Satans Temptations in Three Parts, Part 3 · Chapter 6
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.
CHAP. VI. That Chriſts Temptations were real and not in Viſion; that Temptation is Satans imployment, with the Evidences and Inſtances thereof. Of Satans tempting Viſibly, with the Reaſons thereof.
NExt follows a particular Account of thoſe more Eminent Temptations wherewith Chriſt was Aſſaulted by Satan▪ before I ſpeak of theſe, I muſt neceſſarily remove this Stumbling-Block out of the way, (viz.) whether Chriſt was really tempted, or only in a Viſion. That this was but viſionary, hath been ſuppoſed; Hobs Leviathan c. 45. p. 354.not only by ſome, whoſe conceits in other things, might juſtly render their Suppoſals in this matter leſs worthy of a ſerious conſideration. But alſo by very grave and ſerious men, whoſe reaſons notwithſtanding are not of that weight,Calvin. as to ſway us againſt the Letter and Hiſtory of theſe Temptations:Scultctus. which give us a full account of theſe things as really tranſacted, without the leaſt hint of underſtanding them as done only in a Viſion. For,
Firſt, 'Tis a dangerous thing to depart from the literal Senſe of what is hiſtorically related; If we take ſuch a Liberty, we may as well underſtand other Hiſtorical Paſſages after the ſame rate, Teueſon. Hobs Creed. Exam. p. 65.and ſo bring the Hiſtory not only of Chriſts Suffering to a viſionary and Phantaſtical Croſs, but alſo of all the new Teſtament to a very nothing.
Secondly, The Circumſtances of the Temptation are ſo particularly ſet down; as the Devils coming to him, leaving him, taking him to the Temple,Spanhem dub. Evan. in loc. &c. That if we may expect in any thing to ſecure our ſelves from a viſionary Suppoſition, we may do it in this Hiſtory.
Thirdly, This Imagination doth wholly enervate and make void the very end and deſign of Chriſts being tempted: for where were the Glory of this Victory over Satan, if it were only a viſionary Temptation, and a viſionary Conqueſt? or where were the comfort and encouragement which Believers (from the Apoſtles Authority, Heb. 2. 18. & 4. 16.) might reap from this, that Chriſt imagined himſelf to be tempted, when really he was not ſo? Nay how impoſſible is it, to make that expreſſion of the Apoſtle, [he was tempted in all points like as we are,] to agree to an imaginary Temptation? except we alſo ſay, that we are only tempted viſionarily and not really?
Fourthly, Neither is it a plea of any value againſt this Truth, that it ſeems to derogate too much from the Honour and Authority of our Saviour,Non mirum eſt Chriſtum premiſiſſe ſe circumduci a Diabolo, qui permiſit ſe a Membris ſuis Crucifigi. that Satan ſhould ſo impudently aſſault him, with Temptations to worſhip him, and ſhould carry him at pleaſure from place to place; when we find that he voluntarily ſubmitted to higher Indignities from Satans Inſtruments, and turned not away his Cheek from thoſe that ſmote him, ſpit upon him, and contumeliouſly mocked him, and at laſt ſubmitted to Death, even the death of the Croſs.
As for thoſe Objections from foreign, the Pinacle of the Temple, upon which Scultetus thinks it was impoſſible for Chriſt to ſtand; As alſo the Objection of the impoſſibility to ſhew the Kingdoms of the World from any Mountain: I ſhall anſwer them in their proper place, in the mean time I ſhall return to the Verſe in hand, in which I ſhall firſt pitch upon the general proaemium, or Introduction to theſe ſpecial Temptations, which is this, The Tempter came to him.
In this we are to take notice of the Name given to Satan, and alſo the Way and Manner of the Aſſault, in that Expreſſion, he came to him.
There are three diſtinct Names given to him in theſe Temptations. (1.) His Name Satan, ſhews his Malice and Fury, which is the Ground and Fountain whence all that Trouble proceeds, which we meet with from him. (2.) He is ſtiled the Temper, and that ſignifies to us, how he puts forth this Malice, his Way and Exerciſe, in the exerting of it. (3.) He is called the Devil or Accuſer, expreſſing thereby the End and Iſſue of all. From this Name then here given, we may obſerve,
Firſt,Obſ. 1. That it is Satans Work and Imployment to tempt Men. We need not here Diſpute, whether it be proper to Satan to tempt, that is, an ſoli, & ſemper competat, whether it agree to him only, and always, Aquinas Sum. Part 1. Q 114. Art. 2.which ſome indeed affirm in ſuch a Senſe as this, that Men do tempt Men as Satans Inſtruments, the World tempts as it is the Object, and Matter of Temptations, but Satan tempts as the proper Author and Engineer of Temptations.Homines inſtrumentaliter, Mundus mate …aliter, Satanas efficienter. Sclater on … Theſ. 3. 5. Others there are that think, that Men can, and do properly tempt themſelves, according to Jam. 1. Every Man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own Luſt; But the Queſtion is altogether needleſs as to us, though we and others may be true and proper Tempters, yet this hindereth not but that it is moſt true, that Satan makes Temptation his very Work and Buſineſs. And therefore not only here, but in 1 Theſ. 3. 5. The Devil is deſcribed by his Imployment; Leſt by any means the Tempter (or he that tempteth) hath tempted you: which the ordinary Gloſs doth thus explain, Diabolus, cuius eſt Officium tentare. This Name then is put upon Satan foreign by way of Eminency. Implying (1.) That though there be never ſo many Tempters, yet Satan is the chief. (2.) That he makes Temptation his proper Imployment.
That Satan doth ſo, I ſhall evidence by theſe few Notes.
Firſt, Temptation is in it ſelf a Buſineſs and Work. For if we conſider either the Work of any one Temptation (where Satan is oft put to it, after Suggeſtion to perſwade, and after perſwaſion to inſtigate and provoke;) or if we conſider what Furniture, Tools, Means, and Inſtruments are requiſite, and what it may coſt to bring all things together into fit order and method; or if we think of the various ways and manners of temptation; That ſome are mediate, ſome immediate; ſome inward, ſome outward; ſome moveable, ſome fixed and ſolemn; ſome inticements to Evil, ſome affrightments from Duty, others invaſions of our peace and joy; or laſtly, if we call to mind, what Study, what Art, what fetches and contrivanees the Devil is ſometimes put upon, we ſhall eaſily ſee, that it keeps him doing, and that he eats not the bread of Idleneſs that hath that Imployment to follow.
Secondly, Satan gives up himſelf unto it, is wholly in it, he walks to and fro, goes about ſeeking advantages of this nature, compaſſeth Sea and Land to Proſelite men to his Slavery, uſeth all means, upon all men, at all times, with all diligence; Hence was it, that Latimer (in his homely way of ſpeaking) called him, a buſy Biſhop in his Dioceſs, and excited the ſluggiſh to learn laboriouſneſs of the Devil.
Thirdly, He takes a delight in it, not only from a natural propenſity, which his fall put upon him, whereby he cannot but tempt, as an evil Tree cannot but bring forth evil Fruits: But alſo from the power of an habit acquired by long exerciſe, which is accompanied with ſome kind of pleaſure; and further, whatever pleaſure may be ſuppoſed to ariſe from revengeful Pride or companionſhip in evil,Solamen miſeris, &c. he hath of that in full meaſure, preſſed down, and running over.
Fourthly, All other things in Satan, or in his indeavours, have either a ſubſerviency, or ſome way or other a reference and reſpect to Temptation. His Power, Wiſdom, Malice, and other infernal Qualifications, render him able to tempt; his Labour and Diligence in other things are but the work of one that prepares Materials and Occaſions; his other buſineſs of accuſing, afrighting, deſtroying, tormenting, are but the ends and improvements of tempting.
Fifthly, He cares not how it goes on, ſo that it go on; as a Man that deſigns to be rich, cares not how he gets it; which ſhews, that tempting in general is his deſign. Of this we have many Inſtances, as (1.) he ſtick not to lie and diſſemble, he will tell them of the Kingdoms of the World, and the Glory of them, and a thouſand fair promiſes which he never intends. (2.) He will tempt for a ſmall matter, if he can but gain a little, or but moleſt us, yet he will be doing. (3.) He will not give over for a foil or diſappointment. (4.) He is not aſhamed to tempt contradictory things, he tempted Chriſt againſt the work of Redemption, Maſter ſpare thy ſelf. He tempted Judas to further it in betraying him. (5.) Any Temptation that he ſees will hold, he takes up with; hence is it that he tempts not the Jews now to Idolatry, becauſe he hath them faſt in another ſnare, being ſtrongly led to an oppoſition and contempt of Chriſt. (6.) He will ſometime tempt where he hath not probability to prevail, even againſt hope. Thus he tempted Chriſt and Paul.
The uſe of the Obſervation is this:Applic. If it be his buſineſs to tempt, it muſt be our work to reſiſt.
Firſt, To reſiſt is a labour, 'tis not an idle formality, conſiſting in words of defyance, or a few ridiculous Croſſings, and ſprinklings of Holy Water, or ſpitting at the name of him, as Ignorant People are wont to do.
Secondly, We muſt give up our ſelves to this work, always fighting and oppoſing.
Thirdly, It will be neceſſary to make uſe of all helps, as Prayer, Faſting, the Counſel and Support of Holy and Experienced Men.
Fourthly, We muſt alſo caſt off all hinderances, whatſoever in us is apt to take fire, or give advantage, muſt be laid off; as Pride (which doth prognoſticate a fall) and Security, which betrays the beſt; or Preſumption, which provokes God to leave thoſe of higheſt attainments.Neh 13. 16.
Secondly, In this general Introduction, we may caſt our Eye, upon the way and manner of the Aſſault; when 'tis ſaid, the Tempter came unto him, we are unavoidably forced to ſuppoſe, another manner of coming, than that whereby he tempted him for forty days together. And when we call to mind, that at his coming here mentioned, he carried Chriſt to the Temple, and from thence to a high Mountain, and there propounded himſelf an Object of Worſhip; we can imagine no leſs, than that Satan here came viſibly to him; but in what ſhape or manner of Appearance, it is altogether uncertain, though 'tis moſt probable, it was not in the form of a Brute, but in ſome luſtre of Majeſty or Glory, as an Angel; becauſe a deformed, or baſe appearance, had been unſuitable to the Boaſt of giving the Kingdoms of the World, or to his deſire that Chriſt ſhould fall down and worſhip him. Hence we may obſerve:
That Satan ſometimes tempts in a viſible Appearance, and by Voice.Obſ. 2.
Firſt, The poſſibility of this, is evident from the Apparitions of Angels.Riſcat. in loc. Satan is ſtill an Angel, and there is nothing of a natural Incapacity in him as to an outward Appearance to our Eyes and Sences, more than in glorify'd Spirits.
Secondly, In the firſt Temptation he did no leſs, when he uſed the Serpent, as a Trune to ſpeak through, and an Inſtrument to act by; In poſſeſſions he ſpeaks audibly, and evidenceth a real preſence.
Thirdly undoubted Inſtances may be given of Satans tempting and moleſting viſibly. I deny not but there are a great many Idle-Stories of this kind, and a number of ridiculous Figments, but it would be unreaſonable and highly prejudicial to the truth of Hiſtory, and the common Faith of mankind to refuſe credit to the ſerious Accounts of ſober Men, becauſe of ſome fooliſh and unwarrantable F…bles.
What is related of Luther, and his ſeveral Troubles from Satan this way,O Fiatres adjuvate me, nepeream, nonne vid…tis Daemonum agmina, qui me debellare, & ad Tartara ducere feſtinaut, quid hic aſtas cruenta beſtia? Gl. Senarclaeus in Epiſt. ad M. Bucerum, &c. Tells of a Country Man, at Tribury in Germany to whom the Devil appeared in the ſhape of a Tall Man, claiming his Soul, and offering to ſet down his Sins in a Scroll. is evident in the Story of his Life. Cyrillus tells us of one Euſebius Diſciple of Hierom, who when he was dying, cryed out of the Devils appearing to him. The like is ſtoryed of St. Martin and others, and of theſe, you may read more collected by Mr. Clark.
If we would enquire into the reaſons of Satans appearing thus, we cannot more fitly pitch upon any other than theſe.
Firſt, Either he thinks a great affrightment neceſſary in ſome caſes, and for that end appears: or,
Secondly, He ſees his appearance needful, to give a greater Evidence and certainty to the reality of the pleaſures of Sin which he promiſeth; that is the common ground of his appearing in the ways and deſigns of Witchcraft.
Thirdly, Or in the height of rage, when he perceives other ways not available, and when he hath to do with Perſons not ignorant of his devices, where he ſees he hath no need of a Viſor, or covert ways of dealing, then he ſticks not (if permitted) to tempt or moleſt openly.
This muſt teach us not to wonder at ſuch Temptations, much leſs to judg thoſe that may be ſo moleſted, as if Satan had a greater ſhare in them, ſeeing Chriſt was thus tempted.