it might fignify the divine election of that person, and defignation to that office: from whence it was neceffary that it should be performed by a Prophet, who understood the will of God. Secondly, that by it the perfon anointed might be made fit to receive the divine influx. For the first, it is evident there could be no fuch infallible fign of the divine defignation of Jefus to his offices, as the visible defcent of the Spirit, attended with a voice from heaven, instead of the hand of a Prophet, faying, This is my beloved Mat.iii. 17. Son, in whom I am well pleafed. For the second, this spiritual Unction was fo far from giving less than an aptitude to receive the divine influx, that it was that divine influx, nay, the Divinity itfelf, the Godhead dwelling in him bodily. In respect of the matter, they give two causes why it was oil, and not any other liquor. First, because of all other it fignifies the greatest glory and excellency. The olive was the firft of trees mentioned as fit for fovereignty, in regard of its fatnefs, wherewith they Judg. ix. 9. bonour God and man. Therefore it was fit that those persons which were called to a greater dignity than the reft of the Jews, should be confecrated by oil, as the best fign of election to honour. And can there be a greater honour than to be the Son of God, the beloved Son, as Jefus was proclaimed at this Unction, by which he was confecrated to fuch an office as will obtain him a name far above all names? Secondly, they tell us that oil continueth uncorrupted longer than any other liquor. And indeed it hath been obferved to preferve not only itself, but (x) other things, from corruption; hence they conclude it fit their Kings and Priests, whofe fucceffion was to continue for ever, fhould be anointed with oil, the most proper emblem of eternity. But even by this reafon of their own, their unction is ceased, being the fucceffion of their Kings and Priefts is long fince cut off, and their eternal and eternizing oil loft long before,. and only that one Jefus, who was anointed with the M 2 moft Heb.vii. 24. 16. most spiritual oil, continueth for ever; and therefore hath an unchangeable Priesthood, as being made not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. Befide, they obferve, that fimple oil without any mixture was fufficient for the candlestick; but that which was defigned for unction must be compounded with principal fpices, which fignify a good name, always to be acquired by thofe in places of greatest dignity by the most laudable and honourable actions. And certainly never was fuch an admixtion of fpices, as in the Unction of our Saviour, by which he was endued with all variety of the graces of God, by which he was enabled to offer himself a facrifice for a Joh. i. 14, fweet smelling favour. For as he was full of grace and truth; fo of his fulness have we all received, grace for 1 Joh. ii. 27. grace and as we have received anointing of him, fo we 2 Cor. ii.15. are unto God a fweet favour of Chrift. 16. Again, it was fufficient to anoint the veffels of the Sanctuary in any part; but it was particularly commanded that the oil fhould be poured upon the head of the Kings and Priefts, as the feat of all the animal faculties, the fountain of all dignity, and (y) original of all the members of the body. This was more eminently fulfilled in Jefus, who by his Unction, or as Chrift, became the Head of the Church; nay the Col. ii, 10. Head of all principality and power, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment miniftred and knit together, increafeth with the increase of God. 19. Laftly, They obferve, that though in the veffels nothing but a fingle unction was required; yet in the Kings and Priefts there was cominanded, or at least practifed, both unction and affufion, (as it is written, Lev.viii. 12. He poured of the anointing oil, upon Aaron's head, and anointed him to fanctify him :) the firft to fignify their feparation, the fecond to affure them of the falling of the Spirit upon them. Now what more clear than that our Chrift was anointed by affufion, whether we look upon his Conception, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee; thee; or his Inauguration, the Spirit defcended and lighted upon him? And thus, according unto all particulars required by the Jews themselves to complete their legal Unctions, we have fufficiently fhewed that Jefus was, as most eminently, so most properly, anointed with the Spirit of God. Wherefore being we have fhewn that a Meffias was to come into the World; being we have proved that he is already come, by the fame predictions by which we believe he was to come; being we have demonftrated that Jefus born in the days of Herod was and is that promised Meffias; being we have farther declared that he was anointed to thofe offices which be longed to the Meffias, and actually did and doth still perform them all; and that his anointing was by the immediate effufion of the Spirit, which anfwereth fully to all things required in the Legal and Typical Unction: I cannot fee what farther can be expected for explication or confirmation of this truth, that Jefus is the Chrift. The neceffity of believing this part of the Article is most apparent, because it were impoffible he should be our Jefus, except he were the Chrift. For he could not reveal the way of Salvation, except he were a Prophet; he could not work out that Salvation revealed, except he were a Prieft; he could not confer that Salvation upon us, except he were a King; he could not be Prophet, Prieft, and King, except he were the Chrift. This was the fundamental doctrine which the Apostles not only teftified, as they did that of the Refurrection, but argued, proved, and demonstrated out of the Law and the Prophets. We find St. Paul at Theffalonica three Sabbath-days Acts xvii. reafoning with them out of the Scriptures, opening and 2, 3. alledging that Chrift must needs have fuffered and rifen again from the dead; and that this fefus whom I preach unto you, is Chrift. We find him again at Corinth preffed in Spirit, and teftifying to the Jews, that Jefus Chap. xvii. M 3 was 5. was Chrift. Thus Apollos, by birth a Jew, but in ́ftructed in the Christian Faith by Aquila and PrisVerfe 28. cilla, mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, fhewing by the Scriptures, that Jefus was Chrift. This was the touchftone by which all men at firft were tried whether they were Chriftian or Antichristian. For whofoever believeth, faith St. John, that Jefus is the Chrift, is born of God. What greater commendation of the affertion of this truth? Who is a liar, faith the fame Apostle, but he that denieth that Jefus is the Chrift: this man is the Antichrift, as denying the Father and the Son. What higher condemnation of the negation of it? Secondly, As it is neceffary to be believed as a most fundamental truth, fo it hath as neceffary an influence upon our conversations; because, except it hath fo, it cannot clearly be maintained. Nothing can be more abfurd in a disputant, than to pretend to demonstrate a truth as infallible, and at the fame time to fhew it impoffible. And yet fo doth every one who profeffeth Faith in Chrift already come, and liveth not according to that profeffion; for thereby he proveth, as far as he is able, that the true Chrift is not yet come, at least that Jefus is not he. We fufficiently demonftrate to the Jews that our Saviour, who did and fuffered fo much, is the true Meffias : but by our lives we recal our arguments, and strengthen their wilful oppofition. For there was certainly a Ifa. xi. 6. promise, that when Chrift fhould come, the wolf Jhould dwell with the lamb, and the leopard should lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child fhould lead them; that is, there fhould be fo much love, unanimity, and brotherly kindness in the Kingdom of Chrift, that all ferity and inhumanity being laid afide, the moft different natures and inclinations fhould come to the sweetest harmony and agreement. Whereas if we look upon ourselves, we must confefs there was never more bitterness of fpirit, more ran cour cour of malice, more heat of contention, more manifeft symptoms of envy, hatred, and all uncharitableness, than in those which make profeffion of the Christian Faith. It was infallibly foretold, that when Chap. ii. 3, the law fhould go forth out of Zion, and the word of the 4. Lord from Jerufalem, they should beat their fwords into plough-fhares, and their fpears into pruning-books: nation fhould not lift up fword against nation, neither should they learn war any more. Whereas there is no other art fo much studied, fo much applauded, fo violently afferted, not only as lawful, but as neceffary. Look upon the face of Chriftendom divided into feveral Kingdoms and Principalities: what are all these but fo many public Enemies, either exercifing or defigning war? The Church was not more famous, or did more increase by the first blood which was shed in the primitive times through the external violence of ten perfecutions, than now it is infamous, and declines through constant violence, fraud and rapine, through publick engagements of the greatest Empires in arms, through civil and inteftine wars, and, left any way of fhedding Christian blood should be unaffayed, even by maffacres. It was likewise prophefied of the days of the Meffias, that all Ido- Zech. xiii. latry should totally cease, that all falfe Teachers z. fhould be cut off, and unclean Spirits reftrained. And can we think that the Jews, who really abhor the thoughts of worshipping an Image, can ever be perfuaded there is no Idolatry committed in the Chriftian Church? Or can we excuse ourselves in the leaft degree from the plague of the Locufts of Egypt, the falfe Teachers? Can fo many Schifms and Sects arise, and spread, can so many Herefies be acknowledged and countenanced without falfe Prophets and unclean Spirits? If then we would return to the bond of true Christian Love and Charity, if we would appear true lovers of Peace and Tranquillity, if we would truly hate the abominations of Idolatry, falfe Doctrine and M4 Herefy, |