〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacrifices vul Hostias and the Rhemists Hosts it may be to countenance their name of the Host in the Mass. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justum erat aequum erat it was just and equal vul necesse est in the present tense it is necessary Beza necesse fuit it was necessary properly and so the Syriack renders the Verb Substantive understood in the Original or included in the Infinitive Mood following in the Preterimperfect Tense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habere hunc habere Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 huic ut esset ei To this Man that there should be to him or with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vul aliquid quod offerat something that he may offer Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Something that he should offer The Arabick adds for himself corruptly For every High Priest is ordained appointed to offer Gifts and Sacrifices wherefore it is of necessity it was necessary that this man should have somewhat also to offer The Connexion of these words unto what was before asserted which giveth us the design of the Apostle in them is expressed in the causal Conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For. He both giveth a confirmation of what he had before affirmed namely that Christ was the Minister of the true Tabernacle that is of his Body and rendereth a reason why it should so be and this he farther confirms in the Verses ensuing The Reason he insists on is taken from the general nature of the Office of every High Priest That the Lord Christ is our High Priest he had sufficiently demonstrated and confirmed before this therefore he now assumes as granted And hereon what belongs unto him as such he farther manifests by shewing what the nature of that Office required and what did necessarily belong unto every one that was Partaker thereof There are therefore two things in the words I. A general Assertion of the Nature Duty and Office of every High Priest II. A particular Inference from thence of what did necessarily belong unto the Lord Christ in the susception and discharge of this Office In the first the Universality of the expression is to be observed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every High Priest By the context this Universal is cast under a Limitation with respect unto the Law every High Priest that is made or appointed by the Law for of those alone the Apostle treateth There was indeed never any High Priest accepted of God but those ordained by the Law yet was it necessary unto the Apostle to make mention of the Law also And although they were many of them yet were they all of the same order and Office and so were all alike authorized and obliged unto the same Duties Wherefore the Apostle thus expresseth it by every High Priest to evidence that there lay no exception against his argument seeing that in the whole multitude of High Priests in their succession from first to last there was no one but he was appointed unto this end and had this Duty incumbent on him Yea it is not one especial Duty of their Office that might be omitted which he insisteth on but the general end for which they were ordained as he expresseth it in the next word 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ordained that is appointed of God by the Law Of the sense of this word I have spoken before as also of the thing intended see Chap. 5. 12. Gods Ordination or Appointment gives Rules Measures and ends unto all sacred Offices and Employments Whoever undertakes any thing in Religion or Divine Worship without it besides it beyond it is a transgressour and therein worshippeth God in vain He whom God doth not ordain in his service is an Intruder and that which he doth not appoint is an usurpation Nor will he accept of any Dutys but what he himself hath made so 3. The principal end why the High Priests were ordained of God is expressed it was to offer Gifts and Sacrifices This appears in their Original Institution Exod. Chap. 28. 29. 1. They were to offer God appointed Aaron and his successors on purpose to offer Gifts and Sacrifices for the whole People 2. None but they were to offer that is none but the Priests were so none but they might approach unto God to offer any thing sacredly unto him The People might bring their Offerings unto God but they could not offer them on the Altar And some Offerings as those at the Feast of Expiation were appropriated unto the High Priests only So is the case stated by Azariah the High Priest 2 Chrom 26. 18. Not unto thee Uzziah to burn Incense unto the Lord but to the Priests the Sons of Aaron who are consecrated from Exod. 30. 7. Numb 18. 7. And God hereby taught the People that nothing should ever be accepted from them but in and by the hand of the great High Priest who was to come And this is that which we are yet taught thereby And whoever he be if as great and prosperous as King Uzziah who shall think to approach unto God immediately without the Interposition of this High Priest he is smitten with the plague of Spiritual Leprosy 4. What they were to offer is also declared Gifts and Sacrifices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Munera donaria dona Sometimes all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Corbanes in general are intended by this word For all sacred Offerings of what sort soever are so called at their first Institution Lev. 1. 2. If any one among you bring his Corban unto the Lord. And thereon the especial Kinds of Offerings and Sacrifices are enumerated which in general were all Corbans So every thing that is brought unto the Altar is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 5. 23 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when thou bringest thy Gift that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To Offer Gifts sacred Gifts of all sorts especially Sacrifices properly so called Or by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Minchoth may be intended as by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Zebachim are For these two contain the whole complex of sacred offerings For Zebachim or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are bloody Sacrifices Sacrifices by Immolation or killing of what sort soever the matter of it was or unto what especial end soever it was designed And the Minchoth were offerings of dead things as of Corn Oyl Meats and Drinks To offer all these was the Office of the Priesthood ordained And we are taught thereby That There is no Approach unto God without continual respect unto Sacrifice and Attonement The principal end of Sacrifices was to make Attonement for sin And so necessary was this to be done that the Office of the Priesthood was appointed for it Men do but dream of the Pardon of sin or acceptance with God without Attonement This the Apostle layeth down as that
it is represented in its terror and glory that they may be excited and stirred up to deal effectually with the Souls of men that they fall not under the Vengeance of that day So our Apostle affirms that it was with himself for having asserted the truth and certainty hereof in those words For we must all appear before the Judgement-seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done he adds thereunto Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we perswade men 2 Cor. 5. 10 11. Duely considering what will be the state of things with all men in that day how dreadful the Lord Christ will be therein unto impenitent sinners and what a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God I use all diligence to prevail with men to get such an interest in the Peace and Reconciliation tendred in the Gospel that they may be accounted worthy to stand in that day See Col. 1. 28. And without a continual due apprehension hereof it cannot be but that men will grow cold and dead and formal in their Ministry If the Judgement-seat of Jesus Christ be not continually in our eye whatever other motives we may have unto diligence in our work we shall have little regard to the Souls of men whether they live or die in their Sins or no without which whatever we do is of no acceptance with God 2. The consideration of it is peculiarly applied by the Holy Ghost against security in worldly enjoyments and those Evils wherewith it is usually accompanied So it is made use of by our blessed Saviour Luke 21. 34 35 36. And so by our Apostle 1 Thes. 5. 5 6 7 8. And this also is expressed in the Type of it or the Flood in the days of Noah nothing in it was more terrible unto men than that they were surprised in the midst of their enjoyments and employments Matth. 24. 38 39. 3. It is in like manner frequently applied unto the consolation of Believers under the troubles difficulties and persecutions which in this life they undergo 2 Thes. 1. 6 7 8 9 10. even the terror and the glory of it with the Vengeance which shall be executed in it are proposed as the matter of highest consolation unto Believers as indeed they are on many accounts not here to be insisted on See Isa. 35. 3 4. Luke 21. 31. Rev. 19. 7. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Rev. 22. 17. And therefore are we required to look for long for and what lies in us hasten to this day of the Lord when on all accounts our Joy shall be full 4. It is in like manner every where applied to the terror of ungodly and impenitent sinners 1 Thes. 5. 2 3. 2 Thes. 1. 6 7 8. Jude 14 15. and in many other places not to be numbred And unto these ends in an especial manner is the consideration of it to be by us improved These therefore that we may return to the Text are those fundamental principles of Christian Religion which the Apostle calls the Doctrine of Baptismes and the laying on of hands This was a summary of that Doctrine wherein they were to be instructed who were to be baptized and to have Imposition of hands thereon But there occurs no small difficulty from the use of the word Baptismes in the plural number For it is not any where else in the Scripture so used when the Baptism of the Gospel is intended and the Jewish washings are often so expressed The Syriack Interpreter which is our most ancient translation renders it in the singular number Baptism But because there is a full agreement in all Original Copies and the ancient Expositions also concur therein none have yet adventured to leave the Original and follow that translation but all generally who have commented on the place have considered how the word may be understood and explained And herein they have fallen into such various conjectures as I shall not spend time in the consideration and refutation of but content my self with the naming of them that the Reader may use his own judgement about them Some therefore suppose that mention is made of Baptisms because of the Baptism of John and Christ which as they judge were not only distinct but different But the Jews were indifferently baptized by the one or the other and it was but one Ordinance unto them Some because of the many Baptisms or washings among the Jews into the room of all which the mystery of our Baptism doth succeed But this of all other conjectures is the least probable and if any respect could be had thereunto it would have been necessary to have mentioned Baptism in the singular number Some think respect is had unto the several sorts of Gospel Baptism which are usually referred unto three heads fluminis flaminis sanguinis of the Water by external washing of the Spirit by internal purifying of Afflictions unto blood by both And thus the Apostle should not only intend the Baptism of Water but also the whole spiritual cleansing of the Soul and Conscience which was required of men at their initiation into Christian Religion called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 3. 21. with a purpose to seal their Confession with their Blood if called thereunto and therein being baptized with the Baptism wherewith the Lord Christ in his suffering was baptized Matth. 20. 23. And this hath in it much of probability and which next unto what I have fixed on I should embrace Some suppose regard may be had unto the stated times of Baptism which were fixed and observed in the Primitive Church when they baptized persons publickly but twice or thrice in the year But it is certain that this custom was not then introduced Some be take themselves unto an Enalogie of number which indeed is not unusual but there is nothing here in the Tet to give countenance unto a supposition of it Wherefore the most general interpretation of the words and meaning of the Apostle is that although Baptism be but one and the same never to be repeated or reiterated on the same subject nor is there any other Baptism or Washing of the same kind yet because the Subjects of it or those who were baptized were many every one of them being made partakers of the same Baptism in special that of them all is called Baptisms or the Baptism of the many All persons who began to attend unto the Gospel were diligently instructed in the fore-mentioned principles with others of an alike nature for they are mentioned only as instances before they were admitted unto a participation of this Ordinance with imposition of hands that ensued thereon these therefore are called the Doctrine of Baptisms or the Catechetical fundamental truths wherein those to be baptized were instructed as being the things whereof they were to make a solemn profession But if we shall follow the other interpretation and suppose that this Doctrine of Baptisms
is an epression of a distinct principle by it self then cannot the word by any means be restrained unto the Baptism by Water only For although this be an important head of Christian Doctrine namely the declaration use and end of our Sacramental Initiation into Christ and the Profession of the Gospel yet no reason can be given why that should be called Baptisms seeing it hath respect only to the thing it self and not to the persons who are made partakers of it Admit therefore of this sense that it is the Doctrine concerning Baptisms which is intended and then the whole of what is taught or the substnace of it concerning the Sanctification and Purification of the Souls of men in their Insition into and Union with Christ outwardly epressed in the Sign of Baptism and wrought inwardly by the Spirit and Grace of God through the efficacy of the Doctrine of the Gospel in opposition to all the legal and carnal washings among the Jews is intended hereby So the Lord Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word Ephes. 5. 26. And indeed the Doctrine hereof is among the Rudiments of Christian Religion But I yet adhere to the former Eposition and that also because unto Baptisms Imposition of hands whose nature we must netly enquire into is added Some suppose that by this Imposition of hands that Rite in the Church which was afterward called Confirmation is intended For whereas there were two sorts of persons that were baptized namely those that were adult at their first hearing of the Gospel and the infant Children of Believers who were admitted to be members of the Church the first sort were instructed in the principles mentioned before they were admitted unto Baptism by the profession whereof they laid the foundation of their own personal Right thereunto But the other being received as a part and branches of a Family whereupon the blessing of Abraham was come and to whom the Promise of the Covenant was extended being thereon baptized in their Infancy were to be instructed in them as they grew up unto years of understanding Afterwards when they were established in the knowledge of these necessary truths and had resolved on personal Obedience unto the Gospel they were offered unto the fellowship of the Faithful And hereon giving the same account of their Faith and Repentance which others had done before they were baptized they were admitted into the Communion of the Church the Elders thereof laying their hands on them in token of their Acceptation and praying for their Confirmation in the Faith Hence the same Doctrines became previously necessary unto both these Rites before Baptism to them that were adult and towards them who were baptized in Infancy before the Imposition of hands And I do acknowledge that this was the state of things in the Apostolical Churches and that it ought to be so in all others Persons baptized in their Infancy ought to be instructed in the fundamental principles of Religion and make profession of their own Faith and Repentance before they are admitted into the Society of the Church But that in those first days of the first Churches persons were ordinarily after Baptism admitted into their Societies by Imposition of hands is no where intimated in the Scripture And the whole business of Confirmation is of a much later date so that it cannot be here intended For it must have respect unto and express somewhat that was then in common use Now there is mention in the Scripture of a fourfold Imposition of hands used by the Lord Christ and his Apostles The first was peculiar unto his own person in the way of Authoritative Benediction Thus when he owned little Children to belong to his Covenant and Kingdom He laid his hands on them and blessed them Mark 10. 16. But this was peculiar to himself who had all blessings in his Power and hereof this is the only instance Secondly This Rite was used in the healing of Diseases They laid their hands on sick weak and impotent people healing them in a miraculous manner Luke 4. 40. Mark 16. 18. Acts 28. 8. This was the sign of the Communication of healing virtue from the Lord Christ by their Ministry Thirdly Imposition of hands was used in the setting apart of persons to the office and work of the Ministry 1 Tim. 4. 14. Chap. 5. 22. Acts 6. 6. the Rite herein was derived from the Old Testament Numb 8. 11. the whole Congregation laid hands on the Levites in their Consecration And it was of old of common use among the Jews in the dedication of their Rulers Rabbi's or Teachers being called by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fourthly It was used by the Apostles in the collation of the supernatural spiritual Gifts of the Holy Ghost unto them who were baptized Acts. 8. 17. Acts 19. 6. In no other Duties of Religion was this Rite made use of as to any mention that is made thereof in the New Testament or Records concerning the practice of the Primitive Churches The first of these as we observed was only a personal action of our Lord Jesus Christ and that in one single instance so not here intended The second was extraordinary also and that wherein the generality of Christians was not concerned nor can any reason be given why the mention of a thing extraordinary occasional and temporary should be here inserted The third was a Rite of standing use in the Church and that wherein Church Order is much concerned But as to the use of it one sort of persons only was concerned therein And no just reason can be given why the Apostle from the Doctrine of the first intrants of Christian Religion should proceed to the Ordination of Ministers omitting all other Rites of the Church especially that of the Supper of the Lord wherein so great a part of the Worship of the Church consisted Besides there is no ground to give a probability that the Apostle should insert the observation of this Rite or the Doctrine concerning it in the same order and under the same necessity with those great fundamentals of Faith Repentance the Resurrection and Eternal Judgement Wherefore the Imposition of hands in the last sense mentioned is that which most probably is intended by our Apostle For 1 adhering to our first interpretation as the most solid and firm the Imposition of hands intended is a description of the persons that were to be instructed in the other fundamental principles but is no principle its self And this is not appliable unto any other of the uses of this Rite For 2 This laying on of hands did commonly if not constantly in those days accompany or immediately follow Baptism Acts 8. 14 15 16 17. Acts 19. 6. And a thing this was of singular present use wherein the Glory of the Gospel and its propagation were highly concerned This was the state of things in the world When
are encouraged to expect it by the Examples of those who went before them in Faith and Patience Wherefore he requires Lastly That they should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imitatores eorum Imitatores is not used in our Language and when it is it rather signifies mimicks or contains some reflection of blame or weakness than what it is here applied unto Wherefore we render it followers that is in doing what they did treading and walking in their steps as our Apostle expresseth it Rom. 4. 12. as we are to follow the steps of Christ 1 Pet. 2. 21. It is to think we hear them saying unto us what Abimelech did to his Soldiers Judges 9. 48. What you have seen us do make haste and do as we have done All Believers all the Children of God have a right unto an Inheritance How they came by this right was before declared It is by that Adoption whereby they are made Children of God and all Gods Children are Heirs as the Apostle affirms And this Inheritance is the best and the greatest on the account of security and value 1 Let an Inheritance be never so excellent and valuable yet if it be not secure if a mans Title unto it be not firm and unquestionable if he may be defeated of it by fraud or force which things all Earthly Right and Titles are obnoxious unto it takes off the worth of it But this Inheritance is conveyed settled and secured by the Promise Covenant and Oath of God 2 Sam. 23. 5. Rom. 4. 16. These secure this Inheritance from all possibility of our being defeated of it 2 The value of it is inexpressible It is a Kingdom Matth. 25. 34. Jam. 2. 5. Salvation Ileh 1. 14. The Grace of Life 1 Pet. 3. 7. Eternal Life Tit. 3. 7. God himself who hath promised to be our Reward Rom. 8. 17. The providing of Examples for us in the Scripture which we ought to imitate and follow is an effectual way of teaching and a great fruit of the care and kindness of God towards us The use of Examples to be avoided in sin and punishment the Apostle declared and insisted on in the third Chapter which we have also improved as we are able Here he proposeth those which we are to comply with and conform our selves unto which afterwards chap. 11. he farther presseth in very many particular Instances And as there is a great efficacy in Examples in general which hath been spoken uoto on chap. 3. so there are many advantages in those which are proposed unto our Imitation in the Wisdom of the holy Spirit For 1 the things and Duties which we are exhorted unto are represented unto us as possible and that on terms not uneasie or grievous Considering all the Difficulties and Oppositions from within and without that we have to conflict withall we may be ready to think it impossible that we should successfully go through with them and come off safely at the last To obviate this despondency is the design of the Apostle in that long series of Examples which he gives us chap. 11. For he undeniably demonstrates by Instances of all sorts that Faith will infallibly carry men through the greatest difficulties they can possibly meet with in the Profession and Obedience of it There is no more required of us than such and such persons by the Testimony of God himself have successfully passed through And if we follow them not it is nothing but Spiritual Sloth or the Love of the world and sin that retards us 2 Great Examples do naturally stir up and animate the minds of men who have any thing of the same Spirit with them by whom they were performed to do like them yea to out-do them if it be possible So Themistocles said that Miltiades's Victory against the Persians would not let him sleep Being a person of the same kind of courage with him it stirred him up in a noble emulation to equal him in an hazardous and successful defence of his Country But then it is required that there be the same Spirit in us as was in them whose Examples are proposed unto us Let the examples of persons Valiant and Heroical in their great and noble Actions be set before men of a weak and pusillanimous nature or temper and you will amaze or affright but not at all encourage them Now the Spirit and Principle wherewith the Worthies of God whose Example is set before us were acted withall was that of Faith In vain should we encourage any unto a following or imitation of them who hath not the same Spirit and Principle This the Apostle requireth hereunto 2 Cor. 4. 13. We having the same Spirit of Faith according as it is written I believed and therefore have I spoken we also believe and therefore speak Had we not the same Spirit of Faith with them we could not do as they did And we may take a Trial hereby whether our Faith be genuine or no. For if their Examples move us not excite us not unto the like Duties of Obedience with them it is an evidence that we have not the same Spirit of Faith with them As the Courage of a Valiant man is enflamed by a noble Example when a Coward shrinks back and trembles at it On this supposition there is great force in that direction Jam. 5. 10. Take my Brethren the Prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an Example of Suffering Affliction and Patience Let a Minister of the Gospel who is made partaker in his measure of the same Spirit conside how Elijah Jeremiah Peter Paul and the rest of those Holy Souls who spake in the name of the Lord carried themselves under their Afflictions and Trials and it will inflame his Heart to ingage chearfully in the like Conflicts 3 These Examples are so represented unto us as plainly to discover and point out where our Dangers lye on the one hand and where our Assistance and Relief lye on the other These two rightly considered and understood in all our Duties will give us the best directions we can possibly receive When we know our Dangers and our Reliefs aright we are half way through our Difficulties When these are out of mind when we know them not on every occasion we fall under surprisals and troubles Now in the Examples proposed unto us there is withall through the wisdom and care of the Spirit of God represented unto us the Temptations which befell those who are so our patterns the Occasions of them their Advantages Power or Prevalency wherein they missed it or failed exposing themselves unto the power of their Spiritual Enemies and on the other hand what course they took for Relief what Application they made unto God in their Difficulties and Distresses and wherein alone they reposed their confidence of success These things might be confirmed by manifold Instances 4 There is in them also made known what Interveniences and Disturbances in our course of
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sure and not a deceiving Imagination It maketh not ashamed Rom. 5. 5. by any failure or disappointment Groundless Presumptions are the deceitful Engines whereby the Souls of multitudes are ruined every day of no more use than if the Mariners should cast out a Logg or a burden of Straw to stay their Vessel in a Storm But Hope proceeding on and built on Faith is infallible and will not deceive 2 In its Use it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firm and invincible against all oppositions not indeed from its self but from the ground which it fixeth upon namely Christ in the Promise as the next words declare For Secondly The way or means whereby this spiritual Anchor secures our Souls is expressed in the words following and which entereth into that within the Vail And herein there is a dissimilitude in the comparates For an Anchor is cast downwards and fixeth it self in the Earth at the bottom of the Sea but Hope ascendeth upwards and fixeth it self in Heaven or in that which is therein And we must enquire 1 What is this Vail 2 How Hope entreth it 3. What is that within it that Hope entreth into 1 For the Vail it self the Apostle unto that natural Allusion which he insists upon adds also one that is Typical which renders the whole context figurative as we shewed before The Vail therefore here alluded unto was that which parted the most holy place from the Sanctuary or Body of the Temple This our Apostle calls the second Vail chap. 9. 3. and here the Vail absolutely For the Body of the Temple whereinto the Priests only entred to offer Incense was separated from the People by the first Vail as the most Holy place was from that by the second Vail Through the former the ordinary Priests passed every day to offer Incense through the latter the High Priest passed and that once a year Now that which was denoted hereby with respect unto Christ and his Priesthood were these aspectable Heavens through which he passed in his Ascension into the glorious Presence of God See our Exposition on chap. 4. ver 14. Within the Vail therefore is within and above these visible Heavens the place of Gods glorious Residence the Holy Tabernacle not made with hands where the Lord Christ continueth to administer for his Church 2 This Hope entreth into or passeth through The Heavens are as a Vail unto the sense and reason of man there their sight and their thoughts are bounded they can neither discern nor judge of any thing that is above or within that Vail But Faith with Hope pierceth through it no created thing can keep them at a distance from God himself As an Anchor stays not in the Waves of the Sea as it cannot fix it self in the Waters but pierceth through them until it come unto solid Earth in the bottom no more doth or can the Hope of a Believer fix it self on any thing under these Heavens but it pierceth through all till it come within the Vail And this it doth 1 under the conduct of Faith which goes before it and presents unto it the things hoped for Heb. 11. 1. 2 By the Rule and Line of the Word which on no occasion it will vary from And 3 this it doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to that which is within And what is it that is within this Vail not an Ark and a mercy-seat not Tables of Stone and Cherubims the work of mens hands but the things signified by them God himself on a Throne of Grace and the Lord Christ as the High priest of the Church standing at his Right Hand God the Father as the Author of the Promise of Grace Christ as the Purchaser of all Mercy the Counsel of Peace being between them both Here Hope fixeth it self to hold the Soul stedfast in all the Storms and Tempests that may befall it Wherefore that which Hope fixeth on within the Vail is 1 The Father as the Author 2 The Lord Christ as the Purchaser 3 The Covenant as the Conveyance of all Grace which were all Typically represented by the things within the Vail of Old And the Apostle makes use of this Expression for two Reasons 1 Because our Hope and Faith are not now fixed and bounded on Types Shadows and obscure Representations of the good things of the Promise as things were under the Old Testament All these things are now passed away and we have immediately to deal with God and Christ Jesus 2 To instruct the Hebrews in the Nature and Use of the Old Tabernacle Institutions and from thence in the true Nature of the Priesthood of Christ which he is now returning unto And we may observe from these words That all true Believers are exposed to Storms and Tempests in this world This makes Anchors so necessary for them The wise God would not have provided an Anchor for them and enjoyned its use if he had not known they would be exposed unto Storms He that dwells at peace in his House of all things thinks least of an Anchor But we are to look for Storms Suppose we might pass our time of sojourning here without outward Troubles which yet he is exceedingly unwise who promiseth unto himself any such thing whilst we are in the Flesh and accompanied with so many occasions of Distress on every hand yet who can escape from those inward Trials Exercises and Troubles from Temptations Darkness Sin and the Law wherewith we are often tossed and afflicted and it may be for a season not comforted For These Storms would prove ruinous unto the Souls of Believers were they not indefeasibly interested by Faith and Hope in the Promise of the Gospel Every Storm almost will be too hard for Ships without Cables or Anchors And as little security have we in a time of Trial from any thing in our selves if Hope hold not fast on the Promise which is the Anchor of the Soul And this it will do if it be genuine For No distance of place no Interposition of difficulties can hinder the Hope of Believers from entring into the Presence of and fixing it self on God in Christ. It pierceth through the Clouds passeth through the Heavens stops not at their glorious Vail until it comes unto the Eternal Fountain and Spring of all Grace and Mercy And therefore The strength and assurance of the Faith and Hope of Believers is invisible unto the world They enter in within the Vail where no Eye of Reason can pursue them There all their concerns are hid and the secret Influence which unto all purposes they have from thence is sometimes admired sometimes derided by the blind and wicked world However it is effectual to their good For Hope firmly fixed on God in Christ by the Promise will hold steady and preserve the Soul in all the Storms and Trials that may befall it It is an Anchor both sure and stedfast Wherefore It is our Wisdom at all times
he who is the Forerunner or Harbinger is so and no more But now although the Lord Christ be a Forerunner also yet he is more He is the Person in whose hand lyeth the whole affair and its conduct And he was himself the Forerunner because of the greatness of the matter he had in hand not manageable by any other And we may consider the words distinctly 1 His being a Forerunner 2 For us 3 Where he is so within the Vail 1 He is in his entrance into Heaven or the Holy place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Forerunner This the High Priest of Old when he entred once a year into the Holy place was not He entred thereinto himself but he made no way for any to follow after He did not go before the People to give them an entrance into the Holy place but both by his entrance and his return signified their exclusion for ever We have then herein another Instance of the excellency of our High Priest and his Office When he entred into the Holy place he did it not meerly for himself but to go before to lead and conduct the whole Church into the same Glory 2 He is a Forerunner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for us that is for all Believers for the whole Church in all Times Ages and Places And this he is three ways 1. By way of Declaration It belongs unto a Forerunner to carry Tidings and to declare what is the success that hath been obtained in the Affair which he giveth an account of The Lord Christ entring into Heaven makes an open declaration that he hath led Captivity Captive spoiled Principalities and Powers triumphed over them that he hath obtained his Portion and divided the spoil with the strong Isa. 53. 12. that he hath rescued his Church from the Power of Sin Sathan Death and Law And there were two parts of the Triumphant Declaration made by this Forerunner of the Church 1 That he had discharged his Original Engagement for the Salvation of Believers under the Old Testament on the Faith whereof they were accepted with God and saved Hence upon his entrance within the Vail they also joyn in that doxologie Rev. 5. 9 10 11 12. And he was their Forerunner also For although I have no apprehension of the Limbus Patrum fancied by the Papists yet I think the Fathers that died under the Old Testament had a nearer Admission into the Presence of God upon the Ascension of Christ than what they enjoyed before They were in Heaven before the Sanctuary of God but were not admitted within the Vail into the most holy place where all the Counsels of God in Christ are displayed and represented There was no entrance before either as to Grace or Glory within the Vail Heb. 9. 8. For as I said within the Vail are all the Counsels of God in Christ laid open as they were typed in the Holy place This none could or were to behold before his own entrance thither Wherefore he was their Forerunner also 2 To declare the Redemption of all the Elect that were to follow him in their several Generations This is Triumphantly declared in Heaven Psal. 47. 5 6 7. Psal. 68. 18 24 25 26. 2. By way of Preparation And this is twofold 1 With respect unto our present gracious entrance into the Holiest by Faith and Prayer This way was not made for us whilst the Old Tabernacle was standing chap. 9. 8. But this way is now prepared for us by our Forerunner Chap. 10. 19 20 21 22. We have an entrance into Heaven even whilst we are here on the Earth An entrance is made for our Faith for our Hope for our Prayer wherever they enter our Souls do enter and are present And this entrance we make daily and that with boldness and assurance on the account of our Forerunner 2 As unto our future entrance into Glory Under this capacity as a Forerunner it belongs unto him to prepare Mansions for us in his Fathers House whither he is gone and which he hath promised to do Joh. 14. 23. He prepares Mansions for us and he prepares us for those Mansions suiting Grace and Glory unto each other Heaven indeed is ready for us whenever we are meet and ready for Heaven 3. By the way of Possession He had now obtained for the Church Eternal Redemption and purchased for them and in their Name an Everlasting Inheritance Acts 26. 18. This he went for them and in their Name to take possession of and to reserve it in the Heavens for them 1 Pet. 1. 4. Hereon being by Adoption made Heirs of God they become to be Coheirs with Christ Rom. 8. 17. and are at last admitted into the same Glory with him So is he a Forerunner for us 3. As a Forerunner he is entred within the Vail that is into Heaven it self the place of the glorious Presence of God And this also may be considered two ways 1. With respect unto what he hath already done for us and two things are included therein 1 That he had compleatly finished the work he had to do upon the Earth He had absolutely won the Victory and secured the Church from all its spiritual Adversaries Without this a Triumphant Entrance into Heaven had not been granted unto him 2 Gods blessed Approbation of all that he had done here below Isa. 53. 11 12. Phil. 2. 7 8 9 10 11. 2. With respect unto what he hath yet to do for us Hence it is that he is not said absolutely to enter into his Glory but to enter as a Priest as through a Vail as into the Holy place where he continues as our Forerunner in the exercise of that Office as the Apostle declares in the close of the Verse made an High Priest after the order of Melchisedec whereof we must treat in the next Chapter Now the Lord Jesus being thus entred into Heaven as our Forerunner gives us manifold security of our entrance thither also in the appointed season This he assures us of Joh. 14. 3 19. For 1 He passed through all the Storms of Trials Temptations Persecutions and Death it self that we are exposed unto and yet is landed safely in Eternal Glory His Anchor was Trust and Hope in all his Storms chap. 2. 13. Isa. 50. 7 8 9. And it was tried to the utmost Psal. 22. 8 9 10. It preserved him in them all and will be no less Faithful unto the whole Church As he hath thus gone before us he is able to succour us and hath given us in himself a Pledge of success 2 He is now where our Hope is fixed namely within the Vail where he takes care of it and will preserve it unto the end Again If the Lord Christ be entred in Heaven as our Forerunner it is our Duty to be following of him with all the speed we can And it is required hereunto 1 That we be willing to follow him in the way wherein he went as well as unto
Priests in that he was a King And we may Observe that Acts of Munificence Bounty are memorable Praise-worthy though they no way belong unto things Sacred by Virtue of Divine Institution So was this Bringing forth of Bread Wine by Melchisedec to Refresh Abraham and his People though there was nothing of Sacrifice therein In former Ages either Men were more inclined to such Acts than now they are or there were more efficacious means of engaging them thereunto than are judged meet now to be made Use of because perhaps discovered to have something of deceit in them But this went along with all their Bounty that they would make the Acts of it Sacred and Religious all should be peculiarly devoted and dedicated unto God wherein although their Pious Intentions are to be commended yet it may justly be feared that they missed of their aim in making Things and Services Sacred which God had not made so But such Acts as those we speak of towards Men need no more of Religion in them but that they be done in Obedience to the Will of God who requires of us to do good to all and to exercise loving kindness in the Earth They are so good and Praise-worthy provided 1. They are of real Use and not in things that serve only for Ostentation and show 2. That they enterfere with no other especial Duty nor cause an Omission of what is Necessary c. Again It is acceptable with God that those who have Laboured in any Work or Service of his should receive Refreshments and Encouragements from men For as such an acceptable Service is the Relief given to Abraham and his People by Melchisedec Celebrated God is himself a sufficient Reward unto his People in and for all their Services He needs not call in the help of Men to give them a Recompence However it is well-pleasing unto him that he or his Work which they do in any thing be owned by Men. IV. The Apostle proceeds with his Description of the Subject of his Proposition with Respect unto that Office which he principally regards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Priest of the most High God Two things are here asserted 1. That in general he was a Priest 2. The Limitation of that Office with Respect unto the Author and Object of it is expressed He was a Priest of the most High God First he was a Priest and he was the first that was so by especial Institution How the Rite of Sacrificing was common to all Worshippers of Old and what was the peculiar Interest of the First-born therein I have at large before declared I have also proved that Melchisedec was the first who was Authoritatively separated unto this Office by Gods Approbation And as it was a new so it was a great and Remarkable thing in the World For although we know not how far it was received or understood by the Men of that Age who I believe were not stupidly Ignorant and Carnal as some would have them to be yet certain it is that the Institution of this Office and the Representation of it in the Person of Melchisedec gave great Light and Instruction into the Nature of the first Promise and the work of the Blessing Seed which was to be exhibited For the Faith of the Church in all Ages was so directed as to believe that God had respect unto Christ and his Work in all his Institutions of Worship Wherefore the Erection of the Office of a Priesthood to offer Sacrifice and that in the Person of so great a Man as Melchisedec must needs lead them into an Acquaintance with the Nature of his work in some measure both he and it being so conspicuously represented unto them In this general Assertion that he was a Priest two things are included 1. That he was truly and really a man and not an Angel or an Appearance of the Son of God praelusory unto his Incarnation For every Priest is taken from among men Chap. 5. 1. of the same common Nature with other Men and in the same state untill he be separated unto his Office And so was Melchisedec a Man called out from amongst Men or he was not a Priest 2. That he had an Extraordinary Call into his Office For he falleth likewise under that other Rule of our Apostle No man taketh this Honour unto himself unless he be Called of God Heb. 5. 4. But of what Nature this Call was and how he received it cannot positively be determined in particular Two things are certain concerning him negatively 1. That he came not to this Office in the Church by Succession unto any that went before him as did all the Levitical Priests after Aaron There was none went before him in this Office as none Succeeded unto him as we shall see immediately And when the Lord Christ is said to be a Priest after the Order of Melchisedec it doth not suppose that he was of any certain Order wherein were a Series of Priests succeeding one another but only that it was with Christ as it was with him in point of Call and Office Wherefore his Call was Personal in some Act of God towards him wherein himself and no other was concerned 2. He was not called or set apart unto his Office by any outward Unction Solemn Consecration or Ceremonious Investiture For the Lord Christ Jesus had none of these who was made a Priest after the manner that he was only there was an outward sign of his Call unto all his Offices in the descending of the Holy Ghost on him in the form of a Dove Mat. 3. John 1. These things belonged purely unto the Law and Aaronical Priesthood wherein Spiritual things were to have a Carnal Representation And those by whom they are received in the separation of any unto an Evangelical Office do prefer the Ministration of the Law before that of the Gospel as more Glorious because they discern not the Glory of Spiritual things Besides there was none in the World greater than he nor nearer unto God to confer this Office upon him as Aaron was Consecrated by Moses For in the Authoritative Collation of an Office there is a Blessing and without Controversie he who Blesseth is greater than he who is Blessed by him as we shall see immediately And therefore would not God make Use of any outward means in the Call or the Separation of the Lord Christ unto his Offices or any of them because there was none in Heaven or Earth Greater than he or nearer unto God to be employed therein Angels and Men might bear Witness as they did unto what was done by the Lord God and his Spirit Isa. 61. 1. but they could confer nothing upon him And therefore in the Collation of the Ministerial Office under the Gospel the Authority of it resides only in Jesus Christ. Men can do no more but design the Person according to his Rules and Laws which may be done among Equals Wherefore the Call of
Sacred Administrations the same proportionably is their Interest Power and Duty to act towards them in the Name of God in the Blessing of them And therefore Ministers may Authoritatively bless their Congregations It is true they can do it onely Declaratively but withall they do it Authoritatively because they do it by Virtue of the Authority committed unto them for that purpose Wherefore the Ministerial Blessing is somewhat more than Euctical or a meer Prayer Neither is it meerly Doctrinal and Declaratory but that which is built on a particular especial warranty proceeding from the Nature of the Ministerial Office But whereas it hath respect in all things unto other Ministerial Administrations it is not to be used but with reference unto them and that by them by whom at that season they are Administred Secondly There was an especial Institution of a Sacerdotal Benediction under the Old Testament Recorded Numb 6. 22 23 24 25 26 27. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying speak unto Aaron and his Sons saying On this wise shall ye Bless the Children of Israel saying The Lord Bless thee and keep thee the Lord make his Face to shine upon thee and be Gracious unto thee the Lord lift up the light of his Countenance upon thee and give thee Peace and they shall put my Name on the Children of Israel and I will Bless them Their putting the Name of God upon the People was their praying for and pronouncing Blessings on them in his Name by virtue of this Institution For it is an Institution whereby the Name of God is put on any thing or Person Hereon God would effectually bless them This especial Institution I acknowledge was after the Days of Melchisedec and the cessation of his Office as to actual Administration But it is apparent and may be proved that many if not the most of those Sacred Institutions which were given in one Systeme unto Moses were singly and gradually given out by Inspiration and Prophecy unto the Church before the giving of the Law onely at Sinai their Number was increased and the Severity of their Sanction heightned Thus this Sacerdotal Benediction was but a Transcript from and expressive of that Power and Form of Blessing which Melchisedec as a Priest enjoyed and used before And from what hath been spoken we may gather the Nature of this Blessing of Melchisedec wherewith he Blessed Abraham For 1. It had the Nature of a Blessing in general whereby any one Man may bless another in that it was Euctical and Eucharistical It included both Prayer for him and Thanksgiving on his Account unto God And 2. It was Authoritative and Sacerdotal He was the Priest of the High God and he blessed Abraham that is by virtue of his Office For so the Nature of the Office requireth and so God had in particular appointed that the Priests should bless in his Name 3. It was Prophetical proceeding from an immediate Inspiration whereby he declares the confirmation of the great Blessing Promised unto Abraham Blessed be Abraham And we may see 1. That he who hath received the greatest Mercies and Priviledges in this World may yet need their Ministerial confirmation Abraham had before received the Blessing from the Mouth of God himself And yet it was no doubt a great confirmation of his Faith to be now blessed again in the Name of God by Melchisedec And indeed such is the estate of all the Faithful the Children of Abraham in this World that what through the weakness of their Faith what through the greatness of their Temptations and Trials they stand in need of all Ministerial Renovations of the Pledges of Gods good will towards them We are apt to think that if God should speak once unto us as he did to Abraham and assure us of the Blessing we should never need farther confirmation whilst we live But the Truth is he doth so speak unto all that believe in the Word and yet we find how much we want the Ministerial Renovation of it unto us Bless God for the Ministry for the Word and Sacraments Ordinarily our Faith would not be kept up without them 2. In the Blessing of Abraham by Melchisedec all Believers are Virtually Blessed by Jesus Christ. Melchisedec was a Type of Christ and represented him in what he was and did as our Apostle declares And Abraham in all these things bare the Person of or Represented all his Posterity according to the Faith Therefore doth our Apostle in the foregoing Chapter Entitle all Believers unto the Promises made unto him and the Inheritance of them There is therefore more than a bare story in this matter A blessing is in it conveyed unto all Believers in the way of an Ordinance for ever 3. It is Gods Institution that makes all our Administrations Effectual So did Sacerdotal Benedictions become Authoritative and Efficacious Innumerable ways and means of blessing things and persons have been found out in the Papacy They will bless Bells Steeples and Churches Church-yards Utensils Fonts Candles Salt and Children by Confirmation There is in Truth in them all a want of that wisdom Gravity and Reverence which ought to accompany Men in all Religious Services but that which renders them all Useless and casts them out of the Verge of Religion is that they want a Divine Institution The Second Sacerdotal Act or Exercise of Priestly Power ascribed unto Melchisedec is that he received Tithes of all To whom Abraham also gave the Tenth of all As Abraham gave them in a way of Duty so he received them in a way of Office So the Apostle expresseth it ver 6. He received Tithes of Abraham or Tithed him And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all is limited unto the Spoyls which he took of the Enemies ver 4. To whom Abraham gave the Tenth of the Spoyls This in the Original History is so expressed as to leave it doubtful both to whom the Tenths were given and of what they were Gen. 14. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he gave him the Tenth of all The words immediately preceding are the words of Melchisedec and the Story concerneth him so that if the Relative included in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he gave do answer unto the next Antecedent Melchisedec gave the Tenth of all unto Abraham Nor doth it appear what the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or all was that is intended whether his own whole Estate or all the Tithable things which he had then with him But all this Ambiguity is removed by our Apostle according to the mind of the Holy Ghost and withal declared how great a Mystery depended on the right understanding of those words It was Abraham that gave the Tenth of all to Melchisedec whereby he acknowledged him to be the Priest of the High God and the Type of the Son of God as Incarnate every way Superiour unto him who but newly received the Promises And that the Tenth which he gave was only of the Spoyls that
Truths there are which have such an Evidence in themselves and such a Suitableness unto the Principles of Reason and Light Natural that no colour of Opposition can be made unto them And if any out of brutish Affections or Prejudices do force an Opposition unto them they are to be neglected and not Contended withal Wherefore that which is here intimated is That there are some Principles of Truth that are so Secured in their own Evidence and Light as that being unquestionable in themselves they may be used and improved as concessions whereon other less evident Truths may be Confirmed and Established The due consideration hereof is of great Use in the Method of Teaching or in the Vindication of any unquestioned Truths from Opposition In all Teaching especially in Matters that are Controverted it is of great Advantage to fix some unquestionable Principles whence those which are less evident or are more opposed may be deduced or be otherwise influenced and confirmed Neglect hereof makes popular Discourses weak in their Application and those wherein Men contend for the Truth infirm in their Conclusions This Course therefore the Apostle here useth and resolveth his present Argument into such an unquestionable Principle as Reason and common Sence must admit of 2. The Proposition thus Modified is That the Less is Blessed of the Greater that is wherein one is orderly Blessed by another he that is Blessed is therein less than or beneath in Dignity unto him by whom he is Blessed as it is expressed in the Syriack Translation Expositors generally on this place distinguish the several sorts of Benedictions that are in Use and warrantable among Men that so they may fix on that concerning which the Rule here mentioned by the Apostle will hold unquestionably But as unto the especial design of the Apostle this Labour may be spared For he treats only of Sacerdotal Benedictions and with Respect to them the Rule is not only certainly true but openly evident But to Illustrate the whole and to shew how far the Rule mentioned may be extended we may reduce all sorts of Blessings unto four Heads 1. There is Benedictio Potestativa that is such a Blessing as consists in an actual Efficacious Collation on or Communication of the matter of the Blessing unto the Person Blessed Thus God alone can Bless absolutely He is the only Fountain of all Goodness Spiritual Temporal Eternal and so of the whole entire matter of Blessing containing it all eminently and virtually in himself And he alone can efficiently communicate it unto or collate it on any others which he doth as seemeth Good unto him according to the Counsel of his own will All will grant that with Respect hereunto the Apostle's Maxime is unquestionable God is greater than Man Yea this kind of Blessing ariseth from or dependeth solely on that Infinite Distance that is between the Being or Nature of God and the Being of all Creatures This is Gods Blessing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Addition of Good as the Jews call it a real communication of Grace Mercy Priviledges or whatever the matter of the Blessing be 2. There is Benedictio Authoritativa This is when Men in the Name that is by the Appointment and Warranty of God do declare any to be Blessed pronouncing the Blessings unto them whereof they shall be made Partakers And this kind of Blessings was of Old of two sorts First Extraordinary by virtue of especial immediate Inspiration or a Spirit of Prophecy Secondly Ordinary by virtue of Office and Institution In the first way Jacob Blessed his Sons which he calls a Declaration of what should befall them in the last days Gen. 49. 1. And such were all the Solemn Patriarchal Benedictions as that of Isaac when he had Infallible direction as to the Blessing but not in his own mind as to the Person to be Blessed Gen. 27. 27 28 29. So Moses Blessed the Children of Israel in their respective Tribes Deut. 33. 1. In the latter the Priests by virtue of Gods Ordinance were to Bless the People with this Authoritative Blessing And the Lord spake unto Moses saying speak unto Aaron and his Sons saying On this wise shall ye Bless the Children of Israel saying unto them The Lord Bless thee and keep thee the Lord make his Face shine upon thee and be Gracious unto thee the Lord lift up the light of his Countenance upon thee and give thee Peace and they shall put my Name on the Children of Israel and I will Bless them Numb 6. The whole Nature of this kind of Blessing is here exemplified It is founded in Gods Express Institution and Command And the Nature of it consists in putting the Name of God upon the People that is declaring Blessings unto them in the Name of God praying Blessings for them on his Command Wherefore the word Bless is used in a two-fold sence in this Institution ver 23. Ye shall Bless the Children of Israel is spoken of the Priests ver 27. I will Bless them is spoken of God The Blessing is the same declared by the Priests effected by God They blessed declaratively He efficiently And the blessing of Melchisedec in this place seems to have a mixture in it of both these For as it is plain that he blessed Abraham by virtue of his Sacerdotal Office which our Apostle principally considereth so I make no Question but he was peculiarly acted by immediate inspiration from God in what he did And in this sort of Blessing the Apostolical Maxime maintains its Evidence in the Light of Nature 3. There is Benedictio Charitativa This is when one is said to bless another by praying for a Blessing on him or using the means whereby he may obtain a Blessing This may be done by Superiours Equals Inferiours any or all Persons mutually towards one another See 1 Kings 8. 14 55 56. 2 Chron 6. 3. Prov. 30. 11. This kind of Blessing it being only improperly so wherein the Act or Duty is demonstrated by its Object doth not belong unto this Rule of the Apostle 4. There is Benedictio Reverentialis Hereof God is the Object So Men are said often to Bless God and to Bless his Holy Name which is mentioned in the Scripture as a signal Duty of all that Fear and Love the Lord. Now this Blessing of God is a Declaration of his praises with an Holy Reverential Thankful admiration of his Excellencies But this belongs not at all unto the design of the Apostle nor is regulated by this general Maxime but is a particular Instance of the direct contrary wherein without Controversie the Greater is Blessed of the Less It is the second sort of Blessings that is alone here intended and that is mentioned as an Evident Demonstration of the Dignity of Melchisedec and his Preeminence above Abraham It is a great Mercy and Priviledge when God will make Use of any in the Blessing of others with Spiritual Mercies It is God alone who Originally and
attended the Services of it though they could Offer neither burnt Incense nor Sacrifice that is all the Levites in their courses For He so excludes the Tribe whereof he speaks from the least Relation unto the Sacerdotal VVork or Office None of them ever did or might draw near nor Minister unto the Altar in any Sacred Services whatsoever See 1 Cor. 9. 13. This Entrance doth the Apostle make into the confirmation of his Assertion that the Priesthood was changed and therewithal the Law For it appears that there was to be a Priest who had no Right by the Law so to be seeing he was of that Tribe which the Law utterly excluded from any Interest in the Sacred Services of the Altar and much more those which were peculiar unto the Aaronical Priests Thus 1. All mens Rights Duties and Priviledges in Sacred things are fixed and limited by Divine Institution And 2. Seeing Christ himself had no Right to Minister at the Material Altar the Re-introduction of such Altars is inconsistent with the perpetual continuance of his Priesthood VER 14. THIS Apostle confirms his Assertion by a particular Application of it unto the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vul. Lat. de Sacerdotibus without countenance from any Copies of the Original or Ancient Translation The words contain a double Assertion 1. That our Lord sprang of the Tribe of Judah 2. That of that Tribe Moses spake nothing concerning the Priesthood There wants nothing to compleat the Proof of his Argument but that our Lord was a Priest which he therefore proves in the ensuing Verses VER 14. For it is Evident or Manifest that our Lord sprang out of Judah of which Tribe Moses spake nothing concerning the Priesthood In the first part of the words there are two things considerable The manner of the Proposition or the Modification of the Assertion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for doth only shew that a Reason or Proof of what was before laid down is here introduced And of this he saith palam est manifestum it is manifest open a thing confessed Evident as we say in it self A thing easie to be proved but that it is by no Man denyed Only whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is manifest or evident 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems to intimate what was manifest before-hand as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to Evidence a matter before-hand And this may not only respect but be confined unto the preceding Promises and Declaration that the Messiah should be of the Tribe of Judah But we may consider in general how this is said to be a thing Evident or Manifest in its application unto our Lord Jesus Christ. And 1. This was included in the Faith of Believers who granted him to be the Messiah For nothing was more plainly promised under the Old Testament nor more firmly believed by the Church than that the Messiah was to be of the Tribe of Judah and of the Family of David And thus it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifest to them before-hand For unto Judah the Promise was Solemnly confined Gen. 49. 8 9 10. and frequently reiterated unto David as I have shewed elsewhere VVhoever therefore acknowledged our Lord Jesus Christ to be the true Messiah as all the Hebrews did unto whom our Apostle wrote though the most of them adhered unto the Law and Ceremonies of it they must and did grant that he sprang of the Tribe of Judah And none of the Unbelieving Jews made use of this Objection that he was not of the Tribe of Judah which if they could have managed had absolutely Justified them in their Unbelief This was sufficient unto the purpose of the Apostle seeing he proceeded not only on what was granted among them but firmly believed by them and not denied by their Adversaries 2. It was in those days manifest by his known Genealogy For by the Providence of God his Parents were Publickly enrolled of that Tribe and of the Family of David in the Tax and Recognition of the people appointed by Augustus Caesar Luke 2. 4. And this was made yet more Famous by the Cruelty of Herod seeking his Destruction among the Children of Bethlehem Mat. 2. And the Genealogies of all Families whilst the Jewish Common-wealth continued in any condition were carefully preserved because many legal Rights and Constitutions did depend thereon And this Preservation of Genealogies was both appointed of God and fenced with Legal Rights for this very End to Evidence the accomplishment of his Promise in the Messiah And unto this End was his Genealogy written and recorded by two of the Evangelists as that whereon the Truth of his being the Messiah did much depend Sundry of the Ancients had an apprehension that the Lord Christ derived his Genealogy from both the Tribes of Judah and Levi in the Regal and Sacerdotal Offices as he who was to be both King and Priest And there is a Story inserted in Suidas how in the days of Justinian the Emperour one Theodosius a principal Patriarch of the Jews acquainted his Friend one Philip a Christian how he was enrolled by the Priests in their Order as of the Linage of the Priests by the Name of Jesus the Son of Mary and of God and that the Records thereof were kept by the Jews at Tiberias to that very time But the whole Story is filled with gross effects of Ignorance and incredible Fables being only a Dream of some Superstitious Monastick But the Ancients grounded their imagination on the Kindred that was between his Mother and Elizabeth the Wife of Zechariah the Priest who was the Daughter of Aaron Luke 1. 5. But this whole conceit is not only false but directly contradictory to the Scope and Argument of the Apostle in this place For the Authors of it would have the Lord Christ so to derive his Genealogy from the Tribe of Levi as thence to be entitled unto the Priesthood which yet it could not be unless he was also proved to be of the Family of Aaron And to assign a Priesthood unto him as derived from Aaron is openly contradictory unto the Apostle in this place and destructive of his whole Design as also of the true real Priesthood of Christ himself as is evident unto any one who reads this Chapter The Alliance and Kindred that was between the Blessed Virgin and Elizabeth was doubtless by an Antecedent intermarriage of those Tribes as Elizabeth's Mother might be Sister unto the Father or Grand-father of the Holy Virgin And this was not only Lawful between the Tribes of Judah and Levi or the Regal and Sacerdotal Families whence Jehoshabeath the Wife of Jehoiadah was the Daughter of Jehoram the King 2 Chron. 22. 11. as some have imagined but such Marriages were usual unto and Lawful among all the other Tribes where Women had no Inheritances of Land which was expresly provided against by a particular Law And
all 2. Important Truths should be strongly Confirmed Such is that here pleaded by the Apostle and therefore doth he so labour in the Confirmation of it He had undertaken to convince the Hebrews of the Cessation of their Legal Worship out of their own acknowledged Principles He deals not with them meerly by his Apostolical Authority and by vertue of the Divine Revelations of the will of God which himself had received but he proceeds with them on Arguments taken out of the Types Institutions and Testimonies of the Old Testament all which they owned and acknowledged though without his aid they had not understood the meaning of them On this Supposition it was necessary for him to Plead and Press all the Arguments from the Topick mentioned which had any Cogency in them and he doth so accordingly 3. Arguments that are equally true may yet on the Account of Evidence not be equally Cogent yet 4. In the Confirmation of the Truth we may use every help that is true and seasonable though some of them may be more effectual unto our End than others This we are instructed in by the Apostle affirming in this place that what he now affirms is yet far more Evident And this Evidence as we observed before may respect either the things themselves or the Efficacy in point of Argument For in themselves all things under the old Testament were Typical and Significant of what was afterwards to be introduced So our Apostle tells us that the Ministry of Moses consisted in giving Testimony to those things which were to be spoken or declared afterwards chap. 3. 5. But among them some were far more Clear and Evident as to their signification than others were In the latter sense the things which he had discoursed about Melchisedec and his Priesthood were more effectually demonstrative of the Change of the Levitical Priesthood than what he had newly observed concerning the Rising of our Lord Jesus Christ not of the Tribe of Levi but of Judah although that had life and evidence also in it self which is principally intended The Argument it self is nextly expressed whereunto this full Evidence is ascribed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if another Priest do arise after the Similitude of Melchisedec And in the words there is 1 the Modification of the Proposition in the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 The Notation of the Subject spoken of another Priest 3 His Introduction into his Office he did arise 4 The Nature of his Office and the manner of his coming unto it after the likeness of Melchisedec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if is generally taken here not to be a Conditional but a Causal Conjunction And so as many judge it is used Rom. 8. 31. 2 Cor. 5. 15. 1 Thess. 3. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 17. And it is rendered in our Translation by For For that another Priest as Beza rendreth it by quod because Others by ex eo quòd and siquidem Syr. and again this is more known by that which he said All take it to be an intimation of a Reason proving what is affirmed and so it doth if with the Vulgar we retain si or siquidem if so be And it is yet far more Evident if so be that another Priest As to the Argument in general we must observe 1 That the Design of the Apostle in this place is not to demonstrate the Dignity and Eminency of the Priesthood of Christ from that of Melchisedec his Type which he had done before sufficiently he doth not produce the same Words and Arguments again unto the same purpose but that which he aims at is from that Testimony whereby he had proved the Dignity of the Priesthood of Christ now also to prove the necessary Abolition of the Levitical Priesthood Wherefore 2 He doth not insist on the whole of the Testimony before pleaded but only on that one thing of another Priest necessarily included therein 2. The Subject spoken of is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not meerly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alius as the Syriack understood it who renders it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alienus that is intended Every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was by the Law absolutely forbidden to approach unto the Priests Office or Altar or Sacred employment So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another in this Case is a Stranger one that is not of the House or Family of Aaron And nothing can be more evident than that the Levitical Priesthood and the whole Law of Divine Worship must be taken away and abolished then if it appear that any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Stranger may be admitted into that Office much more if it were necessary that it should so be For the Law of the Priesthood took care of nothing more than that no Stranger that was not of the House of Aaron should be called to that Office See Exod. 29. 33. Lev. 22. 10. Numb 1. 51. and Numb 3. 10. Aaron and his Sons they shall wait on the Preists Office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Stranger that cometh nigh that is to discharge any Sacerdotal Duty shall be put to death And God gave an eminent Instance of his Severity with respect unto this Law in the Punishment of Corah though of the Tribe of Levi for the Transgression of it And he caused a perpetual Memorial to be kept of that Punishment to the End they might know that no Stranger who is not of the Seed of Aaron should come near to Offer Incense before the Lord Numb 16. 40. And hence our Apostle in the next verse observes that this Priest was not to be made after the Law of a Carnal Commandement seeing his making was a Dissolution of that Law or Commandement If therefore there must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another Priest that was not of the linage of Aaron the other is abolished 3. His Introduction into his Office is expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there ariseth Oritur Exoritur Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surgit Vul. Lat. exurgat Arose in an extraordinary manner Judg. 5. 7. Untill I Deborah arose I arose a Mother in Israel that is by an extraordinary Call from God to be a Prophetess and a Deliverer Deut. 18. 18. A Prophet will I raise up unto you which was Christ himself So God raised up a Horn of Salvation in the house of his Servant David Luk. 1. 69. that is with an extraordinary Power and Glory So was this Priest to arise not springing out of nor succeeding in any order of Priesthood before Established But all things in the Law lay against his Introduction and the Body of the People in the Church was come unto the highest Defiance of any such Priest But as God had fore-signified what he would do when the time of the Reformation of all things should come so when he performed his Word herein he did it in that manner with that
is confirmed with an Oath is better than that which is not so which alone gives the proportion of comparison in this place Many other advantages there were of the Priesthood of Christ and of the New Testament in comparison unto those of old all which encrease the proportion of Difference but at present the Apostle considers only what depends on the Oath of God Wherefore the Design of the Comparison contained in those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that whereas this Priest after the Order of Melchisedec was designed to be the Surety of another Testament he was confirmed in his office by the Oath of God which gives a Prcheminence both unto his Office and the Testament whereof he was to be a Surety In the Assertion it self that Jesus was made a Surety of a better Testament we may consider 1. what is included or supposed in it and 2. what is literally expressed Three things are included and supposed in this Assertion 1. That there was another Testament that God had made with his People 2. That this was a good Testament 3 That this Testament had in some sense a Surety As unto what is expressed in these words there are four things in them 1. The Name of him who was the subject discoursed of it is Jesus 2. What is affirmed of him he was a Surety 3. How he became so He was made so 4. Whereof he was a Surety and that is of a Testament of God Which 5. is described by its respect unto the other before mentioned and its preference above it it is a better Testament 1. It is supposed that there was another Testament which God had made with his People This the Apostle supposeth in this whole context and at length brings his discourse unto its Head and issue in the eighth Chapter where he expresly compareth the Two Testaments the one with the other Now this was the Covenant or Testament that God made with the Hebrews on Mount Sinai when he brought them out of Egypt as is expresly declared in the ensuing Chapters whereof we must treat in its proper place 2. It is supposed that this was a Good Testament It was so in it self as an effect of the Wisdom and Righteousness of God For all that he doth is good in it self both naturally and morally nor can it otherwise be And it was of Good Use unto the Church namely unto them who looked unto the end of it and used it in its proper design Unto the Body of the People indeed as far as they were carnal and looked only on the one hand for temporal Benefits by it or on the other for Life and Salvation it was an heavy yoke yea the Ministration of Death With respect unto such Persons and Ends it contained Statutes that were not Good Commandments that could not give Life and was every way unprofitable But yet in it self it was on many Accounts Good Just and Holy 1. As it had an Impression upon it of the Wisdom and Goodnesse of God 2 As it was instructive in the nature and demerit of Sin 3. As it directed unto and represented the only means of deliverance by Righteousnesse and Salvation in Christ. 4. As it established a Worship which was very Glorious and Acceptable unto God during its Season But as we shall shew afterwards it came short in all excellencies and worth of this whereof Christ is the Surety 3. It is supposed that this Testament had a Mediator For this New Testament having a Surety the other must have so also But who this was must be inquired 1. Some would have our Lord Jesus Christ to be the Surety of that Testament also For so our Apostle affirms in general There is one God and one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransome for all to be Testified in due time 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. Be the Covenant or Testament what or which it will there is but one Mediator between God and Man Hence our Apostle says of him that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever Chap. 13. 8. If therefore he be the only Mediator to day under the New Testament he was so also yesterday under the Old Answ. 1. There is some difference between a Mediator at large and such a Mediator as is withal a Surety And however on any Account Christ may be said to be the Mediator of that Covenant he cannot be said to be the Surety of it 2. The place in Timothy cannot intend the Old Covenant but is exclusive of it For the Lord Christ is there called a Mediator with respect unto the Ransome that he paid in his death and bloodshedding This respected not the confirmation of the Old Covenant but was the Abolition of it and the Old was confirmed with the Blood of Beasts as the Apostle expresly declares Chap. 9. 18. 19. 3. The Lord Christ was indeed in his Divine Person the immediate Administrator of that Covenant the Angel and Messenger of it on the behalf of God the Father but this doth not constitute him a Mediator properly For a Mediator is not of one but God is one 4. The Lord Christ was a Mediator under that Covenant as to the original Promise of Grace and the efficacy of it which were administred therein but he was not the Mediator and Surety of it as it was a Covenant For had he been so he being the same yesterday to day and for ever that Covenant could have never been disanulled 2. Some assert Moses to have been the Surety of the Old Testament For so it is said that the Law was given by the Disposition of Angels in the hand of a Mediator Gal. 3. 19. That is of Moses whom the People desired to be the internuncius between God and them Exod. 20. 19. Deut. 5. 24. Chap. 18. 16. Answ. 1. Moses may be said to be the Mediator of the Old Covenant in a general sense inasmuch as he went between God and the People to declare the Will of God unto them and to return the profession of Obedience from them unto God But he was in no sense the Surety thereof For on the one side God did not appoint him in his stead to give Assurance of his fidelity unto the People This he took absolutly unto himself in those words wherewith all his Laws were prefaced I am the Lord thy God Nor did he nor could he on the other side undertake unto God for the People and so could not be esteemed in any sense the Surety of the Covenant 2. The Apostle hath no such argument in hand as to compare Christ with Moses nor is he treating of that Office wherein he compares him with him and prefers him above him which was his Prophetical Office whereof he had before discoursed Chap. 3 4 5 6 7. VVherefore 3. It was the High Priest alone who was the Surety of that Covenant It was made and confirmed by sacrifices Psal. 50. 5. as we
For being reconciled by his Death we are saved by his Life Rom. 5. 10. He therefore alone is the Mediator of Intercession who is able by vertue of his Office to save us to the utmost through that intercession of his Those whom they choose to go to God by are able to save them or they are not If they are not is it not the greatest folly and madness imaginable whilst we seek after Salvation to set him aside on any occasion in any one instance who can save us to the utmost and betake our selves unto them who cannot save us at all If they are able to save us in any sense it is either by vertue of some Office and Office-Power that they are invested withal in Heaven as Ministers are in the Discharge of their Office said to save them that hear them 1 Tim. 4. 16. That is ministerially and instrumentally or without any such Office If they can do so without any Office they can do more than Jesus Christ can do for he is able to do it by vertue of his Office only And if it might have been otherwise what need was there that Christ should undertake and discharge this Office of the Priesthood and that our Apostle should so labour to prove the Excellency of this his Office only to satisfie us that he is able to save them that come to God by him If they do it by vertue of any Office committed to them let it be named what it is Are they Priests in Heaven for ever after the Order of Melchisedec Dishonour enough is done unto Christ by making any Sacrificing Priests on the Earth as they do in their Masse but to make interceding Priests in Heaven also is the highest reproach unto him Or are they the Kings or Prophets of the Church or under what Name or Title is this Power intrusted with them Such imaginations are most forreign from true Christian Religion An Holy painful Minister on the Earth can do much more towards the saving of the souls of Men than any Saint or Angel in Heaven For the work of doing it ministerially by the Dispensation of the Word is committed unto them in the way of Office but Office in the Church beareth none in Heaven but only Jesus Christ. And what is the Reason why men should so readily close with other means other Mediators of Intercession to go to God by them For when they pray to Saints although they should only pray unto them to intercede for them as some of them pretend however openly and manifestly against their expresse and avowed Practice yet do they go to God by them For to speak of any Religious Prayer and yet not to look on it in general as a going or coming to God is a fond and senseless Imagination Wherefore whenever they pray to Saints as most of them do more than to Jesus Christ their design is to go to God by them But what is it that should enduce them hereunto Our Lord Christ hath told us that he is the way and that no man cometh unto the Father but by him John 14. 6. What reason can any man give why he should not believe him but although he hath said that no man cometh unto the Father but by him should yet attempt to go another way Have others more Power in these things than he so as it is adviseable on that Account to make our Application unto them Where is it said of any Saints or Angels or all of them together that they are able to save to the utmost all that come to God by them Or where is any one word spoken of their Power or Interest in Heaven unto that Purpose But it will be said that we may be relieved and saved wee stand not in need of Power only but of Love Pity and Compassion And although the Saints have less Ability than Christ yet they may have more of Love and Compassion for us For some of them it may be were our Kindred or Progenitors or Country-men or such as may have an especial kindness for us especially the Blessed Virgin and other female Saints are by their natural constitution as well as their Grace who would not think so mightily enclined unto pity and compassion And indeed they are marvellous things which some of them tell us concerning the Blessed Virgin in this case and her condescension in the pursuit of her Love and Pity But yet this Imagination is the highest pitch of Folly and Ingratitude Certainly nothing can more stir up the Indignation of God than to have any Creatures in Heaven or Earth or all together equalled in Love and Compassion with Jesus Christ. He that doth not know that there is an unparellel'd Eminency of these in him who is not in some measure instructed in the cause and effect of them knows no more of the Gospel than a Jew There is more Love Pity and Compassion in Christ Jesus towards every poor sinner that comes unto God by him than all the Saints in Heaven are able to comprehend And if Kindred or Alliance may be of consideration in this matter he is more nearly related unto us than Father or Mother or wife or children or all together we being not only bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh but so joyned to him as to be one spirit with him But it will yet be said that it is on none of these considerations that men choose to go unto God by other Mediators of Intercession only whereas the Lord Christ is so great and so gloriously exalted at the right hand of the Majesty on high they dare not alwaies presumptuously intrude into his glorious presence and therefore they make use of the Saints who are more cognate unto us and not cloathed with such terrible Majesty And in going unto God by the friends of Christ they please him as well as if they went immediately by himself Answ. 1 He is an Unbeliever unto whom the Glorious Exaltation of the Lord Christ is a Discouragement from going unto him or by him unto God on the Throne of Grace For all the Glory Power and Majesty of Christ in Heaven is proposed unto Believers to encourage them to come unto him and to put their Trust in him But this is the talk of men who whatever Devotion they pretend unto indeed know nothing really of what it is to pray to believe to trust in Christ or by him to draw near with boldness unto the Throne of Grace see Heb. 4. 14 15 16. 2. All the Glory Power and Majesty of Jesus Christ as exalted in Heaven as our Mediator are but means effectually to exert and exercise his Love and Compassion towards us He lives for ever to make Intercession for us But we proceed The close of this verse gives us the special Reason and Confirmation of all the efficacy that the Apostle hath assigned unto the Priesthood of Christ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwaies living to make Intercession for them And
to discharge his Ministry and preach the word of God And his Austerities in Food and Raiment were but to express outwardly the Doctrine of Repentance enforced by threats which he preached But as these Persons forsook the Example of Christ and the Gospel to go back unto John and his Ministry so they utterly mistook their pattern and instead of making their Retirement a means and help to discharge the Ministry in calling others unto Faith and Repentance they made it a Covert for their own Ignorance and Superstition And for those Votaries of the Roman Church who pretend in the foolish Imitation of them to fancy a Wilderness in the middest of populous Cities there can be no course of life invented more alien from the conduct of natural Light more useless unto the Glory of God and the Good of the Community of Mankind nor more contrary to the Example and Commands of our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles 3. He is not said to be separate from Sinners so in state and condition as Kings and Potentates are from Persons poor and mean and who therefore out of a sense of their own meanness and the others State and Greatness of mind dare not approach unto them No but as he was meek and lowly and took up his whole converse with the lower sort of the People the poor of this world so he did by all ways and means invite and encourage all sorts of sinners to come unto him 4. He is not said to be separate from sinners as though he had been ever in any communion with them in any thing wherein he was afterwads separated from them The Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath the sense of an Adjective declaring what is and not how he came so to be He was always in such a state and condition so Holy so Harmless and Undefiled as never to have a concern in any thing from which he was to be separated It appeareth hence plainly wherein it was that he was separate from sinners namely in Sin in its Nature causes and effects Whatever of that sort he underwent was upon our Account and not his own He was every way in the perfect Holiness of his Nature and his Life distinguished from all sinners not only from the greatest but from those who ever had the least taint of Sin and who otherwise were most Holy And so it became us that he should be He that was to be a middle Person between God and Sinners was to be separate from those sinners in that thing on the Account whereof he undertook to stand in their stead And these are the Properties of the Humane Nature of our High Priest and which were necessary antecedently unto the discharge of any Part or Duty of his Office His present state and condition is in the next place expressed and made higher than the Heavens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Made higher God is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most high God God above And Glory is to be asscribed unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Highest Luk. 2. 14. And the Lord Christ in his Exaltation is said to sit down at the right hand of the Majesty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. 1. 3. On high He was for a season made lower than the Angels made on the Earth and descended into the lower parts of the Earth and that for the Discharge of the principal Part of his Priestly Office namely the offering of himself for a Sacrifice unto God But he abode not in that state nor could he discharge his whole Office and all the Duties of it therein and therefore was made higher than the Heavens He was not made higher than the Heavens that he might be a Priest but being our High Priest and as our High Priest He was so made for the discharge of that part of his Office which yet remained to be performed for he was to live for ever to make Intercession for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as may be seen in the foregoing Instances hath a double signification 1 Of Place 2 Of state and condition 1. If it be Place that is meant then by the Heavens which he is made above those aspectable Heavens with all their Glory are intended He is no longer on the Earth but exalted into a Throne of Majesty above these Heavens So it is said that he passed through these Heavens when he went into the Presence of God chap. 4. 14 15. And there he abides For although the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him as unto the Immensity of his divine Nature yet as unto his humane Nature here spoken of the Heavens must receive him until the time of the Restitution of all things Act. 3. 21. He is in this sense no more on the Earth nor Subject unto any of those inconveniences which his abode here below must be exposed unto Yea had he always continued here he could not have been such an High Priest as became us as our Apostle declares chap. 8. 4. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may respect state and condition or the Glorious state on the right hand of the Majesty on high which he is exalted unto And in this sense by the Heavens than which Christ is made higher exalted above the Angels the sacred Inhabitants of those Heavenly Places are intended And this our Apostle in other places often insists upon as a great manifestation of the Glory of Christ See Ephes. 1. 21 22. Phil. 2. 10 11. Heb. 1. 4. chap. 2. 7 8. I see no Reason but that both these may be included in this expression He was so exalted as to the place of his Residence from the Earth above those aspectable Heavens as withal to be placed in Honour Dignity and Power above all the Inhabitants of Heaven he only excepted who puts all things under him And so we have finished the Exposition of these words with the vindication of the proper meaning of them Two ends there are why the Apostle gives us such a Description of the High Priest that became us or which we stood in need of 1. To manifest that the Levitical Priests were no way qualifyed for this Office no way meet or able to bring us unto God Something they did represent but nothing of themselves they did effect They all of them came short in every Qualification which was necessary unto this end They were all sinners and living and dying on the Earth they never attained unto that condition of Glory and Dignity which were necessary unto the full and final discharge of that Office So he declares his mind to have been expresly in the next verses 2. To encourage the Faith of Believers by evidencing unto them that whatever was needful in an high Priest to bring them to God and to save them to the utmost was found in all Perfection in Christ Jesus And we may observe that 1. Although these Properties of our High Priest are principally to be considered as rendring him meet to be our
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Minister Having declar'd the Glory and Dignity which he is exalted unto as sitting down at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in Heaven what can be farther expected from him There he lives eternally happy in the enjoyment of his own Blessedness and Glory Is it not reasonable it should be so after all the hardships and miseries which he being the Son of God underwent in this world Who can expect that he should any longer condescend unto Office and Duty Neither generally have men any other thoughts concerning him But where then would lie the advantage of the Church in his Exaltation which the Apostle designs in an especial manner to demonstrate Wherefore unto the mention of it he immediately subjoins the continuation of his Office He is still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Publick Minister for the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to minister either with God or before God as a Priest for others or for God in the Name of God towards others as do Magistrates and Ministers of the Gospel And therefore all these sorts are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord Christ is expresly spoken of here as a Priest it is a name of his Priestly Office wherein he acts towards God Nor is he any where called or said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in any of his Actings from God towards us although he be said therein to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15. 8. that is he was so in the days of his flesh but that name now no way belongeth unto him He is not therefore styled a Minister because he executeth the Purposes of God towards us as Schlictingius fancieth but he acts towards God and before God on our behalf according to the duty of a Priest He went into Heaven to appear in the presence of God for us and to discharge his Office before God on our behalf And it is granted also that by vertue thereof he doth also communicate all good things from God unto us For the whole administration of things Sacred between God and the Church is committed unto him And we must observe that The Lord Christ in the Height of his Glory condescends to discharge the Office of a publick minister in the behalf of the Church We are not to bound our Faith on Christ as unto what he did for us on the Earth The Life and Efficacy of the whole of his Mediation depends on what he did antecedently thereunto and what he doth consequently unto it For in these things doth the Glory of his Love and Grace most eminently appear Antecedently unto what he did on Earth and to make way for it there was his infinite condescension in assuming our Nature He was in the forme of God and in the eternal enjoyment of all the Blessedness which the Divine Nature is essentially accompanied withal Yet being thus Rich this was his Grace that for our sakes he became poor This ineffable Grace and Love of Christ is the principal object of our Faith and Admiration as it is declared by the Apostle Phil. 2. 6 7 8 9. And as he emptied himself and laid aside his Glory for a season to undertake the Work of Meditation So now he hath reassumed his Glory as to the manifestation of his Divine Power and hath the highest Addition of Glory in his Humane Nature by his exaltation at the right hand of God yet he continueth his care of and Love towards the Church so as yet to discharge the office of a Publick Minister in their behalf As all the shame reproach misery with death that he was to undergo on the Earth deterred him not from undertaking this work So all the Glory which he is environed withal in Heaven diverts him not from continuing the Discharge of it 2dly There is a Limitation of this ministration of our High Priest with respect unto its proper Object and that in a double expression For he is a Minister 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. He is so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word may be either of the Masculine or of the Neuter Gender and so respect either Persons or Things If it be taken in the former way it is of the Saints And this is the ordinary sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Books of the New Testament Saints or Holy Persons But they cannot be here precisely intended And the Apostle useth this word frequently in another sense in this Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Neuter Gender may have a double signification 1. Of Holy things in general 2. Of Holy Places 1. Of things So the Uul Lat. renders the word Sanctorum which the Rhemists translate Holies that is of Holy Persons or Holy things And ours place Holy things in the Margen And the sense is true if the signification of the word be extended unto all Holy Things For the ministration of them all is committed unto Jesus Christ. But the word hath yet a more peculiar signification The inmost part of the Tabernacle our Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 9. 3. That is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy of Holies the most Holy Place And absolutely he calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holyes Chap 9. 8 12 24 25. Chap. 13. 11. And in answer thereunto he calleth our Spiritual Presence before God whereunto we have an Access by the Blood of Christ by the same name Chap. 10. 19. And hence the word is rendred by most Interpreters the Sanctuary as by the Syr. The House of the Sanctuary Particularly that Part of the Tabernacle whereinto the High Priest entred alone and that but once a year Take this Sanctuary properly and literally and Christ was not the minister of it He never entred into it nor could nor had any Right so to do because it belonged and was appropriated unto others as our Apostle declares ver 4. Wherefore we must take our Direction herein from the words following For mentioning the whole Tabernacle as he doth here one part of it namely the Sanctuary he gives it a note of Distinction from the Old Tabernacle of Moses the true Tabernacle So must the Sanctuary be distinguished from that of Old It is that which answers thereunto And this is nothing but Heaven it self Heaven not as considered absolutely but as the Place of Gods glorious Presence the Temple of the living God where the worship of the Church is represented and all its Affairs transacted This is called Gods Sanctuary Psal. 102. 19. He looked down from the height of his Sanctuary from Heaven did the Lord behold the Earth And so the Apostle himself plainly interprets this place Chap. 9. 24. Christ is not entred into the Holy Places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it self And this is called the Sanctuary because there doth really dwell and abide all
the other 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to their Pattern or the Pattern of them the Apostle renders by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only according to the Pattern which comes all to one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bind and it is used for a prepared Pattern or similitude that any thing is to be framed unto So whereas the Apostle renders it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he intends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a Type or Pattern as other things are to be framed by and not that which is the effigies or Representation of somewhat else 2. The Connexion of these words with the preceding Discourse which gives us the general Design of the Apostle is nextly to be considered He had before intimated two things 1. That the High Priests according to the Law did not Minister the Heavenly things 2. That the Lord Christ alone did so whence he concludes his Dignity and Preeminence above them which is the Argument he hath in hand Both these he confirmes in these words For he confines their Ministry unto the Types of Heavenly things exclusively unto the Heavenly things themselves And by shewing as in the verse preceding that if Christ had been to continue on the Earth he could not have been a Priest he manifests that he alone was to administer those Heavenly things 3. The Argument in general whereby the Apostle proves that they served unto the example and shaddow of Heavenly things that is only so and no more is taken from the words of God to Moses And the force of the Argument is evident For God in those words declares that there was something above and beyond that material Tabernacle which was prescribed unto him For he shewed him either an Original or an Exemplar in the Top of the Mount which what he was to do below did but shaddow and represent And therefore they who ministred in what he was to make could serve only therein to be the example and shadow of Heavenly things This therefore is the Apostles Argument from this Testimony If God shewed unto Moses on the Top of the Mount that which was Heavenly and he was to make an example or shaddow of it then they that ministred therein served only unto the example and shaddow of Heavenly things In the words may be observed 1. The Persons spoken of who 2. What is ascribed unto them they serve 3. The Limitation of that service wherein there is 1. The present immediate Object of it an example and shadow 2. The ultimate things intended Heavenly things 4. The Proof of the whole Assertion from the words of God to Moses wherein there is 1. The manner of the instruction given him he was warned of God 2. The instruction or warning it self see that thou make c. 1. There is the Persons spoken of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who It refers unto the Priests mentioned ver 4. Seeing there are Priests that offer Gifts who But although that expression comprized the whole order of Levitical Priests yet it refers in particular unto the High Priests verse 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every High Priest Which High Priests 2. What is ascribed unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do serve The general signification of the English word to serve is not intended as any thing doth serve for an end or one Person serves another For it is a sacred word and signifies only to minister in sacred worship and service as the Syriacke Translation renders it And in partiticular it respects here all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ordinances of Divine Service which were appointed under the first Tabernacle Chap. 9. 1. They do serve They do according unto the Law officiate in sacred things That is they did so de jure in their first Institution and continued de facto so to do still And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is applied both unto the inward spiritual and outward instituted holy worship of God See Matth. 4. 10. Act. 7. 7. Rom. 1. 9. It respects therefore all that the High Priests did or had to do in the worship of God in the Tabernacle or Temple 3. The Limitation of their sacred service is that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to an example and shadow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Specimen of any thing that whereby any thing is manifested by a Part or Instance It is used in the New Testament only Jude 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are set forth for an example speaking of Sodom and Gomorrah or a particular Instance of what would be Gods dealing with provoking sinners at the last day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is framed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but once used in the New Testament Col. 2. 15. where we render it to make a shew that is a Representation of what was done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here used is an example shewing or declaring any thing in a way of instance Joh. 13. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have given you an example saith our Saviour when he had washed his Disciples feet that is shewed you in what I have done what you ought to do also So Jam. 5. 10. Take my Brethren the Prophets for an example But whereas principally and commonly examples are Patterns of other things that which they are to be conformed unto as in the places cited Joh. 13. 15. Jam. 5. 10 this cannot be the sense of it in this Place For the Heavenly things were not framed and fashioned after the example of these but on the contrary Wherefore examples are of two sorts Effigiantia and Effigiata that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as other things are framed by or such as are framed by other things In this latter sense it is here used and I would chuse to render it by a Resemblance It is less then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simile quiddam an obscure Representation Hence it is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the shaddow Some suppose a shaddow is taken artificially and opposed unto an express Image or compleat delineation of any thing by a similitude taken from the first lines and shaddows of any thing that is afterwards to be drawn to the life and so they say it is used Chap. 10. 1. The Law had only a shadow of good things to come and not the express Image of the things themselves But properly it is taken naturally and opposed unto a Body or Substance Col. 2. 17. Which things have a shadow of things to come but the Body is Christ. It is indifferent in whether sense we here take the word for what is affirmed is true in both If we take it in the first way it intends that obscure delineation of Heavenly mysteries which was in the legal Institutions They did represent and teach them and so were taught and represented
speaking of this former Covenant he says it was become old and so ready to disappear Wherefore it is not the Covenant of Works made with Adam that is intended when this other is said to be a better Covenant Secondly There were other faederal Transactions between God and the Church before the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai Two of them there were into which all the rest were resolved 1. The first Promise given unto our first Parents immediately after the Fall This had in it the nature of a Covenant grounded on a Promise of Grace and requiring Obedience in all that received the Promise 2. The Promise given and sworn unto Abraham which is expresly called the Covenant of God and had the whole nature of a Covenant in it with a solemn outward Seal appointed for its confirmation and establishment Hereof we have treated at large on the Sixth Chapter Neither of these nor any Transaction between God and man that may be reduced unto them as Explanations Renovations or Confirmations of them are the first Covenant here intended For they are not only consistent with the New Covenant so as that there was no necessity to remove them out of the way for its Introduction but did indeed contain in them the essence and nature of it and so were confirmed therein Hence the Lord Christ himself is said to be a Minister of the Circumcision for the Truth of God to confirm the Promises made to the Fathers Rom. 15. 8. As he was the Mediator of the New Covenant he was so far from taking off from or abolishing those Promises that it belonged unto his Office to confirm them Wherefore 3. The other Covenant or Testament here supposed whereunto that whereof the Lord Christ was the Mediator is preferred is none other but that which God made with the People of Israel on Mount Sinai So it is expresly affirmed ver 9. The Covenant which I made with your Fathers in the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the Land of Egypt This was that Covenant which had all the Institutions of Worship annexed unto it Chap. 9. 1 2 3. whereof we must treat afterwards more at large With respect hereunto it is that the Lord Christ is said to be the Mediator of a better Covenant that is of another distinct from it and more excellent It remains unto the Exposition of the words that we enquire what was this Covenant whereof our Lord Christ was the Mediator and what is here affirmed of it This can be no other in general but that which we call the Covenant of Grace And it is so called in opposition unto that of Works which was made with us in Adam For these two Grace and Works do divide the ways of our Relation unto God being diametrically opposite and every way inconsistent Rom. 11. 6. Of this Covenant the Lord Christ was the Mediator from the foundation of the world namely from the giving of the first Promise Rev. 13. 8. For it was given on his Interposition and all the benefits of it depended on his future actual Mediation But here ariseth the first difficulty of the Context and that in two things For 1 If this Covenant of Grace was made from the Beginning and that the Lord Christ was the Mediator of it from the first then where is the priviledge of the Gospel state in opposition unto the Law by vertue of this Covenant seeing that under the Law also the Lord Christ was the Mediator of that Covenant which was from the Beginning 2 If it be the Covenant of Grace which is intended and that be opposed unto the Covenant of Works made with Adam then the other Covenant must be that Covenant of Works so made with Adam which we have before disproved The Answer hereunto is in the word here used by the Apostle concerning this New Coxenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose meaning we must inquire into I say therefore that the Apostle doth not here consider the New Covenant absolutely and as it was virtually administred from the foundation of the world in the way of a Promise For as such it was consistent with that Covenant made with the people in Sinai And the Apostle proves expresly that the renovation of it made unto Abraham was no way abrogated by the giving of the Law Gal. 3. 17. There was no interruption of its administration made by the introduction of the Law But he treats of such an establishment of the New Covenant as wherewith the old Covenant made at Sinai was absolutely inconsistent and which was therefore to be removed out of the way Wherefore he considers it here as it was actually compleated so as to bring along with it all the Ordinances of Worship which are proper unto it the dispensation of the Spirit in them and all the spiritual Priviledges wherewith they are accompanied It is now so brought in as to become the entire Rule of the Churches Faith Obedience and Worship in all things This is the meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 established say we But it is reduced into a fixed state of a Law or Ordinance All the Obedience required in it all the Worship appointed by it all the Priviledges exhibited in it and the Grace administred with them are all given for a Statute Law and Ordinance unto the Church That which before lay hid in Promises in many things obscure the principal Mysteries of it being a Secret hid in God himself was now brought to light and that Covenant which had invisibly in the way of a Promise put forth its efficacy under Types and Shadows was now solemnly sealed ratified and confirmed in the Death and Resurrection of Christ. It had before the confirmation of a Promise which is an Oath it had not the confirmation of a Covenant which is blood That which before had no visible outward Worship proper and peculiar unto it is now made the only Rule and Instrument of Worship unto the whole Church nothing being to be admitted therein but what belongs unto it and is appointed by it This the Apostle intends by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the legal establishment of the New Covenant with all the Ordinances of its Worship Hereon the other Covenant was disannulled and removed and not only the Covenant itself but all that System of Sacred Worship whereby it was administred This was not done by the making of the Covenant at first Yeal all this was superinduced into the Covenant as given out in a Promise and was consistent therewith When the New Covenant was given out only in the way of a Promise it did not introduce a Worship and Priviledges expressive of it Wherefore it was consistent with a form of Worship Rites and Ceremonies and those composed into a yoke of Bondage which belonged not unto it And as these being added after its giving did not overthrow its nature as a Promise so they were inconsistent with it when it was compleated
this Relation 1 The foundation of it 2 The mutual actings in it by vertue of this Relation Unto the manifestation of the foundation of it some things must be premised 1. Upon the entrance of Sin there continued no such Covenant Relation between God and man as that by virtue thereof he should be their God and they should be his people God continued still in the full enjoyment of his Soveraignty over men which no Sin nor Rebellion nor Apostasie of man could in the least impeach And man continued under an obligation unto dependance on God and subjection unto his will in all things For these cannot be separated from his nature and being until final judgment be executed after which God rules over them only by power without any respect unto their wills or obedience But that especial Relation of mutual interest by virtue of the first Covenant ceased between them 2. God would not enter into any other Covenant with sinful fallen man to be a God unto them and to take them to be a peculiar people unto him immediately in their own persons nor was it consistent with his wisdom and goodness so to do For if man was not stedfast in Gods Covenant but brake and disannulled it when he was sinless and upright only created with a possibility of defection what expectations could there be that now he was fallen and his nature wholly depraved any new Covenant should be of use unto the glory of God or advantage of man To enter into a new Covenant that must necessarily be broken unto the aggravation of the misery of man became not the wisdom and goodness of God If it be said God might have so made a New Covenant immediately with man so as to secure their future obedience and so to have made it firm and stable I answer it would not have become the Divine wisdom and goodness to have dealt better with men after their Rebellion and Apostasie than before namely on their own account He did in our first Creation communicate unto our nature all that grace and all those priviledges which in his wisdom he thought meet to endow it withall and all that was necessary to make them who were partakers of it everlastingly blessed To suppose that on its own account alone he would immediately collate more grace upon it is to suppose him singularly well pleased with our Sin and Rebellion This then God would not do Wherefore 3. God provided in the first place that there should be a Mediator a Sponsor an Undertaker with whom alone he would treat about a New Covenant and so establish it For there were in the contrivance of his grace and wisdom concerning it many things necessary unto it that could no otherwise be enacted and accomplished Nay there was not any one thing in all the good which he designed unto Mankind in this Covenant in a way of love grace and mercy that could be communicated unto them so as that his honor and glory might be advanced thereby without the consideration of this Mediator and what he undertook to do Nor could Mankind have yielded any of that obedience unto God which he would require of them without the interposition of this Mediator on their behalf It was therefore with him that God firstly made this Covenant How it was needful that this Mediator should be God and man in one person how he became so to undertake for us and in our stead what was the especial Covenant between God and him as unto the work which he undertook personally to perform have according unto our poor weak measure and dark apprehension of these heavenly things been declared at large in our Exercitations on this Epistle and yet more fully in our Discourse of the Mystery and Glory of the Person of Christ. Wherefore as unto this New Covenant it was firstly made with Jesus Christ the Surety of it and Undertaker in it For 1. God neither would nor Salvâ justitiâ sapientiâ honore could treat immediately with sinful rebellious men on terms of grace for the future until satisfaction was undertaken to be made for sins past or such as should afterwards fall out This was done by Christ alone who was therefore the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this Covenant and all the grace of it See 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. Gal. 3. 13 14. Rom. 3. 25. 2. No Restipulation of obedience unto God could be made by man that might be a ground of entering into a Covenant intended to be firm and stable For whereas we had broken our first Covenant engagement with God in our best condition we were not likely of our selves to make good a new engagement of an higher nature than the former Who will take the word or the security of a Bankrupt for Thousands who is known not to be worth one farthing especially if he have wasted a former estate in Luxury and Riot continuing an open Slave to the same lusts wherefore it was absolutely necessary that in this Covenant there should be a Surety to undertake for our answering and firm standing unto the terms of it Without this the event of this New Covenant which God would make as a singular effect of his wisdom and grace would neither have been glory to him nor advantage unto us 3. That Grace which was to be the Spring of all the blessings of this Covenant unto the glory of God and salvation of the Church was to be deposited in some safe hand for the accomplishment of these ends In the first Covenant God at once committed unto man that whole stock of grace which was necessary to enable him unto the obedience of it And the grace of reward which he was to receive upon the performance of it God reserved absolutely in his own hand yea so as that perhaps man did not fully understand what it was But all was lost at once that was committed unto our keeping so as that nothing at all was left to give us the least relief as unto any new endeavors Wherefore God will now secure all the good things of this Covenant both as to grace and glory in a third hand in the hand of a Mediator Hereon the Promises are made unto him and the fulness of grace is laid up in him John 1. 14. Col. 1. 17. Chap. 2. 2. Eph. 3. 8. 2 Cor. 1. 21. 4. As he was the Mediator of this Covenant God became his God and he became the Servant of God in a peculiar manner For he stood before God in this Covenant as a publick Representative of all the Elect. See our Comment on Chap. 1. 5 8. Chap. 2. 13. God is a God unto him in all the Promises he received on the behalf of his mystical Body and he was his Servant in the accomplishment of them as the pleasure of the Lord was to prosper in his hand 5. God being in this Covenant a God and Father unto Christ he became by vertue thereof to be our God and Father
that end And we may hence observe That The humane nature of Christ wherein he discharged the duties of his Sacerdotal Office in making Atonement for sin is the greatest the most perfect and excellent Ordinance of God far excelling those that were most excellent under the old Testament An Ordinance of God it was in that it was what he designed appointed and produced unto his own Glory And it was that which answered all Ordinances of worship under the old Testament as the substance of what was shadowed out in them and by them And I have laboured elsewhere to represent the Glory of this ordinance as the principal effect of divine wisdom and goodness the great means of the manifestation of his eternal Glory The wonderful provision of this Tabernacle will be the object of holy admiration unto eternity But the Glory of it is a subject which I have elsewhere peculiarly laboured in the demonstration of And unto the comparison with those of old here principally intended its excellency and glory may be considered in these as in other things 1 Whatever they had of the Glory of God in Type Figure and Representation that it had in Truth Reality and Substance 2 What they only shadowed out as unto Reconciliation and Peace with God that it did really effect 3 Whereas they were capable only of an Holiness by dedication and consecration which is external giving an outward denomination not changing the nature of the things themselves This was Glorious in real internal Holiness wherein the Image of God doth consist 4 The matter of them all was earthly carnal perishing His humane nature was Heavenly as unto its original the Lord from Heaven and immortal or eternal in its constitution he was made a Priest after the Power of an endless life For although he dyed once for sin yet his whole nature had always its entire subsistence in the Person of the Son of God 5 Their Relation unto God was by vertue of an outward Institution or word of command only That of his was by Assumption into personal union with the Son of God 6 They had only outward Typical Pledges of Gods Presence in him dwelt the fulness of the Godhead bodily 7 They were exposed unto the injuries of time and all other outward occurrences wherein there was nothing of the glory or worship of God He never did not would suffer any thing but what belonged unto his office and is now exalted above all Adversities and Oppositions And other considerations of the like nature might be added 2. The Son of God undertaking to be the High Priest of the Church it was of necessity that he should come by or have a Tabernacle wherein to discharge that Office He came by a Tabernacle So it is said unto the same purpose that it was of necessity that he should have somewhat to offer chap. 8. 3. For being to save the Church by vertue of and in the discharge of that Office it could not be otherwise done than by the Sacrifice of himself in and by his own Tabernacle Secondly He describes this Tabernacle by a double Negation 1 That it was not made with hands 2 That it was not of this building And this latter clause is generally taken to be exegetical of the former only and that because of its introduction by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say I shall consider both 1. It was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not made with hands The Old Tabernacle whil'st it stood was the Temple of God So it is constantly called by David in the Psalms Temples were generally sumptuous and glorious Fabrics always answering the utmost ability of them that built them not to have done their best therein they esteemed irreligious For they designed to express somewhat of the greatness of what they worshiped and to beget a veneration of what was performed in them And this men in the degenerate state of Christianity are returned unto endeavouring to represent the Greatness of God and the Holiness of his Worship in magnificent Structures and costly Ornaments of them How beit the best of them all were made by the hands of men and so were no way meet habitations for God in the way he had designed to dwell among us This Solomon acknowledgeth concerning the Temple which he had built which yet was the most glorious that ever was erected and built by God's own appointment 2 Chron. 2. 5 6. The house which I build is great for great is our God above all Gods But who is able to build him an house seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him who am I then that I should build him an house save onely to burn sacrifice before him And 1 Kings 8. 27. Will God indeed dwell on the earth behold the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee how much less this house that I have builded Service was to be done unto God in that Temple according unto his appointment but a meet habitation for him it was not And our Apostle lays it down as a Principle suited unto natural light that God who made all things could not dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 14. 24. in Temples made with hands Such was the Tabernacle of Old but such was not that wherein our Lord Jesus administreth his Office There seems to me to have been an apprehension among the Iews that there should be a Temple wherein God would dwell that should not be made with hands Our Lord Jesus Christ in the first year of his Ministry upon his purging of the Temple upon their requiring a sign for the justification of his Authority in what he had done says no more but only Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up John 2. 19. He spake of the same Temple as to their destruction of it and his own raising it again Thus he called his own Body he spake saith the Evangelist of the Temple of his Body That other Fabric was a Type thereof and so partook of the same name with it but yet was no farther a Temple or an habitation of God but as it was Typical of that Body of his wherein the fulness of the Godhead did dwell This testimony of his seemeth to have provoked the Iews above any other unless it was that when he plainly declared his Divine Nature unto them affirming that he was before Abraham For this cast them into so much madness as that immediately they took up stones to cast at him John 8. 58 59. But their malice was more inveterate against him for what he thus spake concerning the Temple For three years after when they conspired to take away his life they made these words the ground of their Accusation But as is usual in such cases when they could not pretend that his own words as he spake them were criminal they variously wrested them to make an appearance of a Crime though they knew not of what nature So the Psalmist prophesied
it it was offered unto God 3 It is an useless Observation that the Apostle in comparing the Sacrifice of Christ with the legal Victims doth as it is said carefully avoid the saying that he offered his Blood For in those legal Sacrifices the Beasts themselves were always said to be offered although it was the Blood alone wherewith Attonement was made on the Altar Levit. 17. 11. And this the Apostle expresly ascribes unto the Blood of Christ in answer unto the Blood of Bulls and Goats ver 13 14. 4 The Apostle doth not insinuate the mention of the shedding of the Blood of Christ only to make up a full and fit comparison with the legal Victims as is impudently insinuated But he directly ascribes the whole effect of Reconciliation Peace Attonement Remission of sins and Sanctification unto the Blood of Christ as shed and offered unto God And this he doth not only in this Epistle where he insists on this comparison but in other places also where he hath no regard unto it Rom. 3. 25. Eph. 1. 7. chap. 5. 2 25 26. Tit. 2. 14. Rev. 1. 5. 5 Having advanced thus far in the close of his Exposition he excludes the blood of Christ from any more Interest or efficiency in the Purification of these Heavenly things then the Blood of Goates and Calves which is such an open contradiction unto the whole Design and express words of the Apostle as that the Assertion of it exceeds all the bounds of Sobriety and Modesty From the Words thus opened we may Observe unto our own Use. 1. Neither could Heavenly Things have been made meet for us or our use nor we have been meet for their enjoyment had they not been dedicated and we been purged by the Sacrifice of Christ. There was no suitableness neither in them unto us nor in us unto them until it was introduced by the Blood of Christ. Without the Efficiency hereof Heavenly things would not be Heavenly unto the minds and souls of men they would neither please them nor satisfie them nor make them Blessed Unless they themselves are purged all things even Heavenly things themselves would be unclean and defiled unto them Tit. 1. 15. 2. Every eternal Mercy every spiritual Priviledge is both purchased for us and sprinkled unto us by the Blood of Christ. 3. There is such an Uncleanness in our Natures our Persons our Duties and Worship that unless they and we are all sprinkled with the Blood of Christ neither we nor they can have any Acceptance with God 4. The Sacrifice of Christ is the one only everlasting fountain and spring of all Sanctification and sacred Dedication whereby the whole new Creation is purified and dedicated unto God VER XXIV The Opposition between the High Priests of the Law and their Sacrifices with their Efficacy and the Lord Christ with his Sacrifice and its Efficacy is farther carried on in this verse And this is done in an Instance of a Dissimil tude between them as it was shewed in general before in how many things they did agree And this Dissimilitude consists in the place and manner of the Discharge of their Office after the great Expiatory Sacrifice which each of them did offer The Causal Connexion of the words doth also intimate that a farther Evidence is given unto what was before laid down namely that Heavenly things were purified by the Blood of Christ. For as an Assurance thereof upon the Dedication of the new Covenant he entered into Heaven it self Had he purified the Things only on the Earth we could have entered only into an Earthly Sanctuary as did the High Priest of Old But he is entered as the Apostle now declares into Heaven it self which in the gracious Presence of God therein is the spring and Center of all the things purified by his Sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the House of the Sanctuary Sancta Sacrarium Sanctuarium Sancta Sanctorum the most holy Place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Manufacta manibus extructa built with hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the similitude of that which is true Vul. Exemplaria verorum Exemplar respondens veris illis An example answering unto the true a Resemblance of the True 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the face faciei vultui conspectui in the Presence VER XXIV For Christ is not entered into the Holy Places the Sanctuary made with hands the figures of the true But into Heaven it self now to appear in the Presence of God for us There is in the words a Dissimilitude between the Lord Christ and the Priests of the Law or an Opposition between what was done by the one and the other And one Branch of the Antithesis as unto Affirmation on the one hand is included in the Negation on the other For in that he says he is not entered into the Holy Places made with hands it is affirmed that the High Priest did so of Old and no more In the words there is I. The Subject spoken of that is Christ. II. A Double Proposition concerning Him 1. Negative that he is not entered into the Holy Places made with hands 2. Affirmative that he is so into Heaven it self III. The End of what is so affirmatively ascribed unto him To appear in the Presence of God for us 1. The Subject spoken of is Christ. Jesus saith the Vulgar Latine But all Greek Copies with the Syriack have Christ. From the 15th verse he had spoken indefinitely of the Mediator of the New Covenant what he was to be and what he had to do whoever he were This Mediator and the High Priest of the Church are one and the same He makes Application of all he had said unto one singular Person Christ our High Priest That which in general is ascribed unto him or spoken of him both negatively and affirmatively is an Entrance That which was the peculiar Dignity of the High Priest of Old wherein the principal Discharge of his Duty did consist and whereon the Efficacy of his whole Ministration did depend was that He and He alone did enter into the Holy Place the Typical Representation of the Presence of God Wherefore such an entrance must our High Priest have after he had offered himself once for all II. This entrance of our High Priest as unto the place whereinto he entred is expressed first Negatively not into the Holy Places made with hands The place intended is the Sanctuary or most Holy Place in the Tabernacle It is here expressed in the Plural Number to answer the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so the LXX render their Reduplications wherewith they supply their want of superlatives These Holy Places Christ entered not into A Double Description is here given of this Place 1 As unto its Nature 2 As unto its Use. 1. As unto its Nature it was made with hands
do judge that these are the Enemies of Christ and the making of them his Footstool which are peculiarly here intended namely the destruction of the hardned unbelieving Jews who had obstinately rejected his Ministry and opposed it unto the end Then were those his Enemies who so refused him slain and destroyed thereon For 1. This Description of his Enemies as his Enemies peculiarly directs us unto this sense the Enemies of his Person Doctrine and Glory with whom he had so many contests whose Blasphemies and Contradictions he underwent They were his Enemies in a peculiar manner 2. This the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expecting better answers unto than unto the other sense For the glorious visible propagation of the Gospel and Kingdom of Christ thereon began and was carried on gloriously upon and after the destruction of Jerusalem and the Church of the Jews his Enemies With reference hereunto Expectation may be no less distinctly ascribed unto him than if we extend the word unto the whole time unto the end of the World 3. The Act of Vengeance on these his Enemies is not said to be his own but peculiarly assigned unto God the Father and those imployed by him In the Original promise the words of God the Father to him are I will make thine Enemies thy Footstool I take it upon me Vengeance is mine to revenge the injuries done unto thee and the obstinacy of those Unbelievers Here in this place respect is had unto the means that God used in the work of their destruction which was the Roman Army by whom they were as the Footstool of Christ absolutely trodden under his feet with respect unto this special Act of God the Father who in the Execution of it proclaims that Vengeance is his For in the following words the Lord Christ is said only to expect it as that wherein his own cause was vindicated and revenged as it were by another Hand while he pleaded it himself in the World by that mild and gentle means of sending his spirit to convince them of Sin Righteousness and Judgment 4. This is that which the Apostle constantly threatens the obstinate Hebrews and Apostate Professors of the Gospel withal throughout this Epistle the time of their destruction being now at hand So he doth Chap. 6. 4 5 6 7 8. In this Chapter ver 26 27 28 29 30 31. Where it must be spoken to 5. This was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or what remained as unto the personal Ministry of Christ in this World The horrible Destruction of the stubborn Obstinate Enemies of the Person and Office of Christ which befell the Nation of the Jews is a standing security of the endless destruction of all who remain his Obstinate adversaries 6. I leave this Interpretation of the Words unto the thoughts of them that are Judicious and shall open the Mind of the Holy Ghost in them according unto the generally received Opinion of their sense And to this end 1. The Subject spoken of is the Enemies of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Enemies He hath had many Enemies ever since his Exaltation and so shall have unto the Consummation of all things when they shall all of them be Triumphed over For his Enemies are of two sorts 1. Such as are so immediately and directly unto his Person 2. Such as are so to his Office and Work with the benefits of the Salvation of the Church Those of the first sort are either Devils or Men. All the Devils are in a Combination as sworn Enemies unto the Person of Christ and his Kingdom And for Men the whole World of Unbelieving Jews Mahumetans and Pagans are all his Enemies and do put forth all their Power in Opposition unto him The Enemies unto his Office Grace and Work and the benefits of it are either persons or things 1. The Head of this Opposition and Enmity unto his Person is Antichrist with all his Adherents and in a special manner all Worldly Power Authority and Rule acting themselves in subserviency unto the Antichristian Interest 2. All Pernicious Heresies against his Person and Grace 3. All others which make Profession of the Gospel and live not as becomes the Gospel they are all Enemies of Christ and his Office The things which rise up in Enmity and Opposition to him and the work of his Grace are Sin Death the Grave and Hell All these endeavour to obstruct and frustrate all the ends of Christs Mediation and are therein his Enemies 2. There is the Disposal of this Subject of these Enemies of Christ. They shall be made his Footstool 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 until they be put and placed in this condition it is a State which they would not be in but they shall be made put and placed in it whether they will or no as the word signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Footstool is used in a Threefold sence in the Scripture 1. For the visible pledge of Gods Presence and his Worship Gods Throne as we have shewed was represented by the Ark Mercy-Seat and Cherubims in the most Holy Place whereon the Sanctuary it self was his Footstool 1 Chron. 28. 2. Psal. 99. 5. Psal. 132. 7. So it is applyed unto God and his presence in the Church as the Ark was his Throne so the Sanctuary was his Footstool 2. It is applyed unto God and his presence in the World so Heaven above is called his Throne and this lower part of the Creation is his Footstool Isa. 66. 1. In neither of these senses are the Enemies of Christ to be his Footstool Therefore it is taken 3. For a Despised Conquered Condition a State of a mean subjected people deprived of all power and benefit and brought into absolute subjection In no other sense can it be applyed unto the Enemies of Christ as here it is Yet doth it not signifie the same condition absolutely as unto all persons and things that are his Enemies For they are not of one Nature and their subjection to him is such as their Natures are capable of But these things are intended in it 1. The Deprivation of all Power Authority and Glory They fate on Thrones but now are under the Seat of him who is the only Potentate 2. An utter defeat of their Design in opposing either his Person or the work of his Grace in the Eternal Salvation of his Church They shall not hurt or destroy no more in the Mountain of the Lord. 3. Their Eternal Disposal by the Will of Christ according as his Glory shall be manifested therein Sin Death the Grave and Hell as unto their Opposition to the Church shall be utterly destroyed 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. and there shall be no more Death Sathan and Antichrist shall be destroyed two ways 1. Initially and Gradually 2. Absolutely and Compleatly The First they are in all Ages of the Church from the time of Christs Glorious Ascension into Heaven They were then immediately put in subjection to him
all of them because that they should not defeat any one end of his Mediation And he maketh continual instances as he pleases of his Power over them in the visible Destruction of some of his most principal and implacable Enemies And Secondly it will be compleat at the last day when all these Enemies shall be utterly destroyed 4. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 until here hath respect unto both these the Gradual and Final destruction of all the Enemies of Christ. 5. This Christ is said to expect henceforth expecting Expectation and Waiting are improperly ascribed to Christ as they are in the Scripture unto God himself so far as they include hope or incertainty of the event or a desire of any thing either as to matter manner or time otherwise than as they are foreknown and determined But it is the rest and complacency of Christ in the faithfulness of Gods promises and his infinite Wisdom as unto the season of their accomplishment that is intended He doth not so expect these things as though there were any thing wanting to his own blessed Glory Power or Authority until it be actually and compleatly finished but saith the Apostle as to what remains to the Lord Christ in the discharge of his Office he henceforth is no more to Offer to Suffer no more to Dye no more to do any thing for the Expiation of Sin or by way of Sacrifice all this being absolutely and compleatly perfected he is for ever in the enjoyment of the Glory that was set before him satisfied in the Promises the Power and Wisdom of God for the compleat effecting of his Mediatory Office in the Eternal Salvation of the Church and by the conquest and destruction of all his and their Enemies in their proper times and seasons for it And from this Interpretation of the words we may take these Observations 1. It was the entrance of Sin which raised up all our Enemies against us From thence took they their Rise and Beginning as Death the Grave and Hell some that were friendly before became our Enemies thereon as the Law and some that had a Radical Enmity got power thereby to Execute it as the Devil The state in which we were created was a state of Universal peace all the strife and contention rose from Sin 2. The Lord Christ in his ineffable Love and Grace put himself between us and all our Enemies and took into his breast all their Swords wherewith they were armed against us so they are his Enemies 3. The Lord Christ by the Offering of himself making peace with God ruined all the Enmity against the Church and all the Enemies of it For all their power arose from the just displeasure of God and the Curse of his Law 4. It is the Foundation of all consolation to the Church that the Lord Christ even now in Heaven takes all our Enemies to be his in whose destruction he is infinitely more concerned than we are 5. Let us never esteem any thing or any person to be our Enemy but only so far and in what they are the Enemies of Christ. 6. It is our Duty to conform our selves to the Lord Christ in a quiet expectancy of the ruin of all our spiritual Adversaries 7. Envy not the Condition of the most Proud and Cruel Adversaries of the Church for they are absolutely in his power and shall be cast under his Footstool at the appointed season VERSE 14. For by one Offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified The Apostle 1. Gives the great Reason of this State of things with reference unto the Lord Christ in the discharge of his Office namely that he did not repeat his Offering as the Priests under the Law did theirs every year and every day that he is sate down at the Right Hand of God expecting his Enemies to be made his Footstool wherein they had no share after their Oblations And this is because by one Offering he hath for ever perfected them that are Sanctified This being done there is no need of any daily Sacrifice nothing that should detain the Lord Jesus out of the possession of his Glory So the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for inferrs a Reason in these words of all that was assigned before unto him in opposition unto what was done by the Priests of the Law it was by one Offering 2. What he did so effect which rendered all future Offerings and Sacrifices impossible He hath perfected for ever them that are Sanctified For the First what he did of the Nature of the thing spoken of was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by one Offering as what the Priests of old did was also by Offerings and Sacrifices The Eminency of this Offering the Apostle had before declared which here he referrs unto it was not of Bulls or Goats but of himself he Offered himself to God of his Body that is his whole Humane Nature And this Offering as he had observed before was only once Offered in the mention whereof the Apostle includes all the opposition he had made before between the Offering of Christ and those of the Priests as to its Worth and Dignity 3. That which is effected hereby is that he perfected for ever them that are Sanctified those on whom his work is effected are thereby Sanctified They that are Dedicated unto God those who are Sanctified or Purged by virtue of this Sacrifice unto them all the other effects are confined First to Sanctifie them then to perfect them was the design of Christ in Offering of himself which he purposed not for all Men Universally So in the Foundation of the Church of Israel they were first Sanctified and Dedicated unto God in and by the Sacrifices wherewith the Covenant was Confirmed Exod. 24. and afterwards were perfected so far as their condition was capable thereof in the prescription of Laws and Ordinances for their Church-State and Worship The word here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was used before He hath brought them into the most perfect and consummate Church-state and Relation unto God as unto all his Worship that the Church is capable of in this World It is not an absolute subjective virtual internal perfection of Grace that is intended the word signifies not such a perfection made perfect nor is ever used to that purpose nor is it the perfection of Glory for he treats of the present Church-state of the Gospel in this World But it is a state and condition of that Grace and those priviledges which the Law Priests and Sacrifices could never bring them unto He hath by his one Offering wrought and procured for them the compleat pardon of Sin and peace before God thereon that they should have no more need of the Repetition of Sacrifices he hath freed them from the Yoke of Carnal Ordinances and the Bondage which they were kept in by them prescribing unto them an Holy Worship to be performed with boldness in the presence of
in them all Consider now what aggravations this sin is accompanied withall above all sins whatever against the Law and be your selves Judges of what will follow hereon What do you think in your own hearts will be the Judgment of God concerning these sinners This argument the Apostle doth frequently insist upon as chap. 2. 2 3 4. chap. 12. 25. and it had a peculiar cogency towards the Hebrews who had lived under the terror of those legal punishments all their dayes I. The inevitable certainty of the Eternal punishment of Gospel-despisers depends on the Essential holiness and righteousness of God as the Ruler and Judge of all It is nothing but what he in his just Judgment which is according unto truth accounteth them worthy of Rom. 1. 32. II. It is a righteous thing with God thus to deal with men Wherefore all hopes of Mercy or the least relaxation of Punishment unto all Eternity are vain and false unto Apostates they shall have Judgment without Mercy III. God hath allotted different degrees of Punishment unto the different degrees and aggravations of sin The wages indeed of every sin is Death but there is unto such persons as these a Savour of death unto death and there shall be different degrees of Eternal Punishment IV. The Apostacy from the Gospel here described being the absolute height of all sin and impiety that the nature of man is capable of it renders them unto Eternity obnoxious unto all punishment that the same nature is capable of The greatest sin must have the greatest Judgment V. It is our Duty diligently to enquire into the nature of sin lest we be overtaken in the great Offence Such Persons as they in the Text it may be little thought what it was that they should principally be charged withal namely for their Apostasie and how dreadful was it when it came upon them in an evident conviction VI. Sinning against the Testimony given by the Holy Ghost unto the truth and power of the Gospel whereof men have had experience is the most dangerous Symtom of a perishing Condition VII Threatnings of future Eternal Judgments unto Gospel-despisers belong unto the preaching and declaration of the Gospel VIII The Equity and Righteousness of the most severe Judgments of God in eternal Punishments against Gospel-Despisers is so evident that it may be referred to the Judgment of men not obstinate in their Blindness IX 'T is our Duty to justifie and bear witness unto God in the Righteousness of his Judgments against Gospel-Despisers VERSE XXX XXXI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VERSE 30 31. For we know him that hath said Vengeance belongeth unto me I will recompence saith the Lord. And again the Lord shall Judge his People It is a fearfull thing to fall into the Hands of the living God THere is in these Verses the confirmation of all that was spoken before by the consideration of what God is in himself with whom alone we have to do in this matter and what he assumeth unto himself in this and the like Cases As if the Apostle had said In the severe sentence which we have denounced against Apostates we have spoken nothing but what is suitable unto the holiness of God and what indeed in such cases he hath declared that he will do The conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes the introduction of a Reason of what was spoken before but this is not all which he had discoursed on on this Subject but more particularly the reference he had made unto their own Judgments of what sore punishment was due unto Apostates Thus it will be with them thus you must needs determine concerning them in your own minds for we know him with whom we have to do in these things Wherefore the Apostle confirms the truth of his discourse or rather illustrates the evidence of it by a double consideration 1. Of the person of him who is and is to be the sole Judge in this case who is God alone For we know him And 2. What he hath assumed unto himself and affirmed concerning himself in the like-cases which he expresseth in a double Testimony of Scripture And then lastly there is the way whereby our minds are influenced from this Person and what he hath said which is that we know him The first consideration confirming the Evidence and certainty of the truth asserted is the person of him who is the only Judge in this case I confess the Pronoun herein is not exprest in the Original but as 't is included in the Participle and Article prefixed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that saith who expresseth himself in the words ensuing But it is evident that the Apostle directeth unto a special consideration of God himself both in the manner of the expression and in the addition of those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Testimony which he writes immediately If you will be convinced of a righteousness and certainty of this dreadful destruction of Apostates consider in the first place the Author of this Judgment the only Judge in the case We know him that hath said I. There can be no right Judgment made of the nature and demerit of sin without a due consideration of the Nature and Holiness of God against whom it is committed Fools make a mock of sin they have no sense of its guilt nor dread of its punishment Others have slight thoughts of it measuring it only either by outward effects or by presumptions which they have been accustomed unto Some have general notions of its guilt as 't is prohibited by the Divine Law but never search into the nature of that Law with respect unto its Author Such false measures of sin ruin the souls of men Nothing therefore will state our thoughts aright concerning the guilt and demerit of sin but a deep consideration of the infinite greatness holiness righteousness and power of God against whom it is committed And hereunto this also is to be added That God acts not in the effect of any of these Properties of his nature but on a preceding contempt of his Goodness Bounty Grace and Mercy As it is impossible that sin should come into the world but by the contempt of these things Antecedently unto all possibility of sinning God communicates the effects of his goodness and bounty unto the Creation And in those sins which are against the Gospel he doth so also of his Grace and Mercy This is that which will give us a due measure of the guilt and demerit of sin Look upon it as a contempt of infinite Goodness Bounty Grace and Mercy and to rise up against infinite greatness holiness righteousness and power and we shall have a view of it as it is in it self II. Under apprehensions of great severities of Divine Judgments the consideration of God the Author of them will both relieve our Faith and quiet our hearts Such instances are given of the Eternal casting off Multitudes of Angels on
of Christ in that Nation wherein our holy Apostle himself was highly concerned Acts 8. 1. Chap. 9. 1. ch 22. 19. ch 26. 10 11. And the other was on the occasion of this Apostle himself for upon his last coming to Jerusalem after his great successes in preaching the Gospel among the Gentiles the whole Body of the people was fill'd with rage and madness against him and all the other Disciples It is no doubt although express mention be not made of it but that at that time the Rage and Cruelty of the Priests and the multitude did put forth themselves unto a general Persecution of the Church And this season he seems to reflect upon in particular because he mentions his own bonds at that time and their compassion with him However certain it is that all the Churches of Judea had suffered those things here mentioned from their Countrey-men as the Apostle himself declares 1 Thess. 2. 14. At this present time they seemed to have had some outward peace The occasion whereof were the Tumults and Disorders which were then growing in their whole Nation Their own intestine discords and the fear of outward Enemies by which they were shortly utterly destroyed diverted them from prosecuting their rage for a season against the Church And it may be some began to grow careless and secure hereon as we are generally apt to do supposing that all will be serene when one or another storm is over These therefore the Apostle doth press unto such a remembrance of former trials as might prepare for those that we are to expect for as he tells them they had still need of Patience v. 36. 2. There is a Description of these former days from their State and Condition in them the days in which they were inlightned or rather in which having been inlightned The mention of this their illumination being in a tense of the time past manifests that their inlightning did precede those days of their sufferings But yet the Expression is such as argues a nearer conjunction or concurrence between those two things their illumination and these dayes of affliction the one followed as it were immediately on the other This inlightning was that work of Gods grace mentioned 1 Pet. 2. 9. Their translation out of darkness into his marvellous light They were naturally blind as were all men and peculiarly blinded with prejudices against the truth of the Gospel Therefore when God by his effectual call delivered them out of that State of darkness by the Renovation of their understandings and the removal of their prejudices the light of the knowledge of God shining into their hearts is this Illumination the saving Sanctifying Light which they received at their first effectual call and Conversion to God This Spiritual change was presently followed with days of affliction trouble and persecution In it self it is for the most part accompanied with joy delight zeal and vigorous acting of Faith and Love 1 Pet. 1. 8. For 1. God did usually grant unto Believers some secret Pledge and Sealing of his Spirit which fill'd them with joy and zeal Eph. 1. 13. 2. Their own hearts are exceedingly affected with the Excellency glory and beauty of the things revealed unto them of what they now see perfectly whereunto they were before in darkness that is the Love and Grace of Christ Jesus in the Revelation of himself unto them 3. All Graces are new and fresh not yet burdened clogged or wearied by temptations but are active in their several places Hence frequent mention is made of and commendation given unto the first Love of persons and Churches This was the State and condition of those Hebrews when the days of tryal and affliction came upon them it was immediately after their first conversion unto God And 't is usual with God thus to deal with his people in all ages He no sooner calls persons to himself but he leads them into the Wilderness He no sooner plants them but he shakes them with storms that they may be more firmly rooted He doth it 1. Utterly to take off their expectations from this world or any thing therein They shall find that they are so far from bettering their outward Estate in this world by cleaving unto Christ and the Church as that the whole rage of it would be stirr'd up against them upon that account and all the things enjoyed in it be exposed unto ruine This the Lord Christ every where warned his disciples of affirming that those who are not willing to renounce the world and to take up the Cross did not belong unto him 2. For the tryal of their faith 1 Pet. 5. 6 7. 3. For the glory and propagation of the Gospel 4. For the exercise of all graces 5. To breed us up into the military discipline of Christ as he is the Captain of our Salvation They who pass through their first trials are Christs Veterans on new attempts I. All men by nature are darkness and in darkness II. Saving illumination is the first fruit of effectual vocation III. Spiritual Light in its first Communication puts the soul on the diligent exercise of all Graces IV. 'T is suited unto the wisdom and goodness of God to suffer persons on their first Conversion to fall into manifold trials and temptations This was the State of the Hebrews in those days which the Apostle would have them call to mind But the words have respect unto what follows immediately which you endured The description of this State and condition namely that they were inlightned is interposed for the ends we have spoken unto Wherefore the season he would have them call to remembrance is described by what they suffered therein This as was observed he expresseth two ways 1. In general 2. In particular instances The First in these words ye endured a great fight of afflictions 1. That which he would have them to mind is affliction 2. The aggravation of it it was a great fight of afflictions 3. Their deportment under it in that they endured them 1. We render this word by Afflictions although by the particulars mentioned afterwards it appeared it was Persecutions from men that the Apostle only intended And if we take afflictions in the ordinary sence of the word for chastisements corrections and trials from God it is true that mens persecutions are also Gods afflictions with the special end of them in our trials we are chastned of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world God used them as his furnace and fining pot for the trial of their faith which is more pretious then gold And under all persecutions we are to have a special regard unto the immediate hand of God in such afflictive trials This will keep us humble and in a constant subjection of our souls unto God as the Apostle declares chap. 12. But the word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is properly sufferings The same word that the Apostle useth
And they are all witnessed unto in his perpetual Appearance in the presence of God for us 7. This also comprizeth his being an Advocate He is hereby in a continual readiness to plead our Cause against all Accusations which is the especial Nature of his work as an Advocate which is distinct from his Intercession whereby he procures supplies of Grace and Mercy for us 8. This Account of the Appearance of Christ before God on the Throne of Grace gives direction into a right Apprehension of the way of the Dispensation of all saving Grace and Mercy unto the Church The Spring and Fountain of it is God himself not absolutely considered but as a on Throne of Grace Goodness Grace Love and Mercy are natural unto him but so also are Righteousness and Judgment That he should be on a Throne of Grace is an Act of his Soveraign Will and Pleasure which is the original Spring of the Dispensation of all Grace unto the Church The procuring Cause of all Grace and Mercy for the Church as issuing from this Throne of Grace is the Sacrifice of Christ whereby Attonement was made for Sin and all Heavenly things purifyed unto their proper End Hence he is continually represented before this Throne of God as a Lamb that had been slain The Actual Application of all Grace and Mercy unto the Church and every member of it depends on this his Appearance before God and the Intercession wherewith it is accompanied Schlictingius grants on the place that Christ doth indeed Solicitously take care of the Salvation of the Church but yet God saith he doth grant it of meer Mercy without any regard unto Satisfaction or Merit which saith he we exclude And the only Reason he gives for their so doing is this that where there is Satisfaction or Merit there is no need of Oblation Appearance or Intercession But this Fancy opposed unto the Wisdom of God in the Dispensation of himself and his Grace ariseth from their Corrupt Notion of these things If the Oblation of Christ with his Appearance in Heaven and Intercession were nothing but what they imagine them to be that is his Appearance in Heaven with all Power committed unto him and the Administration of it for our Good his Satisfaction and Merit could not directly be thence proved Yet also on the other hand are they no way disproved thereby for they might be antecedently necessary unto the exercise of this Power But the Argument is firm on the other hand There is in the Dispensation of Grace and Mercy respect had unto Satisfaction and Merit because it is by the Blood and Sacrifice of Christ as it is the design of the Apostle to declare For whereas He was therein an offering for Sin was made Sin for us and bare all our Iniquities undergoing the Penalty or Curse of the Law due unto them which we call his Satisfaction or Suffering in our stead And whereas all that he did antecedently unto the Oblation of himself for the Salvation of the Church he did it in a way of Obedience unto God by Vertue of the Compact or Covenant between the Father and Him for our Salvation unto his Glory which we call his Merit Unto these there is respect in the dispensation of Grace or the Lord Christ lived and died in Vain But to declare their Apprehension of these things the same Author adds Porro in Pontifice legali apparitio distincta erat ab oblatione licet utraque erat conjuncta simul fieret nempe quia alius erat Pontifex alia victima apparebat quidem Pontifex offerebatur autem victima seu sanguis victimae At nostri Pontificis oblatio apparitio quemadmodum interpellatio reipsa idem sunt quia nimirum idem est Pontifex Victima Dum enim apparet Christus seipsum offert dum seipsum offert apparet dum autem offert apparet interpellat 1. It is not true that the Oblation or Offering of the Sacrifice by the High Priest and his Appearance in the Holy Place was at the same time For he offered his Sacrifice at the Altar without and afterwards entred with the blood into the Holy Place 2. He grants that the Blood of the Sacrifice was offered but will not allow that the Blood of Christ was offered at all nor that Christ offered himself before he had laid aside both flesh and blood having no such thing belonging unto him 3. That the Sacrifice of Christ his Oblation Appearance and Intercession are all one and the same and that nothing but his Power and Care in Heaven for the Salvation of the Church is intended by them is an Imagination expresly contradictory unto the whole Design and all the Reasonings of the Apostle in the Context For he carefully distinguisheth those things one from the other sheweth the different and distinct time of them under the Old Testament declareth their distinct Natures Acts and Effects with the different places of their performance Violence also is offered unto the signification of the Words and the common Notion of things intended by them to make way for this Conceit In common use and force 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are one thing and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are others It is true the Lord Christ is in himself both the Priest and the Sacrifice but it doth not thence follow that his offering of himself and his Appearance in the Presence of God for us are the same but only that they are the Acts of the same Person This Continual Appearance of the Lord Christ for us as our High Priest in the Presence of God in the way explained is the Foundation of the Safety of the Church in all Ages and that whereon all our Consolation doth depend whence Relief is derived by Faith on all occasions The Consideration hereof being rightly improved will carry us through all difficulties Temptations and Trials with safety unto the End VER XXV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not also neque neither nor yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Soul He made his Soul an offering for Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in or with Blood that was not his own properly Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with other blood or the blood of another Nor yet that he should offer himself often as the High Priest entreth into the Holy-Place every year with the blood of others In the foregoing verse there is an Opposition in the Comparison between the Lord Christ and the High Priest of the Law yet is it such as hath its Foundation in a Similitude that is between them and therefore respects not so much the things themselves opposed as the manner of them For as the Lord Christ entred not into the Holy
Place made with hands but into Heaven it self So the High Priest had an entrance also yet not into Heaven but into that other Holy Place But in this verse there is an opposition in the Comparison that hath no Foundation in any similitude between them and that is absolutely denyed of Christ which belonged essentially unto the Discharge of the Office of the High Priest of Old Many things ensued on the Weakness and Imperfection of the Types which would not allow that there should be a perfect compleat Resemblance in them of the Substance it self that all things between them exactly should answer unto One another Hence they did at best but obscurely represent the good things to come and in some things it was not possible but there should be a great discrepancy between them The Assertion in these Words proceeds on a Supposition of the Duty of the High Priest which had that Reason for it as that it was absolutely necessary that our High Priest should not do after the same manner The High Priest ended not his work of offering Sacrifices by his entrance into the Holy Place with the Blood of it but he was to repeat the same Sacrifice again every year This therefore in correspondence with this Type might be expected from Christ also namely that whereas he offered himself unto God through the Eternal Spirit and afterwards entred into the Holy Place or Heaven it self he should offer himself again and so have another entrance into the Presence of God This the Apostle denies him to have done and in the next verse gives a demonstration proving it was impossible he should so do And hereof he gives the Reason both in the remaining verses of this Chapter and the beginning of the next The Repetition of the annual Sacrifices under the Law was mainly from hence because they were not able perfectly to effect that which they did signifie But the One Sacrifice of Christ did at once perfectly accomplish what they did represent Herein therefore of necessity there was to be a difference a Dissimilitude an Opposition between what those High Priests did as unto the Repetition of Sacrifices and what was done by our High Priest which is expressed in this verse The Introduction of the Apostles Assertion is by the disjunctive Negative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor yet It answers the Negative in the first part of the preceding verse He entred not into the Holy Place made with hands as the High Priest nor yet to do what the High Priest did afterwards In the words themselves there are two things 1 What is denyed of the Lord Christ. 2 The Limitation of that Denial unto the other part of the Comparison as unto what the High Priest did 1. It is denied of him that he did thus enter into Heaven that he should offer himself often It doth not follow saith the Apostle that because as an High Priest he entred into Heaven as the High Priests of the Law entred into the Holy Place made with hands that he should therefore offer himself often as that High Priest offered every year It was not required of him there was no need of it for the Reasons mentioned it was impossible he should For this offering of himself was not his Appearance in the Presence of God but the One Sacrifice of himself by death as the Apostle declares in the next verse That he should so offer himself often more than once was needless from the Perfection of that one Offering By one Offering he hath for ever perfected them that were Sanctified And impossible from the Condition of his Person he could not dye often What remains for the Exposition of these words will be declared in the removal of those false Glosses and wrestings of them whereby some endeavour to pervert them The Socinians plead from hence that the Sacrifice of Christ or his offering of himself is the same with his Appearance in Heaven and the Presentation of himself in the Presence of God and they do it out of Hatred unto the Attonement made by his Blood For say they it is here compared unto the entrance of the High Priest into the Holy Place every year which was only an Appearance in the Presence of God Answ. 1. There is no such Comparison intended in the words The Apostle mentioning the entrance of the High Priest with Blood into the Holy Place intends only to evince the Imperfection of that Service in that after he had done so he was again to offer renewed Sacrifices every year a sufficient Evidence that those Sacrifices could never make them perfect who came unto God by them With Christ it was not so as the Apostle declares So that there is not herein a Comparison between the things themselves but an Opposition between their Effects 2. It is granted that the entrance of the High Priest into the Holy Place belonged unto the Complement or Perfection of his Service in the expiatory Sacrifice But the Sacrifice it self did not consist therein So likewise did the entrance of Christ into Heaven belong unto the Perfection of the Effects and Efficacy of his Sacrifice as unto the way of its Application unto the Church So far there is a Comparison in the words and no further 3. That the Sacrifice of Christ or his offering himself once for all once and not often is the same with his continual Presentation of himself in the Presence of God is both false in it self and contrary to the express design of the Apostle For 1 It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a slain or bloody Sacrifice whereof he treats as he expresly calls it ver 25 26. But there is no shedding of blood in the Appearance of Christ in Heaven nor according to these men any such thing appertaining unto his Nature 2 These things are distinguished in the Scripture from their different Natures and Effects 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. 3 His Sacrifice or the offering of himself is so affirmed to be one as to consist in One individual Act. It is not only said that it was one Offering but that it was once only offered ver 26 28. This is no way reconcileable unto his continual Appearance in the presence of God 4 His Offering is mentioned by the Apostle as that which was then past and no more to be repeated He hath by one Offering perfected them that are Sanctified 5 His Oblation was accompanied with and inseparable from suffering So he declares in the next verse proving that he could not often offer himself because he could not often suffer But his Presentation of himself in Heaven is not only inconsistent with actual Suffering but also with any obnoxiousness thereunto It belongs unto his state of Exaltation and Glory 6 The time of the offering himself is limited unto the End of the World now once in the end of the World in opposition unto the Season that passed before denoting a certain determinate Season in the dispensation of times of which