2. He was sealed, not only by solemn designation, but also super* eminent and unparalleled sanct'ification. He was anointed, as well as appointed to it. The Lord filled him with the Spirit, and that without measure, to qualify him for this service. So Isa. lxi, 1, % 3. " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anoint- ed me to preach ," &c. Yea, the Spirit of the Lord was not only upon him, but he was full of the Spirit, Luke iv. 1. and so full as was never any beside him ; for God M anointed him with the oil of gladness, above his fellows," Psalm xlv. 7. Believers are his fellows, or co-partners of this Spirit:* they have an anointing also, but not as Christ had ; ■)■ in him it dwelt in its fulness, in theni according to measure. It was poured out on Christ, our Head, abundantly, and ran down to the hem of his garment. " God gave # not the Spirit to him by measure," John iii. 34, God filled Christ's human nature, to the utmost capacity, with all fulness of the Spirit of knowledge, wisdom, love, Sfc. beyond all creatures, for the plenary and more effectual administration of his mediator- ship : he was full extensively r, with all kinds of grace ; and full intensively, with all degrees of grace. " It pleased the Father " that in him should all fulness dwell, Col. i. 19. as light in the sun, or water in a fountain, that he might not only fill all things, as the apostle speaks, Eph. i. 22. but that he might be prompt, ex- pedite, and every way fit to discharge his own work, which was the next and immediate end of it : so that the holy oil that was poured out upon the head of kings and priests, whereby they were consecrated to their offices, was but typical of the Spirit, by which Christ was consecrated, or sealed, to his offices \.
3. Christ was sealed by the Father's immediate testimony from heaven, whereby he was declared to be the person whom the Father had solemnly designed and appointed to this work. And God gave this extraordinary testimony of him at two remarkable seasons ; the one was just at his entrance on his public ministry, Mat. iii. ult. the
* From Christ come the name Christians, which is as much as to say, Partakers of an holy unction : True Christians have not merely the name without the thing ; but they who are called by the name of Christians have the anointing which the name imports. Glass.
f These gifts, considered absolutely, and in themselves, were finite ; even as the human nature of Christ itself was finite; yet in respect of us, they were indeed with- out measure. Dr. Alt. Explication of the Catechism. Part II. p. 170.
| Exod, xxx. 23, 24, 25, 50, 31, 32.
SERM. VI. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 91
other but a little before his sufferings, Matth. xvii. 5. This voice was not formed by such organs and instruments of speech, as ours are, but by creating a voice in the air * which the people heard sound- ing therein : by this God owned, approved, and as by a seal rati- fied his work.
4. Christ was sealed by the Father, in all those extraordinary miraculous works wrought by him, in which the Father gave yet more full and convincing testimonies to the world, that this was he whom he had appointed to be our Mediator. These were convic- tive to the world, that God had sent him, and that his doctrine was of God. " God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost " and power, who went about doing good, and healing all that " were oppressed of the devil ; for God was with him," Acts x. 38. And so, John v. 36. " I have a greater witness than that of John ; " for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same " works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent " me." Therefore he still referred those that doubted of him, or of his doctrine, to the seal of his Father, even the miraculous works he wrought in the power of God, Matth. xi. 3, 4, 5. And thus the Father sealed him.
Fourthly and lastly, We will enquire why it was necessary Christ should be sealed by his Father to this work : and there are these three weighty reasons for it.
1. Else he had not corresponded with the types which prefigured liim, and in him it teas necessary that they should be all accomplished. You know, under the Law, the kings and high priests had their inaugurations by solemn unctions ; in all which this consecration, or sealing of Christ to his work, was shadowed out : and therefore you shall find, Heb. v. 4, 5. " No man taketh this honour to himself, " but he that is called of God, as was Aaron :" so also (mark the necessary correspondency betwixt Christ and them) " Christ glori- " fied not himself to be made an High Priest ; but he that said " unto him, Thou art my Son."
2. Moreover, hereby the hearts of believers are the more engaged to love the Father, inasmuch as it appears hereby that the Fathers love, and good will to them, was the original and spring of' their re- demption. For had not the Father sealed him such a commission, he had not come ; but now he comes in the Father's name, and in the Father's love, as well as his name ; and so all men are bound to as- scribe equal glory and honour to them both, as it is, John v. 23.
3. And especially Christ would not come without a commis- sion, because, else you had no ground for your faith- in him. How should we have been satisfied that this is indeed the true Messiah,
92 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. SERM. VI.
except he had opened his commission to the world, and shewed his Father's seal annexed to it ? If he had come without his credentials from heaven, and only told the world that God had sent him, and that they must take his bare word for it, who could have rest- ed his faith on that testimony ? And that is the true meaning of that place, John v. 31. " If I bear witness of myself, my witness " is not true.'" How so ? You will say, doth not that contradict what he saith, John viii. 14. " Though I bear record of myself, yet ■" my record is true." Therefore you must understand truth, not as it is opposed to reality ; but the meaning is, if I had only given you my bare word for it, and not brought other evidence from my Father, my testimony had not been authentic and valid, ac- cording to human laws ; but now all doubtings are precluded. Let us next improve this.