Friday, January 14, 2011

This sacred anointing


(J. C. Philpot, "The Unction of the Holy One")

"But you have an anointing from the Holy One."
    1 John 2:20

Wherever the anointing of the Holy One touches
a man's heart it spreads itself, widening and
extending its operations. It thus communicates
divine gifts and graces wherever it comes. It . . .
  bestows and draws out faith,
  gives repentance and godly sorrow,
  causes secret self-loathing, and
  separation from the world,
  draws the affections upwards,
  makes sin hated, and
  Jesus and His salvation loved.


Wherever the anointing of the Holy Spirit touches
a man's heart it diffuses itself through his whole
soul, and makes him wholly a new creature. It . . .
  gives new motives,
  communicates new feelings,
  enlarges and melts the heart, and
  spiritualizes and draws the affections upwards.

Without this sacred anointing . . .
  all our religion is a bubble,
  all our profession a lie, and
  all our hopes will end in despair.

O what a mercy to have one drop of this heavenly 
anointing
! To enjoy one heavenly feeling! To taste
the least measure of Christ's love shed abroad in the
heart! What an unspeakable mercy to have one touch,
one glimpse, one glance, one communication out of
the fullness of Him who fills all in all!

By this anointing from the Holy One, the
children of God are supported under . . .
  afflictions,
  perplexities,
  and sorrows.

By this anointing from the Holy One,
they see the hand of God . . .
  in every chastisement,
  in every providence,
  in every trial,
  in every grief, and
  in every burden.

By this anointing from the Holy One they can
bear chastisement with meekness; and put
their mouth in the dust, humbling themselves
under the mighty hand of God.

Every good word,
every good work,
every gracious thought,
every holy desire,
every spiritual feeling
do we owe to this one thing:
the anointing of the Holy One.

"But you have an anointing from the Holy One."
    1 John 2:20





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