In what manner the Lord would make him-selfe knowne to the Diuells. CHAP. 21.
FO•…•… the diuels hadde this knowledge, they could say to the Lord in the flesh: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 haue we to do with thee, O Iesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy vs * 1.1 〈◊〉〈◊〉 time? Here is a plaine knowledge without charity: they feare to be pla∣•…•…y him, but loued not the iustice in him. Their knowledge was bounded •…•…is will, and his will with conuenience: But they knew him not as the Angels 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him, that participate of his Deity in all eternity, but vnto their terror, out of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 clutches, he quit those y• he had predestinated to his Kingdom of true eter∣•…•…y, and eternall glorious truth. The diuels therefore knew him not as hee 〈◊〉〈◊〉 life eternall, the vnchangeable light, illuminating all the godly who re∣•…•…hat light to the purification of their hearts by faith, but they knew him by •…•…mporall effects of his presence, and secret signes of his vertue, which the di∣•…•… angelicall sences might easilier obserue then mans naturall infirmity: •…•…gnes when he suppressed, the Prince of diuels made question of his Dei∣•…•…empted him for the (b) tryall of his Deity, trying how farre hee would •…•…m-selfe to bee tempted, in (c) adapting his humanity vnto our imitati∣•…•… (d) after his temptation when the good and glorious Angels (whome •…•…els extremely feared) came and ministred vnto him; then the diuels gotte * 1.2 •…•…nd more knowledge of him, and not one of them durst resist his command, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hee seemed infirme and (e) contemptible in the flesh.
L. VIVES.
ANgelicall (a) sences] Christs miracles were more admired of the Angells and Di∣uels then of men, because they knowing the causes of thinges, saw natures power con∣•…•… * 1.3 and transcended. Now men though they saw them strange, yet wanted there not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to say hee cast out diuels by Beelzebub, their Prince: not so much beleeuing this indeed, •…•…g that the simple multitude should beleeue it. And others of later time haue false∣•…•…ged him with art Magicke, against whome (by GODS helpe) I will deale at large 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bookes De sapientia Christiana. (b) For tryall] The Diuell generally tempts man to 〈◊〉〈◊〉, but here he aymed not so much at sinne (for he knew his sanctity at least neare inex∣•…•…ble) but his fetch was to see whether the Deity were in this humaine forme. (c) A∣•…•…g] Because he would not seeme exempted (by passing vntempted) from humaine con∣•…•…: Nor should his seruants after him, thinke much to be tempted, seeing that old 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…nemy of man didde not spare CHRIST him-selfe. (d) After temptation] This * 1.4 •…•…mplary also: For as none shall passe vntempted, so if none yeeld to the temptation, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shall all inioy the solace and ministery of Angels, as Hierome saith. (e) Contemptible] 〈◊〉〈◊〉, needy, of meane birth and place, farre from ostentation, and hauing his socie∣ty of such like as hee was.