actually in the enjoyment of another. This, therefore, he designeth to prove, and that upon principles avowed by themselves, with light and evidence taken from what was received and acknowledged in the church of the Hebrews, from the first foundation of it. After this, he manifests abundantly the excellency of this priesthood, from its nature and use also. But he was, in the first place, to evince it from the faith and principles in the ancient church of Israel, which he doth in this chapter: for he declares how God had in many ways instructed them to expect an alteration of the Levitical priesthood, by the introduction of another, more useful, efficacious and glorious; the continuance of them both in the church, at the same time, being inconsistent. Herein was the authority and infinite wisdom of God, made manifest in his dealing with the church of old. By his authority he obliged them unto a religious observance of all those institutions which he had then appointed; this he did unto the last day of the continuance of that state of the church, Mal. iv. 4-6. But in his infinite wisdom, he had before them, in them, and with them, inlaid instructions for the church, whereby they might see, know and believe, that they were all to cease and issue in something better, afterwards to be introduced. So Moses himself, in all that he did in the house of God, "gave testimony unto what was to be spoken and declared afterwards," chap. iii. 5. And with respect unto both of these, did that church greatly miscarry. For first, in many ages it could not be brought with any constancy to submit unto the authority of God, in obedience unto his ordinances and institutions, as the whole story of the Old Testament doth declare. And now when the time was come, wherein they were all to cease, under a pretence of adhering to the authority of God, they rebelled against his wisdom, and refused to consider the instructions which he had inlaid from first to last, concerning their ceasing and alteration; whereon the generality of the church fell and utterly perished. This therefore the apostle designs here to enlighten them in. And this should teach us with what diligence, with what reverence, with what subjection of soul, and resignation of our understandings unto the will and wisdom of God, all divine revelations are to be inquired into. So dealt in this matter the holy men and prophets of old, 1 Pet. i. 10, 11. And as for want hereof, the whole church of the Jews perished at this season; so in all ages sundry particular persons did wofully miscarry See Lev. x. 1-3. 2 Sam. vi. 6, 7. 1 Chron. xiii. 11. And the want hereof is the bane of most churches in the world at this day. In order unto the end mentioned, the apostle in the first place declares, that antecedently unto the giving of the law, and the institution of the Levitical priesthood thereby, God had, without any respect thereunto, given a typical prefiguration of this priesthood of Christ, in one who was on all accounts superior unto the Levitical priests, when they were afterwards introduced. This sacred truth, which had been hid for so many ages in the church, and which undeniably manifests the certain future introduction of another and a better priesthood, is here brought to light, and improved by the apostle. As life and immortality, so all spiritual truth, was brought to light by the gospel, 2 Tim. i. 10. Truth was stored up in the prophecies, promises, and institutions of the Old Testament; but so stored up, as it was in a great measure hidden also, but was brought forth to light, and made manifest in the gospel. For whereas it is said, that the great mystery of the manifold wisdom of God was hidden in him from the beginning of the world, Eph. iii. 9, 10. the meaning is not, that it was so hid in the will and purpose of God, as that he had made no intimation of it; for he had done so variously from the foundation of the world, or the giving of the first promise. But he had so laid it up, and stored it in his sacred revelation, as it was much hid from the understanding of the best of men in all ages, until it was displayed and brought forth to light by the gospel, Psal. xlix. 4. lxxviii. 2. And all that glorious evidence of the grace of God, which now appears unto us in the writ ings of the Old Testament, is from a reflection of light upon them from the New Testament, or the revelation of God by Jesus Christ. And therefore, the whole church of the Jews, although they were in the entire possession of those writings of the Old Testament for so many ages, never understood so much of the mystery of the will and grace of God declared in them, as every ordinary believer under the gospel, is enabled to do. And if we have the privilege and advantage of those oracles of God which were committed to them, incomparably above what they attained unto, certainly greater measures of holiness, and greater fruitfulness in obedience, are expected from us than from them. These things, the instance here insisted on by our apostle, will manifest. He in whom this prefiguration of the priesthood of Christ was made, is Melchisedec, concerning whom and his priesthood, an account is given in the first part of the chapter unto ver. 11. And the description given of him, consisteth of two parts: 1. The proposition of his story, or what is recorded concerning him, ver. 1-3. 2. The application of it unto the present purpose and design of the apostle, ver. 5-10. And this closeth the first general part of the chapter. The second part of it, from ver. 10. unto ver. 24. consisteth in a double inference, with their improvements taken from that discourse, as respecting Christ in his office. 1. He infers the removal, abolition, or taking away out of the church, the whole Aaronical priesthood, with all the worship of the tabernacle and temple, which depended thereon. This he evidently proves to ensue from the respect that was had unto the Lord Christ in the priesthood of Melchisedec, whereof he had given an account. Hereunto do all arguings belong, ver. 11-17. 2. He infers the excellency of the priesthood of Christ in itself, above that of the tabernacle even during its continuance, which follows no less evidently from what he had proved before, ver. 18-24. 3. Having laid this foundation in his demonstration of the necessary removal of the Aaronical priesthood, and the preeminence of that of Christ above it, even whilst it did continue, he further declares the nature of it, from the dignity and qualifications of his person, with the manner of the discharge of his office on this account, ver. 24-28. For the design of the apostle in this epistle, especially in this chapter and the three that ensue, is to open unto us, or turn aside a double vail; the one here below, the other above: that below is the vail that was on all the ordinances, institutions, ceremonies and types of the law. This is the vail that is unto this day upon the Jews, that they cannot see unto the end of the things that. were to be done away. This he removes by giving a clear and full account of the mind of God in them, of their use and signification. The other above, is the vail of the heavenly sanctuary: this he opens unto us in a declaration of the ministry of Christ our High-priest therein, as we shall see. And under these heads, as the apostle plainly convinceth the Hebrews of the ceasing of their priesthood and worship, and that unto the unspeakable advantage of the church; so to us he doth unfold the principal design and end of all the Mosaical types of the Old Testament, with the institution of God in them." This may suffice as a plain view and prospect of the general scope of the apostle in these discourses. The especial coherence of one thing with another, the nature of his instances, the accuracy and force of his arguings, the perspicuity of his deductions, with the like concernments of the argument in hand, shall be observed and spoken unto, as they particularly occur in our progress. VER. 13. Ουτος γαρ ὁ Μελχισεδες, βασιλεύς Σαλήμ, ίερους του Θεον τον ύψιστον, ὁ συναντήσας Αβρααμ ὑποστρέφοντι απο της κοπης των βασιλέων, και ευλογήσας αυτόν· ώ και δεκατην απο πάντων εμέρισεν Αβρααμ' πρώτον μεν ἑρμηνευομενος βασιλευς δικαιοσύνης, έπειτα δε και VOL. V. X αμήτως, αγενεαλο βασιλεύς Σαλήμ ὁ εστι βασιλευς ειρήνης" απατως, There is little variety in the translation of these verses, TOU, Vul. Lat. Dei summi, for altissimi, the most high God.' AT Tαytwy, Syr. 17, of all;' but adds in a new every thing that : דאית הוא עמה מום ,way of exposition ,פרש was with him;' that is, of the spoils, as it is afterwards expounded. Eugis, Vul. Lat. divisit; properly, Syr. 5, separated,' laid aside, Bez. impartitus est, imparted, gave. Ayutahoyntos, Vul. Lat. sine genealogia; Bez. sine genere, 'without stock;' sine serie generis, without pedigree.' The Syriac gives us an exposition of this passage, whose father and mother are not written in the generations or genealogies, neither the beginning of his days, nor the end of his life;' which manifests how ancient this exposition of these words was in the church. Mave isgeus, Syr. Main Rupa,his priesthood remaineth.' VER. 1-3.-For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; to whom also Abraham divided out a tenth part of all: first, being by interpretation, king of righteousness; and after that also, king of Salem, which is king of peace: without father, without mother, without pedigree; having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest continually. The words are an entire proposition, consisting of a subject, and a predicate, or what is affirmed of it. Unto the subject spoken of, which is Melchisedec, there is adjoined a large descrip. tion, by its properties and adjuncts in sundry particulars. That which is affirmed of him, as so described, which is the predicate of the proposition, is contained in the last words, or the close of the third verse: but being "made like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest for ever." The introduction of the whole discourse, and therein its connection unto what went before, is contained in the causal particle yag, for;' and this may respect the reason why the apostle affirmed, and insisted so much on it, that the Lord Christ was a priest after the order of Melchisedec. For, both the truth, saith he, of my assertion, and the necessity of insisting thereon, will be sufficiently manifest, if you will but consider who this Melchisedec was, how he is represented in the Scripture, and what is affirmed of him. Or respect may be had in this word unto the whole preceding discourse, from chap. v. 11. There he lays the foundation of it, affirming, that he had many things to say of this Melchisedec; and those such, as they would not easily understand, unless they diligently applied their minds unto the knowledge of divine mysteries; hereof he now designs to give them an account. "For this Melchisedec," &c. But the connection is most natural unto the words immediately preceding; and a reason is given of what was affirmed in them, namely, that " Jesus was made an High-priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec," chap. vi. 20. for it was thus with this Melchisedec. Obs. I. When truths in themselves mysterious, and of great importance unto the church, are asserted or declared, it is very necessary that clear evidence and demonstration be given unto them; that the minds of men be left neither in the dark about their meaning, nor in suspense about their truth. So dealetha our apostle in the large ensuing confirmation, with which he establisheth his foregoing assertion. The mention of Melchisedec is introduced with the demonstrative pronoun euros,this: it always hath an emphasis, and denotes somewhat eminent in the subject spoken of, mostly in a way of commendation; so ver. 4. Dewgɛits #yλixos oùtos; ' consider how great a man this was.' This man of whom is our dis course. The person spoken of is variously described. 1. By his name-Melchisedec. 2. By his original office-he was a king. 3. The place of his rule or dominion, which was Salem; king of Salem. 4. By another office added to the former, which principally belongs unto the design of the apostle; which is described, First, By the nature of it, the priesthood-a priest. Secondly, By its object and author of the Most High God. Thirdly, By his actings as a priest-he blessed Abraham: illustrated, 1. By the manner of it-he met him. 2. By the time of it and its circumstance-when he returned from the slaughter of the kings. 6. By the acknowledgment of his office made by Abraham-he divided unto him the tenth part of all. 7. By the interpretation of his name-the king of righteousness. 8. Of the place of his reign-king of Peace. 9. By sundry properties of his person, gathered out of the relation of his history in the Scripture-without father, without mother, without pedigree, without beginning of days, or end of life. These descriptions in all these particulars being given of him, there are two things affirmed concerning him. First, That he "was made like unto the Son of God." Secondly, That he "abideth a priest continually;" all which things must be spoken unto. I. For the person spoken of, and described by his name, Melchisedec, I shall in this place say no more of him but what |