so 1 From Gods Institution he appointed it so to be as is express in the words of Moses 2 From an Implication of the Interest of both Parties in the blood of the Sacrifice God unto whom it was offered and the People on whom it was sprinkled For it being the blood of Beasts that were slain in this use of it each Party as it were engaged their lives unto the Observation and Performance of what was respectively undertaken by them 3 Typically in that it represented the blood of Christ and fore-signified the Necessity of it unto the confirmation of the New Covenant See Zech. 9. 11. Matth. 26. 28. Luk. 22. 20. 1 Cor. 11. 15. So was it the blood of the Covenant in that it was a sign between God and the People of their mutual consent unto it and their taking on themselves the Performance of the Terms of it on the one side and the other The Condescension of God in making a Covenant with men especially in the ways of the Confirmation of it is a blessed Object of all holy Admiration For 1 The infinite Distance and disproportion that is between him and us both in Nature and State or Condition 2 The Ends of this Covenant which are all unto our Eternal Advantage he standing in no need of us or our Obedience 3 The Obligation that he takes upon himself unto the Performance of the Terms of it whereas he might righteously deal with us in a way of meer Soveraignity 4 The Nature of the Assurance he gives us thereof by the blood of the Sacrifice confirmed with his Oath Do all set forth the ineffable Glory of this Condescension And this will at length be made manifest in the Eternal Blessedness of them by whom this Covenant is Embraced and the Eternal Misery of them by whom it is Refused The Apostle having given this full Confirmation unto his principal Assertion he adds for the Illustration of it the use and efficacy of blood that is the blood of Sacrifices unto Purification and Attonement VER XXI XXII Moreover he sprinkled with Blood both the Tabernacle and all the Vessels of the Ministry And almost all things are by the Law purged with Blood and without shedding of Blood is no Remission The manner of the Introduction of this Observation ver 21. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in like manner do manifest that this is not a continuation of the former Instance in that which belongs thereunto but that there is a Proceed unto another Argument to evince the farther use of the sprinkling of blood unto Purification and Attonement under the Old Testament For the Design of the Apostle is not only to prove the Necessity of the Blood of Christ in Sacrifice but also the Efficacy of it in the taking away of Sins Wherefore he shews that as the Covenant it self was dedicated with blood which proves the Necessity of the blood of Christ unto the confirmation of the New Covenant so all the ways and means of Solemn Worship were purged and purified by the same means which demonstrates its Efficacy I will not absolutely oppose the usual Interpretation of these words namely that at the Erection of the Tabernacle and the Dedication of it with all its Vessels and Utensils there was a Sprinkling with Blood though not expresly mentioned by Moses for he only declares the Unction of them with the Holy Oyl Exod. 40. 9 10 11. For as unto the Garments of Aaron and his Sons which belonged unto the Service of the Tabernacle and were laid up in the holy places it is expresly declared that they were sprinkled with Blood Exod. 29. 21. And of the Altar that it was Sprinkled when it was Anointed though it be not said wherewith And Josephus who was himself a Priest affirms that all the things belonging unto the Sanctuary were dedicated with the sprinkling of the blood of the Sacrifices which things are usually pleaded for this Interpretation I shall not as I said absolutely reject it yet because it is Evident that the Apostle makes a Progress in these words from the Necessity of the Dedication of the Covenant with blood unto the use and efficacy of the Sprinkling of blood in all holy Administrations that they might be accepted with God I choose rather to referre the words unto that solemn sprinkling of the Tabernacle and all the Vessels of it by the High Priest with blood of the Expiatory Sacrifice which was made annually on the day of Attonement This the Introduction of these words by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth declare As the Covenant was dedicated with the sprinkling of blood so in like manner afterwards the Tabernacle and all the Vessels of it were sprinkled with blood unto their sacred use All the Difficulty in this Interpretation is that Moses is said to do it But that which we intend was done by Aaron and his Successors But this is no way to be compared with that of applying it unto the Dedication of the Tabernacle wherein there was no mention made of blood or its sprinkling but of anointing only Wherefore Moses is said to do what he appointed to be done what the Law required which was given by him So Moses is frequently used for the Law given by him Act. 15. 21. For Moses of old time hath in every City them that preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath-day that is the Law Moses then sprinkled the Tabernacle in that by an everlasting Ordinance he appointed that it should be done And the words following ver 22. declare that the Apostle speaks not of Dedication but of Expiation and Purification This Sprinkling therefore of the Tabernacle and its Vessels was that which was done annually on the Day of Attonement Levit. 16. 14 16 18. For therein as the Apostle speaks both the Tabernacle and all the Vessels of the Ministry were sprinkled with blood as the Ark the Mercy-seat and the Altar of Incense And the End of it was to purge them because of the Uncleannesses of the People which is that the Apostle intends And that which we are taught herein is that I. In all things wherein we have to do with God whereby we approach unto him it is the blood of Christ and the Application of it unto our Consciences that gives us a gracious Acceptance with him Without this all is unclean and defiled II. Even Holy things and Institutions that are in themselves clean and unpolluted are relatively defiled by the unholiness of them that use them defiled unto them So was the Tabernacle because of the uncleannesses of the People among whom it was For unto the unclean all things are unclean From this whole Discourse the Apostle makes an Inference which he afterwards applies at large unto his present Purpose VER XXII And almost all things are by the Law purged with blood And without shedding of Blood is no Remission There are two Parts of this Verse or there is a
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
then actually existent he could not be Tithed in his own Person Nor is the Apostle dubious of the Truth of the Consequent which he urgeth from this Observation as if he had said prope dixerim which is supposed as one signification of this Phrase Only the Instance being new and he Arguing from what was virtual only as if it had been actual he gave his Assertion this Qualification This is spoken upon an allowance of the common acceptation of the sence of these words among Interpreters For my part I rather incline to judge that he useth this Phrase for as much as ut verbo dicam to sum up the whole in a word To put an Issue unto this Dispute between the Levitical Priesthood and that of Melchisedec I say that not only Abraham but even Levi himself was Tithed by him 2. His Assertion is That Levi who received Tithes was Tithed in Abraham namely when Abraham gave the Tithes of all to Melchisedec By Levi he intendeth not the Person of Levi absolutely the Third Son of Jacob but his Posterity or the whole Tribe proceeding from him so far as they were Interested in the Priesthood For Levi himself never received Tithes of any the Priesthood being erected in his Family long after his Death in the Person of his Great Grandchild Aaron So then Levi who received Tithes is the same with the Sons of Levi who received the Priesthood ver 5. Namely in their several Generations unto that Day Of this Levi it is affirmed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was Tithed or paid Tithes in Abraham or through him and by him as the word is When Abraham himself gave Tithes to Melchisedec he did it not in his own Name only but in the Name of himself and his whole Posterity And this upon the Principles before laid down and vindicated proves the Preeminence of the Priesthood of Melchisedec above that of the House and Family of Levi. All the Difficulty of the Argument lies in the Proof of the Assertion namely That Levi did indeed so pay Tithes in Abraham This the Apostle therefore proves by the Observation which he lays down ver 10. For he was yet in the Loyns of his Father when Melchisedec met him The force of this Proof seems to depend on a double Principle 1. That Children the whole Posterity of any one are in his Loyns before they are Born And this Principle is sure in the Light of Nature and common Reason they are in them as the Effect in its Cause nor have they any future existence but with Relation unto their Progenitors even the remotest of them 2. That what any one doth that all his Posterity are esteemed to do in and by him But it is certain that this Rule will not generally hold nor indeed will it ever do so absolutely without some other cogent Circumstances By Humane Laws the Crimes of Men reflect dishonour in some cases on their Families and on the other side they entail the Honour which by their worth they have acquired on their Posterities What a Man also gives away of his Estate unto Publick Uses as in the Foundation of Schools or Hospitals his Children may be said to do it in him because so much is decreased from their Inheritance As here what Abraham gave to Melchisedec it was alienated from his Posterity Levi among the rest But none of these things reach the case in hand or are sufficient to give Force or Evidence unto the Reasoning of the Apostle Wherefore to find them out sundry things must be observed which are manifest Truths in themselves and on the Supposition whereof the Apostle's Argument stands firm 1. That Abraham was now called of God and separated unto his Service so as to be the Foundation of a new Church in the World And there is a Relation unto such an Original Stock in all the Branches beyond what they have unto any other intermediate Progenitors Hence all the Idolatrous Nations in the World constantly made the first Persons from whom they derived their Original of whose Off-spring they would be â—ccounted their gods whom they Worshipped These were their Joves indigites their Home-born Deities whom they Honoured and whose Honours they thought descended unto them by Inheritance 2. He had now received the Promise that God would be a God unto him and his Seed after him whereby all his Posterity were taken into Covenant with him and hereon Abraham Covenanted with God in the Name of and as the great Representative of all his Seed And such Covenants are the Foundation of all Order and Rule in this World For after Persons or a People have Covenanted into such Agreements in Government and as to the Administration of Common Right among themselves provided the terms whereon they have agreed be good and suitable unto the light of Nature their Posterity are not at Liberty to alter and change them at their Pleasure For whereas they derive all their Right and Inheritances from their Progenitors they are supposed in them to have consented unto all that was done by them 3. Hereon what God said and did unto Abraham he said it and did it unto all his Seed in him The Promises were theirs and the Inheritance was theirs yea what God is said to give unto Abraham so often namely the whole Land of Canaan was never actually made good unto him in his own Person no not a Foot 's breadth But he received the Grant of it as a Representative of his Posterity who 400 Years after had the actual Possession of it 4. What Abraham did Solemnly in Obedience unto God by virtue of the Covenant as a Publick Condition thereof he did undertake in it for his Posterity and performed it in their Name And therefore God enjoyned him to bring all his Posterity under the Token of that Engagement in Circumcision so soon as they were capable thereof And on the other hand God continually affirms that he would do them good because of his Oath and Engagement unto Abraham seeing they were intended therein Wherefore 5. Abraham in this Solemn Address unto God by Melchisedec the Type of Christ wherein he expressed his Covenant-Obedience unto him was the Representative of all his Posterity and in particular of Levi and all the Priests that Descended from him And having now received the whole Land by virtue of a Covenant in the behalf of his Posterity that it should be theirs though he himself had never Possession of it nor in it he doth in the Name of his Posterity and as their Representative give the Tenths unto God by Melchisedec as that Chief Rent which God for ever reserved unto himself upon his Grant When the People came actually to Possess the Land they held it always on this Condition That the Tenths of all should be given unto God And this Abraham in his taking seisin of it for them paid in their Name So truly and virtually was Levi himself Tithed in the Loyns of
inconveniency in this Interpretation yet I look not on it as suited unto the Design of the Apostle in this place For his intention is to prove that Perfection was not to be obtained by the Levitical Priesthood Unto this end he was to consider that Priesthood under all its Advantages for if any of them seem to be omitted it would weaken his Argument seeing what it could not do under one consideration it might do under another Now although it was some commendation of the Levitical Priesthood that it was appointed of God or confirmed by a Law yet was it a far greater Advancement that therewith the whole Law was given and thereon did depend as our Apostle declares in the next Verses The Introduction of this clause by the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be on a double Account which though different yet either of them is consistent with this Interpretation of the words 1. It may be used in a way of Concession of all the Advantages that the Levitical Priesthood was accompanied withal be it that together with that Priesthood the People also received the Law Or 2. On the other side there is included a Reason why Perfection was not to be attained by that Priesthood namely because together with it the People were brought into Bondage under the Yoke of the Law Either way the whole Law is intended But the most probable Reason of the Introduction of this Clause by that Particle for was to bring in the whole Law into the same Argument that Perfection was not attainable by it This the Apostle plainly reassumes ver 18 19 concluding as of the Priesthood here that it made nothing Perfect For it is the same Law which made nothing perfect that was given together with that Priesthood and not that especial Command alone whereby it was instituted There yet remains one Difficulty in the words For the People are said to receive the Law under the Levitical Priesthood and therefore it should seem that that Priesthood was established before the giving of the Law But it is certain that the Law was given on Mount Sinai before the Institution of that Priesthood For Aaron was not called nor separated unto his Office untill after Moses came down from the Mount the second time with the Tables renewed after he had broken them Exod. 40. 12 13 14. Two things may be applyed to the removal of this Difficulty For 1. The People may be said to receive the Law under the Levitical Priesthood not with respect unto the Order of the giving of the Law but as unto their Actual Obedience unto it in the exercise of the things required in it And so nothing that appertained unto Divine Worship according unto the Law was performed by them until that Priesthood was established And this as I have shewed is the true Signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used It doth not signifie the giving of the Law unto them but their being legalized or brought under the Power of it Wherefore although some part of the Law was given before the institution of that Priesthood yet the People were not brought into the Actual Obedience of it but by virtue thereof But 2. The Apostle in this place hath especial respect unto the Law as it was the Cause and Rule of Religious Worship of Sacrifices Ceremonies and other Ordinances of Divine Service For in that part of the Law the Hebrews placed all their Hopes of Perfection which the Moral Law could not give them And in this respect the Priesthood was given before the law For although the Moral law was given in the Audience of the People before on the Mount and an Explication was given of it unto Moses as it was to be applyed unto the Government of that People in Judiciary proceedings commonly called the Judicial law before he came down from the Mount Exod. 21. 22 23. yet as to the system of all Religious Ceremonies Ordinances of Worship Sacrifices of all sorts and Typical Institutions whatever belonged unto the Sacred Services of the Church the law of it was not given out unto them until after the Erection of the Tabernacle and the separation of Aaron and his Sons unto the Office of the Priesthood Yea that whole Law was given by the voyce of God out of that Tabernacle whereof Aaron was the Minister Lev. 1. 1 2. So that the People in the largest sence may be said to receive the law under that Priesthood Wherefore the sence of the words is that together with the Priesthood the People received the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances which yet effected not in their Conjunction the End that God designed in his Worship And we may observe that Obs. Put all Advantages and Priviledges whatever together and they will bring nothing to Perfection without Jesus Christ. God manifested this in all his Revelations and Institutions His Revelations from the Foundation of the world were gradual and partial increasing the light of the knowledge of his Glory from Age to Age. But put them all together from the first Promise with all Expositions of it and Additions unto it with Prophesies of what should afterwards come to pass taking in also the Ministry of John the Baptist yet did they not all of them together make a perfect Revelation of God his Mind and Will as he will be known and worshipped Heb. 1. 1. John 1. 18. So also was there great variety in his Institutions Some were of great Efficacy and of clearer Significancy than others But all of them put together made nothing perfect Much more will all the ways that others shall find out to attain Righteousness Peace Light and life before God come short of Rest or Perfection The last thing considerable in these words is the Reason whereby the Apostle proves That in the Judgment of the Holy Ghost himself Perfection was not attainable by the Levitical Priesthood For if it were what farther need was there that another Priest should arise after the Order of Melchisedec and not be called after the Order of Aaron The Reason in these words is plain and obvious For after the Institution of that Priesthood and after the Execution of it in its greatest Glory Splendour and Efficacy a Promise is made in the Time of David of another Priest of another Order to arise Hereof there can be no Account given but this alone that Perfection was not attainable by that which was already instituted and executed For it was a Perfection that God aimed to bring his Church unto or the most Perfect state in Righteousness Peace Liberty and VVorship which it is capable of in this world And whatever state the Church be brought into it must be by its High Priest and the Discharge of his Office Now if this might have been effected by the Levitical Priesthood the rising of another Priest was altogether needless and useless This is that Invincible Argument whereby the Holy Apostle utterly overthrows the
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
moment of his being a Priest he abode so alwaies without interruption or intermission This is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He in his own Person abideth Nor doth the Apostle say that he did not dye but only that he abideth alwaies 3. It followeth from hence that he hath an unchangeable Priesthood A Priesthood subject to no change or alteration that cannot pass away But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sacerdotium successivum per successionem ab uno alteri traditum Such a Priesthood as which when one hath attained it abideth not with him but he delivereth over unto another as Aaron did his unto Eleazar his Son or it falls unto another by some Right or Law of Succession A Priesthood that goes from hand to hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Priesthood that doth not passe from one unto another And this the Apostle seems directly to intend as is evident from the Antithesis The Priests after the Order of Aaron were many and that by reason of death Wherefore it was necessary that their Priesthood should pass from one to another by Succession So that when one received it he that went before him ceased to be a Priest And so it was either the Predecessors were taken off by death or on any other just occasion as it was in the case of Abiathar who was put from the Priests Office by Solomon 1 King 2. 27. How beit our Apostle mentions their going off by death only because that was the ordinary way and which was provided for in the Law With the Lord Christ it was otherwise He received his Priesthood from none Although he had sundry Types yet he had no Predecessor And he hath none to succeed him nor can have any added or joyned unto him in his Office The whole office of the Priesthood of the Covenant and the entire administration of it are confined unto his Person There are no more that follow him than went before him The Expositors of the Roman Church are greatly perplexed in the reconciling of this Passage of the Apostle unto the present Priesthood of their Church And they may well be so seeing they are undoubtedly irreconcileable Some of them say that Peter succeeded unto Christ in his Priesthood as Eleazar did unto Aaron So Ribera some of them deny that he hath any Successor properly so called Successorem non habet nec it a quisquam Catholicus loquitur si bene circumspectè loqui velit saith Estius But it is openly evident that some of them are not so circumspect as Estius would have them but do plainly affirm that Peter was Christs Successor A Lapide indeed affirms that Peter did not succeed unto Christ as Eleazar did unto Aaron because Eleazar had the Priesthood in the same degree and dignity with Aaron and so had not Peter with Christ. But yet that he had the same Priesthood with him a Priesthood of the same kind he doth not deny That which they generally fix upon is that their Priests have not another Priesthood or offer another Sacrifice but are Partakers of his Priesthood and minister under him and so are not his Successors but his Vicars which I think is the worst composure of this difficulty they could have thought upon For 1. This is directly contrary unto the words and design of the Apostle For the Reason he assigns why the Priesthood of Christ doth not passe from him unto any other is because he abides himself for ever to discharge the Office of it Now this excludes all subordination and conjunction all Vicars as well as Successors unless we shall suppose that although he doth thus abide yet is he one way or other disabled to discharge his Office 2. The Successors of Aaron had no more another Priesthood but what he had than it is pretended that the Roman Priests have no other Priesthood but what Christ had Nor did they offer any other Sacrifice than what he offered as these Priests pretend to offer the same Sacrifice that Christ did So that still the case is the same between Aaron and his Successors and Christ and his Substitutes 3. They say that Christ may have Substitutes in his Office though he abide a Priest still and although the office still continue the same unchangeable So God in the Government of the world makes use of Judges and Magistrates yet is himself the Supreme Rector of all But this Pretence is vain also For they do not substitute their Priests unto him in that which he continueth to do himself but in that which he doth not which he did indeed and as a Priest ought to do but now ceaseth to do for ever in his own Person For the principal Act of the Sacerdotal Office of Christ consisted in his Oblation or his offering himself a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour unto God This he did once and ceaseth for ever from doing so any more But these Priests are assigned to offer him in Sacrifice every day as partakers of the same Priesthood with him which is indeed not to be his Substitutes but his Successors and to take his Office out of his hand as if he were dead and could henceforth discharge it no more For they do not appoint Priests to intercede in his room because they grant he continueth himself so to do but to offer Sacrifice in his stead because he doth so no more Wherefore if that be an Act of Priesthood and of their Priesthood as is pretended it is unavoidable that his Priesthood is passed from him unto them Now this is a blasphemous Imagination and directly contrary both unto the words of the Apostle and the whole Design of his Argument Nay it would lay the advantage on the other side For the Priests of the Order of Aaron had that Priviledge that none could take their Office upon them nor officiate in it whilst they were alive But although Christ abideth for ever yet according unto the sense of these men and their practice thereon he stands in need of others to officiate for him and that in the principal part of his Duty and Office For Offer himself in Sacrifice unto God he neither now doth nor can seeing henceforth he dieth no more This is the work of the Mass-Priests alone who must therefore be honoured as Christs Successors or be abhorred as his Murderers for the Sacrifice of him must be by blood and death The Argument of the Apostle as it is exclusive of this Imagination so it is cogent unto his purpose For so he proceedeth That Priesthood which changeth not but is alwaies vested in the same Person and in him alone is more excellent than that which was subject to change continually from one hand unto another For that Transmission of it from one unto another was an effect of weakness and Imperfection And the Jews grant that the frequency of their change under the second Temple was a Token of Gods displeasure But thus it was with the Priesthood of
and distinctly in several Persons as they were under the Old Testament could never extend their Acts and Effects unto all the occasions and necessities of the Church The business of our Apostle in this chapter is to prove that the Office of the Priesthood as vested in Aaron and his Successors made nothing perfect did not consummate the Church state nor could effect its Salvation The Kingly Office as it was Typically managed by David and others was remote from answering that Rule and Safety which the Church stood in need of Neither did nor could any one Prophet no nor yet all the Prophets together reveal and declare the whole Counsel of God But 5. These Offices as they were in Christ did perfectly answer and yet do all that belongs to the Redemption Sanctification Protection and Salvation of the Church And this they do on two Accounts 1. Because they were Committed unto him in a more full ample and unlimited manner than either they were or could be unto others on Purpose that they might answer all the ends of Gods Grace towards the Church So as he was made a King not this or that degree or enlargement of Power was committed unto him but all Power in Heaven and in Earth over all the Creation of God in all things Spiritual Temporal and Eternal See our Description and Delineation of this Power on Chap. 1. ver 2 3. As a Prophet he did not receive this or that particular Revelation from God but all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge were laid up in him and he knew the whole mind and Counsel of God as coming forth from his Divine Bosom And as unto his Sacerdotal Office we are now engaged in an enquiry into its especial nature as differing from and exalted above whatever was committed unto any of the Sons of men under that Name 2. The principal Reason of the All-sufficiency of the Office-Power and Ability of Christ is taken from his own Person which alone was capable of a Trust of such a Power and able to execute it unto all the Ends of it He alone who was God and Man in one Person was capable of being such a King Priest and Prophet as was able to save the Church unto the uttermost Wherefore in the consideration of this Office-Power of Christ wherein all our Salvation doth depend we have two things to attend unto First his Person who bears these Offices and who alone was fit and able so to do and secondly the especial Nature of the Office as committed unto him On these grounds he was Able to do infinitely more as a Priest than all the Priests of the Order of Aaron could do So the Apostle expresseth it in the next words 3. He is able to save 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even to save to save also not for this or that particular end but absolutely even to save The general sense of this word is limited and determined in the use and Application of it throughout the Scripture not any temporal Deliverances but that which is supernatural spiritual and eternal is intended thereby And 1. The Notion of the word includeth in it a supposition of some Evil or Danger that we are delivered from This is sin with its consequents of Misery in the Curse of the Law and the VVrath to come VVherefore it is said of Christ that he saves his People from their sins Math. 1. 21. from the Curse Gal. 3. 13. and from the Wrath to Come 1 Thess. 1. 10. In these things all that is or can be Evil unto our nature here or unto eternity are included 2. The bringing of us into an estate of present Grace and Right unto future Blessedness with the enjoyment of it in its appointed season is intended in it For although this be not included in the first notion of the VVord yet it belongs unto the Nature of the thing intended This Salvation called therefore great and Eternal Salvation doth not meerly respect the evil we are delivered from but the contrary Good also in the present favour and future enjoyment of God And concerning this Salvation two things are to be considered 1. That there is Power and Ability required unto this work He is able to save It was no easie thing to take away sin to subdue Satan to fulfil the Law to make Peace with God to procure Pardon to purchase Grace and Glory with all other things great and glorious that belong unto this Salvation And it is the great concernment of Faith well to fix this principle that he who hath undertaken this work is able to accomplish it and that by the means he hath designed to use and the way wherein he will proceed We are apt to pass this over without any enquiry into it and to take it for granted that God is able to do whatever he pleaseth But it is not of the absolute Power of God whereof we speak but of the Power of God or of Christ put forth in such a peculiar way And the want of Faith herein is the first and most proper part of Unbelief VVherefore as God ingageth his Omnipotency or All-sufficiency as the Foundation of all his Covenant Actings towards us Gen. 17. 1. So he often pleadeth the same Power to assure us of the Accomplishment of his Promises Isa. 40. 28 29. And it is expresly asserted as the principal ground of Faith Rom. 4. 21. Chap. 11. 23. 1 Cor. 10. 10. 13. Ephes. 3. 20. 2. Tim. 1. 12. Jude 24. and often in this Epistle 2. It is here supposed that the discharge of Christs Priestly Office is the Way designed to save us by or to effect this great work of Salvation No other way or means is appointed of God unto this End Here we must look for it or go without it Wherefore the enquiry is necessary whether in the discharge of this Office and within the bounds and limits of it he be able to save us with this Salvation For indeed many are like those sons of Belial who said of Saul when God had anointed him King how shall this man save us and despised him 1 Sam. 10. 21. They understand not how Christ is able to save them by his Priesthood and therefore under various Pretences they trust to themselves and despise him All false Religion is but a choice of other things for men to place their trust in with a neglect of Christ. And all Superstition grows on the same Root in all effects or instances of it be they great or small VVherefore I say we are to consider whether this Office and the Acts of it be suited and meet for the effecting all things that belong to this Salvation For if we find them not so we cannot believe that he is a Priest able to save us But they evidence themselves to be otherwise unless our minds are darkned by the Power of Unbelief as we shall see in the particulars afterwards insisted on by our Apostle And we are here taught
first Covenant was Moses It was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator Gal. 3. 19. And this was no other but Moses who was a Servant in the House of God Hebr. 3. 6. And he was a Mediator as designed of God so chosen of the people in that dread and consternation which befell them upon the terrible promulgation of the Law For they saw that they could no way bear the immediate presence of God nor treat with him in their own persons Wherefore they desired that there might be an Internuntius a Mediator between God and them and that Moses might be the person Deut. 5. 25 26 27. But the Mediator of the New Covenant is the Son of God himself For there is one God and one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all 1 Tim. 2. 4 5. He who is the Son and the Lord over his own House graciously undertook in his own Person to be the Mediator of this Covenant and herein it is unspeakably preferred before the Old Covenant 5. They differ in their subject matter both as unto Precepts and Promises the advantage being still on the part of the New Covenant For 1 The Old Covenant in the preceptive part of it renewed the Command of the Covenant of Works and that on their original terms Sin it forbad that is all and every sin in matter and manner on the pain of death and gave the promise of life unto perfect sinless obedience only Whence the Decalogue itself which is a Transcript of the Law of Works is called the Covenant Exod. 34. 28. And besides this as we observed before it had other Precepts innumerable accommodated unto the present condition of the People and imposed on them with rigor But in the New Covenant the very first thing that is proposed is the accomplishment and establishment of the Covenant of Works both as unto its Commands and Sanction in the obedience and suffering of the Mediator Hereon the Commands of it as unto the obedience of the Covenanters are not grievous the yoke of Christ being easie and his burden light 2. The Old Testament absolutely considered had 1 No promise of grace to communicate spiritual strength or to assist us in obedience nor 2 Any of eternal life no otherwise but as it was contained in the promise of the Covenant of Works The man that doth these things shall live in them and 3 Had promises of temporal things in the Land of Canaan inseparable from it In the New Covenant all things are otherwise as will be declared in the Exposition of the ensuing Verses 6. They differ and that principally in the manner of their Dedication and Sanction This is that which gives any thing the formal nature of a Covenant or Testament There may be a Promise there may be an Agreement in general which hath not the formal nature of a Covenant or Testament and such was the Covenant of Grace before the death of Christ. But it is the solemnity and manner of the Confirmation Dedication and Sanction of any Promise or Agreement that gives it the formal nature of a Covenant or Testament And this is by a Sacrifice wherein there is both Bloodshedding and Death ensuing thereon Now this in the confirmation of the Old Covenant was only the Sacrifice of Beasts whose blood was sprinkled on all the People Exod. 24. 5 6 7 8 9. But the New Testament was solemnly confirmed by the Sacrifice and Blood of Christ himself Zech. 9. 11. Hebr. 10. 29. Chap. 13. 20. And the Lord Christ dying as the Mediator and Surety of the Covenant he purchased all good things for the Church and as a Testator bequeathed them unto it Hence he says of the Sacramental Cup that it is the New Testament in his Blood or the Pledge of his bequeathing unto the Church all the Promises and Mercies of the Covenant which is the New Testament or the disposition of his Goods unto his Children But because the Apostle expresly handleth this difference between these two Covenants Chap. 9. v. 18 19. we must thither refer the full consideration of it 7. They differ in the Priests that were to officiate before God in the behalf of the People In the Old Covenant Aaron and his Posterity alone were to discharge that Office in the New the Son of God himself is the only Priest of the Church This difference with the advantage of the Gospel state thereon we have handled at large in the Exposition of the Chapter foregoing 8. They differ in the Sacrifices whereon the Peace and Reconciliation with God which is tendred in them doth depend And this also must be spoken unto in the ensuing Chapter if God permit 9. They differ in the way and manner of their solemn writing or enrollment All Covenants were of old solemnly written in Tables of Brass or Stone where they might be faithfully preserved for the use of the Parties concerned So the Old Covenant as to the principal fundamental part of it was engraven in Tables of Stone which were kept in the Ark Exod. 31. 18. Deut. 9. 10. 2 Cor. 3. 7. And God did so order it in his Providence that the first draught of them should be broken to intimate that the Covenant contained in them was not everlasting nor unalterable But the New Covenant is written in the fleshly Tables of the hearts of them that do believe 2 Cor. 3. 3. Jer. 31. 33. 10. They differ in their ends The principal end of the first Covenant was to discover sin to condemn it and to set Bounds unto it So saith the Apostle It was added because of transgressions And this it did several ways 1 By Conviction for the knowledge of sin is by the Law it convinced sinners and caused every mouth to be stopped before God 2 By condemning the Sinner in an application of the Sanction of the Law unto his Conscience 3 By the judgments and punishments wherewith on all occasions it was accompanied In all it manifested and represented the justice and severity of God The end of the New Covenant is to declare the love grace and mercy of God and therewith to give Repentance Remission of Sin and Life Eternal 11. They differed in their effects For the first Covenant being the ministration of death and condemnation it brought the minds and spirits of them that were under it into servitude and bondage whereas spiritual liberty is the immediate effect of the New Testament And there is no one thing wherein the Spirit of God doth more frequently give us an account of the difference between these two Covenants than this of the liberty of the one and the bondage of the other see Rom. 8. 15. 2 Cor. 3. 17. Gal. 4. 1 2 3 4 24 25 30 31. Heb. 2. 14 15. This therefore we must a little explain Wherefore the bondage which was the effect of the Old Covenant arose from several causes concurring unto the effecting of it 1.
a reverential frame of Spirit are necessary unto this duty 3. The time of this their entrance into the Sanctuary to discharge their service is expressed They entred it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quovis tempore alwayes say we jugiter that is every day There was no divine Prohibition as unto any days or times wherein they might not enter into the Sanctuary as there was with respect unto the entrance of the High Priest into the most Holy place which was allowed only once a year And the services that were required of them made it necessary that they should enter into them every day But the word doth not absolutely signify every day seeing there was a special service for which they entred only once a week But always is at all times as Occasion did require There was also an especial service when the High Priest entred into this Sanctuary which was neither daily nor weekly but occasional which is mentioned Levit. 4. 6 7. For when the anointed Priest was to offer a Sacrifice for his own sins he was to carry some of the blood of it into the Sanctuary and sprinkle it towards the vail that was before the most Holy Place This he was to do seven times which is a mystical number denoting that perfect Atonement and expiation of sin which was to be made by the blood of Christ. But this being an occasional service the Apostle seems to have had no respect unto it 4. The service itself performed by them is expressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accomplishing the services The expression is sacred respecting mystical rites and ceremonies such as were the things here intended Officiating in the Ministry of the sacred ceremonies For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not perfecting or accomplishing only but sacredly ministring In discharge of the Priestly office accomplishing the sacred services committed unto them And these services were of two sorts 1 Daily 2 Weekly Their daily services were two 1 The dressing of the Lamps of the Candlestick supplying them with the holy oyl and taking care of all things necessary unto the cleansing of them that their light might be preserved This was done morning and evening a continual service in all generations The service of the Candlestick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 The service of the Golden Altar the Altar of Incense in the midst of the Sanctuary at the entrance of the most Holy Place before or over against the Ark of the Testimony Hereon the Priests burnt Incense every day with fire taken from the Altar of Burnt-offerings that was in the court before the door of the Tabernacle This service was performed evening and morning immediately after the offering of the daily Sacrifice on the Altar of burnt-offerings And whilest this service was performed the People gave themselves to Prayer without with respect unto the Sacrifice offered Luk. 1. 10. For this offering of Incense on the Sacrifice and that fired with a coal from the Altar whereon the Sacrifice was burned was a Type as we have declared of the Intercession of Christ. For although they understood it not clearly in the notion yet were true Believers guided to express it in their practice The time of the Priests offering Incense they made the time of their own solemn prayers as believing that the efficacy and acceptance of their prayers depended on what was Typified by that Incense Psal. 141. 2. These were the daily services It is uncertain whether they were all performed at the same time or no namely those of the Candlestick and the Altar of Incense If they were it should seem that they were done by no more but one Priest at one time that is every morning and evening For of Zechariah it is said that it was his Lot to burn Incense in the Temple and no other was with him there when he saw the vision Luk. 1. 8 9 21 22 23. Wherefore whereas it is said in the Institution of these things Aaron and his Sons shall do this service it is intended that some one of them should do it at any one time 2. The weekly service of the Sanctuary was the change of the bread on the Table of Shew-bread This was performed every sabbath day in the morning and not else Now all this daily service was Typical And that which it did represent was the continual application of the Benefits of the Sacrifice and whole mediation of Christ unto the Church here in this world That the Tabernacle itself and the Inhabitation of God therein was a Type of the Incarnation of the Son of God we have shewed before And have also declared that all the Utensils of it were but representations of his Grace in the discharge of his office He is the Light and Life of the Church the Lamp and the bread thereof The Incense of his Intercession renders all their obedience acceptable unto God And therefore there was a continual application made unto these things without Intermission every day And we may thence observe that A continual application unto God by Christ and a continual application of the Benefits of the Mediation of Christ by faith are the Springs of the Light Life and comfort of the Church VER VII But into the second went the High Priest alone once every year not without blood which he offered for himself and the errors of the People THe use and service of the second part of the Tabernacle or the most Holy Place which the Apostle designeth principally to apply unto his present argument are declared in this present verse And he describes them 1 By the person who alone might perform the service which belonged unto this part of the sanctuary And this was the High Priest 2 By that which in general was required unto the other parts of it He went into it This is not here expressed but the sense of it is traduced from the foregoing verse The other Priests entred into the Sanctuary and the High Priest into this that is he entred or went into it 3 From the time and season of this his entrance which was once a year only in opposition unto the entrance of the Priests into the other part which was at all times every day 4 By the manner of his entrance or what he carried with him to administer or perform the holy service of the Place expressed negatively not without blood that is with blood 5 From the use of the Blood which he so carried in with him it was that which he offered for himself and the errors of the People That which the Apostle here respects and describes was the great Anniversary Sacrifice of expiation whose Institution Rites and Solemnities are at large declared Lev. 16. And herein 1. The Person designed unto this service was the High Priest alone and no other Person Levit. 16. 2 32. And he was to be so alone as that none were to attend assist or accompany him in any part of the
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
them shall be discovered they will be manifest to have been righteous and within due measure II. Take we heed of every neglect of the Person of Christ or of his Authority lest we enter into some degree or other of the guilt of this great offence III. The sins of men can really reach neither the Person nor Authority of Christ they only do that in desire which in effect they cannot accomplish This doth not take off or extenuate their sin the guilt of it is no less than if they did actually trample upon the Son of God The Second Aggravation of the sin spoken of is its Opposition to the Office of Christ especially his Priestly Office and the Sacrifice that he Offered thereby called here the Blood of the Covenant And that included in it is the frame of their minds in that opposition they counted it an unholy thing both which have a third Aggravation from the use and efficacy of that Blood it is that wherein he was Sanctified For the First In what sence the Blood of Christ was the Blood of the Covenant hath been fully declared on chap. 9. That whereby the new Covenant was ratified confirmed and made effectual as unto all the Grace of it unto them that do believe And it was the foundation of all the following actings of God towards him in his exaltation and of his Intercession See chap. 13. 20. The Blood of the Covenant was the great expression of the Grace of God and of the Love of Christ himself as well as the Cause of all good unto us the center of divine wisdom in all the mediatory actings of Christ the Life and Soul of the Gospel Of this Blood of the Covenant it is said that they who are guilty of the sin intended accounted it an unholy thing they judged it so and dealt with it accordingly Both the judgment of the mind and practice thereupon are intended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is common and opposed unto any thing that is dedicated and consecrated unto God and made sacred Hence it is used for prophane and unholy that which no way belongs unto divine worship They did no longer esteem it as that blood wherewith the New Covenant was sealed confirmed established but as the blood of an ordinary man shed for his crimes which is common and unholy not sacred not of so much use unto the glory of God as the blood of Bulls and Beasts in legal Sacrifices which is the height of impiety And there are many degrees of this sin some Doctrinal some Practical which though they arise not unto the degree here intended yet are they perilous unto the Souls of men Those by whom the efficacy of his blood unto the expiation of sin by making satisfaction and attonement is denyed as 't is by the Socinians will never be able to free themselves from making this blood in some sence a common thing Yea the contempt which hath been cast on the blood of Christ by that sort of men will not be expiated with any other Sacrifices for ever Others do manifest what slight thoughts they have of it in that they place the whole of their Religion within themselves and value their own Light as unto Spiritual advantages above the blood of Christ. And Practically there are but few who trust unto it for their Justification for pardon righteousness and acceptance with God which is in a great measure to account it a Common thing not absolutely but in comparison of that Life Excellency and Efficacy that is in it indeed But as Christ is pretious unto them that believe 1 Pet. 1. 7. so is his Blood also wherewith they are redeemed 1 Pet. 1. 19. Every thing that takes off from an high and glorious esteem of the blood of Christ as the blood of the Covenant is a dangerous entrance into Apostacy Such is the pretended Sacrifice of the Mass with all things of the like nature The last aggravation of this sin with respect unto the blood of Christ is the Nature Use and Efficacy of it it is that wherewith he was sanctified It is not real or internal sanctification that is here intended but it is a separation and dedication unto God in which sence the word is often used And all the disputes concerning the total and final Apostacy from the Faith of them who have been really and internally sanctified from this place are altogether vain Though that may be said of a man in aggravation of his sin which he professeth concerning himself But the difficulty of this Text is concerning whom these words are spoken for they may be referred unto the person that is guilty of the sin insisted on he counts the blood of the Covenant wherewith he himself was sanctified an unholy thing For as at the giving of the Law or the establishing of the Covenant at Sinai the people being sprinkled with the blood of the Beasts that were offered in Sacrifice were sanctified or dedicated unto God in a peculiar manner So those who by Baptism and confession of Faith in the Church of Christ were separated from all others were peculiarly dedicated to God thereby And therefore in this case Apostates are said to deny the Lord that bought them or vindicated them from their slavery unto the Law by his Word and Truth for a season 2 Pet. 2. 1. But the design of the Apostle in the Context leads plainly to another application of these words It is Christ himself that is spoken of who was sanctified and dedicated unto God to be an Eternal high Priest by the blood of the Covenant which he offered unto God as I have shewed before The Priests of old were dedicated and sanctified unto their Office by another and the Sacrifices which he offered for them they could not sanctifie themselves so were Aaron and his Sons sanctified by Moses antecedently unto their offering any Sacrifice themselves But no outward Act of men or Angels could unto this purpose pass on the Son of God He was to be the Priest himself the Sacrificer himself to dedicate consecrate and sanctifie himself by his own Sacrifice in concurrence with the actings of God the Father in his suffering See John 17. 19. Heb. 2. 10. chap. 5. 7 9. chap. 9. 11 12. That precious blood of Christ wherein or whereby he was sanctified and dedicated unto God as the Eternal High-Priest of the Church this they esteemed an unholy thing that is such as would have no such effect as to consecrate him unto God and his Office However men may esteem of any of the Mediatory actings of Christ yet are they in themselves glorious and Excellent So was the Sacrifice of his own Blood even that whereby not only the Church was sanctified but himself also was dedicated as our High Priest for ever 3. The Third aggravation of this Sin is taken from its opposition unto the Spirit of Christ he hath done despight unto the Spirit of Grace And as in