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ANNOTATIONS . XIX.

6. Not man separate.) This inseparability betwixt man and wife riseth of that, that wedlock is a Sacrament. Aug. li. 2. de pec. origine c. 34. to. 7. De nupt. & concupis. li. 1. c. 10.

9. But for fornication.) For advoutrie one may dimisse an other, Mat. 5. But neither party can mary againe for any cause during life. Aug. li. 11. de adult. conjug. c. 21. 22. 24. For the which unlawful act of marying againe, Fabiola that noble matrone of Rome albeit she was the Innocent part, did publike penance, as S. Hierom writeth in her high commendation therfore. And in S. Paul Ro. 7. it is plaine that she which is with an other man, her husband yet living, shal be called an advouteresse: contrary to the doctrine of our Adversaries.

11. Not al take.) Whosoever have not this guift given them, it either for that they wil not have it, or for that they fulfil not that which they wil; & they that have this gift or attaine to this word, have it of God and their owne free wil. Aug. li. de grat. & lib. arbit. c. 4. So that it is evident no man is excluded from this guift, but (as Origen here saith) it is given to al that aske for it; contrarie to our Adversaries that say it is impossible, & that for excuse of breaking their vowes, wickedly say, they have not the guift.

12. Gelded them selves.)They geld them selves for the Kingdom of Heaven which vow chastity. Aug. de virginitate c. 24. Which proveth those kind of vowes to be both lawful, and also more meritorious, and more sure to obtaine life everlasting, then the state of wedlock, contrarie to our Adv. in al respects.

1412 [sic]. He that can.) It is not said of the Precepts, keepe them who can, for they be necessarie under paine of damnation to be kept; but of Counsels only (as of virginity, abstaining from flesh and wine, and of giving al a mans goods away to the poore) it is said: He that can attaine to it, let him doe it; which is counsel only, not a commandement. Contrary to our Adv. that say there are no Councels, but only precepts.

13. Impose). They knew the valour of Christs blessing, and therfore brought their children to him; as good Christian people have at al times brought their children to Bishops to have their blessing. See Annotation before Chap. 10, 12. And of Religious mens blessing see Russin. li. 2. c. 8. hist. S. Hierom in Epitaph. Paulæ c. 7, & in vit. Hilarionis. Theodoret. in historia Sanctorum Patrum num. 8.

21. If thou wilt be perfect.) Loe, he maketh a plaine difference between keeping the commandements, which is necessary for every man: and being perfect, which he counseleth only to them that wil. And this is the state of great perfection which Religious men doe professe, according to Christes counsel here, leaving al things and folowing him.

21. Folow me.) Thus to folow Christ is to be without wife and care of children, to lack proprietie, and to live in common, and this hath great reward in Heaven above other states of life: which S. Augustine saith, the Apostles folowed, and himself, and that he exhorted others to it as much as lay in him. Aug. ep. 89. in fine, & in ps. 103 Conc. 3. post med.

26. Al things possible.) This of the camel through a needels eye, being possible to God, although he neither hath done it, nor by like wil doe it: maketh against the blasphemous infidelity of our Adversaries that say, God can do no more then he hath done, or wil doe. We see also that God can bring a camel through a needels eye, & therfore his body through a doore, and out of the sepulchre shut, and out of his mother a virgin, and generally above nature doe with his body as he list.

27. Left al.) This perfection of leaving al things the Apostles vowed. Aug. li. 17. de Civit Dei c. 4.

27. What shal we have.) They leave al things in respect of reward, and Christ doeth wel allow it in them by his answer.

28. You also shal sit.) Note that not only Christ, who is the principal and proper Judge of the living and the dead, but with him the Apostles and al perfect Saints shal judge; and yet that doeth nothing derogate to his prerogative, by whom and under whom they hold this and al other dignities in this life and the next. Rh