mitting to the commands of God. Abraham by venturing to lose his son saved him; and he that will venture, on a parallel occasion, to lose even his life in this world, shall save it to life eternal. XXIV. In the mean time, let him consider for his comfort, that every instance of self-denial will be found by experience to be much lighter than it appears. There may be difficulty and terror in the precept which enjoins it, but it shall vanish in the performance, as it did with Abraham. There was indeed a loss of life; but how different, how far inferior to that which he had dreaded! After he had expected to see the blood of his only son streaming upon the altar, and the flames consuming the object of his affection; he at last saw a brute animal expiring in his stead. And while we are fearing that our peace, our comfort, our happiness, our life, must all be sacrificed in obedience to the divine precepts; their severity will at last fall only upon the brutal part of us that which is most dear and valuable to us will be preserved; and that only will be lost, which is not worth saving. This part of the moral is so elegantly touched by St. Bernard, that I shall give it to the reader in his own words. "Tu igitur, "si vocem Domini audieris intus in animo, et di"catur tibi, ut offeras Isaac, ut tuum quodcunque "est gaudium immoles Deo, (interpretatur enim "Isaac gaudium seu risus) fideliter et constanter "obedire ne timeas: securus esto: non Isaac sed " aries morietur: non peribit tibi lætitia sed contu"macia Hæc vita est sanctorum; tanquam tris"tes, semper autem gaudentes; tanquam morientes, "et ecce vivimus." AN ENQUIRY INTO THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND MORAL INTENTION OF THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE WILDERNESS. AN ENQUIRY INTO THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND MORAL INTENTION OF THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS CHRIST. OUR Saviour Christ came into this world to destroy the works of the Devil: and this he effected by a regular progress; not attempting to overcome the sharpness of death, till he had resisted the deceitfulness of sin for death will have its effect, so long as sin retains its power. This was true of Christ; and it is true of all other men: whence it must appear to every considerate Christian, how greatly we are interested in the History of Christ's Temptation. He is said to have been tempted in all points like as we are-κατα παντα καθ' ομοιοτητα or, " in all respects according to the similitude of our nature and cir"cumstances;" that is, with the same passions and appetites to be exercised, and with like matter administered to them by the Tempter. 66 The utility therefore of a subject, which hath so near a relation to ourselves, need not be insisted on ; and I should think, a transaction so curious as a de 邊 Heb. iv. 15. |