Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsGalatians 1

Neither by man.

^◦ Though he were not first by man's election, nomination, or assignment, but by God's own special appointment, chosen to be an Apostle: yet by the like express ordinance of God he took orders or imposition of hands of men, as is plain Act. 13. Let us beware then of such false Apostles, as now a days intrude themselves to the office of Ministry and preaching, neither called of God, nor rightly ordered of men.

• ◦ S. Paul sent to preach by ordinary imposition of hands.

Or an Angel.

^◦ Many worthy observations are made in the Fathers' writings, of the earnest admonition of the Apostle, and much may we gather of the text it-self. First, that the credit of any man or Angel for what learning, eloquence, shew or grace or virtue so ever, though he wrought miracles, should not move a Christian man from that truth which he hath once received in the Catholic Church: of which point Vincentius Lirinensis excellently treateth. li. cont. profan. hæres. Novitates. Whereby we may see that it is great pity and shame, that so many follow Luther and Calvin and such other lewd fellows, into a new Gospel, which are so far from Apostles and Angels, that they are not any whit comparable with the old Heretics in gifts of learning or eloquence, much less in good life.

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• 1 Preaching contrary to the faith received is forbidden, not other preaching.
• ◦ No shew of learning or virtue must move us from the faith.

Secondly, S. Augustine ^[2] noteth upon the word, Beside, that not all other teaching, or more preaching than the first, is forbidden, but such as is contrary and disagreeing to the rule of faith. The Apostle did not say, saith he, If any man evangelize to you more than you have received, but, beside that you received. For if he should say that, he should be prejudicial to himself, who coveted to come to the Thessalonians, that he might supply that which was wanting to their faith. Now he that supplieth, addeth that which was lacking, taketh not away that which was, &c. By which we see how frivolously and calumniously the Heretics charge the Church with addition to the Scriptures.

^◦

Thirdly, as well by the word evangelizamus (we evangelize) as the word accepistis (you have received) we may not that the first truth, against which no second Gospelling or doctrine may be admitted, is not that only which he wrote to the Galatians, or which is contained either in his or any other of the Apostle's or Evangelist's writings, but that which was by word of mouth also preached, taught, or delivered them first, before he wrote to them. Therefore the Adversaries of the Church that measure the word of God or Gospel by the Scriptures only, thinking themselves not to incur S. Paul's curse, except they teach directly against the written word, are foully beguiled. As therein also they shamefully err, when they charge the Catholics with adding to the Gospel, when they teach any thing that is not in express words written by the Apostles or Evangelists. not marking that the Apostle in this Chapter, and else-where, commonly calleth his & his fellows' whole preaching, the Gospel, be it written or unwritten.

• 2 Tract. 98. in Ioan.
• ◦ The Gospel is not only in the written word of Scripture, but in unwritten tradition also.

^◦

Fourthly, by the same words we see condemned all after-preachings, later doctrines, new sects and authors of the same: that only being true, which was first by the Apostles and Apostolic men as the lawful husbandmen of Christ's field, sowed and planted in the Church: and that false, which was later and as it were oversown by the enemy. By which rule not only Tertullian (de præscript. nu. 6. & 9.) but all other ancient Doctors, and specially S. Irenæus (li. 3. c. 2. 3. 4.) tried truth from false, and condemned old Heretics, proving Marcion, Valentine, Cerdon, Menander, and such like false Apostles, because they came in with their novelties long after the Church was settled in former truth.

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Fifthly, This curse or execration pronounced by the Apostle, toucheth not only the Galatians, or those of the Apostles' time, that preached otherwise than they did, but it pertaineth to all times, preachers, and teachers, unto the world's end, and it concerneth them (as Vincentius Lirinensis saith) that preach a new faith, or change that old faith which they received in the unity of the Catholic Church. To preach any thing to Christian Catholic men (saith he ^[2] ) besides that which they have received, never was it lawful, never is it, nor never shall it be lawful. To say anathema to such, it hath been, and is, and shall be always behooful. So S. Augustine by this place holdeth all accursed, that draw a Christian man from the society of the whole Church, to make the several part of any once sect: that call to the hidden conventicles of Heretics, from the open and known Church of Christ: that allure to the private, from the common: finally all that draw with chatting curiosity the children of the Catholic Church, by teaching any thing besides that they found in the church. ep. 48. Psal. 103. Con. 2. ^[3] mentioning also that a Donatist feigned an Angel to have admonished him to call his friend out of the Communion of the Catholic Church into his sect, and he saith, that if it had been an Angel indeed, yet should he not have heard him. Lastly S. Hierom useth this place, wherein the Apostle giveth the curse or anathema to all false teachers not once but twice, to prove that the zeal ^[4] of Catholic men ought to be so great toward all Heretics and their doctrines, that they should give them the anathema, though they were never so dear unto them. In which case, saith this holy Doctor, I would not spare mine own parents. Ad Pammach. c. 3. cont. Io. Hieros.

• 1 The Apostles curse upon all that teach new doctrine, and draw men from the Cath. Church.
• 2 Li. cont. proph. hær. novit.
• 3 * Aug. ep. 165.
• 4 Zeal against heretics.
• ◦ After-preaching & over-sowing of novelties, argueth false doctrine.

To see Peter.

^[1] In what estimation S. Peter was with this Apostle, it appeareth: seeing for respect and honour of his person, and of duty as Tertullian de præscript. saith (notwithstanding his great affairs Ecclesiastical) he went so far to see him, not in vulgar manner, but (as S. Chrysostom noteth the Greek word ^[2] to import) to behold him as men behold a thing or person of name, excellency, and majesty, for which cause, and to fill himself with the perfect view of his behaviour, he abode with him fifteen days. See. S. Hierom ep. 103 ad Paulinum. to. 3. who maketh also a mystery of the number of days that he tarried with S. Peter. See S. Ambrose in Comment. huius loci, and S. Chrysostom upon this place, and ho. 87. in Ioan.

• 1 S. Paul doth visit S. Peter of honour and reverence toward him.
• 2 ἱστορῆσαι.