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Abram. Abram had heard, to wit, that his brother Lot was taken, he numbred of the seruants borne in his house, wel appointed, three hundred and eighteen: and pursued them vnto Dan. And diuiding his companie, he ranne vpon them in the night, and struck them, and pursued them vnto Hoba, which is on the left hand of Damascus. And he brought backe al the substance, and Lot his brother with his substance, the women also and the people. And the King of Sodom went forth to meet them, after he returned from the slaughter of Chodorlahomor, and of the Kings that were with him in the vale Sauee, which is the Kings vale. But ″ Melchesidech the King of Salem, ″ bringing forth bread and wine, for he was the Priest of God most High, ″ blessed him, and said: Blessed be Abram to God the Highest, which created heauen and earth: and blessed be God the Highest, by whose protection the enemyes are in thy hands. And ″ he gaue him the tyths of al. And the King of Sodom said to Abram: Giue me the soules, and the rest take to thee. Who answered him: I lift vp my hand to my Lord God most High, possessour of heauen and earth, that from the very woofe-thread vnto the shoe latchet, I wil not take of al that are thine: lest thou say, I haue enriched Abram: except such things, as the yong men haue eaten, and the shares of the men, that came with me, Aner, Eschol, and Mambre: these shal take their shares.

ANNOTATIONS. CHAP. XIIII.

18. Melchisedech.) S. Hierom being earnestly requested by Euagrius, to giue his iudgement touching Melchisedech, whom a nameles author had endeauoured to proue to be the Holie Ghost, plainly confuteth that errour: as also an other error of Origen and Didymus saying, he was an Angel. Likewise S. Epiphanius (''heresi 55. & 76) relateth and condemneth a third errour, of some that thought him to be the Sonne of God. These two Fathers, and S. Augustine (li. de heresibus her. 34.'') and diuers others whom S. Hierome alleadgeth, proue euidently, that he was a very man, a Priest and a King, yea the High Priest (at least of that countrie) Superiour to Abraham, and a figure of Christ. Besides these heresies, the same S. Hierome relateth two probable opinions. The Iewes Rabins generally hold that Melchisedech was Sem the sonne of Noe, from whom Abraham and al the Hebrewes descended. Which they seeme rather to affirme, as loath to confesse that anie man of an other Nation then their owne, should haue been greater and more excellent then Abraham in spiritual causes, then for anie reason they doe or can alleadge. Yet manie, especially latter writers, as Liranus, Tostatus, Cenebrardus, and others, doe embrace this opinion as most probable. Though S. Hierome seemeth only to haue added the Hebrewes opinion (as he saith) because he would intimate Rh