Chap. t. Sett. 4· jLOOittng UntO jjtftt.S'. Book IV. 175 '9:ft 1d ·"the Sp 1 .rit into the wildernefS · Chrift was led by the good Spirit, robe temptle Ud e 01 J' ' · · 1· h · h h F h d e by the evil Spirit: Owonder l thatfame Spmt 1~ uc was onewtt . t e at er an the Son, that fame Spirit whereby Chnfi was conwved, now dnves !urn. or leads I;un imo the wildcrnefs to be tempted of the Devil: The manner of Chnfls leadmg ts a quef!ion. fome think he was led or catcht away from Jordan mfome vtfible rapture towards ;he wildernefs: But to leave that, and to come to Truths more·neceffary; Chrifl taught us to pray unto hi~ Father, Lead"' not into temptation; and yet ~e htmfelf is now led into the fame temptation wluch we mufi pray agamft; furely thiS lS for our inflruchon: we are not to thruftour felves upon temptation; Chrifi himfelf would not <>o into the Combat uncalled, unwarranted ; how then fl10uld we poor weaklings prefume upon any abilities of our own? who dares grapp!e with the Devil in his own flrength? Otakeheed! if we are to pray not to be led Into temptatiOn, much more are we to pray not to run into temptation before we are led~ ~nd yet for the comfort. of Gods people, if it be fo that we are led; 1f by diVIne perm1fhon, or by an mfp1ranon of the holy Spirit, we are engaged 1n an achon, or •n a courfe of l1fe that ts full of temptations, and empty of comforts, let us look upon itas an iffue of divine Providence in which we mutt glonfie God ; but no argument ofdiSfavour or d1flove of God : and why? becaufe Chri!l himfelf who could have driven the Devil away by the breath of his mouth, yet was, by the Spirit of his Father, led to a Tryal by the Spirits of Darknefs. My Brethren, count it all joy (faith James) when yeenttr inJo diwrs temptttti- Jamcs •· •· ons, kP•wing th"t the trial•f .rour Faithwork§th Patience. 3. The end of the Spirits leading Chrifl into the wildernefs, it was either immedi– ate, or remote. r. For the immediate end; it was to be tempted. of th< Devil: to this purpofe was Chriil: brought thither, that Satan might tempt h11n. One would think it a very flrange defign that the Son of God fl10uld be brought into a wildernefs to be fer on by ail the Devils in Hell ; but in this alfo God had anotherremote end (i.) his own Glory, and our good. I. His own Glory appeared in this; had not Satan tempt– red Chrifl, how fhould Chrifi have overcome Saran? The firfi Adamwas tempted, and vanquifhed; the fecond Adam, to repay and repair that Foil, doth vanqui01 in being tempted; now herein was the power of Chrilt exceedingly manifefled ;<· the Devil having the Chain let loofe, be lets flie at Chrift with all his might; and.C'Iirif!, thar without blows could not have got a ViCtory, by this furious affaulr of 'atan, he both overcomes him, and triumphs over him. And herein were the Graces of Chril1: ex– ceedingly manifefied; how was the Faith,Parience, Humility, Zeal, and Valour of Chrill: fer forth, which they could not have been, if he had alwai<S lain quietly in garrifon, and never had come into the Skirmifl1? Who could have felt the odoriferous fmelis of thofe Aromirical Spices, if they had not been punned and bruifed in this Mormr of Temptation? 1t was by this means that the Graces of Chrifl clearly fl1ined forth to his eternal praife. 2. As irwasfor his Glory, fo alfo for our Good. Now we fee what manner of Adverfary we have, how he fights, and how he is refifle.l, and how overcome; now we fee the dearer we are to God, the more obnoxious we are to a trial of temptation ; nowwe fee that the belt of Saints may be tempted or allured .to the worll: of evils; lince Chrift himfelf is follcited to Infidelity, Covetoufn~fs and Idolatry: now we fee that we have not a Savioter and High Prieft, that cannot be touched ••ith Htb. 4.1;,,6, the feeling of our infirmities, but fuch a one M WM in all things tempted in lik§ fort, yet Wtthomfm; •ndthereforewe may go boldly to the Thro;:c of Grace, thatwe may receive mercy, andfindGraceof he/pin timeof need. 4· The time and occafion of the Devils Onfet; it was ·,t the end of f~rrty days Faft, •andwhm he wMan h~engred. Some fay (as you have heard) that all thofe forrydayes, whenChntl was in rbe wildernefs, he was tempted only invifibly: for Satan during that nme, affumed not any vilible or confpicuous lhape, which at the end of forty dayes, (fay they) he did: my meaning is nor to controvert theff points. Howfo~ver for· his temptmg, yet for his failing forty dayes and fony nights, there is no controverfie; and of that we had fome Types before Chrifi came into the world ; rhus Mofes f.1fled fony dayes at the deltvery of the Law; and EliM fafled forty dayes at the rellitu– uon of the Law; and to fulfil the time of both rhele rypes, Chril1: thiQks it fit tv fall: forty dayesat the accompliOm1ent of the Law, and the promulgation of the Gofpel. Tn faflmg fo l·>ng, Chrifl manifefts his Almighty power; and in fafting no longer, Chrifi man1tefls the truth of his Manhood, and of his weaknefl: that he might approve that there was no dtfference betwixt him and us, but !in, he both fafled, · and was- an · hungred;
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