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

1. Notwithstanding the great and many provocations of them by whom it was exercised and discharged, yet God took it not away until it had accomplished the End whereunto it was designed. Neither the wickedness of the People, nor of the Priests themselves, could provoke the Lord to revoke his Institution, until the appointed End of it was come. And it is no small part of the Blindness of the present Jews, to think that God would so utterly abolish his own Ordinance, as they must acknowledge he hath done, if he would have it to be of any longer Use in the Church. For 1600 Years, they have not had any Priest among them, nor is it possible they should according unto the Law, if they were actually restored unto their own pretended Right in Canaan. For they have utterly lost the Distinction of Tribes among them, ⟨p. 179⟩nor can any of them in the least pretend that they are of the linage of the Priests. And for any one to Usurp that Office who is not lineally Descended from Aaron, they own to be an Abomination. As therefore they know not how to look for a Messiah from the Tribe of Judah, seeing all Sacred Genealogy is at an end; no more can they look for a Priest of the House of Aaron. Now this End of it, was the bringing in of a better Hope, or the Promised Seed, who, according to the Promise, was to come to the Second Temple, and therefore whilst that Priesthood continued. (2.) God took it not away till he brought in that which was more Excellent, Glorious, and Advantageous unto the Church, namely, the Priesthood of Christ. And if this be not received through their Unbelief, they alone are the cause of their being losers by this Alteration. (3.) In abundant Patience and Condescension with respect unto that Interest which it had in the Consciences of Men from his Institution, God did not utterly lay it aside in a day, after which it should be absolutely unlawful to comply with it. But God took it away by Degrees, as shall afterwards be declared.

1. Notwithstanding the great and many provocations of them by whom it was exercised and discharged, yet God took it not away until it had accomplished the End whereunto it was designed. Neither the wickedness of the People, nor of the Priests themselves, could provoke the Lord to revoke his Institution, until the appointed End of it was come. And it is no small part of the Blindness of the present Jews, to think that God would so utterly abolish his own Ordinance, as they must acknowledge he hath done, if he would have it to be of any longer Use in the Church. For 1600 Years, they have not had any Priest among them, nor is it possible they should according unto the Law, if they were actually restored unto their own pretended Right in Canaan. For they have utterly lost the Distinction of Tribes among them,