the land of Canaan was designed of God for the seat of the church in the posterity of Shem, he suffered it to be possessed by the seed of the cursed Canaan,-that in their destruction he might give a representation and security of the victory and final success of the Messiah and his church over all their adversaries. Before this came to pass, God, as I suppose, brought this Melchisedec, and some others of the posterity of Japhet, into the land of Canaan, even before Abraham had possession of it, and placed him there in a condition of office superior to Abraham himself. And this might be done,— that a claim might be put in, on the behalf of Japhet, to an interest in the tents of Shem. Melchisedec in those very places which were to be the seat of the church, took as it were livery and seisin for the gentile posterity of Japhet, which was in due time to be. brought into the full possession of all the rights and privileges of it. Another reason might be;-to manifest, that the state of the Gentile converts in the promise and spiritual privileges of the church, should be far more excellent than was the state and privileges of the posterity of Shem whilst in their separate condition, "God having provided some better things for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." But these things are submitted to the judgment of every candid reader,

I shall only add; that we have herein a signal instance of the sovereignty and wisdom of God. All the world was at that time generally fallen into idolatry and false worship. The progenitors of Abraham, though a principal branch of the posterity of Shem, "dwelt beyond the river and served other Gods," Josh. xxiv, 2. Probably Abraham himself was not free from the guilt of that apostasy before his call. Canaan was inhabited by the Amorites, with the rest of the devoted nations, on the one hand, and the Sodomites

on the other. In the midst of these sinners above others was this man raised up, as the great type of Christ, with all his illustrious qualifications.

§7. (II.) Melchisedec, as to his OFFICE, was (BaEUs) a king. So in the first mention of him, Gen. xiv, 18. “Melchisedec, king of Salem." Now whereas Christ is not any where said to be a "king after the order of Melchisedec," nor doth the apostle make any use of the consideration of this office in him; we may inquire, wherefore God placed him in that state and condition? And there seems to be two ends of it:

1. To make his typical ministry the more eminent and conspicuous. For his possessing regal power and authority would necessarily make him more conspicuous than if he had been only a private man. And moreover, by his royal wealth he was furnished for the costly discharge of his priestly office, in sacrifices and other solemnities.

2. Although he was not in his kingly office directly typical of Christ, yet he was by being a king the more meet to represent him as a priest, seeing he was to be the only king and priest of the church, in one person; and it may be observed, that although Moses, in Genesis, makes mention of the acts of both his offices, yet our apostle takes notice of those of the one sort only. For Moses informs us, in the first place, that when he went to meet Abraham, he brought forth bread and wine, that is, for the refreshment of him and his army. Now this was an act of regal power and munificence. This the apostle takes no notice of, but only of his "receiving tythes," and "blessing Abraham," which were both of them acts of sacerdotal power. Wherefore, although it was convenient he should be a king, yet in what he did as king, he

was no type of Christ, though there might be a moral resemblance between them. And,

§8. I see no reason why we may not hence collect these two things:

1. The Lord Christ as King of the church is plentifully stored with all spiritual provisions for the relief and refreshment of all believers in their various duties, and will give it out to them as their occasions require. For as Melchisedec represented Christ; so Abraham, in his battle and victory, was a type of all believers in their warfare and conflict with all their spiritual adversaries. Wherefore, as he and all his were refreshed by the kingly bounty of Melchisedec, so shall they be from the munificence and unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ.

2. Those who go to Christ merely on account of his priestly office, and benefits, shall also receive the blessing of his kingly power, in abundant supplies of mercy and grace. Abraham designed nothing with Melchisedec but the owning of his sacerdotal office, in giving him the tithes of all, and receiving his blessing. But when he met him he was refreshed also with his kingly bounty. Many poor sinners go to Christ principally, if not only, at the first, upon the account of his sacerdotal office, to have an interest in his sacrifice and oblation, to be made partakers of mercy and pardon. But when they come to him by faith, they find that he is a king also, ready, able, powerful to relieve them, and to whom they owe all holy obedience.

§9. (III.) This kingly office of Melchisedec is farther asserted by the specification of the PLACE where he reigned. He was king of Salem. There hath been great inquiry and much uncertainty concerning this place. But the most probable opinion is, that Jerusalem was the seat of his kingdom. For,

1. It was anciently called Salem, which name is afterwards occasionally applied to it, as that whereby it was known, Psal. lxxiv, 2. "In Salem is God's tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Sion." Where Jerusalem can only be intended. Afterwards some think that when it was possessed by the Jebusites, it began at first to be called Jebus-Salem, that is, Salem of the Jebusites, which by custom was transformed into Jerusalem. But the approved etymology from (1) vision, and (v) peace, so that the name should signify a sight or vision of peace, is certainly true, and probably given by God himself.

2. In the days of Joshua, the king of Jerusalem was called Adonizedec, a name of the same signification with Melchisedec, which, possibly from him, was the name of the kings who afterwards reigned in that city, Josh. x, 1—4.

3. Abraham dwelt at this time at Hebron in the plain of Mamre; and in his return from Hoba or Damascus, the way lay near to Jerusalem, as all maps yet declare; and Sychem was more to the north than that he should conveniently pass that way.

4. Jerusalem being designed to be the place where the Lord Christ was to begin and exercise his priestly office, it may well be supposed that there this illustrious type of him was to be manifested; especially, considering it was to be the seat of the church till the signification of the type was to be effected. But here we must remark, that,

§10. A supposition of such a sacrifice of bread and wine as that pleaded for by the Papists, from Gen. xiv, 17, 18, is contrary to the apostle's design, and quite destructive of it; for whereas he endeavoreth to prove that the priesthood of Melchisedec was far more excellent than that of Levi, he could not do it by this,

that he offered bread and wine in sacrifice, for so also did the Levitical priests, Lev. vii, 13, xxiii, 13—18. But all the excellencies which the apostle insisteth on consist in the dignity of his office, and the qualifications of his person, not in the matter of his sacrifice. The truth is, that no such thing as a sacrifice could be included in that expression, "He brought forth bread and wine." It was the manner in those countries, where any forces were on an expedition, that those in their way that were at peace with them brought forth supplies of bread and wine, or water, for their refreshment. For the neglect of this duty, wherein they break the laws of hospitality and friendship, did Gideon so severely punish the inhabitants of Penuel and Succoth, Judges viii, 5-7; xiii, 14-16. And the observance of this duty is recorded to the commendation of Barzillai the Gileadite, who sent refreshment to David and his army, saying, "The people are hungry and thirsty, and weary in the wilderness," 2 Sam. xvii, 27-29. In this state of things Melchisedec, being the neighbor, friend, and confederate of Abraham, when he came with his army and abode so near to him, "brought forth bread and wine" for their refreshment, which being a mere civil action; our apostle takes no notice of it. And they who can discover a sacrifice in this expression, have either more skill in the opening of mysteries than he had, or a better invention in coining groundless fables and imaginations of their own; wherefore we need not farther trouble ourselves. with those forced and frivolous pretences. The reason why the apostle mentions Melchisedec as king of Salem, is to intimate his first prerogative above the Aaronical priests, in that he was a king.