Christs Combat and Conquest, Verse 2
NOw we come to the third point in Christs expectation of his enemie, namely, his imployment; and that out of the Euangelists is gathered to be twofold: 1. Fasting, to which he ioyned praier without all doubt: this S. Matthew hath, that he fasted forty dayes & forty nights. 2. Temptation, by lighter onsets, as Luke saith plainely, he was forty daies there tempted of the deuill, and after that he was hungry; and then began these three temptations.
In his fast, consider three things: 1. what kind of fast it was. 2. the reasons of it. 3. the continuance, fourty dayes, and fourtie nights.
For the first. Of fasts there are three kindsKinds of fasts. 3.:
1. Ciuill, as when men f…st for the health of their body; or when men are so intent vponupon their affaires, as they take no time to eate and drinke: thus Saul fasted pursuing the Philistims, 1. Sam. 14.24. and those fourtie, that vowed not to eate till they had slaine Paul, so intent they were vponupon their wickednes, Act. 23.14. This is voluntarie: there is also one involuntarie fast, when men want what to eat or drinke, as Elias fasted, 1. Kin. 17.5. This is not here meant.
2. Religious, which is an abstinence from meates, drinkes, and all delights, to testifie our true humiliation before God, to fit vsus vntounto prayer, and to further and witnesse the truth of our repentance. And this is either publike or priuate, of one or of moe, for one day or longer time. But neither is this meant here: for, 1. Christ had no corrupt, wanton, or rebellious flesh to mortifie or chastise. 2. Christ had nothing to repent of, no amendement of life, no hardnes of heart, no want of faith to bewaile, no guiltines to confesse by it. 3. He had no need of fasting to helpe him in praier: for neither needed he any grace, which he had not by the liting of the spirit vponupon him, neither had he any sluggishnesse or dulnesse in his nature to hinder his prayer, neither did he euer make a prayer, which did not merit of it selfe to be heard, or wherein he was not heard.
3. Miraculous, which is aboue the strength of man, and is sometime giuen to the Saints, to commend their doctrine; as vntounto Moses, Exod. 24.18. and to Eliah, 1. King. 19.8. And of this kind was our Sauiours fast; because no man can fast so long, or halfe so long, and remaine aliue; and much lesse can a man fast so long, and not be hungry all the while, as it is said of Christ.
Secondly, the reasons of this fast are, 1. Negatiue: 2. Affirmatiue. I. Negatiue. 1. It was not to commend fasting, as the Papists teach: for it is no commendation to fast when one hath no stomacke, or is not hungrie, as Christ was not. Besides, it is in it selfe no worship of God, but a thing indifferent, and onelyonly commanded and commendable, so farre as it is an help to religious exercises. 2. Much lesse that we should imitate him, as the Papists doe in their Lent-fast: For 1. it is none of the morall imitable actions of Christ, but effected as other miracles by a power transcending the strength of men and Angels, yea by the same power whereby he gaue sight to the blind, and legges to the lame; he is as imitable in one as in the other. 2. If they wil imitate Christ, they must abstaine from all food, not onelyonly from flesh, and that for 40. dayes and 40. nights: for Christ all this while ate nothing: yea, and they must not be hungry all the while, as he was not, Luk. 4.2. 3. Christ did not fast once a yeare as they doe, but once in all his life. 4. There is no proportion, no agreement betweene Christs fast and their Lenten fast: for,
1. Christs was a total fast, an vtter abstinence; theirs is a mock-fast: they glut themselues in the time of their fast with most dainty meates and drinkes, in fulnes and delicacy.Christs fast disagreeth from popish fasts in 7. things or 8. 2. Christs was voluntary, theirs is forced, against the vse of the Primitiue Church, among whom it was left free to eueryevery mans conscience, when and how long it pleased him to vse it: neither were any lawes set downe for the Lent-fast yearly to be kept in imitation of Christ, till Gregory the great, or (as other write) Telesphorus Bishop of Rome about 400. yeares after Christ; but it was free for the time, and kinds of meates. 3. Christs fast was for a necessary cause; theirs in times of ioy, when no iust cause vrgeth, for the times sake, for custome, and superstitious imitation, when no publike danger is to be preuented, nor any speciall grace to be obtained; whereas by Christs fast the greatest euil in the world was diuerted, and the greatest good procured. 4. Christs was without ostentation, in secret in the wildernesse, when none saw him; where as in cities and societies of men, he ate and dranke: but these will be knowne to fast, and with the Pharisie professe, I fast twice a weeke, &c. 5. Christ fasted not as counting some meates vncleane, which are all good, and ought not to be refused, as vncleane; but receiued with thanksgiuing, as sanctified by the word and prayer, 1. Tim. 4.3.4.5. They fast with condemning of flesh and whatsoeuer commeth of it, as vncleane for that time: which is more Iewish then Iudaisme it selfe: for euen in the ceremoniall law, those things that were pronounced vncleane, were neuer to be refused as vncleane in themselues, but onelyonly in regard of the commandement: But much more now, all difference of meates beeing taken away; according to Peters vision, Act. 10.11. may all be lawfully vsed at all times for the nourishment of man: and the contrary is a doctrine of deuills. 6. Christ fasted not without instant prayer: for euen the Saints of God alwaies when they did fast, ioyned prayer, which otherwise were but a bodily exercise, 1. Tim. 4.8. And hence fasting is often put for fasting and prayer, Hester, 4.3.16. But they fast in want of extraordinary prayer, and when no neede or occasion is aboue ordinary. 7. Christ did not fast as placing the Kingdome of God in meates and drinkes; whereas they account the obseruation of their fasts a thing meritorious, to satisfie for sinne, and purchase the Kingdome of heauen; which is their common doctrine: Wherein what else doe they, then attribute the Kingdome of God to meate and drinke? 8. Let them shew where the people of God euer presumed to imitate the fasts of Moses or Elias: if they cannot, how dare they embolden themselues to imitate Christ, and inioyne the meanest of their Disciples so to doe vnderunder paine of damnation? for this is the boldnesse of Bernard, saying, As Christ forty dayes after his resurrection ascended to heauen, so none can ascend thither that fasteth not these fourty dayes.
And yet here I condemne not the Lent-fast among vsus, so it be obserued onelyonly as a ciuill and politike ordinance, and not as any religious fast or obseruation: for I esteeme it as lawfull for a King for a time to forbid his subiects some sorts of meat, and inioyne others as he seeth most fit for his Common-wealth, as for a Physitian to prescribe a diet to his patient, forbidding some meates, and appointing others for the health of his body. Much lesse doe I condemne all fasting in generall, but wish it were more obserued then it is, so it be rightly: But this fast of the Papists, in the institution, obseruation, causes, manner, and end of it, is wicked and sacrilegious.
Christ fasted this fast for 4. causes.II. The affirmatiue endes of this fast of Christ were these:
1. To prepare himselfe by fasting and praier to his most weighty calling: for although Christ was full of the holy Ghost, and seemed not to need the benefit of fasting and prayer to fit him, yet he tooke on him our infirmities with our nature, and as man needed such help as our selues doe.
2. To teach vsus, not rashly and headily to enter vponupon or vndertake any calling, but by fasting and prayer to prepare our selues, who hauehave more need of preparation then Christ had, and to get Gods blessing on the same: but especially this concernes the Magistrate and Minister. Ob. You said this fast was not for our imitation. Ans. True, it was not in the extent, but in the end it was: in the former Christ is to be admired, in the latter to be imitated.
3. To set out his miracles and diuine power, for the honour and authority of his person and doctrine, to shew himselfe the Sonne of God. Obiect. Moses and Elias fasted this fast, and yet were meere men. Answ. They did it by his power, he by his owne: they were vpheld by the power of God, but hee by his diuine power: their fasting was but a type and shadow of this. But to make eueryevery man able to imitate this fast, obscures Christs glory, and this miracle, and the Gospell it selfe.
4. That hereby he might bid battell, offer opportunity, and prouoke his aduersary to the combate: for this was the end both of his fasting, and going into the wildernesse, and of his hunger. Wherein also this fast of Christ may not be imitated: for we are not to offer any opportunities or aduantages to Satan, who is ready enough to seeke and take enough: as we may not tempt God, so we may not tempt the tempter, but pray that we may not be lead into temptation by him, and watch least we fall into temptation, Mark. 14.38. yea we must cut off and preuent his aduantages, and shunne all occasions wherein he might assault vsus, as knowing our owne weakenes.
The third thing in Christs fast is the continuance of time, forty dayes and fortie nights.] Quest. Why did he fast so long?Christ fasted no longer nor shorter time then 40. dayes, for 5. reasons. Moses in monte ante legem, Elias in itinere sub lege, Christus in deserto sub gratia. why no more nor no lesse? Answ. For these reasons: 1. To be answerable to the types. As Moses fasted 40. dayes at the institution of the law, and Elias at the restitution of it, so would Christ here at the manifestation of the Gospel. 2. Hee exceeded not this number, least he should seeme too inhumane and cruell against himselfe: for he did no more then Moses and Elias had done, men subiect to infirmity. In our time he is no man that cannot straine one tricke aboue others: but Christ being in the shape of a seruant, takes not vponupon him aboue his fellow-seruants. 3. He would not fast lesse, because he would not seeme lesse then the Prophets, nor vnlike them. 4. He would not fast more, because he would not hauehave his Deitie now acknowledged by the deuill. 5. He would not giuegive occasion to heretikes to doubt of the truth of his body and humane nature: If he had fasted longer then Moses and Elias, he might hauehave beene thought no true man, but onelyonly in show incarnate.
Quest. Why is it added, that he fasted fourty nights?
Answ. For these reasons: 1. To shew that it was not such a fast as the Iewes vsed to keepe, who fasted many dayes together,Fourtie nights added for two reasons. but ate at nights; as Daniel fasted for 3. weekes of dayes, chap. 3. v. 10. Nor like the Turkish fasts, who so soone as they see a starre, eat any thing on their fasting dayes, but that which is strangled, or hogges flesh. Nor yet like the Papists fast, who, though they say they fast 40. dayes, both to imitate Christ, & to giuegive God the tithe of the yeare, yet can feed wel & fare deliciously eueryevery night. 2. To shew, that Christ had a care to spend his nights wel, aswell as his dayes, not spending them out in sleep, but in watching and prayer as well as in fasting: for by the same power his bodie was preserued without sleep, as it was without meate. Far vnlike the Papists, who in their fasting-dayes spend the night in gluttony, luxurie, and all vncleannesse.
Doctr.This example of Christ teacheth vsus of what great necessitie this exercise fasting is,Fasting a most necessary duty. both for the entrance, & comfortable continuance of the duties of our calling, both generall and speciall. This Nehemiah knew well, when hearing of the calamitie of Ierusalem, and his brethren the Iewes, he fasted certaine dayes, and prayed before the God of heauen, c. 1. v. 4. And Ezra proclaimed a fast, to seeke the right way homeward, and safe from their enemies, c. 8. v. 21. see also Act. 13.3.
Reasons. 1.1. Fasting in an holy and religious manner, helpeth forward graces that are necessarie for our calling; as, 1. the grace of conuersion, and therefore is made an adiunct of it: Ioel. 2.12. Turne you with all your heart, with fasting and weeping. 2. the grace of prayer; for as prayer sanctifieth fasting, so fasting strengtheneth praier. Otherwise, to place Gods worship in fasting, is to make the belly the God. 3. it helpes forward the knowledge of the mysteries of God and godlinesse: Dan. 9.3. conferred with 20.21. as Daniel was praying and fasting, Gabriel was sent to instruct him, and reuealed to him the mysterie of the 70. weekes. 4. it addes strength and courage in the Christian combate betweene the flesh and the spirit; it is as a third, that comes in to take the spirits part, and so helpeth to the victorie by subduing the flesh.
22. The necessitie and profit of this exercise appeareth in respect of our selues: for, 1. If we want publike or priuate benefits, fasting ioyned with prayer is the meanes wherein God will hauehave them sought and obtained. The Beniamites after two sore ouerthrowes, by this meanes got the victory, Iud. 20.28. Annah by the same obtained her Samuel: and Dauid fasted for his childs life. 2. If we be in danger of publike or personall iudgments, by the same means they are to be diuerted: religious fasting is a cheife part of the defensiue armour of the Church, as we may see in the examples of Hester, sauing her people from Hamans deuise: and of the Niniuites, turning away the destruction threatned by Ionah, by fasting and humbling themselues. 3. If wee be to attempt publike or priuate duties, hereby we must fit our selues, and obtaine successe and blessing. So did Nehemiah and Ezra, as we saw before: and when Paul and Barnabas were separated to the worke of the ministerie, they fasted and prayed, Act. 13.3. Yea, Christ himselfe spent a whole night in fasting and prayer, before he chose his Disciples, Luk. 6.12, 13.
3. Daily experience shewes the necessity of religious fasting:3 for, 1. How may men obserue in themselues, that for want of this duty they grow dull in their profession, and heauy in holy practises, yea empty of grace, so as they may thinke the spirit is departed from them? yet when they hauehave renewed this exercise, they finde themselues more ripe and ready, more quicke and able to good duties, as if they had new soules giuen them. 2. Doe woe not see, that the more conscionably a man carrieth himselfe, the more busily Satan doth bestirre himselfe against him? and had he not need so much the more fence himselfe with coat-armour, and flie to God for strength and protection? If a good Magistrate or Minister be to be brought into any place, how doth Satan storme and bend his forces against him, because he thinkes that then his kingdome must downe? Therefore if a man meane to be seruiceable to God in any place, it is meet hee should first sanctifie it by fasting and prayer, as Christ did.
This serues to rebuke the great want of this so needfull a dutie.Vse. 1. What Magistrate or Minister, against whom Satan most shouteth, entreth thus into his calling, as Christ by fasting and prayer; but by gifts, fauour, or otherwise get liuings and offices? but to God they goe not; and this is the cause that so little good is done, either in one calling or the other: as much blessing as they seeke, they hauehave. So, what other reason can be giuen, that many lingring euills and want of Gods blessing is in so many families; but because men omit the cheife meanes of procuring the one, and repelling the other? Men thinke they hauehave nothing to doe with this duty, but when publike authority enioynes it, and that it is onelyonly the fault of Magistracie it is so out of vse; as though eueryevery Master of a family were not a Magistrate and Bishop in his owne house; or as if that were not a means for priuate blessings, which is so mighty for publike. Oh deceiue not thy selfe: that which thou canst not doe publikely, thou maiest doe in thine owne house; and therefore, if thou wantest any grace or blessing, blame thine owne idlenes that seekest it not in Gods meanes.
This should mooue vsus to performe so needfull a duty as this is,Vse. 2. and thereunto to consider of these reasons.Motiues to fastin…, 11. 1. Consider the promises that are made, and hauehave been made good to fasting and feruent prayer. Remember that one example of good King Iehoshaphat, against whom came the Moabites, Ammonites, and they of mount Seir; whereupon he proclaimed a fast throughout all Iudah, and prayed earnestly, 2. Chron. 20.2.17. and before they had ended their praier, the Spirit of the Lord came vponupon Iahaziel a Leuit, who by the spirit of prophecie foretold the victorie, saying, Yee shall not need to fight in this battell, O Iudah, and Ierusalem: Feare yee not, but to morrowe goe out against them, and the Lord will be with you: and so it came to passe: for the enemies slew one an other, and the Iewes gathered the spoyle, and returned and praised God in the valley of Beracha, that is, of blessing; so called euer after.
2. The ordinary praiers of Gods children hauehave preuailed much, and much more can their fasting and praier bring greater blessings. When Peter was in prison, sleeping betweene two souldiers, the night before he should be brought out to death, beeing bound with two chaines, and the Keeper before the doore watching the prison, at the ordinary prayer of the Church, an Angel smote Peter, saying, Arise quickely, and his chaines fell off, and he was deliuered, Act. 12.5. much more can extraordinarie prayer, ioyned with fasting, preuaile.
3. Many things are not obtained, but by that prayer which is ioyned to fasting: Matth. 17.14. this kind (of deuils) is not cast out but by prayer and fasting, that is, by a most feruent kind of prayer, to which fasting is ioyned as a whetstone to sharpen it, and set an edge on it. Some things, as those that are pretious, cost a greater price; and some suits must be obtained of men, not without long and instant supplication: so here, many things are long sought by ordinary prayer, which beeing extraordinary fauours, might by extraordinarie prayer hauehave been sooner had.
4. God hath rewarded the wicked, who hauehave vsed this ordinance in hypocrisie; and much more will he those his seruants that vse it in truth. 1. King. 21.21. Ahab fasting for the destruction threatened by Elijah, humbled himselfe; and this fast of his not ioyned with true repentance, but onelyonly kept in the outward ceremonie, in abstaining from meate, in sackecloath, and giuing some testimonie of outward sorrow, was not vnrewarded, but obtained a repriue of the execution of the sentence til his sonnes dayes. How much more respect shall we obtaine of God, if we ioyne to the outward fast the inward graces of humility, repentance, faith, and feruencie?
5. Were this exercise in request sometimes in families, it would preuent many iugdements, and many sinnes the procurers thereof, in gouernours, children, and seruants; as adulterie, fornication, drunkennesse, swearing, riot, and profanenesse; these might bee kept out aswell as cast out by this meanes: and vnspeakeable were the good that might hereby be procured, as release from many euils, life, health, &c.
6. We hauehave the example of the Iewes, who besides all other mooueable fasts vponupon speciall occasion, must hauehave one set fast in a yeare, Leuit. 16.29. 1. Because many great sinnes of all sorts might be committed in a yeare, for which they needed to be humbled. 2. Once a yeare God might shew some tokens of displeasure, publike or priuate, that they might know that once a yeare they had cause to be humbled. Obiect. That was a ceremony. Answ. The day was, not the thing, the equity of which binds vsus as well as them, because the ends and causes bind vsus. And in the Gospel we hauehave the example of Iohn and his Disciples, who fasted often: and Christs Disciples must fast, when the bridegroome is gone, and causes of mourning come.
Beside these, we hauehave sundry other motiues to religious fasting: as,
1. Shall Christ fast for vsus, and not we for our selues? 2. Shall the Pharisies fast twice a weeke in hypocrisie, and we not once in our liues in sincerity? 3. Can we chearefully betake vsus for our bodily health to fasting, diet, or abstinence so long as the Physition will prescribe, and will we do nothing for our soules health? 4. Can worldly men for a good market fast from morning to euening, and can Christians be so carelesse as to dedicate no time to the exercise of fasting and prayer, to increase their gaine of godlines? 5. Is not this a seasonable exhortation? hath not God sounded the Trumpet to fasting? Matth. 9.16. when the bridegroome is taken away, it is time to fast: But now,
1. Sinnes abound, as drunkennes, pride, and high wickednes, and there is no more feare of Gods wrath in the Church and land. 2. The word and ministery is more despised then euer, and lesse loued; Preachers and Professors of the Gospell are scorned, as in the dayes of Noah; the heauenly Mannah is contemned, and the contempt of it threatneth a finall departure of the bridegroome. 3. Papists increase in numbers, in boldnes, in pride, in power, and are so farre from beeing conuerted by the light, as they are daily more peruerted and peruerse, notwithstanding the glorious Gospell of God, and the wholesome lawes of the land. Adde vntounto these the swarmes of Atheists, Macheuilians, carnall and colde Protestants among vsus. 4. Who hath not smarted in the common iudgements of the land, lingring by many yeares in plagues, vnseasonable weather, fires, waters, and the like, all of them forerunners of greater misery? Who can forget the warning of gun-powder, and the present vnfeelingnes of it?
And were not these publike euills, how many eueryevery one of vsus bewaile Christs hiding of himselfe from our soules? His gratious beames shine not on vsus with such comfort as they might, his word is not so fruitfull in the best as it should, dullnes and conformitie with the times creepe in vponupon the best; the Sun and Moone, great lights in the ministry are darkened, and the starres loose their light among professors. Is it not time to awake our selues, if euer, and to betake our selues to sackecloth and ashes, to fasting and prayer, if the Lord may be intreated to draw neerer vsus, and our soules nearer him?
The second part of Christs employment, while he expected his enemy, was temptation by lighter onsets, which is plaine, in that S. Luke saith he was 40. dayes tempted of the deuill; and then recordeth Satans solemne onsets vponupon him in these three most fierce temptations. Whence we may obserue his subtilty and pollicie, who hath a deepe fetch in it: for,
Doctr. Satan by lesser temptations makes way to greater.By lesser temptations he maketh way vntounto greater. For, 1. As a wise captaine sends out his spies to see the state of the contrary armie, their number and strength, and to view what aduantages may be taken, and perhaps sends out a wing to make a skirmish onelyonly, to try their purpose and strength; so doth Satan here: he would by lesser temptations trie the strength or weakenesse of Christ, that so he might plant his maine forces against him accordingly. 2. He begins with smaller things before he come with his maine forces and shew his blacknesse, because smaller things are easily contemned, or more easily yeelded vntounto: is it not a little one? and is there any great hurt in it? 3. He knowes by little things how to obtaine great, easily winding himselfe by little and little into the heart, as a cunning theefe, if he can finde roome but for the point of a wrinch, will quickely make strong doores to flie open. 4. He will trie if by small things he can make vsus secure, and negligent to put on all Gods armour to fence vsus, because we easily thinke that smaller things neede no great resistance.
Vse. 1.As he dealt with Christ our head, so doth he with his members: therefore as Christ was able enough to espie his sleight, so must we learne to doe; euen where Satan begins his temptation,Where Satan beginneth his temptation, we must begin our resistance. there to beginne our resistance, and giuegive him the repulse at his first motion: we must resist smaller temptations, and keepe off of the first staffe of the deuills ladder, and kill eueryevery hellish serpent in the shell. 1. We must doe as wise citizens that are besieged, and will not let the enemie come to scale the wall, or into the marketplace with purpose to driue him out againe, but keep them out without bullets reach. 2. We are wise to preuent bodily diseases at the first grudgings, because we know that diseases get strength by delay, and are hardly remooued if they be suffered to settle. 3. Satan first layes obiects and occasions, and then tempts or works vponupon them. Dauid was first mooued to looke vponupon Bathsheba, which seemed a small thing: but had he had his armour on his eye, his heart had beene fenced from the desire, and himselfe from the act. Peter was not first mooued to forsweare his Master, but first to goe into the high Priests hall, or to follow aloofe off, and then to sit among Christs enemies, and then to doe as they did. The deuill comes first aloofe, and seemes to require but some reasonable thing at first, but at last is impudent and importunate for greater. Doe we thinke that Iudas was at first mooued to betray his innocent Lord? no, but first Satan wrought him to couetousnesse, and then offered the occasion, thirtie pieces of siluer, and so strucke vp the matter by degrees, and in the end oppressed him with his whole power.
Euen so to draw a man from God and religion, he will begin with lesser things, he will not bid a man hate religion at the first, but first to doubt of this point or that, or hate, not all at first, but this minister or that; he sets before his eyes some infirmities, which breed dislike, then he mooues him to take counsell against him, then to scorne, raile, persecute him. When Saul was commanded vtterly to destroy the Amalekites, men and cattell, and spare none, the deuill thought it bootlesse to goe against the whole commaundement of God, by moouing him to spare all; but he might thinke it reasonable to spare some, the King, and the fatte beasts, especially vponupon so good an intention as to sacrifice: but this was enough to depose him from his Kingdome.
Here therefore remember these rules: 1. To giuegive no place to the deuill, Eph. 4.27. And seeing we giuegive him place three wayes,2 Rules of resistance, 3.1. by letting into our hearts his suggestion. 2. by putting it in execution. 3. by not hating his motions, and the risigns of sinne: we must carefully watch against him in all these.2 2. The lesse the sinne is to which thou art tempted, the more suspect Satans further drift in it, which he euer hideth at the first: for if he be not met in the beginning, he makes no stay till he comes to the height of sinne. An example hereof we hauehave in Eue, to whom Satan comes and saith, Yea, hath God said so indeede? not that he did not know it, but his further drift was to make her forsake that word, as indeede she did. So he comes to many a man, as to Peter, and saith, Goe into such and such company among thy neighbours, to such or such an exercise; which is a small thing: but he hath a further drift; there thou shalt loose thy time, and thrust thy selfe out of thy calling, there thou shalt loose thy patience,, thy charity, thy piety, and comming home shalt finde thy selfe much worse and weaker for going abroad: He did not bid thee goe and sweare, and quarrell, and scoffe, or abet these things in others, but he did as bad: for these are the fruits, yea the best fruits that come from lewd and vnthrifty company.3 3. Consider, that as the least poyson in quantitie kils or hurts, if it be but once taken; so euen the smallest sinne is deadly poyson to the soule. Set open one gate of a besieged citie, and the enemies will come in as certainly, as if all the walls were rased. One serpent suffered to come so neere as to winde about a mans hand, is not easily shaken off. The beginning of sinne is death, and a bad beginning brings on a worse ende.
Vse. 2.Let vsus beware we despise no temptation: to contemne a temptation is to neglect ones armour,The least temptation is too strong for a secure aduersarie. and the meanes of resistance; and no temptation but will be too strong against a secure aduersarie. But let vsus learne to feare continually in respect of our weakenes, and let vsus prepare for warre in the rumour of it, before the enemy bee in our neckes, and will not suffer vsus to whet and fit our armour.
Vse. 3.This teacheth vsus what to thinke of them that scorne men as being too precise: What? must we not sweare small oathes? may we not speake now and then a merry word? may we not recreate our selues? (now by recreation, they meane gaming, vnthriftinesse, cousenage, and the like:) may we not now and then be angry and impatient, seeing flesh and blood is so weake, and it is but an infirmitie? what neede a man be so precise and scrupulous, as to stand vponupon such small triflles? all which is but to plead for Sathan against our owne safetie.
He was afterwards an hungrie]
In these words is set downe the effect of Christs fast; After he had fasted fourtie dayes and fourtie nights, he began to be hungry: all the while before he was not hungry, neither did he want power to hauehave fasted longer, and by his diuine power vpheld his humane nature, if he pleased: but now the miraculous fast beeing finished, he begun to hunger.
Quest. How could Christ be hungry, seeing he was able to feed so many thousands with seauen loaues and two fishes? Besides, Ioh. 4.34. he saith, My meat is to doe the will of him that sent me, and to finish his worke. Or if he could be hungry, why would hee? Ans. Some hauehave thought that Christ needed not to eate, sleep, &c. as we need when our bodily strength is exhaust by labour, by fasting, and watching. And some of the Fathers, as Ambrose, and Theophylact, vponupon Mar. 11.12. hold that Christ onelyonly by dispensation gaue his body leaue to be hungry when he pleased; as though hee neither was wont, nor could nor ought to be ordinarily hungry as other men, nor necessarily forced to eate. But we must knowe, that Christ tooke vponupon him a true humane body, and the forme of a seruant, in which he was obnoxious to all our infirmities, onelyonly sinne excepted. And the infirmities which hee vndertooke not, are these:
1. He was not to take any which might hinder the perfection of his soule or body. Of his soule, as vices, sinnes,What infirmities our Sauiour tooke, and tooke not, in 3. propositions pronenesse to euill, heauines to goodnesse. Christ tooke miserable infirmities in his soule, (as Augustine saith) such as are, naturall negatiue ignorance; as of the day of iudgement, and the time of figges fructifying; but not foreign, (as Damascene saith) damnable and detestable. Of his body, because it was extraordinarily conceiued and created of the Holy Ghost, who being of infinite wisedome and power, could not erre, or not bring his body to perfection. Therefore he was not to be blind, lame, deafe, &c. which are infirmities in many other men.
2. Christ was not to take all infirmities in generall: for 1. Some arise of particular causes, which could not be in Christ;Christ tooke not all infirmities of eueryevery particular man, for 3. causes. as namely, some hereditary infirmities and diseases, as the leprosie, falling-sickenes, s…one, &c. some from redundance of matter in generation hauehave some monstrous or superfluous part: some from defect want some part, or hauehave some part withered or scanted. None of this can agree to Christs most perfect conception of the Holy Ghost. 2. Some infirmities are acquisite, as by surfets feauers, and gowts by fulnes: These could not befall Christ, who neuer exceeded the meane, his whole life beeing a continuall exercise of sobrietie: neither had he euer any acquisite infirmity, but voluntarily vndertaken. 3. Some defects and infirmities are the fruit of some speciall iudgement of God; as Vzziah his leprosie was a speciall stroke of Gods hand for a speciall sinne: so some are borne fooles and simple: Neither could these belong to Christ, who had no sinne, nor cause of iudgement in him.
3. Christ was to take vponupon him all naturall and indetractable infirmities (as the Schoolemen call them) and onelyonly them: Naturall, that is, such as follow common nature, infirmities common to all men: And indetractable, or inculpable, which detract not from the perfection of his person, nor of his grace, nor of the worke of our redemption. Of this kinde are hunger, thirst, labour, wearines, sleep, sorrow, sweat, and death it selfe: all these are common to all men. Now hunger beeing a common infirmitie, incident to all men, yea to Adam in innocency, (who was hungrie and did eate, as Gen. 1.39. eueryevery tree bearing fruit shall be to you for meat: and slept, c. 2. v. 21. a heauie sleep fell on the man; yet without molestation:) therefore Christ did necessarily hunger as other men doe, not by an absolute necessity (for 1. hee needed not hauehave taken our nature, or beene incarnate: 2. as he was God, he could hauehave exempted himselfe from all the abasement and miseries that he suffered:) neither by a coacted necessity; for he willingly submitted himselfe to this necessity: But by a necessity ex hypothesi, or conditionate; hauing taken our nature to redeeme it, he was necessarily to take on him all our weaknesses, sinne onelyonly excepted; for these reasons:
Reasons why Christ tooke on him our infirmities, 5.1. He was not onelyonly to be like a man, and in the shape of a man, but also a very true man, like vntounto his brethren in all things, except sinne: therefore it is said, Hebr. 2.17. foreign,Mans nature is knowne by defects, Gods by perfection. to assure the truth of his incarnation against all Anthropomorphites, and such like heretikes.
2. This was a part of his obedience, and consequently of our redemption, that he suffered the same thnigs as we doe, both in body and in mind: verè pertulit languores nostr…s, he hath truly borne our infirmities, Isa. 53.4.
3. That he might sanctifie vntounto vsus these infirmities, and take away the sting of them, least we should be wearied, and faint in our mindes, Heb. 12.3. and that we might hauehave an example in suffring, 1. Pet. 2.21.
4. That he might be a compassionate High Priest, Heb. 2.17.18. touched with infirmity, yea cloathed with our fraile nature, that we should not doubt of his grace, who vouchsafed to be so abased for vsus.
5. Himselfe confirmeth the same, in that he tooke not on him such a body of ours as Adam had before sinne, but such a one as hee retained after his fall, so farre as it was obnoxious to all incriminall paines of sinne; namely, such as was subiect to wearines, Ioh. 4.6. to sorrow, teares, and weeping, as ouer Ierusalem, Luk. 19.41. and at the raising of Lazarus, Ioh. 11.35.38. and in his agonie, when he shed teares and vsed strong cries, Heb. 5.7. to sweating water and blood in the garden, yea to death it selfe: from all which Adams body was free before the fall. And by these his body was by a true necessity ouercome as ours are; and this not for a short time or space, at his pleasure, but all the time of his life till he breathed out his holy spirit; yea thirsting vponupon the crosse it selfe, Ioh. 19.28.
Neither was this onelyonly to confirme the truth of his humane nature, but to fulfill all righteousnesse, and carrie away all the punishment of our sinnes, and so worke a perfect saluation for vsus. Therefore Christ truely and necessarily was hungrie, as we vse to bee.
As for that place, in Ioh. 4.34. I answer:Ob. Christs meat was to do the will of his father. 1. It must be meant comparatiuely, in that the execution of his calling, and doing of his fathers will was preferred before his meate and drinke. 2. It belongs to the hunger of the soule, which is, to cleaue to God and obey him in his will; and so keeps not off the hunger of a naturall body. 3. Christ did as Abrahams seruant did at Bethuels house, who hauing meate set before him, would not eate till he had done his message, Gen. 24.33. and yet was subiect to hunger.
Quest. Differences betweene Christ infirmities and ours in fiue things.What is the difference betweene Christs infirmities and ours?
Answ. 1. They are all punishments of our sinne in vsus, but not punishments of his sinne in him. 2. His humane nature beeing holily conceiued, was in it selfe free from them all,Non habuit ex debito pe…cati. Aquin. and they doe not necessarily attend it in respect of it selfe: But our nature beeing tainted with originall sinne hath contracted them inseparably, seeing by one man sinne came in, and death (of which these are forerunners) by sinne went ouer all. 3. Christ vndertooke them by a voluntary necessitie; but in vsus the necessity is forced and absolute: will we, nill we, we must carrie them. 4. In vsus they be the effects of our sinne, in Christ effects of mercy. 5. Ours are often miserable, acquisite, rising from particular causes, or sinnes; but so were not Christs. Obiect. If Christ tooke not all our infirmities, what say you to Damascens argument, Quod est in assumptibile, est incurabile? how could Christ cure all our defects, and not assume them all? Answ. All particular defects rise out of the generall corruption and infirmity, which Christ vndertooke and cured, and therein these also; euen as he which stops a fountaine in the head, stops all the streames without more adoe.
Vse. 1. Note the wonderfull humility of our Lord Iesus, who would not onelyonly take vponupon him our nature, but euen our infirmities, and was not onelyonly a man, but a seruant also. If he had descended, beeing the Lord of glory, to hauehave taken the nature of Angels, or (if of man) such as Adam was in innocencie, it had beene admirable humility, and such as hath no fellow: But to be a worme rather then a man, is lower then humility it selfe. Let the same minde be in vsus that was in Christ, Phil. 2.5.
Vse. 2. His infinite louelove is herein set forth: he was able to feed many thousands with a few loaues and little fishes, yet he would want bread and be hungry himselfe: he could and did giuegive legges to the lame, yet he would be weary himselfe for vsus: he could fill the hearts of others with the ioyes of heauen, yet he would sorrow: he raised others from death, and yet he died. And as this commends his louelove to vsus, so should it breed in vsus a louelove of him, to expresse it in embracing a base estate for him, and in giuing vp at his call our comforts, our liberty, our bodies, and liues: so did he for vsus.
Vse. 3. This is a great comfort for the poore, and men in want, seeing Christ and his Disciples not sieldome wanted what to put in their bellies: Matth. 12.1. The Disciples plucked the eares of corne, and beganne to eate. Christ the Lord of glory hath sanctified thy want, thy hunger, thy penurie by his: If thou beest in the world as in a barren wildernes, and liuest among hard-hearted and cruell men, as so many wilde beasts, thinke on Christ in this estate; thou art no better, of no better desert then he, nor better loued of God then he, and yet thou farest no worse then he: Oh murmure not, nor repine, but say with that blessed Martyr, If men take away my meate, God will take away my stomacke; he feeds the young rauens, and will he neglect mee? OnelyOnly turne all thy bodily hunger into a spirituall hunger after Christ and his merits, and then thou shalt bee sure not to starue and die euerlastingly,Matth 5.6. Reu. 2.17. but to bee satisfied with the hidden Mannah of God.
Vse. 4. Let rich men learne, that it is not good alwaies to bee full, and preuent hunger, but to feele it, and know what it means: Christ was God, and might hauehave auoided it, but beeing man ought not, and would not, that he might hauehave sense and feeling of our infirmities, and so be a compassionate High Priest. What els is it that breeds hardnes of heart in rich men, but want of feeling of the afflictions of Ioseph? Gluttonous Diues tooke not to heart Lazarus his want; and where are the poore most neglected, but where there is fine and delicate diet eueryevery day? Especially the Ministers of Christ should learne to endure want and hunger; as Paul had learned to want and abound, and to be contented in euerie estate; else they will doe but small good in their ministerie.
Vse. 5. Christ is daily hungrie in his members; Lazarus lieth still at our gates, and is not yet quite dead: therefore let vsus put on the bowels of compassion towards him. Would we not hauehave releiued Christ, if we had liued when he did? or would we not now if he should be in need? Oh yes, (we say) we would, else it were pitie we should liue. Well then, whatsoeuer we doe to one of his little ones we doe it to himselfe, and so he accepts it, saying, I was hungrie and yee gaue me meate, I was thirstie and ye gaue me drinke. Despise not thy poore fellow-member, and turne not thine eye from beholding his penurie, nor thine eare from hearing his moanes and deep sighes: If thou shouldest heare Christ himselfe say, I thirst, (as once he did on the crosse) wouldest thou giuegive him vinegar and gall to drinke? is that it he thirsteth after? no, it is thy conuersion and compassion that will satisfie him; therefore vse him kindly in his members.