out of the mouth of God who is goodnes it selfe the latter sometimes he permitteth to proceed out of the mouth of the deuill giuing him power to worke lying wonders that the seekers of him might beleeue in him to their finall destruction Thus the deuill who can doe nothing against Gods word doth what he doth by Gods word spoken in iudgement and iustice Whence I conclude 1. It were better for a man to want cure then haue the deuill his Physitian better for a man to want health of his body then procure it with the death of his soule Better had it beene for the Israelites to haue wanted Quailes then procuring them by murmuring to be choaked with them Bettter for a man to want the world then winne it with the losse of his soule Better had it beene for Ahab to haue wanted Naboths vineyard then to loose the whole kingdome for it Better for Iudas to haue wanted the thirtie pence then to hang himselfe for them for Ananias and Saphira to haue wanted the third part of their possession then to die for it 2. Rule Better it were to want the meanes of health and maintenance then not to vse them according to the word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God as food apparell physicke health and life it selfe Had it not been better that Asa had wanted Physicke then bee strucke with death because hee trusted in Physitians Better it had beene for Gehazi to haue gone in ragge◠then to apparell himselfe by lying and deceit which apparelled himselfe and all his posterity with leprosie Whether was the state of Lazarus that died for want of meanes or of Diues better that fared deliciously euery day Lesse haue men to answer for who haue no meat to strengthen nature then those that haue abundance which they peruert to strengthen themselues in sinne sacrificing their strength to the seruice of the deuill and to their lusts We our selues know numbers in all corners who were better continually to be bedridde and sicke or maimed then to abuse their health and liues in such riotous vngracious courses to the destruction of themselues and others Nay as our Sauiour said of Iudas it had been good for him he had neuer been borne so may we say of numbers of gracelesse persons better they had neuer seene the sunne or enioyed life then so to haue consumed their liues in the seruice of sinne and Satans temptations Lastly If we liue by euery word of God then let vs be thankefull to God for our liues and for his word of blessing vpon the meanes and seeing our liues hang vpon his word to prolong them or cut off the thread of them we must labour to liue to him and his glory It becommeth the iust to be thankefull A great vnthankefulnes were it to rebell against him by whom we hold our liues and all the comfort of them See wee not how those that hold land in coppy are willingly bound to suit and seruice to the Lord who is often but a meane man The Sidonians would not warre against Herod because they were nourished by his land and shall we be in warre against our Lord by whose hand and word we liue mooue and haue our beeing And euen this thankesgiuing is his gift also for as the matter for which so the grace by which we are thankefull is all from him so as wee must depend on him both for blessings and for grace to be thankfull VERS 5. Then the deuill tooke him vp into the holy citie and set him on a pinacle of the temple 6. And said vnto him If thou be the Sonne of God cast thy selfe downe for it is written c. WE come now to set downe and expound by the assistance of God the second onset of the deuill vpon the Sonne of God by a violent and hellish temptation nothing inferiour to the former in the furious malicious and cunning contriuing of it In the entrance whereof we must remooue one rubbe by the way concerning the order of this temptation wherein the Euangelists seeme not to agree among themselues for whereas S. Matthew makes this the second S. Luke makes it the last and puts the last in S. Matthew into the second place And herein some learned men haue stumbled and haue deuised simple shifts to reconcile the two Euangelists Some thinke that they write not the same history nor of the same temptations but of temptatiōs vrged at sundry times These are confuted by the very matter phrases and words which are in both the same and need no other conuiction Others thinke and they of the learned Papists that in some auncient bookes S. Luke obserues the same order in the temptations with S. Matthew and that the difference crept in by the heedlesnesse of some writer Which is a needlesse deuise of them who striue to prooue the Canonicall Scripture to be corrupted in their fountaines that so their corrupt Latin Translation may preuaile but both impeaching the watchfulnes and care of God ouer the Scriptures as also the diligence and faithfulnesse of the Church which is pretended to suffer her selfe wholly to be abused by the carelesnesse or vnfaithfulnesse of some one Scribe But the truth is that it doth no whit preiudice the truth of the Euangelicall story that the Euangelists doe not stand so much vpon order where it is not so necessary as vpon the matter and the things themselues done which they faithfully report and in which they ioyntly accord and agree as oftentimes they stand not vpon words nor sometimes vpon sentences but one deliuer the same fact in one style of speach another in another forme but so as one is so far from crossing another as he giueth thereby more light and certeinty vnto the other Quest. But whether of these obserued the right order as the temptations were passed Answ. I am out of doubt that Matthew sets downe the right order as they were done 1. Because he passeth his story by such particles as imply an orderly consequent as Then the deuill tooke him then he tooke him againe then the deuill left him c. whereas Luke vsed the particle and in his passages which noteth no certaine order as the former doth his care was to relate the whole matter but was not so accurate for order 2. The coherence and dependance of this second temptation with the former shewes that Matthew obserueth the right method for Christ hauing by a testimony of Scripture confirmed himselfe in the confidence and trust in his Father Satan immediately seeks to make his aduantage of Christs words and seeing he will needs trust his Father he would haue him trust him too much If he need no bread beeing hungrie he needs no staires to goe downe from the pinacle of the Temple the last temptation doth not so fitly cohere with the former as this second doth 3. After Christ had bidden Satan auoide Matthew adds Then the deuill left him as being obedient to
haue to exempt vs from danger True it is we haue the word with peace liberty and protection but the feare is that our security and deadnes of heart with dissolutenes and profanenesse in behauiour will forfeit all God sendeth Ierusalem to Shilo saying Trust not in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord but amend your waies and I will let you dwell in this place but if you will not goe to Shilo and see what I did to it and looke for the like So now God sends vs to Ierusalem that we may consider what he did to it beeing once the praise of the earth and if the same sinnes be found in vs as were in Ierusalem the Lord will doe no other with vs then he did with it euen as he threatned 2. Kin. 21.13 he will stretch ouer vs the line of Samaria that is bring the enemy in our neckes and the plummet of the house of Ahab an idolater take away his holy things and exchange them with filthy idolatry and wipe vs as a man wipeth a dish euen turne vs vpside downe What were the sinnes of Ierusalem but pride idlenesse fulnesse of bread and contempt of the poore in all which England doth equall if not goe beyond Ierusalem and yet we charge our selues as little with our sinnes as Ierusalem did And if we looke to the immediate causes and forerunners of Ierusalems ouerthrow and compare them with our land we shall see it high time to looke about vs for I. In generall Ierusalem had grieuously sinned and therefore was had in derision Lam. 1.8 Her sinnes were great many of long continuance with treasured wrath and all this in a place of such meanes and light Now no place in the world hath more meanes then we we are farre beyond Ierusalem in meanes and therefore farre beyond her in sinnes II. More specially 1. They did not heare the words of Gods seruants the Prophets nor obey them therefore the Lord made that house like to Shilo Ier. 26.6 and hence Ierusalem afterward had time enough but too late to charge her selfe with rebellion Lam. 1.18 and to acknowledge the righteous iudgement of God against it Neuer were the Oracles of heathens despised so amongst them as Gods holy word is generally of our people no man almost lets it come neare his heart a manifest argument that God will one day speake so as he will bee heard 2. Ierusalem would not take knowledge of the day of her visitation as appears in Luk. 19.43 and Matth. 23.37 therefore her habitation was made desolate As little know we the worth of our blessed means but perhaps we may know it better in the want of them 3. Ierusalem remembred not her latter end therefore she came downe wonderfully Lam. 1.9 she was carelesse and neuer considered the account she was to make of her liberties and so hardned her selfe in sinne and grew to contemne the good meanes shee had through the daily custome of them This also was the immediate forerunner of Niniuehs destruction Zeph. 2.13 This is the reioycing city that dwelt carelesse and said in her heart I am and there is none besides me How is she made wast and the lodging of beasts Euery one that passeth by her shall hisse and wagge his head And the reason is She bore her selfe vpon her priuiledges her holy things her strength wealth populous and flourishing estate specially vpon the promises of God which they peruerted beeing all made with condition of obedience which they had long before forfeited yea so likely and constant an estate she had as none in the world would haue beleeued that the enemy should haue entred the gates of Ierusalem Lam. 4.12 so as he came vnlookt for The same is our conceit we thinke our staffe so strong that it can neuer bee broken we remember not what is the end of security when men cry Peace Peace comes sudden warre 4. Ierusalem had two sorts of Prophets in her First false Prophets which flattered them and sought out vaine things false prophesies and causes of banishment Lam. 2.14 Such was Hanani who opposed Ieremie and said the Lord would within two yeares breake the yoke of the King of Bâ—bel Ier. 28.2 and Ahabs false Prophets would bid the King goe vp to battell against Gods commaundement and prosper This was one cause of her ruine Lam. 4.13 for the sinnes of her Prophets and Priests not that the people had not sinned but when leaders and such as should preserue purity of religion and manners are so corrupt it argues a generall corruption running downe from the head to all the members which must needs bring the whole to a consumption A second sort were faithfull and sincere and the entertainment of these was such in Ierusalem as God most seuerely reuenged Ieremie was cast into the dungeon Micaiah into prison nay our Sauiour challengeth Ierusalem of such cruelty against the Prophets as did bring all the righteous blood vpon them from Abel vnto Zachariah Matth. 23.37 But of all crueltie they filled their measure in crucifying the Lord of the holy Prophets Matth. 21.38 the Housholder sent his seruants to receiue fruits but they euill intreated them and beate some and slew others at last he sent his Sonne saying They will surely reuerence my Sonne but they said This is the heire Come let vs kill him and the inheritance shall be ours Now what will the Housholder doe Hee will certainly destroy those wicked men and let out his vineyard to others Expressing plainely in this parable Gods dealing with Ierusalem and theirs with him and what was the immediate cause of their destruction A dangerous thing it is to wrong the faithfull Ministers of God Doe my Prophets no harme saith the Lord and to persecute Christ in his members shall not bee vnreuenged 5. Ierusalem had many warnings before their vtter ouerthrow It was besieged by Pharaoh Necho by Senacherib in Hezekias time in Rehoboams time by Shishac King of Egypt it was sacked and ouerthrowne 1. King 14.26 It was subdued thrice by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel twice vnder Ioakim and the third time vnder Zedekiah the citie was wasted the Temple burnt and the people captiuated into Babylon 2. King 24. and 25. After seauentie yeares when by the permission of Cyrus King of Persia the Temple was builded by Zerubbabel the Citie by Nehemiah and the law restored by Ezra and the Lord came againe to his Temple yet being againe prouoked some yeares after it was taken by Antiochus Epiphanes King of Syria the law burned the Temple profaned the daily sacrifice remooued the sanctuarie of strength polluted and the abhomination of desolation set vp as Daniel had foretold chap. 11. v. 31. and made a wonderfull effusion of blood After this the Citie and Temple was reedified by Iudas Affomanaeus and began to flourish but it was not long before it was again taken by Cu. Pompeius a Romane Captaine whom Aristobulus called to help him against his brother Hircanus
Christ himselfe once was and as Christ was in the midst of wilde beasts and was not hurt so shall his members be they may be molested and afraid of danger by them yea assaulted and slaine but not hurt If the Spirit lead thee into the wildernesse as he did Christ thou mayest be secure if for good conscience and Gods religion thou beest set vpon thou shalt not be hurt as the Martyrs were not Note 3. In that our Sauiour now is safe enough when all the meanes of safety and comfort are set against him we must learne to depend vpon him if we shall come into the like case when we haue no way to help our selues all meanes faile nay all meanes are against vs like so many wilde beasts about vs then he is able to succour vs as he was to defend himselfe alone not onely from the rage of wilde beasts but furious deuills And this is the true triall of faith when we haue no meanes yea when meanes are against vs. It is an easie thing to trust God vpon a pawne but we must trust in his word that is indeed to trust in God When the case is with vs as it was with Moses at the red sea the sea afore him the mountaines on both sides Pharaoh and his hoste behind then to say Stand still feare not and behold the saluation of the Lord here is found faith When Aram and mount Seir came against Iehoshaphat and he saw no strength or meanes of his owne he said O Lord we know not what to doe but our eyes are vnto thee and so though his army was small and his enemies like grasse on the earth trusting in God he went away with the victory And what a holy and faithfull profession was that of Iob If the Lord kill mee yet will I trust in his mercy Rules to carry our selues by faith in the outward meanes I. Where they be 1. Faith neglecteth not good meanes where they be because Gods prouidence hath affoarded them and appointed them for our good faithfull Iaacob had a good care to prouide for his family Gen. 30.30 Isaac said to his father Here is the knife and wood but where is the sacrifice Abraham answered God will prouide so let vs vse the meanes and God will prouide the rest which is wanting 2. It hath a right iudgement of them not as things to be trusted to neither art nor labour expressed by the net Hab. 1.16 nor wealth and riches expressed by the wedge of gold Iob 31.24 nor friends and alliance expressed by the arme of flesh Ier. 17.5 no nor the outward meanes of saluation Ezech. 33.31 Faith knoweth it is not bread but the staffe of bread that man liueth by Dauid lookes vpon his staffe and bowe and saith they cannot helpe him Psal. 42.6 and counteth watching and building but vaine except the Lord ioyne his helping hand Psal. 127.1 2. 3. Faith vseth meanes but expecteth no blessing from them but by the word and prayer Gen. 32.9 Iacob vseth good meanes and pollicy in diuiding his armie and separating his bands but withall giueth himselfe to prayer to get Gods arme with him Exod. 17.11 Ioshua goeth and valiantly fighteth the Lords battels but Moses must be at prayer in the mount and no longer Ioshua prospers then Moses prayeth II. Where they be not 1. Faith trusteth where means be wanting or against them Though ten thousand compassed Dauid yet would he trust Psal. 3.6 And Abraham was a notable patterne of faith when he had no meanes but all was against him in himselfe and his wife still he depended vpon the naked word that God was true and able to performe his promise Rom. 4.9.20.21 2. Faith when it may vseth no euill meanes it flies not in sickenesse to sorcerie nor in extremity to the Witch as Saul did for which he was reiected from beeing King 1. Chron. 10.13 It turneth not to fetches of policie nor to digge deepe counsells on which a woe is pronounced Isa. 29.15 It deuiseth not to smite ones betters with the tongue it taketh not aduantage of mens simplicity or forgetfulnesse 3. It obserueth how many great things God bringeth to passe without yea against the meanes to shew how little he depends vpon them and therefore it will not stint the Holy One of Israel but frame the heart to his likenes It sees the walls of Iericho fall downe by seauen dayes compassing Iosh. 6.3 It sees all Midians host discomfited by means of a dreame of a barly loafe tumbled downe from aboue into the host of Midian Iud. 7.13 and Ashurs host flie all away supposing the King of the Hittites and Egyptians to come vpon them through a noise of chariots and horses 2. King 7.6 And surely this is the course in which God often encourageth his children who thriue and growe they know not how by vertue of the promise that God will fill his with hidden treasures Whereas those that will feed themselues vpon the meanes and trust God no further Gods iustice often lets them see their folly reuenging their infidelity they eate and are not satisfied they earne money for a bottomlesse bagge Hag. 1.6 they go and trust in Physitians as Asa did and pine away their wisedome and counsell is turned to foolishnesse as Achitophels they haue horses and strength and trust to it Psal. 20.7.8 but they are fallen there where they trusted And thus God letteth men see that there is neither wisedome counsell power or successe against nor without the Lord. Note 4. Christians must not thinke much to finde men more sauage then bruit beasts seeing Christ found it so Lazarus found dogges more pitifull to him then Diues and Paul found the beasts to which he was condemned at Ephesus more mercifull then the men 1. Cor. 15.31 The like entertainement in the world must euery Christian expect NOw we come to the third point in Christs expectation of his enemie namely his imployment and that out of the Euangelists is gathered to be twofold 1. Fasting to which he ioyned praier without all doubt this S. Matthew hath that he fasted forty dayes forty nights 2. Temptation by lighter onsets as Luke saith plainely he was forty daies there tempted of the deuill and after that he was hungry and then began these three temptations In his fast consider three things 1. what kind of fast it was 2. the reasons of it 3. the continuance fourty dayes and fourtie nights For the first Of fasts there are three kinds 1. Ciuill as when men fâ—st for the health of their body or when men are so intent vpon their affaires as they take no time to eate and drinke thus Saul fasted pursuing the Philistims 1. Sam. 14.24 and those fourtie that vowed not to eate till they had slaine Paul so intent they were vpon their wickednes Act. 23.14 This is voluntarie there is also one involuntarie fast when men want what to eat or drinke as Elias fasted 1. Kin. 17.5
and goe backe or stand still If he command the winds or sea to be still they shall be still and presently there shall bee a great calme If he send forth his word the mountaines of yee shall melt Psal. 147.18 If he commaund the whale he shall set Ionah on drie land cap. 2. v. 10. If he commaund the solid and senslesse earth it shall heare and rend to swallow vp Corah Dathan and Abâ—ram If he commaund the fire not to burne it shall heare and not burne the three children If he command dead men they shall heare come out of their graues as Lazarus c. and all men at the generall iudgement But as God can see without eyes and reach without hands so also doth he speake without a tongue as the light the firmament the heauens and other his workes can heare his voice without eares neither wanteth he a meanes to make his minde knowne and his pleasure manifest to the most senslesse creatures This should teach vs to depend vpon this word of God for our liues and meanes of maintaining them for so our Lord Iesus did in this barren wildernesse he would not sustaine himselfe but by Gods word Doest thou want meanes of liuing and maintenance Consider that man liues not by bread alone This word can make the aire light without and before either sunne moone or starre Gen. 1.3 This word can make the earth fruitfull before the raine had euer fallen vpon it Gen. 2.5 Wantest thou bread God hath not locked vp thy life in bread it may bee he hath another word which if thou hearest with Moses and Elias thou shalt liue without bread Asa when he was in a great straite 2. Chron. 14.11 for he was with fiue hundred and fourescore thousand to encounter with an armie of tenne hundred thousand and three hundred chariots he looked vp to this word of God and said that the Lord could saue by many or fewe or by none Hast thou meanes of liuing yet depend on this word thy life stands not in bread or in abundance if God withdrawe his word neither restoratiue quailes nor heauenly Manna if thou hadst them shall preserue thy life How often doth God blow vpon the second meanes to bring vs to this word The faith of this truth doth fence the heart with sound comfort when all outward meanes doe faile if the heart can say to it selfe What if God doe not giue me my desire by this meanes or that I know God hath more words then one more blessings then one and man liueth by euery word And faith strengthens the heart 1. By setting before the eye Gods power in this word how that one word of his mouth is enough to helpe vs one word is able to create innumerable armies of Angels and creatures one fiat is enough to make all creatures and all this to come or goe or stand still as most dutifull seruants to their Master Matth. 8. the Centurion comming to Christ for the health of his seruant desires him not to come within his roofe for he was not worthy of that fauour nor to send him any receit or physicke to doe him good but onely to speake the word and hee was sure his seruant should be healed A strong faith in a strong word It is but a word with God then how easily how presently how certainely will God doe me good if he see it good for me 2. By assuring the heart that his will is as readie to doe vs good as his word is able and it sets the promise before vs that nothing shall be wanting to them that feare God The former in the example of the leper Matth. 8. Lord if thou wilt thou canst make mee cleane and in the next words to shew he is as willing as able he saith I will be thou cleane by which word proceeding out of the mouth of God his leprosie was instantly cured his will was his word and his word was his worke The latter in the example of Abraham whose faith set before his eies Gods promise that in Isaac his seed should be called and that by Isaac he should be a Father of many nations and therefore when at Gods word he went out to offer Isaac and Isaac asked him where was the sacrifice he answered God will prouide One eye was on Gods word commanding him to slay his sonne another vpon this other word that God was able to raise him vp from the dead whence after a sort he receiued him and that he also would doe so before his promise should be frustrate 3. By setting before the Christian heart the blessed issue and successe of vnwauering confidence in the word of God The Israelites going out of Egypt and wandring in the wildernesse so many yeares by the appointment of Gods word he did supply all their wants by his word and it became all things vnto them which their hearts could desire 1. he paued them a way in the sea and suddenly made the waters a wall vnto them 2. he gaue them bread from heauen euen Angels food and that in our text was by his word 3. he gaue them water out of a rocke and that by his word he bade Moses speake to the rocke 4. hauing no means for clothes his word kept their garments for forty yeares from waxing old But what need we goe out of our text in which the example of our Head and Lord may best confirme vs for wanting bread in the wildernes he would not turne stones into bread but waited on the word of his Father till the Angells came and ministred vnto him euen so the adopted sonnes of God treading in the steps of our Lord shall by vertue of the same word alwaies finde releife one way or other Who would haue thought that euer Iob should haue swomme out of that misery hauing lost all his cattell substance and children but because when the Lord was a killing him in his owne sence he trusted in him the Lord raised him and doubled the wealth and prosperity he had before Who would haue thought that euer Daniel should haue escaped the lyons denne and teeth beeing cast in amongst them or that Peter should haue escaped Herods sword beeing bound in chaines and watched of souldiers to be brought out to death next day But trusting in the Lord this word shut the mouths of the lyons and opened the prisons iron doores and brake in sunder the chaines and so both of them were wonderfully deliuered Surely this doctrine well digested is full of comfort and quietnes and would set the heart at rest and make all outward troubles easie If a man could once get his heart to trust in the word as Dauid did Psal. 119.42 it would sustaine the soule in many troubles and bring in so sweet a contentment as the world is a stranger vnto On the contrary whence is it that mens hearts faile them and they sinke in their troubles but because they trust to the meanes
stands not in words but in sense 4. To establish the false doctrine of free-will they furnish themselues with that place in Ier. 17.7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is But what doe they else but imitate the deuill in cutting off that part of the text which makes against them for in the next verse it followeth The heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things who can know it shewing that man in himselfe is vtterly destitute of all grace 5. For the Iesuiticall tricke of equiuocation or mentall reseruation they haue Scripture and Example Ioh. 1.21 they asked Iohn if he were a Prophet he said No whereas he was one for Zachary called him the Prophet of the Highest and Christ said that there was not a greater Prophet then Iohn therefore Iohn equiuocated Answ. Whatsoeuer was the true meaning of the question that Iohn answered plainely vnto If they meant to aske him if he were that singular Prophet whom they fancied to come together with their Messiah he truely answered no. If he were any of the auncient Prophets who were long before Christ he truely answered in that sense no. If he were a Prophet by his proper office he truely answered no. For howsoeuer he was by grace and power a Prophet beeing sent of God to reprooue and conuert sinners yet by ordinarie office he was no Prophet neither did he prophesie But what is this to those mentall reseruations Are you a Priest Garnet No saith he meaning not a Priest of Apollo or Iupiter Were not you in England at such a time No not as the Sunne in the firmament or as a King in a Kingdome A strange madnesse that men professing knowledge zeale should so dally with lies and oaths which tricks of theirs were they iustifiable and sound we should haue little vse of Magistracy or tribunalls especially where matters are determined by mens oathes he were a verie blocke that would suffer any thing to be fastened vpon him The murderer might sweare he neuer slew man namely with the iaw-bone of an asse as Sampson did The drunkard might sweare hee drunke neuer a droppe if he can inwardly conceiue of water or aqua â—oelestiâ— or the Poets nectar or what he can faigne The adultrâ—â—â—e might sweare she was neuer touâ—ht if she can inwardly conceiue of any creature as of a Bull or a Swanne as the Poets faigne of Pasâ—phâ—e and Laeda And were is lawfull to dally with God and mens consciences after this manner we could pay them home in their owne kind for suppose a man were in their Inquisition and were asked if the Pope were Supreame ouer all Kings if a man were disposed to equiuocate be might say and sweare yea reseruing his secret meaning not by right but onely in his owne proud and ambitious desire and thus delude them II. In matters of practise you shall haue no sinner but he hath a Scripture reached to him to lie safe vnder in the holding of his sinne but robbed and turned out of the right sense The Atheist that cares for no Scripture yet hath one text for himselfe Eccl. 7.18 Bâ—e not iust ouermuch nor ouerwise and so he hath enough to cast off all care of knowledge and conscience The image-munger hath a text to let nothing be lost he hath a good vse for his images if they cannot serue to worship they may serue for ornament The swearer hath a text in Ieremie Thou shalt sweare in truth righteousnesse and iudgement therefore he will sweare so long as he sweareth nothing but that which is true The Sabbath-breaker hath his text The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath The murderer and adulterer thinke themselues safe seeing they finde Dauid in both these sinnes and yet commended of God The drunkard hath his lesson Drinke no longer water but a little wine for thy stomacke and often infirmities sake The couetous person knows that he that prouides not for his family is worse then an Infidell which through many mens wickednesse is a ground of much couetousnesse The lazie Protestant hath his text We are saued by grace and iustified by the blood of Christ freely what can his workes doe what need they The idle person hath his text Care not for to morrowe let the morrowe care for it selfe The vsurer hath his plaine place Matth. 25.27 that I might haue receiued my owne with vsurie The theefe hath the theefe on the crosse repenting at the last The carnall Gospeller cares not what sinne he venture on because where sinne hath abounded there grace hath abounded much more The carelesse Libertine is predestinated to life or death doe what he can and doe not what he list he cannot change Gods decree and so he will doe what he list The obdurate and hardned sinner saith At what time soeuer a sinner repents God will put all his sinnes out of his remembrance and therefore he will not repent till he be dying Lastly the vniust person he hath his rule in the vniust steward who was commended by Christ who was indeed commended for his prouidence not for his iniustice In all these thou mayest hold this for a good rule It is the deuills diuinitie to confirme thy selfe in any sinne by whatsoeuer thou hearest or readest in Gods Booke all which in Gods meaning is direct and the onely preseruatiue against all sinne NOw we are to consider this comfortable Scripture in the holy vse of it not as we haue it wrested and mangled by Sathan but as we finde it set downe by the holy Ghost Psalm 91.11 For hee shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy waies They shall beare thee in their hands that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone In which words the godly are secured and assured of safetie in danger not onely because the Lord himselfe is become their refuge and protection as in the words going before but in that to his owne fatherly care and prouidence he hath added a guard of Angels to whose care also he hath committed the godly Wherein for explication we will note these particulars 1. What is the ministerie of the Angels namely to be the godly mans keepers 2. Who sealeth their commission He hath giuen them charge 3. The limitation of it In all thy wayes 4. The manner they shall beare thee vp in their hands 5. The end least thou dash thy foot against a stone Which is a borrowed speach taken from mothers or nurses who lead or carrie their tender children in their hands that they stumble and fall not to hurt or endanger themselues The word Angell is a name not of nature for so they be spirits but of office ministring Spirits to God to Iesus Christ and to Gods elect His Angels that is the good and elect Angels called his 1. By creation for they had not beeing of themselues 2. By more immediate ministerie they assist him and stand before his face whereas
Lord as well as they Obiect Then it is no good argument that we must reiect such and such things because the Papists haue abused them Answ. If they be good and necessarie it is not as are the Word Prayer Sacraments Churches and whatsoeuer stands by Gods ordinance in diuine or ciuill vse But in things vnnecessarie that we might be as well or better without their vse it is a good consequence Idolaters haue abused them therefore we must forbeare them as Bishop Iewell speaketh The infallible Iudge and speaking-decider of all controuersies in the Church are the holy Scriptures in the true sense of them Our Lord here giues the true meaning of one Scripture by another in this his controuersie with the deuill Deut. 17.9.10 In any matter of difference the people must come to the Priest or Leuite and they must iudge and determine all differences according to the Law and all the people vpon paine of death must stand to that iudgement Now this Priest was a type not of the Pope but of Christ on whose mouth all must depend for the decision of all controuersies Iosh. 1.7 the booke of the Law was giuen to Ioshua to decide all matters among the Iewes from which he must not depart to the right hand or left hand He was an eminent type of our Iesus or Ioshua whose voice speaking in the Scripture the booke of the law we must attend vnto in all things Ioh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures and our Sauiour said to the Sadduces Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures plainely affirming that the Scriptures rightly knowne were a sufficient fence from all error Luk. 16.29 They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them Matth. 19.4 Christ by Scripture refuted the Pharisies abuse of that Scripture of Moses for putting away their wiues Isa. 8.20 To the Lawe and to the Testimonie 1. This is true by reason of the perfection of the Scripture Psal. 19.7 The law of God is perfect so perfect as man and Angell are accursed that shall adde vnto it Prou. 30.5.6 Euery word of God is pure a sheild to those that trust in him put nothing vnto his words least he reprooue thee and thou bee found a lyar It is a perfect Canon or rule which as a straite line shewes the crookednesse of that which is not straite It is a touch-stone and triall of all truths It is a perfect law which is an vniuersall iudgement to direct all and for all to be led by which liue vnder it It is perfect in the effect 2. Tim. 3.16 It is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and instruct in righteousnesse and to make the man of God perfect Obiect The Apostle saith it is profitable but not that it is sufficient alone Ans. We say not it is therefore sufficient because he saith it is profitable but because it is profitable for all purposes of teaching improouing and making the man of God perfect therefore it is sufficient and perfect 2. In the Scripture we haue the voice of God speaking from heauen then which voice no voice of man or Angell can be more cleare or manifest Prou. 2.6 Out of his mouth commeth knowledge and vnderstanding His wisedome in the Scripture is aboue Salomons in answering all darke and deep questions and no case can be propounded which hath not there his satisfaction and determination Obiect But the Scriptures are a dumbe iudge and cannot determine controuersies Ans. 1. We giue earthly Kings leaue to giue definitiue sentence and iudgement in cases by their writing by which numbers who neuer heard their voice but read the writing vnderstand their meaning and shall we now call them dumb iudges or shall we deny this priuiledge to the King of glorie to determine by writing but we must blasphemously account him a dumbe iudge 2. The Scriptures are not a dumbe iudge but a speaking iudge Rom. 3.19 That which the Law speaketh it speaketh to them that are vnder the law Heb. 12.5 Ye haue forgotten the consolation which speaketh to you as children Ioh. 7.42 Doth not the Scripture say and what saith the Scripture so as it is a speaking iudge and giues to it selfe a mouth and a voice and that a loud one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9.27 the Apostle quoting the Prophet Esay saith Esay cryes out concerning Israel c. 3. How doth their speaking iudge determine all causes in Christendom delated vnto him at Rome but by writing and bulls and breues and yet he scornes to be counted a dumbe iudge 3. That is the noble and infallible iudge of all controuersies to which all flesh must stand which hath his authority of himselfe no way delegate but the Scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it selfe to bee beleeued because it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inspired by God from whom lies no appeale whose iudgement can by no meanes within or without it selfe be corrupted whose voice alone cannot erre or be led by passion affection or respect of persons but is an vnchangeable truth as God himselfe is the author of it In euery common-wealth the fittest decider of a controuersie in the Law is the Lawe-maker the King himselfe the same is also true in the Church 4. Christ himselfe decided all controuersies by Scripture so did the Apostles so the auncient beleeuers brought all their doubts to the Scriptures after their example This serues to discouer the wickednes of the Church of Rome who 1. that they may be iudges in their causes and 2. to auoide the light of Scripture which they see so direct against them flie the Scriptures as an incompetent iudge of the controuersies of religion between vs and in stead of the Scriptures they appoint vs fowre Iudges the authoritie of all which is superiour by their doctrine to the authoritie of Scripture The first iudge is the Church for that say they is to iudge of the meaning of Scripture but for the authoritie of the Church we could not know which were Scripture Answ. 1. We aske what they meane by the Church They say the Catholike Church But that is impossible to be iudge vpon earth because it is a companie of all the elect in heauen and earth which neuer was on earth at one time Then they say the visible Church But what if the Church be not visible sometimes as in Elias his time or be in the wildernesse Then they say the Romane Church which hath euer been visible these 1500. yeares Now we know our iudge and how our cause is like to goe in which it is a party But 1. It is not the Catholike Church vnlesse a finger can be an hand or an hand the whole body or a part become the whole and falsly and ridiculously call themselues Catholikes 2. That is no true Church which disagreeth from Christ the Head as Augustine saith and is fallen off Christ by many fundamentall errors as idolatrie iustification by workes and the like which
thy God 3. the action of tempting not tempt I. The person Thou Some thinke that the pronoune Thou is to be referred to Satan and the Lord thâ— God to Christ himselfe as though Christ had said Thou shalt not tempt me But 1. It was neuer written that Sathan should not tempt Christ if it had it had been false 2. It is a negatiue commandement of God directed to his people which bindes all persons at all times in all places and not to be restrained to this occasion 3. Satan was irrecouerably fallen from the Couenant of grace and so although Christ was his Lord in respect of his power yet not his God in respect of the Couenant of grace which those words haue speciall respect vnto 4. Satan proceeds to tempt him still and therefore that is not the meaning 5. Christ in this humble estate would not manifest himselfe much lesse call himselfe Lord and God II. The person who must not be tempted The Lord if he bee a Lord he must be feared obeyed honoured not tempted or prouoked Thy God though he be my God and my Father I must not presume I must not abuse my Fathers goodnesse and prouidence where no need is A loyall subiect will not presume vpon the clemencie of his Prince to breake his lawes or a louing child vpon his fathers goodnesse to offend him III. The action of tempting To tempt God is to prooue and try God out of necessitie what he can doe or what he will doe and whether he be so good so mercifull so iust as his word and promise say he is so Heb. 3.9 Your Fathers tempted me and prooued me and saw my workes The mother of this sinne is infidelitie and vnbeleefe 1. of Gods power as if his arme were shortened 2. of his goodnes as if he were not so carefull of his chosen as he is For else what need I trie that which I were assured of The issue of it or the branches that shoot from this root are put foorth 1. In iudgement 2. In affections 3. In counsels and actions of life 1. In iudgement and matter of doctrine to preferre our owne conceits aboue the word of God whereof the Apostle speaketh Act. 15.10 Why tempt yee God to impose a yoake vpon the Disciples neckes which neither our Fathers nor we can heare as if he should say Why doe you of the circumcision vainly swelling and trusting in your own strength falsly conceiue and teach without warrant to anger the Lord with that by the fulfilling of the lawe ye can attaine saluation binding vp the power of God to the law as necessarie to saue men thereby what an intollerable yoake is this which no man is able to beare What shall we thinke then of the Papists doctrine who lay the same yoake vpon mens shoulders What is their whole religion but a plaine tempting of God and a prouoking of his anger while they lay on men the yoake of the Law This is the sinne of all other heretikes who like the Pharisies set the word of God behind their owne inuentions and properly and directly fight against faith which leaneth it selfe wholly vpon the word of God Faith lookes at Gods constitutions it suffers not iudgement to arrogate aboue Gods iudgment it beates downe humane wisedome and reason and brings the thoughts and reasonings into the obedience of God It teacheth not impossibilities as they of the circumcision and Papists do at this day II. In affection 1. By diffidence and distrust Psal. 78.18 They tempted God in their hearts in requiring meat for their lust Here were many sinnes in one 1. a murmuring and grudging at their present estate 2. a tempting of Gods power Can God prepare a table in the wildernesse v. 19. 3. a denyall of his presence If God were amongst vs he would prepare vs a table 4. making hast and appointing of time and place and the manner of helping them hee must now in the wildernesse set vp a table 5. wantonnesse hauing sufficient and necessarie Mannah and water by an immediate hand of God they must haue meat for their lust 2. By curiositie when men vainely desire extraordinarie things and neglect ordinarie and must haue such signes as they list either out of meere curiosity as Herod would haue a signe onely to please himselfe in some rare sight or in pretence of confirming them in the truth as the Iewes when Christ had sufficiently confirmed his heauenly doctrine with powerfull miracles they reiected this and must haue a miracle from heauen Matth. 16.1 Quest. Is it not lawfull to aske a signe did not Gedeon Iudg. 6.17 and Hezekiah aske a signe and Moses and it was graunted Answ. Yes it is lawfull in foure cases 1. When God offers a signe we may require and aske it as he offred one to Hezekiah and not to require it is a sinne as in Ahaz who when the Lord bade him aske a signe he saith hee will not aske a signe nor tempt the Lord Isa. 7.11 But he tempted the Lord now not in tempting him and greeued him much v. 12. 2. When an extraordinary calling and function is laid vpon a man he considering his owne weakenesse and the many oppositions which he shall meet withall in the execution of it may for the confirming of his faith demaund a signe and this was Gedeons case who of a poore man of the smallest tribe of Israel was extraordinarily called to be a Iudge and Ruler Or when such an extraordinary worke or calling is to bee made manifest to the world to be from God for the better prospering of Gods worke a man may desire a signe as did Moses Exod 4. and Elijah 3. When God giues an extraordinary promise to his seruants of effecting something aboue all they can see or expect he pleaseth to condescend to their weaknes and for confirming of their faith he heares them asking a signe as Hezekiah beeing extraordinarily restored seeing 1. his owne extreame weaknesse and 2. the word of God passed Set thy house in order for thou shalt not liue but die required a signe and God affoarded him an extraordinary one The Virgin Mary had such an extraordinarie promise as neuer was to be a mother without the knowledge of man she asked how that could be God gaue her a signe saying Thy cousin Elizabet hath conceiued and shall beare a sonne and so shalt thou 4. When an extraordinary testimony to a new forme of doctrine is requisite extraordinary signes may be required As for example The Gospell at the first publishing of it was ioyned with the abolishment of all the ceremoniall law and all the ordinances of Moses and bringing in a new religion in respect of the manner through the world against which both Iewes and Gentiles could not but be deadly enemies Now the Apostles did desire and obtaine the power of working many signes and wonders of healing killing raising the dead commanding deuills and the like But to aske a signe out of these cases is
mettall consume away the drosse and refine his chosen ones to become vessells of honour 2. Because the fewell of the consuming fire of Gods wrath are slaues not sonnes those wicked brambles which if they escape one fire saith the Prophet they fall into another which shall consume them but not this bush which is onely made brighter and better by the flame but not blacker not worser The chaffe and stubble must feede the fire of wrath neuer to come foorth more but the pure mettall is cast into the furnace to come foorth so much the purer as it hath beene the longer tryed 3. Because the Angell of God is in the bush This Angell was Iesus Christ the Lord of the holy Angells and the great Angell of the Couenant For Moses saith expressely of this vision The Lord appeared vnto Moses and God called vnto him out of the middest of the bush and S. Luke recording the same vision after that he had called him an Angell bringeth him in saying I am the Lord of Abraham c. This same presence of the Sonne of God was noted the cause why cast vpon one kinde of serpent they kill him so much more 〈◊〉 it is that the leaâ—es of Gods word which properly belong to the bush of the church and opposed to Satans poysoned temptations ouercome and master them And thus as Moses requested that the blessing of him that dwelt in the bush might come upon the head of Ioseph euen so the good will of him that dwelt in the bush come vpon your head vpon the head of your vertuous Lady vpon the heads of your children to the sweetning and crowning of your age And blessed of the Lord be your portion for the sweetnes of heauen and for the sweetnes of the earth till you be satisfied with fauour and filled with the blessing of the Lord. Amen Reeding Octob. 28. 1618. Your Worshipâ— in the Lord to 〈…〉 THO. TAYLOR In CHRISTS Temptation consider 1. The preparation parts 3. 1 Christs entring the lists Here 1 Time Then 1 When he had been baptized 2 When he vndertooke his high office 3 When the Spirit had descended vpon him 4 When he had receiued testimonie from heauen that he was The Sonne of God The Teacher of the Church 2 Person Iesus 3 Guide of his way was lead of the Spirit Here 1 The Guide the Spirit 2 The manner was lead 4 Place into the wildernesse 5 Ende to be tempted of the Deuill Here 1 Author the deuill 2 End it selfe to be tempted 2 His expectance of the enemie Here three things 1 How he was furnished He was filled with the holy Ghost Luk. 4.1 2 His companie He was with the wilde beasts Mark 1.13 3 His employment 1 He was tempted within that time Luk. 4.2 with lighter onsets 2 He fasted in his fast 1 Time forty daies and forty nights 2 Effect he was afterward hungry 3 Entrance of the aduersaaie where 1 The time then when Christ had fasted and was hungry 2 The name of the aduersarie the Tempter 3 The manner of his entrance he came in an assumed shape externally 2 The combate it self in 3 fierce onsets First consists of an 1 Assault in it 1 The ground If thou be the Sonne of God 2 The inference Command these stones to be made bread Here 1 Facilitie Commaund 2 Readinesse of obiect these stones 3 Vtilitie to be made bread 2 Repulse in it 1 The manner it was 1. reasonable 2. meeke 3. modest 2 The affection negatiue But coniunction discretiue 3 The matter a testimonie of Scripture It is written 4 Parts of the testimonie 1 Negatiue Man liueth not by bread onely 2 Affirmatiue but by euery word which proceedeth c. Second consists of 1 Preparation here 1 The time then 2 The place set downe 1 in generall the holy Citie Luke expresseth it to be Ierusalem 2 in speciall a pinacle of the Temple 3 The manner how Christ was conueied thither in 2. things 1 Hee tooke him vp 2 Hee set him on the pinacle 2 Temptation in it 1 Assault in it 1 The ground If thou be the Sonne of God 2 The matter Cast thy selfe downe Here 1 the action Cast downe 2 the agent thy selfe 3 the place whence from hence saith Luke where mean 3 The argument to perswade him a testimonie of Scripture in which 1 Generall consideration It is written 2 Speciall matter 1 As abused by Satan 2 In his right vse Here 1 Angels ministerie keep thee 2 Who seales their commission He 〈◊〉 3 The limitation in all thy wayes 4 The manner they shall beare thee in 〈◊〉 2 Repulse in it 1 Resistance Iesus said vnto him 2 Reason 1 Scripture alledged for it is written to the contrarie 2 In the allegation 1 who must not tempt thou 2 who must not be tempted The Lord. Thy God 3 action of tempting Third in it 1 Assault in it 1 Preparation in it 1 Choise of a fit place Here 1 What place it was the toppe of an exceeding high mountaine 2 How Christ came thither the deuill tooke him unto c. 3 Why he chose that place 2 A vision represented Here 1 What it was All the kingdomes of the world and the glory of them 2 How he represented them Hee shewed him 3 How long the fight lasted in a moment saith Luke 2 Dart it selfe in it 1 A profer All these will I giue thee 2 A reason for they are mine and to whom I will I giue them in Luke 3 The condition in it 1 the matter worship me 2 the manner fall downe if it be but externally 2 Repulse in it 1 The deniall But Iesus answered 2 The manner Auoid Satan sharpe in the Title Satan Commaundement Auoide 3 The reason from a testimonie of Scripture in it 1 Allegation It is written 2 Precept in it 1 Person to whom thou euery man the whole man in soule bodie 2 Matter shalt worship and serue .i. diuine worshippe 3 Obiect the Lord thy God and him onely 3 The issue 1 Christs victorie 1 The time when the deuill left him Then 1 When Christ had stoutly resisted 2 When all the temptations were ended in Luke 3 When Christ had said Auoid Satan 2 The manner he departed from him 3 How long for a season saith Luke 2 His triumph 1 A note of attention set as a starre before it And behold 2 What we must behold 1 The comming of the Angels vnto Christ here 1 When they come 2 To whom they come 3 Manner of their comming 2 Their ministerie vnto him where 1 How they ministred vnto him by Adoring him as Conquerour Comforting his Soule 〈◊〉 Bodie 〈◊〉 2 Why they did so Not for necessitie on Christs part But their owne duty as to Their Lord. The Head of 〈◊〉 MATTH 4. VERS 1. THen was Iesus led aside of the spirit into the wildernesse to be tempted of the deuill 2. And when he had fasted fourtie daies and fourtie nights he
was afterwards hungrie 3. Then came the Tempter to him and said If thou be the Sonne of God commaund that these stones be made bread 4. But he answering said It is written Man shall not liue by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God 5. Then the deuill tooke him vp into the holy Citie and set him on a pinacle of the Temple 6. And said vnto him If thou be the Son of God cast thy selfe downe for it is written that he will giue his Angels charge ouer thee and with their hands they shal lift thee vp least at any time thou shouldst dash thy foot against a stone 7. Iesus said vnto him It is written againe Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God 8. Againe the deuill tooke him vp vnto an exceeding high mountaine and shewed him all the Kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them 9. And said vnto him All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me 10. Then said Iesus vnto him Auoide Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue 11. Then the Deuill left him and behold the Angels came and ministred vnto him OVr Lord Iesus Christ hauing passed the former part of his preparation to his ministrie and office by his most holy baptisme of which we haue spoken at large in the former words now hee proceedeth to the second which standeth in temptation For as in the former he publikely reuealed himselfe to be that Messiah so long expected in whom saluation is purchased to all beleeuers of Iewes and Gentiles so herein he sheweth himselfe most euidently to be that promised seede of the woman who was to breake the serpents head and him who was set apart and sent from his Father to destroy and dissolue the workes of the deuill And therefore this holy doctrine bringing vs such glad tidings of Satans confusion and our owne rescue out of his hands must be most welcome to vs whereof if we would tast the sweetnesse and benefit we must stirre vp our best attentions affections petitions to heare with readines receiue with gladnesse and practise with fruitfulnesse such holy instructions as this Treatise will abundantly affoard vnto vs. Wherein must be handled three things 1. The preparation to Christs combate vers 1.2 2. The combate it selfe with the seuerall assaults from v. 3. to v. 11. 3. The issue and euent v. 11. The preparation hath three parts 1. Christs entring the lists by going into the wildernes 2. His expecting of the enemie by his abode and conuerse there 3. The entrance of his aduersarie The first part is enlarged by sundrie circumstances as 1. the time when this combate was Then 2. the person opposed Iesus 3. his guide he was lead by the spirit 4. the place into the wildernesse 5. the ende why he came thither to be tempted of the deuill In the second part three points are affoarded out of the three Euangelists 1. How he was furnished hee was full of the holy Ghost Luk. 4.1 2. What company he had he was with the wilde beasts Mark 1.13 3. What was his employment 1. he was tempted Luk. 4.2 2. hee fasted fortie dayes and fortie nights and afterward was hungrie which was both the effect of his fast and the occasion of the first temptation The third generall part namely the entrance of our Sauiours aduersarie stands in three circumstances 1. the time then 2. the name of the aduersarie the tempter before called a deuill 3. the manner of his entrance he came The first circumstance in the preparation is the circumstance of time noted in the word Then which is not a word of supplement but of reference vnto the former historie of Christs baptisme which this immediately succeedeth as Mark. 1.12 Immediately the spirit driueth him note the present tense into the wildernesse so as Christ went directly from Iordan into the wildernesse Then 1. When Christ vndertooke his high office 2. When he was baptized 3. When the spirit had descended vpon him 4. When he had receiued testimonie from heauen that he was the Sonne of God and Doctor of his Church Hence note that The more God doth grace any man or aduance him in gifts or place the more doth Satan set himselfe to disgrace and molest him We read not that the Deuill did euer set vpon Christ while he liued as a priuate man though perhaps he did but now his Father setting him apart to worke mans redemption baptizing him powring his spirit vpon him and giuing testimonie with him that he is the Son of his loue now he is assailed with most violent temptations No sooner is he set apart to his office therein to glorifie God and gratifie man but he is set vpon by Satan a deadly enemy to both Moses was quiet enough till God set him apart to deliuer his brethren and after that he was neuer at quiet The like may be said of Dauid an eminent type of Christ while he kept his fathers sheepe he was at rest but if he will set vpon Goliah and be anointed King by Samuel let him looke to himselfe Saul will hunt him like a partrich and so narrowly espie his haunts that himselfe will say he must surely one day fall by the hand of Saul Zach. 3.1 when Iehoshuah the High Priest another type of Christ commeth to stand before the Lord in his seruice the Deuill commeth and standeth at his right hand to resist him The Apostle Paul so long as he was of the strict sect of the Pharisies he was highly esteemed and liued quiet enough but when he became an elect vessel to carrie the Gospel among the Gentiles then he was tryed and buffeted now he knowes that bonds and imprisonment abide him euery where 2. Cor. 7.5 and 6.5 1. Satans hostility against God and his glory and the meanes of it forceth him to hinder whatsoeuer may further Gods Kingdome and hinder his owne While the prisoner is in fetters vnder bars and bolts the Iaylour sleepes quietly and while the strong man keeps the hold all is in peace but disturbe him a little and you shall heare of him Hence it is that the more weighty any calling is and the more conscionable a man sets himselfe to discharge it which we see in Christ himselfe the more vigilantly doth Satan watch to hinder it Reach once at Satans head and he will surely reach as high as he may at thine 2. This is not without the good prouidence of God who hereby will prooue his seruants to whom he will commit some speciall worke whether they will shrinke or no hee will haue them also to haue good proofe and triall of his strength and faithfulnes in supporting them that they may the better commit themselues vnto him in time to come who hath vpheld them formerly and goe on vndanted in constant walking with him through the experience of his goodnes 3. God
men into these places besides that they neuer doe good no maruell if they fall fearefully as beeing not fenced they cannot say God set them there or will help them against temptations 2. Let them looke that they haue good warrant for that which they do and for euery action of their calling that they may see themselues to be in Gods worke for so long they haue promise of protection He will keepe and helpe thee in thy wayes 3. Let them pray to God for power and successe notwithstanding their trialls which they shall doe if they see the need of Gods strength as the Apostle did Eph. 6.19 Pray for mee and besought the Saints for Christs sake and the loue of the spirit to striue with him in prayer to God Seeing high estates are so dangerous why should not men content themselues with a meane â—ondition but insatiably gape after promotion 1. high callings are like high trees vpon the tops of hills which are subiect to euery winde 2. if height could bring content or a sweet life it were more worthily desired but we see it consumes a man with enuie and feare desiring still some thing beyond his present estate 3. there is as great sorrow in the fall as labour in rising and to come downe in the height is greater griefe And all this comes vpon a man besides Satans malice Lastly this serues to comfort Christians who are acquainted with temptations in the beginning of their conuersion and are ready to giue vp all as seeing nothing but discomfort For 1. it was the lot of Christ the head 2. it is a cursed peace to be at peace with the deuill and a blessed warre to fight for God and Christ Iesus 3. a theefe breakes not into an emptie house and a dogge barkes at strangers it is a good signe that thou art gotten out of Satans power because he pursues thee he needs not pursue those whom he possesseth they be good men whom Satan is an enemie to 4. the Lord first strengthened Christ with his voice from heauen and then brought him into the field and so he will deale with thee his member The second circumstance is the person opposed Iesus This will seeme strange if we consider in our Lord Iesus 1. The perfection of his nature he was free from all originall corruption by his most holy conception by the ouershadowing of the Holy Ghost as also from actuall sinne 1. Pet. 2.22 he did no sinne neither was any guile found in his mouth And though he had our substance and our infirmities yet with one exception without sinne Heb. 4.15 2. The perfection of grace for he was now full of the Holy Ghost indued with infinite knowledge wisedome holines and grace and it might seeme that there was no place or roome for temptation 3. The perfection of his power beeing the Creator and preseruer of all things the Lord of hosts by whose very word or becke all creatures as they be sustained so might be brought to nothing who beeing at the weakest was able by one word to cast down to the earth all that came to apprehend him and compell the very deuils to begge fauour of him 4. The perfection of his fathers loue hauing immediately before testified that hee was his beloued Sonne in whom he was well pleased who as in his priuate estate he encreased in fauour with God Luk. 2.52 so now much more hath he gained his fathers loue as we haue heard And yet â—esus must not escape the tempter It is not any excellencie or high respect that can exempt any man from Satans temptations If a man had all the perfections which Christ had of nature grace power and the loue of God yet in this life he must be exposed vnto them If we looke at all the Worthies of the world of greatest grace in greatest fauour with God as Iob Lot Aaron Moses Dauid Peter none of them could escape this onset Satan desires to winnow the Disciples as wheat euen at the side of Christ Luk. 22.31 Nay our first Parents Adam and Eue created in absolute perfection concerning present righteousnesse and holinesse met with a serpent euen in innocencie in paradise If neither holinesse of person nor place can priuiledge a man from temptation but Prophets Apostles yea the first Adam and the second Adam also must be tempted who can expect immunitie from the tempter 1. This life is the time of warfare and the world is the great field of God in which Michael and his Angels fight against the dragon and his angels and can the captaines and leaders of the rest that goe before them in grace in strength in knowledge and holinesse escape the onset seeing the sharpest and most keene assaults of euery battell is vpon the foreward and forlorne hopes 2. Satans malice beeing the greatest sinne in the world and the sinne against the holy Ghost is directly and professedly against God and consequently against those that appertaine to God because they doe so That he hateth the godly it is because he hateth God and in vs would be reuenged on him in the seruants he persecutes the Master in the members the head whereas his cheife quarrell lyeth against the Master and Head This cannot be newe to him that considereth either Christs prophecie Yee shall be hated of all men for my sake that is of all wicked men that carrie Satans image and properties or else the Saints experience of the accomplishment of it For thy sake are wee killed all the day long Psal. 44.22 Whence it must follow that the nearer any man is to God more graced or more like him the more is Satans malice kindled against him and he is lesse exempted from temptation the nearer Christ the more desirous is he to winnow him 3. Gods prouidence so ordereth the matter that where he giues greater strength and grace there should be greater exercise to preuent pride to keepe grace on worke and to make his gifts knowne to the world If Satans malice and impudencie set vpon the greene tree what will he doe to the drie If he dare make triall of Christs strength will he feare our weakenesse If he dare encounter with perfection can we impotent and infirme creatures looke for exemption No we had more need arme our selues and expect our aduersarie and the rather because the Prince of the world comes vpon Christ and findeth nothing to helpe his temptations by but to vs he needs bring no weapons he finds in our selues a whole armorie of weapons by which he may fight against vs he findes a rebel within vs an old Adam of our corrupt nature that giueth him strength and helpe against vs and therefore his boldnesse will be so much the more against vs when he sees our owne wicked inclinations yeelding strength to his wicked temptations Many men say they are of so strong a faith and of such grace that they defie Satan they
not bolt out opprobrious words against their Pastors and Teachers sinne is aggrauated by the person against whom it is committed to reuile an ordinary man is odious but much more to reuile the father of our soules or bodies Pastors or Parents 2. Not godly men and professors of the Gospell as to charge them with hypocrisie and traduce with violence that which would receiue a charitable construction Heb. 6.9 3. Not such as in whom Gods graces shine more eminently then in others through pride or enuie this is a high sinne and cost Christ his life yea to disgrace and obscure Gods gifts which ought to be acknowledged with thankfulnesse is in the skirts of that vnpardonable sinne and had need be stayed betimes for it is to hate goodnesse and if it did hate it because it is goodnesse it were farre more dangerous 3. Note seeing Satan is such an Arch-accuser and that his speciall hatred is against goodnes is it any maruell that the children of God passe through many slaunderous accusations If speach be of the faithfull Preachers of the word neither Prophets nor Apostles shal auoid most dangerous slanders Amos shal be accused by Amazia to preach against the King and that the whole land is not able to beare his words chap. 7. v. 9. Paul and Silas preaching nothing but Christ are brought before the gouernours exclaimed vpon as men troubling the citie preaching ordinances not lawfull to be receiued and teaching men to worship God contrary to the law Act. 16.20 and 18.13 Let speech be of professors of the Gospell how doe men in their mindes accuse and iudge that to be done in vaine-glory which is done in simplicity and for Gods glory and that to be done in hypocrisie or for commodity or other sinister ends which God sees is done in sincerity Yea as if men did see their hearts and inside how doe they speake it that such are not the men they make shew of or if grace euidently appeare in the eminent notes of it they can so lessen so diminish and clippe the beauty and glory of it as still they shall be disgraced Our blessed Lord himselfe was accused and condemned for a malefactor yea and executed his doctrine notwithstanding most heauenly and as his enemies witnessed Neuer man spake like this man yet was condemned his wonderfull miracles obscured yea blasphemed He cast out deuills by Beelzebub and shall the seruant looke to be better then his Master Lamentable it is to see how our times accuse the first restorers of religion Luther Caluin Beza Bucer and the rest as the layers of sedition and rebellion and as lamentable that such as preach the same holy doctrine as they did should vnder the titles of Puritans and Schismatikes be coupled with Papists yea accounted worse And no maruell if the whole profession of religion be accused and religious persons made the songs of the abiect and scum of the land because the deuill is an accuser When the deuill layes off his name and nature and ceaseth to be a deuill it will be otherwise but not till then But let such as would be wise by Gods wisedome labour to see Satans malice in all this and that if to be accused bee sufficient who can be innocent 4. Note seeing Satan is such an accuseâ— of vs in himselfe and his instruments to God to men and to our owne consciences how carefull ought we to be in our whole conuersation to stop Satans mouth and the mouths of wicked men which will be open against vs How ought we to make right steppes to our feete seeing we shall be sure to heare of the least halting How ought we to examine the vprightnesse of our hearts that in those accusations we may be bold to goe to God and say Lord doe thou prooue and try mee if there be any such wickednesse in mee Rules to become inoffensiue and vnreprooueable and so stop the mouth of Satan 1. The matter of thy worke must be good and warranted by the word then God will iustify that which himselfe sets thee about and thee in it 2. The manner of doing it must be proportionall a good thing must be done well in good circumstances 3. The end must be found namely Gods glory and mans good A bad end spoiles the best action 4. In euery thing remember that Satans eye is vpon thee to accuse thee the eye of thine owne conscience to witnesse for or against thee and Gods eye to iudge thee to whom thou must stand or fall as to thine owne Lord. To be tempted The word to be tempted is spoken of 1. God 2. Man 3. Satan all tempt I. God tempteth 1. when he prooueth the graces of his children so hee prooued Abraham Gen. 22.1 and Iob. c. 7. v. 18. 2. when he discouereth the sinne and corruption which lurketh in them and thus God tempted the Israelites who when their desires in the wildernes were not satisfied vsually broke out into murmuring and impatiencie and shewed naughty hearts full of distrustfulnes And thus God is said to lead into temptation when beeing prouoked to wrath he withdraweth his grace that so his children by their falls might see their weaknes as Dauid and Peter and that the wicked might in iustice be prepared to iudgement as Pharaoh burst into blasphemie Achitophel hanged himselfe through impatiencie and Saul vsed vnlawfull meanes to escape his crosse But in these temptations of God obserue two rules 1. That the word tempting referred to God is euer taken in good part for he tempteth onely to prooue neuer to seduce and his temptations are alwaies good because they proceed from him that is goodnes it selfe and tend altogether to the good and profite of his children and are the execution of iustice on the wicked which is good also 2. That all these temptations are not to confirme Gods knowledge of men who perfectly knowes what is in them yea who seeth things that are not as though they were but to bring men beeing exercised by them to the clearer knowledge of him and themselues II. Man tempteth 1. God two wayes 2. Man both himselfe and others Man tempteth God 1. By presumption and curiosity as when men forsake the ordinary meanes of their good and presume too much vpon Gods help to try whether God will vse any other then the appointed meanes to succour them so it is said v. 7. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God 2. By distrust when men by vnwarrantable meanes try the power of God whether he can or will helpe or hurt Exod. 17.2 when the Israelites by murmuring would haue water Moses said Why tempt ye the Lord and Psal. 78.18 they tempted him in the wildernesse requiring meat for their lust and said Can God prepare a table in the wildernesse Here they tempted him by doubting 1. of his promises 2. of his presence 3. of his power 4. by limiting him to that strait 5. they thought he was bound to them
be filled namely aboue the ordinary measure But neuer was any Saint so filled but that he had great emptines and much roome for Satan to frame and forge his temptations in When God doth bring his children into the wildernesse that is into temptation he armeth them with sufficient power to withstand it 2. Cor. 12.8 when Paul was vexed with an extraordinarie temptation he prayed thrice or often and answer was giuen My grace is sufficient for thee where by grace is not meant the free fauour of God as in many places but the power and strength of the Holy Spirit which was a gift of grace enabling him to stand vnder it And this is that which Gods children may expect not to be exempted from temptation nor from much molestation nor from many knocks and foiles which bring them much sorrow but yet at length God whose hand is vnder them brings them through all For so it is in 1. Cor. 10.13 God is faithfull and will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that ye are able but with euery temptation will giue an issue In which place the Apostle distinguisheth of temptations Some are so deadly and diabolicall as a man is drowned and neuer swimmes out of them these we must pray against Lead vs not into temptation Others rise of humane imbecillity and are such as men can beare by which God tryeth the graces of his and manifesteth their infirmity and out of which his grace giueth euasion and deliuerance seeme they neuer so dangerous as for example what a great temptation was that of Israel in the red sea yet God brought them out of it So for euill of sinne What strong temptations were they that seased on Peter Dauid Salomon wherein they seemed vtterly lost Yet the Lord held vnder his hand and left them sufficient grace to raise them againe Gods faithfulnes was such to Dauid and Salomon and Christs prayer that Peters faith did not vtterly faile 1. We are the Lords souldiers and seruants and therefore he will helpe vs Dauid thought this a good argument Psal. 86.2 O thou my God saue thy seruant that trusteth in thee And this is Gods manner of dealing When he hath a great worke or triall for his children he armes them with boldnes constancie and courage as Sampson when he was to encounter many Philistims what a measure of strength was he endued withal When the Prophets were to be sent to rebellious and stubborne people the Lord made their faces as brasen walls Ierem. 1.18 and as adamants Ezek. 3.9 The Apostles beeing called to the great function of calling in the whole world the Holy Ghost fell first vpon them furnished them with singular gifts fit for that calling How boldly Peter preached and professed Christ at Ierusalem to the beards of those that had put him to death euen the Rulers and Elders appeares in Act. 4.8 but the cause of this was that hee was full of the Holy Ghost The like we may obserue in Elias his reforming of Gods worship and in the restoring of religion by Luther who was wonderfully gifted 1. with vndaunted courage as appeares in his burning the Popes decrees and his disputation at Wormes 2. with feruent prayer 3. with admirable and heauenly preaching So the faithfull witnesses and Martyrs that are called to a hote brunt are first armed with a singular spirit as that Protomartyr Steuen Act. 6.8.10 who was full of the Holy Ghost full of faith and power full of wisedome and grace that they were not able to resist the wisedome and spirit by which he spake And was it not so in Q Maries daies that poore creatures were lifted vp with such excellent spirits as that all the learning and wisedome of the Doctors or all the power of authoritie could not daunt them but onely those vnmercifull arguments of fire and faggot could put them to silence 2. The battell and cause is Gods the question between Satan and vs is Gods glory and our saluation This was Moses his argument why the Lord should spare his murmuring people see Num. 14.15.16 Now if the deuill preuaile against vs God shall loose his honour which is deare vnto him But he will not suffer himselfe to be so disgraced as to let vs be ouercome by his enemie neither shall the saluation of his be preiudiced for this were against the truth of God whom Satan accuseth to be a lyar 3. He hath armed vs with his owne armour and furnished vs with his owne strength and will not haue his weapons bee thought so weake and insufficient as to be foiled in it the sword of the Spirit is not so blunt the sheild of faith is not so dull the breast-plate of righteousnesse is not so thinne as to receiue euery bullet that comes to hurt vs. 4. Christ hath made vs members of his owne body and when the head can with patience suffer the members which it is able to defend to be pulled off from the body then shall the sound members of Christ be pulled away by temptation from him which they must needes be if they were not continually supported by his strength Obiect 2. Cor. 1.8 We were pressed out of measure passing strength insomuch that we despaired euen of life Answ. 1. The Apostle speakes of humane strength which could neuer haue passed through those trialls but the power and strength of God shewed them an issue 2. The Apostle speakes according to the sence of his flesh and what they were in their owne feeling as it is plaine in the reason of his deliuerance in the next words That we should not trust in our selues but in God that raiseth the dead 3. The very scope of the place is to shew not the vnmeasurablenesse of affliction but a great measure of them thereby to amplifie Gods mercy Vse We should not be discouraged though our trialls be very great for we shall not want sufficient strength to carrie vs through them Yea let vs checke our weaknes while we torment our selues with needles feares that God takes little or no knowledge of our trialls or will withdraw his grace and absent himselfe for euer No he tenders the weakenes of his chosen on whom although the Spirit fall not so visibly as vpon Christ yet by vertue hereof they haue the secret distilling and sensible yea forcible working of the Spirit in their hearts such graces of faith hope patience and boldnes in case they keepe their watch as whereby they may as surely perswade themselues of victory as if they had receiued the Holy Ghost visibly as Christ did Adde hereunto these considerations 1. That it is impossible to be exalted to Christs kingdome if thou be not assalted first with temptation thou canst not be victorious vnlesse thou fight nor obteine the crowne vnlesse thou be victorious Reu. 3.21 2. That if thou beest in great perplexity yet thinke not the Lord hath forsaken thee For 1. not to be chastised of God
is to be hated of him 2. he hides his face but for a season from his children as the mother doth till the child get knocks and falls onely to let them see their weaknes and more to depend vpon him 3. that there is a time when God makes intimation to all his children of their election and saluation and commonly before this that they may be fitted with hungring desire after grace and make much of it when they haue it there goeth a trouble of minde and feare and disquiet so as a man thinkes God is quite gone when he is drawing gratiously vnto him and that he shall neuer â—eare more of him when he is knocking by the Holy Spirit to haue entrance into his heart Therefore wee may trust perfectly on this grace and waite Gods time for his full manifestation of it the iust liueth by faith and maketh not hast Iob if the Lord killed him would still trust Remember M. Robert Glouâ—r that blessed Martyr at Couentry crying to his friend Austen He is come he 〈◊〉 come â—e looked for the Holy Ghost two or three dayes before and made great moane that he came not yet he continued waiting and he came at length but not before he came to the sight of the stake Secondly of the company of Christ and how he was attended Marke addeth that circumstance chap. 1. v. 13. He was also with the wilde beasts Which is not to be passed without vse because the Spirit of God pleased to record it The Popish writers say that the cause hereof was that the wilde beasts should come and doe homage to him their Lord as they did to Adam But this is a deuise of mans braine for although Christ deserued honour and homagâ— from all creatures men and Angels yet this is not the time and place to receiue it yea they forget that Christ went into the wildernesse to be humbled in a speciall manner Besides the text mentioneth other businesse wherein Christ was for those 40. dayes employed as in the next branch we are to heare But the true and proper causes were these 1. To shewe what kind of wildernesse this was namely not such as that in which Iohn preached of which there were many in Palestina which were distinguished by their speciall names as the desert of Iudea of Ziph of Maon c. and such as were not altogether desert and without people or incommodious for men to dwell in but were here and there inhabited But this desert wherein Christ was tempted not noted by any addition but the desert was remote from all company of men and full of wilde beasts by which it is plaine it was vnpeopled and had no inhabitants but the wilde beasts If any aske which wildernes it was I answer it is not determined in the Scripture but it is not vnlikely but it was that great wildernesse in which the Israelites wandred 40. yeares called by eminence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wildernesse And we know that there were some figures which might shadow the temptation in this place as Exod. 17.7 it is called the place of temptation Massah and Meribah because of contending and tempting the Lord here the Lord was contended with and tempted Againe Exod. 16.4 this was the place wherein the Lord shewed them that man liueth not by bread alone but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God compare it with Deut. 8.3 This also was the wildernesse in which Moses and Elias fasted 40. dayes and if it were not the same it must needs be figured by it But it is no article of faith to be stood vpon or contended about 2. This circumstance of history is added to shew how helpelesse Christ was without all helpe and comfort of man where he could looke for no succour from any earthly creature or worldly means nay all the meanes against him 3. To shew that his power was so much the more manifest in that when Satan had him at the greatest aduantage and all the meanes set against him yet he goes away victor and that none could share with him in the praise of the victory but it belonged to him of all the seed of women 4. To shew the power of the Son of God who could liue peaceably among the wilde beasts who if he had been a common and weake man had beene certainly eaten vp of them Quest. How could Chist liue peaceably and safely among the wilde beasts Answ. When Daniel was cast into the den the Lyons spared him but not through the disposition of their nature for presently they deuoured his enemies but the text ascribeth it to two causes 1. to the Angel of God that stopped their mouths 2. because he beleeued in his God which besides the faith whereby he was iustified was euen a faith in the miracle by which he was strengthned at this time But I take it another reason may be giuen of Christs peaceable conuerse among the sauage creatures namely because he was endued with the perfect image of God and they did acknowledge him as their Lord euen as they did Adam before the fall which is a speciall priuiledge of the state of innocencie Hence obserue 1. That wicked men are worse then bruit beasts they will not acknowledge Christ when the wilde beasts will Christ shall haue no peace among them If he come in Iudas his hands he will betray him the Iewes will accuse him Pilate will condemne him the common sort will beate and buffet him the souldiers will crucifie him A great deale more security shall he finde in the wildernesse among wilde beasts then in places inhabited by wicked men And the reason seemes to be that the higher the fall the greater the wound the deuill falling from such a height of glory is most desperately wicked against Gods image especially in his sonne wicked men falling from a blessed estate of holines and renewed reason are desperately malicious too so as the poore creatures in their proportion retaine more goodnes in their nature then man doth in his they still serue God in their kindes man still rebelleth they fell from subiection to man but man from subiection to God Vse This should both humble vs to see the little good that is left in our nature and also vrge vs to seeke the renewing of it And it should terrifie wicked men who resisting Christ in his word members graces yea persecuting him in his Saints shew themselues more sauage then the creatures the wilde beasts will acknowledg him that doth him good but the wicked man spurns against him Daniel was more safe among the lyons then his enemies and Dauid was compassed with ramping lyons Note 2. This affoardeth vs a ground of comfort that when the state of the Church is afflicted led into the wildernesse enuironed with men for their dispositions as wilde and fierce as Tygres Lyons Leopards Cockatrices for so naturall men are described Isa. 11. yet it is in no worse state then
He hateth the word of God because it is the greatest enemie to his Kingdome euery way resembling God the author and carrying his image It is light and no maruell if the Prince of darkenes resist it it discouers his subtilties and fenceth the Christian against his pollicies it discerneth spirits that let him come as an Angel of light he shall be vncased As he preuaileth in darknes so he worketh in impuritie now here the word resembling God himselfe crosseth him it is pure in it selfe and a purifyer as Christ saith Yee are cleane by my word Further his cheife power beeing in the sonnes of disobedience and in the hearts of infidels here also the word clips his wings beeing the word of faith and Ioh. 17.20 Christ prayed not onely for his disciples but for all those that should beleeue in him by their word In a word seeing he exerciseth his cheife power in the sonnes of perdition who are giuen him to rule at his will here the word is his enemie because it conuerteth sinners and saueth soules called therefore a word of saluation 3. Hee opposeth Gods word through the malice he beareth Gods children for he euer opposed true professors casts them into prison and would neuer let them haue a good day in the world if he might haue his wil and followes them with temptations and with outward afflictions But this is the sword of Gods mouth and the sword of the spirit by which they cut through his temptations and make them forcelesse it is that which comforts them and sustaines them in their troubles and directs them happily to heauen so as no way he can haue his will of them 4. It stands him in hand to oppose Gods word for his long experience hath taught him that so long as men hold to the word they be safe enough vnder Gods protection and hee could neuer winne his captaine-sinners to such high attempts in sinne were it not that he had first shaken the truth of Gods word out of their hearts How could he haue brought Pharaoh to such obstinacy against God and his people as to say Who is the Lord and I will not let Israel goe but that he had brought the word in Moses and Aarons mouth into contempt further then the sting of the miracles forced him When Saul had once cast off the word of the Lord Satan lead him as in a chaine to hunt Dauid to throwe a dart at Ionathan to seeke to the Witch against whom himselfe had enacted a seuere law The like of Ahab Herod Nero Domitian c. 5. The word of God is the sentence and rule of righteousnes which condemneth Satan and therefore no maruell if he cannot endure it and wish it false and loue it no better then the bill of his owne condemnation and death eternall It is a note of a man foyled by the temptation of Satan and of a deuillish spirit to call Gods word into question either to deny it as false or doubt of it as vncertaine either of which if Satan can perswade vnto he hath his wish for he knowes they are no subiects to God that will not acknowledge his scepter but doubt of the rod of his mouth he can easily blindfold them and lead them whether he will that denie the light he can easily vanquish them and lead them captiue to all sinne if he can get them to cast away their weapons Yet what a number of men hath the deuill thus farre preuailed with in this violent kind of temptation Some call in question whether the Scripture be the word of God or no swarmes of Atheists and Macheuillians that hold the word but an humane deuise and policie which is to open a doore to all carnall and bruitish Epicurisme and to confound man and beast together Others doubt not of all but of some bookes and others not of some bookes but of some places of the holy Scripture But we see that Satan would haue Christ but to denie or doubt of one sentence and what Eues calling into question of one speach of God brought on all our necks all we her posteritie feele And it is in our natures when God speakes plainely against that sinne we make ifs and peraduentures at it and so turne it off As for example 1. Our Sauiour teacheth plainly that whosoeuer are of God heare his word and his sheepe heare his voice Either men must beleeue it or denie it and yet how few can we perswade conscionably to heare the word all who must plainely either make the voice of Christ false or themselues none of Gods none of Christs sheepe for not hearing it 2. Our Sauiour saith expressely He that heareth you heareth me Luk. 10.16 and that God speakes in the mouthes of his Ministers 2. Cor. 5.20 and that they haue an heauenly treasure in earthen vessels But how fewe are of this minde neuer did any heathens so despise the voice of their Priests and the answer of their Oracles as Christians in generall despise our voice in which God and Christ professe they speake 3. Christ plainely saith this word is the immortall seed of our new birth the sincere milke to nourish the soule the bread of life heauenly food But who beleeue him for generally men haue no appetite no desire to it and can well be content to let their soules languish in grace and be staruen to death And whereas they would goe as farre or farther into other countries as Iacob and his sonnes into Egypt when there was no corne in Canaan to supply their bodies with food this they will not stirre out of their doores for Well take heed of calling diuine truths into question stand not in them vpon thy reason and vnderstanding which are but low and shallow suspect them in things thou canst not reach rather then the truth of Scripture and make good vse of these rules 1. In the rising of any such temptation know that Satan seekes aduantage against thee and would bring thee into the same condemnation with himselfe by the same sinne and malice against God If he durst thwart so diuine a truth so strengthned from heauen and that to Christs owne face he dares and will contradict Gods word to thee 2. Consider if thou sufferest Satan to wrest away the credit of any part of diuine truth or the word of God what shall become of all our religion and the ground of our saluation all which is laid vpon the truth of the word of all which our Sauiour saith that not one iot of it shall faile 3. Know that by yeelding a little to Satan herein God in his iustice may giue thee vp to such strong delusions as the deuill himselfe cannot be so besotted as to beleeue See it in some instances Satan beleeues there is a God and trembleth saith S. Iames and yet he so farre deludes a number as their sottish hearts say There is no God Psal. 14.1 Satan knowes there is a day of reckoning and
iudgement as the deuills confessed Art thou come to torment vs before the time and yet he so besotteth and blindeth others that they make but a mocke of all as those in Peter who mocked and said Where is his comming 2. Pet. 3.1 Satan knowes that God is all an eye to whom day and darkenes are alike yet in tempting men to secret sinnes he will make them say Tush who sees vs can God see through the thicke cloud The deuill knowes that God is iust and will not take the wicked by the hand and yet he makes the sinner beleeue his case is good enough beeing a most graceles man and makes one wicked man say of another as in Malachi We count the proud blessed c. The deuill knowes that he that goeth on in sinne shall not prosper yet he makes the sinner who turnes from the word to beleeue he shall prosper As this temptation aimed to ouerthrow the word of God so also the faith of Christ in that word namely to bring him from his assurance that he was the Sonne of God Whence we may learne that Satan in his temptations against all the members of Christ aimeth to destroy their faith This Christ himselfe witnesseth that Satan desired to winnow the Disciples but himselfe prayed that their faith might not faile Luk. 22.31 1. Thess. 3.5 for this cause when I could no longer forbeare I sent Timothie that I might know of your faith least the tempter had tempted you in any sort And hence his continuall practise is to bring men to the extreams of faith in aduersity to despaire in time of prosperity to presumption 1. He maligneth faith as beeing a speciall gift and marke of Gods elect because it is giuen to them onely and to all them and therefore is called the faith of Gods elect Tit. 1.1 and to faith is the worke of regeneration ascribed Act. 15.9 2. All Satans temptations tend to breake off the couenant and communion betweene God and his children and therefore must in speciall manner aime against faith for by faith we are made the Sons of God Gal. 3.26 God espouseth marrieth vs vnto himselfe by faith Hos. 2.20 by faith we are brought into the grace by which we stand 3. He knowes that faith is our sheild wherby we both keep off the fiery darts of Satan and quench the same and that faith is the victory whereby we ouercome the world this is it that makes all his temptations forceles for though we haue no power of our selues to withstand him yet faith gets power from Christ and layes hold on his strength which quells all the aduersary-power of our saluation We stand by faith saith the Apostle and Satan sees the truth of Christs speach that the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against it He hath reason therefore to labour to weaken it and to root it out if it were possible out of the hearts of men and out of the world 4. All his temptations bend themselues to cut off and intercept the course of Gods loue and his fauours to his children hee bursts with enuie at the happinesse of the Saints But vnlesse he gaine their faith he cannot interrupt this for by faith as by an hand we receiue Christ himselfe giuen vs of the Father Eph. 3.17 and with him all his merits and all things belonging to life and godlines We receiue the promise of the spirit by faith Gal. 3.14 yea the presence of the Spirit who dwels in our hearts by faith we receiue the hope and hold of our blessed inheritance hereafter Gal. 5.5 And whereas Satans continuall drift is to estrange God and vs faith only crosseth him by which we haue entrance and boldnes to the throne of grace by our prayers to speake vnto God freely as to our father Eph. 3.12 Hebr. 10.22 yea to aske what we will and obtaine not onely all corporall blessings good for vs but also the sanctified and pure vse of them whereas the vnbeleeuer corrupts himselfe in them continually 5. Satan well knowes that faith is the ground of all obedience without which the word and all Gods ordinances are vnprofitable Heb. 4.2 without which there is no pleasing of God Hebr. 11.6 in any thing for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Hath hee not reason then to assay by all his strength to take this hold from vs Doth not he knowe that the foundation being ouerthrowne the whole building must fâ—ll and the roote ouerturned all the tree and branches come downe with it Seuer a man from his faith he tumbles in impietie and vnrighteousnes hee is odious to God in all things Satan â—ramples vpon him and leads him at his will From all which reasons we see that Satan especially in temptations aimes at our faith as he did at Christs Those who neuer felt any temptation but euer beleeued and neuer doubted as they say neuer had faith for neuer had any man true faith but it was assayled most fiercely neuer was faith laid vp in the heart of any child of God but the combate between nature and grace faith and frailtie flesh and spirit was presently proclaimed Eues faith was wonne from her quickly Abrahams faith was mightily assailed which because in such a combate he retained he was renowned and stiled the father of all the faithfull and faithfull Abraham Moses his faith was shaken and his great sinne was vnbeleefe Iob in his miserie was many waies assailed to distrust God as his words import If hee kill me I will trust in him still and Satans aime was to bring him to blaspheme God and die As the deuill laboureth most against our faith so should we most labour in fortifying it Policie teacheth men to plant the most strength at that fort or part of the wall where the enemie plants his greatest ordnance and makes the strongest assault And nature teacheth vs to defend all our parts but especially our head and heart and such like vitall parts the very serpent will saue his head so long as he can by naturall instinct whatsoeuer become of other parts Our cheife fortresse is our faith we haue no grace but is worth preseruing and sauing yet of them all Faith is as it were the Head and leader it sends the vitall spirits of heauenly life to the whole man Let grace therefore teach vs to saue this grace which is the heart of a Christian aboue all the rest and to beware of the least pricke or cracke in it which is dangerous A man may receiue great gashes and wounds in his armes and thighes or exteriour parts and recouer it well enough not so in the heart or braine Though thy comfort ioy feeling yea and fruits may faile take heed thy faith thy root faile not This is that which the Apostle Peter exhorteth 1.5.9 whome resist stedfast in the faith wherein if a man sit not very fast Sathan will soone vn-horse him And of all
Besides he had euen now heard the Fathers voice testifying Iesus his beloued Sonne and Christ knew if he would not beleeue the fathers voice he would not beleeue for the sonnes miracle 2. Christ would not by this miracle giue the least suspition that either he distrusted his Fathers seasonable prouidence or that hee would depend for his preseruation vpon the meanes but vpon his Fathers word he was in his Fathers worke and lead by the spirit into the wildernesse and therefore knew he should not want necessaries 3. It was an vnseasonable motion it was now a time of humiliation of temptation of affliction wherin it was fit to auoid all shew of ostentation which was the scope of the temptation for Satan would onely haue him to shew what he could doe for a need for a vaunt of his power Now in a time of serious humiliation to aduance himselfe by a miracle had been as seasonable as snow in haruest 4. Christ would not giue the least credit to Satan nor doe any thing at his desire were it good and profitable which he suggesteth for his end and issue is euer wicked and deuillish yea he would shew how he contemned the will of the tempter for he is not ouercome vnlesse he be contemned 5. Christ Iesus beeing the wisedome of his Father wel knew that Sathan grossely dissembled with him for he spake as if hee wished weâ—l vnto him and would haue his hunger satisfied but could he indeed respect the releefe of Christ did he desire Christs preseruation and welfare knew he not that he was the promised seed that must breake his head and destroy his works and therefore seeing Christ knew that Satan must needs seeke his destruction in all his attempts he had iust cause to yeeld to none of them all though they seemed neuer so beneficiall In that Christ here would not make his Diuinitie known to Satan neither by word nor miracle we may note that Christ will not purposely make himselfe knowne to such as hee knowes will make no right vse of him Luk. 22.8 when Herod saw Iesus he was exceeding glad for he had heard many things of him and hoped to haue seene some miracle But Christ would not worke any signe in his presence because he had wrought workes enough alreadie to prooue him the Son of God neither was it fit to prostitute the power of God to the pleasure of a vain man who would haue made no right vse of it Matth. 12.39 this euill and wicked generation seeketh a signe and none shall be giuen them saue the signe of the Prophet Ionah Why had they not infinite signes and miracles both then and afterward Yes but they had none such as they would haue for they would haue some extraordinarie signe as Matth. 16.1 Master shew vs a signe from heauen as if they had said Either cause the sunne to stand still or go back as in Ioshuahs and Hezekiahs daies or the Moone to stand as in Aielon or call for an extraordinarie tempest of thunder and raine as Samuel did which made all the people to feare the Lord and Samuel exceedingly 1. Sam. 12.18 or call for fire from heauen as Elijah did These and the like they thought beseeming men of God as for turning water into wine restoring of sight and legges c. those they saw little power in But why would not our Sauiour giue them such a signe as they desired Surely he had iust reason the same in this our doctrine for they did not desire it for a good end but as Luke saith expressely to tempt him not to helpe their infirmitie but to feed their curiositie neither to increase and strengthen faith but to nourish their infidelitie For had that bin their end had they not beside the doctrine of the Prophets and the fulfilling of the promises the blessed doctrine of the Sonne of God of whom some of themselues said Neuer man spake like him and for the confirmation of that many and mighty powerfull miracles which were signes from heauen shewing that he was from heauen And yet for all this they beleeued not So Matth. 27.42 the high Priests Scribes and Pharisies said If he be the King of the Iewes let him come down from the crosse and we will beleeue him No doubt Christ could but he would not not onely because it was an houre of darkenes but because he knew they would neuer haue beleeued him Psalm 22.22 23. I will declare thy name to my brethren to the seed of Iacob to Israel 1. This practise of Christ is answerable to his precept Matth. 7.6 Cast not holy things to dogges nor pearles before swine By holy things and pearles are meant the things of Gods Kingdome Christ and his merits c. so called both to shew the excellencie of them in themselues being aboue all pearles Pro. 3.14 as also our dutie to prize and lock them vp in our hearts and keep them as we do our pearles safely in our memories By dogges and hogges are meant malicious and obstinate enemies conuicted of enmitie against Gods word of whose amendement there is little hope euery man naturally is an enemie to God and his word and so a dog and a swine as Christ called the heathens and Gentiles It is not lawfull to take the childrens bread and cast it to dogs Now to such as these we must preach and offer the Sacramens yea Christ offered himselfe and came to call sinners but when his word and miracles were reiected and himselfe euill intreated as among the Pharisies then saith Christ Let them alone they are blinde leaders of the blind 2. Christ shewes himselfe vnto none but such as he loueth and loue him Ioh. 14.21 and this was the ground of Iudas his speach Lord what is the cause that thou wilt shew thy selfe to vs and not to the world the world sees him not for none seeth him but to whome he sheweth himselfe and he sheweth himselfe to none but such as loue him and none loue him but such as loue his word and keepe it vers 23. 3. This was one cause why Christ spake so many things in parables that such as would be blind might not see and such as would not make a right vse of his holy doctrine might not vnderstand Matth. 13.13 For many that heard them let them go without further question in a carelesse manner whereas the disciples of Christ inquired of him his meaning and one learned of another and so that which for the difficultie draue others away became in this manner of teaching much more easie and familiar yea much more perspicuous and cleare then any other 4. Neuer could extraordinarie means conuert such as beleeued not the word the ordinary meanes and therefore Christ neuer or seldome gratified the Scribes and Pharisies with miracles or extraordinarie meanes because they resisted his doctrine person and workes or if any wicked men saw any of his mighty workes and miracles they saw
the Lord are truth and Ioh. 17.17 thy word is truth to shew that so long as we hold to the word we are sufficiently armed against all falshood and error both in iudgement and practise And the like may be concluded from that it is called light discouering and chasing before it all mists and darknes 4. The word is a complete armour couers euery part of the soule giues fence and direction to the minde vndeestanding memory thoughts all the affections and all the faculties of the soule it couers euery part and member of the body teacheth the eye to looke the eare to heare the tongue to speake the feet to walke it directs vs in all our conuersation and actions of life towards God and men euen to all conditions of men superiours equalls inferiours poore and rich further it guideth vs in all conditions of life in all times in all places in all ages prescribing rules to children and men young and old in all exercise and vse of things indifferent as meat drinke apparell recreation in a word in all things concerning this life or the life to come So as here is a sufficient defence for all occasions 5. Neuer did any man receiue any hurt from Satan or his own corruptions or from this euill world but either because he did not draw out this sword or did not rightly vse it What other was the cause of the deadly wound of our first Parents and ours in them but that they drew not out this sword of Gods word but suffred the serpent to wring it out of their hands How could Peter haue beene so grieuously wounded in the High Priests hall but that he forgat the word of Christ which had admonished him of it the power of which was such as it healed his wound as easily as it had done Malcus his eare which he had struck off and therefore wanted no power to haue preserued him if he had remembred it What a sâ—â—refull wound befell Lots wife because shee cast off this armour and forgate the word charging her she should not looke backe The like of Salomon all his wisedome could not fence him if he cast off the word of God which had charged him not to meddle with outlandish wiues but neglecting that must fall by them This is a confutation of Romish teachers who disarme men of the Scriptures and wring this speciall weapon out of the peoples hands common people may not haue the Scripture in their vulgar tongue for this saith Harding is hereticall But this place is sufficient to prooue the contrary whence I conclude thus The weapons whereby people are fenced from Satans temptations are not to be taken from them but the Scriptures are the weapons of defence against Satans temptations and againe If all the common people be assaulted and wounded and all haue to doe with Satan then all haue need of this fence and couer against this most capital and deadly enemie But the assaulâ— is made against all and Satan seekes without exception whom he may deuoure and therefore all without exception need the fence of the Scriptures And further Whosoeuer turne the people naked vnto all Satans temptations and disarme them so as they cannot but be ouercome are guiltie of all the wickednesse of the people to which Satan draws them and also of their destruction vnto which they bee drawne But Popish teachers by destituting the people of the Scriptures turne them naked into temptation and disarme them and therefore are guilty of all their sinne and damnation But this practise of theirs is 1. Against the Scriptures for God would therefore haue the Scriptures written and commended to men in their owne language not onely for the learned but vnlearned also that it might be familiar to all sorts of men Deut. 31.11 12. Thou shalt read the words of this Lawe before all Israel that they may heare it and learne to feare the Lord and he names their men and women children and strangers Obiect But this belongs to the Iewes alone Answ. No the reason is perpetuall all of all ages must feare the Lord and therefore haue the meanes the word of God Ierem. 36.6 Ieremie commaunded Baruch to read the word of the Lord in the hearing of all Iudah and in the audience of the people Iob. 5.39 Search the Scriptures Obiect Christ spoke to the learned the Scribes and Phâ—risies Answ. But the reason of the precep belongs to all who desire life eternall Col. 3.16 Let the word of God dwell plentifully in you and 1. v. 9. hee prayeth they may be filled with the knowledge of the will of God in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding now all the Colossians were not Clergie-men And how doth the Lord encourage all his people to vnderstand and obey the words of the law Deut. 4.6 Onely this people is wise and of vnderstanding c. 2. It is against the example of Christ and the Apostles Christ taught in a knowne tongue so the Apostles were endued with diuerse tongues to preach to euery nation in their owne tongue and all the writers of holy scriptures did write them in the tongue best known most vulgar common whereby it might more easily come to euery ones knowledge for whatsoeuer was written was written for our learning that we by patience consolation of the Scriptures might haue hope so our Sauiour saith These things are written that ye might beleeue so as whosoeuer must haue faith hope patience comfort must be acquainted with the Scriptures and if these be entailed onely to learned men so may they 3. It is against common sense and as if one should aduise another who is to meet his enemy in the field that if he would driue away his enemy and get the victory he must lay downe his weapon or leaue it behind him Obiect But the Popish Doctors put other weapons into their hands to fight with as crosses holy-water charmes and coniurations wherewith the ruder sort yet content themselues Answ. These are weapons of the deuills owne forging the Leuiathan of hell accounts of these speares but as straw and laughes at them as if a man beeing to encounter a most furious and furnisht enemie should couer himselfe with a cobwebbe and thinke he were well furnished No no Satan puts these into mens hands to keep them from the word which is the onely charme the onely crosse the onely hallowed water that can coniure him which our Lord by his blessed example hath taught vs to vse 4. It is against the auncient Fathers Augustine saith Deus in Scripturis quasi amicus familiaris loquitur ad cor doctorum indoctorum The Lord in the Scripture speaketh familiarly to the conscience of the learned and vnlearned Irenâ—us saith Hac omnia contulit 〈◊〉 Scripturarum Dei ignorantia The Valentinians fell into all their heresies through their ignorance of the Scriptures But how should Papists beleeue Irenaeus when they will not
beleeue the Sonne of God who tells the Sadduces that they erred because they knew not the Scriptures Chrysostome hath these words Audite quotquot estis mundani vxoribus praeestis ac liberis quemadmodum vobis Apostolus Paulus praecipiat lâ—gerâ— Scripturas idque non simpliciter neque obiter sed magnâ cum diligentiâ and againe Audite omnes seculares comparate vobis biblia animae pharmaca And Hieroms glosse is good Hic ostenditur saith he verbuÌ„ Christi non sufficienter sed abundanter Laicos habere debere se inuicem docere vel monere Lastly Origen shewes his iudgement in this affectionate speach Vtinam omnes faceromus illud quod scriptum est Scrutamini Scripturas Oh that wee would all doe as it is written Search the Scriptures 5. It is against the Popish writers themselues Caiâ—tan a very ingenuous man and a great scholler saith Hinc discamus arma nostra esse sacras Scripturas Let vs take this for a good lesson that the holy Scriptures are our onely weapons Diâ—z a Portugall Fryer saith That as Laban in the night deceiued Iacob by giuing him in stead of faire Rahel bleare-eyed Leah so Satan deceiues vs in the night of ignorance with vaine traditions for diuine Scripture Yea and Bernard himselfe whom Harding brings in as a fauourer of his cause herein saith That at Bethlehem the common people sang Psalmes and Halleluiahs yea in the fields as they were plowing and mowing c. By all this we conclude with our Sauiour Ioh. 3.20 They doe euill and therefore they hate the light they haue a long time deceiued the world by holding it in ignorance a principall pillar of their religion and labour still to hold it in blindnesse dealing no otherwise then the Philistims dealt with the Israelites 1. Sam. 13.19 who to hold them in base bondage and seruitude tooke all their weapons from them and left them not a smith in Israel least they should get weapons and so get from vnder their power If the word of God be a principall part of our spiritual armour then ought we alwaies to haue the Scriptures in a readinesse not onely the Bibles in our houses which many haue not who haue their corslets hanging by the walls but put on vpon vs Eph. 6.17 and that is when by diligent reading hearing meditating and studie of it but especially by earnest prayer that God would open our vnderstandings to see his good pleasure in it we haue attained such skill as we can wisely shape an answer to the nature and qualitie of any temptation Alas how lamentable is their estate that regard not the sound knowledg of the word but content themselues in their ignorance whereby Satan holds them vnder the power of darkenes for impossible it is till men come to knowe the truth that euer they should come out of the snare of the deuill and to amendement see 2. Tim. 2.25.26 Many spend their dayes in reading fables or profane histories or cannot tell how to passe their time but by taking in hand the deuills bookes and bones as one calleth them cards and dice or some other vnwarrantable exercise all which giue Satan more power ouer them But the armour of proofe against Sathan and their owne corruption which is the word of God lies in the booke vntouched vntossed as if men were at league not to disturbe Satan at all but let him blind them binde them and leade them at his pleasure Others will defie and spit at Satans name but they haue no word against him but doe as a foolish and inconsiderate person that will quarrell with a man of might and defie him as though hee could make his partie good but beeing without any weapon carries away the blowes the smart of which makes him feele his folly which formerly he could not see Others are enemies to such as would teach them the vse of this weapon men of valour and strength will pay liberally such as take paines with them to teach them the skill of their weapon and willingly take their directions but such cowards a number are in this field that as they dare not looke an enemie in the face so haue they resolued neuer shall weapon come in their hands they are enemies to such as would furnish them Others would fight with Satan and with the word but in the wicked abuse of it making charmes and exorcismes of sundry words of Scripture highly taking Gods name in vaine some write the Lords Prayer in Hebrew Greeke and Latin some the words of some of the Gospels some the names of God and Christ But all this is sorcerie and magicke and a fighting for the deuill yea a shooting in his owne bow Others will haue the Scriptures to resist with but they bee not readie nor at hand they beare many blowes before they can recouer their weapons when they get a Scripture against him for want of exercise and experience it is but as a sword in a childs hand who can neither well help himselfe nor yet much hurt another more then he is like to hurt himselfe Then the word of God is vsed aright when a man hath skill thereby to cut off temptations and containe himselfe in his duty Psal. 119.11 I haue hid thy promise in mine heart that I might not sin against thee Prou. 2.10.11.12 When wisedome that is Gods word entreth into thy heart and knowledge delighteth thy soule then shall counsell preserue thee and vnderstanding shall keepe thee and deliuer thee from the euill way and from the man that speaketh froward things 1. The word of God is the law of God now what is the vse of a law but to keepe a man within the bounds of godly life then he liues according to the law when he saith I must or must not doe such a thing because the Law willeth me so so he is a good Christian that can say I must doe this because Gods word commandeth it or not doe it because it forbiddeth me 2. It is called a light to our feet and a lanthorne to our pathes now what is the vse of light but to shew a man the right way and direct him to auoide the wrong and keepe him from falling 3. It is called the oracle or testimonie of God wherein he testifyeth what he alloweth and what not and then we vse it aright when we straiten all our paths according to this rule Therefore let vs keep vs to Scriptures in all Sathans temptations whereof we may say as Dauid said of Goliahs sword 1. Sam. 21.9 Oh giue me that there is none to that put off all Satanicall suggestions with It is written Now it will not be amisse to shew in some instances how a Christian may by the word furnish himselfe and cut asunder by this sword euery temptation though Satan be neuer so instant in tempting him These instances are foure 1. temptations to despaire 2. to presumption or
Kingdomes together Answ. Here we can hold no longer but in such a temptation as is to so direct a worshippe of the deuill with our Lord say Auoid Satan be packing foule deuill for it is written Rom. 13.1 Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers and 1. Pet. 2.14 Submit your selues to all manner ordinance of man and the fearefull iudgement of Corah Dathan and Abiram with their complices betide such Catholike rebels as dare lift vp their hands against the Lords annointed not to cut off his lap but his life which is the life and breath of all his people The like vse hath the Scripture in the right vse of it against all errors heresies as we may see in these instances 1. If the Papists would teach vs iustification by workes Answ. It is written Rom. 3.20 by the workes of the law shall no flesh be iustified and the like in Gal. 3.3.4.5 And Paul had as many merits as any yet he would not be found in his owne righteousnes Phil. 3.9 and our righteousnes is but as filthinesse or filthie clouts and after our best endeauours we are but vnprofitable seruants 2. If they vrge vs with transubstantiation and reall presence Answ. It is written that after Christ had giuen the Sacrament he went into the garden and suffered which he could not if he had beene eaten before and not beeing glorified and 2. remembrance is of things absent 3. he continues in heauen till his comming to iudgement Act. 3.21 4. the Fathers ate the same Sacramentall bread 1. Cor. 10.3 and yet Christ was not then in the flesh 5. there is no alteration in the signe of Baptisme and there is the same vse of the signe of the Lords Supper 3. If they obiect vnto vs 7. Sacraments we reply against their 5. bastard ones as in that of Matrimonie for the rest thus 1. it hath no signe instituted by God when he brought Eue to Adam here is matrimony but no signe the ring which they make a signe is not 2. it is not proper to the Church as Sacraments are but common to Iewes Turkes and Infidels 3. euery Sacrament belongs to euery member of the Church but matrimony belongs not to their Priests and Votaries 4. all Sacraments serue to confirme faith so doth not Matrimony Adam in innocencie had no need of faith but he had need of Matrimony 4. If they tell vs that by Baptisme originall sinne is quite washed away we answer No true Baptisme takes away the guilt but not the beeing of sinne and it is written of Dauid Psal. 51.5 that he confessed he was still in originall sinne see also Rom. 7.7 and Iam. 1.13 5. If they would thrust vpon vs the absolute necessitie of Baptisme Answ. It is written that circumcision being the same in signification and vse with Baptisme was omitted in the wildernes 40. yeares and that Dauid doubted not of his vncircumcised childs saluation and that children are holy through their beleeuing parents 1. Cor. 7.14 6. If they will administer the Communion but in one kinde against this their sacrilegious practise we haue Christs institution and the example of the Apostles besides the Primitiue Church This mighty effect of the word in the right vse of it shewes the Scriptures to be of God and the authoritie of God and not of man as the Papists teach vs not of the Church of Fathers Councells Popes in Peters fictitious chaire or the company of Cardinals What writing of man can haue authority ouer mens consciences as Gods word hath Or who will beleeue the Church that will not beleeue the Scripture Is not the word truth and all men liars and subiect to error Now shall that which is not subiect to error be subiect to that which is subiect to error Whatsoeuer writing doth indeed confirme error is not Canonicall Scripture for this confutes all error in practise and in iudgement therefore Apocryphall bookes are not Canonicall and diuine Scripture 1. because in euery of them there is some repugnance to the Scripture 2. because they were not wriâ—ten by any Prophet nor in Hebrew nor 3. giuen to the Iewes as Gods Oracles as all the old Testament was Rom. 3.1.2 4. because Christ and the Apostles cited not any of them This I speake not against the bookes which containe in them many good moralls and in my iudgement may of all humane histories be best vsed but against the Papists who would thrust vpon vs inuocation of Saints and prayer for the dead c. from their authority See hence the reason why Satan and all his instruments were euer enemies to the true preaching and professing of the word namely because in the right vse it is the only hammer of the Kingdome of darknes He storms not at frothy and foolish deliuery or at Professors that are loose and vngirt can take liberty for any thing they list Onely faithfull Preachers and Professors that rightly preach and professe beare the burden of Satans and the worlds malice Christs innocencie and the Apostles power could not fence them from it Lastly acknowledge it a singular priuiledge of the Church so beset with enemies to haue so sufficient and perfect a word 1. written that all men might haue the benefit of it 2. preached and rightly diuided according to euery mans particular necessity It is a great comfort that poore as well as rich base as well as noble haue a share in it in an equall large manner The cheife priuiledge of the Church of the Iewes was to keepe Gods word in the letter Psal. 147.19.20 and Rom. 3.2 but it will be our preheminence aboue them if we locke vp the true sence of it in our hearts Iob. 22.22 and Pro. 22. It is a sure stay and a sheild to them that walke vprightly No theefe nor robber can steale it no it cannot be taken away with our liues it is Maries good part which was neuer taken from her neither can be from vs beeing a perpetuall freehold Now followeth the fourth thing in this allegation of Christ to wit the parts of the diuine testimony 1. Negatiue Man liues not by bread onely 2. Affirmatiue But by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God First of the sence of the negatiue part Man that is a meere common and ordinary man and much lesse I that am the Sonne of God Liueth not that is preserueth not the naturall life of his body By bread is meant all necessarie and ordinary meanes of meat drinke rest sleepe physicke recreation for so it is also vsed in the fourth petition of the Lords prayer Onely here bread is not opposed to other meanes of sustenance as flesh fish c. but to Gods blessing without which it cannot sustaine our bodies But by euery word that is euery thing a common Hebraisme verbum for res and more specially for the decree and ordinance of God appointed to sustaine man so the
loath to raise their thoughts beyond them Asa his physicke shall not helpe him because he trusts in the Physitians Israel shall die of that flesh wherein they thought their life was And it is iust with God that when the meanes steppe vp into his place and men ascribe that vertue vnto them which onely Gods blessing addeth vnto them he depriues men either of the meanes or of the right and comfortable vse of them And were not the meanes too too much magnified and set aboue their owne place men would not so spend their dayes in carking cares for them with such instance and neglect of all things else as if they were euer to liue by bread onely not so wise as the foole and churle in the parable who when he had goods enough for many yeares would haue his soule take his rest but these men hauing bread and meanes enough for many ages are as restlesse and insatiable as euer before their life stands in seeking and holding abundance 2. Let vs learne to trust God without the meanes which the worldling cannot doe In plentie in health when the barnes bee full and the chests readie to breake with treasures the most earthly churle can bee content and praise God for all but in pouertie and sickenesse his heart lets him downe as though God is not as able and willing to helpe in one estate as in another But now faith were it present would most shew it selfe it is a dead faith that withdrawes it selfe from the liuing God and sets it selfe on dead things 3. Learne we to moderate our care for the things of this present life as such who valew them according to their right estimate which without a superiour vertue can doe vs no good for what is food apparell and the like but base things without Gods blessing which men of thousands enioy aboundantly and yet by a secret curse either vpon the wicked getting or holding them want the comfort that many poore men haue whose portion is but a mite to the others superfluity And what is the reason that men burie themselues aliue in the graues of their lustings and earthlines but that they falsly conceiue of the meanes and place them aboue their worth or worke What saith the worldling is it not my liuing and must I not looke to that I tell thee no it is not thy liuing vnlesse thou liuest by bread alone or hast that animam triticiam that wheaten-soule of the rich man in the Gospell who thought he must now liue many yeares because hee had wheate enough Obiect But you speake as though we were to expect miracles for our maintenance or to cast off our callings to neglect the meanes and liue by the word of God Answ. 1. Miracles are ceased and yet if God bring vs into an estate wherein all meanes faile vs God remaines as powerfull and able as mercifull and willing to help as euer he was and rather then his children shall miscarrie he will saue them by miracle 2. Our callings and meanes are not to be neglected because 1. Christ denies not but that man liues by meanes but not onely by them 2. they are a part of that euery word of God whereby man liues and if ordinary meanes be offred we may not trust to extraordinary without some speciall promise or reuelation 3. it is a tempting of God to pull pouertie on our selues or cast our selues into danger and is a breach of his ordinance who inioynes euery man to get his liuing in the sweat of his browes But one thing is a Christian care another a carking care for the things of this world one thing is the care of the world in Mary who especially minds the one thing necessary another in Martha who distracts her selfe with many businesses neglecting the good part which should neuer be taken from her one thing to possesse the world another to bee possessed by it one thing to vse meanes another to trust in them 4. If man liue not by meanes alone be more carefull for Gods blessing then for the meanes be more thankefull for that then for these else he that made bread and gaue it thee can breake the staffe of it else he can make thee great and rich but lay a sensible curse on thy person and estate either in thine owne time or in thy heires And as for thanksgiuing Christ neuer vsed any meanes but by prayer and thanksgiuing and taught vs to pray for daily bread .1 for a blessing vpon bread It is a greater mercy of God to giue vs comfort of the creatures then the creatures themselues Yet a number as if they liued by bread onely come to their tables as the hogge to his trough or the horse to his prouender without either prayer or thankes A wonder that euery crumme choakes them not for without Gods blessing it might But by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God This affirmatiue part of the testimonie alleadged by Christ teacheth vs that It is onely the word of God and euery word of God that preserueth the life of man But first wee must distinguish of mans life which is either supernaturall or naturall and also of the word which is put forth either for the life naturall or supernatural The former is a word of Gods power and prouidence creating and gouerning all things according to their naturall courses called in the text a word that goeth out of the mouth of God for no word of the creature can produce the beeing or well-beeing of any other The latter is the word of truth whereby he doth quicken the soule and repaire it to his owne likenes and this word proceedeth not only out of the mouth of God but of his Prophets Apostles Pastors and this word begetteth and preserueth a supernaturall life in man as the other doth a naturall Ier. 15.19 Now our Sauiour meaneth here the naturall life of the bodie and the word of Gods power and prouidence generally sustaining the beeing and life of all creatures and not that a man can liue by the written word without meat and drinke It is true that the soule of man liueth by Gods word of truth for 1. he is be gotten a Christian by it and borne of this immortall seed Iam. 1.18 2. he is nourished by it as by sincere milke 1. Pet. 2.2 3. as bread increaseth the bodie in all dimensions so the word strengthneth the soule in faith patience comfort hope loue as children grow by milke 4. bread strengthens the heart and all the strength of a Christian is in the word it preserues the naturall heate and the word makes his heart burne within him and keeps it in a readines to euerie good word and worke But yet this is not the proper meaning of this place neither can it agree with the meaning of Moses who plainely speakes of the bodily hunger of the Israelites and the seeding of them with Mannah that they
may know that man liueth not by bread onely nor yet with the mind of our Sauiour Christ nor with his present condition nor with the drift of Satans temptation nor with the sound repelling of his dart which was that Christ for the appeasing of his bodily hunger after his forty dayes fast would turne stones into bread And now we knowing what is meant by the word of God euen the powerfull word of Gods prouidence in creating and gouerning all things we are further to consider that our Sauiour addeth an vniuersall particle euery word the reason is because this word is twofold ordinary and extraordinary Ordinary when God changeth not his ordinary course but by meanes proportioned vnto the ends which are a part of his ordinary word preserueth and maintaineth the life he hath giuen as daily bread sleepe and the like Extraordinary when by his word and decree he pleaseth to preserue man either aboue or without or against all meanes I. Aboue the meanes sundry wayes 1. aboue all that man can expect thus God gaue the Israelites Mannah in the wildernesse and water out of a rocke thus he tied a ramme to to be sacrificed in stead of Isaac thus he brake the cheeke-tooth that was in the iaw and water came thereout for Sampson Iudg. 15.19 and by his word prouided a gourd to come ouer Ionas his head to shadow him and deliuer him from his greife c. 4.6 thus he fed Elias by rauens 2. when he makes a little meanes goe beyond themselues as Christ made 7. loaues and 2. fishes to serue 7000. persons and much left thus he made a few clothes serue Israel forty yeares so as their shooes did not weare out thus the word of God made a little meale and oile serue the Prophet and a widow a long time 1. King 17.14 Thus saith the Lord God of Israel the meale in the barrell shall not be wasted nor the oile in the cruse diminished till the time that the Lord send raine and so it was though they ate nothing else all the while 2. King 4.42 Elisha had 20. loaues sent him and some eares of corne he commaunded his seruant to set them before the people Oh saith he what are these to an hundred men but the Prophet said The Lord hath said they shall eat and yet there shall remaine and it came to passe according to the word of the Lord. 3. when the meanes are not so small in quantity as base in quality and yet haue by this word an extraordinary blessing as the course fare of Daniel II. Without meanes Gods word causeth man to liue as Moses Elias and Christ himselfe who had immediately before seene the word of God preseruing him already 40. dayes and nights and could further if he pleased III. Against meanes as the Disciples sent out were promised if they dranke any deadly poison it should not hurt them so fire burnt not the three children though cast into it when it burnt their enemies and their owne bands All this is meant by that our Sauiour saith euery word and thus most aptly he returneth the temptation Man liues not onely by bread that is the ordinary meanes but by extraordinary also euen aboue and beyond meanes yea without and against meanes And therefore where thou sayest I must haue meanes Gods word saith there is no absolute necessity of them my Fathers word can still sustaine mee without bread as he hath done these fortie dayes already 1. The word of God is it which gaue beeing and beginning to all things when they were not and much more doth it continue the beeing of them now when they are Psal. 104.30 If thou send forth thy spirit they are created By Spirit here is not meant the essence of God but a power and secret vertue proceeding from God all one with this word of God by which things were not onely created at the first but are still renewed and that daily and yearely as it were againe created Ioh. 1.3 In that word was life that is not onely inherent in the Sonne of God himselfe but as an efficient to communicate life to all liuing things 2. The word of God is as it were the prop and stay of the world without which all things would fall into confusion Euery man knowes by nature that God maintaines and preserues all things that it is he that stretcheth out the heauens like a curtaine that he sends forth the windes out of his treasure and raiseth the waues of the sea like mountaines which are great things but nature teacheth not how God doth these things by what meanes onely the Scriptures teach that he doth all this by his word that as in the creation God said Let there be light and there was light and so of all other things Gods word was his worke so in vpholding and preseruing it he doth it by his word as Heb. 1.2 who vpholdeth all things by his mighty word which word when God calls in the creature falls to nothing Act. 17.28 In him we liue and mooue and haue our beeing 3. The same word of God which giues vertue force to the creatures in themselues doth also sanctifie them vnto vs euery creature is sanctified by the word and prayer 1. Tim. 4.6 the word shewes how to get them how to vse them and prayer obtaines of God a right tenure and a pure vse which indeed is the blessing or sanctification of them 4. The same word carries them beyond the strength of their nature to doe vs good bread and wine in their owne nature can but nourish and feede the body but Gods word in the institution of the Sacrament makes them feede the soule to eternall life Quest. But how may we conceiue of this word whereby God doth gouerne and preserue the creatures Answ. By Gods word we must not onely conceiue his decree and will but a powerfull commaundement and effectuall to which all his creatures yeeld free and willing obedience This commanding word was put forth in the creation Psal. 148.5 hee commaunded and they were all created Men when they attempt and performe any great matter because their power is small must vse great labour and many instruments and helps But by the word of the Lord the heauens were made Psal. 33.9 He said the word and all things were done This commanding word is put forth in the daily gouernment of God Psal. 147.15 He sends out his commandement vpon the earth his word runneth very swiftly that is nothing can withstand and hinder the power of his word here the word and commaundement are all one The senslessenesse and deadnes of the creatures their vastnes and fiercenesse hinder not his word but without delay yea with maruellous celeritie and swiftnesse they execute his word Psalm 148.8 If God speake to the heauens they shall heare and couer themselues with darkenesse at noone day as in Christs passion If he command the Sunne it shall heare his word
and not to the word of God at least not to euery word of God If God crosse them one way they thinke he hath no other way to doe them good If man liue by euery word of God then take heed of making that a meanes of liuing which God hath neuer warranted but see that what thou liuest by proceed out of the mouth of God How doth he liue by euery word of God that gets his liuing either in whole or in part contrary to Gods word Obiect But we see such as vse no good meanes but mantaine themselues in good estate by robbing stealing oppressing vsurie gaming false wares or weights it seemes that euen these creatures haue a word of God to sanctifie them and put vertue in them to such persons or els they could not liue by them Answ. Wee must distinguish betweene the things themselues that are gotten and the vniust manner of getting them The creatures themselues are by a generall word of God sanctified and set apart by God to feed and maintaine good and bad aswell the wicked as honest getters of them euen as the sunne and raine shines and falls vpon the iust and vniust And the vnrighteousnes of particular persons cannot alter Gods generall decree But if we consider the speciall manner of getting such goods that is not sanctified but condemned by the word of God 1. Because the person is not in Christ who restores our right vnto vs and then he is but an vsurper and a bankrupt who buildes his houses goes fine in apparell decks vp himselfe and his and spends most liberally but it is all with other mens money He that knowes not this thinks him a rich man but he that doth knoweth that he is not neither thrifty nor wealthy the creditor comes and casts him into prison and makes his bones and bodie pay the debt 2. As his person so his course is accursed for the onely way to get a blessing from God on the meanes is to vse his owne meanes who hath commaunded first to seeke the Kingdome of God and then other things and hath accursed all that wealth and maintenance of the body for which a man doth hazzard or loose his soule 3. When a man doth liue by bread against the word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God it is rather a death then a life his bread becomes poyson and as rats-bane in his bowells because he hath it without a promise and without blessing Obiect I see no such thing Answ. Many poysons are long a working but the end of such is death and the more slowly they worke the more slily and certainely they kill And if the Lord doe not inuert the order he hath set in nature by cursing the particular creature be sure he hath in his iustice reserued a curse for the vniust person and he shall not auoide it This doctrine specially applied laies hold vpon sundry sorts of men who liue contrary to the word They are these I. Such as liue out of lawfull callings which are one part of the word of God that we should get our liuing in the sweat of our browes and so long as we are in our way we haue his word we shall be prouided for And the word proceeding out of the mouth of God is that he that will not labour must not eate because he eates not his owne and such as will not liue after this word by Gods word they ought not to liue because they are idle and vnprofitable burdens of the earth who 1. abuse Gods prouidence who ties the ends and meanes together 2. infringe that good order which God hath established for the auoiding of confusion in Church or common-wealth namely that euery man should serue God in the seruice of man in some warrantable and profitable ciuill calling 3. as he is no better then an Infidell that depends onely on meanes seeing man liues by euery word of God so he that in a lawfull course of life prouides not for his family is worse then an Infidell Of this sort are our knots of companions of drinking and gaming companie and wandring rogues and beggers I knit them together because they are all of a straine and either are beggers or shall be These commonly come not to Church to heare their duties and therefore they must be taught by correction and discipline of those that are the executioners of iustice II. Such as thinke they liue well enough and yet it is by deceiuing others by stealing oppression extortion lying swearing and falshood in buying and selling and why say they may not a man help and shift for himselfe But consider 1. What a poore help it is when a man will vse vnlawfull meanes and to shift out of one euill by another He doth as the Prophet speakes auoid a lyon and a beare meets him Pilate would keep his place by vnlawfull meanes the deliuering of Christ to be crucified but besides that he brought innocent blood vpon himselfe he lost his place and slew himselfe 2. Consider that if Gods word of blessing goe not with the meanes his word of curse doth and so the Prophet Zacharie saith that the curse enters into the house of the swearer and of the theefe c. 5. v. 4. and this curse shall remaine in the midst of his house and consume the very timber and stones This curse often scatters ill-gotten goods as fast as they were euer hastily gathered if not in his owne dayes yet in some vnthrifty heire after him 3. Consider how God crosseth the vaine conceit of vniust persons they thinke all that is any way gotten to be gaine and profit but the word is Pro. 10.2 that treasures of wickednes profit nothing they cannot help a man from the hand of God nay when the euill day comes they are gone and leaue a man alone to graple with death and iudgement and turne a man naked to the sentence of condemnation for his wicked getting and holding of them III. Another sort of men who liue not by the word of God but against it are vsurers who pull themselues out of all lawfull callings and set vp a trade for the publike euill and their own priuate good which were there nothing else against it prooues it not to be of Gods deuising for euery calling of Gods deuising is helpfull to men in generall but the Spirit of God hath giuen this a name from biting and hurting But we haue the Scripture most expresly against it whether it be manifest as is a contract for gaine as for ten pound to pay eleuen at the yeares end or couert wherby men find deuises which they call mysteries to defeat the lawes and seeme to contract and either not to lend or not for gaine The word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God saith Exod. 22. vers 25. If thou lend money to my people with thee thou shalt not bee an vsurer thou shalt not oppresse him Marke how vsurie and oppression is all one And
captaine of the Lords host appeared vnto him chap. 5.15 1. Whatsoeuer was in the law separated to God and his seruice was called holy the Sabbath was holy the Priests garments holy Exod. 28. Thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother Holy both because they were peculiar to the holy Priesthood for none else might put them on and because they were to be vsed in the holy place for when they came forth of the Tabernacle they must put them off and thirdly consecrate to holy vses and to be an holy type of Christs righteousnes a precious robe wherein all our sacrifices are offered The flesh was holy which was offered to the Lord in sacrifice Hagg. 2.13 For places Bethel was an holy place when Iacob saw the vision of the ladder there and the Temple was holy For people the Iewes were called an holy nation and Christians an holy Priesthood and Saints by calling 1. Pet. 2.9 For persons some are sanctified in the wombe to some speciall seruice as Ieremie cap. 1.5 and Iohn Baptist. Yea euery faithfull mans heart is as it were an Arke of God in which are kept the Tables of the Law yea the Tabernacle of God and the Temple of the holy Ghost where he pleaseth to dwell And thus was Ierusalem an holy citie so long as it continued in the true worship of God 2. This appeares by the contrarie seeing this holinesse was no further annexed to this place then God tyed his presence to it for when as the Iewes had crucified the Lord of glorie both the Temple and City as profane were destroyed and deliuered into the hand of the Romans and are now in the hands of the Turke a nest of vncleane and idolatrous beasts most sauage enemies of Christ and Christian profession 3. That place must needs be holy where the Lord dwelleth as a Master in his house teaching ordering and supplying all necessaries where Christ the holy Sonne of God walketh in the midst of the seauen golden Candlesticks beeing conuersant among the flockes of shepheards where the holy Spirit of God is present to powre out his treasures of wisedome and grace by meanes of the word and Sacraments which are his chariot and which not accompanied with the Spirit are but dead and ineffectuall to regeneration where the holy Angels are present to assist the ministery to repell hinderances to behold our order but especially desirous to looke into the mysteries of our saluation where the holy Saints vpon earth are met together to seek and see the face of the Lord ioyning together in all the parts of his pure and holy worship in hearing his holy word receiuing his holy Sacraments preferring publikely their holy prayers greatly by this meanes glorifying God and enriching their owne selues Surely this is Bethel the house of God and the gate of heauen This teacheth vs not to despise our assemblies nor to think our Churches vnholy for some corruptions Looke vpon Ierusalem Matth. 23.37 you shall see the eleuen tribes were Apostates there were in it dumbe dogges Isa. 56.10 there were Scribes and Pharisies hypocrites nay at this time the doctrine of the law was corrupted by the false glosses of the Pharisies and the Temple almost a denne of theeues full of buyers and sellers Yet for all this the Euangelist calls it the holy Citie euen when it had more corruptions in it then the Church of England hath at this day Why 1. Because there was the seruice of the true God set vp in the Temple the word preached and sacrifices offered and the meetings of the Church of God 2. Because as yet they had not receiued a bill of diuorcement Haue not we the word truely preached and the Sacraments for substance truely administred And for discipline I will say I wish we had the execution of so much as the Church alloweth Or when did the Lord giue vs a bill of diuorce or what Church hath conuinced vs that we cannot be acknowledged for a true Church If they say they of the Separation haue I answer 1. They haue laboured to discouer some errors but none fundamentall in vs nor without as many in themselues 2. Wee may well doubt whether they be a Church or no seeing by the profession of some of their teachers they will not ioyne themselues to any Church at this day vpon the face of the earth and so renounce all Communion with all the parts of the Catholike Church in the world But we must not thinke much if some vnstable persons forsake our communion seeing in the golden and flourishing age of the Apostles themselues some such there were Heb. 10.25 As for our selues we may strengthen our selues against them by these conclusions 1. We know that the word of truth is truly preached amongst vs which appeareth by the daily conuersion of thousands whereas neuer was man conuerted by a word of error Iam. 1.18 2. We know that our Ministers are of God because by them so many are begottē to God Our Sauiour thought this a good reason when he said Beleeue me that I came out from the Father for the workes sake The blind man had good insight into this matter Ioh. 9.30 saying If this man were not of God he could doe nothing and a wonderfull thing it is that ye know not whence he is and yet he hath opened mine eyes So may I say to the Separatist Doest thou not know whence that Minister is who hath opened thine eyes 3. We know that our meetings are holy meetings 1. our people is outwardly called by an holy calling and to an holy ende 2. they professe faith in Christ which is an holy profession and in charity if we see no open raigning sinne are to be iudged Saints 3. congregations are called holy in Scripture from the better part not from the greater as an heap of wheat mingled and couered with chaffe yet is called wheat 1. Cor. 6.11 Now ye are sanctified washed and iustified but in epist. 2. cap. 12. I feare that when I come among you my God will humble mee and I shall bewaile many of them that haue sinned and haue not repented of their vncleannesse and fornication and wantonnesse which they haue committed Diuerse other abuses there were yet among Saints and beloued ones 4. mixt congregations are holy in Gods acceptation esteeming them not as they are in themselues but as members of Christ. When Israel was at the best it was a rebellious and stiffenecked people yet Balaam said He saw no iniquity in Iaacob nor transgression in Israel not that there was none but that none was imputed 4. We know that we haue no warrant to separate from holy things neither for some defects cleauing to them nor for ill men either handling them or communicating in them The Prophets neuer made any separation in times of greatest corruption euen when they cried out of their wickednes 1. Sam. 2.24 Doe so no more my sonnes said Eli ye make the people trespasse
are eagerly set vpon and suspect it because our nature is to be in extreams and Satans hand is likely in it to set it forward Neuer are we so violent for Gods kingdome as for the world Cast thy selfe downe In the scope of this temptation which was to presumption for the allegation following would perswade him that God would preserue him whatsoeuer he did though he threw himselfe from the pinacle wee learne this point of instruction that Satan doth incessantly labour to draw men vnto presumption and vaine glory as here he did the Head And this presumption in a word is nothing else but a vaine confidence that we are this or that or can doe this or that without any word or ordinance of God A vaine hope without warrant is the very beeing of presumption 1. Sam. 4.3 Israel went to warre against the Philistims and were slaine about 4000. men but they would make another onset more warily as they thought then before they would send for the Arke from Shilo to saue them and when it came into the hoast all Israel gaue a shout that the earth rang of it presuming that now they were safe enough But all this was done of their owne heads and without warrant and therefore God discomfited them with an exceeding great slaughter of thirty thousand footmen and the Arke wherein they were so vainely confident was taken the Preists Hophâ—i and Phineas slaine Eli breakes his necke and such a confusion there was that the Arke neuer came at Shilo more Num. 14. After the men were sent to search the land of Canaan and had returned and told the Israelites that the land was good and fat but the walls reached vp to heauen and there were sonnes of Aâ—ak gyants then the people murmured and distrusted But the sentence of the Lord passing against them that they should wander forty yeares in the wildernesse according to the forty dayes in searching till that age were all wasted none of which should come into the land except Caleb and Ioshua ver 40. then they vp betimes in the morning and they were readie against the word of God to goe Moses forbids them tells them God was not with them yet 44. presumed obstinately to goe and were pitifully consumed 2. King 14.10 Amaziah King of Iudah hauing gotten a notable victory against Edom presuming of Gods hand and help with him but not asking God counsell would also make warre against Israel but vnhappily as such attempts prooue for he was ouercome and Iehoash King of Israel tooke Amaziah and broke downe Ierusalems wall and spoyled the house of the Lord and the Kings house of all the treasure there Iosiah a good King presuming of Gods assistance without his word vndertooke an vnwarrantable warre against the King of Egypt hee might haue thought God would help him who sought the Lord with all his heart against an open idolater but not seeking the Lord in this he was mortally wounded and left his Kingdome in great trouble and confusion 2. King 23. Now Satan is most vsuall in temptations to presumption for these reasons 1. He hath experience how easily we are foyled with this kinde of temptations how soone he foyled our first parents in the state of innocency how good Dauid was ouerthrowne presuming of his owne strength when he forced Ioab to number his people And those whom he could neuer shake with distrust he hath quite ouerthrowne with presumption 2. Satan knowes that of all temptations this is most agreeable to our corrupt nature It is pleasing to vs to conceiue of Gods mercy and power towards vs in any course our selues affect whereas temptations to despaire are irkesome and grieuous to the flesh and haue not ordinarily so much help from the flesh to set them forward as this hath and therefore the deuill is sometimes but not halfe so often in them Againe he knowes it goeth with our nature and streame to presume of our owne goodnes strength and vertue Peter and the rest of the Disciples presumed they should not be offended at Christ nor forsake or deny him but yet not long after euen they who professed they would die with him rather then deny him left him and fled away Matth. 26.33 c. 3. He knowes that presumption is an extreame of faith and hope and doth no lesse extinguish faith then despaire nay more often doth foyle it seeing a man in despaire is more fearefull more watchfull but a presumptuous man is fearelesse carelesse and will easily thrust himselfe vpon any aduenture as fearing no sinne 4. Satan knowes that presumptions are great sinnes preuailing sinnes Psal. 19.13 a tempting of the Lord as the answer of our Sauiour implies when we leaue his way and means and will trie our own a sinne which doth much prouoke God to displeasure we see it in Peter who fell fearefully aboue all the Disciples because he was most presumptuous of all of whome Augustine saith When thou beginnest to say I haue enough thou beginnest to fayle when thou hast an ouerweening opinion of thy selfe thou art vndone Quest. What may we thinke of Ionathans action who himselfe alone with one man his armour-bearer went out against a whole armie of the Philistims Was it not a strange tempting of God and a great disorder in time of pitched battell 1. Sam. 14. Answ. It may seeme so at first but indeed it was not temerity in him for 1. He was guided by a secret and strong instinct of Gods Spirit 2. He had a generall promise that so long as his people feared God one should be able to chase a thousand and two ten thousand and therefore tooke no more with him then one beeing fully assured that God would goe out with him and fight for him against God and his enemies 3. He set God before him with whom he said it was not hard to saue with many or with few v. 6. Besides he knew they were Gods enemies saying Let vs goe to the vncircumcised 4. The euent was a singular deliuerance of God in that needfull time for God sent a feare among the enemies and an earthquake c. and armed Ionathan with such a spirit and power that the enemies fell before him for feare euen at the sight of him Obiect But the instinct of the Spirit is strong and not doubtfull as this was v. 6. It may be the Lord wâ—ll be with vs. Answ. The first instinct drew him to the place where he was to receiue a signe of confirmation from God as v. 9.10 If they say Come vp we will goe a signe they were lazie If they say â—arrie till wee come wee will not that was a signe of their courage And this was a certaine signe which strongly assured him v. 10.12 Quest. Is it lawfull now for any so â—o doe Answ No it was a singular fact not to be drawne into example vnlesse a man can alleadge a new promise seeing all the ordinary promises of Scripture ioyne the
saluation are staires to heauen 1. If thou beest not a member of the Church and abidest in the ship thou canst not be saued Act. 27.31 2. If beeing ouerrunne with the disease of sinne thou waitest not at the poole wherin and when the Spirit mooueth and stirreth the waters thou canst not be cured Ioh. 5.4 Refuse the word and Sacraments thou perishest 3. If God haue shewed thee oh man what is good and what he requireth of thee surely to do iustly to loue mercie to humble thy selfe and walk with thy God if thou cast thy selfe off these staires into iniustice vnmercifulnes pride and profanenesse by this fall thou doest breake the neck of thy soule So when the Lord affoards many gracious means within a man and without without the exhortations and precepts of his word and the warnings of his correcting hand then 1. suffer the word of exhortation gladly let the word rule thee sinne not against the word by which thou art to be iudged 2. let the rod open the eare that was sealed and correction be thy instruction it is a note of blessednesse to be chastened and taught in Gods law The Lord is glad to adde this meanes to let in the former and if men still fall backe more and more the Lord casts such persons off So when he inwardly vseth either checks of conscience or else the motions of his Spirit sinne not against them for 1. the voice of thy conscience must thou heare one day therefore suffer it not to goe on in accusing thee but still it by casting out the core of sinne that makes it so restlesse and painfull 2. quench not the motions of Gods spirit for this grieues him and makes him goe away in displeasure and then all thy sound comfort is gone with him II. In temporall things sinne not against the meanes He must eate that must liue he must worke that will eate sow to reape he that would auoid a strange woman must loue his owne wife all the souldiers and people in the shippe must come safe to land but then must they not cast them into the sea but abide in the shippe Isa. 37.33 the Prophet in the Lords name tells Hezekiah that Senacherib shall not enter into the city but if hereupon Hezekiah should haue bid them set the gates open would not the Prophet haue told him he had betrayed the city For a rich man to bee an vsurer or an oppressor is a greater sinne then it is taken for because it is against the meanes yet who are vsurers else who oppressors else who grinde the faces of the poore who detaine the wages of poore seruants but they For a man to breake the Sabbath for gaine is a great sinne as appeareth in the poore man that went out to gather stickes but how great then is it in rich men who need not hauing much meanes beyond the present necessitie and yet they or their seruants and workemen must bee gathering stickes to burne themselues withall in hell Who sees not the malice of the deuill here who will haue the Lords day worldly and wickedly spent wherein God hath set vp the speciall meanes to draw men from it For it is written HAuing spoken both of the ground of this assault and also of the scope and matter of it we come to the third consideration in it namely The enforcing or vrging of it by a testimony of Scripture Satan had perswaded the Sonne of God to a most foolish practise would any mad man or foole cast himselfe downe from an high place and pash himselfe all to peeces at any mans perswasions and cannot now the Sonne of God the wisedome of his Father discerne danger in this motion Satan is too blacke here and laies his snare in vaine before the eye of that which hath wing But to hide his blacknes he drawes a faire gloue ouer a foule hand and assayes to make the case without all danger or absurdity he hath that to say which the Sonne of God cannot refuse he hath Scripture to perswade him for no reason is comparable to this to assure the Sonne of God who must heare the word of his Father that there is neither danger nor vnreasonablenesse in this motion nay there is much good in it 1. he shall shew himselfe to be the Sonne of God 2. he shall shew his affiance in his Fathers word which hath fully assured him of his Fathers protection as if he should say Thou beeing the Sonne of God mayest without danger cast thy selfe downe hence but doe not take it on my word which perhaps thou mayest suspect but take it on thy Fathers word If that hath any truth in it there is no danger in my motion And because thou shalt not thinke that I speake without booke it is written in thy Fathers booke If I had a Psalter here I could shew it thee that he hath giuen his Angells charge ouer thee to keep thee that thou dash not thy foot against a stone and though thou cast thy selfe downe they shall beare thee vp and saue the harmelesse And if they should faile of their duty thou beeing the Sonne of God canst sustaine thy selfe by thine owne proper power and vertue Here consider two things 1. the generall consideration of the allegation It is written 2. the speciall matter of it He will giue his Angells charge ouer thee c. The deuill can and doth alleadge Scripture to further his wicked purposes as here In his tempting of Eue he made the ground of his temptation Gods word Hath God indeed said ye shall not die In the deluding of Saul he tooke the help of Samuels prophesie 1. Sam. 28.17 The Lord hath done euen as he spake by mine hand So his instruments the false Prophets pretend the word of the Lord as Hanani Ier. 28.2 The reasons why Satan alleadgeth Scripture are these 1. To hide his person and to transforme himselfe into an Angel of light here he counterfeits Dauids voice nay the voice of the Spirit of God speaking in the written word He would faine perswade Christ that he is a louer of the truth and vnder a testimony of Scripture would hide his hornes 2. As hereby himselfe dissembles holines so he would colour the matter to which he tempts vs to be iust and lawfull for is not that lawfull which the word allowes seeing it is the rule of faith and manners 3. He frames himselfe according to the disposition of parties with whom he is to deale Christ stood much vpon Scripture and would doe nothing without Scripture and if he cannot draw him by Scripture he shall preuaile nothing and thus he deales daily with tender consciences he can bring them to any thing by a Scripture of his owne misshaping 4. This comes to passe by reason of his malice 1. against the Scripture which he seekes to abuse to a contrary end seeing the Scriptures are written that we might not sinne 1. Ioh. 2.1 2. against
the godly to ouercome them with no other then their owne weapons Christ had made the written word his shield his sword he will therefore assay with his owne weapon to wound him and so he deales with his members 5. Here is not onely Gods permission but his ouerruling power for hereby the father of lies against his heart and nature giueth witnesse to the truth and strongly argues it to be the strongest weapon that hath strongest power ouer the conscience Quest. How doth Satan alleadge Scripture Answ. Hee is Gods ape and as God alleadgeth Scripture three wayes 1. by his Spirit and inward motion as to Abimelech in a dreame Gen. 20.3 2. by his Ministers and seruants Angels or men 3. by his owne liuely voice as to Adam So can Satan 1. by suggestion 2. by his Ministers who transforme themselues as if they were the Ministers and Apostles of Christ. 2. Cor. 11.13.14.15 not onely deliuering the word but also truely 3. by voice in some assumed body as vndoubtedly he did to the first Adam and here to the second Seeing then this wicked spirit can and doth alleadge Scripture against vs it behooues vs to trie the spirits whether they be of God or no 1. Ioh. 4.1 not to beleeue euery one that can alleadge Scripture for so we might beleeue the deuill himselfe 1. Thess. 5.22 our commaundement is to prooue all things and hold onely that which is good Our president is in Act. 17.11 the Bereans when they heard the Apostles searched whether the things spoken were so We take no coine without due tryall Quest. How shall I trie the spirit that brings a sentence of Scripture Answ. 1. By diligent study and reading of Scripture diligently searching out the truth for the determination of euery truth must be by Scripture and though Scripture seeme to be opposed to Scripture we must not with Papists draw determination of matters from Scripture so saith the Apostle in Eph. 4.14 Let vs not be carried about as children with euery winde of doctrine how should we doe other but follow the truth in loue Examine the places circumstances antecedents and consequents conferre with other Scriptures to all which it must agree 2. Follow and frequent the ministery as not content with the knowledge of the Scriptures without the true vnderstanding of them for they consist not in the bare letters but in the pithie sense said the Father And this true vnderstanding will help vs to lay it to the analogie of faith whereunto it must be agreeable and will make our senses exercised in the word 3. Adde hereunto prayer which procureth the Spirit to lead vs into all necessary truth Dauid neuer ceased to pray to be taught as we may see through the whole 119. Psalme 4. Consider the end scope of the Scripture alleadged If it lead thee into an action condemned by the law of nature or against other direct Scriptures or principles of religion it is of the deuill the father of lies for Gods Spirit neuer alleadgeth Scripture but to lead vs into the knowledge and practise of some truth This is Moses his rule Deut. 13.1 If a false Prophet rise vp see what he aimeth at if it be to draw thee from the Lord his worship or word take heed of him so if Satan by any instrument of his shall bring the word and pretend great zeale if the end be to draw thee to superstition idolatry or Popery beware of him his scope discouers him If a doctrine or Scripture be alleadged to nourish any fleshly delight or to hold men in sinne though the words be Gods the allegation is the deuills as At what time soeuer a sinner repenteth c. and the theefe was saued at the last houre and therefore if thou canst say two or three good words at thy death all shall be well here is the deuill saying It is written for all Scripture truely cited by Gods Spirit aimes at mortification and the furtherance of repentance If a Scripture be alleadged and vrged to threaten and discourage such as feare God and shew forwardnes in good wayes or to animate the sinner promising him peace and life it is Satans allegation for if Gods spirit alleadge Scripture that word is good and comfortable to him that walkes vprightly and the threats of the law are fit prouision for impenitent persons This teacheth vs not to content our selues to know the Scripture and be able to speake of it or to alleadge it for the deuill knowes the word and can alleadge it readily yea he is expert in it Many men deceiue themselues in their estate and thinke themselues sure of saluation if they can get a little knowledge of the Scripture aboue others as though Satan could not alleadge it or as though the wicked could not preach it as Iudas did or vngodly men professe it who take the wâ—rd into their mouth and hate to be reformed Psal. 50.16.17 But let vs take heed we come not behinde the deuill himselfe while we thus highly coÌ„ceit our selues for 1. Are there not a number of ignorant men almost as ignorant as if the Scriptures had neuer beene written and shall not the deuill condemne these who hath gained so much knowledge in the word which containeth not one word of comfort for him but iudgement that makes him tremble Yet these whom they would make wise to saluation and to whom they offer the ioyes and comfort of life eternall are vtterly ignorant of them 2. Many read the Scripture but as Satan not to informe or reforme themselues nor to make themselues better but both themselues and others farre worse as not onely heretikes and learned Papists who bend all their knowledge to suppresse and hide the truth but all such as by the Scripture seeke to maintaine their owne errors and sinnes which they will not part with And these are no better then the deuill 3. Others will reade Scripture and heare and know it but without all speciall application and grace in the heart wherein they should differ from the deuill and wicked men who know the word but affect it not doe it not nay cannot abide the speciall application of it to do them good and this doth nothing but increase sinne and iudgement sinne Iam. 4.17 to him that knoweth to doe well and doth it not it is sinne a great sinne without excuse or cloake Ioh. 15.22 iudgement for such shall be beaten with many stripes 4. Others bragge of their knowledge they read the Bible at least Dauids Psalmes and they know as much as any Preacher can tell them But stay the deuill reades the Psalter as well as thou and can quote Dauids Psalmes more readily then thou he can read the Bible he knowes as much yea more then any Preacher can tell him what sayest thou more of thy selfe then the deuill can do of himselfe and more truely And what hast thou gained by all this challenge but thine owne conuiction of great sinne
heart 1. Sam. 28.15 when the deuill would delude Saul â—nd hasten his death he layes the ground of it in Gods word and taking on him the person of Samuel saith The Lord hath done euen as he spake by my hand abusing alleadging that Scripture in 1. Sam. 15.28 The Lord will rent the Kingdome from thee this day and hath giuen it to thy neighbour who is better then thou Mar. 1.23 the deuill comes to Christ and tells him he knowes him well enough Thou art Iesus of Nazareth euen that holy One of God that holy One that was promised figured and expected euen that Redeemer and holy One of Israel Isa. 41.14 euen that holy One foretold by the Angell Luk. 1.35 And all this was by Scripture to ouerthrow both Christ himselfe and the faith of beleeuers as though there were some secret compact and familiarity betweene him and them and perhaps hence arose that speach By Beelzebub he casteth out deuills 1. Satan knowes that Scripture is the will of God reuealed and hath sway in the conscience as beeing inspired by the holy Ghost as the onely rule of faith and life and if he can turkiâ— the Scripture out of his right sense and shape he peruerts iudgment and holds the conscience in errour and these errours are dangerous and neare of kinne to obstinacy For till the truth of God come to his place againe in the conscience it will stiffen it selfe in errour euen to the death So as by this stratageme Satan vsurpes the conscience which is Gods right and so leads men at his pleasure 2. His malice sets him cleane contrary to God in his proceedings God hath giuen his Scripture to saue men by and therefore it is called a word of saluation now Satan would herein crosse the Lord in peruerting the word to mens condemnation The Scripture is in the Church as a law to the Common-wealth to containe men in the compasse of faith and godly life whence it is called Statutes and precepts and iudgements But Satan seekes to enforce it as a law to thrust men from faith and obedience The Scripture is a word of truth of holines of wisedome euery way resembling God the author Satan therefore beeing the greatest enemie to Gods image is the greatest enemie to the Scriptures and desireth to peruert them by establishing by them errours heresies false doctrines wicked and foolish opinions and practises 3. His subtilty and pollicie is not inferiour to his malice for 1. He hath a speciall slight and tricke of his owne by pretending truth to impugne it and with Scripture to fight against Scripture which he hath taught his speciall factors heretikes and seducers for why else did Christ forbid the deuill to witnesse to him but that euen that truth he speakes euer tends to destroy the truth And in the text why cites he the truth but to draw Christ into an errour 2. He will gaine to himselfe some credit by this practise for seeing speaches and testimonies depend much vpon the credit of the speaker by his quoting of Scripture he would be taken as if the truth of Scripture depended vpon or needed his witnes 4. Satan must doe thus if he will preuaile against Christ or his seruants for Scripture in the true sense of it is no patrone of sinne nor euer stands on the deuills side Of all tempâ—â—tions beware most of them which come armed with Scripture for hardlier can we espie the subtilty and danger of these then those which are directly against the Scripture And by temptations of this kinde Satan mightily preuaileth in points both of doctrine and practise which it shall not be amisse to giue some tast of and in both we shall obserue how Satan doth not so much vse as abuse Scripture I. In matters of doctrine 1. For the establishing of the Headship of the Church in the Pope the ordinary Papists haue found a Scripture in Ioh. 21.16 where Christ saith Feed my sheep I answer first that place speakes not of any headship or spirituall gouernment but of feeâ—ing by the word and Sacraments which the Pope neuer doth secondly it is a commaundement not giuen to Peter alone but to all the Apostles who were equally Apostles with him but applied to Peter specially not to note any Primacie but secretly to checke him for his threefold deniall whereby he made himselfe vnworthy to be a Disciple Obiect But Peter saith he hath two swords and therefore the Pope hath both spirituall and temporall iurisdiction Sol. This is a place of Satans alleadging when that which is spoken literally is wrested into a figuratiue sense And where Peter is commaunded Act. 10.13 to kill and eatâ— the Pope may kill and slay and eate vp whom he will or can Prince with people But this is a place literally to be taken and one part of the argument hangs with another as the dreame of a sicke man for the Pope if he be Peters successor must feed the sheep not feed on them But Bellarmine who would make the world beleeue his wit is thinner hath deuised a farre more sufficient place 1. Pet. 2.6 Behold I put in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious that is the Pope In his preface to the controuersie De Rom. Pontif. and lib. 4. cap. 5. But what may we thinke to reape from him that dares beginne his controuersie with so high a blasphemy and least we should thinke it fell inconsiderately from him he takes it vp againe For doth not both Paul and Peter teach that this stone can be meant of none but of Christ doth not both of them adde He that beleeueth in him shall not bee ashamed must we now beleeue in the Pope And who is this liuing stone that giues life to all that are built vpon him besides Christ himselfe None can arrogate it to himselfe or attribute it to another without high blasphemie Therefore I conclude this point boldly affirming that the deuill could not more impiously abuse this place then hath blasphemous Bellarmine 2. For the point of iustification by workes is alleadged that place of Iames 2.21 wherein they adde vnto the text 1. a false glosse by workes of the law 2. a false distinction saying that they iustifie as causes whereas we graunt that as effects they iustifie that is declare a man to be iustified so did Abrahams workes declare him to be iust and this is not the iustification of the person which is onely by faith but of the faith of the person which is manifestly dead without them 3. In that great sacramentary controuersie they alleadge This is my body wherein Satan hath taught them to abuse Scripture in taking that literally which is figuratiuely spoken as often to writhe that â—nto a figure which is spoken literally and whereas they exclaime against vs for denying the words of Christ as heretikes we are far from denying Christs wordâ— but disclaime their false meaning which destroyes the Scripture seeing Scripture
against vs and for their power they are called the Angells of God power farre stronger then the wicked Angells and powers that are against vs. And when we shall consider that God hath giuen a charge and that not to one or two Angels but to the whole blessed company of them ouer euery godly man how can we but assure our selues that we shall be defended and protected If a man were to passe by shippe ouer a dangerous sea full of gulfes sands rocks and robbers if the King should giue him â—etters of safe conduct it would much comfort him and helpe him through his voyage but if this King should send a great nauie to conduct him ouer yea and should not onely goe in his owne person but call out all his men of warre to see him safely arriued this were so comfortable as he could not wish more But thus doth the Lord with his children not onely himselfe going with them through the world but guarding them with his holy Angells who willingly affoard their ministery because of their loue to man but in respect of Gods word and charge much more willingly that of Gods Angells they become our Angells Matth. â—8 10 What an vnspeakeable comfort is it that when we loose the watch ouer our selues many wayes through sleep of soule or body the Angells watch ouer our safety Matth. 2.13 Ioseph was asleepe and thought not of that danger which was euen vpon him by meanes of Herods cruelty but euen in that sleep the Angell watched and admonished him by a dreame both of the danger and the meanes to escape How great a comfort is it that when we see such difficulties betweene vs and our desires as we can neuer ouercome then we haue Gods Angells present to doe it to our hands Mark 16.3 when the good women that came to embaulme Christs body were very much troubled how to come to his body and asked who shall roule away the stone for it was a very great one when they looked they saw the stone rolled away it was done by the Angel as Matth. hath it Gods Angels roll away all stones and impediments and make our way smooth to all good duties No lesse comfort is it that when Satan beginnes to insult and makes as if hee would trample vpon vs we haue a stronger guard about vs any one of the Angells beeing as able to shut the mouth of this roaring lyon as they were to shut the mouths of those hungrie lyons into whose den Daniel was cast And for the further strength of our faith and comfort in this doctrine the Scripture notes three things further concerning Angells worth obseruing 1. Their wisedome and prouidence in pitching about vs so as we lie open no where Ex. 14.19 when Israel was gone out of Egypt the Angell of the Lord who went before them to lead them out now remooued and went behinde them because now Pharaoh and his people pursued them The power of the Angell was no lesse if he had staied before them as he was beeing Christ himselfe but for the comfort of Israel and our instruction the Angell changeth his place and stoppeth betweene them and the danger 2. Their vniting of themselues and strength for our safety one of them readily will help another in helping vs Dan. 10.13 one Angell beeing resisted by the Prince of the kingdome of Persia Michael one of the cheife Princes came to help him who whether he were an Angell or as it is more likely the Prince and Lord of the Angells euen the Angell of the great couenant Christ himselfe it is euery way full of comfoâ—t 3. Their patience towards vs who if they should be gone from vs aâ— often as we by sinne prouoke them we should perish euery moment But as God is long-suffering so hath he charged his Angells to be and therefore they wait still for our returne and reioyce in the repentance of sinners Luk. 15.10 and abide in their charge and ministery still Againe this doctrine is a ground of manifold instruction 1. Hath God affoarded vs the ministery of Angells then note the priuiledge and preheminence of Gods children whose nature beeing assumed by the Sonne of God giues it dignity aboue the Angells who are the ministers of our humane nature in the head and members Angells are indeed called the sonnes of God but thaâ— is by creation Christ neuer gaue them this honour to call them brethren Nay there is a nearer coniunction between Christ and vs then betweene Christ and the Angells which coniunction doth priuiledge vs with their attendance 1. By reason of his conception and incarnation taking on him the seed of Abraham and not of the Angells by which he becomes flesh of our flesh 2. By reason of his spirituall contract taking vs to be one with himselfe by which we become flesh of his flesh and so nearely set into him as the Angells cannot be who are not members of this Head as the elect be Christ indeed may be called their head but as a Lord and commander not by such spirituall vnion as is between Christ and the Christian. Herein we may see the loue of God in setting his Angells to be our keepers The more noble potent numerous and diligent the custody is the more is the care and loue of the thing kept How great thanks therefore owe we vnto our God who notwithstanding he is daily offended with our sins yet affoards vs the ministry of hiâ— Angells Who and what am I that God is so mindfull of me that he should giue so many glorious creatures charge ouer mee that he should giue me such a priuiledge that euen the holy Angels whose dwelling is in heauen and see the face of God who are all spirit and no flesh who are free from all sinne and misery should so narrowly attend mee a lump of earth a peece of flesh compassed with so many sinnes and miseries as I can looke no way either before or behinde them Dauid in the 8. Psalme burst out into the praise of God when he considered that God had affoarded man the vse of birds beasts and fishes O Lord faith he what is man that thou arâ— so mindefull of him and hast preferâ—ed him ouer the workes of thy hands How much more should we when we see our happines by the ministery of the glorious Angells 2. Let vs learne hence to looke to our conuersation because of the Angels 2. Cor. 11.10 for they are our keepers and obseruers they see all the good and bad we doe and we doe nor speake any thing without many witnesses Sinne makes God take away our hedge Isa. 5.5 it greiues the Angels of God and layes a man naked to all his iudgements Shall we willingly offend them from whom vnder God we receiue so great and daily comforts If we did beleeue or weigh this doctrine we would not but because we see not God nor his Angels we loue neither nor feare to offend either 3. Let vs
beware of wronging the children of God euen because they haue the protection of the Angels To rise vp against any of them is to rise vp against the Angels their keepers Offend none of these little ones for their Angels behold the face of their heauenly Father and thou prouokest the Angels against thee If the Sodomites rise vp against Lot the Angels will saue him and destroy them If Balaam will goe to curse Gods people he shall haue an Angell against him with a sword drawne readie to kill him 4. Learne wee to giue God the honour of our saluation and safety when we haue auoided any danger publike or priuate It is not by chance nor by our prouidence and policie but Gods charging his Angels to saue and keepe vs. Daniel did rightly ascribe his deliuerance to God by the ministery of the Angell chap. 6.22 My God saith hee sent his Angell and shut the lyons mouth 5. To be partaker of all this comfort these meanes are to be vsed 1. Become a godly man Psal. 34.9 The Angell of the Lord pitcheth his tent round about them that feare the Lord Hebr. 1.14 They are ministring Spirits to the heyres of saluation 2. Hold on in a godly course keepe thee in thy wayes in the duties of thy calling generall and speciall for thus long the charge of the Angels stands in force 3. Pray not to Angels but to the God of heauen to send his Angell before thee to direct and assist thee in thy duties and waies For what God hath promised we must pray for Gen. 24.7 Abraham tells his seruant that God will send his Angell before him to take a wife for his sonne and this Angell prospered his iourney v. 40. And that this was the practise of the Church of Egypt appeares by Moses his message to the King of Edom Numb 20.16 Beeing ill intreated in Egypt we prayed to the Lord and he sent an Angell and brought vs out of Egypt I doubt not but this dutie were it more faithfully practised would bring home much more successe and comfort then many men finde in their labour who scarce knowe whence or how their prosperitie commeth vnto them Obiect If God should send his Angels in humane forme and as familiarly to conuerse with vs as aunciently they did with the Patriarkes we should beleeue this doctrine but now there is certainly no such thing Ans. 1. Christ is now in heauen where our conuersation ought to be by faith rather then by the visible apparition of Angels 2. The beginnings of the Church needed such heauenly confirmation but now the word is sufficiently confirmed by the Sonne himselfe from heauen 3. The Scriptures are perfect and fully and plainly reueale vnto vs Gods will in euerie particular as if the Angels should come and teach vs daily 4. The blessed Spirit is more abundantly giuen in our hearts and supplyeth their absence in bodily shape and apparition 5. We must labour to get the eyes of our soules open and then we shall with Elishaes seruant see their comfortable presence notwithstanding they take no bodies to appeare in VERS 7. Iesus said vnto him It is written againe Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God NOW followeth the repulse of our Sauiour to this second temptation wherein are two things 1. his resistance 2. his reason drawne from a testimony of Scripture I. Christ resisteth and yeeldeth not albeit he heareth Scripture alleadged Why If yee were of God saith Christ yee would heare his word neither doth Scripture speake any thing in vaine But the reason is 1. because our Lord perceiued that the word was wrested and abused by Sathanâ— and 2. that Scripture abused binds not to obedience 3. that Scripture turned out of his right sense is not Gods word but carries something in it besides Scripture and then if an Angel from heauen should bring it we must be so farre from receiuing it as to hold him accursed 4. for our example that wee should not take all allegations hand ouer head but as Christ here trie whither they tend if to cast vs downe refuse them II. Christ resisteth but not without reason but by Scripture and opposeth Scripture to Scripture not as repugnant one to another but by way of collation and conferring one with another that the right vse of one may ouerthrowe the abuse of the other not in way of contrarietie but of commentarie Quest. But why did not our Sauiour shut his mouth by telling him how wickedly he had abused the text he had alleadged by adding detracting and wresting it to a contrarie ende and meaning Answ. This might indeed haue confounded him sufficiently but our Sauiour his combate is not only victorious for vs but exemplarie and therefore we are herein trained in our fight and encounter 1. To hold close to the Scripture in answering the deuill It is written againe which word of our Sauiour noteth how he buckled the Scripture to him both as a buckler to defend him and as a sword to foyle and wound his enemie and so must we who are not so able to dispute with Satan about the true meaning of a place as our Lord was 2. To informe vs that the best and onely way to discouer the abuse of Scripture is Scripture it being the onely rule and iudge of it selfe and all the controuersies rising out of it And therefore the deuill no sooner heard this testimony but his mouth was shut as well knowing how the wisdom of his Father had discouered his subtiltie The best commentarie of Scripture is Scripture euery man is the best interpreter of himselfe and so the Author of the Scriptures is the best interpreter of them 3. To let vs see that although Satan had abused the Scripture yet he nor we must ouercome by no other weapon and that the abuse of a thing takes not away the right vse of it nor good things to be reiected because they are abused by them that can vse them aright If Christ had been of the Papists minde he would haue condemned and shut vp the Scriptures from common men because the deuill had abused them for so doe they because heretiques his instruments doe abuse them the Laitie may not meddle with them But it is plaine that in things necessarie no abuse in one takes away the right vse in another As for example A murderer vseth a sword to kill a man may not another vse a sword or that sword in his owne defence And are not the Scriptures the sword of the Spirit more necessarie A drunkard a glutton a proud person abuse meat and drinke and apparell to surfeting drunkennesse riot and excesse shall we therefore cast away meat drinke apparell and refuse the necessarie vse of it And is not the word a more necessary food Because a wolfe comes in sheeps cloathing must the sheepe cast away their fleece No the Prophets did not refuse the word of the Lord because the false Prophets did say The word of the
Scripture but vnderstand not but because they giue not vp their reason and humane wisedome which is enmity to God and scorne to be children deliuered to be taught and formed by our heauenly Master 2. With desire and loue of Christ and his truth the scope of all the Scripture is Christ and thou must desire to know and aduance nothing but Christ crucified Pro. 4.13 Loue wisedome and shee shall keep thee When men come prepossessed with opinions to set vp mens deuises and traditions and wicked opinions according to which they must interprete Scripture and not examine them by the Scripture or if they bring a purpose to magnifie the Pope and aduance his religion in stead of Christs no maruell if like the images they haue eyes and see not read and vnderstand not They loue not Christ nor will haue him to rule ouer them but his Vicar neither loue they the truth in the Canonicall Scripture further then it will stand with their Popish Canon law Or if a man come to read out of custome and coldly without feruencie and loue experience will tell him though thus he read much his profite shall be but small 3. With repentance and faith and a good heart 2. Cor. 3.14 when the heart of Israel shall be conuerted to the Lord the vaile shall be taken away this vaile is naturall ignorance and infidelity Where the former is no maruell if the word read and knowne be not vnderstood as a blinde man cannot see the sunne shining in his strength Where faith is absent and is not mingled with the word it must needs become vnprofitable Impossible it is that the wisedome of God can dwell in a wicked heart no man puts precious licour into a fustie caske This is the cause that men of great learning want sound vnderstanding because they want sound conscience Hos. 14.10 The wayes of God are right but the wicked fall in them 4. With a purpose not onely to know but to practise Ioh. 7.17 If any man will doe my will he shall know whether my doctrine bee from heauen The scope of the Scripture is not onely to beleeue in the Sonne of God but to walke in the obedience of faith Now if men read ouer all the Bible an hundred times either for knowledge onely or for vaineglory or to aduance themselues into preferments or to oppose the truth as heretikes and Papists doe no maruell if they neuer attaine the true sense of them 5. With prayer for the Spirit to lead vs into all truth because the Scriptures were inspired by Gods Spirit at first and the same Spirit is onely able to acquaint vs with his owne meaning If any man want wisedome he must aske it of God Iam. 1.5 so did Dauid Psal. 119.18 Open mine eyes that I may see the wonderfull things of thy law Is it any maruell that they who flie the iudgement of Gods Spirit and stand to the Church Pope Councells and only swallow that sense which they giue and neuer looke after Gods Spirit should misse of the true meaning of the holy Ghost and fall into and tumble in a number of errours and heresies To these might be added meditation diligence keeping of order and time speciall application and the like These things let them be brought to the reading of Gods word and no man shall loose his labour he shall be taught of God who hath promised to reueale his secret to them that feare him So much of the qualification of the person Now follow some rules which a person thus qualified must learne and keepe by him to trie when a Scripture is wrested or no. The first is that in our text conference of Scripture there the Spirit of God by plaine places expoundeth those which are more difficult Thus Nehem. 8.8 Ezra opened the Scripture by comparing it with it selfe and so made the people to vnderstand as Iunius noteth out of the originall So the Bereans hauing heard the doctrine of the Apostles searched the Scriptures that is compared their doctrine with the doctrine of the old Testament Thus the Apostles themselues teaching Christs resurrection Act. 2.16 prooue it out of the old Testament viz. Psal. 16.10 Thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption And to prooue that those words cannot be meant of Dauid himselfe he appeales to another testimony in 1. King 2. where it is said that Dauid slept with his fathers and lay buried in his sepulchre and so saw corruption This is a speciall way whereby the Scripture giueth wisedome to the simple Psal. 19.7 And for this purpose the Lord hath in great wisedome tempered the Scripture with some hard places to exercise mens senses and trie their diligence in comparing of Scripture whereof there were no need if there were no hard places How comes it that many peruert the Scripture to their owne destruction but because they conferre not one part with another which would lead them into the right sense How come the Arrians when they heare Christ say The Father is greater then I and other such sayings to hold to the death that Christ is not true God coessentiall and coequall with his Father but that they doe not compare this with other places as Ioh. 1.1 That word was God Philip. 2.6 He thought it no robbery to be equall with God Rom. 9. which is God blessed for euer And consequently that the former place speakes of his humane nature the latter of his diuine nature How could the Papists suffer shipwracke of faith and heretically erre in the foundation of religion teaching iustification by the workes of the law out of Iam. 2.21 Was not Abraham our father iustified by workes but that they conferre not other places to help them into the right sense as Rom. 4.2 and 3.20 Wee are iustified by faith without the workes of the law and Tit. 3.5 Not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done but according to his grace he saued vs. Which places beeing compared shewe that one speakes of iustification before God as Paul the other of iustification before men as Iames the former of iustifying the person the latter of iustifying the faith of the person When they read such places as these Awake thou that sleepest and Turne you turne you O house of Israel hence they conclude man hath free-will in his owne conuersion Whereas would they compare these with other places as Gen. 6.5 The whole imagination of mans heart is onely euill continually and it is God that workes both the will and the deed c. the reconciling of such places would force them to see that till God worke vs we are meere patients and after that acti agimus beeing mooued we mooue for his grace must not be idle in vs. The lewd and disordered Libertine when he reads that we are iustified by faith without workes casts off all care of his conuersation What can his workes doe what need they But he could not thus peruert the Scripture to his
of Iotham the son of Vzziah Answ. The former text speakes of the yeares that Iotham raigned for himselfe but he had raigned 20. yeares in his fathers time beeing strucke with leprosie for medling with the Priests office and all the yeares he raigned in his fathers life time are counted to his fathers raigne for he was not Rex for that time but prorex The like rule also we must obserue in diuersities of names and places if we would not sticke in the sand As in this example Matth. 27.9 It was fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Ieremy whereas it was spoken by Zacharie c. 11.13 and not by Ieremie Many learned men trouble themselues more then needs in reconciling this place 1. Some say that S. Matthew ioynes together both one place in Ieremie c. 18.1.2.3 of the potter and this of Zacharie 11.13 But there is little or no agreement betweene them 2. Some say that it is not in Ieremies writings that are Canonicall but in some Apocryphall writings of Ieremy which the Iewes had and which Chrysostome confesseth he saw wherein these words were But it is not likely that the holy Euangelist would leaue a Cononicall text and cite an Apocryphall or giue such credit to that or seeke to build our faith vpon it And by our rule that booke should be Canonicall 3. Some say that Matthew forgat and for Zacharie put downe Ieremie but with more forgetfulnesse that holy men writ as they were mooued by Gods Spirit This errour Erasmus takes hold of from Augustine who in his third booke concerning the consent of the Euangelists chap. 7. defendeth and excuseth this errour 4. Some thinke it the errour of heedlesse writers who might easily so erre but all the oldest copies and the most ancient Fathers haue the name of Ieremie 5. Some say that Zachariah beeing instructed and trained vp with Ieremy did deliuer it by tradition from Ieremy and so Ieremy spoke it by Zachariah which might be true because it is said in the text As was spoken by Ieremie not written But 6. the most compendious and likely way of reconciling is this that Zachary and Ieremy was the same man hauing two names which was very vsuall among the Iewes as Gedeon was called Ierubaal and Ierubesheth Salomon was called Iedidiah Iethro was called Hobab and Reuel Iehoiacim Ieconias and Coniah Hester was called Edissa Simon Peter Cephas and Bar-iona Matthew was called Leui Ierusalem Iebus and Salem c. These are such rules as not only the learned who besides these haue the benefit of arts and tongues the knowledge of phrases the benefit of disputation and the like but euen the simplest may make good vse of 1. To vnderstand the Scripture aright and so discouer the subtilty of Satan and seducers 2. To conuince errour and let others see their errours and so gently lead them backe into their way againe 3. They be great meanes to iustifie the truth and glorifie God 4. Practisers of them haue comfort in themselues that they are louers of the truth and desire to find it euen with much labour and industry 5. The want of this diligence and study of Scripture is the very cause that so many stagger and doubt of our religion are so indifferent that they cannot tell whether to leane to Papists or Protestants and so hold doubtfull to their death Yea and many goe away and fall off from vs and depart to Antichristâ— which is a iust iudgement of God vpon them because they were so farre from receiuing the truth in the loue of it as they would neuer take paines to search into the Scripture which witnesse of the truth WE are now come to speake of the allegation it selfe and the force of the reason taken out of Deuter. 6.16 where the Israelites are forbidden to tempt the Lord as in Massah How they tempted him in Massah is set downe in Exod. 17.7 beeing in want of water and distresse they contended with Moses and said Is the Lord amongst vs 1. They doubted of his power and so would trie whether he could giue them water in this their want for the word nasah properly signifies to make triall as Dauid is said not to haue tried and prooued before to goe in armour 1. Sam. 17.39 where the same word is vsed 2. They doubted of the truth of his promise not beleeuing him to be amongst them as he had promised vnles he would shew them in all hast some signe of his presence in present supply of their necessitie and therefore they say Is God amongst vs Now marke how aptly and wisely our Lord and Sauiour applieth this place I. In his choise he is now on the pinacle and in a dangerous place and well knowes that this prohibition was a fitter place to study and meditate on then those large promises in that most comfortable Psalme For howsoeuer all Scripture is profitable and diuine yet some Scriptures fit some persons and some occasions better then other It is a true and comfortable promise Isa. 1.18 Come let vs reason together though your sinnes were as redde as scarlet c. But for a man not truely humbled the threats of the law are fitter to meditate on neither doth the Lord so inuite the Iewes till they be humbled It is true God heares not sinners but such a place is not so fit to be meditated on and applyed by such as are seriously beaten downe alreadie in the sight and sense of sinne Hee that prouideth not for his family is worse then an infidell a true and holy speach but if a couetous man apply it it hurteth him he hath other places to study on as Beware of couetousnesse and couetousnesse which is idolatrie is one of the sinnes which shuts out of heauen The holy heart of Christ could equally meditate and apply all Scripture but by this his choise he would teach vs to make choise according to occasions II. In direct meeting the deuils drift which was to mooue Christ to vaine confidence and make tryall whether he was the Sonne of God or God his Father by throwing himselfe downe Comparing this place with the former hee shewes him that it giues him no leaue to cast downe himselfe for this were not to trust God but to tempt God as the Iewes did in Massah but I doubt not of my Fathers power and therfore I need not trie it I distrust not the truth of his promise and presence with me what need I make triall of it I haue a commandement which I must not separate from the promise as thou doest Thou pretendest a promise but no promise extends to the breach of any commaundement but hath his ground and dependance vpon some commaundement or other Thou wouldst haue me cast my selfe downe and promisest helpe but no promise can secure him that attempteth that wherein hee tempteth God as this action would In the words are 1. the person that must not tempt Thou 2. the person that must not be tempted The Lord
a prouoking and tempting of God as 1. out of diffidence or malice as the Iewes bade Christ come downe from the crosse and they would beleeue him assuring themselues he was neuer able to doe that 2. For curiosity and delight as Herod desired to see some meruaile or for satisfying our lust as Israel 3. For our owne priuate ends not aiming directly at Gods glory and deniall of our selues as the Iewes followed Christ not for his miracles but for their belly and the bread and the Virgin Mary herein failed requiring a miracle of Christ rather for a preuention of scandall for the want of wine then the manifesting of Christs glory for which Christ checked her for it was a priuate and light respect to which miracles must not be commaunded Ioh. 2.4 4. for confirming of that doctrine and authority which is sufficiently confirmed already Ioh. 2.18 Shew vs a signe why thou doest these things why thou whippest out buyers and sellers out of the Temple He shewes them none they tempt God herein was not the whipping of them out and the authority he had shewen signe enough of his diuine authority did not he solely and alone ouerthrow and turne out a number of them without resistance did not he by his word challenge the Temple to be his Fathers house and himselfe the Sonne of God Hauing thus confirmed his authoriry by this signe he would shew them no other Thus the Papists as a Pharisaicall seede tempt God looking for more miracles to confirme the same doctrine which Christ and his Apostles haue sufficiently confirmed by many and powerfull miracles When they prooue that wee teach another doctrine we will shew them other miracles III. To tempt God in action is thus 1. To enter vpon any thing without a calling for that is to step out of our way when we doe that which we haue neither word nor promise for this is in the text 2. To walke in a course of sinne and liue in our wickednes especially when the Lord by blessings mooueth vs to repentance Malach. 3.15 They that worke wickednes be set vp who be they in the next words the Prophet sheweth saying They that tempt God are deliuered So as all wicked persons are tempters of God 3. To presume vpon extraordinary meanes when ordinary meanes may be had thus the 3. worthies of Dauid tempted God that went for water in danger of their liues whereas they might haue had it nearer in safety 2. Sam. 23.15 but when they brought it to him he considered how they had sinned to satisfie his sinnefull desire and would not drinke it And this is the tempting of God intended in this place to flie downe refusing the staires 4. To runne into places or occasions of danger in soule or body is to tempt God as to runne into wicked company or exercises Peter notwithstanding Christ foretold him of his weaknes yet trusted of his owne strength and went into Caiaphas his hall and seeking the tempter found him and himselfe too weake for him Our Sauiour would here teach vs what a dangerous sinne it is to tempt the Lord it beeing so absolutely forbidden the people of God not onely in the olde Testament but in the newe 1. Cor. 10.9 Neither let vs tempt Christ as some of them also tempted him For 1. It is a plaine contempt of the Lord in his prouidence and constitutions when a man either neglecteth the meanes which God hath appointed to bring forward his purposes or betaketh himselfe to such meanes as God hath not appointed 2. It is a manifest argument of infidelity and hardnes of heart When a friend promiseth mee to doe me good at my need or to stand by mee in time of danger I will feigne a need or danger to trie whether he will be as good as his word or no what doth this but imply a suspition in me that my friend will not be as good as his word therfore I will trie him before I need him And thus he deales that will needlesly tempt God 3. No relation betweene God and vs may encourage vs to tempt him He is our Lord a strong God doe wee prouoke the Lord are wee stronger then hee 1. Cor. 10.22 Let not the Princes of the Philistims dally with Sampson for he is strong and will reuenge himselfe by pulling the house ouer their heads the Lord is strong and mighty Sampsons strength was but weaknes to him therefore let not vs tempt him least we goe away with the worse as the Philistims did He is our God euen a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 it is no safe dallying with fire He is our father therefore we must feare him as Iaacob knowes Isaac is his father yet is afraid to goe to him disguised least said he I seeme to my father to dally or mocke 4. The greatnes of this sinne will appeare in the greatnes of his punishment It cost good Iosiah his life 2. King 23.29 He would trie what he could doe against Pharaoh Necho when he was admonished of the Lord not to goe against him For this sinne the Lord sware that not one of the Israelites aboue 20. yeares old should enter into Canaan It cost the liues of 600000. men besides women who for tempting God were destroyed of the destroyer 1. Cor. 10.9 Good Zacharie for not beleeuing the Angell which came with tidings of a sonne was strucke dumb for requiring a signe Euen the best if they tempt God shall not carrie it cleare away Obiect Psal. 34.8 Taste and see how good the Lord is and Rom. 12.2 prooue what that good and acceptable will of God is Answ. There is a twofold knowledge of Gods goodnes 1. speculatiue by which we know God to be good in himselfe and to vs 2. experimentall in something not reuealed The places alleadged speake of the former onely this latter is a tempting of God This serues to discouer vnto vs our fayling against this doctrine and that euery of vs cannot so easily put off this sinne as we thinke for 1. Is it not ordinary amongst vs that read the word and of Gods power therein we heare his promises we taste by experience how good and bountifull God is and yet in any strait in euery danger we can be ready to tempt him as in Massah saying in our hearts Is God with mee doth God regard mee am I not cleane cast out of sight can I euer be holpen and swimme out of this distresse Thus the vnbeleefe of our hearts is ready to make God a liar When there was a maruellous great famine in Samariah and Elisha said To morrow at this time two measures of barely shall bee at a shekel and a measure of fine flower at a shekel a Prince answered If the Lord would make windowes in heauen could it bee so hee answered Thine eyes shall see it but thou shalt not eate of it And hee was troden in peeces in the gate for his vnbeleefe 2. King 7. ver 19.
so to doe for shall Satan dare to renew so many temptations against our Lord and will he spare any of his members Here is a ground of comfort for Gods people who when temptations come thicke vpon them are often dismayed as though God had forsaken them and so grow weary of resistance yea and not sieldome they grow into words of impatiency Neuer were any so molested as they Good Dauid said once This is my death and all men are lyars euen all Gods Prophets that told him he should be King there was no way but one he must one day fall by the hand of Saul But be of good comfort and possesse thy soule with patience for 1. No temptation takes thee but such as befalleth man 1. Cor. 10.13 and the same afflictions are accomplished in thy brethren which are in the world 1. Pet. 5.9 2. Thou hast the naturall Sonne of God most restlesly assalted by the deuil and pursued with all kindes of temptation to sanctifie all kinds of temptation to thee And herein thou art not onely conformable to the Saints of greatest grace but euen to thy Lord and Head 3. The more assalted thou art the surer argument it is thou art not yet in Satans power but he would winne thee Thou hast more cause to feare if all be quiet with thee When an enemy hath wonne a citie he assaults and batters it no more but fortifies it for himselfe If the strong man haue possession all is at peace but if there be any resistance neuer so weake he hath not wonne all Therefore resist still stand thy ground and faint not and if thou doest any time faint desire to resist still and thou still resistest See here an expresse image of the deuill in wicked men who are restlesse in their wickednesse no child so like the father as they like their father the deuill in this propertie Their feete runne to euill and they make hast to blood Pro. 1.16 yea they are so restlesse that they cannot sleepe till they haue done some mischeife c. 4. v. 16. and the more they be resisted and opposed the further are they from desisting but growe more violent as Satan here See this restlesse disposition in the wicked Sodomites they came about the house of Lot to abuse the Angells they cannot sleepe till they haue done their villanny they are all the night about it when Lot perswades them to desist they are further off and more violent now must Lot take heed to himselfe when the Lord from heauen strikes them small and great with blindnes and resists them yet they will not giue ouer but sought the doore still The like restlesnes we note in the Iewes the wicked enemies of Christ who were so thirsty of his blood and nothing else could serue them and no meanes could hinder them but they consult in their hall how they may apprehend him they send out in the night to apprehend him beeing come to catch him he with a word strucke them all to the ground yet they goe on hauing apprehended him they keep him all night in Caiaphas his hall and at the breake of the day Caiaphas the high Priest the Elders Scribes and Pharises held a solemne Councell to put him to death And when his gracious words confounded them and they saw his innocencie shine out when they heard the Iudge clearing him and saw him wash his hands from his blood yet they grew more violent and called his blood vpon them and their children for euer Exod. 32.6 when the Israelites would sacrifice to the golden calfe they rose vp early in the morning Wee shall euer see wicked men in their wicked courses make more hast then good speed and the more opposed the more violent Aaron durst not resist them How restlesse was Iudas till he betrayed his Lord and earned that price of blood both his Lords and his owne and how farre was he from desisting notwithstanding the gracious meanes hee had to hinder him There are three speciall things wherein men doe most expresly imitate Satan and manifest his image vpon themselues 1. In incessant malice against God and his children Satan was a manslayer from the beginning and so in the beginning was his sonne Cain who hated his brother and slew him because his workes were good and his owne euill 1. Ioh. 3.12 Of this progenie were the cursed Iewes that went about to kill Christ Ioh. 8. and all those that hate and maligne the children of God 2. In slandering and false accusing for Satan is called the accuser of the brethren and so are they 2. Tim. 3.3 Calumniation is the constitutiue forme of Satan and the Iewes had an expresse image of it vpon them Matth. 26.60 How doe they compasse their malice against Christ thus they sought false witnesse and thereby played the deuills first they desired to haue two witnesses but they would not serue then two more but they also would not serue and marke by the way it seemes they examined them apart at last some came that accorded and vpon their word they condemned Christ. All the while they will seeme to take a course of law iustice and equity but all is but a colour 1. Though according to their plot they must put Christ to death vniustly yet themselues doe not deuise slanders but only are willing that any should come in and speake against him in somwhat they will haue two witnesses it was enough for Magistrats to receiue witnesse not to be iudges and accusers themselues Besides this they will not deale vnderhand but haue witnesses and witnesses that must agree and they aske him what he answereth to them and all in publike to shew that they did not deuise slanders in corners but dealt as men that would iustifie their proceedings and stand to their doings Yet for all these faire and colourable pretences their plot is to pronounce the sentence of condemnation vpon him 3. In boldnes and impudency in sinne no age nor ours want numbers of examples of wicked persons sold ouer to sinne who are as naturally carried to wickednes as sparkes to flie vpwards and as busie as bees in contriuing their wicked purposes night and day is too little to spend in the confusion of their lusts As violently are they carried into their riots drunken matches adulterous and filthy meetings murtherous and reuengefull plots cursed and blasphemous oathes rotten and poysonfull language wicked and diabolicall courses as the swine were hurried by the deuills into the lake And if deuills were incarnate and should put on mens shapes we cannot deuise how they could otherwise carrie themselues more to corrupt humane society and more to heap vp their owne and others damnation And let the Magistrates or Minister vse meanes to reclaime or if that be hopelesse to restraine and hinder their malice Oh they are so farre from giuing vp their courses as they rage and storme so much the more they will not be so wronged as be at
eare to heare let him heare Seeing therefore that this is so notable a meanes of guiding our senses let vs more carefully giue vp and take vp our eyes and eares with the sight and sound of Gods word vpon all occasions in the hearing and reading of the Scripture I would aske the most carnall man that is whether this in sound iudgment be not a better obiect for our senses then bowles or tables and fitter for all times especially for the Sabbath Thirdly God made our senses to profit our selues by his creatures that by them we might glorifie him their Creator and not by them corrupt or insnare our selues Isa. 40.26 Lift vp your eyes aloft and behold who created all these things This vse Dauid maketh Psal. 8. when I see the heauens the earth and the workes of thy hands then said I Lord what is man that thou art so mindfull of him and concludes the Psalme thus How excellent is thy name through all the world And why 1. The inuisible things of God his power and diuinity and eternity were made visible to the very Gentiles by things created Rom. 1.20 And shall we either not looke on them or so looke vpon them as they to make vs inexcusable shall wee onely enioy the naturall vse and no spirituall or diuine vse from them 2. Consider that God for this purpose hath made the countenance of man not as the beasts groueling on the earth but erected vnto heauen and he hath made the eye of man not as the beasts but as Anatomists obserue hath giuen it one muscle which they want whereby he can turne his eye directly vpwards with admirable quicknes that it should not so fix it selfe vpon any thing below as the couetous eye doth but by occasion of things below turne it selfe vpward to their Creator Yea he hath compassed our eyes with browes and lids and fences from dust and earth that though we looke sometimes on the earth yet the least dust or earth should not get into them 3. Let vs labour to vse our senses in beholding Gods workes as they in Ioh. 2.23 that saw the workes of Christ of whom it is said Many beleeued in the name of Christ seeing the workes that he did So let the works which we see God hath done be at least inducements to beleeue him so much the more Fourthly God made our senses in respect of our brethren both to benefit them and our selues by them 1. Our eyes to behold their miserie to pitie them to releeue them Turne not thine eyes from thine owne flesh Herein the vnmercifull Priest and L'euit were condemned by the pitifull Samaritan Our eares to heare the crie of the poore Prou. 21.13 he that turnes his eare from the crie of the poore himselfe shall crie and not be heard Numbers neuer make this vse of their eares but God hath a deafe eare for them 2. Our eyes to see the good example of our brethren to imitate them to glorifie God for them Our eares to heare their godly counsells admonitions reproofes and so be bettered by them 3. Our eyes to see and consider their danger to pull them out of their infirmities the fire and to cast out the mote of their eyes Our eares to heare what is fit to bee spoken of them to defend their good names if they be traduced For God hath giuen vs two eares not rashly to receiue euery information but to reserue one for the partie least he be condemned vnheard vnconuinced Fiftly and lastly God made our senses in respect of our selues not onely to be faithfull keepers of the body but diligent factors and agents for our owne soules as 1. That our eyes should euer bee looking homewards and to the end of our way as quicke and expedite trauellers and not fix themselues vpon euery thing we see here below This is done by heauenly conuersation 2. Our eares should be bored to the perpetuall seruice and obedience of our God as our Lord himselfe was Psal. 40.7 Thou hast bored mine eare alluding to that ceremony in the law Exod. 21.6 If a seruant would not part from his Master his eare must be bored and nailed to the post of the house and thus he became a perpetuall seruant he was nailed and fixed to that house and seruice So wee must yeelde an obedient eare as Salomon calls it vnto the counsells will and commaundement of our Lord and Master Iesus Christ. 3. Our eyes were made to be conduits of teares for our owne sinne and miserie and for the sinne and wretchednes of other men Psal. 119.136 Dauids eyes gushed out with riuers of teares because men keepe not the word how wept he then for his owne sinnes that wept so for others Good Lot his righteous soule was vexed in hearing and seeing the vncleane conuersation of the Sodomites Thus should our senses be so farre from conceiuing pleasure in sinnefull obiects as these must be the continuall greefe of our soules And can we indeed looke vpon our selues and not see something which is a brand of our sin or can we behold any creature and not see some expresse prints and markes of our sinne and vanity vpon it Surely this one meditation would be effectuall to keep vs from casting our eyes vpon vnlawfull obiects and so from making our selues a prey to the deuill This serues to reprooue such as faile in this watch of the senses for who doth not yet some farre more dangerously Such as haue in their houses Popish pictures and images which are alluring harlots corrupters of the heart which is an opening of the doore to the deuill a signe of a man willing to be seduced Experience shewes that when a man is in loue with such images he easily falls out with Gods image in himselfe and Gods children 2. Such as delight in lasciuious pictures and filthy portraytures of naked men or women in whole or such parts as may stirre the corruption of the heart which should be beaten downe by all meanes We need bring no oile to this flame Yet the deuill hath gotten such pictures in request in this wanton age wherein euery thing is almost proportionall 3. Such are farre from this watch of their senses as so attire and disguise themselues or lay open their nakednes to insnare the senses of others Let them not say they thinke no hurt in it vnlesse they can be sure that no other thinke hurt by it 4. Such as like the images haue eares and heare not eyes and see not care not to heare the word or read it neuer tast Gods goodnes in it neither doth the breath of heauenly life euer passe through their noses 5. Such as frequent wicked company and delight in the vngracious actions and speaches that they heare and see or can digest them without reproofe or dislike manifested The deuill hath a through-fare among such companies who are conspired against God and goodnes Adde vnto these such as read or haue in their houses lasciuious
little nearer we shall see it vanishing into nothing but deceit and mischeife For 1. What is this great all that he makes profer of A great catch iust nothing but shadowes and representations of things in themselues nothing at all but the show he had made 2. As this great all was but a show so it was but for a moment for shadowes cannot continue and what were Christ the better if he had beene put in possession of the things themselues if they so suddenly vanish away before he can giue a sight of them 3. His best and largest promises here are but in the transitory kingdoms of this life which all passe away as a shadow so as if he had offred and could haue performed the things themselues it had beene no great matter he neuer offers and makes good any sound grace or the things of Gods kingdome which are things onely worth hearkning after 4. Will he giue all the kingdomes and all the glory of them to Christ alone why what righteousnesse or iustice could be herein will he rob and spoile all other Kings and rulers in the world of their right and soueraignty which God had inuested them in and this all at once and in a moment 5. Whereas he pretends a gift he intends a deare bargaine and offring nothing but pure and vnmixed glory he would rob Christ our head and all his members at once of all ioy and happines both externall and eternall Of this kinde are all his promises be promised to Eue deity but it prooued mortallity and misery he promised Caiâ— respect and loue if he could make Abel out of the way but it prooued the casting of himselfe out from the face of God his fathers family 1. He that meanes not in true dealing to performe any thing may promise as much as he will Satan meant not to giue Christ one kingdome and he may as well promise all as one 2. His enmity and hatred of God and mans saluation makes him large in his promises he knowes how sâ—â—ly temptations on the right hand steale into the heart and that no enemy is so dangerous as he that comes in pretence of kindnesse When he seekes to draw man to hell with him he takes on him to teach him how to become a God When Christ was to suffer he would haue him to spare himselfe to hinder mans saluation he will offer kingdomes all kingdomes with all the wealth and pleasure of them Satan herein deales as Iaacobs sonnes with the Sichemites they made very faire promises that if they would be circumcised they would giue their daughters and take their daughters and dwell together as one people Gen. 34.16 but they talked deceitfully v. 13. intending onely to reuenge vpon them as they did when the males were sore by meanes of their circumcising Satan can promise a victory to Ahab but it is to chase him before his enemie to confusion 3. He knowes mans credulity and follie who is easily taken with faire words which makes fooles faine their eyes beeing wholly vpon things before them Besides howsoeuer our blessed Lord here was fenced that the least inordinate affection could not fasten vpon him although he had all the obiects in the world to mooue him yet he commonly findes men and women fitted for his turne doating vpon the world and needs no such large offers as here are made to Christ but for lesse commodity and glory then that in one kingdome will fall downe and worship him 4. Satan is so much the larger in his promises to imitate God whom he sees encouraging his seruants by making couenant with them and promising them all the good things of this life and that to come as to Abraham All that thou seest I will giue thee Now to draw men from Gods couenant if it were possible and to disgrace the same Satan seekes to get men in league with him by larger promises of the world then euer God made to one man because that carrieth their whole desires and as God for the ratifying of his couenant hath appointed Sacraments and seales so the deuill hath certaine words figures characters ceremonies and charmes for the confirmation of his league with them and their faith in that league Hence obserue a difference betweene Gods promises and the deuills 1. They differ in the matter Satan profers earthly shadowes earthly kingdomes things that glance through the sense worldly things which may be perceiued and thrust into the eye and senses all at once the best of which is but a phantasie as Paul calls the great pompe of Agrippa and Bernice things of a moment for continuance that last as long as the fulnesse of the moone scarce seene but vanishing But the matter of Gods promises is the kingdome not of earth but of heauen and the glory thereof to which all earthly things are but appendices things which cannot be shadowed for the eye cannot see nor the eare heare neither can it enter into the heart of an earthly man to conceiue what God hath prepared for them that loue him 1. Cor. 2.9 The great promises of God are matters of faith not of sense and for continuance he promiseth a kingdome vnshaken eternall reserued in the heauens a glory not withering or fading vnlike the glory of flesh of all which the Prophet saith it is like the flower of the field Isa. 40.6 2. They differ in the scope and aime of them Gods promises all serue to prouoke and encourage men to lay hold vpon the couenant of life to draw men nearer God in faith and obedience 2. Cor. 7.1 Seeing we haue these precious promises let vs clense our selues from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit and grow vp vnto full 〈…〉 in the feare of God But Satans promises tend to fix 〈…〉 world as here hee would make Christ the greatest 〈…〉 it to withdraw men from God and their couenant with him to pull them from the seruice of the God of heauen to worship himselfe or serue their lusts or embrace the world or bow to any thing but the true God 3. They differ in the accomplishment God is euer as good or better then his word Tit. 1.2 God who cannot lie hath promised To Dauid as Nathan witnesseth in his reproofe 2. Sam. 12.8 he gaue his Lords house his Lords wiues his Lords kingdome and if that had beene little he would haue giuen him more To Salomon he promised long life or wealth or wisedome and in the accomplishment he giues him both life and wealth and wisedome But Satan is neuer so good as his word but a liar in all his promises For 1. He wants power to performe when he promiseth that which is none of his as the kingdomes of the world Or 2. He wants purpose and will to performe his promise For had he a purpose and minde to haue giuen Christ the kingdoms of the world if he had had power Doth not he enuie to euery man the fruition of
things shall be neat and conuenient at home no care how Gods house lies When base trifles are preferred before Gods word and the good setling of it as stage-playes and enterludes When Gods Sabbaths and time must giue place to our callings or recreations or are passed away in Gods worship more heauily then holy-daies or worke-daies Here is a man affected more with his owne sinn then the highest causes of Gods glorie III. The reason of our Sauiours deniall For it is written Thou shalt worshippe the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue Our Sauiour had sharply reprooued Satans impudence in his bold on set this third time but yet because it is not sufficient to thrust off an aduersarie with heat of words and sharpe reproaches vnlesse there be added also a direct answer and satisfaction to the matter in hand he therefore most fully answereth by the Scriptures euen the deuill himselfe not contenting himselfe by his power to repell him which Satan now beginneth to feele vnles also by the power of the word he conuince him and thereby award the dart and breake the temptation into peices Which must be our rule in dealing with vaine and iangling aduersaries not to answer them according to their foolish disposition or prouocation nor to be like them in frowardnes or stifnes in heat and peruersnes but to answer them with words of wisdom with sound matter and moderation both to conuince them and beat downe selfe-conceit in them which is the meaning of those two precepts Prou. 26.4.5 which seeme contrarie but are easily reconciled by the due respect of persons places times and other circumstances Euer remember one rule that no aduersarie suppose the deuill himselfe is to be answered by affection or passion but by iudgement and sound reason Yea if we haue no hope to winne our aduersarie or doe him much good as Christ had none of the deuill yet we must testifie to God and his truth for the confirmation of our selues and others The testimonie alleadged is out of Deut. 10.20 Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God thou shalt serue him and Deu. 6.13 An vniuersall and affirmatiue precept by which euery creature is bound to his Creator and him alone to performe diuine worship vnto him And it is aptly applyed by Christ to this dart of Sathan For it implyeth 1. That he himselfe as now standing in this conflict with Sathan is a creature of God as he is man though otherwise as God he be equall to his Father As man he is subiect to the law and to this precept among the rest 2. That Satan is not God as he pretendeth by his vniust claimes nor any way equall to God 3. That therefore neither must he beeing a creature giue the least diuine worship from God nor he that thus claimes it can by any meanes be capable of it 4. That the Scriptures of God reserue vnto God his due worship and forbid that any creature shall share with him Christ stands not to dispute whether the sight presented were a shadow or substance nor whether he would giue it him or no but holds him to the Scripture which vpholds his Fathers right Quest. But why doth our Sauiour change and adde to the text of Scripture as not regarding that terrible woe denounced against such as adde or take away from the word and contrary to that in Deut. 12.32 Here our Sauiour 1. changeth Moses saith Thou shalt feare Christ saith Thou shalt worship 2. addeth for Moses hath not the word onely which is of Christs putting to that text Answ. 1. Here is some difference indeed in words but not in sense and therefore it is no corruption of the text nor letting out the life of it which stands not in the words but in the true sense 2. Our Lord both in great wisedome changeth the word feare into worship and iust cause for 1. Moses vseth feare which is a generall word in which is contained all such diuine duties as godly men ought to performe vnto God and our Sauiour mentions one speciall which is included in that generall which thing Moses speakes as well as hee in the generall as he that commaunds a whole commands euery part inward and outward 2. Hereby our Sauiour aptly meetes with Satans temptation If thou wilt worship me he vseth the same word not tying himselfe to Moses his words but keeping the sense but to Satans word and 3. He noteth the nearenesse and vndiuidednes of Gods feare and his worship as where the cause is there will be the effect so true feare and worship goe together where one is there will be the other and for this cause one is put for the other not here onely but elsewhere as Esa. 29.13 their feare toward mee was taught by the precept of men Christ alleadging it Matth. 15.9 saith You worship me in vaine As for the word onely added which is not in the law it no way addeth any contrary or diuerse sense to Moses but onely expoundeth or giueth a fit commentarie to the text and speaketh that plainely in one word which Moses doth in more as Deut. 2.13 Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and walke after no other gods which is all one with our Sauiours Thou shalt serue him onely As he that saith The King is the supreame gouernour and none but hee saith in effect The King is the onely supreame gouernour 3. Christ and his Apostles had a priuiledge in alleadging Scriptures without errour and were infallible expounders as well as alleadgers 4. This alteration of words is made by Christ to warrant vs that Scriptures alleadged by teachers according to their right sense although with alterations and additions are to be taken as true expositions and allegations we beeing not tyed so strictly to words as to sense For otherwise all our sermons and expositions which serue to beat out the true sense of Scriptures and apply it to seuerall vses might be condemned as idle additions to Scripture which is blasphemous 5. To warrant vs that principles of religion expounded by warrant of Scripture are truely interpreted though the Scriptures in so many formall words expresse them not As for example In the doctrine of iustification by faith we say we are iustified by faith onely before God here the Papists exclaime on vs as accursed heretikes because we read not the word onely in all the Scripture But we read it in effect and in true sense Rom. 3.28 and Eph. 2.8 by faith without workes which exclusiue is all one as to say onely by faith as our Sauiour interprets the exclusion of other gods by the word onely As if I should say I did such a thing without help is it not all one to say I onely did it If Christs interpretation be true and warrantable so must ours in the point of iustification And if the deuill himselfe had not yeelded to Christs allegation he might haue said Thou thrustest in the word onely and addest to
Gods word and therefore art not the Sonne of God But the Papists deale more impudently with vs then the deuill did with Christ who said no such thing but yeelded to euidence of truth which they will not In the precept it selfe are three things 1. the person 2. the matter 3. the obiect 1. The person thou the whole man and person which consisteth of a body and soule thou any reasonable creature that challengest God to be thy God 2. The matter shalt worship and serue Worship is twofold Ciuill or Diuine Ciuill is a prostrating or bowing of the body or any outward testification of an high and reuerent respect of man And this is due to men two wayes 1. Of dutie when men are to be reuerently acknowledged for somthing wherein God hath preferred them before vs as for yeares gifts graces authoritie or such as are set ouer vs as parents and fathers of bodies and soules of Church and country And this is required by the 5. commandement and Rom. 13.1.7 neither doth the Gospel and Christianitie take away but teach ciuility And performed by the godly both in speach as Daniel said O King and Paul to Festus O noble Festus and also in outward behauiour and gesture as Iaacob bowed seauen times to Esau and Ioseph taking his sonnes from the knees of his father Iaacob hauing blessed them did reuerence to his father downe to the ground Gen. 48.12 Dauid inclined his face to the earth and bowed himselfe to Saul who pursued his life 1. Sam. 24.9 The like of Ruth to Boaz chap. 2. and of Abigail to Dauid 1. Sam. 25.23 she fell on her face and bowed her selfe to the ground and fell at his feet 2. Of curtesie which is a fruit of humility when a man to his equalls and inferiours sheweth reuerence and respect as Abraham to Lot Gen. 13.8.9 and to the Hittites his inferiours cap. 23.12 he bowed himselfe before the people of the land Farre vnlike the surlinesse and stiffenesse of proud and conceited persons who beeing void of all good nature nurture and religion know not to bow to any neither their betters in the way of duty nor equalls in way of curtesie Diuine worship is twofold 1. inward the summe of the first commandement standing in feare loue and the like 2. outward bowing or reuerence the summe of the second commaundemen◠The former bindes the soule and the will and affections and the whole inner man the latter the outward man to giue God his worship and seruice and to giue no part of that to any other For the word onely onely mentioned in the latter branch must be extended and referred to the former too The latter of these is here meant for the word properly signifieth to kisse or adore by some outward gesture to manifest a veneration 1. Because this was it which Satan required of Christ namely to fall downe or bow vnto him but Christ aptly refuseth it 2. This worship proceeds from an inward feare and apprehension of a diuine excellency power not communicable to any creature which Satan well knewe for euen by this bowing hee would haue Christ to acknowledge in him a power to dispose of all earthly things which is proper to God And him onely shalt thou serue By seruice is not meant the inward seruice of the heart for the words in Deut. 6.13 Thou shalt feare the Lord and serue him will not beare it the first thereof betokening the inward seruice the second the outward following the former as the effect the cause Neither would our Sauiour inuert the order in setting the streame before the fountaine Therefore this word serue serueth to expound the former as an addition signifying nothing els but the outward seruice of God so that Christ here shewes that it is not enough to giue God outward reuerence but that we must as seruants performe duties according to his will so the word signifies being taken from seruants who performe seruice to bodily Masters in bodily actions 3. The person to be worshipped and serued is God only Him onely whom we call the Lord our God according to the speach of Samuel 1.7.3 Direct your hearts vnto the Lord and serue him only for his glorie will he giue to no other Quest. Must we giue outward worship to none but God Must we not bow our knee and vncouer our heads to our King and Rulers Must we not rise vp to the hoare-head Leuit. 19.32 Must we not serue one another in loue How then must we outwardly worship and serue God onely Ans. Wee must not denie any ciuill worshppe to any man to whome God hath made it due but externall religious worship must not be giuen to any creature man or Angell Quest. How may we know one from the other Answ. They differ greatly 1. In the kind one is seruill the other sociall the former due to an absolute Lord and commander the latter due from one fellow-seruant to another This distinction is grounded in Reu. 19.10 where the Angell refused the worship done him by Iohn vpon this ground because he was a fellow-seruant and one of the brethren for Iohn beeing ouercome with the greatnesse of the Angels glorie and splendor out of humane infirmity ascribed to him more then ciuill honour and mixed some religious worship with it which onely was due to God 2. Another difference is in the intention of the mind in worshipping Religious bowing is when a man inwardly apprehends a diuine power proper to God and incommunicable to the creature or when god-head or diuine properties are conceiued in the thing bowed vnto As for example in falling downe to an image vncouering the head praying c. the minde now conceiues a diuine power in the image of knowing ones thoughts hearing helping and the like at least that God hath tied his presence and grace to such a place where such an image is set vp But the ciuill bowing to the King or superiour or to the chaire of estate is a meere token of ciuill subiection without any conceit of deity in the minde onely because we see in them excellent gifts of God or in place aboue in the Church common-wealth or familie For the same gesture may be ciuill and spirituall according to the intention of the minde of the worshipper 3. The end distinguisheth them the one is to exercise godlines the other to expresse ciuility the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one done as a man is a member of Gods kingdome the other as he is in the ranke of an earthly kingdome As for example Kissing of the Popes feet is a worship done to a man and so seemes euill but beeing tendred to him as to the Vicar of Christ as one that can pardon sinnes and cannot erre this religious end makes it a religious worship and therefore none of his beeing not offred to any other Prince or Emperour vpon the earth 4. Some difference may be taken from the
alone is our Master and Hushand and therefore he alone must haue religious honour This serues to confute the Popish doctrine and practise of their image and Saint-worshippe and of giuing many other wayes Gods peculiar worshippe cleane away to the creatures not onely bowing to images of wood and stone and mettall but inuocating them vowing vnto them offring gifts vnto them lighting candles before them offring incense dedicating dayes fasts feasts vnto Saints departed c. Wherein they commit most horrible idolatry against this expresse commandement which commandeth the seruice of the true God onely As we shall see further in these grounds 1. No image may be made of God Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image of any thing in heauen or earth for Thou sawest no image onely thou heardest a voice Deu. 4.12 And what wâ—ll yee liken mee to saith the Lord Yet this was a rude people â—nd needed all the bookes that might bee Consequently God is not to be worshipped in any image 2. He is dishonoured when any corruptible thing is conceiued to be like him Rom. 1.23 3. God is vncircumscriptible and infinite therefore an image of him is a lie 4. God is euery where present therefore euery image is vaine 5. Gods curse is on him that makes a carued image and puts it in a secret place Deut. 27.15 6. God will not be worshipped in any image but of his Sonne Ioh. 5.23 All men must honour the Sonne as they honour the Father Let image-mungers shew vs what images God will be worshipped in besides Iesus Christ the engrauen forme of his person and we will worship as many images as they can 7. It is vaine and very inconsiderate to make an image and worship it the makers thereof want common sense and are blockish as the images themselues as appeares by the Prophets Ironicall narration Isa. 42.19 and 44.19 No man saith in his heart Halfe haue I burnt or eaten or warmed my selfe withall and shall I worship the other halfe as a god Are not as good blockes as this euerie where and as good stones in the pauement Is not one as worthy to be worshipped as the other How hath one deserued to be burnt and the other to be reserued for adoration The same folly is in the Church of Rome one peice of the hoast they eate another they set vp to be worshipped and want consideration to say Was not the peice that is eaten as worthy to be worshipped as this Is this better then that So that that of the Prophet is verified of these idolaters They that make them are like vnto them euen as blockish as the very blocks which if they could reason would surely say Am not I as worthy to be worshipped as my fellow am I baser then my equall But they haue gotten a late distinction by which they put on a cloake to hide the filthinesse of their idolatrie Worship say they is either that high and great worship proper to God which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or lesse and inferiour worship called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or seruice the former they cannot without idolatrie giue to Angells and Saints the latter they may But 1. God cannot be deluded by a distinction of words seeing the thing it selfe is idolatrie let them call it what they will to delude the world and themselues withall the thing is as grosse idolatry as euer was among the heathens let them lessen it as they can and call it a lesse worship consisting in externall reuerence and inferiour to that which is giuen to the samplar For so long as they bowe to Saints which they cannot for shame say is for ciuil reuerence vnlesse they had eyes to see them they goe directly against the commaundement which saith Thou shalt not bow downe to them And the Lord hereby distinguisheth his true worshippers from idolaters I haue reserued seuen thousand which neuer bowed the knee to Baal And so long as they inuocate them vow vnto them sweare by them knocke their breasts before them creepe vnto them c. doe they thinke they haue eares and heare not nay do they not ascribe the seeing of their hearts and wants omnipotence and power to helpe them Are they not in the midst of that woe of them that say to the wood Arise and to the dumb stone Come and helpe vs And so long as they imitate the heathen in erecting temples altars statues in appointing them religious daies feasts fasts seuerall worships c. can they by an idle word put out all mens eies so as we can see nothing beyond ciuill worship in all this because they call it douleia What is there now in all Gods worship which they cannot doe to them They say we may not sacrifice to them that is due to God onely but inuocate them we may Answ. 1. A silly shift as though all Gods proper worship were in sacrifices 2. What are prayers but sacrifices of the new Testament 3. What is it but to offer sacrifice to them to offer them candles incense and the like 2. The new-found distinction argueth their grosse ignorance both in the Scriptures and in other secular learning if not wilfull blindnesse the words both of them in both beeing vsed for the same and promiscuously ascribed both to God and men I. For the Scriptures They may they say giue douleia to men and Angels but then may we giue all the seruice due to the Lord Iesus to them for vnder this word is it all comprehended Rom. 16.18 they serue not the Lord Iesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Apostle condemnes the giuing of douleia to things which by nature are no gods Gal. 4.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 20.18 seruing the Lord with all modesty and many teares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is douleia proper to God which their distinction makes peculiar to man 1. Thess. 1.9 hauing turned from idolls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to serue the liuing and true God Coloss. 3.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for yee serue the Lord Christ. And might they not in the Scripture obserue how the Angel refused douleia Reuel 22.7 because he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fellow-seruant Yet they say it is due to Angels and Saints And that latreia is not onely taken in Scripture for worship due to God but for workes belonging to men is plaine by Leuit. 23.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt do no seruile worke II. For secular learning Ludouicus Vines a learned man of their religion in his commentaries vpon Augustine de ciuitat Dei hath prooued out of Suidaâ— Xenophon and Valla that these two words are vsually taken one for another And yet vpon this confused distinction stands all the frame of their confused idolatry at this day 3. This distinction fighteth not onely against antiquity but against themselues Ierome against Vigilantius saith Nos non Angelos non Archangelos non Cherubim non Seraphim colimus
bodies as we are commanded 1. Cor. 6.20 and that we acknowledge them both to be his and both to depend vpon him 5. That we set not light by his ordinances in which he giueth vs leaue to approach vnto his throne of grace before whome the very Angells are said to couer their faces 6. Hereby we giue good example to others and prouoke them also to reuerence All which much condemneth the profanenesse of many whome when Satan cannot hinder from Church he preuailes against them there and in hearing the word receiuing the Sacraments and prayer they manifest their contempt of those holy ordinances casting and rolling their eies here and there gazing idlely or laying themselues to sleepe and take a nappe some part of the Sermon or sitting vnmannerly in prayer-time without all reuerence that should they come so and behaue themselues towards their Prince they should be taught a lesson for their rudenesse Is this to confesse a mans owne basenesse and the humble conceit hee hath of himselfe Is this the fruit of acknowledging Gods infinite maiestie Surely that soule which feelingly sees it selfe to deale with God will make the body either kneele as a petitioner or stand as a seruant readie to heare and knowe and doe the will of his Lord. And him onely shalt thou serue God must not onely be worshipped but also serued The distinction is easily obserued For a man may in heart and gesture honour another to whom he owes but little seruice And this word in the Hebrew is taken from seruants who besides inward reuerence and outward worship owe to their Masters their strength labour and seruice yea franke and chearefull obedience And suppose any man haue a seruant who will be very complemental and giue his master cappe and knee and very good words yet when his Master commands him any thing he will not doe it here is honour but no seruice and denying seruice he plainely sheweth that his honour is but dissembled and hypocriticall So as this seruice to God as to earthly Masters stands 1. in feare and reuerent inward affection 2. in dutifull and readie obedience in all holy and ciuill actions For 1. These two God in the Scriptures hath euery where ioyned together and therefore no man may separate them Deut. 5.29 Oh that there were in them such an heart to feare mee and to keep my commandements Iosh. 24.14 15. Now therefore feare the Lord and serue him in vprightnesse else chuse you for I and my house will serue the Lord. Eccles. 12. vlt. Let vs heare the end of all Feare God and keepe his commandements which is all one with Feare God and serue him 2. This seruice is a fruite of feare and a true testimonie of it for feare of God is expressed in seruice and if a man would make true triall of his feare he may doe it by his seruice It is a note and branch also of our loue vnto God all which the holy Prophet Moses declareth Deut. 10.12 when he expresseth that walking in all Gods waies is a consequent of feare and the seruice of the Lord a fruite of loue And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare the Lord thy God and to walke in his wayes and to loue him and to serue the Lord thy God 3. He iustly calleth for our seruice in regard of the relation that is betweene him and vs as he is the Lord our God and Master and hath authoritie ouer vs to whom we owe simple obedience and we are his seruants to whome we owe of right our whole strength and seruice Now he becomes our Lord and we his seruants not onely by right of creation and preseruation but by expresse couenant that as the Iewes seruants were said to be their masters money so we are not our owne but bought with a price 1. Cor. 6.20 Our wages are set and our promise passed our earnest-penny receiued and no other Lord can lay claime vnto vs. 4. There is no creature exempted from the seruice of God all creatures in their kind serue him and much more ought man to whom he hath appointed all creatures to serue him and hath exempted him from the seruice of them all to serue himselfe alone All the Saints euer gloried that they were the seruants of God The honourable mention of Moses is that he was faithfull in all the house of God as a seruant And Dauid saith often Lord I am thy seruant keepe thy seruant c. Paul Peter Iude the seruants of God The Angels professe themselues our fellow-seruants and are called ministring spirits sent forth for the heires of saluation Adam in innocencie was not exempted from this seruice but must serue God in dressing the garden as a seruant his Lord and Master Nay Christ himselfe the second Adam was not onely styled the beloued Sonne but the righteous seruant of God Isa. 53.11 5. Our talents our gifts our strength our worke our wages all are his receiued from him and for him and therefore must be returned againe vnto him in his seruice Quest. What is this seruice which God requires at our hands Answ. The seruice of God is either Legall or Euangelicall The former stands in a perfect conformity with the whole law of God when the creature can present vnto God a personall and totall righteousnesse Of this kind is the seruice of the blessed Angells Of the same kinde was Adams in innocency Of the same was Christs seruice when he was made obedient to the death that by the obedience of one many might bee made righteous This is that by which we shall serue God in heauen when wee shall once againe recouer perfect sanctification and the whole image of God which we haue now lost This now we cannot attaine vnto yet wee must euer carrie it in our eye as our scope and ayme Euangelicall seruice is when the heart beeing regenerate by Gods Spirit and purified by faith hath Christs obedience imputed vnto it which is accepted as it owne perfect obedience and now endeauours to obey God sincerly in all things In a word that is euangelicall seruice which is perfect in Christ begun and inchoate in vs in him complete in vs sincere and vpright which is Christian perfection And to know this seruice the better we will set down the conditions of it I. It must be willing and free a free-will offring for hereby it is distinguished from the seruice of deuills and wicked men who are all subiect vnto the power of God and doe him seruice in executing his will whether they will or no but one thing it is to be subiected another to subiect one selfe the one is from an inward principle euen the Spirit of God which reneweth the will and makes it of vnwilling willing and pliable the other is only by some outward force The seruice of the godly resembles the Angells in heauen who are said to haue wings by which their will
drawne from the expectation of reward or wages which if their Masters should faile God would not faile to repend vnto theÌ„ knowing that whatsoeuer good thing any man doth that same hee shall receiue of the Lord. Now if the Lord so liberally reward faithfull seruice done to meane and euen wicked men how rich and royall a reward giues he to the faithfull seruice of himselfe If gifts then may mooue vs to serue God the Lord truly saith All these doe I giue thee and more also my Christ my Spirit my selfe and life eternall No man giues such wages no seruant euer had such a pay-master To these might be added sundry other motiues as 1. To serue God is to raigne and to be a king ouer the world fleshly lusts c. and to suite with Saints and Angels 2. God hereby becomes our protector maintainer and reuenger as Dauid often prayeth Lord saue thy seruant teach thy seruant reuenge the cause of thy seruant c. 3. Seruants of vnrighteousnesse meet with the wages of vnrighteousnesse 4. All our comfort in crosses and afflictions stands in our seruice of God and a good conscience or else wee haue none 5. To feare and keepe his commaundements is the whole dutie of a man and that which makes him fully happy Notes of a good seruant of God 1. Labour to know the will of the Lord which he hath reuealed in his word as Dauid prayed Psal. 119.125 For in the Scripture he hath laid out our worke for vs and let vs expect our calling to euery businesse there let vs be ready to heare not lightly absent nor present for custome but conscience 2. Let vs serue him in affection and be glad to doe any thing to please him and grieue when we faile either in doing that we should not or in not doing that we ought or not in that manner that may please the Lord. 3. Be euer imployed in his worke How know I a mans seruant but by his labouring in his masters businesse Yee are his seruants to whom ye obey Rom. 6.16 and Ioh. 15. Yee are my disciples if yee doe whatsoeuer I command you If I see a man spend his time in the seruice of sinne of lusts of games pleasure the world c. I know whose seruant he is certenly he is not in the seruice of God he is not in Gods worke 4. Intend thy Lords profit and glorie A good seruant knowes his time and strength is his Masters and he must be profitable to him and seeke his credit It will be with euery seruant of Christ as with Onesimus Philem. 11. beeing conuerted howsoeuer before grace he were so vnprofitable and pilfering as he was vnfit for any honest mans house and much more the house of God yet now he profits the Lord and credites him and takes not his meat and drinke and wages for nothing 5. A good seruant sets forward his masters work in others he will prouoke his fellow-seruants and not smite and hinder them as the euill seruant did he will defend his Lord hee will venture his life for him he will stand also for his fellow-seruants while they are in their Masters busines he will be a law to himselfe if there were no law no discipline he will not idle out his time his eye is vpon the eye of his Master his minde vpon his account his endeauour to please him in all things VERS 11. Then the deuill left him and behold the Angells came and ministred vnto him HAuing by the assistance of God now finished the two former generall parts of this whole historie which stood in the 1. preparation and 2. the combate it selfe we proceede to the third and last which is the issue and euent of all which affordeth vs the sweete fruite and comfort of all our Sauiours former sufferings from Sathan and of our labours and endeauours in opening the same In this issue two parts are to be considered 1. Christs victorie 2. His triumph His victorie and conquest in that the deuill left him His triumph in that the Angels came and ministred vnto him In both which shine out notably the markes of his diuine power which euen in all his lowest abasements did discouer it selfe to such eies as could see it and gaue shew of a person farre aboue all that his outward presence seemed to promise as for example His conception was by the holy Ghost His birth as meane and base as might be but graced with a starre and the testimony of Angells and his circumcision with Simeons His baptisme performed by Iohn in Iordan but graced by his Fathers testimony and the Spirits descent in a visible shape of a doue Hâ—s ciuill obedience causeth him to pay tribute but he sends for it to a fish His person was called Beelzebub but Beelzebub confesseth him to be the Son of God At his passion what greater infamie then to be hanged betweene two theeues what greater glorie then to conuert and saue one of them At his apprehension they that tooke him fell backward to the ground Ioh. 18.6 In death he trode vpon deaths necke and being shut vp in the graue he opened it So here he is carried and recarried in the hands of the deuil but as one weary of his burden he is forced to leaue him on the plaine field and to giue vp the bucklers because a stronger then he is come This is the great mysterie of God manifest in the flesh 1. Tim. 3.16 In the victory of Christ consider three things 1. The time when the diuell left him then 2. The manner hee departed from him 3. How long he left him and that is in Luke for a season Then this particle may haue reference to three things 1. When the temptations were ended saith Luke namely all those which his Father had appointed him to endure at this time in the wildernes For as the Son of God knew how much to suffer so Satan would not giue ouer till he had spent all his powder and had exercised all his malice in these most hellish temptations wherein he vsed all his skill strength and malice if he might possibly in this seed of the woman ouerthrow all the sonnes of men and in the head kill all the members Whence we may Obserue the obedience of the Sonne of God who stood out resolutely and departed not the field at all nor expected any rest till all the temptations for this time were ended Christ could haue confounded Satan in the beginning of the temptations and so haue freed himselfe from further molestation but he continues and abides all the triall to the end And why 1. His loue to his Father made him submit himselfe to the lowest abasement euen to the death of the crosse and refuse no difficult seruice for which his Father sent him into the world of which this was a principall The speech of Dauid was most proper to this sonne of Dauid Behold here am I let the Lord doe with mee euen
not so much as speake to the deuills yet they obeyed his will and could as little withstand his power being absent as present Now more distinctly to know this power of Christ we must vnderstand that it is either twofold 1. of his essence called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 2. of his office called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The former is the omnipotencie of Christ as he is God equall with the Father and the holy Ghost for as his essence as the Sonne is the same so is his power an absolute creating sustaining and commanding power ruling all creatures and ouerruling in all things The latter is the power of his office as he is Mediatour and King of his Church and this power differeth from the former 1. In that it is a power receiued Matth. 28.18 All power is giuen me in heauen and in earth Phil. 2.9 God hath giuen him a Name aboue all Names whereas Christs power as God is not receiued but his owne proper power beeing God 2. That power is essentiall infinite and incommunicable to any creature this is personall communicated by dispensation of grace after a singular manner vnto Christ as God-Man and our Mediatour 3. That power is immutable vnchangeable euerlasting this power shall after a sort be determined for he must giue vp his kingdome to his Father 1. Cor. 15.24 not that Christ shall euer cease to be a powerfull head of his Church nor that he shall cease to raigne with his Father for all eternitie but look as the Father now doth not rule the Church namely as Mediatour but the Sonne so the Sonne shall not then rule his Church in the manner as he now doth as Mediator but in the same manner as his Father shall Now he rules and puts forth his power in fighting against his enemies but then all his enemies shall be â—roden vnder his feete and made his footstoole Now he manifesteth his power in gathering a Church by the word and Sacraments but then all the elect shall be gathered Now at his Fathers right hand he puts forth his power in making intercession for vs but then he shall intercede no more for vs. At the ende of the world he shall declare his mighty power in raising all the dead and sitting on iudgement on them but then there shall be no more need of this power when death shall be swallowed vp into victorie and a finall sentence is giuen on all flesh So as Christ shall not raigne as now he doth but as his Father Whence it followeth that the power by which Christ subdueth the deuills is not onely that essentiall power of his diuine nature but the power of his office whereby euen in our nature and flesh he subdueth them And this power may be distinguished according to the subiects into two kinds first that power by which he sweetly ruleth the Church as the head the memberâ— or a King his subiects and this is either directiue or coerciue Secondly that coercitiue and iudiciarie power which he exerciseth against his enemies wicked and vngodly men as a king against rebells and foes to his state and person And this power is properly raised against the deuills and his instruments against which they cannot stand 1. Christ was prophecied to be the seed of the woman that must bruise the serpents head which prophecie plainly shewes that Christ as Mediatour in our flesh must disperse all Satans forces planted against vs and for this end the Sonne of God appeared to destroy the workes of the deuill and the worke doth properly and singularly belong vnto Christ although the fruit and benefit of it by communication of grace flow vnto the Church as the body of Christ. Obiect But did not others beside Christ command the deuills Act. 8.7 when Philip preached in Samaria vncleane spirits crying came out of many and Act. 16.18 Paul turned about and commanded the vncleane spirit to come out of the maide Answ. 1. Christ did it by his owne power they by his 2. The power of Christ is one thing faith in his power is another they did it not so much by power as by faith in this power whence S. Paul chargeth the fowle spirit In the name of the Lord Iesus Christ to come out 3. Common men were able to discerne a difference betweene Christs power and others in casting out deuills Mark 1. and Luk. 4.36 feare came on them and they said among themselues With authoritie he commaunds fowle spirits and they come out that is by his power and diuine authoritie and not as other Exorcists did 4. He did worke his as a person that was God other his disciples as persons with whom God was working and confirming the doctrine with signes and wonders that followed Mar. 16. vlt. 2. All things are giuen him and put vnder his feete Ioh. 3.35 The Father loueth the Sonne and hath giuen all things into his hand Hebr. 2.8 Thou hast put all things in subiection vnder his feete And as if that were not plaine enough he setteth in the next words a large comment vpon it And in that he hath put all things in subiection vnder him he left nothing that should not be subiect onely except him which did put all things vnder him as it is 1. Cor. 15.27 So as it is plain that excepting God himselfe nothing is not subiect to Christ as Mediatour Now this may be enlarged by a speciall induction of all things Angels are subiected to his word 1. Pet. 3.22 to whom Angells and powers and might are subiect with a reason For he is the Lord of the holy Angells and set farre aboue all principalities and powers Eph. 1.21 Vnreasonable creatures heare his word and obey him Luk. 8.25 Who is this that commands the winds and the seas and they obey him Diseases obey him to the leper he saith I will be thou cleane and he is cleane immediately Matth. 8. to the lame man he saith Take vp thy bed and walke and he doth so Matth. 9.6 He meetes a blind man Ioh. 9.7 and bids him goe wash in Siloam and hee comes againe seeing Yea death it selfe heareth and departeth at his word Ioh. 11.44 At that word Lazarus came forth bound hand and foote and the time commeth when they that are in the graues shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God and come forth In one word the Apostle ascribeth to Christ that he is able to subdue all things to himselfe Phil. 3.21 all creatures all enemies sinne Sathan the graue hell death damnation and whatsoeuer resisteth his glory in himselfe or any of his members 3. Christs kingdome must be set vp against and aboue all the kingdomes of the world Dan. 2.45 the little stone cut out of the mountaine without hands breakes in peices the clay the iron brasse siluer and gold that is the kingdome of Christ shall breake all those great kingdomes and the God of heauen raiseth a kingdom to his Sonne which shall neuer be destroyed
For as the Prophet speaketh Hab. 2.3 The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the last it shall speake and not lie if it tarrie waite for it shall surely come and shall not stay Let vs not make hast nor limit the Lord in prescribing him a time and meanes but leaue all that to his wisedome leane vpon his arme relie vpon his word he hath a mind to doe vs good and that when it shall bee most for his glorie and our saluation We are not yet perhaps in the deepe nor at the mountaine nor so destitute but we find some supports But were the case with vs as it was here with our Lord if we were in the world as in a wildernesse our food nothing but stones our companie wild beasts ready to deuoure vs no friend neare vs but the deuill tossing and tumbling vs with his temptatitions we should assuredly see the Lord extraordinarily prouiding for vs and working out for vs vnexpected comfort our extremity would be Gods opportunity God sent not Moses to deliuer Israel from vnder Pharaoh till their burdens were at the heauiest and their oppressions intollerable God might haue sent his Angell to preserue the three children from being cast into the fire but he did not till they were in the flames this was Gods time wherein he was more glorified his children more gloriously deliuered and his enemies more mightily confounded then if the Angel had come before Euen so when this land was like that fierie furnace made seauen times hotter then euer before to consume the bodies of Gods Saints in Queene Maries dayes in the midst of those flames God sent that happy Queene nowe a blessed Saint to quench those fires and deliuer our whole Church from that tyrannicall and Papall oppression Thus the Lord himselfe waites and stayes for the fittest time of our deliuerance and so must we Neuer shall the faithfull soule faile of a day of refreshing And ministred vnto him We haue spoken of the Angells comming Now the last thing considerable in this history is their ministery vnto Christ wherin are two things 1. How they minister to him 2. Why they minister I. 1. They ministred in adoring the Sonne of God the onely conquerour of the deuill and honouring him as the victorious destroyer of the Prince and commaunder of all hellish powers For the Angells reioyced in Christs victory in the deuills ouerthrowe and the saluation of the Church of God The goodnes of their nature carries them wholly to the glory of God in all their actions and motions and the good of the Church as at the birth of Christ they sung Glory to God on high on earth peace and good will to men And there is no doubt but now vpon this victory they did much more honour him and congratulate his glorious triumph 2. They ministred to him in comforting him beeing in his soule extreamely afflicted and molested with Satans temptations for how could the Sonne of God but vtterly abhorre and with fiery zeale detest such blasphemous temptations as that he should not onely distrust his Fathers prouidence but euen fall downe and worship the deuill himselfe with which temptations a sinnefull man yet in his corrupt nature would be exceedingly distracted and disturbed It is no doubt therefore but as in his agonie before his passion the Angells came to comfort him so likewise in this conflict and perturbation so soone as they might they came in to the same purpose 3. They ministred to him in releeuing his body which was now broken with hunger and watchings hauing already fasted 40. dayes and 40. nights and brought him food to allay his hunger spreading as it were a table for him in the wildernes For if they neglected not the seruant of God Elias in the wildernes beeing ready to starue for food but prouided him a meale in strength whereof he went 40. dayes and 40. nights 1. King 19.5 much lesse would they neglect the Sonne of God who was now in the same necessitie 4. They ministred to him standing about him and giuing attendance waiting as it were at his table and ready to be employed in any further seruice he had to commaund them Psal. 103.20 Ye Angells readie to execute his will Whence in Ezeck 1.11 the Angells are described with wings stretched vpward noting their propensity and readines to the commandements of Christ. II. Why the Angells doe thus minister to Christ. Answ. Not for any necessitie of his for 1. he was able to haue sustained himselfe and held out for euer against the deuill 2. hee was able to haue confounded the deuill 3. he was able to haue created food in the wildernesse without them which they could not doe for although they could fetch food elsewhere prouided yet could they not create any but 1. It was their dutie to attend him as their Lord called the Lord of the holy Angells 2. Christ would now vse their ministery and did not helpe himselfe by miracle as he might if he had pleased But wee read not that hee vsed his power for himselfe or his Disciples Himselfe beeing hungry and weary at Iaacobs well he created not food but sent his Disciples into the citie to buy bread And when his Disciples were faint and hungry they were faine to plucke eares of corne and eate it But yet he vsed not his miraculous power For miracles were wrought for the edification of others and commonly done in the presence of many whose faith was to be strengthned as the Disciples was in part already 3. This was so for our instruction and consolation that we also in our wants standing in the Lords battells may expect the presence and comfort of the Angells The priuiledge of Christ whereby he is exalted aboue all creatures hence appeareth in that the Angells minister vnto him Heb. 1.6 the Apostle prooues Christs diuinity and eminency aboue all things out of that testimony of the Psalme And let all the Angells of God worship him For he must needes be greater then all who must be honoured of all Ioh. 1.51 Christ himselfe prooues himselfe the Sonne of God because notwithstanding he is the sonne of man which plainely notes him to be 1. a true man and 2. a weake man yet they should see the heauens opened and the Angells ascending and descending vpon him as was figured in Iacobs ladder Gen. 28.12 For Christ is the ladder and onely way by which we ascend into heauen It reached from earth to heauen signifying his two natures God of his Father in heauen man of Iacobs loynes in earth Angells ascending and descending are the ministring spirits attending him for in that phrase is meant their sending out their emission and commission to their office descending to their worke and ascending to giue account of it Now according to this Prophesie of Christ two of his Disciples sawe the heauens open vpon him in his transfiguration Matth. 17.1 2. In his resurrection those keepers of the sepulcher saw the