Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsJohn 9

Made clay.

Christ that could have cured this man by his only will or word, yet used certain creatures as his instruments in working, ^◦ and diverse circumstances and ceremonies, clay, water, anointing, washing, &c. No marvel then that he and his Church use such diversities of Sacraments and ceremonies external in curing our souls.

• ◦ External ceremonies.

Put out of the Synagogue.

^[1] The Heretics untruly translate here (& v. 35.) Excommunicate: to make the simple conceive the Church's Excommunication to be no other, or no better, or no more rightly used against them, than this casting out of the Synagogue of such as confessed our Saviour. They might as well have translated for Synagogue, ^[2] Church: for the Old Testament, the new: for Law, grace: for flesh, spirit: for Moyses, Christ. For no less difference is there between, casting out of the Synagogue, and, Excommunication. Besides that, not every one which was not of the Jews' Synagogue, was therefore out of the communion of the Faithful, many true believers being in other parts of the world not subject to the Jews' Synagogue, Law, or Sacraments. ^[3] And therefore it was not all one to be out of the Synagogue, and to be excommunicated. as now, whosoever is out of the Church's communion, either by his own will, or for his just deserts thrust out of it by the spiritual Magistrate, he is quite abandoned out of all the society of Saints in heaven and earth, so long as he so continueth.

• 1 Heretical translation.
• 2 Casting out of the Synagogue.
• 3 The Church's Excommunication. See in the Annot. Mat. 18, 17.

As for the cause of thrusting this poor man and such other out of the Synagogue, and excommunicating Heretics, there is as great odds as betwixt heaven and hell: he being used so for following Christ and his Church, these for forsaking Christ and his Church. Some more agreement there is between that corrupt sentence of the Jews against the followers of Christ, and the pretended excommunication executed against Catholic men by our Heretics, although in truth there is no great resemblance. For, the Jews though they abused their power sometimes, yet had they authority indeed by God's law so to punish contemners of their Law, & therefore it was feared and respected even of good men. But the excommunication used by heretics against Catholics or any offenders, is not to be respected at all, ^[1] being no more but a ridiculous usurpation of the Church's right and fashion of the same. For, out of their Synagogues all faithful men ought to flee, and not tarry to be thrust out: according to the warning given against Core and Dathan. Be ye separated from their tabernacles, lest you be wrapped in their sins. ^[2]

• 1 The Heretics' ridiculous Excommunication.
• 2 Num. 16.