The AU-fojjiciency of Chr~fl of God,, th_e Scripturt i~ put:pof~ly filent concerning _the Pedigree of Mekhifideck, a;j" the begmnmg and en~rng of _hrs pay~;_ that he might ~a more lively Typt of the Son of .God, who lnmfelf m hts Dtvme Nature was Without beginning or end of Days; fo that though truly and really Melchifedeck was a Man Born of Parents by a lOng Pefcent from Adam, vrhofc Life had a date both when it begun and when it crided:, yet it is truly faid that he was without thefe, becanfe they ar~ not menrion- ~d and recorded in the Scriptu_re. Now among thefe hi_gh Priviledges and Prerogatives, Melchi{edeck doth Typtfie the Priefthood of Chrijf better than the Aaronical Pricfts could Typifi~ him, for he is one that abides and continues a Pricft, vcr. 3· And he lives, as in the nmeteenth Verfe. The St:ripture fpcaks nothing either of his laying down his Office or his Life. Now in this he is an Eminent and Confpicuous Type of Chri!t our High Prieft. For, · Firft, He hath not laid down his Life fo as to lofe it, for he was made After the power of tht endle{s life, as _ver. 16. ~or, . . Secondly, Hath he la1d down hts Pricflhood fo as not to e~crc1fe 1t, for he is a Pricft for ever, and bccaufe he continues for ever, therefore he bath an unchttngeable Prirflhood, as in ver. 2o. Now the words of the Te.\.·t are a moft comfortaOle Inference <lrawn from a\l this DifcoUrfc concerning the Eternity of Mt/chifedeck.'s Priefthood: The Eternity of it (I fay) becaufe the Scripture JjJeaks nothing of the ceffation of it fo that my Text is a Gomfortable Inference. Chrifl U able ro }itve to the utrermoft the~ that come to God by him, feeing be ever li'l!erh to make imercef!ion for them. Doth Chrill: for ever live, and for ever fit at the Right Hand of Gocf? Doth he continually Iay open his Wounds; repeat over his Suffcrings, plead his Death and Merits, claim a right to a fure purchafe? Is he continually perfuming Heaven with the Odour of that fweet lncenfe, which he daily offers up with Prayers for all the Saints? Believe it, fi1ch a Sacrific~ mu!t needs be acceptable, ~uch an Adve>cnte muft needs be prevalent, fi1ch a Savtour muft needs be All-fufficient. Wherefore he U able to fave them io the uttcrmoft that come unto God by him, feeing he ever liveth to make lnterceffion for "ihem. In thcfe words we have, · Firft, A Pofition couched under a Suppefition : The Suppofition is this, If fo be Chrift fhall ever live to make Interceffion for the.Saints: The Pofirion is, ~hat Chrifr cloth live for ever to make Interccffion, 6-c. which the Apoftle before proves, He U a High Prieft for ever. . SCcbndly, There is an lnftrence or Coro!lary dtawn from It, 7berefore he U able to Jaw to the uttt~moft, &c.· . . . In th~ Pofirion obfervc the[e two th1~gs.; . . 1. The Eternity of the Life of Chnlt m the h1ghelt Heaven. 2. The Eternity of his Prieflly Office: The former is this, He livu for ever: The latter is, .And he lives for ihi"~ very end, to make Intcrcefiion for us. In the Inference we may obferve, i, The Truth inferred and afferted, He UAble to fave. i. The mcafi1rc and degree of this Salvation, and that is, to the uttermoft, to a!I ends and perfec.tions; l1e is able to fave to all perfections, (that is) altogether. 3· Confi<!er the Pcrfons whom he is able thus perfetlly to fave, and they arc thofc only that come unto God by him; and thefe are defcribed, I. By their Obedience, they come unto God, that is, they perform Service, Obc- <lience and :Quty to God. . 2. They are defcrihcd by their Faith, they come to God by him, that is, by Chrilt. All the Duties and Services which they perform they tender them up by Faith in Chtift, and-by Chrift to God, they come unto God by him. And befides all thefe, here is a Connexion of the Inference and the Pojition together by the word, Wherefore he U able ro {ave, &c. In the Connexion we have alfo the number of thofe whom Chrift makes Interceffion ; not for all Man, but for thofo that come to God through him. 0 what a rich Vein of Scripture is before our Eyes, which lies as an ineftimable and ua~ fearchable Treafhre in Golden Mines! Though I may feem to have but broken and cr'umbled the words, yet there is abundance of precioufnefs in every part and parcel Of them: I !hall not now ftand to raife and infift upon all thofe Obfervations that might pertinently and properly be made from the words thus divided, but lhall briefly fpeak to fome few. I. From
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