A harmony upon the the three Evangelists, Matthew, Mark and Luke with the commentary…A harmonie vpon the the three Euangelists, Matthew, Mark and Luke with the commentarie…

The words of Luke sound somewhat otherwise, That Jesus full of the holy Ghost, returned from Jordan, in which words he signifieth, that he was then armed with a more plentiful grace and power of the spirit, that he might be the more strong to endure such brunts, for the spirit did not in vain descend upon him in a visible shape.

The woordes of Luke sounde somewhat otherwise, That Iesus ful of the holye Ghoste, retourned from Iordan, in whyche woordes hee signifieth, that hee was then armed with a more plentifull grace and power of the spirite, that hee myghte bee the more stronge to endure suche bruntes, for the spirite did not in vaine descende vppon hym in a visible shape.

And it is said before, that the grace of GOD did the more shine out, because that the cause of our salvation so required. The same Evangelist and Mark, do teach that the beginning of his temptations was sooner, for Satan assaulted him forty days also before his hunger: but the especial and most notable conflicts are here declared▪ that we may know that satan being overcome in many conflicts, did more sharply invade, and laid on more strongly with his whole force, ⟨p. 128⟩if it might be, that at length he might oppress him that yet was inuinsible. For as every man is more exercised in spiritual battles, so much more vehemently doth God suffer him to be stricken. Wherefore let us learn never to be wearied, until we have performed the whole course of our warfare, and come to the mark. But at the first sight it seemeth to be absurd that Christ should be subject to temptations: for that men may be tempted, there must be sin and infirmity: I answer, first that Christ had taken our infirmities, but without sin. Then it did no more derogate from his glory that he was tempted, then that he took upon him our flesh. For on this condition was he made man, that he might take upon him our affections together with the flesh. But all the difficulty doth consist in the former clause, how Christ could be compassed about with our infirmity, that he might be tempted of Satan, and yet be pure and free from all sin. But the answer shall not be hard, if we remember the whole nature of Adam, when as yet the pure image of God shined there, and yet was subject to temptations. Howe many corporal affections there are in man, so many occasions of tempting them doth Satan take. And this is worthily accounted the infirmity of humane flesh, to have the senses moved with the things object: but such as was not faulty of it self, except that corruption had been added, whereby it cometh to pass, that Satan doeth never assault us, but that he giveth some wound, or at the least doeth hurt us with some prick. In this point the integrity of nature hath separate Christ from us, yet there is no mean condition to be imagined to be in him, as was in Adam, to whom it was only given a possibility not to sin. And we know that Christ was armed with that power of the spirit, that he could not be pierced with the weapons of Satan.