and incredulity; that they should look and not see, hear and not understand;' yielding herein special occasion to that complaint, Who hath believed our report?'

Yet notwithstanding their (affected) blindness, there is no particular concerning the Messias, in the ancient Scripture, either more frequently (in way of mystical insinuation, or adumbration) glanced at, or more clearly (in direct and plain language) expressed, or which also by reasonable deductions thence may be inferred more strongly than this. St. Peter affirms that God had foreshowed it by the mouth of all his prophets' (not only of some, but of all his prophets :) the same our Lord himself did signify before his departure to his disciples out of Moses, the Prophets, and Psalms, showing them this particular, and opening their minds to understand the Scriptures concerning it; concluding his discourse to them thus, Ότι οὕτω γέγραπται, καὶ οὕτως ἔδει παθεῖν τὸν Χριστὸν, Thus it was written, and thus ought Christ (according to the prophetical presignifications and predictions) to suffer.'

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For the explaining and confirming of which truth, let us presume here to make a preparatory discourse or digression (not unseasonable perhaps, or improper to our purpose) concerning the nature of divine presignifications, which may serve to declare the pertinency of many citations produced out of the ancient Scripture in the New Testament, (the which, together with others connected to them, or bearing analogy to them, we also, being assured of their design by the authority of our Lord and his Apostles, may safely presume after them to apply to the same purposes.) We may then consider that the allwise God (who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, and to whom all things are present) having before eternal times, as St. Paul speaketh, determined in due time to send the Messias for accomplishing the greatest design that ever was to be managed in this world, (which should bring the highest glory to himself, and procure the greatest benefit to the principal of his creatures here,) did by his incomprehensible providence so order things, that all the special dispensations preceding it should have a fit tendency and advantageous reference thereto; so that when it came on the stage, it might appear that the main of the plot consisted therein, and that whatever before was

acted, had a principal respect thereto. As therefore from the beginning of things God did in a gradual method make real preparations toward it, by steps imparting discoveries of his mind about it, or in order to it, (somewhat to Adam himself, more to Abraham and the patriarchs, somewhat farther to Moses, much more yet to divers of the prophets among his chosen people, who not only foretold largely concerning it, but delivered several instructions conformable to it, and nearly conducing to the promoting thereof;) so he did also take especial care by many apposite resemblances, handsomely inserted into all his dispensations, to set it out, and to insinuate his meaning about it; that so at length it might show itself with more solemnity, and less surprise. The most eminent persons therefore, whom he raised up and employed in his affairs tending to that end, as they did resemble the Messias in being instruments of his particular grace and providence (being indeed inferior Christs and mediators, and partial saviours of his people, as they are sometimes called,) so they were ordered in several circumstances of their persons, in divers actions they did, in the principal accidents befalling them, to represent him; as also the rites and services instituted by them were adapted to the same purpose; they and all things about them being fitted by God's especial wise care, so as to be congruous emblems and shadows presignifying the Christ, and what appertained to him; his circumstances and accidents, his performances, his institutions. Thus was Adam, as St. Paul calls him, a type of Christ; Abel, Melchizedek, Isaac, Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, Zorobabel, are also intimated to have been such; the most signal things done by them, or befalling them, having been suited to answer somewhat that was remarkable concerning him; we may say of them all, as the Apostle to the Hebrews says of the Jewish priests; They served to the subindication and shadowing of heavenly things" (οἵτινες ὑποδείγματι καὶ σκιᾷ λατρεύουσι τῶν ἐπουρανίων.) In David particularly this relation is so plain, that because thereof often (as we before noted) in the prophets, (Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea,) the Messias is called by his name. It indeed well suited the dignity of this great person, and the importance of his business, that he should have such notable ushers, heralds, and har

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bingers' going before his face;' furnished with conspicuous badges and ensigns denoting their relation to him; it was proper that God should appear always to have had an express care and especial regard toward him. It consequently serves for our edification; for that we duly comparing things, and discerning this admirable correspondence, may be somewhat instructed thereby, and somewhat confirmed in our faith; may be excited to the admiration of God's wisdom and goodness, (so provident for our good;) may also be induced thereby the more highly to adore the Messias, and to esteem his design. All these things' (saith St. Paul, having compared divers things concerning Moses to things concerning Christ) happened as types, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the world are come.' It is also (for illustration, and also for proof of these things) to be observed that, because those eminent servants of God were representatives of Christ, many things are spoken of them as such; many things are ascribed to them, which only or chiefly were intended of him; their names are used as veils to cover divers things concerning him, which it seemed not to divine wisdom convenient or seasonable in a more open and clear manner to disclose promiscuously to all men, (why God should choose to express things of this nature in such a manner, we need not to determine; it may be perhaps for reasons best known to himself, and above our ken or cognisance; yet probable reasons may be assigned for it, yea some more than probable being hinted in Scripture; it may be for a decent and harmonious distinction of times, of dispensations, of persons; it may be from the depth of things to conciliate a reverence to them, and to raise the price of knowing them, by the difficulty of doing so; it may be to exercise and improve men's understanding, to inflame their desire, to excite their industry, to provoke their devotion, to render them humble; it may be to reward an honest and diligent study of God's word; it may be for occasion of freely conveying special gifts of interpretation; it may be to conceal some things from some persons unfit or unworthy to know them, especially from persons haughty and self-conceited; it may be to use the ignorance of some as a means to produce some great event, (If they had known, they would not have

crucified the Lord of glory;') it cannot be supposed necessary that all things should be plainly discovered to all persons; it is evident that some things are purposely couched in parabolical and mysterious expression; it is particularly the manner of prophetical instruction frequently to involve things, the full and clear knowlege of which is not congruous to every season and every capacity: but to return from out of this parenthesis to our case.) That under the names of persons representing Christ (or of things we may add adumbrating his things) many things are intimated concerning him and his dispensations, may be collected and confirmed from hence, that many things are attributed to persons (and to things also) which do not agree to them; many things were promised, which appear never accom. plished, except after a very improper and hyperbolical manner of expression, or according to an enormous wideness of interpretation; such as doth not well suit to the nature of true histories and serious promises. Thus, for instance, are many things foretold concerning the large extent and prosperous estate of the Jewish church, which history and experience testify never (according to strictness of literal acception, yea not in any tolerable degree near the height of what the words import) to have happened. Thus also, as the Apostle to the Hebrews well argueth, effects are attributed to the Jewish rites and sacrifices, which according to the nature of the thing cannot belong to them, otherwise than as shadows and substitutes of higher things. Thus also what is with solemn oath promised to Solomon (concerning the vast extent and endless duration of his empire in righteousness, peace, and prosperity; together with his mighty acts and victorious achievements) doth not appear directly in any competent measure to have been performed. Thus also David, as St. Peter observes and argues in the second of the Acts, speaketh many things of himself, which cannot be conceived properly and literally agreeable to him. Such things therefore are reasonably supposed to be intimations of somewhat appertaining to the future more perfect state of things under the Messias; to concern him (who was to be the end of the law) and his dispensation, which was to contain the accomplishment of all things predicted and presignified. This is that which St. Austin signifies when he

says, 'Which Christ' (saith he, 'and what concerns him’)—' all the promises of that nation, all their prophecies, priesthoods, sacrifices, their temple, and altogether all their sacraments did resound, or express.'*

Neither are these things only said according to suppositions assumed in the New Testament, but they agree (as to their general importance) to the sense of the ancient Jews, who did conceive such mysterious references often to lie couched under -the letter of their Scriptures. They supposed a midrash or .mystical sense of Scripture, which they very studiously (even to excess commonly) did search after. It was, as Lud. Capellus affirms † a confident and constant opinion of their doctors, that all things in Moses's law were typical, and capable of -mystical exposition. And Philo's writings (composed in or immediately after our Saviour's times) are a plain confirmation of what he saith; we have also several instances and intimations thereof in the New Testament. Neither probably would the Apostles in their discourses and disputations with the Jews have used this way of interpreting and citing passages of Scripture, if they in general had not admitted and approved it.

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Now these things being (cursorily) premised, we return into our way, and say that the Messias's being to suffer was in divers passages of the ancient Scripture prefigured. Supposing the thing itself should be, there is a peculiar reason why it should be so represented, thus expressed by Tertullian : The sacrament indeed,' saith he, ' of Christ's passion ought to have been figured in the (ancient) predications; forasmuch as that the more incredible it was, if it should have been preached nakedly, the more offensive it would have been; and the more magnificent it was, the more it was to be shaded, that the difficulty of understanding it might cause the seeking of God's grace.' Supposing also it should be, the passages about Abel, Isaac, -Josias, Jeremiah, (and the like,) may congruously be applied thereto; the elevation of the brazen serpent, and the killing of the paschal lamb, may appositely represent it; the Jewish

Aug. ad Volus. Ep. iii.
Tertull. in Judæos, cap. 10.

In Exerc. ad Zohar.