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

The Design of the Apostle in this Chapter is not to declare the Nature, or the Exercise of the Priesthood of Christ, though the mention of them be occasionally inserted in some passages of it. For the Nature of it, he had spoken unto, Chap. 5th. and Treats of its Use at large, Chap. 9th. But it is of its Excellency and Dignity that he Discourseth in this place, and that not absolutely neither, but in Comparison with the Levitical Priesthood of the Church under the Old Testament. As this was directly conducing unto his End, so it was incumbent on him in the first place to confirm: For if it were not so Excellent, it was to no purpose to persuade them to embrace it who were actually in the enjoyment of another. This therefore he designeth to prove, and that upon Principles avowed by themselves, with Light and Evidence taken from what was received and Acknowledged in the Church of the Hebrews from the first Foundation of it. After this, he manifests abundantly the Excellency of this Priesthood from its Nature and Use also. But he was, in the first place, to evince it from the Faith and Principles of the Ancient Church of Israel, which he doth in in this Chapter: For he Declares how God had many ways instructed them to expect an alteration of the Levitical Priesthood, by the Introduction of another more Useful, Efficacious, and Glorious; the continuance of them both in the Church at the same time being inconsistent.

The Design of the Apostle in this Chapter is not to declare the Nature, or the Exercise of the Priesthood of Christ, though the mention of them be occasionally inserted in some passages of it. For the Nature of it, he had spoken unto, Chap. 5th. and Treats of its Use at large, Chap. 9th. But it is of its Excellency and Dignity that he Discourseth in this place, and that not absolutely neither, but in Comparison with the Levitical Priesthood of the Church under the Old Testament. As this was directly conducing unto his End, so it was incumbent on him in the first place to confirm: For if it were not so Excellent, it was to no purpose to perswade them to embrace it who were actually in the enjoyment of another. This therefore he designeth to prove, and that upon Principles avowed by themselves, with Light and Evidence taken from what was received and Acknowledged in the Church of the Hebrews from the first Foundation of it. After this, he manifests abundantly the Excellency of this Priesthood from its Nature and Use also. But he was, in the first place, to evince it from the Faith and Principles of the Ancient Church of Israel, which he doth in in this Chapter: For he Declares how God had many ways instructed them to expect an alteration of the Levitical Priesthood, by the Introduction of another more Useful, Efficacious, and Glorious; the continuance of them both in the Church at the same time being inconsistent.