The suruey of popery vvherein the reader may cleerely behold, not onely the originall and daily incrementes of papistrie, with an euident confutation of the same; but also a succinct and profitable enarration of the state of Gods Church from Adam vntill Christs ascension, contained in the first and second part thereof: and throughout the third part poperie is turned vp-side downe.

The answere.

I say first, that Melchisedech did not sacrifice bread & wine, but as the Hebrew text saith, brought forth bread & wine; that is, sufficient victuals for the refection of Abraham and his soul∣diers, after their returne from the slaughter of Chedor-laomer, and the other kings. For the whole course of y^e scripture telleth vs, that bread by Synecdoche signifieth, meate. So Moses saith, that the Egyptians might not eate bread with the Hebrewes,* 1.1 that is,* 1.2 meate. In Esay 7. women say; we will eate our owne bread▪* 1.3 that is, our owne meat. King Dauid promised Mephibo∣sheth, that he should eate bread alwaies at his own table: which had been a very small reward of a king, if by bread were not sig∣nified all kinde of meat.* 1.4 King Iehoiachim ate bread at the table of Euil-merodach the king of Babel: that is, al delicate fare. So it is called bread,* 1.5 that Iobs friendes ate in his house, when it is certaine that they had right sumptuous cheere. The like ex∣amples are in S. Mathew, & sundry other places of scripture. This I note against the papistes, who fondly vse to answere, that bread was a slender refection for all Abrahams companie.

I say secondly, that Christes priesthood is after the order of Melchisedech, not in any sacrifice of bread and wine, which Mel∣chisedech can neuer be prooued to haue offered; but in y^t as man he was without father wonderfully cōceiued; as God, without beginning & without ending, & without mother woonderfully begotten:* 1.6 for which cause the prophet demaundeth, who shall declare his generation? in these points Christes priesthood dif∣fereth not from Melchisedech,* 1.7 who as S. Paule saith, was without father, without mother, without kinred, without be∣ginning of his daies, without end of his life, likened to the son of God, and a priest for euer. Yet in the oblation of bread and wine,* 1.8 the priesthood of Melchisedech was not perfitly distingui∣shed from the priesthood of Aaron,* 1.9 as the scripture witnes∣seth. S. Paul therfore describeth the priesthood of Melchisedech without the mention of bread and wine, in such sort as it is perfitly distinguished from the priesthood of Aaron. So Euse∣bius Caesariensis comparing the priesthoode of Christ with the

priesthood of Melchisedech, doth not say that it consisteth in the sacrifice of bread and wine; but in the vnction, the diuine si∣militude, the eternitie, and want of succession. These are his expresse words:* 1.10 Tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech. Hic autē Melchisedech in diuinis voluminib. sa∣cerdos fuisse Dei summi refertur, sed qui non oleo communi per∣unctus sit, neque qui ex successione generis suscepit sacerdotium, sicut apud Hebraeos fieri mos erat: & ideo secundum ordinem ip∣sius sacerdos futurus dicitur Christus, qui non olei liquore, sed virtute coelestis spiritus consecretur. Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech. And this Melchisedech is cal∣led in the holy scriptures, the priest of God most high: but one which was not annointed with common oyle, neither yet recei∣ued his priesthood by the succession of kinred, as the manner was among the Hebrews; and therfore Christ is called a priest after his order, who is consecrate, not with the liquor of oyle, but with the vertue of the holy ghost. I say thirdly, that Mel∣chisedech [ 3] in his action towards Abraham, shewed himself both to be a priest and a king: a priest, in that he blessed Abraham: a king, in that he releeued Abraham and his souldiers with bread & wine, that is, with al competent corporall sustenance. I say fourthly, that if there had bin any force in the oblation of Mel∣chisedech [ 4] touching Christs priesthoode; S. Paul, who handled euery least thing exactly in that comparison, would neuer haue omitted his sacrifice in bread and wine: and yet he passed it o∣uer as a thing of no importance. I say fiftly, that Christ offe∣ring himselfe vpon the crosse for the sinnes of the world;* 1.11 was [ 5] not a priest after the order of Aaron, but properly and truely af∣ter the order of Melchisedech. I proue the former part: First, because perfection could not come by the priesthood of the Le∣uites, as the apostle beareth witnes. Againe,* 1.12 because our Lord Iesus was of the tribe of Iuda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing at al touching the priesthood. Thirdly,* 1.13 because the sa∣crifice of the crosse was the most perfit sacrifice of all other,* 1.14 as which did cōsummate them that are sanctified for euer. I proue the latter part; first, because it must be after some order, but not after the order of Aaron as is proued: ergo after the order of Melchisedech. Secondly because the apostle doth in expresse

terms cal Christ a priest, euen after the order of Melchisedech. These are his words;* 1.15 And being consummate, was made the cause of eternall life to all them that obey him, and is called of God an high priest, after the order of Melchisedech. Lo, Saint Paule ioyneth the order of Melchisedech, with the sacrifice of the crosse offered for mans redemption: as if he had said; Christ is therefore called a priest after the order of Melchisedech, be∣cause he hath offered a most perfect sacrifice on the crosse. And indeede, as all priests were types of Christ the eternall priest, in whom they were accomplished; so al sacrifices were figures of the sacrifice of the crosse, and exactly accomplished in the same; & consequently, wherein soeuer the sacrifice of Melchise∣dech did cōsist, it was accōplished in the sacrifice on the crosse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gen. 43. v. 32.
• * 1.2

  ••sa••. 4. v. 1.
• * 1.3

  ••. Reg. 9.7.
• * 1.4

  Ier 52.31. & deinceps.
• * 1.5

  Iob▪ 42.11.
• * 1.6

  ••s. 53. v. 8.
• * 1.7

  Heb. 7.3
• * 1.8

  Exod. 29. v. 23.
• * 1.9

  Num. 28. v. 2.9▪ 12.
• * 1.10

  Euseb. apud Ruff. hist. libr. 1. cap 1.
• * 1.11

  Obserue this wel.
• * 1.12

  Hebr. 7.11
• * 1.13

  Ibid. verse 14.
• * 1.14

  Hebr. 10.14.
• * 1.15

  Hebr. 5.9, 10.