a disobedience is one kinde of transgression yet every transgression may become a disobedience namely if it be committed out of malice and contumacy Received a just recompence of reward Punishment is then a just recompence of reward when it is congruous and sutable to the sin according to the due desert of the sinne But these words of the Author cannot meane that every transgression of the Law without exception had a capitall punishment ordained by Law or was de facto inflicted for every penall Law was not alwayes put in execution And those transgressions which were committed out of ignorance or infirmity had their expiation appointed by Law but disobedients or contempts or as the Scripture termes them sinning presumptuously or with a high hand could not be expiated any other way then by that capitall punishment that by the Law was ordained see Numb 15.27 And seeing it is apparent that the Authour speakes of a matter openly and vulgarly knowne it is not credible that he would be understood of those private and secret judgements or punishments that God himselfe inflicted for such for the most part were concealed and not knowne Wherefore we must needs conceive that this Author takes not the particle every logically and strictly but vulgarly for the most part of transgressions and disobediences and hath speciall respect to the sacred precepts of the Law and to the examples of those persons whose transgressions against those Laws are mentioned and whom the Scripture testifies to have beene severely punished of God according to their demerits For if in some cases the rigour of the Law was mitigated as in the case of David those cases being extraordinary and rare must not take place against the generall rule Although David also had no small punishment from God upon him so that here the Author speakes of divine punishments which God himselfe inflicted for otherwise it would not follow that the Law was made stedfast with God therefore because the Magistrate punished transgressors but because God himselfe did it or tooke order it should be done either by the Magistrate or by others For when he speakes on the opposite part concerning the contemners of the Gospel the punishments are understood to be inflicted by God himself 3. How shall we escape If the transgressions of the Law were deservedly and justly punished by Gods hand much leste shall we escape it If we neglect so great salvation If we neglect the Gospel He might have called the Gospel the word spoken by Christ as before he termed the Law the word spoken by Angels for this had beene enough to inferre his conclusion and also a more eloquent opposition but he calls the Gospel Salvation for three reasons 1. To expresse the effect and fruit of the Gospel which is Salvation for as S. Paul saith of it It is the power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth Rom. 1.16 2. To intimate the dignity and excellency of the Gospel above the Law because the Law contained no open promâ—se of salvation but onely hidden under shadowes of things and coverts of words neither did the Law specifie that condition whereby men might attaine salvation but that onely whereby they incurred condemnation and the punishment of death Hence S. Paul saith The Law worketh wrath Rom. 4.15 and he calls the Law the ministration of death and a killing letter 2 Cor. 3.6,7 So that the Law might be justly called rather the word of death and damnation then of life and salvation 3. To adde force and strength to his argument against the danger of neglecting the Gospel seeing thereby we neglect salvation it selfe to which the Gospel is the meanes And he cals not the Gospel simply salvation but great salvation Salvation may be manifold and various as of our bodies and goods in this life and such a salvation was to Gods people under the Law whereby God saved them from their enemies and thereupon is frequently in Scripture called their Saviour Hence David saith of them They forgat God their Saviour Psal 106.21 See Isai 45.15 and 49.26 and 63.8 But the salvation promised in the Gospel is a great and mighty salvation even the salvation of soules by the inheritance of eternall life Neglect This great salvation in the Gospel is neglected when either we despise the acceptance of it or beleeve not the promises of it or observe not the precepts annexed to the promises but live so as if there were no salvation at all or no promises extant of it or no precepts concerning it or as if none of these were knowne unto us So that the neglect here mentioned meanes not some one small sin of negligence by the single breach of some one precept but includes a contempt and despising of the Gospel for it is opposed to the transgressions and disobediences against the Law that were punished with death as a just recompence of reward at the former verse If therefore they escaped not punishment who transgressed the Law which promised not salvation but onely threatned condemnation how shall we escape if we neglect the Gospel wherein eternall salvation is openly promised and a totall remission of all our sinnes is offered yet onely upon condition that afterward we pollute not our selves with any wickednesse or accustome our selves to any sinne with pardon notwithstanding of our infirmity but live holily in the sight of God as farre as our faith in his promise and our hope of salvation may support us If I say we neglect or despise these things so worthy of all reverence and acceptance what greater ingratitude can we possibly shew to God whose grace the greater it is towards us the greater is our sin to despise it and to despise the greatest grace must needs make up the greatest sin Which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord The Lord Christ was not the first Author of the Gospel as the Angels were not of the Law but God was the prime and first Author both of the Law and the Gospel But as the Angels were the first publishers and proclaimers of the Law upon Mount Sinai by commission received from God So Christ was the first publisher and preacher of the Gospel upon earth by a like Commission from his Father So the Gospel was preached by him who is Lord over the Angels and whom they reverence and adore as their Lord. But because this Gospel of salvation was preached by others also therefore to shew the difference in the order of time betweene him and others it is said of him that he preached it first and after him others preached it that were instructed in it by him And in this preaching first begun by Christ is included all whatsoever that he either taught or did or suffered to gaine beliefe to his preaching that he might first also confirme it by himself as afterward it was confirmed by others And lest any man might say that all men did not heare the preaching of Christ himselfe therefore
Jesus of Nazareth was Christ And Christ though he was conceived by the holy Ghost without the act of any man yet is said to spring from Abraham from Judah and from David because he was borne of Mary the wife of Joseph who was of the posterity of David of Judah and of Abraham For any son that is borne of a mans wife which is accounted her husbands body though it be not begotten by the husband so it be not begotten by any other man is his son who is husband to the woman For God hath free liberty to give a man a son any way whether naturally by the husband or supernaturally without the husband For by the Law of God it was ordained of old that when the husband died without issue his brother if he have any should marry the widow and as soone as he had any childe by her it should be called the seed of her husband that was deceased With how much more reason may Christ justly be called the son of Joseph and therefore of David Judah or Abraham because though he were not begotten by Joseph himselfe yet he was begotten in his life time not by the act of any other man supplying the part of Joseph but by the worke and power of the holy Ghost and by him begotten upon Mary the espoused wife of Joseph The points by some disputed on this place whether Christ by his mothers side were not of the Tribe of Levi are doubtfull in themselves and impertinent to the matter For among the Jews no man was referred to any Tribe but by his father Hence in all the genealogies or pedigrees mentioned in Scripture men onely are named but the genealogies of women are never described or no otherwise but by the men as the genealogie of Iudith chap. 8. But if in any genealogie a woman be mentioned her parents are not inserted as Matth. 1. Boos begat Obed of Ruth Judas begat Pharez of Thamar David begate Solomon of her that had been the wife of Vrias The reason is because it mattered not for the tribe or pedigree of what woman the childe were borne whether of one or other For the father alwayes gave the tribe and family to the childe Wherefore the genealogie of Christ whether by Matthew or Luke is not framed from the ancestors of Mary but of Joseph 15. And it is yet more evident for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another Priest By another argument taken from the nature of the Priesthood he shews that by the rising of another Priest after the order of Melchisedec the Law is abrogated q. d. If it be evident as it is that upon the translation of the Priesthood to another tribe or family contrary to the precept of the Law the Law it selfe is thereby abrogated much more is the abrogation of it evident upon the rising of another Priest after the order of Melchisedec If the Priesthood had been onely translated to another tribe or family and remained in the former qualitie of it without any other alteration certainly lesse violence had been done to the Law but seeing the Priesthood is translated into another family and tribe upon which the Law no way setled it and also altered into a new kinde of Priesthood much more is it evident that by this translation and alteration of the Priesthood the Law it selfe is changed and abrogated After the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another Priest Another Priest notlike Aaron to be either of his family or of his continuance but like Melchisedec to continue a Priest for ever 16. Who is made not after the Law of a carnall commandment but after the power of an endlesse life The Priest after the similitude or likenesse of Melchisedec is not like the Priests after Aarons order who are made after the Law of a carnall commandment neither is hee a temporary Priest to live for a time onely as they did but an eternall Priest for ever After the Law of a carnall commandment By Law of commandment he meanes those particular precepts in the Law for the election and ordination of the Priest which are called carnall because they had respect onely to the flesh and considered onely the linage birth and death of the Priest binding the Priesthood to a certain tribe namely of Levi and to a certain family in that tribe namely of Aaron and providing for the mortalitie of the Priest by determining the rights of succession all which considerations are carnall respecting onely the flesh For the Law commanded that upon the death of one Priest another should succeed him to the end that though the Priests dyed yet the Priesthood might not die According to this carnall commandment or Lawes respecting the flesh that Priest was not to bee ordained who was to be made after the order of Melchisedec For hee had neither predecessour nor successour neither came hee from the family of Aaron The particle after doth here note the manner of the Priesthood for the constitution of it as applyed to some certaine rule or Law for though the word sometime signifie otherwise yet this is the most usuall sence of it So that here is proposed unto us the qualitie of that Priest who is after the likenesse of Melchisedec and a qualitie contrary to the qualitie of the Priests after Aarons order because as we have often noted every Aaronicall Priest was but temporary onely for a time but the Priest after Melchisedecs order is perpetuall and eternall for ever The words following do enforce this sence especially if wee regard the proofe contained in the verse following But after the power of an endlesse life The Priest after Melchisedees order is such a one as hath the power of perpetuitie such as an endlesse life requires to be Hee is not a carnall mortall and frail Priest that after a little time should need a successour but a most potent Priest that hath an absolute power an eternall Priest that hath an endlesse life For to this sence that which followes doth excellently agree 17. For hee testifieth Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec q.d. Therefore I say that the Priest after the order of Melchisedec is an eternall Priest because God openly testifies it when hee saith Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec 18. For there is verily a disanulling of the commandement going before He had said before that if the Priesthood were changed then the Law also must be changed and hitherto he hath proved that consequence Now he shewes the reason why the Law must be antiquated changed or abrogated For hee seemes to looke backward to the principall purpose and the scope of the former words partly expressed verse 12. and in a manner repeated verse 15. and so againe verse 16. where hee saith that Christ is not made a Priest according to the Law of a carnall commandment In which words he shewed that the commandment of the Law for ordaining of the
because the Law made men high Priests which have infirmity i. such as can never depose their infirmity which alwayes held them in this condition that after expiation for their sinnes and errors they againe fell into the like sinnes and errors which required againe another expiation But the word of the oath which was since the Law The word containing the oath whereof he spake before vers 20. That oath whereby Christ was ordained Priest was since the Law and therefore the Priesthood of Christ is no way depending or established by the Law For here the word of the oath made since the Law is opposed to the Law Maketh the sonne who is consecrated for evermore Maketh the sonne Priest The sonne is here put eminently for the Sonne of God and opposed to common men who have infirmities as those men had whom the Law made Priests so in many places of Scripture Christ is opposed to the rest of men See Gal. 1.1 and Ephes 2.7 Consecrated for evermore Christ is expiated for evermore not in respect of the time past as of old under the Law under which the Priests by reason of their infirmities were forced to renue their expiation every year But Christ by his one single expiation upon the crosse was freed from all further sufferings and paines for evermore so that hee hath no further need to expiate or offer for them any more for ever And hence againe it appears that Christ was not fully perfectly our high Priest before he was consecrated expiated and perfected for evermore That is before he became immortall The Contents of this seventh Chapter are 1. Melchisedec was a Priest v. 1. Reason 1. Because he blessed men sacerdotally for so he blessed Abraham v. 1. 2. Because he received tithes for Abraham gave him a tenth v. 2. 2. Melchisedec was a singular Priest v. 3. Reason 1. Because there were no more Priests of his order for he was without father or mother without predecessour or successour v. 2. 2. Because he was a perpetuall Priest for he had neither beginning of dayes nor end of life but remained a Priest continually v. eod 3. Melchisedec was greater then Abraham v. 1. Reason 1. Because he blessed Abraham sacerdotally v. eod 2. Because he received tithes from Abraham v. 2. 3. Because he was in a manner an eternall person that had no parentage neither beginning of dayes nor end of life 4. Melchisedec was greater then the Leviticall Priests v. 5. Reason 1. Because he blessed them in Abraham who had the promises of them that they should be his seed v. 6. 2. Because he tithed them in tithing Abraham for they were then in the loynes of Abraham v. 5. 9. 10. 3. Because he was a singular and an eternall Priest but they were many and mortall for they dyed and succeeded one another v. 8. 5. Christ is not a Priest after the order of Aaron v. 11. Reason 1. Because Christ sprang not from the tribe of Levi as Aaron did but from Juda another tribe v. 13. 14. 2. Because Christ was not ordained by vertue of any carnall law that respected his birth and parentage as Aaron and his successours were v. 16. 3. Because Christ was made with an oath to make his Priesthood immutable and irrevocable but they without an oath v. 20. 21. 4. Because Christ was a singular and eternall Priest whose Priesthood is unchangeable but they were many and mortall and their Priesthood transitory changing upon death from one person to another v. 23 24. 5. Because Christ is in a divine and blessed state for he is inviolable unharmable undefileable seperate from sinners and seated in heaven They had not the substance of this state but only some shadow of it v. 26. 6. Because Christ needed but one offering for himselfe whereby to expiate and put off his infirmities for ever they needed yearly a new expiation for their infirmities v. 27 28. 6. Christ is a Priest after the order of Melchisedec chap. 6. v. ult Reason 1. Because Christ is a Royall Priest both a King and a Priest as Melchisedec was v. 1. 2. Because Christ is a singular Priest having no other Priest after his order but himselfe for he was without predecessour and successour as Melchisedec was v. 3. 3. Because Christ is an eternall Priest who liveth for ever as Melchisedec is said to have done 7. The Leviticall Priesthood is expired v. 11. Reason 1. Because Christ another Priest is raised up who is not after Aarons order v. eod 2. Because the Priesthood is translated from the tribe of Levi upon whom the Law had setled it v. 13 14. 3. Because that Priesthood was ruled by a carnall law with respect to the birth life and death of the Priest v. 16. 4. Because it made no perfect expiation for sinnes for thereto it was weake and unprofitable v. 18 19. 8. The Leviticall Law is expired v. 12. Reason 1. Because that Priesthood is abrogate and changed v. eod 2. Because the commandements and precepts of it were carnall touching the line the birth and death of Priests touching washings of the flesh of men and sacrificing the flesh of beasts v. 16. 3. Because it made no perfect expiation for sin but to that effect was weake and unprofitable CHAPTER VIII 1. Now of the things which we have spoken this is the summe Wee have such an high Priest Hee had before spoken many things concerning Christ our high Priest both for his quality what manner of person hee is and for his dignity how farre hee exceedeth the legall Priests Now being partly to adde something further and partly to repeat something formerly spoken he calles this repetition the summe of what hee had spoken Now the summe may signifie either the breviat of what hee had spoken or else the maine head and principall point which last sense is most agreeable to this place q.d. Of all those things which have been or may bee spoken concerning Christ our high Priest the main head or principall point is this That we have such an high Priest who is set on the right hand c. Who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens Of these words we treated chap. 1.3 And by them is signified unto us so great a dignity and Majesty in Christ our high Priest that there was scarce extant any shadow of it in the ancient legall Priests seeing none of them did ever sit at the right hand of that throne which was placed in the oracle of the Sanctuary namely of the Mercy-seat or covering of the Arke which was all over shadowed by the wings of the Cherubines and called the Throne of God whereupon God was said to sit between the Cherubines But all those legall high Priests when they entred into the oracle or most holy place of the Sanctuary were forced to stand before the Arke and so before the Mercy-seat upon it But Christ is so great an high Priest that he sits on