Commentary on Matthew 4:1-11, Sermon 3
CHRIST'S First Temptation to DESPAIRE. SERMON III.
MATTH. 4.3.
And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
BEfore we come to the words, three Questions must first be propounded and answered.
1. How could Satan be properly said to come, Quest.at the end of fourty days, when Christ (Luk. 4.2.) was all that time tempted by him?
Answ.Satan discharged at Christ to and again, haunting him like the fits of an intermitting Ague; alternately and frequently iterating his coming, departure, and return: but now at last he came with a witness to give him three parting-thrusts with all his skill and strength.
Quest.2. In what visible shape did the devil appear? because the text sa…th, He came; which properly signifies some corporal access.
Answ.Indeed Divines collect so much from that word; but perchance they lay more weight thereon, then it can well bear: for we read, Mat. 13.19, Then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in their hearts: yet Satan in no bodily shape, but by inward suggestions, stealeth the Word from us. Such as conceit the devil tempted Christ in the shape of a Pharisee, Ess… an▪ or some strict (pretended holy) mortified Order amongst the Jews, have onelyonly Fancie for their foundation. But we must be contentedly ignorant in what bodily shape Satan made his approach, seeing God hath not acquainted us with the certainty thereof.
3. How came Satan to know Christ was an hungred▪ Quest.If I be an hungred I will not tell thee: It being utterly improbable that Christ made any complaint of his hunger to the devil.
Mans natural imperfections are easily discovered by his prying eyes,Answ. who being an excellent Anatomist, knew all inward and outward symptomes of hunger, by the sudden change in his bowels, stomack, face, looks, &c. haply confirmed by Christ's outward gestures, seeking to finde some food in that place; whence Satan took the hint of his temptation.
1. Satan knows how and when to lay his baits for the best advantage.Doct.
How for the manner, 1 Pet. 5.8. He walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. Walketh about, not onelyonly in relation to the whole world, which he compasseth, Iob 1.7. but also in respect of the particular person whom he tempteth. An Enemy, before he besiegeth a City, surroundeth it at distance, to see where the wall is the weakest, best to be battered; lowest, easiest to be scaled; ditch narrowest, to be bridged; shallowest, to be waded over; what place is not regularly fortified; where he may approach with least danger, and assault with most advantage. So Satan walketh about, surveying all the powers of our souls, where he may most probably lay his Temptations: whether our Understandings are easier corrupted with Error, or our Fancies with Levity, or our Wills with Frowardness, or our Affections with Excess, &c.
He knoweth also when to lay his baits, Ier. 8.7. The stork knoweth his appointed time; and the turtle, and the crant, and the swallow, observe the time of their coming; namely, when most seasonable for their advantage: but Satan, this Vultu…e, or Bird of prey, is more knowing then all of them in this kinde. What month in the yeer, week in the month, day in the week, hour in the day, it is best to bring his Tem…pt…tion. Indeed, those four birds divide the yeer betwixt them; the Swallow coming in the Spring, the S…ork (as I take it) in the Winter, &c. whilst this wilde Ha…py comes all times of the yeer; no season is unseasonable to him, wherein he can get advantage.
Let us be careful to fortifie our selves against the assaults of Satan;Use. especially let us watch against that time unknown to us, when (Luke 22.53.) the hour and power of darkness shall meet together. How many people are there, servilely and superstitiously afraid of this following Eclipse! they afright themselves with fear, what dismal effects are portended thereby: But where is that man truely affected with the taking notice of, and making defence against the time, when the devils temptations taking advantage of our sins, shall hide the sunshine of Gods favour from our apprehensions?
Now chiefly provide against two times.
First, after thou hast been guilty to thy self of totally omitting, or perfunctorily performing of Prayer: for then Satan discovers a breach in thy soul, and will assault it.
Secondly, at the hour of death, when his rage is the greatest, because his raign is the shortest: who like a bad Tenant, having a Lease ready to expire, without impeachment of Waste, cares not what havock he makes, because not tied to Reparations.
The tempter.
Doct.The Devil is the tempter paramount.
There be other tempters, The World, the Flesh, Wicked men; but all these are subservient to Satan, who in them and by them driveth on his designe of Temptation. But this Tempter never before nor since took such a task in hand, as here to tempt Christ. Fiery darts (Eph. 6.16.) can make no impression where they meet not with combustible matter: Granado's, if cast on a Castle all strongly arched over with stone, do small execution: so here, Satans temptations took no effect in Christ, because finding no party to comply with him. Ioh. 14.30. The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. Though Christ was All in all, yet Satan found nothing in him, namely for his purpose; no Corruptions to be tinder to his fiery Temptations.
If thou beest the Son of God.
Some conceive that Satan herein dissembled his knowledge, (as Ioseph, who did know, and would not know his brethren) though assured Christ was the Son of God. Such a sort of people we meet with, 2 Pet. 3.5. For this they are willingly ignorant of.
But cui bono? For what conceived good to himself should the devil disguise his knowledge herein?
Others conceive, that as an angry dog bites a stone out of meer madness, though knowing he shall sooner break his teeth, then batter the stone: so Satans malice so far transported and blinded his judgement, that he tempted Christ, though (knowing him for the Son of God) his temptations would prove in effectu…l.
But I rather cast the grain of my opinion into the Seale of those Divines, who conceive the devil unsa…isfied in this point; and therefore his of thou be the Son of God proceeded from his desire of more perfect information therein.
Hence we learn,
Doct.Satan hath a limited and confined knowledge, and is ignor…nt in many things.
He knoweth not the secrets of our hearts, nor future contingencies reserved to God alone; the reason why he returned such ridling Oracles, meerly to palliate his own ignorance. In such things he speaks warily, with an if; not that he is conscientious, not to tell a lye; but cunning, not to be caught with a lye, that by pretending of tru…h, he may keep up his credit, and deceive with the less suspicion.
Secondly, from this if we collect also,
It is Satan's master-piece, Doct.to make Gods children first doubt of, and then deny their sonship. (For, had Christ entertained this temptation, at the next return, Satan would have turned si into non; this his conditional particle, into a pure negation.)
This he doth by two devices.
First, by insinuating a si, a suspicion of doubt, into the most positive and pregnant promises of God. Where God saith, Call upon me in the time of trouble, and I will hear thee; Satan infers, if he will hear thee. Where Christ saith, Mar. 16.16. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; Satan suggests, if he shall be saved. In a word, the devil endeavours to alter the property of all Gods promises for the worst, substituting a supposition for Gods position: as, where God had lately said, Matth. 3.17, This is my beloved Son; the devil spoils a direct text, with a doubting gloss, If thou be the Son of God.
Secondly, by heightning the afflictions of Gods servants, to be so great, as inconsistent with their sonship: as here he would perswade, Christs hunger argued him no Son of God, except he could presently relieve himself. So he tempts Gods children to believe, that their poverty, infamy, captivity, and other tribulations, plainly prove them no sons of God, unless they can presently rid themselves of them.
Gratifie not Satan in the deepest of thy afflictions, with a confession against thy self. Acknowledge thy self a prodigal; but yet a childe, no bastard: a wandering sheep; but yet a sheep, no goat: sanctified afflictions being evidences of Gods love, not hatred unto thee.
Remember and apply to thy self Gods three GIFTS.
The first, good:
The second, better.
The third, best of all.
The first, general; Ioh. 3.16. He GAVE his onelyonly Son, that whosoever believeth in him, &c.
The second, particular; Eph. 5.25. loved the Church, and GAVE himself for it.
The last and best, more particular still; Gal. 2.20. who loved me, and GAVE himself for me.
Take heed to pleasure Satan, by renouncing thine own sonship; and apply this grand Gift of Christ, with a particular faith, unto thy self.
Command that these stones be made bread.
Doct.Even by the confession of Satan himself, The Son of God by his mandate can instantly transubstantiate stones into bread.
Indeed, men by the help of a figure may in some sort be said to do so. Such who in the West country turn solid Lime-stones into Compost, whereby they manure their Tillage, and make their grain wonderfully to increase, may by a Metonymie be said to turn stones into bread. But this is done with a tedious going about; whereas Christ's Miracles are presently and perfectly performed: Immediately his leprosie was cleansed, Matth. 8.3. Immediately their …y…e received sight, Matth. 20.34. Immediately the fever left her, Mark 1.31. Immediately her issue of blood was stanched, Luke 8.44. God onelyonly can instantly and perfectly (with such as act by commission under him, as Moses did) turn the substance of one thing into another.
See we here, That Jannes and Jambres, the Egyptian inchanters, did their Miracles but seemingly. Had Christ rejoyned, My turning of stones into bread will n… argue me the Son of God, seeing the Egyptian Magicians, Exod. 7.12, turned their …ods into serpents; how quickly would the devil have distinguished, that these things were done quoad … tudinem, non quoad …ritatem? disclaiming his own deed, because Aaron's rod swallowed up theirs; that is, it lasted and con…ed, when the others vanished awaye.
Three good things appear in this temptation of Satan.
1. Truth, allowing Divide Omnipotencie.
2. Temperance, that stones should not be turned into variety of dai… ties, provocatives of wantonness; but onelyonly into bread, for necessary sustenance.
3. Tenderness, counselling Christ to support his own life and health.
But as the Lo…ls (Rev. 9 7.) bad faces like the faces of men, but … like …nto scorpions: so here Satans temptation had much of humanity and Philanthropia in the complexion and visage thereof, (and no wonder he can make himself look like a man, who can (1 Cor. 11.14.) transform himself into an angel of light) but a sting in the tail, to put Christ on the preposterous working of a miracle, to the distrust of his Fathers providence.
Use.Learn we from hence, to fear all discourse with Satan, and suspect all that he saith, as having a reach beyond our discovery. Metuas Satanam, vel vera loquentem. Some will say, Let Satan but speak the truth, and let him do his worst. Ex veris possunt nil nisi vera sequi. By the necessity of Logick, truth must inevitably follow from the truth he speaks. But know, his sophistry can grast a lye suddenly on the stock of truth, so artificially, so invisibly, that thine eye cannot discern the same.
Lastly, be jealous of Satans best temptations, which (as here to Christ) pretend most courtesie and kindness in them. Stinks are not so dangerous for mens healths, whose offensiveness makes them easie to be avoided, as those faint and luscious smell, which, complying with mans nature, insensibly steal into the nostrils: such is the smell of May-flowers, mellow apples, and, they say, of the Plague it self: But of all sents, the least suspected, and therefore most malignant, is the stink of a Goal *Lord Bacon in his Natural History., which is somewhat akin to man, arising from the corruption of his flesh and sweat. Take heed especially of those temptations of Satan which have some mixture of humanity in them, as this in the Text, when he perswaded our Saviour by sin to preserve himself. Studiously avoid such Temptations, which in some manner claim kindred of us, lest by their pretended alliance to our natural preservation, they surprise our souls into a sudden consent unto them.