The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-08-03
Our Contributors.
Sealed? or Unsealed?
BY REV. s. E. ARSON, OF ROME, G

who has been sealed with the Holy Spirit.
1t belongs to the nature of seal to re-
produce its own likeness upon that to
which it is applied. Apply seal to
bit of wax, for example, and whatever
letters, words, or devices are on the seal
will be transferred to the wax. Hence
the custom among men OF attesting in
struments of writing, deeds, commissions,
etc., by afixing to them the seal either of
the State or the prince under whose au-
thority the instrument of writing, deed,
or commission was issued. In ancient
times seals used always to have two
things craven on them, viz, the name
and the image or likeness of the king.
Thus the seal of Augustus bore the name
and the image of Augustus. Whatever,
therefore, Augustus set his royal seal to
had the name and image of Augustus left
on it.
Now Jesus Christ, the king of kings, is
represented as having seal: That seal
is the Holy Spirit. And when this king
of kings sets his royal seal-which is the
Holy Spirit-to believers heart, the
name and image of the king is left on
that heart.
First of all the name of the king is
left there-a name "above all Greek,
above all Roman fame"-a name that is
above every name. And as the Christian
bears this illustrious name here so he will
bear it hereafter, and forever. So we
read: II will write upon him the name
of my God; and the name of the city of
my God, which is New Jerusalem, which
cometh down out of heaven from my
God; and will write upon him my new
name" This is wonderful Here are
three names which the Christian will
bear in the world to come. The first is
the name of God, which, sealed on his
forehead, will designate him as the SER
want Of God, Just as, in what Trench calls
the hellish caricature of the heavenly
kingdom the votaries of the Beast are
represented as sealed in their foreheads
with the name Of the Beast. Whatever
may be the DISCUSSES of the present world, ),
in the world to come it will be seen at a
glance who belong to God and who to
the Beast. Of one man it will be said
with certainty: This man belongs to the
Beast, for the name of the beast is on his
forehead; and of another: This man be-
longs to God, for the name of God is on
his forehead In this honor the elect
angels will share equally with the re-
deemed saints. They too will have the
name of God written on them
The next name is the name of the city
of God-denoting that the saints will be
identified with heaven, just as citizens of
different countries are identified by their
national speech, dress, customs, and ply
siognomy. This honor too the angels
will share with the saints.
But there is another name that will
forever distinguish the saints from the
angels, and, so far as we know, from all
other beings in the universe. All the
angels will have the name of God written
on them, for they are the property of
God equally with the saints. All the
angels will have the name of the city Of
God written on them, for they are citi-
zens of the New Jerusalem as well as the
saints. But this other name will not be
written on the angels, for it is name
peculiar to the saints, and will be shared
with them by none save Him with whom
it originated. 1t is great name The
Apostle Paul says, ait is name above
every name that is named in earth or in
heaven" 1t is, therefore, greater than
the name Gabriel; greater than the name
Creator. 1t is also called neU name.
1t was never known in the nomenclature
of earth or heaven till the angel pro-
nounced it in Judea eighteen hundred
years ago. He, with whom this illustri-
GUS name originated, did not inherit it
from his Father; but it was given to him.
He hath give, him name that is above
every name" This illustrious name the
saints will have written on them. 81
will write on them my new name. .
Wherever in all the wide expanse Of
hoor,o, ,o,,4 81 I'll $1,000. l.