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
father when Melchisedech met him 3 About the manner how Levi was tithed in Abraham some Questions have been made by the Schoolmen or if haply made by others not so handsomely or happily resolved by them For they draw this point How Levi should be tithed in Abraham unto Physicall or Philosophicall disputes whereas our Apostle argues the case betweene the Priesthood of Aaron and of Melchisedech with such men as were too much addicted unto the Leviticall and Mosaicall law appealing not to the rules of that Law but to the rules of the Civill Morall Law or Law of Nations The extract of our Apostles meaning if I mistake not is this That if Levi Moses or Aaron had beene in full possession of their inheritance unto tithes from their Bretheren at that time when Melchisedech met Abraham Or if Melchisedech had lived in Canaan unto their dayes they ought to have done as their father Abraham did that is to have solemnely acknowledg'd this Melchisedeth to have beene their better by paying the tribute of tithes unto him Our Apostle takes it as unquestionable that Melchisedech was Abraham's better and being either better or a greater man then Abraham was then certainely a greater or better man then Moses or Aaron were then any Sonne of Abraham besides the promised Seed or Messias whom the Iewish Nation expected had beene And of this promised Seed alone Melchisedech for the greatnesse of his person was the only type 4 For albeit Abraham were a Prophet and did exercise the function of a Priest within his owne family or for some others upon speciall occasions albeit some of Abraham's seede were both Kings and Prophets others both Priests and Prophets yet none of them were both Kings and Priests none of them anointed to these two functions Melchisedech though perhaps never solemnely anointed to either function was the only man which was by divine providence or heavenly calling both a true King a Priest of the most high God By both these titles the tithes of all the spoils which Abraha had got by conquest were due nor are any other tithes prediall or personall due to any this day save only to the King or supreme Majestie or to Bishops and Priests within the regions wherein they accrue And for this reason as I coniecture the Danish Nation after they had embraced the Gospell and were become of a heathenish a Christian Commomweale or Kingdome did allot the tithes of their labors or increase of vegetables or profitable living creatures unto their King and to their Bishops excluding then the great Bishop of Rome For when he demanded his portion in them he was rejected by that sharpe and witty answer of Woldmarus Wee have our Kingdome from our subjects our life from our parents our religion from the Church of Rome which if your holinesse redemand we remit it by these presents Whether his meaning was that hee would abandon Christian Religion simply or the Religion of the then Romish Church only rather then forgoe his portion of rithes allotted to him as King I leave it with all Submission to the Searcher of all our hearts and Iudge of all our actions I have no warrant or just presumption out of any history to accuse this King either of Atheisme or irreligion 5 But Melchisedech was both King and Priest a more Soveraigne King then Woldmarus was and a greater high Priest then the Bishop of Rome or any other that have lived on earth besides the Son of God himselfe whose picture of shadoww he was That this Sonne of God or Seede of Abraham which hee assumed should be much greater then Melchisedech King of Salem is implyed in the manner of God's promised blessing unto Abraham being compared with the manner of Melchisedech's blessing Abraham For Abraham was blessed by Melchisedech not in Melchisedech's name but in the name of the most high God whose Priest hee was for he was blessed by him not in him whereas in Abraham's seede all the Nations of the earth Melchisedech as well as Abraham were to be blessed Howbeit this promised seede of Abraham was no greater then Melchisedech in externall beautie or prerogative royall till after his Resurrection or second birth During the time of his humiliation He was rather destinated then consecrated to be the Author or fountaine of blessednesse unto us For as the Apostle argues Heb. 5. 8. Though hee were the Sonne yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered And being consecrated to wit by his sufferings became the Author of eternall salvation unto all that obey him And is called of God from the time of his Resurrection or exalation an high Priest after the order of Melchisedech For from this time and not before his royall Priesthood did commence So he saith to his Disciples immediately after his Resurrection All power is given to mee in heaven and earth power to blesse with the blessings of this life and of the life to come And being now after his Consecration to be enthroniz'd in his Kingdome royall Priesthood he lift up his hands and blessed his Disciples And it came to passe that as he blessed them be departed from them and was carried up into heaven Lu. 24. 50. 51. Yet being there in body he continues with his Church here on earth by continuatiō of his blessings unto the worlds end That this part of his Priestly functiō to wit his Authoritative or Authentique blessing doth follow his Resurrection our Apostle intimates Acts 3. 26. Yee are the children of the Prophets and of the Covenant which God hath made unto our father saying to Abraham Even in thy seede shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed First unto you hath God raised up his Sonne Iesus and him he hath sent to blesse you in turning every one of you from your iniquities And againe Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles Galat. 3. 14. So that the Iewes were the first but not the only parties interessed in the blesing wherewith God by Melchisedech blessed Abraham For in asmuch as that blessing was the same blessing though further spread and better branched wherewith God by Noah blessed Sem we Gentiles the Sonnes of Iapheth were heires of it in reversion For though Shem be the first Iaphet was in the scond place blessed with his Brother Shem. Gen. 9. 27. God perswade Iaphet that hee may dwell in the tents of Shem and let Canaan be his servant So that Melchisedech doth prefigure Christs Priesthood by his Authority to blesse in Gods name Blessing as it was applyed unto Melchisedech is but a shadow or surface only Abraham indeed was blessed by him but in the name of the most high God But blessing as appliable to Christ is a solid and hath its trinall dimension Wee are blessed for him we are blessed through him wee are blessed by him And which is the
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
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