Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BX9315 .O8 1721

56 cfl Declaration of the GloriousMY- ST E RY and, not the very image of the things themfelves, Heb. x. t. And al- though'they are now to us full of light and inftruftion, evidentlyexpref- fing the principal works of Chrift's mediation, yet were they not fo unto them. For the wail is now taken off from them in their accompli..".iment, and a declaration is made ofthe counfels of God in them by the gofpel. The meaneft believer may now find out more of the work of Chrift in. the Types of the Old Teftament, than any prophets or wife men could have done of old. Therefore they always earneftly longed for their ac- complifhment ; that theday might break, and the fhadows fly away by the riling of the fun of righteoufnefs with healing in his wings. But as to his perfon, they had glorious revelations concerning it, and their faith in him was the life ofall their obedience. The firft promife which eflablifhed a new intercourfe between God and manwas concerning his incarnation, that he fsould bethe feedof the woman, Gen. iii. 15. that is, that the Son ofGod fhould be made ofa woman, made sender the law, Gal. iv. ,. From the givingof that promife the faith of the whole church was fixed on him, whom God would fend in our stature, to redeem and fave them. Other way of acceptance with him there was noneprovided, none declared, but only by faith in this promife. The defign of God in thispromife, whichwas to reveal and propofe the onlyway which inhis wifdom and grace hehad prepared for the deliverance of mankind from thebate of finand apoftafy whereinto theywere cab, with the nature of the faith and obedience of the church, will notadmit of any other way of falvati- on, but only faith in him whowas thuspromifedto be a Saviour. To fuppofe that menmightfall off from faith inGodby the revelationofhimfelf in this promife, and yet be favedby attendingto inftrubions given by the works of creation and providence, is an imagination that will no longer poflefs the minds of men, than whilft they are ignorant of, or do forget what it is to believe and to be faved. The great promife made unto Abraham was, that he fhould take his feed upon bim, inwhom allthe nations of the earth fhould be bleffed, Gen, xii. 3. chap.xv. 18. chap. xxii. i8. which promife is explained by the apoltle, and applied unto. Chrib, Gal. iii. to. Hereon Abraham believed on the Lord, and it was counted unto him for righteoufnefs, Gen. xv. 6. For he faw the dayofChrift and rejoyced, fohn viii. 56. The faith that Jacob inftrueted his Sons in, was, that the Sbilo fhould come, andunto him .fhould be thegatheringof the nations, Gen. xlix, to. yob's faith was that his redeemer was the living one, and that he fhouldfiend on the earth in the latter day. Job xxix. 25. The revelations made unto David principally concerned his perfon and the glory thereof, fee Pfal. ü. 45, 68,---72,---- nó,---t18. efpecially Pfeil. xlv. and the lxxii. compared, which give an account of their appre- henfions concerning him. Thefaith ofDaniel was that God wouldflew mercyfor the Lord's fake, Dan. ix. 17. and ofall the prophets, that the redeemer Jbould come to Sion, andfrom them that turn from tranfgre/on in Jacob. Ifa. lix. 2o. Ofthe faine nature were all his perfonal appearances under the Old Tefta- ment, efpecially that mob illubrious reprefentation made ofhimunto the prophet Ifeiah. chap. vi. And the revelation ofhis name, chap: ix. 6. his true that both thefe andother prophetshad revelations concerning his fufferings alfo. For thefpirit ofChriflthat was in them teffifled before band of his fu(jering, and theglory that fbouldenfue. 2. Yet. i. t i. an illuftrious teftimony whereunto we have given us, Pfal. xxii. and Ifa. lid. Never- thelefs their conceptions concerningthem were dark and obfcure. It was his

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