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
his protection to keepe within the compasse of it Iesus said vnto him It is written againe Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God In these words is coÌ„tained the answer of our Sauiour Christ to the second temptation of the Diuell wherein he doth oppose Scripture against Scripture But to expound that place which the Diuell alleaged and to shew how vilely Satan abuseth the word of God he alleageth another place of Scripture wherein our Sauiour Christ answers the Diuell that it is true God hath made sundry promises in his word of protectioÌ„ to his people but yet so as if they refuse to walke in the coÌ„mandements of God and to vse such lawfull meanes as he prescribeth in his word he is not bound to perfome them for they be made vpon that condition Againe it is written Seeing our Sauior Christ doth alleage another place of Scripture to expound that the Diuel brought against him and to shew how he abused Scripture hence we gather that the holy Scriptures are of themselues sufficient to interprete themselues for so Christ alleageth another text of scripture to expound that which Satan alleageth and to confute his abusing of it So we find that Ezra did expound the law of God and giues the sense of it by the scriptures and so expounds the one by the other Nehem. 8. 9. Iunius Now if the seruants of God could do this in the old Testament how much more may we in the new wherein many things are most plainely opened and expounded by Christ and his Apostles But the Papists cannot by any meanes yeeld to this doctrin for they hold that that which must interprete the scriptures must haue iudiciall power and authoritie to iudge of the sense of the scriptures but they hold the scriptures are but a dumbe letter and therefore are not able to iudge of the sense aÌ„d meaning of the scriptures Yet for all that we see by the example of our sauior Christ that the scriptures are of sufficient power to giue the sense of the scriptures to interprete theÌ„selues and to shew what is the true sense of the scriptures though they be dumbe And as we see that a maÌ„ may aswel shew his mind to his friend by letters and writing as by word of mouth euen so the Lord God speakes now to his people by the scriptures as well as he did in olde time by his owne liuely voice from heauen But if the Papists will yet deny the scriptures to haue power to iudge and determine of the sense of the Scriptures then would I know who hath this power giuen vnto him They answer the church must giue iudgement and determine of the sense of the scriptures but that is false for the Lord hath not giuen any such power to the Church to determine of the sense of the scriptures at her pleasure but only he hath giuen to the ministery of the word to open and expound the scriptures by the scriptures theÌ„selues As a Lawyer hath not that power to iudge of the law of his Prince and to giue what sense he listeth but onely to expound the law and to giue the sense of it by the words of the law and other circumstances coÌ„cerning the same The Church of Rome say further they 〈◊〉 determine of the sense of the scriptures either by the rule of faith or the consent of the fathers or if they faile then the Pope he is 〈◊〉 determine of them as one that cannot erre 1 Concerning the rule of Faith by which they vnderstand vnwritten traditions how can they be fit iudges to determine of the sence of the scriptures vnlesse we will giâ—e more authoritie to vnwritten verities then to the written word of God Nay onely the scriptures must be the rule of faith and only the scriptures iudge and determine of the sense of themselues 2 Neither is the consent of Fathers a sufficient rule to giue iudgement and to determine of the sense of the scriptures for we know that they being men and many of theÌ„ hauing not the knowledge of Hebrew and Greeke yea and most of all in expounding the word are subiect to error and sometimes do erre And by the same reason the Pope is no meete man to be the iudge of the scriptures and to determine what should be the sense of theÌ„ seeing he is subiect to manifold errors and many Popes haue erred in the foundations of Religion Now follow the words of Christs answer taken out of Deut. 6. 16. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God First we must search what this word to tempt signifies secondly the maner how God is said to be teÌ„pted thirdly the cause and root of this tempting of God First To tempt God is to proue or to make trial whether God be such a one as the scriptures report him to be namely whether he be so iust so mercifull so mightie as the word of God describes him to be So the Propet Dauid expounds it Psal. 95. 9. Your father 's tempted me and proued me in the desert Where to tempt is to proue Gods iustice and mercie whether he were so iust and mercifull as the word sets him out to be and as he promised to be Secondly for the manner it is not simply to tempt and to make triall of God but to tempt God is to make needlesse triall of Gods power c. when we haue no cause to try the Lord and so it is taken here in the words of Christ Thou shalt not tempt that is thou shalt not take needlesse and vnnecessarie experience and triall of Gods power and goodnesse Thirdly the cause which moueth men to tempt God is a distrustfull and vnbeleeuing heart eueÌ„ want of faith So the Israelites teÌ„pted God Psal. 78. ver 18. 22. They tempted God in their hearts and required meate for their lust And the reason is vers 22. because they did not beleeue in God and did not trust in his helpe because they did not relye vpon his care and fatherly prouideÌ„ce so that vnbeleefe was the roote of this their tempting of God So then to tempt God is to make needlesse and vnnecessarie triall and experience of his mercie goodnesse power and iustice proceeding from a distrusting heart Now God may be tempted fiue maner of wayes First when men will take vpon them to appoint God the time when the place where and the maner how God must helpe them and accomplish his promise to them Thus the Israelites in the wildernes wanting water they say Is the Lord amongst it vs or noâ— shewing that through the Lord had promised he would be with them yet vnlesse he would at that time giue them water in their need they would not giue credit to his promise Againe Psal. 78. â—0 though the Lord had giuen them water yet they say Can he giue bread also or prepare flesh for his peopleâ— still shewing that vnlesse the Lord would at their pleasures now presently send them
And the Magistrate is especially bound to looke to this seeing it is the law of God that the blasphemer should be stoned to death now this law is perpetuall And if a man for speaking a word of disgrace against the person of the Prince wittingly and willingly shall iustly lose his life then he that is a blasphemer and speakes to the disgrace of the eternall God is much more worthie to die a thousand deaths Secondly by this answer of Christ we learne how to behaue our selues when any shall go about to perswade vs to depart froÌ„ his Church to renounce true religion we must accompt of them in that respect as the instruments of Satan If the father should seeke to withdraw his owne child from the true religion the sonne must not spare the father but must cast the first stone at him Deut. 13. And when Peter would haue disswaded Christ from going to Ierusalem he saith Get thee behind me Satan though he was an excellent Apostle yet in this Christ accompts of him as of the very diuell Againe in that Christ bids Satan now auoide and will dispute no longer with him we must hereby learne how to answer the diuell in his temptations though at the first when his temptations be more mild we may reply by the word of God yet when Satan shall be more violent in his assaults we must imitate our Sauior Christ bid him auoide and dispute no more with him And whatsoeuer he shall bring against vs when we are not able to answer him yet let vs hold the maine conclusion in the word of God not vouchsaâ—ing him an answer It is written Seeing our Sauior Christ now the third time answers the Diuell by the scriptures saying It is written we learne that the written word beleeued and vnderstood is the most sufficient weapon to confute to confound Satan his vile teÌ„ptations else Christ wold not now eueÌ„ the third time haue made choise of this weapon It is written againe This confutes the Papists who make two Scriptures one vnwritten and inward which is traditions the consent of the fathers which haue liued in all ages the other written in the holy scriptures Now they do make their vnwritten scriptures as they call them and the consent of fathers to be of equall authoritie with the written word of God which our Sauior Christ doth shew here to be the most powerfull meanes to repell all Satans temptations And the holy scriptures which they call a dead letter and make as though it had no power in it eueâ— this alone is the sword of the spirit to confound satan and therefore damnable is that their doctrine which so abuseth the holy Scriptures sets vp the erronious tradition of sinfull men For if the written word had bene but a dead letter our sauiour Christ would neuer haue made choise of it abouâ— all other weapons three seuerall times to confute Satan euery time answering It is written Secondly by this answer of Christ saying It is written we learne how to behaue our selues when any shall seeke to turne vs from true Religion to embrace false Religion though we cannot answer their arguments but they set such a colour on them by their wit and eloquence and seeme to dazle our eyes that we can not see their deceits yet we must sticke to the scriptures and cleaâ—â— fast to the text of the Bible and if we find but one sentence in al the Bible to perswade vs of the truth of Religion we must hang vpon it with both hands and let not oâ— hold go nay it must be of more force credit with vs then a thousand arguments that tend to the contrary Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God only In these words is contained the answer of our sauiour Christ to the third temptation of the Diuell The words are takeÌ„ out of Deut. 6 13. where they are read thus Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him Now there may seeme to be some difference in the words as they be alleaged by Christ for in that place of Deuteronomy it is said Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God our sauiour Christ saith Thou shalt worship Againe our sauiour Christ addes a word which is not added by Moses in that place namely Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God onely this word onely is not in that text of Moses But if we vnderstand two points concerning the alleaging of scripture there will appeare to be no difference the first is this that Christ and his Apostles in their alleaging of scripture do not so much sticke to the very â—illables as aime at the sense of the scriptures which they alleage The second thing is this that our sauiour Christ in alleaging scripture seekes to expound scripture and to open it in alleaging of it and so doing he may well adde a word when as the word he addeth maketh much for the meaning of the text And thus Christ in this place chaungeth the word not mistaking of it but rather to expound Moses for whereas Moses saith Thou shalt feare the Lord he meaneth that religious feare whereby we feare God and worship him Now our sauiour Christ he saith Thou shalt worship shewing Moses meant that feare whereby we do with reuerence and bowing of the body and adoring of God worship him moued thereunto by religious feare either in praying for some mercy we want or giuing thankes for some benefite receiued Againe Christ in alleaging this text of Scripture he addes a word yet so as he doth it without any fault for though this word alone be not in Moses his text expresly set downe yet it is included and in sense it is vnderstood for where he saith in the thirteenth verse Thou shalt feare the Lord and ads no more in the fourteenth verse he saith Thou shalt not walke after any other gods so that a maÌ„ may easily perceiue he did in seÌ„se include it though not expresse it in words and thus we see our sauiour Christ cleared In the text of scripture alleaged by Christ note two points first what this worship and feare is secondly to whom worship is due First worship taken generally signifieth the giuing of honor and reuerence to another Now this honour is either ciuill or diuine Ciuill honour is that outward reuerence we giue to men by â—rostrating of the body or bowing of the knee and the end of this ciuill worship is that thereby we might acknowledge another to be our superiour therfore it is giuen of subiects to Princes or of inferiours to those that by some meanes are their superiours And thus Iacob worshipped that is gaue ciuil worship to Esau seuen times Genes 33. 3. This reuerence Abraham gaue to the Hittites Gen. 23. 7. Lot to the Angels bowed himselfe to the ground Gen. 19. 1. where he gaue them onely ciuill worship and honour So then it is manifest by these examples that we may lawfully bow and bend the
SATANS SOPHISTRIE ANSVVERED BY OVR SAVIOVR CHRIST AND in diuers Sermons further manifested by that worthy man Maister William Perkins To which is added a Comfort for the feeble minded wherein is set downe the temptations of a Christian. In that he suffered and was tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Heb. 2. 18. LONDON Printed by Richard Field for E. E. and are to be sold at the signe of the Swanne in Paules Church-yard 1604. ⧠To the right Honorable Sir William Russell Lord Russell Baron of Thornehaugh yonger sonne to that most Christian and Honorable Earle Frauncis Earle of Bedford with the vertuous Ladie his wife Grace and Peace RIGHT Honorable as Iohn the Baptist was in one desert so our Sauiour Christ he was in an other but as these two differed in their being in the world so did they not accord in their being in the wildernesse Iohn was with some men Christ with none Iohn was with wild men Christ with wild beasts Iohn was preaching Christ praying Iohn was baptizing Christ fighting Iohn was feeding Christ fasting Iohn was encountring with Diuels incarnate Christ did encounter with the Prince of those Diuels From Iohn preaching in the desert learne we diligence in our callings from Christ tempted in the desert see we troubles at our calling Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth them out of all If it please you to giue these after-lines the reading you shall see set downe that monomachie or single combat which was hand to hand betwixt Christ and the Diuell And as for Christ Iesus you shall see him fasting fighting conquering Fasting and an hungry to shew he was man fighting encountring to shew he was Messiah and conquering and triumphing to shew he was God And as for the diuell you shall see him obiecting answering flying Obiecting that Christ might despaire answering that he might presume and flying when he could not ouercome In Christs temptations we see the estate of the Church in Satans assault we see his malice to the Church Is Christ tempted thinke it not strange if we fall into tēptations For the griefe of the head is the griefe of the members the temptations of Christ shew the temptations of Christians It is true of Christ that by many tribulatiōs he did enter into the kingdom of God that our High Priest was consecrated by afflictions that so he must suffer and enter into his glory He is no sooner borne into the world but he is hunted by Herod baptized at Iordan but Satan sets on him a Preacher for repentance but the Scribes proscribe him to worke miracles but the Pharisees slaunder him He is no sooner to suffer but the Diuell assaults him apprehēded but the Iewes deliuer him deliuered but Herod derides him derided but Pilate condemnes him condemned but the souldiers abuse him Is he on the crosse the people will not pitie him is he risen the high Priests will belie him In a word is he vpon earth he is tempted in his person is he in heauen he is tempted in his members Thus the life of Christ was a warfare vpon earth and the life of Christians must be a warfare vpon earth We liue here in a sea of troubles the sea is the world the waues are calamities the Church is the ship the anker is hope the sailes are loue the Saints are passengers the hauen is heauen and Christ is our Pilot When the sea can continue without waues the shippe without tossings and passengers not be sicke vpon the water then shall the Church of God be without trials We begin this voyage so soone as we are borne and we must saile on till our dying day We do reade in Gods word of many kinds of temptations God Satan Man the World the Flesh are said to tempt God tempteth man to trie his obedience Satan tempteth man to make him disobedient men do tempt men to try what is in them and man tempteth God to trie what is in him The world is a tempter to keepe man from God and the flesh is a tempter to bring man to the Diuell So God tempted Abraham in the offering of his son Satan tempted Iob in the losse of his goods a Queene tempted Salomon in trying his wisedome men tēpted God by distrust in the desert the world tempted Demas when he forsooke the Apostles and the flesh tempted Dauid when he fell by adulterie Doth God tempt vs take heed of hypocrisie doth Satan tempt vs take heed of his subtiltie doth man tempt man take heed of dissembling doth man tempt God take heed of inquiring doth the world tempt man take heed of apostacie doth the flesh tempt man take heed of carnalitie But do we so are we warie of these tempters No we are not and therefore we fal We fal on the right hand by temptations in prosperitie and we fall on the left by temptations in aduersitie Of the one it may be said it hath slaine thousands of the other that it hath slaine ten thousands When we come and see cities dispeopled houses defaced and wals pulled downe we say the souldier hath bene there and when we see pride in the rich discontent in the poore and sinne in all we may iustly say the Tēpter hath bin there Now of all other temptations it pleaseth God to suffer his Church to be tempted with afflictions It is neuer free either from the sword of Ishmael which is a reuiling tong or the sword of Esau a persecuting hand Neither was there yet euer Christian man found who had not his part in the cup of affliction We must drinke of the same cuppe our maister did the disciple is not aboue his maister The reasons why God doth visit vs thus with afflictions are 1. To humble vs. 2. To weane vs. 3. To winow vs. 4. To preuent vs. 5. To teach vs. 6. To enlighten vs. 7. To honour vs. 8. To cure vs. 9. To crowne vs. 10. To comfort vs. 11. To protect vs. 12. To adopt vs. And last of all to teach comfort others To humble vs that we be not proud to weane vs that we loue not this world to winnow vs that we be not chaffe to preuent vs that we do not sinne to teach vs that we be patient in aduersitie to enlighten vs that we see our errors to honor vs that our faith may be manifest to cure vs that we surfet not of securitie to crowne vs that we may liue eternally to comfort vs that he may send his spirit to protect vs that he may guide vs by his Angels to adopt vs that we may be his sonnes and to teach others that they seeing how sin is punished in vs they may take heed it be not
from heauen to be the sole Doctor and Prophet of the Church of God presently without delay as is Marke 1. 12. he was led aside to be tempted of the Diuell In that Christ is no sooner baptised but he is presently tempted it sheweth vs that all those which haue bene baptised and giuen vp their names to Christ must make account to be tempted and looke for temptations For if Satan durst be so bold to set vpon Iesus Christ the head who was not onely man but very God how much more will he be bold to set vpon vs who be but weake and sinfull men And therefore so soone as we haue truly giuen vp our names to God and become the faithfull souldiers of Christ and refuse to serue sinne and Satan then will the diuell incounter vs and set vpon vs and we must looke for to be tempted preparing our selues to this spirituall battell and put vpon vs the whole complete armour of God Ephes 6. 11. But most men will say this doctrine is not true for they neuer felt any such combat in themselues though they haue bin baptized many yeares I answer such men whatsoeuer they be they haue onely the outward baptisme of water and neuer receiued the inward baptisme of the Spirit and such men do indeed weare Christs liuerie but do seruice to the Diuell his enemie And therefore let such persons reforme them selues turne from their wicked and sinfull liues and seeke to serue the Lord and then they shall find this doctrine most true For the children of Israel so long as they liued vnder Pharaoh in Egypt they were not persecuted by Pharaoh but when they did set their faces towards the land of Canaan then presently he pursued them with all his malice and might So all the while men liue in Egypt that is in sin and wickednesse and serue the diuell he will let them be at quiet but if euer we once set our hearts on that heauenly Canaan and giue our selues to the seruice of God then he will with open mouth pursue vs follow vs with many armies and cast an hundred temptations in our way And as a poore bird which cometh to the shop and when she thinketh to get away then cometh all her paine and the net is spread ouer her so when men begin to leaue their euill courses and to set themselues to serue the Lord presently the Diuell doth spread his net to intangle them This must teach vs to watch and pray that we enter not into temptation Secondly in that our Sauiour is no sooner baptized ordained to be the great Doctor of the Church but he is presently tempted and encountred by Satan hence we learne that all those which be appointed of God to any speciall office in the Church or common-weale they must make account they shall be tempted and looke for Satans temptations one way or other it was that which befell the head and therefore let vs all that be his members reckon of it Example of this we haue in Moses who so soone as he was new called to be the guide and deliuerer of the children of Israel he was faine to flie when he had killed the Egyptian And Dauid was no sooner appointed by God to be King of Israell but Saule did persecute him As soone as our Sauiour Christ had called the Apostles to that office he brought them to the sea and there by his diuine power raised a storme so as they cried out Maister saue vs or else we perish And this the Lord doth in great wisdome for by this meanes he sheweth a man that he is not able of himselfe to execute the duties of his particular calling without the speciall grace of God and by these temptations and trials the Lord stirreth vp a greater loue of his Maiestie in the hearts of his children and with it many other graces as prayer patience c. and maketh these graces the better to shew themselues Seeing that our Sauiour Christ begins his propheticall office of teaching the Church of God with temptations this should admonish the Ministers of the word of God that they of all other men are subiect to Satans temptations because they be the Lords Standard-bearers and his Lieutenants against whom Satan and al his souldiers bend all their forces as souldiers often do against the standard-bearer When as Iehoshua the high Priest stood before the Lord Satan stood at his right hand to hinder him Zach. 3. 1. He was a lying spirit in the mouth of foure hundred false Prophets and this old red Dragon Reu. 12. with his taile draweth downe the third part of the stars of heauen he desired to winnow Peter and to trie him by temptations Luke 22. And as the king of Aram said of Acab Fight not against small or great but against the king of Israel so Satan fighteth not against any so much as the Prophets of Israel the Ministers of the Church So then we may see that temptations are necessary for the Ministers of the word that they may both know what they be and also learne how to comfort others in time oâ— temptation Also to teach vs the true vse of the word of God and the force of it in resisting temptation For certaine it is that temptations teach men many things which they could neuer learne by bare studie So that one sayd well Reading meditation prayer and temptations these foure make a Diuine The second point to be considered is what was the cause which moued our Sauior Christ to go into the wildernesse which was the leading of the Spirit Iesus was led aside of the spirit Luke 4. 1. or as the word signifieth he was caried apart Mark 1. 12. not by a forced but a voluntary motion This was not a locall transportation of the bodie of Christ as that of Eliah and of Philip from the Eunuch but by the inward instinct of the holy Ghost he was mooued and made willing to go as the word which Luk. 4. 1. vseth sheweth plainely And by the Spirit here is not meant the Diuell or an euill spirit but the holy Spirit of God euen the third person in the Trinitie And so we see that Christ may both guide the Spirit and be guided by the Spirit for Christ as he is man is led and guided by the Spirit but as he is God he doth guide and send his Spirit Obiection Christ sendeth the holy Ghost therefore cannot be led by it Ans. As Christ was man he was guided by Gods spirit as he was God he sent the Spirit Hence we may behold the exceeding holinesse of the manhood or humane nature of Christ who as he was man was guided by the Spirit of God euen in his mouing from one place to another And it is that which euery one should desire to be like vnto our Sauiour Christ in this viz. to suffer our selues to be guided directed by Gods holy spirit
Scripture roundly as wel as he And therfore we must be wary how we entertaine doctrines of heretikes and false teachers though they seeme to proue them by the Scriptures for the Diuel he hath his scriptum est it is written as ready as may be But we must learne to proue the spirits that is the doctrines of men whether they be of God or not 1. Iohn 4. 1. lest the Diuel and wicked men deceiue vs for we see here how the Diuel can alleage Scripture and that fitly for his purpose And it is the subtil practise of the diuel to alleage Scripture that so he may perswade men to receiue his damnable doctrines and become heretickes and scismatickes And to this end he doth grosly abuse the Scriptures yea when he would perswade men to liue in sinne he hath his Scriptum est very ready and can tel them At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne he shall haue mercie and truly by his abusing of Scripture he preuailes with many The wordes which the diuell alleageth are taken out of the fourescore and eleuenth Psalme the eleuenth verse For he shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes c. Now the Diuell in alleaging and propounding the words is very precise and sheweth himselfe very carefull in repeating of the words in so much as he will not leaue out no not this particle For which might well haue bene left out Yet in the end he stickes not to leaue out a whole clause which is the maine point and ground of Gods promise namely this to keepe thee in all thy wayes Where we may see how the diuell doth most vilâ—ly abuse the Scriptures of God and it is vsuall with him in his allegations to put in or to put out something or some way or other to depraue them or to corrupt the sense and meaning of the Scriptures to serue his owne turne And as this is the diuels manner in his alleaging and dealing with the Scriptures so do the Papists as his scholers For though in word they hold the Scriptures yet it is vsuall with them to put in or leaue out or by some meanes to corrupt and depraue theÌ„ in the sense and meaning as might be shewed by example Well seeing the diuell is so skilfull in the Scriptures and can alleage them so readily and so fitly for his purpose and withall is so malicious to mince them and depraue them it should make all men to studie the holy Scriptures that so we might be acquainted with them and be able to disclose and to descry Satans fallations and subtilties and we should wish with Moses that all the Lords people could prophecie But especially the Ministers of the word they must labour to be thorowly acquainted with the booke of God to obserue euen the circumstances of the text else the diuell will cast a mist before their eyes and beguile them with his subtill fallations and therefore they must do as Ezechiel did eate vp the book of God And that we might not perceiue Satans subtilties and deceit he labours to keepe men in ignorance of the word and by all meanes to haue the Scriptures hid and darke and if it were possible to root out the schooles of learning and that the Bible might be burned And as he preuailes in Poperie to bring men to this that all religion and the Scriptures might hang on mens deuises and mans learning as they do in Poperie ground all vpon Lumbard the maister of the Sentences and barre the common people from the Scriptures locking them vp in an vnknowne tong so with Christians he taketh the like course for he perswades them that the Scriptures are hard to be vnderstood and very obscure and troublesome and therfore he drawes menâ— minds from the studie of them to reade the writings of men because they seeme to be more pleasant and delectable that so 〈◊〉 being not acquainted with the text might not descrie his deceipts and subtilties Againe seeing the diuell can alleage the word of God and say It is written and that he can bring in Scripture fit for his purpose what a shame is it for Christians if they do not labor so to know the Scriptures of God that they may alleage them as occasion shall serue that not as some do to heape place vpon place without all reason but to alleage them fitly and to the purpose Lastly seeing this is a diuellish and satanicall practise in alleaging the Scriptures to depraue and corrupt them to leaue out and put in at his pleasure it must warne vs that when we are lawfully called we do speake and vtter the words of other men euen all no more but all neither putting to them nor taking from theÌ„ and that without changing their words or the sense and meaning of them He shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee The true sense of the place is this that the Lore had a speciall care of his people and when he sent any iudgement vpon the Israelites he gaue them this comfortable promise that in the middest of all their troubles he himselfe would protect them And as this promise was made to them so it is generall to the whole Church of God and belongs to vs. For in all common iudgements and calamities the children of God which walke in his waies shal be sure to haue protection and securitie for the Angels of God by his appointment do hold them vp as it were in their hands In which words there is a comparison taken from nurses who hauing children committed to their care do hold them very charily and tenderly in their hands and dare not let them go out of their armes euen so the Angels of God by his appointment become euen as nurses to his children in all their lawful wayes and do attend vpoÌ„ them and are very carefull to protect them from danger so long as they keepe themselues within the compasse of Gods word It is true indeed that iudgement begins at the house of God and he often afflicts his dearest children to trie their faith and patience yet is is most certaine that in commoÌ„ calamities the children of God shall haue protection and security yea the Angels of God as it were nurses shal hold them in their hands and defend them so long as they keepe themselues in the wayes of God and within the compasse of his will in his word But if they leaue the way of Gods commandements and waÌ„der in by-paths and go out of their lawfull callings they haue no assuraÌ„ce of Gods protection neither haue Gods Angels any charge to watch ouer them Seeing then God hath made so mercifull a promise of protection to all them that walke in his wayes and within the compasse of his commaundements it should warne vs all to beware how we go out of our wayes and lawfull callings but that we studie the law of God and as we looke for
hides the miserie daunger the curses and calamities that will ensue vpoÌ„ that sinne but he shewes the profit gaine pleasure delight and commoditie that that sinne will affoord them that by this meaneâ— he may bring them to his bow and moue them headlong to rush into the commiting of sinne Indeed when he hath got his purpose and preuailed thus farre to bring a man into sin then he will lay it open in most vgly maner and lay before a poore sinner the horror and punishment due to his sinne that so he may make a poore sinner breake the necke of his soule in despaire Further marke how the cunning diuell shewed not these goodly and glorious sights in the first or second temptation but reserued them for the last and that in great subtiltie For the diuell know very well that if any would peruaile then surely the desire of honor of preferment of profit and pleasure would moue the heart of Christ. And in this subtiltie he shewes that this is a most daungerous temptation which comes from the right hand that is which proceeds from profit pleasure preferment and honour And by this temptation he preuailed more against Dauid then he could when he was in great conflict and persecuted by Saule So prosperitie and ease in the Primitiue Church in the dayes of Constantine did more preuaile with Christians then persecution and tribulation could do for the space of three hundred yeares before And those which could be moued by no other meanes yet the hope of honor profite and pleasure hath ouercome and preuailed with them Thus ease slayeth the foolish prosperitie is as a slipperie way and few hauing rest are edified and walk in the feare of the Lord the comfort of the holy Ghost Act. 9. 31. Luke cap. 4. 5. he addeth the circumstance of time that the diuell shewed all this to Christ in a point or moment of time in so short a time as possibly might be with maruellous speed celeritie And this the diuell did being subtill the more to inflame thâ— heart of Christ to desire them and therefore he set his wares open and as it were in a glimpse gaue him the beholding of the beauty of theÌ„ So we see if meÌ„ see some stâ—aÌ„gâ— and beautifull thing and haue but a blush or a litle glimpse of it they desire it with morâ— eagernesse more greedily affect it Eueâ— so he would haue dealt with our Sauiour Christ he would haue affected his heaâ— with this sudden and glorious spectacle Now followeth the temptation it selfe in these words And said vnto him All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe worship me In this temptation we must first marke the scope and drift of the diuell therein In the first temptation he laboured to tempt Christ to distrust and vnbeleefe in the second to puffe him vp with vaine confidence and presumption now in this third he tempted Christ to commit idolatrie euen to worship the Diuell And truly this hath euer bene the practise of the Diuell to seeke to ouerturne religion and good conscience by these three things honour profite and pleasures Among Protestants and Protestant Ministers he hath preuailed much by these meanes When as for the Ministers of the word many haue in hope of profit and preferment forsaken true religion cleane abiured it and taught the cleane contrarie euen that which the papists hold and teach so we see that protestant Merchants for hope of gaine do carrie ouer to the Church of Rome all such merchandize of waxe c. as the Papistes vse to maintaine their superstitions and Idolatrie And among common Professors many of them to saue their lands liuings and places haue chaunged as religion hath changed now Papists now Protestants like to Camelions into any colour Of this we had experience in Queene Maries dayes few great men remained Protestants but yeeded to the Idolatrie of those times This third temptation hath two parts first a promise secondly a condition And here the Diuell saith not I will procure thee these things at Gods hands but in his ownâ— name I will giue thee all these to make Chrit depend vpon him for them to trust in him and to deny his confidence in God and to relie vpon the diuell for an inheritance in this world In which vile practise of the diuell we may behold his shamelesse boldnesse who dares offer Christ the gift of all these conditionally if he would worship him whereas indeed they did all most properly belong to Iesus Christ himselfe and were his owne neither had Satan any title to them but onely by vsurpation And as the diuel here with Christ so he dealeth with most men of the world to tempt them to depend vpon him for the wealth of the world and to make the Diuell their God For though meÌ„ deny this in word and say All they haue God hath sent it they thanke God yet their wicked practises shew the contrarie that they do indeed depend vpon the diuell for gaine and profite seeing most men get their goods by false waightâ— and measures by deceit fraud cousinage by lying swearing forswearing Now while they get that they haue thus by such vile and wicked meanes it plainly shewes that all they haue they haue it of the Diuell depend vpon him for wealth so make him their God though in word they deny it neuer so much Secondly the Diuell knew Christ was a King and that his kingdome was not of this world but spirituall exercised especially in mens consciences now the Diuel he labours to tempt Christ to become an earthly King which if it had taken place in Christ he knew then that he could not be that true Messiah who should raigne spriritually in mens consciences And in like maner deales the Diuell with the members of Christ for the church of God hath a kingdome and that is spiritual in the word of God Now the stewardship is the dispensation and ministery of the word preached and against this the Diuell laboureth that it may become an earthly kingdome not spirituall but carnall not in the power of the spirit but in the carnall wisedome of mans eloquence and so by all means to ouerturne the true kingdome of Christ. Thirdly we see here how the Diuell maketh very large and liberall promises though he meant to performe nothing neither could he though he would This must teach vs to study that we may be contrary to the Diuel and therefore that we do warily consider what promises we make whether the thing we promise be lawfull and in our owne power and that we do it with sincere harts voide of deceit and with purpose to be as good as our word and when we haue promised accordingly to performe our promise for that is a marke of Gods children and a fruite of the spirit and true faith in doing the duties of equitie And in that the Diuel shewed all these vnto Christ
her sonne to cause him to heare their prayers which is to make her euen aboue God himselfe And therfore in truth they giue more to Saints then the Diuell required of Christ. Againe they answer That which may be done to earthly Princes may much more be done to Saints in heauen Now say they we kneele and bow to earthly Princes and do reuerence to the chaire of Estate why then may we not to Saints But we answer them It is true we do kneele and bow vnto earthly Princes but all this that we do we do it not so much to their persons as to that authoritie God hath laid vpon them and we do it onely to shew our subiection vnto thē But to kneele to Saints is no token of ciuill honour as this is which we giue to earthly Princes but a part of diuine honour For by that they do acknowledge that the Saints can heare their prayers search the hearts that they be omnipotent and present in euery place which honour is due to God alone Yet though we may not thus adore Saints as the Papists do we do acknowledge a certaine honour due vnto them this honour stands in three things First by giuing thāke◠to God for them in that the Lord hath giu◠his Church in former times such worthy instruments Secondly by a reuerent estimation of them in that we accompt of them as the friends of God Thirdly by honouring them though not with diuine worship yet by imitating their vertues and this is all that honour we owe vnto the Saints departed Now if that the adoring of Saints be flat vnlawfull and forbidden then it is not lawfull to appoint and dedicate solemne dayes vnto them to fast for them to worship the◠to worship their reliques all these be vnlawfull and yet common among the Papists Neither can the Church of Rome iustly accuse vs of the like though we haue and retaine the names of Saints dayes in the church of England because we dedicate those dayes not to the worship of Saints as they do but to the seruice and worship of God alone We must mark how our Sauiour Christ in alleaging and expounding of Moses ioynes worship and feare together to shew that none can truly worship God but they that do truly feare God Men commonly think they haue done enough if they come to church on dayes appointed listen a while to the word receiue the Sacraments they thinke this is all the worship of God that he requires though they want the feare of God in their hearts but alas all this is to no purpose if men want the feare of God practise iniustice in their particular callings Reade the first of Esa. vers 14. The Lord hates all the seruice and worship which the Iewes offered him not simply because these things were vnlawfull in themselues for the Lord had commaunded them but because they ioyned not not so much to their persons as to that authoritie God hath laid vpon them and we do it onely to shew our subiection vnto thē But to kneele to Saints is no token of ciuill honour as this is which we giue to earthly Princes but a part of diuine honour For by that they do acknowledge that the Saints can heare their prayers search the hearts that they be omnipotent and present in euery place which honour is due to God alone Yet though we may not thus adore Saints as the Papists do we do acknowledge a certaine honour due vnto them this honour stands in three things First by giuing thākes to God for them in that the Lord hath giuē his Church in former times such worthy instruments Secondly by a reuerent estimation of them in that we accompt of them as the friends of God Thirdly by honouring them though not with diuine worship yet by imitating their vertues and this is all that honour we owe vnto the Saints departed Now if that the adoring of Saints be flat vnlawfull and forbidden then it is not lawfull to appoint and dedicate solemne dayes vnto them to fast for them to worship the◠to worship their reliques all these be vnlawfull and yet common among the Papists Neither can the Church of Rome iustly accuse vs of the like though we haue and retaine the names of Saints dayes in the church of England because we dedicate those dayes not to the worship of Saints as they do but to the seruice and worship of God alone We must mark how our Sauiour Christ in alleaging and expounding of Moses ioynes worship and feare together to shew that none can truly worship God but they that do truly feare God Men commonly think they haue done enough if they come to church on dayes appointed listen a while to the word receiue the Sacraments they thinke this is all the worship of God that he requires though they want the feare of God in their hearts but alas all this is to no purpose if men want the feare of God practise iniustice in their particular callings Reade the first of Esa. vers 14. The Lord hates all the seruice and worship which the Iewes offered him not simply because these things were vnlawfull in themselues for the Lord had commaunded them but because they ioyned not to the seruice of God the feare of God but their hands were full of crueltie iniustice and they practised no mercie to men and whatsoeuer men professe in the worship of God and shew not the feare of God conscience in their particular callings and dealings with men all is but hypocrisie Whereas we teach that a man may be certainely perswaded by faith of his election and saluation the Papists say we cannot proue it out of the word of God Now what though we cannot find this sentence in so many words I am elected yet as our Sauiour Christ by alleaging Scripture gathered the sense of it so may we without blame gather that out of the word which is the same in sense which we hold in this point We see it is our dutie not only to worship God with outward worship of the bodie but with inward worship in the soule mind will affections and in the conscience Paul he preached the Gospell of God vnto the the Corinthians to bring their very thoughts into subiection that is so to order them that they might not thinke any thing but that which was holy and according to the will of God Then the diuell left him c. In this verse is set downe the third and last part of the conflicts of Christ with the diuell namely the issue and euent of them which is that glorious victorie and conquest which our Sauiour Iesus Christ got against the diuell And this is the most principall part of all the rest For what comfort could we haue had in Christs temptations in the preparation in the conflicts seuerall temptations vnlesse Christ had vanquished Satan and
8. Ephes. 6. 16. Psal. 91. 13. Thou shalt walk vpon the Lion and Asp the yong Lion and the Dragon shalt thou tread vnder feete Lidia How is this resistance confirmed Paul To confirme this these preseruatiues which follow are very necessary 1. When you are tempted to sinne do not only abstaine from it but earnestly loue and follow after the contrary Iohn 8. 44. 2. Neuer yeeld or consent to Satans words whether he speake the truth accuse falsly or flatter dissemblingly Iohn 8. 44. Ye are of your father the diuell and the lusts of your father ye will do he hath bin a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him when he speaketh a lie then speaketh he of his owne for he is a lier and the father thereof Marke 1. 24. And cried with a loud voice and said What haue I to do with thee Iesus the sonne of the most high God And Iesus said Hold thy peace and come out of him Act. 16. 17. She followed Paul and vs and cried saying These men are the seruants of the most high God which shew vnto vs the way of saluation c. August serm 241. 3. One temptation is to be looked for after another and then especially when our enemie after he hath set his snares is at rest for the diuel neuer maketh an end of his malice 1. Pet. 5. 8. Lidia I haue heard how to resist teach me I pray you what is his fall Paul The fall is whereby the souldier through infirmitie fainteth being subdued by the power of the enemie Gal. 6. 1. Brethrē if a man be fallen by occasion into any fault ye which are spirituall restore such a one with the spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe least thou also be tempted Lidia If I fall how may I rise Paul To this appertaineth the spirituall remedie now a remedie is a thing hauing aptnesse to restore him which is fallen to his former estate Gal. 6. 1. And here two things must alwayes be thought on 1. If there be a willing mind euery one is accepted for that grace which he hath not for that which he hath not 2. Corint 8. 12 For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not 2. In all these things whosoeuer wil leade a godly life in Christ the power of God is to be made perfect through their infirmitie 2. Cor. 12. 9. And he said vnto me My grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect through weaknesse very gladly therefore will I reioyce rather in mine infirmities that the power of God may dwell in me 10. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in reproches in necessities in persecutions in anguish for Christs sake for when I am weake then am I strong Lidia But since Satan is mine aduersarie instruct me how many his assaults be Paul Assaults are three-fold Lidia VVhich is the first Paul The first is about the Christian mans effectuall calling and the temptation is the enterprise of the Diuell to blindfold mans mind and to harden his hart lest the word of God should work in him to saluation Mat. 1◠4. And as he sowed some fell by the way side and the fowles came and deuoured them vp 5. And some fell vpon stonie ground where they had no◠much earth and anon they sprang vp because they had no depth of earth 6. And when the sun rose vp they were parched for lack of rooting withered away 7. And some fell among thornes and the thornes sprung vp and choked them 19. Whensoeuer a man heareth the word of the kingdome and vnderstandeth it not the euill one cometh and catcheth away that which was sowne in his heart and this is he which hath receiued the seed by the way side Lidia How may I resist this assault Paul A resistance in those that are called is wrought by the spirit of God that causeth men to lend their eares to heare and doth ingraffe the word in their hearts that the immortall seed of regeneration may spring in them Psal. 40. 6. Ioh. 6. 44. Act. 16. 14. Iam. 1. 21. Wherefore lay apart all filthinesse and superfluitie of maliciousnes and receiue with meeknes the word that is graffed in you which is able to saue your soules 1. Pet. 1. 22. Seeing your soules are purified in obeying the truth through the spirit to loue brotherly without faining loue one another with a pure heart feruently 1. Ioh. 3. 9. Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him neither cā he sin because he is borne of God A resistance in those that are to be called is when in a sincere heart they do ioyne the word which they haue heard with faith Luke 8. 15. But that which fell in good ground are they which with an honest and good heart heare the word and keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience Heb. 4. 2. Lidia What certaine preseruatiues are to be noted in this resistance Paul 1. Premeditation of the power and vse of the word Eccles. 4. 17. Take heed to thy feete when thou entrest into the house of the Lord and be more neare to heare then to giue the sacrifice of fooles for they know not that they do euil Cha. 5. 1. Be not rash with thy mouth n◠let thine heart be hastie to vtter a thing before God for God is in the heauen and thou art 〈◊〉 the earth therefore let thy words be few 2. Diligent attentiō of the mind Act. 16. 14. 3. An hungring desire of the heart Ioh. 7. 37. Now in the last and great day of the feast Iesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke 4. Integritie of life Psal. 26. 6. 5. The casting away of euill affections Iam. 1. 22. And be ye doers of the word and n◠hearers onely deceiuing your owne soules 6. The inward consent and agreement of the heart with the word preached Act. 2. 37. 7. An hiding of the word in the heart lest we should sinne Psalm 119. 11. I haue hid thy word in mine heart that I might not sinne against thee 8. A trembling at the presence of God in the assembly of the Church Esa. 66. 2. For all these things hath mine hand made and all these things haue bene saith the Lord and to him will I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words Act. 10. 33. Then sent I for thee immediatly and thou hast well done to come now therefore are we all here present before God to heare all things that are commaunded thee of God Lidia The God of power preserue me from this assault by these preseruatiues but how may I fall in this temptation Paul Your fall is either by a coldnesse in receiuing the word and a neglect therof or else by falling into errors Lidia What