"foever abideth not in the doctrine of the Meffiah, has not God. He that " abideth in the doctrine of the Meffiah," i. e. that Jefus is he, "hath both the "Father and the Son," 2 John 7, 9. That this is the meaning of the place, "is plain from what he fays in his foregoing epiftle, "Whofoever believeth that "Jefus is the Meffiah, is born of God," I John v. 1. And therefore, drawing to a close of his gofpel, and fhewing the end for which he writ it, he has thefe Words: Many other figns truly did Jefus in the prefence of his difciples, "which are not written in this book; but thefe are written that ye may be "lieve that Jefus is the Meffiah, the Son of God; and that, believing, you might "have life through his name," John xx. 30, 31. Whereby it is plain, that the gofpel was writ to induce men into a belief of this propofition, "That Jefus of "Nazareth was the Meffiah;" which if they believed, they should have life.

ACCORDINGLY the great question among the Jews was, Whether he were the Meffiah, or no? And the great point infifted on and promulgated in the gofpel, was, that he was the Meffiah. The firft glad tidings of his birth, brought to the fhepherds by an angel, was in these words: "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people: for to you "born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, who is the Meffiah, the Lord," Luke ii. 11. Our Saviour difcourfing with Martha about the means of attaining eternal life, faith to her, John xi. 27. "Whosoever believeth in me, fhall never

is

die. Believeft thou this? She faith unto him, Yea, Lord, I believe that, thou "art the Meffiah, the Son of God, which should come into the world." This answer of hers fheweth, what it is to believe in Jefus Christ, so as to have eter nal life; viz. to believe that he is the Meffiah, the Son of God, whofe coming was foretold by the prophets. And thus Andrew and Philip exprefs it: "An "drew fays to his brother Simon, we have found the Meffiah, which is, being interpreted, the Chrift. Philip faith to Nathanael, we have found him, of "whom Mofes in the law and the prophets did write, Jefus of Nazareth, the "Son of Jofeph," John i. 41, 45. According to what the Evangelift fays in this place, I have, for the clearer understanding of the fcripture, all along put Meffiah for Chrift: Chrift being but the Greek name for the Hebrew Meffiah, and both fignifying the Anointed..

AND that he was the Meffiah, was the great truth he took pains to convince his difciples and apoftles of; appearing to them after his refurrection: as may be feen, Luke xxiv, which we shall more particularly confider in another place. There we read what gofpel our Saviour preached to his difciples and apoftless and that as foon as he was rifen from the dead, twice, the very day of his refurrection

AND, if we may gather what was to be believed by all nations from what was preached unto them, we may certainly know what they were commanded, Matt. ult. to teach all nations, by what they actually did teach all nations. We may obferve, that the preaching of the apoftles, every-where in the Acts, tended to this one point, to prove that Jefus was the Meffiah. Indeed, now after. his death, his refurrection was also commonly required to be believed, as a neceffary article, and fometimes folely infifted on: it being a mark and undoubted evidence of his being the Meffiah, and neceffary now to be believed by those who

would

would receive him as the Meffiah. For fince the Meffiah was to be a Saviour and a king, and to give life and a kingdom to those who received him, as we fhall fee by and by; there could have been no pretence to have given him out for the Meffiah, and to require men to believe him to be fo, who thought him under the power of death, and corruption of the grave. And therefore those who believed him to be the Meffiah, muft believe that he was rifen from the dead and those who believed him to be rifen from the dead, could not doubt of his being the Meffiah. But of this more in another place.

LET Us fee therefore, how the apoftles preached Chrift, and what they propofed to their hearers to believe. St. Peter at Jerufalem, Acts ii, by his first fermon, converted three thousand fouls. What was his word, which, as we are told, ver. 41," they gladly received, and thereupon were baptized?" That may be seen from ver. 22 to 36. In fhort, this; which is the conclufion, drawnfrom all that he had faid, and which he preffes on them, as the thing they were to believe, viz. "Therefore let all the house of Ifrael know affuredly, that God "hath made that fame Jefus, whom ye have crucified, Lord and Meffiah," ver. 36.

To the fame purpofe was his difcourfe to the Jews, in the temple, Acts iii the defign whereof you have, ver. 18. But thofe things that God before had shewed, by the mouth of all his prophets, that the Meffiah should fuffer, he "hath fo fulfilled."

IN the next chapter, Acts iv, Peter and John being examined, about the miracle on the lame man, profefs it to have been done in the name of Jefus of Nazareth, who was the Meffiah, in whom alone there was falvation, ver. 10,12. The fame thing they confirm to them again, Acts v. 29,-32. "And

6.60

daily in the temple, and in every houfe, they ceased not to teach and preach Jefus the Meffiah," ver. 42.

WHAT was Stephen's fpeech to the council, Acts vii, but a reprehenfion to them, that they were the betrayers and murderers of the Just One? Which is the title, by which he plainly defigns the Meffiah, whofe coming was foreshewn by the prophets, ver. 51, 52. And that the Meffiah was to be without fin,. (which is the import of the word Juft) was the opinion of the Jews, appears from John ix. ver. 22. compared with 24..

ACTS viii, Philip carries the gofpel to Samaria: "Then Philip went down to Samaria, and preached to them." What was it he preached? You have an account of it in this one word, "The Meffiah," ver. 5. This being that alone which was required of them, to believe that Jefus was the Meffiah: which when they believed, they were baptized. "And when they believed Philip's preaching the gofpel of the kingdom of God, and the name of Jefus the "Meffiah, they were baptized, both men and women," ver. 12.

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PHILIP being fent from thence, by a fpecial call of the Spirit,, to make an eminent. convert; out of Ifaiah preaches to him Jefus, ver. 35. And whate it was he preached concerning Jefus, we may know, by the profeflion of faith the eunuch made, upon which he was admitted to baptifm, ver. 37. "I believe that Jefus Chrift is the Son of God:" which is as much as to fay, I believe that he, whom you call Jefus Chrift, is really and truly the Meffiah, that was

2

promised..

promifed. For, that believing him to be the Son of God, and to be the Meffiah, was the fame thing, may appear, by comparing John i. 45, with ver. 49, where Nathanael owns Jefus to be the Meffiah, in thefe terms: "Thou art the "Son of God; thou art the king of Ifrael." So the Jews, Luke xxii. 70, afking Chrift, whether he were the Son of God, plainly demand of him, whether he were the Meffiah? Which is evident, by comparing that with the three preceding verses. They ask him, vcr. 67, Whether he were the Meffiah? He anfwers, "If I tell you, you will not believe:" But withal tells them, that from thenceforth he fhould be in poffeffion of the kingdom of the Meffiah, expreffed in these words, ver. 69. "Hereafter fhall the Son of man fit on the right hand "of the power of God:" which made them all cry out, "Art thou then the "Son of God?" i. e. Doft thou then own thyfelf to be the Meffiah? To which he replies, "Ye fay that I am." That the Son of God was the known title of the Meffiah at that time, amongst the Jews, we may fee alfo, from what the Jews fay to Pilate, John xix. 7. We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, "because he made himself THE SON OF GOD;" i. e. by making himself the Meffiah, the prophet which was to come, but falfly; and therefore he deferves to die by the law, Deut. xviii. 20. That this was the common fignification of the Son of God, is farther evident, from what the chief priests, mocking him, faid, when he was on the cross, Matth. xxvii. 42. "He faved others, himfelf he "cannot fave: if he be the king of Ifrael, let him now come down from the "crofs, and we will believe him. He trufted in God, let him deliver him now, if he will have him; for he faid, I am the Son of GOD;" i. e. He faid, he Iwas the Meffiah: but 'tis plainly false; for, if he were, God would deliver him for the Meffiah is to be king of Ifrael, the Saviour of others; but this man cannot save himself. The chief priests mention here the two titles, then in use, whereby the Jews commonly defigned the Meffiah, viz. "Son of God, and "king of Ifrael." That of Son of God was fo familiar a compellation of the Meffiah, who was then fo much expected and talked of, that the Romans, it feems, who lived amongst them, had learned it, as appears from ver. 54. "Now "when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jefus, faw the earthquake, and thofe things that were done, they feared greatly, faying, "Truly this was the SON OF GOD;" this was that extraordinary person that was looked for.

ACTS ix, St. Paul, exercifing the commiffion to preach the gospel, which he had received in a miraculous way, ver. 20, " Straitway preached Chrift in the fynagogues, that he is the Son of God;" i. e. that Jefus was the Meffiah: for Chrift, in this place, is evidently a proper name. And that this was it, which Paul preached, appears from ver. 22. "Saul increafed the more in ftrength, and confounded the Jews, who dwelt in Damafcus, proving that this is the very Chrift," i. e. the Meffiah.

PETER, when he came to Cornelius at Cæfarea, who, by a vifion, was ofdered to fend for him, as St. Peter on the other fide was by a vifion commanded to go to him; what does he teach him? His whole difcourfe, Acts x, tends to fhew what, he fays, God commanded the apoftles, "To preach unto the people, and to teftify, that it is he [Jefus,] which was ordained of God to be

"the

t

"the Judge of the quick and the dead. And that it was to him, that all the prophets give witnefs, that, through his name, whofoever believeth in him. "hall have remiffion of fins," ver. 42, 43. "This is the Word, which God "fent to the children of Ifrael; that WORD, which was published throughout "all Judea, and began from Galilee, after the baptifm which John preached," ver. 36, 37. And these are the words, which had been promised to Cornelius, Acts xi. 14. "'Whereby he and all his houfe fhould be faved:" which words amount only to thus much: that Jefus was the Meffiah, the Saviour that was promifed. Upon their receiving of this, (for this was all was taught them) the Holy Ghoft fell on them, and they were baptized. "Tis obfervable here, that the Holy Ghoft fell on them, before they were baptized, which, in other places, converts received not 'till after baptifm. The reafon whereof feems to be this. that God, by bestowing on them the Holy Ghoft, did thus declare from heaven, that the Gentiles, upon believing Jefus to be the Meffiah, ought to be admitted into the church by baptifm, as well as the Jews. Whoever reads St. Peter's defence, Acts xi, when he was accused by thofe of the circumcifion, that he had: not kept that distance, which he ought, with the uncircumcifed, will be of this opinion; and fee by what he fays, ver. 15, 16, 17, that this was the ground, and an irresistible authority to him for doing so strange a thing, as it appeared to the Jews, (who alone yet were members of the chriftian church) to admit Gentiles into their communion, upon their believing. And therefore St. Peter, in the foregoing chapter, Acts x, before he would baptize them, proposes this queftion," to those of the circumcifion, which came with him, and were aftonished, because that on the Gentiles alfo was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghoft can any one forbid water, that these fhould not be baptized, who have received the Holy Ghoft as well as we ?" v. 47. And when fome of the fect of the Pharifees, who believed, thought it needful that the converted Gentiles fhould be circumcifed and keep the law of Mofes, Acts xv,. "Peter rofe up and faid unto them, Men and brethen, you know that a good while ago God made choice amongst us, that the Gentiles," viz. Cornelius, and thofe here converted. with him, "by my mouth fhould hear the gofpel, and believe. And God, who knoweth the hearts, bare them witnefs, giving them the Holy Ghoft, even as he did unto us, and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith," v. 7-9. So that both Jews and Gentiles, who believed Jefus to be the Meffiah, received thereupon the feal of baptifm; whereby they were owned to be his, and diftinguished from unbelievers. From what is above faid, we may obferve, that this preaching Jefus to be the Meffiah is called the Word and the Word of God; and believing it, receiving the Word of God.. vid. Acts x. 36, 37. and xi. 1, 19, 20. and the Word of the Gofpel, Acts xv.. 7. And fo likewife in the Hiftory of the Gospel, what Mark, chap. iv. 14, 15, calls fimply the Word, St. Luke calls the Word of God, Luke viii. 11. And St. Matthew, chap. xiii. 19, the Word of the Kingdom; which were, it the Gofpel-writers fynonymous terms, and are fo to be understood

by us. BUT to go on: Acts xiii, Paul preaches in the fynagogue at Antioch, where he makes it his bufinefs to convince the Jews, that "God, according to his pro-mife,,

2

mife, had of the feed of David raised to Ifrael a Saviour, Jefus." v. 24. That he was He of whom the Prophets writ, v. 25-29. i. e. the Meffiah: And that, as a demonstration of his being fo, God had raised him from the dead, v. 30. From whence he argues thus, v. 32, 33. We evangelize to you, or bring you. this Gospel, "how that the promise which was made to our Fathers, God hath fulfilled the fame unto us, in that he hath raised up Jefus again; as it is also written in the fecond Pfalm, "Thou art my Son, this day I have begotten thee." And having gone on to prove him to be the Meffiah, by his refurrection from the Dead, he makes this conclufion, v. 38, 39. "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you forgiveness of fins; and by him all who believe are juftified from all things, from which they could not be juftified by the law of Moses." This is in this chapter called "the Word of God," over and over again: compare v. 42. with 44, 46, 48, 49. and chap. xii. v. 24.

ACTS xvii. 2-4. Ar Theffalonica, "Paul, as his manner was, went into the fynagogue, and three fabbath-days reafoned with the Jews out of the fcriptures; opening and alledging, that the Meffiah muft needs have suffered, and rifen again from the dead: And that this Jefus, whom I preach unto you, is the Meffiah. And some of them believed, and conforted with Paul and Silas : But the Jews which believed not, fet the city in an uproar." Can there be any thing plainer, than that the affenting to this Propofition, that Jesus was the Meffiah, was that which distinguished the Believers from the Unbelievers? For this was that alone, which, three fabbaths, Paul endeavoured to convince them of, as the Text tells us in direct words.

FROM thence he went to Bercea, and preached the fame thing: And the · Berceans are commended, v. 11, for fearching the fcriptures, whether those things, i. e. which he had said, v. 2, 3, concerning Jesus's being the Messiah,

were true or no.

THE fame doctrine we find him preaching at Corinth. Acts xviii. 4-6. “And he reasoned in the fynagogue every fabbath, and perfuaded the Jews and the Greeks. And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was preffed in spirit, and testified to the Jews, that Jefus was the Meffiah. And when they oppofed themselves, and blafphemed, he shook his raiment, and faid unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads, I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Greeks.' "It

UPON the like occafion he tells the Jews at Antioch, Acts xiii. 46. was neceffary that the Word of God should first have been fpoken to you: But feeing you put it off from you, we turn to the Gentiles. "Tis plain here, St. Paul's charging their blood on their own heads, is for oppofing this fingle truth, that Jefus was the Meffiah; that falvation or perdition depends upon believing or rejecting this one propofition. I mean, this is all that is required to be believed by those who acknowledge but one eternal and invifible God, the maker of heaven and earth, as the Jews did. For that there is fomething more required to falvation, befides believing, we shall fee hereafter. In the mean time, it is fit here on this occafion to take notice, that though the Apostles in their preaching to the Jews, and the Devout, (as we tranflate the word Zelóμevor,

who