for another necessary digression, without which he could not profitably pursue his intended instruction from that testimony. He had as yet only inferred from it that Christ was a priest in general, with his necessary sacerdotal actings; but he had yet a farther intention in producing it to declare the special nature and pre-eminence of his priesthood, as shadowed out by that of Melchisedec. The demonstration of this he now designs. But so soon as he hath laid down his general assertion in these words, considering the greatness and difficulty of the matter in hand, with regard to the Hebrews, he diverts to a preparatory digression, wherein he continues the remainder of this, and the whole ensuing chapter, resuming his purpose here proposed in the beginning of the seventh.

§2. (I.) (πpoσayopevtsis) Called; he refers to the testimony produced, ver. 6,—that Christ, the Son of God, was a priest after the order of Melchisedec. But now the priesthood of Christ and of Melchisedec were not the same. He is not said to be a priest of the order, but (757, nala raživ) according to the things spoken of Melchisedec, as he was a priest; after the manner of what is related concerning him. And this, in my judgment, is the reason of using the word (porcedogɛvbɛis) called, in this place; for it doth not signify a call to office (that is, nahos, constantly,) but is the denomination of him who is called, for some certain reason. Because, saith the apostle, of the special resemblance that was between what Melchisedec was, and what Christ was to be, God called his priesthood Melchisedecian, and not Aaronical.

Called of God, (apziɛpevç) an High Priest; every high priest was a priest absolutely; but some sacerdotal duties were peculiarly reserved to the former. For instance, the offering of some sacrifices, as that of the

great atonement, which were peculiarly typical of the sacerdotal actions of Christ, was committed to him alone. So is Christ called (1ɛgevus) a Priest absolutely, as being invested with the real office of the priesthood, and he is termed (apxepeus) the Chief or High Priest, (not because there were any other of the same order with himself, but) because all the pre-eminences of the priesthood were in him alone. He was thus called an high priest, (κατα την ταξιν Μελχισεδεκ) according to the order of Melchisedec. This is not a limitation of the priesthood to a certain order, (as before observed) but a reference to that priesthood whereby his was most eminently pre-figured. And herein our apostle intends; First, A concession that he was not an high priest according to the order of Aaron: Secondly, That there was a priesthood antecedent to, and diverse from that of Aaron, appointed of God to represent the manner how he would call the Lord Messiah to his priestly office. For as he without ceremony, without sacrifice, without visible consecration, without the law of a carnal commandment, was constituted an high priest, so was Christ also by an immediate order of the Father, saying unto him, "Thou art my Son, a priest for ever, after the power of an endless life." And in this sense he is called a priest "after the order of Melchisedec."

$3. (II.) Obs. God was pleased to put a signal honor upon the person and office of Melchisedec, that in them there should be an early and excellent representation made of the person and priesthood of Jesus Christ. Who this Melchisedec was, and wherein consisted the nature of his priesthood, will be afterwards considered. In the mean time, observe in general that all the real honor that God did to any person under the Old Testament, was in order to pre

figure the person of Christ, that in all he might have the pre-eminence. He was the first personal type of Christ in the world. After him there were others, as Isaac, and Aaron, Joshua, David. and Solomon; but he was the first, he was a type of Christ in those two great offices of a King and a Priest, which none but he ever was. To which we may add, that no other was "made like the Son of God," or represented his person. $4. To the foregoing observation, the following may be added:

1. As the Lord Christ received all his honor as mediator from God the Father, so the ground and measure of our giving glory to him, as such, depend on the revelation and declaration of it to us. He was declared of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. He made him so, which, was his honor; he declared him to be so, whence we ought to give all honor to him. And from the respect these words have to the preceding verse, we may observe,

2. It is an evidence and testimony that the Lord Christ was able to be, and really is, the author of eternal salvation to all that obey him, because he is a priest after the order of Melchisedec, that is, that his priesthood is eternal.

VERSE 11.

whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, secing ye are dull of hearing.

§1. Introduction. $2-4. (1.) Exposition. $5. (II.) Observations. 1. Many revealed truths are deep and mysterious, and demand our diligent attention. $6, 7. 2. Ministers should sometimes insist on the most difficult truths. $8, 3. Men's criminal slothfulness the cause of their non-improvement. Preparation for hearing, $9. Actual hearing. §10. After hearing. $11. Other observations.

§1. In this verse the apostle enters upon his designed digression, expressing the occasion of it. And it

consists in such awakening admonitions, as we now stand in need of (no less than they) when we are to be excited to a due attendance to spiritual and mysterious truths.

§2. (I.) (IIɛpı 8) "concerning whom," that is, Melchisedec. The apostle's purpose is to treat of him so far as he was a type of Christ; hence some render the words (Ep 8) by de quare; of which matter, that is, the similitude and conformity between Melchisedec and Christ, which also is a great and instructive truth.

(Iloλus žaĩu ó λòyos) "We have much to say;" not only the multitude of the things which he had to speak, but also the importance of them is intended. However, I deny not, but that the apostle intimates that there were many things of that importance to be insisted on, on this occasion; but would not immediaately engage in that work, until he had spoken to them, what was needful to prepare their due attention.

§3. (Λόγος δυσερμηνευῖος λέγειν) "A discourse hard to be uttered." It may be the things which Paul himself here calls, (duσepμvevia) "hard to be uttered, "are those which Peter intends in his epistle, calling them (duovonia, 2 Peter iii, 16,) "Things hard to be understood." When it is spoken (Aèyew put for ev TW REYEIY, in dicendo) it is hard to be interpreted; that is, to be understood, for the interpretation intended is not that of the apostle in speaking; but that made in the understanding of them that hear it. He that hears a thing uttered interprets it to himself. The apostle doth not intimate that it would be any difficult matter for him to declare the conformity between Melchisedec and Christ; for what he received by revelation was no matter of difficulty to him; nor that his manner of declaring it would be obscure; for it is of things themselves, and not of the manner of their

declaration, that he speaks; as also doth Peter in the place mentioned. He doth not speak of these things only with respect to their own nature, but to our understandings, which are weak and imperfect. This is what the apostle chargeth in particular upon these Hebrews in this verse.

$4. The reason is added; "Seeing you are slothful, slow, or dull in hearing." This word is no where used in the New Testament, but here and chap. vi, 12, where we render it "slothful." (Nobpos est qui non facile potest, w) "one that is not easily stirred or moved;" heavy, unactive, dull, opposed to diligence in his business; as Prov. xxii, 29, (Tais anoais) “dull in hearing;" the word (axon) is used both for the ear, the faculty of hearing, the act of hearing, and the things heard. Wherefore, slothful in hearing," whereby the apostle declares the faults of these Hebrews, is a metaphorical expression, and imports as much as this: "You are in hearing the word, like slothful persons who accomplish no endeavors, attain no good end, because of their dulness and inactivity." Such persons Solomon paints to the life, Prov. xii, 27, and xv, 19, &c. He abounds in reproving it, as being one of the most pernicious vices that our nature is subject to. And in the reproach that Christ will cast upon unfaithful ministers at the last day, there is nothing greater than that they were "slothful," Matt. xxv, 26. It is not a natural imbecility of mind that he blames in them; nor a want of learning, to search into things deep and difficult; for these are not crimes; but it is a moral negligence and inadvertency, a want of the discharge of their duty according to their ability, in attending to the means of instruction he chargeth them with. The natural dulness of our minds in receiving spiritual things is, it may be, included; but our de