much less when a man builds a house, do we say it is his son. There was therefore no other relation between the Person of the Spirit and the human nature of Christ, than that of a Creator and a creature.

2. That this act of the Spirit in forming the body of Christ, differs from the act of the Son in assuming the human nature into personal union with himself. The latter was not an act of creation, but of ineffable love and wisdom; taking the nature so prepared for him to be his own in the instant of formation, and thereby preventing the singular and individual subsistence of that nature by itself.

3. Hence also it follows, that the conception of Christ in the womb, being the effect of a creating act, was not accomplished successively and in process of time, but was perfected in an instant. For though creating acts of infinite power may have a process allotted to them (as the world was created in six days) yet each part that was the object of a special creating act, was instantaneously produced. So was the forming the body of Christ, though it increased afterwards in the womb unto the birth. And as it is probable that this conception was immediately on the angelic salutation, so it was necessary that nothing of the human nature of Christ should exist of itself, antecedently to its union with the Son of God; for in the very instant of its formation was the "Word made flesh," and the Son of God was "made of a woman."

It only remains that we consider how the conception of Christ is assigned both to the Holy Ghost, and to the Virgin: "A Virgin shall conceive." Isa. vii. 14. "Thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son." Luke i. 31. And yet in that ancient creed, commonly called the Apostles', it is said "he was conceived of the Holy Ghost," and only "born of the Virgin Mary." We are to observe, that this work is assigned to the Spirit as the efficient cause, who by his power produced the effect; and to the holy Virgin, as the passive material cause; for his body was formed of her substance. And this was after her espousal with Joseph. For (1.) Under the cover of her marriage to

him, she was to receive a protection of her innocency. (2.) God provided one that should take care of her and her child in his infancy :—and hereby, (3.) Was our Saviour freed from the imputation of an illegitimate birth, till by his own miracles he should give testimony to his miraculous conception. (4.) That he might have one, on whose account his genealogy might be recorded, to manifest the accomplishment of the promise to Abraham and David: for the line of genealogy was not legally continued by the mother only. Hence Matthew gives us the genealogy by Joseph, to whom his mother was legally espoused; and though Luke gives us the true natural line of his descent by the progenitors of the Virgin, yet he names her not, only mentioning her espousals; he begins with her father Heli. Luke iii. 23.

From this miraculous creation of the body of Christ, it became a meet habitation for his holy soul. We have not only the general depravity of our nature, but the obliquity of our particular constitutions to conflict with. Hence, one is disposed to anger, another to levity, a third to sensuality, and another to sloth. But the body of Christ being perfectly pure, there was no tendency in his constitution to the least deviation from perfect holiness. The exquisite harmony of his natural temperature, made love, meekness, gentleness, patience, benignity, and goodness, natural to him, as having an incapacity of such motions as should have a contrary tendency. Hence also, though he took on him those infirmities which belong to human nature, yet he took none of our particular infirmities, which cleave to us through the vice of our constitutions. Those natural passions of our minds, which are capable of being means of trouble, as grief and sorrow, he took upon him; and also those infirmities of nature which are troublesome to the body, as hunger, thirst, weariness, and pain; but as to our bodily diseases and distempers, he was absolutely free from.

Secondly. The human nature of Christ being thus miraculously formed, was sanctified from its conception, and filled with grace according to its capacity.

Being not begotten by natural generation, it derived no taint of original sin from Adam; but was absolutely innocent, as Adam was in the day he was created. Besides, it was positively endowed by the Spirit with all grace: "There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots; and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord." Isa. xi. 1, 2, 3. The Spirit's first sanctifying work in the womb, is principally intended in this promise. The soul of Christ, from the first moment of its infusion, was a subject capable of a fulness of grace, as to its habitual residence, though the actual exercise of it was suspended till the organs of the body were fitted for it.

Thirdly. The Spirit carried on this work:-and here we must observe two things: (1.) Christ, as man, exercised all grace by the rational powers of his soul, his understanding, will, and affections; for he acted grace as a man. His divine nature did not supply the place of a human soul, nor did it immediately operate the works he performed; but being a perfect man, his rational soul was the immediate principle of all his moral operations.-In the improvement and exercise of these faculties, he made a progress like other men, accompanied with a progression in grace also. "The child grew" (Luke ii. 40); that is, in bodily stature, "and waxed strong in spirit" (v. 52.) or in the faculties of his mind; he is said to "increase in wisdom and in stature" (v. 47.); he was (PLEROUMENOS SOPHIAS) continually filling and filled with new degrees of wisdom, as the rational faculties of his mind were capable of it; and this growth was the peculiar work of the Holy Ghost. (2.) His human nature was capable of having new objects presented, of which before it had a simple nescience; and this is as inseparable from human nature as such, as weariness or hunger; but is no vice or blamable defect. Ignorance of any thing one ought to know, is a moral defect, and can

never be ascribed to Christ; but as it is merely a nescience of some things, it is only a denial of infinite omniscience, not inconsistent with the highest holiness of human nature.-Hence our Lord says of himself, that he "knew not the day and hour of the end of all things;" and our apostle says of him, that "he learned obedience by suffering." In the representation of things anew to his human nature, the wisdom of it was objectively increased; and in new trials he learned experimentally the new exercise of grace; and this was the constant work of the Spirit, who dwelt in him "without measure.'

Fourthly. The Holy Spirit anointed him with all those extraordinary powers which were necessary for the discharge of his office. "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives; and the opening of the prison to them that are bound." Isa. lxi. 1. The prophetical office of Christ is here intended, by which he instructed men in the nature of his other offices. For this work he was fitted by the unction of the Spirit; he received at his baptism the visible pledge which confirmed him in, and testified to others, his calling of God to the office of a prophet. prophet. Then "the Spirit descended like a dove, and rested on him; and lo, a voice from Heaven, saying, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Matt. iii. 16, 17. Hereby was the great seal of Heaven put to his commission. John vi. 27. He now entered fully on his public ministry. Before this, he had only occasionally manifested the presence of God with him, as when he filled men with astonishment at his discourse with the doctors in the temple; and though he probably performed many extraordinary actions during his course of a private life, yet he did not receive the fulness of gifts for his work till the time of his baptism. On this "he was full of the Holy Ghost;" he was continually filling before, but now he was "full of the Holy Ghost," possessed of all that fulness of spiritual gifts which he needed: with respect G

to which the Evangelist says, "God giveth not his Spirit by measure to him." John iii. 34. "To every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ; but the Spirit was given to the Lord Christ immeasurably." "It pleased the Father, that in him all fulness should dwell," that in all things he might have the pre-eminence.

Fifthly. It was by the power of the Holy Spirit he wrought those miraculous works whereby his ministry was confirmed. Hence it is said that "Jesus of Nazareth was a man approved of God, by miracles, and wonders, and signs which God did by him." So when he cast out devils, it was by "the finger of God," that is, by the infinite power of God, which was exerted by the Holy Spirit; and therefore, when the Jews ascribed his miracles to Beelzebub, he tells them that they blasphemed the Holy Ghost, whose works they were.

Sixthly. By him he was directed, comforted, and supported in the whole course of his ministry, temptations, obedience, and sufferings. A few instances may suffice. Soon after his baptism, he was "led by the Spirit into the wilderness," to begin his contest with the Devil. Hereby he made an entrance into his ministry. By his assistance he was carried triumphantly through his temptations, and obtained a perfect conquest of his adversary, who endeavoured by all means to oppose and hinder him in his work. The temptation being finished, he returned from the wilderness to preach the gospel "in the power of the Spirit;" and thence, in his first sermon at Nazareth, he took those words of the prophet for his text: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor." And as he thus began his ministry in the power of the Spirit, he continually put forth his wisdom and grace, to the astonishment of all, stopping the mouths of his enemies. By him he was strengthened and comforted in his whole course, from first to last.

Seventhly. He offered himself up to God through the eternal Spirit. Heb. ix. 14. Those who look only