IN the Gospel these are called Fratres Iesu, the Brethren of Iesus: Iames, and Ioseph,
and Simon, and Iude.
Mat. 13
Their father is called Alphæus, where Iames is termed, Iames of Alphæus: and their
mother, Maria Iacobi minoris,
Mat. 10.
Mat. 13.
Marie the mother of Iames the yonger & of
Ioseph.
Ioh. 19.
Which Marie in an other place being called Maria Cleophæ, we perceiue their
father was named both Alphæus and also Cleophas. And that this Cleophas was brother to Ioseph our
Ladies husband,
Euseb. hist. li. 3. c. 10.
Hegesippus telleth vs. Therfore because Ioseph was called the father of Christ, his
brothers children were called the Brethren, that is (according to the custom of the scripture also)
the kinsmen of our Lord; & not because they were the children of Ioseph himself by another wife,
much lesse (as Heluidius the Heretike did blaspheme) by our B. Ladie the perpetual
Virgin MARIE. Howbeit some good Authours say, that their mother Marie was the natural sister of
our Ladie, and that therfore they are called, Fratres Domini, the Brethren of our Lord.
Howsoeuer that be, three of them are reckened among the 12. Apostles, Iames, and Simon Cananæus, and
Iude.
Luc. 6.
Mat. 10.
Yea and that they were some-what more then Apostles, though lesse then Peter, S. Paul
signifieth, where he saith speaking of himself and Barnabas: As also the other Apostles, and the
Brethren of our Lord, and Cephas. 1. Cor. 9.
And as S. Luke calleth this Iude, Iude of Iames, so he calleth himself in this Epistle of his,
Iude the seruant of Iesus Christ, and the brother of Iames.
Mat. 10.
Mar. 3.
S. Mathew and S. Marke doe cal him Thaddæus, as Lebbæus also in the Greeke.
His feast and his brother Simons together, the Church keepeth Octob. 28. called Simon and Iudes
day.
His Epistle is an Inuectiue against al heretikes (as it were a Commentarie of 2 Pet. 2.) and namely
(as
pag. 379. 646.
S. Aug. hath told vs) against those, which misconstred S. Paules Epistles and held Only
faith, whom he calleth therfore, Men that transferre or peruert the grace of God into riotousnes,
v. 4. exhorting Catholikes to be constant and vnmoueable from their old faith, and to contend for the
keeping thereof, v. 3. and v. 20. For, heretikes (saith he) segregate themselues from the
Church and from her faith. v. 19.