462 VER S E 4. TheTriellhoodofarift. palace ofMekhifedekwere in his dayes conceived to re- maine. Tedious I might be in infiding on this point who Melchifedek was. But when I finde the Holy Ghat', purpofely concealinghis name, genealogic, beginning, ending,and defcent,and that to fpeciall purpofe;I cannot but wonder that men fhould toile themfelvcs in the darke to finde out that of which they have not the leafi ground of folide conje&ure,and the inevidence whereof is expreffely recorded , to make Mekbifedek thereby the fitter type ofChrids everlafling Priefihood. Secondly, what is meant by Ta 1,c It is as much as the Rate, condition, or prelcribed Rule ofOkiekhifedek;and that was rn o'whger Cctiicit44101q;7g) After thepowerofan end- leffe life, Heb.7.16. Not by acorporeall unaion, legal! amniony,or the intervening a&ofahumane ordination: but by a heavenly inflitution, and immediate unionof the SpiritofLife,bythat extraordinarymanner whereby bee was to bee bothKing and Priedunto Gocl,asMew chifedekwas. Thirdly, Why was bee not a Priedafter the order of eAraron ? TheApoffle giveth us ananfwere,71ecaufe the LawmadenothingperfeU , but was weak,e and unprofi- table and therefore was tobee abolifbed, and togive place to another Priedhood. Men were not to red in it , but by it to bee led to himwho was to abolifh it, Fleb.7.11,12. as themorning-flarre leadcth to the funne, and at the rifina a thereofvanilbeth. The miniflery and promifcs ofChrifi were better than thofe ofthe Law; and thereforehis Priefi-hood , which was the office of difpencing them, was tobe more excellent likewife,Heb. 8.6. For when the Law and covenant were to bee abo- lifhed , the Prieithood in which they were eflablifbed, was to die likewife. Fourthly,Why Melchifedek brought forthbread and wine.? The Papifis , that they may have fomething to build the idolatry oftheir made upon,make Melchifedek to
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