CHAP. V.] THE UNCTION OF THE SPIRIT. 391
tion in any other place of Scripture of any peculiar internal act or work towards any persons, in their teaching or reception of the truth/' it is so extremely remote from the truth, and is so directly opposite unto express testimonies almost innumerable, that I wonder how any man could be so forgetful as to affirm it. Let the reader satisfy himself in what hath been discoursed on the head of spiritual illu- mination.
Secondly, The«testimony given by the Holy Ghost unto the truth of the gospel imparted unto them, is the exposition of this "unction" in the paraphrase of another. This testimony was by his miraculous operations, at his first effusion on the apostles. But neither can this be the mind of the Holy Ghost herein; for this unction \vhich be- lievers had is the same with their being anointed of God, 2 Cor. i. 21, and that was a privilege whereof they were all personally made partakers. So, also, is that which is here mentioned,— namely, that which was "in them/' which "abode with them/' and "taught them." Neither is this a tolerable exposition of these words, " ■ Ye have an unction from the Holy One, abiding in you, teaching of you/ that is, Ye have heard of the miraculous operations of the Holy Ghost, in the confirmation of the gospel, giving testimony unto the truth."
Thirdly, It is to no purpose to examine the pretences of some of the Romanists, that respect is had herein to the chrism or unguent that they use in baptism, confirmation, and in their fictitious sacra- ments of order and extreme unction; for besides that all their unc- tions are inventions of their own, no institution of Christ, nor of any efficacy unto the ends for which this unction is granted unto believers, the more sober of their expositors take no notice of them on this oc- casion. Those who would know what respect they have thereunto may find it in the commentaries of [Cornelius] a Lapide on this place.
These apprehensions being removed, as no way suiting the mind of the Holy Ghost, nor expressing the privilege intended, nor the advantage which we have thereby, we shall follow the conduct of the Scripture in the investigation of the true nature of it. And to this end we may observe, —
1. That all persons and things that were dedicated or consecrated unto God under the Old Testament were anointed with material oil. So were the kings of the people of God, so were priests and prophets. In like manner, the sanctuary, the altar, and all the holy utensils of divine worship, were anointed. And it is confessed that among all the rest of the Mosaical institutions, those also concerning unction were typical and figurative of what was to come.
2. That all these types had their first, proper, and full significa- tion and accomplishment in the person of Jesus Christ. And be- cause every person and thing that was made holy to God was so
392 THE HOLY SPIRIT AS A COMFORTER. [BOOK VIII.
anointed, he who was to he the " Most Holy/' the only spring and cause of holiness in and unto others, had his name and denomination from thence. Both Messiah in the Old Testament, and Christ in the New, are as much as the Anointed One; for he was not only in his person typified in the anointed kings, priests, and prophets, but also, in his mediation, by the tabernacle, sanctuary, altar, and temple. Hence his unction is expressed in these words, D^i? &~}'p D^1??, Dan. ix. 24, " To anoint the Holy of Holies," who was pifefigured by all the holy anointed ones before. This became his name as he was the hope of the church under the Old Testament, the Messiah; and as the immediate object of the faith of the saints under the New, the Christ. Here, therefore, in the first place, we must inquire into the nature of this unction, that of believers being an emanation from thence, and to be interpreted by analogy thereunto ; for (as it is usually ex- pressed by way of allusion) it is as the oil, which, being poured on the head of Aaron, went down to the skirts of his garments.
3. That the Lord Christ was anointed, and how, is declared, Isa, lxi. 1, " The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me/' His unction consisted principally in the com- munication of the Spirit unto him ; for he proves that the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, because he was anointed. And this gives us a general rule, that the anointing with material oil under the Old Testament did prefigure and represent the effusion of the Spirit under the New, which now answers all the ends of those typical in- stitutions. Hence the gospel, in opposition unto them all, in the letter, outwardly, visibly, and materially, is called the " ministration of the Spirit," 2 Cor. iii. 6, 8. So is the unction of Christ expressed, Isa. xi. 2, " The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord."
4. Whereas the unction of Christ did consist in the full communi- cation of the Spirit unto him, not by measure, in all his graces and gifts, needful unto his human nature or his work, though it be es- sentially one entire work, yet was it carried on by several degrees and distinctions of time; for, — (1.) He was anointed by the Spirit in his incarnation in the womb, Luke i. 35 ; the nature of which work we have at large before explained. (2.) He was so at his bap- tism and entrance into his public ministry, when he was anointed to preach the gospel, as Isa. lxi. 1 : " The Spirit of God descended like a dove, and lighted upon him," Matt. iii. 16. The first part of his unction more peculiarly respected a fulness of the grace, the latter of the gifts of the Spirit. (3.) He was peculiarly anointed unto his death and sacrifice in that divine act of his whereby he " sanctified himself" thereunto, John xvii. 19, which hath also been before de-