Works, Verse 6

Works · Verse 6

p. 125Verſ. 6. If thou bee the Son of God, caſt thy ſelf down: For it is written, &c.

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

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

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

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

2 Sometimes our diſpoſition is more ſecure and remiſs, eſpecially having out-ſtood and overcome a temptation; and then Satan comes again, and by the ſame temptation (not finding us the ſame men) ſuddenly ſurprizeth us. Wherein he deals with us as David with the Amalekites, who having took a great ſpoyl from him and his wives, they fell to eat, and drink, and dance, and lay ſcattered becauſe of the prey; In this ſecurity David comes upon them; p. 126and recovered all, and they loſt more than they had gotten. So deals Satan with us; when wee grow ſecure (after wee have prevailed) he wins more than before wee had gotten.

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

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

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

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

Caſt thy ſelf down]

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

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

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

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

5 Satan had yet a further fetch, which made him ſo beſtir himſelf, ſeeking in Chriſts downfall, our utter ruine, diſgrace, and deſtruction. Strike off the head, all the members with that blow are ſlain. The bent of all Satans p. 127temptations againſt the Head, is againſt all the Members. Out of the ſame ground Satan raiſeth a clean contrary temptation to the former. In the former, hee moves Chriſt to diffidence and deſpair; in this, to preſidence and preſumption. In the former, hee would have Chriſt uſe unlawful means; in this, to reject all means, even lawful. In the former, hee perſwades him to diſtruſt where God had promiſed; in this latter, to truſt where God had not promiſed. In the former, that bread was abſolutely neceſſary; here, that a ladder and means of going down, were not neceſſary at all: as if hee ſhould ſay. Thou ſayeſt that God is able to uphold thee being his ſon, without means; go too, let us ſee how true that is. If hee can ordinarily, and extraordinarily preſerve thee, then, Caſt thy ſelf down headlong from this pinacle: for being the ſon of God, thou ſhalt bee ſure to be preſerved ſafe without hurt.

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

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

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

3 Hee knows, there is but one good and ſtrait way to heaven, that the Lord hath commanded us to walk in that way without turning to the right p. 128or left hand, that hee hath placed the vertue in the mean: and the refore hee cares not in which extream hee can thruſt us, ſo as wee keep out of that mean appointed. Hee hateth nothing but vertue and grace, which God loveth.

4 Hee knowing the propenſity and inclination of our corrupt nature (which deſires to know no mean, but is rather diſpoſed to any vice in extremity, than to reſt in obedience unto Gods Commandement) fits us according to our inclination, and caſts us firſt in one extream, then in another, and holds us there where we beſt pleaſe our ſelves. Hence wee account extreames vertues.

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

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

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

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

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

In the courſe of life, hee gets beyond many in theſe extream courſes. In spiritual things, numbers of men are held in a prophane and wicked ſcorning of religion, of Preachers, and Profeſſors, whoſe names they cannot abide. Some of theſe are ſometimes called out of the ſnare of the Devil, and p. 129then Satan is in a contrary corner, he will have them zealous, but not according to knowledge: If the Maſter will not ſend his ſervants to pluck up all the tares before harveſt, they will ſtand no longer in the field of the Church, but grow reſolute in ſchiſm and ſeparation.

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

Rules to avoyd theſe extremities of Satan.

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

Caſt thy ſelf down.]

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

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

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

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

2 King. 14.10. Amaziah King of Judah, having gotten a notable Victory againſt Edom, preſuming of Gods hand and help with him, but not asking God counſel, would alſo make warre againſt Iſrael, but unhappily, as ſuch attempts prove; for he was overcome, and Jehoaſh King of Iſrael took Amaziah, and broke down Jeruſalems wall, and ſpoyled the houſe of the Lord, and the Kings houſe of all the Treaſure there. Joſiah a good King, preſuming of Gods aſſiſtance without his word, undertook an unwarrantable warre againſt the King of Aegypt: hee might have thought God would help p. 130him, who ſought the Lord with all his heart againſt an open Idolater; but not ſeeking the Lord in this, he was mortally wounded, and left his Kingdom in great trouble and confuſion, 2 King. 23.

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

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

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

4 Satan knows that preſumptions are great ſins, prevailing ſins, Pſal. 19.13. a tempting of the Lord (as the anſwer of our Saviour implies) when wee leave his way and means, and will try our own, a ſin which doth much provoke God to diſpleaſure: we ſee it in Peter, who fell fearfully above all the Diſciples, Ubi dixiſti, ſufficio, ibi deſeciſti: ubi tibi placuiſti, ibi periiſti. Aug.becauſe hee was moſt preſumptuous of all; of whom Auguſtine ſaith, When thou beginneſt to ſay, I have enough, thou beginneſt to fayl; when thou haſt an over-weening opinion of thy ſelf, thou art undone.

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

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

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

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

p. 131Queſt. Is it lawful now for any ſo to doo?

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

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

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

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

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

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

5 Others preſume of the end, and flie over the means; hope for ſalvation, but neglect the means, the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer. Oh, but they uſe means, they know God and their duty, as well as the beſt. But it is a preſumptuous p. 132knowledge; they think they need no more, they profeſs they know God, but in their works deny him, Tit. 1. ult. Yea, they beleeve all the Articles of Chriſtian Faith, if wee beleeve them; but it is a dead and vain faith, without works of Piety and Charity, ſuch as ſhall profeſs great acquaintance with God in the day of judgement, but to whom hee ſhall ſay, Depart from mee yee workers of iniquity. Yea, but they come to Church, and pray to God as others do, and hope to bee ſaved in their Religion what ever it is, ſo long as they mean well: and what need men bee ſo preciſe and curious? But theſe prayers are preſumptuous and abominable, if thou turn thine ear from hearing the Law: and ſo long as thou liveſt in thy luſts, and walkeſt not preciſely with God in all his Commandements, (though thou faſt, and pray, and afflict thy ſelf never ſo much) God will not hear, nor help. Therefore never preſume of an harveſt without a ſeed time; as a man ſoweth, ſo ſhall hee reap.

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

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

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

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

3 Others are bold-hardy, to run into places infected with the plague without a juſt warrant, or ſufficient calling, only pretending the ſtrength of their faith: which is temerity and raſhneſſe, often paid home with much ſorrow and bitterneſſe. Hath not God tyed his care over us, with our care over our ſelves? Hath not hee in ordinary courſe tyed our ſafety with the means? Act. 27. Except theſe abide in the ſhip, they cannot bee ſaved: and ſo ſome upon boards, and others upon planks, came ſafe to land. Yet I condemn not that p. 133preſence with infected perſons, which charity and conſcience requires: but in way of ordinary viſitation, it is as unſafe for us to go to them, as for them to come amongſt us, and a tempting of God.

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

Caſt thy ſelf down:]

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

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

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

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

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

3 From the Pinacle of their outward eſtate or office, which they hold in the Church or Common-wealth: for ſo hee did here with Chriſt; when hee had gotten him to the Pinacle, hee thought to get him down eaſily: At p. 134leaſt hee will do his beſt to caſt him down, for hee ſhould fall with witneſſe.

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

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

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

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

p. 1352 Becauſe of the extream corruption of his nature, who is pleaſed with deſire of hurt and miſchief, hating God and his Image with deadly and perpetual hatred, a Murtherer from the beginning, Joh. 8. that is, the firſt Murtherer, and the author of murther, clean oppoſed to God, who is the firſt goodneſs, and author of all goodneſs, life in himſelf and in his creature. It cannot be ſhewed, that ever God erected any good or excellent thing in the Church or Common-wealth, but Satan out of the abundance of his wickedneſs, did one way or other ſeek (even in the beginning of it) the corruption or deſtruction of it. He preſently deſtroyed Gods Image in our firſt Parents, preſently corrupted Gods worſhip in Cain, and in the reſt of the poſterity of the Fathers before the floud, till all fleſh had corrupted their ways. When God had given his Law, and ſet up his pure VVorſhip, he preſently caſt his people down within forty days before the Call, and after before other Idols of the Nations, which was their deſtruction. So ſoon as ever Chriſt was called to his Office, he muſt either caſt himſelf down from the pinacle, or caſt himſelf down to worſhip Satan, as we ſhall ſee in the next temptation. And as a Serpent never vents any thing but poyſon, ſo Satan never ſpeaks in other language but the iſſue and effect is, Caſt thy ſelf down. From this corruption of his nature, he is called foreign, the wicked one: and hee that can fill his agent with wickedneſs (as Elimas was called the Childe of the Devil, Quod efficit tale, Illud ipſum eſt magis tale.becauſe hee was full of ſubtilty and miſchief, Acts 13.10.) muſt needs be full himſelf.

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

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

Queſt. How ſhall I doe this?

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

From Princes to Counſellers. Achitophel was on an high Pinacle, when p. 136his counſel was accepted as an Oracle of God: but the end was, that when it was deſpiſed, he ſhould caſt himſelf down, and hang himſelf.

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

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

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

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

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

Rule. 3 As Satan is ever plotting to caſt thee down, ſo be thou ever raiſing thy ſelf up. 1 By means of the VVord, which is the ſtaff of a Chriſtian, raiſing him in his falls, and ſtrengthening him in his ſtanding. 2 By Prayer, which gets Gods hand with thee to uphold thee, ſo as the hand that muſt caſt thee down, muſt be ſtronger than Gods. 3 By heavenly converſation, lift up thy ſoul and affections daily, ſeek the things that are above, minde heavenly things. Satan would not have a man mount above the Pinacle, nor will ſuffer him (if he can hinder) to get up to Heaven: therefore in regard of his malice, we muſt put more labour to this buſineſs. Our affections are like the leaden p. 137plummets of a Clock, by their own weight ever tending downward, and Satan often hangs his weight upon them; and therefore we muſt every day be winding them up. 4 By foſtering, nor quenching the motions of the Spirit.

Thy ſelf]

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

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

Doct. 2. Satan can tempt and perſwade us, but he cannot force us to ſin: or, Hee cannot caſt thee down, unleſs thou caſt down thy ſelf. He ſetteth Chriſt on the pinacle, he cannot throw him down, but perſwades him to throw down himſelf. He crammed not Eve with the Apple, nor gave it into her hand, but perſwaded her to reach and eat it. He did not kill Saul himſelf, but perſwaded him to caſt down himſelf upon his own ſword. He did not put the halter about Judas his neck, nor was his Hangman, but was of his counſel, and made his own hands his own executioners: therefore it is ſaid, Acts 1.18. foreign, factus praeceps, he threw down himſelf from an high place, not only of his Office, but from off the Tree whereon hee hanged himſelf.

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

2 No man is hurt but from himſelf, Dico peccatum non eſſe, ſi non propria voluntate peccetur: Auguſt. contra Forum. Manich.and out of the voluntary inclination of his own mind unto evil; which Satan knows well enough, and therefore he ever worketh on our corruptions, and cannot poyſon us, unleſs either hee get us to drink of his cup, or entoxicate us by our own.

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

p. 138To underſtand this better, wee muſt know, that there bee onelyonly two waies to move, change, or bend the will. Firſt, from an internal agent or principle, and this is twofold: 1 God himſelf the Author of all naturall faculties, in whoſe hand the heart of Kings, and all men, bee to turn as he pleaſeth, as the River…. 2 The man himſelf to whom God hath committed this will, who hath power to diſpoſe it to this or that object: as Adam in innocency had freedome in things Divine and Humane, and now wee his poſterity in the latter. Secondly, by external movers; and theſe are either, 1 The natural object of the will, which is ſome good ſo apprehended in the underſtanding▪ and ſtrongly urged upon the will; or 2 ſome paſſions, Luſts, Affections, and Appetites, which incline the will this way …or that.

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

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

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

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

4 It is not enough for Satans malice and cruelty to bring miſchief on the p. 139bodies of men, but the thing hee aims at is, to bring guiltineſs on their ſouls: as our Saviour here, I doubt not but hee would willingly have killed him, if it had been in his power to caſt him down, as it was to carry him up: but hee had far rather that Chriſt ſhould do it himſelf, and ſo have an hand in his own death. In Job, Satan was not contented to caſt him down, in bringing miſery upon his body and eſtate, but the thing hee aimed at, was Jobs caſting down himſelf by blaſpheming God, that ſo hee might bring guiltineſs upon his ſoul. And Satan knows, that when hee can bring a ſinner to give up his will to his perſwaſion, his ſin is ſo much the more ſinful, becauſe to a voluntary ſin is added, 1 A deliberation. 2 An election of evil, and a preferring it before good: and 3 A willing execution of that which a corrupt underſtanding hath embraced, and a corrupt judgement and will preferred for ſome corrupt end.

5 Satans ſlineſs and uſual ſubtlety in his temptations, ſhews that his ſtrength lyeth in inward perſwaſion, and not in outward violence: Hee inſinuates like a Serpent, and pretends great good will, as hee, Thou ſhalt ſhew thy ſelf the Son of God; as though hee in earneſt ſought the honour of Chriſt: and, as if hee would have bettered Adams eſtate, hee ſaid, Yee ſhall bee gods. He transforms himſelf into an Angel of light, and ordinarily deals with us as with Saul, who, when hee ſaw the Devil himſelf, hee made him beleeve hee ſaw Samuel, Gods worthy Prophet.

Vſe 1. This Doctrin ſerves to comfort us, conſidering the impotency of our enemy. Hee is a weak enemy, and cannot overcome him who is not willing to bee overcome. Hee can egge us on to evil, compel us hee cannot. Ad malum h…r…i poteſt, … ge…e non poteſt. Chryſ.And as Chriſt ſaid to Pilate, Thou couldſt have no power over me, unleſs it were given thee from above; So Satan can have no power but from God; not over beaſts, Matth. 8.31. not over wicked men: Ahab a wicked King could not bee deceived, nor ſet on to ma…e a needleſs war, till the Lord ſealed Satans Commiſſion, 1 King. 22.21. And much leſſe over the godly, as we… ſee in Job, till God ſaid, All that hee hath is in thing hands; till then, neither has nor any thing hee had was in Satans power. Nay, not an hair of our head falls to the ground without the providence of our Heavenly Father. And another ſound ground of comfort in, that as hee cannot hurt us without the will of our heavenly Father, ſo hee cannot without our own will: for if he could hee would never bee reſiſted in his temptation whereas wee ſee in Joſeph, Job, and by experience in our ſelves, that ſome helliſh temptations are by grace, and the watch over our hearts, repelled and reſiſted.

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

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

Object. Oh but hee tempted mee.

Anſw. So hee did Chriſt here and hadſt not thou caſt down thy ſelf, hee could not have done it. It was indeed the Devils ſin, that hee beguiled the woman, and he had his judgement for it: But it was her ſin that ſhee was beguiled, and arraigned, and judged by God for it. It is the Theefs ſin to ſteal thy money, and hee ſhall bee hanged for it: but i… thou leaveſt thy money without doors, and never lookeſt after it, it is thy fault and folly, and what p. 140couldſt thou look for elſe? The Devil is a ſlye Theef and robber: but hee commits not his robbery as other Theeves and Burglers, hee will not break open the door, nor draw the latch; but, where hee finds the door open, and an houſe prepared and ſwept, there hee comes and makes ſpoil, Luke 11.25. And if a man know a rank Theef, were not hee worthy to bee robbed that will open his doors, and give him entertainment! Oh let not us extenuate our ſin, or lay the blame on the Devil, who cannot hurt us without our own weapons. Hee cannot make us ſwear, or curſe, or drink, or kill, or break the Sabbath: All that hee can do is, to ſtir up our corruption, preſent objects, ſtir up paſſion to trouble the judgement, and perſwade or ſollicite. Hee can ſuggeſt, hee cannot force. And therefore do as David, taking all the blame of our ſins upon our ſelves: when the Devil ſtirred him up to number the people, and hee came to ſee his folly, hee thought not his ſin leſs, becauſe Satan moved him, but ſaid, I have done very fooliſhly: Alas, theſe ſilly ſheep what have they done?

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

But do thou in all temptations anſwer Satan thus; No Satan, I know thou canſt not caſt mee down, God (to whom the honour of it is due) be praiſed for it; and I will not caſt my ſelf down: if God caſt mee down, I ſhall riſe again, who onelyonly can and will turn his humiliation of mee to my exaltation.Pſal. 119.71.Ps 119:71

From hence:]

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

Doct. 3 Satan ſeeketh eſpecially to draw ſuch to ſin, who have moſt means againſt it. As Chriſt was not ſet on a pinacle, which had no ſtairs to go down by, but where were ſtairs: and hee muſt notwithſtanding them, caſt himſelf down head-long. So dealt hee with Adam in his innocency, who having all p. 141perfections his ſoul and body were capable of, yet muſt he needs reach at the bettering of his eſtate: had Adam known any miſery yet, his ſin had been ſo much the leſs, if he had been enticed unwarrantably to mend his eſtate; but he did (as the Parable ſpeaks) ſet an old patch upon a new garment, which was both idle and diſgraceful. And the means of his ſin, was as idle as the end: for, had he not all the Trees of the Garden, and fruits of Paradiſe to eat upon? and were not all elſe means enough to keep him from one forbidden fruit? If God had reſtrained all but one, he had not wronged him: hee had furniſhed him with all ſtrength againſt temptation, if he would have uſed it: he had no manner of diſcontent in his eſtate: yet if he had been overcome in that ſuppoſal, to have enlarged without God his own allowance, his ſin had not been in that degree, and ſo out of meaſure ſinful, as the having of all theſe means made it. Who muſt deny our Saviour Chriſt, but one of his Diſciples? who muſt betray him but another? both of them abounding with means to the contrary, having been advanced by Chriſt into the high Offices of Apoſtleſhip, to be next attendants of Chriſt, who heard his Doctrin, ſaw his Miracles, and were eye-witneſſes of the integrity of his life, yea both ſpecially warned by Chriſt of thoſe particular ſins, and Peter had profeſſed to dye rather than doe it.

1 The malice of Satan is ſuch, as he is not content that men ſin, Reaſons. unleſs he can bring them to aggravate their ſin, and doe it as ſinfully as may bee: and therefore he is induſtrious to get men to ſin againſt the means. For this addeth weight to the ſin, and provoketh Gods anger much more than another ſin. Examples we have in Exod. 32.31. when Iſrael had made a Call, Oh ſaith Moſes, this people have ſinned a great ſin. It was a great, 1 In the kind. Idolatry. 2 In the manner, being againſt ſuch means: it was not many days before that, that Moſes had received the Ten Commandements, which themſelves heard delivered in ſuch Thunder, Lightning, and terrible Voyce, as made them profeſs what ever the Lord ſhould command them by Moſes, they would doe; and beſides, the Ten Commandements thus uttered and delivered, Exod. 20. in the two and twentieth verſe a ſpecial addition was annexed, Yee ſhall make you no gods, of ſilver or gold, &c. They had immediately before received an extraordinary food by Manna, which then they enjoyed: Moſes was in the Mount with God, to receive more Laws for their good: Aaron was with them to adviſe them. But againſt all theſe and many more means, they worſhip a Calf, and ſo highly provoke God, as after a great ſlaughter of men, three thouſand in number, 2 Sam 12.…2 Sam 12Moſes hardly obtained pardon for the reſidue. Davids ſin was ſo much the more heinous, in that hee had many Wives of his own, as Nathan in the parable ſheweth, and maketh himſelf to confeſs. A rich man had many Sheep and Oxen, and the poor man had but one Lamb, which ate his morſels with him, and ſlept in his boſom, (which was Bathſheba in Uriahs boſom:) and the rich man refuſed to dreſs any of his own Sheep, and ſlew and dreſſed the poor mans Sheep. David himſelf hearing it, before he knew it to be his own caſe, could ſay, As ſure as the Lord lives, he ſhall dye that hath done this: and Nathan ſaid, Thou art the man. &c. And this ſin ſo provoked the Lord, that the ſword never departed from his houſe, and his repentance could not cut off that part of the ſentence, but his own ſon Abſalom muſt defile his Fathers Wives, in the ſight of all Iſrael.

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

p. 1422 Satan knows theſe ſins more trouble and wound the Conſcience than other, becauſe this circumſtance lays the ſin directly upon our ſelves, and takes away excuſes; God was not wanting to prevent ſuch; a man cannot ſay he could not remedy it, no good means was wanting to him, only hee was wanting to himſelf and the means. And thus the Lord reaſoneth with his people to bring them to the ſight of their own corruption, Iſa. 5.4. What could I doe more to my vineyard which I have not done?

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

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

This doctrin is of great uſe through the whole life.

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

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

The Jewes had the Miniſtery of John, of Chriſt and his Diſciples, the Goſpel p. 143of the Kingdom preached, which was as Jacobs Ladder, to riſe up by the ſtairs and ſtaves of it unto heaven: but for all this, becauſe they walked not worthy of theſe means, Chriſt tells them plainly to their faces, that Publicans and Harlots ſhould goe into Heaven before them. And the ſame ſhall be ſaid of every formal Chriſtian, contenting himſelf with an outward ſhew of goodneſs, and not anſwerable to the means he hath, without any inward, or conſtant change by them.

Vſe 3. Let us beware of Satans wyle, neither to neglect means, nor yet to ſin againſt them.

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

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

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

p. 144For it is written.]

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

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

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

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

Regula cred…ndorum & age… dorum.2 As hereby himſelf diſſembles holineſs, ſo hee would colour the matter to which hee tempts us, to bee juſt and lawful: for is not that lawful, which the word allows? ſeeing it is the rule of faith and manners.

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

4 This comes to paſs by reaſon of his malice, 1 Againſt the Scripture which hee ſeeks to abuſe to a contrary end, ſeeing the Scriptures are written that wee might not ſin. 1 Joh 2.1. 2 Againſt the godly, to overcome them with no other than their own weapons: Chriſt had made the written word his ſhield, his ſword, hee will therefore aſſay with his own weapon to p. 145wound him; and ſo he deals with his members.

5 Here is not onelyonly Gods permiſſion, but his over-ruling power: for hereby the father of lies, againſt his heart and nature, giveth witneſſe to the truth, and ſtrongly argues it to bee the ſtrongeſt weapon, that hath ſtrongeſt power over the conſcience.

Queſt. How doth Satan alledge Scripture?

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

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

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

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

This is Moſes his rule, Deut. 13.1. If a falſe Prophet riſe up, ſee what hee aimeth at: if it bee to draw thee from the Lord, his worſhip, or word, take heed of him: ſo if Satan, by any inſtrument of his, ſhall bring the word, and pretend great zeal, if the end bee to draw thee to ſuperſtition, Idolatry, or Popery, beware of him, his ſcope diſcovers him. If a doctrin or ſcripture be alledged to nouriſh any fleſhly delight, or to hold men in ſin, though the words bee Gods, the allegation is the Devils: as, At what time ſoever a ſinner repenteth, &c. and the Theef was ſaved at the laſt hour; and therefore, if thou canſt ſay two or three good words at thy death, all ſhall bee well: here is the Devil, ſaying, It is written: for all ſcripture truely cited by Gods Spirit aims at mortification, and the furtherance of Repentance. If a Scripture bee alledged and urged to threaten and diſcourage ſuch as fear God. and ſhew forwardneſs in good waies, or to animate the ſinner, promiſing him peace and p. 146life, it is Satans allegation: for if Gods Spirit alledge ſcripture, that word is good and comfortable to him that walks uprightly, and the threats of the law are fit proviſion for impenitent perſons.

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

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

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

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

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

Rules of reading, and hearing the word religiouſly.

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

p. 147NOw for the place it ſelf, wee muſt conſider it two waies; 1 As abuſed by Satan in his allegation. 2 As wee find it holily ſet down by the Spirit of God.

In Satans abuſe of this Scripture, wee may ſee many particulars: 1 Hee wrongs the words of God, when hee urgeth them ſpoiled of the right ſenſe of the holy Ghoſt.

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

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

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

5 Hee falſifies the text, by adding partly to the words, partly to the ſenſe. To the words hee addes, leſt at any time, which addes no ſmall ſtrength to the temptation, including even that time wherein hee ſhould bee jumping between the Pinacle and the pavement. To the ſenſe, thruſting his dart into the ſenſe of the place, as if that place ſaid ſo much in effect to him, Caſt thy ſelf down; which Chryſoſtome hath well obſerved, ſaying, Caſt thy ſelf down, Homil. 5. ex va… in Matth.was not written, but was the poyſon of the Serpent, cunningly mingled with the ſweet comfort of the Scripture.

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

7 In this allegation hee commits the ſallacy of diviſion, intending Chriſts overthrow, by diſ-joyning the things which God hath coupled together: for whereas the words of that Text in the right ſenſe, conſiſt of two parts, namely, 1 A promiſe of protection, and preſervation: Satana… promiſſionem objicit Chriſto, conditionem, vero abjleu. Par. in locum.2 The condition of keeping a mans ſelf in his waies, without which condition no promiſe of God belongs unto us (for godlineſs hath the promiſe of this life and the life to come) Satan rejects the condition wholly, and divorceth it from the promiſe. This is Mr. Junius his obſervation.

8 From every part and word of a moſt excellent Text, hee can urge his moſt helliſh temptation, and make all fair weather when he intends nothing leſs: as if hee ſhould ſay, If thou bee the Son of God, caſt down thy ſelf, I do aſſure thee, nay, the written Word aſſures thee of protection and ſafety: for in p. 148ſuch a Pſalm, namely the ninety firſt, verſ. 11. thou haſt the word of thy Fathers promiſe: yea, in one promiſe, a number of promiſes: for,

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

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

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

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

2 His malice ſets him clean contrary to God in his proceedings. God hath given his Scripture to ſave men by, and therefore it is called, a word of ſalvation: now Satan would herein croſs the Lord, in perverting the word to mens condemnation. The Scripture is in the Church as a Law to the Common-wealth, to contain men in the compaſs of faith and godly life; whence it is called Statutes, and precepts, and judgements. But Satan ſeeks to enforce it as a Law to thruſt men from faith and obedience. The Scripture is a word of truth, of holineſs, of wiſdom, every way reſembling God the Author: Satan p. 149therefore, being the greateſt enemy to Gods Image, is the greateſt enemy to the Scriptures, and deſireth to pervert them, by eſtabliſhing by them Errours, Hereſies, falſe Doctrins, wicked and fooliſh opinions and practices.

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

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

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

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

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

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

2 For the point of Juſtification by Works, is alleadged that place of James, 2.21. wherein they adde unto the text, 1 A falſe gloſs, by works of the Law. p. 1502 A falſe diſtinction, ſaying, that they juſtify as cauſes; whereas we grant that as effects they juſtify, that is, declare a man to bee juſtified: So did Abrahams works declare him to be juſt: and this is not the juſtification of the perſon, which is onelyonly by faith, but of the faith of the perſon, which is manifeſtly dead without them.

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

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

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

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

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

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

II. In matters of practice, you ſhall have no ſinner but he hath a Scripture reached to him, to lye ſafe under in the holding of his ſin, but robbed and turned out of the right ſenſe. The Atheiſt, that cares for no Scripture, p. 151yet hath one text for himſelf, Eccl. 7.18. Bee not juſt overmuch, nor overwiſe: and ſo hee hath enough to caſt off all care of knowledge, and conſcience. The Image-munget hath a Text, to let nothing bee lost: hee hath a good uſe for his Images; if they cannot ſerve to worſhip, they may ſerve for ornament. The Swearer hath a Text in Jeremy, Thou ſhalt ſwear in truth, righteouſneſſe, and judgement: therefore hee will ſwear ſo long as hee ſweareth nothing but that which is true. The Sabbath-breaker hath his Text, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. The Murderer and Adulterer think themſelves ſafe, ſeeing they finde David in both theſe ſins, and yet commended of God. The Drunkard hath his leſſon, Drink no longer water, but a little wine for thy ſtomack, and often infirmities ſake. The Covetous perſon knows, that hee that provides not for his family, is worſe than an Infidel, which through many mens wickedneſſe, is a ground of much covetouſneſſe. The lazy Proteſtant hath his Text, Wee are ſaved by grace, and juſtified by the blood of Chriſt freely: what can his works do? what need they? The idle perſon hath his Text, Care not for to morrow, let to morrow care for it ſelf. The Uſurer hath his plain place, Matth. 25.27.—That I might have received mine own with Uſury. The Theef, hath the Theef on the Croſs, repenting at the laſt. The carnal Goſpeller cares not what ſin he venture on, becauſe where ſin hath abounded, there grace hath abounded much more. The careleſs Libertine is predeſtinated to life or death, do what hee can, and do what hee liſt, hee cannot change Gods Decree: and ſo he will do what hee liſt. The obdurate and hardned ſinner ſaith, At what time ſoever a ſinner repents, God will put all his ſins out of his remembrance, and therefore hee will not repent till hee bee dying.

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

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

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

1 What is the miniſtery of the Angels, namely, to bee the godly mans keepers.

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

3 The limitation of it, In all thy waies.

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

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

The word Angel, is a name not of nature (for ſo they bee ſpirits) but of office, miniſtring spirits, to God, to Jeſus Chriſt, and to Gods Elect His Angels] that is, the good and Elect Angels, called his, 1 By Creation: for p. 152they had not being of themſelves. 2 By more immediate miniſtery, they aſſiſt him, and ſtand before his face; whereas the wicked Angels are caſt down from Heaven, from enjoying his preſence. 3 By grace of perſeverance: for they fell not from their eſtate, as the wicked Angels did, and are now confirmed by Chriſt that they cannot fall: and hence is Chriſt called the Head of men and Angels, in whom all things in heaven and earth conſiſt, Coloſſ. 1. v. 17. that is, are preſerved, ſuſtained, and governed, whether viſible or inviſible; and conſequently a mediator of the Angels in reſpect of ſpecial grace of confirmation, by which they inſeparably adhere to God, although in reſpect of that mediation which is reſtrained to redemption, the Angels have no need of it.

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

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

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

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

In all thy waies] Namely, in ſuch courſes as God hath appointed, and in all theſe, in all times, and in all places, in all eſtates and conditions. In the way into the world, in birth, and infancy, the good Angels keep Gods little children, Matth. 18.10. In the way thorow the world they keep us, as the Iſraelites in the Wilderneſs, Exod. 33.2. In the way out of the World, their charge is to keep us, as wee may ſee in Lazarus, who when hee dyed the Angels carried his ſoul into Abrahams boſome. In all our waies, by day and by night▪ they keep us ſo long as wee are in our callings.

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

That thou daſh not thy foot againſt a ſtone.] That is, that thou hurt not thy foot againſt any rub or occaſion. Angels are nurſes, wee are as infants in ſpiritual matters, on every occaſion ready to fall into ſin, and by it into all dangers, ſpiritual and temporal. Now the Angels keep us not onelyonly from p. 153hurt by others, but from bringing hurt on our ſelves, even the leaſt; they keep us from hurting our Head, yea our Foot.

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

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

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

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

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

3 And ſpecially this charge and commandement of God is the cauſe hereof; ſo as now it is not out of curteſy, or the goodneſs of their nature only, that they do us good, but by vertue of this charge and commandement of God, whom they love as their chief good, and to whom they are bound in abſolute obedience by the eternal law of their nature; ſo as although they are charged by God, yet are they not forced or co-acted, but out of their perfect love of God they watch over us for our good.

Vſe 1. This doctrin affords a uſe of great conſolation: for when we conſider our own weakneſs and impotency on one hand, and the multitude, power, and policy of our enemies on the other, when wee ſee a whole Army of ſins beſiedging us, and a whole legion of dangers behinde them to oppreſſe and ſwallow us; now this Doctrin touching Gods providence in the miniſtery of Angels, will be able to ſupport us; when wee ſhall conſider, not only that Gods protection is as a wall of fire round about us, but that he hath ſet and pirched his Angels round about us as a guard, of whom we may ſay with Eliſha for their multitude, They are more that are with us, Ordo gratiae praeponderat ordini naturae, Th. Aqu.than they that are againſt us; and for their power, they are called the Angels of Gods power, farre ſtronger than the wicked Angels and Powers that are againſt us.

And when wee ſhall conſider, that God hath given a charge, and that not to one or two Angels, but to the whole bleſſed company of them over every godly man, how can wee but aſſure our ſelves, that wee ſhall be defended and protected? If a man were to paſs by ſhip over a dangerous ſea, full of gulfs, ſands, rocks, and robbers, if the King ſhould give him letters of ſafe conduct, it would much comfort him and help him through his voyage: but, if this King ſhould ſend a great Navy to conduct him over, yea, and ſhould not onelyonly go in his own perſon, but call out all his men of p. 154war to ſee him ſafely arrived, this were ſo comfortable as hee could not wiſh more. But thus doth the Lord with his children, not onelyonly himſelf going with them through the world, but guarding them with his holy Angels, who willingly afford their miniſtery, becauſe of their love to man, but in reſpect of Gods word and charge much more willingly, that of Gods Angels they become our Angels, Matth. 18.10.

What an unſpeakeable comfort is it, that when wee loſe the watch over our ſelves many waies, through ſleep of ſoul or body, the Angels watch over our ſafety? Matth. 2.13. Joſeph was a ſleep, and thought not of that danger which was even upon him, by means of Herods cruelty: but even in that ſleep the Angel watched and admoniſhed him by a dream; both of the danger, and the means to eſcape.

How great a comfort is it, that when wee ſee ſuch difficulties between us and our deſires, as wee can never overcome, then wee have Gods Angels preſent to do it to our hands? Mark 16.3. when the good women that came to imbalme Chriſts body, were very much troubled how to come to his body, and asked who ſhall roul away the ſtone, for it was a very great one, when they looked, they ſaw the ſtone rowlled away, and it was done by the Angel, as Matthew hath it. Gods Angels rowl away all ſtones and impediments, and make our way ſmooth to all good duties.

No leſs comfort is it, that when Satan begins to inſult, and makes as if hee would trample upon us, wee have a ſtronger guard about us, any one of the Angels being as able to ſhut the mouth of this roaring Lyon, as they were to ſhut the mouths of thoſe hungry Lyons, into whoſe den Daniel was caſt.

And for the further ſtrength of our faith and comfort in this Doctrin, the Scripture notes three things further concerning Angels, worth obſerving, 1 Their wiſdome and providence in pitching about us, ſo as wee lye open no where, Exod. 14.19. when Iſrael was gone out of Egypt, the Angel of the Lord who went before them to lead them out, now removed and went behind them, becauſe now Pharaoh and his people purſued them. The power of the Angel was no leſſe if hee had ſtayed before them as hee was, being Chriſt himſelf, but for the comfort of Iſrael, and our inſtruction, the Angel changeth his place, and ſtoppeth between them and the danger. 2 Their uniting of themſelves, and ſtrength for our ſafety; one of them readily will help another in helping us: Dan. 10.13. one Angel being reſiſted by the Prince of the Kingdome of Perſia, Michael one of the chief Princes came to help him: who whether hee were an Angel, or (as it is more likely) the Prince and Lord of the Angels, even the Angel of the great Covenant Chriſt himſelf, it is every way full of comfort. 3 Their patience towards us, who if they ſhould bee gone from us, as often as wee by ſin provoke them, wee ſhould periſh every moment. But as God is long-ſuffering, ſo hath hee charged his Angels to bee: and therefore they wait ſtill for our return, and rejoyce in the repentance of ſinners, Luke 15.10. and abide in their charge and miniſtery ſtill.

Ʋſe 2. Again, this doctrin is a ground of manifold inſtruction.

1 Hath God afforded us the Miniſtery of Angels? then note the priviledge and preheminence of Gods children, whoſe nature being aſſumed by the Son of God, gives it dignity above the Angels, who are the miniſters of our humane nature in the head and members. Angels are indeed called the Sons of God, but that is by creation. Chriſt never gave them this honour to call them brethren. Nay, there is a nearer conjunction between Chriſt and us, than between Chriſt and the Angels, which conjunction doth priviledge us with their attendance. 1 By reaſon of his conception and incarnation, taking on him the ſeed of Abraham, and not of the Angels, by which hee becomes p. 155fleſh of our fleſh. 2 By reaſon of his Spiritual contract, taking us to be one with himſelf, by which we become fleſh of his fleſh, and ſo nearly ſet into him, as the Angels cannot be, who are not members of this Head, as the elect be. Chriſt indeed may bee called their Head, but as a Lord and Commander, nor by ſuch Spiritual union as is between Chriſt and the Chriſtian.

Herein we may ſee the love of God in ſetting his Angels to be our keepers. The more noble, potent, numerous, and diligent the cuſtody is, the more is the care and love of the thing kept. How great thanks therefore owe wee unto our God, who notwithſtanding he is daily offended with our ſins, yet affords us the miniſtry of his Angels? Who, and what am I, that God is ſo mindful of me, that he ſhould give ſo many glorious Creatures charge over me, that he ſhould give me ſuch a priviledge, that even the holy Angels (whoſe dwelling is in Heaven, and ſee the face of God, who are all ſpirit and no fleſh, who are free from all ſin and miſery) ſhould ſo narrowly attend me a lump of earth, a peece of fleſh, compaſſed with ſo many ſins and miſeries, as I can look no way either before or behind them! David in the eighth Pſalm burſt out into the praiſe of God, when he conſidered that God had afforded man the uſe of Birds, Beaſts, and Fiſhes: O Lord, ſaith he, what is man that thou art ſo mindful of him, and haſt preferred him over the works of thy hands! How much more ſhould we, when we ſee our happineſs by the miniſtery of the glorious Angels?

2 Let us learn hence to look to our converſation, becauſe of the Angels, 2 Cor. 11.10. for they are our keepers and obſervers, they ſee all the good and bad we doe, and we doe not ſpeak any thing without many witneſſes. Sin makes God take away our hedge, Iſa. 5.5. it grieves the Angels of God, and lays a man naked to all his Judgements. Shall we willingly offend them, from whom, under God, we receive ſo great and daily comforts? If we did beleeve, or weigh this doctrine, we would not: but becauſe wee ſee not God, nor his Angels, we love neither, nor fear to offend either.

3 Let us beware of wronging the Children of God, even becauſe they have the protection of the Angels. To riſe up againſt any of them, is to riſe up againſt the Angels their keepers. Offend none of theſe little ones: for their Angels behold the face of their heavenly Father, and thou provokeſt the Angels againſt thee. It the Sodomites riſe up againſt Lot, the Angels will ſave him and deſtroy them. It Balaam will goe to Curſe Gods people, he ſhall have an Angel againſt him with a ſword drawn ready to kill him.

4 Learn wee to give God the honour of our ſalvation and ſafety, when wee have avoyded any danger, publick or private. It is not by chance, nor by our providence and policy, but Gods charging his Angels to ſave and keep us. Daniel did rightly aſcribe his deliverance to God, by the miniſtery of the Angel, chap. 6.22. My God (ſaith he) ſent his Angel, and ſhut the Lions mouth.

5 To be partaker of all this comfort, theſe means are to bee uſed: 1 Become a godly man, Pſal. 34.9. The Angel of the Lord pitcheth his tent round about them that fear the Lord. Heb. 1.14. They are miniſtring Spirits to the heirs of ſalvation. 2 Hold on in a godly courſe, keep thee in thy ways, in the duties of thy Calling, general and ſpecial; for thus long the charge of the Angels ſtands in force. 3 Pray (not to Angels, but) to the God of Heaven, to ſend his Angel before thee, to direct and aſſiſt thee in thy duties and ways. For what God hath promiſed, we muſt pray for, Gen. 24.7. Abraham tells his Servant, that God will ſend his Angel before him to take a wife for his ſon: and this Angel proſpered his Journey, verſ. 40. And that this was the practice of the Church in Aegypt, appears by Moſes his meſſage to the King of Edom, Numb. p. 15620.16. being ill entreated in Aegypt, we prayed to the Lord, and he ſent an Angel, and brought us out of Aegypt. I doubt not but this duty, were it more faithfully practiſed, would bring home much more ſucceſs and comfort, than many men find in their labour, who ſcarce know whence or how their proſperity cometh unto them.

Obj. If God ſhould ſend his Angels in humane form, and as familiarly to converſe with us as anciently they did with the Patriarks, we ſhould beleeve this doctrine: but now there is certainly no ſuch thing.

Anſ. 1. Chriſt is now in Heaven, where our converſation ought to bee by faith, rather than by the viſible apparition of Angels. 2 The beginnings of the Church needed ſuch heavenly confirmation, but now the Word is ſufficiently confirmed by the Son himſelf from Heaven. 3 The Scriptures are perfect, and fully and plainly reveal unto us Gods will in every particular, as if the Angels ſhould come and teach us daily. 4 The bleſſed Spirit is more abundantly given in our hearts, and ſupplieth their abſence in bodily ſhape and apparition. 5 We muſt labour to get the eyes of our ſouls open, and then we ſhall with Eloſhaes ſervant ſee their comfortable preſence, notwithſtanding they take no bodies to appear in.