were yet time enough for Christ to iterate his offerings and by a just proportion equall the number of the legall offerings although hee began not to suffer and offer himselfe from the foundation of the world For because hee suffered and offered himselfe in the end of the world hence it appeares that there is not time enough yet to come to serve for the multitude of his sufferings and offerings But the time wherein Christ came is therefore called the end of the world because it is the last age of the world and as it were the old age of it and because the other comming of Christ which is joyned with the consummation and end of the world is alwayes supposed to be at hand which could in no wise be if the offering of Christ were to be iterated answerably to the just number and proportion of the old Legall offerings But the holy Ghost would have us perpetually wait for the expectation of Christs comming For that his comming and together with it the end of the world is yet deferred and that so many ages have passed since his first comming into the world seating upon his heavenly throne this in a manner is accidentall by reason of the long suffering of God who is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 To put away sin by the sacrifice of himselfe He shews the finall cause of the comming and appearance of Christ which is for the putting away of sin which is done when all the force and power of sin is destroyed Which destruction of sin is effected two wayes the one is when sin hath no power to condemne men the other when it hath no power to subdue men by enthralling them under the yoke of it That both these effects might be produced Christ hath appeared both that he might deliver men from the punishment of sinne and also from the dominion of it even freeing them from sin it selfe Now the meanes whereby Christ hath put away sinne in destroying the power of it is by the sacrifice of himselfe For this act may be joyned as well with the word suffered as with appeared as other Interpreters also have observed How the sacrifice of Christ purgeth away our sins For Christ by the sacrifice of himselfe hath cashired and put away sinne by taking from it all it power to condemne and to reigne which though we have declared before yet are we willing to repeat it againe because the matter is of such moment that if it may be we might drive and fasten it throughly into mens mindes For as concerning the guilt and punishments of sinnes can there bee any sinnes so that we doe our duty which a sacrifice so acceptable to God offered in the Sanctuary of heaven and by so great an high Priest cannot expiate Can there be any danger that he will deale negligently in our cause who offered up himselfe as a sacrifice for our sinnes and who having himselfe suffered all those miseries and pressures that can possibly befall us hath assumed a minde so prone to pity us Hath not yet the wished effect been answerable to so holy a sacrifice and to so carefull a provision of our high Priest Is not the power of our salvation in the power of our high Priest and in his hand to release whom he will of sinne and to bestow eternall life and whatsoever good thing besides upon whom he will Doth he not negotiate the matter with his most deare Father who himselfe burnes with a desire of our salvation who himselfe hath made a sacred Covenant for the remission of our sinnes who himselfe ordained the holy Sacrifice for our sinnes who himselfe would have it offered unto him and caused it to be offered who himselfe ordained our high Priest with an oath and committed unto him the whole care of our salvation Now concerning the dominion of sinne for the excussion of the yoke of it can it possibly be that when we perceive so great and so certaine causes and proofes of our eternall salvation and of plenary remission of our sinnes that we should not with all our souls embrace the faith of Christ and devote our selves wholly to him when by this means through the grace and mercy of our God wee are effectually purged and justified from the guilt of all our sins shall we not contend with our whole force to abandon sin for ever after wholy addict our selves to holines shall we not labour to the utmost to preserve this great grace of God entire and whole to our last gaspe that at length we may enjoy the full fruit of it in our deliverance from death and inheritance of eternall life And shall it not mightily incourage us to shake off the yoke of sin in that our heavenly high Priest will perpetually support us with his Spirit supply us with power enough to live holily if we will live so and will strive to do it This therefore is the manner after which Christ by the Sacrifice of himself hath put away sin that neither it might hurt us nor reign in us The Sacrifice of Christ is Christ himself sacrificed being first slain then raised to immortall life that he might enter his heavenly Tabernacle and therein offer himself and appear for us for ever The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here rendred a Sacrifice though it come from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to slay yet it useth not to be taken in Scripture abstractedly for the slaughter but concretly for the creature slaughtered or rather for that part of it which is offered to God But if any man keeping the same sense will joyn these words by the sacrifice of himself with the verb appeared then the particle by must be taken for with and in that sense as we have noted before that John saith Christ came by water and bloud i. with water and bloud not that at his first comming into the world hee shed his bloud but because he therefore came that he might shed his bloud though not forthwith So Christ may be said to appeare with the sacrifice of himselfe not that as soon as he appeared he was made a sacrifice but that he so appeared that in his due time he might be made a sacrifice But we best approve of that sense which joynes these words by the sacrifice of himselfe with the words immediatly preceding to put away sinne For the finall end of the appearance or comming of Christ was to put away sin and the meanes whereby he abolished it was by the sacrifice of himselfe Seeing therefore Christ came in the end of the world that he might abolish sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe therefore hence it appears that he must not often iterate his sacrifice after the manner of the legall high Priest for otherwise he must have begunne this action more early and not have deferred it to the last age of the world 27. And as it
Jonas and by the fact of the Queen of the South who came from far to hear the wisdome of Solomon the contumacie and obstinacie of the Jewes is convinced who despised Christ that was present among them and by many degrees greater and wiser then either Jonas or Solomon Whence it came to passe that they were most justly punished of God In like manner Noah by his Faith and by his Arke which was an evidence of his faith convicted the obstinacie of that world and brought it to passe that with very good justice God punished it And as by his faith and the effect of it which was the Arke he procured condemnation to the world so to himselfe he procured righteousnesse for so it followes And became heire of the righteousnes which is by faith Righteousnesse is not here taken in a morall sense for that righteousnesse which flows from good workes but in a jurall sense for that right whereby a man hath a title to have hold and enjoy some benefit or blessing from God or for a right of liberty whereby a man stands exempted and freed from those burthens and punishments whereto others are liable for so it is taken in divers passages of Scripture especially in Pauls Epistles and so it must be taken here as plainly appeares from two grounds First from the opposition of it to the word condemned in the former clause For as to be condemned is to be adjudged to bee deprived of some benefit and to lose that right which a man had before whether it be losse of life limb or goods so on the contrary to be justified is to have some benefit adjudged unto him or be invested in a right to that whereto before he had no right nor title And as the condemnation of the world consisted in the judgement of God sentencing the people of it to lose their lives by drowning in the floud so the righteousnesse or right of Noah consisted in the grant of God whereby God gave Noah a right that he and his house should bee saved from that floud by means of the Arke and Noah accepting of this grant by his faith to beleeve it and rest upon it had thereby a right of salvation to himselfe and his House 2. From the consequence of it to the word heire for men are not heires of morall righteousnesse because such righteousnesse is not a thing transient to be conveyed from one person to another and consequently is no way inheritable but men are heires of jurall rights to those persons that have the propertie or power to dispose convey and grant such rights unto others God granted Noah a right and title for him and his family to be saved from the flood by meanes of the Arke and because Noah accepted of this grant by his faith and testified his acceptance of it by his fact in preparing the Ark therefore he was heire to this right and did inherit or possesse it for heire is a jurall word and signifies one that hath a right whether in posse onely or in esse But from this right of being saved all the rest of the world was disinherited i. They were condemned to bee drowned And it is called a righteousnesse or right by faith because the right hee had thus to bee saved proceeded from Gods speciall grant of Gods meere grace and proper motion without any desert of it or suit for it on the part of Noah For it is opposed to a right by workes or to that right which is due by desert of works or service The Author therfore would intimate unto us that Noah had no right by any works of his to deserve this benefit of saving to him and his house but all the right he had came by his faith on his part but from the grace and favour of Gods grant on Gods part which Noah accepting by his faith was thereby setled upon him And it is opposed to a right by petition or suit which hath the first motion from the partie that petitioneth or sueth for it and thereupon is granted though then also it be granted of meere grace and favour in him that conferres it And thereby the Authour would further intimate unto us that Noah on his part made no petition or suit to God for this benefit for him and his family to be saved and therefore the first motion to have this right proceeded not from Noah but God of his meere and proper motion without any suit made to him proposed this benefit unto Noah and promised him the grant of it freely and primely from himselfe as appears in the sacred story where the thing is at large related Gen. 6.13 where wee read that first God told Noah of the sin of the world and then foretold him of the drowning of it next taught him to frame the Arke and lastly Covenanted with him to save him and his family in it Thus wee see the faith of Noah and the effects of it but what were the causes of it to effect and breed this faith in him We shall finde by inspection into the words of this verse that Noah had in him the two principles of faith whereof wee spake in the first verse For he had an evidence or sight of a thing unseene for God had revealed and forewarned him of the flood which thing to him was yet unseen And he had in him a subsistence of a thing hoped for for God had Covenanted with him and promised him to save him and his family in the Ark which salvation he hoped for So his fore-sight of the flood to come and his hope of being saved from it by the Arke were the causes to produce in him that faith whereby he was moved to feare the flood and to prepare the Arke 8. By faith Abraham when he was called to goe out into a place which hee should after receive for an inheritance obeyed and hee went out not knowing whither he went The fourth example is of Abraham the Father of the faithfull upon whom the Authour doth much inlarge himselfe relating many evidences and proofes of his faith To Abraham he subjoynes Isaac and Jacob in those particulars that were common to them And of Abrahams faith he mentions divers effects and benefits as his invincible courage and constancie that wee might labour to imitate him and expresse the neerest resemblance of it wee can as it becomes them who professe themselves the children of Abraham The first effect of his faith was his obedience for when God called and commanded him to goe out of his countrey unto a place which God would shew him Abraham obeyed without any scruple or delay and went out not knowing whither hee went And the causes or reasons of this faith were as in the former persons First an evidence or sight of a thing unseene for God told him of a place or countrey which was yet unseen of him And secondly a subsistence of a thing hoped for for God had promised him that hee should
receive that place or countrey for an inheritance So the foresight of that countrey to come and the hope to have it for an inheritance were the causes to produce in Abraham that faith whereby he obeyed the call of God and thereupon went out of his own countrey not knowing as yet whither he went There were many reasons on the contrary to withdraw Abraham from this obedience and to remove him from so strange a journey For it was very hard especially upon no urgent necessitie for a man to forsake his countrey his house and lands and possessions to leave his kindred friends and acquaintance to wander without any certaine abode and become a stranger in a forraigne countrey It seemes a rash enterprise for a man to prepare himselfe for a journey before hee knowes whither hee should goe or to what place hee should travaile But the faith of Abraham was so firme and strong that it admitted none of these thoughts but vanquished and banished them all being fully perswaded that no man could possibly miscarry in his obedience to God whatsoever the command might be and how rash soever the enterprise might seeme But wee must note that Abraham did not leave his country to become a pilgrime and wanderer in the world upon any rash or unadvised motion of his owne but he was called to goe out i. He was appointed and commanded to goe out and the person calling him to it was God at whose word and command he thought it fit for him to leave his countrey and acquaintance Whereby he becomes to us an example that when God commands and requires any thing of us we should refuse no burden labour or trouble no losse of countrey friends or fortunes that we might fulfill his will Yet when there is no just cause wee should not by any rash or foolish humour either deprive our selves of those blessings that God hath given us or involve our selves in any calamity or misery by an unprofitable piety For it is a more certaine triall of our faith and a thing more worthy to doe and undergoe that at the command of God or as our duty requires which otherwise we would not doe Of this fact of Abraham See Gen. 12. 9. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange countrey Another effect of Abrahams faith common to him with Isaac his son and Jacob his nephew which withall shews us how constant they also were in it He sojourned by living there as an alien or a stranger for sojourner in this sence is opposed to a native who lives in the same place where he was borne enjoying it by birth or right of inheritance So we finde Paul opposing strangers and forraigners to fellow-citizens Ephes 2.19 And the land wherein he sojourned was a strange land unto him partly because he was not a native of it but onely a sojourner or forraigner there but chiefly because he had no right of inheritance for any present possession there for God gave him no inheritance in it not so much as to set his foote on Acts 7.5 But it was onely the land of promise to him for God had promised to give the inheritance and possession of it to him and his posterity after him while yet he had neither posterity nor childe See againe Acts 7.5 Dwelling in tabernacles Here is expressed the reason why and the manner how Abraham is said to sojourne in the land of promise namely because he dwelt there in tabernacles for this argues that to that land he was a sojourner or stranger and that land to him was a strange countrey For though God had promised to give it to him and his seed yet he for his owne particular never dwelt in it as his owne demaine but as a stranger dwels in a strange countrey among the natives of it For he built himselfe neither City nor house to inhabite but onely lived in Tabernacles or tents as strangers doe who have no certaine residence nor make no long abode in any place but being alwayes ready to remove are for the time of their stay covered onely with tents and when they journey from one place to another carry their houses with them for to them that have no possession of their own where they may make themselves a fixed and certaine seat tents are the most commodious dwelling because they may suddenly and easily transport them at their pleasure But hence is drawne an evidence of Abrahams faith and his constancy therein in that to shew his obedience to God he lead a travelling life all his dayes and though the land were promised unto him yet he neither founded City nor built house neither did he either purchase or possesse any but as a flitting inhabitant removed his tent from place to place and wanting the right of a native lived there onely by tenure of curtesie Yet he possessed an assured hope that after some few ages his posterity should possesse that whole land because it was the land of promise which the Lord had promised him With Isaac and Iacob the heires with him of the same promise Isaac and Jacob are not therefore joyned with Abraham as if Abraham had lived in tents all that time with both of them For Isaac being borne many yeares after Abrahams comming into that land could not all that while live in Abrahams tent and Jacob dwelt in the land after Abrahams death But they are therefore joyned with him because they also never came to the possession or inheritance of that land but lived like sojourners and strangers there as Abraham had done for as they were heires of the same promise so they lived in the same manner And hence is manifested their faith and their constancy in it because their sojourning in that manner moved them not at all to doubt any thing of the faith and truth of Gods promise though the performance of it were so long delayed 10. For he looked for a City which hath foundations Here the Author gives the reason why Abraham though he had a promise of that land from God yet was never put in possession of it but dwelt there all his dayes in tents as a sojourner and a stranger The reason hereof was because he expected or looked for a City having foundations Some man may doubt whether these words are to be understood of Abrahams intent and purpose or of the event that afterward fell out Certainely as we will not deny but that Abraham hoped to have from God some life and happinesse after his death in regard he knew the great goodnesse of God toward his servitors and the great power of God that he is able to raise even the dead and can give his servants a blessing or reward after their death and withall did easily perceive the vanity of earthly happinesse especially now in his declining yeares and might have a desire of a re-surviving life to befall him after his death a thing that seemes naturall to all men living Yet
he that shall consult the Sacred history and shall diligently both reade and relect it shall finde nothing either written or any way intimated concerning that matter But this divine Author relating examples from the holy Scriptures upon their authority and infallibility seemes not to say or affirme any particular concerning those holy Elders but what is grounded upon the holy Scriptures Yet that Abraham Isaac and Jacob had a hope not onely of some life and happinesse after death but also of a City which hath foundations that is of heaven it selfe and that heavenly happinesse which shall never determine or have end and upon that hope did undergoe all the travels and troubles of a continuall pilgrimage to leade alwayes an uncertaine and flitting life this the holy Scriptures have no where discovered Yea rather what hopes Abraham sometime had in this respect it may hence appeare in that while he was yet destitute of children when God spake to him and said Feare not Abraham I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward Abraham answered Lord God what wilt thou give me seeing I go childlesse and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus and behold one borne in my house is mine heire Gen. 15.1,2 Doth it not hence appeare that the summe of all Abrahams desires came to this that hee might leave behinde him a sonne and heire of his owne body seeing he abounded already in all other goods and riches For if at that time he had with any firme hope conceived of heaven it selfe and the everlasting happinesse thereof when God promised him an exceeding great reward would he have answered Lord God what wilt thou give me For in these words he signified that God had already abundantly rewarded him and given him goods in a full measure and to promise him more was to no purpose seeing he had no childe of his owne to whom hee might leave his estate Whence it appeares that Abraham extended not that exceeding great reward which God promised him beyond the goods and happinesse of this life Wherefore it is more likely that in these words of Abrahams expectance the Author intended not to give a reason why Abraham indured with such constancie the toyles of a continuall pilgrimage and of a life alwayes unsetled but rather of the event as we said why God gave Abraham no possession in that land to inherit as his owne proper right granted him no City to dwell in nor seat where to settle himselfe but would have him dwell in tents with his sonne and grand-childe Namely because as afterward at the sixteenth verse the Author saith God had prepared for him a City infinitly greater and better then all the land of promise with all the Cities in it And the promises of God made to Abraham and his seed doe in the mysticall sense containe this spirituall happinesse and heavenly inheritance And in the same sense the seed of Abraham doth signifie the seed of all the faithfull who follow the faith of Abraham For both these senses are taught us by the Apostle Rom. 4.11,12,13 and Gal. 3.7 and Gal. 4 22. Therefore Abraham expected or looked for a City which hath foundations rather by reason of the event and purpose of God then from any intent and purpose of his owne whereby he might seem to fore know it For in this sense we many times attribute expectation to a thing so this Author Chap. 10. ver 27. saith that to them who sinne willingly there remaines a certaine fearfull expectation or looking for of judgement whereas if we referre this to their intent and purpose of minde sinners most times expect and looke for nothing lesse then the punishment of their sinnes Abraham then is therefore said to looke for this City because this City was by Gods decree reserved and appointed for him and because his faith was so constant in God neither broken nor shaken with any travels or troubles and his whole course of life was such as theirs is who relying upon Gods promise do really expect this heavenly City as a reward of their labours Whereof the first is spoken by way of Metonymie putting the effect for the cause and this latter is said by way of Metaphor This City the Author opposeth to Tabernacles and Tents and the matter is not great to live a while in a Tent that afterward we may live for ever in a City And it is a City that hath foundations By which attribute Heaven is opposed not only to Tabernacles or Tents which have no foundations but to all Cities which though they have foundations yet in comparison of Heaven they have none because they have none such And hereby is signified unto us the firmnesse and strength of our heavenly City which no force no tract of time no change of things can possibly shake or move which shall not be ruined by the ruine of that heaven and earth which to us is visible whereof see the Author afterward Chap. 12. ver 26 27 28. Whose builder and maker is God Certainly that City must needs be most stable ample most beautifull and plentifull of all happinesse which had such a builder and such a maker as God to found and raise it He opposeth God to men who are the founders and builders of all earthly Cities And therefore this City must needs be so divine and heavenly so firme and strong that no hand of man can prevaile against it Cities built by men by men may be destroyed and many times are so but the City whereof God is the builder and maker is secure and safe from all hazard 11. By faith also Sara her selfe received strength to receive seed and was delivered of a child when she was past age It may here be doubted whether the Author doth speak here of the faith of Sarah or of Abraham as he first began and afterward goes on The former of these seems to be gathered first from the words of the Author when hee saith Sarah her selfe For it seems as much as if he had said Not only Abraham but also Sarah her selfe by faith received strength So that he joynes Sarah with Abraham in respect of her faith Secondly because the words She judged him faithfull which follow in the next clause of this verse seem to be referred to the next antecedent which is Sarah But the latter opinion seems perswasible First because the Author first began and afterward proceeds to speake of the faith of Abraham Secondly because the sacred History mentions not the faith of Sarah when Isaac was promised but rather the Scripture seems to mention something contrary to her faith for shee laughed within her selfe saying After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure my Lord being old also and the Angell questioned Abraham upon it to know the cause of it saying Wherefore did Sarah laugh Is any thing too hard for the Lord Gen. 18.12,13 Whence also Paul discoursing upon the same point mentions only the strength of Abrahams
faith Rom. 4.19 Thirdly because in the next verse following where the effect and fruit of this faith is described no mention is made of Sarah but only of Abraham namely in these words Therefore sprang there even of one and him as good as dead so many as the stars of the skie in multitude Whereupon we may well doubt which of these two opnions should be embraced seeing the reasons brought on either side may easily bee answered For to the first reason for the first opinion we may say That the Author therefore saith Through faith Sarah her selfe to shew us that by the faith of Abraham it came to passe that not only himselfe should have power to beget a sonne though he were then old and barren but also that Sarah her selfe should conceive who was by nature alwayes barren even in her youth and besides was then spent out with yeares and age yet she should both conceive and bring forth beyond all course of nature To the second reason we may answer That is is not necessary that the words judged him faithfull should be referred to the next antecedent but rather to that which is the principall antecedent though it be more remote as we see it done in the verse following wherein the reference is manifestly made to Abraham Neither is the answer difficult to the arguments of the latter opinion To the first it may be said That the Author as a little before he joyned Isaac and Jacob with Abraham for dwelling in tents as a thing common to them all so also here he might joyne Sarah with her husband Abraham in a matter common to them both For in mentioning afterward the speciall fact of Abraham in offering Isaac therein the Author would seem to observe the order of actions and of time For first he must handle Isaacs birth and the faith of Abraham concerning it before he come to the offering of Isaac and Abrahams faith about that To the second Although from Sarahs laughing and from the cause of it which is there expressed and from the answer of the Lord wherein hee reproved Sarah for laughing it appears That the promise made her for the bringing forth of a son within the compasse of the yeare seemed at the first hearing ridiculous to her and a thing not credible especially seeing she seemed not yet to know who the prison was that promised it for if we looke into the context of the History it is plaine that Abraham himselfe did not marke that the persons who spake with him were Angels of God till their speech touching Sarah his wife yet it follows not but that afterward when she had recollected her selfe and had observed the divine Authority of the speaker and perceived that the cause of her doubtfulnesse was strongly refuted by him she continued no longer in her â—…ancie and doubting yea the contrary is more probable both in it selfe and collectively from hence that upon her hearing of the Angels reproofe she was terrified and for feare denied shee had laughed For from whence came this terror and feare upon her but because she now had observed that she had not to deale with a man but with God whose sayings and promises to laugh at or distrust was altogether unlawfull for her though to her judgement they surpassed the whole force and course of nature We see that Abraham himselfe laughed also for the same cause when first God promised him a son by Sarah as wee may read Gen. 17.17 not that he doubted any thing of the faith or power of him that promised it for in the fore-cited place to the Romans Paul openly testifies the contrary but because the matter in it selfe considered especially heard upon the suddaine and at unawares seemed to him in a manner absurd and ridiculous and scarce credible But when he had intended his thoughts upon God that promised him and perceived his promise to be serious he became certaine of the power and saith of God and doubted not at all And the Virgin Mary when first she heard it from the Angel that she should conceive and bring forth a son she replyed How shall this be seeing I know not a man Luke 1.34 From which words it appears that at her first hearing of the Angels words there arose some scruple and doubt in her minde which when the Angel had removed by his answer she rested wholly satisfied For which cause Elizabeth afterward calls her blessed And blessed is she that beleeved Luke 1.45 To the third The following verse therefore treats of Abraham because this verse treats not of Sarah alone but Abraham is joyned with her in these words Through faith also Sarah herselfe For the particle also shews that besides Sarah hee intends some other person namely Abraham whom he named before Notwithstanding all this yet to us it seems more probable that these words of the Author should be referred to Abrahams faith as well as the rest and that his faith is herein also commended in that it produced so admirable an effect not only in himselfe being now old but also in Sarah his wife who was not only old but had been hitherto barren Although it seems the Author did so temper his words on purpose as that Sarah might be admitted into the fellowship and glory of that faith with her husband Abraham Because shee judged him faithfull who had promised Hence it appears that God is not only pleased with our obedience to his commands but also with our faith given to his promises when we by our faith judge him to be faithfull i. constant and true of his word alwayes certaine to performe the thing hee hath promised 12. Therefore sprang there even of one and him as good as dead so many as the stars of the skie in multitude and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable As if he had said The faith of Abraham was so effectuall and fruitfull that by reason thereof it came to passe that not only Sarah conceived and bare a son but also by this son who was but one and came from Abraham one man and he a barren man as good as dead there was propagated a posterity innumerable The Author in this verse hath relation to Gods promise wherein Abraham was promised a seed and a posterity answerable in number to the starres of heaven and to the sands of the sea Gen. 15.5 and Gen. 22.17 The Author expresseth the effect of Gods promise which might be seene with the eye that by experience it might appeare what faith and force there is in the promises of God 13. These all dyed in faith not having received the promises He declares the constancy of their faith in that all these departed this life under faith i. holding the faith of the promises and certainely beleeving the future performance of them though themselves obtained not the effect of the promises or the things promised For the promises were to be fulfilled not onely after their death but many
or posterity of Abraham whether they be carnall by birth onely or spirituall by faith onely or both by birth and faith And he rather said the seed of Abraham in two respects 1. Because we often reade in Scripture that Christ is promised to no other men properly but to the posterity of Abraham or at least to his seed chiefly and in the first place 2. Because this word would be most pleasing to the Hebrews to whom he writes who were themselves the seed or posterity of Abraham But by this ambiguous appellation which might signifie the seed of Abraham whether carnall or spirituall he so ingratiates the Hebrews that withall he might tacitely invite them to continue Christians because Christians onely of what Nation soever they be are the spirituall seed of Abraham Gal. 3.29 For Christ was destinate to take hold of to help succour and save onely that spirituall seed as being their onely mercifull and faithfull high Priest And by the words here we must understand rather the spirituall seed of Abraham then the carnall but they that are his seed both wayes both carnally and spiritually as these Hebrewes were may challenge Christ in a manner by a double right to be their ayder and helper The summe of all is As in the former clause of this verse the Author proved the negative That Christ was not made an Angel because he was not to take hold of them to help and succour them So in this clause he proves the affirmative why he was made lower then the Angels why he tooke part of flesh and bloud Because by his death he was to take hold of the seed of Abraham to help and succour the faithfull in delivering them from the feare and bondage of death So the words shew not what Christ was by his birth but what he did by his death Hence now it plainly appeares how incongruously these words are wrested to Christs taking on him humane nature For this sence is contrary to the context and altogether crosse to right reasoning for by it the same truth is made a reason whereby to conclude it selfe At the fourteenth verse before this is laid downe for a truth That Christ tooke part of our flesh and bloud i. he did partake of humane nature of which truth how can a reason be given by this that hee tooke on him our humane nature seeing these two truths are identicall though not in words yet altogether in sence But if we understand these words of helping and succouring the faithfull then there runs a veine of evident reasoning Christ was made lower then the Angels and tooke part of flesh and bloud to what end that he might suffer death Why so To destroy the Devils power of death Why that Because he was to deliver men from the feare and bondage of death Why did he that Because he was to take hold of men to helpe and succour them who are the seed of Abraham 17. Wherefore in all things Hitherto he hath shewed that Christ must be a mortall man to suffer death now from the last cause of his helping or succouring men he teacheth that he must not onely be mortall but subject to divers afflictions and not onely subject but actually to suffer them and that not some few but even all wherewith the rest of the faithfull are afflicted It behooved him to be made like unto his brethren How and why the faithfull are the brethren of Christ hath before beene shewed and proved Yet in this place againe the word brethren carries a powerfull force of reasoning It behooveth a brother to helpe and succour his brother and Christ therefore takes hold of the faithfull to help and succour them because they are his brethren especially the seed of Abraham who are his brethren both by God and man And it behooveth also a brother to be like a brother and the more alike they are the more lovely they are to all and the more loving one to another And therefore it behooved Christ to be made like unto his brethren not onely in some one thing as in their nature to be made a little lower then the Angels as his brethren were or to take part of flesh and bloud as they did but also to be like them in all things even in their whole condition to be subject to afflictions and temptations as they are and actually to suffer all sorts of them as they doe yet he was not like them in sin for that is excepted Heb. 4.15 and a universall saying must alwayes abate when a particular exception is expresly made against it That he might be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest Christ must be made like unto his brethren in nature that he might be their high Priest for the Priest and the people must be of one Nation he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified must be all of one and he was made like them in condition for suffering afflictions and therefore he must bee unto them a mercifull and faithfull high Priest 1. He must be mercifull to be touched with a sence of his brethrens miseries and sorrowes and to thinke them so his owne or so neere him that he may be moved readily to succour or help them as himselfe For mercy is a sorrow for anothers misery moving us to succour him 2. He must be faithfull to administer and performe all things with all care and diligence in their behalfe that concernes their sanctifying or succouring to expiate their sins and help them from misery And this faithfulnesse takes some roote and growth from mercifulnesse for mercy doth beget and nourish faithfulnesse Now that Christ might be truly mercifull and faithfull to his brethren in all things therefore he must bee made like them in all things even in all their afflictions and sorrowes In things pertaining to God The office of the high Priest in generall was this to administer in things pertaining to God as to offer gifts and sacrifices for sin as the Author explicates it afterward chap. 5.1 And it was peculiar and proper to the high Priest to expiate or make atonement for the sins of the whole people together and not of single persons by themselves for that was common to other Priests This popular Expiation was performed by Christ our high Priest when after the shedding of his bloud on earth he entred into heaven as into the Sanctuary or holiest of all there to appeare in the presence of God to make Intercession for us that is that resting in heaven with God he might administer and performe all things that concernes our deliverance from the punishments of our sins To make reconciliation for the sins of the people The end of the office of the high Priest was to make reconciliation for the sins of the people i. To propitiate or expiate their sinnes The word in the originall signifies to cover hence the cover of the Arke was called the propitiatory because it covered the Tables of the Law that lay in
a great dignity and prerogative in the Levites in that all the rest of the tribes though descendants with them from the same Abraham yet were bound to pay them tithes And so the dignity of Melchisedec far exceeded theirs Who receive the office of the Priesthood He saith not that the sons of Levi receive the office of Priesthood but they of them who receive it For all the Levites had not right to the Priesthood but only some of them namely the posterity of Aaron as ye may see at large Num. 3. Num. 18. The rest of the Levites were joyned to the Priests to minister unto them in the holy things to keep the Temple and the holy vessels to beâ—r the Aâ—k when need required which notwithstanding they might neither touch nor look upon till it were wrapped up to slay the ordinary sacrifices brought by single persons and to performe such other services Have a commandement to take tithes of the people This right and priviledge was granted them from God to claim tithes of the people For to speak properly the commandement to take tithes was not laid upon the Priests but the people were bound by Gods commandement to give tithes and thereupon the Priests had a right to require and exact them According to the Law The manner how tithes should be paid the matter from what things the persons to whom and the times when are all determined by Gods Law For first the people must give tithes to the Levites Numb 18 21. Then the Levites must give tithes of their tithes to the Priests Numb 18.28 And herein the dignity of the Priests appeares farre the greatest because not onely the rest of the Tribes but also the Levites themselves who were of the same Tribe gave tithes unto the Priests That is their brethren though they came out of the loynes of Abraham Certainly a great dignity Which would not have beene so great if some other men had beene bound to pay them tithes but that their owne brethren who came as well as they from the loynes of the same Abraham should be bound to it by the Law of God this was a great argument of the dignity and eminency that rested in the Priests 6. But hee whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham He shews how much in this respect Melchisedec is greater then the Leviticall Priests whom first he described in such words as most elegantly agree to Christ his antitype that he might tacitely shew that it nothing hindered Christ from the dignity of his high Priesthood that he came not from the Tribe of Levi. For it is as much as if he had said The Leviticall Priests have this right and dignity that they take tithes of their brethren though they descend from the same Abraham But how much greater is it that he who as he comes not from the same stock so neither doth he count his kindred from them tooke tithes of Abraham himselfe For it is much more and more worthy to have Abraham himselfe tributary to him then those who come from the loynes of Abraham Wherefore the Leviticall Priests have no cause to boast as if to their line alone this right and priviledge were granted of taking tithes from the people seeing he who neither belongs to their line nor accounts himselfe of it did as the Author speakes decimate Abraham himselfe And blessed him that had the promises We have said before that the Author preferres Melchisedec before the Leviticall Priests for three reasons whereof the first is bipartite whose former part the Author hath hitherto produced and referring the latter part to the end of the proofe he comes here to the second full reason taken from the act of Melchisedec in blessing Abraham Yet that the great dignity of Melchisedec might the more evidently appeare in this act of blessing he doth not name Abraham but describes him under this notion him that had the promises q.d. Melchisedec blessed him whom God was to blesse and had bound himselfe by promise to blesse him and make him a blessing For God had already said unto him I will make of thee a great Nation and I will blesse thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing And I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed Gen. 12.2,3 To blesse this man that had such promises of blessing and those so great that there were none greater knowne upon earth and to blesse him also not by way of charity or good will by praying for all happinesse upon him but in a singular way according to his office as he was the Minister and Priest of God to whose prayer and wish God would in a manner obliege himselfe which certainly is an evidence of high preeminence and dignity And from thence he meanes to conclude that Melchisedec was greater then Abraham 7. And without all contradiction the lesse is blessed of the greater He had before expressed the Assumption that Melchisedec blessed Abraham and now hee addes the Proposition leaving every man to frame the conclusion that Melchisedec is greater then Abraham And if hee be so much greater then Abraham much more is he greater then the Leviticall priests Without all controversie These words shew that his assertion is so evident and manifest that no man can well deny it and that with good cause For every kinde of apprecation or blessing is not here to be understood for even the least and meanest person may blesse and pray for the best and greatest and many times doth so but as we have often noted a singular and sacerdotall blessing For he that gives another a blessing as the Priest and especiall Minister of God to whom God hath committed the right and office of it in such manner that God will second the blessing of the Priest with his and in a manner be obliged to performe it certainly that person that thus gives the blessing is greater and worthier then he that receives it He is greater and worthier if not in estate and civill power as if hee blesse a King when hee himselfe is none which notwithstanding had not place in Melchisedec yet certainely in regard of sacred function For hee is nearer in degree to God then the other as a mean person between God that blesseth and the partie blessed to whom he gives a kinde of right to obtaine from God the things hee prayeth for Therefore wee read Numb 6.27 That God after he had commanded that Aaron and his sonnes should blesse the people of Israel and had prescribed also the forme of the blessing doth professe that he will second the blessing and confirme it upon the people They shall faith God put my Name upon the children of Israel and I will blesse them Hence the sonne of Syrach when hee supplicated God for the people and endeavoured to move him by his prayers he forgets not this blessing of