John Trapp on Matthew 4:3

Verse 3. Then came unto him the Tempter] So called, because [non-Latin text not transcribed]. he politikely feels our pulses which way they beat, and accordingly [illegible: 1 word] us a peny-worth. He setts a wedge of gold before covetous Achan, a courtezan Cozbi before a voluptuous Zimri, a fair preferment before an ambitious Absolom: and findes well that a fit [illegible: 1 word] is half a victory. So dealt his agents with those ancient [illegible: 1 word], [non-Latin text not transcribed], they were sawn asunder, they were Heb. 11. 37. tempted, saith the Apostle; to wit, with the proffers of preferment, would they but have renounced their religion, and done [illegible: 1 word] to an Idol. So the Pope tempted Luther with wealth and honour. But all in vain: he turned him to God, Et valde [illegible: 1 word] sum, saith he, me nolle sic satiari abeo, he said flat, that God should not put him off with these low things. Here was a man fullMelch. [illegible: 1 word]. of the Spirit [illegible: 1 word] Christ. The tempter came to Christ, but found [illegible: 1 word] in him; that matter was not malleable. In vain shall the [illegible: 1 word] strike fire, if we finde not [illegible: 1 word]: In [illegible: 2 words] he knock at the door, if we look not out to him at the window. Let us but divorce the flesh from the world, and the devil can do us no [illegible: 1 word]. Ita cave [illegible: 1 word], ut cave as [illegible: 1 word]. From that naughty man my self, good Lord deliver me, said one. If thou [illegible: 1 word] the Son of God.] As the [illegible: 1 word] quarrel'd and [illegible: 1 word] the Law given in Paradise, as nought, [illegible: 2 words]: so [illegible: 1 word] he here the voice from heaven, as a meer imposture. And this he did out of deep and desperate malice; for he could not be ignorant nor doubtfull. Neither is his dealing otherwise with us (many times) who are too ready (at his instigation) to doubt of our spirituall sonne-ship. We need not help the tempter, by holding it a duty to doubt: this is to light a candle before the devil, as we use to speak. Rather let [illegible: 1 word] settle and secure this, that we are indeed the sons of God, and heirs of heaven, by passing thorow the narrow womb of repentance, that we may be born again, and by getting an effectuall faith; the property whereof is to adopt as well as to justifie, viz. [illegible: 1 word] objecti, by means of Christ the object upon whom faith laieth hold, and into whom it engraffs the believer, after an unspeakable manner. Now ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, Gal. 3. 26. Ioh. 1. 12. who hath both laid down the price of this greatest priviledge, Heb. 9. 15. Gal. 4. 5. and [illegible: 1 word] it up to us by his Spirit, crying Abba Father in our hearts, what ever Satan or our own misgiving hearts objects to the contrary, Gal. 4. 6. Rom. 8. 15. Ephes. 1, 13. Command that these [illegible: 1 word] be made bread.] And so distrust the providence of God for [illegible: 1 word] thy body in this hunger; help thy self by working a preposterous miracle. In this point [illegible: 1 word] Gods providence for this present life. Satan troubled David and Jeremy, and so he doth many good souls at this day; who can sooner trust God with their souls then with their bodies, and for a crown then for [illegible: 1 word] crust, as those Disciples, Matth. 16. 8.