366 OfEteaion. ~------~----------------- ---------------------- ~ My Solution i,, Boo![ IV. '· That look what is limply matter o(Temptrlliolt in ir, as from Satan, ~on his parr, rhat alfo was Chrifi's lot to bear, as well as ours, a·nd in like manner robe. tempted by him. The place .is exprefs, Hebr.4- I). Wbo WIU 111 all pon;ts tempted M we are; yet W1tho11t jilt : H:s Exccpti· on [ witbot<t ji11] is to be underf\ood, that the Temptations, (whatever they were) were Without finmng on his parr, as ro the Iifue of. the Temp· ration in himfelf.. But as for the Temptotio11 it felf, as on SHun's parr, He wa& tmtpted w a/J t hmgs ; ( that 1s, all forts of ways ) like aJ we: And therefore for us to be followed wllh the fame Temptations, by the fame Devil, ( that npart and alone confidered) is bur a conlormity unto Chrift as our Head; and fo to accomplilh, or make perfeCl: the after Tcmpt.llious of Cbnjl. 2. But fecondly, Confider them as jillf which do accom~any ihem in us; yet fuch is the Grace of our God , that altbough, as now we nre Crea· turcs, and l'erfom in our felves cbnfidered , he looks upon all our fins as groat guiles and defilements in us, and abominations loathfome to himfelf, yet he, eo1;jldering m "' e:Jlembers of hu Son, ( thougl) nor as Members of him in our !inning; God forbid: For that is the 'Devil's work) he lool<S upon us who do jo jill, and whiHt we fin, as Members appertain· ing unto Chrifi; nnd.ifl this refpeCl: he accounts oter jinuings, our ft1fer– ilrgs, (fuch is his goodnef1) yea, and the Divine Natttrt in the Saints too, ( which in its kind, though with imperfeCl:ion , is affcCl:ed in things as God is) cloth caufe them to look upon their own ftnnings, as their (u(– ferings; and of all the greatefi: And each cries out, 0 miferab!e rnan that I am I And they do call them into that account and head of Sufferings endu– ted in their lives: And thou that reckonefi them not among thy Plea[ures, but thy greatefi ./lifldlions, thou !halt have in the end a Vifl.,y. from tbe God of a/J Grace, and he will fupport, and in the end perfefl thee: And Chri!t, that was himfelf tempted, and who o~ercame Sa~an for thee, wdl overcome Satan in thee: he will caufe thee to tri11mpb in the end, and to be more than aCo11queror. Unto both which I may add further , for ·our comfort and relief, a• touching this Particular; that not Chrifi , whilfi on Earth only, harh fuf– fered from 5atan, as well as we, in the manner fpecilied; burro accom.· plilh this his Fathers great deGgn in us, and upon us, it is, that he fuf. fcrs him[elf now in Heaven to be, though not tempted , yet I may f.1y troubled with this Devil , (Pardon the WOJd, till you hear how I mcar1 it:) But it is wholly for us, and on our behalf, and for our fakes, for whom he thtre appears an advocate; that is, that although Chrif\ hatll already, de )tere, dcfpoiled Satan of all his Power, again(\ us; further then as God gives new, frefl1, and occaftonal leave; and himfelf, now in Hea· v·cn, is no way expofed to be templed by him, as whilft be was on Earth, nor in any fuch refpeCl: may be fa id fo to be in lils own Perfon; yet he hath left fo much power to him againft us, as dorh occafion much work ro himfelf; which after the day of Judgment he !hall be eafed of: Him– fcl f is ftill greatly exercifed upon occafions from him , in behalf of us: That very office of ./ldvocatejhip of his, which he hath undertaken for u>, was in a great meafure {et up, nnd on pu-rpofe occaftoned by God to op· pofe Satrm ; and to take our Parts; and maintain our lot againft him at the Throne of God: He obtains leave of God to tempt, and winnow us ; ond then goes and -accufeth us unto God: And upon all fuch Accufacions, Chrifi is put to pray full hard for us now, as well as whilfl: he was on Earth, for Peter. And in Job!l I 7· for all the Apofilcs, ;!J.,t om· F,Iitb fait uot: Becauf~ St.Jtrm thus both wimtows , and then accufeth us to God; So .""word l may fay as Prml of him:elfto the Galrllirms, G,JI, 6. 17. in another Clfe, ~~~~~r:~n~~~ Chrift U put to 6ufiuejs: Ye~, ur:uo 1-rmch im(inejs ., by rc:1fon o~ SiJ!tW Tw•bl<m<. and that by m~ans of our finmngs, and corruptions: And he h.Hh alfo creat- !y
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