Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BX9315 .O8 1721

of the PERSON Of CfIRÌST; 35 by theword of hispower. Yet doth he not fpeak of him abfolutely as he was God, but alto as he, who in himfelfpinged our fins, and ie fat down at the right handof the majefly on high, that is, in his wholeperfon. Here- in he is ávrttGyzoµx the"effulgency, the refplendency of divine glory. That wherein the divine glory alines forth, in an evident maniFeflation of it felf unto us. And as a farther explicationof the faine niyflery, it is ad- ded, that he is the charaíler or exprefs image of the perfon of the Father. Such an impreílion ofall the glorious properties ofGod is onhim, as that thereby they become legible unto all them that believe. So the fame apolille affirms again, that he is the image ofGod, 2 Cor. iv. 4, In what fenfe, and unto what end he declares, v.6. ¡Fe have the knowledge ofthe glory ofGod in theface of7efirs Chrifl. Still it is fuppofed that the gloryof God, as effentially in him is invifibleunto us, and incomprehenh- hie by us. Yet is there a knowledg of it neceffary unto us, that we may live unto him, and come unto the enjoyment of him. This we obtain on- ly in the face or perfon of Chrift it vreseríbp, 'oh Xyrê i for in him that glory is reprefented unto us. This was the Teftimonywhich the apofiles gave concerning him, when lae dwelt among them in the days of his Seth. They faw his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of' the Father, full of grace and truth, John i. 14. The divine glory was manifefl in .him, and in him they faw the gloryof the Father. So the fame apoftle witneffeth again who recorded this teftimony, t John i. 2. For the lifè was manifeffed,;and we have feen it, and bear witnefs that eternal life was with the Father, and was mani- fefledunto us. In the Son incarnate that eternal life which was originally in and withthe Father, was manifejl unto us. It may be faid, that the Scripture it felf is fufficient for this end of the declaration ofGod unto us, fo that there is no need ofany other reprefen- tation of him } and thefe things ferve only to turn the minds of men from learning the mind andwill of God therein, to feek for all in the perfon of Chrift. But the true end ofpropofing there things, is to draw men unto the diligent ¡fudy ofthe fcripture, whereinalone they are revealed and declared. And in its proper ufe, and unto its proper end it is pertec7 and molt fuffici- ent. It is nóyÿ Tss Oast, the word of God , Howbeit it is not ,,$),a ;; ecgt, the internal effential word of God, butTSyos arpC;igene, the external word fpoken by him. It is not therefore, nor can be the image of God, either effential or reprefentative, but is the revelationand declaration of it into us, without which we can know nothing of it. Chrift is the image of the inviable God, the exprefs image of the per- fon of the Father. And the principal end of the whole Scripture, efpeciallÿ of the gofpel, is to declare hint fo to be, and how he is fo. What God pro- mifed by his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son Jefus Chrift, is fully declared in the gofpel, Rona. i. t, 2, 3, 4, The gofpel is the declaration of Chrift as the power of God, and the wifdom ofGod, t Cor. i. 23, 24. Or an evident reprefentation ofGod in his perfon andme- diation unto us, Gal. iii. I. Wherefore three things are herein to be con- ftdered. t. Objetlum reale 6" formale fdeii the real, formal, objeff of out faith in this matter. This is theperfonof' Chrifb, the Son of God incarnate, the reprefentative image of the glory of God unto us ; as in the teftitnonies lifted on. 2. Medium revelan, or lumen deferensi The means of its revelation, or the objegive light whereby the perception and knowledge of it is conveyed unto our minds. This is the gofpel; compared untoaglafs becaufe of the prof-' pelt

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