following. Hiero. quæst. 6. Algas. tom. 3. Ambros. in Luc. August. serm. 35 de verb. Do. c. 1. Gregor. moral. li. 21. c. 14. August. li. 2 qu. Evang. qu. 34. Chrys. ho. 33. ad Po. Ansioch. to. 5.
Mariage after divorce unlawful.18. And marreth.) The good of Mariage throughout al Nations and men, is in issue and fidelitie of chastitie, but among the people of God it consisteth also in holines of Sacrament: whereby it commeth to passe that is a heinous crime to mary againe, though there be a divorce made, so long as the parties live. Aug. de bono conjug. c. 24 to. 6. See the Annotations upon Marke 10, 11.
Unmerciful rich men.22. Of the Angels.) Angels carie good mens soules to Heaven now, as they did then his to Abrahams bosome. See the reward of poverty, affliction, and patience: and on the contrarie, the end and reward of wealth joyned with unmercifulnes. Note also here that at the day of every mans death there is a particular judgement, and therfore the soule sleepeth not, nor hangeth in suspense til the general judgement.
Abrahams bosome.22. Abrahams Bosome.) The Bosome of Abraham is the resting place of al them that died in perfect state of grace before Christs time, Heaven before being shut from men. Zach. 9, 11.
Esa. 42, 7.It is called in Zacharie, a lake without water, and sometimes a prison, but most commonly of the Divines Limbus patrum, for that it is thought to have been the higher part or brimme of Hel, the places of punishment being far lower than the same, which therfore be called Infernum inferius * Aug in Ps. 85, Ep. 99.* the lower hel. Where this mansion of the fathers stood, or whether it be any part of Hel, S. Augustine doubted: but that there was such a place, he nor no Catholike man ever doubted: as al the Fathers make it most certaine, that our Saviour descending to Hel, went thither specially, and delivered the said Fathers out of that mansion. Iren. li. 4. c. 19. Euseb. Demonst. Evang. li. 10. c. 8 sub finem. Nazian. orat. 2 de Pasch. Chrysost. to. 5 in demonst. Quod Christus sit Deus, paulo post initium. Epipha. in heres. 26 Taatini. Ambros. de myst. Pasch. c. 4. Hiero. in 9 Zachariæ. August. ep. 99 & li. 20. de Civit. c. 15. Paulinus in Panegyrico Celst. Cyrillus in Jo. li. 12 c. 36. ad illud, Inclinato capite. Gregor. li. 6 ep. 179. which truth and place though of al the ancient writers confessed and proved by this and other Scriptures: yet the Adversaries deny it (as they doe Purgatorie) most impudently.
Purgatorie.26. A great chaos.) A great distance betwixt Abrahams bosome and the inferiour Hel. Some judge Purgatorie to be placed there, from whence (no doubt) Christ also delivered some at his descending to Hel. For, these in Abrahams bosome were not in paines: Aug. ep. 99.and S. Augustine saith the Scriptures be plaine that he tooke some out of the places of punishment, and yet none out of the Hel of the damned. What other place then can that be but Purgatorie?
Saints doe heare our prayers and have care of us.28. Lest they also.) If the damned had care of their freindes alive, how and for what cause soever, much more have the Saints and saved persons. And if those in Hel have meanes to expresse their cogitations and desires, and to be understood of Abraham so far distant both by place and condition, much rather may the living pray to the Saints and be heard of them: betwixt earth (that is to say) the Church militant and Heaven, being continual passage of soules, and Gen. 32.* Angels ascending and descending by Jacobs ladder. Men must not for al that be curious to search how the soules of the deceased expresse their mindes, and be heard one of another, and so fal to blasphemie, as Calvin doth, Calvins blasphemie.Cal. li. 2. Instit. c. 22. sect. 24.* asking whether their eares be so long to heare so far off, and wickedly measuring al things by mortal mens corporal grosse manner of uttering conceits one to another. Which was not here done by this damned nor by Abraham, with corporal instruments of tongue, teeth, and eares: though for the better expressing of the damneds case, Christ vouchsafed to utter it in termes agreeing to our capacitie.
