The Figures or Types of Christ, Typological category 3
THE GOSPEL OF THE PERPETUAL TYPES.
June 4, and 7: 1668.Heb. 10.1.
For the Law having a ſhadow of good things to come, and not the very Image of the things, &c.
SOme entrance and progreſs hath been made upon the Types. You have heard (Beloved) what a Type is. The nature of it hath been opened from Rom. 5.14.
We have diſtributed them into two Sorts, Perſonal and Real: which diſtribution will carry us through this whole Subject.
The Perſonal Types we have gone through as briefly as we could, inſtancing both in ſeveral individual Perſons both before the Law, and under the Law, and in typical Ranks and Orders of men, which were deſtined and ordained of God to repreſent and ſhadow forth him that was to come. The Real Types we have alſo begun to ſpeak unto, and we diſtributed them into two ſorts, Occaſional and Perpetual. Occaſional Types are ſuch as God gave them upon ſpecial Occaſions, the moſt of them before the ordinary and perpetual ones were ſettled. Such as the Pillar of Cloud and Fire, Manna, the Brazen Serpent, their paſſing through the Red Sea, and other ſuch like occaſional and extraordinary Diſpenſations, of which we ſpoke from 1 Cor. 10.11. All theſe things happened unto them in Types.
By the perpetual Types we intend ſuch as God by inſtitution ſettled and ſtated in that Church, to the end of that Age, of that whole Old Teſtament Diſpenſation, till the coming of Chriſt the Truth Subſtance and Scope of them.
Of theſe we are now to ſpeak, as the Lord ſhall enable us, it is the Scripture Phraſe, it calleth them perpetual Statutes or everlaſting Statutes.
The Phraſe is firſt uſed, as I remember, in reference to Circumciſion, which is called Berith Yolam, a perpetual Covenant. Gen. 17.7, 8.
Afterwards we have it again concerning the Paſſover, Exod. 12.14, 17. which is there called foreign Statutum ſaeculi, an everlaſting Statute.
See likewiſe Exod. 27.21. and 28.43. A Statute for ever. and 29.9. A perpetual Statute: ſo Levit. 3.17. and 24.9. An everlaſting Statute, Levit. 16 34. And indeed this Phraſe of Speech doth occur between twenty and thirty times in the Books of Moſes. It ſhall be a perpetual Statute, or an everlaſting Statute, or a Statute for ever throughout your Generations, that is, a ſtanding Type, and not meerly tranſient and occaſional.
Only there hath been ſome miſtake and miſunderſtanding of this Phraſe, which muſt be cleared before we leave it.
The unbelieving Jews have ſeemed to interpret and underſtand it, concerning an abſolute Eternity, which hath been one occaſion or pretence alledged by them, for their ſtumbling at Chriſt and at the Goſpel, becauſe he hath removed and taken away the Law of Ceremonies.
But beſides many other things that might be ſaid, to ſhew the weakneſs and folly of their pretence in this matter, I ſhall but note theſe two things.
1. That this word, for ever, is often uſed in Scripture for a limited duration. As for inſtance, it is uſed for duration till the year of Jubilee. Exod. 21.6. He ſhall be a ſervant for ever, that is, only till the year of Jubilee, in caſe he lived ſo long. For then he was to go free by vertue of that Law, Levit. 25.13, 28, 40, 41.
Sometimes it is uſed for a continuance during life. As 1 Sam. 1.22. that he may appear before the Lord, and there abide for ever. Explained verſ. 28. Therefore alſo I have lent him to the Lord as long as he liveth.
Sometimes it is uſed for duration, to the end of the Old Teſtament Diſpenſation For all the Land which thou ſeeſt, to thee will I give it, and to thy Seed for ever. Gen. 13.15. The Land given to thy Seed for ever: which cannot be Interpreted concerning an unlimited Eternity, unleſs they will ſay, that God hath broke his Promiſe: for they have been Ejected and caſt forth of that Land theſe ſixteen hundred years. 1 King. 8.13. I have ſurely built thee an houſe to dwell in, a ſettled place for thee to abide in for ever. Pſal. 132.14. This is my reſt for ever, here will I dwell, for I have deſired it. He doth not dwell, nor manifeſt his preſence there now: but God hath given them up to invincible perverſneſs and darkneſs, and prejudice in this particular.
2. There be manifeſt intimations in the Old Teſtament, that theſe Ceremonial Laws were not to continue always, but to ceaſe and be aboliſhed in the fulneſs of time. Jer. 3. They ſhall ſay no more the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. Jer. 31. Not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers, but this ſhall be the Covenant, I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, &c.
But ſo much for the explication of this Diſtinction of the Types, into Occaſional, and Perpetual. You ſee the true ſenſe and meaning of it, and what clear Scripture ground there is for it.
Theſe perpetual Types or everlaſting Statutes, are no other but that which we call the Law of Moſes, or the Ceremonial Law, whereof this Text ſpeaks, and lays down this Propoſition.
Doct. That the Law hath a ſhadow of future good things, but not the very Image of the things themſelves.
The ſame thing is aſſerted and held forth, though in other words, but to the ſame ſcope and ſenſe in other Scriptures. As Rom. 10.4. Chriſt is the end of the Law for Righteouſneſs, to every one that believeth. Joh. 1.17. The Law came by Moſes, that is, the Law as oppoſed to Grace and Truth: but Grace and Truth by Jeſus Chriſt. Truth here is not oppoſed to falſhood, for Moſes ſpake no lyes; but to Shadows and ſhadowy Promiſes: and ſo the truth of them, is the performance or accompliſhment of them, in oppoſition to the bare ſhadow and typical Promiſe of them. And this is called Grace, becauſe there is ſo much of that in the Goſpel, and ſo little of it (but on the contrary much of rigor and terror) in the Law of Moſes. So the ſenſe amounts to thus much: That Moſes delivered Law, that is, Shadows and Ceremonies, which were but legal, and dark and rigorous: but Chriſt brought in Grace and Truth, that is, the real and ſweet accompliſhment and performance, of all the good that Moſes had promiſed in that dark and low and legal way, which is conſonant to that we have here in the Text, that the Law hath the ſhadow, but not the very Image of the things themſelves.
Here be Four things to be cleared.
1. What is meant by the Law.
2. What by theſe future good things.
3. What by the Shadow which the Law hath, and the very Image of them which the Law wanted.
4. What are the particular ſeveral parts of this Law of Ceremonies, theſe perpetual or everlaſting Statutes.
Queſt. 1. What is here meant by the Law?
Anſ. A Law, is a rule of Acting given by a Superior, who hath Authority and Power of commanding, to his Inferior: this is the general nature of a Law.
God therefore being the ſupreme Lord and abſolute Sovereign over all his Creatures, is the Great Law-giver. James 4.12: There is one Lawgiver, who is able to ſave, and to deſtroy.
All thoſe to whom God commits Power over others, may be ſaid to give Laws to them: except ordinary Officers in the Church whom he hath intruſted no further, but only with the execution of his Laws, promulgated and recorded by himſelf, by his extraordinary Officers in the written Word.
But Magiſtrates may be ſaid to be Legiſlators as to Civil Laws: of whom Moſes was the firſt that delivered Laws in Writing to the People under him, which he received from the Mouth of God.
Now the Laws delivered by Moſes, are referred in the Scripture to three Heads. Moral, Ceremonial, and Judicial, which are expreſſed by three words, Thorah or Mitſvah, Chuquim, and Miſhpatim: which words are ſometimes uſed and put together in the Scripture, to ſignifie theſe three ſorts of Laws, Deut. 6.1. Mitſvah, Chuquim and Miſhpatim: the ſame words Deut. 26.17. ſee Ezra 7.10— Mal. 4.4. Thorah Aſher Tſivithi: the Law which I commanded.
The firſt ſort of Laws, viz. Moral, reſpects them as Men: the ſecond, as a Church: the third, as a Common-Wealth.
The firſt ſort, viz. the Moral Laws, are ſtill in force and binding unto all men in all Ages.
The third ſort, viz. Judicial Laws are of a mixt nature, ſome being Hedges as it were, and Fences to the Moral Law: and ſome to the Ceremonial, and ſo they participate of the nature of thoſe Laws to whoſe defence they ſerve.
The Judicials that ſerve to the defence of the Moral Law, have ſomething of moral equity and reaſon in them, and ſo are ſtill in force. As that he that ſheds mans blood, by man ſhall his blood be ſhed: this is a Fence which God hath ſet about the ſixth Commandment, and ſo remains in force in all Nations, to all times and Ages unto this day.
But others of theſe Judicials are ſet as Fences about the Ceremonial Law, and ſo muſt needs be fallen together with it.
Now the Law of which the Text ſpeaks, it is not the Moral, nor the Judicial as ſuch, but the Ceremonial Law of Moſes called Epheſ. 2.15. the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances and Col. 2.14. the Hand writing of Ordinances.
This Text cannot intend the Moral Law, for that had no ſhadow of Goſpel benefits: nor the Judicial Law, as ſuch, for part of it was an Appendix to the Moral Law, and the other part was only for the defence of the Ceremonies.
But the Ceremonial Law is here intended: for that was of a ſhadowy nature, it had a ſhadow of good things to come.
Queſt. 2. What are theſe future good things?
Anſ. It is the good things of the Goſpel, which may be ſaid to be future upon a double account.
1. Future, in reſpect of the Law, and Old Teſtament times.
2. Future, in reſpect of this life. So future good things, is eternal good things. Calvin in loc. ſee 1 Joh. 3.2. It doth not yet appear what we ſhall be. Though we have the foretaſtes and beginnings of them already, yet the perfection of them is future, reſerved in Heaven for us.
Queſt. 3. What is meant by the ſhadow of theſe future benefits? And what by the very image of the things themſelves?
Anſ. In a word, a Shadow here, is a dark and weak reſemblance and repreſentation of things. But the very Image of the things themſelves, is a clearer and better repreſentation of them.
The Apoſtle uſeth this Metaphor of a ſhadow, concerning the Moſaical Ceremonies. Col. 2.17. In oppoſition to Chriſt the body and ſubſtance thereof.
Here he oppoſeth foreign and foreign. Alluding (as it ſeemeth) to the rude draught and firſt delineation of a Picture by the Painter, and to the full perfection thereof, when drawn forth in all its Lineaments and Colours and whole Proportion. So the Shadow is the firſt rude Draught.
The Image is a more lively and exact repreſentation. So the dark Shadow is aſcribed to the Law. The more lively Image to the Goſpel. The things themſelves are in Heaven. So ſome Interpreters carry it, Vid. Mayer. Calvin in loc. And the Apoſtle hath ſome expreſſions looking that way in other Scriptures: as when he ſaith, that here we ſee but in a Glaſs darkly, that is, the Glaſs of Goſpel Adminiſtrations, wherein we ſee the lively Image and Picture (as it were) of Chriſt crucified, Gal. 3.1. 2. Cor. 3.18. ſee as in a Glaſs. He is there comparing the Law and the Goſpel, But in heaven we ſhall ſee face to face, ſee 1 Cor. 13.12.
Under the Law they had no more but the Shadow, but now under the Goſpel we have the very Image; we ſee things as in a Glaſs, but in Heaven we have the things themſelves.
And now to ſum up all that hath been ſaid in Explication, the Doctrine amounts to thus much: That the Ceremonial Law hath a ſhadow, or a dark and weak repreſentation of the good things of that eternal future happineſs, the more lively Image and Portraiture whereof, we have under and by the Goſpel.
Queſt. 4. What are the ſeveral parts of this Law of Shadows and Ceremonies, theſe perpetual Types or everlaſting Statutes?
Anſ. This is a large Field. I ſhall refer them at preſent to five ſeveral Heads, omiting Sub diviſions, leſt they be troubleſome to weak memories.
1. The initiating Seal, to wit, Circumciſion.
2. Their Sacrifices and Purifications of ſin and of uncleanneſs.
3. The Temple and Tabernacle, and other holy places.
4. The Prieſthood, with the whole legal Miniſtry.
5. The Feſtivals or Legal Times and Seaſons.
Theſe five general Heads will carry us through this whole Subject of the Types. For the whole Ceremonial Law, and all or moſt of the Statutes of it, will come in under ſome of theſe Heads.
1. The initiating Seal of thoſe times, which was Circumciſion, the firſt Inſtitution whereof we have in Gen. 17.10, 11. This is my Covenant which ye ſhall keep between me and you, and thy ſeed after thee: Every man child among you ſhall be circumciſed. And ye ſhall circumciſe the fleſh of your foreskin, and it ſhall be a token of the Covenant betwixt me and you. Which is contracted and epitomized into a few words by Stephen, Act. 7.8. And he gave him the Covenant of Circumciſion: and ſo Abraham begat Iſaac, and circumciſed him the eighth day: and Iſaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat the twelve Patriarchs. Wherein he briefly tells us the ſubſtance of this Shadow, and the meaning of this Type, namely, that it ſignified and ſhadowed forth the Covenant of Grace.
2. Their Sacrifices and Purifications for ſin, and for uncleanneſs: of which Pſal. 40.6. Sacrifice and offering thou didſt not deſire: burnt-offering and ſin-offering haſt thou not required▪ with Heb. 10.5, 10.
Many things will come in under this Head: for they had both Sacrifices of Expiation for moral ſins, and Ceremonies of Purification for legal uncleanneſs and impurity.
I put them both together, becauſe they did both aim at one Scope, namely the cleanſing and purging away of ſin.
They had burnt-offerings, meat-offerings, peace-offerings, ſin-offerings, treſpaſs offerings.
They had legal Uncleanneſſes of ſeveral ſorts: they had unclean Meats, unclean Perſons, unclean Houſes, unclean Garments, unclean Veſſels: the ſaddeſt of all their ceremonial Uncleanneſſes, was the Leproſy, for all which they had Purifications anſwerable.
The general ſcope of all which, was to ſhadow forth Jeſus Chriſt in his purifying cleanſing power and virtue, as cleanſing us from the guilt of ſin by his Blood ſhed and ſacrificed for us, and from the filth and power thereof by his Spirit dwelling and working in us. Therefore he is ſaid to offer up himſelf a Sacrifice for us. Epheſ. 5.2. and to waſh us, and cleanſe us. verſ. 26, 27.
3. The Temple and Tabernacle, and the Utenſils thereof, with all their holy places. For they had many and divers of them: the whole Land of Canaan was an holy Land. They had Cities of Refuge.
Jeruſalem was an holy City, Mount Sion was an holy Hill, the Temple was an holy Houſe.
And before they had a ſixed Temple, they had (which was equivalent in ſignification, as well as like unto it in outward form) the Tabernacle. Heb. 9.1, to verſ. 6.
All which ſignified and ſhadowed forth both Chriſt and the Church: Chriſt in his humane nature, the Church both as viſible, and as militant and myſtical, and likewiſe as triumphant in Heaven.
Therefore the Church of God is called his Houſe, 1 Tim. 3.15.
4. The Prieſthood, with all the reſt of the Temple Miniſtry, Heb. 8.2. They had, beſide the High-Prieſt, the other Prieſts and the Levites, ſome whereof were Porters, ſome Singers; And here the Temple Muſick comes to be conſidered: the High-Prieſt was an eminent Type of Chriſt, the true and great High-Prieſt of his Church.
And all this Temple Miniſtry was a ſhadow of the true Goſpel Miniſtry: which though they cannot be called Prieſts in the Popiſh ſenſe, yet they may be called Antitypical Prieſts. The further myſteries of all which legal Miniſtry, we ſhall open more particularly afterwards, the Lord enabling us.
5. A Fifth of theſe perpetual Types, was the Feſtivals or Holy Times appointed by the Law, whereof they had many: their weekly ſeventh day Sabbaoths: their New Moons: their yearly Feaſts: That of Tabernacles, Paſſover and Pentecoſt: their ſeventh year: their Jubilee of fifty years, containing the Revolution of ſeven times ſeven: all which were a ſhadow of good things to come. Col. 2.16, 17.
Ʋſe 1. This Text and Doctrine gives much light for the reſolution of that queſtion, whether the Law of Moſes was a Covenant of Works, or Grace.
The anſwer is, That the Law hath a ſhadow of the good things of the Goſpel, but not the very Image of the things themſelves. There was a mixture in that Diſpenſation, you may take the Anſwer more fully in three Propoſitions.
1. The thing it ſelf adumbrated and ſhadowed forth in this Law of Ceremonies, is the future good things of the Goſpel: ſo that it was indeed a Covenant of Grace that they were under.
2. The manner of repreſentation of them was legal, and in the way of a ſhadow, not of a full and lively Image: ſo that it was a kind of legal Goſpel they had in thoſe times.
Vid. on Heb. 4.2.3. The carnal Jews made it meer Law, by ſticking in the ſhell and ſhadow, and rejecting the Goſpel, or the thing it ſelf that was adumbrated and ſhadowed forth unto them.
Ʋſe 2. See the Juſtice of God in the rejection of the Jews. For might not Iſrael have underſtood? They did not want a competency of outward means, but they wanted hearts, Deut. 29.2, 3, 4.
Ʋſe 3. Encouragement in the ſearch we are now upon as to the Types: for it is the Goſpel, and the good things of the Goſpel that we look into, when we enquire and ſearch into the Types. The Law having a ſhadow of them: Vid. on Rom. 5.14. Serm. 1. Ʋſe: where there are three Rules for the better underſtanding of them. To which let me add this as an Appendix to the firſt, ſeek Light from God: Pſal. 119.18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law. You may ſee wondrous things indeed, Jeſus Chriſt and the Goſpel, and many precious myſteries in this part of the Law of God; this Law of Ceremonies, if God open your eyes; but otherwiſe all will be dark to you.
Ʋſe 4. Encouragement to believe and receive the Goſpel: for it hath been held forth to the Faith of Gods people all along, and they have reſted upon it and found peace.
We have it declared in the cleareſt way, and indeed every way, for we reap the Fruit of thoſe former Diſpenſations; therefore how ſhall we eſcape, if after ſo many ways of teaching, we do not receive Inſtruction: ſee Heb. 2.3, 4.