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It sometimes happens, on the ether hand, that what properly belongs to the compound nature of Christ, is attributed to one of his natures only, 1 Tim. ii. 5. one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Now he is not mediator inasmuch as he is man, but inasmuch as he is Θεάνθρωπος.

Scripture, however, more frequently distinguishes what is peculiar to his human nature. Acts ii. 30. of the fruit of the loins of David, according to the flesh. See also Rom. ix. 5. 1 Pet. iii. 18. being put to death in the flesh, that is to say, being affected chiefly and most visibly in his human nature. This text will be adverted to again in the sixteenth chapter.

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The incarnation of Christ consists of two parts; his conception and his nativity. Of his conception the efficient cause was the Holy Spirit. Matt. i. 20. that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost. Luke i. 35. the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; by which words I am inclined to understand the power and spirit of the Father himself, as has been shown above; according to Psal. xl. 6, 7. compared with Heb. x. 5, 6. a body hast thou prepared me.

The object of this miraculous conception was to obviate the contamination consequent upon the sin of Adam. Heb. vii. 26. such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.

The nativity of Christ is predicted by all the prophets, and more particularly in the following passages. Mic. v. 2. thou Bethlehem Ephratah......out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel. Isai. vii. 14. behold, a virgin shall conceive. xi. 1. there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse. The history of the nativity is given Matt. i. 18-25. Luke i. 42. blessed is the fruit of thy womb. ii. 6, 7. the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. v. 22. when the days of her purification were accomplished.

That the Messiah is already come is proved, in contradiction to the belief of the Jews, by the following arguments. First, the cities of Bethlehem and Nazareth, (where according to prophecy Christ was to be born and educated, Mic. v. 2. Zech. vi. 12. behold the man whose name is (Nezer, or) the Branch, are no longer in existence. Secondly, it was predicted that his advent should take place while the second temple and the Jewish government were yet in being. Hag. ii. 7, 9. I will fill this house with glory: the glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former. Dan. ix. 24. seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression......and to anoint the most Holy. v. 26. after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off...... and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city. v. 27. he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease. Zech. ix. 9. rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold thy king cometh unto thee. Gen. xlix 10. the sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come, by which name the three most ancient Jewish commentators, Onkelos, Jonathan, and Hierosolymitanus, understood the Messiah. Dan. ii. 44. in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom. Lastly, because the Gentiles have long since put away the worship of other gods, and embraced the faith of Christ, which event, according to the prophecies, was not to take place till after his coming. Gen. xlix. 10. unto him shall the gathering of the people be. pass in the last days......that all nations shall flow unto it. See also Mic. iv. 1. Hag. ii. 6. yet once, it is a little while...... and I will shake all nations. Mal, iii. 1. the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come

to his temple.

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Isai. ii. 2. it shall come to

* See Poole's Synopsis in loc, where, besides the authorities mentioned by Milton, other Jewish commentators are cited as admitting the same interpretation of the passage.

CHAP. XV.

OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE MEDIATOR

AND

OF HIS THREEFOLD OFFICE.

THE HE nature of Christ the Mediator, human as well as divine, has been already defined.

THE MEDIATORIAL

SPECIAL

APPOINTMENT

OFFICE of Christ is that whereby, AT THE OF GOD THE FATHER, HE VOLUNTARILY PERFORMED, AND CONTINUES TO PERFORM, ON BEHALF OF MAN, WHATEVER IS REQUISITE FOR OBTAINING RECONCILIATION GOD, AND ETERNAL SALVATION."

WITH

AT THE SPECIAL APPOINTMENT OF GOD THE FATHER. Isai. xlii. 1 behold my servant .............. mine_elect in whom my soul delighteth. lxi. 1. Jehovah hath anointed me. Hence he derived the name of Messias, of Christ, Psal. ii. of the messenger of the covenant, Mal. iii. 1. and of the advocate, 1 John ii. 1. we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ. Psal. cx. 4. Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent. Rom. iii. 25. whom God hath set forth. Heb. v. 4-6. so also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest. x. 9, 10. I come to do thy will, O God..... by the which will we are sanctified. John iii. 16, 17. God gave his only begotten Son.... God sent not his Son into the world to condemn—. v. 34.

Men hereafter may discern

From what consummate virtue I have chose
This perfect man, by merit call'd my Son,
To earn salvation for the sons of men.

Paradise Regained, I. 164.

God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. vi. 27. him hath God the Father sealed. x. 36. him whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world. Gal. i. 4. who gave himself.. according to the will of God and our Father.

.....

VOLUNTARILY. John xv. 9. as the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Rom. viii. 35. who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, &c. ..... or sword? Eph. iii. 19. the love of Christ which passeth knowledge.

WHATEVER IS REQUISITE FOR OBTAINING RECONCILIATION WITH GOD. Rom. v. 10. we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. 2 Cor. v. 18, 19. all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ: God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. 1 John ii. 2. he is the propitiation for our sins.

ETERNAL SALVATION.

Matt. i. 21. thou shalt call his name Jesus,

for he shall save his people from their sins. 1 Tim. i. 15. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. John i. 17. grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 1 John iv. 9. God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live by him. 1 Thess. v. 9, 10. God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The name and office of mediator is in a certain sense ascribed to Moses, as a type of Christ. Gal. iii. 19. the law was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. What the nature of his office was, is explained Acts vii. 38. this is he...... who received the lively oracles to give unto us, compared with Deut. v. 5. I stood between Jehovah and you at that time to show you the word of Jehovah.

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In treating of the functions of the Mediator, we are to consider his threefold office, as PROPHET, PRIEST and KING, and his manner of administering the same.

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HIS OFFICE AS A PROPHET is TO INSTRUCT HIS CHURCH IN HEAVENLY TRUTH, AND TO DECLARE THE WHOLE WILL OF HIS FATHER. Deut. xviii. 15. compared with Acts iii. 22. and vii. 37. Jehovah thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee. Isai. lxi. 1. Jehovah hath anointed me to preach, compared with Luke iv. 18. Ezek. xxxiv. 23. I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David. Zech. vi. 12, 13. behold the man..... he shall build the temple of Jehovah. Matt. xxiii. 8. one is your master, even Christ. Luke x. 22. no man knoweth who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. Rev. v. 7. he took the book. Hence he is called counsellor, Isai. ix. 6. and lv. 4. a witness, a leader and commander to the people. John i. 9. that was the true light which lighteth cometh into the world. 1 Cor. i. 24. the wisdom of God. apostle of our profession. xii. 2. the author and finisher of our faith. xiii. 20. that great shepherd of the sheep. Rev. i. 5. the faithful witness. Heb. i. 2. God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son. John i. 16-18. grace and truth came by Jesus Christ..... the only begotten Son..... he hath declared him, iv, 25. when Christ is come, he will tell us all things. xviii. 37. to this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. xv. 15. all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you.

every man that Heb. iii. 1. the

His prophetical office consists of two parts; one external, namely, the promulgation of divine truth; the other internal, to wit, the illumination of the understanding. The former is mentioned Matt. iv. 17. from that time Jesus began to preach and to say; and Mark i. 14. the latter Luke xxiv. 32, 45. did not our heart burn within us while he opened to us the Scriptures? then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures. Acts xvi. 14. the Lord opened the heart of Lydia, that she attended unto the things that

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