for if the law deliver'd by angels was put in execution, and every transgression and disobedience was justly punish'd as it deserv'd;

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;

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 it was agreeable to his wisdom, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to consecrate the author of their salvation by his sufferings.

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;

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.

who was faithful to him that constituted him such, as Moses likewise was faithful in all his administration of God's house.

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.

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

wherefore I was displeased with that generation, and said, they do alway err in their hearts; and they have not known my ways.

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

for to us was the good promise made, as well as to them: but the word address'd to them was not effectually receiv'd with faith by those that heard it.

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.

Since there remains then a rest which some are still to enter into, for they to whom the promise was first made, did not enter in, because of their incredulity;

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

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."

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 have known by experience the truth of the divine promises, and the miracles of the age that was to come; it is impossible,

but imitate the example of those who by faith and patience have obtain'd the inheritance that was promis'd to them.

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

wherefore God was willing to give the heirs of promise a stronger proof of the immutability of his counsel, by the intervention of an oath:

that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to deceive us, we, who have no other refuge to fly to, but to maintain our present hopes,

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.

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

If therefore the Levitical priesthood, concerning which the people received a law, could have given perfection, what further need was there that another priest should rise, to be named after the order of Melchisedec, and not after the order of Aaron?

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

who was not establish'd by virtue of a temporary law, but with the power of being a perpetual priest.

for the law made no man perfect, but this was effected by introducing a better hope, which brings us nearer to the divine presence.

so that Jesus was made guarantee of an alliance so much the more excellent, as it was not without the solemnity of an oath.

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,

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.

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

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."

nor for that reproach, which was made to our fathers, where 'tis said, "behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new alliance with the house of Israel, and with the house of Juda:

for the disposition of the tabernacle was such, that in the first part named the sanctuary, were placed the candlestick, the table, and the shew-bread;

and beyond the veil, was the second part of the tabernacle which is called the holy of holys;

there was the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant gilded all over with gold, wherein was the golden urn containing the manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the alliance.

the holy spirit showing thereby, that the way to the holy of holys, was not yet open, while the first tabernacle was standing.

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;

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.

whence even the first testament was not established without the effusion of blood.

It was therefore necessary that what was only a type of the heavenly sanctuary, should be purified by such sacrifices; but the heavenly sanctuary itself, by a more excellent sacrifice.

For the law being only an allusion to a future dispensation that was more excellent, and not an exact imitation of such a state, cannot by the anniversary sacrifices, which are offered, entirely purify those that present themselves.

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?

and it was for their faith that our fore-fathers acquired so great a reputation.

'Tis by faith we learn that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the visible world was not made out of any thing that did appear.

'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.

'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.

'Twas likewise through faith that Sara, though barren, received the power of becoming pregnant, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

so that even a single person whose vigour was gone, gave rise to a posterity as numerous as the stars of the sky, or the sands on the sea-shore, which cannot be numbred.

These all died in faith, without receiving what was promised, having only a distant view of what they eagerly expected, professing to live as strangers and pilgrims in the land.

of whom it was said, "only the descendants of Isaac shall be counted your posterity:"

concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the grave; from whence, in a figurative sense, be may be said to have been recover'd.

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

'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;

who through faith subdued kingdoms, practis'd justice, obtained what was promised, stopped the mouths of lions,

(of whom the world was not worthy) they wandred in desarts, and in mountains, having no retreat but the dens and caves of the earth.

Tho' these were all celebrated for their faith, they did not receive the reward that was promised:

having Jesus in our view, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down on the right hand of the throne of God.

their discipline was temporary, and the effect of humour; whereas God chastises us for our advantage, to make us partakers of his holiness.

for you know that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: not being able to make Isaac to retract, though he importun'd him with tears.

and so terrible was the appearance, that Moses cry'd out, "I tremble with the fright."

for Jesus likewise suffered without the gate, to show he was the expiatory victim for the people.