Commentary on Matthew 4:1-11, Sermon 4
CHRIST'S First Temptation to DESPAIRE. SERMON IIII.
MATTH. 4.4.
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.
THere is a received fancie, as old as common, false as either, having no footing in Scripture, but founded partly on that license which Painters assume to themselves, partly on the pretended apparitions of ignorant Monks, That the devil is horned.
The best moral I can make of so fond a conceit, is this: The devil's temptations are horned, or forked, bicornea argumenta. So that chuse which you will, he hopeth to gore the soul: Thus in the last verse, to our Saviour, If thou be the Son of God, &c. One the one side, Satan hoped to make Christ renounce his sonship; there is one born: or else to work a needless Miracle; there is the other horn: and with such Dilemma's he useth daily to assault Gods children.
But what saith David? (Psal. 75.12.) I will break the horns of the ungodly: which here was truely performed by Christ, who found out a medium betwixt the two extremities; namely, that a man without bread might support himself, by a faithful and patient dependance on Gods promises. Hunger (saith our English Proverb) will break thorow stone walls: and Satan hoped that Christ's hunger should transport him so far, as to turn those stones miraculously into bread. When, contrary to his expectation, Christ turns a place of Scripture (being the bread of life) into a stone, wherewith he hit, wounded, and repelled Satan: He answered and said, Man shall not live by bread alone, &c.
Observe therein,
First, what Christ did not do: he did not work a Miracle to gratifie Satan.
Secondly, what he did say: he fenced himself, and foiled his foe, by alleadging of Scripture.
Most of the difficulties in this text will be explained, if we but propound and expound one wonder which we meet with, of Christ's working in the Gospel.
The Wonder is this, that Christ afterwards (Ioh. 2.) turned water into wine at a Wedding, and would not now turn stones into bread in the Wilderness. For,
1. Both were equally easie, and both required an infinite agent.
2. Wine is but a meer superfluity, but bread is of absolute necessity to mans life: yea, men may quench their thirst from water, when they cannot satisfie their hunger from stones.
3. Wine, at that time and place, was a superfluity of a superfluity; it appearing by the text, Ioh. 2.10. they had well drunk. Understand it, not so excessively, but still there was a plus ultra for honest mirth, or otherwise our Saviour would not patronize drunkenness.
Lastly, that miracle he did to gratifie guests; but here he was concerned for his own support; and yet refus'd to work it.
The reason of all this, is; He did that miracle in Cana for the converting of unbelievers to the faith, and the confirming of weak believers in the faith. The text saith, Ioh. 2.11. This beginning of miracles did Iesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his dis…iples believed on him.
Now here he refused to turn stones into bread, because,
1. It was unnecessary: Christ now being to leave the wilderness, might either buy, or else request food elsewhere.
2. It was unseasonable to do it at Satans suit and solliciting, who would be ready to brag that he had Christ at his command, to practise miracles at his pleasure: wherefore neither Satan nor his Imps, Herod, Luke 23.8. and the Pharisees, Matth. 16.1. could prevail with Christ to shew them a signe, when either out of curiosity, wantonness, or craft, they required the same.
3. It was unprofitable, there being no hopes of Satan's conversion. The blinde man (being pressed often to repeat the manner of Christs curing him) said bluntly to the Pharisees, Ioh. 9.27. Wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples? Why should our Saviour work a wonder Satan being present? would he also be Christ's convert? He could not, he would not believ to salvation
Lastly, it was unlawful to tempt God to work a needless miracle, when there were other ways to subsist without it.
Which leads our meditations to observe,
Doct.Christ and his Apostles wrought their miracles with a publike spirit, for Gods glory.
They never used their healing or sanative Miracles for their own relief; nor their hurting or destructive Miracles in their own revenge.
For the first: It is well known how neer and dear Timothy was to Saint Paul, whom he called *Tim. 1.2.his son; yet he would not cure those frequent infirmities wherewith Timothy was troubled. Paul that cured the cripple at Lystra of his lameness, Acts 14.10. healed the father of Publius principal man in Melita of his fever, Acts 28.8. raised Eutiches to life when killed with a fall, Acts 20.12. Why should not he presently heal Timothy, but onelyonly prescribe him a more liberal diet? 1 Tim. 5.23. Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomacks sake, and thine often infirmity? Yea, why did not he cure himself of that acute disease, 2 Cor. 1.8 when he received in himself the sentence of death? The reason of both is this: They were stewards, not owners of their miraculous power, and might not ingross it for their own good, but dispense it, for the behoof of others, and principally for the converting of unbelievers.
Nor were their destructive miracles employed in their own revenge. Alexander the copper-smith, saith S. Paul, (2 Tim. 4.14.) hath done M… much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works. Some will say, Had I been in Paul's place, I would never have sent him to God for his reward, but would presently have paid him my self, and smote him (as he did Elymas) with blindness. But Paul would not be judge in his own cause; it being probable, that Elymas his fault was more publike, not onelyonly committed against Paul, Act. 13.8. but also against Sergius the Deputy, seeking to turn him away from the faith; whilst Alexander's insolence was more particularly aimed at Paul's person, and therefore the Apostle (for fear of pa…tiality) refers him to Divine punishment.
This will put a Touch-stone into our hands, thereby not onelyonly to suspect the truth, but detect the falshood of many Popish Miracles, having so many private ends and self-interests in them.
Thus *Not S. Augustine the …mous Fa…h…r, and Bishop of …ippo; but … later Monk.Austin is reported, when preaching here in Dorsetshire, being afflicted with his companions for want of water, to have struck his staff into the earth, and to have fetcht forth a Crystal fountain. Whereas Christ himself was fain (when thisty) to go to the well, and beg water (Ioh. 4.) of the Samaritane woman.
They report also of Saint *Flores …ancto…m.David, the Welch Saint, that when multitudes of people pressed to his preaching, with a word he commanded a mountain to stand out of the earth, that so his person might be more visible, his preaching more audible to the Congregation. Whereas Christ himself, Matth. 5.1. preaching to as great a confluence, did not create, but climb up; did not make, but made use of a mountain; not easing himself by miracle, but taking pains in his own person to travel to the top thereof. Christ, I say, who out of a publike spirit healed others, but was hurt himself; fed and filled others, but was hungry and empty himself, when he returned this answer in the text: It is written, Man shall not live by bread onelyonly, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
It is written.
Where?Quest. In what Book, Chapter, and Verse?
For the later,Answ. Chapter and Verse, they are not Iure Divino, but of humane and late institution. Indeed the Psalms, both for number and order, were anciently divided and martialled; Act. …3.33. It is written in the second Psalm. But Chapters are of a far later institution. Let it suffice the place was betwixt the first of Genesis and the last of Malachi. And Satan knew full well it was no forged text, but truely to be found, Deut. 8.3.
Doct.Gods Word is the best weapon for our spiritual warfare.
Military men have much troubled themselves advantagiously to compound offending and Defending in the same Weapon. This, if effected, would both save portage, and one Weapon would be eminently two, for all purposes and intents. Hence grew the invention of making short pikes in the bosses and middle of shields, that the same may both hide the souldier, and hurt his adversary. This is perfectly performed in the Scripture, both sword and shield against the *Eph. 6.16fiery darts of the devil. And well are his temptations resembled unto darts, for their swiftness, for their sharpness: they come the quicker, and pierce the deeper, according to the might and malice of the arm enforcing them.
To confute the Papists,Use. who disarm Gods people, and leave them naked against the assaults of Satan, by locking up the Word in an unknown Tongue.
Whether the translating of the Norman Laws into English, will make men more knowing, or more wrangling; more intelligent, or more litigious, the present age can onelyonly ghess, the next will certainly conclude. But out of all question it is, the Laws of God cannot, without breach of Christian liberty, and the apparent injury of Gods servants, be hid him from them in a strange language, so depriving them of their best defence against Satans temptations.
Gods faithful servants, Doct.in the time of famine, can make a feast unto themselves out of the promises in Scripture.
They take the first course out of the Old Testament, Psal. 34.10. The lions do lack and suffer hunger; but they that fear the Lord, shall want no manner of thing that is good. The second course is out of the New Testament; Matth. 6.33. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Yea, he may make a Convivium dubium, a doubtful feast, wherein the appetite is suspended betwixt the variety of equally-dainty dishes; and he shall leave as good as he takes, so copious is the Scripture therein.
Come we now to consider the several ways whereby God wonderfully supports them, who in want feed on his promises. Some will say, Words are but winde: but God's are real words, such as fill and fat those that depend upon them.
First, he can make a little go far, as Matth. 14.21. when about five thousand were fed with five loaves and two fishes.
Secondly, he can (as extend the quantity) so improve the quality of meat, that coarse diet shall cause strength and health as well as dainties; as in the case of Daniel's pulse. Shew me not the meat, but shew me the man, saith our English Proverb. When I behold the children of poor people, I perceive a Riddle, and contradiction between their fare and their faces: lean meat, and fat children; small beer, and strong bodies; brown bread, and fair complexions. Nor can I attribute it to any other cause but this, That the rich folk generally make long meals and short Graces, whiles poor men have short meals and long Graces; I mean that they rely more upon Gods blessing then their own provisions.
Thirdly, by strange and unexpected ways, he can furnish them with food in the greatest of their necessities. Whereof we will make onelyonly a fourfold instance.
In the yeer of our Lord 1555, when a general Famine was over all England, Master Cambden in his *Pag. 466.Britannia reports that at Alborough in Suffolk, on the sea-coast, there grew on the Rocks such plenty of Pease which came to perfect maturity, that they abated the prizes of the market, and saved the lives of many poor people.
When the City of *M. Fox his Martyrs.Rochel was besieged, 1572, and by famine reduced to great extremity, God sent into their Haven such a shole of fishes, (of a sort never seen there before or since) which relieved the people till the Siege was broken up.
When the wife and children of banished *Melchior Adamus in his Life.Musculus begged bread of him (no welcome musick to a tender father, who had not wherewithal to relieve them) to divert his care, he fell a making of verse:
Est Deus in coelis, qui providus omnia curat,
Nunquam credentes destituisse potest.
I confess the Verses none of the most, excellent; but I question whether a better Poet would not have made worse on the same occasion, seeing the tears of starving children are but a bad Helicon to quicken his fancie. Now no sooner were his Verses ended, but a neighbour of his brought him a loaf, which made him a feast for his family.
Lastly,M. Dyke in his Comment on this text. in the Massacre at Paris, one Merlin some fortnight together was nourished with one egge a day, laid by an hen that came constantly to that Hay-mow where he lay hid from danger. To teach all in time of extremity to depend on him, who hath written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.