe to the witch of Endor and so the deuill sends him from himselfe to himselfe who can tell him more then all his Vrim his dreams his Prophets Sarah wanted a child she had a promise of one but she laught at that Gen. 16.2 yet must she haue one another way she giues her maid to her husband and she brings an Ismael a mocker persecutor of the promised seede 1. Satan sees how easily he can weaken our confidence in God seeing we are ready to trust more in the meanes then in God he knowes our infidelity which makes vs hastie and soone weary of waiting 2. Hee knowes how derogatory this is to the promise truth power and prouidence of God who can susteine his children aswell aboue meanes without meanes yea against meanes as with them His hand is not shortened that he cannot help 3. He easily drawes on this temptation vnder a colour of necessity which we say hath no law but falsly Hence is the common speech of the world to defend any iniustice Why I must liue I must not put forth my wife and children to begge I must so exercise my calling as to maintaine my wife and familie I must vtter my wares though I lie and sweare and exact and deceiue and so vnder a colour of good and pretence of necessity no wickednesse comes amisse in the course of ones trade This teacheth vs to bewaile the pitifull estate of numbers of men taken in this snare of the deuill as 1. Numbers of men oppressed with pouerty because they say they must liue they must liue in an vnlawfull calling wherein they be slaues and drudges to euery mans sinne such as are Players Iesters Wisards Tumblers such are schollers who for preferment runne into Popish countries and betake themselues to Seminaries so become traytors Yea those that haue no calling must liue too but how by filching stealing or begging as idle and roguish vagrants and those at home whose extreame idlenes brings pouerty vpon them as an armed man Or els by gaming cheating and by their wits The whole course of all which is but a prentiship to the deuill 2. Others that exercise honest trades but easily help themselues forward by swearing lying facing false weights measures and trickes which they put vpon men They neuer sticke for a penny-profite to hazard their soules He is no quicke chapman if he cannot lie for aduantage neither can he be trusted vnlesse he sweare he must sweare or he must not sell he must sometimes make the best of an ill bargaine and with a little colour lay it vpon another mans necke for why should he willingly wrong or vndoe himselfe 3. Others a number 1. who by misdemeanours haue brought iust reproach vpon themselues and seeke to salue it by lying facing and shifting and perhaps by worse meanes This was the case and sinne of good Dauid he had corrupted himselfe with Bathsheba he was afraid the adultery would come home to him he sends for his worthy captaine Vriah to goe home to his wife that so it might be couered but when it could not that way good Vtiah must be slaine at Dauids appointment and so he would
hide adultery by murther 2. like vnto these are those who hauing outragiously ouershot themselues in notable riots by word or deed and beeing called to account for it lay all the blame vpon drunkennes a sinne indeed of strong burden able to carrie away many sinnes vpon it but neuer was any sinne lessened by another but aggrauated and the excuse is a confession of a double sinne which in all true iudgement deserues double punishment 3. seruants or children who hauing committed a fault hide it by lying and so to auoide an inconuenience runne into a mischeife 4. Others beeing sicke and diseased are perswaded and resolued to goe to Wizzards and Witches cunning men and women and so get release by breaking the prison A pitifull cure when the deuill is the Physitian Saul neuer went to the Witch till God was gone from him And take this for a certaine conclusion 1. Whosoeuer goeth or seeketh to a Witch in losses crosses c. let him boast as much as he will of his faith it is but a Satanicall faith a faith in the deuill and not in God by which the Witch workes all that is done 2. The remedie is farre worse then the disease seuerely reuenged on Saul 1. Chron. 10.13 and on Asa 2. King 1.16 3. The deuill hath got from them that which he could not from Christ namely to vse another meanes of release then God appointed Some there be that are hearers of the word yet if they see any person extraordinarily visited will giue him counsell to seeke out to the cunning man Is it because there is neuer a God in Israel is this a small sin By Gods law they ought to die that seeke to thrust a people from their God and driue them to the deuill Deut. 13.10 But this is a greater sinne then that Miserable comforters that wish them to goe to hell for helpe Let vs carefully looke to such rules as may keepe vs from vsing vnwarrantable meanes and they are foure 1. Consider that all meanes outward and ordinary are but seruants to which God hath tyed neither blessing nor prouidence further then he pleaseth that our affections should not be tied to them nor our eyes fixed on them but on his hand who disposeth meanes to his owne ends It was the sinne of the Israelites to limit the Holy One of Israel namely to meanes that when they sawe no meanes they saw no God whereas a heart loosed from the meanes and rightly disposed to the author doth not stint him neither to the measure of affliction nor to the time or meanes of deliuerance Iob will not tie God to any measure but commits himselfe wholly to him saying If he kill me yet will I trust in him For the time of deliuerance the godly commit it to God in whose hand times and seasons are the iust man that liues by faith makes not haste Isa. 16.28 For the meanes of deliuerance Abraham is secure of it My sonne God will prouide he saw no meanes of the promise if Isaac were offered yet he layes him on the altar on the wood and receiues him from the dead 2. Consider that any good thing is then beautifull when it is compassed by good meanes Sathan euer aimeth at one of these two things to hinder euery thing that is good or if he cannot do that then to thrust it on by euill and vngodly meanes that he may at least blemish that which he cannot hinder and if he cannot ouertake vs in the matter yet to get beyond vs in the manner of doing it We must therfore watch in both these that what we do be warrantable as to preserue our selues and prouide for our families He is worse then an Infidell that doth it not but withall know that hee is no better then an infidell that doth it by euill meanes or after an vnwarrantable manner 3. Consider that there is no necessitie if ordinarie and lawfull meanes faile to vse vnlawfull When men say I must liue and I must maintaine my family here remember that must is for a King nay absolute and vnlimited necessity is for the King of Kings It is not absolutely necessarie that thou liue but so long as God pleaseth yea it is absolutely necessarie that thou rather perish and not liue then breake Gods commandement If thou perish for want of meanes thou maiest goe to heauen as Lazarus and exchange a miserable life with an happie But if to keep thee from perishing thou loose thy soule this is to leape out of the pan into the coales Thou therefore that must prouide for thy selfe and thine I tell thee thou must doe it by a moderate and honest care warranted by the word and not shift and prole as if all were fish that comes to net that is all the necessity that God hath laid on thee the other is suggested by Satan 4. Labour to liue the life of faith which will exclude such distrustfull thoughts and practises For the propertie of faith is 1. To beleeue the promises of God when we see the cleane contrary as when we feele our owne sinnes most then most to beleeue our owne iustification out of the deep with Dauid yea out of the whales belly with Ionah and in darkenes with Iob to see light 2. To see things inuisible to make things absent present yea God absent present and to set him continually at the right hand Moses feared not the wrath of the King because he saw him that was invisible Hebr. 11.17 Elisha being in Dothan feared nothing when his seruant cried out because his eyes were open to see the Angels as fierie chariots protecting him 3. Faith is neuer so working as in perillous times because then there is most need most vse of it then it sets it selfe a worke and mingles it selfe with the promises of God by which it quickens and puts life vnto a man when he is halfe dead as Psal. 119.49 Remember thy promise wherin thou hast caused me to trust it is my comfort in trouble for thy promise hath quickened mee Now it bestirres it selfe to make Gods faithfulnesse and truth his sheild and buckler Notable is that example of the three children Dan. 3.16 17. who were in present danger of their liues and cast into an hote furnace In this danger now their faith bestirres it to prouide for their safetie not by any yeelding or blanching or buckling to the vniust command but by furnishing their mouthes with a resolute answer Be it knowne to thee O King that we will not worship this image and by preparing their hearts through their confidence in God who was able to deliuer them rather to yeeld themselues to the fire and raging flames then to any part of that commandement And were faith and Gods feare working in the heart it would destroy false feares and infidelitie which Satan preuaileth in mightily causing men to seeke helpe by vnlawfull meanes if the lawfull be neuer so little set out of sight Command