Theologicall questions, dogmaticall observations, and evangelicall essays, vpon the Gospel of Jesus Christ, according to St. Matthew Wherein, about two thousand six hundred and fifty necessary, and profitable questions are discussed; and five hundred and eighty speciall points of doctrine noted; and five hundred and fifty errours confuted, or objections answered: together with divers arguments, whereby divers truths, and true tenents are confirmed. By Richard VVard, sometimes student in the famous vniversities of Cambridge in England: St. Andrews in Scotland: and Master of Arts of both the kingdoms; and now a preacher in the famous city of London.

VERS. 4. But hee answered and said, it is written, [Vers. 4] Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

§. 1. It is written.] Christ fights against Sa∣than [Sect. 1] onely with the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, and all the dartes hee throwes at him, are fetched out from the quiver of the Scriptures.

Why did Christ this? [Quest. 1]

I answer First, because this is the best and most [Answ. 1] powerfull weapon: as God is stronger in him∣self then Sathan, so his word is most operative a∣gainst Sathan: it is the sword of the Spiritb, able both to defend us, & offend our enemyc, it being the sword of Gods mouth, 2 Thes. 2. able to con∣found the adversary thereof, and make the obe∣dient thereunto wise unto salvation.

Secondly, Christ did this, to teach us, that no∣thing [Answ. 2] doth captivate an evill conscience, or sub∣due evill concupiscence sooner then the word of God: it being a sharpe two edged swordd; Adam had figleaves to cover his shame, and never was truely awakened, untill the word of the Lord comes unto him saying, Adam where art thoue?

Who in such like cases use any other wea∣pons? [Quest. 2]

I answer, [Answ.] there are divers that use other meanes then the word of God against Sathans assaults, viz. First, some fight against him with the wisedome of the flesh; they dare not assent either for losse of goods, or reputation amongst men or the like; this weapon is a traytor, and will at length consent unto Sathan, and fight a∣gainst him that useth it: yea the devill is wiser and more crafty then men, and therefore hu∣mane wisedome will never conquer him.

Secondly, some perswade themselves, that they can drive away the devill by their exorcismes, conjurations or the like. Thus the Papalins use these remedies against the devill. I. their sacra∣mentall consecrated wafer cakes. II. holy water. III. the sound of consecrated belles. IV. the signe of the crosse. V. the Gospel of Saint Iohn hung about their neckes. VI. the name of God, or of Christ. VII. verses, per crucis hoc signū, &c. and divers other ridiculous things, which are too foolish or frivolous to overcome or expell Sa∣than: the divell seemes to feare these, but hee doth but faine, that he may deceive the users of them; for it is onely the word of God, that hee feares, the weapons wherewithall our Saviour foiles him.

But the Papists may here object, it is the word [Obiect. 1] of God which they use; Saint Iohns Gospel, and the name of God, &c. are the word of God, and therefore a warrantable remedy against the de∣vill,

The word of God pro∣fits us, if we use it aright that is,

• First, it profits not, [Answ.] being barely pro¦nounced with the lipps, or car∣ried about us: as we may see by the sonnes of Schevag, they ad∣jure the devill by Jesus, whom the Apostle preached, but hee obeyes them not, but woundes them to their hurt.
• Secondly, it profits, when it is ap∣plyed by faith; for thus this strong man is overcomeh.

Who are enemyes unto this weapon of

the word of God?

[Answ. 1] First, those that forbid the translation of the Scripture into the vulgar tongue, which may be understood.

[Answ. 2] Secondly, those that prohibit the reading of the word of God; because ignorance thereof will not condemne them.

[Answ. 3] Thirdly, those that applaud ignorance of the Scriptures, as the mother of devotion, and to be preferred before the knowledge thereof. These are refractory unto the Lords injunction, who commands them to bee read and taught even in private familiesi, and to bee diligently studyed night and dayk, and to be read to all the people, as Iosias didl, and Nehemias also, Chapter 8. These are contrary to Christs practise here, and to his precept else-where, commanding to search the Scripturesm. These are not like those noble Bereans, whom Saint Paul commends, that tur∣ned over their bookes, to see whether the Apostle taught them according to the Scriptures or notn.

But here the Papists object, the Scriptures [Obiect. 2] are perillous and full of danger to him that reads them, because they are difficult to be understood, and being misunderstood, they leade unto er∣rour.

[Answ. 1] First, if holy writ be dangerous to be read, so are also humane writings; they being indeed full of errours, as we may see in the writings of Origen.

[Answ. 2] Secondly, the whole Scripture is not difficult to be understood, and consequently not dange∣rous to be read: there are depths, where an Ele∣phant may swimme, and shallow places, where a Lambe may wade over: yea all necessary truths are plainely expressed.

[Answ. 3] Thirdly, let it bee granted, that they are hard, and dangerous, to him that throughly un∣derstands them not, yet they must not therfore be taken away, because they are necessary darts, yea, the principall darte against Sathan. Yea why doth the Church of Rome thus prohihite the Scriptures? because they are dangerous, that is, because there is indeede great feare and dan∣ger, that the reading of this divine truth will de∣tect, and lay open the Popish errours, which they cannot endure should be disclosed.

[Answ. 4] Fourthly, I answer, to the question propoun∣ded, they are enemies (or at least not friends) unto this weapons of the word, that spend time unwil∣lingly in the reading and hearing of it: that can spend three houres in the hearing of a Comedy with more delight, then one in the hearing of a Sermon or in reading the Scriptures; not because a play is better, but for one of these causes, either First because thine eyes are blind, and understan∣ding so obscure, that thou canst not understand, or perceive those spirituall truths, which are spe∣cified in the Scriptureo. Or secondly, because although thou understandest, what thou hearest and readest, yet thou lovest the world better then God; thy body better then thy soule, and thy pleasure, more then thy eternall blisse. Or thirdly, this is because thou canst not brooke or endure the reproofes of the word of God: it doth not praise thee, but blame thee, and there∣fore thou hatest it, as Ahab did Michai••h. But thou must consider, that if thou wouldest not sinne, the Minister would not reprehend thee for sinne; and if thou wouldst abound in good workes, hee would praise thee: In the meane rime he must take care of thee, and not bee wan∣ting in reproofes, untill thou bee reformed, be∣cause that is the profitable balme, to cure thy sick soule. And therefore, heare, reade, learne, and obey the word, yea labour, that thou mayest be rich in the knowledge thereofp, that so thou mayest be made wise unto salvation, and surely armed against all the fiery darts of Sathan.

§. 2. Man lives not by bread alone:] Sathan [Sect. 2] enquires here whether Christ be the Son of God or not; [Quest.] why then doth Christ answer concer∣ning men, Man lives not by bread alone?

First, that he might shew that he was a man, [Answ. 1] and obliged to humane obedience: obedientia ejus, obedientia hominisq, the obedience of Christ, was the obedience of man.

Secondly, that hee might teach us that his [Answ. 2] answer doth belong unto us: for first, if hee had changed the stones into bread, what had that beene to us? Or secondly, if hee had said, that he being God, had no neede of bread; neither had this belonged at all unto us. But thirdly, when he answers what man must doe, he doth thereby propound an institution or in∣struction for us.

§. 3. But by every word that proceedeth out of [Sect. 3] the mouth of God:] that is, by any thing, that God in his good pleasure wils to be our foode: or by any thing else besides bread, whatsoever God shall thinke good.

Hence observe two things; First, things in [Obser. 1] respect of being must have dependance on the will of God, or on themselves, or one some o∣ther: I. if they depend upon themselves for their beeing, they are Gods: II. if they depend on any other thing without, and besides God, that thing then is God also: these two being ab∣surd and neare blasphemy, it remaines, III. that all things and acts in the world, as acts conside∣red, have their being by a dependance upon God, as on the highest cause.

Secondly, observe God is not tyed to the second [Obser. 2] ordinary causes, but hee can doe that without them, which hee can doe with them, as appeares in these particulars. First, God sometimes works without meanes at all, as in the first creation of the Chaos; and in Christs healing many diseases.

Secondly, God sometimes workes with or∣dinary, but those weake and insufficient meanes in the order of nature: thus Asa beleeves, that it is nothing with God to helpe, whether with many, or with them, that have no powerr; yea examples we have hereof in the booke of God, as when the figges healed Hezekiahs sores; when Iacobs rods, made the sheepe bring forth party-colou∣red lambes. Gen. 30.37.38. when the wind brought quailes. Exod. 16.30. &c. when Gideons 300. souldiers got the victoryt, and Ionathan and his man. 1 Sam. 14.6. when Elijah went in the strength of h••s meat forty dayesu. All these

were wrought by ordinary meanes, but the meanes in themselves were altogether ineffectu∣all for the effecting of such great workes, as these were.

Thirdly, God sometimes workes by meanes altogether unusuall and unwonted, such as was Manna in the Desart: so without the Sunne he caused light to shine forth, either out of the whole Chaos, or els out of the element of fire, at the first creation: so without raine at the same time, the earth was fruitfull: And thus with the noyse of Rammes-bornes the walles of Iericho fell downe.

Fourthly, God sometimes workes with quite contrary meanes: as Christ healed the blind mans eyes with clay and spittlea, and Ionas is saved by being in the whales bellyb.

Notes

• b

  Ephes. 6.17.
• c

  Heb. 1.3.
• d

  Heb. 4.12.
• e

  Gen. 3.7.
• g

  Act, 19.
• h

  1 Pet. 5.9.
• i

  Deut 6.7, 8.
• k

  Psal. 1.2
• l

  2 Chron. 34.30.
• m

  Iohn 5.39.
• n

  Act. 17.11.
• o

  1 Cor. 2 14.
• p

  Colos. 3.16.
• q

  Chrysost
• r

  2 Chro. 14.11.
• s

  2 King. 20.7.
• t

  Iudg. 7.22.
• u

  1 King. 19.••.
• a

  Ioh. 9.6.7.
• b

  Iona. 2.10.