Chap. I .Setl-.3 Looking unto 1efos. Book IV. 375 this pnyer at this time, was fur that which followed upon his · very prayer, (i .) that the holy Ghofl might defcend, tmd that the Father wo~dd glorifie the Sonne by a tejHmony from he.:tven; i·ndeed the text bath htid his prayer, and the opening of the heavens fo clofe together , as that it feems to point out what was the tenour of his prayer by the confequent of it. Before the heaven , was mured up, no Dove ro be feen, no voyce to be heard, but fl:reight upon it (as if they had but waited the. laft word of his prayer) all ofthem follow: and in another place, we finde the like returne upon the like prayer, F~ther, glo1·ijie thy Name ; therZ c11me there". voycefrom·heaven [aying, I h~ve bothglcrijied it, an~ I John 11,:s~. will glorijie tt ag•MJe; one reafon more, tfwe confider that Chnft was now to enter upon the great work of our redemp1ion, and the preaching of the Gofpel, it will be leffe ftrange to conceive that he prayed for the vilible fealing of him to that work and · office, by the coming of the holy Ghoft. To this purpofe is that of the Evangelift,for him hath God the F~tther fealed; it is a phraze John 6.. : 7 ; . borrowed from them, who give their commiffions under hand and feale; and this is certaine, that upon his pr-ayer God fent the holy Spirit who feiJ/ed him, or allowed, and confirmed him to the · office ofour redemption; and therefore very probable it is, that his prayer might tend to that purpofe; but herein take heed of ' excluding what was mentioned in the former opinion ; for my part I fuppofe Chrifts prayer was both for himfdfe and all . be~ leevers ; that the holy Gholl might now be joyned to the water, and that all others as ihould ever after beleeve in his Name, (as afterwards he enl argeth his prayer) might have the holy Ghofl: defcend upon them,Joh. 17. 20. 5. Why was it that the holy G hofi defcended on Jefcrs " I anfwer, for rhefc reafons. 1, That John the Baptifl: might b.e· fatisfied, for th is token w~s given John, when he firfl: began to preach, th,1t upon wh1m he )mu!dfet the Spirit defce'nding, andre- Johtl r. sri . maining on him, the fame is he -n:hich b-apti~eth with the ho!J Cjhoft . 1t was a fure llgne ro the Rapnft whereby to know tbe (hrift, whofe harbi 1ger and prodromus he was. 2 . That Chrift himfel fe might be anoinr.ed or inlhlled to hi> function. The Spirit of the L •J rd is 11ponm?, becaHfc the L ord hath mmointedme t~ preach I[a. Gr, 1 'l:l· goodtydingsunt~them~dz, &c. As Aaron and hisfonnes .were annoynted with material oyie , when · they entred into rheir offices, ,
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