L3887 Of CoMMUNION. with very effeEt of grace to thisiffue, is to neglect the work of the Holy Ghott in us and towards us. There remains only that a difference be in a few words affigned Between believers receiving the Spirit, as an earneft of the whole inheritance, and hypocrites tailing of the power of theworld to cone, Heb. v. 6. A tafte of the powersof the world to come, feems to be the fame with the earneftof the inheritance. But, [t. That by the powers ofthe world tocome in that place is intended the joys of heaven, there is indeed no ground to imagine: they are no where fo called, nor doth it fuitably exprefs the glory that 'hall be revealed, which we lhall be made partakers of. It is doubtlefs the powerful miniftry ofthe ordinances and difpenfationsof the times of the gofpel there, called to the. Hebrewsaccordingto their own idiom, the powers or great effeftual things of the world to come; that is intended. But; [a. Suppofe that by the powers of the world to come the glory of heaven is intended, there is a wide difference between taking a vanithing tafteof it ourfelves, and receiving an abiding earneft from God: to take a tafte of the things of heaven, and to have them allured of God, as from hislove, differ greatly. An hypocrite may have his thoughts raifed to a great deal of joy and contentment in the confederation of the good things of the kingdom of God fora feafon, confidering the things in themfelves ; but the Spirit, as he is an earneft, gives us a pledgeofthem as provided for us in lane love of God, and purchafe of his Son Jefus Chrift. This by the way. 7. TheSpirit anointsbelievers. We are anointed by the Spirit, 2 Cor. T. We have an unilionfrom the Holy One, and we know all things, a John ü. 20. and v. 27. I cannot intend to run this exprefhon up into its rifeand original. Alfo I have done it elfewhere. The ufe of unftion in the Judaical church, the meaningand intendment of the types attended therewith ; the offices that men were confecrated unto thereby, are at the bottomof this expreffeon; nearer the un&ion of Jefus Chrift, from whence he is called Meffiah and the Chrifi, the whole performance of his office of mediatorfhip, being called alfo his anointing, Dan. ix. as tohis furnifhment for it, concurs hereunto. Chrift is faid to he anointedwith the oyl ofglad- nefs above hisfellows, Heb. ì. 9. which is the faine with that of John iii. 34. Godgiveth him not the Spirit by meafure. Wewho have the Spirit by meafure, are anointed with the oyl of gladnefs : Chrift Isatis the fulnefs of the Spirit, whence our meafure is communicated; fo is he anointed above us ; that in allthings he may bave the preheminenee. How Chrift was a- nointed with the Spirit to his threefold office, ofKing, Prielt, and Prophet, how by vertue of an undionwith the fame Spirit dwelling in him and us, we become to be interefted in thefe offices of his, and are made alfo kings, priefts, and prophets to God, is known, and would be matter of a long difcourfe to handle, and my defign is only to communicate the things treated of. I (hall only therefore fix on one place, where the communicationsof the Spirit in this unftion of Clara .are enumerated, of which in our meafure from him, and with him, by this unftion, we are made partakers: and that is, Ifa. xi. 2, 3. The Spirit of the Lord 'hall refl upon him, the fpirit of wifdom and undecfianding, the fpirit of counfel and might, the fpirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord, &c. Many of the endowments of Chrift, from the Spirit wherewith he wasabundantly anointed, arehers recounted. Principally thofe of wifdom, counfel, and underftanding, are infafted on: on theaccount whereof, all the treafures ofurifdom and know- ledge
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