A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Hebrews · Chapter 7
CHAP VII.
FOr this Melchiſedec king of Salem, prieſt of the moſt high God, who met Abraham returning from 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:
1, 2. This Melchiſedec, to whom Abraham gave the Tenths of the Spoils, was King of Righteouſneſs by the ſignification of his name; and King of Peace, interpreting his place: which Chriſt is eminently, whom he typified.
3. 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.
3. The Hiſtory of him maketh no mention of his Father, or Mother, or Deſcent, nor of his Birth or Beginning, nor of his death or end; but deſcribeth him like a continuing Prieſt, and a Type of the Son of God, who abideth a Prieſt continually.
Note, The Jews think he was Shem, whoſe Beginning was not ſeen by the new World, nor his End by the Old, nor his Death mentioned: But this is a preſumption: Had it been good for us to know more of him, God would have told us more.
4. Now conſider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the ſpoils.
4. When Abraham, from whom the Levitical Prieſthood, and the peculiar Seed, ſprung, gave him the Tenths of all the Spoils, it tells us how great a man Melchiſedec was.
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.
5. The Law allowed Aaron, and the other Prieſts, to take Tythes of their Brethren that ſprung from 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.
6, 7. But Melchiſedec received Tythes of Abraham, who was none of his people; and bleſſed him, who had from God the promiſe of a peculiar Off-ſpring: Which is a certain ſign that he was greater than Abraham ▪ And ſo is Chriſt greater than the Jewiſh Prieſts.
8. And here men that die receive tithes: but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witneſſed that he liveth. 9. And as I may ſo ſay, Levi alſo, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. 10. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchiſedec met him.
8, 9, 10. And here it is Mortal Men that take Tythes; but Melchiſedec is mentioned as if he had not dyed: And Levi, who receiveth Tythes, paid them, then being in Abraham's Loyns.
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?
11. This proveth that the Levitical Prieſthood (and conſequently the Law) was not perfect, nor gave perfection: elſe what need had there been of another more excellent Royal Prieſthood which was promiſed.
12. For the prieſthood being changed, there is made of neceſſity a change alſo of the law.
11▪ 12, And if there muſt be a more excellent Prieſthood than the Legal, there muſt needs be ſome other more excellent Laws, appointing them their work: For the old Prieſthood had their work preſcribed them by the Law of Moſes.
Note, That they who deny Chriſt to be a Law-giver, deny his Royal Prieſthood, and deny him to be Chriſt.
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 Judah, of which tribe Moſes ſpake nothing concerning prieſthood.
13, 14. And the tranſlating the Prieſthood to Judah, the ruling Tribe, of which Chriſt was, proveth the Change of the Law.
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 commandment, but after the power of an endleſs life.
15, 16. And it is yet more evident, that there muſt be a higher Prieſthood than Aaron's, becauſe he muſt be made as Melchiſedec; not by Lineal Succeſſion, according to the Law of Moſes, but with reference to a ſtate of Immortality, as to its Riſe and End.
17. For he teſtifieth, Thou art a prieſt for ever after the order of Melchiſedec. 18. For there is verily a diſannulling of the commandment going before, for the weakneſs and unprofitableneſs thereof.
17, 18, And this expreſs teſtimony of another ſort of Prieſthood ſheweth, that the Law, which they were to execute, was to ceaſe, as weak, inſufficient and unprofitable.
Note; Queſt. Is not the Goſpel-Prieſthood then, in Conformity to Chriſt, to be Kingly, and above all Kings, under Chriſt the King? or Kings and Prieſts to be the ſame? Anſw. 1. Let them here on Earth follow Chriſt in his Humiliation, who ſaid, My Kingdom is not of this World; and then, when they come to him in Heaven, they ſhall reign as Kings. 2. Our uncertain Collections are not ſo ſure a way to know Chriſt's Will, as his own words; who hath plainly forbidden Secular Dominion to his Miniſters, and given them a far other Deſcription and Canon. 3. But by the uſe of the Church-Keys, they have the Government of Church-Communion; which, as it hath a nearer relation to the heavenly Kingdom, is therein nobler than Secular Power.
19. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did: by the which we draw nigh unto God.
19. For the Law of Moſes did all as an imperfect thing, which was not, of it ſelf, to make Man, or his Service perfect, or his Hopes and Comforts, but to lead him towards a better Revelation; which bringing a fuller notice of Pardon and Grace, Life and Immortality, advan…eth us nearer to God, and giveth us more bold and comfortable Acceſs to him, in order to our heavenly Fruition.
20, 21. And in as much as not without an oath he was made prieſt, (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;)
20, 21. And this Change God ſweareth to, which was not done by Aaron's Prieſthood: which ſheweth its Certainty and Immutability.
22. By ſo much was Jeſus made a ſurety of a better teſtament.
22. Note, 1. The word here tranſlated [Teſtament] ſignifieth, God's Statute-Law, propoſed to us for our Covenant-Conſent and Obedience, and promiſing us Grace and Glory; and ſignifieth the ſame thing as [the Law of Grace.] And not a meer abſolute Promiſe, without Precepts, Condition or Penalty.
2. The word tranſlated [Surety] ſignifieth an interceding Adminiſtrator and Mediator, giving Man Aſſurance of the Will of God (as Moſes did in delivering the Law) and conſenting to receive God's Terms and Promiſes in the nature of Man, and to perform his own part and undertaking, for the gathering and glorifying his Church thereby: But not that he undertook that all that he mediated for, ſhould do all that is their duty.
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.
23, 24. And ſo the Levitical Prieſthood was in many ſucceſſively, becauſe they were mortal: But Chriſt living for ever, is only one and the ſame, and there is no other.
Note, Therefore Chriſt hath no mortal Vicar, to be an univerſal High Prieſt.
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.
25. And this is the great Comfort of Believers, that he is able to ſave us in all Extremities, even at Death, and to Eternity of Bleſſedneſs, ſeeing he ever liveth, by his Interceſſion, to finiſh his ſaving Work for all that come by him to God… Friends dye, and all Worldly Helps may fail, but Chriſt will never dye.
26. For ſuch an high prieſt became us, who is holy, harmleſs, undefiled, ſeparate from ſinners, and made higher than the heavens.
26. For our Condition required ſuch an High Prieſt, who is holy, free from doing ill, or suffering any more from any Enemies, clean from all ſin of his own, and is ſeparated from the Condition of ſinful Man that dwells on Earth.
27. Who needeth not daily, as thoſe high prieſts, to offer up ſacrifice, firſt for his own ſin, and then for the peoples: for this he did once, when he offered up himſelf.
27. Who had no ſin of his own, as the High Prieſts had; and therefore, for his own ſin he needed not to offer any Sacrifice, though he did it to perfect his undertaken Work for us. Nor needed he offer often for the ſins of the people; for his once offering up himſelf, was a ſufficient Expiatory Sacrifice.
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.
28. For the Law had none to make High Prieſts of, but mortal Sinners; but the Word of the Oath, Pſal. 110. which was ſince the making of the Law, maketh the Son of God High Prieſt, who is holy, ſinleſs, immortal, and conſecrated to an everlaſting Prieſthood.