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As a rule, the object of those temptations to which we are exposed, is to bring before our view what is in us, and to keep us properly humbled in the dust. We mortals become pious far too lightly; but Jesus seeks sinners. We are righteous all too soon; but the Lord is after the unrighteous. We are swift to soar; but Jesus wants too see us in the depths. Therefore does he suffer the devil, at times, to create a little stir in the sink of our corrupt hearts, in order that the vile odor may mount and strike our senses; and the hideous viper-brood which nestled quiet and unseen at the bottom, may rise to the top, and sprawl about on the surface before our eyes. Therefore does he occasionally permit the evil one to scare up the swarm of rebellious thoughts and desires, which were lying dormant in the inner chamber of our souls, and set them in motion, in order that we may know all that the temple of God still harbors, and be constrained to forego all our boasting and pride. For this cause is it that he allows the accuser, now and then, to take us by surprise, and startle our slumbering passions as by the trump of doom.

Ah! how astonished are we then to find that they are still there these old hateful companions-whom, as we fondly hoped, we had long since swept away with the besom of our pious excises, and so made our home perfectly clean. But now, alas ! it is quite otherwise. Then the dear bride sees all the fair cosmetics fade away from her cheek, and she becomes again as at first, an Ethiopian, black and without beauty, and renews her former repentance-but also loves again with her early love-for thus will the bridegroom have it. Now under the feet of the high-climbing saint, the topmost round in the ladder of sanctity suddenly gives way, and, alas! he stands no more even on the lowest, but lies beneath, utterly prostrate, and is a poor wretch, such as, perhaps, he never was before. Now the proud peacock sees his brilliant train suddenly drop to the earth; his glitter passes away like a mist; the creature that boasted begins to sneak becomes naked and bare, slinks ashamed into a cor

ner, and comes, at last, to rejoice with all his heart that Another will bestow on him the wedding garment—that a cross stands on Golgotha, and that on the throne there sits a queen, who is called-not righteousness but grace-grace.

DISCOURSE IX.

THE OBJECT AND AGENT IN THE TEMPTATION.

"Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil," etc.-MATT. iv. 1-11.

We have learned the chief cause why God employs the devil among His children. The question now is, why did God ordain that Jesus our Lord should be tempted. And here, at the outset, we protest most solemnly against that degrading view and teaching, which unshrinkingly asserts that Jesus was placed in the fiery ordeal in order that He, in battle and strife, struggling and praying, might overcome and slay those sins which He had carried in His own flesh-and in His own members. No, we can listen to nothing of this sort respecting our Saviour. That He appeared in the form of sinful flesh-this we know ; but yet only in form, not in sinful flesh itself—and though like us in all things, yet was there one point excepted—namely sin. God be praised that on this subject the divine word does not leave us in doubt. With the perfect sinlessness and purity of our Mediator, stands or falls the whole structure of our evangelic hopes. Had the white linen of His innocence been stained with the smallest particle of unholy desire and emotion-could any one but prove this-then might the church be shut-the Bible burned-confidence cast away-and despair only reign. For then would Jesus not be our Saviour-and His ransom not be available and sufficient.

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The temptations of Jesus were in their design far different from those which we are wont to experience. He endured them, not for Himself, but for us and in our stead. They were a part of His mediatorial sufferings. We saw Adam tempted by the serpent, and wantonly giving up the ship to the eddying vortex of his allurements. But the second Adam repairs the evil by. exposing Himself to a still severer assault; breaking the lance of the foe completely overcoming the accuser, and rendering to the Father a perfect obedience. Adam had by disobedience become the prey of Satan, and the second Adam drinks for him the curse, and descends from His throne of majesty into the society of evil spirits-into the very pool of hell.

Unexampled humiliation! The Almighty God touched by the murderous hands of Satan-the Sovereign of the universe hissed at on every side by the old serpent-the only Holy One beleaguered by the powers of darkness, and the Lord of hosts a football for accursed angels of hell-caught up by them-snatched away-carried off and tempted, and urged by them to the most shameful things! What a horrible position for the Son of God! more horrible and monstrous than we can conceive; for we by nature stand much nearer Satan who is our father. To us who carry his likeness, his blackness is not so hateful, not so repulsive, as it must be to Him who dwells in light, and is Himself nothing but light: Verily, no trivial suffering must it have been for Him to be compelled so to dwell among friends! But down into this very pool-this abyss-must the Son of God descend. So must the floods of Belial terrify Him, in order that payment may be made for the gigantic guilt which we have heaped up. And under such oppositions and hindrances must He alonedeserted of help-through battle and strife-execute the Father's will, in order that with His own brilliant, spotless obedience, He might cover the disobedience of Adam and his seed in the sight of God.

Another object of the temptations of Jesus was this: that He might become our sympathizing High Priest. This, indeed,

He could have been without actually tasting our temptations. But now we, weak mortals, can more firmly believe that He is so, and enjoy greater freedom in pouring out our hearts before Him, and in the dark hour of temptations bewail to Him our sore need.

When two persons meet who are able to recount similar necessities and the same buffetings of Satan, oh, what mutual disclosures take place! what trustful communicativeness-what tender sympathy is then manifest ! Then one soul gushes out and flows over into the other, and time steals rapidly on. But on the other hand, towards one who knows not our needs by experience, we are dumb, reserved, and take no pleasure in communicating, because we fear that he will be able neither to understand nor sympathize with us. So, indeed, would we have kept farther away from our Heavenly Friend, had He not become our companion in tribulation. But now the thought is exceedingly refreshing, that He Himself, was tempted in all points like as we are—and knows the bitterest anguish of our soul from His own experience. Now, even though no fellow-man understands us, ah! still we know there is yet one Friend at hand, to whom we need but lisp a word of our affairs and concerns, and He at once comprehends all we feel. His experience reaches down into the thickest nights of the soul-into the most frightful depths of inward sufferings or conflicts. Under no juniper tree canst thou sit, which has not overshadowed Him; no thorn can wound thee, from which his heart has not bled; no fiery dart can hit thee, which has not been shot at His sacred head. He can indeed have compassion. Yes, only believe it, dear soul; as often as thou liest in the furnace, over thee the eyes of the watchful Refiner melt in tears-and a great, holy, motherheart, bleeds for thee in sympathy from heaven.

It was then out of pure compassion and love towards a sinful world, that God placed His Son in the fire of temptation.

We may now further ask, whether God had not some design in this thing also towards the tempter himself? and this question

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