This scripture giveth us the history of Christ's temptation,
which I shall go over by degrees.
In the words observe:-
1. The parties tempted and tempting. The person tempted was the Lord
Jesus Christ. The person tempting was the devil.
2. The occasion inducing this combat, Jesus was led up of the Spirit.
3. The time, then.
4. The place, the wilderness.
From the whole observe :-
Doct. The Lord Jesus Christ was pleased to submit himself to an extraordinary combat with the tempter, for our good.
1. I shall explain the nature and circumstances of this extraordinary
combat.
2. The reasons why Christ submitted to it.
3. The good of this to us.
I. The circumstances of this extraordinary combat. And here -
1. The persons combating - Jesus and the devil, the seed of the woman and the
seed of the serpent. It was designed long before:
Gen. iii. 15, 'I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy
seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel;'
and now it is accomplished. Here is the Prince of Peace against the prince of
darkness, Michael and the dragon, the Captain of our salvation and our grand
enemy. The devil is the great architect of wickedness, as Christ is the Prince
of life and righteousness. These are the combatants: the one ruined the
creation of God, and the other restored and repaired it.
2. The manner of the combat. It was not merely a phantasm, that Christ was thus
assaulted and used: no, he was tempted in reality, not in conceit and
imagination only. It seemeth to be in the spirit, though it was real; as Paul
was taken up into the third heaven, whether in the body or out of the body we
cannot easily judge, but real it was. I shall more accurately discuss this
question afterwards in its more proper place.
3. What moved him, or how was he brought to enter into the lists with Satan? He
was 'led by the Spirit,' meaning thereby the impulsion and excitation of the
Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God. For it is said, Luke iv. 1, 'Jesus, being full
of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the
wilderness.' He did not voluntarily put himself upon temptation, but, by God's
appointment, went up from Jordan farther into the desert.
We learn hence :-
[1.] That temptations come not by chance, not out of the earth, nor merely from
the devil; but God ordereth them for his own glory and our good. Satan was fain
to beg leave to tempt Job: Job i. 12, 'And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold,
all that he hath is in thy power, only upon himself put not forth thine hand;'
there is a concession with a limitation. Till God exposeth us to trials, the
devil cannot trouble us, nor touch us. So Luke xxii. 31, 'Simon, Simon, Satan
hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.' Nay, he could not
enter into the herd of swine without a patent and new pass from Christ: Mat.
viii. 31, 'So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us
to go away into the herd of swine.' This cruel spirit is held in the chains of
an irresistible providence, that he cannot molest any creature of God without
his permission; which is a great satisfaction to the faithful: all things which
concern our trial are determined and ordered by God. If we be free, let us
bless God for it, and pray that he would not 'lead us into temptation:' if
tempted, when we are in Satan's hands, remember Satan is in God's hand.
[2.] Having given up ourselves to God, we are no longer to be at our own
dispose and direction, but must submit ourselves to be led, guided, and ordered
by God in all things. So it was with Christ, he was led by the Spirit
continually: if he retire into the desert, he is 'led by the Spirit,' Luke iv.
1; if he come back again into Galilee, ver. 4, 'Jesus returned in the power of
the Spirit into Galilee.' The Holy Ghost leadeth him into the conflict, and
when it was ended leadeth him back again. Now there is a perfect likeness
between a Christian and Christ: he is led by the Spirit off and on, so we must
be guided by the same Spirit in all our actions : Rom. viii. 14, 'For as many
as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.'
[3.] That we must observe our warrant and calling in all we resolve upon. To
put ourselves upon hazards we are not called unto, is to go out of our bounds
to meet a temptation, or to ride into the devil's quarters. Christ did not go
of his own accord into the desert, but by divine impulsion, and so he came from
thence. We may, in our place and calling, venture ourselves, on the protection
of God's providence, upon obvious temptations; God will maintain and support us
in them; that is to trust God; but to go out of our calling is to tempt God.
[4.] Compare the words used in Matthew and Mark, chap i. 12, 'And immediately
the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.' That shows that it was a forcible
motion, or a strong impulse, such as he could not easily resist or refuse, so
here is freedom - he was led; there is force and efficacious impression - he
was driven, with a voluntary condescension thereunto. There may be liberty of
man's will, yet the victorious efficacy of grace united together: a man may be
taught and drawn as Christ here was led, and driven by the Spirit into the
wilderness.
3. The time.
[1.] Presently after his baptism. Now the baptism of Christ agreeth with ours
as to the general nature of it. Baptism is our initiation into the service of
God, or our solemn consecration of ourselves to him; and it doth not only imply
work, but fight: Rom. vi. 13, 'Neither yield ye your members as instruments,
opla of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield
yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as
instruments of righteousness unto God;' and, Rom. xiii. 12, 'Let us cast off
the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.' Christ's baptism
had the same general nature with ours, not the same special nature: the general
nature is an engagement to God, the special use of baptism is to be a seal of
the new covenant, or to be to us 'the baptism of repentance for the remission
of sins.' Now this Christ was not capable of, he had no sin to be repented of
or remitted; but his baptism was an engagement to the same military work to
which we are engaged. He came into the world for that end and purpose, to war
against sin and Satan; he engageth as the general, we as the common soldiers.
He as the general: 1 John iii. 8, 'For this purpose the Son of God was
manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.' His baptism was the
taking of the field as general; we undertake to fight under him in our rank and
place.
[2.] At this baptismal engagement the Father had given him a testimony by a
voice from heaven: 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;' and the
Holy Ghost had descended upon him in the form of a dove, Mark iii. 16, 17. Now
presently after this he is set upon by the tempter. Thus many times the
children of God, after solemn assurances of his love, are exposed to great
temptations. Of this you may see an instance in Abraham: Gen. xxii. 1, 'And it
came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham;' that is, after he
had assured Abraham that he was 'his shield, and his exceeding great reward,'
and given him so many renewed testimonies of his favour. So Paul, after his
rapture, 'lest he should be exalted above measure through the abundance of
revelations, there was given to him a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of
Satan to buffet him,' 2 Cor. xii 7. So Heb. x. 32, 'But call to remembrance the
former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of
afflictions;' i.e., after ye were fully convinced of the Christian faith, and
furnished with those virtues and graces that belong to it. God's conduct is
gentle, and proportioned to our strength, as Jacob drove as the little ones
were able to bear it. He never suffers his castles to be besieged till they are
victualled.
[3.] Immediately before be entered upon his prophetical office.
Experience of temptations fits for the ministry, as Christ's temptations
prepared him to set a-foot the kingdom of God, for the recovery of poor souls
out of their bondage into the liberty of the children of God: ver. 17, 'From
that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven
is at hand.' Our state of innocency was our health, the grace of the Redeemer
our medicine, Christ our physician; for the devil had poisoned our human
nature. Therefore, when he sets a-foot his healing cure, it was fit and
congruous that he should experimentally feel the power of the tempter, and in
what manner he doth assault and endanger souls: Christ also would show us that
ministers should not only be men of science, but of experience.
[4.] The place or field where this combat was fought, the wilderness, where
were none but wild beasts: Mark i. 13, 'And he was there in the wilderness
forty days tempted of Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels
ministered unto him.' Great question there is in what wilderness Christ was;
their opinion is most probable who think it was the great wilderness, called
the desert of Arabia, in which the Israelites wandered forty years, and in
which Elijah fasted forty days and forty nights. In this solitary place Satan
tried his utmost power against our Saviour.
This teacheth us
(1.) That Christ alone grappled with Satan, having no fellow-worker with him,
that we may know the strength of our Redeemer, who is able himself to overcome
the tempter without any assistance, and to 'save to the uttermost all that come
unto God by him,' Heb. vii. 25.
(2.) That the devil often abuseth our solitude. It is good sometimes to be
alone; but then we need to be stocked with holy thoughts or employed in holy
exercises, that we may be able to say, as Christ, John xvi. 32, 'I am not
alone, because the Father is with me.' Howsoever a 'state of retirement from
human converse, if it be not necessary, exposeth us to temptations; but if we
are cast upon it, we must expect God's presence and help.
(3.) That no place is privileged from temptations, unless we leave our hearts
behind us. David, walking on the terrace or house-top, was ensnared by
Bathsheba's beauty: 2 Sam. xi. 2-4. Lot, that was chaste in Sodom, yet
committed incest in the mountain, where there were none but his own family:
Gen. xix. 30, 31, etc. When we are locked in our closets, we cannot shut out
Satan.
II. The reasons why Christ submitted to it.
1. With respect to Adam, that the parallel between the first and second Adam
might be more exact. They are often compared in scripture, as Rom. v., latter
end, and 1 Cor. xv.; and we read, Rom. v. 14, that the first Adam was
tupos tou mellontos 'the figure of him that
was to come.' And as in other respects, so in this; in the same way we were
destroyed by the first Adam, in the same way we were restored by the second.
Christ recovereth and winneth that which Adam lost. Our happiness was lost by
the first Adam being overcome by the tempter; so it must be recovered by the
second Adam, the tempter being overcome by him. He that did conquer must first
be conquered, that sinners might be rescued from the captivity wherein he held
them captive. The first Adam, being assaulted quickly after his entrance into
paradise, was overcome; and therefore must the second Adam overcome him as soon
as he entered upon his office, and that in a conflict hand-to-hand, in that
nature that was foiled. The devil must lose his prisoners in the same way that
he caught them. Christ must do what Adam could not do. The victory is gotten by
a public person in our nature, before it can be gotten by each individual in
his own person, for so it was lost. Adam lost the day before he had any
offspring, so Christ winneth it in his own person before he doth solemnly begin
to preach the gospel and call disciples; and therefore here was the great
overthrow of the adversary.
2. In regard of Satan, who by his conquest got a twofold power over man by
tempting, he got an interest in his heart to lead him 'captive at his will' and
pleasure, 2 Tim. ii. 26; and he was made God's executioner, he got a power to
punish him: Heb. ii. 14, 'That through death he might destroy him that had the
power of death, that is, the devil.' Therefore the Son of God, who interposed
on our behalf; and undertook the rescue of sinners, did assume the nature of
man, that he might conquer Satan in the nature that was conquered, and also
offer himself as a sacrifice in the same nature for the demonstration of the
justice of God. First, Christ must overcome by obedience, tried to the
uttermost by temptations; and then he must also overcome by suffering. By
overcoming temptations, he doth overcome Satan as a tempter; and by death he
overcame him as a tormentor, or as the prince of death, who had the power of
executing God's sentence. So that you see before he overcame him by merit, he
overcame him by example, and was an instance of a tempted man before he was an
instance of a persecuted man, or one that came to make satisfaction to God's
justice.
3. With respect to the saints, who are in their passage to heaven to be exposed
to great difficulties and trials. Now that they might have comfort and hope in
their Redeemer, and come to him boldly as one touched with a feeling of their
infirmities, he himself submitted to be tempted. This reason is recorded by the
apostle in two places:
Heb. ii. 18, 'For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able
to succour them that are tempted.' Able to succour ; that is, fit, powerful,
inclined, effectually moved to succour them. None so merciful as those who have
been once miserable; and they who have not only known misery, but felt it, do
more readily relieve and succour others. God biddeth Israel to pity strangers:
Exod. xxii. 21, 'Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him; for ye
were strangers in the land of Egypt.' They knew what it was to be exposed to
the envy and hatred of the neighbours in the land where they sojourned: Exod.
xxiii. 9, 'For ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the
land of Egypt.' We read that when King Richard the First had been, on the sea
near Sicily, like to be drowned, he recalled that ancient and barbarous custom,
whereby the goods of shipwrecked men were escheated to the crown, making
provision that those goods should be preserved for the right owners. Christ
being tossed in the tempest of temptations, knows what belongs to the trouble
thereof. The other place is, Heb. iv. 15, 'We have not an high priest which
cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points
tempted like as we are, yet without sin.' Christ hath experienced how strong
the assailant is, how feeble our nature is, how hard a matter it is to
withstand when we are so sorely assaulted. His own experience of sufferings and
temptations in himself doth entender his heart, and make him fit for sympathy
with us, and begets a tender compassion towards the miseries and frailties of
his members.
4. With respect to Christ himself, that he might be an exact pattern of
obedience to God. The obedience is little worth, which is carried on in an even
tenor, when we have no temptation to the contrary, but is cast off as soon as
we are tempted to disobey: James i. 12, 'Blessed is the man that endureth
temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the
Lord hath promised to them that love him.' And Heb. xi. 17, 'By faith Abraham,
when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises
offered up his only-begotten son.' Now Christ was to be more eminent than all
the holy ones of God, and therefore, that he might give an evidence of his
piety, constancy, and trust in God, it was thought fit some trial should be
made of him, that he might by example teach us what reason we have to hold to
God against the strongest temptations.
III. The good of this to us. It teacheth us divers things, four I shall
instance in.
1. To show us who is our grand enemy, the devil, who sought the misery and
destruction of mankind, as Christ did our salvation. And therefore he is called
o ecyrov the enemy; Mat. xiii. 39, 'The
enemy that sowed them is the devil.' And he is called also o ponhrov the wicked one, Mat. xiii. 19, as the
first and deepest in evil. And because this malicious cruel spirit ruined
mankind at first, he is called 'a liar and murderer from the beginning,' John
viii. 44. A liar, because of his deceit; a murderer, to show us what he hath
done and would do. It was he that set upon Christ, and doth upon us, as at
first to destroy our health, so still to keep us from our medicine and recovery
out of the lapsed estate by the gospel of Christ.
2. That all men, none excepted, are subject to temptations. If any might plead
for exemption, our Lord Jesus, the eternal Son of God might; but he was
assaulted and tempted; and if the devil tempted our Saviour, he will be much
more bold with us. The godly are yet in the way, not at the end of the journey;
in the field, not with the crown on their heads; and it is God's will that the
enemy should have leave to assault them. None go to heaven without a trial:
'All these things are accomplished in your brethren that are in the flesh,' 1
Pet v. 9. To look for an exempt privilege, or immunity from temptation, is to
list ourselves as Christ's soldiers, and never expect battle or conflict.
3. It showeth us the manner of conflict, both of Satan's fight and our
Saviour's defence.
[1.] Of Satan's fight. It is some advantage not to be ignorant of his
enterprises: 2 Cor. 11, 'Lest Satan should get an advantage of us, For we are
not ignorant of his devices.' Then we may the better stand upon our guard. He
assaulted Christ by the same kind of temptations by which usually he assaults
us. The kinds of temptations are reckoned up: 1 John ii. 16, 'The lusts of the
flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life.' And James iii. 15, 'This
wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.' With
these temptations he assaulted our first parents: Gen. iii. 8, 'When the woman
saw that the tree was good for fruit, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and
a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did
eat.' And with the same temptations he assaulted Christ, tempting him to turn
stones into bread, to satisfy the longings of the flesh; to fall down and
worship him, as to the sight of a bewitching object to his eyes; to fly in the
air in pride, and to get glory among men. Here are our snares, which we must
carefully avoid.
[2.] The manner of Christ's defence, and so it instructeth us how to overcome
and carry ourselves in temptations. And here are two things whereby we overcome
(1.) By scripture. The word of God is 'the sword of the Spirit,' Eph. vi. 17,
and 1 John ii. 14, 'The word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the
wicked one.' It is good to have the word of God abide in our memories, but
chiefly in our hearts, by a sound belief and fervent love to the truth.
(2.) Partly by resolution: 1 Pet. iv. 1, 'Arm yourselves with the same mind,'
viz., that was in Christ. When Satan grew bold and troublesome, Christ rejects
him with indignation. Now the conscience of our duty should thus prevail with
us to be resolute therein; the double-minded are as it were torn in pieces
between God and the devil: James i. 8, 'A double-minded man is unstable in all
his ways.' Therefore, being in God's way, we should resolve to be deaf to all
temptations.
4. The hopes of success. God would set Christ before us as a pattern of trust
and confidence, that when we address ourselves to serve God, we might not fear
the temptations of Satan. We have an example of overcoming the devil in our
glorious head and chief. If he pleaded, John xvi. 33, 'In the world ye shall
have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world;' the same
holdeth good here, for the enemies of our salvation are combined. He overcame
the devil in our natures, that we might not be discouraged: we fight against
the same adversaries in the same cause, and he will give power to us, his weak
members, being full of compassion, which certainly is a great comfort to us.
Use. Of instruction to us :-
1. To reckon upon temptations. As soon as we mind our baptismal covenant, we
must expect that Satan will be our professed foe, seeking to terrify or allure
us from the banner of our captain, Jesus Christ. Many, after baptism, fly to
Satan's camp. There are a sort of men in the visible church, who, though they
do not deny their baptism, as those did, 2 Pet. ii. 9,' Who have forgotten that
they were purged from their old sins,' yet they carry themselves as if they
were in league with the devil, the world, and the flesh, rather than with the
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; with might and main they oppose Christ's kingdom,
both abroad and at home, in their own hearts, and are wholly governed by
worldly things, the lusts of the flesh, and the lusts of the eye, and the pride
of life. Now these are the devil's agents, and the more dangerous because they
use Christ's name against his offices, and the form of his religion to destroy
the power thereof; as the dragon in the Revelation, pushed with the horns of
the Lamb. Others are not venomously and malignantly set against Christ, and his
interest in the world, or in their own hearts, but tamely yield to the lusts of
the flesh, and go 'like an ox to the slaughter, and a fool to the correction of
the stocks,' Prov. vii. 22. We cannot say that Satan's work lieth about these.
Satan needeth not besiege the soul by temptations; that is his already by
peaceable possession; 'when a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods
are in peace,' Luke xi. 21. There is no storm when wind and tide goeth
together. But then there is a third sort of men, that begin to be serious, and
to mind their recovery by Christ: they have many good motions and convictions
of the danger of sin, excellency of Christ, necessity of holiness; they have
many purposes to leave sin and enter upon a holy course of life, but 'the
wicked one cometh, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart,' Mat.
xiii. 19. He beginneth betimes to oppose the work, before we are confirmed and
settled in a course of godliness, as he did set upon Christ presently upon his
baptism. Baptism in us implieth avowed dying unto sin and living unto God; now
God permitteth temptation to try our resolution. There is a fourth sort, of
such as have made some progress in religion, even to a degree of eminency:
these are not altogether free; for if the devil had confidence to assault the
declared Son of God, will he be afraid of a mere mortal man? No; these he
assaulteth many times very sorely: Pirates venture on the greatest booty. These
he seeketh to draw off from Christ, as Pharaoh sought to bring back the
Israelites after their escape; or to foil them by some scandalous fall, to do
religion a mischief: 2 Sam. xii. 14, 'By this deed thou hast given great
occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme;' or at least to vex them and
torment them, to make the service of God tedious and uncomfortable to them:
Luke xxii. 31, 'Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he
might sift you as wheat' - to toss and vex you, as wheat in a sieve. So that no
sort of Christians can promise themselves exemption; and God permitteth it,
because to whom much is given, of them the more is required.
2. The manner and way of his fight is by the world, per blanda et
aspera, by the good or evil things of the world. There is 'armour of
righteousness on the right hand and on the left,' 2 Cor. vi. 7, as there are
right-hand and left-hand temptations. Both ways he lieth in ambush in the
creature. Sometimes he tempts us by the good things of the world: 1 Chron. xxi.
1, 'And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel,' so
glorying in his might, and puissance, and victory over neighbour kings. So
meaner people he tempteth to abuse their wealth to pride and luxury; therefore
we are pressed to be sober: 1 Pet. v. 8, 'Be sober, be vigilant; because your
adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may
devour.' The devil maketh an advantage of our prosperity, to divert us from God
and heaven, and to render us unapt for the strictness of our holy calling.
Sometimes he tempts us by the evil things of this world: Job i. 11, 'Put forth
thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy
face.' Satan's aim in bringing the saints into trouble is to draw them to
fretting, murmuring, despondency, and distrust of providence, yea, to open
defection from God, or blasphemy against him; and therefore it is said, 1 Pet.
v. 9, 'Knowing that the same afflictions,' etc., because temptations are
conveyed to us by our afflictions or troubles in the flesh.
3. His end is to dissuade us from good, and persuade us to evil. To dissuade us
from good by representing the impossibility, trouble, and small necessity of
it. If men begin to apply themselves to a strict course, such as they have
sworn to in baptism, either it is so hard as not to be borne, as John vi. 60,
'This is a hard saying, who can bear it?' Whereas, Mat. xix. 29, 'Every one
that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, etc., for my name's sake, shall receive
an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.' Or the troubles which
accompany a strict profession are many. The world will note us: John xii. 42,
'Nevertheless, among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of
the Pharisees, they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the
synagogue.' Whereas we must not be ashamed of Christ: 2 Tim. ii. 12, 'If we
suffer, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us.' Or
that we need not be so strict and nice, whereas all we can do is little enough:
Mark xxv. 9, 'Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you.' In general, the
greatest mischiefs done us by sin are not regarded, but the least inconvenience
that attendeth our duty is urged and aggravated. He persuadeth us to evil by
profit, pleasure, necessity; we cannot live without it in the world. He hideth
the hook, and showeth the bait only; he concealeth the hell, the horror, the
eternal pains that follow sin, and only telleth you how beneficial, profitable,
and delightful the sin will be to you:
Prov. ix. 17, 18, 'Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is
pleasant. But he knoweth not that the dead are there, and that her guests are
in the depths of hell.'
4. While we are striving against temptations, let us remember our general. We
do but follow the Captain of our salvation, who hath vanquished the enemy, and
will give us the victory if we keep striving:
'The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly,' Rom. xvi. 2. Not
his feet, but ours: we shall be conquerors. Our enemy is vigilant and strong:
it is enough for us that our Redeemer is merciful and faithful in succouring
the tempted, and able to master the tempter, and defeat all his methods. Christ
hath conquered him, both as a lamb and as a lion: Rev. v. 6, 8. The notion of a
lamb intimateth his sacrifice, the notion of a lion his victory: in the lamb is
merit, in the lion strength; by the one he maketh satisfaction to God., by the
other he rescueth sinners out of the paw of the roaring lion, and maintaineth
his interest in their hearts. Therefore let us not be discouraged, but closely
adhere to him.