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enlightned, and have tafted of the

heavenly gift, and

were made partakers of the holy Ghoft, 5. And have tafted of the good word of God, and the i

ht Joh. 4. 10. Jefus answered and faid unto her, If thou knewest the Gift of God, and who it is that faith to thee, Give me to

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powers of the

him, and he would have given thee living Water.

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5. Gal. 3. 2. Received ye the Spirit by the Works of the Law, drink, thou wouldst have asked of 5 or by the hearing of Faith?

themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. That is, They, by their Apoftafie, defpitefully ufe him, they judge and condemn him to be a Seducer, one who was defervedly put to death by the Jews and Romans. The Guilt, next to this, is that of those who live, and continue to live in a plain and wilful Contradiction to the Commandments of our pure and holy Religion.

Luk.

Secondly, Such Words as cannot, could not, impoffible, &c. though, ftri&tly fpeaking, they denote a natural and abfolute Impoffibility, yet they are generally used in a Senfe which imports that a Thing is difficult, not that it is strictly impoffible. In common Converfation we are wont to say, that fuch or fuch a thing cannot be, that it is impoffible, and the like, when we mean no more, than that it is not probable, or likely, or that it will be attended with great Difficulties and Inconveniencies, &c. For Inftance, Gen. 19. 22. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Gen. 34. 14. We cannot do this thing, to give our Sifter to one that is uncircumcifed: for that were a reproach unto us. 11.7. Trouble me not; the Door is now fhut, and my Children are with me in Bed; I cannot rife and give thee. Luk. 17. 1. It is impoffible but that Offences will come. Joh. 12. ·39. Therefore they could not believe. Not that these things could not, or that it was, ftrictly speaking, impoffible for them to be. Could not God, if he in his infinite Wisdom faw fit, prevent Offences? Would our Lord have done fo many Miracles to convince the Jews, had it been abfolutely impoffible for them to believe in him? In a Legal Senfe, that is impoffible which is contrary to Law, and inconfiftent with our Duty. So that there are degrees of Impoffibility, and that Word is oftner used in a Senfe that denotes the Difficulty of an Action, than in a proper Senfe; and fo it is ufed here.

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Thirdly, The Apoftle is not to be underftood to fay, that if a Man is fenfible of the Heinoufnefs of his Sin, that he cannot be renewed to Repentance under the Chriftian Dispensation; but his Meaning is, that the Chriftian Difpenfation is the last Method which God will make ufe of for the Recovery of fallen Man; and therefore he who wilfully, obftinately, and finally Apoftatizes from it, cannot be faved in any other Way. No other Saviour will be appointed, no other Sacrifice will be offered up or accepted than that full, perfect, and fufficient Sacrifice which Jefus Chrift has offered up upon the Crofs: There is no other Spirit or Grace to be received. Salvation therefore is impoffible to those who seek it in any other Way. But Salvation is not impoffible to him who returns from his Apoftacy, and owns and confeffes Chrift and his Religion, and lives according to his Laws. It is impoffible to thofe, and thofe only, who do not repent, but die in their Apolacy, or in the wilful Neglect, or wil ful Contempt of the Laws of Jefus Chrif. See the Note on Heb. 10. 26.

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the world to come; 6. If they fhall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance: feeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God aftefh, and put him to an open fhame. 7. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by [Or, for] whom it is dreffed, receiveth bleffing from God: 8. But that which beareth thorns and briers, is rejected, and is m nigh unto curfing; whofe end is to be burned. 9. But beloved, we are perfwaded better things of you, and things that accompany Salvation, though we thus fpeak. 10. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have fhewed toward his name, in that ye have miniftred to the faints, and do minifter. 11. And we defire, that every one of you do fhew the fame diligence, to the full affurance of hope unto the end; 12. That ye be not flothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 13. For when God made promife to Abraham, because he could fware by no greater, he fware by himself, 14. Saying, Surely, bleffing, I will blefs thee, and multiplying, I will multiply thee. 15. And fo after he had patiently endu red, he obtained the promife. 16. For men verily fwear by the greater; and an oath for confirmation is to

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8. Ifa. 5. 6. I will lay it [my Vineyard] wafte: it fhall not be pruned nor digged, but there fhall come up Briers and Thorns.-

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them

but every Man a liar; as it is written, That thou mighteft be justified in thy fayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. 5† 2 Thef. 1.6. Seeing it is a righte ous thing with God to recompence Tribulation to them that trouble you.

Jer. 26. 6. Then will I make this Houfe like Shiloh, and will make this City a Curfe to all the Nations of the Earth. Jer. 44. 10 22. Therefore [becaufe of your Evil-doings] is your Land a Defolation, and an Aflenishment, and a Curfe without an Inhabitant, as at this Day.

10. + Prov. 14. 31. He that ppeth the Poor, reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him, hath mercy on the Poor. † Mat. 25. 40. Joh. 13. 20.

Mat 10.49, 42.

e.

See on

Rom. 3. 4. Let God le true,

P See on A&ts II. 29.

11. at Heb. 3. 6, 14. See on Mat. 24. 13.

. Col 2. 2. That their Hearts might be comforted, being knit together in Love, and unto all 15 riches of the full affurance of underftanding

20

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13. + Gen. 22. 16. See on Luk 1.73.

16. Exod. 22. 11. Then shall an Oath of the Lord be between them both, that he hath not put his Hand

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them an end of all ftrife. 17. Wherein God willing more abundantly to fhew unto the heirs of promife the immutability of his counfel, confirmed it [Gr. interpofed himself by an oath: 18.That by two immutable things, in which it was impoffible for God to lie, we might have a strong confolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope fet before us: 19.Which hope we have as an anchor of the foul both fure and fted faft,and which entreth into that within the vail, 20. Whither the forerunner is for us entred, even Jefus made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchifedec.

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CHA P. VII.

FOR this a Melchifedec king of Salem, prieft of the moft high God, who met Abraham, returning from the flaughter of the kings, and bleffed him: 2. To whom lfo Abraham gave a tenth part of all: firft being by inerpretation king of Righteoufhefs, and after that alfo,king of Salem, which is king of peace; 3. (1) Without father,

o his Neighbours Goods: and the
Owner of it fhall accept thereof, and
ie fhall not make it good. Deut.
5. 13. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy
God, and ferve him, and fhalt 5
wear by his Name. Ifa. 45 23. I
ave fworn by my felf,-that unto
ne every Knee fhall bow, every
ongue shall fwear. Ifa. 65. 16 --
He that Sweareth in the Earth, fhall 10
wear by the God of Truth.- Jer. 4.
1. Thou shalt fwear, The Lord liv-
th, in Truth, in Judgment, and
n Righteoufnefs.-
Jer. 5. 7.
How fhall I pardon thee for this? 15
Thy Children have forfaken me,
and worn by them that are 20
gods.-

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17. Gal. 3. 29. If ye be Chrifts,

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I. † Gen. 14. 18. .: See on

then are ye Abraham's Seed, and 20 Heb. 5. 6. Heirs according to the Promife.

(1) The Meaning is not that Melchifedec had neither Father nor Mother, but that there is no mention made of his Parentage or Defcent in the Old-Teftament. For antiently thofe were called Fatherlefs and Motherlefs, whofe Parentage was either obfcure or loft. The Reafon why we have no account of the Genealogy of this great Man, feems to be, that he might be a Type and Figure of Chrift, who, as Man, had no earthly Father, and as God, had no Mother. He was a Figure of Christ in his Name,

for

4.

go

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without mother, without defcent [Gr. pedigree], having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest continually. Now confider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the fpoils. 5. And verily they that are of the fous of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loyns of A braham: 6. But he whofe defcent (Gr. pedigree] is not counted from them, received tithes of Abraham, and bleffed i him that had the promises. 7. And without all contra diction, the less is bleffed of the better. 8. And here me that die receive tithes : but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. 9. And as I may fo fay, Levi also who receiveth tithes, paid tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loyns of his father when Melchifeded me: him. 11. If therefore perfection were by the Leviti cal priesthood, (for under it the people received the law) what further need was there that another Prieft fhould rif

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4. † Gen. 14. 20.

Heb 5.6.

h

See on

10

after

the Offerings of the Lord made by Fire, and his Inheritance. 2 Chron 31.5. As foon as the Commandment came abroad, the Children 5 of Ifrael brought in abundance the firft Fruits of Corn, Wine, and Oy and Honey, and of all the Increase of the Field, and the Tythe of al things brought they in abundantly Mal. 3. 8, 9. Will a Man rob God yet ye have robbed me: but ye fay wherein have we robbed thee? I Tythes and Offerings, ye are curfe with a Curfe; for ye have robber me, even this whole Nation

5. + Numb. 18. 21, 26. I have given the Children of Levi all the Tenth in Ifrael, for an Inheritance, for their Service which they ferve, even the fervice of the Tabernacle of the Congregation. Thus 1peak unto the Levites, and fay ainto them, When ye take of the 10 Children of Ifrael the Tythes which I have given you from them for your Inheritance, then ye fhall of fer up an Heave cffering of it for the Lord, even a tenth Part of the 15 Tythe. Deut. 18. 1. The Priests, the Levites, and all the Tribe of Levi, fhall have no part nor Inheritance with Ifrael: they fhall eat

6. † Rom. 4. 13. See on Gal 3. 16, 17+ Verfes 18, 19.

II.

k

8.7. See on Gal. 2. 21.

Heb

for Melchifedec fignifies King of Righteousness, and King of Salem is King Peace. He was a Figure of Chrift, as he was Priest of the most high God. And there being no account in the Scripture of the Beginning of his Life, or the End of his Days, he is in that refpe&t a Figure of the everlafting Priesthood of Christ, who ever liveth to make Intercefon for us.

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fter the order of Melchifedec, and not be called after the he order of Aaron? 12. For the priestood being changd, there is made of neceffity a change alfo of the law. 13. For he of whom these things are fpoken, pertaineth to anoher tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. 4. For it is evident that our Lord fprang out of Juda; f which tribe Mofes fpake nothing concerning priesthood. 5. And it is yet far more evident: for that after the fimiitude of Melchifedec there arifeth another prieft, 16. Who made, m not after the law of a carnal commandment, but fter the power of an endless life. 17. For he teftifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchifedec. 8. For there is verily a difannulling of the commandment oing before, for the weaknefs and unprofitableness theref. 19. For the law made nothing perfect, but the ringing in of a better hope did [Or, but it was the bringing in fa better hope], by the which we draw nigh unto God. 20. And in as much as not without an oath he was made priest, 1. (For those priefts were made without an oath [Or, ithout fwearing of an oath]; but this with an oath, by him hat faid unto him, The Lord fware, and will not repent, Thou art a prieft for ever after the order of Melchifedec) 2. By fo much was Jefus made a furety of a better teftaent. 23. And they truly were many priefts, because they ere not fuffered to continue by reafon of death: 24. But his * because he continueth " ever, hath an unchangeble priesthood [Or, which paffeth not from one to another]. 25. Vherefore he is able alfo to fave them to the uttermoft Or, evermore], that come unto God by him, seeing he ever iveth to make interceffion for them.

man,

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26. For fuch an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, eparate from finners, and made higher than the heavens;

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