Mat. IV. 8, 9,] Christ's temptation. 307
more captivated thereby. Diverse things seen in one view do more surprise us than if viewed by a leisurely contemplation. Alas ! we are sometimes overborne by the violence of a temptation, sometimes overtaken by the suddenness of it: Gal. vi. 1, ' Brethren, if one be overtaken in a fault,' irpokr^i^Oi), inconsiderately and suddenly surprised by a sin. We do many things preposterously and in haste, which we repent of by leisure. Thus the devil thought to surprise Christ, but he was aware of him.
[6.] In other temptations the tempter doth only ask a thing to be done, but here he doth ask and promise things glorious, profitable, and pleasing to carnal sense, and such as seem every way desirable. The offers of gain and glory are promised to the temptation.
[7.] He craveth but one thing, a very small thing, and this under the hope of the greatest advantage : one act of external adoration, easy to be performed ; if Christ would but kneel to him, not as supreme God ; an inferior adoration would have contented him : yield but a little, do but ' fall down and worship,' it shall be enough. As the heathens of old said to the Christians, Do but touch the censer. The commendation of God's servants was, that ' they had not bowed the knee to Baal,' Kom. xi. 4. The devil knoweth if he can get us to a little he shall get us to more ; and the least reverence is too much to such an impure spirit.
Secondly, The observations.
I. Observe from that again the devil taketh him, That we must expect not only to be tempted, but to be often tempted. Satan hath both his wiles and darts : Eph. vi. 11, 16. He sometimes assaulteth us with the one, sometimes with the other. Therefore —
1. Be not secure, but watch, and stand upon your defence. It is a careless soul that can sleep in so great a danger. There is yet a malicious tempting devil alive, who would ' sift you as wheat,' Luke xxii. 31 ; and somewhat within you which would betray you to him if you be not wary ; and you may meet with such snares as you have not yet met withal.
2. Be not overmuch troubled and dejected if you be assaulted afresh. You must make your way to heaven almost every step by conflict and conquest. Remember your baptismal vow, the obligation of which ceaseth not till your life be ended ; and then you shall be out of gunshot and harm's way. Therefore still follow the captain of your salvation wherever he leadeth you. The more trials the more glory.
3. Avoid rash judgment and censure, if the same happen to others. Pirates do not use to set upon an empty vessel. The best are most assaulted. God permitteth it for their trial, and Satan hath the greatest spite at them.
II. Observe, That the more grievous temptations follow the lighter ones, and the last assaults and trials are usually the greatest. This is so, if you respect either the dexterity and cunning of the tempter, represented before, or the foulness of the temptation, viz., to idolatry. The best of God's children may be tempted to the most execrable sins. Thus usually doth Satan reserve his worst assaults for the last, and his last temptation is commonly the sorest. Dying beasts bite shrewdly ;
308 Christ's temptation. [Ser. Y.
so Satan rageth most when he hath but a short time. Therefore, since our warfare is not over, let us prepare for the worst brunt, and the last efforts of Satan. If God will crown us fighting, we have no cause to complain. Many of God's servants, whom he could not draw to worldliness, sensuality, or vainglory in their lifetime, he will seek to inject blasphemous thoughts into their minds at last. But, though it be grievous, be not dismayed, your conquest is sure and near.
III. Observe, The world and worldly things are the bait and snare which the tempter offereth to Christ and his followers. As here, when he would make his last onset upon Christ, he sets before him ' the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them,' as the matter of the temptation.
1. There are three enemies of our salvation, the devil, the world, and the flesh: — they are reckoned up together, Eph. ii. 2, 3, 'Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh iu the children of disobedience. Among whom also we all had our con- versation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.' The devil is the deceiver and grand architect of all wickedness ; the flesh is the principle that he worketh upon, or that rebelling faculty within us that would be pleased before God ; the world is the bait by which the devil would deceive us and steal away our hearts from God, for it suiteth with our fleshly appetites and desires. More distinctly that Satan is an enemy appeareth from his name, that signifieth an adversary, and in many places of scripture he is so called; as Mat. xiii. 25 ; ' While men slept, the enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat,' compared with the S9th verse, ' the enemy that sowed them is the devil.' He is the great enemy to God and man : 1 Pet. v. 8, ' Your adversary the devil like a roaring lion walketh about,' &c. The flesh is an enemy, yea^ our greatest enemy, for it warreth against the soul : 1 Pet. ii. 11, * Abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.' If you in- dulge the flesh, you are willing to lose your souls. Yea, it warreth against the spirit or better part, as contrary to it : Gal. v. 17, ' For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh : ' other things could do us no harm without our own flesh. We are tempted to sin by Satan, encouraged to sin by the example and custom of the world, but inclined to sin by our own flesh. The world is an enemy of our salvation, as well as the devil and the flesh; all the other enemies get strength by it. By the bait of worldly things the devil pleaseth the flesh ; we are in continual danger of being everlastingly undone by it. Whosoever is a lover of the world is presumed to be a professed enemy of God : James iv. 4, ' Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God ? whosoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God ; ' 1 John ii. 15, ' If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.' It is an enemy, because^ it keepeth us from God, who is our chief good, and the enjoyment of him among his blessed ones, which is our last end. There is a neglect cf God and heavenly things where the world prevaileth. 2. The devil maketh use of the world to a double end. [1.] To divert us from God and heavenly things, that our time, and