A learned and very useful commentary on the whole epistle to the Hebrews wherein every word and particle in the original is explained ... : being the substance of thirty years Wednesdayes lectures at Black-fryers, London / by that holy and learned divine Wiliam Gouge ... : before which is prefixed a narrative of his life and death : whereunto is added two alphabeticall tables ...

§. 119. Of Gods annointing his Sonne.

GOD who was in speciall the God of his Sonne, is here said to have annointed him. This is metaphorically spoken in reference to an ancient, continued in∣augurating and setling of Kings in their Kingdom, which was by annointing them, or powring oyl upon their heads: As Saul, 1 Sam. 10. 1. David three times, first by Samuel, 1 Sam. 16. 13. Secondly, By the men of Iudah, 2 Sam. 2. 4. Thirdly, By the Elders of Israel, 2 Sam. 5. 3. Solomon twice, 1 King. 1. 39. 1 Chro. 29. 22. Iehu, 2 King. 9. 6. Ioash, 2 King. 11. 12. Iehoahaz 2 King. 23. 30. yea, they who chose Absalom to be King annointed him, 2 Sam. 19. 10. In allusion hereunto Kings are stiled Annointed, even the Lords Annointed, 2 Sam. 19. 21. Lam. 4. 20.

Annointing being performed by Gods appointment, implied two things,

• 1. A deputation to the Kingdom,
• 2. An ability to execute the Royall Function.

Both these are evident in the first King that was set over Israel; By Samuels an∣nointing Saul, Saul was deputed to the Kingdom, and being annointed, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and God gave him another heart, 1 Sam. 1. 6. 9.

That wherewith Kings were annointed was oyl. Samuel took a viall of oyl and poured it on Sauls head, 1 Sam. 10. 1. He also took an horn of oyl and annointed David, 1 Sam. 16. 13. So did Zadok annoint Solomon, 1 King. 1. 39. So did he that annointed Iehu, 2 King. 9. 6. And others that annointed other Kings. All these were annointed with external material oyl, but to shew that annointing had a mysti∣call signification, they who had not such oyl poured on them are called the Lords Annointed, Psa. 105. 15.

Oyl, and annointing therewith being mystically taken (as here they are) setteth out the Spirit and the gifts and graces thereof: In this respect Christ saith of him∣self, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath annointed me to preach, &c. Luk. 4. 18. And the Apostle Peter saith of him, God annointed Iesus of Nazareth with the holy Ghost, and with power, Act. 10. 38.

This is in speciall to be applied to the humane nature of Christ, yet so as united to the divine nature, both making one person: For God singly and simply consi∣dered in himself never was nor can be annointed, no, not metaphorically, as here the word is taken; God cannot be deputed to any Function: God needs not the Spirit to be poured on him, nor needs he any gift of the Spirit to be enabled to any thing that he doth. He is of himself allsufficient.

But Christ as man, and as Mediatour between God and man, was by God his Father deputed unto his Royall Function, Psa. 2. 6. as he was to his Priestly Office, Heb. 5. 5. yea, and in that respect also God gave him the Spirit, though not by mea∣sure, Ioh. 3. 34.

Both the Hebrew name Messiah and the Greek name Christ do signifie annointed, They remain memorials of the Annointing here specified. See Chap. 3. v. 6. §. 64.

Notes

• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. See Chap. 3. v. 6. §. 54.
• Of Gods de∣puting Christ to his Fun∣ction. See Ch. 2. v. 3. §. 2.