204. MESSIAH, CHRIST, OR ANOINTED. Apoftle Paul tells the Corinthians, That they, as Chrif- tians, were anointed of GOD. * Confequently then, CHRIST, the anointing and the anointed One, is GOD. He is GOD, in Union with Man, to impart his Unétion to Man : And he is Man, in Union with GOD, to lead up Man to a.Communion with him. Cbrians derive the Name of CHRISTIANS from their Profeffion of ChrUt. 'Tis their peculiar Privilege, and their diftinguifhing Joy, to have an Unction from the HOLY ONE, and to know all things 1- that are neceffary for them to know. And this Anoi sting, which they re- ceive of him, abideth in them, and teacheth them. If then they are anointed with the Spirit of Chrift, and con- fecrated to be Kings and Priefts unto GOD and the Fa- ther; it is indifpenfably incumbent upon them to walk worthy of their Dignity. They fhould walk, as Kings, in a holy Superiority (very remote however fromSuper - cilioufnefs or Pride) over the W6r1d, and its beggarly Furfuits ; and fhould live, like Priefis, in a fpiritual Abftraétednefs from Pollution to Chrift, to whom they are confecrated and by whom they are ordained. 'Tis at once their Duty, , their Intereft, and their Joy. Being baptized into Chrift [which feems almoft fyno- nimous withbeing anointed by Chrift] they put on Chrift.t Whatever Chrift, as GOD-man, is ; he is that for their Sakes : And whatever he has ; they (hall e'er long en- joy it with Him. There is an inconceivable Nearnefs and Union, through the divine Unction, betwixt Chrifr and his People : And this Union is reprefented, in the Scripture, by Images, drawn from thofe Objeas in Nature, which exprefs the molt intimate and infeparable Union. The Hufband and Wife, the Tree and its Branches, the Head and the Members ; are frequent Metaphors to imply, how dearly CbrUt loves his Peo- ple, how virtually he fupplies them with fpiritual Life, and how clofely they are united to him. What ftrong Confolation, then, may thofe receive, whó are made * t John ii. 25, 27. fi z Cor, i. zI. Gal. iii. 27. one
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