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De Virginitate B. Mariae

14.

Nunc illud est quod conamur ostendere, quemadmodum fratres Domini appellentur filii materterae ejus, Mariae, qui antea non credentes, postea crediderunt. Licet fieri potuerit, ut uno statim credente, alii diu increduli fuerint, et hanc fuisse matrem Jacobi et Josetis, id est, Mariam Cleophae uxorem Alphaei, et hanc dictam Mariam Jacobi minoris. Quae si esset mater Domini, magis eam, ut in omnibus locis, matrem illius appellasset, et non aliorum dicendo matrem, alterius voluisset intelligi. Verum in hac parte contentiosum funem non traho, alia fuerit Maria Cleophae, alia Maria Jacobi et Josetis, dummodo constet, non eamdem Mariam Jacobi et Josetis esse, quam matrem Domini. Et unde, ais, fratres Domini dicti sunt, qui non erant fratres? Jam nunc doceberis, quatuor modis in Scripturis divinis fratres dici, natura, gente, cognatione, affectu. Natura, Esau, Jacob, duodecim Patriarchae, Andreas et Petrus, Jacobus et Joannes. Gente, qua omnes Judaei inter se fratres vocantur, ut in Deuteronomio: Si autem emeris fratrem tuum, qui est Hebraeus, vel quae est Hebraea, serviet tibi sex annis: et septimo anno dimittes eum liberum abs te (Deut. XV, 12). Et in eodem: Constituendo constitues super te principem, quem elegerit Dominus Deus tuus, eum qui ex fratribus tuis sit. Non enim poteris constituere super te hominem alienigenam, quia [Fort. qui] non est frater tuus (Deut. XXII, 1, 2). Et rursum: Ne viso vitulo fratris tui, vel ove ejus errantibus per viam, negligas ea: Reversione reduces ea fratri tuo. Quod si non appropinquat tibi frater tuus, neque noveris eum, colliges ea intra domum tuam: et erunt tecum donec quaerat ea frater tuus, et reddes ei (Deut. XVII, 11). Et Apostolus Paulus, Optabam, inquit, ego ipse anathema esse a Christo pro fratribus meis, cognatis secundum carnem, qui sunt Israelitae (Rom. IX, 3, 4). Porro cognatione fratres vocantur, qui sunt de una familia, id est, patria: quas Latini paternitates interpretantur; cum ex una radice multa generis turba diffunditur, ut in Genesi. Dixit autem Abraham ad Lot: Non sit rixa inter me et te, et inter pastores meos et pastores tuos, quia homines fratres nos sumus. Ibique, et elegit sibi Lot regionem Jordanis, et elevavit Lot ab Oriente, et discesserunt unusquisque a fratre suo (Gen. XIII, 8). Et certe Lot non est frater Abrahae, sed filius fratris ejus Aram. Thara quippe genuit Abraham et Nachor et Aram: et Aram genuit Lot. Et rursum: Abraham autem erat annorum septuaginta quinque, cum exiret de Charan. Et sumpsit Abraham Saram uxorem suam, et Lot filium fratris sui (Gen. XII, 4). Quod si adhuc dubitas fratrem, fratris filium nuncupari, accipe exemplum. Cum autem audisset Abraham, quia captivus ductus est Lot frater suus, numeravit vernaculos suos trecentos decem et octo (Gen. XIV, 14). Et cum caedem nocturni impetu descripsisset, adjecit: Et reduxit omnem equitatum Sodomorum, et Lot fratrem suum revocavit (Ibid. 16). Sufficiebant haec ad ea quae diximus approbanda. Sed ne in aliquo cavilleris, et te quasi lubricus anguis evolvas, testimoniorum stringendus es vinculis, ne querulus sibiles, et dicas, te magis argumentationibus tortuosis, quam Scripturarum veritate superatum. Jacob, Isaac filius ac Rebeccae, cum fratris insidias metuens, Mesopotamiam perrexisset, accessit et devolvit lapidem ab ore putei, et adaquavit oves Laban fratris matris suae (Genes. XXVIII et XXIX). Et osculatus est Jacob Rachel, et exclamans voce sua, ploravit, et indicavit Rachel, quia frater est patris ejus, et quia filius Rebeccae est (Gen. XXIX, 11). Ecce et hic eadem lege qua supra, frater, sororis filius appellatur. Et iterum: Dixit autem Laban ad Jacob: Quoniam frater meus es, non servies mihi gratis (Gen. XXIX, 19). Dic mihi, quae sit merces tua. Expletis itaque viginti annis, cum ignorante socero, uxoribus filiisque comitatus reverteretur ad patriam, consecutus est eum Laban in monte Galaad. Et cum idola quae Rachel occultabat quaesita non invenisset in sarcinis, respondit Jacob, et dixit ad Laban: Quae culpa mea est, et quod delictum meum, quod persecutus es me? et quare scrutatus es omnia vasa mea? Quid invenisti de omnibus tuis? Pone hic in conspectu fratrum tuorum et fratrum meorum: et redarguent inter nos duos (Gen. XXXI, 36, 37). Responde, qui sint isti fratres Jacob et Laban, qui tunc fuerant in praesenti. Esau certe frater Jacob absens erat, et Laban filius Bathuel fratres, excepta sorore Rebecca, non habuit.

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The Perpetual Virginity of Blessed Mary

16.

Now here we have the explanation of what I am endeavouring to show, how it is that the sons of Mary, the sister of our Lord’s mother, who though not formerly believers afterwards did believe, can be called brethren of the Lord. Possibly the case might be that one of the brethren believed immediately while the others did not believe until long after, and that one Mary was the mother of James and Joses, namely, “Mary of Clopas,” who is the same as the wife of Alphæus, the other, the mother of James the less. In any case, if she (the latter) had been the Lord’s mother S. John would have allowed her the title, as everywhere else, and would not by calling her the mother of other sons have given a wrong impression. But at this stage I do not wish to argue for or against the supposition that Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary the mother of James and Joses were different women, provided it is clearly understood that Mary the mother of James and Joses was not the same person as the Lord’s mother. How then, says Helvidius, do you make out that they were called the Lord’s brethren who were not his brethren? I will show how that is. In Holy Scripture there are four kinds of brethren—by nature, race, kindred, love. Instances of brethren by nature are Esau and Jacob, the twelve patriarchs, Andrew and Peter, James and John. As to race, all Jews are called brethren of one another, as in Deuteronomy, ¹“If thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.” And in the same book, ²“Thou shalt in anywise set him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee; thou mayest not put a foreigner over thee, which is not thy brother.” And again, ³“Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely bring them again unto thy brother. And if thy brother be not nigh unto thee, or if thou know him not, then thou shalt bring it home to thine house, and it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it, and thou shalt restore it to him again.” And the Apostle Paul says, ⁴“I could wish that I myself were anathema from Christ for my brethren’s sake, my kinsmen according to the flesh: who are Israelites.” Moreover they are called brethren by kindred who are of one family, that is πατρία , P. 342 which corresponds to the Latin paternitas , because from a single root a numerous progeny proceeds. In Genesis ⁵ we read, “And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we are brethren.” And again, “So Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east: and they separated each from his brother.” Certainly Lot was not Abraham’s brother, but the son of Abraham’s brother Aram. For Terah begat Abraham and Nahor and Aram: and Aram begat Lot. Again we read, ⁶“And Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son.” But if you still doubt whether a nephew can be called a son, let me give you an instance. ⁷“And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen.” And after describing the night attack and the slaughter, he adds, “And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot.” Let this suffice by way of proof of my assertion. But for fear you may make some cavilling objection, and wriggle out of your difficulty like a snake, I must bind you fast with the bonds of proof to stop your hissing and complaining, for I know you would like to say you have been overcome not so much by Scripture truth as by intricate arguments. Jacob, the son of Isaac and Rebecca, when in fear of his brother’s treachery he had gone to Mesopotamia, drew nigh and rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the flocks of Laban, his mother’s brother. ⁸“And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son.” Here is an example of the rule already referred to, by which a nephew is called a brother. And again, ⁹“Laban said unto Jacob. Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? Tell me what shall thy wages be.” And so, when, at the end of twenty years, without the knowledge of his father-in-law and accompanied by his wives and sons he was returning to his country, on Laban overtaking him in the mountain of Gilead and failing to find the idols which Rachel hid among the baggage, Jacob answered and said to Laban, ¹⁰“What is my trespass? What is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me? Whereas thou hast felt all about my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? Set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us two.” Tell me who are those brothers of Jacob and Laban who were present there? Esau, Jacob’s brother, was certainly not there, and Laban, the son of Bethuel, had no brothers although he had a sister Rebecca.