neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually." And after some observations on the Levitical priesthood, not immediately connected with the object now in view, he adds, "If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchisedek, and not to be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law: for He of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. For it is evident, that our Lord sprang out of Judah, of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood; and it is yet far more evident, for that after the similitude of Melchisedek, there ariseth another Priest, who is made not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedek. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before, for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by the which we draw nigh unto God. And inasmuch as not without an oath He was made priest: (for those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not re pent. Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedek.) For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore." Now, words cannot describe more clearly and emphatically the eternal existence of intelligents subordinate to the Trinity, than the relation just inserted, which does, we think, form a most complete coincidence with the conclusions suggested by our unassisted reason; and thereby entirely supersedes the necessity of endeavouring to explain away the palpable meaning of St. Paul's description of that very extraordinary personage Melchisedek, whom, we in the first instance find Moses denominating a priest of the most high God -a title never given to any other worthy of the antediluvian era, and therefore must mean, that he was priest of the most high God, in a sense entirely different from, and paramount to that in which the title of priest was ever given to any other being on our earth, save our blessed Lord. And from the subsequent relation, we cannot but conclude Melchisedek a celestial being of an eternal order, who, descending to our earth, became incarnate in the human nature of the king of Salem.* For the * Should the conclusion stated, namely, that Melchisedek became incarnate in the human nature of the king of Salem, be held a doubtful point-yet we cannot give up the belief of his eternal origin, of his being a celestial priest sent down from heaven to earth; and that if he was not enveloped within our frail mortality, that he at least assumed its form, which in any recital is too express, we think, to admit of doubt. Melchisedek, we are informed, was with almost, if not every instance of angelic embassies, was always done by angels, though they, we know, are spirits. It was in human form that Abraham entertained three angels, whom the history calls three men. (Gen. xviii. 2.) The two angels who came to Lot (Gen. xix. 1) are also called men. When Jacob wrestled with an angel, the angel is called a man. The angel who measured the temple to Ezekiel is also called a man. (Ezek. ́xi. 4.) In Daniel ix. 21, the angel Gabriel is called the man Gabriel; and in x. 16, Daniel thus records: "And behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips ;" and again, 18th verse, "Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man; and he strengthened me." The angel who announced the resurrection of our blessed Lord unto the pious females, appeared like a young man, clothed in a long white garment." And when they had prepared spices and came to the sepulchre, and others with them, behold two men in shining garments." These instances are amply sufficient to prove the truth of the premised assertion; and as all angels are ministering spirits, the title of priests may be applicable to all of these high angelic ministers; and that it is conferred on many of these celestial ministers is an unquestionable truth. The legal priests were patterns of things in the heavens; and the songs of the redeemed ascribe praise unto the Lamb, who has made them kings and priests to God. Therefore should Melchisedek not have become incarnate in the human nature of the king of Salem, it does not in the least affect the justness of the conclusion respecting his high eternal and celestial origin. But as Melchisedek was an undoubted type of our eternal, blessed Lord, we cannot but adhere to the opinion just propounded, namely, that he was incarnate in the human nature of the king of Salem; more especially, as he appears to have reigned as king of Salem, which implies a residence in our world entirely different from the transient visits of angelic messengers, and is so described. Josephus styles him "the king of Solyma, called Melchisedek," (which is as much as to say, the Just King,) for in out father, without mother, without descent: now this must mean, that he was so in his heavenly, spiritual nature-must mean that he was without father, without mother, without descent, in the same light as when the great high heavenly Priest over God's own house above himself affirmed on earth, "Before Abraham was I am ;" though in his human nature he was born of woman, and descended down from Abraham. He must, therefore, by the foregoing declaration, mean that his heavenly nature was pre truth he was no less, but was held worthy, by reason of his justice, in all men's opinions, to sacrifice as the priest of the Most High God. "Solyma, in process of time," he adds, "was called Jerusalem." And the title of the Just King was a most appropriate one for him who was a type of the divine Messiah. But St. Paul's communication places this point, we think, very far beyond conjecture, by speaking of Melchisedek as a man in the same manner as he does of Abraham; (and in also the same manner in which our blessed Lord is so continually styled a man, and that by the assumption of our nature he unquestionably was.) "Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils ;"-thus speaking of Melchisedek as man, in a sense quite different to that in which it is applied to angels, on their assuming, during their transient visits to our earth, the appearance or similitude of man. We do therefore think the justness of our conclusion fully established, and shall therefore in the ensuing pages, when speaking of that wonderful personage Melchisedek, consider him as typifying our blessed Lord, by living on our earth, and acting on it in a twofold nature, heavenly and human. The remoteness, conciseness, and obscurity of the history, not supplying any information respecting his incarnation, we must remain ignorant on that point; and which is indeed utterly unimportant. Respecting that of Christ, the account is very explicit, and of the most paramount importance to us all. neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually." And after some observations on the Levitical priesthood, not immediately connected with the object now in view, he adds, "If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchisedek, and not to be called after the order of Aaron ? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law for He of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. For it is evident, that our Lord sprang out of Judah, of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood; and it is yet far more evident, for that after the similitude of Melchisedek, there ariseth another Priest, who is made not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedek. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before, for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by the which we draw nigh unto God. And inasmuch as not without an oath He was made priest (for those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not re |