Matthew — Chapter 3

1. Desert.) Eremites. Of this world desert (in Greeke eremus) commeth the name Eromitages & Eremites, that liue a religious and austere life in deserts and solitarie places, by the example of S. John Baptist; whom the holy Doctours therfore cal the Prince and as it were the authour of such profession. S. Chrys. ho. 1 in Marcum & ho. de. Io. Baptista. Hiero. ad Eustoch. de custod. virg. Isid. li. 1. c. 15 de divi off. Bernardus de excel. Io. Baptiste. Wherewith the Protestants are so offended that they say, S. Chrysostom spake rashly, and vntruely. And no maruel, for whereas the Euangelist himself in this place maketh him a perfect paterne of pennance, and Eremitical life, for desert or wildernes, for his rough and rude apparel, for abstayning from al delicate meates (according to our Sauiours testimonie also of him Mt. 11, 8. Luc. 7, 33) they are not ashamed to peruert al with this strange commentarie, that it was a desert *ful of townes and villages, his garment was **chamlet, his meate meate ***such as the countrey gaue, and the people there vsed: to make him thereby but a common man like to the rest, in his manner of life: cleane against Scriptures, Fathers, & reason. *Magdeb. Cent. 5, c. 6 pag. 711. **Cen. 1 li. 1 c. 10. ***Cythræus in 3 cap. Mat. Bucerus ibid. See Canis. de verb. Dei corruptelis li. 1 c. 2 3 4.

2. Doe pennance.) Pennance. So is the Latin, word for word, so readeth al antiquitie, namely S. Cyprian ep. 52. often, and S. Augustin li. 13 Confes. c. 12. and it is a very vsual speach in the New Testament, specially in the preaching of S. Iohn Baptist, *Christ himself, and **the Apostles; to signifie perfect repentance, which hath not only confession and amendment, but contrition, or sorow for the offence, and paineful satisfaction: such as S. Cyprian speaketh of in al the foresaid epistle. But the Aduersaries of purpose (as ***namely Beza protesteth) mislike that interpretation, because it fauoureth Satisfaction for sinne, which they cannot abide. Where if they pretend the ****Greeke word, we send them to these places Mat. 11,21. Luke 10,13. 2. Cor. 7,9. Where it must needes signifie, sorowful, payneful, and satisfactorie repentance. We tel them also that *****S. Basil a Greeke Doctour calleth the Niniuites repentance with fasting, and hairecloth and ashes, by the same Greeke word μετανοιαν. And more we wil tel them in other places. *Mat. 4,17. **Luke 13,3. 5. Luke 24,57. ***Act. 2,38. 26:20. ****Μετανοαν Μετανοια. *****Annot. in hunc locum. Serm. in fam. & siccit.

6. Confessing their sinnes.) Iohn did prepare the way to Christ and his Sacraments, not only by his Baptisme, but by inducing the people to Confession of their sinnes. Which is not to acknowledge themselues in general to be sinners, but also to vtter euery man his sinnes.

8. Fruit worthie.] He preacheth Satisfaction by doing worthy fruits or workes of penance, which are (as S. Hierom saith in 2. Ioel) fasting, praying, almes, and the like.

10. The axe.) Here Preachers are taught to dehort from doing euil for feare of Hel, and to exhort to doe good in hope of Heauen: which kind of preaching our Aduersaries doe condemne.

11. In water.) Iohns baptisme and Christs. Iohns Baptisme did not remit sinnes, nor was comparable to Christs Baptisme, as here it is playne, & in manie other places. Hiero. adv. Lucifer. Aug. de Bap. cont. Donat. li. 5. c. 9. 10. 11. Yet is it an article of our Aduersaries that th'one is no better then the other which they say not to extol Iohns, but to derogate from Christs baptisme, so farre, that they make it of no more valure or efficacie for remission of sinnes, & grace and iustification, then was Iohns: thereby to maintaine their manifold heresies, that Baptisme taketh not away sinnes; that a man is no cleaner nor iuster by the Sacrament of Baptisme then before; that it is not necessarie for children vnto saluation, but it is enough to be borne of Christian parents; & such like erroneous positions wel knowen among the Caluinists.

12. Floore.) This floore is his Church militant here in earth, wherein are both good and bad (here signified by corne and chaffe) til the separation be made in the day of iudgement: contrarie to the doctrine of the Heretikes, that hold, the Church to consist only of the good.

16. Opened.] To signifie that Heauen was shut in the old law, til Christ by his Passion opened it, and so by his Ascension was the first that entered into it; contrarie to the doctrine of the Heretikes. See Hebr. 9,8. and 11,40.