An Exposition of Pauls Epistles, Letter 14 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
HEE prosecutes the same Argument: There are two parts of the Chapter: In the first he proves the excellency of Christs Priesthood above the Levitical, in four Arguments, to vers. 7.
In the second hee proves the New Covenant to excel the Old: Concerning the whole Chapter he prefaceth, that in it is contained the summe of the whole comparison betwixt the Priesthood of Christ, and the Levitical.
Vers. 1. Now of the things which wee have spoken, this is the summe: wee have such an High-priest, who is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the heavens.
Arg. 1. Christ our High-priest is such, and of so great dignity, that hee sits King at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty of God the Father in the heavens, equal to the Father in power and glory; Hee leaves us the other part of the Comparison, as sufficiently clear, concerning the Levitical Priest, that hee is not such an one: Therefore the Priest-hood of Christ is more excellent than the Levitical.
Vers. 2. A Minister of the Sanctuary, and of the true Tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
Arg. 2. Christ is the Minister of that Sanctuary in the heavens, where hee sits King in his Throne, and all holy things which appertain to the worship of God, and the salvation of man, not faintly, but effectually acting the part of a Priest in Heaven, although hee is a Royal Priest as to the dignity of his Person, and the manner of his Administration, yet as a Minister as pertaining to his Mediatory Office: Such are not the Levitical Priests on earth, but onelyonly Ministers: Therefore the Priest-hood of Christ is more excellent than the Levitical.
Of the true Tabernacle] Arg. 3. Christ is in heaven the Minister of that true Tabernacle which the Lord hath pitched, and not man, viz. of his body (which Christ himself compared to a Tabernacle) and is figured by the typical Tabernacle: which true Tabernacle of his body, the Holy Ghost miraculously formed and prepared for him in the womb of the Virgin: And Christ now ministring in Heaven, represents that body to the Father; and his Humanity wherein hee suffered, and offers to him continually interceding for us in the same body. But the Levitical Priests are onelyonly Ministers of the typical Tabernacle which man hath built: Therefore, &c.
Vers. 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.
Hee proves that Christ doth constantly offer up the true Tabernacle of his body to God the Father, by three Reasons:
Reas. 1. Because seeing that every Priest is ordained to offer up gifts and sacrifices, it is necessary that Christ have somewhat to offer; But besides his intercession, and the presenting of his sacrificed body to the Father, Christ hath nothing in Heaven which may reconcile God: Therefore the true Tabernacle of his body is that onelyonly which Christ offers to God in the Celestial Sanctuary.
Vers. 4. For if hee were on earth, hee should not bee a Priest, seeing that there are Priests that offer gifts according to the Law:
Reas. 2. Because if hee was on earth, hee could not bee a Priest by the Law, to offer, to wit, those things which the Law prescribes to the Priests, viz. Gifts▪ and typical Sacrifices: Therefore that true Tabernacle of his body onelyonly remains, which Christ offers in his heavenly Sanctuary.
Vers. 5. Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God, when hee was about to make the Tabernacle. For see (saith hee) that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the Mount.
Reas. 3. Confirming the former, because Priests according to the Law, serve on earth, onelyonly unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, for their Ministry was bound to the Tabernacle, or the Temple of Ierusalem, and is imployed in the administration of figures and typical Ceremonies, as it appears by the Levitical Law: Therefore Christ, seeing hee cannot offer up any typical Sacrifices by the Law, and if hee was upon earth, neither could hee bee a Priest by the Law, and seeing now hee is in heaven, and therein exercises his Priest-hood, it is necessary that hee administer about those heavenly things, figured by those Legal shadows, to wit, the body and substance of all Ceremonies, which hee also doth, representing constantly the true Tabernacle of his body unto God, and dispensing unto us spiritual benefits procured for us, by the offering of his body. The testimony proving the former is Exod. 25.40. from whence under the name of a Tabernacle, God will not onelyonly have the Tabernacle, but all things appertaining to the Levitical Priest-hood, to bee representations of heavenly things, viz. Of Christs Priest-hood, and his benefits.
Vers. 6. But now hath hee obtained a more excellent Ministry, by how much also hee is the Mediator of a better Covenant, which was established upon better promises.
Arg. 4. To prove the excellency of Christs Priest-hood above the Levitical, from the excellency of the New Covenant above the Old: Because Christ hath obtained so much the more excellent Ministry above the Levitical, by how much the Covenant whereof Christ is Mediator is more excellent, and established upon better promises, than the Covenant was under the Levitical Priest-hood, For the Covenant under the Levitical Priesthood, as to its external form, was a Covenant of Works, established upon Conditional promises of external things; but the Covenant under Christs Priest-hood, is the Covenant of Grace, freely promising Christ, with all his benefits, to Believers, or the parties in Covenant: And it is the Office of the Priest to intercede betwixt God and men, and to confirm the Covenants between them, by the offering of Sacrifice, as also to endeavour that men may enjoy the Divine Promises. Wherefore how much better the Covenants have been, by so much the Priest-hood it self is to be esteemed more excellent and worthy.
The Second Part.
Vers. 7. For if that First Covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the Second.
The second part of the Chapter follows; wherein hee confirms this Argument in the parts of it: First, hee proves that the New Covenant of the Gospel is more excellent than the old legal Covenant which is abolished: by six Reasons.
For if] Reas. 1. Grounded upon the Proposition connexed; The former Covenant under the Levitical Priest-hood was imperfect, wherein something was wanting, and something might bee taxed, not indeed in respect to it self, but in respect to its efficacy and virtue, and that not from any fault in the Covenant, but because of the weakness of those that were under that Covenant: Therefore the former Covenant was less excellent than this that is New.
Then should no place] Reas. 2. Confirming the former, Because the former Covenant was to bee done away, and the New brought into its place, which had not been, had it not been imperfect: Therefore that former is more imperfect, and this New one more excellent.
Vers. 8. For finding fault with them, hee saith, Behold the daies come (saith the Lord) when I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel, and the house of Judah.
Reas. 3. Confirming the former Reasons, Because the former Covenant by reason of the weakness of the parties in Covenant to perform the Law, which was the condition of the Covenant, could not make the Covenanters faultless, or free them from the accusation of God: but a better Covenant and more efficacious was found out by God, for Justification, Sanctification, and Salvation: Therefore the former Covenant is less excellent than the New one.
Vers. 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.
Reas. 4. Because the New Covenant bears no similitude with that Covenant which God made with the people in Mount Sinai, when hee brought them out of Egypt, whereof Ier. 31.31. For that, though it wanted not some obscurity in its signification of Grace which was to bee obtained in Christ, represented by the Sacrifices, yet it had the external form of a Legal Covenant, and an express condition of full Obedience, to bee performed to all Gods commandements, as appears by the form of it, Exodus Chap. 19. and 20. Ier. 17.23, 31, 32, &c. But the New Covenant (as will by and by appear) is free from the condition of works, both in respect to him that is to enter into covenant, as also in respect to him who made the covenant.
Because they] Reas. 5. The Covenanters according to the Old Covenant, may fall away, and have done so, and may frustrate that covenant, and have done so: But the New Covenant, as shall appear, is of perpetual Grace, according to which the true covenanters, or beleevers, have never fallen away, nor can they fall away, because of Gods Grace, nor can they frustrate the New Covenant▪ because of the fear which God puts into their hearts, that they may not depart from him, Ier. 32.40. Therefore the New Covenant is more excellent.
I regarded] Reas. 6. The Covenanters according to the Old Covenant, abusing the conjugal goodness of God, and committing adultery with other Gods in their Idolatry, according to the conjugal power and dominion which God had over them, might justly bee despised, rejected and condemned by God: It is not thus with those that are under the New Covenant: Therefore the New Covenant is more excellent, whereof Christ is the Mediatour and Surety.
Vers. 10. For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies, saith the Lord, I will put my Laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts: and I will bee to them a God, and they shall bee to mee a People.
Now hee proceeds to the proof of the other part of the Argument, viz. That the New Covenant is established upon better promises, and that by reciting four absolute Promises, made to the Elect, or Beleevers.
I will put] The first promise is of Regeneration: which is nothing else but the inscription of the Law of God, first upon the mind, consisting in the renovation of the mind to the Image of God, after Righteousness and true Holiness.
And I will bee their God] The second promise is of perpetual communion with God, arising from the confederation of Marriage right, whereby the people in covenant become the possession of Gods peculiar love, and God becomes a blessed possession to his people, and both these God promiseth: I will bee their God (saith hee) and they shall bee my people, and I will account them for my people.
Vers. 11. And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: For all shall know mee, from the least to the greatest.
The third promise is of continual instruction and teaching by the holy Ghost, so that they shall not fetch the knowledge of God from the decrees and opinions of men, nor shall hang their Faith upon the authority of mens teachings, nor shall stick in the bare speculation of those things they shall hear preached (as it befalls the unregenerate, who live not under the New Covenant) but by the means of teaching which are of divine institution, they shall bee all (as well the least as the greatest) instructed in, and indued with a lively, effectual knowledge, love and observance of God; so that neither in it self, nor in the estimation of beleevers, hee that plants, or hee that waters shall bee any thing, in comparison with God: But God onelyonly shall … the teacher, who teacheth efficaciously, and gives the increase.
Vers. 12. For I will bee merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins, and their iniquities will I remember no more.
The fourth promise is of eternal remission of sins, whereby God for the sake of Christs obedience, shews himself reconciled to the faithful that are in covenant.
Vers. 13. In that hee saith, A New Covenant, hee hath made the first Old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old, is ready to vanish away.
From the words of Ieremy hee infers a twofold consectary: The first is the Legal or Levitical Covenant, because it is declared by the Prophet to bee Old, (in the Epithite New) it waxeth old, and is vanished.
Now that] The other Consectary drawn from hence, in the times of Ieremiah the Prophet, the Legal or Levitical Covenant was neer its dissolution and vanishing, and by consequence after the comming of Christ, under wh… all things become new, it expired. Than which nothing could be more effectually spoken, to move the Hebrews, that renouncing the Levitical Ceremonies, they would consecrate themselves wholly to Christ alone.