An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters…

Or secondly thus, As those that strive with the Priest; because indeed those Priests of Israel at this time they were not such ⟨p. 75⟩as were called of God, for in 1 King. 12.31. the text saith of Jeroboam, that he made Priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the sons of Levi, and chap. 13. ver. 33. Whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the Priests of the high places. But the people received them as Priests still, for indeed they thought that the Kings authority was enough for all, because the king would have them to be Priests they would receive them, as it the King had the absolute power to make all Church Officers, if they were sent by the Kings Authority they must be acknowledged to be Church Officers. So it was then, and that may seem to be the reason of that expression, as those.

Now from hence the Notes are these, for you must take it that this is employed here, that suppose there were Priests faithful and godly that did strive with them, yet their hearts were so hard that they would strive against those Priests, and this sets out the grossness of the hardness of their hearts. Take then the sense thus and here we may have these Notes

Now from hence the Notes are these, for you must take it that this is imploied here, that suppose there were Priests faithful and godly that did strive with them, yet their hearts were so hard that they would strive against those Priests, and this sets out the grossness of the hardness of their hearts. Take then the sense thus and here we may have these Notes

First,¹