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A35951 An expositon of all St. Pauls epistles together with an explanation of those other epistles of the apostles St. James, Peter, John & Jude : wherein the sense of every chapter and verse is analytically unfolded and the text enlightened. / David Dickson ...; Expositio analytica omnium Apostolicarum Epistolarum. English Dickson, David, 1583?-1663.; Retchford, William.; Dickson, David, 1583?-1663. Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews. 1659 (1659) Wing D1403; ESTC R7896 807,291 340

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ordinary So do Gods Ministers bless the people in the Lords name 4. A blessing of authority extraordinary So Melchisedec blessed Abraham and the Prophets and Patriarchs such as by inspiration they were directed to bless And this official blessing with authority proveth Superiority whether it be ordinary or extraordinary 5. There is a blessing of power of it self effectual So blesseth Christ and so God blesseth men From this 1. The Excellency of the office of Gods Ministers is evident who are appointed to bless the people in Gods Name 2. And how they should bee respected in love for their work sake 3. And how they should walk worthy of that high and holy employment le●t their sins make them vile and contemptible before the people as in Malachies time Mal. 2.9 Vers. 8. And here men that dye receive Tythes but there hee receiveth them of whom it is witnessed that hee liveth Another point of Comparison tending to this end The Levites in their tything were mortal men one succeeding another But Melchisedec in type of his Priesthood and Scriptural being and Christ in the truth of his Priesthood are immortal And therefore Melchisedec as the typical Priest and Christ as the true Priest are greater than Levitical Priests by as much as immortality is above mortality Then Every Age hath Christ for a Priest living in their own time to deal for them with God And what benefit they get by him in their own time hee can make forth-comming unto them even for ever Vers. 9. And as I may so say Levi also who receiveth Tythes paid Tythes in Abraham 10. For hee was yet in the loyns of his Father when Melchisedec met him Another reason to this same purpose Levi paid Tythes to Melchisedec in Abrahams loyns Therefore Melchisedec is greater in his Priesthood than the Levitical Priests So was Christ in Abrahams loyns will you say I answer Christ was the true represented Priest even when Melchisedec met Abraham and in Melchisedec's person as type the honour was done to Christ in truth and to his Priesthood by Abraham And again Christ was in Abrahams loyns onely in regard of the matter of humane nature not for the manner of propagation and so is exempted from the Law of natural posterity 1. Alwaies from this reasoning wee learn That as receiving Tythes proveth superiority in office So paying of Tythes or maintenance in room of Tythes proveth subjection to that office and office-bearers which receive the same And so maintenance of Ministers should be a matter of honouring of them or rather of him that sent them of its own proper institution though men turn it into a beggarly stipend and count the more basely of the office because of the manner of maintenance 2. From the reason of Levies paying of Tythes in Abrahams loyns wee learn That there is ground in nature for imputation of the Fathers deed unto the children descended of him by natural propagation so that as justly may God impute unto us Adams sins as to Levi Abrahams Tythes paying Vers. 11. If therefore perfection were by the Levitical Priesthood for under it the people received the Law what further need was there that another Priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec and not be called after the order of Aaron To the end of the Chapter he sheweth a necessity of the abolishing of the Levitical Priesthood and establishing of Christs One reason is in this verse because perfection was not to be had by the Levitical Priesthood By Perfection is understood a perfect satisfaction for our sins and a perfect purchase of all that wee have need of unto eternal life He proveth that such perfection could not be had by Aarons Priesthood because then there had been no need of another Priesthood after Aarons if perfection could have been by his Priesthood But the Scripture sheweth that there behoved to arise a Priest after Melchisedec's order by whom perfection was to be gotten Psalm 110. 1. Therefore perfection could not be by Aarons Priesthood From this wee learn That under the Law remission of sins and eternal life was not obtained by virtue of any sacrifice then offered but by the virtue of Christs Sacrifice and Christs Priesthood represented thereby 2. But why could not perfection be by that Priesthood He giveth a reason saying For under it the people received the Law The word importeth as much as the people were then legalized disciplined after a Legal manner that is the Law was still urged upon them still they were pressed to give perfect obedience under pain of the curse still God dealt in the external form of handing them as one not satisfied for any thing that was offered as yet in their name Therefore perfection could not be had by that service For it was evident that neither God was pacified nor their consciences quieted by any thing in that Priesthood but all were sent to the thing signified and to the time which was to come in the Messia's manifestation Then Comparing their time and ours for outward manner of handling as they were legalized that is straightly urged by the yoak of the Law wee were evangelized that is smoothly entreated under the Gospel God laying aside terrour entreating us to bee reconciled and to come and receive Grace for Grace Vers. 12. For the Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change also of the Law From the change of the Levitical Priesthood he inferreth of necessity the abolishing of the Levitical Law and of our obligation thereunto Then 1. The Levitical Priesthood and the Levitical Law do stand and fall together 2. The Levitical Law cannot stand with any other Priesthood than Aarons it cannot stand with Christs under the Gospel 3. Christs Priesthood seeing it is another than Aarons must have another Law other Ordinances and Statutes than Aarons a Law and Ordinances suitable unto it self 4. To use Levitical Ceremonies under the Gospel is to confound the Priesthood of Aaron and Christ. Vers. 13. For hee of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe of which no man gave attendance at the Altar 14. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah of which Tribe Moses spake nothing concerning Priesthood 15. And it is yet far more evident For that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another Priest 1. Hee proveth that Aarons Priesthood is changed and the Ordinance thereof because Psal. 110. speaketh of Christs Priesthood that is f●eed from the service of the Altar By the Altar hee meaneth the material Altar commanded in the Law Another Altar hee knoweth not And Christs Priesthood hee declareth to be freed from the service of this Altar beside which no Law could tye it to any other Altar Then Christs Priesthood is freed from the Altar which God commandeth and all the service thereof And whosoever will erect another material Altar in Christs Priesthood and tye his Church unto it must look by what Law they do it 2. From
holiness dwells yet our High Priest is merciful and sometime felt those temptations in his flesh which wee feel yet without sin Therefore wee may boldly press unto him and wee ought to endeavour to enter into that rest Vers. 16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that wee may obtain mercy and finde Grace to help in time of need Argum. 11. God doth not sit in the Throne of Justice upon our approaches to him in Christ but in the Throne of Grace that hee may communicate help to us in time of need under all our necessities Therefore wee ought to come with boldness to the Throne of Grace that wee may rest under the wings of the Propitiatory which is the same with entring into Gods Rest by Faith CHAP. V. THe Excellency of Christs Prophetical Office and the necessity of cleaving to him and his Doctrine who is the Apostle and great Prophet of our Profession hath been spoken to The Excellency of his Priestly Office follows There are two parts of the Chapter In the first hee proves Christ to bee the chief and great Priest more excellent than any typical Priest that hee might instruct the Hebrews to moderate their thoughts about the Levitical Priesthood which they too highly esteemed of to the prejudice of Christ to vers 11. In the second part ●ee reproves the slothfulness of the Hebrews that hee might render them more attentive to the following Doctrine And hee proves the Excellency of Christs Priesthood above the Levitical by nine Arguments Vers. 1. For every High Priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God that hee may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins 2. Who can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way for that hee himself also is compassed with infirmity 3. And by reason hereof hee ought as for the people so also for himself to offer for sins Argum. 1. The perfections which were required in the Levitical Priests vers 1 2. were joyned with some notes of imperfection and with the sins of the Priests vers 2 3. Therefore Christ which was declared a Priest without sin in the end of the former Chapter is more excellent than the Levitical Priests Among men The Perfections of the Levitical High Priest were four 1 The Levitical Priest was taken from among men and was chosen one of many 2 Was ordained for men in those things which appertained to God i. e. That in the place and name of the people hee should administer about the worship of God praying to him for the people teaching the people in the name of God and that hee should by all possible means promote the Glory of God and the salvation of the people 3 Hee offered gifts of inanimate things and sacrifices of beasts sometimes burnt-offerings for the sins of the people sometimes peace-offerings for the obtaining of benefits sometimes thank-offerings for benefits received other whiles sacrifices for special sins By all which the virtues of Jesus Christs Sacrifice was dimly shadowed out Have compassion 4 The fourth perfection requisite in the Priestly Office is a sympathy and commiseration proportioned to the greatness of the peoples misery wherewith they ought to bee touched towards sinners whether sinning out of ignorance or voluntary errour and deliberate counsel For that There are two notes of Imperfection in the Priest-hood 1 That they themselves were obnoxious to the same infirmities i. e. of ignorance and errours and the miseries consequent to sin So also 2 This second n●●e demonstrates the former That they are obliged out of duty to offer Sacrifices no less for their own sins than the sins of the people This is the first Argument Vers. 4. And no man taketh this honour unto himself but hee that is called of God as was Aaron 5. So also Christ glorifieth not himself to bee made an High Priest but hee that said unto him Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee Argum. 2. As the lawful Priests were called to the honour of this office so Christ was not onely lawfully called by the Father as Aaron but also further was acknowledged and declared the onely begotten Son of God in this Priestly office Therefore hee is much more excellent than the Levitical Priests The Antecedent is proved out of Psalm 2. where the Father speaking to his Son vers 7. calls him his Son whom hee begot before hee command him vers 8. to ask of him the ends of the earth or intercede for the salvation of men which are parts of the Priests office Therefore in this Psalm hee is not onely called by the Father to his Priestly office but also is acknowledged his Son and so more excellent than the Levitical Priests Vers. 6. As hee saith also in another place Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec Argum. 3. From Psal. 110. Christ is appointed by the Father a Priest for ever of whose Priest-hood there is no end according to the order of Melchisedec the type Therefore hee is more excellent than the Levitical High Priests Vers. 7. Who in the daies of his flesh when hee had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that hee feared Argum. 4. This Argument consists of five Branches which may bee so many Arguments 1 Christ is so the Son of God that hee is man also the Son in our flesh the infirmiti●s whereof sometime hee felt without sin and so is a more excellent man than the Levitical Priests 2 Hee offered up prayers and supplications and himself to death for his people and so offered a more excellent Sacrifice than the Levitical Priests 3 Hee interceded with a greater sense of our misery and guilt with strong crying and tears and so in his sympathy towards us excelled the Levitical Priests 4 With greater confidence hee pleaded our cause than any of the typical Priests could even then when in the pangs of death and sense of the Divine wrath or curse due to our sins his sanctified humane nature conflicted with the terrours of death 5 Hee prayed with greater efficacy and fruit than any typical Priest For hee was freed according to his prayer from fear which the sight of an angry God put upon his sense and holy reason because having paid a sufficient price for us all cause of anger and fear was taken away Therefore Christ is a far more excellent Priest than the Levitical Priests Vers. 8. Though hee were a Son yet learned hee obedience by the things which hee suffered Argum. 5. Drawn from the former which with the removal of the scandal of the Cross shews also the excellency of Christs Priest-hood Christ was not imployed in beholding of the Sacrifices slain and himself free from all suffering as the Levitical Priests in the slaying of Sacrifices but although hee was the Son of God yet hee really felt by
esteemed by us Vers. 10. For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many Sons unto glory to make the Captain of their Salvation perfect through sufferings 1. Another reason of Christs Suffering This way of our saving by Christs Sufferings made for the Glory of God and our good Then When the reasons of Christs Death are seen the scandal of his Cross ceaseth 2. There is a work to do here a great many of Sons to bee brought to glory Then 1. All the Elect and saved Souls are in the rank of Children 2. Albeit they bee few in comparison of the world yet are they many of them all together 3. There is not one of them all who can go to Heaven or Salvation but by Christs leading and conduct 3. The Captain of their Salvation must bee made perfect through suffering Then 1. How perfect soever Christ be in himself yet before his suffering hee lacked one thing which his Office towards us required to wit experimental suffering of such sorrows as his souldiers and followers are subject unto 2. When his sufferings were ended hee was perfectly fitted to comfort us seeing hee found our sorrows in himself sometime 4. Hee saith It became God for whom and by whom are all things that the matter should bee so brought about Then 1. All things are for Gods Glory at the end and so should the manner of our salvation bee also 2. All things are by Gods Hand and Power brought about and reason too that hee dispose of the means of our salvation as hee pleaseth 3. This way became God most of any It brought him greatest Glory by the Shame Sorrow and Death of one to bring Glory and Joy and Life to many Vers. 11. For both Hee that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one For which cause hee is not ashamed to call them Brethren 1. If any should further ask how could hee die or how could Iustice accept him in our stead Hee answereth Because hee is one of our kind and nature Then 1. There is a natural Band betwixt Christ and his Followers They are of the same stock of the same natural substance 2. Christs natural Band with us maketh him a direct entress to redeem us 2. Hee calleth Christ him that sanctifieth and the Beleevers they who are sanctified Then 1. The Band of Nature betwixt Christ and Men is reckoned unto those onely who are sanctified with none other will Christ reckon Kindred 2. Therefore they must study to Holiness that would claim Kindred to Christ. 3. The sanctification which it behoveth us to have must proceed from Christ no holiness until a man bee in him 3. Hee saith Christ is not ashamed to call the Sanctified Brethren Then 1. As Christ hath dimitted himself to our Nature so also to the stiles of consanguinity with us 2. Christ is as kindly affectioned to his Followers as ever Brother was to another hee will not misken his own albeit unworthy 3. That which may serve to our glory and comfort Christ will think it no disgrace to himself Vers. 12. Saying I will declare Thy Name unto my Brethren In the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto Thee Hee proveth that hee calleth us Brethren from Psal. 20. vers 22. The Messias there taketh upon him to preach to men and to praise the Father Then 1. With our Nature Christ took on also the Yoke of the Exercises of Religion 2. Hee joyneth with us in the Discharge of them 3. Hee is first in the Exercise not onely because hee discharged them in his own proper person but also because still by his Spirit where two or three are gathered together in his Name hee is in the midst of them moving and moderating the Spirits of his own delectable Organs Vers. 13. And again I will put my trust in him And again Behold I and the children which God hath given mee 1. The next proof is from Psal. 18. Vers. 2. Where Christ under the type of David promiseth to beleeve in the Father Then 1. Christ is one of the number of Beleevers one of the Covenant of Grace confederate by Faith and therefore hee behoved to be a man to this end 2. Then have wee in the sense of our unbeleef the comfort of the soundness and strength of Christs beleeving as well as of his other Perfections 2. The third proof is from Isa. 8.18 Wherein Christ under the type of the Prophet Isaiah presenteth himself with his chosen Children before the Father Then 1. Christ is our Father also and wee his Children 2. Wee are given to him of the Father 3. Wee are not presented before the Father without our Mediatour Christ. 4. Christ and wee his little ones joyned together and separated from the world are a pleasant sight for the Father to behold Vers. 14. Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood Hee also Himself likewise took part of the same that through death Hee might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil 1. Hee giveth further reasons of his Incarnation And first hee behoved by death to destroy the Devil that had the power of death and so behoved to bee a Man that hee might dye Then 1. Sinners without Christ are under the sentence of death temporal and eternal 2. Satan hath power of Death as the Burrio hath power over the Pit and Gallows at death to take them away to torment who are not delivered from his power 3. Christ hath destroyed Satans power and tyranny in this point in behalf of all his Elect and true Beleevers 4. The way how Christ hath overcome Satan is by his own death ransoming his own 5. For as death behoved to bee the way it behoved also Christ to bee a mortal man as well as God that hee might dye 2. Again hee saith Christ took part of flesh and blood with the Children that is with the Elect given to him Then 1. Love to the Elect made the Son of God come down and make himself a Man also 2. Christ in his humane Nature is as kindly a Man as any of the Elect having flesh and blood and bones as well as wee His flesh and blood is not onely like to ours but is a part of our substance who is come of the same stock of Adam and Eve as surely as ours and not made either by Creation of nothing or by trans-substantiation of some other things than our substance Vers. 15. And deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Another fruit of Christs death is the delivery of Beleevers from the bondage of the fear of death wherein they do lye before Beleef Then 1. There is a natural fear of Death and the Devil and Hell rooted in all men alwaies albeit not as yet felt yet easily wakened 2. This fear putteth men in bondage that they dare not meditate on Death or Gods
wishes desires applies and seals salvation to all the faithful and all things which belong to holiness and happiness The second Epistle general of PETER Analytically expounded THE CONTENTS THe Apostle being now nigh unto death seals up this last testimony of his will in this Epistle as it appears in the first Chapter 12 13. vers c. for the use of all the faithful wheresoever and chiefly the Hebrews whose Teacher hee was There are three principal parts of the Epistle according to the number of the Chapters In the first hee exhorts them to persevere in true Faith and Christian Piety Chap. 1. In the second hee d●h●rts them from attending to false Prophets which hee foretells will arise in the Church Chap. 2. In the third hee seriously admonishes them to beware of those prophane Scoffers who account the coming of Christ to judgement as a Fable in Chapter 3. CHAP. I. THere are three parts of the Chapter In the first there is the Exordium of the Epistle to vers 5. In the second an exhortation to proficiency in Faith and Holiness to vers 19. In the third hee digresses in the commendation of prophetical Scripture to the end Vers. 1. Simon Peter a Servant and an Apostle of Iesus Christ to them that have obtained like precious Faith with us through the Righteousness of God and our Saviour Iesus Christ The inscription of the Epistle contains three things 1. The description of the Writer from his common name Simon and from his Sirname Peter given him by Christ together with his office in the Church Servant and from his special office An Apostle of Iesus Christ whence hee had authority to write 2. The description of the faithful to whom it is written from the excellency of Faith which was bestowed upon them The excellency whereof is propounded by way of distinction from historical Faith 1. That it is precious 2. That it is proper to the Elect not hypocritical 3. That it is equally precious with the Faith of the Apostles he doth not compare the degree and quantity but the quality and nature of the gift because it was given by the same Holy Spirit for the same merits of Christ and to the same good purposes viz. the apprehending of Christ and his benefits 4. That it flows from Gods Righteousness or Faithfulness faithfully performing the free promises made to our Fathers and is derived to us together with all other benefits through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord. Vers. 2. Grace and Peace bee multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Iesus our Lord The third thing in the inscription of the Epistle is a salutation wherein is his prayer and confirmation of it In his prayer hee wishes to all the faithful Hebrews a fuller manifestation multiplication and encrease of all saving gifts of the Holy Ghost and multiplication of peace or of all benefits which conduce to the promoting and perfecting of their present and future felicity and that by the encrease of saving Faith or acknowledgement of God and Christ as they are revealed in the Gospel Vers. 3. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue Hee confirms the hope of his desires viz. that God will multiply grace and peace towards them by Faith in five Arguments Divine Power Argum. 1. The power or effectual grace working powerfully hath bestowed upon you all expedients which belong to holiness or grace to life or peace by the knowledge or Faith of him both in respect of the right to as also the admission of you into the profession Therefore God will encrease and multiply those gifts until yee obtain perfection of life and holiness For there is the like reason for the beginning and progress as touching the favour of God Hath called Argum. 2. God hath called you to virtue or Grace and to Glory or Peace Therefore hee will perfect those things in you to which hee hath called you Vers. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust Argum. 3. Confirming the former God hath given you the promises of the Gospel which as they are very great because of the greatest things viz. of Righteousness and eternal life So also they are precious and mainly necessary to you for the obtaining of life Therefore hee will perform those promises by multiplying even unto perfection those things which hee hath promised That by these Argum. 4. For this end hee hath given both the promises and beginnings of these things promised to you that yee might be partakers of the Divine Nature not as to the essence but as to the virtues and perfections which represent the Nature of God in heavenly wisdome holiness and happiness as in a lively Image Therefore hee will multiply to you grace and peace that hee may attain his end in perfecting of you Having escaped Argum. 5. Now you have escaped from the Kingdome of death and the Covenant of sin being freed from destruction wherein the world lies through lust or concupiscenc●● Therefore the same gracious good pleasure of God 〈◊〉 multiply to you grace which is opposed to sin and peace which is opposed to destruction Vers. 5. And besides this giving all diligence adde to your Faith Virtue and to Virtue Knowledge After the Preface hee exhorts them to a serious endeavour of growing in Faith and Godliness reckoning up by degrees the chief Christian virtues whereof the first is Faith which opens unto us the first entrance to God to this is adjoyned virtue or following after Righteousness in general because without Faith it is dead and ineffectual Prudence or Knowledge follows which consists in a fuller knowledge of heavenly mysteries and the application of them to practice Vers. 6. And to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness After this hee requires Temperance whereby every one keeps himself from those enticements whereby hee might be taken off from his duty Hee would have Patience or Fortitude which consists in bearing adversity and not in ceasing from our duty for the evils which pursue us annexed to Temperance and these virtues are four which are commonly called Cardinals to these hee would have three other joyned 1. Godliness which chiefly consists in the very worship of God Vers. 7. And to Godliness Brotherly Kindness and to Brotherly Kindness Charity The other virtue which hee would have added is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Brotherly love whereby wee embrace our Brethren or the houshold of Faith The last virtue is Charity or common love which is to be extended to all men even to enemies Vers. 8. For if these things be in you and abound they make you that yee shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus