Epi/lle to the H E BR kvrs now unto us full of light, and inftrudion ; but we are beholding for all our infigbt into them, and benefit which we receive thereby, unto theExpoftion and Applicationof them madeby the Holy Ghoft in this $piffle. And how great a portion of Gofpel Wifdom and knowledge confifts herein, all men, know, who have any fpiritual ac- quaintancewith thefe things. Fourthly, the grounds, reafons, caufes, andmanner, ofthat great Alteration which God wrought and caufed in his Worfhip, by taking_down the ancientglorious Fahrick ofit, which had been fet up by his own appointment, are here laid openand manifefted, and the greaten eontroverfie that ever the Church ofGod wasexercifed withall, is here fully determined. . There was nothing in the fieft Propagationof the Gofpel 'and plantation of Chrifti. an Churches, that didfo divide and perplex the profeffors of the Truth , and retard the work of promulgating the knowledge of Chrift and the worfhipof God in him, as the difference that was about the continuation and obfervation of Mofaical Rites and Ceremonies. To fuch an height was this difference raifed, fozealoufly were the partiesat variance ingaged in thepurfuit oftheir variousapprehenfions of the mind ofGod in this matter, that theApoftles themfelves thought meetfor a.feafon rather to umpire and corn- pafethecontroverfie, by leavingthe Jews free to thew obfervation, and bringing the Gentiles unto a condefcention in things of the greateft exafperation, than ab(olutely andprecifely todetermine the whole matterbetween them. And indeed, this beinga diffrence wherein the Will, Authority , and Command of God were pleaded on the miftaken fide, they being all of them clear and full as to the matter by them pleaded for, nothing but an immediate Declaration of the mind of God himfelf, as to his re- moving and taking offthe obligationof his own Law, could put fuch an endunto it, as that the fpirits of menmight acquiefce therein. Now the Will ofGOd to this pue- pofe before the Writing ofthis Epiftle, could only be ,colleeled from thenature and hate of things in the Church upon thecoming oftheMefrab, and conclufions from thence, which the believing Jerr were very flow in the admittance of. Add hereunto that manyProphefies and promifes of the OldTegument felting forth the Glory and beauty of _ Gofpel worfhip, under the names and condition of the Worfhip then in ufe, as of Priefts, Levites, Sacrifices, Offerings, Fe*ofrabernacks, and the like, lay direetly in the letter againft that ceffation ofMofaicalRites, which the Jews oppofed. Nowwho was fit, whowas able todetermine upon thefe different and various Ins ftitutions of God, but God himfelf? Todeclare pofttively, that all Obligation from his former commands wasnow ceafed, that his inftitutions wereno more tobeobferved, that the Time allotted unto the Churches obedience untohim in their obfervance was expired, this was no otherwife tobe effetSed but by an immediate Revelationfrom him- felt. And this isdone in this Epiftle, and that in thisonly as to the gems, wherebyit bëçame the main inftrument and means, of pullingup their oldChurch, fate, and tram, flating it anew into the appointmentsof our Lord JefusChrilt. Neither is thisdoneby a bare declarationof Gods Authoritative interpofttion, but in awayof Excellent and fin- gularWifdom and condefcention, (with a manifeftation of Gods Love and care unto his Church, in the inftitutions that were now tobe removed and the progrefs of his Wifdom in their gradual inftrudion as they were able to bear, ) the whole nature, defign and intendment of them is evidenced to be fuck , as that having received their full End and accomplifhment, they did of themfelves naturally expire and dif- appear. Andhereby in that great Alteration whichGod thenwrought in the outward worfhip of his Church, there isdifcovered fach an oneneß and unchangeablenefs in his love and care, fuch a fuitablenefl Harmonyand Confonancy in the effeffs of his Will, fuch an Evidence of infiniteWifdom in difpofiug of them into a fubferviency one to another, that they fhouldno where in any thing trots or enterfere, and all ofthem to his own glory in the promotion and furtherance of the light, faith, and obedience of his Church, as fufficiently manifefts the Original and fountain whence it Both proceed. For my part, I can truly fay, that Iknow not anyportion of Holy Writt, that willmore elfeaually raife up theheart of an underftandingReader, to an holyAdmiration ofthe Goodnefs, Love, and WifdomofGod, than thisEpif le doth. Such, I fay, is the fubjell matter of this Epiftle, fo divine, fo excellent, fo fingular. And inthehandling here- of, have we not the leaft occafional mixture, of any Matter, Words, Sentences, Stories, Arguments or DoCtrines fo unfuited to thewhole,as to arguethe interpofisre of a fallible Spirit. Thus we know ithath fallenout in all the Writings of theChriftians of the fide Agesafter the feating of the Canonof the Scriptures. Many things in them' appear to , proceed from an holy and HeavenlySpirit breathing in their Authors, and molt of what
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