become weak, and ineffectual to salvation, through the corruption of human nature; and it prefigured a covenant still more sure and immoveable than itself, "established upon better promises," even the sending of "the Son of God, in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin; to condemn sin in the flesh." The prompt obedience of Abram to the call of Heaven, leads us directly to Him, who says of himself, "my meat is to do the will of him who sent me ;" and the language of whose whole life, spirit, sufferings, and death is, "Father, not my will, but thine be done." Abram's appearing on the stage, and entering on the discharge of the duties of his pub shades of night: "Melchizedec, king of Salem, and priest of the most high God;" whose appearance, history, and character, we could have hardly comprehended, had not a brighter day since arisen, and an inspired apostle unfolded the meaning of what one inspired prophet acted, and another has recorded. The history of Melchizedec, short as it is, with the apostolic comment upon it, will easily furnish materials for a Lecture by itself, and shall not now therefore be anticipated. The story of Abram himself shall for the present stand still, to be resumed and prosecuted in its order: it being now high time to look forward, and to bring that patriarch, with those who went before him, to the feet of Jesus-lic character, in the full maturity of his age, his "offspring;" yet his "root:" later than him by almost two thousand years; yet before him " of old, even from everlasting;" receiving existence from him in the order of nature, and by the tenor of the covenant; yet bestowing existence upon him, as the eternal Word, "by whom all things were made, and without whom nothing was made that is made." Abram may be first compared to Adam, being both the fathers of many nations, and especially constituted of God for that end. With both, the covenant of God was established, which included and involved their posterity, though the children were not as yet born: for with God, that is effected, which is purposed to be done; and his promises are gifts already bestowed. Adam's transgression transmitted evils innumerable to his offspring; Abram's faith entailed blessings unspeakable upon his family for many generations. Both of them typified Christ in their day; and both "saw his day afar off." Abram may be compared with the princes and great men of the age in which he lived. And in true dignity of mind, in elevation of spirit, in generosity of sentiment, in propriety of behaviour, he will be found superior to most, and inferior to none. We see kings receiving obligations from him; while he nobly shows himself above receiving an obligation from any one. And Abram is a type of every real Christian giving up the world as a portion, at God's command, and sacrificing the dearest delights of nature to the demands of duty; living as a stranger upon earth, and looking for "a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." But the great venerability of Abram's character arises from his relation to Jesus Christ, whom he shadows forth in a great variety of respects. Abram was called and constituted of God, to be the natural head of a great and powerful nation; Jesus, "the first-born among many brethren," to be the spiritual father of the whole vast family of believers. The covenant of God with Abram came in aid to the nsufficiency of the first covenant; which had suggests to us, the Saviour of the world entering upon, and discharging his public ministry, in the full vigour of life, and flower of his age. When I behold Abram sojourning in the land of promise as in a strange country, I think of him, who "came to his own and his own received him not:" and meditate on "the Son of Man, who had not where to lay his head." Abram, chased into Egypt by famine, reminds me of Jesus flying into Egypt from the wrath of a jealous and incensed king. Who can read of Abram discomfiting confederate princes, without bethinking himself straight of the triumphs of a Redeemer over "principalities and powers, and the ruler of the darkness of this world;" Satan, sin, and death "cast into the lake of fire?" When we behold Lot brought back from captivity by the kindness and intrepidity of his affectionate kinsman, can we refrain from turning our eyes to our compassionate elder Brother, who "through death has destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and delivered them who through fear of death were subject to bondage;" and who has restored his younger brethren to "the glorious liberty of the sons of God?" Abram nobly refuses to be made rich by the bounty of the king of Sodom; thus when the Jews would have taken Christ and made him a king, he withdrew himself: and when the prince of the power of the air presented him with the prospect of the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and proffered all to him on condition of his doing homage for them, he rejected the offer with disdain, "get thee behind me, Satan." The amiable qualities of Abram's mind bear a lively resemblance to the spirit that dwelt in our divine Master. But in Abram it was a spirit imparted, in Jesus a spirit inherent; it was bestowed on the former in measure, on the latter it was poured out without measure: in the patriarch it was mingled with dross, alloyed by a mixture of human imperfection; in the Saviour it was unmixed, unalloyed, for "he did no sin, neither was guile found in his lips." But the time would fail to enumerate all the marks of resemblance. Many others will | singular history of Melchizedec; which, God occur to the careful and attentive reader of willing, shall be the subject of the ensuing Abram's history; these shall for the present Lecture, and to which permit me to implore suffice from this place. The farther continu- your patient and candid attention. Earnestation of it shall be suspended, and give way, ly praying that the blessing of the Most High according to the order of the narration, and may crown what has been spoken, we ascribe to give these exercises all the advantage of praise to His name, through Jesus Christ our variety which their nature will admit, to the Lord. Amen. HISTORY OF MELCHIZEDEC. LECTURE XII And Melchizedec, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.-GENESIS xiv. 18. The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedec. PSALM CX. 4. Jesus, made an high priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedec.-HEBREWS vi. 20. ment to critics and commentators. Were our object amusement only, it were easy to entertain you for months to come, with the ingenious, the fanciful, the absurd, and nonsensical expositions which have been given of the person and history of Melchizedec. But as we aim at usefulness, and acknowledge no guide in sacred things but the holy Scripture, Moses shall be our only authority and guide in tracing this remarkable story; David and Paul our only interpreters, in the application and use of it. THE eagerness and avidity with which | of those which have afforded ample employmen pry into abstruse and difficult subjects, can be exceeded only by their coldness and indifference to obvious and important truth. The religious controversies which have engaged so much attention, occupied so much time, and furnished employment for so many rare talents; which have whetted the tempers, and too often the swords of men against each other, are, in general, on points of doctrine too deep and mysterious ever to be fathomed by human understanding, too lofty to be scanned without boldness and presumption, or too trifling to merit regard. Revealed religion, like every thing that is of God, must necessarily present many difficulties to a creature so limited as man. But instead of being rejected on that account, it is the more to be prized and reverenced; as having this evidence, among many others, of coming from Him, whose nature, whose works, and whose ways, none "can find out anto perfection." Curiosity, guided by humility, and aiming at useful discovery, is a laudable and useful principle. But curiosity impelled by self-conceit, and resting in mere speculation, is generally rash and presumptuous, often trifling, impertinent, and contemptible. In every branch of knowledge, those truths are the most valuable which are the plainest, and which present themselves in the greatest abundance: just as nature produces in the greatest profusion those commodities which are most useful and necessary to man. The subject of this night's Lecture, is one Abram, with a little band of three hundred and eighteen persons of his own household, and a few friends, has pursued, overtaken, surprised, and discomfited four confederated kings, with their victorious army; and recovered Lot, his brother's son, into liberty. Returning from this hor.ourable, bold, and successful enterprise, he is met by a prince of a very different character from those whom he had conquered, and those whom he had delivered. They were sons of violence, sons of blood; his name was Melchizedec, and Melchisalem, king of righteousness, king of peace. It is extremely probable, that these epithets were titles conferred upon this great and good man, as being descriptive of his person and character; and might be designed of Providence as a memorial to all princes of what they ought to be; lovers, preservers, and promoters of justice, maintainers and conservators of peace. It is pleasing to find ourselves mistaken in our calculations of the numbers of good men, 66 and in our estimates of the state of religion but a selected few; they hardly blend in one in the world. For these calculations and es- and the same person, seldom meet to crown timates through ignorance and contracted- the same head. But in the new creation of ness of spirit, are generally, if not always, God, in "the kingdom prepared for the heirs erroneous, by being short of the truth. Who of glory from the foundation of the world," did not conclude, when Abram was called to the high lot of Melchizedec is the lot of every leave his idolatrous country, that the know-child of God. All are kings and priests ledge and the worship of the true God were unto God, even the Father." And the Apos entirely confined to his family? When lo! tle Peter, addressing, not the princes and a king and priest of the most high God, of potentates of the earth, but "strangers scatwhom we never heard, of whose existence tered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadowe had formed no opinion before, breaks forth cia, Asia, and Bithynia," thus writes, "Ye upon us, all at once; and teaches us this are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, most elevating, this most encouraging truth, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye that the number of the redeemed is much should show forth the praises of Him, who greater, and the state of religion much more hath called you out of darkness into his marprosperous, than the partial views, and the vellous light."* systematic spirit of even good men, will permit them to believe. Thus, in latter times, a prophet of no less dignity than Elijah, from apparent circumstances, made a most erroneous computation of the number of the faithful in his day. "The children of Israel," saith he, "have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.' But what saith the answer of God to him? "I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him." And when the ransomed of the Lord shall at length return together to Zion, they shall be "a great multitude which no man can number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues." And what heart but must exult in the prospect of the grace of God being more widely diffused than we apprehended, and extended to regions unknown, and multitudes unthought of by us? Though but little be told us of this extraordinary person, that little is both pleasing and instructive. In him, we find united two offices of high dignity and respectabilityroyalty and the priesthood; the majesty of the one united to the sanctity of the other; Melchizedec, "king of Salem," was also "the priest of the most high God." How truly honourable is high station, when supported by the beauty and dignity of holiness, and adorned with unaffected goodness! Is the state of a king either dishonoured or diminished by attendance at the altar of God? No; it is religion that sweetens, and enibellishes, and ennobles every condition: it is religion, forming an intimate and a permanent relation between a man and his God, "that raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dung-hill, and setteth him with princes;" and which exalteth earthly princes to heavenly thrones. Examples are rare in history of these two characters being united. The kingdoms and the priesthood of this world, fall to the lot of * 1 Kings xix. 11. 1 Kings xix. 18 Is this king of righteousness and peace venerable in his priestly robes, attending, in the order of his course, upon the most high God? Is he less amiable and respectable in administering to the necessities of his fellowmen? A prince is never more kingly, than when he is practising the virtues of humanity, hospitality, and compassion. And the praise of these too belongs to Melchizedec, for he brought forth bread and wine," to refresh the patriarch and his little army, after the labour and fatigue of their rapid march and violent conflict. The great God is infinitely above the need of our services. How then can we honour him most, and serve him best? By copying his example; by doing good; by communicating to the comfort of others what he has kindly bestowed upon us. What object loes this world present, once to be compared with a human being replete with benevolence, habitually studying to glo rify his Creator, by alleviating the distresses, and promoting the happiness of his creatures! This is the true lustre of riches, this is the glory of greatness, this the splendour of power, this the majesty of kings. The Kindred spirits are easily and powerfully attracted to each other; and religion forms the strongest and tenderest bond of union among men. Abram and Melchizedec meet like men long acquainted. The patriarch nobly disdains to accept the spoils proffered to him by the king of Sodom; but joyfully, and with gratitude, embraces the friendship and kindness of the king of Salem. gifts of a bad man yield a very mixed satisfaction to an honest mind, but it is pleasing to the soul to receive benefits from the wise and good. An interchange of kind offices is the life of friendship in worthy minds. In our commerce with Heaven, benefits flow continually from God to us; continually receiving, we have nothing to send back but the effusions of a thankful heart, and the humble desires of needy dependants; but friendship among men subsists only among equals, and depends on kindnesses mutually 1 Peter ii. 9. given and received. Melchizedec "brings forth bread and wine" to Abram; Abram gives him "tithes of all." So early existed in the world that mode of supporting the ministers of religion. A great prince like Melchizedec needed not to minister in holy things for hire, but he would, by his example, teach mankind, what God, by a special constitution, established under the law, and afterwards delivered to the world in a general proposition, that he who serves at the altar should 66 live by the altar." But how poor in conparison, is the gift which the patriarch brings to the priest of God, to that which he receives from him. Abram's is an offering of acknowledgment and respect merely, by which the receiver was neither benefited nor enriched, but Melchizedec's return to him was a real benefit; he "blessed him and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth."* Abram was already blessed, in growing, worldly prosperity, blessed in recent victory over his enemies, blessed in the defiverance he had wrought for his beloved nephew, blessed in possessing the respect and | esteem of princes: but blessings like these have fallen to the lot of bad men, and are in themselves unsatisfactory: Melchizedec pronounces a blessing which crowns all the rest, and gives value to them all. "The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow therewith;" Abram is "blessed of the most high God," with the prospect, though distant, of the Messiah's day, who should spring from himself, according to the flesh, and in whom "all the families of the earth should be blessed." Abram beheld in the very person who pronounced the benediction upon him, "the figure of him who was to come," that " king who should reign in righteousness;" "he saw it, and was glad." What selfish, solitary joy is once to be named with the pure benevolent delight, which glowed in the patriarch's breast, every time the promise was brought to his ear, and the Saviour, his own Saviour, the Saviour of the world, was placed before his eye? "And blessed be the most high God," continues he, "which hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand." The blessing which cometh down from heaven, ascends, together with its fruit, to heaven again; as the precious drops which fall down to water the earth, rise upward in gales of fragrance, from the fruits and flowers which they produce, and perfume the air. "Mercy is twice bless ed, it blesseth him that gives and him that takes." But behold, while Melchizedec yet blesseth Abram, he is out of our sight, and is no more to be found. He burst forth upon us like the sun from behind a thick cloud; disappeared again as quickly; and is to be discerned only in that track of glory which he has left behind him. Blessed type of him, who "led out his disciples as far as to Bethany, and he lift up his hands and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven:"* And who, "while they beheld, was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight."t Thus all the men of ages past have made their escape from us, and we behold them no more: and thus we ourselves are one by one disappearing from among men. Adam, and the great majority, died. Enoch, and one more were translated without tasting death. The latter end of Melchizedec is concealed from us. But, from his extraordinary character, we are led to imagine it could not be in the ordinary course of humanity. In so many various ways can God remove and dispose of his creatures; and thus, through various passages, we enter into the world of spirits: and "mortality is swallowed up of life."What other of the kings of the earth is to be compared with Melchizedec? Is he not rather raised up of Providence, to reproach and to condemn the potentates of this world; the rule of whose government, too often, is not righteousness and law, but humour and caprice; and the end of it, not to bless mankind, but to gratify some passion of their own; who, instead of preserving the nations in peace, themselves the sons of peace, have incessantly, from the beginning to this unhappy day, involved the wretched human race in scenes of war, and violence, and blood? To which of the earthly thrones shall we look for the union of the sanctity of the priesthood with the majesty of the sovereign? Alas! kings are "set in slippery places." Their education, their station, their employments, their connexions; all, all unhappily encroach upon the offices of religion; tend to weaken its impressions, and to shut out its consolations.--But there is a Prince, betwixt whom and this king of Salem, the resemblance is so striking, that he who runs may trace it. Not a few have given in to the opinion, that the wonderful personage represented in this history, under the united character of priest and king, was none other than the Son of God himself, assuming a temporary human form, to exhibit in that dark age of the world, an anticipated view of the person, which he was, in the fulness of time, to assume, of the character of which he was to sustain, and of the offices which he was to execute. The expressions which describe Melchizedec, it is alleged, are not applicable to any creature: and as, from several other passages in the books of Muses, it is probable, if not certain, that the Redeemer of the world manifested himself in the patriarchal ages, at sundry times, and on divers occasions, under the character of the angel of the Lord, it is apprehended, that this appearance to Abram might be of the same nature; in order to furnish the father of believers with a clearer and more distinct idea of the person of the Redeemer, according to the words of Christ himself, "your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.”* "He came wall of partition between us:" I see no danger that can result, either to faith or morality, from admitting this suppo-to the eternal throne: and when he left the sition. And it must be admitted, that there are circumstances, both in the history and in the apostolical application of it, which sufficiently warrant such an interpretation. If there is not an actual identity of persons in Melchizedec and the Messiah, the analogy at least is so obvious, that we have but to bring Moses and Paul together, in order to discover its exactness, and to feel its force. The likeness is presented to us in scripture, not as some others, in scanty and obscure hints, or in some leading features and lineaments only; but the portraits are drawn, as it were, at full length, by the masterly hands of a prophet and an apostle, and placed side by side for our inspection. In this part of our undertaking, therefore, nothing more is necessary than to transcribe from the page of inspiration. Scripture is singularly expressive, both in what it speaks of Melchizedec, and in what it conceals; and in both these respects we may in some measure understand the meaning of what David, in spirit, says of the Messiah, “thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedec." And first, world, this bequest, more precious than the mantle of Elijah, fel! from him, and remained behind him to bless mankind, "peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:"} peace with God, peace of conscience, peace with all men; for "being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." And "the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."¶ Acquaintance with God, through him, produces inward tranquillity. "Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace; thereby good shall come unto thee."** And "if God be for us, who can be against us?" "The peace of God passeth all understanding." The world can neither give it nor take it away. And when his gospel shall have produced its full effect, and his kingdom is finally established; "the work of righteousness shall be peace;" "and the effect of righteousness, quietness, and assurance for ever."tt But it were endless to enumerate the pas sages of scripture, which represent Jesus Christ the Saviour, as the author, the purchaser, the giver, the operator of peace, and his nature, his name; the burthen of his preaching, of his prayers: they are the fruit of his sufferings and death, the object of his intercession, the operation of his Spirit: they are the seeds of glory in his redeemed upon earth; and the perfection of glory in him and in them, when the triumph of his grace shall be completed in heaven. To whom can the names of king of righ-"the Lord our righteousness." They are teousness, king of peace, be applied with such strict propriety, as to him whom God hath "anointed over his holy hill of Sion," who reigns in justice and in love: who, righteous himself, has wrought out for all his happy subjects a justifying righteousness by the merit of his blood, and continues to work out in all, a sanctifying righteousness by the grace and power of his Spirit? But peace and righteousness are not mere external designations of Messiah, our prince; names without a meaning, titles without merit, like many of those which are worn by the potentates of this world, Catholic, Most Christian, Faithful, Imperial, Defender of the Faith! Appellations calculated to excite pity or derision. No: his titles are of the essence of his nature; the display of them, is the object of his mission, and the consummation of his plan. "His name shall be called the Prince of peace." "Of the increase of his government, and peace, there shall be no end." "In Christ Jesus, we, who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle John viii. 56. Isaiah ix. 6, 7. As the names and titles ascribed to Melchizedec, apply in full force, and in their utmost extent to our blessed Saviour, so the several actions in which we find him engaged, have their exact counterpart in what Jesus did, in the exercise of his public ministry. They are these three-" he brought forth bread and wine," to refresh Abram and his weary host; he "blessed Abram;" and he received of him "tithes of all" the spoils. In the first of these we are led to contemplate the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, when he exerted, more than once, his almighty power, in miraculously multiplying bread to refresh and sustain the fainting multitudes, who resorted to hear him and |