Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsHebrews 6

The foundation of penance.

^◦ We see hereby, what the first grounds of Christian institution or Catechism were in the primitive Church, and that there was ever a necessary instruction and belief of certain points had by word of mouth and tradition, before men came to the Scriptures: which could not treat of things so particularly, as was requisite for the teaching of all necessary grounds. Among these points were the 12 Articles contained in the Apostles' creed: the doctrine of penance before Baptism: the manner and necessity of Baptism: the Sacrament of Imposition of hands after Baptism, called confirmation: the articles of the Resurrection, Judgement, and such like. Without which things first laid, if one should be sent to pick his faith out of the Scripture, there would be mad rule quickly. See S. Augustine in exposit, inchoat. ep. ad Ro. versus finem.

• ◦ The Apostle's form of Catechism, and the points thereof.

Impossible.

^[1] How hard the holy Scriptures be, and how dangerously they be read of the unlearned, or of the proud be they never so well learned, this one place might teach us. ^[2] Whereat the Novatians of old did so stumble, that they thought, and heretically taught, that none falling into any mortal sin after Baptism, could be received to mercy or penance in the Church: and so to a contentious man, that would follow his own sense, or the bare words, without regard of the Church's sense and rule of faith (after which every Scripture must be expounded) the Apostle's speech doth here sound. ^[3] Even as to the simple, and to the Heretic that submitteth not his sense to the Church's judgement, certain places of this same Epistle, seem at the first sight, to stand against the daily oblation or sacrifice of the Mass: which yet in truth make no more for that purpose, than this text we now stand on, serveth the Novatians: as when we come to the places, it shall be declared.

• 1 The Novatians (as all Heretics) made Scripture the ground of their heresies.
• 2 Ambr. de poenit. li. 2. c. 2.
• 3 Other places make no more for the Protestants than this doth for Novatus.

And let the good Readers beware here also of the Protestants' exposition, for they are herein worse than Novatians, specially such as precisely follow Calvin: ^[1] holding impiously, that it is impossible for one that forsaketh entirely his faith, that is, becometh and Apostata or an Heretic, to be received to penance or to God's mercy. To establish which false and damnable sense, these fellows make nothing of S. Ambrose's, S. Chrysostom's, and the other Fathers' expositions ^[2], which is the holy Church's sense, ^[3] That the Apostle meaneth of that penance which is done before and in Baptism, which is no more to say, but that it is impossible to be baptized again, and thereby to be renovated and illuminated, to die, be buried, and rise again the second time in Christ, in so easy and perfect penance and cleansing of sins, as that first sacrament of generation did yield: which applieth Christ's death in such ample manner to the receivers, that it taketh away all pains due for sins before committed: and therefore requireth no further penance afterward, for the sins before committed, all being washed away by the force of that Sacrament duly taken. S. Augustine calleth the remission in Baptism, Magnam indulgentiam, a great pardon. Enchirid. c. 64.

• 1 Calvin's heresy upon this place, worse than the Novatian's.
• 2 Ambr. loco cit. & in ep. ad Heb. Chry. ho. 9 in c. 6. ad Heb.
• 3 The fathers' exposition of this place.

^[1]

The Apostle therefore warneth them, that if they fall from their faith, and from Christ's grace and law which they once received in their Baptism, they may not look to have any more that first great and large remedy applied unto them, nor no man else that sinneth after Baptism: though the other penance, which is called the Second table after shipwreck ^[2], which is a more painful medicine for sin than Baptism, requiring much fasting, praying, and other afflictions corporal, is open not only to other sinners, but to all once baptized, Heretics, or oppugners of the truth maliciously and of purpose or what way so-ever, during this life. See S. Cyprian ep. 52. S. Ambrose upon this place. S. Augustine cont. ep. Parm. li. 2. c. 13. and ep. 50. S. Damascene li. 4. c. 10.

• 1 The Sacrament of penance is ready for all sinners whatsoever.
• 2 Hiero. ep. 8. ad Demetriad. c. 6.

God is not unjust.

^◦ It is a world to see, what wringing & writhing the Protestants make, to shift themselves from the evidence of these words, which make it most clear to all not blinded in pride and contention, that good works be meritorious, and the very cause of salvation, so far that God should be unjust, if he rendered not heaven for the same. Revera grandis iniustitia Dei (saith S. Hierom) si tantum peccata puniret, & bona opera non susciperet. That is, Indeed great were God's injustice, if he would only punish sins, and would not receive good works. Li. 2. cont. Iovin. c. 2.

• ◦ God's justice in rewarding meritorious works.