A continuation of the exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the…

Answ. 1. Some of the Jews absurdly imagine that it was because his Parents were not only Obscure, but that he was Born of Fornication, and so he had no Right of Genealogy. But this is both a foolish and wicked Imagination. For it is not to be supposed God would have Advanced a Person known to be of such an Extract and Original, into the Honour of the Priesthood, and that of the most Excellent kind that ever was under the Old Testament. For being low and mean in the World it is neither Disadvantage nor Disparagement. The best of Men were so, and ⟨p. 115⟩all the chief Patriarchs were but Shepherds. But Bastardy is a Mark of Infamy in the World, and God would not raise such an one to Administer peculiarly unto him, and that as a Type of his own Son, who was to be Incarnate.

2. Some say that there is no singular thing herein, but that it is done according to the Custom of Scripture, which relates only the Genealogies of the Patriarchs, who were of that Linage from whence Christ did come. But when it makes mention of any others, though they be never so eminent, it reckoneth not up their Genealogy. Thus it dealeth with Jethro the Father-in-law of Moses, and with Job, so great and Holy a Person, concerning whom it says no more, but that there was a Man in the Land of Uz Named Job. And some things may be allowed herein. But the Instances are no way parallel. For Jethro, he was a stranger unto the Church, and there is a full Account concerning him, so far as it is either Necessary or Useful, that we should in point of story know any thing of him. And the story of Job, is a separate story wherein himself only and Family was concerned; and we have therein his Country, the Number and Names of his Children, with the Years of his Life, and time of his Death. But as we have none of these things in the Account of Melchizedek, so he is introduced as one in whom the Church of God was Publicly concerned. Wherefore,

2. Some say that there is no singular thing herein, but that it is done according to the Custom of Scripture, which relates only the Genealogies of the Patriarchs, who were of that Linage from whence Christ did come. But when it makes mention of any others, though they be never so eminent, it reckoneth not up their Genealogy. Thus it dealeth with Jethro the Father-in-law of Moses, and with Job, so great and Holy a Person, concerning whom it says no more, but that there was a Man in the Land of Uz Named Job. And some things may be allowed herein. But the Instances are no way parallel. For Jethro, he was a stranger unto the Church, and there is a full Account concerning him, so far as it is either Necessary or Useful, that we should in point of story know any thing of him. And the story of Job, is a separate story wherein himself only and Family was concerned; and we have therein his Countrey, the Number and Names of his Children, with the Years of his Life, and time of his Death. But as we have none of these things in the Account of Melchisedec, so he is introduced as one in whom the Church of God was Publickly concerned. Wherefore,