VER. 28—33. ST. LUKE. 691
GREG. But allthethingsbeforementionedareconfirmedGreg.in
withgreatcertainty,when He adds,FerityI sayuntoyou,fyc.jH°^1-
BEDE. He stronglycommends thatwhich He thusforetels.
And, ifone may so speak,His oathisthis,Amen, I say unto
you. Amen isby interpretation"true."Thereforethetruth
says,/ tellyou thetruth,and though He spoke not thus,
He couldby no means lie. But by generationHe means
eitherthewholehuman race,or especiallytheJews. EUSEB.
Or by generationHe means thenew generationofHis holy
Church, shewingthatthe generationof the faithfulwould
lastup to thattime,when itwould seeallthings,and em
brace with itseyesthe fulfilmentof our Saviour'swords.
THEOPHYL. For becauseHe had foretoldthatthereshould
be commotions,and wars,and changes,bothoftheelements
and in otherthings,lestany one might suspectthatChris
tianityitselfalsowould perish,He adds,Heaven and earth
shallpassaway,butMy wordsshallnotpassaway : as ifH".
said,Though allthingsshouldbe shaken,yetshallMy faith
fail not. Whereby He impliesthatHe setsthe Church
beforethewholecreation.The creationshallsufferchange,
but the Church ofthe faithfuland thewords of the Gospel
shallabideforever. GREG. Or else,The heavenand earthGreg.shallpass away,fyc.As ifHe says,Allthatwithus seemsut8up'
lasting,doesnot abideto eternitywithoutchange,and all
that with Me seemsto passaway isheldfixedand immove-
able,forMy word which passethaway utterssentenceswhich
remain unchangeable,and abideforever.
BEDE. But by theheavenwhichshallpassaway we must
understand nottheaetherealorthestarryheaven,but theair
from which the birdsarenamed " of heaven." But ifthe
earth shallpassaway,how doesEcclesiastessay,The earthECC.1,4.
standethforever? Plainlythentheheavenand earthinthe
fashion whichtheynow haveshallpassaway,but in essence
subsisteternally.
34. And takeheedto yourselves,lestat any time
your heartsbe overchargedwith surfeiting,and
drunkenness,and caresofthislife,and so thatday
come upon you unawares.
2v2