Genesis — Chapter 14

Bringing forth.] Seeing the Royal Prophet David, and S. Paul say Christ is a Priest for ever according to the Order of Melchisedech, we demand of Protestants, if Christ fulfilled not Melchisedechs figurative Sacrifice offered in bread and wine, by offering his owne bodie and bloud at his last supper in formes of bread & wine, and by instituting the same to be offered by his Priests til the end of the world, what other figurative sacrifice of Melchisedech they can find performed by Christ. Kemnifius complayneth that the Latin text hath Obtulit, for Protulit, Offered, for Brought forth. But al Latin Editions haue Proferens, bringing forth. The question therfore in controversie is, to what end and vse Melchisedech brought forth bread and wine? Caluin and Kemnifius say it was only to refresh or feed Abraham and his men, and not for sacrifice. But the Hebrew word Hotsi, brought forth, is a word pertayning to Sacrifice, as in the 6. chap. of Iudges and importeth that the bread and wine were first offered in Sacrifice. Againe, the words following For he was the Priest of God most High, can haue no other sense, but that he offered sacrifice and did the function of a Priest in the bread and wine which he brought. S. Clemens Alexandrinus li. 4. Strom. writeth thus: Melchisedech King of Salem, Priest of God most High, gave wine & bread sanctified nutriment in type of the Eucharist. S. Cyprian Epist. 63. ad Caecilium: Christ is Priest for ever according to the Order of Melchisedech, which Order is this comming from that Sacrifice, and thence descending, that Melchisedech was Priest of God most High, that he offered bread and wine, that he blessed Abraham. For who is more a Priest of God most High, then our Lord Iesus Christ, who offered Sacrifice to God the Father, and offered the same which Melchisedech had offered, bread and wine, to wit, his owne bodie and bloud. S. Augustin Epist. 95: Melchisedech bringing forth the Sacrament of our Lords table, knew how to figurate his eternal Priesthood. Idem li. 16. c. 22. ciuit: There first appeared that Sacrifice, which is now offered to God by Christians in the whole world.

Blessed him.] Caluin and some other Protestants, to auoid the connexion of Melchisedechs Priesthood and bringing forth of bread and wine, wil needs haue these words, He was a Priest, referred only to that which followeth, he blessed Abraham. But Melchisedech did not blesse Abram because he was a Priest, for Abram was also a Priest, but because he was a greater Priest then Abram; which S. Paul vrgeth saying: Without al contradiction that which is lesse, is blessed of the better, concluding therupon that Melchisedech was greater then Abraham.

Gave tithes.] This is an other prerogative of Melchisedech, that Abram payed tithes to him, which S. Paul likewise explicateth (Heb. 7.) and proveth thereby that Christs Priesthood is greater then the Leuitical. Moreover this paying of tithes by Abraham sheweth the antiquitie of this tradition, being practised in Abrahams time, that the spiritual Superiours received tithes of their inferiours.