Matthew — Chapter 7
These annotations are from the original 1582 Rheims New Testament, produced by English scholars in exile at the English College of Rheims. The archaic spelling is preserved.
This content was digitized from the original 1609 Douay (Old Testament) and 1582 Rheims (New Testament) print editions by OCR. The OCR process sometimes confused print page numbers with verse numbers, and may have assigned annotations to the wrong chapter. Chapter and verse labels on this page reflect the OCR output from the original print pagination and may not correspond to canonical Scripture chapter/verse numbers. For canonical reference, consult a standard Douay-Rheims edition. The annotation texts themselves are authentic 1609/1582 Douay-Rheims content.
Verse 1
1. Iudge not.) It is no Christian part to iudge il of mens actes, which be in themselues good, and may proceed of good meaning, or of mans inward meanings, and intentions, which we can not see; of which fault they must beware, that are too suspicious, and given to deeme alwayes the worst of other men. But to say, that Iudas, or an Heretike euidently known to die obstinatly in heresie, is damned, and in al other playne and manifest cases, to iudge, is not forbidden.
Verse 6
6. Holy to dogs.) Worthy receauing. No holy Sacrament, and specially that of our Sauiours Blessed Body, must be giuen wittingly to the unworthie, that is, to them that have not by confession of al mortal sinnes examined and proued themselues. See the Annot. 1. Cor. 11, 27. 28. 29.
Verse 8
8. Euery one that asketh.) Al things that we aske necessarie to saluation with humilitie, attention, continuance, and other due circumstances, God wil undoubtedly grant when it is best for us.
Verse 15
15. Clothing of the sheep.) Heretikes wolues in sheep skinnes. Extraordinarie apparance of zeale and holines, is the sheeps cote, in some Heretikes: but these of this time weare not that garment much, being men of unsatiable sinne. This is rather their garment, common to them with al other Heretikes, to crak much of the word of the Lord, and by pretensed allegations & *sweet words of benediction, and specially by promise of knowledge, light and libertie of the Ghospel, to seduce the simple and the sinful. *Rom. 16,18.
Verse 16
16. Fruits.] Heretikes known by their fruits. These are the fruits which Heretikes are knowen by, diuision from the whole Church, diuision among themselues, taking to themselues new names and new maisters, inconstancie in doctrine, disobedience both to others and namely to spiritual officers, loue and liking of themselues, pride and intolerable vanting of their owne knowledge aboue al the holy Doctours, corruption, falsification and quite denying of the parts of Scriptures that specially make agaynst them, and these be common to al Heretikes lightly. Othersome are more peculiar to these of our time, as Incestuous mariages of vowed persons, Spoile of Churches, Sacrilege and profanation of al holy things, and many other special points of doctrine, directly tending to the corruption of good life in al states.
Verse 21
21. Lord, Lord.] Not only faith. These men have faith, otherwise they could not inuocate, Lord, Lord Ro. 10. But here we see that to beleeve is not enough, and that not only infidelitie is sinne, as Luther teacheth. Yea Catholikes also that worke true miracles in the name of our Lord, and by neuer so great faith, yet without the workes of justice shal not be saved. 1. Cor. 13. Againe, consider here who they are that haue so often in their mouth, The Lord, the Lord, and how litle it shal auaile them, that set so litle by good workes, and contemne Christian justice.