3 The Reason of this Multiplication of Priests, was because they were not suffered 1to continue by reason of Death. They were mortal men subject unto death, and they died. Death suffered them not to continue in the Execution of their Office. It forbade them so to do, in the name of the great Sovereign Lord of Life and Death. And hereof an Instance was given in Aaron the first of them. God to show the nature of this Priesthood unto the people, and to manifest that the everlasting Priest was not yet come, commanded Aaron to dye in the sight of all the Congregation, Num. 20. 25, 26, 27, 28. So did they all afterwards, as other men, dye in their several Generations. They were all by death forbidden to continue. Death laid an injunction on them one after another, from proceeding any farther in the Administration of their Office. It is not surely without some especial design that the Apostle thus expresseth their dying; They were by death prohibited to continue. Wherefore he shows hereby, (1.) The way whereby an end was put unto the personal Administration, and that was by death. (2.) That there was an Imperfection in the Administration of that Office, which was so frequently interrupted. (3.) That they were seized upon by death whether they would or no, when it may be they would have earnestly desired to continue, and the people also would have rejoiced in it. Death came on them, neither desired nor expected, with his Prohibition. (4.) That when death came and seized on them, it kept them under its power, so that they could never more attend unto their Office. But it was otherwise with the Priest of the better Covenant, as we shall see immediately. Observe,
3 The Reason of this Multiplication of Priests, was because they were not suffered 1to continue by reason of Death. They were mortal men subject unto death, and they died. Death suffered them not to continue in the Execution of their Office. It forbad them so to do, in the name of the great Sovereign Lord of Life and Death. And hereof an Instance was given in Aaron the first of them. God to shew the nature of this Priesthood unto the people, and to manifest that the everlasting Priest was not yet come, commanded Aaron to dye in the sight of all the Congregation, Num. 20. 25, 26, 27, 28. So did they all afterwards, as other men, dye in their several Generations. They were all by death forbidden to continue. Death laid an injunction on them one after another, from proceeding any farther in the Administration of their Office. It is not surely without some especial design that the Apostle thus expresseth their dying; They were by death prohibited to continue. Wherefore he shews hereby, (1.) The way whereby an end was put unto the personal Administration, and that was by death. (2.) That there was an Imperfection in the Administration of that Office, which was so frequently interrupted. (3.) That they were seized upon by death whether they would or no, when it may be they would have earnestly desired to continue, and the people also would have rejoyced in it. Death came on them, neither desired nor expected, with his Prohibition. (4.) That when death came and seized on them, it kept them under its power, so that they could never more attend unto their Office. But it was otherwise with the Priest of the better Covenant, as we shall see immediately. Observe,
- 1[Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
