Christ which never changeth and that of Aaron which was alwaies in a transient Succession And the Reasons he gives of this contrary state of these two Priesthoods do greatly enforce the Argument For the first Priesthood was so Successive because the Priests themselves were obnoxious unto death the sum and issue of all weaknesses and infirmities But as to the Lord Christ his Priesthood is perpetual and unchangeable because he abideth personally for ever being made a Priest according to the Power of an endless Life which is the sum of all Perfections that our nature is capable of And we may observe 1. The perpetuity of the Priesthood of Christ depends on his own perpetual Life He did not undertake any Office for the Church to lay it aside whilst he lives until the whole Design and work of it be accomplished And therefore he tells his Disciples that because he liveth they shall live also John 14. 19. For whilst he lives he will take care of them But this must be spoken unto on the next verse 2. The perpetuity of the Priesthood of Christ as unchangeably exercised in his own Person is a principal part of the Glory of that Office His discharge of this Office for the Church in his own Person throughout all Generations is the glory of it 1. Hereon depends the Churches preservation and stability There is neither a ceasing nor any the least intermission of that Care and Providence of such interposition with God on its behalf which are required thereunto Our High Priest is continually ready to appear and put in for us on all occasions And his abiding for ever manifests the continuance of the same Care and Love for us that he ever had The same Love wherewith as our High Priest he laid down his Life for us doth still continue in him And every one may with the same confidence go unto him with all their concerns as poor diseased and distempered Persons went unto him when he was upon Earth when he never shewed greater displeasure than unto those who forbad any to come unto him whatever their pretences were 2. Hereon depends the Union and Communion of the Church with it self in all successive Generations For whereas he who is their Head and High Priest in whom they all center as unto their Union and Communion and who hath all their Graces and Duties in his hand to present them unto God they have a Relation unto each other and a concernment in one another VVe that are alive in this generation have Communion with all those that died in the Faith before us as shall be declared if God will on Chap. 12. ver 22 23 24. And they were concerned in us as we are also in the generations that are to come For all the Prayers of the Church from first to last are lodged in the hand of the same High Priest who abides for ever And he returns the prayers of one Generation unto another VVe enjoy the fruits of the Prayers Obedience and Blood of those that went before us and if we are faithful in our generation serving the VVill of God those shall enjoy the fruits of ours who shall come after us Our joynt interest in this our abiding Priest gives a line of Communication unto all Believers in all Generations And 3. the Consolation of the Church also depends hereon Do we meet with Troubles Trials Difficulties Temptations and Distresses hath not the Church done so in former Ages What do we think of those days wherein Prisons Tortures Swords and Flames were the Portion of the Church all the world over But did any of them miscarry Was any one true Believer lost for ever And did not the whole Church prove victorious in the End Did not Satan rage and the World gnash their Teeth to see themselves conquered and their power broken by the Faith Patience and Suffering of them whom they hated and despised And was it from their own wisdom and courage that they were so preserved Did they overcome meerly by their own Blood or were delivered by their own Power No but all their preservation and successe their deliverance and eternal Salvation depended meerly on the care and power of their merciful High Priest It was through his Blood the Blood of the Lamb or the efficacy of his Sacrifice that they overcame their Adversaries Revel 12. 11. By the same blood were their Robes washed and made white Chap. 7. 14. From thence had they their Righteousness in all their Sufferings And by him had the Church its triumphant issue out of all its Trials Now is he not the same that he ever was vested with the same Office and hath he not the same Qualifications of Love Compassion Care and Power for the discharge of it as he always had whence then can any just cause of despondence in any Trials or Temptations arise We have the same High Priest to take care of us to assist and help us as they had who were all of them finally victorious 4. This gives perpetual efficacy unto his sacrifices c. 3. The Addition of sacrificing Priests as Vicars of or Substitutes unto Christ in the discharge of his Office destroys his Priesthood as to the principal eminency of it above that of the Levitical Priesthood VER 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them IN this verse the Apostle brings his whole preceding Mysterious discourse unto an Issue in the Application of it unto the Faith and Comfort of the Church It was not his Design meerly to open Mysterious Truths in the notion of them Nor only to prove the Glory and preeminence of the Gospel Church state above that of the same Church under Mosaical Institutions on the Account of the Priesthood of Christ But his principal Design was to demonstrate the Spiritual and Eternal Advantages of all true Believers by these things The sum of what he intends he proposeth in this verse and afterwards enlargeth on unto the end of the Chapter What Believers ought to seek in and what they may expect from this blessed glorious Priesthood is that which he now undertakes to declare In like manner on all occasions he manifests that the end of God in the whole Mystery of his Grace by Jesus Christ and Institutions of the Gospel is the Salvation of his Elect unto the praise of the Glory of his Grace There are in the words 1. The Illative Conjunction or note of Inference Wherefore 2. An Ascription of Power unto this High Priest He is able 3. The end of that Power or the effect of it it is to save which is farther described 1. By the extent of it it is unto the uttermost 2. The especial Object of it Those that come to God by him 4. The Reasons of the whole which are 1. His perpetual life 2. His perpetual work He ever liveth to make Intercession for them The
had unto the whole System of those Laws and Institutions of Worship which our Apostle as was also before observed calls Carnal Ordinances imposed unto the Time of Reformation Chap. 9. 10. They were all Carnal in opposition unto the Dispensation of the Spirit under the Gospel and the Institutions thereof None of these ways was the Lord Christ made a Priest He was not dedicated unto his Office by the Sacrifice of Beasts but Sanctified himself thereunto when he Offered himself through the Eternal Spirit unto God and was consummate in his own Blood He was not of the Carnal Seed of Aaron nor did nor could claim any Succession unto the Priesthood by virtue of an Extraction from his Race And no constitution of the Law in general no Ordinance of it did convey unto him either Right or Title unto the Priesthood It is therefore Evident that he was in no sense made a Priest according to the Law of a Carnal Commandment neither had he either Right Power or Authority to exercise the Sacerdotal Function in the observation of any Carnal Rites or Ordinances whatever And we may observe That what seemed to be wanting unto Christ in his entrance into any of his Offices or in the Discharge of them was on the account of a greater Glory Aaron was made a Priest with a great outward Solemnity The Sacrifices which were Offered and the Garments he put on with his visible separation from the rest of the People had a great Ceremonial Glory in them There was nothing of all this nor any thing like unto it in the Consecration of the Lord Christ unto his Office But yet indeed these things had no Glory in comparison of that excelling Glory which accompanied those invisible Acts of Divine Authority VVisdom and Grace which communicated his Office unto him And indeed in the VVorship of God who is a Spirit all outward Ceremony is a diminution and debasement of it Hence were Ceremonies for Beauty and Glory multiplyed under the Old Testament but yet as the Apostle shews were all but Carnal But as the sending of Christ himself and his Investiture with all his Offices were by Secret and Invisible Acts of God and his Spirit so all Evangelical VVorship as to the Glory of it is Spiritual and Internal only And the removal of the Old Pompous Ceremonies from our VVorship is but the taking away of the Veil which hindred from an insight and entrance into the Holy place 2. The way and manner whereby the Lord Christ was made a Priest is expressed positively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But according unto the Power of an indissoluble Life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes an Opposition between the way rejected and this asserted as those which were not consistent He was not made a Priest that way but this How is Christ then made a Priest according to the Power of an endless Life That is saith one in his Paraphrase installed into the Priesthood after his Resurrection VVhat is meant by installed I well know not It should seem to be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consecrated Dedicated Initiated And if so this Exposition diverts wholly from the Truth For Christ was installed into his Office of Priesthood before his Resurrection or he did not Offer himself as a Sacrifice unto God in his Death and Blood-shedding And to suppose that the Lord Christ discharged and performed the principal Act of his Sacerdotal Office which was but once to be performed before he was installed a Priest is contradictory to Scripture and Reason it self Ideo ad vitam im mortalem perductus est ut in aeternum sacrdos noster esset He was therefore brought unto an Immortal Life that he might be our Priest for ever saith another But this is not to be made a Priest according to the Power of an endless Life If he means that he might always continue to be a Priest and to execute that Office always unto the consummation of all things what he says is true but not the sence of this place but if he means that he became Immortal after his Resurrection that he might be our Priest and abide so for ever it excludes his Oblation in his Death from being a proper Sacerdotal Act which that it was I have sufficiently proved elsewhere against Crellius and others Some think that the endless life intended is that of Believers which the Lord Christ by virtue of his Priestly Office confers upon them The Priests under the Law proceeded no further but to discharge Carnal Rites which could not confer Eternal life on them for whom they Ministred But the Lord Christ in the Discharge of his Office procureth Eternal Redemption and Everlasting life for Believers And these things are true but they comprise not the meaning of the Apostle in this place For how can Christ be made a Priest according to the Power of that Eternal Life which he confers on others For the comparison and opposition that is made between the Law of a Carnal Commandment whereby Aaron was constituted a Priest and the Power of an endless Life whereby Christ was made so do Evidence that the making of Christ a Priest not absolutely which the Apostle treats not of but such a Priest as he is was the Effect of this endless Life VVherefore the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the indissoluble Life here intended is the life of Christ himself Hereunto belonged or from hence did proceed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Power whereby he was made a Priest And both the Office it self and the Execution or Discharge of it are here intended And as to the Office it self this Eternal or endless life of Christ is his life as the Son of God Hereon depends his own Mediatory life for ever and his conferring of Eternal life on us John 5. 26 27. And to be a Priest by virtue of or according unto this Power stands in direct opposition unto the Law of a Carnal Commandment It must therefore be enquired how the Lord Christ was made a Priest according unto this power And I say it was because thereby alone he was rendred meet to discharge that Office wherein God was to redeem his Church with his own Blood Acts 20. 28. By Power therefore here both meetness and ability are intended And both these the Lord Christ had from his Divine Nature and his endless life therein Or it may be the Life of Christ in his Humane Nature is intended in opposition unto those Priests who being made so by the Law of a Carnal Commandment did not continue in the Discharge of their Office by reason of Death as our Apostle observes afterwards But it will be said that this Natural life of Christ the life of the Humane Nature was not Endless but had an End put unto it in the Dissolution of his Soul and Body on the Cross. I say therefore this life of Christ was not absolutely the life of the Humane Nature considered separately from his
unto the Glory of our High Priest For after he had offered his great Sacrifice unto God he entred not into the Holy Place made with hands but into Heaven it self And he entred not to stand with humble Reverence before the Throne but to sit on the Throne of God at his right hand Nor did he do so to abide there for a season but for evermore 2. As to the words themselves we may observe that the Apostle three times in this Epistle maketh use of them with some little variety Chap. 1. 3. Chap. 12. 2. And in this place Chap. 1. 3. He sate down at the right hand of the Majesty on High where there is no mention of the Throne Chap. 12. 2. He is sate down at the right hand of the Throne of God where Majesty is not added Here we have both the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty In the first place the Glory of his Kingly Power is intended in the last his Exaltation and Glory as they ensued on his Sufferings and in this place the Declaration of his Glory in his Priestly Office The same Glory and Advancement hath respect unto various Acts and Powers in the Lord Christ. The manner of his enjoyment of this Dignity and Glory is expressed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He sate down Hereof there was nothing Typical in the Legal High Priest who never sate down in the Holy Place But as he was in many things typed by the Levitical Priests so in what they could not reach unto he was represented in Melchisedec who was both a King and a Priest And hence he is prophesi'd of as a Priest upon his Throne Zech. 6. 13. And the immutable stability of his state and condition is also intended 2. The Dignity it self consists in the place of his Residence where he sate down and this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the right hand See the Exposition hereof Chap. 1. 3. 3. This right hand is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is frequent mention in the Scripture of the Thorne of God A Throne is Insigne Regium an Ensign of Royal Power That intended by it is the manifestation of the Glory and Power of God in his Authority and Sovereign Rule over all 4. This Throne is here said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Majesty or Glorious Greatness and Power that is of God himself for his essential Glory and Power is intended The Right hand of the Throne of Majesty is the same with the Right hand of God Only God is represented in all his Glory as on his Throne Christ is sate down at the Right hand of God as considered in all his glorious Power and Rule Higher expression there cannot be used to lead us into an holy Adoration of the tremendous invisible Glory which is intended And this is the eternal stable condition of the Lord Christ our High Priest A state of inconceivable Power and Glory Herein he dischargeth the remaining Duties of his Mediation according as the nature of his especial Offices do require In this state doth he take care and provide for the application of the benefits of his Oblation or Sacrifice unto Believers and that by Intercession whereof we have spoken 5. Thus is he said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Heavens as in the other place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Highest that is Heavens And by the Heavens here not these visible aspectable Heavens are intended for with respect unto them he is said to be exalted above all Heavens and to have passed through them But it is that which the Scripture calls the Heaven of Heavens 1 Kings 8. 27. wherein is the especial residence and manifestation of the glorious presence of God With respect hereunto our Saviour hath taught us to call on our Father which is in Heaven And from the words we may observe that The principal Glory of the Priestly Office of Christ depends on the glorious Exaltation of his Person To this end is it here pleaded by the Apostle and thereby he evinceth his glorious Excellency above all the High Priests under the Law To evidence and make useful this Observation the things ensuing are to be observed 1. The Divine Nature of Christ is capable of no real Exaltation by an addition of Glory but only by the way of manifestation So God absolutely is often in the Scripture said to be exalted that is he is so when he himself by any Acts of Grace or Providence makes the eternal Glory of his Power his Holiness or any other properties of his Nature manifest and conspicuous or when others ascribe unto him the Glory and Praise that are his due So only may the Lord Christ be exalted or made glorious with respect unto his Divine Nature wherein he is essentially over all God blessed for ever And there is in this way an Exaltation or Manifestation of Glory peculiar and proper unto the Person of Christ as distinct from the Persons of the Father and the Holy Spirit For he did in a peculiar way and manner for a season forego and leave his Glory as to the Manifestation of it For being essentially in the form of God and counting it no robbery to be equal with God yet he made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant Phil. 2. 6 7. In his Incarnation and his whole converse on the Earth he cast a vail over his eternal Glory so as that it appeared not in its own native lustre Those indeed who believed on him saw his Glory the Glory as of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and truth John 1. 14. But they saw it darkly and as in a Glass during the time of his Humiliation But after his Resurrection his Glory was unvailed and made conspicuous even when he was declared to be the Son of God with power according unto the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1. 4. 2. The Person of Christ as to his Divine Nature was always on the Throne and is uncapable of the Exaltation here mentioned of sitting down at the right hand of it Although he came down from Heaven though he descended into the lower parts of the Earth although he was exposed unto all miseries was obedient unto death the death of the Cross wherein God redeemed his Church with his own blood yet did he all this in the humane nature that he assumed his Divine Person can no more really leave the Throne of Majesty than cease to be So he saith of himself No man hath ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of man which is in Heaven John 3. 13. His Ascension into Heaven in this place which preceded the actual Ascension of his humane Nature is nothing but his admission into the knowledge of heavenly things of all the secrets of the counsel of God see John 1. 18.
taken meerly à minori For there is a greater reason in the nature of things that the Blood of Christ should purge our Consciences from dead works than there is that the Blood of Bulls and Goats should sanctifie unto the purifying of the flesh For that had all its efficacy unto this end from the sovereign pleasure of God in its Institution In it self it had neither worth nor dignity whence in any proportion of Justice or Reason men should be legally sanctified by it The Sacrifice of Christ also as unto its Original depended on the sovereign pleasure wisdom and grace of God But being so appointed upon the account of the infinite dignity of his Person and the nature of his Oblation it had a real efficacy in the justice and wisdom of God to procure the effect mentioned in the way of purchase and merit This the Apostle refers unto in these words Who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unto God That the Offering was himself that he offered himself through the eternal Spirit in his Divine Person is that which gives assurance of the accomplishing the effect assigned unto it by his Blood above any grounds we have to believe that the Blood of Bulls and Goats should sanctifie unto the purifying of the flesh And we may observe from this How much more That There is such an Evidence of Wisdom and Righteousness unto a spiritual Eye in the whole Mystery of our Redemption Sanctification and Salvation by Christ as gives an immoveable foundation unto Faith to rest upon in its receiving of it The Faith of the Church of Old was resolved into the meer sovereign pleasure of God as to the efficacy of their Ordinances nothing in the nature of the things themselves did tend unto their establishment But in the dispensation of God by Christ in the work of our Redemption by him there is such an Evidence of the Wisdom and Righteousness of God in the things themselves as gives the highest security unto Faith It is Unbelief alone made obstinate by prejudices insinuated by the Devil that hides these things from any as the Apostle declares 2 Cor. 4. 3. 4. And hence will arise the great aggravation of the Sin and condemnation of them that perish 2. We must consider the things themselves The Subject spoken of and whereunto the Effect mentioned is ascribed is the Blood of Christ. The Person unto whom these things relate is Christ. I have given an account before on sundry occasions of the great variety used by the Apostle in this Epistle in the naming of him And a peculiar Reason of every one of them is to be taken from the place where it is used Here he calls him Christ For on his being Christ the Messias depends the principal force of his present Argument It is the Blood of him who was promised of Old to be the High-Priest of the Church and the Sacrifice for their Sins In whom was the Faith of all the Saints of Old that by him their Sins should be expiated that in him they should be justified and glorified Christ who is the Son of the living God in whose Person God purchased his Church with his own Blood And we may observe That The Efficacy of all the Offices of Christ towards the Church depends on the Dignity of his Person The Offering of his Blood was prevalent for the Expiation of Sin because it was his Blood and for no other Reason But this is a Subject which I have handled at large elsewhere A late learned Commentator on this Epistle takes occasion in this place to reflect on Dr. Gouge for affirming that Christ was a Priest in both Natures which as he says cannot be true I have not Dr. Gouge's Exposition by me and so know not in what sense it is affirmed by him But that Christ is a Priest in his entire Person and so in both Natures is true and the constant Opinion of all Protestant Divines And the following words of this learned Author being well explained will clear the difficulty For he saith that He that is a Priest is God yet as God he is not he cannot be a Priest For that Christ is a Priest in both Natures is no more but that in the discharge of his Priestly Office he acts as God and Man in one Person from whence the Dignity and Efficacy of his Sacerdotal Actings do proceed It is not hence required that whatever he doth in the discharge of his Office must be an immediate Act of the Divine as well as of the Humane Nature No more is required unto it but that the Person whose Acts they are is God and Man and acts as God and Man in each Nature sutably unto its essential Properties Hence although God cannot dye that is the Divine Nature cannot do so yet God purchased his Church with his own Blood and so also the Lord of Glory was Crucified for us The sum is That the Person of Christ is the Principle of all his Mediatory Acts although those Act◠be immediately performed in and by vertue of his distinct Natures some of one some of another according unto their distinct Properties and Powers Hence are they all Theandrical which could not be if he were not a Priest in both Natures Nor is this impeached by what ensues in the same Author namely That a Priest is an Officer and all Officers as Officers are made such by Commission from the Sovereign Power and are Servants under them For 1 It may be this doth not hold among the Divine Persons it may be no more is required in the dispensation of God towards the Church unto an Office in any of them but their own infinite condescension with respect unto the order of their subsistence So the Holy Ghost is in peculiar the Comforter of the Church by the way of Office and is sent thereon by the Father and Son Yet is there no more required hereunto but that the order of the operation of the Persons in the blessed Trinity should answer the order of their subsistence and so he who in his Person proceedeth from the Father and the Son is sent unto his work by the Father and the Son no new Act of Authority being required thereunto but only the determination of the Divine Will to act sutably unto the order of their subsistence 2 The Divine Nature considered in the Abstract cannot serve in an Office yet He who was in the Form of God and counted it no robbery to be equal unto God took on him the form of a Servant and was obedient unto death It was in the Humane Nature that he was a Servant nevertheless it was the Son of God he who in his Divine Nature was in the Form of God who so served in Office and yielded that Obedience Wherefore he was so far a Mediator and Priest in both his Natures as that whatever he did in the discharge of those Offices was the Act of his entire Person whereon the
they only believe truly who are ordained to Eternal Life 2 The Lord Christ intercedeth that this Faith may never fail or be utterly lost Joh. 17. 8 11 15. c. 3 The Power of God is engaged in the preservation of it 2 Pet. 1. 3. 1 Pet. 1. 5. Ephes. 1. 19 20. 4 The Promises of the Covenant are expresly multiplied unto this purpose Jer. 31. 32 33. chap. 32. 38 39 40. And the like may be said of all other saving Graces And on this Ground doth the Apostle call those better things that these Hebrews were made partakers of such as accompany Salvation It is the Duty of all Professors strictly to examine themselves concerning their Participation of those better things which accompany Salvation Their condition is deplorable who under an outward Profession do satisfie themselves with those common Gifts Graces and Duties which are separable from Salvation Yet that it is so with many in the world who thereon cry Peace Peace whilst suddain Destruction is coming upon them is openly manifest See the Advice of the Apostle express to this purpose 2 Cor. 13. 8. We may yet farther observe how variously the Apostle treats these Hebrews Sometimes he stiles them Holy Brethren affirming them to be Partakers of the Heavenly Calling so also that they had those better things in them which accompany Salvation Sometimes he tells them that they were dull and slothful and had need be taught again what are the Principles of the Oracles of God and sets before them the final Destruction of Apostates to ingenerate a fear and apprehension of the Terror of the Lord in them Now this variety in the Apostles treating of them proceeds not from present Commotions not from any Rhetorical Artifice but from a regular and steady Judgement concerning the condition of the whole Church For 1 There were indeed several sorts of Professors among them answering the several Descriptions he gives of them He spake therefore to the whole community indefinitely leaving the especial Application of what he speaks unto themselves in particular according as their different conditions did require And this is the only safe and prudent way for Ministers to deal with their Flocks For when any conceive themselves by other circumstances to be singled out for Reproof and Threatening they commonly draw forth disadvantage to themselves thereby 2 The best of the Hearers of the Gospel may have much to be blamed in them although their sincerity in general ought to be highly approved 3 Severe Threatenings in the Dispensation of the Gospel are usually proposed unto them who yet are not absolutely liable to the Penalty threatened They do not predict what will come to pass but warn what is to be avoided VERSE 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Syriack renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perversus iniquus it omitteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also as doth the vulgar Latine but expresseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 emphatically 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that your Love Other material differences among Translators there is not For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the labour of that Love which you have evidently shewed towards his name in that you have ministred to the Saints and do minister The Expositors of the Roman Church do greatly perplex themselves and others in their Comments on this Text. They generally agree in an endeavour from hence to prove the merit of works against Protestants because the Council of Trent applies this Text to that purpose And none are more confident herein than our Rhemists who after their usual Reproaches of Protestants affirm That good works are meritorious and the very cause of Salvation so that God should be unjust if he rendered not Heaven for the same But they are greatly divided among themselves about the state of the persons and kind of the Works here intended Some contend that the Apostle speaks to and of such as were fallen out of a state of Justification into a state of deadly sin And the works of which it is said that God will not forget them are those which they wrought in that estate from whence they were now supposed to be fallen For on the account of those former works God will spare them and not destroy them And although there be no present merit in these works whilst those who wrought them are in a state of deadly sin yet when they shall be recovered by Penance these works which were before mortified by their falling from Grace and so became of no use as to present merit shall recover their former meritorious virtue as if they had never been forfeited by deadly sin This therefore is the sense which these persons would affix unto these words Where any have been in a state of Justification and have wrought good works therein meritorious of Eternal Life if they fall into deadly sin they immediately lose all the merit and benefit of those works But notwithstanding God in his Righteousness keeps the Remembrance of these works so that when such sinners return again by Penance into their first estate these works shall revive into a condition of merit This sense is opposed by others For they think those mentioned are justified persons and the Apostle expresseth the merit of their present works with respect unto the Righteousness of God The Reader who desires to see such Chaffe tossed up and down may find these things debated in Aquinas Adamus Estius A Lapide Ribera Maldonat de Tena and others of them on the place How Forraign these Discourses are to the Text and Context is evident to every impartial considerer of it They are only Chimera's hatched out of the proud Imaginations of the merit of their works that these mens minds are prepossessed withall For 1 Our Apostle treats of those whom he supposeth and judgeth to be in a present good Spiritual Condition For with respect thereunto he ascribeth unto them things that accompany Salvation and prescribeth no other Duty unto them for the actual enjoyment of it but only those of Faith and Love and Ministration unto the Saints which at present he commendeth in them What they did formerly that he affirms them to continue in the performance of You have ministred and you do minister 2 The Apostle expresly distinguisheth them concerning whom he now speaks from those who were now fallen off from the Profession of the Gospel or that state of Justification which the Romanists suppose 3 He doth not direct these persons to seek after a Recovery out of the Condition wherein they were but incourageth them unto a continuance therein and to shew the same Diligence unto that purpose as formerly to the End ver 12. Nothing therefore is more fond than to suppose that any thing is here taught concerning the mortification of good works as to their merit by deadly sin and their recovery thereof by Penance a fiction which these men dream of to no purpose 2ly Neither is
in the exercise of Love Hereby are they all brought into the nearest Relation to one another which is the most effectual motive and powerful attractive unto Love For as the Lord Christ saith of every one that doth the will of God the same is my Brother and Sister and Mother Matth. 12. 18. he is dearly beloved by him as standing in the nearest Relation unto him so are all Believers by virtue of their common Interest in Christ their Head as Brothers Sisters and Mothers to each other as Members of the same Body which is yet nearer whence the most intense Affection must arise And they have thereby the same new spiritual nature in them all In Love natural he that doth most love and prize himself commonly doth least love and prize others And the reason is because he loves not himself for any thing which is common unto him with others but his self-love is the ordering and centring of all things unto his own satisfaction But with this Spiritual Love he that Loves himself most that is doth most prize and value the Image of God in himself doth most Love others in whom it is And we may know whether we cherish and improve Grace in our own Hearts by that Love which we have unto them in whom it doth manifest it self 1 Joh. 5. 1. 5. This Love in the first place acts it self by valuation esteem and delight So the Psalmist affirms that all his delight was in the Saints and in the excellent in the Earth Psal. 16. 3. The Apostle carries this unto the height in that Instance wherein we ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren 1 Joh. 3. 16. For whereas Life is comprehensive of all that is dear or useful unto us in this world what we ought if called thereunto to part with our lives for we value and esteem above them all It is true the cases wherein this is actually required in us do not frequently occur And they are such alone wherein the Glory and Interest of Christ are in an especial manner concerned But such a Love as will always dispose and when we are called enable us unto this Duty is required to be in us if we are Disciples of Christ. So are we to prize and value them as at least to be ready to share with them in all their conditions For 6. This Love acts it self by all means in all ways and Duties whereby the Eternal Spiritual and Temporal good of others may be promoted And it would require a long discourse to go over but the principal Heads of those Ways and Duties which are required unto this End Something will be spoken afterwards to that purpose At present I have aimed only at such a Description of this Love as may distinguish it from that cold formal pretence of it in some outward Duties which the most satisfie themselves withall This is that Love which the Gospel so earnestly commendeth unto and so indispensibly requireth in all the Disciples of Christ. This with its exercise and effects its Labour and Fruits is the Glory Life and Honour of our Profession without which no other Duties are accepted with God And the reason is manifest from what hath been spoken why the Apostle giveth this as a ground of his good Perswasion concerning these Hebrews as that they had an especial Interest in those Better things from which Salvation is inseparable For if this Love in general be so a Grace of the Gospel if it so spring and arise from the Love of God in Christ as that there neither ever was nor can be the least of it in the world which is not an Emanation from that Love and if in its especial nature it so particularly relates unto the Spirit of Christ and our Union with him it must needs be among the principal Evidences of a good spiritual condition And the same will yet farther appear if we consider the grounds whereon it is inforced in the Gospel which are principally these that follow 1. As the Head of all other considerations the Lord Christ expresseth it as that which was to be the great Evidence unto the world of the Truth and Power of the Gospel as also of his own being sent of God Joh. 17. 21. That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me It is true there is another especial principle of the Union of Believers as they are one in God and Christ. This is that one Spirit whereby they are all united unto him as their mystical Head But this alone is not here intended as being that which the world can no way discern nor consequently be convinced by He intends therefore their Unity among themselves the Life and Spirit and Bond whereof is this Love as hath been declared There is no other kind of Unity which may be among Christians that carrieth the least conviction with it of the Divine Mission Truth and Power of Christ. For they may be all carnal from carnal Principles and for carnal Ends wherein the world can see nothing extraordinary as having many such Unities of its own Herein therefore doth the Testimony consist which we give to the world that Jesus Christ was sent of God And if we fail herein we do what we can to harden the world in its impenitency and unbelief To see Believers live in Love according to the nature and acting the Duties of it before mentioned was in ancient times a great means of the Conviction of the world concerning the Truth and Power of the Gospel and will be so again when God shall afresh pour down abundantly that Spirit of Light and Love which we pray for And in some measure it doth so at present For whosoever shall consider the true Church of Christ aright will find the Evidences of a Divine Power in this matter For it doth and ever did consist of all sorts of persons in all Nations and Languages whatever High and low rich and poor Jews Greeks Barbarians Scythians men of all Interests Humours Oppositions dividing Circumstances at distances as far as the East from the West do constitute this Body this Society Yet is there among all these known to each other or unknown an ineffable Love ready to work and exercise it self on all occasions in all the ways before insisted on And this can be from no other Principle but the Spirit and Divine Power of God giving Testimony thereby unto the Lord Christ whose Disciples they are 2. Our Right unto our Priviledge in and Evidence of our being the Disciples of Christ depends on our mutual Love Joh. 14. 34 35. A new Commandment I give unto you that you love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another By this shall all men know that you are my Disciples if you have love one to another This especial Commandment of Christ concerning mutual love
rise up against believing 2. For the Promise it self here intended or the matter of it it may be considered two ways 1 As it was personal unto Abraham or as the Person of Abraham was peculiarly concerned therein 2 As it regards all the Elect of God and their Interest in it of whom he was the Representative As this Promise was made personally unto Abraham it may be considered 1 With respect unto what was Carnal Temporal and Typical 2 Unto what was Spiritual and Eternal typed out by those other things As unto what was Carnal and Typical the things in it may be referred unto two Heads 1 His own temporal prosperity in this world Gods Blessing is always 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an addition of good unto him that is blessed So it is said Gen. 24. 1. God hath blessed Abraham in all things which is explained ver 35. in the words of his Servant The Lord hath greatly blessed my Master and he is become great and he hath given him Flocks and Herds Silver and Gold God increased him in Wealth Riches and Power until he was esteemed as a mighty Prince by the people among whom he dwelt Gen. 23. 6. And this in the Blessing was a Type and Pledge of that full Administration of Grace and Spiritual things which was principally intended 2 What concerned his Posterity wherein he was blessed And herein two things were in the Promise both expressed at large 1 The greatness of their number They were to be as the Stars of Heaven or as the Sand by the Sea-shore that is innumerable 2 Their success and prosperity that they should possess the Gates of their Enemies which principally respected the mighty successes which they had and Conquests which they made under the conduct of Joshua and afterwards of David In both these things were they Typical of the more numerous Subjects of the Kingdom of Christ and of his spiritual Conquest for them and in them of all their spiritual Adversaries See Luke 1. 70 71 72 73 74 75. In these two Branches of the Promise the Faith of Abraham was greatly exercised as unto the Accomplishment of them For as unto the first or multiplication of his Posterity though he lived after this about 70 years yet he never saw any more than two persons Isaac and Jacob that were interested in this Promise For although he had other Children and Posterity by them yet in Isaac only was his Seed to be called as to this Promise He had therefore during his own days no outward visible pledge or appearance of its Accomplishment and yet however he lived and died in the Faith thereof And as unto the latter of their prosperity and success he was told before that they should be in Affliction and Bondage for 400 years Yet looking by Faith through all these difficulties in its proper season he inherited the Promise And he was a great Example herein unto all Believers under the New Testament For there are many Promises remaining as yet unaccomplished and which at present as in other Ages seem not only to be remote from but as unto all outward means to be cast under an impossibility of accomplishment Such are those as concerning the calling of the Jews the coming in of the fulness of the Gentiles with the enlargement and establishment of the Kingdom of Christ in this world Concerning all these things some are apt to despond some irregularly to make haste and some to reject and despise them But the Faith of Abraham would give us present satisfaction in these things and assured expectation of their Accomplishment in their proper season Secondly The peculiar Interest of Abraham in this Promise as to the spiritual part of it may also be considered and hereof in like manner there were two parts 1. That the Lord Christ should come of his Seed according to the flesh And he was the first person in the world after our first Parents to whom in the order of nature it was necessary to whom the Promise of the Messiah to spring from them was confirmed It was afterwards once more so confirmed unto David whence in his Genealogy he is said in a peculiar manner to be the Son of David the Son of Abraham For unto these two persons alone was the Promise confirmed And therefore is he said in one place to be the Seed of David according to the Flesh Rom. 1. 3. and in another to have taken on him the Seed of Abraham Heb. 2. 16. Herein lay Abrahams peculiar Interest in the spiritual part of this Promise He was the first who had this priviledge granted unto him by especial Grace that the promised Seed should spring from his Loyns In the Faith hereof he saw the Day of Christ and rejoiced this made him famous and honourable throughout all Generations 2. As he was thus to be the natural Father of Christ according to the flesh whence all Nations were to be blessed in him or his Seed so being the first that received or embraced this Promise he became the spiritual Father of all that do believe and in them the Heir of the world in a spiritual Interest as he was in his carnal Seed the Heir of Canaan in a political Interest No men come to be accepted with God but upon the account of their Faith in that Promise which was made unto Abraham that is in him who was promised unto him And we may observe That The Grant and Communication of spiritual Priviledges is a meer act or effect of Soveraign Grace Even this Abraham who was so exalted by spiritual Priviledges seems originally to have been tainted with the common Idolatrie which was then in the world This account we have Josh. 24. 2 3. Your Father dwelt on the other side of the Flood in old time Terah the Father of Abraham and the Father of Nachor and they served other Gods And I took your Father Abraham from the other side of the Flood It is true the charge is express against Terah only but it lying against their Fathers in general on the other side of the Flood and being added that God took Abraham from the other side of the Flood he seems to have been involved in the Guilt of the same sin whilst he was in his Fathers House and before his Call Nor is there any account given of the least preparation or disposition in him unto the state and Duties which he was afterwards brought into In this condition God of his Soveraign Grace first calls him to the saving knowledge of himself and by degrees accumulates him with all the Favours and Priviledges before mentioned Hence in the close of his whole course he had no cause to glory in himself neither before God nor men Rom. 4. 2. For he had nothing but what he gratuitously received Indeed there were distances of time in the collation of several distinct Mercies and Blessings on him And he still through the supplies of Grace which he received under every mercy
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
either Bless or Curse for he onely hath Sovereign Power of all Good and Evil. He doth therefore so express his Blessing In Blessing I will Bless thee Gen. 22. 17. Do it assuredly and effectually as having all the Subject-matter of Blessings in my hand And therefore he says to Abraham I will Bless them that Bless thee and Curse them that Curse thee Gen. 12. 3. Because he is over them and all their Blessings and Curses Balak therefore was not a little mistaken when he tells Balaam I know that he whom thou Blessest is Blessed and he whom thou Cursest is Cursed Numb 22. 6. For however he might Divine concerning them that should be so absolutely he could neither Bless nor Curse Wherefore I say all Blessings are Instituted means of the conveyance and Communication of Good unto others according unto the Power and Interest of them that Bless in that Good This being amongst Men by Gods Concession and Institution various there are also various sorts of Blessings which may be reduced unto two Heads 1. Such as are Authoritative 2. Such as are Charitative or meerly Euctical The latter fort of Blessing is removed from our Consideration in this place For our Apostle treats only of such Blessings as evidently and unavoidably prove him that Blesseth to be Superior unto him that is Blessed ver 7. But this is not so in this latter sort of Blessings which consist only in Prayer for a Blessing on them For so Equals may Bless one another yea Inferiours may bless Superiours Children may bless Parents Servants Masters Subjects their Rulers Psal. 20. 1 2 3 4. Authoritative Benediction among Men is two-fold 1. Paternal 2. Sacerdotal or with Respect unto any other Office in the Church Paternal Benedictions were of old of two sorts 1. Such as were of Common Right 2. Such as had an especial Prophetical Warranty For the first Parents have an especial Right by virtue of Divine Institution Authoritatively to bless their Children in as much as he hath given unto them an especial Interest in the Matter of the Blessing and Power for the Communication of it And this Blessing consists in two things 1. A Solemn Declaration unto God of their Acceptance and Approbation of that Duty and Obedience which the Children perform unto them by the Law of Nature and Gods appointment This brings ordinarily the Children so Blessed under the Promise of the fifth Commandment So are the words of the Command 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may prolong thy Days They shall have Power to communicate this good unto thee by their Blessing in their Solemn Declaration of their Acceptance and Approbation of thy Obedience And if this were more considered and more observed by Parents and Children it would be much to their Advantage And indeed the state of those Children is unhappy whose Parents cannot sincerely avow an Approbation of their Duty which intercepts the benefit of their Blessings 2. Parents bless Children by endeavouring to enstate them in their own Covenant-Interest God having promised to be a God unto Believers and their Seed in and by them they do three ways bless them with the good things thereof 1. By communicating unto them the Priviledge of the initial Seal of the Covenant as a Sign Token and Pledge of their being blessed of the Lord. 2. By pleading the Promise of the Covenant in their behalf 3. By careful Instructing of them in the Mercies and Duties of the Covenant Wherefore although this Power of blessing be founded in the Law of Nature and in all Nations something hath been observed that looks towards it yet it is by Faith alone and in an Interest in the Covenant that any Parents are able to Bless their Children in a due manner For a blessing is a communication of Good according to his Interest in it that blesseth which we have none in any that is really so but by virtue thereof And whereas these things are a Solemn appointment of God it is certainly a disadvantage that a Foppish Ceremony is in common practice substituted in the room of them Secondly There was of old a Paternal Benediction that had its Rise in an especial Warranty and was accompanied with a Spirit of Prophecy This consisted in a certain Praediction and Declaration of future Events whereby those so Blessed were Infallibly and Indispensibly stated in a Right unto them So Noah blessed Shem and Japhet Isaac blessed Jacob Jacob all his Sons Herein God gave unto some Parents the Honour of a Power to bequeath unto their Posterity those Good things which he Graciously intended to bestow on them This kind of blessing is now absolutely ceased for it wholly respected the coming of Christ in the Flesh with those other things which conduced thereunto It were well if instead of all these several ways of Blessing many Parents did not Curse their Children Some upon their provocations have desperately and Profanely imprecated Curses upon them and we have known Instances wherein God hath eminently revenged their Impiety by his Judgments inflicted on Parents and Children both Some entail a Curse upon them by Oppressions and Falshood in getting their Estates or in a Flagitious course of Life which God will Revenge to the third Generation But most do Curse them with the Cursed Example of their Conversation initiating them almost from the Cradle in a course of Sin and Wickedness It is true many of those Parents who do use conscientiously the ways appointed of God whereby they may Bless their Children do oft-times not see the effect of their Endeavours They Bless them but they are not Blessed But 1. They have Peace and Comfort in the Discharge of their Duty 2. Their Blessing may have Success and oftentimes hath when they are gone out of the World yea in their Childrens Children for many Generations 3. If all fail they shall be Witnesses for God at the last day against their own profligate Posterity But I return Sacerdotal Blessings were Authoritative also and that on a double Ground 1. Of Common Right and Equity 2. Of Especial Institution 1. There was a common Right and Equity that he who was called to be a Priest should bless the People Authoritatively For as he was appointed to Act for Men with God so it is reasonable that he should pronounce Blessings unto them in the Name of God that as he Ministerially carried their Gifts Offerings and Services unto God so in like manner he should return his Acceptance and blessing unto them Whereas therefore this Right and Duty belonged unto the Office of the Priest two things ensue thereon 1. That this Blessing was an Act of Authority for every Act of Office is so 2. That he who thus blesseth another is greater than he who is blessed by him as our Apostle disputes and we shall see afterwards And we may take Notice in our passage That whatever be the Interest Duty and Office of any to act in the Name of others towards God in any
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
and Ministerial Administration of the Sacraments as the only outward Causes and Means thereof Herein do Ministers Bless the People in the Name and Authority of God 3. They do it by the particular Ministerial applications of the Word unto the Souls and Consciences of Men. This Authority hath Christ given unto them saith he VVhose soever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained John 20. 23. I know what Use hath been made of these words that is how they have been abused to give Countenance unto the necessity of private Confession of all Sins unto the Priests and of their Power of Absolution or Remission thereon But yet the real intention of the words and the Truth that is in them must not be waved or over-looked It is not therefore the meer Preaching of the VVord and therein a Doctrinal Declaration of whose Sins are remitted and whose Sins are retained according to the Gospel which Men are respectively interested in by their Faith or Unbelief that is here intended the Commission giving Power whereunto is of a more general Nature But an especial Application of the word unto the Consciences of Men with respect unto their Sins is included therein And this is done two ways 1. VVith respect unto the Judgment of the Church 2. VVith respect unto the Judgment of God The first is that binding or loosing which the Lord Christ hath given Power for unto the Ministers and Guides of the Church as to the Communion thereof Mat. 18. 18. For by the Ministerial Application of the Word unto the Sins and Consciences of Men are they to be continued in or excluded from the Communion of the Church which is called the binding or loosing of them The other respects God himself and the sense which the Conscience of a Sinner hath of the guilt of Sin before him In this case the Ministers of the Gospel are Authorized in the Name of Christ to remit their Sins that is so to apply the Promises of Mercy and Grace unto their Souls and Consciences as that being received by Faith they may have Peace with God So are they Authorized to remit or retain Sins according to the tenor and terms of the Gospel Not that the Remission of Sins absolutely doth depend on an Act of Office but the Release of the Conscience of a Sinner from the sense of guilt doth sometimes much depend upon it rightly performed that is by due Application of the Promises of the Gospel unto such as Believe and Repent 4. How they Bless the Church by Prayer and Example may be understood from what hath been spoken concerning those things with respect unto Parents The Authority that is in them depends on Gods especial Institution which exempts them from and exalts them above the common Order of mutual Charitative Benedictions 5. They Bless the People Declaratively as a Pledge whereof it hath been always of Use in the Church that at the Close of the Solemn Duties of its Assemblies wherein the Name of God is put upon it to Bless the People by express mention of the Blessing of God which they pray for upon them But yet because the same thing is done in the Administration of all other Ordinances and this Benediction is only Euctical or by the way of Prayer I shall not plead for the Necessity of it And we may yet infer two things from hence 1. That those who are thus appointed to Bless others in the Name of God and thereby exalted into a Preeminence above those that are Blessed by his appointment ought to be accordingly regarded by all that are so Blessed by them It is well if Christians do rightly consider what their Duty is unto them who are appointed as a means to communicate all Spiritual Blessings unto them And 2. Let those who are so appointed take heed lest by their miscarriage they prove not a Curse unto them whom they ought to Bless For if they are negligent in the Performance of their Duties in the things mentioned much more if therewithal they put the Name of any false god upon them they are no otherwise VER 8. The Eighth Verse carrieth on the same Argument by a particular Application unto the Matter in hand of the things which he had in general observed before in Melchisedec For whereas the Apostle had before declared that he was without Father without Mother without Beginning of Days or End of Life he now shews how all this conduced unto his purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. by an usual Idiotisme of that Language the Sons of Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui moriuntur who dye Vul. Lat. Homines morientes dying men of which difference we must speak afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 generally de quo testatum est quod vivat Vul. Lat. Ibi autem contestatur quia vivit which the Rhemists render but there he hath witness that he Liveth both obscurely Arius Testatione dictus quia vivit to no Advantage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly is de quo testatur as Erasmus Beza Castalia Smidle render it The Arabick concurs with the Vulgar The Syriack by way of Paraphrase He of whom the Scripture witnesseth that he Liveth And here men verily that dye receive Tithes but there he of whom it is witnessed that he Liveth There is in the words a Comparison and Opposition between the Levitical Priests and Melchisedec in this matter of receiving Tithes which in general was common to them both And we may consider in them 1. The Circumstances of the Comparison 2. The general Agreement of both sorts which is the ground of the Comparison 3. The parts of the Antithesis or Opposition or dissimilitude between them The Circumstances of the Comparison are two 1. The manner of its Introduction in the earnestness of the Assertion in the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is as much as quidem or equidem truly verily which is omitted in our Translation though elsewhere the same Particle is so rendred This moreover is the state of the Case in this matter And the Insertion of it is proper unto an Affirmation upon a Concession as this here is Secondly The Determination of the Time or Place or Manner of the Opposition in those Adverbs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here and there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 usually refers unto place And some think that the Apostle hath respect unto Hierusalem the Seat of the Levitical Priesthood and the Land of Canaan which alone was Tithable according to the Law For the Jews do Judge and that rightly that the Law of Legal Tithing extended not it self beyond the Bounds of the Land of Canaan a sufficient Evidence that it was Positive and Ceremonial In Opposition hereunto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there must signifie some other places or any place where the Priesthood of Melchisedec hath its signification that is in Christian
whether the Expiation of Sin be here intended what is the Nature of that Expiation and what was the Use of the Sacrifices under the Law All which on this Occasion are spoken unto and the mind of the Holy Ghost in them all perverted For 1. That Expiation of Sin properly so called by an Act of the Priestly Office towards God is not here intended hath been before declared both from the signification of the word and the Design of the Apostle What these Men intend by the Expiation of Sin and how remote it is from that which the Scripture teacheth and the Nature of the thing it self requireth in the Reason and common Understanding of all Mankind I have fully evinced in the Exercitations about the Priesthood of Christ. And take Expiation in the sence of the Scripture with the common sence and usage of Mankind and in their Judgment it was by the Levitical Priesthood and was not by the Priesthood of Christ. For it cannot be denied but that the Levitical Priests acted towards God in their Offering of Sacrifices to make Attonement for Sin But that the Lord Christ did so is by these Men denyed For that which under this Name they ascribe unto him is onely the taking away of Punishment due unto sin by his Power which Power was given him of God upon his Ascention or Entrance into Heaven as the Holy place 2. They deny that Expiation was by the Levitical Priesthood on two grounds 1. Because they did Expiate only some lesser Sins as of Ignorance and Infirmity and so it cannot be said to be by them because they were only some few sins that they could Expiate 2. Because their Expiation concerned only deliverance from Temporal Punishment That Expiation in the Scripture-sence could not be really effected by the Levitical Priesthood is granted and shall afterwards be proved But both these pretended Reasons of it are false For 1. There was an Attonement made in general for all the sins of the People For when Aaron made an Attonement by the Scape Goat Lev. 16. 10. he Confessed over him all the Iniquities of the Children of Israel and all their Transgression in all their Sin ver 21. And herein the Greatest as well as the Least of their Sins were comprised For although there were some sins which being Capital according unto the Constitutions of their Common-wealth in which respect there was no Sacrifice appointed in particular whereby they who were guilty of them might be freed from Punishment that the Ordinances of God might not seem to interfere yet had they by their Interest in the more general Sacrifices a Right unto Expiation of Sin as to its Guilt for otherwise every one who died poenally must of necessity die eternally 2. It is also false that their Sacrifices had no other Use but to free Men from Temporal Punishments Indeed it is a wild apprehension that the Use of Sacrifices in the Church of old to be observed by the People with so great Solemnities and under so great Penalties wherein the Principal Actings of Faith did consist as also the great Exercise of the Spiritual Obedience of the whole Church should serve only to free Men from Legal Outward Civil Temporal punishments for lesser sins of Ignorance and Infirmity which were none at all for the most part Absolutely indeed and of themselves by virtue of their own worth or by their own innate efficacy they neither did nor could Expiate sin as to its Guilt and Eternal Punishment which attended all sin by the Curse of the Law nor did God ever appoint them for that end yet they did it Relatively and Typically that is they Represented and exhibited unto the Faith of the Sacrificers that true Effectual Sacrifice to come whereby all their sins were pardoned and done away Wherefore 3. The Difference between the Expiation of sin by the Levitical Priesthood and by Christ did not consist in this that the one expiated sin only with respect unto Temporal punishments the other with respect unto them that are Eternal but in the manner of their Expiation and the Efficacy of each to that end They Expiated sins only Typi ally Doctrinally and by way of Representation the Benefit received from their Sacrifices being not contained in them nor wrought by their causality nor procured by their worth or value but were exhibited unto the Faith of the Sacrificers by virtue of their Relation unto the Sacrifice of Christ. Hence were they of many sorts and often repeated which sufficiently Argues that they did not effect what they did represent But the Lord Christ by the one Offering of himself wrought this effect really perfectly and absolutely by its own value and Efficacy according unto the Constitution of God But this is not the Perfection here intended by the Apostle Secondly This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respects the Church which is the Subject of all the Benefits of the Priesthood and it is that perfect state of the Church in this World which God from the beginning designed unto it He entred upon its Erection in the first Promise with respect unto his Worship and the blessed Condition of the Church it self Hereon and with respect hereunto is the Church-state of the Old Testament said to be weak and imperfect like that of a Child under Governours and Tutors Hence also it had a Yoak imposed on it causing fear and bondage God having Ordained better things for us or the Church under the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11. 40 That they without us should not be consummate or made perfect in their Church-state And this state of the Church is expressed by this word in other places as we shall see The Foundation of it was laid in that word of our Saviour wherewith he gave up the Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 19. 30. It is finished or compleated that is all things belonging unto that great Sacrifice whereby the Church was to be perfected were accomplished For he had respect unto all that the Prophets had fore-told all that he was to do in this World and the consummation of the Church was to ensue thereon when by one Offering he for ever perfected them that are Sanctified And those who were throughly instructed in the Priviledges of this Church-state and had a sense of the Benefits thereof are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfect 1 Cor. 2. 6. We speak Wisdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mysteries of the Gospel wherein such Persons discerned the Wisdom of God And so are they called Heb. 5. 14. This our Saviour Prayed for in the behalf of his Church immediately before he procured it by his Sacrifice John 17. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may be perfected And the End of the Institution of the Ministry of the Gospel to make his Mediation effectual unto the Souls of Men by the Application of it in the Word unto them was to bring the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 4. 13.
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
evidence of his Glory and Power as introduced him against all Opposition For when the appointed time is come wherein the Decrees of God shall bring forth and his Counsel be accomplished all Difficulties though appearing insuperable shall vanish and disappear Zech. 4. 6 7. 4. The Nature of his Priesthood is declared in its Resemblance unto that of Melchisedec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle intendeth not to express the words of the Psalmist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he constantly renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according unto the Order but he respects the whole Conformity that was between Melchisedec and our Lord Jesus Christ in the instances which he had before insisted on For whereas God had ordered all things in the Scripture concerning Melchisedec that he might be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 3. made like unto the Son of God he is said to arise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the likeness or similitude of Melchisedec For every Similitude is mutual one thing is as like unto another as that is unto it This therefore is evident that there was to be another Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meerly another but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of another Stock and Race and a Priest he was to be after the Similitude of Melchisedec and not so much as after the Similitude of Aaron The arising of Christ in his Offices puts an end unto all other things that pretend an usefulness unto the same end with them When he arose as a King he did not put an end unto the Office and Power of Kings in the World but he did so unto the Typical Kingdoms over the Church as he did to the Priesthood by arising as a Priest And when he ariseth spiritually in the Hearts and Consciences of Believers an end is put unto all other things that they might before look for life or Righteousness or Salvation by VER 16. This Verse containeth an Illustration and Confirmation of the foregoing Assertion by a Declaration of the way and manner how this other Priest who was not of the Seed of Aaron should come unto that Office And this was necessary also for the prevention of an Objection which the whole Discourse was obnoxious unto For it might be said that whatever was affirmed concerning another Priest yet there was no way possible whereby any one might come so to be unless he were of the Family of Aaron All others were expressely excluded by the Law Nor was there any way or means ordained of God any especial Sacrifice instituted whereby such a Priest might be dedicated and initiated into his Office In prevention of this Objection and Confirmation of what was before declared the Apostle adds Who was made not after the Law of a Carnal Commandment but after the Power of an Endless Life The words declare 1. That this Priest was made so and 2. How he was made so both negatively and positively 1. He was made so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Priest was made or who was made a Priest The force of this Expression hath been explained on Chap. 3. 2. and Chap. 5. 5. The Lord Christ did not meerly on his own Authority and Power take this Office upon himself He became so he was made so by the Appointment and Designation of the Father Nor did he do any thing in the whole work of his Mediation but in Obedience unto his Command and in compliance with his Will For it is the Authority of God alone which is the Foundation of all Office Duty and Power in the Church Even what Christ himself is and was unto the Church he is and was so by the Grace and Authority of God even the Father By him was he sent his will did he perform through his Grace did he die by his Power was he exalted and with him doth he intercede What Acts of God in particular do concur unto the constitution of this Office of Christ and to the making him a Priest have been declared before 2. The manner of his being made a Priest is expressed Negatively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not after or not according unto the Law of a Carnal Commandment Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law of Bodily Commandments It is unquestionable that the Apostle by this Expression intendeth in the first place the Law of the Levitical Priesthood or the way and manner whereby the Aaronical Priests were first called and vested with their Office and then any other Law Constitution Rule or Order of the same kind He was made a Priest neither by that Law nor any other like unto it And two things we must enquire into 1. Why the Call of the Aaronical Priests is said to be after the Law of Commandment 2. Why this Commandment is said to be Fleshly 1. For the first we may observe that the whole Law of Worship among the Jews is called by our Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 2. 15. The Law of Commandments in Ordinances And it is so called for two Reasons 1. Because Commands were so multiplyed therein that the whole Law was denominated from them Hence it became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Yoke hardly to be born if not altogether intolerable Acts 15. 10. 2. Because of that Severity wherewith Obedience was exacted A Command in its formal Notion expresseth Authority and the multiplication of them Severity And both these God designed to make Eminent in that Law whence it hath this denomination a Law of Commandments Hereof the Law of the constitution of the Office of the Priesthood and the Call of Aaron thereunto was a part and he was therefore made a Priest by the Law of Commandments that is by a Preceptive Law as a part of that System of Commands wherein the whole Law consisted See this Law and all the Commands of it Exod. 28. throughout 2. Why doth the Apostle call this Commandment Carnal or Fleshly Answ. It may be on either of these three Accounts 1. With respect unto the Sacrifices which were the principal part of the consecration of Aaron unto his Office And these may be called Fleshly on two Accounts 1. Because of their Subject-matter they were Flesh or the Bodies of Beasts as the Syriack reads these words the Commandment of Bodies that is of Beasts to be Sacrificed 2. In themselves and their Relation unto the Jewish State they reached no further than the purifying of the Flesh. They Sanctified unto the Purifying of the Flesh as the Apostle speaks Chap. 9. 13. And thus the whole Commandment should be denominated from the principal Subject-matter or the Offering of Fleshly Sacrifices unto the Purifying of the Flesh. 2. It may be called Carnal because a Priesthood was Instituted thereby which was to be continued by Carnal Propagation only the Priesthood appointed by that Law was confined unto the Carnal Seed and Posterity of Aaron wherein this other Priest had no Interest 3. Respect may be
I confess in their first Preaching to the Jews spake not of it expresly but left it to discover it self as an undeniable consequent of what they taught concerning the Lord Christ and the Righteousness of God in him This for some while many of them that Believed understood not and therefore were Zealous of the Law which God in his Patience and Forbearance did Graciously tolerate so as not to impute it unto them It was indeed great Darkness and manifold Prejudices that hindred the Believing Jews from seeing the necessary consequence unto the Abolition of the Law from the Promulgation of the Gospel Yet this was God pleased to bear with them in that we might not be too fierce nor reflect with too much Severity on such as are not able in all things to receive the whole Truth as we desire they should 2. It was so by the Institution and Introduction of new Ordinances of Worship This was wholly inconsistent with the Law wherein it was expresly enacted that nothing should be added unto the Worship of God therein prescribed And if any such Addition was made by the Authority of God himself as was inconsistent with any thing before appointed it is evident that the whole Law was disanulled But a new Order a new entire System of Ordinances of Worship was declared in the Gospel Yea and those some of them especially as that of the Lords Supper utterly inconsistent with any Ordinances of the Law seeing it declares that to be done and past which they direct us unto as future and to come 3. There was a Determination made in the case by the Holy Ghost upon an occasion administred thereunto Those of the Apostles who Preached the Gospel unto the Gentiles had made no mention unto them of the Law of Moses as knowing that it was nailed unto the Cross of Christ and taken out of the way So were they brought unto the Faith and Obedience of the Gospel without any respect unto the Law as that wherein they were not concerned now it had received its Accomplishment But some of the Jews who Believed being yet perswaded that the Law was to be continued in force and its Observation imposed on all that were Proselyted by the Gospel occasion was given unto that Solemn Determination which was made by the Apostles through the Guidance of the Holy Ghost Acts 15. And the Substance of that Determination was this that the Gospel as Preached unto the Gentiles was not a way or means of Proselyting them unto Judaism but the bringing them unto a new Church-state by an Interest in the Promise and Covenant of Abraham given and made 430 Years before the giving of the Law VVhilst the Law stood in its force whoever was Proselyted unto the Truth he was so unto the Law and every Gentile that was Converted unto the true God was bound to be Circumcised and became obliged unto the whole Law But that being now disanulled it is Solemnly declared that the Gentiles Converted by the Gospel were under no obligation unto the Law of Moses but being received into the Covenant of Abraham were to be gathered into a new Church-state erected in and by the Lord Christ in the Gospel 4. As unto those of the Hebrews who yet would not understand these express Declarations of the ceasing of the Obligatory Power of the Law to put an end unto all Disputes about his will in this Matter God gave a dreadful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Abolition unto it in the total final irrevocable Destruction of the City and Temple with all the Instruments and Vessels of its VVorship especially of the Priesthood and all that belonged thereunto Thus was the Law disanulled and thus was it declared so to be Obs. 1. It is a matter of the highest Nature and Importance to set up or take away to remove any thing from or change any thing in the Worship of God Unless the Authority of God interpose and be manifested so to do there is nothing for Conscience to rest in in these things And 2. The Revelation of the Will of God in things relating unto his Worship is very difficultly received where the minds of Men are prepossessed with Prejudices and Traditions Notwithstanding all those ways whereby God had revealed his mind concerning the Abolition of the Mosaical Institutions yet these Hebrews could neither understand it nor receive it untill the whole Seat of its VVorship was destroyed and Consumed 3. The only Securing Principle in all things of this Nature is to preserve our Souls in an entire Subjection unto the Authority of Christ and unto his alone The Close of the Verse gives an especial Reason of the disanulling or abrogation of the Command taken from its own Nature and Efficacy For there is verily a disanulling of the Commandment going before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Adjective in the Neuter Gender put for a Substantive which is Emphatical as on the contrary it is so when the Substantive is put for the Adjective as 1 John 2. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is true and is not a lye that is mendax false or lying And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s own is added to shew that the principal cause of disanulling the Law was taken from the Law it self I have proved before that the Commandment in this verse is of equal extent and signification with the Law in the next And the Law there doth evidently intend the whole Law in both the parts of it Moral and Ceremonial as it was given by Moses unto the Church of Israel And this whole Law is here charged by our Apostle with weakness and unprofitableness both which make a Law fit to be disanulled But it must be acknowledged that there is a Difficulty of no small Importance in the assignation of these Imperfections unto the Law For this Law was given by God himself And how can it be supposed that the Good and Holy God should prescribe such a Law unto his People as was always weak and unprofitable From this and the like considerations the Blasphemous Manichees denyed that the Good God was the Author of the Old Testament and the Jews continue still upon it to reject the Gospel as not allowing the least Imperfection in the law but equalling it almost with God himself VVe must therefore consider in what sense the Apostle ascribes these Properties unto the Law 1. Some seek for a Solution of this Difficulty from Ezek. 20. ver 11. compared with ver 25. Ver. 11. God saith That I gave them my Statutes and shewed them my Judgments which if a Man do he shall live in them But ver 25. I gave them also Statutes that were not Good and Judgments whereby they should not live The first sort of Laws they say were the Decalogue with those other Judgments that accompanied it which were given unto the People as Gods Covenant before they broke it by making the Golden Calf These
That It is good to secure this first Ground of Evangelical Faith that the Lord Christ as vested with his Offices and in the exercise of them is able to save us Salvation is that which all sinners who have fallen under any Convictions do seek after And it is from God they look for it he alone they know can save them and unless he do so they cannot be saved And that he can do so they seem for a while to make no Question although they greatly doubt whether he will or no. Here under these general apprehensions of the Power of God they cannot long abide but must proceed to enquire into the Way whereby he will save them if every they be saved And this the whole Scripture testifieth to be no otherwise but by Jesus Christ. For there is no salvation in any other neither is there any other Name under Heaven given among men whereby they must be saved Act. 4. 12. When their thoughts are thus limited unto Christ alone their next enquiry is how shall this man save us And hereon are they directed unto his Offices especially his Priesthood whereby he undertakes to deliver them from the Guilt of their sins and to bring them into favour with God Is it not therefore highly incumbent on them to satisfie themselves herein that Christ is able to save them in the exercise of this Office For if he be not there is no salvation to be obtained And when men are come thus far as that they will not Question in general but that the Lord Christ in the discharge of his Sacerdotal Office is able to save sinners in general yet unbelief will keep them off from acquiescing in this Power of his as so limited for their own salvation As Naaman had thoughts in general that Elisha could cure men of their Leprosie yet he would not believe that he could cure them in the way and by the means he prescribed He thought he would have taken another course with him more suited unto his apprehensions as a means for his Recovery Hereon he turns away in a Rage which if he had not by good advice been recalled from he had lived and died under the Plague of his Leprosie 2 King 5. 10 11 12 13 14. When Persons are reduced to look for salvation only by Christ and do apprehend in general that he can save sinners yet oft-times when they come to inquire into the way and manner of it by the Exercise of his Priestly Office they cannot close with it Away they turn again into themselves from which if they are not recovered they must dye in their sins Unless therefore we do well and distinctly fix this Foundation of Faith that Christ as a Priest is able to save us or is able to do so in the discharge of his Sacerdotal Office we shall never make one firm step in our Progress To this end we must consider That the Lord Christas Mediator and in the Discharge of his Office is the wisedom of God and the Power of God So saith our Apostle Christ crucified is to them that believe the Power of God and the wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. His death is both an effect of divine Power and Wisdom and thereby do they exert their efficacy unto the utmost for the attaining of the end designed in it Wherefore we are to look unto this Priesthood of Christ as that which divine wisdom hath appointed as the only way and means whereby we may be saved And if there be any defect therein if Christ in the discharge of it be not able to save us notwithstanding the Difficulties which unto us seem insuperable it must be charged on divine wisdom as that which was wanting in the contrivance of a due means unto its end And so it is done by the world For the Apostle testifieth that this wisdom of God is looked on and esteemed by men as meer foolishness The way proposed in it to save sinners by the Cross of Christ is accounted as folly by all unbelievers whatever else they pretend as the Reason of their unbelief But this Faith is to fix upon namely that although we yet see not how it may be done nor have the experience of it in our own souls yet this being the way which infinite wisdom hath fixed on there is no defect in it but Christ by it is able to save us For the very first notion which we have of wisdom as Divine and Infinite is that we are to acquiesce in its Contrivances and Determinations though we cannot comprehend the Reasons or wayes of them Besides the Lord Christ is herein also the Power of God God in him and by him put forth his omnipotent Power for the accomplishing of the effect and end aimed at Wherefore although we are not to look for our salvation from the Power of God absolutely considered yet are we to look for it from the same omnipotency as acting it self in and by Jesus Christ. This is the way whereby infinite wisdom hath chosen to act omnipotent Power And into them is Faith herein to be resolved 3. He is able to save also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word may have a double sense for it may respect the Perfection of the work or its Duration and so it is variously rendred to the utmost that is compleatly or evermore that is alwaies or for ever So the Syriack Translation carries it Take the word in the first sense and the meaning is that he will not effect or work out this or that part of our salvation do one thing or another that belongs unto it and leave what remains unto our selves or others but he is our Rock and his work is perfect Whatever belongs unto our entire compleat Salvation he is able to effect it The general notion of the most that are called Christians lies directly against this Truth In the latter sense two things may be intended 1. That after an entrance is made into this work and men begin to be made partakers of deliverance thereby there may great oppositions be made against it in Temptations Trials Sins and Death before it be brought unto Perfection But our Lord Christ as our Faithful High Priest fainteth not in his work but is able to carry us through all these difficulties and will do so until it be finished for ever in heaven 2. That this Salvation is durable perpetual eternal Isa. 45. 17. Salvare in aeternum to procure salutem aeternam But favores sunt ampliandi and there is nothing hinders but that we may take the words in such a comprehensive sense asto include the meaning of both these Interpretations He is able to save compleately as to all Parts fully as to all causes and for ever in Duration And we may observe Whatever hindrances and difficulties lye in the way of the salvation of Believers whatever oppositions do rise against it the Lord Christ is able by vertue of his Sacerdotal Office and in the
exercise of it to carry the work through them all unto eternal perfection In the Assertion of the Ability of Christ in this matter there is a Supposition of a work whereunto great Power and efficacy is required and whereas it is emphatically affirmed that he is able to save unto the uttermost it is supposed that great Oppositions and difficulties do lye in the way of its accomplishment But these things are commonly spoken unto by our Practical Divines and I shall not therefore insist upon them The whole is farther declared by instancing in those who are to be saved or made Partakers of this Salvation He is able to save to the uttermost but yet all are not to be saved by him Yea they are but few that are so Of the most it may be said They will not come unto him that they may have life Wherefore those whom he is thus able to save and doth save accordingly are all those and only those who come unto God by him To Come to God hath a double sense in the Scripture for it is sometimes expressive of Faith sometimes of VVorship 1. To come unto God is to believe Faith or believing is a coming to God So Christ calling us unto Faith in him calleth us to come unto him Matth. 11. 28. And Unbelief is a refusal to come to him You will not come to me that you may have Life Faith in God through him is coming to the Father by him Joh. 14. 6. so to come to God by Christ is through him to believe in God 1 Pet. 1. 21. 2. Our Accesse unto God in his Worship is our coming unto him So is it most frequently expressed in the old Testament Drawing nigh unto God And the expression is taken from the Approach that was made unto the Tabernacle in and with all holy services Worship is an Approximation unto God Psal. 73. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So our Apostle calls those who worshipped God in the Ordinances of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10. 1. The Comers the worshippers not those that come to the Worship but those who by that Worship come to God In answer hereunto our Evangelical Worship is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Accesse an Approximation a drawing nigh or coming to God Ephes. 1. 18. Heb. 10. 22. The latter sense is principally here intended for the discourse of the Apostle is concerning the slate of the Church under the New Testament with the Advantage of it above that of Old by its Relation unto the Priesthood of Christ. They came of old to God with their worship by the High Priest of the Law But those High Priests could not save them in any sense But the High Priest of the New Testament can save to the utmost all Gospel worshippers all that come to God by him But the former sense of the word is also included and supposed herein They that come unto God by Christ are such as believing in him do give up themselves in holy Obedience to worship God in and by him So is the way expressed of this coming unto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is by him as an High Priest as it is at large explained by the Apostle Chap. 10. 19 20 21 22. Now to come unto God by Jesus Christ in all holy worship so as thereon to be interested in his saving Power as the High Priest of the Church is so to come 1. In Obedience unto his Authority as to the way and manner of it 2. With Affiance in his Mediation as to the Acceptance of it 3. VVith Faith in his Person as the Foundation of it 1. It is to come in Obedience unto his Authority and that on a double account 1. Of the way of coming It is not by legal Institutions it is not by our own Inventions it is only by his Appointment Matth. 28. 20. To come to God any other way gives us no interest in the care or saving Power of Christ John 15. 7 8. 2. Of that especial respect which we have in our Souls and Consciences unto his Soveraign Rule over us 2. With Affiance in his Mediation And therein Faith hath respect unto two things 1. The Sacrifice he hath offered the Attonement and Reconciliation he hath made for us whereon our whole liberty of Accesse unto God doth depend Chap. 10. 19 20 21 22. 2. To his Intercession whereby he procures actual Acceptance for our Persons and our Duties Heb. 4. 16. 1 John 2. 2. 3. The Foundation of the whole is Faith in his Person as vested with his holy Office and in the discharge of it It is so to believe in him as to believe that he is able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by him This is the ground whereon in our holy worship we assemble in his name Matth. 18. 20. And make all our Supplications unto God in his name John 16. 26. That is by an exercise of Faith and Trust in him that by and through him we shall be accepted with God And we may hence observe 1. The Salvation of all sincere Gospel worshippers is secured by the Actings of the Lord Christ in the Discharge of his Priestly Office 2. Attendance unto the Service the worship of God in the Gospel is required to interest us in the saving Care and Power of our High Priest Men deceive themselves who look to be saved by him but take no care to come to God in Holy Worship by him Nor is it an easie or common thing so to do All men pretend unto Divine worship some one way some another and in words they interpose the name of Christ therein but really to come to God by him is a matter of another import Two things are indispensibly required thereunto 1. That the Principle of saving Faith be antecedent unto it 2. That the exercise of Faith be concomitant with it Unless we are true Believers our worship will not be accepted And unless we are in the exercise of Faith on God through Christ in the performance of it it gives no glory to him it brings no Advantage unto our selves 3. Those who endeavour to come unto God any other way but by Christ as by Saints and Angels may do well to consider whether they have any such Office in Heaven as by vertue whereof they are able to save them to the uttermost That this is done by those of the Roman Church cannot with any modesty be denied yea it is avowed by them For when they are charged with the wickedness of their Doctrine and Practice in this matter evacuating the Mediation of Christ they reply that they admit of no Mediators of Reconciliation with God but only of intercession Be it so Ability to save to the utmost is here ascribed unto our High Priest upon the Account of his intercession A respect unto his Oblation whereby he made Reconciliation is included but it is the efficacy of his Intercession that is expresly regarded
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
three things must be considered in these words 1 The state and Condition of Christ as an High Priest He liveth alwayes or for ever 2. What he doth as an High Priest in that state and Condition He maketh Intercession for us 3. The Connexion of these things their mutual regard or the Relation of the work of Christ unto his state and condition the one is the end of the other He lives for ever to make intercession for us 1. As to his state and condition He lives for ever He is alwayes living The Lord Christ in his Divine Person hath a threesold life in Heaven The one he lives in himself the other for himself and the last for us 1. The Eternal life of God in his Divine Nature This he liveth in himself As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given unto the son to have life in himself Joh. 5 26. He hath given it him by eternal Generation in a communication unto him of all the divine Properties And he that hath life in himself a life independent on any other he is the living one the living God No creature can have life in himself For in God we live move and have our being He is hereby Alpha and Omega the first and the last the Begining and end of all Revel 1. 11. because he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the living one ver 18. And this Life of Christ is the foundation of the efficacy of all his Mediatory Actings namely that he was in his own divine Person the Living God Act. 20. 28. 1 Cor. 2. 8. 1 Joh. 3. 16. But this is not the immediate cause of his Mediatory Effects nor is it here intended 2. There is a Life which he liveth for himself namely a Life of unconceivable Glory in his Humane Nature He lead a mortal life in this world a life obnoxious unto misery and death and died accordingly This life is now changed into that of immortal eternal Glory Hence forth he dyeth no more death hath no more Power over him And not only so but this Life of his is unto him the cause of and is attended with all that ineffable Glory which he now enjoyes in Heaven This Life he lives for himself it is his reward the Glory and Honour that he is crowned withal All the endowments all the enjoyments and the whole eternal exaltation of the Humane Nature in the Person of Christ belong unto this Life of Glory And the glorious exaltation of that individual humane nature which the son of God assumed far above all Principalities and Powers and every name that is named in this world or the world to come is the principal part of the Design of Infinite wisdom in the work of the new Creation But neither is this the Life here intended 3. The Lord Christ lives a Mediatory Life in Heaven a Life for us So saith our Apostle he was made a Priest after the Power of an endless Life whereof we have treated before He lives as King Prophet and Priest of the Church So he describes himself Revel 1. 18. I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore and have the keys of Hell and Death As he died for us so he liveth for us and is entrusted with all Power over the Churches adversaries for its good As he died for us so he liveth for us in Heaven and therefore tells us that because he liveth we shall live also Joh. 14. 19. Now this life differeth not essentially from that life of Glory in the Humane Nature which he liveth for himself in Heaven Only it denoteth one especial end of it and that only for a season The Lord Christ will have the life in himself the divine life unto all Eternity and so also will be the Life of Glory in the Humane Nature But he shall cease to live this Mediatory Life for us when the work of his Mediation is accomplished 1 Cor. 15. 28. But he shall lead this life alwaies for us until the whole work committed unto him be accomplished and shall lead it as a Life of Glory in himself unto Eternity Obs. It is a matter of strong consolation unto the Church that Christ lives in Heaven for us It is a spring of unspeakable Joy unto all true Believers that he lives a Life of Immortality and Glory in and for himself in Heaven Who can call to mind all the miseries which he underwent in this world all the reproach and scorn that was cast upon him by his enemies of all sorts all the wrath that the whole world is yet filled withal against him but is refreshed rejoyced transported with a spiritual view by Faith of all that Majesty and Glory which he is now in the Eternal Possession of so was it with Stephen Act. 7. 56. And therefore in all the Appearances and Representations which he hath made of himself since his Ascension into Heaven he hath manifested his present Glory Act. 26. 13. Revel 1. 14 15 16 17 18. And the due consideration hereof cannot but be a matter of unspeakable Refreshment unto all that love him in sincerity But herein lyeth the Life of the Churches Consolation that he continues to live a Mediatory Life in Heaven for us also It is not I fear so considered nor so improved as it ought to be That Christ dyed for us all who own the Gospel profess in words though some so explain their Faith or rather their Infidelity as to deny its proper use and to evacuate its proper ends That so he lived for us here in this world so as that his Life was some way or other unto our Advantage at least thus far that he could not have died if he had not lived before all men will grant even those by whom the principal end of this Life namely to fulfil the Law for us is peremptorily denyed But that Christ now lives a life of Glory in Heaven that most men think is for himself alone But the Text speaks to the contrary He lives for ever to make Intercession for us Neither is this the only end of his present Mediatory Life in Heaven though this only be here expressed Should I undertake to shew the ends of the present Mediatory Life of Christ for the Church it would be too great and long a decursion from the Text. However the whole of the work of this Life of his may be reduced into these three heads 1. His immediate Actings towards the Church it self which respects his Prophetical Office 2. His Actings for the Church in the world by Vertue and Power of his Kingly Office 3. His Actings with God the Father in their behalf in the dischage of his sacerdotal Office 1. The first consisteth in his sending and giving the Holy Ghost unto the Church He lives for ever to send the Holy Spirit unto his Disciples Without this constant effect of the present Mediatory Life of Christ the Being of the Church would fail it
gloriously in the Death and Resurrection of Christ so as to be the matter of triumphant Praises unto God Such is the Triumph thereon described Col. 2. 15 1 Tim. 3. 16. And it may be observed that as on the laying of the Foundation of the Earth all the Holy Angels triumphed in the expression and demonstration of the infinite Wisdom Power and Goodness of God which they beheld so in the Foundation of the New Creation the Apostate Angels who repined at it and opposed it unto their Power were lead Captives carried in Triumph and made the Footstool of the glory of Christ. But all this Joy and Triumph is built on the security of the unchangeable Love Care and Power of Jesus Christ gloriously to accomplish the work which he had undertaken For had he left it when he left the Earth it had never been finished For great was that part of the work which yet remained to be perfected Neither could the Remainder of this work be committed unto any other hand He employeth others under him in his work to act Ministerially in his name and Authority So he useth the Ministery of Angels and Men. But did not he himself continue to act in them by them with them and without them the whole work would fail and be disappointed In one instance of the Revelation of the will of God concerning the state of the Church by the opening of the Book wherein it was recorded there was none found worthy in Heaven or Earth to do it but the Lamb that was slain the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Revel 5. 5. Chap. 6. 1. How much less is any Creature able to accomplish all that remains for the saving of the Church unto the utmost Who can expresse the opposition that continues to be made unto this work of compleating the Salvation of Believers what Power is able to conflict and conquer the remaining strength of Sin the opposition of Sathan and the World How innumerable are the Temptations which every individual Believer is exposed unto each of them in its own nature ruinous and pernitious God alone knoweth all things perfectly in infinite wisdom and as they are He alone knows how great a work it is to save Believers unto the utmost what Wisdom what Power what Grace and Mercy is requisite thereunto He alone knows what is meet unto the way and manner of it so as it may be perfected unto his own Glory His infinite wisdom alone hath found out and determined the glorious and mysterious ways of the Emanation of Divine Power and Grace unto this End Upon all these Grounds unto all these Purposes hath he appointed the continual intercession of the Lord Christ in the most Holy place This he saw needful and expedient unto the Salvation of the Church and his own glory So will he exert his own Almighty Power unto those ends The good Lord help me to believe and adore the Mystery of it 2. The most glorious Prospect that we can take into the things that are within the vail into the remaining Transactions of the work of our Salvation in the most Holy place is in the Representation that is made unto us of the intercession of Christ. Of old when Moses went into the Tabernacle all the People looked after him until he entred in and then the Pillar of the Cloud stood at the door of it that none might see into the Holy place Exod. 33. 8 9. And when the Lord Christ was taken into Heaven the Disciples looked after him until a cloud interposed at the Tabernacle door and took him out of their sight Act. 1. 9. And when the High Priest was to enter into the Tabernacle to carry the Blood of the sacrifice of Expiation into the most Holy place no man be he Priest or not was suffered to enter into or abide in the Tabernacle Levit. 16. 17. Our High Priest is now likewise entred into the most Holy place within the second vail where no eye can pierce unto him Yet is he there as an High Priest which makes Heaven it self to be a glorious Temple and a place as yet for the exercise of an instituted Ordinance such as the Priesthood of Christ is But who can look into who can comprehend the Glories of those Heavenly Administrations Some have pretended a view into the orders and service of the whole Chore of Angels but have given us only a Report of their own imaginations What is the Glory of the Throne of God what the Order and Ministry of his Saints and Holy ones what is the manner of the worship that is given unto him that sits on the Throne and to the Lamb the Scripture doth sparingly deliver as knowing our disability whilst we are cloathed with flesh and inhabit Tabernacles of clay to comprehend aright such transcendent Glories The best and most steady view we can have of these things is in the Account which is given us of the intercession of Christ. For herein we see him by Faith yet vested with the Office of the Priesthood and continuing in the Discharge of it This makes Heaven a Temple as was said and the feat of instituted worship Rev 7. 15. Hence in his Appearance unto John he was cloathed with a Garment down to the Foot and girt about the paps with a golden Girdle both which were sacerdotal vestments Rev. 1. 13. Herein is God continually glorifyed hereby is the Salvation of the Church continually carried on and consummated This is the work of Heaven which we may safely contemplate by Faith 3. The intercession of Christ is the great evidence of the continuance of his Love and Care his Pity and Compassion towards his Church Had he only continued to Rule the Church as its King and Lord he had manifested his glorious Power his Righteousness and Faithfulness The Scepter of his Kingdom is a Scepter of Righteousness But Mercy and Compassion Love and Tenderness are constantly ascribed unto him as our High Priest See Chap. 4. 15. Chap. 5. 1 2. So the great exercise of his sacerdotal Office in laying down his Life for us and expiating our sins by his Blood is still peculiarly ascribed unto his Love Gal. 2. 20 Ephes. 5. 2. Revel 1. 5. Wherefore these properties of Love and Compassion belong peculiarly unto the Lord Christ as our High Priest All Men who have any spiritual experience and understanding will acknowledge how great the concernment of Believers is in these things and how all their Consolation in this World depends upon them He whose soul hath not been refreshed with a due Apprehension of the unspeakable Love Tenderness and Compassion of Jesus Christ is a stranger unto the Life of Faith and unto all true spiritual Consolation But how shall we know that the Lord Christs is thus tender Loving and Compassionate that he continueth so to be or what evidence or Testimony have we of it It is true he was eminently so when he was upon the Earth in the days
Wisdom and Holiness that having designed the bringing of many sons unto Glory he should make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings So the Condecency here intended may respect 1. The Wisdom Grace and Goodness of God It became him to give us such an High Priest as we stood in need of namely one that was able in the Discharge of that Office to save all to the uttermost that come unto God by him For to design our salvation by an High Priest and not to provide such an one as was every way able to effect it became not the Wisdom and Grace of God 2. Respect may be had herein unto our state and condition Such this was as none but such an High Priest could relieve us in or save us from For we stand in need of such an one as our Apostle declares as 1. could make Attonement for our sins or perfectly expiate them 2. Purge our Consciences from dead works that we might serve the living God or sanctifie us throughout by his Blood 3. Procure Acceptance with God for us or purchase eternal Redemption 4. Administer supplies of the spirit of Grace unto us to enable us to live unto God in all Duties of Faith Worship and Obedience 5. Give us assistance and consolation in our Trials Temptations and Sufferings with pity and compassion 6. Preserve us by Power from all ruining Sins and Dangers 7. Be in a continual Readiness to receive us in all our Addresses to him 8. To bestow upon us the Reward of Eternal Life Unless we have an High Priest that can do all these things for us we cannot be saved to the uttermost Such an High Priest we stood in need of and such an one it became the wisdom and Grace of God to give unto us And God in infinite wisdom Love and Grace gave us such an High Priest as in the Qualifications of his Person the Glory of his Condition and the Discharge of his Office was every way suited to deliver us from the state of Apostacy sin and misery and to bring us unto himself through a Perfect salvation This the ensuing particulars will fully manifest The Qualifications of this High Priest are expressed first indefinitely in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Difference from other High Priests is included herein He must not be one of an Ordinary sort but one so singularly qualified unto his work so exalted after his work and so discharging his work unto such Ends. In all these things we stood in need of such an High Priest as was quite of another sort order and kind than any the Church had enjoyed under the Law as the Apostle expresly concludes ver 28. His Personal inherent Qualifications are first expressed and we shall consider first some things in general that are common unto them all and then declare the especial intendment of every one of them in particular Such an High Priest became us as is Holy Harmless Undefiled Separate from sinners And 1. There is some Allusion in all these things unto what was Typically represented in the Institution of the Office of the Priesthood under the Law For the High Priest was to be a Person without blemish not maimed in any part of his body He was not to marry any one that was defiled nor to defile himself among the People On his forehead in his ministrations he ware a Plate of Gold with that Inscription Holiness to the Lord. And no doubt but Personal Holiness was required of him in an especial manner for want whereof God cast out the Posterity of Eli from the Priesthood But all those things were only outward Representations of what was really required unto such an High Priest as the Church stood in need of For they were mostly external giving a Denomination unto the Subject but working no real change in it And where they were internal they were encompassed with such a mixture of sins weaknesses infirmities and the Intercision of Death as that they had no Glory in comparison of what was required All these things the Apostle observes reducing them unto two Heads namely that they were obnoxious unto Sin and Death and therefore as they died so they offered sacrifices for their own sins But the Church was taught by them from the Beginning that it stood in need of an High Priest whose real Qualifications should answer all these Types and Representations of them 2. It is possible that our Apostle in this Description of our High Priest designed to obviate the prejudicate opinion of some of the Hebrews concerning their Messiah For generally they looked on him as one that was to be a great earthly Prince and warriour that should conquer many Nations and subdue all their enemies with the sword shedding the blood of men in Abundance In opposition unto this vain and pernicious Imagination our Saviour testifies unto them that he came not to kill but to save and keep alive And our Apostle here gives such a Description of him in these holy gracious Qualifications as might attest his Person and work to be quite of another nature than what they desired and expected And their frustration herein was the principal occasion of their unbelief See Mal. 3. 1 2 3. 3. I am sorry that it hath fallen from the Pen of an able Expositor of our own on this place that the Time when the Lord Christ was thus made an High Priest for ever and that by an Oath was after he had offered one sacrifice not many for the People not for himself once not often of everlasting vertue and not effectual for some petty Expiations for a time and after he was risen ascended and set at the right hand of God If by being made an High Priest only a Solemn Declaration of being made so is intended these things may passe well enough For we allow that in the Scripture then a thing is oft-times said to be when it is first manifested or declared So was the Lord Christ determined to be the son of God with Power by the Resurrection from the dead But if it be intended as the words will scarce admit of any other Interpretation that then the Lord Christ was first made an High Priest after all this was performed the whole real Priesthood of Christ and his proper Sacrifice is overthrown For it is said he was not made an High Priest until after that he had offered his one sacrifice And if it were so then he was not a Priest when he so offered himself But this implies a contradiction for there can be no sacrifice where there is no Priest And therefore the Socinians who make the consecration of the Lord Christ unto his Sacerdotal Office to be by his entrance into Heaven do utterly deny his Death to have been a Sacrifice but only a Preparation for it as they fancy the killing of the beast to have been of old And the Truth is either the Lord Christ was a Priest before and in the
then upon our Conjectures to supply other words into it than what are contained in it This is not to explain but to corrupt the Scripture Wherefore one learned man Pocock in Miscellan hath endeavoured to prove that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by all Rules of Interpretation in this place must signifie to despise and neglect and ought to have been so Translated And this he confirms from the use of it in the Arabick Language The Reader may find it in the place referred unto with great satisfaction My apprehensions are grounded on what I have before observed and proved The Apostle neither in this nor in any other place doth bind up himself precifely unto the Translation of the words but infallibly gives us the sense and meaning and so he hath done in this place For whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies an Husband or to be an Husband or a Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being added unto it in construction as it is here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is as much as jure usus sum Maritali I exercised the right power and authority of an Husband towards them I dealt with them as a Husband with a Wife that breaketh Covenant that is saith the Apostle I regarded them not with the love tenderness and affection of an Husband So he dealt indeed with that generation which so suddenly brake Covenant with him He provided no more for them as unto the enjoyment of the inheritance he took them not home unto him in his habitation his resting place in the Land of Promise but he suffered them all to wander and bear their Whoredoms in the Wilderness until they were consumed So did God exercise the Right and Power and Authority of an Husband towards a Wife that had broken Covenant And herein as in many other things in that dispensation did God give a representation of the nature of the Covenant of Works and the issue of it 4 There is a confirmation of the truth of these things in that expression Saith the Lord. This Assertion is not to be extended unto the whole matter or the promise of the introduction of the New Covenant For that is secured with the same expression v. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Lord. But it hath a peculiar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in it being added in the close of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and respects only the sin of the People and Gods dealing with them thereon And this manifests the meaning of the preceding words to be Gods severity towards I used the authority of a Husband I regarded them not as a Wife any more saith the Lord. Now God thus uttereth his severity towards them that they might consider how he will deal with all those who despise break or neglect his Covenant So saith he I dealt with them and so shall I deal with others who offend in an alike manner This was the issue of things with them with whom the first Covenant was made They received it entred solemnly into the bonds of it took upon themselves expresly the performance of its terms and conditions were sprinkled with the blood of it but they continued not in it and were dealt withall accordingly God used the right and authority of an Husband with whom a Wise breaketh Covenant he neglected them shut them out of his house he deprived them of their Dowry or Inheritance and slew them in the Wilderness On this Declaration God promiseth to make another Covenant with them wherein all these evils should be prevented This is the Covenant which the Apostle designs to prove better and more excellent than the former And this he doth principally from the Mediator and Surety of it compared with the Aaronical Priests whose office and service belonged wholly unto the administration of that first Covenant And he confirms it also from the nature of this Covenant itself especially with respect unto its efficacy and duration And hereunto this Testimony is express evidencing how this Covenant is everlasting by the grace administred in it preventive of that evil success which the former had by the sin of the people Hence he says of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not according unto it a Covenant agreeing with the former neither in promises efficacy nor duration For what is principally promised here namely the giving of a new heart Moses expresly affirms that it was not done in the administration of the first Covenant It is neither a Renovation of that Covenant nor a Reformation of it but utterly of another nature by whose introduction and establishment that other was to be abolished abrogated and taken away with all the Divine Worship and Service which was peculiar thereunto And this was that which the Apostle principally designed to prove and convince the Hebrews of And from the whole we may observe sundry things Obs. 1. No Covenant between God and man ever was or ever could be stable and effectual as unto the ends of it that was not made and confirmed in Christ. God first made a Covenant with us in Adam There was nothing therein but the meer defectibility of our natures as we were creatures that could render it ineffectual And from thence did it proceed In him we all sinned by breach of Covenant The Son of God had not then interposed himself nor undertaken on our behalf The Apostle tells us that in him all things consist without him they have no consistency no stability no duration So was this other Covenant immediately broken It was not confirmed by the blood of Christ. And those who suppose that the efficacy and stability of the present Covenant doth depend solely on our own will and diligence had need not only to assert our nature free from that depravation which it was under when this Covenant was broken but also from that defectibility that was in it before we fell in Adam And such as neglecting the interposition of Christ do betake themselves unto imaginations of this kind surely know little of themselves and less of God 2. No external administration of a Covenant of Gods own making no obligation of mercy on the minds of men can enable them unto stedfastness in Covenant obedience without an effectual influence of grace from and by Jesus Christ. For we shall see in the next Verses that this is the onely provision which is made in the wisdom of God to render us stedfast in obedience and his Covenant effectual unto us 3. God in making a Covenant with any in proposing the terms of it retains his right and authority to deal with persons according to their deportment in and towards that Covenant They brake my Covenant and I regarded them not 4. Gods casting men out of his especial care upon the breach of his Covenant is the highest judgment that in this world can fall on any persons And we are concerned in all these things For although the Covenant of Grace be stable and effectual unto all who are really partakers
which is intended is properly a Testament or a Testamentary disposition of good things It is the Will of God in and by Jesus Christ his death and bloodshedding to give freely unto us the whole inheritance of grace and glory And under this notion the Covenant hath no condition nor are any such either expressed or intimated in this place Obs. 1. The Covenant of Grace as reduced into a form of a Testament confirmed by the blood of Christ doth not depend on any condition or qualification in our persons but in a free grant and donation of God and so are all the good things prepared in it 2. The Precepts of the Old Covenant are turned all of them into Promises under the New Their preceptive commanding power is not taken away but grace is promised for the performance of them So the Apostle having declared that the People brake the Old Covenant adds that in the New grace shall be supplied for all the Duties of Obedience that are required of us 3. All things in the New Covenant being proposed unto us by the way of promise it is Faith alone whereby we may attain a participation of them For Faith onely is the grace we ought to exercise the duty we ought to perform to render the promises of God effectual to us Heb. 3. 1. 4. Sense of the loss of an interest in and participation of the benefits of the Old Covenant is the best preparation for receiving the mercies of the New Thirdly The Author of this Covenant is God himself I will make it saith the Lord. This is the third time that this expression saith the Lord is repeated in this Testimony The work expressed in both the parts of it the disannulling of the Old Covenant and the establishment of the New is such as calls for this solemn interposition of the authority veracity and grace of God I will do it saith the Lord. And the mention hereof is thus frequently inculcated to beget a reverence in us of the work which he so emphatically assumes unto himself And it teacheth us that God himself in and by his own soveraign Wisdom Grace Goodness Allsufficiency and Power is to be considered as the onely Cause and Author of the New Covenant Or the abolishing of the Old Covenant with the introduction and establishment of the New is an act of the meer soveraign wisdom grace and authority of God It is his gracious disposal of us and of his own grace That whereof we had no contrivance nor indeed the least desire Fourthly It is declared who this New Covenant is made withall With the House of Israel ver 8. They are called distinctly the House of Israel and the House of Judah The distribution of the Posterity of Abraham into Israel and Judah ensued upon the division that fell among the people in the days of Rehoboam Before they were called Israel only And as before they were mentioned distinctly to testifie that none of the Seed of Abraham should be absolutely excluded from the grace of the Covenant however they were divided among themselves so here they are all jointly expressed by their ancient name of Israel to manifest that all distinctions on the account of precedent Priviledges should be now taken away that all Israel might be saved But we have shewed before that the whole Israel of God or the Church of the Elect are principally intended hereby Fifthly The Time of the accomplishment of this Promise or making of this Covenant is expressed After those days There are various conjectures about the sense of these words or the determination of the time limited in them Some suppose respect is had unto the time of giving the Law on Mount Sinai Then was the Old Covenant made with the Fathers But after those days another should be made But whereas that time those days were so long past before this Prophesie was given out by Jeremy namely about 800 years it was impossible but that the New Covenant which was not yet given must be after those days Wherefore it was to no purpose so to express it that it should be after those days seeing it was impossible that otherwise it should be Some think that respect is had unto the Captivity of Babylon and the return of the People from thence For God then shewed them great kindness to win them unto Obedience But neither can this time be intended for God then made no New Covenant with the People but strictly obliged them unto the terms of the Old Mal. 4. 3 4 5. But when this New Covenant was to be made the old was to be abolished and removed as the Apostle expresly affirmeth ver 13. The promise is not of new obligation or new assistance unto the observance of the Old Covenant but of making a New one quite of another nature which then was not done Some judge that these words After those days refer unto what went immediately before And I regarded them not which words include the total rejection of the Jews After those days wherein both the House of Judah and Israel shall be rejected I will make a New Covenant with the whole Israel of God But neither will this hold the Tryal For 1 Supposing that expression And I regarded them not to intend the rejection of the Jews yet it is manifest that their excision and cutting off absolutely was not in nor for their non-continuance in the Old Covenant or not being faithful therein but for the rejection of the New when proposed unto them Then they fell by unbelief as the Apostle fully manifests Chap. 3. of this Epistle and Rom. 11. Wherefore the making of the New Covenant cannot be said to be after their rejection seeing they were rejected for their-refusal and contempt of it 2 By this interpretation the whole House of Israel or all the natural Posterity of Abraham would be utterly excluded from any interest in this Promise But this cannot be allowed For it was not so de facto a Remnant being taken into Covenant which though but a remnant in comparison of the whole yet in themselves so great a multitude as that in them the Promises made unto the Fathers were confirmed Nor on this Supposition would this Prediction of a New Covenant have been any promise unto them or any of them but rather a severe denunciation of judgment But it is said expresly that God would make this Covenant with them as he did the former with their Fathers which is a promise of grace and mercy Wherefore after those days is as much as in those days an indeterminate season for a certain So in that day is frequently used in the Prophets Isa. 24. 21 22. Zech. 12. 11. A time therefore certainly future but not determined is all that is intended in this expression After those days And herewith most Expositors are satisfied Yet is there as I judge more in the words Those days seem to me to comprize the whole time alotted unto the oeconomy of
and the souls of men In this sense alone God is properly said to make this Covenant with any The preparation and proposition of Laws is not the making of the Covenant And therefore all with whom this Covenant is made are effectually sanctified justified and saved These things being premised as it was necessary they should be unto the right understanding of the mind of the Holy Ghost I shall proceed unto the particular parts of the Covenant as here expressed namely in the blessed properties and effects of it whereby it is distinguished from the former The two first expressions are of the same nature and tendency I will put my Laws in their mind and write them in their hearts In general it is the reparation of our nature by the restauration of the image of God in us that is our sanctification which is promised in these words And there are two things in the words both doubly expressed 1 The Subject wrought upon which is the mind and the heart 2 The manner of producing the effect mentioned in them and that is by putting and writing And 3 The things by these means so communicated which is the Laws of God 1. The Subject spoken of is the mind and heart When the Apostle treats of the depravation and corruption of our nature he placeth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 4. 18. that is the mind and the heart These are in the Scripture the seat of natural corruption the residence of the principle of alienation from the life of God which is in us Wherefore the renovation of our natures consists in the rectifying and curing of them in the furnishing them with contrary Principles of Faith Love and Adherence unto God And we may observe that The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in the New Covenant in its being and existence in its healing repairing efficacy is as large and extensive as sin in its residence and power to deprave our natures This is the difference about the extent of the New Covenant and the grace of it Some would have it to extend unto all persons in its tender and conditional Proposition but not unto all things as unto its efficacy in the reparation of our natures Others assert it to extend unto all the effects of sin in the removal of them and the cure of our natures thereby but as unto persons it is really extended unto none but those in whom these effects are produced whatever be its outward administration which was also always limited unto whom I do subscribe The first thing mentioned is the mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle renders by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inward part The mind is the most secret inward part or power of the Soul And the Prophet expresseth it by the inward part because it is the onely safe and useful Repository of the Laws of God When they are there laid up we shall not lose them neither Men nor Devils can take them from us And he also declares wherein the excellency of Covenant Obedience doth consist It is not in the conformity of our outward actions unto the Law that be required therein also but it principally lieth in the inward parts where God searcheth for and regardeth truth in sincerity Psal. 51. 6. wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the mind and understanding whose natural depravation is the spring and principle of all disobedience the cure whereof is here promised in the first place In the outward administration of the means of grace the affections and if I may so speak the more outward part of the Soul are usually first affected and wrought upon But the first real effect of the internal promised grace of the Covenant is on the mind the most spiritual and inward part of the Soul This in the New Testament is expressed by the renovation of the mind Rom. 12. 1. Col. 3. 5. And the opening of the eyes of our understandings Ephes. 1. 17 18. God shining into our hearts to give us the knowledge of his glory in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. Hereby the enmity against God the vanity darkness and alienation from the life of God which the mind naturally is possessed and filled withall are taken away and removed Of the nature of which work I have treated at large elsewhere For the Law of God in the mind is the saving knowledge of the mind and will of God whereof the Law is the Revelation communicated unto it and implanted in it 2. The way whereby God in the Covenant of Grace thus works on the mind is expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Apostle renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I will give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giving may by an Exallage be put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will give So is it expressed in the next clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the future Tense I will write The word in the Prophet is I will give we render it I will put But there are two things intimated in the word 1 The freedom of the Grace promised it is a meer grant gift or donation of Grace 2 The efficacy of it That which is given of God unto any is received by them otherwise it is no gift And this latter is well expressed by the word used by us I will put which expresseth an actual communication and not a fruitless tender This the Apostle renders emphatically 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is that which I do am doing in this Covenant namely freely giving that Grace whereby my Laws shall be emplanted on the minds of men To shew in general before we proceed to the nature of this work so far as is necessary unto the exposition of the words we may here consider what was observed in the third place namely what it is that is thus promised to be communicated and so carry it on with us unto the other clause of this Promise That which is to be put into this spiritual Receptacle is in those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Laws in the plural number Expositors inquire what Laws are here intended whether the moral Law only or others also But there is no need of such enquiry There is a Metonomy of the subject and effect in the words It is that knowledge of the mind and will of God which is revealed in the Law and taught by it which is promised The Laws of God therefore are here taken largely for the whole revelation of the mind and will of God So doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 originally signifie Doctrine or Instruction By what way or revelation soever God makes known himself and his will unto us requiring our obedience therein it is all comprised in that expression of his Laws From these things we may easily discern the nature of that Grace which is contained in this first branch of the first promise of the Covenant And this is the effectual operation of
things whereof we have no Reason but his meer will and pleasure 2. It is an hard and rare thing to have the minds of men kept upright with God in the Observation of the Institutions of Divine worship Adam lost himself and us all by his failure therein The Old Church seldom attained unto it but continually wandred into one of the extreams mentioned before And at this day there are very few in the world who judge a diligent observation of Divine Institutions to be a thing of any great importance By some they are neglected by some corrupted with additions of their own and by some they are exalted above their proper place and use and turning into an occasion of neglecting more important Duties And the Reason of this difficulty is because Faith hath not that assistance and encouragement from innate Principles of Reason and sensible experience of this kind of Obedience as it hath in that which is moral internal and spiritual That these Ordinances of divine worship might be duly observed and rightly performed under the first Covenant there was a Place appointed of God for their solemnization It had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also a worldly Sanctuary He renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly an holy Place a Sanctuary And why he calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or worldly we must enquire And some things must be premised unto the exposition of these words 1. The Apostle treating of the services sacrifices and place of worship under the Old Testament doth not instance in nor insist upon the Temple with its fabrick and the order of its services but in the Tabernacle set up by Moses in the wilderness And this he doth for the ensuing Reasons 1. Because his principle Design is to confirm the preeminence of the New Covenant above the Old To this end he compares them together in their first Introduction and establishment with what did belong unto them therein And as this in the new Covenant was the Priesthood Mediation and Sacrifice of Christ so in the old it was the Tabernacle with the services and sacrifices that belonged unto it These the first covenant was accompained with and established by and therefore were they peculiarly to be compared with the Tabernacle of Christ and the sacrifice that he offered therein This is the principle Reason why in this disputation he hath all along respect unto the Tabernacle and not unto the Temple 2. Although the Temple with its glorious fabrick and excellent order added much unto the outward Beauty and Splendor of the sacred worship yet was it no more but a large exemplification of what was vertually contained in the Tabernacle and the institutions of it from whence it derived all its Glory And therefore these Hebrews principally rested in and boasted of the Revelation made unto Moses and his institutions And the excellency of the worship of the new Covenant being manifested above that of the Tabernacle there is no plea left for the additional outward Glory of the Temple 2. Designing to treat of this Holy Tent or Tabernacle he confines himself unto the first general Distribution of it Exod. 26. 33. And thou shalt hang up the Vail under the Taches that thou mayst bring in thither the Ark of the Testimony and the Vail shall divide unto you between the Holy and the most Holy the Holy Utensils of which two parts he afterwards distinctly describes The whole was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he renders by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy Place or Sanctuary The Tabernacle of witness erected in the wilderness in two parts the Holy and the most Holy with the Utensils of them is that whose Description he undertakes It is observed by the Apostle that the first Covenant had this Sanctuary 1 Because so soon as God had made that Covenant with the people he prescribed unto them the Erection and making of this Sanctuary containing all the solemn means of the Administration of the Covenant itself 2 Because it was the principle mercy priviledg and advantage that the people were made partakers of by vertue of that Covenant And it belongs unto the exposition of the Text as to the design of the Apostle in it that we consider what that priviledge was or wherein it did consist And 1. This Tabernacle with what belonged thereunto was a Visible Pledge of the presence of God among the people owning Blessing and protecting of them And it was a pledge of Gods own Institution in imitation whereof the superstitious Heathens invented ways of obliging their Idol-Gods to be present among them for the same ends Hence was that prayer at the removal of the Tabernacle and the Ark therein Numb 10. 35 36. Rise up Lord and let thine enemies be scattered and let them that hate thee fly before thee And when it rested he said Return O Lord unto the many thousands of Israel And thence the Ark was called the Ark of Gods strength see Psal. 68. 1 2. 13. 2 8. 2 Chron. 6. 41. because it was a pledg of Gods putting forth his strength and power in the behalf of the people And according unto this Institution it was a most effectual means to strengthen their faith and confidence in God For what could they desire more in Reference thereunto than to enjoy such a gracious earnest of his powerful presence among them But when they ceased to trust in God and put their confidence in the things themselves which were no otherwise useful but as they were Pledges of his Presence they proved their Ruine Hereof we have a fatal instance in their bringing the Ark into the field in their battell against the Philistines 1 Sam. 4. 5 6. And it will fare no better with others who shall rest satisfied with outward Institutions of divine worship neglecting the end of them all which is faith and trust in God Ierem. 7. 4. But men of corrupt minds had rather place their trust in any thing but God For they find that they can do so and yet continue in their sins as those did in the Prophet ver 8 9 10. But none can trust in God unless he relinquish all sin whatever All other pretended trust in him is but the entitling of him unto our own wickedness 2. It was the Pledge and means of Gods Residence or dwelling among them which expresseth the peculiar manner of his presence mentioned in general before The Tabernacle was Gods house nor did he promise at any time to dwell among them but with respect thereunto Exod. 15. 17. Chap. 25. 8. Chap. 29. 44 45 46. Numb 5. 3. And the consideration hereof was a powerful motive unto Holiness Fear and Reverence unto which ends it is every where pressed in the scripture 3. It was a fixed Seat of all divine worship wherein the truth and purity of it was to be preserved Had the observation of the Ordinances of divine service been left unto the memories of private
they believed and in the hopes of it walked with God as our Apostle proves at large chap. 11. Howbeit the way that is the means and cause of communicating the Heavenly Inheritance unto them namely by the Mediation and Sacrifice of Christ was but obscurely represented not illustriously manifested as it is now Life and Immortality being brought to Light by the Gospel And as these things are true so this Interpretation of the words being consonant unto the Analogy of faith is safe only we may enquire whether it be that which is peculiarly intended by the Apostle in this Place or no The Comment of Grotius on these words is that the Apostle signifies super aetherias sedes via eò ducens est evangelium praecepta habens verè coelestia Eam viam Christus primus patefecit aditumque fecit omnibus ad summum coelum Pervenit quidem eò Abrahamus Jacobus ut videre est Mat. 8. 11. alii viri eximii ut videbimus infra cap. 11. 40. Sed hi eò pervenerunt quasi per machinam non viam extraordinariâ quâdum et rarâ Dei dispensatione But these things are most remote from the mind of the Holy Ghost not only in this Place but in the whole Scripture also For 1. How far the Gospel is this way into the Holiest shall be declared immediately That it is so because of the Heavenly precepts which it gives that is which were not given under the old Testament is most untrue For the Gospel gives no precepts of Holiness and obedience that were not for the substance of them contained in the Law There is no precept in the Gospel exceeding that of the Law thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and thy Neighbour as thy self Only the Gospel adds new motives unto Obedience new encouragements and enforcements of it with directions for its due performance 2. That Christ should be no otherwise the way but only as he revealed and declared the Gospel and the precepts of it is not only untrue and injurous unto the honour of Christ but directly contrary unto the design of the Apostle in this Place For he is treating of the Sacerdotal office of Christ only and the Benefit which the Church doth receive thereby But the revelation of the Doctrine or precepts of the Gospel was no duty of that office nor did it belong thereunto That he did as the Prophet of the Church But all his Sacerdotal Actings are towards God in the behalf of the Church as hath been proved 3. That the antient Patriarchs went to Heaven by a secret Engine and that some of them only in an extraordinary way is plainly to deny that they were saved by faith in the promised seed that is that they were not saved by the mediation of Christ which is contrary unto the whole Oeconomy of God in the salvation of the Church and many express Testimonies of the Scripture These Socinian fictions do not cure but corrupt the Word of God and turn away the minds of men from the truth unto fables We shall therefore yet farther enquire into the true meaning of the Holy Ghost in these words The Apostle by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intends the same with ver 3. he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy of Holies the second part of the Sanctuary whereinto the High Priest alone could enter once a year as he declares in the foregoing Verse Only whereas he there spake of the material Fabrick of the Tabernacle and the things contained in it here he designs what was signified thereby For he declares not what these things were but what the Holy Ghost did signifie in and by them Now in that most Holy Place were all the Signs and Pledges of the gracious Presence of God the Testimonies of our Reconciliation by the Blood of the Atonement and our Peace with him thereby Wherefore to enter into these Holies is nothing but an Access with liberty freedom and boldness into the gracious Presence of God on the account of Reconciliation and Peace made with him This the Apostle doth so plainly and positively declare Chap. 10. 19 20 21 22. that I somewhat admire so many worthy and learned Expositors should utterly miss of his meaning in this place The Holies then is the Gracious Presence of God whereunto Believers draw nigh in the confidence of the Atonement made for them and acceptance thereon see Rom. 5. 1 2 3. Ephes. 2. 14 15 16 17 18. Heb. 4. 14 15. Chap. 10. 19. The Atonement being made and received by Faith Conscience being purged Bondage and Fear being removed Believers do now under the Gospel enter with Boldness into this Gracious Presence of God 2. We must consider what is the way into these Holies which was not yet made manifest And here also Expositors indulge unto many Conjectures very needlesly as I suppose For the Apostle doth elsewhere expresly declare himself and interpret his own meaning namely Chap. 10. 19 20. This way is no other but the Sacrifice of Christ the true High Priest of the Church For by the entrance of the High Priest into the most Holy Place with Blood the Holy Ghost did signifie that the way into it namely for Believers to enter by was only the one true Sacrifice which he was to offer and to be And accordingly to give an Indication of the accomplishment of their Type when he expired on the Cross having offered himself unto God for the Expiation of our Sins the Vail of the Temple which enclosed and secured this Holy Place from any entrance into it was rent from the top to the bottom whereby it was laid open unto all Matth. 27. 51. And an evidence this is that the Lord Christ offered his great expiatory Sacrifice in his Death here on Earth a true and real Sacrifice and that it was not an Act of Power after his Ascension metaphorically called a Sacrifice as the Socinians dream For until that Sacrifice was offered the way could not be opened into the Holies which it was immediately after his Death and signified by the renting of the Vail This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the onely way whereby we enter into the most Holy Place the Gracious Presence of God and that with boldness 3. Of this way it is affirmed that it was not yet made manifest whil'st the first Tabernacle was standing And a word is peculiarly chosen by the Apostle to signifie his intention He doth not say that there was no way then into the most Holy Place none made none provided none made use of But there was not a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an open manifestation of it There was an entrance under the Old Testament into the Presence of God as unto Grace and Glory namely the vertue of the Oblation of Christ But this was not as yet made manifest Three things were wanting thereunto 1. It was not yet actually existent but only was vertually so The
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
Divine Nature But I shall leave the Reader to chuse whether sense he judgeth suitable unto the scope of the place either of them being so unto the Analogy of Faith The Socinians understanding that both these Interpretations are equally destructive to their Opinions the one concerning the Person of Christ the other about the Nature of the Holy Ghost have invented a sense of these words never before heard of among Christians For they say that by the Eternal Spirit a certain Divine Power is intended whereby the Lord Christ was freed from Mortality and made Eternal that is no more obnoxious unto death By virtue of this Power they say he offered himself unto God when he entred into Heaven than which nothing can be spoken more fond or impious or contrary unto the design of the Apostle For 1 Such a Power as they pretend is no where called the Spirit much less the Eternal Spirit and to feign significations of words without any countenance from their use elsewhere is to wrest them at our pleasure 2 The Apostle is so far from requiring a Divine Power rendering him immortal antecedently unto the offering of himself as that he declares that he offered himself by the Eternal Spirit in his death when he shed his blood whereby our consciences are purged from dead works 3 This Divine Power rendering Christ immortal is not peculiar unto him but shall be communicated unto all that are raised unto glory at the last day And there is no colour of an opposition herein unto what was done by the High Priests of old 4 It proceeds on their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this matter which is that the Lord Christ offered not himself unto God before he was made immortal which is utterly to exclude his death and blood from any concernment therein which is as contrary unto the truth and scope of the place as darkness is to light 5 Wherever there is mention made elsewhere in the Scripture of the Holy Spirit or the Eternal Spirit or the Spirit absolutely with reference unto any actings of the Person of Christ or on it either the Holy Spirit or his own Divine Nature is intended See Isa. 61. 1 2. Rom. 1. 3. 1 Pet. 3. 18. Wherefore Grotius forsakes this Notion and otherwise explains the words Spiritus Christi qui non tantum fuit vivus ut in vita terrena sed in aeternum corpus sibi adjunctum vivificans If there be any sense in these words it is the rational Soul of Christ that is intended And it is most true that the Lord Christ offered himself in and by the actings of it For there are no other in the Humane Nature as to any duties of obedience unto God But that this here should be called the Eternal Spirit is a vain conjecture For the spirits of all men are equally eternal and do not only live here below but quicken their Bodies after the Resurrection for ever This therefore cannot be the ground of the especial efficacy of the blood of Christ. This is the second thing wherein the Apostle opposeth the Offering of Christ unto the offerings of the Priests under the Law 1 They offered Bulls and Goats He offered Himself 2 They offered by a material Altar and Fire He by the Eternal Spirit That Christ should thus offer Himself unto God and that by the Eternal Spirit is the center of the mystery of the Gospel An attempt to corrupt to pervert this glorious Truth are designs against the Glory of God and Faith of the Church The depth of this mystery we cannot dive into the height we cannot comprehend We cannot search out the greatness of it of the wisdom the love the grace that is in it And those who chuse rather to reject it than to live by Faith in an humble admiration of it do it at the peril of their souls Unto the Reason of some men it may be Folly unto Faith it is full of Glory In the consideration of the Divine Actings of the Eternal Spirit of Christ in the offering of himself of the holy exercise of all grace in the humane nature that was offered of the nature dignity and efficacy of this Sacrifice Faith finds life food and refreshment Herein doth it contemplate the wisdom the righteousness the holiness and grace of God herein doth it view the wonderful condescension and love of Christ and from the whole is strengthned and encouraged Thirdly It is added that he thus offered himself without spot This Adjunct is descriptive not of the Priest but of the Sacrifice it is not a qualification of his Person but of the Offering Schlictingius would have it that this word denotes not what Christ was in himself but what he was freed from For now in Heaven where he offered himself he is freed from all infirmities and from any spot of mortality which the High Priest was not when he entered into the Holy Place such irrational fancies do false Opinions force men to take up withal But 1 There was no spot in the mortality of Christ that he should be said to be freed from it when he was made immortal A spot signifies not so much a desect as a fault And there was no fault in Christ from which he was freed 2 The Allusion and respect herein unto the legal institutions is evident and manifest The Lamb that was to be slain and offered was antecedently thereunto to be without blemish it was to be neither lame nor blind nor have any other defect With express respect hereunto the Apostle Peter affirms that we were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1. 18. And Christ is not only called the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world John 1. 29. that is by his being slain and offered but is represented in the worship of the Church as a Lamb slain Rev. 5. 6. It is therefore to offer violence unto the Scripture and common understanding to seek for this qualification any where but in the humane nature of Christ antecedently unto his death and blood-shedding Wherefore this expression without spot respects in the first place the purity of his Nature and the holiness of his Life For although this principally belonged unto the necessary qualifications of his Person yet were they required unto him as he was to be the Sacrifice He was the Holy One of God holy barmless undefiled separate from sinners he did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth he was without spot This is the moral sense and signification of the word But there is a legal sense of it also It is that which is meet and fit to be a Sacrifice For it respects all that was signified by the legal institution concerning the integrity and perfection of the Creatures Lambs or Kids that were to be sacrificed Hence were all those Laws fulfilled and accomplished There was nothing in him nothing wanting unto him that
should any way hinder his Sacrifice from being accepted with God and really expiatory of Sin And this was the Church instructed to expect by all those legal Institutions It may be not unuseful to give here a brief Scheme of this great Sacrifice of Christ to fix the thoughts of Faith the more distinctly upon it 1. God herein in the Person of the Father is considered as the Law-giver the Governor and Judge of all and that as on a Throne of Judgment the Throne of grace being not as yet erected And two things are ascribed or do belong unto him 1 A Denunciation of the sentence of the Law against Mankind Dying ye shall dye and cursed be every one that continues not in all things written in the Law to do them 2 A Resusal of all such ways of Atonement Satisfaction and Reconciliation that might be offered from any thing that all or any creatures could perform sacrifice and offerings and whole burnt-offerings for sin he would not have Heb. 10. 5 6. he rejected them as insufficient to make Atonement for sin 2. Satan appeared before this Throne with his Prisoners he had the power of death Heb. 2. 14. and entered into judgment as unto his right and title and therein was judged John 16. 11. And he put forth all his power and policy in opposition unto the deliverance of his Prisoners and to the way or means of it That was his hour wherein he put forth the power of darkness Luke 22. 53. 3. The Lord Christ the Son of God out of his infinite love and compassion appears in our Natures before the Throne of God and takes it on himself to answer for the sins of all the Elect to make Atonement for them by doing and suffering whatever the holiness righteousness and wisdom of God required thereunto Then said I Lo I come to do thy Will O God Above when he said Sacrifice and Offerings and Burnt-offerings for sin thou wouldst not neither hadst pleasure therein which are offered by the Law then said he Lo I come to do thy Will O God he taketh away the first that he might establish the second Heb. 10. 7 8 9. 4. This stipulation and engagement of his God accepteth of and withal as the sovereign Lord and Ruler of all prescribeth the way and means whereby he should make Atonement for sin and Reconciliation with God thereon And this was that he should make his soul an offering for sin and therein bear their iniquities Isa. 53. 10 11. 5. The Lord Christ was prepared with a Sacrifice to offer unto God unto this end For whereas every High Priest was ordained to offer Gifts and Sacrifices it was of necessity that he also should have somewhat to offer Heb. 8. 3. This was not to be the Blood of Bulls and Goats or such things as were offered by the Law ver 4. But this was and was to be himself his humane nature or his body For 1 this body or humane nature was prepared for him and given unto him for this very end that he might have somewhat of his own to offer Heb. 10. 5. 2 He took it he assumed it unto himself to be his own for this very end that he might be a sacrifice in it Heb. 2. 14. 3 He had full power and authority over his own body his whole humane nature to dispose of it in any way and into any condition unto the glory of God No man saith he taketh my life from me I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again John 10. 18. 6. This therefore he gave up to do and suffer according unto the Will of God And this he did 1 In the Will Grace and Love of his Divine Nature he offered himself unto God through the eternal Spirit 2 In the gracious holy actings of his humane nature in the way of zeal love obedience patience and all other graces of the Holy Spirit which dwelt in him without measure acted unto their utmost glory and efficacy Hereby he gave himself up unto God to be a Sacrifice for Sin his own Divine Nature being the Altar and Fire whereby his Offering was supported and confirmed or brought unto the Ashes of Death This was the most glorious spectacle unto God and all his holy Angels Hereby he set a Crown of Glory on the head of the Law fulfilling its precepts in matter and manner unto the uttermost and undergoing its penalty or curse establishing the truth and righteousness of God in it Hereby he glorified the holiness and justice of God in the demonstration of their nature and compliance with their demands Herein issued the eternal Councils of God for the salvation of the Church and way was made for the exercise of grace and mercy unto sinners For 7. Herewith God was well pleased satisfied and reconciled unto sinners Thus was he in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing our sins unto us in that he was made sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him For in this tender of himself a Sacrifice to God 1. God was well pleased with and delighted in his obedience it was a Sacrifice unto him of a well-smelling savor He was more glorified in that one instance of the Obedience of his onely Son than he was dishonoured by the sin of Adam and all his Posterity as I have elsewhere declared 2. All the demands of his Justice were satisfied unto his eternal glory Wherefore 8. Hereon Satan is judged and destroyed as unto his power over sinners who receive this Atonement all the grounds and occasions of it are hereby removed his Kingdom is overthrown his Usurpation and unjust Dominion defeated his Arms spoiled and Captivity led captive For of the anger of the Lord against sin it was that he obtained his power over sinners which he abused unto his own ends This being atoned the Prince of this world was judged and cast out 9. Hereon the poor condemned sinners are discharged God says deliver them for I have found a ransom But we must return to the Text. The effect of the Blood of Christ through the offering of himself is the purging of our Consciences from dead works This was somewhat spoken unto in general before especially as unto the nature of this purging But the words require a more particular Explication And The word is in the Future Tense Shall purge The blood of Christ as offered hath a double respect and effect 1 Towards God in making Atonement for sin This was done once and at once and was now past Herein by one Offering he for ever perfected them that are sanctified 2 Towards the Consciences of men in the application of the vertue of it unto them this is here intended And this is expressed as future not as though it had not this effect already on them that did believe but upon a double account 1. To declare the certainty of the event or
built by the hands of Men. The manner of this Building was part of its Glory for it relates unto the framing and erection of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness And as this was wholly directed by God himself so he endowed them in an extraordinary manner with singular Skill and Wisdom by whom the work was wrought But as unto the thing it self it is a diminution from its Glory not absolutely but comparatively yet was still made by the hands of Men and so had no Glory in comparison of that which doth excel namely Heaven it self 2. As unto the use of these Holies they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is signified by the Type and this we commonly call the Antitype So is the word used by the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 3. 21. The Substance of what is typified Sometimes it is used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Type and Resemblance of the thing signified So is it here used and well rendered Figures And what the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the foregoing verse he here calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are therefore the same only they express different respect and notions of the same things As the Delineation and Representation of Heavenly things in them were obscure and dark they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Similitudes Resemblances of Heavenly things As that Representation which they had and made of them was a Transcript from the Original Pattern and Idea in the Mind of God and shewed unto Moses in the Mount they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or express Figures And they were thus Figures of the True that is the true Holies True in these expressions is opposed unto Shadowing and Typical not unto that which is false or abulterate So Joh. 1. 17 18. real substantial the things originally in all these Institutions This is a brief Description of the Place whereinto the High Priest under the Law did enter wherein his great Priviledge did consist and whereon the Efficacy of all his other Administrations did Depend And it is described 1 With respect unto its Institution it was the most Holy Place peculiarly dedicated unto the Reception of the especial Pledges of the Presence of God 2 As unto its Fabrick it was made with hands though of an excellent structure directed by God himself and framed by his especial command yet was it in its self no more but the work of Mens hands 3 As unto its principal end and use it was a figure and Resemblance of Heavenly things All Gods Appointments in his service have their proper season Beauty and Glory and Use which are all given them by his Appointment Even the things that were made with mens hands had so whilst they had the force of a Divine Institution To enter into the Presence of God represented by the Typical Pledges of it in this place was the height of what the High Priest under the Law attained unto And this he did on the Ground of the Dedication and Purification of the Tabernacle by the Blood of the Sacrifices of Goats and Calves And it may be said if the Lord Jesus Christ be the High Priest of the Church hither or into this place he ought to have entered I Answer He ought indeed so to have done if by his Sacrifice he had purified only earthly things But whereas he had no such Design nor were the temporal things of the whole Creation worth the Purification with one drop of his Blood but they were things Spiritual and Heavenly that were purified by his Sacrifice he was not to enter into the Holy Place made with hands the Figures of the same but into Heaven it self In opposition unto what is denyed of him and which is therein ascribed unto the High Priest of the Law the place whereinto he did enter is called Heaven it self The Entrance spoken of was Sacerdotal not Triumphant and Regal as I have elsewhere declared And by this Heaven it self a peculiar place is intended The Apostle hath in several places affirmed that in his Ascension he passed through the Heavens and was made higher then the Heavens Wherefore by this Heaven it self some place that is called so by the way of Eminency is intended This in the Scripture is sometimes called the Heaven of Heavens and the third Heaven The place of the peculiar Residence of the Presence Majesty and Glory of God and of his Throne where all his Blessed Saints enjoy his Presence and all his Holy Angels minister unto him A Place above all these aspectable Heavens the Heavens which we do behold The Entrance of Christ into Heaven as our High Priest was into it as the Temple of God wherein the Chief thing considerable is the Throne of Grace For it is that which answers unto and was signified by the entrance of the High Priest into the most Holy Place in the Tabernacle And there was nothing therein but the Ark and the Mercy-seat with the Cherubims of Glory overshadowing them which as we have declared was a Representation of a Throne of Grace He entered likewise into Heaven Triumphantly as it was the Palace of God the Throne of the Great King and sat down at the Right hand of the Majesty on high But this he did with respect unto the Execution of his Kingly Office with Authority and Power For as the Offices of Christ are distinct and their Exercise is so also so Heaven it self wherein he now dischargeth them all is proposed unto us under divers Considerations distinctly answering unto the work that the Lord Christ hath yet to perform therein And this serves 1. Unto the Direction and Encouragement of Faith When we apply our selves unto Christ to seek for Aid for the subduing and destruction of our spiritual Adversaries by his ruling Power that mighty Power whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself we consider him on the Throne of Majesty in the full Possession of all Power in Heaven and Earth Hereby is Faith both encouraged and directed in its Acting or approach unto him And when we go unto him for relief under our Temptations with a sense of the Guilt of Sin which requires tenderness and compassion we consider him as in the Temple of God appearing as our High Priest before the Throne of Grace Chap. 4. 14 15 16. 2. This Representation is the spring of all Spiritual Consolation God on a Throne of Grace the Lord Christ before it in the Exercise of his office with Faithfulness Compassion and Power is the Spring and Center of all the Comforts of the Church Schlictingius affirms on this Place that these things are spoken of Christ only in a neat and handsom Metaphor under which he is compared unto the Priests of old And the whole of his Discourse tends unto this that it is a Comparison framed or coyned by the Apostle for the Illustration of what he intends But this is not to
God the Father did order things towards Jesus Christ that he should have a Nature wherein he might be free and able to yield Obedience unto the Will of God with an intimation of the quality of it in having Ears to hear which belong only unto a Body This Sense the Apostle expresseth in more plain terms now after the accomplishment of what before was only declared in Prophesie and thereby the Veil which was upon Divine Revelations under the Old Testament is taken away There is therefore nothing remaining but that we give an Exposition of these words of the Apostle as they contain the sense of the Holy Ghost in the Psalm And two things we must enquire into 1. What is meant by this body 2. How God prepared it 1. A Body is here a Synecdochical expression of the Humane nature of Christ. So is the flesh taken where he is said to be made flesh and the Flesh and Blood whereof he was partaker For the general end of his having this Body was that he might therein and thereby yield Obedience or do the Will of God And the especial end of it was that he might have what to offer in Sacrifice unto God But neither of these can be confined unto his Body alone For it is the Soul the other essential part of Humane Nature that is the principle of Obedience Nor was the Body of Christ alone Offered in Sacrifice unto God He made his Soul an Offering for Sin Isa. 53. 10. which was Typified by the Life that was in the Blood of the Sacrifice Wherefore it is said that he offered himself unto God Chap. 9. 14. Ephes. 5. 2. That is his whole entire Humane Nature Soul and Body in their Substance in all their Faculties and Powers But the Apostle both here and ver 10. mentions only the Body it self for the reasons ensuing 1. To manifest that this Offering of Christ was to be by Death as was that of the Sacrifices of Old and this the Body alone was subject unto 2. Because as the Covenant was to be confirmed by this Offering it was to be by Blood which is contained in the Body alone and the separation of it from the Body carries the Life along with it 3. To testifie that his Sacrifice was visible and substantial not an outward appearance of things as some have fancied but such as truly answered the real Bloody Sacrifices of the Law 4. To shew the Alliance and Cognation between him that Sanctifieth by his Offering and them that are Sanctified thereby Or that because the Children were partakers of Flesh and Blood he also took part of the same that he might tast of Death for them For these and the like reasons doth the Apostle mention the Humane Nature of Christ under the name of a Body only as also to comply with the Figurative Expression of it in the Psalm And they do what lies in them to overthrow the principal Foundation of the Faith of the Church who would wrest these words unto a new Aetherial Body given him after his Ascension as do the Socinians 2. Concerning this Body it is affirmed that God prepared it for him Thou hast prepared for me that is God hath done it even God the Father For unto him are those words spoken I come to do thy will O God a Body hast thou prepared me The coming of Christ the Son of God into the World his coming in the Flesh by the assuming of our Nature was the effect of the mutual Counsel of the Father and the Son The Father proposeth to him what was his Will what was his design what he would have done This proposal is here repeated as unto what was Negative in it which includes the Opposite Positive Sacrifice and Burnt Offerings thou wouldst not have but that which he would was the Obedience of the Son unto his Will This Proposal the Son closeth withal Lo saith he I come But all things being Originally in the Hand of the Father the Provision of things necessary unto the fulfilling of the Will of God is left unto him Among those the principal was that the Son should have a Body prepared for him that so he might have somewhat of his own to offer Wherefore the preparation of it is in a peculiar manner assigned unto the Father a Body hast thou prepared me And we may observe that 1. The Supream contrivance of the Salvation of the Church is in a peculiar manner ascribed unto the person of the Father His Will his Grace his Wisdom his good Pleasure the purpose that he purposed in himself his Love his sending of his Son are every where proposed as the eternal springs of all Acts of Power Grace and Goodness tending unto the Salvation of the Church And therefore doth the Lord Christ on all occasions declare that he came to do his Will to seek his Glory to make known his Name that the praise of his Grace might be exalted And we through Christ do believe in God even the Father when we assign unto him the Glory of all the Holy Properties of his Nature as acting Originally in the contrivance and for the effecting of our Salvation 2. The Furniture of the Lord Christ though he were the Son and in his Divine person the Lord of all unto the discharge of his work of Mediation was the peculiar Act of the Father He prepared him a Body he anointed him with the Spirit it pleased him that all fulness should dwell in him From him he received all Grace Power Consolation Although the Humane Nature was the Nature of the Son of God not of the Father a Body prepared for him not for the Father yet was it the Father who prepared that Nature who filled it with Grace who strengthened acted and supported it in its whole course of Obedience 3. Whatever God designes appoints and calls any unto he will provide for them all that is needful unto the Duties of Obedience whereunto they are so appointed and called As he prepared a Body for Christ so he will provide Gifts Abilities and Faculties suitable unto their work for those whom he calleth unto it Others must provide as well as they can for themselves But we must yet enquire more particularly into the nature of this preparation of the Body of Christ here ascribed unto the Father And it may be considered two ways 1. In the Designation and Contrivance of it So preparation is sometimes used for Predestination or the Resolution for the effecting any thing that is future in its proper season Isa. 30. 33. Matt. 20. 23. Rom. 9. 23. 1 Cor. 2. 9. In this sense of the word God had prepared a Body for Christ he had in the Eternal Counsel of his Will determined that he should have it in the appointed time So he was Forc-ordained before the Foundation of the World but was manifest in these last times for us 1 Pet. 1. 20. 2. In the actual effecting ordering and creating of it
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
their guilt in one sin the woful sin of Adam and the ruine of his Posterity even of those who had not sinned after the similitude of his Transgression the destruction of the old world by an Universal Flood as in the Fire and Brimstone that God rained from Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah in the final rejection of the Jews the dreadful overthrow of the City and Temple by fire in the Eternity of the torments of impenitent sinners In all these things and others that seem to have any thing of the same kind with them we shall need nothing to give the most full satisfaction unto our Souls if we know him who hath said Vengeance is mine I will repay it This consideration is confirmed by a double Testimony wherein God assumeth unto himself that which will give assurance of the Punishment of Apostates And we may consider concerning these Testimonies 1. The Apostles application of them unto his purpose 2. The force that is in them unto that end 1. They are both of them taken from Deut. 32. 35 36. But in that place they seem absolutely to intend vengeance and Judgment on the Adversaries of his people to make a way for their deliverance But here they are applyed unto the final destruction of that same people namely the Jews without hopes of deliverance I answer 1. That it is usual with the Apostle in this Epistle and all other writers of the New Testament to make use of Testimonies out of the old without respect unto the particular cases and designs which they are originally applyed unto but with regard unto the Truth and Equity contained in them Whereon they are equally applicable unto all cases of a like nature Thus saith he God declares himself with respect unto his Stubborn Enemies whence a Rule is established that he will deal so with all that are so who are in the same circumstances with them of whom we speak 2. What God speaks concerning his Enemies and the Enemies of his people in Covenant with him is applicable unto that people it self when they absolutely break and reject the Covenant so was it done by these Apostates who thereon came into the room and place of the most cursed Enemies of God and his people And therefore God will be unto them what he was unto the worst of those his adversaries 3. That which God properly in that place assumeth this title unto himself upon is the Cruelty and Rage of those adversaries in the persecution and destruction of his people And shall he not act in like manner towards them who murdered the Lord Jesus and persecuted all his followers Wherefore whatever frame of mind in God is represented in the Scripture as unto his indignation against the worst of sinners and his adversaries is fully applicable unto these degenerate Apostates The First testimony in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to me vengeance and recompence which the Apostle renders by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the same purpose Recompence is the actual exercise of Vengeance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vengeance is the actual execution of Judgment on sinners according unto their desert without mitigation of mercy 'T is an act of Judgment and wherever mention is made of it God is still proposed as a Judge it being a just retribution on the consideration of the demerit of sin as sin 1. This Vengeance God appropriateth the right of unto himself in a peculiar manner as that which no Creature in it's full latitude hath any interest in See Psal. 94. 1 2. For it respects only sin in its own formal nature as sin against God 1. Though men may inflict punishments on it yet they do it principally on other accounts Whatever is of vengeance in punishment is meerly an emanation from divine constitution 2. No creature can have the just measures of the desert of sin so as to give it a just and due recompence 3. The power of the Creature cannot extend to the just execution of Vengeance sins deserving eternal punishment 4. Pure vengeance as vengeance is not to be intrusted with our nature nor would any man be able to manage it but would fall into one excess or other unto the ruine of his own soul. Wherefore God hath reserved and included all vengeance unto himself and all just final retribution for and unto sin Although he hath allowed infliction of punishment on offenders in order unto the Government and peace of the world in Magistrates and publick persons yet as unto vengeance as it denotes giving satisfaction to our selves in the punishment of others it is forbidden unto all persons both private and publick God in executing vengeance gives satisfaction unto his own infinite holiness and righteousness which makes it holy and just Men cannot give satisfaction unto themselves in punishment but it is unto their evil affections which makes it useless and unjust Hence David blessed God that he had kept him from avenging himself on Nabal For there is no vengeance but what is exerted by a mans self in his own case and cause The Judgment unto punishment is for others Wherefore the formal Reason of the appropriation of all vengeance unto God is that God alone can Judge and Punish in his own case and unto his own satisfaction He hath made all things for himself and the wicked for the day of evil 2. In this appropriation of vengeance unto God there is supposed and included that indeed there is vengeance with God which in due time he will execute I will repay saith God He doth oftentimes exercise great Patience and forbearance even then when vengeance might justly be expected and is called for How long doest thou not avenge our blood This commonly adds unto the security of wicked men and they learn to despise the threatnings of all the Judgments of God which they have deserved 2 Pet. 3. 3 4 5 6 7. Eccles 8. 11. They are ready to conclude that either vengeance doth not belong unto God or that it shall be executed when and where they are not concerned But in all these cases God hath fixed a determinate time and season for the execution of deserved vengeance Hence he calls it the year of vengeance and the day of recompence so here I will repay it saith the Lord This being so God having said that vengeance belongeth unto him and that it is due unto provoking sins and sinners that it is in his power and his alone to inflict it when and how he pleaseth and that he will certainly do so in the assurance whereof the Apostle adds that word saith the Lord he will repay it It evidently follows that in his appointed season the day and year of vengeance such horrible provoking sinners as were those treated of must fall under the most severe punishment and that for evermore The Second testimony taken from the same place is of the same importance with this The Lord shall judge his people In Deuteronomy it