Commentary on Matthew 4:1-11, Sermon 6
CHRIST'S Second Temptation to PRESUMPTION. SERMON VI.
MATTH. 4.6.
And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thy self down: for it is written, &c.
AMongst the many titles of Satan, this is not the least, Ephes. 2.2. The Prince of the power of the air. Having therefore now gotten Christ on a Pinacle in the Air, in his own Dominion and Principality, Satan presumed on success: but being beaten on his own ground, comes off with greater shame to himself, and greater glory to our Saviour.
Observe in the Text,
The Hook, the worst of Works; and The Bait, the best of Words.
The Hook, in general, the sin of Presumption: in particular, Self-homicide.
The Bait, Scripture it self, cited by Satan, who had great hope Christ would bite at it. David saith, Psal. 119.133. Thy words are sweeter then honey to my mouth. Surely they were sweeter unto Christ then to David, as having a more high gust, & more perfect taste; and therefore the Hook thus besmeared with Honey, Satan hoped would be swallowed; but in vain, as by the sequele will appear.
Now seeing the former temptation of Satan was to Despair, this next to Presumption, we learn,
Doct.The devil will endeavour to make men …eel from one Extremity to another.
The possessed man, Matth. 17.15. oft fell into the fire, and oft into th… water. (Satans world hath no Temprate climate, but either Torrid or Frozen Zone.) Sometimes he casteth men into the fire of ill-tempered Zeal, sometimes into the water of Acedia, or a carelesness what becomes of their souls: sometimes into the fire of over-activity, to do nothing just; sometimes into the water of too much idleness, to do just nothing.
Thus we read, Rom. 2.22. Thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacriledge? Thus the incestuous Corinthian husband to his mother, and son to his wife, (1 Cor. 5.1.) turned so violently from his Prophaness, that there was danger he would have been swallowed up with over-much sorrow, (2 Cor. 2.7) if S. Paul's prudent counsel had not prevented Satans subtilty. Rev. 2 6, Thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans▪ which I also hate. Now Ecclesiastical Histories inform us, that this Nicolas (one of the Deacons, Acts 6.5.) had a wife as vertuous as beautiful, whose Chastity he causlesly suspected. Now being reproved for his fauls, to clear himself from Jealousie, he prostituted his wife to any wanton mans embraces. Such therefore are Nicolaitans, who so indiscreetly shun one sin, that they fall foul into the opposi…e thereunto. Thus the Jews in the Old Testament, under-kept the Sabbath with profaness, the constant complaint of the Prophe…s, not onelyonly before, but after the C…ptivity, Nehem. 13.13. Who, in the New Testament, over-kept it with superstition; conceiving deeds o… charity (Ma…k 3.2.) done on that day, a brea…h thereof. Thus▪ some shunning the Heresie of One Will, maintained the opposite of Two Persons in Christ. Thus the modern Ranters were formerly conceived (if guilty) to offend on the right hand, using too much Praying and Preaching, even to the neglecting of their Calling; and now they are come (be it spoken and heard with sorrow) from living above Ordinances (as themselves term it) to live against Ordinances; accounting B…asphemy, Adultery, Sabbath-breaking, &c. no sins. Opposite are they to the man (Matth. 12.44) out of whom the unclean spirit being gone, retu…ned to an h…us… sw…pt and garnished: whereas these leaving an house swept and garnished, return to the unclean spirit. The worst I wish such is, To practise the precept prescribed, Revel. 2.5. Remember whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do thy first works. And let us avoid sin, not onelyonly at a great distance, but also with good discretion, lest we sin in the other extreme.
Cast thy self down.
I observe in the words,
God's Goodness,
Satan's Weakness,
Man's Freeness.
1 God's Goodness; who, to prevent casualties of mens falling from the top of their houses, himself turns Architect, and gives the Jews instructions how to build, Deut. 22.8 When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thine house, if any man fall from thence. Indeed, we call those Gods gifts, or Deodands, which are escheated to him by such casualties; anciently (when not reserved by Charter to the Lord of the Mannor) given to the Almoner, to bestow on pious uses. It seems therefore God delights not to enrich himself by such revenues, desiring no not the temporal death of a sinner, but seeking to prevent their falling down, by enjoyning a border of battlements.
2. Satan's Weakness. Why could could not he thrust Christ down, standing now on so ticklish terms as the top of a pinacle? One shove with his shoulder, nay, one touch with his hand, might have done the deed. Oh, it was past his power! Sooner might he have removed the earth from the centre thereof. Even the hairs of your head are numbered. And, as Satan cou…d not cast Christ down, so he could not make Christ cast himself down, except wilfully he would do it, on his own accord: which leads us to the third thing,
3. Man's …reeness.
Whence we learn,
Satan may fl…tter and fright, Doct. 1.but he cannot force us to commit sin.
Indeed he may by his instruments compel us to the outward act; (witness Amnon, 2 Sam. 13.14. ravishing Tamar, being stronger then she, forced her, and lay with her) but cannot command the consent of our souls. Thus the Pagans in the Primitive Church might make Christians bend their knees and hold up their hands to Idols, but could not constrain their hearts to adore them. Satan may commend, he cannot command sin unto us.
This discovereth the vanity of their excuse,Use. who having committed some great sin, plead for themselves, The devil hath long ow…d me a shame, and now he hath paid it me. And owe thee he might (to use thine own phrase) till the day of thy death, and his confinement to hell, hadst not thou enabled him with …hine own money, and put him into a capacity to pay thee therewith.
It is observable, that amongst the many Confessions of good men in S…ripture, no one of them (abate onelyonly Eve, transferring her fault on the serpent) chargeth their sins on Satan, but take them on their own a…count…, as ultimately revolved to their free consent. David, of of all men, had most right to make this plea for himself, when he numbred the people; it being expresly s…id, 1 Chron. 21.1. And Satan stood up, and provoked David to …umber them. And though David, no doubt, was sensible of S…tans temptation; yet he taketh all on his own score, vers. 17. It is I… that have sinned, and done evil indeed: as excusing his subjects, so not accusing Satan, as knowing he could not necessitate him to sin, without his own consent.
It is a notorious sin, Doct. 2.for a man, whilst himself, to destroy himself.
Why insert you these words,Quest. whilst himself? Open but that window, and it will be in vain for you to shut any doors. Every self-homicide will plead, That he was beside himself, with Fear, or Love, or Grief, or Anger.
God is not mocked. Answ.I onelyonly count such besides themselves, who are not compo…es mentis; but visit…d with a distraction from Gods hand, and not wilfully contracted by their own vitious Intemperance. In such a case, ut ad insaniam ita adjudicium, as men fall into madness, so are they brought to judgement, and all their mediate intervening actions are beheld by Divine Justice as none of theirs, because wanting the royal assent of their Reason. For any other to destroy themselves, is an hainous offence against Nature; self-preservation being the first Article in the grand Charter thereof. 2. Against Reason; Ephes. 5.29. No man ever yet hated his own flesh. No man; he must be a beast, or a devil, that doth it. 3. Against Scripture: Thou shalt not kill. Say not, No law is particularly made against mans killing himself. Perchance it was purposely omitted (as the Law against Patricides amongst the Grecians) partly, because Charity would presume, none could be so wicked; and partly, lest mans corruption should abuse the Law, sins punisher, to be sins remembrancer. But whereas it is said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self; love of our selves is the original, love of our neighbour the copie. If therefore the killing of our neighbour, much more of our selves, is forbidden.
Miserable are the pretences men make for this sin.
First, To prevent or remove pain. This proceeds from the ignorance of the Scriptures, and the unbelief of the torments of hell: Otherwise it is not the removing, but the increase and exchange of pain; where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Secondly, To shan shame. Both these motives to Self-murther met in Saul, 1 Sam. 31.3, 4. He was sore wounded of the archers; there was pain: and he feared le…t the uncircumcised come and abuse him; there was his shame. Yet twist both together, and they would not make one Reason strong enough for him to kill himself. This was not the way to avoid, but increase shame. Of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, Mark 8.38.
Thirdly, To procure Praise; which cannot be only, when it is purchased by the breach of God's Law. Say not, Samson did the same, whose faith is praised, Heb. 11. Do thou as Samson did, and it shall be forgiven thee: Pluck down at once two fundamental pillars of a Church. His action shews his commission extraordinary, and is no warrant for others to drown, stab, poyson, murther themselves.
Use 1.To confute such as are guilty of Self-homicide. But be this first pr…m…sed.
Those who being Preachers, look with the severest on this sin, can as private men look with the most pitiful eyes on their persons. They that fall on their own sword, stand or fall to their own Master. I will not say the men are damned; but I will say the deed is damnable. Who knows but that the l…st groan, which divorces their souls from their bodies, may marry their souls unto God… so that the pangs' of temporal death, may prove the pains of their spiritual birth.
Now Self-homicide is twofold:
Either of Omission, or Commission.
Omission, by neglecting the means of food and Physick, which God hath appointed for the preservation of their lives, and which come within the compass of their estates to procure. Christ saith, Mark 3.4. Is it lawful on the Sabbath day to save life, or to kill? making the forbearance of curing another man (when he had power to do it, and the other faith to have it done) equivalent to the killing of him. How more strongly then doth the argument hold in our selves, that it is Self-murder to omit the means of our preservation!
Self-homicide of Commission, is, when men actually murther themselves?
Let such as have entertained thoughts to destroy themselves,Use 2. and are yet kept alive, Be doleful for what is past, thankful for what is present, watchful for what is to come.
Peter said to S…mon…s Magus, Act. 8.22. Pray God if perhaps the thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven thee. Some conceive Magus his fault within the luburbs of the sin against the Holy Ghost; and therefore Peter warily inserteth perhaps, speaking conditionally, not positively; as uncertain of his pardon. But I may certainly say to such who have harboured thoughts of Self-homicide, Pray, and without any perhaps the thoughts of thine heart shall be forgiven thee. The rather, because the best of men in their passions have been tempted with such thoughts: Iob 7.15. So that my soul chuseth strangling and death, rather then life. Beza confesseth, that when a youth, being tortured with a scurfie head, he intended to have drowned himself from off the Millers bridge in Paris, had not the coming in of his uncle interrupted him.
And let such as have lodged thoughts of Self-murder, be watchful for the future in their prayers to God. Let them beg of him, to binde their souls in the bundle of life; to secure them (in the best acceptance of the word) from themselves; to hide their life (as well temporal as spiritual, Col. 3.3.) with Christ in God; that it may not be found out, either when Satan seeks to devour them, or they to destroy themselves.
Amen.