J. Church

“ Had Christ been constituted a Priest after any Order of human Beings, it would have been after the Order of Aaron, a Priest of God’s own appointment; but Christ is a Priest after his own Order. When God means to swear he swears by himself, because there is no greater—when he means to draw a similitude of himself he likens himself to himself; and when Jesus reveals himself as a Priest after an Order, it is his own Order, and his glory will he not give to another. ”

“ As Priest he never did die at all; as God, in his Divine Nature, it is impossible. As the glorious Mediator, he ever lives, and all who are united to him live also.—
But made like the Son of God. This expression, like, seems dark to many at first sight, but when we look at the Subject altogether, it is very clear that none can be like God but God himself. None can be like such a Priest, after such an Order, but the High Priest, Jesus himself. The body he was to assume from the beginning, he frequently assumed a likeness of. ”

“ The Apostle, encouraging Believers, who fled for refuge, tells them their fore-runner is gone to heaven, and is acting there as High Priest for them, after the Order of Melchisedec—it is essential to this Order only to make intercession in heaven. From which passage we may then conclude, that Melchisedec and the second Person in the ever blessed Trinity were, and are the same; for none but Christ in our nature ever did, or will intercede for us in heaven. ”

“ We have got the blessings he has enabled us to get by Prayer and Faith, and we give him the glory due to his holy name—while he oft refreshes us with himself as the Bread of Life, fills us with the Wine of his love, and blesses us with communion with himself—so we give him tithes of all—hence the Apostle says, that he now receiveth them.—Thirdly. ”

“ So in the hearts of his elect, by the conquest of his grace, when he spoils the works of the Devil in us, as well as for us, and by Faith, leads us to get victory over every sin and every fear, and enables us to give him the heart in a way of love, the mind in his service, and all our powers devoted to his glory, body, soul, and spirit, time and talents: this is giving him the tenth. ”

“ But, alas, a christian is seldom long at ease; we have no continuing city, we seek one to come—no place, or house, or family, is free from trouble long together, from the palace to the most retired cot. Sad news was brought to Abraham, that his nephew, Lot, was taken prisoner, and almost all his goods seized, by Cherdorlaomer and his allies, who were at that time ravaging the country. Abraham directly took his servants and friends and pursued the enemy to Hobah, and overtook their captives and the booty, and of course restored Lot. ”

“ Some are inclined to think he fell from the Moon. But all these ideas are too mean, and none of them agree with what the Holy Ghost has said of him. Many years ago there was a Sect of Melchisedecian Heretics, who held that he was some celestial power or virtue not revealed; but that he was superior to Christ, and made intercession for angels, as the Saviour did for Men. The most general opinion is that he was merely a figure or type of our dear Lord; but we are about to prove he was more than the figure—he was the adorable Redeemer himself. ”

“ The Apostle proceeds to stimulate them to persevere in the good ways of God, notwithstanding their weakness, sins, infirmities, strange feelings, and at times, want of confidence—no heart to pray or believe, but all deadness, darkness, and sorrow ”

“ And the Apostle says, He is exalted to give Repentance and Remission of Sins—thy sins are forgiven thee; go in peace. He p. 25blesses us with converting grace. God hath sent his Son to bless us, by turning us from our iniquities, with a better righteousness. David describeth the blessedness of the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness without works, with the adoption of children—to them gave he power to become the Sons of God—with spiritual life. The Lord commanded his blessing on Mount Zion, even life for evermore. He blesses them with his preserving power ”

“ These things cannot be said of any mere man; nor does it any where assert p. 23that Melchisedec was a type—but the above arguments clearly prove he was the eternal Son of God; and to doubt this, or be ignorant of it, the Apostle declares the Hebrews were dull of hearing; and surely so are many of God’s people, to this day, upon this Subject—therefore, Consider now how great this Person is—he is called the great God, the great Saviour, great King, great Prince, great Shepherd, great High Priest; great in his nature, his love, his mercy, his wisdom, his glory, his grace, his power ”

“ We are not to make any thing in Scripture a type when the Scripture declares it is a substance, and infinitely exceeds all the figures. Our dear Lord is certainly represented by many figures, but in the case before us he is not; for the Apostle, treating upon the Subject, not considering it as mystical p. ”

“ We shall notice the opinion of others. We propose then to examine the Scripture testimony of p. 7this great One, and to answer the objections which rise in the mind, concerning the reality of this Person being Lord and Christ. ”