408 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CTIAP. XT.
And here we must beware lestthe sin which we supposed
extinguishedin us, by our neglectovercome us unawares.
But he findshishouse swept and garnished,thatis,purified
by the grace of baptism from the stainof sin,yet replen
ished with no diligencein good works. By the seven evil
spiritswhich he takes to himself,he signifiesallthe vices.
And they are calledmore wicked,because he willhave not
only those vices which are opposed to the seven spiritual
virtues,but alsoby hishypocrisyhe willpretend to have the
virtuesthemselves.
Chrys.ut CHRYS. Let us receivethe words which follow,as saidnot
""''' only to them, but alsoto ourselves,And thelaststateof that
man shall be worse than the first;for if enlightenedand
releasedfrom our former sins we again return to the same
course of wickedness,a heavierpunishment willawait our
lattersins.
BEDE. It may also be simply understood,that our Lord
added thesewords to shew the distinctionbetween the works
of Satan and His own, that in truthHe iseverhasteningto
cleanse what has been defiled,Satan to defilewith still
greaterpollutionwhat has been cleansed.
27. And itcame to pass,as He spakethesethings,
a certainwoman of the company liftedup her voice,
and saidunto Him, Blessedis the womb that bare
Thee,and thepaps which Thou hastsucked.
28. But He said,Yea rather,blessedaretheythat
heartheword ofGod, and keep it.
BEDE. While the Scribes and Pharisees were tempting
our Lord, and utteringblasphemies againstHim, a certain
woman with great boldnessconfessedHis incarnation,as it
follows,And itcame topass,as He spakethesethings,a cer
tainwoman of the company liftedup her voice,and saidunto
Him, Blessed is the womb that bare Thee,fyc.by which she
refutesboth the calumniesof the rulerspresent,and the un
beliefof future heretics. For as then by blaspheming the
works of the Holy Spirit,the Jews denied the true Son of
God, so in aftertimes the heretics,by dcnyinsrthat the Ever