hard to be explained, seeing ye are become dull of hear12 ing. For whereas for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again, which are the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become 13 such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For

every one that useth milk, is unexperienced in the word 14 of righteousness; for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them of full age, to them who have their senses exercised by habit to discern both good and evil.

CHAP. VI. 1. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead 2 works, and of faith in God, Of the doctrine of baptisms,

and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead, 3 and eternal judgment. And this we will do, if God 4 permit. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and been

of the gospel, have many things to say, and hard to be explained-Though not so much from the subject-matter, as from your slothfulness in considering, and dulness in apprehending the things of God.

V. 12. Ye have need that one teach you again, which are the first principles of religion. Accordingly these are enumerated in the first verse of the ensuing chapter. And have need of milk-The first and plainest doctrines.

V. 13. Every one that useth milk-That neither desires, nor can digest any thing else, (otherwise strong men use milk, but not milk chiefly, and much less that only) is unexperienced in the word of righteousness-The sublimer truths of the gospel. Such are all who desire and can digest nothing but the doctrine of justification and imputed righteousness.

V. 14. But strong meat-The sublimer truths relating to perfection, ch. vi. 1, belong to them of full age, who by habit-Habit, here signifies strength of spiritual understanding, arising from maturity of spiritual age: by, or in consequence of this habit, they exercise themselves in these things, with ease, readiness, cheerfulness, and profit.

CHAP. VI. Ver. 1. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ -That is, saying no more of them for the present, let us go on to perfection: not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works-From open sins, the very first thing to be insisted on, and faith in God-The very next point. So St. Paul, in his very first sermon at Lystra, Acts xiv. 15, Turn from those vanities unto the living God. And when they believed, they were to be baptized with the baptism (not of the Jews, or of John, but) of Christ. The next thing was, to lay hands upon them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: after which they were more fully instructed, touching the resurrection, and the general judgment, called eternal, because the sentence then pronounced is irreversible, and the effects of it remain for ever.

V. 3. And this will we do We will go on to perfection: and so much the more diligently, because

V. 4. It is impossible for those who were once enlightened-With the light of the glorious love of God in Christ, and have tasted the heavenly gift-Remission of sins, sweeter than honey and the honeycomb, and been made partakers of the Holy Ghost-Of the witness and the fruits of the Spirit.

5 made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, 6 And have fallen away, to renew them again unto repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God 7 afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh often upon it, and bringeth forth herbage meet for them for whom it is 8 tilled, receiveth blessing from God. But that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected and nigh unto a 9 curse, whose end is to be burned. But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accom10 pany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous, to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have 11 ministered to the saints, and do minister. But we desire

V. 5. And have tasted the good word of God-Have had a relish for, and a delight in it, and the powers of the world to come-Which every one tastes, who has a hope full of immortality. Every child that is naturally born first sees the light, then receives and tastes proper nourishment, and partakes of the things of this world. In like manner, the apostle (comparing spiritual with natural things) speaks of one born of the Spirit, as seeing the light, tasting the sweetness, and partaking of the things of the world to come.

V. 6. And have fallen away-Here is not a supposition, but a plain relation of fact. The apostle here describes the case of those, who have cast away both the power and form of godliness; who have lost both their faith, hope, and love, (ver. 10, &c.) and that wilfully, (ch. x. 26.) Of these wilful, total apostates he declares, It is impossible to renew them again to repentance, (though they were renewed once,) either to the foundation, or any thing built thereon: seeing they crucify the Son of God afresh-They use him with the utmost indignity, and put him to an open shame-Causing his glorious name to be blasphemed.

V. 8. That which beareth thorns and briars-Only or chiefly, is rejected-No more labour is bestowed upon it: whose end is to be burnt-As Jerusalem was shortly after,

V. 9. But, beloved-In this one place he calls them so. He never uses this appellation, but in exhorting; we are persuaded of you things that accompany salvation-We are persuaded you are now saved from your sins and that ye have that faith, love, and holiness, which lead to final salvation, though we thus speak-To warn you, lest you should fall from your present steadfastness. V. 10. For-Ye give plain proof of your faith and love, which the righteous God will surely reward.

V. 11. But we desire you may shew the same diligence unto the end-And therefore we thus speak, to the full assurance of hope-Which you cannot expect, if you abate your diligence. The full assurance of faith relates to present pardon; the full assurance of hope, to future glory. The former is, the highest degree of divine evidence that God is reconciled to me in the Son of his love: the latter is, the same degree of divine evidence (wrought in the soul by the same immediate inspiration of the Holy Ghost) of persevering grace, and of eternal glory. So much, and no more, as faith every moment beholds with open face, so much does hope see, to all eternity. But this assurance of faith and hope, is not an opinion, not a bare construction of Scripture, but is given immediately by the power of the Holy Ghost; and what none can have for another, but for himself only.

that every one of you may shew unto the end the same 12 diligence, to the full assurance of hope, That ye be not slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and 13 long-suffering inherited the promises. For when God made the promise to Abraham, because he could swear by 14 no greater, he swore by himself, Saying, Surely blessing

I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. 15 And so, after he had patiently waited, he obtained the 16 promise. For men verily swear by the greater, and an

oath for confirmation is to them an end of all contradic17 tion. Wherefore God being willing to shew more abund

antly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of 18 his counsel, interposed by an oath: That by two un

changeable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled to 19 lay hold on the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and 20 which entereth into the place within the veil, Whither Jesus our fore-runner is entered for us, who is made an highpriest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck.

* Gen. xxii. 17.

V. 12. Inherited the promises-The promised rest: paradise.

V. 13. For-Ye have abundant encouragement, seeing no stronger promise could be made, than that great promise which God made to Abraham, and in him to us.

V. 15. After he had waited-Thirty years, he obtained the promise—Isaac, the pledge of all the promises.

V. 16. Men generally swear by him who is infinitely greater than themselves, and an oath for confirmation, to confirm what is promised or asserted, usually puts an end to all contradiction. This shews that an oath taken in a religious manner, is lawful even under the gospel: otherwise the apostle would never have mentioned it with so much honour, as a proper means to confirm the truth.

V. 17. God interposed by an oath-Amazing condescension! He who is greatest of all, acts as if he were a middle person, as if while he swears, he were less than himself, by whom he swears! Thou that hearest the promise dost thou not yet believe?

V. 18. That by two unchangeable things-His promise and his oath, in either, much more in both of which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation-Swallowing up all doubt and fear; who have AedAfter having been tossed by many storms, to lay hold on the hope set before us-On Christ, the object of our hope, and the glory we hope for through him.

V. 19. Which hope in Christ we have as an anchor of the soul-Entering into heaven itself and fixed there, within the veil―Thus he slides back to the priesthood of Christ.

V. 19. A fore-runner uses to be less in dignity, than those that are to follow him. But it is not so here; for Christ, who is gone before us, is infinitely superior to us. What an honour is it to believers, to have so glorious a fore runner, now appearing in the presence of God for them.

*

CHAP. VII. 1. For this Melchisedeck, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham return2 ing from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him, To whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all the spoils; being, by interpretation, first, king of righteousness, and 3 then king of Salem also, which is king of peace; Without father, without mother, without pedigree, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, but being made like the Son of God, remaineth a priest continually. 4 Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the 5 patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils, And verily they of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment (according to the law) to take tithes of the people, that is, of their brethren, though 6 they come out of the loins of Abraham. But he whose pedigree is not from them, took tithes of Abraham, and 7 blessed him who had the promises; And without all con8 tradiction, the less is blessed of the greater. And here men that die receive tithes; but there, he of whom it is

* Gen. xiv. 18, &c.

CHAP. VII. Ver. 1. The sum of this chapter is, Christ, as appears from his type, Melchisedeck, who was greater than Abraham himself, from whom Levi descended, has a priesthood altogether excellent, new, firm, perpetual.

V. 2. Being first-According to the meaning of his own name, king of righteousness, then-According to the name of his city, king of peace-So in him, as in Christ, righteousness and peace were joined. And so they are in all that believe in him.

V. 3. Without father, without mother, without pedigree-Recorded, without any account of his descent from any ancestors of the priestly order: having neither beginning of days, nor end of life-Mentioned by Moses; but being-In all these respects, made like the Son of God-Who is really without father-As to his human nature, without mother-As to his divine, and in this also, without pedigree-Neither descending from any ancestors of the priestly order: remaineth a priest continually-Nothing is recorded of the death or successor of Melchisedeck. But Christ alone does really remain without death, and without successor.

V. 4. The greatness of Melchisedeck is described in all the preceding and following particulars. But the most manifest proof of it was, that Abraham gave him tithes, as a priest of God and a superior; though he was himself a patriarch, greater than a king, and a progenitor of many kings.

V. 5. The sons of Levi take tithes of their brethren-Sprung from Abraham as well as themselves. The Levites therefore are greater than they; but the priests are greater than the Levites; the patriarch Abraham than the priests, and Melchisedeck than him.

V. 6. He who is not from them-The Levites, blessed-Another proof of his superiority, even him that had the promises-That was so highly favoured of God. When St. Paul speaks of Christ, he says, the Promise; promises refer to other blessings also,

V. 7. The less is blessedAuthoritatively, of the greater.

V. 8. And here-In the Levitical priesthood: but there-In the case of Melphisedeck: he of whom it is testified, that he liveth-Who is not spoken of, as

9 testified that he liveth. And even Levi, who received 10 tithes, paid tithes (so to speak) through Abraham. For

he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedeck 11 met him. Now if perfection had been by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what farther need was there that another priest should rise, after the order of Melchisedeck, and not be called 12 after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is also necessarily a change of the law. 13 For he, of whom these things are spoken, pertaineth to

another tribe, of which no man attended on the altar. 14 For it is evident, that our Lord sprang out of Judah, of

which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning the priest15 hood. And it is still far more evident, that another priest 16 is raised up, after the likeness of Melchisedeck, Who

was made not after the law of a carnal commandment, 17 but after the power of an endless life; For it is testified,

Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck. 18 For verily there is a disannulling of the preceding comone that died for another to succeed him; but is represented only as living, no mention being made either of his birth or death.

V. 9. And even Levi, who received tithes-Not in person, but in his successors, as it were, paid tithes-In the person of Abraham.

V. 11. The apostle now demonstrates, that the Levitical priesthood must yield to the priesthood of Christ, because Melchisedeck, after whose order he is a priest, 1. Is opposed to Aaron, ver. 11—14. 2. Hath no end of life, ver. 15-19, but remaineth a priest continually. If now perfection were by the Levitical priesthood-If this perfectly answered all God's designs and man's wants: (for under it the people received the law-Whence some might infer, that perfection was by that priesthood) what farther need was there, that another priest -Of a new order, should be set up? From this single consideration it is plain, that both the priesthood and the law, which were inseparably connected, were now to give way to a better priesthood and more excellent dispensation.

V. 12, For-One of these cannot be changed without the other.

V. 13. But the priesthood is manifestly changed from one order to another, and from one tribe to another. For he of whom these things are spokenNamely, Jesus, pertaineth to another tribe-That of Judah; of which no man was suffered by the law, to attend on, or minister at, the altar.

V. 14. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah-Whatever difficulties have arisen since, during so long a tract of time, it was then beyond dispute.

V. 15. And it is still far more evident, that-Both the priesthood and the law are changed, because the priest now raised up, is not only of another tribe, but of a quite different order.

V. 16. Who is made-A priest, not after the law of a carnal commandment— Not according to the Mosaic law, which consisted chiefly of commandments, that were carnal, compared to the spirituality of the gospel; but after the power of an endless life-Which he has in himself, as the eternal Son of God.

V. 18. For there is implied in this new and everlasting priesthood, and in the new dispensation, connected therewith, a disannulling of the preceding commandment—An abrogation of the Mosaic law, for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof-For its insufficiency either to justify or to sanctify.