Works

WE come now to set down and expound, by the assistance of God, the second on-set of the Devil upon the Son of God, by a violent and hellish temptation, nothing inferior to the former, in the furious, malicious, and cunning contriving of it.

In the entrance whereof, we must remove one rubb by the way, concerning the order of this temptation, wherein the Evangelists seem not to agree among themselves: for whereas St. Matthew makes this the second, St. Luke makes it the last, and puts the last in St. Matthew, into the second place. And herein some learned men have stumbled, and have devised simple shifts to reconcile the two Evangelists. Some think, that they write not the same History, nor of the same temptations, but of temptations urged at sundry times. These are confuted by the very matter, phrases, and words, which are in both the same, and need no other conviction.

Others think (and they of the learned Papists) that in some ancient Books, St. Luke observes the same order in the temptations with St. Matthew, and that the difference crept in by the heedlessness of some Writer: which is a needless devise of them, who strive to prove the Canonical Scripture to be corrupted in their Fountains, that so their corrupt Latin Translation may prevail; but both impeaching the watchfulness and care of God over the Scriptures, as also the diligence and faithfulness of the Church, which is pretended to suffer herself wholly to be abused, by the carelessness or unfaithfulness of someone Scribe.

But the truth is, that it doth no whit prejudice the truth of the Evangelical story, that the Evangelists do not stand so much upon order, where it is not so necessary, as upon the matter, and the things themselves done, which they faithfully report, and in which they jointly accord and agree: as oftentimes they stand not upon words, nor sometimes upon sentences, but one delivers the same fact in one style of speech, another in another form; but so, as one is so far from crossing another, as he giveth thereby more light and certainty unto the other.

Quest. But whether of these observed the right order, as the temptations were passed?

Ans. I am out of doubt, that Matthew sets down the right order as they were done: 1 Because he passeth his story by such particles as imply an orderly consequent: as, Then the Devil took him, then he took him again, then the Devil left him, &c. whereas Luke used the particle and, in his passages, which noteth no certain order, as the former doth: his care was to relate the whole matter, but was not so accurate for order. 2 The coherence and dependence of this second temptation with the former shows, that Matthew observeth the right method: for Christ having by a testimony of Scripture confirmed himself in the confidence and trust in his Father, Satan immediately seeks to make his advantage of Christ's words, and seeing he will needs trust his Father, he would have him trust him too much; If he need no bread being hungry, he needs no stairs to go down from the pinnacle of the Temple; the last temptation doth not so fitly cohere with the former, as this second doth. 3 After Christ had bidden Satan avoid, Matthew adds, Then the Devil left him, as being obedient to his word; plainly showing, that that was the last temptation. Luke hath it not in such dependence, but thus, And when the Devil had ended all the temptation, he departed.

In the Combat note two generals, 1 The preparation to it. 2 The temptation itself. The preparation containeth such necessary circumstances, as by which the temptation might more easily prevail; as, 1 the time, Then. 2 The place, first general, the holy City; secondly special, a pinnacle of the Temple. 3 The manner how Christ was conveyed thither, The Devil took him up, and set him on the pinnacle. The temptation consists, 1 Of the assault. 2 Of the repulse.

The assault hath three things: 1 The ground of it, If thou be the Son of God. 2 The scope or aim, namely, the sin or sins to which he was tempted, Cast thyself down. 3 The argument or persuasion to enforce it, For it as written, He shall give his Angels charge over thee, &c. The repulse of our Savior is by another testimony of Scripture, not contrary to that which Satan alleged, but expounding it, that he might in the right sense of it, sense and secure himself from the temptation, as after we shall see.

First, of the preparation: Then] This particle shows not only the time of this temptation, but also the order as I noted: Satan having no success in the former, renews his assault, and would assay another way. He had been kindly and gently used of Christ, who had answered him courteously; nay, he had convinced him by Scripture, that he had nothing to say against it, and yet he goes on in his malice, as though he had had both great provocation and advantage. Whence,

Doct. Note the property of wicked men ruled by Satan, who by no means can be brought to lay off their malice towards God's children. Deal gently with them, they are like Nettles, the softlier touched, the sharper they sting: Deal plainly with them, and convince their consciences by the word, that they have nothing to say for themselves, yet being convinced they give not over, no more than Satan here, but proceed in mischief. And what are the reasons?

1 Because the godly in their courses do oppose themselves to the darkness of this world: now there is no fellowship between light and darkness, no way to reconcile them, as we may see in the example of the wicked Sodomites against Lot: first he resisted their wickedness, when they came about his house to abuse the two men; he gives them fair words, I pray you my brethren; he convinceth their consciences, Do not so wickedly; and out of his weakness he offers them his two Daughters: but, being a righteous person, whose soul was daily vexed with their uncleaneness, neither his piety, nor humanity, nor entreaty, no nor his weakness and sin could please them, but, Away with him hence, he is a stranger, shall he judge and rule? now we will deal worse with him than with them, Gen. 19.9.

2 Christ gives another Reason, Joh. 8.44. You are of your Father the Devil, for his works ye do. In that Chapter Christ plainly teacheth the Jews, that he is the light, verse. 12. they tell him he bears record of himself, and therefore his record is false, verse. 13. he tells them he shall go from them, and carry the light with him, and they shall seek him, and not find him: what (say they) will he kill himself? verse. 22. he tells them, that he that keepeth his word, shall never see death: then said they, Now we know thou hast a Devil, verse. 25. He tells them, before Abraham was, I am: and they take up stones to stone him. Here were the Children of the Devil, who was a man-slayer from the beginning: And of these Christ said, Ye go about to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, verse. 40. and, Ye do that which you have seen with your Father, and not only seen, but felt him moving and stiring in their hearts: so he worketh mightily in the sons of disobedience, Eph. 2.2.

3 The more light and grace the Lord manifesteth in any of his children, the more must the darkness of wicked ones fight against it. It is not their innocence, their holiness, their wisdom, their peaceable course of life, that can fence them; nay, these bring all the malice of the wicked on them, and lay them open to their rage. Stephen, a man full of faith and power, whose enemies were not able to resist the Wisdom and Spirit by which he spake, Act. 6.8. yet drew they him to the Council, and subordened false witness against him: where what should he do? They might, and did see his face thine as the face of an Angel, verse. 15. In his Apology he begins as a person at the bar, with a loving and moving speech, Men, Brethren, and Fathers, hearken: afterward in the course of his speech, as a faithful servant of God, and true teacher, he freely reproves them, chap. 7. verse. 51, 52. calls them resisters of the Holy Ghost, betrayers and murderers of the just, he could convince them out of all the Scriptures, as Christ did Satan here: But the more full of the Holy Ghost he was, the more were they filled with devilish fury, like so many Devils, or furies, their hearts brast for anger, they gnashed with their teeth, more like fell and savage beasts, than men; they shouted with a loud voice, stopped their ears, upon upon him, cast him out of the City, and stoned him.

4 The incestant malice of the wicked against the children of God, is a running stream from this of the wicked one, against the natural Son of God: the Devil would still, if he could, tempt and molest Christ himself in his own person, but that he cannot, he will therefore be sure to molest him in his servants: he would obscure the glory of Christ in himself, but seeing he cannot do that, he will do what he can by himself, and all his members, to extinguish that glory of Christ in those beams, wherewith his servants are graced and honored: And this makes this war so irreconcilable.

Use 1. Therefore let us not marvel, when we see good things, and good men resisted, nor condemn that presently which we may see opposed: but 1 Turn our eyes upon that natural enmity which is between the seed of the woman, and of the Serpent. 2 Upon men's stubbornness against the truth, and malice, by which the sinner given up by God to Satan is obfirmed and hardened. 3 Upon the powerful work of Satan in men of great gifts, that being convinced in conscience, even against that light, can resist godly and innocent men. 4 Upon the love of men's sins, profits, and pleasures, which sets on forward this hatred against their conscience. What could Christ himself do to conciliate Judas his favor? Did not he know that Christ was the Messiah? did he not preach him? did he not work miracles in his name? did not Christ make him one of his family, and prefer him to be the Steward of his house? did he not warn him of his sin, and bear him most patiently? Yet his heart being upon covetousness, for a small commodity he will betray Christ, and that against his conscience. 5 Other personal and private occasions, may force men of great gifts to malign and hate (against their consciences) most innocent persons.

The Jews knew that Christ was the Messiah, that he was most powerful in Doctrine, and most holy in his life; yet they loved their own praise, and therefore thrust down Christ; If we let him alone, all will believe in him. They thought themselves so much dishonored, as Christ was honored. Sometime fear of great men, or some loss, or check, may cause this obstinate opposition. Pilate knew Christ was an innocent man, he washed his hands, and would have no hand against him; he pronounced him innocent, saying, I find no fault in him: his wife being troubled in a dream, sent him word, he should have nothing to do against that just man. Yet against his conscience, and his own words, he proceeded to condemn him. Why? how could he be so blind and wicked? surely it was fear of Caesar, and of some cheeck: for he had heard them say, If thou let this man go, thou are not Caesar's friend.

Use 2. It should teach us to go on undaunted in our godly course, making no account of all the malice that the Devil or his instruments can create us, and never offer to shake hands with them; we shall never have done if we go about to please them; we cannot do it unless we will be as bad as they, if we retain our favor of goodness, it doth but provoke them.

Use 3. Many men may hence see what spirit rules them, who when they hear Scripture against their sins and unwarrantable courses, they go on still as a chafed colt, that cares neither for pale nor hedge, but flings over. These men would be loath to be compared to the Devil, but we shall see them for worse, and the Devil not so bad as many of them. When he hears Christ allege Scripture, he saith nothing against it, but was silent, he replies not, and much less rails on him as a phantastical or precise person. But reprove the Swearer, the Drunkard, the Gamester, the unjust courses of men in their trades, Sabbath-breaking in Masters or Servants, and do it out of the Scripture, as Christ did; we shall have the same measure that he had returned from the Scribes and Pharisees, who railed out-right on him; He is too precise and severe, we can do nothing for him; or, What hath he to do with our Government, or Trades? or, He might find other things to speak of.

Thus if Paul speak against Diana, or whatsoever the craft-masters live by, all the City is in an uproar against him. It seems men are loath in their callings to meddle with the word of God, or the directions of it, else we should have to deal with them. It were too much to sit down silent, and go on in sin against the Word: but to resist the word in terms, or to rail upon the Preachers thereof, goes one step beyond the Devil.

Use 4. Take knowledge of the secret working of the Devil against the light and truth, in such as spurn against it. They cannot abide that truth and innocence should acquit itself; but though they see nothing but meekness patience, and innocence, yet will side against it, as though they had the greatest advantage and occasion. What is the cause, that men will take part with most abject and base persons, and bring the curse on themselves, in condemning the innocent, and justifying the wicked in their horrible riots and misbehaviour, but the hatred they carry against goodness? Why did the Jews band themselves for Barabbas, and seek to acquit him? Was it because there was any cause of love in him? knew they him not to be a murderer and a Rebel? Yes, It was hatred of Christ that made them stick to him: and why hated they Christ, but because he was the light? Some there be of that Jewish generation lest, to whom, if Christ be weighed with Barabbas, he will seem too light; Barabbas shall carry the credit and defense from him; Not him, but Barabbas.

Into the holy City.]

We come to the second circumstance in the preparation to this second assault, which is the place that Satan chooseth; set down, 1 In general, the holy City. 2 In special, a pinnacle of the Temple. What holy City this was, Luke expresseth, chap. 4.9. He brought him to Jerusalem, here called the holy City.

Jerusalem is called the holy City, not because of any holiness in the place: for no place as a place is more holy than other. It is true, that we read in Scripture of holy ground, as Exod. 3.5. Mount Horeb where Moses stood is called holy ground, and Moses must put off his shoes. But this was no inherent holiness in the place, only for the present the presence of God appearing after a special manner, makes a special holiness to be ascribed unto it. Neither is it called holy in respect of the people and Inhabitants: for the faithful City was long before this become an Harlot, Isa. 1.21. and Christ not long after this Combat, crieth out against Jerusalem, That she had killed the Prophets, and slain such as were sent unto her, and proclaimeth a speedy desolation against her. But it was so called,

1 Because God had made choice of this City to put his name there, 2 Chron. 7.12. I have chosen this place for myself. Hence was it called the City of God, and God's holy Mountain, Dan. 9.16. and the holy Hill of Zion; because God had chosen it, and sanctified it for himself, wherein himself kept residence, and made it eminent above all the places of the earth.

2 Because of the holy things which were there established, even all the holy worship of God; it was not lawful for the Jews to sacrifice or eat the Passover anywhere but in Jerusalem.

There was the Temple built on mount Moriah, wherein, I. There was the Sanctum seculare, the utter Court of the Jews, and Solomon's porch, which did rise up by fourteen stairs, wherein Christ preached often, and Peter healed the lame man, Acts 3.3. and probably, where Peter converted three thousand souls at one Sermon. In this porch was the great brazen Altar for whole Burnt-offerings, on which Altar the fire (which at Aaron's first offering in the Wilderness fell from Heaven, Levite 9.2 • , 24.) was to be kept perpetually before the Lord; the which when Aaron's sons neglected, and offered with strange fire, they were burnt with fire before the Lord. In this Court was the great brazen Sea, wherein the Priests washed themselves, and the Beasts to be offered on that Altar, especially their feet, because they were to minister bare-foot before the Lord. Both of them holy representations of Christ; the former of his Sacrifice, who gave himself for a whole Burnt-offering; the latter the fruit of it, he being the Laver of the Church, by whose blood we are washed from the guilt and power of sin.

II. There was the inner Court, which was called the Sanctum, or the Sanctuary, or the Court of the Priests, whence the Jews were barred. There was here. 1 The Altar of Incense for sweet perfume, wherein the Priests were evening and morning, to burn the holy Incense before the Lord, as a sweet-smelling savor unto God, and no strange incense might be offered thereon, Exod. 30.9. While Zacharias stood at the right side of this Altar, offering incense to God, the Angel Gabriel stood and fore-told the birth of John the Baptist. This was an holy type of Christ, who offered himself on the altar of the Cross▪ a sacrifice of sweet smell to God his Father, and through whom God savoreth a sweet smell from all our duties. 2 In this Court was the golden Candlestick, with seven Lamps, and seven Lights, which were • ed with most pure holy oil, night and day, to lighten the whole inner Court. And this was an holy type of Christ, the light of the world, enlightening all his elect with spiritual and heavenly light. 3 In this Court was that golden Table, on which the holy Shew-bread was ever to stand, even twelve Loaves, which were to be made of the purest flower of Wheat, and were to be renewed every Sabbath, the old Loaves converted to the Priests use: a holy type of Christ, in whom alone the Church, and every member, setting themselves continually before God, are nourished and preserved unto eternal life. 4 In this Court was that costly and precious Veil, of blew silk, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined Linnen, made of broidered work with Cherubims, the use of which was to separate the Sanctum from the Holy of Holies: this veil at the death of Christ was rent from the top to the bottom. A notable representation of the flesh of Christ, which hid his Divinity, but being rent asunder by his passion on the Cross, the way to Heaven was laid open unto us.

III. There in the Temple was the Sanctum Sanctorum, and in it the Oracle, called the inner house of God, into which only the High Priest went alone once a year, and that in the Feast of expiation, wherein all the Jews must fast and afflict themselves. A most notable type of Christ: for as it was called an Oracle, because God thence gave answer in doubtful cases; so who is the Fathers Oracle but his Son, who is the word of his Father, by whom he speaks to us, by whom we speak to him, and through whom the Father heareth us? In this Holy of Holies was the Ark of the Covenant, and in this holy place stayed the Ark almost four hundred and thirty years, signifying Christ the author of the Covenant between God and us. In which Ark or Chest were kept three things: 1 The Tables of the Covenant, written with the finger of God, signifying Christ, who is the fulfilling of the Law. 2 The Rod of Aaron which had budded, a type of the Priesthood of Christ, who in the world seemed a dead branch and dry, but after his Death and Resurrection began again to flourish, and bring fruits of life to Jews and Gentiles. 3 The Pot having Manna a holy type of Christ the bread of life, and that Manna that came down from heaven, Joh. 6.35.

In this Holy of Holies over the Ark was the holy cover, called the Propitiatory, prefiguring the Lord Jesus, whom the Father hath made our Propitiatory by faith in his blood, Rom. 3.25. Here also were the two glorious Cherubims, set like Angels on either side the Ark, looking upon the Ark, figuring the holy Angels ministering to Christ, and earnestly desiring to look into the mystery of our salvation, 1 Pet. 1.12.

These were the chief holy things established in the Temple at Jerusalem, but not all: for there were besides these, the observation of all holy Rites appointed by God, the Chair of Moses, and in it the Law read and expounded: there were the holy persons, the High Priest with all his holy garments, with Urim and Thummim, and on his fore-head, Holiness to the Lord: there were other the holy Ministers of the Lord, who had the Lord's holy Oil upon them, of God's own composition, with straight charge, that no other should make or use it out of this use. Yea, here had lived the ancient Kings and Prophets, David, Solomon, Josiah, Hezekiah, who were special types of Christ. In which regard Jerusalem the seat of God and God's worship, is called the City of perfect beauty, the joy of the whole earth.

3 It is called an holy City by comparison unto other great Cities of the neighbor Countries, wherein Idols and Devils were worshipped instead of God, as Babylon; or whose worship was the devise of man's brain, and no institution of God, as Samaria, Cesarea, and others, 2 King. 17.33.

4 It is called holy in type, two ways. 1 As it was a type of the Church militant, of which the members are holy in part, at least in profession. For the whole Church of God was gathered together three times every year before the Lord; at the feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles, Psal. 122.4. Thither the Tribes of the Lord go up, and appear before the Lord. 2 As it was a type of the Church triumphant, even that Celestial Jerusalem which is above, that new Jerusalem into which no unholy thing can enter, but is the eternal habitation of the holy God, the Holy Angels and Saints.

5 It was called holy, or the holy City, because it was the fountain of God's holy Religion, which being first seated there by God, must be derived thence, and sent out to all other Nations. Micah 4.2. The Law shall go out of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem: Therefore was it the Metropola and mother City, the heart of the earth, placed in the midst of Nations by God's own confession, Ezek. 5.5. Nay, there must the precious blood of the holy Son of God be shed, which must stream and run out to the salvation of all Nations, and himself Preached the King of the Jews, upon the Cross as upon the theater, in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, and that in the time of the Passover, when there was a concourse of all the people of Jews, and other Nations. There the Apostles must give their first witness of Christ, and thence must carry it into Judea, Samaria, and all nations to the utmost parts of the earth, Act. 1.8. And 8.1. the Church of the New Testament was first gathered at Jerusalem, and thence by persecution scattered into all Nations. In this regard it was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Holy City: for all the holiness of all other Cities was derived thence.

Doct. 1 We learn out of this title, what it is that makes places and persons holy, even the presence of God, of his word, and worship. Thus the ground was called holy, Exod. 3.5. and the place where Joshua stood, when the captain of the Lord's Host appeared unto him, chap. 5.15.

1 Whatsoever was in the Law separated to God and his service, was called holy: the Sabbath was holy, the Priests Garments holy, Exod. 28. Thou shalt make holy Garments for Aaron thy brother: Holy, both because they were peculiar to the holy Priesthood, (for none else might put them on) and because they were to be used in the holy place (for when they came forth of the Tabernacle, they must put them off:) and thirdly, consecrate to holy uses, and to be an holy type of Christ's righteousness, a precious robe wherein all our Sacrifices are offered. The flesh was holy, which was offered to the Lord in sacrifice, Hag. 2.13. For places, Bethel was an holy place, when Jacob saw the vision of the Ladder there; and the Temple was holy. For people, the Jews were called an holy Nation, and Christians, an holy Priesthood, and Saints by calling, 1 Pet. 2.9. For persons, some are sanctified in the womb to some special service, as Jeremy, chap. 1.5. and John the Baptist. Yea, every faithful man's heart, is as it were an Ark of God, in which are kept the Tables of the Law, yea, the Tabernacle of God, and the Temple of the Holy Ghost, where he pleaseth to dwell. And thus was Jerusalem an holy City, so long as it continued in the true worship of God.

2 This appears by the contrary, seeing his holiness was no further annexed to this place, than God tied his presence to it; for when as the Jews had crucified the Lord of glory, both the Temple and City, as profane were destroyed, and delivered into the hand of the Romans, and are now in the hands of the Turks a nest of unclean and Idolatrous beasts, most savage enemies of Christ, and Christian profession.

3 That place must needs be holy, where the Lord dwelleth as a master in his house; teaching, ordering, and supplying all necessaries: where Christ the Holy Son of God walketh in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks, being conversant among the flocks of Shepherds: where the Holy Spirit of God is present to pour out his treasures of wisdom and grace, by means of the word and Sacraments, which are his chariot, and which, not accompanied with the Spirit, are but dead and ineffectual to regeneration: where the Holy Angels are present to assist the ministry, to repel hindrances, to behold our order; but especially desirous to look into the mysteries of our salvation: where the Holy Saints upon earth, are met together to seek and see the face of the Lord, joining together in all the parts of his pure and holy worship, in hearing his holy word, receiving his holy Sacraments, preferring publicly their holy prayers, greatly by this means glorifying God, and enriching their own selves: Surely, this is Bethel, the house of God, and the gate of heaven.

Use 1. This teacheth us not to despise our Assemblies, nor to think out Churches unholy for some corruptions. Look upon Jerusalem, Matth. 23.37. you shall see the eleven Tribes were Apostates, there were in it dumb dogs, Isa. 56.10. there were Scribes, and Pharisees, hypocrites; nay, at this time the Doctrine of the Law was corrupted by the false glosses of the Pharisees, and the Temple almost a den of Thieves, full of buyers and sellers. Yet for all this, the Evangelist calls it the holy City, even when it had more corruptions in it, than the Church of England hath at this day. Why? 1 Because there was the service of the true God set up in the Temple, the word preached, and sacrifices offered, and the meetings of the Church of God. 2 Because as yet they had not received a bill of divorcement. Have not we the Word truly Preached, and the Sacraments for substance truly administered? And for discipline, I will say, I wish we had the execution of so much as the Church alloweth. Or, when did the Lord give us a bill of Divorce? Or, what Church hath convinced us, that we cannot be acknowledged for a true Church? If they say, they of the Separation have; I answer; 1 They have labored to discover some errors, but none fundamental in us, nor without as many in themselves. 2 We may well doubt whether they be a Church, or no, seeing by the profession of some of their Teachers, they will not join themselves to any Church at this day upon the face of the earth, and so renounce all Communion with all the parts of the Catholic Church in the world. But we must not think much, if some unstable persons forsake our Communion, seeing in the golden and flourishing age of the Apostles themselves, some such there were, Heb. 10.25.

As for ourselves, we may strengthen ourselves against them by these conclusions. 1 We know, that the word of Truth is truly preached amongst us, which appeareth by the daily conversion of thousands, whereas never was man converted by a word of error, Jam. 1.18. 2 We know, that our Ministers are of God, because by them so many are begotten to God: Our Savior thought this a good reason, when he said, Believe me that I came out from the Father, for the works sake. The blind man had good insight into this matter, Joh. 9.30. saying, If this man were not of God, he could do nothing: and a wonderful thing it is, that ye know not whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. So may I say to the separatist, Doest thou not know whence that Minister is, who hath opened thine eyes? 3 We know that our meetings are holy meetings: 1 Our people is outwardly called by an holy calling, and to an holy end: 2 They profess faith in Christ, which is an holy profession, and in charity, (if we see no open reigning sin) are to be judged Saints: 3 Congregations are called holy in the Scripture from the better part, not from the greater, as an heap of wheat, mingled and covered with chaff, yet it is called wheat, 1 Cor. 6.11. Now ye are sanctified, washed, and justified: but in Epist. • . chap. 12. I fear, that when I come among you, my God will humble me, and I shall bewail many of them that have sinned, and have not repented of their uncleanness, and fornication, and wantonness which they have committed. Diverse other abuses there were, yet among Saints, and beloved ones. 4 Mixt Congregations are holy in God's acceptation, esteeming them not as they are in themselves, but as members of Christ. When Israel was at the best, it was a rebellious and stifte-necked people: yet Balaam said, He saw no iniquity in Jacob, nor transgression in Israel, not that there was none, but that none was imputed.

4 We know that we have no warrant to separate from holy things, neither for some defects cleaving to them, nor for ill men either handling them, or communicating in them. The Prophets never made any separation in times of greatest corruption, even when they cried out of their wickedness, 1 Sam. 2.24. Do so no more my sons (said Eli ) ye make the people trespass: how? By making them loath the service and sacrifice for your wickedness, verse 17. And when many abuses were among the Corinthians in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, yet a man that did carefully examine himself, might communicate of it with comfort; yea, our Savior Christ was often in the Temple, teaching and praying, and so were his Disciples, though it was a most corrupt place.

Object. 1 How may I pray with an evil man, seeing God heareth not sinners? Nay, his prayer is abominable.

Ans. 1 The speech in John 9.31. is not universally true, for God heard the poor Publican confessing himself a sinner. 2 Though God hear him not for himself, yet he hears him for the people; as Balaam blessing Israel, being both a wicked man, and speaking against his heart, God heard him for the people, Numb. 23.

Object. 2 But how may I communicate with a wicked Minister, or with what comfort?

Answ. The wickedness of the Minister may somewhat lessen the comfort, but neither diminish the perfection of the Sacrament in itself, nor hinder the efficacy thereof to us, seeing the efficacy depends only upon the promise of God, and the faith of the receiver, and is no more to be refused than the gift of a King, though the conveyance be drawn by a wicked Lawyer.

Object. But how can he be a means of conveying grace to me, that is a graceless man?

Answ. Grace is compared to water: now may not water that passeth through a wooden or stony channel, which itself is so undisposed that it cannot receive or have any benefit of it, make a whole garden fruitful? It is Augustine's simile. Besides, I would ask, whether any could with comfort refuse Judas his Baptism. John 4.2. even when he was a Devil incarnate? If it be said, They knew him not so to be, then belike a man may receive the Sacrament fruitfully of a secret profane man or infidel, and the wickedness of a Minister (if it be secret) pollutes not the Sacrament; and then it must follow necessarily, that no comfort and truth of the Sacrament can depend upon any Minister; for then none could have any assured comfort, that they have ever received a Sacrament, because no man can look to the sanctification of any man's heart, and cannot certainly without revelation know who is indeed truly sanctified.

Object. 3 But what say you to a dumb Minister? he is no Minister, and therefore he can perform no ministerial action: his Baptism, is no Baptism; his Sacraments, no Sacraments; his prayers, no Prayers.

Ans. 1 For themselves, I say their Ministry is unlawful to themselves, and without repentance a certain matter of destruction. 2 I cannot blame those, who with their own peace, and the Churches avoid them. 3 We must distinguish between such a man, and a mere private man: for although they be no good and lawful Ministers of God, yet because they come in the room of Ministers, by the election of the Church, to whom God hath given power to ordain, they are now public persons, and Ministers, though no good ones. 4. Being thus enabled by the Church to give what they can, and bound by being in the place of a Pastor, though he come never so inordinately to administer Sacraments, we may receive from him what he can give. 5 We must distinguish between a calling, and the execution of it; for it proves not he hath no calling of a Minister, because he executeth it not. A Magistrate ceaseth not to be a Magistrate, or to want Office, because he doth not duly execute it.

Obj. But the Magistrate is an able Magistrate, so is not this Minister.

Ans. A Magistrate is a Magistrate, who for the ignorance of his place may be called an Idol-Magistrate: the substance of a lawful and good Magistrate, is to be able to judge of Causes, but not of a Magistrate simply, who is chosen by election of people, or by course: so it is of the substance of a good and lawful Minister of God, to be able to preach, but not of a Minister simply. And as a Magistrate not able to wield martial affairs, and so defective in a special part of his Office, yet no man refuseth the good that he can do for peace: even so, endeavoring in the mean time for a sufficient Ministry, and groaning under this burden, which private men cannot cast off, I take it, the good things which they can give, may be taken at their hands.

Obj. But by communicating with them, we communicate in their sin.

Ans. He that receiveth the Sacrament at the hands of a Minister, who is an Adulterer, neither makes him an adulterer, nor partakes of his adultery. If we either made him Minister, or communicated with his insufficiency, which our souls groan under, some part of the guilt would stick to our fingers. But we communicate only in the Lord's Ordinances, so far as he is able to administer, and justify not the lawfulness of his calling, but that he only is in the room and place of a Minister, whom we cannot avoid, unless we will put away the Lord in refusing his Sacraments.

Obj. Hos. 4.6. Because thou hast refused knowledge, thou shalt be no Priest to me: therefore ignorant Ministers are no Ministers.

Ans. 1. True; no lawful, no good ones, approved of God, to me. 2 The Prophet rather gives a rule in election and deposition of such, then shows how far they may be used while they stand: So we deny not but such ought not to be chosen Ministers, nor that such ought not to be deposed: but, that nothing ought to be received of them while they stand, we deny, especially seeing we well know, that in ancient Churches there were Deacons, who were assistants to Pastors and Presbyters in reading, administering Sacraments, Baptism, and the Eucharist, yea and in Catechising, who had not the office of Pastors. All which I speak not to maintain this foam of the Church, which she hath been too long in scumming off; but to remove causeless scruples of weak consciences, who are ready to deem all their actions nullities, and utterly reject Sacraments at the hands of such unpreaching Ministers.

Obj. 4. But how may I partake where open sinners are tolerated to receive the Sacrament? do not I partake of their sins?

Ans. Christ entered into the same Temple with wicked persons, and ate the same Passover with Judas, and was undefiled: the Prophets lived in the midst of a polluted people; and joined in the public exercises of religion: and those few of the Church of Sardi defiled not their garments among a multitude of wicked persons.

Obj. Isa. 52.11. and, Revel. 18.3. Come out of her my people, touch no unclean thing, &c.

Ans. If we compare the Prophets precept, with his practice, we shall easily see he means not of any Schismatical separation: he calls God's people out of that wicked multitude, but where read we, that himself did bodily separate? and therefore, this must be a coming out, and departing from their evil, not local, but moral: q. d. 1 Have no fellowship with their unfruitful works. 2 Do not countenance them in their evil. 3 Reprove them. 4 Touch no unclean thing, that is, consent not to any wickedness among them. But, 1 It is one thing to touch the holy things of God, another the uncleaneness of men. 2 Separation from the wicked in body is impossible, except we will go out of the world. The Disciples could not be rid of Judas, unless they would depart from Christ himself. 3 Unless they can prove an established Idolatry among us ripe to the plague, as in Babylon, they cannot prove a separation in body and mind. 4 Of this separation a reason is given, not because they cannot partake in any holy thing, while the wicked are in presence; but, least ye be partakers of her plagues.

Qbj. 1 Cor. 5.11. If any be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such a one eat not. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

Ans. 1 The place is meant of private familiarity and amity, so far as a man is not bound, or tendeth to the countenancing of his sin. 2 It implieth that he ought to be excommunicate, if he hear not the Churches admonition, (as the whole context will show) and so cut off from Christian communion for the time. 3 If a man were excommunicate, some were bound to eat privately with him, as his Wife, Children, and Servants: for these are necessarily bound, and do not countenance him. 4 A man may and must eat sometimes with notorious wicked persons; as suppose a man in the same ship, or prison, or army, and can have no meat but among vile wicked persons, here a man may not refuse it, lest he famish himself. So at the Lord's Table: such as admit wicked persons, having power to repel them, communicate with their sin and countenance them therein: but a private person, whose soul is vexed with their sin, and doth what he can to redress it, but cannot, is not polluted by them; he is forced to eat with them, he may not starve his soul.

As for that, A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump, the Apostle speaks it to the Governors not to suffer such wicked persons, and provoketh only private persons, the pieces of that lump, to be the more watchful over themselves, but not to refuse God's Ordinances for them: And as neither that Church of Corinth ceased to be a Church for suffering that wicked man (for the Apostle honors them with that style while he checketh that sin,) so neither do particular members cease so to be for that such are suffered, much less. Look to thy own soul: the Apostle wisheth every man to examine himself rather than others.

Object. 5. But how can I hear the Word with profit from a wicked man?

Ans. 1. A wicked man may preach salvation to another, and damnation to himself; as Judas, and the builders of Noah's Ark. A statue may point another the way, but itself stand still. 2 An instrument hath all his efficiency from the first mover, who is God himself: a Knife with motion will cut if the hand will use it. 3 The Word is like the Light: now as the light of the Sun is not defiled, though it pass through the dirtiest places, so the Word is not polluted through awicked preacher. 4 Look to thy own disposition, that thy soil be good as the seed is good, take the benefit of the Sun and rain, and it is no matter whether the hands be clean or foul that cast and disperse the seed. 5 Let Preachers consider what a bar it is to all their labor to be scandalous, covetous, disdainful, envious, noted for Gamesters, companions, &c. how their example doth more harm than their teaching can do good; with how little power or prevailing he can point his finger to other men's sores, which everyone can point at in himself; what an odious thing it is to make God's people to loath God's Ordinances, because of him; and what a woeful case is it that Paul intimates of such teachers, who preaching to others, themselves by disobedience become cast-aways, 1 Cor. 9.27.

Rules to avoid entangling and seduction by Separatists persuasions.

1 Labor for wisdom to discern between main truths in doctrine, and inferior in discipline; as knowing that Jerusalem was the holy City before Nehemiah built the wall of it: between the person and the place, not condemning the place for the person; between the thing and the use, and condemn not the use for the abuse; between Offices and Executions, substance and circumstances; the being of a thing, and the well-being of it.

2 Labor to reform thine own heart first, for that is in thy power to amend; and then thy own family; and, if it be in thy power, go further to the house of God: but if thou beest a private man, and this be not in thy power, thou must turn thee to prayers and tears; and yet so strive in seeking the well-being of things, as by unthankfulness thou lose not the comfort of the things themselves.

3 Be low in thine own eyes, suspect thy own judgment, condemn not, much less contemn those that are not every way as thyself. Pride and contention of spirit are inseparable; and it is folly to look that men who have a different measure of grace, should not differ in judgment, and though they walk in the same way, yet not after the same manner.

4 Testifie thyself a sound Christian by the badge of Christ, which is love: by this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples, if ye love one another. Study to be quiet (saith the Apostle) and follow things that concern peace. Love will make the best, even of bad things, and give a charitable construction of things doubtful, and pity and pray for such as err howsoever, and much more if they err of ignorance.

Use 2. This doctrine teacheth us, that the way to sanctify a man's person or family, is to set up the Worship of God in his heart or house. 1 Thy heart must be the Temple of God, yea as the Ark within the Sanctuary: In the Temple God was daily worshipped, there were daily Sacrifices offered, the Scriptures read and expounded, and prayers preferred unto God from his people. Thou must get proportion in all these, if thy heart be God's Temple: thou must privately, yea secretly apart daily worship God with personal worship, daily offer the sacrifices of praise and thanks for personal blessings and deliverances, daily prefer thy personal prayers, daily apart read and apply the Scriptures to thine own use: for thus must it be in God's temple. And further, thy heart must be as the Ark, wherein were kept the Tables of the Law, written with God's own finger: endeavor in obedience to all God's Commandments, entreat God to write his Law in thy heart, that thou mayest never depart from it. Thy heart as the Ark, must keep the pot of Manna, a type of Christ the food of life; close Christ within thy heart, and hold him as thy life never to part with him: for that figured the Sacraments, in which Christ is propounded the food of the soul. Thy heart as the Ark, must contain Aaron's rod that had budded, signifying the discipline and government of Christ, unto which thou must subject thyself: let this rod flourish in thee, and stoop with reverence and fear to this scepter.

2 Thy house and family must be sanctified also, by setting up and preserving God's worship there. We read of some of the Saints, who had Churches in their Houses: Every Christian professing holiness must have the like care and endeavor in such Family-exercises as God hath prescribed: as,

1 In diligent teaching and instructing the family-partly in reading, and partly in delivering precepts out of the word. It is God's Commandment, Deut. 6.7. to whet the law continually on our children, and train them up even from child-hood in the Scriptures. The benefit whereof shall be, 1 To fit them for the public Ministry: 2 To cause the word to dwell plenteously in them: 3 it is a notable means for their growth in godliness, and to contain them in good order.

2 In calling them to account for things delivered, by catechizing, pitifully neglected in families, who yet would be thought to be God's people. This is the driving of the nail to the head, to stick the surer. It works care in those who easily reject good means. It hinders vain thoughts, words, and exercises. It banisheth much folly and ignorance, that is bound up in the hearts of children and servants.

3 In applying the works of God past or present, on ourselves or others, to move them to confidence and trust in God, by the works of his mercy, and to fear to offend by the works of his justice: and by this means, the seeds not only of true Religion, but of good conscience, shall be sown in them betimes: this was holy Abraham's practice, for which God would not hide his secret works from him, Gen. 18.19.

4 In daily private prayer with the family, at least every morning and evening solemnly on our knees, making confessions of sins, and requests to God, together with thanksgiving. Psalm 55.17. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray and make a noise. Daniel three times a day prayed, and praised God in his house, as he was wont, chap. 6. v. 10. The excellent use of which, is the opening of the door of God's treasury to the family, by which it is enriched with the best blessings of God. Besides, the Lord shall hereby have some honor, that is due to his mercy upon the family.

5 In edifying the family with Psalms and melody to the Lord, as it is Col. 3.16. In these daily duties doth the sanctification of a family consist. Whereunto we may be persuaded by these motives: 1 In that they are the practices of men fearing God, such as Joshua and his house, Cornelius and his household. 2 In that by these exercises the family shall not only be sanctified, but also blessed; as Obed Edom and his house for the presence of the Ark. 3 What madness is it, to reject and banish God's word and worship out of doors, and yet think God is there? Nay, where found grace comes, there is the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication in every family apart, Zach. 12.14. and where the worship of God is not set up in families, there is nothing but a conspiracy of Atheists, and a wicked brood bringing God's judgments on themselves, and the business passing through their hands.

Use 3. Jerusalem is called holy, being once sanctified to the Lord's use; which teacheth us, that we should reverently both conceive and speak of all such things as are set apart to the Lord's use.

1 Some persons are consecrate to the Lord, as the Tribe of Levi, of whom the commandment was, Thou shalt not forsake the Levite all thy days. And the Prophets: Touch not mine anointed, and do my Prophets no harm. So in the New-Testament, The Minister that rules well, is worthy of double honor: Yea, if the widows which were set apart to inferior offices about the poor, must be honored, 1 Tim. 5.3. much more the Minister that standeth in God's place and stead, Heb. 13.17. Obey them that have the oversight of you. Thus Cornelius reverenced Peter, and the Eunuch, Philip. Nay, not only the Minister, but every believer is separate to God, and sanctified to carry the Covenant, and hath the annointing of the Spirit; which the Lord acknowledgeth on them, and speaketh reverently and lovingly of them, calling them his holy ones, yea, the apple of his eye. They see not this, who can persecute and revile them for hypocrites, and count them as the Apostles (whose doctrine they profess) the scum of the world.

2 Some places are for their use to be accounted holy, because God is there present in his worship, as the places of our meetings; not that any inherent holiness is annexed to the place, or cleaveth to it out of the action of God's worship; but while God is present in his Worship, we must account it holy ground, and the house of God. When God appeared in Bethel to Jacob, he said, How fearful is this place? surely it is no other than the house of God. We must therefore put off our shoes with Moses, that is, our base and vile, our sinful and sensual affections, yea, our lawful (if earthly) thoughts, when we come to this holy place. Look we bring no thoughts with us unbeseeming the place where God is, separated from other common places to holy uses. Look that in this place we use no gesture or behavior, unbeseeming a man that hath business with God being present. To sit talking, or sleeping, or laughing, or gazing, suits not with this place. And further, if God please to account the very places holy for the use, and presence of God in this use; what shall we think of them that conceive so basely of them, as they would love a Parish better, in which is no Church? Others profane them with base practices, and unconscionably suffer them to fall or decay, and will be at no charge to make or keep them handsome, sweet, and beautiful. Styes were fit for such swine: As their affection is, so is their devotion.

3 The holy Ordinances of God must not be touched but with holy respect and reverence: of which it is said, It is not safe to play with holy things: 1 The word must be received, read, heard, spoken, as the holy word of God. To make jests of Scripture is a wicked practice. God looks graciously on him that trembles at his word, Isa. 66.2. as good Josiah, whose heart melted, hearing the words of the Law. So the names and attributes of God, are never to be used in frivolous admirations; but every knee must bow unto him, Phil. 2.10. Neither ought we to laugh at God's judgments on others.

2 An Oath is one of the holy Ordinances of God; and to swear in common talk vainly, is not to show reverence to this holy Ordinance. Swear not at all, that is, uncalled, Mat. 5.34, 35. neither being called, but in truth, justice, and judgment: for an Oath is appointed to decide controversies, which other means cannot. How few consider whether the matter be worth an Oath, or whether they be called to it, or whether it might not have been better passed by Yea or Nay, or by a bare asseveration? A wicked man is described by being a Swearer, Eccl. 9.3. but a godly man not only not swears, from which a man by education or civility may abstain, but also fears an oath, in what company soever he is, or what occasion soever he hath.

3 A Lot is another special Ordinance of God, to decide a controversy from heaven by God himself, when all means on earth fail. Therefore Lots must not be used without great reverence and prayer, because the disposition of them cometh immediately from the Lord, Pro. 16.33. and not but in great matters, not for recreation: for it is said, to cause contentious to cease among the mighty, Prov. 18.18. neither do we read that it was ever used, but in very great things, as the dividing of the land of Canaan, the election of High Priests and Kings, and the surrogation of Matthias into the place of Judas. Hence it follows, if dice and cards be Lots (as I think they be) that all play by them is unlawful.

4 Some times are sanctified above other, as the Sabbath day, all which must be passed holily, with much reverence and respect, both remembering it before it come, yea, rejoicing in the approach of it; and when it is come, to sanctify it; 1 In our hearts: for external observation of the Sabbath, without inward holiness and affection to the duties of God's service, is hypocrisy. 2 We must not meddle with any part of the duties of our ordinary calling: for that is no holy thing. 3 Much less travel to Markets or Fairs: but every man must stay in his own place, Exod. 16.29. Neb. 13.15. to 19. 4 Least of all must we set any part of it apart to our recreations: these be no holy things: sports are inferior to our lawful Callings, which are to be laid aside, far from holy things, and unsuitable to the Lord's Holy-day. The like (if not more) may be said against pampering a man's self and others, by feeding or feasting, and of drinking, or any such wicked passing away the Sabbath. The same also is to be spoken of a day of Feasting, of public Thanksgiving, which have the reason of a Sabbath.

Of these, and all other God's holy Ordinances, we may say as the voice said to Peter, What God hath sanctified, pollute thou not.

Doct. 2. A place is no longer holy, than God and his Worship is present. Was Jerusalem a holy City? how then is the beautiful City become an Harlot? how is it, that this City which was the seat of God's worship, and the habitation and collection of the Saints, is now an harbor of Turks and Infidels, over-run with Turkism or Idolatry? Surely, because the cause of this holiness ceased; the worship of God was corrupted, the Son of God despighted, the Gospel of God rejected, the Saints of God murdered, the day of Visitation neglected. And therefore, they being infinitely departed from God, and his pure worship, God departs from them; and God being gone, the place ceaseth to be holy; Bethel, while the vision of the Ladder lasted there, was an holy place, and so long as God's Worship continued there: but when it adm • tted the pollution of Idolatry, it must be called Bethel no more, but Beth-aven. When the Congregation of Israel brought the Ark from Gilgal, and set it up in Shilo, then was Shilo the standing house of God, the seat of religion and justice which God had chosen, Josh. 18.1. but for the sins of this place, the Lord rejected it; as Jer. 7.12. Go now to Shilo, into my place where I set my name in the beginning, and behold what I did unto it for the wickedness of Israel: if we will know what, look 1 Sam. 4.4. when by the villainy of Eli's Sons, and outrage of the people, the Lord was provoked, he gave Israel into the hands of the Philistines, there were thirty thousand Foot-men slain, the Ark was taken Hophni and Phineas slain, Eli the High Priest brake his neck; then did the glory depart from Israel, and the Ark never came at Shilo more.

So the Temple at Jerusalem was holy, the City holy, so long as they continued in the true Worship of God; but after they crucified the Lord of life, both City and Temple as profane were destroyed; so as Jerusalem, although the holy City of God, if her filthiness be found in her skirts, she shall be had in derision, Lam. 1. the most beautiful rod, if held out against God, shall be broken: yea, the Temple of God, if it become a den of Thieves, God will depart from it. For what is it that can tie God to any place, but his own worship, to which he hath tied himself by promise?

Use 1. Let not the vain Romanist boast of the pretended chair of Peter, from which God cannot possibly depart. Can God depart from Shilo for the sins of Priest and people, where first he put his Name, and can he not depart from Rome? Can he depart from the holy City, where he promised he would rest, and can he not be driven from the great City of the Whore, to which he never made any such promise? Can he depart in displeasure from her, whose foundations were laid among the holy Mountains, Psal. 87.1. and can he not depart from the Whore, that sitteth upon seven Hills? Shall Bethlehem where Christ was born, be forsaken, and cannot Babylon where Christ is daily Crucified? Nay, the Lord is long since departed from her, and her final confusion is at the door.

Use 2. And if Jerusalem, once the holy City, but now a Cage and Nest of unclean Saracens and Turks, be left of God, what a superstitious error prevailed in former times, wherein such bloody Battels were fought for the recovery of the holy Land, most superstitiously putting religion and holiness even in the place itself, after all the holy things were profaned, and God himself departed? The evil success of such Battels ever shown, how God was offended with such superstitious wars: and another mischief by them oppressed the Christian world to keep it in blindness: For the Pope making his advantage of this blind devotion, if any King or Prince in Christendom stood between him and his proceedings, one way or other he would send him out of his own Country in expedition for the Holy War, and there hold him till he had effected his own designs in that Princes Country, and so strengthened himself in all Lands, as Histories manifest.

Use 3. Let us not bear ourselves as though we had God so sure, as the Papist thinks he hath him in a Box, or pretend any vain privilege that we have to exempt us from danger: True it is, we have the word with peace, liberty, and protection: but the fear is, that our security and deadness of heart, with dissoluteness and profaneness in behavior, will forfeit all. God sendeth Jerusalem, to Shilo, saying, Trust not in lying words, saying, The Temple of the Lord; but amend your ways, and I will let you dwell in this place: but if you will not, go to Shilo, and see what I did to it, and look for the like. So now God sends us to Jerusalem, that we may consider what he did to it, being once the praise of the earth: and if the same sins be found in us as were in Jerusalem, the Lord will do no other with us, than he did with it; even as he threatened, 2 King. 21.13. he will stretch over us the line of Samaria, that is, bring the enemy in our necks; and the plummet of the house of Ahab an Idolater; take away his holy things, and exchange them with filthy Idolatry, and wipe us as a man wipeth a dish, even turn us upside down. What were the sins of Jerusalem but pride, idleness, fullness of bread, and contempt of the poor? In all which England doth equal, if not go beyond Jerusalem: and yet we charge ourselves as little with our sins as Jerusalem did. And if we look to the immediate causes and fore-runners of Jerusalem's over-throw, and compare them with our Land, we shall see it high time to look about us: for,

I. In general, Jerusalem had grievously sinned, and therefore was had in derision, Lam. 1.8. Her sins were great, many, of long continuance, with treasured wrath; and all this in a place of such means and light. Now no place in the world hath more means than we, we are far beyond Jerusalem in means, and therefore far beyond her in sins.

II. More specially: 1 They did not hear the words of God's servants the Prophets, nor obey them; therefore the Lord made that house like to Shilo, Jerem. 26.6. and hence Jerusalem afterward had time enough, but too late to charge herself with rebellion, Lament. 1.18. and to acknowledge the righteous judgment of God against it. Never were the Oracles of Heathens despised so amongst them, as God's holy Word is generally of our people; no man almost lets it come near his heart, a manifest argument that God will one day speak so as he will be heard. A Jerusalem would not take knowledge of the day of her Visitation, as appears in Luke 19.43. and Matth. 23.37. therefore her habitation was made desolate. As little know we the worth of our blessed means: but perhaps we may know it better in the want of them. 3 Jerusalem remembered not her latter end, therefore she came down wonderfully, Lam 1.9. she was careless and never considered the account she was to make of her liberties, and so hardened herself in sin, and grew to contemn the good means she had, through the daily custom of them. This also was the immediate fore-runner of Ninivehs destruction, Zeph. 2.13. This is the rejoicing City, that dwelt careless and said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me. How is she made wast, and the lodging of beasts? Everyone that passeth by her, shall hiss and wag his head. And the reason is, she bore herself upon her privileges, her holy things, her strength, wealth, populous and flourishing estate, specially upon the Promises of God, which they perverted, being all made with condition of obedience, which they had long before forfeited: yea, so likely and constant an estate she had, as none in the world would have believed, that the enemy should have entered the gates of Jerusalem, Lam. 4.12. so as he came unlookt for. The same is our conceit, we think our staff so strong that it can never be broken, we remember not what is the end of security: when men cry, Peace, Peace, comes sudden war.

4 Jerusalem had two sorts of Prophets in her: First, False Prophets, which flattered them, and sought out vain things, false prophesies and causes of banishment. Lam. 2.14. Such was Hanani, who opposed Jeremy, and said the Lord would within two years break the yoke of the King of Babel, Jer. 28.2. and Ahab's false Prophets would bid the King go up to battle against God's Commandment, and prosper. This was one cause of her ruin, Lam. 4.13. for the sins of her Prophets and Priests: not that the people had not sinned, but when Leaders, and such as should preserve purity of Religion and manners, are so corrupt, it argues a general corruption running down from the head to all the members, which must needs bring the whole to a consumption. A second sort were faithful and sincere, and the entertainment of these was such in Jerusalem, as God most severely revenged. Jeremy was cast into the dungeon, Micaiah into prison, nay, our Savior challengeth Jerusalem of such cruelty against the Prophets, as did bring all the righteous blood upon them from Abel unto Zachariah, Mat. 23.37. But of all cruelty they filled their measure in crucifying the Lord of the holy Prophets. Matth. 21.38. the Housholder sent his servants to receive fruits, but they evil-entreated them, and beat some, and slew others; at last he sent his Son, saying, They will surely reverence my Son: but they said, This is the Heir. Come let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. Now what will the Housholder do? He will certainly destroy those wicked men, and let out his vineyard to others. Expressing plainly in this parable, God's dealing with Jerusalem, and theirs with him, and what was the immediate cause of their destruction. A dangerous thing it is to wrong the faithful Ministers of God: Do my Prophets no harm, saith the Lord: and to persecute Christ in his members, shall not be unrevenged.

5 Jerusalem had many warnings before their utter overthrow. It was besieged by Pharaoh Necho, by Senachetib in Hezekiah's time, in Rhehoboams time, by Shishac King of Egypt, it was sacked and overthrown, 1 King. 14.26. It was subdued thrice by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel, twice under Joakim, and the third time under Zedekiah, the City was wasted, the Temple burnt, and the people captivated into Babylon, 2 Kin. 24. and 25 After seventy years, when by the permission of Cyrus King of Persia, the Temple was built by Zerubbabel, the City by Nehemiah, and the law restored by Ezra, and the Lord came again to his Temple: yet being again provoked, some years after it was taken by Antiochus Epiphanes King of Syria, the Law burned, the Temple profaned, the daily sacrifice removed, the sanctuary of strength polluted, and the abomination of desolation set up, as Daniel had foretold, chap. 11. v. 31. and made a wonderful effusion of blood. After this, the City and Temple was re-edifyed by Judas Assomanaeus, and began to flourish: but it was not long, before it was again taken by Cu. Pompeius, a Roman Captain, whom Aristobulus called to help him against his brother Hircanus, for the Priesthood. All these were fair warnings, whence they might perceive, 1 How righteous the Lord was in not forbearing their sins: 2 With how little reason they could stand upon any outward privilege, if they would go on in provoking the Lord: 3 How loath the Lord was to reject them utterly, if by any means they could be reclaimed. But when no means would do them good, the Lord gives them to utterdesolation by Titus and Vespasian, who ruinated the City, defaced the Temple, and left not one stone upon another, as Christ prophesied, Matth. 24.2. And since that time it hath ever been profaned, and in the hands of the greatest enemies of God and man, next Satan himself; polluted with most horrible idolatries, the Jews driven from thence into all Lands, and in all Lands Vagabonds, the blood of the Son of God lying upon them and their children till this day.

Oh the patience of God toward us! the many warnings and threatenings that we have had, by many treasons, conspiracies, sundry open and secret practices of our enemies, by Sea and by Land! (Remember 88. and 1605.) by sundry plagues of many kinds, and every day renewed, renews some warning or other: And yet, how fall we back more and more? how strong are the Papists? how bold? how malicious and furious, as mastives that have been long in the chain? Oh that we were so wise, rather to take example by others, than to be made examples to others; and to take warning by others harms to prevent our own! Why should we think ourselves so safe from the touch of this doctrine, or exempted from the lot of all Churches and Lands? Where was there ever a more holy place, a more holy City, a more holy Temple, than at Jerusalem? yet by security departing from the Lord, the Lord left them. What Church in all the World, whose flourishing estate hath always lasted? Cast we our eyes upon the Churches planted by the Apostles themselves, that of Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, the Churches in Asia: they had their times, but knew it not till it was too late: now all are become dens of thieves, and sunk down into the deadly poison either of Muhammadism or Antichristianism.

It was the over-sight, and overthrow of the most renowned Churches, never long to prize their liberties in the presence of them, but had leave a long time to bewail their absence. Time was when Jerusalem had God near them, his Prophets, his Law and Oracles, her Nazarites purer than snow: But not long after, there was never a Prophet left, never a sign, her Nazarites blacker than a coal, the ways of Zion forsaken: Oh now for one Prophet more! Time was, when they had the Son of God among them, and his Apostles, and the sound of the blessed Gospel was first offered to them: But not long after, Christ and his Apostles, the note was altered, and the case changed: for the sons of peace, and the Ministers of peace, they hear of Titus and Vespasian, of wars, and blood-shed, of famine and death meeting them a thousand ways.

Now time is, we have God near us, and Christ his Son, and the Ministers of reconciliation, and we know not our happiness. Time may come, when we may wish one good Minister in a Country, one Sermon, one holy Sabbath spent as we have seen many with too much neglect: A Lent may come for this long ope-tide. The Lord knows how little we desire the day of vengeance, neither can we prophesy; but blessed is that man that seeth the plague and hideth himself, where as the fool must go on to punishment.

THE second thing in this second circumstance, is the special place, namely The Pinacle of the Temple.

The Temple was the highest place on the Mount Moriah, and the pinnacle was the highest place of the Temple, to wit, a battlement above the top, to keep from falling down, Deut. 22.8. called pinnacles from their sharpeness, as our pinnacles are the sharp tops of our buildings, or spires.

Satan makes choice of this place; 1 As fit to his temptation, the scope and aim whereof we shall see afterward. 2 Beginning a new temptation, he changeth his place, to see if thereby he can change Christ's mind: so did Balaam, to see if any place would serve him to curse God's people, shift from place to place. And it is not unlike but our Dicers and Gamesters have learned this of the Devil, when the play runs against them, to shift places for better luck, as they say. 3 The place was full of danger to stand upon, and much more for the height to fall from. 4 The Temple was an holy place, dedicated to God's worship and service; what hath Satan to do there? but he takes upon him, as though he had to do everywhere, and can stand among the Sons of God, against the sons of God. It may be Christ will think himself privileged there, as the Pope in his chair, that he cannot err what ever he do. Or if he can abuse the Temple, to make it a means of the overthrow of the Son of God, he shall with one work both dishonor the Father so much the more, and destroy the Son.

Doct. Satan either fits his temptation according to the place where he finds a man, or draws him to a place fit for his temptation: Both which we see here against Christ; being in the wilderness hungry, Satan fits his temptation to the place, to make stones bread; and now being to assail him with another kind of temptation, he draws him into a place fit for his temptation. This subtlety of Satan we may observe in the first temptation of all: there was but one forbidden tree in Paradise, and there Satan fits his temptation to the place, to eat of that. So he finds Peter in the common hall, there he tempts him to deny his Master, a place most fit for it, where all else denied and abused him; and, if he should not do so, he should be in like danger: Nay, he not only fitted the temptation, but also drew Peter to the place.

1 Satan doth not use all temptations in every place, but such as he will have some advantage in by the very place itself: he knows it were bootless, if the place as well as other circumstances be not fitted to him. It had been in vain to have tempted Cain to stay Abel in his fathers house: but he drew him into the field after him, and so prevailed. He knew Joseph was a most modest and chaste man, and it had been in vain to have moved him to uncleanness, so openly as he did Zimri and Co • bi at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, or as openly as Absalom, who defiled his Fathers Concubines in the sight of all Israel: and therefore he sets upon him in a secret chamber. He knew it was no fit place to tempt Noah in the Ark, in the midst of the waters, when there seemed but a step between him and death: but, sitting under the vine, in his vineyard, he was easily overcome with it. While David was in his flight before Saul, in Caves and Wildernesses, it was bootless to tempt him to folly, he had no leisure, his thoughts were taken up in holy Prayers and Consultations with God; but when he was on his Pinacle, on the top of his turret, the place was fit to spy Bathsheba, and have her fetched to him, and so the sin was finished.

2 Satan knows, that sins are of divers sorts, and though all be works of darkness, and so should fly the light, and walk in solitary and private places, as extremities on the left hand, thefts, murders, Adulteries, &c. yet some other are best brooded in the light and places of public resort, as Pride, Prodigality, and a number of riots and open disorders: for example; Herod swore an Oath to give Herodias whatsoever she asked, to half his kingdom: when she asked John the Baptist head (which was an heinous murder of them both upon an innocent man) the very fitness of the place brought it forth. Great men often swear hundreds of Oaths in a day, and forget them presently, if they were made privately: But because Herod had sworn amongst the people, for his credit sake, and for them that stood by, John must presently lose his head.

3 The largeness of Satan's Commission gives him leave to make choice of what place he list, and thence to make his best advantage; no place is privileged, for he compasseth the earth, and is the Prince of the air, and stands sometimes in the presence of God, to get leave to afflict the children of God; so as there is no desert so solitary, no Pinacle so high, no City so holy, no Temple so sacred, but Satan dares, and can even there watch God's People a mischief: Nay, in Paradise he tempted Adam, and Judas at Christ's own Table.

Use 1. This may advise us to keep ourselves so far as we can from places of probable danger, which Satan hath after a sort fitted for temptation. Some places are dry and barren, no goodness is there exercised, or to be had, nor to be done: in these places the evil spirit walketh, there he haunts (as we see in the parable) and therefore our rule must be this: Where we can neither do good, nor take good, those be no places for us. Many civil men's houses, how is the time eaten up in vain and idle speech, and the most tolerable talk is worldliness, and the talk thereof is endless.

Object. What hurt is in that?

Sol. Yes, it is a dry place, and it cannot be answered, when even this shall shoulder out better speech. Other places are not only empty of good but filled with evil, that as hardly shall a man come safe out of them without some poison or corruption, as out of a plaguy or leprous house: For how can a man be safe where Satan's throne is? as,

1 Places of Idolatry, where a man must either show his dislike, or else give a secret consent. Men can go into places where the horrible Idol of the Mass stands, and keep their hearts to God: but commonly God gives such unwarrantable boldness a check, and experience shows what a tang it leaves after it, 2 King. 16.10. Ahaz went upon another occasion to meet Tiglah Peleser King of Ashur, at Damascus, and only seeing an altar there, he was so in love with it, as he sent to Uriah the Priest the pattern of it, and the fashion, and whole workmanship of it, to have another like it in all points against God's Commandment. And how hath a secret infection poisoned a number of our Travelers, who falling in love with Romish Idolatry, have brought the fashion and pattern, and workmanship of it over with them, and that because they run unwarrantably into places of danger? So how dangerously do men run into great Papists houses, where there are a thousand allurements, and enticements, pure Religion scorned, belied, and all to be besmeared with shameful lies, and opprobry, and the contrary magnified and extolled as the only truth; yea, the Scriptures themselves not less abhorred than the Thief hates the Gallows, and thrust down under men's devises and Popes Decrees, yea, the word of Salvation condemned and burnt (as they were of old by Antiochus and Maximinus ) as the books of Heretics; and the godly professors scoffed under the style of Scripturers and Bible-bearers? Men think it no danger to be familiar in such places, to be Servants to such Masters; which is to lead themselves into temptation. Alas, what Communion is there between light and darkness, between Christ and Antichrist?

2 Not only places of spiritual whoredom, but also corporal: If Satan get a man into such a place, he hath his snares and bands her lips are snares, her hands as bands, her words are cords to draw a man in as an Ox to the slaughter. How can a man avoid the unclean spirit in such fowl sinks as such places be? Prov. 5.8. My Son, keep thy way far from her, and come not near the door of her house: and Chapt. 6.32. he that goes into her, besides that he destroys his own soul, he finds a wound and dishonor, and reproach that shall never be put away. And the same Commandment, that hath forbidden any evil, hath forbidden also all the occasions of evil.

3 We must avoid Drinking-houses, Gaming-houses, and places of such rude and hellish resort. How suddenly are minds corrupted in bad company? what quarrels and causeless blows? what vain and ribaldry speech, which corrupteth good manners? what expense of precious time? what riot of goods? what wast of wit, and loss of reason itself is commonly in such places? so that a good mind sees himself in a little Hell while he is there: and where lodgeth Satan, if not in such houses, which are servants to every man's sin, and where are baits and snares, which are enemies not only to Christianity, but even to civility and humanity itself? There Satan hath one room filled with Swearers, another with Scoffers, a third with Drunkards, a fourth with Gamesters; and all his rooms are full of idle and disordered persons, who for the time have cast up their callings, and are at leisure for any work of the flesh which their master the Devil will now employ them in.

4 Add hereunto the places of Stage-plays, and Interludes, places of as great danger as any of the former, Satan's School-houses: There you shall hear Oaths, and Lies, and Scoffs of base Varlets against not only their betters among men, but of God himself, and his holy Religion: There you may see sin acted and represented, which ought not to be named among Saints: There you shall see men wearing women's apparel, and perhaps women men's: There you shall see men travelling of child, as one said of Nero being an Actor in a Tragedy, to which his part called him; and all kind of adulterous behaviours, and such shameful gestures and actions, as the light of Nature hath descried and condemned. What shall I speak of that lewd and wicked dancing of young men, in the habit and gestures of women, like Herodias: which what an incentive of lust it is, may easily be conceived in Herod's example: and the poison of amatory kissing of beautiful boys, is unto lust as fire to flax, or oil to fire. And least you should think I did wrong them in calling these places the Devils Schools, Cyprian doth no less, accounting the Stage-player (teaching boys to be effeminate, by instructing them how to play the women, and to express wanton gestures) to be the Devils Usher.

All these are places of certain peril, where no man can miss the Tempter: if he can draw men into these places, he will not fail to fit them with temptation. Let us therefore make a covenant with our eyes, not to behold such vanities and lustful spectacles; and with our feet, not to wander into such by-paths; and with ourselves, to avoid the very appearance of evil. It will sort well with our weakness, to avoid temptation, to pray against it, to watch ourselves lest we be overcome, rather than to follow, and much less to go before the Tempter.

Use 2. But if we must needs come in such places, as are fitted above others for temptation, then must we fence ourselves more strongly against such temptations, as the custom of the place offereth.

Quest. How may we do so?

Ans. By observing these rules.

1 In all places put we on our Christian armor, without which Christian life cannot stand. When a man goes among thorns and stubbs, had he not need to have his shoes of the Gospel on, if he would not be pricked and pierced to the heart? Or if a Christian want his sword, how should he cut the bands of sin in sunder? How should a Soldier stand in the hours of skirmish, without his Corslet and Brest-plate? or how should he quench or repel the fiery and furious darts of Satan and his Instruments, if he want the shield of faith? That man that puts on this armor of God, shall overcome all difficulties, and stand where many have fallen: for he hath with him the victory that overcomes the world.

2 In all places lay hold on all opportunities to do good, as Satan doth to do evil. He that hath goodness in him, shall come in no place but he may find some fitness to communicate it. If in places of good resort, men may and ought to make gain of that occasion. Can good men meet, and not be better one for another, whereas the wicked cannot meet but be worse? Here a man may 1 Observe God's graces in others, to be a pattern to himself. 2 Draw out understanding of them by godly and fruitful questions, or conference: Prov. 20.5. 3 Stir up others to diligence in going forward, and to greater love, Heb. 3.13. and inoffensive walking. Others may be ignorant; and here is occasion for thee to pity them, and open thy lips with wisdom to feed them, Prov. 10.20. Others may be dull and slow in God's ways, and these must be provoked and encouraged. Others by infirmity may be going astray, and thou perhaps mayest be a means to turn him, and win a soul. Others may need an exhortation, an admonition, a loving and brotherly reproof, or may need comfort: A wise man may now watch occasion not only to prevent Satan's baits, who would keep Christians from doing the good they can, but also to acquit himself in all places to the good of others, and his own comfort.

3 In places of bad resort, or scorners, if our calling lead us into them, let us take with us the exhortation of the Apostle, 2 Pet. 3.17. Take heed ye be not plucked away with the error of the wicked, and fall from your own stedfastness. And besides, 1 Let us grieve, that we are fallen into such company. 2 Let us think of some good or special work of God's mercy or judgment, fresh in memory. 3 If there be apparent evil, either give apparent token of dislike; or in a wise and peaceable manner, so speak as God's honor be not by our silence trodden down. 4 If there be no opportunity or place for good, depart with all speed, Prov. 14. verse. 7. and beware of falling into the like company again.

Took him up, and set him on the pinnacle.]

The third circumstance in this preparation, is the manner how Christ was conveyed to Jerusalem; Then the Devil took him up into the holy City, and set him on a pinnacle of the Temple. Some of great Learning and Piety hold, that Christ's presence in the holy City, and on the Pinacle, was only in Vision, and not corporal. Their reasons are these: 1. Some of the Prophets thus are said in vision to go from place to place; as Jeremy must go to the river Perath, and back again, chap. 13.4. and Ezek. 11.24. The Spirit of God took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea: and, 8.3. And took me by an hairy lock of my head, and the Spirit lift me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me by a Divine vision to Jerusalem. 2 Because the Evangelists say, that the temptations were in the Wilderness, and therefore could not be actually in the holy City, or on a pinnacle, but in vision. 3 Because Luke saith, that the temptations being ended, Christ returned into Galilee, namely from the wilderness.

But it seems, Christ's being in Jerusalem, and on the Pinacle of the Temple, was not in vision, but in deed and in truth; and the reasons well considered are too weak to prove the contrary: because, 1 It overthrows the end of the temptation, which was to cast himself down head-long, for the Angels would keep him without hurt. How could he hurt himself by an imaginary fall? or what needed he the Angels help? Neither could he cast himself down, if he were still in the plain of the wilderness. 2 It seems not to stand with the holiness of Christ, seeing every vision, which is a work of Satan, intending by it to delude man, is either a deceiving of the outward senses, (whereby he makes a man think he sees, hears, or feels something, which indeed and truth he doth not: as the Witch of Endor made Saul believe he did hear and see Samuel, when he did not, 1 Sam. 28. And after the same manner, if it were a vision, supposing that Christ was awake, he must not see the ground of the Wilderness, where they say he was, but upon that ground the City Jerusalem, the Temple, and Pinacle, and himself standing on the top of it, when indeed it was not there:) Or else, a vision presented by Satan must be an illusion of the mind, whereby he makes a man think that of himself which is not true; which can far less agree with the holiness of Christ, whose imagination could not be so far abused, as that he should think he was carried, when he was not carried; or to think himself to be there, where he was not: for this were contrary to that unmeasurable wisdom, which was with him. And if Satan had had such power over the superior part of the mind of Christ he might likewise have persuaded him he had not fallen when he did fall, or he did not worship him, if he had done so.

As for the Objection taken from the example of the Prophets;

I answer, Great is the difference between the visions of God, and visions from Satan. They knew their visions to be Divine, and not to delude or deceive them, they knew the Spirit of God took them up in Divine visions; but here it is said, The Devil took up Christ; and the text mentioneth that theirs were visions, so it doth not here.

For that which is objected out of the Evangelists, that the temptations were in the Wilderness, and if it were not in vision, only the first should be there:

I answer, 1 The Evangelists say, that Christ went into the Wilderness to be tempted, but none of them say, that all these three were in the wilderness. 2 If they should have said, that the temptations were in the wilderness, it had been true: for (as we have heard) Christ was tempted with other temptations than these in that place within the forty days.

Whereas it is further said, that Christ returned after the temptations into Galilee, and therefore the last temptation was in vision upon the Plain, and not on the Mountain:

I answer, 1 No one Evangelist saith, he returned from the Wilderness. 2 That the Evangelist hath reference to the last temptation, which perhaps was finished in the Mountain, either in that Wilderness, or near it, after Christ was led back from Jerusalem, and there the temptations ended.

And now, seeing that his presence in the holy City, and upon the Pinacle was real and local, not in vision and mental, the next question is, How the Devil took him up, and set him on.

Ans. It must necessarily be one of these two ways; either Satan must lead him, or else must carry him.

The former, that Satan took him as a Companion, or a Leader, seems not so probable: 1 Because Christ of his own will would not go; for (as we have heard) the Spirit led him into the Wilderness to be tempted; and he would not of himself go elsewhere, because the Spirit of God called him thither, and no whither else. 2 Christ would not do it at Satan's instigation, whom he knew to be the Tempter: for neither must we do anything at Satan's request, be it never so lawful: for whatever we do, we must have a word of God to do it in faith. 3 If Christ had yielded to be lead as a Companion, he might have seemed to have sought temptation, and been a Coworker with Satan against himself: but it was enough to yield himself a Patient in it. 4 The distance of the holy City from the Wilderness, which was (as those say that make it the least) twelve miles from Jerusalem, admitteth not that Christ being hungry and ready to faint, should follow Satan so many miles.

The latter therefore seems to be the right manner of Christ's conveyance, namely, that he was carried by Satan through the air, who by God's and Christ's permission, took him up, and transported his blessed body to Jerusalem, and set him on the battlements of the Temple, For, 1 The words, he set him on the Temple, signifies he set him down, who had formerly taken him up; and if he had power to set him there, why should he not also have power to carry him thither? And, if he had not carried him thither, but Christ had followed him the Evangelist would have said, When they came to the pinnacle of the Temple, and not set him on the pinnacle. 2 This was the hour of the power of darkness, wherein Satan was allowed to take all advantages to further his temptations: and he might think this violent transportation a means, either of shaking Christ's faith with terror and fear what might become of him, being now delivered into the hands of Satan; or else to make him swell with pride and insolency, that he was able to fly in the air, or to be conveyed in the air from place to place, without hurt, which an ordinary man could not: and this would well fit the scope of the temptation ensuing.

Quest. But how could Satan carry the body of Christ, being a spirit? Or if he could, why should he?

Answ. He is a Spirit, 1 Of wonderful knowledge and experience, to dive into secrets of Nature, to work strange and hidden things. 2 Of exceeding great power, to shake the Earth, move the mountains, and confound the Creatures, if God should not restrain him. 3 Of Admirable agility and quickness, proceeding from his spiritual nature, whereby he can speedily convey himself, and other creatures, into places far remote and distant one from another. 4 He knows to apply himself to the creatures, and to move them, not only according to their ordinary course, but with much more speed and quickness. 5 He is able to appear in the form of a creature, or any person, not by deluding senses, but by assuming to himself a true body, and move it by entering into it, and to utter a voice in a known Language, as he did in the Serpent, and so he can in other creatures, which have instruments of speech. And thus it is not difficult to him to transport a body.

Witches and Wisards have been often by their own confession transported into remote places by wicked spirits, which they call familiars. Besides, good Angels (being in their nature Spirits as Satan is) are able to transport men hither and thither, as Christ was in the air. Act. 8.39. The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and carried him from Gaza to Azotus, which was about thirty six miles. Some understand it of an Angel of the Lord, as Mr. Beza noteth. But if God by himself miraculously did that, the additions to Daniel (to which as much credit is to be given, as to any History, which is not Scripture) affirm, that the Angel of the Lord carried Habbakkuk out of Judea into Babylon by the hair of the head.

Now, why must Christ be thus carried by Satan?

Answ. 1 It was not against the will of Christ, but willingly he puts himself into the hands of the Devil, to pluck us out of his hands. 2 It was not impotency or weakness of Christ, but power and resolution, who would not recoil, nor shun any place where Satan would appoint for his assault, or would carry him, being as well the God of the Mountains as of the Valleys. Here therefore we must not admire the power of Satan, but the patience of Christ, that suffered himself to be carried of the Devil, being it tended to the greater confusion of Satan, and the glory of his own victory. 3 Our blessed Lord would be tempted in all things like unto us, that as a careful Head he might sympathize with his members. God for the trial of his children, sometimes suffers Satan to have power even over their bodies: and therefore Christ to sanctify this affliction to his members, would suffer even his own blessed body for a while in the hands of Satan. 4 What marvel if Christ suffered himself to be carried by the Devil to temptation, that suffered himself to be carried by his instruments to execution? How was he hailed and carried by the Devils limbs from place to place, from Annas to Caiaphas, from him to Pilate, from him to Herod, from him to Pilate again, and from him to the place of execution? Satan in himself might as well carry his body into Jerusalem to be tempted, as his limbs carry it out of Jerusalem to be crucified; and as well might he suffer Satan to lead him into the mountain, and tempt him, as his instruments to lead his body unto Mount Calvary to kill him.

Use 1. Consider the wonderful love of God to mankind, who would give his only Son, and the Son of his love, to such abasement, to deliver him not only into the hands of Satan's instruments, to mock, to spit upon him, to buffet, yea, to condemn and kill, but to deliver his blessed body into his own hands, to carry and recarry at his Pleasure. Add hereunto the wonderful love of the Lord Jesus, who was a willing patient in the hands of the Devil himself. He knew it was the will of his Father, and therefore submitted himself unto it. He knew it was a part of that whole Righteousness, which he was to fulfil, and therefore he resisteth not. He knew it to be as great an indignity as never could be the like; yet for our sakes he is well content with it.

Now as Christ was content, because he loved us, thus to be tossed of Satan here, and of his instruments afterwards, so let us show or return our love to him. If we be tossed by Satan, or by his instruments, for Christ's sake, as the Saints have been, from Prison to Prison, we must be contented: our Love to our Lord must help us to swallow it, and not shrink from him. Consider, we may be in the hands of the Devils instruments, but he was in the Devils own hands for us: this would make us shrink.

Use 2. Observe hence, That the work of our redemption, though free to us, yet cost Christ dear. He must be not only in the hands of Judas to betray him, of the Jews to scoff him, of Pilate to condemn him, and of the Soldiers to crucify him; but personally in the hands of the Devil to tempt him. And had not Christ been thus, and worse than thus, in the hands of the Devil, we had never been gotten out of his hands. Here take we notice of the execration of our sins, and the woefulness of our estate: our sins put him into Satan's hands, he must put himself in our place or stead, before we can berescued.

Use 3. Observe The wonderful power of our Lord Jesus, that being in the bands of the Devil, can come out safely: nay, his mighty power shines herein, that by his own coming into Satan's hands he brings us out, an unlikely and contrary means, but such as by a divine power prevails for himself and all his members. Could any other but he work Satan's greatest disadvantage by offering him the greatest advantage? Here is omnipotency to work by contraries, to kill death by dying, to shut the grave by entering into it, to remove hellish pains by suffering them, and to pull his members out of Satan's hands by putting himself in. The Philistines desired but to get Sampson into their hands, and prevailed: but here is an invincible Sampson, his enemy cannot hold him.

Use 4. Hence we see that Satan may have power over the bodies of men, God permitting him, to carry them as he listeth, and grievously to afflict them, as we see in Job. That Satan can transport the bodies of Witches, all Histories record. That he can bewitch the bodies of unbelievers, none deny. But our example teacheth, that even the godly themselves may be bewitched; as Jobs body was, and the woman of Canaan her daughter, a daughter of Abraham, Matth. 15.22. For if the Devil hath power here over the Body of Christ himself, he may also over his members. Many presume upon the strength of their faith and graces, that Satan can have no power over them, and they defye him: But hast thou more strength of Faith and Grace than Christ had, over whose body Satan had power for a time to carry and recarry.

Object. Witches have assayed to bewitch such and such, but have confessed their faith to be so strong as they could not prevail.

Answ. They allege a false cause to feed the former delusion: for the true cause of their not prevailing is God's restraint, not the strength of faith.

Use 5. Here is a ground of comfort, if the Lord permit the bodies of his elect to Satan's disposal, it is no argument (suppose a man be bewitched or possessed) that a man is not then the child of God: For 1 Christ was as dear unto God now, being in the Devils hands, as before. 2 Christ was safe enough now in the hands of the Devil, and so are all they that are in Christ. He was no less in his fathers hands now than before. 3 He was not left in the hands of the Devil, but permitted for a time of trial and temptation: So it is no argument of final delivery up to Satan, when the child of God is for a time delivered into his hands to exercise him. 4 It is rather an argument of God's child, and conformity with Christ, to be maligned of Satan and vexed by the Devil. Satan may winnow and sist God's children, but their faith through Christ's prayer shall not fail, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail.

NOw after those three former circumstances, which contained the preparation to this second temptation, we come to the temptation itself; which consists of 1 The assault; 2 The repulse. The assault containeth, 1 The ground of it, If thou be the Son of God. 2 The matter and scope of it, cast thyself down. 3 The argument enforcing it, For it is written, &c.

1 The ground (If thou be the Son of God) is the same with the former: which showeth, 1 Satan's importunity and violence, 2 His subtlety: by often making question of it he will see if he can yet bring Christ to make it a question. 3 His malice against Christ, laying still his greatest forces against his saith, which was the greatest moat in his eye: dealing herein like an experienced Soldier, who seeing a Town or Fort in any hope to be won, will not away at first repulse, but will assay it again and again with new assaults. Whence we may learn, that,

Doct. Satan will not stick to urge the same thing often, if thereby he may advantage himself, or disadvantage us. With how many new messages and devises did he urge Balaam to curse the people of God? Still he changeth places, but all is one temptation, to curse the people of God. By how many means did Satan by himself, by Jobs friends, and his Wife, seek to with-draw him from his confidence in God, bringing a number of several arguments, and all to prove him an Hypocrite? For that was the foot and burden of all their discourses.

1 It may be the circumstances of time or place may yield him some advantage, as here he thought the Pinacle fitter than the Wilderness: [Reasons.] as Balak thought the top of Pisgah more commodious perhaps for Balaam to curse Israel in, than the high places of Baal, Numb. 23.14. compared with 22.41.

2 Sometimes our disposition is more secure and remiss, especially having out-stood and overcome a temptation; and then Satan comes again, and by the same temptation (not finding us the same men) suddenly surpriseth us. Wherein he deals with us as David with the Amalekites, who having took a great spoil from him and his wives, they fell to eat, and drink, and dance, and lay scattered because of the prey; In this security David comes upon them; and recovered all, and they lost more than they had gotten. So deals Satan with us; when we grow secure (after we have prevailed) he wins more than before we had gotten.

3 Sometime the thing, which Satan would win from us, is so necessary, so excellent, as if he get not that, he can gain nothing at our hands. This makes him renew the same assault, as here; the faith of Christ had been a sweet morsel, and, if he gets not this, he gets nothing: So our faith is so precious, as he still aims at it, because he knows if he overthrows this, we are as branches without a root, withering and dead, soldiers without a shield.

Use 1 Look for the same temptation again and again. The fencer having had a shrewd wound, will not easily lie open in that part again. The Citizens, who have stood out a siege, will survey the places most battered, where the enemy had his strongest hope of entry, and will most fortify them against another time.

Use 2. Where we are most tempted, know that there is some special grace to be kept or lost. A thief will not hanker after an empty chest: but if he know where Jewels or treasure is, he will haunt there.

Use 3. Abandon all doctrine of doubting as Satanical, which Satan is much and often in, both against Christ and his members: And no marvel, seeing doubting warreth against saith, by which only Christ is apprehended, and heavenly life and heat kept in us. But of this before.

Cast thyself down]

II. Now follows the matter and scope of the temptation, and the dart itself which is thrown at Christ. The scope of Satan is, 1 To bring Christ to presumption, that seeing he will needs trust in his Fathers providence and care, he assays if he can make him trust too much; and seeing he will be so confident, if he can bring him to vain confidence: as if he should say, If thou, because thou art the Son of God, canst live without bread; upon the same ground thou canst go down without stairs. And both Satan's allegation of Scripture, and our Savior's answer, show that this was the principal aim of the Devil.

2 To fasten upon Christ vain glory, as well as vain confidence: as if he should say, Thou shalt have great honor, and every man will believe, if thou by this miracle show thyself the Son of God: to this purpose I have fitted the place where is greatest resort, and where the Son of God ought especially to make himself known: For where should the Son be made known, if not at his Fathers house? Satan knew he had overcome the first Adam by a temptation of vain-glory, and now he assaulteth the second: Ye shall be gods: and Thou shalt be known to be the Son of God, if by flying in the air thou canst come down without hurt.

3 To bring him to tempt God, and try whether he be so powerful as to save him in such an attempt, whether so true of his word, as to keep him, and whether the Angels did diligently watch him, and bear him up, as their commission was.

4 Satan intended directly to kill him, being a man-slayer from the beginning. For every way the dart intended his destruction, if he should cast himself down; for thus Satan thought, If he cast down himself, and kill himself, then he is not the Son of God, and so I shall gain him: Or, if he cast down himself, and not kill himself, yet shall I make him both disobey God in tempting him, as also obey me. Thus either way Satan makes sure of his prey.

5 Satan had yet a further fetch, which made him so bestir himself, seeking in Christ's downfall, our utter ruin, disgrace, and destruction. Strike off the head, all the members with that blow are slain. The bent of all Satan's temptations against the Head, is against all the Members. Out of the same ground Satan raiseth a clean contrary temptation to the former. In the former, he moves Christ to diffidence and despair; in this, to presidence and presumption. In the former, he would have Christ use unlawful means; in this, to reject all means, even lawful. In the former, he persuades him to distrust where God had promised; in this latter, to trust where God had not promised. In the former, that bread was absolutely necessary; here, that a ladder and means of going down, were not necessary at all: as if he should say. Thou sayest that God is able to uphold thee being his son, without means; go too, let us see how true that is. If he can ordinarily, and extraordinarily preserve thee, then, Cast thyself down headlong from this pinnacle: for being the son of God, thou shalt be sure to be preserved safe without hurt.

Doct. Whence Observe, That the Devil in tempting men, labors to bring them to extremes: And when he cannot prevail in one, he would fasten on them the clean contrary sins. If he can get Christ, because he is the son of God, either to contemn his Fathers providence, as in the former; or to presume on the same, as in this temptation, either will please him, 2 Cor. 2.10. the Apostle showeth, that this is one of the wyles and stratagems of Satan, by clean contrary ways to destroy the Church: either by too much lenity, which let fall the censures of the Church, so as the incestuous person was not at all corrected; or when they began to use too much rigor and severity, forgetting the rules of Christian meekness and charity. And in the incestuous person himself, it will please him well, either that he go on without all remorse of his sin, and the Church not meddle with him; or that by the severity of the Church, he be swallowed up of sorrow. In regard of both which the Apostle saith, We are not ignorant of his wyles. Act. 14.11.19. when Paul and Barnabas came to Lycaonla, to preach and publish the Gospel, observe Satan's wyle in the people; either they must receive them as God's, and sacrifice unto them out of blind zeal and devotion, at which the Apostles rent their clothes; or else they must take them and stone them, as they did Paul, and drew him out of the City, supposing he had been dead, ver. 19. Matth. 21.9. when Christ came riding to Jerusalem, multitudes flocked after him, spread their garments in the way, cut down boughs to strow therein, and cried Hosanna, he was the son of David, the blessed one that came in the Name of the Lord; The people said, it was Jesus, the Prophet of Nazareth, and all the City was moved: But before night, Satan had them in another extremity: such was the envy of the Scribes and Pharisees, that Christ was either glad to fly the City that night; or the fear of the people, that none durst entertain and lodge him: verse. 17. so he left them, and went into the Town of Bethania, and lodged there. And within few days after, all cried, Crucify, Crucify.

1 This comes to pass, because Satan is contrary to himself; [Reasons] according to his disposition are his ways. Though he be the Prince of darkness, yet can he transform himself into an Angel of light, 2 Cor. 11.14. He appeared in the shape of a serpent to Eve, in the shape of a Prophet to Saul. Sometime this crooked serpent can deny Christ to be the Son of God, as here; and sometimes preach him so to be, Mark 1.24.

2 His dexterity and sliness is another cause, whereby he can make one ground, and that a good and true one, to serve to rear up two extreme evils, in such cunning manner, as he was in hope to deceive the wisdom of God himself thereby: for here out of God's word, that Christ was his Son, he infers two contrary conclusions, both contrary in themselves, and both contrary to God's word.

3 He knows, there is but one good and strait way to heaven, that the Lord hath commanded us to walk in that way without turning to the right or left hand, that he hath placed the virtue in the mean: and the refore he cares not in which extreme he can thrust us, so as we keep out of that mean appointed. He hateth nothing but virtue and grace, which God loveth.

4 He knowing the propensity and inclination of our corrupt nature (which desires to know no mean, but is rather disposed to any vice in extremity, than to rest in obedience unto God's Commandment) fits us according to our inclination, and casts us first in one extreme, then in another, and holds us there where we best please ourselves. Hence we account extremes virtues.

5 Many are the by-ways that lead to hell on all hands, there being but one truth: and the Devil carrieth such incessant malice to man, that he cares not in which of them a man come to hell, so he come at length.

Use. Beware then of Satan's subtlety, of his contrariety and extremities. In matters of God's worship, his scope is to make a man either profane, and cast off all care of Religion; or if men will not be drawn from some devotion, then he seeks to make them superstitious, in which extreme he holdeth the blinded and devout Papists, who worship, both false gods, and the true God with a false and vain worship. Act. 17. the Apostle having charged the Athenians with superstition, he adds this reason, because he saw an Altar to an unknown God. The same of those, who will worship God in devices, which he never commanded, and place it in things which indeed hinder it. And so some hate Popery, but not profaneness. Satan aims also at the Minister, to make him idle and negligent in preaching, and is well pleased with that; because where vision fails, people perish. But if he cannot hold a man in idleness, then he seeks to get him to Preach, either of pride, or envy, or flattery, or for preferment, or vainly and unsoundly; and then the more he preacheth, he likes him never the worse; or maliciously against good men, and good ways; and then he preacheth nothing else but what Satan (if he must needs preach) would do.

In hearing the word, he would first have men slack of all conscience of doing or obeying, that hearing their Masters will, and not doing it, their stripes may be the more. If he cannot do that, but sees a man make conscience of his ways, then he will make him scrupulous, and make needless questions of everything; and to hinder his peace, he will make more sins than ever God made.

In judging of ones own estate, he will make a man believe that God never elected such a wretch as he, he never had truth of grace, all is hypocrisy, God never loved him; so many sins, so great falls, such unworthiness as never was in any child of God. On the contrary, if faith withstand this temptation, then comes pride instead of former dejection, and makes him think his election so sure, as though he take all unlawful liberties, he shall be saved; oh the Son of God cannot do amiss, nor the Father hate him.

Sometimes to destroy boldness of faith he will suggest, that sin is so great in such and such circumstances, as it cannot be forgiven; now the heart is heavy and lumpish, and hath no cheerfulness in God. But this being a little blown over, he will bring the same man by degrees, to think what a fool he was; for his sins now are not so great, so dangerous, as others be, nor himself so great a sinner: and now the sadness of sin being shaken off, he grows merry, and too too light, forgetting all his former heaviness.

In the course of life, he gets beyond many in these extreme courses. In spiritual things, numbers of men are held in a profane and wicked scorning of religion, of Preachers, and Professors, whose names they cannot abide. Some of these are sometimes called out of the snare of the Devil, and then Satan is in a contrary corner, he will have them zealous, but not according to knowledge: If the Master will not send his servants to pluck up all the tares before harvest, they will stand no longer in the field of the Church, but grow resolute in schism and separation.

In Civil things, how many examples of men have we extremely covetous in their youth, but prodigal and voluptuous in extremity in their age; and so on the contrary, and in divers other instances?

Rules to avoid these extremities of Satan.

1 Look we still to the word, which pointeth us our way for the warrant of our actions, and the manner of doing them, and saith, This is the way, walk in it, Isa. 30.21. 2 Watch we the fickleness of our nature, which may be seen in the Barbarians, Act. 28.4, 6. who accounted Paul a God and a Murderer, at one time. 3 Consider we what it is that we are eagerly set upon, and suspect it, because our nature is to be in extremes, and Satan's hand is likely in it to set it forward. Never are we so violent for God's Kingdom, as for the world.

Cast thyself down.]

In the scope of this temptation, which was to presumption (for the allegation following would persuade him, that God would preserve him whatsoever he did, though he threw himself from the pinnacle:) we learn this point of instruction, that,

Doct. Satan doth incessantly labor to draw men unto presumption, and vain-glory, as here he did the Head. And this presumption in a word, is nothing else but a vain confidence, that we are this or that, or can do this or that, without any word or ordinance of God. A vain hope, without warrant, is the very being of presumption.

1 Sam. 4.3. Israel went to war against the Philistines, and were slain about four thousand men: but they would make another on-set more warily, (as they thought) than before: they would send for the Ark from Shilo to save them; and when it came into the Host, all Israel gave a shout, that the earth rang of it, presuming that now they were safe enough: But all this was done of their own heads, and without warrant; and therefore God discomfited them with an exceeding great slaughter of thirty thousand foot-men; and the Ark (wherein they were so vainly confident) was taken, the Priests Hophni and Phineas slain, Eli breaks his neck, and such a confusion there was, that the Ark never came at Shilo more.

Numb. 14. After the men were sent to search the Land of Canaan, and had returned and told the Israelites, that the Land was good and fat, but the walls reached up to Heaven, and there were Sons of Anak, Giants, then the people murmured and distrusted: But, the sentence of the Lord passing against them, that they should wander forty years in the Wilderness, according to the forty days in searching, till that age were all wasted, none of which should come into the Land, except Caleb and Joshua, verse. 40. then they up betimes in the morning, and they were ready against the Word of God to go; Moses forbids them, tells them God was not with them; yet forty four presumed obstinately to go, and were pitifully consumed.

2 King. 14.10. Amaziah King of Judah, having gotten a notable Victory against Edom, presuming of God's hand and help with him, but not asking God counsel, would also make war against Israel, but unhappily, as such attempts prove; for he was overcome, and Jehoash King of Israel took Amaziah, and broke down Jerusalem's wall, and spoiled the house of the Lord, and the Kings house of all the Treasure there. Josiah a good King, presuming of God's assistance without his word, undertook an unwarrantable war against the King of Egypt: he might have thought God would help him, who sought the Lord with all his heart against an open Idolater; but not seeking the Lord in this, he was mortally wounded, and left his Kingdom in great trouble and confusion, 2 King. 23.

[Reasons.] Now Satan is most usual in temptations to presumption, for these reasons. 1 He hath experience, how easily we are foiled with this kind of temptation; how soon he foiled our first Parents in the state of innocence; how good David was overthrown, presuming of his own strength, when he forced Joab to number his people. And those whom he could never shake with distrust, he hath quite overthrown with presumption.

2 Satan knows, that of all temptations, this is most agreeable to our corrupt nature. It is pleasing to us, to conceive of God's mercy and power towards us in any course ourselves affect: whereas temptations to despair are irksome, and grievous to the flesh, and have not ordinarily so much help from the flesh to set them forward as this hath; and therefore the Devil is sometimes, but not half so often in them. Again, he knows it goeth with our nature and stream, to presume of our own goodness, strength, and virtue. Peter and the rest of the Disciples, presumed they should not be offended at Christ, nor forsake, or deny him: but yet not long after, even they who professed they would die with him rather than deny him, lest him, and fled away, Matth. 26.33, &c.

3 He knows, that presumption is an extreme of faith and hope, and doth no less extinguish faith, than despair, nay more often doth foil it, seeing a man in despair is more fearful, more watchful, but a presumptuous man is fearless, careless, and will easily thrust himself upon any adventure, as fearing no sin.

4 Satan knows that presumptions are great sins, prevailing sins, Psal. 19.13. a tempting of the Lord (as the answer of our Savior implies) when we leave his way and means, and will try our own, a sin which doth much provoke God to displeasure: we see it in Peter, who fell fearfully above all the Disciples, because he was most presumptuous of all; of whom Augustine saith, When thou beginnest to say, I have enough, thou beginnest to fail; when thou hast an over-weening opinion of thyself, thou art undone.

Quest. What may we think of Jonathan's action, who himself alone with one man his Armor-bearer, went out against a whole army of the Philistines? Was it not a strange tempting of God, and a great disorder in time of pitched battle? 1 Sam. 14.

Ans. It may seem so at first; but indeed it was not temerity in him: for, 1 He was guided by a secret and strong instinct of God's Spirit. 2 He had a general promise, that so long as his people feared God, one should be able to chase a thousand, and two ten thousand; and therefore took no more with him than one, being fully assured that God would go out with him, and fight for him, against God's and his enemies. 3 He set God before him, with whom he said it was not hard to save with many or with few, ver. 6. Besides, he knew they were God's enemies, saying, Let us go to the uncircumcised. 4 The event was a singular deliverance of God in that needful time: for God sent a fear among the enemies, and an earth-quake, &c. and armed Jonathan with such a spirit and power, that the enemies fell before him for fear, even at the sight of him.

Object. But the instinct of the Spirit is strong, and not doubtful, as this was, verse. 6. It may be the Lord will be with us.

Ans. The first instinct drew him to the place where he was to receive a sign of confirmation from God: as verse. 9, 10. If they say, Come up, we will go: (a sign they were lazy:) If they say, Tarry till we come, we will not; that was a sign of their courage. And this was a certain sign, which strongly assured him, verse. 10, 12.

Quest. Is it lawful now for any so to do?

Ans. No: it was a singular fact, not to be drawn into example, unless a man can allege a new promise; seeing all the ordinary promises of Scripture join the means and end together.

Use 1. We must conceive all this doctrine of Christ's temptations above an ordinary History, not only relating a thing done, but belonging also to us to make our use of it, as of other Scripture. And hence let us learn to beware of these temptations to presumption, which are many ways darted against us, both in things spiritual and temporal.

I. In spiritual things: 1 When men cast aside the known Word of God, they dare swear, and curse, and blaspheme; they dare adventure to break the Sabbath, dare lie, and be unjust, against their conscience; they dare do anything against the Justice of God, though they know his will to be contrary: and all because they presume of God's mercy, which in their conceit hath eaten up all his justice. But in Job. 19.11. Christ enlargeth the sin of the Jews and Judas, because it was against their conscience, He that delivered me, hath the greater sin: he was warned, he heard my Doctrine, saw my Miracles, and so did you. And thou that knowest thy Lord's pleasure, and darest go against it, shalt know how fearful a thing it is to fall into his hands. It thy Conscience condemn thee, God is greater than thy conscience.

2 Others are persuaded that Christ died for all, and therefore they may be the bolder in their sins; grace hath abounded, what though sin abound much more? Christ hath blood enough, and merit enough, what need they fear? But here is presumption without warrant. For in Christ's death, before it can be fruitful to us, there must be two things, 1 An actual accomplishment; 2 An effectual application to the soul in particular. Physic, though never so sovereign, if it be in the pocket unapplied, doth the Patient no good: And if the death of Christ be applied to thee, it worketh the death of thy sin: Christ died to abolish sin, and destroy the works of the Devil.

3 Many others are carried along in their presumption, by a deceitful supposition, that they can come out of their sin, and repent, when they list. But here is a vain hope without warrant, or else bring me a word that promiseth repentance • o morrow, if this day thou neglect it; this is thy day, thou knowest not what the morrow may bring forth. Now thou hast life, health, the world, ministry, and memory; perhaps this is the last day thou shalt enjoy all these. Oh, but I hope to repent: But show thy warrant, else Satan hath thee in the bands of presumption. Besides, it is just with God, that he who will not take God's time, should never come to his own. And dangerous it is to put our souls to adventure till the last hour.

4 Others feed a conceit, that howsoever God deal with others, he will not grow into such displeasure with them, they are further in his books than so; as Satan here intimates, that God's Son may do what he list. But it is a practice of wicked men, to make covenants with death, and secure themselves, that when the sword passeth through the Land, it shall not come near them, and to cry Peace, Peace, when the trumpet hath sounded war. Again, tell me, thou that presumest so far to sin, art thou further in Goods Books than Adam in Paradise, yea than the Angels in Heaven? Doest thou excel in holiness those Worthies of the world, Moses, Aaron, David, Hezekiah? yet these could not escape when they sinned. Shall the whole world (sinning) be drowned, and shalt thou avoid the deluge? No, no, the highest mountains in the world shall not save thee: nay, if thou couldst climb into Heaven, the Angels were cast thence.

5 Others presume of the end, and fly over the means; hope for salvation, but neglect the means, the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer. Oh, but they use means, they know God and their duty, as well as the best. But it is a presumptuous knowledge; they think they need no more, they profess they know God, but in their works deny him, Tit. 1. ult. Yea, they believe all the Articles of Christian Faith, if we believe them; but it is a dead and vain faith, without works of Piety and Charity, such as shall profess great acquaintance with God in the day of judgment, but to whom he shall say, Depart from me ye workers of iniquity. Yea, but they come to Church, and pray to God as others do, and hope to be saved in their Religion what ever it is, so long as they mean well: and what need men be so precise and curious? But these prayers are presumptuous and abominable, if thou turn thine ear from hearing the Law: and so long as thou livest in thy lusts, and walkest not precisely with God in all his Commandments, (though thou fast, and pray, and afflict thyself never so much) God will not hear, nor help. Therefore never presume of an harvest without a seed time; as a man soweth, so shall he reap.

6 Others (and a common presumption it is) think themselves in the high way to salvation; their names are written in the book of life, never to be rased out; they are beloved of God, and therefore they may do what they will, and leave undone what they list; they may enjoy their pleasure and liberty, their salvation dependeth not upon their works, but upon the election of God that shows mercy. And thus out of a vain presumption, they are idle and unfruitful in the work of the Lord, and sometimes grow Libertines and scandalous, and still God is the same (they say) and loves them. But what can be a more evident note of God's displeasure, than to be given up to such a delusion? as if the goodness of God would not lead his to repentance; or as if mercy were not with him to be feared. But thou, out of the hardness of thy heart which cannot repent, treasurest wrath against the day of wrath.

II. In things of this life Satan prevails exceedingly, with this temptation of presumption.

1 When men conclude of God's love by temporal things, all which are common to good and bad. By which sorcery, when they are most cursed, they think themselves the happiest men under the Sun. Whereas none knoweth love or hatred by anything before him; and as God beginneth his love at things within, faith, fear, uprightness of heart, and the like; so must we begin the knowledge of it. And if we compare Dives estate with Lazarus, Pharaohs with Moses, Simon Magus with Simon Peter, who said, Money and gold have I none, we shall easily see what little ground the Scripture affordeth for such presumptuous conceits.

2 Many of our great men venture to travel into places of idolatry, and think themselves strong enough against any such temptations as they meet withal but, I were there zeal indeed, there would be also witness-bearing against such horrible idolatry; whereas, if they do not act idolatry, they consent to those that do. We read of some noble and Heroical spirits, stirred up by the motion of God, to disgrace and witness with their blood against that horrible Idol of the Mass. 2 It is a just judgment of God on many, who perhaps against their purpose, are catched in the snare of Popery, and infected with the poison of their heresies, because they are given up to delusion for want of just detestation of it.

3 Others are bold-hardy, to run into places infected with the plague without a just warrant, or sufficient calling, only pretending the strength of their faith: which is temerity and rashness, often paid home with much sorrow and bitterness. Hath not God tied his care over us, with our care over ourselves? Hath not he in ordinary course tied our safety with the means? Act. 27. Except these abide in the ship, they cannot be saved: and so some upon boards, and others upon planks, came safe to land. Yet I condemn not that presence with infected persons, which charity and conscience requires: but in way of ordinary visitation, it is as unsafe for us to go to them, as for them to come amongst us, and a tempting of God.

4 Some are so bold-hardy, as to venture upon the dangerous places which are given by God to be possessed of the Devil, and (as if they were Exorcists) will adjure the Devil, and out-dare him: and this they think to be strength of faith. Which is indeed a folly, and extreme presumption, often repaid as it was in the sons of Sceva, Act. 19.16. who undertaking to adjure the Devil (wanting a calling, commission, and everything but presumption) were driven away, rent, and wounded. Others are of mind, they can never be bewitched, nor all the Devils in hell cannot touch them, their faith is so strong. But that is a presumption, seeing no man can absolutely assure himself he shall be free from Satanical molestation. Christ could not be free, whose faith is as strong as thine.

Cast thyself down:]

Here be in these words three things further to be considered: 1 The action, which the Devil would effect, the casting down of Christ. 2 The agent, not the Devil, but Christ himself must do it, Cast thyself. 3 Luke adds, from hence, where means of safety were.

Doct. 1 All the travel of the Devil, is to cast down Christ, and in him all mankind. The estate of the Church is militant while it is here below, and the battle is maintained between Michael and his Angels, and the Dragon and his Angels, Rev. 12.7. and therefore as in a battle, the contrary part by all the power and policy it can, seeks to cast down and overthrow, not the Captain only, but all the adversary power, and discomfit the whole Host: so is it here.

To clear this point, we must know there be three estates from whence Saan hath ever sought to cast men down.

1 From the estate of innocence and grace created. Adam was no sooner set up in this happy and glorious estate, but Satan cast him down. And from this pinnacle we are all cast down in him. The second Adam himself was sundry ways assayld in these temptations, and sundry others, to be cast down also from the same most innocent estate: which had been the casting of us all, not out of the earthly Paradise with Adam, but a casting down from heaven unto hell.

2 From the estate of regeneration and grace renewed. Satan's continual labor is, either to keep men under condemnation from the state of grace, or to cast them down (if it were possible) from that estate, to which they are by Christ restored. He worketh effectually in the sons of disobedience, by hardening their hearts, blinding their minds, and leading them hood-winked at his pleasure to damnation, 2 Cor. 4.3. If our Gospel be now hid, it is hid to them that perish, in whom the God of the world hath blinded their minds, that the light of the glorious Gospel, which is the image of God, should not shine unto them. And for the elect, he sets upon them false Prophets and seducers: he is incessant in most malicious temptations, by which he soileth them often in foul manner: and if he cannot cast them down from their estate in Christ, yet he often casteth them down from the comfort of it, both by inward and outward sorrows and persecutions. Rev. 12. the Dragon, when he cannot kill the woman, and her seed, he will cast out of his mouth waters like a flood to drown them: and if that prevail not, he will stir up war with the remnant of the seed, which keep the Commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

3 From the Pinacle of their outward estate or office, which they hold in the Church or Common-wealth: for so he did here with Christ; when he had gotten him to the Pinacle, he thought to get him down easily: At least he will do his best to cast him down, for he should fall with witness.

First, If he see a man on the Pinacle of the Temple, a teacher in the Church, listed up above others, in gifts or place, he will leave no stone unturn'd to cast him down: for he knows, that (as if he had here cast down Christ, he had cast down with him all his members, so) if he can cast down an eminent Teacher, he casts down with him as many as depend upon him. And here no Teacher can secure himself, if he were in place above all the ministry of the New Testament: nay, the higher the pinnacle, the more slippery and dangerous to fall. Judas his place was an higher place than any ordinary minister of the New Testament stands upon: but yet how fearfully was he cast down by the Devil, who put it in his heart, and prevailed first for the betraying of his Master, and then the hanging of himself? how did the Devil seek to winnow as wheat, the rest of the Disciples, that stood on the same battlements, who had as certainly been cast down, but for the power and prayer of their Master, Luk. 22.31.

How strongly may we clear this truth, if we observe one experience, which all the ages of the world have confirmed? namely, that the Devil hath ever striven to set men on the Pinacle of the Temple, to cast them down, and the Church in them. How hath he by wicked means, as flattery, money, and corruption, advanced them into the highest places and pinnacles of the Church, whom he might use as his chief Agents to ruinate and bane the Church? as the false Prophets in the Old Testament, that would ever with the Squirril build and have their holes open to the sun-side, ever keep in with Princes, and sing sweetly to the present times; As also the false Apostles that would suffer nothing for Christ, but under a color of preaching Christ, abolish Christ and his doctrine, taught and maintained by the true Apostles. How doth the Church complain, that she was never so wounded as by the watch-men who also robbed her, and took away her veil from her? Look into the Records of fifteen hundred years and we shall not read almost of any persecutions of the Church, but raised and with all heat pursued by proud, persecuting, and Antichristian Bishops, who kept the chief places in the Church. And ever since the Bishop of Rome hath been by the Devil lifted up into the highest Pinacle of the Temple his casting down and fall into so many monsters of doctrine and manners, hath been in this Christian World the ruin and downfall of so many as whose names are not written in the book of life. All this comes to pass by the malice of the Devil, whose tail draws the third part of the stars of Heaven, and casteth them to the earth, Rev. 12.4. Against these stars and lights of the World he bendeth his forces: If he can cast them down to earthliness, or service of any lust, he hath his desire.

Secondly, If he see a man upon the Pinacle of his own house, he will (if he can) cast him down thence, and for this purpose will lay his plots and objects. David walking on his battlements, was soon cast down thence by the sight of Bathsheba. Especially if a man be a Magistrate or Governor, standing on the pinnacle of authority, the Devil will cast him down, if by any means he can: His example will cast down a great many with him, he stands high, many eyes are upon him, and so many see him. If Rhehoboam commit Idolatry, all Judah will sacrifice under every green hill. If the Magistrate be fearful, negligent, or any way noted for vice, those under him will take it for a Licence.

[Reasons.] The Reasons, why Satan seeks thus restlessly to cast men down from every good estate, are these: 1 Because himself is cast down from Heaven to Hell, Rev. 12.13. When the Dragon saw that he was cast out into the earth, he persecuted the woman. He would have and hold every man under his own condemnation.

2 Because of the extreme corruption of his nature, who is pleased with desire of hurt and mischief, hating God and his Image with deadly and perpetual hatred, a Murderer from the beginning, Joh. 8. that is, the first Murderer, and the author of murder, clean opposed to God, who is the first goodness, and author of all goodness, life in himself and in his creature. It cannot be shown, that ever God erected any good or excellent thing in the Church or Common-wealth, but Satan out of the abundance of his wickedness, did one way or other seek (even in the beginning of it) the corruption or destruction of it. He presently destroyed God's Image in our first Parents, presently corrupted God's worship in Cain, and in the rest of the posterity of the Fathers before the flood, till all flesh had corrupted their ways. When God had given his Law, and set up his pure Worship, he presently cast his people down within forty days before the Call, and after before other Idols of the Nations, which was their destruction. So soon as ever Christ was called to his Office, he must either cast himself down from the pinnacle, or cast himself down to worship Satan, as we shall see in the next temptation. And as a Serpent never vents anything but poison, so Satan never speaks in other language but the issue and effect is, Cast thyself down. From this corruption of his nature, he is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the wicked one: and he that can fill his agent with wickedness (as Elimas was called the Child of the Devil, because he was full of subtlety and mischief, Acts 13.10.) must needs be full himself.

Use 1. Seeing then Satan's whole drift is to cast us down, note what a wonderful mercy of God it is, that we stand and are upheld, especially such as stand upon higher pinnacles and places than other, against whom he redoubleth his forces. Ye stand by grace, saith the Apostle. It is not the goodness of nature, yea if it were clothed with innocence, that can support us, no if it were Angelical: It is the grace and strength of our invincible Captain, that we are not every moment cast down to Hell, seeing there wants neither skill, nor malice, nor diligence in our adversary, no nor advantage or inclination in ourselves. Let us therefore acknowledge, that by the grace of God we are that we are, and say with the Apostle, 1 Tim. 1.12. I thank God, which hath made me strong.

Use 2. We must learn from this incessant industry of the Devil to cast us down, to be so much the more watchful against him.

Quest. How shall I do this?

Ans. By observing these rules. 1 Take heed thou suffer him not to lead thee to a Pinacle: for although our Lord and Savior, being filled with the Spirit, and lead by the Spirit, gave him leave to set him on the Pinacle, yet must not thou follow him thither, who art not so fenced or furnished. For he never sets any on a Pinacle, but (as Christ here) to cast him down. And then the Devil sets the man on a Pinacle, when by wicked or base Arts, a man riseth to wealth, or honor, or any public place in the Church or Common-wealth: he will willingly lend his help and hand, thus to exalt and set up men, but as the Hang-man helps the Thief up the Ladder, to turn him off with a break-neck. Haman was advanced to great honor; but was it not to his greater ruin and downfall? Did not he help up Herod by pride and ambition, almost above the Pinacle? when he spake, Oh, it was the voice of God, and not of a man. But was it not to cast him down lower than all his people, to be presently eaten with Lice. He sends up Nebuchadnezzar to the pinnacle of his Palace, and that was great Babel which he had built for the honor (not of God, but) of his Kingdom; and by the might (not of God, but) of his own power. But the issue was to be cast down among beasts, and not a sit companion for Princes or his people, till he knew who the Lord was.

From Princes to Counsellers. Achitophel was on an high Pinacle, when his counsel was accepted as an Oracle of God: but the end was, that when it was despised, he should cast himself down, and hang himself.

From them to their inferiors, but rich and great. David saw the wicked man in great prosperity, on an high Pinacle, strong, spreading like a green Bay-tree: but suddenly he was cast down, and he could not find where he had been, Psal. 37.35. The like of the rich man in the Parable, Thou fool, this night shall they fetch thy soul, &c.

From these to great Church-men. Judas was set in the Apostleship, Satan finding him there, cast him down to Hell▪ he went to his place, so woeful a spectacle as beseemed the son of perdition, and the betrayer and murderer, of the just and innocent Son of God. How many examples of men have we, who out of pride, and ambition, flattery, and corruption, have advanced themselves into chief places, and as the times called on them, against their consciences were cast down into horrible practices against the Church, and after into woeful outward misery, as Cardinal Poole, Gardener, Bonner, and the like? Compare their lives with their deaths.

Others raising themselves by multiplying, chopping, and engrossing of Livings, have been cast down from their gifts, their reputation, their profiting of the Church, from their sobriety and civility; and some from the outward Wealth they so lay about them for so eagerly, and died Beggers.

Other ordinary men are raised by Satan to a great state of wealth, as Usurers, Oppressors, and unjust persons, that think all savor of gain sweet, though it be never so filthy, on God's Sabbaths, out of Laborers lives and bellies. But Satan hath cast them down already into the Curse of God, and only the execution of the sentence awaiteth them. Others stand upon the pinnacle of Pride, and Satan sets every man upon this pinnacle if he can, as knowing that pride goeth before a fall. Did not he suggest to our first Parents, that they should be as God's, if they are the forbidden fruit? that by lifting them up in their own conceit, he might cast them down from their happiness? It was the same suggestion, which he would here fasten upon the Son of God: If thou wilt here cast thyself down, all Jerusalem must needs confess thee to be the true and undoubted Son of God, and honor thee accordingly.

[Rule 2] Use the means to be established in grace, seeing all Satan's labor is, to cast us down from the grace of God, 2 Tim. 2.1. My son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Train thyself to humility; for God gives grace to the humble, and ever humbles his children that he may exalt them. Waters stand in valleys, not on mountains. Joseph was raised out of Prison to be the second man in the kingdom. David was by little and little raised, from a Shepherd to a Warriour, from thence to a Kings Son, from thence to a Kingdom. Mordecai was first in danger of his life, and in great distress, and afterward his head was lifted up. This humility, 1 will not suffer a man to affect pinnacles, as seeing their danger, but content himself in a mean estate, which is safest: 2 It will make a man rejoice rather in God's humiliation, than in Satan's advancing; the former tending to exaltation, the latter to ruin and down-fall.

[Rule. 3] As Satan is ever plotting to cast thee down, so be thou ever raising thyself up. 1 By means of the Word, which is the staff of a Christian, raising him in his falls, and strengthening him in his standing. 2 By Prayer, which gets God's hand with thee to uphold thee, so as the hand that must cast thee down, must be stronger than God's. 3 By heavenly conversation, lift up thy soul and affections daily, seek the things that are above, mind heavenly things. Satan would not have a man mount above the Pinacle, nor will suffer him (if he can hinder) to get up to Heaven: therefore in regard of his malice, we must put more labor to this business. Our affections are like the leaden plummets of a Clock, by their own weight ever tending downward, and Satan often hangs his weight upon them; and therefore we must every day be winding them up. 4 By fostering, nor quenching the motions of the Spirit.

Thy self]

Quest, Why doth not the Devil cast Christ down? Did he want power, who had now carried and set him on that dangerous pinnacle, or did he want will to throw him down?

Ans. There wanted no will in Satan any way to mischief our Lord, to which purpose he strained all his wits in these temptations: but, 1 He wanted power and strength, being bound in chains, and bridled by God, so as it is as far as he can now go, to tempt Christ to cast down himself. His Commission went no further than to carry his holy body to the pinnacle, and there set it. 2 For him to have cast down Christ, and Christ to be a mere Patient, had not furthered him a whit in his drift and scope: he intended to bring Christ to sin, and if Christ cannot be gained to be an Agent, or a voluntary Patient, he cannot sin. Besides, he specially intendeth to bring Christ to the sin of presumption, in throwing himself down, which he could not effect by his casting him down, unless himself (bearing himself upon his Fathers protection) can be brought to cast himself down. 3 Although afterward Satan had power by his instruments to put our Savior Christ to death, yet now he could not by casting him down the pinnacles do it, no more than the people could, when they attempted to cast him down the hill: for his hour was not yet come, he had not yet done that great work, which he came into the world to do, and the hour for the power of darkness was not yet. Hence he is a suitor to Christ to cast down himself.

Doct. 2. Satan can tempt and persuade us, but he cannot force us to sin: or, He cannot cast thee down, unless thou cast down thyself. He setteth Christ on the pinnacle, he cannot throw him down, but persuades him to throw down himself. He crammed not Eve with the Apple, nor gave it into her hand, but persuaded her to reach and eat it. He did not kill Saul himself, but persuaded him to cast down himself upon his own sword. He did not put the halter about Judas his neck, nor was his Hangman, but was of his counsel, and made his own hands his own executioners: therefore it is said, Acts 1.18. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , factus praeceps, he threw down himself from an high place, not only of his Office, but from off the Tree whereon he hanged himself.

1 This comes to pass by God's restraining power, [Reasons.] which suffers not Satan to do what he list: for then he would suffer no good thing or person upon earth, but destroy all the order and government of God both in Church and Common-wealth: then should every man not be a Wolf only, but a Devil to a man. Hence he is fain to take out a new commission, and power from God for his several designs, and cannot go beyond the limitations of it, though the greediness of his prey be never so great.

2 No man is hurt but from himself, and out of the voluntary inclination of his own mind unto evil; which Satan knows well enough, and therefore he ever worketh on our corruptions, and cannot poison us, unless either he get us to drink of his cup, or entoxicate us by our own.

3 God hath made the will of man as a fountain of all human actions, whether Natural, Civil, Moral, or Divine: and herein hath given a man a kind of power under God over himself, by investing every man's will with this natural property, that his will is free from co-action and force: for a man to say, the will can be forced, is to speak a contradiction, and as much as to say, that the will in the same time and thing can be willing and nilling; which if it could be forced, were true.

To understand this better, we must know, that there be only two ways to move, change, or bend the will. First, from an internal agent or principle, and this is twofold: 1 God himself the Author of all natural faculties, in whose hand the heart of Kings, and all men, be to turn as he pleaseth, as the River • . 2 The man himself to whom God hath committed this will, who hath power to dispose it to this or that object: as Adam in innocence had freedom in things Divine and Human, and now we his posterity in the latter. Secondly, by external movers; and these are either, 1 The natural object of the will, which is some good so apprehended in the understanding▪ and strongly urged upon the will; or 2 some passions, Lusts, Affections, and Appetites, which incline the will this way • or that.

Quest. How then is it said, that the Devil filled Ananias his heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, Act. 5.3. and of Judas, that the Devil entered into him, and put into his heart to betray his Lord, if he cannot move the will?

Answ. It is not denied, but that something besides God, can move the will: but the Question is, of the manner. God moves it by his own and absolute power, even without ourselves, and against ourselves, as when he changeth an heart of stone into an heart of flesh. But others without us cannot move our hearts, neither by any proper power that they have over them, nor yet without ourselves first gained unto them; but then they move our wills, when they can either make us apprehend and understand some Object, or move passion or appetite, whereby to incline our wills. Thus the good Angels may and do propound divine truth and good unto our understanding, and move our wills to embrace it and choose it, but not always with effect, because the power is not in them, but in ourselves. A good Angel admonished Joseph in a dream, by which his will was bended to provide for Christ and himself. Thus also the Devils and wicked Angels move the will, by working upon the phantasy and imagination; as in many Melancholike persons to hurt themselves and others: sometimes by setting good colors upon evil, so that the understanding apprehending evil in the case and color of good, may bend the will to it; as Peter in denying his Lord, thought it good and safe for the present sometimes by raising up passions, and working in them; as Saul in a passion to cast his spear to kill his good Son Jonathan, a barbarous and unnatural fact; yet the Devil gau • ed his will to it, having first raised a cloud of dusty passion to darken his understanding: and the other Saul in his fury and hot mood to waste and persecute all that called on Christ: sometimes by stirring up lust and concupiscence; as David being inflamed with lust, the Devil working on this corruption, gained his will to those foul facts, which above all blemished him.

As for the examples alleged; thus Peter saith, that Satan filled Ananiahs heart; not that he brought any new wickedness into his heart, but, that which he found he stirred up, and persuaded his will to play that dissembling part, for he should carry it away closely and cautelously enough. And thus the Devil put treason into the heart of Judas: he knew him to be a Covetous wretch; and had often watched him how he was deceitful in the administration of his Masters money: now his affection being troubled, and stuffed with Covetousness, Satan useth this as a means to persuade his will for money to attempt this soul and barbarous treason.

In all which we see, that our wills are not under the power of the Devil, who deals with us as wicked men, who when they persuade any evil, infuse none of their wickedness into us, but only by their speech stir up that which is in ourselves, and persuade us thereunto.

4 It is not enough for Satan's malice and cruelty to bring mischief on the bodies of men, but the thing he aims at is, to bring guiltiness on their souls: as our Savior here, I doubt not but he would willingly have killed him, if it had been in his power to cast him down, as it was to carry him up: but he had far rather that Christ should do it himself, and so have an hand in his own death. In Job, Satan was not contented to cast him down, in bringing misery upon his body and estate, but the thing he aimed at, was Jobs casting down himself by blaspheming God, that so he might bring guiltiness upon his soul. And Satan knows, that when he can bring a sinner to give up his will to his persuasion, his sin is so much the more sinful, because to a voluntary sin is added, 1 A deliberation. 2 An election of evil, and a preferring it before good: and 3 A willing execution of that which a corrupt understanding hath embraced, and a corrupt judgment and will preferred for some corrupt end.

5 Satan's sliness and usual subtlety in his temptations, shows that his strength lieth in inward persuasion, and not in outward violence: He insinuates like a Serpent, and pretends great good will, as he, Thou shalt show thyself the Son of God; as though he in earnest sought the honor of Christ: and, as if he would have bettered Adams estate, he said, Ye shall be gods. He transforms himself into an Angel of light, and ordinarily deals with us as with Saul, who, when he saw the Devil himself, he made him believe he saw Samuel, God's worthy Prophet.

Use 1. This Doctrine serves to comfort us, considering the impotency of our enemy. He is a weak enemy, and cannot overcome him who is not willing to be overcome. He can egg us on to evil, compel us he cannot. And as Christ said to Pilate, Thou couldst have no power over me, unless it were given thee from above; So Satan can have no power but from God; not over beasts, Matth. 8.31. not over wicked men: Ahab a wicked King could not be deceived, nor set on to ma • e a needless war, till the Lord sealed Satan's Commission, 1 King. 22.21. And much less over the godly, as we • see in Job, till God said, All that he hath is in thing hands; till then, neither has nor anything he had was in Satan's power. Nay, not an hair of our head falls to the ground without the providence of our Heavenly Father. And another sound ground of comfort in, that as he cannot hurt us without the will of our heavenly Father, so he cannot without our own will: for if he could he would never be resisted in his temptation whereas we see in Joseph, Job, and by experience in ourselves, that some hellish temptations are by grace, and the watch over our hearts, repelled and resisted.

Use 2. Hence we see that nothing can do us harm but our own sin: death without sin is but a gate to life, the Devil a great and cruel enemy, but nothing so dangerous as our own sin, this slays us without him, he hurts us not without this. What reason have we to be in love with sin, while we profess we hate the Devil, who can do us no such harm? Which must stir up our watch against our own corruption: for if he plow not with our he •• er, he can get no advantage.

Use 3. Many having sinned lay the blame on the Devil, who (they say) ought them a sought, or a shame. But as the Lord said to Cain, so say I to thee, If thou doest evil, sin lieth at thy door: and, it is thy sin, not the Devils.

Object. Oh but he tempted me.

Answ. So he did Christ here and hadst not thou cast down thyself, he could not have done it. It was indeed the Devils sin, that he beguiled the woman, and he had his judgment for it: But it was her sin that she was beguiled, and arraigned, and judged by God for it. It is the Theefs sin to steal thy money, and he shall be hanged for it: but i • thou leavest thy money without doors, and never lookest after it, it is thy fault and folly, and what couldst thou look for else? The Devil is a sly Theef and robber: but he commits not his robbery as other Thieves and Burglers, he will not break open the door, nor draw the latch; but, where he finds the door open, and an house prepared and swept, there he comes and makes spoil, Luke 11.25. And if a man know a rank Theef, were not he worthy to be robbed that will open his doors, and give him entertainment! Oh let not us extenuate our sin, or lay the blame on the Devil, who cannot hurt us without our own weapons. He cannot make us swear, or curse, or drink, or kill, or break the Sabbath: All that he can do is, to stir up our corruption, present objects, stir up passion to trouble the judgment, and persuade or solicit. He can suggest, he cannot force. And therefore do as David, taking all the blame of our sins upon ourselves: when the Devil stirred him up to number the people, and he came to see his folly, he thought not his sin less, because Satan moved him, but said, I have done very foolishly: Alas, these silly sheep what have they done?

Use 4. Take heed of Satan's voice, which is ever to cast thyself down: every temptation to sin hath this voice in it, Cast thyself down: and too too many hear and yield to the same. Some cast themselves down, by casting themselves back from God and his truth, forsaking the right way. Thus every Apostate hath cast himself down, and hath need of that counsel, Remember from whence thou art fallen, and do thy first works. Others cast themselves down by falling into a puddle of base uncleanness, as covetousness. drunkenness, swearing, lying, &c. unbeseeming the place, name, and honor of Christians. Were it not too too base a dejecting of himself, if a Noble man should sort himself to lie in a Barn among beggars; or any man to lie in a stye among swine? So for a Christian to demean himself like a worldling, or Epicure, or Atheist, is as great a debasement. Others cast themselves down into the pit of despair, when any sorrow or trouble extraordinary presseth or pincheth them. If God cast them down a little, they cast themselves down immeasuredly, as Cain, Judas: nay, God's servants think sometimes, that God hath forgotten them, and will not remember seasonable mercy.

But do thou in all temptations answer Satan thus; No Satan, I know thou canst not cast me down, God (to whom the honor of it is due) be praised for it; and I will not cast myself down: if God cast me down, I shall rise again, who only can and will turn his humiliation of me to my exaltation.

From hence:]

So Luke addeth: that is, from the Battlement, which God had straightly enjoined as a means to keep men from falling, and to prevent danger, Deut. 22.8. When thou buildest a new house, thou shalt make a battlement on thy roof, that thou lay not blood upon thy house, if any man fall thence. And this was the manner of the Jews buildings, to build their houses not ridged as ours, but with a flat roof, as most of our Churches be, and battlements about; and their roofs thus made, served them to many good purposes, as Josh. 2.6. Rahab brought the spies up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stacks of flax which she had spread upon the roof. Act. 10.9. Peter being in Joppa in Simon's house a Tanner, went up upon the house to pray. Of this kind seemed that house of the Philistines, which Sampson at his death pulled down, upon the roof of which, stood three thousand persons to behold while Sampson was mocked.

Doct. 3 Satan seeketh especially to draw such to sin, who have most means against it. As Christ was not set on a pinnacle, which had no stairs to go down by, but where were stairs: and he must notwithstanding them, cast himself down head-long. So dealt he with Adam in his innocence, who having all perfections his soul and body were capable of, yet must he needs reach at the bettering of his estate: had Adam known any misery yet, his sin had been so much the less, if he had been enticed unwarrantably to mend his estate; but he did (as the Parable speaks) set an old patch upon a new garment, which was both idle and disgraceful. And the means of his sin, was as idle as the end: for, had he not all the Trees of the Garden, and fruits of Paradise to eat upon? and were not all else means enough to keep him from one forbidden fruit? If God had restrained all but one, he had not wronged him: he had furnished him with all strength against temptation, if he would have used it: he had no manner of discontent in his estate: yet if he had been overcome in that supposal, to have enlarged without God his own allowance, his sin had not been in that degree, and so out of measure sinful, as the having of all these means made it. Who must deny our Savior Christ, but one of his Disciples? who must betray him but another? both of them abounding with means to the contrary, having been advanced by Christ into the high Offices of Apostleship, to be next attendants of Christ, who heard his Doctrine, saw his Miracles, and were eye-witnesses of the integrity of his life, yea both specially warned by Christ of those particular sins, and Peter had professed to die rather than do it.

1 The malice of Satan is such, as he is not content that men sin, [Reasons.] unless he can bring them to aggravate their sin, and do it as sinfully as may be: and therefore he is industrious to get men to sin against the means. For this addeth weight to the sin, and provoketh God's anger much more than another sin. Examples we have in Exod. 32.31. when Israel had made a Call, Oh saith Moses, this people have sinned a great sin. It was a great, 1 In the kind. Idolatry. 2 In the manner, being against such means: it was not many days before that, that Moses had received the Ten Commandments, which themselves heard delivered in such Thunder, Lightning, and terrible Voice, as made them profess what ever the Lord should command them by Moses, they would do; and besides, the Ten Commandments thus uttered and delivered, Exod. 20. in the two and twentieth verse a special addition was annexed, Ye shall make you no gods, of silver or gold, &c. They had immediately before received an extraordinary food by Manna, which then they enjoyed: Moses was in the Mount with God, to receive more Laws for their good: Aaron was with them to advise them. But against all these and many more means, they worship a Calf, and so highly provoke God, as after a great slaughter of men, three thousand in number, Moses hardly obtained pardon for the residue. David's sin was so much the more heinous, in that he had many Wives of his own, as Nathan in the parable showeth, and maketh himself to confess. A rich man had many Sheep and Oxen, and the poor man had but one Lamb, which ate his morsels with him, and slept in his bosom, (which was Bathsheba in Uriah’s bosom:) and the rich man refused to dress any of his own Sheep, and slew and dressed the poor man's Sheep. David himself hearing it, before he knew it to be his own case, could say, As sure as the Lord lives, he shall die that hath done this: and Nathan said, Thou art the man. &c. And this sin so provoked the Lord, that the sword never departed from his house, and his repentance could not cut off that part of the sentence, but his own son Absalom must defile his Fathers Wives, in the sight of all Israel.

Hence it was also, that our Lord answering Pilate, aggravated the sin of Judas Joh. 19.11. He that delivered me unto thee, hath the greater sin: he knew he delivered an innocent to death, he was warned, he was a friend and familiar, his sin was a great sin: and so great as God took him in hand, and laid the burden of it presently upon his soul, and he found no ease but in hanging himself.

2 Satan knows these sins more trouble and wound the Conscience than other, because this circumstance lays the sin directly upon ourselves, and takes away excuses; God was not wanting to prevent such; a man cannot say he could not remedy it, no good means was wanting to him, only he was wanting to himself and the means. And thus the Lord reasoneth with his people to bring them to the sight of their own corruption, Isa. 5.4. What could I do more to my vineyard which I have not done?

3 Satan knows, that to sin against means is a compound sin, and like to a complicated disease, hardly cured: for besides the sin, to which a man is drawn, there is, 1 A neglect of a man's own good: 2 There is a base estimation of God's great kindness in offering the means of our good, and consequently, God himself is despised in the means; yea, there is an unthankful rejecting of grace offered. And what is further to be done, but to leave such a one as remediless?

4 Well knows Satan, that God hath denounced and executed greater plagues upon these sins than other, where means were not present. He punished Adultery in the Law with death, not simple fornication, because one had means to avoid the sin, the other wanted it. So for Theft, Prov. 6.30. If a Thief steal to satisfy his soul, because he is hungry, men despise him not; a restitution may be made, he must not die; comparing the sin with adultery, in which no restitution must be made, they must die the death. Capernaum, which was lifted up to heaven in respect of the means of Salvation, neglecting those stairs, cast herself lower into hell than 7 yrus and Sidon, which never had the like things done in them. Nay God, whose nature is to be merciful, in this case takes pleasure, and delights himself in severity, Prov. 1.22. Ye have despised all my counsel, and set my correction at naught, therefore will I laugh in your destruction.

This doctrine is of great use through the whole life.

Use 1. If where more means be to hinder sin, there sin is aggravated: how heavy be the sins of our age, who in the means are lifted up above all the ages of one thousand five hundred years before us? How may the Lord complain of us, as Hos. 8.10. I have written to them the great things of my Law, but they have counted it a vain thing? The means that we have, do set our sins in a far higher degree than were the sins of our fathers. Theirs were in the night, ours in the day; theirs were ignorances in comparison, ours are presumptions, of knowledge and set purpose: theirs were errors and sins, ours are rebellions and obstinacy: they could scarce do any other, we will not: their ignorance invincible, ours affected. And as our means be greater, so our judgment and account shall be straighter: for, to whom God gives more, of them he requires more, Luke 12.48.

Use 2. Content we not ourselves, that we have stairs or means, as many who say they come to Church, hear the Word, receive the Sacrament, have some measure of knowledge, and be able to speak of religion: seeing the presence of the means brings Satan more fiercely upon thee, and threateneth thy greater danger, if thou growest not in soundness of Christianity by them. Consider whether the Scripture be not true, saying, 1 Not the hearers of the Word, but the doers thereof shall be justified. 2 Knowers of their Masters will, and not doers of it, shall be beaten with more stripes. 3 Many seem to be partakers of grace, who are perverters of it, and turn it into wantonness, who are of old rolled or billed unto condemnation. 4 Many in the day of Judgment shall say and allege for themselves, We have eat and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets; to whom the judge shall say, I tell you, I know not whence you are: depart from me ye workers of iniquity.

The Jews had the Ministry of John, of Christ and his Disciples, the Gospel of the Kingdom preached, which was as Jacob's Ladder, to rise up by the stairs and staves of it unto heaven: but for all this, because they walked not worthy of these means, Christ tells them plainly to their faces, that Publicans and Harlots should go into Heaven before them. And the same shall be said of every formal Christian, contenting himself with an outward show of goodness, and not answerable to the means he hath, without any inward, or constant change by them.

Use 3. Let us beware of Satan's wyle, neither to neglect means, nor yet to sin against them.

I In spiritual things, the means of salvation are stairs to Heaven: 1 If thou beest not a member of the Church, and abidest in the ship, thou canst not be saved, Acts 27.31. 2 If being over-run with the disease of sin, thou waitest not at the Pool wherein and when the Spirit moveth and stirreth the waters, thou canst not be cured, Joh. 5.4. Refuse the Word and Sacraments, thou perishest. 3 If God have shown thee, oh man, what is good, and what he requireth of thee, surely to do justly, to love mercy, to humble thyself, and walk with thy God: if thou cast thyself off these stairs into injustice, unmercifulness, pride, and profaneness, by this fall thou doest break the neck of thy soul. So when the Lord affords many gracious means within a man and without: without, the exhortations and precepts of his Word, and the warnings of his correcting hand; then, 1 Suffer the word of exhortation gladly, let the word rule thee, sin not against the word by which thou art to be judged. 2 Let the rod open the ear that was sealed, and correction be thy instruction: it is a note of blessedness to be chastened, and taught in God's Law. The Lord is glad to add this means to let in the former; and if men still fall back more and more, the Lord casts such persons off.

So when he inwardly useth either checks of Conscience, or else the motions of his Spirit, sin not against them: for, 1 The voice of thy Conscience must thou hear one day, therefore suffer it not to go on in accusing thee, but still it by casting out the core of sin, that makes it so restless and painful. 2 Quench not the motions of God's Spirit: for this grieves him, and makes him go away in displeasure, and then all thy sound comfort is gone with him.

II. In temporal things, sin not against the means. He must eat that must live, he must work that will eat, sow to reap; he that would avoid a strange woman, must love his own wife; all the Soldiers and people in the Ship must come safe to land, but then must they not cast them into the sea, but abide in the ship. Isa. 37.33. the Prophet in the Lord's name tells Hezekiah, that Sennacherib shall not enter into the City; but if hereupon Hezekiah, should have bid them set the gates open, would not the Prophet have told him he had betrayed the City? For a rich man to be an Usurer, or an oppressor, is a greater sin than it is taken for, because it is against the means: yet who are Usurers else? who oppressors else? who grind the faces of the poor, who detain the wages of poor Servants, but they? For a man to break the Sabbath for gain is a great sin, as appeareth in the poor man that went out to gather sticks: but how great then is it in rich men who need not, having much means beyond the present necessity? and yet they, or their Servants and Workmen, must be gathering sticks to burn themselves withal in Hell. Who sees not the malice of the Devil here, who will have the Lord's day worldly and wickedly spent, wherein God hath set up the special means to draw men from it?

For it is written.]

HAving spoken both of the ground of this assault, and also of the scope and matter of it, we come to the third consideration in it, namely, The enforcing or urging of it by a testimony of Scripture. Satan had persuaded the Son of God to a most foolish practice: would any mad man or fool cast himself down from an high place, and pash himself all to pieces at any man's persuasions; and cannot now the Son of God, the wisdom of his Father, discern danger in this motion? Satan is too black here, and lales his snare in vain before the eye of that which hath wing. But to hide his blackness, he draws a fair glove over a soul hand, and assays to make the case without all danger or absurdity: He hath that to say which the Son of God cannot refuse: He hath Scripture to persuade him; for no reason is comparable to this, to assure the Son of God who must hear the word of his Father, that there is neither danger, nor unreasonableness in this motion; nay, there is much good in it: 1 He shall show himself to be the Son of God: 2 He shall show his affiance in his Fathers word, which hath fully assured him of his Fathers protection: as if he should say, Thou being the Son of God, mayest without danger cast thyself down hence; but do not take it on my word, which perhaps thou mayest suspect, but take it on thy Fathers word: If that hath any truth in it, there is no danger in my motion: And because thou shalt not think that I speak without book, It is written in thy Fathers Book; If I had a Psalter here I could show it thee, that he hath given his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee, that thou dash not thy foot against a stone: and though thou cast thyself down, they shall bear thee up, and save thee harmless. And if they should fail of their duty, thou being the Son of God, canst sustain thyself by thine own proper power and virtue.

Here consider two things, 1 The general consideration of the allegation, It is written. 2 The special matter of it, He will give his Angels charge over thee, &c.

Doct. The Devil can and doth allege Scripture to further his wicked purposes: as here. In his tempting of Eve he made the ground of his temptation God's word, Hath God indeed said ye shall not die? In the deluding of Saul, be took the help of Samuel's prophecy, 1 Sam. 28.17. The Lord hath done even as he spake by mine hand. So his instruments, the false Prophets, pretend the word of the Lord, as Hanani, Jer. 28.2.

[Reasons.] The Reasons why Satan alledgeth Scripture, are these: 1 To hide his person, and to transform himself into an Angel of Light: here he counterfeits David's voice, nay, the voice of the Spirit of God, speaking in the written word. He would fain persuade Christ that he is a lover of the Truth, and under a testimony of Scripture would hide his horns.

2 As hereby himself dissembles holiness, so he would color the matter to which he tempts us, to be just and lawful: for is not that lawful, which the word allows? seeing it is the rule of faith and manners.

3 He frames himself according to the disposition of parties with whom he is to deal: Christ stood much upon Scripture, and would do nothing without Scripture, and if he cannot draw him by Scripture he shall prevail nothing, and thus he deals daily with tender consciences, he can bring them to anything by a Scripture of his own mis-shaping.

4 This comes to pass by reason of his malice, 1 Against the Scripture which he seeks to abuse to a contrary end, seeing the Scriptures are written that we might not sin. 1 Joh 2.1. 2 Against the godly, to overcome them with no other than their own weapons: Christ had made the written word his shield, his sword, he will therefore assay with his own weapon to wound him; and so he deals with his members.

5 Here is not only God's permission, but his over-ruling power: for hereby the father of lies, against his heart and nature, giveth witness to the truth, and strongly argues it to be the strongest weapon, that hath strongest power over the conscience.

Quest. How doth Satan allege Scripture?

Answ. He is God's Ape; and as God alledgeth Scripture three ways: 1 by his Spirit and inward motion, as to Abimelech in a Dream, Gen. 20.3. 2 By his Ministers and Servants, Angels or men. 3 By his own lively voice, as to Adam: So can Satan, 1 By suggestion, 2 By his Ministers, who transform themselves as if they were the Ministers and Apostles of Christ, 2 Cor. 11.13, 14, 15. not only delivering the word, but also truly. 3 By voice in some assumed body, as undoubtedly he did to the first Adam, and here to the second.

Use 1. Seeing then this wicked Spirit can and doth allege Scripture against us, it behooves us to try the spirits, whether they be of God or no, 1 John 4.1. not to believe everyone that can allege Scripture; for so we might believe the Devil himself, 1 Thess. 5.22. our commandment is to prove all things, and hold only that which is good. Our president is in Act. 17.11. the Bereans, when they heard the Apostles, searched whether the things spoken were so. We take no coin without due trial.

Quest. How shall I try the spirit that brings a sentence of Scripture?

Answ. 1 By diligent study and reading of Scripture, diligently searching out the truth: for the determination of every truth must be by scripture: and though scripture seem to be opposed to scripture, we must not with Papists draw determination of matters from scripture: so saith the Apostle in Eph. 4.14. Let us not be carried about as children with every wind of doctrine: how should we do other? but follow the truth in love. Examine the places, circumstances, antecedents, and consequents, confer with other scriptures to all which it must agree. 2 Follow and frequent the Ministry, as not content with the knowledge of the scriptures without the true understanding of them: for they consist not in the bare letters, but in the pithy sense, said the Father. And this true understanding will help us to lay it to the Analogy of faith, whereunto it must be agreeable, and will make our senses exercised in the word. 3 Add hereunto prayer, which procureth the spirit to lead us into all necessary truth. David never ceased to Pray to be taught, as we may see through the whole 119. Psalm. 4 Consider the end and scope of the scripture alleged. If it lead thee into an action condemned by the law of nature, or against other direct scriptures, or principles of religion, it is of the Devil the father of Lies: for God's Spirit never alledgeth scripture but to lead us into the knowledge and practice of some truth.

This is Moses his rule, Deut. 13.1. If a false Prophet rise up, see what he aimeth at: if it be to draw thee from the Lord, his worship, or word, take heed of him: so if Satan, by any instrument of his, shall bring the word, and pretend great zeal, if the end be to draw thee to superstition, Idolatry, or Popery, beware of him, his scope discovers him. If a doctrine or scripture be alleged to nourish any fleshly delight, or to hold men in sin, though the words be God's, the allegation is the Devils: as, At what time soever a sinner repenteth, &c. and the Theef was saved at the last hour; and therefore, if thou canst say two or three good words at thy death, all shall be well: here is the Devil, saying, It is written: for all scripture truly cited by God's Spirit aims at mortification, and the furtherance of Repentance. If a Scripture be alleged and urged to threaten and discourage such as fear God. and show forwardness in good ways, or to animate the sinner, promising him peace and life, it is Satan's allegation: for if God's Spirit allege scripture, that word is good and comfortable to him that walks uprightly, and the threats of the law are fit provision for impenitent persons.

Use 2. This teacheth us not to content ourselves to know the Scripture, and be able to speak of it, or to allege it: for the Devil knows the word, and can allege it readily, yea, he is expert in it. Many men deceive themselves in their estate, and think themselves sure of salvation, if they can get a lirtle knowledge of the scripture above others: as though Satan could not allege it, or as though the wicked could not preach it, as Judas did, or ungodly men profess it, who take the word into their mouth, and hate to be reformed, Psal. 50.16, 17.

Use 3. But let us take heed we come not behind the Devil himself, while we thus highly conceit ourselves: for, 1 Are there not a number of ignorant men, almost as ignorant as if the scriptures had never been written? and shall not the Devil condemn these, who hath gained so much knowledge in the word, which containeth not one word of comfort for him, but judgment that makes him tremble? Yet these, whom they would make wise to salvation, and to whom they offer the joys and comfort of life eternal, are utterly ignorant of them.

2 Many read the Scripture, but as Satan, not to inform or reform themselves, nor to make themselves better, but both themselves and others far worse, as not only Heretics and learned Papists, who bend all their knowledge to suppress and hide the truth, but all such as by the scripture se • k to maintain their own errors and sins, which they will not part with: And these are no better than the Devil.

3 Others will read Scripture, and hear, and know it, but without all special application and grace in the heart, wherein they should differ from the Devil and wicked men, who know the word, but affect it not, do it not, nay, cannot abide the special application of it to do them good: and this doth nothing but increase sin and judgment: sin] Jam. 4.17. to him that knoweth to do well, and doth it not, it is sin, a great sin, without excuse or cloak. Joh. 15.22. judgment] for such shall be beaten with many stripes.

4 Others brag of their knowledge; they read the Bible, at least David's Psalms, and they know as much as any Preacher can tell them. But stay, the Devil reads the Psalter as well as thou, and can quote David's Psalms more readily than thou, he can read the Bible, he knows as much, yea, more than any Preacher can tell him: what sayest thou more of thyself, than the Devil can do of himself, and more truly? And what hast thou gained by all this challenge, but thine own conviction of great sin, without excuse, but not without witness? Is not thine own mouth thy judge, who professeth so much knowledge, and so little grace, love, practice? To sin willfully and presumptuously, against the light, is an extraordinary conformity with Satan.

Rules of reading, and hearing the word religiously.

1 Consider the excellency of the Word above all precious things, and how dangerous it is to take God's name in vain; which is then, when the word is frustrate of his right end. 2 They are called holy Scriptures, not only in regard of that holy truth contained in them, but because they are instruments, by which the Elect are sanctified and made holy, John 17.17. and therefore are never to be used without holy affection, nor without endeavor to grow up in holiness. 3 They are the Word of faith: therefore we must mingle the Word with faith, and lay up the precepts and promises thereof to believe it. 4 The Scriptures being the rule of life, we must submit our whole man to the obedience and practice of it, with all sincerity and constancy. Hereby we shall go beyond the knowledge of the Word in Devils and ungodly men.

NOw for the place itself, we must consider it two ways; 1 As abused by Satan in his allegation. 2 As we find it holily set down by the Spirit of God.

In Satan's abuse of this Scripture, we may see many particulars: 1 He wrongs the words of God, when he urgeth them spoiled of the right sense of the holy Ghost.

2 He perverteth the right order of God's spirit in his allegation: for whereas God's Spirit first suggests the word, and then frames the heart to obedience of it (for the property of the sheep of Christ is, first, to hear the voice, and then to follow, Joh. 10.27.) Satan first will have men to conceive opinions, or attempt practices pleasing to him and themselves, and then afterwards seek out some Scripture to justify them. Thus Johanan and the Captains were resolved to go into Egypt, but sent for Jeremy to see if they might have the word of God to go with them, Jer. 42.3. compared with verse. 20.

3 He wrests the right end: for whereas all Scripture is written that we might not sin, 1 Joh. 2.1. he abuseth this part of it to draw Christ to sin: and whereas all the precious Promises of God, should hold us in the awe and fear of God, this Promise must occasion Christ to presume upon an unlawful action.

4 He willingly mistakes the persons: for whereas that Psalm, and the great Promises of it, hold true in Christ our Head, yet notwithstanding it was principally written for the godly members of Christ, and the adopted Sons of God: neither can everything in that Psalm be so fitly referred to Christ in himself, as in his afflicted members. Besides that, the Angels minister otherwise to Christ himself, than to his members: Christ by his own power bears up himself, and Angels, and all things, Heb. 1.3.

5 He falsifies the text, by adding partly to the words, partly to the sense. To the words he adds, lest at any time, which adds no small strength to the temptation, including even that time wherein he should be jumping between the Pinacle and the pavement. To the sense, thrusting his dart into the sense of the place, as if that place said so much in effect to him, Cast thyself down; which Chrysostom hath well observed, saying, Cast thyself down, was not written, but was the poison of the Serpent, cunningly mingled with the sweet comfort of the Scripture.

6 He puts out and conceals that which most makes for Christ, and against himself, namely, those words [in all thy ways] which most warreth against this headlong casting down of himself: for it is not the way of a man to cast himself from such an height, but to seek the stairs, or the ordinary way. And these words were not unawares omitted, but maliciously and purposely: for if Christ shall hear him speak of his ways, and consider that this casting down of himself pertained not to his way, one piece of his own argument had overthrown the whole.

7 In this allegation he commits the sallacy of division, intending Christ's overthrow, by dis-joining the things which God hath coupled together: for whereas the words of that Text in the right sense, consist of two parts, namely, 1 A promise of protection, and preservation: 2 The condition of keeping a man's self in his ways, without which condition no promise of God belongs unto us (for godliness hath the promise of this life and the life to come) Satan rejects the condition wholly, and divorceth it from the promise. This is Mr. Junius his observation.

8 From every part and word of a most excellent Text, he can urge his most hellish temptation, and make all fair weather when he intends nothing less: as if he should say, If thou be the Son of God, cast down thyself, I do assure thee, nay, the written Word assures thee of protection and safety: for in such a Psalm, namely the ninety first, verse. 11. thou hast the word of thy Fathers promise: yea, in one promise, a number of promises: for,

1 If thou wilt know the parties that shall support thee, they be Angels, Creatures swift, mighty, and powerful. 2 If thou doubtest of their will, they must do it, they can neither will nor choose, it is their charge, they are commanded so to do. 3 If thou ask the manner how, they must bear thee up, that if thou wouldst, thou canst not fall. 4 If thou doubtest of their cheerfulness, or willingness, or diligence, there is no fear; for they must do it as Mothers or Nurses (as the word signifies) who out of their tender love bear, and carry, or lead the infant with great watch and circumspection, that it fall not, and so come to hurt. 5 If thou thinkest there is any limitation of their Commission, there is none; for they must bear thee up at all times. 6 To take away all suspicion of fear from thee, they must save thee, not only from great danger, as breaking thy bones or neck, but from the least danger, thy foot, the lowest and basest part shall not stumble or be hurt, much less thy head, thyself.

Thus subtly intending to hold with the Hound, and run with the Hare, Satan hath picked out a place which seemeth forcible enough to persuade any reasonable man to his purpose. Hence note, that

Doct. A principal wile of Satan, is, to assay (if he can by no means else) to overthrow men by the overthrow of Scriptures. Gen. 3.1. Hath God indeed said ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? It were strange and marvelous he should say so, seeing he knows it would better your estate. In this his first temptation, of all other he chooseth to make God's Word a means of their and our overthrow, thinking it not an easy thing to destroy God's Image in the soul, unless he could first destroy the word of God out of their heart, 1 Sam. 28.15. when the Devil would delude Saul, and hasten his death, he lays the ground of it in God's Word, and taking on him the person of Samuel, saith, The Lord hath done even as he spake by my hand; abusing and alleging that Scripture in 1 Sam. 15.28. The Lord will rent the Kingdom from thee this day, and hath given it to thy neighbor, who is better than thou. Mar. 1.23. the Devil comes to Christ, and tells him he knows him well enough, Thou art Jesus of Nazareth, even that holy one of God, that holy One that was promised, figured, and expected, even that Redeemer and holy One of Israel, Isa. 41.14. Even that holy One fore-told by the Angel, Luke 1.35. And all this was by Scripture, to overthrow both Christ himself, and the faith of believers, as though there were some secret compact and familiarity between him and them: and perhaps hence arose that speech, By Beelzebub he casteth out Devils.

[Reasons.] 1 Satan knows that Scripture is the will of God revealed, and hath sway in the conscience, as being inspired by the Holy Ghost, as the only rule of faith and life; and if he can turkis the Scripture out of his right sense and shape, he perverts judgment, and holds the conscience in error; and these errors are dangerous, and near of kin to obstinacy. For till the truth of God come to his place again in the conscience, it will stiffen itself in error even to the death. So as by this stratagem Satan usurps the conscience, which is God's right, and so leads men at his pleasure.

2 His malice sets him clean contrary to God in his proceedings. God hath given his Scripture to save men by, and therefore it is called, a word of salvation: now Satan would herein cross the Lord, in perverting the word to men's condemnation. The Scripture is in the Church as a Law to the Common-wealth, to contain men in the compass of faith and godly life; whence it is called Statutes, and precepts, and judgments. But Satan seeks to enforce it as a Law to thrust men from faith and obedience. The Scripture is a word of truth, of holiness, of wisdom, every way resembling God the Author: Satan therefore, being the greatest enemy to God's Image, is the greatest enemy to the Scriptures, and desireth to pervert them, by establishing by them Errors, Heresies, false Doctrines, wicked and foolish opinions and practices.

3 His subtlety and policy is not inferior to his malice: for, 1 He hath a special slight and trick of his own, by pretending truth to impugn it, and with Scripture to fight against Scripture; which he hath taught his special Factors, Heretics, and Seducers: for why else did Christ forbid the Devil to witness to him, but that even that truth he speaks, ever tends to destroy the truth? And in the text, why cites he the truth, but to draw Christ into an error? 2 He will gain to himself some credit by this practice: for seeing speeches and testimonies depend much upon the credit of the speaker, by his quoting of Scripture he would be taken, as if the truth of Scripture depended upon, or needed his witness.

4 Satan must do thus, if he will prevail against Christ, or his Servants: for Scripture in the true sense of it, is no patron of sin, nor ever stands on the Devils side.

Use. Of all temptations beware most of them which come armed with Scripture: for hardlier can we espy the subtlety and danger of these, than those which are directly against the Scripture. And by temptations of this kind, Satan mightily prevaileth in points both of doctrine and practice; which it shall not be amiss to give some taste of, and in both we shall observe how Satan doth not so much use as abuse Scripture.

I. In matters of doctrine. 1 For the establishing of the Head-ship of the Church in the Pope, the ordinary Papists have found a Scripture in Joh. 21.16. where Christ saith, Feed my sheep. I answer: First, that place speaks not of any Head-ship, or Spiritual government, but of feeding by the Word and Sacraments, which the Pope never doth: Secondly, it is a commandment not given to Peter alone, but to all the Apostles, who were equally Apostles with him, but applied to Peter specially, not to note any Primacy, but secretly to check him for his three-fold denial, whereby he made himself unworthy to be a Disciple.

Obj. But Peter saith he hath two swords, and therefore the Pope hath both Spiritual and Temporal jurisdiction.

Sol. This is a place of Satan's alleging, when that which is spoken literally, is wrested into a figurative sense. And where Peter is commanded ( Act. 10.13.) to kill, and eat, the Pope may kill, and slay, and eat up whom he will or can, Prince with people. But this is a place literally to be taken, and one part of the argument hangs with another as the dream of a sick man: for the Pope, if he be Peters Successor, must feed the sheep, nor feed on them. But Bellarmine, who would make the world believe his wit is thinner, hath devised a far more sufficient place, 1 Pet. 2.6. Behold, I put in Zion a chief corner stone, elect and precious; that is, the Pope: In his Preface to the Controversy, De Rom. Pontif. and lib. 4. cap. 5. But what may we think to reap from him, that dares begin his Controversy with so high a blasphemy? and lest we should think it fell inconsiderately from him, he takes it up again. For doth not both Paul and Peter teach, that this stone can be meant of none but of Christ? doth not both of them add, He that believeth in him, shall not be ashamed? must we now believe in the Pope? And who is this living stone that gives life to all that are built upon him, besides Christ himself? None can arrogate it to himself, or attribute it to another without high blasphemy. Therefore I conclude this point, boldly affirming that the Devil could not more impiously abuse this place, than hath blasphemous Bellarmine.

2 For the point of Justification by Works, is alleged that place of James, 2.21. wherein they add unto the text, 1 A false gloss, by works of the Law. 2 A false distinction, saying, that they justify as causes; whereas we grant that as effects they justify, that is, declare a man to be justified: So did Abraham's works declare him to be just: and this is not the justification of the person, which is only by faith, but of the faith of the person, which is manifestly dead without them.

3 In that great sacramentary controversy they allege, This is my body: wherein Satan hath taught them to abuse Scripture, in taking that literally which is figuratively spoken, as often to writhe that into a figure which is spoken literally: and whereas they exclaim against us for denying the words of Christ, as Heretics, we are far from denying Christ's words, but disclaim their false meaning, which destroys the Scripture, seeing Scripture stands not in words, but in sense.

4 To establish the false Doctrine of Free-will, they furnish themselves with that place in Jer. 17.7. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. But what do they else but imitate the Devil, in cutting off that part of the Text which makes against them? for in the next verse it followeth, The heart of man is deceitful above all things, who can know it? showing, that man in himself is utterly destitute of all grace.

5 For the Jesuitical trick of equivocation, or mental reservation, they have Scripture and Example.

Joh. 1.21. they asked John if he were a Prophet, he said, No, whereas he was one: for Zacharias called him the Prophet of the Highest, and Christ said that there was not a greater Prophet than John: therefore John equivocated.

Answ. Whatsoever was the true meaning of the Question, that John answered plainly unto. If they meant to ask him if he were that singular Prophet, whom they fancied to come together with their Messiah, he truly answered, No. If he were any of the ancient Prophets, who were long before Christ, he truly answered in that sense, No. If he were a Prophet by his proper office, he truly answered, no. For howsoever he was by grace and power a Prophet, being sent of God to reprove and convert sinners; yet by ordinary office, he was no Prophet, neither did he prophecy.

But what is this to those mental reservations; Are you a Priest, Garnet? No, saith he, meaning not a Priest of Apollo, or Jupiter. Were not you in England at such a time? No, not as the Sun in the firmament, or as a King in a Kingdom. A strange madness, that men professing knowledge and zeal, should so dally with lies and oaths: which tricks of theirs, were they justifiable and sound, we should have little use of Magistracy or tribunals, especial where matters are determined by men's oaths: he were a very block that would suffer anything to be fastened upon him. The murderer might swear he never slew man, namely, with the jaw-bone of an Ass as Sampson did. The Drunkard might swear he drunk never a drop, if he can inwardly conceive of water, or aqua coelestis, or the Poets nectar, or what he can feign. The Adultress might swear she was never touched, if she can inwardly conceive of any creature, as of a Bull, or a Swan, as the Poets feign of Pas • ph •• and Lada. And were it lawful to dally with God, and men's Consciences, after this manner, we could pay them home in their own kind: for suppose a man were in their Inquision, and were asked if the Pope were Supreme over all Kings; if a man were disposed to equivocate, he might say and swear, yea; reserving his secret meaning, not by right, but only in his own proud and ambitious desire; and thus delude them.

II. In matters of practice, you shall have no sinner but he hath a Scripture reached to him, to lie safe under in the holding of his sin, but robbed and turned out of the right sense. The Atheist, that cares for no Scripture, yet hath one text for himself, Eccl. 7.18. Be not just overmuch, nor overwise: and so he hath enough to cast off all care of knowledge, and conscience. The Image-munget hath a Text, to let nothing be lost: he hath a good use for his Images; if they cannot serve to worship, they may serve for ornament. The Swearer hath a Text in Jeremy, Thou shalt swear in truth, righteousness, and judgment: therefore he will swear so long as he sweareth nothing but that which is true. The Sabbath-breaker hath his Text, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. The Murderer and Adulterer think themselves safe, seeing they find David in both these sins, and yet commended of God. The Drunkard hath his lesson, Drink no longer water, but a little wine for thy stomach, and often infirmities sake. The Covetous person knows, that he that provides not for his family, is worse than an Infidel, which through many men's wickedness, is a ground of much covetousness. The lazy Protestant hath his Text, We are saved by grace, and justified by the blood of Christ freely: what can his works do? what need they? The idle person hath his Text, Care not for tomorrow, let tomorrow care for itself. The Usurer hath his plain place, Matth. 25.27.— That I might have received mine own with Usury. The Theef, hath the Theef on the Cross, repenting at the last. The carnal Gospeller cares not what sin he venture on, because where sin hath abounded, there grace hath abounded much more. The careless Libertine is predestinated to life or death, do what he can, and do what he list, he cannot change God's Decree: and so he will do what he list. The obdurate and hardened sinner saith, At what time soever a sinner repents, God will put all his sins out of his remembrance, and therefore he will not repent till he be dying.

Lastly, the unjust person he hath his rule in the unjust Steward, who was commended by Christ: who was indeed commended for his providence, not for his injustice. In all these thou mayest hold this for a good rule, It is the Devils divinity, to confirm thyself in any sin by whatsoever thou hearest or readest in God's book; all which in God's meaning is direct, and the only preservative against all sin.

NOw we are to consider this comfortable Scripture in the holy use of it, not as we have it wrested and mangled by Satan, but as we find it set down by the Holy Ghost, Psalm 91.11. For he shall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways: They shall bear thee in their hands, that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone.

In which words the godly are secured, and assured of safety in danger, not only because the Lord himself is become their refuge and protection, as in the words going before, but in that to his own fatherly care and providence he hath added a guard of Angels: to whose care also he hath committed the Godly. Wherein for explication, we will note these particulars,

1 What is the ministry of the Angels, namely, to be the godly man's keepers.

2 Who sealeth their Commission, He hath given them charge.

3 The limitation of it, In all thy ways.

4 The manner, They shall bear thee up in their hands.

5 The end, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Which is a borrowed speech taken from Mothers or Nurses, who lead or carry their tender children in their hands, that they stumble and fall not to hurt or endanger themselves.

The word Angel, is a name not of nature (for so they be spirits) but of office, ministering spirits, to God, to Jesus Christ, and to God's Elect His Angels ] that is, the good and Elect Angels, called his, 1 By Creation: for they had not being of themselves. 2 By more immediate ministry, they assist him, and stand before his face; whereas the wicked Angels are cast down from Heaven, from enjoying his presence. 3 By grace of perseverance: for they fell not from their estate, as the wicked Angels did, and are now confirmed by Christ that they cannot fall: and hence is Christ called the Head of men and Angels, in whom all things in heaven and earth consist, Coloss. 1. v. 17. that is, are preserved, sustained, and governed, whether visible or invisible; and consequently a mediator of the Angels in respect of special grace of confirmation, by which they inseparably adhere to God, although in respect of that mediation which is restrained to redemption, the Angels have no need of it.

Charge] This charge is not a general Commandment over the Church in general, but a special charge over every godly man, over thee. And the charge is directed to many Angels to keep one man; for the word affords us more comfort, than that Popish and ungrounded conceit, of every man's having his particular Angel.

Quest. Why doth God give this charge to the Angels? or why doth he use their Ministry?

Answ. Not for any necessity (for he by his word and beck doth sustain Heaven and Earth, and without them can keep his own) but out of his good will to us, he declares his love and care of us, who hath so abundantly provided for our safety, and made far more glorious natures than ourselves our keepers.

To keep thee] This custody of the Angels standeth. 1 In observing and watching their persons, souls, bodies, and estates, and therefore are called watchmen, Dan. 4.10. And I saw a watchman, and an holy one come down from Heaven. 2 In propulsing and averting evil: so here, There shall no evil come near thee, for he will give his Angels charge over thee. 3 In defending them in good, as Elisha and his servant being compassed with enemies. 4 In comforting them in trouble, as Hagar, Gen. 21.17. and Jacob, Gen. 32.1, 2. and Christ in this place.

In all thy ways] Namely, in such courses as God hath appointed, and in all these, in all times, and in all places, in all estates and conditions. In the way into the world, in birth, and infancy, the good Angels keep God's little children, Matth. 18.10. In the way thorough the world they keep us, as the Israelites in the Wilderness, Exod. 33.2. In the way out of the World, their charge is to keep us, as we may see in Lazarus, who when he died the Angels carried his soul into Abraham's bosom. In all our ways, by day and by night▪ they keep us so long as we are in our callings.

They shall bear thee in their hands] This is a borrowed speech: for Angels have no hands, nor bodies: sometimes they assume bodies in their ministry to others, but these bodies are not theirs, neither were they naturally and hypostatically united unto them, but for the time created and assumed: but, from what beginning they were taken, or into what end after the ministry they were resolved, it is idle to inquire. Here hands are ascribed to them, as elsewhere wings, both improperly; one shows the speediness of their motion, the other their fitness and tenderness in our keeping: For their charge is not only to foresee danger and admonish us, but they must be actual helpers, to bear us up from ground, when we are ready to fall, and get knocks; as a tender mother or nurse, if they see the little child falling, will haste and catch it before the head comes to the ground.

That thou dash not thy foot against a stone.] That is, that thou hurt not thy foot against any rub or occasion. Angels are nurses, we are as infants in spiritual matters, on every occasion ready to fall into sin, and by it into all dangers, spiritual and temporal. Now the Angels keep us not only from hurt by others, but from bringing hurt on ourselves, even the least; they keep us from hurting our Head, yea our Foot.

Object. But how do the Angels perform their charge, when some of God's children not only stumble, but fall spiritually, and bodily, and take great harm?

Answ. The reason is, because no man keeps his way so diligently and uprightly as he ought. If we did never fail, God would never fail us, no more would his holy Angels; nay, such is their love, as they would not have us to take the least hurt in the world, while we walk faithfully in the ways and commandments of God.

Doct. The Angels of God are the tender keepers of God's children in God's ways, that no hurt can beside them. Gen. 32.5. When Jacob was in great fear of his brother Esau, the Angel of God met him to comfort and defend him. When Sodom was to be destroyed; the Angels came to Lot to forewarn and haste him out of that wicked City. Psal. 34.7. The Angel of the Lord pitcheth his tents round about them that fear the Lord, and delivereth them.

1 Because of Jesus Christ our Head, [Reasons.] to whom they are subject as to their Lord and Head, who hath reconciled things in Heaven and Earth, Angels and Men, Col. 1.20. In ourselves and our own vileness we could not be endured by these blessed spirits, but now Christ becomes our head, and for him they tend us as his members.

2 Their love to us is another ground of their custody of us, manifested in that they are compared to Nurses: neither can they but love those whom they see God loveth; now they see God loving us so dearly, that he spares not his own Son, but gives him to the death for us, and therefore they dearly love us and our good, they desire our salvation and promote it, they rejoice that our salvation is wrought, and are glad of our repentance, by which we lay hold on it.