glory of them 9. And said vnto him all these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me 10. Then said Iesus vn so him auoid Satan for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue THese words containe the third conflict betweene our Sauiour Christ and Satan wherin consider three points I. Satans preparation v. 8. II. Satans assault vpon Christ v. 9. III. Christs answer thereto v. 10. For the first before wee come to the handling of it in particular wee are to consider that vnto euery assault the Diuell prepares himself afresh which should teach vs to labour to furnish our hearts euery day afresh to be able to repulse his new assaults Now particularly this preparation hath two parts first Satan takes Christ into an exceeding high mountaine secondly he shews him all the kingdomes of the world and the glory of them all For the first it may bee demanded what way Satan tooke vp Christ into this high mountaine Answ. He might do it two waies either by vision or by reall and locall transportation of his body from the temple to some high mountaine Some thinke this was done by vision only in Christs mind as Ezekiel was caried by the Lord from Babylon to an exceeding high mountaine in the land of Israel But I rather thinke that Christ was really and locally transported by the Diuell in body from the temple to some high mountaine for Christs temptations were not imaginary but true and reall Againe the words import a true and reall transportation without any mention of a vision The reasons why the Diuell carries Christ to an high mountaine may bee these first the Diuel hath a great desire to imitate God in his glorious workes that so hee may disgrace the workes of God yea and God himselfe as much as he can Now we read that God tooke vp Moses into mount Nebo from whence hee shewed him all the land of Canaan so Satan that he might seeme to go beyond God takes vp Christ into an exceeding high mountaine to shew him all the kingdomes of the world and the glory of them Secondly he did it for the furtherance of this last assault wherewith hee tempted Christ for hee meant to entice Christ with the glory of the world and therefore brings him where hee might take the fairest view thereof Now in that Satan transports the body of our Sauiour Christ this second time wee see that by Gods permission Satan may haue power ouer the bodies of Gods children to transport the same from place to place or otherwise to vex them and that not once onely but sundrie times This we must obserue and remember carefully as a stay and prop against distrust despaire if God should suffer Satan to vex vs by such transporting of our bodies from place to place or by any outward calamity that not once or twise but diuers times for that which befell the head Christ Iesus may well befall any of his members The second part of the Diuels preparation is this he shewes vnto Christ all the kingdoms of the world the glory of them This he could not do actually for there is no mountaine so high in all the world whereon if a man were placed he could see one halfe or one quarter of the kingdomes of the world as they are seated and placed vpon the face of the earth nay if a man were set in the sunne and from thence could looke vnto the earth yet hee could not see past the halfe therof And therefore wee must know that the Diuel did this in a counterfet vision for heerein hee can frame an imitation of God Now the Diuels visions bee of two sorts either in the outward senses or in the mind and vnderstanding His visions in the outward senses be delusions whereby he makes men be leeue they see that which indeed they do not see this might easily be proued by manifold examples recorded in the histories of all times but that one shall suffice of his counterfait resemblance of Samuels forme and attire to the witch of Endor for the deluding of Saul when as indeed Samuels true body was in the graue and his soule with the Lord. Secondly the diue hath visions wherbv he deludes the vnderstanding Zak. 13. 4. The Lord saith heereof the Prophets shal be ashamed euery one of his vision These visions the Diuell shewes to men sometime sleeping and sometime waking euen as the Lord doth shew his visions to his owne seruants The visions of Satan shewed to men sleeping are called dreames Deut. 13. 1. the false Prophet hath his dreame His visions shewed to men waking are to such as haue crazed brame whom he perswades strange things of themselues as some that they are kings or princes others that they are Christ Iohn Baptist such like examples heereof in all ages are many Now touching this vision of Satan to Christ some thinke it was inward in Christs minde but I rather take it to haue beene in his outward senses only as the words of the text do import the Diuell by his art did cunningly set forth and represent vnto the eies of Christ a notable shew and representation of all the kingdomes of the earth and the glory of them Heerein the Diuell sheweth great power and skill in that he can represent vnto the eie in his counterfet visions such strange and admirable sights And it teacheth vs that the practises of forcerers and magicians vndertaking to represent vnto the eie partly in the aire and partly in glasses either the persons of men that liued long since or actions done in farre countries or long before are not meere fancies as some thinke who deny altogether that such things can be shewed for the Diuell can resemble things done long since and a far off for if he could set such a sight before the eie of our Sauiour Christ in vision as the view of the whole world and the glory thereof then much more can he represent vnto the eie of man strange and maruellous things The Diuels drift in this resemblance vnto Christ is this heereby he intended most cunningly to insinuat himselfe into the heart of our Sauior Christ for before he propounds this third assault hee shews vnto Christ all the kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them that Christ might take a liking of them and so desire them and at length accept of them vpon Satans offer Thus he dealt with our first parents vpon their first communication he shewes vnto Eue the outward beauty of the forbidden fruit that it was faire to locke vpon and tels her of the good estate they should attain vnto by eating of it and so at length brings her to yeeld to his temptation Hence we must learne to haue speciall care in the good ordering of all the outward senses of our bodies specially the two senses of learning seeing and hearing for
approueth such meanes the diuel setteth such courses a flote and him they serue and on him they rely that walke therein Secondly note a further reach of Satan in this promise of these earthly kingdomes euen to ouerthrow Christs spirituall kingdome Satan knew well that if Christ were the true Messias he should be a King and haue a kingdome though not earthly yet spirituall in the hearts and consciences of men which should be the ruine of his kingdome and therfore he labours with Christ to entertaine an earthly kingdome that so his spiritual kingdome might not be looked after And looke as hee seekes to deale with Christ the head so he perseueres against the church which is his body for Gods Church hath it ministery which in it nature is a soueraigntie to be exercised in the dispensation of the word now the Diuell hath laboured by all meanes to bring this ministerie wherein the Churches spirituall soueraignty doth consist to become an earthly lordship and dominion that by this meanes he might ouerturne it and make it fruitlesse in the building and vpholding of Christs spiritual kingdome and how he hath preuailed this way the Church of Rome doth shew to all the world Thirdly obserue the largenesse of the Diuels promise he will giue to Christ all the kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them but this is more then he meant to our Sauiour Christ at leastwise more then he could perform for all these were not in his power Now because in all things we must be as vnlike the Diuell as may be hence we must learn to be wary and watchful to our promises that therein we be not like vnto Satan promising that which we neuer meane to performe or neuer can performe though we meant it In all our promises therefore we must looke to two things First whether the thing we promise be in our power Secondly whether it be lawfull and meet for vs to performe And thus making promises we must endeuour alwayes to make good the same This fidelitie in keeping promise is a fruit of the spirit called by the Apostle faith Gal. 5. 25. and a propertie of him that must rest in Gods holy mountaine Psal. 15. 4. not to change from a mans lawfull oath or promise though the performance of it tend to his great hinderance Fourthly in this promise of Satan we may obserue that hee knowes all the kingdomes of the world else he could not haue shewed them to him which heere he offers to giue yea his offering of them with the glory of them al which hee could so speedily represent doth shew vnto vs that hee is most expert in the policies and regiments of states and kingdomes hee goes not to and fro for nought compassing the earth Iob. 1. 7. And his promise of them to Christ was made to inflame his heart with ambition after those kingdomes and glories that he might enioy some of them at the least Wherein we may note that one speciall practise of the Diuell is to ouerturne states and kingdomes by putting ambition into mens hearts after earthly kingdomes and glories his study is to do mischiefe and in the ruine of kingdoms he ouerthrowes many and therefore heereunto hee endeuours himselfe with might and maine Hence come insurrections rebellions in kingdomes which no time nor age could euer escape looke as he stirred vp the Chaldeans and Sabeans to inrich themselues by the spoiling of Iob so dealeth he by ambitious and couetous persons in all estates as true records of times do fully testifie We may see the truth heereof in our own land in the manifold complots and treasons both at home and abroad that haue been conspired and attempted against our Prince and State by profane men stirred vp by the diuell through ambition discontent howsoeuer by Gods mercy themselues haue beene taken in the snare that they laid for others In regard whereof we are all bound to yeeld all praise and glory to God for his gratious preseruation and defence both of our prince state and to shew forth our thankfulnesse by all holy obedience vnto that God who hath brought to nought the diuelish conspiracies treacheries of the ambitious instruments of Satan Secondly we must pray vnto God continually for the preseruation of our Prince State crying aloud vnto God as the people did at the coronation of Salomon for the safety of our Prince yea we must daily intreat the Lord to bring to nought the counsell of Achitophels of all that think euil against the Lords anointed among vs. Quest. But how comes it to passe that any Prince or State can stand if the Diuell haue such malice against them Answ. Through the good prouidence of God who giues his good Angels charge to guard and defend not only his children in particular but also whole Kingdoms and States And one part of their office is for the good of Gods Church to repell the rage of Satan and his instruments yea to stand with Gods church in the execution of iudgements vpon the enemies thereof In the siege of Iericho an heauenly captaine of the Lord of hosts came to helpe Ioshuah and when the king of Syria sent a mighty host to take the Prophet Elisha that was in Dothan the Lord sent for his defence horses chariots of fire which filled the mountaines And in the dayes of Hezekia for his comfort and the ioy of Gods people an Angel of the Lord slew in the host of Zenacherib that came against Ierusalem an hundred fourescore and fiue thousand in one night And wee want not sure testimonie of this good prouidence of God in the strange discoueries of many diuelish conspiracies Fiftly Satan saith all these will I giue thee This is the voice of the great red Dragon and the same is the voice of the Pope of Rome both registred in their canons and daily attempted in practise to dispose of all the kingdomes of the earth whereby he shewes euidently that he is that beast comming out of the earth hauing two hornes like the Lambe but he spake like the Dragon For the Lambs hornes he shewes in calling himselfe the seruant of sernants and the voice of the Dragon that is of the Diuel in taking vpon him to dispose of the soueraignties of these earthly kingdoms Lastly Saint Luke recordeth a reason which the Diuell addeth to his promise to preuent all conceit of impossibility in him to performe the same to wit for that the power and glory of all the kingdomes of the world is deliuered to him and to whomsoeuer he will be giues it Wherein obserue in Satan two notorious sinnes first a grosse lie for Daniel saith that it is Iehouah the most high God who beareth rule ouer all the kingdomes of men and giueth them to whomsoeuer he wil. Secondly arrogant and shamelesse boasting to vaunt himselfe euen to the Lords owne face as though he were soueraigne lord of
of his members who are but weake sinfull men Again in baptisme a man giues vp his name vnto God promising therein for euer to renounce all seruice to the Diuell the flesh and the world and contrariwise to beleeue in God and to serue him and this vow being thus made it is the will of God he should be tempted that in the schoole of temptation he might learn to practise his baptisme But here most men wil say they neuer felt by experience in themselues the trueth of this doctrine for they haue not perceiued any such combate in themselues though they haue bene baptized many yeres agone Answ. Such men whatsoeuer they be haue indeed the outward baptisme of water but they neuer yet receiued the inward baptisme of the spirit they weare Christs liuery but as yet they do seruice vnto Satan And though they haue been made partakers of the seales of the couenant yet still they abide within the kingdome of darkenesse for Christ heere teacheth by his owne example that all those who haue receiued the inward baptism of the spirit whereby they haue effectually put off sinne and put on the Lord Iesus are as sure to be tempted by Satan as himselfe was therefore let such persons as neuer yet felt in themselues this spiritual conflict now begin to reform their liues and to performe their vow of baptisme and they shal vndoubtedly find in themselues the truth of this doctrine That all that are baptized into Christ shal be tempted of the Diuell So long as the children of Israel continued vnder Pharaos bondage they were not pursued by his army but when they set their faces toward the land of Canaan then presently he makes after them with all his might and malice euen so while men liue in sinne and submit themselues to Satans spirituall bondage he will suffer all things to be in peace with them but if once they set their hearts on the heauenly Canaan and giue themselues syncerely to Gods seruice then will he with all his force pursue them meet them with armies of temptations to turne them backe into their olde way of sinne againe The silly bird that is in the snare or vnder the net so long as she lieth still feeles no harme but when she stirs offers to get away then begins her paine and the more she striues the more she finds her selfe ensnared So fareth it with silly men while they liue in sinne securely they are not troubled with Satans temptations but when they beginne to leaue their badde courses and settle themselues to serue the Lord then presently the Diuel seeks to spread his net to intangle them in his snare The consideration whereof must teach vs to watch and pray that we enter not into temptation and as Paul saith to put on the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand against the assaults of the Diuell Ephes. 6. 11. Secondly in that our Sauiour Christ after his solemne inauguration into his mediatorship was immediatly to go to be tempted we learn that all those that are set apart by God to any speciall calling euen at their verie entrance thereinto must looke for temptations This befell the head and therefore all the members must reckon for it When Moses was first called to be the guide and conducter of Gods people out of Egypt hauing slaine an Egyptian in defence of one of his brethren vpon knowledge of the fact he was fain to flie from Pharaos court into the land of Madian and there to liue a shephers life for many yeres with his father in law Iethro And Dauid was no sooner appointed by God to be king ouer his people Israel but Saul began to persecute him and so continued all his dayes And our Sauiour Christ hauing called his Apostles to their office of preaching his kingdome tooke them soone after to the sea and there falling asleepe suffered their ship to be so tossed with waues in a great tempest that they looked for nothing but present drowning so as they cried out Master saue vs we perish And this the Lord doth in great wisedome for the good of his children first to teach them that no man is able of himselfe to carry himselfe in any acceptable course of his calling without Gods speciall assistance and grace Secondly to stir vp in them those good gifts and graces which he hath formerly bestowed on them as the feare of his name the loue of his maiesty the gifts of prayer faith patience and many other which he would haue tried in the entrance of their callings and exercised in the continuance therein vnto the end Thirdly seeing Christ begins his propheticall office of treaching his church with temptations This should admonish all Ministers of the word that howsoeuer all Gods people must prepare themselues against Satans temptations yet they must doe it aboue the rest for looke as in a pitched field the enemy aimeth principally at the standerd-bearer euen so Satan and his instruments do among all Gods people bend their greatest forces against the ministers of Christ which holde vp his scepter and display his banner in the preaching of the Gospel When Iehoshuah the high priest stood before the Lord Satan stood at his right hand to resist him Zak. 3. 1. And when Ahab went to fight against the king of Syriah Satan became a lying spirit in the mouth of 400. prophets mo 1. King 22. 22. This is that great red dragon that with his taile drew downe the third part of the starres of heauen that is of the ministers and preachers of the word and cast them to the earth Reuel 12. 13. 4. This is he that desired to winnow the Disciples as wheat Luk. 22. 31. And as the king of Aram said of Ahab fight not against small nor great but against the king of Israel only 1. King 22. 31. So Satan fighteth not against any so much as the Prophets of Israel the ministers of the Church Fourthly in that Christ is tempted before he go to preach we learne that it is good and profitable for Gods ministers to be exercised with temptations euen of satan himselfe that for sundry causes first that they may know what temptations meane Secondly that they may be the more able to minister helpe and comfort to those that are tempted Thirdly to make them vnderstand the word of God aright for many places of Scripture can not so well be vnderstood by bare study onely as by temptations therewithall and it is true which one sayth well Reading meditation prayer and temptation make a diuine II. Circumstance The author or efficient cause of Christes going foorth to wit the Holy ghost noted in these words was led by the spirit The word led in the originall signifieth thus much that Iesus was carried apart by the spirit which must not bee vnderstood of any locall transportation of his bodie from the riuer
this a man would not thinke that herein he should intend any hurt to Christ or to his church but in very trueth his drift heerein is to destroie the faith of Christ in that word of his father which spake from heauen and to ouerthrow the foundation of the church by proouing that Iesus Christ the Sonne of Marie was not true God Heere then obserue a tricke of the Diuels cunning when he speaks a truth he doth it not to confirme the same as louing it but indeed his meaning is to ouerthrow the truth therby which must admonish vs that when Satan shall any way assault vs in temptation wee neuer giue credit vnto him no not then when he speaketh the trueth because therein his purpose is to deceiue vs and to destroy the truth hence it was that Christ forbad the vncleane spirits to testifie of him though they acknowledged him to be the holy one of God hence also Paul was grieued at the testimony of the foule spirit that was in the maid though in it selfe a most worthy truth to wit that they were the seruants of the most high God which shewed vnto mē the way of saluation Further in comparing our Euangelist Matthew with S. Luke there may seeme some difference between them in propounding this temptation for in Matthew the words are thus command these stones c. And in Luke thus command this stone But they are reconciled thus Matthew sets downe this temptation as the Diuell first propounded it and S. Luke shewes how the Diuell vrged it for first the diuel comes to Christ and bids him if he be the sonne of God command all the stones which he saw round about him to be made bread this S. Matthew sets downe or if that seemed too much command one stone to be made bread and it should suffice and this S. Luke noteth The vse By this comparing of the Euangelists we may obserue that when the Diuell hath once begun to tempt a man he will not easily leaue off but will set an edge vpon it and enforce and vrge it by all the meanes he can that if it be possible it may preuaile Which should teach vs on the other side to be most earnest and resolute in resisting Satans temptations he will take small aduantage before he leaue we therefore must not giue place nor yeeld one iot vnto him Resist the Diuell and he will flie This must euery member of the Church do the Minister by sound and through applying of euery part of Gods truth to the heart whereby it may be armed against the enemie and the people by faithfull embracing and obeying of the same as also by earnest praier vnto God for the assistance of his grace in all assaults VERSE 4. But he answering said It is written Man shall not liue by bread only but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God THese words conteine Christs gratious answer whereby he repelled the diuels temptation and in it we may obserue three points first that Christ did Answer Secondly whence he borrowed his Answer Thirdly the very words of his Answer For the first that Christ did answer is noted by the holy Ghost in plaine words And Iesus answering said Wherby he would giue vs to vnderstand that Christ Iesus our Sauiour being in the wildernesse was not onely willing and ready to encounter with Satan but also able to withstand him yea and to vanquish Satan without receiuing any foile at his hands Which is a point of singular comfort to Gods Church and children for was Christ Iesus able in this low and base estate of a seruant being disaduantaged also by a desert place and bodily hunger was he then I say able to encounter with Satan and to ouercome him in his most violent and subtile assaults Then how much more is he now able euen in all his members to giue Satan the foile hauing spoiled him in his death seeing he is aduanced to the throne of maiestie and glorie and set at the right hand of his father hauing a name aboue all names giuen vnto him at which euery knee should bow both of things in heauen and in the earth and vnder the earth We therfore may now say with that lowd voice Now is saluation in heauen and strength and power and the kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of the brethren is cast downe The second point heere noted is whence Christ borroweth his answer namely from the Scriptures It is written It had beene an easie thing for Christ being the sonne of God to haue confoūded the Tempter with the breath of his mouth or to haue commanded innumerable legions of holy Angels to haue driuen him away but he betakes himselfe to the written word for his defence And this he did especially for our instruction namely that we might know that the written word of God rightly welded by the hand of faith is the most sufficient weapon for the repelling of Satan and the vanquishing of him in all his temptations hence Paul calleth it the sword of the spirit because it serues not onely for our defence but also to wound Satan and to put him to flight The vse I. This fact of Christ doth discouer and condemne the damnable practise of the Church of Rome who locke vp the word of God from their people in an vnknowen tongue and commend vnto them for their defence against spirituall enemies other deuices of their owne as holy water crossing crosses c. which they highly commend as meanes of speciall strength and force to vanquish the Diuell when as indeed the word of God is the onely true and trustie weapon whereof while they depriue their people they send them forth naked and vnarmed to encounter with Satan Secondly heere also behold the miserable estate of all those that either through couetousnesse or any other profanenesse are drawen to neglect or contemne the written word of God their case is most fearefull for they cast away those weapons whereby they should defend themselues against the Diuell and quench all his firie darts and so betray their owne soules into his hands And doubtlesse all contemners and neglecters of the word are guilty of their own damnation because God hath giuen vs his word for our defence and for the confounding of Satan so as without guilt of wilfull murther not of our bodies but of our soules we cannot neglect this heauenly weapon Thirdly heerby we may see the cause why sinne so much abounds in all estates euery where namely the want of loue vnto knowledge in the word of God whereupon the most are ignorant of it or else know not how to handle this spirituall weapon whereby Satan is resisted and foiled Hosea 4. 2. The Lord complaineth of lying swearing killing stealing and whoring yea of bloud touching bloud and the cause is laid downe in the first verse There is no knowledge of