Those who do not understand it can see in it only a foolish sense.
Typical.—The figures of a sword, a shield.
Potentissime.
To change the type, because of our weakness.
Types.—The prophets prophesied by figures of a girdle, a beard and burnt hair, etc.
Two errors: 1, to take all literally; 2, to take all spiritually.
The veil which is upon these books for the Jews is there also for bad Christians, and for all who do not hate themselves.
But those who truly hate themselves are in a disposition to understand the Scriptures and to know Jesus Christ.
Types.—To show that the Old Testament is only figurative, and that by temporal possessions the prophets understood others, this is the proof: 1, that this were unworthy of God; 2, that their discourses express very clearly the promise of temporal possessions, and that they say nevertheless that their discourses are obscure, and that their sense will not be understood. Whence it appears that this secret sense is not that which they openly expressed, and that consequently they meant to speak of other sacrifices, of another deliverer, etc. They say that they will be understood only in the fulness of time. Jer. xxxiii.
The third proof is that their discourses are contradictory and destroy each other, so that if we think they did not mean by the words law and sacrifice aught else than those of Moses, there is a gross and obvious contradiction. Therefore they meant something else, occasionally contradicting themselves in the same chapter.