_And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterwards
an hungered._—Mat. iv. 2.
_Of Christ’s fast, with the design thereof.—Of Satan’s tempting in an
invisible way.—Of his incessant importunities, and how he flies when
resisted.—Of inward temptations, with outward afflictions.—Several
advantages Satan hath by tempting in affliction._
I am next to explain _the fast of Christ, the end and design whereof,
because it is not expressly mentioned, is variously conjectured_. Not
to insist in this discourse, which is designed for practice, on the
controversy about the Quadragesimal fast, that which I shall first
consider is the opinion of Musculus,[371] who, upon this ground that
his fast was not the principal thing for which the Spirit led him into
the wilderness; for he was not led to fast, but to be tempted—thereupon
concludes, that this was only a consequent of his solitary condition
in the wilderness, and no other thing than what befell Moses and Elias,
who being engaged by God to attend him in such a service, where the
ordinary means of the support of life were wanting, were therefore kept
alive by him in an extraordinary way without them. Thus he thinks the
fasting was not, at least principally, designed, but that he being to
undergo a temptation in a desolate wilderness where he had no meat to
eat, there God restrained his hunger, so that he neither desired nor
needed any. If we acquiesce in this, it will afford this doctrine:—
_Doct._ 1. _That when God leads forth his children to such services as
shall unavoidably deprive them of the ordinary means of help or supply,
there God is engaged to give extraordinary support, and his people may
expect it accordingly._
This is a great truth in itself, and a great and necessary
encouragement to all the children of God that are called out to
straits; but I shall not insist on this as the genuine product of this
fast.
If we look further amongst protestant divines, we shall observe
it taken for granted, that Christ fasted upon design, and this is
generally reduced to those two heads:—
(1.) First, Either for _instruction_: as to shew that he was _God,
by fasting so long_, and that under the trouble of molesting and
disquieting temptations; whereas the fasts of like date in Moses or
Elias were accompanied with the quiet repose of their thoughts; or to
shew that he was _man, in that he really felt the natural infirmities
of the human nature, in being hungry_; or to teach us _the usefulness
of fasting in the general_, when fit occasions invite us thereto; or,
(2.) Secondly, _For confirmation of his doctrine_, to put an honour
and dignity upon his employment;[372] as Elias fasted at the restoring
of prophecy, and at the Reformation. As Moses fasted at the writing
of the law, so Christ began the gospel of the kingdom with fasting.
However, that these things cannot be spoken against, being conclusions
warrantably deducible from this act of Christ’s; yet these seem
not, in my apprehension, to come fully up to the proper end of this
undertaking of his; which seems not obscurely to be laid before us in
that passage of Luke iv. 2, ‘being forty days tempted of the devil; and
in those days he did eat nothing;’ where we see that his being ‘tempted
forty days’ was the principal thing, and that his fasting had a plain
reference and respect to his temptation. Thus far, I suppose, we may
be secure, that we have the design in the general, that his fasting
was in order to his temptation. But then whether this was designed as
an occasion of the temptations, or as a remedy against them, it is
not so easy to determine. That one of those, at least, was intended,
cannot be denied by those that will grant that his fast related to the
combat; and it seems not to labour of any repugnacy or absurdity, if
we say that it is possible that both these ends might be aimed at, and
accordingly I shall proceed to observe upon them. There are only some
other things to be first despatched out of the way: as
The continuance of the fast, why it was forty days, neither more nor
less. Though some adventure to give reasons for it,[373] not only
papists, who, according to their wont, are ridiculous and trifling in
this matter; but also protestants, supposing that some regard was, or
ought to be, had to his fulfilling the times of the fasts of Moses
and Elias; yet I think it is neither pertinent nor safe to determine
anything about it, only it observes to us that the continuance of this
was a considerable time.
We are more concerned to inquire whether Christ was under any conflict
of temptation all that time;[374] which although some deny, lest they
should favour a seeming contradiction among the evangelists, yet the
words of Luke are so express, ‘being forty days tempted of the devil,’
Luke iv. 2, that no tolerable evasion can be found to cast these
temptations to the end of the forty days; for he tells us, he was not
only tempted after the expiration of the forty days, but that he was
tempted during the continuance of the forty days beside; only there was
a difference in the kinds of these temptations, in regard of the way
wherein Satan managed them, and this also is fully set down by Matthew,
‘And when the tempter came to him,’ which with the other expression of
Luke compared, shews us, that during the space of the forty days Satan
tempted Christ, and yet came not to him till afterward—that is, he
managed those temptations in an invisible way. Hence we may note,
_Doct._ 2. _That Satan doth usually tempt in an invisible way and
manner._ To explain this a little, I shall evidence it by a few
considerations. As,
(1.) First, _That he hath a hand in all sins first or last, and then
it must needs be in an invisible way_. His work is to tempt, to go
about laying snares to draw men to sin. Wicked men are ‘of their father
the devil,’ John viii. 44, and do his works. Carnal desires are ‘his
lusts;’ giving way to anger is ‘giving place to the devil,’ Eph. iv.
26, 27, and resisting of sin is called in the general, ‘a resisting of
the devil,’ &c., James iv. 7. In all this work of Satan, men do not see
him. When he puts evil motions into their hearts they do not perceive
him, and therefore doth he his work in an invisible way.
(2.) Secondly, We have sufficient discoveries of these private paths of
his: for, [1.] Sometime he tempts by _friends_: he tempted Job by his
wife, Christ by Peter. [2.] Sometime by _external objects_, as he drew
out Achan’s covetousness, and David’s uncleanness, by the eye. [3.]
Sometime by _injecting thoughts and motions_ to our mind. [4.] Sometime
by exercising an _invisible power upon our bodies_, in stirring up the
humours thereof, to provoke to passion or excessive mirth. All these
ways, of which I have discoursed before more largely, are secret and
invisible, and by such as these he most usually tempts.
(3.) Thirdly, _The wiles, depths, secrets, and devices of Satan_,
which the Scripture tells us are his most familiar ways and courses,
they in their own nature imply a studied or designed secrecy and
imperceptibility.
(4.) Fourthly, He hath peculiar _reasons of policy_ for his invisible
way of dealing; for the less visible he is, the less suspicious are his
designs, and consequently the less frightful and more taking. By this
way he insinuates himself so into our bosoms, that he gets a party in
us against ourselves before we are aware; whereas in vain he knows he
should spread his net if his designs and enmity were discovered to us.
_Applic._ This must teach us to suspect Satan where we see him not, and
so to converse with objects and occasions as still fearing that there
may be _anguis in herba_, a secret snare laid for us to entrap us at
unawares.
If we again cast our eyes upon what hath been said, that Christ was
tempted ‘all the forty days,’ it will then give us this observation:—
_Doct._ 3. _That Satan is sometime incessant in temptations, and sets
upon us with continued importunities._
Here we may note a distinction of temptations, besides that of
invisible and visible, of which I have spoken, that some are moveable
and short fits, and as it were skirmishes, in which he stays not
long, and others are more fixed and durable. We may call them solemn
temptations, in which Satan doth, as it were, pitch down his tents,
and doth manage a long siege against us. Of these last sort is this
observation.
Thus he tempted Paul, continuing his assault for some time before
he departed, 2 Cor. xii. 8. Thus also he dealt with Joseph, who was
solicited day by day for a long time together, Gen. xxxix. 10. Of these
I shall note a few things. As,
(1.) First, Such temptations are not without a _special commission_. He
cannot indeed tempt at all without leave, but in the ordinary course of
his temptations he hath a general commission under such restraints and
limitations as pleaseth the Most High to put upon him; but in these he
must have a special order, as we see in Job’s case.
(2.) Secondly, Such temptations have also _a special ground_. Either
the present state and posture of our condition is such as Satan
apprehends highly advantageous for his design, and therefore he desires
to have the winnowing of us at such a season; or there are more than
ordinary dispositions and inclinations in our heart to what we are
directly tempted to, or to some other consequent design. These animate
and encourage him to high resolves of prosecuting us more closely, upon
an expectation that a continued solicitation is most likely to prevail
at the long run.
(3.) Thirdly, It is possible that such temptations _may stand out
against the endeavours of many prayers_, and that we shall find they
are not so easily shaken off as the viper that was upon Paul’s hand.
Paul, 2 Cor. xii. 8, prayed thrice against the messenger of Satan, that
is, as Estius and others interpret, he prayed often and fervently, and
yet it departed not.
(4.) Fourthly, Such temptations give _no rest nor intermission_; men
are haunted and dogged by them; what way soever they go, they still
hear the same things, and cannot command their thoughts to give an
exclusion to his motions, but still by renewed disputes and arguings,
or by clamorous importunities, they are vexed and tormented: which
surely shews a high degree of earnestness and impudency in Satan.
(5.) Fifthly, These are consequently _very burdensome, exceeding
irksome and tiresome to us_. Paul calls them ‘buffetings,’ for their
trouble and molestation. Satan so molested Job in his affliction by
inward accusations and troubles of terror, that, as an overwearied man,
he cries out he had no quiet, and that he was disappointed of his hope
of ease in sleep, because he was then ‘scared with dreams and terrified
with visions,’ [Job vii. 14.]
(6.) Sixthly, These are also upon a special design _on God’s part,
either to find us work and to keep us doing, or to prevent sin and
miscarriage_; to keep down our pride, lest we should be ‘exalted
above measure,’ [2 Cor. xii. 7;] to awaken us from slothfulness and
security, lest we should ‘settle upon our lees,’ [Jer. xlviii. 11;] or
to be an occasion of his grace, and an evidence of his power in our
preservation, satisfying us and others, that in the greatest shocks of
our spiritual battle his ‘grace is sufficient for us,’ [2 Cor. xii.
9.] Upon these, and such like designs as these, doth the most wise God
permit it.
(7.) Seventhly, Satan doth not attempt temptations of this kind but
upon _a special design_, and that either because he hopes by a violent
and pertinacious impetuosity at length to prevail, or that he would
please himself to molest us; for surely the cries and complainings of
God’s children are music in his ears; or at least upon a design to
discourage us in our services, and to make way for other temptations
of murmuring, blasphemy, despair, &c., which are as a reserve or
ambushment laid in wait for us. The inferences from hence are these
two:—
_Applic._ 1. That the children of God under such temptations may be
encouraged under a patient expectation, by considering that Christ
did undergo the like assaults from Satan. It is in itself tedious and
disheartening, but they may see,
(1.) First, That this way of trouble _is usual, and that to the best_;
and therefore they should not faint under it.
(2.) Secondly, That grace _is sufficient to preserve from the
prevalency of the most earnest temptations_ even there, where our
heavenly Father thinks it not fit to preserve us from the trouble of
them. When Paul gives the highest security that the faithfulness of God
can afford, that temptations shall not be above strength, 1 Cor. x. 13,
or the ability that shall be given them, he tells them they are not to
expect always such aids as shall presently drive away the temptation,
that it must immediately vanish, or that their temptations shall
become light and contemptible, but that God’s faithfulness will be no
further engaged in the general, than [1.] to make their temptations
tolerable, that they ‘may be able to bear them,’ though not without
much to do. [2.] That the ‘way of escape’ shall be concurrent with the
continuance of the temptation, that though the temptation abide, yet we
shall be aided under it. [3.] That yet he is as careful of our help in
temptations as he is ready to commissionate them, when need requires.
His resolves that we should be tempted, and his resolves that we should
be succoured, they bear the same date. ‘With the temptation he will
make a way to escape.’
(3.) Thirdly, That such temptations do not argue [1.] either a
likelihood, much less a necessity, that they should prevail; nor [2.]
any want of care and love in God; nor [3.] do they always evidence a
more than ordinary proneness and inclination in us; for Christ, who
was most averse to the least of sin, who was highest in God’s love,
against whom there was no possibility he should prevail, yet was thus
tempted.
_Applic._ 2. Secondly, In such continued violences it will concern us
to _make stout resistances_; according to the counsel of James, chap.
iv. 7, ‘Resist the devil, and he will fly.’
_Obj._ But I have done so, and yet the temptation is the same, and
still continues.
_Ans._ (1.) First, It is not enough _to resist, but we must continue
to do so_. Some make limited resistances, as besieged persons that set
a time for their holding out, and then if they be not relieved at that
time, they yield; but we must resolve a perpetual resistance, as long
as the temptation lasts. When one hand is beaten off, we must hold by
another; when both are beaten off, we must, as it were, hold by our
teeth.
(2.) Secondly, In a faithful resistance, we may _cast the whole matter
upon God_, and engage him in the quarrel; as David: ‘I will say unto
God, Why hast thou forsaken me?’ &c.
_Obj._ But how is it consistent with truth that the temptation should
continue, when James tells us that Satan will fly upon resistance?
_Ans._ (1.) It may be _the resistance is not as it ought, and so the
blame is ours_. If we be not serious, as some who defy the devil in
words, and resist him by crossing themselves, things which doubtless
the devil laughs at; or if in the confidence of a presumptuous bravado,
or if not with that humility and care that is requisite, it will be no
wonder if he depart not.
(2.) Secondly, _He doth fly at every resistance more or less_; he doth
give back, and is discouraged, and is a loser by every opposition.
(3.) Thirdly, Though the scripture say that he shall fly,—that is,
sooner or later,—yet it doth not say _that he shall do so immediately_,
though most usually he doth so where he is peremptorily rejected.
But in some cases time must be allowed; for the devil, as it is in
Chrysostom’s comparison, stands like a fawning dog scratching and
waving his tail, and if anything be given him, it makes him importunate
for more; yet though we give him nothing, we cannot expect that the
first or second denial should make him cease his trouble: as he hath
been encouraged by former compliances, so will he not be discouraged
but with many and continued denials.
If we consider the fast of Christ as an occasion designed by God for
an advantage to the temptation, and then look upon his condition
in the wilderness, being under hazards from wild beasts, in want
of necessaries, and without a possibility of supplies in a usual
way, and also under the discomforts of cold and long nights,—for
according to the conjectures of some this was about our October and
November[375]—then we may observe,
_Doct._ 4. _That it is Satan’s way to second outward distresses and
afflictions with inward temptations._ We see the like carriage of Satan
toward Job. His affliction was followed with many temptations. All
his friends, in urging him with hypocrisy, were no other than parties
to Satan’s design, though they knew it not apparently. His wife is
set on by the tempter, as the serpent against Eve, to provoke him to
‘curse God and die.’ Besides all this, whosoever shall consider what
inward workings of heart, spiritual trouble and conflict, his words
frequently express, they will quickly find that when God put Job into
Satan’s hand, under that only limitation of not touching his life, he
gave Satan a liberty to pursue him with inward temptations as well as
outward vexations. When Israel was pinched with the straits of the
wilderness, Satan was most busy with them to put them upon distrust,
murmuring, revolt, disobedient oppositions, idolatry, and what not.
David gives in his experience to confirm this truth. He never met with
outward troubles but he had also inward temptations with them, as
fretting, disquiet, sad apprehensions of God’s wrath, haste, distrust,
fear, &c., as the relation of his several straits do testify. And
besides these, the generality of God’s children find it so. Outward
afflictions seldom pass alone. When they have ‘fightings without,’ they
have ‘fears within’ usually. Seldom have they a sickness, or meet with
a sad providence, but they have Satan busy with their souls, molesting
their peace, or endeavouring to ensnare them. Thus their feet are never
in the stocks but the iron enters into their soul. And for this reason
is it that outward afflictions and troubles are called temptations in
Scripture, because temptations usually accompany them, and they are
indeed the solemn seasons that Satan desires to improve for that end;
and for that is it that Luke expresseth that which we translate a time
of temptation by καιρὸς πειρασμοῦ, which signifies an occasion or
opportunity of temptation, Luke viii. 13; 1 Peter i. 6; 2 Peter ii. 9.
The temptations that Satan drives on, upon the advantage of an
afflicted estate, are these:—
(1.) First, To drive men upon _impatient outbreakings against God_, as
the Israelites in the wilderness turn upon Moses with this, ‘Hast thou
brought us into the wilderness to slay us?’ [Exod. xiv. 11.] To this
tended Job’s temptation by his wife, ‘Curse God, and die,’ as it is in
our translation, which cannot in anywise admit of the excuse that Beza
makes for her, as if she gave wholesome advice, ‘to die blessing of
God,’ because he reproves her sharply as having spoken foolishly and
wickedly; but at best it is an ironical scoff at Job’s integrity, ‘Dost
thou bless God while thou art killed by his displeasure?’ if it be not
a direct suggestion of revengeful despite. At such times men are too
apt to entertain cruel thoughts of God, and sadly reflective upon his
mercy or justice.
(2.) Secondly, In this posture of affliction he strives to put them
_upon direful conclusions against themselves_, as if God called
solemnly their sin to remembrance, and that they are forsaken of God,
and marked out for destruction, the pledge and earnest whereof they
take these troubles to be. We may observe that David’s afflictions
awakened his conscience to object guilt and miscarriage, so that he is
as earnest to deprecate the marking and remembrance of his sin as he is
to pray against his troubles. For this see Ps. xxv. 6, 7, xxxviii. 1, 4.
(3.) Thirdly, He pusheth them usually upon _contempt of religion, and
abandoning the ways of God_. We are too apt to blame religion for all
our troubles; and as we expect that our owning the ways of God should
secure us from outward affliction, so when we find it otherwise we
are too forward to say, ‘We have washed our hands in vain,’ &c., [Ps.
lxxiii. 13.]
(4.) Fourthly, _The sin of distrust is another evil that he drives at_;
he would have men conclude that God cannot or will not deliver. ‘Can
God prepare a table in the wilderness?’ said the Israelites, by the
power of temptation, when they were distressed, [Ps. lxxviii. 19.]
(5.) Fifthly, Another evil aimed at in such a case, is to put us upon
_indirect courses and ways to escape from our troubles_. _Flectere
si nequeo superos_, &c. Saul went to the witch of Endor when God
answered him not. Distresses naturally prompt such things, and a little
temptation makes us comply, as is noted by the wise man’s desire, ‘Give
me not poverty, lest I put out my hand and steal,’ [Prov. xxx. 9.]
Distresses of poverty put men upon theft and unlawful ways.
The reasons of Satan’s tempting the afflicted are these:—
(1.) First, That outward afflictions are _a load and burden_. This
gives a probability that his designs may the better take place. It is
easy to overthrow those that are bowed down, to break those that are
bruised, to master those that are weary and weak-handed.
(2.) Secondly, An afflicted estate is _a temptation of itself, and
naturally dictates evil things_. It is half of his design brought to
his hand, it affords variety of matter for a temptation to work on.
(3.) Thirdly, Such a condition _strongly backs a temptation, and
furnisheth many arguments for a prevalency_; for troubles are serious
things; they speak to the heart, and what they speak, they speak
fiercely; they represent things otherwise than common discovery can do,
and for the most part they shew an ingenuity in multiplying fears, and
aggravating hazard, and ascertaining suspected events, so that Satan
can scarce desire a fairer hit than what these offer him.
(4.) Fourthly, They also give him the advantage _of darkness_; for to
such their ‘way is hid,’ Job iii. 23, and God hath hedged them in; they
neither know where they are, whether their trouble be a chastisement of
sin, or for trial, or for prevention of miscarriage, or to make way for
more comfortable manifestations; and as little know they how to behave
themselves in their trouble, or how and when to get out of it. In such
groping uncertainties, it is scarce possible but they should be put
wrong.
(5.) Fifthly, An afflicted condition brings _on weakness and
indisposition to duty_; it makes the hands weak, and the knees feeble.
This made Job to faint, chap. iv. 5; this dried up David’s strength.
The first assault of an affliction doth stound, and put it into such a
confusion, that hope turns back, and faith is to seek, and every grace
so out of order, that a man shall be unable to do anything of duty in a
comfortable manner.
(6.) Sixthly, In this case men are apt to conclude _their prayers
are not heard_: ‘I cry in the day-time, and thou hearest not,’ [Ps.
xxii. 2,] says David; ‘Hath the Lord forgotten to be gracious?’ [Ps.
lxxvii. 9.] And with such seeming probability is this urged upon us by
affliction, that Job professeth he could not believe his own sense and
knowledge in such a case. ‘If I had called, and he had answered me;
yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice,’ Job ix.
16.
(7.) Seventhly, Afflictions strongly _fix guilt upon us_, and represent
God ‘searching out our iniquities, and inquiring after our sin,’ Job x.
6.
(8.) Eighthly, They _imbitter the spirit_, and beget impressions upon
the mind, of very hard thoughts of God.
(9.) Ninthly, They violently push men on _to speak unadvisedly_. There
is such a swelling ferment of the old leaven of impatience and distrust
in the mind, that it is matter of pain and difficulty to be silent:
‘Their belly is as wine that hath no vent; it is ready to burst like
new bottles,’ and they are ‘weary with forbearing and cannot stay, and
must speak let come on them what will,’ Job xxxii. 19.
All these advantages doth an afflicted condition bring to Satan; and
who can think that he who is so studious of our ruin will be willing to
miss so fair an opportunity?
_Applic._ (1.) First, This must teach us to have _a watchful eye over
affliction_. Though at all times we must expect Satan’s stratagems, yet
in troubles especially prepare for them; according to the wise man’s
advice, ‘In a day of adversity, consider,’ [Eccles. vii. 14.]
(2.) Secondly, Seeing Satan takes advantage of the sharp humours of
impatience and distrust, we must be particularly careful not _to touch
too much upon the harshness of our troubles_, because this is that
that sets fretting and distracting thoughts on work. Afflictions, like
the pillar of the cloud and fire in the wilderness, have a light and
darkness; and accordingly, those that converse with the dark side of
troubles envenom their imaginations, and poison their thoughts with
dark and hideous conclusions, and, in a word, draw forth nothing but
the wormwood and the gall; whereas those that study and view the
light side of them are full of praise and admiration for the gracious
mixtures, comfortable mitigations, encouraging supports, &c., which
they observe. It is wisdom then to keep upon the right side of them.
Though it be the design of God to turn the dark side of the cloud to
us, yet may we have a competent light to guide us if we would improve
it. When the sun is set, the moon may be up. Nay, it is our duty to
strive to recover the right side of the cloud. He hides that we may
seek.
If this fast of Christ’s be considered as a remedy against temptations,
then may we observe _that solemn temptations are to be resisted with
fastings and prayers_. Of this I shall forbear to speak, till I come to
speak of Christ’s answer, and the repulse of Satan.