4. Observe, If thou be the son of God, cast thy self down. The temptation is quite contrary to what it was before: Then it was to preserve life by unlawful means, now to endanger life by the neglect of means lawful; there to distrust Gods care of our preservation, when he hath set us about any task and work; here to presume on his care without warrant. The devil tempts us sometimes to pamper the flesh, sometimes to neglect it in such a way as is destructive to our service. Thus the devil hurrieth us from one extreme to another, as the possessed man fell oft-times into the fire, and oft into the water, Matth. 17. 15. Those that are guided by Satan reel from one extremity to another; either men slight sin, and make light of it, or sinners are apt to sorrow above measure, as the incestuous Corinthian, 2 Cor. 2. 17. Lest perhaps such an one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. And the Apostle showeth there, that these were the enterprises of Satan. Some men are careless of Gods interest in the World, or else heated into the activity of a bitter Zeal. Some are of a scrupulous Spirit, that they make Conscience of all things; and the devil hurrieth them into a large Atheistical Spirit, that they make conscience of nothing: How often have we ⟨p. 71⟩known a fond scrupulosity to end in a profane Licentiousness, when they have been wearied out of that kind of frame of Spirit? Some are dead and heartless, like Gallio care for none of these things; fight Christ, fight Antichrist, 'tis all one to them; and usually they are such as formerly have been heated with a blind, and bold madness: As Peter at first refused to have his feet washed by Christ, and then would have head, hands, feet and all washed, Joh. 13. 8, 9. being out in both. What sad work is there made in the Church of God by Solifidians and Nullifidians: heretofore 'twas all Faith and Free-Grace misapplied and misunderstood; and now it is all Morality and Virtue, while Christ is neglected, and the mystery of the Gospel little set by or valued. It is ever the devils policy to work upon the humour of people: If they will reform the Church, it shall be to a degree of separation, and condemning all Churches and Christians that are not of their mode; if they be for uniting, Christs unquestionable interests must be trodden under foot, and all care of Truth and Reformation must be laid aside.
4. Observe, If thou be the son of God, cast thy self down. The temptation is quite contrary to what it was before: Then it was to preserve life by unlawful means, now to endanger life by the neglect of means lawful; there to distrust Gods care of our preservation, when he hath set us about any task and work; here to presume on his care without warrant. The devil tempts us sometimes to pamper the flesh, sometimes to neglect it in such a way as is destructive to our service. Thus the devil hurrieth us from one extream to another, as the possessed man fell oft-times into the fire, and oft into the water, Matth. 17. 15. Those that are guided by Satan reel from one extremity to another; either men slight sin, and make light of it, or sinners are apt to sorrow above measure, as the incestuous Corinthian, 2 Cor. 2. 17. Lest perhaps such an one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. And the Apostle sheweth there, that these were the enterprizes of Satan. Some men are careless of Gods interest in the World, or else heated into the activity of a bitter Zeal. Some are of a scrupulous Spirit, that they make Conscience of all things; and the devil hurrieth them into a large Atheistical Spirit, that they make conscience of nothing: How often have we ⟨p. 71⟩known a fond scrupulosity to end in a prophane Licentiousness, when they have been wearyed out of that kind of frame of Spirit? Some are dead and heartless, like Gallio care for none of these things; fight Christ, fight Antichrist, 'tis all one to them; and usually they are such as formerly have been heated with a blind, and bold madness: As Peter at first refused to have his feet washed by Christ, and then would have head, hands, feet and all washed, Ioh. 13. 8, 9. being out in both. What sad work is there made in the Church of God by Solifidians and Nullifidians: heretofore 'twas all Faith and Free-Grace misapplied and misunderstood; and now it is all Morality and Vertue, while Christ is neglected, and the mystery of the Gospel little set by or valued. It is ever the devils policy to work upon the humour of people: If they will reform the Church, it shall be to a degree of separation, and condemning all Churches and Christians that are not of their mode; if they be for uniting, Christs unquestionable interests must be trodden under foot, and all care of Truth and Reformation must be laid aside.
