Original Douay Rheims Bible (1582 & 1610)

The Epistle of Saint Pavl the Apostle to the Hebrews

Because in the yearely feast of Expiation was only a commemoration of sinnes, therfore in place of al those old Sacrifices the Psalme telleth vs of the oblation of Christes body. 10. Which he offered bloudily but once (the Leuitical Priests offering so euery day) because that once was sufficient for euer, 15. in that it purchased (as the Prophet also witnesseth) remission of sinnes. 19. After al this he prosecuteth and exhorteth them vnto perseuerance, partly with the opening of Heauen by our high Priest, 26. partly with the terrour of damnation if they fal againe: 32. bidding them remember how much they had suffered already, and not lose their reward.
1. * Leu. 16, 14. FOR the law hauing a shadow of good things to come, not the very image of the things: euery yeare with the self-same hosts which they offer incessantly, can neuer make the commers thereto perfect: 2. otherwise they should haue ceased to be offered, because the worshippers once cleansed should haue no conscience of sinne any longer. 3. But in them there is made a commemoration of sinnes euery yeare. 4. For it is impossible that with the bloud of oxen and goats sinnes should be taken away. 5. Therfore comming into the world he saith: * Ps. 39,7. Host and oblation thou wouldest not: but a body thou hast fitted to me: 6. Holocausts and For sinne, is the proper name of a certaine Sacrifice called in Hebrew חטאת, as Holocaust is another kind. See the Annot. 2. Cor. 5. v. 21. for sinne did not please thee. 7. Then said I, Behold I come: in the head of the booke it is written of me: That I may doe thy wil, o God. 8. Saying before, Because hosts and oblations & holocausts, & for sinne thou wouldest not, neither did they please thee, which are offered according to the law, 9. then said I, Behold I come that I may doe thy wil, o God: he taketh away the first, that he may establish that that felloweth. 10. In the which wil, we are sanctified by the oblation of the body of Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ Christ once. 11. And euery Priest indeed is ready daily ministring, and often offering the same hosts, which can neuer take away sinnes: 12. but This offering one host for sinnes, for euer * Ps. 109.
1. Cor. 15,25.
sitteth on the right hand of God, 13. hence-forth expecting, vntil his enemies be put the foot-stool of his feet. 14. For by one oblation hath he consummated for euer them that are sanctified. 15. And the Holy Ghost also doth testifie to vs. For after that he said: 16. * Hier. 31. 33,34.
Heb. 8,8.
And this is the Testament which I wil make to them after those daies, saith our Lord, giuing my lawes This is partly fulfilled in & by the grace of the new Testament, but it shal be perfectly accomplished in heauen. in their harts, and in their minds wil I superscribe them: 17. and their sinnes and iniquities I wil now remember no more. 18. But where there is remission of these, now there is not an oblation for sinnes. 19. Hauing therfore, Brethren, confidence in the entring of the Holies in the bloud of Christ: 20. which ἐνεκαίνισεν
To dedicate, is to be authour & beginner of a thing. The Protestants translate, he hath prepared, for their heresie that Christ was not the first man that entred into heauen.
he hath dedicated to vs a new & liuing way by the veile, that is, his flesh, 21. and a high Priest ouer the house of God, 22. let vs approche with a true hart in fulnesse of faith, hauing our harts sprinkled from euil conscience, and our body washed with cleane water. 23. Let vs hold the confession of our hope vndeclining (for he is faithful that hath promised) 24. and let vs consider one another vnto the prouocation of charitie and of good workes: 25. not forsaking our assemblie as some are accustomed, but comforting, and so much the more as you see the day approching. 26. * Heb. 6,4. For if we sinne willingly after the knowledge of the truth receiued, now there is not left an host for sinnes, 27. but a certaine terrible expectation of iudgement & rage of fire, which shal consume the aduersaries. 28. A man making the Law of Moyses frustrate, without any mercie * Deu. 19.15.
Mat. 18,16.
Io. 8,17.
dieth vnder two or three witnesses. 29. Heresie and Apostasie from the Catholike faith, punishable by death. How much more thinke you, doth he deserue worse punishements which hath troden the Sonne of God vnder-foot, and esteemed the bloud of the Testament polluted, wherein he is sanctified, and hath done contumelie to the Spirit of grace? 30. For we know him that said, * Deu. 32, 35. Ro. 12,19. Reuenge to me, I wil repay. And againe, * Ps. 134,14. That our Lord wil iudge his people. 31. It is horrible to fal into the hands of the liuing God.
32. The Epistle for many Martyrs. But cal to mind the old daies: wherein being illuminated, you sustained a great fight of passions. 33. And on the one part certes by reproches and tribulations made a spectacle; & on the other part made companions of them that conuersed in such sort. 34. For, you both had compassion on them that were in bands: and the spoile of your owne goods you tooke with ioy, knowing that you haue a better and a permanent substance. 35. Doe not therfore leese your Good workes make great confidence of saluation, & haue great reward confidence, which hath a great remuneration. 36. For patience is necessarie for you: that doing the wil of God, you may receiue the promise. 37. For * Abac, 2,3. Ro. 1,17.
Gal. 3,12.
yet a litle and a very litle while, he that is to come, wil come, and wil not slacke. 38. And my iust liueth of faith: but if he withdraw himself, he shal not please my soule. 39. But we are not the children of withdrawing vnto perdition: but of faith to the winning of the soule.
ANNOTATIONS. CHAP. X. A shadow.) The old Sacrifices obscurely shadowed, but the Sacrifice of the altar most plainely representhet the Sacrifice on the Crosse.
The Sacrifices and ceremonies of the old law, were so farre from the truth of Christs Sacraments, and from giuing spririt, grace, remission, redemption, and iustification, and thereupon the entrance into heauen and ioyes celestial, that they were but mere shadowes, vnperfectly and obscurely representing the graces of the new Testament and of Christes death: whereas al the holy Churches rites and actions instituted by Christ in the Priesthood of the new law, conteine and giue grace, iustification, and life euerlasting to the faithful and worthy receiuers: and therfore they be not shades or darke resemblances of Christes passion, which is the fountaine of al grace and mercie, but perfect images and most liuely representations of the same, specially the Sacrifice of the altar, which beacause it is the same oblation, the same host, and offered by the same Priest Christ Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ (though by the ministerie of man and in mysterie is the most pure and neer image, character, and correspondence to the Sacrifice Christes passion, both in substance, force, and effect, that can be.
2. They should haue ceased.] The Iewes Sacrifices were not absolute & independent, because tye were often repeated.
If the hosts and offerings of the old Law had been of them selues perfect to al effects of redemption and remission: as the Hebrewes (againist whom the Apostle disputeth) did thinke, and had had no relation to Chriftes Sacrifice on the Crosse or any other absolute and vniuerfal oblation or remedie for sinne, but by and of their owne efficacie could haue generally purged & cleansed man of al sinne & damnation: then they should neuer haue needed to be so ofen repeated and reiterated. For being both generally auailable for al, by their opinion, and particularly applied (in as ample sort as they could be) to the seueral infirmities of euery offender,there had been no sinnes left. But sinnes did remaine, euen thofe sinnes for which they had offered Sacrifices before notwithstanding their Sacrifices were particularly applied vnto them For, offering yearely they didnot only offer Sacrifices for the new committed crimes, but euen for the old, for which they had often sacrificed before: the Sacrifices being rather records and attestations of their sinnes, then a redemption or ful remission, as Christes death is. Which being once applied to man by Baptisme, wipeth away al sinnes past, God neuer remembring them any more, nor euer any Sacrifice or Sacrament or ceremonie being made or done for them any more, though for new finnes other remedies be daily requisit Their Sacrifices then could not of themselues remit sinnes, much lesse make the general redemption, without relation to Chriftes Passion.
The Apostle proueth by the often repeating of the Iewes Sacrifices, not that they were none, but that they were not absolute & sufficient.
And so you fee it is plaine euery-where, that they were no Sacrifices at al, but that they were not of that absolute force or efficacie, to make redemption or any remission, without dependance of the one vniuersal redemption by Christ: his whole purpose being, to inculcate vnto them the necessitie of Christes death and the oblation of the new Testament. As for the Churches holy Sacrifice, it is cleane of another kind then those of the Iewes, and therfore he maketh no opposition betwixt it, and Christes death or Sacrifice on the Crosse, in al this Epistle: but rather as a sequele of that one general oblation, couertly alwaies inferreth the same: as being in a different manner the very self-same host and offering that was done vpon the Crosse, & continually is wrought by the self-same Priest.
4. Impossible.) The old Sacrifices remitted not sinnes but were only signes therof.
The Hosts and Sacrifices of the old Law, which the carnal Iewes made al the count of, without relation to Chriftes death, were not only not perfect and absolute sufficient in themselues, but they did not, nor could not remit any sinnes at al, being but only signes thereof, referring the offenders for remission indeed, to Chriftes Passion. For the bloud of bruit beasts could haue no other effect, nor any other element creature, btfore Christes death. The fruit whereof, before it was extant, could be no otherwise properly applied vnto them, but by beleefe in him.
5. Host and oblation.] God refuseth the Iewes Sacrifices, not al Sacrifice.
He meaneth not that God would no host nor Sacrifice any more as the Protestants falsely imagin: for that were to take away not only the Sacrifice of Chriftes body vpon the altar, but the Sacrifice of the same body vpon the Crosse alfo. Therfore the Prophet speaketh only of the legal and carnal Sacrifices of the Iewes, signifying that they did neuer of themselues please God, but in respect of Christ, by whose oblation of his owne body they should please.
5. But a body.) That Christ should haue a body was necessarie for his Priesthood, & Sacrifice.
If Christ had not had a body, he could not haue had any worthy matter or any matter at al to Sacrifice in visible manner, other then the hosts of the old Law. Neither could he either haue made the general redemption by his one oblation vpon the Crosse, nor the daily Sacrifice of the Church: for both which, his body was fitted by the diuine wisedom. Which is an high conclusion, not vnderstood of Iewes, Pagans, nor the Heretikes of our time, that Christes humane nature was taken to make the Sonne of God (who in his diuine nature could not be either Priest or Host) fit to be the Sacrifice & Priest of his Father, in a more worthy sort, then al the Priests or oblations of the old law.
The body of Christs is the Sacrifice of the altar.
And that this body was giuen him, not only to be the Sacrifice vpon the Crosse, but also vpon the altar, S. Augustin affirmeth in these wordes: The table which the Priest of the new Testament doth exhibit, is of his body and bloud: for that is the Sacrifice which succeeded al those Sacrifice that were offered in shadow of that to come. For the which also we acknowledge that voice of the same Mediatour in the Psalme, BVT A BODY THOV HAST FITTED TO ME, because insteed of al those Sacrifices and oblations his body is offered, & is ministred to the partakers or receiuers. Li. 17. Ciuit. Dei c. 20. And againe, li. 4 de Trinit. c. 14. Who so iust and holy a Priest, as the only Sonne of God? What might so conueniently be offered for men, of men, as man's flesh? and what so fit for this immolation or offering, as mortal flesh what so cleane for cleansing the vices of mortal men, as the flesh borne of the virgins womb? and what can be offered and receiued so greatefully, as the flesh of our Sacrifice, made the body of our Priest? Ps. 39.
Neither did they please thee.) The Iewes Sacrifices refused, not al Sacrifice.
By that he saith, the things offered in the Law, did not please God, & likewise by that he saith, the former to be taken away, that the second may haue place, it is euident, that al hostes and Sacrifices be not taken away by Christ as the Heretikes foolishly conceiue: but that the old Hosts of brute beasts be abrogated to giue place to that which is the proper host of the new law, that is, Christes owne body.
11. Often offering the same Hosts.) We must often note that the Apostles speach of many Priests and often Sacrificing, concerneth only the Iewes Priests and Sacrifices, not the Priests and Sacrifices of the new Testament.
As S. Paul is forced often to inculcate that one principle of the efficacie & sufficiencie of Chriftes death, because of the Hebrues too much attributing to their legal Sacrifices, and for that they did not referre them to Chriftes only oblation: so we, through the intolerable ignorance and importunity of the Heretikes of this time (abusing the words of the Apostle spoken in the due defence and declaration of the valure and efficacie of Chriftes passion aboue the Sacrifices of the Law) are forced to repeat often, that the Apoftles reason of many Priests & often repetition of the self-same Sacrifices, concerneth the Sacrifices of the Law only, vnto which he opposeth Christes Sacrifice and Priesthood; & speaketh no word of or against the Sacrifice of the new Testament: which is the Sacrifice of Chriftes owne Priesthood, Law, and institution, yea. the same Sacrifice done daily vnbloudily, that once was done bloudily: made by the same Priest Christ Iesus, though by his ministers hands: and not many Hosts , as thofe of the old Law were, but the very self-same in number, euen Chriftes owne body that was crucified. And that you may see that this is the iudgement of al antiquity, and their exposition of these and the like words of this Epistle, and that they seeing the very same, arguments that the Protestants now make so much a doe withal among the simple and vnlearned, yet wel perceiued that they made nothing against the daily oblation or Sacrifice of the altar, and therfore answered them before the Protestants were extant, 1200, yeares; we wil set downe some of their words, whose authoritie and exposition of the Scriptures must preuaile in al that haue wisedom or the feare of God, aboue the false and vaine glosses of Caluin and his followers.
Thus then first said S Ambrose: Quid ergo nos &c. What we then? doe not we offer euery day? We offer surely: but this Sacrifice is an exampler of that: for we offer alwaies the self-same, and not now on lamb, to morrow another, but alwaies the self-same thing: therfore it is one Sacrifice. Otherwise, by this reason because it is offered in many places, there should be many Christes: not so, but it is one Christ in euery place, here whole, and there whole, one body. But this which we doe is done for a commemoration of that which was done. For we offer not another Sacrifice, as the high Priest of the old Law, but alwaies the self-same. &c. Primasius S. Augustines Scholer doth also preoccpate these Protestants obiections thus: What shal we say then? doe not our Priests daily offer Sacrifice? They offer surely, because we sinne daily, and daily haue need to be cleansed: and because he can not die, he hath giuen vs the Sacrament of his body and bloud: that at his Passion was the redemption and absolution of the world, so also this oblation may be redemption and cleansing to al that offer it in truth and veritie. So saith this holy Father, to wit, that as the Sacrifice of the Crosse was a general redemption, so this of the altar is, to al that vse it, a particular redemption or application of Christes redemption to them.
The general redemption vpon the Crosse is particularly applied in the Sacrifice of the altar.
In which sense also V. Bede calleth the holy Masse, redemptionem corporis & animæ sempiternam, the euerlasting redemption of body and soule. li. 4. c. 22. histor. Againe the same Primasius, The diuinity of the Word of God which is euery where, maketh that there are not many Sacrifices, but one, although it be offered of many, and that as it is on body which he tooke of the Virgins womb, not many bodies, euen so also one Sacrifice, nor diuers, as those of the Iewes were.
Primas. loco. citato.
*S. Chrysostom also, and after him Theophylact, and Oecumenius, and of the Latines, Haimo, Paschasius, Remigius, and others, obiect to themselues thus: Doe not we also offer euery day? We offer surely. But this Sacrifice is an exampler of that, for we offer alwaies the self-same: and not now one lamb, to morrow another, but the self-same: therfore this is one Sacrifice. Otherwise, because it is offered in many places, there should be many Christes. And a litle after, Not another Sacrifice, as the high Priest of the old Law, but the self-same we doe alwaies offer, rather working a remembrance or commemoration of the Sacrifice. See the Annotation Luke 22,19. vpon these words, A commemoration. Thus did al the ancient Fathers Greek and Latin treate of these matters, and so they said Masse, and offered daily, and many of them made such formes of celebrating the diuine Sacrifice, as the Greek and Latines doe vse in their Liturgies and Masses, and yet they saw these places of the Apostle, and made commentaries vpon them, and vnderstood them (I trow) as wel as the Protestants.
* ho. 17. in ep. ad Heb.
Councels and Fathers.
He that for his further confirmation or confort list see what the ancient Councels and Doctours beleeued, taught, and practised in this thing, let him read the first holy Councel of Nice cap. 14. & in fine Conc. ex Græco. the Councel of Ephesus Anathematis. 11. the Chalcedon Councel act. 3. pag. 112. Conc. Ancyran. c. 1. 4. and 5. Neocæsar. can. 13. Loadic. can. 19. Carthag. 2. c. 8 Carthag. 3. c. 24. & Carthag. 4. c. 33. & c. 41. S. Denys c 3. Eccl. hier. S. Andrew in historia Passionis, S. Ignatius ep. ad Smyrnenses. S. Martialis ep. ad Burdegalenses S. Iustine Dialog. cum Triphone S. Irenæus l. 4. c. 32. 34. Tertullian de cultu faminarum, & de corona mili. Origen homil. 13. in Leuit. S. Cyprian ep. ad Cecilium nu. 2. & de Coena Domini nu. 14. & Eusebius demonst. Euang. li. 1. cap 10. and the rest which we haue cited by occasion before, and might cite but for tediousnes: a truth most knowen and agreed vpon in the Christian religion. 26. If we sinne willingly. ) The Caluinists heresie against remission of sinnes.
As the Caluinists abuse other like places against the holy Sacrifice of the Masse, so they abuse this as the Nouatians did before them, to proue that an Heretike, Apostata, or any that wilfully forsaketh the truth, can neuer be forgiuen. Which (as is before declared in the 6. chapter) is most wicked blasphemie; the meaning hereof being, as is there said, only to terrifie the Hebrewes, that falling from Christ they can not so easily haue the host of Christes death applied vnto them because they can not be baptized any more, but must passe by sacramental penance, & satisfaction, & other hard remedies which Christ hath prescribed after Baptisme in the Churches discipline. Therfore S. Cyril saith li. 5. in Io. c. 17. Penance is not excluded by these words of Paul, but the renewing by the lauer of regeneration. He doth not here take away the second or third remission of sinnes (for he is not such an enemy to our saluation) but the host which is Christ he denieth that it is to be offered againe vpon the Crosse. So saith this holy Doctour.
Perilous reading of the Scriptures.
And by this place & the like you see, how perilous a thing it is for Heretikes & ignorant persons to read the Scriptures. Which by following their owne fantasie *they peruert to their damnation.
2. Pet. 2.
29. The bloud of the Testament. ) Contempt of Christs bloud in the Sacrament.
Whosoeuer maketh no more account of the bloud of Christes Sacrifice, either as shed vpon the Crosse, or as in the holy Chalice of the altar (for our Sauiour calleth that alfo *the bloud of the new Testament) then he doth of the bloud of calues and goats, or of other common drinkes, is worthy death, and God wil in the next life, if it be not punished here, reuenge it with greiuous punishment.
Luc. 22.
31. It is horrible. ) Penance.
Let al Christian people doe satisfaction and penance for their sinnes in this life. For the iudgements of God in the next life done by God himself, of what sort soeuer whether temporal as in Purgatorie, or eternal as in Hel be exceeding grieuous.
34. You had compassion. ) Mercie to the emprisoned for religion.
To be merciful to the afflicted for religion, & to be partakers of their miseries, is a very meritorious worke, and giueth great confidence before God in the day of repaiment or remuneration for the same.
34. With ioy. ) Losse of goods for religion.
If al Christian men would consider this, they would not thinke it so great a matter to lose their land or goods for defence of the Catholike faith.
38. Liueth of faith. ) Faith is the confort of the afflicted.
Faithful men afflicted in this life, haue their comfort in their assured faith and hope of Chriftes comming to deliuer them once from al these miseries; & so by that faith & comfort they liue, whereas otherwise this miserable life were a death.