A Century of Sermons, Sermon 6
THE SIXTH SERMON UPON Our Saviours Tentation.
MAT. iv. 3.
And when the Tempter came to him, he ſaid, If thou be the Son of God command that theſe ſtones be made bread.
Prov. xxx. 19.OF four things hard to be underſtood, one, ſays Solomon, is the way of a Serpent upon a ſtone or rock. Via colubrina ſuper petram. Proverbs for the moſt part have ſome dark alluſion in them, rather than a literal meaning, and ſo hath this. Satan is the Serpent, Chriſt is the Stone, Tentation is the way of the Serpent, and nothing more obſcure than the way of that Serpents tentation upon this elect precious Stone in Sion, the chief Stone in the corner, as the Prophets call him. Concerning this Verſe, which I have read, it is debated by learned Authors what fetch the Tempter had. Some ſay his ſcope was to ſatisfie his own diſtruſt, and to find out whether Chriſt were the very Son of God; he found no ſin in our Saviour, he heard the voice from Heaven at his Baptiſm, he had learnt what John Baptiſt teſtified of him, behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the ſins of the world; this was enough to convince all the Furies of Hell, and to put it out of doubt; yet Satan was extreme unwilling to be perſwaded of that, which would put him to ſo much ſorrow, and for all this he is no further than if; If thou be the Son of God. Some ſay the Devils drift was to draw Chriſt to offend God with ſome capital iniquity, and if this project could poſſibly have ſucceeded the redemption of mankind had been utterly marred, for no Sacrifice would ſerve our turn, but a Lamb without ſpot, that is undefiled.
Surely, ſome ſin or other was part of the intendment in this firſt Tentation, becauſe it is evident he counſelled Chriſt to ſin againſt heaven in the Tentations following. Therefore in this firſt onſet the Devil was not only an Explorator to ſent it out what Chriſt was, but an evil Counſellor to allure him furthermore to diſobedience. Exploravit ut tentaret, tentavit ut exploraret, ſays St. Ambroſe. Yet I muſt reſolve you, before I do any thing, what ſin it was which the wicked one did drive at. Many are ſo curious to ſuit this Tentation in every Point with the tentation of our firſt Parents (and what need that be ſo exactly ſought for?) That they give ſentence it was the ſin of Gluttony, and nothing elſe to which he was prompted. Yes ſurely, to ſome other ſin as well as that, and much rather than that, for if Satan had required no more than to make Chriſt diſſolve his faſt, and eat, he would have brought him bread, and not put him to it to make bread of ſtones. Moreover, there is ſmall likelihood that one ſhould ſin much in Gluttony by eating bread. And eſpecially I would have you mark, that Chriſt anſwered the Devil out of the Scripture, not by a Text which ſhould exhort to ſobriety, but to rely upon Gods providence in all things; Man liveth not by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Wherefore if Gluttony be one skirt of the matter, yet certainly, according to Chriſts anſwer, the ſin mainly propoſed was to make him diſtruſt in God, and to ſatisfie his wants by unlawful means.
And thus I have premiſed for your better underſtanding the drift of this wicked Fiend, what miſchief he would draw on by the words of my Text. If he had other ſecret policies, which we cannot reach, peradventure he had, then let us ſay with the Spirit of God, We have not known the depth of Satan, Rev. ii. 24. But now I have made you able to conceive how my Text may be broken into conſpicuous parts. The Tempter came to Chriſt for two ends, Ʋt cognoſceret, ut corrumperet: 1. To know Chriſt. 2. To Corrupt him. To corrupt him two ways; principally, by Infidelity; conſequently, by Gluttony. In the firſt we muſt watch Satan as a ſpie, and beſide the words of eſpial two circumſtances ſhall be enquired into: 1. When Satan made this addreſs. 2. How he made this addreſs, in what ſhape and faſhion. For the tempter came; coming is a bodily motion; And he ſaid unto him, ſpeaking proceeds from corporeal inſtruments. Theſe little circumſtances have ſome weight in them, but the burden of the firſt part comes after; where Satan plays the ſpie and explorator, If thou be the Son of God, &c.
And when the Tempter came to him, is it not very natural to move this queſtion upon thoſe words, When the tempter came to him? Whether all the days that he continued in the Wilderneſs Satan was at his right hand to make him ſtumble at ſome ſtone of offence, or whether the wicked Fiend approached not unto him till the forty days were ended, there is the ſcruple. And perhaps there is truth on both ſides, ſo I would judge it, if it were left to my arbitration. What more plain than St. Lukes narration? He was led by the Spirit into the Wilderneſs, Luk. iv. 2.being forty days tempted of the Devil. So that it will agree with the Scripture, that there were certain light skirmiſhes of Tentations between Chriſt and the Adverſary all the while he was in the Deſart, but ſuch faint aſſaults, that they deſerved not the relation.Homil. 24. in Luc. Origen is of this judgment, and this is his ſaying, As the World could not hold the Books if all things were written which Chriſt did, ſo the World could not hold the Books if all his Tentations were recorded. Why not altogether probable, that he paſſed not one day in the Wilderneſs without ſome Diabolical affront, ſince his whole life was full of thoſe helliſh indignities? Witneſs that praiſe which he gives to his Diſciples, Luk. xxii. 28. You are they that have continued with me in my tentations, his tentations were continual. This is one part of Chriſts Paſſions and ſufferings, which the World takes little notice of, the impoſtures of the Devil doing him moleſtation without ceaſing. Well might the Greek Liturgie urge him in their Prayers with theſe words, foreign, By thine unknown torments ſweet Jeſu have mercy upon us. Gall and Vinegar were not ſo untaſtful to his mouth as the offenſive objections of Satan did grate upon his ear. Nec in aurem tantûm Chriſti injectae ſunt, Brentius.ſed penetrarunt cor ipſum, & perfoderunt animum ejus, ſays a late one. Nor were theſe Tentations harſh only to the ear, but their hainouſneſs pierced his very heart. Conceive thus much, if a ſolaciſm rudely ſpoken is able to move the patience of a polite Grammarian, then Blaſphemy continually ſpoken by the wicked Angel muſt needs be a great contriſtation to the Son of God. This is pleaded on the one ſide, that in all the forty days ſome petty light tentations were darted by the Devil againſt our Saviour: And on the other ſide, again this is truth and reaſon,Paraeus. the red Dragon did not begin his main battel, nor did he propound thoſe three infamous deſperate Propoſitions upon which we entreat, till the forty days were ended. So I will alledge St. Cyprian to balance the Authority of Origen; Poſtquam quadraginta dierum abſtinentiam conſummavit acceſſit Diabolus; After our Lord had gone through the abſtinence of forty days, then the Tempter came unto him. It is as fairly ſeen as the light, that there was no ground for the firſt tentation till the long faſt was abſolved, and Chriſts hunger did preſs him ſore, and call for ſuſtenance, then he provokes him to contrive for bread by any means in the world rather than want it. Away with this tedious faſting, and ſatiate your appetite. Signum panis petit, qui ſignum jejunii pertimeſcit, the eloquence of Chryſologus. Satan could not abide this miracle of faſting, he had rather ſee him juggle for bread. So the firſt queſtion when the evil one came is now no more doubtful unto you. He came oftentimes before with ſome weak provocations, but at the end of forty days he put his Plough as deep as he could into the ground, and harrowed up all the ſubtilties of Hell to prevail againſt him that is invincible.
Now for the ſhape and figure in which the Tempter came to our Saviour, that is another circumſtance of inquiry, and very briefly upon it. In his own ſubſtance, you know Satan is a Spirit, and this was the Arch-ſpirit of infernal darkneſs, (for ſurely,Lib. 9. Civ. Dei. c. 21. ſays St. Auſtin, the Regiment of Hell would truſt no inferiour Goblin to try maſteries with the mighty Son of God.) Yet there is no likelihood that he did offer himſelf now unto Chriſt in his inviſible ſpiritual nature. Undoubtedly he did exhibite himſelf in an humane body like ſome charitable good man, that came to condole with our Saviour, Tolet. in c. 4. Lucae. Anno. 11.and was right ſorry he had no ſuſtenance. I commend his ingenuity that firſt obſerved it, how Satan did clamber higher and higher in every Tentation, and ſtill changed his outward appearance to do the feat the better. Firſt, as a man, he did commiſerate humane wants and neceſſities, and inſinuates the ſin of Infidelity. Secondly, He transformed himſelf into an Angel of light, and urgeth him to preſumption and vain-glory. In the laſt bout, having now deceived himſelf that Chriſt was not the eternal Son of God, he did truly manifeſt the Luciferian, audaciouſneſs and impudency, and in his own ſhape he provokes the moſt holy one of God to moſt horrid Idolatry. The Thief comes not but to ſteal, ſays our Goſpel; and the Impoſtor of the world comes not but to deceive; Totus quantus eſt mendacium eſt; Every thing in him was lying, and fiction, and deluſion: The promiſes which he made were lying promiſes, the pity which he pretended was lying pity, the Scripture which he quoted, as he quoted it, was lying Scripture, and the ſhape in which he came was a lying ſhape. Alas that man, who was made an excellent Creature after the Image of God, ſhould degenerate ſo much in all goodneſs, that his ſhape ſhould grow a fit coverture to cloak the couzenage of the Devil. Might not this be the art of this our capital enemy? That ſince God curſed the Serpent, becauſe the Devil came in his ſhape to tempt our firſt Parents; ſo the Lord might be exaſperated to curſe mankind, becauſe his only Son was tempted to wickedneſs in the ſhape of man. Beloved, this inference from hence may be our inſtruction; We know not in what form or tranſmutation Satan will come to ſeduce our ſouls, therefore be wiſe as Serpents. And ſince our own ſhape is not free from his Impoſtures, as it follows in the next verſe, Mat. x. 17. Beware of men. Take heed that beauty tempt you not to wantonneſs: it is but dirt well tempered with bloud. Let not pleaſing words ſteal away your heart from the truth, that is but to dance when the Devil Pipes. Every man that ſpeaks contrary to faith and holineſs his mouth is become the inſtrument wherein Satan ſpeaks his Oracles. And ſo much for that circumſtance, how he diſguiſed himſelf in the ſhape of man.
After this I will lay hold of one of the main parts of the Text. The Tempter had two ends in caſting forth theſe words before our Saviour, Ʋt cognoſceret incognitum, ut corrumperet cognitum; Firſt, to learn more perfectly that which he terribly miſtruſted; whether Chriſt were the Son of God; and upon this do depend ſome remarkable obſervations. And to make this Point profitable I begin from hence, that Satan had not yet perfectly diſcovered who our Saviour was, and therefore he wrought in this Mine in the firſt Tentation to find it out. Many of the Fathers do acknowledge that this was part of his buſineſs; and St. Hillary doth well expreſs it, Erat Diabolo de metu ſuſpicio, non de ſuſpicione cognitio; The Devil being rather ſuſpicious, than clearly reſolved, took this courſe to find it out, whether this were the Seed of the woman that ſhould bruiſe the Serpents head. And mark how his words lie to this purpoſe: He did not ſay, ſince you are hungry bid this ſtone be made bread, that were to entice him to bare gluttony; Nor thus, you are the Son of God; bid this ſtone be made bread, but in a doubting irony, If thou be the Son of God. It is ſtrange that a Spirit ſo ſubtil by nature, ſo intellectual, ſo vigilant to eſpy Chriſt in all his ways, ſo able to underſtand Jacobs Propheſie, that the Scepter was departed from Judah, and therefore Shiloh ſhould come, ſhould hold off ſo long, and doubt of that which was clearly manifeſt. There were ſome Divines in St. Hieroms time that took a middle way for their opinion, how the Inferiour Furies of Hell did long before believe and tremble, and had caſt it up for certain that this was the Son of God; but Beelzebub, the Prince of Devils, was ſo much blinded with malice more than all the reſt, that he continued a time after all the reſt in ignorance, and Infidelity. But this is meerly their own fancy without the ſuffrage of the holy Scripture. The darkneſs of unbelief was upon all the Angels of diſobedience; for Satan, who is the accuſer of the brethren, and no doubt complaineth to God, that many of his Elect are ſlow of belief, hath this malicious ſlander retorted upon himſelf, that after many evident tokens, better known to him, than to weak men, he faltred and doubted ſhamefully,Salmeron. as my Text ſays, If thou be the Son of God. This was like for like repayed unto him, he blinds our hearts with ſundry fallacies, that we ſhould not know good from evil; and God blinded his underſtanding, that he ſhould not diſcern truth from falſhood. And that you may not marvel that the Tempter ſhould be dubitative in ſo manifeſt a caſe, and knew not which way to incline, recollect one thing that did infatuate him, he being the Angel of pride, and judging all events according to the pitch of his own ambition, how could it come into his mind that the Son of God would debaſe himſelf with ſo much humility? And ſo it hath fared ever ſince thoſe days, nothing hath ſo much hardned their hearts, who are ſlow of belief, as pride and inſolency; For it is the arrogant conceit we have of our own wit which hinders ſometimes that we do not ſubject reaſon to the knowledge of God.
I muſt be careful in this Point that one place of Scripture may not make another obſcure, eſpecially to leave no ſhadow of contradiction between one Text and another. In this buſineſs Jeſus faſting forty days in the Wilderneſs the Devil ſeems not to underſtand perfectly that he was Chriſt the Lord. In the Synagogue of Capernaum, Luk. iv. 34. the unclean Spirit calls him by his name, and title, and Country, Jeſus of Nazareth, I know thee who thou art, the holy one of God. So intelligent above any of the Jews, that he is the firſt that ever called him a Nazarite. Nor do I reckon upon theſe words ſo much that the evil Spirit ſaid, I know thee who thou art, for Satan is a liar, and muſt not be credited when he ſpeaks truth: But the Evangeliſt St. Luke ſays in his own perſon from the inſpiration of God, he ſuffered not the Devils to ſpeak, for they knew that he was Chriſt, in the ſame Chapter, verſe 41. Beloved, diſtinguiſh the times and the matter is reconciled. Before the encounter of this Tentation the enemy knew him not, Chriſts humility and extreme exinanition did ſhadow him that he was not diſcerned. After the infamous repulſe that Satan ſuffered in theſe Tentations, and upon the admiration of ſome other ſubſequent miracles, he was compelled to confeſs, thou art he that art come to torment me, and to deſtroy my Kingdom, the holy one of God. So Nazianzen exprobrates to the Arians, how they reſiſted that truth after ſo much Preaching and Writing, which the very Devils believed, though unwillingly, after the manifeſtation of ſome ſigns and tokens, that the Son of Mary the Virgin was the Son of God coeternal and conſubſtantial with his Father.
All that knew Chriſt to be the Lord did not apprehend him after the ſame manner: His Diſciples, and generally all that belong to the true Church, find him out per lumen fidei, by the revelation of ſupernatural faith, ſo you muſt underſtand that in St. John, No man knoweth the Father but the Son, and no man knoweth the Son but he to whom the Father will reveal him. Secondly, The Angels of heaven, who deſire to peep into theſe myſteries, they know him per lumen gloriae, by the illumination of celeſtial glory. Thirdly, The Devils, who are able to collect from ſigns and conjectures far more than any man, theſe were convicted by his outward works and miracles, as the Centurion cried out when the Sun was eclipſed, and the veil of the Temple was rent in twain, ſurely this was the Son of God. St. Auſtin hath two rules of great direction to them that would be ſatisfied in this queſtion:Civ. Dei. lib. 9. c. 21▪ 1. Chriſtus tantùm innotuit Daemonibus quantùm voluit; That cannot be denied, Chriſt was diſcloſed to the Devils ſo much at a time as he ſaw fit to reveal himſelf, and no more; therefore their reaſon lacks weight that object, how the very evil Angels, being at firſt created full of rare perfections, muſt needs know the myſtery of the holy Trinity, and that was ſuch a principle of divine knowledge as could never be loſt, and by conſequent they could never miſconceive who was the Son of God. Eſtius.This Argument is ſand without chalk, and doth not hang together: For all that rebellious Regiment being caſt out of heaven, they were bereft of that excellent knowledge, and of all other ſupernatural endowments, and now they apprehend no more of God than God thinks it expedient for his own glory. So ſtands the ſecond rule of St. Auſtin, Sic eis innotuit ſicut eis terrendis innoteſcendum fuit. Chriſt opened himſelf to Satan, even as in the revenge of his juſtice he thought it fit to increaſe his terrour and amazement. It was not a ſaving knowledge to the Devil, no, nor a knowledge ſo much as to make him cautious, but a knowledge that increaſed ſorrow, and inflamed him with hatred. Concerning the moſt wicked of men it is ſaid, None of the Princes of this world knew him, for had they known him they would not have crucified the Lord of life… But Satan knew him, and knew the Prophets, what a glorious triumph the ignominy of the Croſs would be unto him, and as Iſaiah ſaith by his death, My righteous ſervant ſhall juſtifie many; he knew he ſhould deſtroy his own kingdom by the death of Chriſt, yet Satan did proſecute againſt him, and put it into the heart of Judas; for ſince God had appointed his Son ſhould die, the Devil could not hinder his counſel, and an outragious malice made him run deſperate upon his own ruine. This ſprig of the Devils condition is planted in too many, who are maliciouſly carried away with that Hell within them which hunts for vengeance: Here is one drives his neighbour through all the Purgatories of the Law, and yet perceives it muſt eat out his own eſtate and beggar him: Here is another will quarrel to the death, though nothing more certain than fall under the Sword, or hang under the Gallows. How many bloudy Aſſaſſines have crept out of Friers Cels and Jeſuites Colledges, and have lifted up their hand againſt God himſelf, I may ſay, in the perſon of Gods Anointed? This blow they are ſure ſhall both curſe the Miſcreant that did it, and the Religion that taught it. Theſe are not weakneſs of men, infirmities of the fleſh; though men would be wicked, yet unleſs the Devil were in it, and his deſperate malice to boot, ſuch apparent ſottiſhneſs could not be in their wickedneſs.
The agitation of this firſt Point lies but one queſtion further; whether this argument of the Tempters were ſtrong enough to discover the true Son of God, Command that theſe ſtones be made bread. Creation is an act proper to the Lord, and certainly incommunicable to any creature; for there is an infinite diſtance between ſomething and nothing, therefore nothing but an infinite power can make ſomething of nothing. Now to create is either ſimply to give a being, where there was none before, as to make the earth and the heavens of nothing, or to produce a thing out of ſuch matter as was no way prepared for ſuch a form, as to make a man of the ſlime of the earth: For it is as much to produce one ſubſtance out of another in a moment, which was no way prepared for alteration, as it is to create it out of nothing. Theſe could not chooſe but be Satans principles to be confident in this experiment, If thou be the Son, &c. You will ſay perhaps, did not Eliſha the Prophet increaſe whole veſſels of oyl from a little Cruſe? And yet this is no warrant to ſay he was the Son of God. Beloved, Eliſha did make the Prayer for the poor Widows ſake, and God did multiply the oyl into that mighty quantity; therefore we muſt run to this anſwer: Either Satan hath more quickneſs and inſight than men have, to know when a miracle is done immediately by God himſelf, or by his Servant; whether by the prime Independent power, or by the ſecond and derivative power, or elſe there is no evaſion but we muſt ſay, for all his art, the Devil required no ſufficient argument to convince his Infidelity. This Chriſt might do as the Son of God by excellent adoption, not by eternal generation, and this will make that frequent ſaying of Athanaſius true,In cap. 4. Luc. Annot. 10. that the Devil was an Arian. Cardinal Tolet, a man of no ſmall wit, goes further in his conjectures than any man hath done before him. Thus he objects, Whither would this Serpent wind himſelf? Or what would he find out? The very Son of God by ſuch a miracle as this? Did not Moſes work ſtranger converſions before Pharaoh? And yet Pharaoh did not ſay, this is the Son of God, but truly this is the finger of God, or the power of God that worketh in Moſes: Nay, the evil one himſelf is able to bring about ſtrange preſtigiations, as were ſeen in Pharaohs Sorcerers. You ſee how hard it is to ground our faith, as the Devil would do his upon miracles. Yet Satan was more cunning in this way than any man can be, for his judgment did lean upon two principles, firſt, if Chriſt turned ſtones into bread, the hand of God was in it, for our Saviour was holy and unblameable, no way tainted with Magical Sorcery, and if any Daemoniacal Art were in the fact, the Prince of Devils muſt needs be aware of it. Secondly, God worketh no miracle by the hands of his Prophets or holy men to confirm deluſions, but to teſtifie to truth and innocency; therefore if he did provoke him to turn ſtones into bread, it would be for a true teſtimony, that he was the very Son of God: If he do this miracle and be not the Son of God, the eternal truth ſhould confirm a lie, which is impoſſible. This was Satans cunning Philoſophy, and now you ſee the very nerves of his Argument.
Let me draw out one Corollary for your Inſtruction. The firſt part of Satans engine was ut cognoſceret, to prove God a liar if he could. I heard a voice ſay, you are the beloved Son of God; but are you ſo indeed? This deſire to litigate and quarrel with Gods truth made him fall into a ſtrange doting ignorance, almoſt incredible in ſo intelligent a ſubſtance. What, he that is foreign quaſi foreign, of a moſt vaſt capacity of underſtanding, becauſe of his ſpirituality, and ſo many thouſand years experience. He that thought he could open the market of knowledge, and ſell what he pleaſed to our firſt Parents, Ye ſhall be as Gods knowing good and evil, that he ſhould ſtagger, and for a long time miſtake the very foundation of all truth, that Jeſus was the Son of God; Is not this paſſing wonderful? Why, this comes of it, when any will bend their wits to object againſt the plain truth, when it is manifeſt, then God requites their iniquity with this dulneſs. 2 Theſ. ii. 1. For this cauſe God ſhall ſend them ſtrong deluſion, that they ſhould believe a lie. Strong deluſion,Muſcul… we read foreign, ſo St. Paul; and I had rather tranſlate it the efficacy of errour. Tentation is from the enemy, the efficacy of Tentation is not from him, but in the power of God: So falſhood is from the Devil, but the efficacy of falſhood, that this error ſhould prevail to ſeduce the Reprobate, that is in the hand of God; For if the efficacy and event of error were from the Tempter, nothing would help us, but that all men ſhould be deluded. The event and prevalency of errors comes from Gods permiſſion upon them that would not obey the truth. Let me put this now into your mind; it is the faſhion of the World to have mens perſons in admiration, ſome are carried away with the opinion of their learning and good life that walk not after the wholſom Injunctions of the Ceremonies and Diſcipline of our Church, Lorinus i… ver. 16. Ep. Jude.as Salvianus ſays very well, Tantùm dicta exiſtimant quantus eſt ipſe qui dixit, nec tam conſiderant quid legunt, quàm cujus legunt. They meaſure truth, not in it ſelf, but by the opinion of him that defends it, nor ſo much conſider what it is they read, as whoſe it is they read. Purge out this leven, I beſeech you, and remember, when men would expound all things by their own private ſpirit, God will turn their good gifts into vanity. Likewiſe if ſome others ſtand upon it, that there is no ſort of Learning but abounds in the Church of Rome, and why ſhould not the moſt Learned wear the Garland? Let them know this is as fooliſh an inference, well conſidered, as his in the Proverb, that the Peacock muſt ſing beſt of all birds, becauſe it had the faireſt train. Julian the moſt learned Emperour, Galen the moſt learned Phyſician, Porphyry one of the learnedſt Philoſophers, all were Atheiſts, and without God in the World. The Novices of the Roman Colleges are ſworn to particular opinions, and to a particular belief, and then ſtudy their courſe of Divinity to maintain it. So it comes to paſs, They ſtudy to maintain a lye, as Satan did againſt Chriſt, and thereby they are catcht in ſtrong deluſions. And let this ſuffice for the firſt general part of the Text: That one end of theſe words which Satan caſt forth was ut cognoſceret, to learn more perfectly that, which he miſtruſted before, that Chriſt was the eternal Son of God.
And becauſe he had more Hooks than one to his Angle, remember that beſide his curioſity to explore him, his words likewiſe are full of malice to corrupt him: Command that theſe ſtones be made bread. The boldeſt and moſt flagitious attempt that ever was, to make Chriſt ſin. Murdering of Sacred Princes, devices to blow up the Majeſty of an whole State, conſpiracy to root out whole Nations, endeavouring to burn up an whole Empire with Nero, betraying Chriſt himſelf to be crucified with Judas, all theſe ugly ſins, not only ſingle, but put all together, have leſs horror and impiety in them than this attempt, to lie in wait to draw ſin and impurity from the moſt pure God. We cannot compare Satan ſo well as with himſelf, therefore I go further, the great rebellion of Lucifer, for which he was firſt caſt out of heaven, made him not ſo guilty of high diſobedience as this Propoſition did, to tempt Chriſt to Gluttony and Infidelity. His firſt preſumption is collected out of theſe words of Iſaiah, I will be like the moſt High; Iſa. xiv. 14.but this preſumption hath more rancor in it by far, the moſt High ſhall fall into wickedneſs, and be made like unto me. Ero ſimilis altiſſimo, I will aſcend as high as the glory of God, Ferus.ſo the evil Angel coveted his own perfection in exceſs; but Altiſſimus erit ſimilis mihi; I will bring down the moſt High to treſpaſs as I have done, that is to covet Gods imperfection. The very Angels are not pure in his ſight, ſays Job; now this was the Devils practical gloſs, neither ſhall he be pure in the ſight of the Angels; But how fooliſh is the Serpent become, the ſubtilleſt of all Creatures, how fooliſh is he become becauſe he will not underſtand the truth of God? O Lord thou art purer than the heavens, thou art Juſtice, and Righteouſneſs, and Innocency it ſelf; and therefore the Church doth ſing a foreign to his honour, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hoſts. One Scripture ſays, he cannot lie, another Scripture, that he cannot deny himſelf, and another, that he cannot be tempted; Where was Satans prudence to make an impoſſible motion? How had he forgot his cunning to pump for an iniquity out of the Well of everlaſting purity? Some pretenſion yet there was for this plot, and ſome hope, no queſtion▪ as the Jews cloak'd their own malice before Pilate with this excuſe, Had he not been a Sinner we had not brought him unto thee; ſo there was ſome likelihood to make him offend, as it appeared to Satan, and ſurely thus he collected it.
If Joſeph, who was eſpouſed to Mary, be his Father I ſhall prevail, whatſoever is born of fleſh is fleſh, whatſoever is begotten by carnal generation is conceived in ſin: But if it be true that the Angel ſaid unto Mary, the Holy Ghoſt ſhould over-ſhadow her, yet the will of every man, if he be true man, is indifferent, and apt of it ſelf to turn to evil, as well as good. Now perhaps it was not poſſible for the Devil to underſtand, how the union of the Godhead did determine that indifferency of the will only to good, and did exempt it from all poſſibility or inclination to evil; and the rage of malice dulling the ſharpneſs of his intellectual parts, he proceeds upon the Premiſes, the ſecond Perſon of Trinity is become fleſh, and born of a woman, that in the ſame nature, wherein mankind ſinned, they might be redeemed; but if this fleſhly nature could be contaminated with ſin, God would diſſolve the Hypoſtatical Union, and caſt it off: Diſſolve the Union, and he cannot be the Mediator between God and man, and then the Sons of men ſhall be left without hope of redemption for ever. And it may be the Devil had that fooliſh forecaſt in his mind, when he ſtirred up Judas to betray him, that by his death he might diſſolve the union between his Godhead and our humane nature. If any man will anſwer theſe Scholaſtical diſcourſes, and ſay, the Devil hath no where revealed his own counſels; I reply again, we need not be aſhamed of the modeſty of St. John, Rev. ii. We have not known the depth of Satan, but this one thing is not dubitable, he would have tempted Chriſt to ſin. We can all eaſily diſcern the Devils deformity out of this Sermon, what a grievous crime it was to ſollicite God to do unjuſtly; but what if this be our own fault many times (dearly Beloved?) Will you not diligently amend it for the time to come? When you ſee it is the blackeſt crime in the Devil. 1. He that ſweareth by the name of God and lies, what doth he but implore the name of God to bear falſe witneſs to his Perjury? Would man make God ſin for his ſake? And is not man a Devil? Again, he that pretends he hath made a Vow unto the Lord, and that his Vow conſtrains him to do ſome wicked thing, doth he not make God the impulſive cauſe of his abomination? Another prays for nothing more heartily, than that the Lord will pour out his vengeance upon thoſe whom he hates, although they be innocent. What is that elſe but to ſay? Do thou kill that man for my ſake, who art a moſt juſt God, whom it becomes not me to hurt, that am a moſt wicked ſinner. And though we have not Satans opportunity to tempt Chriſt himſelf face to face, yet remember that Kings are Gods Vicegerents upon earth, and whoſoever wrongs their ear with any corrupt communication, or flattery, he comes the neareſt of any man to this ſin in my Text to tempt God himſelf to evil. Non ab acervo, ſed à ſemente furantur, ſays Plutarch: They that propound evil things to the Ruler of the People, they do not ſteal from the Barn, or from the Stack, but from the ſeed-corn it ſelf, and by the Civil Law that is double thievery.
There are under parts likewiſe of this Tentation, and certain inſinuating ways to wriggle it in, which are fit to be diſcovered. Firſt, He cloſeth with Chriſt upon a moſt artificial obteſtation, If thou be the Son of God. It is good Oratory, you know, to importune a man to do a thing by that which he will not for ſhame deny. If you be an Iſraelite ſerve the Lord; if Chriſt be your Maſter, follow peace and humility. Theſe are deep adjurements: So Satan turns this Rhetorick upon our Saviour, If thou be the Son of God, command that theſe ſtones be made bread. But Beloved, be ſtrong to reſiſt theſe adjurations, when they are turned upon you as ſtones of offence. It is vulgar and trivial to cog a ſin into a man with theſe liſpings, if you love me let me obtain this at your hands; if you be my friend deny me not, as you are a Gentleman refuſe me not in this, or another evil aſſociation; retort ſuch evil adjurements as theſe in the name of God. I know no ſuch ſweetneſs in love and friendſhip as to ſerve God together in the unity of the ſame Spirit; I know no ſuch obligation upon the honour of a Gentleman as to keep a good conſcience. Sell not your ſoul away for a few fair words, for which ſo dear a price was paid as the bloud of Chriſt.
What other device do you mark? Why, two in one word; Command that theſe ſtones, ſays Satan; Mark what a great believer the Devil is turn'd, it is in your power you can command it. Nay, it is in the Greek Text, foreign, ſay the word. God made all things by the word of his power, and you are that Word, if you ſay it, it is done. As if he would profeſs ſuch a faith as the Centurion was commended for, dic verbo, ſay the word and my ſervant ſhall be healed. Tantum religio potuit ſuadere malorum. I will not make a long Narration, for the honour of Religion, what miſchiefs have been brought to paſs by colour of Religion; but I will tell you for a warning of ſuch hypocriſie, that as the curſe of Jacob ſtuck cloſe unto his Sons, who made Circumciſion their ſtratagem to kill the Sichemites, ſo the curſe of God ſhall ſtick cloſe to them, who cheat, and betray, and ſow diſcords, devour Widows houſes, make merchandiſe of holy things, upon pretence of Sanctity: For how is God abuſed by this fraudulency, when he may truly ſay, many ſins are done, which had never been committed, if there had been no Religion in the World. The other inſinuation is the facility of doing it, he perſwades to that which is as eaſie as to breath, ſpeak but half a word and theſe ſtones are made bread. Sin indeed is like ſuretiſhip; it is an eaſie thing to get into bands, but very troubleſom to get out of them; Facilis deſcenſus Averni. It is a wide gate, and no rub in the way, that leadeth to damnation, but theſe foul actions, which are ſo eaſie to wicked men, that they cannot avoid them, the Lord makes them very difficult to them that are regenerate and born again. He hath ſet a watch before their lips, ſo that they cannot ſpeak the word, which is diſhonourable to his holy name, or if they do ſpeak it, it is with much reluctancy; and by this you ſhall know that heavenly grace is in your heart, when you cannot do thoſe things at all, or at leaſt with much unwillingneſs, which the children of Satan do with great facility. This touch and away for thoſe three inſinuations, upon which the Devil did ſlide in his tentation.
Hitherto I have ſpoken upon no more, but in general that the Prince of Devils attempted to make Chriſt a ſinner. And whereas his allurement in particular partly ſtruck upon Gluttony, partly or rather upon Infidelity, how he urged unto Infidelity ſhall be deferred unto a larger explication, and I will only add a few words upon his tentation to Gluttony before I conclude. A marvellous ſubtil beginning, he propounds nothing but that which nature neceſſarily calls for; the moſt ſpiritual, the moſt holy men in the world muſt have ſomewhat to content hunger, therefore ſuppoſing that there is moſt Angelical ſanctity in Chriſt, yet ſince there is humane infirmity likewiſe, it muſt be repaired with ſobriety. Nay, if any religious purpoſe of faſting hinder him, yet what holy man did faſt for any long ſpace, but he would take bread and water of affliction ſometimes? That, it ſeems, did not diſſolve the religion of his Faſt. Is not this a fair curtain to draw before the miſchief of his tentation? Nay, many Expoſitors are ſo puzzeled with the legerdemain of this craft, that they conclude that ſin of Gluttony was not ſo much as aimed at; or alas there is ſmall likelihood that one ſhould ſin in gluttony by eating bread when he was an hungry: And as ſmall likelihood that he ſhould ſin if he made bread miraculouſly out of ſtones, when he was preſſed unto it by Famine. For twice he multiplied the Loaves and Fiſhes miraculouſly in the Wilderneſs, when he had compaſſion of the People, who were ready to faint for want of bread, and who did ever find fault with it? Theophylact was driven into ſuch a ſtraight with this objection, that he anſwereth, Chriſt was tempted to gluttony becauſe he was tempted to ſuperfluity. Cum panis unus ſufficeret, poſtulavit lapides in panes converti; When one loaf would have ſufficed to have aſſwaged his hunger, the Devil demanded no leſs than all the ſtones that were before them to be made bread; and the Relators of the holy Land ſay, that in that Deſart where Chriſt faſted, called the Mountain of Quarantena, divers ſtones black in colour, and large in quantity are ſhewed unto travellers, as the very ſtones remaining to this day, at which the Devil pointed in his tentation. St. Matthew, it is true, relates that the Devil ſpake Plurally, Command that theſe ſtones be made bread. St. Luke tells the ſame ſtory in the Singular number, Command that this ſtone be made bread. It is well reconciled, as if the Tempter had over-reacht himſelf at firſt, and made an unreaſonable motion, and then comes off, if it like you not to change all theſe ſtones, yet at leaſt be pleaſed to turn this one into bread.
Since therefore the Tempter at laſt moved for no more than the ſupply of one loaf of bread, wherein lies the ſuſpicion of gluttony that he perſwaded him to that? In a word thus it was; No man could have called it intemperance in Chriſt,Janſenius. if being very hungry after a faſt of forty days he had made bread, and brought it miraculouſly out of the hard ſtones: but upon occaſion of hunger to obey the Devil in procuring our meat, it had been a grievous gluttony. He that cannot abſtain, and ſhould marry becauſe the Devil bad him, to him it were incontinency. He that ſhould uſe lawful recreation becauſe the Devil bad him, to him it were voluptuouſneſs: He that ſhould reſt his wearineſs, when the Devil requeſted him to it, to him it were idleneſs: So to eat bread upon his motion, whom we muſt fly and abhor, it would come into the rank of the deadly ſins, and paſs by the name of Gluttony. We deceive our ſelves, if we think ſo well of Satans kindneſs, that he is tender of our health, and would not have us faſt too long, rather he deſires our death, and that all humane nature were diſſolved into duſt and aſhes, what cares he to have ſtones turned into bread? But to have men turn'd into beaſts, into Swine that wallow in fulneſs of bread and luxury. If he can get Sodom to delight in fulneſs of bread, he knows their end will be fire and brimſtone. Signum panis petit, qui ſignum jejunii pertimeſcit, ſays Chryſologus; He loves to ſee the miracles of bread and feeding, he cannot abide to ſee the miracle of faſting and temperance. Your ſobriety ſhall make the Devil drunk with wrath becauſe he cannot overcome you. And when the Tempter is vanquiſhed, and hath given us over, yet the judgment of God is to come, his dreadful judgment which is to be feared, if we live in riot and wantonneſs. But will you not fear that judgment? Mark our Saviours counſel, after a long deſcription of the wofulneſs of that laſt day, thus he concludes; Take heed to your ſelves leſt at any time your hearts be over-charged with ſurfeiting and drunkenneſs, and cares of this life; and ſo that day come upon you unawares, Luk. xxi. 34.
Mark, I pray you, how Satan uſeth to ſpeed thoſe with his courteſie that will be obnoxious to him. Inſtead of ſome relief for hunger he brings ſtones. Lapides eſurienti offert, Chryſologus.humanitas talis eſt ſemper inimici, ſic paſcit mortis autor, ſic invidus vitae; What man is there of you, whom if his Son ask bread will he give him a ſtone? Mat. vii. 9. It were no humanity indeed, but look for no better courteſie from the Fiend of Hell. A ſtone and bread are moſt oppoſite ſubſtances. Hawks may take pebles for caſting, but there is no nutrition in them; yet this is our enemies courteſie, you want bread, here is a ſtone for you, foreign, Thus the Author of death will feed you, who envies the life of men: But our God is very liberal, he openeth his hand and filleth all things living with plenteouſneſs, he openeth and never ſhutteth his bowels of compaſſion againſt his children; he with-holdeth no good thing from them that lead a godly life. On the contrary, Satans ſervice is moſt bare and wretched. The Prince of Poets ſets Famine and Scarcity next to the ſuburbs of Hell.
Aencad. lib. 6.Veſtibulum ante ipſum, primiſque in faucibus Orci
—maleſuada fames, & turpis egeſtas.
Judas preſently gave up all that he got in the Devils ſervice, and his life to boot in a moſt hideous death: But Honeſty, howſoever ſome wicked Proverbs ſay it ends in beggary, I ſay, if it be kept conſtantly without halting, it is ſeldom a looſer in this life, but I am ſure it is an infinite gainer in the life to come. Serve the Lord therefore with zeal and innocency and your wages ſhall not be denied you. I know he will outbid all the world, all the Princes of the world, and Satan himſelf the Prince of riches. Did he ever put ſuch a ſcoff upon the hungry, as make you bread out of ſtones; He opened the hard rock indeed, ſo that waters flowed out for his people, but he did not bid them bite upon the rock for bread, but he rained down Manna from heaven. Convert your hearts and your thoughts to the holy Sacrament. Doth God put us off there, Command that ſtones be made bread? No, he makes bread become the body of his dearly beloved Son by the application of faith, and he that eateth of it worthily ſhall be made one body with Chriſt, and live for ever. AMEN.