Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsHebrews 10

A shadow.

^◦ The sacrifices and ceremonies of the old law, were so far from the truth of Christ's Sacraments, and from giving spirit, grace, remission, redemption, and justification, and thereupon the entrance into heaven and joys celestial, that they were but mere shadows, unperfectly and obscurely representing the graces of the new Testament and of Christ's death: whereas all the holy Church's rites and actions instituted by Christ in the Priesthood of the new law, contain and give grace, justification, and life everlasting to the faithful and worthy receivers: and therefore they be not shades or dark resemblances of Christ's passion, which is the fountain of all grace and mercy, but perfect images and most lively representations of the same, specially the sacrifice of the altar, which because it is the same oblation, the same host, and offered by the same Priest Christ Jesus (though by the ministry of man and in mystery) is the most pure and near image, character, and correspondence to the sacrifice of Christ's passion, both in substance, force, and effect, that can be.

• ◦ The old Sacrifices obscurely shadowed, but the sacrifice of the altar most plainly representeth the Sacrifice on the Cross.

They should have ceased.

If the hosts and offerings of the old law had been of themselves perfect to all effects of redemption and remission, as the Hebrews (against whom the Apostle disputeth) did think, and had had no relation to Christ's sacrifice on the Cross or any other absolute and universal oblation or remedy for sin, but by and of their own efficacy could have generally purged and cleansed man of all sin and damnation: then they should never have needed to be so often repeated and reiterated. ^[1] For being both generally available for all, by their opinion, and particularly applied, (in as ample sort as they could be) to the several infirmities of every offender, there had been no sins left. But sins did remain, even those sins for which they had offered sacrifices before, notwithstanding their sacrifices were particularly applied unto them. For, offering yearly they did not only offer sacrifices for the new committed crimes, but even for the old, for which they had often sacrificed before: the sacrifices being rather records and attestations of their sins, than a redemption or full remission, as Christ's death is. Which being once applied to man by Baptism, wipeth away all sins past, God never remembering them any more, nor ever any sacrifice or sacrament or ceremony being made or done for them any more, though for new sins other remedies be daily requisite. Their sacrifices then could not of themselves remit sins, much less make the general redemption without relation to Christ's Passion. ^[2] And so you see it is plain everywhere, that the Apostle proveth not by the often repetition of the Jewish sacrifices, that they were no sacrifices at all, but that they were not of that absolute force or efficacy, to make redemption or any remission, without dependence of the one universal redemption by Christ: his whole purpose being, to inculcate unto them the necessity of Christ's death, and the oblation of the new Testament. As for the Church's holy sacrifice, it is clean of another kind than those of the Jews, and therefore he maketh no opposition betwixt it, and Christ's death or sacrifice on the Cross, in all this Epistle: but rather as a sequel of that one general oblation, covertly always inferreth the same: as being in a different manner the very selfsame host and offering that was done upon the Cross, and continually is wrought by the selfsame Priest.

• 1 The Jews' Sacrifices were not absolute & independent, because they were often repeated.
• 2 The Apostle proveth by the often repeating of the Jews' Sacrifices, not that they were none, but that they were not absolute & sufficient.

Impossible.

The hosts and sacrifices of the old law, which the carnal Jews made all the count of, without relation to Christ's death, were not only not perfect and absolute sufficient in themselves, ^◦ but they did not, nor could not remit any sins at all, being but only signs thereof, referring the offenders for remission indeed, to Christ's Passion. For the blood of bruit beasts could have no other effect, nor any other element or creature, before Christ's death. The fruit whereof, before it was extant, could be no otherwise properly applied unto them, but by belief in him.

• ◦ The old Sacrifices remitted not sins but were only signs thereof.

Host and oblation.

^◦ He meaneth not that God would no host nor sacrifice any more, as the Protestants falsely imagine: for that were to take away not only the sacrifice of Christ's body upon the altar, but the sacrifice of the same body upon the Cross also. Therefore the Prophet speaketh only of the legal and carnal sacrifices of the Jews, signifying that they did never of themselves please God, but in respect of Christ, by whose oblation of his own body they should please.

• ◦ God refuseth the Jews' Sacrifices, not all Sacrifice.

But a body.

^[1] If Christ had not had a body, he could not have had any worthy matter or any matter at all to sacrifice in visible manner, other than the hosts of the old law. Neither could he either have made the general redemption by his one oblation upon the Cross, nor the daily sacrifice of the Church: for both which, his body was fitted by the divine wisdom. Which is an high conclusion, not understood of Jews, Pagans, nor the Heretics of our time, that Christ's human nature was taken to make the Son of God (who in his divine nature could not be either Priest or host) fit to be the sacrifice and Priest of his Father, in a more worthy sort, than all the Priests or oblations of the old law. ^[2] And that this body was given him, not only to be the sacrifice upon the Cross, but also upon the altar, S. Augustine affirmeth in these words. The table which the Priest of the new Testament doth exhibit, is of his body and blood: for that is the sacrifice which succeeded all those sacrifices that were offered in shadow of that to come. For the which also we acknowledge that voice of the same Mediator in the psalm, ^[3] But A Body Thou Hast Fitted To Me, because instead of all those sacrifices and oblations his body is offered, and is ministered to the partakers or receivers. Li. 17. Civit. Dei. c. 20. And again li. 4. de Trin. c. 14. Who so just and holy a Priest, as the only son of God? What might so conveniently be offered for men, of men, as man's flesh? and what so fit for this immolation or offering, as mortal flesh? What so clean for cleansing the vices of mortal men, as the flesh born of the virgin's womb? And what can be offered and received so gratefully, as the flesh of our sacrifice, made the body of our Priest?

• 1 That Christ should have a body was necessary for his Priesthood, & Sacrifice.
• 2 The body of Christ is the Sacrifice of the altar.
• 3 Ps. 39.

Neither did they please thee.

^◦ By that he saith, the things offered in the Law, did not please God, and likewise by that he saith, the former to be taken away, that the second may have place, it is evident, that all hosts and sacrifices be not taken away by Christ, as the Heretics foolishly conceive: but that the old hosts of brute beasts be abrogated to give place to that which is the proper host of the new law, that is, Christ's own body.

• ◦ The Jews' Sacrifices refused, not all Sacrifice.

Often offering the same hosts.

^[1] As S. Paul is forced often to inculcate that one principle of the efficacy and sufficiency of Christ's death, because of the Hebrews' too much attributing to their legal sacrifices, and for that they did not refer them to Christ's only oblation: so we, through the intolerable ignorance and importunity of the Heretics of this time (abusing the words of the Apostle spoken in the due defence and declaration of the value and efficacy of Christ's Passion above the sacrifices of the Law) are forced to repeat often, that the Apostle's reason of many Priests and often repetition of the selfsame sacrifices, concerneth the sacrifices of the Law only, unto which he opposeth Christ's sacrifice and Priesthood: and speaketh no word of or against the Sacrifice of the new Testament, which is the sacrifice of Christ's own Priesthood, Law, and institution, yea the same sacrifice done daily unbloodily, that once was done bloodily: made by the same Priest Christ Jesus, though by his ministers' hands: and not many hosts, as those of the old law were, but the very self same in number, even Christ's own body that was crucified. And that you may see that this is the judgement of all 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 do withal among the simple and unlearned, yet well perceived that they made nothing against the daily oblation or sacrifice of the altar, and therefore answered them before the Protestants were extant, 1200 years ^[2]: we will set down some of their words, whose authority and exposition of the Scriptures must prevail in all that have wisdom or the fear of God, above the false and vain glosses of Calvin and his followers.

• 1 We must often note that the Apostle's speech of many Priests and often sacrificing, concerneth only the Jews' Priests and sacrifices, not the Priests and sacrifice of the new Testament.
• 2 The Calvinists' arguments against Christ's body often offered, and in many places, answered by the Fathers long a-go.

Thus then first saith S. Ambrose ^[1]: Quid ergo nos &c. What we then? Do not we offer every day? We offer surely: but this sacrifices is an exampler of that: for we offer always the selfsame, and not now one lamb, tomorrow another, but always the selfsame thing: therefore it is one sacrifice. otherwise, by this reason because it is offered in many places, there should be many Christs: not so, but it is one Christ in every place, here whole, and there whole, one body. But this which we do, 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 always the self-same. &c. Primasius ^[2] S. Augustine's scholar doth also preoccupate these Protestants' objections thus: What shall we say then? Do not our Priests daily offer sacrifice? They offer surely, because we sin daily, and daily have need to be cleansed: and because he cannot die, he hath given us the sacrament of his body and blood: that as his Passion was the redemption and absolution of the world, so also this oblation may be redemption and cleansing to all that offer it in truth and verity. So saith this holy Father, to wit, ^[3] that as the sacrifice of the Cross was a general redemption, so this of the altar is, to all that use it, a particular redemption or application of Christ's redemption to them. In which sense also V. Bede calleth the holy Mass, redemptionem corporis & animæ sempiternam, the everlasting redemption of body and soul. li. 4. c. 22. histor. Again the same Primasius ^[4], The divinity of the Word of God which is every-where, maketh that there are not many sacrifices, but one, although it be offered of many, and that as it is one body which he took of the Virgin's womb, not many bodies, even so also one sacrifice, not diverse, as those of the Jews were.

^◦

S. Chrysostom also, and after him Theophylacte, and Oecumenius, and of the Latins, Haimo, Paschalsius, Remigius, and others, object to themselves thus: Do not we also offer every day? We offer surely, but this sacrifice is an exampler of that, for we offer always the self-same: and not now one lamb, tomorrow another, but the self-same: therefore this is one sacrifice. Otherwise, because it is offered in many places, there should be many Christs. And a little after, not another sacrifice, as the high Priest of the old Law, but the self-same we do always offer, rather working a remembrance or commemoration of the sacrifice. See the Annotation Luke 22, 19. upon these words, A commemoration. Thus did all the ancient Fathers Greek and Latin treat of these matters, and so they said Mass, and offered daily, and many of them made such forms of celebrating the divine sacrifice, as the Greeks and Latins do use in their Liturgies and Masses, and yet they saw these places of the Apostle and made commentaries upon them, and understood them (I trow) as well as the Protestants.

• 1 in 10. cap. Hebr.
• 2 ibidem.
• 3 The general redemption upon the Cross is particularly applied in the sacrifice of the altar.
• 4 Primas. loco citato.
• ◦ * ho. 17. in ep. ad Heb.

He that for his further confirmation or comfort list see what the ancient ^◦ Councels and Doctors believed, 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. & 5. Neocæsar. can. 13. Laodic. can. 19. Carthag. 2 cap. 8. Carthag. 3. cap. 24. & Carthag. 4. cap. 33. & c. 41. S. Denys cap. 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 li. 4. cap. 32. 34. Tertullian de cultu foeminarum, & de corona milit. Origen homil. 13. in Levit. S. Cyprian ep. ad Cecilium. nu. 2. & de Coena Domini. nu. 14. & Eusebius demonst. Evang. li. 1. cap. 10. and the rest which we have cited by occasion before, & might cite but for tediousness: a truth most known and agreed upon in the Christian religion.

• ◦ Councels and Fathers.

Now there is not.

^◦ Christ's death cannot be applied unto us in that full and ample sort as it is in baptism, but once: Christ appointing that large remission and application to be made but once in every man, as Christ died but once. For it is not meant, that all sin shall cease after Christ's sacrifice upon the Cross, nor that there should be no oblation for sins committed after Baptism, or that a man could not sin at all after Baptism, or that if he sinned afterward, he could have no remedy or remission by God's ordinance in the Church, which diverse falsehoods sundry Heretics gather of this and such like places: but only the Apostle telleth the Hebrews, as he did before chap. 6, and as he doth straight afterward, that if they fall now (whereunto they seemed very prone) to their old law, and voluntarily after the knowledge and profession of the Christian faith by Baptism, commit this sin of incredulity and apostasy, they can never have that aboundant remission applied unto them by Baptism, which can never be ministered to them again. And that general full pardon he calleth here, oblation, and afterward in the 26. verse, hostiam pro peccato, an host for sin.

• ◦ When the Apostles seemeth to say, there is no remission or oblation for sin he always meaneth that full remission by Baptism.

If we sin willingly.

^[1] As the Calvinists abuse other like places against the holy sacrifice of the Mass, so they abuse this as the Novatians did before them, to prove that an Heretic, Apostata, or any that willfully forsaketh the truth, can never be forgiven. Which (as is before declared in the 6. chapter) is most wicked blasphemy: the meaning hereof being, as is there said, only to terrify the Hebrews, ^[2] that falling from Christ they cannot so easily have the host of Christ's death applied unto them, because they cannot be baptized any more, but must pass by sacramental penance, and satisfaction, and other hard remedies which Christ hath prescribed after Baptism in the Church's discipline. Therefore S. Cyril saith, li. 5. in Io. cap. 17. Penance is not excluded by these words of Paul, but the renewing by the laver of regeneration. He doth not here take away the second or third remission of sins (for he is not such an enemy of our salvation) but the host which is Christ he denieth that it is to be offered again upon the Cross. So saith this holy Doctor. And by this place & the like you see, ^[3] how perilous a thing it is for Heretics & ignorant persons to read the Scriptures. Which by following their own phantasy ^[4] they pervert to their damnation.

• 1 The Calvinists heresy against remission of sins.
• 2 All sins may be remitted by penance, but not so fully as by Baptism.
• 3 Perilous reading of the Scriptures.
• 4 2. Pet. 3.

The blood of the Testament.

^[1] Whosoever maketh no more account of the blood of Christ's sacrifice, either as shed upon the cross, or as in the holy Chalice of the altar (for our Saviour calleth that also ^[2] the blood of the new Testament) then he doth of the blood of calves and goats, or of other common drinks, is worthy death, and God will in the next life, if it be not punished here, revenge it with grievous punishment.

• 1 Contempt of Christ's blood in the Sacrament.
• 2 Luc. 22.

It is horrible.

^◦ Let all Christian people do satisfaction and penance for their sins in this life. For the judgements of God in the next life done by God himself, of what sort soever, whether temporal as in Purgatory, or eternal as in Hell, be exceeding grievous.

• ◦ Penance.

You had compassion.

^◦ To be merciful to the afflicted for religion, & to be partakers of their miseries, is a very meritorious work, and giveth great confidence before God in the day of repayment or remuneration for the same.

• ◦ Mercy to the imprisoned for religion.

With joy.

^◦ If all Christian men would consider this, they would not think it so great a matter to lose their land or goods for defence of the Catholic faith.

• ◦ Loss of goods for religion.

Liveth of faith.

^◦ Faithful men afflicted in this life, have their comfort in their assured faith and hope of Christ's coming to deliver them once from all these miseries: & so by that faith and comfort they live. whereas otherwise this miserable life were a death.

• ◦ Faith is the comfort of the afflicted.