themselves and the Scriptures § 5. Hitherto the description of a Priest in general and such as did officiate before the times of the Gospel the next thing is concerning their calling and acquisition of their Sacerdotal Power which is delivered in these words Ver. 4. And no man taketh this Honour unto himself but He that is called of God as was Aaron THe sum whereof is this that the Institution of an High-Priest-hood and an High-Priest is from God For the more distinct handling of the Text we must observe three things 1. That no man can make himself Priest 2. That God's Calling makes a Priest 3. Aaron for example was so made a Priest 1. The first Proposition is that no man can make himself a Priest For any man to take or receive to himself or by himself this Honour is to make himself such a Priest as is formerly described The sense is not that no man will usurp this sacerdotal power or that many will not take it upon them or many will not presume to make others Priests which God did never make such For Jeroboam made of the lowest of the People Priests Yet let Princes or People presume to make Priests let others without any consent of God or Man usurp this Power yet if God do not Institute and Call them either mediately or immediately their Priest-hood is no Priest-hood their Offering no Offerings their Service ineffectual and no wayes acceptable to God And here it 's observable that Priest-hood is called an honour because the Office is high and honourable and next to that of Kings though with many it 's contemptible 2. God's Calling makes a Priest for he not only hath power to institute this Office and invest men with this honour For as all Power is of God so is this of Priest as well as that of Prince And though God gives liberty to men for to institute some civil Offices and make Officers yet in matters of Religion it 's otherwise For he hath reserved that Power of making spiritual Officers and to appoint their Service unto himself and the successe of their Service doth meerly depend on him for without him it can have no spiritual effect upon the Souls and Consciences of men Yet God doth not Call all Officers in Religion immediately and by an extraordinary and particular designation but many are called in an ordinary way yet it 's necessary that every standing Office should be instituted either by a General or some special precept of universal Obligation for the time he will have such an Office to continue in the Church This precept determines the qualification of the person and this must be known and approved by the Church â—â— such as the Church shall trust and this approbation must be publickly declared before the party that must publickly officiate can be orderly admitted yet this rule admits of some exception in extraordinary Cases All the power that the Church in constitution of Officers can challenge is to signifie the Will of Christ concerning the particular persons to be constituted that they are rightly qualified and such as Christ requires them to be Christ therefore in this work is the principal and the Church following the rules of Christ is the instrumental cause Of vocation ordination imposition of hands and constituting of Church-Officers I shall speak more at large in my Treatise of Civil and Ecclesiastical Government 3. Aaron did not take this honour to himself but was Called of God this is an instance and a particular example of the divine Vocation of an High-Priest And though it was but a particular example yet it was agreeable to a general Rule That Aaron was an High-Priest and that he did not usurp this honour and that he was Called of God is evident out of Scripture For 1. God singles out the Tribe of Levi for religious Services 2. Out of this Tribe he singles the Family of Aaron for the Priest-hood 3. Out of this Family he separates Aaron and his Sons with their Posterity to be High-Priests 4. He caused him publickly to be set apart with his Sons and to be consecrated 5. Upon his Consecration when he first begins to minister and offer his Priest-hood is confirmed by Fire sent from Heaven to burn the Offering 6. Notwithstanding this particular institution and designation he was unjustly challenged as ingrossing the Sacerdotal Power till God by consuming the Company of Korah and causing Aaron's Rod to Blossom and bring forth ripe Almonds confirmed it again 7. Aaron's Children and Posterity acquired their power by lineal discent according to the first Institution for all his Successours derived their Power from the first Investiture of him and his Sons § 6. After the Description of an High-Priest and his divine Calling follows the Apostles discourse of the High-Priest-hood of Christ. And he 1. Asserts his Calling 2. Proves it His Calling is asserted in these words Ver. 5. So Christ also did not glorify himself but he that said c. THis doth presuppose 1. That Christ is a Priest and all things essential to a Priest we find in him according to the former Description 2. That to be a Priest is a Glory and Honour for it is a place as of Power so of Dignity and Glory Yet it 's said He did not glorify himself and take upon him the Sacerdotal Power and Dignity though he was qualified better then ever any was By this we understand the intolerable pride and presumption of many in these times which take upon them to officiate in matters of Religion though no wayes qualified or fitted for this work If ever any Man or Angel then surely Christ might have taken this Honour to himself yet he did not And this will be the eternal condemnation of all such as usurp Ecclesiastical Power without any Commission from God or Man How unlike unto Christ are all such who presume of their own merit and despise such as Christ hath called But if Christ did not glorify himself and take upon him to be a Priest how did he acquire his Sacerdotal Power It 's said That God did glorify and advance him to this place and honour This is included in these words But he that said unto him For he that said unto him the words following was God and He made him Priest And the truth is the place was so high and required such a measure of Power that none but God could constitute and invest him For it was not in the power of Man or Angel to make so great an High-Priest As before it 's said 1. That he did not make himself an High-Priest 2. That God made him so by those words found in Psal. 2. 7. he proves both that he was a Priest and that God made him such For 1. It 's clear that it is the Lord and everlasting Jehovah who spake these words 2. He spake them to Christ. 3. By them he constituted him a Priest The words of Constitution are these This Day have I
unto is To consider Christ the Apostle and High Priest of our Profession and to presevere in his Doctrine ver 1. 2. The Reasons by which he presseth the performance of this Duty are 1. Christ was not only faithful in his Trust as Moses was but also far greater then Moses in two respects For 1. Moses was but part in the House builded Christ was the Builder of all things and especially of the Church ver 3 4. 2. Moses was but a Servant in that House Christ was the Lord and Owner ver 5 6. 2. If they persevere in his Doctrine and the Faith they shall be his House of Glory wherein God shall for ever dwell and make them fully blessed ver 7. 3. If they that disobeyed and hardned their hearts against Mose's Doctrine fell in the Wilderness and by a peremprory Oath were shut out of God's Rest much more shall they disobeying the Gospel and falling from the Faith be shut out of God's eternal Rest in Heaven In this Reason we must consider 1. That it 's taken out of Psal. 95. the words whereof are recired ver 7 8 9 10 11. 2. That from these words applied unto them he dehorts them from Unbelief and Apostacy and exhorts them to use all means of perseverance that so he might be partakers of that eternal Rest which Christ had merited for them ver 12 13 14 15. 3. He wisheth them to take special notice of such as did and such as did not enter into God's Rest and what was the cause of the exclusion of those whom God destroyed in the Wilderness and would not suffer to enter into Canaan and that was Unbelief ver 16 17 18 19. CHAP. IV. VVHerein the Discourse upon the words of the Psalm is continued and application made by way of Exhortation And 1. The Duty exhorted unto is To be obedient and mix the word with Faith ver 1. 2. The Reasons are 1. They are partakers of the heavenly Call and the Gospel was preached unto Them as well as to their Fathers 2. They not mixing the Word with Faith but being disobedient to the heavenly Call did not enter but came short ver 2. 3. They which do believe do enter into God's Rest ver 3. And here lest they should be ignorant what Rest of God is meant and to be expected he informs them of a three-fold Rest of God 1. His Rest of Creation 2. His Rest which he promised in the Land of Canaan to their Fathers 3. His spiritual and eternal Rest promised in the Gospel It was not the first ver 3 4. For after this he speaketh of another Rest ver 5. It was not the second into which many of their Fathers because of unbelief did not enter and after this he limitteth another Time and Rest which had never been mentioned if Joshua who brought their Fathers into the Land of Canaan had brought them into This ver 6 7 8. It 's a spiritual and eternal Rest in Heaven which remaineth for the People of God and is to be enjoyed when they cease from all their works of Obedience and Sufferings as God did from his when he had finished the work of Creation ver 9 10. 4. If they do not persevere they may fall after the example of their unbelieving Ancestors and lest they should presume or be secure he lets them know that Christ by the piercing Word of the Gospel will discover their inward and most secret sins and will be a severe and impartial Judg ver 11 12 13. 5. The same great Prophet who hath called us by the Word of the Gospel is our High Priest very sensible of our infirmities and entred into Heaven the eternal Rest of God in our behalf and if we wanting strength do come boldly by him before the Throne of Grace we shall obtain help in due season when we have greatest need ver 14 15 16. CHAP. V. VVHerein after the discourse of the excellency of Christ's prophetical Office he begins to speak of his Priest-hood And 1. Delivers the Doctrine thereof from this Chapter to ver 19 of the 10th 2. Applies the same and continues the Application from the 19th verse of the 10th Chapter unto the latter end of the last The scope of the Apostle in the Doctrine is To demonstrate the excellency of Christ's Priest-hood in respect of 1. The Constitution from the beginning of this Chapter to the 8th 2. The Ministration from the beginning of the 8th to the middle of the 10th In this Chapter we have 1. A Discourse of Priest-hood 2. A Digression begun in the latter end of this Chapter and continued in the 6th 1. The Discourse is 1. Concerning a Priest in general 2. Concerning Aaron 3. Concerning Christ. 1. An High Priest in general is described 1. From his Vocation He is taken from amongst men and ordained ver 1. 2. From his Ministration He must offer Gifts and Sacrifices for sins Ibid. 3. From his Qualification He must be merciful and compassionate ver 2 3. 2. Vocation which consists in Election and Ordination is not from Man but God for no Priest-hood can be efficiently conducing to Man's spiritual good except it be instituted from Heaven as Aaron's was ver 4. 3. Therefore Christ did not usurp his Sacerdotall Power but he had his Vocation Confirmation Consecration from God 1. His Vocation he finds Psal. 2. in these words Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee by which upon his Resurrection he was made and constituted King and Priest ver 5. 2. His Confirmation he reads Psal. 110. 4. I have sworn and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedec ver 6. 3. His Consecration which tended to his fuller Constitution was finished in his Agony and Death upon the Cross by which he became the Author of eternal Life to as many as obey him ver 7 8 9. Thus far the Author's Discourse of Priest-hood which is closed up with the Repetition of the words of Confirmation 1. Because the Confirmation followed the Consecration 2. From the same the Apostle takes occasion to make the Digression which followeth And therein he reproves them of their Ignorance contracted by their negligence which was such that whereas for the time they might have been more and apt to able teach others yet were Babes had need to be taught again the first Principles and were uncaple of the Doctrine which he intended to deliver concerning the Priest-hood of Christ ver 11 12 13 14. CHAP. VI. VVHerein 1. The Digression is continued 2. The principal Subject resumed ver 20. In the Digression we have 1. His Resolution 2. An Exhortation In the Resolution 1. The Thing Resolved upon 2. The Reasons of his Resolution The thing resolved upon is expressed 1. Negatively Not to go back and lay the Foundation 2. Affirmatively To go on with his intended Discourse ver 1 2 3. The Reasons are 1. If any of them after a clear conviction and considerable
4. Who made them by him 1. By Worlds some understand 1. All times 2. All things in all times Others think that he used the expression of the Rabbins who make there Worlds 1. The lowest which is the Earth Sea and all things in them The second and the middle is the Ayr and the Aethereal part with the Sphears The third is the supream the World of Angels God and Souls Yet all these are but one World and systeme of Heaven and Earth and the Word signifies all times and durations with all places and all things in all times and places 2. The making of these Worlds is the giving them their Being after that they had no Being and is the same with creating and framing as we may read in many other places 3. These Worlds were made by the Word which once made Flesh was Christ For by the Word and Wisdom of God which was the Rule and Idea of all things all things were modeled and received their forms shapes and distinct beings 4. It was God who by this Word which was his Word and was with him in the beginning and also from eternity so that it was God as he was God the same God the same essence Yet we must not understand this so as though God made the World by his Son as by an instrument or inferiour distinct Agent but Father Word and Spirit were an individual efficient sole cause of the Worlds This is the same with that of the divine Evangelist All things were made by him that is by the Word and without him was not any thing made which was made Joh. 1. 3. The Apostle Paul expresseth this more particularly and distinctly for speaking of the Son he saith That by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in â—arâ—â— visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominâ—ons or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Colos. 1. 16. This is so clear that I wonder with what face Crâ—llius could expound the words so as by the Worlds to understand Man and by making and creating the Worlds the reforming and restoring Mankind This seems to be more strange seeing he understands those words By Faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God Heb. 11. 3. of the Creation of the World The cause of this his false exposition is plain enough For this being affirmed of Christ that by him God made the Worlds it did plainly evince his Existence before his conception of the Virgin Mary nay before the World which was contrary to their damnable Errour Therefore he wilfully devised this interpretation lest he should grant the etemity of the Son of God But in Chap. 11. 3. where there was no mention of Christ he could give the genuine sense § 7. Ver. 3. Who being the brightness of his Glory To be Hâ—iâ— of all things did agree to him upon the Resurrection that God made the Worlds by Him referrs unto the work of Creation but to be the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express image of his person agrees to Him from eternity For in these words we may observe his eternal generation and production Some think the expression is taken out of the Book of Wisdom though Apocryâ—hâ—l Chap. 7. 26. where Wisdom is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the brightness oâ— effulgency of eternal Light For we find diverse expressions of those Apocryphal Books taken up and used in the New Testament For the better understanding hereof we must observe 1. That God is often called Light because this bodily and visible Light is Glorious and in several respects resembles that eternal glorious essence of God 2. That here God is said to have Light or Glory not that Glory or Light is an accident in God but because he is said to have that which he is For God is not only lightfome and glorious but Light and Glory Therefore this Glory is essential Glory or Light â— 3. The Similitude here used is taken not from accidental but substantial Light as the same is said to be a Light Purity beauty delectability in Light do teach us something of Him 4. Brightness or effulgency here must not be understood to be either an effect or an accident of this spiritual infinite and eternal Glory yet it 's something issuing from and produced by that Glory as the mental Word which is a kind of invisible brightness is the issue product or broode of the intellect which is a spiritual Light From this pâ—ice and such like the Nicene Fathers did conlude That Jesus Christ was the only begotten Son of God begotten of his Father before all Worlds God of God Light of Light very God of very God begotten not made being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made By this we may easily understand that they believed 1. The Glory to be a substance 2. The brightnesse to be a substance not an effect or accident 3. That the glory and brightnesse were one and the same substance 4. That the brightness issued from and was a product of the Glory not meerly as from a substance but as from a substance acting and acting upon it self 5. That Christ in this respect did exist from eternity We know little of this bodily Light less of the intellectual Light of the Soul and least of all of this eternal Light Therefore we trust believe according to plain Scripture most certainly that which we cannot clearly understand From hence we may understand the reason why Jesus Christ is called the Word and it is as because the word of the Intellect reflecting upon it self to know it self is a product of it self so is the Son of God the product of the eternal Intellect beholding it self to know itself yet this is the difference that this Word of the Soul is not so perfect nor real as this Word of God And the express Image of his person If Light produce Light then the Light produced must be like unto and in some measure represent more the Light and Glory producing and the more perfect and immediate the production is the more perfect is the resemblance and expression And because this production was perfect therefore this brightness is said to be the express Image of his Father The word translated here the express Image is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Character or impression made by Sculpture or some other way and this Character if rightly made is a lively expression of the samplar as an ectypon of the prototype This brightness is said to be the Character of his Hypostasis which some turn substance some turn person This implys 1. That he is a substantial Image yet not another but the same substance 2. That there is a relation between God who is this eternal Light and this image or brightness for he is the Image of this Glory 3. Yet he is not the Image of nor hath relation unto the Essence for
Christ hath by Inheritance it 's Hereditary and he is invested with it and actually possessed of it to enjoy it for ever Yet the word in the Greek signifies sometimes only to acquire possesse enjoy and so doth Iarash in Hebrew The Connexion is clear for whosoever hath greater dignity and power then another and that justly must needs be more excellent For excellency is a proper necessary consequence of Power § 13. For to which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee And again I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Son By these words he proves that Christ hath or doth inherit a more excellent Name which is the minor 1. This is a proof by an inartificial argument or testimony which depends upon the authority of the Person testifying 2. The party testifying is God therefore the authority is Divine and without exception especially to the Hebrews who acknowledged the Old Testament to be from God and infallible 3. He produceth two places out of the Old Testament 4. He alledgeth both especially the first by way of interogation affirmative which is a more vehement Negation For to which of the Angels said he that is to none and he challengeth the Hebrews or any other to prove that God said so to any Angel The first Testimony we find Psal. 2. 7. which must first be examined The words are used by the Apostle to prove the Resurrection of Christ Act. 13. 33. and his Priestâ—â—ood Chap. 5. 5 1. By the first place Psal. 2. we understand that upon the Resurrection after the time of his Humiliation was past he was made a King and by the second Hebr. 5. 5. he was made and created a Priest 2. That both are to be understood of Christ and of Christ raised up from death 3. That upon this Resurrection Christ was constituted King and Priest universal and supream in Heaven and Earth Therefore he said after his Reâ—â—rrection and before his Ascension All Power is given unto me in Heaven and iâ— Earth Matth. 28. 18. Therefore this day is not Eternity nor are the words to be understood of his eternal Generation as some of the Ancients expounded them but it 's the day of Resurrection when he laid aside the Form of a Servant and that Work which in that Form he must accomplish was finished This place truly understood doth plainly inform us that as none of the Angels did so humble themselves as he did to do so great and glorious a Service as he performed so none of them were rewarded with the honour and power of an universal Kingdom and Priest-hood as he was He had a better Name a higher place and a greater power for the Regal power he gave him was such that the very Angels were subject unto him as to their Lord and Soveraign The second place alledged we find 2 Sam. 7. 14 16. and the words of that former History contracted a Câ—ron 22. 10. in this manner The Lord speaking of a Son who should succeed him faith He shall build an House for my Name and he shall be my Son and I will be his Father and I will establish the Throne of his Kingdom over Israel for ever To understand this passage of Scripture you must consider 1. That the words are to be understood of Solomon for David intending to build a House and Temple to God was certified by Nathaâ— from the Lord that he should not build Him an House but Solomon his Son who should sit in his Throne after him should undertake and finish that Work 2 That Solomon was but a Type of Christ and that in three things 1. In building God's House 2. In being a King And 3. In the perpetuation of his Kingdom 3. You must know that when any words are spoken of a Type as a Type they are to be understood of the Anti-type and that principally to agree more exactly to the Aâ—â—â—-type For here to build God a spiritual House and to succeed David as an everlasting King did agree fully to Christ not to Solomon 4. The words understood both of the Type and the Anti-type make but one literal sense For that I call the literal sense which is intended by the Spirit And this is the excellency of the Scripture that by the same word it signifies not onely one but several things and thaâ— as the words signify things immediately at first hand so these things signify other things-things past or present or things to come For such was the wonderful Wisdom of God that he ordered things of old so that they plainly shadowed out things to come and so did teach Mysteries not onely by words but things and many things by one word 5. Christ and his Apostles do sometimes so quote the words of the Old Testament that they onely Point at the place and refer the hearer to it where he may read more than he hears and the whole when a part onely is spoken 6. This place joyned with the former doth plainly tell us that to be a Son is to be a King universal over the Church for ever and this is the more excellent Name and hereditary Power given to Christ never given to the Angels David himself by these words understood that God therein promised the Messâ—as and his eternal Saviour who was afterwards called the Son of David and his Throne and Kingdom the Throne and Kingdom of David By Son in both places is meant 1. Not a Servant 2. Not any kind of Son but the first-born 3. Not the first-born of any but of a King 4. Not the first-born of any King but of God as universal and Supream King for his Son this Son must be Heir and Lord of all § 14 Ver. 6. And again when he bringeth in the first-begotten c. These words are taken out of Psal. 97. and are found in the Septuagint Deut. 32. 43. They are brought to prove the excellent Name of Christ above the Angels affirmed in the Minor of the Apostle's Argument Expositors differ in the manner of bringing in these words upon the former but agree in the matter The difference is two-fold 1. About the Adverbs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The bringing of Christ into the World whether it was his Incarnation as some affirm or his coming to Judgment as others For the Adverbe 〈◊〉 turned again some make it onely a word of Connexion of these words with the former as an Addition of a third Proof of the Minor out of a third place His first was from Psal. 2. The second from 2 Sam. 7. which is added to the former in this manner And again The third is this from Psal. 97. So that the word here signifies onely an Addition of a third Proof to the two former Thus Beza Trimellius Vatablus the Tigurines Zurick Erasmus Sasbout and our English Translators understand it Others think this too harsh a Transposition and joyn it with the Verbe
bringeth in when he brings again or a second time the first-begotten into the World thus the Vulgar à Lapide Ribera Mr. Mede The former is very probable the latter cannot be demonstrated to be intended but gives occasion of the second doubt which had been none if they had not fallen upon this Criticism For it gives occasion to doubt what coming of Christ into the World is here to be understood whether his Incarnation or Râ—surrection or last Judgment Some understand the first some the second some the last Two things perswade us to believe it of that second coming 1. Because the first proof out of Psal. 2. speaks of the bringing of Christ into the World as King I have sâ—t my King upon my holy Hill of Zion for upon his Resurrection he was made King by Decree and Patent according to those words I will declare the Decree The second place 2 Sam. 7. speaks of him as King first-born and Lord of all 2. The 97. Psalm doth not speak of his coming to Judgment but 1. Of his Exaltation above all Gods whether Men or Angels For thou Lord art high above all the Earth thou art exalted far above all Gods Ver. 9. 2. Of his Laws and the Promulgation of them These Laws are given to Jews to Heathens to Angels with threatnings of Punishment and promises of Reward There is not a word of the Summons Appearance Sentence Execution and final Retribution of eternal Rewards and Punishments But these things wherein some differ are not so material as that wherein they all agree which is The Command of God to all the Angels to worship Christ. Let all the Angels of God worship him In Psal. 97. 7. Worship him all yo Gods These seem to diâ—â—es much But here you must take notice that the Apostle useth the words of the Septuagint and that which is strange the words of the Septuagint as used in Deut. 32. 43. â—ather than those we read Psal. 97. 7. The words of the Psalm are translated by Hiâ—rom Pratâ—â—sâ—s Juâ—ius Viâ—tublus our Translators Worship him all yo Gods By Pagninâ— the Tigurine the Vulgar and the Septuagint Worship him all his Angels And it 's certain that the Greek Translators either followed an Hebrew Copy different from ours or else they understood the word Malachin Angels and expressed it in their Version For that Translation is not wording but rather a Paraphrase and many times gives the sense and sometimes where they are most blamed as forsaking the Original they are most excellent and give greatest light as the Chaldeâ— Paraphrast many times doth But not to insist upon the Translations nor upon the word Elohinâ— which is said to signify God Angels Princes excellent men Idols The words of the Apostle following the Septuagint are plain and inform us 1. That the 97. Psalm is to be understood of Christ as King and Lord Redeemet reigning in glory 2. That God by this Command and Edict subjected all his Angels to Christ. 3. That he did this upon the Resurrection and Exaltation of Christ when he raised him up from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all principalities and powers and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this World but that which is to come Ephes. 1. 20 21. For Christ is gone inâ—o Heaven and is at the right hand of God Angels and Authorities and Powers being made subject unto him 4. That not onely some but all the Angels of God are subject to him for all the Angels must worship him and acknowledge him to be their Lord. 5. Therefore Christ hath obtained a more excellent Name a Name above every Name Phil 2. 9. And this is not onely a Name of Dignity in respect whereof the Angels must honour him but of Subjection to his Power by which he might command them as his Subjects and Servants to obey him § 15. Ver. 7. And of the Angels he saith Who maketh his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire These words may be referred either to the Context Antecedent or Consequent If to the Antecedent they seem to be a new Argument to this purpose If Christ be a Son and Lord of all even of Angels and Angels but his Legates and Servants then Christ is more excellent than Angels If they refer to the Context following then the Apostle argues in this manner If Angels be but Servants and Christ an everlasting King then Christ is more excellent than Angels but they are but Servants and he an everlasting King therefore he is more excellent There can be no doubt of the Major The Minor or Assumption hath two parts 1. That the Angels are Servants 2. Christ an everlasting King he proves both and out of the Psalms out of which are taken all the proofs except one in this Chapter and the most material proofs whereon he principally insists thorough out the first 9. Chapters of this Epistle This first part that Angels are but Servants he confirms out of Psal. 104. 4. 1. There is little or in effect no difference in the Translation nor much in the Exposition of the words for most do understand the place of Angels as spiritual and immortal Substances though some very few interpret it of the Winds and the fire which must needs be untrue except we will make the Apostle's Argument invalid 2. Yet there is some difference about the manner of Allegation in these words And of the Angels he saith for the Original seems to say that these words were spoken of the Angels not to the Angels So Vatablus Jumus Tremelius the Tigurines Zanck Divines and out Translators turn it The Vulgar reads it ad Angelos to the Angels yet a Lapide expounds the words of the Angels and thinks that the Vulgar follows the Hebrew wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometime taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad for super to for of And they of Zanck conceive there is an Enallage of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet Heinsius understands it in another manner and thinks it may well be translated ad Angelos and the sense is Quod ad Angelos spectat As for the Angels he saith and this is likely to be true Yet howsoever the words of the Psalmist are not spoken to but of the Angels 2. It s added he saith in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith without any expression who saith whether God or the Psalmist or God's Spirit by the Psalmist or it may be understood yet to the same purpose that the Scripture saith The words are the words 1. Of the Scripture 2. Of the Psalmist 3. Of the Spirit who is God But to the words themselves 1. The Subject of them is the Angels 2. The Scope is to prove that they are inferiour to Christ because Servants 3. They teach us 1. The Nature 2. The Place or Office of Angels 3. That God made
them such for Nature such for Office First For their Nature they are Spirits and a flame of sire for Office Angels and Ministers 1. They are Spirits that is spiritual and intellectual Creatures For whereas many think because Ruack in Hebrew and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek signify sometimes the Winds and that here the Angels are compared to the Winds for swiftness it 's poor For the word signifies the Soul of Man the Affections and Operations and the Mind it signifies also Angels both good and bad as they are spiritual and intellectual Substances 2. They are a flame of fire or flaming fire that is Seraphims bright glorious and excellent Creatures They are called Cherubims and Seraphims which are Spirits near unto the Throne of God ever in his presence like Princes tending upon his Majesty ready ever to do him Service and glorify him 1. God makes them and gives them an excellent Being and qualifies them and makes them fit to be his Servants 2. He makes them Servants and Officers to do him high and glorious Service 1. They must be Angels to know and declare his Will to those to whom he sends them 2. They must be Ministers to do and execute his Will He made them both their excellent Nature and their Office and both from him Here it might be noted that the Angels are not any kind of Servants but such as are in eminent place as Officers be yet Officers are but Servants and not Lords The Sum of all is that Angels though excellent Creatures are but Servants and Ministers and this the Apostle intended out of these words to prove § 16. Ver. 8 9. But unto the Son he saith Thy Throne O God c. Where we must consider 1. The Connexion 2. The Translation 3. The principal sense 4. The Scope of the Apostle 1. The Connexion is not copulative but discretive and implies an opposition and an eminency For Christ is here opposed to the Angels as Servants and Subjects are to Soveraigns as invested with a super-eminent Dignity and Power therefore the particle ω is well translated but. 2. The Translation is 1. Of the words of Allegation 2. Of the words alledged First Of the words of Allegation which may be translated either as they are here read To the Son he saith or as the former of the Son he saith or as for the Son he saith He that is God or the Psalmist or the Scripture or the Spirit by the Psalmist in the Scripture saith thus of the Son Secondly Of the words alledged the Translation is somewhat doubtful for they may be turned Thy Throne O God as they are commonly translated or Thy Throne is God as Genebrard ieforms us some Rabbins understand it or thy Throne of God and every one of these may be true 3. The genuine sense is this that the Power of Christ is from God a royal and divine Power for his Kingdom was not of this World but an heavenly Kingdom of universal and eternal continuance and of a perfect constitution and administration For because that he loved Righteousness and hated Iniquity so far as to be righteous and holy not only in life but death and by his death to expiate the sin of Man and to sanctify all that believe in him for ever therefore God even his God anointed him that is exalted him above all Kings and Prophets even above the Angels By Oyl of gladness is meant Oyl that maketh glad which here signifies not only the gifts but the power of the holy Spirit and to be anointed with this Oyl is not onely to receive gifts and ability but power and authority spiritual and divine and the same super-eminent above all power communicated to any other And this transcendent power was given him for his great and glorious Service in the work of Redemption by his Death and Sufferings 4. The Scope of the Apostle is to prove that Christ is more excellent than the Angels and the reason is strong they are but Messengers Ministers Servants God never made any of them an universal and eternal King but such he hath made Christ. The Apostle implies that the 45. Psalm speaks of Christ. § 17. Ver. 10 11 12. And thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the Foundation of the Earth c. How these words agree with the Scope of the Apostle so as to prove Christ to be more excellent than the Angels is difficult to understand They are taken out Psal. 102. The whole Psalm is a Prayer directed to God Redeemer by Christ the matter of the Petition is to hasten the coming of Christ and his glorious Kingdom the repair of the Church and the enlargement of it to all Nations that the People may be gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord that is the Lord Christ and that his Saints being mortal may be changed and inherit eternal life by that Lord Christ who shall destroy all Enemies consume the World with fire and eternally glorify the Saints The Propositions or divine Axioms contained in these words are 1. That Christ being Jehovah made the World 2. That Heaven and Earth created by him are mutable and shall be changed by him 3. That he is immutable and his Kingdom everlasting 4. That his Subjects and Servants though mortal shall enjoy eternal peace and happiness by him In all these things Christ is far above the Angels especially in this that he being Creator of the World shall be an everlasting King of an everlasting and unchangeable Kingdom Yet this is so to be understood that it doth not agree to Christ as the Word alone because as the Word alone he is not Redeemer nor to Christ as Flesh or Man alone for as such he could not create the World but it agrees unto him as the Word made Flesh and exalted at the right hand of God This may be considered either as a distinct proof from the former or a confirmation of the same in respect of his eternal Throne and Kingdom The Socinian upon this place 1. Denies Christ to be the Creator of the World and so to be God 2. Affirms that the intention of the Apostle is to prove Christ more excellent than the Angels onely by one thing in the words and that is by his secondary power to change Heaven and Earth which power God never gave unto the Angels And his design in all this was to cloud this place which so plainly affirms the Deity and immutable Being of Christ. 1. That Christ is the Creator of the World hath been clear from Joh. 1. 2 3. from the second Verse of this Chapter from Coloss. 1. 16. For Christ is not meerly Man as they affirm but the Word by which all things were made which in fulness of time was made flesh 2. That he that made the World is the same that shall change it and shall abide the same for ever For to create the World to change it to remain for ever are all affirmed of
one Person and if that Person be Christ then all not onely one of them agree unto him This Erasmus Johannes did very well observe in his dispute with Socinus concerning some kind of existence which Christ must needs have before the Incarnation Socinus in his Answer doth miserably shift and offers plain violence to the place Volkelius doth the like Crellius Volkelius Socinus make this the Scope of the Apostle in this first Chapter to demonstrate that Christ is more excellent than the Angels onely in such things as he received as Man from God after his Death and Resurrection But as you heard before his intent is to prove 1. That Christ is more excellent than the Prophets 2. Than the Angels And as he was more excellent than the Prophets not onely as sitting at the right hand of God but as creating the World and being the brightness of his Father's Glory and the express Image of his Person so he was more excellent than Angels not onely as sett at the right hand of God but as creating the World It was an hard thing and is still to understand the Mystery of the Incarnation That the eternal Word and Wisdom of God by which he created the World should be made Flesh and possesse dwell in and be united to the Nature of Man is plain Scripture but how he doth possess it dwell in it and is united to it so as he never possessed or dwelt in or was united unto any other Man or Angel is far above our reach and capacity Believe that it is so we must we may we are bound unto it it 's clear certain and the Word of God expresseth it plainly Understand the manner how it is we cannot And how should we seeing we are so ignorant how the Soul and Body are united In this Case as in many other Non vivacitas intelligendi sed simplicitas credendi not our evident Knowledg but our Faith must save us But it 's a wickedness which God will punish to deny that which God doth plainly affirm because we cannot fully comprehend it § 18. Ver. 13. 14. But to which of the Angels said he at any time c. These words may be understood to be a Conclusion of the former premisses or a new Argument If a Conclusion then we must conceive the premisses and the former discourse to amount to this that God set Christ at his right hand and not the Angels and here he briefly sums up the whole and inferrs therefore Christ is above the Angels Yet they rather seem to contain a new another Argument taken from the Psalmist Psal. 110. The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my right hand c. 1. To sit at the right hand of God is not onely to be for ever happy and blessed by enjoying those pleasures which are at God's right hand for evermore nor onely to be advanced to the highest place of honour and dignity next unto God but to be invested with a supream and universal Power above all Men and Angels and by the same actually to reign for with the Apostle to sit at the right hand of God is to reign 1 Cor. 15. 25. This is to be Administrator-general as Law-giver and Judge in that spiritual Kingdom whereby God orders sinful Man unto eternal Glory This agrees to him as the Word made Flesh raised from the dead and ascended into Heaven 2. This Glory Dignity and Power was given to Christ as Man yet united to the Word For the Lord said unto my Lord that is David's Lord who yet according to the Flesh was David's Son who though Flesh was far greater after his Humiliation than his Father David not onely as the Word and the same Supream Lord with the Father but as Flesh and Man The Chaldee turns it to his Word the Lord said to his Word yet to his Word made Flesh. 3. The party who advanced him to his right hand was God for it was God who gave him a Name above all Names none else could give it 4. He gave it him by his Word and Edict For he said In this word we have the Patent or Commission of Christ in which he signifies his Will was that he should be Lord and King and with the word gives him the Power so that his Title is good and valid and stands firm and inviolable 5. The date of this Reign is expressed in those words untill his Enemies be made his Foot-stool that is till the Resurrection and final Glorification of all his Saints This being the meaning of the words the Apostle insists chiefly upon that part of the Text said to my Lord as though he should say 1. You confess that Psalm to be part of the holy Scripture revealed from Heaven 2. That the words are not to be understood of Angels but the Messiah 3. That in the first words of that Psalm God speaks to some certain Person to whom he gives Power to reign 4. He did not by those words give Power unto the Angels but to Christ thence he argues If God gave this Power to Christ and never to any of the Angels did the like then Christ is more excellent than the Angels and the Angels inferiour to Christ But this was said this power was given to Christ and not to the Angels therefore he is more excellent This Argument is stronger and more convictive because it 's negative and exclusive for they might have said that though God did advance and honour Christ and gave him an everlasting Kingdom yet he might do the like to some of the Angels To prevent this he out of the Text proves that God said this to Christ and there is no mention there nor in any part of the Scripture of God's advancing any of them to his right hand And that his Argument might be more forcing he proposeth it interrogatively To which of the Angels said he at any time That is He said not any such thing at any time to any of the Angels If he did he challengeth them to prove or produce the place which they could never do § 19. Ver. 14. Are they not all ministring Spirits c. These words may be considered absolutely in themselvs or relatively as conducing unto the main Conclusion intended by the Apostle The subject of them are Angels of whom something here is affirmed The manner of Expression is Rhetorical by way of Interrogation The Answer implyed is affirmative for they say that negative Interrogations are more vehement Affirmations The Proposition in general is That all the Angels are ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be Heirs of Salvation The parts infolded in the general or the whole are many 1. They are Spirits 2. Ministring Spirits 3. Sent forth to minister 4. The Minister for the Heirs of Salvation 5. They are all such 1. They are Spirits that is incorporeal incorruptible intellectual active substances the most noble and excellent Creatures God made 2. They are ministring
them everlasting life Hee 's that Joshua who leads us and gives us possession of our spiritual and celestial Canaan 2. This Captain Prince and Authour was made perfect of God by Suffering or God made him perfect by Sufferings To be perfected in this place is to be consecrated and made a compleat Priest or at least to be put in an immediate capacity to act as a Priest Aaron and the Levitical Priests had their Consecration and it was not without Blood and the death of Sacrifices and the form was instituted and prescribed by God who alone could give them this Glory Power and Office That Christ was a Priest is expresse Scripture as we shall understand in this Epistle hereafter Yet such he could not be without Consecration neither could he be consecrated without Blood and suffering of Death and offering a bloody Sacrifice And the difference of the Consecration of other Priests and him was this that though both were consecrated by Blood yet they were consecrated by the blood of Beaâ—â—s sacrificed He by his own Blood when he sacrificed and offered himself without spot unto God The reason of this was Because he must be a Meditatour between God and sinful Man to reconcile them but no reconcilion without Blood and no Blood but his own Blood immaculate would be accepted For though God was merciful and willing to be reconciled yet his justice would admit of no reconciliation but upon satisfaction to be made by this Blood God did manifest his Justice and hatred of sin by punishing it in Christ before he would pardon it in Man It was God that did Consecrate him for no Man or Angel could conferr this Office upon him or make him an universal and eternal Priest to officiate and minister in Heaven only God could do this And he as supream Lord and Law-giveâ— could appoint and accept him to be Redeemer prescribe the manner of Consecration and as supream Judge accept of his Consecration once finished and invest him with this sacerdotal Power In these respects God is said to Consecrate him By him thus consecrated many Sons are brought to Glory There are many Sons brought to Glory he that brings them to Glory is God he doth this by Christ consecrated and made their Captain To bring to Glory is in the end to give possession of Glory and that everlasting and most excellent Estate prepared for the Sons of God These are many and are made his Sons by Regeneration and Adoption The one doth make them capable of the other gives them right to Glory which they shall fully enjoy when their heavenly Birth and gracious Adoption are perfected They derive their title from their Captain as consecrated by Suffering and received by Faith For as they are the Sons and Heirs of God so are they joynt-Heirs with Christ and in his right And if he never had been consecrated by Sufferings they never had been either Sons or Heirs or Glorified For he by his Sufferings merited all and laid the foundation of their eternal Happiness And for this Suffering he made him Captain and Head of all his Sons and gave him power to give eternal Life to as many as he had given him It 's God who brings these Sons to Glory by their Head and Captain He loved Man he gave his Son to Death he raised him up again made him King and Priest and gave him power to convert us and by him he adopts us and by him he gives us Glory The sum of all is this The glorification of sinful Man from first to last is from God it 's he and he alone that brings him to Glory yet though the persons glorified be many yet they are all Sons and none but Sons shall enjoy the Inheritance neither are they Sons by Nature or of themselves He makes them such by Christ and Christ was consecrated by Sufferings and made their Captain It became him for whom and by whom are all things in bringing many Sons to Glory thus to do God is here described from his efficiency where-by he is the cause of all things the universal Agent who produceth preserveth ordereth all things to their end especially his Sons unto Glory For though his works be many then some are more excellent then others and one of the chiefest is the Salvation of man Some do think that by these words for whom and by whom are meant that God is the final and efficient cause of all yet in strict sense God cannot in himself be said to be the end of any thing yet the manifestation of his glorious Perfection may be said to be intended by him in all his Works To consecrate the Captain of all his Sons by Sufferings did become him that is it seemed best to his divine Wisdom to use this means as most fit to manifest his justice and mercy in the Redemption and Salvation of man What Ways and means as conducing to this end he knew or his divine Wisdom did dictate unto him is hidden from us but this here mentioned he resolved upon as the best and most agreeable to his excellent perfection For God doth nothing but that which becomes him so glorious in himself and so excellent an Agent Men may do many things unbeseeming and no ways befitting them to do nay Angels have done many things which did not become so noble Spirits to do but God doth nothing but what God may do And this is the reason why Christ must taste of Death for every man Because it seemed good to God by that way and means to save sinful man And this is the relative consideration and connexion implyed in the causal conjunction For. They give a reason why Christ was lower then the Angels and suffered Death And why It became God so to do Ver. 11. For both he that Sanctifieth c. § 14. The Apostle in these and the following words doth manifest how it became God to cast Christ below the Angels and consecrate him by Sufferings and he doth so manifest it as that it may appear to be agreeable to Reason which is a spark or ray of divine Light To understand this the better you must remember 1. That Christ was lower then the Angels in suffering Death 2. That as God or Angel he could not suffer Death 3. If he could have suffered Death as a Spirit yet that Death was not so fit to redeem Man or expiate his sin and sanctify him 4. That seeing he must both dy and dy for man he must be Man and mortal Man to sanctify man These things premised the Apostle proves that it became God to make Christ a mortal Man and the reason is because he that sanctifyeth and they who are sanctifyed ought and must be of one and this is the coherence In the words themselves we have the unity and indentity of the Sanctifier and sanctified By the Sanctifier or the person sanctifying is meant Christ and by the sanctified sinful men by being of one that
were yet here they are called Brethren as believing in Christ and holy as sanctified by the Spirit of Christ So that this is a Fraternity in respect of Religion Christian. They became such Brethren and so holy by the heavenly Call they were partakers of the heavenly Calling For as they were not Brethren so neither were they holy by natural Generation but by supernatural and spiritual Regeneration as before To be partakers of this Call is either barely to be called or to be partakers of this Mercy together with others It 's said to be Heavenly as some understand it in respect of the efficient and the final Cause It 's from Heaven that is from God who is the principal Cause of this Work and because they are to be called to Heaven that is eternal Glory which is the end and ultimate Effect thereof In it we may consider 1. The Work of God 2. The Duty of Man 3. The Benefit following upon both The Work of God is by the Word of the Gospel and the Power of the Spirit to enlighten and sanctify man and gave him a Divine Power to believe and turn unto Him The duty of Man is to be obedient to the heavenly Call The benefit is the admission of him as obedient unto his heavenly Kingdom and receiving him as an Heir of Glory Upon this heavenly Call followeth a great change both in the disposition and condition of man called For his disposition he is made of unholy holy and therefore said to be called with an holy Calling and to be called unto Holiness For his condition he is made of miserable happy and therefore said to be called unto eternal Glory And because the distance between holiness and happiness and sinful and miserable Man is so great therefore this work of God is a work of great power and because the change is so happy therefore it 's a work of great mercy wherein God freely prevents man so that if he should not thus prevent him he would be for ever sinful and miserable Wo unto all such as are disobedient to this heavenly Call and neglect this preventing Grace for as their Sin is more hainous so their Punishment shall be more grievous The Apostle seems to put them in mind of this Calling to let them know how deeply they are engaged to God and how unworthy they should be if they should not persevere unto the end § 3. The duty exhorted unto is expressed ver 6. It 's to hold fast the confidence and rejoycing of the hope firm to the end and is repeated ver 14. It 's opposed to unbelief ver 12. Take heed Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God The duty therefore is persevetance which presupposeth that they had received the Truth of the Gospel and professed their Faith in Christ and is a continâ—ance in this Faith once received and professed to the end This Faith was from God and was wrought in them by the heavenly Call and the continuance of it depends upon God He gave it at the first he continues it to the last yet so that man must be obedient at the first and use all means with diligent care to preserve it to the last Some refuse to obey at the first others who have professed and received the Truth fall off before the end and both these are sins and they only guilty of them § 4. The reasons follow 1. From the excellency of Christ which is set forth by Comparison The parties compared are Christ and Moses both excellent but Christ far more And here it is observable 1. That the duty is the same with that which was pressed Chap. 2. 2. That the ground of that was the excellency of Christ above the Angels of this the excellency of Christ above Moses 3. The reason there was that if the disobedience unto the word of Angels was punished with Death how much more grievously shall they be punished which disobey the Gospel of Christ 4. The reason here is that if their fathers for their unbelief and disobedience to the Doctrine of Moses were eternally shut out of God's rest how much more shall they he shut out of Heaven and Christ's eternal rest if they do not continue in the Faith of Christ but fall off from their profession To understand this first reason we must consider 1. The excellency of Christ and the excellency of Moses absolutely and positively 2. The excellency of both comparatively that so we may understand the excellency of the one fâ—t above the the excellency of the other 1. Therefore they must consider the excellency of Christ Jesus which is this That he is the Apostle and High-Priest of their Profession Their profession was of the Christian Faith and Religion which they did professe The Authour Apostle and Legate sent from Heaven who first published this Faith and Doctrine was Christ the Son of God by whom God spake who was formerly proved to be more excellent then the Prophets then the Angels So that their Religion was from God nor by Prophets or Angels but by Christ the great Prophet For here to be an Apostle is to be a Prophet Yet Moses and so many others may be Prophets yet no High-Priest but Christ Jesus is not only the Prophet but the High-Priest who mediates between God and Man and officiates so as to make his Doctrine effectual and saving and expiate his Peoples Sin that they may be reconciled to their God This two-fold power was necessary as without which he could not have been a perfect Saviour These are his two Offices upon which the Apostle so much enlargeth and insisteth But 〈◊〉 may be an Officer and yet prove unfaithful and not discharge his trust yet Christ was faithful For it follows Ver. 2. Who was faithful to him that appointed him § 5. This is concerning Christ's fidelity expressed both absolutely in these words and comparatively in those which follow 1. Absolutely He was faithful to him who appointed him 2. Comparatively As Moses was faithful in all his House The former words 1. Imply his ordination 2. Expresse his fidelity to him that ordained him Where we have two Propositions 1. That God appointed Him 2. He was faithful to God In that He was appointed or made an Apostle and High-Priest of our Christian profession for so the words are to be understood it 's evident that He did not Usurp this two-fold Power and Office but received it and acquired it legally and none could invest Him with this Power but onely God and the reason is because it is so eminent and transcendent After he was once advanced he was faithful to that God who advanced and trusted him with so great a Power This fidelity was the true and full discharge of his Apostolical and Sacerdotal Office in perfectly doing all things necessary for the eternal Salvation of Man so far as it depended upon this two-fold Office As an Apostle or Prophet
drink it and receive it into our bodies yet if we neither eat the one when it 's set before us nor drink the other when put into our hands we may perish for hunger and thirst So it is spiritually with our Souls in respect of the Word preached and heard only our with outward ears and not received and receiued in our hearts by a true and lively Faith So that the cause why the Word of God being so great a Blessing and so excellent a means of Salvation doth us no good is from our selves or in our selves who either refuse it at the first or reject it after we have professed it and promised to live according to it And this refusal and rejection as they are hainous sins not onely against God's just Laws but his merciful tender of eternal life so they will prove in the end the cause of our eternal misery which shall be greater and more intolerable than those to whom the Word of God was never preached 4. Therefore it concerns us all to fear this Sin of Apostacy as we fear loss of heavenly Rest God's eternal displeasure Hell Death and eternal Punishments The Apostle by this word fear implies there is danger of falling away and if we consider there is danger and the same very great For if we look upon our weakness and the remainders of corruption the deceipt and hypocrisy of our own hearts the imperfection of our Understanding in heavenly things the inconstancy of our Wills our little experience in the wayes of God and the violence and power of temptation from the Devil and the World we may easily see that it 's a wonder if not a matter of amazement that we stand one day one hour yet when we look up towards Heaven remember our Saviour Christ reigning and victorious the power of the blessed Spirit the helps God hath given us the Promises of assistance there is great cause of hope yet this hope doth not exclude but require our diligent Care continual Watching and instant Prayers without which we cannot by which we may hope to stand Oh how should we carefully and constantly attend unto God's Word lay it up in our hearts make it the Rule of our whole life so as to obey his Commands rely upon his Promises and fear his threats and every day call to mind the Profession we have made and the Promises whereby we have engaged our selves unto our God And seeing so few do fear it 's no wonder so many fall and come short of this blessed Rest. Most men presume upon the Promise and neglect the Duty The Israellres had a Promise yet did not enter because they did not believe § 3. There follows another distinct Reason from the former and that is the great benefit that follows upon the performance of the Duty Ver. 3. For we who have believed do enter into Rest as he said As I have sworn in my Wrath c. THere is some difficulty to know the coherence of these words with the former as also of those that follow with these and amongst themselves Some say they come in upon the words immediately antecedent and give a reason why the Word not mixed with Faith did not profit nor bring the hearers into God's Rest For onely we that believe do enter that is There is no entrance but by Faith but by Faith there is Others think they propose a reason why we should fear Apostacy and be careful to persevere and that from the happy consequent and the glorious reward which follows upon perseverance in belief and that is entrance and admittance into God's Rest yet they may referr to those words of the former Chapter For some when they had heard did provoke howbeit not all that came out of Aegypt by Moses For Caleb and Joshua heard and believed and persevered for it 's said of Caleb and it 's the Testimony of God That he had another Spirit with him and followed the Lord fully Numb 14. 24. This he applyes to himself and the Hebrews to this purpose That though some did not enter because of Unbelief yet some did believe and did not provoke and so entred so likewise shall we believing do As the former might cause fear so this latter might cause hope and prove a strong motive why we should fear to fall and be very careful to persevere So that if we will sum up that which went before it 's this in brief To day if we will hear God's voice we must not harden our hearts 1. Because if we do harden them we shall be shut out of God's Rest as our rebellious and Apostate Fathers were 2. If we do not harden our hearts but believe we shall enter into God's Rest as Caleb and Joshua did It follows As he said I have sworn in my wrath if they shall enter into my Rest c. These words serve to inform us of three things 1. That the Word not believed could not profit because by Unbelief they provoked God to wrath and in his Wrath he sware they should not enter into his Rest so likewise we should fear to be guilty of Unbelief because if we prove such God in his Wrath by the like Oath will exclude us 2. That as God by this Oath did exclude none but Unbelievers and brought the Believers into Canaan so he will exclude none out of the Rest promised in the Gospel but Unbelievers and will without all fail bring us believing into our spirituall Canaan 3. That as the Oath so the Exhortation used by the Prophet David implied that as there was a Rest in the dayes of Joshua so there is another Rest besides that of the promised Land Therefore because it might be doubted what Rest either David meant or the Gospel doth promise the Apostle proceeds to prove that there is yet a Rest prepared for God's People under the Gospel and determines what Rest that is This is done by distinction for he informs us of a three-fold Rest 1. Of the Sabbath 2. Of the Land of Canaan 3. Of the eternal Rest in Heaven That it was the intention of the Apostle to manifest that there was a Rest for the People of God under the Gospel and yet that Rest was neither the first of the Sabbath nor the second of the Land of Canaan is evident by that which follows especially Ver 19 10. That it was expedient if not necessary for him to do thus is as clear because he had alledged the words of the Psalm To day if ye will hear his Voice and also said in Ver. 1. That a Promise was left us of entring into his Rest. The first is the Rest of the Sabbath in these words Although the Works were finished from the Foundation of the World And Ver. 4. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day in this wise And God did rest the seventh day from all his Works THE particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is turned here although yet it may signify and
of Melchizedeâ—k 2. Conceiving these Hebrews hardly capable of that discourse concerning this excellent and eternal Priest-hood which he intended he iâ—proves their Ignorance caused by their great negligence In the first part he 1. Informs us what an High-Priest in general is 2. Shews that none can be a lawful Priest who is not called 3. Proves Christ to be called and by Commission from Heaven made an High-Priest and invested with a Sacerdotal Power But to proceed unto particulars and enter upon the Text which gives us a description of an High-Priest and lets us know that he is an Officer in matters of Religion 2. That his Work is to offer Gifts and Sacrifices for Sin 3. He must be of a mercifull disposition and inclined to compassionate the People as having Infirmities of his own 4. The end whereat he must aim to make God propitious and procure his favour for the remission of the Peoples Sin He is an Officer in matters of Religion To be an Officer is the general wherein he agrees with all others in any Office to be such in matters of Religion differenceth him from all Magistrates and Civil Officers Before we handle the parts of the Description we must take notice first what the definitum or thing described is and it 's said to be an High-Priest Priest-hood if we consult the Greek or Latine Name is a sacred Office the word Cohen in Hebrew also is an Officer either sacred or civil and comes of a Verbe in Piel which signifie to minister or act in political or religious matters and such a Person may be a Magistrate or Minister a Prince or a Priest For anciently Princes were Priests and Priests Princes so Melchizedeck was King and Priest and such if we may believe some ancient Authours were the first-born of Families and had the Power and Charge of Civil and Ecclesiastical Government in the Family This Office is a place of power and dignity Yet there usually was an inequality between Priests for some were high-Priests some inferiour and the High-Priest was President over the rest of greater dignity and power and could and might officiate in some things wherein the inferiour could not In this place the thing or Person described is an High-Priest though many of these things might agree to other Priests And first he is an Officer For He is one taken from among men and ordained for men By this with that which follows we may easily understand that the Priest here described is a Man and not an Angel and an Officer for men and for sinful men 1. He must be taken from among man which implies not onely that he must be a Man but of the same ranck and quality with other men who are no Officers no Priests but of no Priests made Priests yet they should be duly qualified and fit for the place how else can they officiate as they ought to do This phrase to be taken from among men we find Exod. 28. 1. where Moses is commanded to take Aaron and his Sons from the midst or from among the children of Israel and a like Expression is used Levit. 8. 1. when Aaron must be consecrated This is a kind of election and designation of the person whereby he is singled out of and separated from the rest to be put in another and higher rank and order This designation is made by Lot or Birth-right or Election or divine immediate determination for here there must be no Usurpation After the Person is once designed and determined upon he must be constituted ordained set over other men for their good for the end of all Officers is to seek and endeavour the temporal or spiritual good of those to whom they are made Officers For though God can do all things immediately himself yet he is pleased to make use of man and by man communicate his Blessings to man This constitution is by a Mandate of him or them who can constitute an Officer and by this Mandate is signified the Constitutor's Will The effect of it is to give the Person constituted Power and to bind him to officiate For every Officer by his Ordination receivs a power and a charge to do the Works of his place And as the power and charge are many times great so the Constitution is made with solemn Rites which are used in the Inauguration of Princes and Consecration of Priests This is the general Nature of a Priest he is an Officer Yet there be Civil and there be Religious Officers but a Priest is an Officer in Religion and the things of God For we have to do with Men and we converse with God The Subject therefore wherein a Priest is imployed is things pertaining to God for he is the Supream Lord to whom all Glory Service and Obedience are due in the highest degree upon him we all alwayes do wholly depend both for our Being and Happiness both spiritual and temporal And though all men must worship him yet there are publick Services which none but a Priest may perform so as to be accepted Every one doth not know how God will be served neither if they knew it are they fit or qualified for it Therefore God ordained Priests who knew his Will his instituted Worship and how it should be performed and to come to God without them was in vain and for any other to officiate in that place is an Usurpation and a great Offence By this Office God did signify that sinful Man cannot come near unto him without a Mediator And it was an unspeakable Mercy of God to institute such Services as he requires at Man's hands and to ordain such Persons for the performance as he would accept As Religion so Priest-hood in general sin presupposed seems to be of the Law of Nature For no Nation is without Religion no Religion without a Priest therefore we read in Authours so much of Temples Altars Priest and amongst these High-Priests and Supream Pontiffs Yet there may be Officers in Religion who are no Priests but subservient unto them therefore we must know what is the proper Work of a Priest which is the next thing whereof the Apostle informs us in these words That he may offer both Gifts and Sacrifices for Sins The Law and Ligh of Nature dictate unto us that something must be offered unto God in acknowledgment of his Supream Dominion and because men have their Sins and are guilty and God is just and hath power of life and death of punishment and pardon therefore Sacrifices must be offered to satisfy his Justice avert his Wrath and procure his favour But by what Gifts and Sacrifices God may be propitiated and in what manner they must be offered the Law of Nature will not teach us These things must be revealed and instituted from Heaven and so must the Priest-hood and party officiating too for every one must not offer these Gifts and Sacrifices either for himself or others but such as God shall either mediately or
This Righteousness so far as it reacheth is true and tends much towards eternal life and the estate of such as do attain it is comfortable and hopeful But there are usually defects in it and those very great For 1. It doth not proceed to a deep and firm radication nor 2. To any habitual predominancy over all lusts nor 3. Will it endure any great tryall There may be and are indeed in many Persons Knowledge Faith Love Hope and Comfort and these not meerly Moral but Supernatural and divine caused not onely by the outward revelation of the Word but also by inward illumination and inspiration of the Spirit yet some of these if they be Persons of great estate will be unwilling to sell all and give unto the poor or restore four-fold to those they have wronged or forfeit credit liberty their whole estate and hazard their lives out of Love to their dear Saviour yet all these must be done and that freely and willingly before we can attain to an estate of Confirmation 4. Yet this Confirmation doth not depend upon the radication and intensive measure of their divine vertues but upon the Will and support of God which certain support Man cannot expect by vertue of the Covenant before he arrive at such a measure of Grace and performance of Duty For it 's the meet Mercy of God who delights in an upright heart which moved him to promise this Confirmation to persons of integrity who have overcome the World for till Faith improve so far as to obtain this Victory and that clearly Man may fall and the desires and fears of the World may the more easily prevail against him and God may justly desert him because he neglects to come up unto his terms and refuseth the conditions and qualification necessary to a compleat real and sincere Disciple to whom alone Confirmation by vertue of the Promise is due That which supports a Man against all temptations and prevents Apostacy is strength this strength is internal and external and both from God The internal strength is such a measure of Faith in Christ in Man as is sufficient to overcome the World and obtain a clear victory The external strength is that power of God superadded to the former which not only continues and preserves the inward power of Grace but also is continually ready to supply all defects and make the final issue infallible and most certain For there is a glorious Inheritance reserved in Heaven for those who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation ready to be revealed is the last time 1 Pet. 1. 4 5. Where we have Faith within and the power of God without and the preservation of the parties regenerate unto Salvation and final enjoyment as the effect of both Neither of these belong unto those which have only the Spirit of preparation and not of inhabitation For though they are in a fair way unto and in good hope of both yet they have attained neither Yet there are others which find the victorious power of Faith within them and having received the Spirit of Adoption testifying that they are the Sons of God and the first fruits of Glory may be assured of their preservation to the end according to the tenour of the Promises made in many places of Scripture to such as are so qualified as they know themselves to be § 12. Thus far the Apostle's Resolution and the Reasons thereof Now followeth his exhortation which comes in very seasonably after his former Doctrine of Apostacy which was terrible and the latter concerning the happy and safe estate of such as were qualified as they were For lest the one should occasion dispair and the other presumption and security by this exhortation he intimates that the very estate of confirmation in this life doth not exempt from duty and diligence on Man's part not exclude some kind of desertion on God's part For this Confirmation differs from that which shall be in Heaven where there shall be no Sin no Temptation but perfect holiness without any danger and a plenary possession of the blessed Inheritance For the estate of the Confirmed in this time of mortality is like that of Israel after that they had broken the main strength of the Canaanites divided the Land by lot and did begin to enjoy it But after all this was done there remained several parts of the Land not yet reduced nor totally subdued And God did so order it to try them and also to continue and improve their Military skill and valour So it is with God's regenerate Ones his true Israelites for though they have broken the main strength of the Enemy and as it were in one piâ—cht Battle obtained a clear Victory yet the remainders of corruption may sometimes put them hard to it and much annoy them And it 's God's Will it should be thus to teach them humbly to depend upon him and that continually to exercise their heavenly virtues to keep their watch and never put off their Armour till they have obtained a total and final Victory The principal things to be observed in this Exhortation are 1. The Duty exhorted unto 2. The Reasons why it should be performed For he that will exhort effectually must 1. Let the parties exhorted know distinctly what the Duty is 2. Demonstrate that it's very reasonable to perform it and the more clearly and fully both these are done the more effectually will the heart be moved For the rational Creature must be moved rationally Every exhortation implies the desire of the Oratour or party exhorting otherwise why doth he perswade why doth he exhort therefore saith the Apostle I desire you In this it differs both from a Command and a Petition and if the party desiring be excellent or beloved and the thing desired be reasonable and advantageous it should prevail much If such a person as Paul so worthy and so excellent shall desire the performance of a thing which is not only convenient but necessary to the attaining of eternal life how ready should we be to do it § 13. But To know the Duty is most considerable and it is Perseverance the same which was formerly urged Chap. 2. 3 4. This duty is proposed affirmatively and negatively and the performance of it concerned all and every one For thus he writes Ver. 11. And we desire that every one of you shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end Ver. 12. That you be not slothfull THere is no mention of Perseverance in the Text yet it 's sufficiently implyed for if they must shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end then they must persevere But to understand the duty more fully let us enquire 1. What hope is 2. What the full assurance of hope 3. What it is to shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end Hope is sometimes taken for the thing hoped for not as it is
Name of that City was Zedec afterwards it was called Salem and then Jerusalem 2. That Melchizedec and Adonizedec was the common Name of the Kings of that place as Pharaoh was of the Kings of Egypt and Caesar of the Romane Emperours Whether this King was by descent a Canaanite or some other is not material to know yet Moses informs us that he was not onely a King but a Priest and such he might be and yet an Idolater But to take away that doubt it 's added that he was the Priest of the most High God This word Priest doth signify his Superiority and Authority in matters of Religion and he was a prime Minister and did officiate in things pertaining to God As a King he governed men as a Priest he worshipped God The word Cohen which signifies a Prince or a Priest is here determined to the signification of a Priest or publick Officer in sacred things Whereas it 's said that he was the Priest of the most High God it may be understood 1. That he was constituted and consecrated a Priest by God and so received his Power immediately from Heaven as he must needs do because he derived not his Power from any Predecessor and his Order vvas very high and so high that he was said for to be a lively Type of Jesus Christ the Son of God and the supream and eternal Priest of Heaven 2. That he did worship no Idols or petty Gods but the Supream Lord and Living God that made Heaven and Earth and taught his People so to do From these words Ver. 1. For this Melchizedec King of Salem and Priest of the Most High God VVEE may observe 1. That Religion was not so generally corrupted in those times but that there were some as well as Abraham and even in cursed Canaan as well as in other places who did worship the true God 2. That the Offices of King and Priest are not so inconsistent but that they may lawfully be assumed and exercised by one Person For Melchizedec though one single Person was invested both with Civil and Ecclesiastical Power And if one person be so qualified that he is able to discharge both places so far as he is bound there is no doubt to be made of the Union of both in one man and the Duties of both might be the more easily performed by one when the Power extended but to a Family or a little Territory as this of Salem was especially when onely the greater Services were to be done by him that was King and Priest who had the Superintendency and Command over the rest who both in matters of State and Religion were subservient unto him Yet when Israel was multiplied to a great Nation it pleased God to separate these two Powers and gave the one to one Tribe and the other to another And if this separation had not been made by God himself the opposition made by Corah Dathan and Abiram could not have bin so hainous a Sin And Christ himself though a King and Priest would not take upon him any Civil Jurisdiction neither did he give his Apostles any Power Civil for their Commission was to teach and baptize to build the Church and not the State neither would he have his Souldiers entangled with the Affairs of this life The Work of the Ministry was so great that there rather wanted more Labourers to be sent into that Harvest And for any man to take upon him more Power than he can well manage or a greater charge than he is able to discharge must needs be unlawful § 6. These were the Offices The Acts of his Priest-hood come next to be considered the first whereof was that he blessed Abraham For Ver. 1. Melchizedec met Abraham returning from the Slaughter of the Kings and blessed him In these words with those that follow we have the exercise of his Sacerdotal Power And in this Exercise three things 1. The Person upon whom he did exercise it 2. The Time when 3. The distinct Acts thereof 1. The Person was Abraham one of the most eminent and excellent men of the World the friend of God the Father of Israel of all Believers of Christ according to the Flesh who had received the great Promise and was a Priest and Prince himself and all this did argue the greatness and excellency of Melchizedec 2. The time was when he met him returning from the Slaughter of the Kings For 1. Abraham as we read in Gen. 14. had conquered and slain the Kings recovered the Captives and their Goods and taken a great Spoil 2. After this great and glorious Victory he was returning towards Mamre 3. In his return near to Salem Melchizedec met him with Provision of Bread and Wine to refresh him and his Army Then it was that he exercised his Sacerdotal Power 3. The first Act was he blessed him The words and form of this Benediction are these Blessed be Abraham of the most High God Possessour of Heaven and Earth This Blessing was not a meer expression of his desire for so any Inferiour may bless a Superiour but it was a sacerdotal powerful and authoritative Benediction yet in the Name of God as it was by Commission from God and therefore real and effectual upon the Subject Whether it was particular or general is not expressed Some as Mercerus think the words to be Indicative and so to be understood as though he had said Blessed is Abraham c. Others Let Abraham be blessed or The Lord bless Abraham as the Blessing of the Levitical Priests is delivered The Lord bless thee and keep thee c. Numb 6. 24. This Blessing is neither a Wish and desire nor properly a Prayer nor yet a meer Prediction A Prayer is directed unto God a Blessing unto Man the one seeks it from God by Petition the other pronounceth and declareth it by Warrant and Commission from God In the one the Priest doth represent Man in this other he represents God Here by the way we may observe That a Priest hath Power by vertue of his Office and God's Institution to bless So this Priest and the Levitical also and the Minister of the Gospel may and ought to do § 7. The second Act was the Tything of Abraham for so the next words twll us Ver. 2. To whom Abraham gave the tenth of all This is the first place of the Scriptures which speaks of Tythes or the Tenth of mens Goods paid unto God and received by his Priests and such as represent him in matters of Religion And here we may observe 1. Who paid them 2. To whom they were paid 3. Of what they were paid 1. Abraham the party blessed payes them and so they who receive spiritual Blessings and are made fit Subjects of God's Mercy in Christ must give and pay them 2. The party receiving them was Melchizedec who as a Priest blessing Abraham and not as King receivs them and to him they are paid So Christ appointed the
of Ceremonies and Rites is carnal that is outward bodily fleshly For besides Circumcision which was in the Flesh their Sacrifices and Offerings were outward and bodily and they had their effect upon their Bodies and Flesh in freeing the People from legal guilt and impurities 3. There was a Law which did direct how these must be used and binding them to the observation of them and this Law had promises of some legal Blessings and Deliverances and Comminations of some temporal penalties That they were carnal it doth imply that they were not spiritual had no power upon the immortal Soul and could not any waies procure spiritual and eternal Blessings nor free from the eternal penalties due to Sin Neither could that Priest who was by such outward Rites and Ceremonies consecrated by his Ministration according to that Law expiate any sin nor make any spiritual reconciliation The Levitical Priest was made after this Law and to minister according to the same But here it 's said That Christ was not made a Priest after this Law which was a body of carnal precepts in respect of the Priest the Tabernacle the Service and Ministry and the effects thereof For if He had been made after the Law He could have done no more then they did and then both He and his Ministry had been defective frail and of a short continuance therefore it 's denied that he was made a Priest after that Law concerning the consecration ministration succession and operation of the Levitical Priest 2. The affirmative He was made a Priest after the power of an endless or indissoluble life Where we have 1. Life 2. An indissoluble life 3. The power of an endless indissoluble life 1. Life is either the bare continuance and duration of a living Beeing or the happiness and perfection of that Beeing in this latter sense most Expositors take it 2. This life whether it be the continuance of that more perfect Beeing which is living or the happiness thereof may be temporary or perpetual in respect of time to come so that though it may have beginning yet it never shall have end Such a life is here meant 3. The power here may be a Law which is powerful not only in binding but in promising so that the event thereof will be endless happiness as the Gospel is said to be the power of God unto Salvation Christ is said to be made according to this powerful Law and so is 1. Of eternal continuance himself in his person And 2. Hath power by this Law to give eternal life to such as are his People depend upon him and come to God by him For by his death he merited and by his life and intercession he procureth spiritual and eternal Expiation and Blessings Neither of these could the Levitical Priest by that carnal Ceremonial Law and his Ministration according to it effect That Christ must be made such a Priest he proves in the next words Ver. 17. For he testifieth Thou are a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedec VVHere two things 1. That Christ is made a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedec 2. That this is testified The force and Emphasis is in the words for ever and testified The first Proposition is concerning the Eternity of Christ's Priest-hood the second concerning the declaration of this Eternity or Perpetuity And we must 1. Consider the meaning of the words 2. Declare the end for which they are brought In the first part we have 1. The Order of Melchizedec 2. The perpetuity of the Priest constituted according to that Order 1. Melchizedec was formerly affirmed to have no end of dayes and so in some respect was of endless life and for this particular Reason these words so often taken up are repeated here the sixth time Christ is made a Priest after this Order as one who must continue for ever In the second part it 's said that this was testified where to testify is Solemnly by a formal and powerful Edict to declare and pronounce him not onely to be a Priest but a Priest for ever And it was God himself as Supream Lord who made this Declaration before all the Angels of Heaven and by it constituted and confirmed Christ an everlasting Priest The end why these words are alledged and here repeated is to prove that Christ was not made a temporary Priest according to a carnal and temporary Law but according to a Law and Power of endless life that is that he was made an everlasting Priest of everlasting power to save The words prove this effectually 1. Because the words of the Psalmist signify expresly that he was a Priest for ever 2. Because it was God as the Supream Lord who by his solemn Declaration made him such This is the Apostle's Discourse upon those words of the Psalm I have said Thou art a Priest for ever The Scope of the Apostle in all this is 1. To prove that the Priest-hood was changed 2. It was changed to bring in a better Priest 3. Christ is this Priest and more excellent than the Levitical Priest as being a Priest of perpetual continuance and of everlasting power and therefore was to be honoured far above Aaron or any Priest of that Order § 22. Hitherto the Apostle hath proved that the Priest-hood was changed and given the Reason which was because by it there was no perfection And by the Change of the Priest-hood the Change of the Law is inferred and in the words following he gives the Reason why the Law must be changed This is the coherence of this Text with the former So that this is his Method He proves 1. By the words of the Psalm That there must be another Priest besides and after the Levitical Priest 2. That if the other Priest be brought in the Levitical Priest-hood must be changed 3. That if the Priest-hood be changed the Law is changed 4. He infers the Change of the Priest-hood from the Change of the Tribe and of the Order 5. He infers from the words of the Psalm that this other Priest must be an everlasting Priest and of everlasting power 6. He gives the Reason of this Change and that was because there was no perfection by the former Priesthood as there is by the latter Now because the Priest-hood and the Law are alwayes so inseparably joyned that they live and dy stand and fall begin and end together therefore he take it for granted that having proved the change of the Priest-hood he had proved the Change of the Law For as the Priest-hood could do nothing but was useless without the Law so the Law could do nothing but was useless without the Priest-hood Therefore he thought it needless any farther to prove the Change of the Law for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it was changed was evident enough and proceeds to give the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Change thereof in this manner Ver. 18. For there is verily a disanulling of the
Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens The Order of things and not of the words is 1. There is such an High-Priest 2. He is ours 1. He is a Priest and he is such an High-Priest so eminent and so excellent tâ—â—t he is set at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens A Robe a Scepter a Sword a Diadem a Throne are Ensigns and Ornaments of Sovereign Power To sit in the Throne of Majesty is to possess Sovereign Power and Dominion There is an earthly Dominion and Sovereignty and also an heavenly and supercelestial Majesty which is proper to God as the Supream universal and eternal Lord. This is here to be understood Christ this High-Priest sits at the right hand of this Throne As he is the Word by which the World was made he sits in this Throne with the Father and the Spirit as one God and Lord with them yet as Man though assumed by the Word he sits but at the right hand of this Throne And so to do is to possess the highest degree of dignity and power next to that which is infinite and eternal The place of residence of Christ this great High-Priest where he possesseth and exerciseth this power is Heaven whither he ascended after his Resurrection and it was the highest degree of his Exaltation and a Reward of his deep Humiliation This Power and super-excellent Dignity agrees to him as a King who was fully invested with this Regal Power when God said unto him Sit thou on my right hand at which time God sware unto him Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedec For Christ was both King and Priest and from the 110. Psal. we learn that he was first made King and then at the same time by Oath confirmed in his everlasting Priest-hood and these words are an Abridgment of the first four Verses of that Psalm 2. This High-Priest is ours for we have him The Jews had their High-Priest ministring in the Temple at Jerusalem and upon him they relyed for their Justification and Salvation The Christians and amongst others these believing Hebrews had their High-Priest not on Earth but in Heaven and the same far more excellent than the Levitical Pontiff who might stand and not sit before the Mercy-seat on Earth not at the right hand of the heavenly and eternal Throne This was proper to Christ who is the High-Priest of all Christians upon whom they rely for eternal Salvation and all such as are sincere Believers have Interest in him as in their own For he was made and consecrated for them to benefit and save them and none other And if we knew his excellency and being sensible of our sin and misery would rely upon him with our whole hearts we might find unspeakable Comfort in him It 's our honour that we have an High-Priest at the right hand of God and our great happiness that he is able to save us for ever who come to God by him But our Ignorance of his excellency the senslesness of our sins and the want of a true and lively Faith deprive us of those inestimable benefits we might certainly expect from him These things are the Sum of all that excellent Discourse in the former Chapter upon the Text of Psal. 110. 4. For that Christ 1. Is a Priest after the Order of Melchizedec 2. That he is a Priest for ever 3. That he is made such by Oath 4. That he after his one Sacrifice once offered was higher than the Heavens 5. That he being the Son consecrated for evermore needs offer no more Sacrifice but remains at the right hand of God lives for ever to make Intercession and by this exercise of his Regal and Sacerdotal power makes his Sacrifice eternally effectual for his Saints are all comprised in these words § 2. If Christ be an High-Priest he must officiate and that in some place and so be the Minister of some Sanctuary or Temple and so he is For Ver. 2. He is a Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched not Man THese words may be so understood as to be the latter part of the transition Yet whether they be so or no they plainly speak of Christ's officiation in some Sanctuary For in them we have 1. A Sanctuary and Tabernacle 2. A true Tabernacle pitched by God not Man 3. A Minister of this Sanctuary this Tabernacle 1. A Sanctuary or an holy place for the most part with men is a place or Building made by Man and dedicated unto God who sanctifies it by his special Presence For the presence of a Deity makes a Temple or a Sanctuary and the special Presence of the true God manifested by some Divine effect makes a Sanctuary of the true God For when God by a bright Cloud entred the Tabernacle and after the Temple then he took possession of those places and made them his House The word in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is plural yet may be turned Sanctuary not Sanctuaries because we find it so used by the Septuagint The reason why it 's plural is because in the Tabernacle and the Temple there were divers parts and partitions and every one of them were holy yet altogether made but one house Thus it 's used Exod. 29. 30. Ezâ—k 44. 11. Lev. 20. 3. 24. 12. and in many other places One part of this Sanctuary is that within the second Veil which is the principal and most holy and signified the holy place of Heaven which here is chiefly meant That 's a true Sanctuary and Temple and that in a most eminent manner because of God's eminent and more glorious presence in that place So the word signifies Chap. 9. 12. and is so interpreted Ver. 24. ibid. Tabernacle is here the same with Sanctuary and so it might be called because the whole Building was holy yet in the Tabernacle that part within the first and that within the second Veil were the Sanctuary more properly Yet these were called Tabernacles by a Synechdoche and the first was called the Sanctuary or Holy the second the Holiest of all Heb. 9. 2 3. And this is the difference between a Tabernacle and Temple in the Type that the one was removable the other fixt But what is here to be understood by Tabernacle is much controverted Some will have it to be the Church both Militant and Triumphant and especially the Triumphant because of Christ's bodily presence there Some conceive that it 's the Body of Christ wherein the Schekina or the divine Glory and Majesty fixed it's habitatation Thus Junius Beza and others following them expound it and give their reasons for that Interpretation But their Arguments are of little or no force at all as if it were worth the while might be easily made evident Others and the most for number understand the Heavens mentioned in the former Verse And this is the most genuine sense for the Priest did never
offer the Tabernacle but in the Tabernacle did not minister it but in it And the Apostle seems to take his expression from Exod. 29. 30. where it 's said That that Son which is Priest in Aaron 's stead shall put on the holy garments seven dayes when he cometh into the Tabernacle of the Congregation to minister in the holy place or Sanctuary Where we have 1. A Minister that must minister or officiate 2. The Tabernacle of the Congregation into which he must come 3. The Sanctuary where he must officiate The very same words of Minister Sanctuary Tabernacle are used by the Septuagint in that place which the Apostle taketh up in this place And though the Body of Christ may be called a Tabernacle yet that 's nothing except it be so taken here And we find the word here turned Sanctuary signifying Heaven Heb. 9. 12. and also Ver. 24. of that Chapter makes it more plain where it 's written That Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it self to appear in the presence of God for us Where we may observe 1. That the word which there is turned holy places and Ver. 12. before the holy place is here translated Sanctuary 2. That this Sanctuary or holy places into which Christ entred was not made with hands which is the same with not pitched by Man 3. This place is said to be Heaven it self 4. That Christ doth minister there by his Intercession for us after that he had offered his great Sacrifice and by the Blood thereof entred into the heavenly Sacrary within the Veil To signify this the inner Veil of the Temple rent instantly upon the death of Christ to signify that the great High-Priest was entring Heaven with his Blood 2. The Excellency of this Tabernacle is set forth 1. By the quality 2. The Cause The Quality it 's the true Tabernacle True is not here opposed to that which is feigned or nothing at all but to the Typical Tabernacle which was a real and true sacred Building yet so far inferiour to this that comparatively it might be said to be nothing or but a shadow at the best and this is the Substance For though that was glorious and honoured with God's special presence yet earthly things are poor to heavenly though we who never saw the inward glory of Heaven may admire them The Cause is expressed assirmatively pitched by God negatively and not by Man By both which is signified the excellency of it far above any Work and Building made by the power and skil of Man For the efficient power and skil of Man is nothing to the efficiency of God whose Power is almighty and Wisdom infinite and who hath made Heaven a far more glorious place than any on Earth 3. Christ is the Minister of this Sanctuary and Tabernacle to minister and officiate in it For every High-Priest must have some Temple or sacred place wherein he must minister and serve for Priest-hood Temple and Service must go together When the Temple was destroyed by the Chaldeans the High-Priest might pray but he could not offer Sacrifice burn Incense expiate Sin by entring the Holy of Holies with blood These Services were confined by God's Institution to that House and sacred Building after once it was consecrated Neither could they perform such Services till it was re-built and dedicated again Neither have the unbelieving Jews any High-Priest that can do any such thing since the second Temple was demolished by the Romans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to minister and serve and these two words are often used by the Septuagint For so they turn several Hebrew words and especially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which both signify to serve in general but many times to serve God the Supream Lord and to worship him And though the performance of this Service be the general Duty of all even of private Persons yet there are certain parts of this Service proper to the Priests and some to the High-Priest who is not a private but a publick Minister as the rest of the Priests be and mediates between God and the People and by whom the People offer their Services to God The same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in the New Testament and doth signify not onely to perform the Levitical but also the Evangelical Service and from this Verbe comes Liturgy a Form or Directory for the Worship of God In this place a Minister is 1. A Priest 2. An High-Priest 3. The great High-Priest of the heavenly Sanctuary Christ Jesus And here it might be observed that a Minister is not a contemptible but an honourable Title as given not onely to the Levitical Pontiff but to the Apostles and to Christ himself The Text thus explained contains an Argument to prove the excellency of Christ above the Legal High-Priest for he indeed was a Minister and did officiate yet he did this onely in an earthly Sanctuary and Tabernacle but Christ officiates as an High-Priest in Heaven And this second Verse may be part of the former Sum and Abridgment and a Conclusion deduced from the former words For if Christ be an High-Priest in the Heavens then he must needs be the Minister of an heavenly Sanctuary yet it 's so deduced from the former that it brings in new matter and gives occasion of a new Discourse concerning Christ's Ministration for if he be a Minister of a Sanctuary he must officiate and amongst other things offer something to God Ver. 3. For every High-Priest is ordained to offer Gifts and Sacrifices wherefore it is of necessity that this Man have somewhat to offer § 3. THis Text must be examined 1. In its relation to that which goes before 2. In it self 3. In reference to what follows First It relates to Chap. 5. 1. where in the Description of an High-Priest we have the very words For 1. He must be taken from amongst men 2. Ordained for men in things pertaining to God 3. Thus he is ordained for to offer both Gifts and Sacrifices For there we have his Election Ordination and Ministration And hitherto the Apostle having spoken of his Election and Ordination now begins to treat of his Ministration in offering Gifts and Sacrifices for Sin The nearer Connexion is with the Text immediately antecedent and 1. With the word Minister for if he be a Minister he must minister and officiate by offering 2. With the word Tabernacle For if that signify the Body of Christ as Beza Junius and Dr. Goug◠with divers others do understand the place He must have his Body to offer But of this I have said something already and shall have occasion to say more hereafter The words in themselves are discursive for the Apostle argues thus Every High-Priest being ordained to offer Gifts and Sacrifices must have somewhat to offer But Christ is ordained
imprinted there more perfectly Yet the word turned Laws signifies in the Hebrew Doctrines And these are the Doctrines of the Gospel concerning Christ's Person Nature Offices and the Work of Redemption the Doctrines of Repentance Faith Justification Resurrection and eternal Life and these either presuppose or include the Moral Law For they must be such Truths as are necessary and effectual to Man's Salvation without the Knowledge and practice whereof sinful Man cannot attain eternal Life Further they are Doctrines concerning Christ as already exhibited glorified reigning and officiating in Heaven 2. The Book or Tables wherein they must be written are the mind and heart of Man By Mind some conceive is meant the Understanding and by Heart the Will and rational Appetite But by both words are meant the immortal Soul endued with a Power to understand and will or nill that which is understood The word in the Hebrew turned by the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mind and intellective Faculty signifieth the inward parts because as the heart and reins are the inmost parts of the Body so the mind thoughts and rational Appetite are intima Anime the inmost parts if we may so speak of the Soul They are as it were the Center of that immortal Substance where all the active vigour and powers of the Soul are united There is the Spring and Original of all rational and moral Operations of all thoughts affections and inward Motions There is the directive Counsel and imperial commanding Power There is the prime Mover of all humane Actions as such This is the Subject fit to receive not only natural but supernatural Truths and Doctrines and all Laws There divine Characters may be imprinted and made legible to the Soul it self This is the most noble and excellent Book that any can write in This is an Allusion to the Tables of Stone wherein the Law was written for the Law was not written in the heart but in stone upon Phylacteries Frontlets Posts and Walls of their Houses And now the Scriptures and divine Revelations are written in Books so as that they are legible by the Eye they may be spoken and so uttered by Man as to be perceived by the Ear and from these be conveyed to the common sense and fancy and by degree be transmitted to the Soul which by them receives some imperfect representations not informations This immortal Soul is the Book or Table wherein these Laws and divine Doctrines must be written 3. The Scribe or Pen-man is God for it 's said I will give or put I will write He that said so was the Lord And it must be He because the Work is so curious and excellent that it 's far above the Sphere of created activity He alone can immediately work upon the immortal Soul to inform it move it alter it and mould it anew so as neither Man or Angel can do They may by the outward senses and the fancy come near the Soul but immediately prepare it and make lively Impressions and write clear Characters of divine Truth upon it they cannot They may move it and affect or disaffect it yet to take away the stony heart and make an heart of Flesh is far above their Power Therefore God doth alwayes ascribe this great Work unto himself 4. The Act and Work of this Pen-man is to write and write these Laws and write them in the heart How he doth it we know not That he doth it is clear enough His preparations illuminations impulsions inspirations are strange and wonderful of great and mighty force For in this Work he doth not onely represent divine Objects in a clearer light and propose high Motives to incline and turn the heart but also gives a divine perceptive and appetitive Power whereby the Soul more easily and clearly apprehends and more effectually affects heavenly things The Effect of this Writing is a divine Knowledge of God's Laws and a ready and willing heart to obey them and conform unto them a Power to know and do the Word of God This is that Work of the Spirit which is called Vocation Renovation Regeneration Conversion actively taken without which Man cannot repent believe obey and turn to God It 's said to be a quickning of Man dead in sin a putting God's fear in Man's heart a putting God's Spirit within Man to cause him to obey his Laws a calling out of Darkness into Light a writing upon the fleshy Tables of Man's heart By this writing Man is said to have a new Heart and Spirit not that God creates in Man a new Soul or new Faculties but because he gives new Power new Light new Life new Qualifications so that Man is made partaker of a divine Nature and moulded anew with so much alteration that he is another Man though not for Substance yet for Qualities and Operations All this tends to an imperfect explication of this Promise wherein this new Covenant differs from and is more excellent than the former For that had no Promise of God's writing his Laws and Doctrines in Man's heart or of giving any sanctifying or renewing Power to enable them to observe and keep his Judgments Yet lest we mistake this excellent and most comfortable part of Scripture many things are to be observed 1. Concerning the Laws 2. Concerning the heart 3. Concerning God's writing in the heart 1. The Laws the Laws of God are written in the heart not the inventions fancies of men nor natural nor mathematical nor moral Philosophy much less the Errors and Blasphemies of Seducers and false Prophets It 's true that humane Learning and Languages are excellent means to find out the sense of the Scriptures and are great Blessings ordained of God for that end and being used with Prayer and sanctified may do much Yet we must know that these Doctrines are not only those of the Moral Law but these high Mysteries concerning Christ the Redemption Repentance Faith Justification Resurrection and the eternal Punishments and Rewards in the World to come as they are revealed in the Gospel For the matter and subject of them is God's Kingdom and the Government of God-Redeemer ordering Man to his final and eternal estate as I have manifested in another Treatise 2. The heart of Man is by Nature a very untoward and indisposed Subject and not capable of these heavenly Doctrines It 's blind and perverse and there is an Antipathy between it and these Laws It hath some little parcels of the Law of Nature written in it but not any thing of these heavenly and evangelical Truths it neither knows them nor can relish them And when they are represented unto it yet it hath no intellective Power to understand them nor any Will or Desire to seek them or inclination to obey the Laws of God which direct unto everlasting life It 's not only ignorant but filthily blotted and blurred with Errours both in matters of Religion and humane Conversation And this is the condition not only of Heathens
Gospel To be Lord in this manner is to manifest himself in the Excellency of his Wisdom Power and Mercy To know him as such is not any wayes to understand those excellent things testified of him in the Gospel but effectually to believe those Truths as revealed from Heaven and to rely upon him and him alone as our onely Saviour renouncing all Righteousness in our selves and all Confidence in all other things and counting all things loss and dung in comparison of him This is that which we call Faith in Christ whereby we are justified and saved yet this Knowledge and Faith was not without teaching For how should they believe on him of whom they have not heard and how should they hear without a Preacher And again So then Faith is by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God that is taught and preached Rom. 10. 14 17. And the Apostles had Commission to go and teach or disciple all Nations Mat. 28. 19. and they must teach Repentance Faith in Christ and Remission of sins in his Name And when Christ ascended into Heaven he gave Gifts to men and sent Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers Ephes. 4. 11. Yet this Teaching of Man was not without the Power of the Spirit teaching inwardly the same which they taught outwardly yet in a more excellent manner and with far greater efficacy The Persons who shall know God were all from the least to the greatest 1. The Jew taught but the Jew or his Proselyte the Apostles both Jew and Gentile of all Nations 2. All to whom the Gospel is preached aright know God or may know him 3. All may be restrained to all those who are taught not onely of Man but of God who writes his Laws in their hearts and gives them one heart and one way that they may fear him for ever and so puts his fear in them that they shall not depart from him Jerem. 22. 39 40. And he had promised to give his People an heart to know him that he was the Lord and they his People and he their God for they shall return unto him with their whole heart Jer. 24. 7. Where it 's observable 1. That God will so give them one heart as that they shall turn with their whole heart to the Lord. 2. So turned they shall not only know God to be the Lord but to be their God and they his People 3. That this place compared with that of the same Prophet Chap. 31. 33 34. alledged in this place doth signify that this Knowledge is such as upon which will follow Remission of Sins and this is justifying Faith § 13. Two things remain to be considered 1. How this Reason infers this Conclusion That they shall not under the Gospel every Man teach his Neighbour and every Man his Brother saying Know the Lord. 2. How these words come in upon the former whether so as to be a distinct and different Promise from the former or not For the first 1. It 's certain that in Heaven the Knowledge of the Lord shall be so perfect as that there shall be no need of any teaching of Man no nor of Prophets or Apostles therefore some of the Ancients understood the place of the perfection of Saints in the state of Glory 2. That unâ—er the Gospel there is need of Man's Teaching not onely for the first Conversion but for their further Edification till the Saints be perfect in Christ. 3. Yet there is a great difference between the teaching under the Law and that under the Gospel and that in three respects 1. Of the matter taught 2. Of the Teachers 3. Of the manner of Teaching 1. For the matter taught For the matter taught under the Law was The Lord bringing them out of Aegypt into the Land of Canaan and giving them Moral Judicial and Ceremonial Laws and blessing them in that good Land whilst in their manner and measure they observed these Laws Christ also was taught in Types and Shadows But the matter taught under the Gospel is God Redeemer by Christ exhibited glorified reigning at God's right hand and officiating in Heaven as being far more clearly and fully revealed 2. The Teachers under the Law whether Priests or Levites or Scribes or Parents or Masters or any private Persons were but Ministers of the Letter not of the Spirit But under the Gospel they were Ministers not onely of the Letter but of the Spirit and their Knowledge was far greater and clearer than that of the Teachers under the Law 3. For the manner of Teaching it was more clear more full more powerful as accompanied by the Spirit of Christ enlightning the Understanding and inclining the heart For in the Law there was no Promise of the Spirit to take away their stony heart and give them an heart of Flesh and to be put in them to cause them to walk in his Statutes As the saying of Austin is Lex jubet non juvat If the Spirit had been thus given to make the Doctrine of their Teachers effectual upon the heart of their Disciples and imprint the Knowledg of the Lord so deeply in their hearts as that they should never depart from him then the Promises of that Covenant had not been so far short of the Promises of the new Covenant But as the Law could expiate no Sin so it could not minister the Spirit It 's true that under the Law they had Faith in Christ to come and were enlightned and sanctified by the Spirit yet this they had not by vertue of the Law but the Promise by Christ to come and not by Moses And they who had it were few in number and their Knowledge of Christ was but implicit and the Power of the Spirit far less But under the Gospel they were many in number not only Jews and Proselytes but Gentiles of all Nations their Faith was far more explicit and the Power of the Spirit far greater So that the force of the Reason is That if the Teaching under the Gospel â—e so far more excellent in respect of the matter taught the Teachers and manner of Teaching which is such as that they all from the least to the greatest shall know the Lord so clearly fully and powerfully then there shall be no such Teaching as under the Law For seeing there is no distinct actual Knowledge without some kind of Disciplination and Instruction therefore where any Knowledg of the Lord is whether under the Law or the Gospel there must be some kind of Disciplination under both And here the Disciplination and Teaching of the Law and the Gospel are compared together And that of the Law was so weak and imperfect in respect of the Knowledg of the Lord which it did produce and that of the Gospel so powerful and also so perfect in respect of the Knowledge of the Lord the Effect thereof that there was great Reason that the former should cease as needless useless and imperfect For as the Apostle saith in another
so made as that it abrogated the Law of Moses and the Legal Covenant Yet because the Law was given and that Covenant made by God and not by Man and had continued in force about 1500 years many could not be satisfied in the matter of Abrogation and made scruple of rejecting and neglecting of it For that which is confirmed by Law and long Custom can hardly be made void The unbelieving Jew did reject the new Covenant and adhere to the old as instituted from Heaven and sufficient to justify and save those who observed it Some believing Jews feared to neglect it and judged Christ insufficient without it and thought Moses and Christ joyntly must bring them to Heaven and some of the Gentiles seduced by them were entangled with the same Errour So that it was observed by some as necessary by some as indifferent till the ruine of Jerusalem the destruction of the Temple and the dispersion of the miserable and captive Jews into all Nations And then when there was no face either of a Civil or Ecclesiasticall Polity in that Nation then it vanished and did not appear It was abrogated therefore by the Promulgation of the Gospel decayed by little and little after that time and in the end was totally abolished The Apostle had in the former Chapter proved the Change of the Law and the Abrogation thereof from the Change and Abolition of the Priest-hood and gives the reason why it was to be abrogated to be this because it could justify and sanctify no Man And this he made good out of Psal. 110. 4. And here he implies that it must be abrogated because it was not faultless but defective and confirms the repeal of it from the words of the Lord by Jeremiah saying I will make a new Covenant and his chief Scope is to prove that Christ hath obtained a better Ministry because he was the Mediator of a better Covenant And that Covenant was better not onely because it was established upon better Promises but in that it was new and so made that it abrogated the former and it self was to continue for ever For God never promised to make another after this new one was once confirmed by the Blood of Christ. § 17. In all this Discourse he takes it for granted and presupposeth it as certain that Christ was the Mediator of this Covenant and in this he may seem to beg and not to make good the assirmative of the Question For the Jew might reply That suppose it were granted that there must be a new Covenant so made as to take away the old as God by the Prophet doth positively affirm it yet How doth it appear that Christ and not some Levitical High-Priest shall be the Mediator of it To remove this and the like Scruples it 's to be observed 1. That no Levitical Priest could be a Mediator of any Covenant but the former made with the Fathers as is evident from the Institution of that Priest-hood and the Rules of Legal Ministration Therefore he was clearly excluded from this Mediation of this new Covenant 2. That if Jesus of Nazareth was the Messias whom God promised the Fathers expected the Prophets fore-told then it will necessarily follow that he was the great Prophet above all former Prophets above Moses above Angels and he must be the great and eternal High-Priest according to the Order of Melchizedee a Minister of the heavenly Sanctuary and a Mediator of this far better Covenant But the reason why he takes it for granted and goes not about to prove that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messias was because that was done unto his hands and made evident many wayes For the fulfilling of so many Prophecies of the Old Testament and that so fully even to particular Circumstances in him who was called Jesus of Nazareth the Angel's Testimony who certified his Mother of his Conception the Testimony of an Angel with a Multitude of the heavenly hoast at his Birth did signify this So did the words of his Father at his Baptism and Transfiguration his glorious Works his heavenly Wisdom Knowledg and Doctrine besides the Testimony of John the Baptist his prodigious and stupendious Death and Resurrection Ascension the coming down of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles the Revelation of the Gospel the rare and excellent gifts of this heavenly Spirit received by such as believed on him and the wonderful works done in his Name did sufficiently and superabundantly prove him to be the Messias § 18. From all this the intelligent Reader may easily understand the Subject Scope and Method of the Apostle in this Chapter The Subject is the Ministry of Christ constituted a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedec The Scope is to manifest that Christ is a far more excellent Priest than that of Aaron's Order in respect of his Ministry The Method is to set forth his superexcellent Ministry in respect of the Tabernacle the Service and the Covenant whereof he was Minister for the more excellent the Sanctuary the Service the Covenant the more excellent the Priest The Sanctuary whereof Christ is Minister is heavenly his Service and Offering not â—arnal but supernatural and divine the Blessings promised in the Covenant whereof he is Minister and which by his Ministry he procures are spiritual and eternal and such as once obtained make sinful Man fully and for ever happy And because the Covenant is so excellent and so effectual by his Ministration it 's of eternal continuance The Application of all this to our selves is of Information Exhortation Consolation for by this Doctrine we 1. Understand how excellent and effectual Christ's Priest-hood is in respect of his Ministration in the best Sanctuary by his best Service making effectual the best Covenant that ever was made 2. It stirs us up to admire the wonderful Wisdom of God which contrived such an excellent Priest-hood and Ministry and his infinite Mercy in ordering both for our eternal Salvation For Who are we that the Son of God should be our eternal Priest offer up himself a Sacrifice to confirm his Covenant which he hath made with us and that God should appoint him to minister in the heavenly Sanctaary and by his Ministry there obtain for us the excellent Blessings which he hath merited and God hath promised That he should deal thus with us and do thus for us may be matter of amazement to the very Angels of Heaven How often should we think and seriously meditate on these things and magnify his Wisdom and be eternally thankful for his unspeakable Mercy and engage our selves to his Service for evermore 3. It 's matter of sweetest Comfort that there is so excellent an High-Priest that he is our High-Priest that after he had sacrificed himself on Earth he should minister for us in Heaven that God should make so excellent a Covenant with us promise Power to keep it and bind himself upon the keeping of it to be our God for ever and eternally
which took away these Rites not as sinful but as imperfect and then useless when a better kind of Service was instituted The word here used in the Greek may signify Perfection Confirmation and Establishment and if we consult the Septuagint they tuâ—â— the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signify to perfect confirm and establish That therefore which in our Translation is a time of Reformation is a time of Perfeâ—â—â—â— Confirmation and Establishment and this is the time of the Gospel when the 〈◊〉 imperfect is taken away and that which is firm and stable shall be brought in and 〈◊〉 for evermore By this we may observe That because the Ceremonial Law was imposed by God the Jews were bound to observe it 2. That God intended not the Serviâ— of the Law as a means to sanctify the Conscience for then it should have continued 3. It was imposed onely for a time untill the Introduction of a better Service and then it was to cease And this is the third Imperfection it was not perfect firm stable and of perpetual continuance And this is to be understood not onely of some of these Services but of all even of that which is the principal and more excellent than all the rest even the yearly Sacrifice of Expiation § 10. Thus far the Typical Tabernacle and Service the Anti-Typical follows and begins in these words Ver. 11. But Christ being come an High-Priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this Building Ver. 12. Neither by the Blood of Goats and Calvs but by his own Blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternal Redemption for us TO understand this Text the better it 's to be observed 1. That as in the Type so here in the Anti-Type to make the Comparison perfect there are three things 1. An High-Priest 2. A Tabernacle with two Sanctuaries 3. A Service and Sacrifice to be performed by the High-Priest in the inmost Sacrary and Holiest of all into which he could not enter but by passing through the Sanctuary within the first Veil 2. That the words have special Reference to the seventh Verse which speaks of the Highest Levitical Service and Sacrifice which the High-Priest alone was to perform once a Year in the Holiest of all 3. That the Scope of the Apostle is to set forth the Excellency of Christ's Priest-hood as far above that of Aaron's in respect of the Service 4. That seeing this was the highest and most excellent Service which could procure the greatest good promised in the former Covenant therefore the Apostle singles out this informing us that it was but a shadow of a far more excellent Service which was of far greater Power and Efficacy to be performed by Christ. 5. That the Excellency of this Service and Sacrifice is set forth by rare and excellent Effects Consequents and Benefits which were such as the best and greatest Service of the Levitical Priest could not reach 6. That the first Effect is eternal Redemption which immediatly follows upon the performance of this Service and is the principal thing in this Text. In the Text we have four things 1. Christ come an High-Priest of good things to come 2. The Tabernacle whereof he is Minister 3. The Service and Sacrifice performed by this High-Priest 4. The first most excellent Effect thereof eternal Redemption The first Proposition is concerning Christian High-Priest and it 's affirmed 1. That he is come that is exhibited present and consecrated 2. That 〈◊〉 â—onsecrated he is a compleat High-Priest both these are demonstratively 〈…〉 in the former part of the Epistle 3. That he is an High-Priest 〈…〉 The end of all Priests and especially High-Priest 〈…〉 and Ministry to procure some Mercy and Benefit which the People want desire and have need of Yet they can proâ—â—â—â— no Mercy but such as God hath promised in that Covenant where of they are Priests 〈◊〉 Mediators therefore the Legal High-Priest could not obtain any greater Mercy than the Law did promise But because Christ is the Mediator of the new Covenant established upon better Promises he doth procure for his People far greater Mercies which God hath promised in this Covenant Therefore 1. By good things understand those Mercies Benefits and Blessings which are promised in the new Covenant the principal whereof are Remission of Sin for ever and eternal life following thereupon 2. These good things are said to be future and to come and that either in respect of the Law which went before the Gospel according to that 〈◊〉 follows Chap. 10. 1. For the Law having a Shadow of good things to come Or 〈◊〉 of full enjoyment of them which is reserved for Heaven and that World 〈…〉 is yet to come For there is a World to come a Life to come an abidiâ—◠〈…〉 me a Glory to come which shall be revealed upon the Sons of God 〈…〉 long after and wait for this Life this City this Glory to come Again the time of the Gospel is said to be the World 〈◊〉 Chap. 2. 5 6. 5. The sense therefore may be this That Christ was an High-Priest effectually procuring these good things which were shadowed out and typified in the Law and were then to come but present and exhibited in the times of the Gospel The second Proposition which is concerning the Tabernacle doth affirm That Christ's Tabernacle wherein he must minister is greater and better than the Legal as not being of that Building To be greater may be understood of quantity or quality iâ— of quantity then it 's signified that it 's far larger and so Heaven where Christ doth minister is if of quality then the latter word explains the former and so greater is 〈◊〉 and both together inform us that it 's far more glorious and excellent And that it â—â— so it 's evident because it 's not of this Building but of a far better The former was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pitched by the Art and Industry of Man yet so that the pattern and direction was from Heaven The Workman and Builder was not Man but God and is the Wisdom skil and Hand of God is infinitely above the Wisdom Skill and Power of Man so his Building must needs be far more excellent Therefore the Apostle told us before Chap. 〈◊〉 That Christ was the Minister of High-Priest of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched not Man The former was but a Shadow and diâ— but imperfectly represent this which was the Substance The Holiest of all though the most sacted and glorious place of the former Tabernacle and Temple was nothing to this Yet it 's much doubted 1. What this Tabernacle is 2. Whitherto these words are to 〈◊〉 referred First Some think this Tabernacle to be the Body of Christ yet this was the thing to be sacrificed and offered Others conceive it was the Church Militant
They were all in themselves considered indifferent things and a fit matter and subject of some positive Law 3. The offering and also the shedding of the blood of Christ were in respect of Christ acting and officiating in both purely moral and divine in the highest degree of Service For his suffering of Death for the sin of man at the Command of his heavenly Father was the highest degree of obedience that ever was performed to God There was in it so much love to God so much love of Man so much self denial so much humility and patience and such a resignation of himself to God as never could be parallel'd It was so excellently qualified that it was in a moral sense most powerfull to move God to mercy who is so mightily inclined to mercy of his own accord It was most pleasing unto God and most highly accepted of God considered in it self But seeing it was the suffering of a party different from man guilty who was bound himself to make satisfaction or to suffer according to the Law transgressed that it should be so far accepted of God as to make the Sinner pardonable and that certain pardon should follow upon Repentance and Faith depended upon the free will of God who in strict justice might have refused any satisfaction offered him in behalf of man who deserved to dye and might justly have been condemned to eternal Death It was one thing to accept the service and obedience in it self and another thing to accept it so for sinful man as to determine such inestimable benefits should follow thereupon and accrue to the sinful guilty Wretch The Socinian upon the Text is very muddy and obscure And 1. Though he deny Christ's satisfaction and merit yet he confesseth that the shedding of the blood of Christ even of its own nature had force and power to procure unto Christ all power in Heaven and Earth and all judgment and arbitrament of our Salvation and to produce in us the cleansing of Conscience This is not only obscure but if well examined false For what is it of its own nature to procure For if he mean by the word procure merit upon satisfaction it 's true that by his blood he satisfied and merited but both these he denies If he understand that of it own nature it did so procure this power and this effect so as it did solely or principally depend upon the will of Christ as Man for he denies him to be God and not principally and solely upon the will of God it 's false Here I must demand What difference he makes between procuring and meriting and also take occasion to shew the nature of meriting which is a moral act upon which some good or reward doth follow not necessarily and exnaturá rei but voluntarily according to the will of him in whose power the reward is but of this else-where 2. He puts a difference between Christ's Priest-hood and his Mediatourship and makes his Mediatourship to end with his Death and his Priest-hood there to begin But the Apostle makes no such difference but in this Epistle he takes Mediatour and Priest for the same That his Mediatourship should end and his Priest-hood should begin with and upon his Death I will believe when he can prove it which he can never do for there is not the least ground for it in the Word of God and it must needs be false upon this account that both are the same 3. He affirms that the blood of Christ takes efficacy and force to purge fin from the subsequent oblation of Christ in offering himself in Heaven and this he not only here but else-where doth often assert But 1. It 's very clear and certain that the total resignation of himself unto the will of his heavenly Father and his willing suffering of Death the voluntary laying down of his life the making himself a whole Burnt-offering was properly the oblation of himself This was on Earth this was the great act of Obedience the great Service that was so acceptable to God wherein Christ shewed himself a mirrour of so many heavenly virtues The representing of himself slaln in Heaven was not this offering nor the appearing before his Fathers Throne upon his Ascension The Scripture no where affirms it he cannot instance in one place for this And though God did require it yet it was not the meritorious act therefore never let him or any of that party delude us with his false and groundless notion of offering himself in Heaven By his Death Christ did satisfy and merit by his Resurrection and Ascension he makes his Death effectual unto us both by revealing the Gospel and sending the Spirit to work Faith in us and make us capable of remission and eternal life and by his Intercession and pleading his blood he obtains actual pardon and in the end full fruition of eternal life This is the meaning of those words Who was delivered for our Offences and rose again for our Justification Rom. 4. 25. 4. He tells us that Christ was filled with the eternal Spirit that is with the power of God which clarified him from all mortality and made him eternal subject to no destruction This is a strange fancy of his own and invented because he is so great an Adversary to Satisfaction And 1. He saith that eternal Spirit is the power of God which he so understands as that he denies him to be God 2. The power is either God himself or some active power whether natural or supernatural created by God in some of his Creatures or an act of God extrinsecally supporting and preserving something creued Now that which made Christ's Sacrifice and Suffering so acceptable to God and so efficacions was the sanctifying power of the Spirit enduing him with such heavenly virtues and supporting him in this great Service of sacrificing himself For if he had not received a divine and supernatural active power of holiness and righteousness inherent in his Soul which so strongly inclined and moved him to obedience in greatest temptations and had been extrinsecally supported by him this Offering had never been so acceptable to God nor efficacious to purge the Conscience And this was a far more glorious effect of the Spirit then to make him immortal and bring him into Heaven For this immortality and entrance into Heaven were Rewards not Virtues and only made way for the exercise of his Regal and Sacerdotal Power in the Palace and Temple of Heaven 5. He saith that by the Offering of Christ is signified his singular and only care for the Expiation of our Sins and for our Salvation Where it is to be observed 1. That he understands this of Christ as entred by his Ascension into Heaven 2. That by Expiation he means Remission and Sanctification without any respect unto Propitiation and Satisfaction by blood antecedent 3. Christ's offering of himself is a religious Service performed unto God as Supream Lord and Judge offended with sinful
and Sin reigned from Adam to Moses Rom. 5. 12 14. And the wages of Sin is Death Rom. 6. 23. Besides it 's said That in Adam all dye that is in Adam sinning for he was that one man by whom Sin entred into the World 1 Cor. 15. 22. So that God appointed Man to dye and to dye but once The second Proposition is That after Death followeth Judgment This is the second thing For Death is first Judgment the second and the word after signifies the order of time For Death goes before and Judgment follows after The party Judged is Man the Judge is God whose Judgment is particular or general particular of every particular individual person general or universal of all For there is the Judgment of the great Day when all shall appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ and this Judgment is appointed of God and appointed to follow after Death after which follows the final and eternal estate of man which shall be unalterable and by Judgment may be meant not only the Sentence of the Judge but the estate of the parties judged which followeth thereupon whether it be an estate of misery or of felicity We live here that we may prepare for this Judgment and we ought so to live as that we may be happy for ever hereafter and prevent the suffering of eternal punishments Yet men do not believe that God will Judge us and that Judgment will follow and that unavoidably after Death or if they do not believe this yet they do not seriously consider it This is the reason why they live secure in their Sins and extream danger and this is the cause of their eternal ruine It 's not material to enquire whether the act of the Judge or the estate of the parties judged or whether particular or universal Judgment be here meant or no. It 's certain that this is a Judgment which followeth after Death and the final and universal Doom seems to be here intended when both Soul and Body the whole man and all men that dye shall be judged This is the proposition § 26. The Reddition followeth in these words Ver. 28. So Christ was once offered to bear the Sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto Salvation THis Text informs us of the appearance of Christ for that 's the subject of it This appearance is two-fold the first and the second and both these differ much not only for the manner but the end The first was in Humility and the end was to suffer and by suffering to expiate Sin The second shall be in Glory and the end of it to give eternal Salvation to such as look for him The first was to suffer and save the second to judge and reward his faithful and obedient Servants The propositions therefore are two 1. Christ was once offered to bear the Sins of many 2. Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without Sin unto Salvation The first is the same with that in ver 26. But now once in the end of the World hath he appeared to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself The words differ the matter is the same For as there so here two things are observable 1. The Sacrifice the single Sacrifice of Christ. 2. The end of it The single Sacrifice for Christ was once offered the end for he was once offered to bear the Sins of many First he offered himself this was an act of him as a Priest and as he was the best Priest that ever lived so he himself was the best Sacrifice that ever was offered The end was also excellent for he bare the sins of many that is the punishment due for the sins of many and he bare this punishment to satisfy divine Justice and procure God's favour to sinful man We deserved the punishment and he suffers it he is punished that we may be spared It was tender compassion in him to offer himself for us and it was exceeding love in God to send and give him for to suffer and so be the propitiation for our Sins He bare the sins of all to make them pardonable and the sins of many even of all sincere Believers that they may be actually pardoned for ever possibility of pardon is the benefit of all actual pardon of many yet not of all For Christ had no absolute intention to procure the Salvation of all but of such as believe in him yet the reason why all are not pardoned is not from Christ's Death which made the Sins of all pardonable but from some other cause And this is the condemnation of all those to whom the Gospel is preached That Light comes unto them and they love Darkness rather then Light God hath given his only begotten Son and his Son hath offered himself and made the way to Heaven passible and remission of Sins and eternal Life are offered unto u upon fair and reasonable terms and conditions and though to corrupt Flesh and Blood they be difficult yet they are made easy by the power of the Spirit yet we love our Sins more then our Saviour and continue in them to our eternal condemnation § 27. The second Proposition is concerning his second appearance For he shall appear the second time where as before we have the manner and the end The manner is Glorious for he shall appear without Sin yet he never had any Sin and in his first appearance he was without Sin For Sin of his own he had not yet he bare Sins the Sins of others the Sins of many Yet these Sins were not his by Commission but by Imputation so far as to be liable to Death For God laid on him the Iniquities of us all So that without Sin is without suffering for the Sins of others He shall not come the second time to dye for our Sins as he did the first this is the genuine sense When he came to Sacrifice for Sin he came in great Humility and took upon him the form of a Servant and was obedient unto Death the Death of the Cross this low condition was suitable to the work he then undertook But now he comes as King and Lord to judge the World and therefore he comes in Glory The end of his coming is to reward and the reward is Salvation and the parties to be rewarded are such as look for him By Salvation is meant eternal Life and full Happiness which he purchased by his precious Blood and it 's so called because man in danger of eternal Death shall then be fully saved and delivered from all Sin and all the sad and woful Consequents of Sin and that for ever for then Death man's last Enemy shall be destroyed Yet this immunity from all evil cannot consist without the enjoyment of those glorious and eternal Blessings which God hath promised this is the great reward which Believers do expect and because they know they shall not
pass the Sentence and execute the same The Sacrifice of a broken and penitent heart and of Prayer may be offered often but the propitiatory Sacrifice need not often to be offered one Offering will serve the turn § 11. Thus far the Proposition the Reddition follows Ver. 12. But this Man after he had offered one Sacrifice for Sins for ever sate down at the right hand of God Ver. 13. From henceforth expecting till his Enemies be made his Foo◠〈◊〉 Ver. 14. For by one Offering he hath perfected the sanctified for ever VVHere we have 1. The offering of Christ's one Sacrifice 2. The Reason why it was but once offered In the former we are informed 1. Of the Dissimilitude between the Legal Sacrifices and that Sacrifice of Christ and this is expressed 2. Of their Imparity which is implied 1. The Dissimilitude we find in several things 1. There under the Law were many Priests yea the Legal High-Priests were many this Priest Christ is but one 2. Their Sacrifices were many Christ's but one 3. There the same Sacrifices were offered often Christ's one Sacrifice was offered but once 4. Those Priests after they had offered the same Sacrifice stood ready to offer them again at set times Christ when he had offered once never offered again but sate down at the right hand of God 5. They had no Power to take away Sin Christ by this one Sacrifice once offered takes away Sin for ever 2. The Imparity which is great is implyed in the Dissimilitude for that Sacrifice which being but one and but once offered by one Priest took away Sin for ever is incomparably more excellent than those Sacrifices which being many and offered many times by many Priests could never take away Sin But such is Christ's Sacrifice and such were theirs therefore it 's incomparably more excellent The Text may be reduced to three Propositions 1. This Man offered one Sacrifice for Sins for ever 2. Having offered it he sate down at the right hand of God 3. Being set there he expects his Enemies to be made his Foot-stool In all which we have the Humiliation and Exaltation of the Son of God In the first Proposition there is little or no difficulty Yet 1. The Connexion of it with the former part of the Comparison is made by the Conjunction But for so they turn the Greek Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place which implies the difference and dissimilitude 2. The Subject of it according to our Translation is This Man but in some Copies the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as here it 's read and whereas they supply the Substantive by the word Man this Man yet it may be turned this Priest or this High-Priest as some Manuscripts in the former Verse read every High-Priest 3. When it 's said He had offered one Sacrifice it must be understood not only of one Sacrifice but of one single Offering 4. This is said to be offered for Sins this puts us in mind of our misery God's Mercy and Christ's merit For we have our Sins whereby we are liable to death yet God was so merciful as to give Christ for our Sins and Christ's offering was so acceptable and meritorious that it obtained eternal Remission in respect of which eternal efficacy some think it's said Christ offered this one Sacrifice for ever never to be offered again because of eternal vertue Yet several Copies joyn the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever with the latter Proposition which is 2. That Christ having offered one Sacrifice for Sin sate down at the right hand of God for ever So the Vulgar Vatablus Beza Tremelius out of the Syriack and divers other Greek Copies read it This sitting at the right hand of God doth presuppose Christ's Offering and deep Humiliation his Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven 2. It is the highest degree of Glory and Power to that which is infinite which is the Power of God as God 3. This Power which under God is supream and universal is perpetually continued to him and his Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom Some think this sitting is opposed to the standing of the Levitical Priests which may be so and so it may signify that his Ministration in the Form of a Servant on Earth was ended and did cease for ever 4. This Session and Exaltation is to be considered not only as a Reward of his Humiliation unto death whereby he merited Remission and Salvation but also as a means whereby he might apply his merits and confer the Mercies which by his Sacrifice he had procured for us For as King he sends down the Holy Ghost reveals his Gospel by the Word and Spirit works Faith in us and converts us and so makes us Subjects capable of the benefits of his Redemption and as a Priest pleads his bloody Sacrifice and by his Intercession for us converted obtains our actual Remission and Salvation He need not offer any more but plead his one Offering till all his Saints be fully justified The third Proposition is concerning his expectation of a final Victory over all his Enemies by the Exercise of his transcendent Power at the right hand of God For so God had said and promised when he first invested him with supream Power For the Lord said to my Lord Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine Enemies thy Foot-stool Where we must observe 1. That in respect of himself all his Enemies are conquered they have not the least Power to molest him Yet 2. In respect of his Reign and Government they oppose his Power continually 3. These Enemies are Sin Satan the World and Death all which must be destroyed in his Church and Saints yet this Destruction goes on by degrees and shall be finished in the end when the Saints shall rise and be immortal and freed from all Sin Sorrow Misery Enemies and Death it self 4. This is expectation of their final ruine is not doubtful and uncertain but most certain And this estate of Glory is opposed to his Death and Humiliation and both his Regal and Sacerdotal Power are subservient to this total final Victory § 12. But here it may be enquired what should be the Reason why Christ's Sacrifice should not be iterated but that one single Offering should be sufficient To satisfy us in this particular the Apostle gives the Reason thus Ver. 14. For by one Offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified THE Conjunction For doth signify that in these words is given a Reason of something antecedent and that is why the offering of Christ was but one and this it is Because by that one Christ did more than all the Legal Priests by all their many frequent Offerings could do And not only so but also it did enough to consecrate all true Believers for ever and proved to be of eternal vertue in all such as were capable of it In the words themselvs we
ever This is called Treasure and an Inheritance but divine and far aboe all other Estates which may decay or be taken from the Owners 2. This Substance is in Heaven because 1. It 's in God and in his Power and at his disposal 2. It 's prepared for us in Heaven and the place of eternal Glory mounted far above the Sphear of corruptible things 3. It 's to be enjoyed fully and for ever in the Heavens That it 's better enduring and in Heaven we learn from that Exhortation of our Saviour But lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven where neither Moth nor Rust doth corrupt and where Thievs do not break through and steal Math. 6. 20. and from the words of the Apostle Peter who informs us that the Regenerate are born to an Inheritance incorruptible undefiled and which fadeth not away reserved in the Heavens 1 Pet. 1. 4. In both these places we find 1. Treasures and an Inheritance which are the same with Substance 3. These far better and more excellent than any earthly Substance 3. Enduring both in themselvs and in the Possession 4. Laid up and reserved in Heaven 3. They had this Substance that is by vertue of God's Promise they had a Title and Right unto it and some security for the full Possession of it in due time by the first-fruits and earnest of the Spirit For this Substance was promised only to them prepared only for them secured only unto them So that in Hope and Reversion they were the richest men in the World 4. They knew this in themselvs That which was the formal Object of this Knowledg was the Promise that which was the particular Object was their own Qualification and fulfilling of the Conditions of the Promise For all that are rightly qualified according to the tenour of the Promise had certain Right unto this Substance and this they knew by Faith But they were thus qualified and did certainly know it Therefore they might conclude thence that they had right unto it Besides the Spirit did testify to their Spirits that they were the Sons of God and if Sons then Heirs And this was the ground on which their Joy was bottom'd For to be Sons of God and Heirs of this Substance and Inheritance was Matter and to know this was an immediate Efficient of Joy This and this known did cause them even in tribulation to rejoyce and so much the rather because our Saviour had pronounced them blessed that suffered for Righteousness sake and they might rejoyce and be exceedingly glad because great was their Reward in Heaven Mat. 5. 11 12. And if we suffer with Christ as they did we shall be glorified with him Rom. 8. 17. The Patience and Faith of the Thessalonians in all their Persecutions and Tribulations which they endured were a manifest token of the just Judgment of God that they might be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which they did suffer 2 Thes. 1. 5 6. § 35. These were their Sufferings it remain we consider the time the remembrance of these Sufferings and the end of this remembrance 1. The time was after they were enlightned Some understand enlightning to be Baptism And it 's true that some upon their Baptism received a divine Light yet the Doctrine of the Gospel is a divine Light and when the blessed Spirit with this Light enters the Soul it gives a divine visive Faculty and Power unto the Understanding represents more clearly the Mysteries of God's Kingdom and works powerfully upon the heart and hence follows Conversion And they were first enlightned when they were first converted they who were first the Children of Darkness became the Children of Light and were translated out of the Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of Light The Reason of this Expression is because Illumination is the beginning of Regeneration For as God first created Light in this visible World so in this second and more wonderful Creation he first makes the Light of the Gospel to shine in the heart by the Power of the Spirit The People to whom the Gospel was never preached are said to sit in Darkness and when the Gospel comes Light comes unto them and when by the Power of the Spirit it enters into our hearts then Light is in us and without this divine Light in us there is no Regeneration The sense is that they were no sooner enlightned converted and born from Heaven but they were persecuted became Souldiers and were put to fight 2. They must remember what then they suffered The Children of God must not only look forward and know what they must do but they must look back and consider both what they have done and also what they have suffered And so these Hebrews are exhorted to look back and call to remembrance former times especially those which followed upon their Conversion when they were reproached afflicted and spoiled of their Goods These Sufferings must be remembred yet not only these but their Patience their Faith their Joy their Victory and the foil of their Enemies and God's Assistance and Support the Battle and the happy Issue must not be forgotten 3. Yet to what end must they remember all this Not to boast and glory in their own strength and ascribe this happy issue to their own Wisdom and Prowess But they must remember they had been in the Battle had fought a great fight had conquered 1. That they might give the whole Glory unto God 2. For time to come to depend upon him 3. To be encouraged to go on and improve their strength more and more 4. To be ashamed to give back now after their strength is improved Did they when Tyrones and but newly-listed endure so great a fight keep the field and beat off the Enemy and will they now begin to faint and after so much experience prove Cowards and stain their former Honour The greatest brunt was past and the most violent Storm passed over the final Victory was almost in their hands and the great Reward almost obtained Therefore the Remembrance of their former Success and God's Assistance should encourage them much to march on till God had given the Anakims into their hands subdued all their Enemies and attained certain and eternal Rest on every side § 36. After this Motive of encouragement from Remembrance of what is past there is another from the great Reward which certainly follows upon Perseverance And because in the former great fight the Victory was obtained by Patience and Confidence he lets them know how needful this Patience and Confidence was for the attaining of the Reward For thus we read Ver. 35. Cast not away therefore your Confidence which hath great Recompence of Reward Ver. 36. For you have need of Patience that after ye have done the Will of God you might receive the Promise SOme think that the Work of the Apostle in these words and the rest of this Chapter is to give directions and prescribe the means whereby
dear Affection to them who are enriched with them So that sinful Men may hope for this City yet upon condition that they will be Pilgrims and Strangers in this World and desire above all other things this better and heavenly Country For to clear this Doctrine more fully we must observe That the World morally and spiritually considered is divided into two Societies the one is of the Devil the other of God This distinction the learned Father took notice of when he wrote his excellent Treatise De Civitate Dei For all men either seek their Rest and Happiness on Earth or an eternal Peace in Heaven and by Nature till God transplant us we are not only in but of this earthly Society and in the Kingdom of Darkness and under the Power and Dominion of Satan and whilest we are in this Kingdom of Satan we are Strangers to the Common-wealth and City of God But when God out of his unspeakable Mercy hath called us made us meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light and delivered us from the Power of Darkness and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son Colos. 1. 12. 13. Then we are no more Strangers and Forreigners but Fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God Ephes. 2. 19. Being once naturalized and made Burgesses of Heaven we have our Conversation in Heaven and carry our selves as Children of a Celestial extraction and the Progeny of the eternal King This Doctrine doth not only inform us of our Duty but ministreth unspeakable Comfort if we do perform it For if our Goods and earthly Estates be sequestred plundred oâ— any wayes taken from us we have a better Estate in Heaven If we be disgraced and reproached in this World yet we shall be Kings and Priests and for ever honoured in Heaven If we be banished and persecuted from place to place so that we can find no Rest and Safety but are wearied out with Removals yet we have a place of Rest and Safety and eternal Abode in Heaven and of this no man can dispossess and diffeisin us If our Sufferings be grievous many and continue long yet we have a City where is no Suffering Pain Persecution Poverty Sorrow where God will wipe away all Tears In this City are eternal Riches Pleasures Honours Peace Safety and full Joy there is nothing wanting which the heart of Man can desire This is that City which as it is the expectation so it 's the universal Comfort of the Sons of God And though the time of our Pilgrimage seem long and tedious yet it will shortly expire and then begins our everlasting Rest for God hath prepared a City for us § 17. The Apostle proceeds in proposing Abraham unto us as a Pattern of Imitation and instanceth in a fourth Work or Effect of his Faith for thus we read Ver. 17. By Faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up Isaac and he that had received the Promises offered his only begotten Son Ver. 18. Of whom it was said That in Isaac shall thy Seed be called Ver. 19. Accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead from whence also he received him in a Figure IN these words we may observe 1. Abraham's Obedience 2. His Faith whereby he performed this Obedience In this Obedience we have A Description of the Party obeying Act of Obedience 1. The Party obedient who was Abraham is described in reference to this Act of Obedience 1. As tempted 2. As having received the Promises 3. As one to whom it was said That in Isaac shall thy Seed be called 1. He was tempted or tried The party tempting or trying him was God not that God tempts any Man to Sin but that he would try and manifest unto Abraham himself his Faith and Love to God that so he might be a rare Example in both to all future Generations who should be informed of it The means whereby he tryed him was by giving him this singular and extraordinary Command of sacrificing his Son Isaac This Command we read of in the Books of Moses and this it is Take now thy Son thine only Son Isaac whom thou lovest and go thou to the Land of Moriah and offer him there upon one of the Mountains which I will tell thee of Gen. 22. 2. The End of this Command was to try whether Abraham loved God or his Son Isaac more The Effect of it was an Obligation of Abraâ—â— to perform this Service and to offer his Son Neither in this was God's preceptive Will contrary to his decretive Will for the decretive Will binds God absolutely to do that which he hath decreed and is indispensable but the preceptive Will bound only Abraham to do this yet so that God reserved a Power to dispense with him and to hinder the Performance And this was fulfilled instantly upon the signifying of his Will unto Abraham who instantly upon the Knowledg thereof was bound whether he did or did it not There was no decretive Will of God or Intention that Isaac should be slain and offered This Command was just and no wayes contrary to that other Command of God Thou shalt not kill for though it 's true that it is unjust and contrary to that Law for any Man to take away the life of a party innocent not guilty of any Capital Crime which is the thing there forbidden yet it is just and God may justly command Man to take away the Life of such an innocent Person And the reason hereof is not only this that that Law did not bind God but only Man but because he is the Supream Lord and hath absolute Power of Life and Death which no Creature hath or can have Again he could restore Life taken away which Abraham could not do nay it was above all created Power So that the Reason whereby God in this Command is freed from all Injustice is taken à Potestate Potentia Dei for his Power was absolute and supream and his strength was Almighty 2. Abraham had received the Promises of the Land of Canaan of a numerous Posterity sufficient to inhabit it of Christ in whom all Nations should be blessed 3. He was fully assured by God that in Isaac who was the Son of Promise all these Promises should be fulfilled For God had excluded Ismael and that peremptorily and had several times expresly signified that in Isaac and his Posterity and in none else these Promises should be accomplished Neither need we here trouble our selves about the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it may be turned to whom that is to Abraham or of whom that is of Isaac it was said c. This was the Description of the Party obeying The Act of Obedience was this that he offered up Isaac he offered up his only begotten Son that Son of whom it was said In Isaac shall thy Seed be called The Sacrifice commanded as commanded was bloody and required the Death and
no Son to be a Son So he was called is that he was chosen and adopted which kind of Filiation is accounted good in Law by the Consent of Nations Yet there is another thing which may be signified by this word called that is he was not only so called by her but so accounted called honoured by others God had made her an Instrument not only of his Preservation but his excellent Education Honour and high Advancement 3. Yet he refused to be called her Son It 's not meant that he was base and unthankful as not acknowledging her tender Compassion towards him when he was ready to perish or her singular Love to him and special care of him manifested in his Education and Advancement No doubt he did account her as his best friend under Heaven and his greatest Benefactrix under God and he did give her all Respect and Honour due unto her as his Mother His own natural Mother might have been willing but was no wayes able to do so much for him This Refusal therefore was no unworthy Incivility Disrespect or base Ingratitude but a free and noble Act of his divine and sanctified Soul whereby he being illuminated from Heaven did see the baseness uncertainty and danger of that great Estate of Honour Wealth Power and rare Contents of the World and did judge the Enjoyment of it if not inconsistent with yet prejudicial to his spiritual and eternal Happiness And upon this account he was willing to part with them for a better end and a great good Whilest we are seeking the eternal Bliss of Heavens Kingdom we must be willing to part with and forsake all things even the most delicious and glorious though we affect them much In this Case we must not only forsake Sin but such things which at other times upon other occasions we may justly love and lawfully enjoy Isaac must be sacrificed if God command it and Christ himself for a time must lay aside his Glory if it be the Will of God that he should sacrifice himself upon the Cross Whosoever loves not Jesus Christ above all more than his Life more than himself he cannot be Christ's Disciple nor expect Salvation and eternal Life by him This was not the Spirit of the World for most men will rather refuse to be called the Sons of God that they might be the Sons of Pharoah's Daughter and advanced in Princes Courts than refuse to be called Pharoah's Sons that they might be the Disciples of Christ and Sons of God Man devoid of Grace and heavenly Wisdom is strongly bent and strongly inclined to the Glory Honour Wealth and Delights of this World they seem so glorious and taste so sweet that they much take the Soul they promise some rare Content and perfect Happiness Therefore men seek and pursue them eagerly hoping and expecting much from them and if they once are possessed of them and enjoy them Oh! How unwilling are they to part with them They prefer them before Heaven and the eternal felicity thereof The young man who so much desired to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and yet refused to receive it upon our blessed Saviour's terms is an Example universally to be remembred and considered for it plainly tells us that to part them and the heart of Man once strongly affected with them is impossible to any created Power and only possible to the Almighty Power of God Hence it doth appear how highly elevated and how excellently qualified the Soul of Moses was who could so fully and freely refuse to be called the Son of Pharoah's Daughter This perhaps was not done without some great Conflict the issue whereof was a clear and glorious Victory 4. This mighty turn and change was made in Moses when he came to years of Age. The distinct and particular Year of his Age when he made this Refusal is not mentioned As for Instruction or Example for any such heavenly vertue it was not likely he should find any such thing in the Court of an Heathen Prince It might be that he might have some concealed Converse with his Parents or his Brethren in whom that Heavenly aspiring Spirit which was in Abraham Isaac Jacob might remain These might inform him of some divine and saving Truths and of that Seed in whom all Nations should be blessed yet in the midst of so many Temptations these could work little upon him Therefore it is to be presumed that as Abraham so he was Partaker of the heavenly Call and this did enable him to make this noble Resolution Howsoever it was with him yet we are born and bred up in the Church upon whom the Light of the Gospel doth continuallp shine and at the door of whose hearts Christ stands continually knocking should learn this Lesson betimes We having so many helps and means of Conversion should consecrate our tender years and much more the slower and time of our riper dayes unto God But wo unto us because we will not know the day of Visitation and the things which belong unto eternal Peace we are worse than the Ox that knows his Owner and the Ass which knows his Master's Crib than the Turtle the Swallow and the Crane which know their times and yet we do not know our God we do not know our Saviour § 24. This was his Self-Denial after which the Apostle informs us of his bearing the Cross Where we must consider 1. His Choice 2. The Ground of it 1. His Choice was rare and wonderful for he chose the Cross Two things indeed were proposed unto him 1. The Suffering of Affliction with God's People 2. The Enjoyment of the pleasures of Sin for a season The one was sweet and in present Possession the other bitter Yet if we consider the Society and Company with whom he must suffer they were the People of God but the other were cursed profane Wretches So that if he look at the Company the Choice was easily made yet if he compare Afflictions and present Sufferings with present pleasures and the Enjoyment of them it would prove very difficult to forsake the sweet and pitch upon the bitter And here we must observe 1. That Self-Denial and bearing the Cross do go together 2. That to refuse to be called the Son of Pharoah's Daughter and to for sake the Enjoyment of the pleasures of Sin and the Riches of Aegypt were the same and he that refuseth the one must forsake the other The matter will be more plain if we reduce this Text to Propositions in this manner 1. God's People suffered Afflictions 2. He was willing to suffer with them 3. He was willing rather to suffer with them than to enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a season 1. By People of God in this place may be understood the Israelites who at that time were the only Nation in Covenant with God and were his People in a special manner and then under grievous Afflictions by reason of the Cruelty of the Aegyptian King Yet this
Instances because the former were sufficient 2. That to go on to instance so largely in the rest of the following Ages would be too tedious take up much time and enlarge his Letter till it swell to a great Volume 3. Yet he lets them know that if need were and it were requisite he could instance in many more but yet he thought it no Wisdom to do so 2. In the matter we have 1. A particular enumeration of certain former Worthies 2. Their rare Exploits 3. Their many Sufferings 4. Their Deeds and Sufferings issuing from Faith 5. The time when they lived believed did these Works and suffered 6. God's benignity to us who in his Wisdom did so order it that they should not be perfect without us This is the Sum and Substance of the rest of this Chapter which contracts much matter into a narrow Compass and expresseth it in a few words As for the Persons commended for their Faith 1. Some of them are signified particularly by Name some by a general term expressing their Office 2. That though he names but six yet this was not because there were no more but these or that he was ignorant of them but because it was not needful 3. Amongst these we have four Judges one Prophet one King yet so that the Prophet was a Judge and the King a Prophet The Persons not mentioned by Name but signified by their Office were the Prophets and whereas there were Prophets both ordinary and extraordinary the extraordinary are intended By this passage and proceeding of the Apostle we learn that in our Discourses we should not be needlesly tedious and say all that we can but that only which is sufficient most expedient and conducing to the main Scope This was a Letter and he was not willing to enlarge beyond the bounds of a Letter which he must needs have done if he had instanced and amplified in all the particulars which he knew § 32. These are the Persons Their rare Exploits and Works of Faith follow for thus we read Ver. 33. Who through Faith subdued Kingdoms wrought Righteousness obtained Promises stopped the Mouths of Lions Ver. 34. Quenched the violence of Fire escaped the Edge of the Sword out of Weakness were made strong waxed strong in Fight turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens THE Effects of their Faith being doing great things obtaining great Mercies suffering great Afflictions are here only touched upon and briefly related Yet this is done without any Attribution of them to the Persons formerly named and mentioned for of these Persons those things are to be understood and they are all Effects and Consequents of Faith There is it said Who by Faith subdued c. And seeing his chief Intention was to shew the Excellency of Faith and these Effects were rare and excellent and such as depended upon Faith as Effects upon the Cause it was sufficient in this manner to reckon them up and to inform these Hebrews of them 1. They subdued Kingdoms Though this may agree to and be affirmed of others yet in this particular David seems to be most eminent who subdued the Philistins Edomites Ammonites and other of the Syrian Kingdoms For to understand this it 's to be observed 1. That the Cause of the Conqueror was just 2. That he had Warrant from God and many times the Warrant was extraordinary 3. Sometimes he had Directions from God who was first consulted 4. He depended not upon his own strength and policy but upon his God 5. The Victory was given by God upon the Faith and Prayer of the victorious Party 6. The Kingdoms subdued were not only Enemies to God's People but to God himself and his Laws so that both the safety of the People and also of Religion did much depend upon these Victories which were far more glorious and excellent because given upon the Faith of such as trusted in their God Others might prove Conquerors who waged War against others out of Ambition Pride Covetousness Cruelty without any just Cause of Commission from Heaven and they were rather Executioners of God's just Judgments upon wicked People and Offenders whom they cruelly punished without any thoughts of God or care of Justice as being wicked Person themselvs 2. They wrought Righteousness The subduing of Kingdoms was the exercise of their Military Power and this may seem to be the Use of the Sword of Justice For the Judges and David were Generals in War and Judges in peace they went out before the People and fought their Battles and in the time of Peace they did Justice and Judgments by reason of their Faith they were victorious in their Wars and just in their Judgment The Duty of a Prince is to defend his People from Forreign Enemies and to protect their just and loyal Subjects and punish the Oppressors and Injurious This Righteousness therefore is judicial Righteousness and their doing of Righteousness their constant Administration of Justice For the meaning is not meerly that they did some few Acts of Justice for so many wicked Princes do but these did execute Justice and Judgment constantly and in an eminent manner And the more their Faith the more their Righteousness for Faith must needs effectually incline them unto it 3. By Faith they obtained Promises By Promises understand things promised and these not general but particular To the Patriarchs before Joshua the Land of Caâ—aan was promised yet not given not enjoyed only their Posterity under Joshua obtained that Promise Christ was promised to them all yet they obtained not this Promise for he was not exhibited till many years after These were more general Promises There were besides many eminent Mercies particular of Victory Deliverance Peace and other things which by Faith they obtained yet so as that they used the means which God vouchsased unto them and these means without Faith had been insufficient This informs us that as great things are done so great things are obtained by Faith which believeth the Word of God and relyeth upon his Promises For God promised they believed the things promised were performed 4. By Faith they stopped the Mouths of Lions This is understood principally of Daniel Sampson slew a Lion and so did David Daniel was saved from the hungry fierce Lions when he was cast into their Den of purpose to be devoured This he acknowledged as a great and special Mercy from his God when he said to Darius My God hath sent his Angel and hath shut the Lions Mouths that they have not hurt me Dan. 6. 22. This Preservation was miraculous and a Mercy obtained by Faith For his Cause was just he would not intermit his constant Devotion and his Supplications unto his God though he should suffer Death and resolved to observe the just Command of God and refused to obey the unjust Command of Man and was perswaded that God was able to deliver him and therefore he cast himself wholly upon his Mercy This he could never have done without Faith
us to Imitation And whom should we follow if not him to whom we have so near Relation and upon whom that Religion and Faith whereby we hope to be saved doth so much depend for the institution efficacy and perpetual continuance The second Proposition This Jesus Christ for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the Shame Wherein we have 1. The Rice or Vertue 2. Prize or Reward The way was tough the Prize was excellent yet he ran the Race and won the Prize That which made the way so troublesom was the Cross and the Shame of the Cross yet he endured the Cross and made nothing of the Shame but run through Pain and Shame and so attained the eternal Crown of Glory By Cross is meant all the cruel pains of his Body and bitter sorrows of his Soul which islued from and were caused by all these Wrongs and Evils inslicted upon him unjustly and maliciously from Men and Devils yet justly from God for our Sins which he had undertaken to expiate These were such as never any man did suffer which never any Angel could have born as He did thus dear it cost our Saviour to propitiate for our Transgressions though many make a mock of Sin By shame we understand all the Abuses Reproaches and Indignities cast upon him He was apprehended accused condemned as a Malefactor buffetted hood-winkt spit upon scourged reviled derided and put to death upon a Cross which was the most ignominious death of all others And the more excellent and innocent he was the more intolerable the shame All this must be laid upon him that God might manifest his hatred of Sin the sacred power of his Laws his severest justice against Sin his Love to Man in transferring from him unto Christ his own Son that Punishment which was deserved by our Sin and to let men know that he would not pardon Sin except his Justice were satisfied Therefore let no man presume to Sin but to be afraid to offend his God and Supreme Lord Yet he endured the Cross which implies that he was sore pressed with our sins and was very sensible of the pressure but notwithstanding his strength was such as he bare this heaviest burden and that with greatest patience He did not yield faint murmur or despair he overcame all He despised the shame Some high Spirits dare look Death in the face and be no whit daunted or appaled yet even these cannot brook shame and disgrace they will rather dye then suffer in their Honour and Reputation which are dear unto them Yet Christ endured the shame and with that patience and constancy as that he made nothing of it He despised it as though it were nothing though it was much and so much as never any suffered That which in all this did strengthen and encourage him was the glorious prize and the joy set before him This joy by a Metonymy signifies that happy and glorious estate which followed upon his Suffering for immediately upon his Resurrection he attained an estate of perfection and layd aside his mortality and the infirmities of his humiliation was fully and for ever freed from all Sorrows and Sufferings did enjoy a most sweet calm and blessed peace of eternal continuance after that ascends above all Heavens entred the place of Glory and had fulness of joy in his Fathers presence and pleasures at his right hand for evermore and so bathes himself perpetually in the streams of eternal delights This joy was set before him both by a clear representation and a firm promise and he had a lively apprehension of it as it was represented and a certain expectation of it as it was promised This joy and blessed estate so apprehended so expected did strengthen revive and refresh him in the midst of his Suffering so that his burden was made the lighter and his sorrows much abated and this was the reason why he was so patient and chearful in his Sufferings and so much despised the shame This patience and chearfulness might be attributed to his Faith for he did both believe and trust in his heavenly Father Yet this Faith was of another kind then ours far more perfect and far above our Sphear And if we had a firmer belief more lively apprehensions and a more full assurance of Heaven's Joy and Glory we might rejoyce in Tribulation and be exceeding glad in the midst of siery Flames Christ knew the time of the Cross and shame was but short the distance between him and eternal Joy not long and his assurance of Glory very great and this was the reason why he made so little account of the greatest evils that any ever yet did suffer Proposit. 3. After he had endured the Cross despising the shame he sate down at the right hand of the Throne of God God's Throne puts us in mind of his Majesty and Power for he is the Supreme and Universal Lord Lawgiver and Judge of the World The right hand of this Throne is the highest place of Honour Dignity and Power next unto that of Gods Christ was set at the right hand of this Throne when he was advanced and mounted above all Angels and all other Creatures For all Power in Heaven and Earth was given him before his Ascension and after he was solemnly invested in Heaven he began to reign and exercise this Power as Administratour-General of the World This glorious estate was the great Reward which he received and enjoyed after that he had endured the Cross and despised the shame For because he had taken upon him the form of a Servant and been Obedient unto Death the Death of the Cross God exalted him and gave him a Name above every Name Proposit. 4. In running with patience the Race that is set before us we must look on Christ thus represented He that hath a Copy or Pattern set before him for imitation must often look upon the Pattern or Copy and the more excellent the Pattern the more carefully and frequently it must be eyed and observed This Pattern is the best that ever was proposed and that in three respects 1. Of the person 2. Of the rare performance of the hard Service performed so patiently and chearfully 3. The glorious Reward which followed thereupon 1. The person was the Authour and Finisher of our Faith one far above all others 2. The Pattern wherein his heavenly Virtues were manifest was the fairest and most excellent that ever was given And though the Service was the hardest that ever was undertaken yet it was performed with the greatest perfection 3. The reward attained and enjoyed was incomparable and most glorious All these must severally and seriously and frequently be viewed that we may be the more effectually encouraged § 3. Besides what had been said of Christ example there was something in it farther considerable therefore he goes on with his Exhortation in the words following Ver. 3. For consider him that endured such contradiction of Sinners against
round about the Throne of God are ten thousand times ten thousand even thousands of thousands Revel 5. 11. To come to these is to be of their Society and every true Believer upon his Regeneration begins to have Communion with these blessed Spirits for regenerate Men and Angels are fellow-Citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem and fellow-Subjects of the same Kingdom They are above us and we are a great Distance from them in respect of our present Estate yet some of them are very near us though we do not see them nor speak unto them nor familiarly converse with them and they love us have a special care of us and all of them are ministring Spirits for us who shall be Heirs of Salvation § 21. Yet there are other Subjects of this Kingdom of a lower and inferiour Ranck and a Supream Lord and Judg of all For we come Ver. 23 To the general Assembly and Church of the first-born who are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect VVHere we have God the Soveraign both of Angels and Men the Men who are Subjects in this Kingdom are the Living or Dead both in his Dominion and under his Power Some Copies and Translations joyn the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the word Angels in the former verse You are come to Myriads the general assembly of Angels But others read as we do in our English The sense is not much altered by this difference for there is a general Assembly of Angels and a general Assembly of Men and these are different yet both make but one Body and Community of Subjects in this heavenly and spiritual Polity The Propositions are these 1. There is a general Assembly and Church of the first-born who are written in Heaven 2. There is God the Judge of all 3. There are Spirits of just men made perfect 4. They were come to these 1. In the first we have the first-born these are written in Heaven these are a great Assembly and Church 1. The first-born in this place are 1. Such as are regenerated and adopted for here to be born is to be born again and made the Sons of God by Word and Spirit They are God's first-born because they have the spiritual priviledges of primogeniture they are Heirs and also Kings and Priests to God for ever This signifies their excellent dignity above other men and their near relation to God and Christ. 2. These first-born are written or enroll'd in Heaven which is the same with having their Names written in Heaven and in the Book of Life Luke 10. 20. Rev. 20. 12. and in the Book of the Lamb. The meaning of the Phrase is that upon their serious Faith in Christ God doth account them as his Children and Heirs of Glory therefore it imports two things 1. Their title unto everlasting Glory 2. The certainty of the possession in due time so that there shall be no alteration of their Condition They are destined to an eternal Inheritance by an immutable decree and therefore their Names are said to be written in this Book from the beginning of the World and so they shall never be blotted or rased out again This enrolment is but virtual which upon their new Birth becomes actual This is a great priviledg to have our Names enrolled in the Register of Heaven which never shall be changed and an unspeakable comfort by our sincere Faith and Obedience to know it 3. There is the Church of these first-born that is though they be many yet they are called chosen congregated and united into one spiritual Body politick and made one Society therefore the Church is so often compared to a Body which hath many members yet all these united make but one Systeme called the Church the members and parts whereof are not natural but naturalized and by free Grace ingrafted 4. They are a general Assembly made up of many different persons gathered together out of several Countries into one Body though not into one place Some think the Apostle alludes unto the Olympian and other Assemblies of the Greeks wherein many from many places met together Some were Schollars as Philosophers Poets Orators who did exercise their wit some did manifest their activity in running wrastling and other bodily Exercises they had also their Delights and Recreations But the Analogy is not in these things but in this that they were one general Assembly and so did represent the Church as Catholick and Universal For these are a number gathered and redeemed by the Blood of Christ out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation and a great multitude not only of Jews but Gentiles which no man can number of all Nations and Kindreds and People and Tongues Rev. 5. 9 7 9. They were come to these and were incorporated into this Society and made Subjects of this Kingdom and the first-born of God had a title to the same heavenly Inheritance and their Names were enrolled in the Book of Life and they were destin'd to eternal Glory 2. They were come to God the Judge of all What is the Body without an Head a Kingdom or multitude of Subjects without a King who is the Basis of the People and the Center of them all wherein they are united and the Corner-stone that doth support them Therefore in this most excellent Society there must be a King and Soveraign and this is God who is here styled the Judg of all In Hebrew to judg is to rule and govern and a Judg is a Ruler and Governour and so it may be taken here Yet there are inferiour and subordinate Rulers and also supream and universal Such God is for all things are subject to his Power yet he hath a special Kingdom as he is Lord and Redeemer by Christ and so he is in a special manner the Supream Governour of this general Assembly and Church of the first-born who are not only his Servants and Subjects but his Sons and Heirs of Glory He is their Lord and Father their Law-giver and their Judg he takes a special care of them and by his Laws doth order them to eternal Happiness and in the End rewards them with Glory He is Almighty in Power exactly just wonderfully wise and infinitely merciful and exerciseth his Perfections in promoting their eternal Bliss And they were come to him and admitted into his Kingdom received into his Protection and as he is able so he is resolved to destroy all their Enemies and give everlasting Peace His Angels must guard them all Creatures serve them and all things must work together for their good He continually sits in the Throne of Grace not in the midst of Smoak and Fire as upon Mount Siâ—ai he is compassed with Light and ever shines upon them with his favour 3. They were come unto the Spirits of just men made perfect Those Spirits were not Angels but the Souls of Men yet not in their Bodies but
People of Judah returned out of Captivity rebuilt the Temple and dedicated the same with great Joy yet so that many in this Solemnity did weep for the ancient People which had seen the former House built by Solomon knew that it was far more magnificent than this latter Temple which was no wayes comparable to the former God to comfort these dejected Jews makes a Promise to make this latter House far more glorious than the former by the coming of Christ who should honour it with his presence 2. That the Apostle neither follows the Hebrew nor the Septuagint precisely yet he takes that which was for his purpose and retains the sense and rather expounds than translates or cites the Prophet for â—ie signifies 1. That the words are a Promsse of God 2. That the Shaking promised and to come was greater than the former for then God's Voice shook the Earth but now he would shake not only the Earth but the Heavens 3. That the Earth the Sea the dry Land are the same and only different parts of the same Globe By all this we understand the mighty Power of God who by his Word and Voice can shake the Earth the Rocks the strongest Mountains who can shake not only Earth but Heaven who can make great Alteration in the World when he pleaseth yet the proud and stony Heart of Man is little moved at the word of this glorious God But for the more full Explication of the words of the Prophet we must consider what this shaking of Heaven and Earth is and how this was fulfilled 1. This Shaking is a Work of God whereby he makes great Alterations and Commotions in the World preparing for something to follow and in this he usually manifests his glorious Power and Wisdom Yet these Alterations are seldom made without some prodigious and miraculous Works and such as many times amaze and terrify mortal men Thus before the coming of Christ when this Promise was fulfilled there were many prodigious and dreadful Signs iâ— Heaven Earth the Sea before the Civil Warrs between Pompey and Cesar and that between Augustus and Brutus Cassius Lepidus Antony Upon these followed the Alteration of the Roman Government and an universal Peace At Christ's Birth the universal Enrollment was a great Commotion amongst men the Angels from Heaven singing and celebrating Christ's Nativity on Earth and the new Star seen of the wise men in the East and directing them to the place where Christ was born imply an extraordinary Commotion in Heaven When Christ suffered and dyed upon the Cross the Heavens were darkned the Earth did quake the Rocks were rent asunder and the Graves were opened and at his Resurrection there was an Earth-quake and a glorious Angel descended from Heaven so that even then the Earth and the Heaven were shaken and so they were before the Ruine and Destruction of Jerusalem But the principal performance of this Promise was the Alteration made by taking away the Law and bringing in the Gospel Then Heaven was shaken for Christ ascended entred sate down at the right hand of God began to reign and make Intercession the Angels and all the Holls of Heaven became Subject unto him and all Creature were at his Command Then the Earth was shaken for the Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles the Gospel was preached to Jews and Gentiles the Law and Levitical Service and Priest-hood were taken away the Idolatâ—y of the Gentiles beaten down the Jews and Gentiles are converted and became Christian. So that this Shaking was an Alteration in Religion and in the Administration of Christ's Kingdom and it was universal in Heaven and Earth § 25. The latter part of the Text is a Discourse of the Apostle upon the words of the Propher wherein he 1. Takes notice of the word Yet once more 2. Informs us what it signifies and imports Yet once more hath no sense without the Verb I will shake which is therefore to be understood The Action is Shaking yet once more the Circumstance The meaning is I have once shaken the Earth and I will shake it again and not shake it but Heaven also and make a far greater Alteration yet I will but do this once and no more From hence in the second place the Apostle inferrs two things 1. That whatsoever was removed and abolished in this latter Shaking was removed for ever and 2. Whatsoever was then brought in must stand unalterable for ever This is that which the Apostle saith is signified by that word Yet once more If the words be reduced to Propositions they are these 1. There is a removing of things shaken as of things made 2. There are things which cannot be shaken which remain 3. The former things were removed that the latter might remain 4. All this was signified by the word of God's Promise Yet once more 1. There is a removing c. 1. We have things shaken The things are the Levitical Law Priest-hood Tabernacle Service and the Administration of God's Kingdom under the Law and the first Covenant These things were shaken moved and altered yet an Alteration may be of the Substance or Accidents of the thing but this was of the Substance for they were so moved that they were removed the very Substance and Being of them was so changed that they were wholly taken away for as one Law may be so made as to repeal and wholly abrogate another so the Gospel and the Administration of Christ were so brought in by God as they took away and wholly abolished the Law It 's further said that there was a removing of these as of things made which some do so understand as though the things made were the Tabernacle or Temple with all the Utensils of both which though they were made according to the Pattern in the Mount yet were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things made with hands and but Shadows of far better things which once exhibited these must needs vanish Yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signify things finished and past never to return again The Hebrew woâ—d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is very often turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signify to destroy suppress and make an End of 2. There were things which could not be shaken which remained Things not shaken or moved are the Gospel and the manner of the Administration of Christ's Kingdom after his sitting at the right hand of God These are not shaken nor altered either in part or whole in Substantials or Accidentals but they remain in full force and shall so continue unto the End No other Doctrine Manner of Worship Order in Heaven or Earth or Administration must be expected for the Christian Religion shall continue to the End till time shall be no more and this was God's purpose in the bringing in of these things 3. The former things were removed that these might be introduced and established When two things cannot stand together the one is removed that the other might take place and
that he was miraculously delivered and restored unto them for their great Comfort and the benefit of the Church And it 's certain many Prayers were made for Paul's Liberty when a Prisoner at Rome For they thought it a great Prejudice to the Gospel a Dammage to the Church and an hinderance of the Conversion of many Souls that so vigilant laborious faithful zealous and eminent an Apostle should be imprisoned and consined And Paul himself knew that his Liberty and his Presence would be both a great Comfort and also a Benefit not only unto these Hebrews but to many other Christians and Disciples Therefore he requests them as they desired the Comfort and Benefit of his presence amongst them upon his speedy Release to pray for him frequently and servently § 18. The next part of the Conclusion is the Apostle's Prayer Ver. 20. Now the God of all Peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the Blood of the everlasting Covenant Ver. 21. Make you perfect in every good Work to do his Will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen THESE words are a perfect Prayer of which we have two principal parts 1. A Petition 2. A Doxology Yet these may be made four 1. The Compellation of the Party invocated 2. The Petition of the Party invocating 3. The Doxology 4. The Conclusion and Confirmation of the whole Yet the first and last of these four belong both to the Petition and Doxology To begin with the Petition which presupposing Adoration begins with the Compellation and goes on with the Petition In the Compellation we have a Description of God the Party prayed to and that is from his Titles 1. Of Peace and 2. Of Power He is first acknowledged the God of Peace as in another place the God of all Grace 1 Pet. 5. 10. The God of all Peace and Grace may be the same and that is a most gracious and loving God Yet if Peace be taken according to the Hebrew for perfect Happiness and the Enjoyment of all Blessings then the God of Peace is that God which is the Fountain of all Goodness and perfect full eternal Happiness yet such he is as a gracious God and loving Father reconciled and propitiated by the Blood of Christ. As he is a God of Peace so he is of Power and this Power is set forth by that glorious Work of raising Christ from the dead for therein was manifested the exceeding greatness of his Power according to the working of the sâ—â—e when he raised Christ Ephes. 1. 19 20. The Party whom he raised was Jesus Christ whom he describes from his Relation to the Church to be the great Shepherd of the Sheep through the Blood of the everlasting Covenant Where we may observe 1. That there is the Blood of the everlasting Covenant 2. By or through this Blood Christ became the great Shepherd of the Sheep 3. God raised this great Shepherd from the dead 1. The Covenant is the Law and Covenant of Grace wherein God binds himself to sinful Man by excellent Promise upon the Conditions of Repentance and Faith to give him remission of all his Sins and everlasting Life Of this you have heard Chap. 8. This Covenant is everlasting because though the Covenant made with Israel in the Wilderness was abolished yet this is unalterable and shall continue for ever and by it and it alone the Called attain both the title and possession of the eternal Inheritance The Blood of this Covenant so called by Christ Mark 13. 22. Luke 22. 20. is the Blood of Christ which was shed as for other ends so for the confirmation of this Covenant And the Blood Death and Sacrifice of Christ confirmed the Covenant because it made it effectual and able to reach the end which was the eternal Salvation of sinful man For by this Blood being shed he satisfied divine Justice and made Sin remissible and merited the mercies promised the promises themselves the terms and conditions and power to perform them and by this Blood pleaded in Heaven upon the performance of the conditions he obtains actual Remission and in the end actual fruition of their eternal Inheritance The former Covenant with Israel was indeed confirmed with Blood of Sacrifices yet because that Blood could not expiate Sin and the Levitical High-Priest could not enter Heaven to plead any such expiatory Blood therefore that Covenant was not everlasting In respect of this Blood purging mens Consciences from dead Works Christ was made the Mediatour of the New Covenant of which you may see Chap. 9. 15. By this Blood therefore it is said That Christ is the great Shepheard of the Sheep For because Christ took upon him the form of a Servant and became obedient unto Death the Death of the Cross and shed his Blood therefore God exalted him and gave him a Name above every Name And therefore did his Father love him and made him an eternal Shepheard of the Sheep because he had laid down his life for his Sheep Joh. 10. 17. For this very cause his Father gave him Poâ—er over all Flesh that he might give eternal Life to as many as he had given him Joh. 17. 2. So that by this Blood he became the Shepheard the Great Shepheard For all the Prophets and the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel are Shepheards yet so that they are but Servants under him the Sheep are not theirs but Christ's who bought them by his Blood And God raised him and made him Lord and the great and chief Shepheard of the Flock that he might keep them raise them up at the last Day and then give them everlasting life This Shepheard was raised by the mighty power of God who not only raised him From the Dead but made him King and Priest for ever that is the great and chief Shepheard This is more at large described Eph. 1. 19 20 21. to the end for that place doth expound this for one part For if we consider Christ in this place as the Object of God's almighty Power We may observe 1. His Humiliation 2. His Exaltation His Humiliation is signified by his Blood and Death whereby the new and everlasting Covenant is confirmed Thus humbled thus Dead he is the subject of God's almighty Power which did manifest it self 1. By raising him from the Dead 2. By making him the great Shepheard Lord and King advancing him above the Angels the Principalities Powers and Dominions of Heaven and all Names and Powers on Earth and gave him to be Head and Shepheard of the Church-Universal And the reason why the Apostle gives God these titles of Peace and Power and instanceth in the Resurrection and Exaltation of Christ as glorious Effects of this Power is because the continued sanctification and perfection of man once regenerate which is the thing desired in the Petition following depends