Christs temptation and transfiguration practically explained and improved in several sermons /

1. How he came to him. Whether the Temptations of Christ are to be understood by way of Vision, or Historically; as things visibly acted and done. This latter I incline unto; and I handle here, because 'tis said [Greek or Hebrew], The Tempter came to him. Christ importeth some local motion, and accession of the Tempter to Christ, under a visible and external form and shape. As afterwards when the Lord biddeth him be gone, then the devil leaveth him, ver. 11. A retiring of Satan out of his Presence, not the ceasing of a Vision only. Yea all along, He taketh him, and sets him on a pinnacle of the temple. And taketh him to an high mountain. All which show some external appearance of Satan, and not a word that intimateth a Vision. ⟨p. 32⟩Neither can it be conceived how any Act of Adoration could be demanded by Satan of Christ [fall down and worship me] unless the object to be worshipped were set before him in some visible shape. The coming of the Angels to Christ when the Devil left him, ver. II. all understand Historically, and of some External coming; why is not the coming and going of the Devil thus to be understood also? And if all had been done in Vision, and not by Converse, how could Christ be an hungered, or the devil take that occasion to tempt him? How could answers and replies be tossed to and fro, and Scriptures alleged? So that from the whole view of the frame of the Text, here was some external congress between Christ and the devil. If you think it below Christ, you forget the wonderful Condescension of the Son of God; 'tis no more unworthy of him than Crucifixion, Passion and Burial was: 'Tis true in the writing of the Prophets, many things historically related were only done in Vision; but not in the Gospels, which are an History of the Life and Death of Christ; where things are plainly set down as they were done. To men the grievousness of Christs Temptations would be much lessened, if we should think it only a piece of Fantasy and imaginary, rather ⟨p. 33⟩than real. And if his Temptations be lessened, so will his Victory, so will our Comfort. In short, such as was Christs Journey into the Wilderness, such was his Fast, such his Temptation; all real: For all are delivered to us in the same stile and thread of discourse.

1. How he came to him. Whether the Temptations of Christ are to be understood by way of Vision, or Historically; as things visibly acted and done. This latter I incline unto; and I handle here, because 'tis said , The Tempter came to him. Christ importeth some local motion, and accession of the Tempter to Christ, under a visible and external form and shape. As afterwards when the Lord biddeth him be gone, then the devil leaveth him, ver. 11. A retiring of Satan out of his Presence, not the ceasing of a Vision onely. Yea all along, He taketh him, and sets him on a pinnacle of the temple. And taketh him to an high mountain. All which shew some external appearance of Satan, and not a word that intimateth a Vision.