The combat between Christ and the Devil displayedThe combat betvveene Christ and the Diuell displayed

The third thing in this preparation, is the occasion of Satan's onset at this time, namely, Christs bodily hunger, as the knitting of this verse to the former will plainly show, for Christ being an hungered, Satan came unto him and tempted him. He could not find in Christs most holy manhood any blemish of sin, or inclination thereto whereon to build his temptation; yet such is his malice, that rather then Christ should escape his hands, he will take occasion from the infirmity of his nature in bodily hunger to provoke and allure him unto sin.

The third thing in this preparation, is the occasion of Satans onset at this time, namely, Christs bodily hunger, as the knitting of this verse to the former will plainly shew, for Christ being an hungred, Satan came vnto him and tempted him. He could not find in Christs most holy manhood any blemish of sinne, or inclination thereto whereon to build his temptation; yet such is his malice, that rather then Christ should escape his hands, he will take occasion from the infirmitie of his nature in bodily hunger to prouoke and allure him vnto sinne.

Herein we learn a special point;¹ namely, that the devil will have some ground in us for those temptations wherewith he doth assault us; for as we may see by his dealing here with Christ, he observes not only the inclination of mans heart and soul, but the state and constitution of the body, that if either body or mind will afford him the least advantage, thereon he will be sure to take occasion to tempt. If we regard the seed and root of sin, it is true that every man hath all sins in him, but yet through the work of God, restraining corruption in some, and renewing grace in others, it comes to pass, that each man is more inclined naturally to some sins then to others, which thing Satan doth observe most diligently; and as an enemy that besiegeth a city will go about it and espy where the wall is weakest and most fit for his entrance, and there will be sure to give his strongest onset; and as a man that would strike fire with a flint, will turn it about in his hand, to see what part is fittest; even so the devil, he goes about a man, and as it were turns him to and fro, to spy out his weakness, and to what sins he is most inclined, and there he will, be sure to try him often, and to assault him with greatest violence. Example: If a man be impatient of poverty, he will seek to carry him to picking and stealing: If a man be prove to covetousness, he will provoke him to fraud and oppression: If he be inclined to ambition, Satan will puff him up with pride and vainglory: nay, which is far more, Satan will take occasion from the very constitution of a mans body to draw him unto sin; if choler be predominant in him, Satan will labour to stir him up to wrath, anger, and fury, and if he can, to bloodshed and murder: If a man be of a sanguine complexion, Satan will seek to carry him to immoderate mirth, and to excess in pastimes, pleasures and delight, that if it be possible he may drown him therein, whether they be good or bad: If a man be melancholic, Satan will sometime take occasion by that humour to strike him with exceeding sadness, with terrors and fears; and otherwhile to intoxicate his brain with strange fantasies and delusions, causing a man to think himself to be Elijah, John Baptist, Christ, &c.