22. The last scripture which your Lordship affirms “to be peculiar to the times of the apostles,” is that in the first epistle of St. John, concerning the unction of the Holy One.
To confirm this interpretation, we are referred to the authority of Origen and Chrysostom, on the parallel passages in St. John’s gospel,” (page 42.)
But it has appeared, that both these fathers suppose those passages to belong to all Christians. And consequently their authority (if these are parallel passages) stands full against this interpretation.
Your Lordship subjoins, “I shall here only add that of the great Athanasius, who (in his epistle to Serapion) interprets The unction from the Holy One, not merely of divine grace, but of the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit.”
Nay, it is enough, if he interprets it at all of ordinary grace, such as is common to all Christians.
And this your Lordship allows he does. But I cannot allow that he interprets it of any thing else. I cannot perceive, that he interprets it at all, “of the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit.”
His words are, “The Holy Spirit is called, and is, the unction and the seal. For John writes, The anointing which ye have received of him, abideth in you; and ye need not that any man should teach you, but as his anointing, his Spirit, teacheth you of all things. Again, it is written in the prophet Isaiah, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me. And Paul writes thus; In whom also ye were sealed. And again, Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. This anointing is the breath of the Son, so that he who hath the Spirit may say, We are the sweet-smelling savour of Christ. Because we are partakers of the Holy Spirit, we have the Son: And having the Son, we have the Spirit, crying in our hearts, Abba, Father.”
And so, in his oration against the Arians.
*“He sendeth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. His Son in us, invoking the Father, makes him to be called our Father. Certainly God cannot be called their Father, who have not the Son in their hearts.”
Is it not easy to be observed here, 1. That Athanasius makes that testimony of the Spirit common to all the children of God: 2. That he joins the anointing of the Holy One, with that seal of the Spirit wherewith all that persevere are sealed to the day of redemption: And 3. That he does not, throughout this passage, speak of the extraordinary gifts at all?