or occasion from vs of all the aduantage he hath against vs his temptations are like fire and bellowes and our infirmities and corruptions are wood and fewell The vse I. Hence then we may behold our miserable estate by reason of sinne for thereby it comes to passe that we beare about vs those darts wherewith the diuel doth wound vs. And sith Satans craft and malice is such to take aduantage from vs for to worke our wo we must labour the more diligently to be throughly acquainted with our naturall dispositions and inclinations yea with our bodilie infirmities for the Diuell will search vs and when wee haue truly found out our own estate we must set a strong watch and guard about our owne hearts in respect of our infirmities and so shall we be the better able to breake the necke of Satans temptations The fourth thing in this preparation is Satans comming to Christ The Tempter came vnto him By which phrase it is probable though not certaine that the Diuell tooke vpon him the forme of some creature and so appeared vnto Christ thus he came to Eue in Paradise abusing the serpent to further his assault against the first Adam And it is like that in his combat with the second Adam he came in the shape of some creature for otherwise he could not properly be said to come and speake Some indeed thinke that these temptations were inward in minde onely and by vision others thinke they were altogether visible and done actually but the safest way is to holde that they were in part actually done in bodily maner and partly shewed in vision And thus much for the preparation to the first conflict II. Point The temptation it selfe conteining matter of great importance being indeed the maine temptation of all in these words If thou be the Sonne of God command that these stones be made bread The Diuell being well prouided for time and place and aduantaged also by Christs bodily hunger doth heere assault our Sauiour Christ like a cunning Sophister and frame his argument Syllogistically thus If thou be the sonne of God thou canst make these stones bread But thou canst not make these stones bread Therefore thou art not the sonne of God The ground of this temptation is this It is no reason that the Sonne of God should starue for want of food but thou must starue vnlesse thou canst make these stones bread and therefore vnlesse thou canst do so thou maist perswade thy selfe it was but a false voice which thou heardest from heauen This is my welbeloued Sonne c. The scope and drift of Satan in this temptation standes in two things First hee labours to ouerthrow the faith of Christ. Secondly to bring him to a practise of vnbeleefe For the first By faith I meane a gift or grace in Christ wherby as he was man he beleeued his Fathers words to be true which said This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased whereby wee may see what the Diuell aimes at principally in his temptations against Gods children for these his assaults against our Sauiour Christ are set down for our instruction in this behalfe Satans maine drift then in temptation is to ouerthrow our faith whereby wee beleeue euerie part and parcell of Gods word to be true See this in his tempting of Eue first he labours to weaken her faith in the trueth of Gods threatning which done he easily brought her to actuall disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit The same course hee holdeth at this day first he will seeke to nuzzell men in ignorance that he may keepe them in vnbeliefe if he faile that way then will he endeuour to plunge their soules into some damnable errour and heresie and by one of these meanes doth he destroy the faith of many for while a man remaines in ignorance he can haue no saith and if he misse of the trueth of God he wants ground for his faith Now the reason why the Diuell labours so much against our faith is because we cannot truely relie vpon Gods mercie nor depend vpon his prouidence nor yeeld any acceptable obedience to his commandements vnlesse we beleeue his word More particularly we are to obserue that special branch of Gods word which the Diuell would haue Christ not to beleeue euen that voice of his Father which a little before Christ heard from heauen at his baptisme This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased And this hath the holy Ghost recorded in great wisedome and mercie to Gods Church for heereby doth appeare a main drift of Satan against Christs members in his temptations namely to make them doubt of their adoption and to destroy this perswasion in them that they are the sonnes and daughters of God for if heerein he spared not the head doubtlesse the members shall not escape his hands This appeares by his vsual assault against them specially when God shall lay vpon them any lingring crosse or affliction either in mind in body or in goods then the diuel will suggest this into their minds If thou werst the childe of God he would neuer lay his hand vpon thee so long a time and in so grieuous maner neuer was any child of God in this case that thou art in But God laies his hand thus heauie on thee and therefore thou maiest perswade thy selfe that thou art not the child of God The vse The consideration heereof must mooue vs aboue all things to labour for assurance of our adoption euen to haue our consciences assured out of Gods word that we are the sonnes and daughters of God in Christ. The diuels drift is to ouerthrow this perswasion in vs and therefore our endeuour must be to confirme and settle our hearts heerein This is the charge of the holy Ghost vpon euerie childe of God 2. Pet. 1. 10. Giue all diligence to make your calling and election sure that is get the assurance thereof sealed vp in your hearts by the comfortable fruition and practise of the sauing graces of Gods spirit ioyning vertue with your faith and with your vertue knowledge with your knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and with brotherly kindnesse loue vers 5. 6. 7. And indeed if we would haue true peace and comfort in euery estate whether aduersity or prosperitie let vs labour for the knowledge of our adoption This will be our ioy in want in wealth in bondage in freedome in sicknesse in health in life and in death Heerein is that ioy of Christ which neuer can be taken from vs Ioh. 16. 22. We cannot doe the Diuell a greater pleasure then to neglect the getting of this assurance for heereupon he will take occasion specially in time of distresse fearefully dangerously to seeke to breake the necke of our soules he cares not much otherwaies what men professe and what knowledge and other common giftes of the spirit they haue
of his members who are but weake sinfull men Again in baptisme a man giues vp his name vnto God promising therein for euer to renounce all seruice to the Diuell the flesh and the world and contrariwise to beleeue in God and to serue him and this vow being thus made it is the will of God he should be tempted that in the schoole of temptation he might learn to practise his baptisme But here most men wil say they neuer felt by experience in themselues the trueth of this doctrine for they haue not perceiued any such combate in themselues though they haue bene baptized many yeres agone Answ. Such men whatsoeuer they be haue indeed the outward baptisme of water but they neuer yet receiued the inward baptisme of the spirit they weare Christs liuery but as yet they do seruice vnto Satan And though they haue been made partakers of the seales of the couenant yet still they abide within the kingdome of darkenesse for Christ heere teacheth by his owne example that all those who haue receiued the inward baptism of the spirit whereby they haue effectually put off sinne and put on the Lord Iesus are as sure to be tempted by Satan as himselfe was therefore let such persons as neuer yet felt in themselues this spiritual conflict now begin to reform their liues and to performe their vow of baptisme and they shal vndoubtedly find in themselues the truth of this doctrine That all that are baptized into Christ shal be tempted of the Diuell So long as the children of Israel continued vnder Pharaos bondage they were not pursued by his army but when they set their faces toward the land of Canaan then presently he makes after them with all his might and malice euen so while men liue in sinne and submit themselues to Satans spirituall bondage he will suffer all things to be in peace with them but if once they set their hearts on the heauenly Canaan and giue themselues syncerely to Gods seruice then will he with all his force pursue them meet them with armies of temptations to turne them backe into their olde way of sinne againe The silly bird that is in the snare or vnder the net so long as she lieth still feeles no harme but when she stirs offers to get away then begins her paine and the more she striues the more she finds her selfe ensnared So fareth it with silly men while they liue in sinne securely they are not troubled with Satans temptations but when they beginne to leaue their badde courses and settle themselues to serue the Lord then presently the Diuel seeks to spread his net to intangle them in his snare The consideration whereof must teach vs to watch and pray that we enter not into temptation and as Paul saith to put on the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand against the assaults of the Diuell Ephes. 6. 11. Secondly in that our Sauiour Christ after his solemne inauguration into his mediatorship was immediatly to go to be tempted we learn that all those that are set apart by God to any speciall calling euen at their verie entrance thereinto must looke for temptations This befell the head and therefore all the members must reckon for it When Moses was first called to be the guide and conducter of Gods people out of Egypt hauing slaine an Egyptian in defence of one of his brethren vpon knowledge of the fact he was fain to flie from Pharaos court into the land of Madian and there to liue a shephers life for many yeres with his father in law Iethro And Dauid was no sooner appointed by God to be king ouer his people Israel but Saul began to persecute him and so continued all his dayes And our Sauiour Christ hauing called his Apostles to their office of preaching his kingdome tooke them soone after to the sea and there falling asleepe suffered their ship to be so tossed with waues in a great tempest that they looked for nothing but present drowning so as they cried out Master saue vs we perish And this the Lord doth in great wisedome for the good of his children first to teach them that no man is able of himselfe to carry himselfe in any acceptable course of his calling without Gods speciall assistance and grace Secondly to stir vp in them those good gifts and graces which he hath formerly bestowed on them as the feare of his name the loue of his maiesty the gifts of prayer faith patience and many other which he would haue tried in the entrance of their callings and exercised in the continuance therein vnto the end Thirdly seeing Christ begins his propheticall office of treaching his church with temptations This should admonish all Ministers of the word that howsoeuer all Gods people must prepare themselues against Satans temptations yet they must doe it aboue the rest for looke as in a pitched field the enemy aimeth principally at the standerd-bearer euen so Satan and his instruments do among all Gods people bend their greatest forces against the ministers of Christ which holde vp his scepter and display his banner in the preaching of the Gospel When Iehoshuah the high priest stood before the Lord Satan stood at his right hand to resist him Zak. 3. 1. And when Ahab went to fight against the king of Syriah Satan became a lying spirit in the mouth of 400. prophets mo 1. King 22. 22. This is that great red dragon that with his taile drew downe the third part of the starres of heauen that is of the ministers and preachers of the word and cast them to the earth Reuel 12. 13. 4. This is he that desired to winnow the Disciples as wheat Luk. 22. 31. And as the king of Aram said of Ahab fight not against small nor great but against the king of Israel only 1. King 22. 31. So Satan fighteth not against any so much as the Prophets of Israel the ministers of the Church Fourthly in that Christ is tempted before he go to preach we learne that it is good and profitable for Gods ministers to be exercised with temptations euen of satan himselfe that for sundry causes first that they may know what temptations meane Secondly that they may be the more able to minister helpe and comfort to those that are tempted Thirdly to make them vnderstand the word of God aright for many places of Scripture can not so well be vnderstood by bare study onely as by temptations therewithall and it is true which one sayth well Reading meditation prayer and temptation make a diuine II. Circumstance The author or efficient cause of Christes going foorth to wit the Holy ghost noted in these words was led by the spirit The word led in the originall signifieth thus much that Iesus was carried apart by the spirit which must not bee vnderstood of any locall transportation of his bodie from the riuer
pinnacle of the temple Now if hee had power to set him there why might hee not also cary him thither God ordaining this as well as his temptation The vse By this we see that men may be transported by the Diuell from place to place as the records of all ages do report this one thing yet obserued wherin the common opinion faileth that the Diuell cannot conuey a man aliue so far in a little time as many men thinke as a thousand or two thousand miles in an houre for no man is able to endure such violent motion and yet liue as experience teacheth let a man fall from some high steeple and his breath wil be gone and hee dead before hee come at the ground by reason of the violence of his motion Indeed the Diuell can carrie a man very swiftly but yet for the safetie of mans life he must prolong his time far more than otherwise of himselfe hee needs to doe Secondly hence wee learne that by Gods permission the Diuell may haue power ouer the bodies of Gods owne children which are true beleeuers to transport them from place to place for dealing thus with the head Christ Iesus why may hee not doe so with any of his members besides we find that God permitting him hee hath done more than this to the Saints of God hee may possesse their bodies as he did the woman of Canaans daughter Mat. 15. 22. He may torment them long as hee did exceeding grieuously bow the body of a daughter of Abraham eighteen years Luk. 13 16. Yea he may kill the body as he did to Iobs children who no doubt were holy persons Iob. 1. 19. And therefore much more may hee transport them from place to place Heere this question may fitly be answered whether a true beleeuer may be bewitched Answ. Hee may there is none vpon earth so faithfull and holy but if God permit Satan can afflict their bodies grieuously and therefore also they may be bewitched It is but the fancy of presumptuous persons when they say their faith is so strong that all the witches in the world cannot hurt them for if God permit Satan can grieuously afflict mans body as he did the body of Iob. yea he can kil the body as hath been shewed Salomon speaking of outward things saith truly All things come alike to all and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked now the wicked man may be bewitched as al will grant why then may not the godly also seeing it is but an outward euill This therfore must abate their pride that stand so much on their strong faith behold this fact of Satan to the holy body of Christ and heereby learne for thy humiliation that if God permit Satan is able to bring vpon thy body great affliction Further obserue the place whither Satan caries our Sauiour Christ into the holy city that is Ierusalem Quest. Why is it called holy seeing now it was a polluted place full of sinful people Answ. It is called holy for these causes 1. because heere was the Lords temple the place of his solemne worship wherein were the holy rites and ceremonies prescribed for Gods worship Secondly in Ierusalem as also in all the synagogues of Iudea was Moses chaire the law and the Prophets were read expounded Thirdlie Ierusalem was the mother City of all the world in respect of religion heere God ordained that his church should first be planted and from hence must religion bee deriued to other nations The vse Hence we may obserue that at this time Ierusalē was the true church of God indeed it was very corrupt both for doctrine and maners as Christs seuere reproofe of both doth plainely shew Mat. 5. 21. c. and Mat. 23. 13. 14. c. and yet a true Church else the holy ghost would not haue called it the holy city Now if Ierusalem at this time were the true church of God then then may wee well say that in England God hath his true church for let the corruptions of our Church bee as they are yet shall it match Ierusalem in the prerogatiues of Gods church They had the law and the Prophets read and expounded so haue wee and the Gospel also which is the power of God to mans saluation They had the Sacraments and ceremonies of the Law answerable thereto wee haue the Sacraments of the Gospell and also a true and holy forme of seruing God Their Ierusalem was a mother city and though wee cannot say so much in that behalfe yet hath our Church beene a nurce to neighbour Churches in Germany France and other places round about for many yeares in regard whereof the Lord no doubt hath bestowed many blessings vpon vs. And therefore though our sinnes and abuses be many and grieuous yet in regard of Church prerogatiues we may be called a holy nation and a true member of the Church of God so that as our Sauiour Christ and his Disciples ioined themselues to the congregations of the Iewes in their legal seruice and forsooke them not till they became no Church so ought it to be among vs till we separate from Christ none should seuer themselues from our church ministery seruice of God Those therefore that make a separation from our Church because of corruptions in it are farre from the spirit of Christ and his Apostles If any shal say this makes wel for the church of Rome if so corrupt a place as Ierusalem in regard of Church prerogatiues were an holie city for they haue as many prerogatiues for religion as the Iewes then had and therefore are the church of God and so we do not well to separate from them Answ. Some indeed that are no Papists say the Church of Rome is the Church of God but the truth is the present Church of Rome is spirituall Babylon the mother of abhominations no spouse of Christ but a strumpet But they plead their prerogatiues as first their succession from Peter Secondly true baptisme for substāce according to the first institution Thirdly the Apostles Creed which they hold and beleeue Fourthly the word of God in the writings of the Prophets Apostles And Lastly that theirs is the mother church Answ. All this is nothing when the truth appeares for first succession in person without succession in doctrine is no note of a church now let them shew succession in the Apostles doctrine and we yeeld Secondly their baptisme alone though for substance true baptisme cannot prooue them a true Church Circumcision was the Sacrament of Gods church yet Samaria and Colchis were not the Church of God though they vsed it againe the thiefe may shew the true mans purse but that proueth him not to be true and honest no more doth baptisme iustifie the church of Rome to bee a true church Lastly though they haue outward baptism yet indeed they ouerthrow inward baptisme the life of that sacrament to wit imputed righteousnesse and renued holinesse which
like Yea by this temptation to presumption Satan oft preuailes with the better sort for if a man fauour the trueth and giue himselfe to know religion in any sort the Diuell will straight way go about to perswade him that that which he doth is sufficient to his saluation thus wil keepe him from vsing further means to come by the certaine knowledge of his election and full affiance in Christ Iesus to become a perfect man in Christ which is the end of Gods holy ministery Ephes. 4. 13. whereunto we should giue all diligence 2. Pet. 1. 10. See the truth heereof in the fine foolish virgins who carried burning lamps but tooke no oile with them neuer minding that till it was too late and so doe most men content themselues with the blazing lampe of an outward profession neuer looking for the oile of grace till the time of grace he past The vse Heereby then wee are all taught in speciall maner to beware of presumption this is the common snare of the Diuel wherein he intangles many a soule It is true indeed that he oft preuailes by bringing men to desperation but a thousand perish through presumption almost for one by desperation for despaire is a painfull thing to flesh and bloud and as the Diuell knowes well doth sometimes turne to a mans more sound conuersion but to presume is sweet and pleasant to the flesh and most agreeable to mans corrupt nature in regard whereof wee ought to keepe out heart with all watch ward as Dauid praieth Keepe thy seruant from presumptuous sinnes Ps. 19. 13. Againe obserue the order of Satans temptations by comparing this with the former There he sought to ouerthrow Christs faith to bring him to distrust the trueth of Gods word vttered from heauen but finding hee could not that way preuaile heere he takes the cleane contrary course and seekes to bring him to presume This serues to discouer vnto vs the deepe guile and subtilty of the Diuell that can so cunningly turn himselfe from one extreame vnto another And looke as he dealeth here with Christ the head so doth hee continue towards all his members if he cannot bring them to one extreame he will assay them hard in the other If hee cannot bring a man to couetousnesse and keepe his heart to the loue of money then let him beware of riot and prodigality Is a man giuen to pleasures and delight and an length is depriued of them then let him beware the Diuell swallow him not vp with ouermuch griefe as he sought to do with the incestuous person of Corinth Doth a man come to loue religion that formerly was giuen to loosenesse of life then if it be possible the Diuell will carrie him to schisme heresie The Diuel cannot abide that a man should keepe the meane according to Gods word Isay 30. 21. He would haue our first parents to be Gods or no body Gene. 3. 5. And so still he laboureth to bring a man to some extreame We therefore in all estates during life must labour to keepe the golden meane as Christ heere did neither doubting on the one hand nor presuming on the other but retaining still that blessed faith whereby his blessed heart was firmly setled in these assaults Thus much for Satans drift Now come to the words of this temptation If thou be the sonne of God then cast thy selfe downe that is shew by this miracle that thou art the sonne of God Marke here the Diuell perswades him not to shew himselfe to be the sonne of God by doctrine in the execution of his ministerie but Cast thy selfe downe shew a miracle wherein we may beholde the very liuely image of that naturall disposition which is in all impenitent persons they affect Christes miracles but they care not for his doctrine Herod longed to see Christ and was glad of his comming when Pilate sent him yet not to heare his doctrine for that he could not endure els he would not haue imprisoned Iohn and also put him to death but he hoped to see a miracle The wicked Iewes desire a signe that put Christ to death for his doctrine yet if be will come downe from the crosse and so miraculously saue himselfe then they will beleeue Mark 15. 32. And this venom of the olde serpent hath poisoned the hearts of many students in the Scriptures who care not at all to ground themselues in the fundamentall points of religion as faith and repentance and yet are woonderfull eager after quidditles and difficulties wherein may appeare some outward shew of wit and learning like the hypocriticall Pharisies that would tithe mint and rue and yet passe ouer iudgement and the loue of God Luk. 11. 42. And the cause hereof is the want of sound grace for naturall men indeed can not sauour the things of the spirit of God the knowledge of Christ crucified seemes foolishnesse vnto them Secondly the Diuell tooke occasion of his former temptation from Christs infirmitie of hunger but perceiuing Christs sure faith in his fathers word by his gratious answer to that assault heere he borrowes his temptation from that profession of his faith as if he should say thou seemest to be resolued of the trueth of thy fathers word that thou art the sonne of God and if that be true indeed then shew it by this miracle Cast thy selfe downe Heere then behold another tricke of Satan if he cannot preuaile by assaults drawen from our infirmities then will he assay vs by temptations drawen from Gods good gifts and graces in vs If he cannot keepe a man in ignorance that hath good gifts of wit memory then will hee seeke from his knowledge to puffe him vp with pride and so mingling his poison with Gods good gifts doth cause many a one to become a bane to Gods church that otherwise might haue prooued an excellent instrument therein as might easily be shewed in sundry particulars Thirdly heere marke how Satans malice is restrained and his power limited By Gods permission he is able to carrie Christ from the wildernes to Ierusalem and there to set him in a most dangerous place on a wing of the temple the thing hee now desireth is his destruction by casting downe head long but that he can not doe and therefore perswades Christ to cast himself down wherein we see the speciall prouidence of God ouer Christ Iesus in all these temptations restraining his enemy in the thing he most desired And the same prouidence doth he still continue ouer his Church for the effectuall preseruation of Christs members in all their temptations The Diuels vnwearied desire drift is to bring contentions hurliburlies and ruines into all societies in Church and Common-wealth therfore the peace and tranquillity of these is and so must bee acknowledged a notable fruit of Gods blessed prouidence restraining the spite and malice of Satan Againe hence it is euident that in temptation Satan cannot go beyond the permission of
God he can tempt Christ yea transport his body and set him in a dangerous place for thus far God permits him to goe but to cast Christ downe from the pinnacle he cannot therein comes Gods restraint So it fareth with Gods children for the triall of his graces in them and to chastise them for some sinnes he suffers Satan to buffet them but yet one iotte of his malice beyond Gods permission he cannot shew as in Iobs affliction by him may notably appeare Which wee must carefully remember for our special comfort in our most grieuous assaults Gods will permitting Satan so farre must make vs patient and yet his power restraining Satan from doing worse must giue vs comfort Thus much for the temptation itselfe The reason whereby Satan enforceth his temptation is taken from a testimony of Scripture For it is written he shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee c. Satan hearing Christ alledge scripture for his defence against the first assault comes now vpon him with his owne weapon that if it were possible he might foile him after this sort Thou shewest thy selfe to be the Doctor of the Church by thine alleadging of Scripture and that it seemes thou makest the rule of thine actions well then thou maiest well and safely cast thy selfe downe hence if thou bee the Sonne of God for it is written he shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee and with their hands they shall lift thee vp c. From this dealing of Satan wee are taught not to embrace an opinion in religion because a shew of proofe by testimony of Scripture may bee giuen for it But we must trie the spirits that is the doctrines of men whether they be of God or not 1. Ioh. 4. 1. For the Diuell can alleadge Scripture to mooue Christ vnto presumption and it is his vsuall practise when he caries men into schisms errors and heresies Reason with a man that minds to liue in sinne and tell him of that dangerous state by reason of the shortnesse and vncertainty of this life will he not tell you straight he will doe as he does and repent when he is old for it is written At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance saith the Lord And some thinke three or foure good words at a mans last end wil serue his turne for the thiefe on the crosse said no more but Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome And all such as are trained vp in the schoole of Satan can easilie alledge scripture to further them in euil But let vs come to the scripture which the Diuel doth notoriously abuse by his allegation it is written in the 91. Ps. v. 11. In the alledging whereof he would seeme very carefull and precise at the first not omitting so much as this particle for which might haue beene left out and yet nothing haue been wanting to the force of his reason But heerein is the deepenesse of his policy to cause Christ not to suspect any falshood afterward for towards the end hee leaueth out that on which the promise is grounded of being kept by the Angel to wit to keepe thee in all thy waies that is in all the good duties of thy lawfull calling wherein thou shalt glorifie God and doe good to others to such as so walke in their waies doth that promise belong Heere then behold Satans notable fraud and craft that can so cunninglie leaue out that which makes not for his purpose and so peruert the true meaning of scripture this is his vsuall practise in enmity against the word to depraue the true meaning by cutting off some part when hee cannot vtterly ouerthrow the whole The like is the dealing of all heretickes who by cutting off and leauing out play legerdemaine with the scripture The Arrian holds the Bible for the word of God but such places as serue to proue the godhead of Christ he doth notably abuse and peruert The familie of Loue also doth hold the bible for the word of God but come to the true meaning of it therein they faile turning all into Allegories euen most true histories as the fall of our first Parents and such like which are maine grounds of religion in their naturall sense and the Apostaticall Church of Rome doth hold with vs the bookes of the old and new Testament but yet they put in and take out at their pleasure and take from it all sense and meaning which agrees not with the determination of their holy father the Pope and thereby they ouerturne the word of God and strongly maintaine their mystery of iniquity This dealing of Satan and his wicked miscreants with the scripture must make all Gods children willing to spend their strength in searching out the Scripture for that is the onely way to descrie their fraude in deprauing of it This caused Christ to bidde the people in his time to search the Scriptures to learne to know him to bee the true Messias which the Iewish teachers did then deny In regard whereof wee must say with Moses oh that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit vpon them oh that all could reade and vnderstand the word of God! This is it wherein all that either be or intend to be ministers must labour especially euen to get sound knowledge and iudgement in the text of Scripture The Minister must not only be able to teach the truth but also to discerne to discouer and to confure errors and heresies which hee can neuer foundly doe without good vnderstanding in the text it selfe The Diuell knowes the whole Scripture and he will spare no text therein it hee can corrupt it therfore to resoue Gods truth out of his hands who is the father of lies the Minister must shew himselfe a good souldier of Iesus Christ as Paul exhorteth Timothy giuing such attendance to the word that all men may see his profitting therein yea with Ieremie the Minister must eat the bookes of God and digest them in his vnderstanding and rejoice therein labouring to feele them the joy of his heart The Diuell knowes that Scripture truely vnderstood and well applied is the onely engine for the battery of his kingdome and therefore euen from the beginning but specially since the comming of Christ hee hath laboured by all meanes to keepe men from the knowledge and true vnderstanding of them hee it is that hath brought men from the reading of the Scriptures to betake themselues to the writings of men as schoolemen fathers and such by this meanes hee hath for many yeares euen to this day in the Church of Rome locked vp the Scripture in an vnknowen tongue yea euen in Gods church the Diuel works mightily this way by stealing away the affections of yong students from the Bible and rauishing them with delight in the writings of men for thus he keeps them from the
who hath power iudiciall to expound the scripture Indeed their answer is that the Church is this Iudge and that we must consult at her mouth for the true meaning of the Scripture Answ. The church hath a ministery and dispensation committed vnto her in the execution whereof she deliuereth the meaning of the Scripture vnto Gods people but that is not from any iudiciall authority committed vnto her to determine of the sense of Scripture of her selfe but onely by comparing scripture with scripture and expounding one place out of another euen as the Lawyer giues the sense of the law not from any iudicial power giuen vnto him aboue the law but by obseruing the words with the scope and circumstances of the law But heere I would know if the Church must needs bee iudge by what meanes must she determine They answer by the rule of faith the consent of Councels and Fathers and if these faile then by the Pope Answ. By their rule of faith they vnderstand vnwritten traditions that is such truth beside Scripture as hath beene kept by tradition from hand to hand since the primitiue Church But these are meere forgeries and shame it were to subiect the truth of God to the deuice of man if these bee made iudge of Scripture then shall the faith of the church depend vpon the wisedome of man and not vpon the power of God a thing abhorred of the Apostle 1. Cor. 2. 5. The onely rule of faith is the Scripture and true faith will admit no other iudge beside the Scripture to determine of that whereon it must depend Secondly for their consent of Fathers and Councels that is no sufficient meanes to determine of the true sense of Scripture for their seuerall errors and contradictions one to another many times to themselues shew that they wanted the immediate assistance of the Spirit And the same is true of the Pope as might easily be proued at large by their grosse ignorance errors And therfore it remaines that the true iudge and expounder of Scripture is Scripture it selfe as Christ himselfe by his practise sheweth in this place The place alledged by Christ is this commandement of God vnto his people Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God For the vnderstanding whereof we must search out three things first what the tempting of God signifieth secondly the manner how God is tempted and thirdly the cause and root thereof For the first to tempt God signifieth to make triall and experience of God and to prooue whether hee be so true iust mercifull prouident and powerfull as his word reporteth him to be Thus did the Israelites often tempt God as the Lord saith When your fathers tempted me proued me and saw my workes which latter words shew what it is to tempt God euen to seeke to haue proofe by his works whether he be such a one as his word saith he is If any shall say we are commanded to taste and see how gratious the Lord is Ps. 34. 8. yea the Lord bids his people proue him Malach. 3. 10. Answ. Those places do sufficiently expound themselues for Dauids taste and sight is by the grace of true faith and affiance for in the same verse he pronounceth such blessed and in Malachie the Lord bids them prooue him but yet in their way of obedience in prouiding for his Sanctuary according to his ordinances Therefore we must know for the second point that euery triall of God is not simply euill but that which is needlesse when without warrant from his word we presume vpon him beyond the meanes of his ordinary prouidence Thirdly the root of this sinne is an vnbeleeuing heart whereby a man doubts of the truth of Gods word of his power presence and prouidence Ps. 78. 18. The Israelites tempted God in their hearts there is this sinne the maner how followeth in requiring meat for their lusts c. not contenting thēselues with Gods present prouidence the root ground whereof is set downe vers 22. because they beleeued not in God and trusted not in his helpe When a man doubts of the fidelity of his seruant he wil lay something in his way as a peece of siluer his purse c. to trie him withall so when a man begins to doubt of Gods goodnesse and fidelity towards him hee will easily be brought to make needlesse triall of him by some worke of God beside his ordinary prouidence The meaning then is this Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God that is thou shalt not make any needlesse triall of Gods goodnesse mercy power or prouidence from a distrustfull heart in the truth of his word Heere yet further for our instruction wee are to know that God is tempted fiue waies as the word of God doth manifest first when a man shall appoint vnto God either the time when the place where or the maner how God shall helpe him and performe his word vnto him heerein he seeks experience of the truth and power of God Thus the Israelites tempted God in the wildernesse when they wanted water saying Is God among vs or no God had promised to bee with them in all their iourney to Canaan but that they will not now beleeue vnlesse he wil shew his presence by giuing them water in that place And so likewise they tempted him in the want of foood Ps. 78. 19. Can God prepare a table in the wildernesse The consideration whereof must teach vs in all our petitions which we make vnto God for the accomplishment of his promises vnto vs to beware of limiting God as the Iewes did by prescribing vnto him time place maner for the accomplishment thereof but wait with patience his good leasure For hee that beleeueth will not make haste but wil commit his way to the Lord Ps. 37. 5. Secondly God is tempted when men require a signe at his hands Thus the Pharisies tempted Christ Matt. 12. 38. Master we would see a signe of thee meaning thereby to be certified whether hee were the Messias and Luke saith they tempted him Luk. 11. 16. And thus doe all those tempt God which refuse to embrace the doctrine of the Gospel because they cannot see the ministers therof to confirme the same by miracles Thus do many Papists plead against our religion embracing rather the mysterie of iniquity because it is confirmed vnto them by lying wonders not considering that the truth which wee professe was once sufficiently confirmed to bee the truth of God by his owne testimony thereunto in signes wonders through the hands of his Apostles Quest. Is euery asking of a signe a tempting of God for Gedion asked a signe when he was to be a Iudge and deliuerer of gods people Iudg. 6. 17. And so did Hezekiah to bee assured of the lengthning of his daies 2. King 20. 8. And yet we reade not that God charged them with tempring him but did condescend to their requests Answ. There be two causes