1. You are christians only in name if you want it ; of the letter, and not of the spirit ; that take up your religion upon trust, have only the form of it. Ignorant and profane persons, have they this choice anoint- ing ? May you not as well call a dunghill a perfume, or tainted grease a sweet oil, as to count them to have this spiritual anointing who roll themselves in the filth and vomit of sin, as the common rabble of nominal christians do ? If you have this anointing indeed, your whole life will be a sweet savour or a precious odour. One dead fly, one base lust cherished, spoileth the whole box of ointment, Eccles. x. 1.
2. If you have this unction, you have a great advantage against error and infidelity. We live in a time wherein there are many antichrists ; now he that hath an unction from the Holy One hath an evidence always at hand to refute what is contrary to sound doctrine; something in his bosom that will not permit him to hearken to popery and other errors. Disputes are long, and managed with great subtlety ; and as they are backed with violence, we may be strangely perverted and blinded by interests; nothing will be our safety but a sound experience of the re- ligion we do profess, of the virtue, power, comfort, and sweetness of it. God's Spirit is the seal of any doctrine, and our anointing is our estab- lishment : 2 Cor. i. 21, ' He which establisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God.' I do not say you should not look after other things, a sound understanding of the truth in controversy ; but there will be your best preservative, which will not easily suffer them to change their religion.
3. If you have this unction, your own interest in Christ and eternal life is secured to you : 2 Cor. i. 22, ' Who hath also sealed us, and given the eai-uest of the Spirit in our hearts ; ' Eph. i. 13, 14, ' In whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance.' That which is the seal of re- ligion is the seal of those that profess it. The Spirit of sanctification
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subduing our corruptions, sanctifying our natures, and enabling us to do the will of God, and causing ns to live in the sweet and delightful forethoughts of the lite to come. This is your seal and earnest, and this is nothing but the unction spoken of in the text. Ordinary men have a reasonable nature ; common christians, those common gifts which he giveth not to the heathen world ; but the true christians have a divine nature, or the sanctifying Spirit, as their great evidence. This is given unto none but God's children. The case is determined against you if you have not this anointing : Rom. viii. 9, ' If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.' But for you, if you have, 1 John iv. 13, ' Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.' Therefore without this you can have no sound comfort ; but have it, and you carry about the matter of continual joy.
4. By having this unction we are more quickened to do what we know, and to be true to the religion which we do profess ; because the truth then lieth near our hearts, and so likely to work more effectually than what is at a great distance : 1 Thes. i. 5, 6, ' Our gospel came to you not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost;' 1 Thes. ii. 13, 'We thank God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of God, ye received it not as the word of men, but as the word of God, which effectually worketh in you that believe.' This unction maketh a real change in the soul : 2 Cor. iii. 8, ' We are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.' If there be but a form of knowledge, there will be but a form of godliness. But where this anointing is, there we are made partakers of the divine nature, and live an holy life.
What shall we do to get this unction ? I answer —
1. Beg it of God for Christ's sake, who purchased it for you, and who is ready to give you this spiritual eye-salve : Rev. iii. 18, 'Anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.' It is his office to dis- pense this oil, and he will dispense it freely and liberally ; for he had this power to this end and purpose. Christ taught us to pray for the Spirit.
2. Be diligent in the use of the means of grace, whereby you get the Spirit, or further measures and degrees of it. The ministration of the S[)irit : 2 Cor. iii. 8 ; the word : Acts x. 44, ' The Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word;' the Lord's supper: 1 Cor. xii. 13, ' By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body.' Manna came down in the dew, so the Spirit in the doctrine which distils as the dew ; so communion with the saints in all the ordinances of Christ : Ps. cxxxiii. 2, ' It is like the precious ointment on the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's, which ran down on the skirts of his garment.' The Spirit of grace is a spirit of communion. Therefore we read of the unity of the Spirit, Eph. iv. 3. When they were of one heart and one mind, then had they most plentiful effusion of the Holy Ghost.