they in the old Law did to their Sacrifices, and to the loaves of proposition, 1 Reg. 21.
Often saying of the Ave Marie.28. Haile ful of grace.) Holy Church and al true Christian men doe much and often use these wordes brought from Heaven by the Archangel, as wel to the honour of Christ and our B. Ladie, as also for that they were the wordes of the first glad tidings of Christs Incarnation & our Salvation by the same; and be the very abridgement and summe of the whole Ghospel.Liturg. S. Jacobi & Chrys. In so much that the Greeke Church used it daily in the Masse.
Corrupt translation of Heretikes.28. Ful of grace.) Note the excellent prerogatives of our B. Lady, and abhorre those Heretikes which make her no better then other vulgar women, and therfore to take from her fulnes of grace, they say here, Haile freely beloved,S. Atha. de S. Deip. S. Ephrem in orat. de laud. B. virg. Amb. in 1 Luc. li. 2. Hier, ep. 140 in exp. Ps. 44. contrarie to al signification of the Greeke word, which is at the least, endued with grace, as S. Paul useth it Ephes. 1. by S. Chrysostoms interpretation: or rather, ful of grace, as both κεχαριτωμενη. εκαριτωσε* Greeke and Latin Fathers have alwayes here understood it, and the Latines also read it, namely S. Ambrose thus, wel is she only called ful of grace, who only obtained the grace, which no other woman deserved, to be replenished with the authour of grace.ελκωμενος And if they did as wel know the nature of these kind of Greeke wordes, as they would seeme very skilful, they might easily observe that they signifie fulnes, as when them selves translate the like word (Luc. 16, 20.) ful of sores. Beza, ulcerosus.
Our B. Lady vowed virginitie.34. I know not man.) These words declare (saith S. Augustine) that she had now vowed virginitie to God. For otherwise neither would she say, How shal this be done? nor have added, because I know not man. Yea if she had said only the first words, How shal this be done; it is evident that she would not have asked such a question, how a woman should beare a sonne promised her, if she had maried meaning to have carnal copulation c. 4 de Virg. As if he should say, If she might have knowen a man and so have had a child, she would never have asked, How shal this be done; but because that ordinarie way was excluded by her vow of virginitie, therfore she asketh, How? And in asking, How? she plainly declareth that she might not have a child by knowing man, because of her vow. See S. Grego. Nyssene de sancta Christi Nativitate.
Christ came of both Tribes, Juda and Levi.36. Elizabeth thy cosin.) By this that Elizabeth and our Lady were cosins, the one of the Tribe of Levi, the other of Juda, is gathered that Christ came of both Tribes, Juda and Levi, of the Kings and the Priests himself both a King & a Priest, and the Anointed (to wit) by grace spiritually, as they were with oile materially and corporally. August. li. 2 de Consens. Evang. c. 1.
The Blessed Virgin Marie.42. Blessed art thou.) At the very hearing of our Ladies voice, the infant and She were replenished with the Holy Ghost, and she sang praises not only to Christ, but for his sake to our B. Lady, calling her Blessed and her fruit Blessed, as the Church doeth also by her words and example in the AVE MARIE.
Her excellencie.43. Mother of my Lord.) Elizabeth being an exceeding just and Blessed woman, yet the worthines of Gods mother doth so far excel her and al other women, as the great light the litle starres. Hiero. Præf. in Sophon.
Her honour in al the world.48. Shal cal me Blessed.) This Prophecie is fulfilled, when the Church keepeth her Festival dayes, & when the Faithful in al Generations say the Ave Marie, and other holy Anthems of our Lady. And therfore the Calvinistes are not among those Generations which cal our Lady Blessed.
Mysterie and signification in names.63. John is his name.) We see that names are of signification and importance, God him self changing or giving names in both Testaments; as, Abraham, Israel, Peter, and the principal of al others, Jesus; and here John, which signifieth, Gods grace or mercie, or, God wil have mercie. For he was the Precursor and Prophet of the mercie and grace that ensued by Christ Jesus. Note also that as then in Circumcision, so now in Baptisme (which answereth thereunto) names are given.What names to be given in Baptisme. And as we see here & in al the old Testament, great respect was had of names: so we must beware of strange, profane, & secular names (now a dayes too common) & rather according to the c. de Bap. in fine. Catechisme of the holy Councel of Trent, take names of Saints and holy men, that may put us in mind of their vertues.
True justice, not imputative.75. Justice before him.) Here also we see that we may have true justice, not only in the sight of men, or by the imputation of God, but indeed before him and in his sight and that the comming of Christ was to give men such justice.
The Heretikes controle both Greeke and Latin text.78. The Orient.) Marvel not if Heretikes controle the old authentical translation, as though it differed from the Greeke; Beza.wheras here they make much a doe to controle not only al the Greeke Interpreters of the old Testament, but also S. Luke him self, for the word ανατολη, as differing from the Hebrew.
