that which belongs to God alone The consideration whereof must moue vs who in all godlie conuersation must be contrary to Satan to renounce all lying and to make conscience to speake the truth from our hearts And also to abandon all vaine boasting of our selues what we are or what we can do yea rather to speake basely of our selues that so God in all good things we do may haue the glory Lying and bragging are the properties of Satan and therefore can not beseeme the tongue and heart of the children of God The second point in this temptation is the hard condition which satan would haue Christ to yeeld vnto for this gift If thou wilt fall down worship me euen to commit most abominable idolatrie in worshipping the Diuell himselfe Heerein we may obserue sundrie things First that it is a principall part of the Diuels endeuours against Gods church to seeke the ouerthrow of true religion and the pure worship of God by sowing therein the seeds of heresies and idolatries for if he dares be thus bold with Christ the head as to seeke to draw him from the worship of his Father to such abominable idolatrie what will he not attempt with silly and sinfull men The Scriptures are plentifull in shewing his indeuours this way Michaiah saw in vision an euill spirit offering himselfe vnto God to become a lying spirit in the mouth of all Ahabs prophets euen foure hundred at one time When Iehoshuah the high Priest stood before the Lord Satan stood at his right hand to resist him hee sought to hinder the building and worship of the materiall temple much more therefore will he seeke to hinder the building of the spirituall temple euen the worke of the ministery in conuersion of soules whereby they are pulled out of Satans kingdome and made pillars in the temple of the liuing God Satan is that enuious man that soweth tares of errors and heresies in the church of God which is the field of the good husbandman He hindred Paul from comming to the Thessalonians whereby it appeares that he did his endeuour to hinder the course of the Apostolicall ministery In the church of Smyrna he cast some into prison stirring vp wicked men so to do thereby to hinder the embracing of the Gospell Iohn saw three vncleane spirits like frogges come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet These are spirits of Diuels working miracles and going to the kings of the earth thither they go for the stoppage of the Gospell for if kings oppose themselues they become greatest hinderers to the Gospell of all other And these frogges by the common consent of Catholike expositors are the rabble of Popish Friers Priests and Iesuites who seeke the infection of States thorow all the world By all which the Diuels enmitie against the Church is most apparent The vse I. This shewes what care and diligence Gods Ministers should shew for the building of Gods Church and the furtherance of the Gospell for they should seeke to the vttermost of their power to counteruaile the enuious practise of satan against the Church II. Euery Christian must hence learne to pray not only for their owne good estate but also for the welfare of Gods Church euery where in the free passage of the Gospell in the establishing of true doctrine and in the continuance of constant obedience therunto For Satans endeuour is to subuert and corrupt the truth and to draw men from obedience and vnto him Gods children must euer oppose themselues the rather because their welfare stands in the good of Gods Church Secondlie in this condition of Satans offer to Christ wee may obserue that his endeuour is to bring men to worship him for if he durst attempt a demaund heerof at the hands of Christ who shall thinke to escape this assault when oportunity serues him And howsoeuer men thinke it impossible that Satan should thus far preuaile with any as to bring them to worship him yet doubtlesse though hee could not preuaile with Christ heerein hee attaines his purpose in the world and that with the greatest part thereof for the three religions of the Iew Turke and Papist doe at this day ouerspread the greatest part of the face of the earth and in them all such a worship of God is propounded vnto men wherein God is not worshipped but the Diuell For the euidence whereof marke these two rules First that all doctrines denised by man in the matter of religion which either directly or by iust consequence oppugne the word of God are doctrines of Diuels 1. Tim. 4. 1. 3. Doctrines repugnant to the word touching mariage and meares are doctrines of Diuels and so by proportion are all such like Secondly all deuised worship of God by man against Gods word is no worship of God but of the Diuell 1. Cor. 10. 20. The things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice vnto Diuels and not vnto God Doubtlesse the Gentiles intended to worship God in their images but because that worship was not according to Gods wil the Apostle respects not their intent as a thing that could nothing auaile in this case but saith peremptorily their worship was done vnto the Diuell And in reason it must bee so for why should wee thinke that God should accept that for his worship which is not agreeable to his will but denised by man according to the will of the Diuel From these two rules it will follow that the best of the three forenamed religions is no worship of God but of the Diuell for all of them haue such worship as is deuised by man not of God The Iew worships God out of Christ and so doth the Turke yea and the Papists worship God but yet out of the true Christ for as hath beene shewed elsewhere the Christ of the Papists is a counterfet Christ. And in many other points of their religion there is apparent repugnancy to the word of God yea of their sacrifice of the Masse wee may as truly say as the Apostle did of heathen idol worship that they sacrifice not vnto God but to the Diuell for therein is as vile accursed and abominable idolatrie as euer was deuised by man So that it is plaine the Diuel doth mightily preuaile in causing men to worship him Yea hee preuaileth thus not onely in the world but in Gods Church for all such as notwithstanding their outward profession haue their hearts set vpon the world more eagerly affecting the honours profits and pleasures thereof then God and his word do in deed and truth worship the Diuell for hee is the God of this world ruling in the heart of the children of disobedience by the baites of honour profit and pleasure he steales mens hearts from God and so heerein they doing the will of the Diuell must needs worship him for looke whereon a man seteth his
to the wildernesse as Elias was caried from earth to heauen or as Philip was taken away from the Eunuch and carried to Azotus but it was a motion of the Holy ghost wherewith Christ was filled aboue measure and made willing to encounter with Satan in that combat for so are the words by S. Luke being full of the Holy ghost hee returned from Iordan and was led by the spirit into the wildernesse that is by the inward motion and instinct of Gods spirit Againe S. Marke saying the Spirit droue him into the wildernesse giueth vs further to vnderstand that this motion in Christ from the spirit was a peculiar motion not forced or constrained but voluntary and yet very strong and effectuall Again by the spirit here is not meant the Diuell or an euill spirit but the Holy spirit of God he it was that moued Christ to goe into the wildernesse so that the meaning is this After Christ was baptized in Iordan by Iohn hee willingly tooke his iourney into the wildernesse being moued thereunto by a speciall and strong instinct of Gods holy spirit wherwith he was filled aboue measure If any aske how Christ could be led by the spirit seeing hee sends the spirit Answ. These two may well stand together for Christ must be considered two wayes first as man in the forme of a seruant secondly as God euen the sonne of God yea God himselfe Now as Christ was man he was subiect to Gods prouidēce and so was led and guided by the Holy ghost but as he is God he is not subiect to prouidēce but is the author therof and is not himselfe led or sent but together with the father sendeth the spirit The vse In this circumstance we may obserue first the exceeding holinesse of Christs manhood in that he moued not from one place to another without the speciall instinct and direction of the spirit of God By which example we are taught to suffer our selues to be ordered and guided by the spirit of God in euery thing we take in hand yea in all our thoughts words and deeds for this is the true note of euery child of God to be led by the spirit Rom. 8. 14. where the Apostle vseth the same word that S. Luke doth speaking of this leading of our Sauiour to be tempted we must therefore labour to be of Dauids disposition to haue our harts pliable to all Gods testimonies when God said Seek ye my face Dauids hart answered I seeke thy face O Lord Psal. 27. 8. and thus doing we shall suffer our selues to be directed and guided by the Holy ghost for he teacheth and guideth men by the word Secondly from this that Christ was led vnto temptatiō by the spirit of God we learne That temptations come not by chance nor yet by the will and pleasure of the Diuel only for he could not touch Iob or ought he had till God gaue him leaue nor enter into the heard of swine till Christ said go but temptations come by Gods most iust permission and not without his speciall prouidence appointment This combat of Christ with Satan was decreed of God by his speciall appointment in his eternall counsell And therefore was Christ led by the spirit to encounter with the Diuell that he might performe this one worke of a mediator namely in temptation ouercome him who by temptation ouercame all mankind And as God appointed this combate of our Sauiour so hath he also ordained the temptations of euery Christian and the circumstances thereof The theater or place of this combat is this present euill world the actors are Satan and euery Christian the beholders are men and Angels 1. Cor. 4. 9. The vmpire and iudge is God himselfe who ouerruleth Satan so as the issue cannot but be happie and blessed to those that fight manfully for hee casteth away none that be mighty valiant of courage Iob. 36. 1. he will giue an issue with the temptations 1. Cor. 10. 13. from whence we learne sundry good instructions First when we are tossed and tried by manifolde temptations we must not thinke it strange but rather count it exceeding great ioy Iam 1. 2. because it is Gods blessed will and ordinance that Satan and euery Christian should enter combat and conflict for the triall of his graces in them Secondly we are hereby taught to labour with patience to beare all trials and afflictions not vsing vnlawfull means to winde our selues out of them because they come by the speciall prouidence of the Almighty Thirdly Christ went not to be tempted till he was led by the spirit therfore no man must wittingly put himselfe into danger without a calling from God left therein hee tempt God indeed a man may be moued extraordinarily to offer himselfe into places of danger thus Paul went bound in the spirit to Hierusalem that is he willingly followed the motion of the Holy ghost which inwardly enforced him to go thither And the same may be said of many holy Martyrs who though they might haue escaped by flight yet did willingly offer themselues into the hands of their persecutours and endured the violence of their torments which wee must thinke they did by a special motion of the Holy ghost otherwise for a man to offer himselfe into danger without all warrant from God is to swarue from the practise of Christ in this place Fourthly Christ being ledde by the spirit did not seeke to shrowd himselfe from this combate so likewise if a man follow his calling according to Gods will and thereupon fall into troubles and temptations he may not seeke to escape them by neglecting his duty but with courage and patience must inure himselfe to beare them wayting on the Lord by wel-doing for his deliuerance Heere it may well be asked whether a man can lawfully and with good conscience abide in those places which are certainly knowen to be haunted with euill spirits Answ. Some indeed are so venturous bold that they feare nothing yet the trueth is no man ought on his own head abide or lodge in such places vnlesse it be within the compasse of his calling or els haue a true extraordinary motion of Gods spirit so to doe we are therefore rather to auoid them than wittingly and willingly thrust our selues into the danger of such places for if God haue giuen liberty vnto Satan to possesse such places as haue been consecrated to Idolatry or defiled by oppression and bloud or such like abhominations why should wee without warrant from God put our selues into his hands This also may serue to reprooue those men who presume so much vpō their strong faith that they neuer sticke to thrust themselues into most lewd company but let such persons beware for places of bad company are places of danger by reason of that power and liberty which Satan hath among them for there he hath a throne Reuel 2. 13. How then can it be that
with him therefore as the fisher hides the hooke and shewes the bait to entise the fish so our Sauiour CHRIST with the vaile of his flesh in this base estate and solitary place did couer the glory of his Godhead that Satan seeing him only in this low degree might be the more eager and bolde to set vpon him Thirdly Christ was willing to giue vnto his aduersarie the aduantage of the place that therewithall he might giue him the greater ouerthrow for the Diuell delights in desert and forlorne places and there he would chuse to practise his temptations because in such places men want those helps and comforts which in society they may finde hence Salomon sayth Woe be to him that is alone yea God himselfe sayd of man in the state of his innocency It is not good for man to be himselfe alone And that Satan takes aduantage of such solitarinesse appeares by his tempting of Eue when she was apart from her husband Ge. 3. 1. Fourthly the praise and honour of this victory ouer Satan was peculiar to Christ and not communicable to any creature and therefore Christ chose a desert place for this combate apart from all humane society that no man might challenge any part of this glory to himselfe but that it might be wholly Christs as of right it was Fiftly he went into a desert place for a time that afterward he might thence returne with more credit reuerence and authority to exercise his propheticall office for we see by experience that when a man hath beene abroad for some time he is receiued with more reuerence at his returne The vse From hence the church of Rome would fetch a ground warrant for their monasticall life saying that as Christ went apart into this desert so may men sequester themselues from ordinary societies and liue as Monks and Heremites in cloisters woods and deserts But this collection is absurd as may appeare by these reasons first Christ went not thus apart on his owne head but by the instinct and motion of the spirit of God but the Papists admit and vndertake the state of Eremiticall and Monasticall life without any warrant in Gods word Secondly Christ did thus sequester himselfe but once for a certeine time but with them an Heremiticall estate is ordinary and perpetuall for their whole life Thirdly our Sauiour Christ fasted truly all the while he abode in the wildernesse but Papists in their Cloisters and Hermitages doe plentifully inioy the wealth of the world in great ease and liberty And therefore howsoeuer solitarinesse for a time may be commendable in some cases as to meditate on the works or word of God as Isaac did Gen. 24. 63. or for the exercise of prayer and fasting in more earnest maner yet the Eremites life being a perpetuall forsaking of humane societies is neither warrantable by Gods word nor commendable in Gods child V. Circumstance The end why Christ went into the desert namely to be tempted of the Diuel wherein obserue three points How hee was tempted wherefore and by whom For the first To Tempt in Scripture is ascribed to God to man and to the Diuell God tempteth man when he prooueth him that is when he maketh manifest what is in his heart for sinne or grace which before were hid to the world thus God tempted Abraham in the offering vp of his sonne Gen. 22. 1. and Christ the ruler Luk. 18. 22. Man tempteth God when he prooueth by vnlawfull meanes whether God be so powerfull iust and mercifull as the Scriptures doe affirme him to be and thus the Israelites tempted God when they required meat for their lust and sayd can God prepare a table in the wildernesse Psal. 78. 18. 19. The Diuell tempteth when he allureth vnto sinne by inward suggestions or outward obiects and hereof must we vnderstand Christs tempting in this place to wit that he was led into the wildernesse for this end that Satan might assault him and vse what meanes he could to bring him vnto sinne If any shall thinke it was too much derogatory to the dignitie of Christ to be thus tempted I answer If it had so pleased him Christ could haue confounded the Diuell with the least word of his mouth for as he is Creator of heauen and earth so Satan had no power to tempt him for God can not be tempted with euill Iam. 1. 13. But here Christ stood in our roome and sted as he did vpon the Crosse encountring with Satan for vs as if we in our owne persons had been tempted This therefore must be vnderstood as a part of Christes humiliation in his manhood whereto he subiected himselfe for our sakes otherwise the Diuell could not haue tempted him Obiect This stands not with the holinesse of Christ as he is man to be tempted of Satan Answ. Yes he might be tempted of Satan without sinne as our first parents were before their fall this will plainly appeare by comparing Christ with other men in their temptations The Diuell in tempting a man to sin first conuayes into his minde either by inward suggestion or by outward obiect the motion or cogitation of that sinne which he would haue him to commit Thus he tempted Iudas by casting into him this euill thought Iudas betray thy Master And so dealeth hee with Christ in this temptation he conueyed to his mind or apprehension the vnrighteous cogitations of vnbeleefe idolatry and couetousnesse yet so as Christ receiued them not but with all power of grace repelled them Secondly as Satan conuayes euill suggestions into mens minds so the same are full of trouble sorrow vexation at least to the godly for when Satan presseth vpon man his temptations the whole man is disquieted his thoughts and affections are troubled and his heart is vexed And this also was in Christ he felt sorrow molestation in himselfe through these temptations as appeareth by his Auant Satan vpon his last assault And thus farre was Christ tempted like vnto men Thirdly in temptations vsually be corrupt motions for though a man do not approue neither enterteine with delight the Diuels temptations yet shall he hardly keepe himselfe from the staine and taint of sin because the imaginations of his owne heart are naturally euill Now herein Christ differeth from all men in temptation for being perfectly holy in his humane nature he did not in the least measure receiue any corruption into his minde but by the power of grace did repel them more strongly than they were offered Put a burning match to tinder or gunpowder and it will kindle presently but put it into water and that will quench it straight so it fareth in temptations our corrupt hearts like tinder do easily suffer corruption to kindle in vs but Christes most holy heart did presently like water quench the euill of Satans motions And thus we see how Christ was tempted and yet without sinne The vse Hence we may obserue a good direction for
or occasion from vs of all the aduantage he hath against vs his temptations are like fire and bellowes and our infirmities and corruptions are wood and fewell The vse I. Hence then we may behold our miserable estate by reason of sinne for thereby it comes to passe that we beare about vs those darts wherewith the diuel doth wound vs. And sith Satans craft and malice is such to take aduantage from vs for to worke our wo we must labour the more diligently to be throughly acquainted with our naturall dispositions and inclinations yea with our bodilie infirmities for the Diuell will search vs and when wee haue truly found out our own estate we must set a strong watch and guard about our owne hearts in respect of our infirmities and so shall we be the better able to breake the necke of Satans temptations The fourth thing in this preparation is Satans comming to Christ The Tempter came vnto him By which phrase it is probable though not certaine that the Diuell tooke vpon him the forme of some creature and so appeared vnto Christ thus he came to Eue in Paradise abusing the serpent to further his assault against the first Adam And it is like that in his combat with the second Adam he came in the shape of some creature for otherwise he could not properly be said to come and speake Some indeed thinke that these temptations were inward in minde onely and by vision others thinke they were altogether visible and done actually but the safest way is to holde that they were in part actually done in bodily maner and partly shewed in vision And thus much for the preparation to the first conflict II. Point The temptation it selfe conteining matter of great importance being indeed the maine temptation of all in these words If thou be the Sonne of God command that these stones be made bread The Diuell being well prouided for time and place and aduantaged also by Christs bodily hunger doth heere assault our Sauiour Christ like a cunning Sophister and frame his argument Syllogistically thus If thou be the sonne of God thou canst make these stones bread But thou canst not make these stones bread Therefore thou art not the sonne of God The ground of this temptation is this It is no reason that the Sonne of God should starue for want of food but thou must starue vnlesse thou canst make these stones bread and therefore vnlesse thou canst do so thou maist perswade thy selfe it was but a false voice which thou heardest from heauen This is my welbeloued Sonne c. The scope and drift of Satan in this temptation standes in two things First hee labours to ouerthrow the faith of Christ. Secondly to bring him to a practise of vnbeleefe For the first By faith I meane a gift or grace in Christ wherby as he was man he beleeued his Fathers words to be true which said This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased whereby wee may see what the Diuell aimes at principally in his temptations against Gods children for these his assaults against our Sauiour Christ are set down for our instruction in this behalfe Satans maine drift then in temptation is to ouerthrow our faith whereby wee beleeue euerie part and parcell of Gods word to be true See this in his tempting of Eue first he labours to weaken her faith in the trueth of Gods threatning which done he easily brought her to actuall disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit The same course hee holdeth at this day first he will seeke to nuzzell men in ignorance that he may keepe them in vnbeliefe if he faile that way then will he endeuour to plunge their soules into some damnable errour and heresie and by one of these meanes doth he destroy the faith of many for while a man remaines in ignorance he can haue no saith and if he misse of the trueth of God he wants ground for his faith Now the reason why the Diuell labours so much against our faith is because we cannot truely relie vpon Gods mercie nor depend vpon his prouidence nor yeeld any acceptable obedience to his commandements vnlesse we beleeue his word More particularly we are to obserue that special branch of Gods word which the Diuell would haue Christ not to beleeue euen that voice of his Father which a little before Christ heard from heauen at his baptisme This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased And this hath the holy Ghost recorded in great wisedome and mercie to Gods Church for heereby doth appeare a main drift of Satan against Christs members in his temptations namely to make them doubt of their adoption and to destroy this perswasion in them that they are the sonnes and daughters of God for if heerein he spared not the head doubtlesse the members shall not escape his hands This appeares by his vsual assault against them specially when God shall lay vpon them any lingring crosse or affliction either in mind in body or in goods then the diuel will suggest this into their minds If thou werst the childe of God he would neuer lay his hand vpon thee so long a time and in so grieuous maner neuer was any child of God in this case that thou art in But God laies his hand thus heauie on thee and therefore thou maiest perswade thy selfe that thou art not the child of God The vse The consideration heereof must mooue vs aboue all things to labour for assurance of our adoption euen to haue our consciences assured out of Gods word that we are the sonnes and daughters of God in Christ. The diuels drift is to ouerthrow this perswasion in vs and therefore our endeuour must be to confirme and settle our hearts heerein This is the charge of the holy Ghost vpon euerie childe of God 2. Pet. 1. 10. Giue all diligence to make your calling and election sure that is get the assurance thereof sealed vp in your hearts by the comfortable fruition and practise of the sauing graces of Gods spirit ioyning vertue with your faith and with your vertue knowledge with your knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and with brotherly kindnesse loue vers 5. 6. 7. And indeed if we would haue true peace and comfort in euery estate whether aduersity or prosperitie let vs labour for the knowledge of our adoption This will be our ioy in want in wealth in bondage in freedome in sicknesse in health in life and in death Heerein is that ioy of Christ which neuer can be taken from vs Ioh. 16. 22. We cannot doe the Diuell a greater pleasure then to neglect the getting of this assurance for heereupon he will take occasion specially in time of distresse fearefully dangerously to seeke to breake the necke of our soules he cares not much otherwaies what men professe and what knowledge and other common giftes of the spirit they haue
God in the land This Dauid knew well and therefore said He hid Gods saying in his heart that he might not sinne against him Psal. 119. 11. For as Sauls speare stood in readinesse at his head euen when he slept so should Gods word which is the sword of the spirit be euer in our hearts as it were ready drawen that to what sinne soeuer the Diuell allures vs we may be able to say for our defence It is written through want hereof it comes to passe that the Diuell at his pleasure leads men captiues into all impieties Lastly this excellent vse of the word vnderstood beleeued and obeied must moue all ignorant persons to labour for knowledge heerein and with all endeuor after growth in knowledge by holy obedience to shew foorth their faith If we had an enemy that had sworne our death and vowed to see our bloud how carefull would we be for our naturall life both to get vs weapons and also some knowledge to vse the same not only for our defence but also for the annoyance of our deadly foe Oh then how carefull should we be for the safetie of our soules to put vpon vs the whole armour of God and to learne to vse aright this sword of the spirit that when we meet with Satan our irreconciliable enemy in the field of temptation which is this miserable world we may be able both to award his blowes and to wound his head It is lamentable to see how ignorant people will blesse themselues in their ignorance and say they defie the Diuell and spit at him in defiance and yet they know not how they are intangled in his snares of their owne sinnes he little regards such defiance so long as their soules lie naked and bare before his deadly darts let two men meet that be at enmity the one armed the other naked what will it auaile for the naked man to defie his enemie with bigge words while in the meane time his armed enemy takes away his life Lo Satan is this strong man armed and ignorant persons are poore naked caâ—â—ffes they defie the Diuell and spit at him with their mouth but in the meane time the diuel wouÌ„ds their soules vnto death They wil say they feele no such wounds and therefore they feare him not but they must know that the lesse they feele the more cause they haue to feare for Satans wounds are most deadly when they are least felt The third point is Christs Answer it selfe Man shall not liue by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God This answer is borrowed from Deuteron 8. 3. And it is that lesson which Moses sought to teach the children of Israell after the Lord had fedde them with food from heauen in that barren wildernesse where they were afflicted with hunger The words are something hard and therefore I will shew the meaning of them Man shall not liue that is shall not preserue his temporall life in this world for of eternall life neither Moses nor Christ did intend to speake By bread only that is onely by such ordinary meanes as food and raiment sleepe physicke c. which God hath appointed in his prouidence for the ordinary preseruation of natural life But by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God This title word betokens diuers things in scripture I. The substantiall word of God the second person in Trinity Ioh. 1. 1. In the beginning was the word and the word was God II. It is vsually taken for the written word conteined in the bookes of the olde and new Testament 1. Pet. 1. 25. Thirdly it is sometime taken for Gods will and decree and it is called his good pleasure so Heb. 1. 2. Christ sustaineth all things by the word of his power that is according to his will and decree by his powerfull appointment and by this word were all things made in the beginning and heerby haue they been preserued euer since this is that word that melteth the Ice Psal. 147. 18. And in this last sense must we vnderstand word in this place meaning that man doth not preserue this naturall life by ordinarie meanes onely but withall by Gods good pleasure will and decree sanctifying the meanes for his good Note further that it is said by euery word and therein lieth the substance of this sentence for the vnderstanding whereof wee must know that this powerfull working word of God may be distinguished according to the matter whereabout it is occupied Thus sometime God will haue men to liue by bread the ordinary food of naturall life and this is his ordinary word Sometime his will and appointment is that man shall liue by extraordinarie meanes as the Israelites did in the wildernesse while they liued vpon Mannah and this is his extraordinary word Otherwhiles hee ordaines that man shall liue without all meanes as Moses did in mount Sina Elias in mount Horeb and our Sauiour Christ in this wildernesse for the space of fortie daies and fortie nights together And lastly he ordains sometime that man shall liue against meanes and contrary to the course of nature Thus Daniell liued in the Lions denne and the three children in the firy furnace both which last may be called Gods miraculous word So that wee see good reason of this clause euery for heereby we learne that man doth not preserue his life only by ordinary means ordained of God but likewise by euerie word proceeding out of the mouth of God that is by euery appointment and decree of God whether extraordinary aboue the vsuall meanes or miraculous without all means or against the course of nature this we must labour to know and be perswaded of Nature teacheth that man liueth by Gods blessing and appointment in ordinary meanes But nature knowes not this that God preserueth mans life by his worde aboue meanes without meanes yea against meanes The beleeuing hart will hardly yeeld to this which Moses would teach the Israelites and therefore wee must take the more paines to be resolued of it If any shall thinke hereupon that a man may liue by the written word without meat and drinke he is deceiued for Christ meaneth not that euery word that God hath spoken shall preserue naturall life but that whatsoeuer way he hath appointed whereby man shal liue whether by ordinary or extraordinary meanes whether without meanes or against meanes the same shall be effectuall for mans preseruation Thus much for the meaning The applying of this testimony to the Diuels temptation is thus to be conceiued the Diuels temptation was this If thou be the sonne of God then commaund these stones to be made bread But thou canst not make these stones to become bread Therefore thou art not the sonne of God To this Christ answers by denying the proposition or first part of this argument the ground whereof was this which the Diuell tooke for granted that when a man is hungry
God he can tempt Christ yea transport his body and set him in a dangerous place for thus far God permits him to goe but to cast Christ downe from the pinnacle he cannot therein comes Gods restraint So it fareth with Gods children for the triall of his graces in them and to chastise them for some sinnes he suffers Satan to buffet them but yet one iotte of his malice beyond Gods permission he cannot shew as in Iobs affliction by him may notably appeare Which wee must carefully remember for our special comfort in our most grieuous assaults Gods will permitting Satan so farre must make vs patient and yet his power restraining Satan from doing worse must giue vs comfort Thus much for the temptation itselfe The reason whereby Satan enforceth his temptation is taken from a testimony of Scripture For it is written he shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee c. Satan hearing Christ alledge scripture for his defence against the first assault comes now vpon him with his owne weapon that if it were possible he might foile him after this sort Thou shewest thy selfe to be the Doctor of the Church by thine alleadging of Scripture and that it seemes thou makest the rule of thine actions well then thou maiest well and safely cast thy selfe downe hence if thou bee the Sonne of God for it is written he shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee and with their hands they shall lift thee vp c. From this dealing of Satan wee are taught not to embrace an opinion in religion because a shew of proofe by testimony of Scripture may bee giuen for it But we must trie the spirits that is the doctrines of men whether they be of God or not 1. Ioh. 4. 1. For the Diuell can alleadge Scripture to mooue Christ vnto presumption and it is his vsuall practise when he caries men into schisms errors and heresies Reason with a man that minds to liue in sinne and tell him of that dangerous state by reason of the shortnesse and vncertainty of this life will he not tell you straight he will doe as he does and repent when he is old for it is written At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance saith the Lord And some thinke three or foure good words at a mans last end wil serue his turne for the thiefe on the crosse said no more but Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome And all such as are trained vp in the schoole of Satan can easilie alledge scripture to further them in euil But let vs come to the scripture which the Diuel doth notoriously abuse by his allegation it is written in the 91. Ps. v. 11. In the alledging whereof he would seeme very carefull and precise at the first not omitting so much as this particle for which might haue beene left out and yet nothing haue been wanting to the force of his reason But heerein is the deepenesse of his policy to cause Christ not to suspect any falshood afterward for towards the end hee leaueth out that on which the promise is grounded of being kept by the Angel to wit to keepe thee in all thy waies that is in all the good duties of thy lawfull calling wherein thou shalt glorifie God and doe good to others to such as so walke in their waies doth that promise belong Heere then behold Satans notable fraud and craft that can so cunninglie leaue out that which makes not for his purpose and so peruert the true meaning of scripture this is his vsuall practise in enmity against the word to depraue the true meaning by cutting off some part when hee cannot vtterly ouerthrow the whole The like is the dealing of all heretickes who by cutting off and leauing out play legerdemaine with the scripture The Arrian holds the Bible for the word of God but such places as serue to proue the godhead of Christ he doth notably abuse and peruert The familie of Loue also doth hold the bible for the word of God but come to the true meaning of it therein they faile turning all into Allegories euen most true histories as the fall of our first Parents and such like which are maine grounds of religion in their naturall sense and the Apostaticall Church of Rome doth hold with vs the bookes of the old and new Testament but yet they put in and take out at their pleasure and take from it all sense and meaning which agrees not with the determination of their holy father the Pope and thereby they ouerturne the word of God and strongly maintaine their mystery of iniquity This dealing of Satan and his wicked miscreants with the scripture must make all Gods children willing to spend their strength in searching out the Scripture for that is the onely way to descrie their fraude in deprauing of it This caused Christ to bidde the people in his time to search the Scriptures to learne to know him to bee the true Messias which the Iewish teachers did then deny In regard whereof wee must say with Moses oh that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit vpon them oh that all could reade and vnderstand the word of God! This is it wherein all that either be or intend to be ministers must labour especially euen to get sound knowledge and iudgement in the text of Scripture The Minister must not only be able to teach the truth but also to discerne to discouer and to confure errors and heresies which hee can neuer foundly doe without good vnderstanding in the text it selfe The Diuell knowes the whole Scripture and he will spare no text therein it hee can corrupt it therfore to resoue Gods truth out of his hands who is the father of lies the Minister must shew himselfe a good souldier of Iesus Christ as Paul exhorteth Timothy giuing such attendance to the word that all men may see his profitting therein yea with Ieremie the Minister must eat the bookes of God and digest them in his vnderstanding and rejoice therein labouring to feele them the joy of his heart The Diuell knowes that Scripture truely vnderstood and well applied is the onely engine for the battery of his kingdome and therefore euen from the beginning but specially since the comming of Christ hee hath laboured by all meanes to keepe men from the knowledge and true vnderstanding of them hee it is that hath brought men from the reading of the Scriptures to betake themselues to the writings of men as schoolemen fathers and such by this meanes hee hath for many yeares euen to this day in the Church of Rome locked vp the Scripture in an vnknowen tongue yea euen in Gods church the Diuel works mightily this way by stealing away the affections of yong students from the Bible and rauishing them with delight in the writings of men for thus he keeps them from the
fountaine of truth that they either fal into error themselues or be lesse able to discerne and confute it in others And hence come dissentions and errors into the schooles of the Prophets which cannot be auoided while men leaue the text of scripture addict themselues so much to the writings of men for thereby hee can more cunningly conuey strange conceits into mens minds and therfore euery one that would maintain the truth in purity and syncerity must labour painfully in the text Secondly Gods ministers must heereby be admonished to be carefull in alleadging any text of Scripture that the same be fit and pertinent for to wrest the same from the proper meaning of the holy Ghost to serue their owne conceit is the practise of Satan which euery seruant of God must be farre from and therefore must not do it hand ouer head Which also may serue for a good aduertisement to those that vse to heape vp manifold allegations of Scriptures in the doctrine of a sermon for as in many words there cannot want iniquity as Salomō saith so in affected multiplicity of quotations can the abuse of Scripture bee hardly escaped If we deliuer but a mans testimony honesty will compell vs as neere as we can to keepe both his words and his meaning much more should conscience moue vs in alledging the testimony of the Lord to haue carefull respect to the euidence of truth and therfore that sparing course is very commendable whereby in quoting of Scripture men make sure to keepe themselues to the Lords true meaning lest by deprauing his word they become followers of Satan And thus much for the maner of Satans allegation The true and proper meaning of that text is now briefly to be discussed The ninety-one Psalme from whence it is alledged is a most heauenly part of scripture penned for the comfort of Gods people in the time of some grieuous plague or sickenesse and it containes a notable preseruatiue against the plague and by consequent against any iudgement of God to wit true affiance and confidence in the Lord that is the ground of all comfortable safety thereto among many other is this gratious promise made of the protection of Gods holy Angels which the Diuell doth heere alledge who shall be as carefull for the safety of Gods children in common calamities of famine plague pestilence c. as the nurce is ouer her tender child to hold it in her hands and beare it vp in her armes lest it should fall and hurt it selfe alwaies prouided that the child of God keepe himselfe in his waies that is in obedience to Gods commandements and in the duties of his lawfull calling It is true indeed that iudgement begins at the house of God and the righteous are taken away from the euill to come yea many times the same outward iudgement lights vpon the good that doeth vpon the bad yet this taketh not from Gods child the comfort of this protection in common calamities for all promises of temporall blessings must be vnderstood with the exception of the crosse as heere Gods Angels shall guard his children in time of plague famine and pestilence vnlesse it please God heerewith to chasten them for some sinne past or to preuent some sin or greater euill to come or to make triall of their faith and patience in which cases also the child of God doth greatly differ from the wicked for through the fruition of Gods loue in Christ the euill of the punishment is taken away and the outward smart thereof sanctified to the greater good of his soule but out of this case their protection is certaine see Exod. 12. 23. Psal. 105. 16. 17. Ezek. 9. 4. 6. The vse The consideration of this gratious protection of Gods Angels ouer such as keepe themselues in their waies must moue euery one to labour to know and practise the duties of his calling both generall of Christianity and particular for the state of his life in all good conscience so doing let come what will in all dangers hee shall haue safety for Gods angels pitch their tents about him they are as watchfull ouer him as a nurce ouer her child but if wee forsake our waies wee lose the comfort of their protection expose our selues to all Gods iudgements VERSE 7. Iesus said vnto him Againe it is written Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God HEere is the third generall point in this conflict to wit Christs answer and repulse made to Satans assault taken as the Diuels temptation was from a text of scripture for hee saith Againe it is written where yet hee meaneth not to oppose scripture to scripture but to confute the abuse of scripture by scripture after this sort as if he had said to Satan It is true indeed that God hath made many worthy promises of aid and protection to his children in his word yet they shal not be performed to those that presume to tempt God as thou wouldest haue me to do From this dealing of Christ with Satan we may obserue that the scriptures of God are sufficient in themselues truely to interpret and expound themselues The Diuel alledging scripture did wrest it from the true sense this our Sauiour Christ sheweth by alledging another text out of Moses which being applied to the place which the Diuel abused doth shew the true meaning thereof So Ezra expoūding the law vnto the Iews read distinctly in the law of God and as the words do signifie gaue the sense by scripture and caused the people to vnderstand much more then at this day may the scriptures be thought sufficient for the expounding of themselues sith to the Canon there of since Ezra his time there is added the whole new Testament by the hand of God wherein the deepe things of God are plainelie reuealed The Church of Rome cannot away with this that Scripture should be sufficient to expound it selfe And therefore against it they reason thus That which must expound Scripture must haue iudiciall power to determine of the sense thereof but the scriptures haue no such ludiciall power for they are but a dumb letter and therfore no sufficient iudge to determine of their owne sense and meaning Answ. The Scriptures haue iudiciall power to determine of their owne true sense and meaning for they speake euidently to all that are inlightned by Gods spirit and therby made able to know what the Scripture saith wee know a man may speake to his friend not only by word of mouth but also by letter and thereby expresse his meaning sufficiently euen so though God speake not now vnto his Church by created voice yet by his written word he speakes sufficiently for the cleare manifestation of his will and pleasure concerning them and therefore it is a shamefull slander and blasphemy against the Scriptures to call them an inkie letter and dumbe iudge And let them shew if the Scripture be not where is that speaking iudge
in which we may require a signe of God not tempt him first when God commands a man to ask a signe at his hands so might Azah haue asked a signe of God for his assurance of victorie according to Gods promise yea he is blamed for not asking it when the Lord commanded him Secondly a man may aske a signe of God when it serueth for the necessary confirmation of an extraordinary calling or of some special promise of God made to man in this case did Gedion aske a signe of God for the further confirmation of his extraordinary calling to bee a Deliuerer vnto Gods people And so did Hezekiah for his further assurance in the lengthning of his life by an extraordinary promise fifteene yeares But out of these cases to aske a signe of God is to tempt him as the Pharisies did who would prescribe vnto God what kinde of miracle they would haue euen a signe from heauen not contenting themselues with those miracles which Christ did ordinarilie worke among them Thirdly a man tempts God when he goes on in any sinne against Gods commandements for hereby he makes needlesse triall of Gods iustice mercy and patience The Lord saith of his people they tempted him ten times and haue not obeied his voice Mal. 3. 15. The people murmuringly say they that worke wickednesse are set vp and they that tempt God are deliuered where working wickednesse and tempting of God are al one Which serues to admonish vs that with al speed we break off the course of our sins by repentance for while we continue in sinne we tempt God and so lie open to all his iudgements depriuing our selues of the guard and protection of Gods holy Angels nay they will become our enemies and insteed of protection execute gods heauy vengeance vpon vs. Fourthly they tempt God that impose vpon Gods people there ligious obseruation of legall ceremonies abolished by Christ Act. 15. 10. Why tempt ye God saith Peter to lay a yoake on the Disciples neckes which neither our Fathers nor we were able to beare This is to make triall of Gods power in the sauing of his people Whereby we may see how wicked and damnable the Romish religion is which wholly stands in the obseruation of ceremonies partly heathenish and partly Iudaical whereto when men submit themselues they do nothing else but tempt God Fiftly they tempt God that refuse or neglect the ordinarie and necessarie meanes of their preseruation either for body or soule as hee that being to goe ouer a water will leaue the bridge which is the ordinarie way and aduenture dangerously through the water for heerein he seekes a needlesse experience of Gods power so doe they also that neglect or contemne Gods holy ordinance for the sauing of mens soules in the ministery of the word Now to this kinde of tempting God doth Christ apply this commandement in this place as if he should say when God hath affoorded vnto men an ordinarie meanes for their helpe and safety they are not to refuse the same and seeke for safety from God extraordinarily I am now in a dangerous place I confesse vpon this pinnacle yet there is some ordinarie way to get down as staires or ladder and therefore vnlesse I would tempt the Lord my God I may not cast my selfe downe and thereby seeke for extraordinarie preseruaiton as thou perswadest me Thus also they sinne that goe into places of great danger without a calling so Peter sinned in thrusting himselfe into Caiphas hal a place of temptation as by lamentable experience he found too true Thus Dauids three Worthies sinned in aduenturing vpon their enemies host for the fetching of a little water out of the well of Bethlehem therfore when it was brought vnto him Dauid would not drinke thereof but powred it out for a sacrifice vnto the Lord 2. Sam. 23. 16. Heere some may aske whether they do not tempt God that aduenture to clime on high places to stand on spire steeples to runne on the ridge of high houses and to goe on ropes a great height from the ground Answ. Men may doe such things in a twofold estate either hauing a lawfull calling thereto as Carpenters and Masons who are to worke vpon high buildings now they without tempting of God may clime and stand on high and dangerous places or else hauing no lawfull calling thereto as they who vse to doe such things to make knowen their actiuity or only to affoord delight and admiration vnto others for their priuate gaine and aduantage and such tempt God fearefully for Christ was better able to haue cast himselfe downe from this pinnacle and haue preserued himselfe without hurt then these men are to saue themselues in their aduentures and yet hee refused so to do because hee would not tempt the Lord his God Thus much for the meaning of this commandement The doctrine for instruction hence is to be gathered from this command applied to the text which the Diuell alledgeth and it is this whosoeuer looketh for the accomplishment of Gods promises vnto him must be carefull to walke before God in the waies of his commandements and in the workes of his calling with all good conscience God indeed hath made many gratious promises in his word of blessings temporall and eternall but they that tempt God shall not find the comfort of them mens sinnes hinder these things from them Gods goodnesse is to bee seene and tasted in the waies of faith and obedience God hath promised the guard of his Angels to his children while they keep themselues in their waies if therefore thou wouldest haue this protection thou must keep thy selfe in those waies that God would haue thee to walke in Also in theri hesse of his loue God hath made a promise of euerlasting life with freedome from eternall perdition to those that beleeue in Christ Iohn 3. 16. Thou therefore that wouldest enioy the comfort of this promise to thine immortality and life must get true faith into thy heart and thereby liue all the daies of thy life The same may bee said of euery promise of God pertaining either to soule or body the fruition of them doth depend vpon the practise of some part of obedience which if thou doest neglect thou doest but presume in making title to the promise Peter tels Symon Magus plainely he had no part with them in the gifts of the spirit while his heart retained a purpose to liue in sinne Act. 8. 21. Breake off therefore the course of sinne and inure thy selfe to the practise of obedience so shall Gods promises be sweet vnto thine heart and the more thou proceedest in obedience the more comfort thou shalt find in Gods gratious promises but if thou doe lay hold on sinne the comfort of the word will depart from thee And thus much for the second temptation VERSE 8. Againe the Diuell tooke him vp into an exceeding high mountaine and shewed him all the kingdomes of the world and the
to behaue our selues against all enemies to the truth that would allure vs to heresie as to Popery Anabaptisme or such like namely to stick fast to the text of Scripture and not to suffer our selues by any meanes to bee drawen from it It may bee thou art vnlearned and thine enemie both learned and eloquent yet heere is thy refuge cleaue the faster to this written word and if thou haue one text for thy truth make more account thereof then of all the restimonies of councels fathers or men whatsoeuer This instruction is needfull for it may bee God will suffer seducers to try his children and then vnlesse they keep sure this ground of faith they shall surely be seduced The text which Christ alledgeth for his answer is taken out of Deutr. 6. 13. where the words are thus read Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him At the first it may seem that Christ misalledgeth that text and corrupteth it for where Moses saith Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God Christ saith Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and to the latter part Christ addeth the word onely saying him onely shalt thou serue for that which Moses saith and serue him But the truth is heere is no corruption but a most worthy allegation as wee shall plainly see if wee consider two things first that Christ and his Apostles in alledging the Scriptures of the old Testament did not so much respect the words as the true and proper meaning of the place Secondly that they oft expound the places which they alledge and therupon do sometimes vary in word but stil retaine the true sense and meaning So it is in this text alleaged Moses saith thou shalt feare the Lord thy God vnderstanding by feare religious awe and reneronce And Christ saying thou shalt worship or adore the Lord thy God vnderstandeth by worship outward adoration in bowing of the body whereby we testifie the inward awe and reuerence of the heart as when we humble our selues to call vpon God by praier And this change of words by Christ serues for excellent vse in this place to wit to let vs more clearly see what this feare of God is To feare God in that place is from a reuerent awe of the heart towards God to humble a mans selfe in prostrating his body before the Lord either to praise God for benefits receiued or to pray vnto him for gifts and graces needfull Againe for the word which he addeth therein is no fault at all for the ful sense and true meaning of Moses text must needs include so much as the prohibition annexed in the verse following doth plainly shew for saying thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and adding Thou shalt not walke after other Gods vers 14. is it not all one as if hee had said thou shalt serue him only so that we haue inst cause to blesse God for the true and plaine explaning of the words and not to surmise the least corruption in the alledging of them Now then for our further instruction in this text alledged consider two points first what worship and seruice is secondly to whom it belongeth First worship in generall betokeneth the exhibiting and giuing of reuerence and honour to another This worship is two-fold Ciuill or Diuine Ciuill worship is that outward reuerence and honour which one man giues to another as by prostrating the body bowing the knee c. The end of Ciuill worship is to testifie and acknowledge superiority and preheminence in another either for authority and office as the subiect worships his king and gouernour or for gifts and graces or for old age as inferiours in gifts and yonger in age by due reuerence must acknowledge In this Ciuill maner did Iacob bow himselfe euen times to his brother Esau thereby acknowledging him for his superiour and better Gen. 33. 3. Thus also did Abraham bow himselfe before the Hittites Gen. 23. 7. And Lot vnto the Angels that came into Sodome taking them to be but men Gen. 19. 1. And in this ciuill maner it is lawfull to kneele before Kings and Princes to testifie our subiection vnto them and loyall acknowledgement of their preheminence ouer vs vnder God Diuine worship is the ascribing of Diuinity to the thing we honour wherby we make it vnto vs some diuine thing aboue the order of any creature A man may ascribe Diuinity vnto a thing foure waies first by attributing the Godhead vnto it or giuing vnto it such honour whereby he acknowledgeth the same to be God Secondly by ascribing vnto it the attributes of God as omnipresence omnipotency to bee most iust to know all things c. Thirdly by accepting and acknowledging it to be the Creator and Gouernour of all things Fourthly by acknowledging it to bee the giuer of all good things the defender and deliuerer from all euill And to whatsoeuer thing in worship a man ascribes any of these to the same doth he ascribe Diuinity This diuine worship doth principally consist in religion and piety for by religion which indeed is Gods worship and by piety do men ascribe vnto a thing diuine and religious honour Diuine worship is two fold Inward in the mind or outward in the body Inward diuine worship is whē a man giues his heart soule to any thing deuoting thereto the affections of his heart as loue feare ioy hope faith and confidence and that because he conceiueth it to be God hauing diuine properties as omnipotency infinite wisedome iustice mercy c. or being the Creator and Gouernour of all or the giuer of all good things vnto him and his preseruer from all euill This deuoting of the heart and soule vnto God with the faculties affections therof is the ground and substance of all diuine worship and indeed can be giuen to nothing but to that which is God or conceiued of as God Outward diuine worship is when a man shall any way bow prostrate or cast downe his body to any thing thereby to testifie that his mind and heart are deuoted to it as that hee holds it to be God to be omnipotent c. Creator and gouernour and his preseruer and therfore hee doth repose his trust and affiance therein set his loue joy and feare thereon aboue all other things And heere wee may obserue a difference betweene Ciuill worship and Diuine By outward ciuill worship we only acknowledge preheminence and superiority in another in regard of authority of gifts age or such like But by outward diuine worship wee acknowledge diuinity to be in the thing wherto we bow or prostrate our selues Againe wee must heere also remember that outward diuine worship serues onely to restifie the inward euen to make knowen what thing it is which wee conceiue to be God and whereto wee haue deuoted the affections of our hearts Thus we see what worship is and the kinds thereof And heere we must vnderstand our Sauiour Christ
vnto his Church and children not onely in bestowing heauen and earth vpon them but euen giuing his glorious Angels to become ministring spirits for their protection defence comfort II. This their ministery must admonish vs to carry our selues reuerently and holily in all maner of conuersation If we were in the presence of an earthly Prince oh how carefull would we be to our behauiour both for words actions Much more then should the presence and attendance of Gods glorious angels who pitch their tents about vs if we be Gods children make vs circumspect to all our waies and the rather because their ministery is for our comfort and protection while wee keepe our selues in the straight waies of God II. point Their number It is not said one Angel but angels came and ministred vnto him Indeed when hee was in his Agonie in the garden a little before his passion one Angell came and ministred comfort vnto him so that sometime one sometime moe attended on him euen as the euill spirits come to tempt sometime one alone as Satan did heere to Christ and somtimes moe as they did when he was vpon the Crosse. And as it befell Christ so doth it to Gods children they haue somtime one good Angell to attend vpon them and sometime many so likewise haue they sometime one euill spirit to assault them and somtimes many as the man in whom the legion was And heereby falleth to the ground this common opinion that euery man hath one good Angell and one bad attending vpon him the one to protect him the other to tempt him But this opinion doth not wel stand with the tenour of the scripture which thus sets out the state of men in regard of his attendance by Angels that there are somtimes moe about him and somtime fewer whether we speake of good Angels or of euill spirits III Point The time when these good Angels came and ministred vnto Christ is noted in this word Then that is when the Diuel had done all he could against our Sauiour Christ they came not in the time of his assaults but when Satan had ended his temptations and was gone There is no doubt but the good Angels were alwaies about our Sauior Christ attending on his blessed person but at this time it is like they tooke vpon them some visible shape that so their ministery might be the more comfortable vnto him as it is like the diuel appeared in some shape for Christs greater terrour in his temptations In this circumstance of time we may obserue a worke of Gods prouidence which he pleaseth to exercise in the time of temptation vpon his owne children to wit for a time to hide his mercy from them withdrawing the sensible feeling of his fauour Thus he dealt with his beloued some Christ Iesus during the time of Satans violent temptations he concealed from him the sensible assistance of the ministerie of his Angels they shew not themselues till Satan is departed And so fareth it many times with Gods deere children vpon whom he bestowes the good graces of his spirit as a nourcing-mother to try the affection of her childe will sometime hid her selfe from it leaue it alone and suffer it to take a knocke or a fall so wil the Lord leaue his children to themselues conceale from them the signes of his fauour suffering them to be buffered in temptation for a time that they may find thereby what they are in themselues without Gods grace and by feeling the bitternesse of that estate the more to hunger and thirst after his grace and fauour the more ioifully and thankfully to embrace it when it is renued and the more carefully to keepe it all the daies of their life What made Dauid to accompt so highly of the courts of Gods house as that he esteemed the silly birds happy that might build their nests by Gods altar but his banishment thence by the persecution of Saul wherin hee was constrained to remaine in Meshech and to dwell in the tents of Kedar And so when the people of God were in Babell remembring Zion they wept oh then let my right hand forget to play if I forget thee O serusalem let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth if I prefer not Ierusalem to my chiefe ioy But vnto many this doctrine of temptations will seeme to small purpose nay altogether needlesse for that they neuer felt any such conflicts with the Diuell they defie him from their harts and they trust to God neuer to be troubled with him this is the common estate of most men those onlie excepted who haue felt how hard a thing it is truly to repent and beleeue thus to blesse themselues in a carnall peace but sillie soules they know not their owne hearts nor the fearfull case in which they stand for all the true members of Christ must be made conformable vnto their head now he was consecrated the prince of their saluation through afflictions Heb. 2. 10 his soule was heauie vnto the death before he could finish the worke of our life yea he is tempted by Satan before he is comforted by the Angels those therefore that were neuer tempted haue yet no fellowship in his afflictions they haue not begunne any conformitie with Christ so as it is like they are still bondslaues vnto Satan for if they had escaped out of his snare they should feele his assaults to get them in againe in regard heereof the childe of God is constrained to buckle hard with Satan in temptation and to pray many a time to be deliuered from his buffeting And indeed howsoeuer for the present this be not ioyous yet they may count it exceeding great gladnesse as the Apostle saith not onely for this triall of their faith which bringeth forth patience but also because herein they become like vnto Christ in his humiliation which may giue them assurance that they shall be like him in glorie for if we be dead with Christ we shall also liue with him and if we suffer we shall also raigne with him Adde further that these men that neuer felt the assault of Satan are as yet vnder a most fearfull iudgment of God in hardnesse of heart When Christ sedde fiue thousand men with fiue loaues and two fishes he distributed it by the hands of his disciples But after it is said they perceiued not this matter of the loaues and this reason is rendred because their harts were hardned vers 52. And so it is with them that neuer feele the temptations of Satan for he goeth about continually like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure as they whose hearts are not hardned do well perceiue To conclude therefore let these men who yet neuer felt in themselues these assaults of Satan vnfainedly endeuour to change the course of their liues by the practise of true repentance in eschewing euill and doing good let them giue themselues sincerely to the exercise