The Holy Spirit Compared to the Oil of Gladness

    THE HOLY SPIRIT COMPARED TO THE OIL OF GLADNESS

    "Therefore God, thy God hath anointed thee with the Oil of Gladness above thy fellows" Ps 45:7

    "But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. But the Anointing, which ye have received from him, abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you; but, as the same Anointing teacheth you all things," &c., 1Jo 2:20,27.

    BY a metaphor called an anthropopathy, Oil or anointing is attributed to God, Ps 45:7; Heb 1:9; Song 1:3, where the Holy Spirit with his gifts are understood. Which appears by comparing this place with Isa 61:1; Ac 10:38; Joh 3:34, where the unction of Christ as King and Priest, is treated of. Hence conies the derivation of the name of our Saviour, who is called man XXX Xrizov, Unctus, Anointed, Joh 1:25, and Joh 4:25, ?? tecoxhn, by way of eminency. Believers, in a measure, are made partakers of this unction, who by true faith adhere to Christ the chief Head.

    METAPHOR

    I. Oil is of a softening and mollifying nature, a sovereign good for all hard tumours in the body.[1] The prophet complains, that the sores of Judah were not mollified with ointment, Isa 1:6.

    [1] Plin. lib. xxiii. p. 160.

    PARALLEL

    I. The Spirit softens a hard heart, assaugeth and brings down those obdurate and hard swelllings of pride and vain glory, which naturally are in the souls of men and women, making them willing and pliable to the will of God.

    METAPHOR

    II. Oil is of a healing nature, the Samaritan poured 0il and wine into the man's wounds who fell among thieves, Lu 10:34. Oil searcheth into the bottom of wounds.

    PARALLEL

    II. The Spirit opens the heart, and searcheth into every corner thereof, it is said to search all things: there is no sin nor secret corruption, but it will find it out; and when it hath softened and mollified the heart and conscience, it doth in a gracious manner heal it.

    METAPHOR

    III. Oil, Pliny saith, is contrary to scorpions, and in a wonderful manner expels dangerous venom and poison, that may accidently be taken into the body; it secures the vitals from the penetrating insinuations thereof, which else would seize upon and destroy them.

    PARALLEL

    III. The Spirit is contrary to Satan that old serpent, and all the cursed and killing venom and poison of sin, and doth wonderfully expel and purge it out of the soul, when God is pleased to give a suitable measure thereof; it secureth from the insinuations of sin, and it will cause a man to vomit it up by unfeigned repentance, by which means, the life of the soul is preserved: for if by the operation of the Spirit, sin is not vomited up, death will certainly follow. "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish," Lu 13:3. "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other," Ga 5:17.

    METAPHOR

    IV. Oil will hardly, if at all, mingle or incorporate with other liquid things: it is observed, put it into what you please, it will not be kept under, but will get uppermost.[2]

    [2] Venin,

    PARALLEL

    IV. The Spirit of God will never mingle, nor become one with the flesh; the Spirit is from above, and ever endeavours to be uppermost, in what heart soever it is, it will not be under the command of sin nor Satan. "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh."

    METAPHOR

    V. Oil warmeth, comforteth, and refresheth the body, it being anointed and bathed therewith.[3]

    [3] Plin. P. 432.

    PARALLEL

    V. The Spirit wonderfully revives, comforteth, and infuseth spiritual warmth and heat into the soul of a believer, when he is anointed with it; and indeed nothing else will refresh, enliven and warm the inward man: hence it is compared to fire, and called the Spirit of life, and blessed Comforter, Ac 2:3; 1Th 5:19; Re 11:11; Joh 14:16.

    METAPHOR

    VI. Oil cannot be dried up by the heat of summer, as water and other liquid things will; it will keep and maintain its being against the scorching heat of the sun.

    PARALLEL

    VI. The Spirit cannot be dried up by the heat of persecution, nor the scorching beams of Satan's temptations, that will live and abide the same in the souls of sincere converts, losing none of its gracious influences and operations. "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that shall abide with you for ever," Joh 14:16. See Comforter.

    METPHOR

    VII. Oil, according to Pliny, cleareth the eye-sight mightily, and disperseth mists and clouds that cause dimness in the same.

    PARALLEL

    VII. The Spirit cleareth the eyes of the understanding, it is called eye-salve, and from hence the apostle prayeth for the Ephesians, "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the

    Father of glory, would grant them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, that the eyes of their understanding being enlightened, they might know what was the hope of his calling," &c., Eph 1:17-18. Clouds and mists of darkness are upon the eyes of all that have not received the Spirit, so that cannot behold things afar off.

    METAPHOR

    VIII. Oil is excellently good to open obstructions, and help them who cannot breathe freely.[4]

    [4] Plin. Lib. xxiii. P. 162.

    PARALLEL

    VIII. The Spirit of God is the only remedy for all obstructions of the inward man, those that scarce breathe or pray at all, by receiving a measure of the Spirit, breathe out freely their desire to Almighty God: "Likewise the Spirit helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit maketh intercession," &c., Ro 8:26. "No man can say Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Ghost," 1Co 12:3.

    METAPHOR

    IX. Oil is a fat and feeding substance, it is a very nourishing thing, it is thought there is nothing more wholesome to the body of man.

    PARALLEL

    IX. The Spirit feeds the soul, yea, it makes it fat and well-liking; nothing nourishes comparable to the Spirit; the word and ordinances of God, are but dry bread to it: this is the chief of those fat things full of marrow, by which God feasts, and makes fat the bones of his saints, Isa 25:6; 58:11.

    METAPHOR

    X. Oil eaten with some other things that have some hurtful quality maketh them very good and nourishing, whilst others who eat them without Oil are surfeited thereby.

    PARALLEL

    X. The Spirit of God being received and lived upon, the abundance of the things of this world, that have in them by means of sin, some hurtful and surfeiting quality, are made hereby very good and profitable to believers; but for want of the Spirit's seasoning and sanctifying, they become deadly and destructive to wicked men, their table, bed, and all they enjoy are made snares to them. "Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this world," &c., Lu 21:34.

    METAPHOR

    XI. Oil, naturalists tell us, is good against shaking, tremblings, and convulsions, which many are troubled with, so that on a sudden sometimes they fall down and foam at the mouth.[5]

    [5] ibid.

    PARALLEL

    XI. The Holy Spirit is of exceeding great use against all tremblings and convulsions of the soul in evil times, it frees the godly from all slavish fears, which shake some men for want of it, out of their faith, honesty, and religion; and it keeps sincere ones steadfast and immoveable, from being shaken by false doctrine and lying spirits; which have troubled many with strange convulsions, shakings, and tremblings in this nation; so that, as my author saith, they have even foamed at the mouth, when quakerism first came up amongst us.

    METAPHOR

    XII. Oil was made use of under the law, in cleansing him who had the plague of the leprosy. "The priest was to put oil on the tip of his right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand; and the remnant of it upon his head," Le 14:17-18.

    PARALLEL

    XII. The Holy Spirit is made use of by the Lord Jesus Christ, our heavenly High-priest, in cleansing the leprosy of sin, he puts it into, or upon, every faculty of the inward man, the will, the affection, the understanding, the conscience, the head, the hand, the heart, the whole soul is anointed therewith, before it be pronounced clean by the Lord. "I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall be clean from all your filthiness." "Now are you clean through the word that I have spoken to you;" "The words that I have spoken to you, they are the spirit and the life," Eze 36:25-27, John xv, 3, and Joh 6:63.

    METAPHOR

    XIII. Oil is used for lamps, whereby they burn long, and give light to them that are in the house, the use whereof is very well known to all.

    PARALLEL

    XIII. The Spirit of God is that spiritual Oil, that the wise virgins took in their vessels and in their lamps, by which means they were accepted by the bridegroom; and the foolish for want of it, their lamps of profession went out, and they not suffered to go into the wedding-chamber, Mt 25:8,10.

    METAPHOR

    XIV. Oil hath a beautifying virtue; the virgins that were prepared for the Persian king, used ointments to make them fair, for six months space they used sweet odours, and six months Oil of myrrh. This Oil, naturalists say, hath a beautifying quality, and fetcheth wrinkles out of the skin. David speaks of Oil, saying, it makes the face to shine.

    PARALLEL

    XIV. The Holy Spirit hath an excellent beautifying quality, there is no scar, spot nor deformity in the soul, but the Spirit can purge and cleanse it, they that are anointed with this Oil shine in the eyes of God and good men; it will make a Blackmoor white and beautiful, fetches out those wrinkles and foul stains and spots that naturally are in the souls of men and women; it takes of Christ's beauty, and puts it upon the soul, and so places a shining lustre upon the inward man. "Thy beauty, for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee," &c., Eze 16:14. How glorious and beautiful to be hereby? "And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on Stephen, saw his face appear as if it had been the face of an angel," Ac 6:15.

    METAPHOR

    XV. There are some men that cannot endure Oil, they love it not, will not be persuaded to put a little into their mouths, they are naturally averse to it.

    PARALLEL

    XV. There are some, nay many men in the world, that love not, like not the Spirit, they are naturally so averse to it, that they will not be persuaded to make trial of it; they cannot believe there is any sweetness, benefit, or savour in it. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned," 1Co 2:14.

    METAPHOR

    XVI. The joints and limbs being anointed with some sort of Oil, it will very much strengthen them, and make a man more agile, nimble and fit for motion.

    PARALLEL

    XVI. The Spirit is good to strengthen the weak and decayed hands and knees of a poor

    saint; and thereby makes the soul more fit for motion Godwards, lively, quick, agile, and fit for heavenly service.

    METAPHOR

    XVII. The priests, kings and prophets under the law, were anointed with Oil.

    PARALLEL

    XVII. "The Lord Jesus was anointed with the Spirit, that Oil of gladness above his fellows," Heb 1:9. Moreover every minister of the Gospel must be anointed therewith, or he is not accepted of God.

    METAPHOR

    I. Other Oil is of an earthly extract, and several sorts of it are prepared and made fit for use by the art and wisdom of man, being extracted from earthly things.

    DISPARITY

    I. THE Spirit is from above, and without beginning, "Flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb," Re 22:1. But the Comforter, even the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me," Joh 15:26.

    METAPHOR

    II. There is not one sort of Oil, that hath all kind of excellent qualities in it; that which may be good to beautify and of a sweet scent, may not be medicinal.

    DISPARITY

    II. The Spirit hath all excellent qualities in it; it will not only beautify and perfume, but it is also a sovereign good for healing all distempers of the soul: what rare property is there in any sort of Oil, but the Spirit in an heavenly manner far excels it.

    METAPHOR

    III. Oil will not last long, its virtue is soon gone, it quickly decays and becomes unsavoury.

    DISPARITY

    Ill The Spirit abides the same, never corrupts, nor loseth its virtue, it lasteth from everlasting to everlasting.

    INFERENCES.

    I. From hence we may see the excellent nature, properties, and usefulness of the Spirit

    II. It may move and stir us up to pray to the Father for fresh anointings.

    III. Let us ascribe all tenderness and brokenness of heart, to the mollifying virtue of this precious Oil.

    IV. When ye see choice and excellent Oil, think seriously on the Holy Spirit.

    V. Labour to get much of it in your vessels, lest your lamps go out, and you go to buy when too late.