Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews

The Twelfth Family concerns the Kingdom and is made up of four Precepts. § 32 1. That no King be chosen or a strange Nation, Deut. 17.15. 2. That the King get not himself many Horses, v. 16. 3. That he multiply not Wives. 4. That he heap not up to himself Treasures of Silver and Gold, v. 17.

This is the Account that the Jews give of the precepts of the Law, and both the § 33 number of them, as also their distribution and distinction which they have cast them into, are part as they pretend of their Oral Law; which may easily be improved unto a conviction of the vanity of it. For whereas it▪ is evident, that many of these precepts are coincident, many pretended so to be, are no precepts at all, and sundry of them are not founded on the places from whence they profess to gather them; yea, that in many of them the mind of the Holy Ghost is plainly perverted, and a contrary sense annexed unto his words, so it is most unquestionable, that there are sundry Commands and Institutions, especially in, about and concerning Sacrifices, that are no way taken notice of by them in this collection, as I could easily make good by instances sufficient, it is evident that that Rule cannot be of God, whereof this collection is pretended to be a part. But as I have said before, because there is a Representation in them of no small multitude of commands, especially in things concerning their carnal Worship, it was necessary that they should be here represented, though they have been before transcribed from them by others. My principal design herein, is to give light into some passages of our Apostle, as also to other expressions concerning this Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances, in other places of the Scripture.

The Censure our Apostle gives of this whole System of Divine Worship, Chap. 9. § 34 v. 1, 10. The first Covenant had also Ordinances of Divine Service, and a worldly Sanctuary, which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal Ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation, is very remarkable. Let any one cast an Eye upon this multitude of commands about meats and drinks, washings and outward carnal observances, which are here collected, and he will quickly see how directly and pertinently the description given by our Apostle, is suited to their services. And that not only as to the manner and multitude of them, but also as to their natures. They are carnal things, and could by no means effect the great, spiritual, glorious and eternal ends, which God had designed, proposed and promised in that Covenant unto whose administration they were annexed, until the time of Reformation should come. Hence elsewhere, as Coloss. 10.20. He calls them the rudiments of the world, Ordinances about touching, tasting, and handling,