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to obey all his laws, to rely on him for attainment of all the mercies, and blessings, and rewards, which he promised to dispense, in that order and on those terms, which the gospel declareth. Whence to the hearty belief of this point such great commendations are given, so high rewards are offered, so excellent privileges are annexed in the Scriptures. Whence also the declaring, proving, and persuading this doctrine was the chief matter of the Apostles' preaching, as both their profession and practice do show. The Jews,' saith St. Paul to the Corinthians, require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ, that was crucified.' And, I determined,' saith he again of himself, not to know any thing among you,' (that is, not to discover any other knowlege, not to insist on any other subject,) 'save Jesus Christ, even him that was crucified.' This, St. John tells us, was the drift of his writing the gospel, (which is a more extensive and durable way of preaching.) These things,' saith he, 'were written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ.' And their practice, suitable to such professions, is apparent in divers passages of this book, wherein their acts and their discourses are reported. This text particularly represents the scope to which St. Paul mainly directed his preaching, which was the maintenance and persuasion of this point, that Jesus is the Christ.'

It is therefore very requisite that we should well understand the meaning thereof, and that we should firmly be persuaded of its truth. To which purpose I shall endeavor, by God's assistance, to imitate St. Paul's practice here, who did ovμßißáZeir, (that is the Greek word here signifying primarily to put or bring. things together, and thence in a way of collection or argumentation to teach,) who, I say, did instruct his auditors, collecting it from testimonies of ancient Scripture, and confirming it by arguments grounded thereon. In performing which I shall observe this method :

1. I shall explain the notion and reason of this name or title, 'Christ.'

2. I shall show (that which is here tacitly supposed) that there was by God's appointment to be, or to come into the world from God, one Person, signally that which this name or title imports, & Xploròs, the very Christ.'

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3. I shall argue that Jesus was that Person.

4. I shall explain in what manner, in what respects, to what purposes, Jesus in the New Testament is represented as Christ.

5. I shall make some practical application of the point.

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I. For the first particular. Christ is a name or title importing office and dignity; being the same with Messias, that in Greek, this in Hebrew, signifying the Anointed; the which appellation we find attributed to several persons on the following ground: Of ancient times, in the eastern countries, (abounding as with good oil, so with many delicate odoriferous spices,) it seems generally to have been the manner, (as from Hazael the Syrian his being anointed may probably be collected,) it was however such among the Jews, to separate or consecrate persons, and things also I might add, designed to any great or extraordinary employment, by anointing them with ointments composed of those ingredients; they symbolising or denoting thereby, as it seems, both a plentiful effusion on them of gifts and faculties qualifying them for such services; and also a comfortable and pleasant diffusion of good and grateful effects expected from them; (from the use of things, the performances of persons thus sanctified.) Thy name,' saith the spouse in the Canticles, is as ointment poured forth;' that is, thy name is very delightful, very acceptable. And Behold,' saith David, commending brotherly love and concord, how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity it is like the precious ointment on the head, that ran down on the beard, even Aaron's beard;' so good and pleasant were those employments hoped to be, to which men were by such unction inaugurated. We find especially three sorts of persons to whom this consecration did, by divine appointment, belong; kings, priests, and prophets; persons by whose ministry God of old did manage his intercourse with men, in governing them and communicating his blessings to them, both in an ordinary way (so he used kings and priests) and in an extraordinary manner, therein he employed prophets; which sorts of persons are therefore styled God's anointed; kings and priests more frequently, but sometimes also prophets; as in that of the psalm; Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no

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harm;' where prophets and the anointed of God do seem to denote the same thing, and one to expound the other : however they belong to the same persons; for Abraham, whom together with the other patriarchs those words concern, is expressly called a prophet. (Now therefore,' saith the text, 'restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live.') And that Isaac was a prophet, the Apostle to the Hebrews intimates, saying; By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.' The same is plain of Jacob, who before his death uttered many great and remarkable predictions. The patriarchs therefore probably as prophets were styled God's anointed.' But to remark somewhat of these great offices, and their anointing singly :

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For priests, although at first all the sons of Aaron were thus consecrated, according to that law in Exodus, Thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office;' yet the Jewish masters tell us that afterward in all the course of times only the high-priest was so consecrated. Whence by the anointed, or the priest that is anointed, is, say they, meant the high-priest, in distinction from other inferior priests.

For kings, the Jewish doctors also (as Master Selden reports) do tell us that such of them who in a legal, orderly, and unquestioned course of right did succeed into the kingdom, were not themselves in person anointed, (they being conceived to derive a sufficient consecration from their ancestors;) but all those who in an extraordinary way by special designation, (as Saul, David, Jehu, Hazael,) or on a doubtful and controverted, or opposed title, (as Solomon and Joas,) did assume the royal charge, were thus initiated: (how ancient also the custom of anointing princes was, may be seen from that expression in Jotham's parable; The trees went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, Reign thou over us.')

As for prophets, we do not find that they were commonly, or according to ordinary rule, anointed; but one plain instance we have of Elisha, substituted to Elijah, (the chief of prophets in his time,) in this manner: ' Elisha,' it is said by God, the

son of Shaphat, shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room;' who was thus consecrated, probably, because he was to be a prophet more than ordinary, endued with higher gifts, and designed to greater actions than common prophets were then; or perhaps because he was to be the archprophet, or, head of the prophets at that time.

We may also farther observe that some persons, who (in probability) did not partake any material unction, but were yet destinated by God, and qualified and employed as special instruments of his providence or grace for producing effects suitable to any of those offices, have been therefore styled ' God's anointed.' On which score the patriarchs (by whom God's true religion was maintained and conveyed) do seem to have been called God's anointed. And king Cyrus (whose ministry God used in the re-edifying his temple and refreshing his people) is therefore termed God's Christ, or anointed; (Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus my Christ;' r Xplory μov Kúpy) the name of the sign being imparted to persons who were endued with the qualities, or did perform the effects signified thereby.

These things being considered, it appeareth that the name Christ doth import a person in a special and signal manner designed and ordained by God to one, or some, or all of these charges and functions; an extraordinary king, or a great priest, or an eminent prophet; or one in whom either more or all of these did concur. So much may suffice for the notion and reason of this title, Christ.'

II. Now that there was a person supereminently endued with all these characters, (a Christ in all these respects,) decreed by God in due time to come into the world for accomplishment of the greatest purposes answerable to that title, (for the instruction and reformation of the world, for the erecting and managing an universal and perpetual kingdom, for the reconciliation and benediction of mankind, for the reduction of all nations to the acknowlegement of God, and obedience to his will, and hope in his mercy,) many express passages in the ancient Scripture declare.

That such a prophet should be sent, Moses in express terms foretold The Lord thy God,' saith he, shall raise up unto

thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him shall ye hearken :' and, I will,' saith God himself, raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put my words into his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him,’· &c. which words plainly describe a very extraordinary prophet some time to come, who was (signally and especially, beyond all other prophets) to resemble Moses; who consequently was to accomplish high designs, and to achieve wonderful acts; to conduct and deliver God's people, to reveal God's mind and will, to promulge a new law, and establish a new covenant; so his resembling Moses doth imply, so his mission doth signify; (for why, if he were not intended for the performance of somewhat great and new, even beyond what Moses did, should he be designed so formally; what need or reason had there been of his mission, after Moses?) and so the later prophets do interpret the great Lawgiver's words: who largely predict concerning one, ordained by God to come, who should eminently discharge all parts of the prophetical function; who should disclose new truths to men, should proclaim a new law to the world, should'establish a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with all people;' who should propagate the knowlege and worship of God, enlightening the Gentiles, and converting them unto God; who should instruct the ignorant, strengthen the faint, comfort the afflicted; according to divers passages concerning him; as, for instance, that in Isaiah, cited by St. Luke: The Spirit of the Lord is on me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted;'—and that in the same prophet alleged by St. Matthew; Behold my servant, whom I uphold, mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit on him; he shall bring forth judgment unto the Gentiles, he shall not cry,' &c. which being anointed to preach tidings and to bring forth judgment from God, being elected and inspired by God in order to such performances, are peculiar marks of a prophet; such promulgation of God's will, such ministration of direction and comfort from God, are the proper employment of a prophet; that is, of an especial agent sent and qualified by God to transact spi

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