whom he hath constituted heir of all things, by whom also be made the world.

He is so much superiour to the angels, as the authority he possesses is more excellent than theirs.

for to which of the angels did he ever say, " thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee? and again, I will be his father, and he shall be my son?

and when he re-introduces the first-begotten into the world, he saith, " and let all the angels of God worship him."

and of the angels, he saith, who employs his angels like the winds, and flames of fire as his ministers."

but to the son he saith, "God is thy throne for ever and ever; the sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of equity.

But to which of the angels did he ever say, "sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?"

how shall we escape, if we neglect that salutary doctrine? which was first published by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those that heard him;

God also giving an additional testimony both by signs, by prodigies, by divers miracles, and gifts of the holy spirit, which he distributes as he pleases.

'Tis not therefore to the angels that he has subjected the gospel state of which we are treating.

thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet." now since he has put all in subjection to him, he left nothing that is not subjected to him. however we do not see as yet that all things are put under him.

but Jesus, who was for a while inferior to the angels by his sufferings and death, we see was crown'd with glory and honour; when by the divine goodness, he had pass'd thro' death for every man.

for both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all deriv'd from one: for which cause he is not asham'd to call them brethren, saying,

Since then the children were made subject to a state of mortality, so he himself likewise was subject to the same condition: that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

for he is not the deliverer of angels; but the deliverer of Abraham's posterity.

whence it was necessary he should be in all things like his brethren; that he might be a merciful high priest, and faithfully discharge the divine office of expiating the sins of the people.

for having himself stood the test of sufferings, he is capable of being moved to relieve those who undergo such tryals.

Wherefore, christian brethren, you who are called to an heavenly inheritance, consider the apostle and high priest of the faith we profess, even Christ Jesus;

but as the architect is of much greater dignity than the house he has made; so the glory which Christ received was greater than that of Moses.

no house is without a builder; now he that built the whole house of Israel is God.

besides Moses throughout his whole administration acted in quality of a servant, representing to the people what he was order'd to say.

but with whom was he displeased forty years? was it not with those that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the desert?

and who were they, who, he sware, should not enter into his rest, but those that did not believe? so we see that they could not enter in,

Whereas 'tis we who have believed that shall enter into rest, as he said, "wherefore I have sworn in my wrath, that they shall not enter into my rest." which is different from that rest, at the beginning of the world, when the work of creation was finished.

he pointed out another time in the words, which were spoken by David, a long time after their going into Canaan, in the passage just now quoted, "today since ye hear his voice, harden not your hearts."

then he that enters into divine rest, will indeed rest from his works, as God did from his.

so that there is not a creature that is concealed from his view: but all is naked and open to the eyes of him of whom we speak. Having then so great a high priest,

not an high priest who is incapable of compassionating our miseries; since he was exposed to the same trials as we are, sin only excepted. let

For every high priest is appointed to officiate for men in religious matters, offering gifts and sacrifices for their sins: being chosen from among the people. that as he himself is surrounded with infirmities,

he might have the greater compassion for those who sin through ignorance or mistake. and for the same reason

he is obliged to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as for those of the people. besides, no man can assume

to himself the honour of the priesthood: he must be called thereto by God, as Aaron was.

Wherefore Christ himself did not assume the character of an high priest; but it was confirm'd by him that said, "thou art my son, to-day have I begotten thee."

as he saith too in another place, "thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."

this was Jesus, who while he was in a mortal body, having offered up prayers and supplications, with strong cries, and with tears, to him that was able to save him from that death, was heard so as to be delivered from his fear;

for tho' he was the son of God, yet he found by his own sufferings what it was to obey,

and by a perfect obedience he procured eternal salvation for all that obey him;

God having declared him an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

now he that is disciplined like a child, is not prepared for the doctrine of justification:

For when God gave his promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, saying,

and after he had patiently waited, he obtained what was promised.

where Jesus is gone to usher us in, having been made an high priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec.

For this Melchisedec was both king of Salem, and a priest of the most high God; 'twas he who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him:

without father, without mother, without genealogy; his days have no beginning, and his life no end; but like the son of God, he was a perpetual priest.

but he who was not of their pedigree, received tithes from Abraham, and blessed him to whom the promises were made.

now 'tis past dispute, he that is blessed is inferior to him that blesses:

besides here they that receive tithes are men who die: but there 'twas he of whom it is testified that he liveth.

for he was even then in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

for he who was there mention'd was of another tribe, none of whom ever gave attendance at the altar.

but he, by virtue of his immortal state, hath a priesthood that does not pass by succession.

so that he has an uninterrupted power to save those, that come to God by him, because he ever lives to make intercession for them.

and indeed we wanted an high priest of such a character, one that is holy, innocent, undefiled, one that is separated from sinful men, and exalted above the heavens; one who was under no necessity,

as those high priests of the law were, to offer up daily sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people: having done this once for all, by offering up himself.

for the law appointed frail mortals to be high priests, but the oracle pronounc'd with an oath, which was since the law, established the son, who is crown'd with immortal perfections.

What we have said amounts to this; we have an high priest, who sits in heaven on the right hand of the throne of the divine majesty.

every high priest being establish'd to offer gifts and sacrifices: it was necessary that he likewise should make a peculiar offering,

which office he could not discharge here upon earth, where priests are already establish'd, who offer gifts according to the law:

and officiate in the sanctuary, which was a gross representation of that in heaven, agreeable to the order given by God to Moses, when he projected the tabernacle, "be very exact, said he, in following the model which was laid before thee in the mount."

Our high priest then has obtained a priesthood so much the more excellent, as he is the mediator of a better alliance, established upon better promises.

now by stiling the second a new alliance, he has antiquated the first. but to be antiquated and obsolete is next to being abolished.

the high priest only enter'd, and that but once every year, when he carried the blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people.

but Christ, the high priest of a better dispensation that was to come, having appeared, is enter'd into the holy of holys by a nobler and more perfect tabernacle, not the effect of human art, but of a higher nature;

nor with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood he enter'd once for all into the holy of holys, after having obtained for us an eternal redemption.

how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the holy spirit offered himself a spotless victim to God, purify our souls from deadly sins, to serve the living God?

and for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that, the transgressions that were unexpiated by the first testament, being expiated by his death, they who are called might receive the eternal inheritance, which was promised.

for when every precept of the law had been represented by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, wool of a scarlet dye, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book of the law and all the people,

he sprinkled likewise the tabernacle with blood, and all the vessels used in divine service.

nor to make a frequent offering of himself, as the high priest every year enters into the holy of holies with other blood than his own.

for then must he have suffered several times since the beginning of the world, when in the consummation of the ages, he has appeared once for all to expiate sin by offering himself as a sacrifice.

so Christ being once offered up to take away the sins of many; he shall appear the second time, without making any further expiation to save those who expect him.

wherefore at his appearing in publick, he saith, "sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

he immediately adds, "lo, I come to do thy WILL, O God." he abolishes the first to establish the second:

While the high priest in his daily administrations frequently repeated the same sacrifices which could by no means expiate sin;

Christ, after he had offered one sacrifice for sin, sat down on the right hand of God for ever:

for by one single oblation he has purified for ever those that are sanctified.

he adds, and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more."

by a new and living way which he has first open'd for us, thro' the veil, that is, thro' his flesh;

and having an high priest, who is established over the house of God,

Let us stedfastly maintain the hope which we have avow'd, since he is faithful that has promised:

He that by two or three witnesses was convicted of violating Moses's law, was put to death without mercy.

don't you think then that he deserves a much greater punishment, who hath despised the son of God, and counted the blood of the covenant wherewith be was sanctified, to have been justly shed, thereby offering an indignity to the spirit of grace?

for it is necessary you should persevere, that after having perform'd what God has commanded, you may receive what he has promised.

only wait but a little while, and he that is to come, will come without delay.

the just shall have life by trusting in me, but if he revolt, he will be the object of my displeasure.

'Twas by faith that Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he was declared righteous, God himself having testified that he accepted his offering, and after he died for his faith, he was not silent.

By faith Enoch was translated that he might avoid dying; and he could not be found, because God had translated him: for 'tis recorded, that before his translation he was approved by God.

now without faith it is impossible to be acceptable to him: for he that presents himself to God, cannot but believe he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who make their addresses to him.

'Twas by faith that Noah being divinely warned of unforeseen events, with a religious concern built an ark to the preservation of his family; whereby the world became inexcusable, and he obtained the reward of that righteousness which is by faith.

'Twas by faith that he who was named Abraham, showed his obedience in travelling to a foreign country, which he was afterwards to inherit; and began his journey without knowing where he was going.

'twas by faith that he sojourned in a land that was promised, as in a strange country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were equally entitled to the same promise.

for he had in view the city, whose foundations are sure, the architect and founder being God.

they desired therefore a better, that is, an heavenly country: so that God is very justly stiled their God: for he had appointed a city for them.

'Twas by faith that Abraham, when put to the trial, offered up Isaac: HE offered up his darling son, to whose posterity the promises were to be made good:

by faith Jacob when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped leaning upon the top of his staff.

by faith Joseph when he died, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave directions concerning his burial.

'Twas by faith that the parents of Moses conceal'd him for three months after his birth, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

by faith Moses when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

esteeming the sufferings of Israel greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he had an eye to the reward.

by faith he left Egypt without being apprehensive of the king's resentment: for he remain'd firm, as if he saw him who is invisible.

through faith he celebrated the passover, and sprinkled blood, that the destroying angel might pass by the first-born.