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rounding Angels, who did all ſubmit to him as their Head and King, and acknowledge him as the great Royal High Prieſt of God, as was tforctold, Pal. x10. x, 2. which Words of the Pſalmiſt the Spirit further explaineth in chap. 7. where he proves this Gofpel-High- Pricſt to be of a more excellent Order than Aaron's, even like that of Melchiſedech which it exceedeth, and which muſt laſt for
EVecr. 11 Of whom we have many things to ſay, and
hard to be uttered 6, ſeeing ye are dull of hearing c.
þ The Spirit here digrefſeth from diſcourfing further of the Prieſt- hood ot Chriſt, that he may fit theſe Hebrews to apprehend and 1m- prove it when he ſhall enter to it, chap, 79. He beginneth with a Reproof, which takes up the remainder of the Chapter, and enters on it artiicially from the Dofrine delivered of Chriſt's Prieſthood, infinuating the Dithculty of its Reception by them : - of whom, ſome would make to refer to Melchiſedeck, but by what followeth in this and chap. 7. it can be ſpoken of none but of Chriſt the Truth of that Tipe, who was made an High-Prieſt after that Order. And of him the Apoſtle was filled by the Spirit with matter, as Elihu ſpeaks, 7ob 32. 18. Much he had to ſay of this Myſtery, which was moſt excellent and weighty, and which a few words could not expreſs ; for it was foygunfir GO, not unutterable in 1t ſelf, or difficult for him to open and interpret, but for them to underſtand. c Becauſe the Ears of their Mind were not created nor proportioned to it : they were Babes and Children in Underſtanding ; the Difhculty was in themſ:lves, not in the Word or Myſtery : Their intelle&ive Ea- culty was flow to diſcern, perceive, and judge of this Dodtrine, and their Hearts were averſe to it, being ſo conceited concerning the Levitical Prieſthood ; ſuch were the Apol.les at the firſt, Fohn. IS, 12.
12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers d, ve have need that one teach you again which be the firſt principlese of the oracles of God f, and are be- comme ſuch as have need of * milk, and not of {trong
meat g. 4 The ConviRtion of this Fault in their Underſtanding and Will,
is by the Spirit demonſtrated; for their dulneſs proceeded from their nevledt of God's means of Knowledge, and fo were inexcuſa- ble; they had time and means enough of improving in the Knowledge of this Gofpel-Dodrine of Chriſt's Prieſthood, and to have gained in them the abilities of Teachers of their Families, Fellow-Chriſtians and Necizhbours both from the Law of Aſes, and the other Scriptures, and by the teaching of Chriſt and his Apoſtles. e Yetſuch was their Negligence and [dlenefs, that their tinowledge was diminiſhed and loſt, and they faln off to the Old Moſaical Ozconomy of Prieſthood, Ceremonies and Services, fo as they had need again to be taught and inſtrufted by others, which are the 5-3;2 of God's Oracles in te Scriptures. Such things as are the fir$ in order, and firs to be taught and Jearnt, the very Fundamental Principles of Chriſtianity, without the Knowledge of which none can be ſaved, and on which all others do depend. They are ſo ſtiled by a Metaphor, ſ1gnifying ſuch a ſtate of this in the Scripture, as the Elements have in natural bodres which they compound ;, or, like Elements of Speech, which muſt be firſt attained, before there can be either an Underftanding, Speaking, or Writing of a Language ; they are the Foundation up- on which a Syſtem of the Chriftian Religion is raiſed, ſee chap. 6. 1, which Principles lye diſperſed in the New Teſtament, and are ſum- med up in thoſe Ancient Creeds which are agreeable to our Saviour's Words. f 4:3: at ©:5, Such Oracles or Revelations of God's Mind about the way of our Salvation, which he hath made to us by his Son our High-Prieſt, and which he brouzht from Heaven with him, and taught himſelf, as chap. 1. 1, 2. and hath by the Inſpiration of his Spirit of Perſons, choſen on purpoſe by him, penned them eminently in the Scriptures of the New Teftament, not excluding thoſe of the Old Teſtament which are unvailed, opened, and made glorious in them, Rom. 3. 2. g Theſe Hebrews had ſo greatly for- gotten theſe firſt Principles, that they were become meer Babes and Infants in Knowledge, they needed the fir and weakest Spiri- tual Ford, metaphorically ſtiled Milk, the moſt plain and eaſy Truths of the Goſpe!, ſuch as they may underſtand, and give Light to others ; and not the Beggerly Elements of Fudaiſm, as they are ſtiled, Gal. 4. 3, 9. and Col. 2.8, 20. which would keep them 1g- norant Babes in the Word of Righteouſneſs, and unfit them for the underſtanding and digeſting the ſironger Frod of the higher and more excellent DoArines of the Goſpel concerning Chriſt's Prieſt- hood ; ſuch a Babe was Nicodemw, though a Maſter in Iſrael, 7ohn 3: 10, 12, "es I | 13 For every one that uſeth milk þ, is + unskiltul in the word of righteouſneſs 7 : tor he 1s a Babe F.