system of morality more pure and perfect than the united wis- dom of the whole world had been ever able to devise.
In his life, "he was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners." Neither his friends who were most intimate with him, nor his enemies who were most inveterate against him, could ever find the smallest flaw or blemish' in his conduct. God himself repeatedly attests that " in him was no sin."
But most of all in his death did our blessed Lord approve himself a lover of righteousness and a hater of iniquity : for he died in order to expiate the guilt of sin : yea, he came down from heaven on purpose to atone for it by his blood ; and to mark in indelible characters its malignity, by the very means which he used to deliver us from its curse.
In the whole scope of the economy which he introduced, he manifested the same righteous disposition : for at the same time that he commissioned his Apostles to go forth and evangelize all nations, he bade them " teach their proselytes to observe and do whatsoever he had commanded." His Gospel, while it " brings salvation to men, teaches them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live righteously, soberly, and godly in this present world :" and the ministers who are sent forth to proclaim it, are " sent to bless men, in turning away every one of them from his iniquities."]
On this account God in a super-eminent degree
** anointed him with the oil of gladness" —
[The Father " gave not the Spirit by measm-e unto him," even during the time of his ministration upon earth\ But though he was anointed in this world in an infinitely more abundant measure than all who were partakers of the same divine unction, yet it was rather after his death that the Spirit was given to him as " the oil of gladness" At his ascension the words before us received their full accomplishment. Then was " the joy given him, in the expectation of which he had endured the cross and despised the shame." Then was he "made full of joy by the light of his Father's countenance*^," and was invested with a glory as much transcending that of the highest archangel, as the brightness of the sun exceeds the lustre of a glinnnering star. This was given him as the reward of his righteousness : " he loved righteousness;" " therefore the Lord anointed him with this oil of gladness"^."]
Though this is the primary sense of the words, we may without impropriety consider them, IL As applicable to us —
<^ See Isai. xi. 2. and Ixi. 1.
^ Compare Ps. xvi. 10, 11. and xxi. 6. with Acts ii. 27, 28.
e Phil. ii. 8, 9.