Christ Tempted, Text (2 of 3)
Then; ſurely the Divel is a good obſerver of time; or rather of opportunity: not willing to neglect any occaſion that makes for his own Advantage and our ruine; he knew which was the fitteſt time to tempt the woman, Gen. 3. and the fitteſt opportunity to ſtir up Herod to ſeek our Saviours life, Mat. 2. even when he was but then in ſwadling clothes: when the Sons of God came to preſent themſelves before the Lord, then Satan alſo (though uninvited) will come amongſt hJob 1.6.them no place will he unfrequent no company will he avoid, as to mean too intrude himſelf into their counſels, no not though the Lord command Joſhua the high Prieſt to ſtand before his iZechar. 3.1.Angel; and no time neither will he omit to effect his wicked purpoſes.
Then; even ſo ſoon as he was overcome in one, preſently he begins another Battel; yet not (Roman like) giving warning of the day thereof, before the day; nor giving notice of the very Inſtant of his Aſſault, either by ſound of Drum or Trumpet, or other vocal Inſtrument; No; he that in all Ages hath taught Scribes and Phariſees, Hypocrites, to ſound a Trumpet before kMat. 6.2, 6, 16.them, either when they give Almes or Faſt, or Pray, that they may be ſeen of men, that they may receive glory of men and loſe their reward with God left that way of managing, and imploying the ſtock of their own Hypocriſie to themſelves ſtill, knowing how to play the Hypocrite and manage his own work another way; even ſleighly, ſubtilly, craftily, without any noyſe or ſtir at all; playing the part of the Serpent ſtill, whoſe pace and motion was hardly deſcernable in the Garden: and that when our Saviour was but newly become a Conqueror; ſuppoſing perhaps, that though he knew at that time how to Conquer, yet he knew not how to uſe the victory.
Then; which further notes the inſatiable and implacable malice of Satan againſt Chriſt, and his members; having great wrath againſt them, becauſe he knoweth that he hath but a ſhort lRev. 12.12.time: adding to the meaſure of the one, what he perceives is wanting in the Continuance of the other; alwaies walking about like a roaring Lyon ſeeking whom he may mi Pet. 5.8.devour; that is his end (ſuch is his enmity againſt us) even by a continned ſeries of Temptations to devour us; whoſe wrath and malice againſt us, is without end; from whoſe ſoul-deſtroying darts good Lord deliver us.
Thus the Time (you ſee) when this ſecond Aſſault began, was immediately after the firſt was ended. Then; Conſider next both the Place where, and alſo the manner how this hapned; for the Place where 'twas in the holy City, and there on a pinacle of the Temple; but the manner how the Tempter dealt with our Saviour before he brought him thither, was this; he taketh him up; Lo! he that before was led up of he Spirit into the wilderneſs to be tempted, was now conveyed thence to an higher place by the Divel to the ſame end; the place of our Saviour's Tryal was changed, but the Tempter was ſtill the ſame. Coelum, non animum— a change there was in the heighth, but no change at all in the depth, in the deep policy of Satan, who taketh him up: conveyeth our Saviour at his pleaſure through the ayre from one place to another.
But ſurely he did not, he could not doe this, without power firſt obtained of God to doe it; No: for though his power be very great, as the Sacred Texts intimates, when it calls him a nIſa. 27.1.Dragon; a roaring Lyon, 1 Pet. 5.8. a ſtrong man oMat. 12.29.armed; a Ruler of the darkneſs of this pEpheſ. 6.12.world: yet that power (how great ſoever it be) is firſt derived from God, from his power, from his Grant and permiſſion; or elſe, why did he aske leave of God at one time to tempt qJob 1.11, 12.Job? or, why did he not at another time enter into the Herd of ſwine without our Saviour's rMat. 8.31.32.leave? an Argument that he is alwaies at God's beck; and that he can doe no more then he permits and ſuffers ſDaemonum officium eſt nutibus Dei ſervire, nec quicquam niſi juſſum facere. Lactant. divin. Inſtit. l. 2. c. 17.him; 'twas I confeſs in another Caſe (and as touching Criminal matters) that our Saviour ſaid to Pilate (boaſting of his power either to Crucifie or releaſe him) thou couldeſt have no power at all againſt me, except it were given thee from above, John 19.10, 11. yet it is moſt true alſo, even in this: Satan could have had no power to move and remove our Saviour's Sacred body from place to place, from the Wilderneſs to the holy City; from the holy City, a lower, to the pinacle of the Temple, an higher place; no ſuch power could he have had, but from above, by Divine permiſſion and conceſſion; and by vertue of that permiſſion (the Father wiſely ordering it to be ſo, for the glory of his Son when he ſhould return a Conqueror) the Divel taketh him up; our Saviour in the mean time, being of himſelf moſt willing to be tempted of the Divel anywhere, that the Divel by him for us might be Conquered everywhere; it was for his own glory and our good that this was done, ſuffered to be done, though done by the Divel, who taketh him up.
Yet ſurely not after an uſual and ordinary way; nor tranſported he him leaſurely and by degrees, ſtep by ſtep: no; for that was not at all agreeable to the Divels hungry and haſty purſuit of his prey, nor any waies anſwerable at this time to his eager deſire (having been but lately Conquered) of obtaining a Triumphant victory.
Omnis long a mora eſt nobis quae gaudia differt; neither was it, or could this be done in a viſion; for, then the Divels perſwaſion to our Saviour afterwards, v. 6. caſt thy ſelf down, could have been no Temptation at all; but he taketh him up: that is, in my judgement (though I leave it to a more skilful Oedipus to reſolve ſhall I ſay, or rather diſſolve this aenigma) our Saviour being thus taken up into the ayre, the proper Seat of Satans principalitie, Epheſ. 2, 2. (uncertain whether by the locks of his head as Ezekiel tEzek. 8.3.was, or otherwiſe) the Divel carried him ſpeedily to the place appointed for his freſh and renewed Onſet; which he might doe, even by the power already granted and received from above; a power to move and remove the bodies of men uZanch. de vi & potent. Daemonum. lib. 4. cap. 10.upwards and downwards, or otherwiſe as he pleaſeth from one place to another; and that with more ſpeed then ordinary; this (no doubt) the Divel hath power to do; and that by vertue of God's Commiſſion; nay, of God's wCalvin. Inſtitut. lib. 1. cap. 17. Sect. 11.Command, on whom his derivative power properly dependeth; and having ſuch a power once granted him, he ſoon made uſe of it, and taketh him up.
And into the holy City he taketh him up; even into Jeruſalem, Luk. 4.9 called the Daughter of xMat. 21.9.Zion; Tell ye the Daughter of Zion, behold, thy King cometh unto thee meck; ſo tell ye the daughter of Zion, tell ye Jeruſalem, behold, thy King cometh unto thee meek ſtill; and ſo meek, that for the finiſhing of his glorious Conqueſt, he was content patiently to be carried, even by an unholy hand into the holy City; Called yMat. 27.53.holy, even for diſtinctions ſake, to put a difference between this and the unholy Cities of the Gentiles, wherein nothing but Idols were worſhipped and adored; as Molech among the a1 Kings 11.7, 33.Ammonites; Chemoſh among the Moabites; Aſhtaroth among the Sidonians; Diana among the bAct. 19.17, 18.Epheſians; and other in other places. Whereas here at Jeruſalem from time to time, the holy and true God was onelyonly worſhipped, though not truly; who had appointed that his Name, his honour ſhould there peculiarly cKing. 11.36.dwel; there was the Temple, the place of his Solemn and holy Worſhip; there was Moſes Chair; the Law and the Prophets were by the Scribes and Phariſees ſolemnly read and expounded dMat. 23.2.there; and there alſo God ordained that his firſt Chriſtian Church ſhould be planted; and that from thence in following Ages, his holy Goſpel, his holy Religion ſhould be propagated as it was to other Nations: as the Prophet Iſiah foretold ſhould come to paſs; Saying, out of Zion ſhall go forth the Law, and the Word of the Lord from eIſa. 2.3.Jeruſalem; and for this reaſon called it was now the holy City: becauſe even at that time (though much corrupted both in life and doctrine) it was ſtill the place of the publike worſhip of the holy God; retaining even then the Adjunct of (holy) becauſe God was not altogether deſtitute, even at that time, of an holy Church there; the place keeping its denomination from the better (though the leſſer) part.
Now after the Divel had thus conveyed our Saviour from the Wilderneſs to Jeruſalem the holy City, he there ſetteth him on a pinacle of the Temple, v. 5. on a Pinacle without, not in any place within the Timple; no; 'tis the outſide and ſhew of Religion and Devotion onelyonly that he is moſt taken with. Holy places, properly ſo called from their relation to the holy ſervice of God therein, he liketh not; though holy Water, holy Reliques, holy Croſs, &c. names of his own invention, he moſt eſteemeth and approveth of; well enough content that Scribes and Phariſees, Hypocrites, ſhould have onelyonly an outward ſhew and form of godlineſs; but if they will pleaſe him, they muſt deny the power and inward effect of it; who not willing to ſtay long in the holy City (even for the very Name it had of holy) but onelyonly in Tranſitu, paſſing through it ſpeedily, as a Poſt paſſeth by; nor bringing our Saviour within the Temple, much leſs within the holy of holies, ſetteth him without on a pinacle of the Temple, the place of his Second Tryal; on a pinacle; on one of the Battlements of that part of the Temple, made at firſt to keep ſuch from danger of falling, as afterwards ſhould at any time occaſionally be imployed there; notwithſtanding though thoſe pinacles, thoſe Battlements were made for ſuch a uſe, yet the Divel purpoſely placeth our Saviour not at the bottome to preſerve himſelf, but at the top of one of theſe, that being in ſuch a poſture, he might be in the greater danger of falling: or at leaſt, that he might be the fitter ſubject for his Temptation to work upon; whoſe deſire it was that he might fall, if not to endanger himſelf, yet to obey him, which was alſo to endanger himſelf; and both no doubt, the Divel ſought, even obedience to himſelf, danger to our Saviour, when (placing him on the pinacle of the Temple) he ſaid unto him, If thou be the Son of God caſt thy ſelf down, v. 6.
Lo! thus the Divel began his Firſt, v. 3. and thus alſo he begins his Second Temptation, even with the very ſame words; nothing at all changed in reſpect of the ſyllables; nor no more altered in reſpect of the ſenſe: If thou be the Son of God; What ſhall I ſay? ſurely Satan is no good Grammarian, that knoweth not how to vary his phraſe: nor no good Rhetorician neither, that cannot tel how to change his Proeme; but a great Favourer he alwaies was, and ſtill is, of Tautologie; of vain and empty repetitions; If thou be the Son of God; (If) ſee! he dares not poſitively deny it; neither will he abſolutely confeſs it; Anceps ſermo eſt, ſaith ſIn locum, Canon. 3.St. Hillary, 'tis a doubtful ſpeech, and full of much fallacy: and indeed proper for none but for an Arrian, or an Ebionite, or an Eunomian, or a Turk, or a Divel; whereas none can truly, none ſhould wilfully doubt of, or any waies impugne the Deity of our Saviour: it being no better then a fragment of the Divels doctrine: and that no better then an Atheiſtical deriſion of him, who (God and man in one Perſon, as the ſacred Oracle gMat. 16.16. Acts 20.28. Rom. 9.5. 1 Tim. 3.16. 1 Joh. 5.20.teſtifies) laughs his ſcorners to ſcorn, even though they joyntly band themſelves together againſt him, with the Divel, who in all Ages hath taught others to deny, what he himſelf here ſeemingly did but doubt of. Such were thoſe Antichriſts of whom St. John h1. Joh. 2.22.3.2.ſpake; there being many, even in his daies (ſo ſoon had the envious man ſowen his tares) who would not confeſs that Jeſus was the Son of God; againſt whom the Apoſtle oppoſeth this truth of truths to confute them, and to inſtruct us: We have ſeer, and do teſtifie that the Father ſent the Son, to be the Saviour of the i1 Joh. 4.14.World; we have ſeen it: we do teſtifie it; which the Divels Diſciples would not believe then, will not believe now; nor did he himſelf openly acknowledge it, ſaying, If thou be the Son of God; If thou be, let me (at leaſt now) who have failed hitherto, let me ſee ſome manifeſt teſtimony, ſome evident ſign thereof; and there can be no harm; no danger in this, to prove thy ſelf to be (If thou be) the Son of God. Thus and thus did the Divel inſinuate himſelf into our Saviour, then on the pinacle of the Temple; thither by his power he brought him: and there (expecting to ſee ſome notable proof of his Deity) he tempted him, ſaying, If thou be the Son of God, caſt thy ſelf down from this pinacle: caſt thy ſelf kDiabolus cecidit, & ſtanti invidet. Augu. in prim. Epiſt. Joan.ca. 3. vox Diaboli quae ſemper omnes cadere deorſum deſiderat. Hieronym. in Text.down. Lo! ſuch as he himſelf is, ſuch is the motion: it being moſt agreeable to his nature, who cannot ſtand himſelf, to tempt others to fall: caſt thy ſelf down from this pinacle; this was the Divels Counſel to our Saviour: Evil counſel being alwaies the worſt to the evil lforeign.Counſellor, as this was to Satan: whoſe purpoſe was thereby to kindle in our Saviour both an ambitious deſire of vain glory, and alſo a raſh, vain, and ſupine neglect of his Father's protection over him; whereas both were altogether inconſiſtent with the moſt pure and ſpotleſs nature of the Son of God; either to be touched with an Affection or Affectation of vain glory, The Sum of the ſecond Temptation.by caſting himſelf headlong down from ſo ſteep a place; that if he remained unbruiſed and unmangled after ſuch a fall as that, all the beholders might crown him with a Plaudite, and admiring, adore him as ſome Perſon extraordinary; Or, to be carried about (as many are with every wind of mEpheſ. 4.14.doctrine) with an inconſiderate and ſupine careleſſneſs of the Protection of his Father; upon which ground, though the Divel tempted him to both (even to be careleſs of his Father's Protection, and alſo to be ambitious of the emptie applauſe of men) yet would our Saviour become guilty of neither; knowing that if he would have any benefit by the protection of his Father, he ought not to attempt any thing by ſuch means as were not lawful nor ſubordinate thereunto; But this (raſhly to caſt himſelf down from the pinacle of the Temple, and that at Satans ſuit) this was not lawful, nor any waies agreeable to his Father's Will; though moſt agreeable it was to Satans: whoſe voice was, Caſt thy ſelf down, and make no ſcruple at all of offending thy Father. So he tempted our Saviour; ſo he tempteth us; perſwading us to lay aſide all fear of God, and obey him: and oft-times he prevaileth with us, who could not at all prevail with our Saviour, but his caſt thy ſelf down, vaniſhed into nothing.
But why did not the Divel himſelf (our Saviour being then in his power, though, not at his command) why did he not take the whole managing of this matter into his own hands? ſurely, becauſe his malice as wrathful as it is, and his power as great as it is, is a limited and a reſtrained power and malice, as to Chriſt and his members; thus far ſhalt thou go and no farther. God confining him within ſuch and ſuch bounds, which he may not, which he cannot paſs: as Solomon did, railing and curſing n1 King. 2.37.Shimei; So that he is not able to doe more then God permits him to doe; and God permits him onelyonly to Tempt (as far as he ſees it convenient for the good and Salvation of his Church and Choſen) but not to caſt oPerſuadere poteſt, praecipitate non poteſt, Hieronym. ubi ſupra.down: not to deſtroy; 'twas ſo in Job's Caſe; The Lord ſaid unto Satan, behold, he is thine hand, but ſave his life; 'twas ſo here; the Tempter had power granted him from above, onelyonly to ſay unto our Saviour, by way of perſwaſion and ſollicitation, Caſt thy ſelf down; but by way of any Coactive violence, or praecipitation, actually to caſt him down from the pinacle of the Temple, no power, no permiſſion, no command had he obtained; no, none at all; notwithſtanding the limited and bounded power which he had received, he makes uſe of, even to the uttermoſt; and though he were not able to conſtrain our Saviour by way of compulſion, yet he ceaſeth not importunately to ſollicite him by way of a perſwaſive inſinuation, Caſt thy ſelf down from this pinacle; nay in imitation of our Saviour, v. 4. he farther backs his fruitleſs ſuit, with a reaſon, and that out of Scripture too, though untruly alledged; and therefore not at all prevalent with our Saviour; ſaying, For it is written, He ſhall give his Angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands ſhall they bear thee up, leſt at any time thou daſh thy foot againſt a ſtone, v. 6.
It is written; namely, Pſal, 91.11, 12. but more is there written then is here alledged by Satan; and to far better purpoſe, if we compare both Texts together: both what is written by the Pſalmiſt there; and what is out of him alledged by Satan here; That of the Pſalmiſt is whole and intire: thus; For he ſhall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy waies: they ſhall bear thee in their hands, that thou hurt not thy foot againſt a ſtone; The ſenſe; ſo tender and careful ſhall the Angels of God be over thee (even as a tender Mother is over a Child whom ſhee leadeth in her hand, or beareth in her armes) that no hurtful danger ſhall befall thee; no ſtone, no overweighty Temptation, but ſuch as thou art able to bear, ſhall overwhelme thee; which is a promiſe of God's peculiar watchfulneſs and protection by his Angels both over the Head and his Members: both over Chriſt while he was on Earth; and alſo over the whole body of the Faithful, ſo long as they are on Earth. But this of the Divel here, is maimed and wants one of its integral limbs and parts: thus; For it is written, ſaith Satan, He ſhall give his Angels charge over thee; and ſo far (to give the Divel his due) is the Text rightly Cited; But then with a purpoſe to deceive, he wholy leaves out the following words, theſe (to keep thee in all thy waies) which are (as it were) the Pole on which the whole ſenſe of this Scirpture turneth; and on which the promiſe of God's Fatherly protection over us (whether in leſſer or in greater dangers) is wholy grounded; who hath promiſed indeed, to keep us ſafe under his wings, and to hide us from danger under his feathers, Pſal 91. v. 4. from the ſnare of the fowler, and from the noyſome peſtilence, v. 3. from the terrour by night, and from the arrow that flieth by day, v. 5. But all is Conditionally, and no farther then we are alwaies careful to regulate all our Actions, acording to the rule of his promiſe; which is (in all our waies) in all the good and honeſt ways of our lawful Callings, to the glory of God, and the good one of another, as fellow-members of one and the ſame myſtical body of Chriſt, to uſe all ſuch lawful means to protect and defend our ſelves, as God hath appointed; who permits us not at all to tempt him, by flying to extraordinary, when ordinary means are neer at hand; and may not, muſt not (if we will be ſafe) be neglected and contemned; ſo far hath God promiſed to give his Angels charge over us, but no farther: no otherwiſe; But if men will raſhly and wilfully go out of their waies, which God hath appointed them to walkin; and once out, continue obſtinately to uſe unlawful means, for the accompliſhing of this or that; ſurely ſuch men tempt God (which our Saviour would not doe) and are out of the pale of his protection; which our Saviour well knew, and therefore would not be moved (even though he were moved) to caſt himſelf down from the pinacle of the Temple; becauſe he knew that was none of his waies; not to fall down thence by a violent, no, but rather to deſcend down thence by a Natural motion: and that leaſurely by ſteps and by degrees; that was his right way as the Caſe now ſtood, though that crooked pIſa. 27.1.ſerpent the Divel, by concealing the ſubſtance of his alledged Text, attempted to lead him out of that, into his own way; but his fraud was eſpied, his Text was examined, and his Temptation as powerfully repelled in this, as in his firſt Aſſault; Nay, we may truly ſay, that his fraud alſo was here farther detected, not onelyonly in concealing part of this Text, which made wholy for our Saviour, who would not be tempted to go out of his waies; but alſo in his not alledging the whole following Text, v. 13. which made ſo directly againſt himſelf, on the behalf of our Saviour; a Perſon ordained to ſubdue him, as the concealed Text (the ſenſe whereof was well known to Satan) imports; and the concealed Text which made ſo plainly againſt himſelf was this; Thou ſhalt go upon the Lyon, and the Adder, the young Lyon, and the Dragon, ſhalt thou tread under thy feet. Where there is no promiſe made to the Pope to trample upon the Emperour (as Alexander the third, abuſing this Text, did upon the neck of Frederick the firſt, ſirnamed qBaleus de Act. Roman. Pontificum, lib. 5. in vita Alexandri tertii.Barbaroſſa) No; but for our Saviour Chriſt to trample upon Satan, with whom he had to doe; This Lyon, this Adder, this Dragon, being none other myſtically but the Divel rTittleman in locum, Hilar. Canon. 3. Hieronym. in Matt. 4.himſelf, full of wrath, full of venome, full of poyſon, to be Conquered by our Saviour; who will tread him ſhortly under his feet, Rom. 16.20 and did now ſufficiently trample on him, when he anſwered him, It is written again, Thou ſhalt not tempt the Lord thy God, v. 7.
It is written again; once had our Saviour beat off the Divel before, v. 4. with It is written; namely, Deut. 8.3. and once alſo in imitation of our Saviour, had the Divel alledged, or rather miſalledged Scripture, v. 6. mangling and perverting the true and genuine ſenſe thereof, by concealing what therein was moſt Material and Conſiderable: this, to keep thee in all thy waies; which was written alſo, Pſal. 91. v. 11. but not alledged by Satan; but our Saviour in his reply here (It is written again) pointeth at both; both at his own true alledging of Scripture in his firſt, and alſo at the Divels falſe dealing in not truly alledging it in this his ſecond Conflict; and becauſe he would deal with him now again as he had done before; that is, Conquer him with his Father's word, He ſaith, (putting him in mind to how little purpoſe it was to conteſt with him any more, who had the ſtrongeſt weapon, though the Divel pretended Scripture too) It is written again: and by thy falſe dealing, thou canſt not, thou ſhalt not prevail againſt me; Our Saviour in this his reply here not oppoſing Scripture to Scripture, as if the one only (that alledged by himſelfe) had been true, and the other (that alledged by Satan, as much as remained of it) had been falſe: no; but following that rule which afterwards he taught St. John, believe not every ſ1 John 4.1.ſpirit (not the doctrine of every one that entitleth it to the ſpirit) but try the Spirits, try their doctrines whether they be of God, he only Confuted the abuſe of Scripture by tFalſas de Scripturis Diaboli ſagittas, veris Scripturarum frangit clypeis. Hieronym. in locum.Scripture; For the Divel as 'tis plain, to his own advantage, had moſt impudently abuſed it, by miſalledging it (as Heretiques, his diſciples often doe) but our Saviour confuted that abuſe, and rectified that error, by righthly interpreting it; and he rightly interpreted that Scripture, when (rightly concluding, that to caſt himſelf down from the pinacle of the Temple, which was none of his waies, was to tempt God, who had promiſed to keep him only in all his waies, which the Divel left out) He anſwered, It is written again, Thou ſhalt not tempt the Lord thy God: and in vain thou tempteſt me to tempt him; in ſenſe thus much; Thou that Tempeſt me (no good Textuary) though thou judgeſt thy thy ſelf ſtrong enough to Oppoſe me, and finally prevail againſt me with thy too too ſhort weapon, with a piece of a Text, yet I am ſtronger then thou, and as able now as before, v. 4▪ by Citing a whole Text, according to its true ſenſe and meaning, which thou haſt not done, to foyl and repel thee; and thus I doe it; It is written again; thou mighteſt have been ſatisfied at firſt, but ſince thou wilt not, my Father's Word ſhall again defend me, and again offend thee: It is written again, Thou ſhalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
It is written, Deut. 6.16. where Moſes exhorting the Iſraelites to obey their God, begins his Exhórtation with, Hear O Iſrael, v. 3.4. and (not to ſpeak of other particulars) in this alſo, he commands them to hear him even in this, Ye ſhall not tempt the Lord your God. Which our Saviour here (the number only changed) aptly alledgeth againſt the Divel perſwading him (by caſting himſelf down from the pinacle of the Temple) to tempt God; which Moſes forbade the Iſraelites; and our Saviour took it for granted, that it was alſo forbidden him. But the better to underſtand the Text, let us enquire a little into the meaning of theſe words (to Tempt God) Thou ſhalt not tempt the Lord thy God; thus; a Negative precept you ſee it is; and ſuch Precepts are alwaies uPraecepta negativa obligant ſemper, & ad ſemper.Obligatory, alwaies binding, and to all times, unleſs God himſelf command the contrary; As, Thou ſhalt not kill, Exod. 20.13. and no man but by divine diſpenſation (as in the caſe of Abrabam, whom God commanded to ſacrifice his wGen. 22.2.ſon) can at any time be releaſed from the exact keeping of that Negative Commandement. But our Saviour here had received no ſuch diſpenſation, as might any waies abſolve him from his Obedience to his Father; and therefore he would not, by any perſwaſion of Satan, ſuffer himſelf to be drawn away from his Filial obedience to his Father; knowing that the ſame law that did bind the Iſraelites, though they often tranſgreſſed it, did alſo oblige him, and he would at no time tranſgreſs it; but reſolutely anſwered Satan, with relation to himſelf, Thou ſhalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Now (to come to the point we treat of) to tempt God, is, out of raſhneſs or unbelief, and the like, to make Tryal and xTentare eſt periculum facere, experimenta quaerere, &c. Pet. Mart. loc. com. claſſ 1. c. 8. Sect. 17. & claſſ 3. ca. 4. Sect. 54.experiment, by ſuch means as we ought not, either of his power, or his juſtice, or his wiſdome, or his Fatherly protection over us. The latter whereof is properly the Tempting here meant in the Text; Thou ſhalt not tempt the Lord thy God; that is (as in this particular Caſe) thou ſhalt not raſhly and out of unbelief, queſtion his power, thou ſhalt not make tryal by any unlawful means, whether he be able to protect thee, or not, even when thou haſt wilfully exceeded the bounds, within which he hath promiſed to protect thee; or, if thou doeſt, thou tempteſt him, thou ſinneſt againſt him; which I may not doe, ſaith our Saviour; But becauſe we are now ſpeaking of Tempting God, who by man is tempted ſeveral waies, let us a little expatiate in this matter, and then again deſcend in order to this particular tempting here mentioned in the Text. We ſay then, that God, by ſinful man, naturally exorbitant, and of himſelf not to be kept within the bounds of modeſty and moderation, is Tempted divers waies. As,
Firſt, In reſpect of his Power. And ſo he is tempted, when inconſiderate men (impatient to wait Gods leiſure) doe, out of diffidence and unbelief, appoint either the Time, when he ſhall help them; or the Place, where he ſhall help them; or the manner, how he ſhall help them: leaving in the mean time (as it were) nothing to his immediate power; (who is a preſent help in trouble) but what beſt ſuits with their own folly. So the Iſraelites tempted God in the wilderneſs, when in the time of their greateſt thirſt, they made tryall of his power, whether he were able to give them Water, or not: chiding with Moſes, ſaying, Give us Water that we may drink, Exod. 17.2. To whom Moſes replyed, Why chide you with me? wherefore do you tempt the Lord? In memory of whoſe chiding with God, and Moſes, after the Lord had manifeſted his powerful preſence among them, by giving them water out of the Rock, he called the name of that place, Maſſah, v. 7. and yNumb. 20.2, 3, 4, 13.Meribah, that is, Chiding or Contention, becauſe of the chiding of the Children of Iſrael, and becauſe they tempted the Lord, ſaying, Is the Lord among us, or not? To which manner of tempting the Lord our God, this in the Text cited by our Saviour, out of Deut. 6.16. hath relation: Ye ſhall not tempt the Lord your God, as ye tempted him in Maſſah; And with ſuch a kind of tempting God alſo in reſpect of his power, the Governours of the Inhabitants of Bethulia were upbraided by Judith, for making an Oath between God and them, that they would deliver up the Citie to the Aſſyrians, unleſs God within five daies did give them Water; a Judith. 8.9, 10, 11, 12.to whom ſhe ſaid, Who are you that have tempted God this day?
Secondly, In reſpect of his Juſtice. And ſo he is tempted, when wicked men, who run on ſecurely in the un-interrupted courſe of their ſins, doe by their obſtinacy and impenitency, make a needleſs tryall to their own woe, whether God be a juſt God, and whether in his juſtice he will puniſh them, or not. Whereas 'tis known, that in the hand of the Lord there is a bPſalm 75.9, 10.Cup, and the Wine is red: it is full mixt, and he poureth out of the ſame: as for the dregs thereof, all the ungodly of the earth ſhall drink them, and ſuck them out; and in this ſenſe, the Lord himſelf complaineth againſt the Iſraelites, Numb. 14.22. ſaying, They have tempted me theſe ten times; and by their re-iterated ſins have they ſo often tempted me; Wherefore I cannot but in juſtice puniſh them; at leaſt, with a privation of the promiſed land; as afterwards they found true by experience. Surely, they ſhall not ſee the land, which I ſware unto their Fathers, ſaith the Lord; Neither ſhall any of them that provoked (tempted) me, ſee it, v. 23. So that plain it is, that God is even then alſo tempted, when the Execution of his ſevere juſtice, which will inevitably follow incorrigible ſinners, is not at all feared or regarded.
Thirdly, In reſpect of his Wiſdome. And ſo he is tempted, when vain-glorious men (as if they were wiſer then the All-wiſe God) ſtrive to have that in point of Ceremonious and outward ſhadows continued, which he (who ties not himſelf at all times, to the ſame Rites and Ceremonies) hath appointed (at leaſt, by degrees) at ſuch or ſuch a time, to be diſcontinued and aboliſhed. A cleer Example whereof, we have in that ſharp Contention which aroſe between the Phariſees and Peter, with others, touching Circumciſion and other rites of the Ceremonial law of Moſes, which in the judgement of Peter and the reſt of the Apoſtles (whoſe judgement in that Caſe, was the judgement even of God himſelf) were at that time fit to be made Null and Cancelled, Act. 15. thus; Certain men, which came down from Judea, taught the Brethren, and ſaid, Except ye be Circumciſed after the manner of Moſes, ye cannot be ſaved, v. 1. which Paul and Barnabas in Opinion diſſenting from them, and vehemently diſputing againſt them, oppoſe and deny, v. 2. willing to have that Queſtion determined; but not willing to meddle therein of themſelves, without the unanimous conſent of the Apoſtles and Elders, v. 2. who being rightly informed by them, of the true ſtate of the Controverſie in Queſtion; as, that Circumciſion was urged by certain of Judea, as a Ceremony moſt neceſſary to Salvation, v. 1. and that the keeping of the whole law of Moſes, not only the Morall, but alſo the Ceremonial law was urged by certain of the Sect of the Phariſees which believed, v. 5. as neceſſary alſo for the attaining of the ſame end, they came together to conſider of this matter, v. 6. and thus aſſembled together in Council, to conſider of this matter; Peter by whoſe mouth it was appointed of God that the Gentiles ſhould hear the Word of God and believe, v. 7. after much diſputing, ſaid unto them, Why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the necks of the Diſciples, which neither our Fathers, nor we were able to bear? v. 10. In ſenſe; Why thus tempt ye God, by urging Circumciſion now and other Ceremonies (once indeed commanded by the law of Moſes, but now aboliſhed) why urge ye this as a thing abſolutely neceſſary for the attaining of eternal life? which in its own nature, was never ſo neceſſary; for, v. 11. our Fathers, and we are ſaved no other way, but by the grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; more cleerly revealed now to us in the Goſpel, then in former Ages, to our Fathers under the Law: ſee! that yoke, thoſe Ceremonies in Queſtion, were then (under the law) enjoyned even to believers; But now under the Goſpel, 'twas thought fit by the Apoſtles themſelves, as moſt agreeable to the wiſdome of God, to take that yoke from off the Diſciples necks; wherefore at ſuch a time as that, when the ſubſtance, when Chriſt was exhibited, I ſay at ſuch a time as that, to quarrell about ſhadows, as thoſe that came down from Judea did, Act. 15.1. impoſing circumciſion, as neceſſary to ſalvation; whereas Paul ſaith, If ye be circumciſed, Chriſt ſhall profit you cGal. 5.2.nothing: and not yielding to take off that yoke now, newly Antiquated; and therefore now uſeleſs Ceremonies of the Law, which before his comming in the fleſh, was onelyonly our Schoolmaſter to bring us unto dGal. 3.24.Chriſt, what was this? but ſleightly to undervalue and preſumtuouſly to call in queſtion the manifold wiſdome of eEpheſ. 3.10.God, preferring their own, before his; which (by reaſon of diſtinct times, requiring a diſtinct diſpenſation) was to be manifeſted one way to the Jews, another way to the Gentiles; the Jews before the comming of Chriſt, muſt, according to the wiſdome of God, be ſubject to many rites and Ceremonies (that yoke whereof St. Peter ſpeaketh) but the converted Gentiles, after his comming, muſt not: muſt not be any longer under the Paedagogie and Ritual diſcipline of the ceremonial Law; wherefore Peter here, in the name, and with the conſent of the whole Colledge of the Apoſtles and Elders, rightly charged thoſe with the ſin of tempting God, who in this caſe (highly extolling their own judgement) would not admit of any abolition of thoſe old Ceremonies, though aboliſhed, they were according to the manifold wiſdom of God.
Fourthly, In reſpect of his Fatherly protection over us. And ſo he is oftentimes tempted, when careleſs men, altogether negligent of the ordinary and appointed means, doe, when there is no cauſe at all, preſumptuouſly try, whether God will protect and preſerve them, or not, without ſuch or ſuch ordinary means ſome other extraordinary way: nothing at all regarding the undeniable truth of that approved fQui deſtinat ad finem, deſtinat ad media.Maxime, that God who ordaineth to the end, ordaineth to the means alſo, which lead to that end. For inſtance; when Hezekiah was ſick unto death, the Lord ſent his Prophet Iſaiah unto him, and his Meſſage was to tell him, that he ſhould recover of that g2 King. 20.1, 5, 7.ſickneſs; True; but not unleſs he uſed the means appointed of God for his recovery; which was, to lay a bunch of figs upon his boil: which done as was appointed, he ſoon recovered as was promiſed; but had the means of his recovery been careleſly neglected, his boil had not been healed; nor he himſelf reſtored to his former ſtrength. Again, Paul being in great danger of Shipwrack, in his voyage to Rome, was comforted by an Angel, appearing to him by night, ſaying, Paul, God hath given thee all them that ſayl with thee in the Ship; hath given them (their lives) unto thee; and for thy ſake, not one of them ſhall be drowned; not if they uſe the means appointed to ſave their lives: and that means was, to abide in the hAct. 27.22, 23, 31.Ship; as Paul himſelf (after he had conferred with the Angel) ſaid to the Centurion, and to the Souldiers, Except theſe abide in the Ship, ye cannot be ſaved; which being punctually obſerved, not one of them periſhed in the waters; But had they not abode in the Ship (the means of their ſafety) they could not have promiſed unto themſelves, any the leaſt hope of ſafety; becauſe, when the means and ſecond cauſes are raſhly neglected, the end, ordinarily, can never be attained; Witneſs that peeviſh Jew, who fallen into an unclean place, and refuſing to be taken out thence on the Sabbath day (whereas it was lawful to pull an Oxe, or an Aſſe out of a pit on that iLuke 14.5. Periculum animae pellit Sabbatum.day) by that his wilfull tempting God, in neglecting the ordinary means to preſerve his life, he loſt it before the next day. As many others alſo doe, even by their own preſumptuouſneſs and careleſs neglect of all good means ordained to ſave their lives. And ſuch are they who either obſtinately refuſe the preſent and proper help of the Phyſician, in time of ſickneſs; or, that will not (when they are to take a journey) be any waies perſwaded, prudently to decline, and avoid this or that imminent and preſent danger, likely to fall upon them by the way; knowing that Theeves are there, and as dangerous Companions there, &c. fooliſhly diſputing againſt themſelves thus and thus; If God hath ordained that I ſhall recover of this ſickneſs, there is no need of Phyſick; if not, all that the Phyſician can doe, is in vain; therefore I will not at all meddle with any of his Diets, with any of his Potions. And again. If it be the good pleaſure of God to preſerve my life any longer, I ſhall be ſafe, even among Theeves; if not, all my providence, all my induſtry will avail me nothing; therefore I will adventure to paſs, even through the midſt of them; thou wilt; more forward then wiſe; thou wilt; but know, that in thus peeviſhly following thine own will, thou thereby tempteſt God, and doſt not at all obey his will, who hath given thee an underſtanding to diſcern between good and evil; and a will to chuſe the good, and refuſe the evil: Now 'tis good and acceptable unto God, to make uſe of the Phyſitian as a means under God to prolong thy life; and that of our Saviour, which is meant ſpiritually, may be applied corporally alſo; this, kMatth. 9.12.they that be whole need not a Phyſitian, but they that are ſick; where our Saviour grants that they that need a Phyſitian, may lawfully uſe him; but they that are ſick need him: Neither was Aſa blamed becauſe he ſought to the Phyſitians, but becauſe he ſought not to the Lord, but only to the Phyſitians; putting his whole truſt in the one (in man) for his recovery, and none at all in the other (in God) therefore was he l2 Chro. 16.12.blamed. Wherefore that counſel of the wiſe man is not wilfully to be deſpiſed; Honour a Phyſitian with the honour due unto him, for the uſes which you may have of mEcclus 38.1.him: An argument that in time of ſickneſs, it is a lawful means, even appointed of God himſelf, for our recovery to uſe the Phyſitian; and none but ſuch as tempt God, will obſtinately refuſe his medicines when there is preſent need of them, and when they may be had; yet ſtill with this care, with this caveat, that we ſeek chiefly unto God (who giveth the bleſſing) both before and alſo when we ſeek unto the Phyſitian; 'tis good alſo in times of danger, to uſe all lawful means under and ſubordinate to the providence of our good God, to eſcape that danger; or elſe why did David wiſely decline the fury of n1 Sam. 18.11.Saul? or why did our Saviour himſelf, until his hour was come, decline the layings in wait of the Scribes and oJohn 5.13.Phariſees? or why was Paul, to the end that he might eſcape his hands, let down by the wall in a basket, when the Governour under Aretas the King ſought to apprehend p2 Cor. 11.32.33.him? or when the Jews at an other time took counſel to kill qActs 9.24, 25.him? was it not to prove even by example, that whoſoever will attain the end, muſt not careleſly neglect the means; muſt not deſpiſe the middle, or ſecond cauſes, ſubordinate to that end? or if they do, the effect thereof will be diſhonour to God, and danger unavoydable to themſelves. Behold, ſo it is in temporal things; God is tempted, and the end is not attained, when the means leading to that end are wilfully neglected. Surely 'tis ſo alſo in ſpiritual things: Now faith, repentance, and the preaching of the holy Goſpel, are ſpiritual and heavenly means ordained of God, to bring us to the end, even to eternal life; and therefore 'tis a blaſphemous ſpeech of ſome, who ſay, If it be the good pleaſure of God to ſave me, to bring me to Heaven, I ſhall be ſaved, though in the mean time I be altogether careleſſe of the means whereby he will do it: Not ſo, O man, whoſoever thou art, not ſo; for if thou wilt be ſaved, that which John the Baptiſt ſo earneſtly required of the unbelieving Jews, is alſo required of thee; to repent and believe the rMark 1.14.Goſpel; becauſe moſt true it is, that God who created thee without thee, will never ſave thee without ſQui creavit te ſine te, non ſalvabit te ſine te. Auguſt.thee; without thine own faith, without thine own repentance, when thou art come to years, and in a capacity of both; Believe and thou ſhalt be ſaved; eternal life is the gift of God, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, Rom. 6.23. True, but that life ſhall be given to none but to thoſe only that run, and wreſtle, and ſtrive and fight to obtain that eternal prize; theſe being the means appointed of God to obtain it; ſo run that ye may t1 Cor. 9.24.obtain; we have not digreſſed in all this; no; yet 'tis time to look back again to the rock from whence all this is hewen; 'tis this, God is tempted ſeveral ways; as when a needleſs, nay a ſinful experiment is made, 1. Of his power. 2. Of his Juſtice. 3. Of his Wiſedom. 4. Of his Fatherly protection over us; and in this latter ſenſe, is our Saviour's anſwer here to be underſtood; for to the Divel perſwading him to caſt himſelf down from the pinacle of the Temple, v. 5. No, ſaith he in ſenſe, that lawfully I cannot do: Why? Becauſe there is another ordinary way to go down, and not (raſhly neglecting my Father's provident care over me) to caſt my ſelf down, and that ordinary way, thoſe ordinary means muſt I uſe, which he hath appointed to preſerve me; otherwiſe I ſhall be guilty of tempting him, by trying whether he will ſo preſerve me or not, when I am wilfully gone out of my ways; but that I may not do neither; for it is written: and his word ſhall be my guide in all my ways; and his word is, Thou ſhalt not tempt the Lord thy God, v. 7. Thus our Saviour anſwered, and thus alſo was the Divel, even in this his ſecond aſſault, moſt ſhamefully repulſed.
Notwithſtanding, he ſoon begins a uQui audit dominum deum tuum, tamen adhuc tentare non deſinit. Chryſolog. de tentati. & jejunio Chriſti, Serm. 13.third.
Again the Divel taketh him up into an exceeding high Mountain, and ſheweth him all the Kingdomes of the world, and the glory of them, v. 8.
And ſaith unto him, All theſe things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worſhip me, v. 9.
Then ſaith Jeſus unto him, Get thee hence Satan: for it is written, Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him only ſhalt thou ſerve, verſe 10.
Lo! Here is much more of impudency in this, then in the two other temptations; and that by the ſame Tempter, againſt the ſame Saviour: For before v. 3, 6. it was but, if thou be the Son of God; but now it is v. 9. If thou wilt fall down and worſhip me: Satan rather increaſeth then decreaſeth in his malice; The ſum of the third and laſt Temptation.whoſe attempts were now high and lofty; and his aim in this third and laſt temptation, was to fill our Saviour's heart with a covetous deſire of worldly glory, and vaſt poſſeſſions; to the end that thereby he might draw him away from the true worſhip of the true God; knowing well enough that covetuouſneſs is wCol. 3.5.Idolatry; and if he could but once perſwade him to covet all the Kingdoms of the world; the way he ſaw was then fairly opened to perſwade him alſo to fall down and worſhip him, which was the chief end of his temptation; for the archieving whereof, his limited power was now ſtretched even to the higheſt xTota poteſtatis commovetur ambitio. Hilar, in Locum. Can. 3.pitch, far higher then the pinacle of the Temple; though with no better ſucceſſe then when he was on the pinacle, not ſo high as this exceeding high mountain; or when he was in the wilderneſs, a lower place; the attempts of a Divel, can no where thrive againſt a Saviour; for though a threefold cord, as Solomon ſpeaketh, be not quickly yEccleſ. 4.12.broken; not commonly, and by a weak arm; yet if it be of the Divels hoiſting, left to our Saviour's unhoiſting, it is quickly broken: As Sampſon aJudg. 16.9, 12.quickly brake the withes, and new ropes of the Philiſtines; being in that a type of our Saviour in his; whoſe two-edged bHeb. 4.12.ſword, (it is written) was far ſharper, effectually to cut aſunder this ſubtilly-wreathed temptation of Satan (the product of his two firſt) then the ſword of Alexander the great was to cleave aſunder the Gordian cQuint. Curti. lib. 3. p. 25, 26.knot; refuſing now, not only the Kingdom of Aſia, which that Alexander then coveted, and was now boldly offered unto him by the Divel, incluſively in the bundle of the whole, but alſo, all the Kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them: He refuſeth them all, and will not agree to fall away from his God, by falling down to Satan; and this is the ſum both of the Divels propoſal, and our Saviour's refuſall.
Parturiunt montes, naſcetur ridiculus mus.
And though he were now in the top of an exceeding high mountain (probably in the higheſt region of his own dominion) yet there was he once more overtopped, overmatched, and his lofty attempts confounded by our Saviour. But we will ſearch more narrowly into the Text, and thence give you ſeveral obſervations: Thus,
Again the Divel taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, v. 8. Again; which noteth that this bad angel, who had been too too buſie in tempting before, was as buſie ſtill; Finis alterius mali, gradus eſt futuri; proceeding from one evill to another: Again; in continual motion he was, imitating therein the good Angels, though to a bad end: Again; from the Wilderneſs to the holy City; from the holy City, to the Pinacle of the Temple; from the Pinacle of the Temple, to an exceeding high mountain: And all this adoe, all this ſtir, all this moving from place to place, was again to tempt our Saviour: But we will not believe that he thus moved up and down all this time in any other then an oblique motion; 'tis his nature always to be excentrick and irregular, being the cauſe of all irregularity amongſt us; yet we find him in d1 Pet. 5.8.Peter, going, walking about; and in eJob 2.2.Job, compaſſing the earth; that is, compaſſing men in everywhere, on every ſide, that he might catch them in his net: compaſſing, not leaving any corner of the Earth unſearcht for his prey, the cauſe of his going about, of his going to and fro, and walking up and down in the Earth, rather then by any circular motion, to attempt any thing, which had ſo much not only of impudency, but alſo of obliquitie and irregularitie in it.
Again the Divel taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain. Taketh him up; and brought him thither through the ayre, as once he had brought him before from the wilderneſs to the pinacle of the Temple; And though our Saviour did never follow him whitherſoever he went; yet at this time, he yielded his body to be carried by him whitherſoever he would: not refuſing to be taken up into an exceeding high mountain. Now Goegraphers make mention of many ſuch, as fƲbi in excelſiſſimam exurgit ſublimitatem Caucaſus. Solin. polyhiſt. ca. 41.Taurus, which ariſing from the Indian Sea, and running along in a continued ridge of hills through many Countries, hath ſeveral names, as Imaus, Paraepamiſus, &c. and where it aſcendeth to its greateſt height, Caucaſus; the Pyrenaean hills, betwixt Spain and France; The Alpes; the hill Atlas, the top whereof cannot be ſeen; Olympus, whoſe head reacheth above the clouds;—nubes excedit Olympus; And Tenerif, in the Canaries, which is famous for the higheſt mountain in the known world. But whether our Saviour were taken up into any one of theſe, is not here written; and therefore becauſe the particular mountain is not at all ſpecified, ſufficient it ſhall be for us to know onelyonly that it was a Mountain, an exceeding high mountain, into which the Divel now taketh him up; And thither he taketh our Saviour up (probably) for three reaſons.
Firſt, To publiſh and manifeſt unto men his own natural pride and ambition, being as willing to be known to be a Divel, as that he was one; who ever ſince his irrecoverable fall (his pride at firſt cauſing it) alwaies deſireth to be high ſtill, exceeding high, though it be to his own diſadvantage as now it was; and as it was before to our firſt Parents, who out of that pride which he had infuſed into their hearts, affected an equality, as he himſelf had done, even with God himſelf, Gen. 3. So that what is ſpoken properly of the King of Babylon, may by way of alluſion fitly be applyed here; This, How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer, ſon of the morning? Thou haſt ſaid in thy heart, I will aſcend into Heaven, I will be like the moſt gIſa. 14.12, 13.High. Lo! 'twas the ambitious haughtineſs of a man, there, to Aſcend; But 'tis the exceeding high haughtineſs of a Divel, here: even of that Lucifer, that counterfeit Angel of light, who (by his pride, being fallen himſelf) tempts men to become proud and ambitious, lofty and high-minded, that when they are at the higheſt pitch of their ambition, the like may befall them, as was once threatned to hMat. 11.23.Capernaum; thou that art exalted to Heaven; exalted, by pride: Shalt be caſt down to Hell; caſt down, by puniſhment; As it fared with the Divel himſelf, who not keeping his firſt eſtate, but leaving his own habitation, Jude v. 6. though he were caſt even as low as Hell, yet (as a manifeſt teſtimony of his own natural pride) he aſpired ſtill to be on high; and this may be one reaſon, why he now taketh up our Saviour into an exceeding high mountain.
Secondly, That wicked men once knowing him to be the God of this i2 Cor. 4.4.world (as he is to them, ruling in the hearts of the children of diſobedience) and perceiving that he could imitate even the true God himſelf, in many of his works and waies, might the ſooner be deceived by him. Thus, God himſelf long before, and ſent up Moſes into Mount kDeut. 32.49.Nebo, that thence he might ſhew him at once all the promiſed land of Canaan; and the Divel now (not ignorant thereof) in imitation of that Act of God, takes up our Saviour into an exceeding high mountain, that thence he alſo (as a God) might ſhew him at once all the Kingdoms of the world; but after what manner, we will enquire afterwards; only 'tis this we are yet ſpeaking of: this, that the end why the Divel oftentimes imitateth the works of the true God, either by himſelf, as here he did, or by his inſtruments, is to deceive men, and perſwade them the more to obey him and imitate his works of darkneſs, to their own ruine. For inſtance: the Magicians of Pharaoh, the Divels inſtruments, turned rods into Serpents, and water into lExo. 7.11, 22.blood; in imitation of Moſes and Aaron, God's inſtruments, who had done the like to convince Pharaoh, if it had been poſſible, and make him underſtand himſelf: But the Divels end, by the work of theſe Magicians (imitating good men, though a bad way) was more and more to deceive and harden Pharaoh (too too much confiding in his Sorcerers, becauſe they had done ſuch miracles) and he attained his end there. He doth the like ſtill; and deſireth ſtill to attain the ſame end, even (by imitating the works of God, to the diſhonour of God) to harden the hearts of men and deceive them. And thus ſurely he dealt here; his work was wonderful, but his intention was deceitful: nothing at all for the honour of God, but rather to perſwade men, to admire and adore him for their God, who in this Caſe had power to doe as much to Jeſus, as God himſelf had done once to Moſes; God ſent up the one into Mount Nebo to view all the land of Canaan; the Divel in imitation thereof (to magnifie his power amongſt the ſons of men, too too much inclinable by his allurements, to magnifie him, and thereby deſtroy themſelves) taketh up the other into an exceeding high mountain, to ſhew him all the Kingdoms of the world.
Thirdly, That by his preſence there, he might not only defile that place, but alſo as much as in him was, diſcountenance and diſgrace all thoſe memorable works, which oftentimes, even by the appointment of God himſelf, without his aſſiſtance, have been done ſince and before, on ſeveral other high mountains, though perhaps none of them on that mountain. As the Arke of Noah reſted on Mount mGen. 8.2.Ararat; and it was at firſt reſolv'd, and afterwards propoſed by the Angel to righteous Lot, that when Sodome was to be deſtroyed, it was moſt ſafe and ſecure for him to flie into the nGen. 19.17, 18.mountains. Abraham in faith ſacrificed his ſon Iſaac on Mount oGen. 22.2.Moriah: a Type that the Son of God (whom the Divel now Tempted) ſhould afterwards be ſacrificed on Mount Calvary, the ſame mountain as he pLuke. 23.33.was. Solomon's Temple was built alſo on Mouns Moriah, 2 Chron. 3.1. even on the ſame Mount where Iſaac ſhould have been ſacrificed, and where our Saviour Chriſt was actually Crucified, or very neer unto it; called long before, the threſhing floor of q2 Sam. 24.18, 25. 1 Chro. 21.18, 19. 2 Chro 3.1.Ornan, or Araunah the Jebuſite, where David built an Altar to the Lord. The Law was given in Mount rExod 19.20.Sinai; and the ſound of the Goſpel went out from Mount Zion, Act. 2. as was foretold by the ſIſa. 2.3. Mich. 4.2.Prophets. Nay, our Saviour Chriſt himſelf, not long after his tempting preached on a tMat. 5.1.Mount; and after that, was transfigured on a uMat. 17.12.Mount; and laſt of all, Aſcended into Heaven from a Mount, even from the Mount of Olives, neer Bethany, and not far from wAct. 1.12.Jeruſalem. Lo! many remarkable things and myſtical, have been done from time to time on ſeveral mountains; and of that the Divel was not ignorant; who (doubtleſs) was the more willing now to tempt our Saviour on a mountain, that both by his preſence there, he might then defile that place, and alſo that by his practiſe there, he might diſgrace the works of God, that at any time had been done before, or ſhould be done afterwards in ſuch or ſuch places: But howſoever it was, whether 1. For the manifeſtation of his own natural pride and loftineſſe: Or 2. From his emulation, to imitate the works of God, that thereby he might the better deceive men: Or 3. From the envy and ſpite he had within him, prompting him to diſcountenance and reproach the works of God done at any time in ſuch and ſuch places; howſoever it was, and what other end ſoever he had in ſo doing, manifeſt enough it is from the Text, that the Divel in this his third aſſault, took up our Saviour into an exceeding high mountain.
And when he had taken him up thither, he ſheweth him all the Kingdomes of the world, and the glory of them, v. 8. And that, as S. Luke ſaith, in a moment of xLuke 4.5.time; in the leaſt point of time; which Paul, in another caſe, calleth the twinckling of an y1 Cor. 15.52.eye; which circumſtance rightly weighed, makes it appear more then probable, that all this here, as touching this latter temptation, was done in a aMarlor. in Locum.a Viſion; the Divel, in a moment of time, preſenting, or rather repreſenting all thoſe glorious objects, not to the eyes outwardly, but inwardly to the mind and underſtanding of our Saviour: for otherwiſe, and after any other manner then in a viſion, it was not poſſible for our Saviour, as man, in uno nunc, in an inſtant, in a moment of time, and uno intuitu, at one view, actually to behold all the Kingdomes of the world; not poſſible to do it in ſo ſhort a time, with the eyes of his body; but in a viſion, with the eyes of his imagination poſſible it was; as Peter in a viſion ſaw at once all manner of four-footed beaſts of the earth, and wild beaſts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air, in a veſſel deſcending from Heaven, as it had been a great ſheet, knit at the four bActs 10.11▪ 10.corners: And poſſible it was alſo for Satan thus to repreſent the forms and portraiture of all thoſe Kingdomes, to the imagination of our Saviour, as man, in a viſion; but as he was God, the Divel had nothing at all to do with him; which is ſuppoſed to be the true reaſon, why S. John, who in his Goſpel ſpeaketh principally of our Saviour as cHaymo. homil. Domin. prim. Quadrageſ.God, maketh no mention at all of any of his temptations, which were incident unto him only as man: Beſides, all the Kingdomes of the world, and the glory of them, are comprehended within the circumference of two Hemiſpheres; the one whereof is always above, the other always beneath us; inſomuch that if a man were placed in the body of the Sun, and could thence, having ſtrong and un-impedited Opticks, behold the Earth, yet could he not at once ſee above half thereof; much leſſe could he ſee ſo much from any mountain, though it were exceeding high. Wherefore when the Texts ſay, That the Divel ſhewed our Saviour all the Kingdomes of the world, in a moment of time, this ſeems to me to be meant after no other manner, then only in a viſion; wherein at once (as in an exact Map of the whole univerſe) all theſe things were by the Divel ſet before the imagination and underſtanding of our Saviour, to contemplate on; giving him ſufficient time afterwards (no doubt) more leiſurely to take a further view of them all, and of the glory of them, which at firſt, in a moment of time, were ſhewed unto him in a viſion; and that after he had been actually and locally tranſported by the Divel from the Pinacle of the Temple, to an exceeding high mountain: Or (if you will) let it be otherwiſe, if any ſufficient reaſon can be yielded by any, how it could be otherwiſe then only in a viſion; though whether it were ſo or ſo, is not at all poſitively determinable from the Text; yet this is thence poſitively determinable, this, that the Divels temptation, perſwading him to covetouſneſs and ambition, took not at all in any wiſe with our Saviour, As the Serpents did with the woman, Gen. 3. or as the woman's did again with the man, too too credulous and uxorious, who had grace enough given him in his Creation (if he would) to reſiſt it; although it was both his and our unhappineſſe, that willingly he yielded to the voice of his wife, to his wifes temptation: But no ſuch yielding, no ſuch compliance was there here: no; for whether this repreſentation of the worlds beauty were made either to our Saviour's eye, that was not at all delighted with; or to his heart, neither was that any ways affected with all the Kingdomes of the world; notwithſtanding all theſe ſeemed ſo glorious to Satan, although there were no reaſon for it; for all are but things meerly tranſitory; and in reſpect of that which is divine and heavenly, fit to have no other inſcription engraven upon them, then that indelible character of dEccleſ. 1.1, 2.Solomon written (if I may ſo ſpeak) on both ſides (like the Tragedy of eScriptus & in tergo, nec dum finitus Oreſtes.Oreſtes) vanity of vanities, on one ſide; and vanity of vanities, on the other ſide; and round about again, all is vanity: All; whether it be the Kingdomes of the world, or the clory of them. But the Divel here was of another judgement, altogether diſſenting from that of Solomon; probably becauſe he knew that Solomon himſelf had much gold brought him from f1 Kings 9.28.10.14.Ophir, hoording it up and delighting in it; the Divel, I ſay, was of another judgement; and therefore ſets a far higher price upon his uſurped poſſeſſions, then the price of vanity; not willing at all to part either with glory or Kingdomes, without far more then a ſufficient recompence; He ſaith unto him; and what he required by way of recompence for his liberal gift, now to be tendered unto him, the Text tells us thus, All theſe things will I give thee; by way of compact will I give thee, If thou wilt fall down and worſhip me, v. 9. if thou wilt; by way of compenſation. Surely too too great a retribution for a gift, though in appearance great. But,
He ſaith unto him. Lo! our Saviour once ſuffered not the divels to ſpeaks, becauſe they knew gMark 1.34.him; but here he ſuffered this Divel to ſpeak thrice, becauſe he tempted him; it being neceſſary that words ſhould now mutually paſſe between them as interpreters of the mind, of the meaning of each; there is a time to keep hEccleſ. 3.7.ſilence, and a time to ſpeak: And this was now the Divel's time; who after his two former repulſes, having liberty again to ſpeak, changeth his words indeed in ſpeaking, but not at all his malice in tempting; and becauſe he changeth his uſual words, let it be granted that he had now forgotten to ſay unto our Saviour any more, If thou be the Son of God; being ſufficiently convinced (no doubt) that he was ſo, by his own anſwer unto him, v. 7. It is written, Thou ſhalt not tempt the Lord thy God: Meaning that as he himſelf might not tempt his Father, ſo neither might the Divel tempt him, who was the Lord his iHilar. in locum. Chryſolog. Serm. 13.God; not as he was a Divel, no, but as he was a creature; and therefore the Son of God, which that other unclean ſpirit acknowledged expreſly, Mark 1.24. and ſurely was not now doubted of by this unclean ſpirit here, although in words he would not acknowledge it; and becauſe not doubted of, it was not urged any more; notwithſtanding, though this Temptation (perhaps, for that reaſon, becauſe the Divel in that point was already fully ſatisfied) begins not as the other Two, with If thou be the Son of God: yet ſtill with miſchief enough it begins, intended againſt the Son of God; He ſaith unto him, all theſe things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worſhip me.
O Munificent Malefactor! behold! the Church of Rome hath works of Supererogation, works not commanded, but only counſelled: works of more perfection then God's Commandments; So they kPilkint. parallel. Controverſ. 34.ſpeak; a treaſury; ſurely, of rich, of righteous merits, heaped up and preſſed together, for the benefit both of quick and lHyper. Metho. Theolog. lib. 2.dead: yet willing they are not, to empty that treaſury all at once; or in one Age: being more thriſty in diſpoſing of thoſe meritorious works, then ſo; Meritorious, both for the doers of them themſelves (if there be any ſuch) and alſo for others, who want of their own. But lo ! the Divel here on a ſuddain is become a profuſe Prodigal; willingly content to part with all, even at once, provided he may find one that will too too dearly purchaſe all at once. Yet ſomewhat wiſer he was, in this offered, then Judas was in that his contracted bargain, who ſold his Maſter for thirty pieces of mMat. 26.15.ſilver; whereas the Condition propoſed here, required a far higher rate: if not in paying down ready money, yet in falling down, which to Satan was far more acceptable; All theſe things, all the Kingdomes of the World, all the pomp and glory of them, will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worſhip me. O Munificent Malefactor! But Satan, who ſhall Capitulate and Treat with thee in this buſineſs? our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt would not, v. 10. neither will any that are Chriſt's; wherefore let ſome Idolatrous Alexander, who thirſted after the Conqueſt of the whole World; or ſome covetous Extortioners and biting Vſurers, culld out of the corrupteſt maſs of mankind, making a Wedge of Gold their god, let ſuch or ſuch propoſe one Queſtion to thee, and let them receive thy poſitive Anſwer thereunto, before too too inconſiderately they Seal to thy hard Condition; and the Queſtion is, Satan, canſt thou warrant this thy bountiful and beyond all meaſure, moſt liberal gift: if any will agree to accept it on thy Condition, canſt thou warrant it? Yes, I can; For, All the power, and the glory of all the Kingdoms of the World, is delivered unto me; and to whomſoever I will, I give nLuke 4.5.6.it. Note; All delivered unto me; that's well; and that is warrant enough indeed, to diſpoſe of thy Kingdoms at thy pleaſure, if what thou ſaieſt be true; But 'tis not true Satan, what thou ſaieſt 'tis not; for God himſelf hath the peculiar claim, and right in that Donation, and in the diſpoſal of all thoſe oDan. 2.21.4.17.Kingdoms, which thou ſo proudly boaſteth of; and he hath never given it unto thee: no more then Conſtantine the great did give thoſe large Territories to the See of Rome, commonly called Peter's Patrimony; But what means this that follows in thy pretended Warrant? To whomſoever I will, I give it, Luke 4.6. What means this, I give it? whereas properly that can be no free gift at all, which is bought; and bought at ſo dear a price too, as this muſt be; If thou wilt fall down and worſhip me; for that was thy Condition, propoſed to our pLuke 4.7.Saviour; All ſhall be thine, If thou wilt worſhip me: or, as it is in the Text, all theſe things will I give thee, on that Condition; that is, If thou wilt become an Idolater and Adore me, as ſome excellent Creature, All ſhall be thine, and not otherwiſe. So that even meer worldlings, who could be well content with ſuch a purchaſe, as thou in ſeeming offereſt (all the Kingdoms of the world) even ſuch may eaſily ſee, that thy warrant becomes no warrant at all: becauſe what is not thine own, thou haſt no power at all to diſpoſe of to another; and thy gift becomes as no gift, if it muſt be bought at ſo dear a rate; The reſult is this: thou canſt promiſe fairly indeed, with a purpoſe to deceive, witneſs thy firſt promiſe to our then Innocent Parents; Ye ſhall be as qGen. 3.5.Gods; but thou canſt not perform what thou promiſeſt; So that all theſe things given and warranted, become void and as nothing, becauſe nothing can be performed; and therefore 'tis eaſie to foreſee and foretell, that thou ſhalt hardly find a Chapman; and if not with men, think not with ſuch huge promiſes to deceive the Son of God; neither boaſt thou, that thy Condition propoſed, was a Condition accepted of; No, no; for that Condition (though propoſed) is void and null, where on both ſides there is not a mutual conſent of Parties to agree and ſubſcribe unto it; But here was no ſuch conſent on our Saviours part; no, none at all; and moſt impudent thou went to offer unto him all the Kingdoms of the world, whoſe Kingdome is not of this rJoh. 18.35.world; to offer unto God, boldly, and as in thine own right, the things that were God's by a moſt peculiar right; and to condition with the Son of God, to fall down and worſhip thee, who on any condition cannot fall; moſt impudent thou wert; though in all humility he deſcended, and came down from Heaven to ſave the world, and all that believe in him; far more prizing the converſion of one loſt ſheep, of one ſinner that hath gone aſtray, and the ſalvation of one of his elect, that ſhall never periſh, then all the Kingdomes of the world, and the glory of them. Wherefore in vain haſt thou tendered thy tranſitory and mutable Kingdomes to him that is the immortal and eternal ſ1 Tim. 1.17.King. In vain haſt thou offered thy condition, too too much ſavouring of deſtruction, to him that is a Saviour (though not thine) and the Author of ſalvation to all true believers. Well, but did not thy conſcience accuſe thee, when thou thus temptedſt our Saviour to commit Idolatry? fall down and worſhip me; who hath taught us here below, that Idolaters ſhall not inherit the Kingdome of t1 Gor. 6. 9.God; as if thou hadſt had a purpoſe (had it been in thy power) to exclude him thence; ſurely, if it did not, yet his anſwer could not but ſmite and terrifie thee, when he ſent thee away from his preſence with a moſt wrathful word; and as dreadful as that ſhall be to all goats, to all reprobates at the laſt day, Go ye curſed into everlaſting fire, prepared for the divel and his uMat. 25.41.angels: and his anſwer a witneſſe with how much diſdain and indignation he rejected both thee, and thy condition, is recorded here, v. 10. Then ſaith Jeſus unto him, Get thee hence Satan; for it is written, Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him only ſhalt thou ſerve.
Then ſaith Jeſus unto him: Then; See! no ſooner was our Saviour tempted, even this third time, If thou wilt fall down and worſhip me; but as ſoon alſo was both the Tempter and his temptation rejected, even this third time; our Saviour not willing to entertain any long diſcourſe with him, in any of his temptations. Then 'twas not for the advantage of the woman, to be too too familiar with the Serpent, Gen. 3. 'Tis dangerous for any to be too too familiar with Satan; or to have any long conference and communication with him; only when he tempts us, we may ſpeak unto him as our Saviour here did, by way of repulſe with indignation, yet not by way of any the leaſt friendly compliance, with delight and contentation.
Then ſaith Jeſus unto him; and this he ſaith, Get thee hence Satan. Lo! thrice did our Saviour here vouchſafe an anſwer to the Divel; yet no ſigns of wrath were there in the other two, but only in this laſt anſwer to the Divel; and neceſſary it was that he ſhould be ſent away in fury now, who hitherto would not be anſwered with mildneſs; when Lenitives cannot prevail, Corroſives muſt be applied. It is written, v. 4. and again, It is written, v. 7. words of mildeneſs both, without any the leaſt mixture of any bitter reprehenſion: But here v. 10. before it comes ſo far as this, It is written, theſe words (of fury) are interpoſed; theſe, Get thee hence Satan: Or as it is Luke 4.8. Get thee behind me Satan: This our Saviour ſaid unto the Tempter; who alſo upon another occaſion, ſaid once the like to wMat. 16.21, 22, 23.Peter, when out of his prepoſterous zeal, he diſſwaded him from ſuffering many things at Jeruſalem, tending to the glory of God, and man's ſalvation: He turned and ſaid unto Peter, Get thee behind me Satan, thou art an offence unto me; for thou ſavoureſt not the things that be of God, but thoſe that be of men: 'Tis thy will that I ſhould be poſſeſſed of an earthly Kingdome; but my will is by my ſuffering death (from which thou diſſwadeſt me) to procure for all that ſhall believe in me an heavenly; and therefore in that thou art of another judgement, counſelling me, be it far from thee xMat. 16.22.Lord; this ſhall not be unto thee; therein thou art like unto Satan; that adverſary of mandkind, always envying their happineſſe in a Crucified Redeemer; Get thee behind me Satan; and know that with much deteſtation I abhor thy humane counſel; Thou ſavoureſt not the things that be of God, but thoſe that be of men. See! ſo willing was our Saviour to ſuffer for man's redemption, that he was highly offended with any that ſhould any ways attempt to hinder him from ſuffering for man's redemption; and therefore Peter, guilty of that hainous crime, as our Saviour underſtood it, was more ſharply reprehended for but counſelling him not to ſuffer, then he was for denying him with curſing and ſwearing, after he was betrayed by Judas, the firſt degree of his ſuffering, Matth. 26. then only the crowing of the Cock put him in mind of his denial and Tergiverſation, v. 74, 75. but now 'tis our Saviour himſelf that ſharply checks him for his moſt unwelcome counſel and preſumption: He ſaid unto Peter, Get thee behind me Satan; In ſenſe thus much, do not thou preſume to go before and direct me what I ſhall do; nay, that I ſhall not ſuffer; but get thee behind me; be wiſer in time to come, and follow thou me willingly in all things, obeying my will, as I do my yHieronym. & Eraſmus in locum.Father's; Get thee behind me Satan. His offence (it ſeems) was very hainous and ſuperlative, that deſerved ſo tart and ſo ſevere a reprehenſion; but Peter was reeſtabliſhed and reconciled again unto his Saviour: Whereas Satan here was ſent away with ſo much fury, and with ſuch a word of diſmiſſion, that he could never be capable of any favourable re-admiſſion: Jeſus ſaith unto him, not only Get thee behind me, but alſo Get thee hence Satan: Whereas Peter ſtill remained with his Saviour, although at that time (out of weakneſs, not rightly underſtanding that it behoved him thus and thus to ſuffer; which the Divel knew, and malitiouſly ſought to hinder) he had highly provoked and offended his Saviour.