of his members who are but weake sinfull men Again in baptisme a man giues vp his name vnto God promising therein for euer to renounce all seruice to the Diuell the flesh and the world and contrariwise to beleeue in God and to serue him and this vow being thus made it is the will of God he should be tempted that in the schoole of temptation he might learn to practise his baptisme But here most men wil say they neuer felt by experience in themselues the trueth of this doctrine for they haue not perceiued any such combate in themselues though they haue bene baptized many yeres agone Answ. Such men whatsoeuer they be haue indeed the outward baptisme of water but they neuer yet receiued the inward baptisme of the spirit they weare Christs liuery but as yet they do seruice vnto Satan And though they haue been made partakers of the seales of the couenant yet still they abide within the kingdome of darkenesse for Christ heere teacheth by his owne example that all those who haue receiued the inward baptism of the spirit whereby they haue effectually put off sinne and put on the Lord Iesus are as sure to be tempted by Satan as himselfe was therefore let such persons as neuer yet felt in themselues this spiritual conflict now begin to reform their liues and to performe their vow of baptisme and they shal vndoubtedly find in themselues the truth of this doctrine That all that are baptized into Christ shal be tempted of the Diuell So long as the children of Israel continued vnder Pharaos bondage they were not pursued by his army but when they set their faces toward the land of Canaan then presently he makes after them with all his might and malice euen so while men liue in sinne and submit themselues to Satans spirituall bondage he will suffer all things to be in peace with them but if once they set their hearts on the heauenly Canaan and giue themselues syncerely to Gods seruice then will he with all his force pursue them meet them with armies of temptations to turne them backe into their olde way of sinne againe The silly bird that is in the snare or vnder the net so long as she lieth still feeles no harme but when she stirs offers to get away then begins her paine and the more she striues the more she finds her selfe ensnared So fareth it with silly men while they liue in sinne securely they are not troubled with Satans temptations but when they beginne to leaue their badde courses and settle themselues to serue the Lord then presently the Diuel seeks to spread his net to intangle them in his snare The consideration whereof must teach vs to watch and pray that we enter not into temptation and as Paul saith to put on the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand against the assaults of the Diuell Ephes. 6. 11. Secondly in that our Sauiour Christ after his solemne inauguration into his mediatorship was immediatly to go to be tempted we learn that all those that are set apart by God to any speciall calling euen at their verie entrance thereinto must looke for temptations This befell the head and therefore all the members must reckon for it When Moses was first called to be the guide and conducter of Gods people out of Egypt hauing slaine an Egyptian in defence of one of his brethren vpon knowledge of the fact he was fain to flie from Pharaos court into the land of Madian and there to liue a shephers life for many yeres with his father in law Iethro And Dauid was no sooner appointed by God to be king ouer his people Israel but Saul began to persecute him and so continued all his dayes And our Sauiour Christ hauing called his Apostles to their office of preaching his kingdome tooke them soone after to the sea and there falling asleepe suffered their ship to be so tossed with waues in a great tempest that they looked for nothing but present drowning so as they cried out Master saue vs we perish And this the Lord doth in great wisedome for the good of his children first to teach them that no man is able of himselfe to carry himselfe in any acceptable course of his calling without Gods speciall assistance and grace Secondly to stir vp in them those good gifts and graces which he hath formerly bestowed on them as the feare of his name the loue of his maiesty the gifts of prayer faith patience and many other which he would haue tried in the entrance of their callings and exercised in the continuance therein vnto the end Thirdly seeing Christ begins his propheticall office of treaching his church with temptations This should admonish all Ministers of the word that howsoeuer all Gods people must prepare themselues against Satans temptations yet they must doe it aboue the rest for looke as in a pitched field the enemy aimeth principally at the standerd-bearer euen so Satan and his instruments do among all Gods people bend their greatest forces against the ministers of Christ which holde vp his scepter and display his banner in the preaching of the Gospel When Iehoshuah the high priest stood before the Lord Satan stood at his right hand to resist him Zak. 3. 1. And when Ahab went to fight against the king of Syriah Satan became a lying spirit in the mouth of 400. prophets mo 1. King 22. 22. This is that great red dragon that with his taile drew downe the third part of the starres of heauen that is of the ministers and preachers of the word and cast them to the earth Reuel 12. 13. 4. This is he that desired to winnow the Disciples as wheat Luk. 22. 31. And as the king of Aram said of Ahab fight not against small nor great but against the king of Israel only 1. King 22. 31. So Satan fighteth not against any so much as the Prophets of Israel the ministers of the Church Fourthly in that Christ is tempted before he go to preach we learne that it is good and profitable for Gods ministers to be exercised with temptations euen of satan himselfe that for sundry causes first that they may know what temptations meane Secondly that they may be the more able to minister helpe and comfort to those that are tempted Thirdly to make them vnderstand the word of God aright for many places of Scripture can not so well be vnderstood by bare study onely as by temptations therewithall and it is true which one sayth well Reading meditation prayer and temptation make a diuine II. Circumstance The author or efficient cause of Christes going foorth to wit the Holy ghost noted in these words was led by the spirit The word led in the originall signifieth thus much that Iesus was carried apart by the spirit which must not bee vnderstood of any locall transportation of his bodie from the riuer
they should cleane escape the infection of sinne who do vsually conuerse with those that commit it without controlement He that walketh with the wise sayth Salomon shall be wise but a companion of fooles shall be made woorse so the words signifie and therefore his counsell is not to consent when sinners entise vs nor to make friendship with the angry person nor to go with the furious lest we learne their wayes and receiue destruction to our soules Fiftly in this leading of Christ by the spirit we learne a further thing so long as Christ was a priuat man he liued with Ioseph and Mary a priuate life but being baptized and thereby installed in his office of Mediatour he returnes not to Bethlem or Nazaret where he was borne and brought vp but gets him presently into the wildernesse thereto encounter with Satan and that by the motion of the spirit wherein we may see that all that are appointed and set apart by God for any speciall calling are in some sort changed by his spirit and as it were made other men When Saul was anointed to be king the text sayth God gaue him another heart 1. Sam. 10. 9. And when Dauid was made of a shepheard a king he was furnished for that place as his behauiour shewed which was such as did beseeme a king Thus the Apostles of our Sauiour Christ of poore fisher-men altogether vnlettered by the gift of Christs calling were made able ministers of the New testament and so became indeed fishers of men Mark 1. 17. Which serues to confute such men as plead extraordinary callings as many haue done some saying they were Elias some Iohn Baptist c. For if these were such men and had receiued such extraordinary callings then should they withall haue beene endued with extraordinary gifts fit for those callings but no such thing befalleth them nay it is plaine they remaine the same men they were before without any change at all in respect of gifts fit for such persons as they pretend themselues to be And to apply this to our selues we are all by nature the children of wrath and enemies vnto God but by grace we are made Kings Priests and Prophets Kings to rule ouer the world and the Diuell in respect of their prouocations vnto sinne as also to subdue in our selues our owne euill lusts and affections Priests to offer vp spirituall sacrifices vnto God as prayers and praises for his daily blessings and Prophets to instruct our selues and others in the wayes of God according to our gifts and calling Now then it behoueth vs all to become new men and to leade new liues fitting and sutable to our holy calling giuing our selues wholly to the honour and seruice of God shewing hereby that we are hereunto called by his spirit of grace and holinesse so shall we walke woorthy of the Lord and shew foorth the vertues of him that hath called vs 1. Pet. 2. 9. III. Circumstance How Christ went furnished into this place of combate which though our Euangelist Matthew hath omitted yet hath S. Luke plainly noted saying He was filled with the Holy ghost Luk. 4. 1. If any shall say this seemes to import that Christ wanted the the fulnesse of the spirit all the former part of his life if now only after his baptisme he were filled therewith I answer This fulnesse of the spirit is ascribed vnto Christ after his baptisme not as though he formerly susteined any want of the spirit but because at his baptisme he receiued a greater measure of the spirit than he had before for this we must know that Christ was alwayes filled with the spirit being an infant he had a full measure of gifts fit for his infancie and still as his growth in yeres required moe graces of the spirit he increased therein hauing in his youth in his riper yeres full measure of gifts fit for his estate in those times And at his baptisme being inaugurated into his Mediatourship he receiued such fulnesse of the spirit as was behoouefull for so high an office which because it was farre greater than before he needed therefore is he now sayd to be filled with the Holy ghost so that though Christ were alwayes full of grace yet he increased therein as his estate and calling did require The vse This serues to confute the Papists who teach that Christ had all fulnesse of spirit in his infancie euen from his conception and birth and did not grow in grace at all saue only experimentally as he had occasion to manifest the same more and more in practise But. S. Luke sayth plainly that Iesus increased in wisdome and stature and in fauour with God and men Luk. 2. 52. Againe Christ was like vnto man in all things sinne only excepted and therefore did increase in grace as man doth in gifts from time to time Further Christ goeth thus furnished to this combate that he might be able to encounter with Satan hand to hand and at the end giue him the finall ouerthrow Thus he furnished Moses for his ambassage vnto Pharaoh and Dauid for his combate with Goliah Aholiab and Bezaliel for the worke of the Tabernacle and euery one whom God imployeth about any speciall worke is furnished and fitted thereto of God with speciall gifts whereby in euery age we may see whom God placeth in any calling for they are well qualified for the duties thereof and therefore those that want gifts meet for their callings doe thrust in themselues thereto and are not placed therein of God IV. Circumstance Whither was Christ led to be tempted namely into the wildernesse that is the place chosen of God for this combate There be diuers opinions touching this place some thinke it was a little wildernes betweene Ierusalem and Iericho some the desert of Palestina others the great desert of Arabia where Elias fasted forty dayes and forty nights and where the Israelites wandered forty yeeres But seeing the Holy-ghost doth not define what wildernes this was we are not curiously to inquire after it but only know it was a desert and solitary place Let vs rather search into the reasons wherefore he chose a desert place for this combat and they are diuers First because he was to worke our redemption in great humility euen in the base and low estate of a seruant for the satisfying of Gods iustice in that nature which had sinned therefore he would not goe to Ierusalem there to shew his glory and Godhead as a little before he was proclaimed in his baptisme but he gets himselfe to a desert place void of all pompe and glory where he meant to begin this great worke for vs by encountring with our chiefest aduersary Secondly hee chose this place for the more easie encountering with our aduersarie Satan whom he was to ouercome for vs for if Christ after his baptisme should haue shewed the glory of his Godhead Satan durst not haue medled
that which belongs to God alone The consideration whereof must moue vs who in all godlie conuersation must be contrary to Satan to renounce all lying and to make conscience to speake the truth from our hearts And also to abandon all vaine boasting of our selues what we are or what we can do yea rather to speake basely of our selues that so God in all good things we do may haue the glory Lying and bragging are the properties of Satan and therefore can not beseeme the tongue and heart of the children of God The second point in this temptation is the hard condition which satan would haue Christ to yeeld vnto for this gift If thou wilt fall down worship me euen to commit most abominable idolatrie in worshipping the Diuell himselfe Heerein we may obserue sundrie things First that it is a principall part of the Diuels endeuours against Gods church to seeke the ouerthrow of true religion and the pure worship of God by sowing therein the seeds of heresies and idolatries for if he dares be thus bold with Christ the head as to seeke to draw him from the worship of his Father to such abominable idolatrie what will he not attempt with silly and sinfull men The Scriptures are plentifull in shewing his indeuours this way Michaiah saw in vision an euill spirit offering himselfe vnto God to become a lying spirit in the mouth of all Ahabs prophets euen foure hundred at one time When Iehoshuah the high Priest stood before the Lord Satan stood at his right hand to resist him hee sought to hinder the building and worship of the materiall temple much more therefore will he seeke to hinder the building of the spirituall temple euen the worke of the ministery in conuersion of soules whereby they are pulled out of Satans kingdome and made pillars in the temple of the liuing God Satan is that enuious man that soweth tares of errors and heresies in the church of God which is the field of the good husbandman He hindred Paul from comming to the Thessalonians whereby it appeares that he did his endeuour to hinder the course of the Apostolicall ministery In the church of Smyrna he cast some into prison stirring vp wicked men so to do thereby to hinder the embracing of the Gospell Iohn saw three vncleane spirits like frogges come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet These are spirits of Diuels working miracles and going to the kings of the earth thither they go for the stoppage of the Gospell for if kings oppose themselues they become greatest hinderers to the Gospell of all other And these frogges by the common consent of Catholike expositors are the rabble of Popish Friers Priests and Iesuites who seeke the infection of States thorow all the world By all which the Diuels enmitie against the Church is most apparent The vse I. This shewes what care and diligence Gods Ministers should shew for the building of Gods Church and the furtherance of the Gospell for they should seeke to the vttermost of their power to counteruaile the enuious practise of satan against the Church II. Euery Christian must hence learne to pray not only for their owne good estate but also for the welfare of Gods Church euery where in the free passage of the Gospell in the establishing of true doctrine and in the continuance of constant obedience therunto For Satans endeuour is to subuert and corrupt the truth and to draw men from obedience and vnto him Gods children must euer oppose themselues the rather because their welfare stands in the good of Gods Church Secondlie in this condition of Satans offer to Christ wee may obserue that his endeuour is to bring men to worship him for if he durst attempt a demaund heerof at the hands of Christ who shall thinke to escape this assault when oportunity serues him And howsoeuer men thinke it impossible that Satan should thus far preuaile with any as to bring them to worship him yet doubtlesse though hee could not preuaile with Christ heerein hee attaines his purpose in the world and that with the greatest part thereof for the three religions of the Iew Turke and Papist doe at this day ouerspread the greatest part of the face of the earth and in them all such a worship of God is propounded vnto men wherein God is not worshipped but the Diuell For the euidence whereof marke these two rules First that all doctrines denised by man in the matter of religion which either directly or by iust consequence oppugne the word of God are doctrines of Diuels 1. Tim. 4. 1. 3. Doctrines repugnant to the word touching mariage and meares are doctrines of Diuels and so by proportion are all such like Secondly all deuised worship of God by man against Gods word is no worship of God but of the Diuell 1. Cor. 10. 20. The things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice vnto Diuels and not vnto God Doubtlesse the Gentiles intended to worship God in their images but because that worship was not according to Gods wil the Apostle respects not their intent as a thing that could nothing auaile in this case but saith peremptorily their worship was done vnto the Diuell And in reason it must bee so for why should wee thinke that God should accept that for his worship which is not agreeable to his will but denised by man according to the will of the Diuel From these two rules it will follow that the best of the three forenamed religions is no worship of God but of the Diuell for all of them haue such worship as is deuised by man not of God The Iew worships God out of Christ and so doth the Turke yea and the Papists worship God but yet out of the true Christ for as hath beene shewed elsewhere the Christ of the Papists is a counterfet Christ. And in many other points of their religion there is apparent repugnancy to the word of God yea of their sacrifice of the Masse wee may as truly say as the Apostle did of heathen idol worship that they sacrifice not vnto God but to the Diuell for therein is as vile accursed and abominable idolatrie as euer was deuised by man So that it is plaine the Diuel doth mightily preuaile in causing men to worship him Yea hee preuaileth thus not onely in the world but in Gods Church for all such as notwithstanding their outward profession haue their hearts set vpon the world more eagerly affecting the honours profits and pleasures thereof then God and his word do in deed and truth worship the Diuell for hee is the God of this world ruling in the heart of the children of disobedience by the baites of honour profit and pleasure he steales mens hearts from God and so heerein they doing the will of the Diuell must needs worship him for looke whereon a man seteth his
pinnacle of the temple Now if hee had power to set him there why might hee not also cary him thither God ordaining this as well as his temptation The vse By this we see that men may be transported by the Diuell from place to place as the records of all ages do report this one thing yet obserued wherin the common opinion faileth that the Diuell cannot conuey a man aliue so far in a little time as many men thinke as a thousand or two thousand miles in an houre for no man is able to endure such violent motion and yet liue as experience teacheth let a man fall from some high steeple and his breath wil be gone and hee dead before hee come at the ground by reason of the violence of his motion Indeed the Diuell can carrie a man very swiftly but yet for the safetie of mans life he must prolong his time far more than otherwise of himselfe hee needs to doe Secondly hence wee learne that by Gods permission the Diuell may haue power ouer the bodies of Gods owne children which are true beleeuers to transport them from place to place for dealing thus with the head Christ Iesus why may hee not doe so with any of his members besides we find that God permitting him hee hath done more than this to the Saints of God hee may possesse their bodies as he did the woman of Canaans daughter Mat. 15. 22. He may torment them long as hee did exceeding grieuously bow the body of a daughter of Abraham eighteen years Luk. 13 16. Yea he may kill the body as he did to Iobs children who no doubt were holy persons Iob. 1. 19. And therefore much more may hee transport them from place to place Heere this question may fitly be answered whether a true beleeuer may be bewitched Answ. Hee may there is none vpon earth so faithfull and holy but if God permit Satan can afflict their bodies grieuously and therefore also they may be bewitched It is but the fancy of presumptuous persons when they say their faith is so strong that all the witches in the world cannot hurt them for if God permit Satan can grieuously afflict mans body as he did the body of Iob. yea he can kil the body as hath been shewed Salomon speaking of outward things saith truly All things come alike to all and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked now the wicked man may be bewitched as al will grant why then may not the godly also seeing it is but an outward euill This therfore must abate their pride that stand so much on their strong faith behold this fact of Satan to the holy body of Christ and heereby learne for thy humiliation that if God permit Satan is able to bring vpon thy body great affliction Further obserue the place whither Satan caries our Sauiour Christ into the holy city that is Ierusalem Quest. Why is it called holy seeing now it was a polluted place full of sinful people Answ. It is called holy for these causes 1. because heere was the Lords temple the place of his solemne worship wherein were the holy rites and ceremonies prescribed for Gods worship Secondly in Ierusalem as also in all the synagogues of Iudea was Moses chaire the law and the Prophets were read expounded Thirdlie Ierusalem was the mother City of all the world in respect of religion heere God ordained that his church should first be planted and from hence must religion bee deriued to other nations The vse Hence we may obserue that at this time Ierusalē was the true church of God indeed it was very corrupt both for doctrine and maners as Christs seuere reproofe of both doth plainely shew Mat. 5. 21. c. and Mat. 23. 13. 14. c. and yet a true Church else the holy ghost would not haue called it the holy city Now if Ierusalem at this time were the true church of God then then may wee well say that in England God hath his true church for let the corruptions of our Church bee as they are yet shall it match Ierusalem in the prerogatiues of Gods church They had the law and the Prophets read and expounded so haue wee and the Gospel also which is the power of God to mans saluation They had the Sacraments and ceremonies of the Law answerable thereto wee haue the Sacraments of the Gospell and also a true and holy forme of seruing God Their Ierusalem was a mother city and though wee cannot say so much in that behalfe yet hath our Church beene a nurce to neighbour Churches in Germany France and other places round about for many yeares in regard whereof the Lord no doubt hath bestowed many blessings vpon vs. And therefore though our sinnes and abuses be many and grieuous yet in regard of Church prerogatiues we may be called a holy nation and a true member of the Church of God so that as our Sauiour Christ and his Disciples ioined themselues to the congregations of the Iewes in their legal seruice and forsooke them not till they became no Church so ought it to be among vs till we separate from Christ none should seuer themselues from our church ministery seruice of God Those therefore that make a separation from our Church because of corruptions in it are farre from the spirit of Christ and his Apostles If any shal say this makes wel for the church of Rome if so corrupt a place as Ierusalem in regard of Church prerogatiues were an holie city for they haue as many prerogatiues for religion as the Iewes then had and therefore are the church of God and so we do not well to separate from them Answ. Some indeed that are no Papists say the Church of Rome is the Church of God but the truth is the present Church of Rome is spirituall Babylon the mother of abhominations no spouse of Christ but a strumpet But they plead their prerogatiues as first their succession from Peter Secondly true baptisme for substāce according to the first institution Thirdly the Apostles Creed which they hold and beleeue Fourthly the word of God in the writings of the Prophets Apostles And Lastly that theirs is the mother church Answ. All this is nothing when the truth appeares for first succession in person without succession in doctrine is no note of a church now let them shew succession in the Apostles doctrine and we yeeld Secondly their baptisme alone though for substance true baptisme cannot prooue them a true Church Circumcision was the Sacrament of Gods church yet Samaria and Colchis were not the Church of God though they vsed it againe the thiefe may shew the true mans purse but that proueth him not to be true and honest no more doth baptisme iustifie the church of Rome to bee a true church Lastly though they haue outward baptism yet indeed they ouerthrow inward baptisme the life of that sacrament to wit imputed righteousnesse and renued holinesse which
approueth such meanes the diuel setteth such courses a flote and him they serue and on him they rely that walke therein Secondly note a further reach of Satan in this promise of these earthly kingdomes euen to ouerthrow Christs spirituall kingdome Satan knew well that if Christ were the true Messias he should be a King and haue a kingdome though not earthly yet spirituall in the hearts and consciences of men which should be the ruine of his kingdome and therfore he labours with Christ to entertaine an earthly kingdome that so his spiritual kingdome might not be looked after And looke as hee seekes to deale with Christ the head so he perseueres against the church which is his body for Gods Church hath it ministery which in it nature is a soueraigntie to be exercised in the dispensation of the word now the Diuell hath laboured by all meanes to bring this ministerie wherein the Churches spirituall soueraignty doth consist to become an earthly lordship and dominion that by this meanes he might ouerturne it and make it fruitlesse in the building and vpholding of Christs spiritual kingdome and how he hath preuailed this way the Church of Rome doth shew to all the world Thirdly obserue the largenesse of the Diuels promise he will giue to Christ all the kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them but this is more then he meant to our Sauiour Christ at leastwise more then he could perform for all these were not in his power Now because in all things we must be as vnlike the Diuell as may be hence we must learn to be wary and watchful to our promises that therein we be not like vnto Satan promising that which we neuer meane to performe or neuer can performe though we meant it In all our promises therefore we must looke to two things First whether the thing we promise be in our power Secondly whether it be lawfull and meet for vs to performe And thus making promises we must endeuour alwayes to make good the same This fidelitie in keeping promise is a fruit of the spirit called by the Apostle faith Gal. 5. 25. and a propertie of him that must rest in Gods holy mountaine Psal. 15. 4. not to change from a mans lawfull oath or promise though the performance of it tend to his great hinderance Fourthly in this promise of Satan we may obserue that hee knowes all the kingdomes of the world else he could not haue shewed them to him which heere he offers to giue yea his offering of them with the glory of them al which hee could so speedily represent doth shew vnto vs that hee is most expert in the policies and regiments of states and kingdomes hee goes not to and fro for nought compassing the earth Iob. 1. 7. And his promise of them to Christ was made to inflame his heart with ambition after those kingdomes and glories that he might enioy some of them at the least Wherein we may note that one speciall practise of the Diuell is to ouerturne states and kingdomes by putting ambition into mens hearts after earthly kingdomes and glories his study is to do mischiefe and in the ruine of kingdoms he ouerthrowes many and therefore heereunto hee endeuours himselfe with might and maine Hence come insurrections rebellions in kingdomes which no time nor age could euer escape looke as he stirred vp the Chaldeans and Sabeans to inrich themselues by the spoiling of Iob so dealeth he by ambitious and couetous persons in all estates as true records of times do fully testifie We may see the truth heereof in our own land in the manifold complots and treasons both at home and abroad that haue been conspired and attempted against our Prince and State by profane men stirred vp by the diuell through ambition discontent howsoeuer by Gods mercy themselues haue beene taken in the snare that they laid for others In regard whereof we are all bound to yeeld all praise and glory to God for his gratious preseruation and defence both of our prince state and to shew forth our thankfulnesse by all holy obedience vnto that God who hath brought to nought the diuelish conspiracies treacheries of the ambitious instruments of Satan Secondly we must pray vnto God continually for the preseruation of our Prince State crying aloud vnto God as the people did at the coronation of Salomon for the safety of our Prince yea we must daily intreat the Lord to bring to nought the counsell of Achitophels of all that think euil against the Lords anointed among vs. Quest. But how comes it to passe that any Prince or State can stand if the Diuell haue such malice against them Answ. Through the good prouidence of God who giues his good Angels charge to guard and defend not only his children in particular but also whole Kingdoms and States And one part of their office is for the good of Gods Church to repell the rage of Satan and his instruments yea to stand with Gods church in the execution of iudgements vpon the enemies thereof In the siege of Iericho an heauenly captaine of the Lord of hosts came to helpe Ioshuah and when the king of Syria sent a mighty host to take the Prophet Elisha that was in Dothan the Lord sent for his defence horses chariots of fire which filled the mountaines And in the dayes of Hezekia for his comfort and the ioy of Gods people an Angel of the Lord slew in the host of Zenacherib that came against Ierusalem an hundred fourescore and fiue thousand in one night And wee want not sure testimonie of this good prouidence of God in the strange discoueries of many diuelish conspiracies Fiftly Satan saith all these will I giue thee This is the voice of the great red Dragon and the same is the voice of the Pope of Rome both registred in their canons and daily attempted in practise to dispose of all the kingdomes of the earth whereby he shewes euidently that he is that beast comming out of the earth hauing two hornes like the Lambe but he spake like the Dragon For the Lambs hornes he shewes in calling himselfe the seruant of sernants and the voice of the Dragon that is of the Diuel in taking vpon him to dispose of the soueraignties of these earthly kingdoms Lastly Saint Luke recordeth a reason which the Diuell addeth to his promise to preuent all conceit of impossibility in him to performe the same to wit for that the power and glory of all the kingdomes of the world is deliuered to him and to whomsoeuer he will be giues it Wherein obserue in Satan two notorious sinnes first a grosse lie for Daniel saith that it is Iehouah the most high God who beareth rule ouer all the kingdomes of men and giueth them to whomsoeuer he wil. Secondly arrogant and shamelesse boasting to vaunt himselfe euen to the Lords owne face as though he were soueraigne lord of
to meane outward diuine worship as if hee should say Thou shalt religiously submit bow or prostrate thy body vnto God in praier or thanksgiuing thereby testifying that thou hast deuoted thy heart and soule vnto him not onely conceiuing him to be the diuine essence omnipotent infinite c. but also that thou doest rest and relie on him as on thy Creator who doth blesse thee with all good things and preserue thee from all euill Besides this worship Christ doth mention a seruing of God which being distinguished from worship must needs import some other thing Seruice in generall is nothing else but the giuing and performing of obedience to the commandement of another This seruice is twofold absolute or in part Absolute seruice is when a man obeies the commandement of another without any condition or exception and that not only in body outwardly but in soule and conscience in thought will affection And this absolute seruice is proper to God alone for wee must neuer call his commandements into question but looke what God commands and as hee commands it so must we simply and absolutely yeeld obedience thereto not only outwardly in body but inwardly in soule and spirit with the powers and faculties thereof and in all the affections of our heart Seruice in part is that which is due to gouernours and superiors from their inferiours in the Lord for God hath giuen power to magistrates heere on earth to make lawes for the good of ciuil estates in yeelding obediēce wherunto their inferiors must doe them seruice yet not absolutely but with restraint to wit in the Lord so far foorth as their commands agree with the wil of God and crosse not his command Againe our obedience vnto them is in body and outward conuersation indeed we must from the heart yeeld seruice and obedience vnto them but yet the conscience properly cannot bee bound by mens lawes they only concerne the outward man in speech gesture and behauiour Now of these two kinds of seruice our Sauior Christ speaketh here of simple and absolute seruice whereby both soule and body with all the powers and parts thereof yeeld absolute obedience and subiection to the will and commandement of God Wee see what worship and seruice is heere required Now wee must obserue the person to whom the same is to be giuen in these words The Lord thy God Diuine worship whether inward or outward and absolute seruice of the whole man must be giuen to no creature Angell or man be they neuer so excellent but to the true God alone The scope and drift of the first and second commandements is to bind euery man to giue so much to his God and to beware of giuing the same to any other besides the Lord. And the practise of the good Angell that talked with Iohn doth shew the same thing for when Iohn fell before his feet to worship him the Angell said see thou do it not worship God Where we see the good angels do striue for the furtherance of Gods right in these duties howsoeuer this wicked spirit tempting Christ doth heerein seeke Gods great disgrace And thus we may perceiue that Christs applying of this text against Satans temptation is most pregnant for Satan requiring of Christ the prostrating of his body before the Diuell in token that he did worship him as the giuer of those kingdomes which he offered vnto Christ is iustly repulsed by this text which bindeth euery man to giue outward diuine worship whereby the inward worship of the heart is signified to God alone and not to any creature Heere then we may learne that it is not lawfull to giue to Saint or Angel or any creature whatsoeuer outward diuine worship or adoration whereby the inward deuotion of the heart is testified This text is plaine to the contrary and the reason we haue heard because diuine prostrating of the body to any thing is a testification that we ascribe diuinity vnto it some way which without the guilt of idolatrie cannot bee done to any creature for let a man worship Saint or Angell by praier or thanksgiuing and therein he doth ascribe vnto them some propriety of the diuine nature as to know the heart to be able to heare to helpe or such like The Papists heere say they doe not thinke the Saints to whom they pray to be God neither do they worship them as God But this will helpe them little for the Diuell mouing Christ to yeeld vnto him outward diuine worship neuer meant that Christ should adore him for God but onely desired that by this outward adoration of prostrating his body before him Christ would acknowledge him to be the giuer of those kingdomes for he durst not be so bold as absolutely to desire to be worshipped for God and yet Christ tels him that outward diuine worship euen in respect of the acknowledgement of such a gift is proper to God alone And yet the church of Rome do giue vnto Saints that which the Diuell demands and Christ denies by appropriating it vnto God for they make seuerall saints deliuerers and protectors from seuerall diseases and dangers as the Virgin Mary from shipwracke S. Roch from the pestilence Raphael from sore aies Apollonia from the tooth-ach And Catharine for al maner of afflictions Yea they make them patrons and protectours of whole countries and kingdomes as Saint Iames for Spaine Saint Denis for France Saint Patricke for Ireland c. Now sith many a one may giue a kingdome that cannot defend it let all men iudge whether they doe not giue more vnto Saints than Satan demanded to be acknowledged vnto him by our Sauiour Christ yea they make them intercessours for the procuring of the sauour of God and life euerlasting they call the Virgin Mary the Queene of Heauen and pray to her that by the authority of a mother she would command her sonne to heare their praiers which is to make Christ a punie and vnderling vnto her which are greater matters then the disposing of earthly kingdomes Heere they say that they may do that to the glorious saints in heauen which is done to earthly Princes for men adore them and in their absence fall downe before their chaire of estate Answ. The adoration giuen to Princes is but a ciuill acknowledgement of their preheminence and kneeling before their chaire of estate is only a ciuil testimony of loyaltie and subiection it is not directed to the Princes person being absent but only serueth to testifie his subiection to that authoritie and power which is set ouer him in the Lord there is no diuine propriety ascribed by either of these vnto the person or authority of the Prince But now in bowing down to pray to Saints there is religious adoration giuen them for therein be ascribed vnto them these diuine properties that they can know the heart heare and helpe afarre off pray for them in particular and such
2. 3. Therefore in the vision afterward shewed vnto him he is bid to waite for deliuerance for though it tary yet it shall surely come and shall not stay Cha. 2. 3. Thus Paul comforteth the Christian Corinthians God is faithfull and will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that which ye are able to beare but will giue an issue with the temptation that ye may be able to beare it 1. Cor. 10. 13. The bodies of the two Prophets who were slaine for the testimony of the Lord Iesus are suffered to lie in the streetes vnburied for three daies and an halfe that is for some short time which being expired the spirit of life comming from God shall enter into them and reuiue them then feare shall take their enimies but they shall ascend vp to heauen and their enemies shall see it All these doe plainly manifest Gods great mercie in giuing a gracious issue to the troubles of his childrē yea by good experience we may see the truth heereof in the happy issue that the Lord hath put to the most fearefull temptations of sundry in our time who haue beene exercised therein some for a yeare or two other for longer time euen many yeares together and yet in the end haue sung the song of ioyful deliuerance it may be some of Gods children beare the Crosse to their dying day yet the Lord sustains them in it by his grace and in the end shewes them mercy and peace Secondly in this departure of Satan from Christ we may obserue a notable difference between the first Adam and the second The first Adam was tempted and ouercome therein Satan preuailed in that conflict and brings him captiue into his kingdome hauing spiritually taken possession of him The second Adam is tempted also but the Diuell can find no meanes whereby to preuaile with him the prince of this world commeth but hath nought in mee saith Christ Iohn 14. 30. But after his assault is faine to flie away Further in this departure of Christ note two circumstances when Satan departed and for how long a time First when he departed is noted in this word then that is after the third temptation when Christ in indignation for his blasphemy against God had said Auoid Satan and withall had answered his temptation out of the written word then he departs Hence we learne First that the best way to vanquish satain is to giue him no ground but to withstand him manfully at the first Iam. 4. 7. resist the Diuell and he will flie Now Satan is resisted when from our hearts we cast our soules on the promises of God conteined in his word and in the whole course of our liues pray for strength of grace to stand against all his assaults whereby wee may see the great error and deceit of those who accompt of Satans temptations as of fits of melancholie and thinke they may bee remooued by musicke merrie company and such like but these are no weapons to driue away the Diuell Secondly this also shewes their dangerous course who yeeld to Satans temptations for a time taking their pleasure in their youth purposing to resist him when they are olde and then to repent too many take this course but it is fearefull for thus doing they set open al the doores of their heart to the Diuel and suffer him to take quiet possession little considering that it is beyond their power to dispossesse him at their pleasure For indeed heereby they become like to a man that is sick of the dropsie who the more he drinks the more he desires so hee that willingly giues place to Satans temptation the more he sinnes the more he may for the longer he is tempted the more by yeelding is he weakened the greater is the danger of his endlesse confusion therefore learne of Christ to resist betime Secondly in this circumstance note that when Christ rebuketh Satan and bids him auoid hee departs and is presently gone Was this any vertue in satan that hee doth thus readily depart at Christs command no verily though he obey it is not praise worthy for obedience is two fould voluntary and constrained voluntary when the creature doth Gods command without compulsion thus Adam did before his fail and all holy ones that are iustified and sanctified doe thus in part in this life Constrained obedience is when the creature is made to obey God wil he nil he This is like to the obedience of rebels who being attached and arreigned for their treasons in suffering are made to obey the Princes lawes And such was this obedience of Satan forced vpon him by the powerfull command of Christ who is Prince and Lord of all creatures And this is to be marked that when Christ giues foorth his powerfull command then Satan must obey whether he wil or not This is euident by his manifold dispossessions of vncleane spirits who came foorth at his command though they accompted him as their tormenter Now that which heere befals the Diuell shall one day bee verified of all wicked men if they will not now obey God willinglie while in the ministerie of the word he bids them repent and beleeue the Gospell they shall one day bee compelled euen at the dreadful day of Iudgement wil they nil they to obey that wofull voice of Christ Depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire Mat. 25. 41. In regard whereof wee must euer be carefull now in the daie of grace to yeeld vnto Christ voluntary and cheerefull obedience vnto all his commandements both of the Law and Gospell lest one day wee be constrained to obey in going to our endlesse wo Satan who is a thousand-fold stronger then man could not resist his power how then shall wee that are but dust and ashes stand before so great a God This circumstance of time is more fully noted by S. Luke saying and when the Diuell had ended all the temptation he departed from him whereby thus much is signified that look what knowledge craft or power the Diuel had that did he imploy to the vttermost in these temptations before he left our Sauior Christ. Whereby it appeareth that Christ was tempted in the highest degree and measure that Satan possibly could attain vnto herein did the Diuell shew the extremity of his fraude and malice against Christ which further appeares by this that the Angels of heauen came and ministred vnto him for his comfort so as though Satan could not taint the sacred heart of our Sauior Christ with the least spot of sin yet in these temptations Christ was troubled with the same forrowes griefes vexations which Gods children vsually feele in their temptations The consideration whereof serues for speciall vse First to keepe all Gods children from despaire in the greatest extremity of their temptations euen when they shall feele their conscience as it were set on an Iron racke and the slashings of hell fire alreadie kindled in their soule for Christ
vnto his Church and children not onely in bestowing heauen and earth vpon them but euen giuing his glorious Angels to become ministring spirits for their protection defence comfort II. This their ministery must admonish vs to carry our selues reuerently and holily in all maner of conuersation If we were in the presence of an earthly Prince oh how carefull would we be to our behauiour both for words actions Much more then should the presence and attendance of Gods glorious angels who pitch their tents about vs if we be Gods children make vs circumspect to all our waies and the rather because their ministery is for our comfort and protection while wee keepe our selues in the straight waies of God II. point Their number It is not said one Angel but angels came and ministred vnto him Indeed when hee was in his Agonie in the garden a little before his passion one Angell came and ministred comfort vnto him so that sometime one sometime moe attended on him euen as the euill spirits come to tempt sometime one alone as Satan did heere to Christ and somtimes moe as they did when he was vpon the Crosse. And as it befell Christ so doth it to Gods children they haue somtime one good Angell to attend vpon them and sometime many so likewise haue they sometime one euill spirit to assault them and somtimes many as the man in whom the legion was And heereby falleth to the ground this common opinion that euery man hath one good Angell and one bad attending vpon him the one to protect him the other to tempt him But this opinion doth not wel stand with the tenour of the scripture which thus sets out the state of men in regard of his attendance by Angels that there are somtimes moe about him and somtime fewer whether we speake of good Angels or of euill spirits III Point The time when these good Angels came and ministred vnto Christ is noted in this word Then that is when the Diuel had done all he could against our Sauiour Christ they came not in the time of his assaults but when Satan had ended his temptations and was gone There is no doubt but the good Angels were alwaies about our Sauior Christ attending on his blessed person but at this time it is like they tooke vpon them some visible shape that so their ministery might be the more comfortable vnto him as it is like the diuel appeared in some shape for Christs greater terrour in his temptations In this circumstance of time we may obserue a worke of Gods prouidence which he pleaseth to exercise in the time of temptation vpon his owne children to wit for a time to hide his mercy from them withdrawing the sensible feeling of his fauour Thus he dealt with his beloued some Christ Iesus during the time of Satans violent temptations he concealed from him the sensible assistance of the ministerie of his Angels they shew not themselues till Satan is departed And so fareth it many times with Gods deere children vpon whom he bestowes the good graces of his spirit as a nourcing-mother to try the affection of her childe will sometime hid her selfe from it leaue it alone and suffer it to take a knocke or a fall so wil the Lord leaue his children to themselues conceale from them the signes of his fauour suffering them to be buffered in temptation for a time that they may find thereby what they are in themselues without Gods grace and by feeling the bitternesse of that estate the more to hunger and thirst after his grace and fauour the more ioifully and thankfully to embrace it when it is renued and the more carefully to keepe it all the daies of their life What made Dauid to accompt so highly of the courts of Gods house as that he esteemed the silly birds happy that might build their nests by Gods altar but his banishment thence by the persecution of Saul wherin hee was constrained to remaine in Meshech and to dwell in the tents of Kedar And so when the people of God were in Babell remembring Zion they wept oh then let my right hand forget to play if I forget thee O serusalem let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth if I prefer not Ierusalem to my chiefe ioy But vnto many this doctrine of temptations will seeme to small purpose nay altogether needlesse for that they neuer felt any such conflicts with the Diuell they defie him from their harts and they trust to God neuer to be troubled with him this is the common estate of most men those onlie excepted who haue felt how hard a thing it is truly to repent and beleeue thus to blesse themselues in a carnall peace but sillie soules they know not their owne hearts nor the fearfull case in which they stand for all the true members of Christ must be made conformable vnto their head now he was consecrated the prince of their saluation through afflictions Heb. 2. 10 his soule was heauie vnto the death before he could finish the worke of our life yea he is tempted by Satan before he is comforted by the Angels those therefore that were neuer tempted haue yet no fellowship in his afflictions they haue not begunne any conformitie with Christ so as it is like they are still bondslaues vnto Satan for if they had escaped out of his snare they should feele his assaults to get them in againe in regard heereof the childe of God is constrained to buckle hard with Satan in temptation and to pray many a time to be deliuered from his buffeting And indeed howsoeuer for the present this be not ioyous yet they may count it exceeding great gladnesse as the Apostle saith not onely for this triall of their faith which bringeth forth patience but also because herein they become like vnto Christ in his humiliation which may giue them assurance that they shall be like him in glorie for if we be dead with Christ we shall also liue with him and if we suffer we shall also raigne with him Adde further that these men that neuer felt the assault of Satan are as yet vnder a most fearfull iudgment of God in hardnesse of heart When Christ sedde fiue thousand men with fiue loaues and two fishes he distributed it by the hands of his disciples But after it is said they perceiued not this matter of the loaues and this reason is rendred because their harts were hardned vers 52. And so it is with them that neuer feele the temptations of Satan for he goeth about continually like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure as they whose hearts are not hardned do well perceiue To conclude therefore let these men who yet neuer felt in themselues these assaults of Satan vnfainedly endeuour to change the course of their liues by the practise of true repentance in eschewing euill and doing good let them giue themselues sincerely to the exercise