that obey him And is called of God from the time of his Resurrestion or exaltation an high Priest after the order of Melchisedech CHAP. 10. Wherein the Priesthood of Melchisedech did differ from the Priesthood of Aaron That Melchisedech did not offer any sacrifice of bread and wine unto God when he blessed Abraham THe office of Aaron and of his Sonnes wee have described Deuteron 10. 8. At that time the Lord separated the Tribe of Levi to beare the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord to stand before the Lord to minister unto him and to blesse in his name unto this day And againe Deut. 18. 3. This shall be the Priests duty c. For the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy Tribes to stand and minister in the name of the Lord him and his Sonnes for ever ver 5. Could Melchisedech's office be greater or his patent ampler especially for duration For sacrifice prayer and blessing are the trinall dimensions of the Priesthood howsoever taken This difficultie perhaps did occasion a foule error in the Romish Church or encourage her followers to maintaine this error brought forth it may be upon other occasions to wit that the office of Melchisedech should properly consist herein especially differ from the Priesthood of AaroÌ„ For that when he met Abraham he offered up bread wine by way of proper sacrifice unto God as a type or pledge of the unbloody sacrifice of the masse unto which the Romanists for the most part restraine the exercise of Christ's Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech 2 To omit their chymicall conceits who labour in vaine to extract some act of sacrificing out of the originall word hotsi Maldonate the most zealous and laborious pleader in this argument because Calvin had held the monkish allegorizars to the literall and gramaticall sense of Scriptures holds it no sin to put a trick of Grammar so they would admit it upon Calvin's followers upon the very text it self For whereas the Romish Interpreters who went before him admit the vulgar edition Et erat Sacerdos Dei altissimi This Critick to despite Calvin will correct Magnificat and renders it thus Et erat sacrificans Deo altissimo His reason for this innovation is because the hebrew Cohen is for it's form a participle of the present tense but surely he was better read in his Gramar then in his Lexicon although better read in that then in the Hebrew Text for although the Hebbrew Cohen be usually taken for a Priest yet to sacrifice is no part of the proper formal signification of the radicall verb Cahan That directly imports no more then ministravit or Sacerdotem egit Whence though it be most true that every Sacrificer is a CoheÌ„ is a Priest or Minister of God yet is not this truth simply convertible that is Every Cohen Priest or Minister of God is a Sacrificer specially if we speak of times before the Law was given or since it expired much lesse will it follow that every act or function which the Minister of God performs should be a sacrifice So that albeit we should give the Criticall Iesuit leave to degrade the Hebrew Cohen and turne it out of a noun in which form and habit it was taken by all his Predecessors into the nature and value of a Participle the Grammaticall sense will amount to no more then this Et erat Ministrans or Sacerdotio fungens Deo altissimo and all this Melchisedech might doe and this he verily did in blessing Abraham not in bringing forth or offering bread and wine The letter of the Text runnes thus And Melchisedech King of Salem brought forth bread and wine and hee was a Priest of the most high God Suppose a man should here interrupt the Reader or relater of this History thus What if hee were a Priest of the most high God To what purpose is this clause inserted The holy Ghost in the next words clears the doubt or rather prevents the Question And he blessed Abraham In what forme or sort Blessed be Abraham of the most high God! So then Melchisedech is instiled a Priest of the most high God to shew his warrant to blesse in the name of the most high God And for this interpretation I have the warrant or confirmation from Cyril of Alexandria 3 As for his bread and wine hee offered these to Abraham and not to God as Philo Iudaeus a competent witnesse in this Controversie hath informed us For this good Author opposeth Melchisedech's hospitalitie towards Abraham unto Amalech's niggardly and uncharitable disposition towards Israel comming out of the house of affliction Amalech saith hee was excluded from the congregation of the Lord because hee met not Israel with bread and water whereas Melchisedech had met our father Abraham laden with the spoâ—â—es of his enemies with bread and wine He hath not in my opinion erred much in taking the symboles or elements of bread and wine for emblemes of that true pabulum animae which consists in contemplation of heavenly things And yet I am perswaded hee had no expresse knowledge of the true object of such contemplation to wit the body and blood of Christ or of the benefit conveyed to us from them since they were offered in sacrifice unto God by the elements of bread and wine not as mere signes but as undoubted pledges of his body and blood to be communicated to us 4 And although Suidas in his second Paragraph on the word Melchisedech will have our Saviours Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech to take beginning from the night before his passion wherein he tooke bread and wine and blessed them yet in his third Paragraph upon the same word he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Melchisedech brought forth bread and wine unto Abraham But let us suppose what the Text will not support that Melchisedech did offer up a sacrifice of bread and wine to the most high God thus much being granted wee may draw that net which the Romanist sets for others upon himselfe for our next interrogatory should be this Of what sacrifice may we by any analogie of faith imagine this supposed sacrifice of Melchisedech to be the type of the dayly reiterated sacrifice of the masse or of the one only sacrifice of the Sonne of God Surely if Melchisedech be a true type of the everlasting Priest his sacrifice must be a type of this Priest's everlasting sacrifice Now as we read not though Maldonate's reading of the former pâ—â—â—e were true that Melchisedech did offer any sacrifice besides this supposed sacrifice of bread and wine so wee must undoubtedly beleeve that the Sonne of God did offer no more sacrifices then one and that one never to be reiterated because the value of it being truly infinite the efficacy of it must needs be absolutely everlasting If otherwise wee should with the Romanists admit of a sacrifice by succession or multiplication as everlasting as this transitory
the most exquisite literall sense referre to David's seede not by carnall generation but by promise or birth spirituall and yet truly verified of Salomon according to a lower degree of the literall sense who was David's seede by carnall generation The establishing of Salomon's Kingdom is here indefinitely expressed without any note of Vniversalitie in respect of time nor was his Line de facto perpetuated until the promised seed was spiritually conceived and made of our flesh and substance If Salomon's Line as is probable did determine in Ieconiah yet this no way excludes it from being part of the literall object verse 13. Hee shall build an house for my name and I will establish the throne of his Kingdome for ever that is so long as that materiall temple should stand which was untill the captivitie of Babylon The first words likewise of the 14 th v. I will be his father and he shall be my sonne were literally and in the historicall sence meant of Salomon albeit exactly fulfilled in David's seede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the mysticall sense that is Salomon as his Father David before him was instiled the Sonne of God or God's first borne amongst the Princes of the earth and so instiled not by Court-complement or in the adulatorie stile but by the Spirit of God Both their Royalties and prerogatives did beare the same proportion to all the praeeminencies of earthly Kings which lived before them or in their times especially for the perpetuity of the Kingdome which the portion of the first borne did beare by the Law of God or custome of Nations unto younger Brothers But the later part of the 14 th verse and the whole 15 th verse If hee commit iniquitie I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men are to be understood of Salomon and the heires of his body only they are not appliable to the Sonne of God made man or to the sonne of David made King and Priest either according to the literall or mysticall sence The 16 th verse referres to David and to Salomon and their sonnes in the literall but to Christ and his Kingdome only in the mysticall sence as to the true body and substance of which these two great Kings of Israel and Iudah and their Kingdomes were but as briefe Maps or Terrars The Kingdome of David's seede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of Salomon his Successor in the Kingdomes of Israel and Iudah doe differ more in substance then the map of Germany doth from that sometimes goodly Country now wasted with warre and famine 3 But in all these passages before cited there is no intimation of God's Oath for the confirmation of his promise unto David and his Seedes but to his Seede Yet this assurance unto his SEEDE we have in the 132 Psalme which was composed by David himselfe toward the later end of his reigne or after he had brought the Arke of the Covenant unto Mount Sion the place dedicated by this pious King for its perpetuall residence It is a point to me very considerable that as God did not confirme his promise of blessing to Abraham by Oath untill Abraham had yeelded up by faith his only sonne Isaac so did he not give David assurance by Oath that the seede promised to Abraham should be his seede or that this his seede should be the high Priest of the heavenly Sanctuary until David had first bound himselfe by sacred Oath to prepare a place for the Arke of the Covenant an habitation for the Almighty God of Iacob Lord remember David and all his afflictions Psalme 132. v. 1 How he sware unto the Lord and vowed unto the mighty God of Iacob Surely I will not come into the Tabernacle of my house nor goe up into my bed I will not give sleepe unto mine eyes or slumber unto mine eye-lids untill I find out a place for the Lord an habitation for the mighty God of Iacob c. This great service thus consecrated and devoted by the royall Prophet the mighty Lord who will not suffer a cup of cold water given to a Prophet in the name of a Prophet to passe unrewarded doth abundantly recompence not in generall only or by equivalencie but as before he had done Abraham's and Isaac's obedience in kind Thus much is implied ver the 11. The Lord hath sworne in truth unto David hee will not turne from it c. As if he had said he will not reverse his promise nor suffer the blessing promised to faile because both were confirmed by Oath What was the Blessing promised and confirmed by oath Of the fruit of thy body or of thy belly as the originall hath it will I set upon thy throne The object of this Oath reacheth to none of David's seed save only to him who was the promised womans seed the fruit of the Virgins wombe yet were not David's sons or the rest of his seede excluded by oath from reigning in Iudah and Ierusalem untill time should be no more so it followeth ver the 12. If thy children will keepe my Covenant and my Testimony that I shall teach them their children also shall sit upon thy throne for ever But these wee must consider are words of Promise not of Oath and for this reason are exprest not in an absolute forme or tenour And so must other promises not confirmed by oath be interpreted although the condition be not alwaies expressed they alway imply more then a meere possibility a true title to the blessing promised though not a title undefeasable 4 But it is time to review the Paraphrase of the Psalmist Psalme 89. upon this last and other promises made respectively unto David himself to his seede or sonnes The originall occasion whether of that Psalmist's tentations to question the truth of God's promises to David or which I rather think of the general distrust in the discontented multitude of those times which he did rather seek to represent then approve was this Either they did not distinguish at all or else not so well as they should betweene the Articles unto which God did sweare and the Articles unto which he tied himselfe by promise only The later were alway conditionall or subject to a forfeiture or revocation upon the misdemeanour of the parties whose good it did concerne I have found David my servant with my holy oile have I anointed him with whom mine hand shall be established mine arme also shall strengthen him The enemy shall not exact upon him nor the sonne of wickednesse afflict him v. 20. 21. 22. c. All this no good Christian can doubt was literally and punctually meant of the sonne of Iesse As litle question there is of the 25. v. I will set his hand in the Sea and his right hand also in the Rivers This according to the literal meaning expresseth the extents or bounds of David's or Salomon's Kingdome here on earth For that extended from the Sidonian sea
the Sonne of Iehozadeck's head was the modell of the Crowne of David which was to flourish upon Iesus the Sonne of David's head as it is Psalme 132. v. 18. But upon himselfe shall his Crowne flourish 6 Briefly the protestation which the Angell in the verses following makes to Iesus the Son of Iosedech is but a renewing or repetition of the promise which God had made unto Abraham and David concerning their seede The tenour of God's promise here renewed or repeated unto Iesus the high Priest is the same And the Angell of the Lord protested unto Ieshua saying thus saith the Lord of boasts if thou wilt walke in my wayes and if thou wilt keepe my charge then thou shalt also judge my house and shalt also keepe my Courts and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by These words containe as ample a patent for the temporall or legall Priesthood unto Iesus the Sonne of Iosedech and his posteritie as David had for continuation of the temporall Kingdome in his race or progeny both the promises and patents were conditionall But that there should arise an everlasting Priest as well as an everlasting King one in whom God's promises should not be conditionall but yea and amen that is absolute and irrefragable the Prophet Zachary addes Heare now O Ieshua the high Priest thou and thy fellowes that sit before thee for they are what are they monstrous persons saith our former English or men wondred at saith the later Viri portendentes saith the vulgar The Prophets meaning is that they are men set for types or signes of great matters to come The word in the originall is the same Ezech. 12. 11. Say I am your signe like as I have done so shall it be done unto them that is to the Princes of Ierusalem and house of Israel they shall remove and goe into captivity As Ezechiel his digging through the wall in the peoples sight and carrying forth his stuffe upon his shoulders in twilight with his face covered that hee should not see the ground was a signe or prognostication of Zedechiah's stealth or flight from the Chaldeans army which besieged him So Ieshua the high Priest and all his fellowes in all this action or solemnity specially in laying the foundation of the Altar and Temple were prognosticke signes or prefigurations of Iesus the everlasting high Priest and of the spirituall Temple the holy Catholique Church which he was to build by the ministry of the Apostles So it followeth for behold I will bring forth my servant the branch For behold the stone that I have laid before Ieshua upon one stone shall be seven eyes behold I will engrave the graving thereof saith the Lord of hoasts and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day CHAP. 22. Of the harmony betweene the Prophet Ieremy and the Prophet Zachary concerning the man whose name is the branch How his growth or springing up was prefigured by Zerubbabel the sonne of David His name and title as our high Priest fore-pictured by the name and title of Iesus the Sonne of Iosedech That he was as truly the Son of God before all time as the sonne of David in time THat this man whose name was the Branch was to build the Temple of the Lord that he was to take his investiture unto his priestly dignity by Iesus the Sonne of Iehosadech as by his proxie is apparent from the sixt Chapter of the Prophet Zachary 11. Take silver and gold and make Crownes and set them upon the head of Ieshua the Sonne of Iosedech the high Priest and speake unto him saying thus speaketh the Lord of hasts saying Behold the man whose name is the Branch and hee shall grow up out of his place hee shall build the Temple of the Lord even hee shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall beare the glory and shall sit and rule upon his throne and he shall be a Priest upon his Throne and the counsell of peace shall be betweene them both 2 This place and the former are pregnant that the Servant of the Lord whose name was Zemah the Branch whose office was to build up the Temple of God should be a Priest and should sit upon his Throne as Priest But it cannot from either place be gathered it is not so much as intimated that hee should either be a Priest after the order of Aaron or of Melchisedech or of the seede of Aaron as Iesus or Ioshua the Sonne of Iehosedech was But as the Prophet affirmeth not that hee was to be Priest after the order of Aaron or Melchisedech so neither in plaine termes doth hee deny it true but as every Prophet of God speakes nothing but the truth so neither doth one of them speake all the truth or all that is requisite for us to believe concerning Iesus our Saviour That the man whose name was the Branch the same party of whom Zachary here speakes should not be of the seed of Aaron or a Priest after the order of Aaron is evident from the prophecy of Ieremiah Ier. 23. 5. uttered more then seventy yeares before Zachary began to prophecy Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch and a King shall raigne and prosper and shall execute judgment and justice upon the earth In his dayes Iudah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his name whereby he shall be called the Lord our righteousnesse It is plaine then out of the fore cited prophecy of Zachary that God's servant the righteous Branch was to be a Priest It is evident againe out of Ieremiah that he was to spring out of the seede of David and to raigne as King over Iudah and Israel as David had done And these two put together will directly conclude that this Branch of David was to be that sonne of David concerning whom the Lord had sworne and would not repent that hee should be a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech who was both King and Priest and by interpretation the King of righteousnesse and King of peace both which titles are expressely given to this Servant of God and Branch of David the one by the Prophet Zachary the other by the Prophet Ieremiah 3 But is it intimated or fore-told by either of them that he should be as truly David's Lord as David's Sonne Yes Ieremy implies this in fuller termes then David himselfe doth Psalm 110. for David saith the Lord said unto my Lord Adonai not Iehovah whereas the Prophet Ieremy tells us that the supreame style or title of this Branch of David should be not Adonai Tzadkenu but Iehova Tzadkenu Iehovah our righteousnesse So that hee whom David in spirit calleth his Lord was to be as essentially Lord and God as he that said unto him sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foot stoole But was he according unto this name or title
prefigured or fore-shadowed either by Zerubbabel the Prince of Iudah or by his associate Iesus the high Priest in conducting Gods people from the land of their captivity into the land of promise Yes there is not one title or attribute mentioned in either prophecy but it is fore-shadowed either joyntly both by Zerubbabel Iesus the high Priest or severally by one of them 4 As he is the Branch of David fore-prophecied by Esaiah Chap. 11. 1. where to both these prophecies of Ieremiah and Zachary have reference hee is more exquisitely prefigured by Zerubbabel then by David himselfe or any other Prince of David's Line The Branch which God had promised to raise up unto David almost an 110 yeares before Ieremiah had uttered his prophecies was to grow up out of the stemme or roote of Iesse as it is Esay 11. 1. that is he was to be a man of meaner parentage then Iesse the Father of David was a man more unlikely to become a Prince or Ruler of God's people then David was when hee kept his Father's sheepe Of David's linage many after the captivity were poore and of as meane ability as Iesse David's Father was Zerubbabel was borne unto Salathiel in captivity and Salathiel himselfe the sonne of Ieconiah a poore captive Prince but whâ—-Salathiel was the sonne of Ieconiah's body or rather his sonne by adoption I have no more to say then was said before Whether this way or that way hee were his sonne if wee consider the potency of the Chaldean Empire when he was borne or the Chaldeans generall aversnesse from the Iewes or their jealousie of the royall race it was more unlikely that any of David's line should be released from captivity or be suffered to returne from Babylon unto their native land then that Israel should be delivered from the Egyptian thraldome by Moses But the same God which had shewed his mighty power in the overthrow of Pharaoh and his powerfull host did as miraculously shew both his power and wisdome in the suddaine surprisall of Babylon and overthrowing the Babylonian Empire by Cyrus Of these two wonderfull deliverances of his people the later in the Prophet Ieremy his esteeme is the greater therefore he saith Ierem. 16. 14. 15. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that it shall no more be said the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt but the Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel from the land of the North and from all the lands whither hee had driven them and I will bring them againe into their land that I gave unto their Fathers The like you may read Ierem. 23. 7. 8. Cyrus after his strange conquest of Babylon sets Gods people free and authorizeth Zerubbabel the next heire then left unto the Crown of Iudah to conduct them unto Ierusalem there to serve their God as he in his Lawes had prescribed But after their safe arrivall there they are molested by their malicious enemies the building of the City and Temple is after Cyrus his death for divers yeares hindred untill Zerubbabel by his favour and potency with Cyrus his successors procures the revivall of the charter which Cyrus granted and frees himselfe and God's people from further molestation by their enemies as you may read it at large in the Booke of Ezra So that part of Ieremiah's prophecy is verified of him for in his dayes and by his meanes under God Iudah was saved and Israel did dwell securely Though hee were not in name or title a Saviour yet is hee indeed the Saviour of his people from present distresse and danger And thus farre this poore revived Branch of David is a true and lively Type of that Branch of David in whom all the promises of God made unto Abraham and David were fulfilled who was to be a Saviour not in realty only but in name or title and called especially Iesus because hee was to save his people not from bodily distresse or captivity but from their sinnes And as he is in this sensea Saviour Iesus the Sonne of Iehosadech is the lively Type or shadow of him as well in office or function as in expresse name or title for hee being their high Priest and Aaron's successor did make legall attonement for their sinnes did sanctify the Temple Altar and their offerings and performed all legall righteousnesse for theâ— insigne of greater righteousnesse and salvation by that high Priest which was to come whose supreame title was the Lord our righteousnesse 5 But did either Zerubbabel or this Iesus the high Priest and his associates prefigure or fore shadow our high Priest in this royall name or title of being the Lord our righteousnesse Certaine it is that Zerubbabel did not for neither his owne name nor his Fathers nor any of his Progenitors names since Iehosaphat's dayes had any reference to this title nor import the thing signified by it in their grammaticall significations But the Father of this Iâ—shua or Iesus the high Priest was named Iehosadech which signifies as much as the righteousnesse of the Lord or the righteous Lord. 6 But here wee must consider that names are of two sorts Some names agree to the things named substantially and directly Others accidentally or in obliquâ— The former fort expresse the condition and nature of the thing named As the name of Adam which God imposed upon the first man did expresse his nature or substance to wit the red earth out of the which he was framed So the name which Adam gave unto the first woman did truly expresse the nature and condition of the Sex to wit that she was made of man that shee was of his flesh and of his bones so likewise is the name of Eveh a true expression of her nature for she was the Mother and Fonntaine of life unto all posteritie 7 Names otherwhiles though solemnely given expresse or import some circumstance or relation unto the nature or thing it selfe which they primarily and properly signifie So Gideon was called Ierub-baal not that ever he did plead for Baal but in remembrance of his fathers answer unto them which had expostulated with him for cutting downe Baal's grove 8 So Moses called the Altar which he erected Exod. 17. 14. Iehovah-Nissi the Lord my banner Not thereby intending to occasion us to think that the Altar so named was either Iehovah or his defence but only to import or signifie that in that place wherein hee built the Altar and at the time of this inscription Iehovah his God had been the defender and protectour of Israel in miraculous manner against the Amalekites So likewise when our Saviour called Simon Cephas or Petros the name imports not that he was either the rocke it selfe or Corner-stone whereon Christ's Church is founded But only that he had some speciall reference or relation unto the rock or foundation Stone which God had laid in Sion or which is all one that hee was the first which
were two The first the solemne memorial the commeration or reiteration of God's Covenant made with Abraham and with his seede or the continuall acceptance of it by performing the obedience which God required at their hands in all their sacrifices The second was a perpetuall representation of the accomplishment of this Covenant on God's part in and by the promised Seede or Messias God had promised by oath to Abraham that in his seede not only Abraham's seede after the flesh but all the Nations of the earth that follow the steps of Abraham should be blessed And in this promise confirmed by oath it was implied as hath beene often mentioned before that the Sonne of God should become Abraham's seede and that the seede of Abraham thus made the Sonne of God should be offered up to God in such a manner as God required Abraham to offer up his sonne Isaac that is in a true and bloody sacrifice Isaac's approach to death was a type a figure or representation of our Saviour's bloody death Isaac's strange deliverance from this bloody death menaced by his Fathers outstretehed hand armed with a bloody knife was a type or shadow of our Saviour's Resurrection from death which God his Father had not only threatned but inflicted upon him Now as that which Abraham intended to have done to his sonne Isaac was accomplished by God upon his only sonne so Abraham's words to Isaack when hee intended to offer him up in bloody sacrifice became a true prophecy of our Saviour's bloody sacrifice Isaac bearing the wood of the burnt offering upon his back and observing his Father to cary fire in the one hand and a knife in the other no creature in the world besides themselves being present moved this question Behold the fire the wood but where is the Lamb for the burnt offring And Abraham answers God will provide himselfe a Lambe for a burnt offering my Sonne Gen. 22. 7. 8. Whatsoever the naturall construction of Abraham's answer in these words might import Abraham at this time had no other intention then to offer up his son Isaack for a burnt offering Howbeit his words without wrong to their grammaticall construction in the originall might imply as much and as the Hebrewes conceive they did to Isaac's apprehension imply as much as if hee had said God will provide himselfe a Lambe for a burnt offering even thee my Sonne or God will provide theâ— my Sonne for a burnt offering And from this apprehension or construction of Abraham's words Isaac as the Hebrewes have a tradition forthwith became willing to be offered up in sacrifice for a burnt offering suffering himselfe to be bound upon the Altar by his Father being able if he had been so disposed to make resistance as being now at least 25 years of age 2 However it were Isaac was as willing to be offered as Abraham was to offer him And yet Abraham's former words are more exactly fulfilled even for the present then if Isaac had been then offered upon the Altar For though God had commanded Abraham to offer his only begotten sonne Isaac for a burnt offering yet hee had been a burnt offering of Abraham's providing but the Ramme which was caught by the hornes in the thicket was a burnt offering of God's provision meerly It was no part of Abraham's store of Abraham's provision fore-cast or fore-sight The Ramme questionlesse came not thither from any neighbour place by chance God did provide it for a burnt offering by a manner extraordinary and miraculous For if David would not offer a sacrifice to God of that which cost him nothing or of that which was another mans by former possession untill he had made it his owne by a better title then by free donation or his owne by a just price or valuable consideration Abraham doubtlesse would not have offered a sacrifice unto the Lord of that which he might justly suspect to be the goods of another man untill he had bought it of the known owner But knowing this Ramme to have been of God's own or meere provision by meanes miraculous or extraordinary hee forthwith offered it for a burnt offring instead of his son So then the League or Covenant betwixt God and Abraham is concluded and subscribed unto on Abraham's part with the sacrifice of a Ramme and was to be continued or accepted of by Abraham's posterity with continuation of like sacrifices The high Priests themselves who were in their ranke and order mediators or intercessors for continuing and establishing this Covenant between God and Abraham's seede were to be solemnely consecrated by the sacrifice of Rammes And in memoriall or commemoration of Isaac's deliverance from death the Iewes did celebrate that day wherein God provided this sacrifice instead of Isaac that was according to their Kalendar the first of September or feast of Trumpets with the sacrifice of Rammes But they considered not that in the words of God's oath to Abraham it was implyed that God would give his Sonne his only Sonne for such a bloody sacrifice or burnt offering as Abraham intended to have made of his sonne Isaac They considered not that in Abraham's answer to Isaac The Lord would provide himselfe of a burnt offering and in the miraculous provision of the Ramme for a burnt offering instead of Isaac it was implyed or fore-signified as well by matter of fact as by expresse word of prophecy that God would provide matter of sacrifice when he should offer his only Sonne after a more excellent miraculous manner then he had now done the Ramme instead of Isaack For seeing the Sonne of God as God could not dye he therefore provides him a mortall body taken from the seede of Abraham the substance of the blessed Virgin and so unites it to his divine person that whilst this seede of Abraham was offered in sacrifice the Sonne of God was likewise offered that whilst Abraham's seede was thus consecrated by bloody sacrifice the Sonne of God was likewise consecrated to be the high Priest after the order of Melchisedech that is to be the Author Donour and Dispenser of that blessing which Melchisedech in the name of the most high God whose Priest he was bestowed on Abraham and which God upon Abraham's readinesse to offer Isaac did by solemn oath bind himselfe to perform and to performe it in Abraham's seede The necessary consequence or abstract of which oath as it is before manifested was this that Abraham's seede should be that most high God in whose name Melchisedech had blessed Abraham 3 The unusuall and unexpected fulfilling of Abraham's words to Isaac Gen. 22. 8. Iehovah lireh the Lord will see or the Lord will provide himselfe a Lambe for a burnt offering gave Abraham occasion to name that place Iehovah â—ireh as also to a common Proverbe taken up from the name of this place and from the event In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seene Gen. 22. 14. or as the originall without straining will more
the world ever had besides the concurse and confluence of strangers at the time of our Saviour's Passion The manner of whose death and the signes and wonders then exhibited made the heathen Centurion a man altogether ignorant of these sacred mysteries to confesse that this Iesus whom he had seene crucified was the Sonne of God But the time the manner and consequence of his Resurrection most directly proves as well his Priesthood as his calling to it to have been from God both more excellent then Aaron's was 6 Wee see it experienced Numb 16. 17. that notwithstanding the publique solemnitie of Aaron's Consecration by Moses there wanted not such rebellious spirits then as the world is full of now which thought themselves altogether as holy and as â—it to be high Priests as he After the earth had swallowed up the principals in this conspiracy the â—eaâ—â—â—eâ—â—e multitude though â—eâ—â—â—â—ed for a while with the fearefull disaster of their ring-leaders conspire aâ—â—esh against Moses and Aaron and had utterly perished in this rebellion had not Aaron runne into the midst of the congregation which sought his life and stood with his center as with a shield of defence betwixt them and death But seeing neither the fearefull examples shewed upon Coreh Dathan and Abiram nor Aaron's late compassion towards them when wrath was gone out from the Lord against them and the plague was kindled amongst them were able to quell their jealousies or appease their murmurings the Lord lastly made the Rodde of Levy alone inscribed with Aarons name amongst all the roddes of the Tribes of Israel to bring forth branch leafe blossome and fruit in one night and thus beautified with flowre and fruit which were not to fade in so many yeares as they had been houres inspringing to be laid up in the Arke of the testimony to stay the murmurings of the children of Israel and to be as a witnesse against them whensoever they should question Aaron's calling 7 The Tribes of Israel were never so maliciously and stubbornly bent against Moses and Aaron as the Tribe of Levi and Aaron's successors with their complices were against the sonne of David to whom the Lord destinated the Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech by solemn oath Though the earth did quake and the rocks rent in sunder though the graves did open and give up their dead more desirous to swallow up these rebellious miscreants quick then to swallow up Coreh Dathan and Abiram as doubtlesse they had done unlesse this Priest of the most high God had made an Attonement for them saying Father forgive them for they know not what they doe yet their murmurings cease not with his life their malice pursues him into his grave 8 The last and peremptory signe reserved by the wisdome of God either to stay their murmurings or to condemne them with Coreh with Dathan and Abiram unto the everlasting pit was the causing of this Rodde of â—esse this branch of David whom these cruell and mercilesse men had quite stript of flower of leafe of branch bereft of sappe and as it were scorcht and beaked in the fire of affliction to recover sappe and leafe and flower againe to bring forth the fruit which never shall â—â—de now consecrated to be the tree of life to all the Nations enthronized in the heavenly tabernacle and planted at the right hand of God untill his enemies by the rodde of his power be made his footstoole We have seene in part how fitly that testimony of the Psalmist Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee beeing understood of Christ raised from the dead is avouched by our Apostle to prove Christs calling his Consecration and advancement to the Priesthood here mentioned to have been from God and from the event answering to the Psalmist's prophecy and from that other testimony of Psalme 110. often mentioned doth S. Peter cause the murmuring of the people of Israel to cease For from the two premises Act. 2. ver 36. he thus concludes Therefore let all the house of Israell know assuredly that God hath made the same Iesus whom yee have crucified both Lord and Christ that is as much as if he had said both King and Priest by these declarations he gained three thousand soules which otherwise had perished in their murmurings 9 So then the day of his Resurrection is the day wherein the dignity of everlasting Priesthood is actually collated upon him and as he himselfe testifieth All power is given unto mee both in heaven and earth And if all power then as well the power of Priesthood as the power royall And as high Priest he gives Commission to his Disciples to teach and baptize The day of his Ascension or placing at the right hand of God is the day of his solemne enthronization and immediately upon this hee sent forth the Rodde of his strength out of Sion For by this rodde fore-told by the Psalmist Psal 110. we are to understand that power wherewith his Disciples were to be endued from above which they were to expect in Ierusalem at the feast of Pentecost The effusion of the holy spirit and emplanting the Law of the Gospell in their hearts upon that day or the day following wherein the Law of Moses was proclaimed was as a proclamation to all the world that the Priesthood was translated or changed by this manifest translation or change of the Law SICT. 5. Of the Resurraction of the Sonne of God By what Prophets it was fore-told By what Persons or legall Rites it was fore-pictured or fore-shadowed CHAP. 29 In what high esteeme S. Paul did hold the Article of our Saviour's Resurrection and Ascension c. That the want of explicite beliefe to this grand Article of the Resurrection did argue rather a dulnesse or slownesse to believe the Scriptures then any infidelity or incredulity even in such as had seene his miracles and had heard him fore-tell his death and rising againe untill the event did manifest unto them the truth of his former Doctrine and predictions WHen the Doctor of the Gentiles saith He esteemed to know nothing amongst the great Masters of knowledge save Iesus Christ and him crucified this exception no way excludes the knowledge of his Resurrection from the dead or implies that he had not the knowledge of the Article in equall esteeme with the knowledge of his Crosse How highly soever he did esteeme both mysteries it doth not argue that hee did rate the knowledge of his Ascention into heaven his session at the right hand of God or his comming thence to judge the quick and the dead one mite lower The greatest blessing which hee could either praise God for or pray unto him for whether for himselfe or for his beloved Ephesians was the knowledge as he termes it of these grand mysteries Wherefore I also after I had heard of your faith in the Lord Iesus and love unto all the Saints cease not to give thankes for you making mention of you
so truly and sincerely Episcopari nolo as hee did or pray so earnestly that the charge of his Consecration might be mitigated whilst hee was in his agony But how deare soever his Consecration cost him the costs and charges of it though altogether unknown to us were recompenced by the purchase which he gained by it For as it followeth being thus consecrated he became the Author of everlasting salvation to all that obey him and their salvation was and is as pleasant to him as his sufferings whereby he was consecrated were for the present distastfull CHAP. 4. The Consecration of the Sonne of God was not finisht immediately after his Agony in the Garden nor was he then or at the time of his sufferings upon the Crosse an actuall or compleat high Priest after the Order of Melchisedech BVt was his Consecration finished immediately after hee had beene anointed with his owne blood in the Garden or assoone as his prayers and supplications which hee offered up with strong cryes and teares were heard No whatsoever else was required for his Qualification there could be no true and perfect Consecration to his Priesthood without a Sacrifice without a bloody Sacrifice This was one principall part of Aarons Consecration to his legall Priesthood and so of his Successors But here the Iew who is for the most part lesse learned then perverse and captious will in this particular shrewdly object if not thus insult over the negligence of many Christian teachers When your crucified God was convented by the high Priests and Elders when he was arraign'd before Pontius Pilate when he was sentenced to the death of the Crosse tell us plainly whether in any of these points of time mentioned he were truly a Priest or no Priest If no Priest at all what had hee to doe to offer any Sacrifice especially a bloody one For this was a service so peculiar to the legall Priests which were the sonnes of Aaron that it was sacriledge for the sonnes of David For the greatest Kings of Iudah to attempt it If you will say then he was a Priest you must acknowledge him either to have beene a Priest after the order of Melchisedech or after the order of Aaron If you say hee was a Priest after the order of Aaron you plainly contradict this Apostle whom you acknowledge to be the great Teacher of you Gentiles for he saith Chap. 7. v. 14. of this Epistle It is evident that our Lord sprang out of Iudah concerning which Tribe Moses spake nothing concerning the Priesthood And againe Chap. 8. v. 4. hee saith Hee were not a Priest if hee were earth seeing there are Priests which according to the Law offer gifts Now if he could be no Priest were he now on earth then certainly he could be no Priest after the order of Aaron nor did he offer any legall or bloody sacrifice whilst he lived as sometimes he did here on earth 2 Was he then whilst hee lived here on earth a Priest after the order of Melchisedech and by this title authorized to offer sacrifice This I presume you dare not avouch For Melchisedech was a Priest according to endlesse life his Priesthood was an immortall everlasting Priesthood Now although every man be not an high Priest yet every high Priest must be a man and a man taken from amongst ordinary men to offer gifts and sacrifices for sinne The Priesthood is an accident the humanitie or manhood is the subject or substance which supports it Dare you then say that a mortall man whilst he was such could possibly be an everlasting Priest or a Priest according to an endlesse life when he was to dye a miserable and ignominious death the very same day Durum esset hoc affirmare This indeed is a hard saying a point of Doctrine whose intimation did cause the Iews such as were in part our Saviours Disciples or very inclinable to his service to question the truth of his calling and of his sayings Iohn 12. v. 32. c. And I if I were lift up from the earth will draw all men unto me Now this he said saith S. Iohn signifying what death he should dye to wit the death of the Crosse And so his Auditors conceived his meaning and for this reason the people answered him We have heard out of the Law that the Christ abideth for ever and how sayest thou the sonne of man must be lift up Who is that son of man v. 34. This people at that time had a cleare prenotion or received opinion that their promised Messias or the Christ should be a Priest after the order of Melchisedech that is a Priest to endure for ever for the Lord had confirmed thus much by oath Psalme 110. And out of this common prenotion whether first conceived out of that place of David The Lord hath sworne and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech or from some other Scripture the people in the fore-cited place questioned whether it were possible hee should be the Christ seeing by his owne confession he was shortly after to dye the death of the Crosse 3 These objections I confesse could hardly be answered if wee should grant what many moderne Divines out of incogitancy have taught or taken upon trust without further examination to wit that the eternall Sonne of God our Lord and Saviour was an high Priest from eternitie or an high Priest from his birth as man or from his Baptisme when hee was anointed by the holy Ghost unto his Propheticall function or whilst he was upon the Crosse But not granting this as wee have no reason to admit any branch of it the answer to the former objection is clear and easie Betwixt a Priest compleat or actually consecrated and no Priest at all datur medium participationis there is a meane or third estate or condition to wit a Priest in fieri though not in facto or a Priest inter consecrandum that is in the interims of his Consecration before hee be actually and compleatly consecrated Such a man or rather such a Priest was Aaron during the first sixe or seven dayes of his Consecration yet dare no Iew avouch that after the first or second day of his separation from common men he was no more then an ordinary man no Priest at all nor that on the seaventh day he was a Priest actually consecrated but as yet in his Consecration He was not till the eight day qualified to offer up Sacrifices unto God but had peculiar Sacrifices offered for his Consecration by Moses 4 Briefly then the Sacrifice of the Sonne of God upon the Crosse whether we consider it as of fered by himselfe or by his Father as it is sometimes said in Scripture to be offered by both was the absolute accomplishment of all legall Sacrifices or services Aaronicall And yet but an intermediate though an especiall part of his Consecration to the Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech not the ultimum
full issue or product of all three dimensions we shall be everlastingly blessed in him For the first we may not so much as beg any blessing or good thing at God's hand but for his sake Hence it is that all our prayers are conceived in this forme either expressely or implicitely propter merita Iesu Christi Secondly of those blessings which it pleaseth God to grant for his sake wee may not entreat no not expect their conveyance should be made unto us by any other person or meanes then by him and the vertue of his sufferings And for this reason it is that we usually conclude our prayers Per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum through Iesus Christ our Lord not propter Iesum Christum That is alway expressed or implyed in the body or beginning of the prayer It was the intention of the Ancients to instruct us by those two usuall clauses of our solemn prayers that whatsoever we aske for Christ's sake wee cannot otherwise obtaine then through him And though the Father be the first granter yet the Sonne immediately bestowes all blessings upon us as the places of Scripture late alleaged testify God's blessings descend to us only by him that they may draw us unto him in whom only we are blessed For that everlasting happinesse of the life to come formally consists in our union with him and cannot be manifested or imparted to us but by the participation of his blessed presence 6 Will yee have a more particular map in what manner the blessing of Abraham descends upon us by this our high Priest Then call to mind in what termes Melchisedech blessed Abraham They were these Blessed be Abraham of the most high God Possessor of heaven and earth Melchisedech if the same be Shem had by vertue of his Father Noah's blessings a manifest right unto the land of Canaan and had some part of it in possession and this right and title hee be queaths to Abraham The chiefe matter of his blessing is that Abrahams posteritie should be Kings and Priests in that land And albeit he were a Priest of the most high God yet his Kingdome was of this world and in this world though a type of the heavenly Kingdome But our Saviour's Kingdome was not of this world for since his Resurrection he hath taken possession of heaven as he is man but in the right and title of the eternall Sonne of God God the Father made all things by God the Sonne whom hee hath made Heire of all things as man which were made by him as God not as an heire in his nonage but as joynt Lord with his Father at whose right hand he is placed so that as man he hath more full and more immediate authoritie to dispose of heaven than Melchisedech had to dispose of Canaan for hee bestowed that upon Abraham by way of prayer as became a Priest of the most high God But this our high Priest who is also the most high God shall dispose of heaven to his servants by royall sentence and authoritie as King Then shall the King say unto them that sit on his right hand Venite benedicti patris mei possidete vobis paratum regnum à constitutione mundi Come ye blessed of my Father possesse yee the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world This is the accomplishment of that blessing which Melchisedech bestowed upon Abraham and the second part of his benediction must be the everlasting song of such as are blessed in Abraham's seed Blessed be the most high God who hath delivered our enemies into our hands who hath enabled us to overcome the world the Divell and the flesh And though Christ our high Priest were the Sonne of David and of Abraham as man according to the flesh yet as man hee is the first begotten from the dead and Father of the world to come Melchisedech himselfe in respect of the everlasting blessing is his Sonne and must have his portion in it at the last day For if all Nations if every one of any Nation that is truly blessed be blessed in Abraham's seed Melchisedech himselfe must be blessed in him not only by him And therefore hee is that most high God Possessor of heaven and earth in whose name Melchisedech blessed Abraham 7 But to return to our Apostles next passage He. 7. 11. c. If therefore perfection were by the Leviticall Priesthood for under it the people received the Law what further need was there that another Priest should arise after the order of Melchisedech and not be called after the order of Aaron For the Priesthood being changed there is made of necessitie a change also of the Law The full discussion of this twelfth verse because it containes matter of Controversie amongst us Christians and betweene severall profest members of reformed Churches as whether Christ were a Law giver or wherein the Law which hee gave did differ from or excell the Law of Moses whether Leviticall or Morall must be referred to another Treatise The Law saith our Apostle made no thing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did So our later English reads the Text yet proffers to us another reading in the margine which in mine opinion is more consonant to our Apostle's meaning to wit That the Law was an introduction of a better hope by which we draw neare to God And this drawing neare to God is that perfection which the Law could not effect But the principall point whereon our Apostle pitcheth forevincing the priesthood of Christ to be farre more excellent then the Leviticall Priesthood was was reserved to the last place and pathetically though briefly avouched v. 20. And in asmuch as not without an oath for those Priests to wit after the order of Aaron were made without an oath but this to wit Christ with an oath by him that said unto him The Lord sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech By so much was Iesus made the surety of a better Covenant And they truly were many Priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death But this man because hee continueth for ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood Wherefore hee is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing hee ever liveth to make intercession for them And againe v. 28. For the Law maketh men high Priests which have infirmities but the word of the oath which was since the Law maketh the Sonne who is consecrated for evermore These two last passages require a fuller discussion of a Point often touched upon in some printed Treatises and diverse Sermons A point much neglected by many good Divines and carped at by others through their ignorance in true antiquitie videlicet What the interposition of God's speciall oath doth import more then his largest promises without an oath SECT 3. Of the calling or destination of the Seede of Abraham and Sonne of
Fathers the diligent Reader may find in their Comments upon those places of Scriptures wherein God's oath is mentioned but especially in their Cōments upon the 110 Psalme from which place and the like not they only but our Apostle to my apprehension in the sixt and seventh Chapters to the Hebrewes tooke his directions The Lord saith David Psalme 110. v. 4. hath sworne and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever c. This in the language of Canaan and by consent of many fathers is as much as if hee had said The Lord will not repent or reverse his promise to mee and my seed because hee hath sworne that hee should be a Priest forever after the order of Melchisedech 4 That God doth repent him either of the evill which he denounceth or of the good which he promiseth is a phrase most usuall in Scripture the true and punctuall meaning of which phrase is that God did change or revoke either his sentences of calamity or of good which hee in both cases truly intended and irresistibly meant to put in execution And all this hee might doe and often did without any change or alteration in his will or intention but alwaies upon some change or alteration in the parties either truly interessed in his promises or lyable to his heavy judgments when the one party did change from good courses to evill hee was immutably free to reverse his promise as hee himselfe somewhere speaketh to breake his Covenant And when wicked men did turne from their wicked wayes he was as free and more willing to reverse sentences of woe not only threatned but decreed against them This freedome in God is perpetually presumed or taken as granted by his Prophets whensoever the promise decree or Covenant is not revealed unto them with the seale of an Oath But the sentence whether for good or evill being revealed under Oath was in their judgment fully declared to be irreversible For this reason the Prophet sometimes wished the speedy execution of plagues threatened by God unto their owne Nation or kindred as knowing it bootlesse either to intreat God's favour after his wrath against them was denounced by oath or to sollicite the fulfilling of his gracious promises towards their posteritie untill his wrathfull sentences confirmed by oath were put in execution In one and the same Chapter it is said oftner then once that God did repent him of making Saul King of Israel What is the reason Hee was made King without an oath yet with sincere promise of continuing the Kingdome to himselfe and to his seede with this condition in the Prophet's construction implyed though not expressed Si bene se gereret But when the Prophet Samuel denounceth the sentence of deposition upon him 1. Sam. 15. 29. The strength of Israel will not lie nor repent for hee is not a man that he should repent The meaning is that the strength of Israel will not revoke his sentence denounced by oath against Amaleck and his Associates and Saul by sparing Amaleck incidit in hanc sententiam doth fall under this sentence though not as principall yet as an accessory 5 A true parallel to the history concerning the anointing and deposition of Saul had beene exhibited before by the same Prophet in the election and deposition of Eli who was possessed of the Priesthood by legall title under divine promise to himselfe and to his house The promise we have 1. Sam. 2. 30. and the reversing of the promise or blessing promised in the same verse and verses following Wherefare the Lord God of Israel saith I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy Father should walke before me for ever but now the Lord saith be it farre from me For them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed Behold the daies come that I will cut off thine arme and the arme of thy Fathers house that there shall not be an old man in thy house c. This lamentable message was sent unto him by the Man of God mentioned v. the 27. The same sentence or curse upon him his house is afterwards denounced by Samuel under oath And the Lord said to Samuel behold I will doe a thing in Israel at which both the eares of every one that heare it shall tingle And in that day I will performe against Eli all things which I have spoken against his house when I begin I will also make and end For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity that hee knoweth because his sonnes made themselves vile and he restraied them not And therefore I have sworne unto the house of Elie that the iniquity of Elie's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever verses 13. 14. 15. c. Now when Samuel had imparted this fearefull sentence unto Eli being thereunto adjured he replied no more then this It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good v. 18. Had this message beene delivered by that man of God which brought the former not ratified by oath unto this good old man though an impotent Governour haply he would have sleighted it as 't is probable he did the former or have called the messenger's Commission in question But this later and more terrible doome being delivered to him by a child who for his maintenance and being did depend upon him as upon his foster-Father by a child so farre from secular cunning or sophismes of corrupt Priests or Levites that hee knew not the voice of the Lord from the voice of his Tutor untill he was instructed by him his Commission was to Eli more authentique and his message both for matter and tenour more free from all suspicion of imposture The ananswer of Eli is of the same alloy with Iob's reply unto the sad newes which his servants brought to him The Lord saith Iob hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord Iob. 1. 21. Thus he spake after hee had seene himselfe and his familie utterly undone for worldly substance deprived of all earthly contentment Eli knew this sentence against him being denounced by oath as certaine and impossible to be reversed as if it had been already put in execution For this reason I take it the old man did thinke upon a more submissive answer unto Samuel then he had vouchsafed unto the Man of God who was sent unto him upon the same errand The humility and modesty of his answer perswades me that the fearefull sentence denounced against him did extend no further then to the irreversible deposition of him and his family from the legall or temporarie Priesthood unto the poore and meane estate wherein his posteritie after the disaster of his two sonnes were to live here on the earth Nor have I nor any man for ought I know any warrant from God's word to say and Christian charity forbids me to thinke or from this
returned safe from Babylon was the type of Christ as King In respect of their deliverance from Babel or safe conduct in the way Zerubbabel had the precedency of Iesus the high Priest as Moses had the precedency of Iesus the sonne of Nun in respect of the peoples deliverance from Egypt But as Iesus the sonne of Nun was God's principall instrument in planting this people in the land of promise so Iesus the high Priest the sonne of Iehosadeck is the principall Saviour of this people after their safe returne from Babel into their native land the principall type or shadow of Iesus Christ our Saviour as he is consecrated by God to be the Author of everlasting salvation Zerubbabel the chiefe Prince of Iudah and Iesus the sonne of Iehosadech the high Priest and for his time the sole successor of Aaron in his office joyne both together the one a lively type of Christ Iesus the sonne of David as he was King the other a lively Type of Christ Iesus as hee was ordained to be our high Priest in the building of the materiall Altar which was to be erected unto the Lord in the City of Ierusalem after their returne from Babylon But whether of these two to wit Zerubbabel the sonne of David or Iesus the sonne of Iehosedech Aaron's successor had precedency in this great worke of erecting the Altar unto God the first worke of difficulty or moment to be undertaken by God's Servants upon their returne unto Ierusalem the City of God were hard to determine by any rule of sacred heraldry Ezra the scribe and sacred historian of this businesse gives Iesus the Sonne of Iehosedeck the precedency in stile Ezra 3. 2. Then stood up leshua the son of Iozadak and his brethren the Priests and Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel and his brethren and builded the Altar of the God of Israel to offer burnt offrings thereon as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God But in the second of Haggai verse 4. Zerubbabel the sonne of David hath the like precedency of stile Now be strong ô Zerubbabel saith the Lord and be strong ô Ieshua the sonne of Iosedech the high Priest and be strong all yee people of the land saith the Lord and work for I am with you saith the Lord of hoasts 4 Yet that Iesus the Sonne of Iosedech was the more illustrious and principall Type of Iesus Christ our Saviour and Redeemer as he is the builder and founder of God's spirituall Temple Gods holy Catholique Church is most apparent from the prophecies of Zachary a Prophet in those times extraordinarily rais'd up by God to encourage lesus the high Priest and his fellow-Priests to goe forward in building the materiall Temple in Ierusalem specially if we compare Zachary the third and part of Zachary the sixt with the Prophecies of Ieremy Chap. 23. verse 33. To begin with Zachary Chap. 3. Iesus the Sonne of Iosedesk by progeny the sonne of Aaron is solemnly enthronized as deputy or Proxie for the sonne of David the promised and long-expected high Priest after the order of Melchisedech This story or true legend of the installment or enthronization of Iesus the Sonne of Iosedech as in the right and interest of Iesus Christ the Sole Founder and Builder of the holy Catholique Church whereof the visible and materiall Temple of Ierusalem was but a type or shadow is very remarkably set out unto us as in a Map Zach. 3. The whole Chapter as also the 2. Chap. from the 6. verse unto the end is worth our perusall as most pertinent to this argument First Sathan that is the adversary of Iesus the high Priest waxed bold to resist him in the building of the materiall Temple being encouraged thereunto partly because the remnant of ludah then returning from captivity was but as a brand pluck't out of the fire the light whereof in the eyes of Sathan their adversary might easily have been extinguished unlesse the Lord had rebuked Sathan as the Lord there by his Angell doth and his rebuke was an Authentique prohibition Secondly Sathan was the bolder to resist this worke because Iesus the high Priest appointed by God and encouraged by his Prophets for accomplishing of it was for his bodily presence but weake and would quickely have beene daunted by his potent adversary unlesse the Lord by his Angell had rebuked and prohibited him Thus Sathan himselfe in person resisted our Lord and Saviour after his baptisme when hee first begun to lay the foundation of his Church and to erect the Kingdome of God being thereto emboldened by the weaknesse of his bodily presence and appearance in the fashion of man and forme of a servant untill the Lord himselfe rebuked him as the Angell in the name of the Lord did the adversary of of Ieshua saying avoid Sathan for 't is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve And upon this rebuke Sathan immediately left him and the Angels came and ministred unto him Math. 4. This is the Evangelicall accomplishment of the vision which Zachary saw as in the type or map Zach. 3. v. 1. 2. But here it will bee demanded whether the verses following v. 3. 4. which were literally historically meant of Iesus the Son of Iehosedech can be applied to Iesus our high Priest either according to the literall or mysticall sense Iesus saith the Text was cloathed with filthy garments and stood before the Angel and hee answered and spake unto those that stood before him saying take away the filthy garments from him and unto him he said Behold I have caused thine iniquity to passe from thee and I will cloath thee with change of rayment v. 4. Iesus his outward habit or rayment was sordid and unsightly Qualem decet exulis esse Such as well became a man as yet retainer to the house of mourning not fully absolved from the house of his prison or not yet admitted unto the house of his freedome 5 This Iesus in this habit was a true picture of Iesus our high Priest whilst hee continued in the forme and conditiion of a servant or whilst arraigned before the high Priests or Pontius Pilat and although in this estate he knew no sin yet as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. Chap. 5. v. last He was made sinne for us that we might be made the rigteousnesse of God in him Hee is said to be made sinne for us because hee bare the punishment due to our sinnes And this sinne or iniquity God did truly cause to passe from him because our sinnes were never inherent in him but made his by imputation only The punishment likewise due unto our sinnes did passe from him at his departure out of this world unto his Father The new rayments wherewith Iesus the high Priest was cloathed are emblemes or shadowes of that glory and immortality wherewith Iesus our high Priest since his Resurrection is invested The faire Mitre which was put upon Iesus
did solemnely confesse and acknowledg Christ Iesus to be as truly God as man The matter or object directly signified by these words is the only true and reall Foundation of faith as Christian of the Catholique Church it selfe Of this ranke or sort of names is the name Iehosadech as it was given unto the Father of Iesus the high Priest but this doth no way import that he was either Iehovah or a man more righteous thē other high Priests had beene and yet so called not by chance or out of vain ostentation of his parents but by divine instinct or appointment of God Or whatsoever intent his parēts might have in giving him this name God did so direct their intentiōs as he did Caiphas his speech to be a kind of prophecy of what was to come We may say of Iehosadech as the Angell said of Iesus and his fellow-Priests that hee was vir portendens his very name and office did portend or bode that Iehovah himselfe the righseous Lord should become our high Priest And in as much as the Sonne of Iehosadech was the first high Priest the first of all the sonnes of Aaron that was called Iesus that is a Saviour this likewise did portend or fore-shadow that the Saviour of God's people the high Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech should be the son not of David only but of Iebovah the righteous Lord or Lord of righteousnesse And if he were to be as truly the Sonne of Iehovah the righteous Lord as he was to be the sonne of David then questionlesse hee was to be as truely Iehovah that is as truly and essentially God as hee is truly and essentially man For the relation betwixt the Father and the Sonne is much more strict in the Divine nature then it can be amongst men 9 Amongst men it will follow that if the Father be a man the Sonne must be a man if the Father be mortall the Sonne must be mortall but it will not follow that if the Father be a righteous or potent man the Sonne likewise must be a righteous or potent man The reason is because they are divided in substance But in as much as the Sonne of God is of the same substance or essence with his Father it will directly follow not only that if the Father be God the Sonne is God but also that if the Father be Lord of righteousnesse the Sonne also must be Lord of righteousnesse Yet in as much as not Iehosadech the Father but Iesus the Sonne became legall righteousnesse or a temporall Saviour to God's people in captivity this truly fore-shadoweth this truth unto us that although God the Father be as truly the Lord of righteousnesse as God the Sonne both being of one substance yet is Iehovah become our righteousnesse and our salvation not in the person of the Father but in the person of the Son CHAP. 23. The obiection of the Iewes against the interpretation of the former Prophecy Ierem. 23. answered In what sense Iudah is truly said to be saved and Israel to dwell in safety by Iesus the Sonne of God and Sonne of David YEt here the Iew will object that this prophecy is not yet fulfilled because Iudah is not fully saved nor Israel planted in their owne land But the Apostle hath fully answered this objection if wee could as rightly apply his solution All saith he are not Israel that are called Israel Rom. 9. 6. Yet many are true Israelites indeed which are not so in name Nor is he a Iew that is one outwardly but that is one inwardly The Apostle in the same place gives us to understand that many are Iewes or of Iudah inwardly which are not of Iudah outwardly or so called by name Whosoever is inwardly or in heart that which the name of Iudah importeth he is truly of Iudah though not the seede of Iudah or of Abraham concerning the flesh Now the name of Iudah or Iew importeth as much as a confessor or true professor of Abraham's faith and every one is a true Israelite that is so qualified as Nathaniel was one in whose spirit there is no guile unto all such and only unto such the Lord imputeth no sinne and all they unto whom the Lord imputeth no sinne all such as truly confesse Christ to be the Sonne of God and promised Branch of David are saved by him whether they be the somes of Iacob or of Abraham or Gentiles according to the flesh So that in conclusion all ludah and all Israel according to the full extent of this prophecy are saved by this Iesus for all of them dwell in safety they are not become afraid of themselves but possesse their soules with patience To become Iewes or Israelites in this sense is the first degree of salvation and this degree they likewise have from Iesus through whom and in whom they are to expect the accomplishment of their salvation Christ then first saves us from our sins that are inherent in us or as the Apostle speaks hee first sets us free from the Law of sinne by the spirit of life which is in him and finally exempts us from the wages of sinne which is everlasting death And thus much is contained in that fore-cited promise Ierem. 16. and in the close and conclusion of that prophecie Ierem. 23. concerning the saving of Iudah and Israel by the branch of David whose name or title is The Lord our righteousnesse Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that they shall no more say the Lord liveth which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt but the Lord liveth which brought up and which led the seede of the house of Israel out of the North country The Hebrew phrase Meeretz zaponah according to the usuall and ordinary rate of that language signifies indeed from the North-land yet the originall of this signification or importance of these words was from a conceit which the Iews or such as had their habitation neere unto the Aequinoctiall line had That those parts of the world which were more remote from the Aequinoctiall or Southerne climes were hidden from the sun and were at least in respect of their Country lands of obscurity and darknesse The very prime and native signification of the originall words in the Prophet rendred by our English from the North land or Country is verbatim from the land of obscurity or darknesse And whatsoever the land of Chaldea whereof Babylon was the chiefe City or Metropolis was unto others it was unto the captive Iewes a country of darknesse a land of obscurity the very shadow of death And their deliverance from it was a true type or shadow of our deliverance from the region or land of darknesse it selfe The full importance of the Evangellicall mystery included in the fore-cited passage of the Prophet Ieremy according to the most proper and most exquisite literall sense is expounded unto us by our Apostle S. Paul Coloss 1. 12. 13. God the
he had not commanded them upon his Altar And seeing that although they had put off all the respect of the obedience of his sonnes yet could he not put off the affection of a loving Father towards them or suddenly cease to mourne for their untimely death whereas to have eaten the Sacrifices in the holy place with a sad countenance or heavy heare had been to pollute it So that this sad and ivofull accident made the eating of the sinne-offring in the holy place unlawfull or unexpedient to him and his sonnes which ordinarily or in case no such accident had befallen them had not only been lawfull but necessary But seeing the blood of the Bullock offered for Aaron's sinne-offering at his CoÌ„secration had not been brought into the Sanctuary and seeing no such wofull accident or legall impediment had at this time befallen Aaron and his sonnes it may justly be questioned what was the reason they did not eate the flesh of this their sinne-offring or Attonement It was a sufficient warrant unto them not to eat it because the Lord had forbidden it Exod. 29. 14. But if it be demanded what was the reason or intent of this Law or rather of this particular exception from the generall Law by which they were commanded to eate it Some make answer that Aaron and his sonnes were not as yet compleat Priests or Priests already consecrated but in their Consecration only and therefore were not comprehended under the generall Law which commanded the Priest forbidding all others to eate the flesh of the sinne-offering whose blood was not brought into the Sanctuary But this reason concludes only in probability against Aaron and his sonnes who did now attend their Consecration it no waies concludes against Moses who did consecrate them who was not only permitted but commanded by God to eate of all the Sacrifices or offrings which Aaron's sonnes or Successors might lawfully eate yet did not Moses eate any part of the Bullock offered at Aaron's Consecration for a sinne-offring or Attonement for God had expressely commanded it to be burnt without the Campe. Their answer therefore to that former demand is more pertinent who say that no high Priest whether ordinarily called or extraordinarily as Moses was for the Consecration of Aaron and his sonnes might eate of any sacrifice which was offered for a sinne-offring or Attonement for the Priests themselves although the Blood of it were not brought into the Sanctuary Of the Sinne-offrings for the people whose Blood was not brought into the Sanctuary the Priests might eate they were to eate 2. This commandement for them to eate of the peoples sinne-offring argues the sinnes of the people were to be borne or taken away by the Priest The prohibition for the Priests to eat the Sinne-offrings made for themselves argues the sinnes of the Priest could not be borne or taken away by the Priests of the Law or their sacrifices but were to expect a better sacrifice of a better high Priest The legall sacrifices in the meane time were to be offered in a place prefiguring the place wherein this better Sacrifice was to be offered a place without the gates of Ierusalem Whiles the people wandred in the wildernesse without any setled habitation or City to dwell in the Sacrifice or substance of the Sinne-offring was to be consumed with fire without the trenches or bounds wheresoever they did encampe as Souldiers doe in the open field neere unto the Arke of the Testament But after the Arke had found a setled habitation or resting place in the Temple which Salomon built the City of Ierusalem in which the Temple stood became the Campe of Israel And this and other like sodeiâ—â—ties and services which were commanded to be performed without the Campe whiles the people wandred in the wildernesse were to be performed without the gates of Ierusalem albeit the Sacrifice was to be offered in the Temple whence seeing our Saviour's Body was the offring for sinne or the Sacrifice of Attonement by which the mysteries imported by all other Sacrifices were fulfilled it was to be consumed or brought into the dust of death in Mount Calvary or Golgotha or some place without the City So that the Apostle's argument Heb. 13. drawne from the annuall Sacrifices of Attonement concludes as punctually for this Sacrifice of Aâ—â—onement or Sinne-offring at Aaron's Consecration We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eate which serve at the Tabernacle for the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the Sanctuary by the high Priest for sinne as also of those beasts which were offered for the Priests Sin-offring at the Consecration albeit their Blood were not brought into the Sanctuary are burnt without the Campe. Wherefore Iesus also that he might sanctifie the people with his owne Blood suffered without the gate Now this sanctification of God's people by Christ's Blood was their Consecration with him to be Kings and Priests as he was now made King and Priest that is a Priest after the order of Melchisedech and as he himselfe saith Iohn 17. 29. For their sakes I sanctifie my selfe that is I undergoe the rites of Consecration prefigured by the Law that they also may be sanctified through the truth or truly sanctified that is after a better manner then they could be sanctified or consecrated by the legall Sacrifices ceremonies or services of the Law 3 The second sort of bloody Sacrifices offered by Moses at the Consecration of Aaron and his sons were two Rammes the one for a burnt offring to the Lord for a sweet Savour and offring made by fire unto the Lord. Exod. 29. 18. The mystery hereby fore-signified at our Saviour's Confecration is expressed by the Apostle Ephes 5. 1. 2. Be yee therefore followers of God as deare Children and walke in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himselfe for us an offring and a Sacrifice to God for a sweete smelling savour The other Ramme was to be offered as a peace offring and is called by Moses Exod. 29. the Ramme of Aaron's Consecration ver 26. because Aaron and his sonnes were to be annointed with the Blood of it CHAP. 27. In what respects the Ramme of the Consecration and the Ramme which God did provide for a burnt offring instead of Isanck did prefigure the sacrifice of the Son of God Of other speciall rites wherein Aaron at his Consecration and in the function of his Priesthood did prefigure the Consecration and Priest hood of the Son of God NOw if we consider the speciall references of the Aaronicall Priesthood there could no fitter Sacrifice be offered for Aaron and his sonnes at their Consecration then the Sacrifice of Rammes no other Sacrifices used in the Law could be so fit an embleme or representation of our high Priest's Sacrifice at his Consecration The points whereto the Aaronicall Priesthood whether during the time of their Consecration or after Aaron and his sonnes were consecrated Priests had peculiar reference
upon the tip of the right eare of Aaron and upon the tip of the right eares of his sonnes and upon the thumbe of their right hand and upon the great toe of their right foot and sprinkle the blood c. This ceremony or service was literally and punctually fulfilled in the Consecration of our high Priest The high Priest of the Law was consecrated with forreigne blood with the blood of Rammes The high Priest of the New Testament was consecrated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with his owne blood and in this blood not only his hands his feet or eares were sprinkled or annointed but his whole body was annointed or bathed For though he was alwaies internally sanctified and though this his internall sanctification was most absolute and perfect from the wombe yet would the Lord have him thus visibly and externally consecrated with his owne blood that we by the same blood might be sanctified and consecrated after a better manner then Aaron was by the blood of the Ramme of Consecration The morall implyed in sprinkling of Aaron's right eare the thumbe of his right hand and the great toe of his right foot is this Our eares which are the sense of discipline and the gate by which faith entreth into our hearts must be consecrated and hallowed by the blood of our high Priest that wee may know God's will our hands and feet likewise which are the instruments of service are hallowed and sanctified by his blood that we may walke in his wayes and doe his will Finally as both our bodyes and soules have beene redeemed by his blood so both must be consecrated in it and enabled by it unto his service 7 Another ceremony or service at Aaron's Consecration was the offering up of one loaf of bread one cake of oyled bread and one wafer wherewith Aaron's and his sonnes hands were first to be filled and afterwards to be burnt upon the Altar for a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the Lord. Exod. 29. ver 23. 25. The mystery signified by this and the other bloody sacrifice may best be gathered from that which hath afore been said concerning the circumcision of Isaack and of Abraham's seed or concerning God's demanding Isaac for a burnt offering which was then observed out of Rupertus an ancient Writer God did demand at Abraham's hands that he might thereby tye himselfe to give his own sonne unto Abraham and his seed To which may now be added the testimony of S. Chrysostome in his comments upon our Saviours words to the Woman of Samarin Da mihi bibore give mee to drink The Fountaine of life sitting besides the Fountaine calls for drink not that he was desirous to take but rather to give drink Give me to drink saith he that I may make thee drink the water of immortality I thirst after the salvation of mens soules not that I might drink but that I may give them salvation to drink I imitate my Father who said to Abraham offer me up thy Sonne thy only Sonne Isaac whom thou lovest for a burnt offering this he said not as if he had desired to accept Abraham's sonne but that he determined to give his owne Sonne for the sinnes of the world as S. Iohn saith Chap. 3. ver 16. In like manner God required the flesh and blood of Bullocks and of Rammes with unleavened bread to be offered up in sacrifice unto him at the Consecration of Aaron not that he stood in need to eate the flesh of Bulls or bread of wheat or drink the blood of Rammes but that he then purposed to consecrate for us and to give unto us his only Sonne whose flesh is meat indeed whose blood is drink indeed whose body is the bread of life which commeth downe from heaven which who so eateth shall live for ever for he that truly eateth is consecrated by it to be a King and Priest for ever unto God the Father CHAP. 28. A briefe Recapitulation of what hath been said in this parallel between the Consecration of Aaron and the Consecration of the Sonne of God the conclusion of the whole Treatise concerning it TO recapitulate what hath been said before The beginning of the everlasting Priesthood according to the order of Melchisedch is the determining of the Aaronicall Priesthood unlesse we shall say as perhaps we ought that this Priesthood with the legall rites and sacrifices did expire with the last mortall breath of him who is now immortall 2 The everlasting sacrifice whereby he is consecrated an everlasting Priest was then accomplished and the cessation of the Aaronicall Priesthood proclaimed when hee said consummatum est and commended his spirit unto God Yet is it not probable that his Consecration or the Consecration of the everlasting Sanctuary were at the same instant accomplished His sacred soule perfumed with the fresh odour and fragrancy of his sweet smelling sacrifice annointed with his most precious blood into whatsoever other place it afterwards went instantly repaired into the Holiest of Holies into Paradise it selfe This is the accomplishment of our Attonement prefigured by the high Priest's entring into the holy place with blood and the period of all sacrifices for his owne or our Consecration 3 That the vale through which the high Priest after the order of Aaron did enter into the most holy place should rend asunder at the very instant wherein the soule and spirit of this our high Priest did passe through the vale of his flesh rent and torne into his coelestiall Sanctuary was a lively embleme to all observant spectators that hee was no intruder but called by God And reason they had to observe this signe or accident in that hee had promised to one of them that were crucified with him Hedie mecum erit in Paradiso 4 The publike solemnitie of Consecration hath ever been a speciall testimony or adjunct of lawfull calling and Christ's Consecration was more solemne and publique then Aaron's was Such it was as flesh and blood could not affect such as nothing but filiall obedience to his heavenly Father could have moved this our high Priest to admit because it was to be accomplished by a lingring and a bloody death Moses at the Consecration of Aaron is commanded to gather all the congregation together unto the doore of the tabernacle Levit. 8. Ad tria voluit Dominus populum congregart Primum ut pro eo sacerdos offerret eumque expearet Secundum ad instituendum sacerdotem ut sciret populus Aaron filios ejus praefici sibi in sacerdotes mediatores de caeterâ— commendavit se illi Tertione esset inter eos aliquis qui postea sacerdotium ambiret postquam omnes sciebant Aarâ—nem à Deo sacerdotem institutum Oleaster 5 For the like reasons God would have the Consecration of his Son accomplished at the Passeover that is as a Father speakes at the Metropolis of Iewish feasts the most solemne publique and universall meeâ—ing that any one People or Nation in
Creator both of sea and land The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof the World and they that dwell therein for he hath founded it upon the seas that is in such a sense as wee say townes and cities are situated upon the rivers on whose bankes they stand and established it upon the flood ver 1. 2. Yet may we not deny that this Psalme may literally referre to the bringing in of the Arke into the hill of Sion and to the exhortation of the Psalmist to admit and entertaine it as the feat of the King of Glory God blessed for ever But this literall sense doth no way prejudice but rather strengthen the force of their argument who hence conclude the deity of the Son of God then admitted in triumph into the hill of Sion or the Tabernacle pitched in it according to his divine nature only this triumphant admission being a sure pledge or earnest of his future admission into his heavenly Sanctuary the place of his everlasting residency as Lord and Christ in our nature No man who acknowledgeth or rightly esteemeth the authority of the Psalmist unlesse abundance of wit hath besplitted his understanding can imagine that the King of Glory whom the Psalmist here mentioneth should be any other party or person besides the Son of God Christ Iesus whom the Iewes when he came to the materiall Temple or Tabernacle wherein his divine nature did in peculiar manner reside did not entertaine in such manner as David enjoyned their fore-Fathers to entertaine the Arke of his presence They would not acknowledge him to be their Messias because they knew him not nor the Scriptures which did foretell this his comming For as our Apostle with speciall reference to the words of this Psalmist teâ—s us had they knowne him to be that Lord of Glory unto whose honour David consecrated this hymne they would not have crucified him But by crucifying or rather by his humiliation of himselfe unto the death of the Crosse he was consecrated as man unto his everlasting Priesthood and made both Lord and King of Glory CHAP. 36. At what time and upon what occasions th 68 Psalme was composed What reference it hath in the generall unto our Saviour's Ascension ANother Psalme there is appointed by the wisedome of the ancient and continued by the discretion of the English Church even since the first reformation to be read or sung as a proper hymne to the festivall of our Saviour's Asoension A Psalme full of mysteries and divine raptures apt to enkindle our hearts with zeal and admiration could we find out or rightly seeke after either the historicall occasions which ministred the matter or ditty of this divine song or the severall parts of Scripture unto which most passages in it according to the literall or historicall sense doe respectively referre The occasion of composing the Psalme to wit 68. Some Iewish Rabbins conjecture to have been that glorious victory which Ezekiah or rather the Lord of hosts in Ezekiah's daies got over Senacherib and his mighty army But the most of the more judicious Christian Commentators with greater probability or discretion referre the occasion of composing this Psalme to that solemne translation of the Arke of God from Kyriath Iearim into Mount Sion at large described 2. Sam. 6. David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel thirty thousand And David arose and went with all the people that were with him from Baal of Iudah to bring up from thence the Arke of God whose name is called by the Lord of hosts that dwelleth betweene the Cherubbims or at which the name even the name of the Lord of hosts was called upon 2 This later opinion is in it selfe perswasible or rather deserves full credanee from the first words of the Psalme Let God arisâ— let his enemies be scattered let them also that hate him flee before him ver 1. These were verba solemnia the accustomed solemne forme of prayer used so often as the Arke of the Covenant which was to this people the most authentique pledge of God's peculiar presence and protection and for this reason called by his name did remove from one place to another during their pilgrimage in the wildernesse And they departed from the Mount of the Lord three daies journey And the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord went before them in the three daies journey to search out a resting place for them and the Cloud of the Lord was upon them by day when they went out of the Campe. And it came to passe when the Arke set forward that Moses said rise up Lord and let thine enemies be scattered and let them that hate thee flee before thee And when it rested hee said Returne O Lord unto the many thousands of Israel Numb 10. ver 33. 34. 35. 36. Moses prayed conceptis verbis that God would arise and take part with his people David out of the fresh experience of God's mighty protection over him his subjects and allies so long as they worshipped him in truth and syncerity in this symbole of his presence seemes to utter Moses song rather by way of congratulation for victories already gotten then by way of instant prayer for present assistance A great part of this most divine most sublime ditty is a recapitulation of the glorious victories which the God of Israel had purchased for his people and upon their deliverance out of Egypt and their other peculiar protections or succours which private men or women in their distresse had found when they were helplesse in the sight of men or oppressed by their neighbours Sing unto God sing praises to his name extoll him that rideth upon the heavens by his name Iah and reioyce before him A Father of the fatherlesse and a Iudge of the widowes is God in his holy Habitation God setteth the solitary in families he bringeth out those that are bound in chaines but the rebellious dwell in a dry land ver 4. 5. 6. The verses following referre to the publique deliverance out of Egypt and the majesticke apparitions about Mount Sinai O God when thou wentest forth before thy people when thou didst march through the wildernesse the earth shooke the heavens also dropped before the Lord even Sinai it selfe was moved at the presence of God the God of Israel c. 7. 8. Some good Interpreters here observe that the Arke itselfe is called Iehovah or the Lord God of Israel by the same forme of speech that the sacrament all pledges are called the one the Body the other the Blood of Christ 3 Now the sweet singer of Israel was confident that the God of their Fathers would be as gracious to himselfe to his people and their successors after he came to dwell in Mount Sinai as he had been to Moses and Ioshun in the wildernesse â—or unto Samuel while the Taber nacle was in Shiloh or elsewhere either in motion or pitched Hence sprung those encomiasticall expressions throughout the Psalme of the
things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Set your affections on things above not on things on earth For yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall yee also appeare with him in glory Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanenesse inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is idolatry for which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience But if these workes of the flesh be mortified by the spirit the spirit of God having gotten possession of our hearts doth organize them and frame a true model of the heavenly Sanctuary within our breasts albeit we cannot expresse our affectionate conceits or experimentall representations unto others Christ is present with us or in us by this renovation of our mind or by imprinting these heavenly affections in our soules by following love gentlenesse meeknesse temperance patience c. Christ is really fashioned in us not by converting any substance into his substance or by reall converting his substance into ours but by conversion of our earthly affections into the similitude of his heavenly affections Our affections being thus converted Christ hath his Throne and Habitation in our hearts so answering to his heavenly Throne as the light of the sun gathered in some round body apt to reflect his beames or to be penetrated by them doth resemble the sun which really penetrates and enlightens them For effecting this reall conversion of our affections into the similitude of his affections no other presence of Christ is either necessary or expedient besides the presence of his spirit by which ten dayes after his Ascension he enabled his Disciples to conceive aright of these heavenly mysteries and to convert others unto the truth of his Gospel 4 That Christ's body should descend from heaven unto us or be bodily present by trasubstantiation or some other manner as some conceive we have no reason to hope nor warrant to believe to lift up our bodies unto heaven we have no possibility but to lift up our hearts and spirits unto our Lord now placed in his heavenly Throne we have have peremptory precepts many But how shall wee lift them up or what power have we to lift them up Not so much I confesse as we have to cast our selves downe before his Throne but casting our selves downe before him which we cannot performe without his preventing and assisting grace we have a sure promise that he will lift us up Wee are no where to my remembrance commanded to pray to God that he would cast us downe and yet bound to pray that he would give us grace to cast our selves downe As often then as wee meditate upon this Article of Christ's Ascension or sitting at the right hand of God let us beseech God and him that the Priests may truly exhort their charge his people to lift up their hearts and that the people may as truly answer we lift them up unto the Lord And that we may all joyntly sing that hymne in reverence and true devotion With Angels and Arch-Angels and with all the company of heaven we laud thy glorious name O Christ evermore praising thee and saying holy holy holy Lord God of hosts heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of thy Glory Glory be to thee O Lord most high AMEN CHAP. 40. How the time of our Saviour's Ascension into heaven upon the fortieth day after his Resurrection from the grave was prefigured by the signe of the Prophet Ionas with the exposition of that signe given by our Saviour Mat. 12. 39. 40. ONe thing more I should have said in the former treatise but now must commend it to the Reader 's observation And 't is this that many of those propheticall passages specially in the Psalmes of bringing great things to passe by the right hand of the Lord have been are and sahll be most punctually fulfill'd of and in the Son of God incarnate since he was placed at the right hand of God the Father That his placing there includes an extraordinary eminency of power more then hath been formerly manifested the Lutheran I am sure doth not and I hope others cannot deny Two speciall manifestations of the power of the right hand of God were exhibited not long after his Ascension The first spirituall as the descending of the holy Ghost from which time the holy Catholique Church bare date or began to be in esse The other was the destruction of Ierusalem and the dispersion of the rejected reliques of Abraham's seed throughout the Nations 2 The circumstance of the time wherein he ascended which is the only point left to be discust is plainely set downe by the Evangelist S. Luke Act. 13. The Queries upon it are two The first how it was prefigured The second what it did portend 3 For the resolution of both these Queries there can be no firmer ground then the explication of a sacred text uttered by our Saviour himselfe Math. 12. v. 38. 39. c. Then certaine of the Scribes and of the Pharisees answered saying Master wee would see a signe from thee But he answered and said to them an evill and adulterous generation seeketh after a signe and there shall no signe be given to it but the signe of the Prophet Ionas For as Ionas was three daies and three nights in the whales belly so shall the son of man be three daies and three nights in the heart of the earth 4 But yet for any helpe we have from most Interpreters the explication of this Text is in it selfe more difficult then most of the former alleaged for our Saviour's Resurrection and Ascension Who so will read as many ancient or moderne expositors as Maldonat had done will haply subscribe to his censure of such as he hath read So farre was any of them from cleering this passage that not one besides Hilarius did in his judgment touch the principall difficulty contained in it And he that shall read this learned Writer's Comments upon this place will perhaps not condemnemy opinion of him delivered in former meditations But my desire is rather to explicate his and other Interpreters meaning whom he dislikes then contradict them and to rectifie the parallels intended by them betweene Types or Figures of the Old Testament and their accomplishment in the New 5 The principall dissiculties in our Saviour's parallel are first what manner of signe it was which the adulterous generation sought for The second to what purpose he gave them such a signe as they did not seeke after Our Saviour before and his Disciples after this time had given the Iewes one and other many miraculous signes How then doth hee say that no signe shall be given them besides the signe of the Prophet Ionas Some are of opinion that these Scribes and Pharisees desired some such glorious signe from heaven as Elias and Samuell had shewed
endure for ever and his throne as the Sunne before me It shall be established for ever as the moone and as a faithfull witnesse in heaven 8 The emphasis of the word once in the originall whether Hebrew or Greek is as well expressed by our English Proverb or Apophthegme Once done and aye done that is so well done as it needs no correction no amendment or reiteration Nor doe we read that God after the interposition of this oath first made to Abraham and afterward renewed to David did ever resume the like solemne Oath or make fuller declaration of it untill the seede promised was exhibited This is that which the Psalmist means I have sworn once by my holinesse that I will not fail David The true expression of which phrase is equivalent to that before mentioned upon the 18 vers of the 6 th to the Hebrews And the word in the originall is the very same with that which the Septuagint useth in the translation of this 89. Psalme The true meaning of both places is that not only the promise it self was irreversible but that the blessing promised after it was once exhibited should be exempted from all possibility of expiration or diminution The true reasoÌ„ whereof was because this promise was confirmed by Oath the declaration of his Oath reiterated in this Psalme verses the 36. and 37. being before avouched v. 3. And such reiterations in Scripture are not tautologies â—ut true characters as from the Scripture it hath beene afore observed of the stability of the thing promised or signified 10 The expressions in the beginning of this Psalme and in the close are Indices optimè moratae orationis true characters of pious humilitie and reverent devotion towards God The intermediate passages are full of expostulatorie passions This difference in the character perswades mee that the Psalmist did penne his owne part from the first v. to the 38. and represent the murmurings of male contents from the beginning of that verse unto 52. which is the last Two points more there be which require a further review before we leave this Psalm as first unto what former promises made to David in his life time the oath twice mentioned by the Psalmist doth literally referre Our later English in the margine upon v. the 3. sends the Reader an errand I must confesse not impertinent unto the fore-mentioned place of Samuel 2. Chap. 7. 11. Yet an errand which that place cannot fully dispatch for in that place there is no mention of an Oath Both the places cited out of the 89 Psalme literally referre unto the promise mentioned by Samuel but as it is confirmed by Oath upon record Psalme 132. which it is evident was composed by David himselfe a long time after the promise avouched by Nathan in the 2. Sam. 7. and longer before the 89 Psalme was penned The next querie worthy the judicious Readers consideration is what God's Oath by his holinesse or as the LXX Interpreters have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in or by my holy one doth directly signify or collaterally import That God swearing by his holinesse did directly and immediately sweare by himselfe is not controversed for the Oath for its substance and essentiall object is the very same with that Oath which he made to Abraham Genesis 22. where it is said by my selfe have I sworne for God's holinesse is himselfe But for the collaterall object of this one and the same Oath I referre the judicious and moderate Reader to Calvin's exposition or resolution of this doubt thus related by Coppen in his ingenuous and learned annotations upon the 36. v. of the 89 Psalme Per sanctitatem id est per meipsum Calvinus putat Deum jurasse per Templum tanquam praesentiae suae symbolum quoddam habitaculum Ita Calvinus in harmonia Evangelistarum v. 17. Ch. 23. Math. Vbi principium hoc ponit figit non esse fas nisi per unius Dei nomen jurare unde sequitur quascunque ad jurandum formulas homines adhibeant uni Deo servandum esse suum honorem unde colligitur quomodo quatenus per Templum jurare liceat videlicet quia sedes est Sanctuarium Dei sicuti per coelum quia illic refulget Dei gloria Deus enim se in talibus praesentiae suae Symbolis in testem Iudicem advocari patitur modo jus suum salvum retineat 11 If this annotation be true and othodoxall that when God did sweare by his holinesse he did by way of attestation call his Temple his holy place to witnesse I should not understand the materiall Temple as then not founded in Ierusalem but that heavenly Sanctuary or most holy place whereinto God's holy one whom he would not suffer to see or feele corruption in the grave was after his Resurrection from the dead to enter and there to remaine as our immortall Mediator and Intercessor For so the Son of God God blessed for ever should be as true and essentiall an object of this oth as the Father himselfe was And this interpretation doth well accord with our Apostles expression or exposition of God's Oath to Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee did interpose himselfe or intermediated by Oath 12 If the allegations hitherto mentioned cannot perswade I hope the authoritie and arguments of our Apostle will enforce the ingenuous Chtistian Reader to grant the maine conclusion in this discourse intended The Conclusion is briefly this However God's Promise made without an Oath be in the assertive sence the very same with promises confirmed by Oath yet in the charactericall sence they much differ Meere promises are conditionall and reversible the blessings so promised mutable or determinable by time but God's Oath annexed to his Promises is alway a character of irreversibility and of everlasting immutability after the blessing promised be possessed so farre as it concerns the life to come Two places there are in the seventh Chapter to the Hebrewes very pregnant to this purpose and which doe sufficiently authorize the fore-mentioned prenotion or received rule for interpreting all the former places of Scripture alledged as wee have done For after many forcible reasons to convince his Auditors that there was no such perfection in the Law or legall Priesthood as the Patriarchs and their godly fore-fathers did hope and wait for And that there was a necessity that both the Law and Priesthood should be changed which is the Subject of his discourse from verse the 10 hee pitcheth specially upon this verse And in asmuch as not without an Oath he was made Priest for those 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 Melchisedech by so much was Iesus made a surety of a better Testament Aaron and his sons had the promise were authorized by expresse charter to offer sacrifice and to blesse in
God's name for ever And what more could be said in the assertive sence of our high Priest Or what argument can there be drawne from sacred authority that the Priesthood of Aaron should not be that the Priesthood of the sonne of David should be everlasting and unchangeable The only sure ground of this inference is that mentioned by our Apostle because Aaron and his sonnes were made Priests were destinated and authorized to their function without an Oath whereas the sonne of David was destinated and assigned to his Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech by solemne Oath interposed by him that said Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech which words are three or foure times reiterated in this Chapter The contents or importances of the Oath are most divinely expressed by the Apostle from v. 23. to the end of the Chapter And they truly were many Priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death but this man or rather this Priest because he continueth for ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing hee ever liveth to make intercession for them for such an high Priest became us who is holy harmlesse undefiled separate from sinnes and higher then the heavens who needeth not dayly as those high Priests to offer up sacrifice first for his owne sinnes and then for the peoples for this he did once when hee offered up himselfe For the Law maketh men high Priests which have infirmitie but the word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Sonne who is Consecrated for evermore Christ the sonne of David was a mortall man before hee was consecrated to be an immortall Priest for his very death was a part of his Consecration And after the accomplishment of his Consecration the Priesthood of Aaron became void as being never confirmed by Oath For all things not so confirmed are at the best but commensurable to time or succession and time it selfe shall be abolished by oath Rev. 10. 6. Iuravit per viventem tempus non fore amplius That opinion of some heathen Philosophers as of Hierocles concerning the endlesse succession of time or perpetuall continuance of all things according to the course of nature which now they hold is probable did take its originall from a mistake or misapplication of the tradition or prenotion concerning the stabilitie or everlasting condition of things confirmed by Oath He with some others apply this undoubted rule unto things temporall or to this present world which holds true only of the world to come SECT 4. By what Persons and in what manner the Consecration of Iesus Christ the Son of God to his Priesthood was prefigured CHAP. 21. That Iesus or Iehoshua the sonne of Nun Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel and Iesus the sonne of Iehosadeck were speciall Types of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God respectively as he was to be made and now is both King and Prâ—est SOme good Historians have observed that many famous Kingdomes have been ruinated or extinguished under Princes of the same name with those that first did erect or advance them Darius the first King of that name in Persia made his Country famous and the Persians Lords of the best part of the inhabited world Another Darius makes Alexander famous by his mighty overthrow and raiseth up the Monarchy of Macedon by the fall of the Persian Augustus was the second great Caesar and the first perpetuall Roman Emperour and in Augustulus the very â—â—le of Emperour did die not so much as a shadow of the Roman Empire remained after him Constantine the great did first erect the Easterne Empire and founded the City of Constantinople the first of all Emperours that did publikely defend the Christian faith Another Constantine was the last Emperour of Constantinople leaving the Empire to the disposall of the Turke Baldwin Compeere of Godfrey of Bulloigne in the conquest of the Holy land and after his death created King of Ierusalem established this new King dome in peace which hee had wonne by warre Another of the same name and race leaves the Holy land it selfe for a prey unto the superstitious Mahumetan not repossest since his death by any Christian Prince 2 Nor doe humane stories only though many besides these alleadged might be produced afford us instances or observations in this ranke The visible Kingdome or Common-wealth of Israel taking Israel for the whole race of Iacob was first establish't and setled in peace by Hosea the son of Nun whom Moses upon fore-sight of this his good successe in planting the people of God in the land of their promised rest named Iehoshua that is to say a Savior In the dayes of Hosea the son of Elah did Israel as opposed unto the Kingdome of David that is tenne Tribes of twelve utterly cease to be a Nation Both King and people were led captives by Shalmanezar King of Assyria The Kingdome likewise or Common-wealth of Iudah did finally expire and determine under Iesus the sonne of David but altogether through this peoples fault hee never ceast to be a Saviour a greater Saviour of his people then Iesus the sonne of Nun had beene for hee was Salus ipsa Salvation it selfe But his people was become so wicked that salvation it selfe could not save them or preserve their common-wealth from ruine Howbeit to speake the truth this Iesus our Lord and Saviour did rather translate the Kindome of Iudah and David from earth to heaven then suffer it utterly to perish He still remaines a King and of his Kingdome there shall be no end though his Kingdome be not of this world nor over Israel or Iacob according to the flesh yet hee still ruleth in Iacob unto the ends of the world and so shall rule world without end This translation of the Kingdome of Iudah and David from earth to heaven or this new erection of this heavenly Kingdome by Iesus Christ our Savior was prefigured by onother Iesus as lively a Type or shadow of Christ as Iesus the sonne of Nun had been 3 For after Iudah through her riot and intemperancy had procured her bane as her sister Samaria had done and was carried for dead out of the dwellings wherein Iesus the sonne of Nun had first seated her the Lord in his all-foreseeing providence and in signe what was after to be accomplished and fulfilled concerning the Kingdome of David would have another Iesus the sonne of Iehosedeck to let Iudah after her recovery from captivity or civill death on her feet againe So it is specified 2. Esdras 3. Zach. 3. Haggai 2. that at this peoples returne from Babylon into their land Ieshua or Iesus the sonne of Iehosedeck was their high Priest and herein a Type of Christ as hee is our high Priest and Saviour Zerubbabel a Prince of the Tribe of Iudah and one of David's Line under whose conduct this people
Chapter no literall circumstance or meaning doth lead or direct us this way but the contrary to wit to his generation or off-spring to such a generation but farre more ample as the Israeliteâ— were of Abraham for so it followeth in the Prophet Hee was out off from the land of the living for the transgression of my people was hee striken And hee made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death because he had done â—â—â—â—â—lence neither was any deceit in his mouth and ver 10. When thou shalt make his soule an offering for sinne he shall see his seed hee shall prolong his dayes and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand He shall see of the travell of his soâ—le and be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall be are their iniquities v. 10. 11. They whose iniquities he did beare and whom hee justified are his seed or that Generation whereof the Prophet doth speake Vnto this purpose our Saviour himselfe doth speak Ioh. 12. ver 23. 24. When Andrew and Philip came unto him a litle before his Passion and told him certaine Greekes desired to see him he answered them saying The houre is come that the Sonne of man should be glorified Verily verily I say unto you except a corne of wheat fall into the ground and die it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit 12 In respect of this his Resurrection out of the grave he is called the first begotten from the dead for the Father of whom hee was begotten before all worlds from all eternities did now beget him as man unto glory and immortality According to his first birth as man by the blessed Virgin he was truly called the seed of Abraham the sonne of David According to the second birth or begetting him from the grave he is called the Father of the world to come and as man the Father of Abraham the Father of David yea and of Melchisedech himselfe who blessed Abraham For the life of glory and immortality doth descend to all that ever shall be partakers of it from the man Christ Iesus now possest of glory and immortality as truly and really as his mortality or life in the flesh did descend from Abraham from David or from his Mother the blessed Virgin 13 Isaac as all have knowne it was the true picture and shadow of our Saviour's death and deliverance from it The mighty increase likewise of Isaac and Iacob's seed was the embleme or pledge of our Saviour's seed or generation which cannot be numbred or declared 14 But the circumstances of our Saviour's selling of his betraying of his cruell persecutions by Priests and people the ungracious offspring of Israel or Iacob the whole legend of his humiliation unto death and exaltation after his Resurrection are more exactly fore-shadowed by the cruell persecutions of Ioseph procured by his brethren by his calamitie and advancement in Egyyt Their persecutions by the sonnes of Iacob doe in a manner parallel themselves Both of them were sold by a Iudas more for hope of gaine then desire of blood on their parts that sold them 15 The pit whereinto Ioseph's brethren cast him as also the pit or dungeon wherein hee lay in fetters after his comming into Egypt were true pictures of our Saviour's grave or of the pit whereinto his soule descended So was Ioseph's deliverance out of them a true shadow or resemblance of Christ's Resurrection Ioseph's high advancement by Pharaoh an exquisite Type or mappe of our Saviour's glorious Kingdome after his Resurrection or birth from the dead so Ioseph complains unto Pharaoh's butler Gen. 40. v. 15. I was stollen away out of the land of the Hebrewes and here also have I done nothing that they should put mee into the dungeon 16 The whole story of Ioseph's depression and advancement is set downe Psal 105. v. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. He sent a man before theÌ„ even Ioseph who was sold for a servant whose feet they hurt with fetters He was laid in iron until the time that his WORD came the WORD of the Lord tried him The King sent and loosed him even the Ruler of the people and let him goe free Hee made him Lord of his house and Ruler of all his substance To bind his Princes at his pleasure and teach his Senators wisedome 17 A more expresse draught or mappe as well of our Saviour's humiliation as of his exaltation is Gen. 39. ver 20. 21. and Gen. 41. ver 39. Instead of the prison or dungeon wherein Ioseph lay he is raised to the highest place in the Kingdome under Pharaoh Thou shalt be over my house saith Pharaoh to Ioseph and according to thy word shall all my people be ruled only in the throne will I be greater then thou See I have set thee over all the land of Egypt and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt So was our Saviour after his Resurrection made chiefe Ruler over the house of God Every house is builded by some man But he that built all things is God And Moses verily was faithfull in all his house as a servant for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after but Christ as a Sonne over his owne house whose house are wee The amplitude of Christ's Kingdome as man foreshadowed by Ioseph's advancement under Pharaoh over all the land of Egypt is described Psal 2. ver 10. specially Psal 8. ver 5. 6. Thou hast made him a litle while lower then the Angels and hast crowned him with glory and honour Thou mad'st him to have dominion over the workes of thy hands thou hast put all things under his feete Yet saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 15. 27. It is manifest that hee is excepted which put all things under him And when it is said that he sits at the right hand of God untill his enemies be made his footstoole it is included that hee at whose right hand hee sits is in throne or seate of dignity above him Againe Ioseph instead of the iron wherein he was bound hath the Kings ring put on his hand Instead of his ragged or squallid weeds hee is arayed in a vesture of fine linnen or silke Instead of his fetters and bonds hee hath a golden chaine put about his neck All these ornaments bestowed on Ioseph as the ancient and learned well observe were but resemblances of those glorious endowments wherewith our Saviour's Body or Humanitie hath since his Resurrection been invested 18 Ioseph was placed by Pharaoh in the second charriot and he made them cry before him Abrech that is as much as to say Lord or King to whom bowing of the knee was due All this and whatsoever more was done to Ioseph is but a model of that honour which as our Apostle tels us God hath commanded to be given to Christ Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given
him a name which is above every name that at the name of Iesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and that every tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father Philip. 2. verses 9. 10. 11. Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Iesus whom yee have crucified both Lord and Christ Act. 2. 36. CHAP. 31. Shewing the concludency of the allegations used by the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul to prove the truth of Christ's Resurrection and in particular of the Testimony Psal 2. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee NOt to repeat other Types or propheticall testimonies of Christ's entrance into immortall glory by the sufferings of death of which the Reader may find plenty as well in Postillers as Commentators nor to dilate upon such generall testimonies whether meerly typical or propheticall or typically propheticall as have been heretofore handled in the seventh and eighth Booke of these Comments upon the Creed as that of Psal 82. c. I make no question but those testimonies out of the Psalmes or Prophets which are avouch'd to this purpose by the Apostles themselves specially by S. Peter and S. Paul were expounded by our Saviour himselfe unto the two fore-mentioned Disciples which did accompany him unto Emmaus 2 Now the testimonies most insisted upon by the Apostles as well for convincing the Gentiles as the Iewes are specially three that of Psal the 2. Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee and Psal the 6. Thou wilt not leave my soule in hell nor suffer thine holy one to see corruption the third The Lord hath sworne and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech or which is much what the same The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstoole The extraordinary successe of all these allegations abundantly testifies that they were most concludent for many thousand soules at two severall times besides others were converted by them The testimony out of Psal 2. is prest home by S. Peter Act. 2. v. 6. to the 37. to the Iewes specially and by S. Paul both upon Iews and Gentiles Act. 13. Though with better successe upon the Gentiles The force and strength of this testimonie and likewise how farre it was meant of David and fulfilled in Christ hath been at large discust before The point at which these present endeavours aime is to declare how these two testimonies 1. Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee and 2. Thou art a Priest after the order of Melchisedech doe concludently and irrefragably inferre the Resurrection of Christ that Iesus whom the Iewes had crucified being both the Sonne of God and sonne of David and his Consecration to his everlasting Priesthood for unto this later point both testimonies are drawne by our Apostle Heb. 5. v. 5. and 6. But how close they reach this point whether jointly or severally is not so cleerly set forth by most interpreters as that the Reader unlesse his understanding farre surpasse mine will easily collect The generall meaning of our Apostle hath been declared in the first Section and in the close of the fourth of this Booke it is punctually thus Seeing Aaron's calling to the dignity of Priesthood was publiquely manifested to be from God no man after might take upon him to erect a new Priesthood no not to the temporall prejudice of Aaron and his successors much lesse to abolish this Priesthood which God had erected unlesse he could manifest to man and Angels that his Commission for thus doing was immediately from God and authentique being sealed by oath and solemnely executed And seeing no man might therefore Christ though God and man did not glorifie himselfe as the Apostle addes to be made an high Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee did put this dignity upon him Many Interpreters have stretcht their wits to make the literall sense of this Psalmist's words reach home to our Apostle's purpose Others so slight it as if they would give us to understand or cause to suspect our Apostle himselfe did not much stand upon it but only passe by it unto the second testimony Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech Albeit in my opinion the later testimony proves his fiat or Commission the former his ordination or execution of his Commission I will not wrong the judicious Reader 's patience with profering variety of such expositors unto his choise as his wisdome cannot approve Cajetan hath Ribera's approbation and of all the expositors which went before him drawes the Psalmist's Oracle Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee neerest to the point in question So farre I am from carping at any thing which those two expositors have said to the point now in question that I will endeavour to explicate and extend their meaning in the best sort I can The Priesthood saith Cajetan as Ribera expounds him before the Law given was annexed as a prerogative to the first borne and descended from Abraham to Isaac and by speciall dispensation to Iacob Now the whole dignity of the first borne being lost by Ruben was divided amongst three of his Brethren The Soveraignty or Principallity fell to Iudah the Priesthood to Levi and the double Portion to Ephraim And in Aaron the sonne of Levi was the Priesthood established long before the Kingdome was established in David the sonne of Iudah and to the Priesthood so established David's sons had as litle right as Aaron's sonnes had to the Crowne or Diadem God's peremptory decree for thus dividing these two prerogatives Azariah is not afraid to plead unto King Vzziah's face Chron. 2. 26. And his speech did take impression for hee had no sooner made an end of speaking but the leprosie begunne to appeare in King Vzziah's face and for his usurpation of the Priest's office and intrusion into the house of God he is utterly excluded from his pallace and enforced to resigne the government unto his Sonne But inasmuch as he of whom the Psalmist speakes is solemnely registred and by him declared to be the first borne and Sonne of God it is not lawfull only but expedient but very necessary that all the branches of the first borne's prerogative which Ruben had scattered should be reunited in his Person Againe in that he is the promised seed hee is the compleat heire of all the blessings bequeathed to Abraham and out of whatsoever tribe this promised seed was to spring the honour of Priesthood was as due unto him as the Kingdome Levi and Aaron were but as foefes in trust for conveying the Priesthood as Iudah and David were for making over the Kingdome unto him 3 All those suppositions and others perhaps more then Cajetan or Ribera though