Well, then, own him as Jesus, as the only Saviour. Acts iv. 17, the apostles were charged ' not to preach any more in the name of Jesus.' Kest upon his merit, and wait for his powder.
1. Kest upon his merit. Troubled consciences, that think to help themselves by their own care and resolution, are like men that are like to perish in the waters, and when a boat is sent out to help them, think to swim to shore by their own strength. You would be a saviour to yourselves, your own Jesus, and your own Christ. God is very jealous of the creature's trust ; and Christ saith, Isa. xlv. 5, ' I am the Lord, and there is none else ; there is no saviour besides me.' You would purchase your peace, conquer your own enemies, and then come to Christ. No money of yours is current in heaven ; the jewels of the covenant are not sold for any price but Christ's blood and Christ's obedience. God saith, Isa. Iv. 1, ' He that hath no money, let him come and buy wine and milk, without money and without price.' He sold to' Christ, but he giveth to you; he asketh nothing of you but acceptance. Will you take it ? They that refuse Christ and refuse comfort till they be holy in themselves, they have a show of humility, they would wear their own garments, spend their own money ; but the spirit is never more proud than when under a legal dejection ; we scorn to put on Christ's robes, and are better contented with our own spotted garments ; as in outward things we prefer a russet coat of our own before a velvet coat of another's. This is peevish pride.
2. Wait for his power and efficacy, in the use of means. It is be- stowed on us by virtue of his intercession : ' We are saved by his life,' Eom. V. 10 ; * If when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by
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tlie death of his Son, much more, beii\^ reconciled, shall we be saved Ly his life.' We are reconciled by his merit, but saved by his life. He liveth in heaven, and procureth influences of his grace : ' There- fore he is ' (said to be) ' able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us,' Heb. vii. 25. In heaven he accomplisheth the other part of his priesthood. He doth not work out a part of man's salvation, and leave the rest to our free will : the sacrificing part is ended, and by his in- tercession we get the merit applied to us. But we must not be idle, we must come with supplications, and present the case to Christ, that Christ may present it to God. Our groans must answer to the earnest- ness of his intercession, and then we shall receive supplies. The word is called, ' The power of God to salvation,' Kom. i. 16. Those that conscionably use prayer, and wait for Christ in the word, will find him to be a saviour indeed. The word is the effectual means to save men, how foolish and despicable soever it seem in the world. God would work with us rationally. We cannot expect a brutish bent, &c.
Thirdly, The next thing is that he is Christ, an anointed saviour. This fitly followeth the former. Jesus signifies his divinity, and Christ his humanity. We are not only to know his person, but his office : John i. 41, ' We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ,' or anointed. This is often expressed in scripture : Ps. xlv. 8, ' He is anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows ; ' Isa. Ixi. 1, ' The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek.' So Acts iv. 27, ' Against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were gathered together.' So Acts x. 38, ' How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power.' Out of all which places we see that Christ's anointing is not to be understood properly, but by a trope ; the sign is put for the thing signified.
1. Who was anointed ? Among the Gentiles, the wrestlers were anointed. Which may be applied to Christ, who was now to wrestle and conflict with all the prejudices and difficulties of man's salvation. But it is rather taken from the customs of the ceremonial law. Three sorts of persons we find to be anointed among the Jews : — Kings ; as Saul, David, Solomon : 1 Sam. ix. 16, 'Thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel' Therefore they were called, ' the Lord's anointed,' 1 Sam. xxvi. 11, Priests ; all the priests that mini- stered in the tabernacle or temple, chiefly the high priest, who was a special figure of Christ : Exod. xxix. 29, ' And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons' after him, to" be anointed therein, and to be consecrated in them.' Prophets : 1 Kings xix. 16, 'Elisha the son of Shaphat shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.' As oil Kstrengtheneth and suppleth the joints, and maketh them agile and fit for exercise, so it noteth a designation and fitness for the functions to which they were appointed. So Christ, because he was not to be a typical priest, or prophet, or king, therefore he was not typically but spiritually anointed ; not with a sacramental, but real unction ; not of men, but of God immediately. Therefore we shall inquire how Christ was anointed. It implieth two things : —