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

Now this was a matter of the highest concernment unto the Hebrews, and of great Importance in it self. For it included and carried along with it an Alteration of the ⟨p. 193⟩whole state of the Church, and of all the Solemn Worship of God therein. This therefore was not to be done but on Cogent Reasons and Grounds indispensable. And no doubt but the Apostle foresaw, what a surprisal it would be unto the Generality of the Hebrews, to hear that they must quit all their concern and special Interest in the Law of Moses. For he had three sorts of Persons to deal withal in this great cause.

1. Such as adhered unto and maintained the Mosaical Institutions in Opposition unto Christ and the whole way of our coming unto God by him. These esteemed it the greatest Blasphemy imaginable for any to affirm, that the Law was to be changed or abrogated. And this was the occasion of the death of the first Martyr of Jesus Christ under the accusation of Blasphemy, which by the Law was to be punished with Death. For this they made their charge against Stephen, that he spake Blasphemous words against Moses, (whom they put in the first place) and against God. Act. 6. 11. And the proof of this Blasphemy they lay on those words, that Jesus should change the Customs which Moses had delivered to them. Accordingly on this very account they stirred up Persecution with rage and madness against the Holy Apostles all the World over. The mouths of these Cursed Unbelievers were to be stopped; and therefore Cogent Reasons and Unanswerable were in this Case to be urged by the Apostle; and they are so accordingly. And they were now to know that notwithstanding all their Rage and Bluster, those that believed were not ashamed of the Gospel, and they must be told that the Law was to be abrogated, whether they would hear or forbear, however they were provoked or enraged thereby.