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

4. The Apostle's silence in this matter casteth this Pretence out of all consideration. His Design was to evince the Excellency of the Priesthood of Christ above that of Levi, from this particular consideration, That he was a Priest after the Order of Melchizedek. To prove that he was so indeed, and withal to show how great and Excellent a Person this Melchizedek was, who bare that Office as a Type of Christ in his, and also in how many things the Resemblance between the Lord Christ and him did consist, wherein he was made like unto the Son of God, he proposeth unto consideration every minute Circumstance of all that was spoken of him, and what also in common Use ought to be spoken of him, but being not so, was certainly omitted for some special Reason and Signification; insisting on some things which no man could have conjectured to have been designedly Significant, if the Holy Ghost himself had not made the Discovery thereof; omitting nothing, that might confirm the Truth, or Illustrate the Evidence of his Argument; yet he wholly passeth by this Passage without the least Notice of it. Herein, if the Romanists may be believed in this accurate Collection of all things, he omits nothing but only that wherein the Essence and Substance of his Cause and Plea did wholly consist. For this his Offering of Bread and Wine in Sacrifice they say, was that thing alone wherein he was peculiarly the Type of Christ, and Dispute with great vehemency that the Resemblance between them consisted herein alone, although the Apostle instance expressly in sundry other things, as we shall see more afterwards, and makes no mention of this at all. It is therefore clear as the day-light, that He and They are diversly minded in this matter. But if they are in the right, certainly never any Man managed an Argument unto less Advantage than the Apostle doth that in this place, wherein yet there is an appearance of so great Accuracy and Care. For they do suppose that he Scrupulously Collects all Circumstances belonging unto the Matter he treats of, and some of them of a difficult Application unto his purpose, and at the same time omits that wherein the whole force of his Argument did consist; which is a failure not modestly to be ascribed unto any Person of Sobriety or Judgment. Wherefore we need not farther trouble our selves with those forced and futilous pretences.

4. The Apostle's silence in this matter casteth this Pretence out of all consideration. His Design was to evince the Excellency of the Priesthood of Christ above that of Levi, from this particular consideration, That he was a Priest after the Order of Melchisedec. To prove that he was so indeed, and withal to shew how great and Excellent a Person this Melchisedec was, who bare that Office as a Type of Christ in his, and also in how many things the Resemblance between the Lord Christ and him did consist, wherein he was made like unto the Son of God, he proposeth unto consideration every minute Circumstance of all that was spoken of him, and what also in common Use ought to be spoken of him, but being not so, was certainly omitted for some special Reason and Signification; insisting on some things which no man could have conjectured to have been designedly Significant, if the Holy Ghost himself had not made the Discovery thereof; omitting nothing, that might confirm the Truth, or Illustrate the Evidence of his Argument; yet he wholly passeth by this Passage without the least Notice of it. Herein, if the Romanists may be believed in this accurate Collection of all things, he omits nothing but only that wherein the Essence and Substance of his Cause and Plea did wholly consist. For this his Offering of Bread and Wine in Sacrifice they say, was that thing alone wherein he was peculiarly the Type of Christ, and Dispute with great vehemency that the Resemblance between them consisted herein alone, although the Apostle instance expressely in sundry other things, as we shall see more afterwards, and makes no mention of this at all. It is therefore clear as the day-light, that He and They are diversly minded in this matter. But if they are in the right, certainly never any Man managed an Argument unto less Advantage than the Apostle doth that in this place, wherein yet there is an appearance of so great Accuracy and Care. For they do suppose that he Scrupulously Collects all Circumstances belonging unto the Matter he treats of, and some of them of a difficult Application unto his purpose, and at the same time omits that wherein the whole force of his Argument did consist; which is a failure not modestly to be ascribed unto any Person of Sobriety or Judgment. Wherefore we need not farther trouble our selves with those forced and futilous pretences.