266 Christ's temptation. [Ser. I.
by the evil tilings of this world : Job i. 11, ' Put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.' Satan's aim in bringing the saints into trouble is to draw them to fretting, murmuring, despondency, and distrust of providence, yea, to open de- fection from God, or blasphemy against him ; and therefore it is said, 1 Pet. V. 9, ' Knowing that the same afflictions,' &c., because tempta- tions are conveyed to us by our afflictions or troubles in the flesh.
3. His end is to dissuade us from good, and persuade us to evil. To dissuade us from good by representing the impossibility, trouble, and small necessity of it. If men begin to apply themselves to a strict course, such as they have sworn to in baptism, either it is so hard as not to be borne, as John vi. 60, ' This is a hard saying, who can bear it ? ' Whereas, Mat. xix. 29, ' Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, Szc, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.' Or the troubles which accompany a strict profession are many. The world will note us: John xii. 42, ' Nevertheless, among the chief rulers also many believed on him ; but because of the Pharisees, they did not confess liim, lest they should be put out of the synagogue.' Whereas we must not be ashamed of Christ : 2 Tim. ii. 12, ' If we suffer, we shall also reign with him ; if we deny him, he also will deny us.' Or that we need not be so strict and nice, whereas all we can do is little enough : Mark xxv. 9, * Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you.' In general, the greatest mischiefs done us by sin are not regarded, but the least inconvenience that attendeth our duty is urged and aggravated. He persuadeth us to evil by profit, pleasure, necessity ; we cannot live without it in the world. He hideth the hook, and showeth the bait only ; he concealeth the hell, the horror, the eternal pains that follow sin, and only telleth you how beneficial, profitable, and delightful the sin will be to you : Prov. ix. 17, 18, 'Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. But he knoweth not that the dead are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell.'
4. While we are striving against temptations, let lis remember our general. We do but follow the Captain of our salvation, who hath vanquished the enemy, and will give us the victory if we keep striving : ' The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly,' Kom. xvi. 2. Not Ms feet, but ouos : we shall be conquerors. Our enemy is vigilant and strong : it is enough for us that our Eedeemer is merciful and faithful in succouring the tempted, and able to master the tempter, and defeat all his methods. Christ hath conquered him, both as a lamb and as a lion : Kev. v. 5, 8. The notion of a lamb intimateth his sacrifice, the notion of a lion his victory : in the lamb is merit, in the lion strength ; by the one he maketh satisfaction to God, by the other he rescueth sinners out of the paw of the roaring lion, and maintaineth his interest in their hearts. Therefore let us not be discouraged, but closely adhere to him
Mat. IV. 2-4.] Christ's temptation. 267
SEEMON II.
And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afler- luards an hungered. And when the temj^ier came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. And he answered and said, It is loritten, 3Ian livefh not by bread alone, but by every ivord that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.— Mat. IV. 2-4.
In these words there are three branches : —
Fh'st, The occasion.
Secondly, The temptation itself.
Thirdly, Christ's answer.
First, The occasion of the first temptation, in the second verse, ' When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterwards an hungered.' Where take notice : — I. Of his fasting.
II. Of his hunger.
And something I shall speak of them conjunctly, something dis- tinctly and apart.
1. Conjunctly. In every part of our Lord's humiliation, there is an emission of some beams of his Godhead, that whenever he is seen to be true man, he might be known to be true God also. Is Christ hungry ? There was a fast of forty days' continuance preceding, to show how, as God, he could sustain his human nature. The verity of his human nature is seen, because he submitted to all our sinless in- firmities. The power of his divine nature was manifested, because it enabled him to continue forty days and nights without eating or drink- ing anything, the utmost that an ordinary man can fast being but nine days usually. Thus his divinity and humanity are expressed in most or all of his actions : John i. 14, ' The word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, as the glory of the only-be- gotten Son of God.' There was a veil of flesh, yet the glory of his divine nature was seen, and might be seen, by all that had an eye and heart to see it. He lay in the manger at Bethlehem, but a star appeared to conduct the wise men to him ; and angels proclaimed his birth to the shepherds: Luke ii. 13, 14. He grew up from a child, at the ordinary rate of other children ; but when he was but twelve years old, he disputed with the doctors : Luke ii. 42. He submitted to baptism, but then owned by a voice from heaven to be God's beloved Son. He was deceived in the fig-tree when an hungered, which shows the infirmity of human ignorance ; but suddenly blasted, this mani- fested the glory of a divine power : Mat. xxi. 19. Here tempted by Satan, but ministered unto and attended upon by a multitude of glorious angels : Mat. iv. 11 ; finally crucified through weakness, but living by the power of God : 2 Cor. xiii. 4. He hung dying on the cross ; but then the rocks were rent, the graves opened, and the sua darkened. All along you may have these intermixtures. He needed to humble himself to purchase our mercies ; but withal to give a dis- covery of a divine glory to assure our faith. Therefore, when there