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 Aposentirely 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."+finitely above the need of our services. How And when the ransoined 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 embellishes, 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 18. * 1 Kings xix. 14. 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 in 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 does this world present, once to be compared with a human being replete with benevolence, habitually studying to glorify 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. 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. The 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 live by the altar." But how poor in comparison, is the gift which the patriarch brings to the priest of Gol, 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 deliverance 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 blessed, 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 † Genesis xiv. 20. Genesis xiv. 19. 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 Moses, it is probable, if not certain, that the Redeemer of the world manifested himself in the patriarchal ages, at sundry times, and on divers † Acts i. 9. * Luke xxiv. 50, 51. 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."* 66 wall of partition between us:" "He came and preached peace to you who were afar off, and to them that were nigh." ***The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed." His gospel is prophesied of, as God's "covenant of peace," and "the counsel of peace." At his birth, the melodious anthem of "peace on earth, and good will toward men," ascended I see no danger that can result, either to from the tongues of ten thousand angels, up faith or morality, from admitting this suppo- to the eternal throne: and when he left the sition. And it must be admitted, that there world, this bequest, more precious than the are circumstances, both in the history and mantle of Elijah, fell from him, and remainin the apostolical application of it, which ed behind him to bless mankind, “peace I sufficiently warrant such an interpretation. leave with you, my peace I give unto you:"} If there is not an actual identity of persons peace with God, peace of conscience, peace in Melchizedec and the Messiah, the analo- with all men; for "being justified by faith, gy at least is so obvious, that we have but we have peace with God through our Lord to bring Moses and Paul together, in order Jesus Christ."|| And "the kingdom of God to discover its exactness, and to feel its force. is not meat and drink, but righteousness and The likeness is presented to us in scripture, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Acnot as some others, in scanty and obscure quaintance with God, through him, produces hints, or in some leading features and linea- inward tranquillity. "Acquaint now thyself ments only; but the portraits are drawn, as with him, and be at peace; thereby good it were, at full length, by the masterly hands shall come unto thee."** And "if God be of a prophet and an apostle, and placed side for us, who can be against us?" "The peace by side for our inspection. In this part of our of God passeth all understanding." The undertaking, therefore, nothing more is ne-world can neither give it nor take it away. cessary than to transcribe from the page of inspiration. And when his gospel shall have produced its 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 Messages of scripture, which represent Jesus siah, "thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedec." And first, To whom can the names of king of righteousness, 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. But it were endless to enumerate the pas Christ the Saviour, as the author, the pur- As the names and titles ascribed to Mel- In the first of these we are led to contem- + Isaiah liii. 5. when he instituted, by taking, blessing, and distributing bread and wine, that memorial of his death, which has been in every age, and shall continue to the end of the world, the food of the hungry soul, and a cordial to the faint; the token of a salvation already wrought out and purchased; and the foretaste of a salvation "ready to be revealed;" the communion of imperfect saints, in the church militant, and the eternal bond of union among the spirits of just men made perfect, in the church triumphant. the people according to the law; that is, of Again, Melchizedec blessed Abram. In this action of the king of Salem, we behold Jesus, "who went about doing good," and scattered blessings wheresoever he went. "He took little children into his arms and blessed them." He pronounced a blessing, which still rests on "the poor in spirit," "the meek," "the merciful," "the pure in heart," the peace-makers," and those "who hunger and thirst after righteousness." He blessed the bread before he brake it, and gave it to his disciples: when he ascended up on high, blessings upon blessings flowed from his lips; and in virtue of his intercession at the right hand of the Father, "every good gift, and every perfect gift cometh down from the Father of lights." If the world has any comfort; if the soul has any hope; if there be any communication between heaven and earth; if there be "good will towards men;"" if there be any consolation in Christ; As the names and employments, so the if any comfort of love; if any fellowship of united offices and dignity of Melchizedec, spirit; if any bowels and mercies;" if there met in all their lustre in the person of the Son be any joy purer, and more perfect than an- of God; King of Salem," and "Priest of other, "the blessing of the Lord it maketh the most high God." In "derision" of the rich, and he addeth no sorrow therewith;"vain attempts of the heathen, and of the imit is of him, whom "God having raised up," even "his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities." But the grand accomplishment of the type is reserved for that day, when, together with faithful Abraham, all "the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion, with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads;" when "the Son of man, coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory," shall thus welcome his redeemed to the regions of eternal day, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."T 66 pious confederacy of the kings and rulers of the earth, "against the LORD, and against his Anointed," God declares, "I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion." He came not indeed in worldly pomp, but in lowliness and meekness, yet the powers and potentates of the earth were made subject and subservient to him. "Wise men from the east" were conducted by a star to Jerusalem, and thence to Bethlehem of Judah, to do homage to him at his birth; and poured "their treasures, gold, frankincense, and myrrh," at his feet. Augustus issued "a decree that all the world should be taxed." What was his motive, what his end? We cannot tell; but we know the end which God had in view by it: namely, to bring into more public notoriety, the several circumstances of Christ's nativity, and to transmit them to the latest posterity, in all their splendour and importance. Thus the haughty master of imperial Rome was constrained of Providence, to render unknown, unintended, involuntary homage to yonder babe in the stable of Bethlehem." "For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and † Psalm ii. 6. Heb. vii. 4-10. Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done."* Is he not then "the blessed and only Potentate; the King of kings, and Lord of lords? Now especially, exalted as he is, to the right hand of the Majesty on high. For by him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him and for him." "And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." And, into the kingdom of his glory, when finished, "the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour." Then shall angels and men join in this grand celestial chorus, "the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever."‡ 66 What is its antitype? "Who shall declare But while his exalted rank as a sovereign removes us to an awful distance, his milder character as "the Apostle and High Priest Rejoice, Christians, in this "more sure of our profession," allures us back to his pre-word of prophesy ;" and "take heed unto it, sence, and dissipates our terrors. He is "a as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, merciful and a faithful High Priest," an until the day dawn and the day star arise in High Priest, touched with the feeling of your hearts."¶ Revere the unfathomable our infirmities:" "a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens," through whom we have encouragement to "come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." He has by "one offering perfected forever them that are sanctified," and who, having "washed us from our sins in his own blood," shall at length make us "kings and priests unto God and his Father. To him be glory and dominion forever and ever."|| depths of the eternal mind. "Secret things belong to God; but things which are revealed, belong to us, and to our children." Turn all your inquiries to some good account; remembering that the "end of the commandment is charity," is to inspire veneration and love to God, and good will to men. Seek not to be "wise above what is written:" and "be not wise in your own conceit." In reverence adore an incomprehensible Jehovah, who, by no search is to be "found out unto perfection." Rejoice in hope of that day, when all mysteries shall be unveiled, and the wisdom, the love, and the goodness of God shall shine conspicuously in every creature and every event; when the honours of a Melchizedec shall be communicated to all and to every one of the myriads of Christ's redeemed. When, such as is the head, shall all the members be, "kings and priests unto God." And let us, by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory, and honour, and immortality." Amen. John i. 1. 66 |