In the old Testament, that secular sanctuarie had two partes: the one signifying that time,
with the ceremonies therof for the emundation of the flesh: the other signifying heauen, which
then was shut, vntil our High Priest Chrsit entred into it, & that with his owne bloud, shed for the
emundation of our consciences. Whereupon he concludeth the excellencie of his tabernacle and host
aboue to old. 25. Noting also the difference, that he entred but once (so effectual was that one bloudy
offering himself, for euer) whereas the Leuitical High Priest entred euery yeare once.
1.
⋮
The Epistle vpon Imber saturday in Sept.
THE
*
Exo. 25.26. 1,36.
former also indeed had iustifications
✟
λατϱειας.
of seruice, and a secular sanctuarie.
2. For the tabernacle was made, the first, wherein were the candlestickes, and the
table, and the proposition of loaues, which is called Holy.
3. But after the second veile, the tabernacle, which is called Sancta Sanctorum:
4. hauing a golden censar, and the arke of the Testament couered about on euery part
with gold, in the which was a golden pot hauing Manna, and the rod of Aaron that had blossomed,
and
*
3. Reg. 8.
2. Par. 5
the tables of the Testament,
5. and ouer it were
*
Exo. 25,22.
the Cherubins of glorie ouer-shadowing the propitiatorie, of which
thing it is not needful to speake now particularly.
6. But these things being so ordered, in the first tabernacle indeed the Priests
alwaies entred, accomplishing offices of the Sacrifices.
7. But in the second,
*
Exo. 30,10.
Leu. 16,2. 30.
once a yeare the high Priest only: not without bloud which he
offereth for his owne and the peoples ignorance:
8. the Holy Ghost signifying this, that the way of the Holies was
✟
The way to heauen was not open before Christs passion; & therfore the Patriarches &
good men of the old Testament were in some other place of rest vntil then.
not yet manifested,
the former tabernacle as yet standing.
9. Which is a
✟
Al things done in the old Testament and priesthood were figures of Christes
actions.
parable of the time present: according to which are offered guifts and
hosts, which can not concerning the conscience make perfect
✟
τόν λατϱευοντα.
him that serueth,
10. only in meats and in drinkes, and diuerse baptismes, and iustices of the flesh laid
on them vntil the time of correction.
11. But
⋮
The Epistle vpon Passion Sunday.
Christ assisting an high Priest of the good things to come, by a more ample and
more perfect tabernacle not made with hand, that is, not of this creation:
12. neither by the bloud of goats or of calues, but by his owne bloud entred in once
into the Holies, eternal redemption being found.
13. For
*
Leu. 9,8. 16,6. 14
Nu. 19.
if the bloud of goats and oxen and the ashes of an heifer being sprinkled,
sanctifieth the polluted to the cleansing of the flesh,
14. how much more
✟
shal.
hath the bloud of Christ who by the Holy Ghost offered himself
vnspotted vnto God,
✟
cleanse.
cleansed our conscience from dead workes, to serue the liuing God?
15. And therfore he is the Mediatour of the new Testament: that death being a meane,
vnto the redemption of these preuarications which were vnder the former Testament, they that are
called may receiue the promise of eternal inheritance.
16. For
*
Gal., 3,15.
where there is a testament: the death of the testatour must of necessitie
come between.
17. For a Testament is confirmed in the dead: otherwise it is yet of no value, whiles
the testatour liueth.
18. Whereupon neither was the first certes dedicated without bloud.
19. For al the commandement of the Law being read of Moyses to al the people: he
taking the bloud of calues and goats with
✟
Here we may learne that the Scriptures conteine not al necessarie rites or truths,
when neither the place to which the Apostle alludeth, nor any other, mentianeth
half these ceremonies, but he had them by tradition.
water and scarlet wool and hyssop, sprinkled the very
book also it self and al the people,
20. saying,
*
Exo. 24,8.
This is the bloud of the Testament, which God hath commanded vnto you.
21. The tabernacle also & al the vessel of the ministerie he in like manner sprinkled
with bloud.
22. And al things almost according to the law are cleansed with bloud: and without
sheading of bloud there is not remission.
23. It is necessarie therfore that the examplers of the celestials be cleansed with
these: but the celestials themselues with better hosts then these.
24. For Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ is not entred into Holies made with hand, examplers of the true:
but into Heauen it-self, that he may appeare now to the countenance of God for vs.
25. Nor that he should offer himself often, as the high Priest entreth into the
Holies, euery yeare in the bloud of others:
26. otherwise he ought to haue suffered often from the beginning of the world: but
now once in the consummation of the worlds, to the destruction of sinne, he hath appeared by his
owne host.
27. And as it is appointed to men to die once, and after this, the iudgement:
28. so also Christ was offered once
✟
ad exhaurienda peccata.
By this word which signifieth to empie or draw out of euen to the bottom, is
declared the plentiful and perfect redemption of sinne by Christ.
to exhaust the sinnes of many. The second time
he shal appeare without sinne to them that expect him, vnto saluation.
ANNOTATIONS.
Cʜᴀᴘ. IX.
4. A golden pot.)
Relikes.
They continue without putrefaction.
The Protestants count it superstitious to keepe with honour and reuerence the holy
memories or monuments of Gods benefites and miracles, or the tokens of Christes Passion,
as his Crosse, garments, or other things appertaining to him or his Saincts, and thinke
it impossible that such things should dure so long: when they may here see the reuerent
and long reseruation of Manna, which of it self was most apt to putrifie, and of Aarons
rodde, onely for that it sodenly florished by miracle, the tables of the Testament &c.
See a notable place in S. Cyril li. 6 cont. Iulian.
The holy CROSSE.
where he defendeth against Iulian the Apostataes blasphemie, the keeping and honouring of
that Crosse or wood which Christ died on.
The sepulchres of Christ and his Saints.
See also S. Paulinus ep. 11. and what reuerence S. Hierom and the faithful of his
time did to the sepulchres of Christ and his Martyrs, and to their relikes. *We reuerence
and worship (saith he) euery where Martyrs sepulchres, and putting the holy ashes to our
eies, if we may, we touch it with our mouth also: and do some thinke, that the monument
wherein our Lord was buried, is to be neglected? But our Protestants can not skill of
this, they had rather folow Vigilantius, Iulianus the Apostata, and such Maisters, then the
holy Doctors and euident practise of the Church in al ages.
* Ep. 17. c. 5.
5. Cherubins.)
Images in Salomons temple commanded by God.
You see it is a fond thing, to conclude vpon the first or second commaundement, that
there should be no sacred images in the Church, when euen among these people that were
most prone to idolatrie, and grosse in imagination of spiritual things such as Angels are,
and to whom the precept was specially giuen, the same God that forbade them grauen idols,
did commaund these images of Angels to be made and set in the soueraine holiest place of al
the Tabernacle or Temple. By which it is plaine, that much more the images of Christ and
his B. mother and Saincts, that may be more truely pourtered then mere spiritual substances
can be, are not contrarie to Gods commaundement, nor against his honour, or repugnant to
any other Scripture at all, which condemne onely the Idols or pourtraitures of the Heathen
made for adoration of false Gods.
10. Vntil the time of correction.)
Al those grosse and carnal Sacrifces, ceremonies, and obseruations instituted to cleanse and
purifie the flesh from legal irregularities & impurities only, & not reaching to the
purging of the soules & consciences of men, being commanded not for euer, but til
Christes comming, ceased then: and better, more forcible, and more spiritual Sacraments
were instituted in their place.
Sacrifice not take away by the new Testament, but changed into a better.
For we may not imagin Christ to haue taken away the old,
and put none in their place: or to alter the Sacraments only into other Sacraments
external, and not also to translate the Sacrifices to some other more excellent. For it is
called, tempus correctionis, non abolitionis Sacrificij aut legis: the time of correction
not of abolishing Sacrifice or law. Neither haue they more reason to affirme Christes
one oblation vpon the Crosse to haue rather taken away al kind of Sacrifice, then al
manner of Sacraments. The time and state of the new Testament is not made lawlesse,
hostlesse, or without Sacrifice, but it is the time of correction or reformation and
abettering al the foresaid things.
12. Eternal redemption.) One only Sacrifice on the Crosse the redemption of the world;
& one only Priest (Christ) the Redemer thereof.
No one of the Sacrifices, nor al the Sacrifices of the old law, could
make that one general price, ransom, and redemption of al mankind, and of al sinnes,
sauing this one highest Priest Christ, and the one Sacrifice of his bloud once offered vpon
the Crosse. Which Sacrifice of redemption can not be often done, because Christ could not die
but once. Though the figures also therof in the law of nature & of Moyses, were truely
called Sacrifices, as specially this high and maruelous commemoration of the same in the holy
Sacrament of the altar, according to the rite of the new Testament, is most truely and
singularly (as * S. Augustin calleth it) a Sacrifice. But neither this sort, nor the other of
the old law, being often repeated and done by many Priests (al which were and are sinners
themselues) could be the general redeeming and consummating Sacrifice: nor any one of
those Priests, nor al the Priests together, either of the law of Nature, or of Aarons,
or Melchisedechs Order (except Christ alone) could be the general Redeemers of the
world.
* Li. de Sp. & lit. c. 11.
The Apostles disputation being only against the errour of the Iewes concerning their
Sacrifices and Priests: the Protestants applying it against the Sacrifice of the Masse
and Priests of the new Testament.
And this is the Apostles meaning in al this comparison and opposition of Christes death
to the old Sacrifices, and of Christ to their Priests: and not that Christes death or
Sacrifice of the Crosse should take away al Sacrifices, or proue that those
Aaronical offices were no true Sacrifices at al, nor those Priests, verily Priests.
They were true Priests & true Sacrifices, though none of those Sacrifices were the high,
capital, and general Sacrifice of our price and redemption: nor none of them, or of those
Priests, could without respect to this one Sacrifice of Christes death, worke any thing to
Gods honour, or remission of sinnes, as the Iewes did falsely imagin, not referring them at
al to this general redemption and remission by Christ, but thinking them to be absolute
Sacrifices in themselues. And that to haue been the errour of the Hebrues, you may read in
S. Augustin li. 3. doct. Christ. c. 6. And this, we tel the Protestants, is the only
purpose of the Apostle.
But they be so grosse, or ignorant in the Scriptures, and so malitiously set against Gods and
the Churches truth, that they peruersely and foolishly turne the whole disputation against the
Sacrifice of the B. Masse, & the Priests of the new Testament: as though we held, that the
Sacrifice of the altar were the general redemption or redeeming Sacrifice, or that it had no
relation to Christes death, or that, it were not the representation and most liuely
resemblance of the same, or were not instituted and done, to apply in particular to the vse
of the partakers, that other general benefit of Christes one oblation vpon the Crosse.
Against the Iewes then only S. Paul disputeth, and against the false opinion they had of
their Priests and Sacrifices, to which they attributed al remission and redemption,
without respect of Christes death.
15. Of those preuarications.)
The Protestants dow vnlearnedly imagin, that because al sinnes be
remitted by the force of Christes passion, that therfore there should be no other Sacrifice
after his death. Whereas indeed they might as wel say, there ought neuer to haue been
Sacrifice appointed by God, either in the law of Nature, or of Moyses: as al their arguments
made against the Sacrifice of the Church vpon the Apostles discourse, proue as wel, or
rather only, that there were no Sacrifices of Aarons Order or Leuitical law at al. For
against the Iewes false opinion concerning them, doth he dispute, and not a word,
touching the Sacrifice of the Church, vnto which n al this discourse he neuer opposeth
Christes Sacrifice vpon the Crosse: al Christian men wel knowing that the host and oblation
of those two, though they differ in manner and external forme, yet is indeed al one.
The Apostle then sheweth here plainely, that al the sinnes that euer were remitted since
the beginning of the world, were no otherwise forgiuen, but by the force and in respect of
Christes Passion. Yet it followeth not thereupon, that the oblations of Abel, Abraham, Aaron,
&c were no Sacrifices, as by the Heretikes foolish deduction it should doe: S. Paul not
opposing Christes Passion to them, for the intent to proue them to haue been no Sacrifices,
but to proue, that they were not absolute Sacrifices, nor the redeeming or consummating
Sacrifice, which could not be many, nor done by many Priests, but by one, and at one time,
by a more excellent Priest then any of them, or any other mere mortal man.
Caluins argument against the Sacrifice of the altar, maketh no lesse against the Sacrifice
of the old Law.
And that you may see the blasphemous pride and ignorance of Caluin, and in him, of al his
fellowes: read (so many as may read Heretical bookes) his commentarie vpon this place,
and there you shal see him gather vpon this that Christes death had force from the beginning
& was the remedie for al sinnes since the creation of the world, therfore there must be
no moe but that one Sacrifice of Christes death. Which must needes by his deduction hold (as
it doth indeed) no lesse against the old Sacrifices then the new Sacrifice of the Church,
and so take away al, which is against the Apostles meaning and al
religion.
20. This is the bloud.) The correspondence of wordes in dedication both Testaments
proueth the real presence of bloud in the Chalice.
Christes death was necessarie for the ful confirmation, ratification,
and accomplishment of the new Testament, though it was begun to be dedicated in the
Sacrifice of his last supper, being also within the compasse of his Passion. Which
is euident by the wordes pronounced by Christ ouer the holy chalice, which be correspondent
to the wordes that were spoken (as the Apostle here declareth) in the first Sacrifice of the
dedication of the old law, hauing also expresse mention of remission of sinnes therby as
by the bloud of the new Testament. Whereby it is plaine, that the B. Chalice of the altar
hath the very sacrificall bloud in it that was shed vpon the Crosse, in & by which, the
new Testament (which is the law of spirit, grace, and remission) was dedicated, and doth
consist. And therfore it is also cleere, that many diuine things, which to the Heretikes or
ignorant may seeme to be spoken only of Christes Sacrifice vpon the Crosse, be indeed
verified & fulfilled also in the Sacrifice of the altar. Whereof S. Paul for the causes
aforesaid would not treate in plaine termes. See Isychius li. 4. in Leuit. c. 4. paulo post
initium, applying al these things to the immolation of Christ also in the Sacrament.
23. The examplers.) In the old Testament were figures of the new: in the new, is
resemblance of the heavenly state.
Al the offices, places, vessels, and instruments of the old law, were but figures and
resemblances of the state and Sacraments of the new Testament, which are here called
celestials, for that they are the liuely image of the heauenly state next ensuing: which
be therfore specially dedicated and sanctified in Christes bloud, sacrificed on the altar, and
sprinkled vpon the faithful, as the old figures and people were cleansed by the bloud of
beasts. And therfore by a transition vsual in the holy Scriptures, the Apostle sodenly
passeth in the sentence immediately following, and turneth his talke to Christes entrance into
heauen, the state whereof, both by the Sacraments of the old law, and also more specially
by them of the new, is prefigured.
25. Offer him self often.) Christ once offered in bloudy sort, but vnbloudily often,
namely in the Sacrifice of the altar.
As Christ neuer died but once, nor neuer shal die againe, so in that violent, painful, and
bloudy sort he can neuer be offered againe, neither needeth he so to be offered any
more, hauing by that one action of Sacrifice vpon the Crosse, made the ful ransom,
redemption, and remedie for the sinnes of the whole world. Neuerthelesse, as Christ died
& was offered after a sort in al the Sacrifices of the Law and Nature, since the
beginning of the world (al which were figures of this one oblation vpon the Crosse) so
is he much rather offered in the Sacrifice of the altar of the new Testament, incomparably
more neerly, diuinely, and truly expressing his death, his body broken, his bloud shed, then
did any figure of the old law, or other sacrifice that euer was: as being indeed (though
in hidden, sacramental, and mystical, and vnblouddy manner) the very self-same B. body and
bloud, the self-same host, oblation and Sacrifice, that was done vpon the Crosse.
And this truth is most euident by the very forme of wordes vsed by our Sauiour in the
institution and consecration of the holy Sacrament, and by the profession of al
the holy Doctours. Our sacrifice, saith S. Cyprian, is correspondent to the Passion of
Christ. And, The sacrifice that we offer, is the Passion of Christ. ep. 63. nu. 4. & nu.
7. S. Augustine de fid. ad Pet. c. 19. in those carnal Sacrifices was the prefiguring of the
flesh of Christ, which he was to offer for sinnes, and of the bloud, which he was to
sheads. But in this Sacrifice is the commemoration of the flesh of Christ which he hath
now giuen, and of the bloud which he hath shed: in illis prænunciabatur occidendus, in
hoc annunciatur occisus. In them he was forshewed as to be killed; in these he is shewed,
as killed. And S. Gregorie Nazianzene saith, orat. in morbum, that the Priest in this
Sacrifice, immiscet se magnis Christi Passionibus. S. Ambrose, 1. Off. c. 48. Offertur
Christus in imagine quasi recipiens Passionem. Alexander the first, ep. ad omnes Orthodox.
nu. 4. to. 1. Conc. Cuius corpus & sanguis conficitur, passio etiam celebratur. S. Gregorie,
ho. 37 in Euangel. So often as we offer the host of his Passion, so often we renew his
Passion. And, He suffereth for vs againe in mysterie. And Isychius, li. 2. c. 8. in
Leuit. post med. By the Sacrifice of the only-begotten many thinges are giuen vnto vs, to wit,
the remission or pardoning of al mankind, and the singular introduction or bringing in of
the mysteries of the new Testament.
The Fathers cal it the vnbloudy Sacrifice of the altar. Caluins Contempt of the Fathers.
And the said Fathers and others, by reason of the difference in the manner of Christes
presence and oblation in respect of that on the Crosse, called this the vnbloudy
Sacrifice, as * Caluin himself confesseth, but answereth them in the pride of Heretical
spirit, with these words: Nihil moror quod sic loquantur vetusti Scriptores; that is,
I passe not for it, that the ancient Writers doe so speake: calling the distinction of
bloudy and vnbloudy Sacrifice, scholasticall and friuolous, and diabolicum commentum, a
diuelish deuise. With such ignorant and blasphemous men we haue to doe, that thinke they
vnderstand the Scriptures better then al the Fathers.
* Comment. in 9 Heb.