Mather - Houston-Packer Collection BS478 .M3 1705

The Gofpel of theperfonal Types. 81 was, in that fo many Patriarchs, fo many righteous Men, fo many Prophets, Priefts and Kings, yea Jefus Chrift himfelf were once in Abraham's Loyns. I confefs he is omitted bydivers that have handled this Stibjeû ; for what reafon I know not, unlefs it be from an aptnefs to reftrain all the Types to the Perfon of Chrift, wherein perhaps they found the Accom- modation not fo clear in refpea of Abraham ; in whom neverthelefs you will fee Tome clearnefs, I hope, by and by, even as to that ; tho' it is not always necefIàry in a Type, that it point directly at the Mel fish's Perfon ; but it is fufficient if there be an adumbration, or a fha- dowing forth of any Gofpel Truth or Myftery any way belonging to him. But there were many of them fhadowed forth in Abraham, and the Scripture owns him for a typical Perfon, as you will fee in the parti- culars. I [hall but inftance in five or fix things. 1. If we confider him together with Ifaac and Jacob, that proceeded from him, we may obferve that in thefe three Perfons, Abraham, Ifaac and facob, there is a weak and dark fhadow of a very great Myftery, even of thofe three glorious Perfons, God the Father, Son and Spirit, in the order oftheir Subfiftence and Influences to our Salvation. For Abraham was the Father and Original of both the other ; and in his Love to God he feared not his only Son Ifaac, but offered him up to Death for a Burnt- offering : So God, in his Love to Man, [pared not his only begotten Son, but delivered him up for us, Rom. S. 32,. Ifaac was facrificed in a Figure : So was the Son of God, the fecond vide my Expel of the Trinity, in our Nature Cain and facrificed on Gen. 22. for us. And yacob, you know, came both of Abraham and Ifaac, and he is renowned for the Spirit of Prayer, by wtich he hart` power with God and prevailed, Gen. 32. 28. He did not prevail by his own ffrength, but by the Power ofthe Holy Ghofl, who did appear in bim, and aeced him as a Spirit of Prayer and Supplication unto fuch invincible wreftlings with the Lord. From all which you fee, that there is force glimpfe and fhadow of theFather's Love, of the Son's Death and Sufferings, and of the'Spirit his breathings and workings in us. Here is fomething of a low and weak reprefentation of that glorious Myftery of the Trinity, and the in- fluences thereof to our eternal peace ; tho' it is but a low, weak and dark fhadow of it, as all Types are in comparifon of the Antitype. 2. If we confider Abraham with his two Wives Hagar and Sardb,and their Pofterities Ifhmael and Ifaac ; here the two Covenants of Works and Grace, legal and evangelical Profeflbrs are fhadoweth forth. For this we have the ,Apoftles Authority, and the Teftimony of the Holy M Ghofi

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