lack a companion However no place comes amiss to the devil to tempt in Paradise where he tempted our first parents A Palace where he tempted David with pride in numbering his people An upper room where he tempted Iudas to betray Christ The Congregation the Apostles being present where he tempted Ananias and Sapphira to tell a lye But Satan is in his throne most potent and powerful in a solitary place in the wilderness What was the Devils design in tempting of Christ He had a double designe 1. If possible to wound him with sin which if he had effected he had frustrated the salvation of mankind Satan knowing he could not save others who sinned himself Seeing Satan must needs know already that Christ was the Son of God why would he adventure on a labour in vaine seeing it was impossible to make him sin Iam. 1.13 God cannot be tempted with evil Now Satan must needs know that Christ was the Son of God by what he had seen and heard He had heard Gabriels salutation to the Virgin Mary Luk. 1.35 That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God The Angels singing to the Shepherds Luk. 2.11 To you is born a Saviour which is Christ the Lord The prophecie of Simeon Luk. 2.34 plainly describing him for a Saviour yea Satan had seen the Spirit of God descending on him as a Dove Mat. 3.16 and God owning him from heaven for his welbeloved Son All these observed by Satan must needs infallibly inform him that Christ was the Son of God and therefore it was a wonder that the devil would tempt him All these did only amount to vehement suspitions whereby Satan might probably conjecture but could not certainly conclude him the Son of God I mean thus he could not hereby collect That Christ was the second Person in the Trinity incarnated assuming mans flesh and nature upon him He knew him to be the Son of God by grace and adoption such an one as David and other men were and a most eminent person in piety and holiness He knew also that he was the Redeemer of Israel such as Moses Ioshua and the rest of the Judges were all of them Saviours of their people by temporal deliverances from their enemies But he knew not certainly though he shrewdly suspected that he was the only Son of God by eternal generation and who by his death and Passion should save mankind from their sins Wherefore the devil did not wholly despaire but tempted Christ with some probability of success This first design I may call it the devils forlorne hope which he himself almost despaired would take effect The second was his Reserve which was to vex our Saviours soul with suffering an affliction If righteous Lot 2 Pet. 2.8 dwelling among the Sodomites in seeing and hearing vexed his soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds surely it not only grated the ears but grieved the heart of Christ to hear the devil lye so impudently blaspheme God so presumptuously quote Scripture so perfidiously and apply it so mischievously What was Gods intent in leading Christ to be tempted That he gaining an experimental knowledge of Temptations might sympathize the more affectionately with us in our temptations Heb. 4.15 For we have not such an high Priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted as we are yet without sin Why did God suffer Saint Paul 2 Cor. 1.8 to fall into a desperate sickness and escape it but chiefly that he might verse 4. comfort others in trouble by the comfort wherewith himself was comforted in God And for the same reason suffered Christ to be tempted I wonder why Papists assigne such and such diseases to such and such Saints to cure them as soare eyes to Saint Blaze the tooth-ach to Saint Appollonia Was it not because perchance we shall give a better reason for the Papists therein then they can give for themselves these Saints when living were affected with these infirmities which makes them more compassionate to such as suffer the same maladies But whatsoever thy paines be make thy application by prayer to Christ who will experimentally pity thy condition Art thou hungry he was hungry Mat. 4. Thirsty he was thirsty Ioh. 4. Weary he weary Mat. 27. Tempted he was tempted as in the text By a barbarous and ancient custome all the goods of shipwrackt men were escheated to the Crown and so the poor Merchant was stript out of the raggs of his estate which the modesty of the windes and waves had left him But when King Richard the first himself had been on the Sea neer Sicily like to be drowned he recalled those Customes making provision that the propriety of those goods should still be preserved to the right owner Christ hath been tossed in a Tempest of Temptation and knows what belongs to the trouble thereof Let us pray to him with confidence in all our distresses assured that out of the bowels of his experimental compassion he will have the more mercy upon us CHRISTS First Temptation to DESPAIRE SERMON II. MATTH. 4.2 And when he had fasted fourty days and fourty nights he was afterwards an hungry IT was the constant practice of our Saviour after some eminent act was performed by him or extraordinary honour conferred on him presently to cloud himself in obscurity He had in such cases three general retreating places 1. A Mountaine 2. A Ship 3. A wilderness When he had fed five thousand with five loaves Mat. 14.23 he went up into a mountain alone to pray When he had fed four thousand with seven loaves Mat. 15.39 then he sent away the multitude and took ship When he had raised Lazarus to life Ioh. 9.54 he went thence into a country neer to the wilderness If importunate popularity would press after Christ it should clamber up a Mountaine with paines or saile on the Sea with peril or seek him in a Wilderness with difficulty How contrary is this to the practice of most men when they have done any thing which they conceive fine and gallant above the standard of ordinary men then they love to appear in publike and present themselves to the view of others As to eclipse himself was Christ's custome when any eminent act was done by him the same was his practice when any extraordinary honor was conferred on him thus lately dignified to the eys ears of the beholders with a sight and voice from heaven he prâ—senâ—ly retreated into the wilderness Where when he had fasted fourty dayes and fourty nights he was afterward an hungry The words containe the through-fast of Christ Wherein observe 1. The depth thereof a total abstinence Luke saith he eat nothing Some criticks will carp hereat How could a negative terminate an act But the meaning thereof is this he eat not at all 2. The bredth thereof he fasted Daies and nights hence we gather
what was it kept Christ from their violence even his Innocence and that character of Soveraignty which God had stamped on him Bucephalus could be back'd by none but by Alexander to whom the horse willingly submitted himself and whence Philip his father presageth that his son would become Monarch of the world The wilde beasts owned Christ for their Lord and Master Dominum cognoscite vestrum and therefore offered no injury to him Thus afterwards the ass-colt whereon never man sate before Luke 19.30 quietly carried our Saviour If therefore the creatures start from their wonted obedience unto thee reflect on thine own sins as the principal causes thereof One who had been undutiful to his father complained of the badness of his own son None saith he hath had so graceless a childe as my self To whom his son with more truth then wit more wit then grace replied Yes my grandfather had When thou complainest that never master had such undutiful servants in the creatures as thou hast such barren earth such unwholesome air such curst kine such resty horses might not these dumb creatures if borrowing a mans voice return unto thee Yes thy Master hath God hath as rebellious a servant in thy sinful self Sure I am Christs innocence commanded the wilde beasts into obedience muzled the Bears mouth brake the Tygers teeth blunted the Boars tusks pared the Lions paws onely the Devil that lion after fourty days fasting adventured to seize on him And afterwards he was an hungred Three principal reasons may be alleadged for Christs hunger First because he was now to leave the Wilderness and come into a Country that afforded plenty of food God therefore who had formerly tied up his appetite now let it loose again The second Reason to shew you the truth of his Humility His fasting so long spake him God his being hungry afterwards spake him Man His fasting and being an hungry afterwards spake him God-man and a fit Mediator The third Reason to toll on the devil to tempt Christ with some hope of success that so Satans shame and confusion might be the more when overcome Christs being an hungry in some sort tempted the devil to tempt him and inspirited Satan with some probability of conquest for Satan before was almost out of heart at the long miraculous fasting of Christ onely one thing comforted him that Moses and Elias fasted as long and yet were but meer men Iam. 5.17 subject to like passions as we are This I say kept Satan in heart that notwithstanding Christ's long fasting he might be subject to sin and when he found him an hungry his hope was doubled that all was his own which made him tempt Christ with the more confidence From Christ's hunger at last after so long fasting we conclude Men cannot conclude the constant tenure and continuance of their souls from some extraordinary acts by them performed Men sometimes are enabled by God to go beyond themselves and are raised in some kinde of performances to so high a pitch that they can never reach it afterwards But if this good temper should stay with them some terme of time he cannot thence truely infer a perpetuity of that condition One may be chaste fourty days together and not feele the least motion to lust yet afterwards be wanton One may be patient fourty days together and not finde the least provocation to passion yet afterwards be immoderately angrie God's Spirit may vigorously quicken thee for a time and then leave thee to thy self I say He may then leave thee to thy Natural and Moral as here he left Christ to his Natural infirmity who after fourty days fasting was afterwards an hungrie CHRIST'S First Temptation to DESPAIRE SERMON III. MATTH. 4.3 And when the tempter came to him he said If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread BEfore we come to the words three Questions must first be propounded and answered 1. How could Satan be properly said to come at the end of fourty days when Christ Luk. 4.2 was all that time tempted by him Satan discharged at Christ to and again haunting him like the fits of an intermitting Ague alternately and frequently iterating his coming departure and return but now at last he came with a witness to give him three parting-thrusts with all his skill and strength 2. In what visible shape did the devil appear because the text saâ—th He came which properly signifies some corporal access Indeed Divines collect so much from that word but perchance they lay more weight thereon then it can well bear for we read Mat. 13.19 Then cometh the wicked one and catcheth away that which was sown in their hearts yet Satan in no bodily shape but by inward suggestions stealeth the Word from us Such as conceit the devil tempted Christ in the shape of a Pharisee Essâ—â— an or some strict pretended holy mortified Order amongst the Jews have onely Fancie for their foundation But we must be contentedly ignorant in what bodily shape Satan made his approach seeing God hath not acquainted us with the certainty thereof 3. How came Satan to know Christ was an hungred If I be an hungred I will not tell thee It being utterly improbable that Christ made any complaint of his hunger to the devil Mans natural imperfections are easily discovered by his prying eyes who being an excellent Anatomist knew all inward and outward symptomes of hunger by the sudden change in his bowels stomack face looks c. haply confirmed by Christ's outward gestures seeking to finde some food in that place whence Satan took the hint of his temptation 1. Satan knows how and when to lay his baits for the best advantage How for the manner 1 Pet. 5.8 He walketh about seeking whom he may devour Walketh about not onely in relation to the whole world which he compasseth Iob 1.7 but also in respect of the particular person whom he tempteth An Enemy before he besiegeth a City surroundeth it at distance to see where the wall is the weakest best to be battered lowest easiest to be scaled ditch narrowest to be bridged shallowest to be waded over what place is not regularly fortified where he may approach with least danger and assault with most advantage So Satan walketh about surveying all the powers of our souls where he may most probably lay his Temptations whether our Understandings are easier corrupted with Error or our Fancies with Levity or our Wills with Frowardness or our Affections with Excess c. He knoweth also when to lay his baits Ier. 8.7 The stork knoweth his appointed time and the turtle and the crant and the swallow observe the time of their coming namely when most seasonable for their advantage but Satan this Vultuâ—e or Bird of prey is more knowing then all of them in this kinde What month in the yeer week in the month day in the week hour in the day it is best to bring
concealed the grievances shews onely the glory of the world Let us look as well on the bitterness in the end as on the present pleasantness of sin and eye Iaels naile and hammer as well as her butter in a Lordly dish Now if one mark these opera preparatoria of Satan in the text and consider their tendency whereunto one may observe a darker compleâ—tion and more of hell likely to be in this then in both the former temptations Satan will reserve his worst assaults for the last Of the three this Bait was far most pernicious If we consider 1. The sin to which he tempted was more damnable 2. The meanes whereby he tempted were most plausible The outward Court of Solomons Temple was Holy the middle Holier but the third or innermost the Holy of Holiest But in the hellish method of Satans Temptations the first to Despair was profane the second to Presumption was profaner the last to Idolatry profanest of all Now we will insist on three reasons why Satan keepeth the worst alwaies for the last First because he is of the nature of a serpent That old serpent called the devil Rev. 12.9 and that beast is sufficiently knowne to carry his worst poison in his hindmost parts Secondly because he alwaies delighteth to be one of the Antipodes in opposition to Gods proceedings who being the Author of concord makes ever the sweetest musick in the close as the other the worst jarring therein Christ Iohn 2.10 kept the best wine unto the last Satan in this his Temptation reserved to the last the dregs and lees of his sowrest and sharpest vinegar Thirdly because morsus ferarum morientium dirissimi the bites of dying beasts are the sharpest and when Satan must depart a death to him and leave off to tempt us he will badger-like make his teeth meet and take his leave with leaving a deep impression Beware the last last Temptation of Satan on the day of our death Then he will as we say make a bolt or shaft of it put it to the push either lose himself or gain thy soul We read Iohn 7.37 In the last day that great day of the feast Iesus stood and cryed c. But how loud will the Devil that Lion roar in the great and last day of thy life when it is with him the last time of tempting either now conquer or let him hereafter for ever hold his peace This is sad tidings will the weak Christian say to all in my condition Alas the Devil too oft prevaileth against me in my strength and health I shall certainly then be foiled when being weakned with long sickness I shall be assaulted with death and the Devil both at the same instant Be not dejected God will keep thee unto the end and in the end and will not suffer thee at the last gaspe for any paines of death to fall from him Comfortable is the expression Psa. 68.20 Unto God the Lord belong the ISSUES from death Wherein observe first Death is not a total and final extinguishing of mens being but there is an emergency an Issue out of it Secondly In the Plural there be Issues two Exits out of death Mat. 25.4 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternal Thirdly These issues are not in the power of man or angel to order and dispose of Alas were it in the power of some men to order them in this uncharitable age so full of fractions and factions those of an opposite judgement unto themselves would hardly find a favourable Issue from death Lastly and most to our comfort these Issues are only in the sole disposing of God himself who of his mercy will make us conquerors over Satans temptations by whose gracious â—ssistance Psa. 91.15 the Lyon and the Dragon two names of the Devil in Scripture shall at the minute of our death be trampled under our feet Amen CHRIST'S Third Temptation to IDOLATRY SERMON X. MATTH. 4.9 And saith unto him All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me Or as it is more large Luke 4.6.7 And the devil said unto him All this power will I give thee and the glory of them for tâ—at is delivered unâ—o me and to whomsoâ—ver I will I â—ive it If thou therefore wilt worship me all shall be thine THese words contain a bargain and sale endeavoured though not effected Wherein observe First The Seller Satan For though he boasts himselfe for a giver Will I give thee it was not donum but excambium wherein he desired to have quid pro quo yea an over-valuable consideration Thus Simoniacal Patrons boast how frankly and freely they give their Livings when indeed they sell them to unworthy Incumbents either by retention of tithes or receiving of money Secondly The things to be sold Lawyers charge their Deeds with words enough seemingly to the same purpose though certainly the Learned know a necessary difference in them Profits Emoluments Hereditaments Obventions Appendants Appurtenances c. The Devil compriseth them in one word All but afterwards brancheth it into two parts {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} power and glory Thirdly The sellers power to make a good state Nihil dat quod non habet Nothing can give to another what it hath not it self formally or vertually Satan herein pretends conscience he would not deceive our Saviour by felling him a crack'd title but shews his evidence how he came possess'd of the same All these things are delivered unto me Fourthly The condition Satan would not give Christ the world in Frank-almonage but on the price of being worshipped Yea his worship must be performed according to the best fashion with all state solemnity and ceremony thereof with falling downe Observe the Devils subtilty he will trust nothing but to make sure work would have all paid him before he would part with any thing No worship first no worldly wealth for it Lastly One thing is wanting and that a material one to strike up the bargain viz. a chapman and we have him half in the text one desired and sought for but not found out and obtained For Christ refused Satans termes which marr'd his market seeing no indented Deed can be perfected without full consent of both parties How comes Satan now to omit that preface general uâ—ed by him in both his former Temptations viz. If thou beest the Son of God Is there not a cause Satan out of designe suppressed it as sensible that now it made as much against as formerly for his advantage For should Christ seriously consider that he was the Son of God he would never ask a blessing at the hands of him who was his Fathers professed Enemy Observe Christians consulting their divine extraction would disdain to do many many base sins which now they commit He that is born of God committeth not sin 1 Joh. 3.9
his Temâ—ptâ—tion Indeed those four birds divide the yeer betwixt them the Swallow coming in the Spring the Sâ—ork as I take it in the Winter c. whilst this wilde Haâ—py comes all times of the yeer no season is unseasonable to him wherein he can get advantage Let us be careful to fortifie our selves against the assaults of Satan especially let us watch against that time unknown to us when Luke 22.53 the hour and power of darkness shall meet together How many people are there servilely and superstitiously afraid of this following Eclipse they afright themselves with fear what dismal effects are portended thereby But where is that man truely affected with the taking notice of and making defence against the time when the devils temptations taking advantage of our sins shall hide the sunshine of Gods favour from our apprehensions Now chiefly provide against two times First after thou hast been guilty to thy self of totally omitting or perfunctorily performing of Prayer for then Satan discovers a breach in thy soul and will assault it Secondly at the hour of death when his rage is the greatest because his raign is the shortest who like a bad Tenant having a Lease ready to expire without impeachment of Waste cares not what havock he makes because not tied to Reparations The tempter The Devil is the tempter paramount There be other tempters The World the Flesh Wicked men but all these are subservient to Satan who in them and by them driveth on his designe of Temptation But this Tempter never before nor since took such a task in hand as here to tempt Christ Fiery darts Eph. 6.16 can make no impression where they meet not with combustible matter Granado's if cast on a Castle all strongly arched over with stone do small execution so here Satans temptations took no effect in Christ because finding no party to comply with him Ioh. 14.30 The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me Though Christ was All in all yet Satan found nothing in him namely for his purpose no Corruptions to be tinder to his fiery Temptations If thou beest the Son of God Some conceive that Satan herein dissembled his knowledge as Ioseph who did know and would not know his brethren though assured Christ was the Son of God Such a sort of people we meet with 2 Pet. 3.5 For this they are willingly ignorant of But cui bono For what conceived good to himself should the devil disguise his knowledge herein Others conceive that as an angry dog bites a stone out of meer madness though knowing he shall sooner break his teeth then batter the stone so Satans malice so far transported and blinded his judgement that he tempted Christ though knowing him for the Son of God his temptations would prove in effectuâ—l But I rather cast the grain of my opinion into the Seale of those Divines who conceive the devil unsaâ—isfied in this point and therefore his of thou be the Son of God proceeded from his desire of more perfect information therein Hence we learn Satan hath a limited and confined knowledge and is ignorâ—nt in many things He knoweth not the secrets of our hearts nor future contingencies reserved to God alone the reason why he returned such ridling Oracles meerly to palliate his own ignorance In such things he speaks warily with an if not that he is conscientious not to tell a lye but cunning not to be caught with a lye that by pretending of truâ—h he may keep up his credit and deceive with the less suspicion Secondly from this if we collect also It is Satan's master-piece to make Gods children first doubt of and then deny their sonship For had Christ entertained this temptation at the next return Satan would have turned si into non this his conditional particle into a pure negation This he doth by two devices First by insinuating a si a suspicion of doubt into the most positive and pregnant promises of God Where God saith Call upon me in the time of trouble and I will hear thee Satan infers if he will hear thee Where Christ saith Mar. 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Satan suggests if he shall be saved In a word the devil endeavours to alter the property of all Gods promises for the worst substituting a supposition for Gods position as where God had lately said Matth. 3.17 This is my beloved Son the devil spoils a direct text with a doubting gloss If thou be the Son of God Secondly by heightning the afflictions of Gods servants to be so great as inconsistent with their sonship as here he would perswade Christs hunger argued him no Son of God except he could presently relieve himself So he tempts Gods children to believe that their poverty infamy captivity and other tribulations plainly prove them no sons of God unless they can presently rid themselves of them Gratifie not Satan in the deepest of thy afflictions with a confession against thy self Acknowledge thy self a prodigal but yet a childe no bastard a wandering sheep but yet a sheep no goat sanctified afflictions being evidences of Gods love not hatred unto thee Remember and apply to thy self Gods three GIFTS The first good The second better The third best of all The first general Ioh. 3.16 He GAVE his onely Son that whosoever believeth in him c. The second particular Eph. 5.25 loved the Church and GAVE himself for it The last and best more particular still Gal. 2.20 who loved me and GAVE himself for me Take heed to pleasure Satan by renouncing thine own sonship and apply this grand Gift of Christ with a particular faith unto thy self Command that these stones be made bread Even by the confession of Satan himself The Son of God by his mandate can instantly transubstantiate stones into bread Indeed men by the help of a figure may in some sort be said to do so Such who in the West country turn solid Lime-stones into Compost whereby they manure their Tillage and make their grain wonderfully to increase may by a Metonymie be said to turn stones into bread But this is done with a tedious going about whereas Christ's Miracles are presently and perfectly performed Immediately his leprosie was cleansed Matth. 8.3 Immediately their â—yâ—e received sight Matth. 20.34 Immediately the fever left her Mark 1.31 Immediately her issue of blood was stanched Luke 8.44 God onely can instantly and perfectly with such as act by commission under him as Moses did turn the substance of one thing into another See we here That Jannes and Jambres the Egyptian inchanters did their Miracles but seemingly Had Christ rejoyned My turning of stones into bread will nâ— argue me the Son of God seeing the Egyptian Magicians Exod. 7.12 turned their â—ods into serpents how quickly would the devil have distinguished that these things were done quoad 〈◊〉 tudinem non quoad â—â—ritatem disclaiming his own deed because Aaron's rod swallowed
up theirs that is it lasted and conâ—â—â—â—ed when the others vanished awaye Three good things appear in this temptation of Satan 1. Truth allowing Divide Omnipotencie 2. Temperance that stones should not be turned into variety of daiâ—ties provocatives of wantonness but onely into bread for necessary sustenance 3. Tenderness counselling Christ to support his own life and health But as the Loâ—â—â—ls Rev. 9 7. bad faces like the faces of men but 〈◊〉 like â—nto scorpions so here Satans temptation had much of humanity and Philanthropia in the complexion and visage thereof and no wonder he can make himself look like a man who can 1 Cor. 11.14 transform himself into an angel of light but a sting in the tail to put Christ on the preposterous working of a miracle to the distrust of his Fathers providence Learn we from hence to fear all discourse with Satan and suspect all that he saith as having a reach beyond our discovery Metuas Satanam vel vera loquentem Some will say Let Satan but speak the truth and let him do his worst Ex veris possunt nil nisi vera sequi By the necessity of Logick truth must inevitably follow from the truth he speaks But know his sophistry can grast a lye suddenly on the stock of truth so artificially so invisibly that thine eye cannot discern the same Lastly be jealous of Satans best temptations which as here to Christ pretend most courtesie and kindness in them Stinks are not so dangerous for mens healths whose offensiveness makes them easie to be avoided as those faint and luscious smell which complying with mans nature insensibly steal into the nostrils such is the smell of May-flowers mellow apples and they say of the Plague it self But of all sents the least suspected and therefore most malignant is the stink of a Goal * which is somewhat akin to man arising from the corruption of his flesh and sweat Take heed especially of those temptations of Satan which have some mixture of humanity in them as this in the Text when he perswaded our Saviour by sin to preserve himself Studiously avoid such Temptations which in some manner claim kindred of us lest by their pretended alliance to our natural preservation they surprise our souls into a sudden consent unto them CHRIST'S First Temptation to DESPAIRE SERMON IIII. MATTH. 4.4 But he answered and said It is written Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God THere is a received fancie as old as common false as either having no footing in Scripture but founded partly on that license which Painters assume to themselves partly on the pretended apparitions of ignorant Monks That the devil is horned The best moral I can make of so fond a conceit is this The devil's temptations are horned or forked bicornea argumenta So that chuse which you will he hopeth to gore the soul Thus in the last verse to our Saviour If thou be the Son of God c. One the one side Satan hoped to make Christ renounce his sonship there is one born or else to work a needless Miracle there is the other horn and with such Dilemma's he useth daily to assault Gods children But what saith David Psal. 75.12 I will break the horns of the ungodly which here was truely performed by Christ who found out a medium betwixt the two extremities namely that a man without bread might support himself by a faithful and patient dependance on Gods promises Hunger saith our English Proverb will break thorow stone walls and Satan hoped that Christ's hunger should transport him so far as to turn those stones miraculously into bread When contrary to his expectation Christ turns a place of Scripture being the bread of life into a stone wherewith he hit wounded and repelled Satan He answered and said Man shall not live by bread alone c. Observe therein First what Christ did not do he did not work a Miracle to gratifie Satan Secondly what he did say he fenced himself and foiled his foe by alleadging of Scripture Most of the difficulties in this text will be explained if we but propound and expound one wonder which we meet with of Christ's working in the Gospel The Wonder is this that Christ afterwards Ioh. 2. turned water into wine at a Wedding and would not now turn stones into bread in the Wilderness For 1. Both were equally easie and both required an infinite agent 2. Wine is but a meer superfluity but bread is of absolute necessity to mans life yea men may quench their thirst from water when they cannot satisfie their hunger from stones 3. Wine at that time and place was a superfluity of a superfluity it appearing by the text Ioh. 2.10 they had well drunk Understand it not so excessively but still there was a plus ultra for honest mirth or otherwise our Saviour would not patronize drunkenness Lastly that miracle he did to gratifie guests but here he was concerned for his own support and yet refus'd to work it The reason of all this is He did that miracle in Cana for the converting of unbelievers to the faith and the confirming of weak believers in the faith The text saith Ioh. 2.11 This beginning of miracles did Iesus in Cana of Galilee and manifested forth his glory and his disâ—iples believed on him Now here he refused to turn stones into bread because 1. It was unnecessary Christ now being to leave the wilderness might either buy or else request food elsewhere 2. It was unseasonable to do it at Satans suit and solliciting who would be ready to brag that he had Christ at his command to practise miracles at his pleasure wherefore neither Satan nor his Imps Herod Luke 23.8 and the Pharisees Matth. 16.1 could prevail with Christ to shew them a signe when either out of curiosity wantonness or craft they required the same 3. It was unprofitable there being no hopes of Satan's conversion The blinde man being pressed often to repeat the manner of Christs curing him said bluntly to the Pharisees Ioh. 9.27 Wherefore would ye hear it again will ye also be his disciples Why should our Saviour work a wonder Satan being present would he also be Christ's convert He could not he would not believ to salvation Lastly it was unlawful to tempt God to work a needless miracle when there were other ways to subsist without it Which leads our meditations to observe Christ and his Apostles wrought their miracles with a publike spirit for Gods glory They never used their healing or sanative Miracles for their own relief nor their hurting or destructive Miracles in their own revenge For the first It is well known how neer and dear Timothy was to Saint Paul whom he called * his son yet he would not cure those frequent infirmities wherewith Timothy was troubled Paul that cured the cripple at Lystra of his lameness Acts 14.10 healed the father of
and brought such a one to fight with him on Calice-sands that iâ— by mutual consent the other being as willing to go as the chalenger to have him so Christ confident of his cause innocence armour and Gods assistance went willingly with the devil refusing no place of his profering However our Divines generally conceive that God for the present gave Satan power over Christs body to transport it which may be maintained without any absurdity For if the Imps of Satan the Souldiers and Priests Officers had power to carry him from the garden to Annas from Annas to Caiaphas from Caiaphas to Pilate from Pilate to Herod from Herod to Pilate from Gabbatha to Golgotha no wonder if Satan himself might have commission to carry him and Christ shew submission to be carried by him In a word as when Pilate boasted what great matters he could do Ioh. 19.11 Jesus as humbly as sharply returned Thou couldst have no power against me except it were given thee from above So Satan could have no power over Christs body except God for his own greater glory had permitted it unto him Into the holy citie How can a material citie being but an heap of houses be accounted holy As there is none good but one God himself so none holy but he by original inherent holiness none holy but Angels and Men with derivative inherent holiness But a relative holiness belongs to places and things consecrate or set apart from civil or profane to religious or pious uses But how could Ierusalem now be accounted holy seeing the complaint Isai. 1.21 was now truer then ever How is the faithful city become an harlot What an holy Harlot Matth. 28 37. O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou that killest the prophets and stonest c. What an holy Murderer Abominable corruptions swarmed therein The High-Priesthood which Iure Divino ought to have been for term of life was by a fundamental innovation made annual Ioh. 11.49 Caiaphas being high-priest that same yeer Traditions were advanced not onely to make void but to check the written Word of God The Pharisees made the strength of God's Laws to leak with their carnal and restrictive gloss and could this be still the holy city It was so because notwithstanding these corruptions the vitals of Gods service and mans salvation were therein still continued There was the holy Altar the heart of Religion holy because it held the holy Sacrifices and they holy because they were Types of Christ the Truth the holy One of God Separation therefore may be made from the corruptions not from the fundamentals of a true though sick Church such as Ierusalem now was much depraved but still the holy citie of God Satan is not deterred from tempting by the holiness of any place For here was a Triplicity of holiness centred together Holy land Zech. 2.12 In this holy land Ierusalem termed the holy city in the text as also so called Matth. 27.53 In this holy city the holy temple Psal. 5.7 I will worship toward thy holy temple A fourth may be added the Pinacle which though not the holiest yet the highest place of the Temple in a local position But all these nothing frighted the devil from tempting Some have admired at the impudence of those thieves who durst cut purses in Prayer time in the Kings Chappel his Majestie being present and under the Cloth of State All this is nothing to Satans boldness who catcheth away that which was sown in the heart Matth. 13.19 in the Church it self where the King of heaven is graciously present And since he tempted Christ on the Temple fears not to tempt Christians in it for all the holiness of the place To tempt the Preachers in the Pulpit to affect popular applause bow Scripture to his own ends tempt the Reader in the Desk to have his minde roving whilst his tongue is reading the Word tempt the People in their Puts to carp and cavil at the Sermon and to come thither rather to see and be seen then to learn and practise In a word no holiness of place dâ—ters Satan from tempting See here the folly of the Papists who conceive holy water holy reliques holy rags will drive Satan away when holy land holy city holy temple heavenly pinacle did not fright him from tempting our Saviour Pinacle of the temple Understand a Battlement otherwise Iosephus informs us that the Broches of metal on the top of the Temple were pointed as sharp as a needle purposely to prevent birds sitting and defiling upon them Two things make a Pinacle 1. Height 2. Narrowness Both which here met together Let those then first beware who stand upon the pinacle of a doubting conscience and who adventure on those things the lawfulness whereof is questioned both by themselves and others Such as use Pastimes on the Lords day which for their violence and obstreporousness seem labour rather then exercises these stand on a pinacle Such as being divorced from their wives for adultery proved in them and marry again their wives yet surviving stand on a pinacle Such as marry their Cousin-german which I confess not forbidden in Scripture by reason of their vicinity are conceived by some Divines to stand on a pinacle And as I wish all such as have taken their station there firm footing unwilling to cast scruple into their consciences so it will not be amiss to advise those whose affections are unengaged and that have the wide world before them not to adventure on such a pinacle Secondly Let those beware of temptations who stand upon a pinacle of Distress as David did 2 Sam. 24.14 I am in a great strait when chuse betwixt Famine Flight and Pestilence Time was when he boasted Tho hast set my feet in a large room but see into what straits sin hath now reduced him Thirdly let them beware temptations that stand on the pinacle of Dignity 1. Because their falls are more conspicuous 1 King 1.20 Bathsheba said to David The eyes of all Israel are upon thee 2. Because their fall would be more dangerous â—olluntur in altum ut lapsu graviore ruant Now for their comfort let such examine themselves whether God â—et them on the pinacle or whether they clambered up themselves If the former he that placed them there will protect them there he that set them there will save them there What makes Tylers Plumbers Masons and Carpenters adventure themselves so boldly on the tops of houses Two things namely their Calling and Custom begets their Confidence If God hath called thee and used thee in the height of honour he will preserve thee therein But Adonijah who exalted himself to the pinacle 1 Reg. 1.5 must beware a downfal and they who climb up to Greatness by a ladder of their own sins commonly make but one step in their falling down from the top to the bottom Let me give also this counsel to those who stand on the pinacle of Dignity Always look
upon line here a little and there a little We must not think to do all at once Christ in my Text would not leap down from the Temple but go down by the Stayrs and it is folly in us to think to leap up in the edifying of Gods spiritual Temples to inform them in an instant in all fundamental matters which requireth much time and must be done by degrees The Lord It is height of Madness to tempt so great a Majestie as the LORD Abner disswaded Asahel from pursuing him 2 Sam. 2.21 Turn thee aside to the right hand or to the left and lay hold on one of the young men If you must needs be tempting be trying conclusions be making experiments let men meddle with their matches and tamper with those which are equal with themselves but forbear chalenging one infinitely above us 1 Cor. 10.22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie What are we stronger then he What king Luke 14.31 going forth to war against another king doth not first sit down and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him who cometh against him with twenty thousand I confess here is a possibility implied that one may manage a Defensive war with hope of success though the enemy be two to one against him namely where the lesser number are better armed disciplin'd victuall'd flesh'd with success have the advantage of the time and place not to speak of the goodness of the Cause But will any tempt the Lord and not first consider with himself Can thy folly mate his Wisdom thy Weakness his Strength thy I say not ten his twenty thousand but cypher his infinite millions O tempt him not he is the Lord Thy God It is the height of Badness to tempt so good a Majestie as Thy GOD Christ said unto the Pharisees Ioh. 10.32 Many good works have I shewed you for which of those works do you stone me So may the God of heaven say to us sinful men Many benefits I load you with daily Psal. 68.19 Whilst we vile wretches as it is Amos 2.13 press him with our sins as a cart is pressed under sheaves for which of those benefits do you thus tempt me and constantly rebel against me Is it because God gave thee plenty and freedom in the penury and captivity of others that therefore thou dost tempt him Is it because God hath endowed thee with many natural abilities above thy fellows that therefore thou dost tempt him Or because he hath conferred on thee many spiritual gifts and graces that therefore thou dost tempt him Ioseph when sollicited by his Mistress to uncleanness brought an argument to disswade himself from wronging his Master fetched from the many favours he had heaped upon him Gen. 39.9 There is none greater in this house then I neither hath my master kept c. The same seriously considered and sincerely applied to our hearts would keep us from committing many sins against him who hath endeared us unto him with many mercies and who is not onely The Lord but Thy God CHRIST'S Third Temptation to IDOLATRY SERMON IX MATTH. 4.8 Again the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world ONe cannot proceed with any Christian comfort and necessary confidence on a Text whilst it remaineth incumbred with doubts and difficulties We will therefore endeavour first to remove two of the greatest importance What made Satan shift his place seeing the Pinacle of the Temple whereon he stood before was as proper to his purpose by reason of the elevation thereof thence to render a veiw of the Glory of the world For the Temple was a stately structure founded no mount Moriah 2 Chron. 3.1 and the Pinacle being on the top thereof afforded a conveniency to survey round about at great distance Not so all the City and the Temple therein was seated though on an Hill in an Hole surrounded with higher mountains on all sides Psal. 125.2 As the mountains are round about Ierusalem so the Lord is round about his people Olivet on the East Zion on the South Gihon on the Southwest Calvary on the Northwest Satan therefore chose a larger Horizon where the Sight was not so circumscrib'd and removed from the Pinacle to a Mountain Not to say that the Devil desired to put his new poyson into new bottles and to make his new temptation the more taking and pleasant with the novelty of another place to which he adjourned it But the next knot is far harder to untie consisting indeed of a quaternion of difficulties all complicated and twisted together The first ex parte loci drawn from the place Grant it {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a mountain {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} high {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} exceeding high whereon Satan took his station yet was it too low thence to take the prospect of the whole world Tenariff in the Canarie Islands is beleived the highest mountain of the yet-known world yet is not conceived to be perpendicularly above fifteen miles high too low a Pedestal for one thereon to stand to overlook the whole world The second ex parte objecti from the thing to be seen all the world Abate {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the world adorn'd with creatures according to Saint Matthew and confine it onely with S. Luke to {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the part thereof inhabited by men and it was not visible at one view with all the glory thereof For much of it lay buried in the bowels of the earth in mines and minerals much was concealed in Coin in the Coffer of Misers bolting out the beams of the Sun from the sight thereof The third ex parte organi from the Eye the instrument of sight It is true Matth. 6.22 If the Eye be single the whole Body shall be full of light And we must allow our Saviour a single Eye naturally quick and cleare except weakened with weeping for our sins yet finite was the sphere of the activity thereof nor so extensive as with one view to visit all the Diocess of the world The last ex parte temporis from the time Saint Luke allowing no longer term then a moment for all this performance Now no considerable impression could be made on Christs affections to like or loath in so short a time As good never a whit as never the better and in effect it was never shown which was so soon râ—moved The first answer to these difficulties cometh unto us recommended by the authority of Saint Chrysostome affirming that the Devil did show that is by his gesture and pointing demonstrate to Christ the gloâ—y of the world which might easily be done in a moment and afterwards Satan at his leasure did largely comment on his foresaid manual Indication hightning and advancing worldly wealth power and pomp to the greatest advantage with that flattering Rhetorick
and fallacious Logick wherein that lying spirit doth excell So that we have onely the Rubrick and Breviate of Satans oration set downe in text without the embellishments and amplifications thereof wherein he enlarged himself to our Saviour The second answer is of such who conceive Satan chose out a select parcel of ground probably in Asia and the Eastern parts where Nature is most triumphant and orient in pleasure and treasure within the compass of Christs sight and presented it as a sample unto him whence he might ghess the glory of all the rest And I see no cause to the contrary but that Satan might make his election in Palestine it self which Country not in relation to its spiritual advantages but meerly for the outward fruitfulness thereof as appears in the text is twice termeâ— viz. Ezek. 20.6 and 15. the GLORY of all LANDS A third sort answer that the glory of the world was not really shown but onely seemingly and in appearance represented by Satan the master-Iugler in all delusions to the sight of our Saviour So that all worldly wealth being in comparison of an eternal and stable good but a shadow this Pageant was but the shadow of a shadow quickly vanishing away Either because the brittle constitution thereof would abide no long continuance or that Satan purposely withdrew it presently to make Christ more eâ—gerly to desire it as meat is tyrannically shewn to and taken from hungry stomacks to increase their appetite after it I will not interpose my opinion which answer to prefer but conceive if all three be compounded together enough may be collected out of them to give a modest and sober minde convenient satisfaction Shewed him all the Kingdomes of the world Observe Kingdoms are generally the Governments wherein most earthly glory and gallantry is visible and conspicuous Yet I believe there want not those who dare maintain that though Pomp may be more in Kingdoms Pride may be as much in Commonwealths Now seeing the whole Text is but a Dumb show wherein nothing is spoken but onely all things presented to the sight of our Saviour we learne The Eye is the principal Broker to make up the bargain betwixt sin and our soul I say principal the other senses being also active to the same ill end but in an inferiour degree We will not stir a step out of the first book of the Bible to give four plaine and pitifull instances thereof Gen. 3.6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasant to the Eyes c. Herein in some sort her eye was taster to her mouth she presumed before she tried it would be delicious to the palate it was so delightful to the look Secondly Gen. 6.2 When the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were what wise vertuous religious oh no faire they took them to their wives And we know what a graceless brood of Giants was the issue of such equivocal marriages Thirdly Gen. 13.10 When Lot lifted up his eyes not in prayer to God to direct him in a choice of such concernments but to behold the plain of Iordan that it was well watered everywhere which made him unadvisedly fix his habitation there to his great disturbance and without Gods greater mercy final destruction Fourthly Gen. 19.26 When Lot's wife looked back to Sodom and was severely punished though Abraham did the same in the very next verse save one without either sin or suffering partly because no such prohibition was layd upon him partly because Abraham had better tempered eyes not to look as too probably she did with lusting after the wealth therein Let us all pray with David Psal. 119.73 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity Which way shall we turn away our faces from beholding vanity which as it is so bad we should not look on it so it is so common we cannot look beside it If we turn our eyes from the right hand to the left if from before our face to behinde our backs we do but exchange one vanity for another seeing Solomon saith Eccles. 1.1 Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity There is a fourfold cast of the eyes wherewith men behold worldly vanity the first necessary and lawful not to be avoided the two next useful and laudable highly to be praised the last but most commonly practised sinful and dangerous justly to be condemned The first to behold vanity with a transient eye as a passenger who rides post through a Country and sees men buildings meadows fields woods but can give no account of them as minding their own business all the while Ahimâ—az being asked about Absalom's death 2 Sam. 18.29 purposely concealed his knowledg in that his slight and general answer I saw a great tumult but I knew not what it was But should a Saint of God be seriously examined upon Interrogatories concerning such a fond fashion or fantastick mode what he knoweth thereof all the intelligence he would return is this He saw a great busling and huddle and hubbub amongst men in the world but he took particular notice of nothing as beholding worldly vanities with a transient Eye The next and that commedable beholding worldly vanities is with a contemning disdaining look slighting the poverty emptiness thereof The third still more to be praised as speaking a greater degree of grace is with a pitying and bemoaning eye not to the things themselves but to souls of men so delighting in and doating on them that they for whom Christ shed his precious blood should undervalue themselvs so unworthily as to set their affections on so useless yea dangerous objects But to behold worldly vanities with an admiring and almost adoring eye as the Disciples Luke 21.5 gazed on the fabrick and furniture of the Temple is much to be condemned in all Christians Now whereas Satan shews our Saviour all the glory of the world but suppresseth all the sorrows thereof and concealeth the cares of the world mentioned Matth. 13.22 we observe The Devil discovereth what is pleasant hideth what is painful in all his allurements to sin He was suspicious had he really represented the world with all the vexations inevitably appendant thereunto it would have disheartned our Saviour from the acceptance thereof Beleive it they have not the soundest sleeps within them who lie on the softest beds beneath them and have the finest Curtains about them Might one be but admitted to listen to the pillow of great persons seemingly swimming in all outward felicity he would be witness to strange sighs and sobs and moanes and groans musick little suspected to come from such mouthes dayly and hourly fearing to be depress'd by their superiours justled by their equals undermined by their inferiours The Scholar who reading to his Master in haste mistook THORN for THRONE committed an ingenious fault and the wofull experience of some will justifie that his Error was too true an Anagram and therefore the craft of Satan
worshipped with the worship of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} but Saints may be worshipped with the worship of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} As if where God saith Thou shalt not steal man should plead Indeed I may not take away my neighbours goods by way of stealing but I may take them away by way of lurching or filching But God though he be in fact mocked is not in fine mocked though men multiply distinctions till their Fancies be weary calling the same sin by different names but will avenge himself on such as abuse him by their vain Inventions Again {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to unbyassed judgements doth in the natural notion of the word import more lowe submiss and servile adoration then {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} it self and in Scripture is given to God himself Thus S. Iames Chap. 1.1 stileth himself {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The servant of Iesus Christ And although Saint Paul to note that by the way Gal. 1.19 entitles him for the more outward honour Iames the brother of the Lord yet the humble Apostle being to speak of himself waves all carnal relation to Christ and onely calleth himself {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The servant of Iesus as a title of highest spiritual honour and which speaketh his lowest service unto our Saviour {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in the criticism thereof being appropriate to our God alone Lastly though the Learned Papists may plead for themselves that they serve the Saint in the Image and God in the Saint yet it is to be feared that the Ordinary people terminate their Worship in the very Image it self CHRIST'S Third Temptation to IDOLATRY SERMON XII MATTH. 4.11 Then the devil leaveth him and behold angels came and ministred unto him WE may observe in the words Purgatory Hell Earth and Heaven 1. Purgatory But not in the modern sense of the Papists for a Purgatory to come but one past already in the word Then that is after Christ had been sifted and fanned and tried and purged coming off with his own honour and his enemies confusion 2. Hell the devil 3. Earth so may I safely term the humanity of our Saviour 4. Heaven the Angels those celestial spirits which upon Satans depâ—rture ministred unto him How came Satan now to leave our Saviour rather then before As if his last answer was more effectual then his former Twice before he had refused the profer and refuted the reasons of the devil and now he did no more First negatively It is not to be attributed to any latent operation or mystical efficacie of the number of Three as if the third resistance drave the devil away thrice crossing thrice sprinkling of water c. folly with Papists to fix any force either in the thing or the triplication thereof or as if Satan would tempt us onely three times who will do it more then thirty times three But Satan left him First Because he who long had look'd for that which he was loath to finde viz. whether Christ was the Son of God was now to his great sorrow sufficiently satisfied in the affirmative that he was so and therefore desisted from farther inquiry therein It is observable how much Satans knowledge was I will not say bettered but increased in one Chapter Mark 1 within the compass of eleven verses For verse 13. he tempted Christ namely to try whether he was the Son of God and verse 24. he confesseth him I know thee with deare-bought knowledge to his owne confusion who thou art the holy One of God Secondly Satan could not go higher and therefore he would not go lower in his Temptations Ecquid aliquid altius Was there any act worse then Idolatry or greater temptation thereunto then the wealth and glory of the whole world It stood not with the state of Satans malice to present our Saviour after this with some petty allurement to a puny sin and therefore he thought fittest for the present to desist Thirdly Satan went away to save his credit being on the matter driven away Christ spake Get thee hence as a Commander with authority and his words were for the time a Mittimus to dispach the Devil out of that place who beholding Christ his holy anger now raised up to an height presently with shame sneaked and slunk away The Devil leaveth him Holy Indignation is an excellent exorcism to drive Satan away The surest way to fright the fiercest Lion that of the crowing of a Cock being denied by many doubted of by most is by shaking of a fire-brand before his face Satan that Lion feares the flame of holy and heavenly anger such as here sparkled out in our Saviour so that the climat grew too hot for him he could dwel no longer therein But we must be sure that ours be holy Indignation otherwise the strange fire of common and carnal anger doth allure not affright the Devil yea the light thereof giveth him aim the more steddily to direct his temptations at our souls Yea when his fiery darts meet with our fiery passions oh how unquenchable without Gods mercy is the combustion Now Saint Matthew saith absolutely The devil leaveth him but Saint Luke giveth us the Limitation thereof he departeth from him for a SEASON And seeing departing and coming are relative termes we finde Satan afterwards re-assaulting our Saviour Iohn 14.30 The Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me Whence Learn Satan though he leaveth us will never leave us till life leaveth us Of the three grand enemies of our soul One beginneth long before the other two but all end and expire with us at the same instant The flesh starteth first not onely from our birth but being and conception Psal. 51.5 Behold I was born in inquity and in sin hath my Mother conceived me The World and the Devil come after namely when a child sooner or later according to his capacity is able with the consent of his reason and will to commit an actual sin But all three determine in and at the same moment namely just at the time of our death till then be sure Satan will not leave thee Yet let none be disheartned at Satans never leaving to tempt them but in a comfortable opposition thereunto let them consider that Gods protection will never finally leave to preserve them Indeed for some time especially to the apprehension of a wounded conscience he deserteth his servants who complain with Christ My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Yet we have the certain promise of constant assistance which he will infallibly perform Heb. 13.5 I will never LEAVE thee nor forsake thee Here under favour I conceive that though our Saviour was afterwards often tempted with the Devil yet the notion and nature of his future much differed from his former temptations His former were chiefly for Satans information and the other were