A learned and very useful commentary on the whole epistle to the Hebrews wherein every word and particle in the original is explained ... : being the substance of thirty years Wednesdayes lectures at Black-fryers, London / by that holy and learned divine Wiliam Gouge ... : before which is prefixed a narrative of his life and death : whereunto is added two alphabeticall tables ...

§. 115. Of Christs offering up himself once.

THe latter part of this verse containeth a reason, why Christ needed not to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his sacrifice daily. For this did he once. The causal particle a 1.1 For, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that this clause is added as a reason.

The relative pronoun, b 1.2 This, hath reference to that which goeth before. Th•…•… reference may either be generall to the act of offering which he did once: or else p•…•…∣ticular, to the first clause of this verse: and then these words of order, (first for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 own sins, and then for the peoples,) be included in a parenthesis. Or it may have re∣ference to this clause immediately before, for the peoples. If it should have reference to the order of Priests offering, sacrifice, first for his own sins and then for the peopl•…•…, it would contradict the description of Christs purity, v. 26.

The adverb c 1.3 once is here used exclusively. It excludeth all iterations, as if he had said, once for all: once and but once: never again.

There is a little difference in the Greek betwixt this word, and that which is translated, d 1.4 once, Chap. 6. v. 4. §. 32. And that by prefixing e 1.5 a preposition be∣fore this adverb here. But both words are used in the same sense, and applyed to the same thing, as Heb. 9. 28. and 10. 10.

In this very sense is Christs sacrifice, or offering said to be f 1.6 one, namely exclu∣sively: onely one, but one, and no more, Heb. 10. 12, 14.

That this adverb once is thus to be taken, exclusively, is evident, in that where the Apostle said, Christ dyed once, it is also said, Christ being raised from the de•…•…, dieth no more, Rom. 6. 9, 10. So as to die once, is to die but once and no more. In the very same sense it is said, It is appointed unto men once to die (Heb. 9. 27.) Now we know by experience, that men use to die but once and no more.

It was a full and absolute perfection of Christs sacrifice, and of his offering up thereof, that caused that sacrifice to be but one; and that offering to be but 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

A wonder it is that Papists should be so blinded as they are in this case: for here∣by* 1.7 it is evident, that the sacrifice of the Mass, which they dayly offer up, is both •…•…∣roneous and blasphemous. Erroneous, in that it expresly contradicteth the Scripture, blasphemous, in that it maketh Christs sacrifice, offered by himself, to be imperf•…•…. I would demand of them, whether the sacrifice of the Masse be the very same th•…•… Christ offered upon the Crosse or no. If they should say, no, then they make that imperfect by adding another unto it. Thus the sacrifice of the New Test•…•… would not be one, and in that respect not perfect. If they say, yea, that it is •…•…∣ry same, then Christs offering up his sacrifice was not sufficient: In that it is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 up more then once: yet four severall times doth the Apostle apply this exclusive ad∣verb, once, to Christs offering, namely in this verse, Chap. 9. 26, 28. and 10. 10.

All the shew of answer that they can make is, by a foolish and false 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉* 1.8 a bloody and unbloody sacrifice. That sacrifice, say they, which Christ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…∣fered

up upon the Crosse was a bloody sacrifice, and that was but once offered up: but that which is offered up in the Masse is unbloody, and this is daily offered up.

Answ.

• 1. This distinction is without ground of Scripture. There is no hint of my such distinction there.
• 2. It taketh away all the pretended virtue and efficacy of their sacrifice. They •…•…old that their sacrifice is a true, reall, propitiatory sacrifice, for the sins of the q•…•…ck and dead. But an unbloody sacrifice cannot be so: for without shedding of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is no remission, Heb. 9. 22. This phrase, without shedding, answers their con∣•…•…it of transubstantiating wine into blood; for by shedding of blood is meant slaugh∣ur, or taking away of life.
• 3. Those termes, bloody, and unbloody, being contradictory, cannot be attribut•…•…d to the very same thing: as they say, the body of Christ crucified, and the bread transubstantiated, are g 1.9 the very same body.
• 4. According to their own position, their sacrifice is not unbloody: for they say, the wine is transubstantiated into blood. To this they rejoyne, that that blood is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shed.

And if not shed, then no sacrifice. But is not the wine powred out of the Cha∣•…•…e, when it is drunk: and may not some of it fall out of the Cup, or from the mouth, or beard of him that drinketh it?

They much presse this, that h 1.10 the ancient Fathers call the E•…•…charist an unbloo∣dy sacrifice.

Answ.

• They call it a sacrifice metonymically, and sacramentally, because it is a memoriall of the sacrifice of Christ: and unbloody, to distinguish it from Christs* 1.11 sacrifice on the Crosse. There blood was shed: here is no blood at all.
• 2. They called it an unbloody sacrifice in reference to (k) the praises then of∣fered to God, which they called sacrifices l 1.12 without body, as well as without blood: and an m 1.13 unbloody service.

That which is implyed in this word, once, namely the perfection of Christs sacri∣fice, should make us perfectly, yea wholy and onely, trust thereunto. As it is per∣fect in it self; so must we account of it, as of that which can make us perfect. This will be manifested by our stedfast relying upon it, without doubting or wavering; and without trusting to any thing else. Blessed be the Gospell, that hath revealed the perfection of this sacrifice: and blessed are they that trust unto it.

This is the rather to be done, by reason of the kind of sacrifice, which is thus ex∣pressed, He offered up n 1.14 himself. Hereof see Chap. 1. v. 3. §. 29. See also Domest. Duties. Treat. 1. 9. 29.

This intimation of time, when, hath reference to Christs death upon the Crosse. I grant that this particle when is not expressed in the Greek yet it is implyed in the participle, which may thus be translated, having offered up; If then, that which is comprised under the word once, was accomplished, how shall he be offered up again in the Masse?

Notes

• a 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• b 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• c 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• d 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• e 1.5

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• f 1.6

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.7

  Against the sacrifice of the Masse.
• * 1.8

  Against the unbloody sa∣crifice.
• g 1.9

  •…•…dem nu∣m•…•…o.
• h 1.10

  Cyril. ad Reg. Euse•…•…. de Demonst. l. 1.
• * 1.11

  (i) Vt ea•…•…um, quae pro nobis suscepta sant, perpessionem re∣cordaremur. Theo. in cap. 8. ad Hebr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Cyril ad Reg.
• l 1.12

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Euseb. de De∣monst. lib. 1.
• m 1.13

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Cyril. Idieros. Myst. Catechi•…•… 5.
• n 1.14

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.