to bring in Christ and the Gospel which were effectual to save § 24. The Apostle hath hitherto proved the excellency of Christ's Priest-hood above that of Aaron 1. Because it 's after the Order of Melchisedec which was above the Order of Aaron from ver 1. to the 11th 2. Because Perfection is by Christ's Priest-hood and not by that of Aaron's and by the Gospel and not the Law 3. Because the Levitical Priest-hood and the Law were changed Christ's Priest-hood and the Gospel having a power of perpetual Sanctification abides for ever Now he draws a fourth Argument from the words of the Psalm I have sworn and will not repent And the form is this That Priest-hood which is confirmed by an Oath is more excellent then that which is not so confirmed But the Priest-hood of Christ was confirmed by Oath and the Levitical Priest-hood was not Therefore Christ's Priest-hood is more excellent This argument we find in these words Ver. 20 21 22. And in as much as not without an Oath he was made Priest For these Priests were made without an Oath but this with an Oath by him that said unto him The Lord sware and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec By so much was Jesus made the Surety of a better Testament VVHere we find the major Proposition ver 20. the Assumption ver 21. the Conclusion ver 22. For a Priest to be constituted by Oath and by the Oath of God was extraordinary Of an Oath in general and of the Oath of Angels and of Men and of God I have formerly spoken in Chap. 9. This was the Oath of God the Proposition we read ver 20. In as much as not without an Oath The words are Ellyptical and therefore supplyed and made out by the Translators from the following verse where it 's said But this with an Oath Not to be made without an Oath and to be made with an Oath are the same for it follows if Christ was made with an Oath then he was not made without an Oath and è coâ—tâ—â— The Negative and the Affirmative expression of the same thing makes it more evident and implies the greater certainty In this Major we have a two-fold Comparison one in quality another in quantity In quality a dissimilitude one Priest is made with an Oath another without In quantity He that is made with an Oath is more excellent then he that 's made without an Oath All this is implyed in ver 20 22. out of both which the Proposition is to be made This presupposeth that Priests may be made several ways and in a different manner For some may be made by divine designation and consecrated and confirmed by outward Rites instituted by God some may be made such by humane Election and Ordination and both without an Oath Some may be made and consecrated in another manner and confirmed by a solemn Oath of the eternal God The Apostle doth take it for granted That the more excellent the constitution and confirmation of any Office and in particular of a Priest shall be the more excellent the Officer and Priest is For this manner of Constitution doth imply that he receives the greater power for some more excellent end The Assumption follows Ver. 21. For those Priests were made without an Oath but this with an Oath c. THis is closed within a Parenthesis where we have not only the Minor but the proof and confirmation The Minor denies the one Priest and affirms the other to be made by Oath And the Priests being that of Levi and Christ are compared as dislike the one as made without the other as made with an Oath this is the dissimilitude The proof of the former part That the Levitical Priest was made without an Oath is not expressed but taken for granted because in his Constitution as related by Moses the only authentical Authour who speaks of it there is no mention made of an Oath which without all doubt had not been concealed if there had been any such thing The proof of the latter is taken out of the words of the Psalmist where we must consider 1. The Oath 2. The thing confirmed by Oath The Oath I have sworn and will not repent and the Apostle informs us That the party swearing was the Lord the eternal Jehovah named in the first verse of that Psalm and implies from thence that the party to whom he sware was the Lord Christ and that the time when he sware to him was when he was ascended into Heaven and set at the right hand of God For then when he was possessed of his everlasting universal Kingdom was his universal and eternal Priest-hood confirmed unto him And this Oath was made use of for the greater solemnity and the stronger confirmation And by the same he signified that he was infinitely pleased with that great Sacrifice wherein he offered himself upon the Cross that in respect he was the fittest of all other or rather only fit to be this Priest that there could never be any cause of repentance or change neither would there be any further need of any other Priest because he would fully and for ever sanctify his People which no other Priest could do This was the highest and most solemn confirmation that possibly could be made and doth fully satisfy and quiet the minds of all such as rely upon Christ. For they need not seek their Priest they know him and are assured that he was made a Priest by God and confirmed in his Priest-hood by God this is the confirmation the thing confirmed is That Christ should be a Priest for ever God might have made the Levitical Priest by Oath and yet he might have been changed but if he had made him by Oath to be a Priest for ever then he could not have repented that is changed but he must of necessity have been a Priest for ever Therefore you must take special notice that God did not only swear that Christ should be a Priest or that he should be a Priest for a long time but a Priest for ever so that there should never be any Priest joyned with him or come after him So that if we consider the Oath and the thing confirmed by this Oath two things will be manifest 1. That Christ's Priest-hood is personal and setled in one single person for ever so that he can have no Fellow or Co-partner nor any Successor in his Priest-hood 2. That by this Oath God did limit his arbitrary supream and absolute power in this particular and took away the use and exercise of it and that for ever For now he hath no power to make Christ no Priest or take away his Priest-hood at will and pleasure And in this God did discover his unspeakable love unto Christ in that he did so much honour him and so highly reward him and his abundant mercy to Man For by this Oath known unto Man he signifies that he
progress had lost their Christendom it was impossible for them to be renewed and initiated again For neither the grace of Repentance could be expected from the Spirit nor any benefit from the Sacrifice of Christ which was never intended for to expiate the Sins of Apostates This is amplified and illustrated by a Similitude For as they who continue and increase in Grace shall be like good Ground and receive the blessing of God so Apostates shall be like bad Ground which being well Husbanded proves barren is cursed and the end is Burning For Apostates render themselves liable to God's Curse and everlasting Fire ver 4 5 6 7 8. 2. Though some of them might be very faulty yet he had better hope of the generality of them and this his hope is grounded on 1. God's Righteousness 2. Their Faith in Christ and labour of love manifested in their constant ministration to the Saints ver 9 10. Thus far the Resolution the Exhortation followeth Wherein we may observe 1. The Duty exhorted unto which is Perseverance ver 11. 2. The Motive from example of former Saints not named ver 12. Abraham In the example of Abraham the Apostle takes special notice of a Promise made unto him and confirmed by Oath and acquaints them with the end of this confirmation which was 1. To shew to the Heirs of Promise the immutability of his Counsel in performing his Promise ver 13 14 15 16 17. 2. To minister Comfort to them ver 18 19. This Digression finished he resumes the words of Confirmation Psal. 110. 4. that they may be the subject of the Chapter following ver 20. CHAP. VII THE Subject whereof is the words of Psal. 100. 4. formerly resumed The Scope to demonstrate the excellency of Christ's Priest-hood The Method Begins with Melchizedec ver 1. Goes on with the Priest-hood of Aaron and the Law ver 11. Concludes with the Priest-hood of Christ ver 20. For the Author discourseth 1. Upon the last word in the Text of the Psalm which is Melchizedec 2. Upon the words Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedec 3. Upon the words I have sworn and will not repent 4. Takes notice from the antecedent Context of the Psalm to shew who the person was that was thus confirmed and how excellent and perfect In the first part we may observe 1. A Description of Melchizedec 2. A Demonstration of his excellency He is described from His Offices The acts of his Offices The perpetuity of his Priest-hood 1. For his Offices he was King and Priest ver 1. 2. For the acts of his Priest-hood they were Blessing and Tything Abraham ver 1 2. Regal power they were the righteous Government of his People and procuring their peace These he inferrs from the notation of his own name and the name of the place where he did reside ver 2. 3. For the continuance of his Priest-hood he neither had Predecessor from whom he did derive nor Successor to whom he did transmit his Sacerdotal power in which respect it might be said to be Personal and Perpetual This is the Description of Melchizedec taken from Gen. 14. From which he inferrs his excellency especially as a Priest And this excellency is proved 1. From his tything Abraham so great a Person whereas the Levitical Priests did but Tythe their Brethren which were far inferior to their Father Abraham ver 4. 5. 2. From his blessing of Abraham who had the Promises ver 6 7. 3. From this That the Levitical Priests receiving Tythes dye but Melchizedec who received Tythes of Abraham is witnessed to live ver 8. 4. Levi being then in the Loyns of Abraham when he payed Tythes to Melchizedec may with the Levitical Priests descended from him be laid to pay Tythes unto this great Priest ver 9 10. In the second part which begins ver 11. the Apostle enters upon these words Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedec and inferts from them 1. That there must be another Priest of another Order then that of Aaron ver 11. 2. That if there must be and by God's institution another Priest-hood and another Oder then that Levitical Priest-hood which came in with the Law was imperfect Ibid. 3. That seeing it was imperfect it must be changed and that if the Priest-hood then the Law also which was so inseparably joyned with it must be abolished ver 12. 4. That seeing the legal High Priest must by the first institution be of the Tribe of Levi and Christ this great and new High Priest was not of that Family but of the Tribe of Judah therefore it was evident the Priest-hood was changed already ver 13 14. 5. That this Change must needs be made was evident because the Priest which was of another Tribe must be after another Order the Order of Melchizedec ver 15. and another Power of endless life ver 16 17. 6. That the Reason why the Law annexed to the former Priest-hood must be disanulled was because it could sanctify and perfect no man as the Gospel doth ver 18 19. In the third part of this Discourse grounded upon these words of the Psalmist I have sworn and will not repent and the antecedent Context he speaks more distinctly and directly of Christ's perfect Priest-hood and 1. Proves the excellency thereof in that he was a Priest by an Oath which the Levitical High Priest was not ver 20 21. 2. Hence inferrs That his Priest-hood and the Gospel were unalterable and of perpetual continuance because 1. By this Oath he was made Surety of a better Covenant which could sanctify and save ver 22. 2. The Levitical Priests were mortal Christ upon his Resurrection immortal and able for ever to save by his Intercession which he ever lives to make for them who come to God by him ver 23 24 25. 3. He sums up the excellency of Christ whereby it 's evident that He and he Alone because of his perfections was only fit to be our Priest and save us For 1. He is holy harmless undefiled separate from Sinners ver 26. 2. Higher then the Heavens Ibid. 3. He need not Offer often or for Himself as the Levitical High Priest did He offered but once not for Himself but for his People and that Sacrifice was of eternal Virtue ver 27. 4. The legal High Priest had his infirmities and was not The Son but he that is by the Oath after the Law confirmed Priest hath no infirmities is the Son consecrated for ever ver 28. All these things are implied in the antecedent Context of the Psalm for he that is there confirmed Priest in this manner was the Son of God without sin who having offered himself a Sacrifice unsported was risen again immortal ascended above the Heavens and set at the right hand of God as appears from ver â—â— of the Psalm when God by his Oath did confirm him CHAP. VIII HItherto the Apostle hath demonstrated the excellency of
and strict Judge to condemn us But being propitiated and attoned by the Blood of Christ his Throne is the Throne of Grace and Mercy In this phrase he alludes unto the propitiatory or seat of mercy above the Ark in the Tabernacle or Temple which did typify the propitiation to be made by the Death of Christ upon which accepted of God man's Sins become pardonable and God reconcileable and without this reconciliation it 's no coming near this Throne If once it be made a Throne of Grace then we may come boldly unto it For it 's not like Mount Sinai a Mount of Darknesse Thunder Lightning and Terrour but Mount Zion a Mount of Light Grace and Glory So that now we need not fear God's Wrath but hope in his Mercy And though we may justly be afraid to approach if we look upon our selves yet when we consider that Divine Justice is satisfied by our High-Priest's Sacrifice and that he is the admissional of Heaven ready to take us by the hand and bring us to his Father and plead our cause with his Blood then we may come boldly and ought so to do To come is to pray or to approach for to pray to come with boldness is in the Name of Christ to pray with great confidence not onely to be admitted but to be heard for his sake For by him we have accesse unto that Grace wherein we stand Rom. 5. 2. By him we have accesse by one Spirit to the Father Ephes. 2. 18. And in him we have boldness and access with confidence in the Faith of him cap. 3. 12. But suppose we come what may we expect or what shall we receive We may obtain mercy and find Grace for help in the time of need All our time on Earth is a time of need for we alwayes have need of help yet somtimes we have greater need than at other seasons The word in the Original is seasonable help help in due season and then it 's most seasonable when most needful To afford this help must need be an act of Mercy and Grace whereby sins past are pardoned and power of Sanctification with assistance to prevent sin for time to come obtained And without this help mercy pardon and assistance it 's impossible to enter into God's eternal Rest but by it we assuredly may So that if we persevere and so enter it 's to be ascribed to that Grace and Mercy which we obtain by Prayer if we come short the fault will be our own who do not seek help by our continual and instant Supplications in the Name of Christ. To understand the force of this as a Reason delivered in these three last Verses we must call to remembrance 1. What the Duty is which is to labour to enter into Rest and to hold fast our Profession which is nothing else but perseverance 2. We must consider that it 's taken from Christ as a Priest and it 's very effectual For if 1. He be our great High-Priest 2. Passed into the Heavens and hath taken possession of that eternal Rest and also in our behalf 3. So merciful and sensible of our Infirmities 4. So ready to procure us help when we seek it by Prayer before the Throne of Grace then let us not onely with all diligence but with greatest hope and confidence labour to persevere For a conclusion of these four first Chapters let us observe 1. That the Subject of them is Christ's Prophetical Office as most excellent and above that of other Prophets Angels Moses 2. That though this be the principal and intended Subject yet he speaks something of his Regal and Sacerdotal Function yet onely upon the by and with some reference to his Prophetick Faculty 3. That the principal Duty which he urgeth so strongly upon us from his Prophetical Excellency is perseverance in the Profession of his blessed Doctrine and the Observation of his Laws given by him as a Regal Prophet and Apostle 4. In the pressing of this Duty he insisteth upon the latter part of Psal. 95. where he â— Sexs forth the Example most clearly 2. Applies it to these Hebrrews 5. The last reason is taken from his Priest-hood which is handled and brought in with such Art that it not onely servs for to perswade us to attend to his Prophetical Doctrine and continue in it but also to prepare and make way for his admirable discourse following concerning his eternal Priesthood and is an imperfect Transition CHAP. V. Ver. I. For every High-Priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins § 1. BEfore I enter upon the Chapter it self the connexion of this part with the former must be considered and I find the Agreement to be two-fold 1. General 2. More particular The general is very clear for after that in the former four Chapters the Apostle had set forth the Excellency of Christ's Prophetical Office wherein he was far above the former Prophets Angels and Moses and thereupon had exhorted to perseverance in the Profession of his Doctrine declared in the Gospel and pressed the performance of the Duty both from the fearful Punishment of Apostacy and the glorious Reward of Constancy He now in this Chapter enters upon a discourse of his Priest-hood as â—ar more excellent than that of Aaron's so that there was all the Reason in the World to persevere in respect of this Office likewise This is the general Method The particular seems to be implyed in the Particle For which many times is a causal Conjunction and renders a reason of something formerly delivered For seeing he had formerly affirmed Christ to be an High-Priest here he proves him to be such indeed and to have the Nature Properties Qualities and Power of such an Officer This particular refers to the three last Verses of the former Chapter which made way for this discourse that follows § 2. As the occasion of the former Doctrine was an high conceipt which the Hebrews had of the Law as delivered to them by Prophets Angels Moses so the occasion of what follows was their high esteem of Aaron and the Levitical High-Priest The Scope is to demonstrate the Excellency of Christ's Priest-hood as far above that of the Law and perswade them to continue in their Faith in him as so excellent an High-Priest as far above all others The Method is this 1. He delivers his Doctrine 2. Confirms it 3. Applies it The Doctrine is this Christ is a perfect High-Priest more excellent than Aaron or any of the Levitical Order The Confirmation is from his Calling and Order his Ministration and his excellent Sacrifice and this continues from this Chapter to the 19th Verse of the tenth After this confirmation finished he proceeds in cap. 10. 19. to Application which is made principally by way of Exhortation In this Chapter the Apostle doth 1. Manifest Christ to be a Priest for ever according to the the Order
that respect fit to represent and be a Type of Christ as our ever-living Priest But if he was translated and continued a Priest untill the moment of his translation then the representation is more full and lively yet this we find not clearly testified any where of him Some think That the Taxis or Order of his Priest-hood was of perpetual continuance and so it was in Christ the Antitype of whom it 's said He is a Priest for ever § 16. Besides all this the Apostle hath something more to say of the excellency of Melchisedec in respect of the Levitical Priests For it followeth Ver. 9. 10. And as I may so say Levi also who receiveth Tythes paid Tythes in Abraham For he was yet in the Loynes of his Father Abraham when Melchisedec met him THis is another agrument and in form is this He who so received Tythes that he did not give any is more excellent then him that so Tythes others that he Tythed himself But Melchisedec so Tythed Abraham that he was not Tythed by any Superiour Priest and the Levitical Priest did so Tythe his Brethren that himself was Tythed Therefore Melchisedec is the more excellent Priest The minor is proved ver 10. For Levi was then in the Loyns of Abraham when Melchisedec met him and tythed him and Levi in him The sum is Melchisedec Tythed Levi and in him the Levitical Priests therefore he was more excellent And because it was not proper but tropical to say that Levi paid Tythes and that to Melchisedec in Abraham therefore he abates somewhat in his expression by adding if I may so say For by a Trope he might so say though properly he could not because neither Levi nor any Priest of Levi did then actually but only virtually exist in his cause This so is true as that it must be rightly understood otherwise it may be an occasion of errour For Christ himself according to the Flesh was then in Abraham's Loynes yet Christ 1. Was not meerly Man 2. He was not to Descend of Abraham by natural propagation 3. He was in Abraham as the Anti-type of Melchisedec and so could not pay Tythes to him 4. He was to be advanced higher then Melchisedec was and rewarded with far greater priviledges yet none of these did agree to Levi or his Sacerdotal Posterity and so as paying Tythes in Abraham he was inferiour and of an inferiour Order of Priest-hood And here I might take occasion to observe that Parents and Children may be truly accounted as one person and this not only before they be born but in many cases after that they actually exist in themselves and by reason of this unity and identity the Children may be said to do or suffer what their Parents do and suffer and on the contrary § 17. Hitherto the Apostle hath described Melchisedec and set forth his greatness and excellency and now he proceeds to manifest the greatness and excellency of Christ the Antitype and of his Priest-hood as far more excellent then that of Aaron's which is the second part of this Chapter and this is the Coherence and Connexion And as the Theme of the former Discourse was Melchisedec the last word of Psal. 110. 4 So now he goes on to handle in the first place these words of that Text Another Priest after the Order of Melchisedec For though in them we do not read the word and Adjective Another yet it 's implyed because the place doth speak of Christ as another Priest distinct not only from Aaron but from Melchisedec So that the Doctrine or Proposition which he discourseth upon is That after Aaron and the Levitical Priest there must be another Priest after the Order of Melchisedec From this proposed he inferrs several conclusions of great moment concerning the insufficiency and mutation of the Levitical Priest-hood and the efficacy and sufficiency of Christ's Priest-hood And to ground this Discourse he presupposeth that the end of all legal Priest-hood instituted by God is perfection and then begins to argue in this manner Ver. 11. If therefore Perfection were by the Levitical Priest-hood for under it the People received the Law what further need was there that another Priest should rise after the Order of Melchisedec and not be called after the Order of Aaron VVHere we must note 1. That the words are Interrogative and imply that the hypothetical or connex Axiom is Negative and the negation is more vehement and peremptory For if perfection had been by that Priest-hood and that Law there was no further need of another Priest of another Order so far different from that of Aaron's That Priest-hood would have been sufficient and there had been no reason of alteration nor any necessity of a Priest of another Order 2. These words A Priest after the Order of Melchisedec are found in this 11th ver by was of supposition and afterward repeated more fully and expresly out of the Psalm and enlarged upon 3. He gives a reason 1. Why there must be another Priest of another Order 2. Why this other Priest must be constituted in a more perfect manner then the former was And the reason of both is from the insufficiency of the Levitical Priest and the sufficiency of Christ's Priest-hood 4. He joyns both the former and the latter Priest-hoods and the several and distinct Laws according to which being made they must minister 5. From the words of the Psalmist he 1. In this verse inferrs the imperfection both of the Levitical Priest-hood and the Law And 2. In ver 12. the alteration of the Priest-hood and the Law 6. In this Text ver 11. the Apostle's argument in form is this If Perfection were by the Levitical Priest-hood under which they received the Law then there was no farther need that another Priest should rise after the Order of Melchisedec and not called after the Order of Aaron But another Priest after the Order of Melchisedec and not of Aaron must rise Therefore there is no perfection by the Levitical Priest-hood or the Law The consequence presupposing perfection to be the end of Priest-hood and that God doth nothing needless and in vain and that the bringing in of another Priest and Priest-hood is clear and undoubtful The assumption he proves from the words of the Psalm which positively affirms That there shall and must be another Priest after the Order of Melchisedec For if they be the words of God by his Spirit inspiring David the Jews acknowledging the divine authority of the Book of Psalms could not deny it For the words of the Psalmist being the words of God must needs be true yet the words of the assumption are not expresly and wholly found in the Psalm but implyed consequentially For if God constitute another Priest after the Order of Melchisedec and signifies his Will to do so then necessarily it follows that there is further need of such a Priest 7. This Syllogism is Compound and to be referred to the second Connex which
takes away the Consequent to take away the Antecedent If we resolve this Text into simple absolute Propositions They are these 1. There is no Perfection by the Levitical Priest-hood and the Law 2. There is further need of another Priest 3. This other Priest is after the Order of Melchisedec 4. He is not called after the Order of Aaron The first Proposition presupposeth perfection to be the end of Priest-hood and the Laws of God Where we must understand what is meant by perfection in this place perfection is expiation justification sanctification consecration as may appear Hebr. 10. 1 2 4 10 14. For to perfect sinful man is to free him from Sin and the consequents thereof so as to make him righteous holy and capable of eternal happiness in a near Communion with God And here we may take notice of the errour of Crellius who takes expiation for remission and sanctification without any satisfaction Whereas it 's evident that both in the Scriptures and especially in this Epistle it signifies to pacify and propitiate by Blood and something offered to God without which there is no justification and sanctification And this is evident from Chap. 10. 10. where it 's said We are sanctified through the Offering of the Body of Jesus Christ. And ver 14. For by one Offering he hath perfected or rather consecrated the Sanctified for ever In both which places it's evident that there must be 1. An Offering or Sacrifice to propitiate God offended 2. That Sanctification and Consecration are by this Propitiation and no ways without it This perfection is the end of Priest-hood and Law For Priest-hood was ordained and with the Priest-hood Laws were made to avert the Wrath of God to procure his favour and to be means conducing to sinful man's Salvation and eternal Happiness and that Priest-hood and that Law which cannot do these things nor reach this end is insufficient and can save no sinful man nor give him hope of Life This perfection is denied to the Levitical Priest-hood and the Law for the Levitical Priest could offer no Sacrifice that could expiate Sin or propitiate God offended or purge the Conscience from dead works Neither could the Law do any such thing as is plainly asserted ver 19. and Chap. 10. 1 2 3 4. And here we must enquire 1. What is here meant by the Law 2. What is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under which 3. Why this clause is added and inserted 1. Some will have this Law to be the Law of the Constitution of the Levitical Priest-hood others will have it to be the rule of their administration others will have it to be the Law of Worship Service and Obedience of the People with the Promises and Comminations and the simple word Law in this place included in the compound Verb may signifie all these Thus understood it 's opposed to the Promise made to Abraham and to the Gospel and the Jews sought Righteousness and Life by this Law and the Ministery of the Levitical Priest-hood and were confident of Salvation This was their great errour 2. By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translatours turn under it that is under the Levitical Priest-hood some understand with it and about the same time the people received or were subjected to the Law Junius translates it and Vatablus expounds it differently from the rest in this manner For it that is for Sanctification the people received the Priest-hood or the Law of Priest-hood and so referr the Relative It not to Priest-hood but to perfection or sanctification and with them the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in this place not under but for Crellius seems to agree with them in part but not fully for he referrs the Relative as others do to the word Priest-hood and so will have it rendred That the people received the Law of or touching or concerning the Priest-hood that is the Law of Priest-hood yet according to the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Septuagint the place may be rendred thus For under or by the Priest-hood the People were directed or ordered For with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to guide order direct yet because the Apostle puts a plain difference between the Priest-hood and the Law and makes the one depend upon the other and joyns them inseparably and this in the very next Verse therefore the first sense is the best that with the Priest-hood and about the time of the Institution the People received the Law But thirdly Why is this Clause added and inserted It was inserted to inform us in general 1. That there is no Priest-hood especially instituted by God without a Law and Covenant 2. That this Priest-hood was not without a Law and that Law and Covenant was the same which God made with their Fathers in the Wilderness 3. That as the Law is such is the Priest-hood for as they cannot be separated but depend one upon another so the one cannot exceed or excell one another Every Covenant of God hath a Mediator and as the Covenant is better and established upon better Promises so the Mediator or Priest is more excellent For the end of the Priest is by his Ministration to avert the Wrath of God to make Reconciliation for the People and procure the Blessings promised in the Law and Covenant and no other therefore the Levitical Priest-hood could not so officiate or minister as to procure any Blessings but such as the Law or God in the Law did promise nor turn away any Judgments but such as it did threaten And this seems to be the special Reason why these words were added to signify that as there was no perfection by the Priest-hood so neither could there be by the Law and that because there could be no Expiation and Sanctification spiritual and eternal by the Law therefore there could be none by the Priest-hood The sum of all this is That there is no Expiation Remission and eternal Happiness by the Levitical Priest-hood and the Law And whereas the Hebrews or others might demand Why then did God institute that Priest-hood and give that Law if there be no perfection by either of them severally or both joyntly Doth God any thing in vain The Answer is That both the Priest-hood and the Law were indeed from God and he can do nothing in vain neither did he ordain the Levitical Priest-hood and the Law in vain For they were sufficient for that end he intended them But that was not spiritual and eternal Sanctification or the Confirmation of the eternal Covenant but a legal Consecration and Confirmation of that Covenant which was to continue onely for a time And as the Law had but the shadow of far better things to come so the Priest-hood was but a Type of a far better Priest-hood to which this was subordinate For as the Law was but a School-Master to Christ so it may be said of the Priest-hood that it did but lead
to Christ. God never intended them for that perfection which is here meant though if rightly observed and used they might make good the Promises of that former Covenant § 18. Because there was no perfection by that Priest-hood therefore there was further need of another Priest which is the second Proposition David who lived above 400 years after the first Institution of the Levitical Priest-hood and knew the imperfection thereof being inspired from Heaven and enlightned by the Spirit fore-saw that the Lord would make his Lord and Saviour sit at his right hand not onely a King but also a Priest and give him an eternal Priest-hood and did fore-tell that in times to come he would say to Christ I have sworn and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedec These words Paul by the same Spirit knew as well as any other to be meant of Christ as a Priest and that to make him such was an Act of God which did presuppose his excellent Wisdom which could neither decree nor effect any thing needless And therefore from them infers the necessity of another Priest which God would never have brought in nor have signified his Will to do so if the Levitical Priest had been sufficient and able to save sinful Man Yet there might have been another Priest endued with excellent power and priviledges that might have been sufficient to sanctify God's People and of some Order but 3. This Priest must be after the Order of Melchisedec This is the third Proposition This was very fitting and suitable to the Divine Wisdom seeing Melchizedec was so great a Priest and of such an excellent Order that from the Creation we do not read of a greater Yet why might he not be called after the Order of Aaron Could not God have raised a Priest of that Order far more excellent than Aaron Not to dispute God's power and what he could have done yet his Will was otherwise For 4. This other Priest must not be called after the Order of Aaron And this is the fourth and last proposition of the Text which informs us That though he might have his Name and so his bate Title after that Order yet this was no wayes fitting But if he should be constituted according to that Order for to be called may signify either to be named or to be constituted then there could be no difference between the Levitical Priest and Him neither could there be any hope of Perfection or Sanctification by him This Negative he infers from the words after the Order of Melchizedec For if he be after that Order and so constituted he could not be constituted after the Order of Aaron which was far inferiour to that of Melchizedec's which was far more excellent § 19. Yet because the words speak of another Priest therefore the Apostle infers two things 1. The Change of the Priest-hood 2. From that the Change of the Law For so we read Ver. 12. For the Priest-hood being changed there is made of necessity a Change of the Law VVHere the Apostle doth two things 1. Presuppose the Change of the Priest-hood 2. Proves from that Change a necessary Change of the Law The Reason why he presupposeth the former Change is because it was necessarily implyed in the words of the former Verse and a necessary Consequent of the words of the Psalm which expresly speaks of another Priest and the same after another Order therefore he might well presuppose it The Reason why he infers a necessity of the Change of the Law is because some might reply That though the Priest-hood was changed and another Priest brought in yet that other Priest might officiate according to the Law and so be a Mediator of that Covenant The Apostle's Argument in Form is this If the Priest-hood be changed the Law of necessity must be changed But the Priest-hood is changed Therefore of necessity the Law must be changed The words of the Text are not difficult therefore I will briefly handle them and 1. Reduce them to propositions 2. Declare the meaning of the word Changed 3. Examine the force of the Consequence 1. The Propositions are two 1. The Priest-hood is changed 2. There is made of necessity a Change also of the Law 2. By Change in this place is meant an abolition and taking away the Levitical Priest-hood For God never intended it to continue to the end but had fixed a time how long it should be in force and when that time once came it might be said to be abolished by exspiration Yet it seems rather to be taken away by actual Constitution of another Priest-hood the Priest-hood of Christ for when he had offered up his great Sacrifice and began to officiate and make Intercession in Heaven the other Priest-hood did cease and could not consist with this which was far better but was made useless When that which is perfect and can perfectly sanctify for ever shall come then that which was imperfect and could not sanctify was put away That it must be changed and the reason why it must be changed you heard before and this is the reason why the Apostle doth presuppose it as a thing made evident and to be granted 3. The force of the Consequence is clear enough to him that shall observe what hath formerly been said In the words of the second Proposition considered in it self we may observe 1. The Change of the Law 2. The necessity of the Change 3. This necessity of this Change after the Change of the Law 1. By Change is meant the abrogation of the Law which answers to the abolition of the Priest-hood Though the bringing in of this Law 430 years after the Promise could not make void the Promise yet the bringing in of a better Law and Covenant made null and void this Law And God as he limited a time how long it should continue so he determined to take it away by a better Covenant and would not abrogate it till that was established and published For the promulgation of the Gospel and the Instituton of Christianity did abrogate it and made it of no force And this was the great Mercy of God 1. That he would change and abrogate that which was imperfect and insufficient 2. That he would not abrogate it till he had confirmed that which was better 2. Of necessity there must be a Change of this Law This implies that the Change was not casual and contingent or arbitrary or any wayes to be provented yet this was not an absolute necessity but upon supposition of the Decree and Promise of God and the Sanctification of sinful Man and the Imperfection and Inability of the Levitical Priest-hood to effect any such thing So that it 's necessitas Consequentiae non Consequentis This word of necessity seems to make the Proposition modal though in strict sense it is not so for the truth of the Proposition doth not depend upon any absolute Connexion of the terms as
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
excellent then the Levitical Priest and now he proceeds further and hath something more to say and prove his super-excellency He had indeed touched upon those words Thou art a Priest for ever and seems here to repeat them yet if we accurately consider it 's one thing to be a Priest for ever and another to receive an eternal Priest-hood by a solemn Oath which now he undertakes to manifest So that the Subject of three verses following the 23d 24th 25th is the eternal effectual unchangeable Priest-hood of Christ made such by Oath And in them we may observe the Perpetuity of Christ's Priest-hood Efficacy The Perpetuity and Immutability is affirmed ver 23 24. The Efficacy ver 25. In ver 23. we have the discontinuance of the one in the 24th the continuance of the other And both together manifest the difference and so dissimilitude between them and the excellency of the one above the other and this is done comparatively For by comparison both the dissimilitude and the imparity are made to appear He begins with the Levitical Priest in this manner They truly were many Priests c. Where we have 1. Their Multitude 2. Their Mortality And the Mortality was the cause of their Multitude Their Multitude was evident For they were many Priests and their Mortality They died And hence he inferrs that they could not continue for the cause why they could not continue was Death The intention of the Apostle is to inform us of an imperfection and defect in the Levitical Priests that they were all and every one of them mortal and died one after another and none could possesse and keep the Priest-hood long but must transmit it to another Aaron first unto his Son then his Son to a third and that to a fourth and so to the last High-Priest So that though they might all joyntly be considered as one person morally by fiction of Law yet they were many men and many Priests physically and so the Priest-hood was continued by Succession and though the Priest died yet the Priest-hood continued till it was abolished In this respect it might be said to be immortal as Corporations and Societies are yet this is no perfect immortality nor real perpetuity This was their imperfection Christ's perfection was that he continued ever Ver. 24. But this man because he conâ—inâ—uth ever hath an unchangeable Priest-hood THe Copulative And in the former verse did signify the Connexion and that of another new argument to the former and here the Discretive But implies the difference between Christ and the Levitical Priest in that they were Priests but he a Priest they were many he but one they continued not he continues for ever In the words we have three propositions 1. That Christ continueth ever 2. He hath an unchangeable Priest-hood 3. Because he continueth ever therefore he hath an unchangeable Priest-hood The Apostle may seem to reason and argue thus He that continueth ever hath an unchangeable Priest-hood But Christ continueth ever Therefore he hath an unchangeable Priest-hood 1. This man continueth ever Where 1. By this Man is meant Christ who was truly Man though this Man this individual Man was united unto the Word so as never any was He was so united unto the Word that he might truly be said to be God Yet as God he was not he could not be a Priest and this is evident if we consider either what a Priest is or what he must do Therefore is it said This Man continueth for ever and in another place There is one God and one Mediatour between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2. 5. 2. He is said to continue ever that is liveth ever but this is to be understood of him as risen again from the Dead For before in the state of his Humiliation he was mortal and not only so but dyed Yet after the Resurrection he became immortal and shall never dye but continue for ever For Christ being raised from the Dead diâ—th no more Death hath no more dominion over him Rom. 6. 9. 2. This Man hath an unchangeable Priest-hood The word translated Unchangeable may be understood 1. So as though the Apostle did inferr from the words of the Psalam Will not repent or change that Christ's Priest-hood should never be abolished and changed to another Order Or 2. Because it may signify not passing from one another to conclude from this that Christ continueth ever that his Priest-hood doth not pass from him to any other his Successor as the Priest-hood of Aaron did And this latter seems to be the genuine sense because he opposeth the Priest-hood of Christ unto that of Levi which did pass from one to another so that his Priest-hood did continue in this one individual Man who lives for ever 3. Because he continueth ever therefore his Priest-hood is unchangeable and doth not pass from him to another This follows clearly For if he individually be made a Priest and a Priest for ever and this by Oath and he that was thus made was immortal then his Priest-hood is personal and to be continued in him one single person for ever Now we enter upon the Comparison and make it in this form He that liveth and continueth ever so that his Priest-hood is not transmitted to another is more excellent then they who not continuing by reason of Death transmit their Priest-hood to their Successors who are many But Christ doth thus continue and the Levitical Priests do not Therefore He is a more excellent Priest § 26. This excellency is yet more because of the efficacy of the Priest-hood and the ability of the Priest when perpetuity and efficacy meet in one the Priest-hood must needs be excellent indeed But let 's hear the Apostle proving this Efficacy Ver. 25. Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost or for ever that come to God by him seeing be ever liveth to make Intercession for them THE judgment of this Text is Dianoetical as is evident from the Illative Wherefore and in form he argueth thus He that ever liveth to make Intercession for them that come to God by him is able to save them for ever But Christ ever liveth to make Intercession for them that come to God by him Therefore he is able to save them for ever Where from his perpetual and effectual Intercession he inferrs his ability to save for ever and from both his super-excellency which is principally intended In the words we have 1. His ability to save them for ever that come to God by him 2. The reason of it because he ever liveth to make Intercession for them In the first we have 1. His active power 2. The subject upon which it works effectually 1. His active power that he is able to save to the uttermost 1. He is able that is he hath an active power to produce some excellent effect and reach some glorious end 2. This power is not physical but moral nay super-natural
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
above that of Aaron's finds seven Arguments in this Chapter to prove it The first three are taken from the excellency of Melchizedec's Priest-hood the fourth from the Imperfection of the Levitical Order the fifth from the Confirmation of Christ's Priest-hood by the Oath of God the sixth from Christ's Immortality the last from the excellent vertue of Christ's Sacrifice And he well observs that the Apostle in this Discourse doth urge and urge again and very much insist upon these words of the Psalmist I have sworn Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedec § 4. But if we well consider the whole Chapter till we come to the Conclusion it 's nothing but a Discourse upon those words And he begins with the last word Melchizedec then he proceeds to another a Priest after the Order of Melchizedec which was Christ then to the words I have sworn and will not repent lastly to those Then art a Priest for ever And if you observe not this you shall hardly ever find the genuine Order of the Apostle's Discourse And the Text of the Psalm is excellently handled by way of Explication and Illation or drawing Conclusions from it The first part therefore from the first Verse to the eleventh is concerning Melchizedec declaring out of Gen. 14. who he was and that he was not only a King but a Priest and that his Priest-hood was more perfect and excellent than that of Aaron's The second part from Ver. 11. to the 19th infers from this that there must be another Priest not of the Order of Aaron but of Melchizedec that the Levitical Priest-hood must be abolished because it could sanctify no man or give him hope of everlasting life for this Sanctification and Perfection must be by another Priest which the Spirit signifies even whilst the Order of Aaron was in force must be of another Order and of another Tribe The third part from Ver. 19. to the 23. takes notice of those words I have sworn and will not repent and thence infers that seeing he was made and confirmed a Priest by oath and the Levitical Priest was not therefore was he the Surety of a better Covenant The fourth part from Ver. 23. to the 26. infers not onely the difference of Mortality and Immortality between the Priests of the Law and of Christ but also from his Immortality and eternal Priest-hood his ability to save for ever such as come to God by him In the last part from Ver. 26. to the end he seems to infer the eternal vertue of Christs Sacrifice from his innocency and holiness which was such as he had no Infirmity This last doth not appear in the Text either as expressed or deducible from it yet it may well be presupposed because the party to whom this Priesthood was thus confirmed by Oath could not be any man that had sins and infirmities of his own but was the Son of God who as Man never knew any sin This Discourse is to be understood of the Constitution and Confirmation not the Ministration of Christ's Priest-hood and in the very words of Confirmation the Apostle observs four clear and evident Arguments of the excellency of Christ's Priest-hood above that of Aaron's and a fifth implyed or presupposed § 5. The first part is concerning Melchizedec upon the Explication of which Word the Knowledge of the whole Proposition doth depend and in it we have 1. A Description of this Melchizedec from Ver. 1. to the 4. 2. His greatness and excellency inferred from this Description from Ver. 4. to the 11th The whole may be reduced to two Propositions The first whereof declareth who he was The second how great he was In the Description which is taken from Gen. 14. 18 19 20. we may observe 1. His Offices 2. The Acts of his Priestly Office 3. The Interpretation of his Name and the place of his Residence 4. The perpetuity of his Sacerdotal Office 1. His Offices were two 1. His Regal for he was King of Salem 2. His Sacerdotal he was Priest of the most High God The Acts of his Priest-hood are two 1. His blessing 2. Tything of Abraham The Interpretation of his Name informs us that he was King of Righteousness Peace The Perpetuity of his Priest-hood is signified in that he had no Predecessor from whom nor Successour to whom he might derive his Priest-hood His Offices and Acts of his Priest-hood are expressed in the Text of Moses the Interpretation is taken from the signification of the words whereof his Name is composed and from the signification of Salem The perpetuity is concluded from the reticency and silence of the Text This was the onely place in the Scriptures of the Old Testament where any mention is made of this Person before that of Psal. 110. 4. The first part in the Description informs us of his Offices that he was 1. King of Salem 2. Priest of the most High God Who this Melchizedec was is much doubted whether he was God Angel or Man For some affirm that he was the Spirit of God some that he was an Angel some that he was a Man And of such as affirm him to be Man many think him to be Shem who was certainly living at that time Others deny it and bring strong Arguments for the Negative and it 's very likely if not certain it was not Shem whose Genealogy and Descent is evidently and expresly delivered in Scripture and there can be no Reason why he should change his Name and take another It 's certain he was a Person that lived in Salem in the Land of Canaan at that time that Abraham sojourned there and lived at Mamre The word King as distinct from that of Priest doth imply his Civil Power And because Civil Power of Government may be in one or more it signifies the Civil Power in one yet this Civil Power may be in one either despotically in an absolute or arbitrary way or limited And whether this Power be in one by commission and trust or without commission and whether it be greater or less we find that any eminent single Person that had Power to command others in Scripture is called a King What kind of Power Civil this Melchizedec had over his Subjects we do not read neither need we trouble our selves That he was a King and had Civil Power such as the other petty Kings of Canaan had need not to be doubted The place whereof he was King is expressed to be Salem which might be either the City of his residence or his Territory belonging to that City or both This Salem in all probability was that place which was called Jerusalem in after times for so we find it called Joshua 10. 1. and the Name of the King then wa◠Adonizedec which is the same Name with that of Melchizedec for both signify a Prince of Governour call him King or Lord of Righteousness that is a righteous Prince or Governour And some tell us 1. That the first
King of Righteousness and after that also King of Salem which is King of Peace MElech and so Melchi in Hebrew signifies King Prince or Governour and such is being one person is eminent in Power above the rest Zedeck is Righteousness in that Language This name agrees with Adonizedeck of Adon or Adoni Lord and Zedeck Righteousness as before This Name did truly agree unto this Person and he did answer to his Name He was a just King and did Order and Govern his People in Righteousness by just Judgment and according to just Laws and sought their weal and common good Such all Civil Governours should be for justice is essential to good Government and God never gave any power to any person but bound him to Righteousness nay further governing Power is no Power without wisdom and justice it may be potâ—ntia but not potestas Some Princes are more righteous then other yet this man was eminently righteous because he proved a Prince of Peace For the Fruit of Righteousness is Peace and the more wise and just the Government of any State shall be the greater the Peace and Happiness of the People But Righteousness must go before and after that Peace will follow and Kings must first be Kings of Zedeck before they can be Kings of Salem If the Kings of Sodom had been such they had not been invaded subdued and spoiled by a forraign Enemy The words seem to imply that Zedeck and Salem were two places from whence he had his Name and Title first from the one then from the other or that because he was so just first he was called the King of Righteousness and after that because by his just Government the People enjoyed so great Peace He was called King of Salem § 9. The fourth and last particular is the perpetuity of his Priest-hood For thus it 's written Ver. 3. Without Father without Mother without Descent having neither beginning of Dayes nor end of Life but made like unto the Son of God abideth continually a Priest FOR the better understanding of these words we must consider 1. That if Melchisedec was a man living in Abraham's Dayes he had both Father and Mother and Descent and beginning of Dayes and end too except he as Enoch was translated not to see Death otherwise these words properly understood and strictly taken might justly give occasion to think he was an Angel in humane shape which was the opinion of some 2. Therefore for the most part the words are understood Tropically to this purpose That as he is described Gen. 14. the first and only place of the Old Testament that speaks more largely of him Moses the Historian makes no mention of his Father or Mother or Descent or Birth or Death And he was directed thus to do by the Spirit of purpose either because he being ignorant of all these the Spirit did not reveal them unto him or if he did and he knew them yet he was ordered and moved by the Spirit to conceal them that according to that Description he might appear a more lively and perfect Type of Christ. 3. The words have special reference unto his Priest-hood and gives us a real difference between him and the Levitical Priest and makes him far more like unto the Son of God our everlasting Priest For the Levitical High-Priests had their Priest-hood by Descent and Birth and upon their Death their Successors For as born of a Father of the Tribe of Levi and the House of Aaron after he was once consecrated and as born of a Mother who was a woman married to one of that House so they derived the Priest-hood from the first Investiture after the first Institution And whosoever could not manifest his Genealogy and Descent from that Family could not minister and officiate as a Priest As they had beginning of Dayes and by their Birth and Descent derived their Priest-hood from their Predecessors so they were Mortal and had end of Dayes and so transmitted their Priest-hood to their Successors Thus did not Melchisedec who though he might have Father and Mother and Descent and so beginning and end of Dayes as a man yet as a Priest he had no Predecessor from whom by Birth he might receive his Sacerdotal Power nor Successor who derived his Priest-hood from him So Christ the Son of God derived his Priest-hood from no mortal Predecessor but immediately from his heavenly Father neither will he transmit it to any Successor but when all Enemies shall be subdued and he shall deliver up his Commission by vertue of which he doth now officiate and intercede in Heaven He shall resign the same together with his Kingdom to God who gave him both And thus perhaps Melchisedec this great Priest and lively Type of Christ did And if there be any Priest-hood according to the Law of Nature which is of perpetual continunuance then he seems to be an extraordinary Priest according to the Law For there is the Law of Nature the Law of Moses the Law of Grace and every one of these may have their ordinary Priests and their extraordinary supream Pontiffs immediately instituted of God and the extraordinary supream Pontiff according to the Law of Nature must be above Aaron who was a High-Priest according to that Law which was but for a time and to be abolished and so more fit to typifie Christ the Mediatour and Priest of the New Covenant which shall stand for ever And these things I referr and in them submit my Judgment to the wise and judicious who may take occasion to seek further whether Melchisedec's Sacerdotal Title did not continue to him in Heaven till Christ's Ascension and then was delivered up to Christ and so it continued in him for ever and in this respect he abideth a Priest continually The first three verses seem to be one Proposition and all the whole description till the last words the subject or antecedent and abiding continually the predicate yet so that there are many simple Propositions in the antecedent And it 's observable that Righteousness Peace and Blessing of Melchisedec are perpetual § 10. After the explication of this Description we must consider wherein Melchisedec and Christ agree for there must be an agreement between the Type and the Antitype They agree in Offices Acts and Continuance 1. Melchisedec was a Priest and a King so was Christ Melchisedec was a King first of Righteousness and after of Peace so is Christ for he is the most righteous and just Administratour of his universal and perpetual Spiritual Kingdom and by Righteousness procures an everlasting Peace for our eternal Righteousness is from Him and the Fruit of this Righteousnesse is the perpetuall Peace of all his Loyall and Obedient Subjects 2. Melchisedec as a Priest received Tythes of Abraham and blessed him so Christ doth bless all such as believe in him and makes them eternally happy and all our spiritual Blessings and our eternal Bliss we expect to receive by him and
Israelites from the first-born of other Families to the Tribe of Levi For we read that the were set apart for the Service of the Tabernacle Numb 1. 50. And this done by Command of God to Moses Ver. 48. This was the Reason why they were not numbred non had a several distinct part of the Land as the rest of the Tribes In this the Lord did punish shew Mercy and gave Honour He punished that Tribe in scattering them throughout all the Tribes according to the words of Jacob who denounced this Judgment against them for their dissimulation and cruelty exercised upon the Shechemites Gen. 49. 7. He shewed Mercy to the rest of the Tribes in that they were dispersed in every part amongst them to teach them the Laws of God He honoured these Levites in that he consecrated them to his Service and setled the Priest-hood in that Tribe And this seems to be a Reward for their Service in assisting Moses when he punished their idolatrous Brethren Therefore said Moses Consecrate your selves to day unto the Lord c. Exod. 32. 29. So wonderful is the Wisdom of God that by one Act he can both punish and reward the same parties and shew Mercy unto others Of this their separation and taking them for the first-born we may read Numb 3. 12. Yet though all the Sons of Levi did minister in holy things all were not Priests for of the Sons of Levi onely the Family of Aaron received the Office of Priest-hood and were Priests the rest of that Tribe were assistant and subservient to the Priests These had their Office not by Usurpation or the voluntary consent and suffrage of Man but by the ordination and determination of God without whose Power intervening so great an alteration in the Translation of the Sacerdotol Power could not have been valid or just In the Christian Church the Office of Ministers answers to this which could neither be necessary or effectual except Christ had instituted it And onely such as enter upon this Function according to his Institution are legal Ministers 2. The parties tythed were their Brethren though descended of Abraham The Priest-hood with their inferiour Ministry must be maintained and it seemed good to the Divine Wisdom to appoint the Tythes for that end as the sitrest and most convenient maintenance of all other and if duly paid according to his order the least subject to inconveniences And seeing they did serve and minister for the good and benefit of their Brethren sequestring themselves from other employments Justice and Epuity did require that they should maintain them and give them their Tythes The same Rule in general holds good in the times of the Gospel For saith the Apostle if we have sown unto yoâ— spiritual things is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things 1 Cor. 9. 11. Yet profane Worldâ—ings who make no account of spiritual Blessings will say It is a great thing an heavy charge and we desire to be freed from it yet carnal things are nothing to spiritual These Brethren were descended of Abraham as well as the Levites and Priests and both as Brethren and as descended of Abraham were equal Yet they must acknowledge themselves and that by paying of Tythes unto the Priests to be inferiour to them who vvere nearer God and did represent him in the highest Acts and Service 3. But by what Warrant and according to what Rule did these Priest receive Tythes of their Brethren They had a Warrant and a Rule and both from God For 1. He gave a Command they should be paid and a Rule how they should be given The Command did presuppose the Power and signified the Will of God so that the People were bound to give them and the Priests had Power to demand them as due For the Effect of this Command was to make them due to be given by the People and unto them and to none other After this Command they could not be a meer Benevolence God did often signify in the Books of Moses that Tythes were his and he had given them to the Sons of Levi and the Priests That they are the Lord's and holy unto him we find Levit. 27. 30 31 c. and they are commanded to bring them to the Priest Deut. 14. 22. And that he gave them the Children of Levi for their service is evident Num. 18. 21. and they were their Inheritance And whosoever deteineth them robs God and is cursed with a Curse Mal. 3 8 9. Work and Hire Service and Tythes the Preaching of the Gospel and Maintenance go together before the Law under the Law and in the time of the Gospel Commands and Laws do not onely define the Persons that must obey and the thing to be done but many times if not alwayes the manner of performance So it was in Decimation for the Law determined not onely the Persons that must give them but of what they must be given and at what time they must be paid and into what place they must be brought and where they must be laid up So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the Command and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Rule and both are parts of the Law of Tything Some think these words are brought in by the Apostle to prove the Superiority of the Priests above their Brethren because their Brethren gave and they received Tythes and it 's true as Tything them they were above them Others conceive that in them he answers the Objection That Tything and Decimation would not prove the Greatness of Melchizedec above the Levitical Priests for these as well as he did decimate And they understand the Apostle to return this Answer That though they received Tythes yet it was but from their Brethren who being the posterity of Abraham were far inferiour unto Abraham whom Melchizedec tythed yet this answer is not given by him in these words except in part For the principal part followeth § 14. For we read in the next words Ver. 6. But he whose Descent is not counted from them received Tythes of Abraham c. In which words we may observe two Propositions The 1. Negative That Melchizedec's Pedegree was not reckoned from them 2. Affirmative Yet he received Tythes of Abraham The first informs us that he was not descended from Levi neither was his Priesthood of their Order or derived from them If he had descended from their Tribe and his Priest-hood from the House of Aaron then they would have said that he received Tythes because he was of their Order and would further alledge that if one as great as Abraham should be found amongst their Brethren they had Power by vertue of their Priesthood to decimate him But all this he prevents by denying his Descent from them The second tells us plainly that he tythed Abraham who was far above Levi and the Levitical Priests and much more above their Brethren Yet this is not all he not onely tythed Abraham but He blessed him
it comes to pass in a necessary Axiom which is opposed to impossible 3. This is more evident when we consider that both this Change and this necessity follows after and upon another Change For though God in his absolute power could have continued this Law and prevented this Change yet if he once change the Priest-hood the Law must be changed And so the force of the Consequence comes in to be considered which presupposeth some strict Connexion of both and a dependance of the Law upon the Priest-hood For if God did determine that the Priest-hood and Law should stand and fall together then it must necessarily follow that whilst the Priest-hood did stand the Law must stand and when the Priest-hood shall fall and be abolished then the Law of necessity must be abrogated And that this was the determination of God was made evident by the event and the execution of his Decree Again if the Priest-hood be once taken away the Law was useless because there was no Priest appointed by God remaining to officiate according to that Law as we see it is at this day And this might be the Reason why God did not only by the Death and Sacrifice of the great High-Priest after he was once exhibited on Earth and his Ministration in Heaven abolish that Levitical Priest-hood but also destroyed the Temple and the City where he had put his Name and to which he had confined that Priest-hood and never yet suffered either of them to be rebuilt And from these Reasons the force of their Consequence is strong and evident § 20. He proves further that the Priest-hood was changed because the great Priest after the Order of Melchizedec was not called after the Order of Aaron because he was not of the Tribe of Levi but of another Tribe and by Name of the Tribe of Judah Thus the Text informs us Ver. 13. For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another Tribe of which no man gave attendance at the Altar Ver. 14. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah of which Tribe Moses spake nothing concerning the Priest-hood THE words of the Psalmist do prove that the Levitical Priest-hood must be changed and these prove that it was already changed And the Reason whereby he proves the Change of the Priest is the Change of the Tribe which presupposeth that the Levitical Priest was confined to one certain Tribe and that was the Tribe of Levi and to one certain Family the Family of Aaron From whence it follows that if the Tribe was once changed and God institute a Priest of another Tribe the Priest-hood must be changed And this great Priest which is after the Order of Melchizedec must not be was not called after the Order of Aaron neither was he of that Family In the words he informs us 1. Who the Person was that must be the Priest intended in the Psalm 2. What his Descent is and that two wayes 1. Negatively 2. Positively and affirmatively 1. The person of whom these things are spoken was Jesus Christ. The thing spoken of him are 1. That he was a Prophet above Angels all the Prophets and above Moses himself 2. That he was a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec And though a Prophet might be of any Tribe yet a Priest must be of the Tribe of Levi. Of this great Priest he saith 1. He was of another Tribe 2. Of a Tribe of which no Man gave attendance at the Altar He was of another Tribe This implies the Negative He was not of the Tribe of Levi 1. This is general and so is that which follows For 2. He was of a Tribe where of no man served at the Altar To serve at the Altar and offer Sacrifice was the proper work of a Priest and if any of that Tribe had ever been a Priest and according to God's Institution then though Christ had been of that Tribe yet the Priest-hood had not been changed But God's constitution was otherwise for it excluded all the Tribes but one that one of Levi and so that not any person of any other Tribe could lawfully serve at the Altar This makes the Negative more clear and full and peremptory By this we understand that Christ was of another Tribe that he was not of the Tribe of Levi yet all this will not inform us of what Tribe in particular he was Therefore to give full satisfaction the Authour adds Ver. 14. For it 's evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah of which Tribe Moses spake nothing concerning the Priest-hood THe Apostle presupposing that which cannot be denied that the Tribe of Judah is not the Tribe of Levi and that Christ being of the Tribe of Judah was made a Priest after the Order of Melchisedec seems by these things to prove that the Priest-hood is changed and that more particularly and distinctly then he had done in the former verse For it might have been argued and replyed that if he was of another Tribe then of Judah or Ephram or Benjamin or some of the rest If he was of another Tribe name it or else nothing is done And this was convenient to be done to name the Tribe in particular out of which Christ sprang and it was that of Judah In the words we have three propositions 1. That Christ sprang out of the Tribe of Judah 2. This is evident 3. That of Judah Moses spake nothing concerning the Priest-hood The first proposition is made clear out of the Histories of the Evangelists delivering the Genealogy of Christ from Abraham and David by way of descending Matth. 1. and of Christ's descent from David by way of ascending Luke 3. It 's further evident by the Calling of Joseph his Father-in-Law and his Mother to be enroled with the Tribe of Judah in Bethlehem the City of David Luke 2. And his Name was found long after his Ascension in these Rolles kept in the Arches at Rome He saith our Lord to signify that Christ was that Lord to whom the Lord Jehovah said Sit thou at my right hand c. The second proposition This was evident This might be evident then to them not only by these Histories but by the publick Records of the Roman Cense and Enrolment and the Registers both publick and private of their pedigrees For the Jews were very careful to Register their Discents for their distinction of their Families and their Tribes and God's providence did order it so to be not only by these Genealogies to manifest who had title to the Priest-hood but principally to preserve the Tribe and Families of Judah distinct till Christ was exhibited that so it might be evident that Christ was of that Tribe and of the House of David By this God did manifest his Promise concerning Christ to Descend of David to be fulfilled in that it was evident that Christ was the Son of David and so often called by that Name The third proposition That of that Tribe
Moses spake nothing concerning the Priest-hood These words are added to signify that no man of that Tribe had right to officiate as a Priest For before he had said that no man of that Tribe did serve at the Altar but this was but matter of Fact for though none of Judah did serve at the Altar de facto yet some might de jure as having a right to officiate But these prove as none did serve so none could jure justly and lawfully do it For it they could they might prove their title out of the Books of Moses Yet this cannot be done because Moses never wrote of any such thing there is not in all his Books the lest tittle of the right of any of Judah to officiate as a Priest And the rule of the first Constitution of the legal Priest-hood is to be found there and no where else These words imply that a negative argument from the Scripture in matters of Religion is valid For that which is not to be found in the Scriptures truly understood either expresly delivered or by consequence to be deduced cannot be of divine authority so as to bind men to believe it or do it But those arguments which prove a Negative not only from the silence but also from exclusive terms are the strongest And in this particular cause we find Moses not only silent and saying nothing of the Tribe of Judah concerning the Priest-hood but also speaking so positively of the Levitical Priest as that he so confirms him to the Tribe of Levi and the House of Aaron that he peremptorily and clearly excludes all other persons of all other Tribes from that Office And here we may take notice of the wisdom of God which contrived this business so that he made Augustus though he thought of no such thing an Instrument of this evidence For though the Cense and Enrolment was general of all Countries within the Roman Empire whereof Judea was one yet by this he brought Mary to Bethlehem when she was ready to be delivered of Christ that so he might be born there according to the prophesy of Micah and that it might be evident that he was of the linage of David and so of the Tribe of Judah § 21. Hitherto the Apostle hath manifested that the Priest-hood was changed because the Tribe was changed and another Priest was risen of another Tribe But not content with this he proceeds to make this far more evident For so it followeth Ver. 15 16. And it is yet far more evident for that after the Similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another Priest Who is made not after the Law of a Carnal Commandment but after the power of an endless life HEre the Apostle seems to insist upon two words in the Text of the Psalm 1. After the Order or Similitude of Melchisedec 2. A Priest for ever after that Order By both which he is thought to prove the change of the Priest-hood and the Law by the Introduction of a Priest of another Order and a Priest for ever The former proof was evident and sufficient yet this seems to make the change more evident and not only more but far more evident And so the words may be taken as by our Translatours they are turned That this must be understood we may consider 1. What that thing or proposition is which is made far more evident 2. How it is far more evidenced The thing evidenced is the change and abolition of the Levitical Priest-hood and the Law A thing is made evident when it is so clearly represented to the Understanding that if it be rightly disposed it must needs assent unto the truth of it once received as it is represented This evidence may be either immediate from Connexion of the terms distinctly understood or mediately from a third Argument This evidence of this change abolition abrogation is mediate And that argument whereby it 's made so evident is 1. That there must be and then was risen a Priest after the Order of Melchisedec 2. His Priest-hood must be personall and perpetual In the words we may observe two propositions The 1. That another Priest ariseth after the Similitude of Melchisedec The 2. This Priest is made not after the Law of a carnal Commandment but after the power of an endless life In this Proposition you must 1. Remember what hath been said formerly concerning the explication 2. You must note that Order mentioned before and Similitude here are the same and to be a Priest after the Similitude is the same with being a Priest after the Order of Melchisedec so that if Christ be of the same Order then he must be like unto Melchisedec By Order is meant a distinct and different kind of Priest-hood and though Christ's Priest-hood be like both to Aarons and Melchisedec's yet it was far more like unto Melchisedec which was far more exellent then that of Aarons This Order might be the better known if we knew the Law and Covenant whereof he was a Priest which was not only the Law of Nature according to which he did minister and serve the most high God as Creatour and Judge of this World but of the Law of Grace according to which he worshipped God as Redeemer by Christ promised to Abraham Seth Enoch Noah Shem and the rest of the Patriarchs before him who believed in Christ to come yet not as to descend from Abraham Whereas it 's said That another Priest ariseth you must know that his rising is his constitution manifestation and beginning of his Officiation And the rising of him was the fall of the Levitical Priest and the abolition of that Priest-hood The force of this proposition considered as a reason is in this That this other Priest is not only of another Tribe and in particular of Judah but after another Order For it might have been said That though Christ was a Priest of the Tribe of Judah yet he might be after the Order of Aaron and so he might be essentially the same kind of Priest though accidentally he might differ from the rest of the Levitical Priests as they were of that Tribe To take away all colour of any such conceit this is added That he was after the Similitude of Melchisedec and not of Aaron This doth prove the change far more strongly and therefore the evidence is far greater The second proposition to evidence the difference yet to be far greater informs us according to what Law he was made a Priest and this is done 1. Negatively not after the Law of a carnal Commandment 2. Affirmatively after the power of an endless life In the Negative we have 1. A Commandment 2. A carnal Commandment 3. The Law of a carnal Commandment 1. By Commandment we may understand the whole System of the Ceremonies and Mosaical Rites prescribed from God by Moses to that People For whatsoever else it may signify or include here yet these are principally if not solily meant 2. This Commandment or body
Commandment going before for the weaknesse and unprofitableness thereof Ver. 19. For the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better Hope whereby we draw nigh to God BY these words we understand that the Reason why the Law was changed is the same why the Priest-hood was changed and it was from the Imperfection of both Both were imperfect for neither severally nor joyntly could they perfect any man And here the Order of the things is not Order of the words for the Order of the matter is this 1. The Law is weak and unprofitable 2. It was so because it was defective and not effective of perfection it could perfect nothing 3. For this Reason it was disanulled 4. It was disanulled by and for the bringing in of a better Hope whereby we draw nigh to God In Ver. 18. we have 1. The disanulling of the Law 2. The Reason which was the weakness and unprofitableness thereof For explication 1 You must know that by Law is meant the Law of Moses and the Covenant made with the Fathers 2. This Law is said to go before that is to be a former Law or Covenant and this it 's said to be in respect of the Gospel which followed after For consider it absolutely many Laws and Promises were made before it and in particular the Promise made to Abraham was before it 430 years 3. By disanulling of this Law is signified the abrogation of it The Essence of a Law is the binding force of it whereby it obligeth the party subject to the power of the Law-giver to Obedience or Punishment to abrogate a Law is to take away this binding force so as the Subject is freed from the Observation of it and so from all penalty upon the Non-Observation His not doing of it or his doing contrary unto it is no Disobedience nor can make him liable to penalty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here used if it be applyed to and affirmed of the party subject and under a Law it signifies a prevarication and transgression of the Law because the party offending as offending carryes himself as though there were no Law and on his part makes it void It 's opposed privatively to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the making of a Law and giving force unto it This disanulling of it was an Act of God who by revealing the Gospel took away the binding force of the Law and made it void and so took away the very being of it as a Law 4. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many times is used expletively for ornament sometimes it 's used to signify verily as here it 's translated and signifie not onely the truth but the certainty of the Proposition to which it doth belong and so it may do here The Reason of this abrogation and nulling of the Commandment is 1. The weakness 2. The Unprofitableness Weakness is the want of internal strength and efficient power Unprofitableness is the want of some good which by its efficient acting a Cause may bring unto another thing capable of that Good which by reason of it's impotency deficiency it cannot effect This weakness in the Law was not a want of Physical but Moral and Supernatural power whereby it might bring some Supernatural and Moral good unto that People which did observe it Yet this is not so to be understood as though it had not the power of a Law for it had that both in the Precepts to bind and direct and in the Promises to profit upon the Observation of it For it was sufficiently both binding and profiting in respect of that end to which God intended it But he never intended it for supernatural Expiation and Sanctification but he annexed it unto the Promise and subordinated it to the Gospel for to direct them to Christ and the Gospel to come Therefore the Jews before Faith that is the Gospel of Christ exhibited and glorified were kept under the Law shut up or confined unto the Faith which afterwards should be revealed Gal. 3. 23. And they who then observed it found it effectual in the enjoyment of the Blessings it did promise and they who transgressed it in suffering the penalties it did threaten And this was the great errour of the Jews both before but especially after the Gospel was revealed to expect supernatural Expiation and Sanctification from it as though they had no need either of Christ or the Gospel § 23. In Ver. 19. we have 1. The deficiency of the Law 2. The efficiency of the Gospel The deficiency of the Law is that it made nothing perfect The efficiency or efficacy of the Gospel that by it we draw nigh to God That the Law made nothing perfect proves that it was weak and unprofitable 1. By nothing understand no Person 2. By perfect to justify and sanctify upon Expiation So that the Argument of the Apostle in Form is this That which perfects nothing is weak and unprofitable But the Law perfects nothing Therefore it 's weak and unprofitable This proves from the non-production of the effect the insufficiency of the Causal power in the Law And this is so to be understood that the Law did neither actually perfect neither had any power to perfect any person But that which it could not effect the bringing in of a better hope whereby we draw nigh to God could fully accomplish The profit which the erring Jew expected from the Law was perfection and he believed there was strength and power in the Law to produce this effect Yet God did never teach him so but reserved this excellent power unto the bringing in of a better Hope where by better Hope is meant the Gospel and by bringiag in the Promulgation of it after the Law and upon the Law The Gospel is called a better Hope because by the Promises made therein to them who observe it we have firm and certain hope of perfection and sanctification and so of eternal life and this hope is so much the more certain because of the blessed Spirit of God which accompanying it doth enable us to obey the Precepts and seals the Promises for it writes it in our hearts So that what the Law could not the Gospel can effect Some will have this better Hope to be the Priest-hood of Christ but that cannot well be For 1. That is opposed to the Priest-hood of the Law not to the Law it self which is opposed properly here unto the Gospel and the Gospel to it 2. The Gospel presupposeth the Priest-hood of Christ and the Expiation made by the Priesthood and it is a means of Application and Communication of the benefits of that Expiation The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turned bringing in seems to be taken from Law-givers who bring in one Law after and upon another either to confirm or intetpret or repeal and abrogate the former at least in part The Gospel is a Law of God Redeemet in and by Christ brought in and after the Law
to null and abrogate it The effect of this Gospel upon the Expiation made by Christ is the Perfection that is the Justification and Sanctification of sinful guilty Man whereby he is freed from the sad and woful Consequents of Sin and especially from the condemning vindicative Justice of God and eternal death and so may draw nigh to God Where we must consider 1. What it is to draw nigh to God 2. Why this Clause is added To draw nigh to God is sometimes a Duty somtimes a Reward and Priviledge given for Christ's merit to such as perform the Duty As it is a Duty it 's sometimes a coming to the place where God hath put his Name and where he vouchsafed his special presence as in the Tabernacle and Temple he did for to worship him It 's sometime a worshipping of God or performing any divine Service unto him for then we pretend to leave the World and turn our backs upon all things and to present our selves before his Throne as in Prayer and other Duties Again it is a turning from our sins with a Resolution to forsake them and an engagement of our selvs and that with our whole hearts to be his Servants and obedient Subjects And this we cannot do effectually without Faith in Christ and the further we depart from sin the nearer we draw to him and are more like unto him This is a Duty But to have peace with God to be reconciled to him so as to have free access with boldness and confidence to the Throne of Grace where he sits as propitiated by the Blood of Christ and as a Father looks upon us as his Children is a great and gracious reward and special priviledg and presupposeth the former Duty performed and the party performing it in the state of Justification and Reconciliation For being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ By whom also we have acccess by Faith into this Grace wherein we stand c. Rom. 5. 1 2. To understand this more fully we must consider That the words are in some sort Metaphorical wherein the Apostle alludes either to the giving of the Law upon Mount Sinai where he represented himself very terrible as sitting in the Throne of Justice and not of Grace and Mercy so as that to draw nigh unto him was a present Death The People must keep at a distance only Moses might come near and ascend the Mount which was a special and extraordinary favour or he may allude unto the legal dispensation under which no unclean person as a Leper or one defiled by touching a dead body or some other way might come into the Congregation or nigh the Tabernacle or Temple so as to worship with God's People before they were cleansed and purified but upon their purification finished they might draw nigh and come with the rest of God's unpolluted Servants to Worship and to serve their God so as to have communion with him and receive mercies blessings and comforts from him So in this place such as are perfected that is justified and sanctified through Faith by the Blood of Christ have liberty to draw nigh to God as to a Father to seek and receive mercies and increase of Grace and heavenly Comforts and have sweet communion with him Before their justification and reconciliation they stood at a distance from their God and looked upon him as a consuming Fire and to draw near was danger though even then they might have some hope of mercy They are like the Publican standing a far off and beating upon his Brest and saying Lord be merciful to me a Sinner but when their Consciences are purged and their Souls by Faith are cleansed in the Blood of Christ they then have liberty and draw nigh to serve and worship God with confidence that he will accept their persons prayers and other Services This is the drawing nigh to God here meant yet you must know that these approaches are not so nigh in this life but that there is some distance But in the place of Glory the approach shall be so near as that it will take away all distance and we shall have immediate and full communion with our God The reason why this Clause was added which is the second thing is to let us know how far more excellent the Gospel is above the Law For by the Law no Man was brought nigh to God or might approach unto him in this manner It 's true they might draw nigh to the place of God's special presence if legally clean or cleansed and by observation of the Law escape some temporal Judgments obtain some temporal Blessings and enjoy some earthly Comforts yet continue spiritually unclean guilty and liable to eternal penalties be far from God with their hearts remain unjustified unsanctified and so could have no spiritual peace with God nor any heavenly comfort neither could they draw nigh to God with boldness so as to have any near communion with him To draw nigh to God as to a Father in Christ is a far more excellent priviledg and could not be obtained by the Law Some do make these words a reason to prove that Perfection was had by the Priest-hood of Christ because by it we draw nigh to God And it 's true that by Christ as a Priest and the Gospel we obtain this priviledg which the Law could not give us For to draw nigh to God presupposeth the party approaching perfected and sanctified and by what we are sanctified by that we draw nigh and this priviledg doth prove perfection by the Gospel as the effect doth prove and manifest the cause So that the argumentation in form is this By what we draw nigh to God by that we are perfected But by the Priest-hood of Christ and the Gospel we are perfected Therefore by them we draw nigh to God For as we must not seperate the Levitical Priest-hood and the Law so neither must we divide the Priest-hood of Christ and the Gospel In all this discourse two things are observable 1. That God did not take away the Levitical Priest-hood and the Law till he brought in the Priest-hood of Christ and the Gospel 2. That he took away that which was imperfect to bring in that which was perfect and far more excellent And all this was done as to manifest his wisdom so especially his mercy and serious intention to save man For he would leave nothing undone that was necessary for the compleating of man's eternal Salvation For if the Levitical Priest-hood and the Law could have justified Man and so given life He had never sent Christ and made him a Priest and revealed the Gospel For then both Christ and Gospel had been needless and useless to that end For as the Apostle saith If there had been a Law given which could have given life verily Righteousness should have been by that Law Gal. 3. 21. But because both Law and Priest-hood were insufficient therefore he decreed
shall never be destitute of a powerful and effectual Priest able for ever to save and this doth minister unto sinful man most sweet and heavenly comfort And this comfort is so much the greater because Ver. 22. By so much was Jesus made the Surety of a better Testament THat is by so much was Jesus a better and more excellent Priest The words with the 20th verse make up the Major proposition and these with those understood in general or of a Priest in general without mention of the Levitical Priest or Christ may make the proposition Categorical or a simple Axiom which otherwise must be Hypothetical and a compound Connex In a simple Syllogism the principal part of the Question is the Consequent or Predicate and is always disposed in the Proposition which for that reason is called the Major because of the principal and greater part of the Question But to return unto the Text which is the conclusion of the former Premises wherein we must consider two things or rather Axioms 1. That Christ is an excellent Priest 2. That He is a more excellent Priest To explicate the former you must know That to be the Surety of a Covenant in this place is to be a Priest and this may easily appear by the Context this in general In particular we must enquire 1. What the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used and translated by many in this place a Testament and in the eighth Chapter following Ver. 6. a Covenant doth signify 2. What it is to be a Surety of this Testament or Covenant 3. What Covenant or Testament is here meant 1. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a Law a Covenant a Testament To know this we need not consult Lexicons as Varinus who interprets it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Law or Budâ—us with whom it signifies a Testament and Covenant For the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets translated into Greek will tell us that it alwayes signifies a Law or a Covenant and for the most part both So it doth in the Writings of the Apostles and Evangelists where it very seldom signifies the last Will and Testament of a Man The same thing is a Law in respect of the Precepts and a Covenant in respect of the Promises for Laws are nothing else but Pacts and Covenants between the Prince and People and the Laws of God alwayes have their precepts and their promises For in respect of God there is a two-fold Obligation one whereby he binds his People to Obedience another whereby he binds himself to reward upon Obedience performed On the People's part there is also a two-fold bond the first arising from the Law whereby they are bound to obey or suffer the second is from their voluntary Submission to God and promise of Obedience The former is passive this latter active yet these Laws of God can never properly be called a Testament tropically and metaphorically they may And because Covenants had their Sanction not by promises and comminations but by some solemn Rites and Sacrifices and Feasts therefore the Obligation was so much the stronger and the danger of them which should violate them the greater This was a Law and Covenant between God and Man and not only so but a Covenant between God Redeemer and sinful Man of which more anon 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turned Surety signifies one that undertakes for another to see something paid or performed and though the word is not found in the New Testament except in this place yet we find it three times in the Apocryphal Books from whence several Expressions used by the Apostles are taken And we have the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to be Surety for another as Prov. 6. 1. 17. 18. 20. 16. And thus the Septuagint turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thrice And they interpret it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 43. 9. 44. 32. Psal. 119. 121. and this in the Canonical Books But Varinus tells us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Meâ—â—â—s a Mediator and so it 's taken here as it s expounded by the Apostle in the Chapter following and because a Priest doth undertake to procure from God both the confirmation and performance of the Promises unto the People and to that end mediates between both therefore he is a Surety and Mediator of the Covenant and in this respect a Surety and Mediator of the Covenant is a Priest But thirdly What Covenant is this 1. The Text faith it 's the better Covenant 2. If it be the better then there is another for a Comparison must be between two 3. In the following Chapter we learn that there were two Covenants the first of the Law made with the Fathers the second of the Gospel This is that of the Gospel which is described out of Jeremy 31. of which more at large when we come to that Text. 4. As the Levitical Priest-hood and the Law so the Priest-hood of Christ and the Gospel go together and cannot be separated Thus far the first Proposition which considers Christ absolutely in himself which was this That he is an excellent Priest because a Surety of an excellent Covenant What it is to be the Surety or Mediator of this Covenant you shall hear more at large Chap. 8. 6. The Comparative Proposition which is That Christ is a more excellent Priest is now to be considered This Comparison is implyed in the words By so much and better So much answers to as much Ver. 20. It 's between the Levitical Priest and Jesus who are compared in quantity Where we must note 1. That both are excellent because both were instituted of God 2. That the excess and advantage is on Christ's part he was the more excellent 3. The reason of the excellency is their manner of Constitution for the Levitical Priest was made without Christ with the Oath of God and is much as a Priest made by Oath doth excel him that is made without so much Christ is more excellent 4. The excellency was not onely in this that Christ was made a Priest by Oath but also and chiefly because by that Oath he was made personally an everlasting Priest of a better far more excellent and everlasting Covenant This is the fourth Argument taken out of the Psalm to prove comparatively the excellency of Christ's Priest-hood so that the believing Hebrews had no cause to repent of chusing Christ to be their Priest and depending upon him for Salvation As for the Socinian who makes Christ a Surety of this Covenant in respect of his holy Life miraculous Works and Death sealing it as a testimony by his Blood and not in respect of his satisfaction merit and intercession we shall say something hereafter and so proceed unto the Text following Ver. 23. And they truly were many Priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of Death c. § 25. HItherto the Apostle had proved by several Arguments That Christ was more
own prayers and offerings will not be excepted they can do us no good The Levitical Priests have sins and infirmities of their own and they can offer nothing but the Blood of Beasts And how can these purge the conscience There must be a Priest an High-Priest and he must be without sin and offer an unspotted Sacrifice far more noble precious and excellent then that of Beasts and enter into the heavenly Sacrary otherwise he can do us no good such an High-Priest only Christ is Therefore our condition was such as none but he was convenient for us could do us good and save us And seeing he and he alone was such and without him we must needs perish therefore he was necessary to our Salvation For we must of necessity have such an High-Priest as shall by his purity and his spotless Sacrifice satisfy God's Justice merit his favour and enter Heaven and by his Intercession procure the actual remission of our sins and our full and everlasting Salvation And how much are we bound to acknowledg the unspeakable mercy of our God who knowing our sad condition pittying us and resolving to save us provided such an High-Priest as was convenient for to save us and reconcile us to himself for ever But we unworthy wretches being ignorant and sensless of our sin guilt and misery do not understand what need we have of Christ nor do we seek him and long after him nor praise our God for his greatest love in Providing him for us § 28. But who is this High-Priest and how and when was he made It could not be the Levitical High-Priest for he had infirmities therefore it must be some other and the Text following will inform us who he is how he was made and when he was constituted in these words Ver. 28. For the Law made men High-Priests which have infirmity but the word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Son who is consecrated for evermore BY these words we understand 1. Who he was that was made a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedec and it was not the Levitical High-Priest but the Son 2. How he was made and that was by the word of the Oath 3. When he was made and that was after the Law and in them he finisheth his discourse upon Psalm 110. 4. They have some coherence with the former words but how is not so clear Yet they have much agreement with the Text immediately antecedent which makes mention of Priests which must offer first for their own sins and of a Priest who being free from all sin had no need to offer for himself but only for others and that but one Sacrifice once and the same so perfect that it was of eternal virtue And here he gives a reason by the rational Conjunction for why they had need to offer for themselves and that is because he had infirmity and the Law made no better Priests And also implies another reason why this other Priest made by the word of the Oath had no need to do any such thing and it 's because he had no infirmity but was consecrated for evermore The former Priests did not become us would not serve our turn therefore God abolished that Priest-hood and would never confirm it by Oath and also abrogated the Law which had no better High-Priests And because the Son was free from all infirmities and able to finish the work of man's Salvation therefore he pitched upon him and gave him an everlasting Priest-hood But let us consider the words in themselves and we shall find in them two divine Axioms 1. The Law maketh men High-Priests which have infirmity 2. The word of the Oath which was after the Law maketh the Son who is consecrated for ever And here it 's to be observed That these two make but one compound Axiom and it 's discretive as appears by the particle But Therefore we must consider 1. The parts severally in themselves 2. Joyntly in their opposition In the first we have 1. Men which have infirmities 2. These made High-Priests 3. These made such by the Law By infirmities are meant sins as appeareth from the former verse where it 's plainly implied That the Levitical High-Priests had sins because they must offer Sacrifice first for their own sins There is a natural and bodily and there is a spiritual and moral infirmity And though Christ was not subject to the latter yet he had something of the former for though he had no diseases yet he was subject to hunger thirst fainting weariness pain and such like infirmities All men born of Adam had their bodily infirmities and all men but Christ have their spiritual infirmities Yet though all have their infirmities yet some of them were made Priests and some High-Priests and they must officiate and draw near to God and officiate and perform religious Services not only for themselves but for others And because there were no other kind of men free from sin therefore the Law made such men High-Priests and the best and the most holy of them had their failings and lesser sins though they were not wicked And whereas it 's said the Law made them it 's meant God in the Law made them High-Priests and therefore they were such by the Law of God instituting that Priest-hood and by that Law making them who were men of infirmity High-Priests they were bound first to offer for themselves the great Sacrifice of expiation and then for others Lâ—v. 16. 11 15. and none of them could offer up themselves without spot to God § 29. The second Axiom is That the word of the Oath which is since the Law maketh the Sov who is consecrated for ever Where we may observe 1. The constitution or making of the Son a Priest for ever 2. The word of the Oath which makes him such 3. The time when he was made such by this Oath 1. By Son understand Jesus Christ who though he be the Son of Man yet is the Son of God in a more eminent manner then ever any other was is or shall be It 's that Son whom God hath made Heir of all things by whom he made the Worlds the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his Person This Son is constituted and made a Priest for ever for to be consecrated or perfect for ever is nothing else then to be made a compleat and everlasting Priest 2. This Son was made thus by the word of the Oath that is God by the word of this Oath did constitute and make him such The word of the Oath is Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedec for this did signify and declare the Will of God concerning him The Oath was that whereby God did confirm this Word and signify his Will that the Priest-hood of the Son should remain unto him so that it should never be changed in it self or pass from him or be abolished The word did
signify God's Will what Christ should be the Oath did signify that this his Will should stand immâ—table for ever Yet the word of the Oath may be nothing else but the words of the Psalmist I have sworn and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedec Where we have 1. The thing Christ's everlasting Priest-hood 2. The confirmation of this thing which is by Oath the Oath of God 3. This word of this Oath was after the Law For 1. The prophesy that God would thus swear unto his Son in future times was four hundred years and more after the Law 2. The Oath it elf was sworn actually above a thousand years after the Law and then when Christ was ascended into Heaven and set at the right hand of God and that is now a thousand six hundred years and above before these present times So that whereas the Apostle had handled the several parts of his great Text Psal. 110. 4. severally now in these words he sums and knits them all up together in one divine Axiom informing us who this everlasting Priest was and the time when he was fully constituted After the several parts considered severally follows the consideration of them joyntly in their opposition which is easily understood For 1. The former High-Priests were but Servants but Christ is the Son 2. They had infirmities Christ had none 3. They were made Priests by the Law Christ by the word of the Oath 4. The Law was before the word of the Oath after 5. They were made Priests without an Oath but for a time Christ was made with an Oath a Priest for evermore So that in these words we have in brief all the former supercellencies of Christ summed up and to this end that these Hebrews should not rely upon the Law and legal Priest-hood which God in the very constitution of it intended to continue but for a time but upon Christ who was able to save them for ever and therefore by Oath made an everlasting Priest CHAP. VIII Concerning the Tabernacle or Sanctuary wherein Christ must minister the Service he must perform and the Covenant whereof he must be Mediatour § 1. ALL do grant that the scope of the Apostle is this Chapter as in the former is to demonstrate That Christ is a more excellent Priest then Aaron or any of that Order and thus it agrees with the former and the two latter Chapters This he doth 1. By summing up the matter of the former Chapter 2. By producing new Arguments These arguments are taken from his ministration as some conceive and this ministration is proved to be more excellent from 1. The place which is Heaven 2. The Offering and Service 3. The Covenant whereof he is Mediatour Janius thinks that the Authour continues his Discourse concerning the vocation of this great High-Priest and determines the subject of this part to be the Office to which he was Called and proceeds to speak of the execution of this Office in the Chapter following and not before But this is not accurate because the vocation of Christ to be a Priest after a certain Order made him an Officer and gave him a sacerdotal Office But if he mean by Office Officiation Function and the exercise of his pontifical Power then it 's true that this is the subject of this Chapter The principal matter of the ninth and a great part of the tenth Chapter is concerning one principal piece of his Service and Mistration which was the great Sacrifice of himself and the excellent virtue and eternal efficacy of the same So that the proper subject of this part is Christ's ministration or officiation yet this must be rightly understood for the Apostle doth not here instance in or insist upon any work or service in particular of his Priest-hood but informs us of certain rules of this officiation But to return to the words themselves we thus read Ver. 1. Now of the things which we have spoken this is the Sum We have such an High-Priest who is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens THese words are said to be a Transition and it 's certain they are a part of one A Transition is perfect or imperfect the perfect is defined to be Epilogus dictorum Propositio dicendorum for it not onely informs in a few words what hath been said already but also proposeth the Subject of the ensuing Discourse These words are the first part of a Transition wherein we may consider 1. That some things were spoken already 2. The Sum of them 3. The things spoken and sum'd up 1. Something 's were spoken and delivered already in the three former Chapters especially in the seventh where the Apostle had discoursed at large and that with great Wisdom and profound Learning and discovered and unfolded many excellent truths concerning the Priest-hood of Christ contained in certain Texts of the Old Testament A Transition is a Rule of Art and the first part of it doth necessarily presuppose something already handled and more largely treated upon 2. These things spoken of already are sum'd up The word in the Original for the most part is a Sum or brief Contraction of many things into few and the Verb signifie to contract abridge or epitomize We find it once used in the Apocryphal Books Ecclus. 32. 8. Let thy Speech be short comprehending much in few words The words in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where we have the definition of a Sum as here it 's taken not for a Sum of Money as Act. 2â— 28. but of words It is a speaking of many things in few words for when the things are many and our words expressing them are few then we may be said to sum up and contract our Speech Yet this may be done when nothing hath been formerly delivered but as it is a part of a Transition this Contraction presupposeth something spoken formerly and at large Some think the word signifies the chief and principal things formerly delivered though we hardly find any where this signification yet when we contract many words into a few we do little to purpose if we omit the principal matters or take in any other A transition whereof this is the principal part belongs to Logick and is a part of Method The use of it is handsomely to tye and knit the parts of a Discourse together to give light and make it perspicuous to manifest the order of things and the dependance of one upon another and so it helps the apprehension the judgment and the memory especially The same is done chiefly by the Epilogue and former part which is the summing up of a large Discourse in a few words 3. The things summed up or the matter of this Sum is 1. That we have such an High-Priest c. Where we have two Propositions 1. We have an High-Priest 2. We have such an High-Priest who is set on the right hand of the
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
Chapter we have the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first and Covenant understood Few or none make any mention of Priest-hood The Predicate and that which is affirmed of this Covenant is That it had Ordinances of Divine Service and a worldly Sanctuary The meaning is that in the time of the Law the Levitical Priest-hood and the Tabernacle there were such Ordinances and a Sanctuary belonging to the Covenant In the words we have the Sum and Abridgment of the nine following Verses which describe unto us both the Ordinances of Service and the Sanctuary In the words therefore we have two things 1. The Ordinances 2. A Sanctuary The Ordinances of Divine Service imply That there was under the Law the Work of Service and the Ordinances of this Service And because there is Service due to Man and Service due to God and Latreia signifies both therefore the Translators for difference sake and to signify what Service is here meant do add the word Divine For Divine and Religious Service is due only unto God and is to be performed to him as Supream Lord and it cannot without injury be given to any other And when it is so given to any but the true and living God it 's called Idolatry and is against the first Commandment Some distinguish between Service and Worship and it 's true they differ much if Worship be taken for Adoration which is terminated upon the divine Excellency and Dignity and not upon his Power yet the words are used indifferently But whereas the Socinian Expositor saith that Latreia properly signifies Worship he is much deceived as will be evident if we examine the places of the Old Testament where the Septuagint turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to serve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that so often This Service of God is two-fold 1. Positive 2. Moral The Moral is the principal as being spiritual and performed by a Spirit unto a spiritual and eternal Substance which is God Positive and Ceremonial is far inferiour and is here meant This Ceremonial Service which never should be performed without the Moral had Ordinances as a Rule to direct both Priest and People in the performance of it and these Ordinances were given by God and were part of the Ceremonial Law determing what religious Rites and Ceremonies must be used especially by the Priests For the Service here meant is chiefly that which was proper to the Priests for as we now serve God by the Ministers in publick so they then by their Priests The word turned Ordinances is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used above 60 times by the Septuagint to interpret the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and though it often signifies Ceremonials yet not alwayes Men ever depending upon God as upon their Supream Lord are ever bound to serve him that they may receive Protection and Happiness from him He that will not serve a God is a profane Atheist he that servs any but the true God is an Idolater he that servs the true God after his own fancies and the inventions of Man is a superstitious fool he that inventeth Rites and Ceremonies and Modes of serving God and imposeth them on others is a presumptuous Wretch For as God alone doth know what kind of Worship and Service is fittest to be performed unto him so he onely hath Power to impose it The highest degree of Service is due unto him alone and he alone hath Power to make Ordinances for it This is the Service and the Ordinances of God which must be performed in some place of his special presence Therefore there was then a worldly Sanctuary A Sanctuary is an holy place consecrated to God and sanctified by his presence There is a bodily and earthly and also a spiritual Sanctuary This was a bodily earthly Sanctuary a Type of a far better and to difference it from a fat better it 's called a worldly Sanctuary though the word may signify a beautiful decent and glorious place And in respect of outward earthly decency beauty and glory it did excel It was made not according to the fancy of Man but according to a pattern given from Heaven and every thing in it was Mystical and the greatest Glory of it was God's special presence This Sanctuary was said to be the Throne and Palace of God residing as a glorious Being in the midst of his People It may be considered mystically as shadowing a far more excellent Throne and Palace which may be Heaven the Humanity of Christ and the Souls and Bodies of sanctified Persons or it may be considered as a convenient place for God's People to assemble there for publick Worship In the former consideration it 's abolished in the latter it may continue for if all things in the Worship of God must be done decently and orderly then surely it 's decent and orderly according to the Law of Nature and the Law of God to have convenient places for Religious Assemblies and Publick and Divine Worship To think there is any holiness in these places as places is the superstitious conceipt of some to think they may not be called Churches is the superstitious fancy of others For a Church or Kirk is but a convenient place where Christians ordinarily assemble to perform Divine Service and God's presence is not tyed to the place but to God's People observing God's Ordinances in this place neither is he tyed to any special presence in such place but by vertue of his gracious Promise neither is there in these places any divine special effectual and spiritual presence there but to such as there worship him in Spirit We are not so bound to these places as though God would not accept our Service else-where or more in such a place than in another but onely in respect of conveniency and the testification of our Union with God's People in the Christian Religion § 4. After that the Subject and Heads of his following discourse were determined and named he proceeds to discourse of them more particularly 1. Of the Sanctuary 2. Of the Service and Ordinances So that we may in the following nine Verses observe a Description 1. Of the Sanctuary or Tabernacle Ver. 2 3 4 5. 2. Of the Service from Ver. 6. to the 10. 1. This Sanctuary leaving out the Court where they sacrificed is divided into two parts The first is the Holy place The second the Holiest of all The holy place divided from the Court by the first Veil or Hanging is described from the sacted things and Utensils therein which are here said to be the Candlestick the Table the Shew-Bread and this was called the Sanctuary Both the place and Utensils of the place had their mystical Representations though not so well known to us The second part divided from the Sanctuary by the second Veil and called the Holy of Holies that is the Holiest of all is set forth from the things therein As 1. The Golden Censer 2. The Ark
and now again in these last dayes then by Moses and the Prophets now by Christ his Son 2. That when he gave the Law and made the former Covenant he spake on Earth upon Mount Sinai but when he spake by Christ he spake from Heaven for he came from Heaven returned to Heaven again and from Heaven sent down the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles and by that Spirit in them revealed the Gospel 3. That some Sins are more hainous than others and the more hainous the Sin is the more heavy the Punishment will be 4. That to refuse God speaking on Earth was a grievous Sin and deserved a grievous Punishment and so to refuse him speaking from Heaven is a great Sin and renders the Refuser liable to fearful Punishment 5. That the latter is a more grievous Sin than the former and deservs a greater Punishment These things presupposed the Reason is clear and we must in any wise take heed of rejecting or renouncing the Gospel because if they who transgressed the Law given on Earth were severely punished then they if guilty of a far greater Sin as all such are who refuse the Gospel revealed from Heaven then they must suffer a far greater Penalty and no wayes could they escape it This differs something from the Argument used Chap. 2. 2 3 c. for that compares the Law delivered by Angels with the Gospel spoken and confirmed by Christ and the excellency of Christ above the Angels is the ground of his Argument But here God's speaking on Earth by Angels is compared with God's speaking from Heaven by Christ and here the Excellency of Heaven from whence the Gospel was revealed above the Earth where the Law was given is made the Foundation of the Reason And God by giving the Law on Earth and the Gospel from Heaven did intimate that there was some Excellency in the Gospel which was not in the Law in the new Covenant which was not in the old otherwise God could have revealed them both on Earth or both from Heaven Let us apply this unto our selvs and consider 1. Who speaks unto us 2. What he speaks 3. From whence he speaks 1. It 's not Man but God not Moses but Christ The Law indeed was by Moses but Grace and Truth by Jesus Christ. The Majesty and Power of him who speaks is such as Angels are bound to attend and obey with all humble Submission and shall we Worms nay Dust and Ashes refuse to hear this glorious Lord 2. The Matter that he speaks and we hear is the best the most sweet the most comfortable and the most excellent never better things seen or heard or understood by the Heart of Man The Gospel is a Doctrine of profoundest Wisdom of greatest Love and Mercy and of highest Concernment and most conducing to our everlasting good And shall we reject it Shall we sin against so great a Majesty so great a Mercy Sins against the Mercies of God so freely tendred to us in Jesus Christ are the most hainous of all others Let us tremble to think of these Sins and those Punishments which they must suffer that are guilty of them 3. He speaks from Heaven for the Gospel is a Mystery hid from the beginning of the World and was brought unto us from the Bosom of the Father by his only begotten Son and by the Holy Ghost it 's the clearest manifestation of God's deepest Counsels concerring Man's eternal Estate and of his greatest Love to sinful Wretches the brightest Light that ever shined from Heaven yet we hear it and most men regard it not but reject it to their everlasting Woe § 24. The Apostle draws to a Conclusion and urgeth Perseverance by another Argument in the words following Ver. 26. Whose Voice then shook the Earth but now he hath promised saying Yet once more I shake not the Earth only but Heaven also Ver. 27. And this Word Yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that those things which cannot be shaken may remain GOD shook the Earth when he gave the Law and from this shaking the Authour takes occasion from the words of Haggai to prove the Immutability of the Gospel and the Administration of Christ's Kingdom In the Text the Proposition concerning this Immutability is 1. Cleared 2. Applyed in the two last Verses of the Chapter In the first he doth 1. Affirm the shaking of the Earth in giving of the Law 2. Alledgeth God's Promise of another shaking not only of Earth but Heaven 3. From that Promise he infers the Immutability of the Evangelical Administration The Propositions of the first part of the Text are two 1. That God then shook the Earth 2. That he that then shook the Earth promised to shake once more not only the Earth but Heaven also 1. God then shook the Earth The Adverb then points at the time of giving the Law on Mount Sinai for in the former Verse it 's said that he spake on Earth in the Hearing of all Israel That then he shook the Earth is the express words of the History Mount Sinai was all on a Sâ—â—ak and the whole Mount quaked greatly Exod. 19. 18. With this agrees that of the Psalmist When thou O God wentest before thy People when thou didst march through the Wilderness The Earth shook the Heavens also dropped at the presence of God even Sinai it self was moved at the presence of God the God of Israel Psal. 68. 7 8. The principal things then signified by this shaking the Mount and the Earth were two 1. The Alteration of the former Administration of the Church and 2. The Constitution of that Order which continued untill the times of the Gospel For 1. Then God made a great Alteration in the Kingdom of Aegypt divided the Red Sea and shook the hearts of men in several Nations 2. He reduced the People of Israel into a Polity both Civil and Ecclesiastical made a Covenant with them gave them Laws Moral Ceremonial Judicial ordained a Priest-hood instituted a Form of Worship to continue till the coming of the Messias Thus then he shook the Earth 2. He promised once more to shake not only the Earth but Heaven Where the Subject is Shaking and presupposeth one Shaking past and informs us of another and the same far greater The former was only of the Earth the latter of Heaven too This Shaking is the thing promised the Promise was made first the Performance followeth several hundred years afterwards The Promise we find in Haggai the Prophet the words are these For thus saith the Lord of Hosts Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and the dry Land And I will shake all Nations and the Desire of all Nations shall come and I will fill this House with Glory saith the Lord Hag. 2. 6 7. Where we may observe 1. That the Occasion of these words was this the
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