Jesus of Nazareth was Christ And Christ though he was conceived by the holy Ghost without the act of any man yet is said to spring from Abraham from Judah and from David because he was borne of Mary the wife of Joseph who was of the posterity of David of Judah and of Abraham For any son that is borne of a mans wife which is accounted her husbands body though it be not begotten by the husband so it be not begotten by any other man is his son who is husband to the woman For God hath free liberty to give a man a son any way whether naturally by the husband or supernaturally without the husband For by the Law of God it was ordained of old that when the husband died without issue his brother if he have any should marry the widow and as soone as he had any childe by her it should be called the seed of her husband that was deceased With how much more reason may Christ justly be called the son of Joseph and therefore of David Judah or Abraham because though he were not begotten by Joseph himselfe yet he was begotten in his life time not by the act of any other man supplying the part of Joseph but by the worke and power of the holy Ghost and by him begotten upon Mary the espoused wife of Joseph The points by some disputed on this place whether Christ by his mothers side were not of the Tribe of Levi are doubtfull in themselves and impertinent to the matter For among the Jews no man was referred to any Tribe but by his father Hence in all the genealogies or pedigrees mentioned in Scripture men onely are named but the genealogies of women are never described or no otherwise but by the men as the genealogie of Iudith chap. 8. But if in any genealogie a woman be mentioned her parents are not inserted as Matth. 1. Boos begat Obed of Ruth Judas begat Pharez of Thamar David begate Solomon of her that had been the wife of Vrias The reason is because it mattered not for the tribe or pedigree of what woman the childe were borne whether of one or other For the father alwayes gave the tribe and family to the childe Wherefore the genealogie of Christ whether by Matthew or Luke is not framed from the ancestors of Mary but of Joseph 15. And it is yet more evident for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another Priest By another argument taken from the nature of the Priesthood he shews that by the rising of another Priest after the order of Melchisedec the Law is abrogated q. d. If it be evident as it is that upon the translation of the Priesthood to another tribe or family contrary to the precept of the Law the Law it selfe is thereby abrogated much more is the abrogation of it evident upon the rising of another Priest after the order of Melchisedec If the Priesthood had been onely translated to another tribe or family and remained in the former qualitie of it without any other alteration certainly lesse violence had been done to the Law but seeing the Priesthood is translated into another family and tribe upon which the Law no way setled it and also altered into a new kinde of Priesthood much more is it evident that by this translation and alteration of the Priesthood the Law it selfe is changed and abrogated After the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another Priest Another Priest notlike Aaron to be either of his family or of his continuance but like Melchisedec to continue a Priest for ever 16. Who is made not after the Law of a carnall commandment but after the power of an endlesse life The Priest after the similitude or likenesse of Melchisedec is not like the Priests after Aarons order who are made after the Law of a carnall commandment neither is hee a temporary Priest to live for a time onely as they did but an eternall Priest for ever After the Law of a carnall commandment By Law of commandment he meanes those particular precepts in the Law for the election and ordination of the Priest which are called carnall because they had respect onely to the flesh and considered onely the linage birth and death of the Priest binding the Priesthood to a certain tribe namely of Levi and to a certain family in that tribe namely of Aaron and providing for the mortalitie of the Priest by determining the rights of succession all which considerations are carnall respecting onely the flesh For the Law commanded that upon the death of one Priest another should succeed him to the end that though the Priests dyed yet the Priesthood might not die According to this carnall commandment or Lawes respecting the flesh that Priest was not to bee ordained who was to be made after the order of Melchisedec For hee had neither predecessour nor successour neither came hee from the family of Aaron The particle after doth here note the manner of the Priesthood for the constitution of it as applyed to some certaine rule or Law for though the word sometime signifie otherwise yet this is the most usuall sence of it So that here is proposed unto us the qualitie of that Priest who is after the likenesse of Melchisedec and a qualitie contrary to the qualitie of the Priests after Aarons order because as we have often noted every Aaronicall Priest was but temporary onely for a time but the Priest after Melchisedecs order is perpetuall and eternall for ever The words following do enforce this sence especially if wee regard the proofe contained in the verse following But after the power of an endlesse life The Priest after Melchisedees order is such a one as hath the power of perpetuitie such as an endlesse life requires to be Hee is not a carnall mortall and frail Priest that after a little time should need a successour but a most potent Priest that hath an absolute power an eternall Priest that hath an endlesse life For to this sence that which followes doth excellently agree 17. For hee testifieth Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec q.d. Therefore I say that the Priest after the order of Melchisedec is an eternall Priest because God openly testifies it when hee saith Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec 18. For there is verily a disanulling of the commandement going before He had said before that if the Priesthood were changed then the Law also must be changed and hitherto he hath proved that consequence Now he shewes the reason why the Law must be antiquated changed or abrogated For hee seemes to looke backward to the principall purpose and the scope of the former words partly expressed verse 12. and in a manner repeated verse 15. and so againe verse 16. where hee saith that Christ is not made a Priest according to the Law of a carnall commandment In which words he shewed that the commandment of the Law for ordaining of the
the testimonies are alleadged for the same thing Some men that they may elude the true sense of the former testimony which the Holy Ghost shewes to be in the words Thou art my Sonne To day have I begotten thee say that those words are not alleadged as a testimony of Gods collating the Priesthood upon Christ but as a description of him who conferred this office upon him There men doe a manifest injury to the truth and to the words of the Author For how should these following words agree with the former as he saith also in another place doth hee not by these latter words manifestly declare that now another place or Psalm is cited by him wherein the same point is proved for which the former testimony was produced For ever The Priestood of Christ shall last for ever in the person of Christ without ever having any successour in his office for his office shall last as long as there needs any expiation for sinnes even to the end of the world and so long he shall continue in that office After the order of Melchisedeck The duration or terme of Christs Priesthood shall runne out like the duration of Melchisedecks Priesthood or as the Author expresseth himselfe afterward chap. 7.15 after the similitude of Melchisedeck But of these words we shall speake further chap. 7. where the Author explicates this likenesse more fully But here he tacitly meets with a doubt which some man might imagine touching the Priesthood of Christ in that Christ descended not from the family of Aaron or tribe of Levi to which tribe the Priesthood was limited by the Law of God For the type of Melchisedeck doth not only require an eternall Priesthood but also requires that no respect of tribe or family should be had therein as we shall shew hereafter 7. Who in the dayes of his flesh From the third property required in a high Priest and concluded to agree with Christ he ascends now to the second property and saith that Christ also was compassed with infirmity and by reason thereof offered for himselfe This he shews in this 7. verse and then at the 8. verse he inferres that from this infirmity Christ learned to be mercifull toward the distressed and afflicted In the dayes of his flesh By flesh hee understands the infirmity of Christ for flesh is the subject of infirmity and in a manner the cause of it And the dayes of his flesh are the dayes wherein he suffered for in that time chiefly his infirmity most appeared For then it most appeared that Christ was flesh When he had offered prayers and supplications Now he shews that Christ offered also for himselfe Of which his oblation his infirmity and afflictions were the cause the sence whereof how deepely it struck into his soule and how greatly it exercised him appeares from the things which he offered For he shews distinctly both what he offered and to whom as also the adjunct of his offering and the issue of it The matter of his offering was Prayers This is a generall word to signifie all petitions or rather all kinde of speech unto God And supplications which are the prayers or petitions of supplicants whose manner is to fall upon their knees casting themselves at the feet or touching the knees of them to whom they make their prayer The originall word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as some Interpreters note doth properly signifie an olive-branch wrapped about with wooll which supplicants held in their hands Hence we may easily imagine in what anguish of soule Christ was and what pangs of paine he felt when he was driven to such earnest prayers and devout supplications But what prayers and supplications the Author means will appeare from the words following wherein the person to whom he prayed is described in such manner that thence wee may easily understand what he prayed although the adjunct of his prayer doth partly also declare it Vnto him that was able to save him from death In these words he shews not only the person to whom Christ offered but also the cause why he offered him prayers and what the thing was for which he so earnestly prayed And this is the cause why he would describe God after this manner rather then simply name him for therefore he so devoutly supplicated to God because God onely is hee that can save from death which Christ by his prayers chiefly requested He indeed requested some other things besides for in the garden hee petitioned that the cup might passe from him i. he there was an humble supplicant prostrate upon his knees and afterward on his face praying againe and againe with great ardour of minde that hee might be delivered from the great anguish and heavinesse which hee felt in his soule And hanging upon the crosse he poured forth this lamentation unto God My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Wherein hee prayed that God would put an ease and an end to his extreme paines But the summe and breviate or at least the head of all those prayers was this for his delivery from death For hee that is delivered from death in that sence that Christ here desired hee hath found an end of all paines both of soule and body and hath obtained supreme happinesse This delivery Christ prayed for in commending his Spirit to God when he was ready to expire For to commend the spirit to God or to pray that God would receive it into his hands what is it else but to pray that he would preserve it and afterward restore it and consequently to recal him from death to life whose spirit it is That the Author had respect to these prayers of Christ it may appeare by their adjunct which he also mentions in saying That his prayers were offered up With strong crying and teares The holy History of the Evangelists doe testifie that Christ hanging upon the Crosse complained in the words of the Psalme with a great cry that God had forsaken him and afterward being ready to expire he commended his Spirit to God But the Sacred History mentions not any teares of Christ shed at that time yet notwithstanding it appeares that it was so and was knowne to the Authour to bee so Now this cry and teares doe further shew how deepely the sence of paine was impressed into him when it forced him to expresse such cryes and teares Hence it appeares further that Christ thus exercised with so great a sence of paines himselfe cannot but be moved at the miseries and paines of his people cannot but willingly hear the dolefull cryes and complaines and affoord his opportune succour and help in their afflictions and distresses From these words of the Authour it appeares how Christ offered for himselfe namely that hee offered not himselfe but his prayers for himselfe and then he offered them not when he became immortall in his heavenly Tabernacle but in the dayes of his flesh or infirmity For when he became immortall he could not
doctrines of it 14. But strong meat belongeth to them that are perfect of full age Having said that strong meat must not be given to babes now on the contrary he shewes to whom it must be given namely to them that are adulted or perfect in age For the perfect or adulted who are of age are here opposed to infants and babes and so they are opposed 1. Cor. 14.20 and Ephes 4.13.14 Even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised Those is not any note of distinction to difference some perfect or adulted persons from others but a note of explication to shew the cause of his assertion For the Author shews the cause or reason why onely strong meat is to be given to the perfect or them of full age and to them only The reason is because they only have their sensories or organs of their sences exercised as their eyes tongue and palate whereby they can easily discerne and judge of strong meat which is good and wholsome for them and contrarily which is evil and hurtfull These sensories of their eyes tongue and palate they have exercised through practise and custome in seeing touching and tasting of meates To discerne both good and evil These words are not to be taken in a Morall sense but a Physicall He that is of perfect or full age and hath been accustome to make severall trials of severall meats can easily finde by experience what meats doe agree with his stomack and what not for they that are agreeing and nourishing to him they are good and wholsome for him they which doe not are evil and hurtfull Which difference of meats being first tryed inwardly in his stomack hee will afterward easily discerne by his outward sences and particularly by his eye which upon sight of any meats will easily judge of them before hee taste them To these perfect or full aged persons they are resembled who have their mindes exercised and trained with frequent and daily meditations of things divine who have tasted divers doctrines as it were severall meats and have digested the knowledge of many divine mysteries who have gotten a custome or habite of minde whereby they can easily discerne and judge what doctrine is true and what false which is consequent to Christian religion and which is repugnant This discretion they onely have attained who can comprehend in their minde as it were a body of Christian religion and stick not onely in the first principles of it The Contents of this fifth Chapter are 1. Every high Priest is ordained for men v. 1. Reason 1. Because hee is a Mediatour for men to God in things pertaining to God eod 2 Because he must offer gifs and sacrifices for the sins of men eod 2. Every high Priest must have compassion on mens ignorances and infirmities v. 2. Reason 1. Because he himselfe is subject to ignorances and infirmities eod 2. Because he must offer for his owne ignorances and infirmities as well as for the peoples v. 3. 3. No high Priest must take the high-Priesthood to himselfe v. 4 Reason 1. Because he must be called of God as was Aaron eod 4. Christ is truely a high Priest v. 5. Reason 1. Because he tooke not this Priest-hood to himselfe but was called of God to be a perpetuall high Priest after the terme of Melchisedec ver eod and 6. 2. Because Christ offered for his owne infirmities in sufferings v. 7. 3. Because being saved from death he becomes the Author of eternall salvation to all that obey him 5. The Mysteries concerning Christs high Priest-hood were hard to be uttered to the Hebrewes v. 11. Reason 1. Because they were dull of hearing eod 2. Because though long taught they had not yet learned the principles of Christianity 3. Because the Mysteries of Christs Priest-hood was too strong meat for their unexercised mindes CHAPTER VI. 1. THerefore leaving the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ There is a double sence of these words found among Interpreters and thereupon a double way of their coherence with the former Chapter For it is plaine that the words are inferd from thence as the particle therefore shewes Both sences of the words seeme to require that they be taken in a Rhetoricall communication but in a contrary manner For either the Authour speakes personally here of himselfe and saith that himselfe in this place will leave the principles of the Doctrine of Christ and proceed to explicate more sublime Mysteries comprehended therein or else hee admonisheth them to whom hee writes that they leaving those Principles would proceed to a fuller knowledge in Christianitie We rather approve of the former sence as followed by many learned men yet because the latter is not to be despised therefore we shall explicate them both If therefore we receive the first sence the Author seemes to say Therefore I will leave to speake further of the principles of Christianity and draw toward the perfection of it and propose deeper mysteries in it for I will not lay againe the foundation of Repentance to be practised and of Faith to relye on God neither will I deliver the doctrine of Baptismes of Imposition of hands of the Resurrection of the dead and of eternall life Upon which verities as upon principles and foundations the doctrines of Repentance and faith in God is raised and built up These principles I will not handle againe for it is enough that they have beene propounded once although I refuse not to handle them againe if God permit Which I therefore speake because it is impossible for those who were once enlightned c. to renew them againe unto repentance If we follow this sence all points will agree well enough yet in the coherence onely there will seeme some difficulty For some man may object Seeing the Author said in the former chapter that those Hebrewes had need to be taught againe the very principles of Religion to be nourished with milke and not with meate How can he from this inferre that therefore he will leave the principles and the milke to propose strong meate and deeper mysteries seeing rather he should inferre the quite contrary This difficulty may easily be salved if we say that the coherence of these words must be referred to the eleventh verse of the former chapter where the Author said He had many things to say and hard to be uttered of Christ his high Priesthood That in reference to these words he might inferre Therefore leaving the principles let us go on to perfection So that all the intermediate verses betweene the eleventh of the former chapter and the beginning of this which were added occasionally to excite the Hebrewes to a diligent attention must be read as it were in a parenthesis If then we follow this sence we must say that the Author in the first part of this chapter doth affirme that he will proceed in explicating the mysteries of Christs Priesthood notwithstanding the Hebrewes by reason of their slownesse and
Hebrewes in Nownes compounded to adde 1 to the first Nowne for sweet sounding and ornament as Adonisedec Adonibesec Abimelech Achimelech Haminadab Abisag c. and the same is done also in Melchisedec From these words it manifestly appeares that this Epistle was not written in Hebrew but in Greek for either these must be the words of a Greeke interpreter or of the Hebrew Author of a Greeke interpreter they cannot be seeing they are a part of the Text it selfe and of the reasoning therein The words of an Hebrew Authour how can they bee For what could bee more vaine then first to interpret the name Melchisedec and Salem to the Hebrewes seeing none of the Hebrewes could be ignorant of the sense of these names and then to interpret Melchisedec Melechsedec and Melechsalem Melechsalem For so these names must needs be interpreted if this Epistle were written in Hebrew unlesse an Hebrew Author writing Hebrew names to the Hebrewes should interpret them by another language then the Hebrew It is therefore apparent that the Writer of this Epistle was a Greeke who interprets the Hebrew name Melchisedec and Salem and from these very appellations doth tacitly draw an argument to shew that Melchisedec is a most elegant type of Christ who is a King of all others the most righteous and most peaceable Whence Esay 9.6 he is called the Prince of peace because he especially hateth and abhorreth warres neither cares he to be famous for warres as the Kings of this world do but onely for peace and withall is most happy in himselfe and the author of true happinesse to his people For as it is well knowne the word peace among the Hebrewes signifies also all happinesse 3. Without father without mother He hath shewed that Melchisedeck was a Priest of the most High God now hee further declares what manner of Priest he was and in that respect how far he was unlike to the Leviticall Priests and contrarily how like unto Christ In the Leviticall Priest especially in the high Priest the chiefest regard of all was to know of what father what mother and of what family hee came But in the Priest Melchisedeck it is apparent there was no regard at all had of this seeing the Scripture which testifies of him that he was a Priest hath declared neither his father nor mother nor family Melchisedeck therefore is said to be without father and mother not that hee had no father or mother but because neither his father nor mother are declared or mentioned in the annalls of the Scripture For even among prophane Writers they whose pedigree and parentage was unknowne were said to be of no family and to have neither father nor mother Theodoret speakes very well upon these words of the Author The holy Scripture saith he relates the Genealogie of Abraham and many others as well who went before him as followed after she mentions his father grandfather and great grandfather and all his direct ancestors she addes also that when he was so many years old he begat a son when so many that he dyed But she shewes not the father nor parentage of Melchisedeck nor how long he lived nor when he dyed Besides in ordaining the Leviticall Priesthood it must be knowne of what family he was for of necessity he must be of the family of Aaron as Aaron himselfe was of the tribe of Levi unto which tribe Jacob the Patriarch had Prophetically designed the Priesthood as he had the Kingdome to the tribe of Judah Regard also was had of his mother for she must be an Israelite one of the twelve tribes otherwise the sonne borne of her being a stranger though married to the high Priest was illegitimate for the Priesthood and also the high Priest must necessarily be borne of a woman that was married to his father when she was a virgin or was the widow of some other Priest and one that was not of a plebeian and vulgar family whereof see Lev. 21.13 Without descent or pedigree Whose genealogy or pedigree is not declared in Scripture For a pedigree is a declaration of a mans parentage or descent He is not without descent or parentage that hath no parentage at all but because his parentage is not mentioned or extant and therefore not knowne And by this word it may appeare in what sense the Author said that Melchisedek was without father and without mother namely because as there is no mention in Scripture of his pedigree and ancestors no neither of his parents whereof the former is consequent to the latter For hee whose parents are unknowne how should his pedigree and descent be knowne Having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life Dayes may here be taken not for the time of his life but for the time of his Priesthood when that began or ended for so the Scripture mentions the dayes of Herod and of John Baptist And in this sense Melchisedeck is said to have neither beginning of dayes nor end of life because the Scripture declares not at what time his Priesthood began nor when it ended to make it hereby appeare that in his Priesthood there was no respect had either of his predecessor or successor For therefore in every Priest the beginning and ending of his Priesthood is noted that it might thence appeare what predecessor and what successor each Priest had And further the end of life is fitly opposed to the beginning of his Priesthood because the Priesthood expired not but with his life But if by Dayes we understand the time of his life then we must acknowledge that the beginning of his life is mentioned only for opposition and amplifications sake For it was enough for the Author to shew that Melchisedeck had no knowne successor in his Priesthood that in this respect he might be a type of Christ which he expresseth by saying he had no end of life But being willing to say yet more for illustrations sake he affirmes that as he had no end of life so he had no beginning of it and therefore no marvell if the end of his life were not mentioned when the beginning of it was concealed But made like unto the Son of God abideth a Priest continually But compared or likened unto Christ abides a Priest perpetually and without any successor He doth in these words further yet illustrate the point from the contrary Melchisedec hath no end of life but remaines a Priest perpetually or for ever And when hee would signifie where the Scripture testifies this he saith made like unto the Sonne of God q.d. There the Scripture testifies it where she compares and likens him to Christ For the Scripture no where expresly saith of Melchisedec alone by himselfe that he abides a Priest for ever but only in comparing him with Christ in the very words spoken of Christ Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec In which words the Scripture doth withall insinuate tacitly and by force of the comparison that
Melchisedec was a Priest for ever and takes it as it were for granted For unlesse she first suppose the perpetuity of Melchisedecs Priesthood how could she in this respect make Christ like unto Melchisedec The Author saith that Melchisedec was like unto Christ when it seems he should rather have said that Christ was like to Melchisedec Yet the Author not only might speake so but in a manner must He might say so because things alike are mutually so and each is like the other And hee must because when the Author would speake roundly and referre the words of the Psalme Thou art a Priest for ever directly to Melchisedec himselfe Melchisedec must be named in the first place and not the Sonne of God and therefore he is rightly inferred to be like the Sonne of God and not the Sonne of God like him For otherwise either the words of the Psalme must seem to bee referred to the Sonne of God as the Psalme it selfe referres them and not directly spoken of Melchisedec by the Author or certainly the perpetuity of Melchisedec must be asserted by this testimony of Scripture some other way yet not so roundly and briefly And besides the Author would tacitly shew by this manner of speech that the perpetuity of Melchisedec was but typicall and umbratilous compared to the eternity of Christ and therefore in this respect Melchisedec was rather to be likened to Christ then Christ to Melchisedec Abideth a Priest continually That abides continually which hath no intermission or cessation from being which being applied to time signifies perpetuity How Melchisedec is a Priest abiding perpetually and for ever the Priesthood of his antitype who is Christ may teach us Christ is therefore a Priest abiding for ever because his Priesthood lasteth a long time and so long as there is any use of a Priesthood or so long as the state of things shall so continue that there is no further need of any Priesthood And then there shall be no further need of any when the people of God are translated into heaven and shall need no further expiation of their sinnes So also Melchisedec was a perpetuall Priest because his Priesthood lasted a very long time and together with it the knowledge and worship of the true God among men was extinguished so that there was no further place or use of that Priesthood that was dedicate to the true God For a thing is said to abide for ever which both lasteth a long time and also so long as the nature of the thing will beare So David saith that he will praise God for ever so the Law is said eternall and the Gospel in this sense is called eternall and many other things in like manner This way Melchisedec is called an eternall Priest though in reference to Christ his Priesthood compared to the Priesthood of Christ hath but an umbratilous eternity as the shadow to the body For if the likenesse were in every respect then there would not be a figure and a truth but either both figures or both truths Therefore the likenesse betweene Melchisedec and Christ in this place consisteth in three things 1. As in the Priesthood of Melchisedec there was no respect had of his parentage or family for he is said to be without father mother and descent so neither in the Priesthood of Christ who according to the flesh descended from that Tribe who had no title to the Priesthood 2. That both were perpetuall Priests for ever Melchisedec in an umbratilous and figurative way but Christ solidly and really 3. As Melchisedec in his Priesthood had no predecessor nor successor so neither had Christ in his 4. Now consider how great this man was Here begins another part of the Chapter wherein the Author shews how farre Melchisedec surpasseth in dignity the Leviticall Priests That from thence it might appeare how farre more worthy that Priest is who is after the order of Melchisedec and of whom Melchisedec was but a shadow for such a Priest must needs farre surpasse any Priest that is after the order of Aaron For if the shadow were so excellent what shall we attribute to the body it selfe Now that Melchisedec was a more worthy person then the Leviticall Priests he proves by three reasons 1. Because Abraham gave him tithes 2. Because he blessed Abraham 3. Because hereupon the Scripture testifies that he lives for ever He calls therefore upon the Hebrewes to consider this man that he might stirre them up to ponder and weigh the dignity of Melchisedec q.d. I have briefly declared unto you from Scripture how farre she speakes or is silent concerning Melchisedec Now consider and ponder the particulars well that thence ye may know how farre he excells the Leviticall Priests Vnto whom even the Patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoiles The dignity of Melchisedec above the Leviticall Priests appeares first from this that even Abraham gave him tithes The particle even may be referred to Abraham and then it seemes added to exaggerate and amplifie the dignity of Melchisedec from the person of Abraham that not some vulgar person but even Abraham himselfe gave him tithes And to this opinion it elegantly agrees that to the name of Abraham is added the title of Patriarch and that with the article the the Patriarch Abraham For when we would amplifie the honour of a person we put an addition of title to his name Or as the order of the words require the particle even may be referred to the tithes and then it aggerates and amplifies the dignity of Melchisedec from the gift of Abraham that Abraham gave him tithes which is no vulgar present but a solemne and sacred portion So that the great dignity of Melchisedec is illustrated and magnified from two particulars as well from the person of Abraham who was the Patriarch as from the gift of Abraham which was a tenth of the spoiles The article the prefixed before Patriarch doth not evince that Abraham only was a Patriarch and no other men so but it notes that he was some principall and renowned Patriarch as indeed he was for he was the father and Prince of the Patriarcks and the first founder of the Jewish Nation for whose sake the Jews became a Nation because they were the seed which God promised him to be multiplyed unto him Now from all this that so great a person as Abraham the father and founder of the Jewish Nation should give a tithe to Melchisedec from all this I say appeares the great dignity of Melchisedec For he that receives tithes is greater then he that gives them and therefore Melchisedec must needs be greater then Abraham who yet was the greatest of all the Jewish Nation and consequently Melchisedec must needs be greater also then all the Jewish Nation 5. And verily they that are the sons of Levi He amplifies and illustrates his former argument and compares Melchisedec with the Leviticall Priests in the point of taking tithes In which respect he acknowledgeth
imperfection of that Priesthood and Law he proves the abrogation of both If perfection were by the Leviticall Priesthood By perfection here he understands nothing else but a true and perfect expiation of sinne whereby the guilt not of some sinnes only but of all even of the most grievous offences and crimes is taken away whereby all punishments of sinne not only temporall concerning this life but the eternall punishment of death it selfe is remitted and forgiven whereby a right to eternall life is granted unto men and lastly whereby not only all guilt of all sinnes but all sinnes themselves are taken away from men For in these things consisteth the true perfection of men before God If therefore this perfection could have been brought to men by the Leviticall Priesthood certainly there had been no need nor use of a new Priesthood after the order of Melchisedec for every Priesthood is ordained for the expiation of sinnes But if a perfect expiation of sinnes could have been effected by the Priesthood after the order of Aaron what need a new Priest bee super induced after the order of Melchisedec to performe those actions which might have been done by the former Wherefore seeing God would ordaine a new Priest and also now hath ordained him hence it appears that by the Leviticall Priesthood no man could obtaine perfection or perfect expiation and certainly no man did obtaine it For by that Priesthood some sinnes only were expiated namely as we shewed before ignorances and infirmities but great offences as crimes and villanies were punished with death Neither had that expiation any force to take away eternall death but only to release some temporall punishments proper to this life Neither in those sacrifices was there any power to withdraw men from sinne it selfe all which particulars the Author prosecutes in the passages following Yet the Author useth not the word perfection in one sense only for there are divers perfections of a thing and therefore we must still gather from the matter handled what perfection hee meanes Here because hee speaks of perfection flowing from the Priesthood therefore no other can be understood but that which is seen in a perfect expiation of sinne namely that a man bee wholly spotlesse and blamelesse subject neither to paine nor losse by any sentence of condemnation in the sight of God In which sense he useth the same word chap. 10. 14. For under it the people received the Law For what purpose the Author inserted these words into his former argument we shall see afterward and for the present shall speake of their explication Under it i. under the Priesthood as if the people had received the Law under the Priesthood and so most Interpreters affirme But this sense is contrary to the words in the originall which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and doe not signifie under it but upon it and contrary to the truth of the thing for the Law was not given under the Priesthood as if the Priesthood had been extant before the Law given but rather contrarily a great and principall part of the Law was already given before the Priesthood was ordained so that it might be more truly said the Priesthood was given under or after the Law then the Law under or after the Priesthood And lastly this sense is contrary to the mind of the Author and makes nothing to the purpose For what makes it to the purpose in hand that the Law was given in the time of the Priesthood For would it thence follow either that perfection must be by that Priesthood or if perfection were by it that there were no need of another Priesthood or lastly if the Priesthood were abrogated that then the Law were abrogate Wherefore as the Greeke words sound it is said in this place that the people received the Law not under the Priesthood but upon the Priesthood And to receive the Law upon the Priesthood is nothing else but of the Priesthood concerning or touching it Which sense some Interpreters doe acknowledge as Junius and Tremellius and Piscator For the Greeke particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answers the Hebrew Hal which often notes the object or matter of a thing Now therefore these words may seem to cohere with the minde of the Author three wayes 1. If we say that in them he shews the cause why he named the Leviticall priesthood and no other q.d. therefore I name the Leviticall priesthood because the people received the Law of it 2. That in them he shews cause why it might seem that perfection came by that Priesthood namely because the people received the Law of it 3. That those words containe a confirmation or peculiar reason why if perfection came not by the Leviticall priesthood there must not be another Priest ordained diverse from the Leviticall For though this would bee sufficient of it self to exclude another Priest yet it follows so much the more if not only perfection be by the Leviticall Priesthood but also that Priesthood was established by the Law and of this reason wee most approve Therefore it is as much as if the Author had said If perfection be by the Leviticall Priesthood especially seeing concerning it Laws were given to the people what need is there for the ordination of another Priest for many times in Scripture a reason of a sentence is inserted before the sentence bee fully uttered in all the parts of it Whereof among other places we have an example 1 Pet. 4.1.2 in these words For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin which must be read as in a parenthesis For they containe the cause why Christians must suffer in the flesh with Christ i. crucifie the flesh because he that hath suffered in the flesh i. whose body is put to death he hath ceased from sinne And the reason is generall agreeing to all the dead Therefore the words which follow from the beginning of the second verse That he no longer should live c must not be joyned with the words next preceding Ceased from sinne but they being included in a parenthesis as a generall reason they must be referred to the former words arm your selves as to their finall cause The mind of the Author in this place will be more plain if we transfer these words to the end of the verse thus Therefore if perfection be by the Leviticall Priesthood what further need was there that another Priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec and not be called after the order of Aaron especially seeing of that Priesthood the Law was given to the people For thence it presently followes that together with this Priesthood the Law must be abrogated when a Priest ordained according to the order of Melchisedec which should not be abrogated unlesse there were some default in it That another Priest should rise From his former grounds he inferres that a Priest after the order of Melchisedec must be another and a different Priest from those Priests that
or censer whereon he was first to burne incense must needs bee without the oracle or else he could not first come at it And the arke of the Covenant overlaid round about with gold The Arke was a strong chest or coffer the matter forme and measures whereof see Exod. 25.10 This was called the Arke of the Covenant for the use of it which was to inclose the tables wherein the first Covenant was written Wherein was the golden pot that had Manna Wherein must be referred to the Arke as appears by the beginning of the next verse for in this verse the Author would shew what was in the Arke and in the next what was over it This pot of Manna was gathered before the building of the Tabernacle and commanded to be laid up before the Testimony there to be kept when the Tabernacle should be built See Ex. 16.33.34 And Aarons rod that budded Concerning Aarons rod how it budded and upon what occasion and for what purpose it did so See Num. 17. And the tables of the Covenant There were severall parcels of the old Covenant for there were the tables of the Covenant which the Lord wrote with his owne finger in stone containing the Decalog and there was the booke of the Covenant which Moses wrote and read in the audience of the people and sprinkled it with bloud when the Covenant was confirmed with a solemne sacrifice See Exod. 24.4 and afterward in this Chapter vers 19. Now wee finde none but the tables of the Covenant to bee laid up in the Arke yet not those tables that were first written for they were broken upon the indignation which Moses had at the worshipping of the golden Calfe but the tables written afterward were there reserved But how could the pot of Manna and Aarons rod bee in the Arke when wee read expresly that nothing was in the Arke save the two tables of stone 1 King 8.9 and 2 Chron. 5.10 The Answer is Either wee must say that in successe of time the pot of Manna and Aarons rod came to bee put into the Arke which before were not so Or wee must say that the particle In here must be a little extended in sense to include those things that were adjacent to the Arke being neare or about it So John is said to baptise in Bethabara because he baptised neare or about it John 1.28 So Joshua is said to be in Jericho when he was by or neare it Josh 5.13 And in this sense the Author first expresseth those things which were by or neare the Arke as the pot of Manna and Aarons tod then the things in the Arke as the tables of the Covenant And lastly in the following verse the things over the Arke as the Cherubims And this might happily bee the cause why under the particle in hee would first comprise the things by the. Arke before those in it that he might make use of this gradation 5. And over it the Cherubims of glory shadowing the Mercy-seate The Cherubims were two Images of solid gold fashioned like winged men whose wings did over shadow the Mercy-seate being one at the one end of it and the other at the other having their faces looking one towards another Of them see Exod. 25.17 And they were called the Cherubims of glory by an Hebraisme for glorious Cherubims because of their lustre and brightnesse which in Scripture is often called glory The Mercy-seate had two uses one to bee a Cover for the Arke to shut up the Tables of the Covenant the other to represent the seat or throne of God where God would speake with Moses to give answers for the people and to shew himselfe mercifull And the originall word in the Hebrew carries a twofold sence to answer and fit this two-fold use for Capporeth derived from the verbe Caphor which signifies to cover a vessell and to cover sinne which last is the proper act of mercy Therefore though the Hebrew word might have beene simply and fully enough rendred the Cover yet the Septuagint following the other signification of the word have translated Hilasterion i. a Propitiatory or Mercy-seate which distinguisheth this cover from all others as a peculiar use and property of it And it is very consonant to reason that by the ambiguity of the word the Spirit of God would signifie so much Of which we cannot now speake particularly Though each of these particulars concerning the first Covenant might require particular explication and serve highly for advancing the dignity of Christs Priesthood and of the new Covenant yet the time will not now permit it because our purpose calls us on to other matters 6. Now when these things were thus ordained Having briefly described the Tabernacle and the severall furniture of it now he comes to describe the way of divine service therein which according to the two partitions or roomes of the Tabernacle was twofold whereof he toucheth the first in this verse and handleth the other in those following The Priests went alwayes into the first Tabernacle accomplishing the service of God The ordinary Priests went onely into the first Tabernacle for none but the high Priest went into the second And into the first they went alwayes that is every day daily for herein they are opposed to the high Priest who went into the second Tabernacle once every yeare The daily services of God accomplished by the Priests in the first Tabernacle were to burne Incense on the golden Censer and to light up or mend the Lamps of the Candlestick c. 7. But into the second went the high Priest alone once every yeare The high Priest went in alone and therefore he onely yet he went not in daily but yearely once every yeare at the solemne fast of Expiation whereof see Levit. 16. Not without bloud which he offered Not without bloud is with bloud and with bloud onely for the high Priest offered in the second Tabernacle nothing else but bloud For he must enter thither with the bloud of a Bullock and of a Goate and offer it by sprinkling it with his finger upon and before the Mercy-seate seven times Whence it appeares that this offering of the high Priest did not consist in the slaughter of those beasts whose bloud he offered and therefore neither did the offering of Christ answerable thereto whereof the Author treates consist in the death of Christ but by his entrance into heaven after his death Indeed the death of Christ is called an offering and sacrifice yet it is so called for the resemblance of it with the free-will and peace-offerings and therefore especially because it was most gratefull and acceptable to God in which respect also other notable works of piety may be and are called in Scripture offerings and sactifices unto God For himselfe and for the errours of the people Here is a little trajection of the words for the right sence is thus for the errours of himselfe and of the people For in this sacrifice the Priest
yearly can never make the commers thereunto perfect for therefore it is that those offerings are iterated yeare by yeare This reason he doth by the way confirm by another reason because the law hath only a shadow of future blessings and not the very image of them Therefore the causal particle for hath not reference to what was said immediatly before but must in this place be referred to his principall doctrine though more remote which was That the legall high Priest offered year by year but Christ once only A shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the things Those good things to come may be understood more largely or strictly First largely to comprehend both eternall happinesse it selfe promised or bequeathed us in the new Testament also all the helps and meanes for the acquiring of it affoorded us under the same Testament and pourtrayed in the legall shadowes such as are Christ himselfe our high Priest his Bloud his Offering his Sanctuarie and such like for these were future and to come in respect of the Law Or they may be taken strictly onely for the happinesse promised us Neither of these sences are disagreeing to the text yet the latter is more probable by reason of those words in the former chapter verse 11. wherein Christ is said to be a high Priest of good things to come and so the Priest and his Priesthood are manifestly distinguished and if ye marke it well so is his Sanctuarie and his Sacrifice But seeing there is no open mention of these good things to come but only in that text and this which we have now in hand that in both the same thing is handled it is most agreeable to reason that the good things to come in this place should be taken strictly for the happinesse onely promised us in the new testament which comprehends our perpetual deliverance from all punishments of all our sins our eternal inheritance of eternall life For by the admitting of this sense wee shall the more easily interpret the words following concerning the very image of the things For this condition seemes plainely taken from the Law and attributed to the Gospel Of those things which are not so much the parts of our happinesse as the means and adjuncts of it the Gospel doth not exhibit unto us the image but the substances themselves but of those promises it proposeth to us in this life rather the image then the substance although our deliverance from the punishments of our sinnes doe in some measure begin in this life But it exhibits unto us the very image of them in as much as it describes and promiseth them most openly to us so that are may seem in a manner to see them before our eyes But the Law had only a shadow of those good things from whence we could but conjecture very darkly and imperfectly what and what manner of things they were To that shadow contained in the Law were proportionably answering both the sacrifices by meanes whereof those good things were attained and also the high Priest the Sanctuary and such like But now seeing a clear and perfect image of those celestiall goods is proposed unto us and promised us in plaine and open tearmes therefore there are required other sacrifices which have an apparent and manifest vertue and efficacie to procure those goods unto us which can beget in our soules a most assured hope of them and can draw us to a course of life sutable to them Can never by those sacrifices which they offered yeare by yeare continually The words yeare by yeare doe not seem to cohere with offered for then there is a great and hard transposition of the words but agree rather with those sacrifices for so the sense is facile and usuall as if hee had said the same sacrifices recurring yeare by yeare whereby he would intimate that under the Law the same sacrifices were offered yet not every day and moneth but every yeare and every yeare sacrifices were offered yet not diverse but the same the same kinde yeare by yeare The space of time whereby those sacrifices were distant one from another was a yeare and when the yeare came about the sacrifice was of the same kinde Which they offered The persons who did make the offering were the high Priests to whom the Law enjoyned it But here the words are put in a passive sense to signifie the sacrifices which were offered For ordinary it is that an active forme of speech doth carry a passive sense So Luke 12.20 The words are active This night shall they require thy soule But the sense is passive this night thy soule shall be required Continually In this there is more signified then in the words yeare by yeare for it intimates that the course of yeares wherein yeare by yeare the same sacrifices were iterated was not interrupted nor intermitted but constantly continued and the continuance of this custome was not short for the space of some few yeares successively but a long continuance for many ages Can never make the commers thereunto perfect Although the same sacrifices were yeare by yeare iterated without intermission for a long continuance yet the Law by means of those sacrifices could never perfect the Commers thereto The Commers were all such amongst Gods people as came to worship God and serve him by means of those sacrifices and therefore in the verse following the same persons in the same respect are called the worshippers For in the peoples accesse or comming to the Tabernacle is also included that divine worship and service which there they performed Seeing their Accesse and Comming thither was but for worship and service and seeing again that worship and service might bee done no where else but by comming there for the Law forbad the people to offer sacrifice in any other place but the Sanctuary To perfect signifies to expiate or purge from sinne and to expiate so fully and finally that the party once expiate shall want nothing else shall need no other oblation of any other sacrifice nor no iteration of the same and consequently shall feele no further conscience of his sins 2. For then would they not have ceased to be offered This sentence should not be rendred negatively then they would not have ceased for this negation is quite contrary to the sense and reasoning of the Author But affirmatively thus for then would they have ceased to be offered For because the same sacrifices were yeare by yeare offered continually therefore from thence he proves that they could not perfect the worshippers or commers to the sacrifices and this their imperfection he further confirmes ab absurdo for if the same sacrifices could have perfected the commers thereto they would have ceased from being iterated and offered againe yeare by yeare continually For what need the same sacrifices be iterated yeare by yeare if they could perfect the commers to them by expiating their sinnes fully and finally for if the