to the wildernesse as Elias was caried from earth to heauen or as Philip was taken away from the Eunuch and carried to Azotus but it was a motion of the Holy ghost wherewith Christ was filled aboue measure and made willing to encounter with Satan in that combat for so are the words by S. Luke being full of the Holy ghost hee returned from Iordan and was led by the spirit into the wildernesse that is by the inward motion and instinct of Gods spirit Againe S. Marke saying the Spirit droue him into the wildernesse giueth vs further to vnderstand that this motion in Christ from the spirit was a peculiar motion not forced or constrained but voluntary and yet very strong and effectuall Again by the spirit here is not meant the Diuell or an euill spirit but the Holy spirit of God he it was that moued Christ to goe into the wildernesse so that the meaning is this After Christ was baptized in Iordan by Iohn hee willingly tooke his iourney into the wildernesse being moued thereunto by a speciall and strong instinct of Gods holy spirit wherwith he was filled aboue measure If any aske how Christ could be led by the spirit seeing hee sends the spirit Answ. These two may well stand together for Christ must be considered two wayes first as man in the forme of a seruant secondly as God euen the sonne of God yea God himselfe Now as Christ was man he was subiect to Gods prouidēce and so was led and guided by the Holy ghost but as he is God he is not subiect to prouidēce but is the author therof and is not himselfe led or sent but together with the father sendeth the spirit The vse In this circumstance we may obserue first the exceeding holinesse of Christs manhood in that he moued not from one place to another without the speciall instinct and direction of the spirit of God By which example we are taught to suffer our selues to be ordered and guided by the spirit of God in euery thing we take in hand yea in all our thoughts words and deeds for this is the true note of euery child of God to be led by the spirit Rom. 8. 14. where the Apostle vseth the same word that S. Luke doth speaking of this leading of our Sauiour to be tempted we must therefore labour to be of Dauids disposition to haue our harts pliable to all Gods testimonies when God said Seek ye my face Dauids hart answered I seeke thy face O Lord Psal. 27. 8. and thus doing we shall suffer our selues to be directed and guided by the Holy ghost for he teacheth and guideth men by the word Secondly from this that Christ was led vnto temptatiō by the spirit of God we learne That temptations come not by chance nor yet by the will and pleasure of the Diuel only for he could not touch Iob or ought he had till God gaue him leaue nor enter into the heard of swine till Christ said go but temptations come by Gods most iust permission and not without his speciall prouidence appointment This combat of Christ with Satan was decreed of God by his speciall appointment in his eternall counsell And therefore was Christ led by the spirit to encounter with the Diuell that he might performe this one worke of a mediator namely in temptation ouercome him who by temptation ouercame all mankind And as God appointed this combate of our Sauiour so hath he also ordained the temptations of euery Christian and the circumstances thereof The theater or place of this combat is this present euill world the actors are Satan and euery Christian the beholders are men and Angels 1. Cor. 4. 9. The vmpire and iudge is God himselfe who ouerruleth Satan so as the issue cannot but be happie and blessed to those that fight manfully for hee casteth away none that be mighty valiant of courage Iob. 36. 1. he will giue an issue with the temptations 1. Cor. 10. 13. from whence we learne sundry good instructions First when we are tossed and tried by manifolde temptations we must not thinke it strange but rather count it exceeding great ioy Iam 1. 2. because it is Gods blessed will and ordinance that Satan and euery Christian should enter combat and conflict for the triall of his graces in them Secondly we are hereby taught to labour with patience to beare all trials and afflictions not vsing vnlawfull means to winde our selues out of them because they come by the speciall prouidence of the Almighty Thirdly Christ went not to be tempted till he was led by the spirit therfore no man must wittingly put himselfe into danger without a calling from God left therein hee tempt God indeed a man may be moued extraordinarily to offer himselfe into places of danger thus Paul went bound in the spirit to Hierusalem that is he willingly followed the motion of the Holy ghost which inwardly enforced him to go thither And the same may be said of many holy Martyrs who though they might haue escaped by flight yet did willingly offer themselues into the hands of their persecutours and endured the violence of their torments which wee must thinke they did by a special motion of the Holy ghost otherwise for a man to offer himselfe into danger without all warrant from God is to swarue from the practise of Christ in this place Fourthly Christ being ledde by the spirit did not seeke to shrowd himselfe from this combate so likewise if a man follow his calling according to Gods will and thereupon fall into troubles and temptations he may not seeke to escape them by neglecting his duty but with courage and patience must inure himselfe to beare them wayting on the Lord by wel-doing for his deliuerance Heere it may well be asked whether a man can lawfully and with good conscience abide in those places which are certainly knowen to be haunted with euill spirits Answ. Some indeed are so venturous bold that they feare nothing yet the trueth is no man ought on his own head abide or lodge in such places vnlesse it be within the compasse of his calling or els haue a true extraordinary motion of Gods spirit so to doe we are therefore rather to auoid them than wittingly and willingly thrust our selues into the danger of such places for if God haue giuen liberty vnto Satan to possesse such places as haue been consecrated to Idolatry or defiled by oppression and bloud or such like abhominations why should wee without warrant from God put our selues into his hands This also may serue to reprooue those men who presume so much vpō their strong faith that they neuer sticke to thrust themselues into most lewd company but let such persons beware for places of bad company are places of danger by reason of that power and liberty which Satan hath among them for there he hath a throne Reuel 2. 13. How then can it be that
righteous but the Lord deliuereth them out of all If it please you to giue these after-lines the reading you shall see set downe that monomachie or single combat which was hand to hand betwixt Christ and the Diuell And as for Christ Iesus you shall see him fasting fighting conquering Fasting and an hungry to shew he was man fighting and encountring to shew he was Messiah and conquering and triumphing to shew he was God And as for the diuell you shall see him obiecting answering flying Obiecting that Christ might despaire answering that he might presume and flying when he could not ouercome In Christs temptations we see the estate of the Church in Satans assault we see his malice to the Church Is Christ tempted think it not strange if we fall into temptations For the griefe of the head is the griefe of the members and the temptations of Christ shew the temptations of Christians It is true of Christ that by many tribulations he did enter into the kingdome of God that our High Priest was consecrated by afflictions that so he must suffer and enter into his glory He is no sooner borne into the world but he is hunted by Herod baptized at Iordan but Satan sets on him a Preacher for repentance but the Scribes proscribe him to worke miracles but the Pharises slander him He is no sooner to suffer but the Diuell assaults him apprehended but the Iewes deliuer him deliuered but Herod derides him derided but Pilat condemnes him condemned but the souldiers abuse him Is he on the crosse the people will not pity him is he risen the high Priests will belie him In a word is he vpon earth he is tempted in his person is he in heauen he is tempted in his members Thus the life of Christ was a warfare vpon earth and the life of Christians must be a warfare vpon earth We liue heere in a sea of troubles the sea is the world the waues are calamities the Church is the ship the anker is hope the sailes are loue the Saints are passengers the hauen is heauen and Christ is our Pilot. When the sea can continue without waues the shippe without tossings and passengers not be sicke vpon the water then shall the Church of God be without trials We begin this voiage so soone as we are borne and we must saile on till our dying daie We doe reade in Gods word of many kinds of temptations God Satan Man the World and the Flesh are saide to tempt God tempteth man to trie his obedience Satan tempteth man to make him disobedient man doe tempt men to trie what is in them and man tempteth God to trie what is in him The world is a temper to keepe man from God and the flesh is a tempter to bring man to the Diuell So God tempted Abraham in the offering of his son Satan tempted Iob in the losse of his goods a Queene tempted Salomon in trying his wisedome men tempted God by distrust in the desert the world tempted Domas when he forsooke the Apostles and the flesh tempted Dauid when he fell by adultery Doth God tempt vs take heed of hypocrisie doth Satan tempt vs take heed of his subtiltie doth man tempt man take heed of dissembling doth man tempt God take heed of inquiring doth the world tempt man take heed of apostasie doth the flesh tempt man take heed of carnalitie But dowe so are we warie of these tempers No we are not and therefore we fall We fall on the right hand by temptations in prosperitie and we fall on the left by temptations in aduersitie Of the one it may be said it hath slaine thousands of the other that it hath slaine ten thousands When we come and see cities dispeopled houses defaced and wals pulled downe we say the souldier hath beene there and when we see pride in the rich discontent in the poore and sinne in all we may iustly say the Tempter hath beene there Now of all other temptations it pleaseth God to suffer his church to be tempted with afflictions It is neuer free either from the sword of Ishmael which is a reuiling tongue or the sword of Esau a persecuting hand Neither was there yet euer Christian man found who had not his part in the cup of affliction We must drinke of the same cup our master did the disciple is not aboue his master The reasons why God doth visit vs thus with afflictions are 1. To humble vs. 2. To weane vs. 3. To winnow vs. 4. To preuent vs. 5. To teach vs. 6. To enlighten vs. 7. To honour vs. 8. To cure vs. 9. To crowne vs. 10. To comfort vs. 11. To protect vs. 12. To adopt vs. And last of all to teach and comfort others To humble vs that we be not proud to weane vs that we loue not his world to winnow vs that we be not chaffe to preuent vs that we do not sinne to teach vs that we be patient in aduersity to enlighten vs that we see our errors to honor vs that our faith may be manifest to cure vs that we surfet not of securitie to crowne vs that we may liue eternally to comfort vs that he may send his spirit to protect vs that he may guide vs by his Angels to adopt vs that we may be his sonnes and to teach others that they seeing how sin is punished in vs they may take heed it be not found in them that they seeing our comforts in troubles may not be discouraged in the like trials Thus a Christian mans diet is more sowre then sweet his physicke is more alcës then hony his life is more a pilgrimage then a progresse and his death is more despised then honoured This if men would thinke of before afflictions would be as welcome to the soule of man as afflicted Ruth was to the field of Boaz. But because we looke not for them before they come thinke not on Gods doing when they are come and doe desire to be happie both heere and hereafter therefore we can away with the name of Naomi but in no case would we be called Mara We see the sea not the whale the Egyptian not the saluation the Lious mouth not him that stoppeth the Lions mouth If we could see God in our troubles as Elisha did in his then would we say There are more with vs then there are against vs. But because we doe not therefore at euery assault of the Assyrians we say as the seruant to Elishah did Alas master what shall we doe and with the disciples Carest thou not Master that we perish Yet it is good for vs to suffer affliction Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receiue the
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
God he can tempt Christ yea transport his body and set him in a dangerous place for thus far God permits him to goe but to cast Christ downe from the pinnacle he cannot therein comes Gods restraint So it fareth with Gods children for the triall of his graces in them and to chastise them for some sinnes he suffers Satan to buffet them but yet one iotte of his malice beyond Gods permission he cannot shew as in Iobs affliction by him may notably appeare Which wee must carefully remember for our special comfort in our most grieuous assaults Gods will permitting Satan so farre must make vs patient and yet his power restraining Satan from doing worse must giue vs comfort Thus much for the temptation itselfe The reason whereby Satan enforceth his temptation is taken from a testimony of Scripture For it is written he shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee c. Satan hearing Christ alledge scripture for his defence against the first assault comes now vpon him with his owne weapon that if it were possible he might foile him after this sort Thou shewest thy selfe to be the Doctor of the Church by thine alleadging of Scripture and that it seemes thou makest the rule of thine actions well then thou maiest well and safely cast thy selfe downe hence if thou bee the Sonne of God for it is written he shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee and with their hands they shall lift thee vp c. From this dealing of Satan wee are taught not to embrace an opinion in religion because a shew of proofe by testimony of Scripture may bee giuen for it But we must trie the spirits that is the doctrines of men whether they be of God or not 1. Ioh. 4. 1. For the Diuell can alleadge Scripture to mooue Christ vnto presumption and it is his vsuall practise when he caries men into schisms errors and heresies Reason with a man that minds to liue in sinne and tell him of that dangerous state by reason of the shortnesse and vncertainty of this life will he not tell you straight he will doe as he does and repent when he is old for it is written At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance saith the Lord And some thinke three or foure good words at a mans last end wil serue his turne for the thiefe on the crosse said no more but Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome And all such as are trained vp in the schoole of Satan can easilie alledge scripture to further them in euil But let vs come to the scripture which the Diuel doth notoriously abuse by his allegation it is written in the 91. Ps. v. 11. In the alledging whereof he would seeme very carefull and precise at the first not omitting so much as this particle for which might haue beene left out and yet nothing haue been wanting to the force of his reason But heerein is the deepenesse of his policy to cause Christ not to suspect any falshood afterward for towards the end hee leaueth out that on which the promise is grounded of being kept by the Angel to wit to keepe thee in all thy waies that is in all the good duties of thy lawfull calling wherein thou shalt glorifie God and doe good to others to such as so walke in their waies doth that promise belong Heere then behold Satans notable fraud and craft that can so cunninglie leaue out that which makes not for his purpose and so peruert the true meaning of scripture this is his vsuall practise in enmity against the word to depraue the true meaning by cutting off some part when hee cannot vtterly ouerthrow the whole The like is the dealing of all heretickes who by cutting off and leauing out play legerdemaine with the scripture The Arrian holds the Bible for the word of God but such places as serue to proue the godhead of Christ he doth notably abuse and peruert The familie of Loue also doth hold the bible for the word of God but come to the true meaning of it therein they faile turning all into Allegories euen most true histories as the fall of our first Parents and such like which are maine grounds of religion in their naturall sense and the Apostaticall Church of Rome doth hold with vs the bookes of the old and new Testament but yet they put in and take out at their pleasure and take from it all sense and meaning which agrees not with the determination of their holy father the Pope and thereby they ouerturne the word of God and strongly maintaine their mystery of iniquity This dealing of Satan and his wicked miscreants with the scripture must make all Gods children willing to spend their strength in searching out the Scripture for that is the onely way to descrie their fraude in deprauing of it This caused Christ to bidde the people in his time to search the Scriptures to learne to know him to bee the true Messias which the Iewish teachers did then deny In regard whereof wee must say with Moses oh that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit vpon them oh that all could reade and vnderstand the word of God! This is it wherein all that either be or intend to be ministers must labour especially euen to get sound knowledge and iudgement in the text of Scripture The Minister must not only be able to teach the truth but also to discerne to discouer and to confure errors and heresies which hee can neuer foundly doe without good vnderstanding in the text it selfe The Diuell knowes the whole Scripture and he will spare no text therein it hee can corrupt it therfore to resoue Gods truth out of his hands who is the father of lies the Minister must shew himselfe a good souldier of Iesus Christ as Paul exhorteth Timothy giuing such attendance to the word that all men may see his profitting therein yea with Ieremie the Minister must eat the bookes of God and digest them in his vnderstanding and rejoice therein labouring to feele them the joy of his heart The Diuell knowes that Scripture truely vnderstood and well applied is the onely engine for the battery of his kingdome and therefore euen from the beginning but specially since the comming of Christ hee hath laboured by all meanes to keepe men from the knowledge and true vnderstanding of them hee it is that hath brought men from the reading of the Scriptures to betake themselues to the writings of men as schoolemen fathers and such by this meanes hee hath for many yeares euen to this day in the Church of Rome locked vp the Scripture in an vnknowen tongue yea euen in Gods church the Diuel works mightily this way by stealing away the affections of yong students from the Bible and rauishing them with delight in the writings of men for thus he keeps them from the
who hath power iudiciall to expound the scripture Indeed their answer is that the Church is this Iudge and that we must consult at her mouth for the true meaning of the Scripture Answ. The church hath a ministery and dispensation committed vnto her in the execution whereof she deliuereth the meaning of the Scripture vnto Gods people but that is not from any iudiciall authority committed vnto her to determine of the sense of Scripture of her selfe but onely by comparing scripture with scripture and expounding one place out of another euen as the Lawyer giues the sense of the law not from any iudicial power giuen vnto him aboue the law but by obseruing the words with the scope and circumstances of the law But heere I would know if the Church must needs bee iudge by what meanes must she determine They answer by the rule of faith the consent of Councels and Fathers and if these faile then by the Pope Answ. By their rule of faith they vnderstand vnwritten traditions that is such truth beside Scripture as hath beene kept by tradition from hand to hand since the primitiue Church But these are meere forgeries and shame it were to subiect the truth of God to the deuice of man if these bee made iudge of Scripture then shall the faith of the church depend vpon the wisedome of man and not vpon the power of God a thing abhorred of the Apostle 1. Cor. 2. 5. The onely rule of faith is the Scripture and true faith will admit no other iudge beside the Scripture to determine of that whereon it must depend Secondly for their consent of Fathers and Councels that is no sufficient meanes to determine of the true sense of Scripture for their seuerall errors and contradictions one to another many times to themselues shew that they wanted the immediate assistance of the Spirit And the same is true of the Pope as might easily be proued at large by their grosse ignorance errors And therfore it remaines that the true iudge and expounder of Scripture is Scripture it selfe as Christ himselfe by his practise sheweth in this place The place alledged by Christ is this commandement of God vnto his people Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God For the vnderstanding whereof we must search out three things first what the tempting of God signifieth secondly the manner how God is tempted and thirdly the cause and root thereof For the first to tempt God signifieth to make triall and experience of God and to prooue whether hee be so true iust mercifull prouident and powerfull as his word reporteth him to be Thus did the Israelites often tempt God as the Lord saith When your fathers tempted me proued me and saw my workes which latter words shew what it is to tempt God euen to seeke to haue proofe by his works whether he be such a one as his word saith he is If any shall say we are commanded to taste and see how gratious the Lord is Ps. 34. 8. yea the Lord bids his people proue him Malach. 3. 10. Answ. Those places do sufficiently expound themselues for Dauids taste and sight is by the grace of true faith and affiance for in the same verse he pronounceth such blessed and in Malachie the Lord bids them prooue him but yet in their way of obedience in prouiding for his Sanctuary according to his ordinances Therefore we must know for the second point that euery triall of God is not simply euill but that which is needlesse when without warrant from his word we presume vpon him beyond the meanes of his ordinary prouidence Thirdly the root of this sinne is an vnbeleeuing heart whereby a man doubts of the truth of Gods word of his power presence and prouidence Ps. 78. 18. The Israelites tempted God in their hearts there is this sinne the maner how followeth in requiring meat for their lusts c. not contenting thēselues with Gods present prouidence the root ground whereof is set downe vers 22. because they beleeued not in God and trusted not in his helpe When a man doubts of the fidelity of his seruant he wil lay something in his way as a peece of siluer his purse c. to trie him withall so when a man begins to doubt of Gods goodnesse and fidelity towards him hee will easily be brought to make needlesse triall of him by some worke of God beside his ordinary prouidence The meaning then is this Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God that is thou shalt not make any needlesse triall of Gods goodnesse mercy power or prouidence from a distrustfull heart in the truth of his word Heere yet further for our instruction wee are to know that God is tempted fiue waies as the word of God doth manifest first when a man shall appoint vnto God either the time when the place where or the maner how God shall helpe him and performe his word vnto him heerein he seeks experience of the truth and power of God Thus the Israelites tempted God in the wildernesse when they wanted water saying Is God among vs or no God had promised to bee with them in all their iourney to Canaan but that they will not now beleeue vnlesse he wil shew his presence by giuing them water in that place And so likewise they tempted him in the want of foood Ps. 78. 19. Can God prepare a table in the wildernesse The consideration whereof must teach vs in all our petitions which we make vnto God for the accomplishment of his promises vnto vs to beware of limiting God as the Iewes did by prescribing vnto him time place maner for the accomplishment thereof but wait with patience his good leasure For hee that beleeueth will not make haste but wil commit his way to the Lord Ps. 37. 5. Secondly God is tempted when men require a signe at his hands Thus the Pharisies tempted Christ Matt. 12. 38. Master we would see a signe of thee meaning thereby to be certified whether hee were the Messias and Luke saith they tempted him Luk. 11. 16. And thus doe all those tempt God which refuse to embrace the doctrine of the Gospel because they cannot see the ministers therof to confirme the same by miracles Thus do many Papists plead against our religion embracing rather the mysterie of iniquity because it is confirmed vnto them by lying wonders not considering that the truth which wee professe was once sufficiently confirmed to bee the truth of God by his owne testimony thereunto in signes wonders through the hands of his Apostles Quest. Is euery asking of a signe a tempting of God for Gedion asked a signe when he was to be a Iudge and deliuerer of gods people Iudg. 6. 17. And so did Hezekiah to bee assured of the lengthning of his daies 2. King 20. 8. And yet we reade not that God charged them with tempring him but did condescend to their requests Answ. There be two causes
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