Aaron saying O Lord heare the prayer of thy servants according to the blessing of Aaron over thy people Ecclus. 36.17 8. And here men that die receive tithes Now followeth the third reason whereby he proves that Melchisedec is greater then the Leviticall Priests namely Because the Leviticall Priests receive tithes yet one of them dies after another and they succeed one another in the Priest-hood but Melchisedec hath a testimony of Scripture for him that he liveth Here i. here under the law and among us But there he of whom it is witnessed that he liveth There where wee read that Abraham gave him tithes he then received them whom the Scripture witnesseth that he lives But wee must note that the Author opposeth not Melchisedec to mortall men but to dying men onely neither doth he say that he is immortall but only that he liveth For life is not opposed to mortality but properly to death And there the Scripture saith That Melchisedec doth live where shee affirmes him to bee a Priest for ever And shee affirmes it in her comparison of him with Christ when she saith Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec Psal 110.4 as we explicated it before in this Chapter vers 3. Where we shewed that Melchisedec was called a Priest for ever because he exercised his Priest-hood a long time even for the full terme of his naturall life and that he lived so long a Priest as there was any knowledge of the true God among the men of his time and any place for the Priest-hood so that Melchisedec in his Priest-hood resembled for his continuance all the Leviticall Priests who succeeded one after another which eternity of his was but umbratilous and figurative as we said of Christs eternitie And therefore the life of Melchisedec was nothing but a shadow of that life which is in Christ And if we respect the scope of the Authour it makes not to the matter that Melchisedec did at last yeeld to the law of nature and die for he speaks not of Melchisedec for himselfe but for Christ who truely lives for ever It sufficeth in Melchisedec that the eternall life of Christ was in some manner shadowed and signified in the Scripture And this is the reason why the Authour opposed Melchisedec to dying men and said he liveth for ever For when wee speake of the type as of the antitype we many times so speak of it as of the anti-type it selfe although the words must be applyed figuratively to the type and properly to the antitype 9. And as I may so say Levi also who receiveth tithes payed tithes or was decimated in Abraham Here at last comes in the other of the first reason which we said was bipartite and wherewith the Author now confirmes the dignity of Melchisedec namely that when Melchisedec tooke tithes of Abraham he tithed also Levi and all the Priests sprung from his loynes who were themselves to receive tithes To shew the great dignity of Melchisedec it was not enough for the Author to say that he tithed Abraham himselfe but Levi also who tooke tithes was by him tithed in Abraham For it is as much as if hee had taken tithes of Levi when he tooke them of him in whose loynes Levi was yet latent Therefore in a figurative way of speech the Author saith that Levi was tithed through Abraham For because he could not say properly that Levi gave tithes to Melchisedec through Abraham therefore lest his words should seem harsh he mollifies them thus as I may so say whereby hee plainely declares that what hee spake here of Levi must not bee taken literally and properly but in a certaine sence and forme of speech Levi also who receiveth tithes not in his owne person but in his posteritie so that it is not strange that hee is said to have given tithes in his father who is also said to have taken them in his children But now let us see how the Author proves this 10. For hee was yet in the loynes of his father when Melchisedec met him Here he proves that Levi gave tithes to Melchisedec through Abraham thus If at that time Levi had been a person severed from Abraham and had enjoyed his estate apart to himselfe this fact of Abraham in giving tithes to Melchisedec had nothing concerned him But because Levi was then so united and joyned with Abraham that he yet lay couched in Abrahams loyns therefore he also is justly accounted to have given tithes to Melchisedec in or through Abraham Which sentence notwithstanding must not be transferred to all the actions of a father but only to those which properly consist either in the increase or decrease of his estate which useth to descend to his children by right of inheritance and the payment of tithes is such an action for it so much decreaseth the fathers estate For they are paid out of the fathers goods which thus farre are already the childrens in that the right of inheritance thereto belongs to them especially if it be certaine that the father hath or may have children to succeed him in his estate as Abraham had to whom God had for certaine promised a posterity For as the heire after his fathers death doth in a manner represent the person of his father by his succeeding to him and possessing his estate so likewise the father before his children be severed from him and have a right to dispose of his goods as their own doth in a manner also represent the person of his heire and of all the rest of his children and what he then ordereth or doth in his goods the same in a manner his heires are accounted to doe I say in a manner because properly this cannot be said neither doth the Author himselfe say properly that it was done but acknowledgeth an impropriety in his words as we noted before Hence may easily be understood that which together with the Author we affirme that such acts of the parents must be extended only to those of their successors or posterity to whom the inheritance or some notable portion of their goods shall descend either for certainty as here to Abrahams posterity or at least in all probability For otherwise that force of inheritance whereof we speake will expire and what any man orders concerning his estate cannot be attributed to his children and posterity 11. If therefore perfection After that by comparing Melchisedec with the Leviticall Priests hee had shewed that Melchisedec was a Priest and a Priest much differing from the Leviticall as a person farre greater and worthier then they Now he proceeds to the third part of the Chapter And in regard that after those Leviticall Priests there must be another Priest ordained according to the order of Melchisedec and not according to the order of Aaron therefore he thence argues and proves the imperfection of the Leviticall Priesthood and also of the Law it selfe upon which that Priesthood was ordained and upon the
God This reason St. Paul gives applying to the Resurrection of Christ the words of the Psalme Thou art my son this day have I begotten thee Act. 13.33 Whom he hath appointed heire God hath appointed Christ to inherit the sovereigne dominion and Kingdome of God first by granting him a right or title to it and afterward by giving him the reall possession of it Yet he possesseth it not successively after his father as the manner is among men but accessorily and joyntly together with his father Of all things His universall heire he alludes to an only son who is the sole heire of all his fathers estate For Christ is the unigenit or only son of God not that God hath not other sons but that he hath none such as he Seeing then God is the universall proprietary and Lord of all things therefore Christ being his only son and heire becomes universall Lord also of all things over all Angells and men whether alive or dead By whom also he made the world God by the mediation or meane of Christ did reforme and restore mankinde who is the chiefest part of the world by giving him a new state and condition by a new Covenant For the Hebrews who have no or few compound verbs say a thing is made when in regard of some qualities it is altered or renewed or made otherwise then it was before by assuming a new forme or fashion for a better condition So we are said to be created in Christ to good workes and we are called a new creature not in regard of any new creation or new nature but because of new relations unto God or new qualities in our selves 3. Who being the brightnesse of his glory Christ was the lustre raye or beam of Gods Majesty For seeing God is invisible and cannot be seen of men by reason of his immense and infinite light therefore God sent forth Christ as a raye or beam of his light that in Christ men might have a kinde of sight of Gods Majesty And the expresse image of his person These words doe but interpret the former Adam and in him every man made is made in the image of God to resemble God in some of Gods attributes but Christ is the character or image of Gods person for God did as it were imprint his person upon Christ that Christ might be his substitute upon earth to personate represent and resemble the person of God to be in wisdome as God by publishing the mysteries and secrets of God and by knowing the thoughts of men to be in holinesse as God without all staine of sin to be in power as God having dominion over all creatures over windes seas and devills For such divine wisdome holinesse and power are brightnesses images or markes of Gods Supremacie or Soveraigne Majestie Vpholding all things by the word of his power Christ carried all things by his powerfull Command for according to the Hebrew sence Word is put for Command as Psal 33.7 and Psal 143.15 And the Word of his power is an Hebraisme also for his powerfull word q. d. Christ did personate God not onely for the acts of his power but also for the manner of his acts because he wrought all his miracles by his sole Word or Command For at his Word or Command the windes ceased the sea calmed diseases were healed the divels were ejected and the dead raised And to this the Centurion applied his faith when he said Lord Speak the word only and my servant shall be healed Mat. 8.8 When he had by himself purged our sinnes Christ offered up himself in his own person and did not as the Leviticall Priest who used to offer sacrifices that were not himself but Christ was both the Priest who offered and the sacrifice which was offered And by this oblation of himselfe he expiated or purged away our sinnes by removing our guiltines and the punishment due to our sins Christ was a sacrifice to expiate our sinnes and the slaughter of this sacrifice was made on earth upon the crosse but the offering of this sacrifice was then performed when he entred into heaven and made his Appearance in the presence of God as the Leviticall Priest after the sacrifice was slain entered into the Sanctuary to offer the blood of it And this Oblation of Christ had then onely an efficacy or power to expiate our sins but the effect of it followes not upon us till we on our part performe our office by beleeving in Christ and obeying him Sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high The Leviticall high Priest when he went into the Oracle where God was said to dwell and sit betweene the Cherubins did not sit downe with God betweene the Cherubins but stood as a minister or waiter with great reverence of the Divine Majestie offering and sprinkling that blood wherewith he entered But Christ ascending on high and entering into heaven did not stand before the Throne of God as a minister or supplicant but sat downe at the right hand of Gods Majestie Yet he sat not by way of an Assistant unto God as Nobles and Councellers doe to earthly Princes but by way of Cor-regnant to reigne with him having absolute power over the people or Church of God and for the Churches sake over all other things For according to Saint Paul 1. Cor. 15.25 To sit at the right hand of God is to reigne and governe as God And Christ doth now reigne and governe absolutely and arbitrarily in all things not defined by Gods law but where Gods law orders things there he governs accordingly 4. Being made so much better then the Angels The Apostle formerly having tacitely preferred Christ before all the Prophets and before the high Priests proceeds now to compare and preferre Christ before the Angels to wit which must be marked from the time of his session at Gods right hand corregnant with him Whereupon he layes down this position or doctrine That Christ sitting at Gods right hand reigning with him in absolute power is become more excellent then the Angels This doctrine he presently proves by severall arguments following As he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name then they This is the first argument whereby he proves his former doctrine because Christ hath obtained a more excellent name then the Angels By name here we are not to understand that dominion or dignity of Christ whereby he reignes with his Father in absolute power for this were to argue tautologously seeing he mentioned that before But by name he meanes the Appellation or title given to Christ noting his state and condition For from Appellations and titles especially given by God we may easily gather the dignitie and excellency of any person And this excellent name Christ hath obtained by Inheritance Which shewes that he had it not by nature nor from eternitie but in time by grace from the favour of God 5. For unto which of the Angels said he at any time
Hee hath not put in subjection the world to come The world future or to come is that place wherein now dwelleth God and Christ and all the holy Angels but hereafter in time to come all the godly shall dwell there And it is called future or to come in respect of the godly to whom it is yet future or to come whereas the place in respect of it selfe of God Christ and the Angels is already present and really extant The right or title of dominion and inheritance God hath neither given nor decreed to give unto the angels The angels now inhabite in that future world but yet as the house and kingdome of another and not as their owne for God should do them no injury if he should please to translate them from that seat and command them to settle elswhere because they are not Lords of that world but servants there And that hither wee may apply the words of Christ John 8.35 The servant abideth not in the house for ever i. hath no right to abide for ever though de facto of grace he may abide for ever but the son abideth ever i. hath a right to abide for ever Whereof we speak These words as wee noted in the former chapter vers 2. are added respectively to his former words wherein he mentioned the worlds simply without adding the word future or to come that he might here give us to understand that there also he meant the world to come for that was the world whereof hee spake both there and here 6 Eut one in a certaine place testified saying It was not for want of knowledge or memory that this Author here quotes this text of Scripture indefinitely without citing the place for seeing he knew to recite the words so exactly and the words themselves were so vulgarly knowne how could he be ignorant of the place But because this Scripture and the place of it was so vulgarly known especially to the Hebrewes to whom he writes therefore he neither noted the place nor named the Author of them And it was his manner so to doe though he cite many texts of Scripture Indeed afterward chapter 4.7 hee quotes David as Author of a saying formerly cited by him but his intent there is to manifest the order of time and not the name of the Author What is man that thou art mindfull of him The words are Psal 8.4 To be mindfull of a man is to be carefull for him and make provision for his good The literall sence is God made provision for the man Adam the head and father of all mankinde and gave him the right of dominion over this visible earthly and present world and over all the creatures therein contained Gen. 1.28 The mysticall sence is God made provision for the man Christ the head and father of all the faithful gave him the right of dominion over the invisible heavenly and future world and over all the creatures therein contained 1. Cor. 15.27 Ephes 1.21,22 and Phil. 2.9,10 For by man here is understood in both sences the first Head and Parent of mankinde naturall and spirituall namely Adam the first man and Christ the second Adam For in both these persons that which is expressed in the words is fulfilled fully though diversely Or the Sonne of man that thou visuest him To visit is frequently to regard and often to looke unto and argues the mindfulnesse or carefulnesse formerly mentioned for the person of whom we are mindfull and carefull him wee frequently visit goe to see and looke unto him The literall sence is That mankinde for his naturall birth is the son or posterity of the man Adam God gave Adam the dominion over this earthly world yet not personally for himselfe onely but for him and his sons or posterity after him For though he were sole Lord over his sons during their minority while they were under age and under his power yet afterward as they grew up in the world unto maturity or fulnesse of age then the like right should be communicated and imparted unto them that they also might be Lords over this earthly world For God gave the earth also to the children of men Psal 115.16 The mysticall sence The faithfull for their spirituall birth are the sons of Christ God hath given to Christ the dominion over the heavenly world yet not personally for himselfe onely but for him and the faithfull who are his sons and posterity after him For though now Christ the sole Lord over the faithfull during their minority or nonage in this world while they are under the power and tuition of Christ yet when they come to spirituall maturity which is their immortality then the like dominion shall be communicated and imparted unto them and they also shall be Lords and possessors of that heavenly world to come For then they shall no longer be under Christ but besides him to reigne with him 2 Tim. 2.12 7. Thou madest him a little lower then the Angels The literall sence is God made man lower or inferiour then the Angels a little in degree for his nature because he made man by nature mortall but the Angels by nature are immortall and a little in time for man continues in this lownesse of his mortall nature for a little time respectively to the time of his immortality though absolutely it be a long time even from the Creation to the Resurrection The mysticall sence is God also made Christ lower then the Angels a little in degree for his mortall nature but a very little in time onely during his mortall life which was but as a moment Thou crownedst him with glory and honour The literall sense The dominion that God gave man over this present world was a great glory and honour to him even a Crowne or high degree of glory For all dominion is honourable and the highest is coronable The mysticall sence The dominion that God gave Christ over the world to come was much more glorious and honourable because a heavenly dominion over Angels is more glorious then an earthly dominion over beasts And didst set him over the works of thy hands These words do but expresse wherein mans dominion consisted that was such a glory and honour to him namely in bearing rule over the earthly creatures which were the works not of his owne hands but of Gods So the Dominion of Christ consisteth in ruling over the Angelick and heavenly creatures who are the works of Gods hands also 8. Thou hast put all things in subjection under him These words are but correlative to the former for if man were set in dominion over all things then all things were put in subjection under him But the particle all must be restrained from its absolute universality concerning all things whatsoever to be limited onely to all earthly creatures as all sheep and oxen and the beasts of the field the Fowles of the ayre and the Fish of the sea c. as they are immediatly reckoned
whence it runnes and the marke of it whereto it runnes Consider Iesus Christ Ye six your mindes and hearts upon Moses to consider him in all particulars consider also Jesus Christ The Apostle and high Priest of our profession Our profession is our Religion whereby we professe to serve God and to be saved Of this our Religion Christ is the great Prophet the grand Apostle Emissary or Legate or the first Messenger of it because he was the first that was sent from God to bring it into the world and to publish or preach it unto men For every Prophet sent with a message immediatly from God is therefore an Apostle And of this our Religion Christ is the high Priest or chiefe President to order it because he perpetually administers and officiates all things pertaining to it and because by him all the professors of it have their accesse to God because hee expiates and purgeth away their sins and because hee takes care that all things pertaining to divine worship be rightly performed in the Temple of God dedicate to this Religion For in this place the Author remarkably calls Christ by the name of high Priest because anciently the high Priests were Presidents over the Temple and holy things of God From both these offices thus united in Christ appears his transcendent dignity For anciently there was an Apostle or Prophet of the Jewish Religion who was Moses for he first taught and published it but then among them there was another high Priest who was Aaron and his Successors But Christ alone in one person was both the Apostle and high Priest of our profession But in this place we must ampliate extend the word high Priest so largely that it may also comprehend the Regall dignity or office of Christ For it is not likely that the Author in this breviate of Christs offices would wholly omit the chiefest especially in this place where hee would move them to consider Christ especially when he had before tearmed him such a high Priest as was able to succour them that are tempted which thing belongs also to his Regall power and had in the first chapter so lively expressed his Regall dignity by severall testimonies of Scripture 2. Who was faithfull to him that appointed him It had been enough to move the Hebrewes to consider Christ by what the Author had delivered before in preferring him above the Angels by severall arguments of reason and testimonies of Scripture but the Author not content with this doth here single out Moses and equall Christ with him because the Hebrewes had Moses in high esteeme opposing him to Christ and preferring him before Christ The particular wherein he equals Christ with Moses is the faithfulnesse of Christ and he instanceth the rather in this particular because that when God gave a singular commendation of Moses the Lord instanced in the particular of his faithfulnesse to God He therefore declares that Christ was as faithfull to God as ever Moses was Now the faithfulnesse of Christ relates to both his offices of high Legate or Apostle and high Priest The faithfulnesse of a Legate consists in these two things 1. That he deliver his Message wholly and truly according to his Commission 2. That he use all meanes to perswade and gaine faith to his Message especially if he be thereto enjoyned by him that sent him And the faithfulnesse of a high Priest is To provide all things pertinent to the worship of God and then to propitiate God toward those that worship him The person to whom Christ was thus faithfull was the supreme God who made him his Legate and high Priest by appointing him to the execution of these offices wherein he might exercise his singular faithfulnesse for Christ assumed not these offices of himselfe but was thereto appointed of God the Father as afterward more fully As also Moses was faithfull in all his house Moses was a great Prophet and Legate sent from God in so much that when Aaron and Miriam had spoken against him the Lord to publish his great esteeme of him would vindicate him by his owne mouth and thereupon preferres him before all other Prophets in that he would deale more familiarly with him then with any other for he would speake to others by visions and dreames and dark speeches but he would speake to Moses mouth to mouth even apparently and he should behold the similitude of the Lord of which dealing with Moses the Lord gives this reason because Moses was faithfull in all the Lords house Numb 12.6,7,8 In which words who sees not how highly God esteemed Moses above all other Prophets Now whether we take house for Gods Tabernacle or for his family yet Moses was most faithfull in both respects in that he neglected nothing that pertained to the care and good of either The summe is Lest by this singular testimony given by God to Moses for his faithfulnesse any man should hereby thinke that herein Moses was greater then Christ therefore the Author adornes Christ with the very same commendation of faithfulnesse that God had given to Moses that thereby hee might take from Moses all prerogative of his being above Christ in any thing and consequently inferres Christ equall to Moses 3. For this man was counted worthy of more glory then Moses Having shewed that Christ was no way inferiour to Moses here he advanceth a degree higher and affirmes that Christ was much superiour to Moses and counted worthy of more honour that he might further move them to the consideration of Christ And yet more determinately that the honour of Christ is a great distance above that of Moses And the following words shew how much As much as he who hath builded the house hath more honour then the house He properly builds the house that either frameth it himselfe or causeth it to be framed for himselfe for whosoever is the owner is properly the builder and not the mercenary who is hired to build it for another Now the builder is more honourable then the building for the Builder by his building becomes the Lord or Owner of it which is the first originall or naturall ground of honour And looke how much the builder is more honourable then the building though the degree be never so indefinite so much is Christ more honourable then Moses For Moses was but a part of the building in Gods family but Christ under God is the builder of his whole Church 4. For every house is builded by some man No house doth raise or build it selfe but is built or raised by some person or other who builds it himselfe for himselfe or causeth it to be builded for himselfe But he that hath built all things is God Here he expresseth what person he understands for the architect or builder of the house whereof he speakes namely that he meanes God himselfe Hence it appeares that the Authors minde was to say That Christ is so much more honourable then Moses as God is
more honourable then his house which he hath built that is then his people who are the house of God For as Moses must be joyned with the house of God whereof he was a principall part so Christ must be joyned with God who joyntly with God hath built his house and exerciseth dominion or Lordship over it So that Christ this way considered is not a part of the building but a part of the builder and therefore above the building Furthermore if the difference in dignity betweene Christ and Moses be the same that is betweene God and his house then consequently there will be also the same proportion in dignity betweene God and Christ that there is betweene Moses and Gods house For in proportions consisting of foure termes the proportion is alternable Wherefore as Moses is in dignity inferiour to the house for he is but Gods Minister or Legate there who though he be superiour to any one person there singly taken yet he is inferiour to the whole taken collectiyely or joyntly So Christ is a secondary unto God from whom he hath received all divine power and authority to build and governe Gods house in Gods Name But we must take notice that in all this comparison of Christ with Moses there is no consideration had of this that the ancient house wherein Moses was faithfull to God was one and this new house is another wherein God hath adjoyned Christ for the building and governing of it For to the purpose in hand it is enough that both of them are the houses of God and the latter wherein Christ governes is as it were succeeded in the roome of that wherein Moses was faithfull so that in this respect they may seem in a manner all one But if any man shall urge them to be diverse be shall thereby not only not diminish the dignity of Christ for the advance whereof all these things are said but greatly increase it for this new house in dignity far exceeds the old 5. And Moses verily was faithfull in all his house as a servant Before he delivered the Prerogative or Dignity of Christ above Moses but generally and indefinitly now he explicates it more particularly and clearly Which being done it will plainly appeare That Christ is more honourable then Moses so much as God is more honourable then his house which is his people that is Moses must bee reckoned with the house and Christ with God The particle and here signifies not copulatively but illatively as much as for For Moses verily was faithfull as a servant All the dignity that Moses had in Gods house was but a servile dignity for he ordered and governed the whole house of God not as Lord over it but as a Minister and servant unto God He was the steward of Gods house that is the principall servant of the family to whose charge the Master of the family committed the charge of it Wherefore hee was alwayes forced to depend upon the becke and pleasure of God as of his Lord expecting in all things his command For hence it was that he could neither move the camp nor pitch it till first he had received notice of it from God And this very argument he takes from the testimony of Scripture before cited for the faithfulnes of Moses in which verse God cals Moses his servant For a testimony of those things that were to be spoken after Herein is specified the chief office wherein the service of Moses consisted God spake to his servant Moses mouth to mouth and Moses was to testifie and relate unto the people afterward those things which he had heard spoken of God either concerning their present affairs in the wildernesse or concerning the Lawes and Ordinances to be observed for the future in the land of Canaan for in this place the word Testimony is figuratively taken for a relating or rehearsing of things that have beene heard spoken by another Hence the Gospel as it was first spoken by God is called the word of God but as it was reported and delivered by Christ or the Apostles it is not seldome called their testimony See 1 Cor. 1.6 and 1 Cor. 2.1 and 2 Thess 1.10 and 2 Tim. 1.8 and Rev. 1.2 and Rev. 6.9 and Rev. 12.11 And the two Preachers in the Revelation are called the witnesses of God to whom God will give power to preach 1260. dayes Rev. 11.3 For it seems they were therefore called the witnesses of God because they were to prophesie or preach 6. But Christ as a Sonne over his owne house Now hee opposeth and prefers the dignity of Christ before that of Moses because Moses was but as a servant in his Masters house but Christ as a Sonne in his Fathers house that is as the Lord and heire of Gods house And therefore Christ must not be reckoned among the goods of the house as Moses was but must be joyned with the Master of the house as Lord of the family And consequently Christ is so much worthier then Moses as God is worthier then his own house For these words Over his owne house may bee referred 2 wayes 1 They may bee referred to Christ as his owne house And then the comparison between Christ and Moses will carry an opposition in three things 1 That Moses was but the servant of God but Christ was the Son of God 2 Consequently to the first that Moses was only in the house as parcell of the house and so with the rest of the house subject to the Master of the house but Christ is over the house as Lord and heire of it 3 Consequently to both the former that Moses ordered anothers house but Christ governed his owne house that God had given him by right of inheritance 2. The words Over his owne house may bee referred to God as Gods owne house for the comparison seems to require that in each terme thereof mention should be made of Gods house For the Author either takes it for granted that this house of God whereof he spake was the house of Christ or he takes it not for granted If hee take it for granted to what purpose did he say that Christ is over his owne house for if he be Lord and Owner of it he must needs bee over it He might have said more briefly That Moses was a servant in Gods house as in anothers house but Gods house was Christs own house But if he take it not for granted then the reason of this comparison and the argument thence drawne will not appeare For meerly from hence That Christ is over his owne house but Moses was a servant in Gods house it will not follow that Christ is far more honourable then Moses for many times it is a greater honour to bee a servant in anothers house especially in Gods house then a Master over his owne Besides the argument here is about that house wherein both Christ and Moses were faithfull to God but faithfulnesse is seen more in anothers house
alwayes erre in their hearts They have a kinde of phrensie or madnesse upon them that is not accidentall to fall on them sometimes but naturall and radicall rooted and fixed in their very hearts so that it continues upon them to hold them alwayes They alwayes meditate and agitate in their minde that which is averse from my will and from the way whereto I labour to perswade them They alwayes refuse to obey me and follow the erronious thoughts of their owne minds and are wedded to the counsells of their owne wils And they have not knowne my wayes By the wayes of God we may understand both the workes of God and the Lawes of God especially his singular commands for such or such an action in particular For the acts and works of men are in Scripture called their wayes That generation is justly said to have knowne neither of these wayes of God for though they had seen his works and heard his laws and received many particular commands yet they carryed themselves so as if they had neither seen heard nor received any thing For they neither believed Gods promises though confirmed with such mighty works nor obeyed his Laws and Commands Of this their grosse stupidity there is a notable passage Deut. 29.2,3,4 Ye have seen saith Moses to them all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh unto his servants and unto all his land The great temptations which thine eyes have seene the signes and those great miracles yet the Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to heare unto this day They saw Gods mighty workes like brute beasts not considering how great the Agent was and of how great power how worthy he was to have all credit given to his promises and all obedience to his commands Some such like accident befell the Disciples of Christ as we may read it Mark 6.52 They considered not the miracle of the loaves for their heart was hardned 11. Sol sware in my wrath God seldome sweares for the Scripture doth not bring him in swearing often but it must be a matter of weight and moment that makes him to sweare And motives whereupon he sweares are chiefly two either in mercy to confirme his gracious promises made to his children or in his wrath to establish his judgement against the wicked And the formes whereby he sweares are chiefly two 1 Surely for surely with God is a forme of swearing that is the thing which he affirmes and whereto hee sweares is no way uncertaine or doubtfull for the event as if it might not come to passe but shall most surely and certainly come to passe In this form God sware to Abraham that he would blesse and multiply him for so this Author reports it cap. 6.14 2. As I live that is let me not bee accounted for the living God if I performe not what I say In this forme God sweares that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked Ezek. 33.11 And as among men there be degrees of oaths in that some are more obligatory and binding lest the Israelites might thinke that God would not fully binde himselfe for their not entring into Canaan therefore to divert that flattery of themselves God did swear it by both these forms of oaths For first he sware it by the first form Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers Num. 14.23 And afterward he sware it by the second form As I live your carkasses shall fall in this wildernesse Numb 14.28 Thus God swearing in his wrath did iterate his oath aggravate it They shall not enter In the originall it is if they shall enter The particle if after a verbe of swearing is an Hebraisme put for not they shall not enter So the people sweare for the rescue of Jonathan As the Lord liveth if one haire of his head should fall to the ground 1 Sam. 14.45 So the Psalmist brings in God swearing Once have I sworn by my holinesse if I lie unto David Psal 89.35 So Christ sweares that a sigre shall not be given to the Jewes Verily I say unto you if a signe shall be given to this generation Mark 8.12 yet this use of the particle if did first arise from those formes of swearing whereby if was properly taken by adding some imprecation or curse either expressely uttered or tacitly implyed For men being moved doe commonly in their anger use an abrupt speech and many times silently suppresse the imprecation or curse whereby they devote themselves and leave it to be collected by him to whom they speake Among many others we have David swearing with an imprecation or curse expressely added So and more also doe God to the enemies of David if I leave of all that pertain to Naball by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall 1 Sam. 25.22 And Job in like manner if my heart have been deceived by a woman or if I have laid wait at my neighbours doore Then let my wife grinde unto another and let others bow downe upon her Job 31.9 And ye have this curse suppressed in David also Psal 132.2,3,4,5 They that shall not enter are that generation that had provoked tempted and grieved God God had sworne to the Patriarks the forefathers of that generation that their posterity should enter that land this God had sworne at severall times to Abraham he had confirmed the same oath to Isaac and reconfirmed it to Jacob. And God had determined or designed which generation of his posterity should enter namely the fourth for so particularly God covenanted with Abraham Gen. 15.16 And this people now brought out of Egypt into the wildernesse for to enter was that fourth generation yet to them now God sweares againe that they shall not enter Yet notwithstanding there is no contrariety in Gods oaths neither doth this latter swearing any way crosse the former For the promise of God to Abraham and so the oath confirming it for this entrance of his posterity was conditionall that his children should walke in the steps of the faith and obedience of Abraham for the Covenant of God was made with Abraham and his seed and therefore not only he in his owne person but his posterity also in their generations were bound to keep it But this generation whereof we speake was diffident and disobedient for they provoked and tempted God and thereby brake the Covenant And the Covenant being broken on their part or the condition not performed God in all equity on his part is free both from his promise and the oath confirming it and therefore as the case now stood might justly take an oath for their not entring Now that faith and obedience was required as a condition for their entring appears cleerly by the last verse of this Chapter where it is said they could not enter because of unbeliefe For if the cause of their not-entring were not-beleeving then it must
or censer whereon he was first to burne incense must needs bee without the oracle or else he could not first come at it And the arke of the Covenant overlaid round about with gold The Arke was a strong chest or coffer the matter forme and measures whereof see Exod. 25.10 This was called the Arke of the Covenant for the use of it which was to inclose the tables wherein the first Covenant was written Wherein was the golden pot that had Manna Wherein must be referred to the Arke as appears by the beginning of the next verse for in this verse the Author would shew what was in the Arke and in the next what was over it This pot of Manna was gathered before the building of the Tabernacle and commanded to be laid up before the Testimony there to be kept when the Tabernacle should be built See Ex. 16.33.34 And Aarons rod that budded Concerning Aarons rod how it budded and upon what occasion and for what purpose it did so See Num. 17. And the tables of the Covenant There were severall parcels of the old Covenant for there were the tables of the Covenant which the Lord wrote with his owne finger in stone containing the Decalog and there was the booke of the Covenant which Moses wrote and read in the audience of the people and sprinkled it with bloud when the Covenant was confirmed with a solemne sacrifice See Exod. 24.4 and afterward in this Chapter vers 19. Now wee finde none but the tables of the Covenant to bee laid up in the Arke yet not those tables that were first written for they were broken upon the indignation which Moses had at the worshipping of the golden Calfe but the tables written afterward were there reserved But how could the pot of Manna and Aarons rod bee in the Arke when wee read expresly that nothing was in the Arke save the two tables of stone 1 King 8.9 and 2 Chron. 5.10 The Answer is Either wee must say that in successe of time the pot of Manna and Aarons rod came to bee put into the Arke which before were not so Or wee must say that the particle In here must be a little extended in sense to include those things that were adjacent to the Arke being neare or about it So John is said to baptise in Bethabara because he baptised neare or about it John 1.28 So Joshua is said to be in Jericho when he was by or neare it Josh 5.13 And in this sense the Author first expresseth those things which were by or neare the Arke as the pot of Manna and Aarons tod then the things in the Arke as the tables of the Covenant And lastly in the following verse the things over the Arke as the Cherubims And this might happily bee the cause why under the particle in hee would first comprise the things by the. Arke before those in it that he might make use of this gradation 5. And over it the Cherubims of glory shadowing the Mercy-seate The Cherubims were two Images of solid gold fashioned like winged men whose wings did over shadow the Mercy-seate being one at the one end of it and the other at the other having their faces looking one towards another Of them see Exod. 25.17 And they were called the Cherubims of glory by an Hebraisme for glorious Cherubims because of their lustre and brightnesse which in Scripture is often called glory The Mercy-seate had two uses one to bee a Cover for the Arke to shut up the Tables of the Covenant the other to represent the seat or throne of God where God would speake with Moses to give answers for the people and to shew himselfe mercifull And the originall word in the Hebrew carries a twofold sence to answer and fit this two-fold use for Capporeth derived from the verbe Caphor which signifies to cover a vessell and to cover sinne which last is the proper act of mercy Therefore though the Hebrew word might have beene simply and fully enough rendred the Cover yet the Septuagint following the other signification of the word have translated Hilasterion i. a Propitiatory or Mercy-seate which distinguisheth this cover from all others as a peculiar use and property of it And it is very consonant to reason that by the ambiguity of the word the Spirit of God would signifie so much Of which we cannot now speake particularly Though each of these particulars concerning the first Covenant might require particular explication and serve highly for advancing the dignity of Christs Priesthood and of the new Covenant yet the time will not now permit it because our purpose calls us on to other matters 6. Now when these things were thus ordained Having briefly described the Tabernacle and the severall furniture of it now he comes to describe the way of divine service therein which according to the two partitions or roomes of the Tabernacle was twofold whereof he toucheth the first in this verse and handleth the other in those following The Priests went alwayes into the first Tabernacle accomplishing the service of God The ordinary Priests went onely into the first Tabernacle for none but the high Priest went into the second And into the first they went alwayes that is every day daily for herein they are opposed to the high Priest who went into the second Tabernacle once every yeare The daily services of God accomplished by the Priests in the first Tabernacle were to burne Incense on the golden Censer and to light up or mend the Lamps of the Candlestick c. 7. But into the second went the high Priest alone once every yeare The high Priest went in alone and therefore he onely yet he went not in daily but yearely once every yeare at the solemne fast of Expiation whereof see Levit. 16. Not without bloud which he offered Not without bloud is with bloud and with bloud onely for the high Priest offered in the second Tabernacle nothing else but bloud For he must enter thither with the bloud of a Bullock and of a Goate and offer it by sprinkling it with his finger upon and before the Mercy-seate seven times Whence it appeares that this offering of the high Priest did not consist in the slaughter of those beasts whose bloud he offered and therefore neither did the offering of Christ answerable thereto whereof the Author treates consist in the death of Christ but by his entrance into heaven after his death Indeed the death of Christ is called an offering and sacrifice yet it is so called for the resemblance of it with the free-will and peace-offerings and therefore especially because it was most gratefull and acceptable to God in which respect also other notable works of piety may be and are called in Scripture offerings and sactifices unto God For himselfe and for the errours of the people Here is a little trajection of the words for the right sence is thus for the errours of himselfe and of the people For in this sacrifice the Priest
a great dignity and prerogative in the Levites in that all the rest of the tribes though descendants with them from the same Abraham yet were bound to pay them tithes And so the dignity of Melchisedec far exceeded theirs Who receive the office of the Priesthood He saith not that the sons of Levi receive the office of Priesthood but they of them who receive it For all the Levites had not right to the Priesthood but only some of them namely the posterity of Aaron as ye may see at large Num. 3. Num. 18. The rest of the Levites were joyned to the Priests to minister unto them in the holy things to keep the Temple and the holy vessels to beâ—r the Aâ—k when need required which notwithstanding they might neither touch nor look upon till it were wrapped up to slay the ordinary sacrifices brought by single persons and to performe such other services Have a commandement to take tithes of the people This right and priviledge was granted them from God to claim tithes of the people For to speak properly the commandement to take tithes was not laid upon the Priests but the people were bound by Gods commandement to give tithes and thereupon the Priests had a right to require and exact them According to the Law The manner how tithes should be paid the matter from what things the persons to whom and the times when are all determined by Gods Law For first the people must give tithes to the Levites Numb 18 21. Then the Levites must give tithes of their tithes to the Priests Numb 18.28 And herein the dignity of the Priests appeares farre the greatest because not onely the rest of the Tribes but also the Levites themselves who were of the same Tribe gave tithes unto the Priests That is their brethren though they came out of the loynes of Abraham Certainly a great dignity Which would not have beene so great if some other men had beene bound to pay them tithes but that their owne brethren who came as well as they from the loynes of the same Abraham should be bound to it by the Law of God this was a great argument of the dignity and eminency that rested in the Priests 6. But hee whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham He shews how much in this respect Melchisedec is greater then the Leviticall Priests whom first he described in such words as most elegantly agree to Christ his antitype that he might tacitely shew that it nothing hindered Christ from the dignity of his high Priesthood that he came not from the Tribe of Levi. For it is as much as if he had said The Leviticall Priests have this right and dignity that they take tithes of their brethren though they descend from the same Abraham But how much greater is it that he who as he comes not from the same stock so neither doth he count his kindred from them tooke tithes of Abraham himselfe For it is much more and more worthy to have Abraham himselfe tributary to him then those who come from the loynes of Abraham Wherefore the Leviticall Priests have no cause to boast as if to their line alone this right and priviledge were granted of taking tithes from the people seeing he who neither belongs to their line nor accounts himselfe of it did as the Author speakes decimate Abraham himselfe And blessed him that had the promises We have said before that the Author preferres Melchisedec before the Leviticall Priests for three reasons whereof the first is bipartite whose former part the Author hath hitherto produced and referring the latter part to the end of the proofe he comes here to the second full reason taken from the act of Melchisedec in blessing Abraham Yet that the great dignity of Melchisedec might the more evidently appeare in this act of blessing he doth not name Abraham but describes him under this notion him that had the promises q.d. Melchisedec blessed him whom God was to blesse and had bound himselfe by promise to blesse him and make him a blessing For God had already said unto him I will make of thee a great Nation and I will blesse thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing And I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed Gen. 12.2,3 To blesse this man that had such promises of blessing and those so great that there were none greater knowne upon earth and to blesse him also not by way of charity or good will by praying for all happinesse upon him but in a singular way according to his office as he was the Minister and Priest of God to whose prayer and wish God would in a manner obliege himselfe which certainly is an evidence of high preeminence and dignity And from thence he meanes to conclude that Melchisedec was greater then Abraham 7. And without all contradiction the lesse is blessed of the greater He had before expressed the Assumption that Melchisedec blessed Abraham and now hee addes the Proposition leaving every man to frame the conclusion that Melchisedec is greater then Abraham And if hee be so much greater then Abraham much more is he greater then the Leviticall priests Without all controversie These words shew that his assertion is so evident and manifest that no man can well deny it and that with good cause For every kinde of apprecation or blessing is not here to be understood for even the least and meanest person may blesse and pray for the best and greatest and many times doth so but as we have often noted a singular and sacerdotall blessing For he that gives another a blessing as the Priest and especiall Minister of God to whom God hath committed the right and office of it in such manner that God will second the blessing of the Priest with his and in a manner be obliged to performe it certainly that person that thus gives the blessing is greater and worthier then he that receives it He is greater and worthier if not in estate and civill power as if hee blesse a King when hee himselfe is none which notwithstanding had not place in Melchisedec yet certainely in regard of sacred function For hee is nearer in degree to God then the other as a mean person between God that blesseth and the partie blessed to whom he gives a kinde of right to obtaine from God the things hee prayeth for Therefore wee read Numb 6.27 That God after he had commanded that Aaron and his sonnes should blesse the people of Israel and had prescribed also the forme of the blessing doth professe that he will second the blessing and confirme it upon the people They shall faith God put my Name upon the children of Israel and I will blesse them Hence the sonne of Syrach when hee supplicated God for the people and endeavoured to move him by his prayers he forgets not this blessing of