Grace, Sermon 8
VIII. Sermon at Lawrence Jury London. April 6. 1651.
2 TIM. 2. 1.
Be ſtrong in the grace of God that is in Chriſt Jeſus.
I Proceed now to anſwer ſome caſes of conſcience, which may be deduced from the Doctrine I have laid down.
1. Whether ſtrong temptations may be conſiſtent with ſtrong grace? Caſe 1.This is a needful and practical Caſe, becauſe the People of God, when tempted by the devil, they do not only queſtion the ſtrength, but the truth of their grace.
Before I reſolve this Caſe, I ſhall premiſe theſe general poſitions.
1. It is certain,Poſit 1. where there is truth of grace, there may be ſtrong temptations from the devil. The devil is like a thiefe, which robs not out-houſes, where there is nothing but dung and ſtraw; but the Cabinets that are in the Cloſet: ſo this great thief of the world, he is not ſo eager to rob and ſpoil the out-houſes, wicked and ungodly men; but thoſe who have the riches of grace in the cabinets of their hearts, theſe he labours to rob and ſpoile: or as a Pirate, who ſets not upon an empty veſſel, but upon a ſhip laden with rich merchandize; thoſe who are fraught with the rich gifts of grace, the devil by his temptations, will labour to make prize of for himſelf.
2. Let the temptations of the devil be never ſo ſtrong,Poſit. 2. yet they ſhall not be above the ſtrength of grace, which believers have received from God.1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithful, who will not ſuffer you to be tempted above that you are able. He will proportion the burden to the back, and the ſtroak to the ſtrength of him who is to bear it; if temptations increaſe, our ſtrength ſhall alſo increaſe, whereby we may be able to grapple with them.
3. It is evident,Poſit. 3. that the temptations of the devil are alwayes ordinarily moſt ſtrong, after Gods people have diſcharged ſome extraordinary duties to God, or have received moſt diſcoveries of grace from God. In both theſe Caſes the devils temptations are uſually great. You finde that immediately after the Celebration of the Lords Supper the devil deſired to winnow the diſciples; Luke 22. 31.after they had performed that extraordinary ſervice to God, the devil was deſirous preſently to ſet upon them. So you finde that after Chriſt had in an extraordinary manner,Mat. 4. 2, 3 fasted forty dayes and forty nights, he was immediately after tempted of the devil;Dr. Halls obſervations. and ſo alſo after his baptiſme, no ſooner was he out of the water of Baptiſme, but he was in the fire of temptation. The Iſrael of God can be no ſooner out of Egypt, but this helliſh Pharoah purſues them. And Hezekiah had no ſooner kept the ſolemn Paſſeover, but Senacherib comes up againſt him. All this is to ſhew us, that after we have put forth moſt grace in a duty, then the devil will labour to play his aftergame with us, if he miſſe of his fore-game; if Satan cannot keep us from duty and from inlargment in duty, he will flie-blow our duties by pride and ſo marre them. And then after we have received the moſt eſpecial manifeſtations from Gods love and favour in Chriſt, then may we expect to be aſſaulted by the devil: Thus Paul, after he had thoſe heavenly raptures, 2 Cor. 12. 7.and abundance of Revelations; the devil ſet upon him with vile temptations; he had the meſſenger of Satan to buffet him, a thorn in the fleſh; which is not to be meant of any diſeaſe, but of ſome ſharp temptation from the devil. So you finde that immediately after that voice to Chriſt,Mat. 3. 17. This is my well beloved ſon, in whom I am well pleaſed, that then the Tempter came to him. Hence you may gather from that connexion between thoſe two Petitions in the Lord Prayer, Forgive us our treſpaſſes, and lead us not into temptation: to note to us, that no ſooner can we get the evidence of our pardon, but we may expect to be tempted of the devil.
4. That men who have the greateſt ſtrength of grace,Poſit. 4. are like to meet with the fierceſt aſſaults, and the ſtrongeſt temptations from the divel; and this brings me to anſwer the Caſe, That ſtrength of grace may be conſiſtent with ſtrong temptations. To clear and confirm this, there are theſe two particulars to be enquired into.
1. Wben temptations may be ſaid to be ſtrong?
2. How, and why ſuch ſtrong temptations may be conſiſtent with ſtrong grace?
1. When temptations may be ſaid to be ſtrong?Queſt. 1.
1. Then may temptations be ſaid to be ſtrong,Anſw. 1. when the ſollicitations of the devil to ſin are urgent with the ſoule, when they are not weak and faint ſuggeſtions, but violent aſſaults, which wil not be removed until aſſented to; when the divel haunts a man ſo that he wil not let him alone, then may they be ſaid to be ſtrong. Thus it is ſaid, Satan ſtood up againſt Iſrael,—i.e. He ſet himſelfe to tempt David. And provoked him, 1 Chron. 21. 1.i. e. He would not let him alone, but haunted him with helliſh importunity,—till he had numbred the people.
2. When they are frequent and continued. Small temptations often ſuggeſted become ſtrong. Small drops of water by frequent falling make hollow the hard ſtone; which a few great and forcible blows wil not doe: ſo temptations, though but to ſmall ſins, if they be continued, may have greater entrance into the heart then a violent aſſault may.
3. When they are ſuited by the devil to a mans diſpoſition or preſent condition; ſo was that temptation by which the devil ſet upon Chriſt, after he had faſted forty daies and forty nights: Command, ſays he, that theſe ſtones be made bread. Mat. 4. 3.It was ſuited to his preſent condition, meat for his hunger. If you offer meat to a naked man, he values it not, or cloaths to a hungry man, becauſe it is not ſuited to his preſent exigence: but if the gift you offer be ſuited to the mans neceſſity, cloaths to him that is naked, and meat to him that is hungry, then it becomes acceptable. The devil doth not caſt temptations at random, he is more ſubtil then to row againſt wind and tide, he knowes which way the ſtream of our affections and diſpoſitions runs, and he ſuits his baits accordingly.Jam. 1. 14. Every man (ſayes the Apoſtle) is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own luſt and enticed. foreign,—Metaphora à Piſcat…ribus, qui ineſcant, & h…me captant. Beza.It is a metaphor taken from Fiſhermen, who have this skill, that according to the nature of the fiſh, ſo they wil ſuit their bait, whereby they lie in wait to deceive either the ſight or the taſte of the poor fiſh. The divel is the great fiſher of ſouls, and makes uſe of ſuch temptations which are moſt likely to take; he obſerves to what ſins a mans Relations, Calling or opportunities lay him moſt open & obnoxious, and accordingly he layes his ſnare, and ſpreds his net. Though its true, that every man hath a principle within him ſuiting to every ſinne; yet it is as true that every man is not equally active for, or diſpoſed unto every ſin. The divel ſees what ſin is moſt predominant in man, and ſo he frameth a temptation ſutable; He ſets a wedge of Gold before a covetous Achan; Cozby an harlot, before an adulterous Zimri; a faire preferment before an ambitious Abſalom: he knows well, that a fit object preſented is a victory half obtained. In theſe three caſes temptations may be ſaid to be ſtrong.
How doth it appear that temptations ſo urgent,2 Queſt. ſo continued, and ſo ſuited, may be conſiſtent with ſtrong grace?
By inſtances,Anſw. 1. whereby it appears the beſt of Gods children have been moſt tempted. Job a holy man, yet with what ſtrong temptations was he aſſaulted? the devil impoveriſhed him in his ſtate, and ſo would tempt him to diſtruſt Gods providence; took away the lives of his children, to make him queſtion providence; tormenting him with grievous diſeaſes, to make him clamour againſt providence; and above all this tempted him to curſe God and die, by the inſtigations of his wife;Job 2. 8. and yet though Job was thus haunted by the devil, he was a believer ſtrong in grace, and the moſt eminent Saint in that age, and that part of the world at that time, as God himſelfe teſtifies of him, that there was none like him upon earth, a perfect and an upright man.—He was not only for riches the greateſt of all the men of the Eaſt, but for holineſſe the greateſt upon the earth; yet thus was he afflicted and aſſaulted by the devil.
Another inſtance there is of David, an eminent believer, and hath this commendation, that he was a man after Gods own heart, and yet how furiouſly was he tempted by the devil? one while Satan moved him to number the people, another time to defile another mans wife, another time to counterfeit himſelfe mad before Achiſh King of Gath, another time to judge all his holy duties to be in vain, and at another time to queſtion the faithfulneſſe of God in his promiſe to make him King. He ſaid in his haſte that all men were lyers, even Samuel the Prophet alſo.Mat. 16. 16 17. compared with 16. Ch. 22, 24. Thus Peter an eminent Apoſtle of Chriſt, after he had made ſuch a glorious confeſſion of his faith, and had diſcovered more grace then in all his life time before, you finde him ſuddenly after by an inſtigation from the devil, begin to rebuke Chriſt, and counſelling him to ſpare himſelfe. And thus Paul that had ſuch high and heavenly raptures, ſuch divine extaſies, yet had he the meſſenger of Satan to buffet him. But above all inſtances, you have Jeſus Chriſt, who though he had perfect grace, and was full of grace and truth; yet this could not exempt him from the temptations of the divel. He was full of the holy Ghoſt, yet was he forty daies tempted of the divel, & that with ſtrong temptations; if you conſider their continuance, their urgency one after another, and ſuitability to that his preſent condition. So that it is plainly manifeſt, that ſtrong temptations may be conſiſtent with ſtrength of grace by theſe inſtances given.
2. It appears alſo by reaſons drawn,
1. From God, for the clearer illuſtration of the glory of his own Attributes:Reaſon 1. and therefore the Scripture is clear in this. Particularly to ſhew how the temptations of Gods people make his Attributes to be more illuſtrious. As firſt, his Faithfulneſſe: God who is faithfull will not ſuffer you to be tempted above that you are able. 1 Cor. 10. 13.And then his Wiſdom:2 Pet. 2. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation. He will by his wiſdom finde a way for their eſcape. And then alſo hereby will his pitty and compaſſion be made glorious;Heb. 2. 17. therefore Chriſt became like unto us, that he might be a merciful High-Prieſt, able to ſuccour and pitty thoſe that are tempted. And then laſtly, the glory of his Power. In our weakneſſe God wil manifeſt his power, for his ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſſe. 2 Cor. 12. 9Thus it pleaſes God to exerciſe his people with great afflictions and temptations; for the ſetting out of his own glorious Attributes, and magnifying of his own name.
2. Another Reaſon may be drawn from Gods people themſelves.Reaſon 2.
1. God in afflicting his children aimes at their good. Thus when the devil tempted David to number the people,2 Chron. 21. 1. and when he was ſacrificing at the floore of Ornan the Jebuſite,1 Chron. 3. 1. there did God tel him that the Temple ſhould be built, this was the iſſue of his temptation. So when Job was ſo tempted and afflicted, the iſſue of all was for his good. Jobs graces had never been ſo illuſtrious, had not the divels temptations been ſo furious. This is one end of Gods afflicting his people, that their graces may become more orient.
2. Another may be to check pride. There is no greater temptation in the world to pride, then eminency in grace. Pride it is that worſt fruit, which growes upon the beſt ſtock. 'Tis not ſo much the ornaments of the body, as the endowments of the mind which ſtirs up pride;2 Cor. 12. 9 and this was Pauls caſe, after his abundance of Revelations, there was a thorn in his fleſh, a meſſenger of Satan to buffet him, leſt he ſhould be lifted up. God wil ſuffer thoſe which have ſtrong grace to be ſtrongly tempted, to check the pride of their hearts.
3. The godly are more able to grapple with ſtrong temptations then weaker Chriſtians are, and ſo God ſuits the ſervice and ſufferings of his people, to the proportion of the ſtrength of grace.
3. Another reaſon may be taken from the devil,Reaſon. 3. from that malice which he bears to all the people of God, and eſpecially to thoſe who have moſt grace; whom God loves moſt, the devil hates moſt. When the voice from Heaven ſaid to Chriſt, Thou art my welbeloved ſonne, then came the devil to aſſault and to tempt him; if you are the objects of Gods deareſt love, you wil be the objects of the devils deepeſt rage: and though he cannot damne thy ſoule, yet he wil trouble thy conſcience; if he cannot break thy head, he will bruiſe thy heel.
2. It alſo proceeds from the devils knowledge, as wel as his malice; he knows, if he can but get thoſe which are ſtrong in grace to ſin, he ſhall doe the more miſchiefe, as
1. It wil open the mouth of wicked men to blaſpheme God and Religion, as in the caſe of David, 2 Sam. 1…. 14.By this deed thou hast given great …ecaſion to the enemies of the Lord to blaſpheme. How were the mouths of Gods enemies opened to blaſpheme his name?
2. It wil imbolden the weak to ſin with more freedom, when they ſhall ſee thoſe which are eminent to fall: and thus the example of Peter made the Gentiles to Judaize.Gal. 2. 14. When the ſtrong ſhall abuſe his liberty, he becomes a ſtumbling block to thoſe which are weak.1 Cor. 8. 9. When Phigellus and Hermogenes turned away from the faith how did all Aſia turn aſide alſo?2 Tim. 1. 15 Men of eminent gifts, when they ſhall apoſtatize, how doe they draw others in abundance?
3. It wil provoke God to inflict heavy judgements on the places where you dwel. Thus the divel knew that if he could get David to number the people, it would procure a judgement upon them; and therefore it is not ſaid, he ſtood up againſt David, but againſt Iſrael, and provoked him to number the people; 2 Chron. 21. 1.he wel knew, if he could prevaile with David, all Iſrael ſhould ſuffer for it. Thus we ſee, that where there is ſtrength of grace, there may be and are ſtrong temptations.Object.
But here may an objection be raiſed from that of John, 1 Joh. 5. 18where it is ſaid, He that is born of God ſinneth not, 1 Joh. 2. 18.and keepeth himſelfe that the wicked One toucheth him not, & that they which are ſtrong have overcome the wicked one. And if this be ſo, how can that be truth, that ſtrong temptations from the devil, may be confiſtent with ſtrong grace in the heart?
When it is ſaid,Sol. the wicked one toucheth him not, it is not to be taken abſolutely, as if the divel did not tempt a man at all, therefore there muſt be a reſtriction of the clauſe, he touches him not, that is, with a deadly touch; and ſo Cajetan, This phraſe exeludes not the kinds of temptations, but that we are not burt or eternally doſtroyed by them But I conceive rather that theſe words have a peculiar reference to the 16 verſe, where is mention made of a ſin unto death; the divel ſhall not prevaile, or touch a man ſo, as to commit that ſin which is unto death. Though he may tempt, and wil be continually aſſaulting a man, yet he ſhall never prevaile againſt him, ſo as to draw him to the committing of that ſinne.
1. From hence we may learn the indulgence of God to weak Chriſtians;Vſe 1. whilst their graces are weak their temptations ſhall not be ſtrong. God wil not put weak Chriſtians upon ſuch ſtrong trials, as thoſe … have obtained greater meaſures of grace Not every man in Davids Army was put … break through the Army of the Philiſtin… to fetch of the waters of the Well of Bethlehem, but Davids three Worthles. God will not put young Converts to break through an Hoſt of temptations, until they ſhall have obtained experience and ſtrength of grace to grapple with them.
2. Hence alſo learn,Vſe 2. that men of the ſtrongeſt and moſt eminent gifts and graces ought not to preſume upon their own ſtrength. Conſider thy ſelf, leſt thou alſo be tempted. Gal. 6. 1.Thou which art moſt ſpiritual, take heed leſt thou be foiled. Some mens pride may make them think they are above Ordinances, yet their own experience may ſatisfie them that they are not above temptations; and certainly they which are not above temptations, wil ſtil ſtand in need of Ordinances; now no man in the world, either is or ſhall be above temptation; if any, ſurely Adam would, yet he in Paradiſe, the beſt of places; and in In noeency, the beſt of ſtates, was not exempted from the temptations of the divel, and thereby fell; therefore let no man preſume upon his own ſtrength.
3. Remember this for thy comfort, that though the divel tempt thee with ſtrong temptations, yet he ſhall never have his wil againſt thee. It is true, a godly man may fall into that particular act unto which the devil tempts him, yet as to the devils general aime (the damning of thy ſoul) he ſhall never have his wil. It is a notable expreſſion that of our Saviours to Peter, ſayes he, Satan hath deſtred to have you, Luk. 22. 31that he may ſift you as wheat: Satan hath deſired to have thee, that was the devils general aym. Though he may have his wil as to a particular act, and thou mayeſt yield to his temptation, yet he ſhall never carry thee with himſelf into Hell.
4. Remember to your great comfort, you who are the people of God, and harraſſed with the divels temptations; thou complaineſt that they are great for kind, long for continuance, and the more dangerous becauſe ſuited to thy preſent condition. Remember, that thus the divel dealt with Jeſus Chriſt, his temptations were ſuited, continued, and for kinds groſs, being to diſtruſt providence, to ſelf-murder, and to blaſphemy; and why was all this, but for thy comfort? he ſuffered being tempted, that he might be able to pity, compaſſionate,Heb. 2. 18. and ſuccour thee, being in the ſame condition.