VERSE 7: Jesus said unto him, Again it is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. - MAT. 4.7
ways, that is, in obedience to God's commandments and in the duties of his lawful calling. It is true indeed, that judgment begins at the house of God, and the righteous are taken away from the evil to come, yea many times the same outward judgment lights upon the good, that doeth upon the bad: yet this taketh not from God's child the comfort of this protection in common calamities, for all promises of temporal blessings must be understood with the exception of the cross: as here, God's Angels shall guard his children in time of plague, famine and pestilence, unless it please God herewith to chasten them for some sin past, or to prevent some sin, or greater evil to come, or to make trial of their faith and patience: in which cases also the child of God doth greatly differ from the wicked; for through the fruition of God's love in Christ the evil of the punishment is taken away, and the outward smart thereof sanctified to the greater good of his soul: but out of this case their protection is certain: see Exod. 12.23, Psal. 105.16, 17, and Ezek. 9.4, 6.
The use. The consideration of this gracious protection of God's Angels over such as keep themselves in their ways, must move everyone to labor to know and practice the duties of his calling both general of Christianity, and particular for the state of his life, in all good conscience; so doing, let come what will, in all dangers he shall have safety; for God's angels pitch their tents about him, they are as watchful over him as a nurse over her child; but if we forsake our ways we lose the comfort of their protection, and expose ourselves to all God's judgments.
VERSE 7.
Jesus said unto him, Again it is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. - MAT. 4.7.
Here is the third general point in this conflict: to wit, Christ's answer and repulse made to Satan's assault, taken, as the Devils temptation was, from a text of scripture; for he saith, Again it is written; where yet he meaneth not to oppose scripture to scripture, but to confute the abuse of scripture by scripture; after this sort, as if he had said to Satan, It is true indeed that God hath made many worthy promises of aid and protection to his children in his word, yet they shall not be performed to those that presume to tempt God, as thou wouldest have me to do.
From this dealing of Christ with Satan we may observe; that the scriptures of God are sufficient in themselves, truly to interpret and expound themselves. The Devil alleging scripture did wrest it from the true sense; this our Savior Christ showeth by alleging another text out of Moses, which being applied to the place which the Devil abused, doth show the true meaning thereof. So Ezra, expounding the law unto the Jews, read distinctly in the law of God, and (as the words do signify) gave the sense by scripture, and caused the people to understand: much more then at this day may the scriptures be thought sufficient for the expounding of themselves, since to the Canon there of since Ezra his time there is added the whole New
Testament by the hand of God, wherein the deep things of God are plainly revealed.
The Church of Rome cannot away with this, that Scripture should be sufficient to expound itself. And therefore against it they reason thus:
That which must expound Scripture, must have judicial power to determine of the sense thereof: but the scriptures have no such judicial power; for they are but a dumb letter, and therefore no
sufficient judge to determine of their own sense and meaning. Answ.
The Scriptures have judicial power to determine of their own true sense and meaning, for they speak evidently, to all that are enlightened by God's spirit, and thereby made able to know what the Scripture saith: we know a man may speak to his friend not only by word of mouth but also by letter, and thereby express his meaning sufficiently; even so, though God speak not now unto his Church by created voice, yet by his written word he speaks sufficiently for the clear manifestation of his will and pleasure concerning them; and therefore it is a shameful slander and blasphemy against the Scriptures to call them an inky letter and dumb judge. And let them show, if the Scripture be not, where is that speaking judge who hath power judicial to expound the scripture. Indeed their answer is, that the Church is this Judge, and that we must consult at her mouth for the true meaning of the Scripture. Answ. The church hath a ministry and dispensation committed unto her, in the execution whereof she delivereth the meaning of the Scripture unto God's people, but that is not from any judicial authority committed unto her, to determine of the sense of Scripture of herself; but only by comparing scripture with scripture, and expounding one place out of another; even as the Lawyer gives the sense of the law, not from any judicial power given unto him above the law, but by observing the words with the scope and circumstances of the law. But here I would know, if the Church must needs be judge, by what means must she determine? They answer, by the rule of faith; the consent of Councils and Fathers; and if these fail, then by the Pope; Answ. By their rule of faith, they understand, unwritten traditions, that is, such truth beside Scripture, as hath been kept by tradition from hand to hand since the primitive
Church. But these are mere forgeries, and shame it were to subject the truth of God to the device of man; if these be made judge of Scripture, then shall the faith of the church depend upon the wisdom of man, and not upon the power of God, a thing abhorred of the
Apostle, 1 Cor. 2.5. The only rule of faith is the Scripture, and true faith will admit no other judge beside the Scripture to determine of that whereon it must depend. Secondly, for their consent of Fathers and Councils, that is no sufficient means to determine of the true sense of Scripture; for their several errors and contradictions one to another, and many times to themselves, show, that they wanted the immediate assistance of the Spirit. And the same is true of the Pope, as might easily be proved at large, by their gross ignorance and errors. And therefore it remains that the true judge and expounder of Scripture, is Scripture itself, as Christ himself by his practice showeth in this place.
The place alleged by Christ, is this commandment of God unto his people, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. For the understanding whereof we must search out three things, first what the tempting of God signifieth: secondly, the manner how God is tempted: and thirdly, the cause and root thereof. For the first, to tempt God signifieth, to make trial and experience of God, and to prove whether he be so true, just, merciful, provident and powerful as his word reporteth him to be. Thus did the Israelites often tempt
God, as the Lord saith, When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works; which latter words show what it is to tempt God, even to seek to have proof by his works whether he be such a one as his word saith he is. If any shall say we are commanded, to taste and see how gracious the Lord is, Ps. 34.8, yea the Lord bids his people prove him, Malachi. 3.10. Answ. Those places do sufficiently expound themselves, for David's taste and sight is by the grace of true faith and affiance, for in the same verse he pronounceth such blessed; and in Malachi the Lord bids them prove him, but yet in their way of obedience in providing for his Sanctuary according to his ordinances. Therefore we must know for the second point, that every trial of God is not simply evil, but that which is needless, when
without warrant from his word we presume upon him beyond the means of his ordinary providence. Thirdly, the root of this sin, is an unbelieving heart, whereby a man doubts of the truth of God's word, of his power, presence and providence. Ps. 78.18. The Israelites tempted God in their hearts; there is this sin: the manner how followeth, in requiring meat for their lusts &c. not contenting themselves with God's present providence; the root and ground whereof is set down, verse. 22. because they believed not in God and trusted not in his help. When a man doubts of the fidelity of his servant he will lay something in his way, as a piece of silver, his purse
&c., to try him withal; so when a man begins to doubt of God's goodness and fidelity towards him, he will easily be brought to make needless trial of him by some work of God beside his ordinary providence. The meaning then is this, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God, that is, thou shalt not make any needless trial of God's goodness, mercy, power or providence, from a distrustful heart in the truth of his word.
Here yet further for our instruction we are to know that God is tempted five ways, as the word of God doth manifest: first, when a man shall appoint unto God, either the time when, the place where, or the manner how God shall help him, and perform his word unto him; herein he seeks experience of the truth and power of God. Thus the Israelites tempted God in the wilderness when they wanted water; saying, Is God among us or no? God had promised to be with them in all their journey to Canaan, but that they will not now believe unless he will show his presence by giving them water in that place. And so likewise they tempted him in the want of food, Ps.
78.19. Can God prepare a table in the wilderness. The consideration whereof must teach us in all our petitions which we make unto God for the accomplishment of his promises unto us, to beware of limiting God, as the Jews did, by prescribing unto him time, place
and manner for the accomplishment thereof; but wait with patience his good leisure. For he that believeth will not make haste, but will commit his way to the Lord: Ps. 37.5.
Secondly, God is tempted when men require a sign at his hands.
Thus the Pharisees tempted Christ: Matt. 12.38. Master we would see a sign of thee: meaning thereby to be certified whether he were the Messias, and Luke saith, they tempted him, Luk. 11.16. And thus do all those tempt God, which refuse to embrace the doctrine of the Gospel, because they cannot see the ministers thereof to confirm the same by miracles. Thus do many Papists plead against our religion, embracing rather the mystery of iniquity, because: it is confirmed unto them by lying wonders; not considering that the truth which we profess was once sufficiently confirmed to be the truth of God, by his own testimony thereunto in signs and wonders through the hands of his Apostles. Quest. Is every asking of a sign a tempting of God? For Gedion asked a sign when he was to be a Judge and deliverer of gods people, Judge. 6.17. And so did Hezekiah to be assured of the lengthening of his days, 2 King. 20.8. And yet we read not that God charged them with tempting him, but did condescend to their requests. Answ. There be two causes in which we may require a sign of God and not tempt him: first, when God commands a man to ask a sign at his hands: so might Azah have asked a sign of God, for his assurance of victory according to God's promise, yea he is blamed for not asking it when the Lord commanded him. Secondly, a man may ask a sign of God, when it serveth for the necessary confirmation of an extraordinary calling, or of some special promise of God made to man: in this case did Gedion ask a sign of God for the further confirmation of his extraordinary calling to be a Deliverer unto God's people. And so did Hezekiah for his further assurance in the lengthening of his life, by an extraordinary promise, fifteen years.
But out of these cases to ask a sign of God is to tempt him; as the
Pharisees did, who would prescribe unto God what kind of miracle they would have, even a sign from heaven, not contenting themselves with those miracles which Christ did ordinarily work among them.
Thirdly, a man tempts God, when he goes on in any sin against God's commandments, for hereby he makes needless trial of God's justice, mercy, and patience. The Lord saith of his people, they tempted him ten times, and have not obeyed his voice: Mal. 3.15. The people murmuringly say, they that work wickedness are set up, and they that tempt God are delivered; where working wickedness and tempting of God are all one. Which serves to admonish us, that with all speed we break off the course of our sins by repentance, for while we continue in sin we tempt God, and so lie open to all his judgments, depriving ourselves of the guard and protection of God's holy Angels, nay they will become our enemies, and instead of protection, execute Gods heavy vengeance upon us.
Fourthly, they tempt God, that impose upon God's people, there religious observation of legal ceremonies abolished by Christ: Act.
15.10. Why tempt ye God (saith Peter) to lay a yoke on the Disciples necks, which neither our Fathers nor we were able to bear? This is to make trial of God's power in the saving of his people. Whereby we may see how wicked and damnable the Romish religion is, which wholly stands in the observation of ceremonies, partly heathenish, and partly Judaical, whereto when men submit themselves, they do nothing else but tempt God.
Fifthly, they tempt God, that refuse or neglect the ordinary and necessary means of their preservation, either for body or soul: as he that being to go over a water, will leave the bridge which is the ordinary way, and adventure dangerously through the water: for herein he seeks a needless experience of God's power: so do they also
that neglect or contemn God's holy ordinance for the saving of men's souls in the ministry of the word. Now to this kind of tempting God doth Christ apply this commandment in this place; as if he should say, when God hath afforded unto men an ordinary means for their help and safety, they are not to refuse the same, and seek for safety from God extraordinarily. I am now in a dangerous place I confess, upon this pinnacle, yet there is some ordinary way to get down as stairs or ladder; and therefore unless I would tempt the Lord my
God, I may not cast myself down and thereby seek for extraordinary preservation, as thou persuadest me. Thus also they sin that go into places of great danger without a calling: so Peter sinned in thrusting himself into Caiaphas hall, a place of temptation, as by lamentable experience he found too true. Thus David's three Worthies sinned in adventuring upon their enemies host, for the fetching of a little water out of the well of Bethlehem; and therefore when it was brought unto him, David would not drink thereof, but poured it out for a sacrifice unto the Lord, 2 Sam. 23.16.
Here some may ask, whether they do not tempt God, that adventure to clime on high places, to stand on spire steeples, to run on the ridge of high houses, and to go on ropes a great height from the ground.
Answ. Men may do such things in a twofold estate, either having a lawful calling thereto, as Carpenters and Masons, who are to work upon high buildings; now they without tempting of God may clime and stand on high and dangerous places: or else having no lawful calling thereto, as they who use to do such things to make known their activity, or only to afford delight and admiration unto others for their private gain and advantage; and such tempt God fearfully; for Christ was better able to have cast himself down from this pinnacle, and have preserved himself without hurt, then these men are to save themselves in their adventures, and yet he refused so to do, because
he would not tempt the Lord his God. Thus much for the meaning of this commandment.
The doctrine for instruction hence, is to be gathered from this command applied to the text which the Devil alledgeth; and it is this: whosoever looketh for the accomplishment of God's promises unto him, must be careful to walk before God in the ways of his commandments, and in the works of his calling with all good conscience. God indeed hath made many gracious promises in his word, of blessings temporal and eternal, but they that tempt God shall not find the comfort of them; men's sins hinder these things from them; God's goodness is to be seen and tasted in the ways of faith and obedience. God hath promised the guard of his Angels to his children while they keep themselves in their ways: if therefore thou wouldest have this protection thou must keep thyself in those ways that God would have thee to walk in. And in the riches of his love God hath made a promise of everlasting life with freedom from eternal perdition, to those that believe in Christ, John 3.16. Thou therefore that wouldest enjoy the comfort of this promise to thine immortality and life, must get true faith into thy heart and thereby live all the days of thy life. The same may be said of every promise of God pertaining either to soul or body, the fruition of them doth depend upon the practice of some part of obedience; which if thou doest neglect thou doest but presume in making title to the promise:
Peter tells Simon Magus plainly, he had no part with them in the gifts of the spirit, while his heart retained a purpose to live in sin,
Act. 8.21. Break off therefore the course of sin, and inure thyself to the practice of obedience, so shall God's promises be sweet unto thine heart; and the more thou proceedest in obedience, the more comfort thou shalt find in God's gracious promises: but if thou do lay hold on sin, the comfort of the word will depart from thee. And thus much for the second temptation.