He ever liveth to make intercession for them 1. HEE showeth the Fruite of Christ's keeping still the Priesthoode altogether in his owne person to bee The perfect Salvation of all Believers for ever Hee is able to saue to the vttermost them that come vnto GOD through Him THEN 1. Who-so-ever communicateth Christ's Priesthoode with anie other beside his owne person maketh Christ not able alone to saue to the vttermost those that come vnto GOD through Him 2. From this ground also it doeth followe that Christ not onelie beginneth the Believers salvation but perfecteth it also Hee doeth not worke a parte of a man's salvation and leaue the rest to his owne merites or the merites of others but perfecteth it Himselfe even to the vttermoste 3. And if a man joyne anie thing meritorious vnto Christ's Priesthoode or anie Mediator for intercession beside him or seeketh by his owne workes to purchase salvation hee denyeth Christ to bee able to saue him to the vttermoste 2. Hee descrybeth Believers to bee those that come to GOD through CHRIST THEN 1. Christ is the Doore and the Way through which onelie Accesse is gotten to GOD. By Saynctes or Angels there is not a way to come to GOD but by Christ onelie 2. They that come not through Him alone to GOD seclude themselues from the sufficiencie of salvation to bee had in Him 3. The nature of Believing is to make a man come towardes GOD to get communion with Him through Christ. 4. And none but such as come in Fayth to GOD through Christ can take comfort from His Priesthoode or looke for salvation 3. Hee giveth a Reason why perfect Salvation is to bee had for such as come to GOD through CHRIST Because Hee liveth for ever to make intercession for them Hee sayeth not To offer or cause offer vp the Sacrifice of his bodie for them But Hee liveth and is not to bee offered anie more and liveth to make intercession THEN 1. The sacrificing parte is done and ended His intercession hath now the place and by His intercession wee get the Merite of His Death and Passion applyed vnto vs and not by anie newe Oblation 2. If Hee brooke His lyfe Hee will not fayle to intercede for vs who come vnto GOD through Him and not through Saynct or Angell or anie person beside For Hee liveth for ever to make intercession for vs. Vers. 26. For such an High Priest became vs who is holie harmlesse vndefiled separate from sinners and made higher than the Heavens TO the ende hee may force the Hebrewes to forsake the Priesthood of Levi hee draweth a strong Reason from the nature of our Estate vnder the Gospell where-by hee prooveth not onelie that the priests of Aaron 's Order are abolished but also everie sonne of Adam is excluded from the Office of the Priesthood except IESVS CHRIST in his owne person onelie Because everie Priest that wanteth the properties of IESVS CHRIST is vnbeseeming for vs vnder the Gospell A sinfull man might haue beene a Priest vnder the Lawe to praefigure CHRIST before Hee came But nowe no sinfull man may bee a Priest by Office but CHRIST onelie in whom there is no sinne When the sacrifice was a beast then a sinfull man might be a priest But now when the Sonne of GOD is the Sacrifice and hath offered vp himselfe alreadie and is gone in into the Sanctuarie with his owne bloode to make intercession there must bee no more anie sacrificing till hee come out of the Sanctuarie agayne at the Day of Iudgement nor anie priest but he till hee haue ended his Intercession For such an High Priest became vs who is holie harmlesse c. Question But why is it vnbeseeming vs vnder the Gospell to haue a priest without these properties I aunswere The Sacrifice of the Newe Testament is the vnspotted Lambe of GOD IESVS CHRIST holie harmlesse c. Therefore it becommeth vs to haue such a priest who is holie harmlesse and vndefiled For it were vnseemlie that the priest should bee worse than the sacrifice Next our Priest hath our sinnes originall and actuall to remooue and Heaven to open vnto vs And therefore it were vnbeseeming that anie should bee our priest who hath not his owne sinnes altogether remooved nor yet hath gotten entrie as yet into Heaven himselfe 1. In that hee draweth them of necessitie to quyte all mens priesthoode and betake them vnto Christ as Priest onelie WEE LEARNE That our necessities being well weyghed with the insufficiencie of anie beside CHRIST to doe our Turne wee shall bee forced to quyte all priestes but CHRIST onelie For vvhat priest can knowe all our needes all our sinnes all our thoughtes all our desires all our prayers all our purposeâ— and wayt on vpon our businesse with GOD night and day to see that no wrath breake out vpon vs Who can doe this but CHRIST onelie What Man What Saynct What Angell 2. In that hee reckoneth a number of Perfections necessarie to bee in a priest in the tyme of the Gospell all of them in CHRIST and all such as wee stand in neede of WEE LEARNE That all the perfections whereof wee haue neede in a priest are all in CHRIST And the perfections which are in CHRIST wee haue neede of them all and should make vse of them all 3. The first propertie of a priest vnder the Gospell is this Hee must bee holie that is of his owne nature holie in his originall holie THEN No sinful man can be a sufficient priest in the New Testament to doe for vs who wants holinesse by nature 4. The next propertie Our priest must bee harmlesse ill-lesse free from anie originall guiltinesse THEN No man come of Adame by naturall propagation can bee a priest for vs nowe to satisfie our necessities who haue sinne originall in vs. 5. The third propertie Wee haue neede of a priest vndefiled that is free from actuall sinne THEN No priest can suffice vs who are defiled with actuall sinne but CHRIST vvho never sinned 6. The fourth propertie A priest meete for vs must bee free from the pollution of these amongst whom hee converseth THEN Wee who are of polluted lippes and lyues and dwell amongst such a people communicating manie wayes of their guiltinesse can not haue sufficient comfort through anie priest who can bee infected with sinne And hee who is a man of polluted lippes is not meete to bee a priest for vs. 7. The fift propertie A priest meete for vs behooved to haue his Residence in Heaven and haue commaundement over Heaven to open it vnto vs and giue vs entrie THEN None other but CHRIST could suffice vs on whome by nature the Doores of Heaven are closed No priest out of Heaven is meete for vs. Vers. 27. Who needeth not daylie as those High Priestes to offer vp Sacrifice first for his owne sinnes and then for the peoples For this Hee did once when Hee offered vp Himselfe 1. THE sixt propertie of a fit priest
blacke Feares are alwayes before it yet Fayth looking to God's Omnipotencie seeth an out-gate 2. Christ's Prayers in our behalfe receaue no Repulse but are heard 3. Christ both died and was saved from Death also because it could not keepe dominion over him So shall wee bee saved from Death though wee die Vers. 8. Though Hee were a Sonne yet learned Hee obedience by the thinges which Hee suffered HEE remooveth the scandall of his Crosse by showing the necessitie and vse thereof Albeit Hee was the Sonne yet He learned obedience by those thinges which Hee suffered THEN 1. In the tyme of Christ's deepest humiliation the vnion betwixt his Godhead and Manhead was not loosed hee remayned the Sonne of God still 2. The Excellencie of his person exempted him not from suffering having once taken on our debt 3. Christ knewe what suffering was before hee suffered but hee knew not by experience till hee actuallie suffered 4. Christ's holie Lyfe was a parte of his Obedience to the Father but his Obedience in suffering for our sinnes was Obedience in an higher degree 5. To obey God by way of Action is a common Lesson to everie holie creature but that a sinnelesse and holie person should suffer for sinne was a New Lesson proper to Christ a Practique which never passed but in Christ's person onelie Vers. 9. And beeing made perfect He became the Author of eternall Salvation vnto all them that obey Him 1. THE Suffering of CHRIST is called his Perfection THEN 1. CHRIST though perfect in his person yet hee wanted something to make him perfect in his Office till hee suffered for hee could not satisfie the Father's Iustice till hee suffered nor yet could hee haue fellow-feeling from experience of the miseries of his members 2. After suffering Christ lacketh nothing that may pacifie God or comfort and saue sinners 2. The Fruite followeth Beeing perfected hee is become the Author of Salvation to all that obey him THEN 1. The proper cause of our salvation is to bee sought in Christ perfected by suffering not in anie one parte of his holinesse or obedience in doing or anie part of his suffering but in him perfected by his obedience even to the death of the Crosse. VVee may take Comfort from and make vse of his holie Conception Lyfe and severall Vertues but wee must remember that his accomplished Obedience in doing and suffering is our Ransome joynctlie considered and not anie particular Act looked on alone 2. None should stumble at Christ's sufferinges which perfected him in his Office and lykewyse perfected our Ransome to the Father 3. Christ felt the Bitternesse of his owne sufferinges himselfe but wee got the sweete Fruite thereof even Eternall Lyfe 4. Onelie they who obey Christ can clayme Title to the Purchase of Eternall Lyfe by him Nowe these are they who obey him who in vprightnesse of heart belieue in his promises and ayme to drawe strength out of him for newe obedience Vers. 10. Called of GOD an High Priest after the Order of Melchisedek HEE prooveth that Christ is Author of Eternall Salvation to his Followers from the nature of his Priesthoode which is Eternall not after Aaron's Order but Melchisedecke's THEN The nature of Christ's Priesthoode after Melchisedecke's Order and the Father's authorizing him in the Office is the Evidence of our Eternall salvation to bee had by him with the Father's Approbation Vers. 11. Of Whome wee haue manie thinges to say and harde to bee vttered seeing yee are dull of hearing BEEING to speake more of this Mysterie bee prepareth them by checking their dullnesse and advertising them of the difficuâ—tie of expressing himselfe because of the same THEN 1. Even the Children of GOD are not free of this Disease of slownesse to conceaue Spirituall thinges aright 2. The incapacitie of Auditors will breede even vnto the best Preachers difficultie of expressing their mynde 3. Preachers should rebuke the dullnesse of people to stirre them vp the more Vers. 12. For when for the tyme yee ought to bee Teachers yee haue neede that one teach you agayne which bee the first Principles of the Oracles of GOD and are become such as haue need of Milk and not of strong Meat 1. HEE maketh their Fault the more because by reason of tyme they ought to haue beene Teachers that is both well grounded themselues and labouring to informe others THEN 1. As wee haue had longer tyme to learne so should wee make more progresse in knowledge 2. As wee are rooted in knowledge our selues so ought wee to communicate our knowledge and informe others 2. Hee calleth the Catechizing of the Ignorant the Teaching the first Principles of the Oracles of GOD and compareth it to the giving of Milke THEN 1. Catechizing of the rude and ignorant is the first thing must bee done for making sound Christians 2. There is an order to bee kept in bringing men vnto knowledge The first Principles and fundamentall Doctrines must first bee taught 3. Nothing is to bee taught for grounding men in Religion but GOD'S Oracles that which is in GOD'S Worde onlie 4. The manner of teaching the Principles of Religion should bee easie and playne as Milke for Children Vers. 13. For everie one that vseth milke is vnskillfull in the Word of Righteousnesse For hee is a Babe HEE prooveth them to bee rude in knowledge by the description of one weake in knowledge whome hee calleth a Babe vsing Milke and vnskillfull in the Word of Righteousnesse so called because how to bee righteous is the Summe of the Doctrine of it THEN 1. There are degrees of knowledge in Christianitie Some are weake lyke Babes some more instructed of full age 2. All knowledge in Christianitie is to bee reckoned by acquayntance with the Scripture and Skill therein Not by humane learning Vers. 14. But strong Meat belongeth to them that are of full age even those who by reason of vse haue their senses exercysed to discerne both good and evill 1. HEE descrybeth the well-instructed Christian by his Meate and exercysed Senses The Meate that hee is sitte for is strong Meate that is more profound Doctrine THEN 1. All the Scripture and Doctrine frae it is eyther Milke or stronger Meate but whether this or that yet alwayes it is Foode fitte for nowrishment of mens soules 2. Discretion must bee vsed by Teachers to fitte their Teaching as their people are advaunced for Milke or stronger Meate so as they may best bee fedde 2. For the exercyse of his Senses or Wittes to discerne good or evill hee hath it by vse habite and frequent acquaynting himselfe with Scripture THEN 1. The vse of the Scripture and knowledge gotten thereby is to discerne by it what is good what is evill what is Trueth what is Errour what is right what is wrong 2. Though Scripture bee the Rule yet not everie one can take it vp or make right application of the Rule to the poynct in hand 3. To get a man's Wits exercysed requyreth frequent
joyned with him in his Priesthoode nor Deputie nor Vicar vnder him in it nor Successour to his Office So neyther hath CHRIST anie joyned with him or Substitute or Successour to him in his Priesthoode Vers. 4. Nowe consider howe great this man was vnto whome even the Patriarch Abraham gaue the Tenthes of the Spoyles TO showe CHRIST'S Excellencie hee draweth them to consider Melchidek's excellencie aboue Abraham's that so they might see CHRIST'S Excellencie to bee farre more The reason in force goeth thus 1. If Melchisedek the Type bee more excellent than Abraham much more must CHRIST of whome hee is a Type 2. And if Melchisedek's greatnesse bee not easilie perceaved except there bee a due consideration of it much more CHRIST'S Greatnesse requyreth consideration and is worthie of contemplation 3. If Abraham by paying of Tithes acknowledge Melchisedek's superioritie Much more should all Abraham's Off-spring acknowledge CHRIST'S Superioritie whome Melchisedek typicallie represented by paying of what is due for the mayntaynance of his Service and bestowing on his Ministers who are appoynted to blesse in his Name whether it bee lesse or more which they bestowe in such a manner as it vilifie not nor disgrace their high Employment which CHRIST hath put vpon them and so dishonour him whose Servantes they are Vers. 5. And verilie they that are of the sonnes of Levi who receaue the Office of the Priesthoode haue a commaundement to take Tithes of the people according to the Lawe that is of their Brethren though they come out of the loynes of Abraham HEE prooveth that in Tithes taking Melchisedek was greater than Abraham who did paye Tithes Because for the same respect the Levites by taking Tithes of their Brethren as Priestes had a Superioritie over them for their Office cause who other-wayes were their equalls THEN 1. The Priestlie Office lifted vp the Levites aboue their Brethren who were sprung of Abraham as well as they 2. The commaund of taking Tithes was annexed to the Office of the Priesthoode in token of their Superioritie by Office over them who by nature were at least their equalls Vers. 6. But hee whose Descent is not from them receaved Tithes of Abraham and blessed him that had the Promises Vers. 7. And without all contradiction the lesse is blessed of the better HEE prooveth agayne Melchisedek to bee greater than Abraham and so greater than Levi because hee blessed him and therefore behooved to bee greater THEN 1. Abraham notwithstanding hee hee had the Promises yet got hee the Blessing by Melchisedek in Type and from CHRIST represented by him in Trueth 2. If Melchisedek was greater because hee blessed him as Type Then CHRIST farre more who blesseth in effect Now there are sundrie sorts of Blessings 1. There is a Blessing of Reverence and Worship So Men blesse GOD. This sorte importeth no Greatnesse in the Blesser but Subjection 2. There is a Blessing of Charitie So Men blesse one another by mutuall Prayer This sorte importeth no Superioritie neyther 3. There is a Blessing of Authoritie ordinarie So doe GOD'S Ministers blesse the People in the LORD'S Name 4. A Blessing of Authoritie extraordinarie So Melchisedek blessed Abraham and the Prophets and Patriarches such as by inspiration they were directed to blesse And this Officiall Blessing with Authoritie prooveth Superioritie whether it bee ordinarie or extraordinarie 5. There is a Blessing of Power of it selfe effectuall So blesseth CHRIST and so GOD blesseth Men. FROM THIS 1. The Excellencie of the Office of GOD'S Ministers is evident who are appoynted to blesse the people in GOD'S Name 2. And howe they should bee respected in loue for their Worke sake 3. And howe they should walke worthie of that high and holie Employment lest their sinnes make them vyle and contemptible before the people as in Malachie's tyme Mal. 2.9 Vers. 8. And heere men that die receaue Tithes but there hee receaveth them of whome it is witnessed that hee liveth ANother poynt of Comparison tending to this ende The Levites in their Tithing were mortall men one succeeding another But Melchisedek in type of his Priesthoode and Scripturall beeing and CHRIST in the Trueth of his Priesthoode are immortall And therefore Melchisedek as the typicall priest and CHRIST as the true Priest are greater than Leviticall priestes by as much as Immortalitie is aboue mortalitie THEN Everie Age hath CHRIST for a Priest living in their owne tyme to deale for them with GOD And what Benefite they get by him in their owne tyme hee can make foorth-comming vnto them even for ever Vers. 9. And as I may so say Levi also who receaveth Tithes payed Tithes in Abraham Vers. 10. For hee was yet in the loynes of his father vvhen Melchisedek met him ANother Reason to this same purpose Levi payed Tithes to Melchisedek in Abraham's loynes Therefore Melchisedek is greater in his priesthoode than the Leviticall priestes So was CHRIST in Abraham's loynes will you say I answere CHRIST was the true represented priest even when Melchisedek met Abraham and in Melchisedek's person as type the honour was done to CHRIST in trueth and to his Priesthoode by Abraham And agayne CHRIST was in Abraham's loynes onelie in regarde of the matter of humane nature not for the manner of propagation and so is exempted from the lawe of naturall posteritie 1. Alwayes from this reasoning WEE LEARNE That as receaving Tithes prooveth superioritie in Office So paying of Tithes or Mayntaynance in towne of Tithes prooveth subjection to that Office and Office-bearers which receaue the same And so Mayntaynance of Ministers should bee a Matter of Honouring of them or rather of Him that sent them of its owne proper institution though men turne it into a beggarlie Steepende and count the more baselie of the Office because of the manner of Mayntaynance 2. From the Reason of Levie's paying of Tithes in Abraham's loynes WEE LEARNE That there is ground in Nature for imputation of the Father's deede vnto the Children descended of him by naturall propagation so that as justlie may GOD impute vnto vs Adam's sinnes as to Levi Abraham's Tithes paying Vers. 11. If therefore Perfection were by the Leviticall Priesthoode for vnder it the people receaved the Law vvhat farther neede was there that another Priest should ryse after the Order of Melchisedek and not bee called after the Order of Aaron TO the ende of the Chapter hee showeth a Necessitie of the abolishing of the Leviticall priesthoode and establishing of Christ's One Reason is in this Verse because Perfection was not to bee bad by the Leviticall priesthoode By Perfection is vnderstoode a perfect Satisfaction for our Sinnes and a perfect â—urchase of all that wee haue neede of vnto eternall Lyfe Hee prooveth that such perfection could not â—ee had by Aaron's priesthoode because then there had beene no neede of another priesthoode after Aaron's if perfection could haue beene by his priesthoode But the Scripture showeth that there behooved to aryse a Priest after Melchisedek's Order by
for vs Hee must haue no neede to offer Sacrifice for his owne sinnes THEN Neyther LEVI nor anie sinfull Man after him can bee a priest vnder the New Testament but CHRIST onelie who never sinned and so had never neede to offer for Himselfe 2. The seaventh propertie Hee must not haue neede to offer daylie for the peoples sinnes who must bee our priest For if hee should offer the second daye then the first dayes Sacrifice should bee declared vnsufficient Or else why offereth hee agayne after that which is sufficient THEN 1. The Priest of the Newe Testament needeth not to offer oftener nor once 2. And if CHRIST'S Sacrifice were offered oftener nor once or daylie Hee could not bee a fit priest for vs nor offer a perfect sacrifice for vs for the oft offering should declare the former offeringes vnsufficient and imperfect 3. Hee giveth a Reason why Christ needed not to offer vp oftener Because hee hath offered vp himselfe once for the sinnes of the people THEN 1. CHRIST was both the Priest and the Sacrifice in His owne Offering 2. CHRIST'S Sacrifice can not bee offered vp by anie but Himselfe another nor CHRIST'S selfe can not offer vp CHRIST 3. Betwixt the comming of CHRIST and the wryting of this Epistle which was sundrie yeares after CHRIST'S Ascention the Apostle knew no Offering of CHRIST but that onlie once vpon the Crosse and yet tymes out of number was the SACRAMENT of the LORD'S Supper celebrated before this tyme. 4. In that hee maketh that once offering the Reason of his not offering daylie it TEACHETH VS That the perfection of that once offered sacrifice maketh the repetition needlesse and whosoever maketh it needfull that CHRIST bee offered daylie maketh both CHRIST an imperfect Priest and His sacrifice imperfect also Vers. 28. For the Lawe maketh Men High Priestes which haue infirmitie but the worde of the Oath which was since the Lawe maketh the Sonne who is consecrated for evermore HEE giveth a speciall Reason why it beseemeth not vs vnder the Gospell to haue a sinfull man for our priest because this is the verie difference betwixt the Lawe and the Gospell 1. The Lawe maketh Men which haue infirmities high priestes But the worde of the Oath which was since the Lawe maketh the Sonne and none but the Sonne who is consecrated for evermore THEN The Scripture knoweth no priest but the Leviticall priestes of AARON'S posteritie for the tyme of the Lawe or else that one priest which was made by an Oath for the tyme of the Gospell Beside these the Apostle acknowledgeth none nor were there anie other in his tyme in the Church 2. Hee maketh the difference of the Lawe and the Gospell to stand amongst other thinges in the difference of priestes so as the Gospell can not admit such pristes as the Lawe admitted THEN To haue priestes nowe after the similitude of the priestes vnder the Lawe were to remooue the difference which GOD hath made betwixt the Lawe and the Gospell 3. The Differences as the Apostle setteth them downe heere are 1. The Course taken about priests vnder the Lawe was alterable they were made without an Oath the Law-giver declaring it to bee his will to chaunge that Course when hee sawe it fitte But the Course taken about the priestes of the Newe Testament is with an Oath and so can not bee changed THEN To make a priest in the Gospell who is not consecrated by an Oath to abyde for evermore in the Office but may bee changed and another come in in his place is contrarie to the institution of the Evangelicall Priesthood 2. The next Difference hee maketh this The Lawe admitteth Men in the plurall number a pluralitie of priestes but the Gospell admitteth no pluralitie of priestes but the Sonne onelie to bee priest Melchisedek's Order in the Type hath no priest but one in it without a Suffragane or substituted priest Therefore CHRIST the true Melchisedek is alone in his Priesthoode without Partner or Deputie or Suffragane THEN To make pluralitie of priestes in the Gospell is to alter the Order of MELCHISEDEK sworne with an Oath and to renounce the March set betwixt the Lawe and the Gospell 3. The third Difference The Lawe maketh men priestes but the Evangelicall Oath maketh the Sonne of GOD Priest for the Gospell THEN To make a man priest nowe is to marre the Sonne of God's priviledge to whome the priviledge onelie belongeth 4. The fourth Difference The Law maketh such priestes as haue infirmitie that is Sinfull Men who can not make the sacrifice which they offer effectuall to pacifie nor the Blessing which they pronounce to come nor the instruction which they giue forcible to open the Eyes But the Evangelicall Oath maketh the Sonne who is able to saue to the vttermost all that come to GOD through Him THEN To make a sinfull and weake man a Priest nowe is to weaken the Priesthoode of the GOSPELL and make it lyke the Law 5. The fift Difference The Lawe maketh men Priestes which haue infirmities over whome Death had power that they could not bee consecrated but for their short lyfe tyme. But the Evangelicall Oath maketh the Sonne whome the Sorrowes of Death could not holde and hath consecrated Him for evermore THEN As long as CHRIST'S Consecration lasteth none must meddle with His Office 6. The last Difference The Lawe instituting Priestes was not GOD'S Last Will but might suffer Addition But the Evangelicall Oath is since the Lawe and GOD'S last and vnchaungeable Will THEREFORE To adde vnto it and bring in as manie Priestes nowe as did serue in the Temple of olde is to provoke GOD to adde as manie Plagues as are written in GOD'S Booke vpon themselues and their Priests also The Summe of Chap. VIII THIS is the summe of all that I haue spoken Wee haue no priest nowe but CHRIST who is equall in Glorie to His Father in Heaven Vers. 1. The Offerer of His owne Bodie signified by the Tabernacle Vers. 2. For everie priest must offer some-thing therefore so must Christ Vers. 3. But the Typicall Sacrifice Hee could not offer by the Lawe albeit Hee were on earth Vers. 4. Because Hee is not of the Tribe of LEVI whose proper Office was to meddle with the shadowes Therefore Hee must bee the Offerer of the Substance that is of His owne Bodie signified by the shadowes Vers. 5. And so now Hee hath taken the Office over the Levites head and hath an Office more excellent than they and is Mediator of a better Covenant than the Covenant which was in their tyme Vers. 6. For if that Covenant had bene perfect another had beene needlesse Vers. 7. But another Covenant was needfull and GOD promised to make a Newe one Vers. 8. A better Covenant than that olde which the people brake Vers. 9. For in this Covenant GOD vndertaketh to make vs keepe our parte of it Vers. 10.11 And to pardon where wee fayle Vers. 12. Now when GOD promised a Newe