worshipped with the worship of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} but Saints may be worshipped with the worship of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} As if where God saith Thou shalt not steal man should plead Indeed I may not take away my neighbours goods by way of stealing but I may take them away by way of lurching or filching But God though he be in fact mocked is not in fine mocked though men multiply distinctions till their Fancies be weary calling the same sin by different names but will avenge himself on such as abuse him by their vain Inventions Again {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to unbyassed judgements doth in the natural notion of the word import more lowe submiss and servile adoration then {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} it self and in Scripture is given to God himself Thus S. Iames Chap. 1.1 stileth himself {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The servant of Iesus Christ And although Saint Paul to note that by the way Gal. 1.19 entitles him for the more outward honour Iames the brother of the Lord yet the humble Apostle being to speak of himself waves all carnal relation to Christ and onely calleth himself {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The servant of Iesus as a title of highest spiritual honour and which speaketh his lowest service unto our Saviour {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in the criticism thereof being appropriate to our God alone Lastly though the Learned Papists may plead for themselves that they serve the Saint in the Image and God in the Saint yet it is to be feared that the Ordinary people terminate their Worship in the very Image it self CHRIST'S Third Temptation to IDOLATRY SERMON XII MATTH. 4.11 Then the devil leaveth him and behold angels came and ministred unto him WE may observe in the words Purgatory Hell Earth and Heaven 1. Purgatory But not in the modern sense of the Papists for a Purgatory to come but one past already in the word Then that is after Christ had been sifted and fanned and tried and purged coming off with his own honour and his enemies confusion 2. Hell the devil 3. Earth so may I safely term the humanity of our Saviour 4. Heaven the Angels those celestial spirits which upon Satans depâ—rture ministred unto him How came Satan now to leave our Saviour rather then before As if his last answer was more effectual then his former Twice before he had refused the profer and refuted the reasons of the devil and now he did no more First negatively It is not to be attributed to any latent operation or mystical efficacie of the number of Three as if the third resistance drave the devil away thrice crossing thrice sprinkling of water c. folly with Papists to fix any force either in the thing or the triplication thereof or as if Satan would tempt us onely three times who will do it more then thirty times three But Satan left him First Because he who long had look'd for that which he was loath to finde viz. whether Christ was the Son of God was now to his great sorrow sufficiently satisfied in the affirmative that he was so and therefore desisted from farther inquiry therein It is observable how much Satans knowledge was I will not say bettered but increased in one Chapter Mark 1 within the compass of eleven verses For verse 13. he tempted Christ namely to try whether he was the Son of God and verse 24. he confesseth him I know thee with deare-bought knowledge to his owne confusion who thou art the holy One of God Secondly Satan could not go higher and therefore he would not go lower in his Temptations Ecquid aliquid altius Was there any act worse then Idolatry or greater temptation thereunto then the wealth and glory of the whole world It stood not with the state of Satans malice to present our Saviour after this with some petty allurement to a puny sin and therefore he thought fittest for the present to desist Thirdly Satan went away to save his credit being on the matter driven away Christ spake Get thee hence as a Commander with authority and his words were for the time a Mittimus to dispach the Devil out of that place who beholding Christ his holy anger now raised up to an height presently with shame sneaked and slunk away The Devil leaveth him Holy Indignation is an excellent exorcism to drive Satan away The surest way to fright the fiercest Lion that of the crowing of a Cock being denied by many doubted of by most is by shaking of a fire-brand before his face Satan that Lion feares the flame of holy and heavenly anger such as here sparkled out in our Saviour so that the climat grew too hot for him he could dwel no longer therein But we must be sure that ours be holy Indignation otherwise the strange fire of common and carnal anger doth allure not affright the Devil yea the light thereof giveth him aim the more steddily to direct his temptations at our souls Yea when his fiery darts meet with our fiery passions oh how unquenchable without Gods mercy is the combustion Now Saint Matthew saith absolutely The devil leaveth him but Saint Luke giveth us the Limitation thereof he departeth from him for a SEASON And seeing departing and coming are relative termes we finde Satan afterwards re-assaulting our Saviour Iohn 14.30 The Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me Whence Learn Satan though he leaveth us will never leave us till life leaveth us Of the three grand enemies of our soul One beginneth long before the other two but all end and expire with us at the same instant The flesh starteth first not onely from our birth but being and conception Psal. 51.5 Behold I was born in inquity and in sin hath my Mother conceived me The World and the Devil come after namely when a child sooner or later according to his capacity is able with the consent of his reason and will to commit an actual sin But all three determine in and at the same moment namely just at the time of our death till then be sure Satan will not leave thee Yet let none be disheartned at Satans never leaving to tempt them but in a comfortable opposition thereunto let them consider that Gods protection will never finally leave to preserve them Indeed for some time especially to the apprehension of a wounded conscience he deserteth his servants who complain with Christ My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Yet we have the certain promise of constant assistance which he will infallibly perform Heb. 13.5 I will never LEAVE thee nor forsake thee Here under favour I conceive that though our Saviour was afterwards often tempted with the Devil yet the notion and nature of his future much differed from his former temptations His former were chiefly for Satans information and the other were
Thirdly Man's Protection I say Man's Protection The words being spoken principally of Christ as a person and secondarily of him and his as they make up one mystical Body whereof Christ is the Head In which sense it will fall to the share of the meanest sincere Christian to come within the compass of this Angelical protection conceive him but the last joynt of the least toe of Christ's foot yet is he a lively member thereof and by the promise in the Text to be secured Angels are very handy to preserve Gods servants from danger Psal. 34.7 The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them Matth. 18.10 In heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven Their Angels that is deputed to their protection Thus such Pages and servants which wait on the young children of great persons are commonly called the childrens men and the childrens maids though their parents hired them and pay them meat drink and wages Angels are God's angels as he employeth them our angels as employed about us How then comes it to pass that many of Gods servants have such mischances even in their feet Mephibosheth a childe of five yeers old therefore the more innocent son to a good father and afterward a good man himself 2 Sam. 4.4 was lame of his feet by a fall from the arms of his fleeing nurse Reverend Doctor Willet with a fall from his horse Anno 1621 returning from London to his house so bruised his foot that it hastened his death Are the Angels of good men absent or impotent or sullen or sleeping when such mischances betide them No mischances can befal the godly Not chances because all things are ordered by divine Providence not mischances because all things work for the good of Gods children Know then that all promises of temporal preservation run with this tacite reservation in Gods bosome always provided that He in his infinite wisdom conceiveth not the contrary more conducing to his own glory for reasons best known to himself For this cause sometimes God countermands Angelical protection and ordereth that those heavenly spirits should in some cases suspend their attendance on men What shall we return to the Angels in recompence of their attendance about us seeing omne beneficium requirit officium All favours received require some duty returned Let not God's servants be ever found unthankful No worshipping of them which they themselves disavow Rev. 22.9 See thou do it not No praying to them whereof no promise precept nor precedent in Scripture But first make honourable mention of them give them their titles It is uncivil to speak of Gentlemen Knights Lords Dukes Kings without the additions of Worship Honour Grace Majestie So name Angels with their due Epithets Good angels contrary to evil angels Psal 78.49 Excelling angels Psal. 103.20 Holy angels Matth. 25.31 Angels of light 2 Cor. 11.14 Elect angels 1 Tim. 5.21 Such honour have all his Angels Secondly Learn Humility by them No better thanks can be given the Angels then if thou beest made the better by them Much was the condescension of Maximilian the Germane Emperour when at the Siege of a City he served in daily pay under our King Henry the eighth Hence that in the Grammar Meruit sub rege in Gallia understand Belgica But the distance is not so great between an Emperour and a King as between Angels and Men yet they without any regret attend on the servants of God Lastly Be thankful to God for them David knew as well as we what service the Angels performed for us yet it never troubled him what he should do in requital thereof whose thoughts were taken up to deserve an higher engagement Psal. 116.12 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take the cup of salvation Amongst which benefits Angels protection was a principal Serve God and thou shalt satisfie the Angels for all their attendance about thee Come we now to behold the words as abused by Satan Here some will tax the devil for mis-citing the text because whereas David said Lest thou dash thy foot Satan inserts Lest at any time thou dash But though Satan accuseth us we will not accuse him without cause An Indefinite is equivalent to an Universal At any time though not literally expressed is vertually implyed in the words His grand fault in mis-alleadging the words is this That as Hanun 2 Sam. 10.4 cut off the beards and cloathes of David's Ambassadours in the middle so Satan cites this Scripture by halfs I confess not for number of words but for the sense thereof he leaves out a moytie of the text the most effectual and operative words therein which were not onely of the Commission at large but the Quorum viz. in all thy ways God promising his protectâ—on on no other terms but whilst men confine themselves to their Vocation Satan is an excellent Textuary and most knowing in Scripture He knoweth every Book Chapter Verse Word Syllable Letter in the Old and New Testament even in the Original Languages wherein they were written He needeth no Concordance alphabetically to finde out places who hath them all ad unguem But it is observable that in all the Scripture from Genesis to Revelation Satan knoweth not one text which tendereth comfort unto him Many are unto him doleful messengers of despair as that Heb. 2.16 He took not on him the nature of angels That Iude vers. 6. And the angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgement of the great day Many texts present him with sadness partly from his incapability of salvation for want of a Saviour partly from his impossibility to repent because of his implacable and invincible malice How far more happie is the poorest soul who though not book-learn'd hath onely a magazine of some select places and promises in Scripture gotten not onely by heart but in his heart whence he may apply consolation to his soul Satan may be cunning in Scripture but the Scripture cannot be comfortable to him It is not enough to hear Scripture alleadg'd in point of faith or fact but with the Bereans we must examine whether the things be so Five things herein must be enquired after 1. Is the thing alleadg'd in Scripture or no It is strange that many things by vulgar errour and common credulity pass for currant to be in Scripture when no such matter is to be found therein Many things are taken up by content without either weighing or telling them Ye have heard it hath been said Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy Matth. 5.45 But where is it said Thou shalt hate thine enemy Surely nowhere in Gods Word though some silly Jews might ignorantly suppose it there 2. If it be in Scripture Is it just so as they cite it
upon line here a little and there a little We must not think to do all at once Christ in my Text would not leap down from the Temple but go down by the Stayrs and it is folly in us to think to leap up in the edifying of Gods spiritual Temples to inform them in an instant in all fundamental matters which requireth much time and must be done by degrees The Lord It is height of Madness to tempt so great a Majestie as the LORD Abner disswaded Asahel from pursuing him 2 Sam. 2.21 Turn thee aside to the right hand or to the left and lay hold on one of the young men If you must needs be tempting be trying conclusions be making experiments let men meddle with their matches and tamper with those which are equal with themselves but forbear chalenging one infinitely above us 1 Cor. 10.22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie What are we stronger then he What king Luke 14.31 going forth to war against another king doth not first sit down and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him who cometh against him with twenty thousand I confess here is a possibility implied that one may manage a Defensive war with hope of success though the enemy be two to one against him namely where the lesser number are better armed disciplin'd victuall'd flesh'd with success have the advantage of the time and place not to speak of the goodness of the Cause But will any tempt the Lord and not first consider with himself Can thy folly mate his Wisdom thy Weakness his Strength thy I say not ten his twenty thousand but cypher his infinite millions O tempt him not he is the Lord Thy God It is the height of Badness to tempt so good a Majestie as Thy GOD Christ said unto the Pharisees Ioh. 10.32 Many good works have I shewed you for which of those works do you stone me So may the God of heaven say to us sinful men Many benefits I load you with daily Psal. 68.19 Whilst we vile wretches as it is Amos 2.13 press him with our sins as a cart is pressed under sheaves for which of those benefits do you thus tempt me and constantly rebel against me Is it because God gave thee plenty and freedom in the penury and captivity of others that therefore thou dost tempt him Is it because God hath endowed thee with many natural abilities above thy fellows that therefore thou dost tempt him Or because he hath conferred on thee many spiritual gifts and graces that therefore thou dost tempt him Ioseph when sollicited by his Mistress to uncleanness brought an argument to disswade himself from wronging his Master fetched from the many favours he had heaped upon him Gen. 39.9 There is none greater in this house then I neither hath my master kept c. The same seriously considered and sincerely applied to our hearts would keep us from committing many sins against him who hath endeared us unto him with many mercies and who is not onely The Lord but Thy God CHRIST'S Third Temptation to IDOLATRY SERMON IX MATTH. 4.8 Again the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world ONe cannot proceed with any Christian comfort and necessary confidence on a Text whilst it remaineth incumbred with doubts and difficulties We will therefore endeavour first to remove two of the greatest importance What made Satan shift his place seeing the Pinacle of the Temple whereon he stood before was as proper to his purpose by reason of the elevation thereof thence to render a veiw of the Glory of the world For the Temple was a stately structure founded no mount Moriah 2 Chron. 3.1 and the Pinacle being on the top thereof afforded a conveniency to survey round about at great distance Not so all the City and the Temple therein was seated though on an Hill in an Hole surrounded with higher mountains on all sides Psal. 125.2 As the mountains are round about Ierusalem so the Lord is round about his people Olivet on the East Zion on the South Gihon on the Southwest Calvary on the Northwest Satan therefore chose a larger Horizon where the Sight was not so circumscrib'd and removed from the Pinacle to a Mountain Not to say that the Devil desired to put his new poyson into new bottles and to make his new temptation the more taking and pleasant with the novelty of another place to which he adjourned it But the next knot is far harder to untie consisting indeed of a quaternion of difficulties all complicated and twisted together The first ex parte loci drawn from the place Grant it {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a mountain {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} high {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} exceeding high whereon Satan took his station yet was it too low thence to take the prospect of the whole world Tenariff in the Canarie Islands is beleived the highest mountain of the yet-known world yet is not conceived to be perpendicularly above fifteen miles high too low a Pedestal for one thereon to stand to overlook the whole world The second ex parte objecti from the thing to be seen all the world Abate {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the world adorn'd with creatures according to Saint Matthew and confine it onely with S. Luke to {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the part thereof inhabited by men and it was not visible at one view with all the glory thereof For much of it lay buried in the bowels of the earth in mines and minerals much was concealed in Coin in the Coffer of Misers bolting out the beams of the Sun from the sight thereof The third ex parte organi from the Eye the instrument of sight It is true Matth. 6.22 If the Eye be single the whole Body shall be full of light And we must allow our Saviour a single Eye naturally quick and cleare except weakened with weeping for our sins yet finite was the sphere of the activity thereof nor so extensive as with one view to visit all the Diocess of the world The last ex parte temporis from the time Saint Luke allowing no longer term then a moment for all this performance Now no considerable impression could be made on Christs affections to like or loath in so short a time As good never a whit as never the better and in effect it was never shown which was so soon râ—moved The first answer to these difficulties cometh unto us recommended by the authority of Saint Chrysostome affirming that the Devil did show that is by his gesture and pointing demonstrate to Christ the gloâ—y of the world which might easily be done in a moment and afterwards Satan at his leasure did largely comment on his foresaid manual Indication hightning and advancing worldly wealth power and pomp to the greatest advantage with that flattering Rhetorick
onely for Christs vexation the former partly to try the later solely to trouble our Saviour the Devil then knowing full well that he was the Son of God And Angels Solitary Men such as Christ in the wilderness have alwaies the company of Angels or Devils Three things are herein observable First Mans soul chiefly when alone admits of no vacuitie Anima Plena The avoidance of one is alwaies the Induction of another incumbent Secondly it is impossible that good and bad Angels should be reconciled at the same time in the same subject 2 Cor. 6.14 For what agreement is there betwixt light and darkneâ—s Those Stars of sweet light and the Star Wormwood Revel. 8.11 are of so opposite Horizons the elevation of the one necessitates the depression of the other Thirdly the intrant of the Angels is in the very instant after the Exit of Satan and so reciprocally when Satans sets then Angels arise Thus in Saul 1 Sam. 16.14 The Spirit of the Lord departed from him and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him And as Gen. 27.30 Iacob was scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his Father when Esau his brother came in so plain and pious and profitable thoughts are no sooner departed our solitary souls but presently rough hairy cruâ—l wild and wicked cogitations succeed in their room Seeing melancholy persons will have some and it is to be feaâ—ed bad company let them avoid loneness and associate themselves with such as are godly and religious Ministred unto him Angels on all occasions were very officious in their attendance on Christ First at his conception Luke 1.26 An Angel Gabriel by name first brought the blessed tidings thereof Secondly After his birth Angels Luke 2.10 both celebrated the same with their singing and imparted to shepherds the first intelligence thereof Thirdly In his Infancie Mat. 2.19 An Angel gave notice to Ioseph of Herods death and that now Christ might safely return into his own Country Fourthly In his Temptation here in my text Fifthly At his Passion when his Agony began in the Garden Luke 22.43 There appeared an Angel unto him from Heaven strengthning him Some will say Seeing it is the general opinion of Divines that the blessed elect Angels are established and strengthned in Christ how cometh one of them to strengthen Christ at this time But let such know it was the humane nature of Christ which is less and lower then the Angelical which here received strengthning from him Besides the Angel being then in a calm and Christ in the Tempest of an Agony no wonder if a meaner might minister comfort and support to one otherwise and at other times far his superiour Sixthly At his Resurrection Mat. 28.2 when an Augel which rolled away the stone from the Grave attested the same Lastly after his Ascention Act. 1. 10. when two Angels declared the manner of his returne unto Judgement Nor is this Angelical attendance confined to Christ alone but extended also to all Christians in some degree as * formerly we have largely declared and here intend no repetition thereof where also we have proved that in compensation of their service though other civilities be due to Angels no worship may lawfully be tendered unto them What then is the reason of the inequality of Angels demeanour in Scripture that though sometimes they refuse adoration as Iudges 13.16 Rev. 19.10 22 9. otherwhiles they accept thereof as may appear by Abraham's so solemn praying unto an Angel Gen. 18.23 for the sparing of Sodom We may observe that those three Angels mentioned in that Chapter appeared in three distinct capacities or representations First They are all three called MEN Gen. 18.2 Three MEN stood by him because they took on them the shape and Bodies of men Secondly two of them are termed ANGELS Gen. 19. all three promiscuously Heb. 13.2 so called because of their beauty and lustre power and strength surpassing Humanity wherein they did appear Thirdly one of them Abraham stileth my Lord JEHOVAH who alone staied behind whilst the other two as his servants were sent to Sâ—dom and termeth him Gen. 18.25 The Iudge of all the earth To him onely as not a meer Angel of God but the very Angel-God is Abrahams adoration tendered and therefore it maketh nothing for the Popish worship of common and created Angels Conclusion BEeing now for some time to take my leave of this Auditory and having the seasonable mention of the Ministration of Angels in my Text I know how if one of the Romish perswasion were in my place he would particularly consigne you to the tutellage of such Guardian angels which he conceiveth most proper for your several professions For instance Are there any martial men that hear me to day such he would bequeath at this his departure to the Military angel Exod. 33.2 And I will send my Angel before thee c. namely the same who drave out the seven Nations of Canaan before the face of the Israelites Are there any here which trade in Merchandize on the Seas such would he commend to the protection of the Angel of the waters Rev. 16.5 to preserve them and their estates Are there any here who stand on their preferment as we terme it I mean single persons who in due time intend marriage such he would commit to the guard of the Matrimonial Angel Gen. 24.7 He shall send his Angel before thee the same which provided a gratious wife for Isaac But to avoid all exception shun all shadow of Superstition and to be best assured of protection I commend all qualities and conditions of People to the Tuition of the God of these Angels Taking my farwell of this Auditory with the words of Saint Paul to the Ephesians Act. 20.32 And now brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance amongst all them that are sanctified Amen FINIS Gen. 53.11 Acts 13.36 Gen. 6.9 * Pag. 103 * Luk. 4.2 Doct Doct. Object Answ. The Doctrine Use Doct. Quest Answ. Object Answ. Quest Answ. Quest Answ. Doct. Doct. Quest Answ. Quest Answ. Quest Answ. Doct. Use Doct. Doct. Doct. Doct. Use * Lord Bacon in his Natural History Doct. * Tim. 1.2 * Not S. Augustine the â—â—mous Faâ—hâ—r and Bishop ofâ—ippo but â— later Monk * Flores â—anctoâ—â—m Quest Answ. Doct. * Eph. 6.16 Use Doct. * Pag. 466. * M. Fox his Martyrs * Melchior Adamus in his Life M. Dyke in his Comment on this text Doct. James 4.7 Object Use Quest Quest Answ. Quest Answ. Doct. Psal. 31.8 Doct. Doct. 1. Use Doct. 2. Quest Answ. Use 1. Use 2. Doct. 1. Object Answ. Quest Answ. Doct. 2. Doct. 3. Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Doct. 3. Use Doct. 4. Use Doct. 5. * Matth. 10.19 Use Doct. 6. Doct. 7. Quest Answ. Doct. Use Object Answ. Doct. Use Doct. Object Answ. Quest Answ. Doct. 1. Quest Answ. Object Answ. Object Quest Doct 2. Doct. 3. Henry Huntington Use Doct. 4. Quest Answ. Doct. Object Solut. Doct. Doct. Object Answ. Doct. Use Doct. Use Quest Answ. Doct. Doct. Doct. Use Doct. * Page 99. Quest Answ.