argument lesse valid Hee by whose name you are called is holy be you holy in all manner of conversation because it is written Be you holy for I am holy How unsuitable are unholy members to an holy head and therefore how abominable must prophane Christians be to this Holy Jesus certainly the Holy one is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity to wit without fury in any and much lesse in his own followers and as Moses saith God will bee sanctified in those who draw nigh to him so let me tell you Christ will bee sanctified by those who professe his name and therefore either disclaim Christianity or embrace sanctity that you may be in some measure like him who is here stiled The Holy one 2 Having given you this view of the title by which Christ is called be pleased now to look upon this person so called as he is affirmed to bee the donor of the Vnction for so the text runs You have an unction from the holy one that is from Christ It is that which is true of Christ in a double causality 1 Meritorious in as much as hee was at the cost to purchase this unction and that at no lesse a rate than his own bloud the Apostle Paul speaking of Christ saith not only that in him wee have redemption through his bloud but a little after in whom you were sâ—aled with that holy Spirit of promise the donation of the Spirit being one of those precious benefits which Christs death hath procured for us 2 Efficient in as much as having on the Crosse purchased this Unction for us he rose from the grave and went up into Heaven for this cause among others that he might actually conferre it on us It is said there was in Rome at the day of Christs birth a Fountain of Oyl which sprang forth sure I am this Unction of the Spirit is given to Christ not only for himself but his Church and as the Oyntment trickled down from Aarons head to the very skirts of his garment so the oyl of the Spirit is diffused from Christ to all his members Those two Olive branches mentioned by the Prophet Zachary are by some expounded of Christ his two Natures and of them it is said they empty the golden oyl out of themselves to note that communicative influence from Christ to the Christian whereby he partaketh of this unction It pleased the Father saith the Apostle that in him should all fulnesse dwell not only plenitudo abundantiae but redundantiae vasis but fontis an abundant fulnesse as in a vessel filled up to the brim but a redundant fulnesse as in a fountain whose streams make glad the City of God Thus as it is said in the Psalms he received gifts so in the Epistle hee gave gifts intimating that he received gifts not only for himself but his Church that as he received from his Father the Spirit without measure so we might receive from him the Spirit by measure no wonder if the Spirit be called in Scripture the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of Christ Jesus and the Spirit of the Lord. If any shall ask why the Apostle did not say you have an unction from him or from Christ but from the Holy one the answer may probably bee returned that it is to intimate the nature of this unction which is an holy oyntment and for that end it is chiefly given by Christ namely for the renewing and sanctifying of our natures that as the oyntment which God appointed to be made by Moses did sanctifie the things and persons which were annoynted with it so doth this unction confer holiness on those to whom it is given upon which account it is called the Spirit of holinesse and thus it is universally given to all beleevers for the preserving them both from sin and errour To end this point and so this discourse You who are Christians only in name and want this Unction you who are Christians indeed and would have this Unction more abundantly learn whither to repair for it It is our Saviours advice to the Laodicean Church and in her to all Christians I counsel thee to buy of mee this choyse commodity is no where else to be had and though it cost him dear yet he sells it us cheap our buying is only begging our paying praying and therefore acknowledging as all our comfort to be in him so grace to be from him let us continually depend on him earnestly seek to him that as he hath shed his bloud for us so he would shed his Spirit on us Amen THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 20. But yee have an unction from the holy One and yee know all things THE Christian Religion as it imposeth difficult precepts so it proposeth pretious prâ—mises and though it put the Professors of it upon frequent dangers yet it withall assureth them of glorious priviledges Among those many Promises and Priviledges none of more special concernment than this of the Holy Unction the Spirits Donation by which wee are enabled to all duty and confirmed against all perils There are two things especially by which the Christian Church and her members are endangered namely violent Persecutions and virulent Heresies these corrupt our mindes those perplex our hearts these cheat us of those affright us out of truth but this spiritual Unction is both our consolation and illumination the latter of which it is that our Apostle acquaints us with in the Text But you have c. The second part of this verse is that which I am now to handle namely Beneficii illatio the Benefit conferr'd on all true Christians by vertue of this Unction as it is set down in those words And you know all things For the fuller discussion whereof bee pleased to consider it both absolutely and relatively inclusively and exclusively by the one wee shall see the Nature of the benefit wherein it consists how far it reacheth and by the other its Original whence it floweth and on what it dependeth namely the Holy unction 1 Begin wee with the absolute consideration of the benefit and inquire what is involved in this You know all things There is some little difference in the reading of one word in this clause which would not bee omitted The Syriack reads it as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you know all men and so the benefit here intended is that which is called by S. Paul discerning of spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Theophilact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to know who is spiritual and who is not who is a Prophet and who is a deceiver nor is this reading here unsuitable because the Apostle just before speaketh of Antichrists between whom and the Orthodox S. John might look upon the Christians to whom hee wrote as able to judge Now this gift in the primitive times was double The one more special onely conferred by the Spirits
performances unctio spiritualis gratiae adjuvat infirmitatem nostram saith the Latine Father the oyntment of the Spirits grace helpeth the weaknesse of our flesh and the Greek Father aptly wee are inabled not onely to do but to suffer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the efficacy of the Holy Ghost 4 Annointing the face with Oyle puts as it were a gloss and beauty on it of this the Psalmist taketh notice where hee saith Oyle to cause the face to shine Naomi bids Ruth before shee went to Boaz to annoint her self and those virgins which were prepared for the Persian King did use Oyle of myrrhe which hath an abstersive vertue getting wrinkles out of the skin and beautifying the face so doth the Spirit by his graces put a beauty upon the soul whereby it becommeth amiable in Gods eies Thou art fair saith Christ of his Spouse which as it is true chiefly in regard of his imputed so secondarily in regard of the Spirits imparted righteousness All the wrinkles of sin spots of the soul are in part and shall bee fully done away by this oyntment which can turn Ethiopians into Nazarites 5 Annointing the body especially the head with Oyle is a great refreshment in as much as it maketh way for the emission of noxious vapours and the free passage of the Spirits There are three qualities of oyle laevor nitor odor a smoothnesse to the touch brightnesse to the sight fragrancy to the smell and so gratifying the senses it must needs cause delight to those who are annointed with it Upon this account do doubt it was used in feasts and banquets so much David intimateth when hee joyneth annointing his head with preparing his table and our Saviour when hee joyneth washing the face and annointing the Head To this Solomon alludeth when perswading to a chearful life hee saith Let thy head want no oyntment and the Prophet Amos when describing the jollity of those Epicures hee saith They annoint themselves with the chief oyntments to which agreeth that of wisdome Come let us fill our selves with wine and oyntment How fitly doth this represent the Spirits unction which alone can rejoyce and exhilarate the soul for this reason it is that the Holy Ghost is called the Oyle of Gladnesse and joy is called the Joy of the Holy Ghost and is reckoned up as one of the fruits of the Spirit that joy which doth not proceed from him is a worldly madnesse not true joy the heart cannot bee really merry till it is annointed with the grace and comfort of the Spirit 6 Lastly and most suitably to the text in hand Annointing the eies cleareth them so much is intimated in the Counsel of Christ to the Laodicean Church annoint thine eies with eie-salve that thou maiest see so doth this spiritual unction inable the minde to discern spiritual objects and whereas other ointments may help the dimme sight this opens the blinde eies this is that which is illustrated by the penetrating vertue of oile when applyed to any part of the body which is by opening the pores what other is the Spirits illumination but a sacred penetration by opening the understanding To this purpose is that allusion concerning Oile that it feedeth the Lamp and so maintaineth the light which otherwise would go out for which reason Oile was prepared for the Light of the Sanctuary Thus doth the blessed Spirit first cause which Oil cannot do and then preserve a Divine light in the Soul to guide its feet into the way of peace Wee finde in the Ancient Hieroglyphicks the Olive to have been an embleme of Wisdome true Wisdome is from above and drops down from that Olive tree the sacred Spirit In one word as the Dove bringing an Olive-branch to Noah assured him that the waters were abated So the Spirit bringing an Olive-branch of peace to the Soul enableth it to know that the waters of Gods wrath are abated than which no knowledge more desirable 2 The more special use of annointing with Oile is for the consecration or setting persons apart for some eminent office more particularly there were three Offices to which men were with Oile annointed to wit that of a King a Priest and a Prophet We read in the Ceremonial Law of an Oile which by Gods direction was first to bee made and then poured on Aaron and his Sons the Priests it was the command of God to Samuel that hee should take an horn of Oile and annoint David King The like Ceremony wee finde used in Solomons inauguration God bid Elijah to annoint Elisha the Son of Shaphat to be Prophet in his room To this practice Calvin conceiveth that the Apostle alludeth in this place Indeed by this unction it is that wee are consecrated Kings to captivate our lusts moderate our Passions and order our conversations Priests to keep our selves unspotted of the World to sacrifize our bestiallusts and to offer up prayers and praises to God finally and most congruously to our Apostles scope Prophets to understand in some measure the spiritual mysteries of salvation What now remaineth for the closing of this particular but that wee look upon this word Unction as a word of Security of Humility of Dignity of Hilarity of Faelicity and of Duty It is a word 1 Of Securitie Indeed that is the design of our Apostle to point out to us what is our best safeguard against the blows refuge from the storm antidote against the poyson especially of Hereticks and heresies so much the adversative particle But intimateth that this Unction is opposed as a preservative against heresie That Promise of God to his People concerning the Assyrian his burden shall bee taken from thy shoulder and his yoak from off thy neck because of the annointing is no less true of this Unction by which our necks are freed from the yoak of destroying errours Warriours of Old that they might make their Armour glister and render themselves formidable to their enemies used to annoint it with Oile to this the Prophet alludeth where hee saith Arise you Princes and annoint the shield Loe here an annointing which is our shield whereby wee become terrible to Satan and his instruments so that in vain do Antichrists set themselves against those who are guarded with this unction 2 Of humility letting us see what wee are in and of ourselves how hard our hearts dead our affections blind our uderstandings how destitute of grace and peace and joy yea all heavenly good else what need were there of this Unction to soften enlighten and inliven us The truthis as the box hath no fragrancy in it self but what it receiveth from the Ointment that is in it no more have wee any excellency but what wee receive from the Spirit Abrahams faith Solomons Wisdome Jobs Patience Davids Zeal Noahs Obedience were all but as so many drops of this Oile and therefore let us learn to bee vile in
time of discovering what metal they were made of and then their true-heartednesse to their master had an opportunity to show it self Had it not been for those Heretical and Schismatical Apostates of Old those Ancient Fathers both of the Greek and Latine Church had not been such illustrious stars in the firmament of the Church were it not for those of our latter daies and here among us our Church would not have had so much to glory of her Cranmer Latimer Ridley Jewel Whitaker Whitgift and the rest who were so famous in their Generation for their magnanimity in maintaining the truth against Apostatical opposers 2 The other of the false-hearted who by going out shew themselves in their colours This is that which divine Providence bringeth about for a double end 1 For the shame of themselves ut quod occultaverunt ingenium nudarent so Lorinus that their evil disposition which before lay hid may bee laid open to their disgrace whilest these men are in the Church as gilded postes painted sepulchers whited walls they seem beautiful but when they go out the gilt and paint and white are as it were washed off whereby their shameful rottenness appeareth and according to S. Pauls phrase Their folly is made manifest to all men This is that which must fully bee accomplished at the last day when the separation between the sheep and the goats the Orthodox and the Here tick godly and wicked shall be most perspicuous and shame shall cover the faces of all Apostates but sometimes it is that which divine providence ordereth to fall out in this World and that as for their greater ignominy So 2 For the safety of others ut à fidelibus vitari possint so Estius ne alios corrumpant so Daneus that being discovered they may bee avoided and their infection prevented whilest the wolf is covered with a sheep skin hee is not so easily discerned but when the skin is plucked over his ears the true sheep can far better beware him To winde up this learn wee hence 1 To adore admire and extol the Wisdome Mercy and Justice of our God in discovering Hypocrites by their Apostacy It is that wee have so much the more reason to take notice of because wee see it so much fulfilled in our daies The times wee live in have been times of Tryal God hath as it were by a fan winnowed us whereby the chaffe is discovered as by a winde shaken us so that the rotten boughs and fruit fall off How many who whilest the Church had the reigns of government in her hands embraced her doctrin reverenced her Clergy conformed to her discipline have now made manifest that though among they were not of us their factious schismatical spirits which fear then bridled having now had an opportunity show themselves openly Oh let us blesse that divine providence which hath suffered it thus to be as in justice to them for their detection so in mercy to the Church for her purgation 2 To beware how wee please our selves with hypocritical shows Nemo diu ingenium abscondit wee cannot long conceale our temper though the Ape bee dressed up in a mans habit it will upon any opportunity discover its apish nature cito ad naturam ficta redierunt what is feigned is forced and cannot bee lasting besides it is the just judgement of God on all Hypocrites sooner or later to discover them they may for a time couzen men but God cannot bee deceived whilest yet they remain in the Church they are known to him as Judas was to Christ and though hee wink at them for a time yet in due time hee will pluck off their mask and so order it that they shall be made manifest for so it fell out here with these Antichrists who saith the Apostle went away from us that it might be manifest they were not of us THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. 20 21. VERS 20 But yee have an unction from the holy One and yee know all things 21 I have not written unto you because yee know not the truth but because ye know it and that no lye is of the truth IT is not unfitly observed that in those colder and frosty Countries of the East there are plenty of Beasts which afford furrs to keep mens bodies warm That in the beginning of the spring when Serpents peep out of their holes the ash puts forth which is a present remedy against their sting and teeth no lesse yea far more considerable is the care of God in reference to his Church who as hee permits Heresies and Schismes to disturb her so hee hath provided helps to perserve her For this end hee hath appointed her his written word as a sure canon a safe guide and an unerring rule for this cause hee hath given some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers to build her up in the Orthodox faith Finally to this end above all he hath given her his holy Spirit whose illuminating and sanctifying grace is sufficient for her of which it is our Apostle here mindeth the Christians But you have an unction from the holy One c. In these two verses we have two Generals A Remedy prescribed or rather described against the Antichristian poyson But you have an unction from the holy One and know all things An Apology annexed whereby an objection is prevented which otherwise might have been made I have not written unto you because yee know not the truth but because you know it and that no lye is of the truth Begin wee with the Remedy as it is set down in the twentieth verse concerning which wee may take notice of four particulars The Quality what it is an unction The Community whose it is you have an unction The Originality whence it is from the Holy One. The efficacy what it doth and you know all things If you please to reduce the four to three take notice of The Nature of the Antidote it is an unction The Author of it who is called the Holy One. The worth of it by it wee know all things Once more reduce the three to two and then here is observable Doni collatio A gift conferred You have an unction from the Holy One. Beneficii illatio A benefit inferred and you know all things In the handling of the former of these wee shall consider these three things The matter or thing given an unction The Recipients to whom it is given you have The Donor by whom it is given the Holy One. 1 The thing given as an Antidote or remedy against the poyson of Antichristian Doctrin is an Vnction A Metaphorical and allusive expression Annoynting most properly is with oyl or else with Oyntments in which usually oyl is the chief ingredient but metaphorically annoynting is with the Spirit which is as oyl and oyntment Thus wee finde the Prophet saying concerning himself literally and Christ mystically The Spirit of the
Lord is upon me because the Lord hath annoynted me to wit with his Spirit more plainly the Apostle Peter God annoynted Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and St. Paul sufficiently intimateth it when hee saith concerning Christians God hath annoynted and sealed us and given us the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts the Spirit being as the earnest so the seal and the oyntment and accordingly the generality of Expositors doe here interpret the Spirit of God with his gifts and graces to be this Unction St. Austine among many others is expresse Unctio spiritualis ipse spiritus sanctus the Spirit of God is the spiritual unction And accordingly this is one of the titles which are given to the Holy Ghost in that Divine Hymn The Fountain and the lively Spring of joy celestial The Fire so bright the Love so clear and Unction spiritual That the fragrancy of this Metaphor may the better appear give me leave to break the Box and let you see how fitly it is applicable to the blessed Spirit to this end it will not be amisse to confider the Properties and the Uses of oyl and oyntment 1 There are three eminent properties of oyl which fully agree to the Holy Ghost Purity Permanency and Excellency 1 Oyl is of such a nature as that it will hardly mingle with other Liquors and whatsoever liquor you mixe it with it still is uppermost In this a fit embleme of the Spirit especially in respect of its sanctifying grace which will not mixe it self with any sin and where-ever it is keepeth corruption under Indeed wine and water will easily incorporate but oyl will not natural and acquired habits may consist with the predominancy of some lust and therefore it is that acutenesse of wit strength of memory depth of judgement readinesse of elocution skill in Arts and Sciences and such like excellencies are to be found in wicked men but those Spiritual infused habits of grace will not admit the dominion of any sin so that though sin still remain yet it doth not cannot rule in the regenerate 2 Oyl is of a lasting durance it is not as the water evaporated by the scorching heat or congealed by the freezing cold whereby is shadowed the perpetuity of the Spirits renewing grace notwithstanding the heat of persecution and the cold of temptation The hypocrites fruit withereth when the Sun scorcheth like the standing Pool he is dry in the heat of Summer his courage faileth grace decayeth whereas the true Christian retaineth his integrity in the worst adversity when the Northern wind of Diabolical temptation bloweth upon an Hypocrite his zeal cooleth his grace freezeth whereas sanctifying grace in the heart of the regenerate keepeth its vertue 3 Oyl is of great worth it is reckoned up as one of those choise blessings which God confer'd upon Israel I gave her Corn and Wine and Oyl and multiplied her silver and gold it was one of the precious things in Hezekiahs Treasury which he shewed to the King of Babylons messenger The Silver the Gold the Spices and the precious Oyntment where it is observable that besides it is numbred among the precious things it hath also the Epithite of precious in particular annexed to it as also by Salomon where he saith A good name is better than precious oyntment But surely as there the Wise man preferres a good name so much more is the Spirit and his grace to be preferred before it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Greek Father In very deed the holy Spirit is a precious thing this Oyl is invaluable this Jewel incomparable and if the Soul which dwelleth in our bodies be more worth than an whole world this Spirit which dwelleth in our souls must needs be of an infinite and transcendent value 2 Besides these properties there is a double use of oyl to wit for eating and annointing and the operation of oyl in both these uses aptly sets forth the Spirits efficacy 1 Oyle being eaten is sweet to the palate and therefore manna for its pleasant taste is compared to it wholesome and nourishing to the body and therefore joyned with fine flour and honey it was by meal and oyle that the widow was preserved alive in famine besides it helpeth digestion of other meats and therefore it is eaten with raw herbs and such like cool things nay more than so though a man have swallowed poyson being taken into the stomack it will expell it and preserve the body from death All which are true of the Spirits graces by which wee are enabled to digest the word of God not only its promises but threatnings the poyson of sin is expelled out of the heart so far as it shall not hurt us our spiritual taste is delighted yea our soul is nourished to eternal life 2 But I must remember the Word in my text is unction and therefore it is most suitable to consider Oyl as it is of use in annointing and thus the Parallel will hold in several respects some whereof are more general and others more special both very significant to our present purpose 1 The more general uses of annointing with Oyle are these six 1 Annointing wounds with Oyle healeth them upon which account the Samaritan poured in as wine for cleansing so Oyle for healing the wounded man nothing more frequently used by Apothecaries and Chirurgions than oyles and oyntments This is the Spirits efficacy who is therefore called the comforter viz. against all those disquietments which unsettle the minde and wound the Conscience The Prophet Isaiah speaking in the person of Christ saith The Spirit of the Lord was upon him to heal the broken-hearted indeed in regard of the wicked hee is a reprover to wound but in regard of the weak hee is a comforter to heal 2 Annointing tumours with Oyle softeneth them to this the Prophet alludeth where speaking of the diseases of Israels Common-wealth hee saith They have not been mollified with oyntment This is the Spirits operation to soften the obdurate and proud sinner and therefore when Almighty God promiseth to take away the stony-heart and give an heart of flesh he presently addeth I will put my Spirit within you 3 Annointing the joynts with oile suppleth them whereby they are nimble and active for which cause it is that Runners and Wrastlers were used to annoint themselves before hand Thus doth the Spirit by his graces strengthen us with all might to run the way of Gods Commandements and to wrastle with our Corruptions It is the prayer of David Establish mee with thy free Spirit whom hee calls by that Epithite no doubt for this reason because it is the Spirits work to set us free from the setters of sin Upon the same account hee is called by the Prophet the Spirit of strength and by the Apostle the Spirit of Life in as much as hee strengthens us in our Christian race and quickens us to spiritual
our own eies taking nothing to our selves but ignorance and fâ—lly and wickednesse 3 Of dignity Glorious things are spoken of beleevers by the Apostle Peter where he saith They are a chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people and these priviledges they partake of by vertue of this unction Greater honour there cannot bee than those of Royalty and Priesthood Kings are honourable and Priests are venerable Kings are the greatest of men Priests are men of God such honour have all they to whom this sacred Unction is given Wicked men have low thoughts of beleevers it is because they perceive not this Unction but it matters not to bee despicable in the worlds whilest wee are honourable in Gods eies 4 Of Hilarity Indeed this Oile is called by the Psalmist The Oile of gladnesse in as much as it fills the heart with spiritual joy There is as Bellarmine well observeth an Oile of Sadnesse which is used at Funerals and there is an Oile of gladnesse which is used at Festivals and to this is the Spirit compared none are more chearful in all conditions than the annointed ones this oile so mitigateth the asperity of affliction that those who have it are exceeding joyful in all their tribulations in which respect St. Jerom saith excellently Multi vident crucem nostram sed non vident unctionem nostram Many see our affliction but not our unction our troubles but not our comforts our tribulation but not our consolation which far exceeds them 5 Of Felicity Indeed as the annoynting of David by Samuel assured him of the possession of the Crown and Kingdom in due time so doth this Unction ascertain all beleevers of the Kingdom which was prepared for them from the beginning of the world to this purpose it is that the Spirit which here is called the Unction is elsewhere by St. Paul stiled the earnest of our inheritance and as receiving the earnest entituleth to the inheritance so doth the receiving of the Spirit Thus by what we have wee conclude what wee shall have and the participation of the Unction giveth a firme expectance of the Coronation 6 Of Duty which lyeth in two things 1 Making use of this Unction for those choyse and excellent ends to which it is designed It is not the oyntment in the bon but applied to the part which becometh effectual what will the most precious unguent avail him that hath it but doth not use it oh therefore Christians be wise to improve this Unction to the best advantage When then at any time we feel our Consciences wounded our spirits dejected have recourse to this unction for benefit and comfort if as oh how oft thou perceivest in thy self an bardnesse and dulnesse rendring thee unprofitable under the means of grace and unfit for holy services make use of this Unction to soften and quicken thee 2 Walking worthy of and answerably to this Unction It is an undoubted truth where much is received much is expected the greater helps are afforded the greater performances are required God looketh for more from them to whom he hath given his written word than from those who have only the light of Nature and he looketh for yet farre more from them to whom he giveth an internal Vnction than those who have only an external Revelation and therefore as St. Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to walk worthy of their high and heavenly calling so let me exhort Christians to walk worthy of this high and heavenly Unction and so much for the matter of the gift passe we on to 2 The Recipients of this gift in the pronoun You not only we Apostles but you Christians and so this appeareth to be a priviledge belonging to all that are effectually called to Christianity It is St. Pauls universal negative If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his in which is included that universal Affirmative All that are Christs have his spirit To open this briefly you must distinguish 1 Between the miraculous and the gracious Unction some Expositors conceive our Apostle here referres to that Unction of the Apostles in the day of Pentecost with extraordinary gifts whereby the truth of Evangelical Doctrin was confirmed but had this been his meaning hee should rather have said wee have an Unction for though the sent and perfume of that Unction filled the whole Church and so it was for the benefit of all Christians establishing them in the faith yet the oyl it self was poured upon the Apostles and therefore that sense of that phrase seemeth much strained You have an Unction that is we have an unction for your good It is true that in the Primitive times the miraculous Unction was not only conferr'd upon the Apostles but upon many Christians but yet since our Apostle affirmeth it indefinitely of those to whom he wrote I rather conceive that here he intends that Unction of illuminating and sanctifiing grace which every Christian is partaker of and by which he is enabled to know and beleeve to salvation for though every beleever is not annoynted with the Holy Ghost and power yet hee is annoynted with the Holy Ghost and grace 2 Between the possession and the manifestation of this Unction it is one thing to have it and another to know we have it there may be a presence of the Spirit and yet not a sense of that presence a man may have a treasure in his field and not know it all Christians have this Unction from their first conversion though perhaps they are not presently apprehensive of its vertue and operation 3 Between the droppings and the pourings out of this unction it is one thing to have the Spirit and another to be filled with the Spirit This Unction is variously distributed to some in a greater to others in a lesser but to all Christians in some measure it is not for every Christian like St. Stephen to bee filled with the Holy Ghost and yet there is no Christian of whom it can bee said as St. Jude of those false teachers not having the Spirit To wind it up if we pretend to Christianity where is our Vnction where are the vertues and efficacies of our Unction The Holy Ghost who is here called an Unction is elsewhere compared to a seal and as men use to set their seals on their own wares so doth God his Spirit upon them that are his Oh let this bee the chief of our desires and endeavours that God would make us his sealed his annoynted ones and whilst others count it their happinesse when they can say we have Lands and Houses and riches wee have Swords and Scepters and Robes we have Dainties and Musick and all sort of delights let us esteem it our blisse and make it the height of our ambition to say we have an unction and so much for that 3 The last particular remaining to be discussed in this General is the Donor of this
gift namely the holy one By which some understand the third Person in the sacred Trinity to whom this character so fitly agreeth that he is usually set forth by this title the Holy Ghost but the Scripture phrase is not annoynting from but with the Holy Ghost by which is intimated that the Holy Ghost is the unguent itself and therefore it is more rational to understand by the Holy one Christ from whom it is wee have the unction of his Spirit so that in the handling of this part I shall first give you an account how fitly and fully it agreeth to Christ and then reflect upon the unction how justly it is affirmed to be from Christ 1 It would not be passed by that the Apostle mentioning Christ describeth him by holinesse it is the title by which he characterizeth himself in the beginning of his Epistle to the Church of Philadelphia These things saith he that is holy and that he spake no more than truth of himself you may hear the same from the mouth of his and our grand Adversary the Devil I know thee who thot◠art the holy one of God Our Apostle here sets it down very emphatically The Holy one that is singularly eminently perfectly holy or in Daniels phrase the holy of holies which our Translators fitly render by the superlative degree the most holy one look as a little before the Devil is called The wicked one because hee is extreamly wicked so Christ is called the Holy one as being transcendently holy It is that which is true of Christ in reference to both his Natures as God and as Man 1 Holinesse is the inseparable property of a Deity it is as it were the excellency and perfection of the God-head and Crown of all the Attributes now Christ is Gods own Son to whom hee communicateth himself and so this holinesse The Angels in Isaiah and the Beasts in the Revelation giving glory to God three times iterate Holy Holy Holy with reference as some conceive to all the three Persons Holy Father Holy Son and Holy Spirit and thus Christ as God is holy in his Nature in his Decrees in his Word and Works and eternally holy in all he is and willeth he saith and doth according to that of the Psalmist He is holy in all his works 2 As man he is the holy one and that both in respect of his conception and conversation 1 His conception was holy because of the Holy Ghost who over-shadowed the Virgin purifying that part of her substance of which Christ was born whereby hee was free from all that corruption which is by Adam propagated to his posterity To this probably referrs that phrase the holy childe Jesus and certainly that of the Angel to the Virgin The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee therefore the holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God True it is Christ took upon him the reality of frail flesh but only the likenesse of sinful flesh and though he assumed our natural yet not our vitious defects 2 His conversation was holy Indeed how could any impure stream flow from so pure a spring his nature being holy his life could not be unholy and there being an exact integrity in the one there must needs be a spotless innocency in the other on the one hand he was to bee a pattern of holinesse after whose copy all Christians are to write good reason it should be exact without the least blot on the other hand he was to be a sacrifice for sin which he could not have been if hee had not been without sin and therefore it behoved him to fulfill all righteousnesse by a full conformity to that exact rule of Gods Law Nor is he only Holy but the Holy one in respect of both his Natures 1 In regard of his Divine Nature in as much as he is essentially infinitely originally and immutably Holy essentially because his holiness is not an accident to him but his very essence infinitely because his holiness is not only without imperfection but limitation originally because his holiness is from himself he is the cause of all holinesse in the Creature immutably because it is altogether impossible he should cease to be holy for then he must cease to bee God well might Hannah say None holy as the Lord and indeed this phrase is most properly verified of him in this regard for as Aristotle though he call other things good yet when he speaketh of the chief good he calleth it by way of eminency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Good so though the Creature may bee said to bee holy yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy one most properly belongs to God though yet Secondarily and in a comparative sense not only with all other men but Angels Christ in respect of his Humane nature is the Holy one and that upon a double account The one because the holinesse of his Humane nature farre surpasseth that which is in any other creature and that in as much as it was presently to bee united with the God-head and if some measure of holinesse bee required in all that approach God how unmeasurable and perfect must be that holinesse of Christs Humane nature which is united with God and in whom the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth bodily The other because whereas all other Creatures have holinesse only for themselves and cannot convey it to others in which respect St. Austine saith of holy Parents they beget their children Non è principiis novitatis sed è reliquiis vetustatis not from the principles of the new man but the remainders of the old man and so cannot communicate their holinesse to their children Christ is a Son of righteousnesse imparting holinesse to his Church a root of holinesse as the first Adam was of wickednesse giving the sap of grace to all his branches in which regard St. Paul saith expresly he is made to us of God sanctification O then let us learn to magnifie Christ in and for his holinesse That phrase in Moses his Hymn Who is like to thee O Lord glorious in holinesse what doth it intimate but that holinesse calls for glory and praise Worthy then is he who is the holy one to bee honoured and adored by us That expression of the Psalmist Holy and reverent is his name plainly teacheth us that sanctity calls for reverence oh let us reverence the Person and hallow the name of Christ because he is the holy one what the Romanists doe parasitically to the Pope Christs pretended Vicar calling him superlatively Most Holy Father and abstractively his Holinesse that we need not fear to doe Religiously to Christ himself And since we call our selves Christians oh let us account our selves engaged to the study and exercise of holinesse it is St. Peters reasoning since hee which hath called you is holy nor is the
spiritual and saving knowledge It is a known Axiome in Philosophy that there must be a due proportion between the faculty and the object and therefore as sense cannot apprehend the things of reason so neither can reason the things of the Spirit there being no proportion between natural Reason and spirtual verities Indeed Reason in it self is a thing spiritual as spiritual is opposite to material but not as it is opposed to natural and it must bee a spiritual that is a supernatural quality infused by the Spirit which can inable us to apprehend supernatural objects suitable hereunto is that distinction in the Schools of a three-fold light of Nature of Grace of Glory one whereof is far short of the other and as the light of Grace is not proportionable to those beatifical objects of Glory so neither is the light of nature to the spiritual objects of grace and therfore most justly is this affirmative You have an Unction and know all things construed as including the negative if you had not this Unction you could not know any thing To conclude then let the consideration hereof learn us a double lesson to wit of Humility and Prayer 1 Let it abase us in our own estimation notwithstanding our choicest natural or acquired abilities vain man saith Eliphaz would bee wise though hee bee born like a wilde Asses colt men would bee Masters not onely of natural but Divine Knowledge but they become vaine in their Imaginations In reason as corrupted there is a direct enmity against the Gospels simplicity yea the line of reason at the best is too short to fathome the depth of evangelical mysteries and therefore if any one would bee wise let him according to S. Pauls Counsel become a fool that hee may bee wise he only is in a fit capacity for divine knowledge who humbly acknowledgeth his own inability of himself to attain it 2 As wee desire to know all things needful to salvation pray wee for the Spirits Illumination it is strange and yet true to consider how simple Idiots are able more divinely to discourse of Gospel verities than some learned Clerks and whence this but from this special Unction of the renewing Spirit and when wee hear wicked Christians sometimes fluently uttering divine knowledge whence is it but from the common Unction of the illuminating Spirit There is no unfolding Samsons riddle unlesse wee plow with Samsons Heifer no understanding the things of the Spirit but by the grace of the Spirit and therefore I shall end my discourse with the beginning of that excellent Hymn Oh Holy Ghost into our wits send down thy heavenly light Kindle our hearts with servent love to serve God day and night Amen THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 21. I have not written unto you because yee know not the truth but because yee know it and that no lye is of the truth THis Verse may well bee called a Religious Complement inserted by the Apostle no doubt for this end that hee might the better gain upon those to whom he wrote That piece of Oratory which teacheth captare benevelentiam to seek the good will of Auditors is of good use in Divinity They are too morâ—se and rigid who account all Civil Language in a Pulpit daâ—bing with untempered mortar St. Paul doubtlesse did not court Agrippa with a falshood when hee saith Beleevest thou the Prophets I know thou beleevest them nor did hee gild rotten posts when hee saith to those Hebrews I am perswaded better things of you though I thus speak far bee it from St. John who declaimeth against hars at the same time to bee guilty of flattery which is no better than lying To sooth up our hearers in their wickedness is abominable but to smooth them with oyly Language and silken words that they may bee more pliable to what is good is allowable whilest herein wee trace the footsteps of the penmen of holy writ particularly S. John and that in this verse which is as it were an insinuating parenthesis I have not written unto you because yee know not the truth c. In which words there are three General Observable I A Delineation of the Gospel by a double character 1 Principal and â—rect â—n that it is called the truth 2 Collâ—â—eral and Coâ—sequeâ—â—ial when it is said no lye is of the Truth II A Commendation of the Christians to whom the Apostle wrote by removing ignorance from them attributing knowledge to them in those words not because you know not the Truth but because ye know it c. III An Anticipation of an objection which might be made against his writing to them who were thus knowing in those words I have not written unto you c. Begin we with the Delineation and therein 1 The Principal Character which though comprized in that one word Truth carrieth in it a great deal of weight Not to trouble you with the Philosophical distinctions of Truth be pleased to know to our present purpose 1 As there is a double word so there is a double truth to wit personal and doctrinal our blessed Saviour saith of himself I am the truth and some Interpreters conceive that by truth here the Apostle meaneth Christ when our Saviour prayeth for his Disciples sanctify them through thy truth hee presently addeth Thy Word is truth and accordingly others expound Truth here to bee the Evangelical Doctrin To this latter interpretation I rather adhere because it is most probable that St. John understands the same by truth in this verse which he intends by all things in the former and those are all things revealed in the Gospel 2 Truth may bee construed in a double opposition either to that which is Typical or that which is false 1 Sometimes the truth is opposed to Types and Ceremonies thus when wee are required to worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth as the former is opposed to hypocritical so the latter most rationally to ceremonial worship and when it is said The Law came by Moses but grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ wee may probably conceive the sense to bee that whereas Moses onely delivered precepts to bee done Christ giveth by his Spirit grace to do them and whereas the Ceremonial Law consisted onely of Types and Shadows the Truth that is the impletion of all those is now performed by Christ Accordingly the Gospel is the truth because it revealeth the body of those shadows the mystery of those figures the substance of those Types and to this Zanchy conceiveth the Apostle Paul might have respect when hee calls it The word of truth 2 Sometimes the truth is opposed to falshood and lies for that is the most genuine signification of the Word and withall the most rational interpretation of it in this place where wee finde a lye expressely set in opposition to it upon this account no doubt it is that the Gospel is so
a little longer Quomodo agendum est ut semper vivatur How studious should they bee that they may live for ever Oh that wee would at length bee effectually convinced of the certain and infallible verity of this promise in it selfe and then there would bee little need to perswade our indeavours to make sure our own interest in it Cleombrotus reading of this future immortality though but darkely delineated in Platoes writings by casting himself into the Sea dispossessed himself of this life that hee might bee the sooner possessed of that Far bee his Practice from our imitation wee are taught to wait Gods leasure for the accomplishment of this Promise but surely the due consideration of an Eternal Life will teach us to make a preparation for that the main business of this life ever remembring that this moment is given us by God to bee the onely opportunity of gaining that eternity In special Memoria promissae mercedis perseverantem te faciat in opere since eternal life is promised by him to us let that which wee have heard from him abide in us True perseverance in the Faith is very difficult and sometimes proveth dangerous but it s as true Eternal Life is very Excellent and advantagious Videamus quid promisit saith St. Austin let us seriously view what it is hee hath promised not Gold or Silver Houses Lands or any earthly Possessions and yet what will not men indure for the gaining of these shall not Eternal Life have a stronger influence upon us Oh consider on the one hand what is it thou canst probably gain by forsaking the truth perhaps favour with great ones large revenues stately palaces Honourable titles But tell mee in good earnest can these countervail the loss of Eternal life undoubtedly they cannot On the other hand what is it thou canst possibly lose by retaining the truth perhaps thy estate thy liberty thy life I but what thinkest thou will not eternal life make amends for all these losses certainly it will As therefore the runners of old were wont to engrave the reward upon the palmes of their hands that when they began to faint the fight of that might revive them So let us incourage our selves to a patient abiding in the Doctrin which wee have heard notwithstanding all opposition by a serious remembrance of the Promised remuneration eternal life and so much the rather because it is promised upon this condition and is no otherwise to bee expected To end therefore Hast thou begun well by imbracing the Faith lose not the reward for want of adhering but hold it fast to the end that thou maiest receive in the end this Life which shall be without end THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 26 27 28. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you But the annointing which you have received of him abideth in you and yee need not that any man teach you but as the same annointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him And now little children abide in him that when he shall appear yee may have confidence and not bee ashamed before him at his coming IF you compare these three with the eight foregoing verses you shall finde them to bee a summary repetition of what it there more largely delivered There are three hinges upon which the precedent discourse turneth namely the peril of Antichristian doctrin the benefit of the Spirits Unction the duty of perseverance in the Christian faith and these three are inculcated in these verses Indeed where the danger is very great the admonition cannot bee too frequent when the benefit is of singular advantage it would bee often considered and a duty which must bee performed cannot bee too much pressed no wonder if St. John propose them in this gemination to our second thoughts And yet it is not a naked repetition neither but such as hath a variation and amplification in every particular The Duty is re-inforced at the eight and twentieth verse but in another phrase of abiding in Christ and with a new motive drawn from the second comming of Christ. The benefit is reiterated and much amplified in the seven and twentieth verse as to its excellency and energy Finally the danger is repeated but with another description of those by whom they were in danger whilest as before hee had called them Antichrists for their enmity against Christ So here for their malignity against Christians hee calleth them seducers These things have I written to you concerning them that seduce you c. By what you have already heard you see the scope of those verses which according to their number divide themselves into three generals A Caution These things have I written c. A Comfort But the annointing which you have received c. A Counsel And now little Children abide in him c. 1 Begin and at this time end wee with the Caution which is given in the six and twentieth verse These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you As it is in the World so is it also in the Church In the World all good and useful things have their contraries There are fruitful showres and there are harmful storms there are refreshing dews and infecting vapours there are wholesome herbs and there are noysome drugs There are tame living creatures and there are wild beasts Thus in the Church there are sound and there are rotten Professors true and false Prophets faithful and deceitful Apostles and if you look upon this verse you may find a brand set upon the one and a Character given of the other whiâ—eâ—t the two parts of the Text are The Mischievous design of the Antichrists which was to seduce Them that seduce you and the pious care of St. John which was to give warning These things have I written to you concerning them 1 In handling the former of these I shall take notice of these three things The Who them whom you wha seduce 1 If you inquire who these seducers were wee shall find two things not unworthy our observation 1 That their names are not mentioned It may perhaps bee asked since the Apostle doth not name them how should they know them and if they could not know them how should they avoid them But to this it is easily answered that Hee had sufficiently described them before by their Antichristian doctrin so that of whomsoever they heard such positions they might conclude them to bee the Persons and since in this respect there was no necessity of mentioning it is justly looked upon as an act of prudence his concealing their names Indeed wee finde this Apostle in one of his Epistles expresly naming Diotrephes and St. Paul naming Himeneus and Alexander Phygellus and Hermogenes in his Epistle to Timothy There may bee sometimes urgent reason of mentioning names But for the most part both these
mentioned but inlarged upon in these words But the annointing c. The right understanding of this whole verse depends upon the genuine notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the annointing once and again here spoken of In order to which it will bee needful to inquire to what this annointing alludeth what it doth import and wherein the Analogy holdeth The Jesuits in their Comments would have us beleeve that St. John alludeth to the Annointing which is used in their Church at the Sacrament of Baptism before in the breast and between the shoulders and after on the top of the head But though I cannot deny that the use of Annointing in Baptism is very ancient as finding it mentioned not onely by St. Augustine but St. Cyprian and Tertullian yet sure I am it is no where spoken of in the New Testament as either instituted by Christ or Preached by the Apostles in which respect it cannot rationally bee conceived that St. John alludeth to it Indeed wee finde in St. James an annointing of the sick with Oil to bee then practiced though by the way that of a far different nature from the Popish extream Unction for wheareas the Papists annoint the sick in order to their better passage out the annointing then used was in order to their recovery and longer continuance in this World But as there is no reason to imagine that St. John had any eye to St. James his Unction so much lesse can hee bee supposed to allude to an Vnction which was not at all used in his time If therefore you would know from what this phrase is borrowed the Answer is that very probably the Apostle had an eye to that unction which was in use under the Law the ingredients and composition whereof you have set down at large by Moses and so much the rather because as that is called the Holy Oil so this annointing is said before to be from the Holy One. 2 The Socinians inquiring into the meaning of this Metaphor understand by it the Evangelical Doctrin construing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the annointing in this by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hat which you have heard at the four and twentieth verse and conceiving it to bee called the Unction because that by that wonderful effusion of the Holy Ghost the Apostles were inabled to publish it for which reason they suppose it is elsewhere called the Spirit and the ministration of the Spirit with this interpretation some of our late Orthodox writers accord though upon a far different reason For whereas the Socinians falsely denying any need of the Spirits illumination to bee conferred upon every Christian but onely of that Revelation which was at first vouchsafed to the Apostles and by them to the World endeavour to evade the argument which is brought against them from this Scripture by this Exposition The Orthodox justly denying any new Revelation or extraordinary inspiration now to bee expected answer the argument which Euthusiasts bring from this Scripture by this interpretation For my own part I am very unwilling without great cause to recede from the Generally received exposition of any scripture And as to this particular text 1 I finde the annointing by the far greatest part both of Ancient and Modern Protestant and Popish Commentators to be expounded the Holy Spirit suitable to which it is that the latter annoynting is read Spirit in the Aethiopick version his Spirit teacheth you of all things 2 There are several considerations which render the common exposition most rational in as much as 1 Usually where the Scripture speaketh of annoynting it is meant of the Spirit as appeareth in the former discourse upon the twentieth verse 2 It is not here said the annoynting which wee to wit Apostles have received of him for then it might most probably have referred to the visible descension of the Holy Ghost upon them nor yet is it said the annoynting which you have received of us for then it might justly have been construed as the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which you have heard this Evangelical Doctrine which was delivered by the inspired Apostles but in as much as it is the annoynting which you have received of him it is most rationally construed of that Spiritual illumination which every Christian receiveth in some measure from Christ. 3 Adde to this that our Apostle in this verse manifestly intends to mind the Christians what a singular help Christ had provided for them against seducers whereby they might be enabled to continue in that which they had heard and therefore it cannot rationally be looked upon as one and the same with that which they had heard but rather the enlightning grace of his Spirit is to bee understood than which there cannot be a stronger antidote against errour Finally as by this exposition this Scripture becometh a sharp sword against the Socinians so as shall appear in the handling it will not hereby become a buckler for the Anabaptists and therefore I shall acquiesce and adhere to it as most genuine 3 As to the last enquiry how fitly the Spirit of God is compared to and resembled by oyl and annoynting the answer hath been already returned in the discourse upon the former clause of the twentieth verse whither I referre the Reader nor shall I adde any thing further but only that as the holy Oyntment was made of several Spices mixed with the oyl whatsoever things or persons were annoynted therewith were legally sanctified by it so we are here to understand by this annoynting not the illumination of the Spirit which is oft-times found alone and is vouchsafed to the unregenerate but that which is as it were made up of the several graces of the Spirit whereby not only the minde is enlightned but the whole man is sanctified Having given you this account of the annoynting which is as it were the hinge upon which the whole verse turneth it now remaineth that I goe on to consider what is here affirmed concerning this Unction and because I have already traced the metaphor of oyl and our Apostle is pleased to insist upon another similitude of teaching I shall follow that and accordingly you may conceive the Spirit of God who is the annoynting to bee likewise here represented as a School-master whose excellency is set forth by four Characters namely his Residency Sufficiency Fidelity and Efficiency His 1 Residency permanent in those words The annoynting which you have received of him abideth in you 2 Sufficiency abundant in those words And you need not that any man teach you but as the same annoynting teacheth you of all things 3 Fidelity eminent in those words and is truth and is no lye 4 Efficiency evident in those words and as it hath taught you you shall abide in him Begin we with the Residency of this School-master as it is set forth in the beginning of the verse The annoynting which you have received of him abideth in you and
here we have something supposed and something proposed that which is supposed is his presence The annoynting which you have received of him that which is proposed is his residence Abideth in you 1 That which is here supposed concerning this unction cometh first to be considered and shall be dispatched in three Propositions 1 That this annoynting is not in us of our selves but received by us from another It is St. Pauls Question and though it be occasioned by a discourse of those extraordinary gifts yet it holds true in reference to all What hast thou that thou hast not received the sins which wee commit are our own but the grace to subdue them is received though wee are sometimes subdue into errour yet wee are apt to fall into them our selves but the unction which armeth us against those errours is received It is a meditation which should keep the best Christians lowly in their own eyes Hast thou this annoynting whilest others want it or hast thou it in a greater measure than others be not proud but humble for though it be in thee subjectively yet it is not from thee effectively and therefore no just cause of Self-exaltation it is St. Pauls inference upon the fore-mentioned question If thou doest receive it why doest thou glory as if thou hadst not received it Where the manner of proposal by way of question intimateth as Musculus well glosseth the impudence of this arrogance Ridiculum planè est de alienis bonis superbire It is a ridiculous thing with Aesops Crow to bee proud of borrowed feathers in one word as to boast our selves of what wee have not is abominable so it it little less odious to boast of what wee have as if it were our own when as it is only received 2 That this annoynting is received of him that is Christ it was at first received by Christ himself to wit as man in his Human nature but he received it not so much for himself as us Voluit accipere ut potuit tribuere he would as Man receive that as Mediator hee might convey it to us Indeed it hath pleased the Father saith St. Paul that in him should all fulnesse dwell to wit as water in the Fountain light in the Sun Wine in the Grape and oyl in the Olive and accordingly saith St. John of his fulnesse wee all receive and that grace for grace What the Head is to the Body that is Christ to the Church and as the members receive sense and motion from the Head so doth the Church this unction from Christ Learn hence 1 How greatly we are beholding to Christ of whom it is that we receive whatsoever measure wee have of this Spiritual unction the truth is whatsoever Spiritual benefit we receive it is only in and through Christ The Remission of sins and Adoption of Sons the Justification of our persons and Sanctification of our natures the Donation of his Spirit and acceptation of our services the Redemption of our bodies and Salvation of our Souls are all received through Christ so justly doth St. Paul say He hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus 2 What need wee have to bee ingrafted into Christ since as wee can receive nothing but of him so neither can we unlesse we first receive him To as many as received him saith the Evangelist to them he gave power to become the Sons of God and to as many as receive him it is that hee giveth his Spirit no wonder that St. Paul praying for the Ephesians that they might be strengthened with the spirit of Christ prayeth also that he might dwell in their hearts by faith since it is by our faith in Christ that wee receive him and consequently his Spirit which is this annoynting 3 Lastly This receiving of the unction from him is by way of gift Indeed receiving in its largest extent is the correlative both of debitum and donum a debt and a gift what is duly paid and what is freely given both are said to bee received But when it is used in reference to God and Christ it cannot relate but onely to a gift since whatever wee receive of him and much more the annointing of the Spirit is given of his meer mercy Indeed in respect of himself it may bee called a debt hee having pleased by his Promise to make himself a debtor and accordingly it is that the Spirit is called the Spirit of Promise because promised both by the Father and the Son for so wee finde the expressions varyed the Comforter whom my Father will send and I will give you But still in respect of us it is a free gift it was love moved him at first to promise this unction to and since to confer it on us in which respect it is called the gift of the holy Ghost True it is this annointing was received by Christ from his Father as purchased by his pretious blood but it is received by us from Christ as bestowed by his free grace It is a consideration which should so much the more oblige us to thankfulnesse for this unction it being but reason that when wee receive wee should acknowledge the Donor and that what is received freely should bee acknowledged the more gratefully wee have received the Spirit of God saith the Apostle that wee may know the things which are freely given us of God among which the Spirit himself is not the least and who so knoweth them to bee freely given cannot but bee greatly thankful Holy Jesus wee could do nothing that is good nor avoid what is evil did wee not receive this Unction from thee nor do we receive this Unction as a reward of our merit but a fruit of thy bounty Wee are unworthy to receive the annointing from thee but thou art worthy to receive from us glory and honour and praise now and for ever 2 That which is next in order to be discussed and is more directly expressed is the Residency of this Schoolmaster the abiding of this Unctioâ— Things that are â—â—id in Oil are most lasting this sacred annointing is prmanent It is that which is true in respect of the Church in general and each Christian in particular 1 This Annointing abideth in the Church That Holy Spirit who is here set forth under the notion of a Teacher is by our Saviour described as a Comforter concerning whom hee tells his Disciples that hee shall abide with them for ever which Promise was made to them as the then representatives of and so in them to the whole Church accordingly it is that the Spirit hath been resident in all Ages with the Christian Church to teach and comfort and perform all other Offices whereof shee stands in need Christs presence with his Disciples was temporary in which respect St. Johns word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee dwelt among us so our Translation reads it but as in a Tabernacle
things are not taught simultaneously but successively fully but gradually the Disciples themselves were taught by degrees and did not know all things at first nay indeed not exactly at the last it is but a partial knowledge the best have of these all things but yet all those things which conduce to the strengthening us against error and the guiding us in the way of truth are in some though not the same measure taught by this Unction 2 The chief thing here to be discussed is the quality of the act what kind of teaching it is that is here attributed to the Spirit whereof all Christians participate For the better understanding hereof take notice of a double distinction 1 The teaching of this unction is either extraordinary or ordinary that peculiar to some this common to all Christians in reference to the extraordinary teaching it is that St. Gregory saith excellently Ungit Spiritus iste sanctus Citharaedum Psalmistam facit ungit pastorem Prophetam facit ungit Piscatorem praedicatorem facit ungit persecutorem doctorem gentium facit ungit publicanum facit Evangelistam the annoynting of this holy Spirit maketh an Harper so was David a Psalmist a Shepherd so was Amos a Prophet a Fisher-man so was St. Peter a Fisher of men by preaching a Publican so was St. Matthew an Evangelist finally a Persecutor so was St. Paul a Teacher of the Gentiles But it is the ordinary not that peculiar and extraordinary way of teaching which is here intended 2 The ordinary teaching of the Spirit is either external or internal and both these are no doubt included 1 The outward teaching of the Spirit is by the Ministry of the Word and preaching of the Gospel which is contained in the holy Scriptures look as the holy Writings were at first inspired by the Holy Ghost so by them he still teacheth his Church Accordingly it is that all saving truths were dictated by the Spirit to the Pen-men and are fully faithfully delineated in sacred Writ It is a form of sound words every way compleat explicating as Gregory the great saith all the Divine mysteries of Religion and delivering all precepts for Moral practice Quibus quidem duabus partibus omnis nostrae salutis faelicitatis ratio continetur in which two consists the whole doctrine of attaining true happinesse and therefore in this respect this of the Apostle is verified The annoynting teacheth us of all things to wit in the external ministration of the Word 2 Besides this outward there is an inward teaching which the Spirit vouchsafeth to the Church and every true member of it and is here principally aymed at This is that teaching which being the secret work of Gods Spirit is not so visibly discernable the more things are abstracted from sense the more mysterious they are no wonder if it be difficult to apprehend what this teaching is which according to St. Gregory is Allocutio intimae inspirationis an inward inspiration or Spiritual allocution It is a Question much controverted in the Schools how the Angels being Spiritual substances impart their conceptions to one another and surely it is much more hard to know how the Spirit imparts his Divine learning to the soul even they who are thus taught are sure of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that so it is but are not able to unfold the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how it is so And yet that wee may in some measure apprehend what we cannot fully conceive I shall in a few words acquaint you with that notion of this teaching which the Scripture is pleased to give us and accordingly if you ask what this inward teaching is whereof the Apostle speaketh I shall return the answer in the words of the Prophet Jeremy or rather God by the Prophet It is the putting his Law in our inward parts and writing it in our hearts Indeed as we say in general the Scripture is the best interpreter of it self so in this particular the Prophet is the best Commentator on the Apostle and therefore that wee may more clearly understand the one it will bee needful more particularly to comment on the other and let you see what this putting this Law in our inward parts and writing it in our hearts meaneth by which wee shall the better perceive what this teaching is in reference to which I shall lay down a double conclusion 1 That which the Spirit teacheth inwardly is the same with that hee teacheth outwardly and therefore that which he is said to write in the heart of man is no other than that Law which is written in the Book of God As the minde of the Spirit in one parcel agreeth with the minde of the Spirit in another parcel of Holy Writ so the impressions of the Spirit on the soul answer to the dictates of the Spirit in the Scriptures It is very observable that Christ tells his Disciples the Spirit should bring all things to their remembrance as if the chief end of the miraculous descension of the Holy Ghost upon them were not to teach them any new doctrine but to bring to remembrance what Christ had before taught them surely then the inward teaching of this Vnction whereof all Christians participate doth not reveal any new mysteries which are not already delivered in the Word Among other resemblances the Spirits working upon the Soul is said to be a sealing and among other reasons for this because as the seal maketh no stamp upon the wax but what is answerable to that which is upon the seal so whatsoever the Spirit teacheth the heart is answerable to what it teacheth in the Word 2 The inward teaching or writing of the Spirit is the imprinting of Scripture-truths upon the soul Conceive then the soul as the paper the truths revealed in Gods Word as the Letters the Spirit of God as the Scribe and the ayl of his grace as the Inke by which there is an impression made of the letters upon the paper truths upon the soul For the more particular opening hereof know 1 That this teaching is not a naked motion but a real impression not a superficial wetting but a deep soaking Many there are to whom the Spirit vouchsafeth some taste yet never drink a full draught who have some gliding aspects but no direct beams of the Sun of righteousnesse shining on them it is one thing to hear the voyce of the Spirit speaking another to find the Pen of the Spirit writing that teaching which is here meant is such as confirmeth against error and therefore doth not glide off like water but abide like oyl slightly move but strongly work upon the soul 2 That this impression of the Spirits teaching is upon the whole soul more especially the two chief faculties of the soul the Understanding and the Will so much seemeth to be intimated by that double character of the subject the inward parts and the heart which wee finde in the Prophet as of
old the Law was literally written by Gods Finger in two Tables of Stone so it is spiritually written by Gods Spirit in two Tables of flesh the mind and the heart This annoynting then teacheth 1 Illuminando intellectum by enlightning the understanding to see and discover those things which are revealed in the Word the first work of the Spirit in conversion answereth that first word and work of God in the Creation Let there be light by this light it is that the darknesse of ignorance is expelled and the eyes of the minde are opened to apprehend Divine Writings in their own lustre and beauty It is observed of Paper that being oyled it is thereby made bright and so fitter to receive the beams of the Sun and conveigh the light into the room so is it with our minds which being annoynted with this oyl are thereby fitted to receive that heavenly light of Evangelical Doctrin and whereas the oyl which is put to the Lamp feeds it when it is kindled but cannot give light to it such is the excellency of this Unction that it giveth the light of saving knowledge to them who are altogether destitute of it Nor is this all but further 2 Inclinand◠voluntatem by inclining the will to embrace the goodnesse and taste the sweetnesse of those truths which are understood this oyl doth not only cherish the light of the Lamp but softens the hardnesse of the tumor remove the darknesse of the understanding but mollifie the perversnesse of the will As for the manner of the Spirits operation upon the will it is not to bee disputed many Controversies which trouble the Church would easily be reconciled were the Modus layed aside I suppose none will deny but he who made the will knoweth how to perswade it without coaction and incline it without compulsion and therefore we need not fear to affirm that the annoynting teacheth by inclining the will the truth is were it not that this teaching had an influence upon the will as well as the understanding it could not guard against Error and preserve from Apostacy nothing being more usual than for those who are taught outwardly and not inwardly to reject those truthes whereof they have been fully convinced for want of a kindly influence upon the will by which they should constantly adhere To summe up this point and there-with this Discourse See the excellency of the Spirits teaching beyond all others other School-masters set only truths before us but cannot put them into us they present them to our eyes or ears but cannot write them upon our hearts only this School-master can and doth not only by his Word speak to our ears but by his Grace to our souls oh therefore let us implore this sacred Unction that he would vouchsafe to become our Teacher let us begge of him that he would first give us flexible spirits and decible mindes whereby wee may bee willing to bee taught which is to take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh and then that he would make us to know and embrace Divine Truths which is to write his Law in our hearts And withall take we heed how we grieve this School-master by a carelesse neglect of his instructions If at any time hee bee pleased to put any good motions into our mindes let us cherish them and let us beseech him that to those motions hee would adde his powerful impressions and if wee be thus taught of him we are well taught so well that we need no other teacher which leads me to the other branch of the sufficiency of his instruction in the negative expression You need not that any man teach you But the time being expired denyeth any further progresse at present and therefore the discussion of that with the other parts of the verse must be referred to the next opportunity THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 27. But the annointing which you have received of him abideth in you and yee need not that any man teach you but as the same annointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him THis whole World may not unfitly bee resembled to a Book whereof the cover is the Heavens whose Gilded imbossements are the glittering stars letters are the elements words are the several creatures compounded of those elements sentences are the motions and actions of those creatures and periods are its various ages This is the Book which Almighty God hath given all mankind to read and there is in every man a natural reason which serveth as a Candle whereby wee may discern the characters engraven on it and as a Schoolmaster whereby wee are instructed in the lessons to bee learned from it But besides this School of the World in which the Creator hath appointed to train up all men there is another School of the Church which our Redeemer hath designed for the education of Christians in which respect one of the names by which they are frequently called is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Disciples or Scholars of Christ The Book wherein they are to learn is no other than the Holy Scriptures of the Old and more espeoially of the New Testament The Ushers or Inferiour Teachers are the Ministers whose lips are therefore said to preserve knowledge and at whose mouth wee must seek the Law And if you would know who is the Head-master in this School let St. John give you the answer in the words of the text it is no other than the Holy Spirit of God here called the Annointing But the Annointing which you have received of him c. The sufficiency of this unction in teaching Christians is that part of the Text I am now in handling and having discussed the Affirmative assertion in that it is said to teach all things I am now in order to proceed to the Negative amplification which is expressed in those words And you need not that any man teach you The Apostle Peter speaking of the unlearned and unstable telleth us that they did wrest as many things in St. Pauls Epistles so likewise in other Scriptures to their own perdition where the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Gerard well observes is a metaphor borrowed from those who put men upon the Rack whereby they oft times force them to speak things against their knowledge and conscience for so do Hereticks impose upon the Scripture a sense contrary to what the Spirit of God intended An instance hereof wee have in this Text particularly in this clause which together with those parallel words of the Prophet Jeremy quoted by the Apostle Paul They shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord is wrested by the Quakers and such like Sectavies among us as it was by the Enthusiasts heretofore to the undervaluing of the Ministry as needlesse in the Church yea of the
the Word and the Apostles taught not but by the co-working of the blessed Spirit 2 On the other hand it cannot bee denied but that as mans teaching is nothing without this unction so this unction can nay hath taught without the help of man There is no question but that hee who at first created man after his own Image could have repaired the decaies of that Image in man without the ministry of man Humane teaching is not a necessary but arbitrary Instrument of the Spirit not without which hee cannot but ordinarily hee will not teach us This unction needs not the teaching of any man to joyn with it Those first planters of the Gospel were immediately taught by this unction and had it sâ— pleasâ—d God all Christians might still have been taught by an inward inspiration without any outward instruction look as in governing the World God vouchsafed to make use of second causes but not out of any necessity as if hee could not govern without them so in teaching the Church the Spirit of God maketh use of men as his ministers but not as if hee could not teach without them 2 These things being premised that which I shall by way of confutation assert and prove is that this unction doth not will not ordinarily teach Christians so as that whilest they are in this world they shall not need the help of mans teaching Though mans teaching is ineffectual without the presence of the unction yet the unction doth not exclude the presence of mans teaching For the clearing whereof in few words you must know 1 In General 1 That our Lord Christ hath instituted a certain order of men in the Church whose office it is to teach and instruct men in the faith This is plainly implyed in that Commission given by Christ to his Apostles of discipling all Nations by baptizing and teaching them to which is annexed a Promise of being with them alway even to the end of the World both which considered together inform us that that Commission was not to expire with the Apostles but that they should have successors in those sacred offices to the end of the World with whom Christ would bee present by his Spirit Congruous hereunto it is that St. Paul expressely saith faith commeth by hearing of the Word of God and that from a Preacher who is sent for that end But most apposite and clear is that of the same Apostle to the Ephesians where hee saith Christ gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers which surely hee would not have given had there been no need of them Very observable to this purpose it is that at the conversion of Cornelius in the vision which hee had hee was directed to send for Peter that hee might tell him what hee â—ought to do and whereas the Spirit might himself have opened Isaiahs prophecy to the Eunuch hee giveth Philip command to go and interpret it and preach Jesus to him yea though Christ himself converted Saul by an immediate appearing yet hee sent Ananias to the finishing of the work and surely if to extraordinary much more to ordinary conversion the teaching of man of those men whom Christ hath for that end appointed in his Church is necessary 2 That the Pastors and Doctors of the Church are not only designed for initiating but the perfecting of the Saints they are St. Pauls own words in the forementioned place For this cause it is that they are resembled not onely to Fathers who beget and Mothers who bring forth but Nurses who bring up the Children not only to Planters but to Waterers till the Tree come to its full growth And they are as so many builders not only to lay the foundation but to rear up the fabrick of grace and knowledge in the hearts of Christians surely then till we come to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ which shall not be till we come to heaven we have need that man should teach us 2 In particular As to this Scripture it cannot bee St. Johns intention by these words how express soever they may seem to exclude mans teaching Excellently St. Austin to this purpose If this be true you need not that any man teach you why do we teach you if that Annointing teach you all things wee labour as it were without cause why do wee not leave you to that unction that it may teach you But now I put the Question to my self Et illi ipsi Apostolo facio I may put it to the Apostle himself Let the Holy Apostle vouchsafe to hear a little one inquiring of him They to whom thou writest had this unction thou hast said it The unction which you have received teacheth you of all things ut quid talem Epistolam fecisti quid illos tu docebas quid instruebas quid aedificabas why hast thou written this Epistle to them why doest thou instruct and edify them Indeed it cannot be imagined that St. John should teach them by writing to them if hee did intend by these words to assert all mans teaching uselesse And therefore Caveamus tales tentationes superbissimas take wee heed of spiritual pride in fancying to our selves such a measure of the Spirits unction that wee need not the Ministers instruction Our blessed Lord himself who had the Spirit above measure was very lowly and bids us to learn this vertue of him surely then the greater measure wee have of this unction wee should bee so much the lesse conceited of our selves The good Spirit doth affâ—are breathe grace into us but it is the evil spirit which doth inflare puff men up with the winde of pride it is the poyson of the Serpent swells us not the Oil of the Spirit of God and truely there cannot bee an higher degree of pride than to undervalue the means of instruction Hee who is thus arrogant argueth himself greatly ignorant of the delusions of Satan and the deceitfulnesse of his own heart It is very observable how St. Paul joyneth those two caveats together Quench not the Spirit despise not prophecying the latter being the ready way to the former If thou hast received this unction it is as that Apostle tells the Galatians by the hearing of Faith and by the same means it abideth with and is increased in that it was first conveyed to us The plain truth is hee that is above ordinances is below grace nor can there bee a worse fool than hee who thinketh himself so wise as not to need the Ministers teaching Nor would it be passed by that those very Sectaries who deny the Ministry and scriptures do yet teach one another all the rest attending whilst any one of them who pretends to a Revelation speaketh and therefore I shall not need to spend time in confuting them who by their own practice confute themselves 2 Having in some measure cleared the Quid non what is
provided it bee not out of flattery and for base ends we may upon just occasion not onely commend but inlarge and as it were Hyperbolize in the Commendations of them that are good Indeed to flourish with Rhetorical exaggerations in laying open the faults of others except of such crimes as are very open and hainous is uncharitable but to expatiate though it bee with Hyperboles in the praises of others for their vertues is very allowable as being that which this Holy Apostle giveth as a pattern of in this high Eâ—comium you need not that any man teach you 2 There is yet another way of giving the sense of this clause which to mee seemeth most genuine and that is by construing those words you need not that any man teach you with the following but as the sume Annointing teacheth you of all things which being put together doe onely deny any need that any man should teach them any other Doctrin than what this Annointing had taught them All things to wit necessary to Salvation this Unction had taught them and therefore no need of any man to teach them any thing besides these all things To this purpose is that glosse of Heinsius who conceiveth that the conjunction But is to be here taken in the same notion in which it is used by the Chaldee and Syriack Those words there is no God besides mee are read by the Chaldee There is no God but I. Thus in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you need not that any man teach you but as that is except those things which the same Annointing teacheth you With this sense that gloss agreeth in effect which I finde among some Expositors who refer the man here mentioned to the Seducers before spoken of There is no need of any new Masters that any of those seducers concerning whom the Apostle had discoursed should teach them any new Doctrin Very Apposite to this purpose is that excellent saying of Tertu Nob is curiositate opus non est post Jesum Christum nec inquisitionâ— post Evangelium nil desideramus ultra credere hoc enim prius credimus nil esse quod ultra credere debemus Christ being now revealed in his Gospel it is curiosity to make further inquiry wee desire not to beleeve any thing more for this wee first beleeve that there is nothing more to be beleeved There is need indeed that the Orthodox teachers should inculcate upon the people what this Unction teacheth but as for any Doctrin besides there is no need of nor regard to bee had to it or him that bringeth it It is very probable that those Seducers did teach their new Doctrins as things necessary to bee known and beleeved in reference to whom our Apostle assureth them that whatever those Hereticks might pretend they were already sufficiently instructed in all things needful for them to know According to this notion this very Scripture which is made use of by Euthusiasts as a buckler to defend proveth a Sword to cut asunder their opinion for what other must their pretended Revelations bee but vain and foolish if there bee no need of any thing to bee taught us by any man but what this Unction teacheth to wit as it hath been already explained outwardly by the Word and inwardly by Grace The truth is wee need not that any man no nor yet any Angel should teach us and if any Angel from Heaven should come and teach any other doctrine than what this unction hath already taught the holy Apostles and by them us let him bee accursed nor is this more than what St. Paul hath given us warrant for and let this suffice to have been spoken of the sufficiency of this Schoolmaster Passe we on to the 3 Next Character which is his Fidelity as it is set down in those words and is truth and is no lye The first which is the affirmative expression according to the Greek is to be read in the Concrete and is true and the latter which is the negative in the abstract and is no lye our Translators finding the latter to be the abstract read the former so too though it may seem more rational to read the latter as if it were a Concrete finding the former to be so But as to the rendring it it is not much material whilest the sense is the same which is that this annoynting is true without the mixture of any falshood in his teaching The more fully to expresse this it is that our Apostle speaketh the same thing twice first by affirming and then by denying the contrary that look as when in the former Chapter he would set forth Gods purity to the full as being free from the least pollution he saith He is light and in him is no darknesse so here that he might expresse the veracity of the Spirits dictates as being without the least errour he saith it is truth and is no lye The Devils answers which he gave those who consulted him were so dubious that they could not tell which way to construe them and so were deluded by them but the Spirits dictates are certain and infallible The Devil is a lying Spirit the Father of Lyes and his suggestions are lyes and no truth but the Spirit of God is a Spirit of truth so our Saviour calls him once and again yea he is truth and no lye True it is Hereticks the Devils instruments doe sometimes speak truth but it is in order to the advancing of some lye yea it is usually mixed with lyes But the Spirits Pen-men deliver truth and nothing but the truth so that wee may venture our souls upon their writings Indeed it is not so with us who expound and preach upon their writings since we have not so full a measure of this unction as they had in which respect St. Hier ome saith Aliter habere Apostolos aliter reliquot tractatores illos semper vera dicere istos ut homines in quibusdam aberrare that there is a great deal of difference between the Apostles and other Preachers those alwayes write truth but these erre in many things but withall it is then when they are not led by the Spirit who being wisdome cannot be deceived and being truth cannot deceive Keep wee therefore close to the dictates of this unction and that as they are set down in the Word Since they are truth and no lye let us beleeve and not doubt trust and not waver left if we receive not the truth in the love of it God give us over to beleeve a lye it being just that they who will not bee taught by this unction which is truth and no lye should bee fooled by delusions which are lyes and no truth 4 There is only one clause of the verse to be dispatched in those words and even as it hath taught you you shall abide in him where the verb abide according to the different Greek
Copies is in the future tense of the indicative and so rendred you shall abide and in the imperative mood and rendred abide in him and accordingly it may be looked upon either as a promise or a precept according to the former it lets us see the efficiency of the School master and according to the latter the duty of the Scholar but because I finde this given as a precept in the very next verse I shall here only consider it as a promise and so a further commendation of this unction Those words you shall abide are conceived by some to be only verba sperantis words of one that hopeth well concerning them but I rather take them to be a promise assuring them of the vertue of this unction which being received by and abiding in them would enable them to abide as it had taught them The pronoun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the end of the verse may be construed in a double reference either to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the thing or the person and so may be read you shall abide in it that is in the unction or you shall abide in him that is in Christ from whom you received the unction Indeed in the next verse it is manifestly belonging to the person the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being no doubt the same with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee that shall appear but here it may very rationally bee referred to both and accordingly I shall speak a word of each 1 Even as it hath taught you you shal abide in him That which this unction chiefly teacheth is to abide in Christ suitably the Arabick readeth it as it hath taught you to abide in him and in this sense it lets us see the excellency of this School-master above all others they may teach what to doe but cannot enable to doe what they teach but this unction as it hath taught you so you shall doe it hath taught you to abide and you shall abide in him this voyce saith behind us This is the way walk in it and it withall giveth us feet to walk in that way Look as when our blessed Saviour said to Lazarus Come forth there was a power accompanying that voyce which enabled him to come forth so when this unction as it were saith to us abide in him there is grace communicated strengthning us to abide in him Very congruous to this purpose is that Discourse of St. Austin against Pelagius and Celestius Sic docet Deus eos qui secundum propositum vocati sunt simul donans quid agant scire quod sciunt agere God so teacheth those who are called according to his purpose that they both know what to doe and doe what they know whence St. Paul thus speaketh to the Thessalonians You are taught of God to love one another and that he might prove they were taught of God hee presently addeth for indeed you doe it towards all the brethren Tanquam hoc sit certissimum signum quod a Deo didiceritis si id quod didiceritis feceritis as if this were the most sure sign of being taught of God to doe what they were taught after this manner were all the called according to purpose as it is written in the Prophets taught of God but he that knoweth what he ought to doe and doth it not hath not yet learned of God according to grace but to the law not according to the Spirit but the letter and a little after bee addeth Of this manner of teaching our Lord saith Whosoever hath heard and learned of the Father cometh to me he therefore that doth not come to him it is not truly said he hath heard and learned for if as hee who is the truth saith Every one who hath learned cometh he that cometh not hath not learned so that as hee presently addeth not only the power but the will is assisted by this teaching for if it had been only an ability were conferred our Lord would have said Every one that hath heard and hath learned of the Father can or may come to me but it is he cometh Ubi jam possibilitatis profectus voluntatis affectus actionis effectus est by which is intimated a câ—llation of power an affection of the will and the effect of the action Hitherto the words of St. Austine whose expressions both here and a little before in this Discourse as also St. Gregories I have the more largely rehearsed that the Doctrine of the necessity and efficacy of the Spirits grace may appear to bee no new doctrin nor shall I need to adde much more in this particular Indeed that prayer of the Spouse would not be omitted Draw me and we will run after thee whereby is intimated that when the Spirit of Christ draweth though it be not a forcible yet it is an effectual operation it is not such a drawing as maketh us goe whether we will or no but as maketh us of unwilling willing not only to goe but run the way of Gods Commandements Agreeable to which it is here not only said you may but you shall abide in him 2 Nor would the other reading bee left out even as it hath taught you you shall abide in it that is in the Doctrine which this Unction hath taught you whereby is intimated that the grace of this Unction is not only iâ—uminating but corroberating and as it teacheth us so it strengthneth us to continue in what it teacheth As oyled Paper doth not only let in the light of the Sun but beat back the violence of the Wind so doth this Unction not only enlighten its Scholars whereby they understand the truth but also enable them to withstand the opposition of errours This confirming energie of the Spirit St. Paul hath elegantly set forth by several Metaphors where hee saith Hee which est ablisheth us with you in Christ and annoynteth us is God who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts manifestly comparing the Spirit to an earnest to a seal to an oyntment and as the earnest assureth the bargain the seal confirmeth the grant and the oyntment strengtheneth the part so doth the Spirit stablish the heart in a firm expectation of Divine promises assurance of Divine love and a stedfast adherence to Divine truth And now putting all together what great cause of gratulation and ground of consolation doth this verse afford us wee are infinitely beholding to our blessed Jesus in that hee shed his bloud for us and wee are no lesse engaged to him for giving his Spirit to us since as by the one hee purchased Salvation for us so by the other it is hee preserveth us to salvation Had not this Unction revealed the things wee are to know in order to Salvation wee must have continued ignorant but blessed bee God this Unction teacheth us of all things Though wee bee instructed in the things
consists 140 143 Love of the World see World Lust three-fold 338. that which was in us by Creation was not prone to irregularity 432. forbidden as well as the outward act 406. after worldly things many times disappointed and if fulfilled soone glutted 448 Lye threefold 23 580. Lyars the vilest of men 597 M. MAlice see Hatred Marriage may bee unlawfully used 348 Memory apt to forget Divine things 593. wee must not onely hear â—ut remember 640 Ministers how they and the people brethren 79 286. must have a futherly affection to the people 203 c. they are watch-men and shepheards 200. must be faithful and prudent 274. must preach particularly 220 220 387. seasonably suitably to their Auditors conditions capacities 275. make a distinction between hearers 593. warn the people of seducers 597 690. commend what is good in their people 134. must win upon them by expressing love 735. their endeavour shall bee accepted 677. no need of them in Heaven 716. they are instituted by Christ to continue in the Church to the end of the world 719. their teaching cannot avail without the Spirit 717. they must bee constant in the faith 644. their peoples constancy their honour at the last day 753. they must live their Sermons 120 121 Miracles by true ones the Gospel was confirmed 580. the shew of them made a prop of heresy 686 Multitude no note of a true Church 499 N. NAme its several acceptions 249. when changed in Scripture some spiritual gift conferd 615 the names of those whom wee reprove not to be mentioned 257 673 Necessity twofold 647 Neutrality and lukewarmness condemned 425 Novelty a badge of errour affecting it dangerous 91 to 94 100 101 O. OBedience cannot bee without knowledge 22. the way to increase knowledge 4 5. it is according to our knowledge 17. Negative not sufficient 11 474. must bee universal 14 15 464. cheerful 465. by it wee know our interest in Christ 71 72. it cannot be exact 16. a bare command should bee enough to oblige to it 429. it is the best tryal of our love to God 472 473. and perfects it 33 35 Old-men why called Fathers 208. to bee reverenced 209. they had need to bee good 212. not too old to learn 221. ignorance in them inexcusable 269. they must labour to know Christ 267 268 tOvercome in what sense wee are said to overcome the Devil now 285. wee are not compleat victors in this life 286. how it is to be done 283 284 P. PArdon of sin see Forgiveness Perfection twofold 33. perfect Christians compared to Fathers 204. b. Perseverance in adhering to Christ the Church the truth received 641 738. it must bee to the end 740. most commendable in Apostatizing times 635. it is not by our selves but Gods sustentation 529. the doctrine of it upon what grounds built 531 532. no true cause of security 535. an attendant of true grace 633 Play how unlawful 356 Polygamy a lust of the flesh 347 Prayse due to Virtue 134 259 578 Preacher see Minister Predictions the verity of those which are Divine 496. especially concerning Christ 603 604 Presumption of an interest in Christ 74 75. of our own abilities 394 Priviledges the enjoyment of them should not content us 526 Pride loveth to show it self 389. why called pride of life 390. its several kinds 390 to 394 a general sin 402. maketh a man like the Devil 404. it is attended with shame 405 Promises Divine are sometimes matter of precept 736. suitable to our necessities 648. most faithful 666. The promise is Eternal life 663. first promised and then given 665. to them that persevere 670. promised before Christ but not so clearly as by him 665. Humane oft-times larger than their performances 399 661 Protestants injustly charged by the Papists as Schismaticks 512 513 Q. QUakers how irrationally they decry the Ministry and blasphemously they wrest Scripture 721 722 R. REason of what use in Divine things 577 insufficient without an higher light 575. pretended to by Hereticks 686 Regeneration compared to light 131 Remission of sin see Forgiveness Repentance abstaineth from all sort of lusts 406 407. the delay of it dangerous 304 Repetition of one and the same thing frequently used in Holy Writ and why 131 to 135 Reproof ought to bee with expression of love 205. a. and yet sharp against notorious sinners 599. but yet without naming the persons 257 673 Resolution necessary in a Christian to his combat with the Devil 290 Riches when got and kept sinfully 376 to 381 S. SAcrament of the Lords Supper what gesture was used by Christ is not certain if it were wee are not bound to follow it 49 50 Saints their security dignity and felicity by reason of the Annointing 550 Schism the causes of it 508. a great sin 518. un ustly charged upon the Protestants by the Papists 512. justly by us upon the Sectaries 514 Scripture why God would have his Word written 216. man the Pen-man Gods Spirit the Author 219. to bee read by and to all 224 225. with reverence 220. quoted and wrested by the Devil 299. by Hereticks 589 722. a special weapon against seducers 689 Sectaries justly accused as Schismaticks 514 Security greatest when Judgement is neerest 490 Seducers they often prove such who should be Teachers 675. the several wayes of seducing 689. c. Sights wanton forbidden 363. as also such as curiosity prompts to 367 368 Signes three sorts of them 499 Sin God cannot bee the Author of it 433 434. men are apt to transfer it on God 436. it maketh us like the Devil 282 484. it ruineth Churches and Kingdoms 489. How many waies to bee considered 237 238 Sleep when a lust of the flesh 355 Soul no proportion between it and the world 454. hath its diseases as well as the Body 733 Son of God Christ was in such a way as proveth him higher than men nay Angels yea the high God 625 626. hee that denieth Christ denieth Gods Son 617. how much God is offended with it 624 625 Spirit of God compared to Oyl and why 514 c. given by Christ 557 701. the Author of Scripture 219. is not onely illuminating but confirming 731. his grace needful to overcome the Devil 91 his teaching extraordinary and ordinary internal and external 707 708. his inward teaching agreeeth with that in the word 709. it is faithful 727. effectual 729. how hee concurreth to assurance 73 74 Strength spiritual needful to our fight with the Devil 288. wherein it consists 290 strong Christians compared to young-men 210 211 Superfluity what measure of Riches is so 372 373 Superiours ought to bee exemplary 38 T. TEaching see Spirit Ministers Tempting God a great sin 367 Types fulfilled in Christ 579 Truth of the Gospel proved 580 581 V. VAin-glory a branch of pride 396 Victory see Overcome Unction of the sick in the primitive times for another end than that of the Papists 696. in Baptisme ancient but not Apostolical 695. Spiritual is
extraordinary unction upon some eminent persons whereby they were able to dive into the very hearts of men and could positively conclude them as the Apostle Peter did Simon Magus to bee in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity notwithstanding their fair professions and specious pretences The other more general and to which all Christians by vertue of this unction were enabled namely to know all men by their fruits according to that rule our Saviour giveth concerning false Teachers who being ravenous Wolves came in sheeps clothing by their fruits that is by their works and conversation or rather by their fruits that is by their doctrins and positions you shall know them A gift which if every Christian might not in some measure attain to that counsel of trying the spirits which our Apostle giveth in this very Epistle would bee in vain But the Greek Lection is our best rule which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and accordingly our English version is most genuine you know all things for the fuller opening of which take notice of the extent of the Object All things and the intent of the Act You know 1 Begin wee with the extent of the object and this is set down in a word of the utmost latitude all things but yet a limitation must bee annexed to this latitude and this universal particle restrained It is the observation of a Learned Divine that God admits into his own names and attributes that addition of universality omne as though hee would especially bee known by that thus he is said to bee omnipresent omnisussicient omnipotent and omniscient and indeed as an ubiquitary existence illimited fulnesse infinite power so an universal knowledge is reciprocal with the Deity and therefore incommunicable to any creature so that though there be not expressed yet it must bee supplied a qualifying word They are quaedam omnia some certain all things which Christians do know by vertue of this unction More particularly there is a threefold limitation of this all things 1 All divine things We are not to imagine that this unction maketh all Christians acquainted with the secrets of Nature Mysteries of Trades Axiomes of Arts Idioms of Languages for then every Christian should bee an Orator Philosopher Artificer expert in all manner of knowledge Indeed if the Spirit pleased hee could inspire such a knowledge into the minds of beleevers and wee finde particular instances of those to whom he hath extraordinarily given knowledge in humane things when it hath been in subserviency to some divine ends So Bezaleel is said to bee filled with the Spirit and skilled to do the work of the Sanctuary thus the illiterate fisher-men were furnisht with the gift of tongues to speak to the people in their several Languages the mysteries of the Gospel but yet this is not the Spirits ordinary way who leaveth humane knowledge to the acquisition of humane industry and consequently it is onely the knowledge of divine things which is here meant 2 All divine things revealed That speech of Moses secret things belong to God revealed things to us and to our children plainly intimateth that there are some things which God in wisdome keepeth hid from the sons of men and as hee in Plutarch answered the man which asked him why his basket was covered because he should not look into it so hath God therefore concealed those things that wee should not pry into them It was the fault of our first Parents that they desired to know more than God would have them as wee do not so wee must not desire to know hidden mysteries Indeed the Psalmists expression is The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him but what that secret is appeareth in the very next verse hee will show them his Covenant which is revealed in his word and is onely secret because hid from them that perish True it is where this unction is extraordinarily conferred upon Prophets and Apostles they have been so inspired as to discern and accordingly to utter strange things such as were to come to pass many ages after but still the ordinary influence of this unction enableth only to know those things which God hath revealed in his word 3 All Divine things revealed that are necessary to bee known Omnia necessaria cognoscendis antichristis et cavendis illorum insidiis so Beza and Grotius All things necessary for discovering these Antichrists and avoiding their snares Omnia quae ad salutem pertinent so Bernard and Ferus All things which are necessary to salvation We are not to imagine that this unction inlightneth every Christian to understand the whole Scripture so far as to interpret its dark sentences aenigmatical phrases abstruse prophecies but â—o far as is needful in order to preserve us from damnable Heresies and the attaining of eternal salvation this Unction enableth to apprehend the will of God revealed in his word With these limitations wee may very well enlarge the all things to God Christ our Selves Sin Satan the Law the Gospel Grace and Glory Christians know God his unity and Trinity his Mercy and Faithfulnesse Power and Wisdome Justice and Goodnesse they know Christ his Person his Nature his Offices his Benefits and that Love of his which passeth knowledge they know themselves how Wretched and Miserable Poor Blinde and Naked they know the sinfulnesse of sin the devices of Satan the deceitfulnesse of their own hearts they know what it is God requireth of them and what hee hath promised to them they know the things that are freely given them of God and the things that are mercifully prepared for them in a word whatever things pertain to Life and Godlinesse â—o Glory and Happiness are in some measure made known to them and thus you have a short account of the large extent of this object pass wee on to the 2 Intent of the act you know Now that knowledge which this unction effects in the mindes of beleevers hath these three properties it is 1 Certain and establishing it is not a conjectural opinion but a Confident perswasion which Christians have of divine truths Non levi quâdam et perfunctoriâ sed solid â cognitione rerum imbâ—ti est is so Grotius glosseth it is not a sleight and perfunctory but a solid and evident knowledge so that neither the subtilties of Antichristian Teachers nor the violences of Antichristian persecutours can withdraw such an one from the truth hee hath embraced Wee beleeve and are sure saith S. Peter in the name of himself and the rest of the Disciples That thou art that Christ the son of the living God Indeed there are different degrees of this certainty according to the different dispensation of this unction but every one who is taught of God and annointed with the Holy Ghost hath some measure of certainty as to fundamental verities when perhaps his head is too weak to grapple with some kinde of heretical Arguments yet
Holy Scriptures themselves whilest pretending to a light within them which is communicated by this Unction they think they need no light without them no not that which shineth from the sacred writings For the proof whereof they thus argue from this Text. All who are taught by the Unction need not that any man should teach them and consequently not the holy men of God But all Christians are taught by the Vnction which they receive from Christ Therefore c. That this Syllogism how rational soever it may seem is but a Paralogism and particularly that Sophism which is called by Logicians Fallacia à dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter a fallacy arguing from that which is spoken onely as to some respect as if it were to bee construed in its utmost latitude will plainly appear in the following discourse And that I may at once both refell this argument and unfold the clause I shall first demonstrate that those words you need not that any man teach you cannot with any show of Reason nor yet without apparent contradiction bee intended by S. John as an absolute negation and then I shall acquaint you with those constructions which are probable and which of them I conceive most natural 1 In pursuance of the negative part of the Explication I shall promise something by way of prevention and then propose somewhat by way of confutation 1 By way of prevention take notice of these particulars which cannot but be granted 1 Without doubt there will bee a time when Gods annointted ones shall not need the teaching of any man and that is in the other life when Glorified Saints shall behold in the vision of Gods face all things which may conduce to their happiness It is a true rule in Divinity Promissiones novi futurâ Evangelical Promises have some impletion in this life but their completion in the other Accordingly it is that those words They shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know mee from the least of them to the greatest are by some of the Fathers understood of that knowledge which wee shall have in the Countrey and though I look not upon this as the genuine scope of these words yet doubtless then then only it is that those words shall most exactly be fulfilled To the two states of this and that other Life no doubt St. Paul referreth under the resemblance of a Child speaking doing and understanding as a Child and of a mans putting away childish things intending not differrnt degrees of grace but the difference between grace here and glory hereafter We are not such grown men whilest on earth that wee should look upon the external means of grace as childish things to bee put away it is the sole priviledge of heaven where wee shall know as wee are known that there all helps of humane instruction shall bee supervacaneous Indeed as Aquinas excellently argueth It is a sign of perfect knowledge acquisitâ scientiâ and therefore in that state of perfect knowledge no wonder if all teaching cease 2 In respect of our present state in this life know further that 1 On the one hand it is an undoubted truth that notwithstanding wee are taught by men there is great need of the teaching of this unction so great that without it all other teaching is in vain Every Instructor saith to his Auditors in words much like those of the King to the woman How can I help except God help how can I teach except the Spirit teach St. Gregory upon those words of our Saviour concerning the Spirit Hee shall lead you into all truth inlargeth very excellently to this purpose Vnlesse that Divine Spirit bee present to the heart of the Hearer the Word of the Teacher is to no purpose Let therefore no man attribute it to the man who teacheth that hee understandeth what hee saith because nisi intus sit qui doceat doctoris lingua exterius in vacuum laborat Except there bee a Teacher within the Preachers Tongue laboureth outwardly in vain Behold saith that Father you all alike hear the same voice of him that speaketh and yet you do not alike perceive the sense of what is spoken cum ergo vox dispar non sit cur in cordibus vestris dispar est vocis intelligentia seeing therefore the same voice sounds in all your ears why is there not the same reception into all your hearts were it not that there is a master within who is pleased peculiarly to teach some the understanding of what is generally spoken to all Whereupon hee quoteth this very Text with this glosse per vocem non instruitur quando mens per Spiritum non ungitur When the minde is not annointed by the Spirit it is not instructed by the voice To the same pupose and no lesse full is that discourse of St. Austin upon this place Behold my brethren a great mystery the sound of our words beateth the ear the Master is within Do not think that any man learneth any thing from any man wee may admonish by the noise of our voice but in vain if the Spirit teach not inwardly you all now hear my Sermon and yet alas how many go away untaught Quantum ad me pertinet omnibus locutus sum sed quibus unctio illa intus non loquitur quos Spiritus sanctus intus non docet indocti redeunt so far as concerneth mee I have done my part in Preaching to all but to whom the unction doth not speak whom the Spirit doth not teach they go home untaught The Instructions and admonitions of men are extrinsical helps Cathedram in coelo habet qui docet cor his Chair is in heaven who teacheth the heart therefore hee himself saith in the Gospel Call no man your master on earth one is your Master Christ And a little after The words which wee speak outwardly are to you as the Husbandman to the tree who planteth and watereth and pruneth it but doth hee form the fruit or cover the Tree with leaves who doth that Hear that Husbandman St. Paul and see what wee are and hear who is the internal Master I planted Apollo watered but God gave the increase neither is hee that planteth any thing nor hee that watereth any thing but he that giveth the increase is God that is his Unction teacheth you of all things Thus as the Prophets staff could not revive the Childe but the Prophet must come himself so mans teaching cannot instruct but this Vnction must teach us and therefore whensoever wee come to hear the word let us withall pray for the Spirit that the ministration of the one may bee accompanied with the operation of the other that of Ferus being most true Docet Spiritus sanctus sed per verbum docent Apostoli sed per co-operationem Spiritus sancti The Spirit teacheth but by