VRR. 17$18. Epi1le to the H EB tz kqi t: ig* meetly for the moil part neutral. Hence it comprifeth any thing, Hate or baditiori; wherebya manmay be tried,extrcifed or tempted. And thiswill give us light into the varioustemptations under whichthe Lord Chrift fuffered. For although they wereall qtternal,and by imprefionsfromwithout, yet they were not confined unto the ¡putts Sathan, which are principally regarded under that name. Some oftheheads ofthem e may briefly recount. I. Hisfate and condition in the world ; He was poor, defpifed, perfecuted, re= proached, efpecially from the beginning unto the end of his publick mininery. Herein lay one continued temptation, that is, a trial of his obedience by all manner of hardfhips. Hencehe calls this wholetime, the time Ofhis temptations ; Yon have abode with me inmy temptations ; or in the work that he carried on ina confiant courfe oftemptation, arifingfromhis outward Hate and condition. See James I. 2. I Pet. 5. 9. In this temptation he fufferedHunger, Poverty, Wearinefs,Sorrow, Reproach, Shame, Contempt, wherewithhis holy Soulwas deeply affefted. And he underwent it cheerfully, becaufe it was to be the condition ofthem, whole prefervation and fal- vation as their HighPriefthe had undertaken, as we shall fee. And his experiencehere- ofis the fpringoftheir comfort andfafety. z. Whilil he was in this Ilate and condition, innumerable particular temptations be- fell him, under all which hefuffered. I. Temptations from his Relations in-the flefh, being difregarded and disbelieved by them, whichdeeply affeáed his compailionate heart withjbrrow: z. Froni his Followers, being forfaken by them uponhis preaching the Myfferies ofthe GoJfiel. 3. Fromhischofeta Difciples, all of whomlefehim, one de- nyed him, and one betrayed him. 4. From the anguilla of hisMother, when a fword pierced through her 1òu1 in his fufferings. 5. From his enemies ofall forts. All which are at large related in the Gofpel s from all whichhis fufferings were inexpreflible. 3. Satan had a principal hand in the temptations wherein he fuffered. He let upon him inthe entranceofhis Minifitry immediately in hisown Perlon, and followed him in the wholecourfe ofit by the inftrumentsthat he let on work.He had altoa feafon,an hourof darl1neflallowed untohim , when hewas to try his utmoft ftrength and policy againft him ; under whichaflault from him he fuffered, as was fore-told, from the foundation of the world, the bruifing ofhis heel, or the temporal ruine of all his con- cernmrnts. 4. Gods defirtionof himwas another temptation under which he fuffered. As this was moft mylterious, fo his fufferings under it were his greateft perplexity, Pfal. 22. I,2. Heb.5.7. Thefe arefome ofthe heads and fprings of thofe various and innumerable tempta- tionsthat the LordChrift fuffered in and under. Laftly, The bietied effe& and confequent hereof is expreffed in thofe words, He is able tofuceour them that are tempted; wherein we have, I. The defcription of them for whofe fake theLordChrift underwent this condition. 2. The Ability that accrued untohim thereby for their relief. And, 5. The Advantage that theyare thereby made partakers of. Firft, They for whofe fakes he underwent this condition, are thofe whom he re- conciledunto God by his Sacrificeas an High Prieft,but are here defcribed by an efpe- cfal concernment oftheir obedience, which producingall their forrow and trouble, makes them (land in continual need -of aid and affrftance. They are b, anra;blzsroy '0, rte,¢sb: tempted ones. Notwithrlanding their reconciliation mito God by the death of Chritl, w.f. they have a courfeof obedience prefcribed untothem. In this courfe they meet with many difficulties, dangers, and forrows, all proceeding from the temptations that they are exercifedwithall. Hence is this defcription ofthem, theyare thofe whoare tempted, and fuller greatly on that account. Others are little concerned in temptations ; out., ,wardit may beas unto danger they have not many ; and ifthey have,it is the trouble and not the temptations which they regard ; inward and untofin, they yield obe= dience unto; and the trouble from temptation is in the oppofitionmade unto it. It isreconciled perfonswho emphatically are the tempted ones, efpecially as temptations are lookedon asthe caufe offufferings. They are the mark of Sathan and the world, againft which all their arrows and darts are directed, the fubjeâwhereon God him- felfexercifeth histrials. And betides all this, they maintain a continual warfare within them againft temptations in the remainder oftheir owncorruptions : fo that within and about them are they converfant in the whole courfe of their lives. Moreover unto this confiant and perpetual conflict, there do befall them in the HolyWife Providence
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