diverse qualitie of both Priest-hoods The Priest-hood which is everlasting and abideth for ever is more excellent than that which is momentany and continueth but for a time Christs Priest-hood is eternall the Leviticall Priest-hood lasted but for a time ergo This Argument hath two branches the comparison betweene them 23.24 and an effect 25. the comparison is in the number and continuance That the Priest-hood of the Levites was temporarie is evinced by the relatives If the Priests continued but a time then the Priest-hood but they continued but for a time which is illustrated by the number of them and the reason of the number And they verily being many were made Priests And why were they many because they were forbidden by death to endure Death would not suffer them to continue long therefore it was necessary that there should bee many of them one to supply the roome of the other There were not onely many inferiour Priests but many high Priests not at one and the same time but successively After Aaron came Eleazar after him Phinees c. for the same cause there be many Kings one King succeedeth another because death will not suffer them to live death forbids them to abide He brings an inhibition against their continuance I command thee here to stay and to goe no further and all Kings Priests Lawyers Physitians must obey him A paucity is a greater argument of perfection then a multitude The kingdome is better governed that hath one King then that which hath many that house is better ruled that hath one Master then many the world is better with one Sun then if there were many the Phaenix is the most famous of all birds because there is but one of them at a time God being but one is farre more glorious then man being many So is it betweene the Priests of the Law and CHRIST they were many but CHRIST is but one which remaineth alwayes therefore his Priest-hood is more excellent than theirs But why were they many because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death As it is here said of the Levites So it may be said of us all A man walking in London streets or in a corporation is on the suddaine arrested by a Sergeant and commanded to stay so as wee are walking in our race in the world comes death as the LORDS Sergeant and bids us stay here yeeld up thy life I will not suffer thee to tarry any longer Adam was the ancientest man that ever was the first that breathed on the earth yet hee was not suffered to endure by reason of death Methusalem was the longest liv'd man that ever was he lived almost a thousand yeeres yet dyed Sampson a mighty strong man with the jaw-bone of an Asse he slew a thousand Philistims he carryed away the great Gates of the Citty on his Shoulders yet he was arrested by death Saul a goodly tall man higher than any of the people Absalom a faire beautifull man not a blemish in him from the Crowne of his head to the soale of his foote Salomon the wisest man that ever was Saint Paul a learned man he spake with tongues more than they all a profound divine taken up into the third heaven a painfull and powerfull Preacher he converted a great part of the world to Christ yet they were not suffered to continue by reason of death This is the condition of us all high and low rich and poore learned and unlearned none of us all can bee suffered to endure long by reason of death Death is a cooling Card in all our mirth and jollity that comes at length with his Axe and cuts all downe Kings are not suffered to endure by reason of death there is a succession of Kings as well as of other men Dukes Earles Lords Knights Gentlemen are not suffered rich Merchants Lawyers Divines Physitians are not suffered to continue by reason of death The Physition that hath saved the life of many in the end surrenders his life into Deaths hands none of us can endure here long by reason of death The Priests of the Law dyed and the Ministers of the Gospell must dye none but CHRIST endures for ever therefore seeing Death will not suffer us long to tarry here let us so live the little and uncertaine time wee have in this world that wee may live eternally with Christ our everlasting Priest and Saviour in the world to come VERSE 24. HEre in the Priest-hood of Christ there is but one Priest and why because hee is not mortall and taken away by Death as they were but immortall and endureth for ever Indeed in respect of his humanity he dyed but hee continued not long in that death not past three dayes and three nights After he rose againe sitteth now at the right hand of God and lives for ever whole Christ both God and man Rom. 6.9 whereas the Priests in the Law shall not live againe for ever in their bodies till the day of judgement And our Saviour Christ in respect of his deity endureth for ever continually and therefore hee hath an everlasting Priest-hood intransibile which passeth not by succession from one to another as the Leviticall Priest-hood did but continueth for ever in the person of one man Chrysost. expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee hath not a succeeding Priest-hood In the time of the Law there were many sacrificing Priests but now in the time of the Gospell there is but one sacrificing Priest and that is our SAVIOUR CHRIST which offered one sacrifice once for the sinnes of the world This cutâ—eth off the whole rabble of the massemonging Priests Indeed spiritually wee are all Priests Apoc. 1.6 to offer spirituall sacrifices to God but there is no Priest to offer an externall sacrifice for sin but Christ. The Iesuites chafe at us for this collection yet it is firme VERSE 25. THe eternity of Christs Priest-hood is illustrated by an effect that ensueth thereupon As he is willing so he is able Also which necessarily is inferred on the other To save all that belong to him Thence hee hath his name Iesus because he saveth Matth. 1.21 This is amplified 1. By the manner how he saveth us 2. By the description of them whom he saveth 3. By the cause why he is able to doe it For the manner wholly omnino leaving no part of our salvation to be accomplished by others Acts 4. Verse 12. he needs not the helpe of the Virgin Mary of Thomas c. he can save us wholy of himselfe They that are saved are such as come to God by him not by the Virgin by any Saints or Angell in heaven The reason why because he ever liveth to make intercession for us he discharges the office of a Priest for us still in heaven Romans 8.26 it is said that the Holy Ghost maketh intercession for us yet the HOLY GHOST is not our Mediatour hee doth not in our nature pray for us as Christ doth but
have done pares in peccato shall be pares in supplicio Why should God spare us more than them We are his people So they We sit in the lap of the Church So they We have the preaching of the Gospell So they Verse 2. We the Sacraments So they They were baptized in the red Sea they eate of the same spirituall meat and they did all drinke the same spirituall drinke 1 Cor. 10.34 Therefore if we be guiltie of the like sinne we must looke for the like punishment The ancient Israelites went very farre towards the land of Canaan In many things obedient to the voice of God they journyed and stayed at his appointment they had sent spies that viewed the Country No doubt many of them were in fight of it they were on the borders setting a foot on it yet because they were incredulous stubborne rebellious and disobedient to God they were destroyed in the wildernesse and so came short of that rest both of the land of Canaan the figure of this rest and some of them it is to bee feared of heaven too prefigured by it they came saies Saint Chrys. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us therefore take heede it be not so with us Would it not grieve you that bee Merchants to see a ship fraught with rich merchandise miscarry in the haven Alasse hath it passed the raging waves blustering windes terrible tempests so many miles on the Sea and is it cast away in the haven what a pittifull thing is this So wee may begin well goe out of Sodome with Lots wife follow God a great while as they did in the wildernesse some tenne twentie thirtie or fortie yeeres yet be banished out of the kingdome of heaven Therefore let us not flatter our selves in our faire beginnings but let us runne the wayes of Gods Commandements to the end forget the things that are behind but presse on to the marke that is before though as old disciples as Mnason yet let us study this to our dying day how to enter into this rest It is something to beginne well to goe towards heaven but that is not all Lots wife went out of Sodome Demas once embraced Christ. If thou goest to London you will not stay at Romford but goe till thou comest to that famous city Therefore let us all look to our selves as we have begunne so let us proceede and never cease to our dying day I forget the things that are behinde and follow hard to the marke Let us not stand bragging what wee have beene what we have done how many miles we have gone towards heaven but let us runne the wayes of GODS Commandements to the end as David Those that are travellours are subject to falling you are travelling to the heavenly Ierusalem therfore be not secure but take paines in the rowing of the ship of your soules to the haven of eternall rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the same example Vivitur legibus non exemplis all examples are not to bee followed Phil. 3.17 There be exempla imitabilia declinabilia If any good examples be set before your eyes follow them The faith of Abraham the uprightnesse of Noah the sincerity of David the patience of Iob the constancy of Paul the humility of the blessed Virgin Mary c. But if bad examples follow not them follow not Noah in his drunkennesse David in his adulterie and murder Peter in his denyall nor the Israelites in their obstinacie and disobedience to GOD in the Wildernesse for the which they were excluded out of the land of rest Away with those naughty examples of Lots Wife Absalom Iesabel Ananias and Saphira c. Come out sayes God of Babylon Let us not follow the wicked in their wickednesse least wee follow them to hell Let us believe God and his Word let us walke in an holy obedience to all his Commandements then believing in Christ and bringing forth the fruits of a true and lively faith when the reprobate shall bee in hell with the rich glutton wishing for a drop of water to coole their tongues we shall bee in Abrahams bosome and rest from all sorrow for evermore VERSE 12. THe second reason to excite us to this study is taken from the power and Majesty of the Word that commandeth this lesson to bee studied As it was to bee to the ancient Israelites So is it to us God often mooved them by Moses Iosua and Caleb and others to march on valiantly in the wildernesse as sure as God is in heaven yee shall have the promised land but they contemned this Word Num. 14. Therefore they were destroyed So will GOD deale with us for his Word is as mighty now as ever it was This is that study which God in his Word injoyned to you and hath often excited you thereunto beware how yee contemne this Word It is no dallying with edge tooles this sword of the Spirit is sharper than any two edged sword and will either open the soares of your soules that they may bee healed or it will wound you to death everlasting therefore despise it not but as God commanded you in his Word so study to enter into his rest 1. The nature of the Word is set downe then illustrated and confirmed For the nature it hath two qualities Many things are lively that are not mighty There is life in a little child but no great might in him the Word is not so As it is lively so it is mighty The Word of God is not a dead Word it hath life in it There is some wine and drink that is dead we can feele no life in it as it goes down our stomack the Word of God is lively Aqua-vita and no auditour but shall feele it to bee lively in him either to salvation or destruction They are called lively Oracles by St. Stephen Act. 7.38 There is life in it it begets us to a Spirituall life in this world and to an eternall in the world to come It is also a mighty or powerfull Word Ierome translates it evidens as if he read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mighty There are sundry potions that bee mighty in operation purge mightily and cary away a great deale of corruption out of the body but none so as the word of God it purgeth us from Idolatry ignorance superstition prophanenesse from swearing cursing and banning from drunkennesse fornication and adultery c. It is a mighty purger and sweepes a great deale of filthinesse out of the soule and if it purge thee not it will kill thee as a medicine if not worke upwards or downewards it will kill the man so the Word will mightily clense thee or mightily confound thee These qualities are confirmed 1. Comparatively then simply by the effects thereof Now he setteth forth the power of it comparatively It is sharper Of a more cutting nature not then a blunt sword but a
forsake mee the Lord will take me up sayes the Psalmist Even then at the houre of death hee will command his Angels to take our soules and carry them up into Abrahams bosome there to praise him for ever world without end CHAP. 5. IN the latter end of the former Chapter was contained a transition to the Priest-Hood of CHRIST now he enters into the discourse of it wherein he is very ample because many excellent points of celestiall doctrine be comprized in it 1. A proposition concerning the Priest-hood from the first Verse to the eleaventh evinced by a comparison betweene the High Priest and him 2. A large explication of it wherein 1. An entrance to the explication by a new exordium preparing them to it Verse 11. to the end of the sixth Chapter 2. The explication it selfe Chap. 7.8 and 9. The proposition concerning the Priest hood is set downe 1. Generally by an enumeration of the qualities required in a Priest in the foure former Verses 2. An Application of them to Christ from the fifth Verse to the eleavenâ—h In the setting downe of the proposition in generall these circumstances are unfolded to us 1. His affinitie with the people 2. The end why the Priest is ordained 3. The object whereabout he is occupied 4. One principall poâ—nt wherein it doth chiefly consist 5. The manner how he executes his office with a fellow feeling of the infirmities of his brethren ratified by the cause having himselfe an experience of the same infirmities Which is confirmed by an effect whereunto he is bound 6. His calling to his office illustrated by an example In the Application of it 1. He shewes that Christ hath a lawfull calling to his office as the Priests had which is confirmed by two divine testimonies 2. That hee is faithfull in the execution of his office 1. In respect of the things he was to doe with God 2. In regard of that which hee did for us which he concludeth with the repetition of the calling the foundation of all Before he comes to the explication of the proposition he prepares them to it by a new preface shewing the difficultie of the matter and the dulnesse of the hearers Which he prooveth by the effects they that have beene a long time at Schoole and have profited little are dull hearers but you have beene a long time at Schoole and profited little Ergo you are dull hearers For wee have neede to teach you your A. B. C. againe which he illustrateth by a similitude first set downe Then unfolded with both the branches belonging to it The conjunction For is not alwayes copulativa but sometimes inchoativa set for a grace and ornament in the beginning of a sentence yet it may have this coherence with the former having a great and a loving High Priest let us goe with boldnesse to the throne of Grace for this our high Priest hath all things that appertaine to an High Priest as shall appeare by the particulars Not one or two but all every one not one exempted Aaron Eleazar Iehojadah Iehosuah yea Melchizedec himselfe though his father and mother are not expressed in Scripture yet hee was taken from among men So was our SAVIOUR himselfe being made of a Woman and found in the true shape and similitude of a man Not only every inferiour Priest but every High Priest the Highest of all was taken from among men God taketh him by the hand separateth him from among his brethren and setteth him in a chaire of dignity above them all Hee was not taken ex volatilibus that he might not mount up above others not ex reptilibus because he should not be too much glewed to the earth not ex piscibus then in another element not ex angelis then he could not converse familiarly with his brethren nor have compassion on their infirmities but the High Priest was taken from among men he is a man as others be When God had brought all Creatures before man he found not an helpe meete for him So God thought it not meete to make an High Priest for men but among men All Ministers and Preachers are taken from among men it did not seeme good to the wisedome of GOD to call Angels to this office The Angell appeared to Philip and sent him to instruct the Eunuch but the Angell did not teach him himselfe It was not an Angell that preached CHRIST to Cornelius but Saint Peter that was a man as hee himselfe was As CHRIST tooke not on him the nature of Angels but the seede of Abraham So GOD hath not appointed Angels Preachers but men wee have this treasure in earthen vessels The Preachers that bring the pearle of the word are vessels of earth as you your selves be And take heede that yee doe not contemne them GOD hath honoured them with an high and magnificent office therefore doe not you dishonour them A number thinke basely of the Ministers because they be but men as they are A father is but a man yet the child honours him yea though he be a man growen himselfe as Salomon did Bathshebah A Master is but a man yet the servant though elder and stronger then he reverences him The Maior and Bayliffes of a Towne are but men yet the whole corporation yeelds honour to them Iustices of Peace are but men yet feared in regard of their places A King is but a man taken from among men and dyes as other men yet wee doe not despise him because he is a man So though the Preacher be a man as others be it may be a weake and poorer man yet in regard of that office wherunto God hath exalted him to be his Ambassadour and steward to be his arme to pull you up to the kingdome of heaven hee is to bee reverenced by you all God hath taken us from among men to carry men into his owne kingdome therefore love and honour us To what use For the salvation of men God by a man will save men not for himselfe alone but for other men he is not ordained for beasts for the building of houses the tilling of ground the making of Cloath but to build up men to life everlasting to breake up the fallow hearts of men and to sow the immortall seed of the word in them Not ordained for Angels but for men the good Angels need him not the bad Angels shall have no benefite by him He is ordained for the saving of men not of Angels not for rich men alone but also for poore not onely to tell meane men of their duties but great men too whatsoever their authoritie bee in the world So is the Magistrate ordained of God Rom. 13.4 therefore the distinction followeth in things that are to bee done with God the one in temporalibus the other in spiritualibus the one is occupied about the goods names and bodies of men the other about the soules of men Hebr. 13.17 The Ministers office is to preach the Word to teach the
Gospell of Christ are now changed they now receive Mahomet for their God and Saviour England which was once rude and barbarous is now become civill and religious The time was when Church-men were the greatest men in this kingdome now the Lawyers carry all away but that naile of the Cart wheele which is now aloft may hereafter be in the dirt Daily experience teacheth us what changes there be in townes and citties A towne that had many wise and grave governours in it hath now scarce any that will looke to the government of the towne A towne which a whyle agoe was wealthy a great number of rich men in it in the turning of an hand becomes poore and beggarlie Men themselves change sometimes they love sometimes hate sometimes they are whole sometimes sicke one while in their thousands as Iob was shortly after scant worth a Groat Here is nothing but changing The Leviticall Priest-hood was changed and there shall be a change of the Ministery of the Gospell too the time shall come when as there shall be no Churches to goe to no Scriptures to read over no Ministers to preach to us and shew us the way to heaven for when wee be in the celestiall Ierusalem what need shal we have of the Ships and Charrets that carry us thither when we be in heaven we shall not need the ladder of the Ministery to climbe up into heaven Nay there shall be a change of the world it selfe the earth whereon wee tread shall bee changed this earth shall be burnt with all the workes thereof the Sunne the Moone the Starres the goodly firmament over our heads shall be changed they all waxe old as doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou change them yet here is nothing but labouring for these changeable things these reeds feathers weather-cockes these fading flowers are the chiefest things wee seeke after there is moyling and toyling for these men are at daggers drawing for them all our striving and contending is about them as for the favour of God in CHRIST the blessed hope of our election and salvation in the kingdome of heaven few strive for them Peradventure wee wish to bee in heaven as Balaam did but we strive not for it as we ought to doe all that we hunt after is silver and gold houses and lands the trash of this transitory world but we seeke not for that which is unchangeable and lasteth for ever In other things wee cannot away with change we would not willingly take a piece of Cloth which wee know will change the colour We all know that this miserable world will change colour the glory thereof will fade away yet we are most greedy of it Who will buy an house that hee knowes will change and that speedily that stands to day and is ready to fall to morrow Such an house is this world yet there is nothing but beating our braines about it all things in this world are changeable therefore let us love them and use them as if we loved and used them not Let us especially long after that change when Christ shall change our vile bodies and make them like his glorious body where wee shall remaine with him without change for ever and ever VERSE 13. THe law being taken away with the Priest-hood hee comes againe to proove the change of the Priest-hood à pari The Tribe is changed therefore the Priest-hood The Leviticall Priests were all of the Tribe of Levi this is not of that Tribe but of another To whom these things are referred as to their scope and marke Spoken in the Psalme that is the promised Messias for the Iewes themselves confesse that the Psalmist speakes this of him Matth. 22. ver 46. Is partaker of another Tribe As the Levites did None of that Tribe did therefore he could not Did so much as draw neere to the Altar gave themselves to the Altar medled with the Altar Temple or Ceremonies All the Priests in the time of the law were of the Tribe of Levi Our Saviour Christ is a Priest as the Scripture testifieth of him thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedec yet he is not of the Tribe of Levi therefore that Priest-hood is abolished and Christ's Priest-hood is to continue another Priest is risen up that is not of the order of Aaron Christ pertaineth to another tribe whereof none served at the Altar The Altar being a principall part of the Leviticall service is put for the whole All the lawfull Ministers of the Old Testament were of the Tribe of Levi this is an axiome in this place Sundry of the Pharises which were interpreters of the Law were not of the Tribe of Levi. Saint Paul was a Pharisee yet of the tribe of Benjamin notwithstanding our Saviour wills the people to heare them therefore though Ministers are not such sometime as were to be wished yet so long as they preach sound doctrine they are to be heard that by the way What though he appertaine to another Tribe yet he may be a Priest after the order of Aaron nay for none of this tribe served at the Altar Every one in the Common-wealth of Israel might not bee a Priest though the Messiah came of the Tribe of Iudah yet none of that Tribe might serve at the Altar In an armie every one must keepe his station the common Souldier must not bee a Captaine unlesse he be called thereunto a Bow-man must not be a Bill-man unles he be appointed thereunto So is it in a well ordered estate every man must not presume to expound Scripture to Minister the Sacraments to bee a Preacher unlesse hee bee called as Aaron was Vzzah put his hand to the Arke when it was in danger of falling but hee was stricken with sudden death Vzziah being a King presumed to offer incense but he was a Leaper for it all the dayes of his life Then what malepart boldnesse is it for a private man to step up into the Pulpit and to take upon him without warrant to be as GOD's mouth to the people Yet some in a jolly humour have done it whom God hath punished one way or other None of the Tribe of Iudah served at the Altar Let every man abide in that calling wherein God hath set him Let us serve in those places which GOD in wisedome hath allotted to us But though they served not at the Altar yet they served in other functions none of what Tribe so ever of what condition soever must bee idle wee must all serve God in some place or other Some serve as Kings it is a service to be a King The Philosopher calls a King Servum publicum and the Lord himselfe calls David his servant when hee was a King Nebuchadnezar that mightie Monarch was Gods servant Some serve as Counsellours to the King for the good of the common-wealth some serve as Iudges some as Lawyers some as Merchants Clothiers Weavers Husbandmen c. We must all serve