Three partes of Salomon his Song of Songs, expounded The first part printed before: but now re-printed and enlarged. The second and third partes neuer printed before. All which parts are here expounded and applied for the readers good. By Henoch Clapham.

Lect. XIX. Melchi-tsedek.

AFter the flood, I will produce Melchi-tsedek and Isaac: and first, of the First. Melchi-tsedek we we reade of in Gen. 14. where he is introduced vnawares, meeting Abraham from the spoile, causing bread and wine to be brought forth vnto him and his for his refection, blessing Abraham and receiuing Tenths of him. All which, the Author to the He∣brewes remembreth in chap. 1.1, 2, 3, &c. applying al to Christ, as the only Hee which was figured by the former: which is to be considered; first, in respect of his Generation••; secondly, of his Name•• and thirdly, of his Office.

For his Generation, he is saide to to be without Father, without Mother, without kindred, hauing neither beginning of his dayes, neither ••nd of life, wherein he is likened to the Sonne of God. Could these things agree properly to any Man? No man so q••alified can be produced. These things agree in proprietie only to the Sonne of God: for the which it is said, Hee was likened to him: whereas otherwise it might haue beene saide, He was one and the same with him, and so no shadow of him. And yet (howsoeuer not in proprietie. yet in a certaine true respect) all the said particu∣lars may be affirmed of him, quia eius generatio subabscurior fue∣rit & l••teris is non sit demandata, because (as an ancient Greeke vr∣g••th) his generation is subobscured and not committed to sa∣cred letters. Wherewith take that of an ancient Latine, In∣troducitur sicut Elias &c. he is sod••inly introduced as is Elias. For it is not at all to be belieued that Melchi-tsedek was without fa∣ther or without Mother (for Christ according to either nature had father and mother) but it is so saide of him, because he is so sodainly introduced in holy scripture. Wherto accordeth that of the Sirian Interpretor: Whose father nor mother is writ in the Genealogies: but still of the Hebrewes affirmed to be Shem, for sundry probable respects: howsoeuer in the story he commeth

in with a New name, for a mysticall purpose. But consider the things in Christ, and we shall find all in him substantially: without father, so was Christ in respect of his Manhood: without mother, so was Christ in respect of his Godhead: without kindred, in re∣spect of both Natures vnited in one person: for as the Father and Holy Ghost were not Hominified, so (to the checking our Fa∣milists) Mankinde is not Goddified. Hauing neither beginning of his dayes, nor end of his life, in respect of his eternall Godhead, he had no beginning: and in respect of both natures effecting one person Mediator, his life is without ending. On the crosse he laide downe his bodies life for a season, but tooke it vp againe by the Spirit of Sanctification: so that howsoeuer hee may be said then (regarding the Abstract) to be Aliue and Dead: yet re∣specting the Concrete (for the Person was not dissolued) he may be saide, euen in the Graue to be liuing. Thus the Creature sha∣dowed the Creator: and that which was saide of Melchi-tsedek (Kata••ti) respectiuely, is verified in Christ (haplôs) simply, pro∣perly, fully.

For the name, it is precisely opened vnto the Hebrues: first, when he is said to be Melchi-ts••d••k King of Righteousnes or Iu∣stice: secondly, when it said he was Melchi-salem, King of Peace. His Righteousnes appeareth to be such, as when Amraphel, Arioch, Kedor-laomer and Tidal the foure Kings, did make warre with fiue Kings of the plaine, about iustice and iniustice: then was this Melchi-tsedek vnchalenged, vncharged of wrong. His Peace appeareth, in that he had no warre with others, nor others with him, euen when all the Country round about him was to∣gither by the eares. And so for his time, he might well be termed a King of righteousnes, a King of peace. But for the perfection of these attributes, it could not be applied toSalems (or Ieru-salems) King: seing, only he could properly be termed king of Righteous∣nes and Peace, that should be the Fountaine and Originall of righteousnes and Peace. And that only can be found in Mes∣siah, for which he is termed of Isaiah cha. 9.6. Sar-shalôm the Prince of peace: and in chap. 53.11. to be that tsaddik Righte∣ous one that shall iustifie Many. For this Righteousnesse and Peace is not as a standing poole, a qualitie in himselfe for him∣selfe:

but as a fountaine springing vp in all the faith-full for their peace and iustification And for this cause, the Apostle termeth him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, our peace: and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, our Righteousnesse, Ephes. 1.14.1. Cor. 1.30. Because in no other person or thing, the Churches peace and iustification is to be found: not from an other (then Iesus) is Iustice, is peace to be deriued. So that Iustifi∣cation by Christ only, true peace of conscience in Christ only, it is no new doctrine, but preached long since in Melchi-tsedeks name: not to mention the first preaching of it in Paradise, Gen. 3.15. Further hereof in his office. For his office, it was double: first, in that he was a King: secondly, Preist. For his Kingship, it is made excellent from the place: he was King of Shalem. Shalem was afterwards called Iebus of the Iebusites inhabiting it: and after that, Ierushalem: fiue miles (assome take it) from Hebro••, where Abraham dwelt. Shalem being Peace, who should this city, of peace be? Not the wicked: for to them (saith my God) there is no peace, Isa. 57.35. then it must needs be the Godly, who of Ezekiel. (48.35.) are termed Iehouah-shammah, because the Lord dwelleth There: represented by Ierushalems peace, when Shelomoh (or Salomon the Peaceable) was King in it. This peace is begunne here, but perfected elsewhere, and that only when we shall haue attained our perfection laid vp in Christ.

Secondly, he was Cohén, a Priest: enlarged by mentioning him to whom he was Priest or sacrificer: namely, Leél Gneleón, To the most high God. By which addition he is distinguished from all false Priests. So that thus he was the onely open King for iustice, and the Highest Sacrificer to the true God in that age. If it be law∣full to diuine, who (of all men mentioned in the scripture, then liuing) this King and Priest may be, me thinks he should not be any other than that Son of Noah (not borne in, nor much know∣en to the new-world) in whose tents God was to dwell, till Iaphet (in his Gentiles) should be by the Gospel perswaded to returne and dwell therein.

But wherein doth he shew him a King and a Priest? Hee shewes himselfe a King, when as Hótsia lechem vajájin, he caused to be brought forth bread and wine for refreshing Abraham and his people: which very well of the Ancients was obserued to

shadow forth that Soules refection, which is offered to vs in the new Testament vnder sacramentall bread and wine. In which respect Chrisos. is bold to say, protulit sacramenta, he brought forth sacraments, in Psal. 109. secundùm Lat. that is such sacramen∣tall Signes, as only in right appertaine to Abraham and the faithful, who by fa••••h see and apprehend a mysterie vnder the letter, Christ vnder the shadow, eternall food vnder elements tempo∣rarie: this offered and giuen as freely to all suc••, are tyred with fighting against the Diuell, World and Flesh: as the former to Abrahams literall souldiers, returning wearied from the battle.

Touching his Priesthood, it is recorded of him, Vajèbarcèhû he blessed him: and the blessing was this: Blessed be Abram to God most high, the possessor of heauen and earth. Melchi-tsedek pronounceth this blessing, but Messiah could onely giue this blessing: for He only had all power in heauen and earth giuen him, for the good of his people. Glorious was the blessing pro∣nounced (in Numb. 6.24, &c.) by the chiefe legall Priests, but the Exhibitor of these blessings was onely Christ Iesus, figured by them and this. Old Isaac could say to E••au of Iaakob: I haue blessed him, and he shalbe blessed: but without all shadow it may be substantially pronounced of Iesus: my people I haue blessed, and (maugre all the Gates of Hell) they shalbe blessed. Further to speake of shadow in King and Priest, I referre to some other persons vnder the Lawe. Let this heere suffice for Melchi-tse∣dek.

Notes

• Theophilact. on Hebr. 7.
• Haymo ibid.
• Hebr. 7.2.
• Gen. 14
• See for Sa∣lem my De∣scription of New Ierus••••∣lem
• Chytraeus, al∣leadged by Master H. Br.
• Looke in my Bibliothecaes 14. ch. Elucid. whereto may be added Bed a hereon: Isidore de eccl. Offic. l. 1 cap. 18. with Cyprian, Ma∣carius, Ba••••, ••e∣rome, Theode∣ret, Damas••ene, Gis••••bert, &c.