crifices of the priests of the Roman church, than it is of the Levitical sacrifices of the high priest of the church of the Jews. Their expositors on this place, do generally affirm in plea for their church, that they offer it not to make expiation of sins, but only to represent and make application of the one sacrifice of Christ on the cross. But in their mass itself, they speak otherwise, and expressly offer it to God a sacrifice for the sins of the living and the dead. Neither yet do we inquire unto what end they do what they do: and this is all they say, that they offer the same sacrifice that Christ did, that is, himself. And this they do a thousand times more frequently, than the expiatory sacrifices were among the Jews. Neither were their sacrifices offered properly, by God's appointment, to make atonement for sin by their own virtue and efficacy; but only to be a representation and application of the sacrifice of Christ to Whatever ends they therefore fancy unto themselves, by pretending to offer the same sacrifice that Christ did, they contradict the words of the apostle, and wholly evert the force of his argument. For if the same sacrifice which the Lord Christ offered, be often offered, and had need so to be, the whole argument to prove the excellency of his priesthood in that he offered himself but once, above them who often offered the same sacrifices, falls to the ground. come. And hence also the foundation of this fiction is razed. For it is, that the Lord Christ offered himself at the supper the night before he was betrayed, as the Trent Council affirms, Sess. xxii. Cap. 1. For if he did so, he offered himself more than once, twice at least; which being a matter of fact, is to give the apostle the lie. 2. What he offered is expressed in the last place, and therein the reason is contained why he offered but once, and needed not to do so daily, as those priests did. And this is taken from the excellency of his offering, he offered avrov, himself. And this gives the highest preference of the priesthood of Christ above that of Levi. For, 1. Those priests had nothing of their own to offer, but must be furnished with offerings from among the other creatures. 2. Though they had the best from them, the blood and fat, yet it was but the blood of calves, and sheep, and goats. And what can this do for the real expiating of the sins of our souls? See Micah vi. 6-8. Wherefore when at any time the people were brought under any serious conviction of sin, they could not but apprehend, that none of these sacrifices, however multiplied, could deliver them from their guilt. But the Lord Christ had something of his own to offer, that which was originally and absolutely his own, not borrowed or taken from any thing among the creatures. And this was him self, a sacrifice able to make atonement for all the sins of mankind. And from the words thus expounded we may observe, Obs. I. That no sinful man was meet to offer the great expiatory sacrifice for the church; much less is any sinful man fit to offer Christ himself.-As the first part of this assertion declares the insufficiency of the priests of the church of the Jews, so doth the latter the vain pretence of the priests of the church of Rome. The former the apostle proves and confirms expressly. For no other high priest but such a one as was in himself perfectly sinless, did become us, or our state and condition. He that was otherwise could not have any thing of his own to offer, and must in the first place offer for himself, and this he must be doing day by day. And the latter on many accounts is a vile presumptuous imagination. For a poor sinful worm of the earth, to interpose himself between God and Christ, and offer the one in sacrifice to the other, what an issue is it of pride and folly? Obs. II. The excellency of Christ's person and priesthood freed him in his offering from many things that the Levitical priesthood was obliged unto.-And the due apprehension hereof is a great guide to us in the consideration of those types. For many things we shall meet withal which we cannot see how they had a particular accomplishment in Christ, nor find out what they did prefigure. But all of them were such that their own infirm state and condition did require. Such was their outward call and consecration which they had by the law, in the sacrifice of beasts, with certain washings and unctions, their sacrificing often, and for themselves, their succession one to another, their purifications or legal pollutions. These, and sundry things of like nature, were made necessary to them from their own sins and infirmities, and so had no particular accomplishment in Christ. However in general all the ordinances and institutions about them all, taught the church thus much, that nothing of that was to be found in the true high priest wherein they were defective. Obs. III. No sacrifice could bring us to God and save the church to the utmost, but that wherein the Son of God himself was both priest and offering.-Such an high priest became us who offered himself once for all. And we may consider, 1. That this was one of the greatest effects of infinite divine wisdom and grace. His incarnation, wherein he had a body prepared for him for this purpose, his call to his office by the oath of the Father and unction of the Spirit, his sanctifying himself to be a sacrifice, and his offering up himself through the eternal Spirit to God, are all full of mysterious wisdom and grace. All these wonders of wisdom and love, were necessary to this great end of bringing us to God. 2. Every part of this transaction, all that belongs to this sacrifice, is filled up with per fection, that no more could be required on the part of God, nor is any thing wanting to give countenance to our unbelief. The person of the priest, and the offering itself, are both the same, both the Son of God. One view of the glory of this mystery, how satisfactory is it to the souls of believers? 3. A distinct consideration of the person of the priest and of his sacrifice, will evidence this truth to the faith of believers. What could not this priest prevail for in his interposition on our behalf? Must he not needs be absolutely prevalent in all he aims at? Were our cause intrusted in any other hand; what security could we have that it should not miscarry? And what could not this offering make atonement for? What sin, or whose sins could it not expiate? "Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world." Obs. IV. It was burdensome and heavy work to attain relief against sin, and settled peace of conscience, under the old priesthood, attended with so many weaknesses and infirmities. Here. in lies the greatest part of that yoke which the apostle Peter affirms that "neither they nor their fathers were able to bear," Acts xv. 10. Which the Lord Christ gives us deliverance from, Mat. xi. 27—30. VER. 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. The apostle in this verse summeth up the whole of his precedent discourse, so as to evidence the true and proper foundation, which all along he hath built and proceeded on. 1. One principle there was agreed on between him and the Hebrews who adhered to Mosaic institutions; and this was, that an high priest over the church there must be; and without such an one there is no approach to God. So it was under the law, and if the same order be not continued, the church must needs fall under a great disadvantage. To lose the high priest out of our religion, is to lose the sun out of the firmament of the church. This was a common principle agreed on between them, whereon the apostle doth proceed. 2. He grants to them, that the high priests who officiated in the tabernacle and the temple, were called and appointed by God to their office, in the law. 3. Hereon ensued the main difference between him and them. They were persuaded and hoped that these priests should continue for ever in the church without change or alteration. He contends that there was a time designed, wherein they were to be removed, and a priest of another order to be introduced in their room; which would be so far from being any disadvantage to the church, as that the whole safety, glory and blessed ness thereof did depend thereon. And this he proves by many cogent and irrefragable arguments to them. As, 1. That before the erection of the Levitical priesthood by the law, there was another priest of the High God, who was far greater and more excellent than those priests, yea, than Abraham himself, from whom they derived all their privileges. 2. Because after the giving of the law, and the setting up of the Levitical priesthood thereby, God again promiseth to raise up another priest, in another kind, after another order, after the manner of him who was called to that office long before the giving of the law. Wherefore he was prefigured before the law, and promised after the law, so that his introduction could not be prejudiced by the law. 3. That this high priest thus promised, neither was to be, nor could be, of the same stock, nature, or order with the Levitical priests, but one that was not only distinct from them, but really inconsistent with them. He manifests that there was no possibility they should be priests together, or that the church should be under the conduct of them both. 4. Whereas hereon it may be said, who knows whether this change and alteration will be to the advantage of the church or not; whether it were not better to adhere to those priests which we have already, than, relinquishing them, and all benefits by them, to betake ourselves to this new high priest; the apostle, in answer to this possible objection, declares in sundry instances the excellency of this other priest above them. Aud not only so, but he proves undeniably, that by all which those other priests did perform in divine service, and by all that the law could effect, whereby they were constituted and made priests, there was no access to God, no perfection, nor consummation in peace of conscience to be obtained. For there were so many defects and weaknesses that accompanied them and their services, as rendered them wholly unable to attain those great ends. On the other hand, he manifesteth and proveth, that by this one single high priest now introduced, and his one sacrifice offered once for all, by reason of the perfection of the one and the other, all those blessed ends were completely accomplished. This being the design of the apostle's discourse in this chapter, he giveth us a summary of the whole, and of the principal grounds which he proceeds upon, with wonderful brevity in this last verse. For upon an acknowledgment of the different principles mentioned, he shews us in an elegant antithesis, 1. The different means of the constitution of these different priests; on the one hand, the law; and on the other, the word of the oath. 2. The different times of their constitution; the one in the giving of the law, the other after the law. 3. The difference of their persons; those of the first sort were men, and no more; the other was the Son. 4. The difference in their state and condition; the former had infirmities, the latter is consecrated for ever. 5. This also is included in the words, that those of the first sort were many, men that had infirmities; he of the latter was one only. And in these things, as we shall briefly see, are the springs of all the arguments which the apostle hath used in this case, and a plain representation is given us of the truth he contended for. 1st, The first difference is in the constituting principles of these distinct offices. That on the part of the Levitical priesthood wasps, the law,' that is, the ceremonial law, as we call it ; the law given in Horeb, concerning religious rites, the way and manner of the solemn worship of God in the tabernacle. It was not the moral law, not immediately the commands of the Decalogue, but the especial law of divine service and worship, that is intended. And what doth the law do? Kabine, It appointeth.' It did so morally, God appointed them in and by the law. And he speaks in the present tense. So long as the law continueth in force and efficacy, it appointeth such priests. None other are to be looked for in, or expected from the law. Now a moral rule or institution is sufficient to convey power and authori ty of office unto men. So is it under the New Testament. It is the gospel that makes ministers, and not the people, or any others, who have no power but only to act in obedience to the laws thereof. Hereby those other priests came so to be. Hereunto is opposed, λογος της ορκωμοσίας, • the word of the oath,' as the constituting cause of this new priest and priesthood. Thus much it had in common with the other way. It was a word, as that was also. The law was λoyos Aæλnbeis de едно γελών, the word spoken by angels,' ch. ii. 2.-the word of God, though spoken by them. And a word in this sense is either a mere word of command, or a word of promise; either of which is sufficient to constitute an office, being declarations of the authority of God himself. By this word was both the office of the priesthood of Christ consecrated, and himself called to be a priest. See the exposition on ch. v. ver. 5, 6. But herein especially did this word excel the word of the law, in that it was confirmed by the oath of God. It was the word, the will, the promise of God declared in and by his oath. And herein hath it many advantages above the law, which was not $0. As, 1. A high federal solemnity. Things confirmed by an oath |