Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…

3 Consider the fasting and temptation of Christ in the Wilderness. Now we see what manner of adversary we have, how he fights, how he is resisted, how overcome; in one assault Satan moves Christ to doubt of his Fathers providence; in another to presume on his Fathers protection, and when neither diffidence nor presumption can fasten upon Christ, he shall be tried with honour: and thus he deals with us; if he cannot drive us down to despair, he labours to lift us up to presumption, and if neither of these prevail, then he brings out pleasures, profits, honours, temptations on the right hand, which are indeed most dangerous: O my soul, whilst thou art in this warfare, here's thy condition; temptations, like waves, break one in the neck of another; if the devil was so busy with Christ, how shouldst thou hope to be free? how mayest thou account, that the repulse of one temptation will but invite to another? well, but here's thy comfort, thou hast such a Saviour as was in all things tempted in like sort, yet without sin; ¹how boldly therefore mayst thou go to the Throne of Grace to receive mercy, and to find grace of help in time of need? Christ was tempted, that he might succour them that are tempted, never art thou tempted O my soul, but Christ is with thee in the temptation; he hath sent his Spirit into thy heart to make intercession for thee there, and he himself is in Heaven, making intercession, and praying for thee there; yea his own experience of temptations hath so wrought it in his heart, that his love and mercy is most of all at work when thou art tempted most. As dear parents are ever tender of their Children, but then especially when they are sick, and weak, and out of frame; so though Christ be always tender of his People, yet then especially when their souls are sick, and under a temptation; O then his bowels yearn over them indeed.

3 Consider the fasting and temptation of Christ in the Wilderness. Now we see what manner of adversary we have, how he fights, how he is resisted, how overcome; in one assault Sathan moves Christ to doubt of his Fathers providence; in another to presume on his Fathers protection, and when neither diffidence nor presumption can fasten upon Christ, he shall be tryed with honour: and thus he deales with us; if he cannot drive us down to despair, he labours to lift us up to presumption, and if neither of these prevail, then he brings out pleasures, profits, honours, temptations on the right hand, which are indeed most dangerous: O my soul, whilst thou art in this warfare, here's thy condition; temptations, like waves, break one in the neck of another; if the devil was so busie with Christ, how shouldst thou hope to be free? how mayest thou account, that the repulse of one temptation will but invite to another? well, but here's thy comfort, thou hast such a Saviour as was in all things tempted in like sort, yet without sin;