the Heathen How is that Why you know how dreadful it was to Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar My name is dreadful among the Heathen and shall my People serve me unworthily and irreverently And so much for Melchisedecks Name and Title King of Salem and Priest of the most high God Here are two Offices met in one Person by which he was a special Type of Christ There was never any Person in the World but this Melchisedeck that did hold these two Offices rightfully Indeed we read of two of the Kings of Judah and Israel that undertook the Priests Office and his Work but they did bear the dreadful mark of Gods Judgment for joyning the Priestly Office with that of the King in the 2 Chron. 26. 17 18 19. We read that Uzziah attempted to burn Incense upon the Altar He went into the Temple of the Lord to burn Incense upon the Altar of Incense but Azariah the Priest went in after him and with him Fourscore Priests of the Lord that were valiant men and they withstood Uzziah the King and said unto him it pertaineth not unto thee Uzziah to burn Incense to the Lord but to the Priests the Sons of Aaron that are Consecrated to burn Incense go out of the Sanctuary for thou hast transgressed neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God Then Uzziah was wroth and had a Censer in his hand to burn Incense and while he was wroth with the Priests the Leprosie even rose up in his Forehead before the Priests in the House of the Lord and Uzziah the King was a Leper unto the day of his death thus the Lord smote Uzziah with Leprosie for joyning the Priestly Office with his Kingly Office Another King you read of was Jeroboam 1 Kings 13. and the beginning the Lord sent a Prophet to him to Prophecy ruin to him and upon his Prophecying against the Altar in Bethel The King put forth his hand from the Altar saying Lay hold on him and his hand which he stretched forth against him dryed up so that he could not pull it in again to him God will never bear it to have these two Offices joyned together but in Melchisedeck and Jesus Christ and therein was Melchisedeck a Type of Christ who is all in all to his Church and People for he is our King our Priest and our Prophet This therefore by our Protestant Writers is looked upon to be one mark of Antichrist the Pope who makes himself a Temporal Lord and joyns the same to his Priesthood falsly applying that place to himself in Luke 22. 38. And they said unto him Lord here are two Swords and he said unto them It is enough But Melchisedeck was a type of Christ being both King and Priest Now from hence we may have this comfortable Observation for all Believers That the Lord Jesus Christ is both our King and Priest This is of great use for the comfort of Believers He is a King he is a mighty King to defend his Church and People He is the King that reigns in Righteousness He is a King that governs us by his own Righteous Laws he protects us There is no King on Earth can ever spiritually and eternally destroy Christs Subjects or wholly root out the remembrance of Christs name in the World for he is mighty to save according to that in Psal 72. 11. Kings shall fall down before him and all Nations shall serve him for he shall deliver the needy when he cryeth the poor also and him that hath no helper This is our King our great Melchisedeck King of Salem He is our Priest he offered up himself as a Sacrifice for our sins by him we have an Atonement There may be some good Kings in the World but where is he that can be a Priest for us but our Lord Jesus Christ And therefore look into Heb. 7. 25. He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him because he ever liveth to make Intercession for us Our Lord Jesus Christ being the true King and Priest oâ— the most high God this makes him an Object of our Faith and Love that we may go to him as our King and our Priest But now we come to the second Branch of the â—ext the action of this Melchisedeck 〈◊〉 and Priest of the most high God He went out and met Abraham when Abraham returned from the slaughter of the Kings of the Countrey and blessed him Now these words relate to what we read in Gen. 14. there you will see how Melchisedeck blessed Abraham at v. 18. and so on And Melchisedeck King of Salem brought forth Bread and Wine And he was the Priest of the most high God and he blessed him and said Blessed be Abraham of the most high God Possessor of Heaven and Earth And blessed be the most high God which hath delivered thine Enemies into thy hand And he gave him tythes of all You see here that Melchisedeck met him and blessed him and carried to him a Royal Entertainment for he carried Bread and Wine to Abraham to refresh him and his Army after he had been fighting with the Kings This Abrahams Warfare was thus Abraham hearing that Lot his Brothers Son was taken captive and the people and goods of Sodom carried away you read that Abraham Armed his trained Servants born in his house three hundred and eighteen and pursued them to Dan And he and his Servants by night and smote them and pursued them to Hobah And he brought all the goods and also brought again his Brother Lot and his goods and the women also and the people Thus did Abraham by a small force overcome four Kings four great Kings This is Abraham that righteous man whom God call'd to fight his Battel And he subdued Kings and made his Enemies as stubble to his Bow It was not Abrahams force that did it He was one that went out in Faith and returns in Faith and Melchisedeck the Priest of the most high God met him and blessed him Here are three things to be observed in Abrahams Warfare 1. Abraham returns from the slaughter of the Kings Hence you may observe That Wars are good and lawful when there is a just cause for it For Abraham he had not done well in going out to fight and make war with those Kings if there had been no just cause for it nor would Melchisedeck the Priest of the most high God come out to bless him I mention this to confute that error and mistake of those who say it is not lawful to fight with carnal weapons But 2. From this action of Abrahams we may learn this special duty That when our Brethren Kindred or Relations are in distress we ought to venture our selves for their relief as far as lawfully we may For the Apostle tells us we ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren So Abraham hearing that Lot his Brothers Son his person and family were taken and carried away captive
many times comfort in it But we are not to live upon in-comings of promises but we are to go out to all the promises of God by Faith in Christ For mind what the Apostle saith in 2 Cor. 1. 20. all the promises of God are in him yea and in him Amen all the promises therefore thou mayst take up with any promise that is suitable to thy wants that is suitable to thy condition thou mayst plead it with the Lord As for example Dost thou want inward peace Thou mayst plead over the promise of peace The Lord hath promised to keep him in peace whose mind is set upon him Again Do you want outward supplies Are you streightened in Food and Rayment Be diligent in your Calling and plead that promise He will give Bread to them that fear him in the 34. Psal they that fear the Lord shall not want any good thing Plead this promise let hunger and wants drive you to the promise Again Do you want light and counsel and direction in your ways Plead that promise in Isaiah The Lord shall guide thee continually And that in the 25. Psal Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord him will the Lord direct in his ways Oh ye that have Abrahams Faith cleave to the promises hang upon the promises all the promises in Christ are yea and in him Amen They are ratified in Christ And that promise of our Lord Jesus Christ abideth Ask and ye shall have seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you Ask according to the promise seek according to the promise Plead the promises of God when you fall into any Darkness and trouble of mind I say plead promises for God he gives you all the promises to live upon and let not any poor Christian be troubled or discouraged about receiving mercy for his own weakness or the meanness of his condition for you must know that every Believer is an Heir of the promise though a poor weak frail Creature yet an Heir of the Promise This we ought to live upon in times of trouble But then there is another thing concerning Melchisedecks blessing Abraham that had received the promise The Question here may be What need was there of Melchisedecks blessing of Abraham who had Gods promise for Abraham was happy enough in the promise if he had not met Melchisedeck to have blest him For Answer hereunto there are two Reasons given for it First of all It was Melchisedecks Place and Office for he was Priest of the most high God to bless them that did belong to God for you read of Three sorts of Persons in Scripture blessing others Parents blessing their Children Kings blessing their Subjects and Ministers blessing their People as you have it in Numb 6. 23. Speak unto Aaron and to his Sons saying On this wise shall you bless the Children of Israel saying unto them the Lord bless thee the Lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace Now that this was not a Ceremony of the old Law that Ministers and Priests should bless the People appears by the New Testament because the Apostles of Jesus Christ in their Epistles did use to conclude their Epistles with Benedictions But this is not all here intended and therefore 2. This blessing of Abraham it was a blessing of Ratification to confirm Abrahams in the Promise That was the principal reason of Melchisedecks blessing of Abraham that he might be ratified and confirmed in his Faith concerning the Promise From whence we may observe That the strongest Faith had need of strengthning The Faith of the Saints doth need confirmation It is said of Abraham in Rom. 4. that being not weak in Faith he staggered not at the promise verse 20. yet if you look into another Scripture you will find Abraham sometimes staggering at the promise of God through unbelief For if you look into Gen. 15. 1. The Lord said unto him Fear not Abraham I am thy shield and exceeding great reward Then said Abraham Lord God what wilt thou give me seeing I go childless and the Steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus Abraham had the promise of a seed before in chap. 12. But he sometimes staggered at the promise Abraham was at first weak in Faith but after God had confirmed his Faith by this means then Abraham believed the Lord. So Abraham was once weak in Faith but now he was strong in Faith Again Abraham also grew strong in Faith by a higher confirming means and that was the Oath of God Heb. 6. 14. Surely in blessing I will bless thee So that Abraham that was commended for the strength of his Faith he was once weak in Faith till God had confirmed his Faith this way And this was the cause of Melchisedecks blessing him And also the Lord for the strengthning of his Faith carries him abroad and bid him look now towards the Heaven and tell the Stars if thou be able to number them And he said unto him so shall thy seed be And then he believed in the Lord and he counted it to him for Righteousness Now the Reasons of weakness in Faith are these 1. Here we know but in part and therefore believe but in part 2. The flesh is weak in all Believers Christ said The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak 3. Those that have most Faith are commonly most assaulted by Satan and therefore have need of the most confirming means When our Saviour saw Peter firm in his profession of Faith saith Christ Satan hath desired to winnow thee like Wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not Ahraham though he had the promise yet he wanted a Melchisedeck to bless him Now the third thing is Melchisedeck's being without beginning of days or end of life Aarons Sons and all the Priests of the Levitical Priesthood they die but Melchisedeck he liveth he liveth in his order in the order of his his Priesthood for Jesus Christ is a Priest for ever after Melchisedeck's order But here men receive their Priesthood that die saith the Apostle so leave their work But Christ Jesus he liveth for ever who was here prefigured by Melchisedeck But the Sons of Levi they must die for it is appointed for all men once to die and after that comes Judgment Your Prophets do they live for ever Many of the Fathers of the Old World lived a great while But Kings Priests and Prophets must die Great and holy men must die I should enlarge upon this but I shall improve it these three or four ways 1. This should teach us to walk humbly as poor mortal creatures such as death will strip of all our glory all our beauty Oh! what is it that makes men proud and haughty and lifts up their spirits It is because they think more of living than of dying You have a strange instance of this
useth this argument 1 Kings 19. 4. For I am not better than my Fathers my Fathers were mortal men and they are dead and why should I live I am not better than my Fathers he longed to be gathered to his Fathers Now to apply this If Children be in the common condition with their Fathers by nature Then this should First Teach us Humility Our Fathers where are they Their Bodies are rotting in the Grave whilst our Bodies and Carkases are alive We should consider that as our Fathers were so are we we should always consider our state and condition our Fathers are rotting in their Graves and we are going to our Fathers we should not therefore pride our selves in our Parts our Riches or Apparel for we are all as our Fathers were Secondly If we be in the common condition as our Fathers then let us humbly bless God if he hath raised us to Temporal and Spiritual blessings above what our Fathers were How many are there in the World that are as their Fathers were as to Poverty from one Generation to another Hath God raised thee or any of you to any Credit and Fulness in the World This is the Lords doing For some may say if they had been bound down in so short and low condition as their Fathers were they must have been poor and needy and hungry How many Children are there that inherit their Fathers Diseases Sicknesses Weaknesses and infirm Bodies and you have many Children that inherit nothing but their Fathers Vices and Wickedness for as Gods Covenant doth many times run in a Blood and there is a Seed to serve God from one Generation to another in some Families so on the other side the Devils Covenant runs in a Blood with many Fathers and Fore-fathers Grand-fathers Fathers and Grand-children all of a wicked Spirit that runs in the Family and therefore it is God that makes the difference in your Temporal and Spiritual condition But the Second and more special Point from this that Levi paid Tythes in the Loins of Abraham That Children are included in the actions of their Parents For God of his Eternal Counsel hath so ordered it that of such a Stock and such Persons from one Generation to another proceeding one out of another that the actions of the Fathers include the Childrens for Levi paid Tythes in Abraham and for this cause it was that the Curse of God came upon Mankind because we all ate of the forbidden Fruit in the Loins of our Father Adam Adams actions brought the guilt upon his Posterity as you may see in Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man Sin entred into the World and Death by Sin and so Death passed upon all men for that all have Sinned And in the 18. ver Therefore as by the offence of one Judgment came upon all men to Condemnation By the offence of one How is that Why all Mankind were in the Loins of Adam for God did not make a Covenant with every man particularly but in his Father Adam Now as Levi did in the Loins of his Father Abraham testifie his homage and service to God by giving Melchisedeck the Tenths of the Spoil so we in the Loins of our Father Adam did shew our homage and service to the Devil when Adam did eat of the forbidden Fruit and so by Nature are become the Children of Wrath being in the Loins of our Father Abraham and so what Adam did we are accounted to do because we are in the Loins of Adam as what Abraham did Levi was accounted to do because he was in the Loins of Abraham This is the word of God This speaks therefore Three things to us First To vindicate the Justice of God in imputing of Adams Transgression to all Mankind for all Mankind were in the Loins of Adam God doth not Create Man now but Propagates Man through the Loins of their Parents There is but one work of Creation God himself Created but one Man but he put forth a Creating power in Propagating Mankind Through that one Man and by one Mans offence many are made Sinners This seems hard but if you consider you are in the Loins of Adam herein is the Justice of God cleared But observe this difference between our first Father Adam and other Fathers that 't is but Temporal punishment that comes upon Children for their Fathers Sins except they walk in their steps but there is Eternal punishment come upon us by our first Father Adams sin but all that repent and flie to Christ have that sin of Adam and all their actual sins forgiven through Christ the second Adam Secondly If this be so that we are included in the actions of our sinful Parents by Nature This loudly calls upon us to seek after a second Birth a new Birth that we may stand upon a new Foot and be upon a new Account in the sight of God for we are all sinners and loaden with sin and guilt as we are the Children of the first Man Adam but being born again we become the Children of God and therefore saith the Apostle in the forementioned place Rom. 5. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one man Judgment came upon all men to Condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto Justification of Life that is all men that Believe If thou hast but the first Birth all the Curses of the Law come upon thee but if thou hast a part in the second Birth all the blessings of the Gospel come upon thee It is Recorded of a great Man that had his Nativity as you call it cast by an Astrologer and the Astrologer told him I find by your Nativity that you are to be a man of sorrows in your Life to which he Answered But I am born again since I was born of my Mother and therefore I reckon my Nativity from that Birth And indeed he spoke true for if he had reckoned from his first Birth he might have been a man of Eternal sorrows but reckoning his Nativity from his second Birth there was a change made Thirdly That if Children naturally as they are in the Loins of their Parents are said to do that which their Parent did then it concerns all Parents for the love they have to their Children to take heed of intailing a Curse upon their Posterity a Curse upon their Children Parents have so much love for their Children that they commonly strive to make them great in the World yea greater than themselves but commonly they strive so hard for it as to bring a Curse with it see the 2. Kings and the 5. you read there of Gehazi that his thoughts were Covetous he runs after Naaman the Syrian to receive the Mony the Talents of Silver and the Raiment but what was the fruit of it see the 27. verse The Lerosie therefore of Naaman shall cleave to thee and unto thy seed for ever and he went out from his presence a Leper
the Psalmist cry out Lord what is man that thou art so mindful of him But what is this work of Creation to the work of Redemption by our Lord Jesus Christ when he took the Son of his love that is higher than the Heavens and had Glory with him before the World began when there was no Heaven no Earth to take his Son and to call him to this work to appear in the presence of God that we might be accepted by him Oh what infinite goodness is this Oh how should we get our Hearts affected with this He did not so with the Angels let us therefore labour to admire the riches and goodness of God the Father who hath called his Son to this Office and hath given him an Oath that he should be a Priest for ever Secondly As this Doctrin shews the great Love and Mercy of God so also The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ For if he that had a Glory with the Father before the World began would not have become Man would not have taken this Office we had all perished but that he who is higher than the Heavens should condescend so low as to take up the cause of poor sinners wretched sinners Do we know what we are Have we any sense of what we are by Nature Do we not find our selves Proud sinners Carnal sinners Unbelieving sinners vain and empty Creatures And for him that is above the Heavens to undertake for these poor Creatures Oh what infinite free Grace is this You know how it is among Men if you have a bad Man and he hath a bad Cause you will say there is not a man will undertake his Cause Our Lord Jesus Christ he hath to deal with bad Men and bad Women he undertakes for them to justifie them before God Oh the riches of the Grace of Christ in undertaking for such poor wretched sinners You may apply that in Rom. 5. 7 8. Scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Thirdly This Doctrin is A special ground of comfort for finding acceptance with God to every believing Soul to every one that comes to God by Christ by a true and unfeigned Faith You may come to God having such an High-priest If you mind the Scripture you will find the Scripture doth not only commend Faith in the Children of God but confidence which is the highest degree of Faith in Heb. 3. the Apostle speaking of Christ being set as a Son over his own House in v. 6. But Christ as a Son over his own House whose House we are if we hold fast the confidence and rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end If we hold fast confidence What is this confidence Why confidence is when we go about a business without fear doubtings distrust jealousies when we go freely and boldly about so saith the Apostle Let us go bodly to the Throne of Grace Why For we have such an High-priest that interceeds for us You know that a Man will bear and rely with confidence upon his Friend at Court and shall not we bear upon Christ when we draw nigh to God by Jesus Christ We may then draw nigh to God with a holy confidence not doubting For it is a dishonour to our Lord Jesus to want confidence in him labour therefore to strengthen your Faith by these things that ye may serve the Lord with a holy yet a humble confidence Lastly If such an High-priest became us who was holy harmless undefiled and separate from sinners Then surely such a People doth become this great High-priest which are holy harmless and such do mortifie their sin and do cast off the pollutions of the World As it becomes us to have such an High-priest so it becomes us to be holy as he is holy to be pure as he is pure I shall give you but one or two instances and so conclude in Philip. 4. 8. Finally Brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue and if there be any praise think on these things The Apostle gives this as a general rule if there be any thing that is good true and holy that to the Glory of God think on these things So in the Epistle to the Ephesians 4. 1. I beseech you therefore that you walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith ye are called that is that ye walk becomingly that you walk up to it I shall name but one Scripture more which the Apostle there writes for the instruction of Christian Women 1 Tim. 2. 9 10. In like manner also that Women adorn themselves in modest Apparel with shamefastness and sobriety not with Broidered Hair or Gold or Pearls or costly Aray but which becometh Women professing Godliness There is a Dress becoming Women professing Godliness and there is the Dress of a Harlot There is not a Woman in the Congregation but would be counted a Professor of Godliness Then look to your Attire wear those things that carry Sobriety Modesty and Shamefastness and such a Dress as becomes Godliness And since we have such an High-priest as becomes us who is holy harmless and undefiled how doth it become us to live to the glory of God and the honour of our Lord Jesus Christ FINIS A Catalogue of Books Printed for and are to be Sold by Edward Giles Bookseller in Norwich near the Market-Place SEveral Discourses concerning Actual Providence A word in Season Defensive Armour against four of Satans most fiery Darts Sermons upon the whole first and second Chapter of the Canticles Thirteen Sermons upon several useful Subjects All published by John Collins D. D. of Norwich The Way of the Spirit in bringing Souls to Christ The Glory of Christ set forth with the necessity of Faith in several Sermons both by Mâ— Thomas Allen late Pastor of a Church at Norwich Enoch's Walk with God and Christ a Christian's Gain by Mr. Timothy Armitage late Minister at Norwich A Discourse of the preciousness of Christ and of the preciousness of Faith Precious Promises the Portion of Overcomers Sermons on five several useful Subjects all by Mr. John Longher Minister in Norfolk The Saints Ebenezer by Mr. Francis English late Minister in Norwich Directions to spell English right The History of the Protestant Reformation as it was begun by Luther The Dead Saint speaking being a Sermon preached upon the Death of Mr. Newcomb of Dedham in Essex The English Presbyterian The Miracles of Christ The ordinary matter of Prayer drawn into Questions and Answers Two Treatises the first Rejoycing in the Lord Jesus in all Cases and Conditions The second Of a Christian's Hope in Heaven and Freedom from Condemnation by Christ both by Mr. Robert Asty late Minister of Jesus Christ in Norwich Obedience to Magistrates recommended in a Sermon preached September the 9th 1683. being the Thansgiving Day for his Majesties Deliverance by Jonathan Clapham Rector of Wramplingham in Norfolk A Present for Youth and an Example for the Aged Two Discourses one of Spiritual Blessings the other That God hath an high account of the least Grace in the Saints by Mr. John Cromwell late Pastor of a Church of Christ in Norwich Infant Baptism of Christ's Appointment by Mr. Samuel Petto Minister of the Gospel in Sudbury in Suffolk Of the Conversion of Sinners to God in Christ the necessity nature means and signs of it with a concluding Speech to the Unconverted by Martin Finch a Servant of Christ in the Work of the Gospel in the City of Norwich Sincerity or the upright Man's Walk to Heaven delivered in several Sermons in the Parish Church of St. Michael in Long-stratten in Norfolk by James Oldfield late Minister there Alexipharmacon Spirituale Being a Defensative against the Poison and Sting of Death Or The great expedient how to make the Bed of the Grave so easie that we may lye down in Peace and take our Rest By Samuel Snowden Minister of the Gospel at Newton in Norfolk Christ set forth in several Sermons upon the seventh Chapter of the Hebrews by Mr. Robert Ottee late Pastor to a Congregation in Beckles in Suffolk Sacramental Discourses on several Select Subjects to which is added a Discourse of the Life of Faith by Christopher Amiraell Minister of the Gospel in Norfolk