VERS. XLIII.
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An Angel strengthening him.
I. IN his Temptations in the Wilderness there was no Angel by him, for St. Matthew saith, Chap. IV. 11. Then the Devil leaveth him, and behold Angels came and mini∣stred unto him: that is, Not till the Devil had first left him. But in the midst of this tryal, there was an Angel strengthening him: and why so? by reason of his Agony you will say, and that very truly: But whence arose this Agony and of what kind was it? It was occasioned (you will say) from a sense of Divine indignation and wrath. This dare not I say, or imagine, that God was angry, or conceived any indignation against him at all. And if the anguish and agony of his mind was the result of the Divine wrath pressing in upon him, I do not see what kind of comfort an Angel could minister against the wrath of God. It is rather an argument God was not angry with him, when he sent an Angel to comfort him.
II. It is not to be doubted but that Christ was now wrestling with a furious enraged Devil, yea a Devil loosed from his chain, and permitted without any check or restraint from Divine Providence to exert all his force and rage against him. Which was permit∣ted by God, not from any displeasure against his Son, but that even humane nature might by this her combatant, get a conquest over this insulting enemy. For it had been a small thing to have vanquished the Devil by mere Divine power.
III. However therefore it is not here related in express terms, yet could I easily per∣swade my self that the Devil might at this time appear to our Saviour in some visible shape. When he tempted him in the Wilderness he put on the disguise of some good Angel, or rather some kind of resemblance of the Holy Ghost. But in this last tempta∣tion he puts on himself, and appears in his own colours, viz. in some direful formida∣ble figure on purpose to terrifie our Lord. And from thence it was that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he began to be sore amazed and to be very heavy, Mark XIV. 33. and here 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to be in an agony. Nor do I rashly, and without any ground suppose this, but upon these reasons:
I. Whereas that old Dragon assaulted the first Adam in a Garden in a visible shape, it is not absurd to imagine he did so now to the second Adam in a Garden, in a visible shape.
II. This our Evangelist tells us concerning his Temptation in the Wilderness, h 1.1 That when the Devil had ended all the Temptation he departed from him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for a season. Here he takes the season to return i 1.2, and I see no reason why he should not at this time, as well as in the Wilderness, assume some visible shape. Then indeed he addressed him∣self in a charming and grateful shape to have enticed and deceived him; but now, in a frightful and horrid one, to have amazed and terrified him. He had already experienced how vain a thing it was to go about to cheat and allure him, what remained therefore, but to shake his mind (if possible) with fright and terror?
III. For when he had no greater invention in his whole Store-house, by which he could distress and shake the minds of mortals, than the horrid apparition of himself, none will conceive he would neglect this engine, that, if it could be, through his eye he might disturb his soul. That therefore which the Jews fain or dream about Solomon, that he saw the Angel of Death (that is the Devil) gnashing his teeth, and that a Disciple of Rabbi did so too, k 1.3 I suppose acted in good earnest here; namely that Christ saw the Devil, that old Dragon, gaping at him, with all horror he could put on. And in this sense would I understand that of the Messenger of Satan buffeting the Apostle l 1.4: viz. That the Devil did appear visibly to him in some frightful shape to afflict and terrifie him. And perhaps that vehement desire he had to sift the Disciples (vers. 31.) respects this same thing, namely that he might be permitted to assault them with such kind of affrightments.