BOOK VI: Of Christ our high priest as entered into the holy of holies in the heavens.
BOOK VI Of Christ our high priest, as entered into the holy of holies in the heavens.
How we are to treat and converse with God and Christ Jesus, under the notion of his being our high priest, and being entered into the holy of holies.—And of our having liberty to enter thither to him, and to converse with him there, through faith, in prayer.
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.—HEB. 4:14–16.
CHAPTER I
The words of the text explained, That Christ is our great high priest.
—Wherein the greatness and excellency of his priesthood consists.
THE apostle had set forth Christ as a judge, to whom we must give an account, ver. 12, 13, and here he sets him forth as a most gracious and merciful high priest. The former he did, to persuade the Hebrews to get true faith, and to beware of a temporary faith. The latter he does, to encourage them to continue in the true faith. And it comes very seasonably in after the former. For whereas he had told them, that Christ knew and observed every thought, and that his word was κριτικὸς, critical in observing and finding out the least byend, not a thought could escape Christ's all-piercing eye, they that
were sincere-hearted, being conscious of so many imperfections and infirmities in all they do, might think with themselves, If he with whom we have to do be so severe as ver. 12, 13, describe him to be, how shall we have anything at all to do with him? how shall we hold in with him? Wherefore the apostle in an instant quite alters and changes the scene, and presents Christ in a new habit, and puts on him his high priest's robes. As before he had presented him sitting in his judgment seat, with his sword (the ensign of his justice) in his hand, able to 'divide between the marrow and the joints,' so now he tenders him to them with the heart of a high priest, most tenderly affected towards them in all their infirmities, and as sitting upon a throne of grace and mercy-seat, to which with boldness they might draw near.
From which coherence observe that— Obs. Jesus Christ can and will shew himself the most exact and severe judge; and likewise the most tender and merciful high priest.
He is called (you know) both a lion and a lamb. Yea, you have both in one and the same chapter, and the one in the next verse, immediately following the other (even as here also the like), Rev. 5:5, 6. A lion is of all creatures the most fierce and furious, yet generous in his wrath; and a lamb is of all the meekest. And he is set forth under both; not in respect of those two several estates of his when on earth, and now in heaven, as if a lamb in respect of his carriage here, and sufferings here below, but a lion now, possessed of his power and glory in heaven. No; but a lamb as now risen again, and as taking the book out of God's hand, and so to be God's commissioner to govern and judge the world. For that is the scope of that chapter. He therefore, as he is now in heaven, shews himself a lamb as well as a lion. And a lion and a lamb are creatures of all others the most contrary. Yet Christ hath the heart of a lion, and the heart of a lamb too, because he is and was appointed to be the perfect image of God, Heb. 1:3, and the executioner of all God's decrees, both of justice and mercy, on the elect and reprobate. Through his human nature, the Godhead is to express his extremest severity, and likewise the tenderest bowels of
mercy; and therefore Christ's heart was fitted and tempered unto both, according to the exactest mixture and proportion that might be. God himself said of the angel who went with the Israelites (which was Christ, and in an allusion unto which type this representation of him here, ver. 12, 13, doth come in), 'My name is in him,' that is, my attributes; as of mercy, so he went with them to lead them into Canaan; so of justice, therefore provoke him not, for he will not spare you; and yet of mercy also, for else he would not have gone with them.
Use 1. This shews us the excellencies of Jesus Christ, who hath all perfections in him to the height, and mixtures of contraries in their full perfections. Such a man we love as hath a spirit of all compositions: when highest meekness, and greatest courage and stoutness are met in one, how amiable doth it make one! Even such an one is Christ: read his description in Ps. 45.
Use 2. We should therefore look at them both in Christ, and carry the representation of them both at once in our eyes. Men either look upon him as all mercy, and so presume; or as all severity, and so tremble to come at him. The devil then makes a false Christ of him in either. The lamb can be angry: you read of 'the wrath of the Lamb.'
And so the lion can be lamb-like and gracious. Poor souls in desertion look at Christ only as armed with his sword, and so tremble to come at him; as that child in Homer did, when his father in complete armour took him up in his arms. When Christ looks sternly on thee, yet he may have a father's heart to thee, under that vizor of terror.
Use 3. We should have a mixture of affections, namely, of fear and love, answerable to this mixture in Christ; so Ps. 2:11, 12, 'Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry.' And yet again, 'though his wrath be a little kindled,' yet rejoice, and come boldly to him as a Saviour. And let us serve him without fear also, for he is a merciful high priest. So in the 45th
Psalm he is set forth as a loving husband, greatly delighting in the
beauty of his queen, who sits at his right hand, and is familiar with him. And yet she is taught to know her distance: 'He is thy God, worship thou him.'
Use 4. It should be an encouragement to poor souls, who are sinners, and tremble at every threatening, and are afraid when they hear or see Christ angry, when he rends and tears wicked sinners in pieces, when they see judgments on the earth. You do well indeed to tremble, as children when they see the servants beaten. But consider withal that he is a gracious God to you, when his anger is never so much against others. Like a loving husband that is general of an army, though he hath been in the field killing and slaughtering men that are his enemies, yet when he comes into his tent, he is as loving to his spouse as ever, and with the same arms embraceth her, with which he ruined them in fury. Such is Christ; he can be and is as loving and familiar with his own, and will use them as kindly as if he were not angry at all. And yet men can hardly so command their passions, but that they will run out one way; and when they are angry with others, they are morose, not placid even to their wife or friend.
But it is not so with Christ; he can act both parts to the height, and loves to do it. He can turn his fierce look on others, to the most gracious smiles on thee, and that in the twinkling of an eye. Think but how that, at the latter day, his anger will be at the highest, and yet how loving will he be to his own! It will be the strangest sight that ever was, when in the same countenance the greatest fury and the most sweet smiles of grace shall lodge and appear together, as then they will. Therefore in Isa. 27:4, when God was in his armour, and in battle array, against his enemies (as it is in that verse), yet then to his vineyard, to his own, he says, 'Fury is not in me.' No; I am not angry with you (says God), though indeed against briars and thorns I am, and will burn them together. When he is most angry, fear not to go forth to meet him, but rather go rejoicingly out to him; for he will use thee lovingly, if thou humblest thyself before him, Isa. 64:5. Thus much I have said as an introduction to the words of the text, and from the coherence of them.
The words divide themselves into these three parts:
1. Two eminent duties exhorted unto.
2. Three especial discouragements from those duties.
3. A ground of encouragement unto those duties (notwithstanding these discouragements) fetched from Christ's high priesthood in heaven.
1. The duties exhorted unto are two.
(1.) To hold fast our profession. Whereby is meant, that cleaving to Christ by faith and obedience, whereby we do profess him to be our
Saviour, and do put our confidence in him. Heb. 3:1, he is styled 'the high priest of our profession;' that is, whom we profess to be our high priest, by cleaving to the doctrine and religion which he is the high priest over. All professions have some eminent founder or chief of them, of whom the professors have their denomination. The Jews' religion had Moses and Aaron, to whom therefore they are said to cleave; and the Romish religion and profession hath the pope for its chief. He is the high priest of it, pontifex maximus; and therefore they of that profession are called pontificii and papists from him. In like manner the true Christian profession hath Christ for the high priest of it, and therefore we are called Christians. Now, then, to cleave constantly to Christ, by faith and obedience, in all things, whereby he is magnified and confessed to be our high priest, both in heart and life; this is to hold fast our profession. And because this is chiefly done by true faith, which as a hand takes hold of Christ and holds forth in life the profession of him; therefore he bids them hold the profession: κρατῶμεν, let us hold, &c. And because that faith hath great oppositions and discouragements, that might pull them from it or it from them, therefore he bids them hold fast or strongly; for so the word signifies.
(2.) The second duty exhorted to is to come, viz., by faith; for by it we are said to come to God and to Christ, 1 Pet. 2:4; to draw near, Heb.
10:22. I take it therefore especially to mean coming to God in prayer.
As in Ps. 65:2, 'O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.' And that is meant here; for the word translated boldly is μετα παῤῥησίας, liberty of speech and spirit. Come boldly and speak out your needs and complaints. And therefore also the help that is given is called βοήθεια, that is, help upon crying; and this is correspondent to the ground of encouragement given from Christ's high priesthood, which is an office of prayer and intercession. And therefore the apostle encourageth against all our exigencies, both miseries from without and guilts of sins within; including both these in that one word 'infirmities,' as things wherein Christ our high priest will pity us. For these are all either expressed or evidently implied in the words. The two first are expressed under that one word 'infirmities,' ver. 15, whereby both persecutions and afflictions from without, and sins, are meant. That under infirmities, miseries, and persecutions, and all outward evils are meant, appears from 2 Cor. 12:5, and chap.
11:30. His outward distresses the apostle calls his infirmities. And these he means here; for he comforts them against these by this, that Christ in all these was tempted. Therefore, notwithstanding them,
'hold fast your profession;' you have a high priest to pity you in them.
Yet more especially by 'infirmities' he means sins, which indeed are the greatest pressures, and which we therefore need most comfort against, and that the pity of Christ be shewn therein. And they are the greatest discouragers of us in our coming with boldness to the throne of grace for help against those outward evils; and therefore they must be intended here. And accordingly we find the word on purpose used but three verses off in this very discourse, continued, about this high priesthood in the type of Christ. In chap. 5:2, the apostle shews the qualifications of a high priest then under the law, and he recites them to shew that the same virtues, as towards us, are found in our high priest, but without sin. He was the high priest under the law (says he), one that 'could have compassion on the ignorant, and them that are out of the way,' i. e., upon sinners (for by ignorances and strayings from God, sins are meant), in that himself
(says he, speaking of the high priest) was clothed with infirmities,
that is, with sins; which might move him out of a sense of the like sins in himself to offer the sacrifices of every sinner which should come to him. And again, you have the same expression used again of the high priest, chap. 7:28, 'For the Lord maketh men high priests which have infirmities,' that is, sins, such as the people had; which is spoken in direct opposition unto Christ his being holy, undefiled, and separate from sinners, ver. 26. But though as concerning Christ his having any infirmities on his part, the apostle had exempted him, and put in an exception before the words of my text, saying, that he was 'tempted in all things, yet without sin;' yet as to the pitying part, viz., to have compassion on us, under such infirmities, his scope is to the full to shew that he is, and must be, a high priest that can have compassion, more abundantly than those narrow-hearted priests could have, though they were compassionate upon other grounds than he. They, for that themselves were clothed and surrounded with the same infirmities of sin that the people were, therefore pitied them. But he, though without sin, yet hath that innate compassion, and a heart so made up of mercy, that he is much more able to compassionate such even in their sins, which are their greatest infirmities. So then under the word infirmities sins are intended, and in his alleging the parallel of the high priest in respect of compassion towards sinners which are out of the way, his scope and intention must necessarily be to shew that Christ is thus also. His allegation had been to no purpose at all, if not unto this; and so it refers to and explains what is said in my text, that he is 'touched with the feeling of our sinful infirmities;' and they therefore are here mainly intended.
And further, to that end he shews, that though he kept himself from being tempted with evil and sin, yet he came as near as might be, being tempted by Satan unto sin, and vexed (as the word in some copies signifies) with all sorts of sins, yet still without sin. He came, I say, as near therein as might be, that he might be able to pity us experimentally. Even herein again, because the apostle means infirmities of sins, as well as of miseries and outward temptations, therefore the comfort and remedy which they are directed to seek, and encouraged to find at the throne of grace, is in relation unto sins.
He mentions both grace and mercy: 'that you may obtain,' says he,
'grace and mercy;' grace to help against the power of sin, mercy to take away the guilt of sin. And our own pressures of all other are those of sin and corruptions; and above all things our hearts (who are true Christians) are carried forth to obtain grace, and mercy for and about them. So as however that grace to help against all other infirmities is meant, and we may find in Christ both grace to supply wants, and mercy to give deliverance; yet there being two things in sin—corruption and guilt—therefore to be sure we need grace and mercy to serve against these two, more eminently than against all evils else. And these are the evils which the saints' hearts do most implore grace and mercy against, and therefore these are above all intended by the apostle here.
Obs. 1. Jesus Christ is a great high priest; concerning which in general, whatever title Christ hath, this of greatness is added to it. 'A prophet he is of a truth;' and 'that prophet', said they, John 7:40; yea, that 'great prophet,' say they, Luke 7:16. John was a prophet, 'yea, more than a prophet,' says Christ of him, Mat. 11:9. But then, 'I am not worthy to untie the latchet of his shoe,' says John of Christ. A shepherd he is, but with this addition, 'that great shepherd,' Heb.
13:20. A king he is, but, Ps. 47:2, 'the great King;' it is a psalm of Christ's ascension: ver. 3, 'The King of kings, Lord of lords.' A priest he is here, a high priest; yet that is not title high enough, but he is a 'great high priest.'
As King of kings, so Priest of priests, that in all things he might have pre-eminence, Col. 1:18. When the person is great, all his titles are such. Princes who are eminently excellent, have by their subjects the title of Great affixed, as Charle magne, Alexander the Great, Henry le
Grand, &c.; and shall not Christ be exalted, yea greatly exalted? Ps.
47:9.
Use 1. Men who have great friends, how do they bear themselves upon them, and have great hopes, great thoughts, and great looks! So Rabshakeh bore himself upon Sennacherib; and what big words doth he speak! 2 Kings 18:19, 'Thus saith the great king;'—and shall not
we, vwho are Christ's servants, bear ourselves as much upon our great Lord and master? as Paul often calls him.
Use 2. Let us serve him as becomes his greatness; not with the halt or lame. Shouldst thou send such to thy prince, would he accept such services? 'I am a great King,' says God, Mal. 1:14.
Use 3. Let us become little, that Christ may be great, and appear such. As his alone is goodness, so his alone is greatness, 1 Chron.
29:11. Let us become cyphers to set his greatness out. Let us be content to decrease, that he may increase, as John did; and, like the moon, the nearer we come to this sun, the more we should, yea we shall, wane; it is our glory so to do. This in general.
Now to shew more particularly how Christ is a great high priest. This is spoken of him, 1. Comparatively to Aaron, who was a high priest; but Christ is a great high priest, whose priesthood the apostle compares with his throughout this epistle. I will not now shew all the particulars wherein Christ doth exceed; only in this I instance, that Aaron's priesthood was but a shadow, not so much as a picture, compared with his. So he concludes that discourse, chap. 10:1. As a king-atarms, who goes before a true king, such was Aaron to him; and therefore but a low, and a mean, a little high priest to this great high priest.
(1.) In the Levitical law there was a plurality of priests, which argued imperfection; but 'they truly were many,' says the apostle, Heb. 7:23, and all could not perfect the work; which plurality of theirs is implied, ver. 11 of the 10th chapter, 'every high priest;' but Christ was but one, ver. 12. They were but as so many candles, that successively were burnt out, and gave but a dim light; but he as the sun, which is the meaning of that, Col. 2:17, where the apostle, speaking of all the fore-running types, which were 'the shadows of things to come,' says,
'but the body is Christ'; who (as his scope there was to shew) hath
disannulled all those shadows by his coming unto the world; and therefore can be no other body but of the sun itself in that comparison intended. For otherwise the shadows do begin to exist but when the body comes; but where the sun casts its beams, shadows fly away. Now as the sun is called the 'great light,' Gen. 1:16, because it alone doth that which all the stars and candles cannot, so Christ alone discharging this office is called the great high priest.
(2.) They 'daily ministered,' and 'offered oftentimes,' and the 'same sacrifices;' but Christ he did it but 'once,' and that 'for ever,' so Heb.
10:11, 12.
(3.) These many priests, with their many sacrifices often offered, 'could not take sins away;' but Christ by one offering took away all sins, and 'perfected us so for ever,' that our 'sins are remembered no more,' ver. 14, 17. But I will no longer insist on this comparison, for it is not worthy of it, it being a thing very uncomely to compare the body and the shadow together. Therefore I come,
2. To shew how he is a great high priest in himself, absolutely considered.
(1.) In his person, 'higher than the heavens,' Heb. 7:26, that is, than the angels, and so all creatures; for not of place, but of personal dignity, is the highness there meant. And as hell is put for devils
—'the gates of hell shall not prevail,' &c.—so there, heaven for angels, and 'such an high priest became us,' as it is there. And in this sense he is said to be ascended to heaven, when he was not yet ascended in place, but only by the union hypostatical, John 3:13. This his personal worth and greatness is mentioned in the text, as that which is the foundation of the greatness of his office, 'Jesus the Son of God.'
Other offices make the person great, and his dignity the more; but here the person dignifies the office, and makes it great. For from hence proceeds all the worth of the sacrifice he offered, and of the intercession of this priest: the worth of his sacrifice being attributed to his being God—'the blood of God'—and the prevalency of his
intercession to his being the Son. Other officers (if great) must have a great deal of outward state and pomp, as kings have, and ceremonies of reverence are invented to make them seem great; and as themselves are human ordinances and creations, so they have human inventions for state and pomp, because they want personal greatness to bear up respect. And such a priest was Aaron and his fellows, which (I take it) is the meaning of that Heb. 7:16, 'He was made a priest, not after the law of a carnal commandment,' which is spoken in opposition to the priests of the old law, who were indeed made thus, and it was all their making. The priests of old were of themselves no more fit to be priests than others of the Jews; it was merely a law which made them such, no peculiar personal worth in the men: as the law makes a child as true and as great a king as a man grown. And, accordingly, they had carnal rites, which the law also prescribed, in the observance of which their priestly power and dignity did lie, and thereby was supported; and so were priests 'after the law of a carnal commandment' (so the law ceremonial is called, and thereby distinguished from the law moral, which is called spiritual, Rom. 7:12, 13, 14). For the persons being weak, as other men, they had rites, such as were glorious garments, a glorious temple, &c., to make their office great; which yet were but fleshly, that is, weak (as Eph. 6:12, flesh is taken, 'not with flesh, but with powers,' &c.), and which wrought in the fleshly part of men an estimation of greatness. But this priest 'is made after the power of an endless life.' By power, he does not simply mean that authority given
Christ by his Father's institution; for so these Levites also were ordained: Heb. 5:4, 'No man takes this honour to himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron;' but he understands thereby, that personal power, and those eminent abilities which were in his person inherent, and which moved God to pitch on him, whereby he was not a king or priest dressed up, or set out with ceremonies, and carnal rites of reverence, but endued with power inherent, whereby he was able to shew himself a priest indeed. And as he was 'declared to be the Son of God with power,' Rom. 1:4, so also to be a priest with power. He had the power of a priest in his person; which consisted chiefly in this, that he had the power of an indissoluble life (as the
word is), that whereas it was requisite that he should die, to undergo God's wrath, which would have sunk the souls of men and angels, he could outlive it, and all the powers of death could not hold him; as Acts 2:24. 'I lay down my life, and I take it up again,' says Christ; and so can survive to perform the rest that belongs to that office. And hence the word of the oath pitched on him, as one of himself consecrated and carved out for it, and none else; so ver. 28, 'The law maketh men high priests which have infirmities, but the word of the oath, since the law, maketh the Son, who is perfected,' as the word is,
'for evermore.'
2. Secondly, It appears how great a priest he was, by the great trust which was reposed in him. We judge and esteem of the greatness of offices, by the great trust that is reposed in them. This made Joseph's office great, and himself the greatest man in Egypt. So with us, the high treasurer's place is great, because of the trust; and so the lord keeper's, &c. Now of Christ it is said, Heb. 7:22, 'He became a surety of a better covenant.' It was an infinite trust which God committed to him. All those 'great and precious promises' must be made 'yea and amen' in him. All God's oaths and covenants must otherwise have been disannulled and cancelled; yea, heaven must have been dissolved, and all the souls saved under the Old Testament sent down again, if Christ had not been a faithful high priest. All the glory of God's justice, all our souls which God so loved, all our sins which he desired so to be pardoned, all God's plots hung upon him, all his affairs were committed to him (I mention all these, because they all concerned God's glory as well as our salvation, and therefore are called 'things appertaining to God,' though 'for men,' that is, for man's good; and he was faithful in them all, Heb. 2:17). He trusted
Christ, as Pharaoh did Joseph; and was not this a great high priest then? All the good things that Christ meant to bestow, the purchase of them was committed to this high priest. All God's holy things he was minister of, Heb. 8:2 and 9:11. All which argues the excellency of his ministry: Heb. 8:6, 'He hath obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was
established upon better promises,' and of greater trust, which he was to make good.
3. Thirdly, The great solemnity that was at his instalment argues his greatness. It was by an oath, Heb. 7:20, 21. Not so the Levitical offices. Those offices which were small, and of no great account or trust, but put in and out at pleasure, were wont to be bestowed without an oath, but great ones with an oath. And this very reason is indeed given why Christ was made with an oath, ver. 22, 'Insomuch as he was a surety of a better testament;' that is, betrusted with the rich promises of a greater covenant. Yea, further (which may be matter of wonderment unto us, as differing from all other investitures), not he himself so much doth take the oath, as his
Father that made him, which was a transcendent and unheard of honour.
At the first erection of this office, and placing this great officer, God himself took an oath; whereas the usual way is, that the party that enters upon the office takes the oath; but here, God himself swears.
Heb. 7:21, 'This priest was made with an oath,' says the apostle; and by whom was this oath taken? Not by him who was made the priest, but by God himself (that made him) when he made him: 'He was made with an oath, by him who said to him' (mark it, by whom it was taken), 'The Lord sware, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec.' This oath indeed was first taken from everlasting, when God first called him to his office, but was then solemnly renewed, and again rehearsed over, when Christ first entered upon this priesthood in heaven, being now set at God's right hand, as appears by comparing Heb. 5, 5th and 6th verses, and Ps. 2,
6th, 7th, and 8th verses, with Ps. 110, ver. 1, 4, where, when God had set Christ down at his right hand, as Ps. 2:6 and Ps. 110:1, then he rehearses this oath, as ver. 4 of that psalm; yea, renews it, as Heb. 5
(quoting both these psalms to this one and the same purpose) doth shew. All this was to assure us how much God's heart was engaged in this business of his priesthood, which it should be exercised about, namely, the pardoning of sinners. Christ's office in heaven is the
pardon-office. He is a priest over it, to sue a pardon out for sinners.
And the reason why God thus sware, rather than Christ, was because the business to be effected by this office being the pardon of our sins, which was dependent upon God's will, and to be procured at his hands through Christ's mediation and intercession; now therefore, to assure both us and Christ himself likewise, when he took on him this office, that his intercession should never be in vain at any time, for any souls that come to God by him, or that he sues for, God the Father takes this oath. Because Christ's office in interceding being to sue for pardon, and it being the Father's part to grant it: in this case, the oath is rather taken by the Father, to assure both us and Christ for ever of his covenant to hear Christ, and grant what by virtue of his office he requires; and that is, the pardon of our sins, which is the work of the office, that is, the thing that the oath intends, and not simply the confirmation of his office to him, but the effect of his office, that it should procure pardon, as is evident by chap. 8 throughout. An oath to a covenant or promise argues the greatest seriousness that may be. Even he who doth betrust him, is so satisfied in him, as he takes an oath for him; he exacts it not of him; he would not shew so much diffidence in a person so great and faithful, and able for the place; but he swears for him, that he should be a priest, and he would not repent; yea, he foresaw that in Christ, that he could never have cause, to repent that he saved men by him.
God swears, an glad to engage him in it.
4. Fourthly, He is a great high priest in respect of the continuance of his office; for what was it God aware to? 'Thou art a priest for ever,' says the apostle, glossing upon this oath: Heb. 7:23, 'They truly were many priests' (that is, in succassion one after another, though there was but one priest at once), 'because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death.' They were but as so many candles (as was said) that burned out, and others were set up in their rooms; yea, and some were deposed afore death; they were not suffered to continue, though they continued to live; so Abiathar. 'But this man'
(says he, ver. 24), 'because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable high priesthood;' For that cannot pass to any other, but is for ever in
himself; and he can never lay it down, as he cannot lay down his person, or his being the Son of God. For that is the reason given, that seeing he himself continueth ever; his priesthood likewise shall continue ever. Now, offices that are of great trust, and withal are perpetual and for one's life, and cannot be taken away, are ever accounted great. It is this that makes the office of a king so great, because he is not subject to a deposition. Therefore he must needs be a great high priest, who hath a priesthood that cannot pass from him; yea, if he should lay it down, there is none in heaven or earth worthy to take it up. Princes consider well whom they put into places, out of which they cannot again remove them, and that hold not upon a quam diu se bene gesserint. Now such is this office wherewith Christ is invested. But God knew him so well aforehand, that himself durst swear for him, and that he would never repent of his placing him in it.
5. Fifthly, Christ is great in the love to us to become, a priest for us:
John 15:13, 'Greater love than this hath no man, that a man lay down his life,' &c. By undertaking of which he became a priest; and so it may be said, as in the Acts, 'With a great sum purchased he this office.' Great was his love thus to become a priest for us, that he was equal to God his Father and as great as he, that he should descend from his greatness and become lesser, to be a priest for us; and the lesser his person became, the greater his priesthood. For now his
Father (as Christ is a priest) is greater than ha John 14:28. Yea, Christ became 'lower than the angels,' Heb. 2:7, and yet lower, even than men; 'a worm, no man,' &c. And by how much lower his person became, by so much is his priesthood made higher. And so at once the greatness of his person made him alone fit to be this high priest
(as was said); and yet withal, the lowering of all this greatness, even to nothing, made his priesthood to be so high and great. So that it hath both a height and a depth in it to make it great; and so his love is said to have (Eph. 3:18, 19,) such 'a height and a depth in it, as it passeth knowledge.'
6. Sixthly, He is a great high priest in the sacrifice, which he offered; which, Heb. 9:23, is called a better sacrifice than those of the law, so much as heavenly things are better than the shadows of them; as it is there, and chap. 10:1. 'For he offered up himself,' Heb. 9:14, 26. And what a sacrifice was that! God himself hath not such another Son to offer, he has no more such sacrifices. Had he sacrificed millions of worlds of innocent men, and holy angels, even hecatombs, they had been but as mites to the riches of heaven and earth, in comparison to Jesus Christ: 1 Cor 6:20, we are said to be bought with a price; magno pretio, so some read it; for what a sacrifice must that needs be, wherein all the riches, glory, and excellencies of God-man were emptied, and (as sacrifices of old were to be) consumed and burnt to ashes, to nothing! And all he offered was his own, by such a title of personal propriety (as second person), as it was not God the Father's
(though his also as God's creature): so as he borrowed nothing, but was himself priest, sacrifice, altar, temple, and all.
7. Seventhly, He was a great high priest in respect of the temple and tabernacle that was made for him to officiate in. You guess at Aaron's and his successors' greatness by the glory of the tabernacle first, and then of the temple, and therein of the holy of holies, the wonder of the world. But the heavens were made for this man to be a priest in; and it is the highest end, next God's glory, that they were made for.
He is a heavenly man, yea, 'the Lord from heaven,' as he is called, 1 Cor. 15:48; a priest higher than the heavens; and therefore he must have a place suitable to perform the great part of his office in. And, therefore, as it is said, that 'it became us,' or, it was necessary for us, being sinners (if saved), 'to have a priest,' who for the excellency of his person should be 'higher than the heavens,' so likewise it became the excellency of his person and high priesthood, that he should have a place to administer in, 'above the heavens.' And that is also noted in the text as a circumstance that makes him a great high priest, that he is 'entered into the heavens,' and officiates at the 'throne of grace'
(ver. 16), the highest place in heaven, as the mercy-seat was in the holy of holies. Yea, he purchased this place by his blood, and laid down a price for it; and therefore is said to 'enter into the heavens by
his blood,' Heb. 9:12, 24. Yea, he had a temple and a tabernacle yet more excellent than the heavens, a building made of better stuff. You will wonder what that should be; his own body and human nature, which was the true temple, as he says, John 2:19, 'Destroy this temple.' It was 'God's tabernacle,' Rev. 13:6, the 'holy of holies,' Dan.
9:24, in which the 'fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily;' which in the local place of the heavens it doth not, nor is personally united to them; and that is it which makes this his manhood more high than the heavens, and to be called 'a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands; that is to say, not of this building.' The apostle speaks it of Christ's own body; for of the heavens he speaks besides in the next verse, 'By his own blood he entered into the holy of holies'
(ver. 12); namely, the heavens, than which this of his body is the greater and more excellent tabernacle, ver. 11.
Use. Let us hold fast our profession against oppositions of men. The apostle speaks to them in suffering times, and we may say it is difficult times. And it is to be held fast: there is danger of being pulled from it by the adversaries. Men who have great masters bear themselves upon them, and are bold to wear their livery. The three children saw God in his greatness, and contemned Nebuchadnezzar; and so did Moses as to Pharaoh, whose wrath he regarded not. Let us still view how great a high priest we have, and give back in nothing.
Paul loves to have this often in his mouth; 'Jesus Christ my Lord,' so Phil. 3 and elsewhere: as courtiers use to cry, 'The king my master.'
Now why should not we be as bold as they? For he is able, and will bear us out against all that do oppose us. 'We are not careful,' said the three children, 'to answer thee, O king, in this matter.' They saw
God to be great, and able to bear them out. So we, seeing our high priest to be so great, let us hold fast to him, and he will hold us fast,
'and none shall pluck us out of his hands,' John 10:28. He is a great high priest entered into the heavens, who will also, if we hold fast to him, bring us thither. Men cleave to great persons in great distresses, when they can give them any great hopes. 'Can the son of Jesse give you vineyards and olive-yards?' said Saul, when he feared the people's departing from him. But have any of your great masters