promise. 2. That heaven is a promised inheritance, which saints by faith and patience have possessed. 3. That by being followers of them in their faith and patience, we may also come with them to inherit the promise. 13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, 14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. The apostle having told us in general, that the saints by faith and patience do in herit the promises, instances here particularly in Abraham, unto whom God made a promise of multiplying his seed greatly to him, and confirmed that promise by an oath; but Abraham waited long by faith and pa- tience for the complete fulfilling of the promise; and so must we: God delights to be trusted by his people upon his word and oath; and when they do not live to see the promise of God fulfilled, they glorify him exceedingly, by dying in the faith and firm belief that it shall be fulfilled in God's own appointed time. Note here, The wonderful condescension of God towards the infirmity of men; he swears, he swears by himself, he pawns and pledges his godhead, and if he performs not what he promises and swears, is willing to forfeit it. O felices nos! quorum causa Deus jurat. "O Miserrimi! si nec juranti credamus. "O happy man! for whose sake God coudescends to swear. O miserable man! if we doubt God's promise confirmed by his oath, in which he has laid down his godhead as a stake and pawn, never to take it up again, if he fails in the least jot in the punctual performance of it." 16 For men verily swear by the greater and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. These words contain a reason, why God, in gracious condescension to man's infirmity, is pleased to confirm his promise with an oath; it is to determine a controversy, and put an end to a strife depending between God and his fallen creatures: and this is the general reason for an oath amongst men, it is to put bounds and li VOL. II. mits to the contentions and contradictions of men, to make an end of all strife between them, which otherwise would be perpetuated, and to bring them to a mutual acquiescency; An oath for confirmation is an end of all strife. Learn hence, 1. That there is, as we are in a state of nature, a strife and difference between God and us. 2. That the promises of the gospel are gracious proposals of the only way and means oath of God, interposed for the confirmafor the ending of that strife. 3. That the tion of these promises, is every way sufficient on God's part, to put a period to this strife, and to establish a firm peace with us through the blood of Christ. Men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is an end of all strife. 17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, Here the apostle acquaints us with the design of God, in confirming his promise, namely, to manifest the immutability of his counsel to us, that is, his decree and purpose for our salvation; to the intent that by his word and oath we might have strong consolation. So unspeakable is the weakness of our faith, that we stand in need of the utmost condescension of God for its confirmation. Note here, That God has made many promises for the confirmation of his people's faith. God's oath is a surety for his promises, and that God's end, both in his promise and his oath, is to give his people the highest assurance and strongest consolation. Quest. Why are we so hard to believe God upon his single word; yea, can scarce trust him upon his oath ? Ans. Because of our guilt: now guilt is always full of fear, and fear full of suspicion and distrust; and because the way of reconciliation is so rare and wonderful, that we can scarce conceive it, much less believe it; also the privileges of the gospel are so glorious, that they exceed our belief. And because we ourselves are so false and fickle, both with God and one another, that promises, vows, and oaths, are all little enough to hold us. Now we are apt to measure God by ourselves, therefore he gives us his oath. Inference, 1. How ought we to bind ourselves to God by oath, seeing he condescends thus to bind himself to us! 2. How unreasonable is it for the believer to distrust God upon his oath! This is not only to accuse God of a lie, but to impeach him of perjury, 3. How absurd is it for the impenitent sinner not to tremble at the threatenings of God, which are confirmed by an oath, as well as his promises! I have sworn in my wrath, they shall never enter into my rest. -Who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us : In these words there is an allusion to the cities of refuge spoken of under the law: God appointed six of them, for those to fly unto who were guilty of casual homicide, or killing a man by chance, that so they might avoid the fury of the avenger of blood. Now these cities of refuge were an illustrious type of Christ. Note here, 1. Christ is here the believer's city of refuge, the only sanctuary for distressed souls. 2. That believers do by faith fly unto him for refuge, when the guilt of sin, and the wrath of God for sin, do pursue and follow them. This flying for refuge doth imply diligence and earnestness, as in the case of life and death, yea, unwearied diligence; and it implies continuance in this refuge, when once got into it, not to stir out of it for all the world. Lord! open the eyes and awaken the consciences of all impenitent sinners, make them sensible that the avenger of blood is at their heels, and that their damnation slumbers not, if they do not presently fly from the wrath to come, and take sanctuary in thy Son. 19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the vail; In these words we have the nature of a christian's hope described, 1. By a metaphorical, 2. By a typical, similitude. 1. Observe the metaphor made use of, to set forth the nature and office of hope, it is compared to an anchor: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul. Doth the anchor hold fast the ship, and keep it steady, both in storms and tempests, and in the midst of the most tumultuous waves? in like manner, the hope of eternal glory quiets, stays, and strengthens, the christian's spirit, when tossed upon the waves of this troublesome world. Learn hence, 1. That believers are exposed to many storms and tempests here in this world; their afflictions, persecutions, temptations, fears, &c. are compared fitly to storms, because of their fierceness and violence, and because of their tendency to ruin and destruction. Learn, 2. That these storms would prove ruinous to the souls of believers, did not hope, the anchor of the soul, take fast hold on the promises of the gospel, which keeps the christian firm and invincible against all opposition: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast. Observe, 2. Hope is described by a typical similitude; it entereth into that within the vail. The vail here alluded to, is that which parted the holy of holies from the body of the temple, a type of heaven. The heavens are as a vail to the sense and reason of man, there their sight and their thoughts are bounded, they can neither discern nor judge of any thing that is above or within that vail: but faith and hope pierceth through it: no created thing can keep them at a distance from God himself. As the anchor stays not in the waves of the sea, but pierces through them all till it comes to the solid bottom; so the christian's hope fixes on nothing under heaven, but pierces through all till it entereth into that with in the wail; that is, till it fixes on God as the author, on Christ as the purchaser, on the Spirit as the insurer, on the covenant as the conveyer of all grace, mercy, and peace. Here hope fixes itself to hold the soul firm and stedfast in all the storms that may befall it. Learn hence, 1. That the hope and faith of believers are invisible unto the world; they enter within the rail, where the world's eye can never follow them. Learn, 2. That hope firmly fixed on God in Christ by the promise, will hold the soul steady, and keep the christian tight, in all the storms that may befall it: It is an anchor both sure and stedfast, and which entercth into that within the vail. 20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high-priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. Observe here, The person spoken of, Christ; the subject matter spoken of him, his entering into heaven; and the quality in which he entered heaven, namely, as our forerunner. This denotes, 1. His public capacity, that he entered heaven in our name, and to negociate our affairs. 2. His absolute precedency: he is our forerunner, but he himself had no forerunner, none that entered before him in their own names, but in his, and upon his account, through the virtue of his merits, and by the prevalency of his mediation. Learn hence, 1. That there is a place and state of happiness above, prepared for pious souls, which Christ is already entered into, and has taken possession of; this place may be considered in its amplitude and largeness, in its stability and firmness, in its sanctity and holiness, in its ness. pleasure and delightfulness, in its glory and blessedness, in its eternity and everlasting. And this place is by Christ prepared for believers, namely, by his death and satisfaction, by his resurrection and ascension, by his mediation and intercession. Learn, 2. That our Lord Jesus Christ is not only entered into heaven, but entered as our forerunner, to take and keep possession of it in the name and stead of all believers.-To enter heaven as our forerunner, implies, that he entered in our nature, that he keeps possession of it in our names: as sure as the head is gone before the members, so certainly shall the members follow their head, as a forerunner supposes others to follow after; and it implies, that Christ will put us into the actual possession of heaven in his own time. Inference, 1. Is Christ gone before to heaven, then let us be willing to follow him in the way of obedience, and in the way of suffering, as well as to meet him in the end. 2. To make haste after him. Did he fly as an eagle towards heaven, and shall we creep like a snail? Is not the bosom of Christ more desirable than the arms of our dearest friends? Shall we not enjoy all comforts in the enjoyment of our Comforter? 3. Let our hearts at present be with him. Oh, where should our hearts be but where our head is! CHAP. VII. Our apostle in this chapter returns to his discourse concerning the priesthood of our Lord Jesus Christ, from which he had digressed in the for mer chapter, and shows us in this wherein Melchizedek was a type of Christ; to wit, in his name, King of Righteousness; in his title, King of Salem, or peace; in his original, without pedigree, or descent; in the excellency of his person, to be preferred before Abraham, and all the Levites that descended from him; in the eminency of his priesthood, which could and did make a perfect expiation for sin, which the Levitical priesthood never did, nor ever could do; and accordingly thus he speaks, ver. 1. FOR this Melchizedek, king of Sa lem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from 3 the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; 2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all: first being, by interpretation, King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but, made like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest continually. Here observe, 1. The person spoken of described by his name, Melchizedek. Some take this Melchizedek to be Shem, the son of Noah; but this cannot be, because his genealogy is exactly set down by Moses. Others take him to be one of the posterity of Japhet, the father of the Gentiles: in the midst of these sinners above others, was Melchizedek raised up as an illustrious type of Christ, the promised Messiah. See here how God can raise up instruments for his service, and unto his glory, when, where, and how he pleaseth. And learn hence, That this signal prefiguration of Christ, in the nations of the world, at the same time when Abraham received the promises for himself and his posterity, gave a pledge and assurance of the certain future call of the Gentiles unto an interest in him, and participation of him. Observe, 2. Melchizedek is here described by his office; he was king of Salem, and a priest of the most high God; yea, the first that was so by special institution, and separated to the office by God's approbation; none went before him, and none succeeded him in his office. Here note, That the first personal instituted type of Christ was Melchizedek, as priest; for in his kingly office he was not so directly typical of Christ. There were moral types of Christ's person before Melchizedek, as Adam, Abel, and Noah, which represented him in sundry things: but the first person who solemnly designed to represent Christ by what he was and did, was Melchizedek the priest; teaching us, that the foundation of all that the Lord Christ had to do in and for the church, was laid in his priestly office, whereby he made atonement and reconciliation for sin: Melchizedek, king of Salem, and priest of the most high God. Observe, 3. He is described by several actions and circumstances:-1. He met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings. This meeting of Melchizedek and Abraham, after Abraham had gotten the victory over all his adversaries, was a type and represen- Whatsoever we receive signally from God, ther, yet as a priest he had no predecessor nor successor; no predecessor from whom he might by birth receive his sacerdotal power; no successor, who derived his priesthood from him. Now herein also was Melchizedek an illustrious type of Christ, who derived his priesthood from no mortal predecessor, but immediately from his heavenly Father; neither will he transmit it to any successor, but when all enemies are subdued he shall resign his priesthood, together with his kingdom, to God the Father, who gave him both. Observe, 5. What is here asserted concerning Melchizedek; namely, that he abideth a priest for ever; that is, things are so related concerning him in scripture, as that there is no mention of the ending of the priesthood of his order. We read of no resignation of his office, or of the succession of any person to him therein; and thus he remaineth a priest for ever. This was that which our apostle did principally design to confirm from hence, namely, that there was in the scripture, before the institution of the Aaronical priesthood, a representation of an eternal and unchangeable priesthood, to be introduced in the church, which he demonstrates to be that of Jesus Christ, of which Melchizedek's priesthood was a type. 4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. These words are the apostle's application of what was before discoursed; by comparing Melchizedek's excellency with Abraham's, he shows Christ's excellency above Melchizedek's, and then calls upon them to consider this, Consider how great this man was. It will be fruitless, and to no advantage, to propose and declare the most important truths of the gospel, if those unto whom they are proposed do not diligently inquire into them, and duly ponder and consider of them. The Hebrews are here called upon to consider: But what? and whom? Why, who Melchizedek was, and how great a man he was. Note here, That the greatness of Melchizedek did not respect either the endowments of his person, or the largeness of his dominion, or his riches and wealth, (in which sense some are said to be great in scripture.) But he is pronounced great with respect to his office, and in regard of his nearness to God on that account, as also in his representing our Lord Jesus Christ. Observe farther, The proof here given of the greatness of Melchizedek, in that no meaner a person than Abraham, than Abraham the patriarch, did give the tenth part of the spoils unto him. Here remark, that notwithstanding the highest advantages and privileges which Abraham was possessed of, which rendered him almost adored by his posterity, yet when the meanest duty was presented to him, he readily complied with it. The highest privileges neither can nor ought to exempt any person from the performance of the meanest duty. Duty is our highest honour and chiefest advantage; but privileges, promotions, dignities, and exaltations, may become snares, and end in the ruin of men's souls. When a person is dignified and advanced in the church, if thereby he thinks himself exempted from the ordinary service of the ministry, he is guilty of horrid pride and ingratitude; but if he farther indulge himself in a course of idleness, sloth, sensuality, and worldliness, these are crimes un pardonable, and want a name to express them. 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 : 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. Still the apostle goes on to give Melchizedek the preference above Abraham, and from thence to infer, that Christ, whom Melchizedek typified, was much more excellent than Abraham, and all the Levitical priests which sprang from him. The argument lies thus: "The law allowed Aaron and the other priests to take tithes of their brethren that sprung from Abraham: but Melchizedek received tithes from Abraham, who was none of his people, yea, and blessed Abraham also, which is a demonstration that he was greater than Abraham; and consequently it is evident, that Christ is greater than the Jewish priests: to bless authoritatively is an act of superiority; now Melchizedek blessed Abraham, he is therefore greater than Abraham; because he that blessed is greater than he whom he blesseth." Behold here the excellency of the office of God's ministers, namely, to bless the people in God's name : they bless authoritatively, and bless declaratively, they bless optatively. God help them to take heed, lest by their miscarriages they prove a snare and a curse unto them whom they ought to bless. 8 And here men that die receive tithes ; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. Our apostle still carrieth on the same argument, proving Melchizedek's priesthood to surpass and excel the Aaronical and Levitical priesthood, in the immortality of it: as the less is blessed of the greater, so is that which is immortal greater and better than what is mortal; but such is Melchizedek and his order of priesthood. Indeed in the Levitical order of priesthood, though the priests be superior to the people, and take tithes of them, yet they do die as well as the people: But we read not a word of Melchizedek's death, he is a priest for ever; that is, he did typically prefigure Christ, who doth properly and indeed live for ever. Melchizedek ever lives secundum historiam, Christ secundum veritatem. Learn hence, That the life of the church depends upon the everlasting life of Jesus Christ: he liveth for ever, when ministers die or have their mouths stopped. This great Highpriest lives, upon whom the life and preservation, the continuance and salvation, of that receive tithes. the church does depend: Here men die Note, from their mortality, That in the outward adminis tration of God's worship, he is pleased to make use of the ministry of frail, mortal, and dying men. Zach. i. 5. The prophets, do they live for ever? Hereby it does evidently appear, that it is the power of God, and nothing else, which gives efficacy and success to all gospel-administrations, 2 Cor. iv. 7. We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, paid tithes in Abraham. 10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him. By Levi here we are to understand the Levites, or the Levitical priesthood; they being in Abraham's loins, are said to pay tithes in Abraham to Melchizedek, which the apostle produces as an evidence, that |