CHAP. V.
THe Excellency of Christs Prophetical Office, and the necessity of cleaving to him, and his Doctrine (who is the Apostle and great Prophet of our Profession) hath been spoken to: The Excellency of his Priestly Office fol∣lows. There are two parts of the Chapter; In the first hee proves Christ to bee the chief and great Priest, more excellent than any typical Priest, that hee might instruct the Hebrews to moderate their thoughts about the Le∣vitical Priesthood, which they too highly esteemed of to the prejudice of Christ, to vers. 11. In the second part ••ee reproves the slothfulness of the Hebrews, that hee might render them more attentive to the following Do∣ctrine; And hee proves the Excellency of Christs Priest∣hood above the Levitical, by nine Arguments.
Vers. 1. For every High Priest taken from among men, is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that hee may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.
2. Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way, for that hee himself also is compassed with infirmity.
3. And by reason hereof hee ought as for the people, so also for himself to offer for sins.
Argum. 1. The perfections which were required in the Levitical Priests, vers. 1, 2. were joyned with some notes of imperfection, and with the sins of the Priests, vers. 2, 3. Therefore Christ which was declared a Priest without sin, in the end of the former Chapter, is more excellent than the Levitical Priests.
Among men] The Perfections of the Levitical High Priest were four. (1) The Levitical Priest was taken from among men, and was chosen one of many. (2) Was ordained for men, in those things which appertained to God, i. e. That in the place and name of the people hee should administer about the worship of God, praying to him for the people, teaching the people in the name of God, and that hee should by all possible means promote the Glory of God, and the salvation of the people. (3) Hee offered gifts of inanimate things, and sacrifi∣ces of beasts, sometimes burnt-offerings, for the sins of the people, sometimes peace-offerings, for the obtaining of benefits, sometimes thank-offerings, for benefits re∣ceived, other whiles sacrifices for special sins, By all which the virtues of Jesus Christs Sacrifice was dimly shadowed out.
Have compassion] (4) The fourth perfection requisite in the Priestly Office, is a sympathy and commiseration proportioned to the greatness of the peoples misery, wherewith they ought to bee touched towards sinners, whether sinning out of ignorance, or voluntary errour and deliberate counsel.
For that] There are two notes of Imperfection in the Priest-hood. (1) That they themselves were obnoxious to the same infirmities, i. e. of ignorance, and errours, and the miseries consequent to sin.
So also] (2) This second n••••e demonstrates the for∣mer, That they are obliged out of duty to offer Sacrifices, no less for their own sins, than the sins of the people; This is the first Argument.
Vers. 4. And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but hee that is called of God as was Aaron.
5. So also, Christ glorifieth not himself to bee made an High Priest, but hee that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
Argum. 2. As the lawful Priests were called to the honour of this office, so Christ was not onely lawfully called by the Father, as Aaron, but also further was ac∣knowledged and declared the onely begotten Son of God, in this Priestly office: Therefore hee is much more ex∣cellent than the Levitical Priests. The Antecedent is proved out of Psalm 2. where the Father speaking to his Son, vers. 7. calls him his Son whom hee begot, before hee command him, vers. 8. to ask of him the ends of the earth, or intercede for the salvation of men, which are parts of the Priests office: Therefore in this Psalm, hee is not onely called by the Father to his Priestly office, but also is acknowledged his Son, and so more excellent than the Levitical Priests.
Vers. 6. As hee saith also in another place, Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Argum. 3. From Psal. 110. Christ is appointed by the Father a Priest for ever, of whose Priest-hood there is no end, according to the order of Melchisedec the type: Therefore hee is more excellent than the Levitical High Priests.
Vers. 7. Who in the daies of his flesh, when hee had offered up prayers and supplications, with strong cry∣ing and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that hee feared.
Argum. 4. This Argument consists of five Branches, which may bee so many Arguments. (1) Christ is so the Son of God, that hee is man also, the Son in our flesh, the infirmiti••s whereof sometime hee felt, without sin, and so is a more excellent man than the Levitical Priests. (2) Hee offered up prayers and supplications, and himself to death, for his people, and so offered a more excellent Sacrifice than the Levitical Priests. (3) Hee interceded with a greater sense of our misery and guilt, with strong