He exhorteth them to be perfect scholers, and not to need to be Catechumens againe, 4.
considering they can not be baptized againe: 9. nad remembring their former good workes, for
the which God wil not faile to performe them his promise, if they faile not the imitate
Abraham by perseuerance in the faith with patience. 20. And so endeth his digression, and returneth
to the matter of Christes Priesthood.
1. WHERFORE intermitting the word of the beginning of Christ, let vs proceed to
perfection, not againe laying
The foundation of penance.
The Apostles forme of Catechisme, and the points thereof.
Vve see hereby, vvhat the first groundes of Christian institution or Catechisme were in
the primitiue Church, and that there vvas euer a necessarie instruction and beleefe of
certaine points had by vvord of mouth and tradition, before men came to the Scriptures:
vvhich could not treate of things so particularly, as vvas requisite for the teaching of
al necessarie groundes. Among these points were the 12 Articles conteined in the Apostles
Creede: the doctrine of penance before Baptisme: the maner and necessitie of Baptisme:
the Sacrament of Imposition of hands after Baptisme, called Confirmation: the articles of
the Resurrection, Iudgement, and such like. Vvithout vvhich things first laid, if one
should be sent to picke his faith out of the Scripture, there vvould be madde rule
quickly. See S. Augustine in exposit, inchoat. ep. ad Ro. versus finem.
the foundation of penance from dead workes, & of faith toward God,
2. of the doctrine of Baptismes, & of imposition of hands, & of the resurrection of
the dead, & of eternal iudgement.
3. And this shal we doe, if God wil permit.
4. For
*
Heb. 10,26.
it is
Impossible.
The Nouatians (as al Heretikes) made Scripture the ground of their heresies.
Hovv hard the holy Scriptures be, and how dangerously they be read of the vnlearned, or of
the proud be they neuer so vvel learned, this one place might teach vs. *Vvhereat the
Nouatians of old did so stumble, that they thought, and heretically taught, that none
falling into any mortal sinne after Baptisme, could be receiued to mercie or penance in
the Church: and so to a contentious man, that vvould folow his owne sense, or the bare
vvordes, vvithout regard of the Churches sense and rule of faith (after vvhich euery
Scripture must be expounded) the Apostles speach doth here sound.
Ambr. de pœuit. li. 2. c. 2.
Other places make no more for the Protestants then this doth for Nouatus.
Euen as to the simple, and to the Heretike that submitteth not his sense to the Churches
iudgement, certaine places of this same Epistle, seeme at the first sight, to stand against
the daily oblation or sacrifice of the Masse: vvhich yet in truth make no more for that
purpose, then this text we now stand on, serueth the Nouatians: as vvhen we come to the
places, it shal be declared.
Caluins heresie vpon this place, vvorse then the Nouatians. The fathers exposition of this
place.
And let the good Readers beware here also of the Protestants exposition, for they are herein vvorse
then Nouatians, specially such as precisely folovv Caluin: holding impiously, that it is impossible
for one that forsaketh entirely his faith, that is, becommeth an Apostata or an Heretike, to be
receiued to penance or to Gods mercie. To establish vvhich false and damnable sense, these fellowes
make nothing of S. Ambroses, S. Chrysostoms, and the other fathers exposition, vvhich is the holy
Churches sense, That the Apostle meaneth of that penance vvhich is done before and in Baptisme.
vvhich is no more to say, but that it is impossible to be baptized againe, and thereby to be
renouated and illuminated, to die, be buried, and rise againe the second time in Christ, in so
easie and perfect penance and cleansing of sinnes, as that first sacrament of generation did yeld:
vvhich applieth Christes death in such ample maner to the receiuers, that it taketh avvay al paines
due for sinnes before committed: and therfore requireth no further penance aftervvard, for the
sinnes before committed, al being vvashed away by the force of that Sacrament duely taken. S.
Augustine calleth the remission in Baptisme, Magnam indulgentiam, a great pardon.
Enchirid. c. 64.
Ambr. loco cit. & in ep. ad Heb. Chry. ho. 9 in c. 6 ad Hebr.
The Sacrament of penance is ready for al sinners whatsoeuer.
The Apostle therfore warneth them, that if they fall from their faith, and from Christes grace and
lavv vvhich they once receiued in their Baptisme, they may not looke to haue any more that first
great and large remedie applied vnto them, nor no man els that sinneth after Baptisme: though the
other penance, vvhich is called the Second table after shipvvracke, vvhich is a more paineful
medicine for sinne then Baptisme, requiring much fasting, praying, and other afflictions corporal,
is open not onely to other sinners, but to al once baptized, Heretikes, or oppugners of the truth
malitiously and of purpose or what way so euer, during this life. See S. Cyprian ep. 52. S.
Ambrose vpon this place. S. Augustine cont. ep. Parm. li. 2. c. 13. and ep. 50. S.
Damascene li. 4. c. 16.
Hier. ep. 8 ad Demetriad. c. 6.
impossible for them that were once illuminated, haue tasted also the
heauenly guift, & were made partakers of the holy Ghost,
5. haue more-ouer tasted the good word of God, & the powers of the world to come,
6. and are fallen, to be renewed againe to penance, crucifying againe to themselues
the Sonne of God, and making him a mockerie.
7. For the earth drinking the raine often comming vpon it, & bringing forth grasse
commodious for them by whom it is tilled, receiueth blessing of God.
8. But bringing forth thornes and bryers, it is reprobate, and very neer a curse,
whose end is, to be burnt.
9. But
✟
It is euident by these wordes, against the Nouatians and the Caluinists, that S.
Paul meant not precisely, that they had done, or could doe any such sinne, whereby
they should be put out of al hope of saluation, & be sure of damnation, during their
life.
we confidently trust of you, my best Beloued, better things and neerer to
saluation; although we speake thus.
10. For
God is not vniust.
Gods iustice in rewarding meritorious workes.
It is a vvorld to see, vvhat vvringing & vvrithing the Protestants make, to shift them selues
from the euidence of these vvordes, vvhich make it most cleere to all not blinded in pride
and contention, that good vvorkes be meritorious, and the very cause of saluation, so far
that God should be vniust, if he rendered not heauen for the same. Reuera grandis
iniustitia Dei (saith S. Hierom) Si tantum peccata puniret, & bona opera non
susciperet. That is, In deede great vvere Gods iniustice, if he vvould onely punish
sinnes, and vvould not receiue good vvorkes. Li. 2. cont. Iouin. c. 2.
God is not vniust, that he should forget your worke & loue which you haue
shewed in his name, which haue ministred to the Saints and doe minister.
11. And our desire is that euery one of you shew forth the same carefulnesse to the
accomplishing of hope vnto the end:
12. that you become not slouthful, but imitatours of them which by faith and patience
shal inherit the promises.
13. For God promising to Abraham, because he had none greater by whom he might sweare,
he sware by himself,
14. saying
*
Gen. 22,16.
Vnles blessing I shal blesse thee, and multiplying shal multiplie thee.
15. And so patiently enduring he obtained the promise.
16. For men sweare by a greater then themselues: and the end of al their controuersie,
for the confirmation, is an othe.
17. Wherein God meaning more aboundantly to shew to the heires of the promise the
stabilitie of his counsel, he interposed an othe:
18. that by two things vnmoueable, whereby it is impossible for God to lie, we may
haue a most strong comfort. Who haue fled to hold fast the hope proposed,
19. which we haue as an anker of the soule, sure and firme, and going in into the
inner parts of the veile,
20. where Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ the Precursour for vs is entred, made a high Priest for euer
according to the order of Melchisedech.