John — Chapter 8

fun@ion. 7, Inte the defert. The faychful people inal ages reforted of devotion inco wildernes to fee men of fpecial and rare holynes , Prophets, Eremices , Anchorices &cc, ro haue their prayers or ghoftly counfel. SeeS. Hierom de vita Hilarion, s+. Elis.) As Elias {nal beche metfenger of Chriftes lacer coming , fo Was Iohn his meffen- gerand Pracurforat his former coming: and therfore is he called Elias, becau(e of his like office and like fpirit. Lue. 1. Grego. ho. 7. in Euang. 18, Eating and drinkin .] The Wicked quarréllers of che World mifconttre eafely al he adctes and life of good men, I they be great fafters and auftere liuers , they are bla(phemed and counted hypocrices:if they conuerfe With other men in ordinary maner,then they be counted ditfolute.

difciples knewe him nor, nor efteemed of him fo much as of Iohn their owne Mailter, thertore did he fend them vato Chrift, that by occalion of Chriftes aniwer he might che berrer inftruct them What he was, and fo make them Chriftes difciples, pre- ferring them to a better Mutter.

ofthe World,the comming of Antichrift,and fuch other Gods fecretes, This is ynough in that cafe, moments of to be aifured that Chrilts faith fhal be preached, and the Church (pred through out al Nations, things to come the Holy Ghoft concurring continually wich the Apottles and their Succeilors tor che fame. pertaine not to 11, Affiampred from you.] By this vilible Afcending of Chrift to heauen and like recurne from ys, thence to iudgement, the Heretikes do increduloufly argue,him not to be inthe Sacrament. But ler Chrift is af the faithful rather vine eare to S. Chryfoitome faying thus:O muracie, be that fitteth vvith the Father ded ind cen- in heauen aboue, at the very fame time & handled of men beneath. Chrift aicending to heauen , both hathbu lly 4 th 5 flefh vith him, and left it vvith us beneath, Elias being taken up, left to hic Difciple bis clokeenly: So ene. but the Sonne of man ajcending left hu ovune flefh tous, Li, 3 de Sacerd, Ha,2 ad po. vine, in fine. Ho. de ament. inst. eo paup.in fine,

to the diuertities of ftates, or other differences. of merires and ftates, as thar the hundred fold agrecth to virgins profeiled,threeicore fold to religious WidoWes, rewardes. thirtiefold to the maried. V4ug.te. de S. Virgimit.c.a4 @& (eq. Which truth the old Heretike Iouinian denied (as ours doe at this day) affirming that there isno ditherence of merites or rewardes, Hero. li. 2 adv. louia, Ambrof, ep. 82, Aug. her, 82.

this of defrauding their parents vnder precenfe of religion : or Which at the left be frivolous, vaproficable , and impertinent to ptetie or true Wort hipe,as that orher fort of (o often Wafhing hands and veifels without regard ot inward The difference puritic of hart and mind.Let no man therfore be abuied With the Proreftants peruerte application berwene the of this place againit the holy lawes , canons, and precepts of the Church and our fairicual Gouer- lewifh tradi- nours , concerning faites, teftiuicies , and other rules of difcipline and due order in life andin the tions here re- feruice of God. Fer firch are nor repugnant but confonant to Gods Word and al pietie, and our prehended, and

Elias in name, to Wit, Ioan the Baptift, Who is come already in the {pirit and vertue of Elias. So that it is not [ohn Baptift only nor principally of whom Mala- £¥##. 17. chie prophecieth (as our Aduerfaries tay) but Elias alfo him felfin perfon, Mal. 4.56 19, Why could not We.} No maruel if che Exorcifts of the Catholike Church Which haue power to caft our diuels,vet doe it nor alwaies when they Wil,and many times With mucha doe: Wheras the Apoftlcs haumng receiued this power *betore ouer vncleane tpirites, yet here canot caft thé out. Met, 19. * Butas tor heretikes,chey can neuer doe it,nor any other true miracle,to confirme their falfe taith.

Gods word and myfteries is giuen , then to the common people. Asalfo to Chriftians generally, that Which Was not giuen to the obitinate Lewes.

horrour of that execrable murder. asin the Primitiue Churche many good men (eing the miferable {tate of the world in the time of per- fecution, and the iinnes thar abounded Withal: rookean occation to tortake rhofe rumults,and £0 giue them felues co contemplation : and for that purpoie retired into the deterts of Agyptand els where , to doe penance for their owne finnes and the finnes of the world . wherevpon partly rote tharinfinice number of Monkes and Exemites, of Whom the fathers and Eccletiaftical hifto- ries make mendon. Hiero. to. 2 in vit. Pauli Eremite. Sozo. lit ¢. 12.13.

forthough (he were ful of al diuine wifedom, and opened (no doubr) vnro the Euangeli(tes and other Writers of holy Scriptures, diuerfe of Chrilts actions , {peaches, and myfte- ries, Whéreof fhe had both experimental and reuealed knowledge: Yer for thac {he Wasa Woman, and the humblett creature liuing, and the paterne of al oraer and obedience, it pleated not God thatthere thould be any further note of heriite, doings, or death,in the Scriptures. She pyer Life, liued the reft ofher time With the Chriftians (as here Che is peculiarly named and noted among Jo. 19, 26- chem) and (pecially with S. Iohn the Apoitle, * to Whom our Lord recommended her. Who pro- 27 uided for heral neceffaries, her {poufe fofeph (as it may be thought ) being deceated before. The Diony/. common opinion is that fhe lived 63 yeresin al At the time of her death, (as S. Denys firit, & after Her death, “ps ad Ti- him S. Damatcene de dormit. Detpara. Writeth, } al the Apoitles then difperted into divers nations motheum, tO preache the Golpel, Were miraculoutly brought together ( fauing $. Thomas Who came the third day atrer } to Hierufalem, to honour her diuine departure and tuneral, as the faid S. Denys witneifeth, Who faith thathim feif, S. Timocthee, and S, Hierorheus Were pretent: reftify ing alfo ot his oWne hearing, thac both betore here death and after for three daies, not onely the Apo- ttlesand otherholy men prefent, burthe Angels alfo and Powers of heauen did fing moft melo- dious Hymnes. They buried her facred body in Gethfémani, but for $, Thomas take, Who defired to fee andro reuerence it, they opened the tepulcher the third day, and finding it void of the holy body, burexcedingly fragrance, they recurned, afluredly deeming that her body was aflumpred inco heauen. as the Church of God holdeth, being moit agreable ro the fingular priuilege of the mother of God, and thertore celebrateth moft folemnely the day ot her Aflumption. And thatis confonant nor onely to the faid $, Denys, and S. Damaitcene, but ro holy Athanalius alfo, who auoucheth the fame, Serm. in Enang. de Deipara. of Which Allumption of ner body, $, Bernard alfo wrore fue norable .ermons extant in his workes. Buc neicher chefe holy fathers,nor the Churches tradition and teftimonie, do beare any {Way The vrotefti noW a daies With the Proceftants , thar haue abolifhed this her greaceit teatt of her Aifumption, haue fo featt Of Who of reaton {hould arthe leaft celebrate itas the day of her death, as they doe of other Saina@s, her atal.asch For though they beleeue not that her body is aillumpted, yet they Wilnot ( We trow ) deny that haue of othe. {he is dead, and her foule in glerie: neither can they atke fcriptures for that, no more then they Sains require for che deathes of Peter, Paul, lohn, and other, which be not mentioned in Icriptures & oe yecare ttill celebraced by the Proceitanes, But concerning the B, Virgin M aR 1eE, they haue blor- ted outalfo both her Natiuitic, and her Conception: fo as itmay be thought the Diuel bearetha fpecial maiice to this woman Whofe feede brake hishead. Foras torthe other two daies of her Purifcation & Annunciation, they be not proper co our Lady, but the one to Chrifts Conception, the other to his Prefencation, fo that (he by this meanes (hal haue no (eftiuitie ac al, Butcontrariwife , to contider how the auncient Church and tathersettcemed, fpake, and How the Pri- wrote of this excellent veilel of grace, may make vs deteft thete mens impietie, thar can notabide mitiue Church *Zu.r,e8, the praifes of her *whomal generations fhould call blefled,and thac eiteeme her honours a dero- & auncienr fa- gatid co ner fonne, Some oreh.ii ipeaches we wil fec downe,thar al men may (ee, chat We neither rhers honoured praife her, nor pray to her, moreamply thenthey did, S$. Athanahusinthe place alleaged, after our B, Lady, - hehad declared how al the Angelical {pirits and euery order cf them honoured and praifed her With the Av £, Wherewith S. Gabriel faluted her-: We alfo, faith he, of al degrees vpon the earth 5. AthanaGus, Oo ij extol OurB, Lapy. HerAssv mp. TION. 292 THE ACTES Cua. I extol thee Wich loude voice, faying, Auegrazia plena 8<c. Haile ful of grave » our Lordis vvith thee S.Ephrem. pray for vs 6 Maiftreffe,and Lady, and Queene, and mother ef God. Mottholy and auncient Ephrem, , al(o ina {pecial oration made in praile of our Lady, faith thus in diuerte places thereot, /ntemerata Deipara S&C. Mother of God undefiled, Queene of al, the hope of them that delpaire, my lady moft glo- rious, higher then the heanenty jpirtts, more honorable then the Cherubins , holier then the Seraphins , and uuirhout comparison more siertons thé the fupernal hoftes, the hope of the fashers,the giorie of the Prophets,che praifeefthe Apoftles, Andalitle after. Virgo anse partum, in partu, cy poft partum. by thee vue are reconciled to Chrsjt my Ged, thy fonne : thow art the helper of finners, theu the hauen for them that are toffed evish flormes, the folace of the uvorld, the deliuerer of the emprifoned, the helpe of orphans, the redemption of tines, And afterward, Uouch{afe methy feruant to praijethee. Haile lady MARIE ful of grace, baile Virgin moft bleJed among vvomen. And much more in that fenfe Which were to long to repeate, S. Cyril S. Cyril hach the like wonderful {peaches of her honour, hom. 6. contra Neftorium. Praifeand lavie be to thee ¢ holy Trinitie:ce thee alfo be praife, holy mother of God. for thou art the pretions pearle of the ‘u vorid, thos the candel of unquencheable light, the cravune of Uirginitse,the feepter of the Catholike faith, By thee the Trinitie us glorified and adoredin al the vuorid: by thee heauen reioyceth, Angels and archangels are giad,dinels are put to fight, and man w called agains to heauen,and euery creature that vvas held vuith the erreur of Idols, turned to the know ledge of the crush by shee Churches are foided through the World:thee being their belper, the Gentiles come to penance, and much more Which We omit. Likewife the Greeke _ The Greeke Li- Liturgies or Maifes of S, Iames , S. Bafil, and S. Chryioftom, make moit honorable men- turgies of S. Ia- tion of our B. Lady , praying vnto her, faluting her with che Angelical hymne, due Maria, and mes, S. Bafil, $. vitng thefe (peaches, Mo/t holy , undefiled, bleed aboue al, our Queene, our Lady, the mother of God, Chryfoftom. MARIE, a virgin for ener, the jacred arke of Chrifts Incarnation, broder then the heauens that did/f beara thy creatour , holy mother , of Unjpeakable light , vue magnifie thee Uvith Angelical hymnes, al thin res pajfe underftanding , al things are clortous in thee 6 mather of God , by thee the my/terie before ynknoupen to the Angels, u made manisc/t and reucaled to themon theearth . thowart mare honorable then the Cherubins, and more glorious chen the Seraphins, ro thee, O ful of grace, al creatures, both men and vingels doe gratulate and reieyce: glorie be to thee, Which art a fanctified temple, a /piritual paradi/e,che glorie of virgins,or vuhom Ged tooke hy b and made thy vvombe to be hus throne. &Kc. $, Auguitine. And 5, Auguitine Serm. 13 de Sancis to,10 : or.as fome thinke)5. Fulgentius : O bleed MARIE, Who can be able vvorthily to praije or thance thee , receiueour praiers, obtaine vs our reque/tes , for trou art the * {pesial hope of finners,by thee vve hope for pardon of our firnes,co in thee,o moft bleljed,us tie expectation + Sancta MARtA ofeur revvardes. And tnen folow thete wordes now vicdin the Churches teruice: Sancta Maria fuccurre mife- /mecurre miferu, iuua pufillanimes, réfoue febiles, ora pro popalo, interuent pro clero, intercede pro deuoto fa- ris, &&c, mince [ex Sentiant omnes tuum inuamen, quicungue eeiebrant tam commemorationem, Pray thou conti- “ wuady for the people of God, uvhicle didft deferne to beare the redeemer of the vvorid, Who lixeth and reigneth $. Damaftene. forener. S. Damatcene alfo fer. de dormitione Deipara. Let vs crie vvith Gabriel, Aue gratia plena, Haile ful of grace, Haile fea of soy shat cannot be emptied, vaile the * aneiy eafe of greefes,haile holy virgin, + §. Irenzus. by vuhom death vvas expelled , and life brougitin, SeeS. Lrenazus li, 3 c. 33. and li. 5 circa medium, Unies es untcum & S. Auguitine de fide ty Symbolo.& de agone Cirriffiano. % here they declare how both the fexes con- fe As Adam and “urre to our faluacion, the man and the Woman, Chritt and our Lad),as Adam and Eue both were Eue, fo Chrift & the caute efour fall. thougn Adam tar more then his wifs,and fo Chiilt far more excellently and our Lady. in an ocher forr then our Lady: Who (thougn is mother) yecis bur his creature and handmaid,him felf being uuely both God and man. Inal whicu places aileagea & * many other like to thete, ific See S.Greg pleafe the reader to fee and read , and make his owne eies witnetles, he {hai perceiue that there is Nazien. mauch more faid of ber, and to her, then We haue here recited , and chat the very {ame orthe like in {peaches and termes Were vfed then , thae the Church vfeth now, in the honour fi. Drage and inuocation of Chrittus The meaning the B. Virgin: to the confulion of al thote that Wisfully wil not vnderftand in Whar fenfe al fuch patiens, : {peaches are applied vnto her. to wit, either becaufe of her praier and ivtercetlion for vs, whereb ofthe titles and the is our bone, our refuge, our aduocate cc, or decaute Che prougitt forth the author ofour our B od y redemption and Gluation , Whereby (he is the mother of mercie , ana grace, and life, and whar- ° * foeuer goodnes We receiue by Chait, - died h : 15.Peter rifing up.; Peter inthe meane time practifed his Superiorizie in che cépanie or Church, phe beg jancth publifhing ecieaon to be made of one to fupply ludas roome, Which Peter did not vpon com- Primaci maundement of Chrilt written, but by fuggeltion of Gods Sprit, and by vnderftanding the Scrip- tures of the old Teftament to that purpote : the tenfe whereof Chrift had opened to the Apoitles before bis departure , though in more ful manerafterWard at the tending of the Holy Ghoit. And shis ade of Peter in prefcriving co the Apottles and the reft, this election,aad the maner thereof, is fo evident for nis Supremacie,tnat * che Aduerfaries cout-{Te here that he Was, 4nti/fes, the cheefe Bena im and Bifhop of this whole College and companie. no. Teft.

Paulalfo repeareth AG, 29: he teacheth vs the true vnderitanding of al other places, Where it might feeme by the bare God is nor the Wordes that God isthe very author and Worker of this induration , and biindnes, and of other author of euil. Iven. apuad finnes: * Which was an old condemned blafphemie, and is now the Herefie of * Caluin:whereas Eujeb. (3.5 our Sauiour here teacheth vs, that they (hue their owne eies,and are the caufe of their owne {inne C19. and damnation, God not doing , but permitting it, and {uffering them to fall further becaute of Calu. li, a their former finnes, as 5, Paul declareth of the reprobate Gentiles. Ro. 1. Inflit.ca. 25. OwerfoWed.) Firlt by Chrift and his Apoftles Was planted the truth, dnd falfhod came afterward , and was ouerfowen by the enemy the Diuel, and not by Chrift, who is not the E is j author 33 THE GOSPEL Cua. XI author of euil. Tertul, de prefeript.

Mar. 8, 27. Lue.9, 13. fo. 1, 42. lo. 21, 15. Cua. XVI. ACCORDING TO S. MATTHEW, 45 no body that he vvas Ipesvs Curist. tFrom thactime Lesvs beganto fhevv his difciples, that he muft goeto Hierufalem, & {utter many things of the Ancients & Scribes & cheefe-Prieftes, and be killed, andthe 22 third day mfe againe. tAnd Peter taking him vnto him,began to rebuke him, {aying, Lord, be it farre trom thee, this fhal nor 23 bevnro thee. t Who turning faid to Peter, Goe after me *: Sa- tan , thou arta {candal vnro me: becaufe chou fauoureft nor the things that areof God, butthe things that are of men. 24 tThen Les vs faidto his difciples, fany man wil come after me, lec him denie him (elf, and take vp his croffe, and follow 25 me. tForhe that will (aue his life, {hal lofe it. and he that fhal 26 lofe his life for me, fhal findeic. t For what doth it profitea man, if he gainethe vvhole vvorld, and fuftaine the damage of his foule ? Or vvhat permutation fhal a man giue for his foule: t For the Sonne of man fhal come in the glorie of his father vvith his Angels: and then vvil he render to euery man according to his” vvorkes. -7 28 tAmenIfayto you, * there be fome ofthem thar ftand Mar 5k here , that fhal not tafte death, cil they fee the Sonne of man Lit. 9» . . . :

loaues, fo had they alfo co beftow and dif penfe al the foode of our foules in miniftering ofthe vvord and Sacraments, neither may lay men chalenge the fame,

not only leauing of former finnes , and chaunge or amendemenr of life pat, no nor bare forow fulnes or recounting of our offentes already committed, bur requireth pu- nifhement and chaftifeméc of our perfons by thefe and fuch orher meanes as the Scriptures do els where fer forth, and therfore concerning the Worde alo, icis rather to be called Penance, asin our tranflation:then (as the Aduertaries of purpofe auoyding the word) Repentance or Amende- ment of life: and chat according to the very v{ual fignification of the * Greeke Word in the moft ancient Ecclefialtical Greeke Writers: Who tor Penitentes (Which in the Primitiue Churche did pu- blike penance) fay,* $141 ser reevoie Files, thatis, ACen that are doing penance. And concernir. part of penance Which is Céfeilion,the Ecelefiaftical biftorie calleth ic by the fame Greeke word, Eccl. hier. and the penitents comming to confeilion, yab_ uslayes uglag, Sozom.li. 76. 16. Socrat.li.s e219. and weauers and wemen and girles had this reuclation, and therfore do vnderftand al Scriprures and are able to expound them:but here are fignified the humble , whether they be learned or vn- learned: as When he fayth , Vales you become as litle ones, you (hal. not enter into the Kingdom of And fo alfo the greateft Doors (who as they Were moft leamed , fo moft humbled them felues tothe iudgement of the Catholike Churche) are thefe lice ones : and Heretikes , who although vniearned , yet vaunt their knowledge and their (pirit of vnderitanding aboue al ancient fathers and the whole Churche,can noc be of thefe litleand humble ones.

returne into my houfe vvhencei came out. Andcoming he findeth it va- 45 cant, {vvept vvith befoms, and trimmed. t Then goeth he, and taketh vvirh him feuen other fpirires more vvicked then him felf, and they enter in.and dvvel there : and * the laft of ) a that man be made vvorfethen the firft.So fhal itbe alfo to this vvicked generation. Mar. 3, +6 t As he wvas yer {peaking to the multitudes, * behold his The Gofpel vpé jl. mother and his brethren ftoode vvithout, feeking to {peake seuen Brethren tae 8 47 60 him. tAnd one faid vato him , Behold thy mother and && lulijio. 48 thy brethren ftand without, feeking thee.tBut he anfvvering him thar told him, faid,” Whois my mother, and vvho are 49 my brethren? + And ftrecching forth his hand vpon his Ditci- so Ples,he faid, Behold my mother andmy brethren. t For vvhofoeuer fhal doe the vvil of my father, that is in heauen: he is my brother, and fifter, and mother. 4

of his owne body.aboue nature and contrary ro the natural con- ditions thereof, as to goe througta doore, Jo.20. to bein the compaile of a litle bread. Epiphan. in Anchoraro.

he did asa man, to Witte, calling him therfore, aglutton, a gtcar drinker of wine, afreend of the Publicans , and taking ottente becaufe he kepc company With finners, brake the Sabboth, and (uch like: and this finne might more eafely be furgiuen them , becaufe they iudged of him as they Would baue done of any other man: butthey finned and 34 THE GOSPEL Cua. XIII. and blafphemed againit the Holy Ghoit (called here the finger of God whereby he wrought mi- sacles) When of malice chey attributed the euident Workes of Godin cafting our diuels, to che . diuel him felf: and chis fine Chal not be remitted, because ic (hal hardly be remitted,as we fee by the plague of their pofteritie vnal this day.

prooue Purgatorie thereby, De Cinit. Dei ° liar e103. D. Gregor, Dial, li,« ¢. 39.

be damned euerlaftingly : chen there muft ncedes be tome tem- poral punifhment in che next life.

danger and difturbance of the Whole Church, and committe the matter co Gods iudgemenrin rhe lacer day. Orherwife where il men (be they Herctikes or other male- factors) mgy be puni(hed or fuppretled Wichout difturbance and hazard of the good, they may and ought by publike authority cither Spiritual or temporal to be chaitifed or executed.