_The general view of these temptations.—Of Satan’s gradual proceeding
in temptations.—Of reserving a great temptation last.—What a great
temptation is; in what cases to be expected.—Of Satan’s using a common
road, in comparing these temptations with the ordinary temptations
of men.—Of the advantage Satan takes of natural appetite, sense, and
affections._
I have done with the _proæmium_ to the temptations. Yet before I open
them particularly, I shall take a general view of them. First, By
comparing these with the other temptations of Christ during the forty
days. Secondly, By comparing these with the temptations of men.
1. First then, If we compare these with the former temptations, and
observe that we have no account given us of those temptations, but only
in the general, ‘that he was tempted,’ whereas these are particularly
set down and recorded, we cannot apprehend less than this, _that
these last temptations were certainly greater and more remarkable
temptations_. Hence note,
_Obs._ 3. _That it is Satan’s method to be gradual in his temptations,
and that he keeps his greatest temptations to the latter end._
That Satan is gradual in his temptations; this is true of him, if we
regard,
(1.) First, _The manner of his proceeding_, that he drives slowly,
entreats gently, and is very careful that he do not over-drive men,
but after they are accustomed to his way, he puts on imperiousness and
commands them.
(2.) Secondly, _If the matter of temptation be regarded_, he is gradual
there also. He tempts to little sins first, then to greater.
I shall illustrate both these particulars by the example of Thomas
Savage, apprentice to Mr Collins, vintner at the Ship Tavern,
in Ratcliffe, who suffered in _anno_ 1660, for murdering his
fellow-servant. He confesseth that the devil took this course with him:
he first tempted him to neglect of duty, then to contempt of ordinances
and profanation of the Sabbath, then to drinking, then to fornication,
then to rob and steal from his master, and last of all to murder; and
takes particular notice that in this last temptation, to kill his
fellow-servant, there was a violent and more than ordinary power of
Satan upon him, to instigate him to that wickedness. All this you may
read at large in the printed narration of his life.
(1.) The reasons of his gradual proceedings are,
[1.] First, _He would discover no more of himself in any temptation
than he is necessitated unto for the gaining his end_, lest he cross
his own design, and instead of drawing men to wickedness, scare or
affright them from it.
[2.] Secondly, _Sins are mutually preparatory to each other_. Smaller
proffers and temptations do insensibly prepare and incline the heart to
greater.
(2.) Secondly, That he keeps his greatest temptations last, is a
consequence of the former; for which, besides what is now spoken, these
reasons may be given:—
[1.] First, _There is provocation given him in refusing his lesser
assaults_. His ‘head is bruised’ by every refusal, he is set at
defiance, which calls him out to stronger opposition. He perceives by
often repulses that those with whom he hath to do are not subjects of
his kingdom, and that his ‘time is short,’ and therefore no wonder is
it, if he assault most furiously and with all his strength.
[2.] Secondly, _There is also policy in it_. When he hath brought down
our strength and weakened our courage, then a violent onset is fair to
procure him a victory.
But because I mention a great temptation, it may not be amiss both for
the further explaining of the text, and illustration of the matter,
to shew what is a great temptation. These were great temptations
to Christ, and there are several things remarkable in them, which,
wherever they appear, they will denominate the temptation great, and
the more of them are conjoined together, and in higher degree, it may
justly be called still the greater. As,
(1.) First, In these temptations, we may note there were _external
objects as well as insinuated suggestions_. Inward motions are real
temptations, but when they have the objects and things presented to the
eye or the senses, then do they strongly urge. At this advantage the
devil tempted Eve. He urged her when the fruit was within the view.
Thus he tempted Achan, when the gold and garment were in his eye.
(2.) Secondly, _These temptations were complex_, consisting of many
various designs, like a snare of many cords or nooses. When he tempted
to turn stones to bread, it was not one single design, but many, that
Satan had in prosecution. As distrust on one hand, pride on another,
and so in the rest. The more complicated a temptation is, it is the
greater.
(3.) Thirdly, _These were also perplexing, entangling temptations_.
They were dilemmatical,[384] such as might ensnare, either in the
doing or refusal. If he had turned stones into bread, he had too much
honoured Satan by doing it at his motion. If he did not, he seemed to
neglect his own body, in not making necessary provisions for himself,
being now hungry.
(4.) Fourthly, _These temptations proceeded upon considerable
advantages_. His hunger urged a necessity of turning stones into bread.
His present straits, and the lowness of his condition, seemed to speak
much for the reasonableness of giving proof of his divine nature, by
casting himself down from the temple, and of doing anything that might
tend to a more plentiful being and support in the world. Advantages
strengthen temptations.
(5.) Fifthly, _These temptations were accompanied with a greater
presence and power of Satan_. He appeared visibly in them, and was
permitted to touch and hurry the body of Christ, and to depaint and set
forth the glory of the world, doubtless in the most taking way, to the
eye of Christ.
(6.) Sixthly, _The matter of these temptations_, or the things he
tempted Christ to, _were great and heinous abominations_: a distrust
of providence, a presumption of protection, and a final renunciation
of the worship due to him, and transferring it to the most unworthy
object, God’s professed enemy; and yet were they seconded by the
strongest, most powerful, and most prevailing means, as his present
straits, his infallible assurance of sonship, pleasure, and glory.
Where the matter is weighty, and the medium strong and pressing, there
is the temptation great.
(7.) Seventhly, _All these temptations pretended strongly to the
advantage and benefit of Christ_, and some of them might seem to be
done without any blame, as to turn stones to bread, to fly in the air.
The more kindness a temptation pretends to us, it is the stronger.
(8.) Eighthly, _Satan urged some of them in a daring, provoking way_;
‘If thou be the Son of God?’ as if he had said, I dare thee to shew
thyself what thou pretendest to be. These kind of provocations are very
troublesome to the most modest and self-denying, who can scarce forbear
to do what they are urged unto at such times.
(9.) Ninthly, _These temptations seem to be designed for the engagement
of all the natural powers of Christ_; his natural appetite in a
design of food; his senses in the most beautiful object, the world
in its glory; the affections, in that which is most swaying, pride,
and delight in extraordinary testimonies of divine power and love, in
supporting him in the air, &c.
(10.) Tenthly, _Some of these warranted as duty, and to supply
necessary hunger, others depending upon the security of a promise_, ‘He
shall give his angels charge,’ &c. The greater appearance of duty, or
warrantableness, is put upon sin, the greater is the temptation.
By these ten particulars may we, as by a standard, judge when any
temptation is great or less.
_Applic._ 1. _Let us then take heed of small temptations, or the
smoother proceedings of Satan, as we would avoid the greater attempts
that are to follow._ Where he is admitted to beat out our lusts with
a rod or a staff, he may be suspected to bring the wheel over them at
last, [Isa. xxviii. 27, _seq._]
Let us also after our assaults expect more and greater, because the
greatest are last to be looked for. This holds true in three cases.
[1.] In solemn temptations, where Satan fixeth his assaults, there the
utmost rage is drawn out last. [2.] In the continuance and progress of
profession, the further we go from him and the nearer to God, be sure
of the highest measure of his spite. [3.] At the end of our race: for
if he miss his prey then, it is escaped for ever, as a bird unto its
hill.
_Obj._ But some may say, I am but a messenger of sad tidings; and that
by bringing such a report of giants and walled cities, I may make the
hearts of the people to faint.
_Ans._ I answer; This is bad news only to the sluggish, such as
would go to heaven with ease, and in a fair and easy way; but to the
laborious resolute soldiers of Christ this is no great discouragement:
for, [1.] It doth but tell them of their work, which as they are
persuaded of, so it is in some measure their delight, as well as their
expectation. [2.] It doth but tell them, Satan’s malice and fury, which
they are assured of, and are most afraid of it sometimes, when it seems
to lie idle and as asleep. [3.] It doth tell them that Satan’s thoughts
concerning them are despairing, he fears they are going, or gone from
him. If they were his willing servants, there would be no hostility of
this nature against them.
I have thus compared these special temptations with those wherewith our
Lord Christ was exercised during the forty days. I shall,
Secondly, Compare these temptations of Christ with those that usually
befall his members, in which there is so much suitableness and
agreement both in matter and manner, that it cannot be unuseful to take
notice of it, which will the better appear in instances. First, then,
let us consider the first temptation of Eve: Gen. iii. 6, ‘And when the
woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to
the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise,’ &c. Here are all
the arguments and ways summed up by which Satan prevailed upon her. It
was ‘good for food;’ here he wrought upon the desire of the natural
appetite. It was ‘pleasant to the eyes;’ here he took the advantage of
the external senses. It was ‘to be desired to make one wise;’ here he
inflamed the affections. Let us again call to mind the general account
of temptations in 1 John ii. 16, ‘All that is in the world, the lust
of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life;’ where the
apostle designedly calls all off from a love of the world, because
of the hazard and danger that we lie open unto, from the things of
the world, striking upon and stirring up our lusts; which he ranks
into three general heads, according to the various ways whereby these
outward things do work upon us, in exciting our natural powers and
apprehensions to sinful lustings; and these are so fully agreeing with
those three in Eve’s temptation, that I need not note the parallel.
Let us now cast our eyes upon these temptations, and the suitableness
of Satan’s ways and dealings will immediately appear. When he tempted
Christ to turn stones into bread, there he endeavoured to take
advantage of the ‘lust of the flesh,’ which in 1 John ii., I understand
in a more restrained sense, not for the lustings of corrupt nature,
but for the lustings of the body in its natural appetite, according to
that expression of Christ, ‘The spirit is willing, but the flesh’—or
body—‘is weak.’ And if we should not so restrain it in this place, the
lust of the flesh would include the lust of the eyes and the pride
of life, contrary to the clear scope of the text, for these are also
the lustings of corrupt nature. When he further tempted him ‘to cast
himself down,’ he pushed him upon ‘the pride of life;’ when he shewed
him ‘the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them,’ he attempted
to gain upon him by the ‘lust of the eyes.’ From this proportion and
suitableness of temptation to Christ and his members, observe,
_Obs._ 4. _That Satan usually treads in a beaten path, using known
and experienced methods of temptation._ It is true, in regard of
circumstances, he useth unspeakable varieties in tempting, and hath
many more devices and juggles than can be reckoned up; yet in the
general he hath digested them into method and order, and the things
upon which he works in us are the same. Thus he walks his round, and
keeps much-what the same track, not only in different persons, but also
in the same men, using the same temptations over and over; and yet this
argues no barrenness of invention or sluggishness in Satan; but he hath
these reasons for it:—
[1.] First, Because the same temptations being suited to human nature
in general, will, with a small variation of circumstance, suit all men:
their inclinations generally answering to one another, as face answers
to face in water.
[2.] Secondly, These standing methods are famous with him, as generally
powerful and taking; and it can be no wonder if Satan practise most
with these things that have the largest _probatum est_ of experience to
follow them.
[3.] Thirdly, The more experienced he is in any temptation, the more
dexterously and successfully still he can manage it; so that we may
expect him more cunning and able in what he most practiseth.
_Applic._ This may be some satisfaction to those that are apt to think
of themselves and their temptations as Elias did in his persuasion,
‘I alone am left,’ [1 Kings xix. 14.] Where Satan useth anything of
vigour and fierceness, we are apt to say, ‘None are tempted as we,’
none in like case, we are singular, they are peculiar and extraordinary
temptations, &c.; but it is a mistake. Even that of Solomon may be
applied to these, ‘There is nothing new,’ [Eccles. i. 9,] nor anything
befallen us which others have not undergone before us; and would but
Christians be so careful to observe the way of the serpent upon their
hearts as they might, and so communicative of their experiences as they
ought, the weak and heavy laden would not go so mourning under such
apprehensions as commonly affright them, that none were ever so tempted
as they are. It would be some support at worst, when the most hellish
furies do oppress them, to know that others before them were in these
deeps, and as fearful of being overwhelmed as themselves, and yet were
delivered. The deliverances of those that have escaped the danger, is
ground of hope to those that are at present under it.
_Obs._ 5. _The usual advantages that Satan takes against us is from our
natural appetite, our external senses, or our passions and affections._
All these are usual ways by which Satan works against us, as appears
from what hath been said; neither are any of them so mean and
contemptible, but that we have cause to fear the power and influence of
them. Hence the Scripture cautions descend to the eyes: ‘Look not upon
the wine when it is red in the cup,’ [Prov. xxiii. 31;] ‘Be sober, be
vigilant,’ &c., [1 Peter v. 8.] The appetite is not so easily kept in,
but that it may prevail to gluttony and drunkenness; and some are so
powerfully carried by this, that they are said ‘to make their bellies
their god,’ [Phil. iii. 19.] Of the power of sense and affection,
elsewhere hath been spoken.