History of the Old Testament Volume 5, Part 17

History of the Old Testament Volume 5 · Part 17

p. 373CHRIST tempted.

NO ſooner is Chriſt comne out of the water of Baptiſme, then he enters into the fire of Tentation: No ſooner is the Holy Spirit deſcended vponupon his head, in the forme of a Doue, then hee is led by the ſpirit to be tempted. No ſooner doth God ſay (This is my Son) then Satan ſayes, (If thou bee the Son of God.) It is not in the power, either of the gtft or ſeales of p. 374Grace, to deliuer vsus from the aſſaults of Satan; they may hauehave the force to repell euill ſuggeſtions, they hauehave none to preuent them; yea, the more we are ingaged vntounto God by our publique vowes, and his pledges of fauour, ſo much more buſie and violent is the rage of that euill one, to encounter vsus; Wee are no ſooner ſtept forth into the field of God, then hee labours to wreſt our weapons out of our hands, or to turne them againſt vsus.

The voyce from Heauen, acknowledged Chriſt to bee the Son of God; this diuine Teſtimony did not allay the malice of Satan, but exaſperate it: Now p. 375that venomous Serpent ſwels with inward poyſon, and haſtes to aſſayle him, whom God hath honored from Heauen. O God, how ſhould I looke to eſcape the ſuggeſtious of that wicked one, when the Son of thy louelove cannot bee free? when euen grace it ſelfe drawes on enmity? That Enemy, that ſpared not to ſtrike at the head, will he forbeare the weakeſt and remoteſt lim? Arme thou mee therefore, with an expectation of that euill I cannot auoyd, Make thou me as ſtrong, as he is malicious; Say to my ſoule alſo (Thou art my Son) and let Satan doe his worſt.

All the time of our Sauiours p. 376obſcurity, I doe not finde him ſet vponupon; Now, that hee looks forth to the publique execution of his diuine Office, Satan bends his forces againſt him: Our priuacy, perhaps, may ſit down in peace, but neuer man did endeauour a common good without oppoſition. It is a ſigne, that both the work is holy, & the Agent faithfull, when wee meet with ſtrong affronts.

We hauehave reaſon to bee comforted with nothing ſo much, as with reſiſtance, If we were not in a way to do good, we ſhould finde no rubs; Satan hath no cauſe to moleſt his owne, and that whiles they goe about his owne ſeruice; Hee deſires nothing p. 377more, then to make vsus ſmooth paths to ſin; but when we would turne our feet to holineſſe, hee blocks vp the way with tentations.

Who can wonder enough at the ſawcines of that bold Spirit, that dares to ſet vponupon the Son of the euerliuing God? who can wonder enough at thy meeknes & patience, ô Sauiour, that wouldſt be tempted? He wanted not malice and preſumption to aſſault thee, thou wantedſt not humility to endure thoſe aſſaults. I ſhould ſtand amazed at this voluntary diſpenſation of thine, but that I ſee the ſuſception of our humane nature, layes thee open to this condition. It p. 378is neceſſarily incident to manhood, to be liable to tentations; Thou wouldeſt not hauehave put no fleſh, if thou hadſt meant vtterly to put off this conſequence of our infirmity: If the ſtate of innocence could hauehave beene any defence againſt euill motions, the firſt Adam had not been tempted, much leſſe the ſecond. It is not the preſenting of tentation that can hurt vsus, but their entertainment. Ill counſell is the fault of the Giuer, not of the Refuſer, We cannot forbid leudeies to look in at our windowes, we may ſhut our dores againſt their entrance; It is no leſſe our praiſe to hauehave reſiſted, then Satans blame to ſuggeſt euill. Yea, ô p. 379bleſſed Sauiour, how glorious was it for thee, how happy for vsus, that thou wert tempted? Had not Satan tempted thee, how ſhouldeſt thou hauehave ouercomne? Without blowes there can be no victory, no triumph: How had thy power been manifeſted; if no aduerſary had tried thee? The firſt Adam was tempted & vanquiſhed, the ſecond Adam, to repay and repaire that foile, doth vanquiſh in being tempted. Now hauehave we not a Sauiour, and High-Prieſt, that cannot bee touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but ſuch an one, as was in all things tempted in like ſort, yet without ſin; how boldly therfore p. 380may we goe vntounto the Throne of grace, that wee may receiue mercy, and finde grace of help in time of neede: Yea, this Deuil was for vsus; Now we ſee by this conflict of our Almighty Champion, what manner of Aduerſary we hauehave, how hee fights, how hee is reſiſted, how ouercomne. Now our very temptation affords vsus comfort, in that wee ſee, the dearer we are vntounto God, the more obnoxious we are to this trial; neither can wee be diſcouraged by the haynouſneſſe of thoſe euils, wherto we are moued, ſince we ſee the Son of God ſolicited to Infidelity, Couetouſnes, Idolatry; How glorious therfore was p. 381it for thee, ô Sauior, how happy for vsus, that thou wert tempted?

Where then waſt thou tempted, O bleſſed Ieſu; or whither wenteſt thou to meet with our great aduerſary? I doe not ſee thee led into the market-place, or any other part of the city, or thy home-ſted of Nazareth, but into the vaſt wilderneſſe, the habitation of beaſtes; a place that caryeth in it, both horror and oportunity; why wouldſt thou thus retyre thy ſelfe from men, but as confident Champions are wont to giuegive aduantage of ground, or weapon, to their Antagoniſt, that the glory of their victory may be the greater: So wouldſt thou, O Sauiour, in p. 382this can but with our common enemy, yeeld him his owne tearmes for circumſtances, that thine honour and his foyle may be the more; Solitaryneſſe is no ſmall helpe to the ſpeed of a tentation; Wo to him that is alone, for if he fall, there is not a ſecond to lift him vp; Thoſe that out of an affectation of holines ſeeke for ſolitude, in rocks and caues of the deſerts, doe no other then runne into the mouth of the danger of tentation, whiles they thinke to avoyd it. It was enough for thee, to whoſe diuine power the gates of hell were weakeneſſe; thus to challenge the Prince of darkneſſe; Our care muſt be alwaies p. 383to eſchue all occaſions of ſpirituall danger; and (what we may) to get vsus out of the reach of tentations.

But O the depth of the wiſdome of God; How camſt thou ô Sauiour, to be thus tempted? That Spirit whereby thou waſt conceiued, as man, and which was one with thee and the Father, as God, Led thee into the wilderneſſe to bee tempted of Satan; Whiles thou taughteſt vsus to pray to thy Father, Lead vsus not into temptation, thou meanteſt to inſtruct vsus, that if the ſame Spirit lead vsus not into this perilous way, we goe not into it; We hauehave ſtill the ſame conduct; Let the path bee what it will, p. 384how can wee miſcarry in the hand of a Father. Now may we ſay to Satan as thou didſt vntounto Pilate; thou couldſt hauehave no power ouer me, except it were giuen thee from aboue; The ſpirit led thee, it did not driue thee; heere was a ſweet inuitation, no compulſion of violence; So abſolutely conformable was thy wil to thy deity, as if both thy natures had but one volition; In this firſt draught of thy bitter potion, thy Soule ſaid in a reall ſubjection, Not my will, but thy will be done: We imitate thee, ô Sauiour, though we cannot reach to thee; All thine are led by thy Spirit; Oh teach vsus to forget that we hauehave wils of our owne. p. 385The ſpirit led thee; thine inuin…ible ſtrength did not animate thee into thi… combat vncalled, What doe we weakelings ſo far preſume vponupon our abilities, or ſucceſſe, as that we dare thruſt our ſelues vponupon temptations vnbidden, vnwarranted? Who can pitty the ſhip-wracke of thoſe Mariners, which will needs put forth, and hoiſe ſayles in a tempeſt?

Forty dayes did our Sauiour ſpend in the wilderneſſe, faſting, and ſolitary, all which time was worne out in temptation; how euer the laſt brunt, becauſe it was moſt violent, is only expreſſed; Now could not the Aduerſary complaine of diſadvantage, p. 386whiles he had the ful ſcope both of time and place to doe his worſt; And why did i… pleaſe thee, ô Sauiour, to faſ… forty dayes, and forty nights… vnleſſe as Moſes faſted forty daies at the deliuery of the law and Elias at the reſtetution o… the law; So thou thoughteſt fit at the accompliſhment of the law, and the promulgation of the Goſpell, to fulfill the time of both theſe tipes of thine, wherin thou intendedſt our wonder, not our imitation; Not our imitation of the time, though of the act. Heere were no faulty deſires of the fleſh, in thee to be tamed, no poſſibility of a freer and more eaſie aſcent of the p. 387ſoule to God, that could be affected of thee, who waſt perfectly vnited vntounto God, but as for vsus thou wouldeſt ſuffer death, ſo for vsus, thou wouldſt ſuffer hunger, that wee might learne by faſting, to prepare our ſelues for tentations: In faſting ſo long thou intendedſt the manifeſtation of thy power; in faſting no longer, the truth of thy manhood; Moſes and Elias, through the miraculous ſuſtentation of God, faſted ſo long, without any queſtion made of the truth of their bodies; So long therefore thou thoughteſt good to faſt, as by reaſon of theſe precedents, might be without preiudice of thine humanity, p. 388which if it ſhould hauehave pleaſed thee to ſupport, as thou couldſt, without meanes, thy very power might hauehave opened the mouth of cauills againſ… the verity of thine humane nature; That thou mighteſt therfore well approue, that ther… was no difference betwixt the… and vsus, but ſinne; thou tha… couldſt hauehave faſted withou… hunger, and liued withou… meate; wouldſt both feed, and faſt, and hunger.

Who can be diſcouraged with the ſcantneſſe of frends, or bodily prouiſions, when hee ſees his Sauiour thus long deſtitute of all earthly comforts, both of ſociety and ſuſtenance. Oh the p. 389policie and malice of that old Serpent, when he ſees Chriſt bewray ſome infirmity of nature in being hungry, then he layes ſoreſt at him by tentations; His eye was neuer off from our Sauiour▪ all the time of his ſequeſtration; and now that he thinks he eſpies any one part to lye open, he driues at it with all his might; We hauehave to doe with an aduerſary, no leſſe vigilant then malicious; who will bee ſure to watch all opportunities of our miſchiefe, and where he ſees any aduantage of our weakeneſſe, will not neglect it. How ſhould we ſtand vponupon our guard for preuention; that both we may not giuegive him occaſions, p. 390of our hurt, nor take hurt by thoſe we hauehave giuen.

When our Sauiour was hungry, Satan temptes him in matter of food; not then, of wealth or glory; He well knowes both what bayts, to fiſh withall, and when, and how to lay them; How ſafe and happy ſhall wee be, if we ſhall bend our greateſt care where we diſcerne the moſt danger?

In eueryevery tentation there is an appearance of good; whether of the body, or minde, or eſtate; The firſt is the luſt of the fleſh, in any carnall deſire, the ſecond the pride of hart, and life; the third the luſt of the eyes; To all theſe, the firſt Adam is tempted, p. 391and in all miſcarryed; the ſecond Adam is tempted to them all, and ouercommeth; The firſt man was tempted, to a carnall appetite by the forbidden fruit, to pride by the ſuggeſtion of being as God; To couetouſneſſe, in the ambitious deſire of knowing good and euill; Satan hauing found all the motions ſo ſucceſſ-full with the firſt Adam in his innocent eſtate, will now tread the ſame ſteps in his temptations of the ſecond; The ſtones muſt bee made bread; there is the motion to a carnall appetite; The gard and attendance of Angels muſt bee preſumed on, there is a motion to pride; The Kingdomes of the p. 392earth, and the glory of them muſt be offered, there, to couetouſnes and ambition.

Satan could not but hauehave heard God ſay, This is my welbeloued Son, he had heard the meſſage and the Caroll of the Angels; he ſaw the Starre, and the iourney, and offrings, of the Sages, he could not but take notice of the gratulations of Zachary, Simeon, Anna; he well knew the predictions of the Prophets; yet now that hee ſaw Chriſt fainting with hunger, as not comprehending how infirmities could conſiſt with a Godhead, he can ſay, (If thou bee the Son of God;) Had not Satan knowne that the Son of God p. 393was to come into the world, he had neuer ſaid (If thou be the Son of God) His very ſuppoſition conuinces him; The ground of his tentation, anſwers it ſelfe; If therefore Chriſt ſeemed to be a meere man, becauſe after forty dayes he was hungry, why was he not confeſſed more then a man, in that for forty daies he hungred not? The motiue of the tentation is worſe then the motion, (If thou be the Son of God) Satan could not chooſe another ſuggeſtion of ſo great importance. All the worke of our redemption, of our ſaluation, depends vponupon this one truth, Chriſt is the Son of God; How ſhould hee elſe hauehave ranſomed p. 394the world, how ſhould he hauehave done, how ſhould he hauehave ſuffered that, which was ſatisfactory …o his fathers wrath? how ſhould his actions, or paſſion beene valuable to the ſinnes of all the world? What maruell is it if we that are ſonnes by adoption, be aſſaulted with the doubts of our intereſt in God, when the naturall Son, the Son of his eſſence is thus tempted? Since all our comfort conſiſts in this point, heere muſt needes bee laid the chiefe battery; and heere muſt be placed our ſtrongeſt defence.

To turne ſtones into bread, had beene no more faulty in it ſelfe, then to turne water into p. 395wine: But to doe this in a diſtruſt of his Fathers prouidence, to abuſe his power and liberty in doing it, to worke a miracle of Satans choyce, had beene diſagreeable to the Son of God: There is nothing more ordinary with our ſpirituall enemy, then by occaſion of want to moue vsus to vnwarrantable courſes; Thou art poore, ſteale; Thou canſt not riſe by honeſt meanes, vſe indirect; How eaſie had it beene for our Sauiour, to hauehave confounded Satan by the power of his Godhead? But he rather chooſes to vanquiſh him by the ſword of the Spirit, that he might teach vsus how to reſiſt and ouercome the powers of p. 396darkneſſe? If hee had ſubdued Satan by the almighty power of the deity, wee might hauehave had what to wonder at, not what to imitate; now hee vſeth that weapon, which may be familiar vntounto vsus, that he may teach our weakeneſſe how to be victorious; Nothing in heauen or earth can beat the forces of hell, but the word of God; How carefully ſhould wee furniſh our ſelues with this powerfull munition; how ſhould our hearts and mouthes bee full of it? Teach mee O Lord the way of thy ſtatutes; O take not from mee the words of Truth; Let them bee my ſongs in the houſe of my pilgrimage; So ſhall I make anſwer to my blaſphemers. p. 397What needed Chriſt to hauehave anſwered Satan at all, if it had not beene to teach vsus, that tentations muſt not hauehave their way; but muſt be anſwered by reſiſtance; and reſiſted by the word.

I doe not heare our Sauiour auerre himſelfe to bee a God; againſt the blaſphemous inſinuation of Satan; neither doe I ſee him working this miraculous conuerſion, to proue himſelfe the Son of God; but moſt wiſely hee takes away the ground of the tentation; Satan had taken it for granted, that man cannot be ſuſtayned without bread; and therefore infers the neceſſity of making bread of p. 398ſtones; Our Sauiour ſhewes him from an infallible word, that he had miſlaied his ſuggeſtion; That man liues not by vſuall food only, but by eueryevery word that proceedeth from the mouth of God; Hee can either ſuſtaine without bread, as hee did Moſes and Elias, or with a miraculous bread, as the Iſraelites with Manna, or ſend ordinary meanes miraculouſly, as foode to his Prophet by the Rauens, or miraculouſly multiply ordinary meanes, as the meale and oyle to the Sareptan widdow: All things are ſuſtained by his almighty word: Indeed we liue by food, but not by any vertue that is in it without God; p. 399without the concurrence of whoſe prouidence, bread would rather choke, then nouriſh vsus; Let him withdrawe his hand from his creature; in their greateſt abundance we periſh; Why doe we therefore bend our eyes on the meanes, and not looke vp to the hand that giues the bleſſing?

What ſo neceſſary dependance hath the bleſſing vponupon the creature, if our ptayers hold them not together; As we may not neglect the meanes, ſo wee may not neglect the procurement of a bleſſing vponupon the meanes, nor bee vnthankefull to the hand that hath giuen the bleſſing.

p. 400In the firſt aſſault, Satan moues Chriſt to doubt of his fathers prouidence, and to vſe vnlawfull meanes to help himſelfe: in the next, he moues him to preſume vponupon his Fathers protection, and the ſeruice of his bleſſed Angels; He grounds the firſt vponupon a conceit of want, the next of abundance; If he be in extremes, it is all to one end, to miſlead vntounto euill: If wee cannot be driuen downe to deſpaire, he labours to lift vsus vp to preſumption; It is not one foile that can put this bold ſpirit out of countenance: Tentations, like waues, breake one in the necke of another; Whiles wee are in this warre-fare, wee p. 401muſt make account, that the repulſe of one tentation doth but inuite another.

That bleſſed Sauiour of ours, that was content to be led from lordan into the wildernes, for the aduantage of the firſt tentation, yeelds to be led from the wilderneſſe to Ieruſalem, for the aduantage of the ſecond; The place doth not a little auaile to the act: The wilderneſſe was fit for a tentation, arifing from want, it was not fit for a tentation mouing to vain-glory. The populous City was the fitteſt for ſuch a motion; Ieruſalem was the glory of the world, the Temple was the glory of Ieruſalem, the pinacles, the higheſt p. 402peece of the Temple, there is Chriſt content to be ſet for the opportunity of tentation: O Sauiour of men, how can wee wonder enough at this humility of thine, that thou wouldſt ſo farre abaſe thy ſelfe, as to ſuffer thy pure and ſacred body to bee tranſported by the preſumptuous and malicious hand of that vnchaſte ſpirit? It was not his power, it was thy patience, that deſerues our admiration, Neither can this ſeem ouer-ſtrange to vsus, when wee conſider, that if Satan bee the head of wicked men, wicked men are the members of Satan; What was Pilate, or the Iewes that perſecuted thine innocence, p. 403but lims of this Diuell? and why are we then amazed, to ſee thee touched, and locally tranſported by the head, when wee ſee thee yeelding thy ſelfe ouer, to be crucified by the members? If Satan did the worſe, and greater, mediately by their hands, no maruell if hee doe the leſſe and eaſier, immediately by his own, yet neither of them without thy voluntary diſpenſation. Hee could not hauehave looked at thee, without thee; And if the Son of God, did thus ſuffer his owne holy and precious body, to bee carried by Satan, what wonder is it, if that Enemy hauehave ſometimes power giuen him, ouer the ſinfull bodies of the adopted p. 404Sons of God. It is not the ſtrength of faith, that can ſecure vsus from the outward violences of that euill One; This difference I finde betwixt his ſpirituall and bodily aſſaults: thoſe are beaten backe by the ſhield of faith, theſe admit not of ſuch repulſe; As the beſt man may bee lame, blinde, diſeaſed, ſo through the permiſſion of God, he may be bodily vexed by that olde Man-ſlayer; Grace was neuer giuen vsus for a target againſt externall afflictions.

Me thinkes I ſee Chriſt, hoyſed vp on the higheſt battlements of the Temple; whoſe very roofe was an hundred and thirty cubits high; and Satan p. 405ſtanding by him with this ſpeech in his mouth; Well then, ſince in the matter of nouriſhment, thou wilt needes depend vponupon thy Fathers prouidence, that he can without meanes ſuſtaine thee, take now further triall of that prouidence, in thy miraculous preſeruation; Caſt thy ſelfe down from this height; Behold, thou art here in Ieruſalem, the famous and holy City of the world; here thou art, on the top of the pinacle of that Temple, which is dedicated to thy Father, and, if thou be God, to thy ſelfe; the eyes of all men are now fixt vponupon thee, there cannot be deuiſed a more ready way to ſpred thy glory, and to p. 406proclaime thy Deity, then by caſting thy ſelfe headlong to the earth. All the world will ſay, there is more in thee, then a man; and for danger, there can bee none; What can hurt him, that is the Son of God? and wherefore ſerues that glorious Guard of Angels, which hauehave by diuine commiſſion, taken vponupon them the charge of thine humanity? ſince therefore in one act, thou mayſt bee both ſafe, and celebrated, truſt thy Father, and thoſe thy ſeruiceable ſpirits with thine aſſured preſeruation, Caſt thy ſelfe downe: And why didſt thou not, ô thou malignant ſpirit, endeauour to caſt downe my Sauiour, by thoſe p. 407ſame preſumptuous hands, that brought him vp, ſince the deſcent is more eaſie then the raiſing vp? was it for that, it had not beene ſo great an aduantage to thee, that hee ſhould fall by thy meanes, as by his owne? falling into ſinne, was more then to fall from the pinacle; ſtill thy care and ſute is, to make vsus Authours to our ſelues of euill; thou gaineſt nothing by our bodily hurt; if the ſoule be ſafe: Or was it rather for that, thou couldſt not? I doubt not, but thy malice could as well hauehave ſerued, to hauehave offered this meaſure to himſelfe, as to his holy Apoſtle ſoone after; but he that bounded thy power, p. 408tether'd thee ſhorter; Thou couldſt not, thou canſt not doe what thou wouldſt. Hee that would permit thee to carry him vp, binds thy hands from caſting him downe: And wo were it for vsus if thou wert not euer ſtinted:

Why did Satan carry vp Chriſt ſo high, but on purpoſe, that his fall might bee the more deadly; ſo deales hee ſtill with vsus, he exalts vsus, that we may be dangerouſly abaſed; Hee puffs men vp with ſwelling thoughts of their owne worthineſſe, that they may bee vile in the eyes of God, and fall into condemnation: It is the manner of God, to caſt downe, that he may raiſe, to p. 409abaſe that he may exalt; Contrarily, Satan raiſes vp, that hee may throw downe, and intends nothing but our deiection, in our aduancement.

Height of place giues opportunity of tentation; Thus buſie is that wicked one, in working againſt the members of Chriſt. If any of them bee in eminence aboue others, thoſe hee labours moſt to ruinate▪ They had need to ſtand faſt, that ſtand high; Both there is more danger of their falling, and more hurt in their fall.

Hee that had preſumed thus far, to tempt the Lord of life, would faine now draw him alſo to preſume vponupon his Deity; p. 410If thou bee the Son of God, cast thy ſelfe downe. There is not a more tryed ſhaft in all his quiuer, then this; a perſwaſion to men, not to beare themſelues too bold vpno the fauor of God; Thou art the Elect and Redemed of God; ſin, becauſe grace hath abounded, ſin, that it may abound; Thou art ſafe enough, though thou offend, be not too much an aduerſary to thine owne liberty: Falſe Spirit, it is no liberty to ſin, but ſeruitude rather, there is no liberty, but in the freedome from ſin; EueryEvery one of vsus, that hath the hope of Sonnes, muſt purge himſelfe, euen as hee is pure, that hath redeemed vsus: Wee are p. 411bought with a price, therefore muſt wee glorifie God in our bodies and ſpirits, for they are Gods; Our Son-ſhip teacheth vsus awe and obedience, and therefore, becauſe we are Sons, we will not caſt our ſelues downe into ſin.

How idly doe Satan and wicked men meaſure God, by the crooked line of their owne miſconceit: Ywis, Chriſt cannot be the Son of God, vnleſſe hee caſt himſelfe downe from the pinacle; vnleſſe he come down from the Croſſe. God is not mercifull, vnles he humor them in all their deſires, not iuſt, vnleſſe hee take ſpeedy vengeance, where they require it; But when p. 412they hauehave ſpent their folly vponupon theſe vaine imaginations, Chriſt is the Son of God, though hee ſtay on the top of the Temple, God will bee mercifull, though wee miſcarry, and iuſt, though Sinners ſeeme lawleſſe. Neither will he be any other then he is, or meaſured by any rule, but himſelfe.

But what is this I ſee, Satan himſelfe with a Bible vnderunder his arme, with a Text in his mouth, It is written, He ſhall giuegive his Angels charge ouer thee? How ſtill in that wicked One doth ſubtilty ſtriue with preſumption? Who could not, but ouer-wonder at this, if hee did not conſider, that ſince the Deuill dared to touch the p. 413ſacred bódy of Chriſt with his hand, hee may well touch the Scriptures of God with his tongue? Let no man henceforth maruell, to heare heretikes, or hypocrites, quote Scriptures, when Satan himſelfe hath not ſpared to cite thē; what are they the worſe for this, more then that holy body, which he tranſported? Some hauehave been poyſoned, by their meats & drinks, yet either theſe nouriſh vsus, or nothing: It is not the letter of the Scripture that can carry it, but the ſence; if we diuide theſe two, wee prophane and abuſe that word wee alledge. And wherfore doth this foule Spirit vrgea Text, but for imitation, p. 414for preuention, and for ſucceſſe? Chriſt had alledged a Scripture vntounto him, hee re-alledges Scripture vntounto Chriſt: At leaſt wiſe, he will counterfet an imitation of the Son of God; Neither is it in this alone; what one act euer paſſed the hand of God, which Satan did not apiſhly attempt to ſecond? If we follow Chriſt in the outward action, with contrary intentions, wee follow Satan, in following Chriſt. Or, perhaps, Satan meant to make Chriſt hereby weery of this weapon; As wee ſee faſhions, when they are taken vp of the vnworthy. are caſt of by the great, It was doubtles, one cauſe, why Chriſt p. 415afterwards forbad the Diuell euen to confeſſe the truth, becauſe his mouth was a ſlander. But chiefely doth he this, for a better colour of his tentation: He guilds ouer this falfe mettall with Scripture, that it may paſſe currant; Euen now is Satan transformed into an Angel of light, and will ſeeme godly for a miſcheife; If hypocrites make a faire ſhow to deceiue with a glorious luſtre of holineſſe, we ſee whence they borrowd it: How many thouſand ſoules are betrayd by the abuſe of that word, whoſe vſe is ſoueraigne and ſauing. No diuell is ſo dangerous as the religious diuell. If good meate turne to the nouriſhment, p. 416not of nature, but of the diſeaſe, we may not forbeare to feed, but indeauour to purge the body of thoſe euill humors, which cauſe the ſtomach to worke againſt it ſelfe. O God, thou that haſt giuen vsus light, giuegive vsus cleare and ſound eyes, that we may take comfort of that light thou haſt giuen vsus; Thy word is holy, make our hearts ſo, and then ſhall they finde that word, not more true then cordiall; Let not this diuine table of thine, bee made a ſnare to our ſoules.

What can be a better act then to ſpeake Scripture? It were a wonder if Satan ſhould doe a good thing well; He cites ſcripture p. 417then, but with mutilation, and diſtortion; it comes not out of his mouth, but maymed and peruerted; One peece is left out, all miſapplyed; Thoſe that wreſt or mangle Scripture for their owne turne, it is eaſie to ſee from what ſchoole they come. Let vsus take the word from the author, not from the vſurper: Dauid would not doubt to eate that ſheep, which hee pulled out of the mouth of the Beare or Lyon; (Hee ſhall giuegive his Angels charge ouer thee:) Oh comfortable aſſurance of our protection; Gods children neuer goe vnattended; Like vntounto great Princes we walke euer in the midſt of our guard; though inuiſible, p. 418yet true, carefull, powerfull; What creatures are ſo glorious as the Angels of heauen, yet their maker hath ſet them to ſerue vsus: Our adoption makes vsus at once great and ſafe; Wee may be contemptible and ignominious in the eyes of the world, but the Angels of God obſerue vsus the while, and ſcorne not to wait vponupon vsus in our homelieſt occaſions; The Sun, or the light may wee keepe out of our houſes, the ayre we cannot; much leſſe theſe fpirits, that are more ſimple and immateriall: No walls, no bolts, can ſeuer them from our ſides: they accompany vsus in dungeons, they goe with vsus into our exile; p. 419How can wee either feare danger, or complaine of ſolitarineſſe, whiles we hauehave ſo vnſeperable, ſo glorious companions?

Is our Sauiour diſtaſted with Scripture, becauſe Satan miſlaies it in his diſh? Doth he not rather ſnatch this ſword out of that impure hand, and beat Satan with the weapon which hee abuſeth; (It is written, Thou ſhalt not tempt thy Lord thy God;) The Scripture is one, as that God, whoſe it is; Where it carryes an appearance of difficulty or inconuenience, it needs no light to cleare it, but that, which it hath in it ſelfe. All doubts that may ariſe from it, are fully anſwered by collection; It is true p. 420that God hath taken this care, and giuen this charge of his owne; he will hauehave them kept, not in their ſinnes; they may truſt him, they may not tempt him; hee meant to incourage their faith, not their preſumption. To caſt our ſelues vponupon an immediate prouidence, when meanes faile not, is to diſobey, in ſteed of beleeuing God; we may challenge God on his word, we may not ſtraine him beyond it; wee may make account of what he promiſed, we may not ſubiect his promiſes to vniuſt examinations; and where no need is, make triall of his power, iuſtice, merciemercy, by deuiſes of our owne. All the Diuels p. 421in hel, could not elude the force of this diuine anſwer; and now Satan ſees how vainely he tempteth Chriſt to tempt God.

Yet againe for all this, doe I ſee him ſetting vponupon the Son of God: Satan is not foyled when he is reſiſted: neither diffidence, nor preſumption can faſten vponupon Chriſt, he ſhall be tryed with honor; As ſome expert Fencer that challenges at all weapons, ſo doth this great enemy; In vaine ſhall we plead our skill in ſome, if we faile in any; It muſt be our wiſdome to be prepared for all kinde of aſſaults: As thoſe that hold townes and forts doe, not only defend themſelues from incurſions, but from the p. 422cannon and the Pioner; ſtill doth that ſubtil Serpent trauerſe his ground for an aduantage; The Temple is not hye enough for his next tentation; He therefore carryes vp Chriſt to the top of an exceeding high mountaine; All enemies in pitcht fields ſtriue for the benefit of the hill, or riuer, or winde, or ſunne; That which his ſeruant Balac did by his inſtigation, himſelfe doth now immediately, change places in hope of preuailing. If the obſcure country will not moue vsus, hee tries what the Court can do, if not our home, the Tauerne, if not the field, our cloſet,; As no place is left free by his malice, ſo no place muſt p. 423be made preiudiciall by our careleſneſſe; and as wee ſhould alwayes watch ouer our ſelues, ſo then moſt, when the oportunity carries cauſe of ſuſpicion.

Wherfore is Chriſt caryed vp ſo high but for proſpect? If the kingdomes of the earth and their glory, were only to be repreſented to his imagination; the valley would hauehave ſerued; If to the outward ſence, no hill could ſuffice; Circular bodyes though ſmal, cannot be ſeene at once. This ſhow was made to both, diuers kingdomes lying round about Iudea were repreſented to the eye; The glory of them to the imagination; Satan meant the eye could tempt the p. 424fancy; no leſſe then the fancy could tempt the will. How many thouſand ſoules hauehave dyed of the wound of the eye; If we doe not let in ſinne at the window of the eye, or the dore of the eare, it cannot enter into our hearts.

If there bee any pompe, maieſty, pleaſure, brauery in the world, where ſhould it be but in the Courts of Princes, whom God hath made his Images, his deputies vponupon earth? There is ſoft rayment, ſumptuous feaſts, rich Iewels, honorable attendance, glorious triumphs, royall ſtate, theſe Satan laies out to the faireſt ſhow: But oh the craft of that old Serpent; Many p. 425a care attends greatneſſe; No creature is without thornes: High ſeats are neuer but vneaſie; all thoſe infinite diſcontentments, which are the ſhaddow of earthly ſoueraignety, he hides out of the way; nothing may bee ſeene, but what may both pleaſe and allure. Satan is ſtill and euer like himſelfe; If tentations might be but turnd about and ſhowne on both ſides, the kingdome of darkneſſe would not be ſo populous. Now whenſoeuer the Tempter ſets vponupon any poore ſoule, all ſting of conſcience, wrath, iudgement, torment is concealed, as if they were not; Nothing may appeare to the eye but pleaſure, p. 426profit, and a ſeeming happineſſe in the inioying our deſires; thoſe other wofull obiects are reſerued for the farewell of ſinne; that our miſery may bee ſeene and felt at once; When we are once ſure, Satan is a Tyrant, till then, he is a Paraſite: There can be no ſafety, if we do not view as well the backe as the face of tentations.

But oh preſumption and impudence, that hell it ſelfe may be aſham'd of; The Diuell dares ſay to Chriſt, All theſe will I giuegive thee, if thou wilt fall downe and worſhip mee; That beggerly ſpirit, that hath not an inch of earth, can offer the whole world to the maker; to the owner of it; p. 427The ſlaue of God would be adord of his Creator; How can we hope he ſhould be ſparing of falſe boaſts, and of vnreaſonable promiſes vntounto vsus, when hee dares offer kingdomes to him by whom kings raigne?

Tentations on the right hand are moſt dangerous; how many that hauehave bene hardned with feare, hauehave melted with honor; There is no doubt of that ſoule that will not bite at the golden hooke.

Falſe lyers and vaineglorious boaſters, ſee the top of their pedigree; If I may not rather ſay, that Satan doth borrow the vſe of their tongues for a time; Whereas faithfull is he that hath p. 428promiſed; who will alſo doe it. Fidelity and truth is the iſſue of heauen.

If Idolatry were not a deare ſinne to Satan, he would not be ſo importunate to compaſſe it; It is miſerable to ſee how hee drawes the world inſenſibly into this ſin, which they profeſſe to deteſt; Thoſe that would rather hazard the furnace, then worſhip gold in a ſtatue, yet doe adore it in the ſtampe, and finde no fault with themſelues. If our hearts be drawne to ſtoope vntounto an ouer-high reſpect of any creature, wee are Idolaters. O God, it is no maruell if thy ielouſie be kindled at the admiſſion of any of thine owne works p. 429into a competition of honor with their Creator.

Neuer did our Sauiour ſay, Auoid Satan, till now; It is a iuſt indignation, that is conceiued at the motion of a riuality with God, Neither yet did Chriſt exerciſe his diuine power in this command, but by the neceſſary force of Scripture, driues away that impure Tempter; It is written, Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him only ſhalt thou ſerue: The reſt of our Sauiours anſwers were more full and direct, then that they could admit of a reply, but this was ſo flat and abſolute, that it vtterly daunted the courage of Satan, and put him to a ſhamefull flight, and p. 430made him for the time, weary of his trade.

The way to bee rid of the troubleſome ſolicitations of that wicked one, is continued reſiſtance. Hee that forcibly droue the tempter from himſelfe, takes him off from vsus, and will not abide his aſſaults perpctuall; It is our exerciſe and triall, that hee intends, not our confuſion.