Ver. 14.—1. It pleaseth God to give sufficient evidence unto the accomplishment of his promise. 2. Divine revelation gives bounds, positively and negatively, unto the worship of God. ~
Ver. 15-17.—1. Present truths are earnestly to be pleaded and contended for. 2. Important truths should be strongly confirmed. 3. Arguments that are equally true may yet, on the account of evi- dence, not be equally cogent. 4. In the confirmation of the truth we may use every help that is true and seasonable, though some of them may be more effectual unto our end than others. 5. What seemed to be wanting unto Christ, in his entrance into any of his offices, or in the discharge of them, was on the account of a greater glory. 6. The eternal continuance of Christ’s person gives eternal continuance and efficacy unto his office. 7. To make new priests in the church, is virtually to renounce the faith of his living for ever as our priest, or to suppose that he is not sufficient to the discharge of his office. 8. The alteration that God made ‘in the church, by the _ introduction of the priesthood of Christ, was progressive towards its perfection.
Ver. 18, 19.—1. It is a matter of the highest nature and import-
490 SUMMARY OF DOCTRINAL AND [CHAP. VII. 20.
ance, to set up, take away, or remove any thing from or change any thing in the worship of God. 2. The revelation of the will of God, in things reiating unto his worship, is very difficultly received where
the minds of men are prepossessed with prejudices and traditions. ‘ 3, The only securing principle, in all things of this nature, is to pre- serve our souls in an entire subjection unto the authority of Christ, and unto his alone. 4. The introduction into the church of what is better and more full of grace, in the same kind with what went be- fore, doth disannul.what so preceded; but the bringing in of that which is not better, which doth not communicate more grace, doth not do so. 5. If God would disannul every thing that was weak and unprofitable in his service, though originally of his own appoint- ment, because it did not exhibit the grace he intended, he will much more condemn any thing of the same kind that is invented by men. 6. It is in vain for any man to look for that from the law; now it is abolished, which it could not effect in its best estate. 7. When God hath designed any gracious end towards the church, it shall not fail nor his work cease for want of effectual means to accomplish it. 8. Believers of old, who lived under the law, did not live upon the law, — but upon the hope of Christ, or Christ hoped for. 9. The Lord Christ, by his priesthood and sacrifice, makes the church perfect, and all things belonging thereunto. 10, Out of Christ, or without him, all mankind are at an inconceivable distance from God. 11. It is an effect of infinite condescension and grace, that God would appoint a way of recovery for those who had wilfully cast themselves into this woful distance from him. 12. All our approximation unto God in any kind, all our approaches unto him in holy worship, are by him alone who was the blessed hope of the saints under the old tes- tament, and is the life of them under the new.
Ver. 20-22.—1. The faith, comfort, honour, and safety, of the church, depend much on every particular mark that God hath put upon any of the offices of Christ, or whatever belongs thereto. 2. Nothing was wanting on the part of God, that might give eminency, stability, glory, and efficacy, to the priesthood of Christ. 3. Although the decrees and purposes of God were always firm and immutable, yet there was no fixed state of outward dispensations, none confirmed with an oath, until Christ came. 4 Although God granted great privileges unto the church under the old testament, yet still in every . instance he withheld that which was the principal, and should have given perfection to what he did grant. He made them priests, but without an oath. 5. God by his oath declares the determination of his sovereign pleasure unto the object of it. 6. Christ’s being made a priest by the oath of God for ever, is a solid foundation of peace and consolation to the oan i All the transactions between the
CHAP. VII. 25.] PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. | 491
Father and the Son, concerning his offices, undertakings, and the work of our redemption, have respect unto the faith of the church, and are declared for our consolation. 8. How good and glorious soever any thing may appear to be, or really be, in the worship of God, or as a way of our coming to him, or walking before him, if it be not ratified in and by the immediate suretiship of Christ, it must give way unto that which is better; it could be neither durable in itself, nor make any thing perfect in them that made use of it. 9. All the privileges, benefits, and advantages, of the offices and media- tion of Christ, will not avail us, unless we reduce them all unto faith in his person. 10, The whole undertaking of Christ, and the whole efficacy of the discharge of his oftice, depend on the appointment of God. 11. The stability of the new covenant depends on the sureti- ship of Christ, and is secured to believers thereby. 12. The Lord Christ’s undertaking to be our surety gives the highest obligation to all duties of obedience accorditig to the covenant. Ver. 23-25.—1. God will not fail to provide instruments for his work that he hath to accomplish. 2. There is such a necessity of the continual administration of the sacerdotal office in behalf of the church, that the interruption of it by the death of the priests was an argument of the weakness of that priesthood. 3. The perpetuity of the priesthood of Christ depends on his own perpetual life. 4, The perpetuity of the priesthood of Christ, as unchangeably exercised in his own person, is a principal part of the glory of that office. 5. The addition of sacrificing priests as vicars of, or substitutes unto Christ, in the discharge of his oftice, destroys his priesthood as to the prin- cipal eminency of it above that of the Levitical priesthood. 6. Con- sideration of the person and offices of Christ ought to be improved unto the strengthening of the faith and increase of the consolation of the church. 7. The consideration of the office-power of Christ is of great use unto the faith of the church. 8. It is good to secure this first ground of evangelical faith, that the Lord Christ, as vested with his offices, and in the exercise of them, is able to save us. 9, Whatever hinderances and difficulties lie in the way of the salvation _of believers, whatever oppositions do rise against it, the Lord Christ is able, by virtue of his sacerdotal office, and in the exercise of it, to carry the work through them all to eternal perfection. 10. The salvation of all sincere gospel worshippers is secured by the actings of Christ in the discharge of his priestly office. 11. Attendance unto the ser- yice, the worship of God in the gospel, is required to interest us in the saving care and power of our high priest. 12. Those who en- deavour to come unto God in any other way but by Christ, as by saints and angels, may do well to consider whether they have any such office in heaven as by virtue whereof they are able to save