fell by scorning to submit himselfe subiection to Man-God In Mahomets Alcoran it is said that the Diuell was cast out of heauen because he would not worship man Whereupon Luthers coniecture is pretty The diuell saith he hath bewrayed himselfe It is likely hee foresaw the incarnation of Christ and thence was his fall in scorning to submit himselfe to an inferiour nature And this well suites with that here related that the diuell is so farre from doing homage to Christ incarnate that he requires it from him Heerein wee haue a picture of wicked wretched men who though they haue smarted often for their sinnes as the diuell euer since his fall hath for his pride yet for all that they goe on and grow worse and worse 4. Heere are met together the basest and the worthiest of Gods creatures namely the Diuell and Christ Iesus who is not only a creature as man but also the creatour God blessed for euer Great is the oddes betwixt the diuell viler then the vilest toad and Iesus Christ the Lord of glory whom the Angels adore at whose name euery knee bowess Phil. 2. yea whom once the Diuell himselfe worshipped in heauen and yet this base Diuell would haue our blessed Lord fall downe to him The righteous falling downe before the wicked is like a troubled well and a corrupt spring Prou. 25. 26. How true had this been in Christ If the righteous Christ had fallen before the wicked Diuell for Christ is the spring of all grace to the elect It had beene happy for the Diuell if he could haue done that to Christ which hee wisheth Christ to do to himselfe Iohn Baptist thoght himselfe vnworthy to wipe Christs shooes and yet the Diuell Pope-like thinkes himselfe worthy to haue Christ kisse his shooes Whereby we see that Doct. the more base and vnworthy the wicked are the The wicked by how much the baser by so much the loftier more they seeke to domineere especially ouer the godly as Haman ouer Mordecay Neither must it seeme strange to the godly if sometimes the base refuses of the people the most dunghilly and rascall rake-hels the scumme of the earth viler then the earth rise vp against them and crow ouer them and would haue their neckes vnder their girdles nay vnder their feet since the diuell their master would so haue done with Christ our master The seruant is not aboue his master It was Iobs case and complaint Iob. 30. 1. that they whose fathers hee had refused to set with the dogges of his flockes did mocke him and grinne at him like a company of curres 5. See to what horrible sinnes the Diuell may 5. The best may be tempted to horrible sinnes tempt euen the best What more fearefull then to worship the Diuell in person yet to this sinne is Christ himselfe tempted Be not thou discouraged then if thou bee tempted to grosse and odious sins It was our Lords owne case Thus much for Sathans assault Christs repulse followes 2. Christs repulse Containing First a detestation of Sathans temptatiō Secondly a confutation of Sathans temptatiō First the detestation in the first words Auoyd Sathan 1. The detestation Hence from me Be gone speaking to him as to a dogge This teacheth Doct. 8 1. With what violence temptations especially more dangerous ones are to bee resisted Modest Temptations are violently to be resisted Ephes 6. maidenly and gingerly dealing heere is not good They are called fiery darts Eph. 6. we must therfore deale as in quenching fire Thus violent was Paul when he beat down the flesh as with a club 1. Cor. 1. Cor. 9. 9. and so here Christ deals thus violently with satan He would not endure him nor stand debating with him but commands him away As wicked men deale making themselues intractable to all good perswasions stopping their eares against them Act. 7. Acts 7. So should we do against the diuels enchantments Heerein was Eue wanting 2. Christ before spake more moderately but 2. When wickednes grows outragious we must of lambes become lyons now that the Diuell begins to thrust out his hornes and to shew himselfe plainely Christ takes him vp short and with great eagernesse and indignation bids him Auaunt When wickednesse is more mannerly and doth not so grossely discouer it selfe there is place for meekenesse But when once it growes impudent and outragious away then with mildenesse then of lambes turne we lyons and shew we the spirit of power as Paul against Elymas Act. 13. 10. Nettles if they be handled gently sting the more Therefore of some Paul sayes Rebuke them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuttingly Tit. 1. 13. 3. Especially should a Christians spirit bee vp 3. A Christian should then be most mooued when Gods glory is defaced when Gods glory is defaced In our owne priuate iniuries mildnes is good but in Gods cause patience is blockishnesse moderation is mopishnesse toleration is cowardice Madnes then is better then meeknes This made Christ giue the Auaunt now to Satan because Gods glory was now specially shot at when the diuell would haue had a diuine worship Numb 12. 3. Moses the meekest man on earth what a spirit had he and how was he blowne vp when the people had made the golden calfe Gods blessing bee on that blessed heart that hath a stomacke against Gods dishonour and entertaines all wicked oathes and blasphemies with this Apage of our Sauiour And woe to them that crie Eugè The second poynt followes The confutation of the temptation Where are two things 2. The Confutation 1. Our Sauiours weapons 2. His manner of handling it 1. His weapon is that place out of Deut. 6. 13. out of this one booke nay almost out of this one chapter hath Christ answered all Sathans temptations Now then if there be such sufficiency in one booke in one chapter of Scripture what is in the whole How is it furnished abundantly with antidotes for euery poyson with medicines for euery disease Tobies fish and others herbs are but idle the diuell fears them as much as he doth the Papists holy water a deuise of his owne Only the Scriptures scare him Obiect If he may be chased away with harmonies as in Sauls case then why not with hearbs saith Gulielmus Parisiensis Answ The melancholly humour being the diuels seat musicke had force to asswage the force of the humor and so consequently of Sathan The musicke disabled the instrument not the Agent dispelled the melancholly not the diuell 2 His manner of handling the weapon And that is in his Allegation 1. His allegation Application 1. His allegation His manner of alleadging is that in alleadging he interprets it First by changing the word feare into worship The reason is because that feare is the more generall word and so comprehends worship the particular And besides feare is the cause of outward worship And heere we learne Doct. 1 1. That where the true feare of
Ioh. 4. Christ sat as a Iudge in her conscience and pinched her with that close imputation of adultery There was no dealing with Iob till the whirl-wind schooled Iob. him An vnhumbled sinner is as vnfit for Gods instruction as an vnbroken colt for the saddle and as the hard and clotty fallow ground not subdued by Ierem. 4. the plough is for the seede Who can weilde a mightie hard rocke but let it bee broken to fitters and stamped to dust the hand of the Artificer may worke it as he will When Isay Is 6. Acts 9. and Paul were tamed with the terrors of the Lord then Lord heere I am What wilt thou haue mee doe When the Lyons and Beares are meekned then a little childe may lead them Is 11. Hence those speeches The Lord shall direct the humble Humble Psalm 25. Mic. 6. 2. Chro. 30. 8. Ierem. 44. 10. thy selfe to walke with thy God Be not stiffe-necked but giue the hand to the Lord to be lead by him They are not humbled neither haue they walked in the wayes of the Lord. There is no more resistance in a bruised heart against the Lord then in soft waxe against the seale 5. To procure vs the sounder comfort Whole sores throb and rage Ease is by breaking The deeper the wound is searched and teinted and the sharper corrasiues be applied the sounder will the flesh be afterward The lower ebbe the higher tide The deeper our descent in Humiliation the higher our ascent in Consolation Therefore when Christ promiseth vs his spirit to be our Comforter he shewes this shall bee the first ground-worke of Comfort which hee shall lay the conuincing of our conscience of sinne I will send the Comforter and hee Ioh. 16. shall conuince the world of sinne A miserable Comforter one would thinke no but marke whether this Conuiction of sinne tends For it is added that he shall conuince them of righteousnesse After he hath soundly conuicted them of sinne in themselues vnto condemnation He shall to their comforts conuict their iudgements and perswade their hearts of righteousnesse in Christ vnto iustification So the Prophet sheweth how his peace was wrought out of his trouble When I heard my bellie Hab. 3. 16. trembled my lips shooke rottennesse entred into my bones and I trembled but marke the end of all this that I might rest in the day of trouble Surely after the most toylesome labour is the sweetest sleepe After the greatest tempests the stillest calmes Sanctified trouble establishes peace And the shaking of these windes makes the trees of Gods Eden take the deeper rooting 6. God heerein hath respect to his owne glory which he gaineth to himselfe in working thus by contraries ioy out of feare light out of darknesse heauen out of hell When he meant to blesse Iacob Gen. 32. he wrestled with him as an aduersary euen till hee lamed him When he meant to preferre Ioseph to the throne hee threw him downe into the dungeon to the golden chaine about the necke hee laded him with iron ones about his legges and caused the iron to Psal 105. enter into his soule When he meant to make a most beautifull and orderly world he makes first a vast gulfe a grosse Chaos wherein was nothing but darknesse and confusion and yet out of it he caused light to shine and out of it brought hee this goodly frame of heauen and earth which now wee see Euen so in the second creation which is by Regeneration first there is nothing but a hellish Chaos of darkenesse in the minde of Confusion in the heart and yet at length comes forth the goodliest creature that euer was the new creature in Christ The Vse of all this is 1. To discouer their errour who thinke they haue true Repentance when they haue only some legall qualmes of sorrow some stirrings and stingings of conscience which euen the fiends in hell haue who yet are vncapable of Repentance Indeed these are preparations to Contrition as wee heard in the Elect and are as the pricking of the needle before the thread But contrition it selfe is a further matter Christ biddes the heauy loaden come vnto him and learne of him to bee humble A man therefore may be heauy loaden and as yet not come to him nor truely humbled When those whom Peter pricked asked what they should doe to be eased of that paine hee prescribed them Repentance as the salue for that sore of a wounded conscience A man may haue a sore and feele it and yet want the salue that should heale it And yet the feeling of the sore is the first step to recouery For this makes vs enquire after the salue 2. To terrifie such as being stupefied in conscience and are wholly vnsensible of sinne can carry it away lightly as Sampson did the gates of the city and their backes neuer complaine of the burthen These blocks that neuer in their life were moued with Gods threatnings neuer in any straight of conscience neuer groaned vnder the burthen of Gods anger they haue not so much as entred into the porch of this house or lift the foote ouer the threshold of this schoole of Repentance In Dauids Repentance for numbring the people this is noted at the first step his heart smote him So in 2. Sam. 24. his Repentance for adultery hee notes this to bee the ground My sinne is euer before me The terrible Psal 51. image thereof affrights me continually But for these Brutes their sinne is euer behinde them Nothing is before them but their profits their pleasures their bagges their barnes And the delightfull image of these things so bewitches and besots them that they will neuer see the face of sinne till they feele the fire of hell And iust it is that such who will not see sinne heere by the light of Gods word should at last see it for euer by the light of the Diuels fire 3. To comfort such as are distressed in conscience in the apprehension of Gods wrath against their sinne It is a speciall worke of the spirit thus to discouer vnto them their misery and in the sight thereof to touch their heart Yee haue not againe receiued Rom. 8. 15. the spirit of bondage vnto feare saith Paul The word Receiued implieth that the trouble of conscience is to be accounted of as a gift and the word Spirit shewes the author of the gift Heere is comfort then thou art in the way to saluation thou hast receiued the first gift which the spirit bestoweth vpon all those whom it bringeth to Repentance in that thou seest thy bondage and tremblest Yea but poore comfort thou wilt say to behold and feele God as an enemy with his sword wounding me then with his naile continually raking in the wounds with his axe continually hewing and hacking mee yea and quite cutting me downe and laying me flat on the ground Silly man who seest not the depth of Gods wisedome Gods
Repentance whereby they shall iudge themselues for that sinne and condemne that for nastinesse which before they accounted neatenesse and that for filthinesse which before they accounted finenesse 3. Property It is yet an vnperfect change Perfect it is in regard of parts as a childe is a perfect 3. It is vnperfect man but imperfect in degrees It is like the change of the ayre from darke to light in the dawning of the day which proceedes by degrees or as the change and turning of water from could to hot which is first luke-warme This I note for the comfort of such poore soules that when they heare repentance is such a change of the minde and feele so little change in themselues but their olde sinnes to be so strong and liuely are driuen to doubts But for their comforte they must know that this is a change that with greefe they feele and complaine euen of those secret infirmities which were wont neuer to trouble them The rising of the heart against sinne the antipathy and secret grudging and murmuring of the spirit against it euen then when it is foyled by it is an argument of a blessed change begunne which shall bee perfected in time CHAP. XIIII Of the practise of Conuersion in foure duties THe third point followes The practise of this 3 The practise of conuersion in 7. dueties Turning Reformation or Conuersion And it is notably set downe by the Apostle Paul 2. Corin. 7. 11. where seuen particular dueties are set downe wherein the practise of this second part of repentance consisteth For behould saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 7. 11. fully handled this thing that yee haue beene godly sorry what great care it hath wrought in you yea what cleering of your selues yea what indignation yea what feare yea how great desire yea what a zeale yea what punishment c He had said before Godly sorrow workes repentance that is this second part of repentance the change of the minde for godly sorrow as wee haue seene is the first part Now heere hee prooues that godly sorrow workes repentance and his reason standeth thus That which workes care and cleering and indignation c. that workes repentance but godly sorrow workes these things therefore it workes repentance So that it is plaine that the Apostle here referreth those things to the practise of this second part To come then vnto the particular duties 1. Duety is Care Now this care is twofold first 1. Care the maine care whereby a sinner takes thought for the remission of his sinnes and life eternall Such was the care of those after they were pricked in their hearts at Peters sermon when they crie out Acts 2 37. Men and brethren what shall wee doe The voice of men in care anxiety as of those that are in great care for this world what shall wee eat or what shall Matth. 6. 31. we drinke or what shall we put on And this is that which is figured in the Parable of the vniust steward who is brought in consulting and taking care what shall I doe digge I cannot and Luke 16. 3. to begge I am ashamed So that the first beginning of our turning to the Lord is a serious and a thoughtfull consultation what course to take for the pardon of our sinnes and the saluation of our soules Now in this carefull consultation there are two things to be considered 1. the ground 2. the end of it For the ground of it It is the sight and certaine knowledge of the errour of our former course of life and the iust censure and condemnation of it As when a man turnes him to the right way first he sees plainely and concludes that he is gone wrong and thereupon bethinks himselfe what to doe that he may recouer the right way againe 2. The end or effect of it it ends alwaies in true repentants in a setled determination and resolute purpose to enter into that good way which the word of God discouers vnto them for good Some indeede deliberate and consult but they remaine houering and do not resolue like faint chap-men that cheapen and hancker about wares but will not come off They are loath to sell all they haue to purchase the pearle to buy heauen with the losse of their sinnes For when Sathan sees a man beginne to mistrust his owne courses and to entertaine thoughts of departing out of Aegypt he vses all the craft he can to detaine him and pursues after him departing as Pharaoh after the Isralites So in the Gospell the dumbe and deafe Diuell when Christ came to dispossesse him raged and tooke on So that euery Christian in the practise of Repentance before he can passe from his consultation to a resolution and determination he shall finde and feele a shrewd bickering and conflict both with Sathan and the flesh that will labour him to continue in his sinnes still as Austin in his confessions shewes it was with him in his conuersion But notwithstanding all the temptations of Sathan the flesh the Christian gets the victory and growes to a resolution This purpose and resolution of the heart is the very hart of Repentance I haue determined to keepe Psal 119. 57. thy word saith Dauid And this is that which Barnabas exhorted the Antiochians that with purpose of heart they would cleaue vnto the Lord. And thus is Acts 11. 23. the Prodigall sonne brought in resoluing with himselfe I will goe to my father and say c. and when he Luc. 15. 18. did but thus resolue his father came foorth to meet him for this serious purpose to turne is turning I thought I will confesse and thou forgauest me So when Psal 32. 5. Zaccheus had but resolued to make restitution when as yet he had not done it Christ said Saluation was Luc. 19. 8. 9. come into his house If wee haue not this constant purpose of heart to forsake all our sinnes and to endeauour our selues to the obedience of Gods commandements we haue not yet set one foot ouer the threshold of Repentance The Prophet Ieremie calling vpon Israel to returne they are brought in answering the Lord Behold wee come Ier. 3. 22. vnto thee when this purpose and will of comming is conceiued there is returning So repenting Ephraim is brought in thus resoluing what haue I to Hos 14. 19. doe any more with idols And Iob Once haue I spoken but I will answer no more It is not enough for vs with Agrippa to be halfe perswaded but we must Acts 26. 28. goe through stitch and so pitch it in a setled purpose that we may say with Dauid I haue chosen the Psal 119. way of thy commandements The Prophet Isaiah bids the Iewes to wash them and to make them cleane to Is 1. 16. cease to doe euill and to learne to doe well c. Now it might bee sayd Alas these are hard matters how shall we be able to doe
euen in those things are most necessary and most neerely concerne vs we are most supine and secure and neede the goades of the strongest argument to pricke vs forward The motiues Two motiues to repentance then that may perswade vs are of two sorts 1. From the benefits of Repentance 2. From the euils of impenitency Out of these two heads shall spring the motiues following 1. For the benefits which come vnto us by Repentance 1. The benefits of Repentance Which are Exod. 15. Repentance indeed is bitter and many therefore distaste it as the Israelites did the bitter waters of Marah But if we shall consider the benefits that shall accrue vnto vs thereby we shall find them as the tree which the Lord shewed vnto Moses to sweeten and alay the bitternes therof Oh say some this repentance is an heauy a troublesom matter what good shall we get by our mourning mortification but depriue our selues of our pleasures Repentance is a very hell or at lest a Purgatory well be it that it be an hell yet it is such an hell as must bring thee out of hell in the Kingdome of Christ Repent sayth Iohn for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand Our way to heauen is to goe by this hell And because men aske like those in the Prophet What profit shall wee haue and what Mal. 3. good if we doe repent wee will lay downe more particularly the benefits thereof They therfore consist principally in two things 1. In remoouing of euill 2. In bringing of Good 1. In remoouing euill The euils which are remooued by repentance are either of sinne or of punishment Repentance remooues 1. Of sinne in regard the euill of sinne two wayes 1. In regard of the sting 1. Of the sting 2. In regard of the staine 1. In regard of the sting The sting of sinne is the guilt of sinne in the conscience binding a man ouer to the wrath of God and filling the conscience full of terrour from the expectation of Gods vengeance Now the repenting sinner is freed from this guilt and from the sense of it in his conscience and hath the free and full remission of all his sinnes in the blood of Christ At what time Zach. 13. 1. soeuer a sinner shall repent him of his sinne I will blot out all his wickednesse out of my remembrance The same thing teaches Zachary In that day namely when as it is in the former chapter they shall mourne for their sinnes as for the losse of their first borne shall a fountaine be opened for sinne and vncleannesse They whose heads are fountaines of teares to bathe Christs feet in with Mary Magdalen shall haue Christs heart pierced to be a fountaine of blood to bathe their souls in and to wash away all their guiltinesse These two fountaines must goe together and when wee wash our selues in the one wee shall bee bathed in the other Our mercy to our sinnes breedes Gods seuerity as Ahabs foolish pity to Benhadad was cruelty 1. King 20. to himselfe but on the contrary our seuerity procures Gods mercy Our mercy to our sinnes preuents Gods mercy to our selues but if wee take reuenge vpon our selues in our repentance then will not God take reuenge vpon vs. The promises of remission to repentance are very frequent in Scripture So the Prophet Isay promises pardon to the Penitent Is 1. 16. 17. 18. Wash you make you cleane put away the euill of your workes from you that is to say Repent And then followes Though your sinnes were as crimson they shall be made white as snow c. that is to say you shall be pardoned and forgiuen Haue mercy on mee saith Psal 51. 1. 3. Dauid ô Lord now what is his argument to mooue God to mercy For I know mine iniquities and my sin is euer before me If we acknowledge our sinnes that is if men repent he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our 1. Ioh. 1. 9. sinnes Not that Repentance merits remission nor that it apprehends it for so onely fath brings remission but as it is a necessary attendant of faith in apprehending remission For when wee hold out the hand of faith to receiue Gods mercy wee doe it as beggers crying and lamenting our miseries And Faith lookes vpon Christ with a weeping and a repenting eye And therefore though it bee faith that doth apprehend mercy and pardon yet because this faith is a repenting faith yea euen then most of all repenting when it most of all apprehends mercy therefore it is that that the promise of pardon is made to repentance Hence Repentance and Remission of sinne are ioyned together by our Sauiour Luk. 24. 47. No Repentance no Remission Except yee Luk. 13. 3. repent yee shall all likewise perish so if Repentance then Remission Be it true Repentance though it be neuer so small there is Remission and so life eternall Hence Repentance is called Repentance Acts 11. 18. vnto life The Repenting sinner then is in a most happy case for hee hath his sinnes pardoned and so title to Heauen So that if a man dies in Repentance he dies in the state of saluation and so goes to heauen For looke what way wee are turned when we dye thither goe wee as the tree fals that way wherto it inclined bowed when it stood on the ground Now Repentance as we haue seene is the turning of the heart to God so that if a man die with his face turned to God-ward to God hee goes But if he die in his irrepentance with his face turned from God to God he can neuer come Let this then perswade euery one as euer hee lookes to be saued to breake off his sinnes by Repentance The Papists lye when they teach vs that there are two wayes to Heauen The way of innocency and the way of penitency No there is but this one way of penitency by which euen the most holy must go for all haue sinned and onely the repenting sinners shall be saued And againe here is both exceeding great comfort to the repenting and terror to the impenitent sinner Are thy sinnes many and greeuous If they were as red as Scarlet yet if thou repent they shall bee made white as snow It is onely impenitency that damnes thee not murther not adultery not incest If thou canst repent of these these sinnes thou art safe when the streame of thy sinnes and the streame of Gods wrath fot thy sins come against thy soule let the streame of that water which issued out of Christs heart together with that streame which issueth out of thy repenting eyes meet it and they shall turne away the current of it away from thee The Physician is not so much offended with the loathsomnesse of the disease as with the contempt of his physick which he knows being taken would heale the disease Nor God so much with thy most odious sins as with this
Society is helpfull against temptation Two says Salomon are better then one woe to him that is alone Eccles 4. 10. This must teach vs to vse our company well that it may indeede bee the communion of Saints But alas wee so abuse our company that it is the best snare the Diuell hath to catch vs in And sooner are we often foiled in company then in solitarinesse So much euill example in company is giuen Doct. 2 2. In the beasts not offering violence to Christ but acknowledging the image of God in him as It is onely our rebellion against God that maketh the creatures rebell against vs. once to Adam in his innocēcy we may see what was the priuiledge of our innocency and what now the punishment of our sinne Man is truely called a little world and in him wee may see an image of that in the greater world Now in man as created of God the affections called the vnreasonable part as beeing common to vs with bruites were subiected to reason And so shewed how by like proportion in the great world the vnreasonable creatures should be subiect to the reasonable But when once order was broken in the little world then was it broken also in the other and when reason lost his authority ouer affection then man also lost his soueraignty ouer the creatures and his slaues became rebels Excellently Chrysostome As a father sometime giues ouer a lewd and desperat sonne to be scourged by his slaue so God vs men into the hands of the wild beasts Howbeit as men haue had Gods image more repaired so hath God thogh not without miracle made these beasts shew their subiection as all of them to Noah in the Arke the lyons to Daniel and the viper to Paul Whensoeuer we see any rebellion of these creatures against vs remember we our rebellion against God The Diuell and his instruments are worse then beasts to the Lord and his Church Doct. 3 3. Marke the malice of Sathan and his rage worse then the beasts Truely it is sayd Better to bee a beast then to be compared to a beast Sathan is compared to a Lyon but yet worse then a Lyon The Lyons heere reuerenced Gods image in Christ and yet here Sathan offers him violence So man by Iob compared to an asses colt Iob. the Pharisies yet were worse for the young colt whereon yet neuer man had sitten yeelded himselfe to be ridden by Christ And so should it haue been with vs if we had stood in innocencie No need then of breaking colts and framing them to the saddle Thus the deuill and his instruments shew themselues worse then beasts to the Lord and his Church Doct. 4 4. See here thine owne desert to be depriued as of all other comforts of this life so of companie We deserue no other companions but the tygers of hell and to be yoked with those lyons and tygres of hell and chayned with them in chaynes of darknesse for euer Thus much for the preparation to the temptations The temptations follow And they are of two 2. The temptations sorts First those that befell Christ in the fortie dayes fast Luc. 4. 2. Secondly those afterwards For the former they being not particularly set downe we must be content to be ignorant what they were Doct. Onely thus much may we obserue That Christ being now occupyed in heauenly and spirituall meditations Sathan sticketh not to interrupt the best meditations and actions and contemplation and talking secretly with his Father this sawcie Sathan yet durst come and interpose himselfe and offer to interrupt and to disturbe these sweet soliloquies of our Sauiour No maruell then if he deale thus with vs in our prayers meditations and hearing of the word No such disturbance feele we at a play At gaming can some sit vp all night without any heauinesse but at a Sermon how quickly doth the deuill rocke men a sleepe This shewes that the one is of God and for our good the other is against God and to our hurt It cannot but be good which the deuill is an enemie to It cannot but be euill which he is a friend vnto This serues also to comfort vs in the griefe we haue because of our distraction of minde in prayer and hearing the deuill laboured to distract Christ and came with his temptations when Christ was in his meditations The second sort of temptations follow And they are in number three The first in these words If thou be the sonne of The first temptation God command these stones to be made bread Sonne of God He meaneth as God meant before in that voice This is my wellbeloued sonne Beza thinkes onely some speciall holy man to be meant but the diuell did not thinke that euery holy man could turne stones into bread and that by his owne word and commandement for he sayes not pray to God but command that these stones be made bread Stones Luke saies stone as Miles for the whole companie of souldiours and Gen 31. the stone Gen. 31. which here I haue set vp speaking of an heape of stones and Exod. 8. The flye came vp meaning Exod 8. the swarmes of flyes If thou be the sonne of God He speakes not this scorningly as they Mat. 27. 40. Math. 27. 40. but flatteringly and with insinuation We are not to imagine that Sathan spake only these words but as Gen 3. in his temptation of Eue so here diuers amplifications and this but the abridgement of his speech It is therefore as if he had more largely spoken thus There was a voice lately heard from heauen confirming thee to be Gods sonne This miraculous fast of thine hath confirmed the same Neither see I any cause to doubt saue that thou art now pinched with hunger and hast not reliefe I would desire thee therefore both for thine owne and thy fathers honour and for his glories sake whereof I know thou art zealous and for this weake bodies sake whereunto thou oughtest to be mercifull and not by neglecting it be guilty of selfe-murther and for my sake also who would gladly be resolued that I may giue thee the honour due vnto the if it may appeare vnto mee that thou art the sonne of God In all these regards all matters of great importance I desire thee to turne these stones into bread for otherwise thou canst not liue in this necessitie If thou do not this I shall plainely thinke thou canst not and so that thou art not the sonne of God Neither would I wish to nourish any such conceit of thy selfe but rather suspect that voyce in the ayre as some deceitfull illusion for how is it likely that the sonne of God would suffer his humane body thus to be famished he being heyre of all things and able to doe euery thing Therefore I say If thou be the sonne of God command these stones to be made bread In the temptation consider two things 1. The Deuills
religion And seeing no possibility to quench this fire he will throw his gunpowder into it Hee will deceiue them vnder the colour of zeale and bring them to preposterous indiscretion yea to a blinde and bolde madnesse as in the common people to reforme publique abuses without the Magistrates authority as in throwing downe images and the like Contrarily seeing others to bee wiser and moderater hee abuses their wisedome and moderation to make them remisse and carelesse dead and heartlesse Thus he abuses our care of prayer and seeking Gods Kingdome to be negligent in our callings and contrarily our consciences of our callings to the neglect of Gods kingdome So he abuseth our commendable custome of giuing our selues to good meditations and stirring vp good affections in our selues in our solitarinesse to distract our mindes in the publique exercises of the word and prayer The diuell sees that against Gods children oftentimes hee can haue no other aduantage then that which they had against Daniel Dan. 6. in the Law of his God in the graces of Gods Dan. 6. Spirit and therefore hee dies his bad cloathes in good colours and paints the foule faces of sinne with the colours of graces and vertues to deceiue vs As heere he presents presumption to Christ vnder the colour and in the habit of faith and so now couetousnesse of frugality and good husbandry drunkennesse and carowsings of healthes of good fellowship sottish sloath of quietnesse Eccles 4. 3. Eccles 4. 3. vnlawfull sports both in regard of the nature of the games as dice and in regard of the time spent in them as when men lie at their recreations from morning to euening this he will present to vs vnder the name of honest mirth and recreations Oh then what neede haue we to fly to Iesus Christ who dwelleth with prudence Prou. 8. What neede haue wee Prou. 8. not to be carried away with euery thing that hath a shew of goodnesse or of indifferency but to bring these painted strumpets of the diuell to the light yea and to the heat of the word of God and then their painting shall melt away and we shal see their beauty came onely out of the diuels boxe Take heede least we be hardened with this deceitfulnesse of sinne This hardens a man in sinne when hee apprehends it as a vertue or a thing lawfull Doctr. 2 2. The Diuell when he cannot draw vs to one extreame labors to draw vs to another As here when The Diuell when he cannot draw to one extreame seeketh to draw to another Ioh. 13. Numb 14. he could not get our Sauiour to distrust he labours to rush him vpon presumption So Peter Ioh. 13. from refusing to haue his feet washed to offer feet head hands and all to the washing And the Israelites Num. 14. from denying to goe towards Canaan when God commanded to be hot vpon going when God forbad them So the Papists from the extremity of the Corinthians 2. Cor. 10. 9. 10. ctc. to 2. Cor. 10. 9. 10. magnifie the writings of the Apostle in the contempt of his vocall ministry are fallen into the contrary extreame of magnifying that which the Apostles deliuered by word of mouth vnwritten tradition to the disparagement of their writings So Luther from rhe indiscreete zeale of the people at Wittemberg in throwing down images to the retaining and maintaining of images and Austin from carnall singing to no singing at all many of vs from the false religion in Popery to no religion from workes without faith to faith without workes from zeale without knowledge to knowledge without zeale from the tyranny of Popish disciplin to the neglect of Christs holy discipline This then must teach vs not to be too proud or secure if we preuaile against Sathan in one temptation to this or that extreame for easily may wee bee foyled in another extreame As our hatred of prodigality may make vs couetous and our hatred of couetousnesse may make vs prodigall So that in ouercomming Sathan in one temptation we are so much the neerer being ouercome by him in some other if we look not well to it Reason 3 3. Reason From that credit and glory he should haue by the throwing downe himselfe and yet being safe namely hee should with all applause and admiration bee receiued of the Iewes in Ierusalem beholding this miraculous descent Doctrin 1 1 See how the Diuell vses to tickle vs with the delight of praise and glory and puffes vs vp in pride The Diuell vseth to puffe vs vp with the delight of praise and glory When we feele such thoughts know that they are of the diuell who goes about to exalt vs that hee might humble vs to set vs vpon high pinnacles that hee may lay vs flat on the earth as hee did our first parents Gen. 3. whereas on the contrary God vses Gen. 3. to humble vs that hee may exalt vs. If Christ had hearkened vnto Sathan he had cast himselfe downe indeed as he himselfe was once cast downe out of the heauens into the lowest hell Pride goes before destruction Prou. 16. 18. Prou. 16. 18. Doct. 2 2. See how much the Diuell trusts to this temptation of vaine-glory thinking heereby to draw The danger of vain-glory Christ to this so dangerous an attempt to hazard the breaking of his necke And thus for a little vain-glory in the world how many are there that breake their neckes and crush their estates in proud and pompous prodigality that they may haue a name and we well spoken of 2. Argument that Sathan vfes in this tempation The second argument followes For it is written He will giue his Angels charge euer thee and with their hands they shalt lift thee vp lest at any time thou shouldest dash thy foote against a stone The argument is drawen from assurance of safety in casting downe himselfe and this he would confirme by Scripture Doct. Heere generally we may see how the diuell misapplieth The Diuell misapplieth Gods promises mercies and prouidence Gods promises mercies and prouidence As sometimes he denies vnto vs the application of these when we are interested in them as when wee walke vprightly with God so contrarily hee applies them strongly and earnestly when they belong not vnto vs as heere the promise of protection by Angels to Christ though hee should tempt God And so hee ordinarily applies the promise of mercy to most desperat wretches though they lie wallowing in their mire and neuer wash themselues in the waters of repentance Cast thy selfe headlong into this sin saith he and Gods mercy shall keepe thee from falling into hell In good things he seuers the means from the end telling vs we may haue the end without the meanes heauen without repentance and obedience a plentifull haruest without sowing the seed In euill things he seuers the end from the means hell and destruction from sin and disobedience as Deut. 29. 19. quite contrary to that
16. Prou. 12. 26. shall deceiue them saith Salomon Prou. 12. 26. And therefore he saies immediately before that the righteous is more excellent then his neighbour that is the wicked for al the righteous his presēt crosses the wickeds present felicity For though they beleeue the lying promises of the diuell yet it will prooue otherwise Their hony will prooue gall and their wine vineger and therefore Salomon addes in the next verse The deceitfull person shal not rost that which hee tooke in hunting Hee shall neuer ioy it In his faire roses the diuell hides shrewd pinnes that shall pricke them when they looke to bee refreshed with their sweet smels Balaks preferments were goodly roses to Balaam and so were Naamans gifts to Gehezi and the Babylonish garment to Achan and the thirty peeces of siluer to Iudas But there were poysoned pinnes in all these roses For what got Balaam for his going to Balak but a sword in his ribs Num. 31. 8. whereupon Iude cals it the deceit of Balaams Numb 31. 8. Iude vers 11. wages Iude 11. Did not Iudas thirty peeces bring the halter about his necke and Achans Babylonish garment the stones about his eares And Gehezies reward the leprosie into his forehead So that these men might haue done with the instruments of their punishments Iudas with his halter Achan with his stones as Craesus did with those chaines with which Cyrus bound him he sent them to Apollo that is to the Diuell for presents who had gulled him with false promises of victory Thirdly the diuell deeceiues in his promises in getting farre better things of vs then wee haue of Getting farre better things of vs then we doe of him him For in these contracts with the Diuell we make Esaus penni-worth sell heauen for a messe of porridge Glaucus exchange gold for copper We are as foolish as children that lose their parents and their owne liberty and suffer themselues to bee stolne away for an apple Yea as the bird that accepts of the fowlers meat but buyes it full deerely with the losse of her owne life So heere wee shall haue of the Diuel a little worldly trash but then we lose that which is more precious truth faith and a good conscience Prouerbs 20. 15. Incomparable Prou. 20. 15. Iewels to bee bought with the losse of tenne thousand worlds but not to bee solde to the Diuell though hee could giue vs as many worlds as wee haue haires on our heads Buy the truth but sell it not Prouerbs 23. Surely if onely the health and strength of our bodies were to bee lost for all the world it were no sauing bargaine Who in his right wittes would take vpon him the Monarchie of the whole world vpon condition that hee must neuer haue one healthfull houre but alwayes bee tortured with the most exquisite torments of the stone He hath a more kingly spirit that chuses rather to be an healthy begger then a sicke and tortured King Now then if it would profit a man nothing to win all the whole world and to lose but his bodily health what then as Christ sayes to lose his owne soule his precious soule when then wee are thus tempted let vs thinke of our losses we shall sustaine and let vs thinke with the good figge-tres Iudg. 9. tempted with a Kingdome should I lose my sweetnesse and so with the Oliue should I lose my fatnesse Iudg 9. to raigne So should a Christian reason with Sathan ballancing the worlds riches and the spirits together should I leaue the fatnesse of faith should I lose the sweetnesse of a good conscience to raigne a while in a little worldly glory Why I am a Lord and King alreadie A spirituall LORD should I bee such a foole to lose my spirituall Lordship for a temporall one My seruice vnder Christ makes mee a King My Kingdome I should receiue of thee ô Sathan will make mee a slaue Better is a royall seruice then a slauish soueraignety Again euery Christian hath satan vnder his feet by these gifts Sathan seekes to redeeme himselfe and thou by accepting them doest not onely free him but inthrall thy selfe and bringest thy selfe into his place Here then thou shouldest haue the mind of those Persians Is 13. 12. 17. which should not regard Isay 13. 12. 17. siluer nor bee desirous of gold And of the husband finding the adulterer with his wife Prou. 6. 35. not enduring the sight of any ransome nor consenting though gifts bee neuer so much augmented Sathans Prou. 6. 35. bounty is treacherous as wee saw before And his gifts are hooked and limed to catch our poore soules in 3. That all these things hee promises are vaine and insufficient to giue true content For First they are inferiour to vs as men much more as Christians A thing worse then thy selfe cannot make thee better Gold and siluer are inferiour to Resdeterior te non potest face re te meliorem Aurum Argentum inferiora te Bonum coporis animus animi Deus thee The good of the body is the soule the good of the soule is God How doe wee then disparage our selues in seeking after and esteeming of these things which are to our soules as copper to golde embasing it not making it better What content then can a mans soule take in these things If couetous and ambitious men feele content in any of these things it is no otherwise then as itching sores do in clawing scratching fingers They are the worse for it afterward Nothing can fit the infinite appetite of the soule but God who alone is infinite No more can mans minde bee filled with corporall then a chest be filled with spirituall things Hee alone that fils heauen and earth can fill the soule Psa 119. 96. I haue seene an end of all perfection but thy Psal 119. 96. commandements are exceeding large And 1. Pet. 1. 1. Pet. 1. 24. 25 24. 25. All flesh is grasse and the glory of flesh as the flowre of the field but the word of God endureth for euer And Psal 17. 15. When I awake I shall be satisfied Psal 17. 15. with thine image God fully satisfies but these earthly Non esurientes animas sed esuriem pascunt animarum things doe not feede our hungry foules but the hunger of our soules saith Augustine Secondly they are fickle and fugitiue therefore well shewed heere in a moment because they glide away as the running water and in representation because they haue no substance but are meere shadowes and vanishing shewes So Paul 1. Cor. 7. 1. Cor. 7. 31. 31. sayes that the fashion of this world passes away Where the word translated fashion signifies but an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accidentall and externall figure without substance Saint Luke cals al Agrippaes pompe but a fancy Acts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 25. 23. Gal. 4. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 13. 25. 23.