210 Scribes and Pharifees On theTuefday after what they were. ch`iltsdo. arine effeEtu- all bywhom. focuer it bc `ttcrcd' ` epoc. 3. point. FromMofes,Godhad preferued the Catholicke dodrine in theProphets andother his Saints,til Simeon time,in whofe days theSynagoguehad it's end. TheScribes and Pharifeeswere akindofpeople that had thecommandofthat Kingdorne. The Scribes did flouri(hinknowledge, fo is it reported by Epipha- niva. Their obligationwas two fold : The one, Topropofe the Lawvnto the people,andto expoundthehard pla- ces ofScripture ; and for this reafon theywere calledLet7ores,Readers. Theother, Tobe Iudgcs and Deciders ofcaufes (as it appeareth by the Chro- nicles) betwixt Citifen andCitifen. ThePharifees did flourifli in Religion, and were calledPharifees, of Phares, which fìgnifies, a leparation 3 for thatthey li- ued apartfrom the ordinarieand common courfe of life,&did feuerthemfelues from other people in a more efpeciall kind ofobferuance. Saint Hìerome doth fet down the firft riling of thefe manner of men, in whomthe appea- rances of fanEtitie,andoutwarddemonflrations of holineflè of life , were verie greatandPhew-glorious aboue thereft , and whofe penitences ( as iofiphus and epiphanisureport them) were verie fharpe, andverie publique ; but farce greater was theirhypocrifie,their ambition their auarice,and vaine-glorie. And there- fore our Sauiour Chrift doth here deale fo curftly with them , andvfeth them with thatfoureneffeand bitterneffeof words that all this Chapter isnothing elle but a feuere reprehenfion of theScribes and Pharifees. And for that it is an ordinarie thing with the common people,to fet his doctrine at naught,who leads anaughty life, [Cu$ $ enimvita defpicitur,neceffell vtpredicatio contemnatur,Whofe life isdefpifed, hispreaching mull ofneceflitie becontemned] our Sauiour Chrift in defenceofthe CatholickeDoEtrrne,faid,Super,&c.rpon theChaire ofMofs,&c. It wasthe errour offome,That a mortalianddeadly finnedepriueth thePope of hisPopedome : butthis was condemned bythe Conftantine,Florentine,and Tridentine Councels ; for neither doth the Doétrine thereby receiueanyharm, nor the See loofe it's Iurifdictionand authoritie. Which isno more than is de- liuered by Saint Augufline, in expounding thatplace of the forcie fourthPfIme, InflcadofthyFathers thou(halthaue Children. Bella, and Anacletus the Pope, both fay, That toour Faith, is not onely hypothecatedand ingaged the authoritie of Prieft and Bifhop;but that of our Sauiour Chrift, that of the Apofties, and that of the feuentie two Difciples. But fuppofe that all thefe Minifters fhould haue finned, yet the authoritieofour Sauiour Chrift remains fafe and fure. What matters it whither the Minifer be bad, where the Lordis fo good ? How much more then in the Churchought wee not(as7"ertullian faith) to qualifie Faith by the perfons,but the perlons by Faith. This Doctrineludomadegood, by do- ing miracles,by preaching the Gofpell, andby condemninghim that did not re- ceiue it,as ifhe had reie&edChrift himfelfe. Cayphar doth likewife proue this point, who,as hewas High-Prieft,did determinethat Decreewhichhadalready beene ordained in Heauen. The likeprefident we haue in the Prophet Balaam, who though he went of purpofe to curie Gods people,yet was forcedwhither he would or no, to bleffe them.And theScribes &Pharifees beingasked,Where our Sauiour fhouldbeborne ; anfwered, InBethlemof iudaa. ThofeBithops whom Saintrob; reprehendeth and threatneth inthe Reuelation, yet forall this doth he not remooue fromthem the name ofAngelis ; Dignitaa enim 0'cÿ non amitti- turper indignitatemperfona, The officeought nottobe thoughttheworfe of; for thevnworthineffe ofhim that fupplies that place. Per meReges regnant 3 They reprefenting Gods perfon,astheir Minifters doe their perfons. There is nothingfo furelygrounded inholyScripture, asthe perpetuitie of the
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