Satans Temptations in Three Parts, Part 3 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. The riſe of Chriſts firſt Temptation. Of Satans ſuiting his Temptations to the conditions of Men. Of tempting Men upon the plea of Neceſſity. The reaſons and cheats of that plea. His pretences of friendſhip in tempting, with the danger thereof.
HAving thus conſidered theſe Temptations as they lye before us in their general Proſpect, I ſhall now ſpeak of this firſt ſpecial Temptation in particular, in which (1.) the Riſe, or Occaſion, (2.) the Temptation it ſelf, (3.) the Argument by which Satan would enforce it, are to be diſtinctly noted.
Firſt, As to the Riſe of it, It is queſtioned by ſome, why Satan begins with this Firſt, the cauſe they aſſign, (in part at leaſt) is from his firſt ſucceſs againſt Eve, in a Temptation about eating, as if this were the chief and moſt hopeful Arrow in his Quiver. But we need not go ſo far, when the Evangeliſt is ſo punctual in ſetting it down, in the latter end of the former verſe, he was an hungred. This the Devil took notice of, and from hence took the riſe of his Temptation, that by turning Stones to Bread for the ſatisfaction of his preſent hunger, he might be induced to make way for the ſecret Stratagems which he had prepared againſt him on this occaſion. Here I note,
That where Satan hath a deſign againſt any, Obſ. 6.he doth take the advantage of their Condition, and ſuits his Temptation accordingly. Thus, if Men be in Poverty, or in the enjoyments of Plenty, in Sickneſs or Health, if in Afflictions, under Wrongs, in Diſcontents, or carried to Advancements and Honours, or whatever elſe may be conſiderable relating to them, he obſerves it, and orders his deſigns ſo, as to take in all the advantages that they will afford. That 'tis his concern and Intereſt ſo to do, we may Imagine, upon theſe grounds:
Firſt, Our Conſent muſt be gained; this he cannot properly and truly force, but muſt entice and deceive us to a complyance with him.
Secondly, If our Condition ſpeak for him, and lye fair for the furtherance of any device of his, our conſent is upon the matter half gained; 'tis much, if ſo powerful an Advocate, as is our preſent State, do not influence us to an Inclination.
Thirdly, This doth his work eaſily and effectually, he more generally prevails by this courſe, and with leſs Labour.
This Policy of Satan ſhould advantage us,Applic. by ſuggeſting fit Memorials to us, in our expectations of Temptation. Though we know not all Satans thoughts, yet may we know where and how he will uſually make an onſet, our Condition will tell us what to look for. The Diſtreſſed and Afflicted may expect a Temptation ſuited to their Condition, as of murmuring, repining, revenge, diſtruſt, uſe of indirect means, diſpairings, &c. They that have Peace and Plenty may be ſure they ſhall be tempted ſuitably, to Pride, Boaſting, Covetouſneſs, Oppreſſion, Contempt of others, Security, or whatever may be fit to be engraſted on that Stock; the like may be ſaid of any other different condition. How fairly are we forewarned, (by an obſervation made upon Satans proceeding upon theſe advantages) where to expect him, and how to provide againſt him.
Let us proceed to a further enquiry, How the Devil managed this advantage of Chriſts hunger; he plainly urgeth him with a neceſſity of providing ſupplies for himſelf, ſpreading before him his deſire to eat, and the impoſſibility of help, in a Barren and Deſolate Wilderneſs, as if he had ſaid, The want of the Body is to be provided for, Nature and Religion conſents to this; the Wilderneſs affords no help, ordinary means fail; there is therefore a neceſſity that ſome extraordinary courſe be taken, Therefore trun Stones to Bread; this is not unſuitable to the Condition and Power of him who is the Son of God. At this rate he pleads.
Obſerve then, Obſ. 7.That Satan uſually endeavours to run his Temptations upon the plea of neceſſity, and from thence to infer a duty.
When he cannot pretend a fair and direct way to irregular Practices, he would break a Door and force a way by Neceſſity.
Under this Notion of Neceſſity, the Devil marſhals all thoſe pretences, that ſeem to be of more than ordinary force, in their uſual prevalencies. Thus he teacheth Men to think they are neceſſitated, if they be carried by a ſtrong inclination of their own, or if there be an urgency and provocation from others, or if they be in ſtraits and dangers; and ſometime he goes ſo high, as to teach Men that a neceſſity is included in the very Fabrick of their natural principles, by which they preſumptuouſly excuſe themſelves in being ſinful, becauſe by Nature they are ſo, and cannot be changed without ſpecial Grace; ſcarce ſhall we meet any Man with ſeaſonable reproof for his iniquity, but he will plead ſuch kind of neceſſities for himſelf, I could not help it, I was ſtrongly carried, or, I was compelled; I muſt do ſo, or elſe I could not eſcape ſuch a danger, &c.
The Reaſons of this Policy, are theſe.
Firſt, He knows that neceſſity hath a compulſive force, even to things of (otherwiſe) greateſt abhorrencies: A treaſury of Inſtances is to be had in Famines, and beſieged places, where 'tis uſual to eat unclean things, not only Creatures that are vile, but even Dung and Entrails; nay ſo Tyrannical is Neceſſity, that it makes inrodes into,Deut. 28. 56. and Conqueſts upon Nature it ſelf, cauſing the tender and dilicate Woman, which would not adventure the Sole of her Foot upon the ground for delicateneſs and tenderneſs, to have an evil Eye towards the Huſband of her Boſom, towards her Son, and towards her Daughter. A like force doth it exerciſe upon the Minds and Conſciences of Men, it makes them riſe up againſt their Light, it engageth Men to lay violent hands upon their own Convictions, to ſtifle and extinguiſh them. How many mournful examples have we of this kind? How many have apoſtatiſed from Truth (being terrifyed by the urging neceſſities of danger) contrary to the higheſt Convictions of Conſcience?
Secondly, Neceſſity can do much to the darkning of the Underſtanding, and change of the Judgment, by the ſtrong Influence it hath upon the Affections. Men are apt to form their apprehenſions, according to the dictates of Neceſſity; what they ſee to be hazardous, they are inclinable to judg to be evil; Men in ſtraits not only violate their Reaſon, but ſometime by inſenſible ſteps (unknown to themſelves) ſlide into a contrary Judgment of things, directly croſs to what they have believed and profeſſed. Which perſwaſion they owe not to any further acceſſion of Light, or new diſcovery of Argument, (for ofttimes, the ſame Arguments which in the abſence of trouble they have contemned as weak by the Appearance of danger put on another Face, and ſeem ſtrong) but to the prevalency of their fears. And thus many in all Ages have altered their Judgments and thoughts, not becauſe they knew more, but becauſe they feared more.
The like Neceſſities do Men form to themſelves from exorbitant and greedy hopes and expectations of a better condition, compared to that wherein they at preſent are, and the like Influence it hath in the alteration of their Judgments. Let the Biſhop of Spalato be an example of this, who loathed the Romiſh Religion firſt, and in England (whither he came for refuge) writ againſt it; but ſaw a neceſſity (from the diſappointment of expectation) to change his mind, returned to Rome again, and perſwaded himſelf that that was true which he had formerly pronounced falſe; and ſo writ againſt the Church of England, as before he had done againſt the Church of Rome. Eccleſ. Hiſt. lib. 3. cap. 11.To him we may add Ecebolius, of whom Socrates reports, that (according to the various appearings of hazards) he changed his Religion ſeveral times: Under Conſtantine, he was a Chriſtian; Antiochus put El…azer and the Macchabees in mind of this excuſe, If it be a Sin to de contrary to your Law, Compulſion doth excuſe it. Joſephus on the Lives of the Macchabees.under Julian, a Pagan; and under Jovinian, a Chriſtian again.
Thirdly, Neceſſity offers an excuſe, if not a Juſtification of the greateſt miſcarriages. Lot offered to expoſe his Daughters to the raging Luſt of the Sodomites for the preſervation of his Angel-Strangers, which ſurely he would in no wiſe have done, but that he thought the preſent neceſſity might have excuſed him. Eſau profan…ly fells his Birth-right, but excuſeth the matter ſo, Behold I am at the point to die, and what profit ſhall this Birth-right do to me? Aaron produceth a neceſſity, from the violent reſolves of the people, Gen. 25. 32.in Juſtification of himſelf in the matter of the Golden Calf, Thou kneweſt that this people are ſet on miſchief.
Fourthly, Neceſſity is an univerſal plea, and fitted to the conditions of all Men, in all callings, and under all extravagancies; The Tradeſman in his unlawful gains or overreaching, pleads a neceſſity for it, from the hardneſs of the Buyer in other things; the poor Man pleads a neceſſity for Stealing, and the Rich pleads the ſame neceſſity for Revenge, and thus it ſerves all with a Pretext.
Theſe conſiderations diſcovering this courſe ſo hopeful, as to this deſign of the Devil, he will be ſure to put us to this pinch where he can. But beſides this, we may obſerve three Cheats in this plea of Neceſſity.
Firſt, Sometimes he puts Men upon feigning a neceſſity, where there is none. Saul ſacrificed upon a needleſs Suppoſal that Samuel not coming at the time appointed, there was a neceſſity for him to do it. He ſpared alſo the Cattel upon the like pretence, that it was a neceſſary proviſion for Sacrifice. And thus would the Devil have perſwaded Chriſt, that there was an abſolute neceſſity to turn Stones to Bread, when in Truth there was no ſuch need.
Secondly, Sometimes he puts Men upon a neceſſity of their own ſinful procurement. Herod ſware to gratify the Daughter of Herodias, and this is preſently pleaded as a neceſſity for the cutting, off John Baptiſts head. Saul forbad the taſting of Meat, and ſealed the penalty by an Oath and Curſe, and this is by and by made a neceſſity for the taking away of Jonathans Life, (who had taſted Honey not knowing his Fathers Curſe) had not the People reſcued him.
Thirdly, Sometime he ſtretcheth a neceſſity further than it ought; he knows that God hath ſuch a regard to real neceſſities, that upon that ground, he will diſpence with his Sabbath, and the preſent performance of Duty. Theſe inſtances he lays before men, and endeavours to perſwade them, that in like manner God will (upon a neceſſity) diſpence with Sins, as well as with the preſent Opportunity of Service. What a covering (in all Ages) Men have made of neceſſity, for their higheſt outrages and extravagancies, and with what confidence they have managed ſuch pleas, would be endleſs to relate.
This muſt warn us,Applic. not to ſuffer our ſelves to be Impoſed upon, by the higheſt pretences of Neceſſity. Whatever it may diſpenſe with (as in ſome caſes it will ſuſpend a preſent Service, and warrant the performance of a Duty,Ferenda magis omnis neceſſitas quam perpetranda aliqua iniquitas. Aug. beſides the common rule and way wherein it ought ordinarily to be managed) it muſt never be pleaded to give warranty to any thing in its own nature ſinful. Neceſſity will not juſtify Lying, Stealing, Covetouſneſs, Adulteries, &c.
Beſides; we muſt be wary in judging what is a neceſſity. Men are apt to plead a neceſſity where there is none, and if we give way to a facile admittance of excuſes of this kind, we ſhall preſently multiply neceſſities, and have them to ſerve us at every turn. Some would warrant Sin by neceſſity, others would turn off Duty and rule by pretending a neceſſity where none is: both are to be avoided as Snares of Satan.
Once more (before we diſmiſs this riſe of the Temptation of Chriſt in hand) let us obſerve that in perſwading him to turn Stones to Bread, he ſeems to expreſs a great deal of care and tenderneſs to Chriſt, with an invidious Reflection upon the Love and Providence of God; as if he ſhould ſay, I ſee thou art hungry, and this Wilderneſs affords nothing to eat, and God hath not taken care to ſpread a Table for thee, I therefore pittying thy Condition, as a Friend, adviſe thee to turn Stones to Bread.
Note,Obſ. 8. That Satan manageth his moſt cruel deſigns, under the higheſt pretences of Friendſhip. He did ſo with Eve, The Lord knoweth that ye ſhall be as Gods; as if he had a greater regard to them, than God himſelf. He tempted Chriſt in the Mouth of Peter to ſpare himſelf, under the ſhew of great kindneſs; and no leſs are his common pretences to all Men. This is a deep Policy, for by this means the miſchief intended is the better concealed, and the leſs care and proviſion made againſt it; and beſides, the Affections and deſires are ſtirred up to an haſty imbracement of the Motion, and an eager ſwallowing of the Bait.
So great a Subtilty is in this manner of dealing, that thoſe who affect the name of great Politicians in the World, have learned from Satan to ſhew greateſt reſpects, and a moſt friendly countenance to thoſe whom they moſt hate, and intend to ruine. Thus our Richard the Third of England conſtantly dealt with thoſe for whoſe Blood he lay in wait: and the precepts of Machiavil are fitted to this, that tis Wiſdom to hug thoſe whom we deſire to deſtroy. Ehud's Preſent made way for his Dagger. Joab's Sword could not ſo well have diſpatched its errand upon Abner, if he had not uſhered it in with a Kiſs.
This ſhould make us moſt ſuſpect thoſe Temptations that offer us moſt kindneſs and advantage,Applic. and ſuch as are moſt gratifying to our Humours and Deſires. For can it be imagined in good earneſt that Satan intends us a real good? Can the Gifts of Enemies paſs for Courteſies and Favours with any,Timeo Danaos & dona ferentes. but ſuch as are bewitched into a blockiſh madneſs? Satan is more to be feared when he flatters, than when he regeth; and though ſuch offers may be looked upon by ſome as more benign, and leſs odious Temptations, (as ſome kind of Familiar Spirits are more kindly treated by ſome, under the notion of white Devils) yet may we ſay of them as Cor…elius Agrippa ſpeaks of ſome unlawful Arts and ways of Thurgia, eò ſunt pernitioſiora, qùo imperitis diviniora; They have the greateſt danger that pretend the higheſt Friendſhip. Thus much for the Riſe of the Temptation.