say aμagtiwy, to make reconciliation with God for sins;' as the same phrase is in other places explained.

Sixthly, There is a farther double enforcement of the necessity of what was before affirmed, concerning his being made like unto his brethren in all things, with reference unto his priesthood; and the first is taken from what he did or suffered in that condition; the other, from the benefits and advantages which ensued thereon. The first in those words, "For that he himself hath suffered being tempted."

Εν ώ γαρι for in that; that is, say some, in the same nature, he suffered in the flesh that he took, being tempted. But the words seem rather only an illation of what the apostle concludes or infers from that which he had before laid down; 'whereas,' in as much, seeing that; so both 1' and ↔ à are often used, Rom. v. 12.

Now, it is here affirmed of Christ, that wixoves gardus, "he suffered being tempted:" not, it happened unto him to be tempted,' which we before rejected. The Vulgar Latin, and expositors, following that translation, He suffered, and was tempted.' But the and inserted, we have shewed to be superfluous, and it is acknowledged to be so by Erasmus, Estius, A Lapide, though Tena, with some others, contend for the retaining of it. It is not the suffering of Christ in general that is here intended; nor is the end mentioned of it, that of his suffering in general, which was to make reconciliation, but the succouring and relieving of them that are tempted, which regards the sufferings that befel him in his temptations. It is not his sufferings, absolutely considered, nor his being tempted that is peculiarly designed, but his suffering in his temptation, as was before observed. To know then what were these sufferings, we must inquire what were his temptations, and how he was affected with them.

To tempt, and temptations, are things in themselves of an indifferent nature, and have no moral evil in them, absolutely considered. Whatever attends them of that kind, proceeds either from the intention of the tempter, or the condition of them that are tempted. Hence God is said to tempt men, but not to induce them unto sin, Gen. xxii. 1. James i. 13. What of evil ensues on temptation, is from the tempted themselves. Moreover, though temptation seems to be of an active importance, yet in itself it is merely for the most part neutral. Hence it compriseth any thing, state or condition, whereby a man may be tried, exercised or tempted. And this will give us light into the various temptations under which the Lord Christ suffered. For although they were all external, and by impressions from without, yet they were not confined unto the assaults of Satan, VOL. III,

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which are principally regarded under that name. heads of them we may briefly recount.

Some of the

1. His state and condition in the world. He was poor, despised, persecuted, reproached, especially from the beginning unto the end of his public ministry. Herein lay one continued temptation, that is, a trial of his obedience by all manner of hardships. Hence he calls this whole time, the time of his temptations: "You have abode with me in my temptations," Luke xxii. 28. or in the work that he carried on in a constant course of temptation, arising from his outward state and condition; see James i. 2. 1 Pet. v. 9. In this temptation he suffered hunger, poverty, weariness, sorrow, reproach, shame, contempt, wherewith his holy soul was deeply affected. And he underwent it cheerfully, because it was to be the condition of them, whose preservation and salvation, as their high priest, he had undertaken, as we shall see. And his experience hereof is the spring of their comfort and safety.

2. Whilst he was in this state and condition, innumerable particular temptations befel him, under all which he suffered. 1. Temptations from his relations in the flesh, being disregarded and disbelieved by them, which deeply affected his compassionate heart with sorrow. 2. From his followers, being forsaken by them upon his preaching the mysteries of the gospel. 3. From his chosen disciples, all of whom left him, one denied him, and one betrayed him. 4. From the anguish of his mother, when a sword pierced through her soul in his sufferings. 5. From his enemies of all sorts. All which are at large related in the gospel; from all which his sufferings were inexpressi

ble.

3. Satan had a principal hand in the temptations wherein he suffered. He set upon him in the entrance of his ministry immediately in his own person, and followed him in the whole course of it by the instruments that he set on work. He had also a season, an hour of darkness allowed unto him, when he was to try his utmost strength and policy against him; under which assault from him he suffered, as was foretold from the foundation of the world, the bruising of his heel, or the temporal ruin of all his concernments.

4. God's desertion of him was another temptation under which he suffered. As this was most mysterious, so his sufferings under it were his greatest perplexity, Psal. xxii. 1, 2. Heb. Y. 7.

These are some of the heads and springs of those various and innumerable temptations that the Lord Christ suffered in and under.

Lastly, The blessed effect and consequent hereof, is expressed in those words, " IIe is able to succour them that are tempt

ed;" wherein we have, 1. The description of them for whose sake the Lord Christ underwent this condition. 2. The ability that accrued unto him thereby for their relief. And, 3. The advantage that they are thereby made partakers of.

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First, They for whose sakes he underwent this condition, are those whom he reconciled unto God by his sacrifice as a high priest, but are here described by an especial concernment of their obedience, which producing all their sorrow and trouble, makes them stand in continual need of aid and assistance. They are goμevor, tempted ones.' Notwithstanding their reconciliation unto God by the death of Christ, they have a course of obedience prescribed unto them. In this course, they meet with many difficulties, dangers and sorrows, all proceeding from the temptations that they are exercised withal. Hence is this description of them, they are those who are tempted, and suffer greatly on that account. Others are little concerned in temptations; outward, it may be, as unto danger, they have not many, and if they have, it is the trouble, and not the temptations, which they regard; inward, and unto sin, they yield obedience unto, and the trouble from temptation is in the opposition made unto it. It is reconciled persons who emphatically are the tempted ones, especially as temptations are looked on as the cause of sufferings. They are the mark of Satan and the world, against which all their arrows and darts are directed, the subject whereon God himself exerciseth his trials. And besides all this, they maintain a continual warfare within them against temptations in the remainder of their own corruptions; so that with, in and about them, are they conversant in the whole course of their lives. Moreover, to this constant and perpetual conflict, there do befal them in the holy wise providence of God, certain seasons wherein temptations grow high, strong, impetuous, and are even ready to ruin them. As Christ had an hour of darkness to conflict withal, so have they also. Such was the

condition of the believing Hebrews, when Paul wrote this epistle to them. What through persecution, wherein they "endured a great fight of afflictions," and what through the seductions of false brethren, alluring them to an apostasy to Judaism, and an acquiescence in Mosaical ceremonies, they were even ready to be utterly ruined. To them therefore, and by them to all others in the like condition, the apostle hath respect in his description of those whom the Lord Christ is ready to succour, they are tempted ones. This is the proper name of believers. As Satan from what he doth, is called the tempter, so they from what they endure, may be called the tempted ones. Their calling is to oppose temptations, and their lives a conflict with them. The High Priest having suffered the like things with them, they have an assured ground of consolation in all their

temptations and sufferings. Which he confirms by what is added in the second place, namely, his ability to help them.

2. Auvara, he is able.' Now this ability is such, as ariseth from that peculiar mercifulness, which he is disposed to from that experience which he had of suffering under temptation. A moral power, not a natural. It is not δύναμις ενεργετικη, 211 executive power, a power of working or operation, not a power of the hand, but durauis cvμaltin, a power of heart and will, an ability in readiness of mind, that is here assigned to Christ. It is this latter, and not the former, that was a consequent of his temptations and sufferings. A gracious, ready, enlargedness of heart, and constant inclination to the succour of them that are tempted, is the ability here designed. For as this power was originally and radically implanted in the human nature of Christ, by the communication of all habitual grace to him, so its next inclination to exert itself in suitable effects, with a constant actual excitation thereunto, he had on the account of his suffering in temptations. For,

1. He had particular experience thereby of the weakness, sorrows and miseries of human nature under the assaults of temptations; he tried it, felt it, and will never forget it.

2. His heart is hereby inclined to compassion, and acquainted with what it is that will afford relief. In his throne of eternal peace and glory, he sees his poor brethren labouring in that storm, which with so much travail of soul himself passed through, and is intimately affected with their condition. Thus Moses stirs up the Israelites to compassion to strangers, from the experience they had themselves of the sorrows of their hearts, "Thou knowest the heart of a stranger." And the Jews tell us, that the ow, or officers' that he set over the people in the wilderness, were of those elders who were so evilly entreated by the taskmasters in Egypt; that from their own sufferings, they might know how to exercise tenderness over their brethren now put under their rule.

3. This compassion moves and excites him to their relief and succour. This is the proper effect of mercy and compassion. It sets power on work for the relief of them whose condition it is affected withal. So said she,

Haud ignara mali miseris succurrere disco.

Being exercised with evils and troubles herself, she had thence learned to relieve the miserable so far as she was able.' This is the ability ascribed to our High Priest. Compassion and mercy, arising from an experience of the sufferings and dangers of human nature under temptations, exciting his power for the relief of them that are tempted.

3. Lastly, The advantage of the brethren from hence lies in the succour that he is thus able to afford unto them. This in

general, as we have shewed, consists in a speedy coming in with relief unto them who being in distress, do cry out or call for it. There are three things that tempted believers do stand in need of, and which they cry out for, 1. Strength to withstand their temptations, that they prevail not against them. 2. Consolation to support their spirits under them. 3. Seasonable deliverance from them. Unto these is the succour afforded by our high priest suited, and it is variously administered unto them. As, 1st, By his word or promises. 2d, By his Spirit; and that, 1. By communicating unto them supplies of grace or spiritual strength. 2. Strong consolation. 3. By rebuking their tempters and temptations. 3d, By his providence disposing of all things to their good and advantage in the issue; and what is more in the words, will be manifest in the ensuing observations taken from them.

I. The principal work of the Lord Christ as our high priest, and from which all other actings of his in that office do flow, was to make reconciliation or atonement for sin. This John declares, 1 John ii. 2. "We have an advocate with the Father, and he is a propitiation for our sins." What he doth for us in heaven as our advocate, depends on what he did on earth, when he was a propitiation for our sins. This work was that which was principally regarded in the first promise, Gen. iii. 15. namely, that which he was to do by his sufferings. To shadow out and represent this unto the church of old, were all the sacrifices of the law, and the typical priesthood itself instituted. They all directed believers to look for, and to believe the atonement that was to be made by him. And that this should be the foundation of all his other actings as a high priest, was necessary,

First, On the part of his elect, for whom he undertook that office. They were by nature enemies of God, and children of wrath; unless peace and reconciliation be made for them in the first place, they could neither have encouragement to go to him with their obedience, nor to expect any mercy from him, or acceptance with him. For as enemies, they could neither have any mind to serve him, nor hope to please him. Here lie, the first thoughts of all who have any design seriously to appear before God, or to have to do with him; wherewith shall we come before him, how shall we obtain reconciliation with him? Until this inquiry be answered and satisfied, they find it in vain to address themselves unto any thing else, nor can obtain any ground of hope to receive any good thing from the hand of God. This order of things the apostle lays down, Rom. v. 8-10. The first thing to be done for us was to reconcile us to God whilst we were sinners and enemies; this was done by the death, by the blood of Christ, when as our high priest he offered himself a sacrifice for us. This being per