2. That there be a designed signification in them. That is, although the words are firstly and principally spoken of one thing, yet the Holy Ghost intended to signify and teach that whereunto they are applied. An intention of the application is included in them. Thus these words of the prophet, “Out of Egypt have I
36 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. III.
called my son,” did firstly and properly express God’s dealing with the people of Israel; but there was also an intention included in them of shadowing out his future dealing with his only Son, Christ Jesus: The discovery hereof is a matter of great skill and wisdom; and great sobriety is to be used in such applications and allusions.
3. That the first, original sense of the words be sacredly observed. Some will not allow the words of Scripture their first, natural sense, but pretend that their allegories are directly intended in them; which is to make their expositions poisonous and wicked.
I have added these things because I find many very ready to allegorize upon the Scripture without any due consideration of. the analogy of faith, or the proportion of things compared one to an- other, or any regard to the first, genuine sense of the words which they make use of. This is plainly to corrupt the word of God; and however they who make use of such perverted allusions of things may please the fancies of some persons, they render themselves contemptible to the judicious.
But in general these things are so. All things in the Old Testa- ment, both what was spoken and what’was done, have an especial intention towards the Lord Christ and the gospel; and therefore in several ways we may receive instruction from them. As their insti- tutions are our instructions more than theirs, we see more of the mind of God in them than they did; so their mercies are our encouragements, and their punishments our examples. And this proceedeth,—
1. From the way that God, in infinite wisdom, had allotted unto the opening and unfolding of the mystery of his love, and the dispensation of the covenant of grace. The way, we know, whereby God was pleased to manifest the counsels of his will in this matter was gradual. The principal degrees and steps of his procedure herein we have declared on the first verse of this epistle. The light of it still increased, from its dawning in the first promise, through all new revelations, prophecies, promises, institutions of worship, until the fulness of time came and all things were com- pleted in Christ; for God had from of old designed the perfection of all his works towards his church to be in him. In him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge were to be laid up, Col. ii. 3; and all things were to be gathered into a head in him, Eph. i. 10. In him God designed to give out the express image of his wisdom, love, and grace, yea, of all the glorious properties of his nature. For as he is in himself, or his divine person, “the image of the invisible God,” Col. i. 15, “the brightness of glory, and the express image of his person,” Heb, i. 3, so he was to represent him unto the church; for we have the “knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,” 2 Cor. iv. 6. In him,—that is his person, his office, his work,
VER. 7-11.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 37
his church,—God perfectly expressed the eternal idea of his mind concerning the whole effect of his love and grace. From hence he copied out, in various parcels, by prophecies, promises, institutions of worship, actions, miracles, judgments, some partial and obscure representations of what should afterwards be accomplished in the person and kingdom of Christ. Hence these things became types, that is, transcripts from the great idea in the mind of God about Christ and his church, to be at several seasons, in divers instances, accomplished among the people of old, to represent what was after- wards to be completed in him. This the apostle Peter declares fully, 1 Epist. i: 9-12, “ Receiving the end of your faith, the salva- tion of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified before- hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us, they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel.” The prophets were those who revealed the mind and will of God to the church of old; but the things which they declared, although they had a present use in the church, yet principally they respected the Lord Christ, and the things that afterwards were to come to pass. And herein were they instructed by that Spirit of Christ wherewith they were inspired, namely, that the things they declared, and so the whole work of their prophecy wherein they ministered, did principally belong to the times of the gospel. And therefore are they all for our instruc- tion.
2. This is part of that privilege which God had reserved for that church which was to be planted and erected immediately by his Son. Having reckoned up the faith of the saints under the old testament, what it effected, and what they obtained thereby, the apostle adds, that yet “God had provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect,” Heb. xi 40. Neither themselves nor any thing that befell them was perfect without us. It had not in them its full end nor its full use, being ordained in the counsel of God for our benefit. This privilege did God reserve for the church of the new testament, that as it should enjoy that perfect revelation of his will in Christ which the church of the old testament received not, so what was then re- vealed had not its perfect end and use until it was brought over to this also.