His Spirit to ours, and so either disparage His sacraments, or else would make them means only, by which our faith might be kindled, to "ascend into heaven," and "bring down Christ from above," instead of being content diligently to cleanse our own hearts, and "keep His words," that so His gracious promise may be fulfilled—"My Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him." (John xiv. 23.) This had been an important consideration, quite independent of the question, which were, in this instance, the right interpretation: for, as there could be no doubt which loved his Saviour most, the interpreter who found Him every where in the Old Testament prophecy, or he who found Him nowhere; so, also, could there be little, probably, between the character of mind, which looked joyously to the gift of the Holy Ghost, through his Saviour's ordinance, and that which regarded any reference to that ordinance, lifeless and cold. There could be no doubt, I think, of this generally; although, as was before said, individuals might either "hold the truth in unrighteousness," or, being in error, might still derive food for their piety, from other truth in God's rich storehouse. Since, however, no error in Scripture can be unimportant, it may be well to consider a few points, which tend to shew, that the "sealing[1] by Baptism" was here intended. First, then, it should be observed, that, in each case, St. Paul speaks of this "sealing" as a past action. "He who establisheth us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God; who, also, is He who sealed us (ὁ καὶ σφραγισάμενος), and gave the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts" (2 Cor. i. 22): "in whom ye also, having heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation—in whom ye, having believed also, were sealed (ἐσφραγίσ-
- ↑ In speaking of the application of this term to Baptism, I do not mean to exclude Confirmation, as it was originally, a part of Baptism; the term may, however, perhaps from the first, have had reference to the mark of the cross upon the forehead (Rev. vii. 3.), which was afterwards certainly called the "Signaculum Dominicum," see Bingham, Christian Antiq. B. xi. c. 9. Add Cyprian Epist. 73, ad Jubaianum, p. 132. ed. St. Maur. Tertullian de Resurr. Carnis, c. 8, separates it from the anointing, as well as from the imposition of hands. "Caro ungitur, ut anima consecretur; caro signatur, ut et anima muniatur; caro manus impositione adumbratur, ut et anima Spiritu illuminetur."
