his owne gouernment It neuer cost all the Monarchs in the world so much strength and power to settle their kingdomes and people in peace vnder them Doest thou then finde thy selfe brought into the number of Gods people Doest thou loue them entirely for Gods image and goodnes Art thou seruiceable to euery member and that in the head Here is a power put forth that hath reconciled the woolfe and the lambe the child and the cockatrice But if thou carest not for Christs ordinances and discipline his lawes are too strict thou must haue more liberty then he affoards if thy affections be rough and stirring against Gods children thou hast not yet subiected thy selfe to Christ. 4. A mighty worke of power in Christ was that he was able to foile temptations and stand out against all hellish powers so that the deuill found nothing in him Now findest thou the power and strength of Christ in the spirituall combate Doest thou chase Satan afore thee and the whole band of his temptations Wouldest thou refuse a whole world rather then sinne against God or gratifie Satan and thy selfe with the least displeasure of him All the power of Christ was set against sinne and Satans kingdome And if thou hast part in this power of Christ it abolisheth sinne in thee and strengthneth thee with full resolution against all sinne 5. A mighty worke of Christs power is to enrich his children with all necessarie graces tending to saluation and to lead them into the fruition of their eternall inheritance It cost Ioshua some labour before he could bring Israel into the good land that abounded with good things it cost our IOSHVA more Findest thou this fruite of Christs power that thy face is set towards heauen and is it with thee as with those that entred into that good land who tasted of the fruits aforehand hast thou receiued the first fruits of the Spirit doest thou grow in grace doest thou with patience expect the promises and beginne the heauenly life already hast thou hope ioy loue of God zeale for God constancie in the truth for these are purchased by this power of Christ. Then here is a creating vertue put forth a fruit of Christs mighty power magnifie this grace of God and hope for the accomplishment and finishing of the same worke by the same power the which shall preserue thee to saluation 6. A mighty worke of Christs power was the perfect fulfilling of the law Whether doest thou partake in this power art thou perfect in the way sincerely obeying God in all his commaundements doest thou subiect thy selfe to the law as the rule of thy law doest thou aime at the perfection thereof Christ loued his Father with all his heart and his neighbour as himselfe yea aboue himselfe and if this power of Christ preuaile with thee this will bee the scope and aime of all thy actions For though the obedience of the law be not necessary to iustification yet it is requisite to sanctification 7. Another worke of Christs power was that it set him free from all corruption and infirmities which he vndertooke for vs without sinne Labour to finde this power of Christ in thy soule daily freeing thee from the corruption of thy sinne and daily infirmities If the Sonne set you free ye are free indeed not onely the raigne of sinne is thrust downe but the corruption of sinne is lessned Dauid desired the Lord to giue him againe his free Spirit Psal. 51.10 11. he well knew that where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie that is not onely a redemption from damnation by our iustification but from corruption and vaine conuersation by our sanctification 8. Christs power was mighty in ruling and ordering his owne powers and faculties his vnderstanding was able to see God perfectly his will onely iust right and wise neuer bowing from the will of his Father Not my will but thy will be done His memory could neuer forget any good thing but he retained his whole duty euer before him His affections were ordered according to right iudgement His appetite neuer exceeded the bounds of sobriety and moderation His speach was gracious his actions all exemplary no spot in him from top to toe And this same power of Christ is in some measure manifest in all his members this power enlightneth the mindes of beleeuers formerly blinde to see God in part and perswadeth the will and boweth it to obey Gods will which before was captiuated to the will of the deuill it inspireth godly desires and gracious resolutions and strengthens the memory to retaine good things beeing before as rimy as a siue it guideth and altreth the affections making the beleeuer to loue good things and good men and whatsoeuer sets forward Gods glory and to hate zealously the contrary Christs power in the soule orders the appetite to sobriety in the seasonable and thankefull vse of outward mercies makes a man speake the language of Canaan and his whole course sauour of Christ. Whence it is plainely concluded that ignorant persons malicious persons libertines intemperate drunkards gluttons filthy talkers swearers loose in their behauiour open enemies to this power of Iesus Christ not submitting themselues to the rod of his mouth shall be laid vnder his rod of iron This teacheth vs to goe on fearelesly in good duties seeing this power of Christ is with vs and for vs. He is of power to protect vs against enemies and dangers Of power to strengthen vs in our duties when we are weake and feeble he will perfect his power in our weaknesse 2. Cor. 12.8 Of power to make vs inuincible in our suffrings Phil. 4.13 I can doe all things through him that inableth mee Of power to reward our least labour of loue vndertaken for him Of power to answer our prayers and to doe aboundantly aboue all we aske or think Of power to performe all his gracious promises which shal be made good to vs in due time Of power to supply vs with all good meanes in his seruice he can giue wealth and make the latter ende better as he did to Iob the diuine power giueth all things pertaining to life godlines 2. Pet. 1.3 Of power in death it selfe to keep that which wee commit vnto him till the last day Of power to rebuke diseases and command death and after death to raise our bodies to eternall life beeing cloathed with corruption and wrapped with deaths garments 1. Cor. 6.14 God hath raised vp the Lord Iesus and shall raise vs also by his power Lastly this doctrine assureth vs of our perseuerance in grace begun Christ by his power layes such fast hold on vs no seducer is able to deceiue the elect nor plucke them out of his hands for the weaknesse of God is stronger then men 1. Cor. 1.25 and when we cannot comprehend him so fast as we would he comprehends vs and preserues vs by his power to saluation 1. Pet. 1.5 Neither doth this doctrine
the lauer of the Church by whose blood we are washed from the guilt and power of sinne II. There was the inner court which was called the Sanctum or the Sanctuarie or the court of the Priests whence the Iewes were barred There was here 1. the altar of incense for sweete perfume wherein the Priests were euening and morning to burne the holy incense before the Lord as a sweet smelling sauour vnto God and no strange incense might be offered thereon Exod. 30.9 While Zacharie stood at the right side of this altar offering incense to God the Angel Gabriel stood and foretold the birth of Iohn Baptist. This was an holy type of Christ who offered himselfe on the altar of the crosse a sacrifice of sweet smell to God his Father and through whom God sauoureth a sweet smell from all our duties 2. In this court was the golden candlesticke with seuen lamps and seuen lights which were fed with most pure holy oile night and day to lighten the whole inner court And this was an holy type of Christ the light of the world enlightening all his elect with spirituall and heauenly light 3. In this court was that golden table on which the holy shewbread was euer to stand euen twelue loaues which were to be made of the purest flower of wheat and were to be renewed euery Sabbath the old loaues conuerted to the Priests vse a holy type of Christ in whom alone the Church and euerie member setting themselues continually before God are nourished and preserued vnto eternall life 4. In this court was that costly and precious vaile of blew silke and purple and scarlet and fine twined linnen made of broydered worke with Cherubims the vse of which was to separate the Sanctum from the Holy of Holies this vaile at the death of Christ was rent from the toppe to the bottome A notable representation of the flesh of Christ which hid his Diuinitie but beeing rent asunder by his passion on the crosse the way to heauen was laid open vnto vs. III. There in the temple was the Sanctum Sanctorum and in it the Oracle called the inner house of God into which onely the High Priest went alone once a yeare and that in the feast of expiation wherein all the Iewes must fast and afflict themselues A most notable type of Christ for as it was called an Oracle because God thence gaue answer in doubtfull cases so who is the Fathers Oracle but his Sonne who is the word of his Father by whom he speakes to vs by whom we speake to him and through whom the Father heareth vs In this Holy of Holies was the Arke of the Couenant and in this holy place stayed the Arke almost 430. yeares signifying Christ the author of the couenant betweene God and vs. In which Arke or chest were kept 3. things 1. the tables of the couenant written with the finger of God signifying Christ who is the fulfilling of the law 2. the rod of Aaron which had budded a type of the Priesthood of Christ who in the world seemed a dead branch and drie but after his death resurrection beganne againe to flourish and bring fruits of life to Iewes and Gentiles 3. the pot hauing Manna a holy type of Christ the bread of life and that Manna that came downe from heauen Ioh. 6.35 In this Holy of Holies ouer the Arke was the holy couer called the Propitiatory prefiguring the Lord Iesus whom the Father hath made our Propitiatory by faith in his bloud Rom. 3.25 Here also were the two glorious Cherubims set like Angels on either side the Arke looking vpon the Arke figuring the holy Angels ministring to Christ and earnestly desiring to looke into the mysterie of our saluation 1. Pet. 1.12 These were the cheife holy things established in the temple at Ierusalem but not all for there were beside these the obseruation of all holy rites appointed by God the chaire of Moses and in it the law read and expounded there were the holy persons the High Priest with all his holy garments with Vrim and Thummim and on his forhead HOLINES TO THE LORD there were other the holy Ministers of the Lord who had the Lords holy oyle vpon them of Gods owne composition with strait charge that no other should make or vse it out of this vse Yea here had liued the auncient Kings and Prophets Dauid Salomon Iosiah Hezekiah who were speciall types of Christ. In which regard Ierusalem the seat of God and Gods worship is called the citie of perfect beautie the ioy of the whole earth 3. It is called an holy citie by comparison vnto other great cities of the neighbour countryes wherein idols and deuills were worshipped in stead of God as Babylon or whose worship was the deuise of mans braine and no institution of God as Samaria Cesarea and others 2. Kin. 17.33 4. It is called holy in type two wayes 1. As it was a type of the Church militant of which the members are holy in part at least in profession For the whole Church of God was gathered together 3. times euery yeare before the Lord at the feasts of Passeouer Pentecost and Tabernacles Psal. 122.4 Thither the tribes of the Lord goe vp and appeare before the Lord. 2. As it was a type of the Church triumphant euen that celestiall Ierusalem which is aboue that new Ierusalem into which no vnholy thing can enter but is the eternall habitation of the holy God the holy Angels and Saints 5. It was called holy or the holy citie because it was the fountaine of Gods holy religion which beeing first seated there by God must be deriued thence and sent out to all other nations Mic. 4.2 The law shall goe out of Sion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem therefore was it the Metropolis and mother citie the heart of the earth placed in the midst of nations by Gods owne confession Ezek. 5.5 Nay there must the pretious blood of the holy Sonne of God bee shed which must streame and runne out to the saluation of all nations and himselfe preached the King of the Iewes vpon the crosse as vpon the theater in Hebrewe Greeke and Latine and that in the time of the Passeouer when there was a concourse of all the people of Iewes and other nations There the Apostles must giue their first witnesse of Christ and thence must carrie it into Iudea Samaria and all nations to the vtmost parts of the earth Act. 1.8 And 8.1 the Church of the New Testament was first gathered at Ierusalem and thence by persecution scattered into all nations In this regard it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy citie for all the holinesse of all other cities was deriued thence We learne out of this title what it is that makes places and persons holy euen the presence of God of his word and worship Thus the ground was called holy Exod. 3.5 and the place where Ioshua stood when the
And therefore for the vpholding of this kingdome he must be inuested with power which neither the tyrants of the world nor the god of the world can euer preuaile against For neuer were all the kingdomes of the world so opposed by the world and the deuill as the poore kingdome of Iesus Christ but this power of Christ is as an hooke in Nebuchadnezzars iaws and a chaine in which he holdeth Leuiathan limiting him how farre he shall exercise malice against the Church and no further 4. Christ as Mediator was to performe those workes which no other creature could euer doe and therefore was to be endued with such power as no other creature could be capable of Hence he prooueth himselfe to be from God Ioh. 15.24 If I doe not such workes as no other man euer did beleeue mee not Where he speakes of his miracles which in respect of the manner and multitude neuer man did the like in his owne name nor so many To which adde those great workes of raising himselfe by his own power from the dead Rom. 1.4 Of satisfying Gods iustice for mans sinne a worke aboue the reach of men and Angells Of meriting eternall life for all the elect which must be an action of him that is more then a creature Of applying his merit to which end he must rise from death ascend and make intercession Of sending his Spirit Of begetting faith and preseruing his people in grace receiued Of leading them through death and the dust into his owne glory These are such things as all power of meere creatures is too weake for All the Angells in heauen cannot doe the least of them All the deuills in hell cannot hinder them And hence Christ is stiled the lion of the tribe of Iudah Michael the mighty God King of glory c. This may be a terror to Christs enemies for such is his power as shall make them all his foot-stoole Doe we prouoke him are we stronger then he 1. Cor. 10.21 Psal. 2.9 those that will not be subiect to the rod of his mouth shall be crushed with a rod of iron Therefore take heed of beeing an enemie to Christ or his word or seruants else thou shalt be reuenged euen in that wherein thou sinnest with the breath of his lippes he shall slay the wicked one word of Christ one ite shall turne them all into hell Is the power of Iesus Christ such in his base and low estate as all the deuills in hell are not able to resist it but if he speake the word they giue place how desperately doe wicked men goe on in sinne as if they were able to make their part good against him Ioh. 18.6 when Christ but said I am he presently his apprehenders fell to the ground Reu. 17.14 they shall fight against the lambe but the lambe shall ouercome This is comfort also to the godly in that Christ as Mediator in our flesh is armed with power aboue all our enemies so as nothing shall hinder our saluation Not Satan for the prince of this world is cast out he may haue vs in the mountaine or on the pinacle but he cannot cast vs downe Not sinne Christ hath powerfully triumphed against it on the crosse hath fully satisfied for it and perfectly applied that satisfaction to the forgiuenesse of sinnes Not death Christ hath powerfully foyled him in his owne denne and trampled on him saying O death I will be thy death Not temptation Christ sits in heauen as a mercifull high Priest tempted once as we are that he might be able to succour them that are tempted Not corporall enemies He by his power ruleth in the midst of his enemies Laban shall not speake a rough word nor Esau hurt Iaacob nor Saul hit Dauid for he orders the thing otherwise Not the graue for we haue the assurance of a glorious resurrection by the working of his mighty power whereby he is able to subdue all things Phil. 3.21 Not hell it selfe Reu. 1.18 I haue the keyes of hell and of death In one word not any thing present nor to come nothing shall separate between Christ and vs none shall plucke vs out of his hands for he hath purchased for vs and maintaineth a mighty saluation 1. Pet. 1.5 This teacheth vs to submit our selues to this power of Christ or else we are worse then senslesse creatures who all obey him yea then the deuills themselues who did obey him And then is a man submitted to it when his eyes are opened to see what is the exceeding greatnes of his power in himselfe beleeuing as the Apostle prayeth Eph. 1.19 Therefore labour to finde Christs sauing power in thy soule Quest. How may I find it in my selfe Answ. 1. If thou canst finde the worke of faith in thee a worke of great power a supernaturall worke beyond yea against the strength of nature What a worke of omnipotence is it to raise the dead yet a greater power is here to bring in this life of God into him that is dead in trespasses and sinnes resisting his owne raising for so the Apostle implyeth in that place Col. 2.12 2. If thou canst finde in thee the worke of sanctification which is a worke of great power 2. Pet. 1.3 according to his diuine power he worketh grace and glory This second creation of a man goes farre beyond his first in power there was nothing to beginne with no more is here no life of God till God call the things that are not as though they were but there was a bare priuation here is a resistance and rebellion stiffe neckes and hearts of adamant Hence regeneration is called a creation and the regenerate new creatures But a difficult worke which God workes not alone but God and man made one person and not of nothing for nothing as the former but of worse then nothing and for a price euen the precious blood of the Sonne of God Labour to finde this change in thy selfe by faith and holines Christ did neuer more manifest his power then by raising himselfe from the dead and thou canst not haue a surer argument of Christs power preuailing in thy soule then by getting daily out of the graue of sinne and moouing according to the life of God So soone as Christ had called Lazarus out of his graue he bade loose him and let him goe and if thou findest the bands of death thine owne sinnes loosed forsaking thy owne euill wayes it is a signe that Christ by a powerfull word hath quickned thee Therefore put on S. Pauls minde Phil. 3.10 who counted all things dung to know the vertue of Christ his death 3. A mighty worke of power in Christ is to gather his Church out of all peoples and nations and to bring them within one roofe though they were neuer so dispersed and alienated one from another and to knit them by faith to himselfe the head by loue one to another and by his own discipline to conforme them to
fish not a cup of cold water till he had requested it of the Samaritan who would giue him none Thou wantest friends respect in the world yea where thou well deseruest yea where thou mightest iustly expect it Remember it was his case his friends became his foes his scholler a traytor the world hated him causeles he came to his owne and his owne receiued him not he was without honour in his owne countrey he had euill repaid him for good he wept ouer Ierusalems miserie but Ierusalem laught at his Thou wantest peace of conscience canst not see a cleare look from God nor feele any ease from the sting of thy sinnes thy sorrowfull mind dries vp thy bones all outward troubles are nothing to this But remember that neuer was any so loaden with the burden of sinne as Christ when his bitter torment expressed such words as these My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee 3. Rule From these crosses by which Satan would driue thee from God labour to see how neare and graciously God draweth towards thee and thus beate him with his owne weapon 1. The Lord helpeth forward our saluation by them beeing sowre sauces to bring vs out of loue with our sweet sinnes and of this euill world plowing of ground kills the weeds and harrowing breaks the clods they be the Lords sharpe salues to draw out our secret corruptions and the Lords sope to wash foule linnen white they be the Lords vshers to teach vs his statutes to teach by a little smart both what thou hast deserued in the life to come and what Christ hath suffered for thee in bearing the whole punishment of all thy sinnes to teach thankefulnesse for contrary blessings by pouerty sickenesse trouble men learne to bee thankefull for wealth health peace to teach pity and compassion towards the misery of others to teach circumspection in our waies and more care of obedience to all Gods commandements 2. The Lord by crosses trieth and exerciseth the faith patience and sincerity of his seruants whether they will hold out as Iob for as a man by wrestling knowes his owne strength better then before so is it here 3. The Lord is neuer nearer his children then in trouble in fire and water in sixe troubles and in seauen to support them with strength and patience to giue a blessed issue and vse and turne it to his owne glory in their mightie deliuerance and to their best all things are turned to their best to recompense their light afflictions with an eternall weight of glory As Christ said of Lazarus This sickenes is not to death but that God may be glorified Ioh. 11.4 so we may say This pouerty losse disgrace c. is not to the vtter vndoing of a man but that God may haue glory in his deliuerance and glorification So much of the third drift of Satan in this first temptation now of the fourth In that the deuills last drift in it is to haue Christ in his want and hunger to vse an vnlawfull meanes of supplie note that It is an ordinary instigation and temptation of the deuill or a deuillish spirit to vse vnlawfull meanes in our want to help our selues Because Christ had no ordinary meanes of getting bread he must prouide for himselfe by extraordinary Gen. 25.29.32 Esau comes out of the field weary and hungry and almost dead for meat how must he supply his want Sell thy birthright said Satan and so he did Peter was in great danger in the High Priests hall how must he help himselfe out of their hands Denie thy Master said Satan forsweare him and curse thy selfe and thus he gat out Saul was in great straits God was gone from him he was not answered by Vrim nor oracle how shall he doe for counsell he must goe to the witch of Endor and so the deuill sends him from himselfe to himselfe who can tell him more then all his Vrim his dreams his Prophets Sarah wanted a child she had a promise of one but she laught at that Gen. 16.2 yet must she haue one another way she giues her maid to her husband and she brings an Ismael a mocker persecutor of the promised seede 1. Satan sees how easily he can weaken our confidence in God seeing we are ready to trust more in the meanes then in God he knowes our infidelity which makes vs hastie and soone weary of waiting 2. Hee knowes how derogatory this is to the promise truth power and prouidence of God who can susteine his children aswell aboue meanes without meanes yea against meanes as with them His hand is not shortened that he cannot help 3. He easily drawes on this temptation vnder a colour of necessity which we say hath no law but falsly Hence is the common speech of the world to defend any iniustice Why I must liue I must not put forth my wife and children to begge I must so exercise my calling as to maintaine my wife and familie I must vtter my wares though I lie and sweare and exact and deceiue and so vnder a colour of good and pretence of necessity no wickednesse comes amisse in the course of ones trade This teacheth vs to bewaile the pitifull estate of numbers of men taken in this snare of the deuill as 1. Numbers of men oppressed with pouerty because they say they must liue they must liue in an vnlawfull calling wherein they be slaues and drudges to euery mans sinne such as are Players Iesters Wisards Tumblers such are schollers who for preferment runne into Popish countries and betake themselues to Seminaries so become traytors Yea those that haue no calling must liue too but how by filching stealing or begging as idle and roguish vagrants and those at home whose extreame idlenes brings pouerty vpon them as an armed man Or els by gaming cheating and by their wits The whole course of all which is but a prentiship to the deuill 2. Others that exercise honest trades but easily help themselues forward by swearing lying facing false weights measures and trickes which they put vpon men They neuer sticke for a penny-profite to hazard their soules He is no quicke chapman if he cannot lie for aduantage neither can he be trusted vnlesse he sweare he must sweare or he must not sell he must sometimes make the best of an ill bargaine and with a little colour lay it vpon another mans necke for why should he willingly wrong or vndoe himselfe 3. Others a number 1. who by misdemeanours haue brought iust reproach vpon themselues and seeke to salue it by lying facing and shifting and perhaps by worse meanes This was the case and sinne of good Dauid he had corrupted himselfe with Bathsheba he was afraid the adultery would come home to him he sends for his worthy captaine Vriah to goe home to his wife that so it might be couered but when it could not that way good Vtiah must be slaine at Dauids appointment and so he would
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
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
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
life to come is that nothing else occupie or distract vs from beeing wholly taken vp in the immediat glorifying of God without either saciety or ceasing Let vs learne to be of the same minde with our Lord Iesus in whome we haue a worthy patterne of constancie and heauenly resolution in that all the world and the glory of it could not mooue him no not by a gesture to impaire his Fathers glory The heathen man could say if he would forsweare himselfe for any thing it should be for a kingdome Absolom for a kingdome would kill his owne father Iehu for a kingdome makes no end of murthers One saith of him What was a basket full of heads to a kingdome 2. King 10.8 Herod for a kingdome kills all the male children Nay it were to be wished that onely kingdomes could draw men to mischeife for then should not Ahab murther Naboth for a field nor Iudas betray his Master for thirtie pence nor Christians and Protestants lie and sweare and forsweare and transgresse for a piece of bread How many executions haue we for 30. pence or 13. pence Which shews how degenerate men are from Christ whom all the kingdomes in the world nor the greatest things in them could mooue in the least manner and as it were indirectly to dishonour his Father Nay what shall we say of them that professe they nor no man else can trade and buy and sell to liue without some lies and dissembling sometimes These may carrie the name of Christ but the minde of Christ is farre from them Others thinke and say What need men be so nice to stand vpon so small scruples as not accept so good offers and promotions in the world which haue some condition or other annexed which their conscience cannot without offence swallow What may not â—e call a little euill good and a little good euill that so he may raise his owne estate and doe himselfe and others much good And thus be is euery where accused of indiscretion But to these wee obiect Christs example who would not be mooued with all the world to doe that he was not warranted for in the Scripture And for the imputation of indiscretion we alledge Moses example who when he was at age saith the text refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter and chose rather to suffer with the people of God And to all such alledgers we say in one word Either was Christ farre wide in refusing so great an offer or else are they As we must preferre the glory of God aboue the world so we must promote it by our best meanes The Magistrate by procuring and stablishing that whereby God may be most glorified not administring iustice by affection or reward or sparing offenders by a cruell mercy who should be made examples to others or not encouraging the godly All this dishonours God highly The minister must vse his gifts not for any priuate end but for Gods glory as a good seruant that gaines all for his Master And euery priuate man must so carrie his course of life his trade his speaches as God may bee honoured in all things his light in all things must shine that our heauenly Father may bee glorified therefore in euery thing whether it will carrie the commendation not only of truth and honesty but of Christianity and religion To stirre vs vp to this duty see some motiues 1. All creatures in their kind doe glorifie God and keep their standing the sunne the starres the heauens declare the glory of God Psal. 19.1 the oxe knoweth his owner and the asse the master of his crib Isa. 1.3 the crane swallow and turtle know their times Ier. 8.1 What a shame for Israel then not to acknowledge their benefactor but come so farre behinde the vnreasonable creatures What a shame for Christians to come behinde the Israelites who partake in far greater mercies and meanes then they did 2. Hereby we manifest our selues to be the seruants of God in resisting the dishonour of God and standing out for our Lord against Satan wicked men hypocrites whose whole desire is to obscure and darken the glory of God and as far as they can with violence to tread it vnder foote Especially hauing vowed in our baptisme so to doe He is a coward that seeing the readines and alacritie of the enemie is not by it prouoked to stout resistance especially standing in a good cause and sure of victory Can a child indure his father to be dishonoured and wronged by word or deed and put it vp Can Gods child seeing a sonne honours his father 3. Our time is but short we are in our last conflict the time of our full deliuerance and introduction into heauenly glory is at hand the crowne is in our eye almost vpon our heads already and therefore let vs encourage our selues a while to be instant for the glory of God which is our last scope and cheife expectation euen as a traueller that sees the euening come vpon him is so much the quicker till he attaine the place he desires so we hauing the euening of our life approach and our last houre should set our selues forward with more speed and alacrity towards our home holding on our right way which is the glorifying of God in all things 4. We haue a cloud of examples before vs 1. of holy men who haue endured Martyrdome and reioyced in the flames that they were worthy by their so exquisite torments to glorifie God as Christ told Peter that by such a death he should glorifie God 2. of holy Angells who spend all eternity in magnifying Gods holines and glory Isa. 6.3 one cries to another Holy holy holy is the Lord the whole world is full of his glory and Luk. 2.14 Glory bee to God in the highest heauens And shall not we approach to the Angelicall life which is the happiest of all creatures 3. of the blessed Sonne of God our head whose whole life was nothing else but a seeking of the glory of his Father And should not the members imitate the head Haue we so many faithfull guides in so dangerous a way and should we be so cold and slow in the imitation of them 5. Our glorification is indiuidually knit to our glorifying of God as 1. Sam. 2.30 Him that honoureth mee will I honour Yea Christ claimes his glory on no other condition but this but that he had glorified his Father on earth Ioh. 17.4 As among men great benefactors are well pleased with small testimonies of thankefulnesse where ability wants to performe much so the Lord accepts our small obedience and studie of glorifying him that he plentifully remunerates it Meanes to come to glorifie God in some good measure 1. Pray for wisdome and a sound iudgement Phil. 1.10 that ye may discerne things that differ beeing filled with the fruits of righteousnesse to the glorie and praise of God For euery thing will not please and glorifie God 2. Renounce thy
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
new creatures created to good workes ioyne that in thy actions which the deuill diuorced the inner man with the outward the subiection of the soule with the obedience of the bodie 2. Examine thy loue in thy obedience that because the loue of God constraines thee thou doest what he commands and whether thou preferrest the commandement of God which is euer ioyned with his glory aboue all the world and thy obedience aboue thy profit credit ease pleasure mens fauour or disfauour whether thou canst obey God against all these This was Abrahams loue to God in so difficult a commaundement as the killing of his sonne But Satan here went away not for loue of God but for feare and beeing forced 3. Examine thy manner of obeying whether it be a willing and readie obedience If I doe it willingly saith the Apostle I haue a reward and Rom. 6.17 Ye haue obeyed from the heart or heartily And such obedience 1. repineth not as giuing God any thing too much though the dearest things of all 2. deuiseth no excuses as Saul when hee did but halfe the commaundement pretended sacrifice and the peoples instance 3. seeketh no delayes I made haste and delayed not to keepe thy righteous iudgements Psal. 119. 4. Doest thou obey in all thy commandements 1. the commaundement of faith in the Gospell aswell as the actuall obedience of the Law for one is as acceptable as the other 2. obeyest thou the commaundement aswell of doing good as of abstaining from euill for the deuill here abstaines from this euill of tempting Christ but can neuer doe any good he ioynes not these commaundements in his practise as Gods spirit doth in his precept Isa. 1.16.17 3. makest thou conscience of the least commaundement aswell as of the greatest for all of them haue a stamp of God vpon them makest thou conscience of small oaths vaine words rouing thoughts 4. doest thou obey constantly for loue is strong as death and much water cannot quench it But alasse much obedience is like that of Dauids false friends Psalm 18.44.45 strangers shall be in subiection to me but they shall shrinke away For a season Luk. 4.13 The THIRD point followeth to be considered namely how long Satan left our Lord not for euer after but for a while and surely he stayed away but a little while For if we looke into the holy story we shall see the whole life of Christ almost to be a continuall temptation and how Satan from time to time partly by himselfe and partly by his ministers assayled him This we shall see how sundry wayes Satan molested him and tempted him 1. in his ministery 2. his life 3. his death 1. In his ministery he was tempted both in his doctrine and miracles For his doctrine the Scribes and Pharises often sought to catch aduantages against him as in the case of the bill of diuorce Mat. 19.1 and of the woman taken in adultery Ioh. 8. which by Moses his law should be stoned but Master what sayest thou The Sadduces also tempted him in the case of the woman that had seuen husbands whose she should be in the resurrection Mat. 22.23 And the Lawyer concerning the great commaundement of the law vers 35. As for his miracles the seale of that doctrine they tell him to his face that he cast out deuills by Beelzebub Mat. 9.34 and 12.24 2. In his life and ciuill obedience The Pharises take counsell together how they might entangle him in his talke about paying tribute to Caesar Matth. 22.15 And when he ate meate in Matthews house Maâ— 9.11 they asked why he did eate meate with Publicans and sinners and therefore he was one of them Simon the Pharise seeing Mary Magdalen annoynting Iesus his feet with precious ointment and washâ—ng them with teares and wiping them with her haires said Surely if this man were a Prophet hee would know that this woman is a sinner and not let her meddle with him How often did they murmure at him and lie in waite for him and take vp stones to stone him and raile vpon him with most despightfull words calling him Beelzebub a Samaritan a glutton a loose companion running vp and downe with noted sinners In all which Satan was the cheife agent 3. But aboue all other temptations those were most fierce and furious with which he was afflicted torne and tormented about the time of his passion and on the crosse For then as himselfe witnesseth the prince of the world came vpon him with all his traine Ioh. 14.30 he came in himselfe and whole legions of wicked Angells with him as the Apostle plainely implyeth Coloss. 2.15 he spoyled principalities and powers and triumphed ouer them in the crosse Now or neuer Satan must win the field this is the last act Christ was neuer so beset with miserie Satan neuer had him at such an aduantage before now Gods whole wrath is vpon him and now the deuill and his Angells set vpon him so sore that in his agonie in the garden he sweates drops of water and blood and on the crosse he cryes out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Those were more secret temptations of Satan and his instruments but let vs see with what hellish darts they pierced him openly vpon the crosse not to speake of those which he endured all the time he was in examination condemnation and leading to execution For 1. They hang him between two theeues as an arch-rebell and of all sinners the greatest and dart against him the same temptation with that in all this history that he was not the Son of God If thou be the Sonne of God come downe from the crosse certainly God would not let his Sonne hang there but thou art a deluder and arch-seducer of the people 2. They tempted him with feare of death Matth. 27.42 hee saued others himselfe he cannot saue this is a wise Sauiour indeede hee cannot escape death in whose hands he is sure enough and euen ouercome alreadie of death and yet he will bee a Sauiour 3. They tempted him with vtter reiection from God as the most damned reprobate that euer was He trusted in God now let him deliuer him if he will haue him but he can neither deliuer himselfe nor God will haue none of him he abhorres him and will cast him presently to hell These and a number of the like was our Sauiour molested and tempted withall secretly and openly euen then when the wrath of his Father seased vpon him So as truely the Euangelist might say that Satan left him but for a season Christian life is but an entercourse of quiet and trouble sometime Satan leaues Christ but he comes againe and renewes his temptation so it is with the members who haue much warre but some peace many troubles but some breathing time This truth we will a while discouer both in the state of the whole church of God from time to time as also in some particular members thereof What a night
seemed to oppresse the Church in the cradle when wicked Cain slew righteous Abel so as all religion and true worship seemed to be destroyed in all Adams posterity hauing onely Cain left But shortly after God gaue Adam a Seth in whom the Church was restored and preserued and pure religion propagated In Henochs time how was the worship of God profaned when the sonnes of God married the daughters of men which was the cause of the flood but afterward it was restored by Noah and Sam and by him continued to Abraham Now the Church as it was in the Arke so was it like the Arke of Noah against which the waters had a time to increase and a time also of decreasing What a night of trouble was the Church in all the while it was in Egypt a stranger for 400. yeares especially when they were oppressed with burdens and had their infants drownd in the riuer but a change came God sent and saued a Moses by whom he will deliuer his people but so as they must be acquainted with this continuall enterchange in their estate they must be no sooner deliuered out of Egypt but bee chased into the bottome of the sea but there God makes them a way and no sooner out of the sea but into the wildernesse and from thence the good land takes them and in that good land they neuer rested in one estate but sometimes had the better of their enemies and sometime for sinne their enemies had the better of them as all the history of the Iudges witnesseth In the time of the Kings how was the Church troubled and wasted in the time of Ahab and Iezabel when all Gods Prophets were slaine and true religion was quite troden downe But what a sudden change was there euen when things were at the worst did the Lord bring a strange alteration by Elijah who slew all the Prophets of Baal and restored true religion How great misery suffred the Church in the time of Manassah and Ammon but how happily was it changed by the piety of good Iosiah in whom God made his people more happie then formerly miserable But who would haue thought but that the Church had been vtterly wasted in the seuentie yeares captiuity wherein it sate in the shadow of death Yet it was happily restored by Cyrus But when his godly decrees concerning the building of the Temple were hindred by Cambyses his sonne God stirred vp Darius who fauoured the Church and commaunded the continuance and perfection of the worke but not without many vicissitudes of stormes and calmes euen after their returne as appeareth in the bookes of Ezra and Nehemiah What a raging storme was that wherein our Lord and Head of the Church was put to death now the whole Church lay bleeding and dead with him But what a change was there the third day by his glorious resurrection In the Apostles dayes how was the Church wasted when Saul had letters from the high Priests to carrie bound to Ierusalem whosoeuer called on the Lord but when he that breathed out nothing but slaughter and threatning was once conuerted then the Church had for a while rest and peace Act. 9.31 After the Apostles what a continuall storme arose against Christians which lasted 300. yeares vnder the ten monsters of men those bloody men Nero Domitian Traian Antoninus Seuerus Maximinus Decius Valerianus Aurelianus Dioclesianus whose rage was such as a man could not set his foot in Rome but tread vpon the graues of Martyrs But after this night a faire sunne rose vp in the East Constantine the Great who chased before him that horrible darknesse and brought a blessed calme But this lasted not long but his second sonne Constantius farre short of his Fathers piety with all his strength set vp and maintained that Arrian-heresie which his good father had condemned in the Nicen Councell by which as bloody persecution sprung vp in the Church as euer was before which lasted almost 80. years vntill Constance the youngest sonne of Constantine set vp againe the Nicen faith in the Westerne part of the world as Italie Greece Africke Illiricum and banished the former poyson After this what a blacke darkenesse of Mahometisme possessed the Easterne part of the world vnder which it lies sunck at this day And as pitchy and palpable darkenesse of Antichrist and Poperie occupieth the Westerne part of the world But what a light did the Lord raise vp in the midst of Poperie his zealous seruant Luther since whome the light hath mightily preuailed to the blasting of Antichrist and the consuming of him vpon his nest Yet not this without a cloud◠for To speake of our owne Church After the long darkenesse like that of Egypt had preuailed and couered for many hundred years the face of our countrey it pleased God that the light of the Gospell should peepe into our land in the dayes of King Henrie the eight but yet much clouded and opposed almost all his dayes In his sonne Edward the sixt Englands Iosiah it began to shine more brightly and a more thorough reformation was vndertaken But this sunne-shine lasted not long but in Queene Maries dayes the truth was againe cast into the fire and the bodies of Gods Saints pitilesly destroyed God in mercy for his elects sake shortened those dayes and raised vp our late Queene Elizabeth of blessed memorie in all posterities who was semper eadem in the maintenāce of the faith left Christ sitting in his kingdome and the truth triumphing ouer Poperie and Antichristian falshood which by Gods mercy we enioy vnder our gracious King This hath been the changeable estate of the Church from the beginning and eadem est ratio totius ac partium the same truth discouers it selfe in the particular members As for example Abraham now a poore man in Egypt presently enriched and made heire of the land of promise now reioycing in his Isaac and a while after stretching out his hand to kill his only sonne who also herein was a notable type of the Church now bound and presently loosed and raised vp after a sort from the dead Iacob was now afraid of Esau when he came in warlike manner to meet him with 400. men at his heeles but in a little season God lets him see a sudden change who had enclined his brothers heart to doe him no harme against his often former purposes to slay him Ioseph is now hated of his brethren after a season honoured of them now sold as a slaue to the Ismaelites afterward made a gouernour of Potiphar a Princes house now accused by his Mistresse and cast into prison but after fetched out by Pharaoh and made ruler of all his Princes and the whole land of Egypt Dauid sometimes cast downe and God hath forgotten him a while after so confident in God that he will not feare to walke in the vale of the shadow of death sometimes pursued by Saul as a traytor and rebell sometimes by Saul acknowledged his good
vers 35. Yet at length he steppes out for him acquites him and rebukes his friends and accepts his seruant and turneth his captiuitie and giues him twice as much as before hee had chap. 42. 1. Herein the wisdome of God ioyned with his power shineth forth hereby the Lord knowes how to bring light into darkenes Psal. 112.4 To the righteous ariseth light in darkenesse No darkenes or misery can keep God and the comforts and strength of his spirir from his children Yea hereby the Lord knowes how to bring light out of darkenesse as once he did in the creation Rom. 8.28 We know that all things are turned to the best to them that loue God His wisedome and power turnes things not onely good into good nor onely afflictions and trialls but euen their sinnes and infirmities like a good Physitian that tempers poyson to a remedie and of the vipers skinne makes a remedie to heale the vipers sting 2. This is the godly mans priuiledge aboue wicked ones to find God sweet to their soules either in afflictions or in the ending of them 1. Because their persons whatsoeuer their estate is are accepted with God whereas the other are reiected 2. They are sealed with the earnest of Gods Spirit and can goe vnto God in feruent prayer whereas the other want the Spirit and cannot pray to be heard Psal. 18.41 They cried but there was none to saue them euen to the Lord but he answered them not 3. They haue the grace of repentance which remooueth sinne the cause of affliction and are come out of Babylon though they liue in Babylon beeing as so many Lots in Sodome Whereas the other are impenitent and neuer remoouing the cause the effect lyes euer vpon them and growes euery day heauier then other 4. They haue peace of conscience and can sing the new song to God and the Lambe hauing a set of sweet musicke in their soules and with peace they haue patience supporting them vnto Gods seasonable deliuerance Whereas the wicked are as the raging sea and hath no peace nor patience but a senslesse vnfeelingnes of his estate their hearts beeing either ignorant ascribing all their smart to fortune or constellations or fatall necessitie or secundarie causes beeing not able to ascend so high as God the author or descend so lowe as their owne sinnes the iust meritorious causes of their euills or hardened and feared or senslesse as Nabals whose heart was as a stone dead within him 3. It is one ende of Gods extreame humbling and afflicting his children not to sinke or forsake them but at the last the powerfull worke of God may be shewed on them both for his glorie and for theirs The poore blind man Ioh. 9.3 carried his miserie a great while from his birth to his mans estate and yet our Sauiour witnesseth that it was neither for his sinne nor his parents but that the worke of God might be shewed vpon him in the miraculous cure of him when all the power of nature and art could do him no good Lazarus was extreamely humbled dead buried lying in the graue stinking who would haue thought beyond Marie that he should euer haue been raised till the last day and yet our Sauiour saith that euen that death of his was not vnto death but for the glorie of God Yea the Lord neuer bringeth any euill vpon his children wherein he intendeth not in the ende to shew them some great good as Deut. 8.16 The Lord tryed humbled and prooued his people in the wildernesse that he might doe them good at the latter end Iob. 23.10 Hee knoweth my way and trieth mee and what was the issue I shall come forth like the gold And the Apostle affirmeth that the triall of our faith which is much more precious then gold shall bee found to our praise and honour and glorie at the appearing of Iesus Christ 1. Pet. 1.7 4. God hereby manifests his care and faithfulnesse in his promises for he hath promised how euer he suspend his comfort for a time to returne in due season neither can his mercies come to an ende nor himselfe leaue his mansion finally Therefore it is that sometimes he foretells his children of euills to come that they should not come suddenly on them neither distrust his care in them nor be ignorant of a good issue out of them Sometimes he numbers them out and tells how many and how long they shall be Dan. 9.25 There shall be seauen weekes that is 39. yeares and there shall be 62. weekes that is 434. yeares and then the Messiah shall come c. And alwaies he that setteth the setting of the stars and the bounds of the sea setteth much more the period of our troubles and the furthest limits of his childrens trialls which suppose they reach euen to death it selfe they can follow them no further but then is a rest from their labour a reaping of the fruits of their suffrings a ioyfull haruest of a sorrowfull seed-time wherein the Lord meets them with a full and finall deliuerance and putteth them in full possession of all his most glorious promises Let the godly consider of their priuiledge to prouoke their patience and constancy in their greatest trialls which cannot make them vnhappy For 1. the godly mans present estate is the best for him be it what it can be the furnace is the fittest place for gold 2. His triall shall be turned to good because God hath the disposing tempering and moderating of it 3. His triall shall be but light and momentanie not in respect of the present sense but because the time of temptation shall be swallowed vp by the time of victorie 4. The ende of it shall be happie and all is well that ends well here shall be a most blessed issue And therefore let drossie Christians feare the fire who are sure to be wasted in it whilest the godly reioyce in tribulation and with Dauid walke fearelesly in the valley of the shadow of death because God who lead him in was with him to lead him out Let the godly iudge of themselues not alwaies according to their present estate or feeling which may occasion their feet almost to slippe but looke to the happie end of their trialls And though the smart continue long yet let them be assured that the Lord keepes all their bones so that not one of them shall be broken Neither let vs be weary and faint in our mindes for although God seemeth not to heare vs yet he heares vs well enough And though hee seeme to stand a farre off vs it is but a delay no deniall of our request And though he seeme to neglect vs let vs not neglect him but hold on in the prayer of faith Let this serue as a ground of comfort encouragement to vs that when with Israel we stand as it were on the sea-brinke beset with dangers then we may be still and expect the saluation of the Lord.