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

but to do this in a distrust of his Fathers Providence, to work a Miracle of Satan's choice, and at Satan's bidding, it could not be agreeable with the Son of God: And hence Jesus refuseth to be relieved; he would rather deny to manifest the Divinity of his Person, than he would do any act which had in it the intimation of a different spirit. O Christians! it is a sinful, impious, wicked care, to take evil courses to provide for our necessities: Come, it may be thou hast found a way to thrive, which thou couldst not do before; O take heed; was it not of the Devils prompting to change stones into Bread? sadness into sensual Comforts? if so, then Satan hath prevailed: alas, alas, he cannot endure thou shouldst live a life of austerity, or self-denial, or of mortification; if he can but get thee to satisfy thy senses, and to please thy natural desires, he then hath a fair field for the Battle; it were a thousand times better for us to make stones our meat, and tears our drink, than to swim in our ill-gotten Goods, and in the fullness of Voluptuousness.

but to do this in a distrust of his Fathers Providence, to work a Miracle of Satans choice, and at Satans bidding, it could not be agreeable with the Son of God: And hence Jesus refuseth to be relieved; he would rather deny to manifest the Divinity of his Person, than he would do any act which had in it the intimation of a different spirit. O Christians! it is a sinfull, impious, wicked care, to take evil courses to provide for our necessities: Come, it may be thou hast found a way to thrive, which thou couldst not do before; O take heed; was it not of the Devils prompting to change stones into Bread? sadness into sensual Comforts? if so, then Satan hath prevailed: alas, alas, he cannot endure thou shouldst live a life of austerity, or self-denial, or of mortification; if he can but get thee to satisfie thy sences, and to please thy natural desires, he then hath a fair field for the Battle; it were a thousand times better for us to make stones our meat, and tears our drink, than to swim in our ill-gotten Goods, and in the fulness of Voluptuousness.

But what was Christ's Answer? why thus; it is written, man shall not live by Bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the month of God. 1. It is written] He easily could have confounded Satan by the Power of his Godhead, but he rather chooses to vanquish him by the Sword of the Spirit; surely this was for our Instruction; by this means he teacheth us how to resist and to overcome; nothing in Heaven or Earth can beat the Forces of Hell, if the Word of God cannot do it: O then how should we pray with David, Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes— and take not from me the words of truth, let them be my songs in the house of my pilgrimage,—