A53678:1072
A continuation of the exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the…
A continuation of the exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews viz, on the sixth, seventh, eight, ninth, and tenth chapters : wherein together with the explication of the text and context, the priesthood of Christ ... are declared, explained and confirmed : as also, the pleas of the Jews for the continuance and perpetuity of their legal worship, with the doctrine of the principal writers of the Socinians about these things, are examined and disproved / by J. Owen ...
London: printed for Nathaniel Ponder, 1680
Exegesis of chapter 7 › Exegesis of verses 4, 5, 6: VER. 4, 5, 6.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
VER. 4, 5, 6.
THE Proceed of these Verses is unto the Application of what was before Discoursed. For having proved that Christ the promised Messiah was to be a Priest after the Order of Melchizedek from Psal. 110. and given a Description both of the Person and Office of this Melchizedek from the Historical Narration of them as laid down by Moses, he makes Application of the whole unto his present purpose. And from the consideration of sundry particulars in his Description, confirms in general the Argument which he had in hand. For that which principally he designeth to prove is, that a more Excellent Priesthood than that of Aaron being introduced according to the Purpose and Promise of God, it followed necessarily, that that Priesthood with all the Worship, Rites and Ceremonies which belonged unto it, was to cease and be taken out of the way. For as this new Promised Priesthood was inconsistent with it, and could not be Established without the Abolition of it, so it brought a far greater Benefit and Spiritual Advantage unto the Church than it before enjoyed. And we are not to wonder that the Apostle insists so much hereon, and that with all sorts of Arguments, especially such as the Old Testament furnished him withal. For this was the Hinge on which the Eternal Salvation or Destruction of that whole Church and People at that time, did turn. For if they would not forgo their Old Priesthood and Worship, their Ruin was unavoidable. Christ would either be rejected by them, or be of no profit unto them. Accordingly things fell out with the most of them, they clave absolutely unto their Old Institutions, and rejecting the Lord Christ, perished in their unbelief. Others contended for the Continuance of their Priesthood and Worship, for which they supposed they had Invincible Reasons, although they admitted the Profession of Christ and the Gospel therewithal. But our Apostle knowing how inconsistent these things were, and how the retaining of that Persuasion, would keep them off at present from believing the Necessity, Usefulness, Glory and Advantages of the Priesthood of Christ, and the Spiritual Worship of the Gospel, as also dispose them unto Apostasy for the future, laboureth by all means to eradicate this pernicious Fundamental Error out of their minds.