2. There have been and are to be such seasons wherein God will dispose of nations and their interest according as the condition of the church requires; as he did here with all those nations, Isa. xliii, 3, 4; lx, 67.

3. The blessing of God may be expected on a just and lawful war. This war and victory of Abraham, which he received the blessing upon, is celebrated elsewhere, Isa. xli, 2, 3. And when these things occura lawful, necessary, immediate cause of war, as Abraham had for the rescue of Lot. A lawful call to the war, as Abraham had, being a sovereign prince and raising his army of his own people, and that to secure possessions of a country granted him by God himself: anda subserviency to the glory of Christ and the good of the church-when these things, I say, occur, the pres ence of God in it, and the blessing of God upon it, may be justly expected.

§23. And we may see in Abraham receiving the blessing,

1. That he who hath received the greatest mercies and privileges in the world, may yet need their ministerial confirmation. Abraham had before received the blessing from the mouth of God himself; and it was no doubt a confirmation of his faith, to be now blessed again in the name of God by Melchisedec. Bless God for the ministry, for the word and sacraments; ordinarily our faith would not be kept up without them.

2. In the blessing of Abraham by Melchisedec all believers are virtually blessed by Jesus Christ. Melchisedec was a type of Christ, as our apostle declares, And Abraham in all these things represented all his posterity according to the faith. There is therefore more than a bare story in this matter; a blessing is in

it conveyed to all believers by way of an ordinance for ever.

3. It is God's institution that makes all our administrations effectual. So did sacerdotal benedictions become authoritative and efficacious.

4. Whatsoever we receive signally from God in a way of mercy, we ought to return a portion of it to him in a way of duty. It is a great sign that a man hath not engaged God in the getting of any thing, when he will not dedicate to him any portion of what is gotten.

5. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the only king of righteousness and peace to the church. See Isa. xxxii, 1, 21; chap. ix, 6. He is not only a righteous and peaceable King, as were his types Melchisedec and Solomon, but he is the author, cause, procurer, and dispenser of righteousness and peace to the church. So it is declared: Jer. xxiii, 5, 6, "Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and a king shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely, and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." He is righteous and reigneth righteously, but this is not all, he is "the Lord our RIGHTEOUSNESS."

§27. And we may observe, moreover,

1. That the church never did, in any age, nor ever shall, want that instruction by divine revelation which is needful to its edification in faith and obedience.

2. It is a great honor to serve in the church, for the use and service of future generations. This was the honor of Melchisedec, that he was employed in a service, the true use and advantage of which was not given to the church until many generations after.

3. The scripture is so absolutely the rule, measure, and boundary of our faith and knowledge in spiritual things, as that which it conceals is instructive, as well as what it expresseth.

$28. The doctrinal observations that may be taken from these verses are,

1. When any were of old designed to be types of Christ, there was a necessity that things more excellent and glorious should be spoken or intimated of them, than did properly belong to them. So many things are here observed of Melchisedec which were not properly and literally fulfilled in him.

All that might be spoken so as to have any probable application in any sense to things and persons typically, coming short of what was to be fulfilled in Christ, the Holy Ghost, in his infinite wisdom, supplied that defect by ordering the account which he gives of them so as more might be learned from them than could be expressed. And where the glory of his person, as vested with his office, could not be represented by positive applications, it is done by a mystical silence, as in this story of Melchisedec.

3. That Christ, abiding a "priest for ever," hath no more a vicar or successor, or substitute in his office, or any deriving a real priesthood from him, than had Melchisedec.

4. The whole mystery of divine wisdom, effecting all inconceivable perfections, centered in the person of Christ, to make him a meet, glorious, and most excellent priest unto God, in behalf of the church.

VERSES 4, 5.

Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. And verily they that are of the sons of Levi; who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham.

$1. The connexion and design of the passage. (2-5. (I.) The exposition of the words. (6. (II) Observations. It will be of no advantage to propose the most important gospel truths, if those to whom they are proposed do not diligently inquire into them $7. Other observations. 8. Observations on ministerial supports. $9. It is God's prerogative to give pre-eminence in the church among those who are otherwise equal.

$1. THESE

HESE verses proceed to the application of what was before discoursed. For having proved that Christ, the promised Messiah, was to be a priest after the order of Melchisedec, from Psalm cx, and given a description both of his person and office, from the historical narration of them as laid down by Moses, he makes application of the whole to his present purpose. And from the consideration of sundry particulars in his description, confirms in general the argument which he had in hand. For that which he principally designeth to prove, is, that a more excellent priesthood than that of Aaron being introduced according to the purpose and promise of God, it followed necessarily, that that priesthood, with all the worship, rites, and ceremonies which belonged to it, was to cease, and be taken out of the way.

$2. (I.) "Consider then how great this man was." The word here used (9ewgeile) signifies diligently to behold, contemplate, or look into, the things proposed He had before warned them, that what he had to discourse on this subject was difficult, "hard to be

to us.

understood," but withal he adds what was their duty in that respect; which was in the first place, that they would heedfully and diligently look into them. (λo-, nos 8los, quantus iste erat;) "how great this man was.” The word respects greatness and excellency in any kind; it here regards alone his dignity with respect to his office, and nearness to God on that account; and it were well that we were all really convinced, that all true greatness consists in the favor of God, and our nearness to him, on account of our relation to Jesus Christ; which is general, abiding, yea, eternal.

§3. "Unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils." The conjunction () is emphatical; and although in the original it is joined with (Sɛnalny) the tenth, yet in construction it is to be understood with Abraham. Not unto whom Abraham gave even the tenth; but, unto whom even Abraham gave the tenth, as it is in our translation. He who first received the promise, and whom they esteemed next to God himself. And their posterity do now place him in heaven above the angels, hardly allowing that the Messiah himself should be exalted above him. Hence it is that our apostle expresseth it so emphatically, “even Abraham;” (o Пalpiapxns) the Patriarch, denotes a father, that is, a prince or ruler of a family; a ruling father. Wherefore, if any one were greater than Abraham in his own time, it must be acknowledged it was on account of some privilege superior to all that ever that whole nation, as descendants from Abraham, were made partakers of. (Edwne) he

gave; yet not arbitrarily, but in the way of a necessary duty; not as a mere honorary respect, but as a religious office. (Aɛnalnu, i. e. pepida, or, ¬wyD) the tithe portion, delivering it up to his use and disposal, as the priest of the most high God. And this tenth