[1.] The giving of power and authority, as Saul by being anointed
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was made king of Israel, 1 Sam. x. 1, and Aaron and his sons made priests, Exod. xxx. 30. So Clirist was anointed to authorise his dis- pensation, or to invest him in the authority and power of the mediatory office.
[2.] To fit and enable the person so authorised for the discharge of the office unto which he was called ; for the oil was typical, and signified the gifts and graces of the Spirit. So Jesus Christ was ' anointed with the Holy Ghost, and with power,' Acts x. 38, to fit his human nature for so high a function.
[3.] His welcome and entertainment at his return to heaven ; and so the glorious exaltation of our Lord Jesus Christ, when he solemnly sat down at the right hand of majesty, and entered upon his kingdom, was his anointing ; for then was he sokmnly ' made both Lord and Clirist,' Acts ii. 36, and evidenced to be the Lord's anointed one, as I shall show more fully by and by.
3. The respect or relation of his exaltation to his description, ' there- fore.' At least it is a consequent of what he had done in the world in love to righteousness and hatred of sin, but moreover it is to him a recompense : Phil, ii, 9, ' Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name ; ' Rom. xiv. 9, ' For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.' Which is no lessening of his merit ; for therein he considered not himself, but us, that he might be a merci- ful high priest to us, or a powerful king to defend his people. The Son of God had before his incarnation a glory to which nothing can be added, and a full right which cannot be increased ; and whatever glory he received as mediator, it concerneth us more than him.
Doct. That Jesus Christ as mediator, because of his love to right- eousness and hatred of sin, is dignified and advanced by God, not only above all men, but also above all angels.
In handling of this point — (1.) I shall speak of the holiness of Christ; (2.) His unction, which is the consequent and fruit of it.
First, Of the holiness of Christ, both as to his person and office.
1. As to his person. There we must consider the original holiness of his natures, divine and human. Divine ; he is called, Isa. xlv. 21, 'A just God, and a saviour.' Human ; he was wholly free from that original contagion wherewith others that come of Adam are defiled : Luke i. 35, ' That holy thing that shall be born of tliee shall be called the Son of God.' Now add to this his perfect actual obedience to God both in heart and life, and this either to the common law of duty that lieth upon all mankind, for it ' became him to fulfil all righteousness,' Mat. iii. 15, or that particular law of mediation which was proper to himself : Heb. v. 8, ' Though he were a son, yet he learned obedience by the things he suffered ; ' by which he answered the end of the law which we have broken, and was also the meritorious cause of the covenant of grace, by which all blessings are conveyed to us : 2 Cor. v. 21, ' For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.' Well, then, his personal holiness did make him acceptable to God, and should make him amiable to us. He loved righteousness, and hated iniquity. Adam in the state of innocency did perfectly love righteousness and hate sin
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but not constantly, for he soon fell. Believers in the state of regener- ation love righteousness and hate iniquity sincerely and constantly, but not perfectly ; but Christ, when he assumed our nature, did love right- eousness and hate iniquity both perfectly and constantly, in heart and practice, and this even to the death. This qualified him for his office of prophet, priest, and king. As a prophet, who is so fit to teach the world holiness as one that hath a perfect love to holiness and hatred ot sin, and this manifested in our nature ? Angels are holy and right- eous, but not so as Christ, who, besides the essential purity and holiness of the Godhead, hath also assumed our nature, and preserved it in purity and innocency. And therefore his nature and practice agreeth with his design : 1 John iii. 5, ' He was manifested to take away our sins, and in him is no sin.' So as a priest ; his holiness gave a value both to the merit of his sacrifice and intercession ; Heb. vii. 25, 26, ' Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come to G-od by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them : for such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.' Here was a pure, unspotted sacrifice, oftered up to God here upon earth, and pleaded and represented in heaven. He that was to satisfy in the behalf of others needed to be free from the defilement of sin himself, that he might be not only our ransom but our pattern. Then as a king, this purity and holiness is necessary, not only that he might powerfully aftect, but also favour and patronise all that is good, holy, and just in the world ; for, Prov. xv. 9, ' The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.' The one are the objects of his abomination, the other of his love. The wicked are for a while prosperous and successful, therefore they think God loveth them, but they are an abomination to him into whose hands all judgment is put. They cannot collect or conclude his approbation from his forbearance. No ; nor any neglect of human affairs, as if they were left to their own chance and arbitra- ment. No ; all that can be gathered from thence is his great for- bearance and mercy to the worst, while he is inviting them to repent- ance. On the other side you have the disposition of the regenerate set forth, who do not perfunctorily and by-the-by do that which is holy and righteous, but set their whole heart and desire to it. They follow after righteousness ; their business is to be eminently holy ; and surely they are loved by Christ : for he that hateth iniquity and loveth right- eousness will love those that follow after it, than which nothing more sweet, honourable, and blessed can be thought of by us than to ba loved by our Eedeemer, To have a prince love ns, or a wise or learned man love us, we highly value it ; what is it then to have Christ love us ? This will not be a barren or an empty love. Well, then, he is fit to be the king of the world.