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

3 We see the great subtlety and policy of Satan, to watch for, catch, and lay hold on, and improve the opportunity, when his Temptation may be most advantaged, to take place and prevail.

1. He had waited forty days, viz. till Jesus was an hungry, before he assaulted him with that Temptation, to satisfy his Appetite, though by unlawful means, or not by the ordinary means.

1. He had waited forty dayes, viz. till Jesus was an hungry, before he assaulted him with that Temptation, to satisfie his Appetite, though by unlawful means, or not by the ordinary means.

The order of the time of these Temptations, is not strictly to be insisted upon, as appeareth by Luke, who placeth that Temptation second, which Matthew placeth third. And besides, this Temptation which they all place first, was not acted till the end of the forty days fasting: because the Text saith, that he was an hungry, which gave Satan his opportunity, and it may very well be, that the other Temptations which are recorded, were acted, before this at the end of the forty days, for the Text saith, that he was tempted forty days. Satan plied him every day, having liberty so to do, he would not stay till the forty days of his liberty were ended, before he began his Temptations.

The order of the time of these Temptations, is not strictly to be insisted upon, as appeareth by Luke, who placeth that Temptation second, which Mathew placeth third. And besides, this Temptation which they all place first, was not acted till the end of the forty dayes fasting: because the Text saith, that he was an hungry, which gave Satan his opportunity, and it may very well be, that the other Temptations which are recorded, were acted, before this at the end of the forty dayes, for the Text saith, that he was tempted forty dayes. Satan plyed him every day, having liberty so to do, he would not stay till the forty dayes of his liberty were ended, before he began his Temptations.