Mat. IV. 8, 9.] Christ's temptatiox. 309
care, and thoughts may be wholly taken up about things here below : Luke xii. 19, ' Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry ; ' Phil. iii. 19, 20, ' They mind earthly things ; but our conversation is in heaven.' These are perfectly opposite. Some are of the world, and speak of the world, and wholly mind the world, and are governed by the spirit of this world, seldom look higher, or very coldly and slightly. Thus that which should be thought of in the first place is scarce thought of at all. But, remember, he doth but offer you worldly things to deprive you of heavenly.
[2.] To draw us to some open sin for the world's sake, as here he tempted Christ to idolatry, and Demas to defection from the faith : 2 Tim. iv. 10, ' Demas hath forsaken us, having loved this present world."" Others to some carnal, fraudulent, oppressive course, whereby they are spotted by the world. The whore of Babylon propoundeth her abominations ' in a golden cup,' Rev. xvii. 4; and the great motive liere is, ' All this will I give thee.' Though the devil cometh not in person to us with his offers, he doth by his instruments; as Balak, when be sent to Balaam to curse the Israelites, he promised him great rewards : Num. xxii. 17, ' I will promote thee unto very great lionour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me : come there- fore, I pray thee, curse me this people.' So when he doth entice you by the motions of your own hearts to anything that is unlawful, to falsehood, deceit, or unjust gain, or to get and keep wealth by any base or unjust means, or doing something that is base and unworthy of your religion.
[3.] I observe that temptations from the world may prevail with us. Satan maketh use of a twofold artifice. The one is to greaten the worldly object, the other is to make us large promises of success, happiness, and contentment in our evil enterprises.
(1.) He usetli this sleight here; he doth in the most enticing man- ner lay the world before Christ as a splendid object, to greaten it in Christ's thoughts and apprehensions. Therefore, when we begin to magnify the riches, pomp, and pleasures of the world, the devil is at our elbow, and we are running into the snare. And therefore, if we begin to say, ' Happy is the people that is in such a case,' it is time to con-ect ourselves and say, ' Yea, happy is the people whose God is the Lord,' Ps. cxliv. 15. Take heed the devil doth not gain this advantage over you, to make you follow the world with the greatest earnestness, and spiritual and heavenly things in a slight and overly manner. Esteem, desires, resolutions of worldly greatness, though not upon base conditions, begin the temptation. You think it is a fine thing to live in pomp and at ease, to swim in pleasures, and begin to resolve to make it your business. The devil hath you upon the hip, it is an hour of temptation.
(2.) His next course is to make large offers and promises by his in- struments or your own thoughts, that though you neglect God and heaven, and do engage in some sinful course, you shall do well in the world, and enjoy full satisfaction. There is a double evil in Satan's offers and promises : —
First, They are false and fallacious : ' All these things will I give
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thee.' Satan maketh fair offers of what he cannot perform. He promiseth many things, but doth only promise them. He offereth the kingdoms of the world to Christ, but cannot make good his word ; he showeth them to Christ, but cannot give them. And this is the devil's wont, to be liberal in promises, to fill the minds of those that hearken to him with vain hopes, as if he could transfer the riches and honours of the world to whom he pleaseth, whereas they are shame- fully disappointed, and find their ruin in the very things in wliich they sought their exaltation, and their projects are crossed, for ' the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof,' 1 Cor. xi. 26.
Secondly, All the devil's offers and promises have a spiteful condi- tion annexed. He pretendeth to give, but yet selleth at the dearest rates. It is but a barter and exchange ; a flat bargain, but no gift. He must have our souls, God is dishonoured, his laws broken, his Spirit grieved. The devil staineth his grant with unjust covenants, and exacteth more than the thing is worth.
Two ways then must we defeat the temptation : —
(1.) Not believing his promises, that I must be beholden to sin to make me happy. Those that by unlawful means get up to honour and wealth seem to have accepted the devil's offer ; they think he is lord of the world, and all the kingdoms and the glory thereof. Do not look upon wealth as the devil's gift, as a thing to be gotten by fraud, flattery, corruption, bribery : alas ! it is put into ' bags with holes,' Hag. i. 6. It is called the ' deceitfulness of riches,' Mat. xiii. 22. Tkey promise that contentment and happiness which they cannot give. There is sure dependence on the Lord's, but none on Satan's promises.' Young men that are to begin the world, take up this resolution : take what Grod sendeth, but resolve never to take wealth out of Satan's hands ; what God sendeth in the fair way of his provi- dence, by his blessing on your lawful endeavours : Prov. x. 4, ' The hand of the diligent maketh rich ;' and ver. 22, ' The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it' When you deal righteously, and do not barely heap up treasure to yourselves, but seek to grow rich toward God, to subordinate all to heaven and a better pursuit : otherwise God can find a moth and a thief for your estates.