no good Testimony left, whereon to build SER M. But indeed we have Tefti

our Conjecture.

mony, and this Teftimony of an ancient

*

Writer of the Church, who tells us, that in the Reign of Claudius Cæfar, ten Years after the Afcenfion of our Bleffed Lord into Heaven, Euodius was chofen. Bishop of Antioch, the immediate Succeffor of St. Peter there ; and that this Eucdius having called the Dif ciples to a folemn Conference, named them Chriftians: A Name no fooner impofed, than joyfully embraced by all Believers, as the most proper Appellation which could be given unto our Profeffion, being derived from the Author and Finisher of our Faith! A Name which the firft Chriftians delighted in fo much, that no Perfecutions or Diftrefs, no Tortures or Death could ever prevail with them, or tempt them, to disown.

.

And this is as far as I need to go in the first Use I should make of my Difcourfe, which was only to fhew you (though indeed it was needful to fhew you) that from CHRIST we are called CHRISTIANS. But as the very Denomination of Chriftians implies both a Privilege and a Duty in it, I must not con

*Johannes Antiochenus in Mr. John Gregory's Works, page

155

VOL. II.

I

clude

VI.

3 ER M. clude before I have hinted fome practical Use,

VI.

which ought alfo to be made from the Confideration of each of them.

And when I now mention the Privilege of Chriftians, I do not mean all the Benefits we obtain as being Members of Christ; but that particular Benefit or Privilege we enjoy from that Unction which was poured on him to make him the Chrift. For as he, from that Unction, was denominated Chrift; fo I cannot but apprehend, that true Chriftians, (Christians I mean in Spirit, as well as in Profeffion) are denominated Chriftians, not only from believing in Chrift, from placing their Trust and Confidence is the Anointed One, but also from being anointed through him. For the anointing of our Lord, was aptly typified by the anointing of Aaron, whose precious Ointment upon the Head, ran down unto the Beard, and went down to the Skirts of his Clothing, Pfal. cxxxiii. 2. The Spirit poured upon our Bleffed Saviour, the Head of his Church, (which the Ointment upon the Head of Aaron forefhewed)`ran down, as Aaron's Ointment did, upon his whole Body, and Garments, and Skirts of them too; i. e. upon his whole Church, the whole Multitude of faithful Believers, who

are

VI.

are the Body of Christ, his Coat and his Gar- SER M. ments, and even the meaneft and loweft of fuch Believers, which are meant by the Skirts, fhall all be anointed with that facred Unction of the Holy Ghoft, which was poured in such plentiful Measure upon him, as to bedew and enrich all that fhall cleave and adhere faft to him: For of his Fullness (faith the Evangelift) have we all received, and Grace for Grace: i. e. Grace in Proportion to that Plenty and Abundance which was poured forth on him, John i. 16.

This is the Privilege which the faithful Believers in Chrift enjoy: They may say, (though in a lower Senfe) with St. Paul, God has established and anointed us in Chrift, who alfo has fealed us, and given the Earnest of the Spirit in our Hearts: 2 Cor. i. 21, 22. As also with St. John, We have an UnEtion from the Holy One, and the Anointing which we have received from him, abideth in us, 1 John ii. 20, 27.

And if fuch are the Privileges, and fuch the Helps and Affiftances offered and given to Chriftians, let us infer in the laft Place what Obligations fuch Grace must lay us under, to do nothing unworthy of the Title we

bear.

St. Paul obferves that the Seal affixed

SER M. to the Covenant made between God and his VI. Church, has two Infcriptions: On one Side is engraved, the Lord knoweth them that are bis; and on the other Side, let every one that nameth the Name of Chrift, or let every one that is called by the Name of Chrift depart from Iniquity, 2 Tim. ii. 19. Which is as much as to fay, that as the Lord on his Part will acknowledge thofe that are truly and fincerely Christians; fo let none on the other Part debafe that great and honourable Title, or deceive themfelves by bearing it as an empty Name, but let them fill up the Character, and make good their Profeffion, by living and acting fuitably to it.

There was an ancient Custom amongst the Romans, to write every Soldier's Name upon his Shield, to fignify that his Honour was engaged to keep it, and that he could not lofe one, without forfeiting the other: And we are told that when one, who had the Name of Alexander fo engraved, was engaged in a Combat, and behaved but cowardly; his Adverfary whom he was fighting with, retorted upon him this fmart Rebuke, Vel mutes Nomen Alexandri, vel fortiter pugnes: Either change thy Name or fhew thy Valour, that the renowned Name of Alexander be

VI.

not dishonoured by thy Cowardice. The fame SER M. Item may be given to all that are called Chrifians: Either quit that facred Title, or live answerably to it, that fo honourable a Title be not difparaged by an unfuitable Converfation. For if it be defervedly accounted Baseness and Degeneracy to ftain our Blood, and reflect Shame back upon thofe Heroes, who were yet but Men; think what a Difhonour we reflect upon Chrift, when we bear his Name and yet depart not from Iniquity. When we walk by the Rules and Precepts of Chriftianity, we honour our Mafter and credit our Religion: We fet it forth to the best Advantage, and recommend it to the Love and Practice of Mankind, making it look with fuch an amiable Countenance, as to invite others to embrace it: But a wicked and ungodly Life brings Difgrace to ourfelves and a Scandal to our Profeffion. This drives others from it and, instead of making Profelytes, makes Enemies to it. It caufes the Name of God to be blafphemed, and his Ways to be evil fpoken of. Such Men fix the fame Reproach upon Chrift, which Simeon and Levi did on Jacob, by making his Name to flink among the Inhabitants of the Land where they dwell, Gen. xxxiv. 30. The most