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 there fore 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 matter. And if from thence it do appear, that what they call the sacerdotal office 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 sacrifice 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 reader. 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

of the whole party of any importance in this cause, which is not strictly examined. And the reader is desired to observe, that if the truth which we profess concerning this office of Christ, and his discharge thereof, be sufficiently confirmed and vindicated, all the other notions of these men, concerning a metaphorical redemption, a metaphorical sacrifice, and the like, do vanish and disappear. So that although, if I live, and if God will, I intend to write a full declaration of the true nature of the sacrifice of Christ, and a vindication of the doctrine of the church of God concerning it; yet I must take it for granted, that whilst what we have asserted and confirmed concerning his priesthood remains unshaken, the whole truth relating thereunto, will not only easily but necessarily follow. And what in these discourses is effected towards that end, is left to the judgment of the learned and candid reader. Besides, I thought it not unmeet, to give a specimen of the way and manner whereby this sort of men do manage their opposition to the principal truths and mysteries of the gospel, that such as are less conversant and exercised in their writings, may be cautioned against those sophistical artifices whereby they endeavour to inveigle and infect the minds and imaginations of men. For this is their peculiar excellency, (or call it what you will) that under an appearance and pretence of perspicuity, clearness and reason, they couch senses, the most uncouth and most alien from the common reason of mankind, that can possibly fall under the imagination of persons pretending to the least sobriety. Instances hereof, and those undeniable, the reader will find in the ensuing discourses plentifully produced and discovered.

Having given this general account of my design and purpose in the ensuing discourses; some few requests unto the reader shall absolve him from farther attendance in this entrance. First, I must beg his candid interpretation of my conduct in relating some of those Jewish fables and traditions which he will meet with in some of the Exercitations. I could plead necessity and use; and those such as will evince themselves in the several places and passages of the discourses where they are reported. For they are none of them produced, merely to satisfy the curiosity of any but either the investigation of some truth hidden under them, and involved in them, or the discovery of their rise and occasion, or the laying open of the folly of the pretences of the present Jews in their unbelief, doth still accompany their recital. However, I will not rigidly justify the production of all and every of them, but put it amongst those things wherein the candour of the reader may have an opportunity to exercise itself. I must beg also of the learned reader a consideration of the state and condition, wherein through the good providence of God I have been, during the greatest part

of the time wherein these Exercitations were written and printed. And I shall pray, in requital of his kindness, that he may never know by experience, what uncertainties, failings, mistakes, and several defects in exactness, straits, and exclusion from the use of books, will occasion in endeavours of this kind. And whatever defects they may meet with or complain of in these discourses, my design was, through the blessing of God, that they should have no cause to complain of want of diligence and industry in me. But yet I am sensible in the issue, that many things may seem to indicate that carelessness of mind, or precipitancy in writing, which is altogether unmeet to be imposed on men in this knowing age. But whatever other reflections I may be obnoxious unto, for the want of ability and judgment, which in me are very small in reference to so great an undertaking, I must crave of the reader, to believe, that I would not willingly be guilty of so much importune confidence, as to impose upon him things trite, crude, and undigested, which either ordinary prudence might have concealed, or ordinary diligence might have amended. Whatever therefore of that kind may appear unto him, I would crave, that it may be laid to the account of my circumstances, which I have intimated before.

For the Exposition of the Epistle itself, I confess, as was said before, that I have had thoughts for many years to attempt something in it, and in the whole course of my studies have not been without some regard thereunto. But yet I must now say, that after all my searching and reading, prayer and assiduous meditation on the text, have been my only reserve, and far most useful means of light and assistance. By these have my thoughts been freed from many and many an entanglement, which the writings of others on the same subject, had either cast me into, or could not deliver me from. Careful I have been, as of my life and soul, to bring no prejudicate sense unto the words, to impose no meaning of my own, or other mens upon them, nor to be imposed on by the reasonings, pretences, or curiosities of any; but always went nakedly to the word itself, to learn humbly the mind of God in it, and to express it as he should enable me. To this end, I always in the first place considered the sense, meaning, and importance of the words of the text, and the consideration of their original derivation, use in other authors, especially in the LXX. of the Old Testament, in the books of the New, particularly the writings of the same author, was constantly made use of to that purpose. Oft-times the words expressed out of the Hebrew, or the things alluded unto amongst that people, I found to give much light into the words of the apostle themselves. Unto the general rule of attending unto the design and scope of the place,

subject treated of, mediums fixed on for arguments, methods of ratiocination, I still kept in my eye the time and season of writing this Epistle, the state and condition of them to whom it was written, their persuasions, prejudices, customs, light and traditions; I kept also in my view the covenant and worship of the church of old, the translation of covenant privileges and worship to the Gentiles upon a new account, the course of providential dispensations that the Jews were under, the near expiration of their church and state, the speedy approach of their utter abolition and destruction, with the temptations that befel them on all these various accounts; without which it is impossible for any one justly to follow the apostle, so as to keep close to his design, or fully to understand his mind and meaning.

If any shall think that I have referred too many things unto the customs and usages of the Jews, and looked too much after some guidance in sundry expressions and discourses of the apostle from them; I only answer, that as when I am convinced by particular instances of mistakes therein, I shall willingly acknowledge them; so for the present I am satisfied, that other expositors have had far too little regard thereunto. The exposition of the text is attended with an improvement of practical observations, answering the great end for which the Epistle was committed over to ali generations for the use of the church.

If in some of these I shall seem to any to have been too prolix, I must only answer, that having no other way to serve the edification of the generality of Christians, I thought not so. Moreover, I have sundry things to offer towards his satisfac

tion: as,

1. The method of the whole is so disposed, as that any one, by the sole guidance of his eye, without further trouble than in turning the leaves of the book, may carry on or continue his reading of any one part of the whole without interruption, or mixing any other discourses therewith. Thus he may in the first place, go over our consideration of the original text, with the examination of ancient and modern translations, and the grammatical construction and signification of the words, without diverting unto any thing else that is discoursed on the text. like manner, if any desire to peruse the Exposition of the text and context, with the declaration and vindication of the sense and meaning of the Holy Ghost in them, without the least intermixture of any practical discourses deduced from them, he may under the same guidance, and with the same labour confine himself to this, from the beginning unto the end of the work. And whereas the practical observations, with their improvement, do virtually contain in them the sense and exposition of the words, and give light unto the intendment of the