Sermons on Hebrew 7, Sermon 6
SERMON VI.
Hebrews 7. 17, 18, 19.
For he Teſtifieth, Thou art a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchiſedeck.
For there is verily a diſannulling of the Commandment going before, for the weakneſs and unprofitableneſs thereof.
For the Law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
THE laſt time I ſpoke to you from this chapter, I concluded with v. 16. where it is ſaid, that Jeſus Chriſt is made a Prieſt after the power of an endleſs life. Theſe were the laſt words ſpoken to.
Now the Apoſtle, to prove this, he goes on to demonſtrate it in theſe three verſes which I have read unto you, and to be opened this morning, as God ſhall aſſiſt.
Chriſt Jeſus was made a Prieſt after the power of an endleſs life; our Apoſtle proves it,
Firſt, In v. 17. in theſe words (for he teſtified) Thou art a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchiſedeck. Is made a Prieſt after the power of an endleſs life—But Jeſus Chriſt is made a Prieſt after the order of Melchiſedeck.
And to prove this ſtill more evidently, he tells us in v. 18. That there is a diſannulling of the Commandment going before, for the weakneſs and unprofitableneſs thereof. God diſannulled the Commandment going before: He diſannulled the old Prieſthood, to ſet up the Prieſt-hood of Jeſus Chriſt for ever: And the reaſon why God diſannulled the Commandment going before, is given in the latter end of verſe 18. Becauſe of the weakneſs and unprofitableneſs thereof.
And this he further amplifies in verſe 19. For (ſaith he) the Law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did—Theſe particulars to be opened in the three verſes.
To begin with verſe 17. For he teſtifies thou art a Prieſt for ever, after the order of Melchiſedeck [he teſtified] why, who teſtified? why, David teſtified; or the Spirit of God by David teſtified. In Pſal. 110. 4. there is the teſtimony. The Lord he ſware, and will not repent, Thou art a Prieſt for ever, after the order of Melchiſedeck. Mind it; when David teſtified this, the Levitical Prieſthood was then in its greateſt glory: For David lived in a time when the ſervice of God was performed according to the order of Aaron, and the Levitical Prieſthood; yet David teſtified of another Prieſthood. David was in his day a Prophet in the Church of God, and a great Prophet; and he was inſpired by the Holy Ghoſt, to teſtifie this, many hundred years before it came, to be fully accompliſhed: To teſtifie that Jeſus Chriſt was the everlaſting High Prieſt according to the order of Melchiſedeck.
I ſhall not ſtand much upon this verſe, at this time, becauſe you have the ſame thing repeated again in verſe 21. of this chapter: There 'tis brought in as a repetition of the Oath of God; The Lord ſware, and will not repent, Thou art a Prieſt for ever, after the order of Melchiſedeck. Here you have it twice together; I ſhall therefore leave the more full handling of this till I come to the 21th. verſe.
In the words of v. 17. you may obſerve the Apoſtles ſcope in them, why he mentions it here in v. 17.
His ſcope is this; to ſhew the excellency of the Prieſthood of Chriſt, above that of Aaron, in two reſpects.
Firſt, That Jeſus Chriſt is a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchiſedeck. The Apoſtle would have us to underſtand, that Chriſt is not made Prieſt by the Law of a carnal Commandment (which I ſpoke of in the verſe before.) The Levitical Prieſthood was made by the Law of a carnal Commandment. I opened that the laſt day. There was nothing in the ſervice of that Prieſthood, but was meerly outward and bodily: But Jeſus Chriſt being a Prieſt after the order of Melchiſedeck, he is not a Prieſt after the Law of a carnal Commandment, an outward and bodily Worſhip; but the Worſhip of Chriſt is a ſpiritual Worſhip. And this is the firſt branch of the excellency of Chriſts Prieſthood, above that of Levi.
2. The Apoſtles ſcope alſo, is, to prove that Chriſt is a Prieſt for ever after the order of an endleſs life; becauſe he is a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchiſedeck. So that now we do not depend upon a dying Prieſthood; or upon ſuch Ordinances and Ceremonies, that are to be aboliſhed, before the time of the conſummation of all Worſhip in this World. But we are to worſhip God under ſuch an High-prieſt as abideth for ever: And we come to one, who is able to ſave to the uttermoſt, all thoſe that come unto God by him.
He teſtified, Thou art a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchiſedeck.] From whence we may learn this Leſſon from the words; That we muſt always keep cloſe to Scripture-teſtimony, to take up that which is the matter of our Faith. We muſt take it up on Scripture-teſtimony, and not by the will of man. And ſo I come to the 18th. verſe.
For there is verily a diſannulling of the Commandment going before. [A Diſannulling.] And then he ſhews the reaſon of it, and that is, for the weakneſs and unprofitableneſs thereof.
Firſt, (ſaith he) Verily there is a Command going before: What Command was that? why, the Command of the Levitical-way of Worſhip, which did go before Chriſts coming in the fleſh. That is the meaning. For the Law, as to the Adminiſtration of it, it was before the Goſpel; it was before Chriſt came to be our ſpiritual High-prieſt and Sacrifice, tho' he was promiſed before, yet it was before Chriſt came in the fleſh, and all thoſe things were but types and ſhadows of heavenly things, of things which were to come. As the ſhadow ſometimes goes before the body; ſo did the Law come before Chriſt—The Levitical Prieſthood goes before the Evangelical Prieſthood of Jeſus Chriſt. But (ſaith the Apoſtle) there is a diſannulling of the Command going before; [diſannulling] what is that? why, it is an abrogating and making void, ſo as no man is bound to this Command, to that kind of Worſhip that was under the Law. He is not bound to offer thoſe Sacrifices; the command of thoſe Sacrifices is diſannulled: He is not bound to obſerve thoſe Rites, thoſe manifold Ceremonies, for the command is diſannulled and made void, by the coming of Jeſus Chriſt in the fleſh. Pray attend to thoſe things, for it may be of uſe to them that are ſtudious to know the mind of God in the Scripture.
The Apoſtle gives the reaſon why there is a diſannulling of the Command, and Law of the old way of Worſhip. What Reaſon? Why (ſaith he) Becauſe of the weakneſs and unprofitableneſs of it. The weakneſs and unprofitableneſs of all the Levitical Prieſthood and Service, is the reaſon why God removed it. Weakneſs and unprofitableneſs, that is, if a Man did ſpend all his days in that kind of Worſhip and Service, without looking beyond it, it profited nothing; it was not able to effect the great things the Soul ſtood in need of, and therefore in Gal. 4. 9. the Apoſtle calls them, weak and beggarly Elements; you ſee what he calls thoſe things, that were once the Ordinances of God: But he ſo calls them in reſpect of Goſpel diſpenſations [ſo here they are weak and unprofitable.]
There are ſeveral things in Scripture that are ſaid not to profit us.
As Firſt, the knowledge of Chriſt after the Fleſh, ſee John 6. 13. It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the Fleſh profiteth nothing; he ſpake it in reference to his Doctrin. The Fleſh] that is, the Fleſhly knowledge of Chriſt. As thoſe people (the Papiſts) who count themſelves the only wiſe people; it profiteth nothing to know Chriſt after the Fleſh, tho if they were certain they could lie in the manger where Chriſt lay, and Kiſs the Croſs, and go to the Sepulchre of Chriſt, it is only filthy knowledge, and profiteth nothing.
So again, the Scripture tells us that Bodily Exerciſe profiteth little, 1 Tim. 4. 8. For Bodily Exerciſe profiteth little, but Godlineſs is profitable unto all things having the promiſe of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. Bodily Exerciſe profiteth nothing: Some have no other Religion but what lies in Bodily Exerciſe.
Thirdly, The Scripture tells us, that meats profit nothing, ſee Heb. 13. 9. It is a good thing to have the Heart eſtabliſhed with Grace, and not with Meats, which have not profited them, that have been occupied therein. The Jews of old made a great diſtinction about Meats; ſo the Papiſts now, hold it a great ſin to eat Meat in Lent, and to eat Fleſh on Wedneſdays and Fridays; but (ſaith the Apoſtle) this profiteth nothing: This diſtinction of Meats profiteth nothing to the Soul. Now (ſaith the Apoſtle here in the Text) the Commandment is diſannulled, for the weakneſs and unprofitableneſs of it. How is that? Why, if Men went no further in the Law, than bringing a Lamb or a Bullock for a Sacrifice, go up to Jeruſalem to Worſhip, and be very ſtrict in obſerving all the Rites and Ceremonies of the Law of Moſes; theſe things profited nothing. The Lord diſannuled the Commandment concerning all the Jewiſh Rites and Ceremonies, for the weakneſs and unprofitableneſs in them.
But then you will ſay, Why did God appoint them, ſeeing they were weak and unprofitable?
I Anſwer, Though they were weak and unprofitable (as to reach the main end of Mans Salvation) yet God had other holy ends in appointing of them.
Firſt of all, to keep his Children and People under obedience, until the fulneſs of time did come, that Chriſt was to be manifeſted in the Fleſh; for this is to be obſerved, that all Mankind are addicted to Worſhip a Deity, ſome God or other, or ſomething that they made their God. All the Heathen Worſhippers are for Worſhipping ſome God or other; and if God had left this people without Divine Rites and Ceremonies, they would have run into the Rites and Ceremonies of the Idolatrous Heathens, which were worſe. God did by his Children in the time of the Law, as Parents do with their Children; they ſet them about things that are little worth, or of little effect, to keep them from doing worſe; So God left his People the Divine Rites and Ceremonies, to keep them from running into Heatheniſh Idolatry.
Secondly, God had ſtill a further end, and that is, Tho they were not perfect of themſelves, yet by this they were directed to look unto Jeſus Chriſt, and his Prieſthood, and his Sacrifice; and tho they were no more perfected by them, than the body is by the ſhadow, yet the ſhadow ſhews that there is a Body; ſo thoſe things were weak and unprofitable in themſelves, but they led to Chriſt the ſubſtance; ſo they were of holy uſe to all the Faithful and Elect of God.
But to come to the application of this Point, and ſo to paſs on:
If this be ſo that all the Moſaical Rites and Ceremonies, were weak and imperfect, and God for that reaſon aboliſhed them, becauſe they could not reach the main end of Mans happineſs: Then here you may ſee the folly of thoſe Men, that ſet up theſe Rites and Ceremonies and humane Inventions, in part of their Worſhip. If Gods own Inſtitutions were weak and unprofitable, what are Mens Inventions? Are their Prieſtly Veſtments profitable? Their Croſſings and Cringings profitable? What profit is there in bowing the Knee at the word Jeſus? What profit is there in theſe things? And yet many Men Glory in theſe things, and magnifie them above the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt.
Some ſay theſe things are Edifying: I remember a diſpute between a Martyr and a Popiſh Prieſt; the Martyr objected that he could not comply with that kind of Worſhip, becauſe of their many Ceremonies; ſaid the Prieſt, 'tis true thoſe Ceremonies are not neceſſary to Salvation, but they may be uſed to Edification; the Martyr replyed again, Give me the Salvation, and give me the Edification; to be ſure there is an unprofitableneſs in all theſe things.
But ſome will ſay, theſe are Ornaments of the Church of God. To that I Anſwer, So is a painted Glaſs an Ornament to the Houſe, yet it ſhuts out the Light more than a plain Glaſs; the Light doth not ſhine out ſo clear through a painted Glaſs: Theſe painted and carnal Ceremonies do ſhut out the Light of the Goſpel; for the Light of the Goſpel ſhines out more pure and clear, in the plain Adminiſtration of the Goſpel; and therefore all thoſe things that carnal Men ſo magnifie are unprofitable.
Now I proceed to the 19. ver. For the Law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by which we draw nigh to God. This is ſtill to demonſtrate the point in hand [The weakneſs and unprofitableneſs of the Law:] The Law made nothing perfect, i. e the Levitical and Ceremonial Law could not Cleanſe the Conſcience, neither Juſtified the Perſon; it never could reach the main end, which is the happineſs of Men. But God brings in another thing, a higher thing (for that ſee Heb. 10. 1.) For the Law having a ſhadow of things to come, and not the very Image of the things, can never with thoſe Sacrifices, which they offered Year by Year continually, make the comers thereto perfect. They could never make the comers to them perfect; and ſtill they had dark apprehenſions of God. 'Tis true, the Elect could ſee Chriſt, but they that went no further than theſe Ceremonies and Levitical Worſhip, tho they were very ſtrict in them, yet theſe were very ſhort in cleanſing them from ſin. [It made not the comers to them perfect.] When the People of God of old had offered a Sacrifice, and performed all their Sacrifice according to the Law, yet they were to look to a higher Prieſthood, and a higher Sacrifice, for the cleanſing of their ſins, Heb. 9. 9. Which was a figure for the time then preſent; in which were offered both Gifts and Sacrifices, that could not make him that did the ſervice Perfect, as pertaining to the Conſcience: It could not cleanſe him from the guilt of ſin which lay upon his Conſcience. This is done by the bringing in of a better hope, by the which we draw nigh to God. Theſe are the Words which I ſhall ſpend the remaining part of my time in.
But the bringing in of a better hope, by the which we draw nigh to God.] Here the Queſtion is, What is meant by this hope?
1. For the word hope; here it is to be taken for the thing hoped for; [That is the hope here] the coming of the Meſſiah, the Salvation by Chriſt, the Prieſthood of Chriſt, and the bleſſings that attend it. And this is called hope in a twofold reſpect.
1. In reſpect of the time, when David did teſtifie this of Chriſts coming: So it was a bleſſing to come, and a thing to be hoped for, by the Fathers of old. For this is to be obſerved, that all the time the Church lived under the Levitical Prieſt-hood, they lived in the hopes of the coming of Chriſt, and of the Meſſiah; which was the great thing hoped for, and looked for. And therefore, when Jeſus Chriſt was born, and the Angels came to give intimation of his Birth; ſee how Zechariah) who was one of the Levitical Prieſthood) expreſſes himſelf in his Song, Luk. 1. 72, 73. To perform the mercy promiſed to our Fathers, and to remember his holy Covenant, the Oath which he ſware to our Father Abraham. This was the great promiſe, [The coming of Jeſus Chriſt the Meſſiah] that ſhould do what the Law could not do. The Law made nothing perfect; but Jeſus Chriſt the Meſſiah made all things perfect. This was the hope the Father had; therefore if you look into Luk. 2. you ſhall find, that good and juſt man old Simeon, who waited for the conſolation of Iſrael [which was the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.] At ver. 29. Lord, now letteſt thou thy Servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have ſeen thy Salvation. Oh this was a joyful thing to him! When he came into the Temple, he took the Child in his arms, and ſaid, Lord, now letteſt thou thy Servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have ſeen thy ſalvation. This was the hope of them of old.
2. Chriſt in his Prieſthood, Death and Suffering, is ſtiled [our hope alſo. For (ſaith the Apoſtle) we are ſaved by hope; and where is our hope, but in the Death and Interceſſion of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt? [all our hope is in him.]
But then he is ſtiled here [a better hope:] How is it a better hope? In two reſpects, than all the Jewiſh Sacrifices, and Levitical Prieſthood could give: for that Prieſthood gave hope only of temporal bleſſings clearly, but very darkly of ſpiritual bleſſings. We can ſcarcely read one word of the Kingdom of Heaven, under the Moſaical diſpenſation. See I pray Lev. 26. 2. and ſo on. Ye ſhall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my Sanctuary; I am the Lord—If ye walk in my Statutes, and keep my Commandments, and do them; then will I give you Rain in due ſeaſon, and the Land ſhall yield her increaſe, and the Trees of the field ſhall yield their fruit. And your threſhing ſhall reach unto the Vintage, and the Vintage ſhall reach unto the ſowing-time, and ye ſhall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your Land ſafely. Theſe are all promiſes and bleſſings, and encouragements to ſerve God, according to the command of God. But not a word of Heaven here—This was the tenour of the firſt Covenant; they had hopes of Legal Priviledges, and Temporal Bleſſings. Theſe are the great things the Law of Moſes runs upon: But now we have a better hope, Jeſus Chriſt our High-prieſt—If any man will follow me, he ſhall have the light of life—The New Teſtament runs all upon heavenly things. But,
2. Better hope] in reſpect of the manner of revealing of it: For this muſt not be denied, but that all the true Saints and Believers, under the Old Teſtament, had their [hope] of Heaven, as we have, but very poorly and darkly: They had their hopes of Grace, and heavenly things; and therefore it is ſaid of Abraham, (in Heb. 11. 10.) He looked for a City which hath foundations, whoſe builder and maker is God. They had all theſe things in ſight, but darkly. And while Moſes was read amongſt them, they had a Veil upon their face: But we with open face behold the glory of God, and are changed into the ſame Image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
But then the next is [By which we draw nigh to God.] The bringing in of a better hope, by which we draw nigh to God How is that? You muſt know, that God and ſinful man are at a great diſtance, tho' near in reſpect of his Omniſciency. You know how it is among men, tho' they live in the ſame Town, or near to one another, in reſpect of Neighbourhood; yet, if there be enmity and ſtrife between them, you will ſay, they are at a diſtance: So God, in reſpect of his Omniſciency, is not far from any of us: For 'tis through him we live, move and breathe, and have our being. But in reſpect of Love, Peace and Union, God and ſinful man is at a great diſtance. 'Tis ſaid, God is angry with the wicked every day, Pſal. 7. 11. He is an offended God—He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. He is at a diſtance from us: and if men were but ſenſible of this, they would never preſume upon his mercy, in a day of affliction, Iſa. 1. 15. And when you ſhall ſpread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear. When people come into affliction and diſtreſs, they are ready to cry unto God for mercy. But (ſaith the Lord) I will hide mine eyes from you. There is a vaſt and infinite diſtance between God and a poor ſinful creature: But by the Prieſthood of Jeſus Chriſt, he offering himſelf as a Sacrifice for ſin, and ever liveth to make interceſſion for us. And by virtue of this, every Believer may come to God, by the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as Mediator, to pray to him. It is not believing, or repentance will bring us to God, if we had not an High-prieſt. See Heb. 10. 19. Having therefore, Brethren, boldneſs, to enter into the Holieſt by the blood of Jeſus, by a new and living way, which he hath conſecrated for us, through the Veil, that is to ſay, his fleſh. Boldneſs, to enter into the Holy of Holies. If you go into the Preſence-chamber of a King, with your Petition; if you know the King hath reſpect and favour for you; and the Son at his right hand to pacifie his Father, and you come in the way appointed, with a full aſſurance to have your Petition granted: So (ſaith the Apoſtle) you may have full aſſurance to go to God, in the new and living way: And therefore ſay, Lord, I draw night to thee; but it is by the new and living way, that Jeſus Chriſt hath conſecrated, by his blood: I draw nigh for mercy, but it is becauſe thy Son is the great High-prieſt, whom thou haſt ſet over thine own houſe. Let us therefore (ſaith the Apoſtle) come in full aſſurance of Faith.
Haply ſome poor doubting Soul may ſay, How can I draw nigh to God, to a-holy God; I that have ſo much ſin and guilt upon me? were I holy and innocent, I ſhould go with more boldneſs.
To that, I anſwer; If thou waſt holy and innocent, thou ſhouldſt not need an High-prieſt: If thou hadſt no ſin nor guilt upon thee, thou ſhouldſt not need to go to God in the new and living way. But tho' we have ſin and much guilt upon us, yet the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, he is our High-prieſt. It was ſin that was the occaſion of making the Lord Jeſus Chriſt the great High-prieſt. Oh bleſs God for Jeſus Chriſt! and for bringing ſo great a good, and ſo great an evil ſo near together! No greater evil than ſinning againſt a holy God! But this occaſioned God to conſecrate his Son by an Oath, to be a Prieſt for ever, after the order of Melchiſedeck.
There are but two ways by which a creature can draw nigh to God, a holy God; and that is, either in the way of his own worthineſs, or goodneſs, or in the way of Chriſts worthineſs and goodneſs: But for our own goodneſs, or worthineſs, that is loſt: Go to God in that way, our ſins will block up our way, that way is ſtopt: But go to God in the way of his Sons worthineſs, and you will have acceptance with him. Come to God, and ſay, Lord, In the name and worthineſs of thine own Son, I draw nigh to thee: How draw nigh to God? why, the Scripture makes this difference, between drawing nigh to God, under the old Prieſthood, and under the Prieſthood of Jeſus Chriſt. In the time of the old Prieſthood, there were none of the people to go into the moſt holy place; the High-prieſt was only to go, and that but once a year, Lev. 16. 2. Aaron was commanded not to go into the holy place at all times. Now compare this with Heb. 9. 7. there he ſpeaks that the High-prieſt was to go into the holy place but once a year. Now (ſaith the Apoſtle) we have boldneſs to enter into the holy place. Let us come into the holy place—Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, having made us Kings and Prieſts, we may come nigh to God—Chriſt hath brought us ſo nigh to God, as we may come to him, as a Child cometh to its Father. The Lord hath provided better things for us, that we might be made perfect: Therefore let us mind theſe things.
You ſee here the ſum of theſe words: How God hath diſannulled and abrogated all the Levitical Service, & Worſhip, and Rites, for their weakneſs and unprofitableneſs: That he might bring in a better hope, by the which we draw nigh to God.