Selected quad for the lemma: fire_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
fire_n	aaron_n	altar_n	heaven_n	210	4	4.9559	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13530	Christs combate and conquest: or, The lyon of the tribe of Iudah vanquishing the roaring lyon, assaulting him in three most fierce and hellish temptations. Expounded, and now (at the request of sundry persons) published for the common good, by Tho. Taylor, preacher of the word of God, at Reeding in Barkeshire; Christs combate and conquest.	Taylor, Thomas, 1576-1632.	1618 (1618)	STC 23822; ESTC S105331	393,043	443

of his house did he not warne him of his sinne and beare him most patiently Yet his heart beeing vpon couetousnesse for a small commodity he will betray Christ and that against his conscience 5. Other personall and priuate occasions may force men of great gifts to maligne and hate against their consciences most innocent persons The Iewes knewe that Christ was the Messiah that hee was most powerfull in doctrine and most holy in his life yet they loued their owne praise and therefore thrust downe Christ If wee let him alone all will beleeue in him They thought themselues so much dishonoured as Christ was honoured Sometimes feare of great men or some losse or checke may cause this obstinate opposition Pilate knew Christ was an innocent man he washed his hands and would haue no hand against him he pronounced him innocent saying I finde no fault in him his wife beeing troubled in a dreame sent him word he should haue nothing to doe against that iust man Yet against his conscience and his owne words he proceeded to condemne him Why how could hee be so blind and wicked surely it was feare of Caesar and of some checke for hee had heard them say If thou let this man goe thou art not Caesars friend It should teach vs to goe on vndaunted in our godly course making no accoūt of al the malice that the deuil or his instrumēts can create vs and neuer offer to shake hands with them we shall neuer haue done if we goe about to please them we can not doe it vnlesse we wil be as bad as they if we retaine our sauour of goodnesse it doth but prouoke them Many men may hence see what spirit rules them who when they heare Scripture against their sinnes and vnwarrantable courses they goe on still as a chafed colt that cares neither for pale nor hedge but flings ouer These men would be loath to be compared to the deuill but we shall see them farre worse and the deuill not so bad as many of them When he heares Christ alledge Scripture he saith nothing against it but was silent he replyes not and much lesse railes on him as a phantasticall or precise person But reprooue the swearer the drunkard the gamester the vniust courses of men in their trades Sabbath-breaking in Masters or seruants and doe it out of the Scriptures as Christ did wee shall haue the same measure that he had returned from the Scribes and Pharisies who rayled out-right on him He is too precise and seuere we can doe nothing for him or What hath he to doe with our gouernement or trades or He might finde other things to speake of Thus if Paul speake against Diana or whatsoeuer the crafts-masters liue by all the citie is in an vproare against him It seemes men are loath in their callings to meddle with the word of God or the directions of it else we should haue to deale with them It were too much to sit downe silent and goe on in sinne against the word but to resist the word in termes or to raile vpon the Preachers thereof goes one step beyond the deuill Take knowledge of the secret working of the deuil against the light and truth in such as spurne against it They cannot abide that truth and innocencie should acquit it selfe but though they see nothing but meekenesse patience and innocencie yet will side against it as though they had the greatest aduantage and occasion What is the cause that men will take part with most abiect and base persons and bring the curse on themselues in condemning the innocent and iustifying the wicked in their horrible riots and misbehauiour but the hatred they carie against goodnes Why did the Iewes band themselues for Barrabas and seek to acquit him was it because there was any cause of loue in him knew they him not to be a murtherer and a rebell Yes It was hatred of Christ that made them sticke to him why hated they Christ but because he was the light Some there be of that Iewish generation left to whom if Christ be weighed with Barrabas he will seeme too light Barrabas shall carrie the credit and defence from him Not him but Barrabas Into the holy Citie We come to the second circumstance in the preparation to this second assault which is the place that Satan chooseth set downe 1. in generall the holy citie 2. in speciall a pinacle of the Temple What holy Citie this was Luke expresseth c. 4.9 He brought him to Ierusalem here called the holy Citie Ierusalem is called the holy citie not because of any holinesse in the place for no place as a place is more holy then other It is true that we read in Scripture of holy ground as Exod. 3.5 mount Horeb where Moses stood is called holy ground and Moses must put off his shooes But this was no inherent holinesse in the place onely for the present the presence of God appearing after a speciall manner makes a speciall holinesse to bee ascribed vnto it Neither is it called holy in respect of the people and inhabitants for the faithfull citie was long before this become an harlot Isa. 1.21 and Christ not long after this combate cryeth out against Ierusalem That she had killed the Prophets and slaine such as were sent vnto her and proclaimeth a speedie desolation against her But it was so called 1. Because God had made choice of this city to put his name there 2. Chron. 7.12 I haue chosen this place for my selfe Hence was it called the Citie of God and Gods holy mountaine Dan. 9.16 and the holy hill of Sion because God had chosen it and sanctified it for himselfe wherein himselfe kept residence and made it eminent aboue all the places of the earth 2. Because of the holy things which were there established euen all the holy worshippe of God it was not lawfull for the Iewes to sacrifice or eate the Passeouer any where but in Ierusalem There was the Temple built on mount Moriah wherein I. There was the Sanctum seculare the vtter court of the Iewes and Salomons porch which did rise vp by 14. staires wherein Christ preached often and Peter healed the lame man Act. 3.3 and probably where Peter conuerted 3000. soules at one sermon In this porch was the great brasen altar for whole burnt offrings on which altar the fire which at Aarons first offring in the wildernes fell from heauen Leuit. 9.22.24 was to be kept perpetually before the Lord the which when Aarons sonnes neglected and offred with strange fire they were burnt with fire before the Lord. In this court was the great brasen sea wherein the Priests washed themselues and the beasts to be offered on that altar especially their feet because they were to minister barefoot before the Lord. Both of them holy representations of Christ the former of his sacrifice who gaue himselfe for a whole burnt offering the latter of the fruit of it he beeing

Besides he had euen now heard the Fathers voice testifying Iesus his beloued Sonne and Christ knew if he would not beleeue the fathers voice he would not beleeue for the sonnes miracle 2. Christ would not by this miracle giue the least suspition that either he distrusted his Fathers seasonable prouidence or that hee would depend for his preseruation vpon the meanes but vpon his Fathers word he was in his Fathers worke and lead by the spirit into the wildernesse and therefore knew he should not want necessaries 3. It was an vnseasonable motion it was now a time of humiliation of temptation of affliction wherin it was fit to auoid all shew of ostentation which was the scope of the temptation for Satan would onely haue him to shew what he could doe for a need for a vaunt of his power Now in a time of serious humiliation to aduance himselfe by a miracle had been as seasonable as snow in haruest 4. Christ would not giue the least credit to Satan nor doe any thing at his desire were it good and profitable which he suggesteth for his end and issue is euer wicked and deuillish yea he would shew how he contemned the will of the tempter for he is not ouercome vnlesse he be contemned 5. Christ Iesus beeing the wisedome of his Father wel knew that Sathan grossely dissembled with him for he spake as if hee wished we●l vnto him and would haue his hunger satisfied but could he indeed respect the releefe of Christ did he desire Christs preseruation and welfare knew he not that he was the promised seed that must breake his head and destroy his works and therefore seeing Christ knew that Satan must needs seeke his destruction in all his attempts he had iust cause to yeeld to none of them all though they seemed neuer so beneficiall In that Christ here would not make his Diuinitie known to Satan neither by word nor miracle we may note that Christ will not purposely make himselfe knowne to such as hee knowes will make no right vse of him Luk. 22.8 when Herod saw Iesus he was exceeding glad for he had heard many things of him and hoped to haue seene some miracle But Christ would not worke any signe in his presence because he had wrought workes enough alreadie to prooue him the Son of God neither was it fit to prostitute the power of God to the pleasure of a vain man who would haue made no right vse of it Matth. 12.39 this euill and wicked generation seeketh a signe and none shall be giuen them saue the signe of the Prophet Ionah Why had they not infinite signes and miracles both then and afterward Yes but they had none such as they would haue for they would haue some extraordinarie signe as Matth. 16.1 Master shew vs a signe from heauen as if they had said Either cause the sunne to stand still or go back as in Ioshuahs and Hezekiahs daies or the Moone to stand as in Aielon or call for an extraordinarie tempest of thunder and raine as Samuel did which made all the people to feare the Lord and Samuel exceedingly 1. Sam. 12.18 or call for fire from heauen as Elijah did These and the like they thought beseeming men of God as for turning water into wine restoring of sight and legges c. those they saw little power in But why would not our Sauiour giue them such a signe as they desired Surely he had iust reason the same in this our doctrine for they did not desire it for a good end but as Luke saith expressely to tempt him not to helpe their infirmitie but to feed their curiositie neither to increase and strengthen faith but to nourish their infidelitie For had that bin their end had they not beside the doctrine of the Prophets and the fulfilling of the promises the blessed doctrine of the Sonne of God of whom some of themselues said Neuer man spake like him and for the confirmation of that many and mighty powerfull miracles which were signes from heauen shewing that he was from heauen And yet for all this they beleeued not So Matth. 27.42 the high Priests Scribes and Pharisies said If he be the King of the Iewes let him come down from the crosse and we will beleeue him No doubt Christ could but he would not not onely because it was an houre of darkenes but because he knew they would neuer haue beleeued him Psalm 22.22 23. I will declare thy name to my brethren to the seed of Iacob to Israel 1. This practise of Christ is answerable to his precept Matth. 7.6 Cast not holy things to dogges nor pearles before swine By holy things and pearles are meant the things of Gods Kingdome Christ and his merits c. so called both to shew the excellencie of them in themselues being aboue all pearles Pro. 3.14 as also our dutie to prize and lock them vp in our hearts and keep them as we do our pearles safely in our memories By dogges and hogges are meant malicious and obstinate enemies conuicted of enmitie against Gods word of whose amendement there is little hope euery man naturally is an enemie to God and his word and so a dog and a swine as Christ called the heathens and Gentiles It is not lawfull to take the childrens bread and cast it to dogs Now to such as these we must preach and offer the Sacramens yea Christ offered himselfe and came to call sinners but when his word and miracles were reiected and himselfe euill intreated as among the Pharisies then saith Christ Let them alone they are blinde leaders of the blind 2. Christ shewes himselfe vnto none but such as he loueth and loue him Ioh. 14.21 and this was the ground of Iudas his speach Lord what is the cause that thou wilt shew thy selfe to vs and not to the world the world sees him not for none seeth him but to whome he sheweth himselfe and he sheweth himselfe to none but such as loue him and none loue him but such as loue his word and keepe it vers 23. 3. This was one cause why Christ spake so many things in parables that such as would be blind might not see and such as would not make a right vse of his holy doctrine might not vnderstand Matth. 13.13 For many that heard them let them go without further question in a carelesse manner whereas the disciples of Christ inquired of him his meaning and one learned of another and so that which for the difficultie draue others away became in this manner of teaching much more easie and familiar yea much more perspicuous and cleare then any other 4. Neuer could extraordinarie means conuert such as beleeued not the word the ordinary meanes and therefore Christ neuer or seldome gratified the Scribes and Pharisies with miracles or extraordinarie meanes because they resisted his doctrine person and workes or if any wicked men saw any of his mighty workes and miracles they saw

goe naked 2. Others to raise themselues make no bones to lie and magnifie their estate as the often experience of the world shewes that widowes and widowers promise great things of themselues and much wealth whereas the greatest wealth prooue debts 3. But if you will see the very naturall protrayture of the father the deuill if ye will heare his very voice looke vpon the Bishop and Pope of Rome For 1. He hath engrossed all the kingdomes of the earth into his owne hands saying All these are mine yet not directly but in ordine ad Deum 2. I giue them to whom I will I can set vp and thrust downe I can binde and loose subiects from their obedience at my pleasure 3. I wil giue thee all these if thou wilt fall downe and worship me if thou wilt be my vassall and a found Catholike let my laws binde thy conscience and persecute with fire and sword these heretikes thus thou shalt hold thy kingdome else not 4. But this is a small thing to challenge the kingdomes of the world and therefore he challengeth to be Lord of heauen hell and purgatorie to open and shut at his pleasure as his three crownes imply Here is a bragge that puts downe the deuill quite neuer was the deuill ouermatched in boasting and lying but by the Pope his eldest sonne that in him we might haue a plaine demonstration of Antichrist whom the Papists themselues say must be begotten by the deuill If thou wilt fall downe and worship mee NOW follows the condition of Satans large and prodigall profer which is the third thing considerable in the dart In it are two things 1. the matter he requires worship 2. the manner fall downe and worship mee The thing he desireth is worshippe and honour due to God for so our Sauiours answer implieth that he must worship God onely And for the manner of this worship he must outwardly bow and bend vnto him or prostrate his body in way of homage vnto him Wherein we see maruellous cunning and malice combined 1. His cunning in making it appeare so small a mote for beeing a worship proper to God as we see by comparing our Sauiours answer with it 1. Hee would make it in show and appearance but a bowing of the body a small thing a gesture which God greatly regards not as if hee had said as Bathsheba to her sonne 1. King 2.10 I haue a small suit vnto thee denie me not which small suit if Salomon had hearkned vnto it had cost him the losse of his kingdome And the same did our Salomon by his wisedome discerne in this place 2. In making it so necessary a thing to worship him mee with emphasis mee of whom thou must haue the world if thou hast it mee who am so able and willing to reward so small a seruice towards mee God doth not so reward his worshippers 2. His extreame malice in that 1. he would rob and depriue God of his honour which is due to him alone and to no creature else 2. he would haue it conferred vpon himselfe Gods greatest enemy 3. he would haue none doe it him but Iesus Christ the Sonne of Gods loue thus to wrong his Father the more whereas God expects no other of his enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. he implies how little God regards or rewards his worshippers The connexion of this condition with the premisses sheweth That Satans profers are neuer free but vpon some wicked condition or other He said he would giue all the world and the glory thereof to Christ but now he addes a condition which makes it a deare bargaine He offers freely he will giue all the world and the glory of it but the condition is dangerous if Christ will fall downe and worship him The deuill offred to put our first parents in possession of further knowledge and no lesse a gift then deity he makes as though he would out giue God but all vpon this dangerous condition if they would eate the apple which God had commaunded them not to touch He would help Cain to the fauour of God and all the loue of his parents but vpon condition he would kill his brother Abel for when there was none else to be loued or to do sacrifice he should obtaine all Iudas comes to the high Priests and saith What will yee giue me Matth. 26.15 and they appointed him thirtie peices of siluer but vpon his own condition to betray his Lord and Master an heauie condition for so light a sinne Potiphers wife profered Ioseph great honour and rewards but vpon a fowle condition of committing whoredome with her 1. As Salomon saith of the harlot She hunteth for the preciou● life of a man so doth Satan incessantly and therefore can giue nothing freely for a free gift is a pledge of loue betweene parties but hee carries a mortall hatred towards mankind seeking by all meanes to deuoure vs 1. Pet. 5. v. 8. Seeing therefore his loue is like that of a rauening lyon to a lambe no maruell though he bestow nothing freely 2. The ende and scope of all Sathans gifts is discouered in our text viz. to plucke men from God and so bring them to damnation and indeed they are not gifts but wages paied for doing some worke 2. Pet. 2.15 Balaam loued the wages of vnrighteousnesse Now if we looke into the historie Num. 22.17 these were great gifts and honours promised vpon condition of cursing the people of God So as by the iudgement of the holy Ghost all such gifts taken vpon such dangerous conditions are wages of vnrighteousnes And as a Generall neuer giues pay but to such as fight vnder his colours so Satan neuer giues pay of worldly preferment but to such as fight his battels 3. Neuer man gets any thing from Satan but by way of contract or bargaine where the conclusion shall be for himselfe and beeing the arch-enemie of all charitie he will neuer make an exchange but for the better He giues Adam an apple but it was deare bought with the losse of Gods image and all his happines He offers the second Adam the whole earth but with such a condition as he must for it forsake heauen Quest. But is there any man so extreame wicked that will contract with the deuill or receiue any thing vpon any condition at his hands Answ. The deuill will doe nothing for any man but by vertue of a compact and why should he be at any mans commaund but in hope of his reward no more then any man would be at his but in the same hope But this compact is either 1. more open 2. more secret A more expresse and solemne contract is that of witches coniurers and sorcerers wherein there is a mutuall promise of seruice between the deuill and the witch And this promise is not onely made by solemne words but by deedes and seales as some diabolicall signes figures or ceremonies for the ratification of this league and