CHAPTER V.
And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterwards an hungered.—Mat. iv. 2.
Of Christ’s fast, with the design thereof.—Of Satan’s tempting in an invisible way.—Of his incessant importunities, and how he flies when resisted.—Of inward temptations, with outward afflictions.—Several advantages Satan hath by tempting in affliction.
I am next to explain the fast of Christ, the end and design whereof, because it is not expressly mentioned, is variously conjectured. Not to insist in this discourse, which is designed for practice, on the controversy about the Quadragesimal fast, that which I shall first consider is the opinion of Musculus,[371] who, upon this ground that his fast was not the principal thing for which the Spirit led him into the wilderness; for he was not led to fast, but to be tempted—thereupon concludes, that this was only a consequent of his solitary condition in the wilderness, and no other thing than what befell Moses and Elias, who being engaged by God to attend him in such a service, where the ordinary means of the support of life were wanting, were therefore kept alive by him in an extraordinary way without them. Thus he thinks the fasting was not, at least principally, designed, but that he being to undergo a temptation in a desolate wilderness where he had no meat to eat, there God restrained his hunger, so that he neither desired nor needed any. If we acquiesce in this, it will afford this doctrine:—
Doct. 1. That when God leads forth his children to such services as shall unavoidably deprive them of the ordinary means of help or supply, there God is engaged to give extraordinary support, and his people may expect it accordingly.
This is a great truth in itself, and a great and necessary encouragement to all the children of God that are called out to straits; but I shall not insist on this as the genuine product of this fast.
If we look further amongst protestant divines, we shall observe it taken for granted, that Christ fasted upon design, and this is generally reduced to those two heads:—
(1.) First, Either for instruction: as to shew that he was God, by fasting so long, and that under the trouble of molesting and disquieting temptations; whereas the fasts of like date in Moses or Elias were accompanied with the quiet repose of their thoughts; or to shew that he was man, in that he really felt the natural infirmities of the human nature, in being hungry; or to teach us the usefulness of fasting in the general, when fit occasions invite us thereto; or,
(2.) Secondly, For confirmation of his doctrine, to put an honour and dignity upon his employment;[372] as Elias fasted at the restoring of prophecy, and at the Reformation. As Moses fasted at the writing of the law, so Christ began the gospel of the kingdom with fasting. However, that these things cannot be spoken against, being conclusions warrantably deducible from this act of Christ’s; yet these seem not, in my apprehension, to come fully up to the proper end of this undertaking of his; which seems not obscurely to be laid before us in that passage of Luke iv. 2, ‘being forty days tempted of the devil; and in those days he did eat nothing;’ where we see that his being ‘tempted forty days’ was the principal thing, and that his fasting had a plain reference and respect to his temptation. Thus far, I suppose, we may be secure, that we have the design in the general, that his fasting was in order to his temptation. But then whether this was designed as an occasion of the temptations, or as a remedy against them, it is not so easy to determine. That one of those, at least, was intended, cannot be denied by those that will grant that his fast related to the combat; and it seems not to labour of any repugnacy or absurdity, if we say that it is possible that both these ends might be aimed at, and accordingly I shall proceed to observe upon them. There are only some other things to be first despatched out of the way: as
The continuance of the fast, why it was forty days, neither more nor less. Though some adventure to give reasons for it,[373] not only papists, who, according to their wont, are ridiculous and trifling in this matter; but also protestants, supposing that some regard was, or ought to be, had to his fulfilling the times of the fasts of Moses and Elias; yet I think it is neither pertinent nor safe to determine anything about it, only it observes to us that the continuance of this was a considerable time.
We are more concerned to inquire whether Christ was under any conflict of temptation all that time;[374] which although some deny, lest they should favour a seeming contradiction among the evangelists, yet the words of Luke are so express, ‘being forty days tempted of the devil,’ Luke iv. 2, that no tolerable evasion can be found to cast these temptations to the end of the forty days; for he tells us, he was not only tempted after the expiration of the forty days, but that he was tempted during the continuance of the forty days beside; only there was a difference in the kinds of these temptations, in regard of the way wherein Satan managed them, and this also is fully set down by Matthew, ‘And when the tempter came to him,’ which with the other expression of Luke compared, shews us, that during the space of the forty days Satan tempted Christ, and yet came not to him till afterward—that is, he managed those temptations in an invisible way. Hence we may note,
Doct. 2. That Satan doth usually tempt in an invisible way and manner. To explain this a little, I shall evidence it by a few considerations. As,
(1.) First, That he hath a hand in all sins first or last, and then it must needs be in an invisible way. His work is to tempt, to go about laying snares to draw men to sin. Wicked men are ‘of their father the devil,’ John viii. 44, and do his works. Carnal desires are ‘his lusts;’ giving way to anger is ‘giving place to the devil,’ Eph. iv. 26, 27, and resisting of sin is called in the general, ‘a resisting of the devil,’ &c., James iv. 7. In all this work of Satan, men do not see him. When he puts evil motions into their hearts they do not perceive him, and therefore doth he his work in an invisible way.
(2.) Secondly, We have sufficient discoveries of these private paths of his: for, [1.] Sometime he tempts by friends: he tempted Job by his wife, Christ by Peter. [2.] Sometime by external objects, as he drew out Achan’s covetousness, and David’s uncleanness, by the eye. [3.] Sometime by injecting thoughts and motions to our mind. [4.] Sometime by exercising an invisible power upon our bodies, in stirring up the humours thereof, to provoke to passion or excessive mirth. All these ways, of which I have discoursed before more largely, are secret and invisible, and by such as these he most usually tempts.
(3.) Thirdly, The wiles, depths, secrets, and devices of Satan, which the Scripture tells us are his most familiar ways and courses, they in their own nature imply a studied or designed secrecy and imperceptibility.
(4.) Fourthly, He hath peculiar reasons of policy for his invisible way of dealing; for the less visible he is, the less suspicious are his designs, and consequently the less frightful and more taking. By this way he insinuates himself so into our bosoms, that he gets a party in us against ourselves before we are aware; whereas in vain he knows he should spread his net if his designs and enmity were discovered to us.
Applic. This must teach us to suspect Satan where we see him not, and so to converse with objects and occasions as still fearing that there may be anguis in herba, a secret snare laid for us to entrap us at unawares.
If we again cast our eyes upon what hath been said, that Christ was tempted ‘all the forty days,’ it will then give us this observation:—
Doct. 3. That Satan is sometime incessant in temptations, and sets upon us with continued importunities.
Here we may note a distinction of temptations, besides that of invisible and visible, of which I have spoken, that some are moveable and short fits, and as it were skirmishes, in which he stays not long, and others are more fixed and durable. We may call them solemn temptations, in which Satan doth, as it were, pitch down his tents, and doth manage a long siege against us. Of these last sort is this observation.
Thus he tempted Paul, continuing his assault for some time before he departed, 2 Cor. xii. 8. Thus also he dealt with Joseph, who was solicited day by day for a long time together, Gen. xxxix. 10. Of these I shall note a few things. As,
(1.) First, Such temptations are not without a special commission. He cannot indeed tempt at all without leave, but in the ordinary course of his temptations he hath a general commission under such restraints and limitations as pleaseth the Most High to put upon him; but in these he must have a special order, as we see in Job’s case.
(2.) Secondly, Such temptations have also a special ground. Either the present state and posture of our condition is such as Satan apprehends highly advantageous for his design, and therefore he desires to have the winnowing of us at such a season; or there are more than ordinary dispositions and inclinations in our heart to what we are directly tempted to, or to some other consequent design. These animate and encourage him to high resolves of prosecuting us more closely, upon an expectation that a continued solicitation is most likely to prevail at the long run.
(3.) Thirdly, It is possible that such temptations may stand out against the endeavours of many prayers, and that we shall find they are not so easily shaken off as the viper that was upon Paul’s hand. Paul, 2 Cor. xii. 8, prayed thrice against the messenger of Satan, that is, as Estius and others interpret, he prayed often and fervently, and yet it departed not.
(4.) Fourthly, Such temptations give no rest nor intermission; men are haunted and dogged by them; what way soever they go, they still hear the same things, and cannot command their thoughts to give an exclusion to his motions, but still by renewed disputes and arguings, or by clamorous importunities, they are vexed and tormented: which surely shews a high degree of earnestness and impudency in Satan.
(5.) Fifthly, These are consequently very burdensome, exceeding irksome and tiresome to us. Paul calls them ‘buffetings,’ for their trouble and molestation. Satan so molested Job in his affliction by inward accusations and troubles of terror, that, as an overwearied man, he cries out he had no quiet, and that he was disappointed of his hope of ease in sleep, because he was then ‘scared with dreams and terrified with visions,’ [Job vii. 14.]
(6.) Sixthly, These are also upon a special design on God’s part, either to find us work and to keep us doing, or to prevent sin and miscarriage; to keep down our pride, lest we should be ‘exalted above measure,’ [2 Cor. xii. 7;] to awaken us from slothfulness and security, lest we should ‘settle upon our lees,’ [Jer. xlviii. 11;] or to be an occasion of his grace, and an evidence of his power in our preservation, satisfying us and others, that in the greatest shocks of our spiritual battle his ‘grace is sufficient for us,’ [2 Cor. xii. 9.] Upon these, and such like designs as these, doth the most wise God permit it.
(7.) Seventhly, Satan doth not attempt temptations of this kind but upon a special design, and that either because he hopes by a violent and pertinacious impetuosity at length to prevail, or that he would please himself to molest us; for surely the cries and complainings of God’s children are music in his ears; or at least upon a design to discourage us in our services, and to make way for other temptations of murmuring, blasphemy, despair, &c., which are as a reserve or ambushment laid in wait for us. The inferences from hence are these two:—
Applic. 1. That the children of God under such temptations may be encouraged under a patient expectation, by considering that Christ did undergo the like assaults from Satan. It is in itself tedious and disheartening, but they may see,
(1.) First, That this way of trouble is usual, and that to the best; and therefore they should not faint under it.
(2.) Secondly, That grace is sufficient to preserve from the prevalency of the most earnest temptations even there, where our heavenly Father thinks it not fit to preserve us from the trouble of them. When Paul gives the highest security that the faithfulness of God can afford, that temptations shall not be above strength, 1 Cor. x. 13, or the ability that shall be given them, he tells them they are not to expect always such aids as shall presently drive away the temptation, that it must immediately vanish, or that their temptations shall become light and contemptible, but that God’s faithfulness will be no further engaged in the general, than [1.] to make their temptations tolerable, that they ‘may be able to bear them,’ though not without much to do. [2.] That the ‘way of escape’ shall be concurrent with the continuance of the temptation, that though the temptation abide, yet we shall be aided under it. [3.] That yet he is as careful of our help in temptations as he is ready to commissionate them, when need requires. His resolves that we should be tempted, and his resolves that we should be succoured, they bear the same date. ‘With the temptation he will make a way to escape.’
(3.) Thirdly, That such temptations do not argue [1.] either a likelihood, much less a necessity, that they should prevail; nor [2.] any want of care and love in God; nor [3.] do they always evidence a more than ordinary proneness and inclination in us; for Christ, who was most averse to the least of sin, who was highest in God’s love, against whom there was no possibility he should prevail, yet was thus tempted.
Applic. 2. Secondly, In such continued violences it will concern us to make stout resistances; according to the counsel of James, chap. iv. 7, ‘Resist the devil, and he will fly.’
Obj. But I have done so, and yet the temptation is the same, and still continues.
Ans. (1.) First, It is not enough to resist, but we must continue to do so. Some make limited resistances, as besieged persons that set a time for their holding out, and then if they be not relieved at that time, they yield; but we must resolve a perpetual resistance, as long as the temptation lasts. When one hand is beaten off, we must hold by another; when both are beaten off, we must, as it were, hold by our teeth.
(2.) Secondly, In a faithful resistance, we may cast the whole matter upon God, and engage him in the quarrel; as David: ‘I will say unto God, Why hast thou forsaken me?’ &c.
Obj. But how is it consistent with truth that the temptation should continue, when James tells us that Satan will fly upon resistance?
Ans. (1.) It may be the resistance is not as it ought, and so the blame is ours. If we be not serious, as some who defy the devil in words, and resist him by crossing themselves, things which doubtless the devil laughs at; or if in the confidence of a presumptuous bravado, or if not with that humility and care that is requisite, it will be no wonder if he depart not.
(2.) Secondly, He doth fly at every resistance more or less; he doth give back, and is discouraged, and is a loser by every opposition.
(3.) Thirdly, Though the scripture say that he shall fly,—that is, sooner or later,—yet it doth not say that he shall do so immediately, though most usually he doth so where he is peremptorily rejected. But in some cases time must be allowed; for the devil, as it is in Chrysostom’s comparison, stands like a fawning dog scratching and waving his tail, and if anything be given him, it makes him importunate for more; yet though we give him nothing, we cannot expect that the first or second denial should make him cease his trouble: as he hath been encouraged by former compliances, so will he not be discouraged but with many and continued denials.
If we consider the fast of Christ as an occasion designed by God for an advantage to the temptation, and then look upon his condition in the wilderness, being under hazards from wild beasts, in want of necessaries, and without a possibility of supplies in a usual way, and also under the discomforts of cold and long nights,—for according to the conjectures of some this was about our October and November[375]—then we may observe,
Doct. 4. That it is Satan’s way to second outward distresses and afflictions with inward temptations. We see the like carriage of Satan toward Job. His affliction was followed with many temptations. All his friends, in urging him with hypocrisy, were no other than parties to Satan’s design, though they knew it not apparently. His wife is set on by the tempter, as the serpent against Eve, to provoke him to ‘curse God and die.’ Besides all this, whosoever shall consider what inward workings of heart, spiritual trouble and conflict, his words frequently express, they will quickly find that when God put Job into Satan’s hand, under that only limitation of not touching his life, he gave Satan a liberty to pursue him with inward temptations as well as outward vexations. When Israel was pinched with the straits of the wilderness, Satan was most busy with them to put them upon distrust, murmuring, revolt, disobedient oppositions, idolatry, and what not. David gives in his experience to confirm this truth. He never met with outward troubles but he had also inward temptations with them, as fretting, disquiet, sad apprehensions of God’s wrath, haste, distrust, fear, &c., as the relation of his several straits do testify. And besides these, the generality of God’s children find it so. Outward afflictions seldom pass alone. When they have ‘fightings without,’ they have ‘fears within’ usually. Seldom have they a sickness, or meet with a sad providence, but they have Satan busy with their souls, molesting their peace, or endeavouring to ensnare them. Thus their feet are never in the stocks but the iron enters into their soul. And for this reason is it that outward afflictions and troubles are called temptations in Scripture, because temptations usually accompany them, and they are indeed the solemn seasons that Satan desires to improve for that end; and for that is it that Luke expresseth that which we translate a time of temptation by καιρὸς πειρασμοῦ, which signifies an occasion or opportunity of temptation, Luke viii. 13; 1 Peter i. 6; 2 Peter ii. 9.
The temptations that Satan drives on, upon the advantage of an afflicted estate, are these:—
(1.) First, To drive men upon impatient outbreakings against God, as the Israelites in the wilderness turn upon Moses with this, ‘Hast thou brought us into the wilderness to slay us?’ [Exod. xiv. 11.] To this tended Job’s temptation by his wife, ‘Curse God, and die,’ as it is in our translation, which cannot in anywise admit of the excuse that Beza makes for her, as if she gave wholesome advice, ‘to die blessing of God,’ because he reproves her sharply as having spoken foolishly and wickedly; but at best it is an ironical scoff at Job’s integrity, ‘Dost thou bless God while thou art killed by his displeasure?’ if it be not a direct suggestion of revengeful despite. At such times men are too apt to entertain cruel thoughts of God, and sadly reflective upon his mercy or justice.
(2.) Secondly, In this posture of affliction he strives to put them upon direful conclusions against themselves, as if God called solemnly their sin to remembrance, and that they are forsaken of God, and marked out for destruction, the pledge and earnest whereof they take these troubles to be. We may observe that David’s afflictions awakened his conscience to object guilt and miscarriage, so that he is as earnest to deprecate the marking and remembrance of his sin as he is to pray against his troubles. For this see Ps. xxv. 6, 7, xxxviii. 1, 4.
(3.) Thirdly, He pusheth them usually upon contempt of religion, and abandoning the ways of God. We are too apt to blame religion for all our troubles; and as we expect that our owning the ways of God should secure us from outward affliction, so when we find it otherwise we are too forward to say, ‘We have washed our hands in vain,’ &c., [Ps. lxxiii. 13.]
(4.) Fourthly, The sin of distrust is another evil that he drives at; he would have men conclude that God cannot or will not deliver. ‘Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?’ said the Israelites, by the power of temptation, when they were distressed, [Ps. lxxviii. 19.]
(5.) Fifthly, Another evil aimed at in such a case, is to put us upon indirect courses and ways to escape from our troubles. Flectere si nequeo superos, &c. Saul went to the witch of Endor when God answered him not. Distresses naturally prompt such things, and a little temptation makes us comply, as is noted by the wise man’s desire, ‘Give me not poverty, lest I put out my hand and steal,’ [Prov. xxx. 9.] Distresses of poverty put men upon theft and unlawful ways.
The reasons of Satan’s tempting the afflicted are these:—
(1.) First, That outward afflictions are a load and burden. This gives a probability that his designs may the better take place. It is easy to overthrow those that are bowed down, to break those that are bruised, to master those that are weary and weak-handed.
(2.) Secondly, An afflicted estate is a temptation of itself, and naturally dictates evil things. It is half of his design brought to his hand, it affords variety of matter for a temptation to work on.
(3.) Thirdly, Such a condition strongly backs a temptation, and furnisheth many arguments for a prevalency; for troubles are serious things; they speak to the heart, and what they speak, they speak fiercely; they represent things otherwise than common discovery can do, and for the most part they shew an ingenuity in multiplying fears, and aggravating hazard, and ascertaining suspected events, so that Satan can scarce desire a fairer hit than what these offer him.
(4.) Fourthly, They also give him the advantage of darkness; for to such their ‘way is hid,’ Job iii. 23, and God hath hedged them in; they neither know where they are, whether their trouble be a chastisement of sin, or for trial, or for prevention of miscarriage, or to make way for more comfortable manifestations; and as little know they how to behave themselves in their trouble, or how and when to get out of it. In such groping uncertainties, it is scarce possible but they should be put wrong.
(5.) Fifthly, An afflicted condition brings on weakness and indisposition to duty; it makes the hands weak, and the knees feeble. This made Job to faint, chap. iv. 5; this dried up David’s strength. The first assault of an affliction doth stound, and put it into such a confusion, that hope turns back, and faith is to seek, and every grace so out of order, that a man shall be unable to do anything of duty in a comfortable manner.
(6.) Sixthly, In this case men are apt to conclude their prayers are not heard: ‘I cry in the day-time, and thou hearest not,’ [Ps. xxii. 2,] says David; ‘Hath the Lord forgotten to be gracious?’ [Ps. lxxvii. 9.] And with such seeming probability is this urged upon us by affliction, that Job professeth he could not believe his own sense and knowledge in such a case. ‘If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice,’ Job ix. 16.
(7.) Seventhly, Afflictions strongly fix guilt upon us, and represent God ‘searching out our iniquities, and inquiring after our sin,’ Job x. 6.
(8.) Eighthly, They imbitter the spirit, and beget impressions upon the mind, of very hard thoughts of God.
(9.) Ninthly, They violently push men on to speak unadvisedly. There is such a swelling ferment of the old leaven of impatience and distrust in the mind, that it is matter of pain and difficulty to be silent: ‘Their belly is as wine that hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles,’ and they are ‘weary with forbearing and cannot stay, and must speak let come on them what will,’ Job xxxii. 19.
All these advantages doth an afflicted condition bring to Satan; and who can think that he who is so studious of our ruin will be willing to miss so fair an opportunity?
Applic. (1.) First, This must teach us to have a watchful eye over affliction. Though at all times we must expect Satan’s stratagems, yet in troubles especially prepare for them; according to the wise man’s advice, ‘In a day of adversity, consider,’ [Eccles. vii. 14.]
(2.) Secondly, Seeing Satan takes advantage of the sharp humours of impatience and distrust, we must be particularly careful not to touch too much upon the harshness of our troubles, because this is that that sets fretting and distracting thoughts on work. Afflictions, like the pillar of the cloud and fire in the wilderness, have a light and darkness; and accordingly, those that converse with the dark side of troubles envenom their imaginations, and poison their thoughts with dark and hideous conclusions, and, in a word, draw forth nothing but the wormwood and the gall; whereas those that study and view the light side of them are full of praise and admiration for the gracious mixtures, comfortable mitigations, encouraging supports, &c., which they observe. It is wisdom then to keep upon the right side of them.
Though it be the design of God to turn the dark side of the cloud to us, yet may we have a competent light to guide us if we would improve it. When the sun is set, the moon may be up. Nay, it is our duty to strive to recover the right side of the cloud. He hides that we may seek.
If this fast of Christ’s be considered as a remedy against temptations, then may we observe that solemn temptations are to be resisted with fastings and prayers. Of this I shall forbear to speak, till I come to speak of Christ’s answer, and the repulse of Satan.