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formed, in Chrift's baptifm by John, had refpect to what paffed between John and Christ at that time. It was confined to that occafion. Whether this righteousness is imitable by men will be determined, when it is confidered what divine rule was brought into use in the baptism of Chrift by John. Therefore,

5. Christ's baptifm by John must be confidered. as his obedience to divine appointment, in respect to the inauguration of the priesthood. To obey a pofitive, or inftrumental precept, is fulfilling righteousness, no less than obeying a moral command. It was the special command of God, that Aaron and his fons fhould be confecrated to office, by washing with water, or baptifm. Exodus, xxix. 4, "And Aaron and his fons thou fhalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and fhalt, wash them with water." See alfo Exodus, XXX. 18, 19, 20, 21, concerning the mode of wafhing. The hands and the feet were to be washed with water. Mofes, an extraordinary prophet, by God's direction was defignated to perform the inaugural fervices at Aaron's confecration. John, an extraordinary prophet, was by divine authority defignated to introduce Jefus to his ministry, by baptizing him. Jefus had now arrived to that period of life, at which the priests, under the legal dispenfation, might be confecrated to the fervice of the fanctuary. It was the command of God, that no priest, under the law, fhould enter on his public ministry till he was thirty years old. Numbers, iv. 23, "From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old fhalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the fervice, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation." Jefus was now quali

fied for the priesthood, in refpect to his age. Luke, iii, 23, “ And Jefus himself began to be about thirty years of age." This was faid of him, at the time when he received baptifm from John. And here feveral confiderations deferve attention upon this fubject. I fhall mention to you the refemblance between Mofes and John; the transferring of the priesthood; the visible confecration of Christ, and the frequent allufions to the ancient inaugurations of prophets, priests, and kings.

1. There is a resemblance between Mofes and John. Mofes and John were both of the fame family, the tribe of Levi. Mofes, the greatest prophet that then had ever arisen, introduced, Aaron to the priesthood. John, as great as Mofes, introduced Chrift to his public miniftry. Mofes was not washed himself; but at the command of God he wafhed Aaron. So we have no account, that John was baptized; but he was fent of God to baptize Christ. Mofes refigned his office to Joshua. So John refigned to Chrift. Mofes foon died, after he had given up his office to Jofhua. So John foon died, after he had baptized Christ, and introduced him to his public miniftry. Mofes pointed out Chrift. So did John. Mofes prepared the way for Aaron's introduction to office. So John prepared the way of Chrift, and invested him with his office. Between Mofes and John there is a fimilarity. Mofes was a special agent appointed of God to bring forward the legal establishment. John was a special agent appointed of God to administer baptifm to Chrift, at his introduction to his public ministry.

2. The priesthood was regularly transferred from the order of Aaron to Chrift, in his baptifm.

No man, under the law, might take the office of priest, unless he was regularly called of God. And Christ did not take this office upon him without the command of God. Hebrews, v. 4, 5, 10, "And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So alfo Chrift glorified not himself to be made an high prieft; but he that faid unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. Called of God an high priest, after the order of Melchifedec." A modern author has this obfervation upon the subject, "Christ did not ufurp the priesthood, or take it upon himself at random, without rule and order."*

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Christ abolished in his death, the order of Aaron, and was invested with the priesthood of a higher order. Hebrews, vi. 20, "Even Jefus made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchifedec." It is undeniable, that the priesthood was changed from the order of Aaron to a higher order. Hebrews, vii. 12, "For the priesthood being changed." This change in the priesthood was completed at the death of Christ. The baptism of Chrift by John was the inaugural rite, by which he was regularly introduced to his prieftly office, or rather publicly and openly declared to be the true Messiah.

Though Chrift received an unchangeable priesthood, yet the Levitical priesthood was not abolished, nor was a change made in the law, until the death of Chrift. The Jewish ritual remained till Chrift offered a better facrifice, than could be offered under the legal difpenfation. Hebrews, x. 12, " But this man, after he had offered one facrifice for fins, for ever fat down on the right hand of God."

* Chaplin, page 97.

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3. The baptifm of Chrift by John may be confidered as neceffary to his vifible confecration to office. Had not Chrift entered upon his public ministry, in fuch a manner, as to fhew that he was the true Meffiah; had he not been confecrated according to divine appointment, the Jews would not have been cenfurable in rejecting him. Christ entered upon his public office in a regular manner, and according to divine rule. John was defignated, as the proper officer to administer baptism to him, and his baptifm, with its attending circumftances, was his visible confecration to office. Here then you see the principal defign of Chrift's baptifm by John. It was the rite, which denoted his confecration to the high office to which he was introduced. Hebrews, vii. 28, "For the law maketh men high priests, which have infirmity; but, the word of the oath, which was fince the law, maketh the Son, who is confecrated for evermore."

4. The frequent allufions to the ancient inaugurations of prophets, priests, and kings, justify us in confidering the baptifm of Chrift, as the introductory ceremony to his office as Meffiah. Allufions to ancient ufages and ceremonies are frequent In the New Testament.

It cannot be doubted that the number of the apoftles was twelve, in allufion to the number of the twelve tribes of Ifrael. It is probable, that feventy other difciples were fent out after the apoftles, in allufion to the number of the Jewish fanhedrim. In the epistle to the Hebrews, Jefus is reprefented as the christian lawgiver, in allufion to Mofes, and the christian high priest, in allusion to Aaron; and preferred to both of them, being called an high priest for ever, after the order of Melchif

edec. And elsewhere Jefus is called the great high priest of our profeffion. I fhall here give you my fentiments in the words of a learned writer.* "The two things with which our Lord was baptized, were water and the holy Spirit. Let it be further obferved, that the Jewish high priest, and the other priests of that nation, were initiated into their facred office by baptifm, or being washed with water. See Exodus, xxix. 4, Leviticus, viii. 6, 7, and their anointed with oil, which was poured upon the high priest's head. Exodus, xxix. 7, Leviticus, viii. 12, and xvi. 32; to which there is a fine allusion, Pfalm, xxxiii. 2. Our Lord, as has been abundantly obferved, is a high priest of a higher order than that of the family of Aaron. And after he had been baptized, or wafhed with water, he was anointed with the facred unction of the holy Spirit, that oil of gladness above his fellows. For he received the Spirit, in a more honourable manner, and in greater plenty, than any of the prophets. They had it in a limited degree, but Jefus without meafure. If we confider him as the great prophet of the church, then we may remember, that he was initiated into that high and facred office by baptifin and the holy Spirit.'

At his baptifm he was endued with the power of working miracles. Thus qualified, he began his miniftry. It had been prophefied of him, many ages before, Isaiah, Ixi. 1, 2, where the prophet introduced the Meffiah, as speaking and faying concerning himself, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek." This very paffage our Lord read in the fynagogue at Caper

* Dr. Benfon's Life of Chrift.

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