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been anointed can be the reafon of the Spirit's being upon him, when the Spirit was that with which he was anointed? I anfwer, That Chrift's having been anointed with the Spirit to qualify him for the . Mediatory work, is a very proper reason why the Spirit was lodged and continues to be in Chrift, to be communicated from him to the members of his mystical body.

II. We are now fhortly to speak of the fending of Chrift by the Father. As he anointed, fo he fent him. This means the Father's calling him out unto the exercise of his office for which he had been defigned, and for which he had been qualified. He was seasonably fent to the work by the Father, and he willingly came and put hand to it, for his Father's glory, and the falvation of poor finners Pfal. xl. 87. "Then faid he, Lo I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God! Yea, thy law is within my heart." We may obferve three periods of this fending.

The first period was at Adam's fall, when all mankind was newly ruined by the first fin; then the Mediator came and looked on the ruins of the world, Gen. iii. 8. ; preached deliverance to the captives, ver. 15. telling them that the feed of the woman fhould bruise the head of the ferpent. He healed the broken hearted, by covering Adam and his wife with coats of skin, ver. 21. even the skins of facrifices, a type of the righteousness of a flain Redeemer. Thus he underpropped the world by his mediation, when all was shaken loofe by man's difobedience. He began immediately to repair the breach, and kept the world from abfolute and irreparable ruin.

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The fecond period was at his birth, in the fulness of time, when he became man, being born of the virgin Gal. iv. 4. " When the fulness of the time was come, God fent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law." The world was then in a deplorable condition; the knowledge of the true God was loft among the Gentiles, religion was corrupted among the Jews, fome few were groaning for the confolation of Ifrael. Then he came in the flesh, being born of a mean woman, and laid in a manger; but at his birth the angels fung, as in Luke, ii. 14. "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will towards men."

The third period was when he entered on the public exercife of his miniftry at his baptifm; then, was he, in a special manner, sent out on that work to which he was called: Matth. iii. 17. "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed." Matth. iv. 17. " From that time, Jefus began to preach, and to fay, Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand." Then he went about his work, preaching the gofpel, to bring finners to God; he also became obedient unto the death, according to the everlasting covenant between him and his Father.

III. We now proceed to make fome practical improvement.

ft, In an use of information.

1. This fubject informs us, that the falvation of finners was the concern of a whole Trinity. How great a work must it be, when the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft, each acted their part for bringing it about. The Father fent the Son, the Son fubmitted to be fent as Mediator, and by the Holy Spirit he was fitted for the work. Never, then, think little of that falvation, which reVOL. III.

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quired fuch caufes and authors to bring it about. It informs us,

2. That Jefus Chrift is perfectly able to fave finners Heb. vii. 25. " He is able to fave to the uttermoft." He was the Father's choice to that great work, which may affure us he was an able hand for it. He has all given him to fit him for it, which the fulness of the Godhead affords. The Father had never taken him cautioner, if he had not been perfectly able to pay the debt. He had never laid the finner's help upon him, if he had not been able to bear the weight of it.

3. See here the manifold wifdom of God, how it is displayed in the contrivance of falvation through Christ. The first creation was a work of wisdom; but the fecond was more fo; the confused heap at firft was little in comparison of the confufion fin brought into the world, but divine wisdom brought order out of this confufion. Truth meets with mercy, righteoufnefs and peace embrace each other, fin is punifhed, and the finner fpared. Out of the greatest affront to God, rifes the occafion of his greatest glory, his Son's cbedience instead of theirs. When at the fall hell rejoiced, angels ftood aftonished, and men lay groveling in the depth of mifery, wisdom found out a way of recovery, to the marring of the devil's joy, the diffipating man's fears, and giving angels a mystery of wisdom to pry into Eph. iii. 10. " To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the church the manifold wifdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Jefus Christ our Lord."

4. See here the amazing mercy of God to objects in the deepest mifery. To have given rebel finners fome years refpite from their due punishment, to

have locked them up in hell, to be released after fome millions of years, would have glorified mercy; but for an offended God to provide a Mediator himself, proclaims the height and depth of infinite mercy.

5. See here the love of God to poor finners. The love of the Father is wonderful, in fending his own Son to recover finners by his obedience and death: John, iii. 16. “ God so loved the world, that he gave his Son, his only-begotten Son, unto the death, the most bitter death, even the death of the trofs." The love of Chrift, which undertook that heavy work for poor finners. Here is love admirable in all its dimenfions: Chrift coming in the room of finners. If ye doubt his love, look into his pierced fide, and behold its glowings there.

The love of the Spirit dwelling in Chrift, as the Head, to enliven poor finners as his members, being in him, exciting, moving him forward to the work, and fitting him for it. -I fhall only add an ufe of exhortation.

O! firs, let Chrift be your choice, as he was the Father's. His Father is well pleafed with him, be you also well pleased with him Employ him in your every cafe, put all your cafes in his hand, lay your help where the Father hath laid it. Receive him whom the Father hath fent, receive him for all the ends to which the Father hath anointed and fent him. He is called Meffiah, and Chrift, to denote his being anointed as the Prophet, Priest, and King of his people; he was anointed for all these offices, receive and improve him in them all. He is anointed as the great Prophet, to declare the mind of God to finners: Ifa. lxi. 1. He is to "preach good tidings to the meek." Receive him for your Prophet, and teacher; renouncing your own wisdom, fubmit yourselves to be taught by his word and Spirit; D 2

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and go to him for direction in all cafes. He is an anointed Prieft: Pfal. cx. 4. "The Lord hath fworn, and will not repent, thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchifedec." Receive him as your Priest, laying the weight of your fouls on his facrifice and interceffion; renouncing all confidence in yourselves. Carry your guilt to him, to be carried off by his atonement, and put all your fpiritual facrifices in his hand, for only out of his hand will they be accepted. He is anointed King: Pfal. ii. 6. Yet have I fet my King upon my holy hill of Zion." Submit yourselves a willing people to the royal Mediator, to receive his commandments, to live according to his laws, to pursue the intereft of his kingdom in the world, and to fight under his banner against the devil, the world, and the flesh; fince for thefe ends he is fent, and has come, it lies on us to receive him as fuch. And that this may have weight with you, confider,

(1.) Who fent him; the Father, the first person of the glorious Trinity: John, v. 37. " The Father himself," faid he, "that hath fent me, hath borne witnefs of me." And will we not welcome him whom the Father hath fent, and entertain him for the ends for which he is fent? The Father had a concern for the falvation of loft finners, and hath fent them a deliverer, a Saviour. How will you answer if you flight him?-Confider,

(2.) Whois fent. The Father hath put an honour on man, beyond what he hath put on angels, in that he fent a Saviour for the one, not for the other. Had he fent a lower perfon, an angel, with what profound refpect ought we to have received him as the messenger of the Lord? how much more when he hath fent his own Son?--Confider,

(3.) The errand and defign on which he was fent; namely, to recover a loft world, to make up the

peace

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