VERSE 5-7: Then the Devil took him up into the holy city, and set him on a pinnacle of the Temple
labor to see and feel the blessing of his providence even then when we tread (as it were) the winepress of his wrath: as well in sickness as in health: in want as in plenty; in the depth of distress as in the height of all prosperity: this is the counsel of the Holy ghost, roll thy works upon the Lord. Cast all your care upon him, for he careth for you, 1 Pet. 5.7. It is a brutish property only to look upon the creatures whereon they feed, and therefore our eyes and our hearts must be fixed on him who feedeth the young ravens that cry unto him; and beareth up all things by his mighty word: we must not content ourselves with a bare speculation hereof in our heads, but labor to feel the comfort of it in our hearts, and to express the power of it in our lives. And thus much for the first conflict.
VERSE 5.
Then the Devil took him up into the holy city, and set him on a pinnacle of the Temple. And said unto him, if thou be the son of God cast thyself down a for it is written, that he will give his
Angels charge over thee, and with their hands they shall lift thee up, lest at any time thou shouldst dash thy foot against a stone.
Jesus said unto him: it is written again, thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God .- MAT. 4.57 These words contain the second conflict of Satan with our Savior
Christ: for howsoever by Saint Luke this is put in the third place, which Matthew here placeth in the second, yet this breedeth no difference between the Evangelists, who tie not themselves to a strict observation of time, place, and order how everything was done which
they relate; as in the story of this conflict, Saint Luke respects the substance of it only, but S. Matthew observes the order of it also.
Now in this second conflict we are to observe three points: I. Satan's preparation thereto: II. The assault itself: III. Christ's answer and repulse thereof.
I. Point: Satan's preparation to this conflict is contained in the 5. verse: wherein we are to note, both the time, and the parts thereof;
The time in the first word Then: that is, so soon as the Devil had received a foil of Christ in his first assault, presently he addresseth himself unto a second.
Herein behold, the exceeding malice of Satan, in that the end of one temptation with him, is but the beginning of another; he ceaseth not with one assault, but as he is a deadly foe to the Church of God, so he shows himself by his continual seeking whom he may devour; he will never make truce with any child of God, upon any condition less than the hazard of his soul; neither is he weary of his work; but day and night is either plotting or performing some mischievous attempt against the child of God. The consideration whereof must teach us, upon our victory and conquest over one temptation, presently to prepare for a new. This was the state of the son of God our head, and we his members may not look for better; our life in this vale of tears is a continual warfare against the enemies of our souls; we must not therefore here look for rest and ease, but ever keep watch and ward against their assaults. If this duty were well learned and put in practice, it would prevent much impatience and become the ground of much peace in our souls: man's nature cannot brook the doubling and renewing of sorrows; when one evil lights in the neck of another, oh then he thinketh never any was in his case; but look unto Jesus the author and finisher of thy faith, he endured no less; and herein he is an example that thou shouldest follow his steps. If therefore
thou wilt be his disciple, prepare to take up thy cross every day and follow him.
The parts of Satan's preparation are two; First, he conveys Christ from Jerusalem to the wilderness; Secondly, he placeth him on a pinnacle of the temple. For the first, in these words, The devil took him up into the holy city, that is, into Jerusalem, as Luke expoundeth it, chap. 4.9. This the Devil might do three ways; In vision; or leading him up the ordinary way; or carrying him through the air. I. It might be in vision; for that was usual with the Prophets; so Jeremiah went to the river Perath; and Ezekiel was carried from Mesopotamia to Jerusalem: but Christ was not thus transported; for then Satan's persuasion unto Christ To cast himself down, could have been no temptation. II. Christ might be led of the Devil the ordinary way from the wilderness to Jerusalem, so much the words will bear: but (as I take it) he went not so; for if Christ were led by the Devil, it was either willingly of his own accord, or by the Devils persuasion; but of his own accord he would not go; for he came into the wilderness to be tempted, which as yet was not fully accomplished, and therefore would not willingly depart thence before that work for which he came were ended, Again, he would not depart thence upon the Devils persuasion; for Christ would never gratify the Devil so much, as to do ought himself, which the Devil would have him, as in all his temptations doth appear; for this is a rule to be observed, we must not do anything which the Devil persuades us to in his temptations, though in itself the thing be lawful and good. III. The Devil might carry the body of our Savior Christ thorough the air, by his power through God's permission. This is the most likely way, and so thought to be of the best divines: and the words following confirm it much, for it is said, the Devil set him on a pinnacle of the temple:
Now if he had power to set him there, why might he not also carry him thither, God ordaining this as well as his temptation?
The use. By this we see, that men may be transported by the Devil from place to place, as the records of all ages do report: this one thing yet observed (wherein the common opinion faileth) that the Devil cannot convey a man alive so far in a little time, as many men think; as a thousand or two thousand miles in an hour; for no man is able to endure such violent motion and yet live, as experience teacheth; let a man fall from some high steeple, and his breath will be gone and he dead before he come at the ground, by reason of the violence of his motion. Indeed the Devil can carry a man very swiftly, but yet for the safety of man's life he must prolong his time far more, than otherwise of himself he needs to do.
Secondly, hence we learn that by God's permission, the Devil may have power over the bodies of God's own children which are true believers, to transport them from place to place; for dealing thus with the head Christ Jesus, why may he not do so with any of his members? Besides, we find (that God permitting him) he hath done more than this to the Saints of God; he may possess their bodies, as he did the woman of Canaan's daughter, Mat. 15.22. He may torment them long, as he did exceeding grievously bow the body of a daughter of Abraham eighteen years, Luk. 13.16. Yea he may kill the body, as he did to Job's children, who no doubt were holy persons, Job. 1.19.
And therefore much more may he transport them from place to place.
Here this question may fitly be answered: whether a true believer may be bewitched. Answ. He may: there is none upon earth so faithful and holy, but if God permit, Satan can afflict their bodies grievously, and therefore also they may be bewitched. It is but the fancy of presumptuous persons, when they say, their faith is so strong, that all the witches in the world cannot hurt them: for if God permit, Satan can grievously afflict man's body, as he did the body of
Job. yea he can kill the body, as hath been showed. Solomon, speaking of outward things saith truly, All things come alike to all, and the same condition is to the just and to the wicked: now the wicked man may be bewitched, as all will grant; why then may not the godly also, seeing it is but an outward evil? This therefore must abate their pride that stand so much on their strong faith: behold this fact of Satan to the holy body of Christ, and hereby learn for thy humiliation, that if God permit, Satan is able to bring upon thy body great affliction.
Further, observe the place whither Satan caries our Savior Christ, into the holy city, that is, Jerusalem. Quest. Why is it called holy, seeing now it was a polluted place full of sinful people? Answ. It is called holy for these causes. 1. because here was the Lord's temple the place of his solemn worship, wherein were the holy rites and ceremonies prescribed for God's worship. Secondly, in Jerusalem, as also in all the synagogues of Judea, was Moses chair, the law and the Prophets were read and expounded. Thirdly, Jerusalem was the mother City of all the world in respect of religion; here God ordained that his church should first be planted, and from hence must religion be derived to other nations.
The use. Hence we may observe, that at this time Jerusalem was the true church of God: indeed it was very corrupt both for doctrine and manners, as Christ's severe reproof of both doth plainly show, Mat.
5.21. &c. and Mat. 23.13, 14. &c. and yet a true Church, else the holy ghost would not have called it the holy city. Now if Jerusalem at this time were the true church of God then, then may we well say, that in England God hath his true church: for, let the corruptions of our
Church be as they are; yet shall it match Jerusalem in the prerogatives of God's church. They had the law and the Prophets read and expounded; so have we, and the Gospel also which is the
power of God to man's salvation. They had the Sacraments and ceremonies of the Law; answerable thereto we have the Sacraments of the Gospel, and also a true and holy form of serving God. Their
Jerusalem was a mother city; and though we cannot say so much in that behalf, yet hath our Church been a nurse to neighbor Churches in Germany, France and other places round about, for many years; in regard whereof, the Lord, no doubt, hath bestowed many blessings upon us. And therefore though our sins and abuses be many and grievous, yet in regard of Church prerogatives we may be called a holy nation, and a true member of the Church of God; so that as our
Savior Christ and his Disciples joined themselves to the congregations of the Jews in their legal service, and forsook them not till they became no Church; so ought it to be among us, till we separate from Christ, none should sever themselves from our church ministry and service of God. Those therefore that make a separation from our Church because of corruptions in it, are far from the spirit of Christ and his Apostles. If any shall say, this makes well for the church of Rome, if so corrupt a place as Jerusalem, in regard of Church prerogatives were an holy city, for they have as many prerogatives for religion, as the Jews then had, and therefore are the church of God, and so we do not well to separate from them. Answ.
Some indeed that are no Papists, say the Church of Rome is the Church of God: but the truth is, the present Church of Rome is spiritual Babylon, the mother of abominations, no spouse of Christ but a strumpet. But they plead their prerogatives: as first, their succession from Peter: Secondly, true baptism for substance according to the first institution: Thirdly, the Apostles Creed which they hold and believe: Fourthly, the word of God, in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles: And Lastly, that theirs is the mother church. Answ. All this is nothing when the truth appears; for first, succession in person without succession in doctrine is no note of a church: now let them show succession in the Apostles doctrine, and
we yield. Secondly, their baptism alone, though for substance true baptism, cannot prove them a true Church: Circumcision was the Sacrament of God's church, yet Samaria and Colchis were not the Church of God, though they used it: again, the thief may show the true man's purse, but that proveth him not to be true and honest; no more doth baptism justify the church of Rome to be a true church.
Lastly, though they have outward baptism, yet indeed they overthrow inward baptism, the life of that sacrament, to wit, imputed righteousness and renewed holiness, which in God's Church must go together with the outward element, else it is nothing. Thirdly, for the Apostles Creed, they have it in word, but they deny it in deed; For though they say, they believe in God the father, and in Jesus Christ, yet in effect they deny both God and Christ. For the God of the Papists is an idol God, and the Christ of the Papists a false Christ, as we have showed in handling of the Creed. Fourthly, for the scripture; we must know the word of God stands not in bare words and letters, but in the true sense and meaning of the Holy ghost contained in the scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles. Now though they have the books of Scripture, yet in sundry main grounds of religion, they overthrow the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles. Again, they keep the scripture as a lantern holds a candle, not for itself but for passengers: so is the scripture with them, not for their synagogue, but for God's secret ones among them, for even in the midst of Popery hath God ever had some of his elect, who have not embraced their cursed doctrine. Lastly, for their plea to be the mother Church; we must distinguish between the ancient Church of Rome, and the strumpet that now is; the ancient Church of Rome to whom Paul writ, was a true and famous church, and a mother Church; but she is now dead and buried; and the now Roman Church is no mother
Church, no spouse of Christ, but the whore of Babel the mother of abominations, from which we are commanded to depart, Revelation.
18.4.
Secondly, in that Christ is brought to Jerusalem, that holy City, there to be tempted, we learn, that no holiness of place on earth can debar the Devil from his temptations; he brings Christ from the wilderness to tempt him, in the holy city even upon the holy temple he will thrust himself on Jehoshuahs right hand to resist him, though
Jehoshuah stand before the Angel of the Lord to minister to the Lord. And therefore the folly of Papists is egregious, that think the sign of the cross, holy water, relics, and such Massing enchantments have virtue in them to free their houses, or their bodies from the assaults of Satan.
Lastly, hereby we see that change of place is but a silly cure for a troubled mind; indeed change of air may much further bodily cures; but a troubled mind hath conflicts with the devil, who will not leave for change of place, Jerusalem will fit his turn as well as the wilderness.
The second part of the Devils preparation to this conflict is this, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple: The word translated pinnacle, signifieth properly a wing of the temple; whereby, some take to be meant, the sharp broches and spires on the top of the temple; whereof there were diverse; but these (as I take it) are not here meant; for such a spire cannot well be called a wing; others take it for some part of the battlement, made on the top of the Temple, which was flat, as the Jews used to build, to keep men from falling; others take it for any top corner of the Temples; and whether of these it was we cannot certainly define; but this we must hold, that it was some dangerous steep down place on some corner of the Temple, or on the battlements, from which a man might easily cast himself; whereby we see the Devil will omit no advantage that may further his temptations; which should make us the more careful of our standing against him.