There yet remains one Difficulty in the words. For the People are said to receive the Law under the Levitical Priesthood, and therefore it should seem that that Priesthood was established before the giving of the Law. But it is certain, that the Law was given on Mount Sinai before the Institution of that Priesthood. For Aaron was not called nor separated unto his Office, until after Moses came down from the Mount the second time, with the Tables renewed after he had broken them, Exod. 40. 12, 13, 14. Two things may be applied to the removal of this Difficulty. For (1.) The People may be said to receive the Law under the Levitical Priesthood, not with respect unto the Order of the giving of the Law, but as unto their Actual Obedience unto it, in the exercise of the things required in it. And so nothing that appertained unto Divine Worship according unto the Law, was performed by them until that Priesthood was established. And this, as I have showed, is the true Signification of the word [Greek or Hebrew] here used. It doth not signify the giving of the Law unto them, but their being legalized, or brought under the Power of it. Wherefore although some part of the Law was given before the institution of that Priesthood, yet the People were not brought into the Actual Obedience of it but by virtue thereof. But (2.) The Apostle in this place hath especial respect unto the Law, as it was the Cause and Rule of Religious Worship, of Sacrifices, Ceremonies, and other Ordinances of Divine Service. For in that part of the Law the Hebrews placed all their Hopes of Perfection, which the Moral Law could not give them. And in this respect the Priesthood was given before the law. For although the Moral law was given in the Audience of the People before on the Mount, and an Explication was given of it unto Moses, as it was to be applied unto the Government of that People in Judiciary proceedings, commonly called the Judicial law, before he came down from the Mount, Exod. 21. 22, 23. yet as to the system of all Religious Ceremonies, Ordinances of Worship, Sacrifices of all sorts, and Typical Institutions, whatever belonged unto the Sacred Services of the Church, the law of it was not given out unto them until after the Erection of the Tabernacle, and the separation of Aaron and his Sons unto the Office of the Priesthood.
There yet remains one Difficulty in the words. For the People are said to receive the Law under the Levitical Priesthood, and therefore it should seem that that Priesthood was established before the giving of the Law. But it is certain, that the Law was given on Mount Sinai before the Institution of that Priesthood. For Aaron was not called nor separated unto his Office, untill after Moses came down from the Mount the second time, with the Tables renewed after he had broken them, Exod. 40. 12, 13, 14. Two things may be applyed to the removal of this Difficulty. For (1.) The People may be said to receive the Law under the Levitical Priesthood, not with respect unto the Order of the giving of the Law, but as unto their Actual Obedience unto it, in the exercise of the things required in it. And so nothing that appertained unto Divine Worship according unto the Law, was performed by them until that Priesthood was established. And this, as I have shewed, is the true Signification of the word 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 here used. It doth not signifie the giving of the Law unto them, but their being legalized, or brought under the Power of it. Wherefore although some part of the Law was given before the institution of that Priesthood, yet the People were not brought into the Actual Obedience of it but by virtue thereof. But (2.) The Apostle in this place hath especial respect unto the Law, as it was the Cause and Rule of Religious Worship, of Sacrifices, Ceremonies, and other Ordinances of Divine Service. For in that part of the Law the Hebrews placed all their Hopes of Perfection, which the Moral Law could not give them. And in this respect the Priesthood was given before the law. For although the Moral law was given in the Audience of the People before on the Mount, and an Explication was given of it unto Moses, as it was to be applyed unto the Government of that People in Judiciary proceedings, commonly called the Judicial law, before he came down from the Mount, Exod. 21. 22, 23. yet as to the system of all Religious Ceremonies, Ordinances of Worship, Sacrifices of all sorts, and Typical Institutions, whatever belonged unto the Sacred Services of the Church, the law of it was not given out unto them until after the Erection of the Tabernacle, and the separation of Aaron and his Sons unto the Office of the Priesthood.
