of Salem, he was king of peace a. He was also " a Priest of the most high God," ministering, not to one peculiar people, as the Levites afterwards did, but to mankind at large without any distinction. In these respects he typified the Lord Jesus, whose "sceptre is a right sceptre b," who " maketh peace for us by the blood of his cross c," and who is "the great High Priest " that once ministered on earth, and is " now passed into the heavens" to offer incense before the throne of Godd. In him alone, after Melchizedec, were combined the offices of King and Priest: He and he only is " a Priest upon his throne e." Moreover, Melchizedec was a type of Christ in those things which we do not know concerning him, as well as in those things which we do know : yea, there were many things con- cealed from us, on purpose that he might be a more illustrious type of Christ. We are not informed of his birth, or paren- tage, or death. We are not told who preceded him in his office, or who followed him. He is merely introduced on this occa- sion as " without father, without mother, without beginning of fife or end of days," that he might fitly represent that adorable Jesus, who was without father, as Man, and without mother, as God, and who abideth a priest continually f.]
As God's servant, he came forth on a remarkable occasion to honour Abram —
[Abram was returning with his victorious bands, laden with the spoil that he had recovered from the slaughtered kings. For the refreshment of his weary troops, Melchizedec brought forth bread and wine. It is certainly a striking co- incidence, that this, even bread and wine, is the provision which our great High Priest has appointed to be received by all his people to refresh them after their conflicts: but we do not on the whole apprehend that there was any thing more intended by the bread and wine, than to administer suitable nourish- ment to Abram and his attendants after their fatigues. But from the other tokens of respect which Melchizedec shewed to Abram, there is much instruction to be derived.
Melchizedec blessed Abram for the zeal he had manifested, and blessed God for the success he had given. In blessing Abram he shewed what obligations we owe to those who go forth to fight in our defence, and by their valour procure to us the peaceful enjoyment of our possessions. If Abram had not stood forth on that occasion, what misery would have been entailed on those who had been taken captive, and on those who were left behind to bewail the loss of their dearest rela- tives, and experience the pressure of want and famine!' And
a See Heb. vii. 1, 2. h Ps. xlv. 6. c Col. i. 20.
<* Heb. iv. 14. e Zech. vi. 13. f Heb. vii. 3.