perticular as the turning of stones into bread but for myracle and the casting himselfe downe was but to trie God what care hee had of him But this so much toucheth the glorie of God as he can hold no longer Also his longing to redeeme man caused the same Neither did he onelie aunswere the Diuell so but when his blessed Apostle who meant friendlie to him mooued him to the like matter he rebuked him sharply Two causes there are wherein Christ is verie earnest one in counsell ministred to him tending to the impayring of Gods glorie the other in practises tending to the impayring of Gods Church Iohn 2. 15. there he was not onely vehement in woords but made a whippe to scourge them out And so in the olde Testament it is sayd of Moses Numb 12. 3. that hee was a meeke man aboue all the men of the earth yet when he came to a case of Idolatrie Exod. 32. 19. it is said he threw the Tables out of his hands and brake them And so farre did he loose his naturall affection to his people and Countrey men that hee caused a great number of them to bee slayne And so in a case of the Church when Corah rebelled Numb 16. 15. then Moses wexed verie angrie for Glorie be to God on high and peace on earth is the Angells song and ioy and the diuels griefe as on the other side the dishonour of God and dissention of the Church is the diuells ioy and griefe of the Angels Now besides that hee dooth in woords rebuke him sharplie he doth no lesse in gesture also as by turning his backe vppon him as it is most like hee did in saying Auoyde Satan which is such a despightfull disgrace as if that one should offer vs the lyke wee would take it in verye great disdaine Which is to vs an instruction that as there is a time when wee are to keepe the Diuell before vs and to haue our eye still vppon him and his weapon or temptation for feare least vnawares hee might doo vs some hurt so is there a place a tyme and a sinne that wee are to turne our backes on and not once to looke at his temptation In affliction patience is to bee tryed there resist the Diuell stande to him and he will flie from yee Iam. 4. 7. Heere wee are to set the Diuell before vs. But in a case of lust or filthie desire then doo ye flie from him 1. Corinth 6. 18. So in the second Epistle to Timothie second chapter and two and twentieth verse wee are exhorted to flye from the lusts of youth and to follow iustice there is no standing to gaze backe on the diuell and his temptations Now to the Answere Scriptum est The disputing or decyding of the Diuells Title that is whether the Kingdomes of the earth were his to giue or no Christ standes not vppon nor vppon this whether the Diuell were a man of his woord or no. Indeede it might well haue been doubted whether the Diuell be as good as his woord his promises are not Yea and Amen as the promises of God are Wee maie take example by Eue to whome hee promised that if they did eate of the forbidden Frute that they should bee lyke Gods but were they so indeede after they had eaten No but lyke the beastes that perish And as true it is that the Kingdomes are his If the Kingdome of Israell had been at his disposition wee maye bee sure Dauid should neuer haue beene King as well appeareth by the troubles hee raysed agaynst him No nor Ezechias neyther of all other hee would neuer choose such Wee may see his good will in Iob chapter second verse 7. hee could not onely be content to spoyle him of all that hee had but also hee must afflict his bodie and so vpon the Gergashites hogs in the 8. Chapter and 30. verse of Saint Mathew The Kingdomes are none of his but they are committed to him in some sort to dispose as hee himselfe saith in the fourth of Luke the 6. vers Hee hath as it were an Aduowson of them to prefent vnto them but yet not as hee there sayth to giue to whom he list but to whom he is permitted God must first put all the Iob hath in his hands or els he can do nothing Abimelech Iudg. 9. and Herode Mat. 2. came to theyr Kingdomes by the Diuells patent they bee the Diuells Officers So wee see daylie in our dayes that hee bestowes offices and presents to Churches So that as Brentius saith Manie haue Panem quotidianum that cannot come by Da nobis they come not to it by Gods gift yet all the interest that the Diuell hath is but to present Pro hac vita tantum As therefore it maye bee true that in some sort they maye bee gyuen hym so yet not to dispose as hee will It is God onelie that can say so for his onelie they are absolutelie The earth is the Lordes and all the fulnesse thereof the round world and all that dwell therein Psalm 24. vers 1. It is hee the most high God that deuided to the Nations their inheritance Deuteron chapt 32. verse 8. By him Kings reigne and Princes haue dominion Prouerbes chapt 8. verse 15. Hee brought Nebuchadnezzer to knowe That the most high God bare rule ouer the Kingdomes of men Dan. chapt 5. vers 21. Hee indeede may well saye Cui voluero do ea and to whom soeuer God giueth hee giueth liberally and reproacheth no man Iam. chapt 1. vers 5. The Diuel we see exacteth more than the thing is woorth and restrayneth the benefite of his graunt with vniust couenaunts But Christ goes not about to aunswere the Diuell that waye but by flying to the Scriptures as to his surest holde Therefore Dauid prayes that his minde may bee enclined to Gods lawe and not to Couetousnesse Psalme 119. verse 36. For there is a medicine for euerie disease and power as well against this Temptation of Couetousnesse as against the former the Lawe of God can as well keepe a man from Couetousnesse as from Desperation Heauen and earth shall passe but no one iote of this Let therefore Haec omnia giue place to Scriptum est mary Omnia illa which both wee now enioye and which are layde vp for vs heereafter are come too by Scriptum est So that Omnia haec is not all wee must care for there bee things to come besides these which wee laye hands on farre more precious Though heere bee all the Kingdomes of the earth yet they are sayd to bee shewed in the twinckling of an eye so cannot the other Kingdome of exceeding glorie All the power of all the Princes on the earth haue not power ouer one sillie soule to destroy it Mat. chapt 10. vers 28. All the glorie of them is called but a great big fanne or pompe Acts. 25. 23. Salomon was the most glorious Prince that euer was yet hee was not cloathed like a Lyllie Matth
commaund all mens tongues 2. Sam. 14. 10. that they dare not once open theyr mouth to speake against him Nay he shall haue all mens tongues pens readie to extoll all that he doth and say The King is like an Angell of God 2. Sam. 19. or that it is the voyce of God and not of man Act. 12. 22. Why then to haue all mens hands feete bodies faces tongues and pens this may be vvel said All to haue not onely one kingdome but all to haue all the power glorie of those kingdomes here is euen all the kingdome the power and the glorie He comes not after a pelting manner he shewes himselfe a franke chapman hee sayth not that Godlines is great gayne and a minde content with his lot 1. Tim. 6. 6. and wills him to be content with food and raiment ver 8. He comes not with Illae which we shall not once beholde till another world come and whether there bee anie such or no may doubt He shewes him a mount that may be touched Heb. 12. 18. hee comes wyth haec that is with readie money in hys hand he not onely offers but stakes downe and whereas God saith that in the sweate of our fore-head we shall eate our bread Genes 3. 19. the Diuell requires no such thing This is a donatiue Haec omnia dabo What saye ye now Shall Christ take it or no The Heathen man saith If a man be to violate his faith for anie thing it is for a kingdome Christ hath here offered him all kingdomes a very entising bayt but is there neuer a hook hidden vnder it The woman was fine and braue and had a cup of gold in her hand but it was full of abhomination Apoc. 17. 4. So heere for all these faire shewes if you will gain anie thing by the diuel you must worship him that is the condition annexed to the graunt it is no absolute gift the diuell is not so kinde as to part from all that for nothing It is such a gift as the Lawyers call Excambium that is Exchaunge I will giue you this if you will giue me that But yet one would thinke it a verie large offer to giue so great a liewe for so small a seruice it is but a little externall reuerence the bowing of the knee you may notwithstanding in hart think what ye list Well we may thinke there was somewhat in it that the Diuell offered so much for so little and yet Christ refused it Indeed Christ had great reason to refuse it for hee should haue been a looser by the bargaine I will stand to it he had been better to haue yeelded to either of the two former temptations than to this hee should full deerely haue bought all his kingdomes he had bin better to haue cast himselfe dovvne from the pinacle For that which the diuell here demaundeth is liew is as much worth as both the glorie of God and the redemption of man Of his glorie God saith That hee will not giue it to another Esa. 42. 8. If to no other then not to the Diuell of all other And therefore the Angel would not haue a burnt offering offered to him but to God Iudg. 13. 16. The Angell would not let Iohn fall downe and worship him but bad him worship God Reuel 19. 10. for hee knewe that God was varie iealous of his honour and stood precisely vpon that poynt If hee would not impart this honour with the Angells much lesse would hee with the diuell for there are degrees in idolatrie Roman 1. 23. It is not so ill to turne the glorye of God into the image of a man as into birds and beasts Secondly if we looke into the desire that he had to satisfie his auncient enuie by the destruction of mankind we must needes commend the diuells wit in making such a bargain It had been the best peny-worth that euer was bought For if wee marke how Christ rateth one onely soule we may see how he that to gaine all the kingdomes of the world shall loose hys owne soule Mat. 16. 26. makes but a foolish bargaine Then what rate shal be made of all mens soules if one bee worth kingdomes All which had beene lost if Christ had consented to that which the diuel here requireth for then he could not haue said I restored that which I tooke not Psal. 69. 4. By his death he payed the price for the sinnes of the whole Woâ—â—â— hee should then haue had a score of his owne to haue payed his death could haue beene sufficient but for himselfe onely If hee had fallen downe and worshipped him hee could not haue sayd that the Prince of this Worlde had nothing to saye against him Ioh. 14. 3. Now let vs apply this to our selues But wee will peraduenture say the diuell neuer made vs anie such offer and therefore what needes any admonishment in this behalfe But I aunswere though the diuell come not in person to vs as he did to Christ yet he comes by his instruments When Balaac sent to Balaam to come and curse the Israelites and promised him great rewards Num. 22. 17. it was not Balaacks messengers that spake but the diuell vsed them as instruments to speake So when Simon Magus would haue bought the holy Ghost with money the Diuell therein tempted the Apostles with Symonie Simon was but the trunk through which the diuel spake Act. 8. Againe there be some that will say they were neuer tempted with Kingdomes it maye well be for it needes not when lesse will serue It vvas Christ onely that was thus tempted in him lay a heroicall mind that could not be allured with small matters But with vs it is nothing so wee esteeme far more basely of our selues we set our wares at a verie easie price he may buy vs euen dagger cheape as we say he need neuer carie vs so high as the mount the pinacle is high enough yea the lowest steeple in all the Towne would serue the turne Or let him but carrie vs to the leades or gutters of our owne houses nay let vs but stand in our windowe or in our doores if he will giue vs but so much as we can there see hee will tempt vs throughly we wil accept it and thank him too He shall not neede to come to vs with kingdomes one kingdome is too much what say ye to half a one Mar 6. 23. No will the diuell say I will giue ye halfe of one If he would come to vs but with thirtie pence Mat. 26. 15. I am afraid manie of vs would play Iudas Nay lesse than so would buy a great sort euen handfuls of barley and peeces of bread Ezec. 13. 19. and Prouerb 28. 21. Yea some will not sticke to buye and sell the poore for a payre of shooes as Micah in his eight chapter and sixt verse speaketh When he commeth then to tempt vs hee may abate a great deale of this that hee offers Christ he
and tokens of his louing fauor which euer since and daylie he sheweth towards vs. And together withall let vs beseech him that while these dayes of our peace doo last hee will open our eies to see encline our harts to seek after those things which maye make for the continuance and establishing of this peace long amongst vs. And as by especiall dutie we all stand bound let vs commend vnto his Maiestie his chosen seruaunt Elizabeth our Soueraigne by his grace of England France Ireland Queene Defendresse of the faith and ouer all estates and persons within these her Dominions next and immediatelie vnder God supreame Gouernesse let vs beseech God daylie more and more to perswade her Highnes hart that the aduauncement and flourishing of this Kingdome of hers consisteth in the aduancement and flourishing of the Kingdome of his Sonne Christ within it that it may be therfore her Maiesties speciall care and studie that both her Highnes in that great place wherein GOD hath set her and euerie one of vs in the seuerall degrees wherein we stand may be as carefull to testifie vnto the whole world a speciall care and endeuour that we haue for the propagation of the Gospell of his sonne as Christ Iesus hath shewen himselfe by many arguments both of olde and of late and that of weight that he hath caried still carieth a speciall care of the preseruation and welfare of vs all Let vs commend also vnto God the seuerall Estates of the Land for the right honorable of the Nobilitie and of her Highnes priuie Councell that they may be carefull from the spirite of the Lord to deriue al their Councells that so God which sendeth the Councell may send it good and happie successe also and maie confound cast out the councels of the enemy For the estate of the Cleargie the right reuerend Fathers in GOD in whose hand the gouernment of the Church is and all other inferior Ministers that he will giue vnto each and euerie of them sufficiēt graces for the discharge of their functions together with the graces both a faithfull and a fruitful employing of them For the Estate of Magistracie and namely for the Gouernors of this honorable Citie that they together with the rest according to the trust that is reposed in them may be no lesse carefull speedely without delay than incorruptly without partialitie to administer iustice to the people of God For the Estate of the Commons that they all in a Christian obedience towardes each and euerie of their superiors and in a godly loue with the frutes and duties there of one towards another maye walke worthie of that glorious calling whereunto they are called And that the blessings of the Lord may not only be with vs for our times but successiuely also be deliuered to our posterity let vs beseech God that he will visit with the spirite of his grace the two Vniuersities Cambridge and Oxford all Schooles of learning and places of education of youth that they being watered with the deaw of his blessing maye yeeld foorth such plants as may both serue for a present supply of the Churches need and also in such sort furnish the generations that are to come that our posteritie also may bee counted vnto the Lord for a holy seede and a Christian generation as we our selues are And thus recommending our selues vnto the praiers of Christ his Church as wee haue commended Christ his whole Church by our praiers vnto the Maiestie of Almightie God reposing our trust and confidence neyther in our owne prayers nor in the Churches prayers but in the alone mediation of Christ Iesus our Aduocate Let vs vnto him as vnto our sole Intercessor offer vp these our supplications that hee maye present them to God his Father for the effectuall obtayning of these and whatsoeuer graces else he knoweth needfull for his whole Church and for vs calling vppon him as himselfe in his Gospell hath taught vs. Our Father c. The Texts of these seuen Sermons following taken out of the 4. chapter of S. Mathewes Gospell beginning at the first verse and ending with the eleuenth THen was Iesus led aside of the Spirit into the wildernesse to be tempted of the diuell 2 And when he had fasted fortie daies 40. nights he was afterward hungry 3 Then came to him the Tempter said If thou be the Sonne of God command that these stones be made bread 4 But he answering said It is written Man shal not liue by bread onely but by euerie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God 5 Then the diuell tooke him vp into the holy Cittie and set him on a pinacle of the Temple 6 And saide vnto him If thou be the Sonne of God cast thy selfe downe for it is written that he will giue his Angelles charge ouer thee and with their handes they shall lift thee vp least at any time thou sholdst dash thy foot against a stone 7 Iesus said vnto him It is written againe Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God 8 Againe the diuell tooke him into an exceeding high Mountaine and shewed him all the kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them 9 And saide to him All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall down and worship mee 10 Then said Iesus vnto him Auoyde Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue 11 Then the diuel left him behold the Angels came ministred vnto him These Texts are the Gospell appoynted to be read the first Sunday in Lent The first Sermon MATTHEVV Chap. 4. ver 1. Then was Iesus led aside of the spirite into the wildernes to be tempted of the diuell OVr Sauiour Christ by his Natiuitie took vppon him the shape of man by his Circumcision he tooke vpon him and submitted himselfe to the degree of a seruant by the first hee made himselfe in case and able to performe the worke of our redemption by the second hee entred bound for the performing of it All was to this end that he might restore the worke of God to his originall perfection In the bringing of which to passe it was decreed by God in the beginning as a thing necessarie that the head of the Serpent by whose meanes it was violated and defaced should bee brused And For this cause saith Saint Iohn appeared the Sonne of GOD that hee might loose the workes of the Diuell whereof this was the first For in Gen. 3. wee read that his first worke after his fall was enuiously to tempt our first parents and thereby to ouerthrow all man-kinde And heere streight after our Sauiour was baptized hee with like enuie setteth on him Christ therefore first beginneth with the ouercomming of that and for that purpose he is heere led forth to be tempted that so being tempted he might ouercome Our Sauiour makes this question Matth. 11. 7. vpon their going out to
beginning and break it if we can while it is but a whipcord And to vse the like pollicie in a good matter that the King of Egipt did in a bad who tooke order that euerie male childe should be killed to keepe the Israelites downe betimes against the succession of temptation to entertaine the succession of prayer Now to the matter The Diuell deales as with a Citie In the first he tells him he must be famished except hee can turne stones into bread Secondly he comes to make a traine of Scripture to intrap him Now hee comes to the ordinary meanes of dealing that is when men striue about anie thing and both parties are loath to yeeld there will be some parley of composition and sharing betweene them So here the diuell seeing that he cannot ouer-throw his faith offereth him to compound and on hys part hee is content to giue Christ all the Kingdomes of the world if our Sauiour for his part will but fall downe and worship him The diuel before came disguised in the shape of a male-content as that Christ should bee in such hunger Next he came in the habite of a Diuine and that verie demurely with his Psalter in his hand Now he comes in all his Royaltie like the Prince of this world as he is so called Iohn 4. 30. Hee dooth not stand pelting wyth Christ but goes roundly and frankelie to woorke hee offers all that hee hath and that is no small matter to bring Christ but to one sinne that so hee might ouer-throwe all mankinde He comes no more now with Si filius Dei es for that we see is here left he would not haue him thinke on it hee would haue him now filius seculi This is called by Saint Paule the bewitching Temptation whereby men become so foolish as that after they haue begun in the spirite they wyll ende in the flesh Galath 3. 3. Where the Diuell cannot preuayle eyther by our owne concupiscence or by hys enticings hee will see what hee can doo with his Dragons taile and by that meanes say the Fathers hee did more hurt than by the other Secondly his tayle is said to drawe downe the third part of the starres of heauen and to cast them to the earth Apoc. 12. 4. Wee are heere to consider first the preparation that the diuell makes by taking him vp to an high hill to make the offer vers 8. Secondly the temptation it selfe vers 9. Thirdly our Sauiours answere and the shield he opposeth to it verse 10. Fourthly the issue of the conflict the victorie vers 11. In the first we are to consider first the diuells methode secondly the place and ground thirdly his pollicie in not onely telling what he would giue but in shewing thereof fourthly the things themselues which hee offers which are two the kingdome of the earth and the glorie thereof I. First of his methode Ephes. 4. 14. we are warned not to be wauering caried about with euerie wynd of doctrine by the deceipt and craftines of men whereby they lye in waite to deceiue Craftines and deceipt then be the instruments which the Diuell vseth he brings Christ from the Wildernesse to the Temple and from the Temple to the Mountain to destroy the Temple which Mountain is prosperitie So in aduersitie wee vowe to God that we will serue him but after helpe we breake it II. Secondly the lysts wher this temptation was vsed was the Mountaine The reason why hee chose this place rather than anie other is the fitnes of it in regard of the prospect The wildernes we know was a melancholie place and in no wise fit for this temptation so neither was the pinacle for besides that it might haue hindred the working of this temptation beeyng the pinacle of the Temple the prospect was not good enough For though it were high yet there were diuers hilles about Ierusalem vvhich would haue hindred the sight of manie things And though Sion were a mountaine yet in respect of Mount Hermon and Lybanus it is sayd to bee but a little one Psal. 42. 6. and Psalm 68. 16. Basan is said to be the great hill Therefore as good chose a conuenient hill both for height and neerenes where hee might behold the whole Land of Chanaan Deut. 32. 49. So here the Diuell chose an exceeding high mountaine wher a high minde might best take view and contemplate such where his horizon might be as spacious as was possible where his sight might not be hindered by any meane obiect III. Thirdly he sets before his eies al the kingdomes of the earth There is nothing so soone entised led awaye as the eye it is the Broker betweene the hart all wicked lusts that be in the world And therefore it was great follie in Ezechias to shew his roabes and treasure Esa. 39. 2. as he was told by the Prophete it stirred vp such coales of desire in them that sawe them as could not bee quenched till they had fetcht awaye all that he had and all that his Auncestours had layd vp euen till that day It is the wisedome that is vsed nowe a dayes when men would haue one thing for another to shewe the thing they would so exchange as the buyer sheweth his money and the seller his wares in the best manner that hee can each to entice the other by the eye to the desire of the hart It is the diuels ancient sleight he wold not go about to perswade the matter in words till he might withall present the thing to the eye So he dealt with Eue Gen. 3. 6. First he shewed her how pleasant the frute was and the woman sawe it So the cause of the deluge was Gen. 6. 2. that the sonnes of God saw the beautie of the daughters of men Achabs seeing of Naboths vineyard 1. Kin. 21. 2. for that it laye neere his house was the cause of all the mischiefe that followed This same foolish vanitie of apparell whereof I haue giuen so often warning out of this place comes from hence I saw a fine Babilonish garment and desiring it I tooke it saith Achan Iosua 7. 21. So the seeing of the brybe blindeth the eyes of the Iudge Deut. 16. 19. So still the sight of the eye allureth the hart to desire The Heathen man therefore wished that vertue and honestie might as well bee seene with bodily eyes for then he thinketh that Admirabiles amores excitarent suâ— So if we could as well see that which God hath for vs as that the diuell here offereth vs we would not regard the diuels largesse Moses and the other Patriarchs saw him which is inuisible which had prouided a better thing for them therefore he refused to bee called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter Heb. 11. 27. and to enjoy the pleasure of sinne But you are not so to take it as though it were a thing simplie ill to behold such things or to looke on a cup-boord of plate or to stand on
may stryke out Omnia and Haec too and in stead thereof put in Hoc and say Holde yee shall haue this to worship mee I will giue ye no more I feare me wee will make short woorke and take it Hoc aliquid a matter of halfe a crowne or ten groates a paire of shooes or some such trifle will bring vs on our knees to the diuell Is there a pretie commoditie to be had It makes no matter for breaking faith and promise This is that that makes the diuell so good a husband and thriftie and to goe neere hand what neede he giue more when so little will serue whereas if we wil stand hucking with him wee might get a great deale more In this temptation as in the former there is both fire to consume our saith and a dart to wound our consciences The fire is the motion of discontent that GOD is either a poore God not able sufficiently to rewarde those that serue him or else an vnkinde God that will not rewarde the dueties that are perfourmed by those that serue him By this wee come to say Who is the Almightie that wee shold serue him Iob. 21. 15. The wicked are they that prosper and encrease in riches I haue cleansed my hart in vaine for daylie haue I been punished Psal. 73. 12. Then this dart makes vs wearie of well dooing and then followes that we will serue the diuell Being discontent with Gods seruice we vndertake the seruice of his enemie he requyreth nothing but a little falling down and then if Simon shall come and require anye vnlawfull thing at our hands wee are readie with Iudas to meete with him and say What wil ye giue me and I will doo it Mat. 26. 15. though it bee to the betraying of Christ. The Diuell heere opens hys meaning in this Temptation plainly that he would haue him fall down worship him with a bare and bolde face before hee came disguised and spake in parables His meaning is not when he saith Dabo to giue them but to barter or exchange one thing for another It is no gift but a flat bargaine men vse not to account it a gift except it bee without rendring backe either money or seruice If hee render here seruice back he may well thinke I haue solde my soule for Hoc aliquid Mat. 16. 76. He may think as Esau sold his birth-right for a messe of pottage Hebr. 12. 16. so hath hee sold his soule his birth right and freedome for we were all bought wyth a price 1. Cor. 7. 23. the same great high Priest redeemed vs all with his bloud No sinnes are so carefully to be taken heede of as these that haue annexed to adoration donation he hath Malum with a ioynter If he should haue cast himselfe downe from the Pinacle heere is all hee should haue had they would haue talkt of it and haue wondred a while at it Well we must bee thus perswaded that God is as well able and willing to reward vs for anie seruice as the Diuell and better too It is hee indeede that reigneth ouer the kingdomes of men Dan. 5. 21. and placeth in them whom pleaseth him but when he giueth or disposeth hee giueth indeede freelie exacting nothing backe again vnlesse it be such things as hee were to haue without anie such gift such things as are due of meere right with out anie stipulation or hyre Iam. 1. 5. The Diuells Dabo is as Offices and parsonages are giuen amongst vs that is as vsually solde as horses in Smithfield But if we could bee content to giue indeede let that heroicall minde that was in Abraham be in vs Genes 14. 23. that as hee would not take anie thing of Melchisedech so wee will not bee a shooe latchet the richer by the Diuell If hee offer to make vs wealthie let vs answere him Pecunia tua tecum pereat The seuenth Sermon Matth. 4. Ver. 10. 11. Then Iesus saith vnto him Get thee hence behinde me Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue Then the diuell leaueth him and beholde the Angels came and ministred vnto him THE answering of this Temptation if some had had the answering of it would haue been facto by the dooing of of the thing that the diuell required and not in woordes standing vppon termes in disputation Insomuch as they wold neuer haue cared for a cushion to kneele on but haue fallen downe straight on their verye faces and haue thanked him too If Balaack should say vnto any one of them I will promote thee to great honour Num. 22. 17. an Angell standing in the waye should not hinder them from going The manner of flesh blood is in cases of preferment to respect nothing that maye bring them out of their conceaued hope or desire thereof and therefore whatsoeuer it is that stands in their way be it neuer so holie downe it shall for hast to make the way neerest In regard of this one brother respects not another When Ioseph had had a dreame of his brethren told it them all brotherly affection vvas laid aside Gen. 37. 5. The sonne and subiect Absalom forgetteth his dutie as to his father and alleageance as to his Prince seeking his life 2. Sam. 16. 11. The mother of Ahaziah Athalia when she saw her sonne dead makes no more adoo but destroyes all the Kings seed 2. King 11. 1. Iehu makes no bones nor is abashed at the sight of heapes of dead mens heads of Kings sonnes that he had caused to be slaine but addes more murthers to them 2. King 10. 8. What's a basket full of heades to a Kingdome And Herode stacke not to kill all the male borne children in Bethlehem Mat. 2. 16. So that Gregorie might well say Ambitio est vita cui etiam innocentes nocent such is the vehement desire of a kingdome So that a great manie would haue made no scruple at the matter neither would they haue counted it a temptation but good counsell Neither wold so haue cut vp Peter as Christ did to bid him goe behinde him and turne their backes on him but they would rather haue turnd their backs to God their faces after satan Ie. 2. 27. ◠Ti. ◠15. and indeed it must needs be that either our Sauiour was vnwise in refusing so good an offer or else the World in these dayes is in a wrong byas Our Sauiour we see doth not only refuse the thing but also giues him hard words for making the offer and motion For he doth not only confute him here by saying Scriptum est but he addes words of bitter reprehēsion saying Auoyd Satan He might haue giuen faire words as hee did before but here he seemeth to haue left hys patience The reason why hee vvas more hot in this than in the former is for that this toucheth the glory of God the redemption of mankinde the former Temptations touched but himselfe in