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 aunswere.

I say first, that out of the text can no more be prouided, but [ 1] that he brought forth bread and wine, for the reliefe of Abraham & his souldiers. I say secondly, that so much is cōfessed by holy, [ 2] auncient, & very learned writers.* 1.1 For Iosephus writeth in this maner: hic Melchisedechus milites Abrahami hospitaliter ha∣buit▪ nihil eis ad victum deesse passus; simulque ipsum adhibitū mensae meritis laudibus extulit, & deo, cuius fauore victoria cō∣tigerat, debitos hymnos, vt sua pietate dignum erat, cecinit. A∣brahamus contrà de manubijs decimas ei dono dedit. This Mel∣chisedech entertained Abrahams souldiers, suffering them to want no competent foode; he also placed Abraham himselfe at his owne table, giuing him his condigne gratulation, & praysed God religiously, as became his piety, by whose fauour the vic∣tory was had. Abraham on the other side gaue him tythes of all that was gotten in the spoile. S. Austen is of the same mind,* 1.2 and hath these words: obuiauit Melchisedech sacerdos dei sum∣mi Abrahae reuertenti à caede regum, & protulit panes & vi∣num, & obtulit ei, & benedixit eum. Melchisedech the priest of God most high, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings, and brought forth bread and wine, and offered them to him, and blessed him. In these words of S. Austen, I note two things: the one, that the oblation of Melchisedech was not made to God, as the Papists affirme, but to Abraham himselfe in y^e way of refection. The other, that S. Austen nameth breads in the plurall number: as if he had sayd; Melchisedech brought good store of meat for Abraham and his souldiers.* 1.3 Tertullia∣nus hath these words: denique, sequentes patriarchae incircum∣cisi fuerunt, vt Melchisedech, qui ipsi Abrahae iam circumciso

reuertenti de praelio, panem & vinum obtulit incircumcisus. In fine, the partiarks that followed were vncircumcised, as Melchisedech, who being vncircumcised offered bread and wine to Abraham, that was now circumcised, when he retur∣ned from the battaile. Saint Ambrose teacheth the same doc∣trine, by the tradition of the Hebrews. These are his words: nec esse nouum,* 1.4 si Melchisedech victori Abraham obuiam pro∣cesserit, & in refectionem tam ipsius quam pugnatorum eius pa∣nem vinumque p••otulerit, & benedixerit ei. Neither ought it to seeme strange, if Melchisedech went to meete Abraham the conquerour, and brought forth bread and wine for the refecti∣on of him and his souldiers, and blessed him.* 1.5 Yea, your owne byshop Canus granteth all this. I say thirdly, that the fathers do indeede confesse Melchisedech to haue offered bread & wine; [ 3] neither do I denie the thing it selfe▪ in the sense of the fathers. But I denie, that either it can be proued out of the scriptures, or that the fathers admit your popish application thereof. And so haue I yeelded a sufficient answere,* 1.6 to all that is or can bee saide in this intricate matter, whereon you seeke to grounde your popish masse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ioseph. antiq. Iu•• lib. ••. cap. 10.
• * 1.2

  Aug. in q▪ ex v∣troque t••st. q. 109.
• * 1.3

  Tertull. aduersu•• Iudaeos prope initium.
• * 1.4

  Ambr. in 7. cap. ••d Hebr.
• * 1.5

  Canus de Ioel•• lib. 12. cap. 12. p. 415.
• * 1.6

  The Papists labor ••o establish their masse, in the ob∣lation of Melchi∣sedech.