Mather - Houston-Packer Collection BS478 .M3 1705

The Gofpel of theperfon,l Types. .59 the reafon is this, becaufe they were never inftituted and defigned by God for that end, to reprefent Chrift and the Gofpel ; they are only occafionally made ufe of. There is a wide difference between the occafional Vice of a thing in the way ofa fimilitude or comparifon, and the Defignment or Inftituts- on of it for that end and ufe. As if Chrift be compared to a Feaft of Bread and Wine, as in the Parable of the Marriage-Supper. This is a very true and fit comparifon : But for Bread and Wine to beedefigned and fet apart by the Command of God to reprefent Chrift and his Be- nefits, this is a thing of an higher Nature, and puts them into a Sacras mental Nature and relation to him. 2. The difference between a Type and a Parable. A Parable is no- thing elfe but a Sacred Similitude : We commonly take it as the Scri- pture doth, for fach a Similitude, wherein not only the Truth and Mindof God is the Scope and Matter of it ; but whereof Cod him/elf is the Author. As in the Four Evangelifts we Read of the Parables of Chrift. To call them Fables, as Grotius doth, hero Fabula indicat, &c. is a flight and an irreverent Expreflion. A Parable there is the fame wich a Similitude, only it bath God himfelf for its Author. But in a Type the Lord doth not only occafionally ajè fuch or fuch a Simile; but fets fuch a thingapart, fits a Stamp ofInJtitution upon it, and fo makes it an Ordinance to hold forth Chrift and his cienefits. 3. What is the difference between a Type and a Ceremony ? This is only that which is between the Genus and Species. For all the Ceremo- nies were Types ; but all Types were not Ceremonies : The Pillar of Cloud and Fire was a Type, but not a Ceremony. A Ceremony was force Law, or external obi-ovation prefcribed unto them, to teach and Ihadow forth force Gofpel- Myftery : So that a Type is more general, a Ceremony is one particular kind of Types. 4.. What is the difference between a Type and a Sacrament ? I anfwer, they differed in the number and multitude ef them, they had many Types ; we have but two Sacraments. But there was no diffe- rence in the Nature of them, urther than this, that our Sacraments are Signs ofChrift already come ; but their Types were Signs of Chrift that was to come : Our Sacraments are Signs Chrift >.'xhibiti ; their Types Chrifli exhibendi. 4.. As to the Words and Phrafes by which a Type is expo it d. Firft, we have this very word Type ufèd in the Scriptú:e, not only in its Native and proper Signification,. 7°1).20 25. He T34 ,,, 7, fx,,p. the print ofthe Nails : But it is r.f d alto in this borrowed a.i piritual Senfe whereofwe are treating, in the Text, Rom. 5, "14. and r cede ,` t o. 6. I 2 theft'

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