which they are daily toyled so many discouragements without them to cast them down or back at the least against all which this one consideration shall bee able to bear them up that the eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear him and by these eyes he seeth their wants to supply them their injuries to releeve them their sorrows to mitigate them their hearts to approve them and their works to accept them 2 Those that fear God must also be accepted and respected of us We must accept them that fear God because God himself doth as they be of God and it cannot be that those who love God should not love his Image in his children Davids delight was wholly in the Saints and such as excelled in vertue Psal 16.3 so must wee frame our judgement and practice to the Saints of God before us who have made but small account of great men if wicked and preferred very mean ones fearing God before them Thus that worthy Prophet Elisha who contemned not the poor Shunamite fearing God told wicked Jehoram King of Israel that if he had not regarded the presence of good Jehosaphat he would not so much as have looked toward him or seen him 2 King 3.14 Nay even the Lord himself hath gone before us herein for example who for the most part respecteth poor and mean ones to call them to partake of his grace passâ—â—g by the great noble and every way more likely of respect if we should judge according to the outward appearance David the least of his brethren was chosen King Gideon the least in all his fathers house Judg. 3.15 appointed by God the deliverer of his people and indeed the meanest Christian being descended of the bloud of Christ and so nobly born deserveth most respective entertainment in the best roome of our hearts 3 This doctrine teacheth all sorts of men to turn their course from such earnest seeking after honours profits preferments and such things which make men accepted amongst men and as eagerly to pursue the things which would bring them to be accepted of God such as are faith fear of God love of righteousnesse good conscience and the like which things bring not only into favour with God but often get the approbation of men at least so farre as God seeth good for his children Rom. 14.17 18. The kingdome of God is not meat and drink that is hath not such need of such indifferent things as these are but righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost those are the essential things to be respected of all such as are the subjects of that Kingdome of grace And to urge the godly hereunto mark the Apostles reason in the next verse for whosoever in these things serveth Christ is ACCEPTABLE unto God and approved of men such a mans ways please the Lord and then he maketh his enemies become his friends Vers 36. The which word he declared or sent to the children of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ which is Lord of all OF all other readings I follow this not only as the plainest but because it most aptly knitteth this verse with the former as a clear proof of it For having said that now he knew that whosoever whether Jew or Gentile did now purely worship God according to the prescript of his Word the same is accepted of him he proveth this to be a truth because it is the self same thing which God himself had of old published to the Israelites when he declared unto them that peace and reconciliation was made between God and man by the means of Jesus Christ who is Lord not of any one people or Nation but Lord of all For the Apostle doth not secretly oppose the ministery of Moses and of Christ Moses was a Minister of the Law to the Jews only but Christ himself and the Gospel is the power of God to salvation to every beleever first to the Jew and then to the Grecian and now God is not the God of the Jew only but even of the Gentiles also according to that heavenly song of the Angels when Christ appeared to throw down that partition wall which stood between the Jew and Gentile wherein they ascribed not only all the glory unto God but proclaimed peace to all the earth In one word that Jesus Christ is our peace and Lord of all is the scope of this whole Sermon and of all the Prophets as after remaineth to be shewed in vers 43. The former part of this verse hath two general points to bee explained the former touching the peace here spoken of the latter concerning the preaching or declaring of it By peace what is meant In the former must be considered 1 What this peace is 2 How it is by Jesus Christ First by peace among the Hebrews and Greeks is meant all prosperity and happinesse for both of them in their salutations though with some difference prayed for peace to the parties saluted that is all good success from God the fountain of mercy And includeth in it 1 Peace with God 2 Peace with man both with a mans self and others 3 Peace with all the creatures of God so farre forth as that none of them shall bee able to hurt him further than God thinketh good for his exercise and in this peace standeth true happinesse 2 It must be considered how this peace is by Jesus Christ namely according to the former branches of it 1 Peace with God by three things First he wrought our peace with God from whom our sin had sundered and separated us three ways 1 By interposing himself between his Fathers anger and us who durst not come near him 2 By satisfying in our stead all his justice through his bloud thereby removing all enmity cancelling all hand-writings which might have been laid against us and bestowing on us a perfect righteousnesse in which God is delighted to behold us 3 By appearing now for us in Heaven and making requests for us in all which hee cannot but be heard being the Son of his Fathers love in whom he is well pleased and for him with us his members 2 Peace with men 1 Others Secondly he wrought peace between man and man 1 By demolishing and casting down the wall of separation whereby Jew and Gentile might not accord or meddle one with another his death rent down the veil that both Jew and Gentile might look into the Sanctuary that of two he might make one people one body yea one new mâ—n unto himself Eph. 2.13 14. 2 By changing the fierce and cruel disposition of men who are now become the subjects of his Kingdom that of Lions and Cockatrises they become as meek and tractable as Lambs and little Children having peace so far as is possible with all men with the godly for Gods Image sake and that they are members of the same body with them and with the wicked for Gods Commandements sake and because they may become members of
Two certain rules to know when the tempter comes Answ By observing these two rules 1 Whensoever thou art perswaded to any thing that is evil then thou maiest know the Tempter comes Sometimes hee perswades to sin by extenuating it why it is but a little one a grain as light as a feather now comes the Tempter Gods Spirit never perswades that any sin is little Sometimes by the utility and commodity of it Oh it is profitable by one oath or lye thou maiest bee a great gainer and why shouldest thou bee so nice but now the Tempter is come for the holy Spirit commands thee not to swear at all nor to lye for Gods greatest advantage much less thine own and what profit is it to win the world with the loss of ones soul Sometimes from the pleasure of it wilt thou defraud thy self of thy pleasure is it not as sweet as hony why thou art but young thou mayest game and swear and drink and bee wanton now thou hast an occasion of lust take thy time thou canst not have it every day But here the Tempter is plainly come for the Spirit of God would wish thee to remember that for all these things thou must come to judgement and that neither adulterers nor whoremongers shall enter into the Kingdome of God Sometimes by removing the punishment and terror Why who sees God is merciful and easily intreated you are a Christian and no condemnation is to them that are in Christ Jesus and Repentance wipes off all scores Here the Tempter is come For Gods Spirit saith There is mercy with thee that thou maiest bee feared and there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus but withall which walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit 2 Rule When thou art disswaded from any good belonging to thee the Tempter commeth who as hee can make vice seem beautiful so vertue to seem ugly Hee can disswade men from Religion in great friendlinesse 1 From a supposed impossibility How canst thou poor weakling bear such a yoke certainly thou wilt never indure such strictnesse thou mayest set thy hand to the plough but thou wilt soon look back and prove an Apostate But here is a Tempter come for Gods Spirit teacheth otherwise that howsoever without Christ wee can do nothing yet it is God that beginneth and perfecteth his good work in us whose yoke is easy and his burden light 2 From the great trouble and small necessity of it from the disgrace it carries among men and the contempt of such as preach and profess it Here is the tempter come for the Spirit of God teacheth that hee that denies Christ before men shall bee denyed of him before men and Angels Further hee can disswade from diligent hearing the word and from reading the Scriptures because they bee exceeding long and hard to bee understood Why thine own businesse is such as cannot give thee leave ever to attain any thing to the purpose especially because deep knowledge of points belongs not but to Divines for an unlettered and private man a little knowledge is best Here is a Tempter come though hee should speak in the voice of an Angel for Gods Spirit bids private men search the Scriptures because they testify of Christ and commends private Christians because they were full of knowledge Further hee can discourage the practice of piety by suggesting that to bee strict in life is to savour of too much purity at least it will bee counted but scrupulousnesse and too much curiosity and if thou wilt bee singular and contemn and condemn all men but thy self so will men deal with thee Why thou livest as though men were to bee saved by good works and not by Gods mercy Here the Tempter is come for the Spirit of Christ never quenched smoaking flax but incouraged the care of walking in Gods waies though it bee to walk in the straight way and narrow path that leadeth unto life Lastly in all outward or inward temptations let us look to Christ who hath sense of both that hee might bee compassionate to us in both If thou bee the Son of God command these stones to be made bread In this first and fierce assault consider two things 1 The ground of it Satan aimeth at four things in this first temptation If thou be the Son of God 2 The inference Command these stones to be made bread which is on a good ground to intice him to evil In which temptation Satan aims at four things directly 1 To impugn Gods truth and word and that notable oracle from heaven testifying that Christ was the Son of God 2 To shake the faith of Christ Satan knew well enough hee was the Son of God and hee makes not this a question as though hee would bee instructed in it but that hee would make Christ doubt whether hee was the Son of God And note how cunningly hee ties his policies together as hee did against the first Adam hee calls Gods word into question which is the ground of faith which if hee can bring out of credit faith failes of it self 3 Because of his present estate to doubt of his fathers providence and because of his great hunger and want of means to supply it to call his own Divinity into question 4 To use unlawful means to releeve and sustain himself In these particulars standeth the drift of the temptation As for that which the Papists generally say that it was to bring Christ to the sin of gluttony by which they say the first Adam fell there is no sense so to think For 1 Christs Answer which was directly fitted to the suggestion tended nothing to the sin of gluttony 2 Gluttony is an excessive eating of more than needs whereas Satan desires no more than that Christ would at his desire eat to the necessary sustaining of nature it is no great gluttony to eat a piece of dry bread in extream hunger belly-gods and gluttons satiate themselves with other more pleasant and delicate dishes Let us therefore know that the proper end of this temptation is distrust in God in his word and sufficient and due means to relieve his present estate If thou bee the Son of God that is the natural Son of God equal in power the delight of the Father as the voice pretends then do this that I may beleeve thee else deceive not thy self because of the voice from heaven thou art but a pure man Satan directly opposeth the word of God Doct. 1. Note how Satan doth directly oppose himself against the word of God God had said Christ was his Son Satan knew it and after confessed it yet against his own knowledge hee calls it into question although hee had seen it confirmed by two strange signes from heaven of which wee have spoken The like was his practice when hee set upon Eve saying What hath God said thus and thus why hee knew God had said it and that in the day they
should eat they should dye and yet hee labours to make them doubt of that truth which both hee and they knew too well This was ever his practice Reasons 1 Because of his great malice to God who hath every way set himself to confirm his word that his own truth might shine in his word to all the world Therefore hee hath outwardly confirmed it by many powerful and glorious miracles such as the Devil could never make shew of as raising the dead the standing and going back of the Sun the division and standing of the Sea and rivers and the bearing of a Virgin and inwardly his holy Spirit perswades testifies confirms and sealeth up the Word in the hearts of Gods Children 1 John 2.20 2 Cor. 2. Now to make God a lyar and to shew himself most contrary to the Holy Spirit hee contradicts and opposeth stormeth and rageth 2 Hee hateth the word of God because it is the greatest enemy to his Kingdome every way resembling God the author and carrying his image It is light and no marvel if the Prince of darknesse resist it it discovers his subtilties and fenceth the Christian against his policies it discerneth spirits that let him come as an Angel of light hee shall bee uncased As hee prevaileth in darkness so hee worketh in impurity now here the word resembling God himself crosseth him it is pure in it self and a purifyer as Christ saith Yee are clean by my word Further his chief power being in the Sons of disobedience and in the hearts of infidels here also the word clips his wings being the word of faith and John 17.20 Christ prayed not onely for his disciples but for all those that should beleeve in him by their word In a word seeing hee exerciseth his chief power in the sons of perdition who are given him to rule at his will here the word is his enemy because it converteth sinners and saveth soules called therefore a word of salvation 3 He opposed Gods word through the malice he beareth Gods children for hee ever opposeth true professors casts them into prison and would never let them have a good day in the world if hee might have his will and follows them with temptations and with outward afflictions But this is the sword of Gods mouth and the sword of the Spirit by which they cut thorow his temptations and make them forceless it is that which comforts them and sustains them in their troubles and directs them happily to heaven so as no way he can have his will of them 4 It stands him in hand to oppose Gods word for his long experience hath taught him that so long as men hold to the word they bee safe enough under Gods protection and hee could never win his Captain-sinners to such high attempts in sin were it not that hee had first shaken the truth of Gods word out of their hearts How could hee have brought Pharaoh to such obstinacy against God and his people as to say Who is the Lord and I will not let Israel goe but that he had brought the word in Moses and Aarons mouth into contempt further than the sting of the miracles forced him When Saul had once cast off the Word of the Lord Satan lead him as in a chain to hunt David to throw a dart at Jonathan to seek to the Witch against whom himself had enacted a severe law The like of Ahab Herod Nero Domitian c. 5 The Word of God is the sentence and rule of righteousness which condemneth Satan and therefore no marvel if he cannot endure it and wish it false and love it no better than the bill of his own condemnation and death eternal Vse It is a note of a man foyled by the temptation of Satan and of a devillish spirit to call Gods Word into question either to deny it as false or doubt of it as uncertain either of which if Satan can perswade unto he hath his wish for he knows they are no subjects to God that will not acknowledge his Scepter but doubt of the rod of his mouth he can easily blind-fold them and lead them whither he will that deny the light hee can easily vanquish them and lead them captive to all sin if he can get them to cast away their weapons Yet what a number of men hath the Devil thus farre prevailed with in this violent kind of temptation Some call in question whether the Scripture be the Word of God or no swarms of Atheists and Machevillians that hold the Word but an human devise and policy which is to open a door to all carnal and brutish Epicurism and to confound man and beast together Others doubt not of all but of some Books and others not of some Books but of some places of the holy Scripture But we see that Satan would have Christ but to deny or doubt of one sentence and what Eves calling into question of one speech of God brought on all our necks all we her posterity feel And it is in our natures when God speaks plainly against that sin we make ifs and pervadventures at it and so turn it off As for example 1 Our Saviour teacheth plainly that whosoever are of God hear his Word and his sheep hear his voyce Either men must beleeve it or deny it and yet how few can we perswade conscionably to hear the VVord all who must plainly either make the voyce of Christ false or themselves none of Gods none of Christs sheep for not hearing it 2 Our Saviour saith expresly He that heareth you heareth me Luk. 10.16 and that God speaks in the mouthes of his Ministers 2 Cor. 5.20 and that they have an heavenly treasure in earthen vessels But how few are of this mind never did any Heathens so despise the voyce of their Priests and the answer of their Oracles as Christians in general despise our voyce in which God and Christ profess they speak 3 Christ plainly saith this word is the immortal seed of our new birth the sincere milk to nourish the soul the bread of life heavenly food But who beleeve him for generally men have no appetite no desire to it and can well be content to let their souls languish in grace and be starved to death And whereas they would goe as farre or farther into other Countries as Jacob and his Sons into Aegypt when there was no Corn in Canaan to supply their bodies with food this they will not stirre out of their doors for VVell take heed of calling Divine truths into question No Divine truth to be called into question for three reasons stand not in them upon thy reason and understanding which are but low and shallow suspect them in things thou canst not reach rather than the truth of Scripture and make good use of these rules 1 In the rising of any such temptation know that Satan seeks advantage against thee and would bring thee into the same condemnation with himself by the same sin and
malice against God If hee durst thwart so Divine a truth so strengthned from Heaven and that to Christs own face he dares and will contradict Gods VVord to thee 2 Consider if thou sufferest Satan to wrest away the credit of any part of Divine truth or the VVord of God what shall become of all our religion and the ground of our salvation all which is laid upon the truth of the word or all which our Saviour saith that not one jot of it shall fail 3 Know that by yeelding a little to Satan herein God in his justice may give thee up to such strong delusions as the Devil himself cannot be so besotted as to beleeve See it in some instances Satan beleeves there is a God and trembleth saith S. James and yet he so farre deludes a number as their sottish hearts say There is no God Psal 14.1 Satan knows there is a day of reckoning and judgement as the Devils confessed Art thou come to torment us before the time and yet he so besotteth and blindeth others that they make but a mock of all as those in Peter who mocked and said Where is his coming 2 Pet. 3.1 Satan knows that God is all an eye to whom day and darkness are alike yet in tempting men to secret sins he will make them say Tush who sees us can God see through the thick cloud The Devil knows that God is just and will not take the wicked by the hand and yet he makes the sinner beleeve his case is good enough being a most graceless man and makes one wicked man say of another as in Malachi We count the proud blessed c. The Devil knows that he that goeth on in sin shall not prosper yet he makes the sinner who turns from the word to beleeve he shall prosper As this temptation aimed to overthrow the Word of God so also the faith of Christ in that word namely to bring him from his assurance that hee was the Son of God Whence we may learn that Satan in all his temptations seekâ— to overthrow the faith of men Doct. 2. Satan in his temptations against all the members of Christ aimeth to destroy their faith This Christ himself witnesseth that Satan desired to winnow the Disciples but himself prayed that their faith might not fail Luk. 22.31 1 Thess 3.5 For this cause when I could no longer forbear I sent Timothy that I might know of your faith lest the tempter had tempted you in any sort And hence his continual practice is to bring men to the extreams of faith in adversity to despair in time of prosperity to presumption Reasons 1 He maligneth faith as being a special gift and mark of Gods elect because it is given to them only and to all them and therefore is called the faith of Gods elect Tit. 1.1 and to faith is the work of regeneration ascribed Acts 15.9 2 All Satans temptations tend to break off the Covenant and communion between God and his children and therefore must in special manner aim against faith for by faith we are made the Sons of God Gal. 3.26 and God espouseth and marrieth us unto himself by faith Hos 2.20 and by faith wee are brought into the grace by which we stand 3 He knows that faith is our shield whereby wee both keep off the fiery darts of Satan and quench the same and that faith is the victory whereby we overcome the world this is it that makes all his temptations forceless for though we have no power of our selves to withstand him yet faith gets power from Christ and lays hold on his strength which quells all the adversary-power of our salvation We stand by faith saith the Apostle and Satan sees the truth of Christs speech that the gates of Hell shall never prevail against it He hath reason therefore to labour to weaken it and to root it if it were possible out of the hearts of men and out of the world 4 All his temptations bend themselves to cut off and intercept the course of Gods love and his favours to his children he bursts with envie at the happiness of the Saints But unless he gain their faith he cannot interrupt this for by faith as by an hand we receive Christ himself given us of the Father Ephe. 3.17 and with him all his merits and all things belonging to life and godliness VVe receive the promise of the Spirit by faith Gal. 3.14 yea the presence of the Spirit who dwells in our hearts by faith we receive the hope and hold of our blessed inheritance hereafter Gal. 5.5 And whereas Satans continual drift is to estrange God and us faith only crosseth him by which wee have entrance and boldness to the throne of grace by our prayers to speak unto God freely as to our Father Ephes 3.12 Heb. 10.22 yea to ask what we will and obtain not only all corporal blessings good for us but also the sanctified and pure use of them whereas the unbeleever corrupts himself in them continually 5 Satan well knows that faith is the ground of all obedience without which the word and all Gods Ordinances are unprofitable Heb. 4.2 without which there is no pleasing of God Heb. 11.6 in any thing for whatsoever is not of faith is sin Hath he not reason then to assay by all his strength to take this hold from us Doth not he know that the foundation being overthrown the whole building must fall and the root overturned all the tree and branches come down with it Sever a man from his faith he tumbles in impiety and unrighteousness he is odious to God in all things Satan tramples upon him and leads him at his will From all which reasons we see that Satan especially in temptations aimes at our faith as he did at Christs Use 1. Those who never felt any temptation but ever beleeved never doubted No temptation no faith as they say never had faith for never had any man true faith but it was assayled most fiercely never was faith laid up in the heart of any child of God but the combate between nature and grace faith and frailty flesh and spirit was presently proclaimed Eves faith was won from her quickly Abrahams faith was mightily assayled which because in such a combate he retained hee was renowned and stiled the father of all the faithful and faithful Abraham Moses his faith was shaken and his great sin was unbeleef Job in his misery was many ways assayled to distrust God as his words import If hee kill mee I will trust in him still and Satans aym was to bring him to blaspheme God and dye Vse 2. As the Devil laboureth most against our faith Because Satan most oppugneth our faith we must most fortifie it so should we most labour in fortifying it Policy teacheth men to plant the most strength at that fort or part of the wall where the enemy plants his greatest Ordnance and makes the strongest assault And nature
bring us into an estate wherein all means fail us God remains as powerful and able as merciful and willing to help as ever he was and rather than his children shall miscarry he will save them by miracle 2 Our callings and means are not to bee neglected because 1 Christ denies not but that man lives by means but not only by them 2 They are a part of that every word of God whereby man lives and if ordinary means be offered we may not trust to extraordinary without some special promise or revelation 3 It is a tempting of God to pull poverty on our selves or cast our selves into danger and is a breach of his ordinance who injoyns every man to get his living in the sweat of his blows But one thing is a Christian care another a carking care for the things of this world one thing is the care of the world in Mary who especially minds the one thing necessary another in Martha who distracts her self with many businesses neglecting the good part which should never bee taken from her one thing to possess the world another to bee possessed by it one thing to use means another to trust in them More care must be had of Gods blessing than of means Vse 4. If man live not by means alone bee more careful for Gods blessing than for the means bee more thankful for that than for these else hee that made bread and gave it thee can break the staff of it else he can make thee great and rich but lay a sensible curse on thy person and estate either in thine own time or in thy heirs And as for thanksgiving Christ never used any means but by prayer and thanksgiving and taught us to pray for daily bread The comfort of the creatures a greater mercy than the creatures them selves i.e. for a blessing upon bread It is a greater mercy of God to give us comfort of the creatures than the creatures themselves Yet a number as if they lived by bread only come to their tables as the hog to his trough or the horse to his provender without either prayer or thankes A wonder that every crum choaks them not for without Gods blessing it might But by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God On â— the word yet every word of God preferâ—eth the life of man Doct. This affirmative part of the testimony alledged by Christ teacheth us That It is only the word of God and every word of God that preserveth the life of man But first wee must distinguish of mans life which is either supernatural or natural and also of the word which is put forth either for the life natural or supernatural The former is a word of Gods power and providence creating and governing all things according to their natural courses called in the Text a word that goeth out of the mouth of God for no word of the creature can produce the being or well-being of any other The latter is the word of Truth whereby hee doth quicken the soul and repair it to his own likenesse and this word proceedeth not onely out of the mouth of God but of his Prophets Apostles and Pastors and this word begetteth and preserveth a supernatural life in man as the other doth a natural Jer. 15.19 Now our Saviour meaneth here the natural life of the body and the word of Gods power and providence generally sustaining the being and life of all creatures How the soul liveth by the word of God and not that a man can live by the written word without meat and drink It is true that the soul of man liveth by Gods Word of Truth for 1 Hee is begotten a Christian by it and born of this immortal seed Jam. 1.18 2 Hee is nourished by it as by sincere Milk 1 Pet. 2.2 3 As bread increaseth the body in all dimensions so the Word strengtheneth the soul in faith patience comfort hope love as children grow by Milk 4 Bread strengthens the heart and all the strength of a Christian is in the word it preserves the natural heat and the word makes his heart burn within him and keeps it in a readiness to every good word and work But yet this is not the proper meaning of this place neither can it agree with the meaning of Moses who plainly speaks of the bodily hunger of the Israelites and the feeding of them with Mannah that they may know that man liveth not by bread onely nor yet with the mind of our Saviour Christ nor with his present condition nor with the drift of Satans temptation nor with the sound repelling of his dart which was that Christ for the appeasing of his bodily hunger after his forty daies fast would turn stones into bread How man lives by every word of God And now wee knowing what is meant by the Word of God even the powerful word of Gods providence in creating and governing all things wee are further to consider that our Saviour addeth an universal particle every word the reason is because this word is twofold ordinary and extraordinary Ordinary when God changeth not his ordinary course but by means proportioned unto the ends which are a part of his ordinary word preserveth and maintaineth the life hee hath given as daily bread sleep and the like Extraordinary when by his word and decree he pleaseth to preserve man either above or without or against all means I. Above the means sundry waies 1 Above all that man can expect The word sustaineth 1 Above all means three waies thus God gave the Israelites Mannah in the wilderness and water out of a Rock thus hee tyed a Ram to bee sacrificed in stead of Isaac thus he brake the cheek-tooth that was in the jaw and water came thereout for Sampson Judg. 15.19 and by his word provided a gourd to come over Jonas his head to shadow him and deliver him from his grief chap. 4.6 thus hee fed Elias by Ravens 2 When hee makes a little means go beyond themselves as Christ made seven loaves and two fishes to serve seven thousand persons and much left thus hee made a few clothes serve Israel forty years so as their shooes did not wear out Thus the Word of God made a little meal and oyle serve the Prophet and a widow a long time 1 King 17.14 Thus saith the Lord God of Israel the meal in the barrel shall not bee wasted nor the oyle in the cruse diminished till the time that the Lord send rain and so it was though they are nothing else all the while 2 King 4.42 Elisha had twenty loaves sent him and some ears of Corn hee commanded his servant to set them before the people Oh saith he what are these to an hundred men but the Prophet said The Lord hath said they shall eat and yet there shall remain and it came to pass according to the word of the Lord. 3 When the means are not so small in
Spirit of God is present to pour out his treasures of wisdome and grace by means of the word and Sacraments which are his chariot and which not accompanied with the Spirit are but dead and ineffectual to regeneration where the Holy Angels are present to assist the ministery to repel hinderances to behold our order but especially desirous to look into the mysteries of our salvation where the Holy Saints upon earth are met together to seek and see the face of the Lord joyning together in all the parts of his pure and holy worship in hearing his holy word receiving his holy Sacraments preferring publikely their holy prayers greatly by this means glorifying God and inriching their own selves Surely this is Bethel the house of God and the gate of heaven Vse 1. This teacheth us not to despise our Assemblies nor to think out Churches unholy for some corruptions Look upon Jerusalem Matth. 23.37 you shall see the eleven Tribes were Apostates there were in it dumb dogs Isa 56.10 there were Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites nay at this time the Doctrin of the Law was corrupted by the false glosses of the Pharisees and the Temple almost a den of Theeves full of buyers and sellers Yet for all this the Evangelist calls it the holy City even when it had more corruptions in it than the Church of England hath at this day Why 1 Because there was the service of the true God set up in the Temple the word preached and sacrifices offered and the meetings of the Church of God 2 Because as yet they had not received a bill of divorcement Have not wee the Word truely Preached and the Sacraments for substance truely administred And for discipline I will say I wish wee had the execution of so much as the Church alloweth Or when did the Lord give us a bill of Divorce Or what Church hath convinced us that wee cannot bee acknowledged for a true Church If they say they of the Separation have I answer 1 They have laboured to discover some errors but none fundamental in us nor without as many in themselves 2 Wee may well doubt whether they bee a Church or no seeing by the profession of some of their Teachers they will not joyn themselves to any Church at this day upon the face of the earth and so renounce all Communion with all the parts of the Catholike Church in the world But wee must not think much if some unstable persons forsake our Communion seeing in the golden and flourishing age of the Apostles themselves some such there were Heb. 10.25 As for our selves wee may strengthen our selves against them by these conclusions 1 Wee know that the word of Truth is truly preached amongst us which appeareth by the daily conversion of thousands whereas never was man converted by a word of error Jam. 1.18 2 Wee know that our Ministers are of God because by them so many are begotten to God Our Saviour thought this a good reason when hee said Beleeve mee that I came out from the Father for the works sake The blinde man had good insight into this matter Joh. 9.30 saying If this man were not of God he could do nothing and a wonderful thing it is that yee know not whence hee is and yet hee hath opened mine eyes So may I say to the separatist Doest thou not know whence that Minister is who hath opened thine eyes 3 We know that our meetings are holy meetings 1 Our people is outwardly called by an holy calling and to an holy end 2 They profess faith in Christ which is an holy profession and in charity if wee see no open raigning sin are to bee judged Saints 3 Congregations are called holy in the Scripture from the better part not from the greater as an heap of wheat mingled and covered with chaffe yet it is called wheat 1 Cor. 6.11 Now yee are sanctified washed and justified but in Epist â— chap. 12. I fear that when I come among you my God will humble mee and I shall bewail many of them that have sinned and have not repented of their uncleanness and fornication and wantonness which they have committed Diverse other abuses there were yet among Saints and beloved ones 4 Mixt Congregations are holy in Gods acceptation esteeming them not as they are in themselves but as members of Christ When Israel was at the best it was a rebellious and stifte-necked people yet Balaam said Hee saw no iniquity in Jacob nor transgression in Israel not that there was none but that none was imputed 4 Wee know that wee have no warrant to separate from holy things neither for some defects cleaving to them nor for ill men either handling them or communicating in them The Prophets never made any separation in times of greatest corruption even when they cried out of their wickednesse 1 Sam. 2.24 Do so no more my sons said Eli yee make the people trespass how By making them loath the service and sacrifice for your wickedness verse 17. And when many abuses were among the Corinths in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper yet a man that did carefully examine himself might communicate of it with comfort yea our Saviour Christ was often in the Temple teaching and praying and so were his Disciples though it was a most corrupt place Object 1 How may I pray with an evil man seeing God heareth not sinners Nay his prayer is abominable Ans 1 The speech in John 9.31 is not universally true for God heard the poor Publican confessing himself a sinner 2 Though God hear him not for himself yet hee hears him for the people as Balaam blessing Israel being both a wicked man and speaking against his heart God heard him for the people Numb 23. Object 2 But how may I communicate with a wicked Minister or with what comfort Answ The wickedness of the Minister may somewhat lessen the comfort but neither diminish the perfection of the Sacrament in it self nor hinder the efficacy thereof to us seeing the efficacy depends onely upon the promise of God and the faith of the receiver and is no more to bee refused than the gift of a King though the conveyance bee drawn by a wicked Lawyer Object But how can hee bee a means of conveying grace to mee that is a graceless man Answ Grace is compared to water now may not water that passeth through a wooden or stony channel which it self is so undisposed that it cannot receive or have any benefit of it make a whole garden fruitful It is Augustines simile Besides I would ask whether any could with comfort refuse Judas his Baptisme John 4.2 even when hee was a Devil incarnate If it bee said They knew him not so to bee then belike a man may receive the Sacrament fruitfully of a secret prophane man or infidel and the wickedness of a Minister if it bee secret pollutes not the Sacrament and then it must follow necessarily that no comfort and truth of the Sacrament
â—farre off whilst your Country shall be reaping the encrease and your self the comfort of those hopeful seeds which every one that know you acknowledge with gladness in you Thus humbly craving pardon for my boldness I commend this Book to your Worships acceptance which for the whole argument containing a plain unfolding of the most grounds and main pillars of our Religion is worthy your respect and your selves with your vertuous Ladies and hopeful Children together with all your studies and endeavours for the Church or Common-wealth to the rich blessing of God who fill your hearts with heavenly wisedome and preserve you both blameless till his appearing Amen Your Worships to be commanded THOMAS TAYLOR Watford July 20. AN EXPOSITION UPON S. Peters Sermon BEFORE CORNELIUS ACTS 10.34 c. Vers 34. Then Peter opened his mouth and said Of a truth I perceive that God is no accepter of persons 35 But in every nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him 36 Yee know the word which God hath sent to the children of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ which is Lord of all 37 Even the word which came through all Judea beginning in Galilee after the baptism which John Preached 38 To wit how God annointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the Devil for God was with him 39 And wee are witnesses of all things which hee did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem whom they slew hanging him on a tree 40 Him God raised up the third day and caused that hee was shewed openly 41 Not to all the people but unto the witnesses chosen before of God even to us which did eat and drink with him after hee arose from the dead 42 And hee commanded us to preach unto the people and to testify that he is ordained of God a judge of quick and dead 43 To him also give all the Prophets witness that through his name all that beleeve in him shall receive remission of sins THe occasion of this worthy Sermon breathed not only by an Apostolike spirit but from such an instrument also as was worthily accounted a Pillar of the Church Gal. 2.9 is laid down in the former verse which containeth an abridgement of the most of the Chapter going before included in these three points 1 Cornelius his obedience in sending for Peter Then that is having so good a ground even a Commandement from God by the ministery of an Angel vers 5. I sent for thee to Joppa which was somewhat above thirty miles from Caesaria Immediately as soon as ever I had received the Commandement Cyprian without delay yea or deliberation which being dangerous divine things admit not of Secondly his kind entertainment of Peter to encourage him and thou hast well done to come Thirdly his preparation and readiness of himself and his to heat whatsoever God by Peters ministery shall enjoyn them Now therefore wee all hee would have that holy doctrin communicated to his family friends and kinsfolks here present before God the place of Gods pure worship is the place of his presence to hear with attention understanding affection and obedience for all these go to the hearing ear all things for that is sound obedience which is universal to one Commandement as well as another every one being of like authority and necessity that are commanded thee of God for Peter himself mâ—st bee confined within his Commission and speak onely what God commandeth neither are hearers bound to receive any thing else The Apostle Peter by this speech perceiving both the occasion and scope of their meeting as also the readiness and attention of his hearers addresseth himself to speech Then Peter opened his mouth and said The phrase of opening the mouth some think to bee but a more full kind of speech Pleonâ—smus as wee say I heard it with mine ears or I saw it with mine eies But wee must conceive it rather to bee fetched from the Hebrews who in this form of speech signifye not the uttering of any trivial or vulgar matter or in a slight or carelesse manner but the relation of some excellent matter of great moment and that in grave and serious manner and not without premeditation and preparation such as is fit to attend things of worth and weight Thus is it used Psal 78.2 I will open my mouth in a Parable I will declare sentences of Old Job 33.1 Behold I have opened my mouth my tongue hath spoken in my mouth my words are in the uprightness of my heart and my lips shall speak pure knowledge Yea our Lord Jesus himself when hee begun his most heavenly Sermon on the Mount Matth. 5.2 is said to open his mouth and say Whence 1 wee have the Doctrin in the Sermon following commended unto us to be for the matter of it grave and high and neerly concerning the salvation of men wherein are laid down the main grounds of all Religion and whatsoever wee are to beleeve concerning Christ unto salvation as wee shall see when wee come to open the several points 2 Wee are secretly incited that seeing the Holy Ghost hath opened the mouth of such a worthy instrument wee are also to open our ears yea our hearts to let in the matter following that as it proceeded out of the treasury of a good and sanctified heart so wee also may hide it in good hearts as in good treasures to bring it forth as our needs and occasions shall require 3 Ministers must come with their mouthes open and not onely not to be dumb dogs which cannot or seal up their lips and will not protest against the sins of the times but also must have care to speak the words of wisdom judgement sobriety for if the holy men of God Prophets Apostles nor the Son of God himself did not preach without preparation and due consideration both of what how and to whom they spake how much more should ordinary ministers use all diligence in fitting themselves to speak from God and for God and even as God himself would speak to his people 4 Every Christian may hence also take up his duty namely that hee never open his mouth but to edification For it is attributed to every iust man that his mouth speaketh wisdome and his tongue talketh of judgement Psa 37.30 he judgeth of his speeches before he let them pass the dooâ— of his lips and of the vertuous woman it is said Shee openeth her mouth with wisdome and the law of grace is in her tongue Prov. 31.26 Now the Sermon following consisteth of three parts The parts of the Sermon three The first is an entrance or preface in the two first verses 34 35. 2 The Proposition or Narration that Jesus Christ was the Messias now exhibited in the flesh and Lord of all vers 36. 3 A confirmation of that narration partly from the Apostles and
a dark place and a sure ground whereon wee may build the truth and certainty of our Faith and religion that wee need not bee carried about with every winde of corrupt Doctrin These witnesses being sensible faithful and so extraordinarily assisted neither would not could deceive us yea and writing in such a time and the same age in which the things were done if they had written any false or corrupted thing all that lived at that time could easily have confuted them And therefore as Moses when hee had written the Book of the Law Exod. 24.7 called all the people to bee a witness of the truth of it even so the Apostles writing the books of the Gospel and finishing them appealed to the men of that age for the truth of them as John the last of them all in the last end of his book saith wee know that is all this age knoweth that this witnesse is true 2 This Doctrin giveth us direction how to carry our selves to the present Ministry for some man may say as the Devil once did Paul I know and Cephas I know but who are you Surely even wee are sent by Christ as well as the Apostles Eph. 4.11 Hee gave some to bee Apostles some Prophets some Pastors some Teachers Where it is evident that he that giveth the Apostle giveth the Pastor also Wee being then called by Christ to teach this doctrin in the Church Ordinary Ministers must be received as Apostles while they teach things heaâ—d seen by the Apostles whatsoever our own unworthiness bee yet to contemn us shall be the contempt of Christ himself yet wee being men subject to error as they were not must hold us to our rule which is Apostolical Doctrin for as the Apostles have faithfully performed their parts so our part and duty is faithfully to depend upon them and then not to depend upon or depart from us is to depart from Christ and his Ordinance Wee that are Teachers reserve to every Christian his priviledge which is not to receive every thing from us hand over head nor any thing at all on our bare words but to try our spirits to search the Scriptures as the Bâ—reans They have â—r ought to have their Bibles we wish them to look and enquire there whether our Doctrin be true or no and by this note shall they know it what it is according as wee shall bee able to shew the Apostles the ear or eye-witnesses of it for else are they not bound to beleeve it Let any man come with a conjeâ—tural or probable truth or any traditionary doctrin and cannot shew which of the Apostles heard or saw it in Christ no man is bound to beleeve it as necessary to his salvation But if any come and can back his Doctrin thus from the Apostles it is all one as if the Apostles did utter it Let every Minister if hee would bee beleeved tread in the steps of the holy Apostles and see hee bee able to clear that all he speaketh bee spoken in their Language bee seen with their eyes or heard with their eares which hee is sure so to bee if it bee contained in their writings Hereof the Evangelist John giveth a notable president The Word saith hee was made flesh Joh. 1.14 here was a great mystery and a main principle of Salvation but how knoweth hee it is hee sure of it yea that he is and therefore addeth we saw the glory of it Again it were to bee wished that hearers would take up their duty which is in reverent manner to come to their teachers in things doubtfully delivered and ask the question I beseech you tell me which of the Apostles heard or saw this from Christ which you have taught us that I may beleeve it for they delivered nothing else To which rule would Ministers and people frame themselves it would bring the Scriptures into request which for most part are least set by in many Sermons it would make men more careful of their Doctrin and thrust out an infinite deal of trash and foolish conceits of froathy brains which make it a chief part of their reputation to see with any eies save the Apostles and speak with any tongues save theirs by which means it commeth to pass that Gods own voice is least heard in Gods house in Gods business and among Gods people 3 Hence note also The Lord Jesus chose mean and weak men for his witnesses Why. What mean and weak men did the Lord choose to bee his witnesses to all the world not great Rabbies not Rich not Worldly-wise who are not so expedite and ready neither to preach nor receive the Gospel but poor simple and mean men For these reasons 1 That the conversion of men might not bee ascribed to eloquence arts power or wisdome of the world but this treasure is put in earthen vessels that all the power and glory of the work may redound to God who commonly in weak and foolish things putteth forth his admirable strength and wisdome 2 That there may bee held a difference between Civil and Ecclesiastical power the one is outwardly glorious and stately the other mean and lowly the Ministry which ever brought most men to God was least pompous and which came the nearest to the simplicity of Christ and his Apostles and on which the Sun of the World for most part as little shineth as it did on Christ himself and his Apostles 3 It made more for the glory of Christ and his Apostles of Christ in that hee chooseth illiterate and unlearned persons and presently maketh them wise learned and intelligent able by the wisdome of God to put tâ— silence the most Learned and exercised Adversaries they can meet withall Earthly Kings and Princes not being able to give such gifts are forced to advance such as are wise and experienced already and set over their business the wisest most learned and most noble that they can finde Christ need choose none such but honoureth himself in choosing foolish and ignoble things to make them wise and noble and every way fitted to his work Again herein hee honoureth also his instruments who being in themselves mean and contemptible yet upon their calling received such a portion of the Spirit as that they drove the wisest and most learned into admiration and daunted the greatest and most powerful when they saw that no power or glory of this world could draw or hinder them from the Execution of that Office to which they were deputed Hence was it that the wise and mighty Act. 4. seeing the freedome and wisdome of Peter and John in speaking knowing them to bee unlearned men they wondred and knew they had been with Jesus and seeing the man standing with them which had been healed they had nothing to say against them How great glory won Christ hereby to himself and his servants 4 By this choise of his hee putteth a plain difference between his Kingdome and the Kingdome of Antichrist His
Friers plea we are exempted Lord will doe no good here no not that which all mens Courts must needs excuse absence by that the party is dead for this Judgement Seat is set up for the quick and the dead God must for his glory truth and justice bring every man to this tribunal that if he have been good and faithful hee may have his time of refreshing and be put into the perfeâ—t state of happiness in soul and body And contrarily if hee have been hard-hearted and impenitent hee may know the weight of Gods justice and power and bee in full state of endlesse and easelesse misery both in soul and body Oh then what great cause hath every man to fore-cast this day and expecting it to prepare for it rather than to betake themselves to that Epicurean and profane practice of mockerâ— who put farre from them this evil day saying Where is the promise of his comming we see all things alike since the beginning he makes but small haste And thus because judgement is not speedily executed they resolve themselves on a most wicked course not knowing that as a snare it shall come upon them when they least look for it and that though slowly yet he will come surely and make them know what it is to abuse his patience which should lead them to repentance Now followeth the manner of this Judgement and that is comprehended in three things 1 It shall bee glorious and powerful 2 Just and righteous The glory of the last judgement described 3 Strict and accurate For the first it is said that the Son of man shall come with power and great glory yea in the glory of the Father that is such as belongeth to his Father with himself but to no creature else The clouds and the air shall be as a fiery Chariot to carry him with admirable swiftnesse his train and attendants shall be the Arch-angel making his way by the sound of a trumpet which the very dust and ashes shall hear and follow and all the other Angels of Heaven from whose multitude power and glory this coming shall be wonderfully glorious and yet the Judge himself shall surpasse them all in glory and brightnesse and as the Sun doth darken all the lesser Starres so shall his most admirable glory obscure them all This aâ—pearance may be shadowed by the coming in of earthly Judges to hold Assizes through their Circuit attended with the Honourable Nobles Justicâ—s and Gentlemen of the Country yea with the High Sheriffs power besides all their own followers by which great state and attendance they are both honoured and aided as becometh such publick Ministers of Justice as also are made formidable to daunt and quell malefactors Or rather look as Princes going to their Parliament to make Laws put on their royal robes and shew themselves in their greatest glory even so shall this great King of glory coming to require the obedience of his Laws cloath himself with such a robe of glory as the brightest Sun shall not endure to behold neither the Heavens nor the Earth shall be able to see this glory but shall shrink at it and melt away with a noyse Revel 20.11 John saw a great white Throne and one that sate upon it from whose face fled away both the earth and heaven and their pla e was found no more Thus may we in some dark resemblance something conceive of this glory of the Judge of all the world unto which the consideration of the persons that shall bee judged by him addeth not a little moment for not only small but great must stand before him It is indeed a great honour among men to bee deputed the Lord high Steward under a King whose office is to sit in Judgement upon a noble man what an height of glory then is it for the Son of God to sit in Judgement and call personally before him not nobles only but all the Kings and Monarchs that ever the earth bare If there be such preparation and state amongst men for the trial but of some one noble man what glory may wee conceive must attend the mighty God whilest he bringeth to their trial not only meaner persons but all the most powerful Monarches and Potentates that ever were or shall be to the end of the world This consideration ministreth comfort to the godly seeing hee cometh to Judgement who is able perfectly to free them from all misery able to strike oft their bolts of sin to acquit them from terrours of conscience fears of death the Grave the Devil and Hell it self the cometh from Heaven for their release who hath trodden down all his enemies under his feet and all this glory is for their safety and happinesse who wish and wait for the appearing of this mighty God Tit. 2.13 And on the contrary it serveth to strike the wicked and ungodly with terror and dread seeing the Lord Jesus shall come from Heaven in such power and majesty and all to judge and condemn them whom when they shall see arrayed with vengeance against them no marvail if they be driven to their wits ends yea as it is with guilty Malefactors when they see the Judge coming in so honourably attended so shall it bee here this very glory of Christ shall strike them with fear horror and an azednesse and force them to all miserable and unavaylable shifts and to wish if it were possible that the rocks would fall upon them and crush them to peeces so as they might never come before his presence for the great day of the Lord which is to all the wicked of the world a black day a cloudy day a dismal day this day is come and they cannot abide it Secondly this Judgement shall bee righteous and according to the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2.2 We know that the judgement of God is according to truth Heb. 1.8 Thy throne O God is for ever the scepter of thy Kingdom is a righteous scepter The righteousness of the Judge and judgement Thou lovest righteousnesse and hatest iniquity Hitherto is to bee referred that of Daniel 7.9 who saith that this Judge shall sit upon a great white throne alluding to the white Ivory throne of Salomon but infinitely more glorious the whitenesse betokenning the purity and righteousness both of the Judge and the judgement for every man shall receive according to his works Here shall be no concealment of things for he will bring every secret into judgement Eccles 12. He will lighten all things that are hid in darknesse and make the counsels of the hearts manifest 1 Cor. 4.5 Here shall bee no daubing or salving up of bad matters in corners no pleading of Lawyers who craftily cloud the truth of Causes for gain no respect of persons no favouring for the sake of any friends nor fear of foes or any displeasure Here shall be no inducement by gifts which blind mens eyes to pervert judgement the purest gold of Ophir
4 Your loving respect of me and mine hath been as a continual shadow and refreshing Phil. 2.2 unto mee who may and must truely say with the Apostle I have found no man in these Parts Like-Minded And out of my answerable respect I would set by you for your refreshing a little vessel of comfortable water drawn out of the Scriptures Isa 12.3 the wells of consolation by which you may allay and cool the heat of that fire which every sprig of the bush shall be scorched withall and which perhaps you have not altogether or shall not escape I would also express my desire to put into your hands a weapon against the like fiery assaults of Satan who spareth neither head nor members which while you buckle fast unto you as you have your honourable Fathers name and resemble him in other vertues so herein also you shall imitate his wisdome and prudence of whom I have heard that living in the Court to a great age and usually wearing his weapon about him one asked why he being so weak burdened himself with his weapon his Noble answer was Hee would not lay off his weapon so long as he knew one Papist in the Court A resolute answer of a grave and noble Counsellor This will be also your wisdome so long to buckle your weapon unto you as you know one enemy left to tempt and assault you And now in leaving you let mee leave with you a medicine or receipt against the sting of that fiery Serpent Rabi folia superjecta serpenti interimunt eum Amb. Hexam lib. cap. 9 of power to drive him away For as Ambrose speaks of the leaves of the bramble bush that being cast upon one kinde of Serpent they kill him so much more true it is that the leaves of Gods word which properly belong to the bush of the Church and opposed to Satans poysoned temptations overcome and Master them Deut. 33.16 And thus as Moses requested that the blessing of him that dwelt in the bush might come upon the head of Joseph even so the good will of him that dwelt in the bush come upon your head upon the head of your vertuous Lady upon the heads of your children to the sweetning and crowning of your age vers 13. And blessed of the Lord bee your portion vers 23 for the sweetness of Heaven and for the sweetness of the earth till you be satisfied with favour and filled with the blessing of the Lord. Amen Reading Octob. 28. 1618. Your worships in the Lord to bee commanded THO. TAYLOR A Threefold Alphabet of Rules concerning CRISTIAN PRACTICE The First Precept of every Letter concerning Duty towards God The Second towards our Neighbours The Third towards our Selves Gathered at a Friends request in this order for the helping of the Memory First AWake with God in the morning and before all things give him your first fruits and calves of your lips in 1 Confession of sin 2 Petition of necessaries for body and soul 3 Thankfulness for mercies received especially your late preservation rest and protection of you and yours Josh 24.15 Psa 101.2 Gen. 14.14 18.19 Esth 4.15 2 Account it not enough that your self serve God unless that you see all in your charge do the same 3 Arm your self against whatsoever the day may bring forth and upon all occasions think on your happy redemption with much thankfulness for so happy conjunction of Justice and mercy B 1 Beware of occasions of sin and wisely inure your self in subduing the least that at length the greater may be foiled 2 Beleeve all that God speaketh unto you out of his word but not all that man telleth you 1 Sam. 10.16 Eccl. 3.7 nor tell to any other all that you hear but only the truth and that neither all nor always 3 Before you take in hand any thing Luk. 2.19 2 Sam. 2.1 1 Sam. 30.8 counsel with Gods word if it be lawful and then perform it with prayer that it may bee as successful as lawful C 1 Carefully set your self in Gods presence all the day long that setting him at your right hand you may not fall 2 Carry your self unto all as the weak may be won 1 Cor. 1â— 32. Col. 4.5 the strong comforted and the wicked ashamed 3 Consider the dignity of your soul how beautiful it is to God and his Angels so long as you keep it unspotted Mat. 15.18 Eph. 4. â—3 31. Col. 3.5 â— that so you may cleanse your heart from the first motions of sinful thoughts as lust anger envy pride ambition covetousness fullenness and the rather because the least sin deserveth death D 1 Daily morning and evening at least solemnly on your knees make confession and requests with thanksgiving first preparing your heart to seek the Lord in the morning think that that day may bee your last day and when you go to bed you know not whether you shall rise unless it be to judgement It is safest therefore to use prayer as a key to open the morning and as a bar or lock to shut in the evening 2 Delight to do all the good you can to Gods Children Gal. 6.10 and to receive all the good you can from them 3 Distrust not Gods providence in any matter 2 Chr. 16.3.9.12 2 Cor. 3.5 1 Cor. 3.7 Rom. 1.25 although you see the means wanting neither when you have them let them bee relyed on more than God himself but let him be prayed unto for the prosperous use of them E 1 Exercise your mind in meditating often on the works of God Jer. 12.2 Hâ—b 1.13 Mat. 15.31 as his creating and governing of the world his prospering and punishing the wicked his blessing and correcting his children his preparing of unspeakable Joy for the one and unutterable torment for the other Exod. 10.8 But especially on the Sabbath add to these meditations the holy exercises of prayer Preaching Sacraments holy conference and such like 2 Esteem of every one better than your self Rom. 12.16 and the more you excel another be so much the more humbled Phil 2.3 Rom. 14.23 Prov. 6.14 Zac 8.17 Psa 49.3 3 Examine your thoughts well whether they tend before you fulfil your own desires if you find them unprofitable curious vain or such as you cannot yeild a sufficient reason to God or man for kill them in the shel let them not live or breathe longer in you F Eccl. 12.13 Prov. 5.8 6.27 28 1 Fear God and keep his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man 2 Fly and avoid places and persons infectious wanton idle unthrifty and bad company which are to the soul as poysoned and infected air to the body Eccl. 1.13 Gen. 3.19 2 Thes 3.6 3 Follow with faithfulness and diligence your own business in the lawful and particular calling wherein God hath placed you only be careful in your earthly business to carry an heavenly mind
G 1 Grow up daily in the practice of every commandement and in the faith of every promise of God seeing God would have the planted in his house thrive Ps 92.13.14 well liking and more fruitful in their age he that is not best at last may fear whether ever he were good 1 Cor. 10.32 Rom. 14.13 2 Give no offence justly unto any man whether within or without for woe to them by whom offences come 3 Grieve for nothing in the world so much as for your own sins Rom. 7.18 19 24 and in them for nothing so much as for offending so loving a God and that not only in committing of evil but also in omitting of good H 1 Cor. 11.31 1 Humble your self for your sins that the Lord may raise you up for he that judgeth himself aright shall never be judged of the Lord 2 Honour all men in their places 1 Pet. 2.17 but no man so much for his greatness as for his goodness Act. 10.35 and thus shall you imitate the Lord himself who accepteth not persons but in every Nation accepteth him that feareth him 3 Have special care to avoid the sins which you have found your self most inclined unto and which have in times past most prevailed for sin is loath to be said nay and Satan seeketh re-entry I 1 Justifye Gods wisdome in all his proceedings concerning your self and others his Power in sustaining his Providence in maintaining his Justice in punishing his Love in correcting his Bounty in promising his Faithfulness in performing his Grace in giving his Mercy in taking away and in every thing say from the heart Job 1.21 Blessed be the Name of the Lord. 2 In every company receive some good and do some also to your power leave no ill savour behind you neither do hurt by speech silence countenance or example in your praises be discreet in saluting courteous in admonishing brotherly and wise in moving and entertaining speech or conference 3 It is fearful to sin Psal 51.3 Ephes 4.26 but much more to lye in it and therefore registerall your sins daily bewail them at fit times pray for pardon of them and strength against them contemn none as counting it little because Gods law hath condemned it and Christ hath dyed for it or else must you eternally K 1 Know God in Christ Job 17.3 which is life everlasting kiss the Son of God lest he be angry Psa 2.12 and know your self to be a beleever and that Christ is in you and you in him 2 Keep as your vows with God Psa 15.4 so your lawful promises with men for faith and truth must kiss each other in Christian conversation 3 Keep out wandring and worldly thoughts as much as possible may bee prov 4.23 narrowly watching your heart for such as you suffer that to bee such will be your words deeds and whole conversation L 1 Love all things for Gods sake and God onely for his own and look you make him your friend whosoever be your enemy for it this you shall do if as an obedient child you live in the eye of your heavenly father 2 Look upon the lives and behaviours of the wicked to avoid them of the godly to imitate them upon the Life and Death of them both as also your own not far off to make you loathe this world long after the life to come Luk 21.34 Rom 13 13. Deut. 28.58 Mat. 7.12 3 Let your meat apparel recreation be lawful needful and moderate M 1 Make not mention of God or any word or work of his but with fear and reverence nor of any man but with love and carefulness using his name as you would have him to use yours 2 Mark other mens profiting in religion to provoke your self their slips to make your self more wary their risings to be thankful to God for them 3 Meditate often upon the four last things 1 Death 2 Judgement 3 Heaven 4 Hell N 1 Never make shew of more holiness outwardly than inwardly you have in your heart which God seeth in which hee desireth truth Rom. 12 nor please your self with your unprofitableness unfitness or unwillingness to good 2 No man is owner but steward of that he hath you must therefore impart of the blessings you have to those that stand in need wisely heartily and in due season 1 Cor. 11.28 Rom. 12.12 3 Note your own special corruptions whether they grow stronger or weaker and how your self can resist them and if any assault you more strongly pray and make the matter known to God The best way for a woman solicited to folly to bee rid of the Tempter is to tell her Husband O Prov. 27.2 10.19 1 Often speak to the praise of God never of your self For other things because many words want not iniquity speak as few as you can or rather none than unprofitable â—am 1.19 2 Open not your mouth to speak of other mens infirmities Psal 15 especially behind them nor before them without grief and sorrow 3 Of every idle word account must be given Mat. 12 36 and much more of every wicked word and therefore let your speech be gracious poudred with salt Col. 4. â— and tending to edification P 1 Praise the Lord for every new benefit bestowed 1 Thes â— 18 and then by it promote his glory the Churches good and your own salvation esteeming of graces given as spurres to godliness and pledges of eternal life 2 Prevent anger before it kindle Eccl. 7. â— Prov. 14 17 it is wisdome to quench the least sparkle of fire before it begin to flame Consider 1 the original of anger being pride or self-love 2 The cursed fruits by giving place to the Devil 3 Gods patience 4 Gods image in your brother 5 Your own weakness in the same kind 6 The wrong is not remedied by revenge but inlarged nor the wrong-door amended but imitated 3 Prepare your self for death 1 Cor. 1 56 and pull out his â—â—ing by 1 Bewailing sins past 2 Turning to God in time to come 3 Purposing a new life None can dye ill that hath had a care to live well Perswade your self if you live well you shall dye well but if you dye well doubt not but you shall do better Q 1 Quiet your heart Psal 39 â— and be still under the correcting hand of God because 1 He doth it 2 For your best 3 Hee will moderate it 4 Supply strength 5 Seasonably deliver out of it 2 Question not whether others should do you good or you them first Mat. 5. â— Rom. 1.20 it is praise-worthy to bee first in well-doing and if you do good to your enemies your reward is with God 3 Quench not the Spirit 1 Thes 19 not suffer any good motion arising in your heart to pass away but feed it by reading meditation prayer and practice R 1 Read daily something of
in any strong motion examine thy self whether it tend to thy own profit credit or lusts if it do suspect it and cast it off The Apostles in all the motions of the Spirit respected the publike good of the Church not their own ease and reputation The guidance of the Holy Ghost requires denyal of our own wills strife against the spirit that beareth rule in the world and against the spirit of a man that lusteth after envy 3 Know it by the excitation of the Spirit which still stirres and moves the will and minde and raiseth it from under the oppression of the flesh and thus preserves and maintains the gift of regeneration and effectually bends a man to obedience And this duty is necessary 1 In regard of the unregenerate who are blind and in darknesse and without a guide know not what way to go the natural man perceives not the things of God 2 In regard of the regenerate who are but as little children weak and feeble and cannot go without a Leader And therefore all of us need the leading of the Spirit Into the wilderness This is the fourth circumstantial point A Wilderness is taken in the Scripture two waies 1 For a place inhabited although not fully peopled as Josh 15.61 six Cities of the Priests in the wildernesse and John Baptist came Preaching in the wildernesse of Judea because Zachary his Fathers house was there and 1 King 2. Joab was buried in his own house in the wilderness 2 For a place utterly desolate not inhabited or frequented of men but possessed onely of wilde Beasts and thus it is here to bee taken as Mark. 1.13 hee was with wilde Beasts utterly separate from the society of men This place Christ makes choice of by the motion of the Spirit for these Reasons 1 In oppâ—sition to the first Adam who was tempted in Paradise Four reason a why Christ made choice of the wilderness to bee tempted in a place in all the World strongest and fittest to resist temptation in and being overcome was cast out thence into the wilderness as all the world was in comparison But the second Adam to recover this loss encountreth with Satan in a wilderness the fittest place in the world to bee overcome in and overcomming restoreth us to the heavenly Paradise again 2 That Christ might manifest both his willingness to bee tempted and his courage against his enemy the former in that hee appointeth a place wherein Satan might take all advantage against him the latter in that like a Champion hee challengeth the field where they two alone might try it out A Coward will bee ready to draw in the streets that dares not look a man in the face in the field But Christ appoints a field where Satan may have all his power against him and hee no help at all and by both these hee shews himself the promised seed appointed to bruise the Serpents head 3 That Christ being known to bee the onely combatant and maintainer of the fight all the praise of the conquest over Satan might bee ascribed to him alone and to bring in no compartners with him as the Papists do the Virgin Mary and other Saints whereas Christ was therefore the onely Conquerour because hee was of infinite power as they are not 4 In imitation of Moses at the giving of the Law and Elias at the restoring of it the one being forty daies in the mountain the other forty daies in the Cave of Horeb Christ at the bringing in of the glorious Gospel would bee answerable to those figures of him who as they commeth now out of a sequestred place wherein hee was fitting himself to undertake so weighty a businesse as this is 1 Note hence That no place in the world is free from Satans temptations but hee laies his snares in every place Lot is caught in the Cave No place in the world free from temptations his wife in the field David in his house Adam in Paradise and Christ is tempted in the Wilderness The Reason hereof is taken 1 From Satans diligence and malice who goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom hee may devour 1 Pet. 5.8 and is diligent in compassing the earth to and fro Job 1.7 his Commission is of large extent no place in earth is priviledged from his temptation 2 From his spiritual and powerful nature no place is so secret but hee can finde it none so strong but hee can enter it none so holy but bee can slily get into it and boldly stand even among the Sons of God the Angels Job 1.6 Vse 1. Seeing the whole compass of the earth is Satans circuit Satans circuit is the earth compass let us where ever wee are consider of our enemy and of our danger by him seem the place never so secret never so secure the greenest grass may harbour a serpent And surely the more free and safe wee think our selves the nearer is our danger There bee two places in which men may think themselves safest 1 The place of their particular calling 2 The publick place of their general the Church the former because of Gods promise the latter because of his presence yet Satan shuns neither neither may we lay off our watch in either Experience sheweth how he lays snares in the special calling whereby many fall some he winneth to injustice and secret cousenage some to lying and swearing some to Sabbath-breaking Now though thou art in thy calling yet thou art not conscionable in it and so art out of thy way and without Gods protection The same experience giveth witness to the truth of Scripture how Satan not only haunts us in our own house but also follows us to Gods house and there intercepts the Word or steales it away or corrupts the judgement or casteth men on sleep or occupies their minds with worldly and base thoughts and thus where they think themselves most safe they are most foyled The reason is this though thou beest in Gods presence yet thou settest not thy self in his presence but comest carelesly and inconsiderately and so God having no delight in thy service suffers the Devil to exercise his will on thee So as there is no place wherein we must lay aside our watch if we would not be overcome Neither Popish câ—osses nor Conjurers circles barre the Devil further than he listeth Vse 2. This sheweth the vanity and delusion of the Papists who think the Devil is barred out of Churches by their Crucifixes consecrated Hoasts Crosses and Holy-water For the Leviathan of Hell laughes at the shaking of these spears Also it sheweth the madness of Magicians and Conjurers who think they can bind the Devil within their circles for although to delude them and winn them sure to himself he be serviceable and at their command yet hee keeps his liberty permitted him of God and compasseth the whole earth Some places are more fiâ— for temptation than others 2 Note that some places are more fit for
our own justification out of the deep with David yea out of the Whales belly with Jonah and in darkness with Job to see light 2 To see things invisible to make things absent present yea God absent present and to set him continually at the right hand Moses feared not the wrath of the King because he saw him that was invisible Heb. 11.17 Elisha being in Dothan feared nothing when his servant cryed out because his eyes were open to see the Angels as fiery Chariots protecting him 3 Faith is never so working as in perillous times because then there is most need most use of it then it sets it self a work and mingles it self with the promises of God by which it quickens and puts life unto a man when he is half dead as Psal 119.49 Remember thy promise wherein thou hast caused me to trust it is my comfort in trouble for thy promise hath quickned me Now it bestirres it self to make Gods faithfulness and truth his shield and buckler Notable is that example of the three Children Dan. 3.16 17. who were in present danger of their lives and cast into an hot Furnace In this danger now their faith bestirres it to provide for their safety not by any yeelding or blanching or buckling to the unjust command but by furnishing their mouthes with a resolute answer Be it known unto thee O King that wee will not worship this Image and by preparing their hearts through their confidence in God who was able to deliver them rather to yeeld themselves to the fire and raging flames than to any part of that commandement And were faith and Gods fear working in the heart it would destroy false fears and infidelity which Satan prevaileth in mightily causing men to seek help by unlawful means if the lawful bee never so little set out of sight Command these stones to be made bread Here is an inference upon the former words If thou be the Son of God upon a true ground Satan raiseth a dangerous consequence Christ was the Son of God true Must he therefore needs make stones bread Satan inferteth mischievous conclusions upon true premises Doct. It is an ordinary temptation of the Devil to inferre mischievous conclusions upon true premises God had no respect to Cains Sacrifice as to Abels Whereas now Cain should have offered of the best as Abel did and have brought faith with his offering by which Abel offered a better Sacrifice Heb. 11.4 Satan inferres upon it Therefore kill thy brother Saul received no answer of God that was true but that therefore he should goe to the Witch of Endor was Satans inference both against the Law of God and Sauls own law God is a merciful God a true premise and the scope of all the Scripture but that Jonah should therefore fly to Tarshish and not goe to preach the destruction of Ninivie was a Satanical inference A man must pity himself and doe what he can to repel evil from him and avoyd danger but that Christ should therefore not goe up to Jerusalem to suffer was a dangerous consequence of Satan in Peters mouth whom therefore Christ calleth Satan Reasons 1 Satan is cunning and seeketh by mingling good and evil truth and falshood to justifie that which is false and to draw it on with the truth If hee should never speak truth he could never deceive half so much therefore hee speaks many truthes to give credit to his lyes and the same hee hath taught all his agents Do we think that a false teacher or heretick could doe any great hurt if he should not lay his leaven in a lump of truth would not every man at first reject him if he should bring never a true doctrin but therefore that his heresie may spread like a gangrene he comes with a fair pretence of many truthes which cannot be denied Doe wee think that the Church of Rome should have so prevailed in the world or that Antichristian state should have been endured or could any Papist bee suffered in ours or any well-ordered Country if they did not colour all their abominations and false religion with some general truths if they should not in word and shew hold and recite the Articles of faith and principles of our religion concerning God in unity of essence and trinity of persons concerning Christ the Church c. were it possible that any Christian state could bear them while indeed and in truth they reverse the whole foundation of religion and are limbs of Antichrist No their deceit is a mystery and walks in darkness and the mask and vizards of truth with pretence of holiness hath held the Swords of Princes from them which else had long since been sanctified in their overthrow 2 Satan can doe no other who cannot speak truth for truths sake for being a Lyar from the beginning he loves not truth and therefore if hee speak truth it is to corrupt the truth or to stablish some lye Lying is the Devils mother tongue Joh. 8. 1 Sam. 28.17 18. Lying the Devils mother tongue Satan in the habit of Samuel spake many truths as that the Lord had rent the Kingdom from him and given it to David because he had so spoken hee would doe it and because Saul obeyed not the voyce of the Lord nor executed his fierce wrath against the Amalekites and that the Lord would deliver him and the Israelites into the hand of the Philistims the next day c. But all this was to feed Saul in his delusion and hold him in his sin as though he were Samuel as vers 17. the Lord hath done it even as he spake by mine hand and vers 19. to morrow shalt thou be with me c. So in the New Testament we have the Devils confessing Christ to be the Son of God the Holy One the sum of the Gospel and Paul and Silas to be the servants of the high God Act. 16. but both Christ and his servants put them to silence and would not have them to speak the truth because it was to deprave and slander the whole truth as though Christ and his servants had been in league and agreement with the Devils and so their doctrin had been not Divine but Diabolical Thus Satan like a Bargeman looks one way but â—owes another 3 Satan sees how our nature is easily carried away through a general shew of good or truth to take in with it error and falshood hand over head without trial or discerning For though our blessed Saviour would not confound stones and bread yet we easily take stones with bread and Serpents with Fishes The whole Masse-book is but an heap of Idolatrous prayers and Ceremonies but yet because there is some shew of good in it many Scriptures and some tolerable and good prayers with many devotions it is wholly received without trial of millions given over to delusion 4 Satan the Prince of darkness can transform himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11.14 and
stripes bee not the more 8 Thou art an ignorant man thou understandest not Sermons why then doest thou follow them or read the Scriptures A wretched conclusion the more ignorant I am the more I need use the means of knowledge the less I understand the more I had need bee taught But this ignorance is one of the chief Pillars of Satans kingdome Object These Preachers agree not among themselves and therefore I will beleeve never a one of them Answ Thou must search for wisdome as for silver and for understanding as for gold 9 Thou art a man of good conscience of much integrity above other Christians and if thou beest so then separate thy self from these mixed companies of godly and prophane Come out from among them my people lest yee partake of their plagues separate from their preaching and prayers from their fellowship and company from civility and salutation thou maiest eat their meat but say not grace with them pray for them not with them Ah but if my conscience bee good I must not forsake the fellowship as the manner of some is Heb. 10.25 as knowing that such pure assemblies cannot bee found under the whole cope of heaven And if wee would fence our selves against these wicked inferences of Satan wee must carefully observe these rules 1 Beleeve not every Spirit but prove the spirits whether they bee of God 1 John 4.1 as Goldsmiths separate gold and dross and examine every piece of gold by the touchstone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess 5.18 Try all things 2 Compare doctrines and the reasons of them with the Scripture if a doctrin disagree from any part of the Word it is erroneous and dangerous as namely that of the real presence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which impugns the article of Christs ascension 3 Hold fast that which is good 1 Thess 5.18 When wee have considered and known truths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee must with Mary lay them up in our hearts to bee ready to serve our use Command these stones to bee made bread Wee have considered the scope of Satan in this first temptation which was 1 To impugn the word of the Father proclaiming Christ his Son 2 To shake the saith of Christ 3 From consideration of his present estate to bring him to doubt of his Fathers providence 4 To use an unlawful means to â—elieve himself Wee have heard also what a dangerous inference hee bringeth upon a true ground Now wee come to the more special handling of the suggestion it self wherein wee shall see how cunningly Sathan conveies it Eight things cunningly contrived in this one suggestion and how instantly hee follows it implying in these few words 1 That it is an easy thing say the word or Command here is no labour and being so easy why should Christ stick at it 2 That it is now fit here is an object ready here bee stones these stones 3 That it is harmlesse onely a proof of the power of the Son of God and in reason what should Satan have gained by it and Gods Son cannot sin not God bee angry with his Son 4 That it is a necessary thing is it not necessary for a man that is ready to starve to eat and procure bread If hee will live he must eat 5 That it is a glorious thing to command stones I say not Pray for by prayer as great things as this have been done the Sea dryed fire turned into water the Sun staied in his course to stand still yea and go back but command by thine own proper power 6 That it is a work of special use not onely for the releef of thy self in this want but to satisfy mee for if thou makest stones bread I will confess the finger of God and beleeve thy Fathers voice that thou art the Son of God and accordingly account of thee and so shall all that shall come to the knowledge of this great and extraordinary work 7 That it is not unreasonable to command a few stones to bee made bread will bee no hurt to any man and if thou wilt not transubstantiate many stones turn but one stone into bread so it is Luke 4.3 Say to this stone that it bee bread in the singular number whereas it is probable that at first hee offered him many or all the stones in the place which Matthew recordeth if Christ think that too much hee will bee content that hee turn but that one into bread as Luke hath it 8 The Son of God should demean himself as the Son of such a Father who is heir and Lord of all things mee thinkes thy estate is not suited to thy person and therefore by this action manifest that which thy estate doth not and if thou doest not give me leave to doubt of thy person and take thee for an impostor Satan ordinarily moveth men to turn stones into bread Doct. It is an ordinary temptation of the Devil to shake the faith of Gods children to move them to turn stones into bread For as hee dealt with Christ in want Christ was hungry and the devil shews him stones let him turn them into bread if hee will so is it with men who are tempted in like manner if they bee in want Bread you must have what need I tell you of so sensible a want and therefore shift for your self here bee stones at least one stone in time of need turn it into bread why to help your self you may use a little extraordinary or unwarrantable means When Satan seduced Eve hee perswaded her to turn a stone or rather an apple into bread why thou seest how God envies your full happiness and doest thou beleeve his word to bee true No no it is but to keep you from being as Gods which what an excellent estate it is you now know not Esau was very hungry when hee came from his hunting and hee must dye if hee turn not a stone into bread and as Satan never goes without his stones that is his objects so there was a mess of broath ready for which prophanely hee sold his birth-right I am almost dead and what is the birth-right to mee Saul was extreamly haunted and vexed and knew not what to do with himself God was so far out with him as hee answered him no way and now hee must get him to another patron and who is fittest for him who is gone from God but the Devil Hee must now seek a familiar to answer him 1 Sam. 28.7 the stone is not far off there is a Witch at Endor and hee can eat no bread but from her hands There bee two especiall reasons or occasions whence Satan groundeth and followeth this temptation of turning stones into bread 1 The avoiding evil 2 The procuring of some apparent good both which hee knows our hasty inclination unto I. In avoiding troubles hee layeth two snares and hath two plots Snares laid by Satan in avoiding our troubles 1 To turn stones into
he hath told thee thou shalt meet him And this desire if it bee sincere will vent it self in earnest prayer to be taught of God Teach me thy statutes O open mine eyes that I may see the wonderful things of thy Law And it hath a promise to bee answered Joh. 14.21 I will love him and shew my own self to him 3 Hee must have a conscionable indeavour and industry to obey that part of Gods will which he revealeth unto him Joh. 7.17 If any man will doe his will he shall know whether the doctrin be from God or no. III. The third part in the answer is the matter of it a testimony of Scripture It is written Christ might have oppressed the Devil by his Divine power but being as man to be tempted he would as man overcome 1 To magnifie mans nature 2 To torment Satan the more and 3 To teach us how to overcome him And by this his practice he gives to understand that Doct. 1. The Word is a principal weapon of our Spiritual warfare Reasons The word written is a chief part of our spiritual armour to foyl Satan by yea indeed the principal weapon of our spiritual warfare is the VVord of God 1 Ephes 6.17 Take unto you the sword of the Spirit which is the VVord of God and therefore as a sword it serves 1 To defend us 2 To wound Satan 3 To cut asunder all his temptations so it did serve Christ here Neither is it a Carnal weapon but the sword of the Spirit that is a Spiritual weapon as the fight is spiritual not made by man but tempered framed sharpned and put into our hands by the Spirit of God himself for whose VVord else is it or whence hath it power but from Gods Spirit Revel 1.16 It is called the two-edged sword which goeth out of the mouth of Christ because it is sharp and piercing to wound all his enemies it pierceth to the very bones and marrow VVith this sword he slayes the wicked Isa 11.4 with this he visits Leviathan and slayes the Dragon that is the mightiest enemies of his Church Isa 27.1 with this sword he consumes Antichrist 2 Thess 2.8 and with this sword he soyls the Devil here with the same he slayes corruptions and Satanical temptations in the hearts of his own children 2 This part of our armour was signified by the Shields wherewith Salomons Temple was hanged Cant. 4.4 and by the smooth stones whereby David smote the Phitistâ—m 1 Sam. 17.40 here the Sons of David and Davids Lord smites the Goliah of Hell with a deadly wound Sauls Armour is here refused worldly weapons wisdome and subtlety and one stone is taken from the fountaines of holy Scripture out of the bag of his holy memory and by it Satan falls Yea it is the armory of the Church whence all other parts of Christian armour are to bee had 3 All the contention and fight of Satan is to fasten some error and falsehood upon us now therefore the onely fence from error is to bee girded with the girdle of truth now the title of truth is often given to the word of God Psal 19.10 The judgements of the Lord are truth and Joh. 17.17 Thy Word is truth to shew that so long as wee hold to the word wee are sufficiently armed against all falshood and error both in judgement and practice And the like may bee concluded from that it is called light discovering and chasing before it all mists and darkness The word a compleat armour 4 The Word is a compleat armour covers every part of the soul gives fence and direction to the minde understanding memory thoughts all the affections and all the faculties of the soul it covers every part and member of the body teacheth the eye to look the ear to hear the tongue to speak the feet to walk It directs us in all our conversation and actions of life towards God and men even to all conditions of men superiours equals inferiours poor and rich further it guideth us in all conditions of life in all times in all places in all ages prescribing rules to children and men young and old in all exercise and use of things indifferent as meat drink apparel recreation in a word in all things concerning this life or the life to come So as here is a sufficient defence for all occasions 5 Never did any man receive any hurt from Satan or his own corruptions or from this evil world but either because hee did not draw out this sword or did not â—ightly use it What other was the cause of the deadly wound of our first Parents and ours in them but that they drew not out this sword of Gods word but suffered the Serpent to wring it out of their hands How could Peter have been so greivously wounded in the High Priests Hall but that hee forgat the word of Christ which had admonished him of it the power of which was such as it healed his wound as easily as it had done Malcus his ear which hee had struck off and therefore wanted no power to have preserved him if he had remembred it What a fearful wound befell Lots wife because shee cast off this armour and forgate the Word charging her shee should not look back The like of Solomon all his wisdome could not sence him if hee cast off the word of God which had charged him not to meddle with out-landish wives but neglecting that must fall by them Vse 1. This is a confutation of Romish Teachers who disarm men of the Scriptures and wring this special weapon out of the peoples hands Papists by suppressing the scriptures wâ—ing the weapon out of mens hands common people may not have the Scripture in their vulgar tongue for this saith Harding is heretical But this place is sufficient to prove the contrary whence I conclude thus The weapons whereby people are senced from Satans temptations are not to bee taken from them but the scriptures are the weapons of defence against Satans temptations and again if all the common people bee assaulted and wounded and all have to do with Satan then all have need of this fence and cover against this most capital and deadly enemy But the assault is made against all and Satan seeks without exception whom hee may devour and therefore all without exception need the fence of the Scriptures And further whosoever turn the people naked unto all Satans temptations and disarm them so as they cannot but bee overcome are guilty of all the wickedness of the people to which Satan draws them and also of their destruction unto which they be drawn But Popish Teachers by destituting the people of the Scriptures turn them naked into temptation and disarm them and therefore are guilty of their sin and damnation But this practice of theirs is 1 Against the Scriptures This practise 1 against the scriptures for God would therefore have the scriptures written and commended to men in
with sound comfort when all outward means doe fail if the heart can say to it self What if God doe not give me my desire by this means or that Faith in this word strengthneth the heart many ways I know God hath more words than one more blessings than one and man liveth by every word And faith strengthens the heart 1 By setting before the eye Gods power in this word how that one word of his mouth is enough to help us one word is able to create innumerable armies of Angels and Creatures one fiat is enough to make all Creatures and all this to come or goe or stand still as most dutiful servants to their Master Matth. 8. the Centurion coming to Christ for the health of his Servant desires him not to come within his roof for he was not worthy of that favour nor to send him any receit or physick to doe him good but only to speak the word and he was sure his servant should be healed A strong faith in a strong word It is but a word with God then how easily how presently how certainly will God doe me good if he see it good for me 2 By assuring the heart that his will is as ready to doe us good as his word is able and it sets the promise before us that nothing shall be wanting to them that fear God The former in the example of the Leper Matth. 8. Lord if thou wilt thou caâ—st make me clean and in the next words to shew he is as willing as able he saith I will be thou clean by which word proceeding out of the mouth of God his Leprosie was instantly cured his will was his word and his word was his work The latter in the example of Abraham whose faith set before his eyes Gods promise that in Isaac his seed should be called and that by Isaac he should be a Father of many Nations and therefore when at Gods word he went out to offer Isaac and Isaac asked him where was the Sacrifice he answered God will provide One eye was on Gods word commanding him to slay his Son another upon this other word that God was able to raise him up from the dead whence after a sort hee received him and that hee also would doe so before his promise should bee frustrate 3 By setting before the Christian heart the blessed issue and success of unwavering confidence in the word of God The Israelites going out of Aegypt and wandring in the Wilderness so many years by the appointment of Gods word he did supply all their wants by his Word and it became all things unto them which their hearts could desire 1 He paved them a way in the Sea and suddainly made the waters a wall unto them 2 He gave them bread from Heaven even Angels food and that in our text was by his word 3 He gave them water out of a rock and that by his word he bade Moses speak to the rock 4 Having no means for clothes his word kept their garments for forty years from waxing old But what need we goe out of our text in which the example of our Head and Lord may best confirm us for wanting bread in the Wilderness hee would not turn stones into bread but waited on the word of his Father till the Angels came and ministred unto him even so the adopted Sons of God treading in the steps of our Lord shall by vertue of the same word always find relief one way or other Who would have thought that ever Job should have swum out of that misery having lost all his Cattel substance and Children but because when the Lord was a killing him in his own sence hee trusted in him the Lord raised him and doubled the wealth and prosperity he had before Who would have thought that ever Daniel should have escaped the Lions denne and teeth being cast in amongst them or that Peter should have escaped Herods sword being bound in Chains and watched of Souldiers to be brought out to death next day But trusting in the Lord this word shut the mouthes of the Lions and opened the Prisons iron doors and brake in sunder the chains and so both of them were wonderfully delivered Surely this Doctrin well digested is full of comfort and quietness and would set the heart at rest and make all outward troubles easie If a man could once get his heart to trust in the word as David did Psal 119.42 it would sustain the soul in many troubles and bring in so sweet a contentment as the world is a stranger unto On the contrary whence is it that mens hearts fail them and they sink in their troubles but because they trust to the means and not to the Word of God at least not to every word of God If God crosse them one way they think hee hath no other way to doe them good Vse 3. If man live by every word of God then take heed of making that a means of living which God hath never warranted but see that what thou livest by proceed out of the mouth of God How doth hee live by every word of God that gets his living either in whole or in part contrary to Gods word Obj. But we see such as use no good means but maintain themselves in good estate by robbing stealing oppressing usury gaming false wares or weights it seems that even these creatures have a word of God to sanctifie them and put vertue in them to such persons or else they could not live by them Ans We must distinguish between the things themselves that are gotten and the unjust manner of getting them The creatures themselves are by a general word of God sanctified and set apart by God to feed and maintain good and bad as well the wicked as honest getters of them even as the Sun and Rain shines and falls upon the just and unjust And the unrighteousness of particular persons cannot alter Gods general decree But if wee consider the special manner of getting such goods that is not sanctified but condemned by the word of God 1 Because the person is not in Christ who restores our right unto us and then he is but an usurper and a bankrupt who builds his houses goes fine in apparel decks up himself and his and spends most liberally but it is all with other mens money He that knows not this thinks him a rich man but he that doth knoweth that he is not either thrifty or wealthy the Creditor comes and casts him into prison and makes his bones and body pay the debt 2 As his person so his course is accursed for the only way to get a blessing from God on the means is to use his own means who hath commanded first to seek the Kingdom of God and then other things and hath accursed all that wealth and maintenance of the body for which a man doth hazard or lose his soul 3 When a man doth live by bread against the word that
ryotous and ungracious courses to the destruction of themselves and others Nay as our Saviour said of Judas it had been good for him hee had never been born so may we say of numbers of graceless persons better they had never seen the Sun or enjoyed life than so to have consumed their lives in the service of sin and Satans temptations Vse 5. Lastly If we live by every word of God then let us be thankful to God for our lives and for his word of blessing upon the means and seeing our lives hang upon his word to prolong them or cut off the thread of them we must labour to live to him and his glory It becometh the just to be thankful A great unthankfulness were it to rebel against him by whom we hold our lives and all the comfort of them See we not how those that hold Land in Copy are willingly bound to sute and service to the Lord who is often but a mean man The Sidonians would not warre against Herod because they were nourished by his Land and shall we be in warre against our Lord by whose hand and word we live move and have our being And even this thanksgiving is his gift also for as the matter which so the grace by which wee are thankful is all from him so as we must depend on him both for blessings and for grace to be thankful Vers 5. Then the Devil took him up into the holy City and set him on a pinacle of the Temple 6. And said unto him If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down for it is written c. WE come now to set down and expound by the assistance of God the second on-set of the Devil upon the Son of God by a violent and hellish temptation nothing inferiour to the former in the furious malicious and cunning contriving of it In the entrance whereof we must remove one rubb by the way concerning the order of this temptation wherein the Evangelists seem not to agree among themselves for whereas St. Matthew makes this the second St. Luke makes it the last and puts the last in St. Matthew into the second place And herein some learned men have stumbled and have devised simple shifts to reconcile the two Evangelists Some think that they write not the same History nor of the same temptations but of temptations urged at sundry times These are confuted by the very matter phrases and words which are in both the same and need no other conviction Others think and they of the learned Papists that in some ancient Books St. Luke observes the same order in the temptations with St. Matthew and that the difference crept in by the heedlesness of some Writer which is a needless devise of them who strive to prove the Canonical Scripture to bee corrupted in their Fountains that so their corrupt Latine Translation may prevail but both impeaching the watchfulness and care of God over the Scriptures as also the diligence and faithfulness of the Church which is pretended to suffer her self wholly to be abused by the carelesness or unfaithfulness of some one Scribe But the truth is that it doth no whit prejudice the truth of the Evangelical story that the Evangelists doe not stand so much upon order where it is not so necessary as upon the matter and the things themselves done which they faithfully report and in which they joyntly accord and agree as oftentimes they stand not upon words nor sometimes upon sentences but one delivers the same fact in one style of speech another in another form but so as one is so far from crossing another as he giveth thereby more light and certainty unto the other Quest But whether of these observed the right order as the temptations were passed Ans I am out of doubt that Matthew sets down the right order as they were done 1 Because he passeth his story by such particles as imply an orderly consequent as Then the Devil took him then he took him again then the Devil left him c. whereas Luke used the particle and in his passages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which noteth no certain order as the former doth his care was to relate the whole matter but was not so accurate for order 2 The coherence and dependance of this second temptation with the former shews that Matthew observeth the right method for Christ having by a testimony of Scripture confirmed himself in the confidence and trust in his Father Satan immediately seeks to make his advantage of Christs words and seeing hee will needs trust his Father he would have him trust him too much If hee need no bread being hungry he needs no stairs to goe down from the pinacle of the Temple the last temptation doth not so fitly cohere with the former as this second doth 3 After Christ had bidden Satan avoyd Matthew adds Then the Devil left him as being obedient to his word plainly shewing that that was the last temptation Luke hath it not in such dependance but thus And when the Devil had ended all the tentation he departed In the Combate note two generals 1 The preparation to it 2 The temptation it self The preparation containeth such necessary circumstances as by which the temptation might more easily prevail as 1 the time Then 2 The place first general the holy City secondly special a pinacle of the Temple 3 The manner how Christ was conveyed thither The Devil took him up and set him on the pinacle The temptation consists 1 Of the assault 2 Of the repulse The assault hath three things 1 The ground of it If thou be the Son of God 2 The scope or aim namely the sin or sins to which hee was tempted Cast thy self down 3 The argument or perswasion to enforce it For it as written He shall give his Angels charge over thee c. The repulse of our Saviour is by another testimony of Scripture not contrary to that which Satan alleadged but expounding it that he might in the right sense of it sence and secure himself from the temptation as after we shall see First of the preparation Then This particle shews not only the time of this temptation but also the order as I noted Satan having no success in the former renews his assault and would assay another way Hee had been kindly and gently used of Christ who had answered him courteously nay he had convinced him by Scripture that hee had nothing to say against it and yet he goes on in his malice as though he had had both great provocation and advantage Whence Doct. Note the property of wicked men ruled by Satan who by no means can be brought to lay off their malice towards Gods children Deal gently with them they are like Nettles the softlier toucht the sharper they sting Deal plainly with them and convince their consciences by the word that they have nothing to say for themselves yet being convinced they give not over no more than
these places the evil spirit walketh there hee haunts as wee see in the parable and therefore our rule must bee this Where we can neither do good nor take good those bee no places for us Many civil mens houses how is the time eaten up in vain and idle speech and the most tolerable talk is worldlinesse and the talke thereof is endlesse Object What hurt is in that Sol. Yes it is a dry place and it cannot bee answered when even this shall shoulder out better speech Other places are not onely empty of good but filled with evil that as hardly shall a man come safe out of them without some poison or corruption as out of a plaguy or leprous house For how can a man bee safe where Satans throne is as 1 Places of Idolatry where a man must either shew his dislike or else give a secret consent Men can go into places where the horrible Idol of the Mass stands and keep their hearts to God but commonly God gives such unwarrantable boldness a check and experience shews what a tang it leaves after it 2 King 16.10 Ahaz went upon another occasion to meet Tiglah Peleser King of Ashur at Damascus and onely seeing an altar there hee was so in love with it as he sent to Uriah the Priest the pattern of it and the fashion and whole workmanship of it to have another like it in all points against Gods Commandement And how hath a secret infection poisoned a number of our Travellers who falling in love with Romish Idolatry have brought the fashion and pattern and workmanship of it over with them and that because they run unwarrantably into places of danger So how dangerously do men run into great Papists houses where there are a thousand allurements and inticements pure Religion scorned belied and all to be besmeared with shameful lies and opprobry and the contrary magnified and extolled as the only truth yea the Scriptures themselves not lesse abhorred than the Theif hates the Gallows and thrust down under mens devises and Popes Decrees yea the word of Salvation condemned and burnt as they were of old by Antiochus and Maximinus as the books of Hereticks and the godly professors scoffed under the stile of Scripturers and Bible-bearers Men think it no danger to bee familiar in such places to bee Servants to such Masters which is to lead themselves into temptation Alass what Communion is there between light and darkness between Christ and Antichrist 2 Not onely places of spiritual whoredome but also corporal If Satan get a man into such a place hee hath his snares and bands her lips are snares her hands as bands her words are cords to draw a man in as an Oxe to the slaughter How can a man avoid the unclean spirit in such fowl sinks as such places bee Prov. 5.8 My Son keep thy way far from her and come not near the door of her house and Chapt. 6.32 hee that goes into her besides that hee destroies his own soul hee findes a wound and dishonour and reproach that shall never bee put away And the same Commandement that hath forbidden any evil hath forbidden also all the occasions of evil 3 We must avoyd Drinking-houses Gaming-houses and places of such rude and hellish resort How suddenly are minds corrupted in bad company what quarrels and causless blows what vain and ribaldry speech which corrupteth good manners what expense of precious time what riot of goods what wa st of wit and loss of reason it self is commonly in such places so that a good minde sees himself in a little Hell while he is there and where lodgeth Satan if not in such houses which are servants to every mans sin and where are baits and snares which are enemies not only to Christianity but even to civility and humanity it self There Satan hath one room filled with Swearers another with Scoffers a third with Drunkards a fourth with Gamesters and all his rooms are full of idle and disordered persons who for the time have cast up their callings and are at leasure for any work of the flesh which their master the Devil will now employ them in 4 Adde hereunto the places of Stage-playes and Enterludes places of as great danger as any of the former Satans School-houses There you shall hear Oathes and Lies and Scoffs of base Varlets against not only their betters among men â—udâ— scenici spectacula turpitudinum licentia vanitatum Aug de civit Dei l. 1. c. 32. but of God himself and his holy Religion There you may see sin acted and represented which ought not to bee named among Saints There you shall see men wearing womens apparrel and perhaps women mens There you shall see men travelling of child as one said of Nero being an Actor in a Tragedy to which his part called him and all kind of adulterous behaviours Scipio propter animorum cavendam pestilentiam ipsam scenam construi prohibebat Aug. ibid. Magister non erudiendorum sed perdendorum puerorum Cypt. and such shameful gestures and actions as the light of Nature hath descryed and condemned What shall I speak of that lewd and wicked dancing of young men in the habit and gestures of women like Herodias which what an incentive of lust it is may easily be conceived in Herods example and the poyson of amatory kissing of beautiful boyes is unto lust as fire to flax or oyl to fire And least you should think I did wrong them in calling these places the Devils Schools Cyprian doth no less accounting the Stage-player teaching boyes to be effeminate by instructing them how to play the women and to express wanton gestures to bee the Devils Usher All these are places of certain peril where no man can miss the Tempter if he can draw men into these places he will not fail to fit them with temptation Let us therefore make a covenant with our eyes not to behold such vanities and lustful spectacles and with our feet not to wander into such by-paths and with our selves to avoyd the very appearance of evil It will sort well with our weakness to avoyd temptation to pray against it to watch our selves lest we be overcome rather than to follow and much less to goe before the Tempter Vse 2. But if we must needs come in such places as are fitted above others for temptation then must wee fence our selves more strongly against such temptations as the custom of the place offereth Quest How may we doe so Ans By observing these rules 1 In all places put we on our Christian armour without which Christian life cannot stand When a man goes among thorns and stubbs had hee not need to have his shooes of the Gospel on if hee would not bee pricked and peirced to the heart Or if a Christian want his sword how should hee cut the bands of sin in sunder How should a Souldier stand in the hours of skirmish without his Corslet and Brest-plate or how should he
infers two contrary conclusions both contrary in themselves and both contrary to Gods word 3 Hee knows there is but one good and strait way to heaven that the Lord hath commanded us to walk in that way without turning to the right or left hand that hee hath placed the vertue in the mean and the refore hee cares not in which extream hee can thrust us so as wee keep out of that mean appointed Hee hateth nothing but vertue and grace which God loveth 4 Hee knowing the propensity and inclination of our corrupt nature which desires to know no mean but is rather disposed to any vice in extremity than to rest in obedience unto Gods Commandement fits us according to our inclination and casts us first in one extream then in another and holds us there where we best please our selves Hence wee account extreames vertues 5 Many are the by-waies that lead to hell on all hands there being but one truth and the Devil carrieth such incessant malice to man that hee cares not in which of them a man come to hell so he come at length Vse Beware then of Satans subtlety of his contrariety and extremities In matters of Gods worship his scope is to make a man either prophane and cast off all care of Religion or if men will not bee drawn from some devotion then hee seeks to make them superstitious in which extream hee holdeth the blinded and devout Papists who worship both false gods and the true God with a false and vain worship Act. 17. the Apostle having charged the Athenians with superstition hee addes this reason because hee saw an Altar to an unknown God The same of those who will worship God in devices which hee never commanded and place it in things which indeed hinder it And so some hate Popery but not prophaneness Satan aims also at the Minister to make him idle and negligent in preaching and is well pleased with that because where vision failes people perish But if hee cannot hold a man in idleness then hee seeks to get him to Preach either of pride or envy or flattery or for preferment or vainly and unsoundly and then the more hee preacheth hee likes him never the worse or maliciously against good men and good waies and then hee preacheth nothing else but what Satan if hee must needs preach would do In hearing the word hee would first have men slack of all conscience of doing or obeying that hearing their Masters will and not doing it their stripes may bee the more If hee cannot do that but sees a man make conscience of his waies then hee will make him scrupulous and make needlesse questions of every thing and to hinder his peace he will make more sins than ever God made In judging of ones own estate hee will make a man beleeve that God never elected such a wretch as hee hee never had truth of grace all is hypocrisy God never loved him so many sins so great falls such unworthinesse as never was in any childe of God On the contrary if faith withstand this temptation then comes pride in stead of former dejection and makes him think his election so sure as though hee take all unlawful liberties hee shall bee saved oh the Son of God cannot do amiss nor the Father hate him Sometimes to destroy boldness of faith hee will suggest that sin is so great in such and such circumstances as it cannot bee forgiven now the heart is heavy and lumpish and hath no cheerfulnesse in God But this being a little blown over he wil bring the same man by degrees to think what a fool he was for his sins now are not so great so dangerous as others bee nor himself so great a sinner and now the sadnesse of sin being shaken off hee grows merry and too too light forgetting all his former heaviness In the course of life hee gets beyond many in these extream courses In spiritual things numbers of men are held in a prophane and wicked scorning of religion of Preachers and Professors whose names they cannot abide Some of these are sometimes called out of the snare of the Devil and then Satan is in a contrary corner he will have them zealous but not according to knowledge If the Master will not send his servants to pluck up all the tares before harvest they will stand no longer in the field of the Church but grow resolute in schism and separation In Civil things how many examples of men have we extreamly covetous in their youth but prodigal and voluptuous in extremity in their age and so on the contrary and in divers other instances Rules to avoyd these extremities of Satan 1 Look we still to the word which pointeth us our way for the warrant of our actions and the manner of doing them and saith This is the way walk in it Isa 30.21 2 Watch we the fickleness of our nature which may be seen in the Barbarians Act. 28.4 6. who accounted Paul a God and a Murderer at one time 3 Consider we what it is that we are eagerly set upon and suspect it because our nature is to be in extreams and Satans hand is likely in it to set it forward Never are wee so violent for Gods Kingdom as for the world Cast thy self down In the scope of this temptation which was to presumption for the allegation following would perswade him that God would preserve him whatsoever he did though he threw himself from the pinacle wee learn this point of instruction that Doct. Satan doth incessantly labour to draw men unto presumption and vain-glory as here he did the Head And this presumption in a word is nothing else but a vain confidence that we are this or that or can doe this or that without any word or ordinance of God A vain hope without warrant is the very being of presumption 1 Sam. 4.3 Israel went to warre against the Philistims and were slain about four thousand men but they would make another on-set more warily as they thought than before they would send for the Ark from Shilo to save them and when it came into the Host all Israel gave a shout that the earth rang of it presuming that now they were safe enough But all this was done of their own heads and without warrant and therefore God discomfited them with an exceeding great slaughter of thirty thousand foot-men and the Ark wherein they were so vainly confident was taken the Priests Hophni and Phineas slain Eli breaks his neck and such a confusion there was that the Ark never came at Shilo more Numb 14. After the men were sent to search the Land of Canaan and had returned and told the Israelites that the Land was good and fat but the walls reached up to Heaven and there were Sons of Anak Gyants then the people murmured and distrusted But the sentence of the Lord passing against them that they should wander forty years in the Wilderness according to the forty days
in accusing thee but still it by casting out the core of sin that makes it so restless and painful 2 Quench not the motions of Gods Spirit for this grieves him and makes him goe away in displeasure and then all thy sound comfort is gone with him II. In temporal things sin not against the means He must eat that must live he must work that will eat sow to reap he that would avoyd a strange woman must love his own wife all the Souldiers and people in the Ship must come safe to land but then must they not cast them into the sea but abide in the ship Isa 37.33 the Prophet in the Lords name tells Hezekiah that Sennacherib shall not enter into the City but if hereupon Hezekiah should have bid them set the gates open would not the Prophet have told him he had betrayed the City For a rich man to be an Usurer or an oppressor is a greater sin than it is taken for because it is against the means yet who are Usurers else who oppressors else who grinde the faces of the poor who detain the wages of poor Servants but they For a man to break the Sabbath for gain is a great sin as appeareth in the poor man that went out to gather sticks but how great then is it in rich men who need not having much means beyond the present necessity and yet they or their Servants and Workmen must be gathering sticks to burn themselves withall in Hell Who sees not the malice of the Devil here who will have the Lords day worldly and wickedly spent wherein God hath set up the special means to draw men from it For it is written HAving spoken both of the ground of this assault and also of the scope and matter of it wee come to the third consideration in it namely The enforcing or urging of it by a testimony of Scripture Satan had perswaded the Son of God to a most foolish practice would any mad man or fool cast himself down from an high place and pash himself all to peeces at any mans perswasions and cannot now the Son of God the wisdome of his Father discern danger in this motion Satan is too black here and lales his snare in vain before the eye of that which hath wing But to hide his blacknesse hee draws a fair glove over a soul hand and assaies to make the case without all danger or absurdity Hee hath that to say which the Son of God cannot refuse Hee hath Scripture to perswade him for no reason is comparable to this to assure the Son of God who must hear the word of his Father that there is neither danger nor unreasonableness in this motion nay there is much good in it 1 Hee shall shew himself to bee the Son of God 2 Hee shall shew his affiance in his Fathers word which hath fully assured him of his Fathers protection as if hee should say Thou being the Son of God mayest without danger cast thy self down hence but do not take it on my word which perhaps thou mayest suspect but take it on thy Fathers word If that hath any truth in it there is no danger in my motion And because thou shalt not think that I speak without book It is written in thy Fathers Book If I had a Psalter here I could shew it thee that hee hath given his Angels charge over thee to keep thee that thou dash not thy foot against a stone and though thou cast thy self down they shall bear thee up and save thee harmless And if they should fail of their duty thou being the Sonne of God canst sustain thy self by thine own proper power and vertue Here consider two things 1 The general consideration of the allegation It is written 2 The special matter of it Hee will give his Angels charge over thee c. Doct. The Devil can and doth alleadge Scripture to further his wicked purposes as here In his tempting of Eve hee made the ground of his temptation Gods word Hath God indeed said yee shall not dye In the deluding of Saul be took the help of Samuels prophecy 1 Sam. 28.17 The Lord hath done even as hee spake by mine hand So his instruments the false Prophets pretend the word of the Lord as Hanani Jer. 28.2 Reasons The Reasons why Satan alledgeth Scripture are these 1 To hide his person and to transform himself into an Angel of Light here hee counterfeits Davids voice nay the voice of the Spirit of God speaking in the written word He would fain perswade Christ that hee is a lover of the Truth and under a testimony of Scripture would hide his horns Regula credâ—ndorum ageâ—dorum 2 As hereby himself dissembles holiness so hee would colour the matter to which hee tempts us to bee just and lawful for is not that lawful which the word allows seeing it is the rule of faith and manners 3 Hee frames himself according to the disposition of parties with whom hee is to deal Christ stood much upon Scripture and would do nothing without Scripture and if hee cannot draw him by Scripture hee shall prevail nothing and thus hee deals daily with tender consciences hee can bring them to any thing by a Scripture of his own mis-shaping 4 This comes to pass by reason of his malice 1 Against the Scripture which hee seeks to abuse to a contrary end seeing the Scriptures are written that wee might not sin 1 Joh 2.1 2 Against the godly to overcome them with no other than their own weapons Christ had made the written word his shield his sword hee will therefore assay with his own weapon to wound him and so he deals with his members 5 Here is not onely Gods permission but his over-ruling power for hereby the father of lies against his heart and nature giveth witnesse to the truth and strongly argues it to bee the strongest weapon that hath strongest power over the conscience Quest How doth Satan alledge Scripture Answ Hee is Gods Ape and as God alledgeth Scripture three waies 1 by his Spirit and inward motion as to Abimelech in a Dream Gen. 20.3 2 By his Ministers and Servants Angels or men 3 By his own lively voice as to Adam So can Satan 1 By suggestion 2 By his Ministers who transform themselves as if they were the Ministers and Apostles of Christ 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. not onely delivering the word but also truely 3 By voice in some assumed body as undoubtedly hee did to the first Adam and here to the second Use 1. Seeing then this wicked Spirit can and doth alledge Scripture against us it behooves us to try the spirits whether they bee of God or no 1 John 4.1 not to beleeve every one that can alledge Scripture for so wee might beleeve the Devil himself 1 Thess 5.22 our commandement is to prove all things and hold only that which is good Our president is in Act. 17.11 the Bereans when they heard the Apostles
searched whether the things spoken were so We take no coin without due tryal Quest How shall I try the spirit that brings a sentence of Scripture Answ 1 By diligent study and reading of Scripture diligently searching out the truth for the determination of every truth must bee by scripture Dubiuâ—â— and though scripture seem to bee opposed to scripture wee must not with Papists draw determination of matters from scripture so saith the Apostle in Eph. 4.14 Let us not bee carried about as children with every wind of doctrin how should wee do other but follow the truth in love Examine the places circumstances antecedents and consequents confer with other scriptures to all which it must agree 2 Follow and frequent the Ministery as not content with the knowledge of the scriptures without the true understanding of them Non in legendo sed in intelligerdo Hieron for they consist not in the bare letters but in the pithy sense said the Father And this true understanding wil help us to lay it to the Analogy of faith wherunto it must bee agreeable and will make our senses exercised in the word 3 Adde hereunto prayer which procureth the spirit to lead us into all necessary truth David never ceased to Pray to bee taught as we may see through the whole 119. Psalm 4 Consider the end and scope of the scripture alledged If it lead thee into an action condemned by the law of nature or against other direct scriptures or principles of religion it is of the Devil the father of Lies for Gods Spirit never alledgeth scripture but to lead us into the knowledge and practice of some truth This is Moses his rule Deut. 13.1 If a false Prophet rise up see what hee aimeth at if it bee to draw thee from the Lord his worship or word take heed of him so if Satan by any instrument of his shall bring the word and pretend great zeal if the end bee to draw thee to superstition Idolatry or Popery beware of him his scope discovers him If a doctrin or scripture be alledged to nourish any fleshly delight or to hold men in sin though the words bee Gods the allegation is the Devils as At what time soever a sinner repenteth c. and the Theef was saved at the last hour and therefore if thou canst say two or three good words at thy death all shall bee well here is the Devil saying It is written for all scripture truely cited by Gods Spirit aims at mortification and the furtherance of Repentance If a Scripture bee alledged and urged to threaten and discourage such as fear God and shew forwardness in good waies or to animate the sinner promising him peace and life it is Satans allegation for if Gods Spirit alledge scripture that word is good and comfortable to him that walks uprightly and the threats of the law are fit provision for impenitent persons Vse 2. This teacheth us not to content our selves to know the Scripture and bee able to speak of it or to alledge it for the Devil knows the word and can alledge it readily yea hee is expert in it Many men deceive themselves in their estate and think themselves sure of salvation if they can get a lirtle knowledge of the scripture above others as though Satan could not alledge it or as though the wicked could not preach it as Judas did or ungodly men profess it who take the word into their mouth and hate to bee reformed Psal 50.16 17. Use 3. But let us take heed wee come not behind the Devil himself while wee thus highly conceit our selves for 1 Are there not a number of ignorant men almost as ignorant as if the scriptures had never been written and shall not the Devil condemn these who hath gained so much knowledge in the word which containeth not one word of comfort for him but judgement that makes him tremble Yet these whom they would make wise to salvation and to whom they offer the joyes and comfort of life eternal are utterly ignorant of them 2 Many read the Scripture but as Satan not to inform or reform themselves nor to make themselves better but both themselves and others far worse as not only Hereticks and learned Papists who bend all their knowledge to suppress and hide the truth but all such as by the scripture seâ—k to maintain their own errors and sins which they will not part with And these are no better than the Devil 3 Others will read Scripture and hear and know it but without all special application and grace in the heart wherein they should differ from the Devil and wicked men who know the word but affect it not do it not nay cannot abide the special application of it to do them good and this doth nothing but increase sin and judgement sin Jam. 4.17 to him that knoweth to do well and doth it not it is sin a great sin without excuse or cloak Joh. 15.22 judgement for such shall bee beaten with many stripes 4 Others brag of their knowledge they read the Bible at least Davids Psalmes and they know as much as any Preacher can tell them But stay the Devil reads the Psalter as well as thou and can quote Davids Psalms more readily than thou hee can read the Bible hee knows as much yea more than any Preacher can tell him what sayest thou more of thy self than the Devil can do of himself and more truely And what hast thou gained by all this challenge but thine own conviction of great sin without excuse but not without witnesse Is not thine own mouth thy judge who professeth so much knowledge and so little grace love practice To sin wilfully and presumptuously against the light is an extraordinary conformity with Satan Rules of reading and hearing the word religiously 1 Consider the excellency of the Word above all pretious things and how dangerous it is to take Gods name in vain which is then when the word is frustrate of his right end 2 They are called holy Scriptures not only in regard of that holy truth contained in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but because they are instruments by which the Elect are sanctified and made holy John 17.17 and therefore are never to bee used without holy affection nor without indeavour to grow up in holiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 They are the Word of faith therefore wee must mingle the Word with faith and lay up the precepts and promises thereof to beleeve it 4 The Scriptures being the rule of life wee must submit our whole man to the obedience and practice of it with all sincerity and constancy Hereby we shall go beyond the knowledge of the Word in Devils and ungodly men NOw for the place it self wee must consider it two waies 1 As abused by Satan in his allegation 2 As wee find it holily set down by the Spirit of God In Satans abuse of this Scripture wee may see many particulars 1 Hee wrongs
nothing to his salvation So Psal 110.1 Sit at my right hand till I make thy enemies thy foot-stool If wee would know whom this is meant of compare it with 1 Cor. 15.25 For Christ must reign till he have put all his enemies under his feet Psal 2.7 Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee this place is explained by the like Heb. 1.5 For to whiâ—h of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my son c. Psal 97.7 Worship him all yee Gods What is meant by Gods and whom must the Gods worship see Heb. 1.6 When he brought his first born into the world hee said Let all the Angels of God adore him Concerning unlike places we have this rule That they speak not either of the same thing or manner or time and by wary observation of the circumstances this will easily appear in examples 1 Joh. 16.13 The Apostles after the gift of the Spirit were led into all truth and freed from error Yet Peter greatly erred after that Gal. 2.11 Answ The Apostles were led into all truth of doctrine and erred not but were not free from all error in life and conversation now Peters error was not directly in doctrine but in conversation with the Gentiles So as the opposition is not in the same thing 2 Isa 59.21 My word shall not depart from thee nor from thy seeds seed for ever saith the Lord yet Matth. 21.43 the Kingdom shall bee taken from you Answ The Prophet speaketh of the whole true Church of God which shall be perpetual upon earth our Saviour of the Nation of the Jews So as the seeming opposition is not in the same 3 Luk. 17.19 Thy faith hath made thee whole here Faith is greater than Charity but in 1 Cor. 13.13 Charity is greater than faith Ans They speak not of the same faith the former place speaks of justifying faith considered with his object Christ which not absolutely as a quality but relatively as apprehending Christ is greater than Charity the latter of miraculous faith which is less 4 Rom. 7.22 Paul delights in the Law of God yet vers 23. Paul resisteth the Law of God Ans This is indeed an opposition in the same person but not in the same part Paul stands of spirit and flesh according to the former part he delights in the Law according to the later he rebelleth against it 5 Luk. 10.28 Life is promised to the worker This doe and live Rom. 4.3 Not to him that worketh but to him that beleeveth is faith imputed to righteousness Ans Both speak of the word but not of the same part of the word which standeth of two parts the Law and this promiseth life to the worker and the Gospel which promiseth life to the beleever 6 Joh. 5.31 If I give testimony to my self my testimony is not true Joh. 8.14 If I testify of my self my testimony is true Ans Consider Christs testimony two ways 1 As the testimony of a singular man and thus considering himself as a meer man he yeelds to the Jewes that his testimony were unfit and not sufficient in his own cause because by the Law out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word must stand but 2 Consider him as a Divine person coming from Heaven and having his Father giving witness with him thus his testimony is infallible not subject to passion or delusion And of this later the place speaketh 7 Matth. 10.8 Freely yee have received freely give Luke 10.7 The workman is worthy of his wages Ans The places speak of the same persons but not of the same works the former of miraculous works which are not to bee bought and sold for money the use of them being only to forward their ministery the later of the Function of Preaching and labour in building the Church equity requires that he that laboureth in the Ministry should receive recompence for his labour Gal. 6.6 8 Hos 13.9 God is not the author of evil Amos 3.6 There is no evil in the City which the Lord hath not done Ans It is not the same evil but that the evil of fault this the evil of punishment 9 Prov. 20.9 Who can say my heart is clean Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart Ans 1. A man absolutely considered in himself is all impure so the former place speaketh but relatively considered in Christ he is pure so the later 2 No man is pure in respect of the presence of corruption but the godly are in respect of the efficacy and rule of it 10 Mark â—â— 15 The Apostles must goe out into all the world Matth. 10.5 They must not goe into the way of the Gentiles Ans Distinguish times and the Scripture will bee consonant enough the former place is meant of preaching after Christs time the latter wâ—iâ—e hee was living on earth Both are true because the times are diverse 11 Joh. 3.17 God sent not the Son to judge the world Joh. 5.27 The Father hath given all judgement to the Son Ans The time of his abasement at his first coming when hee came not to judge but to be judged must bee distinguished from his second coming in Glory and Majesty to judge the quick and the dead of this the later 12 Exod. 20.15 Thou shalt not steal Chap. 11.2 Robbe or spoyl Aegypt Ans A special Commandement of God never opposeth a general but is only an exception from it So of Abrahams mental slaying of his son If a man of himself should steal or kill it is sin but if God bid it is not 13 Malac. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not yet it seems he is changeable Jer. 18.7 Ans The Scripture speaks not in the same respect God changeth not in himself but in respect of us he is changed as the Schools speak non affectivè sed effectivè in respect of his work not of his affection for so there is no variableness or shadow of change in him 14 Psal 18.20 Judge mee according to my righteousness Psal 143.2 Enter not into judgement with thy servant Answ There is a twofold Righteousnesse one of the cause another of the person by this later hee will not bee justified by himself but in the other hee desires to bee justified his cause was good there was no such thing as they laid to his charge If Job would dispute with God his own cloathes would make him unclean but when he dealeth with his calumnious friends hee saith I will never let go mine innocency till I dye 15 Luk. 1.33 Of his Kingdome there shall bee no end 1 Cor. 15.24 Hee shall deliver up the Kingdome to his Father Answ Luke speaketh of Christs Kingdome in respect of it self the Apostle in respect of the administration of it In the former respect it shall never bee abolished Christ shall alwaies have a people to rule alwaies a Lordship and Headship but hee shall give up his Kingdome in respect of the manner and means of administring
be saved 3 How hardly can we bee kept from wicked companies and occasions Though we be warned by Christs voyce speaking in the Word as Peter was yet we thrust into Caiaphas his hall and the Players Hall which is the Devils School and will not avoyd occasions till the end of sin bring sorrow and bitterness incurable How easily doe men lose the watch over themselves against their own resolutions and the motions of Gods Word and Spirit when they might redeem their precious time gained from their special calling to the general in reading meditating prayer c. presently the Devil thrusts them out of both callings to gaming drinking or bowling or such unprofitable exercises O when God layes you on your Death-bed this one sorrow if God ever give you sense of your estate will be ready to sink you that you have loosely and unfruitfully parted with your time and now you cannot buy an after-noon to bewail the loss of many in with all your substance 4 How prone are we to venture and rush upon any thing without a calling or without a warrant as when men cast themselves into unnecessary dangers hoping that God will deliver them Many run on an head into unlawful contracts without care of any word to guide them Others strike the hand and undoe themselves by Suretiship Others cast off profitable callings and betake themselves to unprofitable and hurtful as Usurers and their Bawds and keepers of Smoke-shops And some will run upon ropes for praise or profit In all this men are out of their way and in a course of tempting God Would a man cast himself into the Sea in hope he should never be drowned or on a perswasion he should never be burnt cast himself into the fire Wee having stayrs are prone to leap down Christ our Lord would not doe so 5 How common a thing is it both in matters of soul and body to sever the means from the end which is a plain tempting of God as our Saviour here calleth it Every man hopes to goe to Heaven but never seeks the way I. What a number will be saved by Miracle for means they will use none faith repentance knowledge mortification sanctification they are strangers yea enemies unto God fed the Jewes miraculously in the Wilderness not in Canaan not in Aegypt where means were Christ fed many people by Miracle in the Wilderness but being near the City he bought bread Joh. 4.8 God will never feed thee with the heavenly Mannah by Miracle where the means are to be had but are neglected How many will either be saved as the Thief was on the Cross or they will never be saved they make their salvation but an hours work and make as short a matter of it as Balaam who would but dye the death of the righteous What a tempting of God is this as if a man would adde his Oath unto Gods that he shall never enter into his rest Christ hath sufficiently set forth his Divine power by that example of him on the Cross he need not nor will not doe it again in saving thee by miracle It is a better argument Christ saved the Thief at the last hour on the Cross therefore he will not so save me than otherwise VVhat a common sin is it to neglect the means and despise the word as a weak and silly means as the Preachers be silly men Oh if wee had greater means some man from the dead or some Angel from Heaven or some miracles we could bee better perswaded A great tempting of God as though his wisdome had failed in appointing sufficient means for the faith of his people Christ reproved this infidelity Joh. 4.48 Except yee see signs and wonders yee will not beleeve Notably Luther If God should offer me a vision I would refuse it I am so confirmed in the truth of the word How commonly doe men stand out the threats of the Word plainly denounced against their sin even in their own consciences which is nothing but to tempt God and try whether he will be so just and strict II. In the things of this life men tempt God many ways 1 Idle persons are tempters of God that for working might releeve themselves and theirs but they will not and yet hope to live whose presumptuous tempting of him God revengeth either by giving them over to stealing and so they fall into the Magistrates hand or he hardens mens hearts against them that they finde not that good in an idle and wandring life which they expected These must have water out of a rock and be extraordinarily fed thrusting themselves out of the ordinary course which God hath put all flesh under viz. By the sweat of thy brows thou shalt get thy bread 2 The omitting of any ordinary means of our good or over-prizing of any means is a tempting of God to take them from us and a revenging of the abuse Hezekiah though the Lord say he shall live fifteen years must not omit means but take dry figgs and lay to the apostem Asa must not trust to Physick for then he shall never come off his bed 3 In our trials when wee murmure grudge make haste or use unlawful means we tempt God and incur this great sin So as none of us can wash our hands of it but it will stick with us and we had need daily to repent of it because it daily thrusts us under the displeasure of God Vse 1. Labour we to nourish our confidence of Gods power and mercy which is an opposite unto this sin and strive against it Quest By what means Ans By observing these rules 1 See that in every thing thou hast Gods word and warrant for what thou doest say not I hope I may doe this or that but I know I may doe it If thou hast a word thou mayest be bold without tempting God that is the ground of faith and tempting of God is from infidelity Acts 27.34 when Paul was in extream peril he tells the Mariners they should come safe to land Why what was his ground even a special word the Angel of God told him that night that none should perish 2 Walk with God as Enoch provoke him not by sin then mayest thou pray unto God and secure thy self under his wing in danger without tempting him So long as a man hath a good conscience with Paul and an upright heart with Hezekiah he may bee bold with God and rejoyce in himself and assure himself that Gods power and justice is his he will not sink in trouble not say Is God with me 3 Vse the means conscionably which God hath appointed for the attaining of good ends Paul had a word that they should all come safe to land yet they must not cast themselves into the sea nor goe out of the ship Never did any promise of God make the godly careless in the means Daniel had a promise of return out of Babylon after seventy years and knew they should return
seeing God doth not extraordinarily save men where the ordinary means are afforded or offered the neglect of this means is to despite great salvation and to make themselves unworthy of life eternal And from the evidence of truth I avouch against every soul that turneth his ear from hearing the word preached that hee despiseth the pardon of the King of Heaven hee refuseth life and salvation offered hee chooseth death and forsaketh his own mercy Joh. 10.27 hee is no sheep of Christ for then would hee hear his voice Joh. 8.47 and if hee were born of God hee would hear the words of God Secondly The object of this Ordinance or what wee must Preach Christ the matter of our preaching and that is Christ The scope of the whole Scripture is Christ and it is wholly resolved into him The Law that is a School-master to Christ for by convincing of sin and making the sinner exceeding sinful it leadeth him forth of himself to seek salvation in Christ The Gospel preacheth nothing but Christ and him crucified for sin 1 Cor. 2. Wee preach Christ the power of God and the wisdome of God Hence is called the Gospel of Jesus Christ Mark 1.1 and the word of Christ Col. 3. not onely because it is from him being God aâ— an â—â—hâ—â—ent cause and preached by him as the chief Teacher of his Church but also for the material cause which is Christ The Apostle Paul calleth it the word of Truth nâ—t onely for the truth of it but because it publisheth that eternal Truth Jesus Christ as also the word of the cross not onely because the cross ordinarily attendeth the faithful preaching and profession of it but because the matter of it is Christ crucified 1 Cor. 2. Quest What is it to preach Christ Answ It standeth in two things To preach Christ wherein it stande h 1 In plain manner to preach the docttrin of Christ concerning his Person his Natures his Offices and the execution of them from his incarnation to his ascension 2 In powerful manner so to apply this Doctrin to every hearer that every one may feel a change to follow both in his heart and life For to teach onely the History of Christ his Doctrin his Miracles his Life his Death is not the full teaching of Christ for thus the unbeleeving Jews know Christ and the Infidel Turks can easily come to this knowledge of him But to reach Christ as the truth is in Christ is to apply every particular to the heart of a sinner that hee may bee framed to conversion and repentance which is the most difficult labour of the Ministery and most to bee striven in Many Teachers who can choose hard Texts and make learned discourses and shew much dexterity of wit reading and humane literature have not thus learned Christ themselves not can after such a lively manner teach him to others And pitty it is to see that whereas so great an Apostle as Paul who wanted not Arts Tongues and humane Learning desired to know nothing but Christ and him crucified among the Corinths themselves it should bee the study of many men to shew the knowledge of any thing rather than of Christ and how they may paint out themselves rather than Christ in their Preaching Is not the end of preaching to make Disciples of Christ Mat. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was it instituted to please the ear or to prick and pence the heart Let the Minister therefore strive to ransack the hearts of men with whom hee is to deal that discovering their secret things they may fall down and say God is in him indeed Let him think hee hath spoken the word of Christ when hee hath both taught him and led his hearers unto him And this will not bee done but by the plainnesse of words and evidence of the Spirit It is thought a reproach to preach a plain Sermon whereas indeed that is the best Sermon which teacheth Christ most plainly 1 By true interpretation of Scripture 2 By wholesome savory and proper Doctrin gathered thence 3 By sound application of that Doctrin for the information of mens judgements and reformation of their lives where Christ crucified is thus held out there need no wooden Images nor Pictures nor the real sacrifice of the abominable Mass to put men in mind of him 2 Hearers may hence learn to judge of themselves whether they have heard aright or no. And then have you heard well when you not onely know that which you did not before but when you beleeve more love more hope more and are more changed than before When you find our Sermons as the glass wherein you see and discern the true estate of your souls when you are cast into the form of this Doctrin when your Lusts stoop and yeeld to this Scepter of Christ without this no knowledge is saving but all our preaching and your hearing tendeth to damnation if yee know these things blessed are yee if yee do them Joh. 13.17 The Apostles commanded in special to teach the doctrin of the last judgement Reasons The third point is what is the particular Doctrin which the Apostles and wee in them are so straitly enjoyned to preach and that is the Article of Christs comming again to judge the quick and the dead And surely it is not without reason that our Saviour should wish them to insist in this doctrin above others 1 Because this being the last work of Christ remaining to be done after his ascension it could not be so easily beleeved as those things which were â—â—reâ—â—y done and accomplished being still in fresh memory and so much the less deniable by how much they were still fixed even in the sences of all those who were eye-witnesses of the same And therefore hee would have his Apostles careful to help the weakness of mens faith in the expectation of his return to judgement by much and often beating upon it as a point that needeth more instance and perswasion than such as being past and so sensibly confirmed by many hundreds and thousands as they were are far more easily apprehended and beleeved 2 The Scriptures teach that the remembrance of this judgement to come is a notable means to quicken the godly in their duty to work in them a reverent fear and shake out security which breedeth hardness of heart therefore did the Apostle Paul considering the terrors of the Lord 2 Cor. 5.11 provoke both himself and others unto their Duty and no marvail seeing the children of God have even at the consideration of more particular judgements been stricken with the fear of the Almighty The Prophet Habakkuk when hee heard but of judgements to come saith That his belly trembled his lips shook and rottennesse entered into his bones Habak 3.16 And David being a noble King hath these words my flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgements Psal 119.120 A special example whereof wee have in that famous
shall gild no matters here for what shall gold or silver pearls or jewels doe when Heaven and earth shall bee on a light fire Here shall be no sanctuaries nor priviledged persons or places to hinder the course of justice hence shall be no appeals but every person shall receive an eternal sentence of every cause according to the truth and equity of it for else the Judge of all the world should not doe right Vse 1 To comfort Gods children Gods children who here have all sentences pass agaiâ—st them shall have justice at this day who in this world are herein conformed unto Christ for the most part causes and sentences passe against them and their light is darkned their innocency by the might and malice of the wicked troddeâ— down but then shall they be sure of the day God will cause their uprightnesse to break out as the Sun in his strength for when wickednesse shall ruin the sinner into Hell righteousnesse shall deliver their souls from death 2 To teach them to possesse their souls in patience when they see the confusions that are in the world to beware of revenge but commit all as Christ himself did to him that judgeth righteously Wee must be content for a while to see our righteous waies depraved our good repaied with evil by evil men and bee so far from thinking hence that there is no providence oâ— care in God over his Children as that wee must necessarily conclude hence this judgement day Observe the rule Eccl. 3.16 When thou seeest in the plaâ—e of judgement wickednesse and iniquity in the place of justice think in thy heâ—rt surely God will udge the just and the wicked for there is a time for every purpose and work and Chap. 5.7 If in a Countrey thou seest oppression of the pâ—or and the defraudâ—ng of judgement and justice bee not astonied at the matter for hee that aâ— higher than the highest regardeth it The same ground do the Apâ—stles â—ftâ—n lay to raise this same exhortation unto patience in induring wrongs as Phil 4.5 Let your patient mind bee known unto all men the Lâ—rd 〈◊〉 at hand Jam. 5.7 Bee yee also patient and settle your hearts for the câ—mming of the Lord dâ—aweth neer As if these holy men had said with one mâ—uth look not to havâ— your right here in this World as neither the wicked have their livâ—e but wait the appointed time as the Husband-man doth for the weâ—ks of Harvest and this time is the comming of the Lord before which tiâ—e neither is the full recompense of righteousnesse given to the Saintâ— not punishment rendred unto the wicked in the full measure of it Grow nâ—t weary of well doing though yee meet with nothing but discouragements not out of love with the practice of piety although the world haâ—e you fâ—r it as it did your head before you for in due season ye shall reap â—f yee faint not 3 This teacheth men carefully to look to all their works and waies that they bee just and justifiable The works and words of men which shall abide the tryal of that dâ—y must now be tryed before hâ—nd such as will hold water as wee say For there is a day of tryal when all those causes which they have by Mony Friends or wicked policy contrived and over-wayed in shall be brought about again into a clear light and put into the ballance of equity it self where they shall bee found too light And think seriously with your selves how those causeâ— words and actions will abide the tryal of that day which even for the present can bring no sound comfort to the heart but rather heaviness to the heart accusation and guiltinesse to the conscience fear in the thoughts and shame in the face if any man should know how impiously and injuriously they have been contrived how many Oppressions Wrongs Cruelties Usuries Revengeful sutes onely commensed to make men spend their goods and lose their peace how much of many mens estates would give a loud witnâ—ss against their owners but that men will not so long before hand trouble themselves with such thoughts Well look to thy self whosoever thou art If thy conscience now accuse thee or can accuse thee but thou wilt either stifle it or stop thine ears against the cry of it know that it hath a voice and will do good service to this Judge one day a thousand witnâ—sses cannot do more than it will do it will bring back old reckonings which Christ hath not reckoned for and set them in order before thee when thou that canst find none now shalt have leisure enough to look into them but all to the breaking of thy heart and increase of thy torment that thou didst not till too late look into thy reckonings Now to all such as mind hereafter to look into so main a business as this is The touchstâ—ne of this tryal is the word of God I will for the present commend onely one rule whereby they may discern wheâ—her their actions will abide the tryal that abideth them and that is this If the Word of God do now approve them they will then bee justifiable but whatsoever word or action hath passed from thee for which thou â—aâ—st not bring thy ground thence the same will cast thee in judgement This is that our Saviour telleth the Jews The word that I speak shall judge you at the last day Jâ—h 12 48. The strâ—ctneâ—s of thâ— l st jâ—dgement 1 In regard oâ— peâ—sons judged Thirdly This judgement of Christ shall bee most strict and accurate 1 In regard of the persons that shall bee judged who shall bee inquired into and brought to give accounts of themselves not onely generally as men or Chriâ—tians but in special according to the particular places and courses of life wherein they were set in this world For example publike persons must give account for themselves and others that have been committed unto them Magistrates for their People Ministers for their Flocks both of them how they entred how they ruled how they walked in and out before their people what faithfulness they used in discovering and discountenancing sin and ungodlinesse how diligent they have been to draw and force men to the keeping of the two tables how they have acquitted themselves from communicating in other mens sins and whether they have faithfully in their places denounced and executed the judgements of God whilest both of them have stood in the room of God In like manner private men must bee countable not onely for themselves but or all those that are under their charge as Fathers for the education of their Children Masters for the instructing and governing of their Servants and Family Tutors for their care or negligence towards such as are committed unto them for the rule of the Law is general and will take fast hold upon many a soul that think it enough to look to themselves that whosoever hindreth not that sin which hee can hinder
apprehend and apply unto our selves Christ and all his merits for the very nature of justifying and saving Faith standeth in these two degrees 1 In apprehension and receiving of Christ for to beleeve and receive Christ are all one Joh. 1.13 2 In applying to ones self Christ and his merits particularly which is not only to know that Christ is God in himself and all other parts of truth necessary to bee beleeved but a full perswasion of the mercy of God through Christ to belong unto himself in particular so as hee bee able with Thomas to say My Lord and my God not onely confessing that Christ dyed for sinners which the very Devils beleeve but as Paul describeth the true Faith in the Son of God by the proper speech and voice of it Gal. 2.20 Who dyed for mee and gave himself for mee Further the description restraining this grace to beleevers giveth us to understand that faith is not of all 2 Thess 3. Faith is not of all nor so common as men take it to bee not every one that can say I beleeve in God hath faith nor every one that will boldly say Christ is his Saviour hath presently saving Faith For. 1 The Prophet Esay speaketh of a number that beleeved not the Prophets report and to whom the arm of God was not revealed Isa 53.1 The Evangelists and the Apostles also complain in their times how this prophecy was accomplished notwithstanding they heard the blessed word of truth from the mouth of truth it self and saw the wonderful Miracles in the hands of Christ himself and his Apostles for the confirmation of that truth 2 The end of Faith which is salvation belongeth not to the most and therefore not faith it self the means for there are few which shall bee saved 3 The Word the parent of faith is wanting to many people and where it is so neglected by the most as grace and Gods blessing is withdrawn from it besides that the unfaithfulnesse of Teachers and abundance of iniquity in all sorts of men provoketh the Lord to revenge with his fearful stroak of slownesse of heart to beleeve that in the midst of means men should wilfully perish now if there be no seed-time what fruit or harvest of faith can be expected 4 The Scriptures not only deny true and saving faith to the reprobate whose eyes the Lord blindeth and whose hearts he hardneth lest they should see and beleeve Isa 6.9 but impropriateth it to the elect whence it is called the faith of the elect Tit. 1.1 To them whom God hath predestinated to life for so many as were ordained to life everlasting beleeved Acts 13 48. to the sheep of Christ Joh. 10.16 But yee beleeve not for yee are not of my sheep to them that are regenerate by the Holy Ghost as 1 Joh. 5.1 Whosoever beleeveth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God Lastly the description addeth the final cause of faith to bee Salvation namely in regard of beleevers for the main end of all graces is the glory of God and so Abraham by beleeving is said to give glory to God Rom. 4.20 but the subordinate end of faith is the salvation of the elect and therefore is it called saving faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In salutem animae Beâ—â— Faith never quite lost Heb. 10.39 we are not they which with-draw our selves unto perdition but we follow faith to the conservation of the soul 1 Pet. 1.9 Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls And from hence followeth it that saving faith can never be quite shaken out of the heart of him that once hath it being 1 but once given to the Saints Jude 3. and a gift of which God never repenteth him 2 A gift flowing from Gods eternal election as we have shewed out of Acts 13.48 3 A seed of God perpetually preserved in the regenerate who sin not because this seed of God remaineth in them 1 Joh. 4.4 4 It hath the promise of the Father to be the victory that overcometh the world the intercession of the Son of God that it fail not Luke 22.32 and the confirmation of the holy Spirit who by it sealeth up and giveth his earnest into the hearts of beleevers 2 Cor. 1.22 so as unless the mighty power of the Father Son and holy Spirit upholding it can bee shaken it can never be by all the gates of Hell so shaken out of the heart but that the end of it shall be salvation which could not be if the elect did not ever abide in communion and fellowship with Christ Popish doctrin teacheth not true faith to this day From which description of true justifying faith it is evident that Popish Doctrin knoweth not teacheth not nor suffereth men to be taught the true Doctrin of saving faith because it utterly disclaimeth the very essential form of it which is special application of Christ and his merits with affiance and resting only on them unto salvation yea and more they condemn this glorious work of faith as a mortal sin and stile it by the name of presumption and so by Gods just judgement they take up such a faith in stead of it as is common not only to Hereticks and Reprobates but to the very Devils themselves who beleeve as much as Popish doctrin requireth to salvation yea and more they tremble also For doe not they know and assent that there is one God that all that is in the Word of God is true and certain that all the Articles of the Creed are the true grounds of Christian religion and if you goe any further excepting the thrusting in of general Councils and Traditions which every good Catholick must take in with the former Popish faith leaveth you and biddeth you farewell and even those things which are absolutely necessary to salvation to bee beleeved by saving faith as that the Scriptures are Gods Word that the Articles of faith comprised in the Creed of the Apostles are of undoubted truth they embrace only by Historical faith by which yet was never man saved for if ever man were then might the Devils also by the same faith But justifying faith is another manner of thing it seateth not it self in the understanding only as the former but takeeth up the whole soul even the heart will and affections also all which lay hold and cleave unto Christ for salvation Neither is it a common and general work of the Spirit upon good and bad as the former illumination and assent is but a special favour and extraordinary grace proper to the elect as wee have heard and the stranger entreth not into this their joy The second point to be considered is the benefit or excellent fruit of this grace 1 It is the first stone to be laid in the building of a Christian Five excellent fruits of saving faith and therefore called a substance and foundation Heb. 11.1 and the Colossians are said to be rooted and built and
Hope Patience Repentance Mortification Examine thy self by these notes for if God love thee as his Child thou lovest him and keepest his Commandements thou lovest not sin but hatest it even thy dearest sins and preservest a care to please him in all things Joh. 14.23 If any man love mee hee will keep my word and my Father will love him and we will come unto him 2 Whereas they say that others which nourish this care are as much crossed as any other and therefore they see no reason that they should make their Life so uncomfortable to no purpose let them know that all the crosses Gods Children whose care is to make up their peace with God Godly life not to be feared for the crosses attending it Reasons are exercised with 1 Proceed from the Love of God and not from hatred 2 They are tryals of Graces not punishments of sins 3 Their end is not rejection from God but through their purging and amendment to draw them nearer unto God 4 By this Reason Christ and his Apostles might have been refused and all the Saints of God who through many afflictions are passed into Heaven 5 The way to avoid Crosses and Punishments is to intend this one care of getting sin remitted And 6 If the way to Heaven bee so strawed with Crosses what is the way to Hell If the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the wicked and sinner appear 3 Whereas they object further against this care that men of good note and perhaps Preachers too account it but fantastical and more than needs and onely a few and those despised ones in the World do thus disquiet themselves who make their lives more uncomfortable than they need I Answer this is indeed one of Satans greatest holds Better going to heaven alone then to Hell with company but such a snare as God leadeth his Children out of in safety whom hee teacheth that it is their happinesse to go to Heaven though alone rather than to Hell with company Mary will sit her down though alone at Christs feet if shee cannot get her sisters company shee knoweth it is the good part that shall never bee taken from her And for those especially if they bee Ministers who should most advance this care but disgrace it as a needlesse vexation of the Spirit let them know that the Lord Jesus was of another minde who pronounced blessednesse on those that mourn now and promised that they should be comforted and far are they from the guidance of that spirit who hath taught us that of all Sacrifices none is comparable to that of a broken spirit and contrite heart which the Lord never dispiseth IV. Now follow the helps to the obtaining of remission of sins As Helps to attain this grace of remission 1 Thou must become a member of the Church Isa 33.24 The people that dwell there shall have their sins forgiven And Chap. 62.12 They shall call them the holy people the redeemed of the Lord. Now to know a mans self a true member of the Church the Prophet David giveth two infallible notes Psal 15.2 The former in regard of God to walk uprightly and sincerely as in Gods presence and under his eye and the latter in regard of men to exercise righteousnesse both in word and deed 2 Consider seriously of the nature of sin how odious it is in it self how vile it maketh thy self in the sight of God how it keepeth away all good things how it procureth all evil how proan thy self art unto it yea even after grace received this will bring thee to the judging and accusing of thy self to the confession and forsaking of thy sin which is the high-way to finde mercy Prov. 28.13 for the former Psal 32. I said I will confesse my sin and thou forgavest mee the iniquity of my sin And for the latter it is plainly implyed in Christs reason Joh. 5.14 Go thy waies â—ow thou art whole but sin no more lest a worse thing follow The fellon that hath been in prison endured the misery of his Irons hath been condemned and with the â—ope about his neck in fear of present death if he have escaped hee will take heed of coming into the like misery again and hee that hath found this grace in truth cannot by turning again to his sin turn it unto wantonnesse 3 Carefully use the means which the wisdome of God hath left to beleevers for the attaining and assuring of this grace of Remission As namely 1 The Ministery of the word which in the right use of it is the Ministry of Reconciliation in which the Lord offereth conditions of peace remission of sins and life everlasting 2 As also of the holy Sacram nts which are the seals of rem ssion of sins to all beleevers worthily receiving the same Matth. 26.28 and 3 another special means is fervent prayer for pardon of sin above all things in the World Drowsy Protestants esteemeth slightly of pardon of sin even as they do of sin it self which they think easily blown off with a Lord of mercy But the tender and distressed Conscience that seeeth and combateth with the danger sueth for pardon as one that would speed A poor fellon on the gallows ready to bee turned off would think a pardon the welcomest thing in all the World but the hardness and drowsiness of mens hearts every where argue that they bee a very few that find this rare grace unlesse wee will say that the greatest blessedness that living man is capable of can be given to him that sleepeth on both sides that never thinketh of it and never maketh means after it Companions of remission of sins V. The companions of remission of sins whereby it may easily bee discerned are five 1 The daily exercise of true repentance in all the parts of it as First In judging ones self for sin past and present and this was apparent in Paul himself who looking back to his former estate reckoned himself a Captain sinner and the chief of all sinners hee saw in himself many sinnâ—s and great sins which needed great mercy and much forgivenesse the which one consideration kept him under continually and fostered in him the grace of Humility when as otherwise through his abundance of gifts and revelations he might have exalted himself out of measure Secondly in watchfulnesse and fear of sin in time to come according to our Saviours holy Counsel Thou art now made whole go thy way and sin no more Thirdly In daily purging and cleansing from known and secret corruptions many are the places wherein the pardoning and purging of sins are joyned as inseparable Jer. 33.8 I will cleanse all their iniquity yea I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against mee 1 Joh. 1.9 If wee confess our sins faithful is hee to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousnesse This was the summe of the Baptisme that is the doctrin which John preached even
quantity as base in quality and yet have by this word an extraordinary blessing as the coarse fare of Daniel II. Without means Gods word causeth man to live as Moses Elias II. Without all means and Christ himself who had immediately before seen the word of God preserving him already forty daies and nights and could further if hee pleased III. Against means as the Disciples sent out III. Against all means were promised if they drank any deadly poyson it should not hurt them so fire burnt not the three children though cast into it when it burnt their enemies and their own bands All this is meant by that our Saviour saith every word and thus most aptly hee returneth the temptation Man lives not onely by bread that is the ordinary means but by extraordinary also even above and beyond means yea without and against means And therefore where thou sayest I must have means Gods word saith there is no absolute necessity of them my Fathers word can still sustain mee without bread as hee hath done these forty daies already 1 The word of God is it Reasons which gave being and beginning to all things when they were not and much more doth it continue the being of them now when they are Psal 104.30 If thou send forth thy spirit they are created By Spirit here is not meant the essence of God but a power and secret vertue proceeding from God all one with this word of God by which things were not onely created at the first but are still renewed and that daily and yearly as it were again created Joh. 1.3 In that word was life that is not onely inherent in the Son of God himself but as an efficient to communicate life to all living things 2 The Word of God is as it were the prop and stay of the world without which all things would fall into confusion Every man knows by nature that God maintains and preserves all things that it is he that stretcheth out the heavens like a curtain that hee sends forth the winds out of his treasure and raiseth the waves of the Sea like mountaines which are great things but nature teacheth not how God doth these things by what means only the Scriptures teach that hee doth all this by his word that as in the creation God said Let there bee light and there was light and so of all other things Gods word was his work so in upholding and preserving it hee doth it by his word as Heb. 1.2 who upholdeth all things by his mighty word which word when God calls in the Creature falls to nothing Act. 17.28 In him we live and move and have our being 3 The same word of God which gives vertue and force to the Creatures in themselves doth also sanctifie them unto us every creature is sanctified by the Word and Prayer 1 Tim. 4.6 the word shews how to get them how to use them and prayer obtains of God a right tenure and a pure use which indeed is the blessing or sanctification of them 4 The same word carries them beyond the strength of their nature to doe us good Bread and VVine in their own nature can but nourish and feed the body but Gods VVord in the institution of the Sacrament makes them feed the soul to eternal life Quest But how may we conceive of this Word whereby God doth govern and preserve the creatures Ans By Gods VVord we must not only conceive his decree and will but a powerful Commandement and effectual to which all his Creatures yeeld free and willing obedience This commanding word was put forth in the Creation Psal 148.5 He commanded and they were all created Men when they attempt and perform any great matter because their power is small must use great labour and many instruments and helps But by the word of the Lord the heavens were made Psal 33.9 He said the word and all things were done This commanding word is put forth in the daily government of God Psal 147.15 He sends out his Commandement upon the earth his word runneth very swiftly that is nothing can withstand and hinder the power of his word here the VVord and Commandement are all one The senslesseness and deadness of the Creatures their vastness and fierceness hinder not his word but without delay yea with marvellous celerity and swiftness they execute his word Psal 148.8 If God speak to the Heavens they shall hear and cover themselves with darknesse at noon day as in Christs passion If hee command the Sun it shall hear his word and goe back or stand still If hee command the VVinds or Sea to be still they shall be still and presently there shall be a great calm If he send forth his VVord the Mountains of Ice shall melt Psa 147.18 If he command the VVhale he shall set Jonah on dry land cap. 2. ver 10. If he command the solid and sensless earth it shall hear and rend to swallow up Corah Dathan and Abâ—ram If hee command the fire not to burn it shall hear and not burn the three Children If he command dead men they shall hear and come out of their Graves as Lazarus c. and all men at the general judgement But as God can see without eyes and reach without hands so also doth he speak without a tongue as the Light the Firmament the Heavens and other his VVorks can hear his voyce without ears neither wanteth he a means to make his mind known and his pleasure manifest to the most sensless creatures Use 1. This should teach us to depend upon this Word of God for our lives and means of maintaining them for so our Lord Jesus did in this barren wilderness he would not sustain himself but by Gods Word Doest thou want means of living and maintenance Consider that man lives not by bread alone The word of God made the 〈◊〉 light without the Sun and the earth fruitful without the rain This word can make the Air light without and before either Sun Moon or Star Gen. 1.3 This word can make the earth fruitful before the rain had ever fallen upon it Gen. 2.5 Wantest thou bread God hath not locked up thy life in bread it may be hee hath another word which if thou hearest with Moses and Elias thou shalt live without bread Asa when hee was in a great straight 2 Chrp. 14.11 for he was with five hundred and fourscore thousand to encounter with an Army of ten hundred thousand and three hundred Chariots hee looked up to this word of God and said that the Lord could save by many or few or by none Hast thou means of living yet depend on this word thy life stands not in bread or in abundance if God with-draw his word neither restorative Quails nor heavenly Manna if thou hadst them shall preserve thy life How often doth God blow upon the second means to bring us to this word Vse 2. The faith of this truth doth fence the heart