Genesis 14

4. We hallow and sanctify God's name when we never make mention of his name but with the highest reverence; God's name is sacred, and it must not be spoken of but with veneration. The Scripture, when it speaks of God, gives him his titles of honor (Genesis 14:20): Blessed be the…

2. This shows sin is gotten to a great height, that because a man is low in the world, therefore he will Acheronta movere, go to the devil for a livelihood. Abraham would not have it said, that the king of Sodom had made him rich (Genesis 14:23). O let it never be said, that the…

As Christ, after he was tempted, the angels came and ministered to him (Matthew 4:11). As when Abraham had been warring, Melchizedek brought him bread and wine to revive his spirits (Genesis 14:18), so after the saints have been warring with Satan, God sends His Spirit to comfor…

In the latter way, as it respects men or sinners, it constantly denotes the bearing of the punishment of sin, and gives that sense to [in non-Latin alphabet], with respect to the guilt of sin as its cause. And hence ariseth the ambiguity of those words of Cain (Genesis 14:13), […

The meaning is: he esteemed it a strange Country to him, and accounted himself a stranger in it. Against which, it may be objected, that he was familiarly acquainted with Mamre, Aner, and Eshcol, three great and mighty men of that Country: then he and they were confederates toge…

2. This is the person spoken of; and the first thing in the description of him is his office, that he was a king. So he is reported in the first mention of him (Genesis 14:18): Melchisedec King of Salem. Now whereas this does not belong to that wherein he was principally to be a…

At first it was the portion that was taken out of the whole, and afterwards the whole itself was signified by it. Now although Abraham had reserved nothing to himself of what belonged to the King of Sodom and his companions, yet the army and king which he had newly slain and des…

Therefore these words here and there, do express the several different states under consideration. Here, is in the case of the Levitical Priesthood; and There respects the case of Melchisedec, as stated (Genesis 14). Secondly, the foundation of the comparison, that wherein both…

If we had nothing else to answer for, but an island of blessings, how poorly have we discharged this trust? 2. Take notice of their late deliverance, four kings made war upon them, by whom they were carried captive, and rescued by Abraham (Genesis 14:15, 16). Deliverances from w…

Objection 1. Genesis 14:18: When Abraham was coming from the slaughter of the kings, Melchizedek met him and brought forth bread and wine, and he was a priest of the most high God. Now this bread and wine (say they) he brought forth to offer as a sacrifice, because it is said he…

Cyrus and Darius are mentioned as their friends; Nebuchadnezzar and Sennacherib and others, as God's instruments in scourging them. Chedorlaomer and the other kings with him as they were the subjects of Abraham's valor and triumph (Genesis 14:9-10). He takes no notice of the nam…

First, so is Sacrament, Trinity, &c. and yet those terms may be lawfully used, because the thing meant thereby is found. Secondly, but seeing the covenant is between the Lord and his Church, as the two parties that are confederate, it is all one whether it be called the Lord's C…

VIII. It is gratuitously said — indeed, falsely presumed — by some in this matter that Abraham was first called a Hebrew by the Canaanites, as though they wished to denote his crossing over, which they had almost, as they say, seen with their own eyes, by that name. For he was f…

Why, I ask, would one call him a prince when one had just called him a king, since kohen never denotes a prince except one who is lesser and inferior to a king? Furthermore, it was the role of the priest, not the prince, to bless others in the name of God — which Melchizedek is…

The duties of instruction are, that by a familiar and most plain manner of teaching, they may grow in the knowledge of that truth which is according to godliness. [Genesis 18:19. When as I have known him, should I not reveal it for this cause, that he may command his children an…

When we use the name of God in an oath; according to the excellency of this duty, we must be diligently prepared by earnest and sufficient consideration of the person of the Lord, to whose judgment we must commit ourselves, of the cause, and matter whereabout we swear, with all…

5. Mortify therefore your members, that are on earth, fornication, uncleanness, etc. Beza, Piscator, and others think it probable that Christ uttered this prayer to his Father, in the Syriac tongue, because the Evangelist uses the word [illegible], to be lifted up from the earth…

The rainbow signifies the Covenant between God and man, and therefore is styled the token of the Covenant (Genesis 9:13), but withal it is a meteor that has a natural production, and the cause of it is made out by philosophy. Fire and brimstone from heaven burnt up the lewd sinn…

2. for those that are of affinity. Thus the kinsmen of Christ, are called his brethren: which the Helvidians not observing, thought they had been his natural brethren, by the virgin Mary: thus Abraham and Lot are called brethren (Genesis 13:8, 14), though Lot was but his brother…

It may be also that the Dumeans molested God's people, while their neighbors assailed them on all sides. Of Seir.] It was a mountain of Idumea, as it appears (Genesis 14:6). And under the name of this mountain, he comprehends the whole kingdom.

But he redeemed him often besides that; to wit, when he was in danger in Egypt and in Gerar (Genesis 12:17; 20:14). Also when he discomfited the kings (Genesis 14:16). Lastly, when God granted him issue even at the time when he was past power to beget any (Genesis 21:2).

Drew near.] By this, some understand, that the unbelievers took a narrow view of God's works. For we use to draw near when we would be more certainly informed of any new thing: others refer it to the King of Sodom, who met Abraham (Genesis 14:17), but these things, as I think, s…

But while He is the only Author of all blessing, yet that men might obtain a familiar view of his grace, he chose that at first the priests should bless in his name as mediators. Thus Melchizedek blessed Abraham, (Genesis 14:19,) and in Numbers 6:23-27, a perpetual law is laid d…

The first of these was made to Adam in the promise of the seed, which was the principle of faith and obedience to the Fathers before the Flood; and to this were subservient all the consequent particular revelations made to Seth, Enosh, Enoch, Lamech, and others before the Flood.…

In his own person he conversed but with few of them, to some whereof through their own sins he was an occasion of punishment; as to the Egyptians (Genesis 12:17), and to the Philistins (Genesis 20:4-7). Some he destroyed with the sword (Genesis 14:15), and was not in any thing s…

Secondly, this is a perfect platforme of prayer, and therefore must containe petition for temporall blessings, els it were not perfect: now we cannot comprehend our requests for temporall blessings under any other petition but this onely, and therefore Christ here propounds them…

So that as Abraham had a seal of the covenant in circumcision that was equivalent to baptism, so now he had a seal of it equivalent to the Lord's supper. Melchizedek's coming to meet him with such a seal of the covenant of grace, on the occasion of this victory of his over the k…

Though God has communicated these things to the children of men, yet he has reserved the dominion in his own hands: So (Haggai 2:8), The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of Hosts. He never disposed anything so into the creature's hands, but still he has reserv…

Indeed in so doing he should crosse himself in his own grand design, which is the glory of God, and the happiness of his own soul in enjoying of him; upon these very termes the servants of God have refused to be rich and great in the world, when either of these lay at stake; Mos…

1. Real, the Great River Euphrates, the strength and fullness of whose streams does yet rage so high, that there is no passage for the Kings of the East to come over; therefore this must be dried up as other waters were for their forefathers in days of old (Revelation 16:12). Do…

Families, Families. These kind of ingeminations do not always signify every family, but sometimes sundry and many families, sometimes universality, and sometimes multitude, as Hebrew grammarians say; as to show you some instances, (Genesis 14:10) the valley was full of slime pit…

Secondly, this is God's law (Exodus 22:2): If a thief be found breaking up a house, and be smitten that he die, no blood shall be shed for him. Abraham was a stranger in the land of Sodom, and yet he rescued his brother Lot, and recovered all his substance that he had lost, by f…

We have a remarkable instance in Abraham, of God's rewarding deeds of charity with sweet discoveries of himself, when he had been remarkably charitable to his brother Lot, and the people that he had redeemed out of captivity with him, by exposing his life to rescue them, and had…