Chap. I • Sed:.4 LoD!dng unto 1tfus. Book. IV. from the top of the Temple, and therefore he would not fo tempt God to throw himfelfe headlong; what? to make tryal of Gods power, and juftice, and mercy, and C!traordintry prefervation where there was no need ? all the Devills in hell cou:d not fo tempt Chrift, as to make him tempt his God. The third temptation is yet more horrid, the Temple was not high enough, fo that now Sathan takes him up to the top ofan exceeding high mor-mt,1ine; and he jbe'Wes him all the 1( ingdomeJ of ver. 8, ~ the 'World, and theglory of thrm, (aying, all thefe will!give thee, if thou wilT fall down and worjbip me. Not to inGft on thofe many queres? how {hould all the Kingdomes otthe world be prefented to Chril.h eye ? or if they were only prefented to his imagination, why could not the valley have ferved the Deyil!i turne, as well as an hill? or whether was not Rome. the obJed: . that the Devil prcfented? becaufe at that time, Rome was the top of all the Kingdomes of the world, and the glory of them? for my part, I think in this temptat:on tbe Devil united all his power of ftratagcms, and by anange!Jical power he drew into one center, the feveral Spectes and dea's, from all the Kingdomes, and glori~s ofthe world, ar:d ~e made an admirable Map of beauties, and r~prefented them to the eyes ofJefus ; he thought ambition more likely to ruine him, becaufe he knew it was that which prevailed upon himfdfe, and aU thofe fallen ilars~ the Angels of darkndfe; and therefore come (faith Sathan) 11/l thefe will I give thee, if thou wilt fall do'W» and worfhip me. How ? God worfhip .the Devil? was everthelike bla fphemv Gnce the firft creation? indeed nowwe have many' fearful; exetr~tbl~ , curfed blafphernies belched out,and Idolatry'tl>eleeve'is thefpread!ngeft IInne in the world; but \\;~sever the like blafphemy, orldolatry to this, that not only a creature, but theCreatour himfelfe muft fall down before the J?evil, and give \l[Orfuip unto him ? the Lamb ofGod that.heard ~ll the former temptations with patience, he could by nomeanesendure .this; •Jur own injuries are opportunities of patienj:e, but when the glory ofGod, and his immediate honour is the quefiion, then our zeale 1hould be all on a flame; now Chriil bids hi(n avoyde ; as foon as he obferves his demands fo impudent and blafphemous, he commands him-away, and tells him, it is written thou fhalt worjbip the Lord thy qod, and him onlyvar. Io. ] · .Ddd 2. · {hah
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