_And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God,
command that these stones be made bread._—Mat. iv. 3.
_That Christ’s temptations were real and not in vision.—That
temptation is Satan’s employment, with the evidences and instances
thereof.—Of Satan’s tempting visibly, with the reasons thereof._
Next follows a particular account of those more eminent temptations
wherewith Christ was assaulted by Satan. Before I speak of these, I
must necessarily remove this stumbling-block out of the way, viz.,
whether Christ was really tempted, or only in a vision. That this was
but visionary hath been supposed; not only by some, whose conceits
in other things might justly render their supposals in this matter
less worthy of a serious consideration,[376] but also by very grave
and serious men,[377] whose reasons, notwithstanding, are not of
that weight as to sway us against the letter and history of these
temptations, which give us a full account of these things as really
transacted, without the least hint of understanding them as done only
in a vision. For,
(1.) First, It is a dangerous thing to depart from _the literal sense
of what is historically related_. If we take such a liberty, we may
as well understand other historical passages after the same rate, and
so bring the history, not only of Christ’s suffering to a visionary
and fantastical cross, but also of all the New Testament to a very
nothing.[378]
(2.) Secondly, _The circumstances of the temptation are so particularly
set down_—as the devil’s coming to him, leaving him, taking him to the
temple, &c.—that if we may expect in anything to secure ourselves from
a visionary supposition, we may do it in this history.[379]
(3.) Thirdly, This imagination doth wholly _enervate and make void
the very end and design of Christ’s being tempted_; for where were
the glory of this victory over Satan, if it were only a visionary
temptation, and a visionary conquest? or where were the comfort and
encouragement which believers—from the apostle’s authority, Heb. ii.
18, and iv. 16—might reap from this, that Christ imagined himself to be
tempted, when really he was not so? Nay, how impossible is it to make
that expression of the apostle, ‘He was tempted in all points like as
we are,’ to agree to an imaginary temptation? except we also say that
we are only tempted visionarily and not really?
(4.) Fourthly, Neither is it a plea of any value against this truth,
that it seems to _derogate too much from the honour and authority
of our Saviour, that Satan should so impudently assault him with
temptations to worship him, and should carry him at pleasure from
place to place_, when we find that he voluntarily submitted to higher
indignities from Satan’s instruments, and ‘turned not away his cheek’
from those that ‘smote’ him, spit upon him, and contumeliously mocked
him, and at last submitted to death, even the death of the cross.[380]
As for those objections from πτερύγιον ἱεροῦ, the pinnacle of the
temple, upon which Scultetus thinks it was impossible for Christ to
stand; as also the objection of the impossibility to shew the kingdoms
of the world from any mountain, I shall answer them in their proper
place. In the meantime I shall return to the verse in hand, in which I
shall first pitch upon the general _proæmium_, or introduction to these
special temptations, which is this, ‘The tempter came to him.’
In this we are to take notice of the name given to Satan, and also the
way and manner of the assault, in that expression, ‘he came to him.’
There are three distinct names given to him in these temptations. [1.]
His name ‘Satan’ shews his malice and fury, which is the ground and
fountain whence all that trouble proceeds which we meet with from him.
[2.] He is styled ‘the tempter,’ and that signifies to us how he puts
forth this malice, his way and exercise in the exerting of it. [3.] He
is called ‘the devil’ or accuser, expressing thereby the end and issue
of all. From this name, then, here given, we may observe:—
_Obs._ 1. First, _That it is Satan’s work and employment to tempt men_.
We need not here dispute whether it be proper to Satan to tempt—that
is, _an soli, et semper competat_, whether it agree to him only and
always, which some indeed affirm in such a sense as this, that men do
tempt men as Satan’s instruments, the world tempts as it is the object
and matter of temptations, but Satan tempts as the proper author and
engineer of temptations. Others there are that think that men can and
do properly tempt themselves, according to James i. ‘Every man is
tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust.’[381] But the question
is altogether needless as to us; though we and others may be true and
proper tempters, yet this hindereth not but that it is most true,
that Satan makes temptation his very work and business. And therefore
not only here, but in 1 Thes. iii. 5, the devil is described by his
employment, ‘Lest by any means the tempter,’ or he that tempteth, ‘hath
tempted you:’ which the ordinary gloss doth thus explain, _Diabolus,
cujus est officium tentare_. This name, then, is put upon Satan, κατ’
ἐξοχὴν, by way of eminency. Implying, [1.] That though there be never
so many tempters, yet Satan is the chief. [2.] That he makes temptation
his proper employment.
That Satan doth so, I shall evidence by these few notes:—
[1.] First, Temptation is in itself _a business and work_. For if we
consider either the work of any one temptation, where Satan is oft put
to it, after suggestion to persuade, and after persuasion to instigate
and provoke; or if we consider what furniture, tools, means, and
instruments are requisite, and what it may cost to bring all things
together into fit order and method; or if we think of the various ways
and manners of temptation, that some are mediate, some immediate;
some inward, some outward; some moveable, some fixed and solemn; some
enticements to evil, some affrightments from duty, others invasions of
our peace and joy; or lastly, if we call to mind what study, what art,
what fetches and contrivances the devil is sometimes put upon, we shall
easily see that it keeps him doing, and that he eats not the bread of
idleness that hath that employment to follow.
[2.] Secondly, Satan _gives up himself unto it, is wholly in it_. He
‘walks to and fro,’ ‘goes about’ seeking advantages of this nature,
‘compasseth sea and land’ to proselyte men to his slavery, useth all
means, upon all men, at all times, with all diligence. Hence was it
that Latimer, in his homely way of speaking, called him ‘a busy bishop
in his diocese,’ and excited the sluggish to learn laboriousness of the
devil.
[3.] Thirdly, _He takes a delight in it, not only from a natural
propensity, which his fall put upon him, whereby he cannot but
tempt_—as an evil tree cannot but bring forth evil fruits—but also from
the power of a habit acquired by long exercise, which is accompanied
with some kind of pleasure; and further, whatever pleasure may be
supposed to arise from revengeful pride or companionship in evil, he
hath of that in full measure, pressed down, and running over. _Solamen
miseris_, &c.
[4.] Fourthly, All other things in Satan, or in his endeavours,
have either a _subserviency, or some way or other a reference and
respect to temptation_. His power, wisdom, malice, and other infernal
qualifications, render him able to tempt; his labour and diligence
in other things are but the work of one that prepares materials and
occasions; his other business of accusing, affrighting, destroying,
tormenting, are but the ends and improvements of tempting.
[5.] Fifthly, _He cares not how it goes on, so that it go on_; as a man
that designs to be rich, cares not how he gets it; which shews that
tempting in general is his design. Of this we have many instances,
as [1.] He sticks not to lie and dissemble; he will tell them of the
‘kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them,’ and a thousand fair
promises which he never intends. [2.] He will tempt for a small matter;
if he can but gain a little, or but molest us, yet he will be doing.
[3.] He will not give over for a foil or disappointment. [4.] He is not
ashamed to tempt contradictory things: he tempted Christ against the
work of redemption, ‘Master, spare thyself,’ [Mat. xvi. 22.] He tempted
Judas to further it in betraying him. [5.] Any temptation that he sees
will hold, he takes up. Hence is it that he tempts not the Jews now to
idolatry, because he hath them fast in another snare, being strongly
led to an opposition and contempt of Christ. [6.] He will sometime
tempt where he hath not probability to prevail, even against hope. Thus
he tempted Christ and Paul.
_Applic._ (1.) The use of the observation is this, _If it be his
business to tempt, it must be our work to resist_.
[1.] First, To resist _is a labour_. It is not an idle formality,
consisting in words of defiance, or a few ridiculous crossings and
sprinklings of holy water, or spitting at the name of him, as ignorant
people are wont to do.
[2.] Secondly, _We must give up ourselves to this work_, always
fighting and opposing.
[3.] Thirdly, It will be necessary to _make use of all helps_, as
prayer, fasting, the counsel and support of holy and experienced men.
[4.] Fourthly, _We must also cast off all hindrances_. Whatsoever in us
is apt to take fire or give advantage must be laid off, as pride, which
doth prognosticate a fall, and security, which betrays the best, or
presumption, which provokes God to leave those of highest attainments,
Neh. xiii. 16.
2. Secondly, In this general introduction, we may cast our eye upon
_the way and manner of the assault_. When it is said, ‘the tempter
came unto him,’ we are unavoidably forced to suppose another manner
of coming than that whereby he tempted him for forty days together.
And when we call to mind that at his coming here mentioned, he carried
Christ to the temple, and from thence to a high mountain, and there
propounded himself an object of worship; we can imagine no less than
that Satan here came visibly to him. But in what shape or manner of
appearance it is altogether uncertain, though it is most probable it
was not in the form of a brute, but in some lustre of majesty or glory,
as an angel, because a deformed or base appearance had been unsuitable
to the boast of giving ‘the kingdoms of the world,’ or to his desire
that Christ should ‘fall down and worship him.’ Hence we may observe:—
_Obs._ 2. _That Satan sometimes tempts in a visible appearance, and by
voice._
[1.] First, The possibility of this is evident from _the apparitions
of angels_. Satan is still an angel, and there is nothing of a natural
incapacity in him as to an outward appearance to our eyes and senses,
more than in glorified spirits.[382]
[2.] Secondly, _In the first temptation he did no less, when he used
the serpent as a trunk to speak through, and an instrument to act by_.
In possessions he speaks audibly, and evidenceth a real presence.
[3.] Thirdly, _Undoubted instances may be given of Satan’s tempting and
molesting visibly_. I deny not but there are a great many idle stories
of this kind, and a number of ridiculous figments; but it would be
unreasonable and highly prejudicial to the truth of history, and the
common faith of mankind, to refuse credit to the serious accounts of
sober men, because of some foolish and unwarrantable fables.
What is related of Luther and his several troubles from Satan this way,
is evident in the story of his life. Cyrillus tells us of one Eusebius,
disciple of Jerome, who when he was dying, cried out of the devil’s
appearing to him. The like is storied of St Martin and others, and of
these, you may read more collected by Mr Clark.[383]
If we would inquire into the reasons of Satan’s appearing thus, we
cannot more fitly pitch upon any other than these:—
[1.] First, Either he thinks a great affrightment necessary in some
cases, and for that end appears. Or,
[2.] Secondly, He sees his appearance needful, to give a greater
evidence and certainty to the reality of the pleasures of sin which he
promiseth. That is the common ground of his appearing in the ways and
designs of witchcraft.
[3.] Or thirdly, In the height of rage, when he perceives other ways
not available, and when he hath to do with persons not ignorant of his
devices, where he sees he hath no need of a visor, or covert ways of
dealing, then he sticks not, if permitted, to tempt or molest openly.
This must teach us not to wonder at such temptations, much less to
judge those that may be so molested, as if Satan had a greater share in
them, seeing Christ was thus tempted.