Chú giải Kinh Thánh

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Then was Jesus led up — Lest haply the people, hearing that testimony from heaven, should come and take him by force to make him a king, as John 6:15 ; to try their love also to him, who was thus overclouded as the sun in his first rising.

Led up of the Spirit — The better to fit him thereby for the ministry. Luther observed of himself, that when God was about to set him upon any special service, he either laid some fit of sickness upon him beforehand, or turned Satan loose upon him; who so buffeted him (again) by his temptations, ut nec calor, nec sanguis, nec sensus, nec vex superesset, that neither heat, nor blood, nor sense, nor voice remained: the very venom of the temptations drank up his spirit, and his body seemed dead, as Justus Jonas, that was by and saw it, reported of him in his epistle to Melancthon. Lutherus in oppidum Eisleben honorifice introductus est, valetudine admodum imbecilla, et tantum non desperata: quod sibi accidere semper, cum magni quippiam aggrederetur, dixit. Melchior Adam. Hence also it was that in his sermons God gave him such a grace, saith Mr. Foxe, that when he preached, they that heard him thought, every one, his own temptation to be severally touched and noted. Whereof when signification was given unto him by his friends, and he demanded how that could be? "Mine own manifold temptations," saith he, "and experiences are the cause thereof:" for from his tender years he was much beaten and exercised with spiritual conflicts, as Melancthon in his Life testifieth. Also Hieronymus Wellerus, scholar to the said Mr. Luther, recordeth, that he oftentimes heard Luther his master report of himself, that he had been assaulted and vexed with all kinds of temptations (saving only with that of covetousness), and was thereby fitted for the work of the Lord. Whence also he was wont to say that three things made a preacher, -meditation, prayer, and temptation.

Into the wilderness — Likely the wilderness of Sinai, where Moses and Elias had fasted before. These three great fasters met afterwards in Mount Tabor, Matthew 17:3 . God promiseth to turn his people’s fasting into feasting, Zechariah 8:19 . The devil took advantage of the place here, to assault our Saviour in the desert, but was beaten on his own dunghill, that we might overcome through him that loved us, Romans 8:37 , the fiend being already foiled by Christ.

To be tempted of the devil — No sooner was Christ out of the water of baptism than in the fire of temptation. So David, after his anointing, was hunted as a partridge upon the mountains. Israel is no sooner out of Egypt than Pharaoh pursues them. Hezekiah no sooner had kept that solemn passover, than Sennacherib comes up against him. St Paul is assaulted with vile temptations after the abundance of his revelations, 2 Corinthians 12:7 . And Christ teacheth us, after forgiveness of sins obtained, to look for temptations and to pray against them, Matthew 6:13 . While Jacob would be Laban’s drudge and pack horse, all was well; but when once he began to flee, he makes after him with all his might. All was jolly quiet at Ephesus before St Paul came thither; but then "there arose no small stir about that way," Acts 19:23 . All the while our Saviour lay in his father’s shop, and meddled only with carpenter’s chips, the devil troubled him not. But now that he is to enter more publicly upon his office of mediatorship, the tempter pierceth his tender soul with many sorrows, by solicitation to sin. ( πειραζω from πειρω , to pierce through.) And dealt he so with the green tree? what will he do with the dry? Temptations (besides those that come from God, which are only probationis, approval, not perditionis, damnation as the other) are of two sorts: for either they are of seducement, James 1:14 , or of buffeting and grievance, 2 Corinthians 12:7 ; either of allurement or frightment. ( Irritamenta, vel terriculamenta. ) In the former we are pressed with some darling corruption, whereto our appetites by nature have the most propensity; in the latter we are dogged with foulest lusts of atheism, idolatry, blasphemy, murder, …, that nature startles at: in these the devil tempts alone, and that so grossly, that the very flesh is ashamed of it. But in the former, that come more immediately from the flesh, the devil only interposeth himself, and speaks his good word for them; whence they are called messengers of Satan, 2 Corinthians 12:7 ; Ephesians 4:27 , we are said in anger to "give place to the devil;" and in resisting of lusts, we "resist the devil," James 4:7 .

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And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

And when he had fasted forty days, … — All Christ’s actions are for our instruction, not all for our imitation. We may not imitate the works miraculous of Christ, and proper to him as mediator. The ignorance of this caused some to counterfeit themselves Christ’s: as one Moor in King Edward VI’s time, and one Hacker in Queen Elizabeth’s time, David George, and various others; according to Matthew 24:24 . Neither need we seek to imitate him in his infirmities, which (though they were not sinful, but only natural, and therefore unblamable) yet import a weakness (as that he was hungry, weary, sleepy, …), and so, though they be in us, yet we need not strive the attainment of them. But we must imitate the Lord Christ in all his imitable graces and actions: showing forth the praises or virtues of him that hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light. ( τας αρετας εξαγγειλητε , 1 Peter 2:9 ) The word signifies to preach them abroad; for we should practise those virtues so clearly, that our lives may be as so many sermons upon the life of Christ. It is a dishonour to a dear friend to hang his picture in a dark hole and not in a conspicuous place, that it may appear we rejoice in it as an ornament to us; think the same of Christ’s image and graces, show them forth we must, and express them to the world; walking in Christ,Colossians 2:6; Colossians 2:6 , yea, as Christ, 1 John 2:6 , who therefore left us a copy that we might write after it, a sampler that we might work by it, a pattern that we should follow his steps, 1 Peter 2:21 ; ( υπογραμμον . Exemplar quod oculo conspicitur ), And although we cannot follow him passibus aequis, yet we must show our goodwills, stretching and straining our utmost, as St Paul did; επεκτεινομενος, Philippians 3:14 striving what we can to resemble him, not as a picture doth a man in outward lineaments only; but as a son doth his father (for he is the Father of eternity, Isaiah 9:6 ) in nature and disposition; and as servants, labouring to do as our Lord, John 13:15 , who therefore washed his disciples’ feet, to give us an example of humility; as he did likewise of meekness, Matthew 11:29 ; patience,1 Peter 2:21; 1 Peter 2:21 ; obedience, Hebrews 12:2 ; diligence and fidelity in his function, Hebrews 3:1-2 ; fewness of words, yet boldness of speech, going about and doing all possible good; beneficence to the poor saints,2 Corinthians 8:9; 2 Corinthians 8:9 ; constancy in profession, 1 Timothy 6:13 ; forgiveness of others and love to the brethren,Ephesians 5:2; Ephesians 5:2 ; "Be ye therefore followers herein of Christ, as dear children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance; but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation,"1 Peter 1:14-15; 1 Peter 1:14-15 .

He was afterward an hungred — Our Saviour was tempted all that forty days’ time, saith St Luke; but these three worst assaults were reserved to the last. So deals the devil with the Church (which is Christ mystical, 1 Corinthians 12:12 ). He never ceaseth tempting, though never so often repulsed; and is therefore called Beelzebub, as some will have it, the lord of flies, because the fly is noted for an impudent creature, that will soon return to the bait, though beaten away but erewhile. ( κυναμυια ponitur apud Homerum pro valde impudente; quia muscae pervicaces sunt, … ) Hence those many bickerings and buffetings we meet with all our life long: and hence those sharpest encounters and terrible conflicts many times at the hour of death. The Israelites met with many trials and troubles in the wilderness, Amalek and the Amorites, sore thirst, and fiery serpents, …, but were never so put to it as when they came to take possession of the promised land; for then all the kings of Canaan combined to keep them out. So the devil, furious enough at all times, most of all bestirs him at last cast, because he knows his time is but short, Revelation 12:12 , for death sets a saint out of his gunshot ( α βελους ). Satan may compass the earth, but not enter the borders of heaven. He tempted Adam in the earthly Paradise; he cannot tempt in the heavenly: hence his malice, while he may. Morientium nempe bestiaram violentiores sunt morsus (ut ille olim de semidiruta Carthagine): beasts that have their death’s wound, bite cruelly, convulse exceedingly.

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

Then came unto him the tempter — ο πειραζων . So called, because he politicly feels our pulses which way they beat, and accordingly fits us a penny worth. He sets a wedge of gold before covetous Achan, a courtesan Cozbi before a voluptuous Zimri, a fair preferment before an ambitious Absalom: and finds well that a fit object is half a victory. So dealt his agents with those ancient Christians, επρισθησαν, επειρασθησαν , they "were sawn asunder, they were tempted," saith the apostle, Hebrews 11:37 to wit, with the proffers of preferment, would they but have renounced their religion and done sacrifice to an idol. So the Pope tempted Luther with wealth and honour. But all in vain; he turned him to God, Et valde protestatus sum, saith he, me nolle sic satiari ab eo, he said flat, that God should not put him off with these low things. (Melch. Adam.) Here was a man full of the spirit of Christ. The tempter came to Christ, but found nothing in him; that matter was not malleable. In vain shall the devil strike fire if we find not tinder; in vain shall he knock at the door if we look not out to him at the window. Let us but divorce the flesh from the world, and the devil can do us no hurt. Ita cave tibi, ut caveas teipsum. From that naughty man myself, good Lord, deliver me, said one.

If thou be the Son of God — As the devil quarrelled and questioned the law given in Paradise as nought, or naught; so doth he hear the voice from heaven as a mere imposture. And this he did out of deep and desperate malice; for he could not be ignorant nor doubtful. Neither is his dealing otherwise with us (many times), who are too ready (at his instigation) to doubt our spiritual sonship. We need not help the tempter, by holding it a duty to doubt; this is to light a candle before the devil, as we use to speak. Rather let us settle and secure this, that we are indeed the sons of God and heirs of heaven, by passing through the narrow womb of repentance, that we may be born again, and by getting an effectual faith, the property whereof is to adopt as well as to justify; viz. ratione obiecti, by means of Christ the object upon whom faith layeth hold, and into whom it engrafts the believer after an unspeakable manner. Now ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, Galatians 3:26 ; John 1:12 , who hath both laid down the price of this greatest privilege, Hebrews 9:15 ; Galatians 4:5 , and sealed it up to us by his Spirit, crying, "Abba, Father," in our hearts, whatever Satan or our own misgiving hearts object to the contrary, Galatians 4:6 ; Romans 8:15 ; Ephesians 1:13 .

Command that these stones be made bread — And so distrust the providence of God for relieving thy body in this hunger; help thyself by working a preposterous miracle, in this point of God’s providence for this present life. Satan troubled David and Jeremiah, and so he doth many good souls at this day, who can sooner trust God with their souls than with their bodies; and for a crown than for a crust, as those disciples, Matthew 16:8 .

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But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

But he answered and said, It is written — "With his sore and great and strong sword" of the Spirit doth the Lord here "punish leviathan, that crooked piercing serpent," Isaiah 27:7 . With these shafts out of God’s quiver, with these pebbles chosen out of the silver streams of the Scriptures, doth he prostrate the Goliah of hell. The word of God hath a power in it to quail and to quash Satan’s temptations, far better than that wooden dagger, that leaden sword of the Papists, their holy water, crossings, grains, dirty relics, … It is not the sign of the cross, but the word of the cross, that overthrows Satan. He can no more abide by it than an owl by the shining of the sun. Set therefore the word against the temptation, and the sin is laid. Say, I must not do it, I may not, I dare not; for it is forbidden in such a place, and again in such a place. And be sure to have places of Scripture ready at hand (as Saul had his spear and pitcher ready at his head even while he slept), that ye may "resist the devil," "steadfast in the faith," grounded on the word. Joseph overcame him by remembering the seventh commandment: and David, by hiding this word in his heart, Psalms 119:11 . Wicked therefore was that advice of Dr Bristow to his agents, to labour still to get heretics out of their weak and false castle of Holy Scriptures into the plain fields of councils and fathers. The Scriptures are our armoury (far beyond that of Solomon, Song of Solomon 4:4 ), whither we must resort and furnish ourselves. One savoury sentence thereof shall do us more service than all the pretty, witty sayings and sentences of fathers and philosophers, or constitutions of councils.

Man liveth not by bread alone — Though ordinarily, as having a nourishing property inherent in it for such a purpose; yet so, as that the operation and success is guided by God’s power and goodness, whereon (as on a staff) this staff of life leaneth, Ezekiel 4:16 ; "A wise woman buildeth her house," Proverbs 14:1 . As the carpenter lays the plan of the house in his head first, and contrives it, so doth she forecast, and further the well doing of her family: and yet "except the Lord also build the house, they labour in vain that build it," Psalms 127:1 . So the diligent hand and the blessing of God (meeting) make rich, Proverbs 10:4 ; Proverbs 10:22 .

But by every word, … — That is, by anything else besides bread, whatsoever God shall think good, whatsoever he shall appoint and give power unto to be nourishment. Therefore if bread fail, feed on faith, Psalms 37:3 . Pascere fide: so Junius reads that text. Jehoshaphat found it sovereign when all other help failed him,2 Chronicles 20:6; 2 Chronicles 20:6 . And the captive Jews lived by faith, when they had little else to live upon, and made a good living of it, Habakkuk 2:4 . To this text the Jews seem to allude in that fiction of theirs, that Habakkuk was carried by the hair of the head, by an angel, into Babylon, to carry a dinner to Daniel in the den. (History of Bel and the Dragon, /Apc Bel 33-39) It was by faith that he "stopped the mouth of lions, and obtained promises," Hebrews 11:33 ; and by faith that she answered the persecutors, "If you take away my meat, I trust God will take away my stomach." (Eliz. Young, Acts and Monuments.) God made the ravens feed Elias, that were more likely (in that famine) to have fed upon his dead carcase; and another time caused him to go forty days in the strength of one meal, 1 Kings 19:8 . Merlyn was nourished a fortnight together with one egg a day, laid by a hen that came constantly to that haymow, where he lay hidden during the massacre of Paris. (French Chronicle.) And who hath not read or heard how, by a miracle of his mercy, God relieved Rochelle in a strait siege by an innumerable company of fishes cast in upon them? Carissima semper munera sunt, author quae preciosa facit. Faith fears no famine ( fides famem non formidat ); and although it be but small in substance and in show (as the manna was), yet is it great in virtue and operation. The rabbins say, that manna had all manner of good tastes in it: so hath faith. It drinks to a man in a cup of nepenthe, and bids him be of good cheer, God will provide for him. The Bishop of Norwich kept Robert Samuel, martyr, without food and drink, whereby he was unmercifully vexed, saving that he had every day allowed him two or three morsels of bread, and three spoonfuls of water, to the end he might be reserved to further torment. How often would he have drunk his own water! But his body was so dried up with long emptiness, that he was not able to make one drop of water. After he had been famished with hunger two or three days together, he fell into a sleep, as it were one half in a slumber; at which time one clothed in white seemed to stand before him, which ministered comfort unto him by these words, "Samuel, Samuel, be of good cheer, and take a good heart unto thee; for after this day thou shalt never be either hungry or thirsty;" for speedily after this he was burned, and from that time, till he should suffer, he felt neither hunger nor thirst. And this declared he, to the end, as he said, that all men might behold the wonderful work of God. (Acts and Monuments.) He likes not to be tied to the second ordinary causes, nor that (in defect of the means) we should doubt his providence. It is true, he commonly worketh by them, when he could do without, that we may not neglect the means, as being ordained of him. (David shall have victory, but by an ambush,2 Samuel 5:19-24; 2 Samuel 5:19-24 . Men shall be nourished, but by their labour, Psalms 128:2 ) But yet so, as that he doth all in all by those means (he made grass, grain, and trees, before he made the sun, moon, and stars, by the influence whereof they are and grow). Yea, to show himself chief, he can and doth work, other whiles, without means 2 Chronicles 14:11 , and against means, suspending the power and operation of the natural causes as when the fire burnt not, the water drowned not, the sun went back ten degrees, the rock gave water, the iron swam, … And then, when he works by means, he can make them produce an effect diverse from their nature and disposition; or can hinder, change, or mitigate their proper effect; at the prayer of Elias it rained not for three years and a half. "And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit,"James 5:17-18; James 5:17-18 . A man would have thought that after such a long drought, the roots of trees and herbs should have been utterly dried up, and the land past recovery; but "God heard the heavens" (petitioning to him that they might exercise their influence for the fructifying of the earth), and the "heavens heard the earth, and the earth heard the grain, the wine, and the oil, and they heard Jezreel," Hosea 2:22 . Let all this keep us, as it did our Saviour here, from diffidence in God’s providence, and make us "possess our souls in patience," Luke 21:19 , hang upon the promise, and account it as good as present pay, though we see not how it can be effected. God loves to go away by himself. "He knows how to deliver his," saith St. Peter, 2 Peter 2:9 , and he might speak it by experience, Acts 12:9 , if ever any man might. "The king shall rejoice in God," saith David of himself when he was a poor exile in the wilderness of Judah, Psalms 63:11 . But he had God’s word for the kingdom, and therefore he was confident, seemed the thing ever so improbable or impossible. We trust a skilful workman to go his own way to work; shall we not God? In the sixth year of the reign of Darius Nothus was the Temple fully finished. That sacred work which the husband and son of an Esther crossed shall be happily accomplished by a bastard. The Israelites thought that Moses should presently have delivered them, and he himself thought as much, and therefore began before his time to do justice upon the Egyptian whom he slew and hid in the sand. But we see, God went another way to work; he sent Moses into a far country, and the bondage was for forty years after exceedingly increased upon them; yet all this to humble and try them, and to do them good in their latter end,Deuteronomy 8:2-3; Deuteronomy 8:2-3 . He crosseth many times our likeliest project, and gives a blessing to those times and means whereof we despair. He breaks in pieces the ship that we think should bring us to shore, but casts us upon such boards as we did not expect. Lose we then any particular means? saith one; it is but the scattering of a beam, the breaking of a bucket, when the sun and the fountain is the same. But we for the most part do as Hagar did: when the bottle was spent, she falls a crying she was undone, she and her child should die; till the Lord opened her eyes to see the fountain. It was near her but she saw it not; when she saw it she was well enough. "If thou hadst been here," said Martha, "my brother Lazarus had not died." As if Christ could not have kept him alive, unless he had been present. So if Christ will come and lay his hands on Jairus’ daughter, Mark 5:23 , and Elisha stroke his hand over Naaman’s leprosy, they shall be cured,2 Kings 5:11; 2 Kings 5:11 . So the disciples believed that Christ could feed so many thousands in the wilderness, but then he must have two hundred pennyworth of bread, Mark 6:37 . But our Saviour gave them, soon after, an ocular demonstration of this truth, "That man liveth not by bread alone," … "They shall be helped with a little help," Daniel 11:34 . Why a little? that through weaker means we may see God’s greater strength.

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Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

Then the devil taketh him — Not in vision only or imagination, but really and indeed, as he was afterwards apprehended, bound, and crucified by that cursed crew. Spiritual assaults may be beaten back by the shield of faith; bodily admit no such repulse. A daughter of Abraham may be bound by Satan,Luke 13:16; Luke 13:16 , a Mary Magdalene possessed, a Job vexed, a Paul boxed, … κολαφιζη , 2 Corinthians 12:7 As for the souls of the saints, they are set safe out of Satan’s scrape; shake his chain at them he may, muster his forces, Revelation 12:7 , which may band themselves and bend their strength against Michael and his angels, Christ and his members; but they are bounded by God, who hath set his own on a rock that is higher than they,Psalms 61:2; Psalms 61:2 . So that the floods of temptation (that the serpent casts out of his mouth after them) cannot come so much as to their feet, Psalms 32:6 . Or if it touch their heel, Genesis 3:15 , yet it can come no higher. There is no sorcery against Jacob, because God was a unicorn, Numbers 23:22-23 , to take away the venom (saith Balaam the sorcerer); as waters, when the unicorn’s horn hath been in them, are no longer poisonous, but healthful.

Into the holy city — Things are called holy either by nature, as God, who is truly, alway, and only of himself holy; or by separation, or being set apart to a holy use or end; which Origen calleth (Homil. xi., Num.) sancta sanctificata, by accession of external holiness from without: so Jerusalem is here called holy, because the city of God, where he was daily worshipped. And for the same cause was the ground whereon Moses and Joshua trod, called holy ground, and Tabor, the holy Mount, 2 Peter 1:18 . And when we stand in our churches, saith Chrysostom, we stand in a place of angels and archangels, in the kingdom of God and heaven itself ( αυτος ουρανος , Homil. xxxvi., 1 Corinthians 11:10 ), which they that profane, may justly fear to be whipped like dogs out of the heavenly temple, and city too. And surely it were to be wished that such profane Esaus today, as dare prate, or sleep, or laugh, and play the parts of jesters, or do anything else unbeseeming the service of God, would keep themselves from God’s sanctuary, or that we had such porters to keep them out as they had under the law, 2 Chronicles 23:19 .

And setteth him upon a pinnacle of the temple — Height of place giveth opportunity of temptation. The longest robe contracts the greatest soil: neither are any in so great danger as those that walk on the tops of pinnacles. Even height itself makes men’s brains to swim: as in Diocletian, who not content to be emperor, would needs be adored as a god; and Caligula, of whom it was said that there was never any better servant than he nor worse lord. Vespasian is reported to have been the only man that ever became better by the empire conferred upon him. Accepto imperio melior factus est. It is both hard and happy not to be made worse by advancement. Τιμη signifies both honour and loss; chabad, heaviness and honour; honoro and onero show that honour goeth not without a burden. Fructus honos oneris, fructus honoris onus. (Cornel. a Lapide in Numbers 11:11 ) Pope Plus Quintus said thus of himself, Cum essem religiosus, sperabam bene de salute animae meae; Cardinalis factus extimui; Pontifex creatus, pene despero. When I was first in orders, without any further ecclesiastical dignity, I had some good hopes of my salvation; when I became a cardinal, I had less; since I was made Pope, least of all. The same thoughts of himself had Clement VIII, his immediate successor, saith the same author. ( Non insulse Autor ocul. moral. cap. 12.) Praepositioni quot accident? Unum. Quid? Casus tantum. Quot casus? Duo. Qui? Accusativus, et ablativus. Haec enim Praelatum oportet timere, accusari a crimine, et auferri a regimine, et sic ignominiose cadere.

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And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

And he saith unto him — The devil usually tempteth by speech, inward or outward. Senarclaeus (Epist. ad Bucerum) telleth of a plain countryman at Friburg in Germany, that lying on his deathbed, the devil came to him in the shape of a tall terrible man, and claimed his soul, saying, "Thou hast been a notorious sinner, and I am come to set down all thy sins;" and therewith he drew out paper and ink, and sat down at a table that stood by, and began to write. The sick man answered, "My soul is God’s, and all my sins are nailed to the cross of Christ. But if thou desire to set down my sins, write thus, ‘All our righteousnesses are as a filthy rag,’" … The devil set down that, and bid him say on. He did: "but thou, Lord, hast promised, for thine own sake, to blot out our iniquities, and to make our scarlet sins white as snow." The devil passed by those words, and was earnest with him to go on in his former argument. The sick man said with great cheerfulness, "The Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil." With that the devil vanished, and the sick man departed.

If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself, … — This is the devil’s logic, to argue from mercy to liberty, to do wickedly with both hands earnestly, Micah 7:3 . Whereas the heathen could say, In maxima libertate, minima licentia. And the father, Ideo deteriores sumus, quia meliores esse debemus: therefore are we worse, because we ought to be better. (Salvian.) Remember but this, that thou art son to a king (said one to Antigonus), and that will keep thee from base courses. Take thou those spoils to thyself, Ανελου σαυτω (said Themistocles to his friend that followed him), συ γαρ ουκ ει θεμιστοκλης , for thou art not Themistocles, as I am: they are poor things, far below me. Shall such a man as I flee? Nehemiah 6:11 . Shall I do anything to the dishonour of my heavenly Father? and therefore sin, because grace hath abounded?Romans 8:1; Romans 8:1 ; that is not the guise of any of God’s children. They walk honestly, bravely, gallantly, worthy of God, who hath done so great things for them. καλως, ευσχημονως, αξιως του θεου . The more privileges, the more engagements. Scipio, when a harlot was offered unto him, said, Vellem, si non essem imperator. It was an aggravation of the fall of Solomon, that God had appeared unto him twice; and of Saul, that he fell as if he had not been anointed,1 Kings 11:9; 1 Kings 11:9 ; 2 Samuel 1:21 . So it is of any of God’s saints to sin, as if they had not been adopted.

Cast thyself down — Here our Saviour is tempted to suicide, by an old manslayer. And when Moses, Elias, Jonah, and others of the best sort of saints, were in a fit of discontent, and grew weary of their lives, wishing for death, divines doubt not but Satan gave a push at them with his ten horns, to despatch and ease themselves of the present trouble by cutting off their own days. A dangerous and hideous temptation; yet such as may befall the best, and few escape it that live out their time. But in all the book of God we read not of any of the generation of the just that ever did it, Psalms 37:28 . That God who kept them, will (if we look up to him) do as much for us. Only we must set against this bloody temptation with God’s arm and with God’s armour. The word and prayer are the ordinances and power of God, and, by his might, do extinguish all the fiery darts of the devil. Oppose the commination to the temptation. Herein Eve faltered (in her lest ye die, though she held the precept), and so fell.

for it is written — A vile abase of sacred Scripture, to persuade thereby to sin or plead for it; yet what more ordinary with men of corrupt minds and reprobate concerning the faith, 2 Timothy 3:8 . Qui caedem Scripturarum faciunt ad materiam suam, as Tertullian speaketh ( De Praescript, advers. Haeret. ), who murder the Scriptures to serve their own purposes? But of this more elsewhere.

He shall give his angels charge over thee — Hitherto the old liar speaketh truth. But, Satan et si semel videatur verax, millies est mendax, et semper fallax, saith Bucholcer: Satan, though he may sometimes seem a true speaker, yet he is a thousand times for it a liar, and always a deceiver. Because our Saviour had alleged Scripture, he also would do the like in a perverse, apish imitation, but mars the masculine sense by clipping off that clause, "they shall keep thee in all thy ways;" that is, in those courses that are appointed thee by God. In viis nostris, non in praecipitiis. (Bern.) But as the Israelites in the wilderness, when they went out of God’s precincts were out of his protection, so are all others. "As a bird that wandereth from the nest, so is a man that wandereth from his own place," saith Solomon,Proverbs 27:8; Proverbs 27:8 . God made a law that none should molest a bird upon her nest,Deuteronomy 22:6; Deuteronomy 22:6 . Doth God take care of birds? A king undertaketh the safety of his subjects while they travel within due hours and keep the king’s highway; else not. So doth God. He hath given his angels charge over us while we hold his way, which is like Jacob’s ladder, where the angels were ascending and descending. Oh the dignity and safety of a saint, in a guard so full of state and strength! Well might David (after he had said, "the angel of the Lord pitcheth his tent round about them that fear him") presently subjoin, Taste and see bow gracious the Lord is, in allowing his children so glorious an attendance, Psalms 34:7-8 .

And with their hands they shall lift thee up, … — As parents use to lift their little ones over rough and foul ways; or as servants in a house love to get up into their arms their young master. επι χειρων, in manus: ducta ab iis, significationis origine, qui onus aliquod gestaturi attollunt in humeros. (Beza.) In Christ and for Christ, they count it their greatest glory to do us any good office for soul or body; they save us from the foul fiends that else would worry us. These walk about as lions to devour us while alive, and to hinder our passage to heaven when we die; the other, as guardians, to keep us here, and to convey and conduct us through the devil’s territories (who is prince of the air) when we go hence to heaven, Luke 16:22 , in despite of the evil angels that would intercept us, Daniel 10:21 .

Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone — Oh the tender care of our heavenly Father; he is so kind, and, in the best sense, fond over his little ones, that he cannot abide the cold wind should blow upon them, as we say, and hath therefore commanded "that the sun shall not smite them by day, nor the moon by night,"Psalms 121:6; Psalms 121:6 ; yea, which way soever the wind fit, it must blow good to his; "Arise, O north, and blow, O south, upon any beloved, that her spices may flow forth," Song of Solomon 4:16 . What so contrary as north and south wind, cold and hot, moist and dry? … Yet both must blow good to God’s beloved. Well might God exalt his love above that of natural parents, which yet is wondrous great, saith the psalmist, Psalms 103:13 .

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Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Jesus answered and said, It is written again — Christ rejects not the Holy Scriptures, although perversely alleged and abused by Satan, but openeth them, by laying one place to another. So did those holy Levites in Nehemiah 8:7 , and St Paul in Acts 9:22 . συμβιβαζων , Collatis testimoniis demonstrans. Parallel texts, like glasses set one against another, cast a mutual light. And, as the lapidary brighteneth his hard diamond with the dust shaved from itself; so must we clear hard Scriptures by others that are more plain and perspicuous.

Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God — Trust him we must, tempt him we may not. Now God is tempted, either when men are too much addicted to the means, as Thomas; or when they reject them, as Ahaz, who refused a sign and ran to unlawful means, hiding all under this, I will not tempt God, Isaiah 7:12 . Heathens could say, Admota manu invocanda est Minerva, and they noted him for a foolish carter, that when his cart stuck fast, cried to his god, and moved his lips, but not his hands to help himself. "If thou callest for knowledge," saith Solomon, "and criest for understanding"-there is prayer to God; "if thou seekest her as silver, and searcheth for her as for hidden treasures"-there is man’s endeavour in the diligent use of the means; "then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God"-there is the happy success,Proverbs 2:3-5; Proverbs 2:3-5 . Ora et labora Ask and work, was an emperor’s motto. (Reusneri Symb.) St Augustine sets it down as a vanity of his youth, that he prayed God to help him against some special sins whereunto he was strongly addicted, but should have been full sorry that God should have heard him, because he was loth to part with them. How much better was that prayer Sir Thomas Moore, Domine Deus, fac me in iis com sequendis operam collocare, pro quibus obtinendis soleo ad te orare; " Lord God, make me to bestow pains in getting those things, for obtaining whereof I use to pray unto thee."

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Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

Again the devil taketh him — This master fly Beelzebub, though beaten away once and again, yet returns to the same place. See how shameless he is in renewing his temptations after a flat repulse. He solicits and sets upon our Saviour again (as Potiphar’s wife did upon Joseph, for all his many denials), and is not only importunate, but impudent. Stand we therefore still upon our guard, and look for no ease here. The Roman captains, when they had once triumphed, took their ease ever after. No so with Cato, and is therefore highly commended. So may not we if ever we will be approved as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, 2 Timothy 2:3 . Our whole life is a continual warfare, and we must look for the continual hail shot, hell shot of satanical assaults and suggestions. ( Hannibal victor vel victus nunquam quiescebat. Ita nec diabolus. ) When Xerxes fought against the Greeks, "the sea was full of ships," saith the orator, "the earth of soldiers, the air of arrows," πληρης ην η μεν θαλασσα νεων, η δε γη πεζων, ο δε αηρ βελων . So fares it with the saints under Satan’s batteries: no truce, but continual conflict. Ever since these two strong men fought, there is no more peace. St Paul sounds the alarm, "Arm, arm! take the whole armour of God and be ever in your harness," πανοπλιαν , Ephesians 6:11 . And St Peter gives the reason, "Because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh, and watcheth, night and day, seeking whom he may devour." This he doth out of his contrariety to God who careth for us, 1 Peter 5:7-8 . For our encouragement, as the devil is Leo ωρυομενος , a roaring lion, so is Christ Leo de tribu Iuda, ο ρυομενος , the lion of the tribe of Judah, that delivereth us, and maketh us more than conquerors; holding the crown of glory over our heads (as we are fighting), with this inscription, Vincenti dabo, " To him that overcometh will I give," … ( Christus est αγωνοθετης , idem et antagonista, qui immittit et dirigit tentationes nostras. Pareus.) Fight therefore and faint not, your reward is sure, your armour is of proof. Get on both those pieces of defence (as the girdle of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of peace and patience, shield of faith, helmet of hope) and those also of offence, as the sword of the Spirit and darts of prayer. And then resolve with that aged citizen of Exeter in King Edward VI’s time, who when the town was besieged, said, "That he would feed on the one arm and fight with the other, before he would consent to yield the city to the seditions." (Hayward’s Life of Edward VI) it is said of Sceva at the siege of Dyrrachium, that he so long resisted Pompey’s army that he had 220 darts sticking in his shield and lost one of his eyes, and yet gave not over till Caesar came to his rescue ( Densamque ferebat pectore sylvam Lucan); and of Sir Thomas Challoner (who died A.D. 1566), that he served in his younger time under Charles V in the expedition of Algiers, where being shipwrecked, after he had swum till his strength and his arms failed him, at length catching hold of a cable with his teeth, he escaped, not without the loss of some of his teeth. The like (and somewhat more) is reported of Cynegirus the Athenian in the Persian wars. These did thus for a corruptible crown or temporary honour; what should not we do for an eternal?1 Corinthians 9:25; 1 Corinthians 9:25 . Hold out, and hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown from thee, Revelation 3:11 . Be of Queen Elizabeth’s disposition, who provided for war even when she had most perfect peace with all men. God’s Spirit sets up a standard in the saints, Isaiah 59:19 ; "And stronger is he that is in you than he that is in the world." That old serpent hath his head so bruised and crushed by Christ that he cannot now so easily thrust in his mortal sting, though he assay it never so often, unless we dally with him and lay ourselves open, unless we tempt Satan to tempt us by inconsideration, security, or venturing on the occasion. Vitanda est glacies, si nolis cadere. He that tastes of the broth will have a mind to the meat. The Nazarites might not only not drink wine, but forbear to eat of the grape whether moist or dried,Numbers 6:3; Numbers 6:3 .

Into an exceeding high mountain — Whether mountains were made at first or cast up by the flood, there are those who dispute. I think, made at first, Psalms 90:2 . Yet is the earth round (as an apple is, notwithstanding some knots and bunches in it). And that being round, and so naturally apt for motion (as the heavens are), it stands firm and unmoveable, Ecclesiastes 1:3: this is admirable. God hath hanged it upon nothing, saith Job, Job 26:7 in the midst of the heaven; like Archimedes’ pigeon, equally poised with its own weight. But why took he our Saviour into so high a mountain? That he might thence have the fairer prospect. And perhaps in imitation of God taking up Moses into the mount. The devil delights to be God’s ape, that he may by counterfeiting the like to God, bring his holy ordinances into disgrace. Thus the heathens had their sacrifices, washings, tithes, oracles, … Vitruvius and others tell us that the temple of Diana at Ephesus and her image therein were made of cedar. So for Christ bruising the serpent’s head, Satan hath set up Hercules killing the Lernaean Hydra. Which fable who seeth not plainly to have been hatched in hell, and suggested to the poets, in an apish imitation of God, merely to elude his oracle? The like may be said of the fable of Orpheus his wife, suddenly snatched from him, for looking back upon her: which was made out of the story of Lot’s wife. So their Hercules with his ten labours was the Scripture Samson. And their Sethon, king of Egypt, and priest of Vulcan (who was helped from heaven by his god against Sennacherib, king of Assyria, that invaded him), who could it be else but Hezekiah, king of Judah? Ita diabolus (operum Dei Momus) per Egyptios hoc egit, ut divinum Miraculum in Iudaea editum vilesceret, fidem et authoritatem amitteret, et tanti operis gloria ad turpissima idola rediret. (Bucholcer.) Thus the devil attempted by his Egyptians to transfer the glory of a divine miracle upon himself.

And showeth him all the kingdoms of the earth — In their beauty and bravery. A bewitching sight, doubtless, and would have moved much with a carnal heart. (This world at the last day shall be burnt for a witch.) But here the devil’s fire fell upon wet tinder, and therefore took not. Gain and glory! rule and riches! Quis nisi mentis inops, … Who but the weak minded. Set but a wedge of gold in sight, and Joshua (that could stay the course of the sun) cannot stay Achan from lusting and laying hold on it. Balaam’s ass never gallops fast enough after preferment. And Zimri will have his Cozbi, though he die for it. These three enchantresses, "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life," 1 John 2:15-16 , -pleasure, profit, and preferment (the worldly man’s Trinity)-whom have they not bewitched, befooled, bebeasted? St John showeth that a man may be very mortified, a father, yet wondrous subject to dote on the world. Of the which, nevertheless, we may say (as Aaron of the people) it is wholly set upon wickedness, Exodus 32:22 ; or, as another sometimes said of a historian, "Both the words and shows of it are full of fraud." ( Δολερα μεν τα σχηματα, δολερα δε τα ρηματα Plutarch de Herodot.) It promiseth (as the devil here) great matters, but payeth, pro thesauro carbones, instead of mines, coal pits. Captain Frobisher, in his voyage to discover the Straits, being tossed up and down with foul weather, snows, and inconstant winds, returned home, having gathered a great quantity of stones, which he thought to be minerals: from which, when there could be drawn neither gold nor silver, nor any other metal, we have seen them cast forth (saith Mr Camden) to mend the highways. How often do the devil and the world give men stones and serpents instead of fish and bread, even the bread of deceit, Proverbs 20:17 , that proves gravel in the teeth! How often are they disappointed that hunt after lying vanities, and so forsake their own mercies! as Jonah freely acknowledged, Jonah 2:8 for it had like to have cost him a choking. What got Balaam by running after his wages of wickedness, but a sword in his ribs?Numbers 31:8; Numbers 31:8 . Achan by his wedge, but the stones about his ears? Judas by his thirty pieces, but the halter about his neck? Cranmer by his subscription, but such a wretched condition, as that there were left him neither hope of better nor place of worse, as Cole could say in a sermon at his recantation? Adeo ut neque spem meliori, nec locum peiori fortunae reliquerit. Ut iam nec honeste mori, nec vivere inhoneste liceret. (Melch. Adam.) Many of the Romish renagades, that run thither for preferment, what little respect have they oftentimes, and as little content in their change! Rossensis had a cardinal’s hat sent him, but his head was cut off before it came. Allin had a cardinal’s hat, but with so thin lining (means, I mean, to support his state) that he was commonly called "the starving Cardinal." Stapleton was made professor of a petty university, scarcely so good as one of our free schools in England. Saunders was starved. William Rainolds was nominated to a poor vicarage under value. On Harding his Holiness bestowed a prebend The portion of the revenues of a cathedral or collegiate church granted to a canon or member of the chapter as his stipend. ŒD of Gaunt, or, to speak more properly, a gaunt prebend. Many others get not anything, so that they wish themselves at home again; and sometimes return in the same discontent in which they went.

And the glory thereof — Wherewith he hoped to dazzle our Saviour’s eyes (those windows of the soul), and so to imprison his affections. But he mistook himself. This heavenly eagle had oculum irretortum: eyes that see backwards, nothing moved with these tempting objects. But how many are there, alas, that have died of the wound of the eye! that have fallen by the hand of this vile strumpet, the world; who by laying forth her two fair breasts of profit and pleasure, hath cast down many wounded, as Solomon’s harlot, Proverbs 7:26 ; and by the glittering of her pomp and preferment hath misled millions; as the going fire leads men into hedges and ditches, or as the serpent Scytale, which when she cannot overtake the fleeing passengers, doth with her beautiful colours astonish and amaze them, so that they have no power to pass away till she have stung them to death. (Pliny.)

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