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
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
this a man would not thinke that herein he should intend any hurt to Christ or to his church but in very trueth his drift heerein is to destroie the faith of Christ in that word of his father which spake from heauen and to ouerthrow the foundation of the church by proouing that Iesus Christ the Sonne of Marie was not true God Heere then obserue a tricke of the Diuels cunning when he speaks a truth he doth it not to confirme the same as louing it but indeed his meaning is to ouerthrow the truth therby which must admonish vs that when Satan shall any way assault vs in temptation wee neuer giue credit vnto him no not then when he speaketh the trueth because therein his purpose is to deceiue vs and to destroy the truth hence it was that Christ forbad the vncleane spirits to testifie of him though they acknowledged him to be the holy one of God hence also Paul was grieued at the testimony of the foule spirit that was in the maid though in it selfe a most worthy truth to wit that they were the seruants of the most high God which shewed vnto mē the way of saluation Further in comparing our Euangelist Matthew with S. Luke there may seeme some difference between them in propounding this temptation for in Matthew the words are thus command these stones c. And in Luke thus command this stone But they are reconciled thus Matthew sets downe this temptation as the Diuell first propounded it and S. Luke shewes how the Diuell vrged it for first the diuel comes to Christ and bids him if he be the sonne of God command all the stones which he saw round about him to be made bread this S. Matthew sets downe or if that seemed too much command one stone to be made bread and it should suffice and this S. Luke noteth The vse By this comparing of the Euangelists we may obserue that when the Diuell hath once begun to tempt a man he will not easily leaue off but will set an edge vpon it and enforce and vrge it by all the meanes he can that if it be possible it may preuaile Which should teach vs on the other side to be most earnest and resolute in resisting Satans temptations he will take small aduantage before he leaue we therefore must not giue place nor yeeld one iot vnto him Resist the Diuell and he will flie This must euery member of the Church do the Minister by sound and through applying of euery part of Gods truth to the heart whereby it may be armed against the enemie and the people by faithfull embracing and obeying of the same as also by earnest praier vnto God for the assistance of his grace in all assaults VERSE 4. But he answering said It is written Man shall not liue by bread only but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God THese words conteine Christs gratious answer whereby he repelled the diuels temptation and in it we may obserue three points first that Christ did Answer Secondly whence he borrowed his Answer Thirdly the very words of his Answer For the first that Christ did answer is noted by the holy Ghost in plaine words And Iesus answering said Wherby he would giue vs to vnderstand that Christ Iesus our Sauiour being in the wildernesse was not onely willing and ready to encounter with Satan but also able to withstand him yea and to vanquish Satan without receiuing any foile at his hands Which is a point of singular comfort to Gods Church and children for was Christ Iesus able in this low and base estate of a seruant being disaduantaged also by a desert place and bodily hunger was he then I say able to encounter with Satan and to ouercome him in his most violent and subtile assaults Then how much more is he now able euen in all his members to giue Satan the foile hauing spoiled him in his death seeing he is aduanced to the throne of maiestie and glorie and set at the right hand of his father hauing a name aboue all names giuen vnto him at which euery knee should bow both of things in heauen and in the earth and vnder the earth We therfore may now say with that lowd voice Now is saluation in heauen and strength and power and the kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of the brethren is cast downe The second point heere noted is whence Christ borroweth his answer namely from the Scriptures It is written It had beene an easie thing for Christ being the sonne of God to haue confoūded the Tempter with the breath of his mouth or to haue commanded innumerable legions of holy Angels to haue driuen him away but he betakes himselfe to the written word for his defence And this he did especially for our instruction namely that we might know that the written word of God rightly welded by the hand of faith is the most sufficient weapon for the repelling of Satan and the vanquishing of him in all his temptations hence Paul calleth it the sword of the spirit because it serues not onely for our defence but also to wound Satan and to put him to flight The vse I. This fact of Christ doth discouer and condemne the damnable practise of the Church of Rome who locke vp the word of God from their people in an vnknowen tongue and commend vnto them for their defence against spirituall enemies other deuices of their owne as holy water crossing crosses c. which they highly commend as meanes of speciall strength and force to vanquish the Diuell when as indeed the word of God is the onely true and trustie weapon whereof while they depriue their people they send them forth naked and vnarmed to encounter with Satan Secondly heere also behold the miserable estate of all those that either through couetousnesse or any other profanenesse are drawen to neglect or contemne the written word of God their case is most fearefull for they cast away those weapons whereby they should defend themselues against the Diuell and quench all his firie darts and so betray their owne soules into his hands And doubtlesse all contemners and neglecters of the word are guilty of their own damnation because God hath giuen vs his word for our defence and for the confounding of Satan so as without guilt of wilfull murther not of our bodies but of our soules we cannot neglect this heauenly weapon Thirdly heerby we may see the cause why sinne so much abounds in all estates euery where namely the want of loue vnto knowledge in the word of God whereupon the most are ignorant of it or else know not how to handle this spirituall weapon whereby Satan is resisted and foiled Hosea 4. 2. The Lord complaineth of lying swearing killing stealing and whoring yea of bloud touching bloud and the cause is laid downe in the first verse There is no knowledge of
or occasion from vs of all the aduantage he hath against vs his temptations are like fire and bellowes and our infirmities and corruptions are wood and fewell The vse I. Hence then we may behold our miserable estate by reason of sinne for thereby it comes to passe that we beare about vs those darts wherewith the diuel doth wound vs. And sith Satans craft and malice is such to take aduantage from vs for to worke our wo we must labour the more diligently to be throughly acquainted with our naturall dispositions and inclinations yea with our bodilie infirmities for the Diuell will search vs and when wee haue truly found out our own estate we must set a strong watch and guard about our owne hearts in respect of our infirmities and so shall we be the better able to breake the necke of Satans temptations The fourth thing in this preparation is Satans comming to Christ The Tempter came vnto him By which phrase it is probable though not certaine that the Diuell tooke vpon him the forme of some creature and so appeared vnto Christ thus he came to Eue in Paradise abusing the serpent to further his assault against the first Adam And it is like that in his combat with the second Adam he came in the shape of some creature for otherwise he could not properly be said to come and speake Some indeed thinke that these temptations were inward in minde onely and by vision others thinke they were altogether visible and done actually but the safest way is to holde that they were in part actually done in bodily maner and partly shewed in vision And thus much for the preparation to the first conflict II. Point The temptation it selfe conteining matter of great importance being indeed the maine temptation of all in these words If thou be the Sonne of God command that these stones be made bread The Diuell being well prouided for time and place and aduantaged also by Christs bodily hunger doth heere assault our Sauiour Christ like a cunning Sophister and frame his argument Syllogistically thus If thou be the sonne of God thou canst make these stones bread But thou canst not make these stones bread Therefore thou art not the sonne of God The ground of this temptation is this It is no reason that the Sonne of God should starue for want of food but thou must starue vnlesse thou canst make these stones bread and therefore vnlesse thou canst do so thou maist perswade thy selfe it was but a false voice which thou heardest from heauen This is my welbeloued Sonne c. The scope and drift of Satan in this temptation standes in two things First hee labours to ouerthrow the faith of Christ. Secondly to bring him to a practise of vnbeleefe For the first By faith I meane a gift or grace in Christ wherby as he was man he beleeued his Fathers words to be true which said This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased whereby wee may see what the Diuell aimes at principally in his temptations against Gods children for these his assaults against our Sauiour Christ are set down for our instruction in this behalfe Satans maine drift then in temptation is to ouerthrow our faith whereby wee beleeue euerie part and parcell of Gods word to be true See this in his tempting of Eue first he labours to weaken her faith in the trueth of Gods threatning which done he easily brought her to actuall disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit The same course hee holdeth at this day first he will seeke to nuzzell men in ignorance that he may keepe them in vnbeliefe if he faile that way then will he endeuour to plunge their soules into some damnable errour and heresie and by one of these meanes doth he destroy the faith of many for while a man remaines in ignorance he can haue no saith and if he misse of the trueth of God he wants ground for his faith Now the reason why the Diuell labours so much against our faith is because we cannot truely relie vpon Gods mercie nor depend vpon his prouidence nor yeeld any acceptable obedience to his commandements vnlesse we beleeue his word More particularly we are to obserue that special branch of Gods word which the Diuell would haue Christ not to beleeue euen that voice of his Father which a little before Christ heard from heauen at his baptisme This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased And this hath the holy Ghost recorded in great wisedome and mercie to Gods Church for heereby doth appeare a main drift of Satan against Christs members in his temptations namely to make them doubt of their adoption and to destroy this perswasion in them that they are the sonnes and daughters of God for if heerein he spared not the head doubtlesse the members shall not escape his hands This appeares by his vsual assault against them specially when God shall lay vpon them any lingring crosse or affliction either in mind in body or in goods then the diuel will suggest this into their minds If thou werst the childe of God he would neuer lay his hand vpon thee so long a time and in so grieuous maner neuer was any child of God in this case that thou art in But God laies his hand thus heauie on thee and therefore thou maiest perswade thy selfe that thou art not the child of God The vse The consideration heereof must mooue vs aboue all things to labour for assurance of our adoption euen to haue our consciences assured out of Gods word that we are the sonnes and daughters of God in Christ. The diuels drift is to ouerthrow this perswasion in vs and therefore our endeuour must be to confirme and settle our hearts heerein This is the charge of the holy Ghost vpon euerie childe of God 2. Pet. 1. 10. Giue all diligence to make your calling and election sure that is get the assurance thereof sealed vp in your hearts by the comfortable fruition and practise of the sauing graces of Gods spirit ioyning vertue with your faith and with your vertue knowledge with your knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and with brotherly kindnesse loue vers 5. 6. 7. And indeed if we would haue true peace and comfort in euery estate whether aduersity or prosperitie let vs labour for the knowledge of our adoption This will be our ioy in want in wealth in bondage in freedome in sicknesse in health in life and in death Heerein is that ioy of Christ which neuer can be taken from vs Ioh. 16. 22. We cannot doe the Diuell a greater pleasure then to neglect the getting of this assurance for heereupon he will take occasion specially in time of distresse fearefully dangerously to seeke to breake the necke of our soules he cares not much otherwaies what men professe and what knowledge and other common giftes of the spirit they haue
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
like by all which God is robbed of his honour And though we condemne the Papists for giuing to Saints diuine worship yet wee must beware of despising the Saints of God in Heauen for there is due vnto them a threefold honour first thanksgiuing to God for them who inabled them by his gifts and graces to be in their times speciall instruments of good vnto Gods church Secondly we are to carrie a reuerent estimation of them being now in heauen as of the friends of God and temples of his holy spirit Thirdly we are to follow the example of their godly conuersatiōs in the duties of godlinesse But from giuing vnto them diuine worship we must carefully abstaine Againe if the diuine worship of saints be heere condemned then much more is the worshipping of their reliques then also is their instituting and obseruing fasting daies and holy daies vnto their saints heere iustly reproued Neither can our Church heerein be condemned with them though wee retaine the names of such daies among vs because it is for another end out fasts are meerely ciuill on such daies and our holy dayes turned from the adoration of saints to the seruice of God whereon also our conscience knowes her libertie giuen of God for honest labour in a lawfull calling as neede requires Further obserue how Christ heere ioines the worship of God and the seruice of God together teaching vs not to content our selues with doing the duties of Gods worship but withall wee must yeeld vnto him absolute seruice and obedience Men commonly thinke they haue done enough if on daies appointed they come to the Church and there performe outward worship vnto God in hearing the word in praier and receiuing the Sacraments these I confesse be worthy workes if they be well performed but heerein is the common errour that when they haue performed this outward worship they make no conscience of absolute seruice the thing which Christ heere ioines to worship they thinke that in their callings they may liue as they list either idly or vniustly by fraud and dissembling but seuer not thou seruice from worship which Christ hath ioyned together lest God say vnto thee forthy worship as hee did once to the Iewes My soule hateth your new moones and your appointed feasts they are a burden vnto me c. What doth God hate that worship himselfe appointed no but he hares the seuering of it from seruice and obedience wherein they should shew foorth to their brethren loue iustice and mercy he reiects all seruice at their hands because their hands were full of blood v. 15. Read Micha 6. v. 6. 7. 8. The offering of sacrifice was a speciall part of worship vnder the Law and yet though a man should bring for his sacrifice thousands of Rammes or ten thousand riuers of oile nay though he brought his first borne the fruite of his body for the sinne of his soule yet all is nothing without iustice mercy humbling himselfe and walking with his God vers 8. Let vs therefore serue God sincerely in our conuersations as wee seeme to honour him in duties of religion let vs shew the feare of God in our liues for worship without seruice is like the cutting off of a dogs head or offering swines flesh c. as I say 66. 3. which is abhomination to the Lord. Thirdly obserue that Christ addeth only to Moses words for the better clearing of Moses meaning which may serue for our iust defence against the Papists they blame vs greatly for teaching that a man is iustified by faith only saying the word only is not in any place ascribed to iustification by faith We answer in all the old testament this word only is not ioyned to this command Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and serue him and yet Christ saith it is written him only shalt thou serue because the restraint and inhibition annexed from giuing this worship and seruice to any other doth in effect include only euen so though in letters and syllables we doe not find this word only adioyned to this sentence man is iustified by faith yet because of the exclusion of workes vsually annexed to that phrase as that we are iustified by faith without the workes of the Law Rom. 3. 28. and are iustified freely by his grace v. 24. and that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law but by faith Gal. 2. 16. hereupon I say we may hold and teach and that truly according to the true sense thereof following Christs example in this place that the scripture saith a man is iustified by faith only Lastly from this commandement we must learne our duty touching Gods seruice in word we wil all acknowledge our selues to be his seruants but if heerin we will approue our selues to be his seruants we must resolue and labour to yeeld vnto him absolute obedience as well in hart mind will and affection as in outward conuersation The end of the ministery of the word is not onely to reforme the outward man but to cast downe the inward holds of sinne in the Imagination and to bring into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ. And this is done when after true repentance a man endeuoureth to yeeld vnto God totall obedience and that from the whole man in soule and body and spirit not for a time but continually VERSE 11. Then the Diuell left him and behold the Angels came and ministred vnto him THese words containe the third part of this description of Christs temptation to wit the happie euent and issue thereof in Christs glorious victory ouer the Tempter which is the principall part wherein consists the maine comfort of Gods church for as in temptation Christ stood in our roome and stead so is this victory not his a lone but the victory of his Church This issue conteines two parts First Satans departing from him Secondly the ministery of good Angels vnto him For the first Then the Diuell left him that is after that by temptations he could nothing auaile then he betakes himselfe to flight In this appeares the vnspeakeable mercie of God vnto his Church in mitigating and in due time putting an end vnto the afflictions and temptations thereof for the case of Christ the head in this conflict is the case and condition of all his members Now heere we see what a gratious issue the Lord put to these great assaults of Satan in due time his enimie flies and so will the Lord deale in all the miseries of his Church children God promiseth to Dauid concerning Salomon that if he sin hee will chastise him with the roddes of men and with the plagues of the children of men that is with such punishments as he shall be able to beare but his mercy he will not take from him The Prophet Habacucke in his complaint against the wrong violence of the wicked done to the iust is somewhat impatient towards God for his delay Hab. 1.