superiority of the gospel over the law; and, of consequence, the great absurdity of leaving the former for the sake of the latter!

Chap. ii. He obviates an objection which might be made to the superior excellency of Christ, on account of his humiliation. To this end he shews that this humiliation was voluntary: that it was intended for many important purposes, viz. That we might be sanctified, verse 11. That through his death we might be delivered from death, verse 14, 13. And that Christ, by experiencing our infirmities in his own person, might become a faithful and a merciful HighPriest, verse 17, 18. The inference then is, That his taking our nature upon him, and dying therein, is no argument of his inferiority, either to the prophets or to the angels; and therefore it is no excuse for those who APOSTATIZE from the gospel for the sake of the law.

Chap. iii. Here Christ is particularly compared with Moses, and shewn

to be superior to him in several respects. As, 1. Christ is the great builder of that house, of which Moses is only a small part, verse 3, 4. 2. Christ is as a Son in his own house; but Moses was only as a servant in his master's house, verse 5. There fore Christ and his salvation are su perior to Moses and his law, and ought not to be neglected on account of that which is inferior to it.-From verse 7 of this chapter, to verse 14 of the 4th chapter, the apostle shews the great danger of APOSTATIZING from Christ, by the severe sentence which was passed on those who rebelled against Moses, and apostatized from his law.

Chap. v. Christ is compared to Aaron, and preferred to him on several accounts. As 1. Aaron offered for his own, as well as for the sins of the people; but Christ offered only for the sins of others, having none of his own to offer for, verse 3. 2. Christ was not a priest after the order of Aaron, but after the manner of Mel

chisedec, which was a superior order,

verse 10.

Concerning Melchisedec and Christ, the apostle observed, that, through the dulness of the Hebrews, there were some things which they could not easily understand, verse 11—14. He therefore calls on them, chap. vi. to labour for a more perfect acquaintance there with; withal promising them his farther assistance, ver 1-3. The necessity of their doing this, of their thus going on unto perfection, he enforced by the following consideration,that if they did not go forward, they would be in danger of APOSTATIZING in such a manner as would be irrecoverable, verse 7, 8. From thence to the end of the chapter, he encouraged them to patience and PERSEVerANCE, by the consideration of the love, oath, and faithfulness of GOD; and, also, by the example of their father Abraham.

Chap. vii. The apostle resumes the parallel between Melchisedec and Christ, and shows that they agree in

P

title and descent, verse 1-S. and then from instances wherein the priesthood of Malchisedec was preferable to the priesthood of Aaron, he infers the superiority of Christ's priesthood over that of Aaron's, verse 417. From thence to the end of the chapter he shows that the priesthood of Aaron was only subservient to the priesthood of Christ, in which it was consummated and abolished; and, of consequence, that all those legal obligations were thereby abolished. How naturally then did the apostle infer the absurdity of APOSTATIZING from the gospel to the law, seeing they who did this, not only left the greater for the less; but also left that which remained in full force, for the sake of that which was disannulled.

Chap. viii. is employed partly in recapitulating what had been demonstrated before concerning the superior dignity of our great High-priest, verse 1-5. and partly in showing the su perior excellency of the new covenant as established in Christ, and as

containing better promises; verse 6, to the end of the chapter. From this last consideration, the impropriety of going from the new covenant to the old, is as naturally inferred, as from any other of the afore-mentioned considerations.

With the same view the apostle, chap. ix. compares Christ and his priesthood, to the tabernacle of old, and to what the high-priest did therein on the great day of atonement; in all things giving Christ the preference, from verse 1, to the end.

Chap. x. The apostle sets down the difference between the legal sacrifices and the sacrifice of Christ. The legal sacrifices were weak and could not put away sin, verse 1 -4. but the sacrifice of Christ was powerful, doing that which the other could not do, verse 5-10.

The next point of difference was between the legal priests who offered these sacrifices, and the High-priest of our profession. And, first, the legal priests were many; our's is one.