power and wisdom made in their behalf; and many in the Savior's day made it the subject of their chief glory, that they were the "children of Abraham." He was the father of the faithful—the root of the true church-and the progenitor of Messiah. But great as Abraham was in many respects, he was yet inferior to Melchisedec. I do not say that he was inferior in piety, or even in personal dignity; but inferior in consideration that Melchisedec was "priest of the most high God." There was an official superiority. to Abraham. Hence he did not take of the spoils of war, or the usual portion of what he possessed, and offer it directly to God by his own hands. In the place of such an immediate consecration, he brought them to Melchisedec, the proper and authorized minister of religion, and by that act himself acknowledged the Divine appointment and superior official standing of the patriarchal priest. In return, Abraham received from his hands also the Divine blessing, the pronunciation of which always implies superiority of age, rank, or station, on the part of him by whom it is uttered. For "without controversy" says Paul, "the less is blessed of the bet

ter."

Now the apostle argues that this acknowledgment on the part of Abraham after he had received the promises of Melchisedec's superior dignity, implied also an acknowledgment of inferiority on the part of all the descendants of Abraham. There is a sense in which the actions of the patriarch on that occasion were the actions of all his posterity, and just as really implicated the Levitical priests as if they had been present and taken part in the entire transaction. Abraham in this instance was the seminal and covenant representative of his race. Such a representation is considered perfectly adequate, and its acts conclusive and binding so long as there is no subsequent change in the relative rank of the parties. In this case we are not authorized to believe there was any such change; and hence the act of Abraham stood as if it were the act of all his posterity, and Levi who received tithes, paid. tithes in Abraham to Melchisedec. "We may then conceive the apostle conveying the amount of his argument to his countrymen," says Dr. Gray, (to whom I here acknowledge my indebtedness for some valuable thoughts and arguments in this discussion,) "in words such as these: while from an overweening valuation of your priesthood, you are ready to reject the priesthood of Jesus, do you imagine that yours

is the only, or even the noblest priesthood that ever existed among men? Look back to the origin of your nation, and there you will find your father Abraham, after he had received the covenant which is the source and sum of all your national glory, paying tithes to Melchisedec, a priest of the most high God, and receiving his blessing. And as he was at that time your covenant head and representative, his acts are yours, and his inferiority your inferiority. And therefore to speak plainly, your whole nation, and among the rest the tribe of Levi who boast their priesthood, paid tithes in Abraham to Melchisedec his superior and theirs: and bowed farther to that superior man by receiving his blessing; for without all controversy the less is blessed of the better."1

Another consideration which the apostle adduces to show the inferiority of the Aaronic priesthood, is the fact which he had already shown from the Hebrew Scriptures, that it was contemplated when God gave commandment concerning its institution, that it should be superceded by another order. "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 rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?" He had conclusively shown by reference to the 110th Psalm, that it was predicted by God's own prophet that there would be another priest, one independent of the laws which regulated the house of Aaron, and who should be a continual priest after the order of Melchisedec. This was a point then too plain to admit of denial. Now since such was the accredited fact, the inference was inevitable that the existing priesthood must have been imperfect, and intended merely to be temporary. There was no alternative from this conclusion. There must have been deficiency somewhere, of some sort, else there could have been no justification for its change and abolition by the appointment of another. What this particular defect and inferiority were, will be more satisfactorily shown hereafter. But in the mean time we have the fact itself incontrovertibly established, that the Levitical order was imperfect, and that the introduction of another after the order of Melchisedec, was a plain proof that the patriarchal was the superior.

We find then these two propositions very clearly brought out and established in the text. 1st. That the priesthood of Melchise'See Gray's Priesthoods, page 106.

dec was of a different order altogether from the Levitical priesthood; and 2nd. That it was moreover far superior to the Levitical order. Taking these two propositions in connection with the fact which had already been made appear, viz: that Christ's priesthood was to be of the same order as the priesthood of Melchisedec, we have two very important conclusions. The first is that Christ is entitled to the priestly office, although he was not of the tribe of Levi. It is to this the apostle alludes when he says, "For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also in 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." This was no doubt in the Jewish mind a very serious objection to the right of Christ to exercise sacerdotal functions. But his priesthood being of a different order, it cannot come under the laws peculiar to that order; and hence the objection falls.

The second conclusion from these propositions is, that Christ's priesthood is altogether superior to the Levitical priesthood. The argument on this point runs thus: Melchisedec's priesthood is superior to that of the Levites; Christ's priesthood is of the same order as that of Melchisedec; therefore, Christ's priesthood is superior to that of the Levites. And what an overwhelming argument was this for the Jews. With what tremendous force did it press upon them and yet presses upon them the claims of the Gospel of Jesus. He, the despised Nazarene, a priest superior in rank to those whom they venerated and loved so much? Aye, now let their prejudices rave, let their deep-seated hatred to the victim of Calvary stir itself with volcanic fury, let their ingenuity exert itself to the utmost, let the strongest bursts of their over-wrought patriotism rise in opposition, the apostle here embattles the cause of christianity within an adamantine wall of argument thick and flaming high beyond all flight of hope. From this conclusion there is no appeal―no escape. And well may we shout to the sons of Israel, "Bow, bow! to the cross, and own the bloodless warrior of christianity your conqueror!

I have thus, my hearers, given you a brief but I trust sufficiently distinct outline of the superiority of Messiah's priesthood as argued from its Melchisedecean order. I will now present you with the

points of typical resemblance which the priesthood of Melchisedec bore to the priesthood of Jesus Christ. Here again I will draw freely from Dr. Gray.

1st. We have seen from the preceding discussion that Melchisedec was a royal, or kingly priest. So is our Savior. It is an essential feature of his mediatorial character to rule and reign. The dispensation of which he is the head and administrator is called a kingdom-the kingdom of heaven-the kingdom of God. He is in sundry places called the King of Zion-the Prince of Peacethe Ruler over many nations. He was literally of "the house and lineage of David," Jehovah has assigned him authority over all things, and the prophecies direct us to a period not far distant, when he shall have "upon his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords." His is "a royal priesthood."

2nd. We saw further that according to the name, Melchisedec was also a righteous King-priest. The same may be said of Jesus Christ. There is not a single action of his life which bears a suspicious aspect. There is not a shadow to cloud his spotless character. Our high priest is "holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners;" "Though in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin."

3d. We have also seen that Melchisedec was a king-priest in Salem, a city, the name of which signifies peace, and probably so called on account of the peaceful condition of its inhabitants. Christ Jesus is a princely priest in the church of God-the New Jerusalem, which is altogether a peaceful community. There is here peace of conscience, peace with God, and the prospect of everlasting peace in the kingdom of glory.

4th. We have seen too that Melchisedec was a priest whose genealogy was not reckoned like that of the Levites. His father's name, his mother's name, his birth, his death, are none of them entered on the genealogical records. So Jesus is not a priest according to Levitical genealogy, "for it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah, of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood." He did not receive priestly orders by regular official descent, but by a more direct and special appointment.

5th. Melchisedec was also a priest through a whole dispensation, and lived and ministered from the beginning to the end of the same, without having his priesthood to pass out of his own hands. So

our Lord is a priest who is made "not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life." He is "a priest forever." He continues his office through the entire dispensation which he represents; nor shall he ever be succeeded by another. He received the priesthood in the commencement of it, and he shall hold it intransmissibly in his own hands until the necessity of its exercise is entirely removed in the final redemption of his church. The apostle declares that "he ever liveth to make intercession for us."

6th. Finally, we saw that Melchisedec was greater than Abraham even after he had received the promises; and of consequence was greater than all Abraham's posterity, including also Levi among the rest. Christ also is greater than Abraham and all his race. Yea, as the Creator is superior to the creature, so is the Savior superior to all the members of the Hebrew family. It was He that said unto Moses from the fiery bush, "I am the God of thy Father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." He is greater than the Levitical priests, for it was from him that they held their appointment, from him all their services derived their virtue, and he was made after the order of one to whom they all paid tithes in Abraham.

Such, my hearers, are the excellencies of the priesthood of Jesus Christ. Oh that we would all properly appreciate them! For it is indeed the dignity of christianity, and the completeness of our redemption which we have thus set before us. The apostle does not thus employ himself, ply all his powers of argument and all his knowledge of Jewish and christian theology, and brave so much prejudice and opposition for the defense of some unimportant or speculative proposition. It is the honor of God and the salvation of men which are at stake. The priesthood of Jesus Christ is the very basis of our faith-the concentrated essence of our religion. Take this away with its implied doctrine of atonement, and "all the religion that ever God revealed to sinful men is swept clean away. All the sacrificial blood shed by the patriarchs is nothing; the Jewish priests with their torrents of sacrificial blood are nothing; the doctrine of salvation by the blood of Jesus, taught by himself, and by all his apostles is nothing; and this epistle certainly worse than nothing; because after a prodigious parade of zeal and argument, it proves just nothing at all. The river which watereth