314 Christ's temptation. [Ser. VI.
of blasphemy and downright sin, not to parley with the devil, but to defy him.
2, By way of confutation : ' For it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve/ Where observe : —
[1.] Christ answereth to the main point, not to by-matters. He doth not dispute the devil's title, nor debate the reality of his promises ; to do this would tacitly imply a liking of the temptation. No ; but he disproveth the evil of the suggestion from this unclean and proud spirit : a better answer could not be given unto the tempter. So that herein we see the wisdom of Christ, which teacheth us to pass by impertinent matters, and to speak expressly to the cause in hand in all our debates with Satan and his instruments.
[2.] He citeth scripture, and thereby teacheth that the word of God, laid up in the heart and used pertinently, will ward off the blows of every temptation. This weapon Christ used all along with success, and therefore it is well called, ' The sword of the Spirit,' Eph. vi. 17. It is a sword, and so a weapon both offensive and defensive : Heb. iv. 12, ' The word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two- edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.' And ' a sword of the Spirit,' because the Spirit is the author of it : 2 Pet. i. 21, ' Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.' He formed and fashioned this weapon for us ; and because its efficacy dependeth on the Spirit, who timeously bringeth it to our remembrance, and doth enliven the word and maketli it effectual. Therefore it teacheth us to be much acquainted with the Lord's written word. The timely calling to mind of a word in scripture is better than all other arguments, — a word forbidding or threatening such an evil : Ps. cxix. 11, ' Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee ; ' pressing the practice of such a duty when we are slow of heart : Ps. cxix. 50, ' Thy word hath quickened me ; ' or a word speaking encouragement to the soul exer- cised with such a cross : Heb. xii. 5, ' Ye have forgotten the exhor- tation which speaketh unto you as unto children. My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him ; ' Ps. cxix. 92, ' Unless thy law had been my delight, I should then have perished in mine affliction ; ' still it breaketh the strength of the temptation, whatsoever it be.
[3.] The words are cited out of the book of Deuteronomy. Indeed out of that book all Christ's answers are taken, which showeth us the excellency of that book. It was of great esteem among the Jews, and it should be so among all Christians, and it will be so of all that read it attentively. The church could not have wanted it.
[4.] The places out of which it is cited are two: Deut. vi. 13, ' Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and swear by his name ; ' and again, Deut. x. 20, ' Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and to him shalt thou cleave.' Christ, according to the Septuagiut, ' Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.' Movw, only, which is emphatical, seemeth to be added to the text, but it is necessarily implied in the words of Moses ; for his scope was to bind the people to the fear and worship
Mat. IV. 10.] Christ's temptation. 315
of one God. None was so wicked and profane as to deny that God was to be feared and worshipped ; but many might think that either the creatures or the gods of the Gentiles might be taken into fellowship of this reverence and adoration. Him is only him ; dvrw is exclusive, if fiovo) were left out. See the place, Deut. vi. 13, 14, ' Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name ; ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you.' And in other places it is expressed ; as 1 Sam. vii. 3, ' If you prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only.' The devil excepts not against this interpretation, as being fully convinced and silenced by it. And it is a known story that this was the cause why the pagans would not admit the God of the Jews, as revealed in the Old Testament, or Christ, as revealed in the New, to be an object of adoration, because he would be worshipped alone, all other deities excluded. The gods of the heathens were good-fellow gods, would admit partnership ; as common whores are less jealous than the mar- ried wife : though their lovers went to never so many besides them- selves, yet to them it was all one, whensoever they returned to them and brought their gifts and offerings.