Sermons Preached on Several Occasions Volume 2, Sermon 9
The Ninth Sermon.
MATTH. IV. 3.
And when the tempter came to him, he said, if thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
I Have done with the Title that is here gigiven to the Devil, The Tempter. The next thing considerable, is the Manner of his addressing himself to Christ when he would tempt him; the Text saith, That he came to him. He had been tempting him before, during the whole time of our Saviour's being in the Wilderness; for as I have formerly shewed, St. Luke saith expresly, that be was forty days tempted of the devil, Luke 4.2. After the expiration of which forty days, and after that all those former temptations were ended, 'tis now said, that when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the son of God, command that these stones be made bread. By which expressions it may seem that the Devil now came to him in another manner than in those his former temptations. Whence some Learned Men conceive it to be very probable, that the Tempter had now assumed some visible shape, in which he came unto Christ, and by an audible voice moved him to turn stones into bread. Thus we know the Devil made use of the Serpent when he tempted Eve.
This I the rather take notice of, because it gives me occasion of speaking a word to a Question that may be moved concerning the Apparitions of the Devil; and 'tis this, namely,
Whether the Devil may appear, and under a visible shape offer himself to the view of any good man?
To this I say, 'Tis probable that he so appeared unto Christ, and certain that in and by the Serpent he tempted Eve, even while she was yet in the state of Innocency; and therefore there can be no sufficient reason given to the contrary, but that he may in a bodily shape sometimes appear to good men, as well as to others. 'Tis indeed a sore affliction, especially to be often frighted in that manner; but yet 'tis no certain Mark, or infallible Character of a wicked man, much less of a Reprobate, as neither is any other outward Affliction whatsoever. Where hath God in his Word secured his Children against it? By what Promise hath he assured them, That no such thing shall ever befall any of his? Besides, Why may not God permit Satan visibly to appear and represent himself sometimes to the outward senses of his own, as well as to have access to their souls inwardly by his temptations? Why may he not as well permit the Devil to appear to them, as to possess them, as we know he did Mary Magdalen, out of whom seven Devils were cast?
Now there is a double Use that may be made of what hath been said.
1. It may serve to relieve any that are thus afflicted, against a temptation wherewith they may be assaulted. Perhaps they may be tempted to despair of Mercy; the Devil himself may be likely to tell them, that they belong not to Christ, nor shall they ever have any benefit by him; for if they were such as belong to him, and had an interest in him, God would never permit the Devil to terrify and amaze them by such frightful Apparitions? But as hath been said, How can it be proved, that God never permits the Devil to appear to any of those that belong to Christ? What have we in Scripture, whereby God hath declared so much? Where hath he undertaken so to limit, restrain, and chain up Satan, as that he shall have no power to appear unto any, but such as are his own, such as are out of Christ, and have no interest in that Salvation which he hath obtained for all truly penitent and believing sinners? If there be no ground in Scripture for it, as certainly there is not, then no man that is so afflicted, ought to be so troubled, disquieted, and discouraged upon that account, as if his condition must needs be desperate, and as if there were no hope of salvation for him. Let such a one give all diligence to make his calling and election sure; and so doing, let him never question his Salvation.
2. What hath been said, should also keep us from judging the spiritual and eternal estate of any, merely upon the account of such an affliction. Though God, for just, wise, and gracious ends, unknown to us, may suffer the Devil thus to scare and terrify them, yet may they, notwithstanding such a dispensation, belong to the Election of Grace, and perhaps be at present in the state of Grace; and therefore it were rash and unwarrantable for us to pass any absolute and peremptory judgment upon them, with relation to their eternal condition.
So I come in the next place to speak of the Temptation, it self; If thou be the son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Our Saviour had lately at his Baptism received a Testimony of his Sonship from Heaven, in that voice, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. Now here the Devil endeavours to weaken his belief of the truth of that Celestial Oracle, and to make him call in question, whether he were indeed the Son of God, as that Voice declared him to be, or no? If the Devil were so bold and impudent as to assault the Eternal Son of God with this temptation, and this also when he had been lately declared to be the Son of God, by a Voice from Heaven; we need not wonder that this Father of Lies should in the same manner assault the adopted Sons of God, tempting them to question their Adoption. There is indeed scarce any temptation which he more frequently assaults them with, than this; God so permitting it to be, that herein also, as in other things; the members might be conformable to the Head.
'Tis true, as long as men are in their sins, as long as they are out of Christ, as long as they are such as God owns them not for his adopted Children, so long as the Devil doth what he can, to build them up in a false persuasion and groundless belief that they are the Children of God. For so long as he can keep them in that good opinion of themselves, he is very sure that he hath fast hold of them, so as there is no danger of their escaping out of his hands, and getting away from him. They who are possessed with a fond belief and groundless confidence that they are in a safe condition, why should they endeavour to better their condition? The Devil knows full well, that this their Erroneous persuasion of their being already the adopted Children of God, absolutely suppresseth and shuts out all endeavours whereby they might come to be indeed what they presumptuously, ignorantly, and erroneously fancy themselves to be.
But as for such as are in the number of God's Children, the Devil useth all his malicious cunning to deceive them on the other hand, and to make them doubt of their adoption. As 'tis Satan's interest to make others believe they are the Children of God; so it is no less his interest to make these believe or fear they are not. The advantages which the Devil gains by persuading a Child of God, that he is not the Child of God, or by making him stagger and doubt concerning it, are diverse.
1. Hereby he causeth much groundless trouble and disquiet to them, whereby he makes their lives heavy and uncomfortable.
2. Hereby he discourageth them in the performance of their Duty; and also much weakens and disables them for being serviceable to God. For how can they go on chearfully and vigorously in the ways of Obedience and Service, who are full of fears and anxious jealousies about their Estate, and consequently are also doubtful of their acceptance with God in what they do? For as far as any Man doubts concerning his adoption, so far also must he needs doubt concerning the acceptance of his Services with God.
3. Hereby others also are beaten off from coming in to Christ, and prejudiced against Religion, the Profession whereof affordeth so little Peace, Comfort, and Establishment to the Professors thereof.
4. This their dissatisfaction and doubting concerning their adoption, lays them open, and exposeth them to many other temptations; as namely, to think hardly of God's dealing with them, to question the truth of his Promises, to distrust his Providence, to be weary of his Service. All these Temptations may Satan easily fasten upon him that doubts whether he belongs to God, and be of the number of his Children, or no; and much more if he be one that excludes himself from that number, and persuades himself that God doth not own him as his Child, but looks upon him as a Stranger and an Alien from his Covenants.
Ʋse. This shews how much it concerns the Children of God to labour to be well armed and provided against this temptation. There is no Child of God that can make account to be always free from being assaulted with it: He that is strongest, that hath the fullest and dearest satisfaction concerning his adoption, and that hath attained unto the greatest measure of Stedfastness and Establishment, may be shaken, and be brought to question his adoption; yea, perhaps, not only to question it, but to conclude against himself, that he belongs not to God; and that he was deluded when he had other thoughts of himself. Now to the end you may be armed against this temptation which is so dangerous, as giving Satan so many and great advantages against a Man, and which to Child of God can expect to be always exempted from: I say, to the end you may be well armed against it.
1. Be sure that you lay a good Foundation at first; get it well and soundly cleared up to you, That you are God's adopted Child: …aild not your Confidence and Persuasion hereof upon the Sand: Among other things, there are two weak and sandy Foundations, on which many build a false persuasion of their relation to God as his Children, and their interest in him as their Father.
1. Outward Prosperity: They thrive and prosper in the World; all things succeed well with them, and they have whatever heart can wish; whence they are ready to infer, That certainly God owns them as his Children; for otherwise he would not thus bless them, and shew himself so kind and bountiful to them. But all this may be, and yet God may look on them as his Enemies. He causeth his Sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust, Mat. 6.45. He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil, Luke 6.35. God filleth the bellies of wicked men with his hid treasure, the men of the world who have their portion in this life, as the Psalmist describes them, Psal. 17.14. They will therefore greatly deceive themselves, who, having no better evidence of their adoption, from this alone conclude themselves to be the Children of God: An afflicted and unprosperous condition were a better Argument of the two, than outward prosperity; because Troubles and Afflictions are the Lot of God's Children in this World; according to that of the Apostle, Heb. 12.6, 7, 8. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with his Sons; for what Son is there whom the Father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye Bastards and not Sons. Though indeed neither are Afflictions, unless they be sanctified, a sound argument to prove any man to be the Child of God. We see by experience, that many Wicked and Ungodly persons, whom surely God acknowledgeth not for his Children, are in respect of outward Troubles and Afflictions extreamly miserable: All their Miseries and Calamities do not work upon them to make them better: Many times they are rather the worse for their sufferings, than the better: Their Afflictions that should bring them nearer to God, drive them farther away from him. 'Tis with them as it was with wicked Ahaz, 2 Chron. 29.22. Who in his distress trespassed yet more against the Lord.
2. Another weak and sandy Foundation, on which many build their deceitful confidence touching their adoption, is their being free from inward Troubles: They hear of the Terrors and inward Perplexities, the Anguish and Trouble of Conscience that many complain of, and of the doubtings, fears, and jealousies of themselves and their condition to God-wards that others are possessed of; but for their part, they have been always free from such troubles; they never distrusted themselves, or questioned their condition; they never doubted of their adoption, and therefore why should they now begin to doubt of it? Is their condition become less safe now? Is there more danger of it now than there has been all along hitherto? As they have thus far maintained a steddy and unshaken confidence of the soundness of their Estate, so they are resolved still to do; nothing shall rob or deprive them of it; nothing shall unsettle or disquiet them. This resolution were very good, I grant, if there were a good Foundation of their confidence. But alas! the Foundation which they build on, is a rotten and sinking Foundation, which will never be able to bear so great a weight as they lay on it: You persuade your self to be the Child of God, because you never doubted of it, much less were you ever under that sore anguish of Spirit and inward perplexities, that many others have Conflicted with, and long Groaned under the burthen of it. But thus arguing, you are under a great and palpable mistake: There can be no more clear and pregnant Argument to prove your Spiritual State to be extreamly bad and dangerous, than that which you make use of to prove it to be good. The certain knowledge of your own adoption is not a thing so easily attained as you imagine: No man comes without much difficulty, and many sore Conflicts with his own Darkness and Unbelief, to be well setled concerning his adoption: Many fears, and many doubtings there are about it, much wavering and unsetledness, before he comes to any right and well-grounded Establishment. Very many, and some of those not the most lazy and negligent Christians, are at a loss about it all their days: And do you make this an Argument of your adoption, that you were never troubled about it, but have ever enjoyed inward Peace and Tranquility? Be not deceived in a matter of such high concernment to you: 'Tis a false and unsound Peace which that Soul is possessed of, that never was acquainted with inward trouble. Sound Peace is after trouble, right Establishment after doubting, and the Spirit of Adoption comes after the Spirit of Bondage; as may be gathered from that of the Apostle, Rom. 8.15. Ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father. So then in this order God wrought on them; First they received the Spirit of Bondage, and then the Spirit of Adoption: And the same Method he observeth in working upon all whom he brings into the State of Adoption. First, He by his Spirit convinceth of Sin and Guilt, and humbles them; makes them full of sollicitous Thoughts and Fears about their Eternal Condition; makes them look out after Christ, and at length makes them willing to receive him upon the Terms of the Gospel; that is, to disclaim and renounce all trust in themselves, and their own performances, to forsake their Sins, and to give up themselves to his Government; and then he lets them know, and by his Spirit persuades them, that he is through Christ become their Father, and that he owns them for his adopted Children; that is, he bestows upon them the Spirit of adoption. Hath this been the course that God hath taken with you? Hath he in this order, and by this Method brought you into that state of adoption in which, as you make account, you stand? Have you had Experience of these things in your self? Have you been in some good measure experimentally acquainted with them? If you have, then may you rest satisfied, that you have laid a good Foundation, and not built the confidence you have of your adoption, upon the Sand; which was the first thing to be done, that we may be well armed and provided against the temptations of the Devil, whereby he endeavours to make us question our adoption.
2. Labour to be still more and more confirmed touching your adoption: Though you seem to be well established, yet rest not in what you have attained, but be still pressing after further degrees of establishment, which must be done by giving all diligence to make your Calling and Election still more and more sure: You may think your self strong for the present, and very well able to withstand the Temptations of the Devil; but when you are assaulted, you may find your self weak: Then all the strength you shall have attained, will appear to be little enough to make resistance: Wherefore think it not a needless thing for you to be still labouring to get clearer evidences of your adoption: That is a matter of such importance, as you can never be too sollicitous about it: If there be any flaw in your Evidences, the Devil will be sure to find it out, and make use of it against you in the hour of Temptation.
3. Be ever careful so to walk as Satan may have no advantage against you from your irregular Conversation, to make you question your adoption, and as God may not be provoked to take away the Spirit of adoption from you, and to bring you under the Spirit of Bondage again. Now that which gives Satan the greatest advantage against a Child of God to make him question his adoption, and most provokes God to take away the Spirit of adoption, and to bring the Soul again under the Spirit of Bondage, is when he shall either sin presumptuously against God, or when there shall be a general backsliding Defection, and declining, a general slackness and remissness in the course of his Life.
1. As for presumptuous sins; these give Satan a great advantage to tempt a Believer to call in question his adoption: For how can you be the Child of God, as you pretend to be, saith the Devil, who knowingly and deliberately venture upon sin? Do you think that any Child of God sins in that manner? And as presumptuous sins give Satan a great advantage against the Children of God; so they highly provoke God, and give him just cause to take away from them the sense of his Love, and the comforts of his Spirit, and so far to give them up to the power of their unbelief, and to Satan, as that they may not only question their adoption, but really apprehend themselves to be in the state of Damnation, and under the Wrath of God. This hath been the sad condition of many of God's Children, whom for their presumptuous sins God hath for the time thus forsaken. The Condition of David after his presumptuous sins, his Adultery and Murther, seems to have been little better, when he cried out, Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice, Psal. 51.8. And, Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me; restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit, ver. 11, 12.
2. When there is a general declining and backsliding, an universal carelessness, slackness, and remissness in the whole course of a Christian's Life; This also gives Satan an occasion of suggesting to him, that these things plainly discover that he is no Child of God, and that he never was in the state of Grace and Salvation; so much carelessness and remissness; such inconstancy in holy Duties; such frequent neglect of them, or slightness and formality in the performance of them, and so many disorders and miscarriages as he is otherwise guilty of, cannot be found in any that may call God Father. Thus will the Devil from a Christian's negligence and carelessness, his decays and backslidings, persuade him that he doth not belong to God, nor may reckon himself among the Children of God: And so likewise for the same miscarriages in the general course of a Man's Life, doth God often withdraw the Comforts of his Holy Spirit, and the Sense of his Adopting Love, that he may thereby humble him, heal his backslidings, and recover him.
The sum of all is this, He that would be armed against Satan's Temptations whereby he endeavours to bring men to question their adoption, and that would give Satan no advantage for disturbing his peace, nor provoke God to leave him to the Darkness and Unbelief of his own heart, and to the power of Temptations; must carefully avoid all presumptuous sin, and take heed of decays and declining, of carelessness and remissness in the general course of his Life, keeping close unto God, and walking with him in a steddy course of universal Obedience; he must be careful not only to keep what he hath atttained, but to improve it; still pressing on towards higher degrees of strictness and conscientiousness. He that shall so do, shall neither give Satan an advantage against him, nor provoke God to forsake him, and take away the sense and comforts of his Fatherly Love from him: And this might have sufficed to have been spoken touching the Temptation, and so I might have gone on to speak of Christ's reply thereunto; but that two Questions may here be moved; which I shall first briefly speak unto.
Quest. 1. What encouragement could the Devil have to tempt the Eternal Son of God, who is himself over all God blessed for ever, of the same Divine Nature and Essence with the Father, co-equal and co-eternal with him, as Athanasius speaks? Could the tempter have any hopes that he should ever be able to make him question his being the Son of God? Could the Devil think that any thing which he should suggest would ever beget or raise in him the least doubt or scruple concerning it?
A. 1. We must here consider, That though the Devil could not hope that his Temptitions would make any evil impressions upon the Divine Nature, yet perhaps he had some hopes that they might work upon the Human Nature: Though it be supposed that Satan knew the Human Nature of Christ to be perfectly free from sin; yet he knew also that so was Adam by Creation, and yet he was overcome by temptation, and drawn into sin: The Devil perhaps might not know, or such was his rage and malice against Christ, that he might not consider that the Humane Nature in him was so confirmed and established in Holiness, through the Influences and Supports of the Godhead, that no Temptation could fasten any sin upon it: Though he had no sufficient ground of confidence that he should prevail, yet he knew not what might be done, and therefore he would try.
2. As to this particular Temptation whereby the Devil endeavoured to make him doubt whether he were the Son of God, or no; the Union of the Godhead, and the Human Nature in One Person being so deep and wonderful a Mystery, 'tis probable that the Devil might think it not impossible, but that the Human Nature in Christ might be so wrought on by a Temptation, as at least to be made to waver and stagger about it.
3. But besides, this was not the only thing, nor perhaps the principal thing that the Devil aimed at in this Temptation; There were several other sins which he might, and questionless did endeavour by this temptation to draw him into, as I shall presently shew.
4. If Satan had no hopes of prevailing, yet was his Malice pleased and gratified, in having thus assaulted the Son of God; and in having been able to give any trouble, though sinless trouble on Christ's part, to the Human Nature: If he had little or no hopes of drawing him into sin, yet it was some pleasure to his wicked nature to have molested him. And so much by way of Answer to that Question.
Quest. 2. Another Question may be this: How doth it appear that there was any Temptation at all in what the Devil here in the first place propounded unto Christ, and put him upon? A Temptation, as we here take the word, is an inducing or solliciting one to sin. But what sin was there, you will say, in what the Devil would have had Christ do? What Moral evil was there in working a Miracle? Had not Christ often done it? Did he not work other Miracles that were much of the same nature with this which the Devil would now have had him work? Did he not turn Water into Wine? And why should there be sin in turning Stones into Bread, rather than in turning Water into Wine? So again, he multiplyed a few Loaves into a very great quantity of Bread, when the multitude was an hungred and had nothing to eat: And was not this Christ's very case here? Was he not an hungred, and in the Wilderness, where there was nothing to satisfy his hunger? So then it may seem that the turning Stones into Bread had been a very useful and seasonable Miracle: Besides, if he wrought a Miracle for others, why not for himself? If he by Miracle turned Water into Wine, for the more liberal and plentiful supply of Wine at the Marriage-Feast, for delight of the Guests rather than necessity; Why might he not turn Stones into Bread, upon his present hunger, and the want of Food in the Wilderness; which might seem to make it upon the matter necessary? Lastly, he might moreover by this Miracle have shewed his Dvine Power, and demonstrated himself to to be the Son of God. So that it may seem that such a Miracle at this time, and upon this occasion, had not been a matter of meer Curiosity, but of great use and importance.
This is that which may be said to make it seem to be no Temptation.
But there are two or three things in the Text that clearly confute and overthrow all this, how plausible soever it may seem to be.
1. The Text saith, That our Saviour was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil; and then presently this, together with two other temptations, is mentioned; which plainly shews it to be of the same nature with the other two; else why should it be recited together with them?
2. 'Tis expresly said, The Tempter came to him, and said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Wherefore as a tempter he then came to him, and put him upon turning Stones into Bread.
3. Our Saviour's reply sheweth it to have been a temptation; for refusing to comply with the Tempter's motion, he urgeth Scripture against it, as he did against the other Temptations. A Temptation then it was; yea, a very sore and dangerous Temptation, whether we consider the sins which Christ was thereby sollicited to commit; or the difficult and perplexed nature of the Temptation.
1st. And the sins which by this Temptation the Devil would have drawn Christ into were divers. As namely,
(1.) Distrust of God's Providence, as if he could not provide for him, and supply him with sustenance without a Miracle.
(2.) Doubting of the truth of that Voice from Heaven: This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased.
(3) Ostentation, and an Affectation of Vain-glory, by shewing his power before the Devil.
4. In the Judgment of Learned men, barely to have hearkened to the Devil, and to have complied with the motion by him made, though it had been in a thing otherwise very lawful, could not have been done without sin; because that wicked and malicious Spirit never makes any motion, how harmless soever in it self, but with some evil intention, and mischievous design. This being therefore always to be supposed and presumed, that the Devil hath ever some evil intention in whatever he propounds, he ought not to be hearkened to, though he should move a man to do that which in it self considered hath no evil in it. Thus we have seen how sore and dangerous this temptation was in respect of the sins which the Devil would by it have drawn Christ into.
2ly. It was also a sore temptation, in regard of the difficulty and perplexity thereof. For if Christ should have wrought this Miracle at the Tempter's motion, he had thereby gratified the Devil, and complied with his desire, and he had seemed to be guilty of all the other has before-mentioned: And on the other side, refusing to do it, he might seem to be wanting to himself, as neither supplying himself with necessary sustenance, nor vindicating his God-head, and giving a demonstration of his Divine Power by a Miracle. But in this difficult and perplexed case our Saviour took the most wise and safe course, by rejecting the Devil's proposal.
Christ considered very well, That if he had wrought that Miracle to give proof of his Deity, there was no man present in the Wilderness to have received any benefit thereby; and as for the Devil, he was so hardened in his sin, that he was uncapable of being bettered by it: So as the case stood, it had been to no purpose to have wrought a Miracle; and our Saviour never shewed forth the Glory of his Divine Power by Works of an Extraordinary and Miraculous nature, but where it might be really useful and beneficial.
Then as for vindicating the Honour of his Godhead and Divine Power, he could do that upon other occasions, as he should see cause; but he did not think himself concerned now to vindicate it before the Devil, whose Malice would have made him except against, and Cavil at whatsoever should or could have been done in vindication thereof.
Lastly, As for the exigency of his present condition, he was indeed an hungred, and in a place where there was no food, but he knew the Providence of God, on which he relied, could easily supply his wants, without his recourse to a Miracle.
And this leads me from the Temptation, to Christ's reply, in the Fourth Verse: But he answered, and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. These words are cited out of the 8th Chapter of Deut. and the 3d. Verse, where Moses, speaking unto the Israelites, concerning God's dealing with them in the Wilderness, saith, He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with Manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy Fathers know; that he might make thee know, that man liveth not by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live. Now though the words by Christ alledged, were uttered by Moses with relation to Manna; yet have they a more general sense, and so may be applied to any thing else which God makes use of, and commands his blessing on for the sustenance of man's Life. Whatsoever thing it is that hath the Word of the Command or Blessing of God for the support and preservation of Life, that shall according to God's Appointment be sufficient and effectual for that end: Yea, more, if God speak the Word, that the Life of man be sustained without all means, it shall be done: So far is Bread from being absolutely necessary for the support of man's Life. 'Tis true, according to the ordinary course of God's Providence, Bread is the Staff of Life; but if Bread be wanting, God can make any thing else that he pleaseth to make use of, a Staff to support Life as well as Bread: Or, if he think fit, he can lay aside all second causes, and become the staff of Life himself; sustaining it by the immediate supports of his own Almighty Arm. By what hath been said, it appears, that notwithstanding all the Objections and Cavils of men, of Prophane and Atheistical Spirits, nothing could have been more proper, full, and pertinent to our Saviour's purpose, than this Portion of Scripture by him alledged. The Devil observing him to be hungry in the Wilderness, where no food was to be had, persuaded him to turn stones into bread, that he might thereby both supply his present wants, and moreover demonstrate himself to be the Son of God: Our Saviour in effect replies, That there was no need of his having recourse to a Miracle for his sustenance, seeing God could in the defect of Bread many other ways sustain him: Neither was his Providence confined to Bread as the only means by which man's Life is preserved. It is written, saith he, That man liveth not by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Here a Question may be moved, Why Christ would thus reply upon the Devil, and answer him? Why he had not rather severely rebuked him for his boldness and insolency, or by his Divine Power silenced him?
Ans. Christ, we see, rather chose to answer him, than to rebuke or silence him; and therefore we must thence conclude that to have been the wisest and fittest course that could be taken with him; otherwise he would not have made choice of it. What the Son of God, the Wisdom of the Father pitched on, must needs be best.
If it be here objected, That Christ knew the Devil to be incorrigible, he knew him to be so confirmed in his implacable hatred of God, and of his Image in Man, as that there could be no hopes of doing any good upon him. To what end therefore should he reply to his Temptations, seeing it would be but a casting Pearl before Swine?
A. Our Saviour in answering Satan, had not respect to his, but our good: Though the Devil would receive no benefit by Christ's Replies, yet we might sundry ways.
1. Hereby Christ taught us how we should withstand the Devil, and with what Weapons we should repel his Temptations.
2. Hereby he gave us an example of Patience and Meekness in our carriage towards the worst and the most rank and most irreconcileable Enemies.
3. Hereby he taught us Humility, and a careful avoidance of Ostentation, and Vainglory.
4. Hereby there was an occasion given of our being acquainted with some of the chief temptations of Satan, and with his manner and way of managing them: Whereas if our Saviour had silenced the Devil at first, there would have been no place for those other Temptations, whereby more of his Methods and Course in tempting was discovered.
5. It was also more for the Honour of Christ to have overcome the Devil by Patience and Scripture, than by Power.
Now the Observations from our Saviour's reply unto Satan may be diverse.
1. Whereas our Saviour thought fit to reply unto the temptations of Satan, and to answer them, we may observe, that the temptations of the Devil are not to be slighted; but sound and substantial Answers are to be made unto them, and to be opposed against them: And this is more especially to be done where the Devil suggesteth any Reason or Scripture to back his Temptations. The neglect hereof creates a great deal of trouble to many tempted Souls; for the temptations being not answered, Satan upon all occasions reneweth his assaults, and comes on afresh with the same temptations; pressing them in the same manner, and with greater violence, because he sees nothing is replied to them for the weakening of the force of them. But if his Temptations were once well answered, he would not be so ready to renew them: The successfulness and benefit of this course may appear from the issue of those replies which our Saviour made to the several temptations wherewith he was assaulted: For we do not find that Satan ever assaulted him with the same temptation after it had been solidly answered, but still falls off, and betakes himself to another temptation. 'Tis true, the Devil often injects horrible things into the minds of men, without any Scripture, Argument, or Reason to enforce them. In that case, such sudden horrid suggestions must instantly be resisted, and cast out of the mind as fast as the Devil casts them in. But this is not all that is to be done when wicked suggestions are back'd with Reason or Scripture, as they were in the several instances here in the Text. In that case 'tis requisite that something by way of reply be opposed against those abused Scriptures and Reasons: And it is much for the quiet and safety of the Soul that this should speedily be done. There are two or three considerable advantages from this course.
1. It confirms and strengthens the Soul of the tempted against the temptation; whereas if there be nothing to oppose against the temptation, the Soul is weak, and disarmed, and like a City broken down and without Walls, as Solomon speaks, lies open to the violence and incursion of the Enemy.
2. It rebates and weakens the force of temptation; When a clear and solid reply is made to a temptation, and 'tis sufficiently answered, it loseth its strength, and becomes of no force.
3. It also damps and discourageth Satan: When a temptation is soundly answered, he hath small hopes of prevailing, and so he desisteth. But if no answer be opposed against his temptation, he hath never done with it; be uncessantly reneweth and reinforceth it so long, till at length he prevaileth. Wherefore they are much to be blamed, as being greatly wanting to themselves, and not providing as they might and ought for their own quiet and safety, who being unable to answer the temptations of the Devil themselves, never impart their condition to others, desiring their help and assistance. Thus keeping the Devil's counsel, they lengthen out their own troubles and dangers, and give Satan as great encouragement to be still molesting them, as he can desire. So much concerning Christ's replying to the temptation.
2. Whereas our Saviour opposeth Scripture against all Satan's temptations we may observe▪ That Scripture is the best Weapon that we can make use of when Satan assaults us: If there had been any better, we may be sure our Saviour would have made use of it. But he still making use of this, hath by his own practice recommended it to us. Upon this account it is that the Apostle calls the Word of God the Sword of the Spirit, and mentions it as a special part of the spiritual armour, Ephes. 6.17. Hence we may learn several things,
1. How much it concerns all to labour to be acquainted with the Scriptures, without the knowledge whereof we are unfurnished with those spiritual weapons with which the Devil is to be resisted.
2. We may hence learn how much they wrong themselves, and stand in their own light, who neglect to make use of, and improve the means of Scripture-knowledge afforded them, and rather chuse to Live and Dye in ignorance, than to take any pains to acquaint themselves with the Holy Scriptures. These miserable people wilfully expose themselves to the temptations of the Devil, who being always in a readiness to take advantage of their ignorance, may delude and ensnare them, and lead them captive as he pleaseth.
3. This also informs us, how great their sin is, who deprive poor Souls of the means of knowledge, and do whatever they can to keep them in ignorance. Deeply and horridly guilty this way is the Church of Rome, that permits not the Common people to have the perusal of the Holy Scriptures in a Tongue which they understand; and this to the end they may not by the light of Scriptures, come to see the dangerous Errors, and foul Corruptions of their Church. What is this but to betray innumerable Souls to Everlasting Destruction, and to put an opportunity into the hand of their spiritual Enemy, to lead them hoodwink'd to Hell? This is that heinous sin which Christ chargeth upon the Guides and Leaders of the Jewish Church, for which he pronounceth a Woe against them. Woe unto you Lawyers, saith he, for ye have taken away the key of knowledge, Luke 11.52. And woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites, for ye shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men; for ye neither go in your selves, neither suffer ye them that are entring, to go in, Mat. 23.13. Do not the Pharisees of the Church of Rome, tread just in the steps of these Ancient Pharisees, and imitate their practice to the life? And doth not their woe belong to these also? Whatever they may now think, or whatever pretences they may seem to have to palliate and cover the horrid evil of this their Soul-destroying practice, they will certainly find, that an heavy sentence a-waits them when God shall call them to an account, and charge upon them the Blood of so many Millions of Souls as have in an probability through this their ungodly practice eternally miscarried. In the mean time how thankful doth it behove us to be, that God hath brought us ought from under that miserable Bondage; that he hath set us at Liberty, and vouchsafed us the free perusal of the Holy Scriptures in a Tongue which we understand; and that notwithstanding all attempts that have been made by the Enemies of God and his Truth, to extinguish the light which God hath caused to shine amongst us, and to wrest the Key of Knowledge out of our hands, God hath been graciously pleased still to disappoint them, by strange and wonderful discoveries of their horrid Counsels, and Bloody Designs; an Eminent instance whereof we have lately had: Let us all stir up our selves to be duly sensible of, and thankful for these great and inestimable mercies: Let us improve the means of Knowledge which we do enjoy, and walk suitably to the light which God affords us: If we can thus do, then we need not question but that God will still own us in the Profession of his Truth, stand by us, and appear for us; still uphold us and protect us, maugre all the hellish designs of men of seared Consciences, implacable malice, and restless wickedness.
Another thing observable, which I have touched at before is our Saviour's carriage when the Devil questioned his Deity, and tempted him to give a demonstration of it by working a Miracle, saying, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
1. Our Saviour, though provoked and urged to vindicate his Deity, and shew forth his Divine Power by turning Stones into Bread, was so far from being forward to shew who he was, and what he could do, that he utterly refused to do it.
2. He spake not one word concerning his Deity or his Power: He was wholly silent concerning it, neither affirming nor denying himself to be the Son of God; and contenting himself to make no other Answer than this only, It is Written, Man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. And herein he hath made himself a great example unto us of self-denial and humility. How apt are many men to be greedily catching at any thing that may give them an occasion of setting forth themselves, of declaring what they have been, and what they have done, what they are, and what they can do? How doth the whole stream of their Language run in this Channel? How do they studiously and industriously turn all the Discourse this way, picking up from whatever is said or done, matter of self-commendation; matter of empty Boasting, and Vain Ostentation of themselves and theirs; whereas a modest silence in what concerns our selves and ours, would much better become us, and be more suitable to the pattern that Christ hath set us; as also be much more acceptable to all modest, sober, and intelligent persons with whom we converse.
In the next place we may observe, That the Devil when he intends us the greatest mischief, will pretend to a regard of our good, yea, and of the Glory of God also sometimes. So here when he intended nothing else but to draw our Saviour into the sins before mentioned, he would seem to have a care of the supply of his present wants; and he would suggest unto him a way by which he might undeniably prove his Divine Power, and demonstrate himself to be the Son of God. But these fair pretences could not prevail with Christ to make him … …en to the Devil's motions, and make use of that expedient which he had found out for him. Thus when the Devil tempted our First Parents, he made them believe that by eating of the forbidden Fruit, they should come to be as Gods, knowing good and evil.
This should teach us to take heed that the fair pretences of the Devil or his Instruments, never so work upon us as to make us adventure to do any thing that is contrary to our duty; in all things that are proposed to us, and laid before us, our eye must not be so much upon the Ends that are held forth to us, as upon the Rule, that we may conform our selves thereunto; ever remembring, that we may not do evil that good may come thereby; not the least evil for attaining or procuring the greatest good.