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SER M. bitter Invectives that ever were formed against

VI.

the Christian Religion, never wounded it half fo deep, as the wicked Lives of those that profefs it. In a Word and to conclude, nothing tends more not only to the securing the Benefits of Chriftianity to one's felf, but also to the Ornament and Propagation of it abroad, than a Holy Life; and nothing ferves more to hinder both a Man's own Advantage and Expectation from it, and alfo its Progress with others, than an unfuitable Conversation. Let every one therefore, on whom the Name of Chrift is named, depart from Iniquity.

SER

SERMON VII.

The Character of the Prophet that was to be like unto Moses.

ACTS iii. 22, 23.

18, 19.

Mofes truly faid unto the Fathers, A Prophet Deut. Shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, of xvii. 15, your Brethren, like unto me: Him shall ye bear, in all Things whatsoever he shall fay

unto you.

And it fhall come to pass, that every Soul, which will not hear that Prophet, fhall be deftroyed from among the People.

H

VII.

AVING dedicated this Seafon to ex- SER M plain the Nature and Offices of the Meffias, or to fhew who and what he was to be; I have already explained the Meaning of the Word or Name Meffias, which, I told you, fignifies the fame Thing in the Syriac Language, as Chrift does in the Greek, that is, the Anointed One. After which I proceeded

VII.

SERM. to fhew, in what Senfe our Saviour was anointed, and what was the Design and Effect of his Unction.

As to the Unction of our Lord, you know what St. Peter told Cornelius and his Company how God anointed Jefus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost, and with Power, Acts x. 38. That was the Unction of the Bleffed Jefus, and that Unction was shed most plentifully upon him, even vifibly and openly in the Sight of the World, when, after his Baptism in the River of Jordan, the Heavens opened, the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God, defcended and hovered over him like a Dove, and then lighting and refting upon him, a Voice from Heaven proclaimed aloud, This my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed.

is

And this was an Unction more real and true than the Unction of any that had been before him. To him only can be applied (as the Author of the Epiftle to the Hebrews affures us) that congratulatory Character given him by the Pfalmift, that God, even God himself, had anointed him with the Oil of Gladness above his Fellows, Pfal. xlv. 7. compared with Hebr. i. 9. His Unction was not deficient for want of that legal ceremonial Oil which had been poured on others; but

those

VII.

thofe others were anointed with that material SER M. Oil, to fupply the Want of that fuperior and vifible Unction by the Holy Ghoft, which was to be shed forth on Jefus alone: Who therefore is to be stiled, emphatically and by way of Eminence, the Meffiab or Chrift, which, in plain English, fignifies, the Anointed One.

Thus much it was neceffary to fhew concerning the Manner of our Saviour's Unction : After which I obferved that the End and Defign of it, was to confecrate and initiate him to the Exercife of thofe Offices, to which Unction was used as preparatory by the Jews. For fince whofoever was anointed among the Jews, was therefore anointed, because he was to be fo, of whom they were Types; therefore it must follow, that whatever Office any of those Perfons who were anointed bore, must be born by him who was the true and only. Anti-type of them all. And fince again it appears from the Old Teftament, that there were three Sorts of Perfons amongst the Jews, viz. Kings, and Priefts, and Prophets, who were initiated to their Office by the Ceremony of anointing; we must thence conclude that all the three Offices, of Prophet, Prieft and King, were, at the Unction of our Lord, invested in him.

And

SERM.
VII.

And to explain these several Offices of our Saviour, was the principal Thing I had in View, when I first entered upon his Title of Christ. But as each of thofe Offices is a Subject of fuch Importance, as that it needs to be discoursed of feparately; I therefore propose to make them the Subject of our Meditations during the prefent and following Season.

His Prophetick Office is what I chufe to begin with. For fince he first acted as Pròphet, then as our Priest, and laftly received that Regal Authority, by which he is to reign till the Confummation of all Things; therefore for the more clear and diftin&t Explication of each feveral Office, it will be most proper to treat of them in the fame Order in which they are placed in the Divine Oeconomy: Beginning first with the Prophetick, thence proceeding to the Priestly, and then laftly to the Kingly Office of our Saviour.

To introduce me regularly, and to furnish me with Matter apt and fufficient to explain the Prophetick Office of our Lord, I have taken the Words of St. Peter for my Text: Wherein (preaching to a Number of People that were affembled in the Temple) he confirms a famous Prediction of Mofes, and jus

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