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A.D. 63. 4 Now confider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

4. Now, if you confider what great Refpects were paid to this Melchifedec, even by your great Father Abraham himself, the very Head of the Jewish Nation; you cannot but conclude Chrift (of whom he was but a meer Type) to be a Priest of far greater Dignity than any Jewish Priest can pretend to be.

5 And verily they
that are of the fons
of Levi, who receive
the office of the prieft-
hood, have a com-
mandment to take

tithes of the people
according to the law,
that is, of their bre-
thren, though they
come out of the loins
of Abraham :

6 But he whose de-
fcent is not counted
from them, received
had the promises.

And without all contradiction, the lefs

is bleffed of the better.

5 & 6. For obferve, the Jewish Priests were appointed to take Tithes of their own Brethren, the People that were defcended from Abraham as well as they; and fo in all other Refpects, upon the Level with them. Whereas Melchifedec, who was not of that Family, had yet these Honours paid him, by the very Head and Father of it, even by Abraham himself, that Friend of God, that had fuch noble Promises made to him.

tithes of Abraham, and bleffed him that

7. From whence 'tis clear, he must be a greater Perfon than Abraham (for 'tis an undoubted Maxim, That he that receives a folemn Bleffing from another Perfon, must be inferior to him) and if fo, then how much more excellent muft Chrift be, above all other Priests, when even Melchifedec himself was but his meer Type and Refemblance?

8 And here men that die receive tithes : but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witneffed that he liveth.

9 And

8. Again, the Jewish Priefts, you know, are but Mortal Men, and their Priesthood of a short Duration. Whereas, of Christ (the perfect Melchifedec) it is faid, That he is a Prieft for ever, Pfal. cx. 4.

9 & 10. And

9 And * as I may fo fay, Levi alfo who receiveth tithes, payed

tithes in Abraham.

10 For he was yet ther when Melchife

in the loins of his fa

dec met him.

and therefore much

11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law) what further need was

there that anotherpriest
fhould rife after the
order of Melchifedec,
and not be called af-
ter the order of Aaron?

Levitical Priefts and
Him.

12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of neceffity a change alfo

of the law.

13

For he of whom

these things are fpoken, pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave atten

dance at the altar.

9 & 10. And indeed all the A.D. 63.
Jewish Priests that ever were, may
properly enough be faid to have paid
Tithes to, and received Bleffing
from, Melchifedec, when Abraham
did it, whofe Defcendants they all
were. And confequently muft, in
their Office, be inferior to Him ;
more to Christ.

11. Now, from all this it plainly
appears, that the Mofaical Prieft-
hood, and the Sacrifices of the Jew-
i Law, were not defigned by God
as the only and fufficient Means of
Pardon, and Expiation for the Sins
of Mankind; no, nor for that of
the Jews themselves: For if fo,
'twas to no manner of Purpose for
God to appoint another Great High
Prieft like Melchifedec, when the
Sacrifices would have done without

12, 13 & 14. And whereas there is now fuch a Change for the better made in the Priesthood, that the Succeffion in the Aaronical Family, and the Tribe of Levi is quite out of Date (as 'tis clear from Christ, the New and Great High Priest's not being born of the Tribe of Levi, but Judah) it must thence follow, that God muft be thought to make a proportionable Alteration in the Religion too.

14 For it is evident that our Lord fprang out of Juda; of which tribe Mofes fpake nothing concerning priesthood.

R 4

*Ver. 9. As I may fo fay: Or we in

15 & 16. For

ime, To Speak the

Truth. See Le Clerc, Arf. Crit. Part II. chap. 2. But our own

Translation is very agreeable.

A.D. 63.

15 And it is yet far more evident; for that after the fimilitude of Melchifedec there arifeth another prieft.

16 Who is made,

not after the law of a
carnal commandment,
but after the power
of an endless life.

15 & 16. For nothing can be more abfurd, than to fuppose so confiderable a Change and Advancement in the Nature of the Priefthood, without a proportionable Excellency and Improvement in the Services to be performed: That God, in the Room of a Set of frail and imperfect Levites, fhould folemnly appoint One compleatly Perfect, Powerful and Immortal High Prieft, as Chrift is; and yet, that the Sacrifice he offers, and the Religion he institutes fhould be of no better Kind than the Mofaical one was. 17 For he teftifi17. To fuppofe this, would be eth, Thou art a prieft to lofe all the Importance of the for ever after the or- forementioned Prophecy concerning Chrift: Thou art a Prieft for ever after the Order of Melchifedec. (See Chap. v. 6, 9, 10.)

der of Melchifedec.

18 For there is

verily a difannulling
of the commandment
going before, for the
weakness and unprofi-
tablenefs thereof.

18 & 19. So that the very Appointment of Christ, as a Priest, is an evident Declaration that the Levitical Priesthood is to be now abolished, as too imperfect to answer the great End of Expiating for the Sins of Mankind: And that the Mofaical Sacrifices and Ceremonies were nothing but Figures and Introductions to that great Sacrifice of Chrift, that procures us a perfect Redemption and Acceptance with God; and to his Religion, which consists of compleat Laws, Hopes and Promises.

19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by which we draw nigh unto God.

20 And in as much as not without an oath be was made priest,

21 (For those priests were made without an oath: but this with an oath, by him that faid unto him, The Lord fware, and will not repent, Thou art

a

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a priest for ever after the order of Melchifedec)

22 By fo much was

excellent than that of Moses. For no A. D. 63. lefs than this can be implied in that Expreffion, The Lord fware, and will

Jefus made a furety of not repent, Thou art a Prieft for ever after the Order of Melchifedec. Pfal. cx. 4.

a better teftament.

23 And they truly were many priests, becaufe they were not fuffered to continue by reason of death:

24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

25 Wherefore he is able alfo to fave them to the uttermoft, that come unto God by him, feeing he ever liveth to make interceffion for them.

26 For fuch an high prieft became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, feparate from finners, and made high

er than the heavens ;

23 & 24. And when you confider the Jewish Priests to be mere mortal Men, dying and fucceeding one another; but Chrift, on the contrary, to be exalted into Heaven, there to remain our Eternal High Priest, and Conftant Interceffor with God; this will convince you of the mighty Difference in Point of Excellency, between one and the other.

25. This will abundantly fatisfy you in how happy a State we Chriftians are above the Jews, in having the fame Saviour that died for our Sins now fitting at the Right Hand of God, as the perfect Saviour and eternal Interceffor for all his true Disciples.

26. And thus is Chrift a High Prieft moft exactly fuited to the great Purpose of attoning for the Sins, and procuring the Salvation of Mankind. Which could never have been accomplished by the External Service of a Mortal and Sinful Man, offering up the Blood of a Beast in our Behalf. But is compleatly effected by Him, who, by the undefiled Purity of his Life, and the spotless Innocency of his Death, is our Perfect High Prieft; and by his Exaltation to the utmost Height of Heavenly Glory and Majefty, is become our powerful and conftant Interceffor.

27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priefts, to offer up facrifice first for

his

27. Such a one muft the Saviour of Mankind be, who has no Sins of his own to expiate for, before he attones for others; nor, that

offers

A. D. 63. his own fins, and then for the peoples for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath which was fince the law, maketh the Son, who is confecra

offers fuch a Sacrifice as need to be repeated again and again; but one that compleatly redeems us once for all; as Chrift did, by the Sacrifice of Himfelf.

28. And accordingly, you fee the wide Difference, in Point of Excellency, between thofe infirm and mortal Priefts of the Jewish Law, and Him the Son of God, whom the Pfalmift (in Words spoken long after the Law was given) declares God the Father to have made the only and all-fufficient Prieft, the Eternal Saviour and Intercessor of Mankind.

ted for evermore.

CHAP. VIII.

The CONTENTS.

The foregoing Arguments, with the Inferences from them
fummed up, viz. that the Priesthood and Sacrifice of
Chrift do exceedingly much excel, and confequently have
Superceded and difannulled thofe of the Mofaical Law.
That it was defigned to be fo, further proved from the
Prophecies of the Old Teftament.

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* Ver. 1. This is the Sum: Or xrQáλasov, the Chief and Printipal Thing.

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