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lxxxiii. &c.

and serious promises: thus, for instance, many things are SERM. LXXVI. foretold concerning the large extent and prosperous state of the Jewish Church; which history and experience do Isa. xxv. 8. testify never (according to strictness of literal acceptation, yea not in any tolerable degree, near the height of what the words import) to have come to pass: thus also, as the Apostle to the Hebrews argueth, effects are attributed Heb. x. 4. to the Jewish rites and sacrifices, which according to the nature of things cannot belong to them, otherwise than as substitutes and shadows of things more high in substance and efficacy: thus also what is with solemn oath promised Psal. xlv. to Solomon (concerning the vast extent and endless dura-xxii. tion of his empire in righteousness, peace, and prosperity; together with his mighty acts, and successful achievements) doth not appear directly in any competent measure to have been accomplished: thus also David (as St. Peter in the 2d of the Acts observeth, and groundeth his argumentation Acts ii. 29. on it) speaketh divers things of himself, which cannot be conceived properly and literally agreeable to him: such things therefore (having some truth under them) 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) Rom. x. 4. and his dispensation, which was to be the accomplishment 37. of all things predicted and presignified: this is that which St. 1 Pet. i. 10 Austin signifieth, when he saith of Christ, that Him all the promises of the Jewish nation, all their prophecies, priesthoods, sacrifices, their temple, and all their sacraments whatever did resound, or express t.

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 the Scriptures: they did suppose every where a Midrash, or mystical sense; which

+ Quem Christum-omnia gentis illius promissa, omnes prophetiæ, sacerdotia, sacrificia, templum, et cuncta omnino sacramenta sonuerunt. Aug. ad Volus. Ep. 3.

Luke xxii.

&c.

ad Zohar.

SERM. they very studiously (even to an excess of curiosity and LXXVI. diligence) searched after: it was a constant and confident opinion of their doctors, that all things in Moses's law were Vid. Capell. typical, and capable of allegorical exposition; and Philo's in Exerc. writings (composed immediately after our Saviour's times). do shew that opinion then to have been passable. We have also several instances and intimations thereof in the New Testament; neither is it probable, that our Lord and the Apostles would, in their discourses and disputations with the Jews, have used this way of alleging and interpreting passages of Scripture, if they in general had not admitted and approved it.

tom. vi. p.

649, &c. 658, &c.

Vid. Chrys. Why God should choose to express matters of this nature in such a manner, we need not to determine; it might be perhaps for reasons only known to himself, above our ken or cognizance: yet divers probable reasons may be assigned for it, yea some more than probable, seeing they are expressed or hinted in Scripture. It might be for a decent and harmonious discrimination of times, of dispensations, of persons; it might be from the depth of things to conciliate reverence to them, and to raise the price of knowing Rev. ii. 7. them, by the difficulty of attaining thereto; it might be by exercise to improve the understandings of men, to inflame Matt. xiii. their desire, to excite their industry, to provoke their deDan. ix. 1. Votion, to render them modest and humble; it might be for John v. 39. occasion to reward an honest and diligent study of God's

xiii. 18.

xvii. 9.

9. xxiv. 15.

Luke xxiv.

1 Cor. xii.

10. xiv. 26.

Eph. i. 9,

10.

45. word, and to convey special gifts of interpretation; it might be to conceal some things from some persons unworthy or unfit to know them, especially from haughty and self-conceited persons; it might be to use the ignorance of some, 13. xi. 25. as a means to produce some great events; such as was the 1 Cor. ii. 8. misusing and persecuting our Lord: for such reasons it Acts iii. 17. might be, and there is no good reason against it; for it can

Matt. xiii.

vii. 6.

not be supposed necessary, that all things should be plainly discovered at all times, and to all persons; it is evident that some things are couched in parabolical and mysterious exGal. iv. 4. pressions; it is particularly the manner of prophetical instrucEph. i. 10. tion frequently to involve things, the full and clear know

1 Tim. ii. 6.

ledge of which is not congruous to every season, not suitable SERM. to every capacity; but reserved for times, and persons, for LXXVI, which the divine wisdom only knows them most proper.

These things being thus premised, we come to our par

'ticular
case, and say, that (according to what our Lord
and his Apostles teach) the Messiah's being to suffer was
in divers passages of the ancient Scriptures prefigured.
Supposing the thing itself determined to be, there are pe-
culiar reasons, why it rather so, than in a more open man-
ner, should be represented, contained in those words of
Tertullian : The sacrament indeed, saith he, of Christ's
passion ought to have been figured in the (ancient) predica-
tions; 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 overshadowed, that the difficulty of under-
standing it might be cause of seeking of God's grace". Sup-
posing it also that it should be, it is plain that the passages
about Abel, Isaac, Josias, Jeremiah, and the like, may
congruously be applied thereto; that the elevation of the
Brazen Serpent, and the slaying the Paschal Lamb may
appositely represent it; the Jewish priests, with all their
sacrifices, may also with reason be brought in, and accom-
modated thereto : these things indeed by themselves soli-
tarily are not apt peremptorily to evince, that it should
be; yet do they handsomely suit it, and adorn the suppo-
sition thereof; according to the notion premised about the
figurative relation between the matters of the old world
before the Messias, and the new one after him. But with
a clearer evidence and stronger force we may affirm, that
the Messiah's sufferings were implied in the afflictions as-
cribed to his representative king David, such as he in seve-
ral Psalms (in the 35th, 69th, 109th, 118th, and especially
in the 22d Psalm) describeth them; wherein divers passages,

4 Utique sacramentum passionis ipsius figurari in prædicationibus oportu erat, quantoque incredibile, tanto magis scandalum futurum, quantoque magnificum, tanto magis adumbrandum; ut difficultas intellectus gratiam Dei quæreret. Tert. in Jud. 10.

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SERM. expressing the extreme sadness and forlornness of his conLXXVI. dition, occur, which by the history of his life do not so

well, according to the literal signification of words, appear congruous to his person; which therefore there is a necessity, or at least much reason, that they should be applied to the Messias, whom that holy King did represent.

Which being admitted, comparing the passages we find there to that which befell Jesus, we may observe an admirable harmony; there being scarce any part of his affliction in his life, or at any circumstance thereof at his death, which is not in express and emphatical terms there set out. There we Ps. xxii. 6. have expressed his low and despicable estate; (I am a worm, and no man; the reproach of men, and despised of the people :)—the causeless hatred and enmity of the populacy and Psal. Ixix. of the great ones toward him; (They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty; they compassed me about with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause:)—the ingrateful requital for all the good Psal. xxxv. intended and performed by him; (They rewarded me evil cxviii. 22. for good, and hatred for my love;)—their rejecting him;

4. xxxv. 7. cix. 3.

12. cix. 5.

(The stone which the builder's refused is become the head

stone of the corner :)—their insidious and calumnious proPs. xxxv. 7, ceedings against him; (Without cause have they hid for me 11. cix. 2. their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for

my soul. And, False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. And, The mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me; they have spoken against me with a lying tongue :)—their Psal. xxxv. bitter insulting over him in his affliction; (But in mine ad

15. lxix.

26.

versity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together; yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me :) They persecute him, whom thou hast smitten, and they talk to the grief of those, whom thou hast wounded: xai ixi rò äñyos τῶν τραυμάτων με προσέθηκαν, and to the smart of my wounds they have added; (say the LXX.)-their scornful reviling, Psal. xxii. flouting, and mocking him; (All they that sce me laugh me to scorn; they shoot the lip, they shake the head, saying,

7, 8.

He trusted in the Lord that he would deliver him; let him SERM deliver him, seeing he delighteth in him. And I became a LXXVI. reproach unto them; when they looked upon me, they shaked Ps. cix. 25. their heads: They opened their mouth wide against me, and xxxv. 21, said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it. Επείρασάν με, ἐξεμυκτή ρισάν με μυκτηρισμόν, ἔβρυξαν ἐπ ̓ ἐμὲ τὸς

ὀδόντας αὐτῶν·

They

16.

16, 17.

21.

18.

tempted me, they extremely mocked me, they gnashed their teeth upon me :)—their cruel and contemptuous usage of him; (Dogs have compassed me; the assembly of the wicked Psal. xxii. have enclosed me; they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones; they look and stare upon me :)— their abusive dealing with him, when he in his distress called for some refreshment; They gave me gall for my Psal. Ixix. meat, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink :their disposal of his garments upon his suffering; (They Psal. xxii. part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture:)-his being deserted of his friends and followers, and thence destitute of all consolation; (I am become a Psal. Ixix. stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's 8, 20. children;-I am full of heaviness; and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none:)-the sense of God's withholding his favour and help; (My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why Psal. xxii. art thou so far from helping me?)—his charitable disposition and demeanour toward his enemies and persecutors ; (But as for me, when they were sick, (when they did trouble 'Ev raurès me, say the LXX.) my clothing was sackloth: I humbled myself with fasting, and my prayer returned into my own Psal. xxxv. bosom. I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.) Which passages, and the like, how patly and punctually they do square to respective passages in the gospels, I need not to shew; we do, I presume, all of us well enough remember that both most doleful and comfortable history, to be able ourselves to make the application.

But there farther are not only such oblique intimations, or significations of this matter, shrouded under the coverture of other persons and names; but very direct and im

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1. lxix. 17.

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13, 14.

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