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

There is something supposed and included in this Assertion; namely, that if we intend to come unto God, we had need of an High Priest to encourage and enable us thereunto. For if in particular we need such an High Priest, it is supposed that without an High Priest in general, we can do nothing in this matter. This therefore is the Foundation which in this Argument the Apostle proceedeth on; namely, that sinners, as we are all, can have no Access unto God, but by an High Priest. And there was no need for him much to labour with those Hebrews in the confirmation hereof. For from the first constitution of their Church, they had no other way of Approach unto God in and with their sacred services. And God had not only by the Institution of that Office among them, declared that this was the way whereby he would be worshipped; but also with Legal Prohibitions fortified with severe Penalties, he had forbidden all men, the highest, the greatest, the best and most holy, to come unto him any other way. Hereby were they taught the everlasting necessity of an High Priest, and the discharge of his Office, whatever End or Issue their Typical Priests came unto. And herein lies a great Aggravation of the present misery of the Jews. High Priest of their own they have none, nor have had for many Ages. Hereon all their solemn worship of God utterly ceaseth. They are the only Persons in the world, who, if all mankind would give them leave and assist them in it, cannot worship God as they judge they ought to do. For if Jerusalem were restored into their Possession, and a Temple reedified in it more glorious than that of Solomon, yet could they not offer one Lamb in Sacrifice to God. For they know that this cannot be done without an High Priest, and Priests infallibly deriving their Pedigree from Aaron, of whom they have amongst them not one in all the world. And so must they abide under a sense of being judicially excluded and cast out from all solemn worship of God, until the veil shall be taken from their Hearts, and leaving Aaron, they return unto him who was Typed by Melchizedek, unto whom even Abraham their Father acknowledged his Subjection.

There is something supposed and included in this Assertion; namely, that if we intend to come unto God, we had need of an High Priest to encourage and enable us thereunto. For if in particular we need such an High Priest, it is supposed that without an High Priest in general, we can do nothing in this matter. This therefore is the Foundation which in this Argument the Apostle proceedeth on; namely, that sinners, as we are all, can have no Access unto God, but by an High Priest. And there was no need for him much to labour with those Hebrews in the confirmation hereof. For from the first constitution of their Church, they had no other way of Approach unto God in and with their sacred services. And God had not only by the Institution of that Office among them, declared that this was the way whereby he would be worshipped; but also with Legal Prohibitions fortified with severe Penalties, he had forbidden all men, the highest, the greatest, the best and most holy, to come unto him any other way. Hereby were they taught the everlasting necessity of an High Priest, and the discharge of his Office, whatever End or Issue their Typical Priests came unto. And herein lyes a great Aggravation of the present misery of the Jews. High Priest of their own they have none, nor have had for many Ages. Hereon all their solemn worship of God utterly ceaseth. They are the only Persons in the world, who, if all mankind would give them leave and assist them in it, cannot worship God as they judge they ought to do. For if Hierusalem were restored into their Possession, and a Temple reedified in it more glorious than that of Solomon, yet could they not offer one Lamb in Sacrifice to God. For they know that this cannot be done without an High Priest, and Priests infallibly deriving their Pedigree from Aaron, of whom they have amongst them not one in all the world. And so must they abide under a sense of being judicially excluded and cast out from all solemn worship of God, until the vail shall be taken from their Hearts, and leaving Aaron, they return unto him who was Typed by Melchisedec, unto whom even Abraham their Father acknowledged his Subjection.