plirafes, render the original, Cohen, "Prieft," by Rabba, or Cohen Rabba, "The Great Prieft:" applying it by way of eminence, to THE MESSIAH. Compare the Targums on Gen. 41. 45. Exod. 2. 16. "Having therefore a Great High Priest, who is paffed through the Heavens, JESUS THE SON OF GOD, let us adhere to our profeflion': [without wavering]"-4. 14. "For we have a High Priest, by no means unable to fympathize with our infirmities, but tried [by fufferings] in all refpects, like ourselves ; out fin:" 4. 15.-" For fuch a High Prieft was befitting us; Harmlefs, Undefiled, Detached from Sinners, and become higher the Heavens"-7. 26. 2. "And [as] no one affumeth to himself the honour [of the priesthood] unless He that is called by GoD; like Aaron himself, [and his pofterity] So CHRIST alfo, did not glorify himself to be made High Priest, but (GoD), who spake unto him: "Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten Thee:" as likewife elsewhere He faith: "Thou art a Prieft for ever, according to the Order of Melchifedek." 5. 4, 6. "In which cafe, [namely the promise made to Abraham and his feed; 6. 13, 14] GOD being willing to fhew more abundantly unto the heirs of the promise, the immutability of his counfel, did interpofe by oath : In order that by two immutable acts, in which it is impoffible that GoD thould ["repent" or] lie, [namely his promise and his oath] we might have a powerful inducement, to adhere to the proposed hope [of falvation]; which, having recourfe to, we hold, as an anchor of the foul, both fecure and ftedfast, and even stationed within the infide of the [heavenly] vail: whither a forerunner for us entered, JESUS; who is become High Prieft for ever, according to the Order of Melchifedek." 6. 17, 20. "For the [Levitical] priefts were made, without fwearing, but Christ, with fwearing, by [GoD], faying unto him: "The Lord Jware, and He will not repent; Thou art Priest for ever, according to the Order of Melchifedek." Inasmuch then, as JESUS [was made Prieft] not without fwearing, by fo much was he made furety of a better covenant." 7. 20, 22. 66 3. "For this Melchifedek, (“ King of Salem, Prieft of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the defeat of the Kings, and bleffed Him to whom alfo, Abraham paid the tenth of all [the spoils"]) being first, by interpretation [of the name Melchifedek] " King of Righteoufnefs," and next, (King of Salem, that is) King of Peace," [but who is unnoticed any further in Scripture, as to the leading circumftances of his parentage, genealogy, birth, death, &c. namely], without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of [his] days, nor end of [his] life, [recorded]; but being resembled by THE SON OF GOD, remaineth Priest perpetually, [without any mention of a fucceffor to his royal priesthood, in fcripture."] "Now obferve how great a perfon this was, to whom even Abraham, the Patriarch, gave the tenth of the fpoils: And indeed, of the sons of Levi, they who receive the priesthood, have appointment, according to the (Levitical) law, to tythe the people, (that is, their own brethren) although fprung from the loins of Abraham [their common ancestor]: but He, although not of their genealogy, [but a Canaanite] tythed Abraham [himself]: And without any contradiction, the lefs is bleffed by the better; [but Abraham was bleffed, folemnly, by Melchifedek.”] 7. 1, 7. "If "If then there had been perfection [or compleat falvation] through the [Levitical] priesthood, (during which, the law was enacted for the people) what further need, that another priest should- arife, to be called, ac◄ cording to the Order of Melchifedek, and not according to the order of Aaron For the priesthood being transferred, of neceffity, there resulteth also a transfer of the law: For He (CHRIST) concerning whom this is faid, pertained to another tribe, of which no one hath attended the altar [as prieft]: (For it is evident that OUR LORD fprang from Judah, of which tribe, Mofes faid nothing about priefthod.") 7. 1, 14. "And this is ftill more abundantly manifeft, fince another prieft is arifen, according to the likeness of Melch jedeh, who is become [fuch] not according to the law of carnal appointment, but according to the power of indiffoluble life: for [fcripture] teftifieth, hou art Priest for ever, according to the Order of Melchifedek. For indeed there refulteth an abolition of the foregoing appointment, on account of its infufficiency and unprofitablenefs [to falvation]: For the law perfected nothing, but the further introduction of a better hope [did], through which, we draw nigh unto Gon.” 7. 15, 19. "And indeed, of the [Levitical] priests, there are feveral [in fucceffion]; their continuance in office being prevented by death; but He [CHRIST) on account of his abiding for ever, hath an unfailing priesthood: whence, He is able to fave even to the uttermoft, those who come unto God through him; ever living, to intercede for them." 7, 23, 25. 4, 5. " Such a high priest have we, who fat at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the Heavens; [as] an officiating minifter of the [heavenly] fanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which THE LORD pitched and not man.' 8. 1, 2. "The firft tabernacle indeed had liturgical ordinances and a worldly fanctuary: For there, was prepared, the first tabernacle-which is called Holy: but beyond the second vail, that, which is called Holy of Holies [or the fanctuary]. Into the first tabernacle, conftantly enter the priests, difcharging the liturgical fervices; but into the fecond, once a year, only the high prieft, not without blood, which he offered for his own and the peoples ignorances: the Holy Spirit thus intimating that the way of the [heavenly] fanctuary was not yet difclofed, while the firft tabernacle was still standing: which figurative reprefentation is defigned for the prefent feafon; during which are offered gifts and facrifices, incapable of perfecting the officiating minifter, [and the worshippers] according to confcience; confifting only in [particular] meats and drinks, and fundry ablutions, and carnal, ordinances, [to be performed by the priests, Levites, and people] impofed on them until the feafon of reformation. But CHRIST having gone thither, a high priest of future bleflings, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to fay not of this [worldly] building; entered-not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood -into the [heavenly] fanctuary, once for all; having procured eternal redemption: For, if the blood of bulls and goats and athes of a heifer fprinkling the impure, fanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how *The high priest entered into the Holy of Holies "within the vail"-only one day in the year, (namely, the great day of atonement); twice to make atonement for himfelf and his houfehold, Levit. 16. 11, 14. and a third time-for the whole congregation of Ifrael, 16. 15. muck much more shall the blood of CHRIST who, through THE ETERNAL SPIRIT, offered himself blameless unto God, purify your confcience from dead works, [enabling you] to ferve the living God?" 9. 1, 14. 6." And for this caufe, He is Mediator of a New Covenant, that on account of [his] death, which happened for the remiflion of the tranfgreffions [committed] during the first covenant; they who are called, might receive the promife of the eternal inheritance:" 9. 15. "For Christ did not enter into the fanctuary made with hands, (which is an antitype of the true) but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. Nor [was it intended] that He should oftentimes offer himfelf [a facrifice], like the high priest, who entered into the fan&tuary every year, with others blood; (inafmuch as he mutt then oftentimes have needs fuffered, fince the foundation of the world) but now, once, in the confummation of the ages, hath he been manifefted, to procure abolition of fin, through the facrifice of himself. And inafmuch as it is allotted to men once to die, and afterwards [fucceeds] the judgment; fo Chrift alfo, having been once offered to bear away the fins of many; will, a fecond time, be feen, without a fin offering, by those who thenceforth expect him unto falvation." 9. 24, 28. Here, is a moft fignal and unequivocal atteftation to the second advent of CHRIST, according to his own prediction, Matt. 23. 89; and 24. 30, 31; and 26. 64. the confounding of which, with his final coming to the general judgment, at the end of the world, feems to be one of the moit dangerous errors of the prefent age, because the moft prevalent; as repeatedly remarked, in the courfe of thefe communications, and alfo in THE INSPECTOR. --- An authentic evidence of this expectation in the primitive Jewish church, fubfifts, 1 Macc. 14. 41. in the provifional grant of the high priesthood to the Ajamonian family, B. C. 141. when the Jews and pricts were well pleased, that Simon fhould be their governor and high prieft for ever; until there should arife a faithful prophet.”—And their decree on this occafion, was " commanded to be written on tables of brass, and fet up in a confpicuous place, within the fanctuary," for the benefit of pofterity; whence perhaps it may not unreasonably be conjectured, that the apostle, before he undertook to delineate the nature of our LORD's priesthood, in the firft branch of the preceding argument, was folicitous to evince his refembiance and his fuperiority to Mojes alio, as a "faithful prophet."-" Being faithful to Him (GoD) who appointed him [apoftle and high prieft] as was alfo " Mofes in all his houfehold," Numb. 12. 7. -both in his apostleship (or prophetic office) doing and fpeaking, as his Father had given commiffion, (John 12. 49, and 14. 10)-and alfo in his priestly office, laying down his life for the sheep, and refuming it again, according to the commiffion he had received from his Father" (John, 10. 15, 18.)-3. 2. "For this (perfonage) is dignified with more glory than Mofes, inafmuch as He that ordereth the household, hath more honour than the household: (For every household is ordered by fome one) but He [THE SON] that ordereth the universe, is GoD*. And Mofes indeed, was This is a moft unequivocal teftimony of the GODHEAD OF CHRIST, for the tenor of the argument, refers to the term "GOD" (EOS) to him, as a proof of his infinite fuperiority above Mofes. Compare Rom. 9. 5. Col. 1. 16. John, 1. 1, 2. faithful faithful in all his household, as a fervant, for a teftimony of the oracles to be afterwards fpoken: But CHRIST as A SON, [appointed] over his [FATHER'S] household; whofe household we are, provided we maintain the free profeffion [of our faith] and the exultation of our hope, firmly to the end." 3. 3, 6. Verf. 5, 6. "THE LORD, on thy right hand, in the day of his wrath, Shall crush Kings; he fhall judge Among the Gentiles; He shall heap up the carcafes, He fhall crush the Head over many countries." This is nearly a repetition of the exemplary vengeance to be inflicted on the adverfaries of THE LORD and of his MESSIAH, before the regeneration in the prophecies heretofore explained; where, in the verb, 117. "He fhall judge," we have an additional and appofite inftance of the radical meaning and derivation of the term, 117, "Regent," as a judge or arbiter, under THE SUPREME LORD; (John, 5. 22) who is here reprefented, as clofely fupporting him by his Almighty aid and protection. And perhaps, "the Head over many countries," may denote the grand adversary of God and man, "the Old Serpent, the Devil and Satan," whofe "head" was threatened to be " crushed" in the fulness of prophetic time, by the bleed Seed of the Woman, immediately after the fall.-And with which, the Septuagint rendering, undries," shall crush" fo well accords. Verf. 7. "He fhall drink of the brook in the way; Among the various and difcordant conjectures about the meaning of this figurative paffage, by which the commentators have puzzled themfelves and their readers, I fhall adhere to the commonly received interpretation of Patrick, &c. That before all these glóries and triumphs, the MESSIAH was destined to undergo, a ftate of the loweft humiliation, to live on a precarious and scanty diet; as did the prophet Elijah, in his wanderings and flights from Jezebel; who was providentially fed by the ravens with bread, and "drank of the brook," in his hiding place. 1 Kings, 17. 6. And accordingly, our Lord, pathetically obferved"The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nefts; but THE SON OF MAN hath not where to lay his head!" Luk. 9. 58. For-" He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even death by crucifixion : wherefore GOD alfo, tranfcendently exalted him, (vrepvwor) and bestowed on him THE NAMв above every name, &c. Phil. 2. 8. HE THAT HUMBLETH HIMSELF SHALL BE EXALTED. August 3, 1802. INSPECTOR. POSTSCRIPT. I cannot difmifs this Critique, without trefpaffing ftill further on the long-tried indulgence of the Editors of the Orthodox Churchman's Magazine, and their numerous readers: (to the former of whom, I am fo deeply indebted already, for their favourable reception and ready infertion to the latter, the London Curate, &c. for their candid approbation of : of these communications) requesting their permiffion, to make my acknowledgments to the BRITISH CRITIC, for the "Smiling" and faftidious notice its conductors have been pleased to take, repeatedly, of the "prefumptuous," "felf-appointed," INSPECTOR, and his writings: confining myself to the laft, B. C. Auguft, p. 171; where they firft obferve "With respect to the five DIVINE NAMES, we only fay, that after an attentive perufal of what has appeared on that fubject in the Orthodox Churchman's Magazine, We find nothing in the objections of that writer to induce us to alter the opinion we have given." Had they stopped here, there could be no juft ground of complaint on my part: opinions are free: and I never looked upon my own as infallible; nor did I expect, that ípeculations fo compreffed, on fubjects fo profoundly abftrufe and myfterious, deviating confiderably from the beaten track, would either eafily or fpeedily be adopted by my brother-critics, and brother-authors, without undergoing (as they ought) a long and rigorous ordeal: But when the B. C. quitting the fubject in debate, (a matter of Oriental criticism) proceed to cenfure a mathematical tract, totally unconnected therewith; and to represent―" A late work upon the Newtonian Method of Fluxions, as half Latin, half English [in its ftile]; and the author, as offering an explanation of that method, founded on a total mifconception of its genuine principles, as stated by SIR ISAAC NEWTON himfelf:"-does not the difgrace they intended for the author, recoil on themselves? - For furely, fuppofing their cenfure to be well founded; his failure as a claffical writer, and as a mathematician, by no means implies his failure as an Orientalist and Logician: and has he not abundant caufe to retort the complicated charges of negligence and defamation on their own heads?-If the work was "well known" to them, why did not they review it before this?-they had time enough, from January 1800, when it was published:-Or why depreciate and vilify, now, by " idle affertion," without proof? (nua apyov, Matt. 12. 36.) This is neither a time nor place for appealing to the fkill and candour of BRITISH MATHEMATICIANS: the work is before them; let it speak for itself.—I thall reserve myself for the B. C.'s review of it; which I now publicly call on them for, and demand, as an author, who conceives himfelf injured, and therefore, intitled to fair trial before a BRITISH TRIBUNAL. Let them withhold it no longer, but give the work with all its faults, to the literary world, as they are in duty and in reparation bound. And perhaps, on clofer infpection, they will find it equally difficult to prove their charge; as to maintain their affumptions:-That the application of the divine name ELOHIM, to the MESSIAH (or JESUS CHRIST) in the 45th Pfalm, is a fort of CATACHRESIS (i. e. an abufe of terms”): -or, that the plural ELOHIM, is the word, in the applications of which we may fearch for veftiges of the leading fenfe of the objulete root-if it is any where to be found." 66 Their motto, prefixed to that number, is excellent :-" Hoc femper religiofe cauteque fervavi, ne MIHI рer cujufquam injuriam viderer unquam famam quærere voluiffe."-" This has been always a point religiously [and cautiously] obferved by us, never to feek fame to ourselves by an injurious treatment of any perfon whatsoever." Now, as they appear rather to have been unmindful of their own motto, Vol. III. Churchm. Mag. Oct. 1802. E e in |