tempted. Concerning Christ's succouring the tempted, consider two things : 1. Christ's ability. 2. His agility to succour.
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1 Christ's ability to succour, HcK ii. 18., " He is able to succour them that are tempt- ed." Christ is called Michael, Rev. xii. 7., wliich signifies " Who is like God." Tho' tlie tempted soul is weak, yet lie fig^hts un- der a ji^ood Captain, ' the Lion of the tribe of Jiulah.' When a tempted soul fights, Christ comes into the field as his second. ISIichaol would be too hard for the dragon ; when the devil lays the siege of a tempta- tion, Christ can raise the siege when he pleases ; he can beat through the enemy's quarters, and can so rout Satan that he shall never be able to rally his forces any more. Jesus Christ is on the saint's side, and who would desire a better life-guard than omnipotency ?
2. Christ's agility in succouring. As Christ is able to succour the tempted, so he will certainly succour them. Christ's power enables him, his love inclines him, his faith- fulness engages him to succour tempted Kouls, This is a great comfort to a soul in temptation, he hath a succouring Saviour. As God did succour Israel in the wilderness among fiery serpents, they had the rock set abroach, — the manna, the pillar of cloud, the brazen serpent, — what was this but a type of God's succouring a poor soul in the wilderness of temptation, stung by the devil that fiery serpent ? Alexander being asked how be could sleep so securely, when his enemies were about Iiim, said, " Antipatcr is awake, who is always vigilant:" so when our tempting enemy is near us, Jesus Christ is awake, who is a wall of fire about us. There is a great deal of succour to the tempted in the names given to Christ : as Satan's names may terrify, so Christ's names may succour. The devil is called ApoUijov, the devourer, Rev. ix. 11.; Christ is called a Saviour. The devil is called the * strong man,' Matth. xi. 29. ; Christ is called El-Gihhor, the " Mighty God," Isa. ix. G. The devil is called " the accuser," Rev. xii. 10. ; ChriMt is called " the Advo- cate," 1 John ii. I. The devil is called " the tempter," Mat. iv. 3. ; Christ is called " the comforter," Luke ii. 25. The devil is called " the prince of darkness ;" Christ is called " the Sun of Righteousness." The devil is called " the old serpent ;" Christ is called " the brazen serpent" that heals,
John iii. 14. Tims the very names of Christ have some succour in them for tempt- ed souls.
Quest. Hota and in what minner, doth Christ succour them that are tempted ?
Ans. Several ways :
1. Christ succours them, by sending his Spirit, whose work it is to bring those pro- mises to their mind, which arc fortifying, John xiv. 2fi., " He shall bring all things to your remembrjince." The Spirit furnishes us with promises as so many weapons to fight against the old serpent, Rom. xvi. 20., " The Lord will shortly bruise Satan un- der your feet ;" 1 Cor. x. 13., " God will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able ;" Gen. iii. 15., The seed of the woman shall break the serpent's head. We are oft in times of temptation, as a man that hath his house beset, and cannot find his wea- pons, he hath his sword and gun to seek : now, in this case, Christ sends his Spirit, and he brings things to our remembrance that helps us in our combat with Satan The Spirit of Christ doth to one that is tempted, as Aaron and Hur did to Moses, they put a stone under him, and lield up his hands, and then Israel prcA'ailed ; so God's Spirit puts the promises under the hand of faith, and then a Christian over- comes the devil, that spiritual Amalek. The promise is to the soul, as the anchor is to the ship, which keeps it steady in a storm.
2. Christ succours them that are tempted by his blessed ' interceding for them.' When the devil is tempting, Christ is praying. That prayer Christ put up for Peter when he was tempted, extends to ;ill his saints, Luke xxii. 32., Lord, saith Christ, " it is my child that is tempted; Father, pity him." When a poor soul lies bleedingof his wounds the devil hath given him, Christ presents his wounds to his Father, and, in the virtue of those, pleads for mercy. How powerful must Christ's prayer needs be ! He is a fa- vourite, John xi. 42. He is both an high- priest ajid a son ; if God could forget that Christ were a priest, yet he cannot forget that he is a S<m. Besides, Clirist prays for nothing but what is agreeable to his Father's will ; if a king's son petitions only for that which his father hath a mind to grant, his suit will not be denied.
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