The Characters of the Meffias, viz. his Humility, Fortitude, Meeknefs, Patience, and the like, were all found in the highest degree in the Perfon of our Saviour; all that was foretold concerning the Manner of his Coming, his Converfation in the World, his Sufferings, his bitter Death and Paffion, was all fully compleated in him.

Lastly, The great Succefs and Efficacy that this Truth hath had on the Minds of Men, the undaunted Courage of the Apofties in preaching it, the Conftancy of the Martyrs in fuffering for it, the Readiness of the World to receive it, and the general Entertainment it hath met with in all Ages, notwithstanding all the Oppofition made against it, are abundant Confirmation of the Truth of it, and of that divine Power that hath all along attended it.

But how is Jefus faid to be the Chrift, or Anointed of God? Why, this must be understood not of an anointing with material Oil, fuch as was us'd of old in the Inauguration of Kings, and the Confecration of Priests and Prophets (for that, tho carefully kept for many years for those Purpofes, was loft many hundred years before our Saviour's Birth) but of a fpiritual Unction by the Holy Ghost; for fo St. Peter tells us, how God anointed Fefus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost, and with Power. The material Oil was but a Type of this more Divine and Spiritual Unction; for as the Ufe of the former fignify'd the Defignation of a Person to some high Office; fo by the latter was reprefented the Divine Election and Defignation of our Saviour to the Work of Man's Redemption, together with that Divine Influx that accompany'd it: both which were thought moft fitly reprefented by the Ufe of Oil; for as the Olive is faid to be the most useful and excellent of all Trees, and is therefore faid to have the Sovereignty over them, Judg. 9. 9. fo is Chrift's Name above every Name, and his Office of far greater Dignity than any other Employment. Again,

Ás Oil is obferv'd to continue longer uncorrupted than any other Liquor, and likewife to preferve other things from Corruption; fo is it hereby a fit Emblem to reprefent the Eternity of Chrift's Kingdom, and that he is a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchifedeck.

But when was the Son of God thus anointed with the Holy Ghoft and with Power, and thereby fet apart to this great Work? This (as fome have thought) was done at

his Conception or Birth, when the Holy Ghoft came upon the Bleed Virgin, and the Power of the Most High overshadow'd ber; for which reafon, that Holy Thing that was born of her, was call'd the Son of God. Others think that this was done at his Baptifm, when the Holy Ghost came doren and lighted upon him in the shape of a Dove, and a Voice was heard from the excellent Glory, faying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleas'd. At which time that Scripture is faid to be fulfil'd; The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel. Both thefe Times may well enough confift together; for tho he was fanctify'd from the Womb, and defign'd for this great Office, yet becaufe he enter'd not upon it till his Baptifm, the Holy Ghost then vifibly defcended upon him, to proclaim him to the World, and to encourage them to receive him as their King, Prieft and Prophet, into all which Offices he was folemnly inftall'd by the Unction of the Holy Ghoft.

And this will lead us to the Practical Conclufions to be drawn from it.

1. We may learn from hence, ftedfaftly to believe and adhere to this Truth, That Jefus is the Chrift; this is the great fundamental Point of Chriftianity, and that which gives us the Denomination of Chriftians. St. John tells us, that the end of writing his Gofpel was to prove Jefus to be the Chrift; St. Paul teftify'd this at Corinth and Theffalonica and generally we find all the Apoftles publishing and proving every where, that Fefus is the Chrift. This is the Teft and Touchftone of Chriftianity: he that believeth that Fefus is the Chrift (faith St. John) is born of God.

He that believeth it not, is not only a Liar himself, but hath made God a Liar, yea, he is Antichrift, denying both the Father and the Son. And therefore to prove us, what we pretend to be, Chriftians, we must continue firm and fedfaft in this Faith.

2. This Belief muft engage us in Actions futable thereunto, behaving ourselves becoming that great Office he hath taken upon himself, and worthy thofe good Offices he thereby performs towards us that is,

If we believe him to be a Prophet fent from God, we must readily receive and embrace his Doctrine.

If we believe him to be a Priest, ordain'd to atone and in tercede for the People, we must willingly caft ourselves upon his Sacrifice and Interceffion.

If we believe him to be a King, appointed to rule and govern his Church, we must chearfully obey his Laws, and live in the Obfervation of his Precepts. Without these things, our Practice will bely our Profeffion, and instead of honouring, we fhall blafpheme the holy Name of Christ, by which we are call'd. Unless we answer the Name of Christian (which we derive from him) by a futable Converfation, we can have no advantage from that Appellation, nor can we be honour'd by that Title while we dishonour him that gives it.

3. From Chrift's being the Anointed of God, we derive an Unction from him: for as the Ointment pour'd on the Head of Aaron, not only drench'd his Beard, but ran down to the skirts of his Clothing; even fo the Holy Spirit, that was poured on Chrift as the Head, reaches not only the principal Members, but runs down to the loweft parts of his Body. Hence St. John declares, that we have an Unction from the Holy One, and the anointing which we have receiv'd from him abideth in us; 1 John 2. 20, 27.

Some are anointed to rule and inftruct the Church, who are therefore faid to be made Kings and Priests unto God and the Father; Rev. 1. 6. Others are anointed with the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit, for the discharge of the Duties of their feveral Places and Callings; all which are deriv'd to us from the Unction of this divine and facred Perfon. Wherefore in the

Laft Place, we fhould for ever own and celebrate the fignal Love of God the Father, in fending his Son into the World, and anointing him with his Holy Spirit, for the Redemption of Mankind; never forgetting those invaluable Bleffings of which we are made partakers thereby. And likewife we are to demean ourselves with all due Refpect and Obedience towards them, whom he hath establish'd and anointed in Christ for the carrying on of this great Work: Touch not mine Anointed (faith God) and do my Prophets no harm; but rather esteem them highly for their Works fake, that they may render their Accounts with Joy to the great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls, who hath fent them, as his Father fent him for our Salvation: fo fhall we duly exprefs our Faith in the Son of God, as our Jefus, and his Chrift.

We beheld his Glory, the Glory as of the only-begotten of the Father.

I

Have explain'd to you two great Titles given to the fecond Perfon in the ever-bleffed Trinity, viz.

The Name of Jefus, which we have feen to fignify a Saviour: And the Name of Christ, which being interpreted, is the Anointed of God. There remain yet two great Titles more given to him in Holy Scripture:

The one taken from the Relation he bears to God, as bis only Son.

The other from the Relation he bears to us, as our Lord. Both which containing Matter, not only of Honour to him, but of Duty and Privilege unto us, must be particularly fpoken to. Of the

First of thefe, namely the Relation he bears to God the Father, I am now to treat, from these words of St. John, We beheld bis Glory, as of the only-begotten Son of the Father. Where I must shew,

First, In what Senfe Chrift is faid to be the Son of God. Secondly, How he is faid to be his only Son, or the onlybegotten of the Father. And,

Lastly, Conclude with the Duties that this Belief ingages to. For the

First, That the Meffias was to be in a special manner the Son of God, was foretold by the Prophets, and generally believ'd by the Jews: accordingly we find, after his appearance, that all that took him for the one, ftill gave him the Style and Character of the other. Thus Nathanael, that true Ifraelite, greets him; Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Ifrael; John 1. 49. Martha thus declares her Faith in him; Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, that was to come into the World John 11. 27. The High Prieft adjur'd our Saviour by the

04

living

living God, to tell him whether he were the Christ the Son of God, as thinking he could not be the one without being the other; Mat. 26. 63. And that famous Confeffion of St. Peter, made in the Name of all the Apostles, was, We believe and know that thou art Christ the Son of the living God; Mat. 16. 16.

But in what fenfe are we to believe Chrift to be the Son of God? Why, not as we are, by Creation; for he was before all Worlds; and we read, that God the Father by him made all Things, and fo he could not be made himself: nor by Regeneration, for that fuppofes fuch a Corruption of Nature, as requires a new Birth; which cannot in any wife be affirm'd of him: Nor yet by Adoption, for that implies a former State of Alienation, which may not be fuppos'd in him, who was always one with the Father. So that we must find out fome more eminent and nobler Ground of this Relation. For the better understanding whereof, we must confider our bleffed Saviour, both as to his Human and Divine Nature; for in both these refpects, he is faid to be the Son of God. As for his Human Nature, he receiv'd that by the Holy Ghoft's overshadowing the bleffed Virgin, without the intervention of any natural Parent, or Act of Generation: and fo having no other Father but God, he is in an eminent manner ftyl'd the Son of God; as we read, Luke 1. 35. Again,

2. Being in his human Nature fet apart for the Execution of a high Office under the Father, for the teaching, ruling and well governing his Church, he is thereby eminently fyl'd the Son of God; as we read, Pfal. 2. 6, 7. for the faithful difcharge of which Office, he was by a Voice from Heaven publickly declar'd the beloved Son of God, in whom he was well pleas'd: which was twice done: to wit, at his Baptifm, and his Transfiguration; as we read Mat. 3. 16, 17. and Mat. 17. 5. Moreover,

3. Chrift being in his human Nature rais'd from the Dead, by the Power of the Father, is thereby ftyl'd the Son of God; for this being in a manner the giving of a new Life, may be faid to give a new Relation of Sonfhip. Hence he is call'd, The First born from the Dead, that in all things he might have the Prekeminence; Col. 1. 18. and elsewhere he is declar'd, the Son of God with Power by his Resurrection from the Dead. Again,

4. From Chrift's being in his human Nature made Heir of all things in his Father's House, he is farther ftyl'd the So12

リ