He warns them of the danger of falling by apostasy and exhorts them to patience and perseverance.
He exhorteth them to be perfect scholers, and not to neede to be Catechumens againe 4 considering they can not be baptized againe: 9 and remembring their former good vvorkes; for the vvhich God vvil not faile to performe them his promis, if they faile not to imitate Abraham by perseuerance in the faith vvith patience. 20 And so endeth his digression, and returneth to the matter of Christes Priesthod.
1Wherefore, leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, let us go on to things more perfect: not laying again the foundation of penance from dead works and of faith towards God,Per la qual cosa intermettendo di discorrere de' rudimenti di Cristo, avanziamoci a quel, che havvi di più perfetto, senza gettare di bel nuovo il fondamento della conversione dalle opere di morte, e della fede in Dio,VVHERFORE intermitting the vvord of the beginning of Christ, let vs proceede to perfection, not againe laying the foundatiō of penance from dead vvorkes, and of faith tovvard God,Quapropter intermittentes inchoationis Christi sermonem, ad perfectiora feramur, non rursum jacientes fundamentum pœnitentiæ ab operibus mortuis, et fidei ad Deum, 2Of the doctrine of baptisms and imposition of hands, and of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.Della dottrina de' battesimi, della imposizione ancor delle mani, e della risurrezione de' morti, e dell'eterno giudizio.of the doctrine of baptismes, and of imposition of handes, and of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal iudgement.baptismatum doctrinæ, impositionis quoque manuum, ac resurrectionis mortuorum, et judicii æterni. 3And this will we do, if God permit.E questo lo faremo, se pure Dio lo permetterà.And this shal vve doe, if God vvill permit.Et hoc faciemus, si quidem permiserit Deus. 4For it is impossible for those who were once illuminated, have tasted also the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,Imperocché è impossibile, che coloro, i quali sono stati una volta illuminati, hanno anche gustato il dono celeste, e sono stati fatti partecipi dello Spirito santo,For it is impossible for them that were once illuminated, haue tasted also the heauenly gift, and vvere made partakers of the holy Ghost,Impossibile est enim eos qui semel sunt illuminati, gustaverunt etiam donum cæleste, et participes facti sunt Spiritus Sancti, 5Have moreover tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come,Hanno gustato egualmente la buona parola di Dio, e le virtù del futuro secolo,haue moreouer tasted the good vvord of God, and the povvers of the world to come,gustaverunt nihilominus bonum Dei verbum, virtutesque sæculi venturi, 6And are fallen away: to be renewed again to penance, crucifying again to themselves the Son of God and making him a mockery.E sono (poi) precipitati; si rinnovellino un'altra volta a penitenza, crocifiggendo nuovamente in loro stessi il figliuolo di Dio, e all'ignominia esponendolo.and are fallen: to be renevved againe to penāce, crucifying againe to them selues the sonne of God, and making him a mockerie.et prolapsi sunt; rursus renovari ad pœnitentiam, rursum crucifigentes sibimetipsis Filium Dei, et ostentui habentes.
7For the earth, that drinketh in the rain which cometh often upon it and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is tilled, receiveth blessing from God.Imperocché la terra, che beve la pioggia, che frequentemente le cade in grembo, ed utili erbe genera a chi la coltiva, riceve benedizione da Dio:For the earth drinking the raine often cōming vpon it, & bringing forth grasse commodious for them by vvhom it is tilled, receiueth blessing of God.Terra enim sæpe venientem super se bibens imbrem, et generans herbam opportunam illis, a quibus colitur, accipit benedictionem a Deo: 8But that which bringeth forth thorns and briers is reprobate and very near unto a curse: whose end is to be burnt.Ma se delle spine produce, è de' triboli, ella è riprovata, e prossima a maledizione: il fine di cui si è di essere abbruciata.but bringing forth thornes and bryers, it is reprobate, and very neere a curse, vvhose end is, to be burnt.proferens autem spinas ac tribulos, reproba est, et maledicto proxima: cujus consummatio in combustionem. 9But, my dearly beloved, we trust better things of you, and nearer to salvation; though we speak thus.Ci promettiamo però migliori cose di voi, o dilettissimi, e più confacenti alla (vostra) salute: sebbene parliam così.But vve confidently trust of you, my best beloued, better things and neerer to saluation: although vve speake thus.Confidimus autem de vobis dilectissimi meliora, et viciniora saluti: tametsi ita loquimur. 10For God is not unjust, that he should forget your work and the love which you have shewn in his name, you who have ministered and do minister to the saints.Imperocché non è Dio ingiusto, onde si dimentichi dell'opera vostra, e della carità, che dimostrata avete pel nome di lui, nell'aver servito ai santi, e nel servirgli.For God is not vniust, that he should forget your vvorke & loue which you haue shevved in his name, vvhich haue ministred to the sainctes and do minister.Non enim injustus Deus, ut obliviscatur operis vestri, et dilectionis, quam ostendistis in nomine ipsius, qui ministrastis sanctis, et ministratis. 11And we desire that every one of you shew forth the same carefulness to the accomplishing of hope unto the end:Ma desideriamo, che ognuno di voi la stessa sollecitudine dimostri, affin di rendere compiuta la speranza sino alla fine,And our desire is that euery one of you shevv forth the same carefulnesse to the accomplishing of hope vnto the end:Cupimus autem unumquemque vestrum eamdem ostentare sollicitudinem ad expletionem spei usque in finem: 12That you become not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience shall inherit the promises.Affinchè non diventiate pigri, ma imitatori di coloro, i quali mediante la fede, e la pazienza sono eredi delle promesse.that you become not slouthful, but imitatours of them vvhich by faith and patience shal inherite the promisses.ut non segnes efficiamini, verum imitatores eorum, qui fide, et patientia hæreditabunt promissiones.
13For God making promise to Abraham, because he had no one greater by whom he might swear, swore by himself,Imperocché Dio facendo promessa ad Abramo, perché nissuno aveva più grande, per cui giurare, giurò per se medesimo.For God promising to Abraham, because he had none greater by vvhō he might sweare, he sware by him self,Abrahæ namque promittens Deus, quoniam neminem habuit, per quem juraret, majorem, juravit per semetipsum, 14Saying: Unless blessing I shall bless thee and multiplying I shall multiply thee.Dicendo: certo, che io ti benedirà grandemente, e ti moltiplicherò grandemente.saying, Vnles blessing I shal blesse thee, and multiplying shal multiplie thee.dicens: Nisi benedicens benedicam te, et multiplicans multiplicabo te. 15And so patiently enduring he obtained the promise.E così quegli sopportando con longanimità, ottenne il compimento della promessa.And so patiently enduring he obtained the promise.Et sic longanimiter ferens, adeptus est repromissionem. 16For men swear by one greater than themselves: and an oath for confirmation is the end of all their controversy.Conciossiaché gli uomini giurano per chi è maggiore di loro: e di qualunque controversia è fine per essi il giuramento di confermazione.For mē svveare by a greater then them selues: and the end of al their controuersie, for the confirmation, is an othe.Homines enim per majorem sui jurant: et omnis controversiæ eorum finis, ad confirmationem, est juramentum. 17Wherein God, meaning more abundantly to shew to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed an oath:Per la qual cosa volendo Dio abbondare nel far conoscere agli eredi della promessa l'immutabilità del suo consiglio, vi pose di mezzo il giuramento:Vvherein God meaning more aboundantly to shevv to the heires of the promise the stabilitie of his coūsel, he interposed an othe:In quo abundantius volens Deus ostendere pollicitationis hæredibus, immobilitatem consilii sui, interposuit jusjurandum: 18That by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have the strongest comfort, we who have fled for refuge to hold fast the hope set before us.Affinchè per mezzo di due cose immutabili, nelle quali non è possibile, che Dio mentisca, una consolazione fortissima abbiamo noi, i quali abbiamo presa la corsa per afferrare la speranza proposta:that by tvvo things vnmoueable, vvhereby it is impossible for God to lie, vve may haue a most strong comfort. vvho haue fled to hold fast the hope proposed,ut per duas res immobiles, quibus impossibile est mentiri Deum, fortissimum solatium habeamus, qui confugimus ad tenendam propositam spem, 19Which we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm, and which entereth in even within the veil:La quale tenghiamo come ancora sicura, e stabile dell'anima, e la quale penetra sino alle parti, che sono dopo il velo:vvhich vve haue as an anker of the soule, sure and firme, and going in into the inner partes of the vele,quam sicut anchoram habemus animæ tutam ac firmam, et incedentem usque ad interiora velaminis,
20Where the forerunner Jesus is entered for us, made a high priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech.Dove precursore per noi entrò Gesù, fatto secondo l'ordine di Melchisedech pontefice in eterno.vvhere IESVS the precursor for vs is entered, made a high priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedec.ubi præcursor pro nobis introivit Jesus, secundum ordinem Melchisedech pontifex factus in æternum.
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Witham
Wherefore leaving the word, etc. This is to be taken as connected with what he had said in the last chapter, (ver. 12.) of the elements, or rudiments of Christian faith, concerning which, though some seemed not sufficiently instructed, yet he thinks it here enough to name them, and pass them over: to wit, 1. Penance, or the dispositions of a sincere repentance. 2. Faith, when they are come to the years of being instructed. 3. The doctrine of baptisms, which he expresseth in the plural number, either because all the faithful must be baptized once, if we speak of Christian baptism; or he means that persons ought to know they cannot receive Christ's baptism over again. Or, in fine, he means that the baptisms used by the Jews, which they so frequently repeated, could not make them justified. 4. The doctrine of imposition of hands, by which is commonly expounded that which was given in the sacrament of confirmation. 5. Of the resurrection of the dead. 6. Of the judgment, by which God would judge all mankind. Of these things he supposeth them already instructed. (Witham)
We see here the order in which the apostles taught the Christian doctrine to the catechumens: 1. They excited them to sorrow for their sins. 2. They required of them acts of faith in God and his Son Jesus Christ. 3. They explained the nature of Christ's baptism, its virtue, and difference from the baptism of John the Baptist and others. 4. After baptism, they laid their hands on them, that they might receive the strengthening grace of the Holy Ghost in confirmation; and finally, they excited them to perseverance, by the hope of a glorious resurrection, and of eternal life, and by setting before their eyes eternal damnation as the consequence of apostacy.
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Witham
And this we will do, meaning what he said in the first verse, that his design was to proceed to things more perfect, which, after some admonitions, he comes to in the next chapter, when he speaks of the priesthood of Christ. (Witham)
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etc. For it is impossible,[Ver. 4. Impossible, adunaton. See Cornelius a Lapide and Estius, who say of this exposition of baptism, Sic omnes Graeci, et Latinorum maxima pars. Baptism is often called, photisma. See St. Gregory of Nazianzus, orat. xxxix. in Sta Lumina.] etc. This is an obscure place, differently expounded, which shows how rash it is for the ignorant to pretend to understand the holy Scriptures. Many understand these words, it is impossible, etc. of the sacrament of penance, or of returning to God by a profitable repentance, especially after such heinous sins as an apostacy from the true faith. But then we must take the word impossible, to imply no more than a thing that is very hard to be done, or that seldom happens, as when it is said, (Matthew 19:26.) that it is impossible for rich men to be saved: and (Luke 17:1.) it is impossible that scandals should not come. For it is certain that it is never impossible for the greatest sinners to repent by the assistance which God offers them, who has also left the power to his ministers to forgive in his name the greatest sins. But others (whose interpretation seems preferable) expound this of baptism, which can only be given once. The words here in the text very much favour this exposition, when it is said, who were once enlightened. For baptism in the first ages was called the sacrament of illumination. See St. Denis de caelesti Hierar. ch. IV.; St. Gregory of Nazianzus; etc. The following words also agree with baptism, when they are said to have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost; to have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come; all which signify the interior graces, the miraculous gifts, and power of working miracles, which they who were baptized frequently received in those days.
Witham
They cannot be renewed again unto penance. That is, they cannot be renewed again by baptism, which is also called a renovation. (Titus 3:5.) Their sins may indeed be forgiven them in the sacrament of penance, but this is not a renovation like that in baptism, in which both the guilt, and all pain due to past sins, is remitted; whereas in the sacrament of penance, though the guilt, and the eternal punishments due to sins be remitted, yet many times, temporal punishments, to be undergone either in this world or the next, still remain due to such as have been great sinners, to them who by relapsing into the same sins, have crucified again to themselves the Son of God, making a mockery of him; that is who, insensible of the favours received, have ungratefully renewed sin; to take away which Christ suffered, was mocked, crucified, etc. (Witham)
Macknight observes that Beza, without any authority from ancient manuscripts hath inserted in his version Si, If they shall fall away, that this text might not appear to contradict the Calvinistic doctrine of the assurance of salvation. The English translators have followed Beza. The biblical student will be glad to find Dr. Wells, in his elegant edition of the New Testament, frequently restoring and preferring those readings which agree with the Latin Vulgate. The same just tribute is paid to the Vulgate by Walton, Mills, Gerard, Griesbach, Harwood, and others. Indeed the Vulgate has been declared authentic in a general council, and probably expresses more of the true reading of the original or autograph, than any Greek edition that is now to be found, and certainly much more than modern versions, which are stained more or less by the preconceived sentiments of the translators.
Witham
For the earth that drinketh in the rain, etc. He bringeth this comparison, to give them a horror of abusing God's graces and favours, and of making themselves guilty of hell fire. (Witham)
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Witham
etc. We trust better things of you, etc. That is, though I have admonished you in this manner, I hope the best, especially knowing how charitable many of you have been to your Christian brethren. (Witham)
In Psalm vi
Faith begins the work of salvation; good works from a principle of charity continue it; perseverance in virtue, and patience under afflictions complete it. To assert the contrary is not to derogate so much from the work of man, as from the grace of God, which is the cause and ground of all that is good in man. "Mark," says St. Augustine, "that he to whom our Lord gave grace, hath our Lord, also his debtor. He found him a giver in the time of mercy: he that him his debtor in the time of judgment." (In Psalm vi.)
Witham
It is certain God, who is not unjust, will reward these good works, if you continue in the same, to the accomplishing of hope even to the end.[Ver. 11. Ad expletionem spei usque ad finem, pros ten pleorophorian. See the signification of this word, Luke 1:1.] for the obtaining the happiness you hope for. Be not therefore slothful, and negligent; it is by faith, patience, and perseverance, that you will inherit God’s promises. (Witham)
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Witham
etc. For God promising to Abraham, to bless all nations in his seed; that is by the coming of Christ, swore by himself, having no greater to swear by, etc. He shews them how certain they may be of eternal happiness, unless they be slothful. First, it is God himself, who hath promised to make them happy. Secondly, he promised it with an oath; and these are two unchangeable things in God, who cannot lie. And the oath was: unless blessing, I will bless thee, etc. The sense is, unless I give thee great blessings, let me not be esteemed the true God. By this God hath given the strongest consolation to us, who have fled from the imperfect works of the former law of Moses, by believing and hoping in Christ. This hope is as a sure and firm anchor of our souls, amidst all persecutions and dangers, which will make us enter in, even within the veil, as it were into that part of the temple called the holy of holies, which was a figure of heaven, into which Christ Jesus himself entered first, by his glorious ascension after his sufferings. He entered as our high priest, and to prepare us there a place. (Witham)
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The word of the beginning.... The first rudiments of the Christian doctrine.
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1. The foundation of penance.] The Apostles forme of Catechisme, and the poīts therof. 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. versut finem.
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Concordance Heb. 10, 26.
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4. Impossible.] The Nouatians (as al Heretikes) made Scripture the groūd of their heresie. How 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. Ambr. de poenit. li. 2. c. 2. 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. Euen as to the simple, Other places make no more for the Protestants then this doth for Nouatus. 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.
And let the good Readers beware here also of the Protestants exposition, for they are herein vvorse then Nouatians, Caluins heresie vpon this place, vvorse then the 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, Ambr. loco cit. & in ep. ad Heb. Chry. ho. 9 in c. 6 ad Hebr. 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. The fathers exposition of this place. 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 receiuer, 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.
The Apostle therfore warneth them, The Sacramēt of penance is ready for al sinners vvhatsoeuer. 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: Hiero. ep. 8 ad Demetriad. c. 6. 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. Cypriah ep. 52. S. Ambrose vpon this place. S. Augustine cont. ep. Parm. li. 2. c. 13. and ep. 50. S. Damascene li. 4. c. 10.
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It is euident by these vvordes, against the Nouatians and the Caluinists, that S. Paul meant not precisely, that they had done, or could do any such sinne, vvhereby they should be put out of all hope of saluation, and be sure of damnation•, during their life.
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10. God is not vniust.] Gods iustice in revvarding meritorious vvorkes. 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 moritorious, 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 tantùm peocata 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.
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Concordance Gen. 22, 16.
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Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 20
… it is that they who have once been illuminated, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have participated in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the word of God and found it sweet, when they shall—their age already setting—have fallen away, should be again recalled unto repentance, crucifying again for themselves the Son of God, and dishonouring Him.”
Tertullian † AD 220 Five Books in Reply to Marcion 2
Dead fates. The Gospel, four in number, one
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 8
… but these, because of some appetite for wickedness. Now the two things are not the same. He implies too, that in the one case he was intending rebuke, in the other rather stirring them up, when he spake these words of truth. For to these Corinthians he saith, “Neither yet now are ye able;” but unto the others (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 98.5
… Accordingly he says: “Therefore leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, let us have regard to the completion; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of the baptismal font, and of the laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.”
Socrates Scholasticus † AD 440 The Ecclesiastical History of Socrates Scholasticus 7.32
… yet now henceforth know we him no more.’ And again, ‘Wherefore, leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.’
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St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 72.24
… Nor will heretics refuse to be baptized among us with the lawful and true baptism of the Church, when they shall have learnt from us that they also were baptized by Paul, who already had been baptized with the baptism of John,
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St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Concerning Repentance 2.2
… He teaches us that the whole of the washings under the Law are done away with, and that there is one baptism in the sacraments of the Church. But he exhorts us that leaving the first principles of the word we should go on to perfection. “And this,” he says, “we will do, if God permits,”
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Theognostus of Alexandria † AD 270 From His Seven Books of Hypotyposes or Outlines, Part III 1
… even so it is not on account of the superiority of the Spirit over the Son that the blasphemy against the Spirit is a sin excluding impunity and pardon, but because for the imperfect there is pardon, while for those who have tasted the heavenly gift,
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 24
… the flesh profiteth nothing.” How then shall we alienate the Spirit from His quickening power, and make Him belong to lifeless nature? Who is so contentious, who is so utterly without the heavenly gift,
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Concerning Repentance 2.2
… “For it is impossible that those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, should if they fall away be again renewed unto repentance, crucifying again the Son of God, and put Him to open shame.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Instructions to Catechumens 1.2
… Paul again has called it, “For call to remembrance the former days in which after ye were illuminated ye endured a great conflict of sufferings;” and again, “For it is impossible for those who were once illuminated, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and then fell away, to renew them again unto repentance.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 12.1
… and with respect to our sins let us also act in the same manner. If thou hast sinned, and God hath pardoned thy sin, receive thy pardon, and give thanks; but be not forgetful of the sin; not that thou shouldest fret thyself with the thought of it, but that thou mayest school thy soul, not to grow wanton, and relapse again into the same snares.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 43
5. All this might be seasonably said, not of them only, but of us also, when after having been enlightened,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 1
… v. 8 .) And again, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” ( Mat. v. 3 .) And again, “Blessed are ye which are persecuted for righteousness sake, for great is your reward in Heaven.” ( Mat. v. 11, 12 .) Observe, how every where He speaketh of Heaven, no where of earth, or of the things on the earth.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 9
… “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance, crucifying to themselves the Son of God afresh, and putting Him to an open shame.”
St Jerome † AD 420 Against Jovinianus 2.3
… “Our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Does any one think that we are safe, and that it is right to fall asleep when once we have been baptized? And so, too, in the epistle to the Hebrews:
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 13.12
… For Thou correctest man for iniquity, and “Thy judgments are a great deep.” But because Thy Spirit was “borne over the waters,” Thy mercy forsook not our misery, and Thou saidst, “Let there be light,” “Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Repent ye, let there be light.
St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 4.9
… For it is impossible, he saith, for those who were once enlightened, &c., to renew them again unto repentance: seeing they crucify to themselves the Christ afresh, and put Him to an open shame
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 12.10
… He did not keep silence, that He might call him forth to the confession of his crime. He did not convict him openly, lest the whole might come from Himself, and the man should so be deprived of that pardon which is granted us from confession.
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Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 9
… Who will be careful to preserve to perpetuity what he will be able to lose not to perpetuity? Security in sin is likewise an appetite for it. Therefore the apostate withal will recover his former “garment,” the robe of the Holy Spirit; and a renewal of the “ring,” the sign and seal of baptism; and Christ will again be “slaughtered;”
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Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 20
… but if it bring forth thorns, it is reprobate, and nighest to cursing, whose end is (doomed) unto utter burning.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 3.1.10
… but that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 3.1-2.10
… “The earth,” he says, “which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God; but that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh to cursing, whose end is to be burned.”
St Ephrem the Syrian † AD 373 Ephraim Syrus: Nineteen Hymns on the Nativity of Christ in the Flesh 10
In Thee will I begin to speak, Thou Head that didst begin all created things. I, even I will open my mouth, but it is Thou that fillest my mouth. I am the earth to Thee, and Thou art the husbandman. Sow Thy voice in me,
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Archelaus † fl. AD 278 The Acts of the Disputation with the Heresiarch Manes 5
… But, O my son, refuse thou thus thoughtlessly to identify these two things in the irrational and foolish fashion common to the mass of men, and ascribe no such confusion to the God of goodness. For these men refer the beginning and the end and the paternity of these ills to God Himself,—“whose end is near a curse.”
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 On Virginity 22
… The labourer in the field of temperance will in like manner distinguish the satisfaction from the mere delight, and will fling this latter nature to savages “whose end is to be burned
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 10
… x. 12 ); he that falleth, how anxious ought he to be that he may rise up again! If Paul fears, “lest that by any means, when he had preached to others, he himself should be a castaway” ( 1 Cor. ix. 27 ); and he who had been so approved is afraid lest he should become disapproved:
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 29
… For even without what he has said, this very confession of his having been bold were enough to unstring their vehemency. And this he does in writing to the Hebrews also, speaking as follows, “But, beloved, I am persuaded better things of you, and things which belong unto salvation, though we thus speak.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Second Corinthians 14
… “But we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak: and we desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 4
But God forbid that any man should need such remedies as these. “But we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 8
… who did hinder you?” ( Gal. v. 7 .) And, “Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain” ( Gal. iii. 4 ), and, “I have confidence in you in the Lord.” ( Gal. v. 10 .) Which he says also to these [Hebrews], “But we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 10
Moreover he did not say, We think, or, we conjecture, or, we expect, or, we hope, but what? (
St Jerome † AD 420 Against Jovinianus 2.3
… But if the baptized cannot sin, how is it now that the Apostle says, “And have fallen away”? Montanus and Novatus would smile at this, for they contend that it is impossible to renew again through repentance those who have crucified to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. He therefore corrects this mistake by saying:
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 10
… For one who despairs of present things, and has given up exerting himself, may be restored by [the prospect of] things future.) As he himself also said in writing to the Galatians, “Ye did run well” ( Gal. v. 7 ): and again, “Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.” ( Gal. iii. 4 .)
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St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Letters 2
… But inasmuch as, since we composed that written defence of our conduct, again some of the brethren who are of one mind with us begged us to make separately with our own lips a profession of our faith, which we entertain with full conviction
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 15.4
… If thou believest that the man is true, do not impose the obligation of the oath; but if thou knowest him to be a liar, do not force him to commit perjury. “But that I may have a full assurance:” saith one. Verily, when thou hast not sworn him, then thou wilt receive a good and full assurance.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 10
[5.] Why then did we say these things? ( Ver. 11, 12 ) “But we desire that everyone of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end; that ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
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St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Selections from the Letters of St. Ambrose 63.24
50. Let there be in him faith and ripeness of character, not one without the other, but let both meet together in one with good works and deeds. For which reason the Apostle Paul wishes that we should be imitators of them, who, as he says, “by faith and patience”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 31
For how is it that he [the Apostle] said this? How did he exhort them again after they had become “sluggish” (
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St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 2.8
… Christ speaks to Abraham: “By Myself have I sworn.” Now the Apostle shows that He Who swears by Himself cannot be lower than any. Thus he saith, “When God rewarded Abraham with His promise, He swore by Himself, forasmuch as He had none other that was greater, saying, Surely with blessing will I bless thee, and with multiplying will I multiply thee.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 95.13
… Thou shouldest fear a man when he sweareth, lest he do somewhat on account of his oath against his will: how much more shouldest thou fear God, when He sweareth, seeing He can swear nought rashly? He chose the act of swearing for a confirmation. And by whom doth God swear? By Himself: for He hath no greater by whom to swear.
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St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 On 'Not Three Gods.' 1
As, then, the golden staters are many, but the gold is one, so too those who are exhibited to us severally in the nature of man, as Peter, James, and John, are many, yet the man in them is one. And although Scripture extends the word according to the plural significance, where it says “men swear by the greater
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 11
God, however, ought to have been believed even without an oath: (
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 1
… For He who forbids others to swear confirmed the immutability of his counsel by an oath,
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Pope St Clement I † AD 99 The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians 27
Having then this hope, let our souls be bound to Him who is faithful in His promises, and just in His judgments. He who has commanded us not to lie, shall much more Himself not lie; for nothing is impossible with God, except to lie.
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 19
… But there is no disagreement whatever, far from it, neither can the Father, Who is truth, lie; ‘for it is impossible that God should lie
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 10.14
… The mere purpose of the Father was sufficient for surety: but the mode of assurance is twofold, namely that with the purpose there follows the oath also, that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong encouragement
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Duties of the Clergy 1.36
… Nor have we cause to doubt the fortitude of him to whom the Lord said: “Gird up thy loins like a man. Put on loftiness and power. Humble every one that doeth wrong.” The Apostle also says: “Ye have a strong consolation.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 2
… 8 .) And truly, the Apostle means, He ought, as God, to have been believed; however, he does not ground his affirmation upon this, but examines it like a case where man is concerned, speaking much as he does in the Epistle to the Hebrews; (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 38
… It was that from this again He might show the invariableness and exactness of the Equality, for the expression imputes not weakness to Him, but even shows His great power; since in another place Paul saith of the Father, “That by two immutable things in which it was impos sible for God to lie” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 11
Ver. 18 . “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible that God should lie.” What are these two? The speaking and promising; and the adding an oath to the promise. For since among men that which is [confirmed] by an oath is thought more worthy of credit, on this account He added that also.
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 1
… For He who forbids others to swear confirmed the immutability of his counsel by an oath, “that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 3
… That things of this kind are impossible in the case of God, the divine Apostle also both perceived and laid down, for in his Epistle to the Hebrews he says, “that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have a strong consolation.”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 145
… let them accuse too these saints and all the rest who maintain this position. Let them accuse even the Apostle who says “That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 11
… For as the anchor, dropped from the vessel, does not allow it to be carried about, even if ten thousand winds agitate it, but being depended upon makes it steady, so also does hope.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 13
… or rather (which is far better than this) we hope to stand near to God, to come unto the very throne of the Father, to minister unto Him with the Angels. And see how he introduces these things by little and little. For above he says “which entereth into that within the veil”, (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 15
And by the Holy of Holies he means Heaven; and by the veil, Heaven, and the Flesh “entereth
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 147
… but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.” And again after speaking of our hope in God he adds “which hope we have as an anchor both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus made an High Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.”
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 1.11
… because of us and for us to be highly exalted, that as by His death we all died in Christ, so again in the Christ Himself we might be highly exalted, being raised from the dead, and ascending into heaven, ‘whither the forerunner Jesus is for us entered, not into the figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 45
Let us all take up our sacrifices, observing distribution to the poor, and enter into the holy place, as it is written; ‘whither also our forerunner Jesus is entered for us, having obtained eternal redemption
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 12.1
… also “shall be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air ,” even so, when we hear that the true God and Father has become the God and Father of our First-fruits, we no longer doubt that the same God has become our God and Father too, inasmuch as we have learnt that we shall come to the same place whither Christ has entered for us as our forerunner
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Funeral Oration on Meletius 1
Our Bridegroom has not been taken from us. He stands in our midst, though we see him not. The Priest is within the holy place. He is entered into that within the veil, whither our forerunner Christ has entered for us
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 12
… i. 1, 2 ), and to them “at sundry times and in divers manners,” but to us through the Son. Afterwards, having discoursed concerning the Son, who He was and what He had wrought, and given an exhortation to obey Him, lest we should suffer the same things as the Jews; and having said that He is “High Priest after the order of Melchisedec” (
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 2
Orth. —Those in which the divine Apostle comparing the Levitical priesthood with that of the Christ likens Melchisedec in other respects to the Lord Christ, and says that the Lord had the priesthood after the order of Melchisedec.
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You will ask, whence the Apostle infers the "wherefore," when rather he ought to have inferred the contrary; for he said that they were weak, and had need of milk rather than solid food. I answer, the "wherefore" refers back to verses 11 and 12 of the preceding chapter, where he said: "Of whom (Melchisedech) we have much to say," and: "You ought to be masters," as if to say: Although hitherto, O Hebrews, you have been weak and sluggish in the doctrine of Christ and Christianity, yet because you have already long since heard the rudiments of faith, it is a shame that you should still cling to them for so long: hence it behooves you to stir up your diligence and sharpen your understanding, so that, as it were perfect, you may begin to feed on solid food: "wherefore, leaving," to be resumed afterwards if need be, "the word of the beginning of Christ," that is, the rudiments of Christianity, namely those things which are taught in the catechism to children and other unlearned persons, "let us be carried on to perfect things," so that we may set forth perfect doctrines, namely concerning Melchisedech and his priesthood, as a type of the priesthood of Christ: for of this he said in the preceding chapter: "We have much to say and hard to be understood"; not that he wished to pass over it, but that he might stir up the sluggish and torpid Hebrews to hear and understand it, hence he thus pricked and reproved them for ignorance and sloth; wherefore immediately in chapter VII he resumes and sets forth the same discourse. Thus from Chrysostom, Theophylactus and Anselm.
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As if to say: There is no need that I should again teach you the "foundation of penance," namely so that I should instruct and admonish you concerning the first renewal of life through penance; nor is there need that I should lay the "foundation of faith": for I did this long ago; or of "baptism," so that I should hand over its doctrine to you; or of "imposition of hands," that is, the sacrament of Confirmation; or of "resurrection and judgment": for you have already heard sufficiently the truth and doctrine of these things in your first catechesis, when you became Christians. Thus Theophylactus and Anselm. Note here five heads of the catechism and doctrine of Christianity, which ought to be set before catechumens and the newly converted before all else, which the Apostle here teaches were set before the Hebrews from the beginning of Christianity. The first is, "penance," and conversion "from dead works," that is from sins, by which the soul is deprived of the grace of God, and dies to God: for no one can enter upon a good and Christian life unless through penance he rise again from the death of sin. The second head is, "faith toward God," or in God; for the Greek εἰς θεόν signifies both, namely the Apostles' Creed, and faith concerning God three and one, and concerning the incarnation, passion, death and redemption of Jesus Christ. The third head is, "baptisms"; he says baptisms, not baptism, because catechumens were taught that there are three baptisms, namely of water, of fire and of blood. Or rather he calls them baptisms not from his own, but from the mind and phrase of the Hebrews, who, accustomed to the very frequent lustrations and baptisms of the law, to cleanse themselves frequently, thought that the newly converted and still unlearned, in Christianity also, ought often to be baptized, so that as they often sin, they might also often receive the remission of sins, and hence they called this Sacrament not baptism, but baptisms, says Oecumenius and Theophylactus, as if to say: I shall not now teach you the doctrine concerning baptism, and especially that among Christians there are not many, as among the Jews, baptisms, but only one. The fourth head is, "imposition of hands," that is the sacrament of Confirmation, which in the beginning of the Church all the baptized received immediately after baptism, so that in the persecutions then raging they might be firm in faith, as is gathered from Acts VIII, verses 14, 15, 17. Thus St. Augustine, book I On Faith and Works, chapter XI, and Ambrose. The fifth is, the mystery of "resurrection and eternal judgment": for the hope of resurrection stirs all to Christian constancy and holy life; but the fear of judgment deters all from apostasy and other sins: it is called "eternal judgment" by metonymy, because in the judgment there will be pronounced a sentence concerning the whole eternity, either blessed or miserable, of each; a sentence, I say, fixed and irrevocable for eternity. How wise is he who always keeps this eternal judgment and eternal ages in mind!
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"This," namely that, omitting the rudiments and foundations of faith, "we may be carried on to more perfect things," that is to perfect dogmas of Christianity, "let us be borne," says Theophylactus, Anselm and others. Otherwise others explain it thus, as if Paul said: Concerning the rudiments of faith already mentioned, which I shall now pass over, I shall afterwards treat again, God willing, when it shall be opportune; for he treats of baptism and penance below in chapter X, of faith in chapter XI, of judgment in chapters X and XII, of the resurrection of the dead in chapters XI and XII. But if the Apostle had wished this, he would rather have said by means of an exceptive particle thus: "Although we shall also do this." Therefore the former exposition is clearer, and coheres more with what precedes. For "this" refers back to "passing over," and "not laying again."
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For this word gives the reason why he said in verse 1 that the foundation of penance is not to be laid again, because namely this is impossible for those who are "illuminated," that is baptized, as the Syrian translator renders it. Note: St. Dionysius in chapter III of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, part 1, and other Fathers call baptism φωτισμόν, that is illumination, because in baptism man is enlightened by faith in Christ, "and receives communion with the first and uncreated light, and the principle of all divine illuminations," says St. Dionysius, as a symbol of which thing candles are customarily lit in baptism. They have also tasted the heavenly gift. — In Greek ἐπουρανίου, which can be translated as the supercaelestial gift, that is the remission of sins, says Chrysostom, grace, virtues and charisms of the Holy Spirit, and especially the joy, peace and serenity of a pure and holy conscience, and the sweetness and pleasantness of the new and Christian life, which both the newly baptized and those who have made a serious confession of sins and changed their life for the better experience. For this sweet taste the word "tasted" signifies.
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That is, they tasted how sweet and consoling the Evangelical doctrine is, what great and broad and pleasant goods it promises to us, both here and in heaven to be obtained. Note: "Good" among the Hebrews is often the same as joyful, pleasant, happy, delightful. Hence he calls "good word" the promise of God to the Jews most pleasant, concerning liberation from the Babylonian captivity. Thus in Psalm XLIV: "My heart," he says, "hath eructated a good word," that is, a most pleasant epithalamium concerning the nuptials of Christ and the Church. Thus also the Poet sings: Now on a good day good words must be spoken. And the virtues of the age to come. — "Virtues" here are not opposed to vices: for in Greek it is δυνάμεις, and in Syriac חילא chaila, that is strength, power, energy, as if to say: Those who have tasted through the knowledge, love, hope, joy and desire of faith, the "virtues," that is the powers of the age to come, what namely the future age is able to do and avail, how powerful the redemption and liberation from all evil and misery shall be in it, what happiness and beatitude, what power God shall show in the Blessed, namely in so wonderful and august their glory, immortality, eternal life, vision and enjoyment of God, and the abundance and affluence of all joys and goods, both of body and soul. St. Augustine and his mother St. Monica had this foretaste of future life, as he himself affectionately narrates in book IX of the Confessions, chapter X. Saint Francis likewise when he says: "So great is the glory which I await, that every punishment delights me." Oecumenius takes these "virtues," or powers, more broadly, namely so as to embrace both the powerful punishments and torments of the damned in hell, and the powerful, august and divine rewards of the Blessed in heaven.
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And they have fallen away. — After such great gifts, enlightenments, sweetnesses and delights, they have fallen away into apostasy or other sins. Again to be renewed unto repentance. — In Greek ἀνακαινίζειν, that is, to renew, so that namely priests through the sacrament of penance renew those who have fallen. But the modern Greek text must be corrected from Chrysostom, Oecumenius, Theophylactus, who read ἀνακαινίζεσθαι, that is, to be renewed, as Our author translates it. Note, "unto repentance," that is, through repentance. Thus Chrysostom, Theophylactus, Oecumenius. For the Greek εἰς or ἐς corresponds to the Hebrew ב beth, which signifies in, unto, through, on account of: thus we commonly say, through the first (that is, by the first) offense Peter fell; through the touch (that is, by the touch) of Christ the woman with an issue of blood was healed; through (that is, by) the presence of fire tow is inflamed. You will ask, what is the sense of this passage, and how is it impossible for the fallen to be renewed unto repentance? From this passage misunderstood arose the heresy of Novatus and the Novatians in the time of St. Cyprian, who taught that the fallen were not to be given penance, nor forgiveness: whence they called themselves Cathari, that is, the pure and clean. Hence also Tertullian raved, when in book I of On Modesty he taught that the fallen were to be received to penance only once. But this heresy has long since been exploded and condemned, and manifestly contradicts St. Paul himself, who in I Corinthians V, and II Corinthians VII, and in many other places urges both that fornicator of Corinth and all other fallen persons to repentance. Again Peter Lombard and Hugh of St. Victor, Question LXI on this epistle, think the Apostle speaks of penance to be performed after this life: for this is impossible. But the Apostle suggests or hints at nothing of the sort here. I say therefore that there are two most probable expositions of this passage. The first is that of almost all the ancients, Chrysostom, Theodoret, Theophylactus, Oecumenius, Haymo, Sedulius, Primasius, Ambrose, book II On Penance, chapter II; Jerome, book II Against Jovinian; Augustine, in the beginning of his epistle to the Romans, and others: these hold that the Apostle speaks of the penance of baptism, or that which precedes baptism, and condemns in this place only the repetition of baptism: whence the ancients everywhere from this passage teach and prove that Baptism equally with Confirmation cannot be repeated. For the Hebrews in Judaism often baptized themselves, and then, having become Christians, thought they could in like manner baptize themselves again, a third and fourth time, and by repeated baptism repeatedly expiate the sins into which they fell. This exposition is proved first, because the Apostle here looks back to the penance of which he treated in verse 1; there however he joins penance with baptism, and understands it as that which precedes baptism. Second, the word "to be renewed" indicates this, which is almost given to baptism: whence the Apostle, Titus III, 5, calls baptism "the laver of regeneration and renewal." Third, the word "impossible" itself suggests this: for properly the repetition of baptism alone, not however of penance, is simply impossible. Fourth, because the Apostle adds, "crucifying again to themselves the Son of God," as if to say, Baptism is a figure and representation of the cross; and he who is baptized is symbolically crucified with Christ, as I said on Romans VI, 3. Whence just as Christ cannot be crucified a second time, so neither can baptism be repeated; and those who are baptized a second time, they symbolically crucify Christ in themselves again: for by this very thing they signify and protest that the cross undertaken by Christ once, and shadowed forth by the first and only baptism undertaken by themselves, does not suffice; but it is necessary that Christ be crucified again, and thus a second baptism be instituted for washing away sins. Thus Chrysostom and Damascene, book IV On Faith, chapter X. The second, more plain and genuine exposition of this passage is that of Anselm, Lyra, Hugh, Dionysius, Tilemann, Vasquez, Ribera and other more recent authors: these hold that the Apostle properly speaks of penance, and says it is impossible, that is, very difficult, for sinners, not for any sinners, but for the most grievous and ungrateful, namely apostates, who after so many outstanding enlightenments and heavenly gifts received from God, after so many graces and consolations of the Holy Spirit, after they have tasted the delights of God and of the future life, fall away from God, from faith and acknowledged truth, and from Christ to Judaism and infidelity, as some Hebrews did. This exposition is proved first, because in the following verse he calls the earth accursed, which, having received the dew of heavenly grace and faith, nevertheless brings forth thorns of apostasy, and therefore is reprobate and to be burned with fire: for almost all apostates cannot be expiated by penance, but are hardened and reprobate, and therefore are consigned to hell; where you clearly see that not the power and fruit of baptism, but of penance, is taken from them. Secondly, because the words themselves plainly signify this: for penance signifies not baptism, but penance of those who have fallen into sin after illumination, that is, after baptism. Thirdly, because in cap. X, vers. 26, he speaks in a wholly similar manner of these apostates: "For those who wilfully sin, there is left no more sacrifice for sins," that is to say, The sin and apostasy of those who wilfully sin and fall away from Christ can be expiated by no, I do not say baptism, but sacrifice for sin, by no penance, that is, can be expiated with the greatest difficulty and scarcely at all: because such persons scarcely ever seriously repent, as we see in our apostate priests and monks, when they desert our religion and their Order and go over to heretics, they are converted and repent with the greatest difficulty and most rarely. Thus in Matt. cap. XII, vers. 32, Christ says that blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not (that is, with difficulty, scarcely) be forgiven in this world, nor in the world to come. Thus in I John V, 16, it is said: "There is a sin unto death, I do not say that any one should pray for it," that is to say, If any one sin, provided he sin not the sin unto death, let any one pray for the sinner, and certainly hope to be heard, and to obtain pardon for him: but if any one sin the sin unto death, I do not dare to promise, nor certainly to hope, that he who prays for him will obtain pardon for him, yet I do not altogether forbid prayer to be made for him. Where the sin unto death seems to be almost the same as that of which the Apostle here treats when he says: "It is impossible for those who have been once illuminated and have fallen away to be renewed unto penance." For the sin unto death, as St. Jerome teaches, lib. II Against Jovinian, is any most grievous sin, especially that which is done from malice and a hardened mind, for example, when any one, having known the faith, from malice rejects it, abandons it, and calumniates it as demonic, which sin is ordinarily scarcely remitted, and is such and so great that from it scarcely any one rises again to the spiritual life of grace; but in it, and consequently in the death of the soul, he who sins remains, and therefore is to be punished with eternal death. To the first argument brought forward for the prior exposition concerning baptism, I reply that the Apostle in vers. 1 takes penance generally, and understands both that which precedes baptism and that which follows baptism: for he is accustomed to teach both the rude and catechumens, so that they may know how to prepare themselves for baptism, and how after a fall, if they have fallen into sin, they may repair themselves through penance and be restored to baptismal purity: for immediately after baptism catechumens are accustomed to use and frequent the Sacrament of penance. To the second I reply that the word "renewed" is attributed both to penance and to baptism; whence the Apostle exhorts both the Ephesians and the Romans and the Colossians, already baptized long before, saying: "Be renewed in the spirit of your mind," Ephes. IV, 23. Thus the Council of Trent, sess. XIV, cap. II, teaches that through the Sacrament of penance we are renewed, and restored to the newness received in baptism. To the third I reply that "impossible" here is taken not physically, but morally; and signifies that which commonly and ordinarily does not happen, and cannot happen according to the ordinary custom and law. For thus Jurists call impossible, that is, that which is very difficult, and rarely or never happens. Thus Christ, Matt. XIX, 26, says it is impossible for a rich man to be saved: which he immediately explains by saying that it is impossible with men, but with God all things are possible. In the same way it is impossible for those sinning with this sin of apostasy to be renewed unto penance, if you regard the common course, both of nature and of grace, which God ordinarily gives, according to which we see such persons most rarely and scarcely ever converted; so that speaking morally and commonly we may say it is impossible for such to be converted. Thus of the heresiarchs, who are the leaders of apostates from Christ, we have hitherto seen none who repented, except one Berengarius. But with God it is possible for them to be converted, if namely some very holy man should beseech God, or if God of his own accord should bestow upon them some rare and extraordinary grace, by which he may bend and soften their hard heart to true and serious penance, as we sometimes see happen. To the fourth I reply in the next paragraph. Again crucifying to themselves the Son of God, and making a mockery of Him. — Note that these words do not refer to "to be renewed," as if they crucify Christ in the very renewal and repetition of baptism; but to "have fallen away." This is evident from the Greek, in which these are expressed in the same case, namely the accusative, namely ἀνασταυροῦντας and παραδειγματίζοντας, as if to say: They have fallen away because again and again they crucify and make a mockery of Christ; and therefore it is impossible for them to be renewed to repentance: for everyone who relapses into former sins, and especially who falls back from faith into Judaism and heresy or infidelity, again as it were crucifies Christ, because by a new sin he gives a new cause for the cross and death of Christ: for he does again that on account of which Christ was crucified; wherefore unless the death of Christ had been so efficacious as to extend itself to absolutely all sins, even those to be committed and repeated after however many centuries, it would be necessary for Christ to die and be crucified as many times as men sin, just as the Aaronic sacrifices and victims had to be slain and offered as many times as the Jews sinned. Making a mockery of Him. — In Greek παραδειγματίζοντας, that is, setting up a paradigm or example, which may be seen and mocked by all; that is, bringing into disrepute, exposing to ridicule and derision. Whence the Syriac has נצערון netsaarun, that is, they despise, scorn, afflict with contempt and ignominy. For he who apostatizes and relapses into sins, by this very fact despises, vilifies and mocks Christ, and Christ's cross and redemption, and by this very fact is also the cause that Christ is set forth as an example of mockery to all the Gentiles and to all men, and that the Gentiles, who are scoffers and malevolent, mock Christ, and Christ's law and Church, just as the Jews mocked Christ hanging on the cross: thus Julian the Apostate mocked, and set forth Christ and Christianity to be mocked.
6:7
"Suitable" (εὔθετον, that is, useful and fitting). "Blessing" he calls the continuous fertility: for when the earth responds to labor and agriculture, and brings forth herbs, God causes men to till it more diligently, and in turn to sow barley, wheat and other crops in it; and God himself sends upon it new rains, and new influences of sun and sky: whereby it comes to pass that the earth thus cultivated bears new, more abundant and better fruits: which is as it were the blessing and happiness of the earth, just as the happiness and blessing of a mother is to bear many and beautiful offspring. By this similitude and analogy of the earth the Apostle signifies that men, who receive the rain of divine grace, and cooperating with it, produce fruits of good works, are blessed by God, that is, are enriched with a greater influx of grace and heavenly consolation, with an abundance of virtues and merits.
6:8
For "bringing forth" in Greek is ἐκφέρουσα, that is, bearing, emitting, casting forth, as if contrary to nature, "thorns," as an abortion, when it ought by its nature to generate useful herbs. Thus Oecumenius. Secondly, for "reprobate" in Greek is ἀδόκιμος, that is, to be disapproved, abandoned, rejected, and left uncultivated, so that it becomes a horrible thicket and bramble patch. Hence thirdly, he calls the same "near to a curse," so that, unless it bear better plants, it may be perpetually subject to a curse, that is, to sterility and desolation. Fourthly, "end," that is, the issue and outcome of it is, that it be for "burning," so that with its thorns and thistles it may be burned. From the parable of the fruitful and barren earth, the Apostle proves what he had said, namely that the sin of apostasy committed after receiving such great gifts of grace, as it were the rain of heaven, is most grave and as it were irremissible; because the apostate has neglected this rain, has not responded to it, but has remained barren of good works, and therefore is near to a curse, so that unless he completely amend himself, he will hear from God: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels."
6:9
For "we are confident" in Greek is πεπείσμεθα, that is, we are persuaded, we believe, we have persuaded ourselves, that you are not like the earth which brings forth thorns and thistles, and therefore is cursed: yet we wished to speak thus and to admonish you, because we saw that some among you have fallen away from the first fervor and grow slack day by day, who, if they continue thus, will at length become cursed earth, and will be damned: these we terrify and admonish by this parable, so that they may resume their first fervor, and respond to divine grace, and bear fruits of virtues like fertile and blessed earth. Thus Theophylactus.
6:10
Some modern Doctors think that the Apostle here speaks to Hebrews who have fallen into apostasy and mortal sin, and raises them up in hope of pardon, proposing to them partly their own penance and the works of penance and charity, by which they have already ministered to the saints as penitents; partly God's justice, that is, His faithfulness, who just as He promised pardon to sinners doing penance, so will He actually grant it, as if to say: Be of good courage, O Hebrews: although you have fallen, yet because you repent, and you testify this repentance while you minister to the saints with such charity, be assured that God will receive you into favour; "for He is not unjust," but just and faithful, so that He may grant and exhibit to you penitents the mercy and remission of sins promised. If you object that the Council of Trent, sess. VI, cap. XVI, says that these words of the Apostle are to be proposed not to sinners, but to the justified, they answer that these words are to be proposed to the justified, not as if they pertained to them of themselves, but as an argument from the lesser, as if to say: If God does not forget the pardon which He promised to the wicked if they repent, much less will He forget the reward which He promised to the works of the just. But the Council seems to propose these words to the justified, not as an argument from the lesser, but so as to explain and demonstrate to them themselves the reward of the works of the just: for otherwise, with this passage omitted, it would have brought forward other clear and express testimonies of Holy Scripture, which signify the same thing expressly. Add that the Apostle speaks not to sinners, but to the justified, as I shall presently show. This opinion is in itself true, yet it does not seem to be altogether the genuine sense and the mind of the Apostle in this place. For although he sometimes hints that some Hebrews have fallen into this, and although he fears the same fall for certain others, as being sluggish, yet he sufficiently indicates that those to whom he writes and whom he here addresses and exhorts have not yet fallen, from the preceding verse 9, where he says: "We are persuaded of better things concerning you, and things that tend to salvation: although we speak thus," and from verses 11 and 12, and likewise X, 34, where, after praising the Hebrews and saying that they had compassion on the bound, and received the plundering of their goods and other hardships with joy, he adds: "Do not therefore lose your confidence: patience is necessary for you, for yet a little while, and He that is to come, will come." Again, when he said in this place that God is not unjust so as to forget their work and charity, he subjoins: "But we desire each of you to show the same carefulness to the accomplishment of hope, even to the end." By which words and others scattered throughout the whole epistle he exhorts the Hebrews, not to repentance, but to constancy in faith, lest pressed and wearied by temptations and persecutions, they shrink from it and abandon the Christian assembly. Secondly, that he does not here treat of the penitent, and therefore the Apostle does not here commend penance, is evident from the fact that both here and in verse 6, he says it is "impossible for those who have fallen to be renewed unto penance," and that not mercy, but only the terrible judgment of God awaits them. Again, this is evident from the fact that he says in verse 1: "Leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, let us go on to things more perfect, not laying again the foundation of penance." Thirdly, thus the Council of Trent seems to expound it, sess. VI, cap. XVI, where it teaches that these words of the Apostle are to be proposed to the justified, so that they may be stirred up to zeal for good works from hope of the reward which they will receive from God the just judge. Secondly, St. Thomas and Francis Suarez in that learned little work On the Return of Mortified Works, think that the Apostle speaks to Hebrews both standing in grace and to those already fallen into sin before, but now repaired and justified again, to whom good works done before the fall have been restored by God through penance. Whence from this passage of the Apostle they prove that good works and merits mortified by subsequent sin come to life again after penance and are restored to the penitent. For these Hebrews seem to have sinned and fallen, as the Apostle hints in verse 6; wherefore from this passage these same ones teach that these merits come to life again and are restored to the penitent by justice, presupposing however the liberal ordinance and promise of God, by which He promised this return and restoration, and therefore the Apostle says: "For God is not unjust, so as to forget your work." This therefore is the mind and meaning of the Apostle: he had said a little before: "We are confident concerning you of better things, and nearer to salvation," namely that you are not like sterile, reprobate, cursed and burning earth; but rather that you are like fertile and blessed earth, and that you tend by right paths to salvation, and are near to it: he proves this by saying: "For God is not unjust," etc., that is to say, God, since he is a just rewarder of works, cannot forget, but is always mindful of your love and mercy, so that he may reward it, giving you grace and incentives by which you may easily persevere and grow in this love equally as in faith, hope, patience and other good works, and through them tend and finally attain salvation and the crown of glory, which he promised to good works; if however you yourselves continue to cooperate with this grace, and are constant in faith: which I alone desire, and to this I plainly exhort you. Whence he adds: "But we desire each one of you to show the same solicitude, unto the accomplishment of hope, even to the end." Hence it follows that good works merit stability and perseverance in faith, grace and good works: just as conversely evil works merit and dispose to wandering through desires and crimes, and finally to wavering in faith and to losing faith itself. Note that he says: "For God is not unjust." For by these words he signifies that God would be unjust if he denied and withheld the reward which he promised to good works, or if he gave a lesser reward than the works merit. For God has bound himself by his promise to a just and condign reward of works: hence because he is most just, what is just, and what he promised, he will most justly perform. See what is said in II Timothy IV, 8. And of love. — Thus it should be read with the Syriac, Chrysostom, Theophylact, Oecumenius; for now I know not by whom, in the Greek is added τοῦ κόπου τῆς ἀγάπης, that is, of the labor of charity, or of love, that is of laborious charity, or of labor undertaken from charity. Which you have shown (that is, rendered and exhibited) in his name, — that is in the name, or toward the name of him, namely of Christ your God and Lord, so that it is beth of contact; or "in the name," that is, on account of his name, so that it is beth of cause, or of price, that is to say, For the sake of Christ you have done good to Christians, and have undergone great labor in helping the poor of Christ. Again, while you have done this and do it, you show how much you love Christ and the name of Christ, who namely through the love of Christ minister to and help all who are marked with the name of Christ with your alms. Note: To minister signifies both to help and to give alms, and to carry alms to the poor and sick, and to serve them: which is the full and perfect mercy and charity of Christians. Morally, see here Chrysostom in the moral homily 10 and 11, teaching that we ought not curiously to scrutinize the poor, whether they are good and holy, but simply to give alms in the name of Christ, not only to Christians, but also to pagans.
6:11
"To show" (ἐνδείκνυσθαι, that is to show). "Unto the accomplishment of hope," that is, so that your hope may be full, and may daily increase and become fuller through perseverance and zeal in good works, and finally be accomplished in reality, when hope itself is turned into reality, and when the heavenly reward which you hoped for and for which you labored, you actually obtain. Where note that hope and confidence of salvation are born and strengthened by the exercise and zeal of good works: wherefore he who anxiously fears hell and fears being damned, let him exercise himself constantly in good works, and thus the confidence of salvation will grow, which will either exclude all this fear, or greatly diminish it. Note: For "accomplishment" in Greek is πληροφορίας, which Vatable, Erasmus and others translate as full proof, persuasion and certainty, so that namely your hope through good works may become certain, even to the end of the certainty of hope, that is, until you are fully persuaded, and plainly and certainly (as far as is permitted in this life) are confident that you will attain the hoped-for glory in the heavens; and thus not timidly, scrupulously and anxiously, but freely, most joyfully and most confidently serve God, so that it is the same as what St. Peter admonishes, when he says in his second epistle, chapter I, verse 10: "Labour that by good works you may make sure your calling and election." Thus also Vasquez. Plerophoria, he says, is certain and full faith, or persuasion, from which arises certain and full hope: for then hope is full, when faith is full concerning that which is hoped for. But plerophoria properly signifies accomplishment, as Our [translator] rendered it. As I showed in Romans XIV, 5. Note secondly, that "to the end" should be referred to "to show solicitude," that is to say, I desire that you show this solicitude of good works even to the end of your life. It can however also be referred to "the accomplishment of hope," that is to say, so that your hope may be accomplished even to the end, so that namely it may thus grow daily, until finally it is fully finished, completed and consummated: for as holy life grows, so also hope grows, and as much as that, so much also this is perfected and consummated.
6:12
And be not slothful, — in retaining and pursuing the Gospel and Christian life, in enduring persecutions and afflictions for its sake. But imitators of those who through faith and patience shall inherit the promises. — "Through faith," namely that by which they believe, if they are faithful to God, that they will receive eternal goods from Him: for this is the faith which stirs up and sustains hope for undertaking and enduring all difficult things; concerning which the Apostle treats throughout chapter XI, so that he may animate and strengthen the Hebrews to constancy in persecution through this faith. For "patience" in Greek is μακροθυμία, that is, long-suffering, by which we endure in evils and are not broken by them, even if they press upon us for a long time, but we wait long-sufferingly, so that at length we may be freed from them and may see and inherit the promised and hoped-for goods in heaven: for these are the "promises" celebrated in the Scriptures, and therefore known to the Hebrews, which Paul here means, namely the goods promised to us in heaven. For by metonymy the promise is put for the thing promised. "Patience," therefore, or long-suffering, here is the same as perseverance. Similar is verse 15.
6:13
As if to say: What I have just said, "Be imitators of those who through faith and patience shall inherit the promises," I confirm this very thing by the example of Abraham, and I propose to you Abraham himself, your father and the father of all believers and those who wait patiently, as one to be imitated; so that, just as he through faith and patience at length obtained the promise made and sworn to him by God, so also you may obtain the same through long faith, hope and patience. For the promise made to Abraham was made also to you and to all the faithful, as will soon be evident. In a similar manner the Apostle proposed Abraham as an example to the Romans, chapter IV, 16. Because He had no one greater by whom to swear, He swore by Himself. — He shows that God's promise is certain and firm, and that no one can doubt it, because God confirmed it by an oath, swearing by Himself, since He had no one greater than Himself by whom to swear.
6:14
"Unless" is known to the Hebrews as an execratory oath, in which there is aposiopesis, as if to say: Unless blessing I will bless thee, that is, unless with abundant benefits I will have benefited thee, and abundantly heaped benefits upon thee (for this is what that doubling signifies, "Blessing I will bless"; and to bless on God's part, since it is real and efficacious, is the same as to do good), supply and understand, "may I not be God," true and faithful. For God swears here, as the Apostle says, by Himself, and devotes Himself as it were. Note: For "unless" in Greek it is ἦ μήν, which Our translator, Vatable, Erasmus and others render "unless," so that it is the same as εἰ μή; Theophylactus however and Oecumenius render it "truly," or "certainly." Hence secondly, it is clear that the Apostle here, as elsewhere, cites not the words of God and Scripture, but the sense, and therefore comprehends many words of God in few. For thus God says, Genesis XXII, 16: "By Myself have I sworn (that is, I swear), saith the Lord: because thou hast done this thing, and hast not spared thy only begotten son for My sake, I will bless thee, and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that is on the sea shore; thy seed shall possess the gates of their enemies, and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed My voice." All which things the Apostle Paul has comprehended summarily in these few words, saying: "Unless blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee." Hence thirdly, it is clear that this blessing and promise made to Abraham and to his posterity was fulfilled inchoately in Isaac and in the Jews descended from Isaac, when namely God heaped upon them an abundance of temporal goods; but it was fulfilled perfectly in Christ and in Christians, whom God blessed with an abundance of spiritual grace and every heavenly blessing: for that spiritual blessing of Christians was foreshadowed by that temporal blessing of Isaac and the Jews, as it were by a type and figure. For it is evident that this blessing of Abraham pertains most of all to Christ and Christians, as to the true and genuine sons of Abraham according to the mind of God and Scripture, from the very words in which He says: "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed": for through Isaac the Jews alone were blessed, but through Christ all nations have been blessed, as is evident from Galatians III, 16; whence the Apostle, Romans IX, 6: "Not all," he says, "that are of Israel, are Israelites; nor are all they that are the seed of Abraham, children: but in Isaac shall thy seed be called, that is, not they that are the children of the flesh, are the children of God; but they that are the children of the promise, are counted for the seed," as if to say: Not the Jews who according to the flesh are born of Abraham and Israel, that is Jacob, but the faithful and Christians, who according to the spirit are descended from Abraham and Jacob, because they have imbibed and imitate the faith and spirit of Abraham their father as genuine sons, are reckoned by God to be the seed, that is the posterity and children of Abraham adopted by God as sons; and consequently these alone are reckoned and are the heirs of Abraham and of the promise and blessing made to him. Thus from St. Chrysostom, Theophylactus, Anselm and others.
6:15
For in his old age Abraham was heaped with offspring and riches, Genesis XXV, 1 and seq. Secondly, in his descendants according to the flesh, after four hundred years from the promise made to him, Abraham was blessed, when under the leadership of Joshua the Hebrews, the descendants of Abraham, obtained the gates of their enemies, that is, the land and cities of Chanaan. Thirdly, spiritually and especially Abraham was blessed, when after death he was led into limbo, and thence in the time of Christ into heaven: similarly he was blessed in his descendants according to the spirit, and is still blessed daily, when the faithful and Saints enter into heaven, of which Chanaan was a type; and the Apostle speaks of this third blessing, when he says cap. XI, vers. 13, that Abraham and the patriarchs died not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off and saluted them.
6:16
He teaches by the example of men, among whom every law and every doubt is terminated and confirmed by an oath, that God wished to confirm His promise by an oath, and that by swearing by Himself, since He had no one greater than Himself by whom He might swear. Note the Grecism, "greater than himself," that is, greater than himself.
6:17
In which (in which matter, namely His promise; or in which, that is, on account of which; thus the Syriac: for the Hebrew beth, that is "in," is often the same as "on account of") God willing to show to the heirs of the promise (the sons of Abraham, namely the faithful) the immutability (firmness and unchangeableness) of His counsel (His promise), interposed an oath: 18. that by two immutable things (by the promise and the oath, says Theophylactus and Anselmus, which are "immutable," that is unchangeable and irrevocable, both among men, and especially among God; whence he adds:) which it is impossible for God to lie (that is, to revoke, retract what He promised and swore to men, and thus to mock and deceive men), we might have the strongest consolation. — In Greek ἰσχυρὰν παράκλησιν, that is, as Vatablus says, strong consolation; or, as Theodoretus and Theophylactus say, strong exhortation: namely, that looking upon the promises of God so great and so certain, in persecutions and tribulations, we might not be broken in spirit, but excited by the hope of such great goods, we might approach difficult matters with alacrity, undergo any labors and dangers for God and piety bravely, bear spoiling, exile, torments and even death itself generously. Secondly, for "to hold" in Greek κρατῆσαι, that is that we might seize and most firmly embrace, and bind to ourselves this anchor of hope, lest the tempests of the world sweep us away. Thus from Theophylactus through Ribera. Who have fled to lay hold upon the hope set before us. — "Have fled" is past tense, not present. It is evident from the Greek οἱ καταφυγόντες. Beza wrongly translated it, "who run." For there is more in fleeing than in running. For everyone who flees runs; not the reverse: for fleeing is to run so that you snatch yourself from danger and reach a safe place. Thus in this place it signifies that we flee from death, so that we might arrive at eternal life.
6:19
Chrysostom notes that faith is like a column or foundation cast in the earth, because faith among all things is the most solid, most certain and most firm; but hope, which is indeed more uncertain than faith, is nevertheless more certain than all human aids and hopes, is like an anchor, not just any anchor, but a safe and firm one, because just as a firm anchor in the sea holds a ship firm, unharmed and unshaken amid waves and winds: so hope amid temptations and all the agitations of this age, by which we who are navigating in this life are tossed about, strengthens and fortifies the soul, so that it remains solid, immobile, constant in faith and in the pursuit of virtue. Whence the Syrian translator renders it, which (hope) is to us like an anchor, which holds our soul, lest it be moved. Whence the Syrians and Arabs call hope מתח vataca, as if to say firmness, strength, solidity: for in Syriac ותק vatac means to bind, to firm, to strengthen, and from this to trust and to hope. Note here: Hope is like an anchor, but with this difference, that an anchor is cast in the deep, but hope is fixed on high, namely in heaven and in God himself. This is what the Apostle adds, saying: And entering in within the veil. — Note: Paul alludes to the temple of Solomon, whose outer part was called the Holy Place, the inner part the Holy of Holies, which was separated from the Holy Place by a veil, or curtain. Secondly, the Holy Place allegorically signified the Church militant on earth; the Holy of Holies signified the Church triumphant in heaven; the veil signified either the heaven interposed between us and the Blessed, as Theophylactus wishes, or the obscurity, veiling and mystery of the joy of heaven, which here we behold only as through an enigma, and through the veil of faith obscurely and from afar. The interior things are the very vision of God, and all the glory and riches of the Blessed, of which more in chapter IX. The Apostle could have said clearly: Our hope penetrates and pervades heaven itself and the very heavenly glory; but he preferred to say by circumlocution, "within the veil," so that he might sweetly and fittingly return to Christ the high priest, from whom he had digressed, so that he might strengthen and stir up the afflicted Hebrews, who entered into these interior things, or into the Holy of Holies, that is, into heaven itself, as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek, as he had begun to say in chapter V, verses 6 and 10. Mares, Bishop of Chalcedon, reproaching Julian the Apostate for his blindness: "I give thanks," said he, "to God, who took away my eyes, lest I should see you impious and blasphemous." Sozomen, book VI, chapter V. St. Polycarp, to Herod the Proconsul threatening him with fire, replied: "You threaten this fire which is kindled for a moment, and shortly after is extinguished. But you know not the fire of hell, which is prepared for eternal punishments for the impious." And again: "For eighty-six years have I served Christ, and he has never harmed me in any way: how then should I curse him?" Eusebius, book IV, chapter XV. So did St. Lucius, who, condemned to death for the faith of Christ, when being led to execution, said: "I give thanks that you release me from the most wicked masters, and send me to the supreme king of heaven and earth." Witness Eusebius, book IV of the History, chapter XVII. Victor, Proconsul of Carthage, when solicited by the ministers of the king to embrace Arianism: "Tell," said he, "your king to subject me to fires, to drive me to beasts, to torture me with every kind of torment: if I consent, I am vainly baptized in the Church." Witness is Victor, book III of the Persecution of the Vandals. Dionysia, beaten to blood by Huneric, said: "Ministers of the devil, what you do to my reproach, that itself is my praise." Victor, in the same place. Elogius, when the prefect of the Emperor Valens, an Arian, said to him: "Share with him who possesses the kingdom"; replied: "And to me also is the fellowship of kingdom and priesthood." Tripartite History, book VII, chapter XXXIII. Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria, pressed by persecutors: "Why," said he, "do you labor in pursuing me? Take my head, for which you are so wearied, severed from my shoulders, and carry this great gift to the tyrant." Eusebius, book VI of the History, chapter XXX. St. Lawrence, roasted on a gridiron, to Decius: "It is roasted enough," said he, "turn it over, and eat." The same was said by Tatian, Macedonius and Theodulus, martyrs.
6:20
Again he sharpens hope, and teaches that it is certain; because Jesus our forerunner has entered into heaven itself, toward which we tend through hope, and that not so much for himself and his glory, as for us and our glory: for Christ ran before into heaven, so that he might prepare and make ready the way for us to the same place, and so that we might soon follow and overtake him who ran before: for he who runs before another to open doors, or to keep them open, runs before him by a small interval. Thus Theophylactus. Finally, the Apostle confirms and perfects our hope completely by the epithet of eternal high priest, which he here adds to Christ, as if to say: Certainly, O Hebrews, hope for heaven, because Christ has entered into heaven, so that there as an eternal High Priest he may stand before the Father, and may represent to him, offer, and obtain for his faithful all grace and all means by which they may strive toward heaven.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
6:1
Supra apostolus fecit mentionem de pontificatu Christi secundum ordinem Melchisedech, et ostendit tarditatem eorum quibus scribebat, hic redit ad suum propositum. Et circa hoc tria facit quia primo aperit intentionem suam; secundo ostendit eius difficultatem, ibi et hoc faciemus; tertio declarat intentionem, ibi confidimus. Circa primum duo facit quia primo manifestat suum propositum; secundo exponit quod dicit, ibi non rursum. Propositum suum est quod, praetermissis his quae pertinent ad inchoationem doctrinae Christianae, vult prosequi alia altiora. Unde dicit: iam dictum est, quod perfectis opus est solido cibo, quapropter intermittentes sermonem inchoationis doctrinae Christi, per quam Christus inchoat esse in nobis, quod est per doctrinam fidei. Eph. c. III, 17: habitare Christum per fidem in cordibus nostris. Feramur ad perfectionem, id est, ad ea quae spectant ad perfectionem doctrinae Christi. I Cor. XIII, 11: quando factus sum vir, evacuavi quae erant parvuli. Hoc autem secundum Glossam ad duo referri potest, scilicet vel ad intellectum, ut scilicet ex quo homo provectus est, debet intermittere puerilia et vacare perfectis. I Cor. c. II, 6: sapientiam loquimur inter perfectos. Vel ad effectum. Et est sensus, quod non semper est standum in sensu incipientium, sed oportet tendere ad statum perfectorum. Gen. c. XVII, 1: ambula coram me, et esto perfectus. Hic est duplex obiectio. Et primo, de hoc quod dicit intermittentes inchoationem, quia numquam debet intermitti inchoatio. Ps. LXXVI, 10: et dixi: nunc coepi. Iob c. XXVII, 6: iustificationem quam coepi tenere non deseram. Respondeo. Dicendum est, quod contingit dupliciter intermittere inchoationem. Vel quantum ad aestimationem, et sic semper debet homo esse sicut incedens et tendens ad maiora. Phil. III, 12: non quod iam coeperim, aut quod iam perfectus sim. Vel quantum ad progressum ad perfectionem, et sic semper debet niti homo transire ad statum perfectum. Phil. III, 13: quae retro sunt obliviscens, ad ea quae priora sunt me extendens. In via enim Dei non progredi, ait Bernardus, est regredi. Alia obiectio est de hoc quod dicit feramur ad perfectionem. Perfectio enim consistit in consiliis. Matth. XIX, 21: si vis perfectus esse, vade, et vende omnia, et cetera. Non omnes autem tenentur ad consilia; igitur. Respondeo. Dicendum est, quod duplex est perfectio. Una, scilicet exterior, quae consistit in actibus exterioribus, qui sunt signa interiorum, sicut virginitas, voluntaria paupertas. Et ad hanc non omnes tenentur. Alia est interior, quae consistit in dilectione Dei et proximi. Col. III, 14: charitatem habete, quod est vinculum perfectionis. Et ad perfectionem huiusmodi non omnes tenentur, sed omnes tenentur ad eam tendere, quia si quis nollet plus diligere Deum, non faceret quod exigit charitas. Dicit autem feramur, et hoc secundum impulsionem a spiritu sancto. Rom. VIII, 14: qui spiritu aguntur, hi filii Dei sunt. Vel sicut portati a Deo, qui portat infirmitatem nostram. Is. XLVI, 3: audite me, domus Iacob, et omne residuum domus Israel, qui portamini a meo utero. Vel sicut portati ab invicem. Gal. VI, 2: alter alterius onera portate. Deinde cum dicit non rursum, exponit quod dixit, et intendit ostendere quae sunt illa quae faciunt ad inchoationem doctrinae Christi. Et utitur similitudine. Per fidem enim anima aedificatur in spirituali aedificio. Sicut ergo in corporali aedificio, primo ponitur fundamentum, ita hic prima rudimenta doctrinae Christi sunt quasi fundamenta. Sed contra: quia infra XI, 1, ponitur fides esse fundamentum; fides autem una est. Eph. c. IV, 5: unus dominus, una fides, unum Baptisma. Hic autem ponit sex fundamenta; ergo videtur quod male. Respondeo. Dicendum est, quod fides fundamentum est virtutum. Ista autem, quae ponit hic, sunt fundamenta doctrinae Christi. Et dicit non rursum iacientes fundamentum, etc., quasi ita firmiter ponamus quod non oporteat iterato ponere. Vel quia dudum posuistis, et non oportet iterare. Multum autem signanter ordinat ista apostolus. Sicut enim in via generationis et cuiuscumque motus, prius est recessus a termino a quo et post accessus ad terminum ad quem, ita dicit hic, quia poenitentia est recessus a peccato, et sic est quasi quoddam fundamentum in ista vita. Nemo enim, secundum Augustinum, suae voluntatis arbiter, potest novam vitam inchoare, nisi poeniteat eum praeteritae. Unde dominus in principio praedicationis dicit: poenitentiam agite, Matth. IV, 17. Et ideo dicit poenitentiae ab operibus mortuis. Opera enim mortua dicuntur, vel quae secundum se sunt mortua, vel quae sunt mortificata. Res dicitur viva, quando habet officium propriae virtutis, a quo cum deficit, dicitur mortua. Opera enim nostra sunt ordinata ad beatitudinem, quae est finis hominis. Et ideo quando non ducunt ad beatitudinem, nec ordinari possunt, dicuntur mortua: et haec sunt opera facta in peccato mortali. Infra IX, 14: sanguis Christi, qui per spiritum sanctum obtulit seipsum immaculatum Deo, emundabit conscientias nostras ab operibus mortuis. Opera vero facta in charitate per peccatum mortificantur; unde non habent virtutem, ut mereantur vitam aeternam. Ez. XVIII, 24: omnes iustitiae eius quas fecerat, non recordabuntur. Poenitentia vero facit, quod ista reviviscunt: unde tunc iterum reputantur ad vitam aeternam. In accessu vero ad terminum primo est fides, et ideo dicit fundamentum fidei ad Deum. Proprium autem fidei est, quod credat homo et assentiat non visis a se, sed testimonio alterius. Hoc autem testimonium vel est hominis tantum: et istud non facit virtutem fidei, quia homo et fallere et falli potest. Vel istud testimonium est ex iudicio divino: et istud verissimum et firmissimum est, quia est ab ipsa veritate, quae nec fallere, nec falli potest. Et ideo dicit, ad Deum, ut scilicet assentiat his quae Deus dicit. Io. c. XIV, 1: creditis in Deum, et in me credite. Secundo, in isto processu sunt sacramenta fidei. Haec autem sunt duo sacramenta intrantium; de his enim tantum agit hic apostolus. Et ista sunt Baptismus primum, per quem regeneramur, et secundum est confirmatio, per quam confirmamur. Quantum ad primum dicit Baptismatum. Sed contra Eph. IV, 5: una fides, unum Baptisma. Non ergo plura sunt Baptismata. Respondeo. Dicendum est, quod triplex est Baptismus, scilicet fluminis, flaminis, et sanguinis; sed duo ultima non habent vim, nisi referantur ad primum, quia illa oportet habere in proposito, si non adsit facultas, in habentibus usum liberi arbitrii. Et ideo non sunt tria sacramenta; sed unum sacramentum, per quod regeneramur ad salutem. Io. III, 5: nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua et spiritu sancto, et cetera. Inter ista vero Baptismus sanguinis plus habet de effectu Baptismi, si tamen primum fuerit in proposito, vel contrarium non teneatur in mente, sicut patet de innocentibus, qui non erant in opposita dispositione. Baptismus enim virtutem habet ex merito passionis Christi. Rom. VI, 3: quicumque baptizati sumus in Christo Iesu, in morte ipsius baptizati sumus. Sicut ergo qui baptizatur, conformatur morti Christi sacramentaliter, ita martyr realiter. Et ideo istud Baptisma habet totum effectum Baptismi, quantum ad hoc quod purgat omnem culpam et poenam peccati, non tamen imprimit characterem aliquem. Et ideo si recipiens martyrium sine Baptismo aquae resurgeret, esset baptizandus. Poenitentia vero non tantum habet de effectu Baptismi, quia non tollit omnem poenam, licet tollat culpam. Sicut autem martyr conformat se morti Christi per exteriorem passionem, ita poenitens per interiorem. Gal. c. V, 24: qui Christi sunt, carnem suam crucifixerunt cum vitiis et concupiscentiis. Ideo potest esse tanta, quod tolleret omnem culpam et poenam, sicut patet in latrone et Magdalena. Unde poenitentia dicitur Baptismus, inquantum supplet Baptismi vicem. Et quia non licet illud iterari, ideo instituta est poenitentia. Ista ergo dicuntur Baptismata, quia habent effectum Baptismi; sed tantum unum Baptisma, quia non agunt nisi illud habeatur in proposito. Secundum sacramentum intrantium est in ipsa manuum impositione.
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Ideo dicit impositionis quoque manuum. Haec autem est duplex. Una est miracula faciens, sicut quando Christus per manus impositionem curabat infirmos Lc. IV, 40: singulis manus imponens curabat eos et haec non est sacramentalis. Alia est sacramentalis, et haec est duplex. Una in sacramento ordinis. I Tim. V, 22: manus nemini cito imposueris. Alia est in sacramento confirmationis ad renovationem. Tit. III, 5: per lavacrum regenerationis et renovationis spiritus sancti, et cetera. In confirmatione enim datur spiritus ad robur, ut scilicet audacter homo confiteatur nomen Christi coram hominibus. Sicut enim in esse naturae prius generatur homo, et postea augetur et roboratur, ita in esse gratiae. Tertio sequitur terminus motus, ad quem motus terminatur, et ille est duplex. Duo enim expectamus: primum est resurrectio corporum et ista est fidei fundamentum, quia sine hac inanis est fides nostra, I Cor. c. XV, 14. Ideo dicit de resurrectione mortuorum. Item expectamus remunerationem, quae fiet per iudicem. Eccle. XII, 14: cuncta quae fiunt adducet Deus in iudicium. Et ideo dicit iudicii aeterni, non quod illud iudicium duret per mille annos, sicut voluit Lactantius, sed totum erit in momento. Sed dicitur aeternum, quia sententia quae ibi dabitur, in aeternum durabit. Matth. XXV, 46: ibunt hi in supplicium aeternum: iusti autem in vitam aeternam. Et sciendum est, quod omnia ista, quae dicit se velle hic tractare, sunt quasi quaedam rudimenta fidei. Unde praedicat ea novitiis Act. XVII, 18 ss. et in multis aliis locis. Deinde cum dicit et hoc faciemus, ostendit difficultatem propositi sui exequendi: difficile enim est, et in se, et respectu auditorum. Unde tria facit. Primo innuit, quod in hoc potissime indigeat divino auxilio; secundo subdit quorumdam imbecillitatem, ibi impossibile est enim; tertio adducit quamdam similitudinem, ibi terra enim.
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Dicit ergo: feramur ad perfectum, et hoc faciemus, siquidem permiserit Deus. Minus autem dicit, et plus significat. Nam non est tantum necessarium quod dominus permittat, sed oportet quod omnia faciat. Sap. VII, 16: in manu Dei nos et sermones nostri. Et ideo debet omnia ponere sub confidentia divini auxilii. Io. XV, 15: sine me nihil potestis facere. Iac. IV, 15: pro ut dicatis, si Deus voluerit, et si vixerimus faciemus. Deinde cum dicit impossibile est, ostendit imbecillitatem eorum: erant enim imbecilles ad audiendum. Sicut in corporalibus nullus status est ita periculosus, sicut recidivantium, ita in spiritualibus, qui post gratiam cadit in peccatum, difficilius surgit ad bonum. Et circa hoc facit tria: primo proponit bona quae perceperant; secundo difficultatem causatam in eis ex recidivo, ibi et prolapsi sunt; tertio assignat rationem, ibi rursus crucifigentes. Bona autem quaedam sunt praesentia, quaedam vero futura. Ipsi vero in praesenti habuerunt spiritualem regenerationem, et quantum ad hoc dicit illuminati, scilicet per Baptismum. Et congrue dicitur Baptismus illuminatio, quia Baptismus est principium regenerationis spiritualis, in qua intellectus illuminatur per fidem. Eph. V, v. 8: eratis aliquando tenebrae, nunc autem lux in domino.
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Habent etiam bonorum Dei participationem, et quantum ad hoc dicit et gustaverunt donum caeleste. Donum istud est gratia, et dicitur caeleste, quia a caelis Deus eam dat. Ps. LXVII, 19: dedit dona hominibus, et Iac. c. I, 17: omne datum optimum, et omne donum perfectum desursum est, descendens a patre luminum. Est etiam in eis participatio divinae bonitatis. II Pet. I, 4: per quem, scilicet Christum, maxima nobis et pretiosa promissa donavit. Ideo dicit participes facti spiritus sancti. Omnia enim dona dantur ex amore: et ideo istam participationem attribuit spiritui sancto. Est autem participare, partem capere. Solum autem Christus spiritum sanctum habuit ad plenitudinem. Io. III, 34: non enim ad mensuram dat Deus spiritum. Alii enim sancti de eius plenitudine receperunt, et participes facti sunt, non quidem substantiae, sed distributionum eius. Supra II, 4: et variis spiritus sancti distributionibus. I Cor. XII, 4: divisiones gratiarum sunt, idem autem spiritus, et cetera. Item in praesenti habuerunt doctrinae eruditionem.
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Et quantum ad hoc dicit gustaverunt nihilominus bonum Dei verbum. Verbum istud dicitur bonum, quia est verbum vitae aeternae. Io. VI, 69: domine, ad quem ibimus? Verba vitae aeternae habes. Ps. CXVIII, v. 103: quam dulcia faucibus meis eloquia tua. Dicit autem gustaverunt, quia non solum illuminat intellectum, sed etiam reficit affectum, in quo est quaedam saporatio. Ps. XXXIII, 8: gustate et videte, quoniam suavis est dominus. Bona autem futura habuerunt in spe. Rom. VIII, 24: spe salvi facti sumus. Et ideo dicit virtutesque saeculi venturi. Horum autem quaedam habent non solum in spe, sed etiam in quadam inchoatione, et illae sunt dotes animae, scilicet visio, tentio et fruitio, et illa habentur in quadam inchoatione, inquantum fides, spes et charitas, quae istis respondent, habentur in praesenti. Alia autem sunt bona, quae solum habentur in spe, ut dotes corporis, scilicet subtilitas, agilitas, impassibilitas, claritas. Consequenter cum dicit et prolapsi sunt, ostendit difficultatem ad resurgendum, causatam ex casu. Ubi notandum est, quod non dicit lapsi simpliciter, sed prolapsi, id est, totaliter lapsi: quia si lapsi tantum essent, non ita difficile foret resurgere. Prov. XXIV, 16: septies in die cadit iustus, et resurgit. Quod si diceret apostolus illos qui prolapsi sunt impossibile esse resurgere, tunc posset dici, quod in hoc notat maximam difficultatem resurgendi, scilicet et propter peccatum, et propter superbiam, sicut patet in Daemonibus.
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Sed quia dicit illos, qui semel prolapsi sunt non posse rursus renovari ad poenitentiam, nec est aliquod peccatum in hoc mundo, a quo non possit homo poenitere, ideo aliter est intelligendum. Unde sciendum est, quod ex hoc loco sumpsit Novatus quidam, qui fuit presbyter Ecclesiae Romanae, occasionem errandi. Voluit enim, quod nullus post Baptismum posset ad poenitentiam resurgere. Sed ista positio falsa est, sicut dicit Athanasius in epistola ad Serapionem, quia ipse Paulus recepit incaestuosum Corinthium, sicut patet II Cor. II, 5 ss., et similiter Gal. IV, 19, quia dicit: filioli mei, quos iterum parturio, et cetera. Est ergo intelligendum, sicut dicit Augustinus, quod non dicit quod impossibile est poenitere, sed quod impossibile est rursus renovari, id est baptizari. Tit. III, 5: per lavacrum regenerationis et renovationis, et cetera. Numquam enim posset homo sic poenitere, quod posset iterum baptizari. Et hoc dicit apostolus, quia secundum legem Iudaei multoties baptizantur, sicut patet Mc. VII, 3 s. Et ideo ad istum errorem removendum, dicit hoc apostolus. Deinde cum dicit rursus crucifigentes, etc., assignat rationem quare Baptismus non iteratur, quia scilicet Baptismus est quaedam configuratio mortis Christi, sicut patet Rom. VI, 3: quicumque in Christo baptizati sumus. Haec autem non iteratur, quia Christus resurgens ex mortuis iam non moritur, Rom. VI, 9. Qui ergo iterato baptizantur, rursum Christum crucifigunt. Vel aliter, quod denotetur repugnantia gratiae Christi, ut scilicet velint frequenter peccare et post iterum baptizari, ut scilicet non referatur ad iterationem Baptismi, sed ad lapsum eorum, qui peccant. Qui scilicet quantum in ipsis est, rursus crucifigunt Christum, quia Christus pro peccatis nostris mortuus est semel, I Pet. III, 18. Cum ergo peccas baptizatus, quantum in te est, das occasionem, ut iterum Christus crucifigatur, et sic contumelia fit Christo, in cuius sanguine te lotum maculas. Apoc. I, 5: dilexit nos, et lavit nos a peccatis nostris in sanguine suo.
Supra ostendit apostolus difficultatem ad suum propositum exequendum, provenientem ex eorum culpa, hic adducit ad hoc quamdam similitudinem. Et primo quantum ad bonam terram; secundo quantum ad malam, ibi proferens autem. Sciendum est autem, quod secundum unam expositionem, supra voluit apostolus illos, qui semel baptizati sunt, non posse iterum baptizari, vel renovari ad poenitentiam. Alia autem est expositio, quae ibi dimissa fuit, quod impossibile est eos, qui in hac vita semel illuminati sunt, rursum in alia vita renovari ad poenitentiam. Eccle. IX, 10: quicquid potest manus tua facere, instanter operare: quia nec opus, nec ratio, nec sapientia, nec scientia est apud Inferos, et cetera. Io. c. IX, 4: venit nox, quando nemo potest operari. Rursus ergo exponatur, id est post hanc vitam. Et huius ratio est. Duo enim causant poenitentiam. Unum est quod dat efficaciam, scilicet meritum passionis Christi. I Io. II, 2: ipse est propitiatio pro peccatis nostris. Aliud autem est exemplum poenitendi, quod habemus in Christo per considerationem, scilicet considerando austeritatem, paupertatem et tandem passionem. I Pet. II, 21: Christus passus est pro nobis, vobis relinquens exemplum, et cetera. Sic ergo intelligitur quod dicit rursus crucifigentes, id est crucis Christi fructum percipientes, et hoc quantum ad id quod dat efficaciam poenitentiae, et ostentui habentes, quantum ad exemplum poenitendi. Et sic accipitur ostentum in bonum. Ista vero similitudo, quae ponitur hic, de terra potest referri, vel ad id quod supra dictum est feramur ad perfectionem: et tunc erit sensus, quod si feramur, habebimus benedictionem sicut terra bona. Vel potest continuari ad dictum immediate, secundum expositionem utramque sive de Baptismo sive de alia vita. Illa tamen de Baptismo magis est litteralis; et sic est sensus: sicut terra culta, si iterato profert spinas, non colitur, sed comburitur: sic homo peccans post Baptismum, ulterius non abluitur. Et tangitur circa bonam terram primo beneficium impensum; secundo fructum quem profert, ibi et generans herbam; tertio praemium, ibi accipit benedictionem. Terra ista est cor humanum. Lc. c. VIII, 15: quod autem cecidit in terram bonam, hi sunt qui in corde bono et optimo, et cetera. Quod dicitur terra, quia sicut terra indiget pluvia, ita homo indiget gratia Dei. Ps. LXIV, 9: visitasti terram, et inebriasti eam. Is. LV, 10: quomodo descendit imber et nix de caelo, et illuc ultra non revertitur, sed inebriat terram, et infundit eam, et germinare eam facit, et cetera. Sed beneficium, quod percipit, et doctrina fidei, est quasi imber superveniens, quam pluit in cordibus auditorum, mediantibus praedicatoribus et doctoribus. Is. V, v. 6: mandabo nubibus, ne pluant super eam imbrem. Iob XXXVI, 27 s.: effudit imbres ad instar gurgitum, qui de nubibus fluunt, et cetera. Hunc imbrem bibit quando quod audit, intelligit, et ad illud afficitur. Is. LV, 1: omnes sitientes venite ad aquas, et cetera. Ista doctrina est super se, id est desuper veniens, et hoc quantum ad principium huius doctrinae. Vel super se, quia quaedam doctrina est de terra, qua scilicet homo inhaeret terrenis; alia est de caelis, quae scilicet docet caelestia. Iac. III, 15: non est ista sapientia desursum descendens, sed terrena, animalis, diabolica, et post sequitur ibidem: quae autem desursum est sapientia primum quidem pudica est, et cetera. Vel super se, id est, super facultatem humanae rationis. Nam aliae scientiae sunt secundum humanam rationem inventae, haec autem divinitus inspirata. Eccli. III, 25: plurima supra sensum hominum monstrata tibi sunt. Dicit autem non semper, nec raro, sed saepe, quia, ut dicit Augustinus, et habetur in Glossa, si semper, vilescit; si raro, non sufficit et negligitur. Iob XVI, 2: audivi frequenter talia. Fructus est, quia generat herbam opportunam cultoribus. Ista sunt bona opera, quae facit homo per doctrinam susceptam. Gen. I, 11: germinet terra herbam virentem, et cetera. Ista terra colitur primo a Deo. Io. XV, 1: pater meus agricola est, et cetera. Colitur etiam a praelato. I Cor. III, 6: ego plantavi, Apollo rigavit, et cetera. Colitur etiam ab homine ipso. Prov. XXIV, 27: diligenter exerce agrum tuum. Est autem opportuna Deo ad gloriam. I Cor. X, 31: omnia in gloriam Dei facite. Aliis ad meritum, et ad gloriam. I Thess. II, 20: vos enim estis gloria nostra et gaudium. Ipsi vero operanti ad vitam aeternam. Rom. VI, v. 22: habetis fructum vestrum in sanctificationem: finem vero vitam aeternam.
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Deinde cum dicit accipit benedictionem a Deo, ostendit praemium, scilicet benedictionem divinam. Ista autem benedictio nihil aliud est, quam factio bonitatis in nobis: quae quidem in praesenti vita fit imperfecta, sed in futuro erit perfecta. I Pet. c. III, 9: in hoc vocati estis, ut benedictionem haereditate possideatis. Deinde cum dicit proferens, etc., agit de mala terra; ubi tria facit: primo supponit beneficium, quod dictum est; secundo ponit malum fructum, dicens proferens autem; tertio ostendit poenam, ibi reproba est. Fructus ergo sunt spinae, id est, minora peccata, et tribuli, id est, maiora, quae pungunt conscientiam propriam, quandoque etiam alienam, illa scilicet quae sunt contra proximos. Gen. III, 18: spinas et tribulos germinabit tibi. In poena vero ponit tria, scilicet divinam reprobationem, iudiciariam condemnationem, ibi maledicto proxima, et finalem punitionem, ibi cuius consummatio, et cetera. Quantum ad primum dicit reproba est. Sicut enim praedestinatio est principium remunerationis, ita reprobatio signum est condemnationis. Quod ergo aliquis frequenter rigetur praeceptis salutaribus, signum est reprobationis, si persistat in peccatis. Ier. VI, 30: argentum reprobum vocate eos, quia dominus proiecit eos. Condemnatio est, quia proxima maledicto. Matth. XXV, 41: ite, maledicti, in ignem aeternum.
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Punitio est cuius consummatio in combustionem. Is. IX, 5: vestimentum mixtum sanguine erit in combustionem, et cibus ignis.
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Quia apostolus multa, quae dura videbantur, de statu istorum dixerat, modo, ne ex illis desperarent, ostendit qua intentione hoc dixerit, scilicet ut ipsos a periculis retraheret. Unde circa hoc duo facit. Primo enim ostendit fiduciam, quam de ipsis habebat; secundo subdit rationem confidentiae, ibi non enim iniustus est Deus. Dicit ergo: ita dixi, quod terra quae profert spinas et tribulos, et cetera. Et ne credatis, quod ego tales vos reputem, confidimus de vobis, dilectissimi, et hoc propter fidem et charitatem, meliora et viciniora saluti. Ubi commendat statum ipsorum ex duobus, scilicet ex eo quod iam erant: quia ex eo quod dicit meliora, supponit quod erant in bono statu, et ex eo quod expectabant in futurum, unde dicit viciniora saluti. Rom. XIII, v. 11: nunc autem propior est nostra salus quam cum credidimus. Quanto enim quis proficit in bonis, tanto magis appropinquat saluti. Sequitur tametsi ita loquimur, id est, quia etsi sic loquimur, hoc est ut reddamus vos cautos, et hoc procedit ex charitate. Ps. CXL, 6: corripiet me iustus in misericordia, et increpabit me, et cetera.
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Deinde cum dicit non est enim iniustus Deus, ut obliviscatur, etc., ostendit rationem confidentiae, quae duplex est. Una ex bonis ipsorum praeteritis; alia ex promissione Dei, ibi Abrahae namque, et cetera. Quia vero apostolus duo dixerat: unum scilicet quod de ipsis confidebat; aliud quod aspere ipsis loquebatur, ideo duo facit: primo enim assignat rationem primi; secundo rationem secundi, ibi cupimus, et cetera. Ratio autem quare ipse de his confidat, haec est, quia recordatur multorum bonorum quae ipsi fecerunt. Unde dicit confidimus autem, et cetera. Et quare? Quia non est iniustus Deus, ut obliviscatur operis vestri. Contra Ez. XVIII, 24: si averterit se iustus a iustitia sua, et cetera. Et paulo post ibidem sequitur: omnes iustitiae eius non recordabuntur. Et ibi subditur: non est aequa via domini. Respondeo. Dicendum est, quod homo, qui cadit post gratiam, dupliciter se potest habere. Uno modo, quod in malo perseveret, et tunc Deus omnes iustitias eius obliviscitur; alio modo, quod poeniteat, et tunc bonorum praecedentium recordatur, quia reputantur sibi ad meritum. Unde dicit Glossa, quod mortificata reviviscunt. Sed tunc videtur dubium, quia constat quod iustitia respicit meritum: si ergo iustitia domini exigit quod Deus non obliviscatur si poeniteat, sicut dicit Glossa, ergo cadit sub merito quod resurgat a peccato, et sic meretur gratiam, quod est impossibile. Respondeo. Dicendum est quod duplex est meritum. Unum quod innititur iustitiae, et istud est meritum condigni; aliud quod soli misericordiae innititur, quod dicitur meritum congrui. Et de isto dicit quod iustum est, id est congruum, quod homo, qui multa bona facit, mereatur. Ista enim misericordia est adiuncta quodammodo iustitiae, plusquam in illo, qui numquam aliud fecit. Et isto modo non obliviscitur Deus operis et dilectionis. Soli enim charitati debetur vita aeterna. Io. c. XIV, 23: si quis diligit me, sermonem meum servabit. Quicquid enim non est ex charitate, non est meritorium. I Cor. XIII, 3: si charitatem non habeam, nihil prodest. Et ideo, hic non dicit tantum operis vestri, sed addit dilectionis, quia etiam, sicut dicit Gregorius, non est amor Dei otiosus; operatur enim magna, si est, si operari renuit amor non est. I Io. III, 18: non diligamus verbo neque lingua, sed opere et veritate. Ideo subdit quam ostendistis in nomine ipsius. Col. c. III, 17: omne quodcumque facitis in verbo, aut in opere, omnia in nomine domini nostri Iesu Christi, et cetera. Quid autem ostenderint et in quo, ostendit, quia ministrastis sanctis, scilicet subveniendo necessitatibus sanctorum. Matth. c. XX, 26: quicumque voluerit inter vos fieri maior, sit vester minister. Rom. XII, 13: necessitatibus sanctorum communicantes. Et quia in omnibus est necessaria continuatio, ideo subdit et ministratis. Et ideo si peccastis, ex divina misericordia adiuncta iustitiae dabit veniam. Consequenter cum dicit cupimus autem, assignat rationem quare ita dure locutus fuerat, scilicet ex desiderio salutis ipsorum. Unde circa hoc tria facit quia primo ostendit suum desiderium; secundo subdit imminens periculum, ibi ut non segnes efficiamini; tertio declarat per exemplum, ibi verum imitatores. Dicit ergo: diximus ista non quasi desperantes de vobis, sed magis quia cupimus unumquemque, id est, de unoquoque, vestrum. Phil. I, 8: testis est mihi Deus quomodo cupiam vos omnes in visceribus Iesu Christi. Sed quid cupimus? Ostendere eamdem sollicitudinem, id est, ut sitis solliciti ostendere per exhibitionem operis, hanc sollicitudinem ad bona, quam semper habuistis. Unde patet, quod ad opera pietatis requiritur sollicitudo. Lc. X, 41: Martha, Martha, sollicita es, et cetera. Item ad propriam salutem. II Tim. II, 15: sollicite cura teipsum probabilem exhibere Deo. Et quare?
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Ad expletionem spei, scilicet adimplendo quod coepistis, consequamini quod speratis. Rom. V, 5: spes non confundit. Et hoc totum usque in finem. Qui enim perseveraverit usque in finem, hic salvus erit.
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Deinde cum dicit ut non segnes efficiamini, ostendit periculum, quod est pigritia. Et est segnities timor futurae bonae operationis propter timorem, scilicet vel ne deficiat, vel ne poeniteat. Prov. XXII, 13: piger dicit: leo est in via. Unde pigri semper allegant impedimenta. Deinde cum dicit verum imitatores, etc., ponit exemplum, quasi dicat: non sitis pigri, sed magis imitamini, accipiendo exemplum in prophetis. Iac. V, 10: accipite exemplum patientiae, etc., et sequitur: prophetas. Et in aliis sanctis, scilicet apostolis. I Cor. II: imitatores mei estote, sicut et ego Christi. Sitis ergo imitatores eorum qui fide, sine qua impossibile est placere Deo, infra XI, 6; et patientia contra adversa, haereditabunt promissiones. Per fidem enim formatam et patientiam acquiritur haereditas promissa. Infra XI, 33: sancti per fidem vicerunt regna, operati sunt, et cetera.
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Supra apostolus ostendit causam quare de istis confidebat, et hoc propter bona quae fecerunt, hic ostendit idem ex promissione facta patribus. Unde circa hoc facit duo. Primo enim praemittit promissionem; secundo assignat rationem dictorum, ibi homines enim. Circa primum tria facit. Primo enim ostendit cui facta sit promissio; secundo ostendit promissionis modum esse convenientem, ibi quoniam neminem, etc.; tertio promissionis effectum, ibi et sic longanimiter. Promissio facta est Abrahae. Gal. c. III, 16: Abrahae dictae sunt promissiones, et cetera. Et huius est ratio, quia per fidem inhaeremus Deo, et ideo per fidem consequimur promissiones. Primum enim exemplum fidei fuit in Abraham, et hoc quia primus recessit a consortio infidelium. Gen. XII, 1: egredere de terra tua, et cetera. Secundo, quia primus aliquid credidit, quod erat supra naturam. Rom. c. IV, 18: qui contra spem, in spem credidit. Unde Gen. XV, 6: credidit Abraham Deo, et reputatum est ei ad iustitiam. Primus enim accepit signaculum fidei, scilicet circumcisionem, Rom. IV, 11. Modus promissionis est quantum ad duo: primo quantum ad iuramentum interpositum; secundo quantum ad verba promissionis, ibi nisi benedicens benedicam tibi, et cetera. Dicit ergo: Deus volens ostendere promissionem suam firmam et stabilem, quia non habuit maiorem se, per quem iuraret Ps. CXII, 4: excelsus super omnes gentes dominus, etc. iuravit per semetipsum. Gen. c. XXII, 16: per memetipsum iuravi, dicit dominus, et cetera. In quo habes exemplum, quod iuramentum de se non est illicitum, quia Scriptura nihil Deo attribuit quod de se sit peccatum. Intendit enim Scriptura nos ad Deum ordinare et ducere. Eph. V, 1: estote imitatores Dei sicut filii, et cetera. Tamen interdicitur frequentia iuramenti. Eccli. XXIII, 9: iurationi non assuescat os tuum, et cetera. Item iuramentum in vanum. Ex. XX, 7: non assumes nomen Dei tui in vanum.
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Consequenter cum dicit nisi benedicens, etc., ostendit modum promissionis; quasi dicat non credatur mihi, nisi benedicam tibi, ut sit modus iurandi quasi per executionem. Dicit autem benedicens, quod pertinet ad bonorum collationem. Benedictio enim domini divites facit, sicut dicitur Prov. c. X, 22. Et multiplicans multiplicabo te, quod etiam pertinet ad prolis numerositatem. Et utrumque fuit Abrahae promissum, sicut patet Gen. XIV et XXV. Ingeminat autem dicendo benedicens benedicam, ut designet bona temporalia et spiritualia, et continuitatem benedictionis. Vel benedicens benedicam in multitudine prolis sanctae, quae Gen. XV, 5 designatur per stellas caeli, ubi dicitur suspice caelum, et numera stellas, si potes, et cetera. Et multiplicans multiplicabo in numerositate prolis malae et perversae, quae ibidem, scilicet XXII cap., designatur per arenam maris. Ingeminatur etiam multitudo, quod est propter numerositatem prolis bonae vel malae; vel propter continuitatem multitudinis. Vel benedicam in bonis gratiae, et multiplicabo in bonis gloriae. Ps. XXX, 19: quam magna multitudo dulcedinis tuae, domine, et cetera.
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Effectus promissionis fuit, quia longanimiter ferens, adeptus est repromissionem. Longanimitas est non solum in faciendo magnum aliquid, sed etiam in expectando in longum. Abraham autem promissionem habuit, nec unquam passum pedis terrae possedit, ut dicitur Act. VII, 5. Et usque in senectutem prolem non suscipit, et tamen a spe non decidit. Iac. V, 10: accipite exemplum, fratres mei, mali exitus, et longanimitatis, et laboris, et patientiae prophetas, et cetera. Is. LI, 2: attendite ad Abraham patrem vestrum, et cetera.
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Deinde cum dicit homines enim per maiorem sui iurant, ponit rationem praedictorum, et circa hoc facit tria. Primo enim ponit humanam consuetudinem; secundo assignat rationem consuetudinis, ibi in quo abundantius; tertio subdit fructum rationis, ibi ut per duas res immobiles. Consuetudo enim humana duplex ponitur una quantum ad id per quod iuratur; alia quantum ad effectum iuramenti, ibi et omnis controversiae. Illud autem per quod iuratur, est maius, et hoc rationabiliter. Nihil enim aliud est iurare, nisi dubium confirmare. Sicut ergo in scientiis nihil confirmatur, nisi per id quod est magis notum: ita quia nihil certius est apud homines, quam Deus, ideo per ipsum, tamquam per maius et certius, iuratur. Sed contra. Quandoque enim iuratur per filium, qui minor est, ut cum dicitur: per Christum. Aliquando vero per creaturam, sicut Ioseph iuravit per salutem Pharaonis, Gen. XLII, 15. Respondeo. Dicendum est, quod duplex est modus iurandi per Deum: uno modo per simplicem attestationem; ut cum absolute dicitur: per Deum ita est quasi dicat: testis est mihi Deus, quod ita est, sicut dico. Rom. I, 9: testis est mihi Deus, cui servio in spiritu meo. Aliquando vero per execrationem, quod fit quando aliquid obligatur ad vindictam Deo, si non sit ita, puta caput, vel anima, vel aliquid huiusmodi, sicut iuravit apostolus. II Cor. I, 23: testem Deum invoco in animam meam, quasi dicat: obligo animam meam pro testimonio, pro quo ipsum nomen Dei assumo. Et istud est gravissimum. Per creaturam autem iuratur non inquantum est talis, sed inquantum in ipsa relucet aliquod indicium divinae potestatis. Quia enim omnis potestas a Deo est, Rom. XIII, 1, inquantum aliquis exercet potestatem super aliquam multitudinem: si iuratur per ipsum, iuratur per Deum, cuius potestas in ipso relucet. Et sic iuravit Ioseph per salutem Pharaonis. Hoc est ergo, quod dicit homines per maiorem sui jurant. Sciendum est autem, quod a iuramento sunt excludendi alias periuri, quia debet iuramento maxima reverentia exhiberi, et ex retro actis praesumitur, quod debitam reverentiam iuramento non exhibebunt. Item ad ipsum non sunt cogendi pueri ante annos pubertatis, quia nondum habent perfectum usum rationis, quo sciant iuramento debitam reverentiam exhibere. Item personae magnae dignitatis, quia iuramentum requiritur ab eis, de quarum dicto, vel facto dubitatur. Derogat autem hominibus magnae auctoritatis, ut dubitetur de veritate eorum quae dicunt. Unde et in decretis, II quaest. c. IV dicitur, quod sacerdos ex levi causa iurare non debet. Causae autem in quibus liceat iurare hae sunt: pro pace firmanda, sicut Laban iuravit, Gen. XXXI, 44 ss.; secundo pro fama conservanda; tertio pro fidelitate tenenda, sicut feudatarii iurant dominis; quarto pro obedientia implenda, si praecipitur a superiori aliquid honestum; quinto pro securitate facienda; sexto pro veritate attestanda. Sic iuravit apostolus, Rom. I, 9: testis est mihi Deus, et cetera. Deinde cum dicit et omnis controversiae, etc., ponit effectum iuramenti qui in hoc consistit, quod per iuramentum finitur omnis controversia. Sicut enim in scientiis, quando resolvitur usque ad prima principia demonstrabilia, quiescitur, ita divina lege introductum est, quod cum pervenitur ad primam veritatem est status, quod fit quando ipsa in testimonium invocatur. Ex. XXII, 8: applicabitur ad deos, et iurabit, et sic sopitur omnis quaestio et controversia.
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Deinde cum dicit in quo abundantius, ponit rationem, quare Deus voluit iurare, scilicet ad ostendendam firmitatem promissionis suae. Unde dicit in quo, id est, eo ipso Deus interposuit iuramentum, volens abundantius ostendere, et cetera. Abundans enim fuit, quod promisit, sed abundantius fuit, quod iuravit. Volens, inquam, ostendere haeredibus pollicitationem, id est rei pollicitae. Rom. IX, 8: qui filii sunt promissionis aestimantur in semine. Ostendere, inquam, immobilitatem. Sciendum est, quod in his quae a Deo procedunt, duo sunt consideranda, scilicet ipse processus rerum, et consilium Dei a quo talis processus causatur. Consilium Dei est omnino immobile. Is. XLVI, 10: consilium meum stabit, et omnis voluntas mea fiet. Sed dispositio est bene mutabilis. Nam dominus aliquando pronuntiat aliquid, secundum quod exigit ordo et processus rerum, sicut patet, Is. XXXI: dispone domui tuae, quia morieris tu, et non vives. Habebat enim cursus infirmitatis, quod ex illa moreretur. Et similiter Ion. III, 4: adhuc quadraginta dies, et Ninive subvertetur, quia ipsa meruerat subversionem sui ipsius. Ier. XVIII, 7 s.: repente loquar adversus gentem, et adversus regnum, ut eradicem, et destruam, et disperdam illud. Si poenitentiam egerit gens illa a malo suo, quod locutus sum adversus eam, agam et ego poenitentiam super malo, quod cogitavi ut facerem ei. Et tunc prophetia est comminationis. Quandoque vero pronuntiatur aliquid secundum quod respicit consilium Dei aeternum: et super hoc Deus numquam poenitet, nec illud retrahit. I Reg. XV, 29: triumphator in Israel non parcet, et poenitudine non flectetur. Tamen sciendum est, quod quandocumque dominus promittit aliquid sub iuramento, est prophetia praedestinationis, quae est ostensiva divini consilii; et ista promissio penitus immutabilis est.
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Deinde cum dicit ut per duas res, etc., ostendit fructum promissionis: et primo ostendit, quis sit ille fructus; secundo quis consequatur hunc fructum, ibi quam sicut anchoram. Fructus autem est, ut spes nostra sit certa: unde dicit ut habeamus fortissimum, id est firmissimum, solatium spei, per duas res immobiles, quibus impossibile est mentiri, scilicet per Deum, qui promittit, qui non mentitur, Num. XXIII, 19: non est Deus, ut filius hominis, ut mentiatur, et per iuramentum, in quo est maior confirmatio veritatis. Sciendum est autem, quod sicut delectatio sensibilis est experientia sensibilis, et memoria de praeterito, ita spes de futuro. I Mach. II, v. 61: omnes qui sperant in ipso, non infirmantur. Is. XL, 31: qui sperant in domino, mutabunt fortitudinem, assument pennas, ut aquilae, current, et non laborabunt, et cetera. Habeamus, inquam, nos, qui confugimus a malis, scilicet mundi, et ab impugnatione hostis, ad tenendam propositam nobis spem. Ps. LXXXIX, 1: domine, refugium factus es nobis. Prov. XVIII, 10: turris fortissima nomen domini. Ad ipsam currit iustus, et exaltabitur. Deinde cum dicit quam sicut anchoram, ostendit quod fideles promissionem istam consequantur, et utitur quadam similitudine. Comparat enim spem ipsi anchorae, quae sicut in mari navem immobilitat, ita spes animam firmat in Deo in hoc mundo, qui est quasi quoddam mare. Ps. CIII, 25: hoc mare magnum et spatiosum manibus. Ista tamen anchora debet esse secura, ut scilicet non deficiat. Unde fit de ferro. II Tim. I, 12: scio enim cui credidi, et certus sum, et cetera. Item debet esse firma, ut scilicet non cito a navi removeatur: ita homo debet alligari isti spei, sicut anchora navi alligatur. Est autem differentia inter anchoram et spem, quia anchora in imo figitur; sed spes in summo, scilicet in Deo. Nihil enim in praesenti vita est firmum, ubi posset anima firmari et quiescere. Unde Gen. VIII, 9, dicitur, quod columba non invenit ubi requiesceret pes eius.
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Et ideo dicit, quod debet incedere usque ad interiora velaminis. Apostolus enim per sancta, quae erant in tabernaculo, intelligit statum praesentem Ecclesiae, sed per sancta sanctorum, quae per velum distinguebantur a sanctis, intelligit statum futurae gloriae. In illo ergo vult quod figatur anchora spei nostrae, qui est modo velatus ab oculis nostris. Is. LXIV, 4: oculus non vidit, Deus, absque te, quae praeparasti expectantibus te. Ps. XXX, 19: quam magna multitudo dulcedinis tuae, domine, quam abscondisti timentibus te. Hanc ibi fixit praecursor noster, qui ibi ingressus est. Unde Io. XIV, 2: vado parare vobis locum. Mich. II, 13: ascendit pandens iter ad eos.
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Et ideo dicit, quod ipse tamquam praecursor pro nobis ingressus est interiora velaminis, et ibi fixit spem nostram, sicut dicitur in collecta, in vigilia, et in die ascensionis. Tamen quia intra velum non licebat intrare nisi summo sacerdoti, Lev. XVI, 2, ideo dicit, quod Iesus, qui pro nobis ingressus est, factus est pontifex in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech. Ecce quam eleganter redit apostolus ad propositum suum. Ipse enim coeperat loqui de sacerdotio, et tamen fuerat multum digressus: sed nunc ad istud redit, sicut patet.
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1. Quapropter intermittentes inchoationis Christi sermonem, ad perfectionem feramur. Graece quapropter omisso, gen potius dimisso initii Christi sermone etc. Sermonem initii sive inchoationis Christi vocat doctrinam, quae tradi solet iis, qui Christo initiantur; quae superius appellavit elementa exordii sermonum Dei. Erasmus vertit: sermonem, qui in Christo rudes inchoat. Exhortatio est, qua excitat Hebraeos ad profectum in doctrina Christi, quo reddantur aptiores ad ea, quae dicturus est, intelligenda, quasi dicat: Non sic increpo ruditatem vestram, ut vos arcere velim a doctrina sublimiore; quin potius hortor, ut, dimissis doctrinae Christianae rudimentis, ad perfectionem tendatis, quae vos idoneos reddat altioribus mysteriis percipiendis. Quidam codices habent: ad perfectiora feramur. Quod etsi sensum paene eundem faciat, mendosam tamen esse lectionem, constat tam ex Graeco Syroquo textu, quam ex antiquis et probatis exemplaribus Latinis. Jam quod in prima persona loquitur Apostolus, modestiae est, qua benevolentiam captat; nisi quis cum Sasboldo, Gaignaeo, et aliis nonnullis ita malit sententiam exponere, ut proprie ad ipsius Apostoli personam pertineat; hoc videlicet modo: Quapropter, cum debeatis esse magistri secundum tempus, ideoque a lacte ad solidum cibum traducendi, nos quoque, seposita doctrina, qua rudes instituere solemus, ad ea progrediamur, quae conveniunt adultis atque perfectis. Quae quidem expositio non parum habet probabilitatis. Sic enim promittit, quod proximo cap. praestiturus est. Et huic intellectui sequentia probe respondent, ut modo videbimus. Cessat etiam difficultas, quomodo jubeat omitti rudimenta fidei, cum earum fideles numquam oblivisci debeant.
Non rursum jacientes fandamentum poenitentiae ah operibus mortuis. Si sequamur priorem expositionem Bententiae praecedentis, haec pars ad Hebraeos referetur, et sensus erit: Non rursum instituendi in fundamentis Christianae religionis, quae sunt poenitentia etc. Vel: Non denuo ponentes haec fundamenta, quia dudum ea posuistis, et non sunt iteranda. At secundum posteriorem expositionem pertinebit ad Apostolum, ut sensus sit: Non rursum vobis tradentes doctrinam religionis Christianae fundamentalem, quae est de poenitentia, fide etc., quasi dicat: Haec vobis ab initio tradita sunt, tamquam fundamenta spiritualis aedificii, nec iterum tradenda; sed ab his assurgere debetis ad altiora. Qui sensus magis placet. Nam fundamentum ponere doctori solet adscribi, non discipulo, 1 Cor. 3.: Ut sapiens architectus fundamentum posui. Notandum, primo loco ncminari poenitentiam, quemadmodum et Christus, et praecursor ejus a poenitentiae doctrina suam praedicationem apud unius Dei cultores exorsi sunt, Matth. 3. et 4. Idem fecit Apostolus Petrus Act. 2. Est autem sermo de initiali seu baptismali poenitentia, id est, ea, quam baptizandi profitebantur. De qua B. Augustinus homil. 50.: Omnis, inquit, qui jam arbiter voluntatis suae constitutus est, cum accedit ad sacramenta fidelium, nisi eum, poeniteat vitae veteris, novam non potest inchoare. De hac poenitentia locum hunc exponit idem Augustinus lib. de fide et oper. cap. 11., atque ex eo suum probat institutum, fidem scilicet absque operibus ad salutem non sufficere. Quod additur: ab operibus mortuis, explicatio est poenitentiae Christianae. Per eam enim ab operibus mortuis, id est a peccatis, recedimus, ea detestando et, quantum in nobis est, destruendo. Vccantur autem opera mortua, vel quia vita gratiae destituta sunt, ut proinde per ea moveri ac dirigi non possimus ad beatitudinem, sicut B. Thomas intellexit in hujus loci comment.; vel potius, quia mortifera sunt, id est, morte digna: Sti" pendium namque peccati mors, Rom. 6. De solis enim peccatis hic agitur, quemadmodum et cap. 9., ubi dicit, sanguinem Christi emundare conscientiam nostram ab operibus mortuis. Prior autem ratio multis operibus, quae non sunt peccata, communis est. Unde suam expositionem S. Thomas correxit, tum in comment. super verbis cifcatis cap. 9., ubi opera ynortua interpretatur pccca^a, quae tollunt Deum ab anima, cujus vita est per unionem caritatis; tum in Summa Theolog. p. 3. quaest. 89. art. 6., ubi docet, utroque loco Epistolae ad Hebr. peccata dici opera mortua efi^ective, quia causa sunt mortis; et non tantum privative, quod vita spirituali careant; quomodo fides sine operibus mortua dicitur, et quaecumque fiunt extra caritatem.
Et fidei ad Deum. Graece, lut ^sov, in Deum, quomodo citat Augustinus. Respicit ad professionem symboli, quam faciebant baptizandi, sed ita, ut prius in eo diligenter instituet*entur, ut scirent, quid crederent. Sicut factum videmus ab Augustino in variis tractatibus ad catechumenos. Judaei quidem, priusquam venirent ad Christum, in unum Deum credebant; sed fidem distinctam cum expressione trium personarum, ut in symbolo traditur, non tenebant. In his ergo catechizandi erant, si baptizari vellent, ut et in iis, quae sunt de Christo homine. Porro quum fides nominatur, simul intelligi debet voluntas ea omnia faciendi, quae fides praescribit, hoc est, vivendi secundum legem Christianam. Non enim a baptizandis fiebat nuda fidei professio, sed etiam novae vitae inchoandae.
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2. Baptismatum doctrinae. Plerique haec conjunctim legunt, ut ordo sit: doctrinae baptismatum, id est, quae de baptismis traditur. Quem ordinem videre est in texta Syriaco, ubi etiam baptismatis legitur numero singulari, non baptismatum. Sic etiam Augustinus loco citato de fide et oper.: lavacri doctrinae. Sed quia codices omnes, tam Latini, quam Graeci, pluralem habent numerum, quem 8* ' et commentatores omnes exponunt, omnino retinenda est ea lectio. Verum in reddenda numen ratione mira varietas. Multi Latinorum significari putant tria baptismata, fluminis, flaminis et sanguinis. Sed non est verisimile. Clirysostomas putat, Apostolum sic locutum, non quod vere plura sint baptismata; sed quia haec absurditas sequeretur, si rursus ab initio catechizandi essent Hebraei. Sic enim iterum eos baptizari oporteret, quia catecbismus est institutio ad baptismum. Theophylactus et Oecumenius adferunt et aliam rationem, quae etiam apud Ambrosium invenitur lib. 2. de poenitent. cap. 2. Quoniam enim multa erant in lege baptismata, et frequens eorum iteratio, suspicantur, Hebraeos existimasse, quod eimiliter novae legis baptismate saepius essent abluendi, quoties scilicet in peccata relapsi essent. Haec ratio probabilitatem accipit ex eo, quod paulo post sequitur: Impossibile est enim eos etc, ubi de baptismo non repetendo agitur secundum multos. Sed tamen refelluntur hujusmodi commentarii, quia Paulus hoc loco fundamenta recenset doctrinae Christianae, inter quae plura baptismata, de quibus hi loquuntur, poni non possunt. Theodoretus respondet, Apostolum dixisse baptismata numero multitudinis, quia multi, inquit, baptismi gratiam consequuntur. Nonnulli recentiores numerum reteruut ad ceremonias vel ad statos baptizandi dies. Aliis placet enallage numeri: Baptismatum, id est baptismatis. Aliis denique, baptismata dici propter trinam mersionem, quae erat Apostolicae institutionis. Ex his eligat quisque, quod placuerit. Doctrina baptismatum, seu baptismatis, secundum quosdam periphrasis est catechismi; secundum alios doctrina, quae de baptismo, ejusque virtute, necessitate, significatione traditur. Quod est verisimilius. Nam Catechismus in genere significatus est parte praecedenti. Porro sunt alii, quibus placet has dictiones: baptismatum doctrinae, separatim legi, velut duo membra, quorum utrumque regatur a vocabulo fundamentum, sicut caeteri genitivi praecedentes. ' Cui quidem distinctioni Graeca minime repugnant. Ita dividunt Oecumenius, Cajetanus et Gaignaeus, nec improbat Erasmus. Sed quia praecessit doctrina quaedam sub nomine fidei in Deum, idcirco doctrinam in hac parte interpretantur Evangelicam, qua scilicet imbuti credant, Evangelium esse a Deo. Mihi videtur intelligi posse plenior explicatio Christiduae legis ac mysteriorum ejus, quae Catechumenis non committebatur, sed jam baptizatis. Unde est illud apud Augustinum freqaens: Norunt fideles. Atque hunc ordinem istorum trium, fidei in Deum, baptismatis et doctrinae, nobis insinuat Hieronymus, exponens illud Matth. ult.: Docentes eos servare omnia, quaecumque mandavi vobis. Jussit Apostolis, inquit, ut primum docerent universas gentes, deinde fidei intingerent sacramento, et post fidem ac baptisma, guae essent observanda, praeciperent. Haec ille.
Impositionis quoque manuum. Eam sine dubio manuum impositionem intelligit, quae fidelibus statim a baptismo per Episcopos solet adhiberi; de qua S. Lucas Act. 8. et 19.; id est, sacramentum consignationis seu confirmationis, per quod datur baptizatis Spiritus sanctus, quo roborati intrepide Christi nomen apud hostes fidei confiteantur. Calvinus quidem hunc locum detorquet ad fidei professionem exigi solitam, ut ait, ab adolescentibus pueritiam egressis, quifuerant infantes baptizati. Quam eorum professionem dicit Apostolum approbare voluisse hujusmodi symbolo manuum impositionis. Sed hoc merum commentum est, antiquitati incognitum et ad offundeudum veritati tenebras excogitatum. Nam baptizatis solere manus imponiabEpiscopis, exemplo Apostolorum, universa docet antiquitas. Atqui Scriptura tantum refert, Apostolos iis imposuisse manus, qui baptismum adulti receperant, idque non ad approbandam eorum fidei professionem, sed ut acciperent Spiritum fianctum, sicuti manifestum est ex locis jam ailegatis. Ac de eo sacramento praesentem locum magno consensu exponunt iaterpretes, tam Graeci, qaam Latini; nec aliud quid convenientius potest intcUigi. Ae resurrectionis tnortuorum. Quamvis resurrectionis mortuorum expressa mentio fiat in symbolo fidei, quod a baptizandis recitabatur, tamen hic eam' specialiter repetit Apostolus propter haeresim Sadducaeorum apud Judaeos grassantem, quae resurrectionem corporum, imo fct vitam animarum post mortem corporum, omnino negabat. Quamquam nec alii Jiidaeornm satis sanam de resurrectione carnis sententiam tenebant, ut qui, sensu carnali, resurrectionem imaginarentur ad vitam animalem, quemadmodum ex Evangelio patet, ubi Sadducaeorum objectioni de muliere heptagama non potuerunt Pharisaei respondere. Quare adversus istos errores peculiariter instruendi erant Hebraei, qui ad Christi fidem accedebant. Eodem spectat, quod sequitur:
Et judicii aeterni. Hoc fere interpretantur de extremo generali judicio, quod dicunt aeternum vocari, quia decernat praemia, poenasque aeternas. iidem mortuorum resurrectionem intelligunt eam, quae bonis malisque communis est. At sciendum, resurrectionem mortuorum in sacris literis saepenumero tantum in bonam partem accipi; sicut e diverso judicium in malam, ut resurrectio quidem intelligatur, quae est ad vitam beatam, judicium vero pro damnatione sumatur. Quae utriusque vocis acceptio bene quadrat huic loco, ut sensus sit: Hebraeos non iterum ac de novo docendos esse, quod bonos beata resurrectio consequatur, malos autem aeternum maneat judicium, id est, aeterna damnatio seu poena. Plane confirmat hanc interpretationem locus Evangelicus Marc. 3., ubi pro eo, quod nos legimus: Sed reus erit aeterni delictij in Graeco habetur: aeterni judicii, id est, aeternae damnationis ac supplicii. De resurrectione autem simul et de judicio locus huic similis est Joan. 5.: Et procedenty qui bona fecerunt; in resurrectionem vitae, scilicet aeternae, qui vero mala egerunt, in resurrectionem, judicii, id est damnationis. Hucusque enumeratio praecipuorum aliquot doctrinae Christianae capitum, quae fidelibus initio tradebantur. Atque ea omnia diligenter ab Apostolis in jaciendis fidei fundamentis inculcari solere, testantur eorum conciones a B. Luca descriptae in Actis apostolicis. Nominavit autem Paulus judicium aeternum extremo loco propter ea, quae statim dicturus est de prolapsis, quorum finis in combustionem.
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3. Et hoc faciemus. Refertur haec pars, ex omnium paene interpretum sententia, non ad proxime dicta; uam de his jam negdvit se acturum, dicens: Non rursum jacientes fundamentum etc, sed ad illud praecedens: ad perfectionem feramur. Hoc enim facturum se jam dicit, idemque facit cap. 7. et seqq. Dissentit quidem Ribera, sed, ut nobis videtur, haud solida nixus ratione. Quod patebit ex sequentibus.
Si quidem permiserit Deus. Dubitari potest, quomodo dicat Apostolus: Si Deus permiserit, quum permissio malorum sit; bonorum autem operum, quale est, de quo hic agitur, ipse Deus auctor sit et efi^ector. Respondet S. Thomas, Apostolum uti figura, qua minus dicitur et plus intelligitur. Nam, inquit, non est tantum necessarium, quod Dominus per" mittat; sed oportet, quod omnia faciat. Eadem est responsio Cajetani. Similis est locus Apostoli 1 Cor. 16, 7. Quo loco respondimus hujusmodi dubitationi, ac primo diximus, Apostolum propterea loqui ad hunc modum, quod actiones nostrae non ita Deum habeant auctorem, ut non etiam a nostra procedant voluntate, tametsi Deo subordinata; ac proinde, dum quis boni quidpiam proponit ac sta-^ tuit se facturum, incertus, an Deus objecturus sit impedimentum, quo minus illud exsequatur, recte eum dicere, se id facturum, si Deus permiserit. Nam sane, quod liujusraodi sermo non excludat Dei voluntatem, ideoque nec efficientiam ab eo^ quod permittere dicitur, ostendunt ejusdem Apostoli sententiae similes, quibus voluntatem nominat, ut 1 Cor. 4.: Veniam ad vos cito, si Dominus volueritj et Act. 18.: Revertar ad vos, Deo volente. Unde et generaliter admonet Apostolus Jacobus Epist. suae cap. 4., ut in talibus dicamus: Si Dominus voluerit. Verum insuper respondebamus, Graeco verbo emTpSTCsiv non nudam significari permissionem, sed amplius aliquid, hoc est, concessionem, qua nimirum cuipiam fiat vel auctoritas, vel potestas aliquid agendi; quemadmodum et Latine quis dici solet aut rex, aut Episcopus permissione divina; ut proinde, quod Apostolus ait: Siquidem permiserit Deus, tale sit, ac si dixisset: Si Deus concesserit; ut exponit idem Cajetanus.
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4. Impossibile est enim, eos, gui semel sunt illuminati. Laborant interpretes in connectenda hac parte cum superioribus. Neque enim cum eo, quod proxime praecedit, cohaerere videtur, nisi illud exponanius de rudimentis fidei iterum tradendis, inter quae est doctrina baptismi non repetendi. Sed hic sensus jam improbatus est Plerique referunt ad illud remotius, ubi dixit, se nolle rursum jacere fundamentum poenitentiae ab operibus mortuis etc. Secundum quos illa pericope media: Et hoc faciemus, si quidem permiserit Deus, intercludenda esset parenthesi. Sed non est necesse eo confugere. Potest enim haec pars cum proxima commode ordinari, si tamen sensus supplemento adjuvetur, hoc aut simili modo: Ethoc faciemus, id est, ad perfectionem feremur; non autem rursum jaciemus fundamentum poenitentiae, fidei, baptismatis, ac caeterorum, ne videamur velle vos iterum catechizare, et ad baptismum instituere. Nam impossibile est, semel baptizatos iterum renovari ad poenitentiam. {\ Locum hunc olim Novatini trahebant ad patrocinium sui dogmatis, quo lapsis a baptismi lavacro poenitentiae remedium negabant; quemadmodum et alterum locum huic similem, qui est infra cap. 10., ubi dicitur: Voluntarie peccantibus nobis post acceptam notitiam veritatis, jam non relinquitur pro peccatis hostia, terribilis autem quaedam exspectatio judicii etc. Quo de utroque loco videri possunt, quae diximus in 4. d. 14. in solut. argum. Et quoniam haeresis illa, Romae exorta, potissimum pervagata est occidentalem Ecclesiam, inde factum putant, ut haec Epistola apud Latinos serius in auctoritatem recepta fuerit, velut quae Novatianis in speciem suffragaretur. Qua de re nonnihil diximus in Proleg. hujus Epistolae. Nduc ostendendum, frustra Novatianos ex hoc loco praesidium quaerere sui erroris. Quod ut perspicuum fiat, verum ac germanum ejus sensum invescigemus. Ac primum sunt inter orthodoxos, qui de poenitentia, quae post baptismum agitur, Apostolum hic loqui fateantur; sed hi impossibile per difficile interpretantur, ut sensus Apostoli sit, valde difficile esse, ut, qal post baptismum prolapsi sunt in scelera, per poenitentiam restituantur; tum quia difficile est, ut veram ac sinceram agant poenitentiam, qui gratiam semel acceptam repudiaverunt; tum quia duram ac difficilem poenitentiae actionem a talibus exigit se^eritas disciplinae Christianae. Sed huic intellectui primum obstare videtur, quod res frequens et quotidiana, qualis est eorum, qui graviter post baptismum deliquerunt, resipiscentia, atque eorundem poenitentium reconciliatio, quamvis difficultatem et laborem habeat, non tamen soleat impossibilis vocari; sed hoc de raris et difficillimis tantum dicitur. Obstat etiam locus similis cap. 10., qui, secundum veram intelligentiam, quam illic trademus, simpliciter negat, voluntarie peccantibus post acceptam notitiam veritatis hostiam pro peccatis relinqui. Certe hujus Epistolae scriptor impossibile non aliter accipit, quam pro eo, quod absolute tale est, ut infra hoc eodem cap.: Impossibile est mentiri Deum; et cap. 10.: Impossibile est sanguine taurorum et hircorum auferri peccata, et 11.: Sine fide impossibile est placere Deo. His adde, quod, si impossibile per difficile exponatur, valde difficile erit borum verborum adferre probabilem connexionem cum iis, quae antecedunt. Aliorum quorundam opinio est, proprie quidem accipi impossibile; sed ajunt, negari poenitentiam post mortem iis, qui vitam banc in magnis peccatis finierint. Ita Petrus Lombardus et Hugo Victorinus; ac B. Thomas etiam meminit. Sed in hoc sensu refcllendo non est, quod immoremur, cum in textu nihil sit, quod eum commendet. Est igitur alius sensus, idemque maxime receptus, ut intelligatur Apostolus nonpoenitentiam negare possibilem post baptismum, sed ipsius baptismi repetitionem, quasi breviter dicat: Impossibile est, semel baptizatos iterum baptizari. Sic exponunt Graeci commentatores omnes, et Latinorum maxima pars. Eadem est sententia Ambrosii lib. 2. de poenit. cap. 2., Augustini in inchoata exposit. Epist. ad Rom., Damasceni lib. 4. de fide cap. 10., atque aliorum, quos recensere longum est. Et quidem pro hoc commentario graves sunt rationes ex ipso contextu et proprietate verborum Apostoli. Quod enim ad contextun^attinet, ideo negat, se rursus jacturum fundamentum poenitentiae ab operibus mortuis, quia fieri non potest, ut semel baptizati iterum per poenitentiam renoventur; atqui poenitentiam priori loco baptismalem intellexit; igitur et posteriori. Suadet hoc ipsum verborum proprietas, quibus utitur, ut, quod dicit, semel illuminatos non posse rursus ad poenitentiam renovari. Nam addendo: semel et rursus, utique declarat, se alteram illuminationem et alteram renovationem excluJere velle. Est autem baptismus sacramentum illuminationis et renovationis, uti statim docebimus; poenitentia vero, quae post baptismum agitur, ad sacramentum pertinet reconciliationis. Huc etiam facit illa pars: Rursum crucifigentes sibimet ipsis Filium Dei. Nam in baptismo configuramur Christo crucifixo, sicut infra declarabitur. Satis igitur ex his apparet, de non repetendo baptismo locum hunc accipiendum esse. Veruntamen et hic sensus, ut absque scrupulo recipiatur, interpretatione indiget. Nam quorsum Apostolus tam sollicite doceret Hebraeos, non posse semel baptizatos iterum baptizari, cum nulla historia testetur, aliquos fuisse tempore Apostolorum, qui baptismi Sacramentum semel acceptum repeterent, aut repetendum esse docerent? Deinde nec facile cuiquam erat, hoc sacramentum, sicut ab Ecclesia administrabatur, iterum suscipere. Non enim sic in promptu erat Christianum baptisma, sicut Judaeis sua baptismata, quae sibi ipsis adhibebant, quoties immunditiam contraxissent; sed cum solennibus ceremoniis, et statutis temporibus, nec nisi per Ecclesiae ministros ea res agebatur. Quod ergo dicunt Patres, Apostolum hic loqui de non repetendo baptismo, id non tam de baptismi ceremonia, quam de ejus effectu convenit intelligere. Effectum dico, non characterem, sed eum, qui peccando amittitur, id est, gratiam regenerationis ac renovationis; non quod amissa semel gratia recuperari non possit, sed quia Deus nullum instituit remedium, quo tam facile gratia recuperetur amissa, videlicet per modum regenerationis ac renovationis, quae fuerat per baptismum acquisita. Hoc ewm est, quod docet Apostolus, non ita deponi posse sarcinam peccatorum, si quis relapsus fuerit, sicut in baptismo deponitur ab eo, qui gratiam numquam habuit; quia poenitens multum adhuc ea sarcina gravatur, duram subeundo satisfactionem, priusquam ad plenam et perfectam reconciliationem perveniat. Confirmatur haec interpretatio ex ipso Apostolo. Non enim dicit: Impossibile est, eos rursum baptizari, sed rursum renovari. Quo verbo non ipse baptismus, sed effectus ejus significatur. Idem doceri potest ex cap. 10., quem locum huic similem diximus, quia nec ibi baptismus nominatur, sed hostia pro peccatis, simul scilicet ac semel aiifereurlis quocumque remedio, applicanda negatur. Remittitur autem ibi peccator ad terribilem divini judicii exspectationem, id est, horrendas ignis purgatorii poenas, nisi voluntaria plenaque satisfactione judicium illud in hac vita praeveniat, juxta quod ait idem Apostohis 1 Cor. 11.: Si nos ipsos dijudicaremus f non utique judicaremur, Sed ad expositionem textus redeamus. Ubi illuminatos sine dubio vocat baptizatos, sicut etcap. 10.: Bememoramini, inquit, pristinos dies, in quibus illuminati, id est, baptismo suscepto facti Christiani, magnum certamen sustinuistis passionum. Unde et Syriacus interpres utroque loco baptismum expressit. Vocabatur baptismus antiquis Ecclesiae temporibus sacramentum illuminationis, sive ut Graeci loquuntur illuminationum, ^to- TtafjiaTOv^ quia per illud transtulit nos Deus de tenebris in admirabile lumen saum, quod est lumen gratiae. Sic enim Petrus Apostolus loquitur, baptizatos compellans et ad baptismum alludens 1 Epist. 2. Ex quo loco, cum duobus hujus Epistolae collato, dissimus, eam baptismi nuncupationem ab ipsis Apostolis esse derivatam, qua postea praeter alios usi sunt Clemens Alexandrinus apud Euseb. lib. 3. hist. cap. 17., et Gregorius Nazianzemis orat. in sancta lumina, qui, alludens ad hanc appellationem baptismi, etiam de Christo a Jaanne baptizato, sic dicit: Christus ergo illuminatur, imo potius fuJgore suo nos illuminat. Rationem vero nominis cum ea, quam dedimus, consentaneam reddunt Dionysius eccles. hier. cap. 3. et Nicetas in schol. ad dictam orationem Nazianzeni. Porro ad hujus mysterii significationem Christus illum a nativitate caecum ad aquas Siloe misit illuminandum, Joan. 9., quemadmodum docet Augustinus, ad eam locr.m tract. 44.
Gustaverunt etiam donwn coeleste. Varia est hujus doni coelestis interpretatio. Graeci remissionem peccatorum intelligunt, qualis nimirum accipitur in baptismo, nullum post se relinquene poenae reatum. His fere consentiunt, qui de pace conscientiae exponunt. Percipitur enim occulto quodam gustu suavitas illius doni, remissionis, inquam, peccatorum, quoties eam conscientiae pax et serenitas cum interna spiritus consolatione consequitur. Alii idem esse volunt cum impositione manuum superius nominata, quam et Petrus Act. 2. baptismati subjunxit, dicens: Baptizetur unusquisque vestrum, et accipietis donum Spiritus sancti. NonnulU panem coelestem intelligunt, id est, Sacramentum corporis et sanguinis Domini, quod est vere donum coeleste, datum nobis ad gustandum ab eo, qui dicit: Ego sum panis, qui de coelo descendi, Joan. 6. Sic Haymo et commentarius Primasio adscriptus, sensu nequaquam improbabili. Solent enim Apostoli propter aures infidelium de tantis mysteriis non aperte loqui, sed ea tegere verbis quibusdam generalibus. Quomodo apud Graecos scriptores generali nomine doni solet Eucharistia significari. Theodoretus in 1 Cor. 11., exponens illud: Et sic de pane illo edat, ait: Et sic donum accipiat. Ac forte significatus est idem panis coelestis a B. Pet'*^ 1 Epist. 2., quando, scribens ad eos, quos comparat infantibus modo genitis, et ad lac rationale concupiscendum exhortans, sic deinde ait: Si tamen gustastis, qucniam suavis est Dominus. Neophytis enim statim a baptismo porrigebatur Eucharistia, teste Ambrosio in libris de sacrament. Dabatur etiam degustandum lac et mel in ceremoniis baptismi, ut auctor est Tertullianus lib. de cor. mil. cap. 3. Sed non est verisimile, de eo Paulum hic loqui, de melle, dico, et lacte. Nam quod per donum coeleste intelligat Sacramentum Eucharistiae, probabilitatem hAere, supra diximus. Merito enim donum coeleste appellatur, quoniam corpus Domini est coeleste, et ipse Christus coelestis 1 Cor. 15.
Et participes facti sunt Spiritus sancti. Quidam intelligunt eam Spiritus sancti participationem, quae datur in baptismo, de qua Tit. 3. Per lavacrum, inquit, regenerationis et renovationis Spiritus sancti, quem effudit in nos abunde. Graecorum scholia referunt ad impositionem manuum, per quam dabatur Spiritus sanctus. Nam et hoc sacramentum recenter baptizatis conferebatur, ubi praesens erat Episcopus, ut scribit Hieronymus in dialogo contra Lucifer. Nobis probabils est, intelligi charismata Spiritus sancti, quorum supra meminit cap. 2. sub nomine distrihutionum Spiritus sancti, de quibus etplenius disserit 1 Cor. 12. Nam hujusmodi charismatum in Ecclesia primitiva multi fiebant participes, ut vel linguis loquerentur, vel interpretarentur, vcl prophetarent, vel simili quopiam dono decus et utilitatem Ecclesiae adferrent.
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5. Gustaverunt nihilominus bonum Dei verbum. Graece: Et bonum seu pulchrum gustaverunt Dei verbum. TJbi pro verbo non est Xoyov, ne quis interpretetur de Filio Dei, sed prnxoLf id est, verbum, quod eloquimur, non quod mente concipimus. Verbum Dei bonum plerique doctrinam Christianam accipiunt. Sed quoniam addidit bonum, videtur eam doctrinae partem proprie significasse, quae continet bonarum rerum promissiones. Id quod Theodoretus et B. Thomas observarunt. Etenim more Scripturae verba bona dicuntur verba laeta et fausta, praesertim de rebus futuris. Unde Zacharias ait cap. 1.: Respondit Dominus Angelo, qui loquebatur in me verba bona, verba consolatoria. Ita verbum bonum accipitur 3 Reg. 14.: Inventus est super eo sermo bonus a Domino, Jerem. 29. et 33.: Suscitabo verbum bonum, et Psalm. 44.: Eructavit cor meum verbum bonum. Tale est et illud poetae: Nunc dicenda bono sunt bona verba die. Gustaoerunt ergo bonum Dei verbum, qui doctrinam coelestia bona promittentem cum suavitate et gaudio perceperunt. Dicitur enim gustari verbum Dei, inquit S. Thomas, quando non solum illuminat intellectum, verum etiam reficit affectum. Quod quidam gustare expoaunt: tenuiter percipere, quasi summis labris attingere et delibare, praeter usum est Scripturae sacrae, in qua, seu proprie, seu metaphorice, gustus est earum etiam rerum, quae plenis, ut ita dicam, faucibus hauriuntur, sicut annotavimus ad illud cap. 2.: Ut pro omnibus gustaret mortem.
Yirtutesque saeculi venturi. Virtutes, id est potentias, Graece §i)va/ji£tc;. Significare videtur immortalitatem et gloriam electis promissam in regno Christi cum perfecta subjectione adversariorum. Quae vocantur virtutes, quia Dei virtus et potentia per ea mirifice declaratur. Nam praesens saeculum infirmitatis est. Unde ait Apostolus 1 Cor. 15,: Seminatur in infirmitate, surget in virtute. Gustasse dicuntur has virtutes, qui eas fide, amore et magno desiderio perceperunt.
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6. Et prolapsi sunt. Scilicet: post haec omnia. Pertinebat enim illorum enumeratio ad exaggerationem peccati eorum, qui relabuntur, utpote collatori tantorum beneficiorum ingrati atque insuper ea peccando abjicientes. Quaeritur, quis lapsus intelligatur. Quidam exponunt de peccato apostasiae, id est, defectionis a fide Christi, quod per hujusmodi peccatum non simpliciter quis labatur, sed prolabatur, videlicet universali quadam ruina, qua nec fundamentum retineat integrum. Cui sensui nonnihil favere videtur locus cap. 10., ubi propter quosdam deserentes collectionem, id est Ecclesiam, dicit, voluntarie peccantibus post acceptam notitiam veritatis non relinqui pro peccatis hostiam. Sciendum tamen, ad hujusmodi sensum non urgeri nos vocabulo prolabendi. Nam Graecum uapaTteosTv significat: quocumque modo graviter impingere ac labi. Unde est verbale TcapaiiTco/jia, quod in geneie significat lapsum, delictum seu peccatum, ut Rom. 4.: Traditus propter delicta no~ sira, Gal. 6.: Si praeoccupatus fuerit homo in aliquo delicto. Et passim alibi. Sunt alii, qui interpretentur de peccato in Spiritum sanctum, sive, quod idem arbitrantur, de peccato ad mortem, de quo Joan. 1 Epist. 5. Quem commentarium colligunt ex hnjns loci circumstantiis, quibus hic Japsus mnltnm ponderari videtur. Verum communis est Pati*um sententia, qui locum hunc vindicarunta perverso Novatianorum intellectu, nt accipiatur de qnocnmque peccato, quo gratia baptismi deperditur, et propter quod actio poenitentiae judicio sacerdotis subeunda est, id est in nniveraum de peccato mortali, sicut superius indicavimns. Nam in eum, qui post baptismum quomodocumque cadit a gratia, competere subjunctam exaggerationem Apostolicam, patebit ex ejus explicatione. Porro notandum est, ex hoc loco apertissime constare, quod Calvinus et alii sectarii negant, hominem, semel gratia Dei justificatum, posse ab ea gratia excidere et justitiam amittere. Quod argumentum Calvinus dum versat et solvere conatur, magis sese implicat suis, nt solet, antilegomenis, modo fidem et gratiam reprobis adscribens, modo detrahens.
Rursus renovari ad poenitentiam. In Graeco non est renovari^ sed renovare y dvaxatviCstv. Quae res nonnullos Iv torquet, adeoque cogit, nt suspicentur, Graecam lectionem curruptam esse, atque ex Latina corrigendam. Sed inanis haec suspicio est, non solum quia nulla prorsus ei snfiragantur exemplaria; verum eo maxime, quod nec proclivis sit in Graeco verbi passivi dvaxaivto^^vat in activum dvaxatviCstv mutatio, sicut e contrario esset in Latino renovare in renovari; nec vero causa subsit, quae scribam imperitum moveret ad hnjnsmodi Scripturae mutationem. Erasmus subintelligi vult pronomen reciprocum: Rursus renovare 86 ad poenitentianL Mihi magis probatur, nt verbum renovare ad doctores sen ministros Ecclesiae referatur, hoc modo: Impossibile est nobis, qnibns docendi, catechizandi et Sacramenta ministrandi negotium incumbit, eos, qui post baptismum lapsi sunt, iterum ad poenitentiam renovare. Sicut enim Ecclesiae ministris secundum veteres Theologos competit officium purgandi, illuminandi, perficiendi, ita et renovandi; praesertim cum et hoc loco Apostolus sibi, ut doctori, tribuat jacere fundamentum poenitentiae etc. Simile quid accidit in cap. 10., ubi pro eo, quod nos habemus: Impossibile est sanguine taurorum et hircorum auferri peccata, Graece est: sanguinem et auferre. Ita hic tmpossihile est nos renovare. Sed hae varietates non magni sunt momenti, neque enim sensum mutant. Plus est difficultatis in eo, quod dicit: ad poenitentiam, Graece etc; /jieTavotav. Non enim renovatio via est ad poenitentiam, sed poenitentia ad renovationem. Unde supra primo loco poenitentiam ab operibus mortuis nominavit. Hunc nodum Chrysostomus, si non errant in citando, qui hoc ei tribuunt, nam ego non reperi, ita solvit, ut dicat, renovari ad poetiitentiam idem esse, quod renovari per poenitentiam. Et ita quidem Erasmus vertit, et alii nonnulli. Idem Erasmus, et post eum Ribera, sic explicant, ut, quoniam in Epistolis Panlinis atque alibi praepositio etg interdum nsurpatnr vice et Iv loco 5td more Hebraeorum saepe positum invenitur, consequens videatur, etiam etg per 5td posse exponi. Sed bene consideranti facile patet, id revera non esse consequens. Neque vero exemplis comprobatur ab iis, qui haec dicunt. Aliter responderi potest, Apostoli sermonem eclipticum esse, qui supplendus sit hoc aut simili modo: Impossibile est eos, qui semel sunt illuminati, rursus renovari, scilicet accedentes iterum ad poenitentiam, qua renovatio inchoatur. Quem sensum Theodoretus innuit magis, quam expressit. Hoe si non placet, dici poterit, hunc esse sensum: Benovari ad poenitentiam, sive in poenitentiam, utroque enim modo verti potest, id est renovari loco poenitentiae; sic nimirum, ut vitae renovatio sufficiat, perinde ut in baptismo, nec opus sit poenitentiam, id est satisfactionem, seu punitionem illam gravem subire, quae exigitur a relapsis. Ita Scriptura loquitur: Esto mihi in do' mum refugii, id est tamquam domus refugH. Porro locum hunc a plerlsquo Patribus, tam Latinis, quam Graocis, exponi de baptismo non iterando, deque poenitentia baptismali, jam ante dixiraiis. Secundum quos sensus est, fieri non posse, ut, qui semel baptizati sunt, rursus per eam poenitentiam, a qua novae vitae sumendum est initium, renoventur, id est ut iterum baptizentur. Est enim baptismus renovationis lavacrum Tit. 3. Ut autem poenitentiam intelligant baptismalem, facit illud praecedens: Non rursum jacientes fundamentum poenitentiae etc, quod utique de poenitentia baptismi praevia non dubitatur intelligendum. Quamvis autem baptismum nominent Patres, videntur tamen, ut et antea monuimus, potissimum ac proprie respicere ad effectum baptismi, id est ad ipsam renovationem eo modo eaque facilitate, qua per baptismum fuerat acquisita, recipiendam, ut sensus sit: hominem semel baptismi sacramento renovatum, si relapsus fuerit in vetustatem peccati, non posse iterum, acta poenitentia, qualem ante baptismum egerat, eam consequi novitatem, quam in baptismo acceperat. Nam baptismo ita renovatur homo, totusque peccatis exuitur, ut nihil ipsi restet poenae pro iis solvendum. Totum enim debitum solus ibi luit Christus, ubi praeter gratiam nihil est, ut ait Theophylactus. Post baptismum vero relapsus in grande aliquod peccatum, etiamsi resipiscat, exspectare debet terribile judicium Dei, nisi ipsemet in se longa castigatione vindicet, quod peccavit. Non enim tam facilis datur ad gratiam reditus ei, qui gratiam semel acceptam repudiavit, quam facilis fuerat aditus ei, qui gratiam numquam acceperat. Huc spectant, quae tradit Synodus Trid. sess. 14. cap. 2. doctrinae de differentia sacramentorum baptismi et poenitentiae. Qui locum praesentem restringunt ad apostatas aut ad eos, qui peccaverunt in Spiritum sanctum, generaliter accipiunt poenitentiam, et hanc volunt esse Apostoli nwntem: Impossibile est, ut tales ad veram adducantur poenitentiam, Deo videlicet, aut numquam, aut quam rarissime iis, qui in talia peccata lapsi fuerint, salutarem poenitentiam inspirante.
Rursum crucifigentes sibimet ipsis Filium Dei. Secundum eos, qui do baptismo non repetendo suporiora exponunt, continet pars ista probationem seu declarationem ejus, quod proxime praecessit. Nam qui baptizatur, ipsa baptismi ceremonia configuratur Christo crucifixo, sicut docet Apostolus Rom. 6.: An ignoratis, inquit, quia, quicumque baptizati sumus in Christo Jesu, in morte ipsius baptizati sumus? Et infra: Hoc scientes, quia vetus homo noster simul crucifixus est, ut destruatur corpus peccati etc. Quare sicut Christus non potest iterum mori, nec iterum crucifigi, quemadmodum eodem loco subjungit Apostolus, dicens: Christus resurgens ex mortuis, jam non moritur; mors illi ultra non dominabitur: ita baptismus non potest repeti. Quod si quis tentaverit, is Filium Dei rursum crucifigit sibimet ipsi, id est ad suam ipsius renovationem, quam iterum ex baptismo sperat. Alii partem hanc referunt ad illud: prolapsi sunt^ et additam putant ad insignem exaggerationem peccati eorum, quos prolapsos dioit. Rursus enim Filium Dei crucifigunt sibimet ipsis, id est quantum in ipsis est, vel quia relabuntur in peccata, propter quae Filius Dei affixus est cruci, ita ut, si prior redemptio non satis esset, cogerent eum rursus pati crucis supplicium; vel, nt nonnulli volunt, quia, dum redeunt ad priorem vitae turpitudinem, faciunt, ut Christi nomen apud infideles blasphemetur; quod est Christum ignominia afficere et iterum quodammodo crucifigere. Quamquam haec interpretatio non quadrat, nisi in eos, quorum valde magna sunt peccata, eademque publice nota; qualis est apostasia a fide et abjectio disciplinae Christianae. Favet huic intellectui locus cap. 10., ubi dicitur hujusmodi peccator Filium Dei conculcare et sanguinem testamentij in quo sanctificatus est, pollutum ducere et spiritui gratiae contumeliam facere. Iliad quoque ejusdem cap.: Jam non relinquitur pro peccatishostia. Convenit etiam, quod hic additur:
Et ostentui habentes, Graece Tiapa- 5ety/jiaT''CovTa(;, id est infamantes, aut, sicut Erasmus vertit: ludibrio exponentes. Pro quo legit Ambrosius lib. 2. de poenit. cap. 2.: Ostentatione triumphantes. Habetur idem in Graeco vocabulum Matth. 1.: Cum nollet eam traducere, id est infamare. Ostentui habent Dei Filium, et Indibrio exponunt, qui sic vivunt, ut propter eos irrideatur et blasphemetur Christus, velut si adhuc in cruce penderet, ludibriis et maledictis Judaeorum expositus. Item qui relapsi in peccata, quantum in se est, id agunt, ut pro eorum redemptione Christus iterum crucifigatur et ludibrio habeatur. Potest et ad eos accommodari, qui volunt iterum baptizari. Nam hi, sicut rursus crucifigunt Filium Dei, ita et ostentui habent, quia baptismus est repraesentatio crucis, in qua Filius Dei fuit ostentui habitus. Porro quis sensus ex superioribus sit huic loco germanus, non est facile pronuntiare; confer^nda tamen haec sunt cum iis, quae dicentur in expositione capitis decimi. Additio ex schedis Auctoris. Videndum est, an hic locus: Impossibile est enim etc., et alter, qui est cap. 10., ex mente Apostoli pertineat ad eos proprie, qui deserunt Ecclesiam et fidem Christi. Hoc enim praecedit cap. illo 10.: Non deserentes collectionem nostramj sicut consuetudinis est quibusdam. Et videri potest hic sensus esse ad propositum, quia dicit hoc loco: Non rursum jacientes fundamentum etc, quasi dicat: Si quis per apostasiam fundamentum amiserit, fidem Christianam in universum abjiciens, ille jam desperatus est; non debet de novo catechizari et renovari. Videantur, quae dicemus cap. 10. Quamvis autem vocabulum TiapaTcsaovTac non significet totaliter prolapsos, potest tamen de iis hoc loco verificari propter circumstantias appositas, ex quibus omnino videtur non intelligi lapsus aliquis vulgaris in mortalo peccatum, velut in ebrietatem, fornicationem, detractionem. Et idem est judicium de loco cap. 10., ubi similiter sunt circumstantiae multum exaggerantes. Probatio etiam illa, quae hoc loco sequitur: Terra enim etc. hunc sensum flagitare videtur. Certe tam hic, quam cap. 10., Apostolus peccatum apostasiae valde aggravat, ne quis facile recedat a fraternitate. Et locus ille cap. 3.: Ne forte sit in aliquo vestrum cor malum incredulitatis discedendi a Deo vivo, facit ad intelligenda haec loca, Scripturam scilicet hanc et illam cap. 10. Ac pro horum locorum illustratione considerandum est, non solum quod Apostolus aliis in Epistolis hortetur peccatores ad poenitentiam, aut poenitentiae severitati subjecerit; peccatores, dico, lapsos in mortale peccatum post baptismum: sed etiam quod in hac Epistola ad poenitentiam hortetar. Nam post illa verba cap. 3. proxime recitata continuo subjicit: JJt non ohduretur quis ex vobis fallacia peccati. Vult ergo revocandos esse eos, qui peccaverunt, ut non obdurentur remanentes in peccato. Et cap. 5. ostendit, Christum tamquam Pontificem offerre pro peccatis suorum. Item hoc cap.: Confidimus de vobis meliora etc., quasi dicat: Etsi quidam fortasse vestrum lapsi sint, non debent diffidere. Et cap. 9.: Quanto magis sanguis Christi emundabit conscientiam nostram etc. Emundabit, inquam, nam ea est vera lectio. Significat ergo, his, qui baptizati fuerant, adhuc restare emundationem ab operibus mortuis. Cap. autem 12. late docet, Hebraeos a Deo castigari; censet igitur peccasse; nec tamen habet insanabiles, quum dicat: Deponentes omne pondus, et circumstans nos peccatum. Et postea: Magis autem sanetur. Et quid agit tota Epistola majore studio, quam ut Hebraeos, qui per impatientiam propter persecutiones incipiebant cadere a fide, revocet ad fidei firmitatem?
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7. Terra enim saepe venientem super se bibens imbrem. Similitudine terrae, quae sabinde pluvia coelesti perfunditur atque rigatur, declarat ea, quae dixit. Bibens in Graeco ost aoristus iiiouaa, cum biberet j et illud saepe non cum verbo bibens, sed cum venientem construendum est, ut patet ex Graeco. Unde Erasmus vertit: Siquidem terra, quae imbrem saepius in se venientem combiberit.
Et generans herbam opportunam illiSy a quibus colitur. Graece: Et pariens herbam accommodam illiSj per quos et colitur. Quamquam Graecum magis sonat: Propter quos, quemadmodum et Syrus interpres, et Faber verterunt; tametsi Graecorum scholia de agricolis exponunt. Porro conjunctionem et in sacris literis interdum redundare jam alias admonuimus. Obiter observa metapliorarum elegantiam in verbis bibere et parere.
Accipit benedictionem a Deo. Scilicet, ampliorem, dum praestatur ei a Deo, ut herba, quam produxit, ad segetis maturitatem perveniat. Nam, ut ait Dominus Marc. 4.: Terra fructificat primum herbam, deinde plenum frumentum in spica.
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8. Proferens autem spinas ac tribulos, reproba est, et maledicto proxima. Graece: Maledictioni, sive exsecrationi propinqua, Si vero, inquit, poatquam saepe venientem super se biberit imbrem, pro herba bona et utili spinas ac tribulos cultoribus suis adferat, tamquam ingrata reprobatur, ac deseritur, atque incendio destinatur. Hanc enim videtur intelligere maledictionem. Unde sequitur: Cujus consummatio in combustionem, Con- »ummatio, Graece ziXoQ, id est finis. Hocsolum, inquit, ei restat, ut vitiosis ac inutilibus herbis, quas protulit, ignis Bubjiciatur. Alii combustionem interpretantur ipsius terrae. Solent enim rustici lolium et caetera agrorum vitia stirpitus exurere; quemadmodum ex Georgicis Virgilii commemorat Plinius lib. 18. naturalis hist. cap. 30., aut terram infrugiferam cespitum forma exscindere, ac foco destinare. Similes soni comparationes, quas in Evangelio legimus de arbore et palmite non ferente fructum, ideoque in ignem mittendo. Sed nunc dicendum, quo spectet allata similitudo. Id enim non facile apparet; maxime si referri debeat ad proxime dicta, quatenus illa de non iterando baptismo capiantur. Non enim apta est haec similitudo. Sicut terra bene culta et saepe compluta, si tantum inutiles proferat herbas, reprobatur et maledicitur, et igni destinatur: ita homo semel baptizatus, si relapsus fuerit, non potest iterum baptizari. Nisi addas, eum sine spe veniae abjiciendum esse, utpote reprobatum et maledictum a Deo, et igni destinatum. Qui sensus Novatianus est. Haec absurditas movisse videtur quosdam, et in his Aquinatem, ut istam similitudinem referrent ad id, quod dictum est initio cap.: Ad perfectionem feramur, non rursum jacientes fundamentum poenitentiae etc., ut sit sensus: Si feramur ad perfectionem, consequemur a Deo benedictionem instar bonae terrae; sin minus, exspectanda nobis erit maledictio, et ignis aeternus. Verum nec hic sensus admodum convenit. Nam non solum perfecti et spirituales, verum etiam parvuli, lactis participes et adhuc animales, in eorum numero, quos bona terra significat, habendi sunt, tametsi in eo gonere imperfectiores, sicut ostendimus ad illud 1 Cor. 2.: Animalis homo non percipit ea, quae sunt spiritus Dei. Cajetanus eo tantum pertinere putat hanc comparationem, ut prolapsi, de quibus sermo fuerat, intelligant, sibi metuendum esse, ne, si maneant infructuosi, simile quid patiantur cum terra spinas ac tribulos ferente. Caeterum qui sententiam superiorem non de baptismo, sed de poenitentia ac reparatione post baptismum accipiunt, minus hic laborant. Reddunt enim hoc pacto similitudinem: Sicut terra culta etcoelitus irrigata, si non gignat herbam utilem, sed spinas ot tribulos, deputatur incendio: sic, qui baptizatus est, ac donorum coelestium particeps factus, si fructum bonorum operum non ferat, sed in gravia peccata, quale praesertim est apostasiae crimen, prolapsus fuerit, vix est, ut renovari ac restitui queat; imo vero permagnum ei periculum est, ne cum pravis suis operibus, tamquam malis fruticibus, in ignem mittatur aeternum. Atque hic sensus nobis maxime probatur.
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9. Confidimus autem de vobiSj dilectissimi, meliora et viciniora saluti. Confidimus, Graece TisTisio/jLS^a, persuasi sumus; quod plus aliquid est, quam confidimus. De ejus verbi significato pluribua egimus ad illa verba Rom. 8.: Certus sum enim, quia neque mors etc. Quod ait interpres: Viciniora saluti, Graece est: exo/isva oioTTjpiag^ haerentia saluti, quomodo legit Augustinus lib. 3. contra Crescon. cap. 74. Erasmus vertit: conjuncta cum salute. Temperat Apostolus austeritatem superiorum verborum, quibus Hebraeos notasse videbatur, quod eorum progressus non responderet initiis susceptae fidei. Haec, inquit, ad cautelam a me dicta sunt, ne tales efl5ciamini, quales descripsi; non quod vos tales arbitrer. Nam persuasi mihi de vobis meliora, quaeque salutem promittant potius, quam exitium. Quasi dicat: In similitudine, quam posui, meliorem partem de vobis animo concepi; scilicet benedictionem terrae bonae. Tametsi ita loquimur. Videlicet, adjungentes etiam mentionem terrae maledicto proximae. Cui opposuit, quod jam dixit: Viciniora saluti.
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10. Non enim injustus Deus, ut obliviscatur operis vestri. Reddit causam suae de illis fiduciae, simulque eos in spem erigit majorem commemoratione bonorum operum, quae fecerant. Dicitur Deus operum nostrorum oblivisci, quando vel bona relinquit irremunerata, vel mala impunita. Esset autem injustus, si bonorum operum oblivisceretur, non ea remunerans; non quod illa suapte natura talia sint, ut eis renumeratio debeatur a Deo, sed quia faceret contra fidem suae promissionis, qua constituit et ordinavit, operibus per gratiam ipsius factis redditurum se praemia vitae aeternae. Quare ex hoc loco optime statuunt doctores Catholici bonorum operum merita; non quidem ea gratiae Dei opponentes, sicut pessime Calvinus calumniatur; sed docentes ac praedicantes, tantam erga nos esse Dei bonitatem, ut nostra velit esse merita, quae sunt ipsius dona, quemadmodum verbis Coelestini Papae, scribentis ad Episcopos Galliae, declarat Trident. Synodussess. 6. cap. 16. Quaeritur autem, utrum hic loquatur Apostolus de operibus quae Theologi mortificata vocant, id est semel exstincta per subsequens peccatum, iterum vivificatis, quemadmodum sentire videtur B. Thomas, an de iis, quae viva semper remanserunt Respondeo, quamvis non sit dubium, quin bonis operibus mortificatis, si per gratiam reviviscant, debeatur merces vitae aeternae, non tamen de iis speciatim ac praecise loqui Apostolum; sed in universum de bonis Hebraeorum fidelium operibus, quae exercuerant erga sanctos, ut mox sequitur; etiamsi forte post illa quidam eorum per peccatum excidissent a gratia. Nam simul atque gratia restituitur, opera priora vitam ac meriti dignitatem recipiunt in oculis Dei. Et quidem ita generaliter Apostoli sententiam intellexisse videntur Patres Concilii Trident. sess. 6. cap. 16., dum justificatis hominibus, sive acceptam gratiam perpetuo conservaverint, sive amissam recuperaverint, inter alia proponi volunt haec Apostoli verba: Non enim injustus Deus, ut olliviscatur operis vestri. Debent autem haec verba ex ipsius Apostoli mente, quam statim declarat, intelligi: Modo perseveretis usque in finem. Nam si averterit se justus a justitia sua, et fecerit iniquitatem, justum est apud Deum, ut obliviscatur omnium bonorum operum, quae prius fecerat, uti testatur ipse apud Ezech. cap. 18. Censetur autem et ille perseverare, cujus peccata, quibus gratiam amiserat et justitiae cursum interruperat, per salutaris poemtentiae donum abolita sunt et oblivioni tradita coram Deo.
Et dilectionis. In Graeco phis legitur: Et laboris diltctionis. Quod Erasmus ita vertit: Et laboris ex caritate suscepti. Verum illa dictio tou xotcou, laboris, nec apud Chrysostomum habetur, nec apud caeteros interpretes Graecos, nec est in versione Syriaca, ut plane existimem, adjectitiam esse, videlicet translatam ex 1 Thess, 1., ubi sic in Graeco legitur: Memores vestri operis fidei et laboris caritatis.
Quam ostendistis in nomine ipsius. Graece sig t6 ovofAa, in nomen. Itaque Erasmus ita reddit hunc locum: quam exhibuistis erga nomen illius. At sciendum, in Scriptura novi testamenti promiscue interdum usurpari haec duo: £tc XQ ovofxa et iv ovo/iaTt. Certe Matth. ult., ubi nos habemus: baptizantes eos in womine Patris etc., et 1 Cor. 1., ubi nos legimus: aut in nomine Pauli baptizati estis? Graece est: sic; t6 ovo|Jia, quod utrumque tamen idem Erasmus non aliter vertendum sibi putavit, quam sicut in vulgata versione legerat. Unde et hoc loco Faber vertit: in nomine. Dicamus ergo, senbum esse: Quam dilectionem ipso opere exhibuistis propter nomen Dei, id est pvopter Deum, quem sincere colitis et amatis.
Qui ministrastis sanctis. Supra dixerat: operis vestri, non operum. Quamvis enim essent et alia illorum bona opera, unum tamen praecipuum commemorandum putavit, quod est ministrare sanctis. Loquitur autem de ministerio quodam peculiari, quo videlicet indigentibus subministrantur vitae necessaria, sive largiendo, sive a largientibus accepta perferendo. Sanctos vocat Christianos. Nam etsi laudabile est omnibus benefacere, arctior tamen erga conjunctiores obligatio est. Unde praecipit ad Gal. 6., operondum esse bonum ad omnes, sed maxime ad domesticos fidei. Porro hujus minieterii sanctorum in Actis apostolicis et in Epistolis Paulinis crebra mentio est, in his nominatim, quae ad Homanos et ad Corinthios scriptae sunt. Est autem ex hoc loco nonnulla conjectura, non ad solos Hebraeos, qui Jerosolymis erant, datam esse hanc Epistolam, sed etiam ad alios. Nam Sancti, qui erant Jerosolymis, pauperes erant, quibus aliarum Ecclesiarum fideles alimentaria subsidia submittebant. Et ministratis. Hoc addit ut rationem amplioris suae de ipsis fiduciae, quia nimirum in exercitio boni operis adhuc persistebant.
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11. Cupimus autem, unumquemque vestrum eandem ostentare sollicitudinem. Graece: idem ostendere studium. Nam ostentare Latinis viiium sonat. Dicit autem ostendere, Hebraea phrasi, id est exhibere, praestare. Ad expletionem spei usque in finem. Expletionem,. Graece TzXr]pQ(popiav, Erasmus et Hentenius vertunt: ad plenam spei certitudinem, tamquam ea voce Graeca significetur, ut multi putant, certa de re aliqua persuasio, qua scilicet animo plena fiat fides. Sed id bene refellit Ribera. Vide, quae de ea re scripsimus ad illud Rom. 14.: Unusquisque in suo sensu abundet, Certe nostrum interpretem bene vertisse expletionem, ipsius Erasmi probatur exemplo^ qui verbum huic dictioni respondens, 2 Tim. 4., vertit: explere. Ut per me praeconium expleretur. Theophylacti quoque interpres hanc partem ita reddidit: ad completionem spei. Noster alibi eandem vocem vertit plenitudinem, ut Col. 2., 1 Thess. 1. et hujus Epistolae cap. 10. Quod sequitur: usque in finem, putamus, non ad expletionem spei referendum esse, sed ad ostensionem sollicitudinis. Hanc enim vult esse perseverantem usque ad mortem. Nam quod hujus particulae loco vertit Erasmus: usque ad perfectionem, etsi Graeca permittant, nam TsXoc; etiam perfectionem signifioat, est tamen praeter Apostoli mentem, qui non aliud hic voluit significare, quam supra cap. 3., ubi semel et iterum eadem particula usus est. Quibus utique locis ipse etiam Erasmus interpretatus est: usque ad finem. Ttaqtie sensus verborum Apostoli est: Quamvis optime de vobis sentiam et confidam propter ea bona, quae hactenus cum Dei gratia ogistis: non possum tamen, quin etiam subjiciam stimulos, quibus ad perseverantiam vos adhorter; ut qui vehementer cupiam, unumquemque vestrum deinceps idem praestare studium bonorum operum usque ad finem vitae. Sic enim explebitur, id est plena certiorque reddetur spes vestra. Nam bonorum operum perseveranti studio completur et, ut ita dicam, certificatur spes nostra, sicut et vocatio et electio. Juxta quod B. Petrus admonet 2 Epist. 1., ut per bona opera certam vocationem et electionem nostram faciamus.
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12. Ut non segnes efficiamini. Ad studium, inquit, et alacritatem bene agendi vos excito, ne segnes et torpentes efficiamini, sed ut assequamini promissiones. Nam qui prae torpore et ignavia cessant a bonis operibus, expertes erunt haereditatis promissae. Verum imitatores eorum, qui fide et patientia haereditabunt promissiones. In Graeco praesens tempus est: Eorum, qui per fidem et longanimitatem haereditant promissiones. At in Syriaco praeteritum legitur: qui haereditaverunt. Videtur enim respexisse Syrus interpres ad id, quod paulo post de Abraham dicitur: Et sic longanimiter ferens adeptus est repromissionem. Verum Apostolus in hac parte non de uno quopiam loquitur, sed de pluribus in genere; nec unam aliquam promissionem significare voluit, sed plures, sive praeslitas, sive adhuc praestandas; tametsi de uno homine et de una promissione exemplum subjiciat. Unde Erasmus inconsiderate vertit singulari numero: haereditatem accipiunt promissionis. Multae enim promissiones Patribus factae fuerant, partim terrenae, partim coelestes ac spirituales; quarum illae jamdudum impletae erant, istae vero jam coeperant impleri per Christum, perfectius implendae temporibus futuris, ut proinde mediam temporis differentiam recte elegerit Apostolus. Hortatur enim Hebraeos, ut exemplo majorum, qui divinis promissis indubitanter credentes, eademque patienter exspectantes, ea consecuti sunt et consequuntur, in fide et exspectatione coelestium promissorum inter hujus tempestatis adversa constanter perseverent.
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13. Abrahae namque promittens Deus. Exemplum adfert de Abraham Patriarcha, non eo solum, ut illud imitandum Hebraeis proponat, sed etiam, ut ostendat, eandem promissionem, quae Abrahae facta fuit, ad eos attinere, tamquam filios Abrahae secundum fidem; quippe Q^mpater sit omnium credentium, Rom. 4. Inde est, quod promis&tonis Abrahae factae firmitatem tam impense urgeat. Quod profecto opus non erat, si ad ipsos quoque, quibus haec scribit, tamquam ad Abrahae filios et haeredes eadem promissio non pertineret. Id vero etiam aperte significavit illis verbis sequentibus: hi quo abundantius volens Deus ostendere pollicitationis haeredibus etc.
Quoniam neminem habuit, per quem juraret majorem, juravit per semet ipsum. Deus, inquit, cum promitteret Abrahae, ne nobis ejus haeredibus ullus relinqueretur dubitandi locus, jurejurando corroboravit promissum. Juravit autem per semet ipsum, juraturus per aliquem se majorem, si majorem haberet. Ubi merito quaeritur, quomodo verum sit, Deum jurasse, si nullius majoris testimonio confirmavit, quod dixit. Nam jurare est ad confirmationem ejus, quod dicitur, testem adhibere, nec eum qualemcumque, sed majorem se ac talem, quem impossibile sit falli aut fallere, cujusmodi solus est Deus. Atqui nemo sibi ipsi proprie testis esse potest. Et quamvis Deus interdum utatur hominum testimoniis, nullum tamen assumere potest testem se majorem. Sane dicendum videtur, si proprie de juramento loquendumsit, Deum non posse jurare. Quod quidem diserte docet Athanasius, seu quisquis auctor Sermonis in passionem et crucem Domini, ac probat argumento jam allato. Sentit hoc ipsum Ambrosius lib. de Cain et Abel cap. 10.: Quoniam, inquit, nos verius solemus credere, quod jurejurando firmatur, ne nostra claudicet fides, idcirco jurare describitur Deus, qui ipse non jurat, sed jurantium judex, et ultor est perjurantium. Augustinus etiam lib. de pastoribus, cap. 9., tractans illud: Vivo ego, dicit Dominus, sic ait: Tamquam juratio est Dei testificatio vitae suae. Quasi dicat, non proprie jurationem esse, sed aliquid jurationi simile, quia nimirum sic homines solent jurare, dicentes: Vivit Dominus. Quae sententia si placet, hic erit Apostoli sensus: Cum non haberet, per quem proprie juraret, is enim major esse debet, semet ipsum, id est Deum, pro teste allegavit; quod dum faciunt homines, jurant. Juxta quem sensum jurare dicitur Deus per tropum, quando id facit, quod jurantes solentj sicut irasci et poenitere dicitur, quando facit, quae solent homines irati aut poenitentes. Recte autem ex hoc loco ostendit S. Thomas, juramentum per se non esse illicitum, quia Scriptura sacra nihil Deo attribuit, quod ex se sit peccatum. Intendit enim Scriptura nos ad Deum ordinare et ducere. Sic ille. Sed ex sequentibus adhuc apertius constabit, ad componendas controversias usum jurandi licitum esse et necessarium.
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14. Dicens: Nisi benedicens benedicam te, et multiplicans multiplicabo te. Respicit ad Scripturam Gen. 22., ubi:ios ex Hieronymi translatione sic legimus: I^er memet ipsum juravi, dicit Dominus: Quia fecisti hanc rem, et non pepercisti filio tuo unigenito propter me, benedicam tibi, et multiplicabo semen tuum sicut stellas coeli etc. Verba sunt angeli referentis juramentum et promissionem Dei. Quod ergo dicit Apostolus: Juravit per semet ipsum, dicens, id factum intellige internuntio angelo loquente ad Abraham. Caeterum in eo, quod dicitur: Nisi benedicens benedicam te etc., Latini fere juramentum intelligunt exsecratorium, suppressa tamen per aposiopesim ipsa exsecratione propter reverentiam Dei; sicut dictum est supra cap. 3. de eo juramento: Si introibunt in requiem meam. S. Thomas post gh>ssara ordinariam hoc modo supplet: Non mihi deinceps credatur, nisi benedixero tibi. Veruntamen sciendum est, particulam nisi non haberi in Graecis exemplaribus, ut nec in Syriaco textu, nec in originali Scriptura Gen. 22. Sed ejus loco Qraece est: rj piTjV, id est equidem, certe, quod Theophylactus et Oecumenius exponunt ovtcoq, vere. Adverbium est confirmandi, quo Graeci in juramentis, sponsionibus et promissionibus uti solent. Noster interpres videtur legisse £t 1X7}, id est nisi. Ac fortasse suspicabitur quis, veram hanc esse lectionem. Sed reclamaut non solum Graeci codices et commentatores, verum etiam interpretes LXX., quos in hac Epistola Paulus perpetuo sequitur, ut saepe diximus. Apud eos enim in loco Gen. citato prorsus eadem habentur verba, quae hoc loco, nisi quod brevitatis causa dixit Apostolus: multiplicabo te, pro eo quod in Genesi, tam apud LXX., quam in Hebraeo legitur: multiplicabo semen tuum. Porro veritas Hebraica nihil habet illi adverbio respondens, nisi consuetum ^^, id est, quia. Est igitur hoc juramentum simplex, non exsecratorium. Jam hic laboratur a nonnullis, ut doceant, quomodo verbis ab Apostolo recitatis Deus per semet ipsum juraverit, cum in eis ne forma quidem appareat juramenti. Graeci confugiunt ad particulam memoratam: y\ /itjv, id est vere, quia dicunt veritatem significari, quae Deus est. Itaque Deum dicendo: vere, per semet ipsum jurasse; quemadmodum et Christum, qui veritas est, ajuut jurasse per se ipsum, quoties dixit: Amen, id est vere dico vobis. Haec responsio nobis non probatur. Non enim jurandi, sed affirmandi sunt adverbia vere, certe, et alia hujusmodi; quamvis et in juramentis adhiberi soleant. Unde nec jurare censetur, qui dicit: Vere ita est, nisi forte addat: per Deum, aut aliquid tale. Quare et, quod Christus toties dixit: Amen dico vobis, aut ut apud Joannem duplicato vocabulo: Amen, ameti dico vobis, non juratio fait, sed vehementior asseveratio; nisi fateamur, Christum quam frequentissime jurasse, et quidem aliquoties in illo ipso sermone, quo docuit non jurandum omnino. Quod non est verisimile. Verior ergo responsio est, quam priori loco sui commentarii suggerit Theophylactus, juramentum, de quo loquitur Apostolus, illis verbis contineri, quibus ait Dominus: Per memet ipsum juravi. Nam verba sequentia rem ipsam, de qua juratur, significant. Quapropter hic locus sic interpretandus est: Juravit Deus per semet ipsum, quando dixit ad Abraham: Benedicens benedicam te etc. Dixit enim ea verba cum apposito hujusmodi juramento: Per memet ipsum juravi. Notandum est, hanc geminationem: Benedicens benedicam te, et multipUcans multiplicabo, tam in Hebraeo legi, quam apudLXX., licet eam Hieronymus sua versione non expresserit. Conduplicant autem Hebraei vocabula, quo scrmouem intendant. Id autem hoc loco bifariam exponi potest. Uno modo, ut sensus sit: Omnino ac certissime benedicam et multiplicabo te. Hanc enim vim habet interdum illa geminatio, ut 1 Reg. 25.: Fa~ ciens faciet Dominus, et cap. 26.: Faciens facies, et putens poteris, et Hab. 2.: Veniens veniet, et ncn tardabit. Alter sensus est: Largiter et copiose benedicam tibi, ac vehementer multiplicabo te. Sic plerique omnes. Hic enim sensus talium geminationum in Scripturis frequentior est'; tametsi prior expositio suam habeat probabilitatem ex Scriptura Genesis. Nam modus, seu magnitudo multiplicationis satis illic explicatur verbis adjunctis: Sicut stellas coeli, et sicut arenam, quae est in litore maris. Jam vero cum benedicere Deo attributum sit idem qucd benefacere, consequitur hunc esse sensum juramenti: Per me ipsum juro, me cumulaturum te beneficiis, et numerosam posteritatem daturum. Quoniam autem sequitur eodem loco: Et benedicentur in semine tuo omnes gentes terrae, quod semen Apostolus Christum interpretatur Gal. 3., idcirco promissionem hanc non de solis beneficiis terrenis, ac posteritate carnali debemus accipere; sed etiam ac praecipue de beneficiis a Deo per Christum praeparatis atque exhibitis, non uni populo Israelitico secundum carnem ex Abraham genito, sed omnibus Abrahae fidem imitantibus, tamquam promissionis filiis; sicut id plenius Rom. 4. et 9. Paulus Apostolus exponit. Quamquam et hic paulo post id ipsum insinuat, ubi nominat pollicitationis haeredes.
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15. Et sic longanimiter ferens, adeptus est repromissionem. Id est posteaquam patienter exspectasset, consecutus est rem promissam. Nam benedixit ei Deus, et semen ejus multiplicavit, sensu superius explicato. Quae res esti post mortem ejus, ut phirimum, completa fuerit et adhuc hodie compleatur, ipse tamen adeptus dicitur promissionem, quia res ei pri>missa suis temporibus praestita est et praestatur, maxime cum Abraham etiam nunc coram Deo vivat. Non est enim mortuorum Deus, sed viventium, Matth. 22. Sed quoniam adhuc superest Abrahae et omnibus filiis promissionis magna illa benedictio percipienda, quae est immortalitas ac beatitudo totius hominis, inde est, quod de eo, sicut et de caeteris antiquis justis, illud etiam dici possit, eos nondum accepisse repromissionem, sicut infra cap. 11. semel et iterum loquitur Apostolus; tametsi, quo sensu id dicat, eo loco videbitur. Hic porro subintellige tacitam exhortationem, quasi dicat: Ita et vos exemplo patris Abrahae, si patienter exspectetis, nec animo deficiatis in afflictionibus, promissa bona consequemini.
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16. Homines enim per majorem sui jurant. Graece: Nam homines quidem per majorem juratit, tacito videlicet pronomine reciproco. Quod tamen etiam Syrus interpres, aeque ut Latinus, expressit. Dixerat, Deum suam promissionem confirmasse juramento. Cur id fecerit, jam explicat a» consuetudine hominum, qui, volentes aliis certani fidem facete eorum, quae dicunt, juramentum interponunt. Sed hi quidem, inquif, per eum, qui major sit, jurant, quia se majorem habent Deum. Id Deus non potuit, qui majorem non habet, ideoque per semet ipsum juravit.
Et omnis controversiae eorum finis ad confirmationem est juramentum. Graece ad verbum: Et omnis ipsis controversiae finis etc. Sensus est: Et cmnis fere, quae inter ipsos accidit aut intervenit controversia, juramento finitur; velut legitimo dirimendis litibus remedio, quoties aliae probationes deficiunt. Id enim certum apud eos habetur, quod juramenti religione firmatum fuerit. Unde Jurisconsultus iz. de jurejurando: Maximum remedium expediendarum litium in usum venit jurisjurandi religio. Locus hic apertissime refellit eos, qui, malo intelligentes evangelica praecepta, juramentum damnant velut rem prorsus illicitam. Nam de eo loquitur hic Apostolus, non solum ut de re licita, verum etiam ut ad finiendas controversias, quibus humana societas perturbatur, necessaria; adeo quidem, ut et Deus suam promissionem juramento confirmare voluerit, ne quid ei deesse videretur, quod promissis et pactis firmitatem apud homines conciliare solet. Unde sequitur:
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17. In quo abundantius volens Deus ostendere. Quod ait: in quo, nonnulli, quibus Syriaca favet interpretatio, vertunt: propter quod, quasi dicat Apostolus: Quoniam ita res habet apudhomines, ut juramentum controversiis finem imponat et pacta confirmet, voluit et Deus suae promissioni juramentum adjicere. Sic etiam Theophylactus exposuit. Ahi simplicius hoc modo: In quo, id est, qua in re, quo in genere promissionis, volens Deus ostendere etc. Adverbium comparativum abundantius, Graece Ttsptaoo- TSpov, multi, Syro suffragante, positive accipiunt: abundanter, insigniter, exifnie. Atqui nihil prohibet accipi comparative abundantius, cumulatius scilice^, quam si esset nuda promissio, vel ahun' dantius, quam in aliis plerisque promissionibus a Deo factis. Illud obiter admoneo, particulam abundantius non esse construcndam cum participio volens, sed cum verbo ostendere.
Pollicitationis haeredibus. Id est haeredibus promissae benedictionis. Intellige: In quorum numero vos estis. Id enim esse ex mente Apostoli, sequentia manifeste probant, ubi de promisfsione sermonem continuans, verbis utitur primae personae pluralis numeri: Solatium habeamus, confugimus etc., nimirum ea ratione, ut ipsos Hebraeos, ad quos scribit, doceat haeredes esse promissionis illius, quae ad Abraham interposito juramento facta est.
Immobilitatem consilii sui. Id est immutabilitatem ac firmitatem sui decreti. Quod vocatur consilium, quia Deus nihil nisi consulta ratione sapientiae suae faciendum decernit. Dicet aliquis, omne Dei decretum immutabile esse, ipso per Jesaiam testante cap. 46.: Consilium meum stabit, et omnis voluntas mea fiet; quare si immobilitas consilii ratio est apponendi juramenti, erat iUud adhibendum omnibus Dei decretis, cura nulhim ejus consilium, nullum decretum sit mutabile. Respondeo, consilium mutabile duobus modis intelligi posse, vel quia vohintas ipsa mutatur, dum aliquid occurrit considerandum, quod prius non occurrebat; ut saepe contingit hominibus, qui pro re nata saepe coguntur mutare consilia; sed hoc in Deo, qui ab aeterno omnia novit et considerat, habere locum non potest. Vel quia res ipsa, quae consilio statuitur, mutationem patitur; quando scilicet non ita statuitur, ut semper maneat; hoc sensu Dei consilium mutari, non est absurdum, veluti factum est in promissione terrae Chanaan, sacerdotii Aaronis, regni Saul. Haec enim non ita promissa sunt, ut semper manerent. At benedictio posteritatis Abrahae, de qua hic sermo est, item regnum et eacerdotium Christi, ita promissa sunt, ut maneant in aeternum, ct proinde decreta consilio juxta hunc posteriorem modum immutabili. Quare ad declarandam hujusmodi rerum immutabilem firmitatem, quae prioribus illis non convenit, appositum est in earum promissione juramentum. Quod in aliis factum non legimus. Tradit hanc rationem ipse Apostolus sequenti capite, ubi ait: Et quantum est non sine jurejurando etc.
Interposuit jusjurandum. Graece: mediavit Jurejurando, vel, ut Theophylacti interpres, intercessit jurejurando. Caeterum interpres Oecumenii vertit hoc modo: Mediator est jurejurando. Siquidem hi duo commentatores post Chrysostomum hic significari putant Filium Dei, ac verbum Patris, quo inter Deum et Abraham mediatore, facta sit haec juratoria promissio. Quem sensum pluribus explicatum videre est apud Oecumenium. Sed coactum id nobis videtur et longe petitum. Magis placet aliorum, tam veterum, quam recentiorum, simplex intellectus, vulgatae versioni consenlaneus, ut non aliud sit mediare jurejurando, quam jusjurandam interponere, scilicet ad confirmandam promissionem; quod inteipres Syrus dixit: jurejurando eam ligare, sive constringere.
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18. Ut per duas res immobiles. Sermonem seu promissionem intelligit et juramentum. Quas duas res cur immobiles sive immutabiles vocet, rationem subjungit: Quibus impossibile est mentiri Deum. Graece: in quibus; sed Hebraismum recte mutavit interpres. Nam sensus est, Deum nec simplici promissione, nec juramento mentiri aut fallere posse, cum sit ipsa veritas.
Fortissimum solatium habeomus. Graece: Forte solatium. Qaod Erasmus vertit: Validam consolationem. Quamquam pro consolatione licebat exhortationem reddere; nam Graeca vox Ti.apdxXr^atg utramque significat. Et quidem Graeci interpretes exhortationem elegerunt 5 in textu autem Syriaco ea vox legitur, quae non aliud, quam consolationem fiignificet, cui tamen adjuncta sit adhortatio, ut cum homini moesto dicitur: Sis bono animo; luctus tuus in gaudium convertetar. Itaque sensus Apostoli est: Idcirco Deus promissionem Abrahae factam juramento confirmare voluit, ut nos, Abrahae filii et promissionis ejus haeredes, de ea prumissione, quin certa sit et stabilis permansura, nullo modo dubitantes, in his adversis, quae mundus ingerit, invicem animemus, et consolationem capiamus firmissimam, utpote certissimis promissis innixam.
Qui confugimus ad tenendam propositam spem. Confugitnus praeteriti temporis est, Graece xaTOKpuyovTsg. Sensus est: Qui, ex quo Christi fidem sumus amplexi, relicto fallacis saeculi amore, confugimus ad spem bonorum coelestium et aeternorum, quae nobis proposita est, firmiter ac mordicus retinendam. Nam Graecum verbum xpaT^oai non significat quomodocumque tenere, sed ita tenere et complecti, ut non patiaris eripi. Porro spes proposita dicitur objecti ratione, quia per eam tendit animus in bona promissa, et loco praemii proposita.
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19. Quam sicut ancoram habemus animae tutam ac firmam. Animae genitivus est construendus cum accusativo ancoram, ut hic sit ordo: Quam spem habemus, aut, ut alii vertunt, tenemus, velut ancoratn animae tutam ac firmam. Sunt enim haec epitheta ancorae. Comparat Apostolus spem Christianam cum ancora navali, cujus proprietas est, tutam et firmam esse. Nam sicut ancora in fundum maris projecta navim sistit, et in statu retinet, ne, vi tempestatis huc illuc agitata, conquassetur: ita spes in Deum et in bona invisibilia, quae Deus promisit, extensa, atque in ejus promissione fixa, fulcit ac firmat animas nostras, ne tentationum procelHs undique pulsatae succumbant et peieant. Est tamen ajiquid dissimile, quo spei Christianae praestantia magis eluceat; non solum quod ancora mittitur deorsum in terram, spes autem evolat sursum ad coelestia; verum hoc etiam, quod navis, quamdiu retinetur ab ancora, non potest iu portum tendere; at spes ita animas nostras firmat et stabilit, ut eas ad portum patriae coelestis recto et continuo cursu perducat. Cum autem spes, instar ancorae, tuta sit et firma, propter infallibilem certitudinem promissorum Dei, quibus ipsa nititur, nequaquam inde consequens est, quod volunt sectarii, quemque fidelem certo statuere debere, perventurum se esse ad salutem. Non enim certus est unusquisque, promissa Dei, de absolutis loquor, ad se pertinere. Valde enim secreta nobis est illa Dei voluntas, de qua scriptum est: Cujus vult, miseretur, et quem vult, indurat, Rom. 9. Veruntamen ex donis acceptis, quibus Deo propinquamus, jubemur et ea sperare, quae nos ei perfecte conjungent.
Et incedentem usque ad interiora velaminis. Pro ad Graece est in, quod etiam in MS. Laudensi legitur. Incedentem, alii rectius: introeuntem, sive ingredientem. Refertur et haec pars ad nncoram animae; quasi dicat; Sicut ancora navalis non in aquis haeret, sed terram intrat sub aquis latentem, eique infigitur: ita ancora animae spes nostra non satis habet in vestibulum pervenisse, id est non est contenta bonis terrenis et visibilibus; sed penetrat usque ad ea, quae sunt intra velum, videlicet in ipsa Sancta Sanctorum; id est Deum ipsum et coelestia bona apprehendit, atque in iis figitur. Agens Apostohis cum Hebraeis, a veteri tabernaculo seu templo sumit allegoriam, in quo pars ii>tenor, quae vocabatur Sanctum Sanctorum, interjecto velo separabatur ab ea parte, ad quam popuhis conveniebat. Et illa quidem typum gerebat coelestis habitacuH, ista vero bonorum praesentium; quemadmodum id cum Apostolo latius exponemus, quum ad cap. 9. hujus Epist. perventum erit. Noanulli incedentem causative exponunt: incedere facientem; sed ii non attenderunt ad metaphoram ancorae nunc a nobis expositam, qua Apostolus utitur.
6:20
20. Ubi praecursor pro nobis introiit Jesus. Hoc est: In quae velaminis interiora, sive Sancta Sanctorum jam, velut praecursor, pro nobis introgressus est Dominus Jesus. Significat Christi adscensionem et introitum in regnum coeleste. Particula: pro nobis, aut jungi potest cum eo, quod praecedit: praecursor; ut sit: praecursor noster, quem scilicet ipsi mox secuturi simus; aut cum eo, quod sequitur, ut sit: pro nobis introiit. Quod rursus bifariam accipi potest; aut: introiit locum nobis paraturus, sicut ipse ait Joan. 14.: Vado parare vobis locum; aut: introiit, ut intercedat pro nobis ad Patrem. Qui sensus a Theophylacto traditus typo proposito pulchre respondet, quoniam et Pontifex Aaronicus ingrediebatur intra velum semel in anno, supplicaturus pro populo. Vocabulum praecursoris hic non ministerium significat, velut dum Joannes dicitur Christi praecursor fuisse, cui viam, ut servus Domino, praeparavit; sed potius dignitatem insinuat ejus, qui, primus ingrediens, caeteros adducit sequentes. Hac igitur parte novum continetur argumentum spei nostrae confirmandae. Si eaim Christus praecursor pro nobis introiit in coehim, utique spes certa est, nos eum illuc secuturos esse, vel quia nos praecurrit, ut sequamur, vel quia locum nobis parat, vel denique quia Patrem pro nobis, ut illuc perveniamus, interpellat.
Secundum ordinem Melchisedech Pontifex factus in aeternum. Constructionem facile monstrat Psalmi versiculus: Tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech. Confert autem et haec pars ad spei nostrae firmitatem. Ostendit enim, Jesum, priusquam introiret in coelum pro nobis apud Patrem intercessurus, factum fuisse Pontificem, non Aaronicum, sed qualem David praenuntiavit, eoque nomine sacrificium aeternae virtutis pro nobis obtulisse, ut haberet, quod in coelo Patri pro nobis exhiberet; sicut in sequentibus ipse Apostohis declarat cap. 7. et 9. Quae res quantum ad spem nostram corroborandam valeat, per se manifestum est.
6:1
rection and the final judgment (Hebr. 6:1-3). This faith in God implied also, as is obvious, faith in Jesus Christ, the divine mediator and Son of God: in fact care was taken to proclaim Christ from the very beginning of catechesis …
… glimpsed by Montesquieu, when he asserted that "otherwise their power would never have risen so high and would never have been lasting, if every priest had at heart a family" (Riflessioni e pensieri inediti, Turin 1943), but those pointed out by St. Paul (Hebr. 6, 1). The priest is constituted for men in what relates to God, in order to offer gifts and sacrifices, and only celibacy permits the perfect and total fulfillment of such duties. …
6:2
… Baptismo, 8: "Dehinc manus imponitur"; St. Cyprian in his Epist., 74, 1: "Ut manus imponatur in poenitentiam"; whereas the use of the plural is more common both in the New Testament documents (cf. Mt. 19, 13, 15; Mk. 10, 16; Acts 8, 17; 19, 6; Hebr. 6, 2; I Tim. 4, 14; 5, 22; II Tim. 1, 6) and among the Greek writers. …
6:4
Epistles I-II to the Thessalonians
The signs: "That day will not come before the apostasy has occurred (Mt. 24:6-13; cf. 23:16, 19; Mk. 13:11 ff.; especially Lk. 18:8, it is a question of the defections that occurred in the Church of Palestine: Hebr. 6:4 ff.; 10:26-28; cf. Mt. 24:13; Lk. 21:19; Hebr. 10:36) and the lawless one, the damned one, the adversary has been manifested (or 'the antichrist': cf. I Jn. 2:18-22: it is the …
… Moreover, St. John, in the passage in question, does not speak of the Church's power, but of the certainty that prayers are heard; γ) apostasy from the Faith (Heb. 6:4-8); the impossibility of "renewing to p." those "qui semel... illuminati... prolapsi sunt" must not be explained, with the Greek Fathers, as the unrepeatability of their Baptism, but …
6:6
There is nothing of the return of Elijah (v.), of the struggle with the Antichrist (v.); for 2 Thess. 2:1-12 the exegesis that refers the pericope to the end of Jerusalem is to be preferred ("the apostasy" = Heb. 6:6-8; 10:26-38; "the persecutions" = Mark 13:11-13, etc.; "the lawless one," "the adversary," "the antichrist," cf. 1 John 2:18-22, are the Jews, the Zealots, their leaders, against whom …
6:10
… The fact of the r. of m. is today commonly admitted, because it is founded, at least implicitly, on texts of Scripture (Ezek. 18:21; 33:12; Joel 2:18; Gal. 3:4; Heb. 6:10; above all the parable of the prodigal son [Luke 15:11-32], who is restored to all his previous rights) and on explicit affirmations of the Fathers who, commenting on that same parable, …
6:13
Peter, Stephen and Paul will recall the Abrahamic promises (Acts 3, 25; 7, 2-8, 17; Heb. 6, 13; II Cor. 11, 22), which were fulfilled in Christ for all those who, through faith, are sons of the great patriarch (Rom. 9, 7-9; Gal. 3, 29; 4, 22-31). A. is the representative of …
6:18
… In Christian ones it expresses hope, according to the teaching of St. Paul: « fortissimum solatium habeamus [of the kingdom of heaven] qui confugimus ad tenendam propositam spem quam sicut anchoram habemus animae tutam ac firmam » (Hebr. 6, 18-19). See also St. John Chrysostom (Expos. in psal. 9: PG 55, 129; in psal. 123: PG 55, 355) and St. Augustine: « tolle spem... in Deo vivo. …
6:20
… The afterlife is sketched there fleetingly, also because of the real conditions then existing: heaven was closed, so that no beatitude is possible outside of Christ (Hebr. 6, 20); only at the morning of the Resurrection did the just, with the glorification of Christ, receive the awaited reward and the wicked the deserved punishment (Dan. 21, 1 ff., 13; Hebr. …
6:26
Ethan (Heb. 'Ethān = Firm, Stable)
3. Ancestor of Asaph, a Levite of the family of Gershon (1 Chron. 6:42; Heb. 6:26).
6:44
Simeon (Heb. Šim'ôn; Gr. Symzōn)
… This also explains why in this tribe there was only the single Levitical city of Ashan (1 Chron. 6:59, 65 [Heb. 6:44, 50]; Ain in Josh. 21:4, 9, 16 is to be corrected to Ashan). …
6:45
The Targum of Jonathan wrongly identifies it with 'Almit, which instead corresponds to the Levitical city of Almon or Almath (Josh. 21:18; I Chron. 6:60, Heb. 6:45) near Anathoth. …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Rheims 1582), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.