A53678:1111
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
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.
3. He minds them by the way of another Dignity of the Priesthood, in that not all the Posterity of Abraham, no, nor yet of Levi were partakers thereof, but it was a Privilege granted only to one part of them, even the Family of Aaron. And these are the Persons in whom he makes his Instance. Thus God distributes Dignity and Preeminence in the Church as he pleaseth. Not all the posterity of Abraham but only those of Levi were set apart to receive Tithes, and not all the posterity of Levi but only the Family of Aaron did receive the Priesthood. And this Order of his Sovereign pleasure God required of them all to submit unto and acquiesce in, Numb. 16. 9, 10. And it is a dangerous thing out of Envy, pride, or Emulation to transgress the Bounds of Dignity and Office that God hath prescribed, as we may see in that Instance of Korah. For every Man to be contented with his Station which God hath fixed him unto by Rule and providence, is his Safety and Honour. What God calleth and disposeth Men unto, therein are they to abide, and that are they to attend. It was new to the people to set the whole Tribe of Levi taken into a peculiar Sacred Condition, to attend for ever on the worship of God, yet therein they acquiesced. But when the Priests were taken out of the Levites and exalted above them, some of them murmured at it, and stirred up the Congregation against Aaron, as though he took too much upon him, and deprived the Congregation of their Liberty, which yet was all Holy. The end of this Sedition was known, notwithstanding the specious pretence of it.
3. He minds them by the way of another Dignity of the Priesthood, in that not all the Posterity of Abraham, no, nor yet of Levi were partakers thereof, but it was a Priviledge granted only to one part of them, even the Family of Aaron. And these are the Persons in whom he makes his Instance. Thus God distributes Dignity and Preeminence in the Church as he pleaseth. Not all the posterity of Abraham but only those of Levi were set apart to receive Tithes, and not all the posterity of Levi but only the Family of Aaron did receive the Priesthood. And this Order of his Soveraign pleasure God required of them all to submit unto and acquiesce in, Numb. 16. 9, 10. And it is a dangerous thing out of Envy, pride, or Emulation to transgress the Bounds of Dignity and Office that God hath prescribed, as we may see in that Instance of Korah. For every Man to be contented with his Station which God hath fixed him unto by Rule and providence, is his Safety and Honour. VVhat God calleth and disposeth Men unto, therein are they to abide, and that are they to attend. It was new to the people to set the whole Tribe of Levi taken into a peculiar Sacred Condition, to attend for ever on the worship of God, yet therein they acquiesced. But when the Priests were taken out of the Levites and exalted above them, some of them murmured at it, and stirred up the Congregation against Aaron, as though he took too much upon him, and deprived the Congregation of their Liberty, which yet was all Holy. The end of this Sedition was known, notwithstanding the specious pretence of it.