SÉR M. Abraham; otherwise he could not have been

XI.

Both

the promised Seed, which was to come from
Abraham, and was to be Prieft as well as
Prophet and King. For Abraham he defcend-
ed through Isaac and Jacob, to each of which
Patriarchs the Promise of that Seed in whom
all Nations fhould be blessed, was renewed and
confirmed. But Jacob had twelve Sons:
All of whofe Defcendants were admitted into
Covenant, and chofen as the peculiar People
of God: But to the Tribe or Family of Levi
only was the adminiftring in facred Things
confined: And out of that Tribe the House of
Aaron alone was chofen to enter into the Ta-
bernacle, and officiate at the Altar.
High Prieft and Priests were to be Defcendants
from him. Whoever elfe prefumed to mi-
nifter in holy Things, the Service was pro-
faned. But now our Lord, though defcend-
ed from Abraham, from Isaac and Jacob, and
fo of Ifrael, the chofen and peculiar People
of God; yet was he defcended neither from
Aaron nor Levi: His Defcent was, no more
than Melchifedec's, counted from them, chap.
vii. 6. With Relation to that Tribe, he was
without Father, without Mother, without Ge-
nealogy. For He, of whom thefe Things are
Spoken, pertaineth, faith the holy Text, to
another

XI.

another Tribe, of which no Man gave Atten- SER M. dance at the Altar: For it is evident that our Lord Sprang out of Judah, of which Tribe Mofes fpake nothing concerning the Priesthood, ver, 13, 14. And therefore our Lord, as fpringing from Judah, had no Right to the Office of Priesthood, according to the Rule or Regulation of Priesthood which Moses from the Mouth of God prefcribed.

This was the first Difference between the Aaronick Priesthood and Christ's; and which might denominate Christ a Priest more after the Similitude of Melchifedec, than of Aaron. But a more material Difference confifted in the Nature or Kind of Priefthood which they feverally executed. The Aaronick Priesthood was almost wholly imployed in offering Gifts and Sacrifices, in Meats and Drinks and divers Washings, and carnal Ordinances, chap. ix. 9, 10. Things that could not make even them that did the Service, perfect as to Confcience. But no fuch Services were ever performed by Melchifedec or Chrift: Their Performances were of a much more pure and Spiritual Nature. The Sacrifice indeed which Christ made of himfelf; that was material: And by that, as I have fhewn you, he finished and compleated the Aaronick Priesthood, fully

XI.

SER M. performing what all their Sacrifices only shewed was wanting to be done, but what he

did ;
and fo putting an end to, as rendring
thenceforth of no further Ufe all thofe Sa-
crifices, and Offerings, and Burnt Offerings,
and Offerings for Sin, in which God had no
Pleasure: All these he finished by his own
coming to do the Will of God: By the which
Will we are fanctified, through the Offering
of the Body of Jefus Christ once for all, chap. x,
8, 9, 10. By which one Offering he hath per-
fected for ever them that are fanctified, ver,
14. But this I count not as any Part of his
Melchifedecian Priesthood: In this he was
rather the Antitype of Aaron: The Anti-
type of his Priesthood and Sacrifices both:
The Performance and Completion of which
Sacrifice and Priesthood was his Confecration
to his Priesthood after the Order of Melchife-
dec. For fo my Text tells us, that being
made perfect, i. e. being confecrated, by the
Things which he suffered, in fulfilling and fi-
nishing the Priesthood of Aaron, he became
the Author of eternal Salvation to all that o-
bey him, called of God an High Prieft after
the Order of Melchifedec, i. e. conftituted
thenceforth not a facrificing but a blessing
Prieft Not a Pricft to offer himself often, as

3

the

XI.

the High Priest entered into the holy Place, SER M. every Year with Blood of others; (For then must be often have fuffered fince the Foundation of the World: But now once in the end of the World (or in the Conclufion of the Ages) has he appeared to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself, chap. ix. 25, 26. And in Virtue of this one Sacrifice bas he now obtained a more excellent Ministry, by how much he is the Mediator of a better Covenant, which was established upon better Promises, chap. viii. 6. viz. Promifes of Pardon and Grace to the Penitent, and of everlafting Happinefs to the Faithful and Perfevering. Of all which he is in actual Poffeffion himself; he has them entirely at his own Difpofal; and confers them on all that with Faith and Repentance apply to him for them. Thus without any more Offering for Sin has he Authority and Power to bless his People; God having raifed up his Son Jefus, fent him to bless us in turning every one of us from our Iniquities, Acts iii. 26. Bleed (faith St. Paul) be the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who beth blessed us with all spiritual Bleffings in holy Things in Chrift. He is able to fave, to the uttermoft, them that come unto "God by him; feeing he ever liveth to make InQ 4

terceffion

SERM. terceffion for them, Heb. vii. 25. Which

XI.

leads us.to

Another principal Circumftance which fhews Chrift's Priesthood to be after the Order of Melchifedec, and very different from Aaron's: And that is the Perpetuity or Eternity of his Priesthood. For it is yet far more evident, that after the Similitude of Melchifedec, there arifeth another Priest, who is made, not after the Law of a carnal Commandment, but after the Power of an endless Life, ver. 15, 16. i. e. not subject to Mortality and Death, but as immortal as an endless Life can make him: For He (i. e. God, who constituted him) teftifieth (by the Pfalmift) Thou art a Prieft FOR EVER, after the Order of Melchifedec, ver. 17. This the holy Penman notes as a very great Difference (as indeed it is) between the Priesthood of Chrift and the Priesthood of Aaron, For they (i. e. the Jewish Priefs, they) truly were many Priests, because they were not fufficient to continue by reason of Death; ver. 23. and, therefore when one died, another Prieft must fucceed in his Room; But this Man, i. e. Chrift, because he continueth ever, bath an unchangeable Priesthood, ver. 24, or (as the Greek Word fignifieth) a Priefthood that does not pafs from one to another.