Luke xxii. 43. Hence it must be evident, that the hypostatic, or personal union of the divine and human nature did not subsist in Jesus Christ at this time, unless, as Doctor Bennet supposed, the divine nature was quiescent in Jesus Christ. A notion very unfriendly to the hypostatic union, and subversive of the common topic in all the modern systems, wherein thê divinity of Jesus Christ is maintained by his working miracles.

Of Christ's temptation by the devil.

Soon after, Jesus being thus qualified by the descent of the spirit of God upon him, we find, he was tempted of the devil. A fact taken notice of by three of the evangelists, viz. Matthew, Mark, and Luke; and in itself very remarkable. St. Matthew saith, chap. iv. 2---14, that Christ having fasted forty days and nights was hungry; whereupon the devil said to him, If thou be the Son of God, bid these stones to be made bread.' Jesus (ever sensible of his duty to Almighty God) answers the devil, saying, and citing Deut. viii. 3, A man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word that cometh from God.'

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2. Again, ver. 5, 6, 7, the devil sets Christ on a pinnacle of the temple,' and bids him cast himself down, for it is written,' saith the devil, he (God) will give his angels charge concerning thee.' To this temptation Christ replies, "It is written, (Deut. vi. 16,) Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God: owning hereby, that himself was subject to, and must obey, the command of the Lord his God, and by no means tempt his God.

3. Again, ver. 8, 9, 10, the devil presents to his view the glory of all the kingdoms of the world, and saith, All this will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.' To this temptation Christ replies with indignation, 'Hence,' or, be gone, Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him alone thou shalt serve.'

St. Luke gives much the same account, but St. Mark is short and general.

Note 1. Jesus Christ underwent three temptations of the devil; who being a subtle spirit could not be ignorant of Christ's nature or person; he assaulted Christ, because the devil well knew, he was liable to temptation.

2. Christ repels the devil's temptations, by the word of God; hereby owning that to be the rule of his conduct, and his best defence against the assaults of the devil.

3. Whilst or soon after, Christ was thus assaulted by the devil, angels came, and ministered unto him.' In this agony, as also in that on the mount of Olives, Christ needed a support, which he had not in himself, but received from the assistance of angels. If this be considered, we cannot be at a loss to know, who Jesus Christ was, or what was his true nature. For had the divine nature or essence been personally united to him, he could not be tempted with evil; for God is incapable of' such temptation.' James i. 13.

The author of the Hebrews, chap. iv. 15, confirms this fact, that Christ suffered temptation,' which must have been impossible, had the divine nature, or essence, been hypostatically or personally united to Jesus Christ.

CHAP. XLII.

The evangelists, and the other holy writers of the New Testament often style Jesus Christ, AIAAZKAAOZ, a teacher, or the teacher, or doctor.

THIS character of Jesus Christ is often mentioned in the four evangelists: for so he was styled by the scribes, pharisees, Herodians, his own disciples, and by himself also, as in the following texts.

Matth. viii. 19, A certain scribe came, and said

unto him, Master, (teacher,) I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest."

Matth. ix. 11,The pharisees said unto his disciples, Why eateth your master (teacher) with publicans and sinners?'

xii. 38, The scribes and pharisees said, Master, (teacher) we would see a sign from thee.' Doth not your master (teacher)

xvii. 24,

pay tribute?'

xix. 16,

Luke xviii. 18.

Good master,' (teacher) &c.

.............. xxii. 16, The Herodians say, 'Master,' (teacher) &c. Mark xii. 14.

< 24, The sadducees say, Master," (teacher) &c. Mark xii. 19, Luke xx. 21, 28, 39. 36, A lawyer says-Master,' (teacher)

&c. Luke x. 25.

xxvi. 18, Christ speaking of himself styles himself master' (or teacher) Mark xiv. 14,

Mark iv. 38, Christ's disciples call him their 'teacher'- Certain persons from the ruler of the synagogue' call him teacher.' Mark v. 35, and ix. 17,

x. 35.

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Mark x. 17, 20. And the two sons of Zebedee, James and John, give Christ the same title. See ver. 35.

Mark xii. 32, And 'one of his disciples calls Christ by the same name, Mark xiii. 1.

Luke vii. 40. One of the multitude calls Christ by the name of teacher,' Chap. xix. 39.

Luke xxii. 11, Christ bids Peter and John tell the master of the house, where he intended to keep the passover; the teacher saith unto thee,' &c. meaning himself. By this, and many of the foregoing passages, it is pretty evident that Christ was commonly known among the Jews by that name, and was so called by his own disciples, and by himself too.

Johni. 38, it is observable, that rabbi' is here interpreted by doxaños, that is, teacher;' the very διδάσκαλος, word used in all the places before cited.

John iii. 2, Nicodemus tells Christ, in these words: "We know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no one can do those miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.'.

John xi. 28, Martha tells Mary her sister, that 'the teacher is come;' by which name Mary presently understood Christ was meant.

John xiii. 13, Christ says to his disciples, Ye call me teacher, and Lord, or master, and ye say well, for so I am.' For I am so.

14, • If I your master and teacher,' &c. John xx. 16, Mary Magdalen calls Christ' rabboni,' which is here interpreted my teacher.'

Our translators have avoided the word teacher, and often used the word master, an ambiguous term, instead of the right term, teacher, or doctor.

Very justly went Christ over all Judea under this character: for the doctrine he taught, and the diligence he used, were unparalleled.

Mat. ix. 35, xi. 1, xiii. 54, Christ went through all the cities and villages, teaching and preaching the kingdom of God daily.' See also Matth. xxvi. 55,

Mark xiv. 49.

Mark i. 39, ii. 13, He went all round Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom.' See also Luke xiii. 22, xxiii. 5, John iv. 43.

For this purpose, he took all opportunities, in all places, viz. sitting on a mountain, he taught that divine lesson, Matt. v. vi. vii. Mark iv. 1, vi. 6, x. 1, xi. 17. Out of a ship he taught a multitude on the shore,' Luke v. 3, In the temple, Luke xix, 47, XX. 1, xxi, 37, John vii. 14, 28, viii. 2, 20, xviii. 20.

Who the author was of the doctrine which Christ taught, he tells us expressly: it was not his own.

John vii. 16, 17, My doctrine is not mine, but his who sent me. If any is willing to do his will, he will know of my doctrine, whether it be from God, or I speak from myself." Again,

John viii. 28, I am doing nothing from myself,

but even as the Father hath taught me, those things I speak.'

Christ a preacher of repentance and of good works, righteousness, &c.

Mat. iv. 17, Jesus began to preach, saying, Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,' ix. 35. To know the substance of his doctrine, read Matth. v.. vi. vii.

Mark i. 14, and 38, 39, 45, And this he did in all places. Mark iii. 14. He sent out his apostles to do the same, chap. vi. 12, for they 'preached repentance.' The doctrine which Christ preached was, as before, ' repentance.' And in his sermon on the Mount, Mat. v. vi. vii. Christ taught,

Mat. v. 3, 'Blessed are the poor in spirit;' that is, they who are deeply sensible of their own spiritual wants, imperfections, or infirmities.

4, Blessed are they who mourn,' who are the spiritual mourners, for they shall be comforted.' 5, Blessed are the meek,' &c.

6, Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness,' greatly desire to become righteous.

7, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

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Blessed are the pure in heart.'

9, Blessed are the peace-makersBlessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,' &c. Again,

vers. 14, 16, 17, 20, Ye are the light of the world. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and may glorify God who is in heaven. I came not to destroy,' or to dissolve the obligation (or authority) of the law." No, on the contrary, I came to fill up,' or to make a more perfect explication of the law, than your teachers have given you; for except your righteousness be more perfect than that of the scribes and pharisees, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.'