The Bible, Douay-Rheims Part 797

9:17. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is as yet of no strength, whilst the testator liveth.

9:18. Whereupon neither was the first indeed dedicated without blood.

9:19. For when every commandment of the law had been read by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people.

9:20. Saying: This is the blood of the testament which G.o.d hath enjoined unto you.

9:21. The tabernacle also and all the vessels of the ministry, in like manner, he sprinkled with blood.

9:22. And almost all things, according to the law, are cleansed with blood: and without shedding of blood there is no remission.

9:23. It is necessary therefore that the patterns of heavenly things should be cleansed with these: but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

9:24. For Jesus is not entered into the Holies made with hands, the patterns of the true: but into Heaven itself, that he may appear now in the presence of G.o.d for us.

9:25. Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the Holies every year with the blood of others:

Offer himself often... Christ shall never more offer himself in sacrifice, in that violent, painful, and b.l.o.o.d.y manner, nor can there be any occasion for it: since by that one sacrifice upon the cross, he has furnished the full ransom, redemption, and remedy for all the sins of the world. But this hinders not that he may offer himself daily in the sacred mysteries in an unb.l.o.o.d.y manner, for the daily application of that one sacrifice of redemption to our souls.

9:26. For then he ought to have suffered often from the beginning of the world. But now once, at the end of ages, he hath appeared for the destruction of sin by the sacrifice of himself.

9:27. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment:

9:28. So also Christ was offered once to exhaust the sins of many. The second time he shall appear without sin to them that expect him unto salvation.

To exhaust... That is, to empty, or draw out to the very bottom, by a plentiful and perfect redemption.

Hebrews Chapter 10

Because of the insufficiency of the sacrifices of the law, Christ our high priest shed his own blood for us, offering up once for all the sacrifice of our redemption. He exhorts them to perseverance.

10:1. For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, by the selfsame sacrifices which they offer continually every year, can never make the comers thereunto perfect.

10:2. For then they would have ceased to be offered: because the wors.h.i.+ppers once cleansed should have no conscience of sin any longer.

They would have ceased... If they had been of themselves perfect to all the intents of redemption and remission, as Christ's death is there would have been no occasion of so often repeating them: as there is no occasion for Christ's dying any more for our sins.

10:3. But in them there is made a commemoration of sins every year:

10:4. For it is impossible that with the blood of oxen and goats sin should be taken away.

10:5. Wherefore, when he cometh into the world he saith: Sacrifice and oblation thou wouldest not: but a body thou hast fitted to me.

10:6. Holocausts for sin did not please thee.

10:7. Then said I: Behold I come: in the head of the book it is written of me: that I should do thy will, O G.o.d.

10:8. In saying before, Sacrifices, and oblations, and holocausts for sin thou wouldest not, neither are they pleasing to thee, which are offered according to the law.

10:9. Then said I: Behold, I come to do thy will, O G.o.d: He taketh away the first, that he may establish that which followeth.

10:10. In the which will, we are sanctified by the oblation of the body of Jesus Christ once.

10:11. And every priest indeed standeth daily ministering and often offering the same sacrifices which can never take away sins.

10:12. But this man, offering one sacrifice for sins, for ever sitteth on the right hand of G.o.d,

10:13. From henceforth expecting until his enemies be made his footstool.

10:14. For by one oblation he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

10:15. And the Holy Ghost also doth testify this to us. For after that he said:

10:16. And this is the testament which I will make unto them after those days, saith the Lord. I will give my laws in their hearts and on their minds will I write them:

10:17. And their sins and iniquities I will remember no more.

10:18. Now, where there is a remission of these, there is no more an oblation for sin.

There is no more an oblation for sin... Where there is a full remission of sins, as in baptism, there is no more occasion for a sin offering to be made for such sins already remitted; and as for sins committed afterwards, they can only be remitted in virtue of the one oblation of Christ's death.

10:19. Having therefore, brethren, a confidence in the entering into the holies by the blood of Christ:

10:20. A new and living way which he hath dedicated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh:

10:21. And a high priest over the house of G.o.d:

10:22. Let us draw near with a true heart, in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with clean water.

10:23. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering (for he is faithful that hath promised):

10:24. And let us consider one another, to provoke unto charity and to good works:

10:25. Not forsaking our a.s.sembly, as some are accustomed: but comforting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching.

10:26. For if we sin wilfully after having the knowledge of the truth, there is now left no sacrifice for sins:

If we sin wilfully... He speaks of the sin of wilful apostasy from the known truth; after which, as we can not be baptized again, we can not expect to have that abundant remission of sins, which Christ purchased by his death, applied to our souls in that ample manner as it is in baptism: but we have rather all manner of reason to look for a dreadful judgment; the more because apostates from the known truth, seldom or never have the grace to return to it.

10:27. But a certain dreadful expectation of judgment, and the rage of a fire which shall consume the adversaries.

10:28. A man making void the law of Moses dieth without any mercy under two or three witnesses:

10:29. How much more, do you think he deserveth worse punishments, who hath trodden under foot the Son of G.o.d and hath esteemed the blood of the testament unclean, by which he was sanctified, and hath offered an affront to the Spirit of grace?

10:30. For we know him that hath said: Vengeance belongeth to me, and I will repay. And again: The Lord shall judge his people.

10:31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living G.o.d.