4. His Resurrection and Afcenfion, Hof. vi. 2. Pfal. cx. 1. Acts ii. 34, 36.

5. His Reception in the World, Pfal. ii. 8. Pfal. Ixxii. 11. Col. i. 23.

2. Wherefore is he called Meffiah, Chrift? Because he was anointed,

1. To be a Prophet, 1 Reg. xix. 16. Ifa.lxi. 1. John iii. 2.

2. To be a Prieft, Exod. xl. 15. Heb. vii. 17. Eph. v. 2.

3. A King, 1 Reg. xix. 16. Pfal. ii. 6. Ifa. ix. 6. Acts v. 31. Eph. i. 20, 21. A&ts x. 38.

USE.

1. Firmly believe this great Truth, that Jef is the Chrift, Acts xvii. 2,3. Acts xviii. 5, 28. 1 John V. I. c. ii. 22.

2. Receive him,

1. As your Prophet, obferving what he hath faid, believing what he afferts, trusting on what he hath promised.

2. As your Prieft, to make Atonement for you, Rom. viii. 33, 34.

3. As

your King, to rule and govern you, and to fubdue Sin and Satan, and all your Spiritual Enemies under you, 1 John iii. 8.

3. Live up to the Profeffion of this Faith, Acts xi. 26. 2 Tim. ii. 19.

Lukei 35.

The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the Power of the Highest hall overfbadow thee.

TERE we have the Incarnation of the Son of God, described by,

HE

I. Its efficient Caufe: The Holy Ghost fhall come upon thee.

II, The Subject: Upon thee the Virgin Mary.

III. The Refult: The Union of the Two Natures in one Perfon. Therefore that Holy Thing, &c.

1. The efficient Caufe: The Holy Ghoft. Where in our Creed it is faid, He was con ceived by the Holy Ghoft; that is, He did cause the Virgin to conceive, Luke i. 31.

1. As to his Conception by the Holy Ghost, I shall only obferve, That,

1. As it is a great Mystery, it is here myfterioufly expreffed, fνομα ἅγιον ἐπελεύσεται όλ Οr, καὶ διίαμις υψίσε επισκιάσει σοι, as in the Creation, Gen. i. 2. and the Production of Man, c. ii. 7. There was fubject Matter, but the Spirit moved upon it, as Pfal. civ. 30. John vi. 63. Hence Chrift's firft Name is Wonderful, Ifa. ix. 6.

2. It was neceffary our Saviour should be thus conceived, that fo he might be free from

Sin.

For,

1. The Divine Nature could not be united to the Humane, unless pure and perfect.

2. He could not have expiated our Sins, uplefs he had been without Sin himself, Heb. vii. 26, 27.

3. Hence our Saviour, even as Man, is called the Son of God, becaufe produced inimediately by God himself, as Adam was, Luke iii. 38.

2. As to the Perfon of whom he was born, we need only observe,

1. Her Name was Mary, Luke i. 27. Matt. i. 18. Mich. vi. 4.

2. She was a Virgin when the bear him, Gen. iii. 15. Ifa. vii. 14. Luke i. 27.

3.

It is very probable fhe continued to be fo after, Matt. 25. compared with 1 Sam. xv. 35. His Brethren were his Kinfmen, or Jofeph's Children by another Wife, they are not called hers.

4. She was certainly an excellent Perfon, yet not without Sin, at least Original, Rom. iii. 23... V. 18. for fhe needed a Saviour, Luke i. 46, 47, and died.

5. We ought to reverence, but not to worship her, Luke i. 28, 48. Matth. iv. 10. Ἡ μαρία ἐν τιμή, ὁ Κύριθ προσκω είπω, Ει καλλίςη ἡ Μαρία καὶ ἁγία καὶ τετιμημένη ἀλλ' ἐχ εἰς To on. Epiph.

USI.

1. Hence fee the Condefcenfion of the Son of God in being born of a Woman, and yet poor, Lev.xii. 8. Luk. ii. 24.

2. Learn of him to be meek and lowly, Matt. xi. 29.

3. The Refult of this, the Union of the Divine and Humane Nature. For, 1. That he is God, we have proved already. 2. That he became truly Man, is plain from his being born of a Woman, Heb. ii. 14. 16

1. He had a real Body, John i. 14. Luke xxiv. 39. 1 John iv. 3.

Simon Magus, Saturnus, Ifidorus Secundus, Marcofiani, Heracleonita,Ophita, Cerdon, Marcion,&c. Were Δοκηταὶ ή φαντασιασι, fuppofing Chrift to have no real Body.

2. A Soul, Matt. xxvi. 38. Luke ii. 52. Luke xxii. 42.

Arius and Eunomius faid, Osóτnta Jujus cunggaκἶναι τὴν χρείαν. Theodoret.

3. His Soul and Body were united together, Luke xxiii. 46.

3. His Humane and Divine Nature were both united in one Perfon.

Θεάνθρωπον. Hence, ο λόγΘ ὁ μόνΘ ἀμφὶν Θεὶς TEX LVOеWT. Clem. Alex.

So that,

1. His Natures were not mixed or confounded together, for then he would have been neither.

2. Nor changed one into the other, as the Etychians thought the Humane was turned into Divine; but ἀσυγχώτως, ἀτρέπτως αδιαιρέ Tas dweiss. Concil. Chalced. Luke xxii. 42. Matt. i. 23.

So that he was perfect God, and perfect Man, in one and the fame Perfon.

The Humane Nature had no Subfiftence out of the Divine Perfon.

Hence flowed the Value and Efficacy of his Actions, Acts xx. 28.

K4

USE.

U.SE.

1, Hence fee what Cause you have to truft to Chrift for your Salvation, he being GodMan, is able to reconcile God to you, and you to God.

1. On God's Part, Heb. v. 1.

1. By Satisfying for your Sins, Heb. ii. 10. I Tim. ii. 6. ἀντίλυτρον ὑπὲρ πάντων. 2. By interceding for you, I John xxii. Heb. vii. 25.

2. On our Part, Col. i. 19. John i. 16.

2. Go to Chrift, by trufting wholly in him,

Matt. xi. 28.

3. Obey all his Commands; as certain that he commands nothing but what is for your Good. Matt. xi. 30. 1 John v. 3.

PET.