to bring them to see the misery of their apostate state, to relieve them from and encourage them against their fears that must necessarily rise upon such a discovery, by the application of his satisfaction; and, finally, to change their hearts unto a love of God, who is naturally the object of their hatred, into a complacency in him, and cheerfulness in serving him. All this is, in fewer words, he must be a Priest, to make satisfaction for sinners to the glory of God, and an Intercessor, through whom they may have free access unto him, without disgrace done to his most holy Majesty by their unworthiness, and without discouragement, on their part, because of it: he must be a Prophet, to declare, in the name of God, the salvation he hath procured; to convince men, in their hearts, of their absolute want of it, and of its sufficiency to relieve them: he must be a King, to confer authoritatively this salvation upon all that humbly sue for it, to defend them from their enemies, and to maintain a spiritual dominion in their hearts. Upon these considerations it appears that he must be duly authorized for his mediatorial work, and also duly qualified. That he was both the one and the other, both solemnly consecrated unto it, and fully fitted for it, being anointed King, Priest, and Prophet, for this very purpose, you declare when you say, "I believe in Jesus the Christ." Wherein you profess your belief of these two things, relative to and implied in his anointing, as together constituting him an authorized, qualified, and ample Mediator for the exercise of his kingly, prophetic, and sacerdotal work, and the fulfilment of God's design, respecting his own glory, in that transaction.

First. That he was solemnly consecrated, inaugurated, and set apart to this work, according to the purpose of God, before the worlds were, and according to the tenour of the covenant of redemption, by the express designation and open declaration of the Father, whereby he was publicly sealed and invested Prophet, Priest, and King, and God's commissioning him thereto, with full power and authority, was avowed and declared. That he was thus consecrated hereunto you have been taught to believe from God's testimony to this very thing, as by the many wonderful works that he wrought by him, and in confirmation of his mission, so especially by that open declaration at the time of his

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baptism," when the Spirit like a dove descended and lighted upon him; and, lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." A testimony which our Lord himself afterwards refers to, as fully declarative of his commission, and as being nothing less than God's seal put unto it, for the conviction of the world that he came fully empowered: "Labour for that meat which endureth unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto you; for him hath God the Father sealed."

Secondly. Besides his consecration, you believe also his qualification, as the other thing implied in his anointing. And this is his receiving in his human nature the fulness of the Holy Ghost, which, you are expressly assured, was given to him without measure, John iii. 34. Hereby he was furnished with every gift and every grace that could possibly be needful to the discharge of all and every part of his work, as to what related to his human nature therein, to offer himself freely and without spot unto God, to declare the whole will of God, and to attend upon the ministrations thereof with the demonstrative illumination of the Spirit, to direct, assist, sanctify, and build up his people unto a meetness for the heavenly inheritance. In short, as he was constituted and consecrated to the office of a Saviour by the designation and declaration of the Father, so was he by him furnished and qualified by the unlimited bestowment of every gift and grace of the Spirit necessary thereto. And in both these together consists his anointing. From the nature of his office, as one who was to mediate between God and his apostate creatures, neither of them could be wanting; his consecration and his qualification must go hand in hand. Had he not acted in God's name, and been invested with his authority, his qualifications and actions would have been without divine warrant; and had he been only authorized, and not furnished, he had been unequal to the work he was sent to perform. Happy for us that his commission and qualification are so ample; and that we have the testimony of Scripture (I might say also of experience), that our Saviour Jesus is fully authorized and fitted to teach us as our Prophet; to atone and intercede for us, as our Priest; and to rule and defend us, as our King.

But now, brethren, we may know all this, and yet come utterly

short of the full meaning and purpose of this word Christ, here in the Creed. The person here speaking is supposed to have entered into the design of this unction or anointing, and in some measure to have his heart and conduct in conformity with it. Does he say, I believe Jesus was solemnly authorized and amply fitted to teach me the will of God, that I should pay no manner of regard to it, remain in ignorance of it through my own carelessness, or proudly dispute the truth of what he says? Does the believer declare, I know Jesus was constituted and qualified to make atonement for sin, that I should make no manner of use of that atonement, either standing upon my own righteousness, or never seriously considering my sinfulness and misery, that I may seek the benefit of his? Is Jesus, does he say, ordained a King, and furnished with every kingly requisite, that I should remain serving my lusts, opposing his kingdom, and growing daily more ripe for destruction in the increasing hardness and impenitency of my heart? These, you see, are flat contradictions to a true belief of the unction of Jesus unto his offices. The very reverse is the true spirit of faith. And when the real believer says, "I believe in Jesus the Anointed," he takes comfort from the persuasion which the assured consecration and qualification of Jesus give him of his power to save; and honestly desires that he may partake of his saving help in all those offices unto which he is thus anointed.

You see then the full purport and meaning of the word Christ, as it stands connected with Jesus, must be this; "I believe in Jesus as my only Saviour," (for it has been observed that the word Jesus must be carried forward to every point following in this second branch of the Creed,) " and I believe in him as my Saviour, to deliver me from darkness, guilt, and sin, among other reasons afterwards to be mentioned, first of all for this, because I know him to be Christ, designed and set apart by God, and fully furnished for his office. And seeing God hath appointed and fitted him to be a Prophet, Priest, and King to me, I do desire always to give honour unto God's appointment herein; and, at the same time, to ascribe all the glory I can to my Saviour, thus constituted and sealed by the Father, as well as furnished by the fulness of the Holy Ghost, by yielding myself with all reverence, humility, and submission, unto his teaching, righteousness, and

grace; holding it my greatest present blessing to partake of his unction in all these respects, and desiring and designing to wait perseveringly upon him in all his appointed ways, that I may continually receive grace for grace out of his fulness; till, in the faithful discharge of all his offices towards me, he bring me to his everlasting kingdom. And this is my meaning, when I make my profession and say, I believe in Jesus Christ."

Well, now, and what say our hearts to this? Is this the real sentiment we have within us? Do we honestly desire to be thus minded towards Jesus, considered as the Anointed of God? I will endeavour to show a little how you may know if this is not your case; and then I will help you to see how far it is your case; and conclude with certain encouraging thoughts arising from the unction of Jesus.

I. I will endeavour a little to show you how you may know if this is not your case. And this most certainly it is not.

1.—If you have never deeply found the want of a Saviour; for then it is impossible you should have received him whom God has sent to you with full authority and ample qualification. Now of such there are, doubtless, very many in the world, and, without question, in this congregation. Christ found many of that stamp in his days, people who were whole, and did not need him who was come to seek and save that which was lost. If you have been satisfying yourself with comparisons, if you have been staying yourself upon an outward decency, if you have never entered into the depths of your own heart, and are a stranger, whether to the fact of your fallen nature, or to the evil of it, and the danger of that estate; if you have not been brought to inquire what you should do to be saved, from an infelt experience of your exceeding vileness, and with a real concern, in respect of which every earthly thing appeared to you worthy of no consi-: deration; if you have gone on with the multitude, and thought nothing of these serious matters, leaving them to visionaries and enthusiasts, as you were ready to account such as were seriously concerned for their eternal interests; in any of these cases, it is most manifest you have not come to Jesus the Anointed; and the longer you have lived, the more have you added to the prejudices of your heart against Christ's word, to the obstinacy of your heart against his law, and to the size of your guilt against

the day of recompense unto such as obey not the Gospel. You who have not found the want of a Saviour can never have received him as the Christ of God. Nor,

2.-Though you have seemingly found the want of him in the power of an enlightened, and something awakened conscience, but have not received him, as God has sent and furnished him to be a Prophet, Priest, and King to you, still you cannot say truly, "I believe in Jesus the Christ." Nothing in the world can be plainer than this. For only see. Who is your teacher? What! Christ? Does his word stand really for everything with you, and outweigh everything, the custom of the world, the wisdom of the world, the learning of the world; so that, if that says it, you make no great account of what never so many can say against it, running directly counter to all that run contrary to your Bible, and bringing everything to the law and the testimony, to prove it, whether it be right or wrong? Is Christ your Priest? Are you crying unto him, "Lord, save me; Lord, plead for me; for I am vile, I am unworthy; I cannot stand before this holy Lord God; I am nothing but sin and misery, and yet I would not be cast out of his presence, that were very hell, and infinitely worse than anything I could suffer here ?" What is this your daily, your importunate cry? And is Christ your King? What do you own no king but Jesus? Are all your lusts put in subjection under his feet; and do you loyally endeavour they may be kept so, not your most convenient, most pleasing sin excepted? Is it your constant cry, that he may keep you from all iniquity, may sanctify you wholly, and maintain an undisturbed dominion in you, and over you? Can you say this? If you can, you are not the person I am speaking to. But if you cannot, and you know nothing of all I have been declaring, it is plain the unction of Jesus has not reached unto you, and that you do not believe in him as your Christ. But,

II. I would show you how far you have received him as God's Anointed. It is supposed you have found the want of him in his offices, and that you are so far persuaded of his sufficiency as to have submitted yourself to him, to be taught, saved, and ruled by him; that your case therefore is not like that of those I have just been speaking to. You are in the number