fountaine of truth that they either fal into error themselues or be lesse able to discerne and confute it in others And hence come dissentions and errors into the schooles of the Prophets which cannot be auoided while men leaue the text of scripture addict themselues so much to the writings of men for thereby hee can more cunningly conuey strange conceits into mens minds and therfore euery one that would maintain the truth in purity and syncerity must labour painfully in the text Secondly Gods ministers must heereby be admonished to be carefull in alleadging any text of Scripture that the same be fit and pertinent for to wrest the same from the proper meaning of the holy Ghost to serue their owne conceit is the practise of Satan which euery seruant of God must be farre from and therefore must not do it hand ouer head Which also may serue for a good aduertisement to those that vse to heape vp manifold allegations of Scriptures in the doctrine of a sermon for as in many words there cannot want iniquity as Salomō saith so in affected multiplicity of quotations can the abuse of Scripture bee hardly escaped If we deliuer but a mans testimony honesty will compell vs as neere as we can to keepe both his words and his meaning much more should conscience moue vs in alledging the testimony of the Lord to haue carefull respect to the euidence of truth and therfore that sparing course is very commendable whereby in quoting of Scripture men make sure to keepe themselues to the Lords true meaning lest by deprauing his word they become followers of Satan And thus much for the maner of Satans allegation The true and proper meaning of that text is now briefly to be discussed The ninety-one Psalme from whence it is alledged is a most heauenly part of scripture penned for the comfort of Gods people in the time of some grieuous plague or sickenesse and it containes a notable preseruatiue against the plague and by consequent against any iudgement of God to wit true affiance and confidence in the Lord that is the ground of all comfortable safety thereto among many other is this gratious promise made of the protection of Gods holy Angels which the Diuell doth heere alledge who shall be as carefull for the safety of Gods children in common calamities of famine plague pestilence c. as the nurce is ouer her tender child to hold it in her hands and beare it vp in her armes lest it should fall and hurt it selfe alwaies prouided that the child of God keepe himselfe in his waies that is in obedience to Gods commandements and in the duties of his lawfull calling It is true indeed that iudgement begins at the house of God and the righteous are taken away from the euill to come yea many times the same outward iudgement lights vpon the good that doeth vpon the bad yet this taketh not from Gods child the comfort of this protection in common calamities for all promises of temporall blessings must be vnderstood with the exception of the crosse as heere Gods Angels shall guard his children in time of plague famine and pestilence vnlesse it please God heerewith to chasten them for some sinne past or to preuent some sin or greater euill to come or to make triall of their faith and patience in which cases also the child of God doth greatly differ from the wicked for through the fruition of Gods loue in Christ the euill of the punishment is taken away and the outward smart thereof sanctified to the greater good of his soule but out of this case their protection is certaine see Exod. 12. 23. Psal. 105. 16. 17. Ezek. 9. 4. 6. The vse The consideration of this gratious protection of Gods Angels ouer such as keepe themselues in their waies must moue euery one to labour to know and practise the duties of his calling both generall of Christianity and particular for the state of his life in all good conscience so doing let come what will in all dangers hee shall haue safety for Gods angels pitch their tents about him they are as watchfull ouer him as a nurce ouer her child but if wee forsake our waies wee lose the comfort of their protection expose our selues to all Gods iudgements VERSE 7. Iesus said vnto him Againe it is written Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God HEere is the third generall point in this conflict to wit Christs answer and repulse made to Satans assault taken as the Diuels temptation was from a text of scripture for hee saith Againe it is written where yet hee meaneth not to oppose scripture to scripture but to confute the abuse of scripture by scripture after this sort as if he had said to Satan It is true indeed that God hath made many worthy promises of aid and protection to his children in his word yet they shal not be performed to those that presume to tempt God as thou wouldest haue me to do From this dealing of Christ with Satan we may obserue that the scriptures of God are sufficient in themselues truely to interpret and expound themselues The Diuel alledging scripture did wrest it from the true sense this our Sauiour Christ sheweth by alledging another text out of Moses which being applied to the place which the Diuel abused doth shew the true meaning thereof So Ezra expoūding the law vnto the Iews read distinctly in the law of God and as the words do signifie gaue the sense by scripture and caused the people to vnderstand much more then at this day may the scriptures be thought sufficient for the expounding of themselues sith to the Canon there of since Ezra his time there is added the whole new Testament by the hand of God wherein the deepe things of God are plainelie reuealed The Church of Rome cannot away with this that Scripture should be sufficient to expound it selfe And therefore against it they reason thus That which must expound Scripture must haue iudiciall power to determine of the sense thereof but the scriptures haue no such ludiciall power for they are but a dumb letter and therfore no sufficient iudge to determine of their owne sense and meaning Answ. The Scriptures haue iudiciall power to determine of their owne true sense and meaning for they speake euidently to all that are inlightned by Gods spirit and therby made able to know what the Scripture saith wee know a man may speake to his friend not only by word of mouth but also by letter and thereby expresse his meaning sufficiently euen so though God speake not now vnto his Church by created voice yet by his written word he speakes sufficiently for the cleare manifestation of his will and pleasure concerning them and therefore it is a shamefull slander and blasphemy against the Scriptures to call them an inkie letter and dumbe iudge And let them shew if the Scripture be not where is that speaking iudge
who hath power iudiciall to expound the scripture Indeed their answer is that the Church is this Iudge and that we must consult at her mouth for the true meaning of the Scripture Answ. The church hath a ministery and dispensation committed vnto her in the execution whereof she deliuereth the meaning of the Scripture vnto Gods people but that is not from any iudiciall authority committed vnto her to determine of the sense of Scripture of her selfe but onely by comparing scripture with scripture and expounding one place out of another euen as the Lawyer giues the sense of the law not from any iudicial power giuen vnto him aboue the law but by obseruing the words with the scope and circumstances of the law But heere I would know if the Church must needs bee iudge by what meanes must she determine They answer by the rule of faith the consent of Councels and Fathers and if these faile then by the Pope Answ. By their rule of faith they vnderstand vnwritten traditions that is such truth beside Scripture as hath beene kept by tradition from hand to hand since the primitiue Church But these are meere forgeries and shame it were to subiect the truth of God to the deuice of man if these bee made iudge of Scripture then shall the faith of the church depend vpon the wisedome of man and not vpon the power of God a thing abhorred of the Apostle 1. Cor. 2. 5. The onely rule of faith is the Scripture and true faith will admit no other iudge beside the Scripture to determine of that whereon it must depend Secondly for their consent of Fathers and Councels that is no sufficient meanes to determine of the true sense of Scripture for their seuerall errors and contradictions one to another many times to themselues shew that they wanted the immediate assistance of the Spirit And the same is true of the Pope as might easily be proued at large by their grosse ignorance errors And therfore it remaines that the true iudge and expounder of Scripture is Scripture it selfe as Christ himselfe by his practise sheweth in this place The place alledged by Christ is this commandement of God vnto his people Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God For the vnderstanding whereof we must search out three things first what the tempting of God signifieth secondly the manner how God is tempted and thirdly the cause and root thereof For the first to tempt God signifieth to make triall and experience of God and to prooue whether hee be so true iust mercifull prouident and powerfull as his word reporteth him to be Thus did the Israelites often tempt God as the Lord saith When your fathers tempted me proued me and saw my workes which latter words shew what it is to tempt God euen to seeke to haue proofe by his works whether he be such a one as his word saith he is If any shall say we are commanded to taste and see how gratious the Lord is Ps. 34. 8. yea the Lord bids his people proue him Malach. 3. 10. Answ. Those places do sufficiently expound themselues for Dauids taste and sight is by the grace of true faith and affiance for in the same verse he pronounceth such blessed and in Malachie the Lord bids them prooue him but yet in their way of obedience in prouiding for his Sanctuary according to his ordinances Therefore we must know for the second point that euery triall of God is not simply euill but that which is needlesse when without warrant from his word we presume vpon him beyond the meanes of his ordinary prouidence Thirdly the root of this sinne is an vnbeleeuing heart whereby a man doubts of the truth of Gods word of his power presence and prouidence Ps. 78. 18. The Israelites tempted God in their hearts there is this sinne the maner how followeth in requiring meat for their lusts c. not contenting thēselues with Gods present prouidence the root ground whereof is set downe vers 22. because they beleeued not in God and trusted not in his helpe When a man doubts of the fidelity of his seruant he wil lay something in his way as a peece of siluer his purse c. to trie him withall so when a man begins to doubt of Gods goodnesse and fidelity towards him hee will easily be brought to make needlesse triall of him by some worke of God beside his ordinary prouidence The meaning then is this Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God that is thou shalt not make any needlesse triall of Gods goodnesse mercy power or prouidence from a distrustfull heart in the truth of his word Heere yet further for our instruction wee are to know that God is tempted fiue waies as the word of God doth manifest first when a man shall appoint vnto God either the time when the place where or the maner how God shall helpe him and performe his word vnto him heerein he seeks experience of the truth and power of God Thus the Israelites tempted God in the wildernesse when they wanted water saying Is God among vs or no God had promised to bee with them in all their iourney to Canaan but that they will not now beleeue vnlesse he wil shew his presence by giuing them water in that place And so likewise they tempted him in the want of foood Ps. 78. 19. Can God prepare a table in the wildernesse The consideration whereof must teach vs in all our petitions which we make vnto God for the accomplishment of his promises vnto vs to beware of limiting God as the Iewes did by prescribing vnto him time place maner for the accomplishment thereof but wait with patience his good leasure For hee that beleeueth will not make haste but wil commit his way to the Lord Ps. 37. 5. Secondly God is tempted when men require a signe at his hands Thus the Pharisies tempted Christ Matt. 12. 38. Master we would see a signe of thee meaning thereby to be certified whether hee were the Messias and Luke saith they tempted him Luk. 11. 16. And thus doe all those tempt God which refuse to embrace the doctrine of the Gospel because they cannot see the ministers therof to confirme the same by miracles Thus do many Papists plead against our religion embracing rather the mysterie of iniquity because it is confirmed vnto them by lying wonders not considering that the truth which wee professe was once sufficiently confirmed to bee the truth of God by his owne testimony thereunto in signes wonders through the hands of his Apostles Quest. Is euery asking of a signe a tempting of God for Gedion asked a signe when he was to be a Iudge and deliuerer of gods people Iudg. 6. 17. And so did Hezekiah to bee assured of the lengthning of his daies 2. King 20. 8. And yet we reade not that God charged them with tempring him but did condescend to their requests Answ. There be two causes
to behaue our selues against all enemies to the truth that would allure vs to heresie as to Popery Anabaptisme or such like namely to stick fast to the text of Scripture and not to suffer our selues by any meanes to bee drawen from it It may bee thou art vnlearned and thine enemie both learned and eloquent yet heere is thy refuge cleaue the faster to this written word and if thou haue one text for thy truth make more account thereof then of all the restimonies of councels fathers or men whatsoeuer This instruction is needfull for it may bee God will suffer seducers to try his children and then vnlesse they keep sure this ground of faith they shall surely be seduced The text which Christ alledgeth for his answer is taken out of Deutr. 6. 13. where the words are thus read Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him At the first it may seem that Christ misalledgeth that text and corrupteth it for where Moses saith Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God Christ saith Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and to the latter part Christ addeth the word onely saying him onely shalt thou serue for that which Moses saith and serue him But the truth is heere is no corruption but a most worthy allegation as wee shall plainly see if wee consider two things first that Christ and his Apostles in alledging the Scriptures of the old Testament did not so much respect the words as the true and proper meaning of the place Secondly that they oft expound the places which they alledge and therupon do sometimes vary in word but stil retaine the true sense and meaning So it is in this text alleaged Moses saith thou shalt feare the Lord thy God vnderstanding by feare religious awe and reneronce And Christ saying thou shalt worship or adore the Lord thy God vnderstandeth by worship outward adoration in bowing of the body whereby we testifie the inward awe and reuerence of the heart as when we humble our selues to call vpon God by praier And this change of words by Christ serues for excellent vse in this place to wit to let vs more clearly see what this feare of God is To feare God in that place is from a reuerent awe of the heart towards God to humble a mans selfe in prostrating his body before the Lord either to praise God for benefits receiued or to pray vnto him for gifts and graces needfull Againe for the word which he addeth therein is no fault at all for the ful sense and true meaning of Moses text must needs include so much as the prohibition annexed in the verse following doth plainly shew for saying thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and adding Thou shalt not walke after other Gods vers 14. is it not all one as if hee had said thou shalt serue him only so that we haue inst cause to blesse God for the true and plaine explaning of the words and not to surmise the least corruption in the alledging of them Now then for our further instruction in this text alledged consider two points first what worship and seruice is secondly to whom it belongeth First worship in generall betokeneth the exhibiting and giuing of reuerence and honour to another This worship is two-fold Ciuill or Diuine Ciuill worship is that outward reuerence and honour which one man giues to another as by prostrating the body bowing the knee c. The end of Ciuill worship is to testifie and acknowledge superiority and preheminence in another either for authority and office as the subiect worships his king and gouernour or for gifts and graces or for old age as inferiours in gifts and yonger in age by due reuerence must acknowledge In this Ciuill maner did Iacob bow himselfe euen times to his brother Esau thereby acknowledging him for his superiour and better Gen. 33. 3. Thus also did Abraham bow himselfe before the Hittites Gen. 23. 7. And Lot vnto the Angels that came into Sodome taking them to be but men Gen. 19. 1. And in this ciuill maner it is lawfull to kneele before Kings and Princes to testifie our subiection vnto them and loyall acknowledgement of their preheminence ouer vs vnder God Diuine worship is the ascribing of Diuinity to the thing we honour wherby we make it vnto vs some diuine thing aboue the order of any creature A man may ascribe Diuinity vnto a thing foure waies first by attributing the Godhead vnto it or giuing vnto it such honour whereby he acknowledgeth the same to be God Secondly by ascribing vnto it the attributes of God as omnipresence omnipotency to bee most iust to know all things c. Thirdly by accepting and acknowledging it to be the Creator and Gouernour of all things Fourthly by acknowledging it to bee the giuer of all good things the defender and deliuerer from all euill And to whatsoeuer thing in worship a man ascribes any of these to the same doth he ascribe Diuinity This diuine worship doth principally consist in religion and piety for by religion which indeed is Gods worship and by piety do men ascribe vnto a thing diuine and religious honour Diuine worship is two fold Inward in the mind or outward in the body Inward diuine worship is whē a man giues his heart soule to any thing deuoting thereto the affections of his heart as loue feare ioy hope faith and confidence and that because he conceiueth it to be God hauing diuine properties as omnipotency infinite wisedome iustice mercy c. or being the Creator and Gouernour of all or the giuer of all good things vnto him and his preseruer from all euill This deuoting of the heart and soule vnto God with the faculties affections therof is the ground and substance of all diuine worship and indeed can be giuen to nothing but to that which is God or conceiued of as God Outward diuine worship is when a man shall any way bow prostrate or cast downe his body to any thing thereby to testifie that his mind and heart are deuoted to it as that hee holds it to be God to be omnipotent c. Creator and gouernour and his preseruer and therfore hee doth repose his trust and affiance therein set his loue joy and feare thereon aboue all other things And heere wee may obserue a difference betweene Ciuill worship and Diuine By outward ciuill worship we only acknowledge preheminence and superiority in another in regard of authority of gifts age or such like But by outward diuine worship wee acknowledge diuinity to be in the thing wherto we bow or prostrate our selues Againe wee must heere also remember that outward diuine worship serues onely to restifie the inward euen to make knowen what thing it is which wee conceiue to be God and whereto wee haue deuoted the affections of our hearts Thus we see what worship is and the kinds thereof And heere we must vnderstand our Sauiour Christ