in the world that the diuell can carrie a man or woman from one countrey to another if God giue him leaue but so as he cannot do it with such celeritie and expedition as men imagine Some foolishly thinke he can carrie one many hundred miles in an houre which is a thing impossible for such a violent motion would stop a mans breath as we see if a man fall from the toppe of an high steeple his wind is gone ere he come halfe the way to the ground Againe hence we see that the diuell may by Gods permission haue power ouer the bodies of godly men and those which haue greatest graces and strongest faith in God For seeing he had power ouer the bodie of Christ to transport it from place to place by the permission of God why may he not if God giue him leaue haue power of any mās bodie though he be neuer so true a beleeuer If he had power in the head why not in the mēbers if he had power to annoy Iob to kill his childrē destroy thē though they were no doubt the holy seruants of God why may not the diuell haue power ouer our bodies to carie a mā frō one place to another If the Diuell could by Gods permissiō tormēt the bodie of one that was a daughter of faithfull Abraham and euen 18. yeares afflict her so as she was bruised and bowed together by Satan then no doubt he can do the lesse to remoue mens bodies from place to place And this may serue to admonish those who thinke their faith is so strong that the diuel cannot annoy thē or any way bewitch them But if the diuell haue power by Gods permission to torment the bodies of the faithfull yea to destroy the bodies of Iobs childrē who no doubt were the true seruants of God he may if God giue him leaue bewitch the godliest man that liueth For we know what the holy Ghost faith that all things fall out and all things come alike to good and bad and there is no difference in outward things oftentimes betweene the children of God and the wicked To the holy citie That is Ierusalem Luk. 4. 9. Now this citie was called holy for sundrie causes First because in Ierusalem was the temple of the Lord where were the sacrifices and other ceremonies prescribe◠by God for his own worship Secondly i◠the temple they had the law of God and the bookes of Moses and the Prophets read an◠expounded vnto them Thirdly becaus◠Ierusalem was a mother Church frō whenc◠religion did flow and was dispersed into many places of the world Now for these considerations Ierusalem is called the holy citie This church at Ierusalem though it hao many corruptions in it yet our Sauiour Christ cals it holy and it was a true Church of God Then hence I conclude that the Church of God in England though there be in it many blemishes corruptions yet may it be and in truth is the true Church of God For the Church of God in England is proprotionable to the Church at Ierusalē for as they had Moses and the Prophets read and expounded so haue we nay we haue the Gospell now soundly preached which they then had not in so plaine and plentifull manner as we haue They had the Sacraments of the old Testament so we haue Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. Their Church was a mother church to deriue Religion to many other and though our Church cannot be called a Mother church yet it may be truly called a nourcing Church to many neighbour churches round about vs. As Christ and his Apostles did not therfore separate themselues or refuse to ioyne with them in the seruice of God because of the corruptions in this church at Ierusalem but did teach and preach in the Temple so none may therefore separate themselues and refuse to ioyne with the people of God in his seruice and worship because of some few corruptions that remaine in it Nay such as for these do separate themselues from Gods people do cut themselues from Christ himselfe seeing they seuer themselues from the Church of God If any shall say that the church of Rome is the true Church of God as well as the Church of Ierusalem seeing the Romish church hath as many priuiledges as the Church at Ierusalem I answer By examining the particulars it will appeare to the contrarie As first the Church of Rome braggeth that she hath her succession from the Apostles but I answer succession from persons without succession in the Apostles doctrine can be no true note of the Church Secondly the Church of Rome hath the sacrament of Baptisme yet that proues he◠not the true Church for in Samaria they had the Sacrament of circumcision and so in other places and yet it cannot be proued that they were the true Churches of God Besides I answer the church of Rome hath baptisme no otherwise then a theefe hath a true mans purse now it cannot be said that a theefe is therefore a true man because he hath a true mans purse Lastly though the Church of Rome haue the outward baptisme yet she in doctrine ouerturnes the inward baptisme namely the true imputed iustification and inherent sanctification of Christ by the spirit 3 The Church of Rome holdeth the Apostles Creed but it is onely in word for the truth is their God whome they worship is an Idoll and their Christ is a false counterfeit Christ forged by their owne braine as may appeare to all that will search their doctrine 4 She saith that they hold the word of God and the writings of the Apostles but it will appeare in their writings that they hold it but in shew not in truth for in the maine grounds of religion they ouerturne the doctrine of the Prophets Apostles Againe they hold the Scriptures but as a lanthorn holds the candle not for it selfe but for those that passe by so the Church of Rome haue the word of God not for themselues but for the good of Gods children which euer lye hid in the middest of Poperie 5 She brags that she is the mother-church of many Churches I answer we must consider that citie as Rome is and as Rome was the old Rome which was in the time of Paul was the true Church of God but as for that old Rome it is dead and buried and this new Rome is that whore of Babylon no mother-church but a cruell step-mother to Religion By al this we may see that the present church of Rome is no Church of God but onely in name and outward shew And seeing that the Diuell tempts our Sauiour Christ in the holy citie we learne that there is no place so holy but the Diuell can broach his temptations in it as we may see Zach. 3. 1. 2. and therfore this condemnes that dotage and sorcery of the Church of Rome who teach that their charmed holy water their
take paines that their diligence in defending and vpholding true religion and building the church of God may counteruaile Satans diligence in hindering of it Secondly it behooueth all Christians not onely to pray for themselues but seeing the Diuell labours the ruine of the church specially in preuailing with Princes and great men we must pray for the good of Gods Church and children and euery member of it by name for Kings Queens c good reasō is there that we should do so for in the good and flourishing estate of the church we all receiue benefite by it and fare the better for it Thirdly if Satan durst set vpon the Sonne of God and tempt him to idolatrie and to worship the Diuell then much more will he be tempting vs to the like sinne and set vpō sinfull man to moue him to worship him and make him his God But you will say there is none so mad to worship the diuell to make him our God oh we defie him True it is men say they defie the Diuell and spit at him but alas if we consider their dealings we shall see the Diuell sits in their hearts and rules there as God Do but cast your eye vpon the three maine Religions of the world the religion of the Turke of the Iew and of the Papist and it will appeare that most men worship the Diuell and make him their God because the Turke he is ignorāt of the true God the Iew worships God the Father but not by Iesus Christ whom they deny the Papist worships a false and counterfeit Christ forged by themselues and neuer read of in the word of God for they make him a Sauior in part a Priest to be creator or the maker of his Creator That it may appeare that these three sorts of people do not worship the true God but euen the diuell himselfe let vs marke these 2 principles First that al doctrines set downe and inuented by man concerning Gods seruice and worship being against the word of God they be the doctrines of Diuels so saith Paule 1. Tim. 4. 1. 3. that there shall come false teachers which shall teach doctrines of Diuels and what are these Vers. 3. he saith Such as forbid to marrie and teach men that some meates be holy in themselues some vnholy and not lawfull to be eaten The second principle is this all worship of God deuised by man being against the word of God is the doctrine of Diuels So the Gentiles offering to Idols Paule saith they offered to Diuels yet none of them intended that but rather by the idols offered to God So whatsoeuer worship shall be inuented being against the word of God it is indeed the worship of the Diuell not of God Now by these two principles it appeareth that the worship of God performed by the Turkes and by the Iewes it is no worship of God but the worship of Diuels seeing both of them worship the Father out of the Sonne And the worship of God in Poperie it is no better then the worship of the Diuel seeing they worship God out of the true Christ and haue forged to themselues a false counterfeit Christ. And if Paule might truly affirme of the Gentiles that they worshipped not the true God but offered to diuels then mnch more may it be auouched of that abominable sacrifice of the Masse that it is indeed the worship of the diuell seeing it is more vile idolatrie then that of the Gentiles Now it will be said Though the Diuell preuaile thus with them yet he cannot preuaile so with Protestants neither can they be said to worship the diuell I answer That in truth there be thousands of Protestants in the world who do worship the Diuel for all those which do onely in outward shew professe true religion but in heart loue the world set their hearts vpon pleasures profites and preferments such professours do in truth make the diuell their God and may be said to worship the Diuell For to whom soeuer they giue their hearts to them they do giue worship but while they set their hearts on these things they do not loue God neither do they beleeue in God and rest vpon him as their God and therefore they make the world their God and so worship the Diuell Fourthly by this practise of the diuell we see those men confuted who thinke that the diuell cannot make a league with men as with witches coniurers c. For we reade and know such things haue bin done and here we haue a manifest proofe of it for the Diuell offers a league to Christ there was nothing wanting but our Sauiour Christ his cōsent And if sinfull mā had bene in Christs stead questionlesse there had bene a league and for so great gaine he would haue the diuell his seruice Then said Iesus vnto him Auoide Satan c. Now followeth the answer of our Sauiour Christ. And first in Christs answer marke in propounding of it he vseth first a speech of indignation and of defiance to the Diuell and his offer Auoide Satan as though Christ should haue said I haue heard thee blaspheme both me and my Father haue thus long suffered thee but I will suffer thee no longer get thee hence Satan I will not vouchsafe to answer to thy temptations any more Marke here in the answer of Christ that he was content to endure the diuels temptations and reproches which concerned his owne person but when he is so bold to blaspheme God his Father he can endure him no longer Now when he makes challenge and claimes title to all the kingdoms of the world as though he were Lord of them and could bestow them at his pleasure therin he blasphemed God his Father Then this teacheth vs that if we shall heare vngodly wretches blaspheme the name of God we may not endure it but haue indignation great dislike of it And if we heare black-mouthed Rabshekahs blaspheme the holy name of God by swearing cursing banning we must be touched with griefe to heare the glorious name of our God dishonoured and if time and place require manifest our dislike in open reprehension of it Whē Ahab and Iezabel being both wicked heard that Naboth had blasphemed God they rent their cloathes in token of sorrow So when Hezechiah heard the blasphemies of Rabshekah he rent his cloths and was very much grieued for it Whē Dauid heard the Gentiles say where is now their God this blasphemous speech did greatly affect him so as his very teares were his drinke And the bad speeches of the men of Sodome did much affect Lot vexe his righteous soule 2. Pet. 2. 8. And as all men must be grieued to heare wicked men blaspheme the name of God so especially those that be gouernours of others and by name maisters of families as Dauid saith Psal. 101. he would not suffer a talebearer in his house much lesse a blasphemer
now followeth the third In this third temptation we are to consider againe three especial points first the preparation of the Diuel ver 8. Secondly the temptatioÌ„ it selfe ver 9. Thirdly Christ his answer ver 10. And first of all seeing the Diuell doth thus arme himselfe and comes prepared three times in three seuerall temptations it should teach vs all on our parts to prepare our selues continually and to be ready to resist his temptations In the Diuels preparation note two parts first he taketh him to an exceeding high monntaine secondly he shewes him all the kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them But how could the Diuel cary our Sauiour Christ to this high mountaine I answer he might do it two wayes first by vision secondly by reall transporting of his body from Ierusalem to this mountaine Some thinke that this was onely in visioÌ„ but I rather thinke our Sauiour Christ was caried locally and really for our Sauiour Christ his temptations are not imaginary but true and reall temptations and the words import no lesse but that he was really and locally transported from the citie to the mountaine The reasons why the Diuell caried our Sauiour Christ to the mountaine are these First because the Diuell in all things desireâ— to imitate God and to become as it were Gods ape Now we reade that the Lord caried Moses to the mount Nebo to shew him all the land of Canaan so the Diuell to imitate God and by imitating God to match him and so to disgrace the Lord carieth our Sauior Christ to the mountaine as it is likely to imitate Gods dealing with Moses Secondly the Diuell caried our Sauiour Christ to this high mountaine as a most fit and conuenient place to broach this his third and last temptation now in hand In that the Diuell doth carie our Sauiour Christ from Ierusalem to this hill locally hence we learne that he may by Gods permission haue like power ouer the deare children of God not once but twise nay thrise oftentimes We see this true in our sauior Christ the head therefore if the Lord permit Satan and by his permission giue the Diuell libertie to transport our bodies from place to place we must not be discouraged Seeing the same thing befell the head it may also befall his members which we are The second part of the Diuels preparatioÌ„ is this that he shewes him all the kingdomes of the world c. Now concerning this we may not think the Diuell could do this in deed and truth to shew Christ all the seuerall kingdomes of the world as they be here placed vpon earth for that is a thing impossible for there is no hill so high that a man might see them all Nay if a maÌ„ were as high as the Sunne and could see neuer so clearely yet he could but see the one halfe of the earth and therefore we must know he shewed them in a counterfeit vision Now these visions of the Diuell they be either of the outward senses or else of the vnderstanding Of the outward senses as the delusions of the Diuel making men thinke they see that they do not see indeed So the Diuel is said to shew Samuel to Saul in a vision in his proper habite and this was indeed but a couÌ„terfet Samuel not that true Samuel who rested in the graue concerning his bodie and remained in heauen concerning his soule Secondly there be false visions and deludings of the vnderstanding as the Lord speaketh that he will make the false prophets ashamed of their lying visions And some of these visions come vnto men sleeping called dreames Deut. 13. 1. some come waking as to such as haue their braine crased they oftentimes haue visions and thinke themselues to be Kings or Prophets as Iohn Baptist c. Now concerning this vision of Christ offered by the Diuell he did it not onely to the mind of Christ but also to his out ward eye and visibly By this practise of the Diuell we may behold his wonderfull skill and power in that he can resemble to the outward senses in such a strange manner euen as he listeth so great and wonderfull matters And the like is done by Magicians and Coniurers who by the helpe of the diuel can reueale and shew things done in a farre countrey or things that be lost in a glasse or for things long passed can resemble them to outward sense in a glasse or in the aire So that those are deceiued who are of mind that they cannot do this for if the diuell could shew Christ all the kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them in so short a time then much more can he shew some one particular thing to the eye and sense of man Now let vs marke the diuels drift in this temptation setting before Christs eyes this goodly and glorious sight sure it was to this end that the diuell might by this meanes more easily wind himselfe into the heart of Christ and therefore he sets this thing before his eyes that Christ might be moued by them and take some delight in them and delighting in them might desire them and so Satan might in the end ouercome him and insnare him And this hath bene the auncient practise of the diuell as Genes 3. first to moue Evah to cast her eye vpon the apple to marke the beautie of it then to like it theÌ„ to desire and lust after it and so in the end to tast of it And thus he dealt with Christ first he shewes this glorious sight and the beautie of all these things that if he could he might haue moued him to desire them and so make his temptation take place Seeing this is Satans auncient subtiltie it must warne vs to take great heed of our outward senses especially the two senses of learning namely seeing and hearing The eyes and the â—ares be the two windowes of the Soule and if the diuell can get in his head there he will easily wind in all his bodie and poison our soules We had need therefore to counterguard our hearts to keepe them with all diligence euen aboue al watch and ward and euermore to take heed who what enters into our eyes and eares and to make sure wâ— keep carefull watch at those doores We muâ—â— pray with Dauid O Lord set a Watch before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lippes and with holy Iob make a couenant with our eyes that they behold no vanitie This if we do death shall not enter in by these doores and windowes but we shall preserue our soules in puritie Now when the diuell shewes our Sauiour Christ this goodly shew let vs mark the maner he shewes Christ all the beautie the glorie and delight of them not the troubles vexations calamities and daungers of them And thus will the diuel deale with vs if he would tempt any one to some sinne he neuer shewes but