Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsActs 1

Giving commandment.

He meaneth the power given them to preach, to baptize, to remit sins, and generally the whole commission and charge of government of the Church after him and in his name, stead, and right. The which Regiment was given them together with the Holy Ghost to assist them therein for ever.

It is not for you.

^◦ It is not for us, nor needful for the Church, to know the times & moments of the world, the coming of Antichrist, and such other God's secrets. This is enough in that case, to be assured that Christ's faith shall be preached, and the Church spread throughout all Nations, the Holy Ghost concurring continually with the Apostles and their Successors for the same.

• ◦ The times and moments of things to come pertain not to us.

Assumpted from you.

^◦ By this visible Ascending of Christ to heaven and like return from thence to judgement, the Heretics do incredulously argue him not to be in the Sacrament. But let the faithful rather give ear to S. Chrysostom saying thus: O miracle, he that sitteth with the Father in heaven above, at the very same time is handled of men beneath. Christ ascending to heaven, both hath his flesh with him, and left it with us beneath. Elias being taken up, left to his Disciple his cloak only: but the Son of man ascending left his own flesh to us. Li. 3. de Sacerd. Ho. 2. ad po. Ant. in fine. Ho. de divit. & paup. in fine.

• ◦ Christ is ascended, and yet really in the B. Sacrament.

MARY the mother of JESUS.

^[1] This is the last mention that is made in holy Scripture, of our B. Lady. For though she were full of all divine wisdom, and opened (no doubt) unto the Evangelists and other writers of holy Scriptures, diverse of Christ's actions, speeches, and mysteries, whereof she had both experimental and revealed knowledge: Yet for that she was a woman, and the humblest creature living, and the pattern of all order and obedience, it pleased not God that there should be any further note of her life, doings, or death, in the Scriptures. ^[2] She lived the rest of her time with the Christians (as here she is peculiarly named and noted among them) and specially with S. John the Apostle, ^[3] to whom our Lord recommended her. Who provided for her all necessaries, her spouse Joseph (as it may be thought) being deceased before. The common opinion is that she lived 63 years in all. ^[4] At the time of her death, (as S. Denys first, & after him S. Damascene de dormit. Deiparæ, writeth,) ^[5] all the Apostles then dispersed into diverse nations to preach the Gospel, were miraculously brought together (saving S. Thomas who came the third day after) to Hierusalem, to honour her divine departure and funeral, as the said S. Denys witnesseth. Who saith that himself, S. Timothee, and S. Hierotheus were present: testifying also of his own hearing, that both before her death and after for three days, not only the Apostles and other holy men present, but the Angels also and Powers of heaven did sing most melodious Hymns. They buried her sacred body in Gethsemani, but for S. Thomas' sake, who desired to see and to reverence it, they opened the sepulchre the third day, and finding it void of the holy body, but exceedingly fragrant, they returned, ^[6] assuredly deeming that her body was assumpted into heaven, as the Church of God holdeth, being most agreeable to the singular privilege of the mother of God, and therefore celebrateth most solemnly the day of her Assumption. And that is consonant not only to the said S. Denys, and S. Damascene, but to holy Athanasius also, who avoucheth the same, Serm. in Evang. de Deipara. Of which Assumption of her body, S. Bernard also wrote five notable sermons extant in his works.

• 1 Our B. LADY.
• 2 Her life.
• 3 Io. 19, 26. 27.
• 4 Her death.
• 5 Dionys. ep. ad Timotheum.
• 6 Her ASSUMPTION.

^◦

But neither these holy Fathers, nor the Church's tradition and testimony, do bear any sway now a days with the Protestants, that have abolished this her greatest feast of her Assumption. Who of reason should at the least celebrate it as the day of her death, as they do of other Saints. For though they believe not that her body is assumpted, yet they will not (we trow) deny that she is dead, and her soul in glory: neither can they ask scriptures for that, no more than they require for the deaths of Peter, Paul, John, and other, which be not mentioned in scriptures & yet are still celebrated by the Protestants. But concerning the B. Virgin Mary, they have blotted out also both her Nativity, and her Conception: so as it may be thought the Devil beareth a special malice to this woman whose seed brake his head. For as for the other two days of her Purification & Annunciation, they be not proper to our Lady, but the one to Christ's Conception, the other to his Presentation, so that she by this means shall have no festivity at all.

^[1]

• 1 How the Primitive Church & ancient Fathers honoured our B. Lady.
• ◦ The Protestants have no feast of her at all, as they have of other Saints.

But contrarywise, to consider how the ancient Church and Fathers esteemed, spake, and wrote of this excellent vessel of grace, may make us detest these men's impiety, that cannot abide the praises of her ^[2] whom all generations should call blessed, and that esteem her honours a derogation to her son. Some of their speeches we will set down, that all men may see, that we neither praise her, nor pray to her, more amply than they did. ^[3] S. Athanasius in the place alleged, after he had declared how all the Angelical spirits and every order of them honoured and praised her with the Ave, wherewith S. Gabriel saluted her: we also, saith he, of all degrees upon the earth extol thee with loud voice, saying, Ave gratia plena &c. Hail full of grace, our Lord is with thee pray for us o Mistress, and Lady, and Queen, and mother of God. Most holy and ancient ^[4] Ephrem, also in a special oration made in praise of our Lady, saith thus in diverse places thereof, Intemerata Deipara &c. Mother of God undefiled, Queen of all, the hope of them that despair, my lady most glorious, higher than the heavenly spirits, more honourable than the Cherubins, holier than the Seraphins, and without comparison more glorious than the supernal hosts, the hope of the Fathers, the glory of the Prophets, the praise of the Apostles. And a little after. Virgo ante partum, in partu, & post partum. by thee we are reconciled to Christ my God, thy son: thou art the helper of sinners, thou the haven for them that are tossed with storms, the solace of the world, the deliverer of the imprisoned, the help of orphans, the redemption of captives. And afterward, Vouchsafe me thy servant to praise thee. Hail lady Mary full of grace, hail Virgin most blessed among women. And much more in that sense which were too long to repeat.

^[1]

• 1 S. Cyril.
• 2 * Lu. 1, 48.
• 3 S. Athanasius.
• 4 S. Ephrem.

S. Cyril hath the like wonderful speeches of her honour, hom. 6. contra Nestorium. Praise and glory be to thee o holy Trinity: to thee also be praise, holy mother of God, for thou art the precious pearl of the world, thou the candle of unquenchable light, the crown of Virginity, the sceptre of the Catholic faith. By thee the Trinity is glorified and adored in all the world: by thee heaven rejoiceth, Angels and Archangels are glad, devils are put to flight, and man is called again to heaven, and every creature that was held with the error of Idols, is turned to the knowledge of the truth: by thee Churches are founded through the world: thee being their helper, the Gentiles come to penance. and much more which we omit. Likewise ^[2] the Greek Liturgies or Masses of S. James, S. Basil, and S. Chrysostom, make most honourable mention of our B. Lady, praying unto her, saluting her with the Angelical hymn, Ave Maria, and using these speeches, Most holy, undefiled, blessed above all, our Queen, our Lady, the mother of God, Mary, a virgin for ever, the sacred ark of Christ's Incarnation, broader than the heavens that didst bear thy creator, holy mother, of unspeakable light, we magnify thee with Angelical hymns. All things pass understanding, all things are glorious in thee o mother of God. By thee the mystery before unknown to the Angels, is made manifest and revealed to them on the earth. Thou art more honourable than the Cherubins, and more glorious than the Seraphins. To thee, O full of grace, all creatures, both men and Angels do gratulate and rejoice: glory be to thee, Which art a sanctified temple, a spiritual paradise, the glory of virgins, of whom God took flesh and made thy womb to be his throne. &c.

^[1]

• 1 S. Augustine.
• 2 The Greek Liturgies of S. James, S. Basil, S. Chrysostom.

And S. Augustine Serm. 18. de Sanctis to. 10: or (as some think) S. Fulgentius: O blessed Mary, who can be able worthily to praise or thank thee, receive our prayers, obtain us our requests, for thou art the ^[2] special hope of sinners, by thee we hope for pardon of our sins, & in thee, o most blessed, is the expectation of our rewards. And then follow these words now used in the Church's service: ^[3] Sancta Maria succurre miseris, iuva pusillanimes, refove flebiles, ora pro populo, interveni pro clero, intercede pro devoto foemineo sexu. Sentiant omnes tuum iuvamen, quicunque celebrant tuam commemorationem. Pray thou continually for the people of God, which didst deserve to bear the redeemer of the world, Who liveth and reigneth for ever. ^[4] S. Damascene also ser. de dormitione Deiparæ. Let us cry with Gabriel, Ave gratia plena, Hail full of grace, Hail sea of joy that cannot be emptied, hail the ^[5] only ease of griefs, hail holy virgin, by whom death was expelled, and life brought in. See ^[6] S. Irenæus li. 3. c. 33. and li. 5. circa medium, & S. Augustine de fide & Symbolo. & de agone Christiano. Where they declare how both the sexes concur to our salvation, the man and the woman, Christ and our Lady, ^[7] as Adam and Eve both were the cause of our fall. Though Adam far more than his wife, and so Christ far more excellently and in another sort than our Lady: who (though his mother) yet is but his creature and handmaid, himself being truly both God and man. In all which places alleged & ^[8] many other like to these, if it please the reader to see and read, and make his own eyes witnesses, he shall perceive that there is much more said of her, and to her, than we have here recited, and that the very same or the like speeches and terms were used then, that the Church useth now, in the honour and invocation of the B. Virgin: to the confusion of all those that willfully will not understand in what sense all such speeches are applied unto her, to wit, either because of her prayer and intercession for us, ^[9] whereby she is our hope, our refuge, our advocate &c. or because she brought forth the author of our redemption and salvation, whereby she is the mother of mercy, and grace, and life, and whatsoever goodness we receive by Christ.

• 2 * unica spes
• 3 Sancta MARIA succurre miseris, &c.
• 4 S. Damascene.
• 5 * unicum levamen
• 6 S. Irenæus.
• 7 As Adam and Eve, so Christ & our Lady.
• 8 See S. Greg. Nazian. in fi. Trag. Christus patiens.
• 9 The meaning of the titles and terms given to our B. Lady.

Peter rising up.

^[1] Peter in the mean time practised his Superiority in the company or Church, publishing an election to be made of one to supply Judas' room. Which Peter did not upon commandment of Christ written, but by suggestion of God's Spirit, and by understanding the scriptures of the old Testament to that purpose: the sense whereof Christ had opened to the Apostles before his departure, though in more full manner afterward at the sending of the Holy Ghost. And this act of Peter in prescribing to the Apostles and the rest, this election, and the manner thereof, is so evident for his Supremacy, that ^[2] the Adversaries confess here that he was, Antistes, the chief and Bishop of this whole College and company.

• 1 Peter beginneth to practise his Primacy.
• 2 Beza in no. Test. Græcol. an. 1565.

Lots.

^◦ When the even or fall of the lot is not expected of Devils, nor of the stars, nor of any force of fortune, but looked and prayed for to be directed by God and his holy Saints: then may lots be used lawfully. And sometimes to discern betwixt two thins mere indifferent, they be necessary, as S. Augustine teacheth ep. 180. ad Honoratum.

• ◦ Casting of lots.