That is to say The Humor of sin Others thus For every one shall be salted with fire That is to say Every mind which is salted with the grace of the Holy Spirit shines in knowledge and is beautified with the fear of God Moreover There is no man whosoever he be who can by his craft escape Fire in the World to come for both good and bad shall be tryed for the Fire is to illustrate the Just and not to burn them but the wicked it doth burn and torment Moreover This sense agrees with the words which he spoke before That their fire is not quenched and their worm dyeth not Every sacrifice In both illustrations there is one scope of our Lord. He calls by the name of Sacrifice the Souls and their Faculties which are offered as Sacrifices unto God By salt is to be understood Love and Mercy That is to say That it is requisite that your conversation and minds should be purified by Love and Mercy as it were by Salt and Fire that ye may enter into the Kingdom of Heaven He calls Conversation a Sacrifice and by Salt he means the grace of the Holy Ghost which ye have received that it may be unto you an earnest of those things which are to come Others say That he speaks unto them by way of Admonition that together with the Faith they should take care to keep a good Conversation for as fire doth take off all dross that is in a vessel and purifies it and as every thing that is slain which he here calls a Sacrifice gains a savour by Salt and is preserved from corruption so let your Conversation be in all the World like fire which purifieth from rust and like salt which taketh away insipidness being in respect of your Conversation removed from ancient Customs and a wicked Conversation and as salt is good whil'st it remains in its own nature so also is the Priesthood whil'st it is preserved in its purity and a right Faith and if this lose its savour the Faithful cease in the abcision of Hope because the salt viz. the Priest hath not wherewith to salt that is to give a savour Have salt in your selves That is to say keep in that savouriness which ye have received and let not the World rob you of it Be in peace one with another That is to say Pastors and Flocks for as Contention doth diminish the flocks of Christ so doth Peace preserve and multiply Doctors and Teachers CHAP. X. ANd they shall be both one flesh That is to say in the exercise of Marriage Rites and in respect of what is born of both of them And Jesus beheld him and loved him He did not love him for the reality of his mind yet our Lord loved him and looked upon him for the outward shew which he made unto him and hereby he Taught That whosoever observes these things truly ought to be esteemed a lover of Truth And this is like unto that that Herod was sorry for the request of the Damsel because outwardly he seemed to be so And take up thy Cross and follow me That is to say Crucifie thy Soul against the World and the desires thereof Lands with Persecution That is to say They shall not onely in the World to come receive the reward of their pains in Preaching but here likewise the case being as if one should leave his natural Father and find many spiritual Fathers and Brothers also Lands with Persecution That is to say Monasteries with Xenodochies to wit Houses for Strangers for them who were constituted Governors of them and took care of them by reason of them and the care of them were brought under persecution by strangers and reduced to the Necessities of the World and to Tribulation And James and John the sons of Zebedee approached unto him Mark saith That they desired that they might sit on the right and on the left hand but Matthew writes That it was the request of their Mother for the Jews were of Opinion That when Christ was to come he should bring all Nations into subjection under him and that they should be made Generals and Colonels and with this sense agreeth the old plain and simple that is to say the sincere Exposition And she desired of our Lord that her Sons might be Princes and that they might sit near his Throne but he did not grant unto them their request because they asked in vain glory and for private respects and not for publick advantage as Peter for had they desired it as Peter in Humility and for the good of the People Behold we have left all and followed Thee they had been answered as Peter That is to say They had heard of Thrones and Crowns Moreover He did not grant their request That the rest of the Disciples might not murmur against them and become envious for the very request displeased them Blinde Timeus the son of Timeus It is thought that he agreed with his Father as well in blindness as in name for the word Timeus doth denote that defect of the Eyes where there is not room for the sight CHAP. XI ANd many spread their garments in the way That is to say in Honour of Christ and that they might kneel down for Benediction and receive Health even from the print of the feet of the fole of the Ass on which he rode CHAP. XII THou art not far from the Kingdom of God That is to say If thou lovest and believest my Preaching thou must add to the fulness of the Law which thou now hast but if thou wilt not thou art far from it Beware of the Scribes who love to go in stoles That is to say in gay and long garments And Jesus sitting over against the treasury That is to say of the Temple he saw how the people cast money The treasury he calls here the Ark which was separated for the Priests whereinto every one that would cast in an Offering unto the Lord he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gold or silver And that name is imposed thereon because of the image or stamp it bore There were many who exchanged souzes for pence and pence for souzes and round pieces for clipt pieces and the Syrians called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meharphono and the Arabians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Grecians Sacostra therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he calls the Money which the Money-changers bought and sold And many that were rich cast in Rich men cast in much money Two minutes That is to say two pence And there came a certain poor widow and cast in two minutes which are quadrants That is to say two pence Others Two Quadrants two Danacks Others Two Paulins she cast a piece of money which contained two Paulins Others A minute That is to say a quadrant was six and thirty Tasugs it contained therefore Thirty six Tasugs and Thirty six Tasugs which amount to Seventy two Tasugs and these Seventy two make up three
set down by St. Mark is evident from this That before our Lord was Baptized he neither Preached nor Evangelized but after that he was Baptized and Tempted he began to say Repent the Kingdom of heaven is at hand And St. Basil saith That this Mark first used the word Evangelium and this is clear from hence That the other Three Evangelists made no mention thereof A voyce crying in the wilderness John is called a voyce because he made known Christ the Word for by the voyce is made known the Word that is hidden in the mind Confessing their sins Hence it is manifest That confession is necessary for the Faithful And straightway he came up out of the water That is to say our Lord. He saw To wit John the Baptist And straightway the Spirit took him out To wit the holy Spirit What have we to do with thee This one speaks as from the mouth of them all CHAP. II. THE son of Halphaeus All the Doctors agree That this Levi was Matthew the Publican who was an Evangelist and that Jesus sat down in his House and Mark here calls him the son of Halphaeus and that this was not the brother of James the son of Halphaeus is demonstrable from this That Matthew was of the Tribe of Issachar and this James was of the Tribe of Menasse When Abiathar was High Priest In the Book of Samuel it is written That David desired the holy bread from Achimelech the Father of Abiathar and it is possible that he desired it from Achimelech and that Abiathar his son gave it CHAP. III. SOns of Thunder Because the sons of Zebedee did preach with a high voyce he calls them by this name And his Kindred heard That is to say the children of Joseph CHAP. IV. THat under the shadow thereof the Fowl may dwell That is to say the Gentiles without the Law may rest under the shade of the Gospel And they left the multitudes In some Copies it is read He left but that reading is not to be approved but we ought to follow the Greek Copies to wit That he and his Disciples left them or dismissed them And there was a great tempest The Syriack word signifieth a boysterous wind which bloweth on the face of the earth and raiseth up dust and sand it is of an Hebrew derivation and is expounded the ascent of God CHAP. V. LEGION That is to say Ten Thousand CHAP. VI. BEhold the Carpenter the son of Mary It is likely that Joseph was dead and therefore he did not mention him with his mother and brethren Except a Rod. The word except beareth the sense of neither in this place and it is clear from this That Matthew saith neither a Rod. It is not lawful for thee to take the wife of thy brother Because she had by fraud caused him to be put to death and had it not been for this it had not been unlawful for him to take her to Wife according to the Law of Moses CHAP. X. TImaeus the son of Timaeus In two Greek copies it is a blind man the son of a blind man And to say Son of David In two Greek copies we find it Son of the Son of David have mercy upon me CHAP. XIII AND not the Son but the Father Matthew hath not the woâ—ds and not the Son And our Lord said this wâ—th reservatâ—on and not that he was ignorant of the thing for he who knew the Father who was concealed and â—ncomprehensible saying No man knows the Father but â—he Son Hâ—w could he but know the time of the end of the World He said thus for this reason to wit That if he had said I know and will not tell they had been offended and it he had said he knew and had declared it unto them others would have known it frâ—m them and have communicated it to all other generations and so by reason of the remoteness of time they would have grown negligent and careless Hence it is known That it is more advantagious to the sons of men to be ignorant of a matter of this kind than to have knowledge thereof CHAP. XIV AND he took the Chalice and gave thanks and blessed and gave unto them In the Greek it is not said That he blessed any moâ—e than the body onely And a certain young man followed him and was naked onely covered with a linen cloth That this was a stranger is known from hence that his Disciples were modest and ashamed to accompany him with a linen cloth only Wine mixed with myrrhe That he might be the more intoxicated and not be sensible of the agony of death And Mary the mother of James the less That is to say the brother of our Lord and that he might be distinguished from James the brother of Zebedee he calls him the less and this Mary was not the mother of our Lord but the wife of Joseph to wit the mother of his children And of Jose and Shalom These also were the natural sons of Joseph and were called the brethren of our Lord in name only and not by consociation of blood CHAP. XVI AFter this he was seen of two of them Luke the Evangelist speaks clearly of one of them that he was Cleophas but as concerning the other there are different opinions Some say it was the wife of Cleophas Others say That it was Luke himself and that he might not seek glory he did not mention his name And confirmed their words with the signs which they wrought St. Severus saith in the Seventy seventh discourse of his Epithronion That in approved Greek copies the Gospel of Mark ends with these words For they were afraid LUKE CHAP. I. FOrasmuch as many That is to say The Sect of Simon the Sorcerer and those of the Circumcision for it is said That there were Eighty four Gospels according to the number of Apostles and Disciples and after the Apostles departed this life their Disciples chose two of those of the Apostles to wit those of Matthew and John and two of those of the Disciples to wit Mark and Luke and that they destroyed the rest According to what they have delivered That is to say The Apostles To us That is to say To me and to Mark. Of the Word That is to say of Preaching to wit Evangelical denuntiation and the doctrine of our Lord in the World and that this voyce the Word is applicable to those Three senses is apparent from the words of Gregorius Theologus Theophilus This man was a Believer and one of the Rulers of Alexandria Nor Seicera strong drink That is to say a certain kind of drink which was made of Honey and of Dates c. From the Birth of Jesus to his Baptism were Thirty years and from his Baptism to his Ascension were Two years and Six months He shall be great That is to say His greatness shall be revealed to Angels and to Men. And the power of him on high shall come upon thee All the
beginning of the Evangelium which is good Tydings is the Baptism of Christ as blessed Mark saith and inasmuch as he saith The Beginning of the Gospel he sheweth that he was the first that gave the name of Evangelium to a Book Moreover forasmuch as Evangelium or Gospel is by interpretation good Tydings and Christ before his Baptism did neither Preach nor Evangelize but after he was Baptized and Tempted he immediately Preached Repent the Kingdom is at hand as Matthew and Mark have written Moreover from his Birth to his Baptism he was governed by the Law and from his Baptism by such a new Administration as comported with the New Testament Again before his Baptism he performed no Miracle nor delivered any Doctrine otherwise than by Question and Answer in the Temple when he was Twelve years old as Luke sayes Moreover those things which were from his Birth to his Baptism are not to be reputed as of the Gospel though they have relation thereunto and are compiled therewith that we might be taught after what manner were his Conception and Birth Nor were it possible that we should be capable of receiving the Doctrine of the Gospel if we had not first learned where and how he was born whereas in those Years from his Birth to his being Thirty Years of Age he satisfied the Obligation of the Law of Nature and the written Law then he applied himself to frame a Module of a new World in his Baptism and to Preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God And forasmuch as Mark knew that Baptism was the Beginning of the Gospel and that our Lord thence took his Commencement in the new Administration he wrote in the beginning of his Book thus The Beginning of the Gospel And if it shall be Objected Wherefore did the other Evangelists begin higher than his Baptism It is plain that Matthew wrote so that he might make it appear unto the Hebrews to whom he wrote That as the Prophets had before written that Christ should spring from the Lineage of David so he did then spring thence and Luke that he might bring them into Contempt who unskilfully undertook to write the Histories of deeds and John that he might write concerning the Divinity of Christ for that the other three omitted it lest it should be concealed and Christ be reputed but a meer man for these three causes they took their rise so high and not for that his Conception his Birth his Circumcision c. were of the Gospel The Son of God He calls Jesus Christ the Son of God and not the Son of Grace as say the Nestorians for we are the sons of grace and that Mark doth not here call Jesus Christ the Son of Grace but the Natural Son of God is evident from that which the Apostle said to the Philippians in an Epistle Let this mind be in your selves which was also in Christ Jesus who being the likeness thought it not robbery to be equal with God but evacuated himself of reputation and assumed the likeness of a servant and was made in the likeness of the sons of men and in fashion was found as man and humbled himself and became obedient even to death even the death of the Cross wherefore God hath exceedingly exalted him and given him a Name more excellent than all names That at the Name of Jesus every knee should how c. Let the Nestorians and Calcedonians be demanded Who is he who so evacuated himself and assumed the likeness of a servant Man or the word God Divine Nature or Nature Humane for Man and Humane Nature were already evacuated and servants wherefore this is the sense of the words that the word God evacuated himself and observe that the word God who evacuated himself and assumed the likeness of a servant doth he call Jesus Christ and to him is attributed Subjection Obedience and Death and the Cross and to him is attributed Exaltation and the giving of the Name of God which is more excellent than all Names And forasmuch as the Apostle said concerning the word God that he evacuated himself these are evident Demonstrations First That he being God by Nature was incarnate and made Man of his own will without being changed from being God Secondly That being equal in Nature with the Holy Ghost and Giver thereof and having a natural Holiness he took upon him to be anointed and sanctified by the Holy Ghost as he was Man for being made Man he suffered natural and animal Passions but not culpable Hunger and Thirst Sleep and Death did he taste for us And Thirdly That being called by eminent and exalted Names to wit Lord and God and Omnipotent and other the like so that whatsoever he had did as naturally belong unto him as to the Father and the Holy Ghost as having life of his own nature having power over all things and having glory due unto him from all things yet it is said That it was given him of the Father and that he received it from the Father And this moreover for that he was evacuated and made man And these were Demonstrations of his Exinanition that he vouchsafed to be called by humble and inferiour names as of Man Son of Man and a Stone Moreover it is certain That the word God who was the natural Son of God the Father is called Christ and not the Son of man who was of Mary for David saith That thy Throne O God is for ever and ever a right Scepter is the Scepter of thy Kingdom thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity wherefore God thy God hath anointed thee with the oyle of gladness above thy fellows It is therefore clearly understood that he whom he calls God and of whom he saith Thy Throne O God for ever is the same whom God the Father anointed and not the Son of Man who was of Mary Furthermore forasmuch as he saith That he anointed him above his fellows that is to say more than all they who were anointed by the Holy Ghost because they stood in need of anointing and were anointed by the Holy Ghost but the word God was anointed and sanctified by the Holy Ghost not being in want thereof because he was equal with the Holy Ghost and had a natural Holiness and was full as St. John saith of his fulness have we all received but because he was made man he received the Spirit and his anointing and his holiness that by his Mediation he might give us the Spirit to anoint and sanctifie us for that this word was anointed and sanctified by the Spirit because he was sent into the World and was made man is manifest from that which he saith of himself Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world thou blasphemest because I said unto you that I am the Son of God for it is certain that he who was sent from God the Father into the world was God the word and he who was sent was
took and would not put him to death for that he was a wise man and did foretell many things as afterwards they came to pass and as it seems unto me he was for this reason called Caiphas viz. because the Arabians calls him who subtilâ—y declares a thing Kaiph A Town called Ephraim This was a City on the East of Bethel and they say that he there wrought a miracle that there comes not there any evil creeping thing CHAP. XII YE also all of ye are clean These words All of ye are not congruous nor are they in the Greek but were added by the Writer it being clear that it ought to be read Ye also are clean but not all of ye CHAP. XIII VVHO leaned on his bosome This was John for he sate behind between him and Simon not in order being a youth CHAP. XIV My Father is greater than me That is to say in Majesty Moreover he is greater than this bodily appearance and by reason of the imbecillity of their minds he said this to comfort them CHAP. XVII THat they might know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Theodorus expounds Thee thee onely c. of the Three persons And whom thou hast sent concerning the Son of man assumed but he erred for Christ is not the name of the Son of man but of God-man And for their sakes I sanctifie my self That is to say I offer to thee my self a sacrifice to wit a separation and sanctification for them CHAP. XVIII AND they themselves entred into the Judgment Hall lest they should be defiled when they were to eat the Passeover This sheweth That the Jewes had not yet eaten the Passeover on the morning of the Friday and therefore they did not eat it on Friday Eve as our Lord did eat CHAP. XIX FOR that Sabbath was an high day For therein was the celebration of the Passeover and therein was accomplished the Week of Fifty years for the setting free of servants and the reversion of Inheritances CHAP. XX. ENtred not in Either he was afraid or gave a difference of honour to Simeon My Father and your Father my God and your God That is to say my Father by nature and your Father by grace and my God by grace and your God by nature He breathed on them and said Receive the Holy Ghost That is to say he ordained them Priests and only gave them authority of remission of sins until they should be compleated in the upper room and it is likely that he disposed them to receive the Spirit afterwards in the upper room plenarily And they saw burning coals laid and fish laid thereon and bread These he created of nothing and not as before when he fed the multitudes Neither the world it self as I suppose would be sufficient for the Books which should be written That is to say Man who is a little World would not have been sufficient to comprehend his Wonders and to know the power of his Divinity And men say That these words are not the words of the Evangelist but are as this The Angel at certrin seasons moved the water FINIS The Syriack Scholiast his Reconciliation of Saint Paul and James touching JUSTIFICATION Translated by D. L. J. U. D. JAMES II. Ver. 26. Faith without Works is dead THis is not contrary to that of St. Paul who saith That a man is justified by the Law of Faith and not by the Law of Works For St. James speaks of Faith subsequent unto Baptisin and Paul of Faith precedent to Baptism as St. Severus makes it appear for he who believeth and is to be baptized although he hath not good Works is justified but after he is baptized of necessity good Works are required of him and both of them refer the matter unto Abraham St. James after he was Circumcised and offered up Isaac upon the Altar And Paul before he was Circumcised when he believed in God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness in Circumcision which is a Type of Baptism The Genealogy OF MELCHIZEDECK Translated by D. L. J.U.D. THis Melchizedeck was King of Salem whose Father and Mother were not written in the Genealogies because they were not first born and he was of the seed of Shem Shem begate Arphaxad and Arphaxad begate Melchizedeck And when Noah dyed he gave Commandment unto Shem concerning the bones of our Father Adam for they had them with them in a Chest when they departed from the Land of Eden to this spiritual Land and Shem went to the Chest and took out the bones of our Father Adam and sealed the Chest with the signature of his Father and said unto his Brethren My Father commrnded me to go and observe the original of Seas and Rivers and he said unto the Father of Melchizedeck and to his Mother Jozvet Give me your blessing to accompany me in this Journey The Position of the Syriack Scholiast dogmatically declaring That the Sin of a High Priest is greater than a sin of the same kind committed either by Prince or people by him expressed in the Fourth Chapter of Levit. ver 3. Translated out of the Syriack Language by D.L. J.U.D. IF the Priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people In the Greek If the High Priest he who is anointed shall sin so as to make the people to sin i. e. they imitating him and offending in the same kind the whole Congregation shall offer an Oblation a young Bullock for his sin i. e. All the people when they offend offer the same Oblation onely which the Priest did when he offended and therefore it is said That the transgression of him who standeth in an high place ought to be reputed as if it were the sin of all those who stand under him And if a Ruler shall sin i. e. a Prince he shall bring his offering a Kid of the Goats i. e. his Oblation is less than that of the Priest or that of the Congregation altogether nor was he sprinkled with blood seven times by reason of his Prerogative of Honour And although in some respects the Prince himself be less than the Priest and the people do far exceed him in number yet he is greater than any one of the Congregation and therefore every one of them offending offereth a Female but he a Male kid The Opinion of Gregorius Syrus concerning the Suns going retrogade ten degrees Translated out of the Syriack Language by D.L. J.U.D. BY reason of the Suns return from the West to the East retrogade the shadow return'd from the East to the West And if these degrees be computed according to the number of the degrees in the Zodiack viz. 360. every fifteen degrees make up one hour of the 24. of the natural day so that it is clear that the addition was an hour and â…“ of an hour viz. 20 degrees for whereas the Sun went ten degrees toward the East it must of necessity return ten degrees
sanctified by the Spirit that the word God is called Christ because he was made man St. Paul saith But to us there is one God the Father of whom are all things and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and one Holy Ghost in whom are all things Moreover he saith of Christ that all things were made by his hands by whose hands therefore saith Paul that all things were created whether by the hands of the Son of man who was begotten of Mary or by the hands of the word God as John saith All things were made by him and the same word by whom all things have been created doth Paul call Jesus Christ It is evident therefore from these premises that Mark calls the Natural Son of God the Father who was incarnated and made man by the Name of Christ and not the Son of man who was born of Mary who was the Son of Grace as say the Hereticks As it is written in Isaiah the Prophet behold I send my Angel That is to say he produceth this Testimony to prove That the Beginning of the Gospel is the Baptism of Christ for this Allegation Behold I send my Angel is written in Malachi and not in Isaiah but others say that it was also written in Isaiah and that it is lost Others say That this Gospel was Translated out of the Roman Language into the Greek and out of the Greek into the Syriack and that the Interpreters mistake put Isaiah in the place of Malachi Others That in the Book of Diateseron which is preserved in Alexandria and was written by Tatianus the Bishop as also in the Greek Gospel and the Harkalian it is written in the Prophet without expressing what Prophet Others say that this Quotation hath reference to the voyce of one crying in the wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths strait for Isaiah speaks after that manner but not to this Behold I send my Angel for the Evangelist was not curious as to the exactness of his Narrative according to the custom of a Book wherein a Subject is Treated of at large but wrote after an ordinary manner according as other Divine Writers have done after this sort all the people saw the Voyces and the Lightnings whereas it is known that Voyces cannot fall under the sense of sight Again a Bullock or a Lamb whose Ear is cleft or wants a Tayle whereas a Bullock hath no Tayle In like manner it is said My hand kissed my mouth whereas the mouth did kiss and not the hand So Mark sets down that of Isaiah then this I send my Angel and after this The voyce of one crying not distinguishing to which of the two sayings he referred the Quotation out of Isaiah The voyce of one crying Wherefore is John called a voyce because Christ is called the word and a word without a voyce or writing is not known therefore very aptly is John called a voyce because with his voyce was Preached the onely Word Prepare the way of the Lord. The way and path he calls the coming of Christ Prepare your minds and thoughts against the coming of Christ John was in the wilderness He calls the Wilderness the desolate passage from Earth to Heaven By Baptising and Preaching he signified that the destruction of Mortality was to be destroyed By his cloathing of Hair he signified Repentance By the Girdle about his Loyns and the Band upon his Bowels he denotes the sensitive and intellectual Faculties and Continency from an exorbitant Appetite which in Prosperity is exuberant By the winged Locusts the seed of the Just to meet the Lord. By the sweetness of Honey the sweetness of the Blessings which come from our Lord of higher value than Jewels Moreover Honey signifieth the purging of the World from the rust of sin for Honey is of a cleansing Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Region of Judaea That is to say a place of Towns or Villages The Garment of Camels Hair signifies the meanness of his Apparrel and his Poverty for he was not cloathed with Wooll but with course Hair The time is accomplished and the Kingdom is at hand That is to say the time of the shadows of the Law and the fulfilling of Mysteries and Types is at hand the Kingdom of God he ealls here the Gospel and Grace A certain man with an unclean spirit He calls the Devil unclean by reason of the unclean deeds he frequently acted by him in whom he dwelt Art thou come to destroy us He hints two things First Their fear of our Lord which possessed them from the victory had against them in the Wilderness Secondly Their wickedness in respect that the delivery of that man out of their power who was their Captive was reputed their loss I know thee who thou art the Holy One of God He speaks unto him as unto a holy man and not as persuaded that he was God And when they had found him they said unto him all men seek thee This saying all in this place is like to this Jesus looked upon her with all the Earth and all the Nations round about me and all they who came were Thieves and Robbers See thou say nothing to any man He prohibited them who were cured to publish the same lest he might be suppressed by the Jews as a vain-glorious person for he knew that the Miracles which he did were not to be concealed When he performed Miracles before the multitude he gave no command that they should not publish them as in Kotna and when he multiplied the bread but as touching the matter of Lazarus he forbade his own followers to publish it as he did also concerning this Leprous man the Paralytick and the blind men And we say that among the Multitudes he openly wrought Miracles to the intent that he might draw them to faith in him and did not praerequire from them faith in him as he did amongst his own followers for when he changed Water into Wine he did not first of all take the Suffrages of the company to acknowledge whether he were able to do it or no as he did in the case of the Leprous person the Paralitick and the blind men whom he did not cure until they had confessed that he was God As Moses commanded for a testimony unto them He commanded the Leprous person to offer an Oblation that he might manifest the agreement of both Testaments Secondly That he might shew that there was one giver of them both although the first was the Doctrine of Babes and ours of Perfection Thirdly That he might declare that this of God was not contrary to that of the Law so that they needed not to suppress this for the other CHAP. II. THey lifted up the Roof By Art they found out a way to lift up the Roof of the House and easily to let down the Bed in such manner that neither the Timber nor Dust might fall upon them as many in these dayes
blessed of my Father he did not answer I will do it that his Disciples who were there might not be offended who yet were so much distasted that he spoke unto them and pacified them even as a Father having Sons and they ask him for somewhat that is hidden where he hath put it and he being unwilling to let them know saith I know not and wherefore did he not reveal it because it was not for their advantage nor their Successors for if he had declared it unto them they had been careless and remiss and had not been diligently constant in prayer and that this was so is known from what he said Watch and pray But of the day and hour And it is necessary to know in the first place That the Scriptures are not alwayes to be taken according to the outward sound of words nor when they say That God is a consuming fire are we to think That he burns or flameth nor that he is of Kin or a Watchman or corporeal or compounded of differing Natures or that he is subject to Passions that he is angry that he sleeps or wakes or is sorrowful or that he erred or was ignorant and according to that He who is not born of water and of the Spirit shall not enter into the Kingdom whereas many have been made famous for Martyrdom who have not been baptized the Thief also entred into Paradise And no man can say That Jesus is Lord but by the Spirit yet the Manichees the Mercionites the Gentiles and the Jewes are well pleased with the word and use it without the grace of the Spirit and like it is to this All of them have declined together and are become reprobate and all they who came were Thieves and Robbers So also is this expression for if he did not know this day and this hour how was this said That I and my Father are one for if in knowledge he be not one wherein is he one And if he did not know the day as well as the Father how said he That all whatsoever the Father hath is mine And if the Father hath any thing which the Son knoweth not how is it said That no man knows the Father but the Son And this is objected and how do these agree Is he one and the Father knoweth nothing which the Son doth not know and this there is nothing high and exalted but it is little in comparison of other things and thus saith the Apostle In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and how the Son and neither the Son but the Father And if he knows the Father it is certain that he knows him with all his knowledge Again If he knows the Father how doth he know the Father and knows not this day therefore this day is greater than the Father and if the Father knows this day of necessity also doth the Son know it and if it be not so the Father seems not to know or else how much greater is the knowledge of this day than the knowledge of the Father And if he be maker of all things how doth he not know his own Works or is this day not reckoned amongst his Works nor in the number of the dayes of the year And if so let them shew what it is or where it is for every compleat day is made up of a day and night and hours are the course of vicissitudes and an hour according to the opinion of the Philosophers is not at all for that which is past is not nor that which is to come for it is not yet and if he who had all things in his hand knoweth not the day how did he create any thing which he knows not how do these agree And if the Spirit searcheth out every thing even the profundities of God and this is the Spirit of Christ how is it that he doth not know those things which were made by him And how doth he know that the consummation of the World shall be in the night That two shall be in a Bed and one shall be led away and yet not know the day for because of the long interspace of time they thought that the end of the World was at hand and that his appearance should have been in their dayes as Paul said unto some Wonder not behold the day of the Lord cometh He governs them as Children for they had reapt no advantage from the knowledge of this day nor the Generations after them neither did he reveal the time of our death and by this Declaration he teacheth us That if we be ask't by any one an unprofitable question we should prudently shift it off as it were for want of knowledge lest instead of a Fish we should hold forth to our Neighbours a Serpent Moreover If these passages viz. He knows not that day I know ye not as he said unto the foolish Virgins and I never knew ye as he said should be understood according to the outward sound of words many of the like are spoken of the Father as this God remembred Noah as if he had recovered himself out of forgetfulness Again I will go down and see whether they have acted and done according to the cry that hath ascended up And the like again They did what I commanded them not and it came not into my mind And again Adam where art thou Where is Abel thy Brother And if the Father who is not cloathed with a Body is attended with Attributes of Infirmity how much rather should not he who is cloathed with a Body for us speak after the manner of men and as a Tree that is remote and at a great distance and unseen is known by the fruit which are presented to view and brought nigh so is our Lord made known by his signs and by his Works and by the Prophesies which have been made concerning him and not by words which sound of infirmity and if he being cloathed with a Body there were those who denied that he was born of the Virgin and said that he was not begotten but that he was a stranger and that he appeared onely in fancy how much the rather would they have said so had it not been for these Attributes of Infirmity Moreover He did not reveal this day because it would not have advantaged them to have known it and many would have been remiss in the exercise of vertue until the last hour but now forasmuch as the coming to Judgment is concealed from us we stand alvvayes in danger and fear Moreover It seemed good unto God that knovving it he should not reveal it and to man it vvas a reproach that he should have done it therefore forasmuch as he vvas deemed onely to be a man it vvas not a matter of odium to conceal from them the day but if any one had promised them who knew and would not have revealed it he had been thought wicked and envious and if he had revealed itit had produced remisness
remembred his mercy i. e. Mary doth not insinuate as if he had forgotten what he had said but by the words he remembred is to be understood That he fulfilled his mercy and his promise which he made unto Abraham that Christ should rise of his seed Moreover That which God promised by his mercy unto Abraham That in his seed the Nations should be blessed did he fulfill by the Twelve Apostles and by the multitude of Jewes who believed as also the Promises of Palesti were performed by Joshuah the Son of Nun and Caleb DIONYSIVS his EXPOSITION ON SIMEON 's Nunc Dimittas His Benediction and his Prophesie Translated by D. L. DIsmiss now thy servant He begs a Dismiss from Christ though he was not detained by him but by the Spirit for he knew that there was one Nature of the Father and of the Son and of the Spirit and that they have one Will which he had learned by the Spirit By these words Dismiss thou thy servant He prayes to be dismissed out of this life According to thy Word It is likely that he had formerly heard from him somewhat concerning this and therefore he put him in mind of what he had said unto him In peace That is to say Without pain and passion He begged a quiet departure and that very day he was dismissed this life though others say the day after Mine eyes have seen thy mercy His Incarnation or Incorporation he calls mercy whereby he redeemed all Nations Which thou preparedst in the sight That is to say In his clemency he was gracious to sinners and propitious unto them A light for revelation of the Gentiles When Christ was revealed in person he was a light to the Gentiles who sate in darkness and they discerned and distinguished between the false gods and the true God and worshipped him And the glory of thy people He was glory to the Israelites because he was incarnated of their Nation and chose from amongst them Twelve Apostles and Seventy two Evangelists and although there was amongst them one wicked man yet the rest of them believed as said the Apostle And Simeon blessed them The Virgin because she was worthy to be the Mother of him who was begotten of the Father eternally and Joseph because he was an assistant to the Virgin and they were both Ministers in this mystery Behold he is set for the fall That is to say Of the Scribes and Pharisees and Priests who did not believe And rising of many That is to say Of Publicans and Harlots who believed in him and arose and of all the sons of Adam who believed Is set Here is fulfilled that which was spoken by the person of the Father Behold I am to set up in Sion a stone of offence and it was well said I am to set up And Simeon said is set up by reason he was placed in the midst of those who believing arose and of those who denying fell In Israel He said so for that as yet they had liberty of choice and the fall and rising were not from Jesus but from proper freedom and power of those who believe or deny And for a sign of Contention For all Tongues spoke against him and were all overcome by him according to that I came not to bring Peace For a sign Because that as a sign doth not only shew it self but other things also so Jesus doth not onely reveal himself but also the Father and the Spirit Of Contention For the Jewes of that time were divided in opinion concerning him Some of them called him a Prophet and others of them a Deceiver As also the Christians of this time some of them call him God made Man others Man made God and two natures after the union And some of them call him Creator others call him a Creature And a Spear shall pass thorow thy soul He calls a Spear the defect of Faith in Mary concerning him at that time and also at the time of his Passion He did not say That a Spear shall stick in thee but it shall pass thorow thy soul That he might shew that her defect of Faith was not permanent with her because she received from the Apostles correction when the Spirit came down into the upper Room and instructed her concerning the Majesty of him whom she had born Moreover He calls a Spear the Contumely and Reproach which the Jewes cast upon her which as a Spear were to transfix her Again He calls a Spear that which transfixed her Son on the Cross which having passed thorow our Saviour he said that it passed thorow Mary for it was the Custom that they who were Crucified did end their life not with a Sword but with a Spear when therefore the Son receiveth a wound the Mother also is likewise wounded especially when she is neer at hand and seeth it for although as God he was by nature the Son of the Father yet inasmuch as he was made Man he was naturally the Son of Mary In the Greek instead of a Spear it is written a Sword Others Through thy soul That is to say Through thy Son shall pass a Spear and the sting of the Serpent of Paradise by reason of the Transgression of the Commandment hitherto and she calls her soul her Son That thoughts of many might be revealed That is to say this Spear to wit doubting and scandal which passeth thy soul doth reveal the Thoughts of many hearts whether they raise doubts concerning him out of infirmity or out of an evil mind receive Correction from the Spirit as Mary did and as many others at that time and as the Faithful afterwards DIONYSIVS SYRVS HIS EXPOSITION ON THE AVE MARIA Translated by D. L. AND the Angel came to her i. e. The Angel declared his message unto her being alone for as he had done unto Zacharias and Joseph speaking unto them he did not so declare unto Joseph for without the communication of Joseph in the conception she conceived by the Holy Ghost but he denounced the matter unto Zachary because he communicated in the conception of John Peace unto thee full of grace He commenceth his Discourse from Peace for this Child was to destroy the Hostility which was between earthly and heavenly Things between the Nation of the Jewes and the Gentiles and between the Soul and the Body and also his Administration was to be accomplished according to what Isaiah said He shall speak Peace with his people Who filled her with Peace The Father And what was this Grace It was this That she conceived God in the flesh Our Lord is with thee He doth not say My Lord onely but also of all the Hosts which is known from hence That it was God who was conceived for he was not onely Lord of the Angels but he was God also And why did he say God We say That he observed the custom of servants who do not call their Masters by their name Blessed amongst women That is to
say In thee is blotted out the Curse by thy bearing him in whom are blessed all Nations An EXPOSITION of the LORDS PRAYER taken out of DIONYSIVS SYRVS his CATENA on the Sixth Chapter of St. Matthew And Translated by D. L. PRay thus That is to say Not as the Gentiles and Hypocrites but as I teach you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayer is sometimes taken for a promise of Vows which are separated or designed by us to God according to what David said I will perform my vowes to the Lord As also for whatsoever cometh from the lips And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayer is an Oblation made to God after the performance of a promise therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought first to be accomplished and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to follow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayer is taken three manner of wayes First For Words as that of Hannah who prayed with her mouth Secondly For matter of Fact as that of Phinehas who prayed by a zealous deed Thirdly For that of the mind according to that I will pray in the Spirit and I will pray with knowledge And every one of these three manner of wayes bodily mentally spiritually our Lord recommends unto us the latter Our Father who art in Heaven Our Father may be termed several wayes First Our remote Father as Adam the Father of us all Secondly Our next Father as Abraham who was the Father of Isaac Thirdly Accidental Fathers Fourthly An Instructer of Youths is called a Father Fifthly An aged man is called a Father Sixthly The High Priest is called Father Seventhly The Three hundred and eighteen Doctors are called Fathers Moreover Satan is called the Father of them who are subject unto him but in none of these kinds do we call God our Father but by reason of Baptism and forasmuch as Christ and we also are born in Baptism we are Brethren unto him and Sons to the Father as David said I will declare thy Name to my Brethren and he gave them authority to be called the Sons of God And we call the Father our Father Christ was the natural Son of his Father but we are the Sons of Grace Unto whom doth it belong to call God his Father He who is perfect in a good Conversation is he who calls God our Father but he who is of a sordid and evil Conversation calls Satan his Father because he fulfills his Will Why doth he teach us to say Our Father generally and not peculiarly every one of us My Father who art in Heaven That he might shew that we are one Body and that our Father is one and that we might pray for the intire body of Brethren Moreover by the words Our Father he beats down Pride and exalted Opinions of our selves shewing That Kings and Beggars are equal in that glorious Pedigree if ye all have one Father ye are also of one kind in the Spirit Our Father who art in Heaven Not that he is confined to Heaven but that he might divert the mind of him who prayeth from earthly Cogitations and raise it to Heaven Again He saith in Heaven That we might be weaned from earthly Parents and to shew that his dwelling is in Heaven Hallowed by the Name That is to say That by our glorious and gracious living the Name of God may be sanctified and glorified Again That we might consecrate our lips and our mouths to his Name because he is Holy before we can call him Holy Again Hallowed That is to say Let thy Holy Name be praised or celebrated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an Hebrew name and signifieth separation And whatsoever thing is separated from another whether it be in beauty or in riches c the Hebrew calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy according to that The Holy in the Land and Renowned Thy Name Thy Name is used in the place of God according to the phrase of Scripture Praise the Name of his holiness and let them know that thy Name is the Lord onely Thy Kingdom come That is to say That thou may'st deliver us from evil The word Kingdom is taken in sundry senses as we have hinted heretofore Kingdom The Beatitude of the World to come wherein we shall be made immortal Kingdom The time after the Resurrection of Christ according to that I will not drink of the fruit of the Vine until I drink it anew in the Kingdom Kingdom The Gospel Kingdom The Theory of Things of small quantity according to that The Kingdom is like unto Leaven Kingdom The Contemplation of the Trinity according to that The Kingdom cometh not by observation and the Kingdom of God is within you Here he calls the Kingdom the Grace of the Holy Spirit which we receive in Baptism Again Thy Kingdom come He teacheth us to pray for Faith in him therefore he calls Faith the Kingdom Thy Will be done He teacheth us to pray for a vertuous and chaste Conversation Moreover Be pleased that we who dwell on earth may glorifie thee As in Heaven so also in Earth That is to say As thou art well-pleased with the Angels in Heaven so also be pleased with us who dwell on Earth Give us the Bread of our Exigency By Bread is understood all things necessary for the Body Meat Drink Rayment and Lodging all which are requisite for the Body This day In that he saith the day he means the present time Remit unto us our debts as we also For remission he gives remission we as men remit unto men but he as God remits unto us our many Trespasses And as is the disproportion between a grain and a Mountain between a drop and the Sea so little is our remission in comparison of that remission he grants us Lead us not into Tentation That is to say Let us not be the occasion of their being condemned who are to bring Tribulations upon us And again It doth not befit us to presume of our own accord the exposing of our selves to Tentations for Satan himself continually raiseth them up against us and therefore let not us excite them But deliver us from Evil. That is to say It behoveth us alwayes to pray that we may be delivered from the Temptations which the evil one raiseth against us For thine is the Kingdom If the Kingdom be his then Satan is his Slave and cannot presume to attempt any thing unless he permit him as he gave him permission in the case of Job and of the Swine The Power and the Glory His is the Power for he is able to do all Things And Glory for ever For as his Kingdom is sure and his Power great so also shall his Glory without end remain for ever He comprehends the Prayer in Ten sentences according to the Mystery of the Ten Commandments and the Ten Beatitudes and Jud which signifieth Ten is the letter of Jesus and the five first sentences concern the Soul and the five latter concern the Body that we may purge the
Ten senses He applies himself after Prayer to root out of the mind anger and wrath which if it be not done Prayer is not accepted The Form of PRAYER which our Saviour made after his Baptism when the Heavens were opened as it is delivered by Dionysius Syrus according to the Testimony of St. Philoxenus and Translated by D. L. O Father according to the good pleasure of thy Will I am made Man and from the time in which I was born of a Virgin unto this day I have finished those things which are agreeing to the nature of Man and with due observance have perform'd all thy Commandments the Mysteries and Types of the Law And now I am baptized and so I have ordain'd Baptism that from thence as from the place of spiritual Eirth the Regeneration of Men may be accomplish'd and as John was the last of the Legal Priests so am I the first of the Evangelical Thou therefore O Father by the mediation of my Prayer open the Heavens and from thence send thy Holy Spirit upon this womb of Baptism that as he did untye the womb of the Virgin and thence form me so also he would loose this Baptismal womb and so sanctifie it unto men that from thence now men may be begotten who may become thy Sons and my Brethren and Heirs of thy Kingdom And what the Priests under the Law until John could not do grant unto the Priests of the New Testament whose chief I am in the oblation of this Prayer that whensoever they shall celebrate Baptism or pour forth Prayers unto thee as the Holy Spirit is seen with me in open Vision so also it may be made manifest that the same Spirit will adjoyn himself in their society a more secret way and will by them perform the ministeries of the New Testament for which I am made Man and as the High Priest I do offer these Prayers in thy sight Dionysius Syrus his Question and Answer concerning the Prayer which JOHN the Baptist taught his DISCIPLES Translated by D.L. Quest VVHat was the Prayer which John taught his Disciples Answ Some recite it thus O Lord fit us for thy Kingdom and that we may enjoy the happiness thereof with thy Son Others thus O Father shew me the day of the Baptism of thy Son But what if one should say What need was there of this Prayer after he had baptized the Son had seen the Spirit and had heard the Father Others say That he prayed thus Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Others thus O Father let me hear thy Voyce O Son shew me thy Person O Spirit shew me thy Descent and raise up thy Power But neither is this approved the first Exposition carries with it the greater verisimilitude Gregorius the SYRIACK SCHOLIAST called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the Four Gospels Translated by DUDLEY LOFTUS J.U.D. MATTHEW the First The Son of David the Son of Abraham HE mentioneth David for that they hoped Christ would arise from him according to that Was not Christ to rise from the seed of David and from Bethlehem He mentions Abraham also for that it hath been said In his seed shall all Nations be blessed And Luke because that he wrote unto the Gentiles mounted up unto Adam the common Father and from him to God the Creator of all things Jacob begate Judah and his Brethren He did not mention the Brethren of Isaac and Jacob for that the Nation of the Hebrews were not to derive their Genealogy from them as from the Brethren of Judah for these were Hebrews the other were Edomites the sons of Ishmael and Esau Judah begate Pharez and Zarah of Thamar Pharez was a Type of the New Testament whose resemblance he was made in regard he first put out his hand which was afterwards withdrawn And after Zarah who was a Type of the Old Testament came out and therefore he expresses both their names and the Evangelist abstains from making mention of Zarah Rebecca and other vertuous Women but mentioneth Rahab Ruth and Beersheba to reprove the Jews who upbraided the Lineage of the Gentiles with the peculiarity of the people of God and thought that the meritorious cause of becoming the servants of God was Lineage or Wisdom whereas he shews That David the Great descended from Thamar the Ammonite who committed Fornication with her Father-in-law and from Rahab the Harlot who received the Spies in Jericho and from Ruth the Moabite though against the Moabites and Ammonites it was decreed That they should not enter into the House of the Lord for ever and King Solomon the wise was begotten of Beersheba the Hittite who at first had unlawful Communication with David Joram begate Hosiah Joram did not beget Hosiah but Ahaziah and Ahaziah begate Joash and Joash begate Amoziah and Amoziah begate Hosiah In the Catena he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Africanus of Emaus and St. Severus say That the Evangelists omitted these three for that they descended from Attaliah the Sister of Ahab she who for her wickedness was also called the sister of Jezabel but if it were so How cometh he to make mention of Ahaziah and Manaasse who were more wicked Georgius de Gentilibus saith Concerning this the Authour of the Catena after the citation of many Opinions rests upon none but saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id est quam voluerit sententian sequatur lector That the first Scribe failed by reason of the similitude of letters and instead of Ahaziah wrote Hosiah but neither doth this Opinion prevail with me because that if these three be brought into computation with the others they make up Seventeen Generations and if they were not omitted by the Evangelist How did he set down Seventeen and reckon but Fourteen It is therefore known that the computation of Origen ought rather to take place and to be credited who saith That the Evangelist omitted those persons to accommodate the computation to the pleasure of the believing Hebrews who much respected the number Fourteen Josia begate Jocania and his Brethren in the Captivity of Babylon Jocania who was the Grandson of Josia he calls his son for Josia begate Jehoiachim who was Aliakim and Jehoiachim begate Jocania and the Uncles of Jocania on the Fathers side Jehu Achaz and Zedekia are called his brothers children according to the custom of Scripture as Abraham said unto Lot the son of his brother We are Brethren And because the Prophet Daniel reckoneth the seventy years of Captivity in the Transmigration from the Prophesie of Jeremiah which began the 13th of Josia Matthew saith That he begate Josiah although it was Achaziah Jocania begate Shelathiel Jeremiah the Prophet said concerning Jocaniah That his Throne shall perish without children and that no man of his seed shall sit upon the Throne of David How therefore can Christ of whom it is said The Lord will give him the Throne of his Father David derive his Genealogy from him for one of the
CHAP. IV. THen Jesus was led of the Holy Spirit into the Wilderness He did not immediately after his Baptism go into the Wilderness for that Three dayes after he was baptized he wrought the miracle of converting Water into Wine in Kotna To be Tempted of the Devil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Accusations and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth as much as if one should repeat the crimes of another He was afterward an hungred That is to say in confirmation of his Humanity but though Moses and Elias fasted each of them Forty dayes it was not said of them that they suffered Hunger for no man doubted but that they were men And shewed him all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them That is to say by the ministry of the Fancy but not really and in Truth Luke placeth the conflict of Vain-glory in the Third place and that congruously because the Two conflicts viz. of Bread and of shewing him the Kingdoms were in the Wilderness but that of Hunger was on the Temple in the City He departed into Galilee That is to say He Taught us that we should not stand in the way of evil For they were Fishers That is to say in the Old Testament Shepherds were chosen and called as Jacob Moses and David because they were to govern their own and peculiar people but in the New they were Fishers because they were commanded to Teach without limitation every one who was prepared as well of the Gentiles as of the Jewes CHAP. V. BLessed are they who mourn That is to say who mourn for their sins For they shall be comforted That is to say by pardon and forgiveness For they shall inherit the Earth He calls Earth the extremity of the Firmament whereunto the righteous are to ascend in the Resurrection as David said I hope to see the blessings of the Lord in the Land of the Living The Peace-makers That is to say They who work a reconciliation between the Soul and the Body insomuch that the Soul desireth nothing that may be hurtful to the Body It is good for nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word is unusual and is not to be found elsewhere in the whole Contexture of the Scripture Guilty of Judgement That is to say of Murther Guilty of the Congregation That is to say To be expelled out of the Congregation Raka This word signifieth Contempt in respect of the Body and the word Fool Contempt in regard of the Soul Thou shalt not go thence until thou shalt pay The word until doth not denote a Release from Hell nor an end of Torment Hath committed Adultery in his heart He doth not condemn the natural motion but the will of him who is incited lasciviously And shall take away thy Tunick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say Thy upper garment Thy Vest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say The nether garment which covereth the nakedness CHAP. VI. THey have received their Reward That is to say Praise from Men. Our Father which art in Heaven He Teacheth us That we should seek those Things which are above the Earth and not that God is confined to the Heavens From Evil. That is to say from Satan The light of the Body is the Eye The Eye mystically signifieth the Fathers and Teachers and the Body signifieth the People CHAP. VII JVdge not That is to say wickedly Not every one who shall say unto me Lord Lord. That is to say Faith without good Works doth not avail CHAP. VIII AS Moses commanded for a testimony unto them That is to say That they might Testifie for me that I do not destroy the Law When Jesus heard he marvelled That is to say According to his Humane Nature for the Divine Nature doth not wonder at any thing because admiration is a passion of the rational Soul not comprehending the cause of a Thing And saw his Wives mother He declares hereby That he had a Wife And it hath been said That when he was called to the Office of an Apostle he did not any more converse with her Bury my Father Either he was sick unto death or was very aged Permit us to go into the herd of Swine That is to say To the intent that when the Swine should perish the Owners of them might persecute him CHAP. IX AND passed over and came to his own City That is to say to Capernaum as Mark saith for in Bethlehem he was born in Nazareth he was bred and he dwelled in Capernaum Thy sins are forgiven thee That is to say because sins were the cause of the Palsie by the taking away the cause he also took away the effect Sitting amongst the Publicans whose name was Matthew This he writes of himself and such was his Humility that he was not ashamed of his former calling to wit of being a Customer which was reproachful CHAP. X. THE first Simon who is called Cephas He was the chief of the Apostles he was of Bethsaida of the Tribe of Naphtali He Taught one year in Antioch and built a Church there and went to Rome and preached there for the space of Twenty seven years and when Paul came unto him there was a great perturbation in Rome and Nero commanded that both of them should be slain and Peter desired to be crucified with his Head downwards that he might as it were kiss his Lords feet And John his brother That is to say The Evangelist He departed from Jerusalem together with Mary the mother of our Lord and they were banished together to the Island of Patmus and when he returned from Banishment he Preached in Asia and built a Church in Ephesus and Ignatius the fiery and Polycarp ministred unto him and he buried the Blessed Mary and no man knoweth where he laid her He lived seventy and three years and dyed after all the Apostles and was buried in Ephesus Bartholomew His name was Jesus and in honour of his Master he did not call him by his name but by the name of his Father Think not that I come to send peace on earth Some Object How doth this agree with that He shall speak peace with the Nations And that He is our peace And that My peace I give unto you We answer That those Things respect the perfection of the Gospel but this hath relation to the beginning thereof A Prophet in the name of a Prophet That is to say Although he be a Prophet in name onely and not in deed CHAP. XI A Reed shaken with the wind That is to say What think ye of him who hath a wavering mind ready to bend with every wind And of him who having formerly known me will now make shew as if he knew me not And more than a Prophet That is to say He Prophesied and gave Testimony of me as did the rest of the Prophets And he hath this superadded excellency That he saw me bodily CHAP. XII
of the Kings there were Forty and four to wit Ahazia and Joash and Amotsia and Eliakim who was Jehoiakim being added CHAP. IV. HE departed from him for a season That is to say until the time of the Passion when he incited the Jewes to apprehend him The acceptable year of the Lord. That is to say The year wherein Repentance for sin was to be accepted by the Lord. Naaman the Oromojan That is to say the Syrian The Nestorian reads the Syriack word with Pathocho over Olaph and a quiescent R. That is to say the Gentile but that reading is not to be approved of because the Greek reads it o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Syrian CHAP. VII OR expect we another Some say That this disjunctive particle beareth in this place the sense of a negative and that John did not say thus interrogatively but positively as if he would have said Thou art he and we do not expect another but this is not the meaning of the words CHAP. IX AND a returning spirit That is to say on certain dayes it left him and then Tormented him as an ague CHAP. X. THen to this City That is to say and not to this City Peradventure they had repented in sackeloth and ashes The Nestorians read the word repented in the masculine plural but not rightly because the Greek reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And behold a certain Scribe arose to tempt him The Commentators of Cineria are of Opinion That this was the same who is mentioned in Matthew and Mark to have said to our Lord Good Master What shall I do to inherit eternal life And that this was not he is certain from this consideration that there is mention made of him by Luke hereafter in the paragraphy of the tenth Sabbath Thou art sollicitous about many things That is to say more than are necessary But one thing is requisite That is to say The exigency of the day CHAP. XI TEach us to pray The prayer Our Father which art in Heaven Matthew and Luke onely mention it and Luke doth not add For thine is the Kingdom c. The Queen of the South The Sarakians say That the name of this Queen was Balkis CHAP. XII COmmand my brother to divide inhèritance with me This man was covetous and because his brother followed our Lord he hoped that our Lord would have said unto him Leave whatsoever thou hast unto thy brother and come after me But when he discovered the evil intention of his Covetousness which made him forsake the secular Judges to come unto him he did not vouchsafe to answer his request The Baptism wherewith I shall be baptized That is to say I am to dye a voluntary death wherein I am to rise from the Earth as out of the Water CHAP. XIII TO day and to morrow That is to say This year and the next Out of Jerusalem That is to say it was necessary that the Jewes the sons of Jerusalem should partake in the murther of the Prophets for though Jeremy was slain in Egypt yet was he stoned by those Jewes of Jerusalem who fled from the Chaldeans and Daniel dyed a natural death in Babilon CHAP. XVI AND taketh another committeth adultery That is to say he who without a lawful cause puts away the first There was a certain rich man Because he was wicked his name is not mentioned according to that I will not remember their name with my lips And moreover That he might shew that he was to blot the names of the wicked out of the Book of Life and many of the Doctors say That this rich man was not in any real subsistency neither Lazarus the Beggar but that it was onely a Parable and it is certain That as yet the wicked have not received Torment nor the Righteous Bliss as Paul saith They received not the promise that they might not be perfected without us Saint Cyril saith That this Rich man was in very deed and that his name was Naphtali of the Tribe of Dan and that Lazarus was descended from the Gibeonites and behold his Water-pot is preserved hitherunto and whosoever is ulcerous or lame in his Feet is Cured thereby And was cloathed with fine linen That is to say pure white Cotten which by reason of the exceeding fineness thereof is like to the air CHAP. XVII MIght say unto this Sycamore tree be thou plucked up by the roots and be planted in the sea He brought this Tree for an instance by reason it hath more Roots than other Trees CHAP. XVIII AND was not restrained by shame of men Who adored the fire which is insensible But I fast twice in the Week That is to say The Pharisees fasted the second and fifth day of the Week CHAP. XXII HE who is greatest amongst you It is likely that they did not remember what was said unto Peter That thou art Cephas and on thee will I build my Church and I will give thee the Keyes of Heaven Here are two Swords St. Junnis saith That they were Knives for the Passeover which were prepared there CHAP. XXIII AND they gave him vineger That he might drink thereof and dye the sooner CHAP. XXIV AND from Jerusalem sixty furlongs In some of the Greek copies it is an Hundred and sixty Peace be with ye amen The word amen is not found in all copies And he took and did eat before them He did eat that he might remove from them the Opinion of a Phantasm and not that he stood in need of meat And he lifted up his hands and blessed them That is to say he made them Bishops and when he sent them two and two he made them Deacons to wit purifiers from evil spirits and when he breathed on them and gave them power to forgive sins he ordained them Priests JOHN wrote his Gospel in the Greek Tongue at the Request of those of Asia And Eusebius saith That Peter and Paul came unto him to Ephesus and did perswade him to write JOHANNIS CHAP. I. The Word was made flesh and dwelt in us HE here declares his natural union and personality with humane nature and not the change of his nature And of his fulness have we all received This is the saying of the Evangelist and not of the Baptist And grace That is to say new for grace that is to say old Truth and grace was by Jesus Christ He doth not say That the Law of Moses was false but that it was the shadow of this body These things were done in Bethany beyond Joâ—dan In ancient Copies it is written These things were done in the passage of Jordan And this is to be approved for Bethany was not in the Wilderness where John baptized for it was about Twelve miles from Jordan One of those who heard That is to say Andrew and John himself was the other but he would not express his name being restrained by humility Can any good thing come out of Nazareth He saith this as having read that
a Samaritan a Transgressor of the Law and have said That I am not come from God These things shall be forgiven unto ye but forasmuch as ye have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit by whom I have cast out Devils and Cured the Sick and have said That I did so by the help of Beelzebub and have attributed Divine miracles unto Devils This Blasphemy shall not be remitted unto ye neither in this World nor in that which is to come Object If Blasphemy against him shall be forgiven and Blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven therefore the Son is less than the Spirit and how is Blasphemy against the Spirit irremissible for behold the Jewes who blasphemed against him as also the Macedonians who called him a thing made when they believed and repented obtained forgiveness Resp We Answer That he doth not say that universally all Blasphemies against the Holy Ghost are irremissible but unless they repent they shall not be remitted unto them and many who blasphemed against the Son and did not repent did not obtain pardon and many who did blaspheme against the Spirit and afterwards repented have obtained pardon Moreover He sheweth that Blasphemy against himself is of a lower degree but Blasphemy against the Spirit is great and difficult There might be some excuse for Blasphemy against him because they saw him vested with a body and he appeared to be a man but the proof of the Spirit they took from the Scriptures and the Prophets who spoke concerning him and therefore they were inexcusable and according to what I said ye are offended with me because I am cloathed with flesh but forasmuch as ye have not seen the Spirit so cloathed but working miracles wherefore do ye blaspheme against him Neither in this World nor in that which is to come For some men are Tormented here and there as the Sodomites and the Jewes who were Tormented here in the Captivity and in the other World because they did not believe and there are others who are neither Tormented here nor there as the Apostles the Martyrs and Job for although they suffered afflictions yet whatsoever they endured was not a punishment but a colluctation with evil and a tryal of integrity for there is a difference between a punishment which proceeds from sin and tryals which are permitted for proof of the Elect and Vertuous for the one hardly receives remission of the sins which he committed by the tribulation he endures but the other obtains a Crown of Righteousness And there are some who are Tormented here as Beggars and Lazarus and he who toâ—k the Wife of his Father and some there as the Rich man and it being certain that some are Tormented here and some there our Lord said Neither in this World nor in that which is to come Moreover He calls his body the son of man that is to say Whosoever shall blaspheme against my body saying I came not from a Virgin or that I did not descend from Heaven or that my body hath not suffered truly but in fancy I shall forgive him upon Repentance but he who shall blaspheme against the Divinity working miracles shall not be forgiven for this is a sin accompanied with contempt and is not made of poverty and delight and although this sin may be remitted as we said before by Repentance yet it is the worst of all sins DIONYSIVS SYRVS CONCERNING FREE-VVILL IN HIS Exposition on the Eighteenth Chapter of MATTHEW Ver. 7. Translated by D. L. J. U. D. FOR it is necessary that offences should come By the word necessary he doth not take away the liberty and power which they have in themselves but hath regard to the Scandals which by their own liberty and will they were to bring necessarily upon themselves by reason of which they were to be condemn'd Again He did not cast them under a constraint of fact but foresaw that they were incurably sick and of their own will were to produce Scandals and therefore he said It is necessary forasmuch as they were to be the cause thereof for if they had been unwilling they would not have come But if it were necessary that Scandals should come why doth he denounce a Woe unto the World We say That as he abstain'd from the doing of some things as he was God so being Man he suffered passions and did whatsoever became him but because they were not the better he denounces a Woe unto them They were honoured and were not the better but when they were scourged they were amended And as a Physitian taking care of his sick Patient who will not obey his commands saith Woe to such a man by reason of his sickness which he increaseth by his own disobedience If it be necessary that Scandals should come how is it possible that we should escape them We say It is necessary that Scandals should come but it is not necessary that we should perish thereby even as a Physitian saith it is of necessity that such a man should be sick yet it is not necessary that he should be destroyed thereby who is forewarned thereof and it is certainly known from hence that there have been vertuous men who have escaped from evils and scandals therefore that a man is destroy'd proceedeth from his neglect If every man were upright and no man should bring Scandals this saying would be false It is necessary that they should come We say That if they were to be upright he had not said It is necessary but because he knew that they were not to be upright he said It is necessary i. e. absolutely * Omâ—imodâ— venient scandala And wherefore did not he grant unto them that they should not be troubled with Scandals We say That of neglect they were scandalized if destruction proceeded from the cause of Scandal every man must necessarily have been destroyed but if some escape he who doth not escape may repute himself the cause thereof Otherwise thus It is necessary Scandals should come Some men say That these words are founded upon the passion and death of our Lord for his death was necessary this is clear from hence That he said A grain of wheat unless it fall into the ground and dye beareth no fruit And Paul that by his death we vanquish him who had power and if the vanquishing of death is necessary so also is the death of our Lord and Regeneration necessary And we ought to know That although the Passion of our Lord were necessary yet the Actors and Authors thereof were not of necessity nor did they unvoluntarily attempt the same otherwise he had not pronounc'd a Woe against him by whom Scandals should come and if according to their madness the Treachery of Judas was of necessity who was the cause of his bursting and hanging himself Dionysius Syrus concerning the woman that had six husbands John 4. Translated by D. L. J. U. D. GO call thy husband i. e. That he might partake of these
to his Father what he had done and that he might convince those who said he was an enemy to God And he sighed First by reason of the hardness of their hearts who saw the Miracles which he wrought and did not believe Secondly because there were some amongst them who did not onely not believe when they saw the Miracles which he did but also crucified him Thirdly as a Shepherd who sighs for his lost sheep and as a Mariner for his ship that is lost Fourthly by reason of Humane Nature which until then was humbled afflicted and brought into subjection Fifthly by reason of the captivity of our nature by the Devils And looking up to heaven he said unto him Ephphatha He did not open him by prayer or supplication but as in the beginning he commanded the light and it was made And if any one say That in the Beginning the Father commanded the Creatures that they should be made We answer That there was the same Commandment of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost as it is written That by the word of the Lord the heavens were made And straightway his ears were opened This was the operation of God who so soon as he commands any thing it is perfectly done according to that he commanded and they were and he commanded and he arose wherefore from hence That he commanded and it was done we understand That Christ who is God was made man And he charged them that they should tell no man thereof For he abstained from vain glory nay rather he Taught how to shun it and this which he said And he charged them being of the plural number whereas there was but one deaf man which he Cured must be taken in this sense That he joined this deaf man with others whom he had Cured or he charged this deaf man together with the multitude there assembled That they should tell no man CHAP. VIII ANd he came to Bethsaida and they brought unto him a blind man That is to say That they might Tempt him as his Friends And he took him by the hand and led him out of the town Wherefore he led him out hath been spoken unto by us concerning the deaf man And he did spit on his eyes This in like manner have we explained before And he asked him Dost thou see any thing That the blind man might be confirmed concerning his Cure I see men like trees walking The word walking is to be referred to men and not to trees according to that All the people saw the voyces and the lightnings and the Priests accompanied them in the way and they flew It had been an easie thing for him in the twinkling of an eye to have Cured him but he prolonged his Cure that the blind man might be more sensible thereof And that this Miracle might be confirmed and that the Humanation of Christ might not be taken for a fancy some say That because this blind man and that deaf man were doubtful in the Faith therefore did Christ prolong their Cure and effected it by little and little that they might be sensible thereof And sent him to his house Thereby abstaining from vain glory and Teaching us to flie from it And Peter took him and began to rebuke him Not angerly but lovingly and rather by way of Deprecation But he turned about and looked That is to say Jesus looked on his Disciples as if a man should say observe what Simeon saith even that which a Religious man should not think fit to admit into his Thoughts Get thee behind me Satan He calls him Satan by way of Admonition unto them that no man should presume to find fault with such Things as are acceptable to God as if they were complying with the mind of the Devil CHAP. IX I Have brought unto thee my son That is to say Not the Spirit which did not speak but the man who â—â—ught the infirm person spoke for his speech was suppressed whil'st he was Tormented He bruiseth him and he foameth That is to say Froth did come out of his mouth and he was like a dry stick And he spake to his Disciples that they should cast him out and they could not Because it was not decent that they should work Miracles when they were so near our Lord for when they were sent into Judaea they themselves did not only do mighty deeds but also said unto our Lord Behold the Devils are subject unto us through thy Name Nay others acted in his Name insomuch that they said We saw a man casting out Devils in thy Name and we forbade him We have expounded the rest of this matter upon Matthew And he wallowed and foamed That is to say he did beat with his legs and he cast up foam And Jesus asked his Father He did not ask as being ignorant for he who knew the Father perfectly knew also the time when this unclean spirit entred but he asked the question for four Reasons First That he might shew the contempt of the Jews Secondly That the power of Christ might be the more taken notice of and published Thirdly That the Miracle might be the more magnified in the eyes of the Beholders Fourthly That those who stood in need of Cure might be sensible of his Cure and these things we have explained in Matthew John said unto him Master we have seen a man who casteth out Devils in thy Name and we prohibited him It is probable That this man was one of those who often came to our Lord although he did not follow him as did his Disciples and because he was worthy our Lord bestowed on him this power But the Disciples when they observed it they forbade him the exercise thereof That is to say They admonished him under pain of Excommunication since thou art not of those who adhere to our Lord it is not lawful for thee to cast out Devils in his Name but our Lord saith unto them Forbid them not for there is no man who worketh a miracle in my Name and can suddenly speak evil of me If thy hand offend thee cut it off it is better for thee maimed c. By the Hand and by the Foot he signifieth the Congregation That is to say The lesser sort of People and Commonalty That is to say Whosoever is Arrogant a Glutton or a Covetous person or a Fornicator whether he be a Governor of the Congregation or of the meaner sort if he offend the Church to wit the Faithful cut him off and cast him out of the Church lest that he infect the whole Church by his offence and so all fall into Hell For every one shall be salted with fire and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt That is to say even as that Coyn which is tryed and purged by fire is of use to a Kingdom And as Salt preserves tender Bodies from Corruption so also the grace of the Spirit preserveth loose minds from the corrupt odour of sin