A century of sermons upon several remarkable subjects preached by the Right Reverend Father in God, John Hacket, late Lord Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry ; published by Thomas Plume ...

THE SIXTH SERMON UPON Our Saviours Tentation. (Book 6)

MAT. iv. 3.

And when the Tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread.

* 1.1OF four things hard to be understood, one, says Solomon, is the way of a Serpent upon a stone or rock. Via colubrina super petram. Pro∣verbs for the most part have some dark allusion in them, rather than a literal meaning, and so hath this. Satan is the Serpent, Christ is the Stone, Tentation is the way of the Serpent, and nothing more obscure than the way of that Serpents tentation upon this elect precious Stone in Sion, the chief Stone in the corner, as the Prophets call him. Concerning this Verse, which I have read, it is debated by learned Authors what fetch the Tempter had. Some say his scope was to satisfie his own distrust, and to find out whether Christ were the very Son of God; he found no sin in our Saviour, he heard the voice from Hea∣ven at his Baptism, he had learnt what John Baptist testified of him, behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world; this was enough to convince all the Furies of Hell, and to put it out of doubt; yet Satan was extreme unwilling to be perswaded of that, which would put him to so much sorrow, and for all this he is no further than if; If thou be the Son of God. Some say the Devils drift was to draw Christ to offend God with some capital iniquity, and if this project could possibly have succeeded the redemption of mankind had been utterly marred, for no Sacrifice would serve our turn, but a Lamb without spot, that is unde∣filed.

Surely, some sin or other was part of the intendment in this first Tentation, be∣cause it is evident he counselled Christ to sin against heaven in the Tentations fol∣lowing. Therefore in this first onset the Devil was not only an Explorator to sent it out what Christ was, but an evil Counsellor to allure him furthermore to disobe∣dience. Exploravit ut tentaret, tentavit ut exploraret, says St. Ambrose. Yet I must resolve you, before I do any thing, what sin it was which the wicked one did drive at. Many are so curious to suit this Tentation in every Point with the tentation of our first Parents (and what need that be so exactly sought for?) That they give sentence it was the sin of Gluttony, and nothing else to which he was prompted. Yes surely, to some other sin as well as that, and much rather than that, for if Satan had required no more than to make Christ dissolve his fast, and eat, he would have brought him bread, and not put him to it to make bread of stones. Moreover, there is small likelihood that one should sin much in Gluttony by eating bread. And especially I would have you mark, that Christ answered the Devil out of the Scripture, not by a Text which should exhort to sobriety, but to rely upon Gods pro∣vidence in all things; Man liveth not by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out

of the mouth of God. Wherefore if Gluttony be one skirt of the matter, yet certain∣ly, according to Christs answer, the sin mainly proposed was to make him distrust in God, and to satisfie his wants by unlawful means.

And thus I have premised for your better understanding the drift of this wicked Fiend, what mischief he would draw on by the words of my Text. If he had other secret policies, which we cannot reach, peradventure he had, then let us say with the Spirit of God, We have not known the depth of Satan, Rev. ii. 24. But now I have made you able to conceive how my Text may be broken into conspicuous parts. The Tempter came to Christ for two ends, Ʋt cognosceret, ut corrumperet: 1. To know Christ. 2. To Corrupt him. To corrupt him two ways; principally, by Infidelity; consequently, by Gluttony. In the first we must watch Satan as a spie, and beside the words of espial two circumstances shall be enquired into: 1. When Satan made this address. 2. How he made this address, in what shape and fashion. For the tempter came; coming is a bodily motion; And he said unto him, speaking proceeds from corporeal instruments. These little circumstances have some weight in them, but the burden of the first part comes after; where Satan plays the spie and explorator, If thou be the Son of God, &c.

And when the Tempter came to him, is it not very natural to move this questi∣on upon those words, When the tempter came to him? Whether all the days that he continued in the Wilderness Satan was at his right hand to make him stumble at some stone of offence, or whether the wicked Fiend approached not unto him till the forty days were ended, there is the scruple. And perhaps there is truth on both sides, so I would judge it, if it were left to my arbitration. What more plain than St. Lukes narration? He was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness,* 1.2 being forty days tempted of the Devil. So that it will agree with the Scripture, that there were certain light skirmishes of Tentations between Christ and the Adversary all the while he was in the Desart, but such faint assaults, that they deserved not the relation.* 1.3 Origen is of this judgment, and this is his saying, As the World could not hold the Books if all things were written which Christ did, so the World could not hold the Books if all his Tentations were recorded. Why not altogether probable, that he passed not one day in the Wilderness without some Diabolical affront, since his whole life was full of those hellish indignities? Witness that praise which he gives to his Disciples, Luk. xxii. 28. You are they that have continued with me in my tentations, his tentations were continual. This is one part of Christs Passions and sufferings, which the World takes little notice of, the impostures of the Devil doing him mo∣lestation without ceasing. Well might the Greek Liturgie urge him in their Prayers with these words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, By thine unknown torments sweet Jesu have mercy up∣on us. Gall and Vinegar were not so untastful to his mouth as the offensive objections of Satan did grate upon his ear. Nec in aurem tantûm Christi injectae sunt,* 1.4 sed penetrarunt cor ipsum, & perfoderunt animum ejus, says a late one. Nor were these Tentations harsh only to the ear, but their hainousness pierced his very heart. Conceive thus much, if a solacism rudely spoken is able to move the patience of a polite Gramma∣rian, then Blasphemy continually spoken by the wicked Angel must needs be a great contristation to the Son of God. This is pleaded on the one side, that in all the forty days some petty light tentations were darted by the Devil against our Savi∣our: And on the other side, again this is truth and reason,* 1.5 the red Dragon did not begin his main battel, nor did he propound those three infamous desperate Propositions upon which we entreat, till the forty days were ended. So I will al∣ledge St. Cyprian to balance the Authority of Origen; Postquam quadraginta dierum abstinentiam consummavit accessit Diabolus; After our Lord had gone through the absti∣nence of forty days, then the Tempter came unto him. It is as fairly seen as the light, that there was no ground for the first tentation till the long fast was absol∣ved, and Christs hunger did press him sore, and call for sustenance, then he pro∣vokes him to contrive for bread by any means in the world rather than want it. Away with this tedious fasting, and satiate your appetite. Signum panis petit, qui signum jejunii pertimescit, the eloquence of Chrysologus. Satan could not abide this mi∣racle of fasting, he had rather see him juggle for bread. So the first question when the evil one came is now no more doubtful unto you. He came oftentimes before with some weak provocations, but at the end of forty days he put his Plough as deep as he could into the ground, and harrowed up all the subtilties of Hell to prevail against him that is invincible.

Now for the shape and figure in which the Tempter came to our Saviour, that is

another circumstance of inquiry, and very briefly upon it. In his own substance, you know Satan is a Spirit, and this was the Arch-spirit of infernal darkness, (for surely,* 1.6 says St. Austin, the Regiment of Hell would trust no inferiour Goblin to try masteries with the mighty Son of God.) Yet there is no likelihood that he did offer himself now unto Christ in his invisible spiritual nature. Undoubtedly he did exhibite himself in an humane body like some charitable good man, that came to condole with our Saviour,* 1.7 and was right sorry he had no sustenance. I commend his ingenuity that first observed it, how Satan did clamber higher and higher in every Tentation, and still changed his outward appearance to do the feat the better. First, as a man, he did commiserate humane wants and necessities, and in∣sinuates the sin of Infidelity. Secondly, He transformed himself into an Angel of light, and urgeth him to presumption and vain-glory. In the last bout, having now deceived himself that Christ was not the eternal Son of God, he did truly ma∣nifest the Luciferian, audaciousness and impudency, and in his own shape he pro∣vokes the most holy one of God to most horrid Idolatry. The Thief comes not but to steal, says our Gospel; and the Impostor of the world comes not but to deceive; Totus quantus est mendacium est; Every thing in him was lying, and fiction, and de∣lusion: The promises which he made were lying promises, the pity which he pre∣tended was lying pity, the Scripture which he quoted, as he quoted it, was lying Scripture, and the shape in which he came was a lying shape. Alas that man, who was made an excellent Creature after the Image of God, should degenerate so much in all goodness, that his shape should grow a fit coverture to cloak the couzenage of the Devil. Might not this be the art of this our capital enemy? That since God cursed the Serpent, because the Devil came in his shape to tempt our first Parents; so the Lord might be exasperated to curse mankind, because his only Son was tempted to wickedness in the shape of man. Beloved, this inference from hence may be our instruction; We know not in what form or transmutation Satan will come to seduce our souls, therefore be wise as Serpents. And since our own shape is not free from his Impostures, as it follows in the next verse, Mat. x. 17. Beware of men. Take heed that beauty tempt you not to wantonness: it is but dirt well tempered with bloud. Let not pleasing words steal away your heart from the truth, that is but to dance when the Devil Pipes. Every man that speaks contrary to faith and ho∣liness his mouth is become the instrument wherein Satan speaks his Oracles. And so much for that circumstance, how he disguised himself in the shape of man.

After this I will lay hold of one of the main parts of the Text. The Tempter had two ends in casting forth these words before our Saviour, Ʋt cognosceret incognitum, ut corrumperet cognitum; First, to learn more perfectly that which he terribly mistrusted; whether Christ were the Son of God; and upon this do depend some remarkable observations. And to make this Point profitable I begin from hence, that Satan had not yet perfectly discovered who our Saviour was, and therefore he wrought in this Mine in the first Tentation to find it out. Many of the Fathers do acknow∣ledge that this was part of his business; and St. Hillary doth well express it, Erat Diabolo de metu suspicio, non de suspicione cognitio; The Devil being rather suspicious, than clearly resolved, took this course to find it out, whether this were the Seed of the woman that should bruise the Serpents head. And mark how his words lie to this purpose: He did not say, since you are hungry bid this stone be made bread, that were to entice him to bare gluttony; Nor thus, you are the Son of God; bid this stone be made bread, but in a doubting irony, If thou be the Son of God. It is strange that a Spirit so subtil by nature, so intellectual, so vigilant to espy Christ in all his ways, so able to understand Jacobs Prophesie, that the Scepter was departed from Judah, and therefore Shiloh should come, should hold off so long, and doubt of that which was clearly manifest. There were some Divines in St. Hieroms time that took a middle way for their opinion, how the Inferiour Furies of Hell did long before believe and tremble, and had cast it up for certain that this was the Son of God; but Beelzebub, the Prince of Devils, was so much blinded with malice more than all the rest, that he continued a time after all the rest in ignorance, and Infi∣delity. But this is meerly their own fancy without the suffrage of the holy Scri∣pture. The darkness of unbelief was upon all the Angels of disobedience; for Satan, who is the accuser of the brethren, and no doubt complaineth to God, that many of his Elect are slow of belief, hath this malicious slander retorted upon himself, that after many evident tokens, better known to him, than to weak men, he faltred and doubted shamefully,* 1.8 as my Text says, If thou be the Son of God. This was like for

like repayed unto him, he blinds our hearts with sundry fallacies, that we should not know good from evil; and God blinded his understanding, that he should not discern truth from falshood. And that you may not marvel that the Tempter should be dubitative in so manifest a case, and knew not which way to incline, re∣collect one thing that did infatuate him, he being the Angel of pride, and judging all events according to the pitch of his own ambition, how could it come into his mind that the Son of God would debase himself with so much humility? And so it hath fared ever since those days, nothing hath so much hardned their hearts, who are slow of belief, as pride and insolency; For it is the arrogant conceit we have of our own wit which hinders sometimes that we do not subject reason to the know∣ledge of God.

I must be careful in this Point that one place of Scripture may not make another obscure, especially to leave no shadow of contradiction between one Text and another. In this business Jesus fasting forty days in the Wilderness the Devil seems not to understand perfectly that he was Christ the Lord. In the Synagogue of Caper∣naum, Luk. iv. 34. the unclean Spirit calls him by his name, and title, and Country, Jesus of Nazareth, I know thee who thou art, the holy one of God. So intelligent above any of the Jews, that he is the first that ever called him a Nazarite. Nor do I reckon upon these words so much that the evil Spirit said, I know thee who thou art, for Sa∣tan is a liar, and must not be credited when he speaks truth: But the Evangelist St. Luke says in his own person from the inspiration of God, he suffered not the Devils to speak, for they knew that he was Christ, in the same Chapter, verse 41. Beloved, di∣stinguish the times and the matter is reconciled. Before the encounter of this Ten∣tation the enemy knew him not, Christs humility and extreme exinanition did shadow him that he was not discerned. After the infamous repulse that Satan suf∣fered in these Tentations, and upon the admiration of some other subsequent mi∣racles, he was compelled to confess, thou art he that art come to torment me, and to destroy my Kingdom, the holy one of God. So Nazianzen exprobrates to the Arians, how they resisted that truth after so much Preaching and Writing, which the very Devils believed, though unwillingly, after the manifestation of some signs and tokens, that the Son of Mary the Virgin was the Son of God coeternal and consub∣stantial with his Father.

All that knew Christ to be the Lord did not apprehend him after the same man∣ner: His Disciples, and generally all that belong to the true Church, find him out per lumen fidei, by the revelation of supernatural faith, so you must understand that in St. John, No man knoweth the Father but the Son, and no man knoweth the Son but he to whom the Father will reveal him. Secondly, The Angels of heaven, who desire to peep into these mysteries, they know him per lumen gloriae, by the illumination of cele∣stial glory. Thirdly, The Devils, who are able to collect from signs and conjectures far more than any man, these were convicted by his outward works and miracles, as the Centurion cried out when the Sun was eclipsed, and the veil of the Temple was rent in twain, surely this was the Son of God. St. Austin hath two rules of great di∣rection to them that would be satisfied in this question:* 1.9 1. Christus tantùm innotuit Daemonibus quantùm voluit; That cannot be denied, Christ was disclosed to the De∣vils so much at a time as he saw fit to reveal himself, and no more; therefore their reason lacks weight that object, how the very evil Angels, being at first created full of rare perfections, must needs know the mystery of the holy Trinity, and that was such a principle of divine knowledge as could never be lost, and by consequent they could never misconceive who was the Son of God.* 1.10 This Argument is sand with∣out chalk, and doth not hang together: For all that rebellious Regiment being cast out of heaven, they were bereft of that excellent knowledge, and of all other supernatural endowments, and now they apprehend no more of God than God thinks it expedient for his own glory. So stands the second rule of St. Austin, Sic eis innotuit sicut eis terrendis innotescendum fuit. Christ opened himself to Satan, even as in the revenge of his justice he thought it fit to increase his terrour and amaze∣ment. It was not a saving knowledge to the Devil, no, nor a knowledge so much as to make him cautious, but a knowledge that increased sorrow, and inflamed him with hatred. Concerning the most wicked of men it is said, None of the Princes of this world knew him, for had they known him they would not have crucified the Lord of life•• But Satan knew him, and knew the Prophets, what a glorious triumph the ignomi∣ny of the Cross would be unto him, and as Isaiah saith by his death, My righteous servant shall justifie many; he knew he should destroy his own kingdom by the death

of Christ, yet Satan did prosecute against him, and put it into the heart of Judas; for since God had appointed his Son should die, the Devil could not hinder his coun∣sel, and an outragious malice made him run desperate upon his own ruine. This sprig of the Devils condition is planted in too many, who are maliciously carried away with that Hell within them which hunts for vengeance: Here is one drives his neighbour through all the Purgatories of the Law, and yet perceives it must eat out his own estate and beggar him: Here is another will quarrel to the death, though nothing more certain than fall under the Sword, or hang under the Gallows. How many bloudy Assassines have crept out of Friers Cels and Jesuites Colledges, and have lifted up their hand against God himself, I may say, in the person of Gods Anointed? This blow they are sure shall both curse the Miscreant that did it, and the Religion that taught it. These are not weakness of men, infirmities of the flesh; though men would be wicked, yet unless the Devil were in it, and his desperate malice to boot, such apparent sottishness could not be in their wickedness.

The agitation of this first Point lies but one question further; whether this ar∣gument of the Tempters were strong enough to discover the true Son of God, Com∣mand that these stones be made bread. Creation is an act proper to the Lord, and certain∣ly incommunicable to any creature; for there is an infinite distance between some∣thing and nothing, therefore nothing but an infinite power can make something of nothing. Now to create is either simply to give a being, where there was none be∣fore, as to make the earth and the heavens of nothing, or to produce a thing out of such matter as was no way prepared for such a form, as to make a man of the slime of the earth: For it is as much to produce one substance out of another in a moment, which was no way prepared for alteration, as it is to create it out of no∣thing. These could not choose but be Satans principles to be confident in this expe∣riment, If thou be the Son, &c. You will say perhaps, did not Elisha the Prophet in∣crease whole vessels of oyl from a little Cruse? And yet this is no warrant to say he was the Son of God. Beloved, Elisha did make the Prayer for the poor Widows sake, and God did multiply the oyl into that mighty quantity; therefore we must run to this answer: Either Satan hath more quickness and insight than men have, to know when a miracle is done immediately by God himself, or by his Servant; whether by the prime Independent power, or by the second and derivative power, or else there is no evasion but we must say, for all his art, the Devil required no sufficient argument to convince his Infidelity. This Christ might do as the Son of God by excellent adoption, not by eternal generation, and this will make that frequent saying of Athanasius true,* 1.11 that the Devil was an Arian. Cardinal Tolet, a man of no small wit, goes further in his conjectures than any man hath done before him. Thus he objects, Whither would this Serpent wind himself? Or what would he find out? The very Son of God by such a miracle as this? Did not Moses work stranger con∣versions before Pharaoh? And yet Pharaoh did not say, this is the Son of God, but truly this is the finger of God, or the power of God that worketh in Moses: Nay, the evil one himself is able to bring about strange prestigiations, as were seen in Pharaohs Sorcerers. You see how hard it is to ground our faith, as the Devil would do his upon miracles. Yet Satan was more cunning in this way than any man can be, for his judgment did lean upon two principles, first, if Christ turned stones into bread, the hand of God was in it, for our Saviour was holy and unblameable, no way tainted with Magical Sorcery, and if any Daemoniacal Art were in the fact, the Prince of Devils must needs be aware of it. Secondly, God worketh no miracle by the hands of his Prophets or holy men to confirm delusions, but to testifie to truth and innocency; therefore if he did provoke him to turn stones into bread, it would be for a true testimony, that he was the very Son of God: If he do this miracle and be not the Son of God, the eternal truth should confirm a lie, which is impossible. This was Satans cunning Philosophy, and now you see the very nerves of his Argument.

Let me draw out one Corollary for your Instruction. The first part of Satans en∣gine was ut cognosceret, to prove God a liar if he could. I heard a voice say, you are the beloved Son of God; but are you so indeed? This desire to litigate and quarrel with Gods truth made him fall into a strange doting ignorance, almost incredible in so intelligent a substance. What, he that is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 quasi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, of a most vast ca∣pacity of understanding, because of his spirituality, and so many thousand years experience. He that thought he could open the market of knowledge, and sell

what he pleased to our first Parents, Ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil, that he should stagger, and for a long time mistake the very foundation of all truth, that Jesus was the Son of God; Is not this passing wonderful? Why, this comes of it, when any will bend their wits to object against the plain truth, when it is mani∣fest, then God requites their iniquity with this dulness. 2 Thes. ii. 1. For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie. Strong delusion,* 1.12 we read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, so St. Paul; and I had rather translate it the efficacy of errour. Tentati∣on is from the enemy, the efficacy of Tentation is not from him, but in the power of God: So falshood is from the Devil, but the efficacy of falshood, that this error should prevail to seduce the Reprobate, that is in the hand of God; For if the effi∣cacy and event of error were from the Tempter, nothing would help us, but that all men should be deluded. The event and prevalency of errors comes from Gods permission upon them that would not obey the truth. Let me put this now into your mind; it is the fashion of the World to have mens persons in admiration, some are carried away with the opinion of their learning and good life that walk not after the wholsom Injunctions of the Ceremonies and Discipline of our Church,* 1.13 as Salvianus says very well, Tantùm dicta existimant quantus est ipse qui dixit, nec tam con∣siderant quid legunt, quàm cujus legunt. They measure truth, not in it self, but by the opinion of him that defends it, nor so much consider what it is they read, as whose it is they read. Purge out this leven, I beseech you, and remember, when men would expound all things by their own private spirit, God will turn their good gifts into vanity. Likewise if some others stand upon it, that there is no sort of Learn∣ing but abounds in the Church of Rome, and why should not the most Learned wear the Garland? Let them know this is as foolish an inference, well considered, as his in the Proverb, that the Peacock must sing best of all birds, because it had the fairest train. Julian the most learned Emperour, Galen the most learned Physician, Por∣phyry one of the learnedst Philosophers, all were Atheists, and without God in the World. The Novices of the Roman Colleges are sworn to particular opinions, and to a particular belief, and then study their course of Divinity to maintain it. So it comes to pass, They study to maintain a lye, as Satan did against Christ, and thereby they are catcht in strong delusions. And let this suffice for the first general part of the Text: That one end of these words which Satan cast forth was ut cog∣nosceret, to learn more perfectly that, which he mistrusted before, that Christ was the eternal Son of God.

And because he had more Hooks than one to his Angle, remember that beside his curiosity to explore him, his words likewise are full of malice to corrupt him: Command that these stones be made bread. The boldest and most flagitious attempt that ever was, to make Christ sin. Murdering of Sacred Princes, devices to blow up the Majesty of an whole State, conspiracy to root out whole Nations, endeavouring to burn up an whole Empire with Nero, betraying Christ himself to be crucified with Judas, all these ugly sins, not only single, but put all together, have less hor∣ror and impiety in them than this attempt, to lie in wait to draw sin and impurity from the most pure God. We cannot compare Satan so well as with himself, there∣fore I go further, the great rebellion of Lucifer, for which he was first cast out of heaven, made him not so guilty of high disobedience as this Proposition did, to tempt Christ to Gluttony and Infidelity. His first presumption is collected out of these words of Isaiah, I will be like the most High;* 1.14 but this presumption hath more rancor in it by far, the most High shall fall into wickedness, and be made like unto me. Ero similis altissimo, I will ascend as high as the glory of God,* 1.15 so the evil Angel co∣veted his own perfection in excess; but Altissimus erit similis mihi; I will bring down the most High to trespass as I have done, that is to covet Gods imperfection. The very Angels are not pure in his sight, says Job; now this was the Devils practical gloss, neither shall he be pure in the sight of the Angels; But how foolish is the Serpent become, the subtillest of all Creatures, how foolish is he become because he will not understand the truth of God? O Lord thou art purer than the heavens, thou art Justice, and Righteousness, and Innocency it self; and therefore the Church doth sing a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to his honour, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts. One Scripture says, he cannot lie, another Scripture, that he cannot deny himself, and another, that he cannot be tempted; Where was Satans prudence to make an impossible motion? How had he forgot his cunning to pump for an iniquity out of the Well of ever∣lasting purity? Some pretension yet there was for this plot, and some hope, no question▪ as the Jews cloak'd their own malice before Pilate with this excuse,

Had he not been a Sinner we had not brought him unto thee; so there was some likelihood to make him offend, as it appeared to Satan, and surely thus he collected it.

If Joseph, who was espoused to Mary, be his Father I shall prevail, whatsoever is born of flesh is flesh, whatsoever is begotten by carnal generation is conceived in sin: But if it be true that the Angel said unto Mary, the Holy Ghost should over-shadow her, yet the will of every man, if he be true man, is indifferent, and apt of it self to turn to evil, as well as good. Now perhaps it was not possible for the Devil to under∣stand, how the union of the Godhead did determine that indifferency of the will only to good, and did exempt it from all possibility or inclination to evil; and the rage of malice dulling the sharpness of his intellectual parts, he proceeds upon the Pre∣mises, the second Person of Trinity is become flesh, and born of a woman, that in the same nature, wherein mankind sinned, they might be redeemed; but if this fleshly nature could be contaminated with sin, God would dissolve the Hypostatical Union, and cast it off: Dissolve the Union, and he cannot be the Mediator between God and man, and then the Sons of men shall be left without hope of redemption for ever. And it may be the Devil had that foolish forecast in his mind, when he stirred up Judas to betray him, that by his death he might dissolve the union between his God∣head and our humane nature. If any man will answer these Scholastical discourses, and say, the Devil hath no where revealed his own counsels; I reply again, we need not be ashamed of the modesty of St. John, Rev. ii. We have not known the depth of Sa∣tan, but this one thing is not dubitable, he would have tempted Christ to sin. We can all easily discern the Devils deformity out of this Sermon, what a grievous crime it was to sollicite God to do unjustly; but what if this be our own fault many times (dearly Beloved?) Will you not diligently amend it for the time to come? When you see it is the blackest crime in the Devil. 1. He that sweareth by the name of God and lies, what doth he but implore the name of God to bear false wit∣ness to his Perjury? Would man make God sin for his sake? And is not man a Devil? Again, he that pretends he hath made a Vow unto the Lord, and that his Vow constrains him to do some wicked thing, doth he not make God the impulsive cause of his abomination? Another prays for nothing more heartily, than that the Lord will pour out his vengeance upon those whom he hates, although they be innocent. What is that else but to say? Do thou kill that man for my sake, who art a most just God, whom it becomes not me to hurt, that am a most wicked sinner. And though we have not Satans opportunity to tempt Christ himself face to face, yet remember that Kings are Gods Vicegerents upon earth, and whosoever wrongs their ear with any corrupt communication, or flattery, he comes the nearest of any man to this sin in my Text to tempt God himself to evil. Non ab acervo, sed à semente furantur, says Plutarch: They that propound evil things to the Ruler of the People, they do not steal from the Barn, or from the Stack, but from the seed-corn it self, and by the Civil Law that is double thievery.

There are under parts likewise of this Tentation, and certain insinuating ways to wriggle it in, which are fit to be discovered. First, He closeth with Christ upon a most artificial obtestation, If thou be the Son of God. It is good Oratory, you know, to importune a man to do a thing by that which he will not for shame deny. If you be an Israelite serve the Lord; if Christ be your Master, follow peace and humility. These are deep adjurements: So Satan turns this Rhetorick upon our Saviour, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But Beloved, be strong to resist these adjurations, when they are turned upon you as stones of offence. It is vulgar and trivial to cog a sin into a man with these lispings, if you love me let me obtain this at your hands; if you be my friend deny me not, as you are a Gentle∣man refuse me not in this, or another evil association; retort such evil adjurements as these in the name of God. I know no such sweetness in love and friendship as to serve God together in the unity of the same Spirit; I know no such obligation upon the honour of a Gentleman as to keep a good conscience. Sell not your soul away for a few fair words, for which so dear a price was paid as the bloud of Christ.

What other device do you mark? Why, two in one word; Command that these stones, says Satan; Mark what a great believer the Devil is turn'd, it is in your power you can command it. Nay, it is in the Greek Text, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, say the word. God made all things by the word of his power, and you are that Word, if you say it, it is done. As if he would profess such a faith as the Centurion was commended for, dic verbo, say the word and my servant shall be healed. Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum. I

will not make a long Narration, for the honour of Religion, what mischiefs have been brought to pass by colour of Religion; but I will tell you for a warning of such hypocrisie, that as the curse of Jacob stuck close unto his Sons, who made Circum∣cision their stratagem to kill the Sichemites, so the curse of God shall stick close to them, who cheat, and betray, and sow discords, devour Widows houses, make mer∣chandise of holy things, upon pretence of Sanctity: For how is God abused by this fraudulency, when he may truly say, many sins are done, which had never been committed, if there had been no Religion in the World. The other insinua∣tion is the facility of doing it, he perswades to that which is as easie as to breath, speak but half a word and these stones are made bread. Sin indeed is like sureti∣ship; it is an easie thing to get into bands, but very troublesom to get out of them; Facilis descensus Averni. It is a wide gate, and no rub in the way, that leadeth to damnation, but these foul actions, which are so easie to wicked men, that they cannot avoid them, the Lord makes them very difficult to them that are regenerate and born again. He hath set a watch before their lips, so that they cannot speak the word, which is dishonourable to his holy name, or if they do speak it, it is with much reluctancy; and by this you shall know that heavenly grace is in your heart, when you cannot do those things at all, or at least with much unwillingness, which the children of Satan do with great facility. This touch and away for those three insinuations, upon which the Devil did slide in his tentation.

Hitherto I have spoken upon no more, but in general that the Prince of Devils attempted to make Christ a sinner. And whereas his allurement in particular part∣ly struck upon Gluttony, partly or rather upon Infidelity, how he urged unto Infi∣delity shall be deferred unto a larger explication, and I will only add a few words upon his tentation to Gluttony before I conclude. A marvellous subtil beginning, he propounds nothing but that which nature necessarily calls for; the most spiritual, the most holy men in the world must have somewhat to content hunger, therefore supposing that there is most Angelical sanctity in Christ, yet since there is humane infirmity likewise, it must be repaired with sobriety. Nay, if any religious pur∣pose of fasting hinder him, yet what holy man did fast for any long space, but he would take bread and water of affliction sometimes? That, it seems, did not dis∣solve the religion of his Fast. Is not this a fair curtain to draw before the mischief of his tentation? Nay, many Expositors are so puzzeled with the legerdemain of this craft, that they conclude that sin of Gluttony was not so much as aimed at; or alas there is small likelihood that one should sin in gluttony by eating bread when he was an hungry: And as small likelihood that he should sin if he made bread miraculously out of stones, when he was pressed unto it by Famine. For twice he multiplied the Loaves and Fishes miraculously in the Wilderness, when he had compassion of the People, who were ready to faint for want of bread, and who did ever find fault with it? Theophylact was driven into such a straight with this objection, that he answereth, Christ was tempted to gluttony because he was tempted to superfluity. Cum panis unus sufficeret, postulavit lapides in panes converti; When one loaf would have sufficed to have asswaged his hunger, the Devil demand∣ed no less than all the stones that were before them to be made bread; and the Rela∣tors of the holy Land say, that in that Desart where Christ fasted, called the Mountain of Quarantena, divers stones black in colour, and large in quantity are shewed unto travellers, as the very stones remaining to this day, at which the Devil pointed in his tentation. St. Matthew, it is true, relates that the Devil spake Plurally, Com∣mand that these stones be made bread. St. Luke tells the same story in the Singular num∣ber, Command that this stone be made bread. It is well reconciled, as if the Tempter had over-reacht himself at first, and made an unreasonable motion, and then comes off, if it like you not to change all these stones, yet at least be pleased to turn this one into bread.

Since therefore the Tempter at last moved for no more than the supply of one loaf of bread, wherein lies the suspicion of gluttony that he perswaded him to that? In a word thus it was; No man could have called it intemperance in Christ,* 1.16 if being very hungry after a fast of forty days he had made bread, and brought it miraculously out of the hard stones: but upon occasion of hunger to obey the Devil in procuring our meat, it had been a grievous gluttony. He that cannot abstain, and should marry because the Devil bad him, to him it were incontinency. He that should use lawful recreation because the Devil bad him, to him it were voluptuousness: He that should rest his weariness, when the Devil requested him to it, to him it

were idleness: So to eat bread upon his motion, whom we must fly and abhor, it would come into the rank of the deadly sins, and pass by the name of Gluttony. We deceive our selves, if we think so well of Satans kindness, that he is tender of our health, and would not have us fast too long, rather he desires our death, and that all humane nature were dissolved into dust and ashes, what cares he to have stones turned into bread? But to have men turn'd into beasts, into Swine that wallow in fulness of bread and luxury. If he can get Sodom to delight in fulness of bread, he knows their end will be fire and brimstone. Signum panis petit, qui signum jejunii per∣timescit, says Chrysologus; He loves to see the miracles of bread and feeding, he can∣not abide to see the miracle of fasting and temperance. Your sobriety shall make the Devil drunk with wrath because he cannot overcome you. And when the Tem∣pter is vanquished, and hath given us over, yet the judgment of God is to come, his dreadful judgment which is to be feared, if we live in riot and wantonness. But will you not fear that judgment? Mark our Saviours counsel, after a long descripti∣on of the wofulness of that last day, thus he concludes; Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life; and so that day come upon you unawares, Luk. xxi. 34.

Mark, I pray you, how Satan useth to speed those with his courtesie that will be obnoxious to him. Instead of some relief for hunger he brings stones. Lapides esuri∣enti offert,* 1.17 humanitas talis est semper inimici, sic pascit mortis autor, sic invidus vitae; What man is there of you, whom if his Son ask bread will he give him a stone? Mat. vii. 9. It were no humanity indeed, but look for no better courtesie from the Fiend of Hell. A stone and bread are most opposite substances. Hawks may take pebles for casting, but there is no nutrition in them; yet this is our enemies courtesie, you want bread, here is a stone for you, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Thus the Author of death will feed you, who envies the life of men: But our God is very liberal, he openeth his hand and filleth all things living with plenteousness, he openeth and never shutteth his bowels of compassion against his children; he with-holdeth no good thing from them that lead a godly life. On the contrary, Satans service is most bare and wretched. The Prince of Poets sets Famine and Scarcity next to the suburbs of Hell.

* 1.18Vestibulum ante ipsum, primisque in faucibus Orci —malesuada fames, & turpis egestas.

Judas presently gave up all that he got in the Devils service, and his life to boot in a most hideous death: But Honesty, howsoever some wicked Proverbs say it ends in beggary, I say, if it be kept constantly without halting, it is seldom a looser in this life, but I am sure it is an infinite gainer in the life to come. Serve the Lord therefore with zeal and innocency and your wages shall not be denied you. I know he will outbid all the world, all the Princes of the world, and Satan him∣self the Prince of riches. Did he ever put such a scoff upon the hungry, as make you bread out of stones; He opened the hard rock indeed, so that waters flowed out for his people, but he did not bid them bite upon the rock for bread, but he rained down Manna from heaven. Convert your hearts and your thoughts to the holy Sacrament. Doth God put us off there, Command that stones be made bread? No, he makes bread become the body of his dearly beloved Son by the application of faith, and he that eateth of it worthily shall be made one body with Christ, and live for ever. AMEN.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Prov. xxx. 19.
• * 1.2

  Luk. iv. 2.
• * 1.3

  Homil. 24. in Luc.
• * 1.4

  Brentius.
• * 1.5

  Paraeus.
• * 1.6

  Lib. 9. Civ. Dei. c. 21.
• * 1.7

  Tolet. in c. 4. Lucae. Anno. 11.
• * 1.8

  Salmeron.
• * 1.9

  Civ. Dei. lib. 9. c. 21▪
• * 1.10

  Estius.
• * 1.11

  In cap. 4. Luc. Annot. 10.
• * 1.12

  Muscul••••
• * 1.13

  Lorinus i•• ver. 16. Ep. Jude.
• * 1.14

  Isa. xiv. 14.
• * 1.15

  Ferus.
• * 1.16

  Jansenius.
• * 1.17

  Chrysologus.
• * 1.18

  Aencad. lib. 6.