A continuation of the exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the…

The Proof therefore of the utter Cessation of the Law the Apostle enters upon by the Invincible Argument, whose Foundation or Proposition is laid in this verse, and the especial parts of it are explained, confirmed, and vindicated in those that follow. And in his ensuing Discourse his Principal Design is to prove, That the Church is so far from being a loser or disadvantaged by this Change, as that she receiveth thereby the highest Privilege, and greatest Blessing that in this World she is capable of.

The Proof therefore of the utter Cessation of the Law the Apostle enters upon by the Invincible Argument, whose Foundation or Proposition is laid in this verse, and the especial parts of it are explained, confirmed, and vindicated in those that follow. And in his ensuing Discourse his Principal Design is to prove, That the Church is so far from being a loser or disadvantaged by this Change, as that she receiveth thereby the highest Priviledge, and greatest Blessing that in this World she is capable of.

In the words of this verse there is a Supposition of the Change of the Priesthood, as that which was proved before, and an Inference from thence unto a Necessity of the change of the Law.

The Priesthood being changed; that is, the Priesthood of Levi appointed and exercised under the Law [Greek or Hebrew], translato, mutato; so some read, transferred, ¹translated, some changed. The former do not reach the whole sense intended. For the Office of the Priesthood may be transferred from one Person to another, one Family unto another, yea, one Tribe unto another; and yet the Priesthood, as to the kind and nature of it, continue the same. This our Apostle afterwards mentions, ver. 13, 14. as a part of his Argument to prove the Priesthood it self to be changed. But this it doth not absolutely; seeing it is possible that the Office may be transferred from one Tribe unto another, and yet not be changed, as unto its Nature. But the Proof lies in this, That Moses in the Institution of the Priesthood made no mention of the Tribe of Judah, and therefore if that Office be transferred unto that Tribe, it must be of another kind than that before Instituted. And on this Supposition that which he intends to prove follows evidently upon the Translation of the Priesthood. For all the Sacred Services and Worship which the Law required, were so confined, or at least had that respect unto the Levitical Priesthood, as that no part of it, no Sacred Duty could be performed, on a Supposition of taking away the Priesthood from that Tribe and Family. For whereas the whole of their Worship consisted in the Service and Sacrifices of the Tabernacle, God had appointed that whosoever did draw nigh unto the performance of any of these Services that was not of the Seed of Aaron, should be cut off and destroyed. Wherefore upon a Supposition of the ceasing or changing of the Priesthood in that Family, the whole Law of Ordinances became Unpracticable, Useless, and lost its