A Century of Sermons

let him care for himself. You do not read indeed that the Tempter himself spoke so broadly; no, there were no policy in that: but this is the very fetch of his grave seeming counsel, when you have transposed all his words in their right place. Now to make all fit for your instruction by severing one part from another observe these four things: 1. That the Devils dubitative is a Negative, if thou be the Son of a God, is a deceitful persuasion we are not his Sons, he would dissolve the confidence we have in God. 2. To resist the Devil we must labor to take away this Spirit of distrust, and have affiance that we are the Sons of God. 3. Much less must we leave our trust in him, because we are driven to hard necessity, and want bread. 4. Though we should want, and somewhat distrust, yet lest of all must we fly to projecting, to cozenage, to extraordinary devices to help our necessities, which impiety the Devil covers with a neat, finical phrase, Command that these stones be made bread. All this Preface must needs go before, and now, I think, the sequel will be very perspicuous.

My door of entrance is at this Point, the Devils supposition was more than half a denial, that Christ was not the Son of God: Therefore we gather from the first fruits of his Temptation, that he would extinguish our faith, and fill us with doubts and objections, that we might not trust in the rock of our salvation. You know what your Adversary useth to suggest upon every small trouble, upon every slight occasion, you are not the Son of God, you are not in the state of grace, his providence sleepeth, his eye of compassion is not upon you. If he can but loosen your faith by this murmuring and diffidence, he is sure he hath stopped the way against you for entering into your Fathers glory. The Lord's of the Philistines had two Pillars to bear up their house, we have but one to bear up all the spiritual building of Christianity, and that is faith; if that be bowed down, better the roof of our house had fallen upon our head, for the wrath of God will fall upon us. All Metaphors, all Figures, all Words were too few for St. Paul to commend unto us a steadfast belief, As ye have received Christ the Lord, so walk ye in him, rooted, and built up in him, and established in the faith. If Satan take away our root, how can our branch flourish? If he break our band, all that is bound up will shatter in pieces; If he cut off our Anchor, our Vessel will be driven upon the Rocks. If he overcome our trust in God, he will subdue all unto himself, for this is the victory that overcometh the World, or we shall never overcome it, even our faith, 1 Joh. iv. 5. How did the Serpent fasten his sting in our first Parents? But by persuading them that God cared not for them, he had created them to be base, and ignorant, and dishonorable: He would not let them eat of the tree of Knowledge that they might better their condition. How did he expose the Israelites to shame and nakedness but by disclosing their distrustful and rebellious heart? At Massah and Meribah they chid with Moses, and tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord amongst us, or not? Exod. xvii. 7. The Devil knows when we fall out with God, we will the sooner serve him, and retain to the contrary faction. You see (Beloved) our whole fortune is embarked in one bottom, in this resolute affiance, that God is with us from the beginning to the end of our life, in want and in abundance, in liberty and captivity, in evil report and good report, and he will never forsake us. The words of the Prophet Isaiah are sweeter than the dropping of an honey-comb, Isa. xlix. 14. Zion said the Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the Son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will not I forget thee. I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands, thy walls are continually before me. St. Austin attributes so much to the power of faith against all the machinations of hell, that he says the very Lesson of it being said by rote is able to defend us. Ipsa recitatio symboli retundit inimicum: The very repetition of the Creed doth beat off the enemy. How much more mighty is the true feeling of faith when it lives within us? If thou canst believe, saith Christ, all things are possible to him that believeth, Mar. ix 23.

Let Satan therefore keep his demur, his hesitation, his If thou be the Son of God unto himself. Let him not take away your Garland by wavering, for he that wavereth is as a wave of the sea, sometimes rising aloft, sometimes carried down to the Deep. Let him not dry up the very fountain of grace. So the Greek Fathers did always entitle faith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the mother, the spring of all celestial gifts. If any man say, what faith, what spring is this so much commended? Briefly I will borrow this description to make it facile. No man can have so much as an historical faith, and well attend it, but he must taste of some fiducial application, that he is under the wings of the Almighty, and looks for safety under his custody. Nemo recte potest credere Deo, quin & in Deum, is no bad rule, but I stand not upon that. The faith of the Elect, by which we shall be able to overcome our Ghostly enemies, is not that which taketh all the holy Scriptures in the lump to be true, but it is a willing, a lively, and an effectual assent to the Promise of the Gospel, that Jesus the Son of the blessed Virgin Mary is the Son of God; and is the Savior of all those that repent and believe. I say, it is a willing; and approving, a rejoicing assent; not forced, like that of the Devils and wicked men, who are convicted by the evidence of truth, and with great horror and disdain confess it. Moreover, I said it was an effectual assent, not a knowledge swimming in the brain, informing the judgment, but not reforming the heart, such as hypocrites have: But the understanding being enlightened by the Holy Ghost the will embraceth that which is good, the heart is purified by it, it works by love, and transforms us into a new conversation answerable to that which we believe. Now this belief in Christ, which is the keeping the condition of God's Promise, doth imply three acts: The first of assent, that he is the Savior of all those that believe in him (which assent when it is lively and effectual is the proper act of that faith whereby we are justified before God. ) The second act is of application, when believing truly he is the Savior of all that believe; I therefore believe that he is my Savior, which is the act of that special faith, by which we are justified in our own conscience. The third act is of trust and assurance, that because I do believe not only that he is the Savior of the World, but also my Savior, therefore I rest upon him for salvation. So says our Savior to his Disciples, Let not your hearts be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in me, Joh. xiv. 1. But this is not the act of faith as it justifieth us before God, nor yet the proper act of special faith, which doth justify us in our own conscience, but a fruit and consequent thereof: and such a fruit as the Devil would pluck from the tree, with this scrupulous injection, if thou be the Son of God.

Now I will let you see as in a Map, by pointing at spots of ground for whole Countries, how faith is the fountain of all divine graces, and therefore when Satan can make us reel and totter in our opinion, whether we are the Sons of God, there is not one Christian function in us stands sure, but all the parts of true Religion are out of frame. For first, how can a man hope and wait for the performance of the Promises, that doth not believe that they belong unto him? Faith being the substance of things hoped for. How can a man have true peace of conscience, who is not persuaded that God is reconciled to him? How can a man rejoice in God, who is not assured of God's favor towards him? How can a man be thankful to God, who is not persuaded of God's love and bounty to him? They that have sinned how shall they be persuaded to turn unto him, if they be not persuaded that his mercy is ready to receive them? No man can perform obedience who is not persuaded that his endeavors are accepted of him. No man can pray fervently, who doth not assure himself that he shall be heard. For so the Apostle, How shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed? Rom. x. 14. Who can patiently bear afflictions, who is not persuaded that those fatherly chastisements proceed from God's love, and and tend to purge him, as the Chaff is Winnowed from the Wheat? Who can worship God with zeal and devotion, who is not resolved and comforted that his service is accepted of him? Hope, Joy, Peace, Thankfulness, Repentance, Obedience, Prayer, Patience, Worship, all these will vanish away like a morningmist before the Sun if the Devil can make you distrust with such a temptation as this, If thou, &c.

And no marvel if in the first place, and before all other parts of sin, Satan labors to fill the World with little faith; he can spare enough of that out of his own store to infect all the earth; for who so great an Infidel as himself in this very temptation? The words indeed come off very roundly and confidently, that the Son of God with one word can command all the stones in the Wilderness to be made bread. But to what end I pray you? Whether you say for Christ's sake, or for the Devils sake, every way it will chime Infidelity. Argue in the first place why it should be done for Christ's sake? For if he were God, what need he make bread of a stone, that could make it of nothing? Or though he were hungry, what need he make bread at all? Is not the bread of heaven able to live without material bread? And Chrysologus revies it with his objection, Nonne potest panem vertere in saturitatem, qui potest in famem lapides immutare? He that can turn stones into bread, is it not as easy for him to turn hunger into satiety? And had this been a good Angel, as he was, I believe, the worst of the bad, should he instruct Christ what to do? Sus Minervam? Who hath been the Counselor of the Lord? Says the Prophet. Quid illi consilium tuum, cui sua sufficit virtus? What Spirit can teach him wisdom, who giveth wisdom to the simple, and hides these things from the wise and prudent? Now argue if there be anything but infidelity to ask such a sign for the Devils sake? The working of a miracle is ever destinated to win some to the faith, that were weak before, or upon some other divine reason to promote God's glory. Where the Fathers glory could not be advanced by signs and wonders, the Son kept his miracles to himself. No sign was wrought before Herod, though he did much desire it, for his heart was set upon perverseness to withstand the power of God. And Christ did not many mighty works in his own country because of their unbelief. And so says St. Cyprian, it had been against all rule and equity to have wrought a miracle in the Desert, Coram inemandibili Diabolo, before that Fiend of hell who is incorrigible; and uncapable of faith. He that can turn water into wine can turn stones into bread; but the Devil is so obdurate in malice, past all grace and repentance, that the very stones in the street shall sooner confess that Jesus is the Christ than he will give glory to the Living God. Chrysologus plays his part again upon this Point. You that haunt the Wilderness to tempt the Son of God, what would you do with a sign from heaven? Cui nihil subvenit ad salutem, cui totum restat ad paenam, cui & signa proficiunt ad ruinam; Nothing will help thee, nothing will resore thee. All the good that is done in thy presence shall turn to thy punishment: All the miracles that ever were wrought shall make for thine everlasting torment. And so I have shown, whether the Tempter called for stones to be made bread for Christ's sake, or for his own sake, every way it was unjust, every way it was the note of Infidelity.

So far I have taught you from the first Point, that the scope of this first temptation was the sin of Infidelity, and from thence I have illustrated, that, above all other mischiefs, Satan suggests deceitful persuasions, that God careth not for us, and labors to dissolve the confidence which we have in God. Now this is the sum and head of the second general part of the Text, that we must strive to take away the Devils I F, this spirit of distrust, and have affiance in Christ that we are the Sons of God. And because this Doctrine comes all to one pass with that which is called certitude of Salvation, a Doctrine which in my judgment is abused very often both by them which defend it too rigidly, and by them that oppose it totally, therefore I will institute a methodical tractate upon it in these five members: 1. That the Holy Ghost doth beget a true and an humble assurance in many of the faithful touching the remission of their sins in this life. 2. The Holy Ghost doth beget this assurance in them, by causing them to examine what good fruits they have produced already from a lively faith, and do resolve to produce thereafter. 3. This comfortable assurance is not the formal act of justifying faith, but an effect which follows it. 4. This assurance is not alike in all that are regenerate, nor at all times alike. 5. No mortified humble Christian must despair, or afflict his heart, because scruples arise in his mind, so that he cannot attain to a strong confidence or assurance in Christ's mercies. He that can attain but to a conjectural hope, or some beginnings of gracious comfort, shall be blessed before God, who will not quench the smoking flax. And upon all these I will be very plain, because it is a necessary Treatise for the weaker capacities.

You shall hear the first conclusion again, and the proofs upon it, That the Holy Ghost doth beget a true and an humble assurance in many of the faithful, that their sins are remitted. There are two degrees of justifying faith, the one is a lively assent to the general promise of the Gospel, that Christ came into the world to save all those that believe: The other is the application of it to a man's self, that he is thine and my Savior. By the former we are justified before God, by the latter we are persuaded in our conscience, and in some measure assured of our justification. The former degree is the work of the Spirit regenerating us, the latter is the Spirit of adoption sealing it to us after we have believed. Every man is bound upon pain of damnation to have the first degree of faith, to give assent to the Promise of the Gospel: And the second degree may be attained unto out of the former, and ought to be endeavored, for the great increase of our love and obedience to God, and for our own most singular comfort; yet it is not commanded to all the faithful upon pain of damnation. Many times a true justifying faith, but a weak and imperfect faith, cannot get so far; therefore I said the Holy Ghost did beget this assurance in some measure in many of the faithful, I had said false if I had said in all. And I called it, you must mark, an humble assurance; for first, it hath many quiverings and trepidations, many symptoms of fear and trembling, no rash and audacious presumption. Secondly, It grows out of the acknowledgment that for sundry iniquities we deserved the condemnation of the Law. For they that feel not their misery will neglect their misery, and never care to apply Christ unto themselves. But the humble will seek the Lord, and rejoice in his saving health; and then they have not only an intellectual, but a fiducial assent to the Promises of the Gospel; and that fiducia or assent doth arise out of the very nature of true faith: yet I do not say, that true faith in all that have it doth put forth this act as it ought, and as it may; but every faithful man hath such a foundation, upon which he may build an actual assurance, if he will rightly consider his own state to which God hath called him, the Lord's custody over him, and the faithfulness of the divine Promises.

The efficient cause of this fiducial persuasion I said was the Holy Ghost; and I am sure I have it from our Savior, Joh. 14.20. at that day, that is, after the sending of the Holy Ghost, you shall know that I am in the Father, and you in me, and I in you. Can anything be plainer? Indeed, general Promises are particularly applied by the Sacraments which seal unto us the blood of Christ, that it was shed for the sins of this and that Receiver. Also we apply general Promises to ourselves by the word of absolution: For although God only pardons sins, yet he hath promised to his Priests, if our hearts be well disposed to admit their work (Quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis) What they loose upon earth shall be loosed in heaven; but the special motive is the inward testimony of the Holy Ghost, speaking in the conscience of true believers by the effects of grace. This last is it which is opposed by some, namely, that there is no assurance ordinarily begot by the Testimony of the Spirit to a man's private spirit, that he is the child of God. But this I will prove. This is not denied, that this is the faith of the Gospel, on which we lay hold for eternal life, whosoever truly believeth on Christ he shall be saved; and cannot a man infallibly infer, but I do through God's grace truly believe in Christ? Cannot a man search into his own heart, that he doth receive Christ, not only in his judgment by a firm, willing, and unfeigned assent, but also by an earnest desire to be made partaker of him, and by a settled resolution to acknowledge him to be his Savior? Surely the mind is not ignorant of its own actions when it understandeth, when it assenteth it knoweth itself to assent; when it desireth it knoweth itself to desire; when it resolveth it knoweth itself to resolve. Much more is it able to examine itself, being holpen by the Spirit of God. I may boldly say, the Letter of the Scripture is not more plain for any point of Divinity than for this, Rom. viii. 16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. Either we can feel this witness, and make use of it, or to what end is it given? And why else are we bidden to feel and try that good work of the Spirit, if it be in ourselves? Examine yourselves whether you be in the faith, 2 Cor. xiii. 5. The true sorrowful penitent hath not less comfort now, than if Christ were still upon the earth. But to some of them, while he lived in Jury, it was graciously spoken, Daughter be of good cheer, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , be confident thy sins are forgiven thee. And again, I have prayed, Peter, that thy faith may not fail; he let Peter know so much, that he might enjoy that comfortable persuasion. They that oppose, frame this retorsion: Some of the most excellent Saints, as Peter and Paul, knew that Christ did live in them, and that they were living members of his body for whom God had received the Crown of life; yet this they attained unto, not by the ordinary strength of faith, but by extraordinary revelation. No such matter, for says St. Peter, Give deligence to make your Calling and Election sure; This exhortation were frustrate, to stir up our diligence for that work, if certitude of salvation come only by extraordinary revelation; and St. Paul protesting, that neither life nor death could separate not himself only, but us, many more of the Elect from the love of God, draws his persuasion from such reasons as were common to him with all the Saints, Rom. viii. 32. to the end of the Chapter. Because God hath not spared his own Son for our sakes, because with him he would freely give us all things; because Christ is risen from the dead, because he sits at the right hand of God, and makes intercession for us. And now I will draw up my meaning in this first conclusion. 1. Nothing but true faith can breed this particular application, that any regenerate person should have affiance for his own salvation. 2. That true faith doth not attain it in all, but is kept back in many by temptations, afflictions, weakness, want of instruction. 3. Every good Christian ought to endeavor to get this assurance. 4. Many, without presumption, have that steadfast and infallible comfort of Christ's mercies applied unto themselves. 5. In all that are truly justified it hath a sure foundation to beget it, if they would well examine it. Let no man therefore cavil upon any of these Points single, unless he remember them all together.

The second conclusion follows: the Holy Ghost doth beget this certitude of salvation in some measure in the faithful by causing them to examine what good fruits they have produced already from a lively faith, and do firmly resolve to produce hereafter. Let a well-guided conscience search how contritely we have repented us of those sins which we have committed: What good works we have brought forth (I mean good in their kind according to the manifold imperfections of our frailty) examine whether they were done to be praised of men, for fear of the Magistrate, for fear of infamy, or for God's glory. Whether we would not willingly leave all we have, life and all, rather than lose our integrity. Examine all these things after God's Word, and not after the fashion of the world, and what strong and serious resolutions you have for the time to come; and upon strict inquiry if you find a good account, then conclude, I feel the Lord dwell in me by his holy Spirit, I feel by these good effects he will not forsake me. If any look for Enthusiasms, as if God should whisper this to them in their ear, they are much deceived. Mark by what Index St. Paul directs us; by the marks of sanctification, There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. And St. John clean throughout his first Epistle, Hereby do we know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments: And by this we know we are translated from death to life if we love the brethren. St. Austin thus upon it for an interpreter: Let every man enter into his own heart, and if he find there brotherly charity, let him be secure, for he is passed from death to life. I confess it, and I admonish you upon it, it is no such easy thing as the most imagine, to try and find out whether our charity be rooted in a lively faith. And in examination of particular actions, from whence it must be manifested, there may be much deceit, much mistaking; this causeth doubtings and fears, and suppositions, and intermissions of confidence. Yet this is a possibility to sound the depth of a man's own heart, and so St. Austin pleads on my side again, A man may know the charity wherewith he loveth his brother, better then he knoweth his brother.

Some there are, and not a few, who would cloy the Doctrine of special faith with this absurdity, That many are encouraged thereby to run on in all manner of iniquity, as if it were no matter how many, and how grievous sins they committed, so long as they were assured by this special application of Christ that all their sins were remitted. But mark this second conclusion, and it is abundantly enough to put to silence this cavillation. For if we say we feel ourselves translated from death to life by the fruits of mortification and vivification for the time past, and by a firm resolution to produce better fruits for the time to come, how will this agree with continuing in the works of the Devil, and yet to collect we are the Sons of God? There is no coherence in these two; nay, there is a flat contradiction in the terms: For the practice of sin, especially of any great crime, cannot possibly stand with the assurance of special faith. You cannot say, I do verily believe I shall persist without interruption in the grace of God, unless you add, I do firmly purpose to walk in all the ways of God. Eternal life is given conditionally, believe, that is, believe effectually, and thou shalt be saved; Now it were extreme folly to make God a liar, to think we should attain everlasting life without keeping the condition, or giving all diligence to keep it. As for the rejoinder to this, it is altogether as weak as the objection, that many live debauchedly, and yet presume and crack of special assurance. I know that the most wholesome truth that ever was taught may be distorted to ill use, and so this Doctrine taken with the left hand may prove hurtful to some; evil men will distort the Scripture to their own perdition. Yet it is against reason, and against the grounds of special faith if any man will look upon them but with half an eye: For whosoever live like Libertines, regardless to please God, so far ought they to be from being certain of life eternal, that according to that present state of bitterness wherein they are, unless they mend, they are certain of eternal damnation. The Grasshopper feedeth only on the dew, and Ephraim feedeth on the wind, Hos. xii. 1. A man that is in a dream may be deceived, and think he sees what he doth not, shall he that is awake therefore, and knows what he sees, misdoubt that he is deceived?

I do defend it, and maintain it, and that upon good consideration, that there is no motive in Divinity of greater force and efficacy to encourage a man to do well, or to preserve him from heinous sins, than to fix in his heart that Christ died for the sins of the whole world, and for his sins in particular; and albeit he is laden with iniquity, and hath abused the blood of the Covenant, yet by repentance and newness of life he is persuaded that blood shall not be in vain to him, but that God hath remitted his sin; and is this a stumbling-block to make a man a hypocrite? Will any but a most riotous unreclamable Son run on in leudness, because he knows he hath an indulgent Father? Or waste and consume his means because his Father hath entailed his Land upon him? The Prodigal in the Gospel came to himself, and turned a new leaf, because he knew he had a Father would receive and forgive him. Shall we abide in sin because grace abounds? Rom. vi. 1. St. Paul cries out upon it as the greatest Solecism in Divinity. The more a man is assured of God's love towards him in Christ in pardoning his sins, in redeeming him, in glorifying him hereafter, the more will his heart be enflamed with love towards God, and towards his neighbor, yea, towards his enemy for God's sake; the more studious he will be of his glory, the more desirous to please, the more careful to obey, the more ready to return and repent when he hath offended. I say it will be so, not barely it ought to be so. Paul and Peter, and divers in the Gospel were assured upon Christ's words of their Salvation, do you ever read they were less faithful in their ways, or any whit the more presumptuous? If words can be clear and legible these are in St. John, 1 Ep. iii. 2, 3. We know when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is, and every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. As if he had said, A man cannot steadfastly hope for glorification but it will make him purify his heart. I must gather up my meditations briefer in the three following Conclusions.

And the third is in part already opened, that this special assurance is not the formal act of justifying faith, but an effect which follows it. Faith is called special faith two ways: 1. Because our Lord Jesus and his merits is the object of it, and so it is called faith in his blood, Rom. iii. 5. For although by that faith which doth justify we believe all the Articles of faith, and the whole Word of God, as well threatenings as promises, yet the object of it as it justifies is Christ, and in regard of the general compass of belief it is called special faith. 2. It is called special faith in regard of the effect, by which particularly and specially we apply Christ unto ourselves. Some have most inconsiderately taught, That this special faith in the latter sense, or particular application is the very essence of justifying faith. Which opinion hath drawn upon itself a world of scandal, and absurdity. By faith we obtain remission of sins, that is, the Covenant of the Gospel. But by what faith? It cannot be by this special assurance. For certainly a man's sins must be forgiven, before he can be assured they be forgiven, what more idle than to be assured by special affiance that we were reconciled to God, before we were reconciled: therefore in order of nature there is another degree of faith which goeth before, by which we are justified before God, and that is a lively and effectual assent that this is most true, that Christ came into the World to seek and to save that which is lost. This is eternal life, that we might know thee the only God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent, Joh. xvii. 3. And as that is a plain speculative Text, so we have the exercise and practice of it, Mat. xvi. 16. Our Savior asked his Disciples, Whom say ye that I am? Peter answered, Thou art Christ the Son of the living God. This was his intellectual asset to the truth of salvation, and thereby he was justified: Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona, blessed for that confession. Therefore special assurance is not the formal act of justifying faith: In a word, our confidence is begotten by God's mercy, our confidence doth not beget God's mercy.

We live in our Mothers womb as soon as ever the soul possesseth the body, yet we feel not when life was first given: So we live by faith, and we are justified by acknowledging the mystery of salvation, as it is Rom. x. 9. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved. Yet we do not feel or perceive we are justified, till the actions and fruits of faith put themselves forth abundantly in us. Infants are engrafted into Christ by Baptism, before they can perceive their insition; and do not say this reason holds not in us, we are of age to understand our own belief. It is not our understanding that makes God gracious unto us, but his own free mercy: And in this respect many like new-born babes receive the kingdom of heaven. I mean, that divers go out of this World into Abraham's bosom, who never overcome distrusts and temptations, at least till they are even going out of the World. But this charitable and most true assertion were invalid, if particular application of Christ's mercies by firm assurance did justify a sinner. I resolve it therefore unto you, that general assent goes first in order, that Christ, perfect man and perfect God, is the Savior of all those that believe; then we draw a particular assent, that he is my God, and my Savior; then our boldness and assurance, that by him we shall pass from death, and reign with him in glory, is the effect of that particular assent; and so the Scripture speaketh, Eph. iii. 12. In whom we have boldness and access, with confidence by the faith of him; Here is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which causeth us to speak with alacrity to God, here is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which may assure itself anything, and these are effects produced by faith in him, that is, by justifying faith. Not to cloy you with more than one other quotation, 1 Tim. iii. 13. They purchase themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith, which is in Christ Jesus. The object of faith is verum, the object of certitude and assurance is bonum. Faith is a persuasion or assurance of the mind, though working upon the heart. Affiance is an affection of the heart, though proceeding from the assurance of the mind.

Now hear the fourth Conclusion speak; This affiance, or special assurance is not alike in all that are justified, nor at all times alike in any man: This Conclusion will serve to quiet the troubles of the Conscience two ways: First, When the same man at sundry times finds himself so divers from himself, now full of spiritual Consolation, a few days after that his comfort is but luke-warm, at another season almost stark cold: let no man think his case remediless, because of these alterations in his Spirit. Many times doubts will arise, and continue long with a terrible perplexity. Nevertheless, though I am sometime afraid, yet put I my trust in thee, says David. Psal. lvi. 11. When these flat contrary persuasions come into your mind, yet God will never leave you so destitute of his grace, but that you shall have some strength left to pray to be delivered out of those temptations, that the bones which he hath broken may rejoice, and a happy wading out of those doubts may prove to be the greater confirmation. The spirit of a good man is sometimes well enlightened with assurance, sometime a little obscured, sometime very dark, after there shall be a long and a lasting serenity in his Conscience. As a woman that hath newly conceived begins to suspect her conception, by and by some other signs cast into her mind that she is deluded: Afterwards she feels the fruit of her womb quicken, and then her opinion is constantly confirmed. Faith after the manner of alterative qualities hath its growth, its declension, its reparation. It grows to an infancy, then to youthfulness, then to a stronger age, and the more it lays hold of the Promise for its own blessing, the more it cleaves fast to the foundation.

Besides, this should procure them peace of mind, who cannot allege that great confidence for their own part, and strength of assurance that others seem to challenge to themselves, yea, and truly have. Every tree doth not shoot out his root so far as another, and yet may be firm in the ground, and live as well as that whose root is largest: So every faith stretcheth not forth the arms of particular assurance to embrace Christ alike, and yet it may be a true faith, that lives by charity, repentance, and good works; some faith abounds with one sort of fruits, some with another. God is delighted with all that are good, and he will reward them. In all kind of Divine Conclusions some are more doubtful spirited than others. In our very meats one believeth that he may eat all things, another eateth herbs, Rom. xiv. One man esteemeth one day above another, another esteemeth all days alike. Let not him that is strong in faith despise him that is weak: So one hath examined himself, is persuaded especially by his good endeavors to please the Lord, and by the redemption of Christ's blood which he felt effectual in him in the Sacraments, rests every way assured that Christ will glorify him at his second appearance: Another dares not take such solid comfort, for he is more oppressed with temptations, more afflictions come upon him, and chiefly perhaps ignorance darkens his understanding, give this man leave to say, and he shall be heard, Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief.

Because I said that ignorance especially darkens the understanding of them that are so weak in faith, you shall know wherein. Many are plucked back from particular affiance in Christ because they know not the method how to proceed. For they are taught that nothing is to be believed with the certainty of faith, unless it be contained in the Creed, or in holy Scripture; but they cannot find this or that man's Salvation written there, therefore▪ they are posed how to apprehend it with the certainty of faith. I make my answer, First, how easy it is to reduce it to one of the Articles of the Creed, or more than one, but especially to this, that we believe the forgiveness of sins. But to the main Objection, all the Doctrine of Faith which we believe is written or deduced out of holy Scripture; but the act wherewith we believe is in ourselves, and not to be looked for in Paper and Ink: No, but that is wrote in our own hearts through the testimony of the Spirit by good examination. Now the Major Proposition is, Whosoever believeth steadfastly shall be saved in Scripture: The Minor Proposition, but I believe steadfastly, is wrote by the Spirit in our own heart, therefore the Conclusion is divine and good. And because it dependeth upon an Argument, whereof the principal part, which draws on all the rest, is totally and immediately revealed in Scripture, therefore the assurance of a man's particular Justification is lawfully reduced to the assurance and certainty of Faith. Another fair pretence causeth divers men rather to leave place in themselves for some distrust than to aim at strong assurance, because it relisheth much more of humility to be cast down at the recognition of our manifold sins. Indeed, it is good to ponder our own unworthiness and imbecility so far as to make us humble, and to acknowledge no good can come to us from anything that is in ourselves; but it is a false humility which makes us doubt of the faithfulness of God's Promises: So to be humbled is a fearful sin, and perhaps a greater sin than any for which a man is humbled. If we stay more upon ourselves than upon God, we shall distrust; if more upon God than upon ourselves, we shall believe. If you say you cannot believe because of your own unaptness and unworthiness, I instance with St. Paul: So did not Abraham, Rom. iv. 19. Being not weak in faith he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundreed years old, nor the deadness of Sarah's womb. Therefore keep your humility you speak of, and lose it not, yet rule it by this, oppose not any difficulty in yourself, as if it could make frustrate the power and goodness of God.

The fifth Conclusion is a true, and, I suppose, a very comfortable farewell to this Point; no mortified humble Christian must despair, or afflict his heart, though he cannot attain to a strong confidence or assurance in Christ's mercies; he that can proceed but to a conjectural hope, or some beginnings of gracious comfort shall receive the reward; for Christ will not break a bruised reed, or quench the smoking flax. Every may is bound to assent to the Promise of the Gospel upon pain of damnation, (for that is it which is called justifying Faith) but it is nowhere threatened, be thou certified of thy Salvation in particular, or thou shalt perish everlastingly. Whosoever doth truly believe shall not perish, but have everlasting life, Joh. iii. 6. It is not said, Whosoever hath not examined himself in the reflexed act, and knows not that he believes, shall endure the wrath of God. Let every man pray for it, labor for it, not shut his ears against good comfort; let a weak Christian at the weakest estate believe his sins may be remitted; let him desire remission, and he shall receive forgiveness, though he have a conjectural hope only, and no infallible assurance. It is not necessary in a true justifying Faith that all dubitation should be quite excluded; it is well if at last it be overcome, especially in the last enlightening before death. Let such as have the drawings-back of infirmity cheer up their spirit, that many are undoubtedly received into glory, who can say no more, but I suppose the fruits of my faith, though they were imperfect, are without hypocrisy; I suppose I believe, therefore I suppose I shall be saved.

When we talk of Certitude and Assurance of Salvation in this life, I am afraid the Ignorant extend the word so far, as if they must be as secure and persuaded, as that we see one another with our eyes. Whereas indeed the word may well import no more than 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 spei, as a learned Prelate of this Church did style it, a full comprehension by hope. And mark how in two several Points much must be abated from that which we call a plain sensible evidence: For first, The Key which opens to all, is to believe the Evangelical Promise made in Christ to all that believe. And this we are certain of; But how? As we speak by the certainty of adherence, not by the certainty of evidence. Now that doth argue an imperfection in our faith. Secondly, A good Christian applies the general Promise to himself by a reflexed act, and examining how he hath served the Lord with zeal and sincerity. Now the circumstances of particular actions have much uncertainty in them; howsoever this application, being not pure Scripture, is no way so certain and indubitable as the Articles of the Creed: Therefore such sauciness is to be controlled, if any say, I know I shall be saved, as certainly as I know Christ died for the sins of the World. That Article of faith is immediately and totally revealed in Scripture; this other Collection riseth out of the observation of a man's own qualities and actions. Catharinus says, That the Tridentine Council doth not gainsay, but a man may know by faith that he is in the state of grace, but it denieth only that this can be known by the certainty of faith; And he that depends upon Christ for his mercies towards him by a lively comfortable hope, may undoubtedly be said to depend upon his mercies by faith, for all good graces grow from faith, and Faith is called the substance of hope, that is, of things hoped for, Heb. xi. 1.

Now I will take up and conclude: Assurance or Affiance that we are born of the Spirit, and are the Sons of God is that which we must labor, which we must pray for, which we must hope, which we must believe. Distrust and despair is the Devils engine to subvert this true Consolation, and Rock of our Salvation, therefore he did insinuate this mistruct or scruple to our Savior, If thou be the Son of God. But, From all evil and mischief, from sin, from the crafts and assaults of the Devil, good Lord deliver us. AMEN.

THE EIGHTH SERMON UPON Our Savior's Tentation.

A Roman Orator in the days of Tiberius the Emperor, Afer by name, had so often taken in hand the worst part of every Plea to defend it, that at last his credit was prejudicated, and it was enough to say, Afer pleads on this side, therefore the justice of the cause is on the other side: So all that Satan can propound or allege I damn it every syllable; all that he exhorts unto is impiety, all that he counsels is treachery; if he say the Son of God should command that stones be made bread, I say the contradictory is true, and he should not. And this I have proved before by discovering that this motion contained two great sins in it, Gluttonny and Infidelity: Gluttony obliquely, Infidelity manifestly. And already I have replied against this distrustful voice, If thou be the Son of God, and have proved that we must all labor for a fiducial assurance that God is our Father, and we are his Children by adoption and grace, that we must apply Christ unto ourselves without suspicions and hesitations, without the Devils I F, If thou be the Son of God.

But as the later the night grows the darker it is, so the further I go on to reveal the sinful mystery of this saying, the blacker is the temptation, and the more deformed. It is either known unto you already, or will appear manifestly unto you when this hour comes about, that there are two opinions of which carnal men do especially surfeit, Epidemical diseases, which slay as many souls as any two vices you can name, you may smell them in my Text out of the strong breath of the Devil. First, that every Son of God is always provided of bread, and hath sufficiency, if not satiety of all worldly necessaries; and therefore if any man be in distress and want, let him take it to heart that God hath cast him off, he is none of his Sons, for he provides not for him. Secondly, Whosoever wants bread let him never ask God for it, but fetch it out of the hard stones, get it by any stratagem or device, let him remember to furnish himself with the slight of his own wits, since God hath forgot him. These are the upper and the nether Milstone by which Beelzebub grounds despair and worldly sorrow out of one principle, and all manner of injustice and wrong dealing out of the other. I called them lately the two Tables of the Devils Law, unto which it is easy to reduce the most common sins that reign, these two I make the parts of my Text, which being thoroughly traversed will be sufficient to take up my discourse, and your attention.

The first of those false rules, which the Tempter teacheth, is this, that we must measure our filliation, that God is our Father, and tenders us as his Children; by this note, namely, by our portion in this life; if we have a full supply of worldly blessings then call him Father; if you be pinched with sharp necessity, then never call yourself his Son; a rule fitter for a beast to know his Master by, than for a Christian to know his God by. A Dog will wait upon him that gives him Crums under his Table; the Ox by this sign knoweth his Owner; the Ass, though a stupid Creature, knows his Masters Crib by the allowance of his Provender: But Brethren, will you depend upon such a carnal mark to know the Lord, and make yourselves fit to be compared with the beasts that perish? Fides est rerum invisibilium; Faith hath an eye upon invisible things, it is the evidence of things not seen: But the Devil in his Catechism contradicts the Scripture, and says, Fides est rerum visibilium; If you have not a competency of these things which you see, why will you believe you shall be partaker of those things which you do not see? Thus the Flesh is so partial in its own behalf, that unless it have provision, it will not suffer the Spirit to say, Thou God carest for me, and wilt never forsake me. There is a passage well wrought into a Fable, that shows the true disposition of a natural man. Chremes casts off his Son Clitipho for attempting a Marriage without the consent of his Parents; the refractary young man knew not how to revenge himself, but pretending suspicion before his mother, that he was none of her true Child, but some exposed Brat, or Changeling whom they had fostered for a time. Alienus sum, subditus, volo parents meos ut commonstres mihi. So the Devil would whisper into our ear, if God cast us off, and gives us not relief and nourishment, it is fit we should disavow him for our Father; and especially he thought this a good motive among the Jews, who had all temporary blessings promised unto them in great abundance. That Promise made them so touchy, that they quarrelled, yea, and denied the Lord which had done so great things for them, if their desire were not satisfied. At Massa and Meribah when they wanted water, Is the Lord among us or no? Exod. xvii. 7. Upon the pressure of their Enemies, the Angel could not make Gideon believe at first, that the Most High was the Watchman of Israel that overlook'd them; If the Lord be with us, why then is all this fallen upon us? Judge. vi. 13. In the Psalms of David it were without end to instance, how the Prophet expostulates, Awake, why sleepest thou? Why dost thou turn away thy face? Why dost thou not see our misery and trouble? And at last, seeing God's enemies have the upper-hand of his Servants in these external blessings, my feet were well-nigh moved, when I saw the ungodly in such prosperity. In this common Theme, I take it as I light upon it, you shall hear my reasons, which flatly check Satan's rule, that there are and have been divers oppressed with necessity and want of bread, and yet God doth not cease to be their Father, and they must retain the consolation that they are his Sons.

First, and before anything attend to this consideration, If every good Christian were satisfied at all times with temporal blessings, we should appear to serve God for our own profit, that we might lack nothing which concerned this transitory life. But Abraham flies his Country and hath not a foot of ground to dwell upon; Jacob and the Patriarchs have no food in Canaan, unless they go into Egypt for it; Peter and John have not a mite of Silver and Gold, no not for the use of Charity, that the World may see, there are some that serve the Lord for pure zeal, and not for the wages of Fortune, as we call it. The Devil, in whom it is proper to calumniate virtue, he gasht at Job with his Tusk, and slighted his integrity, as if he were a mercenary friend of God; Doth Job serve God for naught? His substance is increased in the Land. And therefore to confute Satan, the Lord put him to the utmost trial, and took away almost all he had. It is good humility to say unto out Father with the Prodigal, Make me as one of thy hired servants; that is, Put me into thy Family though I be in the lowest rank, a door-keepr in thy house, as David said. Put me to any drudgery and labor, but it is not the meaning, he would be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . an hireling, one that would do his Father just so much service as he was paid for. Of such a one the Orator said, Non est amicitia, sed utilitatis mercatura; So in our Dialect we may say, It is not to glorify God, but to merchandise Religion; Like that saying, 1 Sam. ii. 36. Put me into one of the Priests Offices, that I may eat a piece of bread. It is pity he should eat, that would not be a Priest to serve at God's Altar, unless he might eat by his Office.

St. Thomas the Disciple had not yet taken out the true lesson of faith, when he required to put his finger into the print of the nails, and to thrust his hand into Christ, else he would not believe; but they are further off than he, that will not believe, unless they may finger their gains, and thrust their hand into the commodity of the world; I and perhaps look for honor to boot, bare riches will not content them. Many Sons of perdition, even in the ancient and pure times of the Church, started away to rank Atheism, and renounced their Baptism, upon discontent that some promotion did not fall upon them. Ammianus Marcellinus could s • y in his time, it would encourage a man to be a Christian, if he might be chosen Bishop of Rome, and so flow with wealth and dignity. Gratis poenitet esse bonum; O base earthly mind! that would be an Infidel, unless he might be a rich believer. Every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts, says Solomon: But he that loves God for his own sake, and not for God's sake, he hates him. Honors, and affluency of all store are not contrary to Christianity; nay, many times God gives the one with the other, and they agree together well enough: But if not, there is the trial whether we will be mercenary or no. What said the three generous Captives to Nebuchadonosor, Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us out of thine hand, and will deliver us; but if not, be it known unto thee we will not serve thy God's; that is, no worship will we afford save to the Lord of Heaven, though it cost us our life. These were right, that looked to save nothing by their Religion but their soul. Godliness is great gain, says the Apostle, for it gains a man in this life joy and tranquility of Spirit, that he hath done that duty which belongs to his soul. It is the punishment of sin for a man to know he hath sinned, and to remember it to his torment; so a good deed is rewarded that you can say you did it, Sanctitas premium est sance operantis; therefore follow not the Lord for the prey you look for; for bread, as Satan would have you; the Kingdom of heaven is not meat and drink; therefore where there is scarcity of all things, let there be plenty of righteousness. Before I come off from this Point, let not one word which Jacob did speak stumble you, Gen. xxviii. 20. Jacob vowed a vow, if God will be with me, and keep me in my way, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, then shall the Lord be my God. Beloved, it were a gross error to take Jacob's words absolutely as if he would have the Lord keep Covenant to give him bread, and raiment, or else he would not serve him. What more sordid than those words in this sense? Or more unworthy of Jacob? But the words have respect to a Vow, and to a particular worship of God, as it is verse xxii. First, He would set up that stone for a Pillar, that it might be as a Temple where the Lord should be worshipped; And secondly, He would give the tenth unto God of all he had. He doth only covenant to sanctify these particularities of Divine Worship to Jehovah, if he found prosperity, and relief in that dangerous journey. Therefore I conclude this Point in defiance of Satan; we must be the obedient children of God though we want bread; and the most righteous are in scarcity sometimes, that they may not seem to serve for an earthly reward.

Secondly, God doth not suppeditate bread always to him that is his Son, that he may loath this World, and look for a recompense for all this misery, not among these hard-hearted generations of men, but among the habitations of the blessed. Say to the righteous it shall be well with him, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings, Isa. iii. 10. As Philostratus tells of one that desired his Son might not be Musical, and therefore sent him to learn of the worst Musicians in the City, that their scraping and jarring might make him not care to learn it: So God provides for many whom he loves, nothing but the harshness and worst entertainment of this world, that they may learn to loath it. Cujus bonitas non specie praesentium, sed futurorum utilitate pensanda est, says St. Ambrose; Estimate the fatherly goodness of the Almighty, not by the austere education wherewith he holds us under in this life, but by the amplitude of our Patrimony in his Kingdom hereafter. The beggary of virtue is grown a Proverb, the Martyrology of the Saints is grown a Volume, the felicity of their enemies is grown a wonder; Mirabor hoc si sic abiret. It is impossible but there must be another reckoning for these things; the patient abiding of the meek shall not always be forgotten: But as Christ said to his Disciples, so may these to their enemies, that have trod them under, We have meat to eat that you wot not of. And as Elisha said to one of the braveries of Samaria, that God would fill the City with great plenty, but he should be never the better; Videbis, sed non gustabis. So may Lazarus say to the remorseless Glutton, Thou shalt see the banquet which is set before me, but thou shalt never taste of it. The voluptuous had so much set upon their Table in the first course now that they shall never have a second. Nemo transit à deliciis ad delicias, raro quisquam in hôc seculo primus est & in secundo. There were no alteration in the condition of naughty men, if they could pass out of this life from pleasure to pleasure, but many times he that is the Favorite of Fortune here, shall be the least in the Kingdom of heaven, that is, shall be quite excluded from thence hereafter. The Heathen in their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , did never defy a poor man; indeed they would allow it to some of their Kings and Princes, that they became Stars in the Firmament, and would call the Constellations after their names, but they could not see whither the poor harmless man goes, to a place above the Stars, and where they shall shine above the Stars in glory: Take courage therefore to say, It is my turn to want for a while, I shall be replenished hereafter, he filleth the hungry with good things, and the rich shall be sent empty away. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, when thy youth is renewed like the Eagles, Psal. ciii. 5. There is a Mystery, says St. Austin, in joining them two together, for there is no satisfaction of good things for the righteous man, until his youth be renewed like the Eagles; meaning the last Resurrection, when God shall be all in all. The upshot is, that the Sons of God may be dear unto their Father, and yet want bread, for though our wages be small upon earth, yet great is our reward in heaven.

Thirdly, Though this Son of God, to whom the Devil spake, our blessed Savior were innocent, and yet suffered so many sorrows, that hunger was the least; not for any evil in himself, but for our iniquities; yet the best in the world beside are rebellious children, and sometimes God breaks the staff of bread for their sins, and whips them with the mild chastising of want and scarcity, as he did the Prodigal Son, to bring them home again. Praestat sentire lenitatem patris, quàm severitatem judicis? Is it not better to feel the scourge of a Father to amend us, than the Axe of a Judge to cut us off? Is it not better with Lazarus to want the crumbs of the rich man's Table here, than with the rich man to want a drop of water hereafter to cool his Tongue in hell fire? If thou do evil, says God to Cain, sin lies at the door. From whence some do truly meditate, so long as an impenitent man continues in this world, he is in his own house, and may lurk there safe and secure; but when he departs this life, and comes out of doors, Vae capiti, woe be to him then, his torment was deferred to be increased. When Hagar and Ishmael had spent their bottle of water, and were ready to give up the Ghost for thirst, was not this a good time to remember how injuriously Sarah had been despised, and Isaac mocked? And that both he and she were the root and fruit of fornication? He that in the distress of scarcity will smite his hand upon his breast, and examine his secret faults, and say, I have sinned against the Lord, this man hath made great gain of his poverty. Quisque optat cum sanâ mente lamentari, quàm cum insanâ perpetuo ridere, says Gregory; Who had not rather with the enjoying of his wits be weak, than with the loss of his wits be strong and merry? So who had not rather feel the Famine and misery of the world and repent, than flow in the satiety of all things, never feel the sting of his sins, and die impenitent? As one said, that good Fathers sometimes have wicked Children, lest virtue should seem to descend by natural inheritance; and again, wicked Fathers have sometimes virtuous Children, that wickedness may not run on in a perpetual propagation; so riches and abundance, lest they should be thought to be no blessings at all, now and then fall upon the best: And yet lest you should think them the best of all things, now and then they fall upon the worst men. Or as another draws out the line of justice very well, no man is absolutely good, or absolutely evil; but as the best have some evil in them, so the worst have some good, some talent of nature which serves for the use of Commonwealths, increase of Arts, public peace, or some ornament of the Universe, therefore the good of the worst men is rewarded with a gift of outward fortune, and the evil of the best men is punished with scarcity; no wonder therefore if he that is the Son of God do sometimes pine for lack of bread.

Fourthly, Though a good man labor and watch, and cannot earn the bread of his carefulness, yet he shall fill his bosom with better fruits, for occasion is given hereby to the righteous to exercise these three spiritual graces, Prayer, and Patience, and Charity. Prayer comes after trouble and necessity, as Resurrection comes after death. Even the very Philistines were driven to repentance, to restitution, to send back the Ark of God into his own Land, when the Lord smote them with Emerauds, and diseases. If such fruits grew from an evil stock, when a vengeance and calamity was in their Land, then much better fruits of sighs and prayer will bud from them who are planted by the rivers of waters, who weep and lament that their iniquities have deserved such great chastisement. The Beasts and Fowls of the air do lack and suffer hunger, that by the voice of nature they may call upon the Lord to be replenished; then the young Ravens do call upon him, and the Lions roaring after their prey do seek their meat of God. He is the door which opens to let forth all blessings spiritual and temporal; Quam nemo nisi ebrius ignorat, as one says' None but a reeling drunkard can miss the door into which he should pass. David seems to utter a Paradox, Psal. xxxvii. 25. I never saw the righteous forsaken, nor his seed beg their bread. Surely experience is opposite to this, and the Posterity of many have been in great want, whose memory is blessed for their righteous conversation. Some have very well turned the Verb beg into a Participle begging, and then the construction is fair, I never saw the righteous forsaken, nor his seed forsaken begging their bread; for they are not forsaken to whom the Lord gives patience in the inward man, though they be destitute and forsaken. Let God wrestle as he will, and cast us down, yet we must pray, and suffer, and not let him go until he bless us. But abundance of all things is a great slur unto devotion. In Egypt where the River Nile over-flows their grounds constantly instead of rain, and where the heaven is clear continually above, nemo oratorum coelos aspicit; the heathen could say so, God had fewer Prayers made unto him there, than in any place of the world. Therefore lay the beginning of this Point unto the end, is not the soul better than the body? Is not the spirit of Prayer better than a full barn? Is not a little holiness better than all the Vintage of Abiezer?

Moreover, we are commanded patience, we promise patience, and I hope we resolve patience; now that we may draw this good motion out of the secret corners of our heart distress and penury will put it in practice. This is it which St. Austin calls God's great allowance above thousands of Gold and Silver. Patrimonium fidei & patientiae in cord. Christ makes the righteous sole Executors and Administrators of his patience. Be not tormented with emulation, though you see another shine like a bigger Planet than yourself, though you see the most vicious man set over you in advancement; Dabo huic novissimo sicut & tibi? The Owner of all the Earth may do what he will with his own, he will give unto him that is last in his favor as unto thee, nay, more than unto thee in this life, yet I cannot call it more if you will balance those light wares with the talent of your Patience. When God took all from Job, yet says Gregory, Patientiae munere coronabatur; He was crowned like a Saint in heaven with the victorious Crown of patience upon earth. Is it not better to suffer in the present because we had not these things to use, than suffer because we had them, and did abuse them? It is a saying attributed to the supposed Dionysius, Divinae justitiae est non emollire optimorum fortitudinem materialium donationibus; It suits well with the Divine Justice and Providence not to make the fortitude of his Saints effeminate with abundance. And if they had always their Salary of earthly blessings here as upon compact, their Religion would be more weighed down with Avarice than confirmed with patience. The last spiritual exercise which is caused by the need and want of God's beloved is this, that merciful minded men may fill the bellies of the hungry with the bread of their charity. God hath suffered his fire to wast away the habitation of the poor man, that your contribution may build him up again a covering for his head, and those good works shall receive you into the everlasting Mansions. The waves of the Sea swallow up the substance of our brethren that our collections may restore it again; and this is it which Solomon calls, Casting our bread upon the waters. Jacob and the Patriarchs were well-nigh famished in the Land of Canaan, that Pharaoh might relieve them with his Granaries. Christ was made poor that we might be made rich, and for the good use of our riches he hath made many poor. I did read you even now what Exposition might be made upon those words of David, I never saw the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread; some not unfitly do bend it to this sense: The Psalmist commends liberality in the preceding verses, and those that are prone to relieve the helpless. Now lest any man might object, yet I may clothe others so far that I may leave myself naked; I may supply others, till I be drawn dry; No, says he in that verse, no misfortune shall come to such liberality, I never saw the righteous forsaken, meaning such righteous as he spake of before that are liberal and lend, I never saw his seed beg their bread. The charitable shall have his loan again, sometimes corporally, sometimes spiritually, always certainly. And thus you have heard my reasons to control Satan's rule, that there are and have been divers oppressed with necessity and want of bread, and yet God doth not cease to be their Father, and they must retain the comfort that they are his Sons.

Only take in this to the advantage of the Point: As Satan is vigilant to espy who are in want, and to suggest doubts and infidelity into their heart, so there is no man shall think he is not in want, if he will be ruled by his persuasion. I told you before out of Theophylact what he propounded to our Savior, Cum panis unus sufficeret, jubet lapides in panes converti; When one loaf of bread might satisfy a man's hunger, he required all the stones in the Wilderness, which were near at hand, to be turned into bread. It is he that makes our prodigal Feasters wish their cheer were better, when they have already too much. To have bare enough in his construction is to want, and nothing is sufficient but an Epicures superfluity. Perhaps the plenty which is present will evict the greatest murmurer, and make him confess here is well and enough for the present occasion. O but, says the Tempter, are you sure of large suppeditation for the time hereafter? If you are not aforehand with the world, you are in a bad case and want bread: If your condition be not more comfortable than your Prayer, Give us this day our daily bread, you may pray and perish. Howsoever, Beloved, do you rely upon this, that God's providence will be the best interpreter of his own Prayer; he that bids you pray for the sustenance of one day, best knows how he will cherish and relieve you tomorrow. Whereas in the former petitions we are taught to ask that the Kingdom of heaven might come; it were unwise, having so good a thing in our wish, to ask much for the bread of this life. One days dimensum is enough to ask for at once, for who knows whether after a day he shall go from hence forever, and be no more seen? If happily a worldly man be satisfied to say, I have enough for one, and enough for my time, Soul thou hast much goods laid up in store for many years; yet Satan will object that you want bread, for you have not enough laid up for your Posterity, and for many generations; and because men know not how their stock may increase and fructify, therefore they dilate their appetite in infinitum, and say after the words of that Disciple, Whence shall I have bread for so many that come out of my Loins, that everyone may have a little? Gehazi did not say his Master had need of Naaman's Rayments or his money; but there were two children of the Prophets lately come to him, and he would have two change of Rayments, and a Talent of Silver for them: So, many will confess they have wherewithal to serve their own turn, they cannot complain but their own necessities are liberally provided, but they would have change of Rayments, and Talent upon Talent for their children. And if it were possible like Noah, and those that came out of the Ark with him, they would have the whole world to be distributed among their Sons and Daughters. All these ways our Adversary the Devil doth shape discontent in our hearts, to make us say, we lack and have not enough; then he objects, Who is then your Father that should provide for you? What Son is he that wanteth bread if he have a merciful Father? And so far upon the first general part of the Text.

And as this Satanical rule, upon which I have spoken, depraves our judgment in the most capital conclusion of true Religion, the next rule, which I now come to open, bars and corrupts our practice in all manner of justice and righteousness, it is thus, whosoever wants bread let him get it by any stratagem or device, by any unlawful slight, which Proposition, though it be not expressed in such plain terms in my Text, yet the wit of Satan neither would nor could insinuate that bad meaning in any other Language to Christ than as we read it, Command that these stones be made bread. I know Christ hath extended his miracles to supply worldly blessings to his people, especially at a push, as Peter found ready pay for his Masters Tribute, and for his own out of the head of a Fish; and lest the people should faint that had continued fasting three days to hear Christ preach in the Wilderness, a wonderful increase of food was multiplied to satisfy many thousands out of five loaves and two fishes. God did get himself glory by these works in the sight of all Jury. But the case is quite altered in this which Satan demands. Christ was private by himself in the Desert, when he had fasted forty days and forty nights and was afterwards an hungry; the Devil had no color in that place to bid him filch, or cheat, or do any base office to feed his belly: The worst therefore he could say, was altogether to omit he should call upon God; nay, rather since the Lord had destituted him of all provision, without expectation of help from the Divine Providence, do the best you can for yourself, Command that these stones, &c.

This is that Maxim which those Heathens, that had no Equity nor Philosophy in them, did maintain, Quocunque modo rem, stand not upon the niceties of Truth, and Law, and Justice, but get your living as you can; Victum tibi confice quem Deus non suppeditat, as our most literal Expositors do Paraphrase my Text; God cares not for you, but shift for yourself as well as you can, you must have bread. Such are those irreligious and discontented words, 2 Kings vi. 33. The evil is of the Lord, what should I wait for the Lord any longer? There is no Commandment of the two Tables can be unviolated, if you remove the bounds of justice, and give your wit and conscience scope to make a fortune upon all juggling and devices; Blasphemy, Idolatry, forswearing, unhallowing the Lord's day, Rebellion against the Magistrate, Rapines, murders, Lying, Dissimulation, want of Remorse, all these sins which we knew of old, and all those new sins, which mischief can invent, are incident to him that cares not to grow rich by God's blessing alone, but by any sort of Policy. Judas had an impatient heart that he did not raise his fortunes by Christ's service, he got little or nothing under him; How easy it was for Satan to enter in at this gap, and to put it into his heart to accept of thirty pieces of Silver to betray him? If Christ would have bid most, and given him Gold for Silver, Judas would have tried his cunning then to have betrayed the Devil. Ad mercedem pii sumus, ad mercedem impii. Therefore the Devil brought him speedily to an untimely death, lest he should revolt for a greater reward, and retain to the contrary faction. And as for the thirty pieces, the wages which he took both to sell Christ and his own soul (for the High Priests had so much more than they covenanted for) Judas durst not keep them, they durst not receive them, the Pension of innocent blood, none durst finger it; but as the holy man said, He hath swallowed down riches, he shall vomit them up again, Job xx. 15.

Because the Lord doth sometimes allege the Heathen against the disobedience of his own Servants, to provoke them by a foolish people, therefore I will give you an instance from the morals of an Heathen Philosopher, whom he did condemn, for such as were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , such as took where they had no right, and heaped possessions and gain unto themselves by unjust dealing. And very judiciously he premiseth, that there are two sorts of men that pluck much to themselves by unjust rapine, who are transcendent sinners above the usual style of them that are noted for filthy lucre, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Tyrants that invade whole Kingdoms that are not their own, and sacrilegious persons that lay hands on God's portion, and to satisfy their own Avarice, despoil that which is consecrated to holy uses. The first of these, Usurping Tirants, do not repine that they want a little bread, but, like Ahab, they are sick for vexation, and cannot eat their bread with joy, unless they may have Naboth's Field, nay, unless they may have whole Regions that are not their own. This was a Goatish barbarous Conclusion, every Nation had a Title to that Kingdom which was better than their own. Such as these will pretend, not to satisfy their need, but to feed their pride and luxury, and care not how much blood they sell to buy a wrong name, a dignity which the Lord did never give them. Take heed of the bread of violence and oppression, says Solomon; though in the beginning such bread be sweet to the Palate, yet afterward their mouth is filled with gravel, and then follows gnashing of teeth, in which Christ deciphers one sting of torment belonging to eternal damnation. The Amalekites spoiled the Kingdom of Israel, burnt Ziklag, and took away the women Captives; but while they were eating, and drinking, and dancing because of the great spoil, David smote them from twilight even till the Evening of the next day, 1 Sam. xxx. 17. The other sort of transcendent unjust ones are they who if they be not prosperous in the abundance of wealth to join house to house, and Land to Land, God himself shall not keep his own from them, these are the Sacrilegious; they are not common stones that these men move to become rich, but they will command that the stones of the Temple be made bread. The Sons of Eli the High Priest (for I will confess it to our shame, that the very Priests themselves in all Ages have not been quit from Sacrilege) would lurch from the Sacrifice itself the best part of the Sacrifice; and the vengeance fell from heaven, not only on their own persons to be slain in battle, but the Ark of God being under the custody of such wicked Levites was taken by the Philistines, and carried away in triumph. Even mighty Princes have smarted for this sin; for when Belshazzar called for the golden and silver Vessels which his Father had taken out of the Temple of Jerusalem, that he, his Princes, his Wives, and his Concubines might drink therein, in the same hour was the hand seen which wrote upon the wall, that his Kingdom was taken from him. No Nation so Idolatrous but abandoned them which made private gain of that which was due to the Altar, to the Priests, or any way to the honor of their God's. It was strict, and strange justice in the Athenians, that put a little boy to death who had scrapt off a little Plate of Silver from some shrine in Dianaes Temple; but the reason of that severe Sentence was Metuebant ne sacrilegus evaderet; if he had lived to be a man, they feared he would prove notoriously socrilegious.

These which I have spoken of, Tyranny and Sacrilege, a mere Naturalist could call the two transcendent tops of injustice. There are others under these indeed, yet of a most vile condition, that eat their bread by wrongful dealing, when it is grounded with the Devils Milstones; and according to Aristotle, my former director, these may be ranged into three sorts: Such as maintain themselves with no calling, such as use a bad calling, and such as cheat in a good Calling. We must eat our bread by Prayer to God, and good employment in the world, that is, by the duty of Invocation, and by the fruits of our Vocation; therefore he that fills up no place or part in a Common-wealth to earn his gains must needs take the Devils counsel to live by unjust means, command that these stones be made bread. I consider not so much in this censure Parasites and Flatterers, that subsist by fawning upon those that will be gull'd with assentation; nor Buffoons and Jesters, upon whom the Philosopher toucheth, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , such as lead an apish ridiculous life, a far greater curse than if they would undergo God's curse, to eat their bread with the sweat of their brows; but I speak of them, whose impious hands maintain them no otherwise but by pilfering and stealing; what swarms of these are round about us in every corner of the streets, yea sometimes in this very house of God? More witty wicked inventions are excogitated, I am persuaded, in this City to cheat, to filch, to circumvent, than all the Nations beside under the Sun are aware of. If ever any sin grew a monster in a State, this is improved to be so in ours. And the good suffer this shame for their sakes who are bad, that thievery in other Countries is accounted the National blot of this Island. It is not imprisonment, it is not branding, it is not a fatal death that will deter them: Nay, it is not the fear of eternal fire hereafter; it is not that denouncement, that they shall lose the fruition of God's glory. There is a Kingdom and a Treasure in Heaven, where Christ says, Thieves shall not break in and steal. If I had leisure to accumulate many words, I could say unto such no more in effect than St. Paul hath done, 2 Thes. iii. 12. We command them that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. His meaning is plain, that every man must eat such bread as he may call his own by honest and lawful possession; if we will be fed with the blessing of heaven, we must not scrape our goods together by the art of the Devil. Da panem nostrum, non alienum. How absonant is their Prayer to their practice who pray for their own substance, and yet make any man's substance their own, according to the Devils counsel, because they want it.

The next of kind to these are those that use a bad Calling; that heathen Wise man hath named but three sorts, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Gamesters, Usurers, and Pandars. By the first he means such as drive no other trade or negotiation to maintain their livelihood but profuse Gaming; Is it not a misery to see a great Patrimony upon a Table, set ready to be adjudged who shall have it by so base and dull an Instrument as a bale of Dice? I read in the life of Augustus Caesar, when he recreated himself to deceive the tediousness of time with any Game, such moderate Stakes were set between him and Mecaenas; that the blowing up of a young Heir and all his Inheritance in one night must needs be reckoned by the Sages of good times for the exercise of a bad Calling. The second limb of this division, which is an Usurer, is so guilty in his own conscience of that bad opinion which the world hath of him, that hitherto he durst never profess himself of any Calling; as yet no Company was ever founded for that Profession in this City, and I think it is your own rule, no Company no Calling, or at least a bad Calling. This is not the right way certainly to better a man's estate, command that this Wax and Parchment be made bread. St. Basil is very confident in his opinion that it is the sin for which penury of food doth sometimes pinch the whole Land, this is that iniquity which turns bread into stones. Renounce your Usury, says he, that the Earth may bring forth her increase, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . It is unnatural for Money to beget Money; therefore while you make Money, which should be barren, to be fruitful, the Earth, which useth to be fruitful, becomes barren. The third sort of those, in that Wise man's enumeration, who live by a most reprobate gain are those accursed people that keep unclean Brothels, and profess an Ordinary for the Devil. These are they, in St. Paul's phrase, that sell the body of Christ to be made the body of an Harlot, or the body of a Fornicator. At this time of the year (the devout and penitent time of Lent, if you will make it so) all the Churches in Italy, which are under the Papacy, do labor and persuade, more than through all the year beside, that those common Prostitutes will bewail their former life, renounce the evil world, and enter into the strictness of some Cloister forever; whom they call their Convertitaes. And God send our Labors and Preaching in this City a good harvest in this kind, that these odious persons, the names by which they are known are unfit for my mouth, that all such, I say, may be touched in conscience, lament their beastly life, and never more make sale and merchandise of fleshly iniquity. O Lord how long hast thou forborne thine anger, and not utterly consumed us, that this abominable sin is not more strictly looked into in all places, and utterly rooted out? And yet for all they talk of their Convertitaes in Italy, it is among them but like Hydra 's heads, when one is cut off, three new ones grow up in the room, and ever will be so, while their great Prelate is at a certain price with them for toleration. Is not this above all other trespasses, forenamed the direct sin to which the Tempter exhorts, to make money by any wicked courses, to take Gold out of the Devils bag. The first that led the way to this covetousness, that ever I read of, was Caligula the Emperor, the worst not only of men, but even of four footed beasts. Vectigala inaudita capiebat; mark ye, he took a Tribute that was never heard of before, Ex capturis prostitutarum quantum quaeque uno concubitu mereret; he was allowed from every Stews in his Dominion a most impious proportion to fill his Coffers.

The final branch of the Division is, that they make bread of stones, that is, they get their living by the Art of the Devil that cheat and cozen in a lawful Calling. If the Angel of the Lord were to sprinkle the blood of an innocent Lamb upon every door-post where a true Israelite dwelt, that was not faulty in this kind, I fear he would have but little work among us; Vel duo, vel nemo. There are not many of that mark. Is not all kind of Manufacture grown more slight, more vile by far than it was in the former Generations? Compare any work which comes from your hands nowadays with that which was wrought and done in the days of old, and the extreme odds would make you ashamed if there were any conscience in your dealing: And yet you will spend more Oaths to justify your bad Wares than our Fore-fathers would spend words to commend their good. As Usury is defended by some that the common Traffique of Nations depends upon it, so Lying will be defended in time by the same rule; there can be no Shops opened, there can be no Merchandize without it. 'It is grown a word of course, like an Interjection without which you cannot breath, to swear you cannot afford it so cheap, when you equivocate most impudently. And all being truly considered, well▪ may you swear it, when you sell away your faith with your Ware for so little profit. Let me but repeat that verse which St. Paul took up, and do you apply it, the Cretans were always Liars, evil beasts, and slow-bellies, Tit. i. 12. Beloved, there is not one cheat which you put upon your Chapmen, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they are your friends that come to lay out their money with you, there is not one circumvention with which you abuse them, not one false Weight, or Measure, not one deceitful word, not one false Asseveration, not one adulterated Oath, not one unreasonable Item, but God writes it down in his Book, by which you shall be judged at the last day, more carefully than you keep your Shop-books. To end all, do not make hast to be rich by unjust means, for so you will fall into manifold snares of the Devil. When you ingross thousands, you can have but one man's meat, and one man's clothing, and quite beside your expectation you shall not leave a blessing with this substance, but a great curse upon your Posterity. A little which the righteous hath is better than great riches of the ungodly. Satan's wily Projections were ever fatal to the undertaker, but justice and righteousness shall have peace and comfort in this life, and eternal glory in the life to come. AMEN.

THE NINTH SERMON UPON Our Savior's Tentation.

W Hatsoever Satan said before was not worthy of an answer, and if our Savior had held his peace, as once he did, when he was examined before Herod, that wicked motion had deserved it, Command that these stones be made bread. But an answer is given in these words which are my present Tractate, partly to wrack the Tempter with suspicion, partly to demonstrate how weak all our objections are when God comes to answer them, and partly to make the Church partaker of his wisdom, that his sayings may be our Meditations from day today, and from hour to hour, when we are met together in these holy Assemblies.

First, The answer left the Tempter most irresolute, and without all satisfaction. Satan was loath to seem to doubt of Christ, and would not ask, Art thou the Son of God? And yet he labored with all cunning to discover it. Therefore Christ keeps him off that he was never the nearer to find him out by this answer. Dominus sic fallit ut vincat, sic vincit ut fallat, says St. Ambrose; the Lord deluded his enemy that he might overcome him, and overcomes him by strength of Scripture, that he may still delude him. He could have cut him off with a word, saying, As the Father hath life in himself, so the Son hath life in himself, what need this transmutation then of stones into bread to satisfy my hunger? but he would not rejoin explicitly one way or other, either I am the eternal Son of God that want not bread, or I am a man of much infirmity, but indefinitely thus, pick what he could out of it, Man shall not live, &c.

Secondly, This answer declares how easily God's wisdom will overmatch the subtleties of men, since Satan himself could not maintain his own objections. So the Pharisees, the Herodians, the Sadducees, all were put to silence in the Gospel, that they durst ask him no more questions, and yet many men flatter themselves that although they have been revengeful, malicious, unjust, extortioners, yet let them have a fair, and a just hearing at God's Tribunal, and they would be able to justify their own Integrity; according to the like which Job said, Chap. xxiii. 3. O that I might come even to his Seat, I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments, I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me. Beloved, let such conceits fall off and vanish, God is not mocked, his wisdom is not dazzled with inventions and excuses; entrust your cause with Christ to plead it for you, and be sure, for your own part, you are not able to answer one for a thousand. One question, and almost one word made him speechless that came to the Marriage not having on a wedding garment. Christ answers to the Tempter in this place to instruct us that all his sayings are solid, irrefragable, and unanswerable.

Thirdly, This answer, which confounds Satan, confirms the Church with manifold knowledge, as namely, in these several Points into which I will distribute the Text, and they are three: Sedes argumenti, applicatio, argumentum ipsum. 1. The seat of the Argument, or the place from whence it is taken, It is written, written in the holy Scripture, written in the Law of Moses, and particularly written in a certain place of Deuteronomy, which entreats of Manna that came down from heaven. 2. The Application of it is to Christ our Lord, man shall not live by bread, and therefore this is appliable to him as touching his humanity. 3. The Argument or Text itself hath these four Doctrines, three directly, the last by inference. 1. That man is not necessarily bound to ordinary sustinance, man shall not live by bread alone. 2. God can nourish man by every word that proceedeth out of his mouth, that is every way that it liketh and pleaseth him. 3. Nothing can nourish unless God bless it, for man liveth by the word that proceedeth out of God's mouth, that is by the will of God. 4. There is another life for man to look to beside this life which is sustained with bread; so St. Cyprian and others collect upon the words put together, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word, &c.

But he answered and said, it is written. So his responsion was not the invention of man, but the very Oracle of God. This was Romphea in ore, out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword, Rev. i. 16. This is the Sickle which cuts down all the Tares which Satan sows among the good Wheat; this is the Ark of God before which all the Idols of the Philistines fall flat to the ground; this is the Trumpet of Joshua whose noise overturneth the Walls of Jericho. How can our tongues sufficiently praise the holy Scripture, which teacheth us to speak not with the eloquence of man, but with the tongues of Angels? Take it from us, and we may say as Samson did, if his Locks were shaved away we shall be weak as other men, nay, quite unable to open our lips against the Philosophy of the world; but give us that weapon of the Spirit in our hand, and we shall tread down our foes as the dung under our feet. Satan himself cannot stand before this charge, Scriptum est, it is written, Dimittit aures bellua centiceps; Such Charms, such Music is able to make the Serpent burst in pieces. We are pen'd up into the Scriptures as into our sheepfolds, while we contain ourselves within them there we are safe, the Wolf may howl, but he cannot bite us: There we are in the Tower of David, where we cannot be assaulted; but as David acknowledgeth, If my delight had not been in thy Law, I should utterly have perished in my trouble. Wherefore, my Beloved, make the holy Scriptures some part of every days business, read them, and as you read pray to God to interpret them, read them with humility, that when God sends an Interpreter you may not cavil, and be wise in your own conceit, but understand them; read them with continual diligence, that one day may teach another, and your elder years may be wiser than your younger. Finally, read them with patience, that such things as are obscure may not deter you, but hold on and proceed, and you shall find somewhat clear, that it will dispel the mists of obscurity. Consilio spiritus sancti factum est ut quae obscura sunt in Scriptures per apertiora possunt illustrari, says St. Austin. God hath compounded easy places with difficile, that you may have some fruit ready to reap, and some to be gathered and expected hereafter unto the ends of the world.

As we read of Manna that it was saporous to all Palates, and every man might taste in Manna whatsoever he loved to taste; so the Scripture hath all good relishes in it, taste and try, and it wants nothing which is delightful for the soul unto salvation. No Book in the world hath so many rewards for virtue, no Edicts set forrh by all the Princes of the world so many punishments for iniquity; no storehouse among all the Papers in the world so full of consolation; such lofty wisdom delivered in all simplicity, such fortitude commanded with so much sufferance and patience, such strict justice observed with so much equity and forgiveness is not to be found elsewhere beneath the Sun, save in those Volumes of the Holy Ghost. Let your eyes love to gaze upon this Fountain, as the Doves in the Canticles are said to gaze upon the waters; and if you will gaze upon them with a Dove-like innocence, you will read them for these five ends.

First, You see in my Text that Christ quotes them to repel the Devil. He fought against the Flesh by fasting, against the wicked World by retiring into the solitary Wilderness, but against the Devil with the authority of the Word of God. You shall seldom meet with an Apollos that is mighty in the Scripture, with such a one as Antonius of Padua, who was called Arca Testamenti by them that admired his cunning in the Scripture, his memory was like the Ark wherein the Law of God was laid up, seldom shall you find such a man but he will over-master at least the very criminal, and notorious suggestions of the Devil.

Secondly, Read them to learn Christ and his glory in them, for this end our Savior directed the Pharisees to Moses and the Prophets, and the Bereans are styled more noble than those of Thessalonica, because when Paul preached Jesus, they searched the Scriptures whether those things were so, Acts xvii. 11.

Thirdly, Read them for the consolation of that glory which is laid up for you. These things were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope, Rom. xv. 4. All the Traditions in the world beside leave the mind fluctuating, and miserably uncertain into what state hereafter the soul shall be received.

Fourthly, Read them to be instructed in the study of Piety and good Works to the glory of God. Thou hast known the Scriptures from a child, to make thee wise unto Salvation, says Paul to his Timothy, in that 2 Epist. iii. 15. In all the exhortatives, and Pandects of Laws which the Heathen made, there was not only the omission of some excellent virtues, but the permission, the very institution of some notorious vices.

Fifthly, Read the Scriptures, not to engender questions, as very many do, but to produce Peace, and to be the end of all Controversies. To keep up Discords when the Law and Gospel is in our hand to decide them, nay, to enflame the more because we have waters from the Well of life to quench them is Satan's imperial device; he is now grown so cunning to wring what he list out of the sacred Text, that he presumes Scriptum est shall little hurt him. And to the end the Scripture may be more unapt to cut off Controversies, the sharpest Controversies in the Church are raised upon the very Scripture. As 1. upon the incorruption of the sacred Text. 2. Upon the validity of Translations. 3. By augmenting them with Apocryphal Books that are not inspired by the Holy Ghost. 4. By interposing they are an incomplete rule without unwritten traditions. 5. That they prove nothing indubitably without the unanimous consent of pure antiquity. 6. That all the Lay part, or at least the unlearned are to be interdicted the reading and possessing them, as well because of their obscure sense, as because the ignorant may suck out of them the venom of Heresy. 7. They jossle the Church and Scripture together which should be superior. 8. They have wrangled themselves almost into Atheism, that they know no way but by an historical faith or man's testimony that this is the Writ of God. Thus because the Scriptures are given to overthrow the Kingdom of Satan, Satan hath done his endeavor by these bad instruments to overthrow the Scriptures. But I say again, Beloved, let us read them not to increase the rent of the Church, but to moderate contentions, and to stop the gap. Thus St. Austin in a sweet strain of concord to please both God and man. Fratres sumus, quare litigamus? Non intestatus mortuus est pater, &c. We are brethren, and therefore should not strive, especially since the Will and Testament of our Father is before us to end all branglings. Men fall out sometimes about the goods and inheritance of the dead, but if a Will be found, the quarrel is quickly taken up; read how your Father hath bequeathed all things and you can ask no more. Brethren, we have the first and later Testament of our Father, open them, peruse them; How do you read there? Will you not stand to his Will and Ordination? Why, the Law will compel you. As for a Father upon earth, Jacet in monumento, & valent verba ipsius, sedet Christus in coelo, & contradicitur testamento ejus. He is rotten in his grave, and yet his will given under the testimony of man quiets all suits; Christ sits in heaven forever, and shall not his Testament, confirmed by the Testimony of the Holy Ghost, be an end of all Controversy?

So far I have pointed at the utility in reading, and well using the holy Scripture, because the Scripture is the seat of Christ's Argument, as I called it. And more particularly he doth honor the Law so far, as thrice together to quote none other but the words of Moses. Moses, whom above all the men in the world Satan hated, as appears by his striving with the Angel about the body of Moses; to advance the Text of Moses against Satan, was lapides loqui, not to turn stones into bread, but to turn his words into stones and to cast them at him. Moses is truly called Oceanus Theology, the Ocean from whence all the Prophets since his time did borrow their divinity. Aquo, seu fonte perenni, vatum divinis ora rigantur aquis. Moses his Pen was the first that ever drew History. For when Alexander the Great took Babylon, his Preceptor Aristotle was most diligent to preserve and examine the most ancient Histories in the Babylonian Libraries, and their Computations come short of Moses above two thousand years. Moses his subject so admirable as none to be compared. The Creation of the world, the first foundations of the Church. The first institution of Marriage, the Fall of man, and the Promise of Christ. And God chose him above all men to receive his Commandments out of the dark Cloud, for which his excellency hath been renowned above all men in all Generations. But as the chief Lesson in all the Prophets is the coming of Christ in the flesh, so none more express for that than Moses. If you believed Moses, you would believe in me, says our Savior. In every of his Five Books he hath left some notable instance for this, a Beacon upon an hill; The Seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head, Gen. iii. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us in the Paschal Lamb, Exod. xii. The Serpent lifted up in the Wilderness, even so the Son of man was lifted up, Num. xxi. In Leviticus all the Ceremonial Sacrifices were Types of him, especially the Scape-goat. But above all, Deut. xviii. A Prophet will the Lord your God raise up unto you like unto me, hear him. This is that Prophet who is the chosen quiver out of which Christ takes his shafts, Mallens doctrinâ Moses quàm miraculis pugnare. Our Savior had rather convince the Devil with Moses than with Miracles.

And above all the Scripture, or above all other works of Moses, Christ hath refuted the Devil only out of the Book of Deuteronomy, at every turn that he spake unto him. Whether Moses were anciently divided into a Pentateuch, or five several Books, whereof this is the last, I concur with them that doubt it. This is certain, the seventy Interpreters were the first that called it Deuteronomy, for the Jews gave the Five Books no other names but the first words of the Book. A singular, and most select piece of Scripture it is, containing the whole body of godly practice and true Religion, for the King, for all Magistrates, for the Priests, and for the People. It is Moses his Cygnaea cantio, the last exhortation which he made before he took his leave of the world. And it is supposed there is more Divination in the Spirit in the nearest enlightenings before death than at other times, as if the soul were almost out of the earth, and a little in heaven. The great Prophet took such abundant care to preserve it, and to put it into the hands of all men, that it was wrote in stone for an eternal memorial, Deut. xxvii. 3. Every seventh year it was to be read to all the people at the solemn Feast of Tabernacles, Deut. xxxi. 10. The King was enjoin'd to keep a Copy of it, and read it all his days, Deut. xvii. 18. And after he had spoke it, he wrote it, and delivered it to the Priests. Ruminate upon this, that you shall not find such instances for the memorial of any other sacred Book, and that Christ drew only out of this fountain to quench the fiery darts of the Devil; and although comparisons, I know, are odious between one book of God's Word and another; yet some excellency will redound out of the premises to this Scripture in every man's imagination. It took the name of Deuteronomy because when the Law had been delivered before, this is a repetition of the Law again; Nunquam nimis dicitur, quod nunquam satis dicitur. Moses was not ashamed to preach the same things over again, no more was Paul, To me, says he, it will not be irksome, to you it will be profitable. The Law had need to be repeated often for our rebellion and depravation; and perhaps because the oldest men of Israel were all dead in the Wilderness for the sin of murmuring, who had first heard the Law, it was fit to propound it again to the new Generations. That I may not be too tedious in this I will only add what St. Jerome says, Deuteronomy or the second Law is a prefiguration of the Gospel or Evangelical Law, Sic habet quae priora sunt, & tamen novae sunt omnia de veteribus. So the Gospel doth antiquate no moral thing which is old, and yet old things in the Law become new in Christ by the faith of the Gospel. Heaps of Expositors follow this hint, that Christ retorted Texts of Deuteronomy upon Satan for this reason, because it affords a kind of shadow of the Gospel. A weak reason for so many to be in love with since it was not God that imposed the name of Deuteronomy on that Book, but men that did interpret it. Why that Book was only in Christ's mouth upon this occasion let no man take upon him to determine, but it will teach us to search diligently for some excellent Treasure in those Lines, which were thought worthy to be applied, and them only by the wisdom of the Son of God. And thus much for the seat of the Argument, and for these words, It is written.

Before I come to the words themselves we must pass over the second Point, that the application of them is drawn to Christ. The place originally is to be read thus, Deut. viii. 3. He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with Manna which thou knewest not, neither did thy Fathers know, that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live. It was Christ's pleasure to have himself comprehended in this rule, our case is his case, he will fare as we fare, he trusts in God's blessing as we ought to trust in it; in a word, he answers altogether as man, and not as God. As the Israelites had no Corn or Harvest in the Wilderness to make bread, yet they had sustenance equivalent or better which fell from above round about their Tents; so Christ intimates, the same providence could help him, though he wanted bread which supplied the Iraelites, of whose stock he was descended. He could have confounded Satan with his Majesty and power, but it was more tormentuous to the Adversary to be thrown off as with the weakness of mere man and his humility. This is not it which Satan looked for, to hear Christ answer him by the title of man, and far less did he look for it, that he should get the upper hand of him in that title, a triumph which is most molestious to his pride above all other punishments. Here it began that he should be subject to man's nature, yet it was that nature co-united in one person with God, but hereafter all the band of Hell shall be turned over to the children of men, who have been the children of God, that they may insult over them. Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the world, says St. Paul? 1 Cor. vi. 2. Nay, know ye not that we shall judge Angels? Not only comparatively, because our works are better than theirs, as the Ninevites and the Queen of the South shall rise up in judgment against the unbelieving Jews, Mat. xii. But directly our suffrage shall go to their eternal condemnation, because they have rebelled against God, and hated his Church. What an honor, what a prerogative is this, not only to escape condemnation, which our sins deserved, but to have judgment committed to our power against our enemies, and yet for all this promise how dissolutely, how profanely some live, as if they would rather justify than judge the wicked world, and the evil Angels? I cannot hold from interserting one thing what Lapide the Jesuit says upon that place of St. Paul, that the righteous shall be Assessors with Christ, and sit next him in judgment, Ut Cardinales cum Papâ, just as the Cardinals assist the Pope to judge all men, so he marring a true Doctrine with a most vile Similitude.

I forget not that I am like to digress, therefore I return, that you may observe with me, how nothing would choke Satan more than to baffle him with the infirmity of man, and put this to it, no Text more unwelcome to him than this to hear of Manna in the Wilderness. 1. This was it which cherished their whole Host, whom the Devil thought irrecoverably undone for want of sustenance. 2. It stopped the mouth of discontent, that there was no more murmuring. 3. The ceasing of it on the Sabbath day was a most effectual motive that they should sanctify that day unto the Lord. 4. It did not serve the body only, but it was a spiritual refection likewise, and a representation of the holy Communion of the Lord's Table. So St. Paul, the old Fathers did all eat of the same spiritual meat, and drank of the same spiritual drink. 5. Manna was laid up in the Ark, with the two Tables, and the rod of Aaron, that the Lord might be thanked for it by a perpetual Commemoration. All these rubs were in Satan's way, when Christ cited this Text to expunge his temptation. What should this Sophister do now? The words of the Scripture are evident, and unanswerable. Why, it is worth the while to mark it, he had nothing to retort for the present, but past on to another allurement; but after a a while he provokes the Pharisees to make an objection against our Savior upon the very same instance, Joh. vi. 31. What Sign showest thou that we may see and believe? What dost thou work? Our Fathers did eat Manna in the Desert, &c. This was to turn Christ's own weapon, as he thought, against himself; but in that demand of the Pharisees, and in this temptation of Satan's there is the same sin of presumption, who would dare to prescribe God; the Jews would have had bread miraculously after the same way that their forefathers had, when now there was no lack; the Devil would have bread made after a new way, which never was before, as if God's Providence were drawn dry unless the stones were mollified into loaves to be eaten. No, says out Savior, and now I come to the verybody of his answer, man shall not live, &c.

Which being divided into many Propositions this, was the first, that man is not necessarily bound to ordinary sustenance, man shall not live by bread alone. And that will bear a double construction: First, That God is able to preserve life in whom he pleaseth without all material Aliments. So Calvin on this place, Ut desint omnes cibi, solam ejus benedictionem ad nos alendos sufficere; His benediction is alimony enough though there were no meat in the world. For he can preserve the body of man in such an orderly mixture of all parts, that the elements shall be at peace in our body, no quality shall feed upon another, heat shall not dry up the moisture, parch the juice of the veins, the pangs and girds of hunger and thirst shall not molest us: But as the fire was inhibited that it should not burn the three Children that were cast into the Furnace, so natural heat within us may be inhibited by God's command that it shall waste nothing away in all our composition. So St. Jerome, Spiritus sanctus aliquando supplet locum cibi & potus in corpore; The Holy Ghost is called our food in the Book of God, not only in a mystical sense, but sometime the virtue of the Spirit supplies the place of bodily refection, that we shall not need to ask for it. Thus it must be, if the stories of good Authors have not exceeded the truth, that the devoutest Christians of the Greek Churches could hold out healthfully with such often, and such long continued fasts, that nowadays I could promise them but short life that should follow their steps. Moses was fed forty days with nothing but the Law; Elias fed as long, or rather fasted as long upon that zeal which he had for God's glory. Satan could not deny this, for as we are created by a word which was Almighty, so we may be kept alive by a word which is Almighty, made of nothing, and preserved out of nothing. This is not to be resisted. The Doctrine is as clear as day, according to the Analogy of faith. But if Christ's answer had carried this sense, I believe the Tempter would have cavil'd thus. Right as you say, bread is not absolutely necessary for life, no nor any other victual; God can sustain you as he hath done hitherto by his power, but you see you are hungry and must have bread, he hath forsaken you.

Beloved, the most easy and literal sense of Scripture for the most part is the truest; and surely because our Savior likened his own case to the Israelites, who though they had no bread wade of corn, had Manna instead of it which came from heaven. Therefore the answer is this plain passage, what compels me to turn stones into bread? There are innumerable helps beside to keep me from famishing. Is there no way, say you, but this to do me good? Yes, God hath spread a Table in the Wilderness for Moses and all Israel; and more instances might be added even as thick as stones; The Widow of Sarepta kept house for herself, her Son, and the Prophet Elias a long time with a little meal in a barrel, and a spoonful of oil. All the Markets in Samaria were suddenly stored with that which the Aramites their enemies had left behind them. It was not yet revealed to Satan, how many thousands were fed in a desert place with five loaves and two fishes, and the fragments which remained did much exceed the quantity of the meat that was whole. It is ancient story, though it be not Canonical Scripture, how the Angel took up Habakkuk by the hair of the head, and carried him and the meat which he had in his hand for the Reapers to Daniel in Babylon. I fear it will not deserve a memorial among these honest Records what some relate in the lives of the Eremites, that Paul the Anchorite, being solitary in the vast Sands of Egypt, which yield not a morsel for the belly, every day an Angel of heaven set half a loaf of bread before him, and made it up an whole loaf every day when Anthony the Eremite came to keep him company. If this were alleged, as some stick not to do it, to illustrate the Verse which Christ quoated, I think Satan would rejoin, Where had you this tale? This is a Legend of mine own fiction. There are other examples which I ranked in order before, like a file of Soldiers to conquer the Devil, and the richest and newest which was at our Savior's hand was that of John the Baptist, who found a good diet in the Wilderness to make him temperate, and serve God out of Locusts and wild honey.

The motion which the Tempter made, being thus examined in the true Explication of Christ's answer proves to be as unreasonably sensual as Esau's urging for Jacob's Pottage, he would seek no further for any meat, that he must have though it cost him dear, like Philoxenus in Aelian, that could not pass by the steam of a Cooks shop but he must take a bait where his sent did lead him. So Satan to our Lord, go not into the Towns or Villages near at hand, satiate your appetite just at this present, and without delay, even where you stand, Command that these stones be made bread. And should not man wait God's leisure and time when he wants bread, since the beasts of the Forest, when hunger rouzeth them out of their Dens, know not readily where to get their meat, and yet are content to seek it of God; the Fowls of the air have no barns to lay up store, not a grain of Corn before hand, yet they flutter out, and pick up and down, and at last return home contented. Not unusefully therefore doth one change the words of this first Proposition into this Paraphrase, Man lives not by bread alone, Non cibo parato vivit homo, sed qui sponte se offert; Man shall not live alone by that which is artificially cook'd and provided, but even by that which nature suppeditates, as John the Baptist lived by Locusts and wild honey; and so the Patriarchs before the flood lived altogether upon fruits and herbage, and upon the voluntary offerings of the Springs and Mountains. Si ad naturam vivitur tam superfluus est coquus quàm miles, says Seneca, If Nation would not rise up against Nation what use were there of Soldiers, and if men would give their body but just as much as would content nature there were no use of Cookery. Yet God doth suffer our nature to exceed in the use of his blessings, that we may abound with thankfulness; but if the Patriarchs did praise and bless God's name more for a few Sallets than we do for all the luxuriant store that the Fields and the Sea afford, then their Temperance should judge our Gluttony, and their Thanksgiving shall condemn our Unthankfulness. But so far of the first Proposition, Man shall not live by bread alone, that is, man is not necessarily bound to ordinary sustenance. The second follows in this sense and interpretation.

God can nourish man by every word that proceedeth out of his mouth, every way that it liketh, and pleaseth him. Whatsoever the Constitution and Decree of the Lord is, that is called his Word. Verbum appellate, quia verbo omnia creavit, dixit & facta sunt. He that spake the word and all things were made, a word and a deed to him is all one. And therefore the Shepherds in the Eclogue which they had together about going to Bethlehem to find Christ, use this speech, Let us go see, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , This thing which is come to pass is very right sense, but in the Greek it is, this word which is come to pass. God's words are not faithless, nor full of vain ostentation as men's are, his words were as those were which Daniel says were written with a hand upon the wall; for his hand doth hold his word to execute and bring it to pass. To make you a little further acquainted with the Phrase of Scripture, Egressus est sermo ex ore, is an Hebraism to signify the resolute pleasure both of God and man. The thing proceedeth from the Lord, says Laban, We cannot speak unto thee bad or good, Gen. xxiv. 50. A Domino egressus est sermo; the word proceedeth from the Lord, that is, he hath decreed it, and we cannot withstand it. In like manner the Idolaters contest with Jeremy, Chap. xliv. 17. We will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth to burn Incense to the Queen of heaven, that is, after the swing of desperate sinners they would do what they list. The insisting upon this Phrase is not in vain, but the very key to open the plain effect of Christ's answer, which very profitably leaves us to make use of it in a double construction.

First, says Tolet, Verbum quod procedit ex ore Dei est res quam Deus in victum hominis destinavit; Man shall live by every word that goes out of the mouth of the Lord, that is, by everything that he will bless and appoint for the use of sustenance unto him. And so Abulensis doth instance and exaggerate it; the Lord is not that Father, who if his Child should ask him bread would give him a stone, but if he would infuse the virtue of nourishment into boards, into stones, yea, into the flesh of Serpents, we should prosper with them better than with all the Cullesses and Electuaries in the world. How unsearchable are the ways of the Almighty, how the Infant from the first conception is nourished in the Mothers Womb? When Philosophy hath spoken what it can, the chief part must be left to Divinity to say, it is fed by the word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God, such things as would poison one Creature are delicate dainties to fatten another; It is as God hath allowed everything for man and beast in their own kind, that we might allow him his glory.

Secondly, Man shall live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord, that is, by all his Promises, and by every Vocation which he hath sanctified to relieve us. And this agrees most aptly with Christ himself in the dispensation of his Mediatorship, and with the instance of the Children of Israel who were fed with Manna in the Wilderness. This is the prime rule which leads every man into some hope of prosperity that manageth an honest Calling. That everyone shall live and thrive who holds him to that way which God hath appointed him. The Israelites journeyed from Egypt into the Wilderness, not of their own head and will, but by God's Ordinance; why, it was impossible they should famish doing as he commanded them: So Christ went not rashly into the Desert, but he was led by the Spirit, he did as the Lord would have him do; this was his Vocation, therefore though he could not make stones become bread, God would find him sustenance some other way. No conscionable man will set his servants to labor and not provide them honest fare to strengthen them when they follow their Masters negotiations. Says Christ to the Seventy Disciples, When I sent you forth without Scrip, or Shooes, or Money, did you want anything? They answered, not anything; for they went upon their Masters Message, and they lived upon that word which proceeded out of the mouth of God. The Priests indeed that serve at the Altar are to live by the Altar; in their case it will be granted, that they shall live by that word which proceedeth out of the mouth of Christ; but it sorts as well to those that supply any other honest Vocation which God hath allotted if they will bound their desires to moderate sufficiency, and not to supersluity. Socrates an Heathen could cry out, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that he suffered extreme poverty for defending the Worship of God as well as he could against the Idolatry of the Heathen; so much more the true Champions of Christ's honor may take up the same complaint; yet the Lord is innocent of the blood of those just men, he never failed to afford them a sufficient vital proportion if their enemies would let them enjoy it.

The Heathen Morals are like the base Court, by which we have the next entrance to the glorious Courts of God, and those Heathen conject their shot to the use of this Point in a Story, or a Fable, which you will. Comates a young Shepherd tended the Flocks of a hard Master, but the Stock increased exceedingly under his hand; for Comates sacrificed one Ram every month to his God to preserve the Cattle, which damage being known to the Owner, the churlish man imprisoned him in a hollow tree with intention to starve him: But his God provided for him, that the weeping of the tree should quench his thirst, and that Bees should swarm in the hollow trunk; with the help of the Honey-Combs Comates kept life, which being perceived the anger of his Master relented. Godliness hath the promise of this life, and of a better, says St. Paul. And this tradition of the Jews, to which I am credulous doth confirm it. You know in 2 King. iv. there is a Widow much in debt, whose Sons should have been sold for bondmen; but Elisha multiplied her Pot of Oil into many Vessels, which yielded sufficient moneys to satisfy her Creditors. This woman, says the Text, ver. 1. was a Wife to one of the Prophets, and she tells Elisha he knew that her husband feared the Lord. The Jews say, this woman was the Wife of Obadiah, who at his own cost and peril kept the Prophets of the Lord in Caves, and fed them at his own charge so long that all his means were wasted. This may be, for Obadiah could not choose but be at great expense, and was not only a keeper of the Prophets, but a Prophet himself: and see how the Lord did ransom his Sons from slavery by a mighty Miracle; it was God's pleasure Obadiah should cherish his Servants, and he would not suffer him or his Posterity to be losers by their Piety. There are such that do not set themselves on work according to the word which proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord, and as for them need and wretchedness shall vex their souls. There are runnagates, says David, that shall continue in scarceness. Let me put you in mind of a runagate bred in our Kingdom, one upon whom God did let his anger fall for a thousand Lies, Forgeries, Rebellions, Calumnies, it was the Romish Priest Sanders, whose brains beat at nothing but to dishonor a Royal Queen, a true Religion, and to set the whole Realm of Ireland in combustion. This Cative, says the most learned Historiographer of this Kingdom, being disappointed and forsaken ran mad and wild into the fastnesses of the woods, and there ended his life in most miserable famine. So, says he, that Divine Justice closed up that mouth with Famine which was ever open to slanders and rebellions, for Letters and Orations were found about him, being dead, to stir up treasons and seditions. God can nourish by every word that proceedeth out of his mouth, and they that walk not after his word, but would root it out, shall perish in their scarcity.

The hour passing away calls for the third Proposition, which is, Nothing can nourish unless God bless it, for man liveth not by the bread only which he cheweth in his mouth, but by that word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God to bless it, and give it the virtue of sustenance. As if Christ had said, Though these stones miraculously be made bread, yet hunger would continue if God were displeased at it. All the sustenance in the world shall not nourish if he curse it. When a fruitful Land becomes barren, and a fat soil well tilled and sowed doth not yield increase, every man will be ready to take up David's Psalm, It is for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. Like Sodom and Gomorrah, like Abnah and Zeboim, where not any grass groweth, but the whole Land is Brimstone, and Salt, and Burning, Deut. xxix. 23. And why will you not mark as well how God chastiseth some for their secret sins, so that their food gives them no strength, but they pine away in the midst of plenty? God gave bread to the Israelites, but sent leanness withal into their soul. So Haggai upbraided the people, Ye eat, but ye have not enough, ye drink, but ye are not filled. It is the grace of God which gives meat in due season so that health and comfort go together with it. And heretofore I have used this similitude to give it light. Sometimes when we apply Physic for any disease, we are bid to seeth such and such herbs in running water, and then to drink the water. If this help us, we all know it was not the water which did the sick man good, but the decoction of the infusion: So it is not bread or drink, considered barely in itself, which doth nourish the body, but the blessing of God infused into it. Daniel, and the three Children of the Captivity that were with him, prospered better with Pulse and water than any of the Babylonians with the continual portion of the Kings meat. What was Adam the better for eating the forbidden fruit? Or were the Jews one whit the worse in health and good plight, because many sorts of meats were interdicted them? As the Land of Canaan was made double fruitful every sixth year, and brought forth a double proportion by the blessing of heaven, because in the seventh year it lay fallow: So where God's benediction is upon you, though the poor have but a little yet every morsel shall have a double benediction. The hungry shall be filled with good things, and the rich shall be sent empty away.

Therefore look up to heaven and give thanks, as the little birds do when they sip a drop of water. If thou obeyest the Lord, thou shalt be blessed in the City, and blessed in the Field. As the Fable is, that the Unicorn dips his horn into the River, and makes it wholesome for all the beasts to drink, so the mercy of the Lord shall breath upon all thy sustenance, and sanctify it for cheerfulness and health, and thy bones shall be filled with marrow and fatness. But though we take our meat from God, yet through infidelity it seems to me we will not take his word, that he will concoct it to vivificate and strengthen us: For if you do trust to that secret infusion that he gives unto his gifts, why are you so solicitous what you shall eat, and what you shall drink? Why do you confect everything you take with such licious cost? Why do you ingurgitate yourselves with superfluity? I am sure this makes it evident, that you will neither trust God nor nature, unless all the Art which Luxury and Wantonness can excogitate be added unto it. As Elkanah said to Hannah his Wife, Am not I better to thee than ten Sons? So let it run in your mind, as if the Lord spake it to you in your ear, Am not I better unto thee than all the Corn in the Fields? Than all the Cattle upon a thousand hills? Than all the Cookery in the world that can be sweet upon the Palate? What is bread? What is a plentiful Table without my benediction? Man shall not live by bread alone, &c.

The last Proposition shall be the more succintly handled, as it is least of all the meaning of the Text. That there is another life for man to look to beside this which is sustained with bread, the inward man, the spiritual man, which lives upon the first word which I handled in my Text, Scriptum est, it is written. Non in solo pane, vivet homo, non potior pars hominis, quae est anima, as St. Ambrose; The better half of man, which is the Soul and Spirit, lives not by material bread, but by the Word of God. A heavenly Doctrine, and is not minded; yet not the proper and native construction of the verse I confess. Yet the reason why some Fathers inclined to that meaning in their Commentaries was, forasmuch as Christ mentioned the Word which proceeded out of the mouth of God; now indeed that particle (Word) is not in the Hebrew Text, which goes no further than thus, Man liveth not by bread alone, but by every (thing suppose) that cometh out of the mouth of God. The 72 Translators made it up, by every word; and so St. Cyprian and others made this plausible sense, that bread indeed strengthens man's heart, but the soul liveth by the Law of God. Yet in this meaning the Devil had had room to prosecute his Argument, and would have said, Give your soul such comfort as befits the soul, yet that is no impediment but the body also must have his necessary refection. Satan dares not be so impudent to deny, but there is somewhat in man, which is to be cared for more than the flesh; for he himself is a Spirit, which will make him confess, that a spiritual substance deserves our solicitous love before a body which is made of dirt. Therefore the banquet for the soul is like Benjamins Mess five times, yea, five hundred times as good as the victuals of this Carkass. Martha was careful to provide meat for the families, her Sister Mary sat at our Savior's feet, and fed upon the Manna of those divine words which fell from him. You know who made the comparison, Mary hath chosen the better part. A Philosopher, that preferred solid knowledge before the best diet, could say, He had rather be invited by Plato than by any Nobleman in Athens, for he that supp'd with him might be the better for his discourse the morrow after. O how much better is it then to sup with Christ? Sometimes tasting of his Sacrament, sometime hearing his Priests deliver the Mysteries of Faith, sometime reading the mellifluous story of his Gospel, sometime meditating, often praying that we may not suffer a famine of the Word, which we justly deserve for our sins, but that his sayings may sink into our hearts, and nourish us, that we may grow up from grace to grace, from virtue to virtue, that we may eat the bread of life in the Kingdom of Heaven, and never hunger again. AMEN.

THE TENTH SERMON UPON Our Savior's Tentation.

A T this Verse Satan fenceth against Christ with a new weapon, and after the temptation of the Wilderness Now follows the temptation of the Pinacle, wherein Christ fulfilled that Doctrine in the Gospel, He that will compel thee to go with him one mile, go with him twain; for it was no presumption in our Lord to go with him from one trial to another because he was sure he should outgo him. As the Romans said of Hannibal their enemy, that he was a perpetual fire, Cui nihil deerat, nisi qui eum excitaret, that would instantly flame if any man would stir him up: So neither loss nor victory will make the Devil sit down with peace; he is a perpetual fire to kindle sin in man, that wants nothing but an occasion to stir him up. When he could do no good by his first Patent, taking away all that Job had, he comes and sues for a new Commission, that he might touch his flesh and bone: Semblably, when his first onset took no effect, and could not penetrate our Savior, to make him satiate his hunger by unlawful means, now he deals with him in a most different way, whether he would be taken with pride and vain-glory. He that will not despair of his Fathers Providence but that he shall be fed, will he then presume of his protection, that in the midst of the greatest dangers he shall be preserved?

Let not the Pontificians take my similitude in ill part, for I shall speak no more than the truth. As they have particular ways to ravish all men's affections, and to fit each humor, that every fancy may be satisfied, and every appetite find what to feed on; they have the dignity of a Cardinal to allure the magnificent mind, the humility of a Capuchin to agree with a despiser of the world: Employment enough for the stirring metal'd spirit of a Jesuit, and ease enough for the sullen restive disposition of a Monk, a Cloister of Virgins for the chaste, a street of Curtezans for the dissolute. So Satan will be with some in the desert Wilderness, with others in the populous City: Practiseth with one man upon his hunger and poverty, with another upon his ambition; no retiring place so low but he hath an Engine to use in that, no Pinacle so high but he can reach at that. Cum tristibus severe, cum remissis jucunde, as the Orator did point out Cataline for a Devil incarnate; he can sigh with them that want, but to make them murmur: laugh with them that are merry, but to make them voluptuous and exceed; fly as low as you will, and as high as you will. Which alteration you shall find between that temptation which is past already and that which is now begun; Then the Devil taketh him up into the holy City, and setteth him on a Pinacle of the Temple; In which words are to be noted four things; Ordo, Modus, Locus communis, Locus proprius. First, The order of these temptations, that this is the immediate, and next temptation to the former, for then the Devil took him. Secondly, The manner is by assumption, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he took him up. 3. The more common place to which he took him, it was to the holy City Jerusalem. 4. Here is the peculiar and proper place, he setteth him on a Pinacle of the Temple. These are the parts of that Argument which at this time lies before us.

Now this is the reason why I make the order of these temptations one, and the first part of the Text at this time, because St. Luke puts this temptation in the last part, which St. Matthew accounts the second; and this which St. Matthew reckons for the second St. Luke refers it last. For after Christ had refused the motion to make bread of stones, it follows according to St. Luke, The Devil took him up into an high Mountain, and shown him all the Kingdoms of the world in a moment of time; but our Evangelist gives his Narration the accent of time, Tunc assumpsit, then he took him up into the holy City. Because therefore St. Matthew shows the Connection of order, it is believed generally that he hath the perfect consequence of the story. One says, that in some old Copies of the Greeks St. Luke concurs passage by passage with St. Matthew. Jansen, a learned Author, it seems, had found some such thing, and I believe so had St. Ambrose, for whereas he wrote Commentaries purposely upon St. Luke, yet he keeps no other order but the self-same which is found in St. Matthew. Howsoever this is no jar or contradiction between the holy Writers, but a variety which begets many good Meditations when we think upon it.

First, Aquinas did thus excogitate upon it, Quandoque ex inani gloria venitur ad cupiditatem, quandoque ex cupiditate ad inanem gloriam. The temptation upon the Pinacle was directed to beget vain-glory, the temptation upon the Mountain tended to beget immoderate coveting of worldly things. Now for these two there is no choice in the precedency, for sometimes vain-glory would support itself by coveting in excess, and sometimes a covetous affection drives a man into the itch of glory.

Secondly, All sins are not equal, yet there are some capital sins that in several respects are of an equal deformity between themselves, and then they take their turn in holy Scripture, one interchangeably to be set before the other. Murder and Adultery, Adultery and Murder are flagrant crimes, and in some comparisons one is the greater trespass against our brother, in some comparisons the other. Thou shalt do no murder, thou shalt not commit adultery, so Moses ranged them in the Law to the Jews. Thou shalt not commit Adultery, thou shalt not kill Rom. xiii. 9. So St, Paul disposeth them writing to the Gentiles. Indeed in the Hebrew, Murder is first forbidden, for being is simply better than well-being; but in the 70 Translation Adultery is first forbidden, for comparatively well-being is better than being. St. Matthew therefore following the Hebrew says Christ did thus rehearse the Commandments to the young man; Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit Adultery, Mat. xix. 18. St. Luke following the 72. cites our Savior saying to the same man, Do not commit Adultery, do not kill, Luk. xviii. 20. So Pride in some cases is worse than Covetousness, and therefore our Evangelist entreats first upon the temptation to Pride; in some cases Covetousness is worse than Pride, and so the other Evangelist writes first of that temptation which instigated unto Covetousness.

Thirdly, St. Luke laid those two temptations together which were commenced in the Wilderness and Mountains, and then with less confusion to the Readers apprehension speaks of that which fell out in the City, and upon the Temple. Many times the Scripture by anticipation brings in the history of a thing before the precise time wherein it was done, as Mat. xxvii. In the description of our Savior's Passion this accident is brought in, that many dead bodies of the Saints arose, and appeared in the holy City to many, and yet it came not to pass upon the Passion day, but when Christ was risen from the dead. This Maxim is of good direction to the wise that can understand it. Ordo artificialis in narratione rerum saepe est utilior ad intelligendum quàm ordo naturalis. To transpose things in an history artificially is many times better for our understanding than the plain natural order. But this temptation, as it is sorted in St. Matthew, is well placed both by the natural truth of the history, and by the artificial method of it. And thus much briefly to make this Point even between these two most divine Evangelists.

I put on to the next thing, which is most strange in this temptation, and verily to be admired, the manner of it, to which Christ did submit himself, it is by Assumption, by carriage through the air, Then the Devil taketh him up into the holy City. It was a good Spirit which led him into the Wilderness to the exercises of Fasting, and Prayer, and Contemplation, the very same which sat upon his head at Baptism in the shape of a Dove. Now here is another Spirit retaining to the contrary faction, who is ready not only to lead him, but even to carry him through the Air to the most conspicuous Turret in all the City of Jerusalem. Some of the ancient and pure stock of Writers were so loath to preach this Doctrine in the Church, that Satan did bear up Christ between Heaven and Earth for fear of offending weak ones, that they made other constructions of it which will no abide the test. St. Cyprian expounds it as if all this had been done by Vision and Imagination: But will Cyprian say, that Christ was urged to cast himself down to the ground putative, not really, but in imagination? Or will he grant that our glorious Champion did vanquish his Adversary but in fancy and opinion? Exilis esset Christi victoria; Then Christ had but little to boast of, and the Scripture would never have recorded this act as the most famous of all victories. Beside these, many other Interpreters in a more rational way confess this was a conflict truly and apparently fought, and that the Devil really took him up, Pedibus ductum, non volantem; he went along from the Wilderness up to the top of the Pinacle on his feet upon the Devils provocation. And this opinion they maintain upon the meaning of the Verb 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which is sometimes Simpliciter assumere, not Assumptum transfer; barely to take along in company, not to transport or transpose in the taking, as Christ took up Peter, and James, and John into the Mountain where he was transfigured, that is, he made them his Associates, but their own feet did bear them. The Verb indeed will bear both significations, and more fit a great deal that in this place it should bear the latter, and not the former. For first, the great Wilderness, which is generally allowed for the place where our Savior was tempted is distant from Jerusalem a journey of two days, supposing all the way should be trod on foot; now all the three temptations were dispatched in part of one, for Christ fasted forty days and no longer, and the Tempter did not settle to his work till upon the end of the Fast. Secondly, If Christ had gone up stairs to the top of the Temple, what means the Scripture to say that the Devil set him on a Pinacle? Or thirdly, with what authority or favor did our Lord get up unto the top of that holy place, since none but the Priests came so far as into the Temple or sanctuary, and the people were admitted no further than the outward Porch? Fourthly, If there had been stairs to ascend to the Pinacle, and Christ had passed up that way, then there had been no color for this presumptuous Proposition, Cast thyself down, &c. the answer had been very obvious, no, I will return back the same way I came. I forsake this opinion therefore, because it cannot be defended against these objections, that Christ did only go along with Satan to the holy City.

The third opinion, which being opened and enlarged, will much better show the mischief and subtlety of this temptation, is thus, Then Satan did transport our Lord from the Desert, wherein he fasted, to the highest Battlements of the Sanctuary. This will appear hard at the first to the infirmity of some Auditors. So Gregory did suppose it would trouble some when he wrote the truth, Aures humanae audire expavescant; Some men's ears for a while will be unwilling to hear it till the scruples be removed: But when you shall understand how much the patience, the wisdom, the power of Christ did surmount hereby, how at every turn he over-reached Satan in his own contrivances, you will grant the Exposition to be sound, delightful, and profitable. Mark, I beseech you, doth it appear a thing not to be assented unto, that Christ would fly through the Air with Beelzebub the greatest enemy of God? That seems uncouth, but this will allay the horror of it. Remember Satan was permitted at this time to use all his engines to provoke our Savior to sin, if Christ had refused him to cut a passage through the Air with him as far as the principal Pinacle of the Temple, it would have left him confident that our Lord durst not hazard himself to that temptation. Let him do the best he can or he will never confess himself utterly conquered, Nemo victus est quandiu pugnare vult. No body is quite beaten as long as he offers to fight again; and if he were not beaten at all his own weapons, the wicked Fiend would say he had not lost all his glory. Origen therefore brings in the Devil to say, you have well answered about my Proposition for making bread of stones, but will your courage serve you to go with me to the highest Tower of the Temple? And then in his phrase Christ answers, Duc quo vis, tenta ut placet, sustineo quae suggesseris; Come your ways, I will not stay behind, see I am ready for you at all suggestions. What, ready to be put into his hands and be carried? Even so says Gregory, it was his Fathers will, and his own patience and humility; Quid mirum est si se permisit ab illo duci, qui se pertulit ab ejus membris crucifigi? It is nothing strange to adventure himself to be taken up by Satan, knowing by his own power and virtue his passage should be safe, when as none will deny but he suffered himself to be led to Caiaphas, to Pilate, to Herod, to Mount Golgotha by those that were the members of the Devil to be buffeted, to be scourged, to be crucified. Now this opinion certainly seems not rigid to the understanding Auditor; and yet to mollify it more St. Chrysostom and many his learned followers say, this miscreant came not to Christ in his own most ugly Diabolical shape, but was now transformed into such a glorious human shape, as the Angels of light were wont to assume when they came from God. And upon this fair appearance he closeth with him. The Angels of God are your guard and custody, and loe I am an Angel of light that will conduct you with all diligence and tenderness. This is the first deception which Satan swallowed, he thought he was so perfectly trasfigured, that Christ did not know him, like the Ass in the Fable, having put on a Lions skin, he thought the Countrymen would not know him by his long ears: but our Savior let his enemy play with his new disguise as if he passed without discovery. O how easy it is for the sharpest wit, when it would be wiser than God, to be more ignorant than a beast! God did open the eyes of Balaam's Ass to know a true Angel; then, what should hinder the Son of God to know a counterfeit?

But secondly, Is not this a matter to be stumbled at? To be taken up, and born away, implies a kind of power and superiority in him that beareth another, for his virtue must exceed the others. As the Angel had authority over Philip, when he lifted him suddenly from Gaza in the Desert to Azotus, Acts viii. And Habakkuk was in subjection to that Angel, who took him up by the hair of the head, and carried him into Babylon. Beloved, All such transportations are not alike; some earthly bodies indeed are removed miraculously and violently from one place to another, conferring no virtue of their own to the motion, but suffer themselves to be moved by some spiritual efficacy applied unto them, as in the fore-named instances of Habakkuk and Philip, and in Paul who was wrapped up, he knew not how, into the third heavens. Again, some bodies make use of another thing to bear them, as a Chariot, or any Instrument, so the Psalmist says of God himself, that he came flying upon the wings of the wind; and in this sense St. Austin justifies, that Christ was neither violently nor imperiously carried by Satan, but moved himself by his own virtue, and let the Devil assist as an Instrument. Says the Father, Si dicas meliores sunt: qui portant quam qui portantur, ergo jumenta meliora sunt hominibus. If you litigate that the bearer is better than him that is born, then you shall confess that the beast is better than the man that rides him. And in this circumstance likewise Satan was egregiously cozened to his exceeding contumely; for when Christ permitted himself to be lifted up from the earth, it seemed to Satan that it was his strength and power which carried him away, and though much unwilling to be caught up in that wise, yet being an impotent man he could not help it. Thus the evil Spirit was deluded, to ascribe that to his own power that came to pass by the hand of God. Like the Fly in the Fable sitting upon the Axeltree of the Cart, when it was moved apace, took it to itself that the Cart was driven so fast, and cries out, see what a dust I make. So this evil Angel either took up Christ in his hands in that body which he had assumed, and thought it was in his power to stay him from falling; or as spiritual substances in some men's Philosophy can move a corporeal thing by emanation of virtue which goes from them, though they do not touch it, as the intelligences move the heavens, and so Satan not touching Christ at all might think it was his force and efficacy that snatched him up from the earth to a Pinacle of the Temple. But the former way is more likely, as if he would show him how the Text of David was literally meant, He shall give his Angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up. Beloved, as the Devil did arrogate that he took up Christ on high by his own force and arm, yet it was nothing so: In like manner he thinks that all those hold their tenure of him who are exalted by wicked means, he took them up to a Pinacle of the Temple, he raised them up to civil honor. Indeed, wicked persons live as if they owed their service rather to Satan than to God for their preferment; but it is the Lord that sets both good and bad in the seat of dignity, the powers that be they are from God. For this cause I have raised thee up, he spake it to wicked Pharaoh, that I might make my power known in thee. Let mighty ones therefore remember they are God's liege men, and not the Devils. And they that rise up like smoke from hell fire, like smoke they shall vanish into nothing.

So I have shown it was not in the power of Satan to carry our Lord whither he would, but Christ suffered this Assumption of Satan's out of patience, not out of infirmity, and suffered himself to be lifted up on the Cross, and at last he came to the third Assumption to be received up into glory. There is a third thing remains to be satisfied, which everyone will expect, what a gazing sight would this be, for all the Region over which Christ did fly, and for the populous City of Jerusalem? It must needs be an object upon which all men would cast their eyes; and why is it not more spoken of in the Gospel, and objected to our Savior by his enemies? It is no solid answer to say it happened in the night, and none were aware of it: For the temptation which follows must needs be done in the clear light, when he shown the Son of God all the Kingdoms and glory of the world in the twinkling of an eye. The true answer is, that Satan was more over-reached in this surmise than in all the rest. For he thought by this hovering aloft in the Air to make Christ a spectacle to all the world, that men might think him some Inchantor or Magician by riding above in the clouds; in the mean time, says St. Chrysostom, Christ made himself invisible, that he was seen of no man, the Devil being no way privy to it that he did abide invisible. So, Joh. viii. ult. the Jews took up stones to cast at Christ, but he hid himself, and went out of the Temple, going through the midst of them; what was this to hide himself, and to go through the midst of them? But to pass through the throng invisible, as among others Euthymius noteth.

No point of cozenage and sorcery was practiced more of old by the Impes of Satan than these flyings aloft, these aereal supervolitations to the wonder of the world. Nero Caesar was given much to Incantations, and to experiments above nature, especially in this kind. Suetonius says, that one of his Flatterers would undertake to fly up to heaven at his command, but got a tumbling cast for his labor, insomuch that some of the parties blood did light upon Nero himself as he sat to behold this new sight in the Theater. I will not say that this was Simon the Sorcerer, spoken of, Acts viii. because he in the Theater did personate Icarus in sport, but Simon's was a solemn undertaking to confute the Doctrine of Peter and Paul by flying up to heaven. So it is in the book called Clemens his Constitutions, that this child of the Devil began to take his flight up on high openly before all the people of Rome, and at the instant Prayers of the Apostle Peter he fell down headlong and brake his legs. Because that Book is justly suspected for an adulterate work, Arnobius, who wrote in the Reign of Dioclesian to all the Gentiles, says as much, Cursum Simonis Magi nominato Christo evanuisse; The flight of Simon Magus was crossed in the name of Jesus Christ. This was grown so common either by Mathematical engines, or by Witchcraft, that every Impostor did begin to profess it, Graeculus esuriens in Coelum jusseris ibit, says the Satirist. The Prince of the Air thought to amuse the world, and to do stupendous works in his own Territories; but he that sits on high shall laugh them to scorn, the Lord shall have them in derision. These are but foolish Antiques, and Mimicks of the proper sending up of our spirit to God, by desiring to be dissolved and to be with Christ by having our conversation in heaven, and delighting in those joys which are laid up for the Saints, and by fervent Prayer which carries up the heart to God upon the wings of Zeal and Innocency; so the Psalm mentions, how a man may raise himself even unto the top of the holy City, which is the new Jerusalem, in heaven, My soul flieth unto the Lord before the morning watch, I say before the morning watch. And so much for the second general Point, the manner of this temptation, which was by Assumption, Then the Devil taketh him up, &c.

The holy City is the Locus communis, the place largely taken to which he was carried out of the Wilderness, and that is the ground to work upon for the third general Observation of the Text. This must needs be the Periphrasis of Jerusalem, because God had a Temple nowhere else but there; and St. Luke hath spared this Periphrasis, and named the place, he took him to Jerusalem, and set him on a Pinacle of the Temple. The eminent honor which this place had for many Sacred and Political Privileges made Satan desire to contaminate it with the greatest sins, as with the Martyrdom of the Saints with the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, with sundry other crimes; and with this presumptuous precipitation, if he could have drawn Christ unto it. In Psalm cxxii there are three things which made very much to the praise of it: 1. It was a City compact together, the strongest Tower of defense in all the Kingdom. 2. There sat the Thrones of Judgment, even the Thrones of the house of David. And 3. Thither went the Tribes up to give thanks to the name of the Lord, so that for Fortitude, for Civil Justice, and for the use of Religion, for being an holy City it was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the very eye of the Land of Canaan. But especially the name of Jerusalem in holy Scripture is rather the name of God's Church, than of a place which contained material building, and therefore very aptly called the holy City. Nay, there is not one word beside in all the Book of God, which contains the whole threefold estate of the Church that I can remember, namely, both the Synagogue under the Law, and the Gospel under Grace, and the blessed Communion of the Saints in heaven. For Jerusalem, as the Grammarians note, is a Noun of the dual number, to signify both the Militant part on earth, and the Triumphant part in heaven of them that are sanctified, and joined to Christ the head. No place so pregnant as Gal. iv. 25. where St. Paul shows a double Jerusalem upon Earth, the Synagogue, and the Gospel; Jerusalem which now is, says the Apostle, which desired to be under the Law, under the rudiments of Moses, was in bondage with her Children; but Jerusalem which is above, not meaning the Choirs of Angels in heaven, but the Church Apostolical which is watered with the dew of heaven from above, That is free, which is the mother of us all. Here are two Jerusalem's, one above another, the Antitype above the Type, the Substance above the Shadow, the Son of God exhibited in the flesh above the Figures and Sacrifices of the Levitical Priesthood. But in both respects it was called the holy City. For as concerning the Law of Ceremonies, there was no other place but it where they were purely exhibited to God; and as concerning the New Testament, or Faith in Christ, there it began, Repentance and Salvation were preached unto all Nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And for this relative holiness which that City had by being the chief and most ancient Seat of the Oracles of God even Heaven did borrow a name from Earth, and hath not despised to be called the upper Jerusalem; St. John says, when the old Elements of the world did pass away, there was a new Heaven and a new Earth, and he saw the New Jerusalem coming down from God, prepared as a Bride for her Husband, Rev. xxi. 1. For these causes it had Nomen super omne nomen; A name above all names among all the dwellings upon earth, even as Christ had a name above all names among the Sons of men.

But as the Serpent did find a way to come into Paradise, so he resorted to this holy City. It is his joy to make that a Cage of unclean birds which was the Sanctuary of God: It is his industry to sow Tares in the midst of Wheat; it is his envy to make an evil Leprosy rise up in those Walls where Christ's name is praised; it is his pastime to pollute the holy City, that the Lord may abhor it. And this was easily brought about by the Devil; Jerusalem hath run his own fortune: God's honor did abide in it for a while, and after a while it became an hissing to all the Earth. Once there was no other place in all the world that was holy, there was no other Metropolis, no other Sanctuary, all the habitations of the earth beside were Idolatrous, therefore from that ancient purity, wherein it excelled alone, it is called Sancta, an holy City. The former renown did so remain upon it, then when it had been guilty of the blood of all the Prophets, and had crucified Christ himself, yet after all this the Spirit of God lets it retain a name fitter for its ancient Sanctity than for its present Iniquity, Many dead bodies of the Saints arose, and came into the holy City and appeared unto many. Alas! now it is neither holy, nor yet a City, but first a Theater upon which all wickedness was acted, and then an heap of ruins. Although after the change of many names which it hath suffered, Adrichomius says, that the Turks in their Language call it the holy City to this day. How well doth this parallel the state of the Roman Pontificat at this day? We are often told, (and the oftener the less reason) here did the Apostles Peter and Paul preach, and suffer Martyrdom; here have thirty faithful Bishops successively suffered for the name of Christ; here have the Arian, the Nestorian, the Pelagian Heresies been refuted, this is the holy City. Yes, as Jerusalem is so entitled for the pure Worship of God which was once professed there, not for the present faith and sincerity, all places have admitted impurity and corruption; for it was denounced to man that the whole Earth and every part of it should bring forth thorns and thistles unto him. All Kingdoms and Cities have their periods, and shall have them, to show that God's Kingdom only is perpetual: All Nurseries and Seminaries of Faith have had their full Tides and their Ebbings their times of Grace, and their aversions from it, to show that truth is only established in the heavens. And I doubt not, but after the revolution of those years and days, which God hath prefixed in his secret knowledge, it will be more easy for our Posterity than it is for us, upon great alterations that happen in all places, to prove, that where the Papacy now reigns it suffers the same fate with Jerusalem, was, but is not the holy City.

Well, to seek further into this Point, the Tempter did devise rather to pollute Christ than the City of God, to which he brought him, yet certainly thither he brought him, because that place did serve his turn better than the solitary Desert. Our Savior's own Kindred were ambitious to have him manifested, Shew thyself unto the world; and this was the very Pin which Satan did drive at, that Christ would affect to be gaz'd upon and admi • ed, Digito monstrari & dicier hic est; to be pointed at for the mighty Prophet, upon whom the Spirit descended at Jordan in the sight of all the people. What went you out into the wilderness to see? There is nothing to be seen in the Wilderness, that is no place for pride to do its work in: But come to Jerusalem, and there are thousands of spectators to take notice of a Prophet. This is the nature of vain-glory to mingle itself in a populous throng, where it may be observed, Ut pueri Junonis avem: For all other sins are a little kept back either with fear or modesty; but pride were not like itself if it could blush or be dismayed. The Adulterer is a sinner in secret; the Covetous extorts with slights and cunning; the Slanderer is like the Pestilence that flies in the dark, Alia vitia fugiunt à Deo, sola superbia se opponit; All other sins keep out of the way, as well as they can, but pride is not ashamed to be manifested, nay, it loves to have witnesses of its folly and insolency. Jehu would have all men know what a notable Reformer of Religion he was grown, Come see the Zeal which I have. Haman would have it seen through all the streets how much he was honored by King Ahasuerus. What man would buy honor so dear but to be known in place and authority? Who would be at such costly cha • ge for bravery of Apparel but to make ostentation of it before company? St. Luke intimates, Acts xxv. 23. that Agrippa and Bernice came forth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , with a great appearance, and much pomp, as if they had rather come to show their Train and Magnificence than to hear Paul's Sermon. A mighty crime, and a great indignity against God, and yet I fear as common as the highway, for some specious persons to come to Church, and make a garish luster of their pride rather than to do the work of a good Christian in devotion to Prayer, and attention to the Sermon. This is that Itch which Satan hath rubbed upon self-admiring pride, sometime to be gaz'd upon at one place, sometime at another, by the Court, by the Theater, by the Congregation assembled to praise God, by the whole City, if it be possible, as it was purposed in this Tentation. But the more publication Pride makes of itself, the more scandal is given, the more scandal the more guiltiness, and the more guiltiness the greater condemnation. Satan loves these open, these flaming sins, that weak ones may run to them like Moths to the light of a Candle, and be touched and scorched with coming near them. There was a sin driven to the head, when Absalom went in to his Fathers Concubines in the sight of all Israel, having a Tent spread upon the house top: Or that of Rabshakeh, to blaspheme, not in private, or before few persons, or in an unknown Language, but in the audience of an whole Host; there is more Atheism, more hardness of heart in such public flagitiousness. Beware of such presumptuous sins where a cloud of Witnesses will not quell our conscience. It was open and scandalous pride to which the Devil thought to bring our Savior when he brought him to be a gazing stock to all Jerusalem.

Beloved, Ye learn from hence, that since the Tempter chose the populous City for the fittest place to ingender pride, therefore the cure of Pride is retirement; he that can contain himself from being much seen, and can avoid the conflux of multitudes, hath proceeded far to get the victory of vain glory: But if ever Satan were busy to prevent that good remedy in this Kingdom, he bestirs himself in these days. Alas! the Country hath no shows and spectacles to draw the silken people together, no Visitants to resort from house to house, no such Arts and Objects to corrupt Modesty and Chastity as elsewhere: Nay, what if this cunning Angel thrust in this exception, in the simple small Hamlets of the Country, you shall have a Sermon but once a week on the Lord's day very plainly delivered; here you may run to Lectures and Exercises elaborately studied everyday, and almost every hour of the day, therefore leave these melancholy desolate Habitations of the Country, and come up to the holy City. And if this populous Nineveh, wherein so many Jonases preach Repentance every day, had made as many virtuous as it hath spilled and marred, I would think Satan had no plot in it to drive up all our Gentry to this common receptacle, but since experience confesseth how publicly, how privately infectious the place is, I must infer, no temptation hath been more pernicious to the whole Kingdom than to bring up so many Families from the innocent Wilderness to this holy City. Hic homines fiunt; after they have resorted hither some few Terms, having no business to pass away their hours but upon the meditation of all kind of vanities, very often they return home with new Oaths and little Faith, with new Fashions and little Humility, with new Complements and little Friendship, with new rules of House-keeping and little Hospitality: Not to forget likewise to their shame, with a new face and much skill in washing and painting; with new diseases and much unwholsomness. Seneca, an austere man, who was bound by attendance on the Court to live continually in the City of Rome, accused himself thus, Nunquam mores quos extuli refero; I never bring home such good conditions in this corrupt City as I carry abroad: I would Christians could perceive such evil fruits growing upon them but as well as an Heathen did. I would not be so sharp in this Theme, but that I see the very bane of all virtue grow from hence, that so many of the best quality nestle in these infectious parts of the Realm, having no employment, but abounding with ease and idleness; and yet so much new building, so much room is made to receive them. As the Greek Epigram plaid upon Hermogenes, whose nose was bigger than the rest of his face, that it was no good Language to say the nose of his face, but the face of his nose; so it is now grown more proper English to say, the City of the Suburbs than to say the Suburbs of the City. But that which is now almost impossible to be mended, I leave it to be lamented; for certainly when so many flock together only to see and to be seen, the Devil must needs hold a Fair among them to utter his worst ware of Pride in great abundance, for which reason he brought out Savior out of the Wilderness into the holy City: and so much for the third part.

Now lastly hear the peculiar and proper place to which he took him, and setteth him on a Pinacle of the Temple; there are many questions even out of Architecture moved upon these words, so officious are all Arts, as it becomes them, to show their skill upon the holy Scripture. But briefly there are three opinions upon this word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which we translate a Pinacle, what part of the Temple it was, and of what Fashion. Remigius would have it a Seat where the Doctors preached, jetted out like a Pergalo, and called in Latin Podium; perhaps it was cast out in the fashion of a wing, and therefore called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as the Roman Orators spake to the people pro rostris, out of a Seat made like the Beak of a Ship, and therefore called rostra. Questionless the ordinary gloss followed Remigius in this fancy, for it delivers, that the Devil took him up to a place which had been often infected with vain-glory, In Cathedrâ doctorum multos deceperat inanis gloria; many of the Pharisaical Doctors, who sat in the Chair of Moses to teach the people, loved the praise of men more than the praise of God, and were infected with vain-glory. But this opinion will quickly vanish when it is rationally opposed. For the Pulpit out of which Solomon prayed, and left it for the use of teaching, was but five Cubits high above the people, and it was within the outward part of the Temple, and it was fit to be no higher that the voice of the Teacher might come clearly to the Auditory. But surely the place from whence our Savior was egg'd to take his leap was an exceeding Altitude. And I find that the height of the Temple was one hundred and twenty Cubits, 2 Chron. iii. 4. There is no probability that their Rabbins sat so far aloft above their Auditory to preach unto them. I think the second Temple wanted sixty of that till Herod finished it with Altitude and Glory. Others having looked upon exact delineations of the Temple deliver that the Roof of the Temple was built flat after the manner of all the Jewish buildings; and as all private houses were commanded by the Law to have a Battlement about them, to keep them from danger that walked upon the top of the Tarras, so the Temple had a Battlement about it adorned in several spaces, which perhaps were made like Wings, and called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Pinnacles. How those Battlements were capable for Christ to stand upon they describe not, but I am sure, according to Josephus, no man could set his foot upon the flat Roof of the Temple, Quod aureis verubus horrebat acutissimis ne ab insidentibus avibus pollueretur, says he; it was stuck thick with gilded Spires as sharp as Needles, that the birds of the Air might not mewte upon it, and defile it. We Christians dare do all unseemliness against the Walls of our Churches, no reverence of the place will deter us; but the Jews were so careful, that they would not endure the Fowls of the Air should lay their dung upon the top of the Sanctuary. Thirdly, others draw out Models of the Temple, having at each corner lofty Spires, higher than all the rest. I know not whether David alludes to them when he speaks of Polished corners of the Temple, Psal. cxliv. 12. and upon one of these, I think, in best propriety of phrase and matter Jesus was placed, as upon an Altitude conspicuous to all the City, though, as I told you before, our Savior declined that intention of Satan's, and made himself invisible.

The observations from hence shall be two: First, that the Devil chooseth the highest place he could find; And secondly, the most divine place of all where to pitch the ground of his temptation. Upon the first, I mean not so much the local elevation of the place, to which I could add, that Satan loves to ascend on high, to build up a sin as high as Babel, and that David was aloft, walking on the housetop, when he fell into unlawful love with Bathsheba, let this pass, for as great sins may be practiced in the lowest corners of the earth: but I mean, after the figurative Exposition of the Fathers; they that have clambered up to some high Pinacle of Fortune, they whom God hath made eminent in any gifts of Art or Nature, let them take heed that Satan stand not at their right hand to puff them up with Arrogancy. If you despise those whom you see beneath you, whether it be a Pinacle of the Kingdom, or a Pinacle of the Temple upon which you stand, remember by that mark that you must needs come thither of the Devils setting. Many that have designs upon promotion think the bird is catched when they are advanced, they are as sure as a Ship in the Haven, which need fear no tossing; when if they understood their own condition well, it concerns them to be more vigilant of themselves, and of their affections than ever. The wiliness of the Tempter hath made it as hard a thing to moderate a great fortune, Servare modum rebus sublata secundis; as it is to guide a Ship Royal under all the Sails. Therefore St. Austin said upon my Text, Non est laus stetisse in pinnaculo, sed stetisse & non cecidisse; It is no such cunning thing to stand upon a Pinacle, but to stand sure and not fall, there is the cunning. The Historian says true, many were thought fit to govern till they were trusted with Government, for this evil Angel hath such inveterate malice against all those that bear rule and title, that it is very rare to find a man so well affected to God's glory, to the Church, to the public good when he sits at the Stern to govern as when he was a private man. Divers that had true hearts to all good purposes when they stood upon the same level with the common people are quite metamorphosed by that time they get up to the top of a Pinacle. Satan passed them over in the throng, but he joins close to them when they are exalted. S. Paul's was a rare temper, and to be found but among men of most divine graces, that could stand safe anywhere, and not pollute his conscience, I know both how to be abased, and how to abound, Phil. iv. 12. God is very abundant in his mercies to endue some with that spirit, that they are as humble, as just, as conscionable upon a lofty Pinacle as upon the lowest Pavement. But more usually those Potentates whom the Scripture records have fallen into the snares of destruction. Joab was resolved he could not be great enough without the fall of Abner, nor Naaman but by pretence of Idolatry, nor Sanballat but by hindering the work of the Temple, nor Felix but by Bribery, no nor Nicodemus himself but by some dissimulation. If every good Saint hath his Angel Guardian, as certainly every honorable Magistrate hath an evil Angel of hostility to oppugn him, every high Pinacle hath his Satan.

Lastly, Observe how the wicked One would pollute no common place but the very house of God, he setteth him on a Pinacle of the Temple. Many times when a City is taken by the enemy, some strong Castle or Fort holds out which is not won so easily. The Church is God's Castle, his Tower of defense against all spiritual iniquities, and Satan would not only take possession of the holy City, but of the best Fortress which God held in it, and brings Christ to be tempted upon the top of the Temple. All places are pervious unto him, he is shut out of none, you shall find him, says Chrysostom, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in the Exchange of Merchants, upon the Bench of Judges, in the Temple of the Priests. And above all places on earth if he make us his instruments to defile the holy Temple, God's glory is put to the greatest scandal and reproach. And this is brought to pass so many ways, that it is plain to see there hath been a most witty complotter in the treachery. 1. When any Prelate is so puffed up that he thinks himself too great to be a door-keeper in God's house, but will be higher than all the Church, and se • on the top of the Pinacle, who sitting in the Temple of God exalts himself above all that is called God. 2. The Temple is defiled by setting up Idols in the Courts of our heavenly King, even in the midst of thee O thou Sanctuary of the Lord. 3. By offering up unclean Sacrifice, either false Doctrine, or impious Prayers, or superstitious Worship, or corrupted Sacraments. 4. When men set their foot within the sacred Tabernacle with carnal thoughts, with worldly imaginations, with no zeal or attention. 5. To bring any profane work, any secular business within those walls which are consecrated to the name of the Lord. This is that Camel which the Jewish Priests did swallow when they strained at a Gnat. For they told our Savior that he brake the Sabbath, he did not keep the Law, but they themselves did license and allow the profanation of the Temple, by bringing Merchandize into it, selling of Sheep and Oxen, and changing money, and you know how Christ revenged it even with anger and indignation. I must borrow time to tell you how Christ did bestir himself in the reformation of that abuse more than in anything else throughout all the Gospel. For first he corrected that fault twice over, in the second of St. Johns Gospel, in the beginning of his Ministry, and Mat. xxi. toward the end of his life anon before he suffered. You see what an obstinate evil it was which would not be redressed for one admonition. 2. When he came to Jerusalem there were many other faults, flagrant crimes, wherewith the place abounded yet the first thing he reformed was the abuse of the Temple. 3. He would not tolerate the least profanation, wink at no fault, for he would not permit that any should carry so much as a Vessel through the Temple, Mar. xi. 16. 4. He reformed this trespass, not only by preaching and quoating Scripture against it, but by a scourge and by violence, by word and deed. And surely if words will not serve, God will bring blows to maintain the reverence of his house that it be not contemned. What a dissolute carriage it is to see a man step into a Church and neither veil his head, nor bend his knee, nor lift up his hands or eyes to heaven? Who dwells there I pray you that you are so familiar in the house? Could you be more saucy in a Tavern, or in a Theater? This is no other but the very gate of heaven. says Jacob, when he had but a vision of God and his Angels. Brethren renounce the Devil, let him not alienate your reverence from that place which God hath specially appointed for the saving of your soul. Holiness becometh thine house forever, O holy blessed and glorious Trinity. AMEN.

THE ELEVENTH SERMON UPON Our Savior's Tentation.

I T is altogether unknown to man when a sin comes merely from the suggestion of his own heart, and when it comes from the temptation of the Devil. But in one case, eminently above many others, it is most likely that there is some hellish provocation when out of good principles and religious grounds our heart is quite turned out of the way to rebel against the Lord. Eli the High Priest had a tender fatherly affection; Who could turn this wholesome water into poison to make him wink at the vices and dissoluteness of his Sons but Satan? David was a thankful Prince, and loved to remember how God had multiplied his favors upon him, yet upon this stock grew that evil fruit to number the people. Why the Text says, Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. King Josiah was an enemy to the Heathen that knew not God; and he, that deludes good motions, made him so irreconcilable, that he would fight against Pharaoh Necho to his own destruction, and harkened not to the word which came from the mouth of God. Certainly the hand of Joab was in this, and in all such fallacies, where a good fountain is made to send forth sweet waters and bitter; as to sin because grace abounds, to neglect public Prayer because faith comes by hearing, to cark and care too much for the world, because a man would provide for his Posterity.

And this master-wit of Hell laid this bait to make our Savior swallow it in this present temptation. For Christ being demanded to make bread of stones; he replies, that he was confident in his Fathers Promises, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Are you so confident? Thinks the Tempter; and upon this confidence I will thrust you on. Have you appealed to Caesar? And to Cesaer you shall go. It is true that you say, God is very gracious, and will not destitute you in any want or danger, you have answered very well, therefore cast yourself down from this Pinacle, and be confident still God will look to it that you shall be supported. This is the very train discovered, and made as clear unto you as the light of the Sun. In the former temptation he would drive Christ to unlawful means; if that take not, because he trusts in God, then trust in him still, and refrain from the use of things lawful; so St. Austin distinguisheth, that his first fallacy was, Deum defuturum ubi promisit; that God would not help, where he had promised to assist; and the second fallacy, which now I am to handle is, Deum adfuturum ubi non promisit; that God would help where he had not promised to assist. Where many things are to be found out in one verse, they must be divided severally, and in this order I take it to be expedient. 1. Here is Satan's demand, Cast thyself down. 2. Upon what supposition he demands it, Why, if thou be the Son of God. 3. Upon what authority, authority enough, for it is written. 4. Upon what assistance, why, the best in the world, whether it is the supreme, or the instrumental. The supremeis God, He shall give his Angels charge concerning thee; and the instrumental are the most glorious, powerful, and excellent creatures in all the world, the whole Host of Angels, in their hands they shall bear thee, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. These are such particulars as the wisdom of the Spirit hath left us to consider upon these words; and as I begin at Satan's demand, so I make two branches of it, the Motion, and the Mover. The Motion is tumbling headlong, to be cast down: and the Mover must be himself, Cast thyself down. To the handling and use of these are required your ear, my utterance, and God's grace to both.

I begin with the Motion and if the meaning of him that counseled it had been well carried, it were a motion easily persuaded to him that is of an humble spirit; a good man is ever ready to be directed to go and sit down in the lowest room, and to be abased to the very center of humility. When the heart is in good awe of God the joints will bend unto the earth, O come let us worship and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker. This we are sure is far from Satan's purpose, and can be no construction of his words. Optat omnes cadere qui se sentit prae omnibus cecidisse, says St. Austin; He would have all men fall in that sort as himself hath done, with aspiring and presumption, that they might never rise again. The Beast in the Fable which had lost his tail made an Oration before all the Beasts of the Wood what a comely thing it was to want a tail, and very useful, and so concluded that they would all cut off theirs; but the Fox made answer, You intend not to make us decent like yourself, but to have us all as deformed: After the same manner the Devil Preacheth unto Christ to descend from the top of the Pinacle to the bottom, not to set him in the posture of an humble man, but to make him arrogant like Lucifer; for such a violent precipitation, says he, can do no hurt at all to such a one as you are, a most holy one, that are called the Son of God. I will use Bonaventure's saying upon it, Satan did interlace lofty pride with this lowly seeming motion. Ut descendendo corporaeliter faceret cum superbire spiritualiter, ut simul esset ascensus vanus, & descensus verus; That he might fall down bodily, and be proud spiritually, and so he thrust together a frivolous presumption, and a dangerous descension. How much is humility abused when Pride will wear the colors of that good virtue to deceive the world? There was gross ambition in Absalom's stooping to steal the hearts of the people. The Scribes and Pharisees would dop to the ground when they greeted their friends in the Market place; The same Bishop that hath more Princely Augustious titles ascribed unto him, then would fill up a Sermon by themselves, subscribes himself very often Servus servorum Christ; the servant of the servants of Christ. As a Kite will sweep the earth with his wings, that he may truss the Prey in his Talons, and fly aloft to devour it: So all the crouches and submissions which an ambitious man makes are to get somewhat which he seeks for, and to clamber to promotion. This is observed, because Satan impels Christ to cast himself down, not for true humility sake, but upon vain glory to flutter in the Air, that all Jerusalem might take notice how precious he was to the care and custody of all the Angels.

In the next place convert your thoughts to this, see what kind of Miracles they are which the Devil delights in: the working of Miracles is reduced to God's Omnipotent Prerogative beyond the ordinary Law of Nature. And Christ did often put it in act to save, to revive, to comfort the body, to convert the soul. Nay, but these are no part of the Devils asking, neither cure the sick, nor give eyes to the blind, nor raise the dead, nor help up Eutiches again, as Paul did, when he fell from the upper window of the house to the ground, none of these good offices of mercy doth he require, but mitte te deorsum, if you be the Son of God tumble down, and confound yourself. Non signa humano generi salutaria, sed perniciosa requirit, says Bernard; Do some pernicious Miracle and then you please him. Beware of those men whose wit, whose counsels, whose directions tend to nothing but to some men's ruin and destruction. Hic niger est, hunc tu Roman caveto; you see who is their Leader, and whose steps they follow. The Heathen could say, how that Orator must needs have much malice in his complexion, who was a better Accuser than a Defender, that could sooner find a hole in his Adversaries cause than help his own Client; so it is Satanissimum, let me use a new word in this case, he is a very Satanist, upon whom that description of David lights, Destruction and unhappiness is in their counsels, and the way of peace they have not known. The Magicians of Pharaoh could bring forth Frogs upon all the Land of Egypt as well as Aaron when he stretched forth his rod, but the Magicians with all their Inchantments could not rid the Land of those Frogs as Aaron did when he cried unto the Lord. Enchanters are permitted to work strange mischiefs, but the Lord hath reserved it to himself to work strange mercies. Ahithophel was exceeding wise no doubt, accounted the Oracle of his age, yet we know no instance of his wit in all the Scripture wherein he had his hand but in most turbulent and seditious propositions. The Devil made use of his craft to serve his own turn: but a wit that is sanctified with God's grace, know it by this character, it had rather make than mar, advance than pull down, preserve than destroy, reconcile than put at enmity. When the voice from heaven spake to Peter as he was in a trance, Arise Peter kill and eat; the meaning was he should eat of such things as the Gentiles did, which were prohibited before, communicate with the Gentiles, convert the Gentiles: Now do you think that Cardinals mouth was not full of gall that made this Exposition of the Miracle, Arise Bishop of Rome, wage war with the Venetians and kill them because they will not obey yout Interdict. Certainly this man's breath was like the strong East Wind that brought most of the grievous Plagues of the Land of