The harmony of the Gospels in the holy history of the humiliation and sufferings…

And how many in our days, are hired against their light, from the Truth, and Protestant Religion, unto Popery by a fat Bishopric, a Cardinals cap, a triple crown? And thus the Devil thought to hire Jesus Christ to Devil-worship, by a false pretence, that he had power to make him possessor of all that glory, whereof he had given him such a ravishing glimpse. But Jesus Christ hath fought this great Battle, and conquered the Devil, and all these kinds of Temptations for us, and come off Conqueror, and set us a pattern how we may do so also.

And how many in our dayes, are hired against their light, from the Truth, and Protestant Religion, unto Popery by a fat Bishoprick, a Cardinals cap, a tripple crown? And thus the Devil thought to hire Jesus Christ to Devil-worship, by a false pretence, that he had power to make him possessor of all that glory, wherof he had given him such a ravishing glimpse. But Jesus Christ hath fought this great Battel, and conquered the Devil, and all these kinds of Temptations for us, and come off Conquerour, and set us a pattern how we may doe so also.

From this admirable History of Jesus Christ his suffering himself to be tempted by the Devil, even to the uttermost of his power and skill, we may gather up some General Considerations.

From this admirable History of Jesus Christ his suffering himself to be tempted by the Devill, even to the uttermost of his power and skill, we may gather up some General Considerations.

First. See the marvellous power of fictitious Imaginations, and figments of the mind. What strong conceptions and mental productions of Sin they fill the Souls of men withal. They prevailed not so far with Jesus Christ as to pollute him, but to tempt him to the uttermost. Mad men do many times speak out their mental fictions and conceptions: but sober men have more command over themselves, than to vent and speak out what is boiling in their hearts. But the thoughts and figments of the mind are seldom quiet, unless they be overpowered by a soul-ruling employment and Spirit. The presence and Worship of God should over-bear them, and often doth: Yet vanity of mind, running after these mental figments, is a mournful complaint of Gods Children, as being a troublesome vexatious sore, and bitter interruption, even in our best Services: and well if this be bitter! they do the less hurt, they are most pernicious when they are sweet, pleasant, delightful. These kind of Temptations hath Jesus Christ experienced