Julian Pe- 10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Italy. riod, 4775. Melchisedec met him.

Vulgar Æra, 62.

The Apostle shews the Inferiority of the Levitical Law and Priesthood, by the Substitution of another different System and Order of Priesthood-The Levitical Priesthood not being able to accomplish the Perfection or Object for which it was ordained, the Pardon of Sin by a sufficient Atonement, another Priest was promised, after the typical and original Priesthood of Melchisedec, (400 Years before the Law,) and not after the Priesthood of Aaron-which being changed, requires also a change of the Law on which it was established-For Christ, of whom these Things are spoken, (Psa. cx. 4.) belongs to the Tribe of Judah, which had no right to minister at a Jewish Altar-And it is yet further evident that both the Law and the Priesthood should be changed, for it is predicted that another Priest shall arise, after the Similitude of Melchisedec, who is constituted not according to the Law, which is suited to the carnal Nature of Man, producing Death, but according to the Power of a more perfect System, which promises an endless Priesthood and Life, as God himself has testified.

11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

13 For he of whom these things are spoken, pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.

14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda;
of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priest-
hood.

15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the
similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest.
16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal com-
mandment, but after the power of an endless life.

17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after
the order of Melchisedec.

§ 16. HEB. vii. 18-24.

The Apostle declares the Abrogation of the former Law re-
lative to the Priethood, on account of its Weakness and
Unprofitableness for the Purposes of Man's Redemption
-The Law of Moses made no Man perfect, it could not

Julian Period, 4775. Vulgar Era,

62.

therefore the Priesthood; but the Introduction of a better Italy.
Hope, and a better Priesthood, perfected and completed
the Law, and enables all (and not the High Priest only,)
by the Sacrifice of Christ, to approach before the Altar
of God-The Priesthood of Christ was consecrated by an
Oath, to shew its Immutability and Superiority to that
Priesthood which was established without an Oath, for a
Time only, to be changed at God's pleasure; by which
solemn Oath, Jesus was made Surety, or Sponsor, of a
better Testament than that of Moses, in which there were
many Priests, by reason of Death-But the Priesthood
of Christ, confirmed by an Oath, cannot pass on to any
Successor, because he lives for ever.

18 For there is verily a disannulling of the command-
ment going before, for the weakness and unprofitableness
thereof:

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

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

21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath, by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec ;)

22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better

testament.

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

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

§ 17.

HEB. vii. 25, to the end.
The Apostle applies the Argument, by asserting that as
the Priesthood of Christ is unchangeable, as Christ ever
lives in the Body, he is able to save to the uttermost those
who approach to God through his Mediation and Interces-
sion-Such an High Priest was suitable to Man, who was
holy and merciful, undefiled by any sinful Infirmity, se-
parated from Sinners and worldly Occupations, and more
exalted than all the Angels of God-who required not, as
the Jewish Priests, to offer a daily Sacrifice for his own sins,
and then for the sins of the People-He offered no Sacrifice
for himself, but for the People, once, on the Cross-For the
Law, which is imperfect, makes Men High Priests who
are imperfect, and therefore need repeated Sacrifices, but
the Word of the Oath, (Psalm cx.) which was five hundred
Years from the giving of the Law, constituted the Son a
High Priest for ever, by which the Priesthood of the
Law was disannulled-The Apostle, throughout, in-

Julian Period, 4775. Vulgar Æra, 62.

fers that those who apostatized from Christianity to Italy. Judaism left the Perfect for the Imperfect—and that which remained for ever, for that which was now abrogated.

25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's 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 since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

§ 18. HEB. viii. 1-5.

The Apostle asserts that of all the Things he had dis-
coursed on, the chief or principal was, that Christians
have a great High Priest, who is exalted to the Throne
of God, a Minister of the real Holy Places of the true
Tabernacle, the Heavens; which were erected by God,
and not, as the Jewish Tabernacle, by Man—and as
every High Priest daily offers Gifts and Sacrifices on
Earth, it is essential that Christ, as a High Priest,
should have some Sacrifice also to offer in Heaven-On
Earth he could not have officiated as Priest, as the Family
of Aaron were appointed to offer in the Jewish Temple,
Gifts according to the Law, whose Ministrations are a
Shadow or Copy of the Ministrations of Christ in Heaven,
as the Tabernacle itself was a Pattern of Things in the
Heavens (Heb. ix. 23.) shewn to Moses in the Mount.

1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens ;

2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not man.

3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.

:

4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law;

5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See (saith he) that thou make all things according to the pattern shewn to thee in the mount.

Julian Period, 4775.

62.

$ 19. HEB. viii. 6, to the end.

Vulgar Era, The Apostle affirms that the Christian Priesthood is more excellent than the Levitical Priesthood, because it is established on better Promises-the Old Covenant shadowing out by temporal and secular Blessings, the eternal and spiritual Blessings of the New-Had it not been temporary and imperfect, there would have remained no Occasion for another-The inefficiency of the Old Covenant, and the superior Nature of the New, shewn by God himself, when he reproved the Jews by his Prophet Jeremiah (xxxi. 31-34.)-The New Covenant was to be written on the Hearts of Men, influencing their Actions, and not like the Old, on Stone-Instead of one Family being set apart to teach their Brethren (Deut. vi. 7.) all shall be eligi ble to the Office of Instructor, to teach the Forgiveness of Sins and Iniquities, through Faith in the Blood and Sacrifice of Christ-God having promised a New Covenant, hath made the former Covenant old-Now that which has become useless, and has fallen into old Age, is ready to disappear, or to cease to exist.

6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the Mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt: because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old, is ready to vanish away 8.

8 Fulfilled seven years after, in the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem.

Italy.

Julian Pe

riod, 4775.

$ 20. HEB. ix. 1-10.

62.

Vulgar Era, The Apostle shews, from the Nature of the Tabernacle, and the Services performed therein, that they were typical of something better to be hereafter-With this view he reminds them of the Furniture in that Part of the Tabernacle which represented the visible World, called holy, (Exod. xxxv. 26-40.) and that also which was placed in that part of the Tabernacle separated by the second Vail, called the Holy of Holies-The Tabernacle thus arranged by divine Direction, the Priests always performed the Service of God in the first Part of it, which figured the Worship Men offer on Earth to the invisible Deity-In the second Part the High Priest entered only one Day in a Year, and there offered up the Blood of a sacrificed Beast for the Sins of himself and the People (Levit. xvi. 14, 15.)-The Holy Ghost, by whom all this was appointed, thereby signifying that the Way into God's immediate Presence was not made manifest to Men by the Worship of the first Tabernacle; which Figure or Shadow of future Things, remained in the Apostle's Time (in the Temple Service)—when Gifts and Sacrifices are offered, which could not take away the Guilt of Sin from the Mind as they were the Types only of the spiritual Purity required when the Worship of God should be reformed by the Gospel Dispensation.

1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shew-bread; which is called The Sanctuary:

3 And, after the second vail, the tabernacle, which is called The Holiest of all;

4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy-seat: of which we cannot now speak particularly '.

St. Cyril gives the following interpretation.-Although Christ is but one, yet he is understood by us under a variety of forms-He is the tabernacle, on account of the human body in which he dwelt-He is the table, because he is our bread of life -He is the ark, which has the law of God inclosed within, because he is the word of the Father-He is the candlestick, because he is the spiritual light-He is the altar of incense, because he is the sweet-smelling odour in sanctification-He is the altar of burnt-offering, because he is the victim by death on the cross for the sins of the whole world.

Macknight observes on this subject-" By introducing these

Italy.