CHRIST TEMPTED THE DIVEL CONQUERED OR A short and plain EXPOSITION on a part of the fourth Chapter St. MATTHEW'S Gospel TOGETHER With two Sermons Preached before the University at Oxford some years since By JOHN GUMBLEDEN B. D. and Chaplain to the Right Honourable the EARL of Leicester Jam. 5.7 Resist the Divel and he will flie from you 1 Pet. 5.9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith Ideo tentatur Christus ne vincatur à Tentatore Christianus August enarratio in Psal 90. Concio Secunda C. LONDON Printed for Simon Miller at the Star in St. Paul's Church-yard 1657. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE his singular good LORD PATRON ROBERT EARL of Leicester VISCOUNT LISLE LORD SIDNEY of Pensehurst c. Grace and Peace from the God of Peace My Noble LORD THat which Solomon saith Eccles 12.12 Of making many books there is no end I suppose doth nothing at all concern me for I have not made many books and he that begins late may soon end especially being too too far remote from those useful helps of voluminous Writers many books yet this have I made and humbly present unto your Lordship is a Testimonial of my thankfulnesse for your Lordship 's manifold and Noble favours exhibited unto me Now such as my sacred Profession is such also is the Matter and Subject of this I present Theological An Exposition it is such as it is of what happened in the Wildernesse and other Places between our Saviour and Satan Preached at first for the instruction of my Parochial Cure but since as touching the more difficult points somewhat enlarged for publique view Many will see it but my most humble suit is that none may own it but your Lordship The Author acknowledgeth that under God be liveth by your Lordship's Patronage may this Book also in another sense live so too I am My Noble LORD Your Honours most obliged Servant and Chaplain JOHN GUMBLEDEN Courteous Reader these Books following are Printed and sold by Simon Miller at the Star in St. Paul's Church-yard Large Folio LUther 's Colloquium Mensal Small Folio THe Civil Wars of Spain in the Reign of Charls the fifth Emperor of Germany and King of that Nation wherein our late unhappy differences are parallel'd in many particulars A general History of Scotland from the year 767. to the death of King James containing the principal Revolutions and transactions of Church and State with Political observations and reflections upon the same By David Hume of Godscroft The History of this Iron Age. Doctor Lightfoot his Harmony on the New Testament In Quarto large BArklay his Argenis Translated by Sir Robert le Grise Knight Quarto small THe Harmonious Confessions of Faith of all the Christian Reformed Churches which truly professe the doctrine of the Gospel practised in all the chief Kingdoms and Provinces of Europe wherein all that seemingly contradict are plainly reconciled Now published by Authority Intended chiefly to confirm the strong and instruct the weak in whatever is necessary to Salvation in 4. Abraham's faith or the good old Religion proving the Doctrine of the Church of England to be the only true faith of God's Elect By J. Nicolson Minister of the Gospel The Anatomy of Mortality By George Strode Aynsworth on the Canticles Paul Bayne his Diocesans Trial. The supreame power of Christian States and Magistracy vindicated from the insolent pretences of Guilielmus Apollonius By E. Grall A Treatise of Civil Policy being a clear decision of 43. Queries concerning prerogative right and priveledge in reference to the supream Prince and the people By Samuel Rutherford professor of Divinity of S. Andrews in Scotland Politick and Military observations of Civil and Military Government containing the birth increase decay of Monarchies the carriage of Princes and Magistrates Mr. Pinchin his meritorious price of man's redemption cleared Astrology Theologized shewing what nature and influence the Stars and Planets have over men and how the same may be diverted and avoided Octavo THe Reconciler of the Bible wherein above 2000. seeming contradictions are fully and plainly reconciled A view of the Jewish Religion with their Rites Customes and Ceremonies Ed. Waterhouse Esq his discourse of piety and charity A view and defence of the Reformation of the Church of England very useful in these times Mr. Peter du Moulin his Antidote against Popery published on purpose to prevent the delusions of the Priests and Jesuits who are now very busie amongst us Herbet's Devotions or a Companion for a Christian containing Meditations and Prayers useful upon all occasions Mr. Knowles his Rudiments of the Hebrew Tongce A Book of scheams or figures of Heaven ready set for every four minutes of time and very useful for all Astrologers Florus Anglicus or an exact History of England from the reign of William the Conqueror to the death of the late King Lingua or the combat of the Tongue and the five Senses for superiority A serious Comedy The Spirits Touchstone being a clear discovery how a man may certainly know whether he be truly taught by the Spirit of God or not The Poor Man's Physitian and Chyrurgeon Duodecimo Doctor Smith's practice of Physick The Grammer War Posselius Apothegms Fasciculus Florum Crashaw's Visions Helvicus Colloquies The Christian Souldier his combat with the three arch enemies of mankind the world the flesh and the divel Drexelius School of patience In 24. THe New Testament The third part of the Bible Plaies THe Ball. Chawbut Martyr'd Souldier FINIS To the Reader Courteous Reader THe Subject of this following Exposition as you see is the Divels tempting and our Saviours conquering Now in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or single conflict neither the one nor the other had each his second no not while the Combat continued but our Saviour had the Angels a Mar. 1.13 to minister unto him when the duell was ended Again when the Divel had ended all the temptation he departed from him for a season b Luke 4.13 And but for a season for though at this time he were sent away with no better farewell then this Get thee hence Satan (c) Mat. 4.10 yet he soon returned and afterwards by his wicked Instruments as subtilly as before by himselfe openly he sets on him again began another battell against him another way especially some few daies before his death mustring up from time to time such voluntiers d Omne peccatum est voluntarium such as he found most inclinable amongst the malicious and incredulous Jewes to engage with him in this quarrell against our Saviour to the end that by his united forces he might if possible at last prevaile who at first was too weak to doe it single and by himself And not strong enough neither to doe it to purpose joyntly by them not any waies able to conquer our Saviour not though for a time to kill (e) Mat. 26.4 him the chief Priests the Scribes the Elders of the people with Caiaphas prevailed Judas
Divel and as willing he was now to be tempted there no waies seeking to decline the furious strokes of the Divels enmity against him as afterwards he was to be crucified at Golgotha Led then as a Lamb to the o Isa 53.7 slaughter as a Lamb without resistance without reluctancy and led now of the Spirit into the wilderness as one of himself not at all unwilling to liasten to the appointed place for his so much desired p Ducitur non invitus aut captus sed voluntate pugnandi Hieronym in locum Combate with Satan St. Mark cap. 1. v. 12 expresseth it by another word saying the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness See! led up he was of the Spirit in one q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 place who driveth r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him in another and both very significant Lod as one very willing of himself driven as one made more willing by the Spirit to make more then ordinary speed into the wilderness there to be tempted of the Divel or if you will the whole in short may be represented unto you thus Our Saviour but then Baptized and in respect of his manhood filled with the Holy Ghost filled then and from thence forth after a more extraordinary manner then before presently at that time neither regarding Bethleem where he was born Mat. 2.1 nor Nazareth where he was brought up v 23. without any delay at all prepar'd himself by the vehement by the driving motion of the Spirit within him to encounter with the Divel in the wilderness A dark resemblance of whose most ready and prompt forwardness in this we have in that undaunted resolution of Paul in another case Acts 21.11 13. who by no means would be disswaded from going to Jerusalem although he were foretold by Agabus that he should there undergoe many tryals and temptations as it came to pass Such is the powerful and efficacious working of God's holy Spirit that he leadeth nay he driveth those whom he hath in a proportionable measure filled to undertake without fear without fainting hard things and difficult To instance in some few cases Steven full of the holy Ghost sharply rebuked his false Accusers though many in number not fearing either their face or fury Acts 7. So Eliah full of the same spirit was not affraid boldly to rebuke Ahab the King for his Idolatry and ſ 1 Kings 18. prophaness and who hath not heard how boldly John the Baptist a mon sent of God John 1.6 preached against the t Mark 6.18 incest of Herod or if there were any touch of fear in these who were meer men yet in this case there could be none at all in our Saviour who full of the holy Ghost and fuller then they set his face his heart towards the wilderness thirsting as the Hart doth aftar the water brooks Psal 42.1 with a longing desire to enter the lists to grapple as it were hand to hand and pes pede vincius to gain but not give any ground to Satan A lively Type whereof we have in that confident boldness of David against Goliah u 1 Sam. 17.45 Thou commest to me with a sword and with a spear and with a shield but I come to thee in the Name of the Lord of Hosts in whose Name and Spirit our Saviour now prepar'd himself with much alacrity to expose himself to the utmost malice of the Divel who was then ready to tempt him in the wilderness a solitary and desert place and there even in the wilderness and in no other place would our Saviour be tempted and that for many reasons First That the Divel even by the permission of our Saviour having the advantage of place for the then intended Combate between them his overthrow at the last might be the greater and that he deemeth a wilderness a desert place more advantageous for his purpose then any other appeareth in that he more delighteth in such places then in any other as in dry places such as desarts are Mat. 12.43 in Mountains and Tombes the one not much inhabited the other not much frequented Mark 5.5 And what he most delighteth in may easily be granted to be even in his own judgement whose property it is subtilly and secretly to tempt most advantageous for him in such a place he took his first advantage against Eve Gen. 3. and ever after hoping for the like success he most delighted in such places where there is no outward help no succour no comfort neer at hand as there is in Societies either for a time to hinder or wholy to frustrate his malicious designes and machinations Wherefore what he most delighted in as making most for his own advantage is here of purpose granted him even the wilderness a desart place to tempt our Saviour in that the greater his advantage was in respect of the place the greater his disadvantage and disgrace might be in respect of the event And therefore that it might appear that the Divel to his own shame was a great looser even when confident he was by reason of the advantage granted that he should become a Gainer our Saviour would be tempted in the wilderness Secondly That being for a time thus wholy secluded and separated from the light and society of men not known yet but to few nor what was done and heard at Jordan concerning him not yet divulged to many he might afterwards with the greater Solemnity enter on his Ministry as one immediately sent from God and not chosen out of the Vulgar or sent from men Rarum praeclarum the more rare any thing is the more precious The more rare an eminent Person is and the less frequent with the Multitude the more he will be reverenced and esteemed Thirdly That in the time of this his retirement having no aboad at all in any Citie full of people and fuller of sin but being far remote from all company of men and from the noyse and tumults and troubles of the unquiet world he might by prayer and fasting and other pious Acts of devotion the better prepare himself for the work of God his heavenly Father's business and for his own so much desired victory Sometimes to be alone is a most excellent help not to be alone Nunquam minus solus quam cum solus I am never less then when I am most alone Fourthly That the whole honour of his victory over Satan might redound to himself alone without any relation at all to any of the creatures As afterwards a little before his death All his Disciples forsook him and w Mat. 26.56 fled and in God's intention for that end they all forsook him and fled that none might imagine that man had any share with his Son in the Redemption of man he trod the wine-press of his Father's wrath alone and of all the people there was none with x Isa 63.3 him And therefore all the glory and honour due to the Redeemer was
not to adoration And God would not have the Angels to be adored much less the blessed Virgin whom her Son a little before his death called woman that none too too much admiring her holiness might fall into Heresie and Idolatry Whereof that the Church of Rome is wilfully guilty both their vain distinction of Doulia Saint-worship and Hyperdoulia more then Saint-worship and their practical doctrine thereupon makes clear and evident But let us return again to our Saviour's answer here to the Divel tempting him to fall down and worship him No saith our Saviour for It is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve v. 9.10 Which let the Divel or any whom he hath deluded say what they will positively excludes all creatures how eminent soever from any even the least claim to religious worship and adoration and as a learned writer w De Fulke on the Rhemish Testament Luke 4.8 saith may as rightly be alledged against the Church of Antichrist for adoring creatures as it was by our Saviour against the Divel himself who required nothing of him but only the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a falling down unto him and that not as unto God but as to some excellent x Calvin Institut lib. 1. cap. 12. Sect. 3. creature and consequently nothing else required he of him but that doulia a term then not invented which the Papists now so boldly give unto Saints and Angels yet even that was utterly denied unto him by our Saviour Neither was any more offered to the Angel by John or to Peter by y Idem ibid. Cornelius or to Paul and Barnabas by the superstitious multitude at Lystra yet neither the one nor the other would any ways accept of what was offered because they well understood that God's due only a falling down and worshipping was not at all under any pretence whatsoever due unto them who were but creatures and because not due though offered it was unto them yet was it not accepted by them though Satan not ignorant that it was not due unto him even for that reason because he was a creature impudently required it and would as willingly have accepted it had not our Saviour with indignation rejected him and made him understand that it was not due unto him saying Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Lo thus was Satan again repulsed by our Saviour with It is written and thus repulsed again then he leaveth him v. 10. And 't was high time to leave him then when he found it not safe for himself to tempt any more either to turn stones into bread or to cast himself down from the Pinacle of the Temple or to fall down and worship him which as it was of all the last so was it of all the most impudentest temptation Like the Natural motion which is the most vehement in the end Then the Divel leaveth him That is then he ceased to tempt any longer because he clearly perceived that it was but in vain to tempt him any longer pugnat non a August in 1 Epist Johan cap. 2. expugnat knowing that his labour was but lost to strive with him who in every Temptation was too mighty for him Then he leaveth him or as it is Luke 4.13 When the Divel had ended all the Temptation he departed from our Saviour for a season Lo He leaveth him he departed from him Words they are we confesse noting a Cessation on the Divels part in respect of his tempting but no way doth it note any slow pace in respect of his departing after he had ended the Temptation No for if his motion be fitly compared unto flying when he is resisted by a Saint as St. James saith Resist the Divel and he will flee from you 4.7 He will flee much more no doubt did he now flee when he was resisted by a Saviour as 't was time for Cataline to flee when he was rebuked by the Senate abiit excessit erupit evasit Solinus relateth strange things of the swiftness of one Philippides and Philonides two in favour with Alexander the great for their hasty speed in b Polyhist cap. 6. p. 53. running But 't is no strange thing to hear that Satan is swifter then all I beheld Satan saith our Saviour after his Gospel began to be preached I beheld him as lightning fall from c Luke 10.18 Heaven As lightning now lightning we know is as soon vanished as seen and as soon was Satan here vanished as sharply reprehended Get thee hence Satan Yet probably in this his great haste after he had left our Saviour he stayed in this place and that place to salute some by the way that acquainting them with his ill successe in the fore-mentioned Temptations and with his desire of revenge for that ill successe he might subtilly infuse his poyson into their hearts as he did and make them fit instruments to assist him another way and at another time who then left our Saviour and departed from him but for a season And such as he then saluted by the way notwithstanding his great speed we will suppose were besides many other the malitious Jews the proud Scribes and Pharisees the chief Priest and Elders of the people Judas the false witnesses Herod Caiphas Pontius Pilate with the scoffing and bloudy Souldiers who within three years afterwards instigated thereunto as his Seconds by the malice of the now raging Divel so furiously assaulted our Saviour not by tempting but by conspiring against him by betraying him by reviling him by sâ—itting on him by buffeting him by scourging him by condemning him that at last they brought him to his death which in their purpose was wholly to cut him out of the Land of the living and utterly destroy him but in God's purpose it was far otherwise even to raise him from death again and highly exalt him as he did by his glorious resurrection whereby he was declared to be the Son of d Rom 1.4 God and the conqueror of Satan and farther Gods purpose also herein was though neither the Divel nor the obstinate Jews who had no share nor part therein would acknowledge it even that his Son's grief and sorrows should procure our joy that his wounds and bruises and stripes should procure our healing that his sufferings should promote his Churches salvation and that his death should become their life as it e Moritur Christus non ut perdat brevem vitam sed ut conferat sempiternam c. Fulgent Serm. de Epiphan p. 656. ca. 8. de Incarnat gratia Chrifti p. 715. did So that even in this also Satan and all his Hell-infected Instruments had the total overthrow and were wholly frustrated of their wicked designs and purposes when our Saviour both for himself and chosen obtained a Triumphant victory over Hell and them But we are speaking now of the Divels behaviour after he had been thrice
their ministry in the production of his omnipotent works in the beginning for that cause the creation of Angels is concealed there and the ministry of Angels for a time suspended here For that cause that our Creator might not be robbed of his glory by a misconstruction of the one nor our Redeemer robbed of his by a misinterpretation of the other But now when the Temptation was fully ended and the Conquest on our Saviour's part fully obtained there being not the least ground at all left why any creature should presume to engross any part of the honour of that victory as due unto themselves now those glorious Spirits were commanded to do him service again as they had done before and commanded they obey Behold Angels came and ministred unto him Angels ministred unto him Ministred not onely food and sustenance unto him if they did that after his long-fasting as was done by the hand of an Angel to r 1 Kings 19.5 6. Elias in the like case but no doubt they also ministred comfort unto him and there was cause for it because as man he was then in most need of comfort even when he was but newly escaped from the snares and temptations of Satan and cause there was for Angels then men were not fit to do it to minister comfort unto him as at another time one of that heavenly host did when being in a great agony an Angel most opportunely appeared unto him from Å¿ Luke 22.43 Heaven strengthning him Nay I see no cause why I may not also safely affirm that part of this Angelical service and ministry was spent at that time in congratulating his late and happy victory and in singing an Eucharistical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a song of praise and thanksgiving to his Father for delivering his Son from the Temptations of Satan When the Israelites had escaped out of the hands of Pharaoh and the Egyptians there was joy and thanksgiving for that Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord and t Exod. 15.1 said c. At another time when they were delivered from the Tyranny of Jaâ—in King of Canaan and Sisera the Captain of his Host Judg. 4. there was joy and thanksgiving for that Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Aliâ—â—am on that day saying Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of u Judg. 5.1 2 c. Israel When David after the death of his son Absalon was delivered from the hands of all his enemies round about him there was also joy and thanksgiving for that And David spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hands of all his enemies and cut of the hands of w 2 Sam. 22.1 c. Saul And can we think that our Saviour was delivered out of the hands of Satan a far more potent Adversary then either Saul or Sisera or Jabin or Pharaoh or all can we conceive I say that this was done without an Eucharistical song of praise and thanksgiving unto God Surely no it was not and who were so fit to do it as Angels that holy and heavenly Quire who in multitudes together magnified the Father for the birth of his Son saying Glory be to God on x Luke 2.13 high All heavenly Hallelu-jah's being most properly set to their melodious voice which is Holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts the whole earth is full of his y Isa 6.3 glory And John in his vision heard the Angels about the Throne cry out with a loud voice saying Worthy is the Lamb to receive honour and glory and a Rev. 5.11 12. praise Lo the work of praise and thanksgiving all and all at other times performed by the holy Angels Therefore David putting them in mind not of their duty which they always remember but of the constant and continual delight they have in praising God which they never forget saith O praise the Lord ye Angels of b Psal 103.10 his which they continually do and then in particular did when hâ—re praising God for Satans overthrow and our Saviour's victory they came and ministred unto him They ministred unto him And therein they did but that for which they were Created even to be ministring Spirits to be God's messengers from Heaven to Faâ—th and again from Earth to Heaven between him and his Church before his Son's Incarnation afterwards between him and his Son the head presupposeth the body also whole he was here on Earth and now our Saviour being bodily absent and the Angels having no more to do for him on Earth in this matter as touching his own Person Ministring Spirits they still are and shall be between God and his * Angels minister unto Saints Saints so long as they shall remain here even to the worlds end as it hath been ever even from the beginning surely so it is and that it is so the Apostle plainly proves saying They are all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of c Heb. 1.14 salvation Lo the Angels work is to minister as here they did to our Saviour and still do to us Lo they themselves are the Sons of God by d Job 38.7 creation and 't is most proper for such to take care of and diligently watch over those that are his sons by grace and adoption which that their ministry may never cease they carefully do and will do and that both while they live when they die and also after they are dead While we live the holy Angels are appointed to protect and defend us both from corporal and spiritual dangers The Angel of the Lord tarrieth round about them that fear him and delivereth c Psal 34.7 them When we die they shall carry our souls as they did the soul of Lazarus into Abrahams bosome into f Luke 16.22 heavens and at the last day when the general resurrection shall come though our bodies have long before been resolved into their first principles the son of man shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the four winds from one end of Heaven to g Matth. 24.31 another So sacred are even their very ashes unto him and the dead in Christ in the faith of Christ shall rise h Thes 4.16 first that they first may be glorified both in soul and body before the reprobates be in both eternally punished Lo God never forgets his Church those that shall be heirs of salvation God never forgets them not in their life not in their death no nor after death neither and therefore the holy Angels shall never forget their office which is to minister for the spiritual and eternal good of all those that shall be saved and that they shall never cease to minister unto us an argument it is in that they here came and ministred unto our Saviour