Part I. METAPHORS FROM THINGs SACRED TO GoD. But what means '"' a>-n9<•M of 'fRRU'l'H?] Anfwer, J. Either that \Vord mutt be expounded in the Concrete, that it lbould be the fame with a><n9", true, and oppofed to that which is typical and jhadowy of future Realities or Antitypes as, John i. 17. vi. 32. and xv. 1. Heb. viii. 2. and ix. 24. where the· Word is fo taken. So in Acts xxvi. 25. P"l'a7a a>-n~HM Words of'l'ruth, that i1, true JVords: So Epb. iv. •4· ""'"' Tn< ai<n~ux, Ho!inefs of '.I'ruth, lignifies true llolinefs. Or, · (2) The Word mutt be expounded in the Abjlrac?, to denote the Doftrine of faving Faith as it is taken, 2 'l'heff. ii. JO, 13. 1,'.I'im. ii. 4· and vi. 5· 2 '.I'im. ii. t8. Heb. x. 26. Jam. i. 18, &c.. in which Senfe, this Genitive, of'fruth, notes the efficient Caule, by which the Church IS made firm and tteadfatt, berng bUJ!t upon Chntt the true Rock; for the Caufe of its Firmnefs, is the heavenly Truth, or the Word of Truth. See 1 Cor.xv.58. Atlsxx. 32. Rom.i.z6. Col.i.23. 2'l'helf.ii.t3. Johnxvii. 17. z'l'hej[. v. 24. Some expound this, of the Jubjetlum circa quod, the Subjeft about w;brch the Church is employe'd, viz. to confcfs, publiOt and keep carefully, that heavenly Doftrine contained in the Scriptures of Truth, &c. Metaphors from facred Rites. THESE may be dirlinguilhed into two Cla./Jes. Firtt, Holy Rites afcribed to God as their immediate Agent or AEtor. Secondly, Holy Rites performed by Mm according to God's Command and Pre– fcription. To the firrl Clafs belong the l/ijions and Dreams which God fent to Men for more fecret Information, as to the Patriarch Jacob, Gen. xxviii. 12, 13, viz. thr Ladder fer upon the Earth, the '.I'op of which reached Hea7:en, &c. which l/ijion our Savior applies to himfelf, and ufes Metaphors taken from it, Jobn i. 5 t, &c. From the Divine Prophecies, Dreams and f/ijions a Met~pbor i, taken, Joel ii. 28. where the various Gifts, and the clear Light and Revelation of the Goi'pel to the evangelical Preachers is noted, as Atls ii. r6, 17. where Peter quotes this very Text of Joel, that *Bread fent from Heaven to refreOt the People in the Defart is largely applied by Chrift to himftlf, John vi. 31>32, 33, &c. Rev. ii. 17, &c. The other Kind of facred Rites we thus dittinguilb, ( '· ) Perfons. (2.) Actions. (3.) 'l'inzes. Of Perfons, one direfts, and is (as it were) the Head of the relt, who are in– ferior and miniftering er fcrving. The Dire{lor was the High Priejl, the eldett Son of the Potterity of Anron, having a conttant Prerogative in the eccleoattical Government, Excd. xxv:ii. r. &c. Hag. i. 1, 12. and ii. 3· Zech. iii. 1, 8. Whofe Name and Office is my/tically trans– ferred to Chrift in the Epittle to the Ilebrews ; hence he is fo often c.dled_ «fX"<"' High Priejl, Heb. ii. 17. iii. r. iv. t4, 15. v. 5, 10. vi. 20. vii. l6. viii. t ix. 11. andgreat Priejl, Heb. x. 2 r. (See Zech. vi. 12, 13.) the Reafim of the Comparifon may be read at large in the Epit\le. The Appellation of Priejls is attributed to Believers in Chrijl, T'fal. exxxii. 9, t6. J Pet. ii. 5, 9· Rev. i. 6. v. JO. and xx. 6. becaufe they facrifice fpi ritually to him. The Nfinijlry of the Gofpel is expreffed by the Name of the Levites, Ifa. lxvi. 2r. Jer. xxxiii. 18, 2 I, 22. Paul is faid Rom. xv. 16. "l•e'Y"' facra operari, vel facredotio fungi, to aft the Priett– hooJ, whence the Papitts infer that he faid MPjs, which is a riaiculuus and falfe Conclu– lion; for he adds immediately the Gofpel of God, fo that the Twn is metaphorical and lignifies the Preaching of the Gofpel, a1 Verfe 19, 20. Upon which Jl[vricus well fays, t If the Apojlle had notJpokeJo clearly of tbis metPphoria>/ Sac; ifice of Preaching, the Ad· verfaries would by all Means from tbwce bave endeavoured to anfirm theil' .Mafs, &c. Secondly, Sacred Aflions have either God, or M en immediately tor their Objeft. Of thejir.fl Kind are Sacrifices offered to God according to his W orJ. This VV'ord meta– phoncally denoLes the whole Obedience, Pailion and Death'of Chrijl, and fo his Satisfac- • Man1ttl, E:x,tJ. xvi . Numh. xi, &c. t Si nonfotis dart lomtui fuijfit Apojlo!uJ de metaph~rico fatrijicio prtedicatiDIIis, (116f1Jino ad·verfarii indtjuam Mijjiun cottjirmar~ conatifuijJillt, 3 A tion , . .,
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