meate they were readie to distrust his prouidence And therefore it must admonish vs that we must not in our requests and petitions as the Bethulianes did appoint God the time place or meanes how we would be helped in pouertie sicknesse or other waies but coÌ„tinuing in prayer waite vpon the Lords leysure and leaue these circumstances to his good will and pleasure Secondly God is tempted when men will not beleeue his word but do demaund signes and wonders from heauen as the Scribes and Pharises did Ioh. 2. 18. tempt our Sauiour Christ not beleeuing his doctrine vnlesse he would confirme it by some miracle And thus all they tempt God who refuse to beleeue the doctrine of God because it is not confirmed vnto them at their pleasure by signes and wonders But some may say What is it not lawfull theÌ„ to demaund and require a signe at Gods hands Yes we may sometimes and so we reade that Gedeon did require a signe of God and sinned not so did Hezechiah 2. King 20. 8. In two cases men may aske a signe of the Lord. First when the Lord giues a man commaundement to aske a signe then we may aske it lawfully and thus the Lord bidâ— Achaz to ask a signe and he sinned in refusing to do it Secondly a man may aske a signe of God when it is necessarie for the confirmation of a man in some extraordinarie calling as we see in Gedeon being extraordinarily appointed of God to be the Captaine and deliuerer of Gods people he being not fully perswaded of this his vocation desired a signe of God not of infidelitie but the better to resolue himselfe of Gods calling him to that busines And so it was in Hezechiah to perswade himselfe of Gods extraordinarie deliuerance from an extraordinarie diâ—ease The third way whereby men tempt God is when men liue in sinne continually without repentance and so will trie Gods mercie and thus the Israelites tempted God Num. 14. 18. And so all those which liue in â—inne from day to day without repentance do indeed tempt God and abuse his patience Mal. 3. 15. And therefore seeing that this is euen to tempt God to liue in sinne without repentance it must stirre vs vp all to take heed how we runne on in sinne but that we do wiâ—â— speed repent and breake off the course of our sins for so long as we liue in sinne without repentance we tempt God and then we can promise no safetie to our selues neither looke for the protection of Gods Angels but ly euen naked to all Gods heauie iudgements The fourth manner of tempting God is to inioyne men the obseruations of the ceremoniall lawe as it appeareth Ast. 15. 10. the Iewes are said to tempt God in that they vrged the obseruation of the ceremonies of Moses And by this we may iudge of the present estate of the Church of Rome and of their religion which stands for the most part in vaine and superstitious ceremonies and that which is worse of Iudaisme and Gentilisme The last way how men tempt God is not to vse the lawfull ordinarie means which God hath appointed either concerning mens soules or concerning their bodies and this is here vnderstood in this place when Christ saith Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God When we shal refuse such lawfull and ordinarie meanes as the Lord hath appointed and vse extraordinarie euen as a man hauing a readie way ouer a bridge should leaue that and thrust himselfe into the water what were this but to tempt God Or when a man hath the ordinarie way to come downe by the steppes or staires and refusing that shold cast himselfe downe from the top of a steeple So those men who contemne the word of God and will not vouchsafe to heare what do they else but euen tempt God seeing they refuse the preaching of the word which is the ordinarie meanes to saue mens soules And thus Satan tempted our Sauiour Christ to tempt God For hauing now set him on the toppe of the temple in a dangerous place he perswades him to cast himselfe downe and he addeth that he may be bold to do so because God hath giuen his Angels charge to looke vnto him that he take no harme But our Sauiour Christ answers him That were to tempt God seeing he had the lawfull and ordinary way to go downe by the staires and therefore he had no reason to cast himselfe downe In a word all those tempt God which either refuse the ordinary meanes God hath appointed or do wilfully cast themselues into daunger being not called thereunto of God as Peter hauing no calling of God went and thrust himselfe into Caiphas hall to see what became of his maister the three Worthies which ventured through the hoast of the Philistims to fetch water at the well of Bethell for Dauid whereas he might haue had it without danger at home Here some may aske What we are to iudge of those which vse to walke on ropes on high places and on the toppe of houses whether do such men sin or not Ans. These men do so either with a calling or without a calling Such as do it by vertue of their lawfull calling as Mosons and such as build churches and houses and so by reason of their trades work on high places cannot be said to tempt God nay rather so long as they walke faithfully in their lawfull callings they may assure themselues of Gods blessing and his protection But as for those who to shew their agilitie and to make sport walke on ropes or runne vpon the roofe of houses these men hauing no calling from God so to do they cannot looke for Gods protection nay they in so doing tempt God casting themselues vpon daunger And our Sauiour Christ might a thousand times better haue done this which Satan wold haue him here to doâ— yet would he not put himselfe into needlesse daunger lest he should tempt God much lesse ought any man else aduenture to do it And in this that our Sauiour Christ vseth the ordinarie way euen the staires we may learne that if any man looke to haue Gods protection and blessing he must also make sure to vse the lawfull and ordinarie meanes appointed of God keepe himselfe within the compasse of his calling yea if we desire to find comfort in any of Gods gracious promises we must be wary to keepe our selues within the compasse of his commaundements but if we leaue them then we find no true comfort neither haue we any promise of protection from God But so long as we walke in obedience of Gods commaundements and within the compasse of our callings we haue this blessed promise from God that his Angels shall take the care of vs to guard and to defend vs. Againe the diuell taketh him into an exceeding high mountaine In the seuen verses going before we haue heard of the two first temptations of our sauior Christ
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
then he followes our humor and feeds vs in our owne vaine As if a man be impatient of pouertie he will egge him to stealing and to vnlawfull shifts to helpe himself if a man be couetous he wil help to prick him forward that way that he may by hook or crooke inrich himselfe and so in other sins according as he finds men affected he will fit his temptations Nay the diuell is so skilfull by the experience of so many hundred yeares that he will be prying into mens complexions and the very constitutious of their bodies and finding what humour doth most a bound he can giue a shrewd guesse to what sinne a man is inclined As if he perceiue a man to be of a cholericke complexion then the diuell will stirre him vp to quarrelling fighting and killing If he find a mans complexion to be sanguine then he seeketh to allure him to be delighted with vaine and vngodly mirth and wantonnes or at the least with immoderate mirth 〈◊〉 a man be subiect to melancholy then he wilâ— feare a man with heauy dumpish thoughts and great feares and cares in his mind And thus he dealt with the poore man that waâ— lunatick for the Diuel tooke occasion by the course of the Moone and the humour of hiâ— bodie to moue him to cast himselfe into the fire and into the water And in a word lookâ— how many infirmities weaknesses we haue we do as it were giue the diuel so many darâ— to wound vs withall for we giue him the matter of all his temptations and he taketâ— aduantage of our weaknesse and infirmities This being Satans cunning his dealing it must warne euery man to search his ownâ— heart to find what be his speciall infirmities and corruptions to which he is most pronâ— by nature and when we know them we muâ—â— labour against them to represse and subduâ— them otherwise they will be so many dartâ— and weapons which Satan will turne against our owne selues to hurt and wound vs and therefore it must be our wisdome to weakeâ— these infirmities and to labour by all gooâ— meanes to preuent the Diuell in these hiâ— temptations The fourth point in the preparation of the Diuell vnto his temptations is his coming vnto Christ. And by this that it is said the Tempter came vnto him it appeareth that he came in some visible forme as he did come to Euah in the shape of a Serpent so it is very likely he came in some bodily shape to our Sauiour Christ seeing it is said here that he came and spake vnto him If thou be the Sonne of God c. The Diuel hauing made this solemne preparation and hauing made choise of the fittest place and time and taken aduantage of the infirmitie of our Sauiour Christ now he sets vpon him and incounters Christ with his first temptation wherein the cunning Diuel disputeth like a subtill Sophister and disputeth very syllogistically and his syllogisme may be framed thus If thou be the Sonne of God then thou canst commaund that these stones be made bread but thou canst not make these stones bread therefore thou art not the son of God The maine scope of the diuels disputation in this his first temptation was this to bring Christ to distrust of his Fathers prouidence to ouerturne the faith of Christ that is that gift in Christ whereby he as he was man did beleeue in God his father and depend vpon him And in this dealing of the diuel with Christ we may behold what is the maine and principall end of all Satans temptations in the children of God viz. he labors to bring vs if it be possible to this to make shipwracke of faith whereby we beleeue the word of Godâ— to be true and thus he dealt with Euah Gen. â— he did labor to bring her to call Gods word into question and so to deny credence to it And thus he dealeth with all men seeking to keepe them in ignorance and blindnesse oâ— else in errors and wickednesse that they may not beleeue the truth of Gods word and 〈◊〉 performe obedience to it The special part of the word of God which the Diuell aymed at and which he labored toâ— bring Christ to deny credit too is that voice of God the Father coming from heauen This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased And here let vs see the practise of Satan against all the faithful children of God namely as he dealt with our Sauior Christ to perswade him if he could that he was not thâ— Son of God so he labours to perswade Godâ— children that they are not the sonnes and daughters of God he labours to make mâ— doubt of their adoption And therefore seeing the Diuel aimeth at this one thing especially to ouerturne our faith in Gods promises it should stir vs all vp to an earnest care to make our calling and election sure euen to haue it sealed vp by comfortable assurance to our soules and this will be a most sweet comfort vnto vs in time of affliction if we can find this blessed and setled perswasion that we are the sonnes and daughters of God And the diuell he careth not what men professe no though they haue all the common gifts of Gods spirit to heare the word to vnderstand to giue assent vnto it so that they want this blessed assurance of Gods speciall loue in Christ. Againe in this first temptation the Diuell tempts Christ to practise a worke of vnbeleefe For now Christ wanting bread the Diuell tempts him in the absence and want of bread to make bread of stones and so by vnlawfull meanes to help himselfe And as the Diuell dealt here with Christ seeking to tempt him to practise a work of vnbeleefe so doth he deale with vs to moue men and women in time of distresse to vse bad and vnlawfull shifts to helpe themselues As in time of pouerty and want when men see not ordinary means such as they desire he will tempt them to shift for themselues to filch and pilfer from their neighbors and to get bread by bad meanes In time of sicknesse when men cannot find help in the lawfull vse of phisick then he labours to draw them to seeke to the diuell for helpe by sending men to wise men and women as they call them and so by wicked meanes to seeke recouery of their health If thou be the Sonne of God What moued the Diuell to moue this question vnto Christ rather then any other Ans. First because the Diuel knew right wel that if Christ were the Son of God then he was that promised Messiah and Sauiour of the world and if he were that promised Messiah then he knew it was he that should bruise the Serpents head Gen. 3. 15. Now of all things the Diuell could not abide to heare of that and therfore he makes choise of this question before all other to proue or at
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
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
suggestions of Satan and the dulnesse of our owne flesh good Lord remoue these impediments and giue vs eueâ—â— â—ne grace to heare thy word in feare and â—â—uerence as in thy presence and to receiue the same not as from man but as from Iesus Christ and when we haue heard thy word graunt that it may be not the sauor of death to our deeper condemnation but the sauor of life to our eternall comfort and saluation For this cause write the same in euery one of our hearts and tranforme vs into the obedience of the same in our life and conuersation And because Satan is a deadly enemie to the ministerie of thy word good Lord confound Satan dissolue in euery one of vs the cursed workes of the Diuel worke thine owne good works shew thy selfe more merciful in blessing of thy word then Satan is or can be malicious in hindring of the same Heare vs we beseech thee in these requests and graunt these graces to euery one of vs not for our owne merits for vnto vs belongeth nothing but eternall shame and confusion for our sinnes but for the merites of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ in whom thou art well pleased to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be giuen of euery one of vs all praise honor and glory both now and for euermore Amen The voice of a person 1. Carnall of Euill I do it and will do Good I do it not nor will do 2. Regenerate of Euill I do it but would not do it Good I do not that I would 3. Glorified of Euill I do it not neither 〈◊〉 I do it Good I do it and will do it To the right Honorable and vertuous Ladies the Countesse of Cumberland and the Countesse of Warwicke grace and peace RIght Honorable in the former 〈◊〉 is the combat of Christ in this latter is set downe the combat of a Christian. He that fought with our head will fight with the members and he that assaulted Christ will assaile all Christians But Christ did beare troubles and was borne out of them we must haue troubles and shall be borne out of them If our afflictions were plagues as to the Egyptians curses as to Cham destruction as to Sodome desolation as to Israel then had we cause to flie from them as Moses did from that miraculous serpent But since they are but the trials of faith corrections of a father visitations from the Bishop of our soules since they are as Phlebotomie to a Pleurisie and a purgation to a Plethora they are to be endured with all patience How Christ did endure them you may reade in that Treatise how a Christian must you may see in this The former Treatise I presented to your honorable brother this latter to you most honorable sisters I desired to annex this to the former discourse because it is sutable to that present argument and I know not to whom I may better present it then to you who haue experience of this Christian warfare If it please you but to reade these holy meditations and to entertaine this poore mite into your rich treasury by the reading I doubt not but you shal haue much comfort and by your entertaining the church shal haue much good Now that good God who hath giuen your mind to know him giue you also an heart to loâ— him and as you are Honorable in the eyes of this world so he make you most honorable in the eyes of his Maiestie And thus crauing pardon I commit you to the grace of that God who will honor them that loue him and comfort them that seeke comfort from him Your Honors in the Lord Robert Hill A comfort for the feeble minded wherein is set downe that spirituall combat which is betwixt a Christian and Satan Lidia SIr I heard you with much comfort when you preached vpon the temptations of Christ. I pray you instruct me concerning the temptations of a Christian and giue me leaue to aske you certaine questicâ—s Paul Say on Lidia What is it which we call Christiâ—â— warfare Paul Christian warfare is concerning the right way of fighting in the spirituall battel Lidia Which be the parts thereof Paul The parts thereof are the preparation to battell and the combat it selfe Lidia How may I prepare my self vnto it Paul To the preparation you must vse the complete armor of God Eph. 6. 13. For this cause take vnto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things stand fast Lidia How many parts hath this armor Paul The parts thereof are especially six 1. truth 2. iustice 3. Euangelicall obedience 4. faith 5. the word of God 6. continuall and feruent prayer with watching as you may reade Eph. 6. 14. Stand fast therefore your loynes girded about with veritie and hauing oâ— the brest-plate of righteousnesse 15. And your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace 16. Aboue all take the shield of Faith wherewith ye may quench all the fierie darts of the wicked 17. And take the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God 18. And pray alwayes with all maner of prayer and supplication in the spirit and watch thereunto with al perseuerance and supplication for all Saints 1. Pet. 5. 8. Be sober and watch for your aduersarie the diuel as a roring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure Lidia What then is the combat Paul The combat is a mutuall conflict of them that fight spiritually Lidia Who are the warriors Paul The warriors are the tempter and the Christian souldier Ephes. 6. 12. For we wrastle not against flesh and bloud but against principalities against powers and against the worldly gouernors the princes of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesses which are in high places Lidia Whom call you the tempter Paul The tempter is the Prince or his helpers The Prince is Satan and his Angels which are spirituall wickednesses in high things His helpers are the flesh and the world Lid. What is the conflict of these warriors Paul The conflict of all these is temptation whereby a man is prouoked to commit such wickednesse as is hurtfull to the saluation of his soule 1. Pet. 2. 11. Dearely beloued I beseech you as strangers and pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule Lidia What must I note in this Christian souldier Paul In the souldier two things are to be considered his resisting and his fall Lidia VVhat is his resistance Paul Resistance is an action whereby the souldier doth withstand temptation through grace working inwardly in him 1. Iohn 2. 14. I write vnto you babes because ye haue knowne the Father I haue written to you fathers because ye haue knowne him that is from the beginning I haue written to you yong men because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye haue ouercome the wicked 1. Pet. 5.
of God they are the children of God Lidia But how shall I know whether this testimonie come from Gods spirit or from carnall presumption Paul First by a full perswasion which you shall haue for the holy Ghost will not barely say it but perswade you that you are Gods child which the flesh cannot do Secondly by the maner of perswasion for the holy Ghost draweth not reasons from the works and worthinesse of man but from Gods fauour and loue and this kind of perswasion differeth much from that which Satan vseth Thirdly by the effects of that testimonie for if the perswasion arise from presumption it is a dead perswasion but contrariwise it is most liuely and stirring if it come from the holy Ghost for such as are perswaded that they are elected and adopted the children of God they wil loue God trust in him and cal vpon him with their whole heart Lidia Alas I find this testimonie maruellous feeble in me are there not other meanes by which I may be comforted in this temptation of Satan that I am not Gods child Paul Yes verily if you feele not the flame of Gods spirit in you then must you iudge of it by the heate and if you find the effects of sanctification in you you are without doubt in the state of grace Lidia Which I pray you be they Paul Of all the effects of sanctification you may iudge of your adoption by these that follow First if you feele your wants and with griefe bewaile the offence to God in euery sinne 2. If you striue against the flesh that is resist and hate the first motions thereof and with griefe thinke them burthenous and troublesome Thirdly if you desire earnestly and vehemently the grace of God and merite of Christ to obtaine eternall life 4. When you haue obtained it to account it a most precious iâ—well and all things to be as dung in respect of it Phil. 3. 9. 5. If you loue a Minister of the Gospell as he is a Minister and a Christian as he is a Christian and if need require can be readie to giue your life for them 1. Iohn 3. 16. 6. If you call earnestly vpon God euen with teares 7. If you desire Christs comming to iudgement that an end might be made of these dayes of sin 8. If you flie all occasions of sin and endeuor to come to newnesse of life 9. And last of all if you perseuere vnto the last gaspe in these things For as one saith he that wil serue God must beleeue that which he cannot see hope for that which is deferred loue God when he shewes himself an enemie and thus remaine to the end Lidia These indeed are sure effects of sanctification but euen these are weake in me as the former Paul Are they so Then know that God tameth you yet so as you must not therewith be dismaied for it is certaine that if you haue faith but as a graine of mustard-seed and be as weake as a yong infant it is sufficient to ingraft you into Christ and therefore you must not doubt of your owne election by reason of your weaknesse A child holding a staffe in his hand holdeth it as well as a man though not with so much strength and you laying hold vpon Christ by faith though you do it neuer so weakely it will suffise for your saluation Nay if one haue not yet felt these effects in his heart he must not conclude he is a reprobate but must rather vse the word of God and the Sacraments that he may haue inward sense of the power of Christ drawing him vnto him and an assurance of his redemption by Christs death and passion Lidia He that opened the heart of Lidia to heare Paul open my heart to know and do these things Paul Amen Sundry necessarie obseruations meete for a Christian published long since by some religious man I. THat you keep narrow watch ouer your heart words and deeds continually Psal. 93. 1. Mat. 24. 42. Luke 12. 36. 1. Cor. 10. 13. 15. 34. 16. 13. Col. 3. 17. II. That with all care the time be redeemed that hath bene idly carelesly and vnprofitably spent Eph. 5. 16. Col. 4. 5. III. That once in the day at least priuate prayer and meditation be made Psal. 119. 164. Dan. 6. 10. Luke 18. 1. Ephes. 6. 18. Col. 4. 2. IV. That care be had to do and receiue good in companie 1. Thess. 5. 11. V. That your familie be with all diligence and regard instructed watched ouer and Christianly gouerned Gen. 18. 19. Deut. 4. â— 5 6 7. Pro. 31. 27. Eph. 6. 4. VI. That no more care be spent in matters of this world then must needs Mat. 6. 31. Col. 3. â— 1. Iohn 2. 15. VII That you stirre vp your selues to liberality to Gods Saints Gal. 6. 10. Heb. 13. 16. VIII That you prepare your selues to beare the crosse by what meanes soeuer it shall please God to exercise you Mat. 16. 24. Luke 9. 13. 24. 27. IX That you giue not the least bridle to wandring thoughts Iob 31. 1. Eph. 5. 3. X. That you bestow some time in mourning not onely for your owne sinnes but for the time and age wherein you liue Ezech. 9. 4. Psal. 119. 136. XI That you looke dayly for the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ for your full deliuerance out of this world Mat. 24. 44. XII That you acquaint your selfe with some godly person with whom you may conferre of your Christian estate and open your doubts to the quickning of Gods graces 〈◊〉 you Iames 5. 16. XIII That you obserue the departure of men out of this life their mortalitie the vanitie and alteration of things below the more to contemne the world and to continue your longing after the life to come Esay 57. 1. Phil. 3. 3. 1. Pet. 1. 24. Reu. 22. 20. XIIII That you meditate often vpon your death and going out of this life how you must lie in the graue go to dust leaue all glorie and wealth and this will serue to beate downe that pride of life which naturally is in you Eccles. 7. 4. 12. 1. XV. That you reade something daily of the holy Scriptures for the further increase of your knowledge Math. 22. 29. Iohn 5. 39. Act. 17. 11. XVI That you make a couenant with the Lord to striue against all sinnes especially against the specialsins and corruptions of your heart and life wherein you haue most dishonored God and that you carefully see that your â—ouenant be kept and continued Neh. 9. 38. â— Chron. 34. 31. XVII That you marke how sinne dieth and is weakened in you and that you turne not to your old sinnes againe Matt. 18. 8. 1. Thess. 5. 22. 2. Pet. 2. 22. XVIII That you fall not from your first loue but continue still your affection to the liking of Gods word and to all the holy exercises of religion diligently hearing it and faithfully practising it that you may prepare your selfe