Hebrews 5:10,11

Heb. 5:10-11. Called of God a high priest after the order of Melchisedec. Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

In Some Thoughts on the Revival of Religion in New England, Edwards uses this text to show the need of the gradual introduction of new ideas so long as they are not matter of "absolute duty."

Under this head of carelessness of the future consequences of things, it may be proper to say something of introducing things new and strange, and that have a tendency by their novelty to shock and surprise people. Nothing can be more evident from the New Testament, than that such things ought to be done with great caution and moderation, to avoid the offense that may be thereby given, and the prejudices that might be raised, to clog and hinder the progress of religion: yea, that it ought to be thus in things that are in themselves good and excellent, and of great weight, provided they are not things that are of the nature of absolute duty, which though they may appear to be innovations, yet cannot be neglected without immorality or disobedience to the commands of God. What great caution and moderation did the apostles use in introducing things that were new, and abolishing things that were old in their day? How gradually were the ceremonial performances of the law of Moses removed and abolished among the Christian Jews? And how long did even the Apostle Paul himself conform to those ceremonies which he calls "weak and beggarly elements" [Galatians 4:9]? Yea, even to the rite of circumcision (Acts 16:3) that he speaks so much in his epistles of the worthlessness of, that he might not prejudice the Jews against Christianity? So it seems to have been very gradually that the Jewish Sabbath was abolished, and the Christian Sabbath introduced, for the same reason. And the apostles avoided teaching the Christians in those early days, at least for a great while, some high and excellent divine truths, because they could not bear 'em yet, 1 Corinthians 3:1-2; Hebrews 5:11 to the end. Thus strictly did the apostles observe the rule that their blessed Master gave them, of not putting new wine into old bottles, lest they should burst the bottles, and lose the wine [Matthew 9:17 and parallels].

Heb. 5:12