A Century of Sermons, Sermon 1
THE FIRST SERMON UPON Our Saviours Tentation.
MAT. iv. 1.
Then was Jeſus led up of the Spirit into the VVilderneſs to be tempted of the Devil.
I Have already entreated before you of many things concerning our Lord and Saviour, his Incarnation, Circumciſion, Adoration by the Wiſe-men, about his Baptiſm in Jordan. Let us not reſt here, but ſay as that devout man did unto him, Luk. ix. 57. Lord I will follow thee whitherſoever thou goeſt. Therefore I invite your attention to go with me into the Wilderneſs, another paſſage of his pomp and victories, and to ſee him tempted of the Devil. In Num. xxi. 14. a Book is mentioned which was called the wars of the Lord. Rupertus ſays very well,Lib. 2. de vict. Dei. c. 18 that the whole Scripture will not unfitly bear that name. Quid aliud continetur, vel agitur in ſacrâ Scripturâ niſi bellum & certamen verbi, ad deſtructionem peccati & mortis? What is contained and agitated throughout all the contents of that divine Book, but Chriſt warring and ſtriving to deſtroy ſin and death? And if the whole Scripture were ſummed up into one Chapter, you might draw out this Verſe for the Contents, Gen. 3.15. I will put enmity between thee, and the woman, and between her ſeed, and thy ſeed. As if the Lord had ſaid, the Devil hath drawn my ſervants to conſent to him, Facti ſunt ſocii & conſentanei rebellionis, they are agreed like friends, and have conſpired in one rebellion againſt me, but I will diſſolve this friendſhip, and turn it into hatred, I will break this agreement, and turn it into oppoſition: I will divide them into an enmity that ſhall never be reconciled.
Three things I admire eſpecially in the diſpenſation of Gods providence herein: Firſt, We were his enemies rather than the Devils; yet when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, Rom. v. 10. Secondly, It is well for us that the Lord ſaid, ponam inimicitias, he would make the quarrel between us, and Satan break out into an open enmity. It is an act of his moſt gracious wiſdom to take away thoſe weapons from the Devil wherein he was ſo cunning. Leave the Devil to his wiles, and deceipts, and he goes away a conquerour, proclaim him an open enemy, and we have far more advantage againſt him. Thirdly, To the end this great Adverſary might be beaten, and vanquiſhed to our hand, our Saviour fought a combat with him in the Wilderneſs, and overthrew him, the narration of which great enterpriſe begins thus, as I have read unto you, Then was Jeſus led up of the ſpirit into the Wilderneſs to be tempted of the Devil. In the handling of which verſe it will be worth the labour to inſiſt upon theſe five things: 1. Here is the hinge upon which all the ſtory turns, Chriſt was tempted. 2. We muſt work ſomewhat out of the conſideration of the Tempter, the Devil. 3. The time which the Devil choſe to ſet upon him, then ſays my Text, that is, in the next place after his Baptiſm which went before. Immediately, ſays St. Mark, as ſoon as ever the voice from heaven had ſaid, This is my beloved Son. 4. Chriſts manner of addreſſing himſelf to the combate, He was led up of the Spirit, or as St. Luke more emphatically, Being full of the Holy Ghoſt he was led by the Spirit. 5. Here are the Liſts where the Combate was fought, or at leaſt begun to be fought, the Wilderneſs, Then was Jeſus led up of the Spirit, &c.
Chriſt put himſelf upon a Tentation, that is the firſt part of the Text, and the Load-ſtar by which all is guided, that pertains to the whole matter which I am to handle in this ſtory. Other things did fall out at the ſame time, but this was the drift of our Saviour. For although we read that he faſted forty days in the Wilderneſs, yet the purpoſe of his going thither ultimately was not to faſt, but to be tempted; faſting was an acceſſory, he muſt faſt when he was there, becauſe there was no food to be had. So Moſes faſted forty days in Mount Horeb, yet he went not up to the Mountain to faſt, but to receive the Tables of the Law. Therefore St. Mark ſays that Chriſt was forty days in the Wilderneſs tempted of Satan, but he never ſpeaks of his faſting. It is true, He did expoſe himſelf to both thoſe infirmities, in his body he ſuffered hunger, in his ſoul tentation, both at once; but his purpoſe was not to ſhew how his natural body could ſubſiſt a long time without the ſuſtenance of meats, but to manifeſt his ſtrength and innocency in the trial of Tentation; That he might ſay with Davids words, and St. Auſtin ſays they are his own ſpeech, and his own words, Pſal. cxviii. 13. Thou haſt thruſt ſore at me that I might fall, but the Lord helped me. There are many things which will leave our wits in a maze, if we caſt our eye down from the top of Chriſts Majeſty to the bottom of his infirmity; the bread which came down from heaven did hunger, ſtrength it ſelf was weak, comfort it ſelf was ſad and heavy, life it ſelf did die; but that purity and innocency it ſelf, in which no unrighteouſneſs could be found, ſhould be inſtigated over and over to moſt horrid ſins, raiſeth one point of admiration more than any thing elſe. Magnum fuit facinus Deum conſpui, & alapis caedi, verum haec omnia ad malum paenae ſpectant, &c. It is a myſtery of humility, that God himſelf would be ſpit upon, and beaten, and be crown'd with thorns, it was very much, and yet theſe at the very worſt were but the evils of puniſhment; to be ſollicited to diſtruſt in his Fathers providence, to be ambitious, to be an Idolater, theſe are far more incompetent to the Son of God, becauſe they are the evils of ſin. Let me ſearch it therefore very diligently through all the cauſes, which may be uſeful to your learning and inſtruction, why Chriſt would be tempted of the Devil.
Firſt, He yielded himſelf to be aſſaulted with ſtrong provocations of evil, that he might pity us the more, becauſe he knew in his own caſe and trial what hard encounters we had with the enemy. As if a General of a field would lie perdew, take his reſt on the bare ground, aſſign a place unto himſelf in battel where he knew there was the greateſt danger, that he might the better underſtand and commiſerate the diſtreſs of the common Souldier. St. Paul comforts his brethren the Hebrews with a double conſolation. Firſt, That Chriſt our High Prieſt is gone into heaven to make interceſſion for us there. Secondly, That he bore all our afflictions upon earth, and knows our infirmities here, Heb. iv. 14. Says he, we have a great High Prieſt that is paſſed into the heavens, and we have not an High Prieſt which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all Points tempted like as we are, yet without ſin: ſo far as ſin might not be admixed, or have any place in him, ſo far there was no kind of ſorrow or tentation which we undergo, but he bore his part; therefore he ſuſtain'd not the languors of feavours or ſickneſs, which are contracted uſually by Luxury, always by ignorance to preſerve the conſtitution of our body in good plight, both which are moſt unworthy of this High Prieſt. And as for ſin, he ſuffered the outward invitement of tentation in great meaſure, but not the inward rebellion of concupiſcence, to which we are obnoxious, in all points tempted like as we are, yet without ſin. Let not our hope therefore be utterly preſſed down with the weight of our ſins, Chriſt will have compaſſion becauſe he knows the devices of our Adverſary, and how feeble we are to make reſiſtance; his Spirit ſhall not ſtrive with man becauſe he is but fleſh; and if weak fleſh be overcome ſometimes by the ſpirit of darkneſs, he will not be extreme to mark what is done amiſs, Quia fragilis eſt in homine conditio, non eos ad aeternos ſervabit cruciatus, ſays St. Hierom, Every treſpaſs, wherewith our frail nature is deceived by the devil, ſhall not be puniſhed with eternal fire. And the knowledge of God, diſcerning of what corrupt metal we are made, doth not only cauſe him to free us from eternal torments, but alſo to mitigate his temporal chaſtiſements, Gen. viii. 21., And the Lord ſaid in his heart, I will not again curſe the ground any more for mans ſake, for the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth. Becauſe the imaginations of mans heart are ſo evil, and will lead him into diſobedience, therefore the Lord is merciful. Once he deſtroyed the whole earth, becauſe all fleſh had corrupted its way, to ſatisfie his Juſtice, but no more than once, that he might not turn juſtice into wormwood and bitterneſs. Sweetly St. Ambroſe, Lib. de Noe & arcâ. c. 21.the Lord extended his univerſal revenge but once; Vindicta ad timorem proficit, magis quàm ad naturae commutationem, quae corrigi in aliquibus poteſt, in omnibus mutari non poteſt. The Lord doth not reiterate his univerſal puniſhments, for he knoweth that depraved nature may be corrected in ſome, it cannot be changed in all. Moſes in this point is ſeconded by David, that the diſcerning of our infirmities doth ſtir up Gods compaſſion, Pſal. ciii. 14. Like as a father pitieth his children, ſo the Lord pitieth them that fear him; Novit enim figmentum noſtrum; for he knoweth our frame, he remembreth that we are duſt.
That is no marvel indeed ſays Gregory, to ſay he knows our frame, and the ſtuff whereof we are made, for there is nothing hid from his knowledge. What ſpecial notice doth he take of it more than any thing elſe? Gregory anſwers,Lib. 3. Mor. cap. 9. Figmentum noſtrum ſcire eſt hoc in ſeipſo ex pietate ſuſcepiſſe. He knows our frame more nearly and intimately, becauſe he aſſumed ſuch a frame, ſuch a natural body into the unity of his own Perſon. Naturam noſtram non ſolùm creando novit, ſed etiam aſſumendo: Cap. 13.He knows the condition of mans nature not only by Creation, but alſo by Aſſumption. Cyril of Alexandria did foreſee an objection might riſe from hence, and thus prevents it: What if the Word had not been made fleſh? Had not the Word notwithſtanding perfectly known all the diſeaſes and infirmities which hapned to that maſs of fleſh which it ſelf created? Yet it is anſwered, that Chriſt, had he never been incarnate, had known the very ſecrets of our hearts and reins, only he had not adjoyned this knowledge unto himſelf after the experimental manner. This is the difference only, which doth actuate our comfort much the more, Scientiae divinae ea notitia, quam effert experientia, acceſſit. That knowledge, which is feeling and experimental, was added to the divine omniſciency. He knoweth whereof we are made, he hath ſhared our mourning; our ſorrows, and tentations; he knows this dunghil metal of ours is full of putrefaction, and he pities it. To this one alluded ingenuouſly, that Chriſt did anoint the eyes of the blind man with ſpittle and clay, Joh. ix. 6. Ʋt ſeipſum excitaret magìs tali ſpectaculo ad commiſerationem; Lorinus in Pſal. ciii. 14.That he might behold that object, to ſtir up his commiſeration. You ſee by all this, I have built upon a ſure ground, that our Saviour knowing experimentally the conflict of tentations, what a mighty Giant this Goliah is, that defies the Iſrael of God, and how weak we are to make reſiſtance; it takes away the edge of his ſeverity, and enables him to plead our pardon before his Father. So we our ſelves ought not be iron Judges, unrelenting Cenſors, but to look upon delinquents with a paſſionate regard, and to paſs our ſentence upon offenders with this dram of moderation, at leaſt in our judgments, we our ſelves have been tempted, and know how hard it is to reſiſt the devices of the Devil.
Secondly, The firſt Adam was diſgracefully overthrown by the Serpent, therefore the ſecond Adam did redeem this diſgrace by overthrowing the Serpent in his own Tentations; for this purpoſe the Son of God was manifeſted that he might deſtroy the works of the Devil, 1 Joh. iii. 8. The Scripture accommodates a Parable to make us remember it, Luk. xi. 22. Satan is the ſtrong man that kept his Palace in peace; for he held a Princedom over the Sons of men; but a ſtronger than he came upon him, even our Lord and Saviour, and overcame him, and took away his Armour, wherein he truſted, and divided his ſpoiles. Dignus vindice nodus; a recovery fit for him that had the greateſt power in heaven and earth, that the Sons of men might ſing Songs of triumph, not David hath killed his ten thouſand, but Chriſt hath ſubdued that enemy that exalted himſelf above all that were made after the Image and likeneſs of God. Alexander moved Caliſthenes to tell him,Plut. in vit. Alexand. foreign how a man might purchaſe to himſelf a name to be the moſt famous of all men? Caliſthenes gave him a ſmart anſwer, foreign, Let him kill the moſt famous of all men, I ſuppoſe he ment of his enemies; and this our great Champion hath done for us by fruſtrating, and retorting all the tentations of Beelzebub the Prince of Devils. It was our nature, which he ſo much contemned, that made him contemn the Son of God, and adventure upon the holieſt of all, with confidence to get the day; all the Poſterity of mankind were ſo baffled in Adam, that when Chriſt walked about in the ſimilitude of man, Satan ſuppoſed it was but Veni, vici, Come and conquer. This day therefore the reproach was taken away from us, when our chief Captain ſhewed the way, that even fleſh, yet not through the arm of fleſh, but by the Spirit, ſhould be able to ſubdue our Ghoſtly enemies.
Thirdly, Not only our former ſtain and ignominy is repaired, becauſe Chriſt was tempted and overcame, but ſince that time alſo tentations have not that irreſiſtible force which they had before, their malignity is much abated. Some ancient Writers, eſpecially Origen, have puzzled their wits to conjecture, what loſs the Devil incurs when he is foiled in a tentation? One thought that the ſame Devil could never tempt again; like a Captive that yields himſelf up to the Conquerour, and is never ſuffered to bear Arms again. Others had rather ſay, that the ſame infernal ſpirit could never turn head againſt the ſame Perſon any more who had once got the Maſtery. Others thought, but themſelves knew no reaſon for it, that the Devil once repelled cannot tempt to the ſame ſin any more. I wiſh no man to build his judgment upon ſuch divinations. Beelzebub is by interpretation the God of a Fly: Chaſe away Flies, and yet the ſent, which allured them before, draws them back again to the corruption which they had ſuckt before; ſo I take it for an allowed truth, that the Devil retires not quite for any repulſe, but as we ſee it in men or beaſts in any Duel, the longer they are beaten, the worſe they fight: So the more we quench the firy darts of the Devil, the more we diſable his deſpight, and make him impotent. If the Tempter could have foreſeen that Heroick vertue in Job, and in the holy Martyrs, he would have recoiled away, and not touch'd their perſon. Now every man reaps the fruit and praiſe of his own labours, but the valiant acts and victories of our Saviour are publick advantages; for as his Death had a mortifying force againſt the Old man which is in us, and a quickning force toward the New man, ſo his Tentations had a dulling force againſt the Devil, and a ſtrengthening force for us, to make our arms break a bow of ſteel.Aug. in Pſal. xc. p. 2. Ideo tentatus eſt Chriſtus ne vincatur à tentatore Chriſtianus, ſays St. Auſtin; Chriſt did vanquiſh the Devil in his own tentations, that we might be unvanquiſhable. This is our confidite, Joh xvi. 33. Be of good chear I have overcome the world. Si tu viciſti gaude, quid ad nos? The Father makes one return a churliſh anſwer, rejoyce your ſelf, if you have overcome, what is that to us? Yea, Beloved, this is our Intereſt, that his skirmiſhing is our peace, and his victory is our triumph.
O how he hath ſanctified tentations, and made them wholſom, which before were rank poyſon. Thoſe things which were the baits to draw us to damnation, are now become the inſtruments of our happineſs, bleſſed is the man that endureth tentation,Jam. i. 12. for when he is tried he ſhall receive the Crown of life. Whoſoever perceives his own concupiſcence allure him to do evil, let him call for a Second to aid him, if he be not able himſelf to endure the brunt, I mean for Jeſus Chriſt; he will be a party in all thoſe quarrels, if you call upon him faithfully, ever ſince he was tempted of Satan. Lord let me not fight alone, leſt my foes prevail againſt me. Thus tentation begets fear, and fear begets prayer, and prayer calls for ſuccour, and heavenly ſuccour will aſſiſt us to be conquerours. Gregory incloſeth it in his meditation,Moral. lib. 2. c. 37. Ʋnde pertimeſcit homo enerviter cadere, inde accipit fortiter ſtare, that tentation which makes a juſt man diſtruſt he ſhall fall, affordeth him occaſion to ſet his feet upon a ſure place. Caſt not your ſelves therefore into tentation Brethren, but when you are in them endure them with joy and courage,1 Mac. iii. 2. as it is ſaid of the Machabees, that they fought with chearfulneſs the battels of Iſrael, ſo go on with alacrity againſt thoſe innumerable evils that take hold upon you: The juſt man triumphs with David againſt the powers of darkneſs, as if he ſaw them already made ſubject unto him; they are caſt down and faln, but we are riſen, and ſtand upright. Pelopidas being environed with an Ambuſh, alas, ſays his Lieutenant, we are faln into the hands of our enemies: And why not rather our enemies faln into our hands, ſays Pelopidas? So let not the name of Satan and tentation be dreadful unto you, he hath more cauſe to fear he ſhall be repulſed, than you have reaſon to fear he ſhall prevail, ſince Chriſt hath blunted his weapons in this conflict. The Fathers call that verſe the Saints Jubilee after their trial with the evil one, Pſal. lxvi. 12. We went through fire and water, but thou broughteſt us out into a wealthy place. And therefore I bequeath St. Pauls exultation to your uſe, Thanks be to God, who hath given us victory through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord.
Fourthly, Chriſt was tempted, to give us an example how to encounter with the roaring Lion, and to win the Maſtery. As a young Learner will obſerve diligently every ward and thruſt that an experienced Gladiator makes, ſo the Holy Ghoſt hath ſet down for our advertiſement every paſſage, how Chriſt did turn and wind the deluſions of the Serpent. Theſe things had need to be ſcanned beloved; we had need to be cunning at our fence; for if the Devil ſought our overthrow in Chriſt, how much more will he do it in our ſelves? If theſe things were done to the green wood, what will be done to the dry? But mark how the man of Gods right hand chaſed away the enemy, mark how he demeaned himſelf from firſt to laſt, and you are fortified with the beſt preſident that ever the world afforded. Ut cujus munimur auxilio, ejus erudiremur exemplo, ſays Leo, he looks upon our conflicts from heaven, and helps the weaker ſide both by the preſence of his grace, and by the preſident of his example. Obſerve him, that we might inſtance in all his ways, retiring into a deſart from the contagion of the world, obſerve him faſting, obſerve him drawing his ſhafts out of the quiver of the holy Scripture to maintain his cauſe, and ſay, this is the true Charm to make the evil Serpent break, as Daniel in the Apocryphal ſtory choakt the Dragon with lumps of ſtrong confection. Chriſt himſelf could not receive increaſe of the Spirit, either by being baptized, or by being tempted, for he had the fulneſs not of ſufficiency, but of abundancy before without meaſure, but it was for the proficiency of his members that were under him: And therefore the Schoolmen have a diſceptation,Aleſ. tom. 2. qu. 101. mem. 3. art. 3. ſince Chriſt was much greater than the Angels, and did far excel them in grace, why he ſhould be tempted of the Devil? For we do not read that any of the Angels confirmed in grace were ever tempted. One of them anſwers, Quia Angelus non habet membra ſub ſe, quomodo Chriſtus habet. Chriſt is head of a body, and hath members under him to give erudition unto by his example, and ſo have not the elect Angels. Wherefore if the Children of Iſrael lookt up by faith upon the brazen Serpent in the Wilderneſs, that they might be healed when they were wounded; how much more ſhould we look attentively upon Chriſts Tentation in the Wilderneſs that we may not be wounded of the Serpent? The Fathers in their piety ſay, it is eaſier to avoid ten ſins that compaſs us round about, and have not yet taken hold of us, than to recover our ſelves ſound again from any one ſin that we have committed. It is the Angelical part of Chriſtianity to take out this Leſſon, Prevent us, O Lord, from evil in all our doings. There is a great deal of the old man, and his ragged lining in the beſt repentance. You may learn repentance from Chriſts Goſpel, but not from Chriſt himſelf; but innocency and clearneſs of life, and to be impregnable againſt tentations, not Verbum Chriſti, but Chriſtus Verbum, not the Word of Chriſt, but Chriſt the eternal Word makes you cunning in that by his own example. He that knows not the experience of many tentations doth not well know himſelf, ſays St. Auſtin, Neſcit ſe homo niſi in tentatione diſcat ſe; Serm. 72. de Temp.But he that knows not the experience of Chriſts combate, will not know how to deal with tentation.
Fifthly, Says Bonaventure very acutely, he began in the miniſtry of the Goſpel firſt to refute the falſe Doctors before he taught his Diſciples the truth, firſt, to beat down the Synagogue of Satan, and then to build the City of God: Firſt root up the Tares, and bind them in bundles, and then dreſs the Wheat. A Biſhop muſt be able by ſound doctrine both to exhort, and to convince gainſayers, Tit. i. 9. Conviction of falſhood requires the greater care and diligence, and the great Biſhop of our ſouls begins with that. How ſoon were all divinity learnt? What little pains would go to Preaching and Exhortation, if it were not that Hereſies and Falſhoods beget us a moſt laborious drudgery to refute them? Innumerable errors are diſſeminated that they are like Augias his Stable, ſo foul that they are never to be cleanſed. It held our Saviour forty days in the Wilderneſs to untie all the knots of Satan; and thus we muſt build up Hieruſalem, like Nehemiahs builders, with the Sword in one hand, with the Trowel in the other. Having the Sword of the Spirit to cut in twain the ſnares of the wicked one, you ſhall the ſooner build up the walls of Sion.
Sixthly, And then I take off my hand from this Point; Let no man ſay I am caſt out from the face of the Lord, becauſe he is beſet with daily tentations. God had one Son that was free from ſin, but he hath no Son that is free from the incumbrances of Satan. If there be no more in it than an outward occaſion caſt before you, to try if you will bite, which is Exterior pulſatio, as a man that comes not into the houſe, but ſtands without, and knocks at door. This is your praiſe in the higheſt reſpect, that your vertue is impenetrable. As the Lord ſent a blaſt upon Sennacharib, and made him return to his own Land without drawing bloud from Judah: So this ghoſtly enemy hath not prevailed ſo far as to win the out-works of your innocency. Such a tentation is but an Antiperiſtaſis, that augments the heat of vertue.In cap. 4. Lucae. 1 Sam. xx. As St. Ambroſe gives Joſeph this Encomiaſtick, Nonne tentatio Joſeph virtutis eſt conſecratio? Nonne injuria carceris corona eſt caſtitatis? That unchaſte offer which Joſephs Miſtris offered unto him, it did conſecrate, it did deifie his chaſtity. Jonathans Arrows were either on this ſide his Lad, whom he ſent out into the field, or elſe ſhot beyond him: So the darts of Luſt were either wide of Joſeph, or ſhot over his head; an impregnable chaſtity is not ſo much as ſcratcht with theſe ſhafts of love. Bring the caſe of ſuch a one before Bernard, and he doth excuſe him from all guiltineſs, Non nocet ſenſus, ubi non eſt conſenſus, imò quod reſiſtentem fatigat, vincentem coronat. This would Satan have; that is no blame of mine, unleſs my conſent yield, and ſay, this would I have. But more of this by and by, where I will ſhew that Satans ſinful Propoſitions were no way ſinful to Chriſt that rejected them.
But I ſpeak of that, which I confeſs is very unuſual, a tentation repulſed, and no part of the Commandment broken, he that toucheth pitch ſhall be defiled. Few are like thoſe three ſervants of God, to be caſt into the Furnace, and not to have the ſmell of fire about them. But what if it pleaſe the Lord to have us exerciſed with the aſſault of ſome infirmities, ſo that our conſcience doth witneſs againſt us it is taken in the ſnares of ſin? Far be it from us to think that the Lord doth permit it to our condemnation, and not rather to better us in obedience. As a little wedge is beaten in ſometimes to drive out a greater, ſo a little tentation is ſuffered to creep in that a bigger miſchief may not enter. The falling into ſome ſins in the beſt of Gods Servants is an anticipation againſt pride, that they may not be puft up with their own righteouſneſs. Animam oportet aſſiduis ſaliri tentationibus, ſays St. Ambroſe. Some errors and offences do rub ſalt upon a good mans integrity, that it may not putrifie with preſumption. And whoſoever is moleſted in heart, becauſe the enemy doth not ceaſe to pollute him with evil deſires, and bad cogitations, let him hope that God doth ſift him as he did his great Servant St. Paul, 2 Cor. xii. 7. Leſt I ſhould be exalted above meaſure through the abundance of revelations, there was given me a thorn in the fleſh, the meſſenger of Satan to buffet me. To ſpend no time about the diverſity of Interpretations what this Meſſenger of Satan ſhould be, I give my voice on their ſide that aſſign it to be carnal concupiſcence; for whoſe ſake the Apoſtle ſays, 1 Cor. ix. 27. I bring under my body, and keep it in ſubjection; and againſt which he complains, Rom. vii. 23. I ſee another Law in my members warring againſt the Law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the Law of ſin. This ſpawn of depravation, whatſoever it was, did produce a good effect, that he who was dignified with many revelations might conſider he was a frail man for all that, becauſe of his inward rebellion in the fleſh, and his often imperfections. Stimuli carnis ſunt ſtimuli orationis. Thoſe thorns in the fleſh did prick him on to continual prayer. O bleſſed fruits of regeneration, when our very ſins ſhall make us ſerve the Lord with the better appetite! And now I conclude the firſt general part of the Text, for I think all other reaſons may be eaſily reduced to theſe ſix, which I have run over, why Chriſt was tempted of the Devil.
In the ſecond general part of the Text this Tentation hath an Author, whoſe name is derived from calumniation and reviling, that evil Angel to be known of all men becauſe he is to be ſhunned of all men; one often to be remembred, and ever to be deteſted, of much fame in the Goſpel as Pilate is in the Creed, becauſe his malice is outragious againſt the Church both in heaven and earth, of many titles (for he is a great Prince over the children of diſobedience) none worſe than that which is his common denomination, foreign, the reviler, or the Devil. The firſt accuſation which he invented was againſt God himſelf, whom he traduced for interdicting the fruit of one tree to our firſt Parents, although their allowance was all things beſide, which the earth brought forth in great abundance. And if God himſelf were not free from his ſlanderous impeachments, they that are devoted to Gods honour muſt needs be obnoxious to his manifold calumniations. And becauſe he doth commence new matter of reviling before the audience of God continually, St. John calls him the accuſer, who doth accuſe our brethren before God day and night, Rev. xii. 10. Let every ſin reduce it ſelf to the head and fountain, and the ſlanderer will be more aſhamed of his chief than any. Gluttony is firſt known in Eſau, Drunkenneſs in Noah, Tyranny in Nimrod, Polygamy in Lamech, Murder in Cain, but reviling in the Devil. Nor is reviling only the murdering of a mans good name, but directly it is a ſin that is guilty of more bloud than any other iniquity. And therefore the Devil, whoſe mouth is the great bellows that blows defamation abroad, Chriſt gives him his due when he ſays he was, Homicida ab initio; A murderer from the beginning, Joh. viii. 44. All the miſeries which did befall the Martyrs and holy men began in ſlander, and ended in ſlaughter. Naboth firſt accuſed wrongfully for blaſpheming God and the King, and ſo put to death. The Elders ſtirred up falſe witneſſes that ſaid, they heard Stephen ſpeak blaſphemous words againſt Moſes, and the holy place; the next news you here, he is caſt out of the City and ſtoned. Our bleſſed Saviour was firſt wrongfully cried out upon, that he made himſelf a King, then led away to Pilate to be Crucified. Is not this the fruit then of this Divinity? Beware of ſlandering and evil ſpeaking; it is Peccatum ſanguinum, peccatum daemonum; The ſin of bloudſhed, and the ſin of Devils. The very Prince of Devils is characterized by being an accuſer, not becauſe a man may not ſometimes accuſe, and yet be a charitable Chriſtian, but becauſe the more he accuſeth the Elect of God, the more it tickleth, and delights his envie, ſays St. Auſtin.
To this of St. Auſtin Lactantius hath added another reaſon,Lib. 2. divin. Inſt. c. 9. Nos criminatorem vocamus quod crimina, in quae ipſe illicit, ad Deum deferat; We call our great Adverſary a Devil, or Calumniator, becauſe he delates and reports our faults to God, to which his own wilineſs did entice us. Firſt he empoyſons us with bad ſuggeſtions, and makes us guilty, and then diſcovers us. The reaſon why he tempts is to gather proofs of accuſation againſt us that we may be condemned, and Chriſt upbraided on this wiſe, See theſe Servants of yours, ſee thoſe Children of men how full of all iniquity they are, for whom you have ſhed your precious bloud. Theſe ſlanders and foul detractions of his, though we do not hear them, yet I have ſatisfied you ſo far herein out of my Text, becauſe his name imports them. But we do feel it to our hurt and moleſtation, that he is foreign, the Tempter, as it is in the third verſe of this Chapter. The word it ſelf I would not have you think it is altogether evil, for even God is ſaid to tempt man, Non ut ipſe, ſed ut ij quos tentat ſe cognoſcant, ſays St. Auſtin; not that he may bring any thing to light, which was unmanifeſted to him, but that our own effects may be known to our ſelves, and to all the world, as Deut. xiii. 3. The Lord your God proveth you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your ſoul; but the vulgar Latin reads it, Ʋt palam fiat, to make it known that you love him. Again, one man may tempt another, to find what excellency is in him, as the Queen of Sheba came to prove Solomon with hard queſtions; beſides, there is a good Tentation wherein a man is bound to prove, and to try himſelf, Examine your ſelves whether ye be in the faith, prove your own ſelves, 2 Cor. xiii. 5. In all theſe acceptions the Word is innocent; but there is an abuſive Phraſe for man to tempt God, as if we had not good experiment of his power and goodneſs, but would ſearch it further; but let not us tempt Chriſt, as ſome of them tempted, and were deſtroyed of Serpents, 1 Cor. x. 9. Laſtly, the word Tentation taken for allurement and provocation to ſin is proper to Satan, and to Satans inſtruments.
Among military rules this is one in all Authors, it brings ſome advantage with it to ſtudy the nature and condition of our enemy. I will beat a little upon that advice. I have met with ſome who have humm'd and haw'd at it whether there were any Devils or no, as if it were a thing that were diſputable. Perchance theſe give credit to nothing further than their outward ſenſes apprehend, after the manner of beaſts; or like the Sadduces, that held there was neither Spirit, nor Angel, becauſe they could ſee none. If you ask them, if Chriſt did not caſt out divers Devils from thoſe that were poſſeſſed; their evaſion is, perhaps thoſe might be enormous ſins. But could ſins, which are no ſubſtance, but qualities, cry out, and tear a man, and run into the Swine, and confeſs Chriſt? This is ſuch an opinion, ſays a late Writer, Muſculus.Ac ſi oves putarent fabulam eſſe de lupis; as if the Sheep ſhould think Wolves were but a tale, there were no ſuch creatures that ſought to devour them. St. Auſtin brings in ſuch an unbeliever objecting, How ſhould I overcome Satan? How ſhould I repel him whom I cannot ſee or perceive? Well enough, ſays the Father, Facile habent remedium, ſe ipſos interius vincant, & de illo foris triumphant; overcome the inſtigations of evil motions within, and you triumph over the Devil without.
None hath deſcribed the puiſſance of our ghoſtly enemies more tragically than St. Paul, Eph. vi. 12. We wraſtle not againſt fleſh and bloud, but againſt principalities, againſt powers, againſt the rulers of the darkneſs of this world, againſt ſpiritual wickedneſſes in high places. Every word of this deſcription is Vae, vae, Woe be to them that are not ſtrong to reſiſt. Our Adverſaries in their eſſence are Spirits, in their form inviſible, in their deſigns wicked, in their power rulers of this world, in their ſubtilties dealers in darkneſs, in their place they have the higher ground much above our reach, they hover in the air, in high places. The Prophet Iſaiah demonſtrated the weakneſs of the Egyptians, That their horſes were fleſh and not Spirit, Iſa. xxxi. 3. The odds are the more againſt us, that our adverſaries are Spirit, and not Fleſh. Daemonum tanto major nequitia, quantò natura nobilior, ſays Aquinas. The more noble is the nature of helliſh Fiends, the more dangerous is their wickedneſs: The more fleſhly is our nature, the more weak our reſiſtance. An Epicuraean will ſay perhaps, that gives himſelf over to all licentiouſneſs, it is not in me to withſtand the aſſaults of the Devil, why ſhould I go about it, ſince I am made of a corruptible Elementary ſubſtance, which cannot hold out againſt a ſpiritual wickedneſs? But to make all ſuch ſinners inexcuſable, God hath made us a recompence, and we have as good help on our ſide, to ſay the leaſt of it, as they have of theirs, partly by the help of his aſſiſting grace, partly by the Miniſtry of good Angels. Some there are likewiſe that cry out, man is unequally dealt withal, becauſe the Princes of darkneſs have that odds of us in their multitude, they boaſt that their name is Legion. Dionyſius, called the Areopagite, as I read it in Aquinas, reduceth the damnation of all ſinners to this Multitudo Daemonum eſt cauſa omnium malorum; the world is ſo over-laid with numbers of Devils, that from thence ariſeth all damnation. I would not ſet ſo much by that ſingle authority if St. Hierom had not ſaid, Communis eſt doctorum opinio, this is the common received opinion of the Doctors, Aer iſte coelum & terram medio dividens plenus eſt contrariis fortitudinibus; The whole Element of the Air between heaven and earth is full of Diabolical troops, that riſe up againſt our ſoul, and oppoſe our Salvation. Howſoever this is but opinion, and I am ſure the Scripture doth no where put us in the perplexity of ſuch a terror. And that of Anthony the Eremite is confeſſed to be but a dream, that he ſaw all the ſpace between heaven and earth full of Satans ſnares to catch the ſouls of men. Againſt theſe dreams and opinions I ſet the ſaying of Eliſha on the one hand, There are more that be with us than againſt us: And the promiſe of our heavenly Father to the Children of Iſrael on the other hand, One of you ſhall chaſe a thouſand, and two of you ſhall put ten thouſand to flight.
Howſoever in all diſtreſs of tentation here is our refuge in this, or the like Prayer, Wilt thou ſuffer the deſtroyer, O Lord, to prevail againſt me? Wilt thou permit him to ſay, there, there we have devoured him? God ſpake once and twice that power belongeth unto God, Semel atque iterum ob firmitatem; once and twice, becauſe that truth is ſtrongly eſtabliſhed. He that hath ſaid unto the proud waves of the Sea, hitherto ſhall ye go, and no further; He doth ſay unto Satan, Hitherto ſhalt thou tempt, and no farther. It is not for the Devils deſerving, but for the wicked mans undeſervings that God doth give him his licet ſometimes, Go and do harm upon the earth, I will permit thee that thou be a lying Spirit in the mouth of Ahabs Prophets, F…ſtius in cap. 6. ad Eph.Non merito malitiae ejus ſed tranſgreſſionis humana data eſt ei hujuſmodi poteſtas, ſays a Schoolman; Not for the good that he hath done, but for the much evil that we have done. He is made a Prince of the world, therefore turn unto the Lord and he will quickly cancel Satans Commiſſion. A Tragedian upon the Roman Theater repeating this verſe, Noſtrâ miſeriâ magnus factus es; the Auditors did all apply it immediately to Pompey, ſurnamed the Great, thou art grown to the name of great by our baſeneſs and ſervile flattery. So we have made our arch enemy a great tyrant, by our rebellion and iniquity. Therefore do you but cry out, De profundo clamavi, out of the deep have I called unto thee O Lord, and the Lord will bind him that hath bound us in our ſins in the bottomleſs pit.
I have expatiated thus far upon the condition, malice, number, and efficacy of theſe ſpiritual wickedneſſes in high places. Now I reſtrain my ſelf to meditate how at this time Satan choſe out Chriſt for his object. Our Saviour was not touch'd upon by the Tentations of the World, or of the Fleſh, but he was tempted of the Devil. And St. Cyprian gives a ſweet reaſon for it, Honeſtiùs cum ſpiritu, quàm cum carne luctamur, nemo libidinum morſus evaſit illaeſus; A man may preſerve his holineſs and integrity and yet encounter the Devil. No man is troubled with the concupiſcence of the World, or of the Fleſh, but he comes off with ſome detriment. You ſhall know what all theſe three tentations are ſeverally, and then mark if it be not true.
Firſt, For the tentation of the World, that is, when ſome unlawful deſire is ſtirred up in a man, to wiſh inordinately ſome things in the world. The world therefore is ſaid to tempt by caſting objects in our way, which are occaſions to make us ſtumble and fall, as the ſhadow in the water made the Dog let go his piece of fleſh, ſays he in the Fable.
Secondly, For the tentation of the fleſh, that is, ſometimes taken for all manner of wrong deſire that oppoſeth reaſon or faith, ſo Idolatry, Witchcrafts, Hereſies, Seditions are called the works of the fleſh, Gal. v. 20. but properly it is our affection towards ſome ſenſual things againſt reaſon, or the Word of God, either in the avoidance of ſome evils of puniſhment which ſhould be ſuſtained, or in coveting ſome pleaſures which ſhould be avoided. According to St. Pauls ſtimulus in carne, whereof I ſpake before. Both theſe you ſee leave ſome mark and impreſſion of evil behind them, for ſin is ſin in the firſt ſuggeſtion, and could in no wiſe be competible to Chriſt, who was a Lamb without blemiſh in all reſpects. And whereas Satan propounded ſtones to be made bread, and all the glory of the kingdoms of the World, Divines do rightly diſtinguiſh, Chriſt was not tempted of the world, or of the fleſh, Ad ea tamen quae carnis & mundi ſunt, but he was ſollicited by Satan to enjoy the pomp of the world, and to embrace thoſe pleaſures wherein the fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit.
Thirdly, It remains alone, ſince he would be an High Prieſt tempted with like infirmities unto us, that he ſhould be tempted of the Devil; for that aſſault might happen with all the might and main that Satan could direct it, and yet Chriſt be blameleſs and undefiled; according to that Text, The Prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me, Joh. xiv. 30. That ſin doth not follow as a neceſſary effect from ſuch a tentation of the Devil, I prove it two ways: 1. From that common rule, Peccatum in actu proprio conſiſtit; That which is the act of another cannot be called my ſin; my ſin muſt be my own proper act. Therefore if the ſuggeſtion of Satan had no ſucceſs with me, it was his envy, but the reſiſtance ſhall be imputed to me for innocency. 2. I prove it from another rule, ſpeaking only of actual ſins, Nemo peccat propter id quod vitare non poteſt; No man is put into ſuch a plunge, that ſin is inevitable, that he could not chooſe but ſin. Who can hinder it, that Satan ſhall not ſo much as offer to ſeduce me? I cannot avoid the attempts of the evil Spirit, but through Chriſt I may avoid to conſent unto him. It is impoſſible but ſcandals and tentations ſhould come, but woe unto him by whom they come. The difference between us and our High Prieſt is this. Satan creeps into us by inviſible inſinuations, he ſlides into the inward cloſet of our breaſt, and there begets polluted imaginations, libidinous delights, wicked deſigns, and intentions. There he gets in ſays Biel, though we perceive not any ſuch gueſt in the inward room, Sicut lumen penetrat in profundum aeris, & ibidem manet; As the light is transfuſed through the air, though the air feel it not. A fit ſimilitude for the Angel of darkneſs. But the tempter came to Chriſt, not by an inward induction, but in an outward viſible appearance. And his preſence or his ſpeech were no more contagious to Chriſt, than when the Sons of God ſtood before the Lord, Satan alſo was among them, and had leave to ſpeak his mind againſt that holy patient man, Job i. 7.
I will conclude this Point, and begin that which ſhall end all, Jam. i. 13. Let no man ſay when he is tempted, I am tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. He cannot be tempted with evil, therefore that exteriour pulſation of the Devil was no enſnarement to Chriſt; and Chryſologus makes this uſe of my Text, take heed ye repine not at God for the author of evil and tentation, they are the works of Lucifer and his Angels. When you hear thoſe Fiends make it their office to tempt (an office not impoſed by their Maker, but aſſumed by their own malice) In Deum hoc non imputent homines, aſtris non imputent, naturam non criminentur. Revile not God, throw not the miſchief upon nature, pick no quarrels with the Stars. You ſee whoſe work it is, heaven and earth are Gods, and ſin is the Devils. God hath made his good Angels to be our cuſtody, and appoints them their Provinces how, and whom they ſhall protect. Evil inſtigations, impugnations, are from the Spirits of darkneſs, only God appoints the order, as he ſhall ſee fit, for the puniſhment of rebellious ones that have forſaken him. Deus ordinatè novit uti malo. Evil tentations are the Devils; God, whoſe Providence guideth all things, doth ſometimes reſtrain and limit them, always methodize and direct them. Whom in the end of all we call upon by hearty and zealous Prayer to aſſoil and defend us from our ghoſtly enemies. AMEN.