"the Jews out of the fcriptures; opening and alledging, that the "Meffiah muft needs have fuffered, 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." Car there be any thing plainer, than that the affenting to this propo fition, that Jefus was the Meffiah, was that which diftinguished the believers from the unbelievers? For this was that alone which, three Sabbaths, Paul endeavoured to convince them of, as the text tells us in direct words.

From thence he went to Berea, and preached the fame thing: and the Bereans are commended, ver. 11. for fearching the fcriptures, whether thofe things, i. e. which he had faid, ver. 2, 3, con cerning Jefus his being the Meffiah, were true or no.

The fame doctrine we find him preaching at Corinth, Acts xviii. 4. 6. And he reafoned in the Synagogue every Sabbath, and perfuaded the Jews and the Greeks. And when Silas and Timo"theus were come from Macedonia, Paul was preffed in fpirit, "and testified to the Jews, that Jefus was the Meffiah. And when "they oppofed themselves, and blafphemed, he fhook his rayment, "and faid unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads, I am "clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Greeks,"

46.

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Upon the like occafion he tells the Jews at Antioch, Acts xiii. "It was neceffary that the word of God fhould first have been spoken to you: but feeing you put it off from you, we turn to "the Gentiles." It is 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 is required to be believed by thofe who acknowledge but one eternal and ittvifible God, the maker of heaven and earth, as the Jews did. For that there is fomething more required to falvation, befides believing, we fhall fee hereafter. In the mean time, it is fit here on this occafion to take notice, that though the apoftles in their preaching to Jews, and the "Devout" (as we tranflate the word córr who were profelytes of the gate, and the worshippers of one eternal and invifible God), faid nothing of the believing in this one true God, the maker of heaven and earth; because it was needlefs to prefs this to those who believed and profeffed it already (for to fuch, it is plain, were most of their difcourfes hitherto); yet when they had to do with idolatrous Heathens, who were not yet come to the knowledge of the one only true God; they began with that, as neceffary to be believed; it being the foundation on which the other was built, and without which it could fignify nothing.

Thus Paul fpeaking to the idolatrous Lyftrians, who would have facrificed to him and Barnabas, fays, Acts xiv. 15. "We preach ❝ unto you, that you fhould turn from these vanities unto the living

"God, who made heaven, and earth, and the fea, and all things that 66 are therein. Who in times paft fuffered all nations to walk in their

own ways. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness in "that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful "feafons, filling our hearts with food and gladnefs."

Thus alfo he proceeded with the idolatrous Athenians, Acts xvii. telling them, upon occafion of the altar dedicated to the unknown God, "Whom ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto "you; God who made the world, and all things therein: feeing

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that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples "made with hands. Forafmuch then as we are the off-fpring of "God, we ought not to think that the godhead is like unto gold, or filver, or ftone, graven by art, and man's device. And the "times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth "all men every where to repent: because he hath appointed a day "in which he will judge the world in righteoufnefs, by that man "whom he hath ordained: whereof he hath given affurance unto "all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." So that we fee, where any thing more was neceffary to be proposed to be believed, as there was to the Heathen idolaters, there the apoftles were careful not to omit it.

Acts xviii. 4. "Paul at Corinth reasoned in the fynagogue every Sabbath-day, and teftified to the Jews, that Jefus was the Meffiah." Ver. 11. "And he continued there a year and fix months, teach"ing the word of God amongst them;" i. e. The good news, that Jefus was the Meffiah; as we have already shewn is meant by "word of God."

"the

Apollos, another preacher of the gopfel, when he was inftructed in the way of God more perfectly, what did he teach but this fame doctrine? As we may fee in this account of him, Acts xviii. 27. That" when he was come into Achaia, he helped the brethren "much who had believed through grace. For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, fhewing by the Scriptures "that Jefus was the Meffiah.'

St. Paul, in the account he gives of himself before Feftus and Agrippa, profeffes this alone to be the doctrine he taught after his converfion: for, fays he, Acts xxvi. 22. "Having obtained help of "God, I continue unto this day, witheffing both to fmall and great,

faying none other things than thofe which the prophets and "Mofes did fay fhould come: that the Meffias fhould fuffer, and "that he should be the firft that should rife from the dead, and "should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles." Which was no more than to prove that Jefus was the Meffiah. This is that, which, as we have above obferved, is called "the word of "God;" Acts xi. 1. compared with the foregoing chapter, from ver. 34, to the end. And xiii. 42, compared with 44. 46. 48, 49. And xvii. 13. compared with ver. 11. 3. It is alfo called "the "word of the gospel," Acts xv. 7. And this is that "word of "God," and that "gofpel," which, where-ever their difcourfes are fet down, we find the apoftles preached; and was that faith, which made both Jews and Gentiles believers and members of the VOL. IV. church

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church of Chrift; purifying their hearts, Acts xv. 9. And carrying with it remiffion of fins, Acts x. 43. So that all that was to be believed for juftification, was no more but this fingle propofition; that" Jefus of Nazareth was the Chrift, or the Meffiah. fay, that was to be believed for juftification: for that it was not all that was required to be done for justification, we shall see hereafter.

All, I

Though we have seen above from what our Saviour has pronounced himself, John iii. 36. "That he that believeth on the fon, "hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the fon, fhall not "fee life, but the wrath of God abideth on him :" and are taught from John iv. 39. compared with ver. 42. "That believing on "him, is believing that he is the Meffiah, the Saviour of the world;" and the confeffion made by St. Peter, Matt. xvi. 16. That he is "the Meffiah, the fon of the living God," being the rock, on which our Saviour has promifed to build his church; though this, I fay, and what elfe we have already taken notice of, be enough to convince us what it is we are in the gofpel required to believe to eternal life, without adding what we have obferved from the preaching of the apoftles; yet it may not be amifs, for the farther clearing this matter, to obferve what the evangelifts deliver concerning the fame thing, though in différent words; which therefore perhaps are not fo generally taken notice of to this purpose.

We have above obferved, from the words of Andrew and Philip compared, that the Meffiah, and "him of whom Mofes in the "law and the prophets did write," fignify the fame thing. We fhall now confider that place, John i. a little further. Ver. 41. Andrew fays to Simon, "We have found the Meffiah." Philip, on the fame occafion, ver. 45. fays to Nathanael, "We have "found him, of whom Mofes in the law and the prophets did "write, Jefus of Nazareth, the fon of Jofeph." Nathanael, who difbelieved this, when upon Chrift's fpeaking to him he was convinced of it, declares his affent to it in thefe words; "Rabbi, "thou art the fon of God, thou art the king of Ifrael." From which it is evident, that to believe him to be "him of whom "Mofes and the prophets did write," or to be the "fon of God,' or to be the "king of Ifrael," was in effect the fame as to believe him to be the Meffiah: and an affent to that, was what our Saviour received for believing. For upon Nathanael's making a confeffion in thefe words, "Thou art the fon of God, thou "art the king of Ifrael; Jefus anfwered and faid to him, Because "I faid to thee, I faw thee under the fig-tree, doft thou BELIEVE? "Thou shalt fee greater things than thefe," ver. 51. I defire any one to read the latter part of the firft of John, from ver. 25. with attention, and tell me, whether it be not plain, that this phrase, "the fon of God," is an expreffion used for the Meffiah. To which let him add Martha's declaration of her faith, John xi. 27. in these words; "I believe that thou art the Meffiah, THE SON OF GOD, who fhould come into the world," and that paffage of St. John, chap. xx. 31. "That ye might believe that

"Jefus

"Jefus is the Meffiah, THE SON OF GOD; and that believing, ye "might have life through his name:" and then tell me whether he can doubt that Meffah and "fon of God" were fynonymous terms, at that time, amongst the Jews.

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The prophecy of Daniel, chap. ix. where he is called "Meffiah "the Prince;" and the mention of his government and kingdom, and the deliverance by him, in Ifaiah, Daniel, and other prophefies, understood of the Meffiah, were fo well known to the Jews, and had fo raised their hopes of him about this time, which, by their account, was to be the time of his coming to restore the kingdom to Ifrael, that Herod no fooner heard of the Magi's enquiry after him that was born king of the Jews," Matt. ii. but he forthwith" demanded of the chief priefts and Scribes, where "the Meffiah fhould be born," ver. 4. Not doubting, but if there were any king born to the Jews, it was the Meffiah, whofe coming was now the general expectation, as appears, Luke iii. 15. "The people being in expectation, and all men mufing in their "hearts of John, whether he were the Meffiah or not." And when the priests and Levites fent to afk him who he was, he, understanding their meaning, answers, John í. 20. that he was "not "the Meffiah;" but he bears witnefs that Jefus" is the fon of "God," i. e. the Meffiah, ver. 34.

This looking for the Meffiah at this time we fee also in Simeon, who is faid to be "waiting for the confolation of. Ifrael," Luke ii.

21.

And having the child Jefus in his arms, he fays he had "feen "the falvation of the Lord," ver. 30. And Anna" coming at "the fame inftant into the Temple, fhe gave thanks also unto the "Lord, and fpake of him to all them that looked for redemption "in Ifrael," ver. 38. And of Jofeph of Arimathea it is faid, Mark xv. 43. that "he also expected the kingdom of God:" by all which was meant the coming of the Meffiah. And Luke xix. 11. it is faid, "They thought that the kingdom of God should im"mediately appear.

This being premised, let us fee what it was that John the Baptist preached, when he first entered upon his miniftry. That St. Matthew tells us, chap. iii. 1, 2. "In thofe days came John the

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Baptift preaching in the wilderness of Judea, faying, Repent, for "the kingdom of heaven is at hand." This was a declaration of the coming of the Meffiah; the "kingdom of heaven" and the kingdom of God" being the fame, as is clear out of feveral places of the evangelifts; and both fignifying the kingdom of the Meffiah. The profeffion which John the Baptift made, when fent to the Jews, John i. 19. was, that "he was not the Meffiah," but that Jefus was. This will appear to any one, who will compare ver. 26. 34. with John iii. 27. 30. The Jews being very inquifitive to know whether John were the Meffiah, he pofitively denies it, but tells them, he was only his forerunner; and that there stood one amongst them, who would follow him, whofe fhoe-latchet he was not worthy to untie. The next day feeing Jefus, he fays, he C 2

was.

was the man; and that his own baptizing in water, was only that Jefus might be manifefted to the world; and that he knew him not, till he faw the Holy Ghoft defcend upon him. He that fent him to baptize having told him, that he on whom he fhould fee the Spirit defcend, and reft upon, he it was that should baptize with the Holy Ghoft; and that therefore he witneffed, that "this was the fon of God," ver. 34. i. e. the Meffiah. And chap. iii. 26, &c. they came to John the Baptift, and tell him, that Jefus baptized, and that all men went to him. John anfwers, He has his authority from heaven: you know I never faid, I was the Meffiah, but that I was fent before him: he must increase, but I must decrease; for God hath fent him, and he speaks the words of God; and God hath given all things into the hands of his fon," And he that be"lieves on the fon hath eternal life." The fame doctrine, and nothing elfe, but what was preached by the apoftles afterwards; as we have feen all through the Acts, v. g. that Jefus was the Meffiah. And that it was that John bears witnefs of our Saviour, as Jefus himself fays, John v. 33:

This alfo was the declaration that was given of him at his baptifm, by a voice from heaven; "This is my beloved fon, in "whom I am well pleafed," Matt. iii. 17. which was a declaration of him to be Meffiah; "the fon of God" being (as we have fhewed) understood to fignify the Meffiah. To which we may add the first mention of him after his conception, in the words of the angel to Jofepth; Matt. i. 21. "Thou thalt call his name Jefus,' or Saviour; for he shall fave his people from their fins." It was a received doctrine in the Jewish nation, that at the coming of the Meffiah all their fins fhould be forgiven them. These words there→ fore of the angel we may look on as a declaration, that Jefus was the Meffiah; whereof thefe words, "his people," are a farther mark; which suppose him to have a people, and confequently to be a king.

After his baptifm, Jefus himfelf enters upon his ministry. But before we examine what it was he propofed to be believed, we must obferve, that there is a threefold declaration of the Meffiah:

1. By miracles. The fpirit of prophecy had now for many ages forfaken the Jews; and though their commonwealth were not quite diffolved, but that they lived under their own laws, yet they were under a foreign dominion, fubject to the Romans. In this ftate, their account of the time being up, they were in expectation of the Meffiah, and of deliverance by him in a kingdom he was to fet up, according to their ancient prophefies of him: which gave them hopes of an extraordinary man yet to come from God, who with an extraordinary and divine power, and miracles, fhould evidence his miffion, and work their deliverance. And of any fuch extraordinary perfon, who fhould have the power of doing miracles, they had no other expectation but only of their Meffiah. One great prophet and worker of miracles, and only one more, they expected, who was to be Meffiah. And therefore we fee the people juftified

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their