Christ once for all Hebr. 10. 10. Every Priest standeth dayly ministring and offering oftimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sinnes but this man or rather this Priest after he had once offered one sacrifice for sinnes for ever sate downe on the right hand of God and henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool For by one offering he hath consecrated for ever them that are sanctified ver 11. 12. 13. 5 As many as have reaped or hereafter shall reape any benefit either from Gods's Oath to Abraham concerning his seede in whom all the Nations of the earth were to be blessed or from the Renewing of this Oath to David concerning his son which was to be the Dispenser of this blessing and to be made a Priest after the order of Melchisedech who blessed Abraham all and every one of them are consecrated to the patticipation of this blessing by the Consecration of this our high Priest the Sonne of God The Law saith the Apostle makes men high Priests which have infirmity but the word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Sonne high Priest who is consecrated for evermore and by this his Consecration wee even all the Israel of God are consecrated by an everlasting Consecration So saith the Apostle Revel 1. 5. Iesus Christ the first begotten of the dead and Prince of the Kings of the earth hath washed us from our sins in his owne Blood and hath made us Kings and Priests that is Priests after the order of Melchisedech unto God and his Father By this his Consecration likewise to his everlasting Priesthood we are hallowed and consecrated as Temples to our God so saith S. Peter 1. Pet. 2. v. 4. 5. To whom comming as to a living stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious yee also as lively stones are built up a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to offer up a spirituall sacrifice acceptable to God by Iesus Christ 5 But to take the severall bloody sacrifices which were offered at the Consecration of Aaron and his sonnes into more particular consideration Albeit these sacrifices were all imperfect not only absolutely or in respect of our high Priest's everlasting sacrifice but even in respect of these spirituall sacrifices mentioned by S. Peter which wee are to offer unto God yet were they all in their kind most perfect The best and chiefest in the whole ranke of legall or Aaronicall sacrifices they are as so many lineaments pourtraying in part or fore-shadowing that body or accomplishment not of them only but of all other sacrifices All meet in it as so many lines in their Center The first bloody sacrifice that was offered at the Consecration of Aaron was a Bullock The Priests might offer no other sacrifice then this for their owne sinne-offering because this was of all other the best and yet in comparison of this saith the Psalmist in the Person of this our high Priest in his affliction I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnifie him with thanksgiving this alâ—o shall please the Lord better then a bullock which hath hornes and hoofes that is beginning to spread the horne and hoofe for at that time they were most fit for sacrifice Psal 69. ver 30. 31. His meaning was that this sacrifice of thanksgiving should be more acceptable unto God then the very best sacrifice of the Law and so it was especially whilst offered by our high Priest even when he offered his bloody sacrifice upon the Crosse and after his enemies had given him vineger in his thirst to drink For after he had uttered that pittifull Song of the Psalmist Psal 22. whether only out of his griefe or anguish or upon other respects and intentions My God my God why hast Thou for saken Me he finally commends his soule his spirit unto his Father in the words of the Psalmists Song Ps 35. Father into thy hands I coÌ„mend my spirit The uttering of both these Songs in this anguish of soule argues hee lov'd his God and our God his Father and our Father with all his soule with all his heart with all his strength and his performance of this great Commandement as the Scribe which approved his answer to the Pharisees to the Herodians and the Sadduces had a litle before confest upon his answer to his Question was more then all whole burnt offrings and sacrifices Mat. 12. from v. 12. to 34. CHAP. 26. In what respects the Bullock offered at the Consecration of Aaron c. and the rites of offering â—â— did prefigure the bloody sacrifice of the Sonne of God especially the circumstances of the place wherein it was offered BVt you will aske wherein did the Sacrifice of the Bullock which was offered for a sinne-offering or Attonement at Aaron's Consecration or the circumstances in offering it punctually fore-shadow the bloody Sacrifice which our high Priest offered at his Consecration or the manner or circumstance of his offering it It did in circumstance at least prefigure the Sacrifice of our high Priest after the same manner or in respect of the same circumstance that the annuall sacrifices of Attonement did prefiure it of which hereafter Inasmuch as the head and flesh c. of the Bullock for sinne-offering or Attonement for Aaron at his Consecation was to be offered or burnt without the campe not to be burnt upon the Altar It fell under the same Law and undergoes the same considerations which the annuall-Sacrifices in the feast of Attonement did For so it is expressely commanded Exod. 29. 14. That the flesh of the Bullock and his skinne should be burnt without the Camp because it was a sin-offering Now it was an universall and peremptory Law that no flesh of any Sacrifice whose Blood was brought into the Sanctuary to make Attonement should be eaten by the Priests in the Sanctuary 2 It was againe a Law as peremptory that the Priests especially the high Priests might that is had power to eat the flesh of any Sacrifice whose Blood was not brought into the Sanctuary For to this purpose Moses Levit. 10. 17. expostulateth with Aaron's sonnes which were left after the death of Nadab and Abihu Wherefore have yee not eaten the sinne-offering in the holy place for it is the holy of holies and it vz. the flesh of the sin-offring he hath given to you to beare the iniquity of the Congregation to make Attonement for them before the Lord Behold the Blood of it was not brought in behold indeed you should have eaten it in the holy place as I commanded you Aaron in his Apologie for his sonnes against this accusation of Moses in no case questions the truth or extent of this commandement but rather excuseth himselfe and his sonnes for not observing the purport of the Law as the case stood with them his two sonnes Nadab and Abihu being lately consumed with fire issuing out from before the Lord for offering strange fire which
upon the tip of the right eare of Aaron and upon the tip of the right eares of his sonnes and upon the thumbe of their right hand and upon the great toe of their right foot and sprinkle the blood c. This ceremony or service was literally and punctually fulfilled in the Consecration of our high Priest The high Priest of the Law was consecrated with forreigne blood with the blood of Rammes The high Priest of the New Testament was consecrated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with his owne blood and in this blood not only his hands his feet or eares were sprinkled or annointed but his whole body was annointed or bathed For though he was alwaies internally sanctified and though this his internall sanctification was most absolute and perfect from the wombe yet would the Lord have him thus visibly and externally consecrated with his owne blood that we by the same blood might be sanctified and consecrated after a better manner then Aaron was by the blood of the Ramme of Consecration The morall implyed in sprinkling of Aaron's right eare the thumbe of his right hand and the great toe of his right foot is this Our eares which are the sense of discipline and the gate by which faith entreth into our hearts must be consecrated and hallowed by the blood of our high Priest that wee may know God's will our hands and feet likewise which are the instruments of service are hallowed and sanctified by his blood that we may walke in his wayes and doe his will Finally as both our bodyes and soules have beene redeemed by his blood so both must be consecrated in it and enabled by it unto his service 7 Another ceremony or service at Aaron's Consecration was the offering up of one loaf of bread one cake of oyled bread and one wafer wherewith Aaron's and his sonnes hands were first to be filled and afterwards to be burnt upon the Altar for a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the Lord. Exod. 29. ver 23. 25. The mystery signified by this and the other bloody sacrifice may best be gathered from that which hath afore been said concerning the circumcision of Isaack and of Abraham's seed or concerning God's demanding Isaac for a burnt offering which was then observed out of Rupertus an ancient Writer God did demand at Abraham's hands that he might thereby tye himselfe to give his own sonne unto Abraham and his seed To which may now be added the testimony of S. Chrysostome in his comments upon our Saviours words to the Woman of Samarin Da mihi bibore give mee to drink The Fountaine of life sitting besides the Fountaine calls for drink not that he was desirous to take but rather to give drink Give me to drink saith he that I may make thee drink the water of immortality I thirst after the salvation of mens soules not that I might drink but that I may give them salvation to drink I imitate my Father who said to Abraham offer me up thy Sonne thy only Sonne Isaac whom thou lovest for a burnt offering this he said not as if he had desired to accept Abraham's sonne but that he determined to give his owne Sonne for the sinnes of the world as S. Iohn saith Chap. 3. ver 16. In like manner God required the flesh and blood of Bullocks and of Rammes with unleavened bread to be offered up in sacrifice unto him at the Consecration of Aaron not that he stood in need to eate the flesh of Bulls or bread of wheat or drink the blood of Rammes but that he then purposed to consecrate for us and to give unto us his only Sonne whose flesh is meat indeed whose blood is drink indeed whose body is the bread of life which commeth downe from heaven which who so eateth shall live for ever for he that truly eateth is consecrated by it to be a King and Priest for ever unto God the Father CHAP. 28. A briefe Recapitulation of what hath been said in this parallel between the Consecration of Aaron and the Consecration of the Sonne of God the conclusion of the whole Treatise concerning it TO recapitulate what hath been said before The beginning of the everlasting Priesthood according to the order of Melchisedch is the determining of the Aaronicall Priesthood unlesse we shall say as perhaps we ought that this Priesthood with the legall rites and sacrifices did expire with the last mortall breath of him who is now immortall 2 The everlasting sacrifice whereby he is consecrated an everlasting Priest was then accomplished and the cessation of the Aaronicall Priesthood proclaimed when hee said consummatum est and commended his spirit unto God Yet is it not probable that his Consecration or the Consecration of the everlasting Sanctuary were at the same instant accomplished His sacred soule perfumed with the fresh odour and fragrancy of his sweet smelling sacrifice annointed with his most precious blood into whatsoever other place it afterwards went instantly repaired into the Holiest of Holies into Paradise it selfe This is the accomplishment of our Attonement prefigured by the high Priest's entring into the holy place with blood and the period of all sacrifices for his owne or our Consecration 3 That the vale through which the high Priest after the order of Aaron did enter into the most holy place should rend asunder at the very instant wherein the soule and spirit of this our high Priest did passe through the vale of his flesh rent and torne into his coelestiall Sanctuary was a lively embleme to all observant spectators that hee was no intruder but called by God And reason they had to observe this signe or accident in that hee had promised to one of them that were crucified with him Hedie mecum erit in Paradiso 4 The publike solemnitie of Consecration hath ever been a speciall testimony or adjunct of lawfull calling and Christ's Consecration was more solemne and publique then Aaron's was Such it was as flesh and blood could not affect such as nothing but filiall obedience to his heavenly Father could have moved this our high Priest to admit because it was to be accomplished by a lingring and a bloody death Moses at the Consecration of Aaron is commanded to gather all the congregation together unto the doore of the tabernacle Levit. 8. Ad tria voluit Dominus populum congregart Primum ut pro eo sacerdos offerret eumque expearet Secundum ad instituendum sacerdotem ut sciret populus Aaron filios ejus praefici sibi in sacerdotes mediatores de caeterâ— commendavit se illi Tertione esset inter eos aliquis qui postea sacerdotium ambiret postquam omnes sciebant Aarâ—nem à Deo sacerdotem institutum Oleaster 5 For the like reasons God would have the Consecration of his Son accomplished at the Passeover that is as a Father speakes at the Metropolis of Iewish feasts the most solemne publique and universall meeâ—ing that any one People or Nation in
which word for word is neither more nor lesse then to be made perfect 2 But many words there are in all the learned tongues whose prime signification every ordinary Grammar Scholar may know whil'st hee reades them onely in Historians or Rhetoricians And yet the best Grammarian living so he be no more then a GraÌ„marian may be altogether ignorant of their true meaning oâ— importance whilest they are used in legall or solemne Instruments or as termes of some speciall art or faculty Every schooleboy knowes the ordinary signification of Possum whilest he reads it in his Grammar rules or in such Authors as he is acquainted with and yet his master how good a Grammarian soever unlesse hee bee a Philosopher withall shall hardly be able to render the true notion or expression of Potentia in naturall Philosophy And a naturall Philosopher may bee sometimes as sarre to seeke in the use of the same word Potentia or Potestas in the faculty of the Civill Law Lastly he that hath his senses exercised in all these Faculties or Sciences mentioned would be a meer stranger to the notion of the same word in the Mathematicks as unable to expresse what Posse or Aequiposse imports in the Science of Geometry as a meer rustick is to understand the terms of Law Such a word or terme is this first word in my text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For it is more then a word of art verbum Jolenne used by the LXX Interpreters to expresse the legall and formall consecration of Aaron his sonnes and their successors to their Priestly function And in this sense it is to be taken in this place and is so rendred in our former English And being consecrated he was made the Author of salvation And so is the very same word rendred by our later English Heb. 7. and the last The word of the oath which was since the law maketh the Son Priest who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consecrated for evermore The Authours of both Translations if so it had pleased them might have given better content and satisfaction to their readers if they had constantly so expressed the same word with it's allies in most places of this Epistle That in this place the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports as much as we have said that is the formall and solemne consecration of the Son of God unto his everlasting Priesthood needes no farther proofe or declaration then the matter or subject of his discourse from the 14 th v. of the 4 th Chap. unto the 11. v. of this 5. Now the onely subject of his discourse aswell in these places now cited as through the whole 7. Chap. is the Consecration of the Sonne of God to his everlasting Priesthood and the super-excellency of the Priesthood aswell as of the CoÌ„secration to it in respect of legall Priesthoods or consecrations 3. This is the profoundest mystery in Divinity or rather the main foundation of all Evangelicall mysteries treated off by our Apostle unto the end of this Epistle But this profound mystery it selfe hath the same hap which other deepe foundations have that is to be least seen or sought into by such as are otherwise exact surveyors of superstructures or buildings raised above ground The summe of my present search or survey after this great mistery is this How the everlasting Priesthood of the Sonne of God and his consecration to it were prefigured foreshadowed or foretold either in the law or before the law Of the eternity of this our high Priests person that is the person of the Sonne of God Melchizedech long before the law was the most illustrious type or picture So was his order or Sacerdotall function the most exact shadow of the Sonne of Gods everlasting Priesthood Of the qualification of the Sonne of God for this everlasting Priesthood and of the manner of his Consecration to it Aaron and other legall Priests his lawfull Successors and the legall rites or manner of their Consecration were the most lively pictures First of the parallel betweene Aaron and his Successors lawfully ordained and the high Priest of our soules for their qualifications required by the Law of God and by the Law of nature Secondly of the parallel betweene Melchisedech and the Sonne of God aswell for their persons as for sacerdotall functions or exercises of them The parallel betweene Aaron and other Priests of the Law and the Sonne of God for their qualification to their different Priesthoods is as was but now intimated the subject of our Apostles discourse from the beginning of the fifth Chapter unto the tenth verse Wee are then in the first place to search out the true sense and meaning of our Apostle by tracing his steps from the first verse unto the ninth verse Secondly to shew in what sense the Son of God by his Consecration became the Author of everlasting salvation to all that obey him and to them only For so our Apostle saith being consecrated he became the Author or cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of everlasting salvation to all that obey him CHAP. 2. Of the Separation of the high Priest from men and of the compassionate temper which was the speciall Qualification of every high Priest Heb 5. v. 2. EVery high Priest is taken from among men so that every high Priest must be a man so separate or set apart from ordinary men for offering gifts or sacrifices unto God as that which wee call consecrated or hallowed ground is from common soile or places of secular use or commerce But albeit the Priests of the Law were by Consecration separated from ordinary men yet could they not be separated from their owne sinnes so long as they carried this body of death about them But such an high Priest saith our Apostle Chap. 7. v. 27. it behoved us to have as is harmelesse holy and separated from sinners Hee was so separated from sinners that hee could take no infection from them or their sinnes whilst hee lived and conversed amongst them Another special Qualification required in such as were appointed to the legall Priesthood we have verse the second of this fiâ—ft Chapter And that was to be able sufficiently to have compassion on them that were ignorant and out of the way and for this reason though God be not the Author of sinne in any yet he made an especiall use of the sinnes whereunto legall Priests were subject to teach them thereby to be compassionate towards others more compassionate then they would or could have beene if they had not beene conscious of their owne infirmites and grievous offences against God for which they were to offer sacrifices aswell as for the sinnes of the people And the more deepely they were touched with the consciousnesse of their owne sinnes or with Gods displeasure which they had incurred by them the more devoutly they prayed for the people the more diligent and carefull they were in their office of Attonement for them Every godly or considerate high Priest
7. were heard to the full For so it is said He was heard in that which he feared So both our English translations read it The later with this variation in the margine Hee was heard for his pietie Neither expression is altogether untrueâ— yet neither of them full or both put together not much ad apposituÌ„ litle pertinent to our Apostles intent or meaning How then are they to be amended By a more full explication of the severall acceptions of the words in the originall 3 This latter word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred by feare or piety imports in its prime or proper signification as much as a wary or cautelous feare And if good Interpreters doe not faile us it is alway taken in the better sense that is as we say for a filiall or pious not for a base or servile feare Whence seeing he only is pious or godly who is wary or circumspect not to offend God nor to wound his owne conscience the same word in the secondary or consequentiall sense doth signifie piety or godlinesse But whether in one or both of these two compatible senses we take this word in this place the construction which either the vulgar Latine or our English makes of the whole originall clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exanditus est ob reverentiam hee was heard in that he feared or for his piety or reverence will be very harsh For the Greeke proposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot by analogy either to the Greeke or Hebrew be rendred by the Latine ob or propter or as our English doth in or for or in that he feared or for his pietie or reverent feare We are therefore to consider a twofold Hebraisme in this passage The one in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a generall rule in the Hebrew Dialect that not only Participles but Noune Substanstives or abstract formes are aswell passive as active According to this analogy unto the Hebrew the word Hope aswell in the Greek as in the Latine and many other like are sometimes to be construed actively sometimes passively Spes quâ speramus spes quae speratur And so likewise promissio qua Deus promittit promissio quae promittitur This is the promise which he hath promised even eternall life And so is the word feare whether wee take it in the worse or better sense as for a naturall or servile fear or for a pious and religious fear there is timor quo timemus a feare by which we seeke to eschew evill and timor qui timetur which is no other then the evill feared Now the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must in this place of necessitie be taken in the passive signification not in the active that is for the evil which our Saviour so much or so piously feared Againe in asmuch as God alwaies delivered them from danger or dread whose prayers he heares hence it is that to be exauditus truly heard of God in prayers and supplications is as much as to be delivered from the dread or danger which we pray against So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in true English all one as if he had said And he was delivered from that which he so piously or mightily feared 4 The Apostles words containe a full expression of the Psalmists speech or rather a record of the fulfilling of his prophecy Psalm 22. 21. Save me from the Lyons mouth for thou hast heard that is thou hast delivered me from the hornes of the Vnicorne God had delivered his Sonne whose part in all his sufferings this Psalmist did respectively act or represent from the first temptation in the wildernesse and now he prayes he would deliver him from this farre greater temptation in the Garden when the whole hoast of darknesse had inviron'd him with strong cryes and teares Father if it be ' possible let this Cup passe from me And so S. Luke instructs us He was heard and delivered from that houre of temptation which hee did so much dread For in the second pang of that bitter agony an Angell was sent to comfort him and within the space of an ordinary houre this Cup which was ten thousand times more bitter then the death of the Crosse or any paines which he suffered upon it was â—ttely removed from him And after this houre was ended wee doe not read nor is there any circumstance in holy writ to enduce so much as a conjecture that he stood in fear of any evill that could befall him by the Iewes or Roman Souldiers but most patiently as our Apostle speaks endured the Crosse and despised the shame Of what kind soever the paines which hee suffered in the Garden were a point in the former Book discussed at large the suffering of them was neither necessary or requisite for making satisfaction to God the Father for the sinnes of the world For such satisfaction was abundantly made by the meere death of the Crosse Yet were these his unknowne or unexperienced sufferings in the Garden either necessary or most expedient for his Qualification and Consecration to his everlasting Priesthood that he might be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest able to compassionate and succour all such as are in any kind tempted Briefly seeing one speciall part of his Priesthood is to make intercession and supplication for us in all our distresses it was in the wisdome of God expedient that he should haue just occasion to offer up prayers and supplications with strong cryes for himselfe And in asmuch as these his supplications were heard of his Father we have assurance that he will not cease to make intercession for us untill God grant us deliverance from temptations so we pray unto him in such feare and reverence as he in his agony did unto his Father He will in this case doe for us as he desired his Father to doe for him 5 It seemeth the Consecration of legall high Priests so long as they accurately observed the rites and manner prescribed by Moses did one way or other cost them so deare that no man which duly weighed the charge laid upon them would be very ambitious of the office Hence saith our Apostle Heb. 5. 4. No man taketh this honour unto himselfe but he that is called of God as Aaron was So likewise Christ tooke not to himself this honour to be made an high Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee put this charge or honour upon him against his will questionlesse as man albeit hee most obediently submitted himselfe to his Fathers will because hee had taken the forme of a Servant upon him His Consecration we may safely avouch cost him dearer then the Consecration of all the legall Priests that had been before him or of all the Christian Bishops or Prelates which have lived since did or doth them whether severally or joyntly Never did any man utter those words
so truly and sincerely Episcopari nolo as hee did or pray so earnestly that the charge of his Consecration might be mitigated whilst hee was in his agony But how deare soever his Consecration cost him the costs and charges of it though altogether unknown to us were recompenced by the purchase which he gained by it For as it followeth being thus consecrated he became the Author of everlasting salvation to all that obey him and their salvation was and is as pleasant to him as his sufferings whereby he was consecrated were for the present distastfull CHAP. 4. The Consecration of the Sonne of God was not finisht immediately after his Agony in the Garden nor was he then or at the time of his sufferings upon the Crosse an actuall or compleat high Priest after the Order of Melchisedech BVt was his Consecration finished immediately after hee had beene anointed with his owne blood in the Garden or assoone as his prayers and supplications which hee offered up with strong cryes and teares were heard No whatsoever else was required for his Qualification there could be no true and perfect Consecration to his Priesthood without a Sacrifice without a bloody Sacrifice This was one principall part of Aarons Consecration to his legall Priesthood and so of his Successors But here the Iew who is for the most part lesse learned then perverse and captious will in this particular shrewdly object if not thus insult over the negligence of many Christian teachers When your crucified God was convented by the high Priests and Elders when he was arraign'd before Pontius Pilate when he was sentenced to the death of the Crosse tell us plainly whether in any of these points of time mentioned he were truly a Priest or no Priest If no Priest at all what had hee to doe to offer any Sacrifice especially a bloody one For this was a service so peculiar to the legall Priests which were the sonnes of Aaron that it was sacriledge for the sonnes of David For the greatest Kings of Iudah to attempt it If you will say then he was a Priest you must acknowledge him either to have beene a Priest after the order of Melchisedech or after the order of Aaron If you say hee was a Priest after the order of Aaron you plainly contradict this Apostle whom you acknowledge to be the great Teacher of you Gentiles for he saith Chap. 7. v. 14. of this Epistle It is evident that our Lord sprang out of Iudah concerning which Tribe Moses spake nothing concerning the Priesthood And againe Chap. 8. v. 4. hee saith Hee were not a Priest if hee were earth seeing there are Priests which according to the Law offer gifts Now if he could be no Priest were he now on earth then certainly he could be no Priest after the order of Aaron nor did he offer any legall or bloody sacrifice whilst he lived as sometimes he did here on earth 2 Was he then whilst hee lived here on earth a Priest after the order of Melchisedech and by this title authorized to offer sacrifice This I presume you dare not avouch For Melchisedech was a Priest according to endlesse life his Priesthood was an immortall everlasting Priesthood Now although every man be not an high Priest yet every high Priest must be a man and a man taken from amongst ordinary men to offer gifts and sacrifices for sinne The Priesthood is an accident the humanitie or manhood is the subject or substance which supports it Dare you then say that a mortall man whilst he was such could possibly be an everlasting Priest or a Priest according to an endlesse life when he was to dye a miserable and ignominious death the very same day Durum esset hoc affirmare This indeed is a hard saying a point of Doctrine whose intimation did cause the Iews such as were in part our Saviours Disciples or very inclinable to his service to question the truth of his calling and of his sayings Iohn 12. v. 32. c. And I if I were lift up from the earth will draw all men unto me Now this he said saith S. Iohn signifying what death he should dye to wit the death of the Crosse And so his Auditors conceived his meaning and for this reason the people answered him We have heard out of the Law that the Christ abideth for ever and how sayest thou the sonne of man must be lift up Who is that son of man v. 34. This people at that time had a cleare prenotion or received opinion that their promised Messias or the Christ should be a Priest after the order of Melchisedech that is a Priest to endure for ever for the Lord had confirmed thus much by oath Psalme 110. And out of this common prenotion whether first conceived out of that place of David The Lord hath sworne and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech or from some other Scripture the people in the fore-cited place questioned whether it were possible hee should be the Christ seeing by his owne confession he was shortly after to dye the death of the Crosse 3 These objections I confesse could hardly be answered if wee should grant what many moderne Divines out of incogitancy have taught or taken upon trust without further examination to wit that the eternall Sonne of God our Lord and Saviour was an high Priest from eternitie or an high Priest from his birth as man or from his Baptisme when hee was anointed by the holy Ghost unto his Propheticall function or whilst he was upon the Crosse But not granting this as wee have no reason to admit any branch of it the answer to the former objection is clear and easie Betwixt a Priest compleat or actually consecrated and no Priest at all datur medium participationis there is a meane or third estate or condition to wit a Priest in fieri though not in facto or a Priest inter consecrandum that is in the interims of his Consecration before hee be actually and compleatly consecrated Such a man or rather such a Priest was Aaron during the first sixe or seven dayes of his Consecration yet dare no Iew avouch that after the first or second day of his separation from common men he was no more then an ordinary man no Priest at all nor that on the seaventh day he was a Priest actually consecrated but as yet in his Consecration He was not till the eight day qualified to offer up Sacrifices unto God but had peculiar Sacrifices offered for his Consecration by Moses 4 Briefly then the Sacrifice of the Sonne of God upon the Crosse whether we consider it as of fered by himselfe or by his Father as it is sometimes said in Scripture to be offered by both was the absolute accomplishment of all legall Sacrifices or services Aaronicall And yet but an intermediate though an especiall part of his Consecration to the Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech not the ultimum
esse or accomplishment of it It was not terminated till the day of his Resurrection from the dead But of this argument more at large Sect. 5. in the Article of the Resurrection of the Son of God That this eternall Son of God was not actually consecrated or made an high Priest untill his Resurrection from the dead our Apostle in the fift verse of this Chapter before cited to another purpose fully instructs us Christ tooke not to himselfe this honour to be made the high Priest but hee that said unto him Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee put it upon him And this day or this Ego hodiè genuite as this our Apostle elswhere instructs us referres unto the day of his Resurrection or begetting from the dead After which day death hath no more dominion over him but Hee such an absolute power over death and the powers of darknesse that neither can annoy or assault him And from this day and not before doth his endlesse everlasting Priesthood commence And being thus actually consecrated by his Resurrection from the dead that is made both Lord and Christ hee is become the Author of everlasting salvation which was the second Point CHAP. 5. That the Sonne of God by his Consecration being once accomplished became the Author and Fountaine of everlasting salvation to all such and only such as obey him In what sence he is said to have dyed for all men or to be the redeemer of all mankind Hee became Author of Salvation to all that obey him THe signification of the single termes in this proposition is so plaine that it needs no paraphrase or explication and the connexion of them so firme as requires no distinction All the difficultie is about the limitation of the entire proposition it selfe as whether he be the Author or cause of everlasting salvation only to them which obey him or unto all to the end that they may obey him or whether this proposition be equivalent and but equivalent unto this proposition whosoever beleeveth in him shall be saved or a restraint of it Surely if in all these places of the old and new Testament wherein salvation is ascribed to faith or unto faith alone the Apostles or Prophets had substituted obedience instead of faith there could have beene no dangerous misnomure for as the faith is such is the obedience and è contra Both terms equally imply two the same things necessary to salvation First a submission of our wills to Gods will or a readinesse to doe his will revealed Secondly when wee have done as well as wee can to deny our selves and renounce all confidence in our best workes whether of faith or obedience But however the termes be fully equivalent yet the word obedience better befits this place then if he had said He became the Author of everlasting salvation to all that beleeve in him because obedience is the very formall effect of true faith or beliefe as they are set upō this particular truth or mystery here taught by our Apostle the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or impression or the ingrossment of the patterne here commended to our imitation For if we syncerely and stedfastly believe that the Son of God became obedient to his Father even unto the death of the Crosse that for our sakes he was consecrated through grievous afflictions through unknowne paines and terrors to the end he might be our faithful and compassionate high Priest This Doctrine it selfe being laid to our hearts will bring forth the like affection or obedience towards him specially if our faith be seconded by hope of being consecrated through obedience to be Kings and Priests with him unto our God which is the full paraphrase of our everlasting salvation here meant the true expression of that perfection mentioned by our Apostle Heb. 11. v. the last But if the Apostles punctuall meaning be that the Sonne of God is the Author of everlasting salvation only to such as obey him shall we not hence be concluded to grant that hee died only for such as finally shall be saved or that he redeemed none but the Elect because the Author of salvation to none but these Thus many in our dayes and which is more to be lamented some of this Church of England have from the former premisses collected and peremptorily taught that Christ dyed for none but the Elect without vouchsafing any mannerly answer to the Church their Mother who expressely maintaines the contradictony as that he dyed for all men that he redeemed not only every one of us in particular but all mankind Others have been so courteous as to vouchsafe their Mother and Bretheren some distinctions or limitations of that universall assertion as thus That he died for all sufficientèr not efficientèr sufficiently not efficiently for all that he redeemed all mankind with this limitation that is singula generum some o◠all mankind some rich some poore some Iewes some Gentiles The later distinction is very dangerous the former impertinently unnecessary for if by all mankind we once come to understand some of all sorts of men we shall commit no new error but only extend the same if by the whole world which God the Father is said to have created wee understand only some portion of every principall part of this universe as some portion of the heavens some of the starres some part of the earth some of the water some part of theayre some of every sort of vegetable or living things but not absolutely all The other distiction of sufficientèr and efficientèr falls under the common error of most moderne Catechists or Divines which is to take upon them to divide things which in their nature are indivisible as the Will of God the Death of Christ or the Value of his sufferings to leave other termes which import matter divisible undistinguished Such is the terme or word Redemption passively taken not as it is an act of God or as it in his prescience For however the will of God or the value of Christs sufferings be altogether indivisible because absolutely infinite yet of Redemption purchased for us by Christs bloody death and passion there are as you please to call them severall parts or degrees Now that may be absolutely true of some one or more parts of degrees which is not true of all The first degree of our Redemption purchased by Christ was the payment of the ransome for our sinnes unto his Father and our freedome from slavery by his conquest over Satan This part or these degrees of Redemption are alike common to all mankind Christ whether in his death upon the Crosse or in his conflict with the powers of darknesse in the Garden did suffer asmuch for any one as for all God was in him reconciling all men unto himselfe All were set free de iure from Satans servitude The second part or degree of Redemption is our actuall admission into the Catholique Church or which is all one our
full issue or product of all three dimensions we shall be everlastingly blessed in him For the first we may not so much as beg any blessing or good thing at God's hand but for his sake Hence it is that all our prayers are conceived in this forme either expressely or implicitely propter merita Iesu Christi Secondly of those blessings which it pleaseth God to grant for his sake wee may not entreat no not expect their conveyance should be made unto us by any other person or meanes then by him and the vertue of his sufferings And for this reason it is that we usually conclude our prayers Per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum through Iesus Christ our Lord not propter Iesum Christum That is alway expressed or implyed in the body or beginning of the prayer It was the intention of the Ancients to instruct us by those two usuall clauses of our solemn prayers that whatsoever we aske for Christ's sake wee cannot otherwise obtaine then through him And though the Father be the first granter yet the Sonne immediately bestowes all blessings upon us as the places of Scripture late alleaged testify God's blessings descend to us only by him that they may draw us unto him in whom only we are blessed For that everlasting happinesse of the life to come formally consists in our union with him and cannot be manifested or imparted to us but by the participation of his blessed presence 6 Will yee have a more particular map in what manner the blessing of Abraham descends upon us by this our high Priest Then call to mind in what termes Melchisedech blessed Abraham They were these Blessed be Abraham of the most high God Possessor of heaven and earth Melchisedech if the same be Shem had by vertue of his Father Noah's blessings a manifest right unto the land of Canaan and had some part of it in possession and this right and title hee be queaths to Abraham The chiefe matter of his blessing is that Abrahams posteritie should be Kings and Priests in that land And albeit he were a Priest of the most high God yet his Kingdome was of this world and in this world though a type of the heavenly Kingdome But our Saviour's Kingdome was not of this world for since his Resurrection he hath taken possession of heaven as he is man but in the right and title of the eternall Sonne of God God the Father made all things by God the Sonne whom hee hath made Heire of all things as man which were made by him as God not as an heire in his nonage but as joynt Lord with his Father at whose right hand he is placed so that as man he hath more full and more immediate authoritie to dispose of heaven than Melchisedech had to dispose of Canaan for hee bestowed that upon Abraham by way of prayer as became a Priest of the most high God But this our high Priest who is also the most high God shall dispose of heaven to his servants by royall sentence and authoritie as King Then shall the King say unto them that sit on his right hand Venite benedicti patris mei possidete vobis paratum regnum à constitutione mundi Come ye blessed of my Father possesse yee the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world This is the accomplishment of that blessing which Melchisedech bestowed upon Abraham and the second part of his benediction must be the everlasting song of such as are blessed in Abraham's seed Blessed be the most high God who hath delivered our enemies into our hands who hath enabled us to overcome the world the Divell and the flesh And though Christ our high Priest were the Sonne of David and of Abraham as man according to the flesh yet as man hee is the first begotten from the dead and Father of the world to come Melchisedech himselfe in respect of the everlasting blessing is his Sonne and must have his portion in it at the last day For if all Nations if every one of any Nation that is truly blessed be blessed in Abraham's seed Melchisedech himselfe must be blessed in him not only by him And therefore hee is that most high God Possessor of heaven and earth in whose name Melchisedech blessed Abraham 7 But to return to our Apostles next passage He. 7. 11. c. If therefore perfection were by the Leviticall Priesthood for under it the people received the Law what further need was there that another Priest should arise after the order of Melchisedech and not be called after the order of Aaron For the Priesthood being changed there is made of necessitie a change also of the Law The full discussion of this twelfth verse because it containes matter of Controversie amongst us Christians and betweene severall profest members of reformed Churches as whether Christ were a Law giver or wherein the Law which hee gave did differ from or excell the Law of Moses whether Leviticall or Morall must be referred to another Treatise The Law saith our Apostle made no thing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did So our later English reads the Text yet proffers to us another reading in the margine which in mine opinion is more consonant to our Apostle's meaning to wit That the Law was an introduction of a better hope by which we draw neare to God And this drawing neare to God is that perfection which the Law could not effect But the principall point whereon our Apostle pitcheth forevincing the priesthood of Christ to be farre more excellent then the Leviticall Priesthood was was reserved to the last place and pathetically though briefly avouched v. 20. And in asmuch as not without an oath for those Priests to wit after the order of Aaron were made without an oath but this to wit Christ with an oath by him that said unto him The Lord sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech By so much was Iesus made the surety of a better Covenant And they truly were many Priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death But this man because hee continueth for ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood Wherefore hee is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing hee ever liveth to make intercession for them And againe v. 28. For the Law maketh men high Priests which have infirmities but the word of the oath which was since the Law maketh the Sonne who is consecrated for evermore These two last passages require a fuller discussion of a Point often touched upon in some printed Treatises and diverse Sermons A point much neglected by many good Divines and carped at by others through their ignorance in true antiquitie videlicet What the interposition of God's speciall oath doth import more then his largest promises without an oath SECT 3. Of the calling or destination of the Seede of Abraham and Sonne of
God's name for ever And what more could be said in the assertive sence of our high Priest Or what argument can there be drawne from sacred authority that the Priesthood of Aaron should not be that the Priesthood of the sonne of David should be everlasting and unchangeable The only sure ground of this inference is that mentioned by our Apostle because Aaron and his sonnes were made Priests were destinated and authorized to their function without an Oath whereas the sonne of David was destinated and assigned to his Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech by solemne Oath interposed by him that said Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech which words are three or foure times reiterated in this Chapter The contents or importances of the Oath are most divinely expressed by the Apostle from v. 23. to the end of the Chapter And they truly were many Priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death but this man or rather this Priest because he continueth for ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing hee ever liveth to make intercession for them for such an high Priest became us who is holy harmlesse undefiled separate from sinnes and higher then the heavens who needeth not dayly as those high Priests to offer up sacrifice first for his owne sinnes and then for the peoples for this he did once when hee offered up himselfe For the Law maketh men high Priests which have infirmitie but the word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Sonne who is Consecrated for evermore Christ the sonne of David was a mortall man before hee was consecrated to be an immortall Priest for his very death was a part of his Consecration And after the accomplishment of his Consecration the Priesthood of Aaron became void as being never confirmed by Oath For all things not so confirmed are at the best but commensurable to time or succession and time it selfe shall be abolished by oath Rev. 10. 6. Iuravit per viventem tempus non fore amplius That opinion of some heathen Philosophers as of Hierocles concerning the endlesse succession of time or perpetuall continuance of all things according to the course of nature which now they hold is probable did take its originall from a mistake or misapplication of the tradition or prenotion concerning the stabilitie or everlasting condition of things confirmed by Oath He with some others apply this undoubted rule unto things temporall or to this present world which holds true only of the world to come SECT 4. By what Persons and in what manner the Consecration of Iesus Christ the Son of God to his Priesthood was prefigured CHAP. 21. That Iesus or Iehoshua the sonne of Nun Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel and Iesus the sonne of Iehosadeck were speciall Types of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God respectively as he was to be made and now is both King and Prâ—est SOme good Historians have observed that many famous Kingdomes have been ruinated or extinguished under Princes of the same name with those that first did erect or advance them Darius the first King of that name in Persia made his Country famous and the Persians Lords of the best part of the inhabited world Another Darius makes Alexander famous by his mighty overthrow and raiseth up the Monarchy of Macedon by the fall of the Persian Augustus was the second great Caesar and the first perpetuall Roman Emperour and in Augustulus the very â—â—le of Emperour did die not so much as a shadow of the Roman Empire remained after him Constantine the great did first erect the Easterne Empire and founded the City of Constantinople the first of all Emperours that did publikely defend the Christian faith Another Constantine was the last Emperour of Constantinople leaving the Empire to the disposall of the Turke Baldwin Compeere of Godfrey of Bulloigne in the conquest of the Holy land and after his death created King of Ierusalem established this new King dome in peace which hee had wonne by warre Another of the same name and race leaves the Holy land it selfe for a prey unto the superstitious Mahumetan not repossest since his death by any Christian Prince 2 Nor doe humane stories only though many besides these alleadged might be produced afford us instances or observations in this ranke The visible Kingdome or Common-wealth of Israel taking Israel for the whole race of Iacob was first establish't and setled in peace by Hosea the son of Nun whom Moses upon fore-sight of this his good successe in planting the people of God in the land of their promised rest named Iehoshua that is to say a Savior In the dayes of Hosea the son of Elah did Israel as opposed unto the Kingdome of David that is tenne Tribes of twelve utterly cease to be a Nation Both King and people were led captives by Shalmanezar King of Assyria The Kingdome likewise or Common-wealth of Iudah did finally expire and determine under Iesus the sonne of David but altogether through this peoples fault hee never ceast to be a Saviour a greater Saviour of his people then Iesus the sonne of Nun had beene for hee was Salus ipsa Salvation it selfe But his people was become so wicked that salvation it selfe could not save them or preserve their common-wealth from ruine Howbeit to speake the truth this Iesus our Lord and Saviour did rather translate the Kindome of Iudah and David from earth to heaven then suffer it utterly to perish He still remaines a King and of his Kingdome there shall be no end though his Kingdome be not of this world nor over Israel or Iacob according to the flesh yet hee still ruleth in Iacob unto the ends of the world and so shall rule world without end This translation of the Kingdome of Iudah and David from earth to heaven or this new erection of this heavenly Kingdome by Iesus Christ our Savior was prefigured by onother Iesus as lively a Type or shadow of Christ as Iesus the sonne of Nun had been 3 For after Iudah through her riot and intemperancy had procured her bane as her sister Samaria had done and was carried for dead out of the dwellings wherein Iesus the sonne of Nun had first seated her the Lord in his all-foreseeing providence and in signe what was after to be accomplished and fulfilled concerning the Kingdome of David would have another Iesus the sonne of Iehosedeck to let Iudah after her recovery from captivity or civill death on her feet againe So it is specified 2. Esdras 3. Zach. 3. Haggai 2. that at this peoples returne from Babylon into their land Ieshua or Iesus the sonne of Iehosedeck was their high Priest and herein a Type of Christ as hee is our high Priest and Saviour Zerubbabel a Prince of the Tribe of Iudah and one of David's Line under whose conduct this people
accomplish the legall priesthood and sacrifices by his bloody sacrifice upon the Crosse the Iew may object that however his satisfaction might be full for substance yet it failed in congruity of circumstances and in particular for the circumstance of time O pus diei decenter fit in die suo Every worke is then well done then better done then otherwise it could be when it is done in its owne time or proper day If then Christ made full attonement for all our sinnes by his owne sacrifice upon the Crosse this sacrifice had been offered in better season upon the day of attonement which was the tenth day of the seventh month or September then on that day wherein hee offered it which was the fourteenth day of the first month a day as farr different in time from the day of attonement as one festivall day or solemnitie can be from another The answer first in generall is that seeing our high priest was to offer but one bloody sacrifice and that one not oftner then once for as his death so his sacrifice was never to be reiterated it was impossible hee should offer this one sacrifice by which all legall sacrifices and services were to be accomplished upon the same day wherein all the sacrifices which did fore shadow it were offered or performed As impossible it was that this his only sacrifice should be offered at severall times as in severall places Although most in the Romish Church seeme to avouch both parts of this impossibility yet they avouch it with this distinction or limitation that his bloody sacrifice was but once offered and that but in one place at one and the same time But of this if God permit hereafter His bloody sacrifice that Church doth grant was to be offered but once and therefore but upon a speciall day or solemne feast which did fore-shadow it by the proper sacrifice of that day Now not only the annuall but all the dayly sacrifices did fore-shadow this his bloody `` sacrifice once offered for all and all of them were `` accomplished by it Reason from these premisses `` may instruct us how requisite it was that he should offer this sacrifice at that time or upon that day on which the principall sacrifices of the Law which most exquisitely or most lively fore-shadowed it were offered The services or sacrifices of other feasts were to attend or conjoyne themselves to this Now as Ierusalem was the Metropolis of the Iewish Nation the place wherein all the seede of Iacob wheresoever they dwelt were to present themselves and to performe the solemnities and services of their principall feasts so the Passeover was the Metropolis of their solemne feasts all other feasts had speciall reference unto it It did point out the time as Ierusalem did the place wherein all other legal solemnities were to be accomplished Seeing then our high Priest was to accomplish as well the sacrifices of the paâ—chall Lambe as the services of the attonement it was more requisite that the services usuall upon that day of attonement should yeeld unto the feast of the Passeover for circumstance of time then the feast of the Passeover should yeeld unto it specially seeing our high Priest had already punctually accomplished the principall solemnitie used in the feast of attonement in die suo upon the very feast day of attonnement which as is before said was the day of our Saviour's Baptisme the day of his consecration to his prophetical function Albeit divers bloody sacrifices were offered upon the feast of attonement yet the principall and most publike solemnitie was the leading of the scape-goat into the wildernesse Levit. 16. v. 20. 21. And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place and the tabernacle of the congregation and the Alâ—ar hee shall bring the live goat and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat and consesse over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sinnes putting them upon the head of the goat and shall send them away by the hand of a fit man into the wildernesse To accomplish the mystery of this service our Saviour was led by the Spirit into the wildernesse immediately after his Baptisme bearing the iniquity of this people even all the sinnes which had been confessed by Ierusalem and Iudah at Iohn's baptisme And though he himselfe needed not to be washed and baptized as being all cleane yet as heesaith himselfe it became him to be consecrated by baptisme to this service to fulfill all righteousnesse and by fulfilling this part of righteousnesse in bearing the sinnes which this people had confessed into the wildernesse hee made a fuller attonement for Ierusalem Iudah then any high Priest before had made That curse wherewith Malachy had threatned the Lord would smite the earth or land of Iewry was for this time averted by this his bloody service 6 But as our Saviour at the time of his baptisme which was upon the day of attonement had fulfilled the mystery of the scape-goat so hee was to accomplish the mystery fore-shadowed by the bloody sacrifice of the paschall Lambe To this purpose Iohn the Baptist upon his returne from the wildernesse had prophecied behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Iohn 1. 29. Hee had borne the iniquity of Ierusalem and Iudah by his journey unto by his fasting and watching in the wildernesse and from this Iohn fore-saw he was to take away or beare for so the originall may import the iniquites or sinnes of the world He is called by Iohn and others the Lambe of God for his innocent and spotlesse life yet not so much if at all with reference to the Lambes offered in the dayly sacrifices which were altogether without spot or blemish as with reference to the paschal Lambe which was to be the choisest and fayrest of the flock and for this reason God in his wisdome would have him sacrificed at that feast or very time wherein the paschall Lamb was stain id est upon the fourteenth of the first month inter duas vesperas betwixt the two evenings Some think betwixt three of the clock and the day-going or starre-rising Out Saviour died a litle after three and was brought in peace into his grave about the sun-setting and by rest or reposall in it hath hallowed the houses of death as the paschall Lambe did the houses of the Israelites wherein it was slain and purchased our safety from the destroying Angell even whilst our bodies lodge within the land of darknesse or region of death The congruity of time and other circumstances between the sacrifice of the paschall Lambe and the sacrifice of our high Priest are so manifest and so well known as they need no further comment 7 The mystery fore-shadowed by Israel's deliverance out of Egypt which first occasioned the institution of the Passeover was so great that the Lord in memory of it did
the world ever had besides the concurse and confluence of strangers at the time of our Saviour's Passion The manner of whose death and the signes and wonders then exhibited made the heathen Centurion a man altogether ignorant of these sacred mysteries to confesse that this Iesus whom he had seene crucified was the Sonne of God But the time the manner and consequence of his Resurrection most directly proves as well his Priesthood as his calling to it to have been from God both more excellent then Aaron's was 6 Wee see it experienced Numb 16. 17. that notwithstanding the publique solemnitie of Aaron's Consecration by Moses there wanted not such rebellious spirits then as the world is full of now which thought themselves altogether as holy and as â—it to be high Priests as he After the earth had swallowed up the principals in this conspiracy the â—eaâ—â—â—eâ—â—e multitude though â—eâ—â—â—â—ed for a while with the fearefull disaster of their ring-leaders conspire aâ—â—esh against Moses and Aaron and had utterly perished in this rebellion had not Aaron runne into the midst of the congregation which sought his life and stood with his center as with a shield of defence betwixt them and death But seeing neither the fearefull examples shewed upon Coreh Dathan and Abiram nor Aaron's late compassion towards them when wrath was gone out from the Lord against them and the plague was kindled amongst them were able to quell their jealousies or appease their murmurings the Lord lastly made the Rodde of Levy alone inscribed with Aarons name amongst all the roddes of the Tribes of Israel to bring forth branch leafe blossome and fruit in one night and thus beautified with flowre and fruit which were not to fade in so many yeares as they had been houres inspringing to be laid up in the Arke of the testimony to stay the murmurings of the children of Israel and to be as a witnesse against them whensoever they should question Aaron's calling 7 The Tribes of Israel were never so maliciously and stubbornly bent against Moses and Aaron as the Tribe of Levi and Aaron's successors with their complices were against the sonne of David to whom the Lord destinated the Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech by solemn oath Though the earth did quake and the rocks rent in sunder though the graves did open and give up their dead more desirous to swallow up these rebellious miscreants quick then to swallow up Coreh Dathan and Abiram as doubtlesse they had done unlesse this Priest of the most high God had made an Attonement for them saying Father forgive them for they know not what they doe yet their murmurings cease not with his life their malice pursues him into his grave 8 The last and peremptory signe reserved by the wisdome of God either to stay their murmurings or to condemne them with Coreh with Dathan and Abiram unto the everlasting pit was the causing of this Rodde of â—esse this branch of David whom these cruell and mercilesse men had quite stript of flower of leafe of branch bereft of sappe and as it were scorcht and beaked in the fire of affliction to recover sappe and leafe and flower againe to bring forth the fruit which never shall â—â—de now consecrated to be the tree of life to all the Nations enthronized in the heavenly tabernacle and planted at the right hand of God untill his enemies by the rodde of his power be made his footstoole We have seene in part how fitly that testimony of the Psalmist Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee beeing understood of Christ raised from the dead is avouched by our Apostle to prove Christs calling his Consecration and advancement to the Priesthood here mentioned to have been from God and from the event answering to the Psalmist's prophecy and from that other testimony of Psalme 110. often mentioned doth S. Peter cause the murmuring of the people of Israel to cease For from the two premises Act. 2. ver 36. he thus concludes Therefore let all the house of Israell know assuredly that God hath made the same Iesus whom yee have crucified both Lord and Christ that is as much as if he had said both King and Priest by these declarations he gained three thousand soules which otherwise had perished in their murmurings 9 So then the day of his Resurrection is the day wherein the dignity of everlasting Priesthood is actually collated upon him and as he himselfe testifieth All power is given unto mee both in heaven and earth And if all power then as well the power of Priesthood as the power royall And as high Priest he gives Commission to his Disciples to teach and baptize The day of his Ascension or placing at the right hand of God is the day of his solemne enthronization and immediately upon this hee sent forth the Rodde of his strength out of Sion For by this rodde fore-told by the Psalmist Psal 110. we are to understand that power wherewith his Disciples were to be endued from above which they were to expect in Ierusalem at the feast of Pentecost The effusion of the holy spirit and emplanting the Law of the Gospell in their hearts upon that day or the day following wherein the Law of Moses was proclaimed was as a proclamation to all the world that the Priesthood was translated or changed by this manifest translation or change of the Law SICT. 5. Of the Resurraction of the Sonne of God By what Prophets it was fore-told By what Persons or legall Rites it was fore-pictured or fore-shadowed CHAP. 29 In what high esteeme S. Paul did hold the Article of our Saviour's Resurrection and Ascension c. That the want of explicite beliefe to this grand Article of the Resurrection did argue rather a dulnesse or slownesse to believe the Scriptures then any infidelity or incredulity even in such as had seene his miracles and had heard him fore-tell his death and rising againe untill the event did manifest unto them the truth of his former Doctrine and predictions WHen the Doctor of the Gentiles saith He esteemed to know nothing amongst the great Masters of knowledge save Iesus Christ and him crucified this exception no way excludes the knowledge of his Resurrection from the dead or implies that he had not the knowledge of the Article in equall esteeme with the knowledge of his Crosse How highly soever he did esteeme both mysteries it doth not argue that hee did rate the knowledge of his Ascention into heaven his session at the right hand of God or his comming thence to judge the quick and the dead one mite lower The greatest blessing which hee could either praise God for or pray unto him for whether for himselfe or for his beloved Ephesians was the knowledge as he termes it of these grand mysteries Wherefore I also after I had heard of your faith in the Lord Iesus and love unto all the Saints cease not to give thankes for you making mention of you
was to come Yet their bodies were to inherite their Father Adam's curse Dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt returne Subject they were to to corruption altogether incapable of incorruption or immortalitie untill their expected Messias became their first fruits for them Christ saith our Apostle 1. Cor. 15. 20. is risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that sleepe for since by man came death by man came also the Resurrection of the dead So generally true is that of the Apostle that which sanctifieth and that which is sanctified are both of one that is both of one kind Heb. 2. And in this sense that saying of S. Ambrose which some in later ages have much quarrelled is most true When thou hadst overcome the sharpnesse of death thou didst open the Kingdome of heaven to all believers The body of no Saint was capable of entrance into the Kingdome of heaven before this time None could be consecrated unto this service before the Consecration of the high Priest himselfe which was not accomplished till he was begotten from the dead and made the first fruits of them that sleepe 5 Briefly to mould up the scattered or dispersed notions in this and some other former treatises how the fulnesse of all things which were fore-shadowed in the feast of the Passeover with its rites did as our Apostle saith dwel in Christ or how in all things he the preheminence First he is in the literall and most exquisite sense the Israel of God the Son of God which was to passe out of this world unto his Father Secondly hee was the true Paschall Lambe which was slaine for our deliverance from the destroyer and for our safety in this our passage from this world into a better Thirdly he is the reall Moses that must conduct us for he was conductor unto Moses Fourthly he is the first borne of every creature which by his sacrifice did sanctifie all the rest and make them acceptable unto God Fiftly he is the first-borne or first begotten from the dead the first fruits of them that sleepe that is he by whom such as sleepe in death and inhabite darknesse shall be made meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light as well in their bodies as in their soules SECT 6. He Ascended into Heaven CHAP. 35. How the Ascension of the Son of God was presigured by the translation of Enoch and by the taking up of Elias And foretold by the Psalmist Psal 15. and Psal 24. THE Son of God in the day of his sufferings as he was man did ascend in soule into that Paradise into which the soules of Patriarchs of Prophets with the soules of holy and just men that dyed immediately after him or at the same time with him were admitted And on that day at least before the dawning of the next which was the Sabbath he consecrated the celestiall Sanctuary or Paradise with his owne blood But his Ascension into Paradise what part soever of Heaven that were on that day is not the Ascension mentioned in our Creed For when it is said HE ASCENDED into Heaven this must be understood of his Ascention thither in body which was forty dayes after his Resurrection from the dead And into Heaven or that part of Heaven mentioned in our Creede hee did not then ascend only as an high Priest but also as King of Heaven and earth The Day of his Ascension as was mentioned before was the day of his solemne enthronization 2 The manner of his Ascension is punctually related specially by the Evangelist S. Luke in the last Chapter of his Gospell and in the first of the sacred history of the Acts of the Apostles The speciall quaerees concerning his or other Evangelicall or Apostolicall avouchments of his Ascension are but two The first how that which they historically relate or avouch was fore-pictured The second how or by what Prophets fore-told in the sacred Writings of the Old Testament And these two quaeries must be discust not by dichotomy or by way of opposition but either severally or promiscuously as the Texts of the Old Testament shall minister occasion 3 The Ascension of this just and holy one of the great Prophet promised by Moses was first prefigured by the translation of Enoch which was long before the Law was given long before Moses was borne But of Enoch's translation litle can be said upon sure grounds or by just warrant of Scripture Only this we know from authentique testimonies that hee was an holy man and one that pleased God A man both in life and in his translation from this life unto a better who did truly fore-shadow him in whom alone God was and is and ever will be best pleased 4 The manner of Eliah's Ascension or rather of his being taken up from earth into heaven or to a farre better place then earth was more visible and more conspicuous and the time of his taking up more publiquely knowne then the time or manner of Enoch's translation was He was taken or caried up out of Elishah's sight who with many others did expect the time and day of his translation in a fiery Chariot a fit embleme of Eliah's propheticall spirit alwaies burning with zeale towards the service of God even to the destruction of the enemies of it or disturbers of the peace of Israel Our Saviour did rather ascend in a Cloud then was taken up by it albeit taken by it out of their sight which saw him ascend from earth to heaven The cloud it selfe in which he did ascend being an embleme of his sweet and milde spirit of those gracious lips which did alwaies distill words of mercy and love allaying the terrible heat and fervency of Eliah's and other Prophets spirits which had fore-told his first comming into and his going out of this world and his second comming to judge it 5 Two illustrious predictions of his Ascension we have Psal 15. Psal 24. but whether the one or both of these Psalmes which illustrate or confirme the truth of the Evangelicall story be meerly propheticall or typically propheticall or mixt id est thus literally verified in the Psalmists themselves or Pen-men of these hymnes and afterward mystically fulfilled in Christ is more then I dare peremptorily either affirme or deny Most probable it is that the Author of the 15 th Psal which doubtlesse was David himselfe did pen his owne part and exercise his hopes and interest in the future Ascension of his Son and Lord of which he had a present pledge or token by his late restitution into the tabernacle of the Lord from which he had sometimes been excluded not for any crime or demerite nor by any Ecclesiasticall censure of excommunication or suspension but by secular violence of hostile persecution During the time of his exile from the tabernacle hee or the sonnes of Chorah for him uttered those patheticall complaints How amiable are thy tabernacles thou Lord of hosts
which the Seed of David the Son of God was to obtaine over the old Serpent and his seed over death it selfe and all the powers of darknesse The triumph of the one or other David I mean or Barach was but a picture or painted shadow of that triumphant conquest described by our Apostle Colass 2. And you being dead in your sinnes and the uncircumcision of your flesh 〈…〉 he 〈…〉 together with him having forgiven you all 〈…〉 blotting out the hand writing of ordinances that was against us and tooke it out of the way and having spoiled principalicies and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it ver 13. 14. 15. 2. The harmony betweene the literall or historicall sense of David's words though we weigh them only according to Calvin's Comments upon them Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive thou hast received gifts for men and the mysticall interpretations of them given by S. Paul is as sweet as plaine such as need no descant besides the bare proposall of the Psalmist's Text and Apostle's interpretation of it or conlsiderations of the occasions which David had to speake as in the fore-cited place he doth David and Barach with other Conquerors when they led captivity captive gave gifts unto their friends gifts of diverse sorts to severall persons silver and gold of other guerdons to their well-deserving captaines or souldiers rayments of needle-worke unto women of better ranke wiâ—e and cakes or other like junkets to poore women and children Assoone as David had made an end of burnt offerings and peace-offerings hee blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts and hee deaâ—t among all the people even among the whole multitude of Israel as well to the women as 〈…〉 to everâ— one a cake of bread and a good piece of flesh and a flagon of wine so all the people departed every one to his house 2. Sam. 6. ver 28. 29. And this was the time when hee brought the Aâ—ke of God in solemne procession into the hill of Sion But unto every one of us saith the the Apostle in the fore cited place which containes the Evangelicall mystery parallel to this historicall relation is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Wherefore he saith when be ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men Now that he ascended what is it but that he descended first into the lower parts of the earth Hee that descended is the same also that ascended up farre above all heavens that he might fill all things And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery for the edifying of the Body of Christ Till wee all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4. v. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 3 From this improvement of the Psalmist's literall sense and mysticall interpretation of his practice which no good Christian will deny to be authentique as being made by the Apostle the diligent Reader may easily find out the mysticall or propheticall sense of the verses following in the 68. Psal so farre as they concerne the Article of our Saviour's Ascension or the propagation of the Kingdome of God which followed upon it To take the cleareview of the mysticall sense of the verses mentioned the Reader with me must take his rise from the literall sense which is two-fold the one containing an historicall expression of what was to be acted for the present by David and his attendants when he brought the Arke into Mount Sion the other a relation or retro-aspect unto the solemnities used by Barach and his attendants in their triumph over Sisera So it followeth They have seene thy goings O God even the goings of my God my King in the Sanctuary These words are characters or notes of the solemne procession of the Arke for whilst the Arke or Sanctuary did goe or march unto Mount Sion the God and King of Israel did goe with it and in it and in this procession the singers went before the players on instruments followed after amongst them were the Damosels playing with Timbrels v. 25 The solemnity of singing in God's service was more compleat in David's time then it had been in the daies of Moses or of the Iudges yet songs and musick they had then in their solemn processions or gratulations and Damosels playing upon Timbrels as it is evident out of Exodus 15. Iudges 5. and other ancient sacred histories Though such processions at this day such is the alteration of times and seasons would be as unsightly to us moderne Christians whether Protestants or Papists as it would be to an English Protestant to see the consecrated hoast or Body of our Lord whilst caried about in solemn processioÌ„ attended with a maâ—risk-dance or other like gamboles But the burthen of the song used by David was that v. 26. Blesse ye God in the Congregation even the Lord from or ye that are of the fountaine of Israel For not Iudah only but the rest had their portion in the son of Iesse for there is litle Benjamin with their Ruler the Princes of Iudah and their councell the Princes of Zebulun and the Princes of Nepthali ver 27. These Tribes with their governors in all probability did give David best attendance in this great service done to the Arke or rather to the God of Israel that dwelt in it as some of them likewise had been principall assistants unto Barak highly commended for their service by Deborah Out of Ephraim was their a roote of them against Amaleck after thee Beniamin among thy people Iudg. 5. ver 14. After a sharpe taxe of some other Tribes for their great backwardnesse in the service of God she addes Zebulun and Nepthali were a people that ieoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field ver 18. In the first procession of the Arke Numb 10. All the Tribes with their Rulers did attend it so did they not Barak in the battel of the Lord against Iabin and Sisera The excellent services of these Tribes mentioned by David in this pocession with the Arke to Mount Sion did prognosticate or portend that when the true Arke was exhibited that is when the God of their Fathers should come and dwell and walke among them in the midst of them as Moses had promised his chiefe attendants should be these Tribes commended by Deborah and David Christ Iesus himselfe the God of Israel whom David and his Fathers worshipped was of the Tribe of Iudah Paul of the Tribe of Beniamin Peter and Andrew and most of the other Apostles or prime Disciples were of the Tribe of Zebulum and Nepthali and made more then Princes of their families his witnesses