Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

A.D. 63.

16 Let us therefore

come boldly unto the
throne of grace, that
we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help

in time of need.

16. Relying therefore on the Power and Compaffion of fuch_an Interceffor, you may addrefs to God with a much more comfortable Affurance, than the Jews could to the Mercy Seat: And chearfully depend

upon Him, for a seasonable Deliverance from all the Perfecutions you fuffer for his Sake.

[blocks in formation]

The Dignity and Excellency of Christ's Priefthood above the Levitical. The Efficacy of it proved from his Refurrection and Glorification. It is compared to that of Melchifedec. The Wisdom and Advantage of the Sufferings of the Son of God. The fmall Progress of the Jewish Christians complained of.

See Chap. prieft taken from
OR every* high
F

jv. 14, 15,

16, 17.

among men, is or-
dained for men in
things pertaining to
God, that he may of-
fer both gifts and fa-

1.

You

U may now, I fay, as you are Chriftians, address felves to God with a clearer and your more comfortable Affurance of Acceptance with him than the Jews could do; as having Chrift for your High Prieft, whofe Office is of far more Dignity and Prevalence than that of Their High Prieft could ever be: As may be seen by comparing them in any refpect whatever. As First, The Jewish High Priefts, though employed in Divine Service, and Mediators between God and the People, were yet but mere Frail and Mortal Men.

crifices for fins :

[blocks in formation]

2 & 3. And though they could not but bear a compaffionate Regard to the Frailties and Infirmities of the People, in whofe Behalf they Miniftred; yet was this their Compaffion of a much inferiour and lefs effectual Kind than that of Chrift to Us.

They

3 And by reafon hereof he ought, as for the people, fo alfo for himself, to offer for fins.

They could not but have a fellow A. D. 63. feeling with the reft of the Congregation, because they were Men and Sinners themselves: And for that Reason, upon the Great Expiation Day, they offered a particular Sacrifice for their Own Offences: Whereas Chrift lived and fuffered in perfect Innocency, and was pleafed, for, our greater Comfort and Affurance, to fympathize with our Infirmities, Mifcarriages and Sufferings, while he had not the leaft Sin of his Own.

4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron :

:

5 So alfo Chrift glorified not himself to be made an high prieft but he that. faid unto him, Thou art my fon, to day have I begotten thee. 6 As he faith alfo in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of

Melchifedec.

4, 5 & 6. Then again, our Lord excels the Levitical High Priefts, in the Divine Demonftrations given of the Greatness and Authentickness of His High Office. For as They were exprefly ordered to be of the Line of Aaron, and fometimes the Perfon fpecially appointed by God; fo was Chrift of the Family of David, according to the Prophecies concerning Him. And while he did not affect

[ocr errors]

II.

to appear and fhow himself in the + See PhiForm of a Divine and Heavenly lip. ii. 5. Mediator, while he lived upon Earth, He was, by his Glorious Refurrection from the Dead, in a much more folemn Manner, declared and demonftrated to be the Son of God, the Great High Priest and Saviour of Mankind. According to thofe Words of the Pfalmift spoken of the Refurrection of the Meffiah, by God the Father (Pfal. ii.) || A&s xiii. Thou art my Son, this Day have I begotten Thee. And 33. upon the fame Account in another Pfalm (Pfalm cx.) He is called A Prieft for ever after the Order of Melchifedec,

i.e. an

After the Order of Melchifedec, nara vráž‹• According to the Likeness or Refemblance of Melchifedec; as the following Paffages and thofe of the fifth Chapter plainly fhow it, especially Ver. 15. of that Chapter. Accordingly the Syriac renders it by

.Similitude דמותא

A.D. 63. i.. an Eternal and Powerful one; a King to Govern and Save, as well as a Priest to Sacrifice for his People.

7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and fupplications, with ftrong crying and tears, able to fave him from death, and was heard,

unto him that was

in that he feared.

8 Though he were a Son, yet * learned he obedience, by the things which he fuffered':

9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal fal

Tvation unto all them that obey him ;

•3196

10 Called of God

[ocr errors]

7 & 8. So alfo the Prayers and Tears, the Agonies and Sufferings of our Jefus, were a Service of infinitely more Acceptance and Prevalency with God, than the Prayers and Sacrifices of a Jewish High Prieft could poffibly be. The Obedience and Sufferings of one, who was the very Son of God, making him at once both a compleat Attonement for our Sins, and a most perfect and encouraging Example of Obedience and Refignation to the Divine Will.

9 & 10. And as his Sufferings thus rendered him a Perfect High Prieft for our Reconciliation to God, fo his Refurrection || and Glorification in Heaven has demonftrated Him to be the powerful Saviour of all his true Difciples; giving them a perfect Affurance of eternal Happiness: According to the true Meaning of the forementioned Scripture, Thou art a +See Ver.6. Prieft for ever after the Order of Melchifedect.

an high pricft after the order of Melchi* fedec.

11 Of whom we

11. I have several Things particuhave many things to larly to obferve to you, concerning fay, and hard to be this Analogy between the Priesthood uttered; feeing ye are of Melchifedec, and that of Chrift; dull of hearing. in order to convince you of its great Excellency above the Levitical Priesthood, the Jews fo much boast of. But I fear your Prejudices are still fuch,

that

* He learned Obedience by the things, &c. at may fignify, not only to be infructed one's felf, but to learn others, answering to the Hebrew rendered both by and ddox, in the Septuagint

that you will hardly understand and relish them, though A. D. 63. the things themselves are intelligible and eafy enough.

1 2 For when for the

time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the firft principles of the oracles of God; and are become fuch as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

12. For indeed, though one would think you have had time enough from your firft Converfion (especially the Jewish Converts, who have long before enjoyed the Advantage of the Law, and the Prophets) to underftand your Chriftian Religion fo well, as to be able to teach the highest Doctrines of it to others; yet I find your Jewish Notions and Prejudices have made your Improvement fo fmall, that inftead of that, I had need go over with you again, teach you the first Rudiments of it, and treat you not like Men but Children.

13 For every one that ufeth milk, is unfkilful in the word of righteousness: + for

he is a babe.

14 But ftrong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their fenfesexercised to discern both good and evil.

13 & 14. And, as Milk is the proper Food for Children, fo, I am a fraid, the firft and plaineft Articles of Chriftianity would be fitter for fuch flender Proficients as you, than the higher Doctrines of it, which ought to be communicated only to fuch as have already attain'd to a good Underderstanding of the firft and fundamental Points of their Profeffion.

*Hard to be uttered. xy dvopos. Hard for fuch prejudiced People to understand. The fame with St. Peter's devinta, 2 Pet. iii. 16.

Ver. 13. The Word of Doctrine of Juftification of or by the Law.

Righteoufness, or λoys dixalorine, the
viz. by Chrift, in Opposition to that

Ver. 14. Both Good and Evil- is an Hebraifm to fignify
Things in general. To know Good and Evil, is to have a very large
Knowledge, Gen. iii. 5. To speak neither Good nor Evil, is to
fay nothing at all. But the Phrafe is here confined to a particular
Subject in religious Matters, as the Context fhows, and as in the
Paraphrafe.

CHA P.

CHAP VI.

The CONTENTS.

The Apostle promifeth them farther Inftructions, particularly in the Comparison between Chrift and Melchifedec. But, before he enters upon that Point, renews his Exhortation to Conftancy and Perfeverance, from the great Danger and Hazard of ever recovering a Chriftian Apoftate; and from the Example of the Faith and Reward of Abraham, and the Truth of the Divine Promises.

A.D. 63. the principles of Cap. v. thet doctrine of Christ, 11, 12, 13. let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God.

Herefore leaving 1 & 2.

2 Of the doctrine of baptifms, and of laying on of hands, and of refurrection of

UT notwithstanding that B the fmall Proficiency you have made would make it not amiss for me, as I faid, to teach you, over again, the first Principles of Chriftianity; fuch as the Neceffity of Repentance and Reformation of Life; of Belief in God and Chrift; of being Baptized with Water and the Holy Ghoft; the Impofition of the Apoftles Hands, for receiving the Holy Ghost after Baptifms; of the Belief of a Future State, and a Future Judgment, and the like; yet, for the better Encouragement of those that still adhere to their Profeffion, in these general and fundamental Points, I fhall wave them, and purfue my Propofal of inftructing you further and higher, particularly in the forementioned Analogy between the Priesthood of Chrift, and that of Melchifedec. 3. (Which

the dead, and of eter.
nal judgment.

+ Ver, 1, 2. The Principles of the Doctrine of Chrift- The Foundation of Repentance-Faith - Baptifms, &c.

Note, Whoever looks into the Comments upon these two Verses, will find to what a great Uncertainty the Learned are reduced in their Interpretations of thefe Phrafes; viz. Whether they be Principles and Fundamentals of the Jewish Religion (originally defign'd to lead Men to the Doctrines of Chrift) or Doctrines of Christianity it felf. I have followed the latter Sentiment; the Reader may confult Mr. Pierce for the Arguments that countenance the former

« FöregåendeFortsätt »