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
like by all which God is robbed of his honour And though we condemne the Papists for giuing to Saints diuine worship yet wee must beware of despising the Saints of God in Heauen for there is due vnto them a threefold honour first thanksgiuing to God for them who inabled them by his gifts and graces to be in their times speciall instruments of good vnto Gods church Secondly we are to carrie a reuerent estimation of them being now in heauen as of the friends of God and temples of his holy spirit Thirdly we are to follow the example of their godly conuersatiōs in the duties of godlinesse But from giuing vnto them diuine worship we must carefully abstaine Againe if the diuine worship of saints be heere condemned then much more is the worshipping of their reliques then also is their instituting and obseruing fasting daies and holy daies vnto their saints heere iustly reproued Neither can our Church heerein be condemned with them though wee retaine the names of such daies among vs because it is for another end out fasts are meerely ciuill on such daies and our holy dayes turned from the adoration of saints to the seruice of God whereon also our conscience knowes her libertie giuen of God for honest labour in a lawfull calling as neede requires Further obserue how Christ heere ioines the worship of God and the seruice of God together teaching vs not to content our selues with doing the duties of Gods worship but withall wee must yeeld vnto him absolute seruice and obedience Men commonly thinke they haue done enough if on daies appointed they come to the Church and there performe outward worship vnto God in hearing the word in praier and receiuing the Sacraments these I confesse be worthy workes if they be well performed but heerein is the common errour that when they haue performed this outward worship they make no conscience of absolute seruice the thing which Christ heere ioines to worship they thinke that in their callings they may liue as they list either idly or vniustly by fraud and dissembling but seuer not thou seruice from worship which Christ hath ioyned together lest God say vnto thee forthy worship as hee did once to the Iewes My soule hateth your new moones and your appointed feasts they are a burden vnto me c. What doth God hate that worship himselfe appointed no but he hares the seuering of it from seruice and obedience wherein they should shew foorth to their brethren loue iustice and mercy he reiects all seruice at their hands because their hands were full of blood v. 15. Read Micha 6. v. 6. 7. 8. The offering of sacrifice was a speciall part of worship vnder the Law and yet though a man should bring for his sacrifice thousands of Rammes or ten thousand riuers of oile nay though he brought his first borne the fruite of his body for the sinne of his soule yet all is nothing without iustice mercy humbling himselfe and walking with his God vers 8. Let vs therefore serue God sincerely in our conuersations as wee seeme to honour him in duties of religion let vs shew the feare of God in our liues for worship without seruice is like the cutting off of a dogs head or offering swines flesh c. as I say 66. 3. which is abhomination to the Lord. Thirdly obserue that Christ addeth only to Moses words for the better clearing of Moses meaning which may serue for our iust defence against the Papists they blame vs greatly for teaching that a man is iustified by faith only saying the word only is not in any place ascribed to iustification by faith We answer in all the old testament this word only is not ioyned to this command Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and serue him and yet Christ saith it is written him only shalt thou serue because the restraint and inhibition annexed from giuing this worship and seruice to any other doth in effect include only euen so though in letters and syllables we doe not find this word only adioyned to this sentence man is iustified by faith yet because of the exclusion of workes vsually annexed to that phrase as that we are iustified by faith without the workes of the Law Rom. 3. 28. and are iustified freely by his grace v. 24. and that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law but by faith Gal. 2. 16. hereupon I say we may hold and teach and that truly according to the true sense thereof following Christs example in this place that the scripture saith a man is iustified by faith only Lastly from this commandement we must learne our duty touching Gods seruice in word we wil all acknowledge our selues to be his seruants but if heerin we will approue our selues to be his seruants we must resolue and labour to yeeld vnto him absolute obedience as well in hart mind will and affection as in outward conuersation The end of the ministery of the word is not onely to reforme the outward man but to cast downe the inward holds of sinne in the Imagination and to bring into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ. And this is done when after true repentance a man endeuoureth to yeeld vnto God totall obedience and that from the whole man in soule and body and spirit not for a time but continually VERSE 11. Then the Diuell left him and behold the Angels came and ministred vnto him THese words containe the third part of this description of Christs temptation to wit the happie euent and issue thereof in Christs glorious victory ouer the Tempter which is the principall part wherein consists the maine comfort of Gods church for as in temptation Christ stood in our roome and stead so is this victory not his a lone but the victory of his Church This issue conteines two parts First Satans departing from him Secondly the ministery of good Angels vnto him For the first Then the Diuell left him that is after that by temptations he could nothing auaile then he betakes himselfe to flight In this appeares the vnspeakeable mercie of God vnto his Church in mitigating and in due time putting an end vnto the afflictions and temptations thereof for the case of Christ the head in this conflict is the case and condition of all his members Now heere we see what a gratious issue the Lord put to these great assaults of Satan in due time his enimie flies and so will the Lord deale in all the miseries of his Church children God promiseth to Dauid concerning Salomon that if he sin hee will chastise him with the roddes of men and with the plagues of the children of men that is with such punishments as he shall be able to beare but his mercy he will not take from him The Prophet Habacucke in his complaint against the wrong violence of the wicked done to the iust is somewhat impatient towards God for his delay Hab. 1.
God he can tempt Christ yea transport his body and set him in a dangerous place for thus far God permits him to goe but to cast Christ downe from the pinnacle he cannot therein comes Gods restraint So it fareth with Gods children for the triall of his graces in them and to chastise them for some sinnes he suffers Satan to buffet them but yet one iotte of his malice beyond Gods permission he cannot shew as in Iobs affliction by him may notably appeare Which wee must carefully remember for our special comfort in our most grieuous assaults Gods will permitting Satan so farre must make vs patient and yet his power restraining Satan from doing worse must giue vs comfort Thus much for the temptation itselfe The reason whereby Satan enforceth his temptation is taken from a testimony of Scripture For it is written he shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee c. Satan hearing Christ alledge scripture for his defence against the first assault comes now vpon him with his owne weapon that if it were possible he might foile him after this sort Thou shewest thy selfe to be the Doctor of the Church by thine alleadging of Scripture and that it seemes thou makest the rule of thine actions well then thou maiest well and safely cast thy selfe downe hence if thou bee the Sonne of God for it is written he shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee and with their hands they shall lift thee vp c. From this dealing of Satan wee are taught not to embrace an opinion in religion because a shew of proofe by testimony of Scripture may bee giuen for it But we must trie the spirits that is the doctrines of men whether they be of God or not 1. Ioh. 4. 1. For the Diuell can alleadge Scripture to mooue Christ vnto presumption and it is his vsuall practise when he caries men into schisms errors and heresies Reason with a man that minds to liue in sinne and tell him of that dangerous state by reason of the shortnesse and vncertainty of this life will he not tell you straight he will doe as he does and repent when he is old for it is written At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance saith the Lord And some thinke three or foure good words at a mans last end wil serue his turne for the thiefe on the crosse said no more but Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome And all such as are trained vp in the schoole of Satan can easilie alledge scripture to further them in euil But let vs come to the scripture which the Diuel doth notoriously abuse by his allegation it is written in the 91. Ps. v. 11. In the alledging whereof he would seeme very carefull and precise at the first not omitting so much as this particle for which might haue beene left out and yet nothing haue been wanting to the force of his reason But heerein is the deepenesse of his policy to cause Christ not to suspect any falshood afterward for towards the end hee leaueth out that on which the promise is grounded of being kept by the Angel to wit to keepe thee in all thy waies that is in all the good duties of thy lawfull calling wherein thou shalt glorifie God and doe good to others to such as so walke in their waies doth that promise belong Heere then behold Satans notable fraud and craft that can so cunninglie leaue out that which makes not for his purpose and so peruert the true meaning of scripture this is his vsuall practise in enmity against the word to depraue the true meaning by cutting off some part when hee cannot vtterly ouerthrow the whole The like is the dealing of all heretickes who by cutting off and leauing out play legerdemaine with the scripture The Arrian holds the Bible for the word of God but such places as serue to proue the godhead of Christ he doth notably abuse and peruert The familie of Loue also doth hold the bible for the word of God but come to the true meaning of it therein they faile turning all into Allegories euen most true histories as the fall of our first Parents and such like which are maine grounds of religion in their naturall sense and the Apostaticall Church of Rome doth hold with vs the bookes of the old and new Testament but yet they put in and take out at their pleasure and take from it all sense and meaning which agrees not with the determination of their holy father the Pope and thereby they ouerturne the word of God and strongly maintaine their mystery of iniquity This dealing of Satan and his wicked miscreants with the scripture must make all Gods children willing to spend their strength in searching out the Scripture for that is the onely way to descrie their fraude in deprauing of it This caused Christ to bidde the people in his time to search the Scriptures to learne to know him to bee the true Messias which the Iewish teachers did then deny In regard whereof wee must say with Moses oh that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit vpon them oh that all could reade and vnderstand the word of God! This is it wherein all that either be or intend to be ministers must labour especially euen to get sound knowledge and iudgement in the text of Scripture The Minister must not only be able to teach the truth but also to discerne to discouer and to confure errors and heresies which hee can neuer foundly doe without good vnderstanding in the text it selfe The Diuell knowes the whole Scripture and he will spare no text therein it hee can corrupt it therfore to resoue Gods truth out of his hands who is the father of lies the Minister must shew himselfe a good souldier of Iesus Christ as Paul exhorteth Timothy giuing such attendance to the word that all men may see his profitting therein yea with Ieremie the Minister must eat the bookes of God and digest them in his vnderstanding and rejoice therein labouring to feele them the joy of his heart The Diuell knowes that Scripture truely vnderstood and well applied is the onely engine for the battery of his kingdome and therefore euen from the beginning but specially since the comming of Christ hee hath laboured by all meanes to keepe men from the knowledge and true vnderstanding of them hee it is that hath brought men from the reading of the Scriptures to betake themselues to the writings of men as schoolemen fathers and such by this meanes hee hath for many yeares euen to this day in the Church of Rome locked vp the Scripture in an vnknowen tongue yea euen in Gods church the Diuel works mightily this way by stealing away the affections of yong students from the Bible and rauishing them with delight in the writings of men for thus he keeps them from the
God in the land This Dauid knew well and therefore said He hid Gods saying in his heart that he might not sinne against him Psal. 119. 11. For as Sauls speare stood in readinesse at his head euen when he slept so should Gods word which is the sword of the spirit be euer in our hearts as it were ready drawen that to what sinne soeuer the Diuell allures vs we may be able to say for our defence It is written through want hereof it comes to passe that the Diuell at his pleasure leads men captiues into all impieties Lastly this excellent vse of the word vnderstood beleeued and obeied must moue all ignorant persons to labour for knowledge heerein and with all endeuor after growth in knowledge by holy obedience to shew foorth their faith If we had an enemy that had sworne our death and vowed to see our bloud how carefull would we be for our naturall life both to get vs weapons and also some knowledge to vse the same not only for our defence but also for the annoyance of our deadly foe Oh then how carefull should we be for the safetie of our soules to put vpon vs the whole armour of God and to learne to vse aright this sword of the spirit that when we meet with Satan our irreconciliable enemy in the field of temptation which is this miserable world we may be able both to award his blowes and to wound his head It is lamentable to see how ignorant people will blesse themselues in their ignorance and say they defie the Diuell and spit at him in defiance and yet they know not how they are intangled in his snares of their owne sinnes he little regards such defiance so long as their soules lie naked and bare before his deadly darts let two men meet that be at enmity the one armed the other naked what will it auaile for the naked man to defie his enemie with bigge words while in the meane time his armed enemy takes away his life Lo Satan is this strong man armed and ignorant persons are poore naked caâ—â—ffes they defie the Diuell and spit at him with their mouth but in the meane time the diuel wouÌ„ds their soules vnto death They wil say they feele no such wounds and therefore they feare him not but they must know that the lesse they feele the more cause they haue to feare for Satans wounds are most deadly when they are least felt The third point is Christs Answer it selfe Man shall not liue by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God This answer is borrowed from Deuteron 8. 3. And it is that lesson which Moses sought to teach the children of Israell after the Lord had fedde them with food from heauen in that barren wildernesse where they were afflicted with hunger The words are something hard and therefore I will shew the meaning of them Man shall not liue that is shall not preserue his temporall life in this world for of eternall life neither Moses nor Christ did intend to speake By bread only that is onely by such ordinary meanes as food and raiment sleepe physicke c. which God hath appointed in his prouidence for the ordinary preseruation of natural life But by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God This title word betokens diuers things in scripture I. The substantiall word of God the second person in Trinity Ioh. 1. 1. In the beginning was the word and the word was God II. It is vsually taken for the written word conteined in the bookes of the olde and new Testament 1. Pet. 1. 25. Thirdly it is sometime taken for Gods will and decree and it is called his good pleasure so Heb. 1. 2. Christ sustaineth all things by the word of his power that is according to his will and decree by his powerfull appointment and by this word were all things made in the beginning and heerby haue they been preserued euer since this is that word that melteth the Ice Psal. 147. 18. And in this last sense must we vnderstand word in this place meaning that man doth not preserue this naturall life by ordinarie meanes onely but withall by Gods good pleasure will and decree sanctifying the meanes for his good Note further that it is said by euery word and therein lieth the substance of this sentence for the vnderstanding whereof wee must know that this powerfull working word of God may be distinguished according to the matter whereabout it is occupied Thus sometime God will haue men to liue by bread the ordinary food of naturall life and this is his ordinary word Sometime his will and appointment is that man shall liue by extraordinarie meanes as the Israelites did in the wildernesse while they liued vpon Mannah and this is his extraordinary word Otherwhiles hee ordaines that man shall liue without all meanes as Moses did in mount Sina Elias in mount Horeb and our Sauiour Christ in this wildernesse for the space of fortie daies and fortie nights together And lastly he ordains sometime that man shall liue against meanes and contrary to the course of nature Thus Daniell liued in the Lions denne and the three children in the firy furnace both which last may be called Gods miraculous word So that wee see good reason of this clause euery for heereby we learne that man doth not preserue his life only by ordinary means ordained of God but likewise by euerie word proceeding out of the mouth of God that is by euery appointment and decree of God whether extraordinary aboue the vsuall meanes or miraculous without all means or against the course of nature this we must labour to know and be perswaded of Nature teacheth that man liueth by Gods blessing and appointment in ordinary meanes But nature knowes not this that God preserueth mans life by his worde aboue meanes without meanes yea against meanes The beleeuing hart will hardly yeeld to this which Moses would teach the Israelites and therefore wee must take the more paines to be resolued of it If any shall thinke hereupon that a man may liue by the written word without meat and drinke he is deceiued for Christ meaneth not that euery word that God hath spoken shall preserue naturall life but that whatsoeuer way he hath appointed whereby man shal liue whether by ordinary or extraordinary meanes whether without meanes or against meanes the same shall be effectuall for mans preseruation Thus much for the meaning The applying of this testimony to the Diuels temptation is thus to be conceiued the Diuels temptation was this If thou be the sonne of God then commaund these stones to be made bread But thou canst not make these stones to become bread Therefore thou art not the sonne of God To this Christ answers by denying the proposition or first part of this argument the ground whereof was this which the Diuell tooke for granted that when a man is hungry
glory of them 9. And said vnto him all these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me 10. Then said Iesus vn so him auoid Satan for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue THese words containe the third conflict betweene our Sauiour Christ and Satan wherin consider three points I. Satans preparation v. 8. II. Satans assault vpon Christ v. 9. III. Christs answer thereto v. 10. For the first before wee come to the handling of it in particular wee are to consider that vnto euery assault the Diuell prepares himself afresh which should teach vs to labour to furnish our hearts euery day afresh to be able to repulse his new assaults Now particularly this preparation hath two parts first Satan takes Christ into an exceeding high mountaine secondly he shews him all the kingdomes of the world and the glory of them all For the first it may bee demanded what way Satan tooke vp Christ into this high mountaine Answ. He might do it two waies either by vision or by reall and locall transportation of his body from the temple to some high mountaine Some thinke this was done by vision only in Christs mind as Ezekiel was caried by the Lord from Babylon to an exceeding high mountaine in the land of Israel But I rather thinke that Christ was really and locally transported by the Diuell in body from the temple to some high mountaine for Christs temptations were not imaginary but true and reall Againe the words import a true and reall transportation without any mention of a vision The reasons why the Diuell carries Christ to an high mountaine may bee these first the Diuel hath a great desire to imitate God in his glorious workes that so hee may disgrace the workes of God yea and God himselfe as much as he can Now we read that God tooke vp Moses into mount Nebo from whence hee shewed him all the land of Canaan so Satan that he might seeme to go beyond God takes vp Christ into an exceeding high mountaine to shew him all the kingdomes of the world and the glory of them Secondly he did it for the furtherance of this last assault wherewith hee tempted Christ for hee meant to entice Christ with the glory of the world and therefore brings him where hee might take the fairest view thereof Now in that Satan transports the body of our Sauiour Christ this second time wee see that by Gods permission Satan may haue power ouer the bodies of Gods children to transport the same from place to place or otherwise to vex them and that not once onely but sundrie times This we must obserue and remember carefully as a stay and prop against distrust despaire if God should suffer Satan to vex vs by such transporting of our bodies from place to place or by any outward calamity that not once or twise but diuers times for that which befell the head Christ Iesus may well befall any of his members The second part of the Diuels preparation is this he shewes vnto Christ all the kingdoms of the world the glory of them This he could not do actually for there is no mountaine so high in all the world whereon if a man were placed he could see one halfe or one quarter of the kingdomes of the world as they are seated and placed vpon the face of the earth nay if a man were set in the sunne and from thence could looke vnto the earth yet hee could not see past the halfe therof And therefore wee must know that the Diuel did this in a counterfet vision for heerein hee can frame an imitation of God Now the Diuels visions bee of two sorts either in the outward senses or in the mind and vnderstanding His visions in the outward senses be delusions whereby he makes men be leeue they see that which indeed they do not see this might easily be proued by manifold examples recorded in the histories of all times but that one shall suffice of his counterfait resemblance of Samuels forme and attire to the witch of Endor for the deluding of Saul when as indeed Samuels true body was in the graue and his soule with the Lord. Secondly the diue hath visions wherbv he deludes the vnderstanding Zak. 13. 4. The Lord saith heereof the Prophets shal be ashamed euery one of his vision These visions the Diuell shewes to men sometime sleeping and sometime waking euen as the Lord doth shew his visions to his owne seruants The visions of Satan shewed to men sleeping are called dreames Deut. 13. 1. the false Prophet hath his dreame His visions shewed to men waking are to such as haue crazed brame whom he perswades strange things of themselues as some that they are kings or princes others that they are Christ Iohn Baptist such like examples heereof in all ages are many Now touching this vision of Satan to Christ some thinke it was inward in Christs minde but I rather take it to haue beene in his outward senses only as the words of the text do import the Diuell by his art did cunningly set forth and represent vnto the eies of Christ a notable shew and representation of all the kingdomes of the earth and the glory of them Heerein the Diuell sheweth great power and skill in that he can represent vnto the eie in his counterfet visions such strange and admirable sights And it teacheth vs that the practises of forcerers and magicians vndertaking to represent vnto the eie partly in the aire and partly in glasses either the persons of men that liued long since or actions done in farre countries or long before are not meere fancies as some thinke who deny altogether that such things can be shewed for the Diuell can resemble things done long since and a far off for if he could set such a sight before the eie of our Sauiour Christ in vision as the view of the whole world and the glory thereof then much more can he represent vnto the eie of man strange and maruellous things The Diuels drift in this resemblance vnto Christ is this heereby he intended most cunningly to insinuat himselfe into the heart of our Sauior Christ for before he propounds this third assault hee shews vnto Christ all the kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them that Christ might take a liking of them and so desire them and at length accept of them vpon Satans offer Thus he dealt with our first parents vpon their first communication he shewes vnto Eue the outward beauty of the forbidden fruit that it was faire to locke vpon and tels her of the good estate they should attain vnto by eating of it and so at length brings her to yeeld to his temptation Hence we must learne to haue speciall care in the good ordering of all the outward senses of our bodies specially the two senses of learning seeing and hearing for