or Melchisedek, (the order of); an order of priesthood, according to the scriptures of the Old and New Testament.

The first mention of Melchisedech is in Genesis xiv. 16, 17, 18, where it is related, that, when Abraham had refused his brother Lot and all his goods out of the hands of the five kings, he was met, upon his return, by Melchisedech, king of Salem, who "brought forth bread and wine; and he was the priest of the Most High God." It is added, that he blessed A- MELCHISDECH

Melchisedech; who acknowledged his priesthood, by giving him tythes of all he had taken from the enemy.

The next mention of Melchisedech is by the Royal Psalmist, who, speaking prophetically of the Messiah, says, "Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech."

Lastly, St Paul applies the story of Melchisedech to our Saviour, citing the very words of the Psalmist. And, in another place, he gives this account of Melchisedech: "This Melchisedech, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; to whom Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation king of righteousness, and after that also king of Salem, which is, king of peace; without father, without mother, without descent; having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest continually."

From these passages it appears, that Melchisedech, whoever he was, was a type of Jesus Christ, and his priesthood an image of our Saviour's.

Innumerable difficulties have been started upon the subject of Melchisedech. The first relates to his country, or the place where he reigned. Most authors take Salem to be the same as Jerusalem; but St Jerome places it near Scythopolis, where they still pretended to show the ruins of Melchisedech's palace. He thinks it was at this place that Jacob arrived, after his passage over Jordan, when he returned from Mesopotamia.

The next difficulty relates to his person. It is generally agreed by learned men, that, when the apostle says he was without father and without mother, no more is meant than that he is introduced into the history of Abraham without acquainting us who he was or whence he came, when he lived or when he died. Nevertheless, some have taken St Paul's words literally, and contended, that he was not of human, but divine nature. Origen and Didymus took him to be an angel; and the author of the Questions on the Old and New Testament pretended he was the Holy Ghost, who appeared to Abraham in a human form.

About the beginning of the third century, arose the heresy of the Melchisedechians, who affirmed, that Melchisedech was not a man, but a heavenly power, superior to Jesus Christ: For Melchisedech, they said, was the intercessor and mediator of the angels; but Jesus Christ was so only for men, and his priesthood only a copy of that of Melchisedech. This heresy was revived in Egypt by one Hierax, who pretended that Melchisedech was the Holy Ghost.

The Arabic catena upon the ninth chapter of Genesis makes Melchisedech to be descended from Shem by his father, and from Japhet by his mother. Heraclius, or Heraclius, his father, was, they say, son or grandson of Phaleg, and son of Heber; and his mother, named Salathiel, was daughter of Gomer, son of Japheth. Cedrenus, and others, derive Melchisedech from an Egyptian stock. They say his father was called Sidon or Sida, and was the founder of the city of Sidon the capital of Phoenicia. Suidas says, he was of the curled race of Canaan; for which reason the scripture does not mention his genealogy.

The Jews and Samaritans believed Melchisedech to be the same with the patriarch Shem; which opinion has been followed by a great number of modern writers. M. Juicu has undertaken to prove, that he is the same as Cham or Ham. It would be endless to recount all the opinions upon this matter; we shall therefore only add, that Peter Cunzeus, and Peter du Moulin, have asserted, that Melchisedech, who appeared to Abraham, was the Son of God; and that the patriarch worshipped him, and acknowledged him for the Messiah.