Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsMatthew 11

Art thou he.

John himself doubted not, for he baptized him and gave great testimony of him before: Io. 1. But because his disciples knew him not, nor esteemed of him so much as of John their own Master, therefore did he send them unto Christ, that by occasion of Christ's answer he might the better instruct them what he was, and so make them Christ's disciples, preferring them to a better Master.

What went you out.

^◦ High commendation of John's holiness, as well for his fasting, rough attire, solitary life, and constancy, as for the dignity of his function.

• ◦ Eremitical life.

Into the desert.

The faithful people in all ages resorted of devotion into wilderness to see men of special and rare holiness, Prophets, Eremites, Anchorites &c. to have their prayers or ghostly counsel. See S. Hierom de vita Hilarionis.

Elias.

As ^◦ Elias shall be the messenger of Christ's later coming, so was John his messenger and Precursor at his former coming: and therefore is he called Elias, because of his like office and like spirit. Luc. 1. Grego. ho. 7. in Evang.

• ◦ Elias.

Eating and drinking.

^◦ The wicked quarrellers of the world misconstrue easily all the acts and life of good men. If they be great fasters and austere livers, they are blasphemed and counted hypocrites: if they converse with other men in ordinary manner, then they be counted dissolute.

• ◦ Penance.

Penance in sackcloth.

By this sackcloth and ashes added here and in other places, we see evidently that Penance is not only leaving of former sins, and change or amendment of life past, no nor bare sorrowfulness or recounting of our offences already committed, but requireth punishment and chastisement of our persons by these and such other means as the Scriptures do elsewhere set forth. And therefore concerning the word also, it is rather to be called Penance, as in our translation: than (as the Adversaries of purpose avoiding the word) Repentance or Amendment of life: and that according to the very usual signification of the ^[1] Greek word in the most ancient Ecclesiastical Greek writers: who for poenitentes (which in the Primitive Church did public penance) say, ^[2] ὁι ἐν μετανοία ὄντες, that is, Men that are doing penance. And concerning that part of penance which is Confession, the Ecclesiastical history calleth it by the same Greek word, and the penitents coming to confession, τοὺς μετανοοῦντας. Sozom. li. 7. c. 16. Socrat. li. 5. c. 19.

• 1 μετάνοια.
• 2 Dionys. Eccl. hier. c. 3. in initio.

Little ones.

These little ones do not signify here only the unlearned, as though Cobblers, and weavers, and women, and girls had this revelation, and therefore do understand all Scriptures and are able to expound them: but here are signified the humble, whether they be learned or unlearned: as when he saith, ^◦ Unless you become as little ones, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of heaven. And so also the greatest Doctors (who as they were most learned, so most humbled themselves to the judgment of the Catholic Church) are these little ones: and Heretics, who although unlearned, yet vaunt their knowledge and their spirit of understanding above all ancient Fathers and the whole Church, cannot be of these little and humble ones.

• ◦ Mt. 18, 3.

Yoke sweet.

^◦ What is this light burden and sweet yoke, but his commandments, of which S. John saith 1. Ep. 5. His commandments are not heavy? clean contrary to the Adversaries that say, they are unpossible to be kept.

• ◦ The commandments possible.