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
These words are correspondent and respective to the sixth verse of this chapter For to be the houses of God and Christ what is it else then to be partaker of Christ This at least every man may easily perceive that these two are so connexed that they cannot be severed one from another And in like manner to hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end is the same if we respect the Authors minde with To hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firme unto the end The originall for confidence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies subsistence and our spirituall subsistence stands in this that we beleeve in Christ and obey his precepts For as long as wee continue in the state of faith and obedience unto Christ so long we have our spirituall subsistence Yet it is well translated confidence figuratively from the effect of it because confidence is a subsistence of things not subsisting for it doth as it were represent unto our view or set before our eyes a thing not yet seen or not yet existing by making us as certaine of it as if we saw it before our eyes or did already really enjoy it Hence afterward the Author notifies confidence or faith to be the substance or subsistence of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 15. While it is sayd to day By these words cited out of the Psalm hee would shew that the matter is so as he said in the former verses namely that they who persist in the faith to the end they only are partakers of Christ and his happinesse but they who depart from the faith shall undoubtedly perish what ever were their happinesse and condition heretofore Harden not your hearts against the voice of God who now speaks to us by Christ As in the provocation Hence it plainly appeares to every man who they are that hearing the voyce of God harden their hearts against it and provoke namely they that unbeleeve the Gospel and depart from the Covenant of it For as the Author addeth in the next verse 16. For some when they had heard did provoke Let us now see who hearing the voyce of God did provoke him and who did not and let us compare them one with another For then wee shall easily discover That they hardned their hearts against the voice of God and provoked him who would not finally beleeve him to the end and that they did not provoke him who were constant in their faith as were Caleb and Joshua Who came out of Egypt by Moses Hee shewes that both these kinds who provoked and who provoked not came out of Egypt by Moses i. Who followd Moses and by his leading forsooke Egypt and for some time adhered to him Wherby it appeares that they who have followed Christ their captaine and for some time have adhered to him doe harden their hearts against the voyce of God and provoke him if they forsake Christ their Captaine and will returne back to the spirituall Egypt of the world But contrarily they who having followed him doe adhere to him unto the end as Joshua and Caleb did who never forsooke Moses they shall enjoy that happinesse and eternall rest 17. But with whom was he grieved fourty yeeres Now the Authour from the remaining words of the Psalme doth prove the very same thing namely That they who have followed Christ their Captaine must take heed of offending and sinning against God or as he delivered it before of being hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin for thereby God will be so grieved and provoked against them that thereupon they must needs perish Was it not with them that had sinned i. God was grieved and provoked onely with them that unbeleeved provoked and tempted him Whose carcasses fell in the wildernesse All that came out of Egypt excepting onely Joshua and Caleb died in the wildernesse and heir carcasses were not carried into the land of Canaan From which words of the Psalme he in like manner concludes that God will be grieved and provoked with Christians sinning against him and transgressing his precepts For that he was offended with those offendors for the space of forty yeares it hence appeares in that their carcasses fell in the Desert i. every one of them to a man from twenty yeares old and upward perished in the Desert and entred not into the promised land For this wrath of God continued upon them forty yeares till they were all consumed either by naturall death or by divers plagues See Numb 14.29,33,34 18. And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that beleeved not As the former words shew that those Christians shall perish who are indulgent to sinne and will not obey Gods precepts So these in like manner make it evident that they also shall perish and never enjoy that heavenly and eternall rest who incline to diffidence and will not beleeve Gods promises or after they have beleeved recede from their faith For what induced God to bind himselfe with an oath that the Israelites should not enter into his rest but their unbeliefe in despairing they should never attaine the Land that had beene promised them See Numb 14. from the beginning of it 19. So we see that they could not enter in because of unbeliefe From the former passages he inferres this conclusion That the Israelites though they came forth out of Egypt yet they could not enter into the promised Land by reason of their unbeliefe From whence in like manner we must conclude That Christians also having followed Christ their Captaine shall not enter that heavenly rest unlesse by the example of Joshua and Caleb they finally remaine faithfull to their Captaine and fall not into unbeliefe From hence it appeares that the Author would in a manner say what just cause he had to admonish them that they should take diligent heed lest in any of them though now they did beleeve or seemed to themselves to beleeve there should be found an evill and unbeleeving heart that was thinking to depart from the living God Which exhortation of his thus drawne and demonstrated from the former passages he more fully repeats and presseth in the entrance to the next Chapter The Contents of this third Chapter are three 1. A Doctrine Christ is no way inferiour but much superiour to Moses Reason 1. Because Moses was onely a Prophet and not a high Priest but Christ was both ver 1. 2. Moses was in Gods house but as a servant but Christ as a Son and heire ver 5 6. 2. An Exhortation We must not harden our hearts against the voice of God in the Gospel Reason 1. Because thereby we provoke and tempt God as the Israelites did in the wildernesse 2. Because thereby wee shall never enter into eternall rest ver 11. 3. An Exhortation Wee must not apostate and depart from the faith of the Gospel Reason 1. Because we are no longer partakers of Christ and his