The Figures or Types of Christ, Title page – Errata
THE FIGURES OR TYPES OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, By which CHRIST and the Heavenly things of the GOSPEL were preached and ſhadowed to the People of God of old; Explained and improved in ſundry SERMONS,
BY Mr. Samuel Mather, ſometime Paſtor of a Church in Dublin.
Printed in the Year M.DC.LXXXIII.
TO THE READER, ESPECIALLY Thoſe of that CHURCH, to which this AUTHOR was ſometime PASTOR.
EVery Church is by the Ordinance of Chriſt a Pillar of ſaving truth, holding it forth to be ſeen and read of all men; the Teachings and Ordinances adminiſtred in Churches being amongst the chief of the ways whereby the bleſſed God inſtructs and enlightens a dark world in the way of eternal Life. Theſe following Diſcourſes are part, and but part of thoſe many precious Truths and Teachings held forth by this Servant of Chriſt, in the courſe of about fifteen years Miniſtry, in that Candleſtick in which the Lord made him a ſhining Light. The Prophets do not live for ever, but their Words and Fruit ſhould, yea will live and remain after they are gone to their everlaſting Reſt. Not long after this Author had gone through this Subject God took him to Heaven, (when he wanted above ſix months of being ſix and forty years old) by an Impoſthume in his Liver; which; as ſome that were converſant with him judged, hung upon him when he ſtudied and preached theſe Sermons; which, perhaps, was the reaſon, that from the beginning to the finiſhing of them ſo long a ſpace ran out. Having no more time to review them, and make any additions unto the Notes that he prepared for Preaching, they are leſs perfect then otherwiſe they would; and it is not unlike, but that many things ſtudied by him beforehand, and delivered in preaching, eſpecially in the applicatory part (wherein he had an excellency) are loſt, becauſe not written down by himſelf. Had he lived to have reviewed and prepared theſe Diſcourſes for the Preſs, it is like he would have ſpoken to and cleared up ſome things more fully, and perhaps, on ſecond thoughts, have in ſome paſſages delivered himſelf ſomewhat otherwiſe. It is not expected that every one, much leſs critical and captious heads, will ſubſcribe to every thing which they may here meet with. In ſo diffuſe and vaſt, and withall ſo obſcure a Subject, and ſo untrodden a path, it is no wonder if every one will not tread in juſt the ſame ſteps with him; for there are ſome things wherein he departs from the Sentiments of ſome other learned and judicious perſons: His making ſome of the old legal Ordinances Types of the inſtituted Church and Ordinances under the New Teſtament, and our Ordinances the Antitypes of theirs, it may be ſome may not aſſent unto, following therein Ames Prol. in Pſ. 2. and Mr. Jeans, who (Exam. Exam. p. 241.) cites Chamier tom. 4. l. 9. c. 11. Sect. 13, 15. pag. 515. Tilenus Syntag. Part. ult. Diſp. 63. Sect. 12. Ames Bellarm. Enerv. tom. 3. l. 4. c. 7. to which he might have added thoſe words of his tom. 3. lib. 1. cap. 4. theſ. 13. and lib. 2. cap. 4. theſ. 4. But others there are who go with this our Author. See Beza on 1 Cor. 10.6. and on 1 Pet. 3.21. and Mr. Cotton Holineſs of Church Members chap. 2. ſect. 12, and 13. Not to mention any of the Schoolmen, or the elder Writers among Chriſtians, who are very frequent and very expreſs to this purpoſe. Nor can it be denied that there is a common Nature wherein their Inſtitutions and ours agree, the one being a ſhadow or darker adumbration, the other a more lightſome and lively image of the ſame things. And it is beyond all contradiction, that the Holy Ghoſt himſelf doth frequently inſtruct us in our Duty with reference to our Inſtitutions, from theirs under the old Teſtament with relation to their typical Ordinances. As for his calling our Inſtitutions the Antitypes to theirs, though there ſhould be a truth in that obſervation, Theologi Graeci Typum & Antitypum promiſcuè uſurpant pro iiſdem, pro re ſignificatâ nunquam. Jodoc. Laren. apud Twiſſ. Animadv. in Corv. Def. Armin. cont. Tilen. pag. 280. yet there is a ſtrict and proper acceptation of the word, wherein it may be ſaid, that our Inſtitutions are the Antitypes of theirs: vid. Jun. Animadv. in Bell. Contr. 3. lib. 1. cap. 9. not. 25. and in that ſenſe the Holy Ghoſt uſeth it, 1 Pet. 3.21. Nor needs any one ſtumble at our Authors uſing it in ſomewhat a different ſignification; for uſage is the Maſter and Rule of Language; Loquendum cum vulgo, ſentiendum cum doctis. But it is not for the ſake of ſuch paſſages that theſe Diſcourſes are publiſhed, but at the inſtant deſires of many, and for the ſake of that Goſpel-light which ſhines throughout the whole, and which is therein caſt upon ſo great a part of holy Scripture, which was written not for their uſe only who had the worldly Sanctuary, and were to obſerve thoſe carnal Ordinances: but for ours alſo, who live in theſe better times of the New Teſtament. And though every thing be not ſo clearly and convincingly made out, as ſome perhaps will deſire; yet that the work is ſingularly uſeful will be manifeſt of it ſelf: nor is any humane Writing without its defects; and thoſe which come out after the Authors death, and were not by their own hand finiſhed for the Preſs (which in the fate of this) muſt have allowances beyond others. Beſides that this is a Subject which none, or almoſt none, hath waded through before him. How he was indowed for it, and what he had attained in it, is not for ſo obſcure and incompetent a Pen as writes this, to ſay. If this work find incouraging acceptance, others of his labours may poſſibly be publiſhed hereafter. For beſides this and thoſe three other ſmall Tracts, viz. his Defenſe of the Proteſtant Religion againſt the impotent aſſaults of a Popiſh Prieſt, his Irenicum, or Eſſay for Union among the reforming Parties in theſe Nations, and his Two Sermons againſt the Ceremonies, on 2 King. 18.4. which are already printed, there are ſome other works of his not unfit to ſee the publick Light.
As to you who were ſometime his Charge, and uſed to ſit under his Miniſtry, this Providence ſhould be looked on by you, as that which adds greatly unto your account. If you be not judicious and eſtabliſhed Chriſtians, if you be not living thriving Souls, you will be moſt inexcuſable. God hath made you as a City on an hill, not only by the eminency of place where you ſojourn, but alſo by the luſtre of thoſe Stars in his right hand, whom he hath formerly ſet among you: Thoſe hoary heads, zealous and lively Dr. Winter, that mighty man in Prayer, grave and judicious Mr. Timothy Taylor, and thoſe of fewer days, in whom yet was the Inſpiration of the Almighty to give them underſtanding, holy, humble Mr. Murcot, and this Author, the clearneſs and weightineſs of whoſe Preaching ſome of you have a precious remembrance of, muſt all of them be accounted for unto God one day by you that ſat under their Miniſtry. Dr. Winter thought the Joy and Glory of Saints in Heaven receives ſome addition there, as their Works while they were on earth do bring forth fruit here below, grounding this his Judgment on Jer. 32.19. and the like Scriptures; ſee his Epiſtle before Mr. Murcots Sermons. And there are that think godly Miniſters ſhall at the day of Chriſt have the preſenting unto him thoſe that have been converted and ſavingly wrought upon by their Miniſtry. The Apoſtle Paul ſeems to have an expectation, that he ſhould preſent the Corinthians unto Chriſt as a chaſt Virgin eſpouſed unto the Lord by him, 2 Cor. 11.2. and he look'd on the Theſſalonians as his Joy and Crown of glorying before God, not only in this world, 1 Theſſ. 3.9. but alſo hereafter in the preſence of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt at his coming, 1 Theſſ. 2.19, 20. If the affectionate remembrance of your former Teachers, which ſtill lives in your hearts, and ought ſo to do, ſhall ſtir you up to make a fruitful improvement of ſuch monuments of their labours as are yet with you, whatever advantage ſhall accrue to them who are now above a thankleſs world and cloudy sky, certainly you will be gainers unſpeakably. Thoſe Exhortations of the Apoſtle do ſpeak unto you. Remember thoſe that have had the Rule over you, and have ſpoken to you the Word of God, whoſe Faith follow conſidering the end of their converſation; Jeſus Chriſt is the ſame yeſterday, to day and for ever: He will be the ſame to you that he hath been to them. You have not yet reſiſted unto blood; but how ſoon you may be called forth unto it, is with him in whoſe hand are all our times. The Churches of the Hebrews in Judaea had ſtood when the Apoſtle ſo wrote to them much what about the ſame time that you have been in the fellowſhip and order of the Goſpel. And as they then might and did ſee a day of National Calamity approaching, Heb. 10.25. ſo may you diſcern black & threatning Prognoſticks Wherefore forſake not the aſſembling of your ſelves together, as the manner of ſome is, but exhort & incourage one another to it, and that ſo much the more as you ſee the day approaching, lift up the Hands that hang down, let the feeble Knees be ſtrengthened, and make ſtreight paths for your feet, leſt that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed. Follow Peace with all men, and Holineſs, without which no man ſhall ſee the Lord; looking diligently, leſt any man fail of the Grace of God, leſt any root of bitterneſs ſpringing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled, &c. For ye are not come unto the Mount that might be touched, ye are not under the old dark legal Diſpenſation, which was full of terror; but you are come to Mount Sion, and to the City of the living God: you are under a far more glorious Goſpel Diſpenſation, and have in theſe Diſcourſes the Goſpel and ſpiritual Glory of that old Diſpenſation ſhining out upon you; the veil being taken off from it by the Miniſtry of this Servant of Chriſt for your ſakes. For what your Miniſters are, they are for you. Epaphras was a faithful Miniſter of Chriſt for the Church at Coloſs. This Author was inlightned by Chriſt for you. The influences that the Miniſters are the Subjects of, are for their people. If their Conſolation abound thrô Chriſt, it is that they may be able to comfort others with the Comforts wherewith they themſelves are comforted of God, 2 Cor. 1.4, 6. If they be enabled to walk exemplarily in Goſpel-ſimplicity, holineſs, juſtneſs and unblamableneſs through variety of ſingular and ſore tryals, it is for your ſakes, 1 Theſſ. 1.5. with chap. 2.2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10. their Light and Gifts are yours, and for you, 1 Cor. 3.22. Theſe Sermons in the preaching of them were in a peculiar manner for you: ſo are they now in this making of them yet more publick. So are thoſe that now labour among you in the Word and Doctrine your Servants for Chriſts ſake. The Bleſſing of Heaven go along with both this Book and their Labours. Amen. And let every one alſo that reads, ſay Amen.
ERRATA.
BEſides ſome literal and leſſer faults, miſpointing, omiſſion or redundancy or tranſpoſing of a ſmall word, uſing the Italick letter for the Roman, a great for a ſmall, or vice verſa, which the Reader, who obſerves, will not be ſtumbled by; and therefore it would be needleſs exactneſs to give a catalogue of: there are theſe which the Reader may do himſelf a kindneſs to correct. Two pages miſnumbred, page 327 is printed 307, and pag. 511 is printed 411. pag. 9. the two laſt lines inſtead of Objection, that, read Objection, viz. that; p. 32. blot out the laſt line, p. 39. l. 2. of mind, r. of his mind, p. 43. l. 19, 20. Hebr. 5.10. r. 12. p. 120. l. 18. Soul of r. Soul out of, p. 201. l. 15. unto r. under, p. 280. l. antep. Wheat Quemach r. Wheat, but Quemach, ibid. blot out but, ibid. l. ult. r. breadcorn, p. 308. blot out viz. in l. 10. and put it in l. 11. p. 384. Hamans r. Hemans, p. 421 l. penult. ye in r. ye do in, p. 422. l. 23. to the r. of the, p. 432. l. 5. aforeſaid r. aforehand, p. 433 l. 30. yenury r. penury, p. 434. l. 17 blot out in the foundation, p. 445. l. 10. inner, cap. 8. r. inner Court, cap. 8. p. 460. l. 13. perfect r. perfecting, p. 479. l. 26. thou ſhalt r. thou ſhalt not, p. 511. l. 26. ark in which r. ark on which, p. 532. l. 21, 22. bring Wheat r. bringing the Wheat, ibid. blot out ing the, p. 445. l. 7. God to get r. God, get, p. 447. l. 7. indeed that this was r. that this was indeed, p. 557. l. 22. ſaith it r. ſaith of it. p. 566. l. antep. on the day r. on the tenth day, l. penult. the great r. that great, p. 572. l. 7. have r. having, p. 625. the r. our. p. 639. l. 14. Saints are that r. Saints that are, ibid. l. 21. indeed r. indowed, p. 668. l. antep. blot out any.
Pag. 204. read lin. 17. before l. 15. p. 573. read the fifth and ſixth lines before the third and fourth.
The Date of the Sermons omitted in the former part of the Book may be thus ſupplyed, pag. 1. March 23. 1666. p. 27. June 27. 1667. p. 43. July 4. p. 56. July 11. p. 65. July 18 p. 79. July 25. p. 90. Aug. 8. p. 115. Aug. 32 and Septemb. 5. p, 123. Sept. 5.