as one having authority and not as the Scribes 28 29. The hearers admired his Doctrine for he spake not as the Scribes and ordinary Teachers but as by Prophetick authority and the Majestick power of the Spirit CHAP. VIII 1. WHen he was come down from the mountain great multitudes followed him 2. And behold there came a Leper and worshipped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean 1 2. N. 1. A Leprosie is so long and so visible a disease as that there could be no fraud in the cure 2. The belief of Christs power shewed that he believed him to be sent of God and therefore was an acceptable faith tho he doubted of Christs will 3. And Jesus put forth his hand and touched him saying I will be thou clean And immediately his leprosie was cleansed 3. Note Christ shewed both Power and Will to cure him miraculously that believed his power 4. And Jesus saith to him See thou tell no man but go thy way shew thy self to the Priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded for a testimony to them 4. Do not thy self divulge this cure but go shew the Priest that thou art cleansed and let him enquire if he will how it was done perform thou thy Offering according to the Law and let it stand as a testimony of me whether they will use it or not N. 1. Christ would have his miracles divulged but by degrees and so himself made known not all at first but in due season when it would do more good than hurt not to encourage men against him before the time but when his greatest works all done might set together make a compleat evidence 2. Tho the high Priest was no due successor of Aarons line but yearly brought in by Heathen powers to him that purchased the place and the office much corrupted yet Christ bids the Leper do his duty according to the Law to such as had possession 5. And when Jesus was entred into Capernaum there came a Centurion beseeching him 6. And saying Lord my servant lyeth at home sick of the Passie grievously tormented 7. And Jesus saith to him I will come and heal him 5 6 7. N. This Captain of an hundred Soldiers shewed his Faith by asking and Christ presently promiseth a cure 8. The Centurion answered and said Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof but speak the word only and my servant shall be healed 9. For I am a man under authority having soldiers under me and I say to this man Go and he goeth and to another Come and he cometh and to my servant Do this and he doth it 8 9. The Captain said c. And if my Soldiers and Servants obey my words its easie with thee to command deliverance 10. When Jesus heard it he marvelled and said to them that followed Verily I say to you I have not found so great faith no not in Israel 10. At this Christ expressed admiration by way of praise saying I have not found so great faith in any Israelites that waited for the Messiah as in this Roman Captain 11. And I say to you that many shall come from the east and west and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven 12. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth 11. I tell you that many of the Gentiles shall be converted and from East and West shall be gathered into the Church and into the Heavenly Kindom to Abraham Isaac and Jacob whose faithful though not natural children they are reputed when the Jews that are the natural seed and thought that the promise had been only theirs shall be cast out from Heavenly felicity into outer darkness and utmost misery where shall be crying and weeping and gnashing of teeth as men do with cold or with rage 13. And Jesus said to the Centurion Go thy way and as thou hast believed so be it done to thee and his servant was healed the very same hour 13. And Jesus gave him presently the reward of his faith promising and performing the cure of his servant 14. And when Jesus came into Peters house he saw his wives mother laid and sick of a fever 15. And he touched her hand and the fever left her and she rose and ministred to them 14. Note the speed of the cure she presently went about her business and served them 16. When the even was come they brought to him many that were possessed with devils and he cast out the spirits with his word and healed all that were sick 16. Note 1. The Scripture doth not separate Diseases and Devils so much as they that think there is no Devil in a disease that hath natural causes For Devils are often Gods executioners even when there are natural causes of the disease and do add many extraordinary symptomes by their own operation 2. Christ healed Bodies to win Souls by such gifts as all are capable of valuing and to shew his mercy to Body and Soul 17. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet saying Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses 17. And as in Isa 53. he is said to take our Infirmities by suffering for our sins the words may also be verified in another sense even of his compassion and his cure of mens diseases 18. Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him he gave commandment to depart unto the other side 19. and a certain Scribe came and said to him Master I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest 20. And Jesus saith to him the foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head 18 19 20. N. That when Christ saw a man desirous to follow him either for worldly ends and with a mind not loosed from worldly interest he trieth him and turneth him off by undeceiving him 21. And another of his disciples faith to him Lord suffer me first to go and bury my father 22. But Jesus said to him Follow me and let the dead bury their dead 21 22. Another whom Christ saw better resolved and qualified he would not permit so much as to go home to bury his Father but using a proverbial speech saith Let the dead bury their dead that is If thou be devoted to me follow me and my service for this is now thy greatest business to which burying thy Father must not be preferred Others that are not engaged as thou art may bury thy Father If they would not it were better he were unburied than thou should desert or neglect me and my service 23 24. And when he was entred into a ship his disciples followed him And behold there arose a great tempest in the sea insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves but he was asleep 25. And his disciples came unto him and awoke him saying Lord save
was not seen by the new World nor his End by the Old nor his Death mentioned But this is a presumption Had it been good for us to know more of him God would have told us more 4. Now consider how great this man was unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils 4. When Abraham from whom the Levitical Priesthood and the peculiar Seed sprung gave him the Tenths of all the Spoils it tells us how great a man Melchisedec was 5. And verily they that are of the sons of Levi who receive the office of the priesthood have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law that is of their brethren though they come out of the loins of Abraham 5. The Law allowed Aaron and the other Priests to take Tythes of their Brethren that sprung from Abraham 6. But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham and blessed him that had the promises 7. And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better 6 7. But Melchisedec received Tythes of Abraham who was none of his people and blessed him who had from God the promise of a peculiar Off-spring Which is a certain sign that he was greater than Abraham And so is Christ greater than the Jewish Priests 8. And here men that die receive tithes but there he receiveth them of whom it is witnessed that he liveth 9. And as I may so say Levi also who receiveth tithes payed tithes in Abraham 10. For he was yet in the loins of his father when Melchisedec met him 8 9 10. And here it is Mortal Men that take Tythes but Melchisedec is mentioned as if he had not dyed And Levi who receiveth Tythes paid them then being in Abraham's Loyns 11. If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood for under it the people received the law what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec and not be called after the order of Aaron 11. This proveth that the Levitical Priesthood and consequently the Law was not perfect nor gave perfection else what need had there been of another more excellent Royal Priesthood which was promised 12. For the priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change also of the law 11 12 And if there must be a more excellent Priesthood than the Legal there must needs be some other more excellent Laws appointing them their work For the old Priesthood had their work prescribed them by the Law of Moses Note That they who deny Christ to be a Law-giver deny his Royal Priesthood and deny him to be Christ 13. For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe of which no man gave attendance at the altar 14. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood 13 14. And the translating the Priesthood to Judah the ruling Tribe of which Christ was proveth the Change of the Law 15. And it is yet far more evident for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest 16. Who is made not after the law of a carnal commandment but after the power of an endless life 15 16. And it is yet more evident that there must be a higher Priesthood than Aaron's because he must be made as Melchisedec not by Lineal Succession according to the Law of Moses but with reference to a state of Immortality as to its Rise and End 17. For he testifieth Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec 18. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof 17 18 And this express testimony of another sort of Priesthood sheweth that the Law which they were to execute was to cease as weak insufficient and unprofitable Note Quest Is not the Gospel-Priesthood then in Conformity to Christ to be Kingly and above all Kings under Christ the King or Kings and Priests to be the same Answ 1. Let them here on Earth follow Christ in his Humiliation who said My Kingdom is not of this World and then when they come to him in Heaven they shall reign as Kings 2. Our uncertain Collections are not so sure a way to know Christ's Will as his own words who hath plainly forbidden Secular Dominion to his Ministers and given them a far other Description and Canon 3. But by the use of the Church-Keys they have the Government of Church-Communion which as it hath a nearer relation to the heavenly Kingdom is therein nobler than Secular Power 19. For the law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did by the which we draw nigh unto God 19. For the Law of Moses did all as an imperfect thing which was not of it self to make Man or his Service perfect or his Hopes and Comforts but to lead him towards a better Revelation which bringing a fuller notice of Pardon and Grace Life and Immortality advanâ—eth us nearer to God and giveth us more bold and comfortable Access to him in order to our heavenly Fruition 20 21. And in as much as not without an oath he was made priest For those priests were made without an oath but this with an oath by him that said unto him The Lord sware and will not repent Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec 20 21. And this Change God sweareth to which was not done by Aaron's Priesthood which sheweth its Certainty and Immutability 22. By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament 22. Note 1. The word here translated Testament signifieth God's statute-Statute-Law proposed to us for our Covenant-Consent and Obedience and promising us Grace and Glory and signifieth the same thing as the Law of Grace And not a meer absolute Promise without Precepts Condition or Penalty 2. The word translated Surety signifieth an interceding Administrator and Mediator giving Man Assurance of the Will of God as Moses did in delivering the Law and consenting to receive God's Terms and Promises in the nature of Man and to perform his own part and undertaking for the gathering and glorifying his Church thereby But not that he undertook that all that he mediated for should do all that is their duty 23. And they truly were many priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death 24 But this man because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable priesthood 23 24. And so the Levitical Priesthood was in many successively because they were mortal But Christ living for ever is only one and the same and there is no other Note Therefore Christ hath no mortal Vicar to be an universal High Priest 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them 25. And this is the great Comfort of Believers that he is able to save us in all
Extremities even at Death and to Eternity of Blessedness seeing he ever liveth by his Intercession to finish his saving Work for all that come by him to God◠Friends dye and all Worldly Helps may fail but Christ will never dye 26. For such an high priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens 26. For our Condition required such an High Priest who is holy free from doing ill or suffering any more from any Enemies clean from all sin of his own and is separated from the Condition of sinful Man that dwells on Earth 27. Who needeth not daily as those high priests to offer up sacrifice first for his own sin and then for the peoples for this he did once when he offered up himself 27. Who had no sin of his own as the High Priests had and therefore for his own sin he needed not to offer any Sacrifice though he did it to perfect his undertaken Work for us Nor needed he offer often for the sins of the people for his once offering up himself was a sufficient Expiatory Sacrifice 28. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity but the word of the oath which was since the law maketh the Son who is consecrated for evermore 28. For the Law had none to make High Priests of but mortal Sinners but the Word of the Oath Psal 110. which was since the making of the Law maketh the Son of God High Priest who is holy sinless immortal and consecrated to an everlasting Priesthood CHAP. VIII 1. NOw of the things which we have spoken this is the sum we have such an high priest who is set on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens 2. A minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man 1. The sum of all that 's said is this We have such an High Priest who is advanced to the highest honour and power in Glory called God's Throne of Majesty in the Heavens As Man a Minister indeed or the prime Administrator but it is of the true and heavenly Sanctuary and Tabernacle not like that which was made by Man but which the Lord hath made for the glorifying of himself in his glorified Saints with Christ where we shall in presence worship him for ever 3. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat to offer 3. And he were no High Priest if he had nothing as Gift or Sacrifice to offer 4. For if he were on earth he should not be a priest seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law 4. And if he were on Earth he should not be a Priest according to the Law because there are such already and it was entailed on the Line of Aaron And Christ's Sacrifice when he was on Earth was not according to the Law but supralegal 5. Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle For see saith he that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount 5. And the Levitical Priesthood on Earth was made to perform those Administrations which are but shadows of the heavenly things having some notifying and instructing resemblance to them as figurative which God darkly intimated to Moses when he charged him to make the Tabernacle in the Wilderness according to the pattern which he had seen in the Mount So that the earthly Tabernacle and Worship is but a figure or shadow of the Heavenly 6. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministery by how much also he is the Mediator of a better covenant which was established upon better promises 6. But Christ's Priestly Ministry is more excellent as he is the Mediator of a better Covenant than the meer Law of Moses was Though the Promise that went before and with the Law was an obscure Gospel It is better as having better Promises even clearer and fuller and more confirmed by God's Oath and Seal and Earnest It hath Promises of fuller Pardon greater Grace and Priviledges and surer and greater Glory Note That both the Mosaical and the Christian are named in Scripture both a Law and a Covenant for they have the same parts viz. Precepts Promises and Threats and Obedience must be consented to As proposed by God with his Antecedent Mercy it is a Law and a proposed Covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As consented to by Man it is a Law accepted by Subjects and a mutual Covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Grotius his Preface to Annotations on the New Testament of the Names 7. For if that first covenant had been faultless then should no place have been sought for the second 7. For if the first Covenant had been perfect God would not have made the second better Note 1. That it is not sinful Faultiness but such Imperfection as the beginnings of Art and Nature have compared with the Perfection that is here meant 2. It is not here called the First Covenant as if no other had gone before it for there was a former with Adam Noah Abraham but as it is the first of these two And it was a Covenant of Peculiarity distinct from the common one and the Promise 8. For finding fault with them he saith Behold the days come saith the Lord when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah 9. Not according to the Covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt because they continued not in my covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord. 8 9. For he intimateth the defect of the Mosaical Covenant when he saith Behold the days come c. I will make with them a new Covenant of greater and surer Mercy for the former they quickly forsook and I forsook them 10. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people 10. But this is my new Covenant which I will make with all Abraham's believing Seed I will sanctifie them by my Spirit and thereby give them a saving knowledge and love of all my necessary Laws and their Duties as if they were written in their minds and hearts and I will be to them a God which is their All and will love and cherish them as my peculiar people Note That this Promise is not made to Israel as a peculiar political Body for their Policy was to be dissolved but as a part of the Catholick Church which are Abraham's believing Seed 2. Therefore it being supposed that it is to Believers
way to avoid sin but dismembring thy body it would be a duty and no loss to do it Note 1. Christ had said this before Mat. 5.30 It s no fault to say the same thing often 2. If it be so dangerous to be tempted by others it s worse to be our own tempters 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say to you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven 10. Note O what men are they that read and preach this and yet not only despise them but first ignorantly or maliciously slander them and then by this justifie their railing persecuting and destroying them 2. What a comfort is it to the least true Christian that they have their Angels that have charge of them who always see Gods face in glory And shall not we then see it 11. For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost 11. And I that came into the world to save sinners will require it at your hands if you wrong or persecute them or hinder them from the way of their salvation 12. How think ye if a man have a hundred sheep and one of them be gone astray doth he not leave the ninety and nine and goeth into the mountains and seeketh that which is gone astray 13. And if so be he find it verily I say unto you he rejoyceth more of that sheep than of the ninety and nine which went not astray 12 13. Christ likeneth himself to men that have by unexpected success in recovering the lost a more sensible joy than for the rest tho not a higher esteem And if he so much rejoyce in them how will he take it of those that hate persecute or tempt them 14. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish 14. God loveth them better than you love sheep therefore he will save them and judge all those that would afright or drive away from their duty the meanest person 15. Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy brother 16. But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established 17. And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it to the Church but if he neglect to hear the Church let him be to thee as an heathen man and a publican 15 c. And according to this compassionate tenderness of God and your Saviour must be your dealing with one another not to favour sin in any but to seek by love to save the sinner Therefore if any one that thou hast brotherly communion with do trespass against thee by injury or by scandalous crimes within thy notice go and tell him his fault privately in brotherly love and tenderness yet shewing him the evil of his sin that he may repent If he hear thee so as to repent and amend thou hast won him from the danger of his guilt which may be a comfort to thee But if he defend his sin or will not repent and amend cease not thy love or labour but take with thee one or two meet persons that two or three witnesses may the more aw him or credibly convict him And if he neglect to hear them having exercised due patience for the trial and fit means to convince him then make it publick by telling the Church in whose communion he liveth either by opening it in the Congregation that the Church-Guides may reprove him and exhort him to repent and pray for his repentance or when that is not convenient tell it the Guides of the Church that they may make it publick and do their office And if he neglect to hear this publick exhortation have no more communion or familiarity with him than with a Heathen or Publican but so carry it that he and others may see that thou esteemest him not as one of the Christian Society whom Christ will own Note This Text which is Christs Law of Church-discipline is perverted divers ways by several sorts of mistakers Some feign that it speaketh not of sins against God but of injuries against men and that by the Church is meant the Civil Judicature that then was inferiour or superior Sanhedrim But 1. it is evident that it is to Christians or Disciples that Christ giveth this Law others received no Law from him And it was how to deal with a Brother in order to Repentance and Salvation as the foregoing verses shew 2. Christ knew that the Sanhedrim were his deadly enemies and foretold that they would condemn him And therefore never made a Law to his Disciples to use them as their ordinary Judicature 3. He knew that they would hate and persecute his Disciples and therefore never sent them to them for right 4. He came to ubrogate Moses Law and overthrow their Mosaick policy And therefore did not establish it by this Law 5. He could never mean that Christians must take him for a Heathen that heard not the Jews Council when â—he foretold them how that Council would scourge them in their Synagogues and cast out their names and say all manner of evil of them falsly 1 Nor did Christ set up a Christian Judicature of Magistrates having the power of the sword instead of the Jewish For 1. Christ himself refused to use such a power on earth 2. He forbad it his Disciples that strove for it 3. The Text speaketh of no forcing power but perswasive and of no penalty but Alienation and disowning 4. The Apostles did never set up any such coactive Civil Judicature nor the Church after them for 300 years and much more which they would have done had Christ commanded it 5. But they did set up such Ecclesiastick Judicatures wherever they gathered Churches which was their actual visible exposition of this Law of Christ 6. It is not restitution or recovery of Lands Goods or Rights that is here mentioned as the end but the Winning of a brother by repentance 7. And what is more noted by Christ as an offence or trespass against us than scandal and dishonouring the Christian name and society and grieving good men by sinning against God I think these evidences prove past doubt that it is the discipline of Christian Churches Christ here institutes by a standing Law for which he gave the power of the Keys 2. The Church is told and heard when the Rulers are told and heard either before the whole congregation or that they may publish it The whole congregation is not to speak and be heard nor necessarily to be told by the offended himself But as the city is said to Receive and to Execute any Order from the King when the Magistrates do their part in it and the people theirs so it is with