New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-12-07
ELEMENTS OF CHRIsT's TEMPTATION

I
The Rev Thomas Hastings D. The West Presbyterian Church
The Rev. Dr. Thomas S. Hastings preached
yesterday morning at the West Presbyterian Church. ON
Forty seconds, opposite Rescrvoirsquare. from the
following text Wherefore IN all things 1t behOoved
him to be made like his brethren that he might be
merciful and faithful high priest IN all things pertain
Ing TO God. make reconciliation for tho sins OF the
people For IN that he himself hath suffered. being
tempted he is able TO them that tempted-
Hebrews, H., II, Is.
The last clause Of the text, the preacher said, was
very important for consideration, 1t showed the full
brotherhood of the Son OF God with and this should
give to the hearts OF realization OF comfort. in
connection with mans reconciliation with God. In
hardship and suffering 1t 10 imagine that men
would God for help but in the hour OF tempt-
ZION il was entirely different. Few looked the SAVIOR
TO help change the habit OF ther lives Such hep
Jesus had sympathy for tempted man. and
the similarity OF HIS e 10 Wa ,GoS9 OF men men
so There were many VINO could not picture
His nearness and sympathy. Having en- iGred nuch by
berg tempted He could feel for tempted man. In 50
even unto blood. He knew what sore temptation was,
for He felt the same. Man often lost the sense of
Glory In the consideration this subject there
three important divisions, namely the temptation the
The life OF the SAVIOR. as divine teacher was en-
braeed within the limits OF Two finSes "9 b rJen
No eye witnessed either OF these temptations, and the
tation in the Wilderness event occurred enough to
excite the human nature Tns was tne glorious test-
Whom am well pea sed." Almost Immediately before
the temptation at Getnsemane occurred another glor
GUS event the triumphant entry OF Jos, INTO Jern'a
lem amid shouts of hos 'nnas During the temptation
the Wilderness the surrounding scenery was OF Tue
most desoae character and HE Stvors loneliness was
made the more lonely and Intense; anu 10 the
He was wa, %A the asS
of his approaching tragic end. Tne threefold tempta
serious struggle OF human LIE. IL trial Of self
restraint and the intensity OF the struggle was IN the
ssssed for His own Doncdt. In tue desert huu-
gry and faint. and could easily have Transformed the
stones into bread; but II not His mission TO make
use Himself of power not possessed by others whom
He called brethren 1t was possible tIat ne might nave
from the pinnacle OF the temple and then standing
forth unharned; but 1t was His mission to convert them
dominion OF the wordthat dominion which Satan held
trophy To keep on the OF humanity His task
to exercise His power was His danger. This MAJ.
a palace at u word. He that could have summoned
twelve legiOus of augeis at peck submitted TO nave
pierced In agOnizng manner. The selfrestrint OF
Christ surpassed all human Thought As in the desert
so in the garden. Although He had the power OF self
deiiverance, He was not to use It, He could have
aside the cup Of agony out VIII 6o9d ooz1s
done" Tie actual presence Of Satan III the Wilderness
Savior through the air to tue pinnacle OF the temple on
the top of the mountain bat rather that the temptd
ws Tssq in "s EEvo s Of ha ni
been tempted at some time ,or, or 0'ner . 70
II
Sometimes faith became presumption Men mad often
said they had not been tempted like Christ was
but why should they be, when 1905 wOud serve Ihero
would be take them to the top OF m0un
tain for the pinnacle of temple would answer all
the purpose But Christ was not 80 easily to be secured
Tine two periods Of temptation alluded TO were excep
uona aud had been specially recorded put there was
no doubt that the whole career OF the God man was
perpetual conflict aud constant battle with evil. Sin
H. first suggestive, becomes delight, and finally
the sinner assents All the ancient theologans agreed
on one point that the n6del imaglnaOns OF many, In
passing through the shadow OF the valley OF DEATH
OF the uenQ and not tue human
feelings OF the dying man.
The next thought OF the tempter. Many were
increduOus Ihei existence OF personal devil and
this iDcreduty could only be explained the exist
ence iDexcusabe ignorance OF the proofs Scrip
ture. Satan. prlnceY In his power, with large renue
the god this world, unsuitable and relentless,
continually waRng warfare against men. IL was
thought tnat the world had waited for 1000 years
for the appearance OF Redeemer the devils suprein
acy was without dispute. But fune5s OF time has
come and with II the Incarnation or the Divine Lord
Tue has come TO break down and limit the power
or the arch tend-man's greatest enemy. The teDpta
tons OF Christ therefore incOncevaby greater
than those OF any other man. before or since, and
it was this fact that the world could
could sympathiZe with fallen man through having been
tempted Himself, but 10 His case without sim Satan
was not ignorant OF this divine incarnation. III tho
angels aroused at the birth OF Christ may easily
be- the fallen angels also aroused.
human destiny. and knew well that his power would
soon list THIS a crisis. and the future depended
on the result OF the desperate struggle Man could not
Ia the slightest conception OF the determination with
which tho devil assaied the Savior IL nothing for
him 10 conquer man; but TO conquer Christ would be
victory humanity, and this was 10 DO MS great
effort throughout tue whole OF Chrsps ministry
The next point TO DO considered was mat OF the
tempted one. Man knew go little OF Chrlsps human
nature through admiration. OF the divine But the
human nature Of Jesus not OversladOwed by the
divine. How complete and intensely human lie was
only DO known by careful study OF His me- The
divine nature held that the human should be