versal maxim, that none who had not a right thereto by virtue of an antecedent constitution, which Christ had not, as not being of the tribe of Levi-could be a priest, without an immediate call from God, such as Aaron had, and therein acknowledgeth, that if he were not extraordinarily called of God, he could be no high priest.

§2. "He glorified not himself to be made an high priest." Outward call by men, or in virtue of a divine legal ordinance he had none; if, therefore, he be a priest he must be made so by God. Hence the Socinians (joining with the Jews) vainly raise a cavil against the deity of Christ. If he were God, say they, why did another glorify him? why did he not glorify himself? There were, indeed, some force in the objection against us, if we held that the Lord Messiah were God only. But our doctrine concerning his person is that which is declared by our apostle, Phil. ii, 6—8, “Being in the form of God, he thought it no robbery to be equal with God; but he made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was in the likeness of men." But although he was perfectly and completely constituted an high priest, by the acts of God the Father (which we need not here repeat) yet his solemn consecration and dedication, not to his of fice, but to the actual discharge of it, were effected by acts of his own, in his preparation for, and actual offering up himself a sacrifice once for all. And so he was perfected and consecrated by his own blood. Wherefore he did not glorify himself to be "made an high priest;" that was an act of the will and authority of God. But how is it said that Christ "glorified not himself?" Was there an addition of glory or honor made to him thereby? Nay, doth not the scripture every where declare this as an act of the highest con

descension in him? How, therefore, can he be said not to glorify himself therein? Let those answer this inquiry, who deny his divine nature and being. They will find themselves in the same condition as the Pharisees, when our Savior posed them with a ques tion to the same purpose, viz. how David came to call Christ his Lord, who was to be his son so long after? To us these things are clear and evident; for if we consider the divine nature of Christ, it was an infinite condescension in him to take our nature, and therein to execute the office of a priest for us; yet with respect to the nature assumed, the office itself was an honor and dignity to him.

$3. "But he that said unto him." There is an ellipsis in the words, which must be supplied to complete the antithesis; "but he glorified him who said,&c."

It is not easily apprehended how the apostle confirmeth the priesthood of Christ, or his call to office by these words: they are twice used elsewhere by himself to other ends, Heb. i, 5, Acts xiii, 33, for these originally signify the eternal relation that subsists between the Father and the Son. Various have been the opinions of interpreters about the precise import of this testimony; but not to recount them, we may observe towards ascertaining the true sense, that it is not the priesthood of Christ, but his call to it, which the apostle asserts;-and that he intends to shew only that it was God the Father, from whom he had all his mediatory power, as king, priest, and prophet to his church. And, this is evidently proved by the testimony, in that God declares him to be his Son, and accepts of him in the discharge of his commission. For this solemn declaration of his relation to God the Father in his eternal sonship, and the Father's approbation of him, prove that he undertook nothing, but

what he was designed for; which designation is more particularly declared in the ensuing testimony.

$4. Obs. 1. The office of the high priesthood over the church of God was an honor and glory to Jesus Christ. There was a glory upon him from the nature of the work itself; so it was prophesied, Zech. vi, 13, "He shall build the temple of the Lord, and shall bear the glory." The work was no less than the "healing of the breach" made between God and the whole creation by the first apostasy. Sin had put variance between God and all his creatures, Gen. iii, Rom. viii, 20. No way was left (without this wondrous plan) but that God must be perpetually dishonored, or all creatures everlastingly cursed. How great, how glorious a work must it needs be, to put a stop to this entrance of confusion; to lay hold on the perishing cre ation, running headlong into eternal ruin, and to preserve it, or at least some portion, some first fruits of it, from destruction? Herein then was the Lord Jesus Christ exceedingly glorious in his priestly office, because in the discharge of it he was the only means of restoring the eclipsed glory of Jehovah, and of more advantageously displaying its adorable lustre; the greatness of which work no heart can conceive. Moreover, he has a glory with which he is delighted, that all his saints, in all parts of the world, do severally and in their assemblies, with all humility, love, and thankfulness, worship, bless, praise, and glorify him, as the author and finisher of their recovery to God, and eternal salvation. Every day do they come about his throne, cleave to him, and live in the admiration of his love and power. And this glory will be full at the latter day, and will so hold to all eternity, when all his saints from the beginning to the end of the world shall be gathered to him, and shall abide with him,

adoring him as their head, and shouting for joy while they behold his glory. For these and the like reasons it was that our blessed Savior, knowing how unable we are in this world to comprehend his glory, as also how great a part of our blessedness consists in the knowledge of it, makes that great request for us, that, after we are carried through our course of this transitory life, we may, as a principal part of our rest and reward, "be with him where he is, to behold his glory," John xviii, 24.

$5. Obs. 2. Relation and love are the fountain and cause of God committing all authority over the church to Jesus Christ. By this expression of relation. and love, "thou art my Son, this day have I begotten.. thee," doth the apostle prove that God called him to be the High Priest of the church. To the same purpose himself speaketh, John iii, 35, "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand." And this relation to God manifested itself in all he did in the discharge of his office; for, saith the evangelist, "we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth," John i, 14. Now the relation intended is, that one single eternal relation of his being the Son of God, the only begotten of the Father. And as God declares the greatness of this work which none could effect but his Son, he who was God with himself, John i, 1, 2; so it is the will of God "that all men should honor the Son as they honor the Father," John v, 23. The "love" intended is twofold; the natural and eternal love of the Father to the Son, and his delight in him, as participant of the same. nature with himself,-and his actual love towards him, on account of his infinite condescension and grace, in undertaking this work, wherein his glory was so eminently concerned, see Phil. ii, 6—11.

VERSE 6.

As he saith also in another place, thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek.

$1. The connexion of the words. $2. The manner of introducing this testimony. $3. The testimony itself. §4. The manner of Christ's call compared with that of Aaron. $5. Observation.

$1.

THIS HIS verse gives us a farther confirmation of the call of Christ to his office, by another testimony taken from Psal. cx, 4. And that the whole psalm was prophetical of Jesus Christ, I have proved before, against the exception of the Jews, both in our exercitations and exposition on the first chapter. The subject matter also spoken of, or the priesthood of Melchisedec, with the "order" thereof, the apostle expressly resumes and handles at large, chap. vii, where it must be considered. There is, therefore, only one thing here to be inquired into, viz. how far, or wherein they give testimony to the assertion-that "Christ did not glorify himself to be made an high priest, but that he was designed thereto of God even the Father." There are two things in the words: (1.) The manner of the introduction of this new testimony. (2.) The testimony itself.

§2. The first; "as he saith in another:” (nabws nai) in the same manner, as he had said in Psal. ii, "Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee." So great and important a truth had need of solemn confirmation. The thing signified is principally here intended; and (Aye) he saith, refers immediately to God the Father himself. That which the apostle designed to prove, is, that Christ was called and constituted an high priest by the authority of God the Father, by his