culars; that Christ, like him, is called in Scripture both King and Priest; that his descent, or generation*, was also unknown, being from the Holy Ghost, and not after the manner of men; that the termination of Melchisedeck's priesthood not being mentioned, it might be supposed still to be continued in that of Christ; especially as in the intermediate time the 110th Psalm, universally allowed both by Jews and Christians to relate to the Messiah, points out the prolongation of the priesthood of Melchisedeck even to Christ; that as Melchisedeck was king of Salem†, which *No reference is here meant to the expression in Isaiah liii. 8, who shall declare his generation, because the translation of that passage seems to have been quite mistaken, and the Septuagint to have fallen into the same error, as will be shewn in its proper place. It is not clear what Salem was here meant. Some think Jerusalem, which was at first so called, and this is the opinion of Josephus, as well as of the early christian writers; but Jerusalem was not then built, for Mount Moriah was then pasturage for sheep, and covered with thickets. See Gen. xxii. 19, which was near 50 years after this time. Others think it was Salem, mentioned in John which means peace, so Christ also was styled the Prince of Peace, Isaiah ix. 6; that the name Melchisedeck means the just King, or the King of Righteousness, by which appellations Christ also is often described in Scripture, as in Matt. xxvii. 19, have thou nothing to do with that just man; Acts iii. 14; ye denied the holy one and the just; 1 John xi. 1, Jesus Christ the righteous, and in many other places; and lastly the Apostle argues, that Abraham must have reverenced Melchisedeck, ás a representation of Christ, when He, a great and powerful Prince*, the friend of God, and to whom the promise was made, acknowledged his superiority by paying him tithes, and receiving from him a solemn and paternal blessing. But however firmly Abraham might believe the promise of God, however he might 'John iii. 23; but this was in the north, quite out of Abraham's road. Possibly no place was meant, but Melchisedeck was called King of Salem, i. e. peace, alluding to his character and sacred office, and not to the city which he governed. Patrick seems to be mistaken here. *Gen. xxiii. 6. be be convinced that Melchisedeck was the type of the Redeemer to come, many long and tedious years passed on ; he and his wife grew old; the powers of nature began to fail, and still he had no child. He was 75 years of age, when, in consequence of God's command, he departed out of Haran. His wife Sarah also was only ten years younger, yet he believed the Lord, and it was imputed to him for righteousness Yet so long was the completion. of the promise delayed, that the Patriarch began to fear that he had misunderstood the Lord; so that in a subsequent vision, when the Lord had again promised him protection and reward, he asked him what reward he meant to give him, seeing, says he, I go childless, and the steward of my house, (or rather, as I believe it should *Rom. iv. 19. + Rom. iv. 22. In those early ages then, property seems not to have descended collaterally, (for Abraham had a Nephew, Lot, who was living at a distance) but rather according to occupancy; so that, where there were no children, the principal person of the househould would of course inherit all. This is a striking illustration of Blackstone's opinion. See his Commentaries, Book 11. Chap. 1. have have been translated*, He to whom my house will be left) is this Eliezer of Damascus, But God was pleased to repeat his promise, that he should still have a son, and that his posterity should be as numerous as the stars of heaven. This gracious promise was confirmed by a covenant strengthened by a miracle, and Abraham believed it. But every year encreased the improbability of its accomplishment, and Sarah his wife, whose faith seems to have been less firm, feeling the impossibility of its being fulfilled by natural means, thought it might be completed by her husband's having a child by her handmaid Hagar. But the promises of God ́ stand sure, and are not to be altered, or hastened by the vain suppositions of his creatures. Hagar had a son, and Abraham prayed that the promised blessing might be given through him; but God again declared, that Sarah herself should have a Is cui relinquetur domus mea.-Tremellius and Junius, who were the most literal of all the Translators from the Hebrew. son, son, and appointed the same time in the following year when that great event should take place. According to the word of God, therefore, within the next year the child of promise was born of Sarah; and he was named Isaac, that is, Laughter, in allusion to Abraham's laughing when it was foretold to him, that he should have a son by Sarah, notwithstanding their great age*. Perhaps also it might have a secondary meaning in reference to the happiness which his birth would be the means of bringing to the world, since through him all the nations of the earth were to be blessed. And now the venerable Patriarch was happy; the long-expected blessing was arrived; the child of his old age, the inheritor of his wealth, the heir of the promise, was born and lived. The God in whom he trusted had not deceived him, and he had the fullest confidence that the son, whose birth had been so miraculously foretold, would be the Father of a numer |