6 Bur he whole || deſcent is nor counted trom them 7, Teccived tithes of Abraham, and blefied *him rhar had the promiſes .
4 The Proof 1s here applied, ſhewing Melchiſedec to be greater, not than the Levitical Prieſts only, but than Abraham himſcif. He drew not his Genealogy from any Prieſts before him, but 1s greater than thoſe Pricſts, who by Genealogy and Succeffion were made ſuch, and ſet above their Brethren by God himſelf : He being indepen- dent, having no Progenitor, Prieft, or Succefſor, is greater than whom he decimateth. w He decimated Abraham the Father of the Levitical Prieſts, and by the moſt High's Order bleffed him, by aſ- ſuring him of his peace with God, Grace continually from him, and multiplying temporal and ſpiritual Bleſſings to him, according as God promiſed, Gen. 15. 1, Fc. And this he did to him, though Abraham was a Patriarch, and priviledged with Promiſes above any other, yet though God were made over to him in all his fulneſs, the Blefſing given him of Fatherhood to a numerous Nation, even the viſible Church of God among T1/ael as to all believing Gentiles, who had Canaan literally promiſed to- his Poſterity, and even this $4- Iem, among the reſt, of which Melchiſedec was King, and the heavenly Canaan to himſelf ; and above all, the promiſed Meſſith te deſcend from him, in whom himſelf and all Nations were to be blefled ; he fo great in Promiſes, is tithed and blefled by a greater Melchiſedec. |
7 And without all contradiCtion, the leſs is bleſſed
Or tne better x.
x This Principle is commonly acknowledged it 15 a moſt apparent Truth, you Hebrews cannot deny 1t; it is your common Judgment, That a Prieſt bleſſing, as God's Officer, is greater than thoſe bleſſed by him. He that 1s in a lower ſtate in God's Church, 1s bleſſed by one ſet above him in Office by God himſelt, better and greater than he for his Place and Dignity in Office. He muſt have the pre-eminency for his Bleſſing, which he authoritatively, poweriully and effe&u-' ally, conveyeth frum God to thoſe he bleſſeth, repreſenting therein God communicating by him the good he wanteth in his Bene- diction.
S And here men thar die y, receive tithes : but there he recerveth them, of whom it is witneſſed that he liveth 5.
y His greatneſs as to his Prieſthood above the Levitical, is proved from its Immortaltty. Immortal 15 greater and better than Mortal ; ſuch is his Order of Prieſthood. This Argument he brings in to heighten the former, and ſo conneQts it to it. The Particle «9 here, if referred to time, notes during Mojes's Oeconomy, while the Levi- tical Law laſted ; if it refer to place, it notes Zeruſalem 1n the Land of Canaan, where the Temple was, 1n that Habitation of the 1/rae!;- tiſh Church, the Levitical Prieſts were not only as to their Nature and Perſons, withering and decaying, ceafing to be on Earth,though they had the honour to decimate their Brethren, but as to their Or- der and Office 4frtal, they were no better than the tithed and bleſ- ſed by them, in reipec&# of Death. Aaron himſelf the firſt of the Or- der died, and ſo did all his Succeflors as well as Irael, 7 But how much better is Melchiſedec and his Order ? iz« there, may re- fer either to the place where his Buſineſs was tranſated with A4bra- ham near Salem; or to the place of Scripture-record concerning him ; either Gen. 14. -8, 19, 20. where there 1s no account of his Death ; or in Pſal. 110. 4. By the Prophet Darwid is the Teſtimony born, that his Order is for ever; That Melchiſedec as to his Order and Office of Prieſthood, now liveth and ſubiiſteth in the Son of God incarnate, and continueth tor ever. It is ſuggeſted by a great Light in the Church, as if Melchiſedec was tranſlated as Ennch was, and ſo continued a Prieſt to the very moment of his tranſlation ; and that neither his Perſon nor Prieſthood died, but liveth for ever : but in this the Scripture 1s filent . Another refers it imme- diately fo Chriſt, reading it thus; Here, i.e. in this World, they receive Tenths, or are Prizfts ; but there, i.e. within the innermoſt of the 'eil, wheth-r the Forerunner is for us entred, 7eſus * ſupplying this out of Chap. 6.19, 20. Here, 1s tobe und.rtond, not who re- ceiveth T*ties, but who is, of whyn rt 1s witneſſed that he liveth. He ſaitit this Senſe 1s tobe found in ſo many words, 1n ver. 23, 24, 25. where 14+» who receive Tenths, and die, ver. 8. are no other Men than 7/1je its who were rot juffered to continue by rea-
many Pie z » , * ' - ® © ta . 27h, ver. 23. Nor he 54 whom 't ts witneſſed that be liveth,
R Wes Hi 07 Fy4
ver. 8. can be any other than 7ejize, who, wr, 24. continueth for ever ; and ver. 25. is ever-living.
9 Andas | may ſo tay a, Levi altob,. whoreceived tithes, paid tithes in Anraham c.