Mather - Houston-Packer Collection BS478 .M3 1705

The Gofpel ofthe perfonal Types. 63 Prot &c. Similitudes not underftood are Riddles and Clouds of Dark- nefs upon the Underftanding : But ifonce interpreted and understood; they are like bright Candles, they give a clear Light. Comparata etiam . fîf7a arguunt fidemque faciunt. It is not a true and found Rule, that áf the Schoolmen, Theologia fy.mbolica non eft Argumentativa. What Shall we fay, that all the Pa- rables of our Saviour did argue nothing ? When indeed they did not only argue, but demonitrate ; and that fo, as did convince and cut the Hearts fometimes of his greateft Enemies and Oppofers. Was not- Nathan's Parable argumentative, yea demonftrative and conviEting unto David ? Their Rule may be true concerning their own Allegori- cal Senfes, and Myftical Froth, which may be found in their Interpre- tations : But concerning Scripture -Types it is molt falfe. You have fedn the Nature ofa Type, what it is, and fomeShort hints of Reafons of the Lord's /'peaking this way; we (hall now enter into par - ticulars, and go through the Types, and open to you (as the Lord Ihall enable) fomethin of the Gofpel- Truths and Myfteries adum- brated and fhado wed forth by them; depending upon the Help and Afliftance of him, of whom we are to fpeak. Now the frrft and molt general Diftribution of them is into Types perfonal and Types real, holy Perfons and holy Things. The Terms of which Diftin&ion are fo plain, that it needs no further Explication ; therefore we Shall not make any tarrying here ; you know the diffe- fence between Perfóns and Things. 1erfonal Types are filch as Adam, Noah, David, and others. Real Types are the Temple, the Ark, the Manna, the Sacrifices, and fuch like, whereof hereafter. We fnall,begin with the perfmai. Types ; and they may be fubdivided into two forts. r. Individual Perfons. 2. Typical Ranks and Orders of Perfons, which we may call Religious Orders ; Inch as the Priefts, the Nazarites, &c. r. Typical individual Perfins. Concerning there there be fome pre- vious Rules, that may be offome life, and give fome general Light foie your better underftanding of them. r. They were all godly Men. No Wicked Man individually confi-' tiered, ever was, or could be a Typeof ChriPt.` How could Limbs of the Devil, Men in whom Satan dwelt, be Pictures as it were and Looking-glafï'es, in which to fee the Shadow of the molt high God; who is Holinefs it felf? A Man perfonally Wicked may be involved with others in a Religious Order, For the Order is holy, though the Mart

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