EL EC T. 289 publifh his Salvation; for the almighty FATHER audibly pronounced him to be his beloved Sox, in whom he was wellpleafed; while the SPIRIT of Holinefs and of Power defcended, as a Dove defcends, from Heaven, and vifi- biy refted his ineffable Glory upon him.* Here, the three Perfons of the facred, undivided, Efenee teftified, .concerning Jefus, that he was the appointed MESSIAH ; here, the SPIRIT of Truth evidently anointed his Man- hood by the Profluence ofhis Grace ; while the well-be- loved Sox accepted the fenfible Atteftation of the FA- THER, that He it was, whom Patriarchs, Prophets, and Saints fhould behold, as their Head, and their Redeemer. CHRIST was not the ELECT of the FATHER, for his own fake ; but for the fake of his People. As a Perfon in JEHOVAH, partaking of Omnipotence and Supre- macy, he could not be chofen or appointed for any pur- pofe, towhich he did not give his own Confent and Ap- probation : But, as all the Ideas or Intentions of the blefï'ed Trinity are as much at Unity as the divine Ef- fence itfelf, and cannot admit of the leaft Difference or, Inequality ; fo what the firft Perfon willed or purpofed, was the Will and Purpofe of the other two Perfons, in the utmoft Harmony and Conjundtion. Thus the Sti- pulations of the Covenant of Grace, by the refpeftive Perlons, are but fo many infeparable Intentions of one divine Mind. One Will aétuates the"whole Deity ; or, rather, the whole Trinity will one and the fame Purpofe, think one and the fame Idea, effect one and the fame Defign, becaufe they exift in one and the fame Nature. There can be no Contrariety of Mind ; becaufe the Mind of the three Perfons is but one Mind : And though each Perfon may undertake, by himfelf, a feparate Ope- ration; yet that Operationdoes not ceafe tobe theOpera- tion of the whole Deity, becaufe the other two Perfons unite in Confent and bear an equal Will in whatever is done by either of them. When the World was created by the Sox, it is Paid, that the FATHER created all Things * Matt. iii. 16, 17.
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