temptation behind him and having the fear of God before his eyes he fasted but answers for that sin in fasting which was committed by eating This Tempter like a cunning Broaker will not that his Customer shall want any Commodity his store-house must furnish at the leâ—st promise him what he most desireth he wants not his Factors and active Agents to drive on his design and bring the deceâ—â—ful heart within his books if thou art low he hath a way to promise riches and wants not a Ballade to promote thee unto â—â—noâ—r if poor he will tender thee a supply and though he can challenge nothing but torments as his due yet Omnia haâ— dubitibi is as ready with him to offer as with our depraved natures to accept God tells thee Thou shalt have no other Gods if thou beest weary of thy subjection unto him Satan hâ—â— a Serpent can â—â—ll thee how to be exempted from thy obedience instead of thy submission to his Commands Eritis sicâ—t dâ—i you shall be as gods Gâ—d sayes Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image but the Tempter tells thee of a greater liberty If God from abâ—ve do not condescend to thy desires attend thy expectations if Moses stâ—y but in the Mount Satan hath his season in the Valley Vp let us make our selves Gods which shall go before us we know not what is become of Moses Exod. 32. let us make gâ—ds will go with us Thus Satan frames gods according to their minds and their minds according to their gods God sayes Exod. 5.2 Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain but Satan can afford thee a release of this severity the Tempter wanteth not his Pharaohs Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice and what is his Name that I should reverence it He wants not his Rabâ—hakeh to belch out ugly language What is the Lord Isai 36.4 or what is this confidence wheâ—â—in thou trustest This Tempter will suggest unto thee to take his Name in thy mouth so do those servants who draw near to God with their lips but their hearts are far from him and Satan hath other servants who have his Name toâ—â—â—ten in their mouths because it is to make up their vanity his Name is used not to call upon him for a blessing but is used in cursing such Oaths as the horridness thereof commands me to rebuke though modesty forbids me to mention madness of men nay monsters rather Was it Thomas his weakness that he must have his fingers in his Wounds and must it be the sinful wickedness of these wretches that they must have his Wounds in their mouths let them beware that Fountain which was opened for uncleanness may that upon their filthiness God sayes Swear not at all let your communication be yea yea and nay nay that is make not an use of Oathes in your discourse mingle not your conference with them swear not unless where and when controversies are to be decided and right to be evidenced and vindicated by your solemn Oaths but Satan will not have his gallants to be thus tongue-tyed their Tongues are their own who shall controul them yea and nay are syllables which serve not their turns such morsel of words will not fit their mouths tearing of his Heart renewing of his Wounds piercing of his Soul pâ—ophâ—â—ing of his Majesty engaging of confusion calling dawn damanâ—â—â—n and it Gods Justice were ready to answer our desires and deserts confirming it are only such terms as do them service their curses must be like their clothes Alamode and east in the latest mold this temptation hath been too taking under which the Land mourneth every parish nay this place where I forbear to personate any but should I forbear to rebuke all the stones would speak doth grievously lye under this temptation the Lord reform them and cast out these Devils of drunkenness and swearing by fasting and by prayer for Hoc genus Damomi c. these kind of Devils is not otherwise to be ejected God commands thee to remember the Sabbath in keeping it holy but the Tempter will release thee from the severity of this Precept some he tempts them to so much superstition that they will not do good nor have good done on that day if Christ cure on that day the people murmure and that which is the perfection of the Gospel must be accounted the breach of the Law It is not lawfull to beal on the Sabbath-day nay such superstitious observers may be very well observed to be derived from the family of Salomon that Anglo Judamy who falling into a ditch on the Sabbath refused to 〈◊〉 taken out Sabbata nostra colo de â—â—er â—re surgere nolo which occasioned the Christian that came by on the Sunday to answer him in his own kind Sabbata nostra quidem Salâ—â—on celibrabis ibidem Thus some will not heal others nâ—â— be healed on the Sabbath so let the superstitious perish In our times we are more under the temptation of prophaness then superstitious observation God commands holy Duties and commends them Satan inâ—inuates what doth it avail to walk mournfully all the day long and what profit have ye that ye have served the Lord thus 〈◊〉 the Tempter God requires that yoâ— shall account his Sabbath a delight Satan tempts you to repuâ—e it a burden God requires that in it you will call for a blessing on your weeks-weeks-work Satan he tempts you to account this work a weâ—riness this service a hinderance When will the Sabbath be gone that we may set fâ—rth â—heat God would have you to observe it as a rest from your laâ—our from your sin Satan he tells you it is a ceasing from you lucre and in it tempts you to sin This is noâ— all God would have you to his Church the Devil would keep you in his Chappel because it is a day of rest from the labour of the body he must have it a rest from the service of the soul Thou shalt keep my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary A holy time the Sabbath Levit. 26.2 and a holy place the Sanctuary and holy duties reverence to be used Satan tempts thee against the time Every day is a Sabbath but never a day is kept holy against the place he wants not Factors of Jeroboam's family It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem to the publick place of worship behold nearer gods 1 King 12.28 and he set the one in Dan and the other in Bethel Why should we go to Gods place let God come to our place What Corah said of the persons Satan sayes of the places You take too much upon you seeing all the places are holy I speak not against private duties prayer in families but I would not have Martha to justle out Mary many cumbers and troubles and inventions to take place of the one thing which David desired of that better part which Mary chose
Widows last Cake was sustenance to him and a store-house to her self and though the threats of Jezabel makes the Prophets life as a burden to him yet whilst he is sleeping 1 Kâ—rg 1â— â— the Keeper of Israel slumbers not his Angel awaketh him gives him command to arise gives him meat to enable him to that command and in the strength of that to accomplish his journey to Mount Horeb. In that Mount where Moses saw God shall God find Eliah and Moses and Eliah and Christ the three great Easters shall be seen in Mount Tabor in his Transfiguration yet must we consider a difference in their condition Moses was both times on the Mount talking with God but Christ is in the Valley nay in the Wilderness tempted of the Devil Moses was on the Mount receiving Gods Commands and the Tables of stone but Christ is in the Wilderness receiving Satans demands that the stones may become bread for his table Eliâ—ah was in the Wilderness under the Juniper tree and though he was hungry and thirsty his soul fainting within yet could he sleep but Christ is in the Wilderness where his temptation doth not admit or an intermission but the increase of necessity doth strengthen the assault Then came the Tempter In remembrance of this fast the holy practice of his dearest Spouse may aptly be approved the like time of forty dayes being by her sequestred to abstinence a fast it was for admiration not for imitation and this commends unto our use the moral not the miracle wherein we are to abstain a tanto though not a toto by abatement but not by ablation of meat And very seasonably hath the Church appointed this Fast Fassionem predicâ—â—e aâ— Resucreâ—tiâ—nem preparare to humble us in the sense of his 〈◊〉 stâ—ring and so prâ—diet us the Passion Christ Râ—sâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—â—st Châ—yâ—â—â—uâ—â— Exâ—lâ—â— â— and that his rising may be our only Festival Agreeâ—ble with this is the continue practice of the Eastern Church who solemnly observed this Fast for six weeks before the Resurrection And an ingenious Pen observeth that this forty dayes is attended with Christs forty hours or thereabouts remaining in the Sepulchre his forty dayes conversing with his Disciples betwixt his Ruing and Ascension all which dayes like Jonah's errand of forty dayes proclaims unto us a sitting down in sâ—ckâ—loath and turning to our God by true repentance that we may expend oâ—r dayes according to this happy president in prayer and in fasting Noltut tentari Christus usquedum â—ejunasset 〈◊〉 â—â—d Christ would not be tempted before he had fasted not that he should have offended without that preparation but to teach others the best preparative and preservative against temptation for seeing that Adam's innocent estate could not exempt him from the Serpents cunning nor Christs entire and untainted Piety could not priviledge him from the Tempter it is our parts to arm against so feirce assaults and in our fâ—lness and fasting plenty and want to be upon a good guard when the Tempter shall come unto us As this temptation was for forty dayes and forty nâ—gâ—â—s 〈◊〉 this lose and powerful assault is likely to be at the expiration Achitopheâ—'s advise to Absalon was 2 Sam. 17.2 I will come upon him whilst he is weary and weak banded 'T is the pollicy here of this Tempter I will fall upon him when this fast hath produced hunger skin for skin what will he not do for his life And this was his conâ—ition he was hungry That Christ had the passions and affections of a man none which are more then brutish will deny joy and sorrow fear and want hunger here and thirst at his Passion and that Satan is sedulous and subtle in baiting his books with what is most taking and tendering such supply as is most sutâ—â—le to the tempteds necessity is as easie to affirm Christ is hungry what will he not do to procure meat Jacob rather then his Sons and himself shall starve will send them into Egypt to buy Corn and though hardly perswaded parts from his Benjamin rather then their lives shall part from them for want of bread David when he was hungry entred into the House of God eat of the Shew-bread which was only for the Priest Christ on the Sabbath pluckt the ears of Corn where was the proprieties Matth 12. besides the prophanation of the day yet for all this blameless necessity legitimates that act which otherwise was sinâ—â—l and want was the warrant for this work And why may not his present hunger engage him to a miracle for his maintenance He that for pleasuring of others manifesting of his glory John 2. and augmenting faith in others turned water into wine and at a Wedding when we presume there was not much want Why may not he in the Wilderness when he is hungry for refreshment for evidencing his power confounding Satan turn stones into bread He that had compassion on the multitude that came from far and had not to eat hath he no pity on himself who had fasted far beyond their time in the desert This Tempter could answer God concerning Jâ—b Doth Jâ—b serve God fâ—r nought And hath God less care of his Son then of his servant Job 1 must Christ serve him for nought Did Christ say to his Disciples when he sent them out without scrip or purâ—e did you lack any thing and doth God send fâ—rts his Son into tâ—e Desert amongst Wolves and wild beâ—sts and hath nothing Quare adduxisti was the peoples against Moses O blessed Jesu how much rather hadst thou suffer want then thy Fathers wrath death then thy Fathers displeasure famish then offend thy God or need of that great work thou hadst in hand Adam eats and sins bidden by Satan and forbidden by God to eat but thou fasts and sins not though bidden by Satan to eat yet forbidden by God Thou wast not here without power to command bread but thou art withâ—â—… purpose to distrust thy Father thou wast not without powerâ—â—… do a miracle b t without will to gratifie Satan and do it aâ—â—… pleasure What God was pleased to say to the Jews Christ thought meet in effect to say unto Satan If I were hungry I will not tell thee though thou usurps it Psaâ— 50. yet the World is mine and the fulness thereof I will offer thanksgiving and pay my vows to the most High bread is not that only which I depend upon that Providence which hath kept me forty dayes will not let me perish man liveâ—h not by bread only there is another Maâ—m which it left for relief and that is the Word of God that is the childrens bread O seed us with these crums and we shall not perish And is this nothing unto us that pasâ— by Yes it is see and câ—rsâ—â—er how answerable Christs obedience is to our offence Adam cast behind him the Commandment of God and having the Apple before his eyes he eat Christ he casts the
I would not have them to look to their own and let Gods House lye waste What as the Tribes said concerning their Brother Benjamin I say with sorrow for these separating Brethren O Lord how comes it to passe that one Tribe this day is wanting in Israel How comes it to passe that one Tribe one Family one Person is this day wanting in thy Temple It was David's joy and let it be ours to go up to the Temple of the Lord but admit we come to the Sanctuary Satan hath yet more baits to catch simple souls into his drag-net Abraham he prepares to sacrifice but Fowles lights upon it we prepare to sacrifice but Satan hath Fowles ready to fall upon it when the heart is unprepared when the affections are indisposed suspect a Fowl upon the sacrifice God commands Nehemiah to build up the wall that there may be no breaches but Satan wants not a Sanballet to send an errand to obstruct the work Come let us meet together let the work alone Nehem. 6.3 Nehemiah knew it to be a temptation replyes like a Prophet I am doing of a great work I cannot come down why shall I leave the work and let it cease whilst I come down to you It is the observation of an ancient Writer that Satan doth especially busie himself at these times In principio bonae actionis ne sit Hugo Car. In medio ut obsit In fine bonae actionis ne prosit That this is Divinity Christ his temptations will attest it and I think our own experience will confirm it What Saint Paul sayes of Afflictions Christ and Christians may say of Temptations me manent They wait for me Christ though formerly in the world is but entered into the work of our Redemption publickly appearing to the world for our welfares newly baptized into obedience and acting what God had sent him for David had a security in the sheep-coats though his flocks yet himself was not assaulted but when he was sent by his father to visit his brethren he meets with the insolencies of a great Goliah he is in the publick Court entertains the Challenge hearing the promise made That whosoever killeth the Philistine the King will enrich him will give him his Daughter and make his Fathers house free in Israel 1 Sam. 17.25 He is now not only tempted but his weakness is contemned a youth a stripling our better David in his privacy and retirement we find not to be tempted but now that he is sent out to gather his lost bâ—ethren now that he appears openly and hath received an assurance that he that overcomes the spiritual Goliah the King will enrich him giving him his Daughter the Church making his Kindred free which noteth our freedome through Christ our Conquerour â—he is unprovidedly assaulted by a strong Phiâ—â—stine and in the beginning of his work when want is upon him is tempted by him whose weapons threaten ruine and promise victory to the owner Thus came the Tempter c. Secondly Though he be disappointed in the first design he mâ—y withdraw but he will not wholly desist the enterprise he leaves him for a season Luke 4.13 he set upon him without meat and he will endeavour to find him without ministration to come upon him when the Angel is gone from him and this ut obsit Christs life was said and truly to be continuata passio as well it may be templatio for in the midst of this work his Disciple Peter sâ—â—oâ—â—eth of Satan and would withdraw his Master from his business had the Son of God gone ten degrees backward he had spo led all had he stood still Non progredi est regredi he had hindered the work of our restoration but he rejoyced to run his course and therefore speaks a defiance to all delay rebukes Peter Get thee behind me Satan Thirdâ—â— To câ—â—th him in his words was the Pharisees design and at last to catch him in their hands in the end of his work Ne prosit At his end how strongly is he tempted betrayed by his Disciple apprehended by the multitude forsaken by his followers arraigned accused exclaimed against mocked struck blindfolded and derided in the Tempters language If thou be the Christ prophesie who is this that smote thee either must he chuse to submit to their temptation or it must passe pro confessâ— he was not the chosen of God Miracles he did in the time of his trouble his enemies fall backward and yet can these blinded Jews go forward to condemn him he heals Malchus his eat and yet they kill their Physitian Nay his temptation is yet stronger one of the Malefactors in the same condemnation with him raileth on him with an If the language of the Tempter If thou be Christ save thy self and us O blessed Jesu if thou at the instance of thy Tempters hadst saved thy self from temporal how hadst thou saved us from eternal death We must not forget his Agony where those grumae sanguinis that bloody sweat that exceeding fear that parching thirst but that bitter cup that sense of his Fathers desertion was upon him which made him with his precious blood to pour out cryes and prayers and all this doth not express a tythe of his temptations whilst this work was a finishing Thus in the beginning progress and perfecting the work of our reconcilement the Tempter came unto him If Satan be thus busie at our holy works we must likewise expect him on Gods holy Day set apart for performance of holy duties The last Lords day afforded us a sad example whilst we were tendering of an Evening-sacrifice our sacrifice was mingled with blood The Word of God read and the work of Satan under the same roof our eyes and ears were witnesses and when the occasion of this dismal act was required what return could we expect Was it blood that might have required blood Was it the murdering of another which provoked â—â—m to his own murder No but it was a due denyed to God the breach of his Sabbath turning his Grace into lewdness the day of prayer and devotion into playing and drunkenness this he did against God on his day and this doth the Devil against him on the Lords day this was the day when he should have drawn near to God but withdrawing himself from God Satan draws near to him into him and he that could not keep a Sabbath cannot have a rest but must attempt to be his own mâ—rderer This example should serve to imprint the first line of this Commandement in all our hearts Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day And in the performance of the duties relating to the Sabbath let not thy services be cold coldness and luke warmness are not relishing be zealous is Gods expectance yet let thy â—eal have knowledge otherwise it will but be madness and let thy knowledge have zeal otherwise it will be deadness let thy service be entire God loves not a half service