Chapter XX
The nature of idolatry.—Satan’s design to corrupt the worship of God.—The evidences thereof, with the reasons of such endeavours.—His general design of withdrawing the hearts of men from God to his service.—The proof that this is his design.—Upon whom he prevails.—That professions and confidences are no evidences to the contrary.—His deceit of propounding sin as a small matter.—The evidences of that method, and the reason thereof.
Thus have I considered the temptation as blasphemous. I proceed next to consider it as idolatrous. The words ἐὰν πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃς, if thou wilt fall down and worship, do give us the true notion of idolatry. The word which we call worship comes from κύω, which signifies to kiss, or from κυὼν, which signifies a dog, both being to the same purpose, and signifying any action of reverence by which we signify the respect of our minds. To kiss the hand, or to fawn as a dog, are gestures which express the honour we would give, and being applied to divine worship before, or with respect unto, an undue object, is idolatry; and as such doth Christ reject it in his answer, ‘Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.’ We worship God, when in ways and actions commanded or prescribed, we testify our belief and resentment of his incommunicable attributes. It is idolatry when either we use the same actions of prescribed worship to that which is not God, or when we testify our respects to the true God in an undue way of our own devising. Here might I take occasion to shew the vanity of the popish subterfuges; their distinction of latria and dulia is, as Dr [Henry] More observes, hereby overthrown.[462] Satan doth not here set himself up as the omnipotent God, for he acknowledgeth one superior to himself, in that he confesseth that the power he had of the kingdoms of the world was given to him, Luke iv. 6, and therefore not the latria but the dulia is required of him; and yet this, Christ denies him as being idolatry, in that no religious worship—for that must needs be the sense of his answer—is due to any but God alone. Their other distinction of worshipping an idol, saint, angel, cross, &c., and before such a creature, is also hereby crushed, as is commonly observed:[463] for what the evangelist Matthew expresseth by προσκυνήσῃς μοι, Luke calls ἐνώπιόν μου, before me; so that the Scripture makes no difference betwixt these two, shewing it to be idolatry to use religious worship to that which is not God, or before it. But these things I shall not prosecute; keeping therefore to my design, I shall observe,
Obs. 7. That it is one of Satan’s great designs to corrupt the worship of God. That this is so will appear,
(1.) First, If we consider what varieties of worship hath been in the world. God gave a fixed and stable law, and yet this so little prevailed, that men were upon new inventions presently. I shall not need to reckon up the almost numberless varieties of this kind among the heathen. The instance is plain enough in those that professed the name of the true God; they were still changing for new fashions in religion, borrowing patterns from their neighbours, so that if there were but a new altar at Damascus, or a new idol in any strange city, they must presently have the like, till, as the prophet tells them, ‘according to their cities so were their gods,’ [Jer. ii. 28.] He that will call to mind that the husbandman did first ‘sow good seed in his field,’ and that there is such variety of tares and false worship, notwithstanding the plain and positive command of God, fixing and determining his worship, must needs conclude that an enemy, Satan, hath done it.
(2.) Secondly, If we call to mind how in all ages there hath been a constancy in this inconstant variety. We hear of it among the heathens. We read enough of it among the Jews, and when they were out of the humour of more shameful idolatries, they yet corrupted the worship of God by their traditions; and of these they were so fond, that they caused the law of God itself to give place to them, and made it void by them. The times of the gospel were not free. Though Christ came to seek such worshippers as should ‘worship him in spirit and in truth,’ yet before the apostles’ deaths, while yet they were persuading to the contrary, there arose up some that corrupted the worship, by leading the people back again to the Jewish ceremonies, and others laboured to bring in ‘worshipping of angels,’ and at last to ‘eat things offered to idols,’ with greater defilements. Since the apostles’ days the same design hath been carried on in the churches. Rome hath patched together a great deal of Jewish and heathenish ceremonies; and when the man of sin shall be revealed, yet a higher flood of such abominations is to be expected. Who hath wrought all this, but Satan? This is still the same design, and though the work be not in all parts like itself, yet the whole of it evidenceth the working of the same spirit in all.
(3.) Thirdly, Let us observe how early this began. We cannot say but that in the days of Adam, who doubtless had received particular commands from God, in which he would not fail to instruct his children, they were seeking to themselves ‘many inventions,’ Gen. iv. 26. At the birth of Enos, as some conjecture, there were such defilements brought into use in worship, that Seth had respect to it when he called his son Enos, Sorrowful, as lamenting that profanation which was then begun in ‘calling upon the name of the Lord,’ for so do many interpret that passage, which in our English we read thus, ‘Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.’ The word in the original is הוחל, which signifieth both to profane and to begin, and may be as properly translated, then ‘profaned they in calling upon the name of the Lord.’ And there are several reasons that move learned men[464] to fix upon this translation. As (1.) That it is not probable that men began then to call upon God, or publicly to do so, as some would interpret, and not before, as the present English would imply. (2.) That age was noted as corrupt, and therefore it is noted as a rarity that Enoch walked with God. (3.) The Rabbins generally translate חלל to profane; but if we should grant the present English, ‘Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord,’ it would imply that the worship practised by Adam and Abel had been corrupted, and now it was restored again and reformed; which will make the corruption of worship to be yet more early. And after that we read of corruption crept into the family of Seth, as well as now in the family of Cain, Gen. vi. 2; so that the worship of God stood not long in its honour, though Adam and Seth were alive to instruct them; which shews that it was a rebellious departure from the way, fomented and brought on by the malignant spirit Satan.
(4.) Fourthly, But to make all sure, the Scripture lays all these kinds of corruption of worship at Satan’s door. The defilements of worship taught in Thyatira, by Jezebel, are called ‘the depth of Satan,’ Rev. ii. 24; the corruptions introduced by antichrist, are from ‘the workings of Satan,’ 2 Thes. ii. 9. What was promoted by false apostles to that purpose, they had it from their great teacher Satan, who ‘transforms himself for such ends into an angel of light,’ 2 Cor. xi. 13, 14; so that nothing can be more plain than that this is an old and constant design of Satan.
The particular ways by which Satan effects this design I shall not now touch, but shall in lieu of that give you the reasons of his endeavours this way.
[1.] First, He knows that this is a sin of a high provocation. Worship is the proper tribute that is due to God, and it is peculiarly his prerogative to prescribe the way and manner of it. Neither of these honours will he give to any other, but will express his jealousy when any invasion is made upon these his sole prerogatives. Now his worship cannot be corrupted, but one of these at least will in some degree or other be touched. If we set up another object of worship, we deny him to be God; if we worship him in a way of our own invention, we deny his wisdom, and set up ourselves above him, as if we could order his worship better than he hath done in his word.
[2.] Secondly, If the worship be corrupted, all the exercise of the affections of the heart, and all the service itself is lost, and become unacceptable. He knows that such worshippers shall meet with this answer, ‘Who hath required this at your hands?’ [Isa. i. 12.]
[3.] Thirdly, Corruption in worship, Satan by long experience knows to have been the ground of those hatreds, quarrels, persecutions, and troubles under which the church hath groaned in all ages, every difference imposing their way and persuasion upon all dissenters, to the disturbance of peace, breach and decay of love, hindrance of the growth of piety, to the biting and devouring of one another.
[4.] Fourthly, Besides God is provoked by this to leave his sanctuary, to remove his glory and his candlestick, to make his vineyard a desolation, and his churches as Shiloh.
[5.] Fifthly, Satan is the more industrious in this, because his ways are capable of many advantages to further his design, and many specious pretences to cover it. In Col. ii. 8, he made use of philosophy to corrupt religion, and by unsound principles of some heathens famous for that learning, introduced ‘worshipping of angels.’ What that could not effect he laboured to perform by ‘the traditions of men,’ and where that came short, ‘the rudiments of the world’—the Mosaical ceremonies were so called here, and in the Epistle to the Hebrews—were his engine by which he battered the plain worship of the New Testament. And as to pretences, the apostle doth there and elsewhere note that decency and order, humility, wisdom, and self-denial, are things very taking, and yet usually pretended for such bold innovations as may corrupt the pure streams of the sanctuary.
Applic. Hence may I leave with you a few memorials.
[1.] First, This may make us jealous of any alterations in the way of Gods worship. We have reason under the most plausible pretexts to suspect the hand of Satan, because it is one of his main businesses to corrupt the worship.
[2.] Secondly, This may justify those that out of a conscientious fear of complying with Satan’s design, dare not admit of a pin in the tabernacle beside what God hath prescribed, nor leave behind a shoe-latchet of what he hath enjoined.
[3.] Thirdly, This will tell us that that worship is best and safest that hath least of mixture of human invention. We cannot offend in keeping close to the rule, though the worship thereby become more plain, and not so gorgeous in outward appearance. We may soon overdo it by the least addition, and cannot be so certain of God’s acceptation, as we are of pleasing the senses of men, by such introducements.
This motion of Satan, ‘Fall down and worship me,’ is now in the last place to be considered as a particular instance of Satan’s general design of drawing the hearts of men from God his service and ways, to the pleasures of sin; as if he should say to him, follow my advice, give up thyself to my service, and thou shalt be gratified with all the delights that the world can give thee. To this doth the bait here offered most fitly agree. Hence observe,
Obs. 8. That it is Satan’s general design to withdraw the hearts of men from God, that they may be enslaved to him in the service of sin.
That the devil doth level all his endeavours to this, cannot be doubted; for,
(1.) First, He hath a kingdom in this world, from which he is denominated ‘the prince of this world.’ And this is not only a rule of exterior force, such as conquerors have over their captivated slaves, who are compelled to subject their bodies, while yet their minds are full of hatred against him who hath thus forced them to subjection; but it is a rule over the hearts and affections of men, working in ‘the children of disobedience’ a love and liking of these ways, and begetting in them the image of Satan; so that what work he imposeth they are pleased withal, and ‘love to have it so.’ Therefore he is not only called their prince, but their god and their father: ‘Ye are of your father the devil,’ in that with a kind of inward devotion they will and endeavour to perform the lusts which he propounds to them.
(2.) Secondly, This kingdom is contrary to Gods spiritual kingdom, that being of darkness, this of light; and it is managed by Satan with an envious competition and co-rivalship to that of God; so that as God invites men to the happiness of his kingdom, and sends his Spirit in his word and ordinances to persuade them, Satan doth the like. He sends out his spirit, which the apostle calls ‘the spirit of the world,’ 1 Cor. ii. 12, and employs all his agents to engage men for him. He requires the heart as God doth, he promiseth his rewards of pleasure, honour, riches, if they will fall down and worship him. Now it is so natural to prosecute an interest thus espoused in a way of opposition, especially to any other that set up for themselves in a contradictory competitorship, that the very natural laws of Satan’s kingdom will engage him to stand up for it, and to enlarge it all he can.
Those upon whom he prevails are of two sorts—
(1.) First, Some are visibly in his service. These answer the character which was given of Ahab, 1 Kings xxi. 20, ‘who sold himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord.’ The first expression shews that such are wholly in Satan’s power and disposal—as things sold are in the possession and power of the buyer—they are at Satan’s will. If he say to them, ‘Go, they go,’ and if he say, ‘Come, they come.’ Their bodies and spirits are Satan’s, they are not their own; and they are his for the ends of sin, for that employment only, so that they are ‘wholly corrupt and abominable.’ The latter expression, that he did so ‘in the sight of the Lord,’ manifests their shameless impudency in sin, that they ‘declare their sin as Sodom, and hide it not,’ that they do not blush, but openly wear the devil’s livery and avouch his service. As the works of the flesh are manifest, so these in their practice of such works are manifestly Satan’s subjects. These kind of men are frequently in the Old Testament styled ‘sons of Belial,’[465] a name very significant, shewing either their devoting of themselves to the devil’s service, in that they reject the yoke of God’s law, in that they ‘break his bonds, and cast his cords from them,’ or their pride that they will have none above them, not considering that there is a God, or that the Most High rules, or their averseness to what is good, being ‘wholly unprofitable, and to every good work reprobate.’ [Titus i. 16.]
(2.) Secondly, Some are secretly his servants. They come to the devil, as Nicodemus did to Christ, by night. They will not openly profess him, but yet their hearts are wholly his. Such are called by the name of hypocrites. The pharisees and scribes seemed to declare for God, called themselves Abraham’s seed, fasted, gave alms, made long prayers, and yet were a ‘generation of vipers,’ and ‘of their father the devil.’ The secrecy of this underhand engagement to hell is such, that many who are in a league with the devil, and at an agreement with death, do neither know nor believe it concerning themselves. For,
[1.] First, This private covenant may be where there are the greatest seeming defilements of Satan and high professions of service to God. The pharisees, as have been said, were the devil’s servants, under all the fair show they made of religion and zeal for the law, and yet when Christ plainly told them that they were not Abraham’s seed but the devil’s seed, they with high indignation and scorn throw back the accusation to Christ, ‘Thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil; we are Abraham’s children,’ [John viii. 48,] so little believed they the truth when it was told them.
[2.] Secondly, This may consist with some designment and intention to give God glory. The Jews, though they submitted not to the righteousness of God, yet, by the testimony of Paul, they had a zeal to God. The very heathens that sacrifice to devils had not formal intentions so to do, as appears by their inscription on the altar at Athens, Acts xvii. 23, ‘To the unknown God.’ The true God, though unknown, they propounded as the object of their worship; yet falling into those ways of devotion which the devil had prescribed, these intentions could not hinder but that they became his servants.
[3.] Thirdly, Men may be servants to Satan under great assurances and confidences of their interest in God. Many go to hell that have lived with Lord, Lord in their mouths. Those mentioned in Isa. xlviii. 2, that had no interest in truth and righteousness when they solemnly sware by the name of the Lord, ‘yet they called themselves of the holy city, and stayed themselves upon the God of Israel,’ [Isa. xlviii. 2.]
Obj. If it seem strange to any that these professions, intentions, and confidences are not enough to secure men from this charge, but that they may be secretly slaves to hell, I answer,
Ans. 1. First, That those do not necessarily conclude that the heart of such men is right with God. Formality, natural conscience, and the power of education may do much of this; for though we grant that such are not conscious to themselves of any real design of serving Satan, yet they may either so far miss it in the way of their service, offering that as well-pleasing to God, which indeed he hates, and that through wilful and affected ignorance, as those of whom Christ speaks, John xvi. 2, that should think the killing of God’s children a piece of acceptable service; or they may be so mistaken as to the sincerity of their hearts that they may think they have a design to please God in doing of what he requires in order thereunto, when indeed it may not be singly for God but for themselves that they work, in a self-gratification of their natural zeal for their way; or their esteem, credit, and advantage may privately influence them, rather than a spirit of life and power.
Ans. 2. Secondly, The work which they do, and the ends they serve, will be evidence against professions and intentions. It is a sure rule, that the work shews to whom men are related as servants, and it is laid down as a certain standard to measure the hearts of men by, when pretences and persuasions seem to carry all before them: Rom. vi. 16, ‘His servants ye are to whom ye obey;’ 1 John iii. 8, 10, ‘He that committeth sin is of the devil: in this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil’—that is, when it becomes a question to whom a man belongs, whose child and servant he is, it must be determined by the works he doth. If he engage in the ways of sin, he is of the devil, let him profess what he will to the contrary. This same balance Christ useth to try the truth of the Jews’ pretences to God: John viii. 34, ‘Whosoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin;’ they boasted high, but he shews them that seeing their designs and works were hatred, envy, murder, &c., which are apparently from Satan, it was evident they had learned these of him; and he concludes by this proof, ver. 44, ‘that they were of their father the devil.’ Thus may we say of those that pretend they honour God, they deify the devil, they intend well, if yet they give themselves up to the pleasing of the flesh, if worldly-minded, if they live in pride, strife, envy, maliciousness, &c.,—which are works of the devil,—it is not all their pretences that will entitle them to God, but they are, for all this, the devil’s servants, as doing his works.
Applic. This may put men upon inquiries, Who are ye for? whose servants are ye? There are but two that can lay claim to you, and these two divide the whole world betwixt them. There is no state of neutrality: you are either God’s servants or the devil’s. Ye cannot serve them both; ‘now if the Lord be God, serve him.’ Satan’s service is base, dishonourable, slavish; the service of God, freedom, honour, life, and peace; there is indeed no comparison betwixt them. Happy, then, is that man that can say the Lord is his lot and portion; that can come into God’s presence, and there in his integrity avouch the Lord for his God—that can stand upon it. ‘My soul hath said unto the Lord, Thou art my God, and I have none besides thee; other lords have had dominion over us, but we will make mention of thy name only,’ [Isa. xxvi. 13.]
This temptation, though it were in itself horrid, and as a brood of vipers knotted together, which at once could send out several stings, and make many wounds,—as hath been noted,—yet in the way of propounding, Satan seems to insinuate the largeness of his proffer, and the smallness and inconsiderableness of the service required, as if he should say, ‘See how free I am in my kindness; I will not stick to give thee the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, and all this for so small a matter as bowing before me, or doing me a little reverence.’ This gives us to observe,
Obs. 9. That when Satan doth design no less than to enslave men to his service, yet he will propound sin as a small thing, or but one act of sin, as a thing not valuable, to engage them to him. Not but that he desires to run men to excess in wickedness, and delights to see them with both hands earnestly work iniquity with greediness; yet where he sees the consciences of men squeamish, and that they cannot bear temptations to open and common profaneness without danger of revolt from him, there he seems modest, and requires but some small thing, at least at first, till the ways of sin become more familiar to them, and then when they can better bear it, he doubles the tale of bricks, and with greater confidence can urge them to things of greater shame and enormity. That this is his way appears,
[1.] First, From the common argument which he useth at first to those whom he would draw off from a more careful conversation, which is this: Do such a thing, it is but for once, and but little; others do the like, and demur not, or the best do as great matters as this comes to. It is but a small thing, considering the strait, or the advantage that may accrue. This is his usual note to candidate iniquity, as experience of all doth testify.
[2.] Secondly, That this is so is also evident from a consideration of the several ways and courses of sinners. Some are tempted and overcome by one kind of sin, and not at all urged to others. Some go to hell in a way of covetousness; others are pretty unblameable in most of their carriages, but are overcome by a proud humour; others are given to drink, and yet will not steal nor deal falsely; others take a more cleanly way to hell, rely upon their own righteousness, or are engaged in error, and their life otherwise smooth and fair. The Jews in Christ’s time were only engaged against Christ, and for their traditions, but not molested with temptations to open idolatry as formerly. Those who are ignorant are not troubled with temptations to despair, or inward terrors. The reasons of his dealing thus are these:—
[1.] First, He sees that one sin heartily prosecuted is enough to signify homage to him, and to give him possession. As we take possession of land by a turf or a twig, so by one sin admitted with full purpose of mind, Satan is let into the heart. As a penny will be sufficient earnest for a bargain of a thousand pounds, so may one sin be a pledge or earnest for the whole soul in a league with hell.
[2.] Secondly, He knows that one sin persisted in may be enough to destroy the soul; as one wound may kill, one leak may sink a ship.
[3.] Thirdly, He knows that one sin breaks the covenant of God, and turns the heart from him, if men give up themselves to it.
[4.] Fourthly, One sin wilfully pursued makes a man guilty of the breach of the whole law. It destroys love and respect to God, undervalues his authority, contemns his threatenings and promises.
[5.] Fifthly, One sin is enough to make way for more. Where Satan would have more, yet at first he is pleased with it as a hopeful beginning. It makes room enough for the serpent’s head, and then he will afterwards easily wind in his whole body.
Applic. This may warn us not to be emboldened to any sin by the plea of diminution; not to venture because it may seem little, or be but for once. A true Christian should be a perfect universalist; he should be universally against all sin, and universally for all duty.
Chapter XXI
Of worldly pleasure.—Proofs that this is Satan’s great engine.—What there is in worldly delights that make them so.—Counsels and cautions against that snare.
I come now to the argument which Satan used for all this, ‘All these things will I give thee.’ He casts a golden apple before him, and seeks to entangle him by worldly greatness and delight. I shall not examine how true or false Satan spake when he called all these things his, and that he could give them to whom he would. It is enough for our purpose to take notice of his pretence, so far as might make his offer probable; and then observe,
Obs. 10. That the great engine which Satan useth to draw away the heart from God to his service is worldly pleasures and delights.
I shall first shew that this is Satan’s great engine, and then explain what is in it that fits it so much for his purpose. The first of these is evidenced by these particulars:—
1. First, The Scripture doth particularly note to us a deceit or guile to be in worldly pleasures. Christ, in Mat. xiii. 22, speaks of ‘the deceitfulness of riches;’ and that deceit is expressed by such a word as signifies ‘a drawing out of the way,’ a misleading;[466] so that he means not the uncertainty of these delights, in which sense it is said ‘that riches take themselves wings and fly away,’ [Prov. xxiii. 5,] which often disappoint and deceive the expectations of those that do most hug them. Nor can this be understood of riches in an active sense, as we attribute deceit to men, who as rational agents can contrive and devise snares; but it only means that these are so objective as things that are abused by Satan to delude and betray the sons of men: and these are so frequently made use of by him for such purposes, and with such advantages of power and provocation, that Christ elsewhere, Mat. xix. 23, speaks of it as a thing almost impossible, to have riches and not to be ensnared by them: ‘A rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven,’ [Mat. xix. 23,] which Mark and Luke express by an affectionate amazement, ‘Oh, how hardly can a rich man be saved!’ [Mark x. 23-25, and Luke xviii. 24, 25.]
2. Secondly, These are Satan’s great net which encloseth multitudes; a general bait, by which most are hooked into the service of sin. Most temptations come from this ocean as springs from the sea. ‘The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life,’ have their original from the world, 1 John ii. 16. Christ speaks of this ‘mammon of unrighteousness’ as the only thing that stands up in competition for the hearts of men against God, Mat. vi. 24; and the apostle, 2 Tim. iii. 4, reckoning up the various ways of particular lusts, as covetousness, boasting, pride, blaspheming, &c., concludes them all under this, that they ‘are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;’ shewing us thereby, that though the lusts of men might run out diverse ways, and be exercised upon diverse particular objects, yet they all borrow their original from worldly pleasures, and their design is nothing but that in the general. Hence it is that some make the world the great traitor to God; for though they reckon up three great enemies to God and man, ‘the world, the flesh, and the devil,’ yet ‘these three agree in one;’ the pleasing of the flesh is the great end and desire of natural men; the world is the storehouse, from which men draw out several pleasures, according to the several ways they take in gratifying their lusts and humours, and the devil is only officious to help all this forward, by enticing and persuading them to ‘make these provisions for the flesh.’ And who can think other, but that this must be Satan’s great engine, when, as hath been said, first, the world, and the pleasures of it, is the sum of all iniquity, containing in it virtually or actually the transgression of the whole law. The root it is of all evil, 1 Tim. vi. 10; all profaneness against God, all neglect of duty, all outrage, wrong, or injustice to man, may, and usually doth, spring from hence, insomuch that some have particularly traced it through every command of the decalogue, and found it guilty, either as principal or accessary, of every iniquity. Second, Our thoughts may be the more confirmed in this when we see all men entangled by it; for albeit that some temptations seem directly to carry men from a love or care of the world, as despair, terrors of mind, voluntary humility, neglecting of the body, and others of the same kind; yet if the matter be considered, the truth in hand cannot be prejudiced by such an objection. For, [1.] Those who seem in distress of conscience most to loathe the world were yet first entangled by it, and the consideration of that guilt, whether at present justly or unjustly charged upon them, is the usual occasion of these troubles. And, [2.] Those who seem to undervalue money, riches, plenty, &c., are, it may be, no less slaves to other worldly lusts; for pleasures of the world comprehend whatsoever may arise from anything that is in the world to the delight of life. Honour, pride, ambition, prodigality, are ‘worldly lusts,’ as well as covetousness and desire of power or rule. And those that seem to deny themselves of ‘faring deliciously,’ or ‘wearing soft raiment,’ may be as much distressed with an inward desire of applause and honour, as those that would gratify their senses are by sensual lusts.
3. Thirdly, How much the world stands Satan in stead may be observed from the force of that temptation upon those that have very much engaged in their profession of the ways of God. It hath often fetched off those that seemed to have given up themselves to God. Demas was once commended by Paul as his fellow-labourer, Philem. 24; yet at last it so prevailed upon him that he complained, 2 Tim. iv. 10, that ‘Demas had forsaken him,’ and turned his back upon his profession, and so far, if Dorotheus do him right, that he became an idol-priest in Thessalonica, the cause of which horrid apostasy was his ‘love to the present world.’ Balaam seemed resolute not to act anything against Israel, yet ‘the ways of unrighteousness’ so far blinded him, that he taught Balak ‘to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel.’ The highest of nominal professors, noted by the ‘thorny ground’ in Mat. xiii. 22,—who seemed to differ from the good ground only in this, that their fruit was green and not ripe, as Luke expresseth it, ‘They brought not fruit to perfection,’—they were choked in these fair beginnings and offers for holiness by the ‘cares and pleasures of the world.’ All ages abound with instances of this kind. Æneas Sylvius preached against the pope, set up the council above him, commended the Germans for opposing him; but preferment made him alter his note, and at last he became pope himself. Bonner, the persecutor, seemed at first a good man, a favourer of Luther’s doctrine, but advancement changed him to a bloody wolf, a cruel tiger. Spalato forsook popery, but, missing those dignities which he aimed at in England, was, upon hopes of greater preferment, induced to lick up his vomit, and to own popery again. How many examples have we of those who, the higher they grew in the world, became more careless of religion; as Sixtus Quintus, who went as fast back in religion as he went forward in promotion; so that he that at first entering into orders, had a good hope of his salvation, by that time he came to be pope, he became so wicked that he despaired of happiness.
4. Fourthly, This temptation is one of Satan’s last refuges, and often prevails where persecution cannot. The thorny-ground hearers were above those of the stony ground in this, that they stood out the storm, and bore the scorching heat of persecution, but then the world choked them. Sad experience tells us that churches that did thrive and grow as the palm-tree under their pressures, were spoiled by ease and plenty, which so cherished the seeds of pride, vanity, and contention, that they grew up amain, and did more to their desolation than the cruelty of all their fiercest enemies. Julian, who, by the greatest art and policy, studied to overthrow the Christian’s name, so observed this, that he made it his rule rather to corrupt men by honours than to compel them by torments.[467] We have also found that though the Roman synagogue join force to subtlety in the advancement of their dagon, yet they have still looked upon this temptation of the world as most likely to gain the hearts of their rational opposers. Cruelty could overawe the senseless multitude, and could take out of the way those of whose opposition they were afraid, but it seldom with success wrought upon persons guided by light and conscience, to a compliance that would hold long; for though at first some good men were overawed to make subscription and to recant, as it did with Bilney, Bainham, Cranmer, and several others,[468] yet upon the working of conscience, after the stound and dazzle of the temptation was over, they recoiled so resolutely upon them, that they lost more than they gained that way. But those that were willing to nibble at preferments became theirs wholly. Thus they set upon Luther, Galeaceus, Carracciolus, Dr Taylor, and a great many more, though to no purpose, for they were ready to bid their money ‘perish with them,’ and to bid defiance to their favour as well as to their frowns. Notwithstanding they have made many real conquests by this weapon, and accordingly this is reckoned among the temptations of greatest force: Heb. xi. 37, ‘They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted,’ that is, by the pleasures and preferments of the world. It seems the Holy Ghost would point at this, how fair and plausible soever it be, as one of the devil’s most powerful engines.
Next, I promised to discover what it is in the world which makes it so fit for Satan’s designs.
(1.) First, The world brings or affords fit matter to be made the fuel of lust. For this reason the apostle in the place afore-cited, 1 John ii. 16, forbids us so earnestly to love the world, or the things of the world, because there is nothing in it which is not improveable, as an occasion or provocation to lust. Whatsoever is in the world is lust of flesh, or eyes, or heart; and there is no lust but it may be furnished with a proper object from hence. The appetite, senses, or affections fetch all their delights from hence.
(2.) Secondly, Besides the common materials of sin that are digged out of this mine, the world hath something of an aptitude in it to tempt. Not that it hath properly and formally, insidiationis animum, an active subtlety to lay snares for men, but yet it is not so purely passive as to make it altogether innocent. There is something of a curse upon it ever since, by the fall of man. It was loosened from its proper, primitive ends; and as the devil spake by the serpent, so doth he urge, speak, tempt, and insinuate by the world, so that it is still an occasion of danger to us, and hath a special advantage over our affections, upon several accounts. As, [1.] In that it is in itself lawful to be used. [2.] In that it is suitable to our desires and tempers. [3.] In some respects it might be necessary and advantageous for the comfort of life, for the support of families, and to enable us to be helpful to others. [4.] It is near to us, under our eye; we have familiar converse with it, it is still with us. [5.] We have a natural propensity to be in love with it; the flesh would fain be pleased, and nothing is more answerable to it than the pleasures of the world. We need not wonder then, when we see it so highly captivating the affections of men, and leading them bound in chains and fetters. Some make it their god; gain is all their godliness and religion; they seek their ‘portion in this life,’ Ps. xvii. 14; this is their treasure, and here is their heart; and it would be no less wonder if Satan should be guilty of so much oversight, as to neglect the use of an instrument which is every way so fitted for his purpose.
(3.) Thirdly, Besides this fair prospect which it gives to sin, it hath an enmity to God and his ways, which is no less advantageous to the devil. This is positively affirmed, James iv. 4, ‘The friendship of this world is enmity with God;’ not only is this true in a lower sense, as a hindrance, being backward and averse to it, but it is a direct opposition and contrariety to God and his service. Its drawing back and hindering is charge enough against it: for it [1.] withdraws those thoughts, affections, time, care, and endeavours, which should be laid out upon better things, so that holiness must needs be obstructed, dwindle, and decay by it. [2.] It hinders the influence of heaven; it shuts out the light casually, quencheth and resisteth the Spirit, and, meritoriously also, it provokes God to withdraw, to remove his glory, and to give over his striving with them; but the contrariety that it hath to all the parts of holiness is yet more: Christ notes it, Mat. vi. 24. These two masters, God and the world, are contrary in their designs, in their commands, in their natures, so that it is impossible for any man to serve them both. They both require the heart, and they both require it to contrary and incompatible services and ends. These, then, are such masters as would be domini in solidum, masters of the whole.[469] Now there cannot be two masters of one thing in that sense; neither, if there were, could the hearts of men serve these different commands, but their work would necessarily engage their affections to one only; they would either ‘love the one and hate the other, or hold to the one and despise the other.’ This very consideration, if there were no more, doth render the world a desirable instrument for Satan.
(4.) Fourthly, In all this the world hath so many cunning disguises, and plausible shifts, that it becomes thereby wonderfully serviceable to Satan. It is the perfection of wicked policy to manage wicked designs under plausible pretences. These the world hath in readiness when it is accused of rebellion and treachery against God. The pleas of necessity, of prosecution of a lawful calling, of providing for a family, of not neglecting the benefits of God, of cheering the heart, and taking the comforts of the labours of their hands, and a great many more, are ready excuses to ward off the force of the convincing word. These the devil drives home, and fastens them into such strong persuasions, that the deluded sinner cannot see the danger that is before him, nor the spiritual adultery or idolatry of his soul, in his excessive love to worldly pleasures.
(5.) Fifthly, The world hath also a spiritual fascination and witchcraft, by which, where it hath once prevailed, men are enchanted to an utter forgetfulness of themselves and God, and being drunk with pleasures, they are easily engaged to a madness and height of folly. Some, like foolish children, are made to keep a great stir in the world for very trifles, for a vain show; they think themselves great, honourable, excellent, and for this make a great bustle, when the world hath not added ‘one cubit to their stature’ of real worth. Others are by this Circe transformed into savage creatures, and act the part of lions and tigers. Others, like swine, wallow in the lusts of uncleanness. Others are unmanned, putting off all natural affections, care not who they ride over, so they may rule or be made great. Others are taken with ridiculous frenzies, so that a man that stands in the cool shade of a sedate composure would judge them out of their wits. It would make a man admire to read of the frisks of Caius Caligula, Xerxes, Alexander, and many others, who because they were above many men, thought themselves above human nature. They forgot they were born, and must die, and did such things as would have made them, but that their greatness overawed it, a laughing-stock and common scorn to children. Neither must we think that these were but some few or rare instances of worldly intoxication, when the Scripture notes it as a general distemper of all that bow down to worship this idol. They live ‘without God in the world,’ saith the apostle, [Eph. ii. 12,] that is, they so carry it as if there were no God to take notice of them, to check them for their madness. ‘God is not in all his thoughts,’ saith David, Ps. x. 4, 5. ‘The judgments of God are far above out of their sight;’ he puffs at his enemies, and saith in his heart, ‘he shall never be moved,’ &c. The whole psalm describes the worldling as a man that hath lost all understanding, and were acting the part of a frantic bedlam. What then can be a more fit engine for the devil to work with than the pleasures of the world?
Applic. I shall briefly apply this to two sorts of men, those that are straitened with want and necessities, and those whose ‘cups run over,’ having all ‘that their heart can wish.’
(1.) First, To those that think their measure of outward comforts little, I would from the doctrine now explained tell them that they have not so much cause to vex and disquiet themselves for their poverty or troubles as they apprehend. The world is not so desirable a thing as many dream. Did but men consider how great a snare it is, and what dangers attend the fulness of it, they would not so earnestly covet it, nor so passionately lament when it flies from them. If thou hast so much godliness as can quiet thy heart in a contented enjoyment of thy little, that little which thou hast is better than great riches of the wicked. Thou little knowest from what pride, insolency, contempt of God and men, and many other temptations and lusts, God doth preserve thee, by denying thee earthly things. Thou art now, it may be, often looking up to God, striving to believe his word, often examining thy heart, labouring to live upon God and his all-sufficiency, looking after the bread that endures to eternal life; when if thou hadst the temptations of plenty, it may be feared thou wouldst be another man, and be carried away to forget God, to be careless of holy walking, and so make way for bitterness and sorrow at last.
(2.) Secondly, I would also caution poor men not to enlarge their desires too much after the world, but to fear the temptations of the world. It is not only a snare to those that enjoy it, but to those that want it: for while they admire it, and engage their affections for it, it ensnares them in sinful undertakings; they are tempted to lie, cheat, dissemble, to use unlawful shifts, to rob, steal, overreach in bargaining, and to neglect the care of the soul in all. Let such call to mind, [1.] That often the providence of God doth of purpose thwart and cross the designs of such, so that though they toil and sweat, running from market to market, ‘rising early and sitting up late,’ yet he blows upon their gettings, and they wither to nothing, ‘while it is yet in their hand;’ or if they seem to keep them longer, yet all the end they make with them is but to put them into a ‘bag with holes,’ [Haggai i. 6,] they ‘perish by evil travail,’ Eccles. v. 14. [2.] They often are at a great deal of labour in pursuit, and then when the desired object is within their reach, they are overwhelmed with their disappointment, as if providence designed to mock them for their folly. This is excellently set forth, in the emblem of a man climbing up a rock, with great labour, to reach a crown that hung upon the precipice, who when he had stretched himself to grasp it, falls down and breaks his neck. [3.] And when they do by great toil rake together a heap of riches, they are starved frequently in their plenty, and so cursed that they have no more than ‘the beholding of their goods with their eyes,’ in that God denies them a ‘heart to use them,’ Eccles. v. 11. [4.] Their gettings allay not their thirst for more, ‘He that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver,’ Eccles. v. 10. [5.] Often they are given as a scourge and plague; as the quails given to the Israelites ‘came out of their nostrils.’ The wise man notes it, Eccles. v. 13, ‘Riches are kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.’
(3.) Thirdly, To those that have the delights of the world, plentiful estates, full tables, beautiful houses, rich tradings, honours, and dignities, I would desire to give the greatest caution, that they take heed to themselves, because they walk in the midst of snares. They should consider, [1.] That the great God hath laid most serious charges upon them, ‘not to love the world,’ but to withdraw their affections from it, nay, to be crucified to it, as to any captivating delight, and to use it with such an indifferency of mind, that they should be in their deportments towards it as ‘if they used it not.’ [2.] They should have their danger in their eye. How careful is he of his steps that knows he walks in the midst of serpents which are ready to sting him; the thoughts of this should blunt the edge of our delights. If you were at a feast where you knew there were poisoned dishes, you would be afraid to eat anything. Do you think that Captain Smith[470] when he was taken by the savages of America, and had plenty of meat set before him, which he knew was given to fatten him that he might be better meat when he was killed, had any stomach to eat or to drink? Was that feast pleasing to him that sat under a sharp sword hung over his head in a horse hair, when he expected every moment it should fall upon him and kill him?[471] Such are great men, rich men. With what fear and care should they use these things, when they know there is hazard of mischief from them upon every occasion! How much doth Christ speak in that one sentence, ‘It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven’! [Mat. xix. 24.] He means not that it is absolutely impossible, but extremely difficult, and the difficulty lies in the hindrances which their riches casts before them. [3.] They should carefully consider for what ends God gives these, and to what use they are to be put. Rich men are but God’s pursers; they do but ‘carry the bag,’ and what is put therein, for public uses. If accordingly, as faithful stewards, they lay it out upon those that have need, they shall ‘make friends of the unrighteous mammon,’ and it will turn to a spiritual account: but if they think that all is for themselves, and so shut their bowels and purses from others, then they carry the bag no otherwise than as Judas did, and will be easily persuaded to sell Christ and heaven for a little more of earth.
Chapter XXII
Of Christ’s answer in the general.—That these temptations were upon design for our instruction.—Of the agreement betwixt Eph. vi. and Mat. iv.—The first direction.—Of courageous resolves in resisting temptations.—Its consistency with some kind of fear.—The necessity of this courage.—Wherein it consists; and that there is a courage in mourning spirits.
These answers of Christ to the several temptations, which are now to be explained, are different as to their matter, yet the general purport of them being the same, I shall therefore handle them together. They may be considered two ways:—
1. First, As they are fit and pertinent answers to particular temptations, of distrust, of presumption, of debauching the heart by worldly delights to the service of Satan; and thus may they be useful in their consideration, to those who are directly moved by Satan to such sins. And when at any time we are tempted in straits to cast away our reliance upon the careful providence of God, we may look upon Christ’s answer, that man’s life doth not so depend upon the usual means, but that any other thing blessed by divine appointment may be useful to that end. When we are enticed to presume of extraordinary supports, then by Christ’s example the temptation may be resisted, by considering, that however God be to be trusted, yet he is at no time to be tempted by unnecessary expectations in the neglect of the ordinary means. If our hearts be wooed by worldly delights to cast off our care of God and religion, we may then call to mind that this is abominable idolatry, and so may we turn off our hearts from sinful compliance by charging our souls with the opposite duties, upon a true discovery of the vileness and inconvenience of the transgressions urged upon us.
2. But, secondly, They may be considered as they give instruction for the management of our spiritual armour against all Satan’s wiles in the general; and in this sense I shall endeavour to open them, laying down first these two conclusions:—
(1.) First, That the whole business of these temptations, as permitted to Satan, and submitted unto by Christ, was certainly upon design. The same wisdom that contrived the wonderful method of the salvation of men by a Redeemer, did also order these temptations; for else Christ could have prevented them, or by a divine authority commanded silence to the tempter, and by his power might have chased him away. As Christ told Pilate, ‘Thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above,’ [John xix. 11;] thereby manifesting that his suffering was from a higher design than he was aware of; so might he have said to the devil, ‘Except this had been designed by an eternal counsel, thou couldst not have made this attempt.’ So that we must look further for the spring and rise of this, than to any supposed occasional outbreaking of satanical malice upon him.
(2.) Secondly, That this design, however it touched upon the person and offices of Christ, as mediator and second Adam, for thus it became him to overcome the enemy at the same weapon by which he overcame our first parents, and by this personal experience, to be fitted with feeling compassions to the tempted, yet was it wholly for our sakes, as may appear by two things:—
[1.] First, In that Christ, if his answers had only concerned himself, might have given other fit replies to the first temptation, of turning stones to bread. He could have retorted the argument upon Satan, as Jerome and others observe.[472] If I am not the Son of God, it is in vain to require a miracle of me. If I am, it is in vain to tempt me. Or he might have answered, ‘That as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself, and that by this divine power he could sustain himself without bread.’[473] To the second it might have been a sufficient answer to have excepted against his unfaithfulness in citing that testimony out of Ps. xci., where, by discovering his wilful omission of the clause, ‘in all thy ways;’ ‘He shall keep thee in all thy ways;’ his temptation might have fallen to the ground, as no way encouraged from that promise. To the third might have been returned such answers as these: that Satan’s offer was a lie; that it was not in his power to dispose of the kingdoms of the world—that these were Christ’s already; that these were vain arguments to draw him from the glory of a heavenly kingdom; and finally, that of all creatures Satan, being God’s sworn enemy, had least reason to expect divine honour.
[2.] Secondly, In that all Christ’s answers were from Scripture, which is properly a ‘light to the steps of men,’ and all these scriptures cited shew man’s duty. He saith not, ‘the Son of God shall not live by bread alone,’ but ‘man lives not by bread alone;’ he saith not, Christ must not tempt, but thou, man, shalt not tempt the Lord thy God, &c. By all which we may discern that Christ answered not by arguments peculiarly agreeable to his person and nature, but by such as suit the general state of God’s children. And this certainly was for our advantage. He conquered with such weapons, not for any necessity that he had to take that course, but for the need that we had of such instruction; for hereby we see that Satan is conquerable, and also how we must use our weapons.[474] In this also he left us ‘an example, that we should follow his steps;’ as Gideon said to his soldiers, ‘As you see me do, so do you likewise,’ [Judges vii. 17.] Thus, as it were, doth our Lord speak to us: For your sakes suffered I these temptations, that I might teach your hands to war, and your fingers to fight; for your sakes I used these weapons of yours, rather than my own, that I might shew you the use of your sword and shield, and how your adversary may be overcome by them; dealing herein with us as a master at arms,—it is Musculus’s comparison,—who, for the better instructing and animating of his tyro, takes rather his disciple’s sword than his own, to beat his adversary withal, minding not only the conquest of an enemy, but also the encouragement of a young soldier.[475]
If any carry a suspicion in their mind that Christ had not our instruction so much in his eye as hath been said, because he gives not such particular instructions for our spiritual welfare[476] as the apostle in Eph. vi., expecting that our Saviour should have been more punctual in making particular applications from every part of his carriage to our use, and drawing out from thence some positive conclusions or draughts of the way and manner of resistance, they may know that there is no other difference betwixt Eph. vi. and Mat. iv. than there is betwixt precept and example. What the apostle there prescribed in the theory, here Christ teacheth in the practice; here we have in their use the girdle of truth, the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, the helmet of salvation, and all the other parts of that armour; and withal we may know that this is a far more advantageous way of teaching young beginners, to let them see things in a plain example, than only to give general precepts. But besides, we are to consider that Christ did many things, the meaning whereof the disciples then present with him did not know as yet, neither was it expected from them that they should; like to what he said to Peter, John xiii. 7, ‘What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter;’ but were intended to be laid up in store to be more fully made use of, as after-directions should come in to give them information. He therefore that had purposed to give further light in this matter by his apostle and servant, was now doing that which his design led him to in his personal actings, with a secret respect also to those instructions which he intended after to communicate. We have then no reason to be jealous that these temptations were not intended for our use, but the more to assure ourselves that it was even so, because we find that those very weapons which here Christ in his own person wielded against Satan, are afterwards recommended to us.
Having thus laid the foundation, we must then, if we will imitate our captain, carefully observe his deportment from point to point, that we may draw out those instructions which he intended for us.
And the first thing that I shall take notice of, shall be the courage and magnanimity of our leader. He had endured temptations forty days and nights before, and yet he keeps the field without any appearance of shrinking or running away. Satan no sooner tempts than he is repelled. From this consideration we have this instruction:—
Direct. 1. That he that would successfully resist temptations, must not fly, but with a courageous resolve set himself to oppose.
Christians are apt to fear, when Satan comes up against them, and ready to turn their backs: as the Israelites were dismayed at the appearance of Goliath, and fled before him. But if we would conquer, we must, as David, go out against him in ‘the name of the Lord.’ To this we are called, 1 Cor. xvi. 13, ‘Stand fast in the faith, quit yourselves like men, be strong;’ and Eph. vi. 14, ‘Stand, having your loins girt with truth,’ &c. This courage recommended is not a contempt and negligent slighting of danger, nor is it a bold adventurousness upon occasions of sin; it is a holy, humble courage, and doth admit of a threefold fear.
(1.) First, Of a fear of sin, that is, a hatred of it. We must fear sin as the greatest evil. This is no cowardice, but tends to the strongest resolution and highest endeavours against it. From this principle is it that men oppose sin as their mortal enemy, and excite their utmost courage to fight against it. As the Philistines being afraid of Israel, and yet hating to serve the Hebrews, mutually encouraged one another, ‘Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines.’ A fear of hatred begets boldness.
(2.) Secondly, Courage admits of a preventing fear and a provident avoidance. Occasions of sin are to be fled. We are not with greater earnestness called upon to stand, than we are warned in this case ‘to fly.’ So the apostle often, ‘fly fornication,’ ‘fly idolatry,’ ‘fly youthful lusts.’ Occasions are best opposed by flying, where calling and duty doth not engage: Prov. iv. 14, ‘Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.’ He fights best that flies most, where necessity doth not bid him stay, 1 Cor. vi. 18, x. 14, and 2 Tim. ii. 22.
(3.) Thirdly, It also admits of the fear of a holy jealousy; such a distrust of ourselves, as puts us to seek to ‘the rock which is higher than we’ for shelter. God calls us to ‘turn into our stronghold,’ Nahum i. 7, and to ‘lay hold upon his strength,’ [Isa. xxvii. 5.] It is rashness or desperateness, and not true courage, to adventure ourselves without our guard or shield. But however we must fear sin, suspect our strength, and fly occasions, yet Satan we must not fly. Here we are bid to stand, for these reasons:—
[1.] First, It is impossible to fly from him. He can follow us wherever we go. If we go to holy assemblies, he can come thither. If we shut up ourselves in our closets, he can meet us there. If we betake ourselves to a wilderness or to a crowd, to be sure he will find us out.
[2.] Secondly, We are expressly charged to make resistance: James iv. 7, ‘Resist the devil;’ 1 Peter v. 9, ‘whom resist.’ This plainly speaks positive endeavours and opposition on our part.
[3.] Thirdly, A fainting fear is an unbelieving distrust of Gods power, as if he were not ‘able to save to the uttermost,’ [Heb. vii. 25,] and of Christ’s compassionate tenderness, as if he would not ‘succour those that are tempted,’ [Heb. ii. 18.]
[4.] Fourthly, Our fainting makes Satan insult. He triumphs when we turn our backs, and besides hath the greater advantage to wound us or to tread us down at pleasure. It is observed that God provides armour for head and breast, and all the fore parts, by a shield in case of resistance; but if we fly, so little encouragement is there for cowardice, there is no armour for the back.
[5.] Fifthly, It is most suitable to Christian courage to die in the place, and to put it to the utmost hazard rather than to yield. According to Vespasian’s motto, Oportet imperatorem stantem mori. Every Christian should say, ‘Shall such a one as I fly?’ [Neh. vi. 11;] one that hath given up my name to God; one that hath professed holiness afore men; one that hath so many advantages for resistance, and such sweet encouragements from a victorious general!
Quest. But the great question is, What is this fear that is forbidden, and the courage which is enjoined?
Ans. The fear forbidden is an unbelieving weakness and pusillanimity, through which, as hopeless of success, men throw down their weapons and yield themselves up to Satan, when the hearts of men fail them to the giving up of the victory.
Spiritual courage, on the contrary, is a serious resolve of fighting it out in the strength of the Lord, and it consists of these two parts:—
First, A sincere resolution to be on Christ’s side against all iniquity, a deliberate unfeigned determination to stand for God and his holy ways, against Satan and sin. [1.] The ground of this determination is a conviction of the evil of sin, even to a hatred of it. He that hath not thoroughly weighed the misery of living in sin, and fully purposed within himself to forsake it, can have no true Christian courage when it comes to a pinch. [2.] From this ground he lays himself under solemn engagements to Christ his general, as soldiers list themselves under their captains, that he will follow him and observe his commands; he gives up himself to God by covenant. So that now he is no longer his own, but Christ’s servant, bound for his work. [3.] And this with such or so much belief of his promises for aid and victory, that he hath some hopes or expectations at least, that God may at last so assist him that he may attain to some real degree of the mortification of the ‘flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof,’ [Gal. v. 24.]
Secondly, The second part of this courage consists in a suitable management of this undertaking. Courage is not only seen in the first onset, but in the prosecution of the warfare; and this lies in two things. [1.] When there are real endeavours against sin, answerable to this undertaking, in all ways of striving to oppose it. When men do not engage against sin with big words only; or as the children of Ephraim—who, arming themselves and carrying bows, seemed to have stout resolves, but then ‘turned back in the day of battle;’ but with real and conscientious wrestlings, setting themselves with all their might and care against every temptation, and studying to pursue the victory, where in any degree it is obtained, to a greater height. [2.] When these endeavours are sincerely persisted in, without being quite wearied out or utter fainting, so that it never comes to this, though they may be sometime under Satan’s feet, that they relinquish their first solemn engagement, or repent of their undertaking, and then turn their backs upon God, listing themselves under Satan’s colours. Such a fainting as this would bereave men of their crown; ‘Ye shall reap in due time if ye faint not,’ Gal. vi. 9. Upon this hazard are the children of God cautioned, Heb. xii. 3, ‘Lest ye be wearied and faint in your mind.’ [3.] There is also a particular kind of courage expressed in a holy and humble contempt of Satan’s suggestions, when after all means used they cease not to be troublesome. This is not to slight sin but to slight Satan, who, though he is resisted, ceaseth not to molest.[477]
Applic. I shall particularly apply this first direction, [1.] To those that propound ease to themselves in their race or warfare, which is a thing impossible to one that doth the work of a soldier, not considering that work and courageous endeavours do abide them. [2.] To those that pretend themselves Christ’s soldiers, courage and Christian magnanimity is your cognizance. By this must you be known. How do ye stand? what are your resolutions and undertakings? Those Christians that have ‘joy and peace in believing’ can more easily satisfy themselves in this; but those that fight in tears and grief, in disquiets and troubled thoughts, are apt to conclude themselves unbelieving, because they are fearful; or to think that they look not up to Jesus, the ‘author and finisher of their faith,’ because they apprehend themselves weary and ‘faint in their minds.’ For the ease and help of such, I shall shew in a few things that there is as real a Christian courage in such mourners as in some that sing songs of triumph.
[1.] First, It is a real courage and undertaking against sin for any to resolve his utmost, out of detestation of it, before he can satisfy himself that God will accept of it. To oppose sin under such a discouragement, or at such a venture, is a courageous hatred; and yet so do these mourners.
[2.] Secondly, To be under continual grievings because of miscarriages, so that other things of outward enjoyment cease to be pleasing, is a courageous hatred; but this is their case.
[3.] Thirdly, To wrestle against sin under high discouragements, when afflicted and tossed, when Satan runs upon them and shakes them by the neck, and yet they continue their wrestling and withstanding as they are able; this is faithful resistance, ‘a resistance unto blood, striving against sin,’ Heb. xii. 4; that is, if that expression be proverbial, like that, ad sanguinem usque, they resist sin faithfully, under great hazards and inconveniencies, even to wounds and blood, till they have broken heads and broken faces; and can say to God, though we have been ‘broken in the place of dragons,’ and have these wounds to shew, yet ‘have we not departed from thee,’ [Ps. xliv. 19,] nor quitted our desires after thee and holiness, for all these buffetings of Satan; but this is the character of these dejected ones.
[4.] Fourthly, It is a courageous hatred that cannot suffer a sinful motion to fall upon the soul, but it puts all into a combustion within, and raiseth disquiet; for it is an argument that there is a contrariety betwixt the heart and sin; but this is their case also.
[5.] Fifthly, It is courage and constancy to hold on in gracious endeavours and strivings; so that when they fall, as soon as they can re-collect their strength they set on where they left, and renew the battle, never changing their first resolve for holiness against sin. This is implied in the apostle’s phrase of ‘standing,’—Eph. vi., ‘That ye may withstand, and when ye have done all, to stand.’ He is accounted to stand that runs not out of the field, but stands to his holy resolve to the last, though the battle go sore against him by fits; but such are these mourners.
There is true courage under mourning and disquiet of heart, so that we may say to such, ‘O thou afflicted and tossed,’ fear not, ‘the glory of the Lord shall shine upon thee,’ [Isa. lx. 1.] They that are weak in this sense shall be strong as David.
Chapter XXIII
The second direction, that temptations are not to be disputed.—The several ways of disputing a temptation.—In what cases it is convenient and necessary to dispute with Satan.—In what cases inconvenient, and the reasons of it.
The next thing observable in Christ’s carriage to Satan is this, that Christ, though he rejected every temptation by giving a reason of his refusal from the command of God, did not suffer Satan to dispute his temptations further than the first proposal, and in his answers he takes no notice of the reasons or motives by which he laboured to make his temptations prevailing. In the two first temptations he gives no reply to what Satan insinuated by his supposition, ‘If thou be the Son of God,’ neither by affirming that he was so, nor discovering to him his knowledge of the secret subtlety which he had wrapped up under these plausible pretences. In the third he answers not a word to the vanity and falsehood of his deceitful offer of ‘the kingdoms of the world,’ though, as hath been observed, he might have opposed strong reasons against them all; and besides, when Satan became insolent and impudent in tempting Christ ‘to fall down and worship him,’ he chaseth him away with a severe abomination, ‘Get thee hence, Satan;’ from which we have a second direction, which is this:—
Direct. 2. That temptations to sin are to be opposed by peremptory denials rather than by disputings.
This is a note which most commentators have on this place; but it stands in need of a distinct application, because it is not a rule so general but that the practice of God’s children have made exception against it. For the clearer explanation of it, I shall,
1. First, Give you the several kinds of disputings, by which we may see that all are not alike; for,
(1.) First, The serious working of the thoughts in a quick denial of a temptation with a reason implied or expressed, though it admit not Satan to any further dispute or argument, may in some sense be called a disputing; for the Scripture useth διαλογισμὸς for any inward, serious thought. Such a kind of disputing as this is necessary. It cannot be wanting to any that refuse a sinful motion, this being, as we shall see afterward, one of those directions which Christ intended us by his example, and the very thing which Christ practised in every temptation; for he contented not himself to give a naked denial, but still adds a reason of such refusal. Those who in general terms urge that temptations are not to be disputed, do not reckon this as any disputing; and others that do, taking disputing for the refusal of a thing with a reason assigned, think that his procedure in the two first temptations is not imitable by us, but only that of the third, wherein he chased away the devil with angry denial; but the mistake is obvious.
(2.) Secondly, There is a disputing of unnecessary curiosity and conference. This is when a sinful motion injected into our hearts is not directly consented to, but then instead of a full denial men begin to raise questions and make objections of lesser moment, or some impertinent queries which strike not at the root; as one observed of himself, that instead of denying a sinful motion, he began to dispute whether it came from Satan or his own inclination; and so, instead of quenching the fire, he busied himself to inquire whence it came. Men deal with temptations in this case as they who being asked whether they will buy such a commodity, hastily answer no, but yet call back the party again and ask whence it came, or what it must cost, and by such entanglements of curiosity engage themselves at last to buy it. Eve failed by such an inconsiderate conference with Satan, for the abrupt beginning of the serpent’s speech, ‘Yea, hath God said ye shall not eat,’ &c., and the summing up of the arguments which prevailed with her to eat, ‘When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and pleasant to the eyes,’ &c., [Gen. iii. 6,] do clearly evidence that there was more discourse than is there expressed, and that also tending to ascertain the goodness, pleasantness, and profit of the fruit. This kind of disputing is always unlawful and dangerous, for it is but a wanton dalliance with a temptation, a playing upon the hole of the asp, and commonly ends in a sinful compliance.
(3.) Thirdly, There is a disputing of a deliberating and parleying indifferency. This is when the devil puts a thought of sin into their minds, and, while they seem not to be forward to embrace it, leaves it to further consideration, and then they float betwixt resolved and unresolved, betwixt pro and con, being at a great dispute within themselves what is best to be done, whether the conveniences on the one hand will weigh down the inconveniences on the other. This, in cases of apparent sin, is a wicked halting betwixt two, always unlawful.
(4.) Fourthly, There are also treacherous partial arguings, wherein the heart takes part with Satan. These are those debates that are to be found in natural men, about the doing or not doing of sinful things. This looks so like the combat betwixt the flesh and the Spirit, that it hath occasioned an inquiry how they may be distinguished each from other. It is generally concluded that in that strife of the natural man, the light of the understanding and conscience gives opposition to the bent of the affections, and the same faculties, though sanctified in part in the regenerate, are the parties that give opposition each to other; but with this principal difference, that in this strife of the flesh and Spirit the man takes part with God, whereas in the other the affections take the devil’s part, and in a malignant averseness to the light, strive to put it out and to get over the conviction of conscience, so that the man strives to sin, and to stop the mouth of such objections as come in to the contrary; this kind of disputing is always sinful.
(5.) Fifthly, There is yet a disputing in a strict sense, which is a full and solemn debating of a satanical injection, by giving it the full hearing, and admitting Satan to be a respondent to our objections. Of this it is queried how far it may be convenient and how far inconvenient, because we see Christ in this place did not thus dispute with Satan, and yet we find instances in Scripture of some holy men that have been unavoidably engaged to dispute a temptation to the utmost.
To answer this query, I shall, secondly, shew in what cases it may be necessary or convenient to enter the lists with Satan in a holy arguing, and in what cases it is inconvenient and dangerous. There are four cases in which we may dispute a temptation:—
[1.] First, When the motion is of things doubtful and disputable, whether they be lawful or not. Here it cannot be avoided; for albeit, as the apostle adviseth, Rom. xiv. 1, ‘doubtful disputations’ are not to be imposed upon others, so as to tie them up to our persuasions, yet in these things every man, before he can act clearly, is to endeavour his own satisfaction in the lawfulness or unlawfulness of the thing, that so he may be ‘fully persuaded in his own mind,’ ver. 5. And he gives two strong reasons of this, ver. 22, 23: (1.) From the rack and trouble which otherwise the man may be put upon, while his conscience, unsatisfied, ‘condemneth him in that which,’ by a contrary practice, ‘he alloweth.’ (2.) In that this condemnation of conscience, while he doth that, the lawfulness whereof he believeth not, is an evidence of his sin, as well as an occasion of his trouble.
[2.] Secondly, Disputings have place, when a temptation hath taken hold upon the thoughts, and so far possessed itself that our corruption riseth up in the defence of the suggestion. Satan will not quit that hold, though he be an intruder without our leave, till he be beat out of his quarters. The apostle, Eph. vi. 16, implies so much by that expression, of ‘quenching the fiery darts’ of Satan. It is not proper to understand it of a refusal of the first motion of sin—though interpreters do usually make it comprehensive both of the keeping out of the dart, and the plucking it out—because this evidently supposeth that the dart hath pierced the soul, and now begins to burn and inflame, which will require more labour for the quenching of it, than a refusal of the first motion would put us to. As when fire hath taken hold upon our houses, we shall be forced to bring water for the extinguishing of the flame, which before it had broke out upon the building, an ordinary care might have prevented. And this we [are] further taught by a distinction which the same apostle useth in the same place, of στῆναι and ἀντιστῆναι, standing and withstanding. We must keep off the temptation, that it enter not, by standing against the assault in a peremptory refusal; but if it do enter, then we must be put to it, by a force of holy arguing, to pull out the arrow, and to withstand it.
[3.] Thirdly, Much more need have we of disputing, when the present temptation is a motion of such a sin which we are habituated unto, and have long practised; for these kind of sinful motions are not cast out easily. In this case, David adviseth his enemies, Ps. iv. 2-4, who had for a long time, ‘loved vanity, and sought after leasing,’ that by ‘communing with their own heart,’ and by disputing against their sinful practices, they should bring themselves under a holy awe, and by that means stop the course of their sinning, ver. 4. This, indeed, is the great thing that sinners are called to by God, to ponder their estate, to consider their ways, to study the evil and danger of sin, to examine themselves, and to reason together with God about the wickedness and ingratitude of their actions, and about the contrary loveliness, blessedness, and happiness of the ways of God, that so they may be brought to repentance; all which are done only by a serious arguing of their case and hazard.
[4.] Fourthly, It is convenient, and in some cases necessary, to dispute a temptation which Satan offers to us, by the mouths of men, who entice us to share with them in their wickedness; for here, by arguing, we may not only discourage their further solicitation, and so free ourselves from the like temptation for the future, but we also, by the exercise of a holy charity, endeavour to ‘pull them out of the fire,’ Jude 23. When Joseph’s mistress tempted him, he considered that he had to deal both with the devil and his mistress, Gen. xxxix. 7, 8, and therefore that he might ‘resist the devil,’ he peremptorily refused the temptation; but that he might take off his mistress from her unlawful prosecution, he argues with her about the ingratitude, danger, and unlawfulness of such an act, ‘My master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand: there is none greater in this house than I, neither hath he kept anything back from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?’ When sinners do entice us to cast in our lot amongst them, pity to them, and care of ourselves, will engage us to argue the folly and danger of their ways with them, except they behave themselves as dogs and swine; their carriage giving us just ground to conclude, that they are so set on wickedness, that it may endanger us, rather than profit them, to debate with them. And so was it likely—and the text seems to hint so much—that when Joseph perceived his mistress was resolved upon the pursuit, and that his reasonings were not minded, he persisted in his denial, but forbore his arguings.
But however it may be convenient to dispute, in the last mentioned sense, in these four cases—and others may probably be added—yet there are cases in which it will be inconvenient and hazardous to dispute or argue, and of this order I shall reckon four.
[1.] First, It is not safe to dispute the matter in vile, infectious temptations, such as are either suitable to our inclinations, or may receive a favourable aspect and countenance from the posture of our affairs and condition. These temptations, even in our debating against them, are like the opening of a sepulchre, which sends forth a poisonous stream[478] which may infect those that loathe and resist it. It is dangerous to admit fire into the same room where there is gunpowder, though there be no intention to kindle it. It hath been an old observation, that the very confession of infectious sins, though designed to beget shame, and resolution against them for the future, have kindled a new flame, by the unnecessary declaration of the manner and circumstances, so that they have returned from the confessor more infected than when they went; and those very persons whose care it should have been to have put the highest disgrace upon sins so confessed, to the begetting of loathing and abhorrency in the parties and themselves, have by too curious an inquiry received such poison at the ear, that the heart hath been forthwith infected. The like hazard remains to those that are willing to debate such sins with Satan; for though they begin upon the score of resistance, yet the very dwelling on such a subject, when admitted to lay itself open, doth convey such amorous looks unto the treacherous affections, that the heart is in danger of a secret poison. There is no better way in such cases than to command all such thoughts and considerations out of our coasts, and, as we do when the city or town we live in is infected, to withdraw ourselves from the air of such a temptation. We may observe the like care in Joseph, though he thought himself concerned at first, as hath been said, to oppose the unlawful suit of his mistress, yet seeing her desperately set upon her folly, he declined all communication with her, and would not be with her, Gen. xxxix. 10; and at last, when she caught him by his garment, ‘he left it in her hand and fled,’ ver. 12. He might easily have rescued his garment from her, had he not been aware that his contesting against her might have been an occasion of ensnarement to himself. Christ himself, when he was tempted by Peter to spare himself, [Mat. xvi. 22,]—which was a temptation very taking to human nature, especially when suffering and death is in view,—is more short and sparing in his reasoning against it, than he was when the devil tempted him. He gives no positive reasons against it, as he did when he was tempted to ‘fall down and worship the devil,’ but dischargeth himself from any further consideration of the matter by a declared abhorrency of the thing, ‘Get thee behind me, Satan, for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things which be of men.’ Which is as if he had plainly said, This is so apparently from the devil, and so much abhorred by me, because so suitable to my condition, that I will not so much as discourse of it or consider it.
[2.] Secondly, Generally in all temptations, though they have not the advantage of our present special estate or inclination, as hath been noted, of an apparent withdrawment from obedience, or of things unquestionably sinful, it is not convenient to dispute them, but to dismiss them by a denial, except some of the forementioned considerations do alter the case. In known cases we need not parley, but stoutly deny. Our resolutions for duty, and against sin, should not be to seek. We are certain that sin is to be avoided, and duty to be practised; here we should be peremptory. Abraham being certain of duty, when God called him to ‘a place which he should afterward receive for an inheritance,’ he disputed not the uncertainty, the danger or inconvenience that possibly might attend his removal, but went out, ‘not knowing whither he went,’ Heb. xi. 8. Paul being called by God to preach among the heathen, though ‘flesh and blood’ were ready with arguments against it, yet he would not so much as confer with them, but immediately obeyed, Gal. i. 16. Like instances I might fetch from other holy men. Cyprian, when the president gave it to his own choice whether he would obey or be put to death, commanding him to take it into consideration, he readily replied, In re tam sancta non est deliberandum, that it was not to deliberate in so plain a case. Mrs Ann Askew, when at the stake ready to be burnt, a pardon was offered by the Lord Chancellor; she would not so much as look on it, but returned this answer, that she came not thither ‘to deny her Lord and Master.’ Bishop Hooker,[479] in the same condition, had a box laid before him with a pardon in it, which when he understood—he was so afraid of tampering with a temptation—he cried out, ‘If ye love my soul, away with it; if ye love my soul, away with it.’ And many others there were in all ages, so far from accepting such ‘unlawful deliverances,’ that they would not take into consideration the unrighteous terms upon which they might have escaped.
[3.] Thirdly, When a temptation, after all means used, continues to be troublesome, and is rather an annoyance than an infection, then must we not dispute it, but by a holy contempt despise it. Temptations to blasphemy are oft of this nature, as hath been noted in its place, and there are other things by which Satan creates to God’s children great disquiet, while they in the meantime abhor the sin, and cry out of the trial. Here when the ‘messenger of Satan’ will not depart, it is an advice that hath the general approbation of holy experienced men,[480] that we should despise the temptation, as an approved way to our quiet and ease; for while we think to repel such assaults by struggling with arguments, we do but increase the force of them; as he that thinks to shelter himself against the wind, by holding up his cloak before him, doth but derive upon himself a stronger blast.
[4.] Fourthly, In temptations of inward trouble and terror, it is not convenient to dispute the matter with Satan. David in Ps. xlii. 11, seems to correct himself for his mistake; his soul was ‘cast down within him,’ and for the cure of that temptation, he had prepared himself by arguments for a dispute; but perceiving himself in a wrong course, he calls off his soul from, disquiet to an immediate application to God and the promises, ‘Trust still in God, for I shall yet praise him;’ but in Ps. xi. 1, he is more aforehand with his work, for while his enemies were acted by Satan to discourage him, he rejects the temptation at first, before it settled upon his thoughts, and chaseth it away as a thing that he would not give ear to: ‘In thee, Lord, do I put my trust; how say ye then to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?’ And there are weighty reasons that should dissuade us from entering the lists with Satan in temptations of inward trouble. As,
[1.] First, The determination of the sincerity of the soul and its converted state is a question of no small difficulty—a knotty controversy, more intricate and abstruse than those controversies that in the schools are of greatest name for difficulty; for this is liable to more weighty objections, and stands in need of nicer distinction. As Dr Goodwin observes,[481] ‘They that converse with dejected spirits, find so much quickness and nimbleness of reasoning, turning every way to ward off the force of an argument brought for their consolation, that even wise and able heads are oft put to a stand, and know not what to answer.’ Would it then be fit to give Satan this advantage? or to admit him so far into our reasoning? He that will invite Satan to such a contest, shall be sure to have his hands full.
[2.] Secondly, This kind of temptation doth usually disable men for arguing; it oftentimes confounds the brain, stupifies the understanding, and weakens the memory. Heman complains of himself as ‘distracted by terrors,’ [Ps. lxxxviii. 15.] Job calls himself desperate, [chap. vi. 26.] Such persons are not surely in a fit case to manage a temptation with so cunning a sophister as Satan.
[3.] Thirdly, If they descend into the battle, he is not only too strong for them, but commonly after a while they take Satan’s part against themselves, and comply with him, concluding against their own peace.
[4.] Fourthly, There is also a better way at hand than to enter into a dispute; and that is, by going to God by a present faith, love or repentance, when the truth of any of these is questioned. It is a difficult task to prove sometime that former acts of faith, love, or other graces were sincere. This may admit of such objections from a wounded spirit, that it will be hard to answer them; but in this case it is a nearer way to see if there be not in all these complainings some present acts of these graces; whether such complainants are not willing to embrace Christ upon any terms, whether they do not hate sin, whether they would not unfeignedly be reconciled to God, &c. It oft falls out that this doth stay the trouble when examinations of former acts do nothing for them. Some men are at more pains, as one saith, to repair and fit an old building, than would serve to rear a new one. Yet must it be remembered that though it were the best course to resist temptations of this nature at first, by avoiding unnecessary disputings, notwithstanding when this—as I noted before of other temptations—hath seized upon the heart and taken possession, then shall we be forced to ‘fill our mouths with arguments,’ and whether we will or no, must we undergo a contest. As we see in David, who when his troubles had prevailed upon him, was forced to plead with God, with himself, with the temptation, and to have recourse to former experience, ‘the days of old, and the years of the right hand of the Most High,’ [Ps. lxxvii. 10,] and all little enough.
All that I shall further say concerning the inconveniences of disputing with Satan, shall be to give you the reasons manifesting these unnecessary communings with him to be every way hazardous and unsuitable. As,
(1.) First, It is an honour to Satan, and a disgrace to ourselves. Men are loath to be seen contesting with persons of a far inferior rank, especially in such things which have procured to such a noted infamy. It is a usual piece of generosity in men of spirit that they scorn to strive with a scold, or contend with a beggar, or be found in company of those that are under an evil name deservedly; and in matters that are vile and base, it is highly disgraceful to admit them to a debate. Such things will either get more credit than they deserve, while they seem to be countenanced by a dispute, or else shall communicate their discredit to those that shall shew such familiarity with them.
(2.) Secondly, By refusing to dispute temptations, we raise up in our hearts an active abhorrency of them, and by that abhorrency we are cautioned and strengthened against them. It must needs awaken our hatred into a present activity against that sin, which our consideration at first view presents to us so abominable, that it deserves no other answer but to be whipped out of our sight. And when our heart is thus alarmed, it cannot but stand upon its guard. It is a course that holy men have taken to keep men at a greater distance from sin, to present it as a thing of greatest abhorrency; and that is the intendment of that expression, Rom. vi. 1, ‘Shall we sin, that grace may abound? God forbid,’ The vileness of that abuse of gospel grace he shews by setting it below the merit of any serious thought; he sharpens their apprehensions against it by an outcry of detestation. The like he doth, Eph. v. 3, where he endeavours to set their hearts against uncleanness and coveteousness, by telling them that it was unbecoming saintship that such things should be ‘so much as once named by them.’
(3.) Thirdly, Disputing is a secret invitation to the devil to urge the temptation further. We do but toy with him, and give him occasion to follow us. Eve found the truth of this by sad experience; she so managed herself, that she plainly intimated she had a mind to hear what the devil could say for the eating of the forbidden fruit; and so urged the prohibition of God, and the threatening, that she sought from Satan a confirmation of her secret unbelief rather than faithfully endeavoured a repulse of the temptation, and mentioned the threatening under such terms of uncertainty and peradventure, as an objection which she desired might be removed, rather than from a firm belief of that death spoken of, fortifying herself in her duty; by all which Satan was so encouraged to proceed, that he presently confirmed her in her distrust.
(4.) Fourthly, These disputings usually return nothing of advantage to our account, but to Satan’s. We unnecessarily enter the lists with him, and that upon very unequal terms, he being, as Saul said of Goliath and David, a ‘man of war from his youth,’ and we but weak, unskilful striplings. We go out of our trenches and leave our weapons behind us. We expose our naked breasts to all his darts, and by discoursing with him he gains time wherein the poison may more powerfully work upon our affections. If he was too hard for our first parents at this weapon, we, whose hearts are not so faithful to God as theirs in innocency, but corrupted by Satan, who hath also a party in us, are not likely to come off with triumph.
(5.) Fifthly, These presage, consequently, an overthrow. A parleying city holds not long out. It implies in itself an inclination to yield, when armies are willing to treat. Daily examples and experience of those that give up themselves to sin after communication with Satan sadly witness this truth.
The sum of this direction is this, that when a motion of sin is put into our heart, instead of disputing where it may be avoided, we should peremptorily deny it and send it away with an angry rebuke or severe abomination: I may not do it; How can I do this wickedness? Get thee hence; or, ‘The Lord rebuke thee, Satan.’
Chapter XXIV
The third direction, of repelling a temptation without delay.—The necessity of so doing.—What a speedy denial doth contain.
The magnanimity of Christ, and the peremptoriness of his denial, we have noted. We must further observe the immediateness of his answer; he suffered not any of these motions to stay long with him; here was not a Cras tibi respondebo, Come again to-morrow and I will answer. He would not take time with the devil, but had his answer ready. No sooner was he tempted, but the temptation was repelled; for these expressions—‘But he answered and said;’ ‘Jesus said unto him;’ ‘Then saith Jesus unto him,’—shew the quickness and speediness of these returns, that he answered presently, forthwith. Hence we have a third direction in our resisting of Satan, which is this:—
Direct. 3. Temptations are best answered when they are presently denied and forthwith repelled. The direction is of great importance; it is not for us to pass by a temptation with silence, or to defer an answer. For these reasons:—
(1.) First, The nature of temptations, as dangerous or infectious, doth sufficiently enforce a necessity of their speedy removal. Things of danger require a sudden stop. If poison be taken into the body, we speedily labour to cast it up, or to overcome it by antidotes. We labour to stay the spreading of a gangrene presently. Who thinks it fit to delay when fire hath taken hold upon a house? The very opportunity of help is in the speediness of the endeavour. It is too late to bring water when the house is consumed, too late to apply a remedy when the disease hath conquered. They that consider what a temptation is, will see no reason to move slowly in opposing.[482]
(2.) Secondly, Silence encourageth Satan. It is not with him as it is with men; it is the policy of some to overlook their petitioners, and by silence to scare them from any further address; but Satan hath more impudence than to be put out of countenance by delay, and more active malice than to be discouraged by silence; nay, it doth on the contrary embolden him. Modest requests are disheartened by silence, but such motions which, by their nature, imply a disgrace, and carry no reason for their acceptance but what they expect to find in the consent of those to whom they are made, if they be not presently refused, they give encouragement to hope for entertainment. An immodest request to a chaste matron, if not forthwith expressly abominated, encourageth to further attempts. Sin being so great an affront to a holy heart, the motion of it cannot be entertained with silence, but Satan is emboldened to expect consent in time, and follows his advantage accordingly. He usually flies at a valiant peremptory resistance; but if the pulse of the soul beat slowly upon the motion, he grounds his hope upon that, and is animated to a further procedure.
(3.) Thirdly, Our wills are apt to be inclined by delay. Though grace have made straight our crooked natures, yet we still carry such a sway to our former dispositions, that a small thing, having the advantage of our natural bias and inclination, makes us, like a deceitful bow, turn to our old stand. For the understanding and will of the regenerate are but imperfectly good, the faculties that should obey are unruly. In such a case how dangerous may delays prove! Who will suffer a seditious incendiary in an army, formerly inclined to mutiny? Who will permit leaven to remain in that mass, which he desires may not be leavened, and not quickly remove it? Who will neglect a spark upon dry tinder, that would not have it consumed, and not instantly put it out? If it was so great a mischief to Eve in innocency, as hath been said, to delay her peremptory denial, of how much greater hazard is it to us! Delays are dangerous to a very proverb, and silence may end in consent.
(4.) Fourthly, Silence is also some degree of consent. It is strange to find a man delaying an answer to temptation, and yet no way guilty of consenting. In things that are to be opposed with care and hatred, no man can withhold his hand without blame. He that is not against Satan, who is to be perpetually resisted, is so far for him as he is not against him. He that delays justice which is due, denies it. The judge in the parable was called unjust, not because he had devoured the widow’s house, but because he deferred to do her right.[483] He that hinders not evil when and as soon as he can, doth command and approve it. These are received axioms amongst men, and have the same truth in them if applied to resistance of temptations. And this may further appear by considering, [1.] The weakness of the will in the regenerate. When our wills are really set upon good and against evil, yet we cannot say they are perfectly for the one and against the other, but that there is still some degree of averseness to good, and of inclination to evil in our wills, or else we should not meet with complainings of imperfections under sincere resistances; as in the apostle, ‘The evil that I would not, that do I,’ [Rom. vii. 19.] [2.] The acts of the will in consenting may be so sudden, short, and quick, that they may be almost insensible, and as forward and ready as the motion. [3.] The will may be interpretatively voluntary and consenting, when yet it forms not in itself any positive approbation. It may be guilty, in that it doth not more strongly and speedily dissent: for the suspension or negation of the will’s act, where it ought to act, cannot avoid the charge of coming short of duty.
(5.) Fifthly, Not to answer presently, is to lose the best opportunity of answering. It is less dangerous, more easy, more comfortable to be speedy in denial. The sooner fire is put out, or the disease is stayed, the less hurt is done; and it is far less labour to quench a spark than a flame; to pluck up a young plant than an old standard; to kill the cockatrice in the egg. A temptation opposed speedily, is with greater ease overcome, than after it hath settled though but a little: for it presently makes a party within us; our affections are soon engaged, our understanding soon bribed, and then we have not only Satan but ourselves to oppose; and this self so divided, that when we come to fight, our wills are against our wills, our affections against our affections, our wishes and prayers clash and contradict each other. As Austin confesseth of himself: ‘I prayed,’ said he, ‘and then feared lest thou shouldst hear me too soon; I desired to satisfy, rather than to extinguish lust.’[484] At the first assault the soul is oft in a better posture, more unanimous and consistent with itself; then is the golden opportunity of resistance. For, as one saith,[485] it is better to do it while reason is on our side, than when both reason and affection conspire against us. And, lastly, it would be more honour and satisfaction to us, rather not to have admitted such a guest, than after such admittance into our thoughts to be forced to cast him out.[486] In the review of our actions we shall have more comfort to have been resolute against any sin than to hold our peace.
The necessity of a quick and speedy rejection of a sinful motion is then beyond dispute, and there needs no more to be said for the explanation of this direction, but an account of what is implied in a speedy denial. It contains these four things:—
[1.] First, That it must issue from a fixed determination against sin. Some refuse a temptation with the same mind that carried Lot’s wife out of Sodom, and are forced beyond their own inclination, but these go not far till they ‘look back;’ and no wonder: for if he that is sincerely peremptory against sin at the first motion, may by the solicitation of the flesh be inclined afterward, there is little expectation that he whom the first motion finds indifferent and but coldly denying, should hold out long. But that refusal that must give any encouragement to hopes of success, must be an answer of holy indignation against the offer of temptation, and that confirmed into a serious resolve of heart not to yield.
[2.] Secondly, This positive denial must be also wisely jealous of Satan, in motions that are unlikely, or that may seem light, little, and not directly intended. Though it may be but a transient glance, or a thing that is out of our road, yet must nothing be contemned or undervalued. Jealousy will take notice of small actions or circumstances, and no less suspicious must we be of every proffer made to us, lest Satan by any means get an advantage against us.
[3.] Thirdly, The refusal must be so quick, that it may be ready to take the temptation by the throat. At the first motion or rising of it in our mind, we must endeavour to stifle it in the birth, that it may be as the ‘untimely fruit of a woman that never sees the sun,’ [Job iii. 16;] we must not give it time to grow up to a rod of wickedness, but must nip it in the earliest buddings of it. It is the nature of grace, if we do but faithfully pursue the inclinations of it, to be quick in its opposition. So doth the apostle’s phrase teach us, Gal. v. 17, ‘The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh:’ the spirit is as ready to repel, as the flesh to suggest. No sooner doth the one stir, but the other is ready with an opposition, and the reason of it is from the active contrariety that is betwixt them; for so the word, ἀντίκειται, there used, would express it; they are sworn enemies, animated by principles of constant opposition, as water and fire are, which cannot meet in peace together, but a present noise and combat is raised from this conjunction.
[4.] Fourthly, When this is done, we must endeavour to maintain and stick to our first disallowance. A child of God, I know, in sinful yieldings of infirmity, may say as the apostle, ‘What I do, I allow not,’—that is, [1.] What he then consents to, he did not allow at the first, till importunity prevailed. [2.] Though his affections incline to sin, yet his constant settled judgment is against it; and though he do it, he cannot say he approves it. Neither of these are the things I aim at; but this, that as the first motions of sins are disallowed, we should endeavour to keep at that, to stand our ground, to withhold the least after-delight or approbation. Not but that we must be forced sadly to acknowledge the real truth of what the apostle speaks in the place last cited, that these different principles, which of them soever carry the victory, do so impede one another, that when grace carries it, yet it cannot do the utmost it would or aims at; so that in the stoutest oppositions, there may be some secret degrees of allowance unavoidably; notwithstanding we must so manage our denial, that, if it were possible, we should not afford the smallest inclination toward it; the least, the better and nobler conquest.
Chapter XXV
The fourth direction, of repelling a temptation by Scripture arguments.—Of several things implied in the direction.—The necessity of answering by Scripture arguments.—The excellency of the remedy.—How Scripture arguments are to be managed.
The next particular in Christ’s answers to be observed by us is his citations of Scripture as an invincible reason against all the devil’s temptations; he beats them all back with this weapon, ‘It is written.’ That this was written for our learning, and that, otherwise than for our instruction, he lay not under any necessity of using this method, hath been evidenced before, and it is a thing which all commentators[487] do take notice of. From this we have another direction for the right way and order of resisting temptations, which is,
Direct. 4. That temptations are best repelled by arguments drawn from the word of God.
For the explanation of this, it may be considered what is first presupposed in this direction; for when it is affirmed that we must answer by reasons from Scripture, this implies—
(1.) First, That temptations are not to be opposed by groundless refusals. It is no way safe to say we will not, because we will not, nor to insist upon our own bare resolve; for this would be wilfulness, rather than an obediential refusal, and unwarrantable self-confidence, rather than a humble wrestling. There are some, of whom it may be said, as the prophet once charged the Jews, Isa. xxii. 11, that when Satan comes up against them, they look in that day ‘to the armour of the house of the forest,’ they ‘repair the wall,’ and ‘cast ditches for fortification;’ they prepare themselves to the battle ‘in their own strength, but they look not unto the maker thereof,’ to him who by his mighty power must fashion our hearts to resistance. The vanity of such undertakings is enough manifested in the event, for commonly such men go on in a bravado of resolution, but are so altered at the first appearance of the enemy, that they yield without a stroke. Who could be more confident than Peter that he would not deny his Master, whatever others did? and yet how soon did his heart fail him. We may warrantably deny a sinful motion, without being explicit in our reason against it, especially in usual temptations, and when they thrust themselves into our minds at such times when our thoughts are charged with an attendance upon other duties, in which nevertheless the heart hath a secret and implicit regard to the command of God; but in no case must we go down to the battle in the strength of a wilfulness, lest it go against us. And thus do they who, when they are reproved for some miscarriage, as of drinking, will presently with great confidence make engagements not to drink wine or strong drink, not to go into a tavern or alehouse, without any humble respect to duty, or the power of God for the conquest of the sin; and accordingly we see that usually such promises and obligations do not hold; either they wilfully break them, or they become sinfully witty to make evasions for the practice of sin, without the breach of the oath or promise.
(2.) Secondly, The direction supposeth that we must deny the sin with the arguments of greatest strength and authority. There were occasions and hints of other answers to these temptations that offered themselves in Christ’s way, and yet he waives them all, fixing only upon Scripture reasons as the best and strongest. It is no Christian wisdom to urge those inferior considerations of shame, loss, inconvenience, &c. Some have no other reason betwixt them and sin, but What will men say? or What will become of me? But besides that, these would only be a train to bring on disputings, and that it is no way safe to venture our souls upon such defences, when better may be had; for who will venture his life upon a staff when he may have a sword? It is easy for Satan to break these bows, and to cut these spears in sunder. He can balance such reasons with equal reasons, and presently make us believe that we have as good reason to commit the sin as those urged by us for the not committing of it.
(3.) Thirdly, This direction of using Scripture reason doth clearly imply that the force and power of Scripture is not in the words or characters, but in the mind and reason of it; not that Scripture used as a charm or spell, as if the devil were afraid of the sound and words of it, can beat back the devil, but it is the authority of its command which works upon the mind the highest impressions of fear and care, and as a strong argument prevails with us to forbear. Notwithstanding the plainness and undeniableness of this inference, not only do ignorant men bless themselves against the devil by repeating some phrases or sentences of Scripture impertinently, and such as have no direct signification of the matter in hand betwixt Satan and them, as if the devil could not endure to hear the paternoster, or durst not come within the sound of the name Jehovah, but also papists—and of them such as might be supposed more considerate than to be carried by such conceits—have placed a virtue in the words and sounds of Scripture, and therefore do they command, though under some limitations and restrictions, the hanging of sentences of Scripture about the neck in scrolls, for the driving away of evil spirits, though in a clear contradiction to the reason which they give in the general against this course, which is this, that the ‘power of Scripture is not in the figures and characters, but in the mind and understanding of it;’ and therefore profits as ‘pondered in the heart,’ not as ‘hung about the neck;’ and upon as slender grounds do they place a more than ordinary virtue, in the angelical salutation, in the seven words upon the cross, in the triumphal title, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews,’ &c.[488] Such kind of oppositions are but a mock to Satan. We cannot think to ‘bore the jaw of this leviathan with a thorn,’ or to come to him with ‘this bridle,’ or to ‘play with him as with a bird,’ [Job xli. 2;] he durst allege scripture himself to Christ, and therefore it is not the phrase or sound that affrights him.
(4.) Fourthly, The direction doth imply an argumentative, proper, and fit use of Scripture commands or promises. We see Christ urged not any scripture indifferently, but he used fit words, and chose to himself select smooth stones out of this brook to sling against this spiritual Goliath. Every temptation had an answer that doth most fully and properly confront it. He regarded the main of the temptation, and suffered not himself to be diverted from that prosecution, by engaging himself in that which might have been perplexed and controversial, though he had a fit opportunity to reprove Satan for a dishonest craft of representing scripture in a sense of his own making, and so might have rejected the temptation of casting himself down, as leaning upon a false foundation, in that God did not promise in Ps. xci. to preserve any that should presumptuously expect a protection while they run out of God’s ways; yet he waived this answer, and opposed the assault by a plain scripture which chargeth the contrary duty.
Secondly, Having seen what this direction doth imply in these things that are to be removed from the sense and intendment of it, I shall next, for ascertaining of the reality and importance of it, shew that temptations are to be resisted by Scripture arguments, by these two evidences:—
(1.) First, God’s recommending of the commands of Scripture for such a purpose: Deut. vi. 6, ‘These words which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes,’ &c. Whether the latter part of the command is to be understood literally, as the Jews apprehended and practised, though some think otherwise, is not necessary to be asserted, seeing it is granted by all that they were to have the commands of the law so ready in their minds and memories, as if they had been written on their hands and upon their foreheads. That God designed this precept for the resistance of sin and temptation cannot be doubted, and that the advantage which might hence arise to them was not only the information of their minds, in point of sin and duty, is as unavoidable; for that and more is intended by that part of the injunction, ‘These words which I command thee, shall be in thine heart;’ but when? Besides this information, which the knowledge of the law would afford them, and their humble compliance with it, as just and good, which would enable them to say, ‘Thy law, O Lord, is within my heart;’ he further enjoins them the quick and ready remembrances of these laws, as if they were ‘frontlets between their eyes, and signs on their hands.’ It can signify no less than this, that in so doing they would be able to resist those motions by which Satan would seek to engage them to the violation of these commands. Neither need we to doubt hereof, when Christ himself hath so fully taught us, by his own example, in resisting temptations, the particular use of the remembrance of the law. In the New Testament the apostle is most express in this matter: Eph. vi. 17, ‘Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,’ where not only the use of Scripture commands and promises against Satan’s suggestions is taught, but also the high avail and potency of this weapon in reference to its end. It is called a sword, and in that comparison it shews the active resistance which may be made by it; and it is called, not a sword of flesh, for ‘the weapons of our warfare are not carnal,’ but ‘of the Spirit,’ to shew how mighty it is in repelling Satan.
(2.) Secondly, Another evidence of its usefulness is from the success which the children of God have had in the right management of this weapon. It is observable that while Christ answered by Scripture, Satan was silenced, and had not what to reply to the answer, but was forced to betake himself to a new temptation. David in many places highly magnifies the power of the command, in the success he had by it; Ps. xvii. 4, he shews how available it was to preserve him in his common converse from the sinful snares laid before him, ‘Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.’ In Ps. xviii. 22, 23, he tells us that he was shielded from the sins of his inclination and love, which are hardest to prevent, by the opposition that he gave to the motions of them, in setting up the statutes of God against them; ‘All his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me; I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.’ In Ps. cxix. 11, he puts his probatum est upon the head of this receipt, and speaks of it as his constant refuge, ‘Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.’ In Ps. xxxvii. 31, he speaks of it as a tried case of common experience to all the children of God, ‘The law of God is in his heart, none of his steps shall slide.’ I shall add to this the experience of Luther, when, saith he, in Epistle to the Galatians, ‘the motions of the flesh do rage, the only remedy is, to take the sword of the Spirit, that is, the word of salvation, and to fight against them; of this I myself have good experience; I have suffered many great passions and vehement, but so soon as I laid hold of any place of Scripture, and stayed myself upon it, as upon an anchor, straightway my temptations did vanish away, which without the word had been impossible for me to endure, though but a little space, much less to overcome.’[489]
(3.) Thirdly, The excellency of this remedy will further appear from these following reasons:—
[1.] First, In that it is a universal remedy. There can be no temptation, either of seducement or of affrightment, but the Scripture will afford a suitable promise or command to repel it. So that it, like the flaming sword in the cherubim’s hand at paradise, turns every way to guard the soul. I need not give instances of its power against sinful motions, having done that already, and of such temptations which war against the peace of the soul. I need but say this in the general, that as the nature of such temptations is to disguise God, and to render him dreadful to us, in the appearances of wrath and incompassionate implacableness—and this Luther sets down as a certain rule—so have we in Scripture such declarations of the mind and tender inclinations of God, and such full and clear promises to assure us of this, and those so adapted to every case, to every kind of hard thought which we might take up against him, that we may find enough in them to break all those malicious misrepresentations of Satan, and to keep up in our mind ‘right thoughts of God;’ which if we will adhere to, not suffering such promises to be wrested out of our hands, nor our hearts to give way to malignant impressions of cruelty, revenge, or unmercifulness in God, though we be cast into darkness, into the deeps, we may find some bottom on which to fix such beginnings of hope, as may at last grow up to a spirit of rejoicing in God our Saviour; and in this case, when our heart and Satan dictate to us that God is our enemy, we ought, as it were, to shut our eyes, to refuse to hearken to our own sense and feeling, and to follow the word; but if we once give up the word of promise, it is impossible the wound of conscience should be healed with any other consideration.
[2.] Secondly, This remedy is comprehensive of most other remedies against Satan’s temptations. In Eph. vi., there are several other pieces of spiritual armour recommended, and yet there is such a manifest mutual respect betwixt this and those, that any may conclude that however they be distinguished in their names, yet they are conjoined in their operation. The girdle, so far as it relates to truth of judgment and opinion, depends on the word of Scripture for information; the shoes, which are defensive resolves to walk with a steady foot in the ways of religion, notwithstanding the hardships that attend holiness, are prepared to us, by the comfortable and peace-bringing promises of the gospel; the righteousness which is our breastplate, is only set forth and wrought out to us by the Scripture and its ordinances; faith which is our shield, and hope which is our helmet, they neither of them act without the warrant and encouragement of it; and whereas other parts of the armour are defensive, this of the Scripture is compared to the sword, which not only defends, but also offends and beats back the enemy. If the matter be seriously considered, all these parts of armour are but these two, the graces of the Spirit—faith, hope, patience in their sincere exercise, and the word of Scripture as the instrument by and in which they shew their operations; so that all this armour being put to use, in every particular temptation, it amounts to no more than this we are speaking of, viz., that sinful motions are to be rejected by a believing, sincerely resolute opposing of them, with arguments from the word of God.
[3.] Thirdly, Scripture, as it is the word and command of the great King of heaven, hath a daunting and commanding authority over the consciences of men. ‘Where the word of a king is, there is power,’ Eccles. viii. 4, and such is the majesty of a divine law, that it hath power over the consciences of those that are yet in their sins, and can wound, affright, constrain, and bind even the rebellious; so that so long as they retain any of their natural impressions of a divine power, they have some awe for his commands, which may be seen and argued, where it would be least expected, from the enragement of the hearts of sinners, when ‘sin by the commandment,’ accidentally, ‘becomes exceeding sinful,’ Rom. vii. 13, 14. For as that outrageous fierceness doth arise from the contrariety that is betwixt a carnal heart and a spiritual law; so that contrariety would never work if the authority of that law, having a power to restrain, and give check to the corruption of the heart, were not some way owned by the conscience; for where no countermanding law is owned, there can be no irritating, provoking restraint. This it can do to the vilest of men; but of how much more power may we imagine the word to be with good men, whose hearts tremble at the word, when they ‘bind the law upon their heart,’ and charge their consciences with it? It is surely ‘quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword,’ [Heb. iv. 12;] nor doth it only, by unlovely affrightments, terrify them from sin, but by commanding duty make the heart in love with it, so that it becomes a delightful satisfaction to be preserved from the snare.[490]
[4.] Fourthly, There is no argument that can be used against temptations that can be more afflictively discouraging to Satan. Satan, as bad as he is, cannot but believe those truths which he knows, and he knows that there are many truths in Scripture which respect him, as threatenings of punishment and divine vengeance; he believes these things and trembles, James ii. 19. His unavoidable knowledge or remembrance of these things begets horror in him, he cannot but be under a dread of these truths. What can be supposed so to wound him as the bringing these things to memory, by urging the command of God against him? Dr Arrowsmith[491] gives two instances of this kind, the one of Christopher Haas in Sweedland—from the epistle dedicatory to the five tomes of Brentius’s works—the other of Daniel Cramer, rector of a school at Stettin in Germany; on both which the devil made a bold attempt in a personal appearance; from the first, demanding a catalogue of his sins in writing; from the other, demanding a paper in which one of the students had obliged himself to Satan’s service; they both referred him to that text of Gen. iii. 15, ‘The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent.’ And this was retorted upon him with such a strong exercise of faith, that he presently desisted the suit and vanished.
[5.] Fifthly, This weapon cannot easily he wrested out of our hands. When we urge a divine prohibition against a temptation, what can he say in answer? he cannot deny it to be the word of God, or to be true, or that we are not obliged to it. He made none of these returns to Christ, but, by his silence, owned that it was God’s holy command obliging us to duty. Neither dares he stand upon these exceptions to us, except he find our faith inclined to waver, or our minds weak and wounded by inward troubles of spirit; and when he puts on a boldness to deny Scripture to be the word of God, or that it signifies God’s real intendments in his threatening—for by begetting unbelief of the truth of Scripture, and by suggesting hopes of escape and pardon, notwithstanding the violation of the commands of it, he wrests, when he doth prevail, this weapon out of our hands—yet he is forced to fetch a compass, and by many previous insinuations to make his way to these atheistical assertions. Thus he did with Eve, first, finding her a little inclinable, he dropped in privily something that might argue the improbability of the threatened penalty, and then at last positively denied it. But now if we hold to this, that ‘the command is true and holy, and just and good,’ he cannot wrest our plea from us.
[6.] Sixthly, Nothing doth more undermine temptations, by rendering the reasons and motives thereof vain and empty, than doth the contrary commands of Scripture. Temptation hath always some enticement of pleasure or profit, and these only seem to be taking or reasonable, while we consider not the word of God, as rotten wood or fish shine only in the dark; but when we are urged with sinful pleasures, how mean, base, dangerous, and unlovely be they, when the command to the contrary gives information that they are snares and lead to death, or the provocation of the Almighty.
[7.] Seventhly, While we resist with Scripture arguments, we engage God, whose command we would stand by, to go down to the battle with us. We ‘lay hold upon his strength,’ and put obligations upon him to take us out of the snare, and to deliver us from him who is ‘too strong’ for us.
(4.) Fourthly, It remains that, in a word, I shew how the commands or arguments of Scripture are to be used in resisting Satan, which is thus, When you have any sinful thought cast into your mind, presently reject the offer, by charging your heart with duty, from some opposite command; as if you be urged to acts of uncleanness, presently refuse, thus; No, I must not, God hath commanded the contrary, he hath said, ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery.’ If a covetous thought arise, reject it with this, God hath said, ‘Thou shalt not covet.’ If you be tempted to please the flesh, and follow vain delights, answer it with this, ‘If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die;’ and the like must be done in other temptations.
Obj. Some may perhaps think that this is easy work and quickly done, and that it seems to attribute a virtue and power to the words of Scripture, as if Satan were charmed by the language or phrase.
Ans. However at the first view this may seem easy, yet he that shall consider how much exercise of grace goes necessarily to the right use of Scripture opposition, shall not see cause to slight it as common, nor yet to think that any virtue is attributed to the words. For,
[1.] First, The Scripture here is only recommended as a fit instrument, and no further or higher praise is given. Though therefore we may attribute the whole of the conquest to the instrument alone, yet this hinders not, but that as an instrument peculiarly fitted for these ends, we may commend it above all other instruments, as we may justly commend bread for nourishing above a stone, and expect more from it than from a chip; so have we reason to expect more by the use of Scripture against Satan, than from other means of defence which God hath not set up for that service.
[2.] Secondly, It is a concomitancy of divine power and aid that conquers for us. The instrument is Scripture, but the power by which it works is from God.
[3.] Thirdly, Neither is it any careless formal use of Scripture expressions that will give encouragement for expectation of a divine concurrence; but the use of Scripture in this business implies an exercise of all graces, for it is an urging of Scripture under a fourfold consideration.
First, As being certainly persuaded of their truth, and fully keeping to that belief.
Secondly, As being thankfully apprehensive of the holiness, goodness, and profitableness of the commands, and cheerfully adhering to them as the only way and means to bring us to union with Christ, and to preserve us in it.
Thirdly, As being highly and indispensably obliged by them to perform the duty commanded therein, and to avoid the sins forbidden.
Fourthly, All this in a humble expectation of a divine help, according to the promise of God. Now he that can plead the command or promise against a temptation in this manner, doth not do an ordinary work, neither will he ascribe the success to the words and phrase of Scripture.
Some may, peradventure, wonder why Christ, by his example, had not recommended prayer, seeing it is of such unquestionable use in our undertakings against Satan. But that inquiry may be fully satisfied, if it be considered that Christ did peculiarly prepare himself to this encounter by ‘solemn fasting,’ ver. 2, which doth include praying; for such complicated duties are often denominated by that part which is extraordinary, and usually in Scripture a fast is only mentioned where prayer is chiefly intended. That this fast of Christ related to the temptation, and that also as a means of preservation, hath been spoken of in its place; it remains only that from hence I add a fifth direction.