ly inexhaustible in this life, and whose depths can never be fully fathomed.

Again, it is evident that the principal things asserted and taught in this Epistle, such as is the doctrine of the Person and the Priesthood of Jesus Christ; have received a more eager and subtile opposition, since the labours and endeavours of the greater part of Expositors, than they had done before. And as this renders the vindication of the places wherein they are taught and asserted necessary, so it is not unknown unto those who are conversant in these kind of studies, what advantage may be obtained in the investigation of truth by the opposition that is made unto it; especially when that opposition is managed with a curious search into every word and syllable which may seem to give it countenance, as also in the sifting of every tittle and particle that stands in its way; in which course of procedure, the enemies of the truths mentioned, have with much art and industry engaged.

But that which most of all took off the weight of the discouragement that arose from the multiplied endeavours of learned men in this kind, was an observation, that all of them being intent on the sense of the words, as absolutely considered, and the use of them to the present church, had much overlooked the direct regard that the author had in the writing of this Epistle to the then past, and to the present and future condition of the Hebrews, or church of the Jews. Looking at these things as dead and buried, and of no use in the present state of the church, they did either wholly neglect them, or pass them over in a light and perfunctory manner. Nor indeed had many of them, though otherwise excellently qualified, a competency of skill for the due consideration of things of that nature. But yet those that shall seriously and with judgment consider the design of the writer of this epistle, the time wherein he wrote it, the proper end for which it was composed, the subject matter treated of in it, the principles he proceeds upon, and his manner of arguing, will easily perceive, that without a serious consideration of these, it is not possible in many things to come to a right understanding of the mind of the Holy Ghost. Many principles of truth he takes for granted, as acknowledged amongst the Hebrews during their former church state, and makes them a foundation for his own superstructure; many customs, usages, ordinances, institutions, and received sense of places of Scripture amongst the Jews, he either produceth or reflects upon, and one way or other makes use of the whole Mosaical œconomy, or system of divine worship under the law, unto his own purpose. The common neglect of these things, or slight attention to them by most Expositors, was that which

principally relieved me from the fore-mentioned discourage

ment.

And this also at length gave rise unto those Exercitations, which I have prefixed to the ensuing Exposition. Some of them are indeed indispensably due to the work itself. Such are those which concern the canonical authority of the Epistle; the writer of it; the time of its being written; the phraseology of the author; with the way in which he proceeds in quoting testimonies out of the Old Testament; and some others of the same tendency. The residue of them were occasioned merely by the consideration before insisted on. I observed, that the apostle supposed some great principles on which he built all his arguings and exhortations, not directly proving or confirming the principles themselves, but as taking them for granted; partly from the faith of the Judaical church, and partly from the new revelation of the gospel, which those to whom he wrote did as yet admit of and avow. Such were these, That there was a Messiah promised from the foundation of the world, to be a spiritual Redeemer of mankind. That this Messiah was come, and had performed and accomplished the work assigned unto him for the end of their redemption. That Jesus of Nazareth was this Messiah. There is not one line in the whole Epistle, but is in an especial manner resolved into these principles, and deduced from them. These therefore I found it necessary to examine and confirm, to unfold, vindicate and declare, that their influence upon the apostle's discourse might be manifest, and his arguing from them be understood.

It is true I have so handled them, as all along to represent the opinions of the incredulous apostate Jews about them, and to vindicate them from the exceptions of their greatest masters, of old and of late. But he that shall look on these considerations and discourses as a matter only of controversy with the Jews, will but evidence his own weakness and ignorance in things of this nature. Who knows not that they are the very fundamental principles of our Christian profession, which, because of that opposition that is made unto them, ought to be frequently inculcated and strongly confirmed. Learned men find it in this day necessary for them to dispute in support of the very principles of natural theology; to prove and to vindicate the being and attributes of God; though these truths have left indelible characters of themselves upon the minds of all the children of men. How much more necessary then must it needs be, to endeavour to confirm and establish these grand principles of supernatural revelation, which have no contribution of evidence from the inbred inextinguishable light of nature, and yet are no less indispensably necessary unto the future welfare of the souls of men, than those others are. I am not

therefore without hope, that the handling of them, as it was necessary unto my design, so it will not be unacceptable to the candid reader. I also hope that what is mixed in our discourses concerning Judaical customs, opinions, practices, expositions, interpretations of promises, traditions, and the like, will not give distaste unto any, unless it be to such as being unacquainted with them, will choose to continue ignorant, rather than to be instructed by them, whom they would by no means have supposed to be in any thing more knowing than themselves. I doubt not therefore, but our endeavours on that subject, will be able to secure their own station, as to their usefulness, both by the importance of the matter treated of in them, as also from the necessity of laying them as a sure foundation unto the ensuing exposition of the Epistle itself.

Besides these general principles, there are also sundry other things belonging to the Mosaical order and frame of divine worship, which the apostle either directly treateth of, or one way or other uses, to serve his own peculiar design. This also he doth sometimes directly and intentionally, and sometimes in transitu he reflects on them, and as it were only calls them to mind; leaving the Hebrews to the consideration of what they had been formerly instructed in concerning them. Such is the whole matter of the priesthood and sacrifices of the law, of the tabernacle, and utensils of it, of the old covenant, of the giving of the law, and of the commands, precepts, and sanctions of it in its promises and threatenings, rewards and punishments. He also brings to their remembrance the call of Abraham, with the state and condition of the people from that time unto the giving of the law, with sundry things of the like nature. Without a competent comprehension of, and acquaintance with these things, and their relation to the will and worship of God; it is altogether in vain for any one to imagine, that he may arrive at any clear understanding of the mind of the Holy Ghost in this portion of Scripture.

Now as I had observed, that the consideration and explanation of these things had been too much neglected by the generality of expositors, so I quickly found that to insist at large upon them, and according as their weight doth deserve, in the particular places, wherein the mention of them doth occur, would too often, and too much divert me from the pursuit of the especial design of the apostle in those places, and would hinder the reader from carrying on the tendency of the whole in the perusal of it. To prevent both which inconveniences, I resolved to handle them all severally and apart, in previous Exercitations.

In these Exercitations I must acknowledge that I have not been

able to accomplish the whole of what I designed. For it was my purpose to have pursued the tradition, and given an account of sacrifices with priests for their offering, as also of the occasions, rise, and discharge of the office of the priesthood among the principal nations of the world during their state of Gentilism, and apostasy from God therein. Moreover, what doth concern the person and priesthood of Melchizedec, I had designed as a part of this work and undertaking. And I had also proposed an historical account of the succession and actings of the high-priests among the Jews, from the institution of their office unto its dissolution; all which belong unto the illustration of that office, which, as vested in Jesus Christ, is the subject of these discourses. From these things, with others of the like nature, I have been forced to abstain. In my near approach to the grave, continued infirmities have rendered me insufficient for the labour, especially considering what other duties have been, and yet are incumbent upon me. However, my choice also was compliant with this necessity. For I found that a full examination of these subjects would have been vastly too voluminous. But as I have not considered these subjects in the Exercitations, the reader will find them handled more largely than they would otherwise have been, in the exposition of the places where they occur in the Epistle. And although they do all, as was said, belong unto the illustration of the priestly office and its administration, yet the doctrine of the priesthood of Christ is complete without them. Let not therefore the reader suppose that on this occasion our Exercitations concerning the priesthood of Christ are imperfect or defective as to the subject matter of them, as though any thing materially belonging thereunto were left undiscussed. But other imperfections and defects, it is most probable, they may be justly charged with. I shall only farther say concerning them, that as it is wholly without the compass of my knowledge, if the reader can find any other work, in which the doctrine of the priesthood of Christ hath been so handled in its proper order and method, as to its original, causes, nature and effects; so for the truth that is taught concerning it, and for the discharge of the office to the benefit and salvation of the church; I shall, God assisting, be accountable for it unto any by whom it shall be called into question.

The greatest opposition that ever was made among Christians unto the doctrine of the priesthood of Christ, or rather unto the office itself, is that which at this day is managed by the Socinians. It is therefore manifest, and as I suppose will be confessed by all who enquire into these things, that I could not answer my design of the full declaration of it unto the edification of the present church, without an accurate discussion of

their sentiments about it, and opposition unto it. This therefore was so necessary as things now stand, that my undertaking an express examination and refutation of their principles in this matter, is no way liable unto any just exception. Only it may seem inconvenient unto some, that in a discourse of this nature, the discussion of the writings of particular men, as Eniedinus, Socinus, Smalcius, Crellius, and others, should be so much insisted on. And I must acknowledge that at first it seemed unto myself not altogether suited unto the nature of my design. But second thoughts inclined me to this course. For it is known unto them who are any way exercised in these things, with how many artifices this sort of men do palliate their opinions, endeavouring to insinuate contrary and adverse principles under and by those words, phrases of speech and expressions, whereby the truth is declared. Wherefore if any one shall charge them with what is indeed their mind and judgment in these things, he may sometimes be thought unduly to impose upon them what they do not own, yea, what their words seem expressly to free them from. For instance; suppose that it should be reflected as a crime on them, that they deny the priestly office of Christ itself, that they deny that he was ever a priest on earth, or yet is so in heaven, that they deny that he offered himself a perfect expiatory sacrifice unto God, or that he maketh intercession for us; those who are less wary and circumspect, or less exercised in these controversies, might possibly on the consideration of their words and profession, suspect that this charge must needs be very severe, if not highly injurious. For nothing occurs more frequently in their writings, than a fair mention of the sacerdotal office of Christ, and of his expiatory sacrifice.

What way therefore remained to state a right judgment in this. controversy, but a particular discussion of what their principal authors and leaders, with great agreement among themselves, do teach in this mafter. And if from thence it do appear, that what they call the sacerdotal oflice of Christ is indeed no such office, nor any thing that holds the least analogy with what is properly so called, and that what they term his expiatory sacri-" fice and his intercession, is neither sacrifice nor intercession, nor hath the least resemblance to what is so indeed, the principal difficulty which lieth in our contest with them is removed out of our way. And herein, that none might suspect that advantages have been sought against them, by undue collections of passages out of their writings, or by a misrepresentation of their sense and intentions, it was necessary that they should be heard to speak for themselves, and that their own words at large, without alteration or diminution, should be represented unto the readeris And this is done so fully out of their principal authors, as that I dare say with some confidence, there is nothing in the writings