SERA. ) XXV.j THE ATONEMENT OF CHRIST. £I: filled; even the first promise of mercy that was ever made to fallen man. Here I behold the accomplishment of the predictions of the holy prophets since the world be- gan ; 11 Pet. i. 1. " It was the Spirit of Christ spake in them, concerning the sufferings ofChrist, and the, glory thatshould follow." Gen. iii. 15. Here I see " the seed of the woman breaking the headof the serpent." 1 John iii. 8. "The Son of God manifested," and by his own death, " destroying the works of the devil." Here I be- hold, Dan. ix. .4, f26. the Messiah cut off, but not for himself. I behold him here on his cross finishing ini- quity, transgression, and sin ; and bringing in everlast- ing righteousness. I see, Is. liii. 10. his soul made an offering for the sins of men : And the prophets Isaiah and Daniel conspiring with the blessed apostles to point to Jesus as an all-sufficient Saviour. I see the types and shadows of the Jewish religion so happily answered in this doctrine of the priesthood an¢ sacrifice of Christ, that I am well assured that this is the substance, for it bears the shape and lineaments of the shadow. This is the great original; for it carries the exact resemblance of the types and ptctures that went before. The ancient religionof emblems and figures was confirmed by the amazing wonders of Moses; but the re- ligion of Christ, which contains in it the substance and true glory of all former dispensations, is not only attest- ed by the miracles of the Son of God, but he himself also appears in the midst of it, in so divine a correspon- donee with the typical ordinances of Moses, as gives a double and most undoubted confirmation to his own blessed gospel, and his own atonement for sin. Every thing that established the religion of the Jews, serves to establish me in the religion of Christ. Their lavers and washings, their altars and sacrifices were divine; but they were divine only for a season. These ancient vails which covered the gospel, were of God's own contriv- ance : and when they were exhibited to the people, espe- cially in the days of Moses and Solomon, they made a bright and sacredappearance; but now the gospel stands forth unvailed, and in perfect light, God himself batti folded up these vails as an old garment, and laid them aside. The substance is come, and the shadows disap- pear. Blessed be the Lord that I was brought forth since
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