Sermons Preached on Several Occasions Volume 2, Sermon 14
The Fourteenth Sermon.
MATTH. IV. 9.
And he saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
THUS I have done with what was preparatory to the Temptation: Now followeth the Temptation it self, in the ninth Verse: And he saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. St. Luke expresseth this more fully, adding, That the Devil said moreover, all this is delivered me, and unto whomsoever I will, I give it; or to that purpose.
And here, 1. We may observe the Devil's most impudent Lying. The Word of God, which is of infallible Truth, affirmeth, That the Kingdoms of the World are in God's disposal, and that he giveth them to whomsoever he pleaseth. That God putteth down one, and setteth up another, Psal. 75.7. But the Devil saith, That all the Kingdoms of the World, and the Glory of them, are his; and he disposeth of them as he pleaseth. The Devil is a Liar, and the Father of it, as he who is Truth it self testifieth concerning him, John 8.44. The Devil told the first Lie that ever was told. This Deceiver told our first Parents, that their eating of the forbidden Fruit should be no prejudice, but a great advantage to them. God had threatned them, that in the day in which they should eat thereof, they should surely die; that is, they should die spiritually, and also be immediately subject to Death corporal and eternal; but the Devil told them they should not die, but become like Gods, knowing Good and Evil, Gen. 3.4, 5. This practice of Lying the Devil hath ever since used himself, and taught others to use it; and upon all occasions tempted and instigated them thereunto. By long practice he is become perfectly acquainted with the art of Lying, and all the Secrets and Mysteries thereof. This wicked Art he continually exerciseth and practiseth many ways.
As, 1. By enticing men to sin by fallacious and lying Promises of that content and satisfaction thereby, which they shall never have. Thus he deluded our first Parents.
2. By persuading wicked men, who are in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity, that their spiritual Estate is good, and that they are in a safe condition.
3. By endeavouring on the contrary to make good men believe that their Estate is dangerous, and unsafe; that they are under the Wrath and Curse of God; that he may hereby deject them, discourage and terrify them.
4. By persuading Sinners who begin to have a sense of their Sin and Misery, that there is no mercy for them, and that 'tis in vain for them to seek the pardon of their Sins, or to do any thing in order to the making their peace with God.
5. By instilling into the minds of men false Doctrines, dangerous Opinions, pernicious Errors and Heresies, and by imposing them on them for Divine Truths.
6. By endeavouring to infect and poison the Souls of men with Principles of Atheism and Irreligion; telling them there is no God, no Judgment to come, no Heaven, no Hell; that there are neither Rewards nor Punishments in another World; that the Souls of Men are not immortal; that there is no difference after Death between a Man and a Beast; that there is no Truth in Divine Promises and Threatnings; that the Scriptures are not the Word of God, and that the Doctrine of the Gospel is but a Fable. These blasphemous and atheistical Tenets, not to be mentioned without abhorrence and detestation, doth the Devil, the Father of Lies, endeavour to possess the minds of men withal.
7. By teaching and tempting men of wicked and ungodly Opinions to deceive others, and seduce them, and to turn them aside from the Truth unto Fables. Upon this account it is (as some Divines conceive) that false Doctrines and Heresies are called Doctrines of Devils, 1 Tim. 4.11. The Devil, that seducing and lying Spirit, being the Author and Fomenter, the Broacher and Propagator of them.
8. By helping his wicked Instruments to make use of false and lying Miracles for the more effectual deluding and seducing of others. Hence it is that the Apostle saith, the coming of Antichrist to deceive the World, and to draw men off from the Truth, should be after the working of Satan, with all Power, and Signs, and lying Wonders, 2 Thess. 2.9. So then, false Signs and lying Wonders, are the Artifices which Satan by his instruments makes use of to cheat the World. Hence also 'tis that we read Rev. 13.14. that the Beast which had Horns like a Lamb, and spake as a Dragon, that is, the Roman Antichrist (for so he is described) deceived them that dwell on the Earth, by the means of those Miracles which he had power to do. And then afterwards, Rev. 16.13, 14. we read again of three unclean Spirits coming out of the mouth of the Dragon, and out of the mouth of the Beast, and out of the mouth of the false Prophet, which are the Spirits of Devils working Miracles. Here the seeming Miracles which are wrought by Antichrist and his Adherents, are ascribed to the Devil. For 'tis the Devil, the Father of Lies, that teacheth and instigateth them by their jugling tricks to deceive the World; and the Devil in all probability sometimes assists them also to do strange things that look like Miracles, and are taken for true Miracles by ignorant and superstitious people.
9. The Devil carries on his practice of lying, by teaching and▪ instigating men of seared Consciences to make use of Lying Equivocations, and Mental Reservations, to keep themselves out of danger, to exempt themselves from those Punishments which by their Misdemeanours they have deserved, and to keep up and maintain the Credit and Reputation of their Party. That Equivocations are the Devil's own Artifices, is evident. Did not this Lyar equivocate when he assaulted Eve, telling her, That by eating of the forbidden Fruit, they should have the knowledg of good and evil? His own meaning which he reserved to himself was, that they should have, not the comfortable knowledg of good and evil, but the sad, miserable, experimental knowledg of the evil of Sin, Guilt, and Punishment; of the loss of God's Favour, and of the woful effects of his Displeasure. In a word They should know by lamentable experience, both how great the Good was, which by violating the Commandments of God they had lost, and how great the Evils were which they had thereby brought upon themselves. This, I say, was the meaning which the false, lying, equivocating Spirit reserved to himself; but in the mean time he so express'd himself, and so carri'd the matter, as they might understand their condition should be much better'd and advanc'd, by a most comfortable and desirable, a most divine and Excellent Knowledg which they should attain as soon as they should have tasted of the forbidden Fruit. By this instance we see who was the Father of Equivocations, even he who is the Father of Lies. And we may see also how ancient equivocating was; the Devil made use of this cheating Artifice in the first Temptation with which he assaulted Mankind. And the same wicked Art he used when he would prevail with Ahab to go up to Ramoth Gilead to Battel; 1 Kings 22.22. when a wicked Spirit had offered himself to persuade Ahab, that he might go up to Ramoth Gilead and fall; and the Lord had demanded of him how he would persuade him; I will, saith he, go forth and be a lying spirit in the mouths of his Prophets. That which the Devil himself calls a lying Spirit, and that which the Prophet Michaiah afterwards so calleth, saying, Behold the Lord hath put a lying Spirit into the mouth of thy Prophets, v. 23. was an equivocating Spirit. For the Answer which the Devil had put into the mouths of Ahab's false Prophets was, Go up, for the Lord hath delivered it into the hand of the King. In which subtil and ambiguous Speech he neither expresseth what the Lord would deliver, neither into the hands of what King: So that the thing to be delivered into the hands of the King might be either the Army of Israel, or the City of Ramoth Gilead. If the words were understood of the Army of Israel to be deliver'd, then by the King must be understood the King of Syria as indeed it fell out; for the King of Syria getting the Victory, the Army of Ahab was delivered into his hands. But if Ramoth Gilead was to be delivered into the hand of the King, then by the King, must Ahab the King of Israel he understood, who should recover that City out of the hands of the King of Syria. And thus Ahab understood it, and so was encouraged to go up to Ramoth Gilead, making sure account that he should gain it; but instead of regaining Ramoth Gilead, he lost his Army, and his own Life also. Thus the Devil cheated him, and trepann'd him to his ruin.
Now what hath been said concerning the Devil's Lying and Equivocation, should make us hate all manner of lying and falshood with a perfect hatred, and this as we would not imitate and resemble the Devil, whose Children they are, and whose likeness and image they bear who addict themselves to this sin. Neither may any man think that equivocating is in the least more excusable than a plain or flat Lye. For though it be artificially framed to cover the evil and deformity of it, and to prevent the discovery, and also the suspicion of falshood; yet 'tis a lye, and no better; yea, 'tis the worst sort of lyes, it being so much the more sinful, because there is so much Artifice and Contrivance in it; and it being so much the more dangerous, because it is so cunningly framed as that the Hearer may neither so much as suspect the falshood that lies under it, nor the prejudice thereby intended. Whatever any of us may think of Equivocation, how favourable soever our thoughts of it may be, the Prophet Mioaiah, as we have seen, called an Equivocating Spirit, a lying Spirit and the Devil himself called it by no better name. It were well if all they would seriously consider this, who though they seem to make some Conscience of uttering a plain and downright Lye, yet make no Conscience at all of an artificial Lye, that is, of Equivocation; they stick not at saying one thing, and meaning another, so long as they can make out a true sense to themselves, by the help of some secret reservation in their own minds. A deceitful Art so common, and so much in use with many, that you know not where to have them, or how far you may believe them in any thing which they either affirm or deny. For, how plain and express soever their words are, they may (according, to their usual practice) have a reserve to themselves, which added to what they utter, makes up a sense directly contrary to what is expressed, and to what their words plainly import and signify. They will say, 'tis no Lye however, in their sense. But let me ask all such as indulge themselves in such jugling, When they utter any thing, do they speak to themselves, or others? Are not Words and Language made use of to signify and impart to others what our sense and meaning, our apprehensions and conceptions are? But how is this honestly and truly done, when a man shall purposely order and frame his words so, as the Hearer may take them in a sense that is not true? Doth the Speaker save himself from making a Lye, by reserving something in his own mind which the Hearer must not know, and which being added to what is exprest, makes up a true sense to himself? To give an instance or two hereof. Gehazi goes after Naaman the Syrian in the name of the Prophet his Master, to obtain a Talent of Gold, and a Babylonish Garment. Being afterwards asked by his Master where he had been, he answers, Thy Servant went no whither. Now what if this wicked Servant had said he went no where, with this secret reservation, that he went no where upon his head, or that he went no where with an intent never to return, or that he went no where to make himself away, or to offer any violence to himself; had this secret reservation saved Gehazi from having told a lye to his Master?
So if Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 5. saying they had sold their Land for so much, should have reserved this to themselves, That they sold it for so much, and as much more as they could get for it; would this have excused them from lying? No such matter; they had lyed to the Holy Ghost however; neither would such an artifice have absolved them from it. Wherefore let us all take heed how we mock God, and delude our own Souls by any such kind of Legerdemain; Let us hate and abhor lying in every kind, and let it be an abomination to us, as it is unto the Lord. And let us hate and abhor equivocating as much as any other lye whatsoever: So shall we thus far at least approve our selves to be the Children of the God of truth. Let no man think that an Equivocation shall secure him from being condemned together with all other Lyars, unto the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone. Such Tricks and fraudulent Artifices shall serve no man's turn when he comes to stand before the Judgment-Seat of Christ, and to be examined and sentenced by him who searcheth the heart, and trieth the reins. And thus I have spoken of the Devil's Lying.
2. In the next place we may observe the Devil's Boasting. He vauntingly and vapouringly tells our Saviour, what great things he had to bestow; That all the Kingdoms of the World, and all the Glory of them were at his disposal, and that he could give them to whomsoever he pleaseth. Thus he most impudently boasted, though he knew he had not one foot thereof to dispose of. Here Boasting and Lying meet in what he assumes to himself, as indeed frequently they do. A great Boaster is for the most part as great a Lyar. They who take delight in speaking much of themselves, and of their own things, will often be tempted to exceed the bounds of Truth, as well as of Modesty. A sinful vanity which every true Christian should so much the more hate, and the more carefully and studiously avoid, because as in Lying and Equivocating, so in Boasting also men resemble the Devil.
I might here add several Considerations for alienating our hearts from this vanity, and for making us out of love with it. But having elsewhere enlarged on this Subject, I shall in this place pursue it no further.
And so much may suffice to have been spoken concerning the Devil's Boasting, and the care we should have that we do not imitate and resemble him therein.
3. Another thing which we may here observe, is the largeness of the Devil's proffers, when he would draw men into sin. He here tempts our Saviour to fall down and worship him, with the promise of all the Kingdoms of the World, and the glory of them. Thus his usual practice is to lay before men the many and great advantages which sin will be attended with; the profits and emoluments, the delight and pleasure, the content and satisfaction which it will afford the sinner. But in the mean time he never represents the incomparably greater losses and damages inseparably attending it without repentance; the loss of God's favour, of the peace of a man's Conscience, and of the Soul it self, for the loss whereof the gain of the whole World cannot make amends, Mat. 16.26. He never represents the Gall and Wormwood; the Anguish and Bitterness, the Horror and Amazement, the Everlasting Wo and Misery that follow sin at the heels. Wherefore let us all be so well advised for our good, as not to believe the Devil's proffers, or yield to his sollicitations, by what promises soever they may be seconded and enforced. Let us remember that the Devil is an old Cheater, that hath no other design in his most specious proffers and largest promises, than to beguile us of our Souls, and make us eternally miserable.
Now follows our Saviour's Reply to this Temptation. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Here two things offer themselves to our consideration, the detestation which Christ expresseth against the Devil's temptation, and then his answer to it. His detestation is expressed in the first words, Get thee hence Satan. We do not find that Christ expressed the like detestation in his Replies to either of the two former temptations. There he contented himself to have made a Reply to the temptations out of Scripture, without any such severe language as here. The reasons hereof may be these.
1. The Devil had once and again been so fully answered and confuted, as he had not one word to reply; and yet he most impudently and obstinately perseveres in his malicious attempts, and comes on yet once more to make a third assault upon our Saviour. When therefore Christ saw his impudence and importunity to be such, as found Answers and substantial Replies would not quell him and beat him off, he severely rebukes him, and commands him to be gone. And this may teach us how we ought to carry our selves when Satan will not cease to molest us, and pursue us still with fresh assaults, notwithstanding all the resistance that hath been made against him. In such cases though we cannot command him to be gone, as Christ did, yet we must be as obstinate and peremptory in resisting him as he is in assaulting us; and with the greater violence he reneweth his temptations, with so much the greater resolution and courage must we oppose and withstand him. By such constant and vigorous resistance, we in effect say, Get thee hence, Satan; we shew our utter detestation of him and his temptations, and leave him small hopes of ever gaining the Victory over us. And hereunto we must add our most fervent Prayers unto God, that he would be pleased to rebuke him sharply, and command him away from us, though we cannot.
2. The Honour of God was struck at in this temptation more directly and immediately; and this was it that made Christ express so much detestation of it. To give Divine Worship to a Creature, to the Devil himself, the avowed Enemy of God, and the worst of all his Creatures, (for such by his sin he had made himself) this was a thing so highly derogatory to the Honour of God, and upon that account so much to be detested and abhorred, that when the Tempter proceeded so far, our Saviour thought it not fit to treat him as before, but to take him up more roundly, and rebuke him severely: His impudence, sauciness, and obstinacy was now to be entertained with a Get thee hence, Satan, and pierce mine ears no more with such hideous, such horrid, and execrable Blasphemies. And herein also, as in other things, hath Christ set us a pattern for our imitation. We hence learn to shew special indignation against those sins by which above others the Honour of God is most affronted. Our calmness and moderation in such cases, argues our want of zeal for God, and want of a due sense of the indignities that are offered unto his Name. When Hezekiah heard the report of the Blasphemies which Rabshakeh uttered against the Lord, he rent his Clothes, and put on Sackcloth, 2 Kings 19.1. And yet how many of us can hear Cursing, and Swearing, and Blaspheming, and whatever is most highly dishonourable to the Name of God, tamely and patiently, without any discovery of our indignation against it! How many of us can in the most friendly and familiar manner, converse with such profligate and atheistical people, and take pleasure in their Company! The delight men take in their Society at the Alehouse or Tavern, reconciles them to all these detestable things; and if they do not join with them therein, yet at most they do but laugh at them, as if they rather took some content in such execrable Language, than abhorr'd it. But to say no more of these persons, few of whom, perhaps, may be now within hearing (for such for the most part seldom come within these Walls) let us come nearer home, and reflect upon our selves. Who is there amongst us all that hath attained such a measure of Zeal for God, and such a sense of the Dishonours done to his Name, as is required of us, and ought to be found in us? If there be in us any true zeal for God's Glory, any sense of God's Honour or Dishonour; Oh how little is it! How doth every small thing quench or damp it! When we should boldly and couragiously reprove the daring Provocations of men who set their mouths against Heaven, and shew our detestation of their horrible Sin, how often doth the fear of the face of man that shall die, and of the Son of man that shall be made as Grass, so rebate and cool our Zeal, or rather so quench and extinguish it, as that we have not one word to say for God! This base and cowardly Spirit, where the Honour of God is concerned, is highly blame-worthy in private persons, but much more is it so in persons that are in place of Power, and that are intrusted with the Administration of Justice. Magistrates are obliged to shew their detestation of these Sins, and more especially of Blasphemy, not only by reproving the Offenders, but also by punishing them with all that severity which is according to Law. If a man speak against an Earthly Prince, it shall cost him dear; how much more should it, when men shall dare to speak against the Great God, who is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords! By the Law of God the Blasphemer was to be put to death, Levit. 24.14. And I know no reason why we under the Gospel should not be as tender of the Honour of God, and as zealous for the vindication of it, as the antient Church of God before the coming of Christ was obliged to be.
There is yet one thing more which these words of our Saviour, Get thee hence Satan, may teach us; namely, what aversation from, and abhorrence of the Practices of Seducers we ought to shew; I mean of all such as endeavour to draw us off from God, from those ways of his Worship that are agreable to his Word, or from the true Religion. When once the Devil attempted to induce Christ to give that Worship to himself which is due to God alone, he would have no more to do with him, but immediately charged him to get him going. And thus should we carry our selves towards all Seducers that would draw us off from the Truth, and especially that would entice us to Idolatry. As soon as we perceive this Spirit of Seduction to be in any person; as soon as we take notice that the design of any person is to instil into us the Poison of Heresy or Error, to pervert us, and turn us aside from the Truth, to draw us off from the true Religion, and those right ways of God's Worship that are prescribed in the Word, we must with an holy indignation cast them off, and withdraw from them.
How great and how impartial was the severity which God required should be shewed to persons of such dangerous practices under the Law! If thy Brother, the Son of thy Mother, or thy Son or thy Daughter, or the Wife of thy bosom, or thy Friend which is as thine own Soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other Gods; thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him: but thou shalt surely kill him, thine Hand shall be upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the People; and thou shalt stone him with Stones till he die: because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the Lord thy God, Deut. 13.6, 8, 9, 10.
Now though it be true, that the like severity is not to be used in all cases against Seducers; yet it hence appears how heinous the sin of such pestilent instruments is, how dangerous and pernicious their Practices are, how much their Society is to be shunned and avoided, and with what detestation they must disclaim them, and turn away from them, who have either any true zeal for God, for his Truth, and the pure ways of his Worship, or any love for their own Souls, and care of their eternal Welfare. Hence is that strict and severe charge of St. John, Epist. 2. v. 10. If there come any unto you, and bring not this Doctrine, that is, the Doctrine of Christ mentioned in the Verse before, receive him not into your House, nor bid him God speed; for he that biddeth him God speed, is partaker of his evil deeds. If all Seducers were thus treated and dealt with, we should be less troubled with them, neither would such Multitudes be drawn off from the Truth, and turned aside after Fables by the pernicious sollicitations, and subtil insinuations of those who treading in the footsteps of the Scribes and Pharisees, compass Sea and Land that they may make one Proselyte; and when he is made, they make him twofold more the Child of Hell than themselves, Matth. 23.15. But while such wicked Instruments have such encouragements amongst us, as long as so much kindness is shew'd them, as long as men gladly embrace intimate acquaintance and familiarity with them, open the Doors of their Houses to them, and bid them welcome, and open their Hearts as well as their Ears to their dangerous Insinuations, pernicious Principles, and false Doctrines, it is not to be wondred at, that so many in all places almost throughout the Nation should be tainted, infected, poisoned, and perverted by them: That such swarms of Papists, Quakers, Seekers, Ranters, Deists, Atheists, and what not, should as so many Locusts overspread the Land. A most sad and dismal face of things, that can never be sufficiently lamented and bewailed! and which threatens us with sorer Judgments than any of those which we have hitherto felt, and had experience of. The Lord in mercy avert those evils from us which hang over our heads, that our most just fears may never come upon us, or overtake us.
So from our Saviour's detestation of Satan's temptation, I go on to his Answer thereunto: It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve; which Testimony is alledged out of Deut. 6.13. In which place, though there be some difference in the words, yet the sense is the same with what our Saviour here expresseth. Here our Saviour's words are, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God; whereas there 'tis said, Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God: But external Worship, prostration of the Body, or religious Adoration, being an expression of the inward Fear, Reverence, and Devotion of the Heart, the same Scripture which requires the one to be given to God, requires the other also to be given to him. And whereas our Saviour saith, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve; tho the word only be not expressed in Deuteronomy, yet is there no variation of the sense, or corruption of the Text in our Saviour's allegation. For in the very next Verse God forbids his People to go after other Gods, which plainly shews that the meaning of the former Verse is, That the true God, and he only is to be worshipped and served. Now hence may several things be profitably and usefully inferred.
As, 1. That there is no reason why we should be offended or stumble at the practice of the Penmen of the New Testament, who frequently alledg passages out of the Old Testament in other words than are there read. Though they use this liberty, yet as long as they retain the true sense of those places (which they ever do) there is no misallegation or abuse of those Scriptures. Yea, 'tis many times a great advantage to us that they keep to the sense, rather than to the words; for thereby, in alledging those Scriptures, they expound them to us, and give us the true scope and meaning of them. In short, they herein do no otherwise than Christ himself had done before them, who in his allegation of Scriptures, had sometimes more respect to the Sense than to the words.
2. This furnisheth us with an Answer to those, whether Anabaptists or others, who in several points call for the very Letter of the Scripture to make good what we affirm or deny, and will admit of nothing as a sufficient proof, unless the thing to be proved may in so many words or express terms be found in Scripture. What if the Baptism of Infants, or the Observation of the Lord's day, should not in express terms be found in Scripture? Is it not sufficient that there are those Scriptures to be alledged, from whence those truths may be clearly inferred, and substantially proved? The Resurrection of the Dead is a great and weighty point: And yet how did our Saviour prove it out of the Old Testament? Surely not by alledging any express Text for it, in which it was in so many words affirmed, but by producing a Scripture from whence the Resurrection might be evidently collected and deduced. As touching the resurrection of the dead, saith he, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, Matth. 22.31, 32. In St. Luke Chap. 20.38. our Saviour adds, For all live to him. Which must be understood not barely of the Soul, but of the whole man; and so Abraham, tho dead, lives to God, not only in respect of his power to raise him up from Death, but also in respect of his Will and Purpose to raise him. But if there were no Resurrection of the Dead, and Abraham's person were neither at present in being, nor ever should be any more (and so for Isaac and Jacob) how could God be said to be his or their God?
3. Hence we may learn, not to stick too much in the bare Letter of the Holy Scriptures, but to labour principally to acquaint our selves with the true sense of them. The Scripture lies not in Words, Syllables, and Letters, but in the sense, and things signified. He hath the Scriptures that hath the Sense and Truths contained in the Scriptures. Mens resting too much in the mere Letter of the Scriptures, hath been an occasion of many gross Mistakes, and some foul and dangerous Errors in matters of Religion. A great instance whereof we have in the Papists and Lutherans, who precisely adhering to the Letter or literal sense of those words, This is my Body, have introduced and brought into the Church those monstrous and prodigious Doctrines of Transubstantiation, and Consubstantiation. These irrational and sensless Opinions had never disturbed the peace of the Church, if men had not more heeded the Letter of the Scriptures than the Sense. But yet here we must be cautioned not to wave the literal Sense, unless there be just cause for so doing, and the literal sense be not agreeable to the Analogy of Faith, or consonant to the Dictates of right Reason. Causlesly to depart from the literal sense, and with Origen to turn the plainest Scriptures into abstruse Allegories, were to run into another extreme on the other hand no less dangerous.
Now whereas our Saviour in all his Replies to Satan, ever insists on Scripture, and alledgeth what is therein written; we hence learn with what weapons Satan, and all Heretical and Erroneous persons are to be encountred. Our chief defence against them all lies in the Holy Scriptures; out of God's Armory our Weapons of War for managing this spiritual Conflict must be taken. As long as we stick to the Holy Scriptures, and keep us close to them, we are safe. But of this I have formerly spoken upon occasion of Christ's Replies to the former temptations.
As to the matter of Christ's Reply to this Temptation, we see nothing could be alledged more suitable to our Saviour's purpose, and more fit to be opposed against Satan's Temptation. 'Tis not merely the alledging of Scriptures, but the alledging of proper and pertinent Scriptures, that will do our business, and stand us in stead when we are engaged to encounter with Satan and his Instruments. It concerns us therefore to be well versed in Scripture, and to have the true sense of Scripture, and to know how to manage and apply it fitly and pertinently, if we would put Satan and his Agents to flight. Here the great truth out of Scripture which Christ opposeth to the temptation of the Devil, is, That God only is to be worshipped and served; he means, with that Divine and Religious Worship which Satan intended when he tempted him to fall down and worship him. That this was the Worship the Devil aimed at, and was ambitious of, is evident from our Saviour's Reply. But as for Civil Worship and Reverence, that may be given to the Creatures: Yea, men may expect it, and 'tis due to them according to their places, and according to the Preheminences, Gifts, Graces, and Endowments which God hath conferred on them, and dignified them with. Now if it be here demanded, what that Divine Homage and Religious Worship is that is proper and peculiar to God, and cannot without Idolatry be given to any Creature? I answer, there are several kinds of it. In general, 'tis all that Homage, Service, and Worship, whereby we testify our subjection to God as the Supream Good, and our acknowledgment of our dependance on him, as him in whom we live, move, and have our being here, and from whom we hope to be partakers of everlasting Bliss and Happiness hereafter. This Religious Worship appropriated to God, is either internal or external.
1. Internal, when in our hearts we own him, and him only as God; when we have an high esteem and veneration for him, as for one that is infinitely above all the Creatures visible and invisible, and that hath all imaginable perfections essential to him; when we love him with a superlative Love; when we trust in him, rely on him, have all our expectations from him; when we have none in Heaven but him, and none in all the Earth in comparison of him.
2. External; when by those outward acts of Service and Worship that are proper to God, and only applicable to the Divine Nature, we testify and declare how we esteem him, reverence him, and stand affected towards him in our hearts. Now this may be done divers ways.
1. It was done of the people of God in the Old Testament, according to the ways of Divine Worship then in use; by building Altars, and offering Sacrifices, and making solemn Vows unto God.
2. Men may testify the high Veneration and Honour they have for God, by building Temples or Churches, and consecrating them to his Honour and Service.
3. By offering up their Prayers and Supplications to him, and having recourse to him for succour and relief in all their distresses, as unto one who alone is able to help them.
4. By an humble and thankful acknowledgment of him in the Favours and Mercies which they receive from him, and by rendering unto him the praises that are due to him for them.
5. By an humble confession of their Sins, and of their utter unworthiness to find any grace in his eyes, or to obtain any good thing from him.
6. By corporal Adoration, by prostrating their Bodies before him, or kneeling to him, as to the Supream Governour of the World, and the Author of their being and well-being.
7. By sincere and universal Obedience to all his Commands, and a meek, patient, and humble submission to all his Providences. This last Particular, namely, our sincere and universal Obedience to the Commands of God; and our meek, patient, and humble submission to his Providences, is not, I confess, usually reckoned among the several parts or kinds of Religious Worship; but yet the Apostle calls it by the name of a Sacrifice; I beseech you by the mercies of God, that you present your Bodies a living Sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service, Rom. 12.1. And indeed it is of all Sacrifices the most acceptable to God; and that whereby we most really own his Supremacy and Soveraignty over us. But in regard that by Religious Worship we ordinarily understand devout kneeling, or prostrating the Body before God, the offering up of Prayers and Praises to him, and the like; therefore with relation to those especially shall I at present speak. Now that such Religious Worship is due unto God alone, and cannot without great impiety begiven to any Creature, is evident, as from this, so likewise from other Scriptures, and from Reason it self, and from the very nature of the thing.
1. From other Scriptures. Certainly if Religious Worship might be given to any of the Creatures, then it might be given to the most excellent of all the Creatures, and to such of them as in respect of the high Dignity of their Nature, and their eminent Perfections, come nearest unto God himself; such as are the blessed Angels. But the Scripture is plainly and expresly against the giving of religious Worship to those excellent and glorious Spirits. The Apostle St. Paul, Coloss. 2.18. in plain terms condemns the worshipping of Angels. And when St. John, Rev. 22.8, 9. fell down to worship before the Feet of the Angel that had shewed him the things before mentioned, the Angel forbids him, saying unto him, Do it not, for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy Brethren the Prophets, and of them that keep the Sayings of this Book: Worship God.
Here, (1.) The Angel doth not only refuse to be worshipped, but gives such a reason for his refusal thereof, as makes all Creatures whatsoever uncapable of being worshipped, I am thy Fellow-servant, saith he; The Angel, how excellent a Creature soever, being but a Creature, and on that account a Fellow-servant with St. John, must not be worshipped.
(2.) The Angel directs him to the true and only object of religious Adoration; Worship God. As if he had said, God alone is to be worshipped, and therefore give religious Worship to him, and to none beside him.
2. That religious Worship cannot without great impiety be given to any Creature, is further evident from Reason, and from the very nature of the thing. For by giving religious Worship to any thing, we own it to be the supream Governour of the World, the Author of our Being, and of whatsoever good things we here enjoy; and we own it for the Author of our eternal Happiness in another World. Now how can any Creature be thus owned, without the highest injury to his Honour, who saith, I am the Lord, that is my name, and my Glory will I not give to another? Isa. 42.8.