_The fourth circumstance, the end wherefore Christ was led to the
wilderness.—Holiness, employment, privileges, exempt not from
temptation.—Of temptations that leave not impressions of sin behind
them.—How Satan’s temptations are distinguished from the lusts of our
own heart._
4. The fourth circumstance was _the end_. There was no other design in
the main of Christ’s being led up and into the wilderness, but that
he might be ‘tempted.’ In this two things seem to be matter of equal
wonder:—
(1.) First, _Why Christ would submit to be tempted_. For this many
great and weighty reasons may be given. As,
[1.] First, Thus was Christ _evidenced to be the second Adam, and the
seed of the woman_. His being tempted, and in such a manner, doth
clearly satisfy us that he was true man; and that in that nature he it
was that was promised ‘to break the serpent’s head.’
[2.] Secondly, This was a fair _preludium and earnest of that final
conquest over Satan, and the breaking down of his power_.
[3.] Thirdly, There was a more peculiar aim in God by these means
of temptation to qualify him with _pity and power to help_, ‘For in
that he suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are
tempted,’ Heb. ii. 18. And having experience of temptation himself, he
became a merciful high-priest, apt to be ‘touched with the feeling of
our infirmities,’ Heb. iv. 15.
[4.] Fourthly, _The consequence of this experimental compassion in
Christ_, was a further reason why he submitted to be tempted, to
wit, that we might have the greater comfort and encouragement in the
expectancy of tender dealing from him. Hence the apostle, Heb. iv. 16,
invites to ‘come boldly to the throne of grace at any time of need.’
[5.] Fifthly, A further end God seemed to have in this, viz., _to give
a signal and remarkable instance to us of the nature of temptations_;
of Satan’s subtlety, his impudency, of the usual temptations which
we may expect; as also to teach us what weapons are necessary for
resistance, and in what manner we must manage them.
(2.) Secondly, It seems as strange that Satan would _undertake a thing
so unfeasible and hopeless as the tempting of Christ_. What expectation
could he have to prevail against him, who was ‘anointed with the oil
of gladness above his fellows’? [Ps. xlv. 7.] Some answer,
[1.] First, That Satan might possibly _doubt whether Christ were the
Son of God or no_. But the improbability of this I shall speak of
afterwards.
[2.] Secondly, Others attribute it to his _malice_, which indeed is
great, and might possibly blind him to a desperate undertaking. But,
[3.] Thirdly, We may justly apprehend _the power of sin over Satan to
be so great that it might enforce him to the bold attempt of such a
wickedness_. We see daily that wicked men, by the force of their own
wicked principles, are restlessly hurried upon acts of sin, though they
know the prohibition, and are not ignorant of the threatened danger.
Satan is as great a slave to his own internal corrupt principles as
any. And whatsoever blind fury is stirred up in man by the power of his
lust, we may very well suppose the like in Satan.
[4.] Fourthly, _There is a superior hand upon the devil, that sways,
limits, and orders him in his temptations_. He cannot tempt when he
would, neither always what he would, but in his own cursed inclinations
and the acting of them, he is forced to be subservient to God’s
designs. And in this particular, whatever might be Satan’s proper end
or principle, it is evident that God carried on a gracious design for
the instruction and comfort of his children.
The end of Christ’s going to the wilderness being that he might be
tempted, if together with this the holiness and dignity of Christ in
respect of his person and office be considered, we may note from it,
_Obs._ 5. _That neither height of privilege, nor eminency of
employment, nor holiness of person, will discourage Satan from
tempting, or secure any from his assaults._ The best of men in the
highest attainments may expect temptations. Grace itself doth not
exempt them.
(1.) For first, None of these privileges _in us, nor eminencies of
grace, want matter to fix a temptation upon_. The weaknesses of the
best of men are such that a temptation is not rendered improbable, as
to the success, by their graces. Nay, there are special occasions and
inclinations in them, to encourage temptations of pride and neglect. He
found indeed nothing in Christ that might offer the least probability
of prevalency; but in the best of men, in their best estate, he can
find some encouragement for his attempts.
(2.) Secondly, None of us are beyond _the necessity of such exercises_.
It cannot be said that we need them not, or that there may not be holy
ends wherefore God should not permit and order them for our good.
Temptations, as they are in God’s disposal, are a necessary spiritual
physic. The design of them is to humble us, to prove us, and to do us
good in the latter end, Deut. viii. 16. Nothing will work more of care,
watchfulness, diligence, and fear in a gracious heart, than a sense
of Satan’s designment against it. Nothing puts a man more to prayer,
breathing after God, desiring to be dissolved, and running to Christ,
than the troublesome and afflictive pursuits of Satan. Nothing brings
men more from the love of the world, and to a delight in the ordinances
of God, than the trouble which here abides them unavoidably from Satan.
This discipline the best have need of. There are such remainders of
pride and other evils in them, that if God should not permit these
pricks and thorns to humble them, and thereby also awaken them to
laborious watchfulness, they would be careless, secure, and sadly
declining. This made Augustine conclude that it was no way expedient
that we should want temptations,[364] and that Christ taught us as much
when he directed us not to pray that we should ‘not be tempted,’ but
that we might not be ‘led into the power and prevalency of temptation.’
(3.) Thirdly, _The privileges and graces of the children of God do
stir up Satan’s pride, revenge, and rage against them_. And though he
hath no encouragement to expect so easy a conquest over these as he
hath over others, who are captivated by him at pleasure; yet hath he
encouragements to attempt them, for the singular use and advantage he
makes of any success against them, the difficulty of the work being
recompensed by the greatness of the booty. For the fall of a child
of God, especially of such as are noted above others, is as when ‘a
standard-bearer fainteth,’ [Isa. x. 18;] or as the fall of an oak,
that bears down with it the lower shrubs that stand near it. How the
hearts of others fail for fear, lest they should also be overcome; how
the hearts of some grow thereby bold and venturesome; how a general
disgrace and discredit thereby doth accrue to religion, and the sincere
profession of it, are things of usual observation. If such men had not
in them something of special prey in case of conquest, his pride would
not so readily carry him against the heads and chief of the people,
while he seems to overlook the meaner and weaker. Out-houses, though
more accessible, are not the objects of the thief’s design, but the
dwellinghouse, though stronger built and better guarded, because it
affords hopes of richer spoil, is usually assaulted. Neither do pirates
so much set themselves to take empty vessels, though weakly manned,
but richly laden ships, though better able to make resistance, are the
ships of their desire.
_Applic._ 1. This may be applied for _the encouraging of those that
think it strange that temptations do so haunt them_, especially that
they should, in their apprehension, be more troubled by him when they
fly furthest from him. The consideration of this will much allay these
thoughts, by these inferences which it affords:—
(1.) First, _There is nothing unusual befalls these complainants_.
Satan frequently doth so to others; they cannot justly say their
case is singular, or that they are alone in such disturbances; it
is but what is common to man. If they urge the uncessantness of the
devil’s attempts, Christ and others have felt the like. If they object
the peculiar strangeness and horridness of the temptation, as most
unsuitable to the state of an upright soul, Christ met with the like.
He was tempted to self-destruction, to distrust, to blasphemy itself in
the highest degree.
(2.) Secondly, _There is a good advantage to be made of them_: they are
preservations from other sins that would otherwise grow upon us.
(3.) Thirdly, These temptations to the upright do but argue Satan’s
_loss of interest in them, and their greater sensibility of the
danger_. The captivated sinners complain not so much, because they are
so inured to temptation that they mind not Satan’s frequent accesses.
He that studies humility is more sensible of a temptation to pride than
he that is proud.[365]
2. Secondly, This is also of use to those that are apt to be _confident
upon their successes against sin through grace_. Satan, they may
see, will be upon them again; so that they must behave themselves as
mariners, who, when they have got the harbour, and are out of the
storm, mend their ship and tackling, and prepare again for the sea.
Lastly, If we consider the unspotted holiness of Christ, and his
constant integrity under these temptations, that they left not the
least of taint or sinful impression upon him, we may observe,
_Obs._ 6. _That there may be temptations, without leaving a touch of
guilt or impurity behind them upon the tempted._
It is true this is rare with men. The best do seldom go down to the
battle, but in their very conquests they receive some wound; and
in those temptations that arise from our own hearts, we are never
without fault; but in such as do solely arise from Satan, there is a
possibility that the upright may so keep himself, that the wicked one
may not so touch him as to leave the print of his fingers behind him.
_Quest._ But the great difficulty is, How it may be known when
temptations are from Satan, and when from ourselves?
_Ans._ To answer this I shall lay down these conclusions:—
(1.) First, The same sins which _our own natures would suggest to us,
may also be injected by Satan_. Sometimes we begin by the forward
working of our own thoughts upon occasions and objects presented to
us from without, or from the power of our own inclination, without
the offer of external objects, and then Satan strikes in with it.
Sometimes Satan begins with us, and by his injected motions endeavours
to excite our inclinations; so that the same thing may be sometime from
ourselves, and sometimes from Satan.
(2.) Secondly, _There is no sin so vile, but our own heart might
possibly produce it without Satan_. Evil thoughts of the very worst
kind, as of murders, adulteries, thefts, false witness, and blasphemies
may, as Christ speaks, Mat. xv. 19, be produced naturally from our own
hearts; for seminally all sins, the very greatest of all impieties, are
there. So that from the greatness and vileness of the temptation we
cannot absolutely conclude that it is from Satan, no more than from the
commonness of the temptation, or its suitableness to our inclination,
we can conclude infallibly that its first rise is from ourselves.
(3.) Thirdly, There are many cases wherein it _is very difficult, if
not altogether impossible, to determine whether our own heart or Satan
gives the first life or breathing to a temptation_. Who can determine,
in most ordinary cases, when our thoughts are working upon objects
presented to our senses, whether Satan or our own thoughts do run
faster? Yea, when such thoughts are not the consequent of any former
occasion, it is a work too hard for most men to determine which of the
parents, father or mother, our own heart or Satan, is first in the
fault. They are both forward enough, and usually join hand in hand
with such readiness, that he must have a curious eye that can discover
certainly to whom the first beginning is to be ascribed.
The difficulty is so great, that some have judged it altogether
impossible to give any certain marks by which it may be determined
when they are ours and when Satan’s.[366] And indeed the discoveries
laid down by some are not sufficient for a certain determination; and
so far I assent, that neither the suddenness of such thoughts—for the
motions of our own lusts may be sudden—nor the horridness of the matter
of them, are sufficient notes of distinction. That our own corrupt
hearts may bring forth that which is unnatural and terrible, cannot be
denied. Many of the sins of the heathens mentioned in Rom. i. were the
violent productions of lust against natural principles; and to ascribe
these to the devil, as to the first instigator, is more than any man
hath warrant to do. Yet though it be confessed that in some cases it
is impossible to distinguish, and that where a distinction may be
made, these notes mentioned are not fully satisfactory, there may, I
believe, be some cases wherein there is a possibility to discover when
the motions are from Satan, and that by the addition of some remarkable
circumstances to the fore-named marks of difference.
(4.) Fourthly, Though it be true, which some say,[367] that in most
cases it is needless altogether to spend our time in disputing whether
the motions of sin in our minds are firstly from ourselves or from
Satan, our greatest business being rather to resist them than to
difference them; _yet there are special cases wherein it is very
necessary to find out the true parent of a sinful motion_, and these
are when tender consciences are wounded and oppressed with violent and
great temptations, as blasphemous thoughts, atheistical objections,
&c. For here Satan in his furious molestations aims mainly at this,
that such afflicted and tossed souls should take all these thoughts
which are obtruded upon their imaginations, to be the issue of their
own heart. As Joseph’s steward hid the cup in Benjamin’s sack, that
it might be a ground of accusation against him, so doth the devil
first oppress them with such thoughts, and then accuseth them of all
that villainy and wickedness, the motions whereof he had with such
importunity forced upon them; and so apt are the afflicted to comply
with accusations against themselves, that they believe it is so,
and from thence conclude that they are given up of God, hardened as
Pharaoh, that they have sinned against the Holy Ghost, and finally
that there is no hope of mercy for them. All this befalls them from
their ignorance of Satan’s dealings, and here is their great need to
distinguish Satan’s malice from their guilt.
(5.) Fifthly, Setting aside ordinary temptations, wherein it is neither
so possible nor so material to busy ourselves to find out whether they
are Satan’s or ours;—in extraordinary temptations, such as have been
now instanced, we may discover if they proceed from Satan, though
not simply from the matter of them, not from the suddenness and
independency of them, yet from _a due consideration of their nature and
manner of proceeding, compared with the present temper and disposition
of our heart_. As,
[1.] First, _When unusual temptations intrude upon us with a high
impetuosity and violence, while our thoughts are otherwise concerned
and taken up_.[368] Temptations more agreeable to our inclination,
though suddenly arising from objects and occasions presented, and
gradually proceeding, after the manner of the working of natural
passions, may throng in amidst our thoughts or actions that have no
tendency that way, and yet we cannot so clearly accuse Satan for them;
but when things that have not the encouragement of our affections
are by a sudden violence enforced upon us, while we are otherwise
concerned, we may justly suspect Satan’s hand to be in them.
[2.] Secondly, While such things are borne in upon us, against the
_actual loathing, strenuous reluctancy, and high complainings of the
soul, when the mind is filled with horror and the body with trembling
at the presence of such thoughts_.[369] Sins that owe their first
original to ourselves, may indeed be resisted upon their first rising
up in our mind; and though a sanctified heart doth truly loathe them,
yet they are not without some lower degree of tickling delight upon the
affections; for the flesh in those cases presently riseth up with its
lustings for the sinful motion; but when such unnatural temptations
are from Satan, their first appearance to the mind is a horror without
any sensible working of inclination towards them; and the greatness
of the soul’s disquiet doth shew that it hath met with that which the
affections look not on with any amicable compliance.
[3.] Thirdly, Our hearts may bring forth that which is _unnatural in
itself, and may give rise to a temptation that would be horrid to the
thoughts of other men_, but that it should of its own accord, without
a tempter, on a sudden bring forth that which is directly contrary to
its present light, reason, or inclination; as for a man to be haunted
with thoughts of atheism, while he is under firm persuasions that there
is a God; or of blasphemy, while he is under designs of honouring him,
is as unimaginable as that our thoughts should of themselves contrive
our death, while we are most solicitous for our life; or that our
thoughts should soberly tell us it is night when we see the sun shine.
Temptations that are contrary to the present state, posture, light,
and disposition of the soul are Satan’s. They are so unnatural as to
its present frame, that the production of them must be from some other
agent.
[4.] Fourthly, Much more evident is it that such proceed from Satan,
when they are of _long continuance and constant trouble_, when they so
incessantly beat upon the mind, that it hath no rest from them, and yet
is under grievous perplexities and anxieties of mind about them.
_Applic._ The consideration of this is of great use to those that
suffer under the violent hurries of strange temptations.
(1.) First, In that sometime they can justly complain of _the
affliction of such temptation_, when they have no reason to charge
it upon themselves as their sin. It is one thing to be tempted, and
another to consent or comply. To be tempted, and not to be brought into
temptation, is not evil. Satan only barks when he suggests, but he then
bites and wounds when he draws us to consent.[370]
(2.) Secondly, That not only the _sin but the degree also_, by just
consequence, is to be measured by the consent of the heart. If we
consent not, the sin is not ours, and the less degree of consent we
give, the less is in the sin.