" The words read, are a part of that excellent song of love *, that " heavenly Epithalamium, wherein the spiritual espousals of Christ " and the church are figuratively and very elegantly celebrated " and shadowed. The subject matter of this psalm is the very " same with the whole book of the Canticles ;" and in this psalm, under the figure of king Solomon, and the daughter of Egypt, whom he espoused, the spiritual espousals of Christ and the church are set forth and represented to us. Among many rapturous and elegant expressions in praise of this glorious bridegroom, Christ, this is one, which you have before you : " God, thy God, hath anoint- " ed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows :*" i. e. enriched and filled thee, in a singular and peculiar manner, with the ful- ness of the Spirit, whereby thou art consecrated to thy office : and by reason whereof thou out-shinest and excellest all the saints, who are thy fellows or copartners in these graces. So that in these words you have two parts; viz. First, The saints' dignity, and Secondly, Christ's pre-emincncy :
First, The saints' dignity, which consists in this, that they are Christ's fellows. The Hebrew word f is very full and copious,
* Hie Psalmus propketicus est, conlinelque Epilathamium quo Christi cumecclesin nup- tioc eclebrantur, idetiu/ue habet argumentum quod canticum canticurum ejusque videtur esse epitome. Cocceius in loc.
T Tn^ntt Consortes, participes, sodales, socii. Vox Hcbrcca quodcunque societatis sive communionis genus significat. Muis.
142 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
and is translated " comsorts, companions, copartners, partakers : or, as ours read it, fellows :" i. e. such as are partakers vvith him in the anointing of the Spirit, who do, in their measure, receive the same Spirit, every Christian being anointed, modo sibi propor- tionate, with the same grace, and dignified with the same titles, 1 John ii. 27. Rev. i. 6. Christ and the saints are in common one with another : Doth the spirit of holiness dwell in him ? so it doth in them too. Is Christ King and Priest ? Why, so are they too by the grace of union with him. He hath made us kings and priests to God, and his Father. This is the saints' dignity to be Christ's fel- lows, consorts, or copartners ; so that look, whatever spiritual grace or excellency is in Christ, it is not appropriated to himself, but they do share with him : for indeed he was filled with the fulness of the Spirit, for their sakes and use : as the sun is filled with light, not to shine to itself, but to others ; so is Christ with grace. And therefore, some translate the text, not prce conso?*tibus, above thy fellows; but propter consortes, for thy fellows*. Making Christ the first receptacle of grace, who first and immediately is filled from the fountain, the Godhead : but it is for his people, who receive and derive from him, according to their proportion.
This is a great truth, and the dignity of the saints lies chiefly in their partnership with Christ, though our translation, above thy f eh lozvs, suits best, both with the importance of the word, and scope of the place.
Secondly, But then, whatever dignity is ascribed herein to the saints, there is, and still must be, a pre-eminency acknowledged, and ascribed to Christ: if they are anointed with the Spirit of grace, much more abundantly is Christ: " God, thy God, hath " anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows."
By the oil of gladness understand the Spirit of holiness, com- pared here with oil, of which there was a double use under the law, viz. a civil and a sacred use. It had a sacred and a solemn use, in the inauguration and consecration of the Jewish kings and high-priests ; it had also a civil, and common use, for the anoint- ing their bodies -f*, to make their limbs more agile, expedite, and nimble; to make the face shine, for it gave a lustre, freshness, and liveliness to the countenance. It was also used in lamps, to feed and maintain the fire, and give them light. These were the principal uses of oil. Now, upon all these accounts, it excellently
f Oil itself is pure and clear, which supplies and feeds the flame with fuel ; hence the metaphor of anointing with oil used in scripture, frequently signifies the internal il- lumination of the mind by the Holy Spirit, and the communication of the true know- ledge of God, and suitable affections of soul to it. Moller. on the ])lace.
SERM. VIII. THE METHOD OF GRACE. 143
expressclli, and figuratively, represents to us the Spirit of grace poured forth upon Christ and his people. For.
First, By the Spirit poured out upon him, he was prepared for, and consecrated to his offices, he was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power, Acts x. 38.
Secondly, As this precious oil runs down from Christ, the head, to the borders of his garments, I mean, as it is shed upon be- lievers, so it exceedingly beautifies their faces, and makes them shine with glory.
Thirdly, It renders them apt, expedite, and ready to every good work : Non tardat uncta rota.
Fourthly, It kindles and maintains the flame of divine love in their souls, and, like a lamp, enlightens their minds in the know- ledge of spiritual things ; the anointing teaches them.
" And this oil is here called the oil of gladness *, because it is the " cause of all joy and gladness to them that are anointed with it :" Oil was used (as you heard before) at the instalment of sovereign princes, which was the day of the gladness of their hearts ; and, among the common people, it was liberally used at all their festivals, but never upon their days of mourning. Whence it becomes ex- cellently expressive of the nature and use of the Spirit of grace, who is the cause and author of all joy in believers, John xvii. 13.
And with this oil of gladness is Christ said to be anointed above his fellows, i. e. to have a far greater share of the Spirit of grace than they : " For to every one of the saints is given grace accord- " ing to the measure of the gift of Christ," Eph. iv. 7. But to him the Spirit is not given by measure, John iii. 84. " It hath " pleased the Father, that in him should ail fulness dwell,"1 Col. i. 19- and " of his fulness we all receive grace for grace,1'' John i. 16. The saints partake with him, and through him in the same Spirit of grace, for which reason they are his fellows; but all the grace poured out upon believers comes exceeding short of that which God hath poured out upon Jesus Christ. The words being thus opened, give us this note,
Doct. That all true believers have a real communion or fellow- ship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
From the saints1 union with Christ, there doth naturally and im- mediately result a most sweet and blessed communion and fellow- ship with him in graces and spiritual privileges, Eph. i. 3. " Blessed