as God doth promyse to nourishe me Thou Sathan doste bynde his grace vnto breade but he on the contrary parte witnesseth that his grace is sufficient to nourishe and succoure vs Nowe let vs consyder what kynde of temptation this was surely suche a one with the which Sathan dayly fighteth against vs For the sonne of God would not suffer any vnwonted temptation but would fight in the same battaile that we fight in to the ende that we being fournished with the same armoure wherewith he was armed nede not doubt of the victory but that already we haue the palme in our handes 4 But he aunswered and said It is wrytten man shal not lyue by bread only but by euery woorde that proceadeth out of the mouthe of God. And he aunsvvered and. C. First this is here worthy to be noted that Christe taketh the scripture for his buckler for this is the true kynde of fight if we couet to haue the victory Neyther in vayne doth Paull call the woorde of God the sworde of the spirite M. Christe coulde by his deuine power haue caste Sathan into the bottomles pit but for our sake he would ouercome his temptations that his deceites should not only be frustrate but also we that shoulde followe thereby might learne howe to fight A. That we being well appointed with the armoure of the woorde of God might bouldely resiste our enemy the deuell C. Whereby also we may gather that the Papistes hauing made a league and agremente with Sathan as it were to caste out the soules of men to th ende they may cruely of hym be destroyed they suppressing the scripture do despoyle the people of God of their armoure with the whiche they might only defend them selues For they whiche caste from them this armour and exercise not thē selues daily in the schole of God are worthy euery houre to be in daunger of the deuell to whome they do betraye them selues Neyther is there any other reason why Sathan should so spoyle and ouercomme so many were it not that God would be reuēged on their negligence and contempt of his woorde Now we must consider the testimony of Moyses whiche Christe citeth Man shall not liue by bread M. By this word bread he vnderstandeth all maner of foode what soeuer we vse to the sustentation of our body Loke in the sixt chap. folowing Some very falsely wreste this testimony of Moyses as if it had bene saide that the liues of mē were not nourished with visible breade but with the worde of god In some respect this is true but Moyses respected another thing For when they had no other breade at hande he sheweth that Manna was an extraordinary foode to the people that by this document it might be witnessed for euer that the life of men is not included in bread but to depend at the wil and pleasure of god The woorde therefore in this place is not takē for doctrine but for the decrée which god published to the defending of the order of nature to the nourishing of his creatures Neither doth he reiecte men which are the workemanship of his handes but for this cause he powreth life into them that once being geuen he may daily sustaine the same The woorde is the vertue and power of God by the whiche we be sustained as well without meate as with meate whether he place any other thinge in steade of meate as Manna which he gaue to our forefathers or nothing as he kept and preserued Moyses Helias and Christe so many dayes C. So saythe the Apostle he ruleth all thinges with the woorde of his power That is al the worlde is preserued all the partes thereof abide in their proper state at his becke and decrée by whom al thinges are gouerned Therefore although we be fed by breade yet we must not attribute our lyfe to the vertue of the same but to the secrete power of his grace whiche God inspireth in the bread to feede vs. Whervpon also it followeth that God whiche vseth the ordinary meane of bread to our sustentatiō will otherwise whē it pleaseth him fede vs that we may liue B. Therfore the aunswere of Christe is in effecte thus Although I honger yet God by his power can preserue me still as he hathe done hitherto without meate that I shal not nede to make these stones breade A. Neyther is the power of my father tyed vnto breade By this sentence of Moyses therefore their wickednes is condemned wiche counte that their lyfe and felicitie to haue aboundace and superfluitie of all thynges pertayning to the body Here also is reproued the distruste wicked carefulnes whiche causeth vs to seke after vnlawfull thinges And to this point the aunswere of Christ is properly directed that we must so trust to receiue our foode and other thinges necessary to our life that we passe not the boundes limited vnto vs. For if Christe thought it not lawfull and mete to make breade of stones contrary to his fathers commaundement muche lesse it is lefull to get our liuinge by rapine violence murther bribery extortion vsury and suche lyke We knowe it was sayde to Adam in the beginning Thou shalt get thy liuing in the sweate of thy browes And Paule He whiche laboureth not let hym not eate And againe if any prouide not for his housholde he hath denied the fayth and is worse then an infidele And these places are wrytten leaste that any man should take occasion to lyue idely refuse the labour of his handes whiche God hath appoynted to get our liuing by 5 Then the Deuell toke hym into the holy cittie and set hym on a pinnacle of the temple Then the deuell toke him M. This is the other temptation of Sathan by the which what he wente aboute we may gather by the aunswere of Christe Luke resiteth this in the second place but the Euangelistes ment not so to order the history that they would obserue and kepe alwayes exactly the order of tyme but rather to gather the speciall thynges that they might set forthe as it were in a glasse or table those thynges whiche were moste proffitable to bee knowen as concernyng Christe This therefore shall be sufficient for vs to knowe that Christe was tempted thrée manner of wayes But whiche was the fyrste seconde or thyrde it maketh no matter vnto vs. A. Here Mathew declareth that Christ was taken of the deuell and set vppon the Pinacle of the temple E. But howe he was taken and caried whether by force or by his own free wyll following the Deuell C. Or whether he were caried through the aire or whether it were done by a vysion it is not for the godly to searche It may be that there was no small tyme betwene the first and seconde temptation and betwene the seconde and the thyrde but that there was some distaunce whiche is moste lykely although by the wordes of Luke it is gathered
contempte of the woorde of God and that Religion myght not altogether be despysed and of no reputation amonge the vnlearned But the defence of Christ with the which he dothe purge his doctrine oughte to animate and incourage vs If we at this daye haue the lyke reproche and false accusations layde against vs. This cryme also was layde againste Paule sayinge that he was an Apostata contrary to the lawe of god Wherefore it is no marueyle if the Papistes in like sorte falsely accuse vs and rayle against vs. But by the example of Christe we must reiecte all false accusations and not regarde them notwithstanding we muste frely professe the truthe although it be subiect to false sclaunders B. But here this woorde Lavve is taken for the doctrine ordeined for the institution of lyfe by the wyll of god Wherfore immediatly the lorde dothe adde to the Lawe the Prophets also saying I am not come to destroye the Lawe and the Prophetes that so he might more plainely declare what he ment by the Lawe namely the doctrine and institution of life which the Prophetes shewed and declared also It is certaine therefore whatsoeuer thinges are written in the Lawe do appertayne to this ende namely to call the minde of man to the perfecte and true righeousnes that the man of God may be perfect and prepared to all good woorkes The whiche also the lorde signifieth when after the exhortation to the lighte of good workes and the necessitie of fulfillinge the lawe he addeth that therfore he came to fulfill the same And so we vnderstand by the Lawe and the Prophetes the doctrine of God comprehended in the holy scriptures by the whiche men are instructed to liue righteously and godly in this present world whiche is comprehēded in this that we trust in God that we feare and loue him with all our mynde to the whiche our elders added and appointes the Lawes of sacrifices and of other ceremonies of the tabernacle Furthermore that we loue our neighbour as our selfe to the whiche was added ciuile Lawes Laste of all that we vse those thinges cōtinently and comly with modestie which the necessitie of the body requireth to the whiche also appertaineth whatsoeuer is cōmaunded for the cleannes and comlines of bodies to the which are added certaine externall purifiynges To destroie M. The Lawe is destroyed or broken when that it is made voyde of none effecte by false expositions traditions of men or els when as men do violate and breake the preceptes thereof either by the imbecillitie weakenes of the fleshe or els by a wicked contemptuous minde But here he vnderstandeth the destroying of the Lawe after the first māner namely by false expositiōs A. To breake the Lawe and to destroy the lawe are all one as appeareth by the saying of Christe in Iohn If a man on the Saboth daye receiue circumcision without breaking of the lawe of Moyses disdayne ye at me because I haue made a man whole on the Saboth day No I came not to destroye C. God truly had promised a new league by the cōming of Christ but he had shewed also that it shoulde littell differ from the first but rather this to be the end that he would obserue kepe the league whiche he made with his euen from the beginning I wil wryte saith he my Lawes in their hartes I will forget their sinnes By these woordes he doth not so departe from his former league that he woulde deny his laste to be firme and sure when the newe succeded And this is the meaning of the woordes of Christe when he saide I came not to destroy but to fulfil the Lawe For truly he fulfilled it in quickning the dead letter with his spirite thē shewing the same in dede whiche was declared vnder figures signes Therfore in respect of doctrine we must imagine no abrogation of the Lawe in the comming of Christe For seing that it is an euerlasting rule to lyue well and godly by it must be immutable euen as there is one only permanente righteousnes of God which is cōprehended therin As touchinge ceremonies although they may be thoughte improper and not pertayning to the Lawe notwithstanding they wer only abrogated in vse but the signification abideth still Wherefore the comming of Christe did detracte nothing no not from ceremonies but rather the truthe of shadowes being declared it doth bring great cōfirmation vnto them when we beholding the true effecte do perceiue that they are not vayne and vnprofitable Let vs learne therefore to kepe this holy bonde and knot of the Lawe and the Gospell inuiolable the whiche many do breake amis and very fondly M. Christe fulfilled the Lawe and the Prophetes first by his comming in the fleshe when as he fulfilled those thinges whiche are written in the Lawe and the Prophetes as concerning his kyngdome and the redemption of mankynde promysed longe before Of the whiche Luke speaketh in his .xxiiij. chap. Therefore as saint Paule saythe Christ is the fulfilling of the Lawe to all them that beleue Do we then destroye the Lawe through faythe God forbidde but we rather mayntaine the Lawe 18 For truly I saye vnto you tyl heauen and earth passe one iot or one title of the Lawe shall not escape till all be fulfilled For truly I saye vnto you Bu. Although that whiche was spoken of before was made manifest enough yet for all that it is more strongely confirmed agayne by the mouth of the lorde For he vseth a moste vehement othe and confirmation saying For truly I saye vnto you Truly is a worde peculier to the Hebrewes confirming and wytnessing the truthe for this cause it is so often repeted of the lorde And the Apostell Paule saythe All the promyses of God by Christe are yea and are in hym amē vnto the lande of god Whiche is as if he shoulde haue sayde all the promyses of God are sure and certaine by Christe Tyll heauen and earth passe Luke in woordes somwhat differeth but in sence he very well agreeth saying It is easier for heauen and earth to perishe then for one iot or titell of the Lawe to fayle For the holy ghoste would teache by both places that there was nothing so fyrme and stable in the whole worlde as the truthe of the lawe that truly in euery pointe Some very subtilly dally with this woorde Vntill As though the vanishing of heauen and earth whiche shal be at the last daye of iudgement shoulde bringe an ende to the Lawe and the Prophetes And truly euen as then tounges shall cease and prophecies shal be taken awaye euen so we thinke that the Lawe written with the exposition of the same shall cease But because Christe spake more symply suche intisementes being set to allure this shal be sufficient for vs to note that heauen shal perishe and the whole worlde shall decaye before the stabilitie and strength of
fealynge of oure infirmitye oughte not to staye vs from taking that in hand whereunto the Lorde doothe calle vs but it oughte rather to restrayne oure rashenesse leaste wée goe beyonde oure callinge It shoulde also stirre vs vp to Prayer that God whiche gaue vs power to beginne wel wil also geue grace to perseuere and goe forewarde And sate vvith the Seruauntes to see the ende A. Luke saithe that he sate with them by the fire as appeareth by these wordes And when they hadde kindeled a fire in the middest of the Pallaice and were sette downe togeather Peter also sate downe amonge them To see the ende Bee oulde here the Ende why Peter followed Christe namely that he mighte sée what woulde becomme of hym This Narration as concerninge Peter which oure Euangelist Mathew hath here begonne is ended in the thrée score and nienth verse folowinge In the meane tyme he writethe what was donne vnto Christe by Caiphas 59 The Chiefe Priestes and the Elders and all the Councell soughte False witnesse againste Iesus for to putte hym to Deathe The Chiefe Priestes and the Elders M. Mathewe sayde before that the Scribes and Elders of the people were gathered togeather in the House of Cayphas Nowe he describethe wherefore they were gathered togeather namely to consulte by a common Councell aboute the Deathe of Christe Soughte False vvitnes C. By theise woordes the Euangelistes doo note that the Priestes Scribes and Elders of the people wente aboute nothinge les then to enquire of the cause that the mater beeinge founde out they mighte minister vnto him iustice for thei had fully determined before to destroy Christ and nowe onely they seeke howe to oppresse him And it cannot be that equity shall take any place when the cause is not firste knowen Theire False and wicked Crueltye bewraiethe it selfe in that they seeke for False Witnesses A. S. Iohn saithe that Christe was demaunded as concernynge hys Disciples and his Doctrine by the hie Priest the which the other thrée haue omitted 60. But they founde none yea when many False VVitnesses came yet founde they none At the laste came twoo False VVitnesses and saide But they founde none B They did not gather a Councell that the cause of Christe might be knowen and that truth mighte take place but only to condemne him by False Testimonie and to deliuer him vp to Pilate to be slaine C. In the whiche they doo notably declare their Crueltye And where as they beeinge disappointed of theire hope doo persiste notwithstandinge in their wicked pourpose wée maye the better perceiue theire blinde obstinacie Therfore in that blind madnesse the Innocencie of the Sonne of God did shine notwithstanding that the Diuels them selues might know that an Innocent was put to death B. For the Lorde was so cleare not onely from all euill but also from all shewe of Euill that the whole coūsaile could finde no false witnesse to come in agaynst hym that they might haue any likelihoode or shew of Truthe Chiefely wee muste note this Innocencie of Christe not so mutche in this presente Publique Action as in that also whiche Pilate did as hereafter followethe I saye wée muste note this as the speciall Heade of oure Saluation and principall place and fruite of the Lordes Passion For it was méete that wee shoulde haue suche a Hye Prieste which is Holy Harmelesse Vndefiled and seperated from Sinnes that wée through him mighte be made the Rightuousnes whiche is allowed of god S. Marke hathe Many bare False Witnesse againste him but theire witnesses agreed not togeather At the laste came in tvvoo False A. False Testimonyes of other here mentioned by Mathewe are not spoken of by the other Euangelistes but are simply condemned of Falsehoode and vanity and the Testimonye of these menne is therefore brought foorthe because it hath somme shewe of Truthe 61. This Fellowe saide I am able to destroye the Temple of God and to builde it againe in three daies This Fellovve saide Howe are theise called False Witnesses seeinge wée reade that they saide nothinge but that whiche Christe spake C. But wee muste note that they are called False Witnesses not only which bringe foorthe a Lie made of nothynge but also whiche doo cauellingly peruerte those thinges whiche were trewely spoken and wreste them to a Faulte Of the which mater wée haue here an example as concernynge the Ruine and Newe Buildinge againe of the Temple Christe truely saide that when they had destroyed the Temple of hys Bodye he woulde rayse it agayne in thrée Dayes So that nowe the False Witnesses doo not deuise a newe Lye but doo depraue and misconstrue his woordes as though he woulde haue vsed somme Legierdumaine or craftie conueiance in building the Temple For he saide not I can destroye or I will destroye but Christe saide Destroye yée or if yee doo destroye attributing the destruction of the Temple vnto them not to him selfe Furthermore he said not This Temple made with handes but they beinge superstitious diuised it estéeminge the Temple made of Stoane to be more excellente and Holy then the Spirituall Temple whiche is a faithfull Soule And of that superstition spronge that Iewishe crueltie whiche not onely Christe fealt but the Prophetes also and S Steuen The same Superstition also raigneth at this daye To conclude he coulde not by righte be called the Destroyer of the Temple of God whiche destroyed not the Temple to the ende it mighte lie waste but that it mighte be better then it was before If thei did not beleue that he could make it better why did they beleue that he coulde destroie it in thrée daies seinge the same also was impossible to man Wherefore Marke saithe But yet their Witnesses agreed not togeather 62. And the Chiefe Priest arose and said vnto him Answearest thou nothing VVhy doo these beare VVitnesse againste thee And the Chiefe Prieste arose M. Although this Testimonye was not sufficiente to bringe Condemnation yet notwithstandinge the Hie Prieste for too mutche desire that he hadde to kille Christe coulde not pretermitte this with silence but risinge in hys Authoritie goeth aboute to exaggerate the matter and to make it more hainous C. But it is certayne that Christe helde hys peace when False Witnesses pressed hym not only because they were vnwoorthy of Confutation but also because he did not nowe séeke to be loused knowinge that hys houre was comme Notwithstandynge Cayphas tryumphethe because of hys silence as thoughe he helde his peace because he was ouercomme euen as they doo whose Consciences accuse them But the wickedness of Caiphas was the more in that he dissemblethe Christe not to be without faulte because false Witnesses doo stande againste him For that is the meaninge of this question VVhy doo these beare vvitnesse against thee As if he had saide Howe commeth it to passe that these menne comme agaynste thée but only that Conscience causeth them Neither are they thine enimies without a cause M. What notable wickednesse
Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Almah They do shamefully coÌ„tende against Mathew who proueth that Christe was borne of a virgin where as the Hebrewe worde simplely signifieth a yong wenche or damsel Also they scorne and mocke vs whiche being deceiued the woorde being wrested amis do beleue that he was borne of the holy ghoste whome the prophete sayth to be only the sonne of a mayde And first they take to much occasion in this to raile when they vrge the name to be vnderstode of a yoâ—…ge damsel knowen vnto a man which name of damsell the scripture in diuers places geueth to virgins B. For by this name Rebecca was called wheÌ„ she was craued to be geuen to wife vnto Isaac Also Mary the sister of Moyses wheÌ„ she was bed of Pharaos daughter to fetche the Nurice she was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Almah which in lattin is either Adolescentula or puella a damsel or wenche Moreouer the Etymology or force of the woorde is here to be noted whiche signifieth a hiding by the whiche may also be noted the shamefastnes of virginitie They bring on place out of the .xxxi. Chapter of the Prouerbes which notwithstanding doth nothing at al helpe them There Salomon speaketh of a damsell which a yong man founde But it followeth not at all that she is corrupted or defiled whiche is beloued of a yonge man But nowe let vs graunte that whiche they require of the name yet notwithstanding the matter it self doth ouercome constraine theÌ„ to confesse that the prophete doth speake of a miraculouse and an vnwonted birth He crieth that he bringeth a signe froÌ„ the lorde not common but suche a one as excelleth all other signes and tokens If he only should haue said that a woman shal bring forth a sonne how ridiculous wold that great preface haue bene We see that by peruersenes vntowardnes the Iewes do not only make them selues but also the deuine misteries of God to be a scorne or ieste And they shall call M. So the olde latinistes do reade it and so doth Chrysostome very well witnes that it must be read in his fift homely But Matthewe sayde they shall call putting it to the nomber of the multitude For he respected the persone of the people whiche sayde God with vs That is to saye they greatly reioyced to them selues of suche a byrth Somewhat the Euangelist hath altered the woordes of the prophesie for there it is read vocabis thou shalt call in the foeminine gender or els vocabit she shall call that it may be referred to the virgin whiche brought forth His name Emanuel This is an Hebrew worde compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with vâ—â—nd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 god C. For the scripture doth often tymes so speake that God is with vs when as he asisteth vs and helpeth vs with his grace and stretcheth out his arme ouer vs to be our defence But here is expressed the meane by the whiche God doth communicate with meÌ„ For without Christe we are alienate froÌ„ God but by Christe we are not only receiued into his grace and fauour but also we are made one with him Our iniquities haue so withdrawen vs from God and made suche a diuision betwene him and vs And also our sinnes haue caused him so farre to hyde his face from vs because he would not heare vs that none but he whiche was adioyned vnto hym euen Iesus Christe might appease his wrath This thing was lamentable and past all hope of recouery if the great and excellent maiestie and power of God had not come downe to vs when it was not in vs to ascende vnto hym Wherefore the sonne of God is made God with vs and that vpon this condition that euen as he adioyned his deuinitie vnto vs euen so that he might couple our humanitie to his deuinitie otherwyse we should haue had neither sufficient néerenes neither sufficient affinitie or kinred to haue made vs hope and beleue that God is with vs so much in al poinctes did our humilitie disagrée from the maiestie of god But wheras Paule doth teach that the Iewes were nere vnto God vnder the lawe and that there was mortall dissention betwene them the Gentyles he meaneth nothing els but that God did geue theÌ„ to the people which he chose to him selfe signes of his presence in types and shadowes For the promise whiche he made vnto them was great As this Thou shalt be blessed aboue all other nacions Also he sheweth his worde vnto Iacob his statutes and ordinaunces vnto Israell he hathe not delte so with any natioÌ„ neither haue the Heathen knowledge of his lawes But when as the familiar copulation of the people with God did depende of the mediator that whiche was not in dede fully accomplished was shadowed in signes tokens His seate or mantioÌ„ place is placed betwene the Cherubins because it was the Arke the figure of his glory and the visible pledge but the preseÌ„ce of God was shewed no more to the people in shadowes but perfecte and sounde in Christ By the which reason Paule saith that in him dwelleth all the fulnes of the godhed bodely And truly otherwyse he should not be the lawfull mediator excepte the inseparable connexion and knitting together of both the natures in Christ should adioyne men vnto God. Christ therfore being the woorde of his father became fleshe and dwelt among vs men and that because children are partakers of his flesh and bloude and because he him selfe also toke parte with them Trewly a wonderful consolation that God is ioyned to vs in Christe by whom he hath reconsiled vs to him selfe all thinges both in heauen and in earth being appeased by his precious bloud as witnesseth S. Paule Which apostell also when he had propounded him a mediator vnto vs called him a man by name as plainly appeareth by his woordes There is one God one mediator betwene God and man euen the man Christe Iesus Lest peradueÌ„ture some man should say but where is that mediator to be sought or whiche waye should we come vnto him Therefore his woordes are in effect thus He is nere vnto you he in manner toucheth you because he is your flesh Going about to shew the same whiche in an other place more plainly he declareth saying we haue not an high priest which cannot haue coÌ„passioÌ„ on our infirmities But was in all pointes tempted like as we are but yet without sinne A. He therfore is the only meane by whom we come vnto god Yea by the which mediator as S. Peter saith we are made partakers of the deuine nature C. Neither is there any cause why the Iewes should make exclamation say that often times the name of God is transferred to those monumentes in the whiche he witnessed him self to be present to the faithful For it cannot be denied but that this name Emanuel hath a
preachers of the word Althoughe theyve impudente yet by this one thinge they are forced to yelde that none can be a successor of the Apostles excepte hee be a preacher For who soeuer teacheth not doth in vaine take vnto him the name of an Apostle A. And this preachinge of the Gospell which Christe here committeth to the mynisters of his word hath also the preachinge of repentance ioyned with it as S. Marke teacheth sayinge that Christe preached thus The time is come and the kingdome of God is at hand Repent and beleue the Gospell And againe hee sayth to his Apostles Thus it is written and thus it behoued Christ to suffer and to ryse againe from death the thirde daye and that repentaunce and remission of sinnes shoulde be preached in his name amonge al Nations To preache the Gospell therefore is to exhorte all men to repentaunce and to pronounce remission of sinnes to all those that repente in the name of Christe who dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification For hee which shal repent and beleue the Gospel sheewinge remission of sinnes shal be saued But as for those that teache not this Gospell but rather their owne dreames who dare say that they are the ministers of Christ and that they are sente and oughte to be receiued All Nacions C. Here Christe without all exception maketh the Gentiles equal with the Iewes and admitteth both of them without difference to the societye of the couenaunt And thus was the Prophesye of Esay fulfilled where hee sayth that Christ is geuen a light to the Gentiles that he might be the saluation of God to the vtmost parte of the earth And this was the meaninge of Marke when hee said To all creatures because after the peace was preached to the househoulde the same was sent to straungers and such as were farre of M. Therefore the doctrine of saluation the grace of Christes kingdome must be offered to all men The father hath so disposed it and for that cause hee sente his sonne into this world and gaue him power of all thinges that the world might be saued by him Wherefore the Gospell must be preached to men and women to oulde yonge to the wise and foolishe yea to all estates not in the lattine tonge as certaine deceyuers and false teachers haue taughte but to euery one in his owne tongue A. And this is to be noted that if all Nations must be taught accordinge to this commaundement of Christe it followeth that all men throughoute the whole worlde were naturally in error and ignoraunce and that neither the Iewes by the doctrine of the law nor the Gentiles by the studye of Philosophye coulde come to the knowledge of the truthe The lawe and the Prophetes did foreshewe the comminge of Christ but they were not able to set forth this lighte of the grace of Christe For the vale honge yet before the harts of the Iewes by the which also at this daye they are kepte from the knowledge of the truth So that the whole worlde withoute the light of the Gospell is in darkenes and in the woorkes of darkenes and so vnder the kingdome of Sathan which is the prince of darkenes Therefore Christe sayth that his Apostles are the lighte of the world that is to say the mynisters of the light of the Gospell Baptizinge them C. Christe commaundeth those to be baptized whiche subscribe to the Gospell and professe themselues to be Dysciples partly that baptisme might be vnto them a pledge before God partlye an outwarde signe of fayth before men For wee knowe that God by this signe declared the grace af his adoption because hee doth ingrafte vs into the bodye of hys sonne that he might count vs of his flocke But as God by this signe confirmeth his grace vnto vs euenso whosoeuer offer thēselues to baptisme do in like maner bynde their faith as with a sure pledge M. What Baptisme is and what it is to baptize reade the thirde Chapter goinge before Christe did not here institute Baptisme for it may appeare out of Iohn that hee baptized his Disciples before And hee doth therefore make mencion of Baptisme here that the Apostles mighte knowe what they shoulde do with those whiche repented and beleeued the Gospell namelye to baptize them in the name of the father of the Sonne and of the holy ghost and to appoint them to keepe those thinges which hee himselfe hath commaunded C. Hereby againe we gather that none are lawfull mynisters of Baptisme but they which also minister the word Whereas therefore it hath bene permitted to priuate men and to women also to minister Baptisme it is contrary to the institution of Christ and a meere prophanation of the Sacrament Moreouer Doctrine is set in the first place because vntill God geeue life vnto the terrestriall elemente by hys word it is not made a sacrament to vs Wherefore let vs knowe that it commeth to passe by the vertue of doctrine that the signes take vnto them a newe nature euen as the externall wasshinge of the fleshe beginneth to be a spirituall pledge of regeneration the doctrine of the Gospell goinge before And this is the true consecration in steede whereof the Papistes bringe in their magicall exorcismes And therefore in Marke it is sayde Hee whiche beleeueth is baptized shal be saued By which wordes Christ doth not onlye exclude hypocrites from the hope of saluation whiche beinge voyde of faith haue only the external signe but also ioyneth baptisme to the holye bonde of doctrine B. Baptisme therefore is ioyned to preachinge as the seale of preachinge by the whiche the faithfull are assured that their sinnes are forgeeuen by Christ and is geeuen to them for a testimony that they are counted of the house should of god C. But because Christ doth commaunde to teach before baptisme be ministered Obiection and will haue those onelye that beleeue to be receiued to baptisme Baptisme seemeth not to be rightly mynistered excepte fayth go before accordinge to the opynion of the Anabaptistes who for that cause deny the baptisinge of Infantes vntill they come to that age that they maye be taught and beleeue This may easely be aunswered if a man waye the order of the commaundemente Christe commaundeth the embassage of eternall saluation to be caryed to all Nations hee confirmeth the same by adding the seale of Baptisme And the faithe of the word is iustly set before baptisme seing the Gētiles were altogether alienate frō God neither had they any fellowshippe with the chosen people For otherwyse the figure should lye whiche should offer remission of sinnes and the gift of the holye Ghoste to the vnbeleeuinge whiche were not as yet the members of Christe But wee knowe that they are gathered and broughte to the people of God which before were dispersed Neither is baptisme after this sort seperated from faithe or doctrine because althoughe yonge infantes for want
here how the aungel with this only sentence doth cast downe all the seruice of the lawe and the whole opinion of the Scribes and Phariseis when that he pronounceth that at length he shall come whiche shall deliuer his people from their sinnes His people C. No doubt the aūgell called the Iewes the people of Christ to whom he was ordayned ioyned a ruler a king but because shortly after the Gentiles were to be vnited to the stocke of Abraham this promyse of saluation is extended to all one with an other whiche growe into one body of the churche by faith A. as more plainly appeareth by the woordes of the prophete saying I will call her my people whiche was not my people her beloued which was not beloued her to haue obtained mercy whiche had not obtained mercy 22 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the lorde by the prophet saying P. That is to to saye that our sauiour should be borne man of the holy virgin by the power of the holy ghost and should be called according to his office Iesus C. For Mathew comprehendeth whatsoeuer is deuine heauenly in the conception of Christe as easely may be gathered by the vniuersall note whiche he geueth 23 Beholde a maide shal be with child and shal bring forth a sonne and they shal call his name Emanuel which if a man interprete is as muche to saye as God with vs. Behold a mayde shal be This place is plain commonly knowen But the Iewes according to their wōted malice do depraue and corrupt the same yet here they do bewray and shewe forth not only their blinde folishe but also their wicked malice against Christe and his truthe With no lesse impudencie their Rabbines haue gone about to expounde this place of the prophete of Ezechias whiche was then fiftene yeares of age But what vnreasonable falshode is this to laye vp the young man againe in his mothers wombe that he might be sixtene yeares of age and all to obscure the light and to deny a manifest truthe But they are the worthy enemies of Christ whom being stricken with the spirite of madnes God will make foolishe Other somme fayne and imagin to them selues an vnknowen sonne of Achaz whom the prophete did foretelle should be borne But here it may be demaunded by what right he should be called Emanuel and how the lande was subiecte to his authoritie when he died as a priuate man without honour For the same prophete by and by saith that the same childe whatsoeuer he be shal be lorde and ruler of the earth And no lesse fondly do they babble whiche applie this prophesy to the prophetes sonne And truely in this pointe our Christian wryters haue to grosly erred in applying the prophesie in the eight chapter following to Christe There the prophete saith that he was commaunded to go to the prophetisse his wyfe by a vision and by the commaūdement of God to cal the childe that was borne vnto him a spedy robber and a hasty spoyler For there is only noted the troublesomnes of warre with the great destruction and desolation that was at hande Whereby it may easely be gathered that there were diuers causes Let vs seke therefore for the proper sence meaning of this place When king Achaz was afraide Hierusalem being besieged yea he being almoste discouraged with feare the prophete is sent vnto him whiche promiseth that God shall be the keper and defender of the citie But when this simple and vndoubted promise did nothing eleuate his troubled mynde the prophete was bydden to proffer somme signe or token whether in heauen aboue or in earth beneath When this wicked hipocrite cloking his infidelitie denied to haue any signe or token the prophete did more sharpely reproue him and at length said Notwithstanding the lord shal geue you a signe For behold a maide shal conceiue and bring forth a sonne We expounde this to be spoken of Christe in this manner All you which are of the posteritie of Dauid do indeuour so much as in you lieth to abbolishe the grace promised vnto you notwithstanding your distrust shall neuer bryng to passe but that the truthe of God shall alwayes be higher and haue the vpper hande God doth promise that the citie shal be safe and defended from the enemies if his woorde be not sufficient he is ready to geue you according to your own arbitrement a tokē to cōfirme the same You exclude the grace proffered driue the same from you yet shall God abyde firme iust in his counaunt promyse for the promised redemer shall come in whome God wyll shewe him self perfectly vnto his people The Iewes do obiecte that Esay shoulde haue done both folishly and absurdly if that he had geuen a signe to the people in those daies whiche signe was exhibited manifestly shewed vnto them eight hūdred yeres after or thereabout And here very arrogantly they triunphe because that this obiection either by the want of skill and learning or els by the carelesnes and negligence of the Christians was passed ouer with silence But truly the solution and aunswere to this obiection appertaining doth not seme hard if that we consider way that the promise of adoption was geuen to the Iewes whereupon all the reste of the benefites of God did depende and wholy consiste It was therfore a generall promise by the which God did take chose the sonnes of Abraham to be a peculiar people vnto him selfe in the whiche all other speciall promises were founded and stablished Againe the Messias was the foundation of this couenaunt and promise Now let vs note that the cause of the deliuering of the citie was for that it was the sanctuary of God and that from thence the redemer should come This respect being taken away Hierusalem had bene destroyed laide waste an hundred times Now let the godly readers way and diligently consider that when as the kinglike house had reiected the signe proffered of God vnto them whether the prophete conueniently passed to the Messias or no. As if he should haue sayd Although this people are vnworthy of the sauing health whiche I promise from the lorde Notwithstanding God being mindeful of his couenaunt shall deliuer this citie from her enemies Therefore that he might shewe forth no particuler signe for the testifiyng of his grace this might be sufficient enough that the Messias should come of the stock of Dauid Further we must note here that the prophete doth cal the vnfaithful to the general promise because they would admitte no particuler signe It is therfore nowe manifest that the prophet when no miracle might be receiued very aptly and in good time passed to shewe of Christe that the vnbeleuing might conceiue in their mindes that there was no other cause of their deliuerance then the couenaunt made with their fathers Now also resteth to confute their cauil in the