Chapter VIII
How Adam and his state, according to the law of his first creation, was intended
by God as a type of one who was to be a second Adam, Jesus Christ, and
the founder of a supernatural condition. Some things premised of the
nature, and various division of a type. Wherein Adam was a type of Christ, as he was in his state of innocency a public person and the head of man
kind, and so derived to his posterity the imputation of his disobedience ; so
he was a type of Christ, as pre-ordained before the world was, and without
consideration of the fall, to be the root and head of the elect, and to convey to them the supernatural benefits of grace.
Who is the type of him that was to come. ROM. V. 14.
When I first considered this, and other scriptures in the New Testament which make the first Adam, and the whole story of him both before and after,
70 OF TEE CKEATUEES, AND TEE CONDITION [BOOK II.
[and] in, his sinning or falling, to be the type and lively shadow of Christ, the second Adam ; likewise observing that the apostle Paul stands admiring at the greatness of this mystery or mystical type, that Christ the second Adam should so wonderfully be shadowed forth therein, as, Eph. v. 32, he cries out, This is a great mystery, which he speaks applying and
fitting some passages about Adam and Eve unto Christ and his church ; it made me more to consider an interpretation of a passage in Heb. x. 7 out of Ps. xl. 7, which I before had not only not regarded, but wholly rejected, as being too like a postil gloss. The passage is, that
l when Christ came into the world to take our nature on him, he alleged the reason of it to be the
* the beginning of God s book, kv xepaXidi
fulfilling of a Scripture written in
B//3>./ou, so out of the original the words maybe, and are by many interpreters, translated, though our translation reads them only thus,
* In the volume of
thy book it is written of me. It is true, indeed, that in that 40th Psalm, whence they are quoted, the words in the Hebrew may signify no more than that in God s book (the manner of writing which was anciently in rolls of
parchment, folded up in a volume) Christ was everywhere written and
spoken of. Yet the word xgpaX/s, which out of the Septuagint s translation the apostle took, signifying, as all know, the beginning of a book ; and we
finding such an emphasis set by the apostle in the 5th chapter of the Ephesians, upon the history of Adam in the beginning of Genesis, as containing the mystery, yea, the great mystery about Christ, it did somewhat induce, though not so fully persuade, me to think, that the Hoi}
7 Ghost in those words
might have some glance at the story of Adam in the first of the first book
of Moses. And withal the rather because so, the words so understood do intimate a higher and further inducement to Christ to assume our nature, the scope of the speech, Heb. x., being to render the reason why he so
willingly took man s nature : not only because God liked not sacrifice and burnt offering, which came in but upon occasion of sin and after the fall, and could not take sins away, but further, that he was prophesied of, and his assuming a body prophetically foresignified, as in the 40th Psalm, so even by Adam s story before the fall, recorded in the very beginning of
Genesis, which many other scriptures do expressly apply it unto. As in his first formation, and the condition of his person, 1 Cor. xv. 45, &c., And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit ; so in his marriage with Eve, Eph. v. 82, This is a great mystery ; but I speak concerning Christ and the church. And then in his sovereignty over all, Ps. viii. 6,
* Thou rnadest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands ; thou hast put all things under his feet. And Heb. ii. 8,
* Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left
nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. So likewise in the communication of his sin he typified out the communication of Christ s obedience, as Rom. v.
I shall choose to begin with this last place of Bom. v., as laying the
general foundation for all the rest. The words there do (as you see) plainly affirm, that Adam was a type of Christ to come, ver. 14 ; and the occasion of uttering them was the comparing of Adam and Christ together (which the apostle in this chapter doth at large), as they were both of them public persons the one conveying sin, the other righteousness, to
all their posterity. And as the groundwork of that his comparing of them, he brings in this maxim, that Adam was a type of Christ to come ; that is, Christ being as surely to come after him as Adam was then come
CHAP. VIII.] OF THEIR STATE BY CREATION. 71
already. Therefore God appointed Adam, as to be a public person to convey to his posterity what he should do or be, so further also, to be a type of another Adam who was to come after him, namely, Jesus Christ ; and
said to be to come, not because that proved to be the event of it, that
Christ did do so, but because it was foreseen, aimed at, and appointed by God, even by the history of Adam. And hereupon it is the apostle sets
the one against the other as the type and antitype, exactly comparing them in what he had propounded to compare them in. And although in
that place it be but one particular wherein he doth compare them,
namely, in Adam s conveying sin, wherein he typified out Christ to come, who should convey righteousness ; yet this axiom he brings as the warrant
for it. For this collation is more general, and so extendeth to all parti culars else of Adam s story, as wherein he was also a type as well as in
this. For it is usual with the apostles (as it is with all other discoursers) in arguing, to bring general axioms for the proof of some one particular. Thus for the comfort of the saints in afflictions, Eom. viii. 25, 28, &c., he brings in a general axiom which reacheth to all things else, namely, that all things work together for their good, ver. 28 ; and another, ver.
* We are predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son, which conformation reacheth to all things both of grace and glory ; but he
29,
there allegeth it only in point of afflictions, and for a conformity to his
sufferings, which is but one particular. And so here, when he calls Adam
a type of him who was to come, he applies it indeed but to one particular in this place ; but it is a general maxim, extendible to many things more, wherein Christ was typified out by Adam, as by other scriptures doth appear.
. But before I explain any of those scriptures, I will first shew what is meant by type as here it is taken. A type of a thing to come is a prophetical resemblance, wherein some
thing more imperfect going before is intended by God to signify some other
thing more noble and perfect to follow after. In the proper signification of the word, it signifies a print, stamp, or impression, bearing the resem
blance of that which made it. As the letters wherewith men print are
called 7-jxoi (Typis mandetur, says the privilege), because they leave the print of themselves upon paper, and the letters printed bear the resemblance of
those stamps which made them, so that,
1. It notes out a resemblance between two things which sometimes in
Scripture are called allegories. So Gal. iv. 24, the story of Hagar and Sarah is made the allegory of the two covenants ; that is, a continued
similitude. So likewise they are called ^ragaCoXa/, Heb ix. 9 ; that is,
comparisons made of things like, such as Christ used, and &9ro3s/y/*.ara,
subostensiones, obscure, underhand resemblances, Heb. viii. 5, and shadows;
and, Heb. vii. 4, Melchisedec is said to be made like to Christ, as being his type.
2. Secondly, When the thing typified is to come, then it notes out a
prophetical resemblance intended by God ; and so it differs from a mere
likeness, or allusion, or pattern, or example. There are many stories in
the Scripture which fell out exceeding like to many passages about Christ ; as
the instance of Job in his sufferings, which in as many particulars resembles
Christ s sufferings as any other whatever in Holy Writ ; as in his being emptied of all, and from being one who
* thought it no robbery to be equal with the princes of the earth in riches and honours, becoming poor (even so poor that it grew into a proverb, and is current to this day), and stripped
naked of all, being abhorred of his acquaintance, mocked by those who had
72 OF THE CREATURES, AND THE CONDITION [BOOK II.
been his vassals, and forsaken of his friends (as Christ of his disciples), God himself hiding his face from him, and holding him for his enemy, Job xiii. 24:, as he did hide his face from Christ, when he hung naked on
* My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ? And yet for all this, that Job was herein a type of Christ to come, we have no warrant to affirm, though some have done it. So likewise may many other stories more hold the like resemblance ; but types they are not, unless they be prophetically intended by God so to signify. Thus, Heb.
the cross, and cried out,
* The Holy Ghost
ix. 8, the apostle, speaking of a type in the Old, says,
thereby signifying, &c. ; and therefore, Heb. viii. 5, he says they did
* examples, but as instituted by God ; for he allegeth God s words to Moses on the mount,
serve as
* See, says he, that you make all accord
ing to the pattern on the mount. Wherefore no more of the histories, or whatever institutions else in the Old Testament, than we find applied by the Holy Ghost, either in the prophets, by way of prophecy of what should be under the New Testament (they speaking of the worship, &c., of the New Testament under the language of the old types), or which else
in the New Testament itself are so applied by the Holy Ghost, may we
dare to make use of or call types. And the reason is, because for things historical to signify is ex instituto, they do it naturally ; therefore we must have a word of institution or warrant from God, that so intended them ; or otherwise we can found no matter of certainty upon them, neither will
they be sanctified in the opening of them ; to work upon the heart, as
being human significations only, and as unlawful as they are. Allusions, I grant, we may make of them, for illustration s sake ; as Amos vi. 6, the
Holy Ghost, laying forth their sin, expresseth it under the similitude of
Joseph s story, and of the chief butler of Pharaoh, They drink wine in
bowls, but are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph ; yet none will say
it was intended as a type of this carriage of theirs, but he aptly expresseth
it by that. And so Isa. i. 10, he calls the princes of Israel rulers of Sodom. In like manner things in nature we may make similitudes of, by reason of a fitness in them to resemble ; and so God intended them to
help us (whose understandings are tied to our senses here) in our appre hensions of spiritual things ; for which reason our Saviour Christ abounded
in such similitudes and parables. As in that sermon to Nicodemus, where he expressed the work of grace by a new birth, and the working of God s Spirit therein by the blowing of the wind, John iii. 8, which Nico demus not yet understanding, says Christ,
* If I have told you earthly
things, and you believe not, &c. ; that is, have endeavoured by similitudes drawn from earthly things, to make you understand heavenly. So that, as
they say, God hath made no kind of thing on the earth but it hath its like
in the sea, so there is scarce anything heavenly but he appointed something in nature to resemble it, which notwithstanding is no type (although it be a resemblance) of it, because not prophetically intended by God to fore-
signify them as to come ; which types do serve not only to help us to conceive aright of the things to come, but also are predictions that they will come to pass, and so may help our faith as well as our understanding ; so that a word from God to explain these was needful, but those other are
left to man s wit to fit and apply them.
3. Thirdly, In the description of a type I add, to signify, which
differenceth these types from bare and mere examples, which do only fore warn or call to an imitation, And therefore, though they be of things past, yet are they not in this sense of things to come ; although, because they
CHAP. VIII.] OF THEIR STATE BY CREATION. 73
are patterns, the word be used of them, as Phil. iii. 17, you have the word
rvvov put for an example, and so all God s dealings with the Israelites are
called rvffoi, examples or types, as the margin hath it. But how ? Not as
foresignifying, so much as forewarning, and therefore it follows they were
written for our admonition. But so, Adam could not be a type of Christ
for him to imitate or to be forewarned by, but to foresignify. Many things indeed in the story of the Old Testament were types foresignifying as well
as forewarning ; as their not entering into Canaan, and God s swearing in
his wrath, is made a type of not entering into heaven in Heb. iii. 11 and
chap. iv. 3, and so I deny not but that those passages they recorded might
typify out the hypocrisy of many professing the gospel (which seems also
to be the apostle s scope), yet principally they are to forewarn. And if so,
yet it follows not that all things then fell out as types foresignifying. For he says not simply ra avavra, but -Trai/ra ravra,
* all these things ; that is, those particulars mentioned in the former verses, so as none but such things as God hath in some word or other declared to be signs and types, are to be so judged, though otherwise never so like in view.
4. Fourthly, I put in that the things that are thus made types of things to come are things more imperfect, and the things typified by them more
glorious and perfect. Thus Col. ii. 17, the types of the law are called but
the shadows of good things to come ; and Christ signified by them the
body, that is, he is as the body of the sun, and they but as the shadow which the sun makes. So the dwelling of God in the temple was a type,
yet but as the presence of a man in his shadow ; but oppositely it is said, In Christ dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily, Col. ii. 9. So Heb.
ix. 24, those things that are typical are but figures of the things typified ; and no other were all those brave men who were made types of Christ.
5. Fifthly, I inserted that in a way of resemblance the things signified do answer fitly unto them that signify, as the impress does to the stamp that made it. Therefore, 1 Peter iii. 21, baptism is called dvr/Vun-ov, that
is, a like figure.
Now sometimes they resemble either,
1. In a likeness or similitude. So Adam was like Christ : Eph. v. 32, This is a great mystery ; but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
2. In a way of antithesis or opposition : so Rom. v. 18, Therefore, as
by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation ; even
BO by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justi fication of life. Adam conveyed sin, and Christ conveyed grace. Or, 3. In a way of eminency or transcendency. So Christ excels Adam : 1 Cor. xv. 45, 46, And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a
living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural ; and afterward that which is spiritual. Yet they some way answer and are correspondent as type and antitype, which is enough. Now having thus explained what a type is, I proceed to shew how Adam and his whole story was intended by God as a more imperfect type going before, to signify and set forth Christ as to come. Now I find some* who do indeed acknowledge a similitude between the first and second Adam, and
that Adam may in that respect be called a type of Christ ; but yet only naturalis typus, and so to signify him but as a natural thing or story may be brought to represent and illustrate another like unto it, by way of
parallel, but not ex institute, as so intended by God in a way of institution,
* Cameron in Myrothec. cap. 5, ad Ephes.
74 OF THE CREATURES, AND THE CONDITION [BOOK II.
as the types of the old law were, which did serve to the example and shadow of Christ, Heb. viii. 5, and were on purpose framed to that end. But so, says he, Adam was not intended by God, for that would insinuate
that God intended Christ should be incarnate, before the fall, and ordained Adam but as his forerunner. Now therefore the point which I intend to
manifest, and first to prove^n the general only, is, that Adam and his story are not only things which hold a likeness with things about Christ, and out
of which similitude may be drawn for illustration, but which were intended
by God to foresignify Christ to come and to assume an human nature. And this not only in respect unto the fall, but for other respects also. Wherefore Adam was ordained to be Christ s type, as to come, and that not
simply upon the fall, but before in his first creation and estate of innocency. And though it be true indeed that he had not come thus in the form of a
servant into this world, but upon a supposition of the fall, nor had his human nature been the seed of the woman, nor he born of the Virgin Mary
else ; which promise of Christ was therefore, in respect of such a way of
coming into the world, given after the fall only. And though in the execu
tion of things Christ first took frail flesh and came in the form of a servant, and God so decreed it as he had done the fall, yet in his primary intention,
his chief and primary decree, his eye and first aim was at his Son s having such a state and condition in his human nature as he hath now in heaven
glorified. This was first in God s intention, though last in execution. And
of this state and condition of Christ s human nature glorified as to come, was Adam before his fall the type, as in the sequel will appear.
Now for the proof of this, namely, that Adam and all his story before the
fall was a type of Christ in the sense before given ; not only by way of
illustration (as any other similitude or thing like may be brought to illus
trate another), but by way of ordination, as so intended by God to fore-
typify and shadow out Christ as to come.
First, Let us see what these words, Rom. v. 14 Who is the type of him that was to come will afford ; out of which this seems to be made
plain.
1. In that Adam is called not only a type, which (as formerly hath been
* of him
explained) imports more than a bare similitude, but also a type
* of him that was come ; this argues him to be a prophetical type, and that Christ was intended as the antitype fore-
that was to come, he says not
signified thereby ; and so Adam not to be only as a similitude that would
serve to illustrate Christ then when he is come. The like phrase we have used of the ceremonial types, whose institution (all grant) was more for to
typify Christ to come than to serve for a present use in worship, though so
* They were a shadow, or
they also did. Now of them it is said, Col. ii. 7,
type, of things to come ; so likewise Heb. x. 1 and Heb. viii. 5, where they are said Xarggug/v, to serve in worship to this end for a double use they then
had. 1. To make up a worship to God in those times. 2. As types to
foresignify things to come. Therefore Heb. ix. 9 they are called a
* figure for the present time (then when in use as parts of worship), to figure out
things to come ; and that was their primary use. Now the like say I of Adam and his story, and the world made for him in innocency, that
although it was a glorious instance and manifestation of many of God s
attributes, as of his holiness in making him after God s image, so of his
power, and justice, and wisdom, more than all God s other visible works,
all which God made for him ; and this it was, simply in itself considered,
although God should never have intended anything further thereby, but
CHAP. VIII. ] OF THEIR STATE BY CREATION. 75
have rested in it. Yet I say further, that besides this it was intended as much, yea more, to be a type and a figure of Christ and his world which was to come (as the phrase is, Heb. ii. 15), and of Christ here, Eom. v. 14, that
* he was to come, and in comparison thereof Adam was but as a shadow to the body of this sun.
Arid in the second place, for the confirmation of that latter part of this
assertion, or rather the appendix unto it, that Christ was appointed a root
to his elect before, or rather without respect had unto the fall, I argue out
of this place thus, and ask wherein it was that Adam was a type of Christ
to come ? Why (as it is plain by the context), in his conveying disobe
* In him all men sinned ; and so sin and death came upon all. He*shews how, in a way of antithesis or opposition
dience. So verses 12-14,
(yet bearing a likeness and resemblance), he typified out Christ in his obedience (so verses 17-19), which comes upon all his elect by the
: and they are made righteous by that one man s obedience, as sinners by that one man s disobedience. Now, if we examine the
like imputation
ground why all sinned in him, and why his disobedience made all sinners,
it was in that he was a public person, representing all mankind, as Christ
also was. And so the main ground of the apostle s comparing them lies
in this, that both of them, as public persons, were two roots and principles, and so Adam the type of him, who was also, says he, to come and be a common head and root, as Adam was. Now I ask when did Adam become a common person first ? What ! not until the moment of his sinning ?
Surely yes ; he was such before, even in the state of innocency ; for he had not in justice been a public person in sinning, if he had not first been such in standing ; he had not been such for evil if he had not first been such
for good. And so he was therefore a public person in sinning, because
formerly in innocency he had been so considered by God, so as, in God s
first decree to create him, he must needs have ordained him withal to be a common person ; and therefore at the instant before, or at the time when God made Adam, he says, Gen. i. 26,
* Let us make man it is in the Hebrew, Adam according to our image. In which words Adam, or man, in the singular number, is put for all mankind ; even as in that pro mise, Gal. iii. 16, it was observed by the apostle that he had said, not unto seeds/ as many apart of themselves, but to seed, as to one, a public person, for all the rest, which seed was Christ, as including all the elect in him. Now, so he says in that place of Genesis, not men, as speaking of them severally in their own persons, but man, or rather Adam, that one
first man as the root of all, in whom, as in a public person, all were created. And therefore, that so he might be understood in that speech, he adds in the next words following the plural number, saying,
* And let them subdue, &c., as speaking of all his posterity considered in him. Thus, therefore, God looks at him in his decree of creation. Now, from
this Rom. v., it is evident that when he became to be a public person then he began also to be a type ; for he was a type as he was a public person and a root of mankind ; that is the ground of it, and lies not in his sinning only ; for he had not been a type in sinning if he had not first been a
public person in respect of good and holy actions, to have conveyed the benefit of them, as well as of his sin to convey the evil of it ; and so before
this his fall he was a type of Christ to come, as a root to his elect, to
convey some benefit to them, namely, the glory in heaven ; and this, before the consideration of Adam s fall, as will afterwards appear out of another scripture.
76 OF THE CKEATURES, AND THE CONDITION [BOOK II.