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
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
Church or the ministers in it will suffer us to think this Melchisedech should be a Canaanite For although we ought perhaps to be as farre from denying as from affirming that God had many chosen vessels amongst the sonnes of Cham yet is it no way probable or to be affirmed that hee had any visible Church amongst them at that time whereof wee speake much lesse any such orthodoxall authentique high Priest as was ex officio to blesse him with whom the everlasting Covenant was to be established within whose family and posterity the true and visible Church was to be confined almost two thousand yeares after Nor doe we in saying thus tie the Almightie as some haply will accuse us to use no meanes but ordinary in bestowing his extraordinary blessings But this we say that where the manner of his calling is most extraordinary and miraculous it is his pleasure to use the ordinary meanes of lawfull ministers for the ratification or declaring of his calling at least for the admissiō of the parties called unto the emoluments or prerogatives of their calling Paul was plucked away from the Synagogue as a sappie branch from a dying tree by the immediate and strong hand of God but to be ingrafted or inoculated into the true Church which is the body of Christ by means ordinary and ministeriall by the hands of Ananias a civill and visible member of Christs mysticall body 4 In like manner we doe not deny that the manner of Gods calling Abraham out of Haran and the matter of the blessings then promised to him to have been both extraordinary in which blessing notwithstanding hee is to be installed by Melchisedech appointed as Gods Deputie or Vicegerent so the hebrew Cohen properly signifieth to ratifie or seale the former promises unto him The manner of the conveyance is formall and legall such as God ordinarily useth in like cases And by probable consequence this Melchisedech whosoever he were was a true principall member of the visible Church which at that time was no where on earth but in Sem his posteritie Of those Sonnes of Sem which are mentioned in Abraham's genealogy most were dead others for ought we read or by analogy can gather from what we have read no way so fitly qualified for this service as Sem himselfe who was then alive For Sem had beene solemnly blessed by his father And although hee be represented unto us in the fourth of Genesis under another name and shape then he receiv'd the blessing in yet the holy spirit seemes to point him speaking in his owne native language and solemnly bestowing that blessing upon Abraham his sonne which his father Noah had bestowed on him Blessed be the Lord God of Shem and let Canaan be his servant Gen. 4. The implication or importance is as if hee had said Shem shall have cause to blesse the Lord his God for making him Lord of Canaan This blessing or bequest wee know was to beare date aswell in Shem's posteritie as in himselfe but principally in his posteritie Now wee no where read of any conveyance or bequest of this blessing made by Shem unto his Successors besides that solemne blessing which Melchisedech whom for this reason we suppose to have been Shem bestowed on Abraham The tenor of his bequest or conveyance is more expresse Gen. 14. 19. Blessed be Abrahā of God most high possessor of Heaven and earth This propheticall benediction implyes that Abraham and his posterity should have cause to blesse the Lord their God for giving them possession of that earth or land which was the type or pledge of their heavenly inheritance and possessions This was the gaine of godlinesse that merces valde magna to have the promise of this life and of that which is to come And as the land of promise or Kingdome of Canaan once possessed was a true pledge or earnest of their title to the heavenly kingdome so Abraham at the very time when Melchisedech blessed him received the pledges of his posterities hopes unto that temporall kingdome 5 For albeit we utterly deny all sacrifice of bread and wine yet may wee not in opposition to the Papist affirme or maintaine that Melchisedech entertained Abraham and his followers only with a vulgar or common refection These elements of bread and wine being confidered with the solemnitie of the blessing have besides the literall sense a symbolicall or mysticall importance and are thus farre at least sacramentall that they served for earnests to secure Abraham that his posterity should quietly enjoy and eate the good things of that pleasant land wherein he was now a Sojourner Briefly Abraham in that sacred banquet which the King of Salem exhibited unto him did as we say take levery de seisin of the promised land as it is probable in that very place which God had destinated for the Metropolis of the kingdome or at least in that place where Iohn did baptize And albeit Melchisedech did no doubt derive the blessing bestowed on Shem or on himselfe by Noah in more expresse termes unto Abraham by inspiration extraordinary and divine yet Abraham at this time had afforded him a fit text or theame to make these extemporary expositions or declarations upon Of all that had proceeded out of the loines of Shem none as yet had ever given the like proofe of his likely hood to become Lord of Canaan as Abraham now had done whom God had enabled to right the King of Sodome and other Cananitish Kings not being able to right themselves against forreigne usurpers 6 For any man of ordinary understanding that had been an Actor in the late warre so happily managed by Abraham and a by-stander at Melchisedech's blessing of him to have conjectured to this purpose had been as easy and as warrantable as it was for the Israelites to divine that Moses should be their Deliverer by the manner of his killing the Aegyptian which had contended with an Israelite Now the holy Spirit seemes to taxe their dulnesse for not apprehending this mystery from the manner of Moses fact Thus we may derive Gods blessings upon mankind since the flood from Noah to Shem from Shem whom we take to be Melchisedech unto Abraham in whose seede all the Nations of the earth were to be blessed This argues Abraham's promised seede to be greater then Melchisedech for Abraham was blessed by Melchisedech not in Melchisedech's name but in the name of the most high God whose Priest hee was Howbeit this promised seed of Abraham was not greater then Melchisedech in externall beauty or prerogative royall till after his Resurrection or second birth During the time of his humiliation hee 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 them
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 Sonne of Iehozadeck's head was the modell of the Crowne of David which was to flourish upon Iesus the Sonne of David's head as it is Psalme 132. v. 18. But upon himselfe shall his Crowne flourish 6 Briefly the protestation which the Angell in the verses following makes to Iesus the Son of Iosedech is but a renewing or repetition of the promise which God had made unto Abraham and David concerning their seede The tenour of God's promise here renewed or repeated unto Iesus the high Priest is the same And the Angell of the Lord protested unto Ieshua saying thus saith the Lord of boasts if thou wilt walke in my wayes and if thou wilt keepe my charge then thou shalt also judge my house and shalt also keepe my Courts and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by These words containe as ample a patent for the temporall or legall Priesthood unto Iesus the Sonne of Iosedech and his posteritie as David had for continuation of the temporall Kingdome in his race or progeny both the promises and patents were conditionall But that there should arise an everlasting Priest as well as an everlasting King one in whom God's promises should not be conditionall but yea and amen that is absolute and irrefragable the Prophet Zachary addes Heare now O Ieshua the high Priest thou and thy fellowes that sit before thee for they are what are they monstrous persons saith our former English or men wondred at saith the later Viri portendentes saith the vulgar The Prophets meaning is that they are men set for types or signes of great matters to come The word in the originall is the same Ezech. 12. 11. Say I am your signe like as I have done so shall it be done unto them that is to the Princes of Ierusalem and house of Israel they shall remove and goe into captivity As Ezechiel his digging through the wall in the peoples sight and carrying forth his stuffe upon his shoulders in twilight with his face covered that hee should not see the ground was a signe or prognostication of Zedechiah's stealth or flight from the Chaldeans army which besieged him So Ieshua the high Priest and all his fellowes in all this action or solemnity specially in laying the foundation of the Altar and Temple were prognosticke signes or prefigurations of Iesus the everlasting high Priest and of the spirituall Temple the holy Catholique Church which he was to build by the ministry of the Apostles So it followeth for behold I will bring forth my servant the branch For behold the stone that I have laid before Ieshua upon one stone shall be seven eyes behold I will engrave the graving thereof saith the Lord of hoasts and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day CHAP. 22. Of the harmony betweene the Prophet Ieremy and the Prophet Zachary concerning the man whose name is the branch How his growth or springing up was prefigured by Zerubbabel the sonne of David His name and title as our high Priest fore-pictured by the name and title of Iesus the Sonne of Iosedech That he was as truly the Son of God before all time as the sonne of David in time THat this man whose name was the Branch was to build the Temple of the Lord that he was to take his investiture unto his priestly dignity by Iesus the Sonne of Iehosadech as by his proxie is apparent from the sixt Chapter of the Prophet Zachary 11. Take silver and gold and make Crownes and set them upon the head of Ieshua the Sonne of Iosedech the high Priest and speake unto him saying thus speaketh the Lord of hasts saying Behold the man whose name is the Branch and hee shall grow up out of his place hee shall build the Temple of the Lord even hee shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall beare the glory and shall sit and rule upon his throne and he shall be a Priest upon his Throne and the counsell of peace shall be betweene them both 2 This place and the former are pregnant that the Servant of the Lord whose name was Zemah the Branch whose office was to build up the Temple of God should be a Priest and should sit upon his Throne as Priest But it cannot from either place be gathered it is not so much as intimated that hee should either be a Priest after the order of Aaron or of Melchisedech or of the seede of Aaron as Iesus or Ioshua the Sonne of Iehosedech was But as the Prophet affirmeth not that hee was to be Priest after the order of Aaron or Melchisedech so neither in plaine termes doth hee deny it true but as every Prophet of God speakes nothing but the truth so neither doth one of them speake all the truth or all that is requisite for us to believe concerning Iesus our Saviour That the man whose name was the Branch the same party of whom Zachary here speakes should not be of the seed of Aaron or a Priest after the order of Aaron is evident from the prophecy of Ieremiah Ier. 23. 5. uttered more then seventy yeares before Zachary began to prophecy Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch and a King shall raigne and prosper and shall execute judgment and justice upon the earth In his dayes Iudah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his name whereby he shall be called the Lord our righteousnesse It is plaine then out of the fore cited prophecy of Zachary that God's servant the righteous Branch was to be a Priest It is evident againe out of Ieremiah that he was to spring out of the seede of David and to raigne as King over Iudah and Israel as David had done And these two put together will directly conclude that this Branch of David was to be that sonne of David concerning whom the Lord had sworne and would not repent that hee should be a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech who was both King and Priest and by interpretation the King of righteousnesse and King of peace both which titles are expressely given to this Servant of God and Branch of David the one by the Prophet Zachary the other by the Prophet Ieremiah 3 But is it intimated or fore-told by either of them that he should be as truly David's Lord as David's Sonne Yes Ieremy implies this in fuller termes then David himselfe doth Psalm 110. for David saith the Lord said unto my Lord Adonai not Iehovah whereas the Prophet Ieremy tells us that the supreame style or title of this Branch of David should be not Adonai Tzadkenu but Iehova Tzadkenu Iehovah our righteousnesse So that hee whom David in spirit calleth his Lord was to be as essentially Lord and God as he that said unto him sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foot stoole But was he according unto this name or title
Christ once for all Hebr. 10. 10. Every Priest standeth dayly ministring and offering oftimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sinnes but this man or rather this Priest after he had once offered one sacrifice for sinnes for ever sate downe on the right hand of God and henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool For by one offering he hath consecrated for ever them that are sanctified ver 11. 12. 13. 5 As many as have reaped or hereafter shall reape any benefit either from Gods's Oath to Abraham concerning his seede in whom all the Nations of the earth were to be blessed or from the Renewing of this Oath to David concerning his son which was to be the Dispenser of this blessing and to be made a Priest after the order of Melchisedech who blessed Abraham all and every one of them are consecrated to the patticipation of this blessing by the Consecration of this our high Priest the Sonne of God The Law saith the Apostle makes men high Priests which have infirmity but the word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Sonne high Priest who is consecrated for evermore and by this his Consecration wee even all the Israel of God are consecrated by an everlasting Consecration So saith the Apostle Revel 1. 5. Iesus Christ the first begotten of the dead and Prince of the Kings of the earth hath washed us from our sins in his owne Blood and hath made us Kings and Priests that is Priests after the order of Melchisedech unto God and his Father By this his Consecration likewise to his everlasting Priesthood we are hallowed and consecrated as Temples to our God so saith S. Peter 1. Pet. 2. v. 4. 5. To whom comming as to a living stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious yee also as lively stones are built up a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to offer up a spirituall sacrifice acceptable to God by Iesus Christ 5 But to take the severall bloody sacrifices which were offered at the Consecration of Aaron and his sonnes into more particular consideration Albeit these sacrifices were all imperfect not only absolutely or in respect of our high Priest's everlasting sacrifice but even in respect of these spirituall sacrifices mentioned by S. Peter which wee are to offer unto God yet were they all in their kind most perfect The best and chiefest in the whole ranke of legall or Aaronicall sacrifices they are as so many lineaments pourtraying in part or fore-shadowing that body or accomplishment not of them only but of all other sacrifices All meet in it as so many lines in their Center The first bloody sacrifice that was offered at the Consecration of Aaron was a Bullock The Priests might offer no other sacrifice then this for their owne sinne-offering because this was of all other the best and yet in comparison of this saith the Psalmist in the Person of this our high Priest in his affliction I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnifie him with thanksgiving this alâ—o shall please the Lord better then a bullock which hath hornes and hoofes that is beginning to spread the horne and hoofe for at that time they were most fit for sacrifice Psal 69. ver 30. 31. His meaning was that this sacrifice of thanksgiving should be more acceptable unto God then the very best sacrifice of the Law and so it was especially whilst offered by our high Priest even when he offered his bloody sacrifice upon the Crosse and after his enemies had given him vineger in his thirst to drink For after he had uttered that pittifull Song of the Psalmist Psal 22. whether only out of his griefe or anguish or upon other respects and intentions My God my God why hast Thou for saken Me he finally commends his soule his spirit unto his Father in the words of the Psalmists Song Ps 35. Father into thy hands I coÌ„mend my spirit The uttering of both these Songs in this anguish of soule argues hee lov'd his God and our God his Father and our Father with all his soule with all his heart with all his strength and his performance of this great Commandement as the Scribe which approved his answer to the Pharisees to the Herodians and the Sadduces had a litle before confest upon his answer to his Question was more then all whole burnt offrings and sacrifices Mat. 12. from v. 12. to 34. CHAP. 26. In what respects the Bullock offered at the Consecration of Aaron c. and the rites of offering â—â— did prefigure the bloody sacrifice of the Sonne of God especially the circumstances of the place wherein it was offered BVt you will aske wherein did the Sacrifice of the Bullock which was offered for a sinne-offering or Attonement at Aaron's Consecration or the circumstances in offering it punctually fore-shadow the bloody Sacrifice which our high Priest offered at his Consecration or the manner or circumstance of his offering it It did in circumstance at least prefigure the Sacrifice of our high Priest after the same manner or in respect of the same circumstance that the annuall sacrifices of Attonement did prefiure it of which hereafter Inasmuch as the head and flesh c. of the Bullock for sinne-offering or Attonement for Aaron at his Consecation was to be offered or burnt without the campe not to be burnt upon the Altar It fell under the same Law and undergoes the same considerations which the annuall-Sacrifices in the feast of Attonement did For so it is expressely commanded Exod. 29. 14. That the flesh of the Bullock and his skinne should be burnt without the Camp because it was a sin-offering Now it was an universall and peremptory Law that no flesh of any Sacrifice whose Blood was brought into the Sanctuary to make Attonement should be eaten by the Priests in the Sanctuary 2 It was againe a Law as peremptory that the Priests especially the high Priests might that is had power to eat the flesh of any Sacrifice whose Blood was not brought into the Sanctuary For to this purpose Moses Levit. 10. 17. expostulateth with Aaron's sonnes which were left after the death of Nadab and Abihu Wherefore have yee not eaten the sinne-offering in the holy place for it is the holy of holies and it vz. the flesh of the sin-offring he hath given to you to beare the iniquity of the Congregation to make Attonement for them before the Lord Behold the Blood of it was not brought in behold indeed you should have eaten it in the holy place as I commanded you Aaron in his Apologie for his sonnes against this accusation of Moses in no case questions the truth or extent of this commandement but rather excuseth himselfe and his sonnes for not observing the purport of the Law as the case stood with them his two sonnes Nadab and Abihu being lately consumed with fire issuing out from before the Lord for offering strange fire which