(3.) That no place is privileged from temptations, unless we leave our hearts behind us. David, walking on the terrace or house-top, was ensnared by Bathsheba's beauty: 2 Sam. xi. 2-4. Lot, that was chaste in Sodom, yet committed incest in the mountain, where there were none but his own family : Gen. xix. 30, 31, &c. When we are locked in our closets, we cannot shut out Satan.
II. The reasons why Christ submitted to it.
1. With respect to Adam, that the parallel between the first and second Adam might be more exact. They are often compared in scripture, as Rom. v., latter end, and 1 Cor. xv. ; and we read, Rom. V. 14, that the first Adam was tutto? tov fieWovro^, ' the figure of him that was to come.' And as in other respects, so in this ; in the same way we were destroyed by the first Adam, in the same way we were restored by the second. Christ recovcreth and winneth that which Adam lost. Our happiness was lost by the first Adam being over- come by the tempter ; so it must be recovered by the second Adam, the tempter being overcome by him. He that did conquer must first be conquered, that sinners might be rescued from the captivity wherein
262 CHRIST S TEMPTATION. [SeR. I.
he held them captive. The first Adam, being assaulted quickly after his entrance into paradise, was overcome ; and therefore must the second Adam overcome him as soon as he entered upon his office, and that in a conflict hand-to-hand, in that nature that was foiled. The devil must lose his prisoners in the same way that he caught them. Christ must do what Adam could not do. The victory is gotten by a public person in our nature, before it can be gotten by each individual in his own person, for so it was lost. Adam lost the day before he had any ofi'spring, so Christ winneth it in his own person before he doth solemnly begin to preach the gospel and call disciples ; and therefore here was the great overthrow of the adversary.
2. In regard of Satan, who by his conquest got a twofold power over man by tempting, he got an interest in his heart to lead him ' captive at his will' and pleasure, 2 Tim. ii. 26; and he was made God's executioner, he got a power to punish him : Heb. ii. 14, ' That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.' Therefore the Son of God, who interposed on our behalf, and undertook the rescue of sinners, did assume the nature of man, that he might conquer Satan in the nature that was conquered, and also offer himself as a sacrifice in the same nature for the demonstration of the justice of God. First, Christ must overcome by obedience, tried to the uttermost by temptations ; and then he must also overcome by suffering. By overcoming temptations, he doth overcome Satan as a tempter ; and by death he overcame him as a tormentor, or as the prince of death, who had the power of executing God's sentence. So that you see before he overcame him by merit, he overcame him by example, and was an instance of a tempted man before he was an instance of a persecuted man, or one that came to make satisfaction to God's justice.
3. With respect to the saints, who are in their passage to heaven to be exposed to great difficulties and trials. Now that they might have comfort and hope in their Kedeemer, and come to him boldly as one touched with a feeling of their infirmities, he himself submitted to be tempted. This reason is recorded by the ai)ostle in two places : Heb. ii. 18, ' For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.' Able to succour ; that is, fit, powerful, inclined, effectually moved to succour them. None so merciful as those who have been once miserable ; and they who have not only known misery, but felt it, do more readily relieve and succour others. God biddeth Israel to pity strangers : Exod. xxii. 21, ' Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him ; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.' They knew what it was to be exposed to the envy and hatred of the neighbours in the land where they sojourned : Exod. xxiii. 9, ' For ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.' We read that when King Richard the First had been, on the sea near Sicily, like to be drowned, he recalled that ancient and barbarous custom, whereby the goods of shipwrecked men were escheated to the crown, making provision that those goods should be preserved for the right owners. Christ being tossed in the tempest of temptations, knows what belongs to the trouble thereof. The other place is, Heb. iv. 15, ' We have not an
Mat. IV. l.J Christ's temptation. 263
high priest which cannot be touched with the feehng of onr infirmi- ties, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.' Christ hath experienced how strong the assailant is, how feeble our nature is, how hard a matter it is to withstand when we are so sorely assaulted. His own experience of sufferings and temptations in him- self doth entender his heart, and make him fit for sympathy w^ith us, and begets a tender compassion towards the miseries and frailties of his members.