TRACTS FOR THE TIMES
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VOL. II.
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ADVERTISEMENT.
In completing the second volume of a publication, to
which the circumstances of the day have given rise, it may
be right to allude to a change which has taken place in
them since the date of its commencement. At that time,
in consequence of long security, the attention of members
of our Church had been but partially engaged in ascertain-
ing the grounds of their adherence to it ; but the imminent
peril to which all that is dear to them has since been exposed,
has naturally turned their thoughts that way, and obliged
them to defend it on one or other of the principles which
are usually put forward in its behalf. Discussions have
thus been renewed in various quarters, on points which had
long remained undisturbed ; and, though numbers continue
undecided in opinion, or take up a temporary position in
some one of the hundred middle points which may be assumed
between the two main theories in which the question issues,
and others, again, have deliberately entrenched themselves
in the modern or ultra-protestant alternative, yet, on the
whole, there has been much hearty and intelligent adop-
tion, and much respectful study, of those more primitive
views maintained by our great Divines, As the altered
state of public information and opinion has a necessary
bearing on the efforts of those who desire to excite atten-
tion to the subject, (in which number the writers of these
Tracts are to be included,) it will not be inappropriate
briefly to state in this place, what it is conceived is the pre-
sent position of the great body of Churchmen with refer-
ence to it.
While we have cause to be thankful for the sounder and
A 2
IV ADVERTISEMENT.
more accurate language which is now very generally
adopted among well-judging men on ecclesiastical subjects,
we must beware of over-estimating what has been done,
and so becoming sanguine in our hopes of success, or
slackening our exertions to secure it. Many more persons,
doubtless, have taken up a profession of the main doctrine
in question, that, namely, of the One Catholic and Apos-
tolic Church, than fully enter into it. This is to be ex-
pected, it being the peculiarity of all religious teaching,
that words are imparted before ideas. A child learns his
Creed or Catechism before he understands it; and in
beginning any deep subject we are all but children to the
end of our lives. The instinctive perception of a rightly
instructed mind, the prima facie force of the argument, or
the authority of our celebrated writers, have all had their
due and extensive influence in furthering the reception of the
doctrine, when once it was openly maintained ; to which must
be added the prospect of the loss of state protection, which
made it necessary to look out for other reasons for adhe-
rence to the Church besides that of obedience to the civil
magistrate. Nothing, which has spread quickly, has been
received thoroughly. Doubtless there are a number of
seriously-minded persons, who think they admit the doc-
trine in question much more fully than they do, and who
would be startled at seeing that realized in particulars,
which they confess in an abstract form. Many there are
who do not at all feel that it is capable of a practical appli-
cation ; and, while they bring it forward on special occa-
sions, in formal expositions of faith, or in answer to a
direct interrogatory, let it slip from their minds ahnost
entirely in their daily conduct or their religious teaching,
from the long and inveterate habit of thinking and acting
without it. We must not then at all be surprised at
finding, that to modify the principles and motives on which
men act is not the work of a day ; nor at undergoing disap-
pointments, at witnessing relapses, misconceptions, sudden
disgusts, and, on the other hand, abuses and perversions of
the true doctrine, in the case of those vviio have taken it up
with greater warmth than discernment.
ADVERTISEMENT. V
And in the next place, it will be found, that much more
has been done in awakening Churchmen to the truth of the
Apostolical Commission as a fact, and to the admission of
it as a duty, than to the enjoyment of it as a privilege. If
asked what is the use of adhering to the Church, they will
commonly answer, that it is commanded, that all acts of
obedience meet with their reward from Almighty God, and
this in the number ; but the notion of the Church as the
storehouse and direct channel of grace, as a Divine Ordi-
nance, not merely to be maintained for order's sake, or
because schism is a sin, but to be approached joyfully and
expectantly as a definite instrument, or rather the appointed
means, of spiritual blessings, — as an Ordinance which con-
veys secret strength and life to every one who shares in
it, unless there be some actual moral impediment in his
own mind, — this is a doctrine which as yet is but faintly
understood among us. Nay, our subtle Enemy has so
contrived, that by affixing to this blessed truth the stigma
of Popery, numbers among us are effectually deterred from
profiting by a gracious provision, intended for the comfort
of our faith, but in their case wasted.
The particular deficiency here alluded to may also be
described by referring to another form under which it shows
itself, viz. the a priori reluctance in those who believe
the ApostoHcal Commission, to appropriate to it the power
of consecrating the Lord's Supper ; as if there were some
antecedent improbability in God's gifts being lodged in
particular observances, and distributed in a particular way ;
and as if the strong wish, or moral worth, of the individual
could create in the outward ceremony a virtue which it had
not received from above. Rationalistic, or (as they may be
more properly called) carnal notions concerning the Sacra-
ments, and, on the other hand, a superstitious apprehension
of resting in them, and a slowness to believe the possibility
of God's having literally blessed ordinances with invisible
power, have, alas! infected a large mass of men in our
communion. There are those whose " word will eat as doth a
canker ;" and it is to be feared, that we have been over-near
certain celebrated Protestant teachers, Puritan or Latitudi-
VI ADVERTISEMENT.
narian, and have suffered in consequence. Hence we have
ahnost embraced the doctrine, that God conveys grace only
through the instrumentality of the mental energies, that is,
through faith, prayer, active spiritual contemplations, or
(what is called) communion with God, in contradiction to the
primitive view, according to which the Church and her Sacra-
ments are the ordained and direct visible means of convey-
ing to the soul what is in itself supernatural and unseen.
For example, would not most men maintain, on the first
view of the subject, that to administer the Lord's Supper
to infants, or to the dying and insensible, however consis-
tently pious 'and believing in their past lives, was a super-
stition? and yet both practices have the sanction of primitive
usage. And does not this account for the prevailing indis-
position to admit that Baptism conveys regeneration ? In-
deed, this may even be set down as the essence of Sectarian
Doctrine, (however its mischief may be restrained or compen-
sated, in the case of individuals,) to consider faith, and not
the Sacraments, as the instrument of justification and other
gospel gifts ; instead of holding, that the grace of Christ
comes to us altogether from without, (as from Him, so
through externals of His ordaining,) faith being but the sine
qua non, the necessary condition on our parts for duly
receiving it.
It has been with the view of meeting this cardinal defi-
ciency (as it may be termed) in the religion of the day, that
the Tract on Baptism, contained in the latter half of this
volume, has been inserted ; which is to be regarded, not as
an inquiry into one single or isolated doctrine, but as a
delineation, and serious examination of a modern system
of theology, of extensive popularity and great spcciousness,
in its elementary and characteristic principles.
OXFOKI),
The Feast of All Saints, I,s35.
CONTENTS.
No.
47. The Visible Church. Letter IV.
48. Bishop Wilson's Meditations on
his Sacred Office. No. 4. —
Wednesday.
49. The Kingdom of Heaven.
50. Bishop Wilson's Meditations on
his Sacred Office. No. 4. —
Wednesday (concluded).
51. On Dissent without Reason in
Conscience.
52. Sermon for St. Matthias' Day.
No. 1.
53. Bishop Wilson's Meditations on
his Sacred Office. No. 5. —
Thursday.
54. Sermon for the Annunciation.
No. 2.
55. Bishop Wilson's Meditations on
his Sacred Office. No. 5. —
Thursday (continued).
56. Holydays observed in the Eng-
lish Church.
57. Sermon for St, Mark's Day.
No. 3.
58. On the Church, as viewed by
Faith and by the World.
No.
59. The Position of the Church of
Christ in England relatively to
the State and the Nation.
60. Sermon for St. Philip and St.
Jude. No. 4.
61. The Catholic Church a Witness
against Illiberality.
62. Bishop Wilson's Meditations on
his Sacred Office. No. 5. —
Thursday (concluded).
63. The Antiquity of the existing
Liturgies.
64. Bishop Bull on the ancient Li-
turgies.
65. Bishop Wilson's Meditations on
his Sacred Office. No. 6.—
Friday.
66. Thoughts on the Benefit of Fast-
ing. Supplement to Tract 18.
67. Scriptural Views of Holy Bap-
tism.
68. The same continued.
69. The same concluded, with Notes.
70. Bishop Wilson's Meditations on
his Sacred Office. No. 7. —
Saturday.
RECORDS OF THE CHURCH.
XIX. St. Cyprian on the Unity of
the Church.
XX. The same continued.
XXI. The same concluded.
XXII. Tertullian on Baptism.
XXIII. The Martyrdom of St. Felix
and of St. Laurence.
XXIV. St. Vincent of Lerins on the
Tests of Heresy.
XXV. The same concluded.
TABLE OF THE TRACTS,
SHOWING THEIR
ARRANGEMENT ACCORDING TO SUBJECTS.
I.
LITURGICAL.
No. I No.
63. Antiquity of the existing Litur- | 64. Bishop Bull on the Ancient
gies. Liturgies.
TABLE OF TRACTS.
II.
ON ORDINANCES.
No.
56. Holydays observed in the Eng-
lish Church.
66. Tlioughts on the Benefit of Fast-
inp--
No.
67. Scriptural Views of Holy Bap-
tism.
68. The same continued.
69. The same concluded, with Notes.
III.
ON THE APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION.
60. Bishop Wilson's Meditations.-
52. Sermons for Saints' Days. No. 1.
64. Ditto. No. 2.
67. Ditto. No. 3.
60. Ditto. No. 4.
48. Bishop Wilson's Meditations. —
No. 4. — Wednesday.
IV.
ON THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH.
47. The Visible Church. No. 4. | 51. On Dissent without Reason in
No.
4 (concluded).
53.
Ditto.
No. 5.— Thursday.
65.
Ditto.
No. 5 (continued).
62.
Ditto.
No. 6 (concluded).
65.
Ditto.
No. 6.— Friday.
70.
Ditto.
No. 7.— Saturday.
49. The Kingdom of Heaven.
Conscience.
ON THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.
58. On the Church, as viewed by
Faith and by the World.
59. The Position of the Church of
Christ in England relatively to
the State and the Nation.
61.
The Catholic Church a Witness
against lUiberality.
VI.
RECORDS OF THE CHURCH.
XIX. St. Cyprian on the Unity of
the Church.
XX. The same continued.
XXI. The same concluded.
XXII. Tertullian on Baptism.
XXIII. The Martyrdom of St Felix
and of St. Lawrence.
XXIV. St. Vincent of Lerins on
the Tests of Heresy.
XXV. The same concluded.
TO THE BINDER.
Ill .Mll.llll^, lilt Notes on the Tract on Baptism, to which no nuiubtri
attached, must be put next to No. 69.
«
No, 47.J (Ad Clerum,) [Price Id,
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
THE VISIBLE CHURCH,
LETTER IV.
My Dear
I AM sorry my delay has been so considerable in answering your
remarks on my Letters on the Church. Indeed it has been
ungrateful in me, for you have given me an attention unusual
with the multitude of religious persons ; who, instead of receiving
the arguments of others in simplicity and candour, seem to have
a certain number of types, or measures of professing Christians,
set up in their minds, to one or other of which they consider
every one they meet with belongs, and who, accordingly, directly
they hear an opinion advanced, begin to consider whether the
speaker be a No. 1, 2, or 3, and having rapidly determined this,
treat his views with consideration or disregard, as it may be. I
am far from saying our knowledge of a person's character and
principles should not influence our judgment of his arguments ;
certainly it should have great weight. I consider the cry " mea-
sures not men," to be one of the many mistakes of the day. At
the same time there is surely a contrary extreme, the fault of
fancying we can easily look through men, and understand what
each individual is ; an arbitrary classing of the whole Christian
family under but two or three countenances ^ and mistaking one
man's doctrine for another's. You at least have not called me an
Arminian, or a high Churchman, or a Borderer, or one of this
or that school, and so dismissed me.
To pass from this subject. You tell me that in my zeal in
advocating the doctrine of the Church Catholic and Apostolic, I
2 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
** use expressions and make assumptions which imply that the
Dissenters are without the pale of salvation." So let me explain
myself on these points.
You say that my doctrine of the one Catholic Church in effect
excludes Dissenters, nay, Presbyterians, from salvation. Far
from it. Do not think of me as of one who makes theories for
himself in his closet, who governs himself by book-maxims, and
who, as being secluded from the world, has no temptation to let
his sympathies for individuals rise against his abstract positions,
and can afford to be hard-hearted, and to condemn by wholesale
the multitudes in various sects and parties whom he never saw. I
have known those among Presbyterians whose piety, resignation,
cheerfulness, and affection, under trying circumstances, have been
such, as to make me say to myself, on the thoughts of my own
higher privileges, " Woe unto thee Chorazin, woe unto thee
Bethsaida !" Where little is given, little will be required ; and
that return, though little, has its own peculiar loveliness, as
an acceptable sacrifice to Him who singled out for praise the
widow's two mites. Was not Israel apostate from the days of
Jeroboam ; yet were there not even in the reign of Ahab, seven
thousand souls who were " reserved," an elect remnant? Does
any Churchman wish to place the Presbyterians, where, as in
Scotland, their form of Christianity is in occupation, in a worse
condition under the Gospel than Ephraim held under the Law ?
Had not the ten tribes the schools of the Prophets, and has not
Scotland at least the word of God ? Yet what would be thought
of the Jew who had maintained that Jeroboam and his kingdom
were in no guilt ? and shall we from a false charity, from a fear
of condemning the elect seven thousand, scruple to say that Pres-
byterianism has severed itself from our temple privileges, and
undervalue the line of Levi and the house of Aaron ? Consider
our Saviour's discourse with the woman of Samaria. While by
conversing with her he tacitly condemned the Jews' conduct in
refusing to hold intercourse with the Samaritans, yet He plainly
declared that '* salvation was of the Jews." •• Ye worship ye
know not what ;" He says, " we know what we worship." Can
we conceive His makinf^ light of the differences between Jew and
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. • 3
Further, if to whom much is given, of him much will be
required, how is it safe for us to make light of our privileges, if
we have them ? is not this to reject the birth-right ? to hide our
talent under a napkin ? When we say that God has done more
for us than for the Presbyterians, this indeed may be connected
with feelings of spiritual pride ; but it need not. We may, by so
saying, provoke ourselves to jealousy; for we dare not deny that,
in spite of our peculiar privileges of communion with Christ, yet
even higher saints may lie hid (to our great shame) among those
who have not themselves the certainty of our especial approaches to
His glorious majesty. Was not Elijah sent to a widow of Sarepta ?
did not Elisha cure Naaman? and are not these instances set for-
ward by our Lord Himself as warnings to us " not to be high-
minded but to fear;" and, again, as a gracious consolation when
we think of our less favoured brethren ? Where is the narrowness
of view and feeling which you impute to me ? Why may I not
speak out, in order at once to admonish myself, and to attempt
to reclaim to a more excellent way those who are at present
severed from the true Church ?
And what has here been said of an established Presbyterianism,
is true (in its degree) of dissent; when it has become hereditary,
and embodied in institutions.
Further, it is surely parallel with the order of Divine Provi-
dence that there should be a variety, a sort of graduated scale, in
His method of dispensing His favour in Christ. So far from its
being a strange thing that Protestant sects are not " in Christ,"
in the same fulness that we are, it is more accordant to the scheme
of the world that they should lie between us and heathenism. It
would be strange if there were but two states, one absolutely of
favour, one of disfavour. Take the world at large, one form of
paganism is better than another. The North American Indians
are theists, and as such more privileged than polytheists, Maho-
metanism is a better religion than Hindooism. Judaism is better
than Mahometanism. One may believe that long established
dissent affords to such as are born and bred in it a sort of pretext,
and is attended with a portion of blessing, (where there is no
means of knowing better,) which does not attach to those who
cause divisions, found sects, or wantonly wander from the Church
4 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
to the Meeting House ; — that what is called an orthodox sect has
a share of Divine favour, which is utterly withheld from heresy.
I am not speaking of the next world, where we shall all find our-
selves as individuals, and where there will be but two states, but
of existing bodies or societies. On the other hand, why should
the corruptions of Rome lead us to deny her Divine privileges,
when even the idolatry of Judah did not forfeit hers, annul her
temple-sacrifice, or level her to Israel ?
I say all this, merely for the purpose of suggesting to those
who are '* weak" some idea of possible modes in which Eternal
Wisdom may reconcile the exuberance of His mercy in Christ to
the whole race of man, with the placing of it in its fulness in a
certain ordained society and ministry. For myself I prefer to
rely upon the simple word of truth, of which Scripture is the
depository, and since Christ has told me to preach the whole
counsel of God, to do so fearlessly and without doubting ; not
being careful to find ways of smoothing strange appearances in
His counsels, and of obviating difiiculties, being aware on the
one hand that His thoughts are not our thoughts, nor our ways
His ways, and on the other, that He is ever justified in His
sayings, and overcomes when He is judged.
Ever yours, &c.
Oxford,
Tlie Feast of All Saints.
These Tracts are published Monthly ^ and sold at the price of
2d. for each sheet, or 7s. for 50 copies.
LONDON : PRINTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,
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OiLBKHT & RiviNOTON, Printers. St. John's Square, London.
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
BISHOP WILSON'S MEDITATIONS ON HIS SACRED
OFFICE.
No. 4.— WEDNESDAY.
Question from the Office of Consecration. — Will you deny all
UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY LUSTS, AND LIVE SOBERLY, RIGHTE-
OUSLY, AND GODLY, IN THIS PRESENT WORLD, THAT YOU MAY SHOW
YOURSELF IN ALL THINGS AN EXAMPLE OF GOOD WORKS UNTO
OTHERS, THAT THE ADVERSARY MAY BE ASHAMED, HAVING NO-
THING TO SAY AGAINST YOU? — ^ns. I WILL SO DO, THE LoRD
BEING MY HELPER.
1 Cor. ix. 27. " I keep under my body, and bring it into
subjection, lest, by any means, when I have preached to others, I
myself should be a castaway." And if Paul, what shall be said
of us?
Gal. V. 24. " They, that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh
with the affections and lusts." Nature is content with a little,
grace with less.
Tit. ii. 15. " Let no man despise thee;" that is, demean thy-
self agreeable to the authority which thou hast received from Jesus
Christ, not making thy office contemptible by any mean action ;
but act with the dignity of one who stands in the place of God.
Lev. iv. 3. " If the priest that is anointed do sin according
to the sin of the people, then let him bring a sin-offering."
N.B. That the same sin, in a single priest, is to have as great a
sacrifice as a sin of the whole people of Israel. The flesh never
thrives but at the cost of the soul. Let us ever remember, that
mortification must go further than the body. Self-love, pride,
envy, jealousy, hatred, malice, avarice, ambition, must all be
mortified, by avoiding and ceasing from the occasions of them.
A
2 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
The sobriety of the soul consists in humility, and in being con-
tent with necessaries.
Matt. vii. 14. " Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." But, if the diffi-
culties of an holy life affright us, let us consider, " who can dwell
with everlasting burnings ?" All mankind being under the sen-
tence of death, certain to be executed, and at an hour we know
not of, a state of penance and self-denial, of being dead and cru-
cified to the world, is certainly the most suitable, the most becom-
ing temper that we can be found in, when that sentence comes to
be executed, that is, when we come to die.
The more we deny ourselves, the freer we shall be from sin,
and the more dear to God. God appoints us to sufferings, that
we may keep close to Him, and that we may value the sufferings
of His Son, which we should have but a low notion of, did not
our own experience teach us what it is to suflfer. Had there been
any better, any easier way to heaven, Jesus Christ would have
chosen it for Himself and for His followers.
Take uj) the Cross,
This is designed as a peculiar favor to Christians, as indeed
are all Christ's commands. Miseries are the unavoidable portion
of fallen man. All the difference is. Christians suifering in obe-
dience to the will of God, it makes them easy ; unbelievers suffer
the same things, but with an uneasy will and mind Self-denial
is absolutely necessary to prepare us to receive the grace of God ;
it was therefore necessary that John the Baptist should prepare
the way, by preaching repentance and self-denial. Men need
not be at pains to go to hell ; if they will not deny themselves, if
they make no resistance, they will go there of course. One does
not begin to fall, when the fall becomes sensible. " They that
are Chriat'a, have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts."
This is the only true test of being truly Christians Every
day deny yourself some satisfaction ; your eye*, objects of mere
curiosity ; your tongue^ every thing that may feed vanity, or vent
enmity ; the palate, dainties ; the ears, flattery, and whatever
corrupts the heart ; the body, ease and luxury ; bearing all the
inconveniences of life, (for the love of God,) cold, hunger, restlesg
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 3
nights, ill health, unwelcome news, the faults of servants, con-
tempt, ingratitude of friends, malice of enemies, calumnies, our
own failings, lowness of spirits, the struggle in overcoming our
corruptions ; bearing all these with patience and resignation to
the will of God. Do all this as unto God, with the greatest pri-
vacy It being much more easy to prevent than to mortify a
lust, a prudent Christian will set a guard upon his senses. One
unguarded look betrayed David. Job made a covenant with his
eyes. Evil communications corrupt good manners. Sensuality
unfits us for the joys *of heaven. If that concupiscence which
opposes virtue be lessened, a less degree of grace will secure
innocence
Self-love would wish to be made perfect at once ; but self-love
is what God would destroy by a course of wholesome trials.
Our disorder is an excessive love for ourselves, and for this
world. God orders or permits a train of events to cure us of this
self-love. The cure is painful, but it is necessary. We suffer
from His love. He is a Father, and cannot take pleasure in our
misery All ways are indifferent to one who has heaven in his
eye. He that does not practise the duty of self-denial, does not
put himself into the way to receive the grace of God. ....
Virtues of a Holy Life,
Fervency in devotion ; frequency in prayer ; aspiring after the
love of God continually ; striving to get above the world and the
body ; loving silence and solitude, as far as one's condition will
permit ; humble and affable to all ; patient in suffering affronts
and contradictions ; glad of occasions of doing good even to ene-
mies ; doing the will of God, and promoting His honor to the
utmost of one's power ; resolving never to offend Him willingly,
for any temporal pleasure, profit, or loss. These are virtues
highly pleasing to God. There is no pleasure comparable to the
not being captivated to any external thing whatever Always
suspect yourself, when your inclinations are strong and impor-
tunate. It is necessary that we deny ourselves in little and
indifferent things, when reason and conscience, which is the voice
of God, suggests it to us, as ever we hope to get the rule over
our own will. Say not, it is a trifle, and not fit to make a sacri-
4 TKACTS FOR THE TIMLS.
fice of to God. He that will not sacrifice a little affection, will
hardly offer a greater. It is not the thing, but the reason and
manner of doing it, viz. for God's sake, and that I may accustom
myself to obey His voice, that God regards, and rewards with
greater degrees of grace. (^Life of Mr, Bonnell, p. 122.)
Rom. XV. 3. " Even Jesus Christ pleased not Himself;" as
appears in the meanness of His birth, relations, form of a servant,
the company He kept. His life, death, &c They who imagine
that self-denial intrenches upon our liberty, do not know that it
is this only that can make us free indeed, •> giving us the victory
over ourselves, setting us free from the bondage of our corruption,
enabling us to bear afflictions, (which will come one time or other),
to foresee them without amazement, enlightening the mind, sanc-
tifying the will, and making us to slight those baubles, which
others so eagerly contend for.
Mortification consists in such a sparing use of the creatures, as
may deaden our love for them, and make us even indifferent in
the enjoyment of them. This lessens the weight of concupiscence,
which carries us to evil, and so makes the grace of God more
effectual to turn the balance of the will. (Norris's Christian
Prudence, p. 300.)
fTo be continued.)
Oxford,
The Feast of St, Andrew,
These Tracts are published Monthly, and sold at the price of
2d. for each sheet, or 7s, for 50 copies,
LONDON: PRTNTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,
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1834.
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
In referring to Scripture for the proof of points relating to the
doctrine of the Church, we sometimes find the force of our
arguments evaded by the objection that, although the texts and
passages we refer to seem to prove the points for which they are
cited, we still appear to be giving them an undue prominence in
our system. It is admitted, for instance, that the Epistles to
Timothy and Titus prove an Episcopal form of Church govern-
ment: that certain passages in the First Epistle to the Corin-
thians indicate the existence of a certain order of Church service,
&c. ; but then these passages are thought to occupy a subordinate
place in the records of the New Testament, while our doctrine of
the Church would put them prominently forward. This is,
doubtless, a point to be well considered; for the apostolic rules
of Scripture teaching and interpretation, must be faithfully ob-
served : '* If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God,"
or " prophesy," let him prophesy " according to the proportion
(or analogy) of faith."
Now, to meet this difficulty, let it be considered that the resto-
ration of a doctrine so evidently important in its bearings as that
of the Church, must necessarily produce a great change upon a
system out of which it has been lost. We have been accustomed
to a Ptolemaic theory of our spiritual system ; we have made our
own little world the centre, and have ranged the doctrines of
Scripture around it, according to the relation they seem severally
to bear to our own individual profit. We find ourselves called
upon to adopt an opposite theory ; to take for the centre of our
A
2 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
system a body which we had been used to regard as a mere
satellite attending upon our own orb. No wonder if we feel our
notions deranged ; if every thing seems put into a new place ;
that which before was primary, now made subordinate ; and vice
versd. This is no more than we might naturally expect : the
only question for us to settle is this ; does the theory which is
proposed for our acceptance bring facts to support it? The main-
tainer of the Copemican theory, perhaps, directs our attention
principally, or even exclusively, to objects which we had else
comparatively neglected, or entirely overlooked. But this is no
fatal objection to his views. The satellites of Jupiter might
seem to hold a subordinate place in the solar system, and their
eclipses to be comparatively uninteresting phenomena : and yet
the examination of them led, we know, to great and important
discoveries. Just so, some apparently insignificant text, lying in
the depth of Scripture, far removed, as we think, from the centre
light of Christian doctrine, may be the means of suggesting to
us most important considerations, — of impressing upon us the
conviction that we have been going upon a false theory, and
leading us to a truer notion of the system in which we are placed.
We do well, indeed, to weigh carefully the meaning of the texts
which are brought before us, and to examine the deductions
which are founded upon them, whether they follow naturally
from the premises. But we do not well if we allow ourselves to
be prejudiced against the evidence which is brought from Scrip-
ture, merely because it is contrary to our pre-conceived notions ;
because it seems to put us in a strange country, exalting the
valleys, and making low the mountains and hills, turning Lebanon
into a fruitful field, and causing the fruitful field to be counted,
in comparison, as a forest. This is not to inquire after truth in
the spirit of true philosophers, or, which is the same thing, of
little children. And for such only is knowledge in store ; ** of
such" only " is the kingdom of heaven.**
For illustration of these remarks I would refer to the passages
in St. Matthew's Gospel, which are first pressed upon our notice,
when our attention is turned to the evidence of Scripture respect-
ing the nature and office of the Christian Church. First and
foremost, of course, is the well known promise to St. Peter,
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
(chap. xvi. 18.) "Upon this rock will I build my Church." It
is argued by the Churchman, that the obvious sense of the word
'EKKX-qaria (Assembly J, as it would strike an unprejudiced reader,
is that of a visible body ; and that this sense is confirmed by the
use of the term in chap, xviii. 17. Again, we are referred to the
remarkable passage, (chap. xxiv. 45 — 51.) "Who then is that
faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord shall make ruler over
his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season.
Blessed is that servant whom his Lord, when He cometh, shall
find so doing," &c. It is asked, whether we do not find traces
here of a line of ministry to continue in Christ's " Church" and
** household" until His coming again. And we are bidden to
compare with this passage that final promise of our Lord to his
Apostles, with which the Gospel concludes, (chap, xxviii. 20.)
" Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world," as
confirming the proof of an uninterrupted succession of the Apos-
tolical ministry. From these passages, then, put together, we
seem to derive some idea of the Church as a Visible Spiritual
Society, formed by Christ himself; a household over which He
has appointed his servants to be stewards and rulers to the end.
But then this view is drawn from what might seem a few insulated
passages, occurring in a Gospel which we have been accustomed
to look to for what we think more practical truths. And how do
they affect us ? We do not like to have our minds called off to
such external relations. The interpretation offered us of these
passages, seems, indeed, correct, and the argument grounded on
them legitimate : but after all they are but a few scattered pas-
sages, referring to points which we consider of inferior importance,
and not entitled to have so much stress laid upon them, or to be
made foundations of a system.
But now, discarding prejudice and theory, let us calmly and
teachably take up the Gospel of St. Matthew, in the hope, by
diligently comparing of spiritual things with spiritual, to obtain
an insight into its true meaning. Let us take the passage first
referred to. The promise is made to St. Peter : it may be well,
therefore to look through the Gospel, and collect the scattered
notices of this Apostle. We shall thus ascertain whether the
promise would seem to have been made to St. Peter individually,
A 2
TKACTs roK Tin: ti.mi:s.
as the Romanist would argue, or whether, as Churchmen in
England would say, it was made to him as the representative of
the Apostolic body, and so the type of the Christian ministry.
Or, on the other hand, we shall see whether the mention of St.
Peter in this passage, and the prominent place which seems in
it to be given him, stand so completely alone that it cannot be
wrought into any thing like a regular system.
Now if we look carefully into St. Matthew's Gospel, we seem
to find, throughout, a peculiar place occupied by St. Peter. In
chap. xiv. we have the narrative of the strength and weakness of
his faith, in walking on the water to go to Jesus ; a circumstance
not related by any other of the Evangelists. In the next chapter
we find Peter asking for an explanation of our Saviour's " parable"
respecting the things which defile a man, and the " blind leaders
of the blind," who had been offended at the saying (xv. 15.).
In chap. xvi. is the promise under our consideration, and the
offence which so soon followed, and called down upon him his
Master's displeasure. In chap. xvii. we have the* story of the
tribute money, and that discourse of our Lord with St. Peter
which seems to have given rise to the disciples' question, " Who
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Again, in chap,
xviii. when our Lord has been explaining to his disciples how the
offending brother is to be dealt with by '* the Church," (ver. 17.)
and has confirmed to them the solemn declaration before made to
St. Peter, (which shows in what sense it was made in the first
instance to St. Peter,) " Verily, I say unto you. Whatsoever ye
shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven," &c., we read,
*' Then came Peter to him, and said. Lord, how often shall my
brother sin against me» and I forgive him?" In chap. xix. we
find him anxiously inquiring of his Lord, what reward should be
given to himself and his fellow-apostles, who had forsaken all and
followed Him. The answer is the remarkable and solemn promise
to the Twelve, which this Evangelist alone records in this place :
" Verily, I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, in the
regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of his
glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve
tribes of Israel." Throughout St. Matthew's Gospel, St. Peter
seems to be put forward in a very peculiar manner, of whicli.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. O
however, v/e are scarcely aware, until we compare the other
Evangelists, and observe the difference between them in their
seh'ction and arrangement of the events they record. This is,
however, too extensive a subject to enter upon at present. Our
only object is to suggest the inquiry, whether there is not some-
thing more than casual in the prominent place which St. Peter
occupies in St. Matthew's Gospel, and whether this peculiarity does
4iot imply the existence of some deeper meaning than we should
at first sight attach to several apparently insulated passages, in
the centre of which stands the noble confession in the sixteenth
chapter, and the gracious and glorious promise which was founded
upon it.
In that promise, made by our Lord to St. Peter, it is said, " I
will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven." Here
we find an expression which is of very common occurrence in St.
Matthew, and peculiar to his Gospel : no other Evangelist em-
ploys the phrase, ** the kingdom of iieaven." Here again we
shall do well to collect together tbe various passages in which
•the expression is used ; and then we shall see that the doctrine
of the Church and its Ministers, unfolded in the promise to St.
Peter, is no insulated and subordinate point in St. Matthew's
Gospel. In the beginning of the Gospel we find the Baptist
preaching and saying, *' Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is
at hand ;" and the ministry of our blessed Lord, taking up the
Baptist's message, opens with the same announcement. " From
that time (the time that John was cast into prison) Jesus began
to preach and to say. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand." (iv. 17.) We read of his going about all the synagogues
of Galilee, " preaching the Gospel of the kingdom" (iv. 23.) ;
and in His Sermon on the Mount we hear Him declaring who
they are to whom that kingdom belongs, (v. 3, &c.) " The
kingdom of heaven*' was to be the fulfilment of the earlier dis-
pensation, the law and the prophets ;" whosoever therefore shall
break one of these least commandments," says our blessed Lord,
** and shall teach men so, the same shall be called the least in the
kingdom of heaven ; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the
same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto
you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteous
6 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
ness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into
the kingdom of heaven." (v. 17 — 19.) This, with other parallel
passages, seems to give us a clue to the view of the Gospel dis-
pensation as unfolded by St. Matthew. Our Lord appears in
the character of a prophet, like Moses, raised up to be the Giver of
a new law, and the founder of a new Kingdom or Polity. The
Scribes and Pharisees were corrupt expounders of the Divine law,
they were unfaithful stewards of the mysteries of the kingdom :
other servants were therefore to be chosen into their place, who
should be the true " light of the world ;" faithful rulers over
God's household, giving to every one their portion of meat in
due season. The Scribes and Pharisees were to be deposed from
Moses' seat ; St. Peter and his fellow apostles were to be exalted
in their room. They had " the keys of knowledge" committed
to them, to open the kingdom of heaven unto men ; but they had
abused their trust, and they were to be deprived of their sacred
office. Thus does our Lord pass sentence upon them : " Woe
unto you. Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites : for ye shut up the
kingdom of heaven against men : for ye neither go in yourselves,
neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in." And thus, in
terms strictly corresponding, as it would appear, is their bishopric
given for another to take : " Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona ;
and I say unto thee, that thou art Peter ; and I will give unto
thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou
shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven ; and whatsoever
thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven." The king-
dom of heaven, of which the keys were thus taken away from the
Scribes and Pharisees, and given to St. Peter and his brethren,
was that everlasting kingdom prepared from the foundation of
the world, which had been committed to the Son by the Almighty
Father. To Him of proper right it belongs ; of Him alone it is
properly said, that " He openeth, and no man shutteth ; and
shutteth, and no man openeth." " The law and the prophets
were until John," He himself declares ; since that time the
kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
" From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of
heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."
(Luke xvi. 16. Matt. xi. 12.) For the baptism of repentance for
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
the remission of sins was then first preached to sinners. The
Son of Man had power upon earth to forgive sins (ix. 6.) ; and
He had also power to retain them : He was empowered to gather
the wheat into his garner, and to hurn up the chaiF with unquench-
able fire (iii. 12.). But when, as the Messenger of the Covenant,
He came, in fulfilment of prophecy, to visit His temple, and to
punish the priests who had corrupted the covenant, and been par-
tial in the law. He came, at the same time, to " purify the sons
of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver," that they might
*' offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness." Let us bear
this prophecy in mind when we turn to St. Matthew's Gospel, and
let us see whether the long vista of God's dispensations in refer-
ence to his elder " church" and household, the covenant made
with its ministers, the promises given to them, their unfaithfulness
and corruption, will not throw a new light upon many passages
of the Gospel, which seemed before dark and uninteresting. We
might, for instance, put side by side the discourses of our blessed
Lord with the Pharisees, and those which He held with His own
disciples ; we might see the one cavilling against the truth, and
laying snares for Him who came to try and prove them, until at
length He gave them over to their blindness, and denounced a
fearful catalogue of woes upon their heads : we might watch the
other, gradually weaned from prejudice and carnal-mindedness,
instructed in " the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven," as they
were able to learn them, until they were fit to be left alone in the
world, with the Spirit of their departed Master to be with them to
the end of their ministry, while they made disciples of all nations,
and taught them to observe the things which He had commanded
them. We should then trace, with no careless feeling, in the
sixteenth chapter, the lines of the Christian Church. When we
see the faithless Pharisees, leagued with their bitterest enemies, to
tempt the Great Prophet of the Church ; when we hear Him
affectionately reproving His own disciples for their want of faith,
and warning them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and
Sadducees ; when we then hear the solemn question put to the
twelve, and the bold and undoubting answer of St. Peter, we shall
see a depth and fulness of meaning in our Saviour's blessing, which
perhaps we never saw before, and feel that " blessed" indeed are
8 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
we too, unto whom, through the covenant made with Simon, the
son of Jonah, the blessed Chieftain of a blessed company, it has
been revealed of the Father which is in heaven, that Jesus is
♦' the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Or, let us turn to the passage in the eighteenth chapter, in which
the name of '* the Church" occurs again, and the promise made to
St. Peter is incidentally confirmed to the whole Apostolic body.
Our blessed Lord is there teaching His disciples how we are to
deal with our brethren when they offend us, and how oft to for-
give them. " If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and
tell him his fault between thee and him alone ; if he shall hear
thee, thou hast gained thy brother ; but if he will not hear thee,
then take with thee two or three more, that in the mouth of two
or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he
shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church : but if he
neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen
man and as a publican. Verily, 1 say unto you. Whatsoever ye
shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven ; and whatsoever
ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven." In this pas-
sage, taken by itself, we must understand by the term eKKXrjaia,
as has been observed, a visible body : but let us look at it again
in its connexion with the series of passages in which we have
seemed to trace the idea of " the kingdom of heaven" as the ful-
filment of that elder visible church, which was established by the
ministry of Moses. The repetition of the promise before made to
St. Peter connects this passage closely with that in chap. xvi. :
there the power of the keys was promised by our Lord ; here tlie
principles and rules are given for its exercise. For these our
blessed Lord refers to the spirit of the Mosaic law. The first
step to be taken towards an offending brother breathes the general
spirit of the Mosaic law, and closely agrees with the injunction
specially given, " Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart ;
thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy brother, and not suffer sin upon
him" (Lev. xix. 17.)« The next step is in exact fulfilment of
the command in Deut. xvii, 0. ** At the mouth of two witnesses
or three witnesses shall he that is worthy of death be put to
death ; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to
death." And the final rejection of the brother that *' will not
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 9
hear the church," is in no less strict accordance with the spirit of
the Mosaic denunciation : *' And the man that will do presump-
tuously, and will not hearken unto the priest (that standeth to
minister there before the Lord thy God), or unto the judge, even
that man shall die: and thou shaltput away the evil from Israel"
(Deut. xvii. 12.). The Christian " Church" seems thus to come
into the place of the congregation of Israel ; the Apostles, into
the office of the Levitical priest and judge ; and since their Mas-
ter came to fulfil the law, they were to "do and teach" that law
in his spiritual meaning. Now " the end of the commandment
is charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of
faith unfeigned ; from which some having swerved," says the
Apostle, " have turned aside unto vain jangling ; desiring to be
teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say, nor
whereof they affirm." (1 Tim. i. 5 — 7.) This description of false
apostles, the rivals of the true apostles of Christ, is equally appli-
cable to those whom they were appointed to supersede. If we
look to our Lord's Sermon on the Mount, we find how the Scribes
" swerved" from the commandment in its true " end" and object;
their explanations of the sixth and seventh commandments show
how little they understood the spirit of the law of love. In that
Sermon Christ's disciples are instructed how they are to fulfil
the commandments : they are now directed how, as faithful
ministers of God's word, they are to " do and teach" them, viz.
by governing the Church of God according to the spirit of true
brotherly love. Why had Levi been so grievously rebuked by
the ministry of the last of the prophets ? (Mai. ii. 1 — 9.) Why
was not " the offering of Judah and Jerusalem pleasant unto the
Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years ?" (Mai. iii. 4.
comp. ii. 13.) They had forgotten the brotherly covenant which
bound Israel together as children of one earthly parent, and one
Father in heaven, who had a care for his " little ones," and would
not that one of them should perish. " Have we not all one Fa-
ther ? hath not one God created us ? why do we deal treacherously
every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our
fathers? Judah hath dealt treacherously, covering the altar of
God with tears, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth
not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good- will at your
10 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
hand" (Mai. ii. 10 — 13.). But when the sons of Levi had been
duly purified, that they might offer unto the Lord an offering in
righteousness — the true righteousness of the law, perfect brotherly
love — then would the Lord again return to his temple, renew
with Levi this " covenant of life and peace," and bless the sacred
service of his holy congregation. " Verily, I say unto you, what-
soever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven," &c.
Again, I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree as touching
any thing that they shall ask on earth, it shall be done for them
of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are
gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
Can we doubt of the meaning of this solemn promise ? and is it
not full of comfort to faithful members of Christ's holy catholic
and apostolic church ? Does it not teach us, that upon us truly
** the ends of the world are come :" that we are the children of a
long line of spiritual ancestry, the heirs, highly blessed and
favoured indeed, of a rich and glorious inheritance ?
It would be easy to follow out, to an almost indefinite extent,
the line of illustration, of which a few points have been traced.
Other similar lines might also be drawn, throwing much light
upon separate passages of the same Gospel ; as, for instance, the
comparison of " the kingdom of heaven" to a householder, which
might be traced through many parables, &c. throwing light upon
the remarkable passage already referred to in the twenty-fourth
chapter. Or again, in illustration of the fearful outline, which is
there set before us, of the misconduct and punishment of the " wicked
servant,** we might draw out the intimations, which our Lord's
words, on several occasions, give us, of unfaithful ministers and
stewards, who were in after days to abuse the power committed
to them, to lord it over their fellow servants, to eat and drink and
to be drunken : or, still further, we might borrow from the con-
demnation of the Scribes and Pharisees a fearful light on the cha-
racter of the " hypocrites," with whom his portion is assigned.
But enough, perhaps, has been said for our present purpose,
which has been, not to urge for exclusive adoption a particular
interpretation of certain passages, nor even to recommend any
particular idea as supplying the only clue to their meaning ; but
shnply to meet an objection, which, it is believed, indisposes the
8
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 11
minds of many thoughtful readers of Holy Scripture to receiving
the evidence which is drawn from its records, in support of the doc-
trine of " the Church." To such persons it is here suggested, that
their difficulty arises from prejudice in favour of a particular theory.
Scripture may be viewed from other points than that which they
have chosen: and the theory which a different view suggests
may perhaps be found to explain more phenomena, and unfold
deeper mysteries, than theirs. The expression, or incident, or
argument, which they overlook, and cast aside, may, to another,
serve as a clue to a mysterious volume, and give ** thoughts
which do often lie too deep for tears." Only let not persons be
startled and offended at finding truths of Scripture which they
had entirely overlooked, or thought practically unimportant,
assuming a prominent place in the system which is recommended
to their consideration. This must be the case at first. If the
interpretation given of a passage of Scripture seems agreeable to
the natural sense of the words, to the context, or to other parts of
Scripture ; if it seem to give more meaning to passages or por-
tions, than they had in our eyes before ; let this be enough for us
for the present ; let us thankfully admit it, not lightly or hastily
starting objections, or caring for its effect upon our pre-conceived
opinions. " Every word of God is pure" (Prov. xxx. 5.) ; and
if we are bidden not to " add to His words," lest He reprove us,
and we be found liars (v. 6.) ; we are also warned, in the most
mysterious, and, to many readers, apparently unpractical, book
of the New Testament, " If any man shall take away from the
words of the prophecy of this book, God shall take away his part
out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this
book" (Rev. xxii. 19.). Surely we may incur the risk of thus
taking away from the words of prophecy, without literally man-
gling its sacred page. We may settle with ourselves, that it is
an external matter, and not important to our individual interests.
Rather let us humbly receive the very crumbs which fall from the
Master's table, " laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypo-
crisies and envies, and all evil speakings, if so be we have tasted
that the Lord is gracious." (1 Pet. ii. 1. 3,) The scattered limbs
of sacred truth, which are presented to our view, may seem to us
at first sight like the dry bones, which the prophet saw in the
12 TRACTS FOR THK TIMES.
valley of vision : but the word of prophecy may yet bring them
together, may cover them with sinew, and flesh, and skin, and
fill them with a living spirit ; the breath from the four winds may
breathe upon the slain, and they may " stand up" upon their feet,
before our eyes, " an exceeding great army." " And when this
cometh to pass, then shall they know that there hath been a prophet
among them :" " for I have poured out my Spirit upon the house of
Israel, saith the Lord God." Wherefore, " now be strong, O Zerub-
babel, saith the Lord : and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech the
high priest, and be strong all ye people of the land, and work, for I
am with you, saith the Lord of Hosts. According to the word that
I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my Spirit
remaineth among you : fear ye not." (Haggai ii. 4, 5.) " Go ye
therefore, and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to ob-
serve all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo, I am;
with you always, even unto the end of the world."
Oxford,
The Feast of the Nativity,
These Tracts are published Monthly^ and sold at the price vj
2d. for each sheet, or 7s. for 50 copies.
LONDON: PRINTKD FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,
ST. Paul's church yard, and Waterloo place.
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GILICRT& RiviNOTOW, rrinters, St. John's Square, London.
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
BISHOP WILSON'S MEDITATIONS ON HIS SACRED
OFFICE.
No. 4.— WEDNESDAY— (^conimwerf.;
Luke xvi. 19. " There was a certain rich man, which was
clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every
day." For a man, then, to be rich, to be clothed magnificently,
and to take no care of the poor, is sufficient to send him to hell,
because he cannot lead a Christian life. Repentance, mortifica-
tion, and the cross, are utterly inconsistent with a soft, sensual,
voluptuous life ; the desire of happiness, with the love of this
present life. It is, therefore, a most miserable state, for a man
to have every thing according to his desire, and quietly to enjoy
the pleasures of life. There needs no more to expose him to
eternal misery.
Fas ting i
Necessary, to bring our hearts to a penitent, holy, and devout
temper. Our Church requires this, and appoints days and times,
&c. ; and it has been the honour of this Church, that she hath
kept up to her rules, where others have shamefully neglected
them. Fasting necessary, to perform the vows that are upon us
all. By fasting, by alms, and by prayers, we dedicate our bodies,
goods, and souls to God in a particular manner.
Meditations proper for a Clergyman during Lent.
The primitive Bishops had places of retirement near their cities,
that they might separate themselves from the world, lest teaching
TRACTS FOR THE TIMliS.
others they should forget themselves ; lest they should lose the
spirit of piety themselves, vrhile they were endeavouring to fix it
in others.
Prosper, O God, the good thoughts, the good purposes, which
Thou Thyself shalt inspire. I acknowledge Thy goodness, which
has raised me above my brethren, and appointed me a Successor
to Thy Apostles. O may I ever act agreeably to this character.
May I never profane a character so holy and so divine, lest God
should pour down his vengeance upon my ungrateful heart.
Pardon me whereinsoever I have been wanting in the several
duties of my calling ; and give me grace to be more careful for
the time to come. Amen.
How am I bound to adore Thy goodness, my great Master !
Thou hast set me in office amongst the chief of Thy servants ;
but I will, for Thy sake, make myself the servant of the meanest
of Thy servants. By me Thou communicatest Thy grace in the
Sacrament; by me Thou teachest Thy people the truth; by my
bands Thou adoptest them Thy children in baptism, feedest them
with Thy body, comfortest them in affliction, armest them against
the fear of death, and fittest them for a blessed eternity
Give me such holy dispositions of soul, whenever I approach
Thine altar, as may in some measure be proportionable to the
holiness of the work I am about, of presenting the prayers of the
faithful, of offering a spiritual sacrifice to God, in order to convey
the body and blood of Jesus Christ, the true bread of life to all
His members. Give me, when 1 commemorate the same sacrifice
that Jesus Christ once offered, give me the same intentions that
He had, to satisfy the justice of God, to acknowledge His mercies,
and to pay all that debt which a creature owes to his Creator.
None can do this effectually but Jesus Christ ; Him, therefore,
we present to God, in this Holy Sacrament
I am a sinner, and yet I am appointed to offer up prayers for
others. It is to the great God to whom I offer these prayers.
To me the Church, the spouse of Christ, intrusts her desires, her
interests, her necessities, and her thanks. What a trust is this !
O may I never betray it ! may I never obstruct Thy mercies to
Thy Church by a formal service. Let me ever speak to God,
10
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. J
and from God, with attention, with love, with respect, with fear,
with purity of heart, and with unpolluted lips. Amen ......
Reflect seriously what a dreadful account you have to give, if
you say, " Peace, peace, when there is no peace ;" or if you give
the children's bread to dogs, that is, admit to the Lord's Table
those that are unworthy of such a favour
Endeavour to leave some impression of piety upon the minds
of those with whom you converse. Jesus Christ did so always.
Make no distinction betwixt the rich and poor, as to converse
with one, and not with the other
As to the disposal of the Church's revenues, the suggestions of
avarice, of vanity, of pleasure, and of the world, ought not to
govern me. I am only a steward, not a proprietor, and should
be as criminal as those laymen that invade them, if I convert
them to lay and secular uses ; which side of sacrilege, very pro-
bably, took its rise from others observing the Church's revenues
put to secular uses
He, and especially that Minister, " that hath not the spirit
of Christ, is none of His." He ought to perform all his
duties in Christ's name, by His authority and power ; and offer
all to God through Him. Adore Jesus Christ as preaching,
praying, absolving, and comforting, by you His Minister
" The Priest's lips should keep knowledge." Whence this
knowledge, but from the Holy Scriptures, which alone makes us
sound in doctrine, and able to convince gainsayers Men
read the Gospel rather as judges than as disciples, which is the
rise of all errors both in life and doctrine
Purity of soul and body is a most necessary qualification in a
Minister of Jesus Christ. To offer the prayers of the faithful to
God with polluted lips, to break the bread of life with unclean
hands, to receive that bread into a soul defiled with unchaste
thoughts, how dreadfully provoking must it needs be.
A blindness of spirit, an alienation from divine things, an
incapacity to receive them, are the necessary effects of impu-
rity
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
A Priest, who, in the exercise of his function, has an eye to
the grandeur, repute, esteem of great men, presumptuous autho-
4 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
rity over the consciences of others, worldly advantages, &c. per-
verts the design of the Ministry.
Grant, O Lord, that I may regard nothing but Thy glory, that
I may act and live for Thee alone, that my zeal for Thy glory,
and the good of souls, may be the chief motive of all my actions.
Amen.
Oxford,
The Feast of St, Stephen.
These Tracts are published Monthly^ and sold at the price qf
2d. for each sheets or 7s. for 50 copies,
LONDON : PRINTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
ON DISSENT WITHOUT REASON IN CONSCIENCE.
" As one mass doth contain the good ore and base alloy ; as one floor the
corn and the chaff; as one field the wheat and the tares ; as one net the
choice fish and the refuse ; as one fold the sheep and the goats ; as one tree
the living and dry branches ; so doth the Visible Church enfold the true
universal Church, called the Church mystical and invisible. And for this
reason, and because presumptively every member of the Visible Church doth
pass for a member of the invisible, (the time of distinction and separation
being not yet come,) because this Visible Church, in its profession of truth,
in its sacrifices of devotion, in its practice of service and duty of God, doth
communicate with the invisible, therefore commonly the titles and attributes
of one are imparted to the other." — Altered fram Barrow on the Unity of the
Church, vol. vii. p. 631.
It is often asked, " Why should not a man attend both the Church
and Meeting, if he derives benefit from both ?" And again,
" Why should not a man be a Dissenter, though he have nothing
particular to object against the Church, if he is not violent in his
opposition to the Church ?" The following remarks, in answer
to these questions, were written by a clergyman for the use of his
parishioners.
Many of you have made remarks to me on the subject of Dissent,
when I have been visiting you in your cottages ; and the sub-
stance of these remarks has apparently been, that it was of very
little importance, whether a man belonged to the Church or dis-
sented from it, because the difference is after all but small between
Churchmen and Dissenters. You have thus spoken (as it would
seem) sometimes with a view of drawing out my opinions, some-
times as a sort of defence or apology for your own, sometimes in
Z TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
order to invite an argument. I have purposely in my answers
abstained from entering into the question, and confined myself to
saying simply that I did not think as you did upon the matter.
It would by no means have fallen in with the purpose for which
I visited you on first coming to the parish, to have entered
into any lengthened reasonings. My object in calling was to
express my good-will towards you, and therefore to seek our
points of agreement, and not our points of difference.
At the same time you are not to suppose that 1 at all wish to
conceal my sentiments, and it is because some of you may perhaps
have an erroneous impression of what my opinion is on this sub-
ject, that I now write this. My observations will be as short as
I can well make them. I shall avoid as much as possible any
thing like controversy, or any expressions of opinion as to the
relative merits of this or that form of dissent, or any discussion
of the particular Articles of Faith (so far as there may be said to
be such at all) among the several persuasions around us. — Bear
in mind my object is to show you that Dissent is a sin.
But before I proceed further I must make two observations,
which I wish you to keep in mind, while you read these remarks,
because they will remove some difficulty, which you might other-
wise feel in what follows.
1 . I allow there may be conscientious Dissenters, nay, I hope
in charity, there are many ; — but by a conscientious Dissenter I
mean a man who separates himself from the Church, because he
thinks he finds something in her doctrines or discipline so far
contrary to scriptural truth, and the precepts of the Gospel, that
by adhering to her, he would be putting an obstacle in the way
of his own salvation. Other persons may think themselves
conscientious Dissenters who do not go nearly so far in their
condemnation of the doctrines or practice of the Church : nay,
so far from it, that they would defend their Dissent upon the
ground that there is no material difference between the system and
teaching in the one, and the system and teaching in the other. But
such men I do not call conscientious Dissenters, but careless or
weak-minded persons, who cannot have thought much or seriously
upon the subject, and who can hardly have read with attention
\\l.;it IS to be found in the New Testament respecting the sin of
15
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. O
schism, or on the authority of the Church, and the duty of obe-
dience to it. Indeed, a man ought to consider very seriously
what account he can give of his faith, who is so far both Church-
man and Dissenter, and so far disposed towards both as to attend
indiscriminately one or other place of worship, who also could
give very little better explanation of the difference between one
and the other, than a statement of the difference in the public
services of each, and other particular matters of form, and of
external observance. Such a person can be neither a true
Churchman nor a conscientious Dissenter. He cannot be a true
Churchman, for if he was he would not attend a Dissenting place
of w^orship. For Dissent from the Church must imply a con-
demnation of something or other, be it of more or less importance,
in the doctrines or discipline of the Established Church. And
whoever attends service in a Meeting-house, when he has the
opportunity of going to the Parish Church, does by so doing give
his silent approbation to the principle of Dissent, and shows that
at least he does not disapprove the opinions of the particular
body, to whose Meeting he goes. He cannot be, on the other
hand, a conscientious Dissenter, or he would not frequent the
Church, i. e. a place of worship, which is supported by a system,
which he considers one of injustice, and which excludes and con-
demns * that to which he himself belongs ; to say nothing about
the probability of his hearing something, which though not
directly levelled against Dissent, still is in spirit a reproof and
protest against it.
2. When I say that Dissent is a sm, I by no means thereby
imply, that for that reason every Dissenter is at once and neces-
sarily a sinner. To say that a particular thing is a sin, is a very
different thing from saying that every one who does it is a sinner.
It will be as well to make this quite clear to you, and therefore
I will give you some cases, in which you would, without hesitation,
make the same remark that I have done. — To kill a fellow-
creature is undoubtedly a crime ; but you would not say that the
person who killed another by accident, or in defence of his
^ E. g. by the sentences in the Litany against " false doctrine, heresy, and
schism," and that God may " bring into the way of truth all such as have
erred and are deceived," and by the prayers for the unity of the Church.
A 2
4 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
country, or of his own life, or by command of lawful authorities,
was a criminal. There are, indeed, few deeds which are in a
general way sins, which may not be committed under such
circumstances as to rescue the person who did them from being
on that account a sinner. There was once a nation which did
not think thieving wrong : there is a nation which does not con-
sider a parent's destroying a child, when too poor to maintain it,
as a sin : and there is a class or sect in another nation who hold
the same opinion as to the lives of their parents, when too old to
be serviceable to themselves. You see from these illustrations
that the degree of criminality attaching to a person for his actions,
depends very much on the extent of knowledge he has of the
nature of the act, his education, and various other circumstances.
It is very difficult to weigh these exactly in estimating how far
any particular person himself does wrong while he is committing
a wrong act ; God alone can see the heart ; and, therefore, it is
better to speak without immediate reference to persons, and only
as to the character of the opinion or action under consideration.
With these explanations, first, on the score of conscience
causing it ; next, of circumstances varying the degree of crimi-
nality in different persons, I repeat Dissent is a *m, which I now
go on to prove to you.
Persons dissent from the Church on account of some difference
or other, this is plain ; and, from what I have already said, it is
also plain that I do not intend to say any thing in what follows
concerning the greater differences which cause Dissent, i. e.
differences which are founded upon a different interpretation of
Scripture. For when a man thinks the Church unscriptural, he
has a good reason for leaving it, and is (what I have called above)
a conscientious Dissenter ; though at the same time I am bound
to say, I think his conscience a very erroneous one, which leads
him to consider the Church unscriptural ; and while I allow him
to be conscientious in one sense of the word, yet I also think him
heretical, — just as those men who (as our Lord foretold) thought,
when they persecuted the Apostles, " they did God service,**
were wrong, not in that they obeyed their conscience, but because
they had not a more enlightened conscience. " The light that
18 in*' a merely conscientious Dissenter is (what Christ has called)
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. O
*' darkness." I say this before passing on to consider (as I mean
to do) the other kind of Dissenters, those, viz. who dissent for
some lesser difference, merely lest you should suppose that I con-
sider a person absolved from all guilt, on the ground of his being
conscientious ; for as a good conscience is a great treasvire, so a
dark conscience is like the blind leading the blind. Now then
let me address myself to that larger number of persons who have
no material objection against the Church as to its doctrines or
discipline, and who do not think that a Dissenter will be saved a
bit more than a Churchman ; who, indeed, are so far from con-
demning the Church, that they always feel rather disposed, when
acknowledging their Dissent, to make a sort of apology or ex-
planation for their leaving the Church, as, e. g. that " it was
so far to go to Church," or that " their health was weak," or
" no good sittings were to be had," or that " they had an objec-
tion to the clergyman of the parish," or that " they were more
edified by the service at Meeting, as more spiritual," or such
reasons. 1 shall begin by placing before you some arguments,
which indirectly support my assertion concerning the sinfulness
of Dissent.
(1.) Christians are required to unite in serving God in mutual
diarity and hearty concord. Hence such directions as these
from the Apostles to different Churches, viz. that they should
endeavour to keep " the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace,"
that they should be " like-minded, having the same love," being
" of one accord, of one mind, standing fast in one Spirit with one
mind," that they should " walk by the same rule and mind the
same thing," that *' with one mind and one mouth they should
glorify God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," that they
should " all speak the same thing," that there should be " no
divisions among them," but that they be " perfectly joined
together in the same mind and in the same judgment*."
As to the construction which some persons put on such
passages, viz. by making them to refer to an unity in the spiritual
sense, to a mystical union of the faithful all over the world, in
' Phil. ii. 2. ; i. 27- ; iii. 16. 1 Pet. iii. 8. Eph. iv. 3. Ilom. xv. 5, 6.
xii. 10, 2 Cor. xiii, 11. 1 Cor. i. 10.
6 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
the invisible Church of Christ, it is clearly inadmissible. For
as a matter of reason, what can be the use of such strong and
repeated exhortations to an union, whose only external sign is a
profession of charitable indifference to all diversities of religious
opinion, and whose principal bond of union, is a secret internal
feeling, as to which no one can exactly judge his neighbour.
And yet in the New Testament, directions are given concerning
such divisions, as respecting a thing, of which every Christian can
judge. And further, as a matter off act, the Church or body, in
which unity is preserved, is spoken of as a visible body. Fid,
Matth. xvi. 18; xviii. 17. 1 Tim. iii. 15. 1 Cor. xii. Eph. iv.
4—12.
(2.) Obedience to superiors is enjoined. This command seems
to me, to give a double sanction to the legitimately appointed
authorities of the Church. First, An authority indirectly, in as
much as duty to the State requires of us obedience to all those
who have the sanction of its authority for their dignities, pro-
vided always, obedience to them does not involve some sacrifice
of principle, so as to be against our consciences ^ Hence, since
the time that Chtirch and State have been united, it becomes the
duty of a good subject to pay reverence and obedience to the
appointed ministers of religion, upon civil as well as upon religious
grounds. Secondly, An authority directly, because obedience to
spiritual superiors is separately enjoined. E. g. " Likewise ye
younger, submit yourselves to the elder," 1 Pet. v. 5. : — (you will
see from the first and second verses, that the elders mean
spiritual superiors, who are set over you.) And again, " Submit
yourselves unto such, and to every one, that helpeth with us,
and laboureth." 1 Cor. xvi. 16. ** Obey them that have
the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for
your souls, as they that must give account." (Heb. xiii. 17.)
* E. g. U the State religion became Roman Catholic, it could not be our
duty to conform to that, because we should thereby compromise some of the
faiidamental articles of out faith, and admit others to be fundamental, some of
which are not so — and others, which not only are not so, but are moreover in
themselves false. On the other hand, if the State ordered the observance of
Saints' days, or a day of national humiliation, it is the duty of a good subject
to observe them.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 7
f
Again, " We beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour
among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you,
and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake."
(1 Thess. V. 12, 13.)
(iS.) It is also a command to Christians, not to give a brother
cause of sorrow and offence. Now any separation must do that.
The question therefore is, whether the grounds for it are stich
as to compel us, from regard to our own souls, and even out of
Christian charity to him, to separate from communion with the
body to which he belongs, that we may thereby make him
acquainted with the danger there is to his eternal salvation in
remaining in a body, from which we feel obliged, for conscience
sake, to come out. If we do not think we endanger our salvation
by continuing in the Church, we are not justified for mere matters
of opinion, and things, which we do not hold to be essentials of
religion, to cast a reproach upon the body, from which we remove
as from a thing unclean ^ and to give pain, doubts, and cause of
dissensions, by thus withdrawing,
I proceed next to some direct arguments in support of the
assertion, that separation, as such, and when not on account of
some fundamental doctrine, is a sin,
1st. Hear what Scripture tells us should be our conduct towards
those who cause divisions, and then consider, whether such
persons are brought before us as exercising a proper liberty of
choice.
*' We command you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother, that walketh
disorderly and not after the tradition which ye have received of
us." (2 Thess. iii. 6.)
" If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine,
* " Nevertheless, I do not hesitate to express a persuasion, that our own case
happily is such, in the Established Church of England, that we may rightly,
and are bound to, receive the faith of our forefathers, as delivered to us in
its authorized form, by the same measure of acceptance, in kind as we receive
Scripture itself: not hastily taking part against it (as so many do), on
account of incidental or subordinate objections; but accepting it in Christian
duty, as it is, and abiding by it, until, after experiment of holy living, it shall
be proved perilous, or at least inadequate, to the soul's welfare, according to
the very terms of Scripture." — Miller's Bamp. Lee. p. 15. note.
8 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
receive him not into your house, nor bid him God speed.''
(2 John X.)
" These are they who separate themselves, sensual \ having
not the Spirit." (Jude 19.)
" I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and
offences ^ contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and
avoid them." (Rom. xvi. 17.)
"If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome
words, even to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the
doctrine which is according to godliness : he is proud, knowing
nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof
Cometh envy, strife, railing, evil-surmisings, perverse disputings
of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, supposing
that gain is godliness, from such withdraw thyself." (1 Tim.
vi. 5—5.)
2ndly. Consider the manner they are represented in, who cause
disunion in the Church. The terms are, indeed, so harsh to
modern (so called) liberal notions, that one feels sure of incurring
the reproach of being a bigot for venturing thus to apply what we
read in Scripture ; and the general view respecting these passages
probably is, that the time of their application is quite gone by, and
that they have long since become a dead letter. And yet, reflect
these terms are not used of persons, who were infidels, or heathens,
or of those who corrupted the main doctrines of Christianity.
St. Paul blames the Corinthians, because they expressed a pre-
ference for one teacher above another, and though they all taught
the same tiling, still he says of such a difference, " that there
are contentions among you," and speaks of it as an evidence of
their " carnal mind." (1 Cor. iii. 3.)
Srdly. There are many passages in the Epistles, in which the
* Sentual .—The Greek word, which is so translated, does not at all imply
a pergon who lives a vicious and voluptuous life, given up to the lusts of the
flesh, but a person who rules himself, and walks according to the visible
course of things in the world around him, trusting entirely to human reason-
ings in religion, and to what is called, ** fleshly wisdom," and having no part
in that wisdom, which is from above.
' " Which cause pflcnces," i. e. causes of perplexity or pain to others,
stumbling-blocks, obstacles, snares, &c.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 9
ways, dispositions, and practices of false teachers are described,
concerning which the learned differ much, and determine differ-
ently the sort of opinions condemned in them. Allowing, however,
what weight is fair to this circumstance, yet after all look at
them attentively with a view of finding whether they will give
you any light for the guidance of your conduct in this matter ;
and, while you consider them, bear the following remarks in
mind : —
1. That which is condemned in these persons is either their
professing false doctrine, or their making disorder, disturbance,
and disunion in the Church. If you think any of them apply to
the second, then such passages apply to ray argument here,
because they go to prove, that making a separation and disputes
in the Church is wrong.
2. You will learn from some of them that a person may tliink
himself quite sincere in leaving the Church, and, yet his own
heart may have deceived him, though it cannot deceive God,
who will call him to account hereafter. 2 Tim. iii. 13. 2 Thess.
ii. 11.
3. You will see that heresy and schism are placed along with
bad passions, and bad actions, and vicious dispositions, as if
in some way connected with them, and as if we may therefore be
called to give account for these opinions, just as much as for
those actions, and passions, and dispositions of mind. 1 Tinr,
vi. 3. 20. ; i. 3, 4. 2 Tim. iv. 3. ; iii. 13. Gal. i. 9. 2 Pet. ii.
18. 10.; iii. 16. Tit. i. 10.; iii. 10, 11. 2 Cor. xi. 13. 15.
Acts XX. 29. Matt. vii. 15. 2 Thess. iii. 6. 11. 2 John ix.
Eph. iv. 14. Jude xvi. Phil. i. 15, 16.
4thly. Consider the case of Korah in the Old Testament. He
was a priest of the second order, and, with other Levites, withdrew
his obedience from the High Priest. There was no matter of
doctrine or worship in dispute between them and Aaron, nor
any other dispute than that of Church government. And yet
how terrible was his punishment. In his case we cannot evade
the application to the Gospel times, because St. Jude makes it
for us, speaking of those who " perish in the gainsaying of Core.
Jude 11.
10 TEACTS FOR THE TIMES.
5thly. When the Jews fell into wickedness and idolatry, priests
as well as people, and God sent prophets to reprove them, yet
none of tlese holy prophets did separate from communion with
the wicked priests, and set up another priesthood in opposition
to them. They did not think it lawful, how holy soever they
were, to intrude themselves into the priesthood, as they had not
been lawfully called and appointed.
These two cases go very strongly to prove that there is a
duty to submit ourselves, for conscience sake, to the established
order and manner in the Church, so long as the Church enjoins
nothing which plainly contradicts the revealed will of God, and
to perform which would therefore do violence to our sense of
right.
6thly. Consider, further, the ground upon which our Saviour
ordered the authority of the Scribes and Pharisees to be respected,
viz. because they sat in Moses' seat, (Matt, xxiii. 2. ;) t. e.
because they were the lawfully appointed and regularly ordained
ministers of the established religion. Moreover, throughout the
Acts of the Apostles, where we are to look for the use and
gradual formation of a system of Church government, in pro-
portion as the converts become more numerous, and more widely
scattered in different countries, we may trace a principle of union
and of subordination throughout the various Churches and Assem-
blies of believers. Care too was taken for the continuance of
this union and this subordination, both in the manner of appoint-
ing teachers then^ and in providing for their similar appointment
for the lime to come : and this manner of providing a due supply
of fit persons for the ministry has been observed not only during
the age of the Apostles, and their immediate successors, but it
may be said through the first fifteen centuries after the establish-
ment of Christianity.
7thly. Turn to the solemn prayers of our Saviour in the 17th
chapter of St. John. ** Holy Father, keep through thine own
name, those whom thou hast given to me, that they may be one '
* These words of our Saviour I take as more than an indirect argument
They speak so clearly of all future believers in the Gospel, for whose unity
He prays j the closeness of which proper unity, he illustrates by comparing it
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 11
as we are ; and, again, in the same prayer, " neither pray I for
these alone, but for them also, which shall believe on Me through
their word, that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in Me
and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us." .... Would
it not be in direct opposition to the spirit and letter of this
prayer to justify every individual Christian in claiming the right
of withdrawing himself from communion with the Church upon
every slight difference of opinion ? As if Christianity required of
us no surrender whatever of the private judgment, and as if it were
never right for a Christian silently to acquiesce in existing usages,
or new ordinances, in things indifferent, when commanded by
lawful authority, unless he was convinced of the benefit and pro-
priety of them, which would, in fact, be to make every individual
Christian a law unto himself in all things ; or, to adapt our lan-
guage to the day, as if it were never required to assent in religious
matters in the same way as in civil matters, i. e. without being
convinced of the advisablcness or benefit of the thing enjoined,
but merely because, on the one hand, lawful authority orders it,
and, on the other, we see no danger to our souls in obeying it.
8thly. Christ hath given an authority to the Church, and there-
fore there is but one thing which can justify us in going against its
authority, and that is, a firm conviction, that by doing what the
Church orders, we should transgress some still more evident ard
higher command of God; as, e. g» whence the Church of Rome
pronounced it lawful to take away the lives of excommunicated
princes. And is not separating from the Church transgressing
its authority ?
If any one ask, where is this authority spoken of in Scripture,
let him consider the following texts.
" He that heareth you, heareth me ; and he that despiseth
you, despiseth me, and he that despiseth me, despiseth Him that
sent me." (Luke x. 16.)
" If he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as an
heathen man and a publican." (Matt, xviii. 17.)
with the union between His Father and Himself, i. e. between the two first
Persons of the blessed Trinity, in which Three are One, Can there be said
to be such an union in the Christian Church if every one " hath a psalm, hath
a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation ?"
it TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
" Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven ;
and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in hea-
ven." (Matt, xviii. 18.)
" Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them ; and
whosesoever sins ye retain, tliey are retained." (John xx. 23.)
" Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."
(Matt, xxviii. 20.)
Dthly. Christ hath appointed the Church as the only way unto
eternal life. We read at the first, that the Lord added daily to
the Church such as should be saved ; and what was then done
daily, hath been done since continually. Christ never appointed
two ways to heaven ; nor did he build a Church to save some,
and make another institution for other men's salvation. " There
is no other name under heaven given unto men, whereby we m^st
be saved, but the name of Jesus," and that is no otherwise given
under heaven, than in the Church *.
Here, then, I finish my series of arguments. Not that there
are not many others, which might be brought forward, to show
that Dissent is wrong ; but I prefer confining my remarks at those
which have something in common with one another. The prin-
ciples upon which all the reasonings here given are in some sort
founded, are. 1. the Christian duty of obedience; 2. of preserv-
ing unity ; 3. of avoiding, in all cases where we can with a safe
conscience, any giving occasion of offence, or pain, or perplexity,
to our Christian brethren : — in other words, the duty of having
an eye always to Christian charity, i. c. brotherly love, in our
way of performing our duties, especially those about the limits
of which we are not quite sure.
• How is it we speak of the external unity of the visible Church, when
there are many different Churches in different nations? All the Church of
God are united into one by the unity of discipline and government, by virtue
whereof the same Christ ruleth in them all. For they have all the sarae
pastoral guides, appointed, authorized, sanctified, and set apart by the
ap[>uintmeut of God, by the direction of the Spirit, to direct and lead the
people of God in the same way of eternal salvation : as therefore there is no
Church, where there is no order, no ministry ; so, where the same order and
ministry is, there is the same Church." — Vcanon.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 13
The sum of the matter as here set before you is this. If a
man's separation from the Church be upon grounds which he
really believes to be of vital importance, I have nothing to do
with him. He acts from conscientious motives, and cannot
remain in communion with a Church, which teaches what he
holds to be false doctrines. ** To his own master he standeth or
falleth ;" and it is not for me to judge how he has come to this
conclusion. I can, however, fully understand, that so long as he
holds such an opinion about our Church, he cannot have any thing
to do with it, but must come out from it. But if I see a man
attending the Church occasionally, as if he thought there was no
positive harm in what is taught there, then I say, that man has
not done rightly in becoming a Dissenter, because I gather from
Scripture that it is a duty to submit to established authorities in
religious matters, just as in political and civil matters, so long as
there is no vital and essential difference between his own articles
of faith, and those which the established Church maintains. He
ought to submit in all things indifferent for conscience' sake.
And his only sound and sufficient defence for separating from
the Church, is a belief, that he cannot be saved in it on account
of its holding false doctrine. If he cannot say this, he has no
sufficient reason for thus •' rending Christ's body," by removing
himself out of the Church, and for giving an example to others
to set up some new sect for themselves upon any trifling ground
of difference.
I will add only one more remark in conclusion, which is this.
You read in the New Testament of great and important promises
made to the Church, whatever that Church be : you read also of
many very strong and sharp rebukes given to those, who caused
dissensions and disputes in the Church, during the time of the
Apostles ; you read also of the heavy condemnation, which will
come upon those who have been partakers in these sins ; and
also you know the warnings of our Saviour and of the apostles,
that in the latter days, the danger and subtilty of these errors
and heresies would increase, so as to deceive (if it were possible)
even the elect ; and, lastly, you know, that even though persons
think they are conscientiously obliged to make a schism, still
they may be condemned for this very false conviction of their
14 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
deceitful hearts. Now, since all this is the case, would it not
be prudent for a simple man, who thinks of becoming a Dissenter,
to consider seriously where he is most likely to come within the
terms of these promises, and where he is least likely to be liable
to the threats and denunciations above alluded to ? Would it
not be well to reason with himself somewhat on this wise :
" The Church may not mean the Church, as some people under-
stand it, who suppose that Dissenters are left out of it ; but still
as I never heard any one say, that the Dissenters were the only
true Church, and that the established Church was shut out of
the promises, because she was no part of the true Church, surely
I am more safe, more likely to come in for a share of these
blessings, if, while in other things I strive to do my duty without
troubling myself to decide things, which in truth are too hard
forme, I continue a member of the established Church. By so
doing, I follow the example of my forefathers, of my country, of
holy martyrs before me, and rest my faith on the authority of
those, who are, by virtue of their office, successors of the Apo-
stles ; whereas, in the other case, I must, on my own judgment,
set aside all this weight of authority, and do that, which is as
much as to say, that till within the last three hundred years the
whole world has been in darkness, and that I can see clearer than
all those great, and good, and pious, and learned persons, who
have lived and died before me in this faith." Surely it is the
safer course to remain stedfastly in the Church, without halting
between two opinions ; there is more chance of your being right
there.
NOTE.
P. S. In order that you may know whom you ought to look
upon as your proper spiritual guides and governors, I lay before
you the description given of them by the famous Dr. Isaac
Barrow. " Those, I say, then, who constantly do profess and
teach that sound and wholesome doctrine, which was delivered
by our Lord and his apostles in word and writing, was received
by their disciples in tlie primitive Churches, was transmitted and
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 15
confirmed by general tradition, was sealed by the blood of the
blessed martyrs, and propagated by the labours of the holy
fathers ; the which also manifestly recommendeth and promoteth
true reverence and piety towards God, justice and charity
towards men, order and quiet in human societies, purity and
sobriety in each man's private conversation.
" Those who celebrate the true worship of God, and administer
the holy mysteries of our religion, in a serious, grave, and decent
manner, purely and without any notorious corruption, either by
hurtful error, or superstitious foppery, or irreverent rudeness,
to the advancement of God's honour, and edification of the par-
ticipants in virtue and piety.
" Those who derive their authority by a continued succession
from the apostles, who are called unto and constituted in their
office in a regular and peaceable way, agreeable to the institution
of God, and the constant practice of his Church, according to
rules approved in the best and purest ages ; who are prepared
to the exercise of their functions by the best education, that
ordinarily can be provided under sober discipline, in the schools
of the prophets ; who thence, by competent endowments of mind
and useful furniture of good learning, acquired by painful study,
become qualified to guide and instruct the people ; who, after
previous examination of their abilities, and probable testimonies
concerning their manners (with regard to the qualifications of
incorrupt doctrine and sober conversation, prescribed by the
apostles), are adjudged fit for the office ; who, also, in a pious,
grave, solemn manner, with invocation of God's blessing, by lay-
ing on of the hands of the presbytery, are admitted thereunto.
" Those whose practice in guiding and governing the people of
God, is not managed by arbitrary, uncertain, fickle, private
fancies or humours, but regulated by standing laws ; framed
(according to general directions extant in holy Scripture) by
pious and wise persons, with mature advice, in accommodation
to the seasons and circumstances of things, for common edifica-
tion, order, and peace.
" Those, who, by virtue of their good principles, in their dis-
positions and demeanour appear sober, orderly, peaceable, yielding
meek submission to government, tendering the Church's peace.
16 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
upholding the communion of the saints, abstaining from all
schismatical, turbulent, and factious practices.
" Those, also, who are acknowledged by the laws of our country,
an obligation to obey whom is part of that human constitution
unto which we are in all things (not evidently repugnant to God's
law) indispensably bound to submit ; whom our Sovereign, God's
vicegerent, and the nursing father of his Church among us, (unto
whom in all things high respect, in all lawful things entire obe-
dience, is due) doth command and encourage us to obey.
" Those, I say, to whom this character plainly doth agree, we
may reasonably be assured, that they are our true guides and
governors whom we are obliged to follow and obey ; for what
better assurance can we in reason desire? what more proper
marks can be assigned to discern them by ? what methods of
constituting such needful officers can be settled more answerable
to their design and use ? how can it be evil or unsafe to follow
guides authorized by such warrants, conformed to such patterns,
endowed with such dispositions, acting by such principles and
rules ? Can we mistake or miscarry, by complying with the great
body of God's Church through all ages, and particularly with
those great lights of the primitive Church, who, by the excellency
of their knowledge, and the integrity of their virtue, have so
illustrated our holy religion ?"
{Barrow, Serm. LVI. p. 284—287. vol. iii.)
Oxford,
The Feast of the Epiphany.
These ^^cts -ere published Monthly^ and sold at the price of
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
SERMONS FOR SAINTS' DAYS AND HOLIDAYS.
(No. 1. ST. MATTHIAS.)
Ye have not chosen me, hut I have chosen you, and ordained
you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your
fruit should remain.^* — St. John xv. 16.
The service of this day invites us to consider the nature and
commission of that ministry, by which Christians all over the
world are made partakers of heavenly and spiritual blessings.
On this point, as on most others, it is obvious that the New
Testament does no where furnish a regular and orderly course
of instruction, such as on many great subjects we find in our
Creeds, Articles, and CateeJiism. But the mind and will of our
Divine Master may be gathered plainly enough, at least by those
who are willing to show a reasonable respect to the witness of
the early Church.
St. Luke, in the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles, informs
us, that our Lord was not taken up, until " after that He, through
the Holy Ghost, had given commandments unto the Apostles
whom He had chosen ; — being seen of them" at various times
during as much as " forty days," and *' speaking of the things
pertaining to the kingdom of God." Then, doubtless. He gave
them instruction in what method and order to proceed, what kind
of ministry to settle in His Church. Who would not wish to
know what was the tenor of those conversations? But the
Holy Ghost, in His unsearchable wisdom, has not seen fit directly
to put them on record : an omission which appears very signifi-
cant, when compared with the minute register which the Gospels
supply of many former discourses. So it is, that on the occasion,
which would seem to promise most information concerning the
nature of Christ's kingdom, instead of finding any report oi what
our blessed Saviour said, we find a report of what His Apostles
did. Their Acts and Letters take place of the desired memorial
2 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
of His parting instructions. Is not this a hint to us all, on autho-
rity which cannot safely be despised, that we must look to the
actual conduct and system of the early Church for a true notion
of the things pertaining to " the kingdom of God," of which our
Lord then spake to His Apostles. However early, on minute
points, partial errors may haVe crept in, is it not evident to com-
mon sense, that the system which we trace back in the Church
to the very generation next following the Apostles, must be in all
great points the very system enjoined by our Lord, and partially
disclosed in the subsequent history of His servants ?
It follows, that in order to make out our Saviour's will on any
point relating to the discipline and proceedings of His Church,
the first portion of Scripture to which our attention is directed is
the Acts of the holy Apostles.
Now, the very first Act of the Apostles, after Christ was gone
out of their sight, was that commemorated* his day ; — the ordina-
tion of Matthias in the room of the traitor Judas. That ordination
is related very minutely. Every particular of it is full of instruc-
tion ; but at present I wish to draw attention to one circumstance
more especially : namely, the time when it occurred. It was
contrived (if one may say so) exactly to fall within the very short
interval which elapsed between the departure of our Lord and
the arrival of the Comforter in His place : on that " little while,"
during which the Church was comparatively left alone in the
world. Then it was that St. Peter rose and declared with autho-
rity that the time was come for supplying the vacancy which
Judas had made. " One," said he, " must be ordained ;" and
without delay they proceeded to the ordination. Of course,
St. Peter must have had from our Lord express authority for this
step." Otherwise it would seem most natural to defer a transac-
tion so important until the unerring Guide, the Holy Ghost,
should have come among them, as they knew he would in a few
days. On the other hand, since the Apostles were eminently
Apostles of our Incarnate Lord, since their very being, as ApostleSf
depended entirely on their personal mission from Him (which
is the reason why catalogues are given of them, with such scru-
pulous care, in so many of the holy books) : — in that regard one
should naturally have expected that He Himself before His de-
parture would have supplied the vacancy by personal designation.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 3
But we see it was not His pleasure to do so. As tlie Apostles
afterwards brought on the ordination sooner, so He had deferred
it longer than might have been expected. Both ways it should
seem as if there were a purpose of bi^inging the event within those
ten days, during which, as I said, the Church was left to herself;
left to exercise her faith and hope, much as Christians are left
now, without any miraculous aid or extraordinary illumination
fiom above. Then, at that moment of the New Testament
history, in which the circumstances of believers corresponded
most nearly to what they have been since miracles and inspiration
ceased — ^just at that time it pleased our Lord that a fresh Apostle
should be consecrated, with authority and commission as ample
as the former enjoyed. In a word, it was His will that the eleven
Disciples alone, not Himself personally, should name the successor
of Judas ; and that they chose the right person. He gave testimony
very soon after, by sending His Holy Spirit on St. Matthias, as
richly as on St. John, St- James, or St. Peter.
Thus the simple consideration of the time when Matthias was
ordained, confirms two points of no small importance to the well-
being of Christ's kingdom on earth. First, it shews that who-
ever are regularly commissioned by the Apostles, our Lord will
consider those persons as commissioned and ordained by Himself.
Secondly, it proves that such power to ordain is independent of
those apostolical functions, which may be properly called extra-
ordinary and miraculous. It existed before those functions
began ; why then may it not still continue, however entirely they
have passed away ?
We must not pretend to be wise above what is written ; but
there is, I trust, nothing presumptuous or unscriptural in sup-
posing that Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd and Bishop of our
souls, purposely abstained from nominating St. Matthias in His
life-time, in order that Christians in all times might understand
that the ordained successors of the Apostles are as truly Bishops
under Him, as ever the Apostles were themselves.
For this is the constant doctrine of the ancient Church, de-
livered in express terms by our Lord in the text, " Ye have not
chosen me, but / have chosen yoUy and ordained you, that you
should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should
remain."
4 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
It may seem strange that our Lord should deem it necessary to
guard His Disciples against such a notion as that they had chosen
Him, rather than He them : called as they had been, when they
least expected it, from their daily employments of fishermen,
publicans, and the like. But " for our sakes, no doubt, this is
written ;" to check an error which Christ foresaw would too
generally prevail in His Church, especially in these latter days,
which pride themselves so much on light and liberty. The error
I mean is, that of imagining that Church communion is a volun-
tary thing, which people may adopt or no, (I will not say at their
own pleasure^ though too many go as far as that, but) as they
seem to find it for the time most edifying. Anotlier kindred
notion is, that the Christian ministry is also a voluntary thing ;
that there is no real difference between clergy and laity, any
more than is enacted by the law of the land for mere decency
and order's sake ; but that otherwise a man who can and will do
good as a clergyman is to all intents and purposes clergyman
enough.
These are not very uncommon notions. But take them at their
best, and are they in effect any better than as if St. Paul and the
other Apostles had considered themselves as choosing Christ in-
stead of being chosen by Christ ? He who reasons so, is he
not chargeable with setting up his own calculation against the
declared will and system of our Lord ?
Hear now on the other hand the very doctrine of the Church
Apostolical. Jesus Christ, the chief Shepherd and Bishop, com-
mits the pastoral office to whom He pleases ; in the first place,
to His Apostles, and after them, to all whom they, by the help of
His ordinary grace, shall appoint ; which latter proposition you
have justheard clearly madeout from the ordination of St. Matthias.
Therefore, although there be many Bishops, yet the Episcopal
office is but one. The lines of the true Catholic Church are
drawn out, as the Psalmist says, to the ends of the world, over
all lands ; but trace them back, and they all meet in the same
centre, Jesus Christ. Therefore it is all one Churchy and not a
thousand independent churches, as they would make it, who
boast of choosing Christ, instead of humbly and thankfully ac-
knowledging the choice which He has made of them, in tiiat He
has CEbt their lot within reach of His ministers and sacraments.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. O
This view, so clearly deducible from tlie promise of our Lord,
and the conduct of His Apostles, is most unanswerably confirmed
by the whole history of the Primitive Church. Every where the
Bishops were the chief pastors, and the government and order of
the Church was vested in them. To separate from them, except
they were proved grossly heretical, was accounted schism. Why ?
Because it was universally understood, that the Bishops were
the connecting chain which bound the successive generations of
Christians to the first generation, the holy Apostles ; nay, and
to our Lord Jesus Christ himself. For the believers of those
days were too well instructed not to know that our Saviour's
promises were made to the Church through the Apostles: so that
if they broke off their connection with the Apostles, they broke
off their connection with Christ.
Would you hear some of the very words of those holy men of
old ? Take the following, which are part of a letter written by
St, Ignatius, the friend of the chiefest Apostles, when he was on
the verge of martyrdom. They are some of his last words,
written to warn the friends for whom he was most anxious,
against the heresies which were springing up in the Church.
" By submitting yourself to your Bishop as to Jesus Christ,
you convince me that you guide your lives by no rule of man's
invention, but by the rule of Jesus Christ, who died for us, that
ye, believing in His death, might escape altogether from death.
It follows, of course, that in no part of your conduct ye sepa-
rate yourselves from your Bishop : which thing also ye now
practise."
No test could be shorter or more simple. " You are in com-
munion with your Bishop, humbly receiving from him, or those by
him deputed, the genuine word and Sacraments of Jesus Christ :
therefore, I make no question but you are also in communion
with our Lord Jesus Christ himself; at least, as far as Church
Privileges go ; as far as I or man can judge."
Surely the holy martyr, St. Ignatius, was as good a judge of
what Christian communion depends on, as any person can be
supposed in our days. And we see that he judges of it, not by
those tests which we now hear most insisted on ; not by con-
victions, and emotions, and highly-wrougiit feelings ; but by the
simple fact of adherence to that system, which our Lord himself
15
6 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. '
bad established for our salvation. Now, we know from every page
of St. Ignatius, wbat bis view of that system was. It was the
system of Christian Ordinances, administered by Bishops, with
Priests and Deacons under them. That, in the mind of St.
Ignatius, was the sure mark of the Church of God.
Nor was this a mere private opinion of his : it was rather the
constant tradition of the Church Universal. What is very remark-
able, it was the tradition not only of the sound part of the Cliurch,
but of the heretics also. In those early days, even those who
corrupted the doctrine of the Church seldom or never dared to
breathe any thing against the Apostolical Succession of her
Bishops. To do so, if they possibly could, would have been
greatly to their purpose ; because one very plain argument by
which their misrepresentations of doctrine used to be confuted^
was by appealing to the traditional account of the same doctrines,
preserved in many of the most famous Churches, by means of
the regular succession of the Bishops. Some of the Fathers thus
reckon up the Bishops of Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch, for
more than three hundred years, from the time of the Apostles,
and are thereby enabled to trace back as far the true inter-
pretation of certain hard places of Scripture, relating to the great
truths of the Gospel. The heretics who disputed those truths,
no doubt, would have been too happy, could they have proved
that the chain of tradition wanted a link ; that the succession from
the Apostles was not clearly made out, or that being made out,
it signified nothing. But the ground they used to take was
quite different. They never dreamed of denying tlie past suc-
cession : it was too certainly known to be denied ; but they
took very great care to secure ^future succession for themselves.
They hardly ever broke off from the Church, until they had got
some Bishop to patronize their heresy : through whom they might
continue the Apostolical commission in a line of pastors of their own.
Thus as well the enemies of the Church as her friends bore
witness in those early days to a truth which too many of both
seem now agreed on forgetting : That Episcopal Authority is the
very bond which unites Christians to each other and to Christ:
so that it was apparently a kind of proverb with them, Without
the Bishop do nothing in the Church.
What is more, the teaching of the Primitive Church brought
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 7
this matter home to every man's own soul, not only on the
general ground of submission to all our Lord's ordinances, but
because the bread and wine in the Eucharist was not accounted
the true Sacrament of Christ, without Christ's warrant given to
the person administering : which warrant, the Fathers well knew,
could only be had through His Apostles and their successors.
Hear again the same St. Ignatius. " Let that Lord's Supper
be counted a Lord's Supper indeed, which is ministered by the
Bishop, or by one having his commission." Observe, Ignatius, the
friend of the Apostles, reckons the Sacrament no Sacrament, if
the consecrating minister want the Bishop's commission. Could
St. Ignatius possibly mistake the mind of the Apostles on that
point, he who had conversed familiarly with them at the time
when the Church was used to *' continue daily in breaking of
bread?"
And with him agreed the whole Church of God for the first
fifteen hundred years: knowing that when our Lord said, *' Do
this in remembrance of Me," His Apostles only were present ;
therefore none but they and their deputies could be said to have
His warrant for blessing that bread and cup. And this is a
matter pertaining to each man's salvation. For that bread and
cup are the appointed mean, whereby the faithful are to partake
of Christ's Body and Blood offered for their sins.
Can any devout man, considering this, reckon it a matter of
small moment, whether the minister with whom he communicates
be a minister by apostolical succession or no 1 In the judgment
of the Church it makes no less difference than this : Whether
the bread and cup which he partakes of shall be to him Christ's
Body and Blood or no. I repeat it : in the judgment of the
Church, the Eucharist administered without apostolical commis-
sion, may to pious minds be a very edifying ceremony, but it is
not that blessed thing which our Saviour graciously meant it to
be : it is not *' verily and in deed taking and receiving" the Body
and Blood of Him, our Incarnate Lord.
Even as St. Paul seems to intimate, when he so pointedly asks
the Corinthians, " The cup of blessing rvhich we bless, is it not
the Communion of the Blood of Christ ? The bread rvhich we
break, is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ ?" Why
such a stress on the words, " which we bless" " which we break ;"
8 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
except because the Corinthians knew (and they could only know
by Apostolical teaching), that the agency of the Apostles in blessing
and breaking was needful to assure us that the holy signs really
convey the thing signified.
Thus you see every thing concurs ; the ordination of St.
Matthias, the promise of our Lord, the hints found elsewhere in
holy Scripture, the express laws of the Universal Church, the
constant doctrine of the friends of the Apostles ; — all agree to
show that Communion with God incarnate, such Communion as
He offers in His holy Supper, cannot be depended on without an
Apostolical Ministry.
To think otherwise is the error of those, who, mixing up
human inventions with the everlasting Gospel, take upon them to
*' choose Christ," instead of humbly owning themselves " chosen
by Him," and labouring to bear fruit accordingly.
But still more fatal will be our error, if having this high
privilege, we cause it to be reproached by our abuse or negligent
using. We, by God's blessing, are among those, who through an
Apostolical Ministry, have constant access to the Body and Blood
of our Redeemer. What if we be found no more exemplary, no
humbler, no more consistent in our piety, than those whose pos-
session of the means of grace is so much more questionable than
ours ? There is a prophetic warning against such : " You only have
I known of all the families of the earth : therefore I will punish you
for all your iniquities." There is also a yet more awful warning
from Him who will come to be our Judge : ** Thou, Capernaum,
which art exalted unto Heaven, shalt be brought down to hell ; for
if the mighty works which have been done in thee, had been done
in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto
you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the
day of judgment, than for thee."
These Tracts are 'published Monthly ^ and sold at the price of
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
BISHOP WILSON'S MEDITATIONS ON HIS SACRED
OFFICE.
No. v.— THURSDAY.
CHURCH DISCIPLINE.
Question from the Office of Consecration. — Will you maintain
AND SET FORWARD, AS MUCH AS IN YOU LIETH, QUIETNESS, LOVE
AND PEACE, AMONG ALL MEN ; AND SUCH AS BE UNQUIET, DISOBE-
DIENT, AND CRIMINOUS WITHIN YOUR DIOCESE, CORRECT AND
PUNISH, ACCORDING TO SUCH AUTHORITY AS YOU HAVE BY God's
WORD, AND AS TO YOU SHALL BE COMMITTED BY THE ORDINANCES
OF THIS REALM ^ ? Ans, I WILL SO DO, BY THE HELP OF GoD.
O God of peace and love, make me, thy minister, a messenger
and instrument of peace to this people to whom I am sent ; that
by thy gracious assistance I may root out all strife and variance,
iiatred and malice, and that this Church and Nation may enjoy a
blessed tranquillity. Bless the discipline of this Church in my
hands, and make it effectual for the conviction of wicked men
and gainsayers. Assist me, by thy good Spirit, that I may
apply a proper cure to every disorder ; that I may reprove with
mildness, censure with equity, and punish with compassion.
O merciful God, who wouldest not the death of a sinner, but
that he should be converted and live, bring into the right way all
such as are gone astray from thy commandments. Vouchsafe
unto all penitents, (and especially unto all such as are now under
the censures of the Church,) a true sense of their crimes, true
* This can never be looked upon as any Hmitation of the power received
from Christ, but only as directing the exercise thereof, as to the manner,
form, and circumstance. — Bp. Wilson.
2 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
repentance for them, and thy gracious pardon, that their souls
may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Amen.
Church Discipline.
However the Church be in some respects incorporated with
the commonwealth in a Christian state, yet its fundamental rights
remain distinct from it; of which this is one of the chief — to
receive into, and to exclude out of the Church, such persons
which, according to the laws of the Christian society, are fit to be
taken in, or shut out.
And when temporal laws interpose, it is temporal punishment
only, which they design to inflict or set aside. Bishop Stilling'
fleet.
Ezek. ii. ^. " And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them,
neither be afraid of their words ; thou shalt speak my words unto
them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear."
2 Cor. xiii. 10. " Lest I should use sharpness, according to
the power,'" (namely, of binding and loosing^) " which God hath
given me to edification, and not to destruction."
1 Tim. i. 20. " Whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they
may not blaspheme." O admirable use and command of Satan !
He is God's enemy, and yet does Him service ; and an adver-
sary to man, and yet helps to save him. He is the author of
blasphemy, and yet teacheth not to blaspheme. That is, One
that is stronger than he directs his malice to ends which he did
not intend. Satan is set on work to take him down by terror
and despair whom before he had tempted to sin. But while
Satan thinks to drive him to destruction by despair, God stops
his course, when the sinner is sufficiently humbled ; and then, as
it was with Christ, Satan is dismissed, and Angels come and
minister unto him. — Rouse.
What great man shall we now find, who will not take it ill to
be reproved ? and yet David, a prince and favourite of God,
when he was reproved, even by a subject, did not turn away in
a rage, but confessed his fault, and repented truly of his sin. —
St. Amhros. ap. David,
The very office of Consecration, so often confirmed by Acts of
Parliament, does warrant every Bishop, in the clearest and most
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. O
express terms, to claim authority, by the Word of God, to exer-
cise all manner of spiritual discipline within his own diocese. —
Codex Jur. Eccl. Angl. p. 18.
Men should be persuaded, not forced, to forsake their sins ;
because God rewards not those who, through necessity, forsake
their sins ; but such as do so voluntarily. — Chrysost,
Be steady and fearless in the discharge of your duty, without
failing in that respect which is due to higher powers.
Grant, O God, that I may have an eye to duty only, that I
may fear no temporal evil, and be concerned only lest I should
not in all respects please Thee my God.
Deut. i. 17. " The judgment is God's." As this should
oblige all people to be afraid of a judgment or censure passed
by men commissioned by God, so it should make us very careful
that our judgment be such as is worthy of God, and agreeable to
His will and Word.
1 Cor. xvi. 22. " If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ,
let him be Anathema Maranatha." Here is a positive direction
to the Church to excommunicate all such as plainly discover that
they have no love for Jesus Christ, — who are scandalous or
profane.
Since we are to give an account of the souls committed to our
charge, we cannot be debarred of making use of all the means
enjoined us by the Gospel to reduce sinners.
We ought to be thankful for the favours which we have
received from religious princes ; but if our benefactors require
of us what is inconsistent with our trust, we then know whom
we are to obey.
2 John 10, 11. " If there come any unto you and bring not
this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him
GoD speed, — for he that biddeth him God speed, is partaker of
his evil deeds," Not to show our abhorrence of sin, is to con-
sent to it. Men do not sufficiently consider the guilt of this, when
they converse with notorious offenders without scruple. They
partake with them in their sins ; they harden the sinner ; they
forget the fidelity they owe to God and to his laws, and greatly
hazard their own salvation.
Excommunication was never pronounced except where the case
« TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
was desperate, by the obstinacy of the party, in refusing admoni-
tion, and to submit to discipline. — Penit. Disc. p. 41, 42, 75, 120.
Luke XV. 22. " The Scribes and the Pharisees murmured,
saying. This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them." On
some occasions, we ought to avoid sinners, for fear of being cor-
rupted,— or to put them to shame, in order to their conver-
sion. But to converse with them, as our Lord did, in order to
teach them their duty, to encourage them in the way of piety, &c.
this is Godlike.
Mark viii. 33. " Get thee behind me, Satan. — Thou savourest
not the things that be of God, but the things that be of man."
How dangerous is tenderness in matters of salvation ! To spare
a penitent, is to ruin him by a fatal kindness.
How perilous is the government of the Church, wherein a
man becomes guilty of those things which he does not hinder.
Rev. ii. 20. ** I have a few things against thee, because thou
gufFeredst that woman Jezebel to teach and to seduce my servants
to commit fornication," &c. 2 Cor. x. 4. " For the weapons of
our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the
pulling down of strongholds." We surely mistake the spirit of
the Gospel, when we would establish and defend the Church by
human policy, and carnal means, by friendship of great men,
credit, reputation, splendour, riches, &c. God will have us to
use other sort of arms, namely, — patience, humility, meekness,
prayers, suffering, and spiritual censures, to which God will join
His own Almighty power.
All mankind are agreed that human legislatures can only dis-
pense and make laws in cases purely human.
(To be continued.)
Oxford,
The Feast of St. Matthias.
— — ■ ^ ~ ' ■ V .^ 1 i . . !
These Tracts are published Monthly^ and soLl at the price of
2d. for each sheet ^ or 7s. for 50 copies.
LONDON: PRINTED FOK J. G. ^ F. RIVINGTQN,
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.11
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
SERMONS FOR SAINTS' DAYS AND HOLIDAYS.
(No. 2. THE ANNUNCIATION 6¥' "tHEfe'L^S^'fiB
VIRGIN MARY.)
" Though we, or an angel from Heaven, preach any other Gospel
unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let Mm he
accursed'' — Galatians i. 8. v
r
This day, though named from the Blessed Virgin, is one of the
greatest festivals of our Saviour. And, therefore, in former times
the Church of England reckoned it the beginning of her year ;
thereby especially giving intimation, that she would have the whole
year dedicated to Jesus Christ. For this day, with which she
began it, marks the time of His gracious incarnation ; upon which
all that we have or hope, both in Heaven and in earth, entirely
depends. For, as St. Paul argues concerning another link in
the chain of God's mysterious mercy. If Christ were not truly
made man, then He did not truly die for our , sins : if He did
not, then was He not raised again : and " i^ Christ be not raised,
your faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins." Such was the ador-
able will of God Almighty, in His counsels for redeeming lost
mankind. There was to be no communion between God and
man, except through the everlasting Son, Himself both God and
man. This is the foundation laid from the beginning, besides
which no man can lay any other. Men may think little of it,
but the evil spirits know it well ; and accordingly, they have
busied tlieraselves from the beginning in nothing so much as in
perplexing the minds of the unwary with regard to the incarna-
tion of our Lord and Saviour, and our communion with God
througli him. Church history is little else than a record on the
Z TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
one hand, of their unceasing endeavours to corrupt the Faith on
these two points ; on the other, of His watchful Providence,
meeting and baffling them, in every age, by ways of His own,
prepared also from the beginning, for their confusion, and our
trial.
One of the very chiefest of these precautions was His ap-
pointing persons in His Church to watch the treasure of Divine
Truth, to try and assay, by comparison with it, whatever doc-
trines from time to time became current, and to give notice,
with all authority, wherever they found God's mark wanting.
To mention no other places ; our Lord himself, in the text which
I considered on St. Matthias' day, expresses himself in this man-
ner. ** I ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit,
and that your fruit should remain.'* The Apostles were to take
precautions, not only that their ministry might be fruitful for
the time, but also that it might flourish and abound for ever.
Those who work duly under their commission, may in virtue of
this promise expect more abiding results from, their labours, than
any, however zealous, who may venture to take this honour to
themselves. Not to forfeit this privilege, the holy Apostles in-
stituted a regular custom, according to which, in all future times
the faithful might be warned against heretical doctrines. When
any new point arose, regarding which the judgment of the
Church was doubtful, reference was made to the chief pastors
or Bishops, solemnly assembled to consider the subject; and
they having thoroughly examined it, proclaimed an anathema,
i. e. a sentence of excommunication, against the teachers and
maintainers of dangerous error. For example ; the very first
controversy which arose in the Church related to the question
whether the whole law of Moses ought to be observed as a con-
dition of the Christian covenant. It was settled by the Apostles*
meeting at Jerusalem, as you read in the fifteenth chapter of the
Acts. And, being settled, whoever contradicted it, whoever
added either Moses' law or any thing else to the terms of sal-
vation by Christ, and thereby began to preach a new Gospel,
other than that received at first, you hear in the text what St.
Paul says of him. " Though we or an angel from Heaven
preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have
preached unto you, let him be accursed ;" let him be anathema,
cut off' from the communion of Christian people ; not allowed to
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 4
pray, or receive the sacrament, in the assemblies of Christian
men. Let him be, to those who obey Christ, as a heathen man
and a Publican." Thus speaks the Apostle of those who should
be so presumptuous as to teach the Jewish fable of the necessity
of circumcision, after the decision of the Holy Spirit by Apos-
tolical Church had been published. For it was published, with
the utmost care, by letters and messengers sent to all the
Churches ; and being so, could not be disobeyed without wilful
arrogancy and irreverence. Thus St. Paul and the rest of the
Apostles made known to the Church in all ages their right, and
the right of the Bishops, their successors, to mark out such
heretics as might arise from time to time, and put the faithful on
their guard against them. And thus quite down from the time
of our Lord, the Apostolical succession of pastors has continued,
as a divinely-appointed guard, meant to secure the integrity of
Apostolical doctrine.
Let us, as on this day we are bound, consider more especially
what we owe to that holy succession, in respect of that on which,
as Christians, our all, as we cannot but know, depends : I mean
the true doctrine of the Incarnation of our Lord and Saviour. It
may be positively said, that under Providence we owe our in-
heritance of this saving doctrine to the chain of rightly-ordained
Bishops, connecting our times with the time of its lirst promul-
gation. This will be more clearly seen, if the two following
statements are considered ; neither of which can be reasonably
doubted by any one who has looked much into Church history.
1. In ancient times the system of Apostolical, i. e. of episcopal
anathemas, was the Church's main safeguard against the misin-
terpretations of Scripture, which from time to time threatened
to deprive her children of their faith in God the Son, made man
for our salvation.
2. Wheresoever in modern times the Apostolical succession
has been given up, there the true doctrine of our Lord's incar-
nation has been often corrupted, always in jeopardy.
These propositions are of course too large to be fully made
out in the narrow limits of a sermon. But a few instances of
each will show what is meant, and will serve to draw serious
minds to reverential thought on the whole subject.
I. Even during the Apostolic age, there were many, who
under pretence of purer doctrine, refused to confess " Jesus
A 2
4 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES;
Christ come in tl>e fleslu" This we know from the later books
of the New Testament ; especially from the writings of St. John.
And by the records of the two next generations we learn that
the corruptions were of two kinds, apparently opposite. Some,
out of pretended reverence for our Lord's Divine nature, refused
to own Him, made very man for us. They would have it, that
His blessed body was no more than a dream or vision, and all
that He did here, a scene as it were enacted by the will of the
Almighty to make an impression on our minds. Others, on
the contrary, denied His divine being, pretending, no doubt,
extraordinary reverence towards God the Father Almighty, they
would not hear the Gospel doctrine that He who is One with
the Father, had vouchsafed to become one of us. They would
have it that the crucified Jesus was either a mere human saint,
or at best a sort of good angel. Against both these blasphemous
errors St. John himself had given warning, pronouncing as it
w^ere the Church's anathema beforehand. " There are many
deceivers entered into the world, who confess not Jesus Christ
come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an anti-Christ. . . .
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of
Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of
Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come
any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into
your house, neither bid him God speed. For he that biddeth
him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds." However, in the
next generation after St. John, this evil leaven was still found
working in the Church, and the false teachers of both sorts still
had the boldness to plead Scripture, which somehow they con-
trived to wrest and pervert in their own way. How were they
(to be answered ? How was it to be made manifest that their
interpretation of Scripture was w rong ? It was done by appeal-
ing to that interpretation, which had the warrant of the Apostles
themselves. How was that interpretation known ? By its pre-
servation in the several Churches which had been founded by
the Apostles, — Rome, Corinth, Jerusalem, and the rest. How
had the right interpretation of Scripture been preserved in each
<a£»tbose places ? By the succession of Bishops, each in turn
handing over to the Bishop that followed him what he had him-
self learned of his predecessors. The defenders of Evangelical
truth reasoned as follows; —
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 5
" The tradition of the Apostles, made known in all the world,
may be clearly discerned in every Church, by thostj who are will-
ing to behold things as they are; nay, and we are able to enu-
merate those whom the Apostles ordained to be Bishops in the
several Churches, along with their successors, even down to our
time, none of whom ever taught or imagined any such doctrine
as the heretics, in their frenzy, maintain. If such interpretations
had been known to the Apostles, in the manner of hidden mys-
teries, reserved to be taught apart to the most perfect, surely, of
all others, they to whom the Churches themselves were com-
mitted would have had these mysteries committed to them also.
For it was the Apostles' wish to have their successors, and those
entrusted to bear sway in their stead, complete and unblameable
in every thing ; whose correct demeanour was sure to be the
Church's blessing ; their fall, her extreme calamity, ft were too
long, however, at present to enumerate the chains of Bishops in
all the Churches. Look at one of the greatest and ancientest,
well known to all, the Church founded and established at Rome,
by two most glorious Apostles, Peter and Paul. What tradition
she received from the Apostles, and what faith, to be preached
to all men, we are able to ascertain ; the same having come down
to us by the unbroken series and succession of her Bishops. And
thus we confound all those who in any way draw wrong conclu-
sions, through self-complacency, or vain glory, or blindness of
heart and evil prejudice. For to this Church of Rome, because
of the eminent dignity" (of that city), " it cannot be but that
other Churches resort, I mean believers, from every quarter;
and in the same Church, among those so resorting, the tradition
of the Apostles has been preserved entire." Thus speaks the
holy Bishop and martyr Irenseus, who lived within twenty years of
St. John himself; and, to make good his words, he proceeds to
reckon up the Bishops of Rome, from the first, appointed by the
two great Apostles, to the time of his writings — twelve in number*
" By this order and succession," says Irenaeus, " the tradition in-
herited by the Church from the Apostles, and the substance of
their preaching, has come down safe to our times."
Thus Wrote Irenaeus, living in Gaul. And in like manner,
not long after him, TertuUian, writing against the same heretics
in Africa, and defending that doctrine of our Lord's true Incar-
f TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
nation, which is the very life of the world : — " The heretics,"
says he, " themselves plead Scripture. How are we to know
whether their's is the true sense or our's ? The natural way is
to look and see whether either of the two can be traced back to
the time of the Apostles. What Christ revealed to them they
preached ; what they preached, must be known by the testimony
of those Churches which they themselves founded. If there be
any heresies claiming Apostolical antiquity, let them give ac-
count of the first beginning of their Churches ; let them unfold
the roll of their Bishops, so continued by succession from the
beginning, as that their first Bishop shall have received ordina-
tion from some Apostle or disciple of the Apostles; such a dis-
ciple, I mean, as went out from them. For thus do the Churches
which are truly Apostolical make out, as it were, their genea-
logical tables : the Church of Smyrna vouching as her first Pre-
late Polycarp, there established by St. John : the Church of
Rome, Clement, in like manner, ordained by St. Peter ; and the
other Churches no less have each some person to name, fixed by
the Apostles, as Bishops, in each respectively ; through whom
e^ich derives the seed of Apostolical communion." Now, as Ter-
tullian goes on to argue, " this unbroken connexion with the
Apostles was a strong pledge of their inheriting sound Ajx)s-
tolical doctrine too, except it could be proved that their doctrine
had varied at any time. For, as the Apostles must have agreed
with each other in their teaching, so neither could Apostolical
men have put forth doctrines contrary to the Apostles ; except
they were such as had revolted from the Apostles, and might be
detected by the diversity of their doctrine." And this would hold
in each following age, till some actual variation took place.
And if it held in respect of any one Church, how mucli more in
respect of the combined evidence of the independent Churches
in all parts of the world, each producing their several lines of
succession, terminating in several Apostles or Apostolical men,
and each agreeing (for all material points) in the same tra-
ditionary doctrine and interpretation of the Scriptures ! For
instance, when on some occasion, as the same Tertullian relates,
the Churches of Rome and Africa " interchanged the watch-
word," or, as we might say, " compared notes ;" what an encou-
ragement and confirmation must it not have proved to both, to
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
find themselves niutually agreed, without previous concert, in
their views of Scripture truth, and of the system established by
the Apostles.
By such arguments in the first age were the enemies of Christ's
Incarnation put to silence. It is plain, so far, how well the Epis-
copal succession answered the jnirpose assigned to it by our
Lord, of providing that the fruit of Apostolical teaching should
remain ; and how vigorously the Church's anathema, first pro-
nounced by St. John, was followed up, to the confusion of those
who " abode not in the doctrine of Christ."
Still more remarkable to the same purpose are the ex-
amples of the following age. There, too, we find the Apos-
tolical succession the main out-work of Apostolical doctrine ;
the truth of Christ's Incarnation defended, not as in the former
age by single writers appealing to the long lines of Bishops who
had taught it, but by the Bishops of the Church themselves,
synodically met to pass sentence on the questionable teaching of
some of their colleagues. Being so met, they represented not
simply the judgment of the contemporary Churches, but also
that of each former generation of Christians, on the great mys-
tery in dispute. Each Bishop taking part in a synodical deci-
sion on those cardinal points of the faith, was understood as
avouching, besides his own opinion, the traditionary interpreta-
tion likewise which his Church had inherited from her first
founder. A very little thought will show how greatly this adds
to the support furnished by such meetings to orthodox and
saving truth. A convention of learned theologians agreeing in
their views of Scripture, would, no doubt, carry great authority.
A council of Bishops, in the third century, was such a conven-
tion, and a great deal more : it was a collection of harmonious
independent testimonies to the way in which the writers of Scrip-
ture had originally intended their writings to be understood.
The advantage of so meeting and comparing their respective
traditions, was particularly evident in those cases in which any
member of their own sacred order had countenanced, or seemed
to countenance, heretical opinions. For instances of the kind
occur in the age now under consideration ; the one displaying
in a peculiar way the scrupulous watchfulness of the early
Church : the other, her uncompromising -firmness ; — both in vin-
dication of the pure Gospel of God manifest in the flesh.
8 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
The first is the case of Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria, one
of the most famous Prelates of his time. The heresy of SabelUus
had sprung up in his province, which, under pretence of magni-
fying our blessed Lord, confounded His Person with that of the
Almighty Father, and so in fact denied the whole economy of
Salvation : maintaining that the Father himself was incarnate ;
that He appeared on earth as the Son, and suffered on the cross
for us. Refuting these, the holy Bishop had argued from those
expressions of Scripture which represent our Lord in his human
nature, as the work or creature of God the Father. " The Incar-
nate Son," said he, "is not the same with the Father, as the tree
is not the same with the husbandman, nor the ship with the
builder." Expressions surely justifiable enough, since what they
affirm is found almost word for word in our Lord's own dis-»
courses. ** I am the true Vine, and my Father is the Huslxind-
man." However, the expressions were misunderstood, although
from St. Dionysius' own report it should seem that he had care-
fully guarded them by the context ; it was generally reported
that he had used language derogatory to the Divine honour of
our Lord. A synod met at Rome to examine the matter, on
behalf of which the then Bishop of Rome, also named Dionysius^
wrote to the Bishop of Alexandria, requesting an explanation ;
which he gave to the full satisfaction of the whole Church ; sum-
ming up his doctrine in these remarkable words : " Of the names
used by me to express the Divine Persons, there is none which
can be separated or divided from the other to which it is re-
lated. Thus, suppose I speak of the Father ; before I add the
term ' Son,' I have implied His existence, by using the term
* Father.' I add the term Son ; though I had not mentioned the
Father, assuredly the idea of Him would have been comprised in
that of the Son : I join to these the * Holy Ghost,' but at the
same time I annex the thought of the fountain from whom and
the channel by whom He proceeds ;" calling him, as it seems,
the Spirit of the Father and the Son. *• Thus, on the one hand,
we do as it were expand the Unity, without division, into a
Trinity of Persons ; on the other hand, we gather the Trinity,
without diminution, into an Unity of substance." This noble
confession of a perfect faith we owe to the friendly remonstrance
of the assembled Bishops ; and surely the advantage is great, of
such a standing guard, in enabling the Church nut only to recog-
TRACTS FOR THE TIMBS. y
nise and repel her enemies, hut also to know for certain those
friends about whom otherwise she might stand in doubt. If, when
the excellent Bishop Taylor published his ' Liberty of Prophe-
sying,' there had been a council of primitive Bishops at hand,
to warn him authoritatively of the evil consequences which here-
tics would afterwards draw from some of his positions, the Church
would, in all probability, have been a gainer in two ways : first,
what he had there put incautiously would have been corrected,
and the sting taken out : and next, we might so much the more
unreservedly use his authority on other points.
But to proceed with the third century : — Very soon after this
friendly debate with Dionysius, both he, and the Bishops who had
remonstrated with him, and indeed the great body of the Ortho-
dox Prelacy, were called on to maintain the truth of our Lord's
incarnation in another case, in which all remonstrance had failed.
This was the case of Paul of Samosata, himself also Bisliop and
Pastor of one of the most renowned sees, Antioch ; the only
Church which at that time could compare in dignity with Rome
and Alexandria. To expose the errors of so high a functionary, to
call him to account, and finally, he continuing obstinate, to depose
him, was the work of no mean authority ; especially as he had the
support of a strong political party, and used many arts which in
all times have been found popular and effective. It appears by
the report of the synod of Bishops assembled to inquire into his
cause, that he 'delighted to resemble men of much secular busi-
ness ; to have people pressing on him ; to be reading letters and
dictating answers as he went along the public street. Ao-ain,
in his preaching, he constantly aimed at making a show of inge-
nuity, and producing a splendid effect for the time. His action
was violent and showy, and he encouraged in the very Church,
the rude expressions of applause, shaking of handkerchiefs, and
the like, which were practised in the theatres. The fathers, and
their interpretations of Scripture, he took all opportunities of
disparaging, praising himself at their expense, more like one
lecturing, or telling fortunes for hire, than like a genuine Chris-
tian Bishop. It is clear at once, what view such a person would
be likely to take of the high and mysterious doctrines of our reli-
gion. It is no matter of surprise to find him maintaining, in
opposition to our Lord's own words, that Christ was from
beneath, and not from above ; that he was merely a human Pro-
2
10 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
phet, not the Son of God come down from Heaven ; that the
wisdom of the Almighty dwelt in Him as it had dwelt in former
Prophets, only in more abundant measure. In short, he held the
same doctrine as those who now call themselves Unitarians. And
there is good reason to think, that he was favoured and protected
by the ruling power in the state. Zenobia, who at that time
exercised imperial sway in Syria with the title of Queen of the
East, was strongly addicted to a kind of deistical Judaism, the
same in substance with his Unitarian opinions. These few par^
ticulars may give some idea of the peril in which the orthodox
faith and the true Church lay then at Antioch. But even under
the most untoward circumstances, the Bishops of the neighbouring
sees assembled ; and their interference, by the blessing of God,
was effectual in preserving their charge from apostasy. It is
worth observing how well their proceedings answer to the line
marked out in such cases by our Lord himself, in His charter of
Church censures. First, they send Paul a brotherly expostulation,
telling him his fault between them and him alone. The first sen-
tence of this letter is much to be noticed, not only for its calm
and gentle tone, but also, for its very distinct reference to the
succession of doctrine from the Apostles as a test of truth.
*' Health in Christ: — We have just now, by discourse with each
other, satisfied ourselves of our umtual faith. Now that every one's
mind may be clearly disclosed, and all disputed questions more
completely set at rest, we have thought good hereby to set forth in
writing the faith which we have received from the beginning, and
hold fast, handed down as it is and safely guarded in the Catholic
and holy Church, preached even to this day, through succession
by the blessed Apostles, those who were even eye-witnesses and
ministers of the word ; this faith we have decreed to set forth out
of the Law and the Prophets, and the New Testament." 1'hen
having gone through a large body of Scripture evidence for the
most High Godhead of our Lord and Saviour, they conclude : —
" These things, a few out of very many, we have set down, de-^
siring to know whether you think and teach as we do, and re-
questing you to signify to us your approbation or disapprobation
of what we have written." This epistle was followed up by
various conferences : but Paul yet refusing to be reclaimed, the
Bishops of Syria went on to act upon the remaining part of our
Saviour's enactment in such cases : they assembled, to the num-
TRACTS FOB THE TIMES. 1 1
ber of seventy or eighty, and called on him to " hear the Church :"
which, when he refused, they formally deposed him, and separated
him from the body of Christian people, pronouncing on him the
following sentence : — " Him, thus setting himself against God,
and refusing to give way, we have been compelled to excommu-
nicate, and in his room to set another as Bishop over this Catholic
Church ; by the providence of God, as we believe." This they
made known to the Bishops of Rome and Alexandria, and all the
world over, that they, acquiescing in the sentence pronounced,
might lose no time in writing to the new Bishop of Antioch
letters of communion and acknowledgment, as the manner of
the churches then was ; directing their letter, " To the Bishops
of Rome and Alexandria, and all our fellow servants throughout
the world, whether Bishops, Priests, or Deacons, and to the whole
Catholic Church under Heaven." By the co-operation of those
distant Bishops, the sentence was finally and effectually con-
firmed : the Church of Antioch delivered from her unfaithful
shepherd, and the verity of our Lord's Divine Nature passed on,
as a precious deposit, to other councils and other times.
These few brief examples, — not, it will be observed, standing
apart, but taken as what they truly are, specimens of a great and
general system, continually in action throughout the Christian
world ; — these few examples may serve to show how close a con-
nexion naturally subsists between sound doctrine and apostolical
succession in the ministry. We have seen that the one, in those
primitive ages, was constantly appealed to as no slight guarantee
for the other. It coidd not well be otherwise, as long as the suc-
cessors of the Apostles did their duty, originally in ordaining
none but orthodox men, and afterwards in watching and censur-
ing (if need were) the most exalted even of their own colleagues,
on sufficient proof of defection on their part.
Two facts are quite indisputable : the firsts that in those ages
the Bishops and Pastors were considered as the chosen aposto-
lical guardians of the true faith ; the other ^ that they really acted
as such. Does not the conclusion irresistibly follow, that such
Providence intended them to be ? And can any one, knowing
these circumstances, read the peculiarly significant promises at
sundry times addressed by our Lord to His Apostles, and not
perceive in the Episcopal succession the appropriate fulfilment of
those promises? For instance, "I have chosen you, and ordained
you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that vour fruit.
12 TRACTS FOR THF TIMES.
should remain." " I am with you always, even unto the end of
the workl." " Upon this Rock I will build my Church, and the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
We have then from Scripture, the consolation of believing,
that as long as we reverence and uphold the Apostolical ministry^
we are in our line and measure '* labouring together" with God
himself. We are so far doing our humble part in that systeni
which the all-wise Redeemer has ordained to be the humaa^
visible, secondary instrument of guarding and propagating those
truths, on which our communion with Him depends.
This will be seen yet more clearly, on proceeding to examine
the doctrinal results, such as they appear on the whole in those
Churches, which from error or necessity have parted with the
Apostolical succession. This must be attempted on some future
occasion.
For the present, reverting to that ineffable mystery, from
which on this day especially all our devout thoughts should
begin, and in which they should end, I would only ask one ques-
tion. What will be the feelings of a Christian^ particularly of a
Christian pastor, should he find hereafter that in slighting or dis-
couraging /Apostolical claims and views, (be the temptation what
it may) he has really been helping the evil spirit to unsettle men's
faith in the Incarnation or the Son of God.?.
■■:'.{-;.■ ■ ■ ' ■■ . • ^
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The Feast of ihe Purification.
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
BISHOP WILSON'S MEDITATIONS ON HIS SACRED
OFFICE.
No. v.— THURSDAY.
CHURCH DISCIPLINE.
(Continued.)
There is a public absolution, which is no more than a relaxa-
tion of a censure. There is no relation betwixt that and the
absolution of sins.
God ratifies in heaven the judgments of His ministers on
earth, when they judge by the rules prescribed by His Word.
Whenever Church discipline meets with discountenance,
impieties of all kinds are sure to get head and abound. And
impieties, unpunished, do always draw down judgments.
The same Jesus Christ who appointed baptism, for the
receiving men into His Church and family, has appointed excom-
munication to shut such out as are judged unworthy to continue
in it.
Matt, xviii. 15, &c. " If thy brother shall trespass against
thee, go tell him his fault between thee and him alone. If he
shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will
not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the
mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the Church ;
but if he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as an
heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatso-
ever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven ; and what-
soever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven." So
B
X TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
that if baptism be a blessing, excommunication is a real punish-
ment : there being the same authority for excommunication as
for baptism. And if men ridicule it, they do it at the peril of
their souls.
In short, this authority is necessary, if it is necessary to pre-
serve the honour of religion. It is appointed by Jesus Christ.
The ends proposed by it are, to reform wicked men, and to
remove scandals. If the sentence is duly executed, the offender
is really deprived of the ordinary means of salvation. It is in-
deed a sentence passed by men, but by men commissioned by
God Himself; that is, by the Holy Ghost.
The authority of Christ is to be respected in the meanest of
His ministers.
Excommunication, the most dreadful punishment which a
Christian can suffer, becomes less feared than it ought to be,
through the countenance which excommunicated persons meet
with, contrary to the express command of God, " With such a
one, no not to eat."
A true penitent will be willing to bear the shame of his sins
(where he has given offence) before men, that he may escape the
confusion of them hereafter. But then he ought to know, that
to submit to the outward part of penance, is not to submit to
God, unless it proceed from the fear and love of God.
A man may see his sin, confess it, abhor it, and yet be a false
penitent. Judas did all this. What he wanted was the grace of
God, to see the mercy of God as well as His justice.
Those who are the first to lead men into sinful courses, seldom
trouble themselves to recover them out of them. The ministers
of Christ must do it, or they must die in their sin.
Mark v. 4. " And they laughed him to scorn." O, my Lord
and Master ! let me not be driven from my duty, by the infi-
delity and scoffs of the world.
How desperate soever the condition of a sinner may appear,
we must neither insult over it, nor despair of his conversion.
A person who has offended and scandalized others by his sins,
ought, before he be admitted to the peace of the Church, and to
receive the Sacrament, to give some good ground of .assurance,
by a sober life, that he i* a true penitent.
I
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. ' 3
Mark vi. 1 . " Shake off the dust under your feet, for a testi-
mony against them." Jesus Christ permits not His Apostles
to avenge themselves by their Apostolical power, nor even to
desire that He should do it ; but to leave their cause to God,
with full confidence in Him.
Luke xix. 8. " And if I have taken any thing from any man
by false accusation, I restore him fourfold." The judgment,
which, of his own accord, this penitent passes upon himself,
will condemn those who reject all the remedies offered, and all
methods made use of, for their conversion, and who will not
make the least atonement for their crimes. Men show very
plainly that they love sin, when they will not suffer any one to
put a stop to it, to remove the occasions thereof; and to shame,
to reprove, and to punish the sinner. This is a sin which draws
after it great judgments.
If a pastor hopes to do his duty without reproving the world,
(without testifying that the works thereof are evil; John vii. 7.)
or to reprove it without being hated by it, he will deceive him-
self; he may carry it fair with men, but will be condemned by
Jesus Christ.
John viii. 7. " He that is without sin among you, let him
cast the first stone." They whose duty it is to punish offenders,
should take great care not to be influenced by pride, hypocrisy,
passion, false zeal, or malice ; but to punish with reluctancy ;
with compassion, as having a sense of their own misery and
weakness, which, perhaps, render them more guilty in the sight
of God. Let Ecclesiastical Judges always remember, that the
Holy Ghost, to whom it belongs to bind and loose, never makes
Himself the minister of the passions of men.
John xii. 43. " They loved the praise of men more than the
glory of God." And this is the cause that men count it more
shameful to acknowledge their crimes than it was to be guilty of
them.
We must never insult a sinner ; but, without extenuating his
sin, we must comfort him, by showing him the good which God
may bring out of it.
Acts viii. 3. " As for Saul, he made havock of the Church."
The designs of God toward Saul should teach us not to despair
b2
4 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
of any man's conversion, but to pray for it, and to use our best
endeavours, instead of being angry, and using them ill.
Acts ix. 9. •' And Saul was three days without sight, and
neither did eat nor drink." Jesus Christ himself, in this- in-
stance, teaches His ministers not to be too hasty in receiving
penitents, but to let them fast and pray, and bear the sense of
their sin, and of their bad condition, before they be reconciled.
It teaches penitents to fast and pray, and to bear with patience
the fruit of their own doings.
Acts xix. 18. " Many that believed, came and confessed their
deeds," &c. The Spirit of Grace always inclines men to confess
their evil deeds, and humble themselves for their sins. There
could not be a more shameful one than dealing with the devil,
&c. yet this did not hinder them, — or from sacrificing the most
valuable things that had been instruments in their wickedness.
This is a proof of a true conversion, &c.
The fall of others, is for us a great instruction, and a lesson
which we ought to study, not in order to insult our neighbour,
but to fear for, and amend, ourselves.
Let us not despise any sinner. God has sometimes very great
designs in relation to those who are at present most opposite to
Him.
To reprove, when persons are not in a proper disposition for
amendment, would be to give both them and ourselves trouble
without any prospect of advantage.
To make reproof beneficial, they to whom it is given shpuld
see that it does not proceed from humour, or from a design to
vex them, but from a true zeal and love for their souls.
A true charity will never insult those that arei gone astray, but
will use the greatest sinners mildly, lest they should be driven
to despair by too great severity.
The Church forgives sins " in the person of Christ," (2 Cor.
ii. 10.) She remits the temporal punishment of them also, be-
cause Christ is the Sovereign High Priest, and because it belongs
to God alone to recede from the strictness of His justice, in what
manner He thinks fit. An ecclesiastical governor should endea-
vour to preserve discipline, and the esteem of his people, at the
same time, by acts of tenderness, &c.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. O
2 Cor. X. 8. " For though I should boast of my authority,
(which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for de-
struction,) I should not be ashamed." It is necessary, sometimes,
to extol the dignity of our office. N. B. Pastors are appointed
by Christ to edify the Church ; they must, therefore, be hon-
oured and obeyed.
The disorders which a good pastor observes in his flock, will
always be matter of humiliation to him, because he will always
impute them to himself. A pastor, a priest, who does not, with
tears and supplications, bewail the sins of his people, cannot call
himself their mediator with God.
It is the greatest comfort of a good pastor, to feel himself
obliged to use nothing but good advice, and the mild part only
of his authority ; but when that will not do, he must " use sharp-
ness ;" but still, with this view, that it be for their edification, not
for their destruction.
It seldom happens that great men, whether clergy or laity,
reform their lives, because they seldom meet with persons of
courage to oppose them, or to tell them of their faults. , A
Bishop, who is not restrained by any earthly engagements, will
not spare any man whose conduct is, prejudicial to the faith.
Gal. v. 12. *' I would they were even cut off which trouble
you." To wish shame, or some temporal evil, for the salvation
of my neighbour's soul, is not contrary to charity. It seems,
matters were come to a great height of evil, when St, Paul was
forced to wish that to be done, which he did not, in prudence,
think fit to do.
Ecclus. viii. 5. " Reproach not a man that turneth from sin,
but remember that we are all worthy of punfshment."
2 Thess. iii. 6. *' Now we command you," fand the same
authority subsists still in the governors of the Church,) " in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves
4 from every brother that walketh disorderly," &c. Nothing
is there which the faithful ought more carefully to avoid, than
disorderly livers, — nothing which pastors ought more earnestly
to warn their flocks of.
May I ever observe the rules of an holy and charitable
severity.
b TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
2 Thess. iii. 14. '* And if any man obey not our word, note
that man, and have no company with him, that he may be
ashamed ; yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as
a brother." Excommunication is only for the contumacious, —
not to insult, but to cure.
1 Tim. V. 1 9. " Against an elder receive not an accusation,
but before two or three witnesses." A pastor ought not lightly
to be exposed to the revenge of those, whom it is probable he
has, or shall have, occasion to reprove.
1 Tim. V. 20. " Them that sin rebuke before all, that others
also may fear." That is, who sin grievously and are convinced
before two or three witnesses — let such be censured, before, or
by the consent of, all the congregation.
2 Tim. ii. 25. " In meekness instructing," (reproving) " those
that oppose themselves, — if God peradventure will give them re-
pentance," &c. When we consider that repentance is the gift of
God — that the wiles of the devil are many, and corruption of
nature very strong, we shall compassionate instead of insulting a
sinner. We shall adore the mercy of God towards ourselves,
and hope for it for others. We shall fear for ourselves, and pray
for them. They may recover, and be saved. We may fall, and
be lost for ever.
When men will not take care of their own salvation, the
Church owes this care to her children, to hinder them as much
as possible from ruining others.
If excommunication is perpetual, it is caused by the obstinacy
of the offender, not by the laws of Christ, or His Church, which
only deprives wicked men of the benefit of communion for a time,
to bring them to a sense of their duty. Church discipline is for
the honour of God, for the safety of religion, the good of sinners,
and for the public weal, — that Christians may not run headlong
to ruin without being made sensible of their danger, — that others
may see, and fear, and not go on presumptuously in their evil
ways, — that the house of God may not become a den of thieves,
— and that judgments may not be poured down upon the whole
community. Josh. xxii. 20. '* Did not Achan commit a tres-
pass, and wrath fell on all the congregation ?"
The most eflfectual way of answering these ends is, to exercise
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 7
a Strict impartial discipline. First, to withhold from Christians
the benefit of the Holy Sacrament, till they behave themselves so
as to be worthy of so great a blessing. And, secondly, if they con-
tinue obstinate, (all proper methods being used to reclaim them,)
to excommunicate them ; and to oblige all sober Christians not
to hold familiar conversation with thejn. But first of all. Christ-
ians should be made sensible of what blessings they are deprived,
when they are debarred the communion, — even the greatest on
earth ; without which they can have no hopes of salvation, but
must perish eternally, John vi. 53.
He that understands and believes this, will submit to any hard-
ships, rather than incur, rather than continue under, a sentence
so full of terror ; and a sentence passed by one commissioned by
God ; and bound, at the peril of his soul, to pass it, it being the
greatest indignity to Christ and the divine ordinance, to prosti-
tute the body and blood of Christ, to notorious evil livers. God
has therefore lodged a power in the pastors of His Church, to
repel all such ; and it is a mercy even to them to be hindered
from increasing their guilt and their damnation.
Nor can any prince, governor, nor human law, hinder a Christ-
ian Bishop from exercising this power, because he is under an
obligation to the King of kings and Lord of lords to do his duty
in this respect.
Nor must it be pretended, that the punishment which Christ-
ian Magistrates inflict may supersede this discipline. Those pun-
ishments only affect the body, and keep the outward man in
order. These are designed to purify the soul, and to save that
from destruction. Excommunication, as St. Paul tells us, (1 Cor.
V, 5.) is " for the destruction of the flesh, that the soul may be
saved;" that is, to mortify the corruptions of nature, lust, pride,
intemperance, &c. ; this being the only way to save the soul of
the sinner, and to bring him to reason, that is, to repentance.
For upon a sinner's repentance, (unless where he has incurred
this sentence more than once,) the Church is ready to receive him
into her bosom, with open arms. But then by repentance must
be understood, not a bare change of mind ; not an acknowledg-
ment of the sin and scandal ; not a seiious behaviour for a few
days; — all which may soon wear off'; but, a course of public
penance, a long trial of sincerity, such as may satisfy a man's
2
0 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
self, and all sober Christians, that the sinner is a true penitent ;
that he has forsaken all his evil ways, evil company, ievil habits ;
that he is grown habitually serious, devout and religious, — and
that by fasting and prayer, he has, in some good measure, got the
mastery of his corrupt nature, and has begun a repentance not to
be repented of.
For want of this care and method, many Christians are ruined
eternally. They sin, and repent, and sin again, and think all is
safe, because they have repented, as they think, and are pardoned.
There are people who are in the same sad case with those that
stand excommunicated, though no sentence has passed upon
them, namely, such as live in a contempt of the public worship of
God. They cannot properly be turned out of the Church, who
never come into it, but they keep themselves out of the ark, and
consequently must perish.
Excommunication, in jthe primitive times, was pronounced in
the congregation to which the offender belonged. After which,
they gave notice to all other Churches ; namely, ' let no temple
of God be open to him, let none converse with him,* &c.
2 Sam. xii. 13, 14. " And David said unto Nathan, I have
sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said, the Lord also hath
put away thy sin, thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this
deed thou hast given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blas-
pheme, the child that is born unto thee shall surely die." The
divine justice punisheth every sin, either in this world or in
the next. A sinner's willingness to undergo any punishment
which shall be appointed by the minister of God, in order to
make proof of, and to establish his repentance, is a sure sign that
God has not withdrawn his grace, notwithstanding his sin.
(To be continued.)
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The Feast of the Annunciation.
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES,
HOLY DAYS OBSERVED IN THE ENGLISH CHURCH.
The Holy days observed by the Church of England are of two
kinds : — Festivals, or days of joy ; and Fasts, or days of sorrow.
The Festivals are : —
The Nativity of our Lord, commonly called Christmas- day ;
on which we celebrate that great event, the birth, as man, of the
everlasting and Almighty Son of God. (Dec. 25.)
The Circumcision of Christ. On this day we are taught to
remember with joy the transaction which may be called the first
act of our Lord's obedience to the law for our sakes : the begin-
ning of that unspotted career of purity and duty, which He
mercifully submitted to accomplish for the redemption of sinful
man. (Jan. 1.)
The Epiphany, the manifestation, or making known of the
new-born Saviour to the Gentiles. The first individuals, from
the nations who till then had walked in darkness, who bent the
knee before Him, were the Wise Men of the East ; when, led by
a miraculous star, they brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh,
as their offerings to Bethlehem. And this event we, in an island
which has since, by God's mercy, also seen the ** great light" of
Christian truth, cannot too joyfully or too thankfully comme-
morate. (Jan. 6.)
The Presentation of Christ in the temple, commonly called,
the Purification of St. Mary the Virgin. The event comme-
morated on this day is the fulfilment of prophecy (Malachi iii. 1.)
by our Lord's appearance in the Temple, whither He was brought
that His mother might comply with the rite of purification, en-
TRACTS FOIto THE TIMES.
joined by Moses. The examples of the holy Simeon and Anna
(Luke ii.) are on this occasion held up for our imitation. Like
them, we should devoutly rejoice that our earthly career has been
blessed by the knowledge of Christ's coming in the flesh ; — that
we have been enabled to see that light which was destined to
lighten the Gentiles, as well as to be the glory of God's people
Israel. (Feb. 2.)
The Annunciation, or announcement of the approaching birth
of the Saviour by the angel Gabriel, to the Virgin Mary, Luke
i. 26. (March 25.)
Easter day, and* the days following. On this greatest of all
festivals, we celebrate the consummation of our Lord's victory over
the powers of darkness. His glorious and triumphant rising from
the grave ; an event in which His true followers rejoice as being
alike the great confirmation of their Master's truth, and the
earnest and proof of their own blissful resurrection in the fulness
of God's appointed time.
Easter is kept on different days of the months of March or
April, in different years, the time of its celebration depending on
that of a full moon, as did the Jewish Passover.
Ascension day, (forty days after Easter,) on which, as the
name of the festival implies, we commemorate the ascension of
our Lord into heaven, forty days after His resurrection.
Whitsunday, or the Feast of Pentecost, (ten days after
Ascension day.) On this day we celebrate the fulfilment of our
Lord's parting promise in the descent of the Holy Ghost, in
fire, upon His Apostles, to abide with them, and with His Holy
Church, even unto the end of the world.
Trinity Sunday, (the Sunday following Whitsunday.) On
this day, having commemorated severally the different leading
events in our Lord's history, from the annunciation of His birth
to the pouring forth of His Spirit, we are led by our Church to
contemplate the mystery of our Redemption in one general view ;
glorifying alike God Xhe Father, who sent His dearly-beloved
Son to save us ; God the Son, who graciously undertook our
redemption ; and God the Holy Ghost, who mercifully vouch-
safes to sanctify us, and all the elect people of God.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. O
The Conversion of St. Paul Jan. 25.
St. Matthias Feb. 24,
St. Mark Apr. 25.
St. Philip and St. James May 1.
• St. Barnabas June 1 1 .
St. John the Baptist June 24.
St. Peter June 29.
St. James July 25.
St. Bartholomew Aug. 24.
St. Matthew Sep. 21 .
St. Simon and St. Jude Oct. 28.
St. Andrew . .• ••.... Nov. 30.
St. Thomas Dec. 21 .
St. Stephen Dec. 26.
St. John Dec. 27.
On these days we are instructed to seek encouragement in our
Christian warfare, by remembering the triumphant issue of
that warfare in the cases of those eminent followers of their
Lord, the Apostles, the Baptist, and the first martyr. In the
graces bestowed upon them, we behold the most striking illus-
trations of God's merciful promises of support to His servants ;
and in striving to confirm our own faith by the example of theirs,
we are following the advice of one of themselves — of one " n6t
a whit behind the chiefest of them," — St. Paul. See his Epistle
to the Hebrews, chap. xi.
The Holy Innocents. On this day we commemorate the
infants of Bethlehem, whose blood, shed by Herod, was the first
spilt by the enemies of Christianity in opposition to its progress.
Mourning this, and all similar events, the Church yet directs our
praises to Him, who made infants to glorify Him by their deaths ;
and who, while receiving to His mercy, these and millions of other
infant souls, has declared for the instruction of those more
advanced in years, that " of such" as little children "is the
kingdom of heaven." (Dec. 28.)
St. Michael and all Angels. Sept. 29.
All Saints. Nov. 1.
A 2
4 . TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
We should ever recollect that we, humblest members of Christ's
Church militant ^ here on earth, form part and portion of a great
society — of what St. Paul calls "the general assembly and churchof
the first-born,"Heb.xii.23. And to this belong alike those glorious
spirits who have never known either sin or sorrow, and those glo-
rified saints, who, having come out of the great tribulations of earth,
have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the
Lamb, Rev. vii. 14. These two days are therefore set apart,
that we may comfort ourselves, by thinking on the great privilege
to which we are invited, of an union with that blessed society ;
and that the thought may inspire us with additional ardour to
run, while yet on earth, the race that is set before us.
The Fasts of the Church of England are, —
In the first place, the vigils, or days before the following
festivals.
The Nativity of our Lord St. James
The Purification St. Bartholomew
The Annunciation St. Matthew
Ascension Day St. Simon and St. Jude
Whitsunday St. Andrew
St. Matthias St. Thomas
St. John Baptist. All Saints.
St. Peter
These the Church has prescribed to be observed as seasons of
fasting, that we may bring our minds into a fitter state for cele-
brating the more joyful solemnities which succeed them. Those
festivals which are not preceded by such fasts either follow im-
mediately other festivals, or occur, for the most part, in what the
Church considers seasons of joy ; as, for instance, the circumci-
sion, at Christmas time, and St. Mark's day, between Easter and
Whitsuntide, while we are commemorating the glorious events
which follov.ed the resurrection. With regard to the feasts of
Saints and Apostles, the observation of these fasts tends to revive
in our minds the recollection of the troubles and sufferings which
' That is '■ in a state of warfare."
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. O
these Christian heroes underwent on their way to the possession
of that happiness and glory which we are, on their festivals,
invited to contemplate. And upon this principle, probably, it is,
that no fast is appointed before the feast of St. Michael and all
Angels. We have no previous struggles with sin or evil, to com-
memorate in the history of those exalted beings who have never
partaken of mortality or of its troubles ; but have, from the
beginning, been happy, pure, and holy, in Heaven.
Lent, — Or the season of forty days, excluding Sundays, which
precedes Easter. The earlier part of this solemn season is in-
tended to prepare us for the great week of our Lord's passion,
wuh which it concludes. And the space of forty days seems
marked out as a proper period for fasting and humiliation by the
instances, not only of Moses and Elias, but of one far greater
than they, who prepared Himself for the commencement of His
ministry by a fast of forty days in the wilderness.
Ash-Wednesday. — The first day of these forty has ever
been observed by the Church with peculiar solemnity. On that
day, in early times, her ministers maintained the custom, which
the Apostles had introduced and enjoined, of putting to open
penance and shame notorious offenders against her laws or her
authority ; thus, according to the direction of Scripture, punish-
ing them in this world, that they might be led to repentance, and
that their souls might consequently be saved in the world which
is to come.
But those happier, because purer, days of the Church's history
have past away. God in His own good time will renew them ;
and that He will speedily do so, we are bound to pray. In the
meanwhile, the Church calls upon us, upon this day, collectively
to humble ourselves before Him whom our sins and our abandon-
ment of this godly discipline have deeply offended ; and to im-
plore His pardon for those transgressions, committed among us,
without meeting such rebuke, for which we affirm with our own
mouths, His vengeance and curse to be due. In making this
acknowledgment, we continue, in the Christian Church, a cere-
mony which God Himself ordained for the Jewish. See Deut.
xxvii. 13 — 26.
O TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
The different days of Passion week : of the week, that is,
between the Sunday before Easter and Easter-day — are consi-
dered by the Church fasts of such importance as to have Epistles
and Gospels appointed to each. The same reasons which should
incline us to a reverential observance of Lent in general, apply,
of course, still more strongly to the week which represents the
season of our Saviour's sufferings ; and, most strongly of all, the
that solemn day which commemorates His death ; and which, in
memory of the benefits which we derive from that mysterious
event, we call Good Friday.
That we may, indeed, keep in continual remembrance the ex-
ceeding love of our Master and only Saviour, thus dying for us,
the Church reckons among her other fasts, —
All Fridays in the year, excepting, of course, Christmas- day,
should that festival fall on a Friday.
The following days in the year are called Ember-days.
^ The first Sunday in Lent.
The Wednesday, Friday, y The Feast of Pentecost,
and Saturday before j Sept. 14.
/Dec. 13.
These days are ordained to be kept as fasts, because the four
Sundays which respectively follow them are the appointed seasons
for the ordination by our Bishops of priests and deacons to
their sacred offices. St. Paul clearly declares the duty of all
Christians to pray for those set in ministerial authority over
them. And that fasting was practised by the early Church at
the season when such" ministers were ordained, we learn from
Acts xiii. 3.
The above, with the three days immediately before Ascension-
day, — days which, under the name of Rogation days, the Church
has from the very earliest times employed in especial supplica-
tion and prayer, — complete the number of the fasts of our
English Calendar.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 7
A holy season which, though it is observed by some branches
of the Church as a strict fast, is not comprised among the fasts
of the Church of England, is that of Advent ; the season of
preparation for celebrating the festival of the Nativity. It
begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, and continues
till Christmas Eve.
Oxford,
The Feast of the Annunciation.
These Tracts are published Monthly^ and sold at the price of
2d. for each sheet, or 7s. for 50 copies.
LONDON : PRINTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
SERMONS ON SAINTS' DAYS.
(No. 3. ST. MARK'S DAY.)
That we henceforth he no more children^ tossed to and fro, and
carried about with every wind of doctrine.'" — Ephes. iv. 14.
The Church in her Collect for this day, directs us how to
pray for stability in sound doctrine, as a sign, and indispensable
requisite, of something better than mere childhood in religion.*
She would not have Christians to content themselves with a con-
sciousness of faith, however devout, or with a feeling of love,
however fervent, but she wishes every man to prove his faith
and love ; i. e. to see to it, that he believe the genuine Gospel,
and love and adore the true and only Saviour. Daily experience
shows that it is very possible for men, and serious men too,
forgetting this caution, to think all is right, if only certain
pious impressions are produced, sufficient, apparently, to lead
the mind upwards, and, at the same time, to enforce the relative
duties of life. If that be done, say they, all is done. Why go"
on to perplex good people with questions of mere doctrinal
accuracy ? This is a very common way of speaking and think-
ing just at present : and it finds ready acceptance, especially
among the many who dislike trouble. For in Christian doctrine,
as in other things, it is some trouble to be accurate. Common,
however, and acceptable as the notion is, that the temper of faith
in the heart is every thing, and the substance of faith in the
creed comparatively nothing ; it is a notion at once proved un-
scriptural and wrong, were it only by this simple consideration ;
A
2 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
that SO much care has been taken in Scripture, and by God's
Providence guiding His Church in all ages, to guard the doctrines
once for all delivered to the Saints, and keep men steady ind
uniform in them. If this were not a principal object in the eye
of Divine Wisdom, is it conceivable that the great Apos*^^ should
have introduced it as he has done when speaking to the Ephe-
sians as one main result of the coming of the Holy Ghost, the
very bond between heaven and earth ? It is one of the passages,
in which he writes like one soaring majestically upward, flight
after flight beyond what he had at first intended : — " Unto ev^ry
one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift
of Christ;" i. e., according to that portion of special infused
grace which God sees needful for our several callings in His
Church. " Wherefore he saith. When He ascended up on high,
He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men." What gifts ?
Surely, to those who think slightly of Apostolical order in the
Church, the answer must appear very surprising. " He gave
sotDe, Apostles, and some, Pr.ophets, and some. Evangelists, and
^some, Pastors and Teachers." I do not of course press this text
as proving by itself the Apostolical authority of our three orders.
But thus much, undoubtedly, it proves, that some kind of order
was instituted in the beginning, of so important and beneficial
tendency, as to deserve a very high place in the enumeration of
those royal gifts, by which the Holy Comforter solemnized the
inauguration of the Son of God. We may, or we may not, enjoy
that order still. We may have irrecoverably lost it by God's
Providence justly visiting human abuse of it : in which case it
might not strike us as a practical topic of inquiry : but to sup-
pose that it still exists, or may be recovered, and yet to speak of
it as an idle dream, a worn out theory, or (still worse) a profane
superstition — this is' not what one should expect from those who
reverence the Divine Inspirer of this and similar passages in St.
Paul. But to proceed : the Apostle goes on to mention unity
of doctrine^ as one main final cause of the institution of this
Apostolical system. The Apostles, Prophets, and the rest, were
given to the Church by the Holy Ghost, ** that we henceforth be
no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every
wind of doctrine, by the sleight o( men, by cunning craftiness,
TRACTS FOR THE TiMfiS. 3
according to the wily system of deceit : but speaking the truth
in love, may grow up unto Him in all things, which is the
Head, even Christ :" i. e. may daily go on unto perfection in
serving and copying our adorable Saviour, and in nearer and
nearer, communion with Him.
It is clear that if the Apostolical ministry does guard effec-
tually the foundations of our faith, it so far gives room and
opportunity for all to go on to perfection. It puts men on a
vantage ground, disencumbers them of cares and anxieties about
that which is behind, and enables them with undivided energy to
press forward to that which is before. As a mere witness, the
Apostolical system, supposing it really such, must have this effect :
and we must not forget, that on the same supposition, especial
helps from Divine Grace may be looked for as likely to be
vouchsafed to those who humbly endeavour to go on by its aid.
Now, that the great Head of the Church has hitherto made use
of the succession of Bishops as a singular mean for guarding,
the doctrine of His Incarnation in particular, was shown on a
former occasion, by reference to the. ancient Church : where it
was proved, that both as indisputable witnesses, and as commis-
sioned and responsible guardians, the Bishops of the three first
centuries effectually maintained the truth for us. The same con-
clusion is now (;o be deduced from a more painful set of experi-
ments, in which modern times, unfortunately, have too much
abounded. We are to consider what has been the doctrinal
result in those Churches which have been so bold as to dispense
with primitive discipline and government. If we find them
marked, in the great majority of cases, by great unsteadiness
and vacillation o£ doctrinal views, even on those points which
contain the very essence of our faith : will not this be an addi-
tional lesson to us, that by forsaking the Apostolical ministry we
are but giving ourselves up to be " tossed to and fro, and carried
about with every wind of doctrine ?"
Now, first, although, as I said before, the heretics of the first
ages dared not openly dispense with Apostolical succession, the
times, as they well knew, not enduring it : yet they showed in
some remarkable instances, how little they really cared for it.
The following is the complaint of Tertullian in^ the second cen-
a2
4 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
tury : — " It may be right here to add some account of the prac-
tical system of the heretics, how futile it is, how altogether
earthly and human ; destitute of weight, of authority, of disci-
pline: as well agreeing with their system of doctrine. First,
who among them is a Catechumen, who a complete Christian, is
a thing uncertain: they come to Church : hear the sermon, join
in the prayers, indiscriminately : even should heathens chance
to come in, they will throw their holy things to the dogs, and their
pearls (which, indeed, are but counterfeits,) before swine. They
hold the overthrow of discipline to be [Christian] simplicity ;
and our reverence for the same, meretricious art. Every where,
and with all kinds of persons, they affect to be on good terms.
For it makes no difference to them how they disagree in their own
expositions, provided they can but unite for the overthrow of one
thing, viz. Truth. All are puffed up : all profess knowledge. Their
Catechumens become complete Christians before they have quite
learned their lessons. The very women among the heretics,
how forward are they ! daring to teach, to dispute, to exorcise,
to make show of gifts of healing : perhaps, even to baptize.
Their ordinations are off-hand, lights variable ; sometimes mere
novices are raised by them to Church office, sometimes men
engaged in worldly business, sometimes deserters from our
ranks ; whom they hope to make sure of by the compliment, hav-
ing no reahty" [of spiritual power] " to offer. In fact, promo-
tion is nowhere so easy as in the camp of rebels ; since the
very act of being there is rewardable service. Accordingly, one
man shall be their Bishop to-day, another to-morrow : to-day a
Deacon, to-morrow a reader : to-day a Presbyter, to-morrow a
mere layman. For in laymen also they rvill vest the powers and
functions of the Priesthood.'*
As an instance of what is thus generally stated by Tertullian,
take the behaviour of Novatian, Presbyter in the Church of
Rome, who, about the year 252, was the founder of a sect which
professed especial strictness of moral discipline. The testimony
concerning him, of his own Bishop, Cornelius, a prelate of the
highest character in the Church, is as follows : — " Never in so
short a time was so great a change seen, as we witnessed in
Novatian. He was continually pledging himself by certain fear-
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. O
ful oaths, that the Bishoprick was no object to him : and now,
on a sudden, as it were by some stage trick, he comes forward
in public a Bishop ! Reformer as he is of doctrine, and cham-
pion of pure Church principles, having entered on a scheme for
making himself a Bishop, without Divine sanction, by underhand
means, he selects two, as desperate as himself, and sends them
into certain small and insignificant dioceses of Italy : where,
lighting on three Bishops, (the requisite number for conse-
cration,) " men rustic, and very simple, he persuades them to
come with all speed to Rome, as though by their mediation some
present dispute in that Church might be composed. Being there
come, he surrounds them with men like himself, provided for
the purpose; and at a late hour, after a full meal, when they were
off their guard, compels them to make him Bishop, by I know
npt what imaginary and vain ordination."
Is it not plain that this person would have rejected the episco-
pal succession at once, if he could have compassed his ends
without it ? So far, therefore, he is an instance of the fact, that
disrespect to that succession is a part of the heretical character.
And although it is not exactly to the present purpose, I cannot
refrain from adding also a circumstance which betrays his
mind regarding the sacraments of Christ. Having set himself
up as a schismatical rival to Cornelius, the true Bishop of
Rome, this was his method of securing to himself partisans :
in the act of solemnizing the holy Eucharist, " when he had
made the offerings, and was distributing to each communicant
his portion, and conveying it to him, he compels the unfortu-
nate men, instead of giving thanks, to utter the following oath :
he holding both their hands, and not letting them go until they
repeated the words of asseveration after him : and these are his
very words : — * Swear to me by the body and blood of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that thou wilt never forsake me and return to
Cornelius.' Nor is the poor man allowed to taste, before he
shall have thus pronounced an imprecation on himself. And
when he receives that bread, instead of saying. Amen, he is made
to say, I will never return to Cornelius."
It is frightful, but surely it is very instructive to see how one
kind of profaneness thus draws on another. Contempt of Apos-
6 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
tolical authority was joined, we see, in this case, with contempt
of the Sacraments of Christ. In the worse case which followed,
that of Arius, the same evil temper led, as every one knows, to
a direct assault on the hojiest truths of Christianity. The imme-
diate occasion of Arius' promulgating his blasphemy is said to
have been his vexation at failing to succeed to the episcopal
throne of Alexandria. This exasperated him so, that he laid in
wait for an opportunity of disturbing the person preferred to
him, Alexander, a man of true primitive energy. And betook
occasion from certain expositions of Scripture, in which, as he,
Arius, pretended to think, the Bishop had too much magnified
the Son of God. The first spring, therefore, of his heresy was
a rebellious and envious feeling towards his Bishop. And
although for the same reason, probably, as Novatian, his fol-
lowers never renounced the Apostolical succession ; their pro-
ceedings were marked all along by a thorough disdain of Apos-
tolical privileges. Witness their unscrupulous use of the civil
power, or even of the fury of the populace, wherever it suited
their purposes to carry an episcopal election, or control a synod, by
such means: witness again the licence they encouraged of profane
and libellous scoffing, both in prose and verse : by which, added
to their improper appointments, they gradually depreciated the
character of the most sacred office ; so that it is quite melancholy
to read the accounts given of what Bishops were at Constantinople
in 381, as compared with what they had been at Nicaea, about
sixty years before. All was no more than might be expected
from a party, whose first overt proceeding are thus related by an
eye-witness. " They could not endure any longer to remain in
submission to the Church ; but having builded for themselves
dens of thieves, there they hold their meetings continually, by
day and by night exercising themselves in calumnies against
Christ and us. . . . They try to pervert those Scriptures which
affirm our Lord's eternal Godhead and unspeakable glory with
His Father. Thus encouraging the impious opinions of Jews
and Heathens concerning Christ, they lay themselves out to the
uttermost to be praised by them : making the most of thosfe
points, which the unbelievers are most apt to ridicule ; and daily
exciting tumults and factions against us. One of their methods
J
. TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 7
is, to get up actions at law against us, on the complaint of
simple women, disorderly persons, whom they have perverted.
Another, to expose the Christian profession to scorn, by permit-
ting the younger persons among them to run irreverently
about all the streets :" i. e., as it should seem, from one con-
venticle to another. ..." And while they thus set themselves
against the Divinity of the Son of God, of course they shrink
not from uttering unseemly rudenesses against us. Nay, they
disdain to compare themselves even with any of the ancients, or
to be put on a level with those, whom we from children have
reverenced as our guides. As to their fellow-servants of this
time, in whatever country or Church, they do not consider a
single one to have attained any measure of true wisdom : call-
ing themselves the only wise, the only disdainers of worldly
wealth, the only discoverers of doctrinal truth ; to themselves,
they say, alone are revealed things which i^. tl^^ir nati;ire
never could have come into the mind of any other under the
sun."
Such were th© original Arians, the first powerful impugners
of the Divinity of Jesus Christ ; such their conduct towards
their Bishops, and their reverence for Apostolical authority.
The list of examples might be greatly enlarged ; but it is time to
go on to more modern times, and see what the result has been,
where that was done, (I do not say from motives like theirs,)
which Novatian and Arius clearly would have done if they had
4^red.
The largest experiments yet made in the world on the doc-
trinal result of dispensing with episcopal succession, are the
Lutheran Churches of North Germany, the Presbyterian or
Reformed Churches of Switzerland, Holland and Scotland, with
their offshoots in France, Germany, England and Ireland, and the
Congregational or Independent Churches, in this island, and in
America. I am not now going to dispute the necessity of what
was done at the Reformation, (although it would be wrong to
allow such necessity, without proof quite overwhelming) but
simply to state, as matter of fact, what has ensued in each
instance in regard of the great doctrine of our Lord's Incarna-
tion,
8 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. ^
First, in North Germany ^ whatever may be supposed the cause,
it is notorious that a lamentable falling off from the simplicity of
evangelical truth prevailed during a considerable part of the
eighteenth century. Views prevailed, which are commonly
called Rationalist : i. e. which pretend to give an account, on
principles of mere human reason, of Christianity and every thing
connected with it. Of course the Union of God and Man in the
Person of Jesus Christ was an object of scorn to a nation so
led away by " philosophy and vain deceit." But it is a point
well worth remarking, that according to some who know much
of German literature, the mischief was occasioned in good
measure by the importation of Deistical books and opinions from
England ^ : books and opinions which England herself had re-
jected. Why so great a difference in the reception of the same
error by two kindred races of people, lying very much under the
same temptations? Is it unreasonable to suppose that the
Apostolical succession and safeguards arising out of it, which
England enjoys, had something to do with her comparative
exemption from that most alarming error ?
The next which occurs is the case of the Church of Geneva :
and it is, indeed, a most startling case. It appearing at the time
morally impossible to get a sufficient number of episcopally
ordained Pastors, Calvin was induced to neglect the Apostolical
Commission in his plan for the reformation of Geneva ; or rather
to search holy Scripture for a new view of that commission, which
might make him quite independent of Bishops. In so doing, he
made out for himself the platform of Presbyterian Discipline.
Having once established that as of exclusive divine right, he pre-
cluded himself from taking advantage of the avenue for returning
to the true succession, which was soon after opened to him by
his intercourse with the English Reformers. It should seem that
he could not help feeling how irreconcileable this his new form
of Church government was with the general witness of the Fathers :
and hence, among other reasons, he contracted a kind of dislike
of the ancient Church, and an impatience of being at all con-
trolled by her decisions, which ultimately has proved of the worst
' Pusey on the Theology of Germany, part 1. p. 124.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. if
consequence to the Genevan Church in particular. For example,
he feared not, in his prime work, the Institutes, to speak con-
temptuously of the Fathers of the Council of Nicaea, and to
designate the capital article of their majestic creed as little better
than " an affected and childish sing-song." Another time he
uttered a wish that the word " Trinity" might be discontinued
in the formularies of the Church. These and other symptoms of
a desire to take liberties with antiquity were not unnoticed by a
new sect, just then creeping out of the ground in Italy. Socinus
and his partisans, one after another, betook themselves to Gefteva,
as the soil most congenial to them : and the later years of
Calvin, and almost all those of his successor, Beza, were dis-
turbed by that heresy and others akin to it, both at home and
among their spiritual colonies abroad : especially those in Poland
and Transylvania. It is well known how violently some of
these false teachers were attacked by Calvin, even to the death :
and his letters altogether betray a soreness and anxiety on the
subject, as if he were aware that the system of his Church was
incomplete, and did not feel quite sure that it was not his own
fault. If such were Calvin's misgivings, the experience of later
times has furnished a sad verification of them. After a gradual
declension of many years, the Church of Geneva has now, it
appears, sunk down to the very lowest standard of doctrine con-
sistent with nominal Christianity. The Trinity, the Atonement,
the Incarnation of the Son of God, are, or were lately, absolutely
proscribed by authority as topics of preaching in the congrega-
tions there considered orthodox. Could such a downfal so
easily have taken place, had not the authority of the Primitive
Church, as a witness and interpreter of holy writ, been in-
tentionally disparaged from the beginning, and private, that is
to say, popular and fashionable judgment, set up instead, for
strictly Presbyterian purposes? Episcopal sway, appealing as
it must to antiquity, was surely just the thing needed to watch
and check that evil leaven before it had spread so far.
A like effect, proceeding as it may be thought very much from
the same cause, may be seen in Holland, in the rise and growth
of that school of divinity, commonly called Liberal or Latitudi-
13
10 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
narian : which began with Episcopius and others in the seven-
teenth century, and which has greatly tended to encourage a
habit of explaining away the mysteries of the faith in almost all
Protestant countries. The fact seems to be, that the extremes
of the Predestinarian doctrine, violently pressed as they were at
the Synod of Dort, produced their natural result, a violent
reaction *.. and the minds of men not being prepossessed with the
salutary antidote of reverence for primitive tradition (which
antidote had been systematically withholden, lest Presby-
terianism should lose influence through it) were ready to give
up any thing else, when they had once given up tlie creeds
and definitions of their own Churches. When these divines
were pressed with the testimonies of the Fathers, the spirit of
their answers was such as the following : " Never shall any
advice drive me into the fruitless toil of studying the Fathers ;
which is more like grinding in a prison-house than any thing else.
I envy no man the credit he may acquire in such a frivolous
insignificant pursuit. Others, for me, may have all the glory of
much reading and great memory, whoever they are, who can find
pleasure in wandering and rocking about in that vast ocean of
Fathers and Councils." And (let it be well observed) this
founder of the liberal school goes on distinctly to avow, that " he
takes no great pains," nor ever did, " to acquaint himself with
the writings of the Fathers :" whom, indeed, he grudges to call
" the Fathers," accounting it a name of too much reverence.
On this, our learned Bishop Bull remarks, what is much to our
present purpose, as showing how cheap thoughts of the Primitive
Church might naturally lead some steps towards heresy. " Much,
indeed, were it to be wished that Episcopius had excepted the
Fathers and writers of the three first centuries, at least. Had he
spent more time on them, it would never have been regretted either
by himself or the Church. For it would have saved him from
representing the Arian and Socinian doctrines, regarding the
Person of our Saviour, as having been, in the judgment of the
early Churches, erroneous indeed, but not so bad as heretical."
< Bull, Jud. EccL Catb. p. 3. «4- f^rab-
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 11
Passing over to our own island, we are met, at once, by a fact,
which appears at first, as far as it goes, to tell against the pre-
ceding conclusions. The Church of Scotland, ever since the
Revolution,, has been altogether Presbyterian ; and yet, by God's
blessing, her Ministers never have been accused of such a defec-
tion as took place at Geneva. Allowing the many good parts of
her system (which, be it observed, are all in a primitive spirit)
full credit for this, yet one may be permitted to observe that
something naturally must be ascribed to the vicinity of our own
Church diffusing a kind of wholesome contagion, the benefit of
which has been acknowledged by some of the great lights of the
Scottish establishment \ And it may be doubted whether many
of the laity of that country, and especially whether the leading
schools of education, have not been all along gradually verging
towards something like Genevan profaneness. A little time will
probably show — certainly there are symptoms in Scotland at this
moment, which would make an orthodox Englishman more than
ever unwilling to part with that outwork of Apostolic Faith,
which England, under circumstances in many respects peculiarly
untoward, has hitherto found in the Apostolical Commission of
her Clergy.
In England itself, it is hardly necessary to do more than no-
tice the acknowledged state of the Presbyterian Churches. Not
being subjected to the control of so strict a discipline as those of
their communion in Scotland, and being moreover thrown into
more hostile contact with the principles of ancient episcopal
order, they have subsided, one after one another, into a cold and
proud Socinianism. Three years ago, it was stated on dissenting
authority, that the whole number of Presbyterian chapels in
England was 258, out of whom ^S5 were in reality Unitarian,
Among the Independent or Congregational Churches (in which
denomination, when speaking of Church government, the Baptists
are of course included) no such avowed defection prevails. But
their systematical disparagement of the holy Sacraments, their
howor (for it is more than disregard) of authority and antiquity,
' Dr. Chalmers on Establishments.
12 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
and the tendency of their instructions and devotions to make
Faith a matter oi feeling rather than a strict relative duty towards
the persons of the Holy Trinity : these and other causes are, I
suspect, not very gradually preparing the way for lamentable
results among them also. And it is most evident that all such
causes act more strongly for the want of that check which a con-
troling Episcopacy supplies ; such ap Episcopacy I mean as may
confidently make a continual appeal to the very Apostolical age.
But we are not left quite to conjecture on the doctrinal ten^
dency of Congregational views of Church government. The ex-
periment has been tried on a large scale in America ; and in one
part of it (New England) with something of that advantage
which endowments may be supposed to yield towards stabihty of
Orthodox doctrine. The result may be given in the words of a
Socinian writer. " In the United States, where there are no
obstructions to the progress of knowledge and truth, the spread
of liberal doctrines has exceeded our most sanguine expecta-
tions." An account which is confirmed by the testimony of all
parties. Now, it is allowed, that in the same United States the
Independents and Baptists put together greatly exceed all other
denominations of Christians. The only country, therefore, of
Christendom where congregational principles of government en-
tirely prevail is likewise the only country which witnesses the
rapid and unmitigated growth of Unitarian principles of doctrine.
In other countries, generally speaking, the " God-denying apos-
tacy" finds more or less acceptance, in proportion as less or more
remains of primitive order and respect for the Apostolical com-
mission.
" But," it will be said, " what then becomes of the opposite
case of the Church of Rome ? She, too, has her grave doctrinal
errors, deeply trenching on scriptural truth, awfully dangerous to
the souls of men ; and yet she is generally considered as the great
champion of the Apostolical commission." The answer to this
lies in the fact, well-known, however little considered, that in the
same degree as the Romish Church swerved as a church from
Christian verity, she laboured also to induce her subject Bishops
to part with their claim to a succession properly Apostolical.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 13
Many and earnest were the debates on this point, at Trent, in
the year 1562: the Papal Legates labouring, on the one hand,
to enforce a declaration that Episcopal authority was not of
divine right immediately, but mediately through the See of
Rome, the Bishops of Spain more especially, insisting on the
contrary tenet. The matter was quieted by a kind of compro-
mise through the intervention of the French Bishops, and is
accordingly left undecided in the decrees of that Council. The
debates, however, remain on record, a remarkable proof that the
spirit of Popery, as of all Anti-Christian corruptions, shrinks
back, as it were instinctively, from the presence of Apostolical
principles of order.
If any one ask, " Why should all this be so ? What has the
Episcopal succession to do with doctrines, with the doctrine of
our Lord's Incarnation more especially, the answer has been
partly given in the course of this brief sketch, especially in what
related to Geneva, But, in general, the following considerations
would appear to suffice.
First, as matter of direct argument, when once men have
learned to think slightly of the testimony borne by the ancients
to the primitive discipline, they will naturally lose some part of
their respect for the testimony borne by the same ancients to the
primitive interpretation of Scripture. Now the questions between
us and Unitarians are, in a great measure, questions of Scripture
interpretation. Is it not clear, then, in how great additional jeo-
pardy we place the irreverent and the wavering, when, from
whatever cause, we shake their confidence in the express testi-
mony of the early Fathers ?
Secondly, Looking at the whole subject as matter not of argu-
ment, but of feeling and temper : boldness^ and self-sufficiency in
dealing with those who came next to the Apostles will prepare
the mind to lay aside some portion of that deference with which
we should approach the holy Apostles themselves. They and
their writings will be treated more and more with a sort of hasty
familiarity: inspiration will be less and less thought of; and
then, should either heresy become fashionable, or the man be
14 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
naturally restless in discussion, and tormented with thoughts of
his own ingenuity, the result is all but morally certain.
Thirdly : (the point must not be omitted, however, the ma-
jority may agree to scofF at it, and however gravely some may
blame it as uncharitable) : if there be such a thing as a true
Apostolical commission, truly connected with the efficacy of
Christ's holy Sacraments ; then we must suppose, that where that
commission is wanting, especially if the want be through men's
presumption or neglect, then the gracious assistance of the Holy
Ghost cannot be so certainly depended on, as for other sanctifying
purposes, so for the guiding of the mind to doctrinal truth. Of
course, then, the evil spirit and the tempting sophistry of the world
will have the more power over men : so that if for no other reason,
yet through the want or imperfection of the ordinary channels of
grace, schism might be expected to lead to false doctrine and
heresy.
Can it.be necessary to add the obvious remark, that if the
Church system were needful heretofore, it is but rendered the
more evidently necessary for every advance in intellectual light
and liberty, which the present age, from day to day, prides
itself on making ? Alas ! if the appetite for knowledge of good
and evil be indeed the great snare of all, then all the super-
natural means and aids which our Lord has provided in His
Church, instead of having gone out of date, are more than
ever necessary to us ; and those more heavily than ever respon-
sible, who scorn any of those aids, or teach and encourage others
to do so.
It is of God's great mercy, that to such a perversion of mind
is generally annexed what makes it its own punishment here, and
so far gives it a fairer chance of better and more humble thoughts
in time for hereafter. We are plainly taught by St. Paul, that
those who permit themselves to disparage the heavenly gifts,
may conveyed to us by the Spirit of Christ through his Apostles,
expect to be, if no worse, yet all their lives " children, tossed
to and fro, and carried away by every wind of doctrine :" or, as
he elsewhere expresses it, ** ever learning, and never able to
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
15
come to the knowledge of the truth." Let us remember these
things, when we hear, as we too often have heard, and must
more and more expect to hear, of ingenious men letting go their
hold, first, of Christian order, and then of Christian faith : and
let us fear and pray both for them and for ourselves. ^
Oxford,
The Feast of the Annunciation,
These Tracts are •published Monthly, and sold at the price of
2d. for each sheet, or Is. for 50 copies.
LONDON : PRINTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,
ST. Paul's church yard, and Waterloo place.
1835.
Gilbert & Rivington, Printers, St. John's Square, London.
i
No. .58.] (Ad PopvlumJ [Price Id,
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
ON THE CHURCH AS VIEWED BY FAITH AND BY
THE WORLD.
BY A LAYMAN.
Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more ; but ye see Me.
John xiv. 19.
Moses endured his trials, according to St. Paul in the 11th chapter
of Hebrews, " as seeing Him who is invisible." And this blessed
privilege it is, according to the Apostle*s language throughout
the same chapter, which has distinguished the true servants of
God, in every age, from the unbelieving world around them. Even
while pilgrims here on earth, " the pure in heart," in one sense at
least, " see God." They trace, alike in the events which befal
themselves, and in the varying scenes which succeed each other
before their eyes on the great theatre of life, a Presence and an
Agency of which mankind at large know nothing. Things visible
and tangible they feel to be but the screen and vail of the things
invisible and intangible behind them ; or, at most, to be the ad-
juncts and comparatively unimportant accompaniments of the
great system in which their spirits really move. They view the
things of earth as being, as in truth they are, necessarily connected
with the things of heaven. They habitually look, not only "through
nature up to nature's God," but through the wide expanse of
the social and moral world around them, — through the habits,
opinions, and institutions, of their time and country, — through
the strife of politics, and the din of the unruly multitude, — to
that eternal Being who reigns above them all ; whose will and
A
2 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
whose counsels are in truth interwoven with them all, — and who
works out His own great designs as surely by the operation of
these jarring and unruly elements, as by the more tranquil and
steady processes of the world of inanimate nature.
And this view of God in all things — this habitual contemplation
of the Almighty, His word, and will, in connection, not only with
our daily actions, but even with the daily scene before us, it is,
of course, the object of the great enemy of the Church to ob-
struct and to prevent. His most ardent wish is, to thicken the
screen before us — to persuade us to regard the tangible things
which surround us as the exclusive objects of our moral vision, —
to induce in us a belief that the adjuncts to the great scene really
open to our ken, are to be identified with that scene itself. And
even with regard to things which from their nature, are the most
essentially (so to say) connected with Heaven, he would have us
forget the connection, and imagine that the things of earth with
which, in this world, tliey are necessarily involved, are the hea-
venly things themselves. He would have the objects of our con-
templation, and by consequence our spirits themselves, of the
earth, earthy ; he would darken the prospect before us by ex-
cluding, if possible, every gleam of celestial light which might
burst through the vail ; every ray of spiritual brightness which
might impart to us, amid the dimness and the haziness of our
nearer prospect, a conception of the glories of a world unseen.
These great truths, for such they are, may be illustrated by
examples varied as is the manner of Satan's warfare with the
Church in each succeeding generation. But the most profitable
illustration of them, as far as this generation is concerned, may be
drawn from the mode in which he is especially labouring to de-
ceive ourselves and our contemporaries by obscuring, as far as in
him lies, from our view, the real nature of the Holy Church itself,
to which we belong. That Church, we may presume, as con-
templated by Christ's followers, by the light which His Holy
Spirit sheds upon their minds, is seen to be His own Divine
Institution ; to be an institution gifted and blessed by Himself
in the first instance, and still presided over by Ministers deriving
their authority from those Apostles on whom he deigned to
breathe, and with whom, in their Apostolic capacity, He pledged
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. $
Himself to be even unto the end of the world. They recognize
in it a kingdom " not made with hands, not of this world," yet
sent into this world, an illustrious guest, to bring to this world
Salvation. They behold in it the glorious link which connects to-
gether, through every age and in every clime, the blessed company
of all faithful people, the school in which the multitude whom no
man can number, learn the song which they are hereafter, stand-
ing on the sea of glass, to sing before the Lamb which is in the
midst of the throne on high. They reverence in it, — but on these
subjects I dare not further enlarge, — the body of the Redeemer
Himself, and His mystic Bride below.
Such is, we may imagine, some faint outline of the view which
would be taken of th« Church by its true and approved members.
With what reverence, then, must that Church, whether considered
collectively or with reference to any given national branches of
it — while, at least, such branches continue in their first faith — be
by them regarded ! And what a triumph must it be for the dark
spirit of evil, when he succeeds in blotting from the mind of a
baptized member of that Church every vestige of these exalting
themes of contemplation ; when he induces one entitled to rejoice
in the blessed fellowship of the sons of God, to turn his eyes from
these glories of his inheritance, and to fix them, exclusively, on
the earthly accompaniments by which the Church, while here
militant below, maintains her connection with the external
world.
But, alas ! is he not doing this on every side around us ? Is he
not daily tempting ourselves to regard the Church, a true branch
of the Church Catholic, established in these our islands, as a mere
human institution ? to consider the revenues with which the piety
of holy men of old endowed its Ministers, as a provision set apart
by the state for the purposes of education, with a view to the
temporal advantage of society ? and to imagine that those Minis-
ters themselves are the servants of the government, appointed by
its authority, primarily responsible to it for the discharge of their
duties, and subject (like civil or military officers appointed by
the executive), alike with respect to the extent and to the dura-
tion of their powers, to its general superintendence and control.
Such views are, in these days, notoriously too common ; and a
A 2
4 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
clearer instance cannot well be imagined of that system of forget-
ting things invisible in things visible, which it must be the most
strenuous wish of the Power of evil to maintain.
The Church, in itself, is a divine institution ; and as a visible
community and body in the state, it is also, in one sense, a politi-
cal institution. The worldly speculator — he who limits his views
to the tangible objects of sense, — will, therefore, regard it as a
political institution alone Its Ministers have spiritual powers,
those, for instance, of administering the Sacraments ; as pos-
sessors of property and privileges, they also, in this country, pos-
sess temporal powers. The worldly eye will therefore regard
their temporal powers alone. As Ministers of Christ, they
prepare man for a happy immortality in the next world, and in so
doing, incidentally make him a better member of society and im-
prove his condition in this. — The latter effect of their teaching is
all which strikes the worldly eye. As dispensers of religious
knowledge, they incidentally promote the general education of
mankind ; and this latter comes to be considered by the world
as their principal business. And lastly, while they derive their
primary commission from the Redeemer, and their secondary
character — if I may so call it — from the constitution of the
country, the eye of the world can see in them but the servants
of the latter; forgetful that their true Master, that He to
whom alone they are responsible for the discharge of the most
important functions entrusted to them, the functions of their
ministerial stewardship, is the Almighty Head of the Church
who ever watches over it in Heaven.
To entertain views like these, thus habitually to forget the
connection which in truth exists between the Almighty and His
own Holy Institution, is, in the most emphatic sense, to live
without God in the world. And the line of conduct to which
such views, if consistently acted upon, necessarily lead, cannot
be contemplated by the serious mind without feelings of the
most awful apprehension. The Redeemer has told us that He
is, in truth, ever about us ; that He, even while seated in glory,
feels, as though He were Himself the object of them, alike each
act of kindness done to, and each injury inflicted upon, the
humblest of His disciples. And if this be so, if the interests of
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 5
individual members of His Church be in His view thus identified
with His own, how intimately must He sympathize with the foir-
tunes of that Church itself, of that Church which He deigned
Himself to found, and especially to commend to our reverential
care. Surely if we, blind to His gracious presence, presume to
insult, despoil, or irreverently treat as a merely human thing His
hallowed institution, we shall one day hear the voice once heard
by Saul, " Why persecutest thou Me ?" God grant that we
may, like Saul, hear it while time yet lies before us; that we
may hear it in the gentle accents of mercy, not in the trumpet-
tone of judgment.
Let worldly politicians and legislators, then, do as they list.
Let them, if they imagine it will further their ambitious views,
fearfully insult the Church established in our islands. Christ's
true servants, stedfastly refusing any countenance to their
irreverent projects, will protest against them, if in no other way,
by the quiet and consistent tenor of their lives. They will show
the world by their actions that they behold the Redeemer, as
He has taught them to behold Him, in His Church, And if
that Church, having long been an honoured guest in our islands,
is to be cast down from her high estate, and, whether in Eng-
land or in Ireland, to be trampled under the foot of power, and
made to give place to any one of the unauthorized sects which
would usurp her place, they will continue to cling in her adver-
sity to her who had been in her prosperity their nursing mother
and their guide. Beholding her built upon the rock of apos-
tolical authority, and convinced that she has not forfeited, by
apostatizing from the faith, her original commission, they will
reverence her Ministers as much when become the objects of the
world's contempt, as they had reverenced them when that world
bowed before them with pretended homage.
The rulers of that world may suppose that the Church is in
their hands ; that they may deal with it according to their plea-
sure ; and that its very existence is at their disposal. Thus
thought the rulers of a former day, when the Redeemer had
given Himself into their hands, and when their agents exerted a
last malice upon His lifeless remains. They knew it not that
even then, in tliat dark hour, a limit was set to their presump-
6 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
tion ; the word of Heaven had passed that a bone of Him should
not be broken, and the whole power of Heaven, could it have
been necessary, would have interfered to prevent the violation of
the decree. And thus, to our comfort let us remember, it must
be with Christ's body, the Church, even now. A limit has been
set to its enemies which they cannot pass ; the utmost extent of
their successful malice has been fore-ordained, fore-registered, in
Heaven ; nor can they, even in its weakest hour, wreak one in-
sult upon its apparently lifeless frame, beyond those of which
God, in His goodness, sees fit to permit the infliction.
The existence of such a limit it is impossible that they should
believe, or even understand. Their views of the Church's for-
tunes and condition are necessarily as imperfect as their notions
of the Church itself. Seeing nothing but its tangible frarae^ con-
scious of its political existence alone, they naturally deem that
the overthrow of these externals is the essential overthrow of the
Church ; which will, as they suppose, cease to exist at all when
they shall have deprived it of all those symptoms of existence,
which their faculties can perceive. They know not — the Church's
enemies, till taught by fatal experience, never did know — that all
which the utmost exertion of their violence can effect, will be but
to bruise its heel. Its true, its inherent vitality, as it is beyond
their ken, is also beyond their power ; and in that vitality it may,
if God so please, grow and flourish the most, at the very moment
of their fancied triumph in the supposed annihilation of its
powers.
Even to the Church's true members, its real glories here on
earth are for the most part the objects of Faith. " The kingdom
of God cometh not with observation;" — the workings of God's
Spirit in the assembly of His chosen, — His constantly repeated
triumphs in the overthrow of evil, and in the increase of spiritual
life among the faithful, are noiseless and unperceived. Church-
men know not, in their generation, what is passing around them,
or even in themselves. In silence and in mystery, God is work-
ing out, now and continually, the accomplisliment of those
prophecies, the realization of those inspired pictures which
describe the earthly glories of the Messiah's kingdom. But the
full comparison of those prophecies with their fulfilment, of
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 7
those pictures with the original events from which, by Divine
anticipation, they were drawn, will never, perhaps be vouch-
safed to mortal eyes. In a future state of being, when the
Almighty's ways shall be all at length made plain, it may be
one of the happy employments of the Blessed to contemplate
the Church as it was on earth ; to see how fully all that was
predicted of it by the voice of inspiration was, throughout the
period of its duration on earth, fulfilled, and how amply God
redeemed the promises which He had made to His Holy Insti-
tution ; manifesting in it, from generation to generation. His
Glory ; — not indeed to sinners in the flesh, — but to the countless
myriads who surround His throne, — to perfected Saints and
unspotted angels, — and, in a word, to all the sinless and glorified
Creation.
In that retrospective view it will undoubtedly be seen, that
the world, in systematically afflicting the Church, is but doing its
appointed part. May the part assigned to ourselves be the
happier one of witnesses for God's truth and defenders of His
Holy Institution. May we, seeing God in all things, — habitually
contemplating the Almighty as now revealed to the eye of faith
alike in His Church and in His world, — prepare ourselves,
through His Grace, for that fuller and more perfect contempla-
tion of Him, which shall hereafter be the privilege of the
redeemed in Heaven.
Oxford,
The Feast of the Resurrection.
These Tracts are Published Monthly ^ and sold at the price of
2d, for each sheets or 7s. for 50 ccypies,
LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD, AND WATERLOO PLACE.
1835.
Gilbert & Rivington, Printers, St. John's Square, London.
Ao. 5<k1 C^d Clerum.) [Price Id,
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
THE POSITION OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IN
ENGLAND, RELATIVELY TO THE STATE AND
THE NATION.
We are very naturally jealous of the attempts that are making
to disunite, as it is called. Church and State ; which in fact
means neither more nor less, in the mouths of those who cla-
mour for it, than a general confiscation of Church property,
and a repeal of the few remaining laws which make the true
Church the Church of England.
This is what Dissenters mean by disuniting Church and State ;
and we are all naturally anxious to avert a step at once so unjust
towards men and sacrilegious towards God.
Let us not imagine, however, that every one who apparently
joins with us in this anxiety must necessarily have the welfare of
the Church at heart. Many people seem to join us at this
crisis, and protest loudly in favour of the Union of Church and
State, who nevertheless mean by this, something very different
from what Dissenters mean, and from what we mean when we
are opposing Dissenters. The " Union of Church and State,'*
which many persons so call, and are so anxious to preserve, is
in some points almost as great an evil, as it is confessedly, in
other points, a good : and there are almost as many persons
who support it for its bad points, as there are who hate it for
its good.
To make this plain I shall endeavour to explain what it is
that the Union of Church and State consists in, as now enforced
by the law of the land.
It consists in two things. State Protection and State In-^
TERFERENCE ; the former of which Dissenters wish to overthrow ;
and the latter of which governments, of whatever kind, are
very anxious to retain : while Churchmen have hitherto been
contented to accept both conjointly, without perhaps very ex-
A
2 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
actly calculating how little they gain on the one hand, and how
much they sacrifice on the other. This subject is indeed one
which, from the confidence hitherto placed by us in the integrity
of government, has, perhaps, been much less investigated than any
other of equal importance. But recent changes in the consti-
tution have now so entirely altered the mutual relations of the
Church and the Legislature, that what has in past times been a
becoming, though perhaps misplaced reliance on authority, would
at present be a disgraceful negligence about our most sacred
interests. In the following pages, then, it will be my object to
consider the gains and losses which we accept jointly, in the
Union of Church and State, arranging them under the above-
mentioned heads : State Protection and State Interference.
I. The Protection which the Church receives from the State
consists principally in four things.
1. In securing to us by Law some small portion of those
ample endowments which the piety of our forefathers set apart
for the maintenance of true religion in this country. Of these
endowments far more than half are at this day in the hands of
laymen, who may be of any religion or none, and do not con*
sider themselves obliged to spend one farthing of it in the cause
of God. But there is still a certain remnant in the hands of the
clergy, who are thereby enabled to spread truth over the land,
in the poorest and most remote districts ; and to live in decency
themselves, without being a burden to the poor people for whose
good they are labouring. This remnant then the State has
forborne to confiscate, as it has confiscated the rest ; and in this
consists the first kind of State Protection.
2. It further consists in enabling us to raise a tax on real
property for the keeping our parish churches in tolerable and
decent repair through the country, — which tax, as estimated by
those who put it at the highest, amounts to about as many thou-
sands a year as the other taxes amount to millions. This is the
dnly existing law by which Englishmen, as such, are called
on to assist in the maintenance of the Church of England.
3. It consists, farther, in allowing Thirty Bishops to sit and vote
in the House of Lords, to which House all Bishops, and many
TRACTS FOR THE TIM£S. 5
Other Church Dignitaries belonged, as a matter of right, at the
signing of Magna Charta ; and from which they never can be
excluded without violating the very first article of Magna Charta,
the basis of English liberty.
4. In the law De excommunicato capiendo, by which the State
engages, that on receiving due notice of the excommunication of
any given person, he shall be arrested, and put in prison until he
is absolved.
Such are the four principal heads of State Protection : on
reading them over, it will occur to every one, that the first is
nothing more than common justice, and no greater favour than
every person in the country receives in being protected from
thieves ; that, as to the second, the most that one can infer from
it is, that in the eye of the State the importance of the Church
is to the importance of civil government as a thousand to a
million, or as one to a thousand ; that, to counterbalance the
third, which admits some Bishops to the House of Lords, all
clergymen whatever are excluded from the House of Commons ;
and that the fourth is a bad useless law, which cannot be done
away with too soon.
II. Such is State Protection : now, on the other hand, let
us consider the existing set off against it, which is demanded of
us. This is State Interference, which encumbers us in ways
too numerous to be catalogued, but is especially grievous in
regard to the two following particulars : — 1. Church Patronage.
2. Church Discipline.
1. With regard to the first of these, it is obvious that the
efficiency of the Church must ever mainly depend on the cha-
racter of the Bisbops and Clergy ; and that any laws which
facilitate the intrusion of unfit persons into such stations must
be in the highest degree prejudicial. The appointment of our
Bishops, and of those who are to undertake the cure of souls,
is a trust on which so much depends, that it is difficult to be
too cautious as to the hands in which it is placed, and as to the
checks with which its due execution is guarded. The sole object
which should be kept in view is the getting these offices well
filled, and the fewer private interests which are allowed to inter-
a 2
4 TKACTS rOR THE TIMES.
fere in filling them tlie better. Yet what are the Laws which
are forced on the acceptance of the Church for regulating this
important matter? What is the care that has been taken to
vest the appointment in proper hands ? with what checks is its
due execution guarded ? what attention has been paid to any
one point except the very last that should have been thought of,
the private interests of patrons ? We shall see.
The appointment of all our Bishops, and, in much the greater
number of instances, of those who are to undertake the cure of
souls, is vested in the hands of individuals irresponsible and
unpledged to any opinions or any conduct ; laymen, good or
bad, as it may happen, orthodox or heretic, faithful or infidel.
The Bishops, every one of them, are, as a matter of fact, ap-
pointed by the Prime Minister for the time being, who, since
the repeal of the Test Act, may be an avowed Socinian, or even
Atheist. A very large proportion of other Church benefices,
carrying with them cure of souls, are likewise in the hands of
the Prime Minister, or of the Lord Chancellor and other Lay
Patrons, who, like him, may be of any or no religion. So much
for the hands in which these appointments are vested : the checks
by which they are guarded must be considered separately in
case of Bishopricks and of inferior benefices.
At former periods of our history, even in the most arbitrary
and tyrannical times, various precautions were adopted to pre-
vent the intrusion of improper persons into Bishopricks. To
exclude the great officers of state from a share in the nomin-
ation was indeed impossible — perhaps not desirable — but to
prevent their usurpim^ an undue and exclusive influence, their
choice was subjected to the approbation of other bodies of men,
with different interests, and sufficiently independent to make
their approbation more than a form.
The Nomination of the King and his Ministers was to be
followed by a real bond fide e\ect\on on the part of the Collegiate
Body attached to the vacant See. In the Church of Canterbury
this body consisted of 140 men, with small incomes, and con-
nected, in many instances, with the peasantry of the country,
whose feelings and opinions they iecm to have, in a great mea-
sure, represented. The courage and resolution with which
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 5
these men frequently resisted state persecution, will be appre-
ciated on reading Gervase's History of Canterbury, between the
years 1160 and 1200. Indeed, it would be no difficult matter
to make a catalogue of the atrocities perpetrated at different
times on these collegiate bodies by kings and nobles, in the
hope of extorting consent to improper nominations ; such as
would rival Fox's Book of Martyrs in number and cruelty.
Here then was the first check on improper appointments.
Again, after Nomination and Election followed Confirmation,
a process well calculated to elicit any sinister dealings which
might have influenced the previous steps. On a day appointed
by the Archbishop, all persons whatever that had any objection
to urge against the Election or person elected, were cited to
appear in the cathedral church of the vacant Diocese. The
Archbishop was himself to be in attendance as judge, to confirm
or annul what had passed, according to the evidence which should
come before him. The publicity of this process, and the cir-
cumstance that it was conducted in a place of all others the most
interested in the result, seemed calculated to preclude any very
flagrant neglect of duty.
But, should no obstacle have interfered with the will of the
State, either in Election or Confirmation, it still remained with
the Archbishop to decide whether he was justified in consecrat-
ing : and in deciding this he was left to the dictates of his own
conscience, exposed indeed to the vindictive tyranny of power,
but uncontrolled by any law, and responsible to no earthly
tribunal.
Thus it appears that in the most arbitrary and tyrannical times
the constitution of England recognised three independent checks
to the King's appointment, allowing a veto to be put upon it
either at Election, Confirmation, or Consecration. These checks
were, indeed, frequently overpowered by the capricious tyranny
of the feudal system, or the still more capricious interference of
the Bishop of Rome. Perhaps, also, though upon the whole
well adapted to the times in which they were devised, they are
unsuited to those in which we live. Yet it is evident, that
whatever difference exists between those times and our own, it
is a difference in our favour ; whatever checks to abuse of power
could exist then, might exist, and more effectually, now ; nor
^ ' TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
can any objection we may make against the particular checks
adopted under the feudal system be an argument for abolishing
them without finding a substitute.
The object of these remarks is not to raise impatience and
complaint, or to suggest changes in present arrangements,
which, except under certain contingencies, it might be wrong
to contemplate, but merely to set before the Church its position.
I have shown what it was in the middle ages, in order to assist
our minds in the inquiry ; let us, with the same object, now
advance to the consideration of its present condition.
It cannot be denied that at present it is treated far more ar-
bitrarily, and is more completely at the mercy of the chance
government of the day, than ever our forefathers were under the
worst tyranny of the worst times. Election, Confirmation, Con-
secration, instead of being rendered more efficient checks than
formerly, are now so arranged as to offer the least possible
hindrance to the most exceptionable appointments of a godless
ministry. As to Election ; the Dean and Chapter, with whom
it still formally rests, have only twelve days given them to in-
quire into the character of the person nominated, who may be
an entire stranger to every one of them, or known through
report most unfavourably ; if they fail to elect in this time,
election becomes unnecessary, and the Crown presents without it.
And now the Dean and Chapter have eight days given them, and
the Archbishop twenty for reflection ; if within these periods
the former fails to go through the form of election, and the latter
to consecrate, both parties subject themselves to the pains and
penalties of a Praemunire, i. e. all their goods, ecclesiastical and
personal, are liable to confiscation, and themselves to imprison-
ment till such time as they submit. Such is the legal urgency
which has been substituted for the violence of former times :
and thus, as the law now exists, we have actually no check on the
appointments of a Socinian (if it so happen) or Infidel Minister,
guided by the more violent influences of a legislative body, for
which I feel too much respect as a political power, to express
an opinion about certain portions of its members.
Again, with regard to the inferior patronage of the Church :
a large proportion of our benefices are, as has been already
noticed, in the bands of laymen, who may be oi any religion
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
under heaven ; and the laws of England (it must be confessed
with sorrow) watch so jealously over the interests of these
patrons, and so little over those of the Church, that they com-
pel the Bishops, except in cases so outrageous that they can
hardly ever occur, to accept at once of the person first presented
to them, and to commit the cure of souls to him by the process
of institution. It is worth observing what Judge Blackstone
says upon this subject. " Upon the first delay," says he, " or
refusal of the Bishop to admit the Clerk, the Patron usually
brings his writ of Quare impedit against the Bishop for the
temporal injury done to his property in disturbing him in his
presentation. . . . The writ of Quare impedit commands the
Bishop to permit the plaintiff to present ; and unless he does
so, then that he appear in Court to show his reason." What
sort of reason the Court will be satisfied with the Judge informs
us in another place. " With regard to faith and morals," says
he, " if the Bishop alleges only in generals that lie is schismaii-
cus inveteratus, or objects a fault that is malum prohibitum
merely, as haunting taverns, playing at unlawful games, or the
like, it is not good cause of refusal." The Judge proceeds,
" if the cause be some particular heresy alleged, the fact, if
denied, shall be determined by a jury." The sum of the whole
is, then, that unless the Bishop can prove to the satisfaction of
a jury in a Court of Common Law, that the person presented
to him for institution has been guilty of some particular immoral
act above the grade of malum prohibitum, or has maintained
some opinion such as shall come under the strict definition of
heresy, he loses his cause, and then, if he persist in his refusal,
is liable to an action for damages, in which the Judge informs
us " the patron may recover ample satisfaction."
Now, if any one were to search among his own acquaintances
for those whom he considers least fit for clergymen, he would
certainly find that his reason for thinking so was of a kind which
he could not make good before a court of justice. Those who
wish to see this matter in its true light should read over
1 Tim. iii. to verse JO., and then reflect whether St. Paul would
have been very likely to approve of the law of England as it
now stands.
These are among the effects of State Interference, as it
5 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
affects Church Patronage. As to Church Discipline, without
entering into the reasons for restoring it, it may be sufficient to
mention one fact, showing the practical effect of the law to sup-
press it.
Every Churchwarden in every parish in England is called on
once a year to attend the visitation of his Archdeacon. At
this time oaths are tendered to him respecting his different
duties, and among other things he swears, that he will present to
the Archdeacon the names of all such inhabitants of his parish
as are leading notoriously immoral lives. This oath is regularly
taken once a year by every Churchwarden in every parish in
England ; yet I believe such a thing as any single presentation
for notoriously immoral conduct has scarcely been heard of for
a century. So that it would certainly seem that, if within this
last century any notoriously immoral man has been residing in
any parish in England, the Churchwardens of that parish have
been perjured : and this is the effect of certain laws, which we
should call persecuting, did they not exist in our own free
country, which interfere with the due discharge of their solemn
engagement.
These remarks are offered to my brethren without immediate
practical object. Circumstances, however, may occur any day
which would make them immediately practical ; and it is neces-
sary to be prepared for these. Firmly as we may be resolved at
present, from the dictates of a sober and contented spirit, not to
commence changes ; yet when changes are commenced, and seem
likely to extend still more widely, it may obviously be the duty
of Churchmen, in mere self-defence, to expose and protest against
their destitute and oppressed condition.
Oxford,
Feast of St. Mark,
These Tracts are j)uhlished Monthly^ and sold at the price oj
2d, for each sheets or Is. for 50 copies.
LONDON : PRINTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,
ST. Paul's church yard, and waterlog place.
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GiLRr.KT S: Rtvi\(;ton, PrinterR, St. John's Squai-c, London.
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
SERMONS FOR SAINTS' DAYS AND HOLIDAYS.
(No. 4. ST. PHILIP AND ST. JAMES.)
" If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be
AnathemUf MaranathaJ" — I Cor. xvi. 21.
The services appointed by the Church for this festival of St.
Philip and St. James, turn our attention very particularly to the
subject of personal love and devotion to our Lord. St. James
was, in some sense. His brother. St. Philip seems, by what is
related of him, to> have had, in some respects, a more simple and
uneducated mind than the other Apostles : and, accordingly, to
have sought our Saviour with a faith not unlike that with which
a pious untaught countryman may be supposed to seek Him now.
Thus, when our Saviour had first called him, and he in his turn
would persuade Nathanael to come to Him, and Nathanael made
the objection, so obvious to a Jew, Can any good thing come out of
Nazareth 1 Philip did not pretend at all to argue the matter with
him, but simply said, as a plain man might, " Come and see."
And again, it was of St. Philip that our Saviour, with a kind of
cheerful condescension, made as if He would ask advice, when
He was about to feed the five thousand with a few loaves and
fishes, and so to prefigure that Divine Feast, which He meant in
due time to ordain for the spiritual food of the whole world.
*' Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat ?" The Apostle
answered in a homely, straightforward way, as one having no sus-
picion that our Lord meant more than He said, " Two hundred
pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of
them may take a little." It would seem quite in unison with
this sort of simple-mindedness, very sincere, but rather unreflect-
ing, that St. Philip should take that part which the Gospel of the
day records of him, in the farewell conversation between our Lord
and His Apostles. When Christ had said, He was the way, the
truth, and the life : when He had assured them, that if they had
•known Him, they had kiiown the Father ; when He pointed out
2 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
to them, as the chief fruit of His^blessed Gospel made known to
the world, that from henceforth they knew the Father, and had
seen Him : St. Philip put up a request whicli shewed how possible
it is, even for a thoroughly sincere person, to be very imperfect in
his notions of Christian Truth : to be with Christ, and yet not to
know Him. He said, " Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth
us." Bring us at once to the Beatific Vision — bring us into clear
and evident communion with Him, whom, as yet, we know only
by faith — and that indeed is enough for us. I'he answer of our
Lord is a calm and grave rebuke, intimating, that even at that
time, before the Holy Ghost had come, when the knowledge of
the Apostles was necessarily obscure and imperfect, St. Philip's
ignorance was hardly such as might be excused. " Have I been
so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip ?
He that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father : and how sayest
thou then. Shew us the Father ?" Even before the Comforter
came, the disciples of our Lord were to be blamed for their
thoughtlessness, in not being aware of His divine nature and
condescension, that He was the brightness of the Father's glory,
and the express image of His Person, God of God, made mani-
fest in the flesh. And if then, much more now : much more
utterly without excuse are those who refuse to know Him as He
is, now that the Comforter has been so long time with the
Church : that Spirit of wisdom, a part of whose especial office
was to make Christians rightly receive the three great Evangelical
mysteries : the Trinity, the Incarnation, and the Communion of
Saints: according to the promise of cur Saviour, **At that day ye
shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in Me, and I in you."
I say, the rebuke of our Saviour to St. Philip is a clear sign
that when Scripture speaks so highly of personal love and devo-
tion to our Lord as being " the one thing needful," it means
love and devotion to Him, not such as we may rashly imagine
Him to be without warrant of His holy Word, as interpreted by
His Church, but such as He really is. There could be no ques-
tion about St. Philip's attachment to Him, and yet we see he
incurred rebuke, simply for being so imperfect in his notion of
his Lord. How would he have fared if he had been really and
positively erroneous ? if, while he trusted in the Holy Jesus, he
had yet closed with rash speculations concerning Plim : had made
up his mind to consider Him as no more than a great Prophet,
TRACTS fOR THE TIMES. 3
especially gifted with the inspiration of the Holy Ghost ? Or,
again, if he had chosen to regard Hira as a created — though ever
so glorious — angel? Doubtless, in that case, he would have
been charged with something worse than mere thoughtless sim-
phcity ; his fault would then have been nearer to Pharasaical
presumption, intruding men's opinions and fancies into the place
of God's Truth. And yet he might have been really attached
to our Lord's Person, and might have depended on Him, and no
other, for health and salvation.
Now this point, that Christ is to be loved and served, not
such as men choose to imagine Him, but such as He really and
truly is — this point requires, if I mistake not, to be very
seriously recalled to men's remembrance, at the present moment,
in the Christian Church. For the form which human presump-
tion seems now inclined to take is nearly such as this following :
(and, what is very remarkable, it is found among various classes
of religionists, who think themselves, and are in many respects,
diametrically opposed to each other. But this is, as it were, a
point to which, at sundry distances, their errors appear to con-
verge :) namely, That in the matter of acceptance with God,
sentiment, feeling, assurance, attachment, towards Jesus Christ,
i& all in all: that definite notions of His Person, Nature, and
Office may very well be dispensed with, provided only the heart
feel warm towards Him, and inclined to rely upon Him entirely
for salvation : that the high mysteries of the orthodox Catholic
Faith, the Trinity, the Incarnation, and Communion with our
Lord through His Sacraments, are either unnecessary to be dis-
tinctly believed, or that such belief will come of itself, if only the
above-mentioned feeling of dependence on Christ be sincere. Is
not this the real tendency of a great deal that is said, thought,
and written at the present moment, in what is called " the reli-
gious world ?" Is not such the plain facty whether for good or
for evil? A few obvious remarks, then, on the tendency and
probable result of. these things, may, by God's blessing, have
their use, coming, as we have seen they do, in strict accord with
the Church Services of the day.
Now, it may be at once allowed, that nothing can be said too
high, nothing higher than Scripture has a thousand times said,
concerning the saving virtue and acceptableness of true love and
faith in Jesus Christ our Lord ; and that, consequently, those
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
who dwell on it exclusively, even in the wrong sense just men-
tioned, will always, of course, appear to have a great deal of
Scripture to plead for themselves. But yet the same Scripture,
with a very little humble attention, will show where the mistake
lies. Take, for example, such a verse as this, the conclusion of
St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians : " If any man love
not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema, Maranatha :"
let him be excluded from the communion of the Faithful, in the
most awful form of any, by which the wilful sinner was pro-
nounced accursed, when the Lord comes to judgment. What
more easy than for a Commentator, so inclined, to fasten on such
a verse as this, and assume that one only thing, by the laws of the
Gospel, should exclude a man from Communion, and expose him
to the highest of Church censures, viz. want of sincere zeal, want
of love to our blessed Saviour ? How plausibly might it be
contended, that where such zeal and love is, we are not nicely to
inquire into a man's creed ; that we may kneel by his side, and
worship with him, though our notions directly contradict his
concerning the nature of the Christ, the Saviour whom we
worship, if only both agree to own Christ as a Saviour. One
might go on for ever applying the text, and others like it, in that
way ; but, as if on purpose to bar for ever all such bold specu-
lations, see how St. Paul has enabled us to check, as it were, this
verse, by comparison of others, which show in what sense its
terms are really to be understood.
First, as to the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, the same phrase
occurs again at the end of another Epistle, in a form of blessing,
parallel, as it were, to the curse we are now considering. " Grace
be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity."
What is the " sincerity," the qualification here introduced ? In
order to serve the purpose of that system which is now becom-
ing so very prevalent, the word ought to mean, simply, " well-
meaning;" "freedom from all guile and hypocrisy ;" the same,
in short, as " being in earnest." But the true import of the
word is, in all probability, something very different from this.
It occurs but once in the New Testament, at least at all in a
kindred sense : viz. in Titus ii. 7. where St. Paul exhorts a
newly ordained Bishop, first " to shew forth himself in all things
a pattern of good works," and afterwards, " to shew forth in doc-
trine uncorruptness, gravityj sincerity/, and sound speech, that
I
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 5
cannot be condemned." The sincerity, therefore, or soundness,
or enduring purity, of which St. Paul is speaking, would so far
appear, in all probability, to be a quality of the doctrine, not
of the believer's mind ; or rather, perhaps, of both together.
" Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in
incorruption ; with that sound, enduring love, which, being
grounded on the truth of His Nature, will be able to withstand
all things, as uncorrupt and glorified bodies will withstand the
fires of the last day ; grace be with all those who love Jesus
Christ as they will love Him in Heaven, i. e, as truly God of
God, made Man for our salvation."
Next, observe that this anathema is not the only one pro-
nounced by St. Paul in the New Testament. There is one pas-
sage more, in which he distinctly threatens the same penalty :
and, in all reason, the two must be compared together. Let it
be well considered, then, by such as imagine that sincerity of
heart is every thing, and doctrine nothing, or very little, what
they can make of the awful anathema at the beginning of the
Epistle to the Galatians : *' Though we, or an angel from Heaven,
preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have
preached unto you, let hinr be accursed."
The two verses, compared with each other, lead inevitably to
the following result, startling as it may sound to those imbued
with the notions of the day : that part of the measure of a
Christian teacher's sincerity in the love of Jesus Christ, is
his agreement in the substance of his doctrine with the system
first preached by the Apostles. It is not his amiable meaning
towards those around him, no, nor yet what may seem his
devout meaning towards God, which will shelter him from the
Apostolic censure, if he swerve from the platform of Apostolical
doctrine. And it is clear that the verse speaks of the whole
Creed as a whole, which the Galatians had received of St. Paul.
It does not leave them at liberty to choose out which articles
they would consider as important according to their notion and
experience of practical good, edifying effect, arising out of one
more than another. But it supposes them to have received a cer-
tain " form of sound words," which no abstract reasoning or theory
of their own — nay, more, no miracles or other marks of heavenly
authority, would warrant their adding to, or diminishing.
Further, it is plain from the general tenor of the Epistle,
A3
6 TRACTS FOR THK TIMES.
that one particular by which this anathema was at that time
incurred by some, was affirming the necessity of the Jewish
ceremonial law as part of the conditions of the Christian cove-
nant. Now surely there is not a priori any shew of abstract
impossibility in a person's holding that error, and yet seeming
to himself and others to love our Lord Jesus Christ. Surely,
all that in mistaken kindness is now said by way of extenuating
false doctrine with regard to the Person of our Lord and
Saviour, might have been advanced it fortiorif in bar of the
anathema against the seducers of the Galatians, whose mistake
at first sight only touched His office. It might have been saidj
•' What hinders, but these or any men may be full of dutiful
regard to our blessed Lord, although they be not fully aware
of the repeal of those laws of His, which he promulgated from
Mount Sinai to be a ritual for His chosen people : and although
in consequence they are still for enforcing those laws on Gen-
tile Christians as necessary to salvation ?" We see at once by
St. Paul's peremptory sentence, how fallacious all such pleading
would have been : how impossible to be tolerated within the
true Church, and how dangerous to the souls of those who per-
sisted in it after such authoritative warning. We see that the
Preachers of Circumcision in those times, although they might
feel and in many respects act, as if they loved our Lord Jesus
Christ, were not to be accounted as " loving Him in sincerity"
and uncorruptness. We se^i that sincerity, enduring purity of
doctrine in certain great points, is a necessary test of that love
for Christ which is required to secure human error from the
anathema of the Church ; a necessary qualification for receiving
an Apostolical blessing.
This view receives no slight illustration from certain cases
in the history of heresy ; cases in which the false doctrine has
recommended itself in the first instance to unguarded minds by
ihe shew of extraordinary love and respect for our Divine
Master, and has ended in direct treason and blasphemy against
Him. A very remarkable one occurred in Asia Minor, in the
earlier half of the third century. St. Paul himself had expressly
warned the Pastors of that division of Christendom, that they
might expect men to arise of , their ownselves who should speak
perverse things to draw away disciples after them. Tiiis had
begun to be accomplished in former generation? by the swarming
TRACTS FOR THK TIMES.
of Gnosticks and Ebionites in those quarters : heresies which
appear at first glance shocking to all lovers of Christ. But
at the time now referred to, a more plausible misinterpretation
arose ; more plausible as a show of reverence to our Saviour's
Person : the author of which was one Noetus, either of Smyrna
or of Ephesus. We are told of him by St. HippolytUs, a writer
almost contemporary with him^ that " he was mightily lifted
up by his vanity, and seduced by a fancy prompted by an alien
spirit, affirmed that the Christ Himself, was * personally' the
Father, and that 'the Father Himself was born, and suffered,
and died. These things came to the knowledge of the holy
Presbyters of that time ; by whom he was summoned and
interrogated before the Church. At first he disavowed his
holding any such opinion : but afterwards he found some to luvk
amongst, and having provided himself v»'ith associates in error,
he tried to make his theory permanentj now reduced into a
distinct form. Upon which the holy Presbyters again summoned
and called him to account. But he withstood them, using these
words : ' What evil then am I doing in that I give glory to Christ ?
What harm have I done ? I glorify one God; I know one God,
and no other beside Him ; and that He was begotten and born
into the world ; that He suffered and died for us." Could any
thing be more plausible, according to the notion that all is safe
if only men are brought to put their trust in our Saviour's Per-
son alone 1 Might it not as truly then have been urged, as any
one now can urge it, that the distinction of Persons in the glorious
Godhead is merely a mode of speech, a scholastic theory, and
that all was right if men could agree to worship our Saviour ?
The elders, however, of happy memory, before whom Noetus
was answering, were aware of no such defence. According to
the simplicity of the Gospel which they had learned, probably
with allusion to the very words of their creed, they reply, — " We
also have one only God, whom we know and acknowledge in
truth ; we know Christ ; we know the Son, and acknowledge
Him to have suffered as in truth He did suffer ; to have died as
in truth He did die ; who rose again the third day, and is on the
right hand of the Father, and is coming to judge quick and dead :
and we affirm those things which we have been taught."
**Then having convicted him, they cast him out of the Church."
It really should seem as if, by especial Providence, this frag*
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
ment of early Church History had been preserved, in ord^r to
shew Christians how to deal with those heretics, who make their
appeal with perverse ingenuity to the good feelings of believers at
the expence of their orthodox conviction. If there come any man
to you talking affectionately of Jesds Christ as our Redeemer,
but scornfully of the need of acknowledging Him as Very God
OF Very God : if the words which have been put into our mouths
by the Holy Fathers, Creeds, and Councils, are treated as the
mere inventions of Platonists or Schoolmen : we have a clear
precedent • for the kind of answer we should give : we have no
need to canvass objections, or to draw subtle distinctions, we have
only to repeat our.Creed with those blessed elders, and say, '*The
things which we have learned, those we affirm." If they say,
" What harm do we, giving Christ all the glory ?" we will tell
them, " Christ has taught His Church by His Scriptures in what
way He will be glorified ; and it is not for us to tolerate other ways,
however they may challenge our admiration for their ingenuity,
or our kindness by the seeming sincerity of their inventors."
But such a course is too harsh ; too peremptory in its censure
of persons, to whom we dare not deny a certain share of well-
meaning. This is a natural feeling, as it is natural to shrink,
in all cases, from inflicting pain. But if experience show that no
apparent piety to our Saviour will secure persons from the dead-
liest errors, if they allow themselves to take liberties with the old
standard of the Faith, — what shall we say ? will it not then ap-
pear, that the better we think of the motives of our erring bre-
thren, the greater their apparent devoutness and sincerity, the
more anxious must we be to speak out, and pull thenr back, if
possible, as brands out of the burning ? Now, then, what says
experience? Take one instance out of a thousand: one of the
most important that could have been mentioned; an instance
unquestionably and directly relevant, and probably most fatal in
its effects on the Church.
Of all the heresies of the Lower Empire, there is none which,
at first, appears more venial, more on the side of loyal Christian
love, than ihat of the Monophysites, at least after they had
renounced the error of their first founder, Eutyches, touching
the reality of our Lord's crucified body. It would seem as if
nothing but excessive reverence towards the glorified Son of
Man, would lead men to deny the continuance of His human
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 9
Nature : as though of the two, very God and very Man, the
weaker were now, as it were, lost and absorbed for ever in the
more glorious. In such a sect, therefore, of all others, one
would expect the most entire alienation from those who deny
Christ's Godhead altogether. But what is the fact ? When,
about the year 640, the Saracens first invaded Egypt, this very
party, the Monophysites, were the most numerous in that coun-
try, their priesthood being especially strong. Most unfortu-
nately, a violent political as well as religious feud prevailed
between them and the orthodox, or Greek party, commonly
called Melchites, or Royalists, from their loyalty to the Constan-
tinopolitan emperor, — so that not even intermarriages were
allowed. For various reasons they considered themselves greatly
oppressed: but, after all allowance made for considerations of
that kind, it must be owned a lamentable indication of the ten-
dency of their doctrine, that they actually received the Mussul-
mans with open arms. Their Patriarch of Alexandria, a man
whose name long stood very high among them for sanctity, came
to a regular treaty with the Caliph's lieutenant ; in which it ap-
pears to have been stipulated that he, the Patriarch, should be
restored to the episcopal throne of Alexandria, the whole sect for
their part co-operating with the infidel invaders. An account
has been preserved of the interchange of compliments between
the Saracen leader and the Patriarch, on the return of the latter
to the city, from which he had been long exiled. Amrou re-
ceived him with the remark, that in all the countries which the
Caliph had conquered, he had not met with any person of pre-
sence more august, and more worthy of a man of God. And
he actually intreated, and, as it seems, obtained, his prayers for
victory and safety in an expedition which he was just undertaking
into West Africa and Pentapolis. The prayers of a Christian
Archbishop, presiding over the sect which had separated from the
Church on pretence of extraordinary reverence for Christ's Per-
son, were asked, and granted, in behalf of the Mahometan Anti-
christ, just then on the point of wasting provinces which had been,
from the beginning, the pride and glory of the Christian world.
There is, then, nothing extravagant in the supposition that
heresy, even in its most attractive form of unusual loyalty to
Christ, and jealousy of His honour, may prove but a step to-
wards some God-denying apostasy. Whether or no any move-
10 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
ment of the kind be at the moment perceptible among us, it
surely will be well to bear such examples in memory. It is well
that those who, from amiable confidence in the right feeling of
themselves and others towards Him who is our common hope,
are apt to make light of differences in doctrine concerning Him :
it is well, I say, that they should be aware to what point, before
now, men have been led by such presumptuous differences.
May we not imagine, even at that time, the scruples of some
more considerate Copt overcome by such arguments as are now
not rarely alleged, when any Churchman is seen to shrink from
symbolizing wdth the corrupters of the Faith, and despisers of
the Church ? May we not, without any violent improbability,
represent to ourselves the venerable patriarch Benjamin reason-
ing as follows with- such an unwilling disciple ? " Why should
you be so very loth to act with these our Arabian brethren,
whom you cannot deny to be our political deliverers ? True,
they deny that our Saviour is the Son of God ; they do not even
allow Him to be the greatest of Prophets : but remember what
Holy Scripture says ; ' Grace be with all those who love our
Lord Jesus Christ :' . and surely it is possible for a Mussulman
to love Jesus of Nazareth : nay, he cannot help doing so, if he
be at all consistent : he must love one whom his own Scriptures
acknowledge as one of the greatest and most beneficent of hea-
venly messengers. Be of good cheer then : we and these our
new allies are in reality much more unanimous than we have
been used to imagine, in what we fundamentally believe. In
religion, properly so called, we do not really differ from them.
We all acknowledge with one voice the great facts of the Bible.
They add, indeed, those of the Koran : but that is not of so
much consequence, it being still possible for us all, in one sense
or other, to love Jesus Christ. Let us, then, leave off con-
tending about scholastic subtleties, and let us rather unite all our
energies against the one common enemy, the exclusive system of
the old Church, that Church which so unphilosophically insists
on our adoring the same Lord, confessing the same Faith, and
holding by the same Baptism. In this way, we shall be left most
sure to make our own high doctrines concerning our Lord and
his sole uncompounded Nature thoroughly known to our people;
and we shall do incalculably more good than we need fear doing
harm by this our partial and apparent compromise with what
8
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. H
\
may be erroneous in Malipmetanisni." If reasoning like this
ought to have availed in reconciling sincere Eutychians to the
Mussulman connexion, then, and not else, it seems intelligible
how those who profess to advocate a peculiarly pure and spiritual
view of Christianity, should readily unite with the deniers of the
Lord that bpught them ; and, in other respects, more or less
directly compromise the system of orthodox belief, where they
think there is, humanly speaking, a fair chance of doing more
good in the end.
On the whole, there is evidently no security, no rest for the
sole of one's foot, except in the form of sound words ; the one
definite system of doctrine, sanctioned by the one Apostolical
and primitive Church. People say, it is hard to bring men to
agreement in this : but so is perfection hard in every part of
duty. And besides, let the question be asked in all seriousness,
is it not much harder to ascertain their agreement in right feeling
towards our Saviour ? If the illustration were not too familiar,
one might say, it is like trying the temperature of a room ; one
man feels hot, and another cold ; but those who would be precise
and accurate rather settle the point by a thermometer. In truth, it
should seem perfectly impossible to know whether two men ex-
actly concur in feeling ; the most that can be positively known
is, that they agree in the same form of words to express their
feeling. And why, then, should it be counted wrong or absurd
for them to accept at the hands of God's Church the same form
of words wherein to own her system of doctrine, which is one
and the same definite thing, and quite independent, surely, of the
individual receiving it ?
Again : it may be said that so strict a demand of orthodoxy
is scarcely consistent with the encouragement given in Scripture
to the mere implicit faith of persons probably quite ignorant of
doctrinal statements : such, for example, as the woman with an
issue of blood, who, when she touched the hem of our Lord's
garment, was so far ignorant of His true Omniscient Nature, that
she thought of being healed without His knowing any thing
of it. May it not, however, be reasonably said, that her pious
and affectionate faith was, in fact, the very type of that which
saves men in the devout use of the means of grace which Christ
bestows on us ? According to her knowledge, so she received
Him : and must we not receive him in like manner according to
12 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
our knowledge, as God manifest in the flesh ? She came near and
touched the hem of His garment, although she could not have
explained how the touch should do her any good: and must we
not in like manner approach Him in the devout use of His Sacra-
ments, however impossible it must always be for us to understand
how they should be means of grace ? She indeed was ignorant
of some things : but involuntary ignorance is one thing, profane
<;ontradiction, or conceited scepticism, another. She had, perhaps,
what some might account low superstitious notions of the way to
profit by our Saviour : and on the other hand, if they who so
judge had stood by and seen St. Peter, when, in anger at the very
thought of the crucifixion, he took our Lord and began to rebuke
Him, and said, This shall not be unto thee ; and we may suppose
they would have said, He may be mistaken, but any how his
fault is on the right sid^ : he cannot endure any low notion of his
Saviour ; depend upon it, he is the last to deny Him. We know
how that proved on experiment; and perhaps, comparing the
two together, we shall not be wrong if we conclude that the only
safe way is to take God's will exactly as we find it declared in
His word as interpreted by His Church, and not to perplex our-
selves with fancies, philosophical or other. So may we hope by
God's grace to obtain larger and completer views of our whole
condition and duty, and build higher and higher as feeling that
our foundation is sure. So may we hope to escape that curse, the
terrible accompaniment generally of the Church's anathema, of
continuing for ever wavering and unsteady in all the great rules
and principles : " ever learning, and never able to come to the
knowledge of the truth."
Oxford,
The Feast of the Annunciation. ")
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH A WITNESS AGAINST
ILLIBERALITY.
Illiberality of mind in religious matters, bigotry, intolerance,
and the like, is the disposition to make unimportant points
important, to make them terms of communion, watchwords of
parties, and so on.
Now the Church Catholic acts on the principle of insisting on
no points but such as are of importance, of judging of opinions
variously according to their respective importance, of acknow-
ledging no parties, and of protesting and witnessing against all
party spirit and party dogmas.
One remarkable instance of this is to be found in the circum-
stance, true as a general rule, and capable of explanation in its
apparent exceptions, that it knows no master but Christ, as He
enjoined. It struck the attention of Christians as early as the
age of Athanasius, what is witnessed at this day, that heresies
bear the name of individual teachers, whereas the Catholic Faith
has no especial human interpreter, but is transmitted on from
Christ through His Apostles, in every place. Considering how
the names of the champions of all opinions are circulated to and
fro by all parties, it is a very surprising fact, that those only
remain at this day inseparably connected with the respective doc-
trines of those who bore them, which belonged to heretics : e. g.
in spite of all the efforts that have been made, to call the
orthodox faith Athanasian, that word occurs, for the most part,
only in a transitory page of history, being exchanged for Catholic
by the upholders of the faith, Trinitarian even by its enemies,
who, meanwhile, cannot help connecting themselves as Arians,
Sabellians. Nestorians, &c. with human masters. In like man-
2 TRACtS FOR THE TIMES.
ner, modern history opens upon us Lutherans, CalvinistSy
Brorvnists, Wesley ans, &c., but would be perplexed what title to
give to the English Church less respectful than Episcopalian.
We have plainly no human master, such as, Melancthon, Bucer, or
Cranmer, whatever influence these celebrated individuals might
have in their day. We are a branch of the Church Catholic. Not
that the absence of such human title is a criterion of Gospel truth ;
for there were Gnostics of old, and Independents and Quakers
now ; but that the Catholic doctrine is ever free from this badge
of intolerable bondage.
This is shown in the case of the parties within the Church, as
well as of the heresies and sects external to it ; e. g. the Augus-
tinians, the Jansenists, or the Arminians among ourselves ; or in
the various monastic orders, as Benedictine, Dominican, and the
like. I mean, the tolerance and comprehensiveness of the
Church is shown from the fact, that she can afford to receive
within her pale varieties of opinion, imposing on its members,
not agreement in minor matters, but a charitable forbearance and
mutual sympathy. Hence she has been accustomed to distin-
guish between Catholic Verities and Theological Opinions, the
essentials and non-essentials of Christian Faith.
In doing this, she has been guided by the text, spoken against
the Pharisees, " Judge not, that ye be not judged ;" and while
enforcing this command, she both exemplifies obedience to it
in her own case, and also becomes herself a test, applied to the
hearts of men, to ascertain whether they are bigotted and narrow-
minded or not. Contrast the text just quoted with 2 John 10, 11,
" If any man come unto you, and bring not this doctrine," &c.
and you see at once her gentleness and her severity.
Herein lies one eminent argument in favour of the divine
origin of the Church, that, by the course it has actually taken, it
gives us a clue to reconcile " not judging," with ** not bidding
God-speed."
Again, the claim of authority with which it silences quarrels,
affords, I say, a test, such as we antecedently might expect
would be given us, for ascertaining that latent Pharisaical tem-
per of party which our Lord rebukes.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. O
Submission to Church authority is the test whether or not we
prefer unity, and the edification of Christ's body, to private
fancies.
Thus, e. g. when the man of strong feelings, in old time,
merely founded a college or monastery for devotion and study,
he satisfied the test. When, in modern times, he opens a con-
venticle, and forms a sect, he is condemned by it, as Pharisaical.
When the Baptists go so far as to separate, because they think
children ought not to be baptized, they fail under the application of
it, since the Church, though earnestly enjoining infant baptism,
does not exclude from communion those who scruple at it ; there-
fore the Baptists are self-banished. When the Non-conformists
separated on account of the surplice, the cross in baptism, &c.
they too were detected and convicted of a rebellious spirit, by
the same test.
The spirit of Schism, in addition to its other inherent cha-
racters of sin, implies the desire of establishing minor points as
Catholic or essential points, or the spirit of exclusiveness.
The desire of novelty is restlessness ; the maintenance of our
own novelty is selfishness.
Zeal is the effort to maintain all the Truth ; 'party spirit is
a perverse maintenance of this or that tenet, even though true,
yet to the suppression and exclusion of every thing else. ** Forte
hinc appellata Catholica," says Augustine, " quod totum veraciter
teneat, cujus veritatis nonnullae particulae etiam in diversis in-
veniuntur haeresibus."
While Dissenters are exclusive on the one hand. Papists are
so on the other. The Council of Trent converted certain theo-
logical opinions into (what they maintained to be) Catholic
Verities. This was wrong, whoever did it; but it is some
comfort to find, that the body that thus became uncatholic, was
not the Church Catholic itself. It had been wretched, indeed,
had the Church, in its CEcumenic or Universal capacity, surren-
dered its own essential character, and added to the Catholic faith
private judgments. But the Tridentine Council was a meeting
of but a part of Christendom. Though the Latin communion is
given at 80,000,000 souls, yet the Greek Churches are said to
4
4 * TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
comprehend as many as 50,000,000, and these were not there
represented. Where too were the Bishops of the Reformed
Churches? CathoHc doctrines are those to which the whole
Catholic Church bears witness : the Council of Trent was col-
lected only from parts of the Church, such parts as differed
from the views ultimately adopted there being excluded ; and,
therefore, representing but a part, not the whole of the Univer-
sal Church, it assumed a privilege not belonging to it, for none
but the Catholic Church can attest Catholic Truths. As to our
Thirty-nine Articles, they were never imposed as essential, only
as a basis of union in a particular Church.
It may be added, that, while the Catholic Church is a stay
to the inquiring Christian, she is a check upon the forward.
She recommends much to us, which she does not impose, like
a true loving mother, " giving her judgment, as one that hath
obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful." All that is neces-
sary for enjoying the privileges committed to her, is belief in the
Apostles' Creed, and that teachable spirit that does not intro-
duce novelties upon it ; but in her Articles and Liturgy she
aims at directing into the truth, in all its parts, such as wish " to
follow on to know the Lord."
Oxford,
The Feast of St. Philip and St, James.
These Tracts are published Monthly, and sold at the price of
2d. for each sheet, or 7s. for 50 copies.
LONDON : PRINTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,
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1835.
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
BISHOP WILSON'S MEDITATIONS ON HIS SACRED
OFFICE.
No. v.— THURSDAY.
CHURCH DISCIPLINE.
(Continued. )
Heb. xiii. 4. " Whoremongers and adulterers God will
judge." You dare not say that this is not >true. What can you
say to your own mind to make it easy ? Nothing but this can
make you easy : — to take shame to yourself, to confess your sins,
to fast, and to pray earnestly to God for pardon, &c., and to let
others know " what an evil thing and bitter it is to forsake the
Lord."
This visitation will either do you much good or much hurt ;
you will from this time grow much better or much worse. — Since
you did not blush to sin, do not blush to own your faults. Let
it be matter of joy and thankfulness to you, that we are con-
cerned for you so much. Grace indeed we cannot give ; — that
is the gift of God ; — we can only pray for you, and do our duty
in admonishing you, &c. — If you submit for fear only, and not
for conscience sake, you will suffer both here and hereafter.
When men, and especially men in any authority, are not
content to neglect their own salvation, but are industrious to
ruin others, they may depend upon it, they are very near filling
up the measure of their iniquities, and consequently their de-
struction is not far off.
Our charity to offenders ought to be like that of God, not
in flattering them by a cruel indulgence, but in putting them, by
a merciful severity, in the way of obtaining pardon.
a TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
In the primitive Church, no great offenders were restored to
communion till they had, by their behaviour, given all possible
demonstrations of the sincerity of their ** repentance, not to be
repented of;" and this, by a long trial of mortification, &c. ; for
a short repentance too seldom ends in amendment of life ; and
he who fancies that his mind may effectually be changed in a
short time, will deceive himself and the Church, unless he shows
this change by fasting, almsdeeds, retirement, &c., and that for
a considerable time.
Will any man say that he loves Christ and his Church, when
he opposes the authority of her pastors ; when he opposes her
discipline ; or when he weakens her unity ?
When we consider, that God is absolute master of men's
hearts, we should not think any man incapable of salvation.
My God ! let me always fear for myself, when I am labouring
to promote the salvation of others.
Remissness in Church discipline is owing, sometimes to indul-
gence and an easy temper, not caring to trouble others, or to
be troubled ; sometimes by being satisfied to go on in the track
trodden by their predecessors, not considering what duty obliges
them to, but what was done before. Others, out of downright
neglect, not caring how things go, give opportunity to the enemy to
sow tares while they are thus asleep. Thus corruption gets head,
and is like to do so, until God awakens the Governors, both in
Church and State, and makes them see, that they are answerable
for all the sins occasioned by their negligence ; and that they
have more souls, besides their own, to account for ; which is
one day to fall heavy upon them. Lord, awaken all that are in
power, and me, thy unworthy servant, that we may all discharge
our duty more faithfully.
There may be people bold enough to make a mock of sin,
to submit to public penance with contempt of the authority that
enjoins it, and not to be bettered by such Christian methods for
the restoring sinners to the peace of Go» ; but it is to be hoped
all are not so hardened, and that Christian discipline is, notwith-
standing, a mighty check upon sin, and keeps many under a
fear of committing such crimes as must oblige them to take
shame to themselves before the face of men.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 3
Convocaliotif 1536. — " That perfect penance which Christ
requireth consists of contrition, confession, and amendment of
former life, and an obedient reconciliation to the laws and will
of God." — See also the Homilies.
Absolution.
Our Church ascribeth not the power of remission of sins to
any but to God only. She holds that faith and repentance are
the necessary conditions of receiving this blessing. And she
asserts what is most true, that Christ's ministers have a special
commission, which other behevers have not, authoritatively to
declare this absolution for the comfort of true penitents ; and
which absolution, if duly dispensed, will have a real effect from
the promise of Christ. (John xx. 23,) — Pull. Moderat.
Authority of the Church is only sjnritual and ministerial (the
Head and authority being in heaven). She does not, therefore,
call her orders Laws, but Rules y Canons ; and her inflictions^
not punishments, but censures. She acknowledges that whatever
power she has besides spiritual, is either from the favour or
injunction of princes.
But (Article 37.) we give not our princes (and they have
always disclaimed it) the power of administering God's Word,
or the Sacraments. And although our spiritual power be from
God, yet is this power subject to be inhibited, limited, regulated,
in the outward exercises, by the laws and customs of the land.
By this moderation both powers are preserved entire and dis-
tinct. We neither claim a power of jurisdiction over the prince,
nor pretend to be exempt from his.
Antenuptial Fornication.
Those who enter into marriage only to conceal their shame,
ought to give public satisfaction, as well as expiate their sin, by
open penance.
The greatest care ought to be taken Concerning the i^iticerity
of penitents ; till that be done, penance will only be a form,
without a power or any real benefit.
In the primitive Church, every thing was done with advice,
because their great aim was to have reason and the will of God
A 2
4 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
prevail. A despotic power was forbid by Christ himself: " It
shall not be so among you." He that is humble and charitable
will take the mildest and surest way, and will not be troubled,
provided the end be obtained.
Penance.
Sin is the disease of the soul. Diseases are not to be cured
in a moment : it will take time to root out their causes, and to
prevent their effects ; so will it require time to prove the sin-
cerity of our resolutions. We solemnly profess that we repent,
and we are not sure but that we lie to God.
Discipline.
As discipline slackened, men's manners grew more and more
corrupt, even in the primitive times. There were never more
infidels converted (saith Fleury) than when catechumens were
most strictly examined, and baptized Christians put to open pe-
nance for their sins. They that are for making still more con-
cessions to human frailty, will at last set aside the Christian
religion, which is established upon maxims of eternal truth, and
not on human policy ; and instead of gaining or securing the
bad, they will lose the better sort. A flattering physician is for
giving palliating medicines, to ease the pain, without taking away
the cause, which will occasion relapses, until at last they destroy
the patient. But a good man will prescribe what he believes
necessary to remove the cause, though uneasy to his patient, and
will have nothing to do with such as will not submit to the neces-
sary methods of cure.
Penances, in the primitive Church, were never granted but
unto such as desired them, and such as desired to be converted.
None were forced, but such as would not submit were excom-
municated.
Discipline impracticable.
This cannot be, when it was practised for so many years in
the primitive Church. And what if it be one of those things
which Christ has commanded His followers to observe so strictly,
Matt, xxviii. 19,20. ; and which He had learned of the Father,
John XV. 15. and xvi. 13. The commands of Christ cannot be
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. i>
impracticable. That would be to tax Him with ignorance or
weakness. When He promised to be with his Church to the
end of the world, He engaged to give such graces as were neces-
sary to raise us above our natural weaknesses.
Penances forced are seldom lasting.
The Priest, under the Law, could not accept the offering of
a leper, nor allow him to partake of the sacrifice, till he had
received convincing tokens of his cleanness ; no more ought the
Christian Priest to treat sinners as cured, till he sees the proof.
Qtiesn,
Matt. xvi. 19. "Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall
be bound in heaven ; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth
shall be loosed in heaven."
Those ministers that know not what it is to bind and loose
sinners, reject one half of their commission.
Excommunication is the last remedy reserved for the incor-
rigible in the case of enormous sins. They who despise it, know
not what it is to be an heathen in God's sight, — to be without
God for a Father, Christ for a Saviour, the Church for a Mother,
and Christians for brethren.
A true penitent is always willing to bear the shame and confu-
sion of his sin and folly before men, that he may escape the anger
of God.
Heb. xii. 15. " Looking diligently, lest any more fail of the
grace of God ; lest any root of bitterness springing up, trouble
you, and thereby many be defiled. Lest there be any fornicator,
or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his
birthright;" that is, such as for a short pleasure forfeit their
eternal inheritance.
Happy that sinner, whom God does not abandon to the hard-
ness of his heart, but awakens him by his judgments, or the visi-
tations of his grace.
Luke viii. 28. " I beseech thee torment me not." These
were the words of the Devil to our Lord, and these are the sug-
gestions in the hearts of all sinners, wherever he has got posses-
sion. When a minister of Christ, by his sermons, rebukes, &c.,
or the Church, by her disciplines, attempts to disturb the sinner,
6 TRACTS FOR THi:: TIMES.
\
they are looked upon as his mortal enemy ; and they treat both
the Church and her Ministei-s worse than this legion did Jesus
Christ. They despise their power, set at nought their persons,
and threaten and persecute them for their good will. Vide
Quesn.
There is not any greater or more dreadful sign of the wrath of
God, than when he abandons a sinner to his lusts, and permits
him to find means of satisfying them.
The public good is the sole end of Church discipline. The
interest of the governors of the Church is no way concerned in
it ; but only the advantage of their flock, that sinners may be
converted ; that contagion may be hindered from spreading ; that
every one may be kept to his duty, and in obedience to the laws
of God ; that judgments may be averted from the public, and
that God in all things may be glorified ; that differences among
neighbours may be made up, and charity improved, &c.
Discipline (saith our Homily of the right use of the Church,
Part II.) in the primitive Church was practised, not only upon
mean persons, but upon the rich, the noble, and the mighty ;
and such as St. Paul saith, were even given to Satan for a time.
Those that make a mockj a sporty a jest of sin, too plainly
betray a love of wickedness in themselves.
Exemption.
A legal exemption cannot free a man from guilt, beyond the
extent of that power which grants the exemption. If it be a
human power, it can extend no farther than to exempt a man
from human penalties, not from those that are purely spiritual.
Eccles. viii. 5. " Reproach not a man that turneth from sin."
They whom fear renders cowardly in the exercise of their mi-
nistry, forget that they act in the name and place of Christ, and
are to account to him for the mischief the Church receives
thereby.
Deut. i. 17. " Ye shall not be afraid of the face of men, for
the judgment is God's."
O righteous judge of the world, give me and my substitutes
grace, patiently to hear, and impartially to weigh, every cause
that shall come before us in judgment.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 7
Give us a spirit to discern, and courage to execute, true judg-
ment, that all our sentences may be approved by thee, our Lord
and Judge. Amen.
Deut. xxiv. 17. "Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of
the stranger, nor of the fatherless."
Isaiah i. 23. " Every one loveth gifts : they judge not the
fatherless ; that is, they are poor, and cannot bribe them."
Exod. xxiii. 2, 3. " Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do
evil ; neither shalt thou speak in a cause, to decline after many,
to wrest judgment : neither shalt thou countenance a poor man
in his cause."
Deut. xix. 15. "Thou shalt not respect the person of the
poor, nor honour the person of the mighty ; but in righteousness
shalt thou judge thy neighbour."
The judgment of the multitude is no rule of justice. "Then
cried they all. Not this man, but Barabbas."
John xix. 12. " If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's
friend ; — when Pilatp heard that saying," then he resolved to
sacrifice his conscience, rather than lose his prince's favour.
2 Chron. xix. 6. " And he said to the judges, take heed what
ye do : for ye judge not for man but for the Lord, who is with
you in the judgment."
Prov. xvii. 13. " He that justifieth the wicked, and he that
eondemneth the just, even they both are an abomination unto the
Lord."
John xix. 11. "Except it were given thee from above."
Although the magistrate's authority is from God, yet he is
answerable to God for the due execution of it.
Prov. xxi. 3. " To do justice and judgment is more accept-
able unto the Lord than sacrifice."
Isaiah i. 11 . "To what purpose is the multitude of your
sacrifices unto me ? saith the Lord : I am full of the burnt-offer-
ings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts ; and I delight not in the
blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.'*
Hosea vi. 6. •' For I desired mercy and not sacrifice ; and
the knowledge of God, more than burnt-oflTerings."
Micah vi. 7, 8. " Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of
rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil ? Shall I give my
8 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin
of my soul ? He hath showed thee, O man, what is good ; and
what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love
mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God."
The Jews had a rule, that if a rich man and a poor man had
a controversy, they must both of them stand or sit, to avoid
partiality.
Virtue would hardly be distinguished from a kind of sensuality,
if there were no labour — no opposition — no difficulty in doing
our duty. Dulce est periculum sequi Deum.
The duty of a judge may oblige him to punish according to the
law ; but it is the part of a Christian injured to forgive accord-
ing to the charity of the Gospel.
A judge is not the master but the minister of the law — for the
public good, not for his own interest, passion, or will.
A good judge will never desire to make himself feared by his
power ; but will rather be afraid of abusing it.
The. civil magistrate is liable to be excluded from Church com-
munion for such reasons as the spiritual governors shall judge
necessary ; — they are to determine for him, and not he for them,
in matters merely spiritual.
Give me, O Lord, the spirit of judgment, (Isaiah xxviii. 6.)
that I may govern this Church with wisdom.
Eccles. iv. 9. " Be not faint-hearted when thou sittest in
judgment."
A lover of the law will always have an eye to the intent of the
law. Matt. xii. 3.
Oxford,
Feast of St, Philip and St, James,
These Tracts are published Monthly , and sold at the price of
2d, for each sheet, or 7s. for 50 copies.
LONDON : PRINTED FOR. J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD, AND WATERLOO PLACE.
1835.
Gilbert & Rivinoton, Printers, St. John's Square, London.
yo. 03,] (y^d Clerum.) \_Pnce 2d,
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
THE ANTIQUITY OF THE EXISTING LITURGIES.
All Liturgies now existing, except those in use in Protestant
countries, profess to be derived from very remote antiquity. So
likely is it, however, that in the lapse of ages, considering the
extreme ignorance in which many parts of Christendom have been
immersed, interpolations almost to any extent should have crept
into the formulae of the different Churches, that little weight seems
at first sight due to them as traditionary depositories of ancient
doctrine. Judging from the opinions and character of those to
whose custody they have been committed, one would be disposed
to treat them rather as accumulations of every kind of supersti-
tion, than relics of ancient evangelical simplicity, to examine them
rather as exhibitions of the gradual decay of Christianity, than as
monuments of what it was.
Unlikely, however, as it might appear beforehand, learned men
who have undertaken the laborious task of examining them, have
been led to form a different estimate of their value. Certain, in-
deed, it is that they have been much interpolated, and in parts
corrupted ; but it seems to be admitted at last, after long and
patient research, that much likewise has been handed down from
the first uninterpolated, and that means exist for ascertaining
what parts are interpolated and what pure and genuine.
A
2 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
Among many remarkable facts which have been brought' to
light respecting the antiquity of existing Liturgies, the following
is among the most striking : —
There exists at the present day, scattered through Judaea,
Mesopotamia, Syria, and the southern part of Asia Minor, which
formerly made up the Patriarchate of Antioch, a sect of heretical
Christians, called Jacobites or Monophysites, who were anathe-
matized 1383 years since, at the council of Chalcedon, A.D. 451.
This ancient sect has from that time to this persisted in its sepa-
ration from the orthodox Church, and no communion has sub-
sisted between the two : each regarding the other as heretical.
For a long time each preserved their separate establishments in
the different Churches and dioceses, and each their own patriarch
in the metropolitan city. By degrees, however, the Orthodox
became the inferior party, and on the Mahometan invasion, find-
ing themselves no longer able to maintain an independent exist-
ence, fell back on the support of the patriarch of Constantinople,
whose dependents they acknowledge themselves at the present
day. The Monophysites, on the contrary, were patronized by the
invaders, and having been thus enabled to support their ancient
establishment, remain in undisturbed possession of their sees, and
represent the ancient Patriarchate of Antioch. Now these
Monophysites use at this day a Liturgy in the Syriac language,
which they ascribe to tl.e Apostle St. James ; and the remarkable
fact about this Liturgy is, that a great part of it coincides with a
Greek Liturgy used once a year by the orthodox Church at
Jerusalem, expression for expression. So that one must evi-
dently be a translation of the other.
A coincidence of this kind between the most solemn religious
rites of two Churches, which have for 1383 years avoided all
communion with each other, of course proves the parts which
coincide to be more than 1383 years old.
Another remarkable fact, not indeed so striking as this, but
perhaps as essentially valuable, is exhibited to us in the Patri-
archate of Alexandria. The history of the Monophysites and
Orthodox in that country, is much the same as in the Patriarchate
of Antioch ; except, indeed, that the depression of the Orthodox
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. «>
has been still more complete. In this Patriarchate the Mono-
physites still profess to use the ancient Liturgy of the country,
which they ascribe to St. Cyril, one of the early patriarchs. It
is in the Coptic language, but appears to be a translation from
Greek, and is sometimes spoken of as " the Liturgy of St. Mark
which Cyril perfected." Now it cannot, indeed, be said in this
instance, that any thing resembling this Liturgy is still in use
among the Orthodox in Egypt ; however, we know, that as late
as the twelfth century a Liturgy was in use among them which
bore the title of St. Mark's : and very curious it is that in a re-
mote convent of Calabria, inhabited by oriental monks of the
order of St. Basil, a Greek manuscript has been found of the
tenth or eleventh century, entitled the Liturgy of St. Mark, evi-
dently intended for the use of Alexandria. It contains a prayer
for the raising the waters of the Nile to their just level, and
another for " the holy and blessed Pope," the ancient style of the
Alexandrian patriarchs : and, on comparing it with the Coptic
Liturgy of the Monophysites, it is at once recognised as the same
rite, except, indeed, that in a few points it approximates to the
Liturgy of Constantinople.
If then it should be thought that St. Mark's Liturgy, as given
in this manuscript, is the same St. Mark's Liturgy which was
once in use among the Orthodox of Alexandria, we can hardly
doubt that so far as it coincides with that now in use among the
Monophysites, both are anterior to the separation of the parties,
f. e, more than 1383 years old.
Other Liturgies there likewise are, besides those of Antioch
and Alexandria, to which we may safely assign very great anti-
quity. One of these, which bears the name of St. Basil's, and is
now universally adopted by the Greek Church, " from the
northern shore of Russia to the extremities of Abyssinia, and from
the Adriatic and Baltic Seas to the farthest coast of Asia," is
believed to have undergone very little alteration, from times still
more remote than even the era of the Monophysite schism. A
MS. of this Liturgy was found by Montfaucon in the Barbarini
Library at Rome, which that profound antiquary pronounced to
be above 1000 years old at the time he wrote, ?', e. 12'tyear&
4 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
since, and which, consequently, was written about the time of the
Council of Trullo, A. D. 691. Now, at the time of this council,
we know that not so much as a doubt existed of the genuineness
of the text, as it was cited by 227 Eastern Bishops, as an un-
doubted record of St. Basil's opinions. Their decree opens
thus : — Kat yap BaviXeiog 6 ttk Kaio-ape/wv iKKXrfffiag ^Apyitirla-
KOTTog, ov TO kXeoq KaTO. iraaav rffv oiKovfxivqv Zu^pafxtv
yiypd<f>(OQ Tijy jivariKfji' rjfxiv iepovpyiav TrapahiBatKEyf k. r. X. . . .
If then we possess the text of St. Basil's Liturgy, such as it was
when appealed to on a controverted question only 310 years after
it was written, and that too by an assembly so likely to be well-
informed respecting its value, we may perhaps admit its genuine-
ness without much hesitation.
Another Liturgy, which can be traced back with tolerable cer-
tainty to very remote times, is the Roman Missal. Mr. Palmer
has shown that we have abundance of materials for ascertaining
the text of this Liturgy, as it stood in the time of Gregory the
Great, patriarch of Rome, A.D. 590, by whom it was revised
and in some parts enlarged. There also seems to be good reason
for believing that one of the MSS. which has been preserved,
exhibits it to us in a still earlier stage, such as it was left by Pope
Gelasius, its former reviser, about 100 years before the time of
Gregory. This ancient MS. was found by Thomasius in the
Queen of Sweden's library. It is divided into several books, as
the Gelasian Sacramentary appears to have been, and in other re-
spects differs from that of Gregory just where history informs us
the Gelasian did. It appears to have been written during, or not
long after, the time of Gregory the Great, but in some remote
province to which the additions and alterations introduced by that
prelate had not yet penetrated. Nay, farther, learned men ap-
pear to agree that there exists a MS. still more ancient than this,
from which the canon of the mass may be ascertained as it stood
before the revisal of Gelasius, even so long back as the time of
Leo the Great, i. e. as early as the Monophysite schism. This
MS. was found in the library of the Chapter of Verona, and its
merits have been very minutely canvassed by the most learned
antiquaries. It also deserves to be noticed, that at the time
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
when the Roman Liturgy was undergoing these successive re-
visals, a tradition all along prevailed attributing to one part of it
an apostolic origin; and that this part does not appear to have
undergone any change whatever. Vigilius, who was Pope be-
tween the times of Gelasius and Gregory, tells us that the " ca-
nonical prayers," or what are now called the " Canon of the Mass,"
had been " handed down as an apostolical tradition." And much
earlier we hear the same from Pope Innocent, who adds that the
Apostle from whom they derived it was St. Peter.
On the whole, then, it appears that of the existing Liturgies
one, viz. that of St. Basil, can be traced with tolerable certainty
to the fourth century, and three others to the middle of the
fifth ; and that respecting these three a tradition prevailed ascrib-
ing one of them to the Apostle St. James, another to St. Mark,
and the third to St. Peter.
But curious as these results are, those which follow from com-
paring the above Liturgies with others now existing, and with
one another, are still more curious. The Liturgies of Rome,
Alexandria, and Antioch, differ so materially as compositions,
that neither can with any reason be supposed to have been taken
from the other ; it is however true, with a singular exception, to
be presently noticed, that no other Liturgy either exists now or
ever appears to have existed, which is not a copy from one or
other of them. The Liturgy of St. Basil, striking as are some of
the features in which it differs from that of Antioch, is, neverthe-
less, evidently a superstructure raised on that basis : the com-
position of both is the same, i. e. the parts which they have in
common follow in the same order. The same may be said of the
Constantinopolitan Liturgy, commonly attributed to St. Chrysos-
tom, of that of the Armenian Church, and of the florid and verbose
compositions in use among the Nestorians of Mesopotamia. So
that the Liturgy of Antioch, commonly attributed to St. James,
appears to be the basis of all the oriental Liturgies. In the
same manner a remarkable correspoadence subsists between the
Liturgy of Ethiopia and the Alexandrian Liturgy attributed to
St. Mark. And so likewise the ancient Liturgies of Milan, and
of Roman Africa, which last indeed has not been preserved, and
6 TUACTS FOR THE TIMES.
can only be collected from the writings of the Fathers, are cha-
racterized by the marked peculiarities of the Roman Missal of St.
Peter. The exception which I above noticed, is the ancient
Gothic Liturgy of Gaul and Spain, which from the fragments that
have been preserved of it, appears to have agreed in composition
with neither of the three ; but to have been an independent rite ;
and this Liturgy, Mr. Palmer, by a very curious argument,
traces to the Apostle St. John. Here, then, we arrive at one
remarkable result : it appears, from all we can learn, that
throughout the whole world, there neither exist now, nor ever
have existed, more than four independent forms of Liturgy ; a
circumstance which, of itself, gives some credibility to the sup-
position otherwise suggested, that these four were of Apostolic
origin.
The confirmation of this supposition, which results from com-
paring the four independent rites, is, if possible, still more re-
markable. For while, on the one hand, the diversity of the
compositions proves that their authors, whoever they were, did
not feel bound to copy, either from the other, or from any com-
mon original ; so the identity of the matter proves that they
were exactly agreed in sentiment, and intimately conversant with
each other's habits of thought. Had these Liturgies resembled
one another less, we might have attributed them to sources
wholly independent, to the influence of any four great minds,
which may have arisen at different times, and acquired ascend-
ency in their own regions of Christendom. Had they differed
less, it might have been supposable that some single Saint,
though not an Apostle, some Ambrose or Athanasius, or Cyprian,
might gradually have extended his religious influence still more
universally. Though, even so, great difficulties would have
attended either supposition. As it is, however, we have to look
for four persons, each with predominating influence in distinct
and distant portions of the world ; yet, all so united in thought as
to make it certain they had been educated in the same school.
Nothing less than this will account at once for the resemblances
and differences of the four ancient Liturgies ; and this it would be
vain to look for after the Apostolic age.
k
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 7
Such is the general character of the argument resulting from
a comparison of these curious documents, each of which can in-
dependently be traced back to the middle of the fifth century,
and which appear, at that time, to have commanded the same
exclusive respect as at present.
To institute the comparison here in such a manner as to
enable the reader to judge for himself, is, of course, out of the
question, involving as it does very minute and extensive re-
searches. The following particulars, however, may perhaps be
not altogether uninteresting, ho,^ever incomplete.
I. It appears from Mr- Palmer's valuable work, that all the
ancient Liturgies now existing, or which can be proved ever to
have existed, resemble one another in the following points : —
(1.) All of them direct, that previous to communion, those
who intend to communicate shall exchange " the kiss of
.peace."
(2.) In all of them, the more particularly solemn part of
the service commences with words exactly answering to the
Enghsh, "Lift up your hearts," &c. as far as "Holy Father,
almighty everlasting God."
(3.) All contain the Hymn, " Therefore with Angels and
Archangels," &c. with very trifling varieties of expression.
(4.) Also, they all contain a Prayer, answering in substance
to ours " for the whole state of Christ's Church militant :"
(5.) And likewise another Prayer (which has been excluded
from the English Ritual) " for the rest and peace of all those
who have departed this life in God's faith and fear," concluding
with a Prayer for communion with them.
(6.) Also a commemoration of our Lord's words and actions
in the institution of the Eucharist, which is the same, almost
word for word, in every Liturgy, but is not taken from any of
the four Scripture accounts.
(7.) A sacrificial oblation of the Eucharistic bread and wine,
(8.) A prayer of consecration, that God will "make the
bread and wine the Body and Blood of Christ."
8
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
(9.) Directions to the Priest for breaking the consecrated
bread.
(10.) The Lord's Prayer.
(11.) Communion.
II. These parts are always arranged in one of the four follow-
ing orders ^
St. Peter's Liturgy.
Roman, Milanese, African.
1. Lift up your hearts, &c.
2. Therefore with Angels, &c.
S. Prayers for the Church on
earth.
4. Consecration Prayer.
5. Commemoration of our
Lord's words.
6. The Oblation.
7. Prayers for the dead.
8. Breaking of bread.
9. The Lord's Prayer.
10. The kiss of peace.
11. Communion.
St. James's Liturgy.
Orient(d.
10. The kiss of peace.
1 . Lift up your hearts, &c.
2. Therefore with Angels.
5. Commemoration of our
Lord's words.
6. The Oblation.
4. Consecration Prayer.
3. Prayers for the Church on
earth
7. Prayers for the dead.
9. The Lord's Prayer,
8. Breaking of bread.
11. Communion.
* The English Reformers prefer an order different from any of these.
English Order.
3. Prayers for the Churcli on
earth.
1. Lift up your hearts, &c.
2. Therefore with Angels, &c.
4. Consecration.
6. Commemoration of our Lord's
words.
11. Communion.
9. The Lord's Prayer.
6. Oblation.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
St. Mark's Liturgy.
Egyptian and Ethiopian.
10. The kiss of peace.
1 . Lift up your hearts, &c.
3. Prayers for the Church on
earth.
7. Prayers for the dead.
2. Therefore with Angels, &c.
5. Commemoration of our
Lord's words.
6. The Oblation.
4. Consecration Prayer.
8. Breaking of bread.
9. The Lord's Prayer.
11. Communion.
St. John's Liturgy.
Gallican, Ephesian, and Mozarahic.
3. Prayers for the Church on
earth.
7. Prayers for the dead.
10. The kiss of peace.
1. Lift up your hearts, &c.
2. Therefore with Angels, &c.
5. Commemoration of our
Lord's words.
6. The Oblation.
4. Consecration Prayer.
8. Breaking of bread.
9. The Lord's Prayer.
11. Communion.
Thus it appears that the four original forms from which all
the Liturgies in the world have been taken, resemble one ano-
ther too much to have grown up independently, and too litttle to
have been copied from one another.
III. On a comparison of the different forms of Oblation and
Consecration, it will be seen that in each of the four original
Liturgies, the Eucharist is regarded as a mystery and as a
sacrifice.
The Roman Form.
This is translated from the Missal now in use in the Church of Rome.
Therefore, O Lord, we beseech Thee graciously to accept this
oblation of our bounden service, from us and from thy whole
family. Dispose our days in thy peace, and command us to be
delivered from eternal damnation, and to be numbered in the
congregation of thine elect, through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
10 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
Which oblation do thou, O God, we beseech Thee, vouchsafe to
render, in all respects, blessed, approved, effectual, reasonable,
and acceptable ; that it may be made unto us the Body and
Blood of thy most beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who, the day before He suffered took bread into His holy and
venerable hands, and lifting up His eyes to Heaven, to Thee, His
God and Father Almighty ; giving thanks to Thee ; He blessed
it, brake it, and gave it to His disciples, saying, Take and eat ye
all of this : for this is my body. In like manner, after He had
supped ; taking also this glorious cup into His holy and venera-
ble hands, giving thanks likewise unto Thee, He blessed it, and
gave it to His disciples, saying. Take and drink ye all of it :
for this is the cup of my blood, of the new and eternal Testament,
the Mystery of Faith ; which shall be shed for you and for many
for the remission of sins. As often as ye shall do these things,
ye shall do them in remembrance of me.
Wherefore, O Lord, we thy servants, and also thy holy peo-
ple, having in remembrance both the blessed passion of the same
thy Son Christ our Lord, and also His resurrection from the
dead, and likewise His triumphant ascension into the heavens,
offer unto thy glorious Majesty, of thine own gifts and presents,
a pure Host, a holy Host, an immaculate Host, the holy bread
of eternal life, and the cup of everlasting salvation.
Upon which vouchsafe to look with a propitious and serene
countenance, and accept them as thou wert pleased graciously
to accept the gifts of thy righteous servant Abel, the sacrifice of
our patriarch Abraham, and the holy sacrifice, the immaculate
Host, which thy high-priest Melchizedek offered to Thee.
We humbly beseech Thee, O Almighty God, command these
things to be carried by the hands of thy holy Angels unto thy
High Altar, in the presence of thy divine Majesty, that as
many of us as by the participation of this Ahar shall receive the
most sacred body and blood of thy Son, may be replenished with
all heavenly benediction and grace, through the same Christ
our Lord.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMliS. 11
The Oriental Form.
This is taken from Dr. Brett's translation of the Liturgy of St. James, used
at the present day by the Monophysites throughout the Patriarchate of
Antioch ; and by the Orthodox at Jerusalem on St. James's day.
In the same night that He was offered, or rather offered up Him-
self for the life and salvation of the world, taking bread into His
holy, immaculate, pure, and immortal hands, looking up to Hea-
ven, and presenting it to Thee, his God and Father, He gave
thanks, sanctified and brake it, and gave it to His Disciples and
Apostles, saying —
Deacon, — For the remission of sins and for everlasting life.
Priest continues. — Take eat : this is my body which is broken
and given for you for the remission of sins. R, Amen.
Likewise, after supper He took the cup and mixed it with wine
and water, and looking up to Heaven, and presenting it to Thee,
His God and Father, He gave thanks, sanctified and blessed it,
and filled it with the Holy Ghost, and gave it to his Disciples,
saying. Drink ye all of this ; this is my blood of the New Testa-
ment, which is shed and given for you and for many, for the re-
mission of sins. R. Amen. . Do this in remembrance of Me.
For as oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show
forth the death of the Son of Man, and confess his resurrection,
until his coming again.
People, — O Lord, we show forth thy death and confess thy
resurrection.
Priest continues. — Wherefore, having in remembrance, his life-
giving passion, salutary cross, death, burial, and resurrection on
the third day from the dead ; his ascension into heaven, and
sitting at the right hand of Thee, his God and Father ; and His
second bright and terrible appearance, when He shall come with
glory to judge the quick and dead, and shall render to every man
according to his works : We sinners offer unto Thee, O Lord, this
tremendous and unbloody sacrifice, beseeching Thee not to deal
with us after our sins, nor reward us according to our iniquities :
12 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
but according to thy clemency and ineffable love to mankind,
overlook and blot out the hand-writing that is against thy ser-
vants, and grant us thine heavenly and eternal rewards, such as
eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the
heart of man to conceive ; even such as Thou hast prepared for
them that love Thee.
And reject not this people for me and my sins, O Lord.
Then is repeated thrice.
Priest. — For this people and thy Church make their supplica-
tion before Thee.
People. — Have mercy upon us, O Lord God Almighty
Father.
Priest continues. — Have mercy upon us, O God the Almighty,
have mercy upon us, O God our Saviour. Have mercy upon
us, O God, according to thy great mercy ; and send down upon
these gifts which are here set before Thee, thy most Holy Spirit,
even the Lord and giver of life, who with Thee, O God the
Father, and with thine only-begotten Son, liveth and reigneth a
consubstantial and coeternal Person : who spake by the Law, by
the Prophets, and by the New Testament : descended in the
form of a dove upon our Lord Jesus Christ in the river Jordan,
and rested upon Him, and came down in the shape of fiery
tongues upon thy Apostles, when they were assembled on the
day of Pentecost, in an upper room of Holy and glorious Sion.
Send down, O Lord, this thy most Holy Spirit upon us, and upon
these holy gifts, here set before Thee. That by His holy good
and glorious presence, he may sanctify and make this bread the
body of thy Christ. R. Amen.
And this cup the precious blood of thy Christ. R. Amen.
That all who are partakers thereof may obtain remission of
their sins and eternal life.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 13
The Egyptian Form.
This is taken from Dr. Brett's translation of the Liturgy of St. Mark, used
by the Monophysites at this day throughout the Patriarchate of Alexandria,
and by the Orthodox so late as the eleventh century.
In the same night wherein He delivered himself for our sins,
and was about to suffer death for mankind, sitting down to supper
with his Disciples ; He took bread in His holy, spotless, andun-
defiled hands, and looking up to Thee, His Father, but our God
and the God of all, He gave thanks, He blessed, He sanctified,
and brake it, and gave it to them saying. Take, eat.
Deacon. — Attend.
Priest continues. — For this is my body which is broken and
given for the remission of sins.
People. — Amen.
Priest continues. — In like manner He took the cup after supper,
and mixing it with wine and water, and looking up to Heaven, to
Thee, His Father, but our God and the God of all, He gave
thanks, He blessed. He filled it with the Holy Ghost, and
gave it to his holy and blessed Disciples, saying, Drink ye all
of this.
Deacon. — Attend again.
Priest continues. — For this is my blood of the New Testament,
which is shed and given for you and for many, for the remission
of sins.
People. — Amen.
Priest continues. — Do this in remembrance of me. For as
often as ye shall eat this bread and drink this cup, ye show forth
ray death, and confess my resurrection and ascension till my
coming again. ^
Showing forth, therefore, O Lord Almighty, heavenly King, the
death of thine only-begotten Son, our Lord, our God, and Saviour,
Jesus Christ, and confessing His blessed resurrection from the
dead on the third day, and his sitting at the right hand of Thee,
His God and Father ; and also looking for his second terrible
7
14 TRACTS FOR THE TIMKS.
appearance, when He shall come in righteousness to judge both
the quick and dead, and to render to every man according to his
works. We, O Lord, have set before Thee thine own, out of thine
own gifts ; and we pray and beseech thee, O thou lover of man-
kind, to send down from thy holy heaven, the habitation of thy
dwelling, from thine infinite bosom, the Paraclete, the Spirit of
Truth, the Holy One, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who spake in the
Law, in the Prophets, and in the Apostles ; who is every where,
and fills all things ; sanctifying whom He pleases, not ministe-
rially, but according to His own will : simple in nature, but
various in operation. The fountain of all divine graces, consub-
stantial with thee, proceeding from thee, and sitting with thee in
the throne of thy kingdom, together with thy Son our Lord our
God, and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Send down thine Holy Spirit upon us, and upon these loaves
and these cups, that the Almighty God may sanctify and tho-
roughly consecrate them : making the bread the body.
People. — Amen.
And the cup, the blood of the New Testament of our Lord
himself, our God and Saviour, and supreme King, Jesus Christ.
Deacon. — Descend ye Deacons.
Priest. — That they may be to us who partake of them, the
means of faith, sobriety, health, temperance, sanctification, the
renewing of our soul, our body, and spirit ; the communion of the
blessedness of eternal life and immortality ; the glorifying of thy
holy name ; and the remission of sins.
The Egyptian rite contains elsewhere the following words, re-
sembling a part of the Roman oblation, which would otherwise
seem to stand by itself
*' Receive, O Lord, unto thy holy Heaven, and intellectual Altar
in the Heaven of Heavens, by the ministry of Archangels, the
Eucharistical praises of those that offer sacrifices and oblations to
Thee . . . Receive them as thou didst the gifts of thy righteous
Abel, the sacrifice of our Father Abraham, the incense of Zacha-
rias, the alms of Cornelius, and the widow's mite."
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 15
The Gallican Form.
The following fragment was translated by Dr. Brett, from Mabillon's edition
of an ancient MS. in the Queen of Sweden's Library,
O Jesus, the good High Priest, come and be in the midst of us,
as thou wast in the midst of thy disciples ; sanctify this oblation,
that being sanctified, we may receive it by the hand of thy holy
Angel, O Holy Lord and eternal Redeemer.
Our Lord Jesus Christ in that night in which He was betrayed,
took bread, and giving thanks. He blessed and brake it, and gave
it to his Disciples, saying, Take and eat : this is my Body which
shall be delivered for you. Do this as oft as ye eat it in remem-
brance of me. Likewise also the cup, after he had supper,
saying. This is the cup of the New Testament, in my blood,
which shall be shed for you, and for many, for the remission of
sins. Do this as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me.
As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye shall show
the Lord's death till He shall come in brightness from the
Heavens. R. Amen.
We, O Lord, observing these thy gifts and precepts, lay upon
thine Altar the sacrifices of bread and wine, beseeching the deep,
goodness of thy mercy, that the holy and undivided Trinity may
sanctify these Hosts, by the same Spirit through which uncorrupt
virginity conceived Thee in the flesh : that when it has been re-
ceived by us with fear and veneration, whatever dwells in us
contrary to the good of the soul may die ; and whatever dies,
may never rise again!
" We therefore observing these His commandments, offer unto
Thee the holy gift of our salvation, beseeching Thee that thou
wouldest vouchsafe to send Thy Holy Spirit upon these solemn
mysteries, that they may become to us a true Eucharist, in the
name of Thee and thy Son, and of the Holy Spirit, that they may
confer eternal life and an everlasting kingdom on us who are
going to eat and drink of them in the transformation of the body
and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, thine only-begotten Son."
16 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
Such is the view taken of the consecration and oblation of the
Eucharist in the four independent Christian Liturgies. It is well
worth the consideration of such Protestant bodies as have rejected
the ancient forms.
Further information may be found respecting these remarkable
documents in the valuable works, already quoted, of Dr. Brett,
and Mr. Palmer. It is, however, much to be wished, that correct
editions of the original documents were in the handsof every one.
It may perhaps be said, without exaggeration, that next to the Holy
Scriptures they possess the greatest claims on our veneration and
study.
Oxford,
The Feast of St, Philip and St, James,
ERRATA.
In No. 59, page 2, line 5 from the bottom, for millions, read hundred
^ thousands.
3, line 16, for million, read hundred thousand, and for
thousand read hundred.
These Tracts are Published Monthly , and sold at the price of
2d. for each sheets or 7s. for 50 copies,
LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
BISHOP BULL ON THE ANCIENT LITURGIES.
{From his XII UA Sermon.)
[To Timothy,] to this public person, to this great bishop of
the Church, is this charge given by St. Paul in my text : " I
exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, inter-
cessions, 'and giving of thanks, be made for all men," &c. He
was to take care that such prayers should be made in all
churches and congregations under his inspection and jurisdiction.
And how could he do this, but by providing by his authority
that there should be set forms of prayer, framed according to
this rule, given him by the Apostle, to be used in those
churches? Sure I am, the primitive Catholic Church under-
stood this to be the meaning of the Apostle. Hence, in all the
churches of Christ over the world, however distant from each
other, we find set forms of public prayers, suited and conforming
to this direction of the Apostle.
And, indeed, if we consult all the ancient liturgies extant at
this day, we shall find this observation to be most true ; they
are all framed and composed according to this rule of the
Apostle.
And it is observable, that however those ancient liturgies
have been altered and corrupted in after times by many addi-
tions and interpolations, yet there are in all of them still remain-
ing many excellent and divine forms of prayer and thanksgiving
wherein they do all perfectly agree, and which, therefore, can-
not reasonably be thought to have any other original than apos-
2 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
tolical order and appointment, delivered to the several nations
and people, together with the first preaching and planting of
Christianity among them.
Such, for example, is the Sursuin corda in the Office of the
Communion, the Priest saying, " Lift up your hearts ;" and
the people answering, " We lift them up unto the Lord."
There is no Liturgy in any church of Christ to this day but
hath this form.
Such is the excellent form of Thanksgiving, in the same Office
of the Communion, to be performed by the Priest and people ;
the Priest saying, " Let us give thanks unto our Lord God ;"
and the people answering, " it is meet and right so to do."
This form also is to be found in all the most ancient Liturgies.
Such also is the Doxology, or glorification of the ever-blessed
Trinity : " Glory be to the Father," &c.
I add to what hath been already observed, the consent of all
the Christian churches in the world, however distant from each
other, in the prayer of Oblation of the Christian Sacrifice in the
Holy Eucharist, or Sacrament of the Lord's Supper ; which
consent is indeed wonderful. All the ancient liturgies agree in
this Form of Prayer, almost in the same words, but fully and
exactly in the same sense, order, and method ; which whosoever
attentively considers, must be convinced that this order of prayer
was delivered to the several churches in the very first plantation
and settlement of them. Nay, it is observable, that this Form
of Prayer is still retained in the very Canon of the Mass, at
this day used in the Church of Rome, though the Form doth
manifestly contradict and overthrow some of the principal articles
of their new faith. For from this very form of prayer, still
extant in their Canon, a man may effectually refute those two
main doctrines of their Church, the doctrine of Purgatory, and
that of Transubstantiation. . . . Thus, by a singular providence
of God, that ancient, primitive, and apostolic Form of Prayer
still remains in the Liturgy of that Church, as a convincing tes-
timony against her latter innovations and corruptions of the
Christian doctrine. But this by the way.
The same harmony and consent of the ancient liturgies ^j. ^.
services) is to be found in the office of Baptism, where the
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. o
person to be baptized is obliged first to " renounce the Devil
and all his works, the pomp and vanity of the world," &c.j and
then to profess his faith in the Holy Trinity, " God the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost." This Form is to be found in the litur-
gies of all the churches of Christ throughout the world, almost
in the very same words, and is therefore doubtless of primitive
and apostolical origin
Other instances of the like nature I could give you, if the
time would permit. But these I think are sufficient to show
that there were set, pjescribed Offices and Forms of Prayer and
praise, and professions of faith, delivered to all the Churches
of Christ by the Apostles or their immediate successors ; many
of those Forms (notwithstanding the manifold corruptions and
depravations of the primitive Liturgies in after times) being
still retained, and unanimously used in all the Churches of Christ
to this day.
The following account of the Thanksgiving in the Holy Eu-
charist, mentioned by Bishop Bull in the above extract, is from
Bingham, Antiq. xv. 3.
" As soon as the Common Prayers were ended, and they had
saluted one another with a kiss, bread, and wine and water were
brought to the President ; who receiving them, gave praise and
glory to the Father of all things by the Son and Holy Spirit,
and made a long thanksgiving for the blessings which he vouch-
safed to bestow upon them. And when he had ended the prayers
and thanksgiving, all the people that were present, answered
with acclamation. Amen.'*
After the same manner Irenaeus, " We offer unto Him His
own gifts, thereby declaring the communication and truth both of
flesh and spirit. For as the bread, which is of the earth, after
the invocation of God upon it, is no longer common bread, but
the Eucharist, consisting of two parts, the one earthly, the other
heavenly : so all our bodies, receiving the Eucharist, are no
longer corruptible, whilst they live in hopes of a resurrection.
But we offer these things to Him, not as if He stood in need of
them, but as giving Him thanks for His gifts, and sanctifying the
creature."
4 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
So Origen says, " They eat the bread that was offered to the
Creator, with prayer and thanksgiving for the gifts that he had
bestowed on them. . . ."
Cyril of Jerusalem more particularly specifies the substance of
this thanksgiving in his Mystical Catechisms, saying, " After
this we make mention of the heaven, and earth, and sea, &c. . . ."
This is much the same with the thanksgiving in St. James's Li-
turgy, which was used in the Church of Jerusalem, in this form :
" It is very meet and right, becoming us and our duty, that we
should praise Thee, and celebrate Thee with hymns, and give
thanks unto Thee, the Maker of all creatures, visible and invisi-
ble, the Treasure of all good, the Fountain of life and immor-
tality, the God and Lord of all things, whom the Heavens, and
the Heaven of Heavens praise, and all the host of them ; the
sun and moon and the whole company of stars ; the earth, the
sea, and all that are in them ; the celestial congregation of
Jerusalem ; the Church of the first born, who are written in
heaven ; the spirits of just men and prophets, the souls of mar-
tyrs and apostles ; angels and archangels, thrones and dominions,
principalities and powers, the tremendous hosts, and cherubims
with many eyes, and seraphims with six wings, with two whereof
they cover their faces, and with two their feet, and with two they
fly, crying out incessantly one to another, and singing with loud
voices the triumphal song of the magnificence of Thy Glory,
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Hosts, heaven and earth are full of
Thy Glory, Hosanna in the Highest. Blessed be He that
cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the Highest."
Oxford,
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
BISHOP WILSON'S MEDITATIONS ON HIS SACRED
OFFICE.
No. VI.—FRIDAY.
ORDINATION.
Question from the Office of Ordination. — Will you be faith-
ful IN ordaining, sending, or laying hands upon others?
Ans. I will so be, by the help of God.
Jer. iii. 15. ** O Lord, give us pastors according to thine own
heart, which shall feed us with knowledge and understanding. ."
Acts xiii. 3. " And when they had fasted and prayed, and
laid their hands on them, they sent them away." All Christians
being concerned in this affair, all ought to fast and pray, in order
to have faithful pastors. Quesn.
Apostolical usages ought to be kept up to, as proceeding from
Jesus Christ Himself. . . .
Awaken and touch all our hearts most powerfully from above,
that we may not forget our ordination vows. And, for Jesus
Christ's sake, grant that I may not be answerable for the sins>
and the dreadful mischiefs that may follow, if not hindered by
Thy grace. Amen. The conversion of souls is Thine, O Lord,
and not ours ; prosper Thou thine own works. It is not in us
to save souls. Let us not sacrifice to our own net, but use the
means, and ascribe all the glory to God ; we of ourselves have
nothing whereof to glory. . . .
John xxi. 7. *' Jesus saith unto him the third time, lovest
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X TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
thou Me ?" Though Jesus Christ knew Peter's heart, yet He
asked him three times whether he loved Him ? to teach those to
whom the power of ordaining belongs, to be very solicitous and
careful, and not content themselves with a slight inquiry into the
dispositions and qualifications of those who are to have the care
of souls committed to them.
It being entirely at the Bishop's discretion, whether he will
admit any one to the order of Priest or Deacon, and being not
obliged to give any reason for his refusal, he will be more
accountable to God, both for ordaining unfit persons, and for any
prejudice against such as are worthy.
Ember Week.
All persons being concerned in the choice of pastors, every
body ought to pray for good pastors. . .
N.B. — To give every person I ordain some short hints, in
Tvritingy of the nature, dignity, several branches, hazard of not
discharging them faithfully, &c. of the Ministry.
Matt, xxviii. 20. " Lo! I am with you." The chief care of
a minister of Christ should be, not to render himself unworthy
to have Christ present with him in the exercise of his Ministry.
John xvii. 16. " They are not of the world, even as I am not
of the world." The repetition of this truth ought to make us
sensible how different our life ought to be from that of worldly
people. . . .
N.B. — Remember,, that a Minister of Christ can save himself
but only by labouring to save others. . . .
1 Tim. V. 22. " Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be
partaker of other men's sins : keep thyself pure." A Bishop
engages to answer before God for such persons as he by advice>
ordination, &c. causes to enter into a state of life so very
hazardous, and which requires so great a stock of virtues.
It is happy for a minister of God, that the life he is to lead,
and the very outward acts he has vowed to perform, will help
to change his heart, and create in him those dispositions whicli
will make him like his great Master. For instance ; lie has
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 3
solemnly promised to read the Holy Scriptures daily ; he will
therefore have daily before his eyes the precepts, the instruc-
tions, the example of Christ ; — the rewards and punishments of
the life to come. He is obliged to catechize ; and the more
careful he is to instruct others, the more effectually he will learn
himself, how far we are fallen from God, and what pains we
must take to be restored to the image and favour of God. He
has promised to lead an holy and exemplary life. If he does
not do this sincerely, he will be the scorn of men now, and of
devils hereafter. It will be impossible to converse with poor
and needy people, and to seek out for help for them, without
partaking of the spirit and compassion of the blessed Jesus,
who laid down His life for them. If he is careful to read
divine service distinctly, with deliberation and gravity, it will
beget devotion in himself, as well as those that hear him. If
his sermons be plain and practical, they will affect his own
heart, as well as those he preaches to. Every child he baptizes
puts him in mind of the vows that are upon himself. And
he cannot administer the other Sacrament as he ought to do, but
it must needs fill his soul with a thousand holy ideas and devout
thoughts, — with a holy fear, lest he should offer the prayers of
the faithful with polluted lips, or distribute the bread of life
with unclean hands, with an ardent love for Jesus Christ,
whose love and death he commemorates, with a perfect charity
for all the world for whom he died. And the oftener he
administers this Sacrament, the more he will find his graces
increased. In visiting sick and dying persons, he will be put
in mind of his own mortality ; and in fitting them as he ought
to do for the account they are going to give, he will be put in
mind of the much greater he is himselL to give. When he
exhorts, reproves, admonishes others, it will bring to his mind
the words of the Apostle, " Thou that teachest another, teachest
thou not thyself?" &c. When he calls to mind that he has
promised all faithful diligence, &c. he will give himself wholly
to these things, and will be ashamed to be found wholly taken
up with business which no way relates to the salvation of souls.
If he is diligent in prayer, which he promises to be, God will
4 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
certainly enlighten his mind with saving truth and grace. In
short, if he has an ardent desire to save souls, and really strives
to do it as effectually as he can, he w^ill be loved of God,
assisted by His Spirit ; he will see the fruit of his labours ;
he will secure his own peace and hope, and will give an account
with joy when his Lord calls for him.
One of the most certain marks of a divine call is, when it
is the full purpose of a man's heart to live for Jesus Christ,
and His Church.
Oxford,
The Feast of St. Peter.
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
. SUPPLEMENT TO TRACT XVIII.
ON THE BENEFITS OF THE SYSTEM OF FASTING
PRESCRIBED BY OUR CHURCH.
The following observations were occasioned by some questions,
signed " Clericus," addressed to the Editor of the British Maga-
zine, in April last ; as they related to my tract, I^elt called upon
to answer them as far as I could ; and they are now re-printed,
with some additions, in the hope that they may remove some dif-
ficulties, which stand in the way of returning to the wise Rules of
our Church, with respect to the Christian duty of Fasting.
E. B. P.
Oxford.
The Feast of St. James.
I. Wednesday Fast. I did not mean to imply that this was a
fast of our church. In p. 6, I meant to speak of the example
set us by the early church ; in p. 10, " the two-sevenths of the
year, which the church has wished to be in some way separated
by acts of self-denial and humiliation," include the forty days of
Lent, not the Wednesday. Undoubtedly many pious Christians
have an especial respect for the Wednesday, as the day on which
our Saviour is supposed to have been betrayed, and also because
their church has, in consequence, hallowed it by the use of the
Litany. It would be natural for any Christian, who would add
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Z TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
occasional private fasts, to select the Wednesday : and this it
were well to bear in mind, for the church prescribes what is
generally necessary only ; those who strive at higher degrees of
holiness, and are constantly stretching forward, will, when accus-
tomed to therriy practise themselves in private acts of self-denial
at other times.
II. Does a feast ordinarily supersede a fastj or how is the fast
to be engrafted upon the feast ? Our church, in that she has
made one exception, (viz. that her weekly Friday fast^ is to give
way to the birth-day of her Lord,) and one only, seems to me
to imply, that on all other occasions the fast is to be retained.
Yet this does not supersede the feast ^ The glad remembrance
on each such feast-day still remains, — whether that God then
crowned with exceeding glory the labours and patience of His
blessed servants, the Apostles, or whether it were some act of
mercy conveyed to us directly in His Son. The act of fasting
(when the habit is acquired) chastens, but diminishes not our
joy ; nay, on the festivals of the blessed apostles, it carries on
the lesson of the vigil, and teaches us how we must ** enter into
His rest." This, then, seems to me to answer the third question.
Are the vigils to be kept as fasts ^ in such cases, as well as the day
itself? I should answer, yes ; because the vigil, or fast, of the
preceding evening, is intended to prepare the soul, by previous
abstinence and meditation, that it may rise disposed, and re-
freshed, and unencumbered, ready to receive God's holy influ-
ences on the morrow, and this ground is even increased by the
additional solemnity of that morrow. There appears, however,
to be this difference between the vigil and the Friday, or the
Lent fast, — that in the vigil, not humiliation, but preparation for
a solemn service, is the main object, the fasting is incidental
only ; as indeed the very name leads one to think of the watching
and previous meditation, not of the abstinence, except as far as
it facilitates this end.
' Bingham mentions that the 51 st Canon of the Council of Laodicea for-
bad the celebration of the birth-days of martyrs, i. c. the days of their mar-
tyrdom (and so saints'-days) during lent: they were to be transferred to the
Saturday or Sunday. This, however, has not been adopted by our church.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 3
IV. Rogation days ; or^ the three days preceding our Lord's
ascension. This, according to Bingham, is a Western fast, un-
known in the East, where the whole period of Pentecost was one
season of joy. This fast appears to have been a sort of extended
vigil, preparatory to the day " when the Bridegroom was taken
away," and teaching us that, laying aside our worldly appetites,
we should " in heart and mind thither ascend, and with Him
continually dwell." "Doubtless," says CaBsarius^ bishop of
Aries, " he loves the wounds of his sins, who does not, during
these three days, seek for himself spiritual medicines, by fast-
ing, prayer, and psalmody." The council of Orleans, a. d. 511,
ordained that they should be kept after the manner of Lent.
There is something salutary both in the eastern and the western
view ; in most periods, however, of church history, the earnest-
ness and distrust of self implied by this preparation for the fes-
tival of the Ascension is more fitted and more salutary for us
than the unbroken exulting joyousness of the eastern church.
V. Should the observance of the church's fasts be public ? and
if so, how should it be regulated ? Undoubtedly we are not to
fast, any more than to pray, or give alms, " to be seen of men :"
but as no one has ever interpreted our Saviour's warning as
forbidding public or Common Prayer, so neither can it apply
to public or common fasting. If we do publicly only what the
church requires, there is no more boastfulness in so doing than
in going publicly to church. " In the season of the Passion,"
says Tertullian ^ " when the religious observance of fasting is
universal and in a manner public, we scruple not to lay aside the
kiss of charity, (this omission was the public ^avowal that a per-
son was fasting,) not caring to conceal an observance which all
are sharing with us." But further, since fasting is to be accom-
panied by retirement^ all that the world need know is, that we do
fast ; the degree of self-denial need be, for the most part, known
^ Ap. Augustin. t. v. p. 299, App. ed. Bened, Senn. 174, alias de tempore
173, quoted by Bingham, book 13, c. i. sec. 10, as Augustine's.
2 Sic et die Paschae, quo communis et quasi publica jejunii religio est,
merito deponimus osculum, nihil curantes de occultando quod cum omnibus
facimus. Tertul. de Orat. c. xiv.
A 2
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
only to God, or to those immediately in one's domestic circle,
wlio, it may be hoped, will share our feelings and our practice,
and with whom there is no parade. We are not to obtrude our
practice on others, but neither (as Clericus well objects) dare
we deny it, if discovered, any more than we should deny that we
were walking to church, although it should be on some holy day
which the world has disused. Nay, this very denial proceeds
(in part, doubtless, from misinterpretation of our Saviour's
precept, but in part also) from some sort of feeling that it is a
great thing which we are doing. On the other hand, let a person
familiarize his mind to the idea that fasting is but a " plain
duty, (obedience to the church,)" and he will feel, that to try to
mislead persons as to his performance of that duty must needs
be wrong, because it is deceitful, but is also wrong, as counte-
nancing evil, and the neglect of duty. It is, undoubtedly, often
very painful to speak of, or to avow, any of one's own religious
practices, especially when asked in an irreverent spirit, — it seems
like profaning the sanctuary of one's own heart ; — yet there is in
most minds that instinctive respect for a man's honest convic-
tion, as well as for the simple straight-forwardness, which, when
called upon, would cheerfully state the truth, that any unaffected
avowal that we thought it our duty to fast, would instantly com-
mand respect — often perhaps lead to inquiry. Only, we must
beware that we be not inconsistent or forward : a person who
should voluntarily go into a mixed or large society, where the
very object of meeting was relaxation or amusement, and yet
purpose to fast there, would deservedly expose himself to the
charge of inconsistency, because he has chosen for his fast a
place manifestly unsuited to it, and he must bear tlie difficulties
which he has brought upon himself. On the contrary, should it
be convenient to his Diocesan, or Archdeacon, to hold a visita-
tion on one of the church's fasts, (the case proposed by " Cleri-
cus,") there would be nothing in the intercourse of a visitation
dinner inconsistent with the abstemiousness of a fast-day. Gen-
erally speaking, however, retirement and self-collection seem so
essential a part of fasting, that, unless on some extraordinary
•occasion, which might give a decidedly religious character to the
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 0
meeting, 1 should think it best for any one, who would observe
the church's fasts, to abstain from all society, except that of his
own circle. The Fellows of one of the most respected Colleges
in this place have, for years, made it a rule neither to accept nor
to give any dinner-invitations on the Wednesdays and Fridays in
Lent. This has been a good beginning ; and they have been
the more respected for making this rule, even by those persons
who have not thought it needful to follow their example. Some
other persons, though probably but few, have extended their
rule to all the fast-days of the church, except on some extraordi-
nary occasions, such as those above hinted, or where respect to
persons in authority seemed to supersede their private judgment ;
on such occasions, they would practise a quiet unostentatious
abstemiousness. Nor do I think that any charge of singularity
(in any obnoxious sense) does or would attach in any case when
a person acts simply and unostentatiously. If a clergyman,
e. g., were, in declining the invitation of an elder minister, to
assign as his ground, that he did not dine out on fast-days, there
would be something unbecoming in this sort of tacit reproof to
an older labourer in God's vineyard ; but though we must not
disguise the truth, if asked for, we need not voluntarily put for-
ward the grounds of our actions ; we might leave it to circum-
stances to lay them open, as far as might be necessary ; and if
we make no parade of our practice, our Christian liberty will be
respected. But, should it be otherwise, we are, of course, not to
count that " some strange thing has happened unto us," though
our good should be evil spoken of. After all our precautions
against ostentatiousness, censure of others, and the like, our
very practice, if accounted of any moment, will probably be re-
garded as implying blame of those who allow themselves in the
things from which we think it our duty to abstain ; especially
shall we have much difficulty in the first outset, but from within,
more than from without. We all, probably, magnify our own
importance, and think that our neighbours canvas us more than
they do ; whereas some passing observation, that " we are good
sort of people, but have exaggerated notions about the church's
authority," or that "our state of health or spirits leads us to ex-
b TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
cited notions about fasting," or that " we have new-fangled
notions about Christian antiquity," or, perchance, that " we are
half papists in this, though sound in other respects," and the like,
and so we are dismissed. Meanwhile, with a little patience, and
a few years, (if God allots them to us,) our new-fangled notions
will have become old ; it will be seen, that in proportion as we
love the old Catholic Christianity, we must hate the modern cor-
ruptions of it in popery ; and, if we do not influence those older
than ourselves, (which we should not even expect to do, since it
is not natural, and we, on the contrary, shall constantly have to
learn something of almost all our elders,) we shall, in our turn,
gradually become older, and shall be able to influence those
whom God in His ordinary dealings intends that we should in-
fluence— our younger brethren ; and that, too, when we shall not
only be convinced, on the authority of the church, and of older
Christians, that regular prescribed fasting is good, but have
known it for ourselves, and shown it forth, by God's grace, in
our lives.
VI. In what is the abstinence of fasting to consist? On this
question I can say no more than I have already said. Persons,
constitutions, occupations, states of health, habits of mind, vary
so indefinitely, that I do not see how a rule, which must take all
these into account, can be general. I do not indeed think it a
sufficient answer, which some urge, that fasting, e.g., sours their
temper, &c. &c., for it remains to be proved, whether, if under-
taken, not as an experiir.ent, but as a duty, not as an isolated
act, but as a habit, it would have that effect. Undoubtedly the
flesh will rebel at first, as it does against every attempt made to
subdue it, but this does not prove that it would not be tranquil
and weaned at last. Again, the habit of fasting would naturally
be accompanied by some degree of corresponding change in our
other habits, which might tend to make it lighter ; as of old,
when men, e.g., on fast-days, abstained from all unnecessary ex-
ercise or fatigue, which might incapacitate the soul from per-
forming its duties aright, unless the body had its usual refresh-
ment. And some such arrangement, I should tliink, parochial
ministers, even with extensive cures, might make, allotting to
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 7
the fast-day such portion of their weekly duty as was least
exhausting. Yet, after all, one rule will not apply to all, young
or old, in strong health or weakly, engaged in active or in
sedentary duties, of full or spare habits ; as, again, some of the
ends of fasting will vary according to the periods of life, habits,
or temperaments ; and, with the ends, so will the modes also, or
degree of fasting. " As fasting hath divers ends," says Bishop
Taylor *, speaking of private fasting, " so has it divers laws."
And for the temptation peculiar to youth, he remarks, " a sud-
den, sharp, and violent fast" will often only aggravate the evil.
What is then needed is, " a state of fasting, a diet of fasting, a
daily lessening our meat and drink, and a choosing such a course
of diet as may make the least preparation for the lusts of the
body." This, although belonging directly to private fasts, is so
far to our purpose, as indicative of his judgment, that the rules
of fasting must be adapted to our several cases ; and it was with
this view, that, in the second edition of my tract, I alluded
(p. 23) to the ^r]po(payiaf the less rigid fast of the ancient church,
in hopes that those who, from ill health, were unequal to the
harder fasts, might yet not think themselves excluded from the
privilege of fasting. And if the fast serve no other purpose than
to distinguish the day from ordinary days, by " eating no plea-
sant bread," yet even this degree of fasting, where no other is
admissible, can be, and has been, blessed by God. The rules
which I would recommend to one commencing the observance of
the church's fasts would be : — 1. To abstain, as far as possible,
from all mixed society at meals on those days, both as likely to
be inconsistent with the frame of mind, which it is the object of
the fast to cherish, and as tempting us (were it but to escape
notice) to break our rule. 2. Not to tie himself down to any
severe rule at first, as to ''the degree of fasting ; for a§ our bodies
have been inured to ease, so must they gradually be inured to
seasonable austerities. If we lay down too strict a rule, it may,
in reality, be too much for us at first, and so we may be tempted
1 Life and Death of the Holy Jesus. Disc, xiii. 5, " On fasting." This
discourse is full of valuable practical rules, which are in part repeated in the
" Holy Living," c. iv. sec. 5.
Q TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
to lay aside the whole habit ; whereas, had we begun more
modestly, we might in time have arrived, with comparative ease,
at the higher measures of it. 3. To watch carefully the effects
upon our own minds of any failures or inconsistencies in our
practice ; for these failures, carefully observed, when we have
once begun the practice of fasting, will show its real uses, more,
perhaps, than the direct benefits of the practice itself. 4. Ac-
company the fast not only with increased prayer and meditation,
but with other little outward acts of self-denial, for thus the
whole day will be more in keeping, and the mind taken off from
dwelling too much on the one act of fasting. Thus the brunt of
our enemy's attack will not rest upon this one point, (as is likely
to be the case if the fasting stand alone,) but, by being divided,
will be weakened. " A man," says Bishop Taylor, " when he
mourns in his fast, must not be merry in his sport ; weep at
dinner, and laugh all day af\er ; have a silence in his kitchen,
and music in his chamber ; judge the stomach, and feast the other
senses." So again Bishop Taylor instances ** hard lodging, un-
easy garments, laborious postures of prayer, journeys on foot,
sufferance of cold, paring away the use of ordinary solaces, deny-
ing every pleasant appetite, rejecting the most pleasant morsels,
as being in the rank of * bodily exercises,' which, though, as St.
Paul says, of themselves they * profit little,' yet they accustom
us to acts of self-denial in inferior instances, and are not useless
to the designs of mortifying carnal and sensual lusts." A person
would never have selected these instances without having tried
them himself, and found their use ; and, on the other hand, most
persons, probably, who have systematically tried fasting, have
experienced the benefits of some of these accessories. Some of
these also may be irksome at first, as others would be to many no
self-denial at all ; but every one knovj^s what, however trifling,
\\ould be self-denial to him, and the frequent repetition of these
acts is a constant, though gentle, self-discipline. It seems to me
part of the foolish wisdom of the day, and its ignorance of our
nature, to despise these * small things,' and to disguise its impa-
tience of restraint under some such general maxim as, that *' God,
has no pleasure in self-torture, or mortification," — ** God wills to
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. »
see his creatures happy," and the like : undoubtedly God wills
not our death, but our life ; not our misery, but our peace ; but
God often restores our bodily health by bitter herbs, the knife or
cautery, and why not our spiritual ? Our forefathers knew
better, and by disciplining themselves in these little things, at-
tained to greater ; they knew that religion is concerned about little
things, as well as great ; that if we look to great occasions or
great instances only, we shall ibrm no habit i and therefore they
shrunk not from mentioning all the little instances, if they were
only (the case of an aged and pious relative of my own, long since
with the Lord,) abstinence from snuff during Lent, or abridging
self-indulgence as to morning sleep, which they had found useful
to them. 5. Take especial care to practise self-denial as to food
at other times also, lest the fast degenerate into a mere opus ope-
ratum, a thing good in and for itself, even if followed by acts of
an opposite kind. In Bishop Taylor's words, " Let not intemper-
ance (or self-indulgence) be the prologue or the epilogue to your
fast. When the fast is done, eat temperately according to the
proportion of other meals, lest gluttony keep either of the gates
to abstinence." The importance of this caution will probably
be felt by those who have tried to fast ; or it may be seen in the
corruptions of the Romish Church. 6. Let young ministers, or
those who hope to be ordained to the ministry, beware lest they
be led, by the novelty of this duty, to overvalue it, or to under-
value those who have lived in times when it was not systematically
practised. Obedience to a parent is a higher duty than fasting :
" God will have mercy, and not sacrifice." If, therefore, a parent
object to any particular mode of fasting, let it be laid aside for
the time, and let the individual exercise himself in self-denial in
this also, that he relinquishes what a parent objects to, while he
looks out for himself other modes to which his parent would not
object '. 7. Omit trying no act of self-denial in little things, which,
* In like manner, let him not bind himself so to a particular rule as to pre-
clude any real act of charity or kindness to others ; but rather let him choose
some time for his own ends of retirement, &c., which may be less convenient
to himself, i. e. let his rule be a restraint to himself, not a hindrance to bene-
volence or an occasion of churlishness. '
10 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
without your own thought, suggest themselves to you, merely
because they are little ; such suggestions are generally proved by
the result not to have come from ourselves, and, if followed, they
lead onward. 8. If one mode of fasting do not suit your health,
then, after a time, try another ; some persons who could not bear
early abstinence, (the loss of a breakfast,) might well endure sub-
sequent privation, such as eating a sparing meal early, as the last
in the day, or they might at least decidedly abridge their princi-
pal meal, or, again, they might be able to strike off all luxury in
their food. 9. Supposing all these attempts to fail, after having
been fairly tried, yet a person might keep up the spirit of fasting,
by such accessories as those instanced, (No. 4,) and might
multiply these in proportion as he is obliged to abandon the
other, that so he may be ready to avail himself of his ability to
fast, whenever God shall restore it to him. A person of weak
health is constantly tempted to self-indulgence in matters which
do not concern his health, e. g. indolent postures, taking food at
the first moment of craving, &c. &c. ; and thus he may exercise
real self-discipline, even if physicians pronounce him incapable
of fasting without impairing his ability to do his duty where God
has placed him. Let any one consider what is the boast of our
country — our comforts ; and he will see what a tendency these
have tp make him forget his heavenly country, and that he is but
a pilgrim, — to make him think it " good for him to be here."
How much may he abridge, and yet, by his self-denial, only not
be more disadvantageously situated than others. Or, to take
another view, does not this show us how many occasions of self-
discipline we are furnished with more than our neighbours, from
our very national character and circumstances, and that a person
need be at no loss for instances of self-government if he but look
for them? 10. If a person acquire the habit, let him recollect
how slowly he arrived at the conviction of its necessity, and not
be surprised that others are as slow, or appear yet more so ;
perhaps, without fasting, they are more self-denying than one's
self with it. " Let it be done," says Bishop Taylor, "just as a
man takes physic, of which no man hath reason to be proud,
and no man thinks it necessary but because he is in sickness, or
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 11
in danger and disposition to it." 11. Especially let any one re-
collect how much, which is humiliating in his youth, (even if
God saved him from open sin,) might have been prevented by
the habit of fasting, if he had then practised it ; let him bear
this in mind, when he fasts, and make his fast an act of humilia-
tion for his own particular sins, as well as a discipline, so can he
never be proud of his fasting.
I will only add, that fasting has by no means so many difficul-
ties as Satan would persuade men, for fear they should try it.
Even among the poorer, some act of self-denial as to the plea-
sures of sense might easily be practised, (1 Cor. vii. 5, might be
hinted at;) and to instance one case only: — A poor woman
mentioned, with much respect, her father's practice never to taste
food before receiving the Lord's Supper ; (adhering uncon-
sciously to the practice of the universal Church in its better days,
and indeed of our own in Bishop Taylor's time ;) she added, " I
never heard that his bodily health suffered from it." With re-
gard to the rich, (who are obviously called upon to fast in greater
degrees,) I have the authority of an eminent physician, whom I
well know not to be wedded to any particular theory of medicine,
that, in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, the degree of fasting
recommended in my tract would not only not be injurious, but
be beneficial. He added, " Fasting is like the Sabbath — healthy
to the body as well as to the soul."
VII. Is there any difference between abstinence and fasting ?
Not, I imagine, in our Church, although she retained the terms
which were used to denote different degrees of abstinence in the
Romish ; and this I infer from her nowhere saying which are
days of fasting, and which of abstinence, whereas the Romish
Church does distinguish them ; further, as Wheatley remarks,
they are called in the second title (where they are enumerated),
•• days of fasting or abstinence." As in other cases, our Church
seems to have used both terms, in order to show that she therein
comprehended, without distinction, all to which these several
names had been given.
VIII. Vigils, There appears lo have been no difference be-
tween the regulations of these and other fasting-days. Whether
12 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
tlie old vigil was formally abolished is uncertain : (Card. Bona de
Divina Psalmod. c 4. §. 3, contends that vigils were regulated
only, and not abolished, except in a provincial Spanish synod ; they
were prohibited also in the Council of Cognac, A. D. 1260.)
Yet it fell into desuetude, and then the name was transferred to the
fast of the preceding day ; which fast probably existed before the
vigil was disused. " Since the saints," says Alcuin ', " arrived at
their present happiness through temporal affliction, we, as we
rejoice together with them in their eternal joy, so must we needs
suffer with them, that following their steps throughout, we may
arrive at the same joys. To mark this, on the days pre-
ceding those of their birth (into the other life), which days we call
their vigils, eating more sparingly than usual, we devoutly pre-
face those solemnities with the due observance of fasts, and with
affliction of the flesh ; that, purified by the abstinence of the
preceding day, we may the more worthily celebrate the joy of
the following festival." Fasting, then, seems to have been a
primary part of the solemnity, — to remind Christians, namely, in
their days of ease, how " through much tribulation we must
* De Divinis Officiis, §. 18. de Feria Sexta, quoted by Du Cange, Glossar. r.
Vigilia. In like manner, the " dies jejunii," are said by Honorius Augustod.
(de Antique Ritu Missae, 1. 3. c. 6. quoted ibid.) to have been consecrated in-
stead of the vigils, and to have retained the name of vigils : Belethus (Divin.
Offic. Explic. c. 137, referred to 1. c.) says " the fast of St. John has a vigil,
i. e. the day preceding this festival is called a vigil, or in place thereof, a fast,"
where he gives the usual account of the abolition of the vigils, as does Durand
(Rationale, 1. 6. c. 7- n. 8. ibid.) but without specifying the time of the fast
substituted for it. The preceding day appears to have been a total fast, until
after afternoon service, or three o'clock, when a moderate and dry meal was
permitted (see some original authorities ap. Coteler. ad Patres Apostol. t. 1.
pp. 326, 328.) In a canon of the Council of Salegunstadt, A.D. 1022, provision
is made that the fast of the vigil of our Lord's nativity should not interfere
with the ember fast, (lest so persons might lose the benefit of a fast) Harduin
Concil. t. vi. p. 828. Hence it appears that the fast of the vigil extended
over the day ; for if the fast of the vigil had belonged to the evening, it would
not have interfered with that of the ember fast, the more rigid part of which
terminated at three o'clock. See also the Capitula of Theodore, Archbishop
of Canterbury, ib. t. iii. p. 1774, and the Council of Mechlin, A. D. 1570, ib.
t. X. p. 1188.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 13
enter into the kingdom of God," and that the "good soldiers of
Christ must endure hardness," — not merely as a preparation for
the duties of the morrow. Each day had its peculiar subject of
meditation and of resolve ; the vigil, — the hardships which the
Apostles endured in their conflict; the festival — the Christian
graces which through this their patient perseverance they realized,
and the glory bestowed upon them. Yet even as a mere prepara-
tion, the Christian also might do well to remember (blessed are
they who know it not) that corpus onustum — animam quoque
praegravat una, atque affigit humi divince particulam aurce.
IX. " Clericus" asks, in connexion with this subject, what is
to be done, where there is no daily service, as to the prayers ap-
pointed for the Ember-week to be used every day ? I own, the
more I hear or think of this subject, or those connected with it,
I am the more convinced that the clergy are wrong in withhold-
ing daily prayers, that they underrate the willingness or the wish
of their people to go to Church, if invited. To mention two or
three facts only : — In a small country village of less than 300,
where a clergyman was assured that he would have a congrega-
tion on Saints'-days, there assembled in winter, (when there was
not much work) to prayers only, above fifty persons. In another,
where there was service on the Wednesday and Friday in the
Ember-week, with a sermon, the congregation was like that of a
Sunday, and the people deeply interested. In a manufacturing
town, on the eves of Saints'-days, with a sermon, it averaged
1000. A poor person here told a friend of ray own incidentally,
that her father, when he had no work, went round to see where
there was any service. Surely we are neglecting to supply the
cravings which either already exist, or might readily be awakened,
when man has no earthly friend. And might not our poor, when
destitute of employment, be led to the Church instead of to the
ale-house? Consider, again, how different would the state of
things be, if every Church in our country had but its ten, or
eighteen, or fifty worshippers. Would not the holy angels re-
joice at such a sight ? and might not the evils we dread, per-
chance, by God's mercy, be averted ? Again how would such
simple prayer undermine the world's present maxim, which would
9
14 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
make human agency, and so preaching, every thing ! How would
it, too, build up those who are real Christians, and so raise the
standard of Christianity among us! or how would it support, and
comfort, and purify, and initiate into the happiness of their
coming life, many who are about to part from this ! To return to
the Ember-days, besides the direct, incalculable blessing which
would result from their observation, do not they furnish an op-
portunity of inculcating, what in these days is much needed, the
claims, the importance, the sanctity of the office of the Christian
ministry and of the Church, without the appearance of ex-
tolling one*s self or one's office because it is one's own ?
E. B. P.
P.S. Some space being left, it may not be amiss to say a few
words on some of the prevailing prejudices against fasting.
There is no explicit command to fast in the New Testament.
Persons are but little aware how far this argument will go. Any
one will find, if he examine, still less proof that he should receive
the Communion of his Lord's Body and Blood, still less direct
proof that he shall go to Church on the Lord's day, that he may
have his infant children ingrafted into Christ, that there is any
especial object in morning and evening prayer, that he should
read the Scriptures daily, and in fact for almost every practice,
which every person who cares about his soul, knows to be need-
ful for him. 1 omit others, because some might be glad of an
excuse for abandoning them also. Now what is the direction
about the Lord's Supper ? Our Saviour says, " This do, as oft as
ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me." And of fasting He
says, " When ye fast, be not as the hypocrites :" in both cases,
it is implied that the observance shall be followed, and in both,
directions are given concerning how it is to be observed : in
the one case, " not as the hypocrites," in the other " in remem-
brance of ME." I do not mean that there is not satisfactory
proof, that Christ has given His body and blood to be our
spiritual food and sustenance, or not full and condemning evidence,
by way of inference, that whoso does not " eat the flesh of Christ
and drink His blood," in His Supper, " has no life in Him ;"
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 15
but the objection made against the necessity of fasting is drawn
from the absence of any explicit direction to fast habitually ; let
fnen observe then, that on the same ground they should doubt
whether they should habitually receive the Lord's Supper. Nay,
the direct evidence is perhaps the stronger in behalf of fasting :
for in answer to the objection *' The disciples of John fast oft, but
thine eat and drink :" our Saviour replies, " when the Bridegroom
shall be taken away from them, then shall they fast in those days."
(Luke V. 34, 35.) Does not this then imply that the only dif-
ference between John's disciples and our Saviour's in this respect,
was, that the Apostles had their Saviour still in the body, present
with them ; but that afterwards they should fast as John's dis-
ciples did ? and when we find that they did so fast, what farther
commentary on our Saviour's words do we want ? and if we fast
not, are we acting, as He said His disciples would ? or if we
make a spiritual fast, why do we not adopt spiritual sacraments,
t. e. none at all ? If, again, we have indications of frequent com-
munions in the New Testament, so have we of " fastings often :'*
if we trace up the practice of the early Church in the sacraments
to the inspired writings, and so obtain the sanction of God's word
for the early practice, why not in the use of fasting which is
equally clear ? why not, except that the one is an obvious privi-
lege and costs us nothing, while fasting, though a privilege, is at
first painful, and so we shut our eyes and refuse to see ?
" Fasting," we are told " is a legal observance, which may be
useful at a certain stage of religious progress, for an infantine
state in individuals or in the church ; but is unfit for an advanced
state, such (it is implied) as we are in." It is remarkable that
the same persons, who at one time objected to fasting, as not
resting on a positive law, should next complain of it as legal. It
might suffice to answer. Why then did our Saviour fast? or»
rather, (for we dare not speculate on things too high for us,)
since it was part of His Father's will that He should fast, must
it not be needful for us ? and may not one object of His fasting
have been to leave an example to us, (as nothing, which He did,
can be without its meaning to us,) and just to shew us that
fasting is a spiritual action, and belongs also to a high spiritual
13
16 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
State ? For His fasting was not required to fulfil the law, since
fasting formed no part of the law, and was engrafted upon it by
the prophets, or spiritual men among the Jews, as a part of self-
discipline, and so was an evangelical portion of the old despensa-
tion. And, as matter of history, who, among Christians, have
fasted most rigidly ? Uniformly, the most spiritual ; and they,
increasingly, as they went on heavenwards.
And to what else can one attribute it, that so many eminent
men in the French Church, amid all the disadvantages of a cor-
rupt religion, attained a degree of spirituality rare among our-
selves.
" Fasting is Popish.'' If this means, that it has been pre-
served amid the errors of Romanism, is not this true of most "of
the truths of the Gospel ? Our charge against the Romanists,
generally, is not that they have not preserved the truth, but that,
like the Pharisees, " they have made it of none effect by their
traditions ;" at least, in great measure, to so many of their mem-
bers. And does not the objection imply that we have forgotten
the peculiar character of our church, which is not a mere Pro-
testant, but a Primitive Church ? And if we are to prevail in
our approaching conflict with Romanism, or to be (as we seem
marked out to be) a means of reclaiming that Church, must we
not reconsider the character of our own Church, and take our
stand in its principles, not in the protestantism of other churches,
or of the day ?
Oxford,
Passion- Week.
These Tracts are Published Monthly j and sold at the price of
2d. for each sheet t or 7s. for 50 copies.
LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,
ST. Paul's church yard, and waterlog place.
1835.
Gilbekt & RiviNOTON, Printers, St. John's Square, London.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES,
Nos. 67, 68, 69.
SCRIPTURAL VIEWS
HOLY BAPTISM,
WITH AN
APPENDIX.
BY THE REV. E. B. PUSEY, B.D.
HKGIUS PROFESSOR OP HEBREW, CANON OF CHRIST CHURCH,
AND LATE FELLOW OP ORIEL COLLEGE.
Since, Lord, to Thee,
A narrow way and little gate
[s all the passage ; on my infancy
Thou didst lay hold, and antedate
My Faith in me.
O let me still
Write Thee Great God, and me a child.
Herbert's Holy Baptism.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD,
AND WATERLOO PLACE, PALL MALL.
1836.
LONDON :
OII.BKKT & RIVTNGTON, PRINTEUS,
ST. JOHN'S SaOARB-
PREFACE,
The following tracts having been written in some degree,
as they were published, separately, it may, perhaps, contri-
bute to clearness to state their object and their plan. Their
immediate object was to aid in removing the perplexities
of different individuals, who were harassed by the conflict-
ing opinions, which in these last times, have existed on the
subject of Holy Baptism. With one of these individuals my
office had brought me into connection. My original pur-
pose was rather to have given hints, which might aid others
in thinking profitably upon the subject, than myself to have
written at length. I wished to recall men, from their ab-
stract way of looking upon the question as a subject of
theological controversy, to their Saviour's feet, and to
induce them to think (apart from modern systems) what
His words, teachably considered, would lead to. For
it is a fearful evil of theological controversy, that men
accustom themselves to bandy about words of Holy Scrip-
ture, forgetting whose words they are.
When a text has been repeatedly and familiarly used in
support of any doctrine, persons, on the one side or the
other, involuntarily contract a habit of looking upon it in
the abstract as a mere ^dictum prohans ;^ they consi-
der what the words in themselves may, or (as they think)
need not, mean, leaving out of sight what they must mean
in His mouth, who spoke them. And hence is produced
an irreverent mode either of alleging or arguing against
A 2
IV PREFACE.
tliem ; and most consequently of their weiglit, — that arising,
namely, from the subduing influence of God's words, as
such, upon the human soul, is lost. Any one, who has been
engaged in religious discussion, will, probably, if he have
been led frequently to discuss the same subject, have found
himself alleging an accustomed text without an adequate
feeling of its import, and been checked perhaps and chided,
in the midst, by the greatness of some of the words, which
he has taken into his mouth. Something of the same kind
is observable in the pulpit. It requires so constant an
effort in any degree to realize things spiritual, that even
earnest-minded persons may be sometimes observed to
speak there of truths the most awful, in a tone, which, if
their own words were echoed to them, would startle and
pain themselves. This is in fact simply the old observation
on the tendency of familiarity with a subject to diminish our
sense of its greatness.
Other causes have operated to diminish the force of Scrip-
ture-teaching upon the subject of Holy Baptism. It was in-
tended, doubtless, that truth should be preserved upon earth
by being transmitted ; and this, with regard not only to the
great sum of religion, and the main articles of the Faith, but
the right understanding of Holy Scripture also. Hence,
while all have been made capable of understanding truth,
when proposed to them, few, comparatively, have been
entrusted with the power of distinguishing for themselves
between truth and error, otherwise than they have been
taught. A spiritual mind, however limited, will see truth for
itself, but it is only by having at the first faithfully followed
guidance to that truth. This instinctive adherence, however,
to an inherited system, although implanted in us for the main-
tenance of truth, may become almost equally subservient
to the propagation of error. And God, in that mysterious
dispensation whereby He makes the trials of the children to
depend upon the character of the parents, and entrusts each
PREFACE. Y
generation with an awful control over the spiritual privileges
of the succeeding, has annexed subsequent perplexity as a
punishment for the admission of each new error. This is
seen in the history of His Church, as well as of individuals.
It is very remarkable to trace from how early a date much
interpretation of the Scripture is derived ; and that, where
such interpretation has not been at all obvious, and so has
probably been inherited : and, again, how, when any inno-
vation has been introduced, it also acquires an authority
from the personal character or talents of its author, and
from authority, prescription ; so that, henceforth, (unless
the error be speedily suppressed) two systems are perpe-
tuated in the Church, equally traditionary, but the one of
late origin, the other ancient, and, until of late, universal.
Thus, with regard to the main texts relating to Baptism,
until the unhaupy innovation of Zuingli, in the 16th cen-
tury, the whole Church knew but of one sense belonging
to them. The v hole Church of God, from India to Bri-
tain, as expressing itself by the Fathers or its Liturgies,
for fifteen centuries, took in one sense the words of our
Redeemer, " Except a man be born again of water and
the Spirit." But when a man arose, to whom circum-
stances, and talents, and zeal against error, gave extensive
influence, and with a new theory of the Sacraments, intro-
duced a new exposition of our Redeemer's words, thenceforth,
a new path was formed ; and this too having been tracked
by men of great name, and trodden by others of deep
piety, those who are ignorant of antiquity, or of the value
of its universal agreement, are perplexed which to choose.
They have now to decide between two beaten tracks,
instead of following simply the footsteps of their fathers.
Under these circumstances, mere controversy, for the
most part, does harm. Each party is persuaded of the truth
of that system or exposition, which he has inherited, because
he has inherited it, or because it has come to him from
VI PREFACE,
those whom he respects, or his own spiritual proficiency or
usefulness has, as he imagines, become connected with it.
Few can see, or even induce themselves to weigh an expo-
sition contrary to that which they have received ; and very
few ought, or have been intended, so to do ; unless indeed
they have the weight of higher authority against them, as in
cases where the Church having decided one way, individual
teachers have instructed them in another.
Still, those who, under more popular names, are following
the teaching of Zuingli, and, with Zuingli, explain away
the force of their Saviour's words, are very far from meaning
to be guilty of this irreverence. It is not because I think
that they love not their Saviour, but because they love Him,
and because I think that that love is in danger of being in-
jured by the slight which modern systems put upon His
ordinances and His words, that I have especially urged,
(p. 16 sqq.) them to reconsider His words (St. John iii. 4),
and the rejection of an explanation of those words, which they
have inherited, but which seems to me in itself inconsistent
with reverence for Him. I wished namely that they would
ponder the bearing of His words " Except a man be born
of water and the Spirit," apart from any modern systems,
any temporary circumstances, any regard to consequences,
not as a text in a theological controversy, but as uttered by
Him, before whose mind the future history of His Church
was open, and who was providing for her necessities. And
since His Church has, from the very first, rested the doctrine
of the heavenly birth in Baptism upon these His words, and
has regarded that His gift as unreserved as His words are
unlimited, surely we must think that if He had intended
her to understand His words more restrainedly. He would
Himself have limited them. As it is, He has given no hint,
either that the peculiar privileges and powers of tlie Chris-
tian new-birth are bestowed ordinarily, without the " water,"
or are not bestowed with it.
PREFACE. Vll
The argument briefly is ; He, by His Divine foreknow-
ledge, must have known this, that His whole Church would
so understand His words, and in His goodness. He could not
mislead her. He must then have meant to teach as He
allowed her to understand Him. The force of this argu-
ment is not weakened by the fact, that the modern Church
of Rome, or other heretics, allege Scripture in support of
their errors. For it can be shown, first, that, however
Scripture may now be alleged in the support of these here-
sies, they did not originate in the misunderstanding of Scrip-
ture, but in human reason, worldly wisdom, or the like.
Secondly, they are errors, not of the whole Church, but of
later sects, who have forsaken the genuine tradition of the
Holy Catholic Church. Thirdly, they are not founded on
the obvious meaning of Scripture.
This argument weighed strongly in my own mind, so
that I should have needed no other ; and it is, I think, calcu-
lated to have much weight, not with the disputer, but with
those who wish simply to know their Lord's will. And
therefore, (not with any idea of judging others,) I felt and
said that " with one who loved His Saviour, I should be
content to rest the question upon this one passage."
Since, however, it is difficult to recover habits of mind,
which have been once abandoned, and the teachableness,
which in better days followed out the hint of one single
expression in Holy Scriptures, is, in our disputatious, de-
monstrating age, well nigh gone, and people look with an
involuntary suspicion upon any doctrine rested upon a
single passage, I thought it well to bring together the
several passages of Holy Scripture wherein Baptism is
mentioned, not with any notion of setting forth all their
teaching, but simply of showing that it all led us one way,
that it would all tend to far more exalted notions of
Holy Baptism, than are in these days current among
those who think that they appreciate it even highly. This
VUl PREFACE.
led me to enlarge my original plan ; and as this extension
may have obscured the method of the Essay, it may not be
amiss to exhibit a summary of it.
Introductory observations (Tract 6?. p. 1 — 12). I. Consideration of
passages of Holy Scripture which speak of or imply the greatness of Bap-
tism, (p. 12 — 48.) passages which speak of the forfeiture of those privi-
leges, and how the heavenly birth may, in some degree, be restored (Tract
68. p. 49—82). II. Baptism, as a Sacrament (p. 82—9). III. History
of the introduction of the new doctrine into the Church, (a) views of
Zuingli its inventor (p. 89 — 104.); Agreement of Calvin (Tract 69. p.
105 — 14.); theory of his school, in detail, destructive of a Sacrament (p.
114 — 133.) ; confusion of terms, " regeneration," "sanctification," ensuing on
that theory (p. 134 — 142). (/3) Doctrine ofindefectibility of grace. IV. Re-
moval of objections, whether (a) h. priori, (p. 149 — 166.) or (/3) derived from
Scripture (p. 166 — 170). Adult Baptism, as distinct from the preceding
(p. 171 — 6). Extracts from the Fathers, in answer to the charge that " Bap-
tismal Regeneration" is a deadening doctrine (p. 176 — 196). Contrast of
the exposition above adopted, with that of the reformed and the Socinians
(p. 196—201 ). Importance of the subject (p. 201— end).
I must, however, repeat that neither in pointing out the
effects of the views inculcated, nor in quoting the warm
healthy language of the Fathers, do I wish to recommend
the doctrine on these grounds : I have done so on the de-
fensive only, to clear away a difficulty for others, to remove
a prejudice, which may hinder them from seeing the truth,
not in support of the truth, or as a ground why they should
receive it. For so long as men shall appeal to the effects
of a line of teaching, or its popularity, or its fitness for its
end, in proof of its truth in the sight of God, so long must
error abound.
But, although my object has been to remove perplexity
(if it might be) from the minds of young ministers, or can-
didates for the ministry, perplexity is the least evil : a far
greater would be our settling down in low notions of the
Sacraments of our Lord, and virtually supei-seding their
necessity, or assigning them a " lower place."
It cannot be denied that there is much reason to dread
PREFACE. IX
this. Our general habits of mind are rationalizing ; we live
in the world of sense ; the knowledge which we acquire, is
matter of sense; what we call " science" is the knowledge
of things tangible to sense : a truly common-sense, or rather
a common-place sense, is our rule in all things ; and of all
this we make our boast. This is an unhealthy atmosphere
for faith, which has to do entirely with things unseen, not of
sense. Our daily habits, our philosophy, our morals, our
politics, our theories of education, or national improvement,
are founded upon a low and carnal basis, and are at direct
variance with the principles of the faith : one must give way ;
a more vivid faith must penetrate our social, domestic, in-
tellectual system, or it must itself be stifled. Meanwhile,
Rationalism is taking a subtle turn, or rather its author, the
author of evil, has been subtly applying it : in the days of
our Deists, it openly attacked Christianity, and was de-
feated ; now it appears as the ally and supporter of the faith,
which it would undermine : it supports our Evidences ; re-
conciles our difficulties; smooths down the "hard sayings"
of the Word of God, and steals away our treasure. The
Blessed Sacraments are a peculiar obstacle to its inroads, for
their effects come directly from God, and their mode of
operation is as little cognizable to reason as their Author :
they flow to us from an unseen world : what we see has as
little power to heal or strengthen our souls, as the clay and
the spittle to give sight to the blind man, or the waters of
Jordan to cleanse the leper : those who use them in faith
have life and strength ; yet is it not their faith alone which
gives this life, any more than faith would have cleansed Naa-
man, but for Him who gave the Jordan power to make his
" flesh as a little child." The Blessed Sacraments then are a
daily testimony to our faith : we are strengthened, we hold
onwards : hoio we obtain our strength we can give to reason
no account : suffice that we know whence it cometh. This
then has become a main point of attack.
X PREFACE.
The preaching of the Cross is now no stumbling-block to
the mind of man ; it offers no difficulties to the rationalism of
the day : nay, it is subjected to illustration, and the system
of Redemption is made cognizable by us, and we under-
stand it, and extol the wisdom of the scheme ! The Holy
Eucharist it has rationalized, and in that degree, as a Sacra-
ment, destroyed : the efficacy of Infant- Baptism it cannot
rationalize, and therefore denies it !
The popular theology of America is partly derived from
that very source which first brought in the low and ratio-
nalist notions of the Sacraments, the Swiss Reformation;
partly, it has been tampering with modern apologetic
notions *, and labouring to persuade the infidel that he
has, after all, nothing on the score of mysteriousness to
object to the Christian faith. And in the absence of any
principles of our own, and forgetting those of our Church
and its primitive character, and with a certain universalism,
which cares not whether the details be sound, so that it finds
certain portions of the faith, which it has arbitrarily selected,
we borrow at second-hand a mixed farrago of criticism or
history from Germany, unsifted and unadapted to ourselves ;
and from America, a popular illustrative divinity ; and hope
from the two to compound something which may meet the
necessities of the day, and save us the labour of study-
ing primitive Antiquity, wherein our great divines were
formed.
It must not also be forgotten, that a popular portion of
our religious teaching is ultimately drawn from the same
source as that of America — the divines, who, with those of
Geneva, fell away from the doctrines of the Ancient Church
upon the Sacraments : that (whatever be its other merits or
defects) it is founded on the supposition of the inefficacy
• See an offensive passage from Jacob Abbott's Corner Stone, on tbe Holy
Eucharist, quoted in the British Magazine for 1835, vol.7. p- •»5 sqq. comp.
Vol. 8. p. 312.
PREFACE. XI
of the one Sacrament, and throws the other into the shade ;
leading men to appropriate its benefits, without reference
to itself; to ascribe our whole spiritual life simply to the
action of faith, not to God's gifts in His Sacraments,
whereof faith is the mere channel only. And now, because
this preaching is popular, and has claimed to itself the
exclusive title to warmth and sincerity and undefiledness,
men are falling into it, or rather are amalgamating it with
the old system ; not upon conviction, and often with a sort
of suppressed surmise that there was much good in that
former system, as exhibited in its genuine representatives ;
but because the tide is set too strongly, and they dare not
withstand it.
This is said with all respect for those who are earnestly
preaching what they believe to be the whole Gospel of
Christ; and they will, I trust, think that nothing offensive
is intended, if their system is blamed as defective, being
derived from modern sources, and founded on a scheme
which denies the Sacraments to be means of grace. Nei-
ther would I have spoken with a confidence unbeseeming
an individual, in behalf of his own opinions, but that the
views are not mine, but those of the whole Church previous
to Zuingli. As the new system has now the ascendant, it is
with deep sorrow that one must regard it as unfavourable to
deep and continued repentance, or to the higher degrees
of sanctification. May God avert these and all other evils
from His Zion !
It is however of the utmost importance that persons
should see the tendency of their opinions; and on this
ground, I have quoted (p. 1*24) the statement of a writer of
a very different class, who (however by some happy incon-
sistency he may rescue his own religious belief) yet attributes
the reception of the views, retained by our Church on the
Holy Sacraments, to " the prevalence of the belief in magic
Xll PREFACE.
in the early ages ^" He admits that these views are coun-
tenanced by our blessed Saviour's declaration, that " virtue
had gone out of Him ;" but His saying is regarded, not as
matter of instruction to us, but as " a mode of speaking,
characteristic of the prevalent idea concerning the operation
of the Divine influence." St. Augustine's maxim " Accedit
verbum ad elementum et fit Sacramentum," which expresses
what has hitherto been the acknowledged teaching of the
whole Church, is designated as " an adaptation of the popular
belief respecting the power of incantations and charms to
the subject of religion." The tendency of this whole lecture
is to decry the Church's doctrine, that the Sacraments are
instruments or channels of grace, and to transfer their whole
efficacy to the simple operation of the mind of the believer.
The faith of the believer is not only essential to his bene-
ficial reception of it, but is " the true consecrating prin-
ciple,— that which brings down Christ to the heart of each
individual ^"
On one point, I fear that the doctrines of the ancient
Church are so distinct from modern ultra- Protestant theo-
logy on the one hand, (as also) from theRomanist on the other,
that the view, which I have exhibited, of the character of
grievous sin after Baptism may cause perplexity. It cannot
be otherwise; and I pray only that it may be healthful.
For our modern system, founded, as it is, on the virtual re-
jection of Baptism as a Sacrament, confounds the distinction
of grievous sin before and after Baptism, and applies to
repentance, after falling from Baptismal grace, all the pro-
mises which, in Scripture, are pledged, not as the fruit of
repentance simply, but as God's free gift in Baptism. Yet
our reformers thought differently; for had their theology
been like our's, there had been no occasion for an article
' Dr. Hampden, Bampton Lectures. Lcct. vii. p. 315. sq.
2 Ibid. p. 323. sq.
PREFACE. XIU
on "Sin after Baptism" (Art. 16.), or for denying that
" every such sin is sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpar-
donable.'* It had been a matter of course. The possibility
or efficacy of such repentance I have not denied; God
forbid : but that such repentance is likely, especially after a
relapse, or that men, who have fallen, can be as assured of
the adequacy of their repentance, as they might have been
of God^s free grace in Baptism, daily experience, as vk^ell as
the probable meaning of Scripture, forbid us to hope. Had
repentance been so easy a thing, as men would persuade
themselves, how is it that there are so very many hardened
sinners, who never apparently repent; so many, of whose
repentance one can hardly hope that it is real ; so many
half-penitents? Again, the pardon in Baptism is free, full,
instantaneous, universal, without any service on our part:
the pardon on repentance for those who have forfeited their
Baptismal pardon, is slow, partial, gradual, as is the repent-
ance itself, to be humbly waited for, and to be wrought out
through that penitence : were the repentance at once per-
fect, so, doubtless, would the pardon be ; but it is part of
the disease, entailed by grievous sin, that men can but
slowly repent; they have disabled themselves from applying
completely their only cure : the anguish of repentance, in
its early stages, is often the sharpest; it is generally long
afterwards that it is in any real degree purified and deep-
ened ; and therefore the ancient Church diligently noted out
of the Old Testament the means whereby repentance might
be heightened and secured, as humiliation, voluntary afflic-
tion, prayer, self-denying bountifulness, and the like.
Again, the penitent must regard himself, not merely as a
novice, but as a very weak one : he has already cast away
the armour wherewith he was clad ; he is beginning an irk-
some, distasteful course, and having already failed, it be-
comes him not to be impatient of suspense, or too confident
XIV PREFACE.
in his new steadfastness, but to be content to wear " doubt's
galling chain V' until God shall see it healthful for him gra-
dually to be relieved. The fears, and anxiety, whereof he
ignorantly complains, and would rid himself by the one or
the other system of theology, is a most important, perhaps
an essential condition of his cure, otherwise God would not
have sent troubles, often so intolerable.
2 But where is then the stay of contrite hearts ?
Of old they leaned on Thy eternal word;
But with the sinner's fear their hope departs,
Fast linked, as Thy great name to Thee, O Lord.
Man desires to have, under any circumstances, certainty of
salvation through Christ: to those who Iiave fallen, God holds
out only " a light in a dark place," sufficient for them to see
their path, but not bright or cheering as they would have
it : and so, in different ways, man would forestall the sentence
of his Judge ; the Romanist by the Sacrament of penance :
a modern class of divines by the appropriation of the merits
and righteousness of our Blessed Redeemer ; the Methodists
by sensible experience : our own, with the ancient Church,
preserves a reverent silence, not cutting off hope, and yet
not nurturing an untimely confidence, or a presumptuous
security.
A further question will, probably, occur to many ; what
is that grievous sin after Baptism, which involves the falling
from grace ? What the distinction between lesser and greater,
venial and mortal sins ? or if mortal sins be " sins ao:ainst the
decalogue," as St. Augustine says, are they only the highest
degrees of those sins, or are they the lower also? This
question, as it is a very distressing one, I would gladly answer
' Keblc's Christian year, 6th Sunday after Epiphany.
3 Ibid. 2d Sunday in Lent.
PREFACE. XV
if I could, or dared. But as witli regard to the sin against
the Holy Ghost, so here, also. Scripture is silent. " What
that measure is," to apply St. Augustine's words, "and what
are the sins, which prevent men's attaining to the kingdom
of God, — it is most difficult to discover, and most dangerous
to define. I certainly, much as I have laboured, have not
yet been able to decide anything. Perhaps it is therefore
concealed, lest men's anxiety to hold onward to the avoiding
of all sin should wax cold. — But now, since the degree of
venial iniquity, if persevered in, is unknown, the eagerness
to make progress by more instant continuance in prayer is
quickened, and the carefulness to make holy friends of the
mammon of unrighteousness is not despised^." It is easier
to ascertain what are those which are not venial; some,
such as sins of the flesh, or idolatrous covetousness, St. Paul
has named ; yet, even without these, there may be a state
of heart, through the accumulation of lesser sins, equally
destructive of the Baptismal life. " Despise them not," says
the same St. Augustine % " because they are smaller ; but ^ q^
fear, because they are more numerous. Attend, my bre-
thren. They are minute ; they are not great. It is not a
wild beast, as a lion, which destroys life by one grasp, — but
human nature is feeble, and may be destroyed by the small-
est beasts. So, also, slight sins ; ye remark them, because
they are small : beware, because they are many. What is
smaller than grains of sand? Yet, if much of it be laden
into a vessel, it sinks it, that it is lost. How small are drops
of rain ! Do they not fill rivers, and overthrow houses ?"
Yet though it be difficult to determine in the abstract, it
is not so much so for one who wishes earnestly to know
himself, to ascertain whether he has been, or is in this state
of alienation from God, or approximating to it ; how wilfully
1 De Civ. Dei. L. 21. c. ult. 2 Serm. 9 alias 96. de temp. c. 11.
XVI PREFACE.
he have sinned ; how long remained in sin, or against what
present and ready help of God's Holy Spirit. And in pro-
portion to his sin, must be his repentance. Only of this he
may be sure, that man always undervalues his sin, and over-
values his repentance ; and on this account also, theories,
wlricli smooth or shorten the path of repentance, are so
peculiarly dangerous.
The differences, then, between these and the current
ideas of repentance, relate to, 1st, The difference between
grievous sin before and after Baptism ; 2dly, The difficulty
of recovery ; 3dly, Its mode ; 4thly, Man's assuredness and
knowledge of his pardon ; 5thly, The duration of repent-
ance : but they do not relate either to the possibility of re-
pentance, or God's readiness to forgive the penitent. Mo-
dern notions appear to me to confound together repentance
for all sin, to level those who, after Baptism, have in the
main served God, and those who serve Him not; and to
represent repentance for grievous sin, too easy, too little
painful, too little connected with the outward course of
life, too little influenced by or influencing it, too much a
matter of mere feeling, too readily secured and ascer-
tained, too transitory, not — too certain to obtain pardon,
if real.
On this whole subject of the actual sins of the baptized,
and the repentance necessary, I would that men would study
the work of Bishop Taylor — " The doctrine and practice of
Repentance," not simply on account of his great learning
as to Christian antiquity, but because it was written by one
who says of himself S " having, by the sad experience of my
own miseries and the calamities of others, to whose restitu-
tion I have been called to minister, been taught something
of the secret of souls : I have reason to think that the words
' Preface to the Clergy of England, prefixed to the Doctrine and Practice of
Repentance.
PRfiFACE. XVll
of our dearest Lord to St. Peter, were also spoken to me ;
* 7u autem conversus, cojifii'tna fratres^ " Taught in this
>chool, he " endeavoured to break in pieces almost all those
propositions, upon the confidence of which men have been
negligent of severe and strict living," and became eminently
a preacher of repentance.
Lastly, I would beseech those, for whom these tracts are
mainly intended, our younger labourers in our Lord's vine-
yard, for their own sakes, as well of those, of whose souls
they must give account, neither here, nor in any other por-
tion of these tracts, to be deferred by any vague fear of an
approximation (as they may be led to think) to any doc-
trines or practices of the corrupt Church of Rome ; not to
allow themselves to fall in with any of those charges, which
ignorant men are wont to make, of " the early corruptions
of Christianity," and which are the bulwark of Socinianism,
and of every other heresy. Since the Swiss reformers set
aside primitive antiquity, and took a new model of their
own. Antiquity, if tried by the standard of Zuinglianism or
Calvinism, must, of course, appear to approximate to the
modern Church of Rome ; for that Church has retained, in a
corrupted form, doctrines and rites, which the Swiss reforma-
tion rejected. Hence, the Lutheran (seep. 104), the Bohe-
mian (p.23r3), and our own Church, have, by the admirers of
that reformation, ever been looked upon as Papistical ; as they,
in their turn, have, by the " extreme reformation of the Soci-
nians" (p. 198-9), been held, and rightly, to have stopped short
of the results of their own principles, and have been repre-
sented, though wrongly, as retainers of Alexandrian ^* cor-
ruptions of Christianity." Hooker's defence of our Church
is but one instance of this wide difference between ours and
the Zuinglian reformation. Our Church (blessed be God,)
never took Luther, or Calvin, or any modern name for its
teacher or its model, but primitive antiquity: and by the
a
XVlll PKEFACE.
Holy Scripture alone, uud the universal consent of Primitive
Antiquity, as the depository of its doctrines, and the witness
of its teaching, would she be judged*. In these principles
of our dear mother the Church of England, have we been
trained, and in these old ways we would humbly tread.
* There are souje brief, but valuable notices of the peculiaritjf or the Chiirch
of England in the late Bishop Jebb's I^asto'ral Insttiictibiis', antl soiiie striking
quotations fi-om ancietit divines; domestic and foreign, who liave remarked it, as
an excellence ; so also in Bp. Bull's Apologia pro Hannania, sect. 1. § 4. ed.
Burton.
Christ Church,
The Feast of the Circumcision ofChrisK
r^» 7ff f'^/Vftf! H')f:in") n .vo iii(- ha:) .{.
,;ni
» «9ukJ9i e& t^l-f^aoaw dy^
yJiupiJu; r/iHuL
PASSAGES OF HOLY SCRIFfURE EXPLAINED.
Ps.ii.7.— p. 17, Note.
Matt. iii. U.— p. 16— 209, 10.
Maik i. 10— p. 46, Note.
vii. 20. — p. 166.
xvi. 16.— p. 20, Note.
John iii. 5. — pp. 12. 15 — 19.
Acts viii. 13. — p. 172.
X.— pp. 138—142.
xxii. 16.— pp. 47, 48.
xxvi. 12. pp. 222, 223.
Rom.iv. 11.— p. 38, Note.
V. 12, sqq. — p. 87.
vi. 3— 7.— pp. 22—27. 211.
4.— p. 84, Note.
xiii. 14.— p. 27.
1 Cor. i. 5— 8.— p. 36, Note, 212—16.
vii. 14.— pp. 161-163. 26-2-5.
xi. 31.— p. 61, Note.
xii. 13.— p. 43.
2Cor.i.22.— pp.34.38. 42.
iii. 25. — p. 54.
2 Cor. vii. 11— p. 61, Note.
Gal. iii. 27.— pp.27— 31. 84, Note.
iv. 4. sqq. — ^p. 43.
19 pp. 72, 73.
Eph. i. 13, 14.— pp. 34—38.
iv. 30 ^pp. 34. 38.
V. 22, sqq.— pp. 40, 41. 216—218.
Col.ii. 11.— pp.31— 34.
iii. 1.— p. 33, Note.
Tit. iii. 5.— pp. 19, 20,21. 152. 210, 11.
Heb. vi, 1, sqq. — pp. 49 — 57.
X. 22— p. 43.
26,27.— p. 69.
38, 39.— p. 80.
1 Pet. i. 23. ii. 1. 3.— p. 14.
iii. 21.— pp. 21 . 44, 45. 220—222.
2 Pet. i. 9.— p. 54, Note.
1 John ii., iii. 9. — ^pp. 166 — 171.
ii. 20. 27.— pp. 41, 42. 218—220.
Rev. vii. 3.— p. 35, Note.
PASSAGES MISINTERPRETED BY THE SCHOOL OF ZUINGLI,
CALVIN, AND THE SOCINIANS, pp. 198, 199.
John iii. 5. — p. 15.
Acts i. 5.— p. 100.
ii. 38.— pp. 282—284.
viii. 37 ^p. 284.
xxii. 16.— pp. 284,5.
Rom. vi. 3.— p. 270.
1 Cor. xii. 13.-pp.291,292.
Gal. iii. 27.— pp. 285—87.
Eph. v. 26.— pp. 41, Note, 293—295.
Col.ii. 11.— p. 295.
Tit. iii. 5.-pp. 287—289.
Heb. X. 22.— pp. 289, 290.
1 Pet. iii. 21— pp. 289, 290. 292, 293.
ERRATA.
Page 2, line 20, for untried read restored.
12, Note /or 1 Cor. v. 15, read 1 Cor. iv. 15.
22, line 3, for these read tliere.
38, title, /or soul read seal.
39, line 9, /'or his read this.
43, line 3, for iv. 23. read x. 23.
■ line 4c^for pure read true.
'—— 44, line 5,/or Testament, read Testament —
' X ,{i€ .q — .1 Aii j
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
SCRIPTURAL VIEWS OF HOLY BAPTISM.
What sparkles in that lucid flood
Is water, by gross mortals ey'd :
But seen by Faith, 'tis blood
Out of a dear friend's side.
Christian Year. Holy Baptism.
Every pious and well instructed member of our Church will in
the abstract acknowledge, that in examining whether any doc-
trine be a portion of revealed truth, the one subject of inquiry
must be, whether it be contained in Holy Scripture ; and that in
this investigation, he must on the one hand defer, in some degree,
to the system of interpretation handed down to us through the
early Church, on the other he must lay aside all reference to the
supposed influence of such doctrine, the supposed religious cha-
racter of those who held it at any given time, and the like.
Any right-minded person, I say, will readily acknowledge this
in the abstract ; for to judge of doctrines by their supposed in-
fluence upon men's hearts, would imply that we know much more
of our own nature, and what is necessary or conducive to its re-
storation, than we do : it would be like setting about to heal our-
selves, instead of receiving with implicit faith and confidence
whatever the Great Physician of our souls has provided for us.
The real state of the case is indeed just the contrary of what
this habit would imply. We can, in truth, know little or nothing
of the efficacy of any doctrine but what we have ourselves be-
lieved and experienced. Even in matters of our own experience,
we may easily deceive ourselves, and ascribe our spiritual pro-
A
2 MAN NO JUDGE BEFOREHAND, OF THE
gress exclusively to the reception of the one or the other truth,
whereas it has depended upon a number of combining causes,
which God has ordered for our good, upon a great variety of
means, by which God has been drawing us to Himself, whereof we
have seized upon one or two of the principal only. In other cases
we may be altogether mistaken. Thus, to take a published in-
stance ; a person now living has said of himself that " he read
himself into unbelief, and afterwards read himself back into
belief." As if mere diligent study could restore any one who
had fallen from the faith ! Whereas, without considering what cir-
cumstances, beside the reading of infidel books, led him to infi-
delity, or what commencing unsoundness led him to follow up
the reading of infidel books, on which he was not competent to
judge ; — the very fact of reading at one time infidel, at another
Christian, writings, implies that the frame of mind was different
at each time ; so that by his own account, other causes must
have combined both to his fall, and his restoration. Again, he
himself incidentally shows that, though a sceptic, he still con-
tinued to exercise considerable self-denial, for the welfare of
others ; so that among the instruments of his untried faith, may
have been one, which he omitted, that his benevolence, like that
of Cornelius, went up as a memorial before Gob \ But if we
can be mistaken, even as to the influence of what we have tried,
much more assuredly must we, in spiritual matters, be in igno-
rance of what we have not tried. We may have some intimation
with regard to such questions, whether of doctrine or of practice,
from the experience of good men ; but so far from being judges
about them, it will often happen that precisely what we are most
inclined to disparage, will be that which is most needful for us.
For, since all religious truth or practice is a correction or purifi-
cation of our natural tendencies, we shall generally be in igno-
rance beforehand, what will so correct or purify them. Our
own palate is disordered, our own eye dimmed : until God then
has restored, by His means, our spiritual taste, or our spiritual
' Knox's Correspondence, t. ii. p. 580, 7- " It has often struck me that
probably this good man was rewarded for his fraternal piety by his providen-
tial conversion to Christianity."
EFFECT OF DIVINE TRUTH. O
vision, we should select for ourselves very blindly or injudiciously.
In matter of fact, the Christian creed has been repeatedly pared
down, as every one knows, in consequence of men's expunging,
beforehand, what they thought prejudicial to the effect of the
other portions of Scripture truth : thus, early Heretics objected
to the truth of the human nature of Christ : against the Re-
formers it was urged, that the doctrine of "justification by
faith only" was opposed to sanctification and holiness : Luther,
(although he afterwards repented,) excepted against God's teach-
ing by St. James, and called his Epistle an " Epistle of straw :"
fanatics of all ages have rejected the use of both sacraments :
stated or premeditated prayer has been regarded as mere for-
mality, and the like. And in these or similar cases, when at a
distance, we can readily see how some wrong tendency of mind
suggested all these objections, and how the very truth or practice
objected to, would have furnished the antidote which the case
needed. We can see e. g. how stated or fixed prayer would
have disciplined the mind, how a form would have tended to
make the subjects of prayer more complete: for we ourselves
have felt, how, by the prayers which the Church has put into our
mouths, we have been taught to pray for blessings, our need of
which we might not have perceived, or which we might have
thought it presumption to pray for. And this is a sort of witness
placed in our hands, to testify to us, how in other cases also we
ought with thankful deference to endeavour to incorporate into
the frame of our own minds each portion of the system which
God has ordained for us, not daring to call any thing of little
moment, which He has allowed to enter into it ; much less pre-
suming to " call that common, which God hath cleansed," or
to imagine that, because we cannot see its effects, or should
think it likely to be injurious, it may not be both healthful and
essential.
The doctrine, then, of Baptismal Regeneration (rightly under-
stood) may have a very important station in God's scheme of
salvation, although many of us may not understand its relation to
the rest, and those who do not believe it, cannot understand it.
For this is the method of God's teaching throughout ; " first
A 2
4 DANGER OF SPEAKING OF ESSENTIAL
believe and then you shall understand ^" And this may be said,
in Christian warning, against those hard words, in which Christ-
ians sometimes allow themselves ; as, '• the deadening doctrine
of Baptismal Regeneration ;" language which can only serve to
darken the truth to those who use it, and which is by so much
the more dangerous, since all Christians believe that Regenera-
tion sometimes accompanies Baptism ; and since Baptismal Re-
generation was the doctrine of the Universal Church of Christ
in its holiest ages, and our own reformers (to whom, on other
points, men are wont to appeal as having been highly gifted with
God's Holy Spirit) retained this doctrine, a private Christian
ought not to feel so confident in his own judgment as to de-
nounce, in terms so unmeasured, what may after all be the teach-
ing of God; " lest haply he be found to fight against God."
Others again, holding rightly the necessity of Regeneration for
every one descended of Adam, would strongly set forth this neces-
sity ; but whether God have ordinarily annexed this gift to Bap-
tism, this they would have passed over as a difficult or curious ques-
tion. They bid men to examine themselves whether they have
the fruits of regeneration ; if not, to pray that they be regene-
rate. " This absolute necessity of regeneration," they say, " is
the cardinal point ; this is what we practically want for rousing
men to the sense of their danger, and for the saving of their
souls : what privileges may have been bestowed upon them in
Baptism, or, in a happier state of the Christian Church, might
not only be then universally bestowed, but be realized in life, is
of lesser moment : regeneration, and the necessity thereof, is the
kernel ; these and other questions about outward ordinances, are
but the husk only : regeneration and ' justification by faith only*
are the key-stones of the whole fabric." I would, by the way,
protest against such illustrations, whereby men, too commonly,
• " We are not therefore ashamed of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ, because miscreants in scorn have upbraided us, that the highest
point of our wisdom is, Believe. That which is true, and neither can be dis-
cerned by sense nor concluded by mere natural principles, must have prin-
ciples of revealed truth whereupon to build itself, and an habit of Faith in
us, wherewith principles of that kind are apprehended." — Hooker L. v. § 63.
AND UNESSENTIAL TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL. O
embolden themselves to call any portion of God's institution
for our salvation, " husk," or " shell," or the like : let it seem
to us never so external, it can in no stage of the Christian
course be dispensed with, which these similitudes would imply.
Rather, if we use any image, might we better speak of the whole
Gospel as an elixir of immortality, whereof some ingredients may
be more powerful than the rest, but the efficacy of the whole
depends upon the attemperament of the several portions ; and
we, who formed neither our own souls, nor this cure for them,
dare not speak slightingly of the necessity of any portion.
Doubtless there are truths, which in one sense (comparatively
speaking) may be called the great truths of Christianity, as
embodying in them a larger portion of the counsel of God, and
exhibiting more fully His attributes of hohness and love. Better
perhaps, and more Scripturally might we speak of^ the truth, — the
Gospel itself ; yet there is no evil in that other expression, if
intended solely as the language of thankfulness for the great
instances of His mercy therein conveyed. If used, on the other
hand, — I will not say disparagingly, but — as in any way convey-
ing an impression that other doctrines are not in their place
essential, or that we can assign to each truth its class or place in
the Divine economy, or weigh its value, or measure its impor-
tance, then are we again forgetting our own relation to God, and
from the corner of His world in which we are placed, would fain
judge of the order and correspondencies and harmonies of
things, which can only be seen or judged of, from the centre,
which is God Himself. We cannot, without great danger, speak
of lesser, or less essential, truths, and doctrines, and ordinances,
both because the passage from " less essential," to *' unessential,"
is unhappily but too easy, and because although these truths
may appear to relate to subjects further removed from what rve
think the centre of Christianity, the mode in which we hold
them, or our neglect of them, may very vitally affect those which
we consider more primary truths. We can readily see this in cases
in which we are not immediately involved. Thus we can see
how a person's whole views of Sanctification by the Holy Ghost
will be affected by Hoadley's low notions of the Lord's Supper ;
6 INDIVIDUAL HOLINESS NO TEST
or how the addition of the single practice of " soliciting the Saints
to pray for men," has in the Romish. Church obscured the pri-
mary article of Justification : and yet no one could have antici-
pated beforehand, that this one wrong practice would have had
effects so tremendous. If then wrong notions about the one
Sacrament, among both Romanists and Pseudo-Protestants have
had an influence so extensive, why should we think error, with
regard to the other, of slight moment ? Rather, should we not
more safely argue, that since Baptism is a Sacrament ordained
by Christ Himself, a low, or inadequate, or vmworthy con-
ception of His institution, must, of necessity almost, be very
injurious to the whole of our belief and practice ? Does not our
very reverence to our Saviour require that we should think any
thing, which He deigned to institute, of very primary moment, —
not (as some seem now to think) simply to be obeyed or com-
plied with, but to be embraced with a glad and thankful recog-
nition of its importance, because He instituted it ?
The other point, which was mentioned as important to be
borne in mind, in the inquiry whether any doctrine be a Scriptu-
ral truth, was, that we should not allow ourselves to be influenced
by the supposed religious character of those who in our times
hold it, or the contrary. This we should again see to be a very
delusive criterion, in a case where we have no temptation to apply
it : we should at once admit that Pascal and Nicole were holy
men, nay that whole bodies of men in the Church of Rome had
arrived at a height of holiness, and devotion, and self-denial, and
love of God, which in this our day is rarely to be seen in our
Apostolic Church ; yet we should not for a moment doubt that
our Church is the pure Church, although her sons seem of late
but rarely to have grown up to that degree of Christian matu-
rity, which might have been hoped from the nurture of such a
mother : we should not think the comparative holiness of these
men of God any test as to the truth of any one characteristic
doctrine of the Church of Rome. We should rightly see that
the holiness of these men was not owing to the distinctive doc-
trines of their Church ; but that God had quickened the seed of
life which He had sown in their hearts, notwithstanding the
OF RELIGIOUS TRUTH. 7
corrupt mixture with which our Enemy had hoped to choke it :
we should rightly attribute the apparent comparative failure
among ourselves in these times, not to our not possessing the
truth, but to our slothful use of the abundant treasures which God
has bestowed upon us. And so also, with regard to any doctrine
in which persons either within or without our Church may
depart from her ; no one can say with confidence, that the supe-
rior holiness of those who do not accept it, is attributable to their
not accepting it, since it may be only that by their rejection of
this one truth, they have not forfeited the blessing of God upon
the other truths, which they yet hold : while others who do hold
it, may be holding it in name only, and may never have ex-
amined the treasure committed to them. It may be, to speak
plainly, that many who deny or doubt about Baptismal Regenera-
tion, have been made holy and good men, and yet have sustained
a loss in not holding this truth : and again, that others may no-
minally have held it, and yet never have thought of the greatness
or significance of what they professed to hold. If again right
practice were a test of doctrine, then could there be no such thing
as *' holding the truth in unrighteousness," for which however the
Apostle pronounces the condemnation of the Heathen. Further,
if the comparison were any test at all, it must manifestly be made
not at one period only, but throughout the time that such
doctrine has been held by the Church ; one must compare not
the men of our own day only, but those of all former times, Con-
fessors, Saints, and Martyrs, which were impossible ! This is not
said, as if we were competent judges even as to our own times,
or as if any could be, but God alone, who searcheth the hearts ;
for if the number of those, who being earnest-minded and zealous
men, do not hold Baptismal Regeneration, were increased an
hundred fold,, or, if those who imagining that they hold Bap-
tismal Regeneration, do in fact use it as a skreen to hide from
themselves the necessity of the complete actual change of mind
and disposition necessary to <Aem, were many more than they are,
still, who can tell to how many thousands, or tens of thousands,
this same doctrine has been the blessed means of a continued,
child-like growth in grace, who have been silently growing up,
2
8 BLESSING OF BEING PLACED IN CHRIST S CHURCH.
supported by the inestimable privilege of having been made God's
children, before they themselves knew good or evil ; who have on
the whole been uniformly kept within Christ's fold, and are now
thanking their heavenly Father for having placed them thus early
in this state of salvation, into which, had it been left to their
frail choice, they had never entered ; who rejoice with joy un-
speakable and full of glory, that they were placed in the Ark of
Christ's Church, and not first called, of themselves to take
refuge in it out of the ruins of a lost world \
All this, people will in the abstract readily acknowledge ; they
will confess that Scripture is the only ultimate authority in matters
of Faith, while still they will probably find on examination that
some of these grounds have occasioned them to hold Baptismal
Regeneration to be an unscriptural doctrine; and if they ex-
amined Scripture at all, yet still the supposed effects of this, and
of a contrary doctrine, the supposed character of those who hold
it, or the reverse, were in fact their rule for interpreting Scripture;
or perhaps wearied with the controversy (which is and must be in
itself an evil) they came to the conclusion that, if we but hold the
necessity of Regeneration, it matters not when we suppose it to
take place, — thus assumingy in fact, the unscripturalness of the
doctrine of Baptismal Regeneration, since if God has connected
Regeneration with Baptism, it must be of importance.
This is very natural ; for men must lean upon something. Our
Reformers, in their interpretation of Scripture, besides the
divine means of prayer, leant on the consent and agreement of
the " old holy Catholic Doctors," who had received their doc-
* *• They with whom we contend are no enemies to the Baptism of infants ;
it is not their desire that the Church should hazard so many souls by letting
them run on till they come to ripeness of understanding, that so they may be
converted and then baptized, as Infidels heretofore have been ; they bear not
towards God so unthankful minds as not to acknowledge it even among
the greatest of His endless mercies, that by making us His own possession so
soon, many advantages which Satan otherwise might take are prevented, and
(which should be esteemed a part of no small happiness) the first thing
whereof we have occasion to take notice is, how much hath been done already
to our good, though altogether without our knowledge." — Hooker, b. v. § 64,
p. 287.
EVILS OF OUR CONTROVERSY WITH INFIDELS. if
trine immediately, or but at a little interval, from the Apostles,
when every link almost in the chain was a Saint and Martyr. The
agreement of the Church was to them the evidence of God's
speaking in the Church. But now that men have forgotten these
maxims, and look upon deference to the Church almost as a relic
of Papal errors, man, since he is not made to be independent,
leans upon his fellows, and the supposed spiritual character of
individuals is made the test of truth. Man cannot escape from
authority : the question only, in religious truth as in civil so-
ciety, or in private life, is, whose authority he will follow.
Our controversies with infidels, again, have led to some false
maxims as to the tests of truth : for men, instead of setting forth,
against these despisers, the efficacy of God's word, the power of
the preaching of the Gospel, (which are facts,) have dwelt too
much upon its intrinsic tendency to produce such or such effects,
the efficacy of particular doctrines, or its contrast in such or such
points with other religions ; thereby fostering the conviction that
we are much more judges in these matters than we are. And we,
by applying the test to the particular doctrines of Christianity,
have made ourselves judges in matters yet more beyond our
grasp. Undoubtedly faithful and sound preaching is likely, by
God's blessing, to produce a harvest : the holy and earnest life of a
religious pastor is a yet more powerful sermon : his performance
of his weekly duties, his greater watchfulness over the right dis-
pensation of the Sacraments, his more earnest prayers, are also
means of promoting God's kingdom. Obviously then, the blessed
effects of a whole ministry cannot be made a test of the truth of
each doctrine preached : and yet more obviously perhaps on this
ground, that there is not complete agreement in the doctrines the
preaching of which is attended with these apparent effects ; add
also, that even in this way, one must judge not by the preaching
of those, who being already full of fervour preached these
doctrines, but by that of their disciples. For since we do not
think that incidental error will mar the benefit of a whole ministry,
or that fallible man, though richly endowed by God's Spirit, is yet
rendered infallible, we cannot infer that because his teaching is
blessed, therefore every portion of it must be sound. Rather,
10 DANGER OF ANY DEPARTURE FROM TRUTH.
one might infer from the fact that the same doctrines when
preached by a less gifted follower, have not the same efficacy,
that the former efficacy was not to be referred to the truth of
each doctrine, which was preached, but to the Spirit of God, with
which each faithful minister is endowed. Lastly, we must look
not to immediate only but to lasting effects, not only to the
foundation but to the superstructure: and it may be in part
owing to the absence of this doctrine of Baptismal regeneration,
that while a foundation is so often laid, the edifice of Christian
piety among us still bears such low and meagre proportions, and
still further, that there is not more of early Christianity among
us. As of course, if it is a Scriptural truth, the neglect of preach-
ing it, must be a loss as well as a negligence.
These observations have been premised both because the habits
of mind to which they refer, may have an evil effect, far beyond
this one important subject, as also because the difficulties of the
subject itself seem to lie entirely in these collateral questions, not
in the Scripture evidence for its truth. They are made however,
more in the hope of removing difficulties from the minds of such
as have not yet forsaken the doctrines of the Church, than of
convincing such as have : and to those only will the evidence pro-
posed be addressed. But let not others think, that because the
evidence does not persuade them, this is owing to its want of
validity : for Scripture evidence is throughout proposed to those
who believe, not to those who believe not ; it will be enough for
those who " continue in the things which they have learned, and
have been assured of, knowing of whom they have learned them"
(^ Tim. iii. 14) ; but there is no promise that any, be they nations,
sects, or individuals, who have failed to hold fast to them, should
be enabled to see their truth. God has provided an institution,
the Church, to " hold fast" and to convey " the faithful word as
they had been taught." (Tit. ii. 2.) He ordered that the im-
mediate successors of the Apostles should *' commit the things
which they had heard of them to faithful men, who should be
able to teach others also." (2 Tim* ^. 2.) Whoever, then, ne-
glects this ordinance of God, and so seeks truth in any other
way than God has directed it to be sought, has no ground to
OBJECT OF THIS TRACT. 11
look to obtain it ; nay, it appears to be a penalty annexed to
departure from this channel of truth, both in individuals and
bodies, that they not only lose all insight into Scripture evidence,
but gradually decline further from the truth, and but seldom,
and not vt^ithout extraordinary effort, recover. The first mis-
givings, and restrictions, and limitations, are forgotten : what was
originally an exception is made a rule and a principle ; and de-
partures, which were at first timidly ventured upon, and excused
upon the necessity of the case, (as that of Calvin from episcopal
ordination, or the license with regard to the authority and extent
of the Canon among several denominations of Christians,) are
by their followers looked upon as matters of glory and of boast,
and as distinctive marks of Protestantism. For, on the one
hand, the dissatisfaction generated by a state of doubt leads us to
prefer even wrong decision to suspense or misgiving ; we "force
ourselves to do this" unbidden *' sacrifice :" on the other, our
natural listlessness and dislike of exertion tempts us to make an
arbitrary selection of such portions of the vast compass of
Divine Truth as is most congenial to ourselves, (since to enter
equally into all its parts costs much effort,) and this done, we
acquire a positive distaste for such truth as we have not adopted
into what is practically our religious creed : we dislike having
our religious notions disturbed ; and since no truth can be with-
out its influence upon the rest, the adoption of any forsaken
truth involves not only the admission of a foreign and unaccus-
tomed ingredient, but threatens to compel us to modify much at
least of our actual system.
My object then in the following pages is partly to help, by God's
blessing, to relieve the minds of such persons as being in the
sacred ministry of the Church, or Candidates for the same, have
difficulty in reconciling with their ideas of Scripture truth,
what appears even to them to be the obvious meaning of our
Baptismal and other^ Formularies, as to the privileges of Baptism ;
* Persons often forget that Baptismal regeneration is taught in the Cate-
chism as well and as undoubtingly as in the services of Baptism and Confirma-
tion ; for when the child is taught to say that it was " in its Baptism made a
12 REGENERATION CONNl-CTED IN SCRIPTURE
partly (and that more especially) to afford persons a test of their
own views of their Saviour's ordinance, by comparing them with
the language and feeling of Scripture. And this, because a due
sense of the blessings which He has bestowed upon us, must
tend to increase our love for Him ; as also, because I know not
what ground of hope the Church has to look for a full blessing
upon its ministry from its Head, so long as a main channel of
His grace, be, in comparison, lightly esteemed.
First, then, 1 would remark on the fact, that whereas, con-
fessedly. Regeneration is in Scripture connected with Baptism, it
no wliere is disconnected from it. Baptism is spoken of as the
source of our spiritual birth, as no other cause is, save Gou : we
are not said, namely, to be regenerated by faith, or love, or
prayer, or any grace which God worketh in us, but to be *' born
of^ water and the Spirit" in contrast to our birth of^ the flesh ;
to be saved by the washing of the regeneration, or the new-birth,
in like manner as we are said to be born oj^ God, or q/"* incor-
ruptible seed. Other causes are indeed mentioned as connected
with our new-birth, or rather that one comprehensive cause, the
whole dispensation of mercy in the Gospel, as, " born of seed
incorruptible through^ the Word of God, which liveth and abideth
for ever''," " in Jesus Christ have I begotten you through the
Gospel," " of His own will begat He us by' the word of truth ;"
but no other instrument is spoken of as having the same relation
member of Clirist and a child of God," that " being by nature born in sin, and
the children of wrath, we are hereby (by Baptism) made the children of
grace;" what is this but to say that they were born of God, i.e. re-generate ?
and every child is taught to thank God for having called it into this state of
salvation through Jesus Christ our Saviour, and to pray that it might continue
in it.
' yivvtjOy iK vSarog Kal nvtvfxarog. John iii. 0.
,' ,fb yeytwrifdvov U Ttjg aagKOQ, v. 6.
* ot ovK li aifidrutv — iXX' Ik Qtov iyivvtiOtivav. i. 13.
4 &vayiyivvT]fi'tvot oi/K U oiropaQ (ftOapTtiQ, dXKa d<j>9dpTov. 1 \\i. i. J.'i.
* iid. \6yov ZwvToc Otov Kal fiivovroc ilg t6i> alutva.
* ev XpitTTt^ '\t}<Tov hA Tov (iiayyiXiou iyu) vfxag iy'f.vvf]va. 1 (mi. \. I.'>.
' /3oyX»|0t«c diriKuriaiv I'lfiag Xoyy dXrjOfiai. James j. 18.
12
MOST CLOSELY WITH BAPTISM. 13
to our heavenly birth as this of Water'. Had it even been
otherwise, the mention of any other instrument in our regenera-
tion, could not of course have excluded the operation of Baptism :
as indeed in Baptism itself, two very different causes are com-
bined, the one, God Himself, the other a creature which He has
thought fit to hallow to this end. For then, as Christ's merits,
and the workings of the Holy Spirit, and faith, and obedience,
operate in very different ways to the final salvation of our souls,
so the mention of faith, or of the preaching of the Gospel as
means of our regeneration would not have excluded the necessity
of Baptism thereto, although mentioned in but one passage of
Holy Scripture. But now, as if to exclude all idea of human
agency in this our spiritual creation, to shut out all human co-
operation or boasting, as though we had in any way contributed to
our own birth, and were not wholly the creatures of His hands,
no loop-hole has been left us, no other instrument named ; our
birth (when its direct means are spoken of) is attributed to the
Baptism of Water and of the Spirit^ and to that only. Had our
new birth in one passage only been connected with Baptism, and
no intimation been given to show that it was to be detached from
it, this had alone been a weighty argument with any one who
was wishing for intimations of God's will ; but now, besides
this, God has so ordered His word that it does speak of the
connection of Baptism, and does not speak of any other cause,
in the like close union with it.
This circumstance alone, thoughtfully weighed, would lead a
teachable disposition readily to incline his faith, whither God
seemed to point. For although the privileges annexed to Re-
generation are elsewhere spoken of, and the character of mind
thereto conformable, — our sonship and the mind which we should
have as sons, our new creation, — ^yet these are spoken of, as
already belonging to, or to be cultivated in, us, not as to be begun
anew in any once received into the covenant of Christ. There
* " Unless as the Spirit is a necessary inward cause, so water were a neces-
sary outward mean to our regeneration, what construction should we give
unto those words wherein we are said to be new born, and that i^ vdarog,
even of water."— Hooker, B. v. c. 69.
14 NO REGENERATION AFTER BAPTISM.
are tests afforded whether we are acting up to our privilege of
Regeneration, and cherishing the Spirit therein given us, but
there is no hint that Regeneration can be obtained in any
way, but by Baptism, or if totally lost, could be restored. We
are warned that having been " saved by Baptism through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ, we should no longer live the rest
of our time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of
God," (1 Pet. iii. 21 — iv. 2.) that " having been born of incor-
ruptible seed, we should put off all malice, and like new-born
infants desire the sincere milk of the word," (1 Pet. i. 23. — ii.
1 — 3.) that " having been saved by the washing of regeneration
and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, we should be careful to
maintain good works ;" (Tit. iii. 1 — 8.) and again, those who
had fallen in any way are exhorted to repentance ; but men are
not taught to seek for regeneration, to pray that they may be
regenerate : it is no where implied that any Christian had not
been regenerated, or could hereafter be so. The very error of
the Novatians, that none who fell away after Baptism could be
renewed to repentance, will approach nearer to the truth of the
Gospel, than the supposition that persons could be admitted as
dead members into Christ, and then afterwards^ for the first time,
quickened. Our life is, throughout, represented as commencing,
when we are by Baptism made members of Christ and children
of God ; that life may through our negligence afterwards decay,
or be choked, or smothered, or w^ell-nigh extinguished, and by
God's mercy again be renewed and refreshed : but a commencement
of spiritual life after Baptism, a death unto sin and a new birth
unto righteousness, at any other period than that one first intro-
duction into God's covenant, is as little consonant with the
general representations of Holy Scripture, as a commencement
of physical life long after our natural birth is with the order of
His Providence.
The evidence, however, arising from a general consideration of
God's declarations in Holy Scripture, obtains fresh str^gth
from the examination of the passages themselves ; only we must
not look upon them as a dead letter, susceptible of various
meanings, and which may be made to bear the one or the other
WRONG EXPOSITION OF JOHN III. 5. 15
indifferently, but as the living Word of God ; particularly should
we regard, with especial reverence, any words which fell from
our Saviour's lips, and see that we consider, not what they may
mean, but what is their obvious untortured meaning. We would
not therefore, as some have done, argue that it is improbable
that " Christ, discoursing with a carnal Jew, would lay so much
weight upon the outward sign ;" (for this teaching was not for
Nicodemus only, but for His Church ; and of all our Saviour's
teaching we can know this only, that it would be far different and
far deeper than what we should have expected, and that it would
baffle all our Tules and measures ;) nor again would we say with
Calvin, and Grotius, and the Socinians \ that the " water" may
be a mere metaphor, a mere emblem of the Spirit, and so that
being " born again of water and the Spirit," means nothing more
than "being born of the Spirit" without water ^. For Hooker'
1 See Faust Socinus de Baptismo, c. 4. 0pp. Fratr. Polon. t. i. p. 718.
Slichtingius, ad loc. ib. t. vi. p. 26. agrees to the letter almost with Calvin. ,
* " I do not think they are to be heard, who hold that under ' water' in
this place, not water, but the Holy Spirit is to be understood ; as if the Lord
meant to make mention of the Holy Spirit twice, and to say, • Whosoever is
not born of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit,' or * whosoever is not born
of water which is the Holy Spirit.' " — Bucer de vi et efficacia Baptismi. Script.
Anglican, p. 596.
* "When the letter of the Law hath two things plainly and expressly speci-
fied, water and the Spirit ; water as a duty required on our parts, the Spirit
as a gift which God bestoweth ; there is danger in presuming so to interpret
it, as if the clause which concerneth ourselves were more than needeth. We
may by such rare expositions attain perhaps in the end to be thought witty,
but with ill advice." — Hooker L. v. c. 59.
*' That we may be thus born of the Spirit we must be born also of water,
which our Saviour here puts in the first place. Not as if there were any
such virtue in water, whereby it could regenerate us ; but because this is
the rite or ordinance appointed by Christ, wherein He regenerates us by
His Holy Spirit: our regeneration is wholly the act of the Spirit of Christ.
— Seeing this [Baptism] is instituted by Christ Himself, as we cannot be
born^ of water without the Spirit, so neither can we in an ordinary way be
bom of the Spirit without water, used or applied in obedience and conformity
to His institution. Christ hath joined them together, and it is not in our
power to part them ; he that would be born of the Spirit, must be born of
water also." — Beveridge's Sermons, vol. i. p. 304.
16 LITERAL INTERPRETATION OF THE BEST
well says, " I hold it for a most infallible rule in expositions of
sacred Scripture, that where a literal construction will stand, the
farthest from the letter is commonly the worst. There is no-
thing more dangerous than this licentious and deluding art, which
changeth the meaning of words, as alchemy doth, or would do,
the substance of metals, maketh of any thing what it listeth, and
bringeth in the end all truth to nothing. Or however such
voluntary exercise of wit might be borne with otherwise ; yet in
places which usually serve, as this doth, concerning regeneration
by water and the Holy Ghost, to be alleged for grounds and
principles, less is permitted. To hide the general consent of
antiquity, agreeing in the literal interpretation, they cunningly
affirm, that certain have taken those words as meant of material
water, when they know that of all the ancients there is not one *
to be named that ever did otherwise either expound or allege
the place, than as implying external Baptism."
Rather, as the prophecy which these same persons alleged,
that Christ namely shall " baptize with the Holy Ghost, and
with fire," received its literal fulfilment at the day of Pentecost
and in this the later Baptism of the Apostles, we find, " as well
a visible ^ descent of fire, as a secret miraculous infusion of the
Spirit ; if on us He accomplish, likewise, the heavenly work of
our new birth, not with the Spirit alone, but with water there-
unto adjoined, sith the faithfullest expounders of His words are
His own deeds, let that, which His hand hath manifestly
wrought, declare what his speech did doubtfully utter."
But, combined with the consent of antiquity, our Saviour's
meaning becomes so clear, that, with one who loves His Saviour,
I would gladly rest the whole question of Baptismal regenera-
tion on this single argument. It is confessed, that the Christian
» Vazquez, in 3 Part. Disp. 131. n. 22, refers to Justin Apol. 2. Tertull. de
Baptismo, c. II. n. 89. Cyprian, L. 3. ad Quirin. c. 25. Ambros. L. 3. de
Spiritu Sancto, c. 11. Jerome in c. 16. Ezek. Basil, Greg. Nyss. de Bap-
tismo, Nazianzen Orat. 40 in S. Bapt. and he adds " all the commentators,
whom he omits as superfluous." Among these are included Augustine and
Cyril. These passages might be multiplied ad infinitum.
' Hooker, 1. c. See Note A at the end.
CHRIST COULD NOT LEAD HIS CHURCH INTO ERROR. 17
Church uniformly, for fourteen centuries, interpreted this text
of Baptism ; that on the ground of this text alone, they urged
the necessity of Baptism ; that upon it, mainly, they identified ^
regeneration with Baptism. If, then, this be an error, would
our Saviour have used words which (since water was already
used in the Jews' and John's baptism) must inevitably, and did
lead His Church into error ? and which He, who knew all things,
must, at the time, have known, would lead His Church into
error ? and that, when, according to Calvin's interpretation, His
meaning had been as fully expressed, had it stood, " born of the
Spirit," only. Rather, if one may argue from the result, one
should think, that our Saviour added the words, "of water," (upon
which, in His immediate converse with Nicodemus, He does not
dwell,) with the very view, that His Church should thence learn the
truth, which she has transmitted, — that " regeneration" is the gift
of God, bestowed by Him, ordinarily, in Baptism only. Indeed,
the opposite exposition was so manifestly a mere weapon, by
which to demolish a Papal argument for the absolute necessity of
Baptism, that it had hardly been worth commenting upon, but
that no error ever stops at its first stage ; mere repetition
hardens, as well as emboldens ; what is first adopted as an ex-
pedient, is afterwards justified as being alone the truth — the
mantle, which was assumed to cover shame, cleaves to us, like
that in the fable, until it have sucked out the very life and
marrow of our whole system. One text, misquoted in order to
disprove the absolute necessity of Baptism, has ended in the
scarcely disguised indifference or contempt of an ordinance of
our Saviour.
* I say, identified, because, so convinced were they of the connection of
" regeneration" with Baptism, that they use it, unexplained, where the ordi-
nary sense of " regeneration" were manifestly incorrect. Thus Jerome uses
it of the Baptism of our Saviour (L. 1. c. Jovinian circa med. quoted by
Wall, Infant Baptism, p. 19.) ; as also do others, where, if it have any sense
but that of** being baptized," it can only mean, was ** declared to be the Son
of God" (as Ps. ii. 7> is sometimes applied to His Baptism) ; but they never
could have used *' re-natus" in this sense, had they not been accustomed to
use it as identical with Baptism. In like manner, in our own Articles
** renatis," in the Latin copy (Art. 9), is Englished by ** baptized."
B
18 BAPTISM NOT A CHANGE OF STATE ONLY»
Not less peremptorily, however, do our Blessed Saviour's
words refuse to be bound down to any mere outward change of
state, or circumstances, or relation, however glorious the privi-
leges of that new condition may be. For this were the very
opposite error ; and whereas the former interpretation " dried ^
up" the water of Baptism, so does this quench the Spirit therein.
One may, indeed, rightly infer, that, since the Jews regarded the
baptized proselyte as a new-born child ^ our Saviour would
not have connected the mention of water with the new birth,
unless the new birth, which He bestowed, had been bestowed
through Baptism : but who would so fetter down the fulness of our
Saviour's promises, as that His words should mean nothing more
than they would in the mouth of the dry and unspiritual Jewish
legalists ? or, because they, proud of the covenant with Abraham,
deemed tliat the passing of a proselyte into the outward cove-
nant, was a new creation, who would infer that our Saviour
spoke only of an outward change ? Even some among the Jews
had higher notions, and figured ^ that a new soul descended from
the region of spirits, upon the admitted proselyte. And if it
were merely an outward change — a change of condition only,
wherein were the solemnity of this declaration, " Verily, ve-
rily, I say unto you, except a man be born again, he cannot
see the kingdom of God?" for the " seeing" or " entering into"
the kingdom of God, L e. the Church of Christ, first militant
on earth, and then triumphant in heaven, was itself a change of
state, so that the two sentences would have had nearly the same
meaning. And who could endure the paraphrase, " unless a
man be brought into a state outwardly different, he cannot enter
into the kingdom ?" But our Saviour Himself has explained
His own words. To be " born of the Spirit," stands opposed
to the being " born of the flesh." As the one birth is real, so
must the other be ; the agents, truly, are different, and so also
the character of life produced by each : in the one case,
• Hooker, 1. c.
' See Lightfoot, ad loc. Archbishop Lawrence's Doctrine of Baptismal
Regeneration, p. 28.
* Archbishop Lawrence, 1. c. pp. 31, 2.
ELECTION TO REGENERATION IRRESPECTIVE. 19
physical agents, and so physical life, desires, powers ; and, since
from a corrupted author, powers weakened and corrupted : in
the other, the Holy Spirit of God, and so spiritual life, strength,
faculties, energies ; still, in either case, a real existence ; and, to
the Christian, a new, real, though not physical beginning — an
existence, real, though invisible — and, though worked by an un-
seen Agent, yet felt in its effects, like the energy of the viewless
winds ^
Our Blessed Saviour's words declare the absolute necessity of
regeneration, for the entrance into the kingdom of heaven, or our
state of grace and glory, in which we live in His Church, and in
which we hope to live with Him for ever ; and that this regenera-
tion is the being " born of water and the Spirit," or by God*s
Spirit again moving on the face of the waters, and sanctifying
them for our cleansing, and cleansing us thereby. To this St.
Paul was directed to add the irrespectiveness of our calling and
election to this grace of Baptism, and privilege of sonship*
" But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward
man appeared, not by works of righteousness, which we had
done, but according to His mercy. He saved us, by the washing
of regeneration, and of the renewing of the Holy Ghost %
which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our
Saviour." Thereby is excluded^ not merely " grace of con-
gruity," but all such previous preparation as should make Bap-
tism " a seal only of spiritual grace already given ;" for we are
saved, it is said, not by regeneration which should be attested
and confirmed by Baptism, but by " the washing of regeneration,
and of the renewing of the Holy Ghost," i. e. a Baptizing,
accompanied by, or conveying a re-production, a second birth, a
restoration of our decayed natures, by the new and fresh life,
* The two births, the natural and the baptismal, are eloquently contrasted
by St. Augustine : — " One is of the earth, the other of heaven ; one of the
flesh, the other of the Spirit ; one of mortality, the other of eternity ; one of
man and woman, the other of God and the Church." — In Joann. Tract, xi.
no. 6. See a similar passage, against the Pelagians, de peccat meritis et
remiss. L. 3. c. 2.
» Tit. iii. 4—6. See Note (B), at the end.
K 9
20 HOW OUR SAVIOUR SPEAKS OF BAPTISM.
imparted by the Holy Ghost. As before our Blessed Saviour
had respect unto the contrary tendencies of our nature, the
neglect, as well as the bare acquiescence in the outward ordi-
nance ; so here, also, the Apostle has been directed both to
limit the imparting of the inward grace by the mention of the
outward washing, and to raise our conceptions of the greatness
of this second birth, by the addition of the spiritual grace.
Such, then, are the only passages of the Holy Scriptures, in
which the first origin of regeneration (so to speak) is marked
out, and the circumstances under which it takes place are at all
hinted at. And surely this ought, to any careful Christian, to be
of great moment ; and, instead of longing, as the habit of some
is, for more evidence, he will thank God, that the evidence is so
clear, that all Christians of old times confidently relied upon
it, and transmitted it to us.
But though these passages alone speak of the means of rege-
neration, they do not alone speak of the effects of Baptism.
And here, again, if men read Holy Scripture as the living word
of God, they would read it with more fruit. For how can one
reconcile the way in which some now allow themselves to speak
of Baptism, with the stress which our Blessed Saviour lays upon
it ? " Go and teach all nations, baptizing them." " He that
believeth, and is baptized^ shall be saved \" Does it consist with
their reverence to their Saviour, to think or to speak dispa.
ragingly of that, which He enjoined, wherever He should be
^ Persons have sometimes supposed that the omission of Baptism, in the
following words, " he that believeth not shall be damned," implies a compa-
rative disparagement of Baptism ; yet a little thought would have shown them,
that, though our Saviour annexed the reception of the sacrament of regene-
ration to belief in Him, as a condition of salvation, there was no occasion
to mention it in the case of unbelief: unbelievers would not be " baptized
in Christ's name, for the remission of sins :" since they believed not, the
" wrath of God abode upon them." (John iii. 36.) Baptism, without faith,
undoubtedly would save none ; as faith, also, without charity, profiteth no-
thing (1 Cor. xiii.) : yet no one would think this was said in disparagement
of faith ; much less, then, the omission of Baptism, in the other case, when
our Saviour had just ordained it, without any limitation, as necessary for all
who believe.
BY BAPTISM WE ARE SAVED. 21
believed on? or, can one think that our age is herein like-
minded with Him ] or, do they recollect, that this act alone, in
the whole Christian life, was commanded by their ascending
Saviour, to be done in the name of the ever-blessed Trinity :
that, in St. Chrysostom's ' words, " the holy angels stand by,
doing nothing, they only look on what is done ; but the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Ghost, effect all. Let us, then, obey
the declaration of God, for this is more credible than sight ; for
sight is, yea and oftentimes, deceived ; but that can never fail,
obey we then it."
A similar test may be afforded, by the way in which Baptism
is elsewhere spoken of, in Holy Scripture. When, e. g. we are
declared to be " saved by Baptism" (1 Pet. iii. 22), as before
(Tit. iii.) by the " washing of regeneration," let men think,
whether this does not sound foreign or (if they dared to think it)
repulsive to them ; whether it finds any place in their system ;
or, whether they do not dismiss such an expression from their
thoughts, as one requiring explanation to give it a sound sense,
instead of conveying, of necessity, doctrinal truth. And if this
be so, have we not lost a portion of our inheritance ?
Contrast, herewith, St. Augustine's unhesitating faith. " Most
excellently," saith he, writing against the Pelagians ^ *' do the
Punic Christians entitle Baptism itself no other than salvation,
and the Sacrament of the Body of Christ no other than life.
Whence, except from an old, as I deem, and Apostolical tradition,
by which they hold it inserted into the Church of Christ, that,
without Baptism, and the participation of the Lord's Table, no
man can arrive, either at the kingdom of God, or salvation and
life eternal. This, as we have said, is what Scripture testifies.
For what do they who entitle Baptism salvation, hold other than
what is written, ' He hath saved us by the washing of regenera-
tion ;' and what Peter saith, * The like figure whereunto Baptism
doth now save you ?' "
In other cases, we seem not only to have lost the original
meaning of Holy Scripture, but even all suspicion that we are in
> Horn. 25. al. 24. in Johan. § 2.
3 De peccat. merit, et remiss. L. 1, § 34.
22 BAPTISM AN ACTUAL PARTICIPATION OF CHRIST's DEATH.
error; and, where our Forefathers found fervid and heart- uph'ft-
ing descriptions of our Baptismal privileges, of God's good gifts,
which had been actually conferred upon us, these men now find
only an emblematic statement of our duties. Take St. Paul's
appeal to the Romans (vi. 3.), why they should not continue in
sin. " Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into
Jesus Christ, were baptized into His death ? Therefore we are
buried with Him by Baptism into death ; that like as Christ was
raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also
should walk in newness of life. For, if we have been planted together
in the likeness of His death, we shall be also of His resurrection :
knowing this, that our old man is crucified in us, that the body
of sin might be destroyed.'* Now, probably, all that a large
number of Christians, at the present day, will find in this passage,
will be, that Baptism represents (as it does) to us our profession,
that we, having been baptized, and having acknowledged Christ
as our Lord, are bound to lead a new and godly life, and to be
crucified to sin and the world, as He was crucified for our sin ;
and, if so, that we shall rise with Him. This is very true, and
is certainly in the passage ; but the question is, whether this be
all ? whether St. Paul speaks only of duties entailed upon, and
not also of strength imparted to us. The Fathers certainly of the
Christian Church, educated in holy gratitude for their Baptismal
privileges, saw herein, not the death only to sin, which we were
to die, but that also which in Christ we had died, the actual
weakening of our corrupt propensities, by being baptized and
incorporated into Christ ; not the life only which we are to
live, but the life which, by Baptism, was infused in us, and
which as many of us as are now " walking in newness of life,"
are living in Christ, by virtue of that life. St. Paul, namely, is
setting, side by side, our means of grace, and the holiness which
we are thereby to strive to attain unto. ** We have been all
baptized into Christ," i. e. into a participation of Christ, and
His most precious death, and union with Him, we, i. e. our
old man, our corrupted selves, have been buried with Him, by
Baptism, into that death, that we may walk in newness of life.
Again, we have been planted in the likeness of His death —
ST. CHRYSOSTOM ON ROM. VI. 3. 23
that we may be of His resurrection. Again, our old man has
been crucified — that the whole body of sin may he destroyed.
And so, throughout, there are two deaths, in one of which we
were passive ^ only ; we were baptized, buried, planted, crucified ;
the very language marks that this was all God's doing, in us, and
for us : there remains the other death, which we must continually
die. Sin has once been remitted, slain, crucified; we must,
henceforth watch that it live not again in us, that we extirpate
all the roots thereof, that we serve it not again, that we live
through its death. " It is not here," says St. Chrysostom %
" as in other Epistles, where St. Paul appropriates one part to
doctrine, the other to moral instruction ; but he here, through-
out, mingles the two. He mentions, then, here, two puttings to
death, and two deaths ; one, which has taken place through
Christ, in Baptism ; the other, which must take place through
our subsequent diligence. For that our former sins were buried,
was His gift ; but that we, after Baptism, should remain dead to
sin, must be the work of our diligence ; for Baptism can not
only efface our former offences, but strengthens us also against
future. He saith not also, if we have been made partakers of
the likeness of death, but if we have been planted; hinting, by
the name plantings at the fruit derived to us therefrom. For,
as His body, buried in the earth, bore for fruit the salva-
tion of the world ; so ours, also, buried in Baptism, bore
fruit, righteousness, sanctification, adoption, unnumbered bless-
^ " In the very beginning of regeneration, the seal whereof is Baptism, man
is merely passive ; whence, also, no outward act is required of a man who
was to be circumcised or baptized, as there is in other Sacraments, but only
passively to receive it. Infants, therefore, are equally capable of this
Sacrament, in regard to its main use, as adults.'* Ames. Medull. Theol. L.
i. c. 40. Thes. xiii. quoted by Surges, pp. 52, 3. and Bp. Taylor, Life of
Christ Of Baptizing Infants, § 16. t. ii. p. 275. " If it be objected, that to
the new birth are required dispositions of our own, which are to be wrought
by and in them, that have the use of reason : besides that this is wholly
against the analogy of a new birth, in which the person to be born is wholly
a passive, and hath put into him the principle, that in time will produce its
proper actions," &c.
2 Sec Note (C), at the end.
^4 BAPTISM UNITED WITH THE CROKS.
ings, and hereafter shall bear that of the resurrection. Since,
then, we were buried in water, He in the earth, and we in
respect to sin, He in regard to the body : therefore he says not,
* planted with Him in death,' but ' in the likeness of death.*
For each was death, but not of the same object. Nor does he
say merely (v. 6.) our old man was crucified, but was * crucified
together,' bringing Baptism in close union with the cross. He
saith this of every man (v. 7.), that he who is dead is freed from
sinning, abiding dead ; so also he who ascendeth from Baptism ;
for since he has then once died, he ought to remain throughout
dead to sin. If then thou hast died in Baptism, remain dead."
And so again ', *' We who have died to sin, how shall we live any
longer in it ? What is this * we have died V is it, that as far
as it is concerned, we have all thought right to renounce it ? or,
rather, that having believed and been enlightened, (received the
true light, — been baptized,) we have become dead to it ? which
the context approves. But what is it to be dead to it ? to obey
it no longer. For this Baptism has done for us once, it dead-
ened us to it ; and for the rest, we must use our own earnest zeal
to effect this constantly. So that, though it order us ten thou-
sand times, we should obey it no longer, but remain motionless as
the dead. Elsewhere, indeed, he says, that sin itself died ; and
that, to show how easy goodness becometh ; but here, wishing
to rouse the hearer, he transfers the death to him. As the death
of Cheist in the flesh is real, so is our's to sin real ; but although
it is real, we must for the future contribute our part. " What,"
saith St. Basil ^ " belongeth to him who hath been born of water ?
That as Christ died to sin once, so he also should be dead and
motionless towards all sin, as it is written, ' as many as have
been baptized into Jesus Christ have been baptized into His
death.'" And again ^ — "The dispensation of our God and
Saviour in behalf of man, is a recalling from his state of fall, a
return to a familiar intercourse with God from that state of
alienation which took place through the disobedience. For this
1 Horn. X. in Rom. t. ix. p. 525. ' Moralia, c. 22. t. ii. p. 317.
3 De Spiritu. S. c. 15.
,BAPTISM ACTUAL DEATH TO SIN. 25
cause, was the presence of Christ in the flesh ; the patterns of
evangelical life ; the Passion ; the Cross ; the Burial ; the Re-
surrection ; so that man, being saved by the imitation of Christ,
receives again that ancient adoption of sons. To the perfection
then of life, there is needed the imitation of Christ, not only of
the gentleness, and humility, and long suffering, displayed in His
Life, but of His Death also ; as St. Paul saith — he, the imitator
of Christ — * being conformed to His death, if by any means I
may attain unto the resurrection of the dead.' How then do we
come to the likeness of His death ? By ' being buried with
Him through Baptism ?' What then is the mode of burial, or
what the benefit of the imitation ? First, it is necessary that
the course of the former life should be broken through. But
this is impossible, unless a man be born again, as the Lord said.
For the re-generation, as the name also itself implies, is the
beginning of a second life ; so that before we begin the second,
an end must be put to the preceding. Wherefore our Lord, in
dispensing life to us, gave us the covenant of Baptism, contain-
ing an image of death and life — the water fulfilling the image of
death, and the Spirit giving the jparnest of life. This then is
' to be born again of water and the Spirit,' our death being
effected in the water, and our life worked in us by the Spirit. So
that whatever grace there is in the water is not from the nature
of the water, but from the presence of the Spirit." And St.
Augustine, against the Pelagians ^: — " After the Apostle had
spoken of the punishment through one, and the free grace
through One, as much as he thought sufficient for that part of
his epistle, he then recommended the great mystery of Holy
Baptism in the Cross of Christ in this way, that we should
understand that Baptism in Christ is nothing else than a like-
ness of the death of Christ, and the death of Christ crucified
nothing else than the likeness of the remission of sin ; and as
His death is real, so is our remission of sins real, and as His
resurrection is real, so is our justification real. — If then we are
proved to be dead to sin, because we are baptized into the death
* Encheirid. c. 52. t. vi. pp. 215, 216.
26 BAPTISM THE PLEDGE OF THE RESURRECTION
of Christ, then the little ones also, who are baptized into
Christ, are baptized into His death. For it is said without
exception, • so many of us as are baptized into Christ Jesus,
are baptized into His death.* And this is said to prove that we
are * dead to sin.' Yet to what sin do the little ones die, by
being born again, but to that which they contracted by being
born ? And thereby also pertains to them what follows (vv.
4 — 11.), * that their old man is crucified with Him— that they
are dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus
Christ our Lord.' — He saith then to those baptized into the
death of Christ, into which not the elder only, but the little
ones also are baptized, ' Likewise do ye,' — i. e. as Christ, —
* reckon yourselves dead unto sin.' "
In the union also with Christ, in whose death and life they
were through Baptism engrafFed, the elder Christians saw with
the Apostle the pledge of their resurrection. " Hast thou
believed," says Chrysostom ^, " that Christ died and rose again,
believe then thine own. For this is like to it, since the Cross
and the Burial is thine also ; for if thou hast shared with Him
in the Death and the Burial, much more shalt thou in the
Resurrection and the Life. For since the greater, that is, sin,
has been destroyed, we may not hesitate about that which is
lesser, the destruction of death." And St. Basil *, in an ex-
hortation to Baptism, — " What can be more akin to Baptism
than this day of Easter ? for the day is the day of the
resurrection, and Baptism is a power to resurrection. On the
day then of the resurrection let us receive the grace of the
resurrection. Dost thou worship Him who died for thee ? Allow
thyself then to be buried with Him in Baptism. For if thou
be not planted in the likeness of His death, how shalt thou
be partaker of His resurrection?" Even Calvin*, forgetting
> Horn. 10. in Rom. § 4.
2 Horn. 13. in S. Bapt. § 1, 2 t ii. pp. 114, 115.
* Ad loc. add Bucer, de vismi Bapt. (Script. Angl. p. 696.) " There are in
this place attributed to Baptism, deatli and burial of sin, newness o( life,
certain assurance of a future resurrection to a blessed life." And Zanch. de
I
A GRAFFING INTO CHRIST. *7
for a while his dread, lest men should rest in their Baptism,
says, " St. Paul proves what he had just said, namely, that
' Christ slays sin in those who are His,' from the effect of
Baptism. Know we then that the Apostle does not here merely
exhort us to imitate Christ, as if he said, that the death of
Christ was a pattern which all Christians should imitate. Assur-
edly he goes deeper ; and brings forward a doctrine, on which
afterwards to found exhortation ; and this is, that the death of
Christ has power to extinguish and abohsh the corruption of
our flesh, and His resurrection, to raise up in us the newness
of a better life ; and that by Baptism we are brought into the
participation of this grace." And again, on the word " planted,"
he observes, — " Great is the emphasis of this word, and it
clearly shows, that the Apostle is not merely exhorting, but is
rather teaching us of the goodness of Christ. For he is not
requiring any thing of us, which may be done by our zeal or
industry, but sets forth a graffing-in, effected by the hand of
God. For graffing-in implies not merely a conformity of life,
but a secret union, whereby we become one with Him ; so that
quickening us by His Spirit, He transfuses His power into us.
So then, as the graft shares life and death with the tree into
which it is graffed, so are we partakers of the life no less than
of the death of Christ."
To take another saying of the Apostle. St. Paul tells the
Galatians, (iii. 27.) " For as many of you as have been baptized
unto Christ, have put on Christ." Here again what most
Christians would now learn from the passage would be the neces-
sity of being conformed to Christ's life, of living consistently with
our Christian profession. And this is elsewhere (Rom. xiii. 14)
the meaning of the like words, and may be implied here, but as
a secondary and derived truth only. The main, great truth
refers again to our privileges. For St. Paul is proving that
Baptismo, (in Eph. v. p. 221,) " I understand the Apostle to be speaking not
so much of example set to us, as of the benefit which we derive from the
power of the resurrection, when we are engraffed into Him by Baptism, that
we may walk in newness of life."
28 LEGAL AND EVANGELICAL
" we are all the children of God through faith in Christ Jesus;"
for^ he says, as many of you as have been baptized, &c., t. e.
whoever of us has been baptized, was thereby incorporated into
Christ, and so being made a portion and member of the Son of
God, partakes of that sonship, and is himself a child of God :
so that henceforth the Father looks upon him, not as what he
is in himself, but as in, and a part of. His Well-beloved Son, and
loves him with a portion of that ineffable love with which He
loves His Son. St. Paul speaks then not of duties, (though
every privilege involves a duty corresponding,) but of privileges,
inestimable, inconceivable, which no thought can reach unto, but
which all thought should aim at embracing, — our union with God
in Christ, wherein we were joined in the Holy Baptism. And so
again we may see how the foolishness of God, in what men call
carnal ordinances, is wiser than man ; and how a false spirituality,
by disparaging the outward ordinance, loses sight of the im-
mensity of the inward grace ; and holding lightly by God's
appointment, as being " legal," does thereby fall back into mere
legality. God gave adoption and union with Himself in Christ
through the Spirit ; we, disregarding His ordinance, have found
but a Law. Contrast with these cold views the comment of one
who prized his Baptism as the source of his spiritual life in
Christ, M. Luther. " ' To put on Christ ' is two-fold ; legal
and evangehcal. Legal, (Rom. xiii.) * imitate the example and
excellencies of Christ,' do and suffer what He has done and
suffered : so, 1 Peter ii., * Christ suffered for us, leaving us an
example that ye should follow His steps.' But we see in Christ
infinite patience, gentleness, and love, and a wonderful moder-
ation in all things. This ornament of Christ we ought to put
on, «. e., imitate these His excellencies. So also we may
imitate other Saints. But to put on Christ evangelically is not a
matter of imitation, but of birth and new creation ; when,
namely, I am clothed with Christ Himself, '%. c. His innocence,
justice, wisdom, power, salvation, life, spirit, &c. We are
clothed with Adam, clothes of skins, mortal clothes, and a
garment of sin. 'J'his raiment, i. e., this corrupt and sinful
nature, we contracted by our descent from Adam, which St.
PUTTING ON OF CHRIST. 29
Paul calls the old man, and which is to be * put off with its
deeds,' (Eph. iv. Coloss. iii.) that out of sons of Adam we may
be made sons of God. This is not done by any change of
vestment, not by any laws or works, but by the new birth and
renewal which takes place at Baptism ; as St. Paul says, ' who-
ever of you are baptized have put on Christ ;' * according to
His mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration,' &c.
For there is kindled in the baptized a new life and flame, there
arise new and holy feelings, fear, trust in God, hope, &c. ; there
ariseth a new will. This, then, is properly, truly, and Evangeli-
cally to * put on Christ.' Therefore in Baptism there is not given
us a clothing of legal righteousness or our own works, but
Christ is our raiment. But He is not law, nor legislator, nor
work, but a Divine and unspeakable gift, which the Father
gave us, to be our Justifier, Life-giver, and Redeemer. Where-
fore Evangelically to put on Christ is not to put on a law or
works, but an inestimable gift, viz. remission of sins, righteous-
ness, peace, consolation, joy in the Holy Ghost, salvation, life,
and Christ Himself. This place is to be carefully noted against
Fanatic spirits, who depreciate the majesty of Baptism, and speak
wickedly thereof. St. Paul on the contrary sets it forth with
magnificent titles, calling it the * washing of regeneration
and of the renewal by the Holy Ghost ;' and here he says, that
all baptized persons have put on Christ ; speaking, as I said,
of a " putting-on," which should be not by imitating, but by
being born. He says not — Ye have received in Baptism a token,
whereby ye are enrolled among Christians, as the sectaries dream,
who make of Baptism a mere token, i. e. a trivial and empty
sign ; but he says, ' As many as have been baptized, have
put on Christ,' i. e. have been borne away out of the law into
a new birth, which took place in baptism. Therefore ye are
no longer under the law, but are clothed with a new garment,
the righteousness of Christ. St. Paul then teaches that Bap-
tism is not a sign, but the putting on of Christ — yea, that
Christ himself is our clothing. Wherefore Baptism is a thing
most powerful and efficacious. But when we are clothed with
Christ, the clothing of our righteousness and salvation, then
13
30 BAPTISMAL PUTTING ON OP CHRIST SOURCE OF HOLINESS.
also shall we be clothed with Christ, the clothing of imitating
Him."
And SO Chrysostom ', " And now he shows that they are sons
not of Abraham only, but of God also ; ' for ye are all sons of
God through faith which is in Christ Jesus' — through faith, not
through the law. And then, since this is a great and wonderful
thing, he names also the mode of their adoption, ' for as many of
you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ.'
And why saith he not, ^ for as many as have been baptized into
Christ have been born of God V for so had he proved more
directly that they were sons. He saith this in a way much more
awefuUy great. For since Christ is the Son of God, and thou
hast put Him on, having the Son in thyself, and being trans-
formed into His likeness, thou hast been brought into one kin-
dred and one species with Him."
I will add two passages only to show how the early Church
found in this doctrine an incitement to holiness and virtue.
" Let us not continue," says St. Chrysostom ' to the candidate
for Baptism, " to gape after the things of this life, the luxury of
the table, or the splendour of dress ; for thou hast a most glori-
ous garment : thou hast a spiritual table ; thou hast the glory
which is on high ; and Christ becometh every thing to thee,
table, and garment, and dwelling-place, and head and root ; * for
as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ ;' "
and St. Gregory * of Nazianzum, in the midst of similar applica-
tions of Baptismal privileges, " Is there any sick and full of sores ?
respect thy own health, and the wounds from which Christ has
freed thee. Seest thou one naked ? clothe hira, reverencing thy
own garment of immortality — and that is Christ, ' for as many
as,' " &c.
It might have sufficed, perhaps, to have noticed one passage,
in which, through our depreciation of our Blessed Saviour's
ordinance, we have lost the support, the strength, the cheering
hope, which He provided for us. For our mode of understand-
» Ad loc. t. X. p. 704. ed Ben.
» Ad Illuminandos Catech. 2. t. ii. p. 237-
» Orat. 40 in S. Bapt. § 29
NO ERROR AS TO SCRIPTURE SINGLE. 31
ing any passage of Holy Scripture is not to be considered as
something insulated: resulting, as it does, from our general
frame of mind, our habits of thought and feeling, and the cha-
racter of our religious belief. Our insight into Scripture, as it
is an instrument in forming our minds, so is it in part the result
of the mind formed within us : our character of mind is a con-
dition of understanding God's Word : according to what we our-
selves are become, does that Word appear to us : it is given to
us according as we have : our present is in proportion to our
past, profit. No misunderstanding then of any portion of Holy
Scripture ; (I speak — not, of course, of words or expressions, but
— of the general tenor of passages of Scripture ;) no shallowness
of conception ; no false spiritualism, or sluggish resting in the
letter of any place, can stand singly ; for, whatever be the de-
fect which dims our sight in the one place, it will obscure our
understanding of other passages also. This, as before said, we
readily admit in gross and palpable cases ; we know, indeed, from
authority, of the veil on the hearts of the Jews, and of the god
of this world, who blindeth the understandings of the unbelieving :
we readily admit that one who has, practically, vague notions of
justification by faith will understand but little of St. Paul; but
we fail often to apply the test to our own case, and thoroughly
to examine what is wanting to our own mental character, and
how that deficiency prevents our more fully understanding
God's Word. What our dull eyes see in large and flagrant in-
stances, exists, we may be sure, where they are too heavy to
penetrate ; so that no one wrong habit of mind, or faulty prin-
ciple can exist, in however slight a degree, without affecting our
views of Scripture truth.
It may be useful, however, to see the effect of our modern
principles, and our practical depreciation of Baptism in other pas-
sages of Holy Scripture. When people then, again, read (Col. ii*
11.) of our " being circumcised with the circumcision which is
made without hands, — buried with Christ in Baptism, raised
together with Him through faith of the operation of God, who
hath raised Him from the dead," they probably think of the
circumcision of the heart which we onght to have, of the com-
8
SH STRENGTH GIVEN IN BAPTISM.
plete extinction of all sinful tendencies, at which we ought to
aim, of the power of the faith which we ought to cherish. Yet
this again is but a portion of the truth : it tells us of the end
which we are to arrive at, but not of the means, whereby God
gives us strength on our way thitherward : it speaks of the
height of God's holy hill, but not of the power by which we are
caught up thither. Not so St. Paul. He is persuading the
Colossians to abide in the state in which they had been placed ;
to rest upon the foundation on which they had been laid ; to
root themselves in the soil in which they had been planted ; to
be content with the fulness which they had received from Him
by whom they had been filled, and in whom dwelt all the fulness
of the Godhead bodily ; to abide in Him whom they had re-
ceived. For he feared lest they should be taught by the vain
deceit of a false philosophy to take other stays than their Sa-
viour, or to lean on the now abolished tradition of circumcision.
To this end he reminds them that they needed nothing out of
Christ ; for they had been filled with Him, who fiUeth all in all,
the Head of all rule and all power ; therefore they needed no
other power, but only His, — they had received the true circum-
cision, and so could require no other ; they had been disencum-
bered of the sinful mass, with which they were naturally encum-
bered, " the body of the sins of the flesh" by the circumcision
which Christ bestowed : their old man had been buried with Him
in Baptism ; they had been raised with Him, (as they ascended
out of the water,) by a power as mighty as that which raised
Him from the dead : all their old sins had been forgiven, and
they themselves re- born from the dead, and been made partakers
of the life of Christ, " quickened with Him ;" the powers of
darkness had been spoiled of their authority over them, and
exhibited as captives and dethroned. All these things had been
bestowed upon them by Baptism ; the mercies of God had been
there appropriated to them ; sins blotted out ; their sinful nature
dead, buried in Christ's tomb : death changed into life ; and
therefore, as they liad no need, so neither were they to make
void these gifts by trusting in any other ordinances, or looking
to any other Mediator. St Paul dreads that through false teach-
HOW ST. PAUL OBVIATES RESTING IN OUTWARD PRIVILEGES. SS
ing and a false self abasement, they should not hold to the Head,
(v. 18). But does he depreciate their baptismal privileges? or,
because they were tempted to lean on circumcision, does he dis-
parage outward ordinances ? or dread that the exaltation of the
ordinance should lead to a depreciation of Christ? Rather, he
shows them how every thing which they sought, or could need,
was comprised, and already bestowed upon them in their Sa-
viour's gift, in His ordinance : that this ordinance was no mere
significant rite, but contained within itself the stripping off of
the body of sin, death, resurrection, new life, forgiveness, annul-
ment of the hand-writing against us, despoiling of the strong one,
triumph over the powers of darkness. We also have been thus
circumcised, have been buried, raised, quickened, pardoned,
filled with Christ : all this God has done for us, and are we not
to prize it ? not to thank God for it, ** stablished in the faith
which we have been taught, and abounding therein with thanks-
giving ?" (v. 7.) and are we, for fear men should rest in outward
privileges, to make the Lord's Sacrament a mere outward gift, deny
His bounty, and empty His fulness ? or rather ought we not,
with the Apostle, to tell men of the greatness of what they have
received, and repeat to them His bidding, " since then ye have
been raised together with Christ, seek what is above, where
Christ sitteth at the right hand of God :" ye have died ^ ; slay
then your earthly members : ye have laid aside the old man, and
have put on the new, and that, in its Creator's image, again
restored to you : " put ye on then, as having been chosen and
loved of God," the ornaments befitting this new creation in you,
mercy, gentleness, and the other graces ; ye have been forgiven,
forgive. Thus does St. Paul obviate the resting in outward
ordinances, by showing namely that the Christian ordinances are
not outward ; that they are full of life and honor, and immor-
tality, for that they are full of Christ. Is there not danger of
our losing our treasures also by a " voluntary humility ?" Is
' " We therefore who in Baptism have died and been buried, as relates to
the carnal sins of the old man, we who have risen with Christ by a new-
birth from heaven, let us think and do the things of Christ." — St. Cyprian
on Col. iii. 1. Epist. ad Fortunat. Praef. p. 260. ed St. Maur.
c
S4 DIMINISHED LOVE OF BAPTISM.
not our dread of the consequences of exalting Christ's ordi-
nances, " after the rudiments of the world " (an earthly wisdom)
•* and not after Christ ?"
In these passages, we have deprived ourselves of the strength
which God purposed to impart through them to His Church ;
and, yet more, have robbed oui selves and our flock of the know-
ledge of the greatness of the gift intended for them, by God, in
Baptism. In another class, we have appropriated to ourselves
the gift, independently of the cliannel through which it is con-
veyed. We are, namely, in different passages of Holy Scripture,
said to have been " sealed by God," or " by the Holy Spirit of
God," to " have received an anointing from the Holy One," to
" have been anointed by God ;" and these passages, persons
at once, without doubt or misgiving, interpret of the inward and
daily graces of God's Holy Spirit (which are, also, undoubtedly
involved in them) ; so that, if any one were to propose to
explain these passages of Baptism, as containing the first pledge
and earnest of the Spirit, I fear he would be looked upon as a
cold and lifeless interpreter, perhaps as a mere formalist. It
will, doubtless, startle such to know, that this was, in some
passages at least, the interpretation of almost all Christian anti-
quity ^ ; and it may serve as an index of our altered state of religious
belief, that most of us, perhaps, would at first regard as cold and
formal, the interpretation, which to them spoke of the fulness of
their Saviour's gift. This would, itself, be sufficient for our
purpose ; for it is not so much abstract proof of the value and
greatness of our Lord's Sacraments, that we need, as, rather, to
be convinced that our feelings have undergone a change, that we
fall very far short of the love and respect which the Fathers of
the Christian Church bore to them. And then let us consider
within ourselves, whether, since those holy men realized in their
lives the ordinances which they loved, we must not confess, that
our lessened esteem for our Saviour's gift, betokens a diminislied,
or, at all events, a less humble affectionateness for the Giver.
We aim at receiving every thing directly from God's hand, from
^ See Note (D), at the end.
INDEPENDENCE ON ORDINANCES UNLOVING. 35
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 hhn^ 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 Testa-
ment 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,
,1 think, of this generally ; although, as was before said, indivi-
duals 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 ^ 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 esta-
blishe^A us with you in Christ, and anointerf us, is God ; who,
also, is He who sealed us (6 koX ffcppayiffd/ievoo), 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 salva-
tion— in whom ye, having believed also, were sealed (io-^pay/o--
^ 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 Dominicura," 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 rau-
niatur ; caro manus irapositione adumbratur, ut et anima Spiritu illuminetur."
c 2
36 CHRISTIANS SEALED BY GOD
drjre^ by the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the earnest of our
inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession."
(Eph. i. 13, 14.) " Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God,
whereby ye were ' sealed {Effcppayitrdrjre) unto the day of re-
demption." (Eph. iv. 30.) 2. In one passage (Eph. i.) this
sealing is mentioned, as immediately following upon the belief of
the Gospel — " having believed, ye were sealed ;" in a second
(Eph. iv.) it stands opposed to subsequent performance of duty —
" ye mere sealed by the Holy Spirit, grieve Him not;" in the
third (1 Cor.) it stands opposed' to God's subsequent establish-
ing them in Christ, to their being maintained in this state into
which they had been brought — " who established you, who also
anointec? and sealed you." 3. The word " sealed" was already in
use among the Jews ^, and is recognized by St. Paul, as designat-
ing the act by which men were brought into covenant with God,
and received its privileges. Now it would, indeed, be a very
perverted mode of arguing, to infer, either that the seal of the
Christian covenant only attested the faith which already existed
(as in the case of Abraham), or that the seal of the Jewish
covenant conveyed the same privileges as the Christian ; for this
would be to identify the earlier with the later dispensation ; and
as one exposition unduly derogates from the Christian sacrament,
so does the other exalt the seal of the Jewish covenant beyond
what we have any certain warrant for, or even intimation-of, from
Holy Scripture. Still, one should suppose, that St. Paul, when
employing terms, already in use among the Jews, would apply
» E. V. " are sealed," in Eph. i. 13. " have been sealed." The context, as
well as the word, is the same.
' There is the like contrast between the original gift, and the looked-for
continuance of it, in 1 Cor. i. 6—8, quoted by Bode, as an use of the same
metaphor, in the matter of faith and sanctification — " as the witness of
Christ was confirmed (kfiifiatioOri) among you, so that ye came behind in no
gift, waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who also shall
confirm (/3«/3aiw(Tti) you." But the gifts here spoken of were also bestowed at
the commencement of the Christian life.
» Talm. Hieros. Berachoth. £ 13. 1. ap. Lightf. ad Mt. 28, 19. " Blessed
be He who hath sanctified His beloved from the womb, and placed the sign in
his flesh, and has sealed (onn) His offspring with the sign of the covenant."
IN HOLY BAPTISM. 37
them to the corresponding portion of the Christian system.
Since, then, circumcision, by which the covenant was ratified to the
Jew, was spoken of as a '* seal," and that by St. Paul also (Rom.
iv. 11.), St. Paul, if he used the word " seal" with reference to the
Christian, would obviously use it of that by which each person was
brought within the Christian covenant — the Sacrament of Bap-
tism. But it were the very error of the rationalists to suppose, that
God's Holy Spirit, when He took the words used in Jewish
Theology, and employed them to express Christian Truth, con-
veyed nothing more by them, than they would have meant in the
mouth of any ordinary Jew ; and did not rather, when receiving
them into the service of the sanctuary, stamp them anew, and im-
press upon them His own living image. Since, namely. Baptism
is not a mere initiatory rite, but is an appointed means for
conveying the Holy Spirit, the language must in some respect be
conformed to our higher privileges ; and, instead of the covenant
being said to be sealed to us, we are declared to be sealed by the
Holy Spirit : since the Holy Spirit is then first pledged and
imparted to us, and the earnest then given us is a pledge, that un-
less we wilfully break off the seal, we shall be carried on to eternal
life, with larger instalments of our promised possession, until
•* the possession, purchased" for us, by Christ's precious blood-
shedding, shall be fully bestowed upon us, and God's pledge be
altogether " redeemed." 4. The Christian fathers have, from
Apostolic times, used the word " seal" as a title of Christian
Baptism ; a relic whereof we have in the doctrine of our Church,
that " the promises of forgiveness of sin, and our adoption to be
the sons of God, by the Holy Ghost, are therein visibly signed
and sealed:' Thus Hermas (about A.D. 65—81):—" Before *
a person receive the seal of the Son of God, he is doomed to
death ; but when he receives that seal, he is freed from death,
and made over to life. But that seal is water, into which men
go down bound over to death, but arise, being made over to life.
That seal, then, was preached to them also, and they made use
of it, to enter into the kingdom of God." The least which this
» L. 4. simil. 9. no. 16, quoted by Bingham Christian Antiq. B. xi. c. 1.
38 HOLY BAPTISM A LIVING SOUL.
would shew, is that sucli was the received usage of the word *' seal"
in the time of St. Paul ; but no one, admitting this, will readily
suppose, that St. Paul would have used the term with regard to
Christians, unless he had meant it to be understood of the
Sacrament of Baptism. The Fathers, moreover, uniformly speak
of Baptism as sealing, and so keeping, guarding us, as it were a
seal placed upon us \ &c. ; moderns call it a seal, ratification, or
outward mark, of God's covenant. The two metaphors are
essentially distinct; our modern usage is borrowed from St.
Paul's description of the older covenant, whereof circumcision
was the seal, but was no sacrament ; that of the Fathers agrees
with this reference to Baptism, which, being a Sacrament, seals,
guards, preserves us ^, as well as guarantees the promises of God
towards us.
It would appear then, that the interpretation which perhaps
most among us would in the first instance have looked upon as
cold and formal, is, I might say, certainly true : and if so, it
may well be a warning how we hold any thing, which ties us
down to Christ's sacraments, to be cold or formal ; for in this
case it will be God's Holy Spirit which we have ignorantly sus-
pected of teaching coldly and lifelessly. Not as though we
supposed that the Apostle here speaks of a sealing, which hav-
ing taken place once for all, it then remained, as it were on
a lifeless mass of goods, or would keep us safe without any
effort, self-denial, or prayer ; but rather, that as a living seal
stamped upon our souls by the Spirit of life, and bearing with
' Bellarmine (de Sacra m. L. i. c. 170 remarking, that Scripture saith,
Abraham " received the sign {(Ttifiilov) of circumcision, the seal ((r^payt^a) of
the faith which he had," &c., infers that circumcision was a sign to the Jews,
a seal to Abraham only : he remarks, also, that, often as St Paul speaks of
circumcision, he does not, even when directly speaking of its benefits to the
Jews (Rom. iii.), mention its being a seal of faith. J. Gerhard (de Sacram.
387* )> contends, in answer, that there is no difference between sign and seal.
But the difference remains between Abraham's case and that of any Jew, that
to Abraham circumcision was a seal of God's approval of his previous faith,
€6 his descendants it was a sign only of their being taken into the covenant,
in which a like faith was to be exerciiied.
' See Note (E), Ht the end. ■-'''■■
HALF-ACKNOWLEDGED REPUGNANCE TO QOd's TRUTH. 39
it the impress of the Divine Nature, it would renew continually
in our souls the image of Him who created us, our Father, our
Redeemer, our Sanctifier, make us more and more wholly His,
more partakers of that Nature ; and that we, having that " seal
of God upon our foreheads," (Rev. ix. 4.) and our hearts, the
Angel of the bottomless pit should not have any power to hurt
us, unless we allow it to be obliterated. The difference between
the two interpretations, as before said, is this — the one would
date his sealing from the time when any man ceases to oppose
the workings of God's Holy Spirit (which might unobjectionably
be called, though not by a scriptural phrase, the conversion of
such an one) ; the other would look upon it as our Saviour's
gift in His sacrament of Baptism, wherein all the gracious influ-
ences of God's Holy Spirit, as well those which any of us contuma-
ciously reject, as those which we at last admit, are pledged to us.
We may learn very much by all such instances, in which our
own (as we suppose Christian) views differ from the teaching of
God's Word ; and, were we to watch all the instances in which
(with a but half-acknowledged repugnance or distaste) we glide
over statements of doctrine, or practice, or history, which are
not in accordance with our state of feeling, we should learn far
more, and become far completer Christians, than we now are.
For then we should be indeed God's scholars, which we can hardly
call ourselves, as long as we make these self-willed selections of
what we will learn. Thus one, who looks upon the Lord's Sup-
per as little more than a commemorative sign of an absent thing,
passes lightly over our Saviour's words, " This is my Body."
Another glosses over the doctrine of justification by faith. In
these days we seem almost to have lost sight of the truth, that
we shall be judged according to our works. Other's omit
passages bearing upon the " godly consideration of predestina-
tion, and our election in Christ," (Art. xvii.) ; others, the
possibility of our falling away from God, and its great danger ;
and so again, the injunctions as to unceasing prayer, self-denial,
non-requital of injuries, vain ostentation, or the glorifying of our
Heavenly Father, are dispensed with without remorse, and read
40 MAJESTY OF BAPTISM IMPLIED
with what, if men examined it, they would find to be the very
spirit o£ unbelief.
Of such instances, is St. Paul's comparison of the relation of
the married state to that of Christ and his Church (Eph. v.
22. sqq.) A portion of " the world" has already begun to shrink
from this ; and no wonder : for with what different feelings
ought marriage to be thought of, encompassed, realized, lived
in, if it is in any way to furnish a type of the relation of Christ
to His Church ! It is not, however, so much to our purpose to
dwell on this, as to look on the converse ; what different feelings,
namely, the Apostle must have had, with regard to the Church
as the whole, and to Holy Baptism ; — in that he not only speaks
of the Church prominently, and then but subordinately of the
individual members; but that he in this place speaks in two
words only, of Christ's precious blood-shedding, or rather
of His whole life and death for the Church, and then dwells on
the value of the gift of Baptism, and of the sanctification of the
Church thereby intended. *' Husbands, love your wives, even
as Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it ; that
He might sanctify it, having cleansed it (dyiatrr/, Kadapiaac) *
with the washing of water by the word, (t. e, as the Ancients
explained it, ' water rendered powerful and efficacious by the
Divine word of consecration,') that he might present it to Him-
self a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such
thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish." And
this is the more remarkable, inasmuch as the Apostle draws no
inference whatever from this description which he gives of the
purity of the Church, but simply concludes as he began, " so
ought men to love their wives as their own bodies, — even as the
Lord the Church." The only point of comparison which he
iqsists on, is the fostering love of Christ, which the husband
wa£, in his relation, to imitate : and therefore, since St. Paul
thus singled out and dwelt upon the gift of Baptism, he must
have had most exalted notions of that Sacrament, as a proof of
' **'"= "^ ' K ' -f' thr end.
BY EPH. V. 22. 41
the love of the Saviour of the Church, *' in nourishing and
cherishing it." For a man doth not launch out into such a fervid
description as this, without strong emotions of the value and
excellency of what he so describes. Or, rather, one should say,
the Holy Spirit, in filling the Apostle's mind with such high
notions of the continual love and providence of Christ for His
Church, as manifested in the efficacy which he gave to the water
of Baptism, to sanctify and cleanse it, and in causing him thus to
dwell on the purity thereby to be effected, must have intended
to work a corresponding love in us, and to correct the cold and
unloving sophisms of sense and reason about the power of
Christ's institution. And yet I would confidently appeal to
a large number of persons in the present day, whether, often as
they have dwelt upon this animating description of the sanctifi-
cation and spotlessness of Christ's Church, they have not (with
a tacit feeling of not entering into -them) passed by, almost
unnoticed, the words " with the washing of water," to which,
however, the Apostle throughout refers in his subsequent picture
of the Church's unblemishedness ? And if so, is it not time that
we seek to correct this variance between the Apostle's feelings
and our own ' ?
One might apply the same argument to the passages of St.
John, (1 Epist. ii. 20, 27,) in which he speaks of the " anointing"
which Christians had received from Christ. In each place he
speaks of it as abiding in its effects ; but in the latter (c. ii. 27,)
as having been received of Christ at some former time. Here
again it might be natural to infer that a gift, whose operation
continued, but which is spoken of as having been formerly
received, was first communicated at some particular time, and
* It is painful to see Calvin's continual anxiety lest too much should be
attributed to the Sacrament, even while he rightly vindicates it. " It is as
if he said that a pledge of that sanctification was given in Paptisra. Although
we need a sound exposition here, lest men make themselves an idol out of
the Sacrament (as often happens), through a perverse superstition," &c. and
so on ; and yet even he had to speak against others, who " toiled (sudanl) in
paring down and weakening this panegyric upon Baptism, lest too much
should he assigned to the symbol, if it were called the bath of the soul.'* Ad loc.
12
4S BAPTISM AN UNCTION FROM THE HOLY ONE.
that having been received from Christ, it was received through
some institution of Christ. Again, the very term " anointing"
would lead one to think of an act in part outward, and since it was
employed under the Jewish law to consecrate things or persons
to the service of God, it might the more obviously be used for
the consecration of *' lay-priesthood ^ " as baptism is called ; and
that the more, since our Blessed Saviour was actually conse-
crated and anointed (comp. Luke iii. 21, 22, iv. 1, 14, 16) by
the descent and abiding of the Holy Ghost at His Baptism, and
then became the Christ : since, moreover, the same " sevenfold
gifts" of the Holy Spirit, which were bestowed upon the Christ
at His baptism (Is. xi. 1, Ixi. 1, Luke iv. 18) are here spoken
of by St. John, as having been in their measure imparted to
Christians ; and '* anointing" (as we saw above) is by St. Paul
(2 Cor. i.) united with the "sealing" of baptism. To this may
be added the very use of the name '* the anointing" in Christian
antiquity to designate baptism ; and the early and general use
of Chrism or anointing, as a holy and significant act thereat,
and since it was part of Baptism, a Sacramental act also^. But
whether St. John (as seems to me most probable) referred to
a specific act at Baptism, or to Baptism itself, as "making us
kings and priests to God," thus far makes no difference. What
I would now advert to is this, that Christian antiquity inter-
preted these passages of Holy Baptism, as being the source of
our illumination, as of our sanctification ; while moderns find
under the term " anointing" the gifts of the Holy Spirit, or
grace, or wisdom, or the Blessed Spirit Himself, as anointing
Christians either immediately, or mediately through the ministry
of the word, — any thing in short rather than the institution of our
Blessed Saviour. And I would wish persons to consider whether
this do not imply a changed feeling, a less vivid recognition of
the value of the " means of grace," and an independence of
ordinances which is less humble than that of the early Christians.
The same might be said of other passages ; and it may help
1 Jerome Adv. Lucif. c. 2. quoted by Bing^ham, B. xi. c.
^ See Note (G) at the end. .
BAPTISM WHOLLY SPIRITUAL. 43
to set before our eyes the extent of our practical departure from
the system of early Christianity, if we touch briefly upon them.
Thus, when St. Paul exhorts the Hebrews (iv. 22, 23) to draw
near to Christ with a pure heart in full assurance of faith,
inasmuch as their hearts had been purified by Christ's blood,
and its merits applied by Holy Baptism, for so the Fathers
understood the words " our hearts sprinkled from an evil con-
science and our bodies washed by pure water," moderns have
found mere allusions to legal ablutions, or else have supposed
that " the washing of the body with pure water"' represented
simply the purifying of the soul by the direct influence of the
Holy Spirit, without any intervention of the consecrated element.
Again, we might observe how in the Apostolic exhortation to
unity (Eph. iv. 4^ sqq.) the oneness of baptism is set forth,
together with all those things which we account most spiritual,
" one body, one spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one
faith, one baptism, one God and Father of ^1, who is above all,
and through all, and in you all." As has been well said, ** all
are things inward, belonging to the Church and to its several
members." Our " one regeneration and engrafRng into Christ"
may well occupy its place among our most glorious privileges,
for it is the basis of all the rest ; the earnest of the Spirit, the
ground of our hope, the gift or confirmation of our faith, the
union with Christ, and thereby with His Father and our
Father, how should it not be a thing most inward ? and how
should we be ashamed, if we think only of the outward symbol
under which it is made visible to us ? This also, we may note,
is the fourth mention of baptism in this one short epistle to the
Ephesians, — a Church, as it should seem, in the most spiritual
state, of those to whom St. Paul wrote. The Sacrament of re-
generation is again referred to by St. Paul (1 Cor. xii. 13) as a
ground of Christian unity, together with that of the Com-
munion with Christ, " By one Spirit we are all baptized into
one body." *' Here, also, again," says Bucer^, ** there is ascribed
to baptism an incorporation into Christ the Lord, and a con-
» Dr vi Bapt. 0pp. Angl. i. p. 597-
44 TYPES OF BAPTISM,
corporation in that Christ with all saints, and that by the same
Spirit."
Again, let any one consider the emblems under which Bap-
tism is pointed out in Scripture, as having been figured in the
Old Testament, the flood, and the passage of the Red Sea. In
modern times, neither has appeared a very obvious similitude :
the symbol of the Ark, as an emblem of Christ's Church, has re-
commended itself to us ; not so the resemblance of Baptism to
the flood, since the flood destroyed life, Baptism saves it. The
Apostle, however, looks upon the flood as the entrance, and the
only entrance into the Ark, and laying aside all other points of
resemblance or of difference, he fixes our minds upon this one
subject, — by what means we were brought in thither ' ; and
since the flood was the occasion of Noah's entering the Ark, and
the Ark was borne up by that water which destroyed those who
entered not therein, he pronounces that ** the few, the eight souls
were brought therein safe by water : the antitype whereof, Bap-
tism, doth also now save us, not the putting away the filth of the
flesh, but the inquiry into a good conscience towards God," i.e. Bap-
tism, not as an outward rite, but accompanied with Faith, the bap-
tized person answering with a good conscience to the inquiry made
into his Faith ^. It was then an object with the Apostle to
impress upon the minds of Christians the greatness of the Sacra-
ment of Baptism, by comparing it with the most wonderful dis-
plays of Almighty power which this globe had ever witnessed :
and the less obvious the resemblance, the more moment we must
suppose there to have been in pointing out their connection : or
rather we should admire God's mercy, who in the record of His
dispensations so harmonized them together, that we should not be
** staggered through unbelief," at the meanness of the instru-
ments which he uses'; but having seen that the Holy Spirit
* " As that water which destroyed the rest of the world, preserved, as
it were in death and by death, Noah and his family through a miracle of
Divine benevolence : so Baptism engraffing us into the death of Christ,
saves from eternal death, by the death of the old Adam and of sin." — Bucer
de vi Baptismi Christi, Script. Anglic, p. 597-
» See Note (H) at the end.
' " There is nothing," says Tertullian, " which so hardens the minds of
SHADOWING OUT ITS GREATNESS. 4)5
condescended to brood over the shapeless mass of waters, and
thence to produce order and life — that water was the means
appointed for saving Noah and his sons — that Moses and Israel
descended into the water of the Red Sea as into a tomb, and
thence arose again, and were delivered — that water cleansed
Naaman from leprosy, and the children of Israel from pollution, —
we might the more readily believe that water should be conse-
crated by God " for the mystical washing away of sin," and con-
nect the admonitions of His previous dispensations with the
greatness of our present privilege.
And whoever thinks lightly of Water-Baptism, if he compare
his mind with that of St. Peter, will surely find himself reproved,
in that the Apostle held the flood, which covered the face of the
whole earth, and the tops of the highest mountains, and prevailed
upwards, to be but a shadow and type ^ of the baptismal stream,
which each of our little ones enters as a child of wrath, and
arises " a child of God, a member of Christ, an heir of Heaven."
And when men, guided perhaps by these scriptural types, or by
tradition, saw in the blood and water which issued from their
Saviour's side a pledge of the expiating and sanctifying character
men as that the Divine works appear in act so simple, while the effect
promised is so magnificent ; so that here also, (in Baptism,) because with such
simplicity, without pomp, or any new array, and lastly without cost, a man let
down into the water and washed, while a few words are uttered, arises again
not much, or not at all the cleaner, it appears incredible that he should
thereby have obtained immortality. On the contrary the rites of the idols
obtain trust and authority by apparatus and expense. Miserable unbelief,
which denies to God His properties. Simplicity and Power — The first
waters were ordered to bring forth living creatures, lest it should seem
strange that in Baptism waters should give life." — De Bapt Init
1 *' Baptism is a greater deluge than that described by Moses, since more are
baptized than were drowned by the deluge." — Luther, Serm. de Baptismo,
ap. Gerhard, loci de S. Bapt. § 9. The types of Baptism in the Old Testament,
and several passages of the Fathers relating to them, are given, I. c* § 11. 14.
There is a striking saying of St. Cyprian, Ep. 63. ad Caecilium : " As often
as water is mentioned alone in Holy Scripture, so often is Baptism extolled."
Moderns may think lightly (i. e. as it is, in truth, unphilosophically and
superficially) of this system of interpretation, but which reverence most the
Sacrament of their Lord ?
46 MODERN NOTIONS AND BIBLE HISTORY.
of His Baptism, that it was a Baptism " not of water only, but of
water and blood," of water purified, and purifying by the effi-
cacy of that blood, one cannot deny that there was at least more
of afFectionateness in their view ; and more of encouragement
also, when in the heavens ^ opening at our Saviour's Baptism, they
saw the emblem of the higher Heavens, opened by Him to all
believers.
The same observation might be extended to the history of
the first conversions to the faith. If, namely, we observe all
the indications in the Acts, we shall find a stress laid upon
baptism, which would surprise us, and thereby evince that there
was something faulty in our previous notions. For baptism is
not urged upon the converts, as we might suppose, as a proof of
sincerity, or a test of faith, in embracing openly the worship of
the Crucified, and so being prepared, literally as well as in spirit,
to *' take up the cross and follow Him," but for its own benefits
in and for itself. Let any one think what, according to his views
of the Christian truth, would have been his answer to the
multitude, who, " pricked in their hearts, asked Peter and the
rest. Men and brethren, what shall we do ?" I doubt that their
answer would not have been, " Repent and he baptized every one
of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins,
and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." I cannot but
think that very many of us would have omitted all mention of
baptism, and insisted prominently on some other portion of the
Gospel message ; i. e, our notions of the relative value of Gospel
truths and ordinances differ from those of the inspired Apostles.
But to take a single instance, and that the most conspicuous, St.
Paul. It is commonly said that he, having been miraculously
converted, was regenerated, justified by faith, pardoned, had
received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized. Not so, how-
ever, Holy Scripture, if we consider it attentively : before his
baptism he appears neither to have been pardoned, regenerated,
1 Bede in Mk. L. 1. c. ap Gerhard, loci (de S. Baptismo, § 112.) " That
Christ saw the Heavens opened after Baptism was done for our sake, to
whom the gate of the kingdom of Heaven is opened by the bath of the
regenerating water."
IS
CASE OF ST. PAUL. 47
justified, nor enlightened. He had been suddenly told his sin
in persecuting Christ, and he asked, under this conviction,
" Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ?" But Christ tells
him not : He neither immediately pronounces his forgiveness
nor teaches him how it may be obtained, but informs him
solely that He has a work for him to perform, that he is
now simply to obey, and what he is to do he shall know here-
after. Thus He sends him, his bodily blindness as an emblem
of that of his mind, to tarry the Lord's leisure (Acts ix. 6. xxii.
10.) What took place during those three days and nights of
bodily and mental darkness, during which, doubtless, in intense
anxiety, (through which he " did neither eat nor drink"), with
one only cheering look into the future ^, he reviewed the course
of his past life, God's guidance, and his own wilfulness, we
are not told ; nor how this probation of acute suffering was
necessary for the framing of this " chosen vessel :" but it is at
least implied, that, as yet, in answer to his prayers, there
had been conveyed only a general intimation of God's good
intentions toward him, of His purpose to remove the outward
sign of His displeasure : •' Behold, he prayeth, and hath seen,
in a vision, a man named Ananias, coming and putting his
hand upon him, that he might receive his sight." But as yet
neither were his sins forgiven, nor had he received the Holy
Ghost; and consequently was not born again of the Spirit,
before it was conveyed to him through his Saviour's Sacrament.
" And now, why tarriest thou ?" says Ananias ; " arise, and
be baptized, and wash'* away thy sins." (Acts xxii. 16.) " The
• Calvin, according to his view of sacraments, could not but paraphrase
this — " That you may be assured, Paul, that your sins are remitted, be bap-
tized. For the Lord promises remission of sins in baptism ; receive it, and
be assured." And this is in answer to the objection, " Why did Ananias
tell Paul to wash away his sins by baptism, if sins are not washed away by
virtue of baptism?" Instit. iv. 15, de Baptismi, § 15. Such an answer will
scarcely satisfy any one. Contrast with this Bucer's simple inference, " In
these words, then, there is ascribed to baptism the effect of remitting or
washing away of sins."
"^ See Note (I) at the end.
48 CASE OF ST. PAUL.
Lord Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way, as tliou comest,
hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled
with the Holy Ghost." And this was done ; for *' there fell
from his eyes as it had been scales, and he received sight forth-
with, arose, and was baptized." The account of the fulfilment
is obviously commensurate with the promise. As then by the
falling of the scales, his outward darkness was removed, and he
received sight ; so by baptism was the inward, and he was filled
with the Holy Ghost. But if even to St. Paul, for whose con-
version our Saviour Himself vouchsafed again to become visible
to human sight, regeneration and the other gifts of the Holy
Spirit were not imparted without the appointed Sacrament of
grace, why should this be expected or looked for by others ?
Oxford,
Feast of St. Bartholomew.
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
SCRIPTURAL VIEWS OF HOLY BAPTISM.
CONTINUED,
when I view my sins, mine eyes remove
More backward still, and to that water fly.
Which is above the heavens, whose spring and vent
Is in my dear Redeemer's pierced side.
O blessed streams ! either ye do prevent
And stop our sins from growing thick and wide,
Or else give tears to drown them as they grow.
George Herbert. Holy Baptism.
Hitherto, we have dwelt on tlie greatness of the privileges of
Baptism : there is yet another, and a very awful view given in
Holy Scripture, the danger of losing them. Though " not
every deadly sin, willingly committed after Baptism, is sin
against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable ; and therefore the
grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin
after Baptism," (Art. 16), still it appears that every deadly sin
after Baptism is not only a step towards final impenitence, but
weakens Baptismal grace, and tends to deprive the individual of
the ordinary means of restoration. The solemn warning of St.
Paul to the Hebrews, (who on account of their fiery trials were
especially exposed to the danger of falling away) is by the
universal voice of Christian antiquity applied to this case. ** It
" is impossible," he says, (vi. 1. sqq.) as his ground for not " laying
" again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of
** faith towards God, of the doctrine of Baptisms and of laying
" on of hands;" '* it is impossible for those who have once been
*' enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and been made
'* partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of
50 BAPTISM OUR ENLIGHTENING.
" God, and the powers of the world to come, and yet liave fallen
" away, to renew them again unto repentance." Some of this
language is now become strange to us, and we might be per-
plexed to affix the precise meaning to the words " having been
" enlightened," and " to renew again ;" and we should therefore
attach the more value to the expositions of those who lived near
the Apostle's time and spoke his language. These, however,
' all, without hesitation, explain ** the being enlightened,** of the
light imparted to men's minds by the Holy Ghost through
Baptism ; the " renewal" (as in Tit. iii. 5) of the renovation of
our nature then bestowed. ^ Nor can any other ground be
assigned, for the title " illumination" (^wrta/ioe) applied even
in the second century^ to Christian Baptism, than that they
even then understood St. Paul (here and x. 32) to speak of
" baptized persons" as " illuminated" {^wTiaQivrao) : the Syriac
rendering " baptized," attests the interpretation of the Eastern
Church at the same period. In both passages indeed there is a
manifest reference to the commencement of the Christian course ;
here to the " elements of the doctrine of Christ," in c. x.,
to the resoluteness with which, in " the former days" they,
" having been enlightened," (i. e. as soon as they were enlight-
ened,) "sustained a great struggle of afflictions." The Fathers
then, i. e. the whole which we know of the early Church, uno ore,
explain this whole passage of the privileges of Christian Baptism,
and of the impossibility of man's again conferring those pri-
vileges upon those who had once enjoyed them and had for-
feited them : nay, they urge it as at once conclusive against the
* See Suicer vv. avaKaivi^a), dvaKaivitTig, avuKaivifffiog, avaf^dTTTiffig,
&va<TTavp6(jj, 0wrt<T/iog.
* By Justin Martyr Apolog. 2. Clemens Alex, ap Euseb. see below note E,
and again Paedag. L. i. c. 6. " Baptized we are enlightened, enlightened we
are adopted as sons, adopted we are perfected, perfected we are immortalized."
" And Baptism," he says, " is called enlightening, because thereby we are
admitted to gaze upon that holy and saving light" So the very ancient
•' Acta Theclae," (see Grabe Spicileg. t. i. p. 91, 2.) St. Chrysostom, when
enumerating the Scriptural names of Baptism (ad lUuminand. Catech. i. § 2.
t. ii. p. 228. ed. Boned.) quotes these two passages in proof that it is called
" enlightening" (fwrifffia).
NO COMPLETE RENEWAL AFTER BAPTISM. 51
repetition of Baptism K They restrain not, nor limit the mercies
of God, that " he may peradventure give them repentance, — and
" tliat they may awake out of the snare of the devil, who have
" been taken alive by him at his will;" (2 Tim. ii. 25, 26) but
they say that the Apostle here peremptorily decides that man
has no means to restore such ; for man it is impossible ^ " See,"
says St. Chrysostora' , " how awfully and forbiddingly he begins.
" * Impossible !' i. e. look not for what is not possible. He saith
*' not, it is not fitting, is not expedient, is not allowable, but — ' is
" impossible ;' so that he at once casts them into desperation, if
" they have but once been illuminated. — Is then repentance ex-
" eluded 1 Not repentance, God forbid ! but a renewal again by
*' Baptism : for he saith not * impossible that they should be
" renewed to repentance,' and there stops ; but adds * that they
" should be renewed,* i. e, become new, * by crucifying again :'
" for to * make men new' belongs only to Baptism ; but the
" office of Repentance is, when they have been made new, and
" then become old through sins, to free them from this old*
** ness, and make them new ; hut it cannot bring them to that
^^ former brightness : for then (in Baptism) the whole was grace."
He then, (as do all the other Fathers) explains the words " cru-
1 " Almost all the antients," says G. I. Vossius, " prove from this passage
that Baptism may not be repeated." Disp. 17. de Baptismo, § 9. Besides the
Commentators, Chrysostom, Theodoret, Primasius, Sedulius, Haimo, Theo-
phylact, CEcumenius, he quotes Ambrose de Pcenitentia L. 2. c. 2. Epipha-'
nius Haeres. 59. Jerome c. Jovinian L. ii. Augustine Expos, inchoat. ad
Rom. (t. iii. p. 2. p. 938), Cyrill. in Joann. L. v. c. 17- Damascenus de fide
L. iv. c. 10. " Scripture," says St. Augustine (de fide et operibus § 17. t. vi.
p. 174.) " abundantly and plainly testifies that all these things (those spoken
of by the Apostle, Heb. vi. 1, 2.) belong to the very commencements of new-
made Christians."
2 " I might say also to him, who understands this passage of repentance,
that those things which are impossible with men, are possible with God ; and
God is able, when He will, to remit to us, even those sins which we think
cannot be forgiven. And so, what seems to us impossible to be obtained, is
possible for God to give." Ambrose 1. c.
3 Ad loc. Hom. 9. § 2. t. xii. p. 96. sqq. ed. Bened. cp. Horn. i. de S.
Pentecoste t. ii. p. 467, Hom. x. (al. ix.) in Joann. t. viii. p. 60, Hom. ii. in
Ephes. t. xi. p. 12., Hom. i. in Act. § 6.
d2
52 CHRIST CRUCIFIED IN BAPTISM.
" cifyiug the Son of God for themselves afresh" of a second
Baptism, as the means of their restoration : it is impossible for
them to renew themselves by repeating their Baptism, " since
" this would be crucifying for themselves the Son of God afresh ^ :"
(and this corresponds better with the original than our present ver-
sion, " seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh,"
inasmuch as the Apostle changes the tense, " it is impossible
" having fallen away (xapaTrccovrac) to renew them again, cruci-
^^ fying (i. e. by crucifying dvaaravpovyrag)." " For," Chry-
sostom proceeds, " Baptism is the cross : for * our old man was
** crucified with Him,' Rom. vi. 6., and again, ' we were con-
" formed to the likeness of His death,' (v. 5.), and again, * we
*' have been buried with Him by Baptism into death' (v. 4.)
" As then Christ cannot be crucified again, (for this w^ere to put
** Him to an open shame,) so cannot a person be baptized again.
" He then who baptizeth himself a second time, crucifies Him
" again — for as Christ died on the cross, so we in Baptism, not
" in the body, but to sin — by Baptism our old man was buried,
" and our new man arose, which was conformed to the likeness
" of His death. If then we must be baptized again. He must die
** again. For Baptism is nothing else than the destroying of that
" self that is buried, and raising that other. And he well says,
*' * crucifying again for themselves,' for he who does this, for-
" getful of the former benefit, and living carelessly, acts through-
*' out as if there were another Baptism. And what means ' having
*• tasted the heavenly gift' ? it is the * forgiveness of sins.' For
" this grace belongeth to God only to impart ; and this grace is
" once only grace — he shews that here (in Baptism) there are
" many gifts : hear, that you may understand : God has vouch-
*' safed to thee, he saith, so great a remission ; to thee who
** sattest in darkness, an enemy, oppnser, alienated, hater of
" God, lost — thou, being such an one, wert suddenly enlightened ;
'• the Spirit, the heavenly gift, adoption, the kingdom of Heaven,
** all other blessings, and mysteries unutterable, were vouch-
" safed to thee ; and if, after this, thou art not the better — and
* Ambrose I. c " In Baptism wc crucify in us the Son of God."
AiJTIENT NOTIONS OF REPENTANCE. 53
"" that when thou deservedst perdition, but obtainedst salvation
** and honour, as if thou hadst done excellently, — how couldst
** thou be baptized again? In two ways then he shows the
" thing to be impossible, and places the strongest last. First,
" that one upon whom so great things had been bestowed, and
** who treacherously abandoned what had been given him, is
*' unworthy of being again renewed : secondly, that it is not
" possible that He should again be crucified : for this would be
" to put Him to an open shame. There is then no second
" Baptism, none. But if there is, there is a third also, and a
" fourth ; and the former Baptism is annulled by each successive
" one, and so on to infinity. And v^rhen he says, * and having
" tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to
" come,' he does not conceal this, (that there is no second Bap-
" tism) but almost expressly says it. For to live as Angels, —
*' to stand in need of none of these earthly things, — to know
" that our adoption guaranteeth to us the enjoyment of future
" ages — to look to enter into that unapproachable sanctuary —
" this we learn (then) from the Spirit. But what are * the powers
" of the world to come* ? Life eternal, or an existence like the
" Angels : of these things we received the earnest through faith
" from the Spirit. Tell me then, hadst thou been brought into
" the royal palace, entrusted with all things therein, and then
" betrayed all, wouldst thou again be entrusted with them ?"
" What then ?" he asks, " is there according to the Apostle,
" no repentance ? There is repentance, but there is no second
" Baptism." And he then describes the repentance whereby
Christ might again be formed in us, a repentance, — far dif-
ferent from the easy notions of many in modern times, — through
" condemnation of sin, confession, deep and abiding and abased
" humility, intense prayer, many tears by night and day, much
" almsgiving, abandonment of all anger, universal forgiveness,
" bearing all things meekly" — so that, beyond the ordinary
Christian graces, he seems to think that one who after falling
from Baptismal grace, should ever be restored, should not look
upon himself as in the rank of those who had kept the white
robe of Baptism undefiled, but should live continually the life of
54 FORMER SINS REMITTED AT BAPTISM.
Penitents. And this is not Chrysostom's opinion only, but that
of the ancient Church, that one who shall have fallen grievously
after Baptism, though he may " by God's grace arise again and
*' amend his life," (Art. 16.) cannot be in the same condition, as
if he had never so fallen. So also in Scripture. Two great
branches of our Blessed Saviour's office are set forth to us. His
death and His intercession — His death, the merits of which are
applied to us in Baptism, as containing the remission of all past
sin, the death of the old man, the imparting of a new nature, the
quickening and renewing our souls, the placing us in a state of
salvation, as saith St. Paul — " God hath set forth Christ Jesus
•' to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His
" righteousness for the remission of the sins that are past," the
former sins^ (rwv irpoyeyoyortop afxapTiifiaTioy) (Rom. iii. 25,) " the
sins of the times of ignorance :" (Acts xvii. 30.) His intercession
for sins into which through the infirmity of the flesh, though
Christians, we may yet fall. " For these," St. John, who is mani-
festly speaking of the sins of true believers, saith, " we have an
" Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and He
" is the propitiation for our sins :" but we have no account in
Scripture of any second remission, obliteration, extinction of all
sin, such as is bestowed upon us by " the one Baptism for the
" remission of sins." And that such was the view of the antient
Church, appears the mo^e from the very abuse which we find
derived from it; that many, namely, delayed continually the
* Comp. 2 Pet. i. 9, " having fallen into a forgetfulness of the purifi-
cation of his old sins" (ruiv waXai avrov afiapriiov). (Ecumenius para-
phrases, (comparing St, James i. 22.) " For such a man, having known that
he was washed from a multitude of sins, in that he was cleansed by Holy
Baptism, ought to have known, that having been cleansed he received holi-
ness also, and so should watch always to preserve that ' holiness, without
which no man shall see the Lord.' But he forgat it." Justin Martyr, Apol.
1. § 61. p. 80. ed. St Maur. " That we may not remain subject to slavery
of the will and ignorance, but may have free choice and knowledge, and may
in the water obtain remission of the sins, which we have before committed,
(a^iffeioc Tt afiapTidv iinip dfv TpoiJiiapTOfiev rvx<^/iev iv t<^ vSan) the
name of God is named over him who wishes to be regenerated, and hath
repented {utrav.oiiaavTi) for his misdeeds."
SCARS LEFT BY SIN AFTER BAPTISM. 55
Sacrament of Baptism (much as persons now do the other Sacra-
ment), because, after they should have received it, they should
no more have such full remission. And this unholy frame of
mind the Fathers endeavoured to correct, not by denying that
they therein held truly, but by setting forth the uncertainty of
life, (that so perchance persons who thus neglected Baptism
might miss it altogether,) the unworthiness of such a frame of
mind — which would desire merely to escape punishment, not to
obtain reward or a Father's love, — the ungodliness of thus shrink-
ing from labouring in God's vineyard ; but they do not deny,
nay they urge as a ground of very careful and wary walking,
that the Baptismal purity, if once soiled, cannot be altogether
restored : " for that there is no second regeneration ^ " (i. e. no
second Baptism,) " no re-formation, no restoration to our former
" state, yea, though we seek this most earnestly, with many
" groans and tears ; whence there with difficulty (as I at least
"judge) comes over a certain healing process, which leaves a
" scar. For this healing does come over (and would that we could
" efface the scars also ! since I too need much mercy), yet is it
" better to stand in need of no second purification, but to abide by
** the first, which is, I know, common to all and without toil —
" (common as the breath of heaven, and diffusion of light, and
*' changes of the seasons, and contemplation of God's works,)
" and imparted with an equal portion of faith. For it is a fearful
" thing to bring upon ourselves a laborious for an easy cure ;
" and having cast aside God's pitying grace, to indebt ourselves
" to chastisement, and set reformation against sin. For how
" great tears shall we bring before God, that we may equal the
" fountain of Baptism" ? This, I am aware, will appear to many
in these days a novel doctrine ; to some it perhaps may even
seem to trench upon the efficacy of our Saviour's Death : one
should be much grieved to perplex any one on such a subject as
this : yet better were some temporary perplexity, than that we
^ OwK ovaijg devrkpag avayf,vvr]anxXQ, ovdk dvaTrXdfTecjQ, ovde dg rb
dpxalov dTTOKaTaOTcianog. St. Gregory of Nazianzum. Orat. 40, de S.
Baptismo, t. i. p. 641. ed. Paris, add Caesarius Arelat. Horn. xKi. quoted by
Bp. Taylor, Effect of Repentance. Sect. 5. § 58.
56 DOCTRINE OF THE FATHERS.
should go on, teaching people to lean on those merits, in a way
unauthorised by God. Since then assuredly we have no Scrip-
tural authority for such views, it may be useful, in order to
remove some of th6 prejudice which lies against a forgotten
doctrine, to adduce some passages of other Fathers, men who
loved and reverenced tlieir Saviour, who were engaged in de-
fending the truth of the Gospel, and the first of whom was one of
the greatest instruments whom God ever raised up for its pure
and holy transmission. St. Athanasius * then says on this same
passage : '* The Apostle saith not ' it is impossible to repent ;'
" but impossible on the ground of repentance to renew us. And
" these are very different. For he who repenteth, ceaseth indeed
" from sinning, but reiaineik the scars of his wounds : but he who
" is baptized, puts off the old man, and is renewed, having been
" born again by the grace of the Spirit." St. Cyril of Jerusalem
has the same metaphor and the same doctrine. In opposition to the
heretics, who spoke of the body as of a mere outward garment,
whose defilements affect not ourselves, he says ^, " As a wound
" which has made deep progress in the body, though it be healed,
"yet the scar remains, so sin also wounds the soul and body,
" and the marks of the scars remain in all : they are removed
" wholly from those only who receive the * bath.' Former
" wounds then of soul and body God heals through Baptism, but
** as to the future let us keep ourselves with all diligence ; that
" having preserved this garment of the body pure, we may not, by
" a little defilement and self-indulgence, or any other sin, forfeit
" everlasting salvation." And in like manner Epiphanius^ even
when writing against the error of the Novatians, still insists,
** In truth it is impossible to renew those who have been once
" renewed and have fallen away. For neither can Christ be
" born again that He may be crucified for us, nor may any one
*' crucify again the Son of God, who is not again to be crucified,
" nor can any one receive a second Baptism, for there is one
" Baptism and one renewal. But immediately afterwards the
1 £p. 4. ad Serapion. § 13. t ii. p. 705. cd. Bened.
2 Cateches. 18. dc Ecclcsia Catholica, § 20.
' litres. 59. §2.
DIFFICULTY OF CURE OF SIN AFTER BAPTISM. 57
'* holy Apostle, healing the Church, and caring for its members,
" subjoins the cure of these things, saying * I am persuaded better
" things,' &c. (Heb. vi. 9.) You see how absolutely he declared
'• that the renewal cannot take place a second time: but still
"did not exclude from salvation those who yet repented ; but
" declared that they were yet allied to it, and had God as the
** helper of their good deeds, when they repented most thoroughly
" of their offences, and turned and forsook them." And not in
the case of gross sin only, but of the infirmities of good Chris-
tians, they held that the scar still remained, even towards the end
of life ; to be effaced only by continued repentance to the very
last. " I think," says Basil ', " that those noble combatants of
" God, who have during their whole life wrestled thoroughly
" with the invisible enemies, after they have escaped all their
" persecutions, and are come to the end of life, are examined by
" the ruler of this world, that if they be found to have wounds
" from their contests, or any stain or mark of sin, they may be
" a while detained [in life] ; but if they be found un wounded
" and unstained, as being invincible and free, they have their
" rest given them by Christ."
The Fathers urge the difficulty of the cure of sin after Baptism,
at the same time that they urge men to seek it : they set side by
side the possibility and the pains of repentance ; they urge against
the Novatian heretic, that there is still ** mercy with God, that
" He may be feared :" they urge this truth against our own fears,
and the insinuations of the evil one, who would suggest hard and
desponding thoughts of God, in order to keep in his chain those
more energetic spirits, who feel the greatness of their fall, and
would undergo any pains whereby they might be restored : but
the Antient Church consulted at the same time for that more re-
laxed and listless sort, (of whom the greater part of mankind
consist) who would make the incurring of eternal damnation, the
breaking of Covenant with God, the forfeiture of His Spirit, the
profanation of His Temple (ourselves) a light thing and easy to
be repaired. Therefore, while they set forth the greatness of
* Horn, in Psalm vii., t. i. p. 99. ed. Bened.
58 ROMISH CORRUPTION OF PENANCE.
God's mercy, they concealed not the greatness of man's sin, in
again defiling what God had anew hallowed : they concealed not
that such a fall was worse than Adam's, since it was a fall from
a higher state and in despite of greater aids : that though God's
mercy was ever open, yet it required more enduring pains, more
abiding self-discipline, more continued sorrow, again to become
capable of that mercy. God is always ready to forgive : the
sins can be forgiven ; and yet they are not ! why ? but because
to rise again after falling from Baptismal grace, is far more
difficult than the easiness with which men forgive their own
sins, leads them to think ; the frame of mind which would really
seek forgiveness, requires greater conflict, more earnest prayers,
more complete self-abasement, and real renunciation of self, than
men can bring themselves to think necessary, or comply with.
Men will not confess to themselves how far astray they have
gone : they cannot endure that all should be begun anew ; and
so they keep their sins and perish ! But on that very account did
the early Church the more earnestly warn them of the greatness
of the effort needed. While she affectionately tendered the hopes
of pardon held out in God's word, she faithfully warned men not
to build those hopes on the sand. She called on men to return —
not as if now they could at once lay down all their burthen at
their Saviour's feet, but to wash His feet with their tears ; to
turn — not with the mockery of woe, but with weeping, fasting,
mourning, and rending of the heart. They separated not what
God had joined. This the Romish Church has done in its way.
They held in words, as well as we, that the Sacrament of Bap-
tism could not be repeated, and that its efficacy alone would not
wash away sins subsequently committed; but by devising the
new Sacrament of Penance, they did contrive, without more cost,
to restore men, however fallen, to the same state of undisturbed
security in which God had by Baptism placed them ^ Penance
1 Card. Bellarmine directly argues (Controv. t. ii. p. 1483,) " Since the
" Apostle says (Heb. vi.) that it is impossible that a man should be restored
" through that repentance which is united with Baptism, therefore we must
" either with the Novatiaus dejiy all reconciliation, or with the Catholics
BAPTISMAL AND SUBSEQUENT REPENTANCE. 59
became a second Baptism. Man's longing to be once again
secure, was complied with : his old sins were effaced, not to rise
up again against him : again and again he began afresh : again
and again he was told, " Thy sins are forgiven thee," and so the
salutary anxiety about past sin, and its fruit *' a righteous, godly,
" and sober life," were in ordinary minds choked and effaced.
Perverting the earnest sayings of the Fathers, they turned the
hard and toilsome way of Repentance into the easy and royal
road of Penance. Let us beware lest by an opposite course we
arrive at the same result. The blood of Christ is indeed all-
powerful to wash away sin ; but it is not at our discretion, at
once, on the first expression of what may be a passing sorrow,
to apply It. On true repentance It will yet " cleanse men
from all sin ;" but how much belongs to true repentance ! The
fountain has been indeed opened to wash away sin and unclean-
ness, but we ^are not promise men a second time the same easy
access to it, which they once had : that way is open but once : it
were to abuse the power of the keys entrusted to us, again to
pretend to admit them thus : now there remains only the
" Baptism of tears," a Baptism obtained, as the same fathers
said S with much fasting, and with many prayers. We are fa-
mihar with the striking saying of Tertullian = against despair.
" God would not threaten the impenitent, unless He forgave the
" penitent." Would that we equally laid to heart what he says
in the same places, of the greatness of that penitence ! *' Thus
" far, (namely of Baptismal repentance), thus far, O Christ the
" Lord, may Thy servants hear and learn of the discipline of re-
" pentance, to hear which it needs not that [while Thy servants]
" admit a new Sacrament distinct from Baptism, whereby remission of sins
•* may be given. Nor can the adversaries say that Paul only means that the
*' action of Baptism ought not to be repeated, for Paul does not speak of the
" rite, but of its effect, i. e. renewal. Wherefore, if we cannot have again
" the effect of Baptism, we must look certainly for some other rite, some
*' other Sacrament."
* Clemens of Alexandria, ap. Euseb. H. E. 1. 3. c. 23. of the youth who
having after Baptism become a robber was restored by St. John.
2 De Poenitentia, c. 8. ^ C. 7. sqq.
60 REPENTANCE IN THE ANTIENT CHTJRCH.
" they should have offended : henceforth let them know and re-
" quire nothing of [such] repentance. I am loath to subjoin
" the mention of a second, yea of a last, hope ; lest treating again
" of a yet remainir^ aid of penitence, I should seem to mark out
" a space for sin. God forbid, that men should so interpret this,
" as if a door was open to sin, because it is open to repentance ;
" and the redundancy of divine benevolence should make human
" rashness to wax wanton. Let no one become the worse, be-
** cause God is the more good : sinning again, because there is
" again forgiveness : there will be an end of escaping, if there is
" not of offending." After praising those then who shrunk from
being *' again a burthen to the Divine mercy, and who dreaded
" to seem to trample on what they had obtained," he thus at
last, timidly, or rather reverently, advances to set forth God's
last provision against the malice of Satan, repentance after Bap-
tism. " God, providing against these his poisons, though the
" door of full oblivion (ignoscentiae) is closed, and the bolt of
** Baptism fastened up, alloweth somewhat still to be open. He
" hath placed in the vestibule (of the Church, where penitents
" used to kneel) a second repentance, which might be open to
" those who knock." But how does Tertullian describe this
discipline ? " Full confession (exomologesis) is the discipline
" of prostrating and humbling the whole man ; enjoining a con-
" versation which may excite pity ; it enacts as to the very dress
" and sustenance — to lie on sackcloth and ashes : the body
** defiled, the mind cast down with grief: those things, in which
" he sinned, changed by a mournful treatment : for food and
" drink, bread only and water, for the sake of life not of the
" belly : for the most part to nourish prayer by fasting : to groan ;
" to weep ; to moan day and night before the Lord their God ;
** to embrace the knees of the Presbyters and of the friends of
" God ; to enjoin all the brethren to pray for them. All this is
** contained in * full confession,' with the view to recommend
" their repentance ; to honour the Lord by trembling at their
" peril ; by pronouncing on the sinner, to discharge the office of
" the indignation of God ; and by temporal affliction, — I say not
" to baffle, but — to blot out eternal torment. When therefore it
HINDRANCES TO REAL REPENTANCE. 61
** rolls them on the earth, it the rather raises them : when it
** defiles, it cleanses them : accusing, it excuses them : condemn-
" ing, it absolves them. In as far as thou sparest not thyself,
*' in so far will God, be assured, spare thee \"
It is not of course the outward instances and expressions
of grief, of which Tertullian speaks, which one would con-
trast with our modern practice ; although most sincere peni-
tents will probably have found it a great hindrance to effec-
tual repentance, that they were obliged to bear about the load of
their grief in their own bosoms ; that they might not outwardly
mourn ; that they must go through the daily routine of life
without unburthening their souls by a public confession ; that
they could not, without the evils of private confession, obtain the
prayers of God's servants ^ ; that their outward, must needs be
at variance with, thwarting, contradicting their inward, life : —
but this is a distinct subject, although it may well make us
pray, that God would fit our Church again to receive the godly
discipline, whose absence she annually laments ', and yet cannot
restore. And how are we not open to the indignant burst of
Tertullian *, after speaking of the luxury of his day, ** Seek the
' This is a sentiment frequent among tbe Fathers, founded on 1 Cor. xi. 31.
see e. g. St. Augustine Serm. 351, De Poenitentia c. 4. St. Ambrose de Lapsu
Virginis § 36. It has nothing to do with the Romish doctrine of satisfac-
tion : thus even Calvin, (Institt. 3, 3, 15) " The last character of repentance
" is 'revenge' (2 Cor. vii. 11) for the severer we are upon ourselves, the
" more rigidly we bring our sins to account, so much the more may we hope
" to have God propitious and merciful. Yea, it cannot be, but that the
** mind struck down with horror at the Divine judgment, should anticipate
" the office of revenge by enacting punishment on itself. Fear cannot be too
" great which ends in humility, and does not abandon hope of pardon."
2 The Church has provided a place, where the distressed in mind, as well
as the sick in body, might, if they desired it, obtain the prayers of the Con-
gregation directly for themselves. There would be no occasion for naming
them, as is sometimes done in the case of bodily sickness. Christian sympa-
thy might be much promoted, and great relief obtained for sufferers, if the
clergy were, in sermons or in private, to recall persons' minds to this for-
gotten provision.
3 Commination Service.
* L. c. §. 11.
62 HOW WE HEREIN FALL SHORT OF THE ANTIENT CHURCH.
" baths or the glad retreats of the sea-side ; add to thy expense ;
" bring together large store of food ; choose thee wines well re-
" fined ; and when they ask thee, on whom bestowest thou this ?
" say, — I have offended against God, I am in danger of perishing
" eternally, and therefore I am now distracted, and wasted, and
" agonized, if by any means I may reconcile God, whom, by my
'* iniquities, I have offended."
But what one does mourn, is the loss of that inward sorrow,
that overwhelming sense of God's displeasure, that fearfulness
at having provoked His wrath, that reverent estimation of His
great holiness, that participation of His utter hatred of sin, that
loathing of self for having been so unlike to Christ, so alien
from God ; it is that knowledge of the reality and hatefulness of
sin, and of self, as a deserter of God ; that vivid perception of
Heaven and hell, of the essential and eternal contrast between
God and Satan, sin and holiness, and of the dreadful danger of
having again fallen into the kingdom of darkness, after having
been brought into that of light and of God's dear Son, — it is this
that we have lost : it was this which expressed itself in what men
would now call exaggerated actions, and which must appear exag-
gerated to us, who have so carnal and common-place a standard of
a Christian's privileges, and a Christian's holiness. The absence
of this feeling expresses itself in all our intercourse with the
bad, our tolerance of evil, our apathy about remediable, and yet
unremedied, depravity ; our national unconcernedness about men's
souls ; our carelessness amid the spiritual starvation of hundreds
of thousands of our own people. We are in a lethargy. Our
very efforts to wake those who are deeper asleep, are numbed
and powerless. Until we lay deeper the foundations of repent-
ance, the very preaching of the Cross of Christ becomes hut a
means of carnal security.
It is indeed a hard and toilsome path which these Fathers point
out, unsuited to our degraded notions of Christianity, as an easy
religion, wherein sin and repentance are continually to alternate,
pardon and Heaven are again and again offered to all who can
but persuade themselves that they are sorry for their sins, or
who, from circumstances, from time of life, or any other outward
I
EFFICACY OF BAPTISM LASTING. 63
cause, have abandoned the grosser of them. But who em-
powered us to say that Christ's is an easy yoke to those who
have again drawn back to the flesh ? Our God has indeed once
rescued us : our God will still receive those " who, with hearty
*' repentance and true faith, turn unto Him." But the God of
the New Testament is not different from the God of the Old.
*' Our God is a consuming fire." "Repentance," says St. Am-
brose *, " must be not in words but in deed. And this will be,
" if thou settest before thine eyes from what glory thou hast
" fallen, and out of what book of life thy name has been blotted,
" and if thou believest that thou art placed close by the outer
" darkness, where shall be weeping of eyes and gnashing of
" teeth, endlessly. When thou shalt have conceived this in thy
" mind, as it is, with an undoubting faith, that the offending soul
*' must needs be delivered to the infernal pains, and the fires of
'* hell, and that after the one Baptism no other remedy is ap-
" pointed than the solace of repentance, be content to undergo
" any affliction, any suffering, so thou mayest be freed from
" eternal punishment." ** Such a life," he adds, in a case still
miserably common, since the bodies of all Christians are the
temples of the Holy Ghost, " such a life, such a performance
" of repentance, if it be persevering, may venture to hope, if
" not for glory, at least for freedom from punishment."
Hereby it is not meant to imply that the efficacy of Baptism
for the remission of sin ceases altogether after it has once been
bestowed, which is the error of the Romanists ; for we are by
Baptism brought into covenant with God, and are made members
of Christ, and are entitled to His all-prevailing intercession,
when with hearty repentance we again turn to Him : but only that
we are then washed, once for all, in His blood ; and that, if we
again sin, there remaineth no more such complete ablution in
this life. We must bear the scars of the sins, which we have
contracted : we must be judged according to our deeds. The
sense of Scripture in either case is clearly expressed by St.
* De Lapsu Virginis Consecratse c. 8 ; or it may be St. Nicetas, Bp. of
Dacia before A.D. 392, a man celebrated for piety, learning, and eloquence.
See Tillemont Memm. t. x. pp. 128, 263, sqq.
9
64 THREE SORTS OF REPENTANCE.
Augustine. For, on the one hand, he saith ', " that, by the
'* same washing of regeneration; and word of sanctifieation, all
" the ills of regenerated man are wholly cleansed and healed ;
" not only the sins, which are now in Baptism all forgiven, but
" those also which are afterwards contracted by human ignorance
" and infirmity. Not that Baptism is to be repeated as often as
" sin is committed, but because thereby that it is once given, there
*' is obtained for the faithful, pardon for all sins, not only for those
" before, but even for those afterwards committed. For what
** would repentance benefit, either before Baptism, unless Bap-
" tism followed ; or afterwards, unless it preceded? In the
" Lord's prayer itself, which is our daily cleansing, with what
" fruit or effect would the words * forgive us our trespasses' be
" used, unless by persons baptized ?" On the other hand, he
says distinctly ^, " when an infant begins to have sins of its own
" after Baptism, these are not removed by Regeneration, but are
" healed by another cure." And so again he distinguishes
at length* between three sorts of penitence : one, necessary
previous to Baptism, for all except infants, (who, since they
cannot exercise freewill, may, through the interrogatories and
answers of others, be cleansed from the stains of sins which they
contracted through others, of whom they were born ;) secondly,
the daily penitence, during the whole of our mortal hfe, for those
blameworthy and unholy motions, which, day by day, through the
infirmity of the flesh, creep over us ; thirdly, for those sins
comprised under the Decalogue, if they should be committed. So
1 De Nuptiis, § 38.
2 Epist. 98. ad Bonifac.
' De Poenitentia, Serm. 351 (alias 50 inter 50), § 2 fin. The same triple
division of repentance recurs in his de Symbolo, § 15. " In three ways are sins
remitted in the Church, — in Baptism, in prayer, in the deeper humiliation of
penitence ; yet God forgiveth not sin, except to the baptized. Those very
sins, which He first remits, He remits only to the baptized ; when ? when they
are baptized. The sins, which are afterwards forgiven to us on our praying,
and to the penitent, whom He forgiveth, He forgiveth them, as being bap-
tized. For how can they say * Our Father,' who are not yet born ? As
long as they are CatechumeDs, (disciples but unbaptizcd), their sins are upon
them."
REPENTANCE BY RIGHT OF BAPTISM. 65
that he distinctly and clearly sepaTates those sins which, by virtue
of our Baptism, are directly remitted to us, and those for which
tlie harder and abiding course of repentance is necessary;
although it be our Baptism in the blood of Christ, which renders
that repentance effectual. In like manner, St. Leo* speaks
of " tlie manifold mercy of God, which so succours human
** failing, as that the hope of eternal life should not only be
*' bestowed by the free grace of Baptism, but repaired also by
" the medicine of peni-tence ; so that they who had violated the
" gifts of regeneration, condemning themselves by their own
" judgment, should yet attain to the remission of sins." And
Theodoret ^ in like manner, vindicating the privilege and
possibility of repentance after Baptism, still retains this solemn
distinction in the character of sin, and the mode of its forgive-
ness: "When the Lord gave the disciples a form of prayer,
" He bade them say, * Forgive us our trespasses.' This prayer
" we do not teach the unconsecrated, but the consecrated (bap-
*' tized.) For no unconsecrated person can dare to say * Onr
" Father,' not having yet received the gift of adoption. But he
" who has obtained the gift of Baptism, calls God ' Father,' as
" being accounted among the sons by grace. These then were
" enjoined to say, * forgive us our trespasses.' The wounds then
" received after Baptism are curable ; but not as before, in that
" then remission is given through faith alone, but now through
" many tears, and mournings, and weepings, and fastings, and
" prayer, and toil proportioned to the greatness of the sin com-
" mitted. For we have been taught neither to despair of those
" thus circumstanced, nor yet readily to impart to them the
** Holy Rites. * Give not,' He saith, * that which is holy to
*' dogs, nor cast the pearls before swine.' "
Nor are these the views of a later age. On the contrary, the
higher we ascend, the more we find a reverential and alarmed
apprehension of the great danger of grievous falls after Baptism.
Easy remission of sin after Baptism, was a fruit of growing cor-
1 Epist. 82. (olim 91.) ad Theodorum, quoted by Bellarmine, 1. c.
2 Haeretic. Fabul. Compend. L. 5. Divin. Decret. Epit. § 28, also ap. Bel-
larmiii,
GG TRADITIONAL DOCTRINE OF REPENTANCE
ruption ; and this, occasioning, rather than occasioned by, the abuse
of the power of the keys. The source of the fears of the early
writers, is the more remarkable, as it is entirely independent ;
they namely referring to the oral, as we to the written teaching of
the Apostles. That independence obviously strengthens the belief
in tlj^ accuracy of their tradition, and of the more awful and
rigid interpretation of the Apostle's words ; and both combine in
the more solemn warning to ourselves. St. Irenaeus \ then, ex-
pressly referring for his authority to a Presbyter, who had learnt
from the disciples of the Apostles, alleges the great danger which
we should incur by sin after Baptism, as a ground why we should
be reserved in blaming the sins of the old Fathers. ** For ^
" their history was written for our warning : for, if the ancients,
" who preceded us in gifts, for whom the Son of God had not yet
" suffered, if they failed in any thing, and served the desires of
*' the flesh, were visited with such disgrace, what shall they now
" suffer, who have despised the coming of the Lord, and served
" tlieir pleasures ? And for those the death of the Lord was a
" cure and remission : but for those who now sin, Christ shall not
" now die ; for death shall not now have dominion over Him ; but
" the Son shall come in the glory of the Father, requiring from
" His stewards and dispensers, with usury,, the money which He
" lent them : and to whom He gave much, of them He shall ask
" the more. We ought not, then, said that presbyter, to be proud,
" nor to blalTie the ancients ; but ourselves to fear, lest after we
" have acknowledged Christ, if we do anything displeasing to God,
** we may have no more remission of sins, but be excluded from
%fiis kingdom." St. Hermas, ^ again, directly refers to older
teachers. " * Now, also. Sir, I have heard from some teaclieis,
* " AutUvi a'iJttdfldiA Presbytero, qaiauffieratiib life,' qui Apofehjlcs x^lde-
MnbtCfab his >qiiLdi4iaa'aiit." the. next chapter jofbanious .i»ortJ^' Hie
fol^y of.tljasCj^ivhoeKagger^at^iglbe merqy of Christ, and pmilting meiitjoii of
the Judgment, looking to the greater grace of the Now Testament, and forget,
ting tlie greater perfection required of m — strive to make out another God,
(lilK-ront from the CBEAtoii." . u- .: M.^.i ,. ., ^ :r ,../.:,! i-i.'I '
' ! . iv. c 27> ^> M^suct. olim c 45.
I ,i. Mandat. 4. § li.
AS DERIVED FROM THE APOSTLES. 67
*' that there is no other repentance than that, when we descend into
" tlie water, and receive remission of sins : afterwards we must
** take heed not to sin, but to remain in that purity.' And he said to
" me, ' Thou liast heard rightly. But since thou inquirest into all
** things diligently, I will shew thee this also, not giving occasion
" (of offence) to those who have, or shall, believe in the Lord,
" For these have (then) not repentance for sin, but remission. But
'* to those who were called before those days, the Lord assigned
*' repentance. Since God knew the thoughts of the heart, and the
" weakness of man, and the manifold wickedness of the devil,
" whereby he devises mischief against the servants of God — there-
" fore the merciful Lord had mercy on the work of His hands ;
" and he assigned that repentance, and gave me power over that
*' repentance. And, therefore, I say unto you, that, after that
" great and holy calling (Baptism) if any be tempted by the devil
** and sin, he has one repentance. But if he sin again, and repent,
*' it will not profit the man who doth such things, for hardly will
" he live to God ^.' And I said, ' Sir, I revived, when I diligently
** heard these commandments. For I know, that if hereafter I add
** not to my sins, I shall be saved.' And he said, * Y^a, and all who
** shall do these commandments, shall be saved." This passage of
St. Herraas is the more remarkable, since he lays down the prin-
ciple, upon which more than one repentance after Baptism would
probably be very rare, if not altogether hopeless, coinciding with
the known teaching of the Apostles, and with subsequent ex-
perience, although limiting very awfully what their written
teaching has left undefined. And these, and similar Apostohc
sayings, were the foundation, doubtless, of that primitive Eccle-
siastical rule^, which, in the case of any grievous offences,
* See a very practical sermon, in the 1st vol. of Newman's Parochial Ser-
mons, " On the religious use of excited feelings."
2 See Bingham Christian Antiq. L. 18. c. 4., and Morinus de Administr.
Sacram. Pcenitentiae, L. v. c. 27-30., who is the more unexceptionable wit-
ness, since thig practice of the primitive Church is so greatly opposed to the
laxity of the modern Church of Rome. Morinus, with an honesty unusual to
his Church on this subject, distinctly asserts, that this discipline flourished
in the Latin Church, till about the year 700. " It is certain, moreover, and
E 2
G8 ONE TIEPF.NTANCE AFTEU BAPTISM,
granted the Church's ministry of reconciliation once, nnd once
onlyS after Baptism : so that this rule was probably formed, not,
as was afterwards thought, for the greater security of the Church,
and its greater purity, but because it was much to be feared, that
they who had been brought, by repentance, to a second childhood,
and, as it were, to a second Baptism (of tears), could not again
be even thus restored. " Rightly are they blamed," says St.
Ambrose ^, " who think that repentance is frequently to be re-
" enacted, for they wax wanton in Christ. For if they were truly
" repenting, they would not think it often to be repeated ; for, as
*' there is one Baptism, so also one repentance — one, I say, public
" repentance — -for we ought to repent of our daily sins ; but this
" repentance is for lighter offences, that for heavier. But I have
^^ found more readily persons^ who retained their innocence y than
" such as repented, as were fitting. Will any one call that
" repentance, where men seek for worldly dignity, drink wine to
" the full, or use the enjoyments of marriage ? The world must
" be renounced. Sleep itself must be less indulged than nature
confessed by all, that the public and solemn penitence of which we spenk,
was not repeated in the Church during 1200 years. But there is a great
difft^rence between the discipline from A. 7OO, to that time, and that of which
we are now treating. For this (later discipline) related only to public
crimes ; the earlier not to all oflfences, but to certain, whether public or con-
cealed. The latter was not repeated, in so far as it was public, but was privately
enacted, according to the directions of the Church, when the public sin was
repeated after the public penitence, and this being done, the p^iitcnt was
privately reconciled : But the earlier was not performed at all, either publicly
or privately, by any direction from the Church, and consequently did not
obtain any reconciliation from the Church ; whence there followed another
distinction, namely, that of old there was only one penitence for crimes.
Afterwards, however, it was so ordered, that it might take place once publicly,
and repeatedly in private."
^ Tertull. de Pa?nitentia, c. 7- " Collocavit in v^stibulo pcenitentiam se-
cundam, qua? pulsantibus patcfaciat (sc. post Baptismum), sed jam semel,
quia jam secundo : sed amplius nunquam, quia proximo frustra." Add St.
Augustine, Ep. 153. ed. Bencd. and the letter of Macedonius to him, Ep.
152; St. Ambrose, as just quoted; Origen, Hom. 15, in Lev. 26; several
other passages are quoted by Morinus, de Puinitcatia, L. 3. c 1. sqq.
2 De TaMiitint. L. ii. c. 10. § rt5, V*.
WHY NO MORE. ' '■ 09
** requires, must be interrupted with groans, must be sequestrated
" for prayer. We must live so as to die to this life. Man must
" deny himself, and be wholly changed." And if we could now see
the contrast of penitence with impenitence, of the world and the
flesh with God, as the early Christians did, when the fiery trials,
to which tljey were subjected, left so little room for self-deceit,
we should probably see, that their strict rules were founded on
truth and reality. St. Clement of Alexandria, himself a diligent
follower of Apostolic tradition \ quoting ^ and commenting on
this passage of St, Hermas (whom he regards as having received
inspiration second only to Scripture), assigns the same intrinsic
ground for the improbability of frequent repentance. Having
quoted Heb. x. 26, 27, as expressing the same doctrine, which
St. Hermas also delivered, he adds : '* But the constant repent-
" ances alternating with the sins, differ in nothing from entire
" infidelity, except only that these are aware that they are sin-
ning ; ** and I know not which is worse, to sin wilfully, or, having
" repented for past sin, again to offend." And again ^, in answer
to Basilides, who contended that involuntary sins, and sins of
ignorance, were alone forgiven, he says, that " those who fall into
sin after Baptism, those were they who were chastised ; for that
former sins were freely remitted, but subsequent ones were
purged away (by suffering.)" The like earnest language we find
in St. Clement of Rome ^ (if, as seems probable, the second epis-
tle also is his, or at all events a very ancient author.) " If such
1 Strom. 1. Praef. p. 322. ed. Potter. " But these (Clement's instructors),
" keeping the true tradition of the blessed doctrine, directly from Peter, and
" James, and John, and Paul, the holy Apostles, receivhig it each fromi
" father to son, (though few are like their fathers) have by God's blessing
" arrived, to deposit with us also those inherited and Apostolic seeds (of
** doctrine) ; and well 1 know that they will rejoice, pleased, I say, not with
" this exposition, but that I have adhered to the scheme transmitted to me.
" For such a sketch is, I think, the office of a soul, which would keep the
" blessed tradition, so as not to let it slip." Quoted in part by Euseb. H.
E. L. V. c. 11.
2 Strom. L. ii. c. 12, 13, p. 459.
■' lb. L. iv. c. 24. pp. 633, 4.
* Ep. 2. §0-8.
70 REPEHTANCE A PLANK AFTER SHIPWRECK.
" men as Noah, Daniel, and Job, cannot by their righteousnesses
" save their children, with what confidence shall we approach to
** the Palace of God, if we keep not Baptism ptue and undefiled ?
'* He who dealeth corruptly m the fight of incorruption, whal
*' shall be done to him ? For of such a» hate not kept the seal,
'^ He saith, * their worm dieth not.' Let us, then, while we are
" on earth, repent,"
The same truth was expressed by the Fathers, in that oft-
misinterpreted metaphar, thai they who had fallen into grievous
sin after Baptism, should cling to repentance, as to a plank from
a shipwreck : not (as Romanist writers ^ insist) as if the plank
were different from the ship, and so designated a Sacrament of
Repentance, a means of grace distinct from that of Baptism ; or,
again, with some Protestant writers ^, as if the ship yet remained
whole, and the plank were to bring them back to their former
security in Baptism : the Fathers thought of no such refinements ;
they would by this metaphor express only the great peril, in
which such persons were placed, and would exhort them to clingj
for their eternal life, to the only hope yet remaining to them in tlie
shipwreck wherein their souls had well-nigh perished, — an earnest
and persevering repentance* Thus St. Ambrose concludes^
the exhortation to the penitent, before quoted ; " If sinners
" could see what judgment God will send forth, and man's imder-
** standing was not distracted by the vanity of the world, or
" weighed down by unbelief, they would gladly bear any degree or
" kind of torment for the present, yea, though life were longer
" than it is, so they might escape the punishment of eternal
** fire. But thou unhappy one, who hast now entered upon the
'* trial of repentance, hold on, abide fast, as to a plank in ship-
** wreck, hoping thereby to be freed from the depth of sin. Hold
» BcDarmine, de Controv. t. ii. pp. 1487> 8.
* Lwther de captiv. Babylon, de Baptismo. Gerhard, Loci, de Poenit. § 13.
' De lapsu Virginis, c. 8. § 38. Tlie passage of TertuUian, de Poenit c.
4, does not belong here ; for he is there addressing Catechumcnfe, and the re-
pentance there s)>ok.cu of is that which is neccs&uy previous to Baptism,
and the shipwreck that which is common to tlie whole human race : nor docs
he say • fracto navigio,' as St. Jerome always docs, referringr lo BaptisBfi.
MODERN USE OF THE WORD REGENERATION. 71
" fast to repentance to the very end of life, nor anticipate that any
" pardon should be given you from man's judgment ; he who
'* would promise you this would deceive you. For what thou hast
" sinned against the Lord, thou must expect the remedy from
" Him alone, in the day of judgment."
The Fathers despaired of none. " We must despair of tlie
" conversion of none," says St. Augustine, " either within or
" without the Church, as long as the patience of God leadeth
" them to repentance, and He * visits their oifences with a rod, and
*' their sins with scourges.' For thus He does not utterly take
" away His mercy from them, if they would but at length have
^' compassion on their own souls, pleasing God." But they con-
stantly repeated the Prophet's warning, " Woe to them that
*' are at ease in Zion ;" ** tremble, ye that are at ease, be trou-
** bled, ye careless ones ; strip you, and make you banre, and gird
" sackcloth upon your loins ;" and would God, vve might once
again hear their voice of warning sound through our land, that
our sleepers might awake, and arise from the dead, and Chuist
give them light, before they be awakened by the trump of the
Archangel !
Moderns, by giving to this change after Baptism, w^hen it is
needed, or occurs, the name of regeneration, or the new birth, so
far coincide with the doctrine of the Fathers, and have expressed
their conviction also, that this birth takes place once only.
Nor were there any objection in itself to the term ; nor could
any language be too strong to express the vehemence of that
change, from the sleep of death to the life of holiness ; from the
phrenzy and drunkenness of sin to a right mind and God's " rea-
sonable service," from being " fast bound in misery and iron," to
the *' glorious liberty of the sons of God ;" from darkness to light ;
from Hell to Heaven ; from Satan to Christ. No term were too
strong for this, if it confused not our apprehensions of other
truths of the Gospel ; or, because God vouchsafed again to create
His lost image in their souls, again to re-mould, re-form, re-fuse
them, and bring them, re-created, through the iron fumade of
repentance and bitter suffering, into a fresh life, and again " form
Christ within them," they did not deny His former mercies, and
72 COMPLETE REPENTANCE A SORT OF
make His present bountifulness a ground of disbelieving His past
loving-kindness. God had given them their former birth in Bap-
tism, and clad them with Christ, and grafFed them into Christ,
had buried them and raised them up with Chmst. This life they
had wasted, and destroyed. God now has given them another,
whereby " Christ may again be formed in them." Let them not,
in conformity to any system of man> lose the benefits of their
past experience ; but rather take tlie more earnest warning that
they suffer not this life also to decay. They may know from
God's word, that they were quickened with Christ in Baptism ;
they know from their own experience, that they have been since
dead. God has taught them to beware of a second death, ft
may be the last.
There are, then, these limitations in Scripture, or derived from
it by the Fathers, to this second birth after Baptism. That it is
one of suffering, whereas the former birth, by Baptism, was one
of joy and ease ; that it is less complete than the former, and is
a slower and more toilsome process (the slowness is spoken of
by St. Paul, " my little children, of whom I travail in birth again,
until Christ be formed in you ;") that it is a second regeneration,
(" of whom I travail againy*) — not differing from the preceding,
as if the regeneration of Christ's ordinance were a change of
state, the regeneration of repentance a change of nature ; that,
outward in the flesh ; this, inward in the spirit : God forbid
that we should so speak of Christ's ordinances ! — but that it is a
sort of restoration of that life, given to those to whom it is given,
by virtue of that ordinance ; a restoration of a certain portion of
their Baptismal health. It is not " the new birth" simply ; that
is Baptism ; but it is a revival, in a measure, of that life ; to be
received gratefully, as a renewal of a portion of that former gift ;
to be exulted in, because it is life ; but to be received and
guarded with trembling, because it is tlie renewal of what had been
forfeited ; not to be boasted of, because it is but tlie fragment of
an inheritance, " wasted in riotous living." Lastly it is bestowed
through the ministry of the Church. " Little children, of whom
/ travail again."
With sucli limitations, and always presupposing that a former
SECOND REGENERATION. 73
real Spiritual birth had taken place in Baptism, and following the
hint given in St. Paul's language, some of the Fathers do not
shrink from calling the restoration through the Church, by a
hearty and complete repentance, " a sort of second Regenera-
tion," or the like, which might express the greatness of the gift,
without trenching upon Baptismal grace. Thus St. Chrysostom *,
paraphrasing the Apostle's words : " Seest thou his fatherly
" tenderness ? seest thou a trouble worthy of an Apostle ? seest
'* thou wTiat a bitter cry he uttereth, bitterer far than of a woman
" in travail? Ye have corrupted, he saith, the image; ye have
" lost your kindred character ; ye have perverted the form (im-
" printed on you). Ye have need of another regeneration, and
" re-formation : and yet you, abortive and outcast fruit though
" ye be, I call children. Yet he doth not say this, but in other
" terms, for he spares them." And St. Jerome ^ : " This also
" must be considered, that he who, through sin, h^d ceased after
" a way to be a man, through repentance is conceived again by
" his instructor, and it is promised that Christ may again be
" formed in him. This," he adds, " against the Novatians,
" who deny that they whom sin has once broken in pieces,
" can be re-formed."
To the like effect is the glowing language of the Churches of
Vienne and Lyons ^, with respect to those, who in the heat
of persecution had denied Christ ; " through their (the mar-
" tyrs') endurance, the immeasurable mercy of Christ was
" displayed. For, through the living the dead were made
"alive; and the martyrs procured mercy for those who were
" no martyrs. And there was much joy in the Virgin Mother
" (the Ciiurch), receiving alive those whom she had cast out
" as dead. For through these (the martyrs), most of those
" who had denied were received again into the womb, and re-
" conceived, and re-quickened, and learned to confess ; and now
" being alive and new braced, approached the judgment-seat :
1 Ad loc. t. X. p. 708. ed. Bencd.
2 Ad loc. t. vii. p. 467. ed. Vallars.
3 Ap. Euseb. H. E. L. 5. c. 1. See the whole translated Tracts, 1834,
Kccordb ot the Church, No. VI.
74 REGENERATION OF REPENTANCE.
" God, who willeth not the death of a sinner, but dealeth gra-
** ciously towards repentance, pouring a healthful juice within
f^ them." In like manner St. Clement of Alexandria i, relating
the restoration of the robber-chief through the self-devotion
and earnestness of the aged Apostle St. John, (already referred
to,) describes him " as asking pardon, as he could, with groans,
" and baptized a second time with tears :" St. John " solemnly
** declaring, that he had obtained pardon for him from the
M Saviour, and kissing his right hand as having been cleansed
^*/by repentance [it had been stained with blood], brought him
'' back to the Church ; and interceding with abundant prayers,
*' striving with and for him, by constant fastings, and charming
'* his mind with various words [of Scripture], departed not until
*' he had restored him to the Church : having given," says St.
Clement, '* a mighty pattern of true repentance, a mighty proof
f'of re-generation, a trophy of the hoped-for resurrection, when,
?^ at the end of the world, the angels shall receive the true
*' penitent" 'ito everlasting habitations." And this history St.
Clement relates, " in order that men may see, that a good hope
" of salvation yet remains, on true repentance :" and this repent-
ance he describes, in contrast with the complete gift at Baptism '.
" God gives remission of the former sins : of subsequent, each
" must obtain it for himself. And this is to repent, — to condemn
" the past, to beg oblivion of them from the Father, who alone
" is able to make things done undone, and by His mercy and the
" dew of His Spirit, to efface former sins. He who hath lived
" ill, having repented, may afterwards overpower the evil inter-
" course of a long season, by the season after repentance. But
" much diligent care is needed, as careful diet and greater heed are
" for bodies which have laboured under a long disease." And so
again, when shewing, that the law which commanded the death of
the adulteress was an image of the Gospel which slays the sin, he
says ^, " the law agrees then with the Gospel ; for tlie adulteress
" liveth to sin, but is dead to the commandments ; but she, who
' Quis dives s^tlvetur, win. tin. : uku ap. Eukcb. 11. E. L. lii. c. )1'S.
3 § iO. « Stcoju. L. ii. <iii.
IS EARLY BAPTISM A BENEFIT? 75
" hath repented, having been, as it were, born again by the
" change of her mode of life, hath a new birth of her Hfe ; the
" former adulteress being dead, and she who has been born by
" repentance coming again to life." Since he does not directly
speak of Baptism, (which gives in deed a new life,) but of
repentance only, he uses a qualifying and lower expression, cor-
responding to the lower degree of restoration, " being, as it
" were, born again."
The very fewness of the passages S (for I am not aware that
there are any more), in which the Fathers, even in this limited
way, venture to speak of restoration upon repentance, as a sort
of new birth, — the very diffidence with which they speak of it
in itself, — the immensity of the mercy, which they view in it, —
might well be an admonition to us to beware how we familiarize
ourselves to consider it as the ordinary course of God's dealings ;
the general rule, and a sort of ordeal, which every one or most must
go through. There was more piety, more holiness, more gratitude,
more reverence, more loyalty, in the view of our forefathers,
who seized upon it as a plank, left in the shipwreck of men's
souls, to save them that they perish not ; but still took shame,
that the voyage, presumptuously entered upon, contrary to God's
command, had been " with hurt, and much damage, not only of
the ship and lading, but also of their lives."
Many perhaps will be ready to say. If this be so, do we not
undergo a loss, in that Baptism is administered unto us, while
we are Infants, before the commission of actual sin ? and had it
not been better for us, that it had been delayed until we had
come to ourselves, a?Jd resolved for ourselves to serve God ? so
might we have obtained, at once, a complete remission of all our
actual sins, without this careful and ever-to-be-renewed repent-
ance ! If by this is meant, that it had been better, when iany
one was living in heathenish sins, not living to God, but " living
" in pleasure," and " dead while he lived," and " without God in
" the world," that he had been in fact, as well as in life, a Heathen,
^ It is observable, that Suicer, who would be well inclined to find passages
speaking of regeneration as distinct from Baptism, and even puts this as
the primary meaning of naXiyytviaia, quotes this last instance only.
76 DELAY OF BAPTISM.
this is true : for he would have been sinning against less light,
less powerful influences of God's Spirit ; lie would have done less
despite to the Spirit of Grace, and not wilfully have broken his
Covenant with God. But if by this complaint, a person means
to throw the blame off himself upon his Parents who brought
him to be baptized in Infancy, or the Church, which has com-
manded Infant-Baptism, then he knows neither himself nor the
ordinance of God : — not himself; for what ground has he to think
that if he had not been put thus early in possession of the privi-
leges of Baptism, and so been entitled to God's Spirit struggling
within him, checking him, goading him, recalling him to himself,
setting before him a broken Covenant, and God's wrath, how
does he know that he ever should have repented ? and not rather
have gone on, (as many thousands of those who have at any time
not been admitted into Christ's Church by Baptism as Infants,)
still putting it off until " a more convenient season," still wishing
to reserve this complete remission to cover the sins which they
had not yet resolved to part with, until the Devil should have so
tied and bound him with these habits of delay, that he could not
extricate himself, but died at last in sin, unbaptized, and so with-
out the Covenant of God or the seal of pardon ? Such was the
case formerly, when timid and unbelieving and worldly parents
did not bring their children to Baptism, and when half-converts
admitted the truth of the Gospel, but would not undertake its
obligations. " This delay," says St. Basil i, *' utters no other
" language than this, * Let sin first reign in me, then, at some
'* future time, the Lord also shall reign : I will yield my members
*' instruments of unrighteousness unto iniquity, then will I yield
*' them instruments of righteousness unto God! Just so did
'* Cain also offer sacrifice unto God.' " " If," again says St.
Gregory of Nazianzum ^ " constantly passing by * to-day,* you
" reserve for yourself * to-morrow,' deceived into these petty
"delays by the evil one, as is his wont : * Give me the present,
*Vtp God the future : tp me youth, to God old age : to m^ l^ic
" time of pleasures, to Him that of imbecility :' how great is
' ilomii. Exhort, in S. Baptismo § o - Oiai. 10 m b. Baptismo § 14.
I
BEl^EFITS or EARLY BAPTISM. 77
*' llie danger around thoe, how many unexpected accidents
" may destroy thee !" St. Gregory had then to exhort persons *
" to trust their old age at least with this purifying (of Bap-
" tism). Why fearest thou the sins of youth, in advanced age
*• and at thy last gasp ? or waitest thou to be washed as a corpse
" (then not an object of pity, more than of disgust) ? or longest
" thou after the relics of pleasure, thyself a relic of life ?" And
do men, who have fallen into the devil's snares in the one way,
think that they should have escaped them in the other ? that
they, who have sinned against the means of grace, should, without
those means of grace, have recovered from sin ? that they who
have broken the Covenant, which God would have enabled them
to keep, would, if they had not been brought into it, have wil-
lingly put themselves under its yoke ? They may see the result,
either in these cases of the antient Church, or, in this very day,
among that sect, which delays Baptism. How many among those
who are educated in this sect, (for I speak not of those, who,
having been baptized as infants, join it in mere ignorance,) how
many still delay Baptism year by year, until they die, still
strangers to the covenant of promise, and so, as they were " by
" nature, children of wrath ^ !" St. Ambrose^ well and concisely
speaks upon this point : " Repentance then is a blessing, and but
*' for it, all would put off the grace of Baptismal washing to old
" age, to whom it were a sufficient answer, that it is better to
" have what I may repair than not to have wherewith I may be
' Orat. 40 in S. Baptismo, § 16.
2 " If Christ himself, which giveth salvation, do require Baptism, it is
" not for us, that look for salvation, to sound and examine Him, whether un-
" baptized man may be saved, but seriously to do that which is required, and
" religiously to fear the danger which may grow by the want thereof. Had
" Christ only declared His will to have all men baptized, and not acquainted
" us with any cause why Baptism is necessary, our ignorance in the reason
" of that He finjoineth, might perhaps have hindered somewhat the forward-
" ness of our obedience thereunto ; whereas now being taught that Baptism is
" necessary to take away sin, how have we the fear of God in our hearts, if
" care of delivering men's souls from sin do not move us to use all means
" for their Baptism ?" Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. § 60.
^ De Poenitentia L, ii. c. 11.
78 DANGER IN PRIVILEGES :
" clothed. But as the robe onco put on may be renewed, so by
" freqwent repairing it is destroyed." Wherein he strikingly
expresses both the possibility of restoration after Baptism, and
the danger increasing at each necessity of such restoration.
Further, any one who allows himself to think that it had been
better for him not to have been made a " member of Christ " in in-
fancy, knows nothing of the value of God's ordinance: as indeed
none can experimentally know it, but those who have grown up
in its privileges. Increasing strength was thereby guaranteed
to us : strength, which should grow with our growth ; surmount
every trial with which we should be exercised ; be a shield and
buckler proportioned to our warfare, in child, in youth, in maturer
age : " support us in all dangers, and carry us through all temp-
** tations :" and so, strengthened by our Confirmation, we should
be delivered on to that other Sacrament, whereby we not only
^* put on Christ," but " Christ dwelleth in us and we in Him."
This might have been ; yea, in many has been : but if we cast
aside the armour wherewith God had girt us ; set at nought His
counsels, and listened not to His reproofs ; went out naked to
the battle, and listlessly neglected our defence ; gave way to our
enemy daily in little sins, (such as we were then capable of,) and
so gradually grew in sin instead of holiness : whom have we to
blame, if when the harder trials of life came on, we were
worsted? if, when we ought to have been men, we were, in
strength but not in innocence, as children? if we reaped as we
sowed ? sowed little and daily sins, and at last reaped, with in-
crease, a grievous fall ? We cannot have both advantages :
we cannot have the privilege without the resix)nsibility and the
risk. We cannot have all the privileges of Christians, and then,
when we have neglected or profaned them, be as if we had been
altogether heathens, now, for the first time, to be admitted into
the privileges of the Covenant, and so be placed in the same
condition as if we had never been put in trust and found un-
faithful. Ours is inestimably the higher privilege ; to have had
^jod's seal put upon us, God's Spirit within us, from our child-
hood up: but if we have broken that seal, and resisted that
Spirit, we cannot be as if we had kept it safe and listened to His
WHAT REMAINS, WHEif THEY ARE LOST. 79
warnings. It may be, it must be, that we knew not the value
of that " seal ;" but we knew that we were put in trust: and
such is uniformly God's dealing with us ; whatever gift He con-
fides to us, healtii, strength, time, talents, reputation. He gives
us knowledge enoucrh that we are not to abuse it, and checks us
when we begin to do so; but if we persevere, His warnings
diminish, and we learn not the value of the gift until we have
irrecoverably lost it. So also in spiritual things ; all have had
theii' warnings ; all knew in a general way, whither their road
was leading ; all might have known more fully if they had be-
lieved ; and if the termination of their broad and easy path is
more fearful than they anticipated, " Wisdom uttered her voice,
but they would not hear." They must eat then of the fruit of their
own ways. Away then with all idle speculations as to what we
might have been, as we fancy, had our trials been different ! It
may be well to think what we might have been, had we followed
more faithfully God's guidance ; so shall we be more humble :
but whatever excuse, or imagination, or theory, tends to lead us
to throw the blame upon circumstances (whether of nature or of
grace) and to withdraw it from ourselves, comes, we may be
assured, from the evil one, and would lead us to him. If we have
been unfaithful in few things, we should have been yet more so in
greater. Rather let us be assured that, however we have failed,
our trial was that which was most adapted to us ; was allotted
us by mercy and wisdom : and let us bless God that, although
that first and more joyous way of Baptismal faithfulness may no
longer be open to any of us, another, though more rugged and
toilsome and watered with bitter tears, is still left. Since we
have no longer a whole burnt -offering to lay upon God's altar,
let us the more diligently "gather^ up the fragments which
" remain," and which, for His Son's sake, He wills *' not to be
^ Love too late can never glow,
The spattered fragments Love can glean,
Hefine the dregs, and yield them clean
To regions, where one thought serene
Breathes sweeter than whole years of sacrifice below.
Christian Yeak, Snndatf before Advent,
so PTRIL OF FALLING HACK.
" lost ;" content, wliatever tlie road may be, so it but end in
Heaven; thankful if, although we cannot have the reward of
those who have " followed the Lamb whithersoever He goeth,"
we may yet be accounted but as the least in the kingdom of
Heaven, or as hired servants in our Father's house.
The doctrine, however, does not depend upon this one passage;
although had this been so, it had sufficed, and it had been our
wisdom to profit by its fearful warning, not to cavil at it, or lay
it aside as cue of difficulty : for this were but to blind ourselves.
But let any one consider, teachably, our Saviour's warnings, —
" The last state of that man is worse than the first." (Luke xi. 26.)
** Sin no more, lest a worse thing happen unto thee." (John. v.
14.) " Neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more." (viii.
11.) "No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking
"»back, is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke ix. 62.) Or
again, " If we sin wilfully after that we have received the know-
** ledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
" but a certain fearful looking-for of judgment and fiery indig-*
" nation, which shall devour the adversaries." (Heb. x, 26, 7).
" If he (the justified) draw back. My soul shall have no pleasure in
" him ; but we are not of them who draw back unto perdition."
(ib. 38, 9). " If, after they have escaped the pollutions of the
'* world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus
*' Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the
** latter end is worse with them than the beginning ; for it had
" been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness,
*' than after they have known it, to turn from the holy command-
** ment delivered unto them." (2 Pet. ii. 20). " Others save with
" fear, pulling them out of the fire." (Jude 23.) ; or again from
the old Covenant, " Ye were now turned and had done right in
" My sight — and ye had made a covenant before Me in the house
" which is called by My Name ; but ye turned and polluted My
" Name — therefore thus saith the Lord — I will give the men
" that have transgressed My covenant, which have not performed
" the words of the covenant which they had made before Me, —
" I will give them into the hand of their enemies — and their
'' di'.ul bodies shall be meat," SiC. (.ler. xxxiv. 15—20); or
REPENTANCE THE BUSINESS OF A WHOLE LIFE. 81
again, " Rebellious Israel hath justified herself more than
" treacherous Judah." (Jer. iii. 11). Let any one teachably con-
sider these words, and not put himself off, or stifle his conscience
by mere generalities of the greatness of God's mercy ; and he
will, I trust, by that mercy, be brought to think that wilful sin,
after Baptism, is no such light matter as the easiness of our pre-
sent theology would make it. And so also will it aj)pear that
repentance is not a work of a short time, or a transient sorrow,
but of a whole life ; that, if any man say that he have repented
of any great sin, (thereby meaning that his repentance is ended,
or sufficient,) he has not yet repented, perhaps not yet begun to
repent as he ought ^ : that, — I say not earnest-minded cheerful-
ness, but — what the world calls gaiety, is ill-suited to the cha-
racter of a penitent : that his repentance, although its anxiety
may by God be removed, ought to increase in depth and sharp-
ness : that things which were allowable in those who are " heirs
" of Heaven," ill become one who must now enter in, not through
the way of plenary remission, but of repentance for a broken
covenant. " Those holy and wise men," says Bishop Taylor^,
** who were our fathers in Christ, did well weigh the dangers
" into which a sinning man had entered, and did dreadfully fear
" the issues of Divine anger, and therefore, although they openly
^ " Let no man be too forward in saying his sin is pardoned, for our present
" persuasions are too gay and confident ; and that which is not repentance
" suflBcient for a lustful thought, or one single act of uncleanness, or intem-
" perance, we usually reckon to be the very porch of Heaven, and expiatory
** of the vilest and most habitual Crimes." — Bishop Taylor's Doctrine and
Practice of Repentance, sec. 6. § 68. Works ix. 217- — " Whenever repentance
** begins, know that from thenceforward the sinner begins to live ; but then
" never let that repentance die. Do not at any time say, ' I have repented
" of such a sin, and am at peace for that;' for a man ought never to be at
" peace with sin, nor think that any thing we can do is too much : our re-
♦' pentance for sin is never to be at an end till faith itself shall be no more ;
•' for faith and repentance are but the same covenant. And he undervalues
*' his sin, and overvalues his sorrow, who at any time fears he shall do too
" much, or make his pardon too secure, — and therefore sits him down and
" says, * Now I have repented.' " lb. p. 219.
2 L. c. sect. 3. end. p. 198.
F
82 TRUTH ABANDONED HALF UNCONSCIOtlStt*.
" taught that God hath set open the gates of mercy to all worthy
" penitents, yet concerning repentance they had other thoughts
** than we have ; and that, in the pardon of sinners, there are
" many more things to be considered, besides the possibility of
" having the sin pardoned."
Yet another and more concise test as to the agreement of our
views with those of the whole Christian Church will be furnished
to us by considering carefully within ourselves, in what way we
consider Baptism to be a Sacrament. For we know how often
mankind deceive themselves by words, and, because they retain
" the form of sound words," imagine falsely that they hold the
substance. And it is an additional blessing in this form of
words, that, by comparing our own actual and practical belief
therewith, we may often 4^tect in ourselves many lurking ten-
dencies to error, and an unacknowledged abandonment of truth.
We need not point out this in detail ; any one, whose creed is
now sounder than it once was, will at once acknowledge how
unmarked a substitution was once going on in his own mind ;
how unawares to himself his silver was becoming dross. The
same names of doctrines were retained, but their substance was
gradually departing. Or one may observe it in the gradual
declension of the German divines of the last century ; or, one
can hardly look abroad into the world without observing how
much Socinianism, Pelagianism, Anti-Catholicism, Anti-Christ-
ianism there is every where in persons who think themselves
severally secure from these charges, and would look upon the
imputation as a slander. So also with regard to Christ's Sacra-
ments : we can easily see how, in Hoadley's time, many, in fact,
held neither to be a Sacrament in the Church's meaning of the
word, though they persuaded themselves that they held both.
And have we no symptoms of the same defect in our days ? does
not the very rareness of our Communions, even among earnest-
minded Christians, imply that men scarcely regard it as a neces-
sary means of grace ? Where is our longing for *' our daily
" bread ?" and does not again the very name by which we ordi-
narily speak of the Lord's Supper — the Sacrament, imply that we
have virtually one Sacrament only ? for this is not the language
HAVE WE NOT ONE SACRAMENT ONLY? 83
used by the Fathers of the Christian Church, or of our own ^ : it
is not the language of our formularies, it is the growth of times
in which Baptism has been looked upon as a mere initiatory rite.
The very defence, which people would set up, that the Lord's
Supper is the Sacrament of which we have most frequent occa-
sion to speak, in itself convicts us : for of which Sacrament did
the Apostles most speak ? and what does our seldom reference
to the Sacrament of Baptism, — the sort of effort with which men
recal to themselves that it also is a Sacrament, — the charge of
precision which they are ready to bring against any who object
to the Lord's Supper being called *' the Sacrament," — the very
inadvertency with which we again fall back into this error, after
having, perhaps, ourselves corrected it in others, — the utter
absence of interest, which it is almost professed and recognized,
that most congregations would feel about the office of Holy
Baptism, — (for otherwise why are the regulations of the Church so
often broken, and the Baptism of our infants smuggled through,
as a service of which we are ashamed ? and our congregations
leave us whenever they can, " as if (to use the language of an
" old Calvinistic writer * who lived when the like low notions
" prevailed) men were loath to be present, where the blessed
" Trinity presenteth itself to such a gracious purpose as this is,
" viz. to secure such benefits to one of that congregation ?") — what
does all this imply, but that, though we in words acknowledge
Baptism to be a Sacrament, we have forgotten its power ?
We admit, however, that Baptism is a Sacrament ; and if so, it
must convey the grace annexed to it, whenever no obstacle is
placed in its way by the unworthiness of the recipient. For
this has been the notion of the whole Christian Church, that the
Sacraments are not bare signs, but do convey that also which
they signify. Since, then, infants are incapable of opposing any
obstacle, we must believe that the grace of Baptism, " a death
1 Thus in a modern re-print of portions of the " Fathers of the English
" Church," where they spoke of the " most Holy Sacrament of the Body and
** Blood of Christ," or the like, the modern ' Contents' or ' Indices* uni-
formly speak of " the Sacrament."
^ Taylor Comm. on Ep. to Titus, p. 648.
F 2
84 GREAT MERCY OF INFANT BAPTISM.
" unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness," is hereby con-
ferred upon all who are brought to be engrafFed into their
Saviour by Baptism ^ For the'question is not, whether Infant
Baptism be " most agreeable to the Institution of Christ," but
(it being allowed so to be,) whether the full privileges of Baptism
be thereby conveyed to all who are brought to Christ in it, or
whether some receive the reality, others the empty sign only ?
And since infants are all alike incapable of opposing the Divine
benefits, and the wilfulness which they might hereafter show, has
no place there, and God in His Word has given us no ground
for making any distinction between them, we must conclude, as
the whole Antient Church did, that the benefits of Holy Bap-
tism are by virtue of the Sacrament itself, and of the Divine
Institution, imparted to all infants. And herein is a great mercy
of God, that this first primary grace, which is the pledge and
condition of all the rest, and without which we have no title to
them, but should remain " children of wrath and strangers to the
" covenant of promise," is bestowed upon us at a time when we
cannot by our own wilfulness or carelessness fall short of it. I.t
appears also a great charity of our Church, that, whereas we
know not when the seeds of evil first spring up in a child, she
has ordered Baptism to be administered at the earliest period
practicable, that so the spiritual antidote might be infused into
its frame before the latent poison of inherited corruption should
begin to work. The principle that children are regenerated by
virtue of the Sacrament of the Baptism, because they ph.t no har^
' Calvin himself admits this principle, when he is writing as an expositor,
not as a dogmatist. Thus, on Rom. vi. 4, he says, " In short, St Paul is
teaching what is the reality of Baptism rightly received. Thus of the Ga-
latians he attests, * Whosoever had been baptized into Christ had all put on
Christ.' We must namely, thus speak when the Institution of the Lord
and the faith of the pious meet together. For we never have naked and empty
symbols ; except when our ingratitude and perverseness impede the working
of theDivine benevolence." Since then infants cannot, " by ingratitude or per-
verseness, impede the operation of God" through His Sacrament, according
to Calvin's own principles they must participate of its grace. This is ex-
pressed by the old writers (as by St. Augustine above) by the term " obicem
ponere." It is retained by the Lutherans, as Gerhard (Loci, de S. Baptismo,
§ 126).
NO BAR OPPOSED TO ITS BENEFITS. S5
of an opposite will, is laid down in the broadest way by St. Au-
gustine \ in answer to an African Bishop, who felt some diffi-
culty how the sponsors could declare so positively that " the child
brought to Baptism believed in God, and the rest, whereas it had
no knowledge of God, and the sponsors or parent knew not
whether it would hereafter believe and do these things.'* " The
" little one then," St. Augustine says, " although he have not
** as yet that faith which consists in the will of the believer, is
** made a faithful one by the Sacrament of faith itself. For as
** he is answered for as believing, so also he is called faithful, not
" by assenting to the substance thereof by his mind, but by re-
" ceiving the Sacrament of that substance of faith. But when
" the man shall begin to understand, then he will not repeat that
" Sacrament, but will understand it, and be conformed by the
" harmony of his will to its truth. In the meantime the Sacra-
" ment will avail to protect him against the power of the enemy ;
" so that if he should depart out of this life before he have the
" use of reason, he shall (the love of the Church recommending
" him through that very Sacrament) be freed, through this Christ-
** ian succour, from tliat condemnation which ' by one man
" entered into the world.' This he who believes not and thinks
" that it cannot be, is wanting in faith, though he have the Sacra-
" ment of faith ; and far to be preferred before such an one is
** that little one, who, though he have not as yet faith formed in
" his conception, yet at least puis no bar of any thought opposed
" to it ; whence he receives the Sacrament benef daily." St. Au-
gustine's controversy with those who held Pelagian doctrines,
makes us still further acquainted with the views of the Church
on this subject. For it furnishes us — not with the opinion of St.
Augustine as an individual, (although a pillar of the Church,)
nor even as an indication (as an individual may be) of the tenets
of his time, nor again with what people term an hyperbolical
expression of gratitude for the institution which he loved, (as in
peaceful times men speak less guardedly,) but—with a direct
attestation of the doctrine of the whole Church, as stated against
i E]). 99. § 10.
86 CONNECTION OJ" INFANT BAPTISM AND ORIGINAL SIN.
heretical opponents. The doctrines, namely, of Infant Baptism
and original sin are closely connected together. And the first
deniers of original corruption seem to have been pressed by no
argument so hardly as by this practice of the Ghurcli and the
inference drawn from it : ** If there be no original sin, why then
*' are infants baptized for the remission of sin ?" So allied are
right church-practice and sound doctrine ; and such unexpected
service does adherence to primitive traditional practice often
yield to the true faith ^ ! St. Augustine then could appeal to the
acknowledged and unquestioned duty of baptizing infants in
proof of the Church's doctrine ; and thus we incidentally learn,
that the whole Church supposed that Baptism bestowed upon all
infants all the benefits, whereof it was the channel and instru-
ment to the adult believer. This argument will be best seen
detailed at full length. " Christ," he says^ " came in the flesh,
" and having taken the form of a servant became obedient to the
" death of the cross, for no other reason than by this most mer-
** ciful dispensation of grace to quicken, save, free, redeem,
" enlighten those who were before in the death of sin, in weak-
" ness, slavery, captivity, darkness, under the power of the devil,
" the prince of sin. This being made clear, it will follow that to
" that dispensation of Christ which was established through
*' His humiliation, they cannot belong who do not stand in need
** of life, salvation, freedom, redemption, enlightening. And since
" Baptism, whereby persons are buried with Christ, in order
" that His members, i. e. they who believe in Him, may be incor-
" porated into Him, belongeth thereto ; then neither is Bap-
** tism necessary to those who need not that benefit of remission
' It was reserved for us to see this connection illustrated in the opposite
way, false doctrine springing from false practice. St. Augustine argued, " If
it be not superfluous to baptize children, which they (the Pelagians) dare
not say, they must confess that Christ benefits baptized infants." (Serm.
295 de Baptismo Parvulor. c. 17). The sect which has deserted the Church's
practice, must, in order to escape the charge of cruelty to unbaptized
infants, deny that Christ does benefit baptized infants, or has begun to do
so, denying original sin. (See the statement in Newman's Parochial Sermons,
vol. ii. p. 349).
' De Peccator. meritis et remiss. L. i. § 39. T. x. p. 22. ed. Bened.
I
INFANTS BELIKVEUS. 87
" and reconciliation, which takes place through the Mediator.
" Since then these persons allow that little ones must be bap-
" tized, inasmuch as they cannot contravene the authority of the
" universal Church, (as unquestionably handed down from the
*' Lord and the Apostles,) they must allow also that infants need
" those other benefits of the Mediator ; so that, being washed
" by the Sacrament and through the love of the faithful (who
** present them to Baptism), and thus being incorporated into
" the body of Christ, which is the Church, they may be recon-
" ciled to God, and in Him be quickened, saved, freed, redeemed,
*' enlightened — whence, but from death, sinfulness, guilt, servi-
" tude, darkness of sin V But since at that age they have not
** in their own life committed any, it remains that it must be
*' original sin ^." And again, " Who knows not, that in infants to
" believe is to be baptized, not to believe is not to be baptized —
" since little ones do not begin to be of Christ's sheep but by
*' Baptism, then those, who do not receive Baptism, will perish ;
" for they will not have eternal life, which He giveth to His
" sheep ^" Further, " The ecclesiastical rule, which reckons
" baptized infants among the faithful, does not so judge (viz. that
" they are in a middle state, neither believing nor unbelieving).
*' If then they who are baptized, on account of the virtue and
" celebration of so great a Sacrament, (although they do not,
" with their own mouth and heart, any thing appertaining to belief
" or confession,) are yet accounted among believers, they to
*' whom this Sacrament is wanting, must be accounted among
" such as do not believe the same." And again ^, " Let them say
" then, ' what does Christ's righteousness avail to little ones V
" Let them say what they will. For of a truth, if they recollect
" that they themselves are Christians, they will not doubt that
" it avails something. Whatever then its profit be, it cannot, as
" they themselves assert, profit those who believe not. Whence
" they are compelled to account little ones among believers, and
" to agree with the authority of the Holy Church every where.
" As, therefore, by the answer of those, through whom they
• lb. § 40. 2 § 28. 3 L. iii. § 2.
88 ELECTION OF CHILDREN TO BAPTISM.
" are regenerated, the Spirit of righteousness transfuses into
" them faith, which of their own will they could not yet have, so
'* the sinful flesh of those by whom they are born, transfers into
" them guilt, which by their own life they have not yet contracted.
*' And as the Spirit of life in Christ regenerates them as be-
" lievers, so the body of sin in Adam had generated them as
" sinners : for that is a carnal birth, this a spiritual : that forms
** sons of flesh, this, sons of the Spirit ; that, sons of the world,
" this, of God ; that, children of wrath, this, of mercy ; and
" thereby that sends them forth bound by original sin, this, freed
" from every band of sin."
These are but a very few of the passages, in which St. Augus-
tine employs the known Catholic doctrine of the cure universally
bestowed upon children at Baptism, as a proof of their need of
that cure, and so of their original corruption. They are the
more remarkable, not only as being statements of Catholic doc-
trine, but as being found in him, who, if any of the fathers,
might have been expected, on account of his theory of predes-
tination, to have limited it. On the contrary, he adheres uniformly
to the teaching of the Church, that all infants, since they could
place no obstacle, derived the full benefits of Baptism, and were
regenerated. He speaks, moreover, of the inscrutable decrees of
God, in respect only, that^ He admits some children of evil
parents to Baptism and to the new-birth, and so (they dying
young) certainly to the kingdom of Heaven, while He excluded
from Baptism, and so from its blessings, the children of some
pious parents ; or again ^, that by early death He rescued some
from future sin, and yet left others who, He knew, would sin ;
but the regeneration of all baptized infants he assumes as a
known truth.
The Council of Carthage (A.D. 418) held against Pelagius, in
' E. g. de corrept. et Grat. § 18. c. duas Epp. Pelag. L. ii. § 11. Serm.
xxvi. (alias de verbis Apostoli 11) § 13. S. xxvii. (al. dc Verbis Ap. 20) §6.
de dono Perseverantis c. II. £p. 194. ad Sextum, § 32. de Gen. ad lit.
L, X. § 26. sqq.
2 De Peccat. Merit. L 1. c. 21.
214 BISHOPS HOOKER ON BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 89
which were assembled 214 Bishops, anathematizes ^ those who
say that infants brought no original sin into the world, to be
expiated by the washing of regeneration, and asserts as a conse-
quence of the mode " in which the Catholic Church everywhere
" diffused always understood the Apostolic saying, Rom. v. 12.
" * By one man sin entered,* &c. that little ones, who could not as
" yet themselves commit sin, are therefore truly baptized for the
" remission of sins, that in them what they contracted by their
** birth might be cleansed by their re-birth."
The universality of the new-birth in infants is on the same
principle asserted by our own Hooker ^. " When the signs and
" Sacraments of His grace are not either through contempt unre-
" ceived, or received with contempt, we are not to doubt, but that
*' they really give what they promise, and are what they signify^
" For we take not Baptism, nor the Eucharist, for bare resem-
" blances or memorials of things absent, neither for naked signs
" and testimonies assuring us of grace received before, but (as
" they are indeed and in verity) for means effectual, whereby
" God, when we take the Sacraments, delivereth into our hands
" that grace available unto eternal life, which grace the Sacra-
'• ments represent or signify." And again ^, " The fruit of
" Baptism dependeth only upon the covenant which God hath
" made ; God by covenant requireth in the elder sort. Faith and
" Baptism ; in children, the Sacrament of Baptism alone, where-
" unto he hath also given them right by special privilege of birth
" within the bosom of the Holy Church : infants, therefore,
•* which have received Baptism complete, as touching the mys-
" tical perfection thereof, are by virtue of his own covenant and
" promise cleansed from all sin."
Such was, for fourteen centuries, the doctrine of the universal
Church of God. At the time of the Reformation the English
and the Lutheran branches retained the ancient doctrine : the
English, upon its acknowledged principle of retaining the truths
taught in the early Church ; the Lutheran, without perhaps the
' Ap. August. Opp. t. X. App. p. 106.
3 Eccl. Pol. B. 5. c. 57. ' Ibid. c. 62.
90 CHARACTER OF ZUINGLI.
same defined views, yet with the solemn and instinctive reverence
for the known word of God, and that reluctance to tamper with
its apparent meaning, which in other cases also characterized its
founder. Zuingli, on the contrary, the parent of the Swiss refor-
mation, though possessed (in the common sense of the terms) of
honesty and love of truth, perhaps rather hatred of falsehood, was
of a character and frame of mind decidedly rationalistic : he was
comparatively little of a theologian, and but ill acquainted in
detail with the character and teaching of the early Church : he
had not been educated as a theologian, nor was his mind well
trained. As a member of a Republic, he was less impressed
with the value of authority ; and that of the Church was to him
that of the bishop of Rome only : his mind, clear, masculine,
energetic, acute, original, but unsystematic, aud unrefined, and
uncapacious, saw distinctly, yet saw but a little way ; embraced
insulated facts, but saw not their bearing upon the whole system.
His career also was one of uniform and easy success ; God, who
forms His different instruments for His several purposes and
according to their capacities, faithfulness, and quick acquiescence
in His will, did not appoint to him the same discipline, by which
he exercised, and strengthened, and purified the faith of our
Reformers and of Luther: but chiefly Zuingli does not seem to
have received divine truths so deeply : with a straightforwardness,
which led him to embrace what he thought truth, lie yet in a
common-place way laid down what he rejected, or took up the
contrary, with the ease which is generally characteristic of
shallowness. The belief, whatever it was, having no depth of
root, gave way without up-tearing and laying bare the whole
mind, as it does when it is more thoroughly fixed ; no shock
was communicated to the rest of his moral system. In minds,
which give way thus without a struggle, truth will be parted
with, as well as, and probably in conjunction with, every error.
Zuingli's, more than any other, might be called an intellectual
reformation. At his new opinions on the Sacraments he arrived
in the way of unbelief ; a way, to which God appears to have
' " We all," he says, speaking of the Romish Clergy, *' we all essayed
" something ; and if nothing more, yet each of us this, to conquer and lull
12
UNBELIEF IN ERROR NOT THE ROAD TO TRUTH. ?1
annexed the penalty that it should never lead to entire or full
truth. He abandoned the Popish doctrine of transubstantiation ;
but having lost the link, which bound him to the old Catholic
truth of direct spiritual influence, conveyed through the medium
of the Sacraments, they became to him mere signs or symbols.
He had in his mind constantly the two truths, that the Sacra-
ments, could not in themselves convey grace, and that Christ alone
was the author of all grace and spiritual influence, and he could
not find the central point, wherein the old Catholic doctrine
might yet hold good with both these truths ; namely, that Christ
conveyed His grace through His Sacraments. Here his rational-
istic tendency interfered. He could understand, how whatever
strengthened faith, was a mean of greater grace : and also, how
faith might be strengthened by these external symbols, as well as
by preaching, — by the visible announcement, as well as by spoken
word — and for this he could refer to experience ^ : but he could
" his own incredulity, that it might not presume to make its murmers heard ;
" although the citadel of faith never in such degree yielded to us, that any one
" could without hypocrisy believe that they in that bread ate any thing of that
" sort which we dreamed of." (Subsidium de Eucharistia, 0pp. t. ii. f. 255.)
And again at the beginning of the same work, quoted also by Hospinian, Hist.
Sacram. P. ii. p. 46, " We have been of this opinion of the Eucharist for more
** years than it now suits to say." Hospinian would defend this by a parallel
history of Luther: the history is this. — " M. A. Musa once heavily com-
" plained to Luther, and mourned, that he himself could not believe what he
" taught others : to whom Luther said, * God be praised that what befell me
** did not befall me alone.' Musa forgot not this consolation his whole life
" through." But the difference is immense between this earnest burst of
feeling, wrung from Luther by the sight of similar suffering, and implying
that he had hitherto thought himself therein a sinner more than other
men, and the coarse and insulting statement of Zuingli of their common
unbelief.
* Thus, against the theory that the Sacraments were signs, which, while
they took place, assured a man of that which takes place within, he says,
" Yet in vain have they invented this : as if, while a man is dipped in water,
" any thing took place in him, which he could not by any means know, unless
" he were at the same time bathed with water. Let not any one be offended,
" but they know not what faith is, or how it has its birth in man." De vera
et falsa relig. 0pp. t, 2. f. 198.
92 ORIGIN OF ZUINGLIS NOTIONS OF THE SACRAMENTS.
not understand an actual, real, though not physical, imparting of
Christ to the soul of the believer through the Sacraments : it
was to him a miracle, of which he had no outward evidence, nor
any tangible proofs : and having no sense for it, he rejected it as
an unattested miracle, and preferred bending the words of Scrip-
ture, which pointed to it. Zuingli's system appears to have
been, in this respect, negative : he held the two parts upon which
the Calvinistic system of the Sacraments was subsequently built :
the idea that the Sacraments were signs of grace before received,
and the absolute irrespective election by God, not to the pri-
vileges of the Covenant, but of persons, whether within or with-
out it, to life eternal. He does not seem, however, to have
systematized these views, and though Scriptural authority is
alleged, it does not appear to have been the basis of his theory.
His notions of the meaning of a Sacrament, were derived origi-
nally, not from Scripture, but from classical usage. " Sacra-
mentum,'' he says^, ** according to Varro is a pledge, which they
" who had a suit, deposited by some altar. Again, Sacramen-
" turn is an oath, which use of the word still holds in the popular
" language of Gaul and Italy ; and lastly, there is the military
" Sacramenturriy whereby soldiers are bound to their leaders : for,
" that it is used for a sacred and mysterious thing among the
'* antients, appears not. Whence also we have given no place to
** this meaning. Neither does it express the word fivcrrripiov, for
" which it is used in the Latin translation of the Old Testament.
** Whence we are led to think that a Sacrament is no other than
" an initiation or pledging. For as litigants deposited a certain
" sum of money, which the victor only might remove ; so those
" who are initiated by the Sacraments, bind, pledge themselves,
" and receive as it were a gage, that they should not retreat."
This etymology he frequently repeats ; and from it he infers that
" since the Sacrament is an initiation or public sealing, it has no
1 This is his constant argument against Luther. " What miracle is there
" which no man had felt ?" Arnica Exegesis f. 331. and v. 337- f. de Ccena
Domini f. 277- ad Theobald. Beilicam. f. 263. Tl>e argument was originally
Buccr's, ib. f. 331.
' De vera et falsa llelig. t. ii. f. 197. v. 1»8.
SOUGHT TO UPROOT EXALTED NOTIONS OF THEM. 93
" power to set the conscience free." In like manner he argues
elsewhere from its theological use, '* A Sacrament ^ is a sign of
*' a sacred thing," '* but if ^ they are signs, then they cannot be
" that whereof they are signs. For if they were the things, then
" they could not be called the signs. For one and the same
** thing cannot be the thing, and the sign which signifies the
*' thing." And with such shallow show of common-sense argu-
mentation as this, the whole doctrine of the Sacraments is dis-
patched : and Zuingli concludes : " On which account Baptism
" is a sign, which binds and initiates us into Jesus Christ. The
*' Eucharist indicates (innuit) that Christ died for us, and was
" put to a dreadful death. Of these most holy things Christ
*' willed that these Sacraments should be the outward signs."
As if the sign might not also be the instrument, whereby that
which is signified is conveyed ; or as if this dry arguing from the
definition of words, could lead to any truth in things spiritual !
Zuingli was so much engaged in arguing against those who ex-
tolled the outward signs unduly, or whom he held so to do, and
was so intent thereon, that the general impression from his works
would be that the Sacraments were simply " outward signs of a
" Christian man's profession," and unconnected with any spiritual
grace. His apologist, Hospinian ^, is compelled to admit that the
opinion that the body of Christ was in some way locally in-
cluded in the Eucharistic bread, being (through the different
views of the Papists and of Luther) very deeply rooted in men's
minds, Zuingli " applied the whole force of his mind to eradicate
it : and this in such wise, that he seemed rather to hold thai the
Lord was absent than present in the Holy Supper ; and that
symbols, rather than the Body and Blood of Christ, were then
imparted." This is o£ great moment ; for a man's belief is not
what he abstractedly holds, or what he would, if questioned,
ultimately fall back upon ; but his practical belief is just so
much of his system as is habitually interwoven in his mind and
* Opus Articulorum, Art 18. 0pp. t. i. f. 31. de Baptismo Opp. t. ii. f. 60.
Fid. Christianse Expos, f. 551. v. ad Luth. Confess, f. 470*.
» Ibid. 3 Hist. Sacram. P. ii. p. 49.
94 MEN HAVE OFTEN TWO SYSTEMS OF BELIEF.
thoughts ; other truths may have been or may again be made
part of his behef ; but if habitually thrown into the shade by the
greater prominence given to another view of the subject, tliey
can hardly be called part of his actual belief; they are for the
time in a state of abeyance and lifelessness, almost as if they
were not held at all. Thus it comes to pass that very many men
deceive themselves ; they have in a manner two systems of
belief: one which they have been taught, and have not altogether
unlearnt, and which, if thrown back upon themselves, they would
still hold to be true and acknowledge as their own ; and another,
(composed perhaps of some portions of the former, or it
may be the same only superficialized,) which is the way in
which religious truth habitually occurs to their mind. Yet
because they have never formally parted with the former, and
have it in their mind, locked up, as it were, in a chest, they will,
under ordinary circumstances, think that they hold it safely ;
whereas the governing principle of their affections, heart, and
life, and the belief of which they are actually conscious, are all
the while very different. But in whatever degree this variance
between a man's abstract belief, and his habitual animating faith,
may be palliated to the individual, or however the truths which
he may be said really and influentially to hold, may maintain in
some degree his spiritual existence, (and blessed is he, who has
not known some degree of such discrepancy,) the influence which
a man has upon his contemporaries, or upon posterity, depends
entirely upon that, his prominent system of belief That which
has seized possession of his own mind, is that whereby he in-
fluences the minds of others. The more retiring parts of his
system, by which it may be to him occasionally modified and
controlled, have but little influence on himself; how should they
then have strength enough to reach others ? They die with him,
unless revived through some other instrument. Hereby the
gradual decline of religious belief is in some measure accounted
for ; and herein we may see, how, though held extensively, the
truths of the Gospel may fail of any general impression ; and
that they must be held more vividly, more energetically, more
DIFFERENCE OF FAITH AMID SIMILARITY OF LANGUAGE. 95
really, more uniformly, before they can break down the strong
holds opposed to them. The spark, which smoulders in our
bosom, can kindle no flame in those around.
Although, then, Zuingli used occasionally the language
** that 1 the sacramental body of Christ was given in the Sup>-
*' per," that^ " we have the body of Christ with us in the Supper
** in the most excellent and noblest way," this meant but little,
and had therefore the less influence. It was an approximation of
words, not of belief. Zuingli's idea of the presence of Christ
was only, that He was present to the mind which contemplated
Him. ** We have said long ago ^ that the body of Christ is
" in the Supper, by the contemplation of faith ; now then, let
*' the adversaries turn which way they will, they will find no
*' help, whereby they may drag it into the Supper in any other
" way." "We * have never denied that the Body of Christ was
" sacramentally ^, and in a mystery, in the Supper, both on
** account of the contemplation of faith, and the whole action
" of the symbol." " We believe ^ that Christ is really in the
** Supper : yea, we believe not that it is the Lord's Supper unless
** Christ be present," seem plain words, yet are they immediately
explained away ; so that He is no further present, than in every
other congregation of the faithful. " In proof of this," he pro-
ceeds, " ' When two or three are gathered together in my name,
" there am I in the midst of them.' How much more, when the
" whole Church is gathered to Him !" And in the strongest pas-
sage which his Apologist', expressly writing upon the doctrine
of the Eucharist, could find, we have still nothing more than a
* Epist. ad Principes German. Opp. t. ii. f. 548. v.
2 Ad Lutheri Confess. Respons. ii. lb. f. 608. r.
3 Ad Princ. Germ. f. 549.
* Zuingli explains this (Fid. Christ. Expos, f. 556). " The bread has the
** name of the Body, yea, is the Body of Christ, but by title, and signifying
" it, which moderns call * sacramentally,' " and p. 554. v. " To eat the Body
" of Christ sacramentally, is, to speak properly, to eat the Body of Christ
" in mind and spirit, the Sacrament being added (adjuncto Sacramento)."
« Ibid. f. 546. V.
« Fid. Chris. Expos, ib. f. 563. ' Hospinian, 1. c. p. 66.
96 ZUINGLl — SACRAMENTS AIDS TO CONTEMPLATION.
sensible representation of Christ's death, and the contemplation
of that death in the mind of the worshippers. Some of the words
are strong, for he is persuading others, probably himself also, that
his views did not derogate from the doctrine of the Sacraments.
" When' then bread and wine, consecrated by the very words
** of the Lord, are distributed to the brethren at once, is not now
" whole Christ, as it were, sensibly, (that if words are needed, I
" may say even more than is wont) offered to the senses also ?
" But how ? Is his very natural body offered to be handled ? By
" no means ; that is offered to be contemplated by the mind, but
" to the senses the sensible sacrament of the thing. For the
" mind acts more freely and unencumbered, when it is diverted
" as little as may be, by the senses. When, then, there is pre-
" sented to the senses what is very similar to that which the mind
*' is engaged in, it is no slight aid to the senses. Add, (which is
" not least to be accounted of,) that those signs were so instituted
" by Christ Himself, that, by their analogy also, they may be of
" much avail to lead to the thing, as present by faith and contem-
" plation. Whence, since Sacraments were instituted to this end,
** that they may teach, admonish, and delight sensibly, not less
" than outward speech ^ it happens that, having acquired the
** name of those things, whereof they are the signs, and which
" are themselves the real refreshment of the mind, they inflame
" the mind more vehemently than if any one were to think over
'* the Divine goodness, however religiously, without them."
Zuingli's positive view of the Sacraments is completed by the
other passage, part of which is quoted by his Apologist ; " Since ^,
** then, it is irrefragable that in Baptism and the Eucharist, that
*' which is signified by the Sacraments is ours before we use the
" Sacraments, what reason is there in attributing to the Sacra-
" ments what we had before ? since Sacraments make confession
" of, attest, and exercise only what we had before, how long
** shall we ten)pt the Spirit of God in a matter so plain ? Are
*' then the Sacraments in vain ? by no means, as was said. For
" they preach the salvation which has been given by God, they
' Ad. P. G. f. 646. > Ibid. f. 647. v. 648.
TOKENS OF ABSENT THINGS. 97
" turn the senses thither, and then exercise faith, the promise of
*' which they hold forth i, and draw to brotherly charity. And
" while all this is done, one and the same Spirit operates ; who,
" as He bloweth, draws at one time without, at another with,
*' an instrument, whither, as much as, and whom. He wills."
This is the strongest passage in Zuingli ; and one rejoices to
find even this recognition of spiritual influence at, though not
properly through, the Sacrament. This then is the sum of
Zuingli's doctrine of the Sacraments, that they are symbols, that
they exhibit Divine truths forcibly to the mind, so as to kindle it,
and that thereat the Holy Spirit exercises an influence where,
and upon whom He wills. But to judge of the effects of Zuin-
gli's doctrine upon others, such an insulated passage will not
suffice. We must take into account the illustrations which he
continually employs, and which all tend to represent the Sacra-
ments as mere outward symbols. They are *' testaments, not
" the thing bequeathed^ ;" *' writings ;" *' the giving up of keys
*' to another;" "signs of a covenant;" "the seal-ring^ given
" by the father of a family to the absent wife, with his own image
"impressed thereon ;" signs of a past gift, memorials, tokens, by
the sight whereof our love may be cherished, but not means of
grace. These popular illustrations convey far more than abstract
statement. We must consider also the impression made by the
positive contrary statements which Zuingli so often repeated
and inculcated ; " The Sacraments are only badges of the Christ-
" ian society, and confer nothing towards salvation," and the
like ; and that this was his general mode of teaching : but chiefly
one must look upon him as bending his great energies to this one
point, " to eradicate (in the words of his Apologist *) these notions
" from the minds of men ;" for which end in treating the belief
^ " Quam et proximo poUicentur." I doubt about the meaning; for
Zuingli says again and again that " Sacraments do not impart faith ;" and
" that the only faith which they produce (faciunt) is an historical, (i. e. as
" memorials that Christ has suffered,) and that, whether they be received or
** no ; but that he has died for us, that they signify only to the pious believer."
(Fidei Christianae Expos, t. ii. f. 555).
2 Ad. P. G. f 545. V. 3 Ibid. f. 549. * Hospinian 1. c. p. 49.
G
I
98 CONNECTION OF THE TWO SACRAMENTS.
even of Luther, he uses, occasionally at least, a coarseness and
profaneness of language, which, upon such a subject, must work
incalculable evil, but of which one naturally can give no instances.
Some of this offensive language was perpetuated in his school.
Besides tliis there is the fixed and universal tendency of negative
principles in religion. They spread, and that downwards.
The two Sacraments are indissolubly connected. An indivi-
dual or an age may for a while be inconsistent, since of incon-
sistencies there is happily no end. This variance, however, be-
comes gradually effaced. Unless by some guidance of God,
men are brought back to higher views of the one Sacrament,
their estimation of the other will imperceptibly sink. An here-
ditary awe of that of their Saviour's Body and Blood will for a
time continue to raise their reverence for it even above their own
theory ; but the doctrines are in principle the same ; and so will
men's veneration, thankfulness, honour, delight in both, at length
be. Either they will see in both their Saviour, or in both (I
speak of Churches, or Sects, not necessarily of the period of
individual life, although very frequently in this also) they will see
but an empty symbol.
In the above statement of Zuingli's views, the Lord's Supper
is most frequently instanced as being the subject of the contro-
versy ; but the principles relate to Baptism also. As to this 2
Sacrament also, Zuingli fixed his theory after an interval of *
doubt ; in this instance, as to the efficacy or propriety of Infant
Baptism. " If ^ Sacraments were signs, and signs for the con-
" firmation of faith, how can they confirm the faith of infants,
" since it is certain that as yet they have none ? Wherefore I
" ako, (to own the truth ingenuously) some years ago, deceived
** by this error, thought it better that children should not be
" baptized, until they had arrived at a mature age." This diffi-
culty, arising from the first error, that Sacraments were only
signs, required a further modification of his views. Zuingli
accordingly suras up thus his views on Baptism*. ** No element
' De Baptismo, t. Ii. f. 63. v.
• Ibid. f. 97- V. Again, at the beginning of tbe same work, f. 69. v. " If 1
'* in the Old Testament ceremonies were outward only and carnal things, and I
ZUINGLI ALL IN BAPTiSM OUTWARD. 99
" of this world, yea no outward thing, can cleanse the soul of
'* man. For the purifying of this is the work of Divine grace
'* alone. Baptism then cannot wash away the defilements of
** sin. But since it was instituted by God, and yet does not
" wash away sin, it is altogether certain that it is no other than a
" Sacramental sign, whereby the people of God are bound and
" united to one faith and religion." So that his view is just that
mentioned by our Articles (Art. 27.) as inadequate. These
maxims, — the inadequacy of outward things to wash away sin,
and the assumption that Baptism is a sign only, the outward
element of water alone, — and the purports of Baptism, which he
deduces from these maxims, form the greater part of the state-
ments of Zuingli ; and these he inculcates with the utmost
earnestness and positiveness. " This ' conviction abides with
" me, certain, unshaken, and infallible (which if the authority
'' and power of the whole world would impugn, they will yet
" effect nothing with me), that no element, outwardly adminis-
" tered, can avail any thing toward the purifying of the soul."
And so, assuming as before, the incompatibility of the sign with
the thing signified, he argues as if all were outward. *' John ^
" (whose Baptism he contends to have been the same ^ with that
•' of Christ) taught amendment and true repentance ; and those
•' who, influenced by his teaching, embraced repentance and
'• amendment of life, he signed with the outward water of Bap-
*' tism, yet they were not any way the better for it ; for what pre-
" could not bring any purity or cleansing to the wretched and polluted con-
*' sciences of men, how much less in Christ, in whom the Spirit only
" gives us life. Meanwhile, however, He has bequeathed to us, who are his
" members, two ceremonies, i. e, certain symbols and outward signs, Baptism
" namely, and the Eucharist, (or as others have termed it the commemoration
" of His death), wherein He wished to consult our infirmity and accommodate
" Himself to us. By one of these signs, which Christ has instituted for us,
" Baptism, we are marked at the same time and consecrated to God. In the
" other, the Eucharist, or commemoration of His death, we give thanks to
" God, our heavenly Father, for that immense benefit of our redemption and
" salvation granted." See also Responsio ad libell. D. Baltazaris, ib. f. 108.
' Ibid. f. 71. V. 2 Ib. f. G7. V. add f. 08. v.
^ Ib. § de prima Baptism! origine et Institutione f. 73. v. sqq.
g2
100 ZUINGLI — SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM BY MAN NOT BY GOD.
" vented their repenting without being baptized ? Baptism then
" was only a ceremony, whereby they attested publicly that they
" were of the number of penitents." The ministers he regards J
not as instruments in God's hand, but as independent agents, and "
so performing a mere outward work. "Christ," he says',
" manifestly distinguishes (Acts i. 5.) between that outward
** Baptism of water, and that whereby the faithful are baptized
** by the Holy Spirit. John is declared only to have baptized
" with the water and the preaching of the outward word : and as
" many as now baptize do no other. For what else should men
" here do, than teach with the outward word, or sprinkle with
" water, or dip the baptized into it *? Our controversy then about
" infant Baptism is only about the outward Baptism of water,
" and the teaching of the outward word." " So also Peter, Paul,
" James, and others after them, only baptized with water and the
" outward word or teaching ; but to baptize with the Spirit is ike
*' office not of men but of God, who alone, according to tlie counsel
" of His wisdom, hath been wont to baptize with the Holy Spirit
" whomsoever and whensoever He wills." The words of conse-
cration again, appointed by Christ, since spoken through man's
mouth, became to him outward also, man's words and not God's.
Quoting the language of St. Augustine, " The word is joined to
" the element, and it becomes a Sacrament," he answers ' — " The
" authority and power of no outward word which proceeds
" out of the mouth of man, can be greater than the autho-
" rity and power of the water itself. For no one, save God
•• only, can take and wash away sin.** If then occasionally
the strong language of Scripture escapes into the pages of
Zuingli, so that one might think that some high spiritual benefit
was imparted through Baptism, this is presently corrected.
Thus, commenting on Rom. vi. he says *, " Who, examining these
" things more diligently, would not perceive that Baptism is an
" initial sign, which engraffs us into Christ, consecrates us
" wholly to Him, to this end, that we should be made new men,
*' and live a new life in Him;" and again*, " Baptism is an
> Ibid f. 00. V. CI. 08. » Calvin borrows this language, Instit iv. 15. 8.
» Ibid. f. 70. V. ♦ Ibid. f. 60. * Ibid. f. 6C. and v.
EXCELLENCIES OF BAPTISM. 101
" initial (or initiating) sign, which engrafFs us into God (Deo
" inserit) and shows that we are God's." Yet these cheering
words *' engrafFed into Christ" are explained only to mean that
we are ** made members of that outward society of Christians :"
as indeed how should a mere " outward ceremony" unite us
with our Saviour ? " It is established," he says ^ " that that
" outward Baptism, which is by water, confers nothing towards
** the purifying of the soul ; wherefore this is only a ceremony,
" an outward sign, whereby it is indicated that a man is brought
*' to Jesus Christ our Lord, engrafFed and initiated into Him, so
" that he now wishes not to live to himself but to Christ :" and
thus we come back to the old statement, only invested or dis-
guised in Scripture words, that " Baptism is a sign of a covenant
" whereby we initiate ^^ or consecrate 3 any one to God :" for
indeed a ceremony, which had no power to purify, could not engrafF
men into Christ. This initiation also he compares* to the garb,
wherewith novices in a monastery were invested, or to the oath *
taken by soldiers, or " the white cross® worn by the Swiss, which
" shows that they are and will remain Swiss."
The excellencies of Baptism are distinctly enumerated by
Zuingli in a work, which, being written only five years before
his death, of course must contain his mature views, and in which
Bullinger says that he surpasses himself — his " Exposition of the
Christian Faith to the Christian king^." They are these: —
1. The Sacraments were instituted by Christ : 2. attest His
history : 3. set before us the things which they signify, whence
they are called by their names : 4. signify great things : 5. have
an analogy or aptness to represent the things signified : 6. aid
faith (by withdrawing the senses, to contemplate divine things) :
7. are an oath binding Christians together ; — in all which there
is no vestige of any spiritual influence. Infant Baptism can
1 Ibid. f. 71. V. 2 lb. f. 67.
3 Ibid. f. 59. V. 85. Op. de vera et fals. Relig. f. 198. v.
* De Bapt. f. 64. v. & Ibid. f. 67- v. ad libell. Struthionis, f. 313.
6 De Bapt. f. 60.
7 Fid. Christ. Expos. *' Quae Sacramentorum virtus," f. 555. v. 556# et v, ,
102 INFANT BAPTISM A CEREMONY, AND ORIGINAL SIN DENIED.
then have none. Its benefits are also enumerated '. " It is the
" same as Circumcision ; that dedicated men to God, but under
** the yoke and band of the law ; Baptism, to the same God, but
" under Christ, who is grace itself." The rest are, 1 . " that we
" all grow up in the same doctrine, the Christian. 2. Children
" will be educated Christianly. 3. It removes sluggishness in
" teaching." Nay, Zuingli often urges against the Anabaptists
the unreasonableness of objecting to infant Baptism, " since it
"is an outward and ceremonial thing '^j which, as well as other
" outward things, the Church may use worthily and with pro-
" priety, or omit and remove it, as seems to her most to conduce
" to the edification and well-being of the whole body."
It is remarkable, that in Zuingli again, with this depreciation
of Baptism is united the denial of original sin, as sin, in all born
of faithful parents^ — which is indeed essential to the whole
theory that the Sacraments are signs only, or attest only grace
imparted ; for if original sin is not remitted through Baptism,
then, as these writers affirm, these children must have been holy
by virtue of the covenant, i. e. had no original sin. Original
corruption Zuingli admits, but its sinfulness he explicitly denies *.
In taking this view of Baptism, Zuingli was aware that he
was setting up a new doctrine, unheard of in the Christian Church
from the times of the Apostles to his own. We do not judge
him ; but in this instance he stands forth as a solemn warning
' De Bapt. f. 95. v. sqq. * lb. f. 96. ad. libell. D. Baltazar. f. 105. v.
' See above, p. 86.
* " I confess that our first father sinned a sin, which is a real sin, wicked-
" ness, crime, and wrong. But his descendants have not sinned in this way ;
" quis enim nostrum in paradiso pomtim vetitum depopulatus est dentibus ?
" Whether then we will or no, we are obliged to admit that original sin, as
" it is in the sons of Adam, is not properly sin, as has been already shown;
" for it is not an ofifence against the law. It is then properly a disease and a
*' condition." Ad. Carolum Imp. Fidei ratio, f. 639 v. : and f. 540, having
argued shallowly from Rom. v. 1 Cor. xv. 22, he terms it " impious and pre-
" sumptuous" to hold, that in Christian children " it deservcth God's wrath
" and damnation,"(Art. 9) on account partlyof the reparation throughCHRisT,
partly of God's free election, which does not follow faith, but faith follows it.
Cp. de Peccato originali Declaratio, ib f. 1 15, v. sqq.
PRAYER INEFFICACIOUS AGAINST ERROR, IF SIN REMAINS. 103
to US, showing how — not only general integrity, and straightfor-
wardness and zeal against corruptions which derogate from the
glory of God — but even the assiduous study of Holy Scripture
with prayer *, will not preserve a man from falling into perni-
cious error, which may destroy the very good which he labours
to promote, so long as there is one uncorrected sin remaining
within his own bosom. Zuingli's writings discover an arrogant
self-confidence, which thinks lightly of any belief opposed to
his own, although it were that of the universal Church ; and he
became the author of tenets which immediately well nigh effaced
the Sacraments of his Lord. His rationalistic tone sowed the
seeds of a dreadful harvest, which his country is now reaping.
" This I must ingenuously confess, at the beginning of the
" book," — thus ^ he opens his work on Baptism, " that all pro-
" bably (^fiere omnes\ as many as, from the times of the very
** Apostles, have undertaken to write on Baptism, have in no
*' few things missed the mark. It is a great thing that I say,
" but I am compelled against my will to say it. For never would
" I have allowed this to pass my lips (although I have always
" delivered the true doctrine on this subject), unless I had been
** compelled through that contumacious obstinacy of most con"
" tentious men. But that I have herein spoken no less truly than
*' openly, is self-evident. For no one of their number can be
" found, whohas not ascribed to the element of water, what neither
" it has, nor have the Apostles taught that it had. And those
" Ancients wrongly understood the saying of Christ to Nicode-
" mus, ' Except a man be born again of Water and the Spirit,*
" &c. Wherefore we also will see what Baptism is, after a
*' manner far different from what a//, ancients or moderns, yea, or
" the writers of our own times, have done. And all this we will
" establish, not by dreams of our own, but by testimonies from
" the Divine Word."
The opinions of Zuingli are of chief importance, because he
was the parent of the Reformed, as Luther was of the Church
* Melchior Adamus relates this of Zuingli, De Vit. Germ. Theol. p. 27.
' F. 59. V. Zuingli complains elsewhere of " those who had ' Patres,
" Patres,' for ever on their mouth."
7
lOi ZU1N6LI AUTHOR OF REFORMED DOCTRINE OF THE SACRAMENTS.
which bore his name. He furnished the model, the " form of
words," and stamped the cliaracter and impress of the Reformed,
as Luther did of the theology of the Lutheran Church. He
used incredible zeal in propagating his opinions on the Sacra-
ments '. Zurich, on account of the peace enjoyed there, was a
place of refuge for the Reformed. His writings and opinions
were diligently spread in France and Germany ; and in Italy
appear to have been more known than Luther's. They are
addressed to the understanding, and at once cut the knot of the
controversy with Rome^ For those who had previously dis-
believed the Romish doctrine, (and such, Zuingli says, was the
case of most ecclesiastics,) ^ it seems, humanly speaking, im-
possible that they could come to any other result. The doctrine
of the Sacraments, as instruments of grace, held by Luther,
(I speak not of his peculiar theory of Consubstantiation), was
termed " a going back to the flesh-pots of Egypt*."
* Hospinian, p. 46.
' A saying of Luther's is well known, to this effect: — " With the reformed
'^floctrines I could give such a bjioy^ffto.I^ome ! but I dare not; it stands
" ivritten," {es steht geschrieben). ^ . ,.., ,
^ In the passage above cited (p. 90), Zuingli mentions that the Romanists
of his day denied this as a calumny, but this he treats as mere hypocrisy.
* E. g. Ad Lutheri Confess, f. 432. v. In the Exegesis Eucharistiae, f. 358,
he calls Luther's doctrine " the restoration of the reign of Antichrist."
Oxford,
Feast of St. Michael. ' ^ ^
(conclusion unavoidably delayed.)
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
SCRIPTURAL VIEWS OF HOLY BAPTISM.
CONTINUED.
" MINIME SUNT MUTANDA QU^ INTERPRETATIONEM CERTAM
SEMPER HABUERUNT."
Dig. i. tit. 3. lex 23, p. 78, Ed. Gothofr. 42, quoted by Hooker, B. v. c. 1. § 5,
cd. Keble.
The character of the Reformation in the several countries of
Europe turned mainly upon the doctrine of the Sacraments ; as
indeed every one will find, that the way in which he embraces
and practically holds them, will affect the whole character of his
spiritual life. The two continental branches, who cast aside the
errors of Rome, each erred in this respect ; and thus became
new, rather than reformed, Churches. In either, one individual
stood too prominently forward, and impressed upon his society
the character of his own mind, rather than that of the Church
Catholic. And we cannot sufficiently admire the loving-kind-
ness of Almighty God, who allowed the seeds indeed of Refor-
mation to be sown among us by Wickliffe, yet then, notwith-
standing the powerful human aid which he had, and his great
popularity, caused them to lie, as it were, in the earth, until
those which were less sound should by length of time decay ; and
again, that He placed so many impediments in the way of our final
Reformation, (for what man does rapidly, he does rashly,) and
held back our steps by the arbitrariness of Henry ; and, when
we were again going down the stream of the times too readily,
checked us at once by the unexpected death of Edward, and
H
lOG PROVIDENCE OF GOD IN THE ENGLISH,
proved us by the fire of tlie Marian persecution, and took away,
by a martyr's death, tliose in whom we most trusted ; and then
finally employed a number of labourers, in the restoration of
His temple, of whom none should yet be so' conspicuous, that
the edifice should seem to be his design, or that he should be
tempted to restore the decayed parts according to any theory of
his own, but rather that all things should be made " according to
the pattern which He had shown us" in the Church Primitive. Had
our reform taken place at first, we had been WickliflStes ; under
Edward, we had been a branch of the Reformed i (the Zuinglian
or Calvinist) Church : now we bear no human name ; we look
to no human founder ; we have no one reformer, to set up as an
idol ; we are neither of Paul nor of Apollos ; nor have we any
human maxims or theories as the basis of our system ; but have
been led back at once to the distant fountains, where the waters
of life, fresh from their source, flowed most purely.
Both of the continental branches, as was said, erred in this
respect ; and both have, through their error, suffered. Luther,
although scripturally asserting the presence of Christ in the
Eucharist, still retained from the Romish Church the idea of the
necessity of explaining that presence. His theory of Consub-
stantiation was, not a development of Divine truth, but a human
system, explaining the mode of the Divine operations. This first
error entailed the necessity of other expositions, on points about
* The " Reformed" is the received name for such Churches as agree with
Calvin and Zuingli in the doctrine of the Sacraments, and as such was
understood in old times not to include the English, which was always ac-
counted as a Church per se. As, however, the Churches comprehended under
this name did not ahogether agree among themselves, it came to be used for
tliat portion of the Western Church which was neither Romanist nor Lutlie-
ran. Hooker speaks of •* reformed," as opposed to corrupt Churches ; but
he also uses the term of those, who considered themselves eminently
" Reformed" Churches, as being most opposed to Rome, e. g. B. iv. c. 14. Init.
'* To leave reformed Churches, therefore, and their actions, for Him to judge
" of in whose sight they are, as they are ; and our desire is that tliey may,
" even in His sight, be found such as we ought to endeavour, by all means,
*' that our own may likewise be ; somewhat we are enforced to speak con-
*• cerning the proceedings of the Church of England."
i
ERRORS IN THE FOREIGN, REFORMATION. 107
wliich we know nothing either way, and upon which, conse-
quently, it was a great evil to have to decide or to speculate.
Such are the ubiquity of our Saviour's glorified body, the com-
munication of the properties of His Divine to His human nature,
and the like. These, however, of necessity, occupied a promi-
nent, because a distinctive, portion of the Lutheran system.
Thereby, and through the abolition of Episcopacy, the Lutheran
became a new Church, built, indeed, in great part, of the old
materials, but still upon a new model, and with untempered
mortar. Its connection with the primitive Church, and so its
own stability also, was loosened. It was a particular Church,
and erected on a narrower platform, than the Church Catholic.
The Reformed Church erred still more widely in that its first
departure from the antient model in the doctrine of the Sacra-
ments was opposed to the obvious sense of Scripture also : it
was not merely a particular or human, opposed to the Catholic
system : but it required a forced exposition of the Word of God.
This Church suffered also in proportion more. Its theology limited
the favours of Almighty God, when Scripture had declared them
free ; it restrained the mercies of His Sacraments, where He
had not restrained them ; and it became itself stiff, harsh, un-
confiding, and restrained. We find in it, in comparison, but
very little of the child-like, dependent, overflowing and humble
joy of the Antient Church, which in part appeared in the older
Lutheran writers, and especially in their hymns, and which is
found in a portion of our own earlier theology.
The tenets of Zuingli were, as was said, well adapted to
human reason ; they were suited to men's common-place under-
standing ; they recognized faith, and yet made the operations of
faith cognizable by reason ; and so appeased at once both con-
science, and those common cravings of intellect, which a more
vigorous faith restrains. The theory then spread widely, as it
was calculated to do. The tenets of Zuingli were shared by
CEcolampadius, and had no opponent in the Swiss Church. Their
disciples include, directly or indirectly, all the reformed Church,
except that of Germany ; and even this, as our own, for a time,
was indirectly and partially influenced through the medium of
H 2
108 AGREEMENT OF CALVIn's DOCTRINE
tlieir writings. Among the disciples of Zuingli, either orally or in
writing, might be named Peter Martyr, Pellican, BuUinger, and
Farell, the reformer of Geneva. His most extensive influence,
however, was indirectly, and by way of descent, through Calvin.
Calvin, namely, as is well known, though he established the
discipline of Geneva, was not one of the original reformers :
its doctrines he found already established ; and especially with
regard to the Sacraments \ he methodized only and arranged and
here and there perhaps modified the doctrines, or, rather, per-
haps, the language of Zuingli. The doctrines, the arguments,
the language, the turn of expression, the subsidiary statements,
the very illustrations, which Calvin employs on the subject of
the Sacraments, are all to be found scattered up and down in
the writings of Zuingli ; only in Zuingli they are presented in
a polemical form : Calvin has matured them into a doctrinal
scheme. The definition of Baptism is the same : " a sign ^ of
" initiation, whereby we are enrolled in the society of the Church,
" that, being engrafted into Christ, we may be accounted among
*' the sons of God." The mode of disposing of the old Church's
definition, "a visible sign of a sacred thing," or *' a visible form
of an invisible grace," is the same ' : there is the same illustra-
tion of the Sacraments by the outward sign * of the Old Testa-
ment : the same denial of grace * being imparted through the
Sacraments : the assertion of the identity of the Apostles' and
John's Baptism*' (of which assertion Zuingli was the first
Mt is characteristic, that the allowing the Font to he placed within the
Church was one of the points in which Calvin refused obedience to the Synod
of Lausanne, and so subjected himself to banishment from Geneva, wherein
he had recently undertaken the cure of souls.
2 Institt. 4. 15. 1.
3 Viz. that it is a visible sign, or form, or figure, of a divine grace, which
is invisible ; which invisible grace, he says, is sacratnentally united with the
si^n, i. e. as Zuingli explains " sacraincntally," is represented by it. So also
Calvin, Institt. 4. 14. 1.
* Institt. 4. 14. 1«.
* lb. 4. 14. 14 and 17. Zuingh, t. ii. t 63
* lb. 4. 15. 6. sqq.
OF THE SACRAMENTS WITH ZUINGLI. 109
author) ^ : the like arguments, and the like solutions of the texts
opposed' : the same statements that the value of Baptism consisted
in its being a sign of a previous covenant ^, or promise *, or rather
the transfer of its benefits to a previous election * : the reference
to Abraham^ and to Rom. iv.' and to the promise, "and to thy
seed*," as the groundwork and substance of the Sacrament of
Christ, and our rule for understanding it : the identifying of
Baptism and Circumcision ^, (as of the Paschal ^° lamb with the
Lord's Supper) : the same assertion, that regeneration" precedes
Baptism ; that infants of Christian parents are holy ^' before
Baptism ; that the word of consecration is an instrument of
teaching " only ; the same comparison of the Sacraments with
the written word " : the same language against tying or binding
God's grace to the Sacraments ^*, or inclosing it within them :
the same dread of their value being exaggerated ^^ or any mys-
tical virtue being contained in them '', or their washing away
sin ^* : the same view of them, as only representing spiritual things
* " Nor do these alone, but all the theologians also whom I remember ever
** to have read, most resolutely maintain this same opinion," (i. e. that thp
Baptism of John was neither the same, nor agreed with that of Christ).
Zuingli de Bapt 0pp. t. ii. f. 73, v. 74. Melancthon,, however, adopted
the same view.
2 Inst. 4. 15. 18. Zuingli, t. ii. f. 78.
3 lb. 4. 15. 20 and 22. Zu. f. 67. * lb. 4. 14. 3.
5 lb. 4. 15. 17. Zu. de Sedit. Auctorib. t. ii. f. 134, v. comp. P. Martyr,
Loci, 4. 8. 7 and 14.
6 lb. 4. 14. 5. Zu. de Pecc. Orig. t. ii. f. 120.
7 lb. 4. 14. 21. sqq. Zu. f. 84. 134. v. cp. P. Martyr, 4. 8. 7. ad. 1. Reg. f. 74.
« lb. 4. 16. 3. and 6 and 9. Zu. f. 109. 1 12.
9 lb. 4. 14. 20. sqq. and 16. 3. sqq. Zu. ad. LibelL D. Balth. t. ii. f. 108.
v. and f. 37. v. 59. v.
'» lb. 4. 16. 30. Zu. Subsid. de Eucharist, t ii. f. 250.
» lb. 4. 15. 20. Zu. t. iu f. 62.
" lb. 4. 15. 22. Zu. de Pecc. Orig. t ii. f. 120. v.
" lb. 4. 14. 4.
>* lb. 4. 14. 1 and 7, and 10, 1 1, and 14 and I7.
'5 lb. 4. 14. 9, &c cp. P. Mart 4. 7- 3. '« lb. 4. J 4. 9.
" lb. 4. 15. 2 and 15. Zu. f. 70, &c.
'8 lb. 4. 14. 16. Zu. Exeges. Eucharist, f. 358.
HO CALVIN DIFFERS FROM ZUINGLI IN WORDS ONLY;
to the mind of man ^ These| and many other points will strike
any one who, having familiarized himself with the language and
manner of Zuingli, shall afterwards read Calvin's treatise, so
that one seems to be reading Zuingli again, only in a different
form. Nor is it, of course^ any disparagement to Calvin, that
a system of doctrinal theology, written at the age of twenty-
seven, should have been worked up from materials furnished by
others. Only, as others also have observed, Calvin as well as
Zuingli is inconsistent ; and whether it be that the tenets of his
early years in part break through a system later acquired ; or
whether, as is probable, he shrunk from the consequences of
his own scheme, yet certainly he occasionally uses stronger lan-
guage than belongs to that system ^. Here and there he even
criticizes language, which resembles that of Zuingli ; and (which
alone appears to present any real difference in their systems)
Zuingli explicitly denies ^ that Sacraments confirm faith ; Calvin
asserts it*. Yet the difference is again in words ; for both assert
that the conlemplation of God's mercy, as represented in the
Sacraments, is a mean of confirming and strengthening our faith ;
and both deny that the Sacraments conveyy or are vehicles of
grace. Yet between these there is no third system. Indeed,
all reformed writers, until of late date, have acknowledged
Zuingli as authority for their opinions, equally with Calvin. He
was as much, or more, looked up to in his day, by those of that
school : nor had it been worth noticing, but that moderns have
been inclined to set Zuingli aside, because he speaks out, and
shews the effects and character of their theory more plainly than
Calvin ; or have been misled to draw an unauthorized distinc-
tion between them.
If, however, there be any difference in the modes of statement
1 Inst 4. 14. 6, 6. 12. cp. P. Martyr, Loci, 4. 7. 3.
2 Witsius, liowever, notices another source, which I was unwilling, upon
my own impression alone, to name, viz, that Calvin uses one language in con-
troversy, another, when tranquilly, explaining Scripture. "Tantum's«pe
" interest utrura quis cum adversario contcndat, an libero animo commen-
" tetur." De Bapt. § 39.
3 De Baptismo. f. 65. ' Ititiiit. 4. I J. V.
ESSENCE OF THEIR VIEWS THE SAME. Ill
of Calvin and Zuingli, it is this : that, according to Zuingli,
Sacraments are testimonies to the Church ; according to Calvin,
to the Elect ; but the essential character of the Sacraments as
signs only, not means of grace, remains the same in both. The
benefits, accordingly, of which Calvin supposes ^ Baptism to be
the instrument, are, 1st, that it is a sort of diploma to attest that
all our sins are utterly done away ; 2dly, that it shows us (osten-
dit) our dying in Christ, and our new life in Him ; 3dly, that it
testifies (testificatur) that we are so united to Christ, that we
are partakers of all His benefits. Wherein the blessings indeed
comprehend all which the ancient Church also attributed to Bap-
tism : but Baptism itself is but the outward seal, to attest to the
believer's soul, mercies already received. Wherever, namely,
Calvin explains what he means by the grace of the Sacraments,
it is " the sealing of the Covenant of God," an " assuring us of
" His promises," or " a sort of appendix added to God's pro-
*' mise to confirm and seal it, and to make it more attested, and
*' after a sort established, as God foresees to be needful, first for
" our ignorance and slowness, then for our weakness ^ : they
" are props to our faith, mirrors, wherein we see the love of God
** more clearly ^." This confirmatory influence of the Sacra-
ments is set forth in a variety of forms and language ; but all
comes back to this. On the other hand, Calvin, (as strongly,
although not so frequently, as Zuingli,) decries the efficacy of
the Sacraments, " any hidden virtue of the Sacraments", as a
pestilent error : the tenet of the " Schools of the Sophists that
" the Sacraments of the new law {i. e. those of the Christian
" Church) justify and confer grace, unless prevented by mortal
** sin," is condemned as " devilish*." The sayings of the ancient
Church, as to the Sacraments, are termed " immoderate enco-
" mia';" the language of St. Augustine, " that the Sacraments
" of the old law only promised a Saviour, ours impart health
" and salvation, (salus) and the like figures of speech" are desig-
nated as " hyperbolical."
» Instit. 4. 15. 1—6. 3 lb. 4. 14. 1—3.
' § 6. * § 14. 5 § 26.
112 THE REFORMED THEORY OF THE SACRAMENTS
The hard and dry character, indeed, of Calvin or Beza's mind
was ill calculated for the restoration of the view of the Sacra-
ments, which was now in the reformed Church destroyed : their
mystical character was now effaced ; Baptism was a sign to man ;
a mean of increasing the faith of the parents ; a seal of grace
before given ; a sign of grace hereafter to be conveyed ; but in
no other sense a sacrament, than was the bow in the cloud ',
which was a sign of God's covenant, — an assurance to the infir-
mity of men's faith, but, in no sense, an instrument of grace.
This, as was said, belonged to the intellectual character of the
theology of this school. The workings of faith, although incredi-
ble to the unbeliever, may still be made cognizable to the human
intellect : the tendency of outward representations to embody to
the mind things spiritual, to employ sense against sense, and to
make things seen the means of lifting up the heart to things
unseen, is also very obvious ; as is also the power of a visible
attestation to increase our credence in the things so attested.
* I find that Chamier actually refers to the like emblems as explaining his
view of Sacraments. " It belongs to seals to give certainty, by signifying
** only, not by effecting. This is plain from the rainbow, Gen. ix. — the
** going back of the sun, Jos. xxxviii. — and is altogether the general doctrine
" of all signs added to promises." Tom. iv. 1. 2. c. 5. § 42. and Calvin, Instit
4. 14. 18. " The name ' sacrament' comprehends generally all the signs,
" which God ever ordained to man, to assure him of the truth of his pro-
" mises, whether natural or miraculous." Of the former sort he instances
the tree of life and the rainbow. " Not that the tree gave them immortality,
" which it could not give to itself, or that the bow had any efficacy in restrain-
*' ing the waters (being only a refraction of the solar ray), but because they
** had a mark stamped on them by the word of God, so as to be documents
,' and seals of his testaments." Of the miraculous, he instances the smoking
furnace (Gen. xv.), Gideon's fleece, the shadow of the sun-dial of Ahaz ;
and the only difference which he makes between these and the Christian
Sacraments is that '* the signs here given are ceremonies." Vorsiius (Anti-
Bellarm. ad. tom. iii. conir. 1. Thes. 1,2, arg.2.) instancing the same "sacred
*' signs, which are analogous to the Sacraments," says, " these have the power
•' of sealing only, but not of conferring saving grace, through themselves ;
" therefore we must hold the same of the real Sacraments." The same signs are
instanced also in the Hungarian Confession, by P. Martyr, Loci 4. 7- 2. and so
generally among the reformed writers.
THE WORK OF INTELLECT. 113
But this is all plain matter of intellect : the Sacraments are then
in no mysterious manner channels of grace : they are all out-
ward: Baptism is only an outward introduction into a visible
Church, entitling men to, or rather attesting that they have, privi-
leges, but not itself imparting any : it is no more spiritual than the
seal, diploma, safe-conduct, to which they compare it. It is an un-
spiritual attestation of spiritual privileges. The Eucharist, accord-
ing to this view, does not convey to the soul of the believer the
Bodyand Blood of Christ, but is an external emblem, by the sight
and feeding upon which, through the operation of the Holy Spirit,
the faith of the believer is excited to fix itself upon his Saviour \
The sacramental participation of Christ becomes the same, as
out of the Sacrament. Its mysterious character is resolved into
a mere picture. The Sacraments, doubtless, are all this : they '
are mystical representations to the soul : they are props of faith :
they are visible seals of God's promises : they are images of
things invisible : they are instruments to lift up our hearts to
communion with God in Christ : but they are more ; and it is
here precisely that this school stops short. They are channels
1 This view is remarkably expressed in the following passages of P. Martyr
(ad i. Reg. f. 74.) : — " When we think of this visible Word or Sacrament, the
" Spirit of God rouses faith in our hearts, whereby we again and again embrace
*• the Divine promise, and thus justification is increased, while faith is increased
" in believers." And loci, 4. 10. 76. : — ** Frequent communion is not (on
" our view) superfluous ; because, by frequently communicating, we celebrate
" the remembrance of the Lord, and givings of thanks ; and the mind
" is excited by the appearance of those things which are done ; for the signs
" there are not mute, but speaking. Then it is a sort of badge, whereby
" Christians denote that they are joined together, and with Christ. They
" profess, besides, their faith that the body of Christ was put upon the
" cross, and His blood shed for our salvation ; for it is not enough to believe
*' with the heart, but confession is made also with the mouth, and not by the
" mouth only, but by outward actions." Comp. ib. §. 19. Again, in the Scotch
Confession (of which Johri Knox chiefly was the author) : — " This union
*• and conjunction, which we have with the body and blood of Jesus Christ,
" in the right use of the Sacrament, is eiFected by the operation of the Holy
*' Spirit ; who carries us by true faith above all things which are seen, and
" which are carnal and earthly ; and causes, that we feed on the body and
" blood of Jesus Christ, once broken and shed for us, and which now is
" in heaven, and appcareth in the presence of the Father for us."
114 THE church's doctrine of the sacraments.
of Divine grace to the soul, which are closed up indeed by un-
faithfulness, yet are efficacious, not simply by animating our
faith ; but the one, by actually incorporating us into Christ, and
creating in our souls a new principle of life, and making us
*' partakers of the Divine nature ;" the other, imparting to us
increased union with Christ, and (to use a term of the Fathers' )
a deifying influence, whereby God gives us that which man
would have accepted from Satan — to *' be as Gods," being par-
takers of the Son of God. But how the Sacraments effect this
we know not : we understand not the mysteries of our first, how
should we then of our second, birth ? Of both rather we con-
fess, that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, but how we
were fashioned, we know not.
This school^ then, by taking as their one definition of the
' E. g. St. Gregory of Nazianzum, (when " peril of waters" seemed to
threaten death, before he should be baptized) : —
Ka9ap<TUi)v yap oTg QeovfieG' vddrojv
i^XkoTpovfijjv vdaffiv ^evoKTovoig.
2 Only some principal authorities are here adduced ; and that, chiefly,
because the language of those consulted was so very similar, and their theory
so entirely identical, that it would have been needless repetition to have
quoted them. The authorities examined comprise those of chief weight,
and who are acknowledged as such by later writers, as by Gataker, de vi et
efficacia Baptismi Infantilis (a disputation against Dr. S. Ward, Divinity
Prof, at Cambridge, who maintained the Baptismal regeneration of all infants,
Whitaker, the regeneration of elect infants only) ; and Witsius, de efficacia
Baptismi in Infantisis (Misc. Sacr. t. ii. Exerc. 19). Of older authorities,
Zuingli, Calvin, P. Martyr, BuUinger (Comm.) Beza, Musculus (loci, who
agrees altogether with P. Martyr), Z. Ursinus, A. Willet (Synopsis Papismi),
Whitaker (de Sacramentis), who, as an English divine, speaks sometimes more
strongly of the efficacy of the Sacraments than the foreign, but his theory is the
same ; — of intermediate writers, Vorstius (Anti-Bellarm.), Polanus (Syntagma
Theolog.), Chamier (Panstrat. Cathol.), have been examined for tlie most
part throughout; but some two or three, just so far as to ascertain that they
spoke to the same purpose, and used tlie same language. Moderns have been
purposely omitted, both to avoid the appearance of controversy, and because
the object was to ascertain the original character of the theory in question,
of which they could, of course, give no evidence. A large portion of the
quotations are given by Gataker, who Iwis selected naturally those most bear-
ing upon his purpose, and is a repertoriimi for this end.
REFORMED NOTIONS DESTROY THE SACRAMENTS. 115
Christian Sacrament of Baptism what St, Paul says of the Jewish
sign of circumcision \ do in effect destroy the very essentials of
a Sacrament. For, whatever general terms tliey may use of
Baptism ^ when they begin to explain themselves, they always
' " I think scarcely any place can be found, where the nature of a Sacra-
" ment is so briefly and explicitly set forth, as in these words of Paul, wherein
" circumcision is called a seal," P. Martyr ad Rom. iv. add Loci 4, 7- 7 —
11. Chamier (de Sacram. 2. 6. 16. ap. Gat. p. 97-) "The Sacraments justify
" in their own way, L e., Sacramentally ; and what this means, Paul teaches
" as to circumcision ; viz., that it is the seal of the righteousness of faith."
(t. e. of previous justification.) Parens, Dub. 6. ad c. 4. Ep. ad Rom.,
makes this characteristic of the Calvinistic view of the Sacraments. The
doubt proposed is, ** do our interpreters explain rightly that Abraham
" received the sign of circumcision as a seal, &c. ; and hence infer that this
" is the characteristic, which constitutes the Sacraments, and their principal
" use, that they are seals, sealing to the faithful the righteousness of faith on
" the part of God." This he affirms. Add Whitaker, de Sacram. q. 1. c, 2.
2 Thus, it is not an unusual phrase with these writers to say that the Sacra-
ments •* not only signify, but effect what they signify," " not only shadow
{figurant) but effect what they shadow ;" and they are much displeased with
their opponents, if they deny it ; but when they explain this, we find that
" • effecting' only means that the Sacraments seal and confirm that word of
" promise whereto they are united" (* efficere' utique obsignando confirman-
doque verbum illud promissionis, cui adjunguntur ap. uti supra. — Chamier,
Gatak. 1. c. p. 102. For Chamier' s notion, see above, p. 1 12. Note), whereby we
come back to the same result, that they do but seal a thing already given,
or to be given, but are not the channels whereby it is imparted. Calvin's
definition of a Sacrament (and it is generally praised by this school, e. g.
Whitaker, as the best,) is " an outward symbol, whereby the Lord seals to
" our consciences the promises of His good-will towards us, to sustain the
" weakness of our faith ; and we, on the other hand, attest our piety before
" Him, angels, and men." (Institt. 4. 14. 1.) Or, more briefly, " a testi-
" mony of the Divine favour towards us, confirmed by an outward sign, with
" a mutual attestation of our piety towards Him.'' lb. (Contrast this with
cur's, " an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, or-
" dained by Christ Himself, as a means whereby we receive the same, and a
" pledge to assure us thereof." In Calvin's view, the " means whereby we
receive the same" is excluded.) GataJcer, 1. c. makes the excuse for his own
(the Calvinist) writers as well as for the Fathers, that " whereas they say
" that the * Sacraments effect what they figure,' they often so speak as to the
" Sacraments, as to need a fitting explanation, which," he adds, ** they them-
selves also often furnish." Gisb. Voethis (ap. Wits. § 31. " immortalis nominis
1!6 RFFORMED — VIEWS OF REGENERATION,
resolve its benefits into the sealing or attesting past promises,
or the shadowing forth of subsequent regeneration, and this
to be effected by the hearing of the word, not by the influ-
ence of Baptism ^ : they declare that by seals they do not
theologus,") approving of Burges' doctrine of "the regeneration of elect
infants," criticizes it so far, that Burges (agreeing with his Church) " subjects
" this regeneration to Baptism, and binds it thereto, as to a cause sine qua non,
" or a moral instrument, which it follows." " This," he says, " is not proved
" by his quotations from the Reformed Theologians. Their opinion of the
" efficacy of Baptism is known, that it does not produce regeneration, hut seals it,
** which has been already produced." [Wits, prints this last sentence in capitals.]
* Beza. (Coll. Momp. praef. partiv. resp. ad coll. p. 24. ap. Gerh. loci de S.
Baptismo § 118). " I never said, simply, that Baptism was the sealing of
" regeneration in children, but of the adoption according to the covenant,
" * I will be thy God, &c.' nor did I say that all, or any children were
" actually regenerated at the very moment of Baptism, but that the benefit
" of regeneration, in its own time ordained by God, follows that act of Bap-
" tism in infants by the hearing of the word." Beza appears, however, (ac-
cording to Witsius 1. c. § 30.) to have been nearly singular in regarding
regeneration as subsequent to Baptism ; the general doctrine is that stated
Note 2. p. 118. In one point only they all agree, in the anxiety not (as they
speak) to bind it to Baptism ; whence some say that it is given either
before, at, or after Baptism. (See Witsius, § 24. Taylor's Comm. on Titus
and others). Very few of tins school (with the exception of those English
Divines who engrafted part of the system of Calvin upon the doctrines of
our Church and those more modern) appear to have thought regeneration
generally to accompany Baptism. (Witsius names Le Blanc only.) See
also below, p. 145. Note 1. Well might a Predestinarian writer of our own
Church say, (though not borne out in claiming the agreement of Calvin,)
" If yet they answere, that this follows not by their doctrine, viz. that Bap-
" tisme is a bare signe, because they grant it to be also a scale of after grace :
" I rejoyne, this helps not (unless they grant, as Calvine freely doth, some
" principle and seed of grace, bestowed ordinarily in Baptisme) ; be-
" cause, by their opinion, it is a scale of something absent that is to be ex-
" pected in reversion only. They deny all present exhibition and collation
" of any grace in the moment of Baptisme, by virtue of Christ's institution,
" and so they doe not make it a signe, signifying, but rather prognosticating,
" only some future effect, which is a new kind of Divinity, that, so farre as I
" am able to judge, destroys the nature of a Sacrament, by denying to it both
" the chiefc part of it ; viz., the inward grace thereby signified, and, together
'* with the signe exhibited and conferred on those that truly, and, indeed, be
" within the covenant, as also the vigour and efficacy of the word of institution
" which makes the union betweene the sign and the thing signified." — Burges'
Baptismal Regeneration of Elect Infants, pp. 110, 11.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SIGNS AND INSTRUMENTS. 117
mean instruments * of conveying grace : they deny that Bap-
' '• Signs and real instruments, properly speaking, are widely different. For
" signs, such as are Sacraments,contribute nothing towards the effect, but they
" only attest and seal that which the Holy Spirit effects and works in us ;
" and that they do most truly and certainly." Daneeus adv. Bellarm. t. ii. contr.
2. 1. 2. c. 14 ; ad arg. 2; ap. Gat. 103; and, again, adv. Bellarm. de Bapt.
c. 4. rat. 4, " He is deceived, who thinks that the application of Christ and
" His benefits takes place through the sign of water, which is only the sealing
" up of that application ;" and p. 324, " The water of baptism is not needed,
" either as the efficient or the instrumental cause, but only as the seal sealing
" up." Zuingli (ad Luther, confess, resp. fol. 477' ap. Gat. 96.) " There never
" was any Sacrament which can realize to us that which was signified by it : but
" this is the office of every Sacrament, to signify and attest that that which it
" denotes is present." Whitaker de Bapt. q. 2. c. 3. arg. 3. (ap. Gat. p. 123.)
" Bellarmine denies that Baptism is a seal of grace received, but says, it is an
" instrument conferring grace, which we have above refuted." Voestius, Anti-
Bellarm. ad t. iii. contr. 1. Thes. 6. § 1., assigns this argument to the first
place against the belief that " Sacraments are effective instruments, or, so to
" speak, vessels or vehicles of justifying grace." " Signs and seals have no
*' other effects, for the most part, than that of , signifying, or declaring, or
** sealing, &c., as not being antecedent causes, or operative instruments of
'* grace promised by God, but certain adjuncts consequent ; as also is known
*' from philosophy, as to the general nature of signs." Peter Martyr, loci 4. 8.
17. approaches to a concession that grace may be given with the Sacraments,
but is careful to guard against the idea that they are given through them.
♦' Yea, it is to be thought that God in His goodness, when His promises
" and gifts are sealed, does of his own mere mercy render them fuller ; not,
" indeed, by the work of the Sacrament, but of His own goodness and Spirit,
" whereby He is wont, when we have the outward word of Divine Scripture,
" to inflame our hearts, and recruit them to holiness." Again, he uses as an
argument against the ancient custom of exorcising those about to receive
Baptism, (i. e. adjuring the evil spirit, from whose kingdom they were about
to be removed, to leave them,) " that thus we should have many Sacraments
" for one, since they multiply signs, which they regard sacred ;" as if a holy
and significant rite was in the same sense a Sacrament, as those instituted
by our Lord, or as if Sacraments were only sacred signs. Beza (Letter to
Grindall, in Adm. 5. ap. Hooker, b. v. p. 632. ed. Keble.) " They sinned
" righte grievously, as often as they brought any Sacramentalles (that is to
" say, any ceremonies) to import signification of spiritual things, into the
" Church of God." Hooker (b. v. c. 2, § 4.) notices that at times these
writers distinguished significant ceremonies, which were Sacraments, and
others which were as Sacraments only. " Sacraments," he adds, " are those,
13
118 REFORMED DENIAL OF ORIGINAL SIN
tism is the means of remitting original sin ', or of obtaining
" which are signs and tokens of some general promised grace, which always
'* really descendeth from God unto the soul that duly receiveth them. Other
" significant tokens are only as Sacraments, yet no Sacraments ; which is
*' not our distinction, but their's." The distinction, however, between Sa-
craments, and "as it were Sacraments," (quasi Sacramentum), although
abstractedly admitted, never occurs, where it is needed, in the statement of
the Sacraments themselves. Zuingli attaches rightly much importance to
this difference between "sacred signs" and Sacraments." Would," (he says,
de vera et falsa relig.) " that the Germans had never had this word Sacra-
" ment, unless it had been well explained, viz. because it presented to their
" mind a great and holy thing, which by its own power would free the con-
" science from sin." These last words are taken from Horantius (a Ro-
manist), loci L. 7. c. 1. Chamier Sacram. 1. 2. 11.
^ Zuingli declar. de pec. orig. f. 121. — "Original sin is taken away only
" by the blood of Christ, and cannot be taken away by the washing of bap-
" tism" (». e., not even as the mode of applying it) ; and de Baptismo, f. 70,
" whence it is evident to all, that that outward sprinkling of water does not
" wash away the stains of sins, as we have hitherto falsely believed. — Nay, it
" has even come to be commonly believed, but falsely, that water-baptism
" washes away the sin of an infant, which yet has none ;" and ad libelli D.
Baltazar, f. 105, v. " Belie vest thou that water-baptism can avail the least to-
" wards remitting sins ? If there is so much virtue in Baptism, that it can wash
" from sins, ' then is Christ dead in vain.' Gal. ii. — But, if sins cannot be
" washed away by this outward Baptism of water, then it is a certain outward
" rite and ceremony. P. Martyr, ad 1 Reg. c. 8. £ 72. v. The source of that
" superstition (exorcising at Baptism,) is, that those men [the early Church]
" thought that sins are first remitted through outward Baptism ; but they err
" most grievously." And f. 73. v., he explains the order in which he sup-
poses the remission of original sin to take place, and attempts to clear his
view from involving a denial of it. " Yet it must be weighed, that it by no
" means follows, that original sin is altogether done away with. For we con-
" fess that all are born children of wrath, and corrupted by original depravity
" — then we add, that God, through Jesus Christ, cleanseth those whom He
" has elected and predestinated, so that the defect, which, of its own nature,
" would be mortal sin, is not imputed to them to death. Then he adorns them
" with His Spirit, and renews them; after this, the sealing of outward Bap-
" tism is added. They have, therefore, first election or predestination. They
" have the promise, and are born of the believing ; and when they are already
•• adopted in the covenant with God, and justified, then are they rightly
" dipped :" and Loci 4. 8. 9., he explains in the same way as Zuingli— that
'' elect infants (to whom alone he holds Baptism to soal anything) have ori-
8
— INFANTS JUSTIFIED BEFORE BAPTISM. 119
justification ' ; tliey assert that those who are truly baptized
" ginal corruption, but not imputed to them, before Baptism." Add. 4. 8.
14, and 15. " The opponents attribute to the Sacraments more than they
*• ought ; for they suppose that sin is remitted by the force and efficacy of the
" action of Baptism, and acknowledge not, that by the Sacraments, the remis-
" sion is rather sealed, which remission adults obtain by believing, and the
" little ones of believers, who belong to the election, have grace already
" through the Holy Spirit." Witsius (L. c. § 32) quotes from the Bap-
tismal Liturgy of the Belgic Church the question addressed to the parents, and
to be answered in the affirmative : ** Although our children are conceived
** and born in sin, and so are obnoxious to eternal condemnation, do you 7iot
" acknowledge them to he sanctified (sanctificati) in Christ, atid that, therefore,
" as being members of His Church, they are to be baptized (baptizandos" ) [In
" capitals ap. Wits.] Calvin (Institt. 4. 16. 22.), " Little ones have remission
" of sins given to them : therefore, they are not to be deprived of the sign of
" it" (against the Anabaptists.) Whitaker (de Sacram. q. 6. c. 4. p. 193. ap.
Gatak. p. 123.) " Nor is original sin remitted in Baptism in any other
" way than in the Eucharist. For in each Sacrament, remission of sins is
** sealed to us." Gataker (1. c. p. 94.) " That any promise of remitting ori-
" ginal sin is annexed to Baptism, I nowhere read ; but, with me, the saying
" holds here, * What I read not, I believe not.' " Hooper'' s Confession of Faith,
" § 18. ** As for those that say Circumcision and Baptism be like, and yet
" attribute the remission of original sin to Baptism, which was never given to
" Circumcision, they not only destroy the similitude and equality which
" should be between them, but also take from Christ remission of sin, and
'* translate it unto the water and element of Baptism." T. C. confutation of
Rhemish Test. " This holiness of childreh is, not to be sinners by nature
" (the Apostle telleth you. Gal. ii. 15.), as those which are born of the hea-
*' then ; forasmuch as their sinnes, who are in the covenant, are, by Christ,
" not reckoned unto them."
* Zuingli (de Pec. orig. 0pp. t. ii. f. 122.) " Since Paul says, our fathers
" were baptized to Moses in the cloud and the sea, it is manifest that Bap-
" tism is of no more avail to our justification, than the cloud and the sea to
" their's." Peter Martyr, ad 1 Reg. f. 73. " Assuredly, adults must believe
" before they are baptized ; and if they believe, they are already justified ;
" and when they became members of Christ (?'. e., by justification before Bap-
*' tism), doubtless the devil departed from them;" and f. 74. v. "We deny
" that persons are translated from the kingdom of darkness to that of light,
" by receiving Baptism, since infants obtain this by predestination and the
" promise of God, and by the right of an inherited covenant." Loci 4. 8. 3.
'•In mind and spirit, as soon as we are justified, we are, in very deed, en-
" grafted into Christ and the Church; but since that is not clear to men, it
120 REFORMED — SACRAMENTAL OPPOSED TO REAL.
have the substance of Baptism ' before tliey are baptized,
and have been regenerated ' : that the gift of Baptism tliey
** is afterwards known, when we arc inaugurated by the outward Sacrament"
(which is again Zuingli's notion, that Sacraments are a testimony to men of
what God has previously done for us.) Add. 4. 8. 12., and ad 2 Reg. 13.
" f. 238 (ap. Gat) " Justification is not,:then, first bestowed, when believers
** are baptized, but before ; because Baptism is the sealing of a promise already
" acquired, and the seal of a regeneration already obtained." fVhitaker de
Sacr. q. 1. c. 3. part 2. (ap. Gat p. 108.) "We say, truly, that Sacraments
" do not justify, either in the first or second place, in themselves, and pro-
" perly ; for when our faith in the preaching of the Gospel embraces Christ,
*• then are we just The word then justifies ; the Sacraments seal this justi-
** fication ; so that, unless any one comes to the Sacraments justified and holy,
" the Sacraments cannot justify him. The first, then, and second justification
" are conferred through the preaching of the word ; but are nourished and
" increased through the Sacraments. These cannot confer justification on
" one who has it not, but can only increase and strengthen it in one who has
<' it," and "Scripture teaches that faith justifies: he, then, who believes, is
" justified : and we can believe without Sacraments." Jmes adv. Bellarm.
(t iii, disp. 14. q. 3. thes. 3. Ap. Gat 121.) "Scripture teaches, that jus-
" tifying faith precedes Baptism." Chamier (Panstrat t iv. 1. 2. c. 6. §. 2.)
uses the same words as Whitaker : " The Sacrament does not justify," &c.
' Peter Martyr, ad 1. Reg. 8. fol. 74 : — " Why then are infants baptized, if
" they have the substance (rem) of Baptism beforehand? A. 1. We therein
" obey God, who enjoined on us the work of Baptism. 2. We seal the pro-
" mise and gift which we have received. 3. Faith is confirmed by the Holy
" Spirit through the word and outward symbols." Add Loci. 4. 8. 3.
Dameus (adv. Bellar. t. ii. contr. c. 5. ad. Test. 1. ex Concil. Nicen. 1. ap. Gat.
p. 123.) " The sign of water attests and seals the regeneration of the bap-
" tized ; but in no way effects, causes, or produces it" Hence also Witsius,
1. c. § 46. in the name of the reformed school, distinguishes between " the " real
" and socraTwenf a/ justification and regeneration ; the real, which takes place in
" the minds of the elect, and whereby they are renewed to spiritual life and
" participation in the Divine favor ; sacramental, which is a solemn declaration,
" sealing, and profession of that real regeneration, and which is at tlie use of
" the Sacrament"
2 ff'aUeus(de Bapt Thes. 28. ap. Gat p. 116.) Gataker himself, p. 103:
" They to whom the Apostle is speaking, whether they had approached the
" holy font either truly believing or feignedly, in neither case had received
" that grace at Baptism. If they feigned, the rite wrought nothing as to them ;
" if believing, Baptism could not confer regenerating grace on them ; for
" having been regenerated before, how could they be re-born again ?" in
REGENERATION NEVER ATTENDS ADULT BAPTISM. 121
have already received ; have already been made members of
Christ's Church ^ ; they deny that all are born in original
guilt'; they regard it as a grievous error, to suppose that we
are regenerated by the act of baptizing ' : Baptism, according
proof whereof he cites St. Augustine's saying, " Neither birth can be repeated,
"^neither the natural nor the spiritual ; neither the birth from Adam nor from
" Christ." And he speaks consistently, that regeneration never attends
adult baptism, p. 95. " The faithful is not admitted to Baptism, as if, yet
" needing remission of sins or regeneration, he might obtain them thereby,
" as by a mean, but that he might have the remission and regeneration,
" which he has already received, published as by a public sign, and sealed by a
" common seal," (see Socinus, de Bapt. aquse, Note P. at the end.) " Every
*' faithful adult comes to the holy font, having already obtained plenary
"remission of alibis past sins, and internal regeneration; and so, not in
" want of remission for past sins, nor of regeneration, which he has already
*' obtained." And p. 100 — " Sacraments do not apply the merits of Christ
" in adults, either to the increase of grace, or the sealing of the guilt re-
" mitted, unless they have been already renewed and regenerated."
^ Whitaker, de Sacr. q. 1. c. 3, et 4. (ap. Gat. p. 108.) " Baptism does not
*' first and properly make us members of the Catholic Church and of Christ,
" but by a figure of speech only (metonymice), because it confirms that we
** are such, and seals to us that rite." " They who believe, instantly
" [thereby] become members of the Catholic Church." T. Cartwright, L. 3-
p. 134 (ap. Hooker, v. 60.) " He which is not a Christian before he come to
** receive Baptism, cannot be made a Christian by Baptism, which is only
" the seal of the grace of God, before received." Wits. 1. c. § 21. " Conjmu-p
" nion with Christ and His mystical body in elect infants seems to precede
*' Baptism, at least in the judgment of charity."
2 Whitaker, de Sacr. q. 2. c. 2. arg. 3. ad. obj. 3. (ap Gat. p. 95.) " We
*' are not all born in guilt; for some are holy in the womb, as John Baptist
*' and Jeremiah," and ad obj. 4. " By the gift of grace some may be born
•* sons of God, as Jacob, John Baptist, Jeremiah, and others of the like sort."
3 P. Martyr (loci 4. 9. 14.) '' Augustine grievously erred in this doc-
*♦ trine, in ascribing too much to Baptism. For he does not acknowledge
" that it is [merely] an outward symbol of regeneration ; but liolds that,
" by the very act of baptizing, we are regenerated and adopted, and pass
" over into the family of Christ." Beza also calls it " a palpable error,
" drawn from the stinking pools of the schoolmen, who, to introduce their sa-
" tanic doctrine of the impress or mark [given through Baptism] had regarded
" the Sacraments as subordinate instruments in conferring grace, God as
*' the principal Cause. Into this error men had fallen, not understanding
" the sayings of the Fathers, who, not certainly with any view of attributing
122 REFORMED SACRAMENTS EFFECT NOTHING.
to them, does not make persons children of God, but attests
them to be so ^ : the Sacraments do not confer grace ^ : nay,
" to the signs that which is the work of the Holy Spirit only, but to com-
" mend the use and efficacy of the Sacraments, had so spoken of the signs,
" as to seem to attribute to them as subordinate imtruments (as those people
" please to call them) what belongs to the Divine power only." CoUoq.
Mompelg. Dogm. 1, 2, de Bapt. p. 115. ap. Gat. p. 105.
* " Baptismus filios Dei non facit, sed qui jam ante filii Dei sunt, filiorum
" Dei testimonium signum vel tesseram recipiunt." Zuirigli, (ad. Luther.
Confess, resp. fol. 477- ap. Gat. p. 96.) Ames (adv. Bellar. t. iii. d. 12. de
Bapt q. 1. Thes. 5. ibid. p. 93.) " Men are properly baptized, because they
" are accounted sons of God, not that they may begin to be sons ; otherwise
" there were no reason why the children of infidels should not be baptized
" as much as those of believers." Calvin, (Antidot. adv. Censur. Facult.
Paris, art. 1.) " They do not become children of God by Baptism ; but
" because, by the benefit of the promise, they are heirs of the adoption,
" therefore the Church admits them to Baptism." Ap, Gat. p. 132. T. C.
Confut. of Rhem. Test. " Nor yet that those, who are indeed holy, need
" not the use of the Sacrament of Baptism (as a scale of their holinesse, but
" not as the cause thereof.")
* Tzegedinus, loci de Sacram. tab. 2. ap. Gat. 1. c. " The Sacraments do
** not confer grace, for the saints are justified and received into grace before
*' they are initiated by the Sacraments." TVhitaker, de Sacr. q. 4. c. 1. arg.
6. (ibid.) " He who has faith has grace and righteousness ; how then are
*' these bestowed upon him through Sacraments?" Zuingli, Confess. A. 30.
art. 7' aP' Gerhard, de Bapt. § 66. *' Sacraments are given as a public tes-
'* timony of that grace, which each has privately beforehand." " Baptism
" does not confer grace, but attests to the Church that grace has been
" bestowed upon him to whom it is given." " I believe, yea, I know of a
" certainty, that all Sacraments, so far from conferring originally grace
" (conferant), do not even bring any (adferant), nor dispense it." De Pecc.
Orig. " The signs (Sacraments) efiect nothing, being outward things, whereby
** nothing is effected in the conscience." Chamiery torn. iv. 1. 2. c. 9. § 18.
ap. Gat p. 102. " No seal works that which it seals ; but the Sacraments
•' are seals of grace ; therefore none of them work grace." Calvin, Instit.
4. 14. 14. " A« the one party overthrows the use of the Sacranoents, so
" there are others who imagine that the Sacraments have, I know not what,
" hidden powers, which we read not of being placed in them." § 17. " We
•' must beware lest what the Ancients have written somewhat too exalt-
** edly, to magnify the dignity of the Sacraments, should lead us into an error,
" akin to this, as if there were any hidden power annexed and affixed to the
" Sacraments, which by itself would confer the graces of the Holy Spirit,
— SACRAMENTS HAVE NO OTHER OFFICE THAN THE WORD. 123
tl»ey seem to regard the Sacraments as extolled, if they
place their efficacy on a level with that of God's written word *,
*' as wine is given in a vessel ; whereas the office appointed them by
" God is to attest and ratify the good-will of God towards us. They are
" from God, like good tidings from men, or earnests in making bargains;
" inasmuch as in themselves they do not confer any grace, but inform us, and
" show, what have been given us by the Divine bounty." Peter Martyr, ad.
Rom. xi. ap. Gat. " We utterly deny that any Saci-aments confer grace.
" They offer it, indeed ; but by signifying it only (sed in significatione) ; for
" in Sacraments, in words, and visible signs, the promise of God made to
" us through Christ is proposed to us ; which if we apprehend by faith,
" we both obtain greater grace than that was which we before had, and seal
" by the seal of the Sacraments the gift which we had embraced by faith."
Loci, 4. 7- 16- " The schoolmen [rather St. Augustine] say that the * Sacra-
*' ments of the Gospel confer grace ;' but this is nothing else than to attri-
" bute to creatures the cause of our salvation, and to bind ourselves to the
" symbols and elements of this world 1" [Some of these writers, by " con-
" ferring grace," mean *' imparting the first good motions," and this they
deny, because in adults there must have been faith and repentance to qualify
them to receive Baptism. To this statement there could have been no ob-
jection, but that they proceed to infer, 1st, that Baptism is never the instru-
ment of conferring this primary grace, and so not in infants. 2d. According
to them faith and repentance contain in themselves justification, regeneration,
adoption, insertion into Christ, whereof Baptism becomes but the seal.]
* Calvin, ad Act. 22. 16. " As to the formal cause of the forgiveness of sins,
" the Holy Spirit holds the first place ; but there is joined the inferior
" organ, the preaching of the Gospel, and Baptism itself." Institt. 4. 14. 7-
" Let this be regarded as settled, that the Sacraments have no other office
" than the Word of God." Whitaker, de Sacram. q. 4. c. 2. ap. Gat. p. 92.
" The Word and the Sacraments operate in the same way." Rivetus, Disp.
43. de Bapt. Thes. 30. ap. Gat. p. 97. " The end of the Sacraments is to
*' seal to the faithful the promise of the Gospel, and confirm faith; because
" as the Word, so Sacraments are organs whereby God acts upon and moves
" the hearts of the faithful." P. Martyr, loci, 2. 17- 45. " As the word
" sounds, and is heard in the voice, so the Sacrament, in the visible and
" apparent sign, speaks and admonishes us, which when we believe, we;
** obtain in fact that which it promises and signifies. And think not that
" sins are remitted to us by receiving the Sacrament, — by the action of the
** Sacrament itself (opus operatum). For this we obtain by faith, when we
" believe what it teaches us visibly, by the institution of Christ, so that
" the Sacrament is of the same avail as the Word of God." And in nearly
the same words as Calvin — ** This must abide fixed and certain, that nothing*
I 2
124 REFORMED — SACRAMENTS MODES OF TEACHING.
(which has, doubtless, also a mystical power, as being God's
word, and operates as such on the human soul, independently of,
and above its containing Divine truth, yet is not a direct means
of union with God in Christ) : the Sacraments are in no other
way efficacious, contribute nothing in addition to the written
word * : the words of consecration are of no other avail than by
teaching ; by teaching alone does the dead element begin to be
a Sacrament^.
" more is to be allowed to the Sacraments, as ministering to salvation, than
" to the Word of God." Loci, 4. 7« 16- See also the passage quoted from
him Note 1, p. 117- Whitaher. sup. Note 1. p. 119. " The word justifies ; the
" Sacraments seal this justification." Beza, Summa Doctr. de re Sacram.
Tract, t. i. p. 207; " The word is sometimes single, such as is the daily
" preaching of the Word; sometimes has visible signs added, with certain
*' ceremonies, which the Greeks call nvarripia, the Latirts, sacraments."
^ P. Martyr Loci, 1. c. " As the word of God in truth signifies and gives to
" believers whatever it promises, so Baptism, received by faith, both sig-
" nifies and exhibits to the believer the remission of sins, which it pro-
" raises by visibly speaking. With regard to God, the absolution through
" the word, and the Sacraments, is one and the same, and so also with regard
** to our sins; which remission, however, is confirmed and renewed in us, as
" often as we believe the words, whereby it is signified to us. Whether
" this take place through the spoken or the visible word (the Sacraments)
" is the same thing. As often, then, as we either hear the word, or receive
" the Sacraments by faith, the remission of sins is solemnly assured (sancitur)
" to us. Nor ought it to seem strange to any one, that Sacraments have
" been instituted by Christ, since by them, no otherwise than by the outward
" word of Scripture, He wills that the efficacy of the Spirit should penetrate
" in believers." —Add Loci, 4. 7- 5.
2 Calvin's words on Eph. v. 26. " In the word. The * word' here signifies
*• the promise, whereby the power and use of the sign is explained. For they
" boast that they have the word, but it is as an incantation ; for they mumble
" it in an unknown tongue, as if it were meant rather for the dead element,
** than for man. There is no explanation of the mystery to the people, which
" (explanation) alone causes the dead element to begin to be a Sacrament."
Forstius, Anti-Bellarm. in t. iii. Contr. i. Thes. 3. has the same language
about magic incantations ; and P. Martyr Loci, 4. 7- C, and others. In a re-
cent publication, the idea that Sacraments are instruments of grace, or
communicate grace instrumen tally, is decried as a scholastic theory, an<l
the ready reception of such a theory of Sacramental influence, is stated to be
^' sufficiently accounted for, by the general belief in magic, in the early ages
t
INFANT BAPTISM FURNISHES OUTWARD MOTIVES ONLY. 125
These are only so many several ways of saying the same thing,
viz. that we derive every thing, — forgiveness of sins, regenera-
tion, sanctification, adoption, strengthening and refreshing, —
directly from God, not through the medium of the Sacraments,
(for to the Sacraments themselves, except as so many channels
from Christ, no one would attribute any efficacy,) that the Sa-
craments are only means of exhibiting to us God's promises, and
disposing as to believe them. Infant Baptism, according to this
theory, could manifestly convey nothing to the child ; and so
Calvin * makes its main use to be, a solace to the parent, as
assuring them that their child is within the Covenant (which yet
one hardly sees how, since if not elect, it was not within the
Covenant, nor did its election depend upon the faith of the pa-
rent) : of the child he says only that it derives " some little
" benefit (nonnihil emolumenti) from its Baptism, in that being
*' engrafted into the body of the Church it is somewhat more
" recommended to the other members. Thus when it shall
" grow up it is thereby excited greatly to the earnest desire of
" worshipping God, by whom it had been received as a son, by
" the solemn symbol of adoption, before it was old enough to
" acknowledge Him as a Father." These outward motives then
are all the spiritual benefits of Infant Baptism : just as persons
are wont to speak of the exalted motives held forth by Christ-
ianity ; — true indeed, but a small portion of the truth ; as if the
Sacraments or the whole Gospel were so many means of per-
suading man, impelling man, acting upon man's heart, instead of
being " a power of God unto salvation."
Baptism, we are told by these writers, is a moral, not a physi-
cal instrument ; and if by this it had been meant, that it acts
upon our moral powers, this would, of course, have been true, but
" of the Church !" Will this be a warning to men, whither the anti-myste-
rious theories of the day lead ?
^ Institt. 4. 16. 9. Darueus adv. Bellarm. (t. ii. contr. 2. c. 13. arg. 4. ap.
Gat. p. 94.) " Baptism is not given to the infants of believers, that the faith
" of infants may be confirmed (at least not for the present) ; but that the
" belief of believing parents, who had begotten these infants, might be
"strengthened." Gen. xvii. 7.
1^6 DOCTRINE OF THE INFLUENCES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
what no one would dispute : but it does mean more ; and while
the old doctrine of the Sacraments is stigmatized under the term
physical, (as if forsooth physical were corporeal,) a subtle
rationalism is imperceptibly introduced. For thus the gift of
Baptism, and with it, all spiritual influences, instead of being an
actual imparting of Divine grace to the human soul, a real union
with Christ, are explained away to be the mere exhibition of
outward motives, high indeed and heavenly, but still outward to
man's soul, whereby he is led to act as he thinks will please God.
The participation of Christ in and out of the Sacraments (though
not the same) will be conceived of in the same way ; and so the
doctrine of the Sacraments again affects that other great doctrine
of our sanctification by the Holy Ghost* For if men conceive
of Sacraments'as external symbols, and acting through a moral
operation, by representing to our souls the greatness of His
love. His humiliation, His sufferings, and thus kindling our faith,
and thereby uniting us with Him ; then, and much more, will
all the operations of the Holy Spirit be resolved into the pre-
senting to the mind outward motives ; and His sanctifying influ-
ence will become as merely external, any, far more so, than the
ministration of what men call " the outward word." It is well
to see the tendency of these doctrines, and how, under the sem-
blance of removing what men call physical, they do in fact de-
stroy all real, immediate, mysterious influence of God upon the
human soul. " The Spirit," says one \ " sanctifies no other-
" wise than that He impresses upon our minds the objects,
" which in the cross and resurrection of Christ, and in the other
" parts of the Christian religion, are incitements to lay hold of
•* Christian virtues, as also whatever is oflTered to us in the preach-
" ing of the Gospel ; and moreover, when fading from our mind
" He recalls them to our recollection, and, lastly, so illumines
" them v^ith His light, that they descend from the mind into the
*' affections, and in them continually struggle against the vice im-
'* planted by nature." And this impressing of objects, or their
moral representation, is contrasted with the direct " action upon
' Amyraldus Disp. de Paedobaptismo. A p. Wit, I. c. §. 36.
AFFECTED BY REFORMED THEORY OF THE SACRAMENTS. 127
** the soul, which approaches to the nature of physical causes :"
wherein, in words only physical operation is excluded, in fact, all
that is hyperphysical, in other words, all that is supernatural.
It is essential (at the risk of prolixity and repetition) to have the
character of these two views fully impressed upon our minds ;
for upon them depends the whole manner in which we receive
God's spiritual influences ; and in this age, which so loves what
is clear, and definite, and rational, as readily to forfeit all that is
deep, and mysterious, and indefinite, because infinite, and which
is consequently already swept and garnished for the reception of
rationalism, it is of vital importance to see into which of these
two paths we are entering. For thereon the whole faith of our
country may depend. It is not then the question, whether men
call the Sacraments physical or moral causes, but what they
mean by denying them to be physical, or asserting them to be
moral causes ; for although this may formerly, in a different
section of the Church \ have been denied or asserted, in a sense
which did not alter men's notions of the Sacraments, it was not
so in the Reformed Church, nor is it so now. The question
then at issue between the Ancient, the English, and the Lutheran
Church on the one side, and the School of Zuingli and Calvin,
and so most of the Reformed Church on the other, was this :
whether (to take the statement of the pious and learned John
Gerhard as to his own Church) " the Sacraments were instru-
" ments, means, vehicles, whereby God offers, exhibits, and ap-
*' plies to believers the especial promises of the Gospel, remission
" of sins, righteousness, and life eternal ^." What namely is
' By Estius in Lib. 4. Sentent. Dist. 1. n. 5. (quoted by Witsius, 1. c. § 82.)
and Vazquez in 3 Part. Disp. 132. Some of the schoolmen, too, in asserting
the physical, e. e. the actual, real operation of the Sacraments, appear to have
spoken too corporeally, as was to be expected in the Romish Church, whence
they are blamed by Hooker, App. to B. 5. n. 1. p. 702 sqq. ed. Keble, as has
been shown me by the editor.
2 Witsius, quoting this, 1. c. § 60, adds, " the Lutherans on this point op-
" pose, not Zuingli only, but Calvin also, Beza, Grynseus, Tossanus, Piscator,
*• and the Reformed Doctors generally, who deny that the Sacraments have
" really in them treasures and heavenly goods, as though a promise were
128 WHAT IS MEANT BY DENYING THE PHYSICAL,
denied, under the name *' physical," is, that they are real instru'
ments of conveying God's benefits to the soul : what is asserted
by the title " moral" is, that they are signs only of past benefits,
which they impress upon the memory, whereby (God's Holy
Spirit acting, as He does, in every good thought, word, and
work) faith is increased. This is the contrast which is con-
stantly present to the minds of the reformed writers ; this is laid
down as the fundamental principle of the whole school : " in the
" sum of the matter," says Witsius', '' by the grace of God, all
*' the orthodox agree. The Sacraments, in respect to Divine
" gracej are destitute oi a\\ physical efficacy, or efficacy praperly
" so called, and only concur morally towards it :" and in expla-
nation of this language he approves of the defender of the Re-
monstrants, who defines^ physical exhibiting or sealing to be,
** when a thing is brought, given, distributed, either at the same
" time as, (simul) or, together with, (una) or with, or by, or
" under, or in, or at, or about the signs (so to speak) physically ;
" hyperphy steal or miraculous, when an unknown or doubtful
*' thing is confirmed, established, or certified, and so is exhibited
" to the mind, as it were, to be seen and felt : such are miracles,
" and all powers exceeding the force of nature. Lastly, sacra-
" mental^ evangelical, whereby Divine grace, through certain
*' signs, is — not represented from far or at a distance^ nor under
" certain types, shadows or figures, are shown as through a tele-^
" scope, as what is to take place hereafter, but — placed before
" the eyes, as now present, so clearly as if it were given to be
" handled by the senses and hands, as eflticaciously as the mind
** can by any means be aftected by those signs, without destroy-
" ing the nature and property of signs and their significancy.
" This last is the doctrine of the Remonstrants." " I know
*' not," subjoins Witsius, " what the Orthodox can find wanting
*' herein." Yet, here, all Divine grace conveyed together, or
simultaneously with, or through the signs, all supernatural or
miraculous working, is expressly denied, and that alone retained
" given us by them. Nor, thus far, do the reformed theologians complain of any
•' calumny ; nay, they, for their part, attack the Lutherans on this very point."
« L, c. § 80. 2 L. c. § 60.
AND ASSERTING THE MORAL OPERATION OF THE SACRAMENTS. 129
which is consistent with the Sacraments remaining mere signs.
And so to the notion of " those ^ who hold that God, by a sort
" of covenant, operates on occasion of the Sacraments, (although
" they ascribe all the efficacy to God, not to the Sacraments,")
they oppose the reformed doctrine, that God is wont to give
His grace before Sacraments are received, and that these are
only signs and indications that such grace has been received;
" and the notion of uniting God's grace with the Sacraments they
" regard as little differing from a magical superstition of words and
" signs ;" and when, on the other hand, a writer of this Church*
would assert more efficacy than usual to the Sacraments, the state-
ment which he denies is that of this school, that " Sacraments only
" seal grace already received," and he asserts that they " are also
" means of receiving grace, and signs of grace which is present,
" and communicated and conferred together with them, — that
** in the right use of the Sacraments, a certain Divine power is
" connected therewith, which, through the sure covenant and
*' promise of God, confers a salutary grace on the receiver, and
" acts in his soul."
Henceforth then there were these two opposite views of the
Sacraments : that of the old Church that they were " efficacious
" instruments or channels of grace to all not unworthy receivers,"
and the modern one, that " they were signs of grace, v. hich grace
" was imparted then, or previously, or subsequently directed by
" the action of fche Holy Spirit on the soul of the receiver, in con-
" sequence of and through faith, and not through the Sacrament."
Infant Baptism the Ancient Church accounted (as above
explained) an efficacious channel of grace to all ; only they
held that the grace so imparted might be subsequently with-
drawn, if the individual permanently resisted its workings;
otherwise, by virtue of that Sacrament, they held that the new
nature then implanted would gradually overpower, weaken,
destroy the old man ; the leaven then infused would, at the last,
" leaven the whole lump." In adults, faith was required, but
» Burmann Synops. 1. 7- c. 4. § 28, ap. Wits. 1. c. § 73.
■ Le Blanc Disp. de usu ct efficacia Sacramni. N. T. § 45, 6, ap. Wits.
1. c. § 62.
130 RtFOllMED — BAPTISM LESS THAN CONFIRMATION.
only as removing an obstacle to the beneficial workings of God'«
Spirit through the Sacraments. The modern school, in that they
held the children of Christian parents to be *' holy in the root,"
to be " holy and faithful" before Baptism, regarded as the bene-
fits of complying with this ordinance ; 1st, obedience to God's com-
mand : ^ndly, visible incorporation into the Church ; Sdly, in-
crease of grace already received ; 4thly, strength and confirma-
tion ; — whereby the peculiar graces of Baptism are presupposed as
already given, then only to be enlarged and confirmed ^ ; so that
Baptism hardly occupies the place which in the Ancient Church
was assigned to confirmation. If, again, a parent, (not through
mischance, for this was almost always allowed for in the early
Church, but) through wilful neglect should fail to bring his child
to baptism, and it died without Baptism, then the child was con-
sistently held not to be in the state of a heathen child, (which, in
fact, though born of Christian parents, it was,) but was assumed
to have all the privileges of the Covenant ^ ; nay, it was used as
an argument ^, why " regeneration should not be supposed ordi-
" narily to be imparted at the same time, as Baptism :" that, " so
" the carefulness of such parents as brought their children be-
" times to Baptism, would accelerate their regeneration and the
" benefits consequent thereon, their negligence would retard it ;
" and so the influence of the Divine grace would ordinarily be
** determined by the carefulness or negligence of other human
" beings." On this ground it ought, consistently, to follow that
Infant Baptism had no benefits at all, since, whatever they are
supposed to be, they are obtained through the carefulness and
faithful obedience of others ; the Word of God ought to have no
power upon the soul, since on the carefulness or negligence of pa-
rents evidently depends the time when our children become ac-
* Witsius, 1. c. § 57 sqq., states the same, in part involuntarily, in the very
language of Calvin. P. Martyr's statement, Loci 4. 7-4. is yet lower.
2 E. g. Calvin Institt. 4. 16. 26, &c.
' Witsius, I.e. § 76i and many others: c. g. Taylor on the Epistle to
Titus, p. 645, "What an unequal thing were it, that if parents should neglect
" to bring children seasonably unto baptism, the child, not offending, should,
" for the parent's fault, be condemned !"
EFFECTS OF COMPARING BAPTISM WITH CIRCUMCISION. 131
quainted, nay, in some measure, how they are impressed with it ;
and so on, with regard to every means wherewith one person is
entrusted to promote the soul's health of others. The blessed
communion of our Lord's Body and Blood in like manner is
made in some way dependant upon the ministry of the Church,
since she is entrusted with the power of dispensing it more or
less frequently ; and so upon her faithfulness depends, in some
measure, the richness and fulness of the blessing which her mem-
bers enjoy. But all this is again a priori and rationalistic arguing.
For why should not the spiritual blessings of one man depend upon
others ? and do they not most manifestly ? The Jewish child,
if not circumcised on the eighth day, was to be cut off. Did not
its inferior privileges depend upon the obedience of its parents ?
Are not pious parents a high spiritual blessing ? and if so, why
should not the simple obedience to God's ordinance be a means
of obtaining the blessings of that ordinance for our children ?
The comparison with Circumcision, which is generally found
united with this theory, occasionally served to extol that sign,
whence it was asserted to convey regeneration * as well as the
other privileges of the Christian covenant, (only as was some-
times said, in a lesser fulness than now) : for the most part Sts
effect was to bring down Baptism from a Sacrament of Christ
to the character of the signs of the older Dispensation *. Thus
• Ainsworth's Censure upon a Dialogue of the Anabaptists, p. 49. " They
" to whom God giveth the signe and seale of righteousness by faith, and of
'* regeneration, they have faith and regeneration ; for God giveth no lying
" signe ; Hee sealeth no vaine or false Covenant. But God gave to infants
" circumcision, which was the signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith
" and regeneration. Gen. xvii. 12 ; Rom. iv. 11, and ii. 28, 29 ; Col. ii. 11.
" Therefore infants had (and, consequently, now have) faith and regeneration,
" though not in the crop and harvest by declaration, yet in the bud and be-
" ginning of all Christian graces. They that deny this reason, must either
'♦ make God the author of a lying signe and seale of the Covenant to Abra-
" ham and his infants, or they must hold, that infants had those graces then,
" but not now ; both which are wicked and absurd to affirme. Or they must
** say, that circumcision was not the signe and seale of the righteousness of
" faith, and then they openly contradict the Scripture. Rom. iv. 11." Comp.
Calv. Institt. iv. 16. 4.
^ Sec note K, at the end.
132 MODIFICATIONS OF THE THEORY IN REFORMED CONFESSIONS.
men, in the fears of a papal magnifying of the Sacraments fell into
the opposite extreme : for fear it should seem absolutely neces-
sary they made it seem almost indifferent : and for fear God's
grace should be " tied to the Sacrament," they virtually dis-
joined God's grace from His own ordinance.
The language, in which this theory of the Sacraments was
expressed, was subjected to various modifications, partly in con-
sequence of the anxiety of this school (which is visible in the
vehemence of their protests ^ ) to make out to themselves that
the Sacraments did not, on their theory, become *' empty signs :"
partly to satisfy the Lutherans, whose chief ground of complaint
against the reformed lay against this innovation. It is, conse-
quently, difficult to ascertain, in the several confessions, how
much of this theory ^ they retained, and in what degree they
attempted to engraft upon it the language of the old and the Lu-
theran Church. There is, however, a remarkable correspondence
' We are not eager in throwing oflf imputations, to which we feel that our
views do not expose us. There is a striking difference between the sedate
manner In which the Lutherans and the English Church declare against the
heretical tenet, that the " Sacraments are badges and tokens of Christian
men's profession," and the energy with which the Reformed Church throw it
off as an imputation.
2 The theory of Zuingli is fully contained in the three Helvetic Confessions
(which were composed under the influence of his disciples), the Hungarian,
and the Belgic : less explicitly in the Gallic (which drew upon its author,
Beza, the charge of apostacy). In the Scotch, it is implied in the statement
on the Lord's Supper, but not in that upon Baptism ; and it is in some
respects modified in (Calvin's) Catechism of Geneva. In the Heidelberg
Catechism, (composed by Z. Ursini, also a disciple of Zuingli,) it is through-
out implied, though not in the technical language which occurs in the Hel-
vetic Confessions: of the other symbolical books of the Reformed German
Church, the Confessio Tetrapolitana, 1530, (Bucer's) : Marchica, 1613,
(Pelargus') Colloquium Lipsiacum, 1631 : Declaratio Thoruniensis, 1645,
are entirely free from it : in the Confessio it is nearly effaced. The Bohemian
or Moravian Brethren appear, according to the " Confessio Bohemica," A.D.
1536, to have been counted wrongly, as well as our own Church, as belonging
to what is technically called the Reformed Church ; unless so far as " Re-
formed" may be a negative term, opposed simply to Lutheran and Romanist,
without implying doctrinal agreement among the several portions of that
body. See further Note L, at the end.
REFORMED, LUTHERAN, AND ENGLISH LITURGIES. 133
in the decisiveness wherewith this theory is spoken out in the
confessions of the several branches of the Reformed Church, and
their Liturgies : only these are obviously surer tests of belief,
since confessions are often modified for the sake of harmony ;
prayer would express by its omissions as well as by its actual
petitions. The comparison consequently of the old, and the
Lutheran, and our own Liturgy on the one hand, with the
Reformed Liturgies on the other, is very instructive as to the
tenets of the several Churches ^
Into our own country this theory was introduced partly by
Peter Martyr, partly by the intercourse with the Swiss reformers :
one might instance Bishop Hooper, as one who inclined, in out-
ward things, to the school of Geneva, and in whose statement of
the Sacraments^ scarcely a vestige of any spiritual influence
remains. It appears, also, very prominently in the early con-
troversies with the Romanists. Upon this system it was idle to
speak of the connection of Regeneration with Baptism, since
Baptism conferred upon infants no spiritual grace. The new
birth being separated from Christ's ordinance, it was natural to
* See Note M at the end.
* " Although Baptism be a Sacrament to be received, and honourably used
" of all men, yet it sanctijteih no man. And such as attribute the remission
" of sin* unto the external sign [i. e. unto the Sacrament as an instrument,
" for none would ascribe it to the water only,] do offend. John preached
" penitence in the desert, and remission of sin in Christ. Such as con-
" fessed their faults he marked and declared to be of Christ's Church. So
" that external Baptism was but an inauguration or external consecration of
" those that first believed, and were cleansed of their sin. Such as be bap-
" tized must remember that repentance and faith precede this external sign ;
" and in Christ the purgation was inwardly obtained, before the external
" sign was given. Thus be the infants examined concerning repentance and
" faith, before they be baptized with water, at the contemplation of which
" faith God purgeth the soul. Then is the exterior sign and deed not to
" purge the heart, but to confirm, manifest, and open unto the world, that this
** child is God's [again Zuingli's notion]. And likewise Baptism, with the
*' repetition of the words, is a very sacrament and sign that the child should
" die unto sin all his life (Rom. vi.). Likewise, no man should condemn
" nor neglect this exterior sign, for the commandmenf s sake ; though it have
" no power to purge sin, yet it confirmeth the purgation of sin ; and the act
" of itself pleaseth God, as an act of obedience." (Declaration of Christ.)
134 ORIGIN OF MODERN SENSE OF REGENERATION.
make it coincide with the first appearance of spiritual life : only,
since our Saviour says, " Except a man be born again he can-
*' not see the kingdom of God," it was assumed that those
infants who, being elected, died in infancy, were regenerated,
although, apparently, not through, or at Baptism \ And so the
term " regeneration" came to be used for the visible change, or
almost for " sanctification ^," and its original sense, as denoting
a privilege of the Christian Church, was wholly lost. Hencci
also, it could not but follow that persons were (in this sense)
regenerated, some before, some after Baptism ; for since re-
generation was taken to mean, partly, the first actual commence-
ment of conscious spiritual life, partly that life in its subsequent
development; then, since faith and repentance are the com-
mencements of spiritual life, it was held that any one to whom
God had given these, was also regenerate ; and so also any pious
Jew was regenerated, and if baptized, then regenerated before
Baptism ^. But this is not the scriptural usage of the term, and
1 Institt. 4. 16, 17, 18. 21. In like manner, Beza, Act Collat. Mompelgard.
** As to infants born in the Church, and elected by God, (as I said all may be
" presumed to be,) and who are to die before they obtain the use of reason,
" 1 should readily suppose, relying on the promise of God, that they by their
*' birth are engrafted into Christ. But of others, what else can we decide,
" without the most evident rashness, than that they are then regenerated,
" when they have true faith given them througli * hearing?' Unless in some
" God put forth that extraordinary efficacy of His inspiration ; but who can
" deHne this ?" (Ap. Wits. 1. c. §. 30.)
2 Calvin makes regeneration rather the consequence than the cause of
Christian sanctification. " We then" (he says, Institt. 4. 15. 6.) " obtain
" regeneration from Christ's death and resurrection, if, having been sanc-
" tified by the Spirit, we are imbued with a new and spiritual nature."
Witsius (1. c. § 33.) notices this same confusion: — "Some theologians of
" great estimation contend that infants are baptized for a future sanctifica-
" tion, which, whether, and how, they distinguish from regeneration, I confess J
*' do not clearly perceive."
^ Thus even Witsius, though he notes the confusion made between rege-
neration and sanctification, argaes that the passages in H. Scr. which seem
to attribute remission of sins in Baptism, are not to be understood in their
obvious sense, " because in adults regeneration, repentance, faith, (from
" which remission of sins cannot be separated for a moment,) are required
*' before Baptism." So again he argues, ** because many catechumen.s were
9 -
REGENERATION A GIFT TO MAN IN CHRIST. 135
came in with the false view of the Sacraments as signs and seals
only. Undoubtedly the pious men under the old dispensation
were sanctified ; and in these days of ordinary attainment, how
must we look back with shame and dejection upon the worthies
of the elder Covenant, upon " those three men, Noah, Daniel,
•* and Job," or upon Abraham the " father of the faithful," and
the " friend of God." Greatly were they sanctified : the Spirit
of God dwelt in their hearts, and wrought therein the incor-
ruption amid a corrupted world, the self-denial, the patience, the
unhesitating, unwearied faith, for which we yet venerate them.
The Spirit of God, which at last withdrew from every other
human heart, hallowed, and, hke His emblem the dove, abode in
the Ark ; He purified the breast of the " preacher of righteous-
*' ness," and kindled the filial piety of his two sons. Yet was
not Noah therefore regenerate. " These all, having obtained a
" good report through faith, received not the promise ; God
" having provided some better thing for us, that they without
** us should not be made perfect." They were the faithful ser-
vants, but not as yet the sons, of God. Christ had not died :
our nature was not yet placed at God's right hand : the ever-
blessed Son of God had not yet become man, that we, whom
** He is not ashamed to call brethren," might be sons of God, as
being in and of Him. One must speak tremblingly of such a
mystery : but one dare not lower the greatness of our new cre-
ation, nor conceal the immensity of our Birthright, although our
feeble brain may turn dizzy, and our faint hearts sink at the ex-
ceeding weight of such glory. We dare not shrink from avowing
it, although we too may have turned " our glory into shame.'
Sons of God ! brethren of Christ ! and if children, then heirs,
heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ ! when He shall ap-
pear, we shall be like Him ! We speak not of the heavenly bless-
edness of the holy Patriarchs, nor how they are to become, or have
become parts of the mystical Body of our and their Redeemer,
or how they shall be endued with that perfectness, which God, for
" of excellent virtue and piety, therefore they had received the Holy Spirit
" before Baptism ; and so their sins were already forgiven them, and accord-
" ingly they were bofn together of the new birth." L c. § 44, 45.
1 36 CHRIST THE son of man, that man may be son of god.
a while, delayed until we should share it with them. Of the
way and means of that blessed consummation we know nothing ;
but we surely do know that they had not that fulness of privilege
which we have, that they *' were not made perfect ;" that, when
the serpent's head was crushed, and the virgin's womb not ab-
horred, and man delivered, the kingdom of Heaven opened, and
the Son of man was also the Son of God, and our flesh sanctified
by the Incarnation, and immortalized and glorified ; then a great
change was wrought upon the earth, the old descent from Adam
cut oflT, in as many as were engraffed into Him, and a new lineage
begun for man, even sonship of God, and brotherhood with
Christ, the Everlasting Son of the Father ! " How," says St.
Augustine', " How do they become sons of God?" they were
born—" ' not of blood,' such as is the first birth, a wretched
** birth, coming of wretchedness, but — of God. The first birth was
" of man and woman, the second of God and the Church ; whence
" was it then that being first born of man, they were born of Gop ?
"The Word became flesh. Mighty change ! He made flesh,
" they spirit ! What dignity ! my brethren. Lift up your mind
" to hope and seek for better things. Shrink from devoting your-
" selves to worldly desires ! ye have been bought with a price :
" for you the Word became flesh : for you He, who was the Son
" of God, became the son of man, that ye, who were sons of men,
" might be made sons of God. He was the Son of God ! What
" became He ? Son of man ! Ye were sons of men ! what were
" ye made? Sons of God! He shared our ills, to give us His
" goodnesses." May God's Holy Spirit open all our hearts to
see what of ourselves we cannot see, what our indolence would
shrink from thinking on, since it involves such high responsi-
bility, that so we may " know the love of Christ, which passeth
" knowledge, that we may be filled with all the fulness of
" God !" Truly, though " none among them that are born of
" woman be greater than John the Baptist, he that is least in
" the kingdom of Heaven is greater than he." We dare, then,
neither compare ourselves with the Holy Patriarchs, nor dare wq
* Serni. xxi, in Kv. Joaim. 1. (al.de Diversis, 85.) on Joh. i. 13.
DEGREES OF SANCTIFICATION. I.'i7
compare their privileges with ours : yea, though it he oppressive
to every one of us, and force us to weep for the extremity of
anguish and shame at our past unfaithfuhiess, yet we dare not
add to our sin by denying the exceeding greatness of the trea-
sures with which we were entrusted.
Regeneration then, or the new-birth whereby we are made
sons of God, is a privilege of the Church of Christ ; and we
dare not extend it where His word doth not warrant us. To the
Church alone in this life, it belongs to be the mother of the sons
of God. We dare not speculate further. Sanctification, on the
contrary, as it includes various degrees, yea ! as the Son of God
" sanctified" Himself, so also in their several degrees is there
the holiness ol the blessed Angels, of Apostles, Martyrs, Con-
fessors, Prophets, Patriarchs, Saints in all ages of the world :
" one star differeth from another star." We limit too much the
manifold operations of God by contracting them within the
bounds of our systems. Doubtless, the history of that primeval
influence of the Spirit of God upon the chaotic elements was
recorded as a type of His universal agency through our whole
moral nature ; and they, " who having not the law, did by nature
" the things contained in the law," had that " law written in their
" hearts" by the Holy Spirit of God. Here we are not left to
conjecture. He strove against the deepening corruption of the
descendants of Cain ; nor have we any reason to think that He
withdrew His influences from the cleansed and new-baptized
world. As then, inspiration includes every imparting " of wisdom
"to the wise- hearted," (Ex. xxxi. 6.) from Bezaleel the son
of Hur, who was " filled with the Spirit of God in wisdom and
" understanding, and in knowledge, and all manner of workinan-
" ship" for the work of the tabernacle, up to the blessed Evan-
gelist, who saw " Him that sat on the throne" and declared the
mystery of the Incarnate Word, so does sanctification compre-
hend the imparting of all holiness, from the faintest spark that
ever purified the heart of a benighted Heathen, to the holiest
Angel who stands before the throne of God. And so we may
recognize, with thankfulness and without misgiving, the virtues
and wisdom which were granted to the Heathen world, as an
K
138 ORIGIN OF ERRONEOUS THEORIES AS TO CORNELIUS.
effluence from Him who filleth all in all, as so many scattered
rays from the Father of lights, powerless almost, or vefy limited
beyond the bosom into which they had descended, because so
scattered, yet still derived from Him " who divideth to every man
severally as He will," and faint emblems of that concentrated
glory which was to be shed upon the world through the Sun of
righteousness.
The case of Cornelius is very remarkable in this respect, as
indeed one should expect the calling of the father of the Gentile
Church to have something peculiar, as well as that of the father
of the first people of God. Two different points in his history
have accordingly been seized upon, and made the Scriptural basis
of distinct theories : his previous holiness — of the school-notion of
grace of congruity — the descent of the Holy Ghost previous to
his Baptism — of the separation of the grace of the Sacrament
from the ordinance \ Each rests upon the same false assump-
tion, that the works done by Cornelius were done in his own
strength, " before" and independently of " the inspiration of
" God's Holy Spiuit," (Art. 13) ; since otherwise there were no
question, on the part of the Schoolmen, of " grace of congruity;"
for as the prayers, the almsgiving, the fasting of Cornelius were
the fruit of faith in God, and of the guidance of His Spirit, the
imparting of " grace after grace" has nothing to do with the
question of human fitness. It is but God's ordinary method of
dealing with us, to proportion His subsequent gifts to the use
which we have made of those before bestowed. " Take from
" him the pound and give it unto him who hath ten pounds.
" And they said unto bim, Lord ! he hath ten pounds. For I
" say unto you, that unto every one who hath shall be given."
* P. Martyr ad Rom. vi. " Nor are regeneration and renovation ofTered to
" us in Baptism, as though we had tliem not in any wise before. For it can-
" not be denied, that adult believers have justification also, before they are
" baptized." In proof whereof, he instances Abraham (Rom. iv.) and Corne-
lius (as, indeed, the case of Cornelius is brought forward by every one of this
school, who would make the Sacraments into outward ordinances) ; and he
himself hence infers, that by Baptism we are visibly (and only visibly) en-
grafted into the Church.
SANCTIFICATION IN AND OUT OF CHRISTIANITY. \o9
(Luke xix. 24, 25). " Unto you who have there shall be added ;
" for he who hath, to him shall be given/' (Mark iv. 24, 25).
On the other hand, Cornelius was not then first sanctified, when
" the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word," but
when he beforetime " feared God with all his house, gave much
" alms to the people, and prayed to God alway." For through
Him alone could he have prayed acceptably. He alone putteth
the spirit of holy fear into man's heart. He was, then, as a Hea-
then, sanctified ; but because the sanctification of a Heathen
who feared God, fell far short of the holiness following upon the
Christian birth, God, by a succession o? visions, prepared the
Centurion to " hear all the things commanded of God," and the
Apostle to preach them : and the first-fruits of the Heathen
world was one, whom God had already, in a high measure,
hallowed, that the pre-eminence of the kingdom of Heaven
might be tlie more manifest, in that it was one universal king-
dom, wherein all should receive remission of sins through the
blood of Christ, wherein not " the publicans and harlots" only
might be cleansed and purified, but also " those who feared God
"and worked righteousness" might find their " acceptance." Cor-
nelius was already, in a measure, sanctified ; and therefore God,
who limits not His blessed workings, either to one nation, or to
one kind of moral disposition, or of moral evil, but absorbs all
the countless varieties of things in heaven and things in earth,
animates them all, and fashioneth them " according to the work-
" ing, whereby He is able to subdue all things unto Himself;"
so He received into His universal kingdom all, rich or poor,
learned or unlearned, wise or foolish, obedient or disobedient,
whoever would now hear His voice and follow Him. And
though His Gospel was, and is still, principally received in its
fulness and its simplicity by *^' the foolish, and the weak, arid the
" base things of the world, and things which are despised," yet
has it shown its power in giving the true wisdom, and might, and
nobleness to those who, in man's school, were already " wise,
" and mighty, and noble ;" and as the first Jewish disciples of
the Saviour of the world were those who already followed the
austere and self-denying Baptist, the Virgin St. John, and St.
K 2
140 CASE OF CORNELIUS, AS FIRST-FRUITS OF THE HEATHEN.
Andrew, so was the first convert from the Gentiles one, who, in
prayer, in alms-giving, in subduing of the flesh, had already
made some progress ; that so all might see, that neither the abyss
of sin was too deep for God's arm to rescue thence the foulest
sinner, nor any holiness, which even He had imparted, sufficed
to admit to the glories of His kingdom, without the " birth of
*' water and the Spirit." Cornelius was already, in a measure,
sanctified ; and therefore He, who " giveth more grace," trans-
lated him into the kingdom of His dear Son, chose him first of
the Gentile world to be a member of Christ, re-generated him
and then sanctified him wholly ; that " all who glory might"
henceforth " glory in the Lord." The miraculous imparting
of the Holy Ghost, whereby they (not Cornelius only) " spake
" with tongues, and magnified God," does not appear (one
must speak reverentially, but still it does not appear) to have
been imparted for the sake of Cornelius, but of the Church ; or
rather for Cornelius' and all our sakes, that it might hence be
testified that from that time there was neither Jew nor Greek,
but that the " kingdom of Heaven was dpened to all believers."
And so the Gentile Church, in the house of Cornelius, was
inaugurated in the same solemn way wherein the Apostles them-
selves had received the " promise of the Father ;" and it was
signified, that " to the Gentiles also was given repentance unto
" life," that among the Gentiles, also, and through the Gentiles,
in every speech, and nation, and language, men " should magnify
** God." And since the visible descent of the Holy Ghost, and
the speaking with tongues, and magnifying God, had, for its im-
mediate _object, to convince St. Peter, and the rest of the Apos-
tles, that " no man should forbid water, that these should not be
baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost, as well as we ;"
what are we, that we should venture to say, that Cornelius had
received all the benefits of Baptism before he was baptized, when
it was his very admittance to Baptism, which God chose in this
way to eflfect * ? or how dare we lower the greatness of our pri-
* Calvin (Institt 4. 15. 15.) asserts, that " Cornelius was baptized, having
" had remission of sins, and the visible gifts of the Holy Spirit, already, be-
"fore this, bestowed upon him : not looking for a fuller remission from liaptitm.
ST. AUGUSTINE ON THE CASE OF CORNELIUS. 1 H
vilege, in being tnade the sons of God ? Cornelius had faith (for
" without faith, it is impossible to please God") ; he had love ;
he had self-denial ; he had had the power to pray given to him ;
but he had not Christian faith, nor love, nor self-denial, nor
prayer ; for as yet he knew not Christ : he could not call God
Father, for, as yet, he knew not the Son. Faith and repentance,
in adults, are necessary to the new birth, but they are not the
new birth. That, God imparteth as it pleaseth Him, according
to the depths of His wisdom : it dependeth not, as faith and
repentance, in some measure, may, upon the will of man, but of
God, who calleth into His Church whom He will.
St. Augustine simply and strikingly expresses this view : " we
" ought not," he says ', " to disparage the righteousness of a
" man, which began before he was joined to the Church, as the
** righteousness of Cornelius had begun before he was one of the
" Christian people ; which, had it been disapproved of, the angel
" had not said, * Thy alms are accepted,' &c. ; nor, if it had suf-
^'Jiced to obtain the kingdom of Heaven, had he been admonished
" to send to Peter :" and in the very passage ^ generally alleged
to disparaf^e what are called " outward ordinances," " Thus,
" in Cornelius, there preceded a spiritual sanctification in the
" gift of the Holy Spirit, and the Sacrament of regeneration
" was added in the washing of Baptism." For St. Augustine
does not look upon Baptism as an outward sign even to Cornelius,
or to be received only as an act of obedience. For, having in-
stanced the pardoned thief, as a case wherein Baptism had, from
necessity, been dispensed with, he adds ^, " much more in Corne-
" lius and his friends might it seem superfluous, that they should
" but a more certain exercise of faith: yea, an increase of confidence from that
"pledge." (So again, P. Martyr, Loci 4. 8. 17.) But where does Scripture say
anything of this ? rather, since the Apostle argues from the miracle wrought
to justify his admission to Baptism, " then hath God also to the Gentiles
** granted repentance unto life," one should infer, that to him also Baptism
was given " for remission of sins." Calvin is here arguing, that Baptism
is, in no case, ** for remission of sins," but for confirmation only. Yet he
himself, when writing against the Anabaptists (lb. 4. 16. 22.) remarks, on this
very case of Cornelius, how " wrongly a general rule is drawn from one
" example."
» Dc Bapt. c. Donat. L. 4. § 28. 2 ij, § 31. 3 15, § 29;
142 SECOND SOURCE OF REJECTION OF BAPTISMAL REGENERATION.
*' be bedewed with water, in whom the gift of the Holy Spirit,
" (which Holy Scripture testifies, that no others received, unless
" baptized,) had appeared conspicuously by that sure token (in con-
" forniity with that period), viz., that they spake with tongues. Yet
" they were baptized, and in this event we have apostolic sanction
" for the like. So surely ought no oncy t7i whatever advanced
" state of the inner man, (yea, if haply, before Baptism, he
*' should have advanced through a pious heart to a spiritual
*' understanding,) to despise the Sacrament which is adminis-
" tered in the body by the work of the ministers, but thereby
" God spiritually operates the consecration of the man."
n. There was yet another school, which, not agreeing with Calvin
in his theory of the Sacraments, but taking in their obvious sense
the statement of our Articles (that " the Sacraments are effectual
" signs"), were yet deterred from fully embracing the doctrine of
Baptismal regeneration, by another doctrine of Calvin, — the in-
defectibility of grace. This school rested not their objections
upon any Scriptural statement of the doctrine of Regeneration,
nor upon any new interpretation of Holy Scripture, nor upon any
supposed inconsistency between the old interpretation and the
actual history of the human soul : that interpretation was virtually
admitted to be the more obvious. Temporary wickedness, and
utter abandonment to sin, was held (and could not but be held)
to be no objection whatever to the truth that such had been
regenerated ; a man, though, for the time, immersed in sin ^ if
elect, and, consequently, destined finally to recover, was held to
have been regenerated in Baptism. The objection originated on
grounds altogether distinct from the subject itself — the indefecti-
bihty of grace.
^ So, at some length, Burges' Answer to Objections, obj. vi. pp. 263 — 297-
So also Beza : — '* They whom God, by His eternal and secret counsel, has
" ordained to grace and eternal life, to these He gives faith and the Holy
" Spirit, which also they retain and never lose, although they sometimes
♦' sin, as happened to David. For such return to themselves, though
" even after a long period, and do not finally fall from the grace of God.
♦* But they whom God has not so elected, yea, if they were baptized a
" thousand times with the outward Baptism of water, faith and tlie Holy
" SriKiT is never given to them ; but, left to the just judgment of God, they
*• perish by their own fault." — CoUoq. Mompelg. p. 3(>6.
ALL TENETS AFFECTED BY THEIR ORIGIN- 143
It will, I fear, to some good men seem invidious, to trace up
the rejection of Baptismal regeneration to a peculiar tenet of
Calvin, as it's primary source ; and at this, one should be much
grieved. But it cannot be avoided : for the character of our
opinions will be much affected by the source from which they
were originally derived, even although we hold them as detached
from that source. The waters will be affected by the character
of their fountain, although that may be removed out of our sight.
It does, indeed, frequently happen, that we adopt maxims or
practices^ upon certain principles, which we afterwards forget ; and
habit supplies the place of the principle. In generations of men,
the maxim or practice will often be inherited, when the original
principles, upon which they are founded, have not only been for-
gotten, but partially abandoned, and, perhaps, no further retained
than is implied virtually by the practice itself. And then it will
seem invidious, if w^e appear to connect with men's acknowledged
tenets other principles, which they are scarcely aware of holding.
But, in truth, it is not so. Few persons follow out consistently
their own principles ; and, in these days especially, the different
sets of religious tenets are, for the most part, put together out of
shreds and patches of different systems, with no aim or thought
of consistency or unity. But, though the individuals are not
responsible for any tenet, except what they themselves hold, the
tenet itself is much affected by its origin : it is part of a large
system, which we, perhaps, cannot survey in all its details ; but
still it is a representative, as it were, of that system, and helps to
maintain it, or to repress the contrary. Hence, one's objection
to many tenets held by persons, of whom, in many respects, one
thinks well ; because the tenets are, in themselves, a part of So-
cianism or Rationalism (though, one would hope, not in these in-
dividuals) ; and, while it would be unfair to charge them in full
with either heresy, it is charity to them, and a duty to our
Church, to point out to what system these their tenets belong.
So, again, it is useful (in the hope that we may come to truer and
more consistent views), to show that, whereas the doctrine of the
Baptismal regeneration of all infants belongs to the Catholic sys-
tem, which supposes a free, full, and sufficient grace to be offered
144 INDEFPCTIBILITY OF GRACE MADE TEST OF OTHER TRUTH.
unto all men, its rejection originated in that section of the Church,
which supposed a portion of mankind, whether they died as in-
fants or adults, elected to life, the rest left to the damnation
which their inherited corruption in itself deserved. Therewith
it is not said, nor meant to be understood, that those who now
reject the doctrine of Baptismal regeneration, hold any such
views.
This school, then, made the indefectibility of grace, the rule by
which they measured the declarations of God, with respect to
His mercies in Baptism. As many as held that none could fall
finally from grace given, were obliged to hold, that none but
those who should finally be saved, were regenerated in Baptism.
Nor did tliey wish to conceal that this was their only ground.
Being fully persuaded of the truth of their first principles, they
held, unhesitatingly, that the general declar^-^tions of Holy Scrip-
ture (they added, also, of the Fathers \) must be limited by this
known truth. As they expressed it, all " elect children" received
the gifts of the Holy Spirit ; the rest were washed with water
only^. These, in some respects, retained the honour of the
* See Note N at the end.
2 ** Let us first distinguish of infants, of whom some are elected, and some
" belong not unto the election of grace. These latter receive only the
" element, and are not inwardly washed ; the former receive, in the right
" use of the Sacrament, tlie inward grace." Taylor, Comm. on Titus, p. G43.
" In the Sacrament, by virtue of Christ's institution, ordinarily, grace is
" given to all, that are by election capable of it." Burges, p. 150, and Beza,
1. c. p. 387- " This we say, that the Holy Spirit does not, by the outward
" Baptism of water, put forth in all the power of the internal Baptism, but
" in the elect only." *' As in circumcision, so in Baptism, many thousand
" infants receive it who yet are never regenerated, but perish for ever."
P. 393. Archbishop Usher, Summe and Substance of Christian Religion,
p. 416. " The Sacrament of Baptism is efFectuall in infants only to those,
** and to all those, who belong unto the election of grace." Calvin, anguing
against the Anabaptists, and so for the regeneration of elect infants, although
not as bestowed through Baptism, implies that of those who die in infancy,
some are not elect, and so perish. " Moreover," he says, " infants which
" are to be saved, (and certainly, of that age, some are at all events saved,)
" it is clear that they are before regenerated by the Lord." Institt L. 4.
c. 16. § 17. And on Eph. v. 26. " Many receive the sign, who yet are not
EIFECT OF THIS THEORY ON DOCTRINE OF THE SACRAMENTS. 1 15
Sacrament of Baptism; in another, began to derogate from it.
They retained it, in that they held, that all who ever received
regeneration ordinarily, received it through tlie Sacrament of
Baptism (and this limitation " ordinarily" they annexed only, that
they might not seem to tie down ^ as they thought unduly, the
operations of the Almighty :) they imagined no other entrance
into the Lord's house, than the door which He had' appointed.
They derogated, on the other hand, from that Sacrament, in that
they could no longer consistently hold, that the benefits imparted
were by virtue of our Saviour's institution, or of His words of
" partakers of the grace ; for the sign is common to all, good and bad. But
" the Spirit is given to the elect only. The sign, however, without the
" Spirit, is of no efficacy." And (which is remarkable), Danaeus, in comment-
ing upon St. Augustine's saying, that the words " we are baptized into Him
•' by Baptism into death," pertains to infants also (Enchirid. c. 52.), defends
him in it, if it be restrained only to the elect, and understood only of initial
regeneration. Quoted by Burges, p. 102. Chamier, Panstrat. t. iii. 1. 13.
c. 21. § 34. " We deny that sins are ever really remitted to those who do
" not belong to the eternal election, as they were never remitted to Esau,
" although he was circumcised ; and that, because he was hated by God
" before he was born." Gisb. Voetius, Disp. t. ii. p. 410. (ap. Witsium, 1. c.)
** T!ie seventh opinion is that of the Reformed Doctors in common^ which
♦' ascribes regeneration to all and singular infants in the covenant, only be
" they elect, whether tliey be baptized in infancy or be not ; whether they
•' die in infancy, or from early age are educated in the faith and live conti-
" nually a life of faith, or before their death are brought back again, by
" actual conversion to faith and repentance." Only, as before stated, (p. 116,
Note), this regeneration is, according to these last, independent of, not con-
ferred through. Baptism. So, in the Conventus, " We diligently teach that
" God does not put forth His influence in all who receive the Sacrament,
'* but in the elect only."
^ " Not that hereby we tie the majestic of God to any time or meanes,
" whose Spirit bloweth when and where it listeth : on some, before Bap-
" tism, who are sanctified from the wombe; on some, after ; but because the
" Lord delighteth to present Himself gracious in His own ordinances, we
" may conceive that in the right use of this Sacrament, He ordinarily accom-
" panieth it with His grace. Here, according to His promise, we may expect
" it, and here we may and ought to send out the prayer of faith for it."
Taylor, 1. c. I observe that Witsius, 1. c. § 24, forms the same judgment as
to the origin of this statement, viz. that tliey might not seem to limit the
operations of God.
146 BENEFITS OF SACRAMENT THE RESULT OF ELECTION.
blessing (since, then, they would have been extended to all not
unworthy partakers) ; but they were obliged to ascribe it to the
secret ^ counsel of God, giving effect to the outward ordinance
when and to whom He willed. Most of these, however, were
still able to use our formularies, although not in their original
sense, since our Baptismal formulary was immediately derived
from the Lutheran Church ^ ; and this, with the Fathers, held
the universal regeneration of baptized infants ^. Yet, since man
could not tell who of these infants were elect, and who not, they
held, that these words could be used by a sort of charity to each
infant. And this excuse, Hooker seems to suggest to those who
objected to the questions addressed to the god-parents at Bap-
tism, on tlie ground, that none could have faith, except the
elect ; and that, therefore, the god-parents could not, with
certainty, affirm, that any child did believe. " Were St. Au-
" gustine now living, there are which would tell him for his
" better instruction, that to say of a child, it is elect, and to say,
*' it doth believe, are all one : for which cause, sith no man is
" able precisely to affirm the one of any infant in particular, it
^ " It is not the Sacrament alone, but God's preordination of them unto
" grace and glory, that makes the Sacrament effectuall upon them, and not
** upon others." Burges, p. 115. SeeBeza above, Note p. 142. Bp. Abbot adv.
Thomson, c. 7. ap. Wits. § 6. " Sacraments, as they are sealyof faith and the
** divine promise, so they only put forth their virtue in those who are sons
" of the promise and heirs of grace."
2 See Archbishop Laurence, Bampton Lectures, pp. 440, 441 ; and Doc-
trine of Baptismal Regeneration, p. 38, sqq. See also Note M at the end.
Bp. White (Answer to Fisher, touching the efficacie of Baptisme, p. 176,)
having asserted of Protestants generally, that they " do not deny die virtue
" and efficacie of Baptism to sanctifie men ; but according to the Holy
" Scriptures and the ancient Church, they teach and maintaine that this
*' Sacrament is an instrument of sanctification and remission of sins," adds,
with regard to Calvin, " he, with others of his part, maintaine the former
" doctrine, concerning the efficacie of the Sacrament, and they diiTer only
" from LutJierans and Pontificians, first, in that they restrain the grace of
" sanctification only to the elect. 2dly, In that they deny cxternall Bap-
" tisme to be alwaies effectuall at the very instant time when it is adminis-
♦♦ tered." See above, p. 116, Note.
» B. V. § 60.
THEORY OF JEFFECTUAL AND INEFFECTUAL REGENERATION. 147
" followeth, that precisely and absolutely we ought not to say the
" other. Which precise and absolute terms are needless in this
" case. We speak of infants as the rule of piety alloweth both
** to speak and think. They that can take to themselves, in ordi-
*' nary talk, a charitable kind of liberty to name men of their own
" sort God's dear children, (notwithstanding the large reign of
" hypocrisy,) should not methinks be so strict and rigorous against
" the Church for presuming as it doth of a Christian innocent.
*• For when we know how Christ in general hath said that * of
" such is the kingdom of Heaven,' which kingdom is the inherit-
" ance of God's elect ; and do withal behold, how His Providence
*' hath called them unto the first beginnings of eternal life, and
" presented them at the well-spring of new-birth, wherein original
" sin is purged, besides which sin, there is no hindrance of their
" salvation known to us, as themselves will grant ; hard it were,
*' that having so many fair inducements whereupon to ground, we
" should not be thought to utter, at the least a truth as probable
*' and allowable in terming any such particular infant an elect
" babe, as in presuming the like of others whose safety neverthe-
•' less we are not absolutely able to warrant."
This objection to Baptismal regeneration is remarkably illus-
trated by the theory of a class of Divines ', who conceived that
there were two different kinds of regeneration, justification,
adoption, one of which was imparted to all by Baptism, the other
to those only who were finally saved. For the indefectibility of
grace being thus secured, they had then no difficulty in admitting
" that to all infants duly baptised the blood of Christ was applied
*' to the remission of original sin, whence they were not only in
*' a manner adopted and justified, but regenerated also and
" sanctified. Thus then they were put into a state of salvation,
** according to the measure of children ; so that such as died,
" before the use of reason, were by that their justification, rege-
" neration, and sanctification, indeed eternally saved. But what
' The following account of the theory is taken from Witsius, 1. c. § 9. sqq.
who also mentions other modifications of it, and criticizes it. It was ori-
ginally proposed by Bishop Davenant, in a letter to Dr. S. Ward, Divinity
Professor at Cambridge.
7
11-8 OBJECT AND GROUNDLESSNESS OF THIS THLOUY.
*' suffices for little ones for salvation does not suffice for adults.
" They therefore who perish in maturer age, not fulfilling the vow
** of Baptism, do not lose the state of salvation which they had
" proportioned to them as infants, but lose the state of infancy,
" which, being changed, that ceases to suffice for the state of an
" adult, which by the Divine appointment was sufficient for the
" salvation of the little one,"
By this theory, which intellectually was acutely framed,
three advantages were gained ; 1st, the passages of Holy Scrip-
ture, which speak of the regeneration of all baptized persons,
of the remission of sin to all, and the like, could be taken in
their literal sense without interfering with the doctrine which was
made the rule of the rest ; 2d, they avoided the invidiousness
of implying that non-elect infants, who died as infants, although
baptized, were damned ; which was frequently urged against this
school. Sd, The formularies of our Church could be understood
in their literal sense.
The distinction here introduced is manifestly without any
authority from Scripture, and its sole object to obviate a diffi-
culty, yet on that very ground it the more shows wherein the
objection ' to admit the baptismal regeneration of all infants
really lay.
Such were the two great lines of objection then taken to the
doctrine of Baptismal Regeneration of all infants : the one class
generally holding that those who were regenerated were so
before Baptism (Baptism sealing it only) the other allowing that
all regeneration took place at Baptism, but confining it to the
elect. The objections with which we are most familiar in modern
times are not directly derived from either of these sources,
although indirectly fostered by them, and retaining some of their
principles, (as that of the indefectibility of grace,) but from those
whomthese writers opposed — the Anabaptists.
III. They maybe divided into a priori, or which might be called
^ Thus a{Tain, one recently asked, " if regeneration be the grace of
" Baptism, w/uit name is to be given to the romvicnceinent nf thai spiritual life,
** from which a person never falls ?'^ Gatakcr, p. 150. " Our /< ///y baptiz(;d
" never perishes."
RATIONALIST OBJECTIONS TO BAPTI-^MAL RFGENERATION. 149
Rationalist objections, and those for vvliich Scripture authority
is pleaded.
1. Of the first, it was said that " we would not see that any
" change took place in infants," that " the child remained appa-
" rently the same as before," that *' it was incapable of grace,"
and the like. This is so much rationalism ; a dull-hearted and
profane unbelief, which even in the things of God would not
*' any science understand, beyond the grasp of eye or hand :" it is
making our reason a measure of God's doings, and denying His
operations, because we are not cognisant of the effect. It would
also obviously be an argument, not simply against the regenera-
tion of baptized infants, but against baptizing them altogether :
for if baptized infants are incapable of regenerating grace, or the
full benefits of Baptism, whereas the new-birth is the grace
conferred through Baptism, then, by baptizing infants, we should
be robbing them of their birth-right, and be guilty of the blood
of all the souls whom we thus mocked with the mere semblance
of Baptism: and so the universal Church would have erred in
interpreting their Saviour's command to " suffer little children
** to come to Him, for of such is the kingdom of Heaven." This
the more consistent Predestinarian writers well saw. ** If any
" man shall so do," says ^ one of them in reply, " he must grant
" that elect infants do receive but a piece of Baptism, the shell
" without the kernel, the body without the soul. And if this be
" true, to what end are they baptized ?" — " To say^ that
"Baptism admits them to the outward means, is to say just
" nothing to the purpose. May not an infant unbaptized come
" to hear the word read or preached ? Anabaptists do not shut
" their children out of the Church, when the word is preached,
" but only exclude them from the Sacraments. If Anabaptists
" might as freely show themselves here among us, as they do
" in other countries, this doctrine of Baptismal grace would be
" better entertained by such as now oppose it without considera-
" tion of this sequel."
The answer was variously worded ; but it was in substance
this, that since God had, in His ordinary dealings, annexed this
1 Burges, p. 72. ad p. 9.^. ^ Ibid. p. 75.
150 INFANTS REASONABLK, WHY THEN NOT HOLY?
grace to Baptism, no doubt that it was imparted to infants then,
though we saw it not ; but that it remained in them, as people
would acknowledge that their powers of thought or reasoning
do, which no one could deny them to have, although they did
not see the present exercise of them. Or again, they argued ^
(reversing St. Augustine's method, since the opposite truth was
now that disputed) whereas it was admitted, that " infants
" naturally are somewaise capable of Adam's sinne, and so of
" unbeleefe, disobedience, transgression, &c. then Christian in-
" fants supernaturally and by grace, are somewaies capable to
" Christ's righteousness, and so of faith, obedience, sanctifica-
" tion," &c. silencing rightly men's cavils " how can these things
be," by reference to the corresponding case, wherein our igno-
rance was allowed.
This grace, they most usually called, by a sufficiently apt
metaphor, (if not too closely pressed) a seminal ^, (or else an
initial, or potential) regeneration ; or again an habitual * (as op-
^ Ainsworth, 1. c. p. 48, add pp. 49, 50. " He made all things of nothing.
«• He can make the dumb beast speak with man's voice (Numb. xxii. 28), He
" can make the babe in the mother's womb to be affected and leap for joy at
" the voyce of the words spoken to the mother, (Lukei. 44.) ; andean He not
" also work grace, faith, holiness, in infants ? Hath Satan power by sinne to
" infect and corrupt infants, and shall not God have power to cleanse from
*' corruption and make them holy ? If we make doubt of the will of God
" herein, behold we have His promises to restore our losses in Adam, by His
" graces in Christ, as He sheweth in Rom. v. Wherefore they are but a
*' faithless and crooked generation, that notwithstanding all that God hath
" spoken and done in this kind, do deny this grace of Christ to the infants of
" His people."
2 The distinction was probably inherited from the Schoolmen : I find it in
Pet Lombard, Lib. 4. Dist. 4. c. 5. *' Quidam putant gratiam operantem et
" cooperantem cunctis parvulis in Baptismo dari in m&nere non in usu ; ut
" cum ad majorem venerint aetatem in munere sortiantur usum, nisi pei*
** liberum arbitrium usum munerisextinguant peccando; et ita in culpa eorum
" est, non ex defectu gratiae, quod mali fiunt, qui ex Dei munere valentes
'' habere usum bonum, per liberum arbitrium renuerunt, et usum pravum
** elegerunt."
' Davenant (Bp.) Ep. ad Col. " With regard to infants, since they are
" sinners not by their own act, but by an hereditary liabit, it suffices that
HOOKER HOLY GHOST INFUSED IN BAPTISM. 151
posed to an active) principle of grace ; i. e. they would express
that the incorruptible seed was then planted in the human heart,
which, if not choked, or if continued contumacy provoked not
God to withdraw it, would hereafter yield fruit unto life eternal.
And with this might agree, I would hope, the modern and colder
expression, that " Baptismal Regeneration is a change of state,"
a virtual, I suppose, as opposed to an actual change of heart — a
state of holiness and acceptableness towards God, as derived
from our incorporation into the Son of God, and the consequent
participation of His holiness, and yet in a manner contrasted
with the fuller and complete actual sanctification of the believer,
who has grown up in his Baptismal privileges. This view is
very clearly expressed by Hooker. " The grace which is given
" them with their Baptism, doth so far forth depend on the very
*' outward Sacrament, that God will have it embraced, not only
" as a sign or token what we receive, but also as an instrument or
" means whereby we receive grace, because Baptism is a Sacra-
" ment which God hath instituted in His Church, to the end that
" they which receive the same might thereby be incorporated
*' into Christ ; and so through His most precious merit obtain
" as well that saving grace of imputation which taketh away all
" former guiltiness, as also that infused Divine virtue of the Holy
" Ghost, which giveth to the powers of the soul their first dispo-
'* sition towards future newness of life. ^^
In which passage Hooker, while he expresses the same truth,
happily avoids the danger arising from all illustration in Divine
things, viz. that the metaphor must in some respects be inap-
" they have mortification of sin and faith, not putting themselves forth by
" any act of their own, but included in the habitual principle of Grace : but
** that the Spirit of Christ can, and is wont to form in them this habitual
" principle of grace, no one of sound mind will deny." — Ainsworth, 1, c.
" Christian infants have the graces they speak of, repentance, faith, regene-
" ration, &c. though not actually, or by way of declaration to others ; yet
" they have through the worke of the Spirit, the seede and beginninge of faith,
" virtually and by way of inclination ; so that they are not wholly destitute
" of faith, regeneration, &c. though it be a thing hid and unknown unto us
" after what meanes the Lord worketh these in them."
152 ST. AUGUSTINE— REGENEHATION AND RENEWAL
plicable ; and in this instance, that by this contrast of initial with
actual regeneration, it might seem as if there were two regenera-
tions, or rather that regeneration meant two things — 1st, the act
of the new-birtli bestowed by God ; 2d, the spiritual life confor-
mable thereto ; whereas in Scripture, and by the ancient Church,
the latter is regarded as included in the former ; as (if one may
compare earthly things,) the ripened corn in the seed, the future
intellectual man in the babe.
And thus St. Augustine S while (according to Tit. 3.) he
asserts both regeneration and renovation to be the fruits of
Baptism, yet distinguishes alike in adults and infants, between
that renewal which takes place at once in Baptism, by the aboli-
tion of the old man, and that entire transformation and complete
conversion of the whole mind to God, effected by the finished
formation of the " new man" within us, which '* having been put
on" in Baptism, is day by day " renewed in knowledge after
*• the likeness of Him who created him." (Col. iii. 10.) " Of
" a truth this renewal does not take place at the one mo-
*' ment of his conversion, as doth in one moment that re-
" newal in Baptism by the remission of all sins ; since not even
" one sin, however small, remains, which is not remitted. But
"as it is one thing to be freed from fever, another to recover
" from the sickness caused by fever : one thing to remove a
" weapon fixed in a body, another by a second cure to heal the
" wound which it has made ; so the fir^t cure is to remove the
" cause of the weakness, and this is through the forgiveness of all
" sin ; the second is to cure the weakness itself, and this is by
" gradual progress in the renewal of this image — by daily acces-
" sion in the knowledge of God, and righteousness and holiness
" of truth. He who from day to day is being renewed by his con-
" tinual progress, transfers his love from things temporal to eternal
" — from visible to invisible — from carnal to spiritual, and dili-
" gently presses on to rein in and diminish his desire to these, and
" to bind himself to those by love." Only we must beware that
we relax not our notions of Christian holiness, by applying to
» De Trin. 1. 14. § 23.
ON WHOSE FAITH CHILDREN ARE BAPTIZED. 153
the Christian, what St. Augustine here says of an adult convert :
for in no one baptized ought sin ever to have grown to that
height of feverishness, as to leave such dismal effects as St.
Augustine speaketh of: our struggle ought to be against the
remains of natural, not (or at least not in any great degree)
against acquired corruption ; else, as the baptized person sins
more grievously than he of whom St. Augustine speaketh, so
neither has he the same means of restoration open to him. The
case of the baptized infant is rather described in St. Augustine^s
other words ^ " The Sacrament of regeneration in them doth
" precede, and if they hold on in Christian piety the conversion
" of the heart will follow, the mystery whereof preceded in the
" body.*' For " mystery" in St. Augustine's language does not
mean a mere outward type or emblem ; and the very mention of
** perseverance" in Christian piety, shows that by " conversion
" of the heart," he intendeth not a new commencement of spiritual
existence, but rather that entire renovation and conforming of the
whole soul and spirit to the image of God, which, though pledged,
and if it be cherished, actually commencing ^ from baptism, is
gradually completed by the sanctification of a whole life.
2. The next objection was akin in character to the former, viz.
that " children could not have faith, and therefore could not be
" re-born, since faith is essential to the new-birth." The answer
to this branched into several subjects, which are of moment in
this day also : as on whose faith children were accepted in
Baptism, whether that of their parents, or their sponsors, or of
the Church ; and again with regard to the faith of those who
brought them, whether that degree of faith, which was implied
by the very act of bringing the child to Holy Baptism, by itself
was available to the child, or whether a living faith was required,
involving personal holiness.
The judgment of the ancient Church was very clear, as evinced
both by the statements of the Fathers and her actual practice ;
viz. that it was through the Faith of the Church (as performing
* De Bapt. c. Donat. 1. 5. c. 24.
' St. Aug. Enchirid. c. 67. " This great indulgence or remission, whence
" begins the renewing of man."
L
154 ST. AUGUSTINE THE CHURCH OFFERS INFANTS TO BAPTISM.
that Holy Office whereto God had annexed the blessing), that
the child obtained the benefits of Baptism ; Christ had received
all children brought unto Him ; the promise was " to you and
" to your children ;" (Acts ii. 39.) the command to Baptize un-
limited : so the Christian Covenant belonged to all, born within
the Christian Church, whatever the personal character of their
immediate parents might be. As born of one included on God's
part within the Covenant (whether he finally lose the benefits
of that Covenant or no) the infant is a child of that Co-
venant, and entitled to its privileges. " Let not that disturb
" thee," (says St. Augustine to Bishop Boniface ', in an ex-
treme case) " that some bring their infants to Baptism, not
" with the belief that they should be regenerated by spiritual
" grace to life eternal, but because they think that by this
*' remedy they may retain or recover the health of this life. For
" they are not on that account not regenerated, because they are
" not brought for that end by those persons. For the necessary
'* offices are celebrated by their agency ; and so are the words of
** the Sacraments, without which the little one cannot be conse-
'* crated. But that Holy Spirit, who dwells in the Saints, (out
" of whom that one dove, covered with silver, is molten together
" by the flame of charity) worketh what He doth work, even by
" the ministry of some who are not merely simply ignorant, but
" even damnably unworthy. For infants are offered to receive
" spiritual grace not so much by those in whose hands they
** are borne, (although by them also, if they also be good men
" and believers) as by the whole society of the saints and be-
** lievers. For they are rightly understood to be offered by all,
" who are glad that they should be offered, or by whose holy and
" united charity they are helped forward to receive the commu-
" nication of the Holy Spirit. The universal mother, then, the
" Church, which is of the Saints, doth this ; for the whole Church
" beareth all, and beareth them severally."
" Let no one tell me," says St. Bernard '\ " that an infant has
' Ep. 98. § 5. Ed. Bened. olim Ep. 23.
2 In Cant. Scrm. iH't. quoted by Walker, Modest Plan for Infant Baptism,
p. 172.
\2
—NO UNWORTHINESS OF PARENTS EXCLUDES THE CHILD. 155
" not faith, to whom the Church imparts her's. Great is the
" faitli of the Church." The profession of faith made by the
sponsors is the declaration of that faith of the Church, on tlie
ground of which the little ones are admitted into Covenant : and
accordingly St. Augustine almost uniformly speaks of this con-
fession ^ of faith, when he alludes to the faith of the sponsors as
being available for the child. The sponsors are pledges to the
Church : the Church offers her faith to God. And so in our
own Church, all the words of comfort and assurance that " God
" will favourably receive our infants, and embrace them with the
'* arms of His mercy," are addressed on each occasion, not to the
sponsors, but to the whole congregation ^ : the sponsors are but
subsequently called upon to promise, on the child's part, what
is needed, that the benefits of Baptism may be hereafter retained
and fully realized. With this view of the relation of the faith
of the sponsors and of the Churdh, agree those cases, in which
the children of aliens, whether excommunicate or heathen, were
allowed the privileges of Christian Baptism. Of the excommuni-
cate, St. Augustine says, that '* no offences of the parent, how-
" ever heinous, would make him presume to exclude the child
" from the laver of regeneration in case of danger." With regard
to the children of Heathen, it was always reckoned an act of
charity to baptize them, " when, through the secret Providence
^ Tlius, de Baptismo parvulor. Serm. 294 (al. 14. de verb. Ap.) § 12. " He
*' ishealedby the words of another, since he was wounded by the sin of another.
*' It is asked, does he believe in Jesus Christ ? It is answered, He does
** believe. The answer is made for him, who speaks not, is silent and weeps, and
** by weeping begs in a manner for help. Does that serpent try to persuade men
*' that it avails not ? Far be such a thought from the heart of any Christian !"
Serm. 351 de Poenitentia (al. 50. inter. 50.) § 2. '♦ To whom (infants), for their
" consecration and remission of original sin, the faith of those by whom they
" are offered, avails, that whatever stains of sin they contracted through
" others, of whom they were born, by the interrogatory and answers of these may be
" done away." De Pec. Mentis, 1. I. § 25. " they are rightly called faithful,
'' because after a manner they profess their faitli through the words of them
" that bear them," 1. 3. § 2. "by tlie answers of those through whom they are
" regenerated." Ep. 98. v. 10. " it is answered that he believes."
2 So Burges also p. 2?. " The Church enjoin©th 1. The minister alone
*' thus to bespeak the congregation."
L 2
156 HOOKER CHURCH SUPPLIES DEFECT OF PARENTS* FAITH.
" of God, they by any means, (by purchase or captivity, or aban-
" doned by their Heathen parents) came into the hands of pious
" persons i." For, (as has often been alleged), since not only
the children born of *' faithful Abraham," were admitted into the
covenant of circumcision, but they also who were " bought with
" his money," or the slave, " born in his house," so also, and
much more, might all those be admitted into our enlarged cove-
nant in Christ, whom the Church could, with safety to herself,
offer unto Him. It was necessary, namely, for the purity of the
Church, that some guarantee should be given, that those admitted
into her, the body of Christ, should be brought up as her true
children ; but the Sacrament had its power not of man but of
God : the faith of those who brought them was available in that
they undertook the condition, which (for the well-being of the
Church) was necessary for their reception, and brought them to
their Saviour to take them into His arms and bless them : the
faith of the Church was available in that she believed the pro-
mises of God, and administered the Sacrament committed to her,
whereby those promises of God were realized and applied to the
individual. ** Be it then," says Hooker ^, " that Baptism belong-
" eth to none but such as either believe presently, or else, being
" infants, are the children of believing parents. In case the Church
*' do bring children to the holy font, whose natural parents are
" either unknown or known to be such as the Church accurseth,
" but yet forgetteth not in that severity to take compassion upon
" their offspring, (for it is the Church which dotli offer them to
" Baptism by the ministry of presenters,) were it not against both
" equity and duty to refuse the mother of believers herself, and
" not to take her in this case for a faithful parent ? It is not the
*' virtue of our fathers, nor the faith of any other, that can give
" us the true holiness which we have by virtue of our new-birth.
** Yet even through the common faith and Spirit of God's
" Church, (a thing which no quality of parents can prejudice) I
" say, through the faith of the Church of God, undertaking the
*• motherly care of our souls, so far forth we may be and are in
* See Authorities ap. Bingham, Christian Antiquities, B. xi. c. 4. §. 16 — 18.
' B. V. c. 64. §. 5. p. 402. ed. Keble.
— god's favours not to be restrained* 157
" our infancy sanctified, as to be thereby made sufficiently capa-
" ble of Baptism, and to be interested in the rites of our new-
" birth for their piety*s sake that offer us thereunto." Whence
also. Hooker pronounces i, (and the decision, so grounded, might
remove some perplexities which occur now also,) '* a wrong con-
" ceit, that none may receive the Sacrament of Baptism but they
" whose parents, at the least one of them, are, by the soundness
" of their religion and by their virtuous demeanour, known to
" be men of God, hath caused some to repel children, whosoever
** bring them, if their parents be mispersuaded in religion, or
" for other misdeserts excommunicated ; some, likewise, for that
" cause, to withhold Baptism, unless the father (albeit, no such
" exception can justly be taken against him) do, notwithstanding,
" make profession of his faith, and avouch the child to be his
" own. Thus, whereas, God has appointed them ministers of
" holy things, they make themselves inquisitors of men's persons
" a great deal farther than need is. They should consider,
" that God hath ordained Baptism in favour of mankind. To'
" restrain favours is an odious thing ; to enlarge them, accepta-
" ble both to God and man."
" It is not written," says St. Augustine 2, " Except one be
" born again of the will of his parents or of the faith of those
» lb. p. 400.
' Ad Bonifac. Ep. 98. ed. Bened. To the same purpose is quoted in the
new edition of Hooker (ed. Keble), an illustrative passage from Archbishop
Whitgift's Answer to the Admonition, p. 157. ** I knowe not what youmeane,
'* when you : aye, ' that in the absence of the parentes, some one of the con-
t* gregation, knowing the good behaviour and sound fayth of the parentes,
" may both make a rehersall of their fayth, and, also, if their fayth be
" soun de and agreeable to Holy Scriptures, desire in the same to be bap-
" tiifed.' What, if the parents be of evil bjehaviour ? — What, if it be the
** child of a drunkard, or of an harlot ? — What, if the parents be papistes ?
" — What, if they be heretikes ? — What if they erre in some poynte or other
" in matters of fayth ? Shall not their children be baptized ? Herein you
" have a further meaning than I can understand ; and I feare, few do
" perceive the poyson that lyeth hidde under these words. May not a
" wicked father have a good childe? — May not a Papist or Heretike have a
" believing sonne ? Will you seclude, for the parents' sake, (being himselfe
•• baptized) his seede from baptisme ?" And Bishop Stillingfleet well ex-
15^ UNCERTAINTY OF BAPTISM, IF IT DEPENDED ON MAN's FAITH.
" who offer him, or who minister, but * except he be born again
" of water and the Holy Ghost.' The water then exhibiting
** without, the Sacrament of Grace and the Spirit working within,
" the benefit of grace, loosing the band of sin, restoring good to
" nature, do, both together, regenerate in one Christ, man, who
" was generated of one Adam." And Luther says ' well, " That
** Baptism may be assured in us, therefore God doth not found it
" upon our faith, since that may be uncertain and false, but on
" His word and institution."
Else, also, if the regeneration of the child depended upon the
holiness of the parent, then, since, according to the views in
question, those who are regenerated are finally saved, all the
children of believing parents, and they only, would be regene-
rated and so saved : whereas, as one of their own writers says ^
" all children saved are not of believing parents : yea, we may
*' in charitie presume of some, perhaps, without the Church, whom
*• the Lord mercifully saveth out of most wicked progenitors for
** many generations." Not, manifestly, as if the faith and longing
desires, and yearnings, and prayers of the parents for the child
plains the relations of the Sponsor to the Church, (Unreasonableness of Sepa-
ration, p. 3. c. 36. §. 2. where also he well sets forth the difficulties of the
supposition, which would make the benefits of Baptism depend upon the
actual living faith of parents or any other.) " If the parents be supposed
" to have no right, yet upon the sponsion of God-fathers, the Church may
" have a right to administer Baptism to children. Not as though the spon-
" sion gave the right, but was only intended to make them parties to the
•* covenant in the child's name, and sureties for the performance. The admi-
** iiistration of Baptism is one considerable part of the power of the keys,
^.f, which Christ first gave to the Apostles, and is continued ever since in the
^ officers of the Church. By virtue of this power, they have the authority to
" give admission into the Church to capable subjects. The Church of Christ,
•' as far as we can trace any records of antiquity, has always considered chil-
" dren capable subjects of admission into the Christian Church ; but, lest the
** Church should fail of its end, and these children not be well instructed in
*f their duty, it required sponsors for them, who were not only to take care
«* of them for the future, but to sianc) aa thi^i^ ^r^ti^s,^ to ratify their. {>art of
" the covenant implied by Baptism."
' Sjermo De Baptismo. A. 1635.
, » "^aylor, on Ep. to Titus, p. 643.
BENEFITS Of PRAYKR AT BAPTISM. 159
were of no benefit to it, or, again, that the prayers of the con-
gregation, which the Church sohcits for each infant, availed
nothing ; but, only, that no faith, or desires, or prayers, or any
thing besides, were of such moment as to affect the virtue which
Christ has annexed to His Sacrament of Baptism, or, as if the
regeneration of our infants were to be ascribed in any way to our
prayers instead of Christ's ordinance. Larger measures of grace
He, doubtless, may bestow in answer to more fervent prayers ;
and it would argue a sinful want of sympathy, were the Church
not to pray, when God is about, by her means, to engraff a new
member into the body of His Son ; and, therefore, we pray : but
not as if God's mercy was so limited to our prayers, that He
would not render Christ's ordinance effectual to one who op-
posed it not, although we sinned in our mode of administering it.
One way in which the faith of the Church is of avail, is indeed
plain and tangible. It is, namely, through the faith of true
believers, that Christ perpetuates the use of His Sacraments in
the Church. For those who first sought them for themselves or
their children, out of habit or custom, or any other motive, not be-
cause they knew it to be our Lord's will, would, obviously, never
have sought them at all, but for the example originally given by
those more faithful few. And thus He bestows the benefits of
Baptism even upon the children of those unfaithful parents who
have neglected to cherish and cultivate its benefits in themselves,
and yet are induced, by the faith of others, to believe that some
good will result from the Baptism of their children, and so pre-
sent them. For who could doubt, that if the faith of those, who
in true faith offer their children to be made members of Christ
by Baptism, had not in each successive age continued Infant-
Baptism as a rite and custom of the Church, those who now
bring their children mainly out of custom, would disuse it ;
and so their children lose it and its fruits? The faith of
the faithful is the salt of the earth, preserving it from cor-
ruption. God's gracious promise to Abraham has full often,
doubtless, been again realized, and the city or the Church pre-
served for and through the five righteous men who were in it.
And so the faith of every missionary from the Apostles'
160 BENEFITS OF THE FAITH OF OTHERS.
days to our own, or of the Church, which, by fasting and
prayer, separated them for the work, (Acts xiii. 2, 3.) or of
the founder of each lesser congregation within the bounds
already occupied by the Church at large, each, in their se-
veral ways, CO operate to the extension and use and perpetuity
of Christ's Sacraments; and in the use of these Sacraments
their faith receives a blessing. And this is a way, wherein
it may be made even tangible to sense, how the faith of the
Church becomes available in some measure to those who
have but a weak faith, or by reason of their age cannot actively
exert it. The principle extends widely; in religious duties,
in moral performance, in abstinence from sin, in all the ways in
which custom (as it is called) or example induce men to enter
upon, or to persevere in, any practice, or to abstain from any evil
habit, or even from any deeper sin, it is the faith of the faithful
members of the Church which is thus blessed. God employs
their faithful exercise of duty, either in retaining or restoring the
infirmer or the erring members; the very imitation of their
right practice, implies a degree of faith, and though it be but as
a smoking flax, God quencheth it not, but brings it to a greater
brightness : and any one, who shall have observed how instru-
mental, what he calls circumstances or custom have been in the
formation of his own religious character, or, again, how few they
are who rise above and act healthfully upon, the rehgious cha-
racter of their age, or, again, how mainly dependent children are
upon the faith of others, will see how much we have to thank
God for the faith of others, and how mighty an instrument true
faith is in a faithless world. And when it pleased Christ, during
His actual abode upon earth, to accept the faith of parents, or
masters, or friends, for those who needed any " virtue, which
** should go forth from Him," (where themselves, from circum-
stances, could not exercise that faith,) and then to put forth the
same gracious influences; it was not assuredly for their sake
principally, but to attest His acceptance of, and to encourage the
Church to oflTer, a vicarious faith, for those who are not as yet able
to manifest it. But in instancing the above more tangible method,
in which God lenders the faith of the church a beneht to it*s
13
IKF ANT-BAPTISM A GREAT EXERCISE OF FAITH. 161
weaker members, I would not by any means limit it to this ; for
we know not how or why, or to what extent, the faith of the
Church is acceptable in God's sight ; and how it may be a neces-
sary condition for the continuance of the blessings of the Gospel ;
what mighty ends it may serve in the moral government of the
universe ; why He has connected such blessings with vicarious
faith. All this we see and know in ])art only ; only we know
that ail Infant-Baptism is a great exercise of faith, (if but on the
very ground which carnal men allege, that we receive back the
purified infant outwardly nothing changed, and for a time to
manifest but little apparent change) and it may be, in part, on
that very ground, that Infant-Baptism is acceptable to God, and
may serve ends of which we know nothing, just as the commemo-
rative representation of our Lord's sacrifice on the cross (which
was to be done in remembrance of Him), may have, and was
thought of old to have ends, entirely distinct from the influence
which it may have upon our own minds, and independent also of
our Sacramental union with Him. Only we should be assured,
that this and every other institution of God, has far more and
wider ends, than we in the flesh can yet see : nay, probably,
what we do see can scarcely be looked upon even as the faintest
type of what is behind the veil. And this should make us the
more heedful, not to make our own notions, or any uses, which
may be apparent to us, any measure of Divine things ; but in all
things, (whether we seem to know less or more) to confess from
the heart, that we ** know in part " only.
This title of the children of all who are within the covenant, to
the blessings of the covenant, is implied in St. Paul's recommen-
dation, that the converted parent should retain, or remain with,
the yet unbelieving consort, for that they were sanctified by them :
*' otherwise the children had been unclean, but now are they holy :"
i. e. since the fruit of the marriage is holy, therefore the mar-
riage itself must be approved by God. (1 Cor. vii. 14.) None,
indeed, of the ancients thought that St. Paul hereby affirmed that
any, even the children of believers, were holy by their natural birth ^ :
* See Note O at the end.
lea HOLINESS OF CHILDREN, (1 COR. VII. 14),
for," as St. Augustine argues, " the fault of our carnal nature,
" though without guilt in the regenerated parent, as having been
•* remitted, still in the offspring it does bring guiltiness, until it be
" remitted by the same grace ;" i. e. as our Blessed Saviour tells
us, *' that which is born of tlie flesh is flesh." The child of the
regenerated or Christian parent brings into the world with it
nothing but the corruption of our fallen nature, and God's pro-
mise to restore it by Baptism : and it has been without authority,
when persons have so insisted on the inherited holiness of the chil-
dren of Christian parents, as to represent the Sacrament of rege-
neration to be but the confirmation or sealing of a gift rdready
bestowed ^ The ancients understood, under the holiness here
spoken of, the holiness conferred by God in Baptism, to whicli
these children were brouglu by their one Christian parent, and to
which they had a title in consequence of that birth. And this
use of the word "holy," as signifying a holiness bestowed upon
us by God, corresponds best with the title given universally to
all Christians, "called, saints^;" and therewith also agrees St.
Paul's other saying, that the Jewish people " the branches, were
" holy," because " the root (the Patriarchs, for whose sake they
" were beloved, v. 28.) was holy." (Rom. xi. 16.) Now this
holiness belonged not to the children of the Jews, when yet un-
circumcised, for the Jewish child who remained uncircumcised
on the eighth day, was to be cut off (Gen. 17. 14.), but to such
as were admitted into the covenant made with Abraham by cir-
1 " Infants are not baptized, that they may become holy : but, because they
" are holy, therefore they are baptized, i. e. receive the seal.'* Whitaker,
q. 4. c. 6. ap. Gataker, 1. c. p. 105. See also further above,, p. 122, note 1.
* And that the more, since the name alternates with riyiafffikvoi, (1 Cor.
i. 2. Jude 1. 3.) " those who are made holy in Christ Jesus," and is ex-
plained by the title " all who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus," (Acts
ix. 13, 14 xxvi. 10, comp. ix. 21.) isunited with the whole" Church" at a place,
(2 Cor. i. 1.) or itself is the title used indiscriminately, in narrative, for the
members of the whole Church in any jjlace, and where, consequently, there u
not the same object, as in the Apostolic salutations, to admonish persons by
their very name, of the greatness of their i)rofession. (Actsix. 32. Rom. xv. 2G.
2 Cor. viii. 4. ix. 1. 12. (cp. Acts xL 29,) &c.
BAPTISMAL HOLINESS, AND UNIVERSAL. 163
cutncision ; for then only they became branches of the vine which
God had planted : much more then in the case of the child of
Christians, by how much they are partakers of better promises,
and our federal rite graffs us not merely into the body of a cho-
sen people, but into that of the Son of God, not simply into the
vine brought out of Egypt, but into Him who is " the True Vine."
For in Christ there is no longer ceremonial holiness, nor cove-
nant-holiness ; since He who is the substance being come, the
shadows have passed away ; but real holiness cannot belong to
any by their carnal birth, since thereby we are still " children of
"wrath :" it remains, then, (as elsewhere in the New Testament,)
that it be actual holiness — the holiness actually conferred upon
us in Baptism, as members of the Holy Son of God, and clothed
with Him. The promise then, implied in this saying of St.
Paul, has no limitation : if but one parent were within the cove-
nant, then the children also are comprehended within it, and
have, by virtue thereof, a title to all the privileges of it. The
rule is given universally ; " if any one have an unbelieving hus-
" band or wife — else were your children unclean, (aVdOapra) un-
" purified *, out of the covenant, but now are they (all of them)
" holy." And so our Hooker ^ having said " that we are plainly
" taught by God, that the seed of faithful parentage is holy
" from the very birth," (which might seem as if he imagined that
we brought with us into the world more than a title to be made
holy by God's ordinance ;) explains that he so means this, " not
" as if the children of believing parents were without sin, or grace
" from baptized parents derived by propagation, or God by
" covenant and promise tied to save any in mere regard of their
" parents' belief: yet seeing, that to all professors of the name of
" Christ, this pre-eminence above Infidels is freely given, that
" the fruit of their bodies bringeth into the world with it a
" present interest and right to those means, wherewith the ordi-
" nance of Christ is, that His Church shall be sanctified," &c.
* Hammond (Practical Catechism), notices this use of dKadagrov, Acts x.
14. 28. xi. 8. on this very subject of Christian privileges.
^ B. 5. c. 60. §. 6. ed. Keble.
164 IS THE EFFICACY OF BAPTISM ANNULLED
It is not, then, on account of any intrinsic holiness of the
parents, or any faith inherent in them, but of " God's abundant
mercy," that He hath called us ; having committed to His
Church the power of administering His Sacraments, and annex-
ing to her exercise of faith in so doing, the blessing of His
Sacrament, where there is no opposing will, and accordingly to
us, whom He called before we had done either good or evil.
But it was said, regeneration, or rather grace, generally, can-
not be bestowed through Baptism ; because, if a child, for in-
stance, having received Baptism, were stolen, and educated
among Turks and Heathens, it would manifestly itself be in no
respect different from other Turks or Heathens. And this, Cal-
vin and others employ triumphantly, as an argument ex absurdOf
as if no one of ordinary understanding could hold otherwise.
It would, indeed, prove nothing, if true ; for why should it
follow, in the spiritual, any more than in the natural world, that
because a gift was rendered useless for want of cultivation, there-
fore it had never been given ? We see daily, that great intellec-
tual powers are gradually destroyed by the abuse, or neglect, or
trifling of their possessors ; or by being employed on petty or
unworthy objects ; and, being made subservient to vanity or
sense, are at last lost, so that a man could not employ them if he
would ; ami this, doubtless (as is every thing in nature), was
meant as an emblem of things unseen — a warning to us, to take
heed to our spiritual faculties, " lest the light which is in us
become darkness." But who ever gave us ground to say, that
any outnard circumstances, in which it should please God to place
one, whom He had elected to be, by Baptism, incorporated into
the body of His Blessed Son, had the power to annihilate that
Baptism, and to make it as if it had never been ? " Where wast
" thou, when God laid the foundations of the earth ? declare, if
" thou hast understanding." Job xxxviii. 4. " Add thou not to
" His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar."
(Prov. XXX. 6.) Surely, men take too much upon them, in
speaking tliuB positively o( the depths of the human heart, and of
Divine grace, the workings whereof are as varied as they are
unfathomable, unmeasurable, incomprehensible, because it is an
BY THE SUBSEQUENT PRIVATION OF OUTWARD MEANS ? 165
effluence from God.. Or, because God, ordinarily, to His first
gift of regeneration, adds the gift of His word, of the teaching
of the Church, of the Communion of the Body and Blood of
Christ ; shall we dare to pronounce, that, if He please to exclude
any one from that Communion, or from that outward teaching,
therefore that former gift would have none effect ? that they, to
whom God had by Baptism given the earnest of the Spirit in
their hearts, would have that earnest withdrawn, unless retained
by other outward means, or religious instruction ? that He could
not, or would not, provide for those whom He admitted to be
members of His Son ? " Is the Lord's arm shortened, that He
" cannot save ?" And shall we say even of those, who through
our neglect, are in the great towns of our Christian land educated
worse than Turks and Heathens, trained to sin — shall we say,
that even these, as many as have been baptized, have no striv-
ings of the Spirit of God within them, to which they are entitled
through Baptism ; that God admitted them into His Church,
only, forthwith, utterly to cast them off; that they have not
oftentimes been restrained from sin, by a Power which they
scarcely knew, but which still withheld them, with a might
stronger than sin and death and Satan — the might of the Spirit
of God ? Or have we not often seen how God, as if to vindicate
His own gift, has to many children of His Church, turned into
gain what to our shallow judgments seemed destruction unavoid-
able ; has prospered their faithfulness " in few things, and so made
" them rulers over many things ;" while others, who in outward
spiritual advantages wiere first, by their own negligence became
last? Surely, then, it were truer, as well as more humble, to
abstain from thus narrowing the operations of God ! It were
profaneness, indeed, and a wanton contempt of God's mercies, to
trust in Baptism alone, when He has vouchsafed us means for
cultivating the grace bestowed upon us in Baptism : but it argues
no less a narrow-minded unbelief, to deny the power or the will
of God to make Baptism alone available, when He, from the
time of Baptism, has, not for any want of faithfulness in the
child, withdrawn every other means. " And they were sore
'* amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered : for they
166 TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE MISAPPLIED
" considered not the miracle of the loaves, for their heart was
" hardened J' (Mark vi. 51, 52.)
The further question, " whether God imparts faith presently
" to the baptized infants," scarcely belongs to the present subject,
and is perhaps hardly a profitable inquiry, if it be thereby meant
to discriminate between the spiritual gifts imparted to children.
Undoubtedly, in the new nature given them by their new birth,
there is virtually imparted to them the first principle of every
heavenly grace, faith, love, hope : they are united with Christ ;
are cliildren of God, members of Christ, inheritors of heaven ;
and if for this, faith be necessary in them, undoubtedly they have
this also : only it seems best not to make curious deductions
from Holy Scripture, where the Church has been silent, and con-
tent that God has graffed our children into His Son, to wait,
assured that in due time " all things belonging to the Spirit will
" live and grow in them," if we cultivate duly these " plants of
" the Lord," water them, and pray for God's increase.
IV. It is urged, however, on authority of Holy Scripture, that
the regenerated are free from sin, and that, therefore, so long as
children are such as we see them frequently to grow up, subject
to sin, and without any earnestness of mind, we must conclude, that
they have not been regenerated \ We are reminded, that our
Saviour has said, " every tree is known by its fruits ;" and that
God has also said, '* whosoever is born of God doth not commit
" sin, for His seed remaineth in him ; neither can he commit sin,
" because he is born of God." (1 John iii. 9.) With regard to the
first passage, it is obvious that our Saviour is speaking of what
the tree is, not what has been done for it ; not how it has been
digged about, watered, cultivated, but what returns it has made
for this care ; not whether God has planted us in His vineyard,
and given us His grace, but whether we are yielding fruit. It is
> " If every child receive grace, as a thing tied unto Baptisme, what be-
" Cometh of that gfrace, when children growing in years, growe also extremely
" flagitious and wicked ? necessarily it must be lost and vanished, which is
" both against the Scriptures, and against the doctrine of our Church. For if
" the child be borne of God in baptisme, he sinneth not, because the seed of
" God is in him." Taylor, on Ep. to Titus, p. C46.
TO IMPUGN BAPTISMAL RFGENERATION. 167
a test of our holiness, not of God's goodness. The passage of
St. John is more difficult ; nor do those who quote it seem to be
aware of its difficulty. For taken thus loosely, it were in direct
contradiction with that other truth, " If we say we have no sin, we
*' deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us^ ;" and, therefore,
we are of necessity forced to look more closely into it. Since, also,
we know by sad experience, that all commit sin, then it would
follow, that none were regenerate ; and, as an old Predestinarian
writer well said ^ " if this objection were of force against infants,
" it would be much more against persons of yeares actually
" converted. For it would prove that they have not the Spirit
*' constantly abiding in them, because it doth not in great falls
'* evidently show itself at all." And not in great falls only, but in
lesser cases ofhuman infirmity ; for St. John saith peremptorily
and absolutely, " doth not commit sin ;" and to substitute for
this, " is not guilty of deliberate and habitual sin," or " gross
" sin," or any other qualifying expression, is clearly tampering
with God's words, and lowering His teaching. Glosses, such as
these, in plain statements of Holy Scripture, cannot be too dili-
* Burges pp. 284-5, and p. 262. " In elect infants, ordinarily, no such
" worke appeares ; rather, on the contrary, many of them shew manifest oppo-
" sition to all grace and goodness for many years together, notwithstanding
" their Baptism."
2 St. Augustine, ad loc. declares himself on this ground much perplexed,
and explains " sinneth not," of the one commandment of love, "which whoso
" keepeth, to him his sins are forgiven ; whoso breaketh, his are retained."
His exposition, though far-fetched, admits, and is founded on the plain mean-
ing of the words, that the Apostle speaks of an entire freedom from all sin.
His application of the words shows also his conviction that they are a test,
whether we retain, not whether we ever received, baptismal grace. " Behold a
" baptized person has received the Sacrament of the new-birth : he hatha Sa-
" crament, a great Sacrament — divine, holy, ineffable. Think of what sort ; one
" which, by the remission of all sins, maketh a new man. But let him observe
" the heart, whether what was done in the body has been perfected there ; let
" him see, whether he have love, and then let him say, * I am born of God.'
" If he have not, he has indeed received a certain stamp impressed upon him,
" but is a deserter.'" A different, and, I think, a better interpretation, with
vthich St. Augustine elsewhere combines this, is that it is through love that
we are enabled to fulfil the law : see below, p. 170, note 1.
168 EXPOSITION OF 1 JOHN III. 9.
gently guarded against ; often have they brought down Divine to
mere human truth ; the very essence of the truth, that which
constitutes it Divine truth, is generally evaporated by these
inaccurate substitutions. The true meaning will be cleared by
attending as well to the context, as to St. John's method of teach-
ing. St. John, namely, is warning Christians against seducing
teachers (c. i. 26.), who separated truth from holiness, who said
that they " knew God," and yet " kept not His commandments"
(c. ii. 4.) ; said that they " abode in Him," and yet did not " walk
** as He walked" (v. 6.) ; denied that Jesus was the Christ, (v.
22.) Against these he warns his flock, to " abide'' in Christ,
•as they had been taught (vv. 27. 8.); and then proceeds (c. iii.)
to set forth the connection between Christian truth and holiness.
Our present title, (he tells them,) of Sons of God (v. 1.); our
future hopes of seeing Him as He is, and so being made like to
Him (v. 2.) ; the very object of His coming, " to take away sin"
(v. 5.) ; — shew us God's will, that we should " purify ourselves,
" as He is pure :" all other doctrine is but deceit : " little children,
" let no man deceive you :" God and the devil, children of God
and children of the devil, sin and righteousness, are incompatible,
and mutually opposed : there can be no union between Christ
and Belial, or the servants and services of either ; there is
no other way of " being righteous," than by " doing righteous-
" ness." (v. 7.) This, then, was St. John's great subject, the neces-
sity of personal holiness and purity ; and this he expresses (as is
his wont) in abstract, absolute propositions, not looking upon
truth, as it is imperfectly realized in us, whether to good or to
evil, but as it is in itself, and as it will be, in the final separation
of the evil from the good, when each shall, without any remaining
obstacle, whether of the hindrances of sin, or of the strivings of
God's Spirit, become wholly, what they now are predominantly.
** He that committeth sin is of the devil, for the devil sinneth
" from the beginning." ** Whosoever is born of God doth not
" commit sin." " In this the children of God are manifest, and the
" children of the devil." And so St. John returns to his first
warning : " Whosoever doeth not righteousness, is not of God."
It is manifest, then, that we are here to look, not for any abstract
HOW A CHRISTIAN "CANNOT SIN." 169
doctrinal statement, but for impressive practical truth : namely,
whatever be our feelings, persuasions, pretensions, theories or
dreams of good, there is but one test, whether we are of God or
the devil, with whom we hold, whose we are, and whose to all
eternity we shall be, and that is, whose works we do, — sin or
righteousness, — whom we serve. If we were entirely God's,
then, as our Blessed Saviour did, we should do altogether the
works of God : " whosoever is born of God, sinneth not" (as
before he said, " whosoever abideth in Him (i. e. wholly, en-
*' tirely) sinneth not ; for His seed remaineth in him ; neither
" can he sin, because he is born of God :" and in whatever degree
we have cherished and cultivated that heavenly seed, sown in our
hearts by Baptism, we cannot sin : as there is no sin so grievous,
into which but for God's grace we should have fallen, so through
His grace, we should each feel, that there are sins into whicli we
cannot fall : noWj by that grace, we cannot sin, because thus far
His seed remaineth in us. The Apostle's words declare to us
then the height of the mark of our calling, the greatness of our
end, the glory of our aim, that being *' partakers of the Divine
nature," (2 Pet. i. 4.) we might be without sin : that in purify-
ing ourselves, we should stop short of no other end than this :
that we should not stifle the impulses to loftier attainments, which
God hath placed within us, nor indulge our natural listlessness,
as if there were no hope ; but should aim at being, what our
Church has taught us twice at the commencement of each day to
pray that we may be kept, without sin. But, applied to a parti-
cular case, it must manifestly be with the limitation, which our
present imperfection requires, " as far," or " inasmuch as," we
" are born of God, we cannot commit sin :" in whatever degree
we are realizing the life, which was in Baptism conferred upon
us, we cannot sin : our sins are a portion of our old man, our
corruption, our death ; and so far. we are not living. St. John
is not then speaking of the life which we have received of God,
but of that which we are now living : and is giving us a test
whether we be alive or dead, or to which state we are verging,
that of complete life, or complete death. We cannot indeed tell
who they be in this world who are " twice dead," and, already,
M
170 HOW THE FATHERS EXPLAINED 1 JOHN III. 9.
wholly the evil one's ; but if there be any in whom every spark
of baptismal life has been extinguished, God has given us no
hope that it shall be renewed. The words of St. John then are
a solemn warning to us, to take heed that we cultivate that good
thing, which has been planted in us ; that ** we quench not the
Spirit ;" that " the light which is in us be not darkness ;" but
they do not tell us that that good thing has never been im-
planted ; that Spirit never given ; that light never kindled : and
as in the one case we should without doubt interpret the w^ords,
" he who committeth sin is of the Devil," every such person, as
far as he committeth sin, is of the Devil ; so in the other, " every
" one as far as he is born, or the child of God, doth not commit
'* sin^"
' I find exactly this sense expressed in St. Augustine, Cont. Mendacium
ad Consentium, § 40. t. vi. col. 473. ed. Bened. " This birth (of God) if it
" alone existed in us, no one would sin, and when it alone shall be, no one
" will sin. But now we yet drag along with us our corrupt birth, although,
** according to our new birth, if we walk well, we are day by day renewed
*' within. But when this corruption shall have put on incorruption, life will
** swallow up every thing, and no sting of death will remain. But the sting
** of death is sin," add.de peccat meritis et remiss. L. 1. § 9, 10. t.x. col. 44 — 6.
ed. Bened. I insert a few words only, " For the whole of our old infirmity is
" not destroyed from the very hour when each is baptized, but the renewal
" is begun by the remission of all sins. — We have now, then, the first-fruits of
" the Spirit, whence we are already in deed made the Sons of God : but for the
" rest, as it is in hope that we are saved, and made completely new, so is it
** that we are sons of God : but in deed, because we are not yet saved, so also
" not as yet fully renewed, not as yet also sons of God, but children of the
" world. We make progress therefore towards complete renewal and perfect
" life, through that whereby we are sons of God, and through this we alto-
*' gether can commit no sin ; until into this (renewed nature) that also shall
" be wholly changed, whereby we are yet children of the world : for by this
" we can yet sin. Thus it is, that both * he that is born of God sinneth not,'
" and if we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves. That then shall
" be consumed, wherein we are children of the flesh and of the world, and
" that perfected whereby we are sons of God and renewed in Spirit," 8:c.
add. de perfectione justitiae hominis, § 39. t x. col. 185. de gratia Christi,
§. 22. col. 239. cont. Epist. Parmenian. L. 2. § 14. t. ix. col. 33.
So also St. Basil Moralia c. 22. *' What belongeth to bim who has been
" born of the Spirit? To become, according to the measure given, the same
" as that of which he was born, as is written Job. iii. 6." To the same
QUESTION OF INFANT NOT AFFECTED BY ADULT BAPTISM. 171
Such are the objections, as far as I know them, urged against
Baptismal regeneration : in part, they would be objections against
all infant Baptism, and as such would, I doubt not, be instantly
dropped by those who now inadvertently use them, whom
Burges ' calls the " unwitting Proctors of the Sacramentarians."
The question is needlessly embarrassed by any reference to
adult Baptism,'since what we are now concerned with, is, whether
our infants, who oppose no obstacle to God's grace, do, by virtue
of His institution, receive that grace ; not, what would be the
case of one who should receive Baptism from any worldly motive,
and at the same time place an obstacle to its benefits by receiv-
ing it in unbelief. The questions are entirely distinct ; nor
would any conclusion which we might come to, as to the unbe-
lieving adult, affect the case of our infants, who cannot be unbe-
lievers ; and this protest it is necessary to make before we enter
upon that case, because a misapplication of the case of unbelieving
adults, has furnished most of the arguments whereby men dis-
parage the value of Infant Baptism. The unbelieving adult then
could of course derive no present benefit from Baptism ; and it
is an awful question, whether by receiving the Sacrament of Re-
generation in unbelief, there being no other appointed means
whereby the new-birth is bestowed, such an one had not pre-
cluded himself for ever from being born again ? It is a case of
purpose, probably, although not so clearly, paraphrases Jerome against
Jovinian (who from this place maintained impeccability after baptism, and
that those who were tempted, had, like Simon Magus, been baptized with
water only). " I write unto you, little children, that ye may not sin, and
" that ye may know, that ye so long abide in the generation of the Lord, as
" ye do not sin. Yea, they who persevere in the generation of the Lord can-
'* not sin; for what fellowship has light with darkness? As day and night
** cannot be mingled ; so neither righteousness and iniquity ; sin and good
** works ; Christ and Antichrist. If we receive Christ in the abode of our
" breast, we forthwith expel the devil. If we sin, and by the door of sin the
" devil have entered, immediately Christ will depart. Whence David said,
" * restore to me the joy of thy salvation,' which namely he had by sinning lost."
(L. 2. § 2.) So also of moderns, the learned and pious John Gerhard, Loci de
Bon. operib. § 144. " as far as any one is tindremains born again, so far he does
" not give way to sins: — regeneration and mortal sins cannot abide together."
' L. c. p. 76.
M 2
1 ?2 SIMON MAGUS RECEIVED BAPTISM IN FAITH.
such profane contempt of God's institution, it betrays such a
servitude to the god of this world, that such a case has not been
provided for in Scripture ; and one should almost dread to speak
where God in His word has been silent. For Simon Magus is
no such case ; since of him Scripture positively affirms that he
believed ', however soon he fell away ; so that St. Peter's exhor-
tation to him, to repent, holds out no encouragement to them
who make a mock or a gain of God's institution. Where God gives
repentance, we are safe in concluding that He is ready to pardon
the offence, however in its own nature it may seem to put a per-
son out of the covenant of Grace and repentance, and at the same
time to preclude his entering again into it ; and to any person,
who, having thus sinned, is concerned about his salvation, that
very concern is a proof that God, in his case, has not withdrawn
' ** Then Simon himself believed also ; and when he was baptized, con-
" tinned constantly with Philip." Acts viii. 13. This surely cannot by any
means be interpi'cted of a feigned belief: rather Calvin seems herein to have
rightly yielded to the letter of Scripture, although opposed to his views. " In
" that faith is ascribed to him, we do not understand with som"fe that he pre-
" tended a faith which he had not; but rather that overcome by the majesty
" of the Gospel he believed it after a manner, and so acknowledged Christ to
" be the author of life and salvation as gladly to subject himself to Him."
(Institt. 3, 2, 10.) It is overlooked also that Simon Magus was converted
by Pliilip, and continued for a while with him ; and that it was not until the
arrival of St. Peter furnished the temptation especially adapted to him, of
exercising again as a Christian, by corrupt means, the influence which lie
had as a Pagan, that he fell. His history then is, alas I nothing so insulated
in that of mankind : it is the simple, though fearful, occurrence of those
who struck by some awful event around them, or in their own lives, or by
some imposing act of God's Providence, for a while abandon their evil courses,
and tlitn, in time of temptation, fall away. Exactly this view (though only
hypothetically) is given by St. Augustine (de Bapt. c. Donatist. L. 4. § 17-)
"Was that Simon Magus baptized with Christ's Baptism? They will
" answer, yes ! for they are compelled by the authority of Holy Scripture. I
""ask, then, whether they confess that his sins were forgiven him? They
" will confess it I ask again, why did Peter say to him that he had no part
" in the lot of the saints ? Because, they say, he afterwards sinned, wishing
" to purchase with money the gift of God, whereof he thought the Apostles
*♦ were sellers." And, L. 6, § 19. " For that Simon Magus was born of water
" and the Spirit, and yet did not enter into the kingdom of Heaven."
DANGER OF RECEIVING BAPTISM UNWORTHILY. 173
His Spirit. Or again, since those tempted to commit it, are either
heathen, or members of a sect, which grieArously disparages the
Sacrament of Baptism, one may hope that they in some measure
have done it " ignorantly, in unbelief," through ignorance not
altogether their own sin, but in part the sin of those who have
taken upon themselves the care of their souls. Otherwise it
seems sinning with so high a hand, and so to cut off the very
means of pardon and pledge of grace, that one should be horribly
afraid for any one who thought of, or had committed it.
>! A yet more awful view of the case of adults, who receive
Baptism wickedly, from worldly motives, and with contempt of
God's ordinance, is opened by the analogy of the other Sacrament.
As namely, they " who eat and drink unworthily, eat and drink
" judgment to themselves, not discerning the Lord's body,"
there seems much reason to fear that they who receive Baptism
unworthily, receive it not merely without benefit, but to their
hurt, discerning not the presence of the Holy Trinity, and des-
pising what God hath sanctified. I speak not of particular cases,
for God has in a wonderful manner, for His own glory, made
Baptism effectual, when administered in mockery ^ by heathens
on a heathen stage, to interest the curiosity of a profane audience,
and a Pagan Emperor ; and God has put forth His power to
vindicate His own ordinances, by making the poor buffoon a
^ The history and authorities are given at length by Tillemont Memm.
Eccles. t. iv. p. 173. : and it bears the evidence of truth : the fact that the
Christian Sacrament of Baptism at least was acted upon the heathen stage, is
implied by St. Augustine, who incidentally inquires, whether Baptism admi-
nistered without any serious intention or in a play (in mimo) is valid ? (de
Bapt. c. Donat. L. 7- § 151.) He puts also the case, " if so be, one suddenly
"kindled should receive it faithfully," which exactly corresponds with the
facts of the history. And he proceeds to contrast "one who in the farce
" believed," with " one, who in the Church mocked." The history is briefly
this, that the player, when baptized, saw a vision, was converted, and when
led (as the custom was, when the mock baptism was concluded,) before the
Emperor, confessed himself converted, and to have become indeed a Chris-
tian, and sealed his newly-bestowed faith by immediate martyrdom. The
previous profaneness is (it may be remarked) one instance of the necessity,
under which the ancient Church was placed, of concealing the mysteries of
her faith, which moderns, under the name of the *' disciplina arcani," have
so ignorantly blamed.
174 ST. AUGUSTINE — BAPTISM BENEFICIAL OR PERNICIOUS.
convert, and enduing the convert of Baptism with strength for
instant martyrdom. God can vindicate His ordinances, by
making them all-powerful either to save or to destroy. But
when there is no such signal end to be attained, one would fear
that they would be pernicious to the profane recipient. St.
Augustine * argues thus : " What ! although the Lord himself
** say of His body and blood, the only sacrifice for our salvation,
" * unless a man eat My flesh and drink My blood, he hath no
" life in him,' doth not the same Apostle teach that this also
" becomes hurtful to those who abuse it, for he says, * Whoso-
" ever eateth the bread and drinketh the cup of the Lord
** unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.'
" See then Divine and Holy things are pernicious to those who
" abuse them ; why not then Baptism ?" And again ' : " The
" Church bore Simon Magus by Baptism, to whom however it
** was said, that he had no part in the inheritance of Christ. Was
" Baptism, was the Gospel, were the Sacraments, wanting to him?
" But since love was wanting, he was born in vain, and perhaps it
" had been better for him not to have been born :" and ' *' God
" sanctifies His Sacrament, so that it may avail to a man who
" should be truly converted to Him whether before Baptism, or
*• while being baptized, or afterwards ; as unless he were con-
" verted it would avail to his destruction :" and again he appeals
to the Donatists*: "Ye yourselves have virtually pronounced
" your judgment that Baptism depends not on their merits, by
" whom, nor upon theirs, to whom, it is administered, but upon
'* its own holiness and verity, for His sake by whom it was insti'
** tuted, to the destruction of those who use it amiss, to salvation to
•' those who use it rightly."
One portion, however, of the ancient Church (the African)
seems to have held decisively, not only that this sin of receiving
Baptism unworthily would be forgiven upon repentance, but that it
did not hinder repentance. St. Augustine namely uses this case*
as an argument against the Donatists, why the Church did not
re-baptize those who sought to be restored to her out of a
> C. Crescon. Donatist. L. 1. § 30, 31.
» De Baptibitio c. Donatist L. 1. § 14. ' Ibid. L. 6. § 47-
* If.id. !- 4. § 10. ' Jbid. L. 1. § 18.
CAN BAPTISM HYPOCRITICALLY RECEIVED AFTERWARDS AVAIL ? 175
schismatic communion, although she held the Baptism adminis-
tered by that communion to be useless while men remained in it.
" If they say that sins are not forgiven to one who comes hypo-
" critically^ to Baptism, I ask, if he afterwards confess his
" hypocrisy with a contrite heart and true grief, is he to be
" baptized again ? If it be most insane to affirm this, let them
" confess that a man may be baptized with the Baptism of
" Christ, and yet his heart, persevering in malice and sacrilege,
" would not allow his sins to be done away : and thus let them
" understand that in communions separated from the Church
" men may be baptized, (when the baptism of Christ is given
" and received, the Sacrament being administered in the same
" way) ; which yet is then first of avail to the remission of sins,
" when the person being reconciled to the unity of the Church,
" is freed from the sacrilege of dissent, whereby his sins were
" retained, and not allowed to be forgiven. For as he who had
" come hypocritically, is not baptized again ; but what without
*' baptism could not be cleansed, is cleansed by that pious cor-
" rection (of life) and true confession, so that what was before
" given, then begins to avail to salvation, when that hypocrisy is
" removed by a true confession ; so also the enemy of the love
'* and peace of Christ," &c. St. Augustine frequently repeats
this illustration, and speaks confidently as if it were a known
fact ; as does also another writer^ of the African Church. It is
a little remarkable that the Schoolmen and their commentators,
although deeply read in the Fathers, or at least with a consider-
able traditional knowledge of them, when treating expressly
on this subject^ produce only those two authors, and that out
of this same Church. St. Cyril of Jerusalem, on the other hand,
speaks of the loss as absolutely irreparable. " If thou feignest,"
he addresses the Catechumen*, " now do men baptize thee, but
1 This hypocrisy St Augustine explains ib. L. 5. c. 18, 19. to be " re-
" nouncing the world in words not in deeds, and coming so to baptism."
2 The author of the sermon on the Passion of Christ in the appendix to
Cyprian, quoted by Vazquez in 3 Part. Disp. 159. c. 1.
3 " Whether Baptism, which on account of the hypocrisy of the Catechu-
" men had not the effect of justifying, have that eflfect on the removal of
" that hypocrisy ?" Comp. Vazquez, 1. c. * Catech. 17. u. 36.
176 ST. CYRIL HYPOCRITICAL BAPTISM IRKEPARABI.i:.
** the Spirit will not baptize thee. Thou art come to a great
** examination, and enlisting, in this single hour; which if thou
" losest, the evil is irreparable, but if thou art thought worthy of
** the grace, thy soul is enlightened ; thou receivest a power which
" thou hadst not ; thou receivest weapons at which the demons
" tremble; and if thou easiest not away thy armour, but
" keepest the seal upon thy soul, the demon approacheth not ;
'* for he is afraid : for by the Spirit of God are devils cast
" out." It may be that St. Cyril may have meant, as is said
also of all impairing of baptismal purity, that it cannot be wholly
repaired, since there is no second Baptism, as he says, ^ " The
** bath cannot be received twice or thrice ; else might a man
" say, ' though I fail once, I shall succeed a second time :' but if
" thou failest the * once,' it cannot be repaired. For ' there is
" one Lord, and one faitli, and one Baptism.'" The question
is very awful, as, what is not, which concerns our souls? It
may suffice to have said thus much upon it, if by any means
persons might see that subjects of which they speak lightly, are
indeed very fearful.
V. There is however one more general dread, independent
of Scripture or Scriptural authority, that already adverted to
in the outset ^ lest, namely, the effect of preaching the doctrine
of " Baptismal regeneration" should be to produce a carnal
security, deaden the souls of men, make them rely upon out-
ward privileges, and lull the unquietness, which is still a sign
and a hope of life in the drowsy conscience. Hence some
members of our own Church have ventured to term this her
doctrine cold and lifeless : and it has been thought by a Dis-
senter, (otherwise mild and gentle) sufficient lo excuse in our
eyes the arrogant invasion of God's office in one who, setting
himself in Christ's stead, has pronounced on this portion of
His Church, that "she destroys more souls than she saves," as
the mere exclamation of piety, honesty, and warm heartednessM
' Procatcches n. 7- * See above, p. I. sqq.
' *' Well might you excuse my pious, ami honest, and warm-hearted friend
" Mr. Hinney, contemplating the tremendous extent of soul delusion from this
'* eUxise (the early and sinful destination of some perwns to the ministry,) and
I
IS IT RIGHT TO CALL BAPTISMAL REGENERATION DEADENING? 177
This is a faithless fear : our one concern is to know what God
has taught : but to dread beforehand to find any thing to be His
teaching, is to make ourselves wiser than God : as if, did He
teach any thing, He would not also provide that His teaching
should be efficacious ! Is it not the very objection of the Heathen
and Socinian scoffer, that the doctrine of Vicarious Atonement,
and free pardon, must be an immoral preaching, and produce
laxity of conscience? And were it not the character of
Abraham's faith to follow God's guidance, " not knowing wbi-
" ther we go," but assured that His guidance, if followed, would
lead us into all truth ? But indeed, has the doctrine of late been
preached ? for to prove, to state, to hold, Baptismal regenera-
tion, is not to preach it ! and has not the very dread of the
subject as thorny and debateable ground, in great measure pro-
duced the very effect, that it has lain uncultivated ? Is it not of
the very character of Scripture-teaching to set forth to us the
greatness of our privileges, the immensity of what God has
done for us, the freeness of the pardon with which he has par-
doned us, our adoption, our Sonship, our calling, our Redemp-
tion, our Sanctification, our promised inheritance, our imparted
earnest of the Spirit, and every other mercy with which He has
already crowned us, yea and our regeneration also, ** not of
** corruptible seed but of incorruptible" (1 Pet. i. 23.) as so
many grounds for sincere and upright walking, and for the
desire for future growth? and why then are we to dread, that to
tell ourflocks, that they were all once placed in Christ's fold, would
make them less careful to know whether they have wandered
from it ? that to tell them that they have been washed, have been
cleansed, would make them less careful lest they again " wallow
" in the mire" ? that to warn them of the talent which they have
received, would make them less anxious to return it with
increase ? that to tell them that they have been born again will
make them less anxious lest they be again dead ? They are not,
cannot be. Heathen ! They may be worse ! Apostate Christians,
" her baptismal formularies, for exclaiming ' she destroys more souls than she
*' saves !' Dr. I'. Smith's Letter to Prof. Lee, p. 79- We need no excuse
made to us ; but such language can only blind the minds of those who use it.
178 THE FATHERS BLESSING OF INFANT BAPTISM.
" twice dead, plucked up by the roots" — but that they may not
be such, surely it were our wisdom to speak to them not as to
those who are without the Covenant, but to remind them of all
which God has done for their souls, and to beseech them not to
destroy that which Goo has done so much to save.
Our Church has so thought : for in that she wishes her Bap-
tismal service (in which she declares, in the clearest terms which
could be used, that every child baptised receives thereby Spiritual
regeneration) to be always publicly celebrated, *' for that it
" declares unto us our profession," she must have thought the
setting forth of our privileges, and of the obligations thereby
entailed, a powerful motive to increased diligence. Or, let us
hear the words of the ancient Church, where Baptism was con-
tinually preached, and see whether in their lips its privileges
were a cold and lifeless doctrine. Let us hear St. Gregory of
Nazianzura commending Infant Baptism. " Hast thou an
" infant ? Let not wickedness gain an opportunity against it ?
" Let it be sanctified from a babe. Let it be hallowed by the
" Spirit from its tenderest infancy. Fearest thou the seal of
" faith, on account of the weakness of nature, as a faint-hearted
** mother and of little faith? But Hannah devoted Samuel to
" God, yea before he was born, and when he was born, imme-
" diately she made him a priest, and brought him up in the
" priestly attire, not fearing human nature, but trusting in God.
" Thou hast no need of Amulets — impart to him the Trinity,
" that great and excellent preservative." The thrill which those
impressive words *' impart to him the Trinity" {Sug avrJ r»/v
Tpidda) echoing to us after 1400 years, still awaken in us, may
well make us admire the energy of the faith, which infused into
words so simple, a force so amazing. The words are nothing :
the fact is the ordinary privilege of Christians : but the faith in
the power of God, as manifested in the Baptism of every infant
brought to Him, the reahzing of those privileges, as implied in
these words, overwhelms us, because our fiaith has not been equal
to it. Or do we fear that the leaning on the outward ordinance
would lead men away from Christ ? Yet who bade us look
upon it as an outward ordinance, or apply to it, words which
CHRIST PRESENT AT BAPTISM. 179
St. Paul speaks of circumcision, which was a sign and seal only ?
Or how should the ordinance of Christ lead men away from
Christ ? When Baptism was preached faithfully, the memory
of it was the memory of Christ and of His passion. " St. Paul
* showeth," says St. Chrysostom ^, ** that the blood and the water
* are one. For Christ's baptism is His passion also ;" or, as
he says again ^ " What the cross and grave was to Christ, that
* has Baptism been made to us." ** The sacrifice of our Lord's
* passion every man then offers for himself, when he is dedicated
* in the faith of His passion," says St. Augustine': and again,
' The sacrifice of the Lord is then in a manner offered for each,
' when by being baptized he is sealed in His name ;" and again*,
' No man may in any wise doubt, that each of the faithful then
* becomes a partaker of the Body and Blood of the Lord, when
* in Baptism he is made a member of Christ." " We ^ are
' washed in the passion of the Lord," says Tertullian." *' In
' Baptism," again says St. Chrysostome «, " we are incorporate
' into Christ, and made flesh of His flesh, and bone of His
' bone." The body of the regenerated (i. e, by Baptism) becomes
* the flesh of the crucified," saith St. Leo''; and again ^ " Thou
* art bedewed with the blood of Christ when thou art baptized
' into His death." " Let us be washed in his blood," saith St.
Bernard ^ " By these few it may appeare," says Bishop Jewel ^°,
* that Christ is present at the Sacrament of Baptisme, even as He
* is present at the Holy Supper : unless ye will say, we may bee
' made flesh of Christ's flesh, and bee washt in His blood, and
* bee partakers of Him, and have Him * present,' without His ' pre-
' sence.' Therefore Chrysostome, when he had spoken vehemently
* of the Sacrament of the Supper, hee concludeth thus. Even so is
* Ep. ad Hebr. Horn. 16. quoted by Bp. Jewel, Replie to Harding, p. 285.
2 lb. p. 287.
3 Expos. Inchoat. ad Romanes, ib. p. 422.
* Serm. ad Infant, ib. p. 21, 230, 292, 449.
* De Baptismo, ib. p. 287. ^ In Ep. ad Ephes. ib. 292.
7 De passione Donmi. S. 4. ap. Jewel, Defence of Apologie, p. 221.
» In Serm. de 4ta feria. c. 1. ib. p. 20.
' Bern. Super Missus est Horn. 3. ibid. ^^ L. c.
9
180 BISHOP JEWEL — EXTRACTS FROM THE FATHERS
" it also in Baptisme." And shall \vc then dread that they who so
realized the spiritual presence of Christ, should forget Christ?
Or dread we again that the magnifying of the sign should make
them forget the thing signified ? Yet the sign was to them so
glorious, only because it was identified with that inward grace.
" Forasmuch," says Bishop Jewel ^ again, " as these two Sacra-
" ments being both of force alike, these men (the Romanists)
" to advance their fantasies in the one, by comparison so much
*' abase the other, I think it good, briefly and by the way, some-
'* what to touch what the old Catholike Fathers have written of
" God's invisible workings in the Sacrament of Baptism. The
" Fathers in the council of Nice say thus : * Baptisme must be
'* considered, not with our bodily eies, but with the eies of our
" minde. Thou seest the water : Thinke thou of the power of
" God, that in the water is hidden. Thinke thou that the water
" is full of heavenly fire, and of the sanctification of the Holy
" Ghost.' Chrysostome speaking likewise of Baptisme, saith
*' thus : * The things that I see, I judge not by sight, but by the
" eies of my minde. The Heathen, when he heareth the water
"of Baptisme, taketh it only for plaine water: but I see not
*' simply, or barely, that I see : 1 see the cleansing of the soule
" by the Spirit of God.* So likewise saith Nazianzenus : * The
" mystery of Baptisme is greater than it appeareth to the eie.* So
" S. Ambrose : ' In Baptisme there is one thing done visibly to
" the eie : another thing is wrought invisibly to the minde.'
" Again he saith : ' Beleeve not onely the bodily eies (in this
" Sacrament of Baptisme :) the thing that is not scene, is better
" scene : the thing that thou seest, is corruptible : the thing
" that thou seest not, is for ever.' To be short, in consideration
" of these invisible effects, Tertullian saith : * The Holy Ghost
" commeth downe and halloweth the water.* S. Basil saith :
" ' The Kingdome of Heaven is there set open.* Chrysostome
•• saith : ' God Himselfe in Baptisme, by His invisible power
" holdeth thy head.' S. Ambrose saith : * The water hath the
** grace of Christ : in it is the presence of the Trinitie.' S.
' Reply to Harding, p. 249, 250.
ON god's invisible workings in holy baptism. 181
" Bernard saitb : ' Let us be washed in His blood.' By the
" authorities of thus many Ancient Fathers it is plaine, that in
*' the Sacrament of Baptisme, by the sensible signe of water the
** invisible grace of God is given unto us." And again, in his
treatise on the Sacraments ^ : *' Wee are not washed from our
" sinnes by the water, wee are not fed to eternall life by the
" bread and wine, but by the precious bloud of our Saviour
" Christ, that lieth hid in these Sacraments. Chrysostome
*' saiih : ' Piaine or bare water worketh not in us, but when it
" hath received the grace of the Holy Ghost, it washeth away
" all our sinnes.' So saith Ambrose also : ' The Holie Ghost
*' cometh downe, and halloweth the water.' And, ' There is the
" presence of the Trinity.' So saith Cyril : ' As water thorowly
" heat with fire, burneth as well as the fire : so the waters which
** wash the body of him that is baptized, are changed into Divine
" power, by the working of the Holy Ghost.' So said Leo,
*' sometime a Bishop of Rome : ' Christ hath given like pre-
" eminence to the water of Baptisme, as Hee gave to his mother.
" For that power of the Highest, and that overshadowing of
" the Holy Ghost which brought to passe, that Mary should
" bring forth the Saviour of the world, hath also brought to
*' passe, that the water should beare anew, or regenerate him
*' tliat believeth.' Such opinion had the ancient learned Fathers,
" and such reverend words they used when they intreated of
" the Sacraments. For, it is not man, but God which worketh
** by them."
Or, again let us consider the high and glowing titles which
they give to this Sacrament, and see whether they furnish induce-
ments to rest therein, or not rather exhortations to hold onward
in the streng.th so imparted. " This illumination (Baptism)
" then," says St. Gregory of Nazianzum% " is the brightness of
1 P. 2C3.
2 Orat, de Baptismo init. St. Basil sets forth the benefits of Baptism with
the Hke accumulation of titles; Homil. 13. Exhortatoria ad S. Baptismum
§ 5. p. 117- ed. Bened. And so also Gregory of Nyssa in Bapt. Christi. init.
p. 368. Bishop Jeremy Taylor refers for the same purpose to Theodoret
also, Epiphanius, Cyril Hieros., Dionys. Areop., Augustine c. Crescon.
Gram. L. ii. c. 13. (Life and death of the Holy Jesus. Of Baptism
182 THF FATHERS TITLES OF BAPTISM.
" souls, the transformation of life, the interrogatory of con-
" science towards God : it is the help of our weakness, putting
" off of the flesh, following of the Spirit, participation of the
'* Word, restoration of our nature, the flood which drownetli sin,
" communication of light, dissipation of darkness. The *illumi-
" nation' is a chariot up to God, an absence with Christ, a staff
" of faith, a perfecting of the mind, a key of the kingdom of
" heaven, the exchange of life, the destruction of bondage, the
" loosing of chains. This * illumination', — why need I recount
"more? — is the best and noblest of the gifts of God; as
" things are called holy of holies, (and song of songs, as being
" most eminent and surpassing,) so also this, as being more
*' holy than all others. But as Christ, the Giver thereof, is
*' called by many and different names, so also the gift; whether
" on account of our exceeding joyousness, (as we are wont to
*' take pleasure in the names of things which we love exceed-
" ingly,) or whether because the variety of its benefits has occa-
" sioned a diversity of names, we call it gift, grace, baptism,
" anointing, enlightening, garment of immortality, washing of
" regeneration, seal, and every other name of honour — gift, as
" being given to us who had nothing to offer — grace, as being
" debtors — dipping, in that sin was buried with us in the water
" — anointing, as being sacred and royal, for such are men wont
** to anoint — enlightening, as being brightness itself — garment,
" as a covering of shame — washing, as a cleansing — seal, as
" keeping us, and an emblem of dominion. In this do the heavens
" rejoice, this do the angels magnify, for its kindred brightness :
" this is an image of the blessedness yonder ; this we would
" gladly praise in hymns, but carnot as we would."
Works, ii. 255). The very fact that these titles are occasionally the same,
shows the more, that they express the feelings not of individuals only, but of
the Church : thus when Cyril says,(Procateches. § IG.) " Great is the Baptism
" set before you, a ransom to captives, forgiveness of transgressions, death
" of sin, new-birth of the soul, garment of light, holy indissoluble seal, chariot
" to heaven, delight of paradise, pledge of the kingdom, gift of adoption ;"
the very recurrence of the peculiar phrase, " cliariot (ox»?fta) to heaven,"
(though doubtless taken in part from the history of Elijah,) implies that it
was already in use in the Church.
POWER OF BAPTISM. 183
These are indeed fervid words and tbouglits that burn ; yet
are they also words of truth and soberness; words, which, because
they are glowing, approach the nearer to the truth ; and are
sober, because expressive of reality. It is not the language of
declamation, but of a soul, which having now been " carried to
" hoar hairs \" would fain express the greatness of God's bene-
fits, but " cannot, as it would." In like manner, S. Chrysos-
tome^ (though indirectly,) *' Why, you will ask, did not John
*' Baptist mention the signs and wonders which were to follow
" upon this * the Baptising with the Holy Ghost and with fire V
" Because this was greater than all, and for this did all those things
" take place. For having named the sum, he comprehended
*' therein all the rest, — loosing of death, destruction of sins, abo-
*' lition of the curse, freedom from the old man, entrance into
" paradise, ascent into heaven, life with the Angels, participation
" of future blessing, and those good things which eye hath not
" seen nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man.
" For all these things were^given through that gift, (Baptism)."
Or, let any one read S. Cyprian's relation ' of the greatness of
the change, to him incredible beforehand, which Baptism wrought
in him. It may suffice, in contrast, to say that moderns have
thought it necessary to apologize for, or to defend it. Or, let
them look at the manner in which St. Augustine* speaks of the
workings of Baptism administered to the half senseless friend of
his thoughtless and sceptical youth — how he speaks of it, who
once mocked at it. Or, let them hear St. Chrysostome's * exhor-
tation to those hangers-on of Christianity, who professed to
believe, and yet shrunk from becoming Christians, and taking
on them Christ's cross by Baptism. *' The Apostle saith,
" * through you is my name blasphemed among the nations.'
** Let us cause the contrary to be said, by * living worthy of Him
» L, c. vers. fin. § 50. p. 670. ad Morell.
» In Ml Horn. xi. § G. T. vii. p. 157. ed Bened.
3 Ad Donat. c. 2. p. 2. Translated in " Tracts for the Times," Records of
the Church, end of No. 21.
* Confess, t. i. p. 99. ed. Bened.
5 Horn, xxiii. in Actt. 11. § 3, 4. t. ix. p. 189, 190. ed. Bened.
184 THE FATHERS — BAPTISM PRESr.RYATIVE AGAINST SIN.
" who calleth us, and drawing near to the Baptism of the adop-
" tion of sons. For of a truth great is the power of Baptism :
*' it maketh those who partake of this gift wholly other men : it
*' alloweth not men to be men ! Make the Greek (Heathen) be-
" lieve that great is the power of the Spirit, that He trans-
** formeth, that He re-harmonizeth. Why tarriest thou for the
'* last breath like a fugitive, a recreant, as if thou oughtcst not to
" live to God ? Think, moreover, how many, after the enlighten-
" ing, (Baptism,) have become angels instead of men!"
It is not, namely, simply as the turning-point of life, but as a
new-birth that they rejoice in it, as the spring of all their subse-
quent life, the source of all their strength, in that it united them
with Christ, and through Him with the Father, and the Father
and the Son with them through the Spirit. " Let us be buried,"
says St. Gregory again, " with Christ by Baptism, that we may
" rise with Him : let us descend with Him (into the water) that
" we may be exalted with Him : let us come up with Him, that
" we may be glorified with Him. If the persecutor of the light
" and the tempter attack thee after Baptism, — and he will attack
" thee, (since misled by that which appeared he attacked the
" hidden Light, the Word and my God,) thou hast whereby to
" prevail. Fear not the conflict : oppose to him the water,
" oppose the Spirit, wherein all the fiery darts of the evil one
" will be quenched. It is Spirit, but one which removeth moun-
" tains : it is water, but a quencher of fire. If he place want
" before thee (for he dared to do so to Him) and thou desirest
" that the stones should become bread, oppose to him that
" bread of life which is sent down from heaven giving life to the
" world. If he assail thee with Scripture words, * for it is written,
*' He shall give His Angels charge concerning thee,' (Ps. cxi.
" 12.) — sophist of wickedness, why bast ihou paused here? for
** well I wot, (although thou say it not,) that (v. 13.) I 'shall
*' ' tread on thee, the asp and the basilisk, and trample on ser-
" * pents and scorpions,' fenced round by the trinity. If he
" attack thee with covelousness, * showing thee all the kingdoms
" of the world in a moment of time,' as belonging to him, and dt-
" niand worship of thee, despise him as having nothing : tell him,
PRACTICAL CHARACTER OF THEIR CONTROVERSIES. 18.5
'* emboldened by your seal, (of Baptism,) ' 1 also am the image
" of God, of the Glory on high ; not as yet have I been cast
*' down, like thee, for pride; I am clothed with Christ, I am
*' changed by Baptism into Christ, * worship thou me.' Well I
" know, he will depart defeated and ashamed, as from Christ,
*' the First Light, so also from those who have been enlightened
*' by Christ. Let us be baptized then that we may prevail."
Again \ " Whilst thou art a catechumen, thou art in the vestibule
'* of holiness ; thou must enter, pass the court, gaze on the Holy
" things, look into the Holy of Holies, be united with the
'* trinity. — Great are the things by which thou art besieged,
" great is the defence thou needest : he fears thee fighting
" armed : therefore he would strip thee of this grace that he may
" master thee the easier, unarmed, and unguarded."
The above is from a sermon on Baptism, a sermon, indeed,
full of practical instruction. It may be yet more striking to
observe the manner in which the blessings of Baptism are ad-
verted to, when the writers are upon other subjects. Although
such cases cannot furnish the same detail, yet, since " out of the
" abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh," they testify the
more how full the heart was of its Baptismal blessing, I will
instance one case only. We are accustomed to refer to the form
of baptism appointed by our Lord (Matt, xxviii. 19.), as a proof
of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity : so also the ancients ; yet
not in our dry and abstract way, but as recalling to themselves
the benefits thereby conferred on them. " The Lord," says
St. Basil ^, arguing against the irapugners of the Divinity of the
Holy Spirit, *' the Lord, when dehvering the saving faith to
** those who were instructed in the word, joins the Holy Spirit
" with the Father and the Son. The power of the Spirit then
" having been included with the Father and the Son, in that
" life-creating power, whereby our nature is removed from mor-
" tal life to immortality," &c. And again ^ — " Whence are we
** Christians ? ' through the faith,' will every one say. And
** how are we saved ? By having been regenerated by the
1 lb. § 15. 2 Ep. 189. ed. Bened. olim. 80. ^ ^g Spiritu S. c. 10.
n
186 THE FATHERS — PRACTICAL REFERENCE
" grace in Baptism. Shall we then, having known this salvation,
*' assured to us by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
" abandon the form of doctrine which we have received ? The
" loss is equal, to depart without receiving Baptism, or to receive
" it, omitting any part af that tradition. And he who keepeth
" not, throughout, that confession which we made when we, being
"rescued from idols, were first brought in to approach the
*' living God, and holdeth it not through his whole life as a sure
*' preservative, maketh himself an alien to the promises of God, and
'' impugneth his own covenant, which he made at his confession
" of faith. For since Baptism is to me the beginning of life,
" and the first of days was that day of regeneration, it is mani-
'* fest that those words uttered at the grace of adoption are of
" all the most exalted. Shall I then betray that tradition which
" brought me to the light, — which gave me the knowledge of
" God, whereby I, an enemy through sin, was made a child of
** God ? Rather, do I pray for myself, that I may depart for
" the Lord with this confession ; and I exhort them to keep the
" faith inviolate to the day of Christ; and to hold the Spirit
*' undivided from the Father and the Son, preserving the doc-
'* trine of their Baptism in the confession of their faith, and in
'* the fulfilment of glory." This is the language, not of a sermon,
but of what would now be called controversial divinity ; and
such is the way in which the fathers, when speaking of the Ever-
blessed Trinity, incorporated the memory of their Baptismal
blessings with their warnings not to forsake the Catholic doc-
trine. In hke manner says St. Cyril of Jerusalem \ " Let no
" one separate the old Covenant from the new. Let no one say
*' there was one Spirit there, another here ; since he would
** oftend against the Holy Spirit Himself, who is honoured with
" the Father and the Son, and who, at the time of the Holy
" Baptism, was comprehended with them in the Holy Trinity.
" For the only-l)egotten Son of God said clearly to the Apostles,
« « Go — baptizing them in th^ name of,' &c. Our hope then
"is in the 'Father, and the Son, and the Holy Swrjt." And
> Cuteches. Hi de Spiritu S. § '1. p. 344.
TO BAPTISM IN CONTROVERSY. 187
again ^ — " Believe also in the Holy Spirit, and think of Him,
" as thou hast received concerning the Father and the Son.
*' Learn that this Holy Spirit is one, indivisible, with various
" powers; working manifold gifts, but Himself not divided, —
" who operated through the law and the prophets, — who now
** also sealeth thy soul at the time of Baptism, — of whose holi-
*' ness all reasonable nature hath received." Or, again, St. Atha-
nasius, (although it is almost doing injustice to these Fathers, to
give such brief extracts in a foreign tongue ; and be it remem-
bered, that they are produced for one object only, — to show that
they, when arguing from the baptismal words, did it not in our
cold and disputatious way, but as men, who were thereby
reminded of the blessings which they had received in holy Bap-
tism), St. Athanasius, then, thus argues'^: — " The sum of our
** faith He made to point to this, for He bade that We should be
*' baptized not into the name of One not-made, and one made,
*' of One Uncreate, and of a creature, but into the name of the
" Father, and Son, and the Holy Ghost. For thus, being
*^ perfected, we also are made truly sons; and when we pro-
" nounce the name of the Father, we learn also from that name
'* the Word also, who is in the Father." And again ^-^" For
" God, not as if He wanted any thing, but as the FATitlEU,
"founded the earth by His own Wisdom, and made all things
" by the Word, who is from Himself, and establisheth the holy
" washing in the Son. For where the Father is, there is the
" Son also ; as w^here the light is, there also is the radiance :
" and as what the Father doeth. He doeth by the Son, as the
" Lord Himself saith (John v. 19.) ; so when Baptism is given,
" whom the Father baptizeth, him the Son baptizeth ; arid
'* whom the Son baptizeth, he by the Holy Ghost is perfected."
And yet again * : — " Moreover, holy Baptism, wherein the whole
" constitution of our faith centres, is not given in the name of
" the Word, but of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."
^ Cat. 4. de decern dogmatibus, § 16.
2 De decretis Nic. Synod, t. i. p. 237. ed. Bened.
3 Orat. ii. c. Ariann. lb. p. 509. * Orat. iv. c. Ariann. p. 633.
N 2
188 THE FATHERS BAPTISM AN INCENTIVE
Or again, let any minister imagine iiow lie should write to
a person, recently baptized. The freedom of his pardon, the
necessity of perseverance, the greatness of the profession which
he had made, the necessity of adhering to the vows which
he had made, and many like topics, would doubtless be dwelt
upon by many of us : few, I think, would have ventured upon
the cheering and simple, but solemn words of St. Basil, wlio thus
writes ^ — " We greatly long to see thee, especially since we heard
*' that thou hast been honoured with that high honour, the robe
" of immortality, which, enveloping our human nature, hath
" abolished death in the flesh, and our mortal has been swallowed
" up in the garment of immortality. Since then the Lord has
" made thee His own by that grace, and hath estranged thee
" from all sin, and opened the kingdom of heaven, and pointed
" out the paths which lead to its blessedness, we exhort thee,
" as being one so far excelling in wisdom, to receive that grace
" with all thoughtfulness, and be a faithful steward of that
" treasure, keeping watch over that royal deposit with all care-
" fulness, that having preserved the seal uninjured, you may
" present it to the Lord, yourself shining forth with the
*' brightness of the saints, having cast no spot or blemish
" on the pure garment of immortality, but carefully preserving
" holiness in all your members, as having put on Christ. —
" For ' as many,' He saith, ' as have been baptized into Christ,
" have put on Christ.' Be then all the members holy, as befit-
** ting those which are covered with that pure and shining gar-
" ment." Or, again, not only when one might calculate upon the
first strong feeling produced by the remission of all sin, and the
recent incorporation into Christ, but in the subsequent difficul-
ties ^nd trials of Christian warfare, this same topic is still urged.
St. Ambrose * had to encourage and to cheer some clergy, who
' » ISfp. 29^, (ai. 386.) t. iii. p* 431. ed. ienpi. The above extract is the
whole of the letter, except a few lines m ihie commencement expressive of
interest in his friend's Christian consort.
3 Ep. 81. " Farewell, my sons," concludes the good Bishop, "and serve
" the Lord, for the Lord is good."
TO ALL HOLINESS AND DUTY. ^ 189
Iiad begun to wax weary of their profession, as a toilsome, un-
profitable, insulted occupation ; and, having put their hand to
the plough, to look backward to the world. We, under the like
circumstances, sliould, doubtless, recal to them their ordination
vows, that they were no longer free, that they had bound them-
selves ; or we might set forth the high dignity of their profession
in the sight of God, to be employed in tending Christ's sheep.
This would also be doubtless true : but St. Ambrose goes
deeper ; he claims these weary soldiers by an earlier, higher,
more comprehensive title, — not what they had promised to God,
but what God had done for them : — *' they had died with Christ
"in Baptism; now, therefore, we share His life (convivimus) ;
" they had received the light of life with Christ, had been
" warmed by Christ, had received the breath of life, and of the
" resurrection." And who would not feel, under the like tempt-
ation, how poor the reminiscence of any vows would be, com-
pared with the thought, that the life we had was Christ's life,
the breath we lived by, Christ's Spirit, the breath of the resur-
rection. Yet, I would not compare the efficacy of different mo-
tives ; for this is descending to low ground, as if we were judges
of divine truth. I would only instance it, as a specimen how, in
other days, and with other notions of Christ's Sacraments, the
memory of them, and their benefits, was ever present to the soul.
Once more : people still dread, lest, by telling our flocks, that
they have all been born again, all once died to sin, and been born
again unto righteousness, we should relax their diligence : yet
St. Augustine, they will allow, knew well the heart of his fellow-
men, and its corruptions and deceit, and was a faithful preacher
of the cross of Christ, as well as of "righteousness, temperance,
" and judgment to come." Let us hear, then, how he addresses
even adults recently baptized, and in them, as he says, the rest
of his flock ^ — " To-day, let us address those who were bap-
" tized and re-born in Christ Jesus, and you (the people gene-
" rally) in them, and them in you. Behold, ye were made
*' members of Christ. If ye think what ye were made, 'all
J Serin. 224 in die Paschae 1. (al. de Temp. 164) §§ 1 and 4.
190 THE FATHERS— EARNEST APPEAL TO THE BAPTIZED.
** your bones will say, Lord, who is like unto Thee V For that
" great desert of God cannot be thought of as it deserves, and all
" human speech and understanding fails, that free mercy, without
** any preceding merits, should have come to you. Therefore
" is it called grace, because it is given gratis. What grace? to
" be members of Christ, sons of God, brethren of the Only-
" Begotten. If He be the only-begotten, whence are you bre-
" thren ; but, because He was alone by nature, ye made brethren
" by grace ? Because, then, ye have been made members of
" Christ, I warn you. I fear for you, not so much from Pa-
" gans, from Jews, from heretics, as from bad Catholics. Choose
** you, among the people of God, whom ye will follow. For if
" ye will follow the multitude, ye will not be among the few, who
" walk in the narrow way. Abstain from fornication, from ra-
-* pine, from frauds, from perjuries, from things forbidden, from
" strifes : be drunkenness far from you ; fear adultery as death ;
•' — not death which parts soul from body, but wherein the soul
" will for ever burn with the body." And after having, with all
plainness of speech, expostulated with those, who, in those days
also, veiled deadly sins under soft names, or avoided public scandal
only, " May I not do in my own house what I will ? 1 tell you,
" No. They who do these things go to hell, and will burn in
" everlasting fire;" and, having warned "against that raven-like
" repetition, Cras ! Cras !" procrastination of repentance, " that
*' raven, whose voice thou imitatest, departed out of the ark, and
" returned not ; but thou, my brother, return to the Church
'' which that ark signified," he thus concludes, to the baptized,
" But do ye hear me, ye baptized ! hear me, ye who have been
" re-born by the Blood of Christ, 1 beseech you, by that Name
"which has been pronounced over you, by that altar to which
)V.you approached, by the Sacraments which you have received,
<<:jby the future judgment of quick and dead ; — I beseech you, I
'*^bind you by the name of Christ, that ye imitate not those whom
••'-you know to be such, but let His Sacraments remain in you,
*' who would not come down from the tree, but who would rise
" again from the grave."
It may be said, perhaps, that ^oiuc <»f these are speakin;^, in
THEIR MORE VIVID FAITH AND LOVE. 191
part, from their own experience, and so, in part, of adult Bap-
tism. Some of them are, undoubtedly ; and if this objection is
meant to imply, that we, who were not so consciously " translated
** from the power of Satan unto God," cannot be expected to
look back to our Baptism with tlie same vividness, and clear-
ness of perception, as the source of our spiritual existence,
this may be, in part, true ; for we are, comparatively, in this re-
spect, walking by faith, not by sight. We, as many of us as " are
" Jed by the Spirit of God," have the effect of Baptism in our-
selves : we know also, from God's word, that this, our " new
" birth," commenced then ; but the connection between the
'* healing waters" and our " cure" is not so visible ; especially has
it been obscured in many of us, by our own wilful opening
again of the wounds which God then closed ; as, on the other
hand, the grateful remembrance of their Baptism is most observ-
able in those who have most uniformly profited by it. It is not,
however, the feelings of the early times, whose absence I deplore,
but their faith ; not the vivid terms in which they express them-
selves, but their strong conviction ; not simply the liveliness of
their gratitude, but their love for their Saviour's ordinance. And
we, too, might have the same faith, and conviction, and love, be-
cause it is His ordinance ; and, until we have it, I see no hope
for the prosperity of the Church, none of a more general early
piety, none of the extension of Christ's kingdom by our means,
none of its fuller realization among ourselves. For, if the en-
trance into God's temple be thought of thus lightly, is not this
the way to make it " a den of thieves," rather than of " spiritual
" worshippers ?" If the " earnest of the Spirit" is thus disparaged,
dare we hope that God will bestow upon us His fulness ? Rather,
I would hope, that the sayings of these holy men might be wit-
nesses, not against us, but to us. Their witness is obviously the
more valid in this respect, because they knew the fruits of Bap-
tism from experience. We dare nor speak (as some of old have
done,) of hyperboles ; for we know it to be language of experience
and truth. They testify to us that which they have known, seen,
handled, of the Word of Life, in His ordinance ; and we dare
not set aside their testimony. Observe we, then, 1st, That they
192 THE FATHERS NOT TO BE SET ASIDE
confine its benefits to no age ; but such of them as had received
it themselves as adults, recommend that it should be imparted to
infants. 2d, That they speak of it, not only as conveying remis-
sion of past sins, but, and that mainly, as a preservative in future
temptation. 3dly, That they recommend it for infants, not only
as an Apostolic ordinance, but as a known and exceeding safe-
guard. 4thly, That in proportion to their value for their Lord's
ordinance, so much the more jealous were they, lest its force
should be subsequently weakened, or the purity conferred by
Him be defiled. The more they honoured Baptism, and the more
they relied upon it as God's gift, so much the more careful were
they of their subsequent walk with God.
These statements of the Fathers will incidentally remove an
objection which has been in former times ' and may be again
made, viz. that we thereby bring back the opus operatum of
the Schoolmen. For since it is known that the Fathers did not
hold this in its objectionable sense, it plainly does not follow
from this doctrine. In this, as in many other cases, we must
distinguish between the practical corruptions of the Church of
Rome and her theoretical errors. For it often happens that
she leads her members into error, and countenances corruption
in them, where her statements in themselves are not very
unsound : teaching us how much evil, what seems a little de-
parture from the truth, may create. The term to confer grace,
ex opere operato, as explained by her writers ' is " to confer grace
'!? by the force of the sacramental action itself, being instituted
** by God to this end, not through the merit of the (human)
*' agent, or of the receiver," for which purpose they quote the
words of St. Augustine^: " The Sacrament of itself is of much
" avail." Such appears to have been also the meaning of some,
* Rivetus (Disputt. Leidens. Disp. 43. ap Witsium, 1. c. § 61.) blames those
" who, deriving their name from Luther, rather than from Christ, so speak
*' of the Word and Sacraments, as to ascribe to tliem the imparting of grace and
'* sanctification ; and rejecting the opus operatum in words, do not ascribe
" less efficacy to the outward action, than tliey who maku the Sacraments
" the proper causes of grace."
' Bellarin.'Controv. L. ii. (. 1. ;!( anifiitonun.
' De Raptismo L. iv. c. 24.
MEANING OF ** EX OPERE OPERATO." 193
at least, of the Schoolmen : and perhaps all, favourably inter-
preted, mean this ; that however a good disposition, i. e. faith
and repentance, is required in the adult candidate for baptism,
and in the worthy communicant a thankful remembrance also
of Christ's death, and charity towards all, yet neither did faith,
any more than repentance, or thankfulness, or charity, constitute
the Sacrament, but that it had its efficacy from God only.
Without faith the human soul was hke a closed vessel, so that
the influences to be poured therein through the Sacrament could
not enter; but by faith, only the obstacle was removed, the
grace came fully and entirely (ex opere operato,) from the work
wrought by God, not in any way (ex opere operantis,) from the
quality or merit of the receiver. In this sense, which Bellar-
mine asserts to be the true one, the doctrine of " conferring
** grace ex opere operato" contains nothing which our Church, as
well as the Lutheran ', does not equally hold, whereas the school
of Zuingli and Calvin cannot ; and against these and the like
sacramentarian errors, (produced by the unbelief generated
through the opposite errors of the Church of Rome,) the canons
of the Council of Trent were, in this instance, probably directed.
At least we ought never to forget, that in the great commotion
of the Reformation, there were brought to the surface not only
treasures which had long lain hid, but froth and scum also :
would one might say, froth and scum only ! Every thing,
which before had lain concealed under the thick veil of outward
conformity, was laid bare : the Gospel was again eminently
a savor of life and a savor of death, — to those who embraced it
with an honest and true heart, life ; others profited by the
security given, only to manifest the unbelief or heresy which
lurked within. To others, death and life were mingled in the
cup. " Protestantism" then, as now, was often as negative as
its very name ; Protestant was often another name only for
*' infidel." The deadly, stupifying heresy (if it may even be
called such) of Socinus was, we must recollect, one produce of
^ Chemnitz Examen Cone. Trid. P. 2. Can, 7, 8, and Gerhard Loci de
Sacram. § 86. fully admit this sense, although they do not think it the general
sense of the Schoolmen.
194 ALTERED VIEW OF OUR CHURCH AS TO THE Ol'US OPERATUM.
the Reformation. In justice, then, to ourselves, as well as to
the Romanists, we must bear in mind that the unhappy and fatal
Canons of the Council of Trent, were directed, in part, against
actual error, such as had mixed itself with the then, as well as
with former, attempts at reformation. And we should do well to
recollect that, though bound to thank God for all those, through
whom the light of the Gospel shone more clearly, we always
were regarded by them as a distinct and peculiar Church, and
are not to identify ourselves with them. The Calvinist writer \
so often quoted, says, very appositely to these times, (in answer
to the charge of Popery, for holding Baptismal regeneration, even
of Elect Infants,) " I like not that vain conceit that we should
" in all points goe as far from Papists and other Heretics as
" possibly we can. This is that which never did good : ever did
" and ever will do hurt : when men will take that to be truth
" only, which standeth in most direct opposition to that which is
" knowne and confessed to be a grosse error." In the present
instance, our Church, which, under the influence of Reformed
Divines, in the Articles of Edw. 6., declared^ against the doctrine
of the opus operatum, has omitted this censure of it in our
1 Burges 1. c. p. 325, 6. comp. Hooker*s golden observations 6. i v. parti-
cularly c. 8.
2 In what is now Art. 25, after " in such only as worthily receive tlie same,
"they have a wholesome effect and operation ;" there followed, ** and that not
** ex opere operato, ' the work wrought,' (as some speak,) which word, as it
" is strange and unknown to Holy Scripture, so it engendereth no godly,
•• but a very superstitious sense." Articles A. 1552. (Sparrow's collection,
p. 48.) At the same time some other Zuinglian expressions were omitted
in the 25th Article, as also the somewhat rationalistic argument ag-ainst the
ubiquity of Christ's body, " because our bodies could not be in two places at
" once ;" and again the denial of the real and corporeal presence of His body
and blood. (The real and the corporeal presence are always confused by the
school of Zuingli). In our Thirty Nine Articles is also added, fo^ ^he first
time, the sentence, that " the body of Cnuisx isgivett, taken, and eaten," &c.
which is decisive against any Zuinglian view of the Sacraments. These are
so many indications of a return to the original views of our first most dis-
tinguished reformers, which were neither Romanist, Lutherati, nor Ziiiiifjliaii.
but those of the primitive Church.
1
THE OPUS OPERATUM, HOW ADMISSIBLE IN INFANT BAPTISM. 195
present Articles ; and, by thus retracting, has virtually admitted
that it may have a good sense. In the case of Infant Baptism,
since infants, as such, manifestly have neither faith nor repen-
tance, though the faith of others is so far accepted for them,
that they should be admitted to Holy Baptism, its benefits are
conveyed to them through the Sacrament, not through their faith.
For if, as has been recently argued, on the anti-mystical notion
of a Sacrament, " the faith of the receiver is the true conse-
" crating principle — that which really brings down Christ to
" the heart of each individual," and the doctrine that the faitli
of others is accepted for the individual is regarded as " scho-
lastic," (i. e, a mere human speculation) ; Baptism can mani-
festly to infants be no Sacrament at all, since the " true conse-
" crating principle" is wanting. The Romish Church has led
men into ^practical error by insisting so exclusively on the
opxis operatum, i. e. the intrinsic efficacy of the Sacraments,
and omitting to insist upon (although it holds) the necessity of
faith and repentance on the part of the adult receiver, not indeed
as constituting the Sacrament, but as necessary conditions of its
efficacy to us : but this error must not be met by the doctrinal
error of the Zuinglians, that faith is not only the means, whereby
we are fitted to receive the grace of the Sacrament, but that
faith, in fact, constitutes the Sacrament. The words of St.
Augustine, above alleged, " The Sacrament of itself is of much
" avail," and his frequent maxim, (wherein he is speaking of.
Infant Baptism,) " Children are faithful because they have the
" Sacrament of faith," (Baptism) express the efficacy of Baptism
upon infants, by virtue of God's ordinance. And this is all
which the opus opcralum could express with regard to chil-
dren ; since no one would hold that Baptism would be of any
ultimate avail, unless its graces were subsequently cherished and
cultivated.
I instanced the above- cited fathers, in proof that the views of
Baptism, which they derived from the Apostles and from Scrip-
ture,— we from Scripture and from them, — so far from being, in
themselves, cold or lifeless, or productive of carelessness, were
tamest and afiectionale,and a source of vigilance : not, of course,
li)6 TESTIMONY OF THE FATHERS ON BAPTISM WHY VALUABLE.
as if anything could, in itself, give weight to what we know to be
Scripture truth, but because the agreement of the early Church
is of important use in ascertaining what is truth. In the fathers,
also, persons may see the character of Baptismal regeneration,
and its relation to other truths of the Gospel, apart from the dif-
ficulties with which they cannot but approach any subject of
modern controversy, — apart, namely, from the views, characters, or
opinions, with which it may, in some cases, be, or be thought to
be, combined.
Scripture truth, thus seen in its Catholic character, as univer-
sally held in the antient Church, detaches itself from the modes
of thought, inadequate apprehensions, peculiarities, or errors, with
which, in individual cases, it may be blended : it retains tlie cha-
racter of Divine authority, in that He taught it to His whole
Church ; while the exercise of our faith is rendered more easy by
the vividness with which we see His truth, when thus realized
in action. Yet the ultimate authority and source of proof is, of
course. Scripture ; and, although we might often be at a loss to
interpret Scripture, without the aid of the fathers, still this does
not diminish our sense of its supremacy.
It is, then, to the Scriptural views of Baptism, that our more
earnest attention is mainly called : it is a more thoughtful and
teachable pondering of those truths, that I would urge — not en-
deavouring to square them to our preconceived theories, but
obediently following them. Their Author, the place which they
hold at the entrance of the Christian life, their greatness, all de-
mand this at our hands. As deduced, then, above from Holy
Scripture, they are these. By Baptism, our Blessed Saviour
tells us, we are born again : Baptism is, God tells us by His
Apostle, the washing of regeneration, and of the renewal by the
Holy Ghost : through it, we are incorporated into Christ, made
members of His body, engrafFed into Him, made partakers of
His death, burial, and resurrection : by it, through His merits,
the original taint of our nature was forgiven, and our old man
crucified. We ourselves have put on Christ, and so become
partakers of the Sonship of the Ever-blessed Son of God. " By
'* it wc are saved :" i. e., for the time actually saved (as one may
7
PLAIN SENSE OF SCRIPTURE ADHERED TO. 197
know in the case of baptized infants), and, subsequently, in a
state of actual salvation (not merely of capacity of salvation), un-
less we fall from it : through it we are anointed by God's Holy
Spirit, sealed by Him, and have the first earnest of our future
inheritance given to us. God does not set forth Baptism, merely
as the introduction into the Christian covenant, and so entithng
the baptized person hereafter to Christian privileges ; but as put-
ting him already in possession of them in part, as a pledge of their
fuller enjoyment of those which are capable of increase ; i, e.,
those which the recipient afterwards becomes capable of receiving
in fuller abundance. It was but to be expected, that these pri-
vileges being thus great, the loss of them should be, in propor-
tion, dreadful ; and that there being, as St. Chrysostom says, no
second, third, or fourth Baptism, the loss should be, as a whole,
irreparable. Such is the view which all Christian antiquity took
of the warnings of St. Paul ; nor does any other meaning appear
so probable, as neither have we now such good means of decid-
ing the question, as those who yet spoke St. Paul's language, and
lived nearer to his times.
In setting forth this teaching of Holy Scripture, we have, it
is well to observe, adhered strictly to the letter of God's word :
we have not gone about to set forth any other doctrine than is
contained in its plain words : we have only not glossed over, or
distorted its language, but have taken God's promises and de-
clarations simply as we found them. And it is useful to contrast
with this mode of exposition that adopted by such as fear, un-
duly to exalt the Sacraments, and do, in fact, abase them to
signs only ; and then to ask ourselves, which seems the most
faithful exposition of God's word ? Some of these expositions
have been already set side by side with that which seemed the
more obvious ; and, surely, where God is declaring plain doc-
trinal truth, this is decisive. For it is not here, as in a pro-
phecy or parable, where God shadows out to us His way in
futurity, and His wisdom but half unlifts the veil which it has
spread, and docility in accepting doubtful intimations and in
pondering them in our hearts, and following them as a light in a
1^^ SCRIPTURE STATEMENTS AND MAN's CONTRADICTIONS.
dark place, is the temper of mind which He would form in us ;
yea, where a part of God's object is, that they who acknowledge,
that of themselves they see not, should see, and they who think
they see should be made blind. As in parts of Scripture, the
trial of our faith is, whether we will adhere to the letter and
omit what under the letter is conveyed ; so, in plain statements,
such as these, it is, whether we will accept His truth or His
commands to the very letter. There is a letter, we know, which
killeth ; but there is a neglect of the letter, which also killeth,
(as in Socinian exposition, or neglect of duty) for it causes men
to exclude themselves from the covenant of God.
When then the plain letter of Scripture says, " we are saved by
'* Baptism," and men say, " we are not saved by Baptism," our
Lord says, " a man must be born of water and the Spirit," man,
that " he need not, cannot be born of water ;" Scripture, that
" we are saved by the washing of regeneration," man, " that we
" are not, but by regeneration which is as a washing:" Scripture,
that we are " baptized for the remission of sins," man, that we
" are not, but to attest that remission ;" Scripture, that "whoso-
*' ever hath been baptized into Christ, hath put on Christ,"
man, that he hath not ; Scripture, " that they have been buried
" with Him by Baptism into death," man, that they have not ;
Scripture, that " Christ cleansed the Church by the washing of
" water by the word," man, that He did not, for bare elements
couldhave no such virtue ; Scripture, that " we were baptized into
'* 07ie body," men that we were 7iot, but that we were in that
body before ; surely they have entered into a most perilous path,
which, unless they are checked in pursuing it, must end in the
rejection of all Scripture truth, which does not square with their
own previous opinions. It did once so end ; and it is a whole-
some, but awful, warning, for those who will be warned, that it
was out of the school of Calvin, from familiar intercourse with
him, and the so-called " Reformed " Church, — that it was out of
and through the Reformed Doctrine, that Socinianism took its
rise; that " the chief corrupters of the Polish and Transylvanian
" Churches passed through Calvinism or Zuinglianism to their
CONNECTION OF CALVINISTS AND SOCINIANS. 100
** heresy ' ;" that in Hooker's words S " the blasphemies of
'* Avians, Samosatenians, Tritlieites, Eutychians, and Macedo-
'* nians, were renewed by them, who, to hatch their heresy, have
" chosen those churches as fittest nests, where Athanasius' Creed
"is not heard: by them, I say, renewed, who, following the
" course of extreme reformation, were wont, in the pride of
" their own proceedings, to glory, that, whereas Luther did but
"blow away the roof, awd. Zuinglius^ hditter but the walls of
" popish superstition, the last and hardest work of all, remained ;
".which was, to raze up the very ground and foundation of
" popery, that doctrine concerning the deity of Christ, which
" Satanasius (for so it pleased those impious forsaken miscreants
'* to speak) hath in this memorable creed explained." This is
an awful warning : and any, who has been condemned to exa-
mine the original Socinian writers, (the Polish brethren) cannoi
fail of being struck with the use which they have made of, and
tlie similarity of their language to, the Expositions of the " Re-
" formed " Church. This, at least, struck me very forcibly,
before I was made aware of the historical connection of the two
schools. It is a warning also, which these times much need ; and
therefore, and to show the danger of such systems of interpreta-
tion, I have instituted a parallel between them * ; not as if there
could be entire agreement in doctrine, between those, who trusted
^ Keble, note on Hooker, B. 5. §. 42. §. 13. pp. 239-41. It was upon my
mentioning the remarkable coincidence of exposition between the " Re-
formed" and the Socinians, with regard to Baptism, that he kindly pointed
oiit to me the historical connection which he had traced, and which Hooker
hints at.
2 L. c.
;3j,Ip tlie epitaph of Socinus, (quoted ibid.,) the name of Calvin stands for
tl^at of Zuingli, so entirely were they identified :
" Tota jacet Babylon : destruxit tecta Lutherus,
Calvinus mtiros, sed fundamenta Socinus."
The boast was a very favourite one, and repeated in different forms ; but the
place which Calvin or Zuingli occupy in relation to Luther, is very rie-
raarkable; corresponding indeed to the accusation of Luther bjr-thfe ** Re-
" formed" that he was "bringing back Anti-Christ."
* See Note P, at the end.
200 WARNINGS TO BE DERIVED F.ROM THE
in tlieir Saviour, and tl^ose who rejected him, but only that' thus
far — in the rejection of the plain teaching of Scripture on the
doctrine of the Sacraments, and the mode and method and prin-
ciples of that rejection, — they did even verbally coincide. I do
it solely because I am convinced that it is of much moment to
the Church of Christ in this land, that we should look more
heedfully whither we are going. No comparison is intended be-
tween the two schools, beyond the point for which they are com-
pared. In the very context, wherein the passages are found, the
writers will frequently part asunder as widely as possible : the
Reformed School, speaking warmly of the blessings of the death
of Christ, and of our unutterable union with Him ; the Socinian, —
as their school is wont. Yet on this very account the compari-
son is the more important ; for if the deadly heresy of Socinus
had sprung out of a dead and lifeless school, this had been the
less to be wondered at, and had had far less solemnity of warning :
but now to see it, starting out of the Reformed School, almost at
its very birth, and amid its first freshness and life ; this is indeed
awful, and speaks most truly as to the delicacy, as well as the
preciousness, of the treasure committed to our keeping by God;
how rigorously he "requires of our hands" any tampering with
it; that amazing as this His gift is, yet He is not careful to retain
it in our knowledge or our use, when man in any way neglects or
abuses it : that He is more jealous of His own honour in vindi-
cating presently all misemployment or defilement of this ines-
timable gift, than in preventing it from being, as seems to us,
altogether lost. Why God has made His revealed truth so frail
and so tender, so easy to be lost, so difficult to be regained, we can
of course but in a very little measure guess ; and if we involun-
tarily guess, must needs confess that we assuredly guess much
amiss ; but it is so diflferent from what human speculation would
have supposed beforehand, yea, so different from what our own
pride and self-importance, would persuade us yet that it is ; we
again and again so build our hopes on the supposed importance
of our Church or nation in God's designs, or the zeal displayed
upon certain enterprises to His honour ; and this, in despite
of the history of His dealings in His whole Church, that
CONNECTION OF THE SOCINIAN WITH THE REFORMED SCHOOL. 201
it is of the more importance to us to note all such instances
of God's rigor. Alexandria, the bulwark of the faith in the
Holj- Trinity, and North Africa, of the unmeritedness of God's
free grace, a desolation! Rome, once characterized for steady
practical adherence to sound doctrine, a seat of Anti-Christ!
Geneva, once proposed as the model for all reformed Churches,
and of influence well-nigh unbounded, and yet immediately the
parent of Socinianism, and now a prey to the heresy which came
forth, but was for the time ejected, also from its bosom ! Let us
" not be high-minded, but fear." Especially let us beware of
that straining of the letter of Holy Scripture in conformity with
preconceived notions, and the requisitions of human reason,
wherein the school of Calvin most fatally set the example to
that of Socinus.
Neither the above, nor any other views of Christian truth,
ought, of course, to be hastily adopted ; nor need it be concealed
that they would make a great change in much of our more earnest
preaching, in the early education of our children, and so of the
children of our country, and in our calls to the unconverted, or, (as
they were better called,) backsliding or apostate Christians. There
will, namely, when we are duly impressed with the value of this
Holy Sacrament, be far more earnest care to preserve this seal of
faith unbroken : men cannot go on with this apparent reckless-
ness, which is intolerable, when they think that childhood has only
been dedicated to God, not hallowed by Him, but which be-
comes an hundredfold more intolerable, when we look on them
as actually "children of God, members of Christ, inheritors of
*' Heaven," and when we acknowledge that if we allow them
again to become '* children of the devil," we have no covenanted
means of restoring the bond broken through our negligence, no
mode of wholly renewing them again. How must the Bishop,
to whom St. John committed a young man, and who, after
Baptism, had neglected him, have shrunk when he understood
the words, *' Restore the deposit, which I and the Saviour
" have committed to you, whereof the Church, over which
*' thou presidest, was witness!" — how must he have trembled
to say, " He is dead, dead to God I" But now it will not be
o
202 CHILDREN RECOMMENDED TO THE CHURCH BY CHRIST.
St. John, but our Judge from whom we must hear the words,
** An excellent keeper truly have I left thee of thy bro-
ther's soul !" We shall see how precarious a thing it is to look
for *' conversion " in riper years, (a thing which God has not
promised,) if we neglect His appointed means of training up in
their youth, *' the members of His Son, the heirs of His king-
'* dom." Our ministerial care must be, I will not say exclusively,
but still very mainly directed to these *' little ones :" and while
we neglect not to build up older Christians, and take every
opportunity of recalling a wanderer to Christ's fold, " if, per-
*• adventure God may yet give him repentance," our chief duty,
delegated to us by the Great Shepherd, is His twice-repeated
commission to "feed His lambs." Our own Church has very
carefully directed our attention to them : our sermons, she sup-
poses,* shall be such as shall interest and instruct them, long be-
fore their confirmation : their elementary instruction, she sup-
poses ^ will be interesting and edifying to the adult portion of
the congregation, when assembled for worship on the Lord's day :
for it is out of their mouths, and such as them, that " God hath
perfected praise ;" and so, assuredly, it would be ; and our ser-
mons, if addressed in part to these " babes in Christ," might most
healthfully recall us to the memory of our own childhood; the
remembrance of childhood's comparative innocence in the re-
centness of its Baptismal purity, augments, probably, the re-
pentance of most of us, that we have not " led all the rest of our
" lives according to that beginning;" it is a tie, which God has
often still wound round the heart of the apparently obdurate ^,
whereby He has drawn him back to Himself, when every other
band was burst, and more direct appeals have only hardened.
This, however, is not the question : it is, whether from false
views of Baptism, and, consequently, a faithless doubt as to
* " And that he may know these things the better, ye shall call upon him
" to hear sermons." — Baptismal Service.
' See " Directions after the Catechism."
' It is certainly true to human nature, that in a popular tale, the aged sin-
ner, after many years of crime, is represented as first softened into peniten-
tial tears, at the unwonted sight of childhood's prayer.
SPIRITUAL CAPACITIES OF CHILDREN. 203
the capacities of very little children, and God's power and will
to sanctify them, we have not kept them from Christ's " green
pastures," and His " waters of comfort :" whether we have not
left them to the wilfulness of their old nature, as if it were
this which were " natural " to them, and have neglected to cul-
tivate the new man in them, " which, after God, is created in
" righteousness and true holiness ;" whether we have not left
them to stray from Christ's fold, as if this were inevitahle, and
then complained of their unwillingness to be confined within it.
The whole education, indeed, of children, is an act of faith and
humility : faith, to believe that the seed we see not is already
sown by God ; that amid all their very childishness, the prin-
ciple of immortal life is implanted in them ; that, before they
can express themselves in words, or can understand ours, or
we can tell them of God, every little act of submission, and so
every little conquest of self, is a fruit of God's Holy Spirit,
who sealed them in Baptism ; that the seed so sown requires
but our diligent watering, and God will even now give the in-
crease and the promise of the future harvest ; that they are
already, in deed as well as in name, Christians : — it requires hu-
mility as well as faith to believe that the doctrines which we re-
ceive, but of which we understand so little, can be, and are
received as readily, and in its measure as efficaciously, in the
heart of a child; that their evil tempers yield as, yea, or more
readily, through prayer, and they become as or more easily victo-
rious in their little trials than we ; that there is not the wide dif-
ference between us, which our pride of intellect would imagine ;
that we are in different stages only of the same course — that they
are already carrying on the same warfare with the same enemies,
and (not having been so often foiled, not having as yet slighted the
voice of God's Holy Spirit, and their Baptismal grace still fresh,)
in their degree, more successfully than we : that they have need
of, andean use, all the same means of Grace (save one), and look
with a simpler, more vivid faith, to the same hope of Glory.
This, and much more, which those who have tried to educate
children Christianly, now know by sight, was at first to them an
act of faith : it remains after a time, still, in a degree, an act of
o 2
204 BP. JEWEL EDUCATION OF CHILDREN TURNS UPON BAPTISM.
faith, for our pride would still make unreal distinctions ; and
when we have in some measure realized it, we then begin to
see how much more is true, of God's grace in these little ones,
than we had imagined.
" The whole of the bringing up of children," says Bishop
Jewel \ " standeth in the knowledge and in the feare of God : that
** they may know God, and walke before Him in reverence and
" in feare, and serve Him in holinesse, all the daies of their life.
" The Jewes are a miserable people, that live in error ; they die
" in their own blood : yet have they so much understanding, that
" they bring up their children in the knowledge of God, and that
" knowledge they teach out of the word of God. They remem-
" ber what charge God gave them : ' Thou shalt teach them thy
" ' sons, and thy sons' sons.' Therefore, a father must teach his
" child what God is. That He is our Father, that He hath made
" us, and doth feed us, and giveth us all things needfuU, both
*' for body and soule. That He is our Lord, and therefore we
" must serve Him, and obey Him, and do nothing whereby He
" may be displeased. That He is our Judge, and shall come
*' to judge the quick and the dead ; and that all men shall come
" before Him, to receive according as they have done in the
" flesh. He must put his child in mind of his BaptismCt and
" teach him that it is a covenant of God's mercy to usy of our
** duly to God: that it is a mystery of our salvatioUf tJiat our
'* soule is so rvashed with the blood of Christ, as the water of
" Baptisme washeth our body. Let us looke upon our children
'* as upon the great blessings of God. They are the Lord's
" vessels, ordained to honour ; let us keepe them cleane. They
" are Christ's lambs, and sheepe of his flock ; let us lead them
" forth into wholesome pasture. They are the seed-plot of
*' heaven ; let us water them, that God may give the increase.
" Their angels behold the face of God; let us not ofiend them.
" They are the temples and tabernacles of the Holy Ghost ; let
** us not sufler the foule Spirit to possesse them, and dwell within
" them. God saith, * your children are my children.' They are
I Treatit»e on the Sacraments, p. 281, 282.
I
I
CHILDREN THE GREAT HOPE OF THE CHURCH. 205
" the sons of God. They are borne anew, and are well shapen
" in beautifull proportion ; make them not monsters. He is a
" monster, whosoever knoweth not God. By you they are
** borne into the world ; bee carefull also that by your meanes
" they may bee begotten unto God. You are carefull to traine
" them in nurture, and comely behaviour of the body ; seeke also
" to fashion their mind unto godlinesse. You have brought them
" to the fountaine of Baptisme, to receive the marke of Christ ;
'* bring them up in knowledge, and watch over them, that they
" be not lost. So shall they be confirmed, and will keepe the pro-
" mise they have made, and will grow unto perfect age in Christ.''
When children shall thus be brought up, not with occasional
reference to religion (as it is called), or with occasional religious
instruction, but "setting God always before them;" judging of
all their actions with reference to God's law ; looking at them
as little ones, indeed, but still as members of Christ, and so
imparting to them the privileges of His members ; disciplining
their wills in the same way, according to their proportion, as we
should discipline our own ; placing before them no motives but
those upon which, as Christians, we would act ourselves ; taking
no standard of little or great, right or wrong, — (not custom, nor
nature, nor affection, nor ease,) — but only God's law ; regarding
them, in fact, as miniatures, or rather as the first outline of the
full-grown Christian, which, by God's blessing, shall acquire,
day by day, fresh depth and breadth and consistency : then
may we, indeed, hope that " our sons may be as plants, grown
" up in their youth ; our daughters as corner-stones, polished like
" a temple :" then may our country be once more *' the glory of
" lands," a chosen instrument of extending our Redeemer's king-
dom in others, because it will have come " with power" in our
own : then may we take the blessing of the Psalmist, " Happy
" is that people that is in such a case, yea, blessed is the people
" that hath the Lord for their God." Such also, we may see,
has been the method of God, for the most part, in extending
His Church hitherto, since its first planting. He has used,
namely, the instrumentality of Christian nations, even more
than that of individual Christians, however eminent. It is
206 CHRISTIAN EDUCATION MEANS OF ENLARGING THE CHURCH.
by nourishing up and multiplying sons and daughters of our
common mother, far more than by the adoption of children
not her own into the family of Christ, that His kingdom has
been enlarged ; and secondarily, by the contact of Christian
nations, the leaven working in them has spread beyond their
bounds. The means are evidently prepared for rendering colo-
nization a far more effective means than ever before of extending
in either way Christ's kingdom : but before we think of so
extending it, the leaven must have worked thoroughly through
our own mass ; and for this, and that we may not rather be the
source of a moral infection, we must train up our children in
their baptismal privileges, in the full confidence that the " pro-
" mise, which God has made. He for His part will most surely
" keep and perform." Much of the responsibility rests with us,
the clergy. It is ours to press upon the parents in our several
congregations to educate their children as Christians. It is
ours to tell them what Christian education is; to remind them
of the promise of Him who cannot lie, and the might of His
arm, which is not shortened. It is ours to tell them, in detail,
the errors of prevailing practice, and what on our authority
they will believe, the early capacity of every child to understand
its faults to be sins, to repent of them, to pray for God's might
to conquer them, to conquer them in that might, and to be
thankful. It is ours, more especially, to habituate ourselves to look
upon every child, — not only as what it may be, weak, ignorant,
foolish, but also as what it is in privilege and in anticipation, —
a co-heir with Christ, as a member of Him. So will that
" great reverence," which even a heathen saw to be due to a
child, be, oh ! how increased ! and by uniformly treating the
lambs of our flock as already Christians, bestowing proportion-
ate labour and pains upon them, never treating them but as the
temples of the Holy Ghost, we shall inspire into their parents
a portion of the awe, which we feel for those whose " angels
" behold our Father's face." So shall our daily prayer be at
the last accomplished — " Thy kingdom come !" The Christian
minister would then have less occasion to address apostatizing
Chribtians, and his office uiight nearly be confined to ex-
APOSTATIZING CHRISTIANS HOW TO BE ADDRESSED. 207
hortations to watchfulness and growth. Yet even now, our
addresses to these unhappy persons would, I doubt not, be more
affectionate, more solemn, and more effective, because more true,
if we spoke to them as they are, erring, or, it may be, even
deserting Christians, but still with Christ's mark upon them,
still as sheep of His fold, not now for the first time to enter in,
or to " come to Christ," but to return, — with much sorrow,
labour, trouble, and distress of mind, — but still to return to Him
into Whose fold they had been brought, Whose sheep they are,
— to return to Him the Shepherd and Bishop of their souls ; to
return to Him, before Whom they must come, as their Judge.
And if they should most lamentably refuse our warning, still our
own increased earnestness in warning them of the difficulty of
the way which they have now to tread, may, by God's grace,
deter others, and show them the fearfulness as well as the shame
of " returning," after they have been washed, " to their wallow-
" ing in the mire."
But, as before said, the effect of our preaching, as it does not
depend upon ourselves, so neither may it be our test of its
soundness ; and that, simply, because we can at the best know
but a very small portion of its real effects or defects. Our
concern is, whether it be according to God's word. And it
behoves us much to ascertain, by patient, teachable study of that
word with prayer, whether it be right to make the way of
repentance so easy to those who, after Baptism, have turned
away from God ; whether we have any right at once to appro-
priate to them the gracious words with which our Saviour
invited those who had never known Him, and so had never
forsaken Him, and with which, through His Church, He still
invites His true disciples to the participation of His own most
blessed Body and Blood — " Come unto Me, ye that labour and
" are heavy-laden ;" whether, having no fresh " Baptism for the
" remission of sins" to offer, no means of *' renewing them to
" repentance," we have any right to apply to them the words
which the Apostles used in inviting men for the first time into
the ark of Christ ; whether we are not thereby making broad
the narrow way of life, and preaching " Peace, Peace," where, in
208 DOUBTS AS TO SOME OF OUR PRESENT PREACHING.
this way at least, " there is no Peace ;" while those of us, who
dwell on the necessity of universal conversion, and imply, by their
preaching, a disbelief in the doctrine of baptismal regeneration,
are many times " making the heart of the righteous sad, whom
" God hath not made sad."
These and the like questions are the more difficult to answer
dispassionately, because they are opposed to much of our modern
systems. May God enable us so to see, and preach, and realize
the truth, as may save ourselves and those who hear us ! I will
add but the closing words of Melancthon, who also held the old
doctrine of Baptism : — " Let us all consider these statements of
" Baptism piously and diligently, that we also, who are older,
" may console ourselves with that covenant, as I have said. But
" chiefly, let youth beware, lest they squander the gifts of Bap-
" tism, and lose' that great glory, which Christ sets forth of
*' infants in the Church. ' It is not the will of the Father that one
" of these little ones should perish.' What greater glory can be
" thought of, than what he affirms, that these certainly please
** God, and are cared for by Him. And let parents, in this
" faith as to Baptism, call upon God for infants, and recommend
" them to God ; and as soon as ever they can be taught, accustom
" them themselves to call upon God and His Son, and gradually
" impart to them the sum of the Gospel. Lastly, since children
" are a great part of the Church, let parents and teachers know
*' that no slight treasure is committed to them. Wherefore, let
'* them use faithfulness and diligence in teaching and guiding
" youth."
Oxford, the end.
Feast of St. Luke.
(additional notes in the next no.)
'/s{Bhese Tracts are published Monthly, android at the price of
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NOTES
ON TRACTS 67, 68, 69
Note (A), on page 16.
Hooker does not, probably, mean to say that the " Baptizing with the
** Holy Ghost and with fire '* was hmited to this one act, in which
the fire was visibly displayed ; but to show that even here, where it
would appear that a mere metaphor was intended, there was also a real
fact: much more then in the words ** born of water and of the Spirit."
Add to this, (as Vazquez remarks, in Part HI. t. 2. Disp. 131. c. 3.)
there is a difference in the very construction of the words, " water and
** the Spirit," " Holy Ghost and fire ;" for it might be said, (as in the
application of the words of the Baptist to later times,) that the word
** fire" was added to denote the energy of the Spirit in consuming
our corruption in Baptism : whereas, in the words " water and the
** Spirit," their very position shows that the word ** water " was
not added to explain *' the Spirit," the mention whereof follows
it. But neither can it be said, that the mention of the "Spirit"
so explains what is meant by ** water" that it should be alto-
gether superfluous; otherwise there had been no occasion why it
should be mentioned at all. Rather it limits it indeed, so as to
show that no mere " outward washing " is here intended;- that any
** washing " without the power of the Spirit was nothing; but does
not so supersede it, as to hold out any hope that we should be born
again of the Spirit without the water. Add to this, that in the Bap-
tist's words, there is an evident contrast between the material element,
the water, wherewith he himself baptized, and the fire, as the more ve-
hement, to describe the more powerful baptism of our Lord ; whereas,
in our Lord's own words, there is nothing illustrated or explained by
the word " water," unless it mean the water of Baptism ; so that the
very language would imply a certain metaphorical application in the
one case, and the absence of it in the other. Again, it cannot be said,
that the words " Baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire,"
exclude altogether a water-baptism ; for, although baptizing may be
used in the sense of consecration only, when there is no reference to
any holy rite, (as in the words '* are ye able to be baptized with the
*' Baptism with which I am baptized?") it does not hence follow
that such a sense is admissible, when (as in these words of St. John
the Bapti!-;t) such a rite is directly referred to. St. Cyril of Jerusalem,
just as Hooker, looks to the visible miracle (Acts ii. 2.) as the first
1'
2\0 THE FATHERS EXPOSITION OF TIT. III. 5.
fulfilment of the Baptist's words (Catech. iii. 9. xvii. 8.), but also to the
invisible miracle of Baptismal regeneration, (rbv /3a7rri^oi/ra, who now
also baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.) So also St. Augustine, Serra.
71. De Verbis Evan. Mat. 12. § 19. Add St. Chrysostome, (ad loc.
Homil. XI. t. 7- p. 154. ed. Bened.) "When the Baptist sends
" men to Christ, he speaks not of the wrath to come, but of
** forgiveness of sins, removal of punishment, and righteousness, and
** sanctification, and redemption, and adoption, and brotherhood,
** and participation of the heritage and abundant ministration of
** the Holy Spirit, for all these things he implied when he said
"'He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire;'
•• by the very metaphor showing the abundance of the gift, for he
*' does not say * He shall give you the Holy Ghost,' but ' He shall
*• baptize you with the Holy Ghost'; and by the addition of * fire'
" he points out the vehemence and efficacy of the grace."
Note (B), on page 19.
Our version, *' by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the
" Holy Ghost," admits of two constructions, according as one sup-
plies " of the renewing" or "by the renewing;" since, however, the
article is omitted before "renewing," it is probable that our translators
considered the "renewing" also, as well as the "regeneration," as
an effect of Baptism, (as paraphrased in the Tract) ; and such is the
most natural construction of the words 6id \ovTpov iroKiyyt.viaiaQ koI
avaKaivilxjuaq UvtvuaTog ayiov. It is recognized by St. Gregory of
Nyssa, who says, de Bapt. Christi init. " Baptism, then, is the puri-
** fication of sins, remission of offences, the cause of regeneration and
«« renewal;" and by St. Chrysostom, Horn IX. in Hebr. (quoted by
Suicer, see above, p. 50, 51.) It is implied also in the use of the words
avaKaiviliti, avaKaivimg, avaKaiviafiog, used of Baptism, which are
taken from this passage. The union of renovation with regene-
ration, in Baptism, is implied also in the following passage of St.
Basil, de Spiritu S. c. 12, in which the original words are preserv^ed :
**The Apostle appears sometimes to make mention of the Spirit
** alone in Baptism (1 Cor. xii. 13.) ; yet one would not, therefore,
" call that a perfect Baptism wherein the name of the Spirit
" alone were pronounced. For the tradition which was delivered
** at the time of the life-giving grace, must be constantly preserved
" unbroken; for He, who redeemed our life from corruption, gave
** us a power of renewal, whose cause was ineffable and contained
" in a mystery, but bringing great salvation to the soul." And in
St. Ambrose, de Spiritu S. 1. 6. "They do not observe, that
'* we are buried in that element of the water and rise renewed
" through the Spirit, for in the water is the image of death, in the
*• Spirit is the pledge of life ; so that through water the body of sin
" may die, the water enclosing the t>ody as in a tomb, and by the
ORIGINAL SIN PROVED FROM INFANT BAPTISM. 211
" power of the Spirit we may be renewed from the death of sin, being
** re-horn in God." As also in the following paraphrase of Theodoret,
(ad. loc.) " The Lord having used gentleness towards man, freed us
" from our former evils through the Only-Begotten, having freely
" given us remission of sins by saving Baptism, and having new^
" created and new-formed us, and having bestowed upon us the gifts
" of the Spirit, and shown us the way of righteousness." So also
St. Augustine, ad Ps. 139, §• 9, Cyprian de habit, virg. p. 102. Origen
in Joann. t. vi. § 17. " the bath of regeneration, which taketh place
** together with the renewal of the Spirit." And of moderns, J.
Gerhard Loc. t. 4. p. 265, and most ap. Poole's Synopsis ad loc, and
even the Reformed divines, as Galvin Institt.4. 15. 5. and 16. 20 ; P.
Martyr, ad Rom. 6; Witsius de Bapt. Infant. §. 19- Of the ancients,
Jerome seems to have stood alone in the ordinary interpretation, ap.
Waterland's Works, T. 8. p. 343, who prefers the above. Bucer
de vi Bapt. Christi. (0pp. Anglic, p. 597-) *' He calls it the
" washing of regeneration and of renewal by the Holy Ghost. Sal-
** vation, therefore, which consists in our regeneration and in that
** renewal, which the Holy Spirit effected in us, and so the Holy
" Spirit Himself, and our only regeneration and renovation, are
" bestowed on us by Baptism." Burges' Regeneration of Elect In-
fants, p. 87. " In which words, it is clear, as the sunne at noone-day,
•* that Baptisme is not the laver of regeneration alone, but of the re-
*' newing of the Holy Ghost ; so as he that is partaker only of the
" former, is but halfe baptized,'*, e., he is partaker but of the body
" of the Sacrament, without that which gives life, forme, and being,
*' unto that ordinance. And to make the Baptisme of the elect to be
*' no more ordinarily, than a participation of the carcase of Christ's
" institution, would, I think, be a harsh doctrine even in their own
" eares, that deny the Spirit to elect infants.*'
Note (C), on page 23.
St. Augustine frequently cites this passage (Rom. vi. 3.) against
the Pelagians, in proof that *' infants are cleansed from original sin
*' by regeneration ;" (aboriginali peccato parvulos regeneratione mun-
dari,) and that, because St. Paul asserts, that all, without exception,
who have been baptized in Christ, have been baptized in His death,
i. e. have died an actual death to sin : all infants, therefore, must have
died to sin ; otherwise Christ had not died for them, which no one
would say. — See c. Juhan. Pelag. L. vi. § 7- sqq. L. i. § 28. Op.
Imp. c. Jul. L. ii. § 135. and § 222. sq. Enchirid. c. 52. Wall (In-
fant Baptism, art. Augustine) enumerates also the following places
(wherein that father, from the acknowledged benefits of Baptism to
infants, infers the truth of original sin : — ** Ad Valerium de nuptiis
" et concupiscentia. Ad Bonifaciura contra duas Epistolas Pelagia-
** norum. De Gratia et Libero arbitrio. De corruptione et gratia
p 2
215 EXPOSITION OF 2 COR. I. 22.
*' De praedestinatione Sanctorum. De done Perseverantiae. De Ges-
" tis Palaestinis. De octo Dulcitii quaestionibus. Comment, in Psalm.
*• li. * I was shapen in iniquity,' &c. Sermo x. xiv. De verbis
*• Apostoli. it. in Sancti Johannis nativitatem. Letters to Paulinus,
** to Optatus, to Sixtus, to Celestinus, to Vitalis, to Valentinus, and
** several others." And in the De Peccat. Merit. L. ii. § 23. he ener-
getically says : — " If infants be ill of no sickness of original sin, why
** are they, by the pious fear of their hasting friends, carried to Christ
*' the physician, i. e. to receive the Sacrament of eternal salvation ?
'* and why are they not told in the church, 'Take these innocents
** * hence ; they that be whole need not a physician, but they that te
** * sick ; Christ came not to call the righteous, but sinners !' Such
" a fiction never was pronounced, nowhere is pronounced, never
" anywhere \vill be pronounced, in the Church of Christ."
Note (D), on page 34.
" Almost all say, that in 2 Cor. i. St. Paul speaks of that spiritual
** sealing which is received in Baptism, by which we are made the
*' flock of Christ, as Chrj's. and Theod. have expressly said." —
Saurez in 3 Part. D. Thomae qu. 63. art. 3. See also Ambrose (Note
E. p. 214). In Calvin, and most who have followed him, there seems
not to have been even a surmise, that Baptism could have been here
intended ; nor is this exposition named in the collections of Marlo-
ratus or Pole. Bucer, however, says, on Eph. i. " ' After ye have
" believed.' The Apostle is speaking of true faith, not that our 8al-|
" vation is tied to faith ; for we shall hereafter be blessed without
" faith ; and infants have it not as yet, and still are saved :" and aftei
a description of true faith : " For they are at Baptism purified,i
" adopted, and sealed by the Spirit, whereby they are daily ]irepare(3
** for faith, and hearing of the word, when they shall grow up.
And onEph.iv. "God has marked His own, whom He has purchase(
" with the blood of His Son, with that seal, which He doubtless wi
" acknowledge in the day of the perfected redemption. That Spiiif
" of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father, is the mark of ChrisI
" in us, and the day of Baptism is the day of the promised redemj
" tion ; but the day of our resurrection will be the day of the
" redemjjtion fully realized." From him, as appears, Hieron.Zan-
chius says the like, on Eph. i. " I doubt not that the Apostle alludes
" to Baptism, whereby the Ephesians, after they believed and made
" the confession of their faith, were sealed for Christ." And on
c. iv. " When does God seal us? In our Baptism, when He bap-
" tizesus, not so much with water as with the Spirit." And in the
Diss, on Baptism, on Eph. v. " This right (to eternal life) is sealed
** in us by the seal of Baptism, which is the meaning of Eph. i. ' Ye
" have been sealed,* &c. and John iii. ' Except a man be bom of
*• water and the Spirit," &c.
THE FAH1ERS. 213
Note (E), on page 38.
Bingham (Christian Antiq. b. xi. c. 1.) quotes several passages,
wherein is expressed this doctrine of our being sealed, and so guarded
and protected by Baptism ; as the Acta TheclcBy " Give me the seal
" of Baptism, and temptation shall not touch me." Clemens of
Alewandria, ap. Euseb. H. E. L. iii. c. 23. of the Presbyter to whom
St. John had committed a young man, " The presbyter having taken
" him home, brought him up, kept him by him, cherished him, at
" last enlightened (baptized) him. After this he remitted further
" care and watchfulness over him, as having set upon him that per-
" feet preservative, the seal of the Lord (i. e. Baptism.") ISee other
instances in Suicer, v. atppayig.) St. Basil insists on the safety thereby
procured to us, in that we are thereby marked as God's (cp. the Rev.)
" How shall the Angel rescue thee from the enemies (see Jude 9.)
** unless he see the mark ? How canst thou say ' I am God's,' unless
" thou bearest his tokens ? Knowest thou not that the destroyer
" passed by the houses which were sealed (marked), and in the
" unsealed slew the first-born ? An unsealed treasure is open to
" robbers ; an unmarked sheep is easily entrapped ^' (De S. Baptismo,
Hom. 13. § 4. p. 117. ed. Bened.) Again, he calls it " a seal, which
" no force (without us) can injure," ib. § 5. as does St. Cyril of
Jerusalem (Procatech. § 16.) St. Gregory of Nazianzum uses in part
the same references to Scripture history, and the same images. He
especially calls Baptism " a seal to those beginning life, to the more
" advanced a grace also, and a restoration of the lost image." (De S.
Baptismo, § 7. p. 640.) He exhorts the young to receive Baptism :
" if thou provide thyself with the seal, and guard the future with
" the best and firmest of supports, and being marked, soul and body,
" with the anointing and with the Spirit, as Israel of old with that
" blood and anointing, which by night guarded the fiist-born, what
" shall happen to thee ?" § 14. As, on the other hand, he alludes to
the danger of those who have not this seal : " Fearest thou lest thou
" shouldest corrupt this grace, and so delayest thy purification, as
" having no second to look to ? What then ? Fearest thou not, lest in a
" time of persecution thou be in danger of being deprived of thy great-
" est treasure, Christ?" Ib. § 15. And again, "This purifying must
" not be glossed over, but must be stamped upon them." § 30. And
hence TertuUian frequently calls Baptism the seaUng-up of faith, as an
impress on the part of God, whereby He secures and maintains it.
" That bath is the sealing up (obsignatio) of faith, which faith begins,
" and is recommended by the faith of repentance." De Poenitentia,
c. 6. Again, de Spectaculis, c. 4. he calls Baptism ''our sealing."
And against Marcion, who distinguished the God of the New Testa-
ment from the God of the Old, and disbelieved the teaching of the
214 THE FATHERS CHRISTIANS SEALED AND
Old Scriptures — " He seals, then, man, who in His sight never was
" unsealed ! He washes man, who in His sight never was defiled !
'* And He dips the flesh, which is excluded from salvation, in this
** whole Sacrament of salvation V* L. i. c. 28. And de Praescript.
Haeretic. c. 36, " It unites the law and the prophets with the gospels
** and the apostolic writings, and thence imbibeth faith. This it
** sealeth with water, clotheth \vith the Holy Spirit, feedeth with
** the Eucharist, by martyrdom persuadeth ; and against this institu-
** tion admitteth no one." Cornelius also, ap. Euseb. Hist. L. vi.
c. 33, speaks of "being sealed by the sign of the seal in the Lord.*'
Ambrose de Spiritu S. L. i. c. 6. " Do we live through the water as
** through the Spirit ? Are we sealed through the water as through
'* the Spirit ? for in Him we Hve, and He is the earnest of our
** inheritance ; as the Apostle, writing to the Ephesians, saith, * in
" ' whom believing, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,*
** &c. We were sealed then by the Holy Spirit, not in a natural
** way, but by God, because it is written, * God, who anointed us,
" * and sealed us, and gave the Spirit, as an earnest in our hearts.'
** We were sealed then with the Spirit by God ; for as we die in
*' Christ, that we may be born again, so we are sealed also with the
'* Spirit, that we may retain His splendour, and image, and grace ;
** and this then is a spiritual seal ; for although we are outwardly
•* sealed in the body, yet in reality we are sealed in the heart, so that
** the Holy Spirit forms in us the representation of the heavenly
'* image." St. Cyril of Jerusalem, addressing those about to be
baptized, says, " receive through faith the pledge of the Holy Spirit,
*' that ye may be able to be received into the eternal habitations.
" Approach to the mysterious seal, that ye may be recognised by your
** Master. Where He seeth a good conscience, there He giveth that
** saving, that wondrous seal, of which the devils stand in awe, and
" which angels acknowledge." (Catech. 1. c 2.) And again — " Thou
" descendest into the water, bearing thy sins ; but the words of grace
*' pronounced over thee, having sealed thy soul, no longer permit thee
** io be devoured by the fearful dragon. Having descended dead in
** sins, thou arisest quickened in righteousness. For if thou wert
" planted in the likeness of the death of the Saviour, thou shaltalso
•* be accounted worthy of the resurrection." lb. 3. 12. And in like
manner, Cyril frequently speaks of " the Holy Spirit, which sealeth
" the souls in Baptism." Catech. 3, 3. 4, 4, 16. 16, 24. 17, 35. And
Epiphanius (which is the more to be noticed) lays down thus the dis-
tinction between circumcision and Baptism : — " for there (among the
** Jews) there was a carnal circumcision, which served for a time, until
** the great circumcision (i. e. Baj)ti8m), which circumciseth us from
" sins, and sealeth us in the name of God." Haeres. 8. med. (cp.
Hares. 30. fin. quoted by Vazquez, I. c. disp. 134 c. 1.) And
GUARDED BY BAPTISM. 215
Ambrosiaster, on Eph. i. 14. " It is to the praise of the glory of
" God, when many are gained to the faith. Therefore it belongeth
** to God's glory that He called the Gentiles, that they might obtain
" the healing of their salvation, having the seal of redemption and-
*' future inheritance, the Holy Spirit given upon Baptism. For
** the redeemed are marked out as heirs, if they continue in regene-
" ration, so that the first faith obtaineth pardon, but a holy conver-
" sation, enduring with faith, a crown." Rufimis inv. in S. Hieron,
§ 3. " Having been regenerated by the grace of Baptism, I obtained
" the seal of faith." We are the more directly reminded of the lan-
guage of the Revelations, by the title ** the sealed,^* which St. Basil
gives to the baptized, de Spiritu S. c. 16. p. 34. And again, directly
explaining Eph. iv. 30. " They then who have been sealed by the
'* Holy Spirit to the day of redemption, and have kept that first-
" fi-uit of the Spirit undefiled and undiminished, these are they who
" shall hear the words * Well done ! good and faithful,' &c. ; and
** likewise they who have grieved the Holy Spirit by the wickedness
" of their doings, and did not obtain increase for that which was given.
" them, shall be deprived of that which they received, the grace being
" transferred to others ; and the * cutting in twain,' (Mat. xxiv. 51.)
" means the entire alienation of the Spirit from the soul. For now,
" although He be not mingled with the unworthy, yet He seems to
" be present with those who have been once sealed, awaiting their
" salvation through their conversion ; but then He shall be severed
*' altogether from those who defiled His grace;" (in which words, it
may be observed, that St. Basil explains the benefits of Baptism to
those who neglect the gift therein bestowed, in the same way as St.
Augustine, sup. p. 175 ; that is, as ready to be of avail to them, if they
at length, really from the heart, obey God's call to turn and fear Him ;
while the final loss of that seal of Baptism is spoken of as equivalent
to the utter alienation from God, which is the misery of the damned.)
TheodotuSy in Epit. Orient. Doctrinae (ap. Gerhard Loci de S. Bapt.
§111.) "He who hath come to God, and hath received power to
** tread on scorpions and serpents, and all the evil powers, hav-
*' ing been sealed through the Father, the Son, and the Holy
** Spirit, is inaccessible to any power." And in this sense are
comprehended all those several modifications which Bellarmine and
Vazquez attribute to the use of this metaphor among the fathers, viz.
that the Sacraments are marks whereby the faithful are noted ; that
they contain within themselves, and preserve, a sacred thing, i. e,
grace ; that Baptism is, in TertulUan's usage, a public approval and
attestation of faith. All these may be reduced into the one head,
that the Sacrament of Baptism, where rightly received, impresses
upon the soul the image of God ; secures and perpetuates all pre-
vious good emotions worked in adults by God; aiid parries on to life
gl6 THE FATHERS " THE WORD" IN EPII. V. 26.
eternal those who live " the rest of their lives according to tliat
" beginning \" The statement of these writers, as an historical fact,
is valuable, that " no one of the fathers calls the Sacraments seals,
*• as being symbols of God's good-will towards us, to excite our faith,
** whereby we may certainly believe that our sins are forgiven us,
" according to the notions of Calvin/* Vazquez, 1. c. disp. 131. c 6.
The consent of the early Church, in explaining this text of Baptism,
may also be inferred from its being used as a lesson in connection
with the baptismal service. ** Recall," says St. Ambrose, de iis qui
mysteriis initiantur, c 7- '* that thou hast received a spiritual seal, the
" spirit (Is. xi. 2.) of holy fear, and keep what thou hast received.
" God the Father hath sealed, Christ the Lord hath confirmed
** thee, and given the earnest of the Spirit in your hearts, as thou
" hast learnt from the lesson out of the Apostles."
Note (F), on page 40.
The Greek Fathers uniformly explain, ** washing of water by the
" word,*' (Eph. v. 26.) of our Saviour''s word of consecration ; so
St. Chrysostome ad loc. ** By what word ? In the name of the
'* Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost." The consent,
indeed, of the Greek Fathers is admitted. ** Chrysostom," says
Estius, " and the other Greeks, and the later Latins, refer this to the
** mystical words of Baptism." St. Cyril of Jerusalem again, ha^'ing
already spoken of the catechetical instruction or teaching of the word
before Baptism, as distinct from this, reminds the catechumens how
they had been purified from sin by the Lord " by the washing of
•* water by the word." Catech. 18. § 33. and so also Theodoret,
Tlieophylact, O^cumenius. The exposition of the Greeks is of the more
importance, since the question depends, in part, upon the use of the
word prjfia. 'P»y/irt, namely, is used in the New Testament, of the
'* command" of God. Matt. iv. 4. Heb. i. 3. xi. 3. Rom. x. 8. (from
the 6) Eph. vi. 17., or of His *' promise," Heb. vi. 5. 1 Pet. i. 25., or
of a specific revelation, *' the word of the Lord came to," &c. iii. 2.
but not in the general sense of revelation written or unwritten. For
this there is used the plural prtfiara, Joh. v. 47. vi. 63, C8. viii. 20, 47,
&c., or \6yoQ.
Of the Latin Fathers, St. Augustine, who is alleged by Estius and
Calvin for the contrary, exphcitly interprets the passage of the Sacra-
mental words, (De nuptiis T. x. p. 298. ed. Bened.). " For so says the
*' Apostle, Eph. V. 25., which is so to be understood ; that, by the same
" washing of regeneration and wordof sanctification, all the ills of men,
*' who have been regenerated, are cleansed and healed, not only the simj
" which are all remitted now at baptism, but those also which may be
*' hereafter contracted by human ignorance or infirmity;" as also in
the very passage alleged for the contrary, (Tract. 80 in Johan. T. iii. j).
I
THE WORD OF COKSECRATION IN BAPTISM. '217
703.) '* Why does Christ say, not * ye are clean on account of the
** * Baptism wherewith ye are washed,' but ' on account of the word
" * which I have spoken unto you,' except that the word cleanseth also
** in the water ? Take away the word, and what is water but water ?
** The word is added to the element, and it becomes a Sacrament ;
** itself, as it were, a visible word." St. Augustine indeed, like the
other Fathers, considers the words of Baptism as not confined to that
single act, but to be influential through life. " In the word itself,"
he says, '* the passing sound is one thing, the abiding power another :"
but he expressly adds, ** the cleansing, therefore, would not be
*' ascribed to the unstable and fluid element, unless there were added
•* * by the word.' This word of faith is of so much avail in the Church
•* of God, that through her, believing, offering, blessing, baptizing, it
** cleanseth the merest infant, although not as yet able to believe with
** the heart unto righteousness, and to confess with the mouth unto
** salvation." The passage of St. Augustine is fully considered by
Vazquez in Part. 3. Disp. 129- n. 52 — 64. Indeed it would have
created no difficulty, but for the altered frame of mind, which no
longer felt the same reverence for the words, through which water
was sanctified to be ** the bath of regeneration." (See citations from
Basil. &c. p. 185, sqq ) St. Augustine, elsewhere, incidentally defines
♦* the Baptism of Christ" to be *' Baptism consecrated with the
*' words of the Gospel ;" (de Bapt. c. Donat. L. vi. § 47.) and again
ibid. ** God is present with His own Gospel words, without which
" the Baptism of Christ cannot be consecrated, and Himself hallows
** His own Sacrament." See also c. Crescon. iv. 15.
St. Augustine, then, makes no exception to what is admitted to be
the opinion of '* all the later Latins," as well as of all the Greek Fathers.
St. Ambrose is quoted to the same purpose by Tirinus. In like manner
St. Jerome (ad loc. quoted by Estius) is manifestly not explaining the
literal meaning, but applying the whole in a secondary sense : where-
in the husband represents the soul, the wife the body, which is
to be cleansed from sin by the word. Such consent of antiquity
one can hardly doubt to have originated in a genuine tradition. Of
moderns, Bucer says, *' In what way could the Holy Spirit have
** expressed more plainly, that Baptism administered by the word and
'* at the command of Christ, was an instrument of purifying His elect
** from sin?" (De vi Bapt. p. 597.) And Zanchius, who is again
quoted for the reverse, says, on the passage, that "the three parts of
** Baptism, the element of water, the word of consecration, and the
«' blood of Christ, are mentioned in this passage," p. 209. col. 2. add
p. 222. § 24. BuUinger, " For the element cannot purify by itself,
** unless the word of God be added, i. e. the sanctifying Divine power
" and certain promise, which is obtained by faith. Whence Augustine
" learnedly and piously saith. The word is added to the element and
218 ANOINTING AT BAPTISM PROBABLY
" it becomes a Sacrament ;" and Ridley, Comm. on the Ephes.
(Fathers of the English Church, vol. 2. p. 135.) One regrets that
Calvin, taking a superficial view of the passage of St. Augustine,
should have represented those who believe in the efficacy of the words of
consecration as maintaining that " the word whispered over the element
" without sense or faith, by a mere noise, had the power of consecra-
" ting the element as by a magical incantation." Instit. L, 4. c. 14. § 4.
It was a part of Calvin's rationalism to suppose that the word of con-
secration had its efficacy simply by teaching the people, not through
any virtue given by God to the invocation of the Blessed Trinity
enjoined by Christ Himself, or to those words which Himself used
at the Last Supper. Luther, on the contrary, adhering to the Ancient
Church, says, ** Baptism is not simply water, but water fenced by
" the command of God and united with God's word." And again in
Art. Schmalc. c. 5. (quoted by Gerhard Loci, de S. Bapt. § 80)
" Baptism is nothing else than the word of God with the immersion
*' into water, according to His institution and command, or as St. Paul
*• saith, * washing of water with the word.' "
Note (G), on page 42.
The Chrism or Anointing is mentioned by Tertullian (de Baptismo
Ci 7)» not only as the universal custom in his day (A. D. 200), but
as having been derived from the antient dispensation. It seems, there-
fore, most probable that it was, from the very first, received into Christ-
ianity. " Having come out of the bath," he says, " we are anointed
*' with the blessed unction taken from the antient dispensation, in
** which they used to be anointed to the priesthood with oil out of the
" horn. Whence Aaron was anointed by Moses; whence Christ is
" so called from chrism, i. e. anointing, which, being made spiritual,
" gave the name to the Lord, because He was anointed with the
** Spirit of God the Father, as it is in the Acts, ' against thy Holy
♦' ' Son, whom thou anointedst.' Tims in us also the anointing runs
•' ^corporeally, but profits us spiritually ; in like manner as the bodily
** act of Baptism itself, that we are dipped in the waters, being made
**, spiritual, in that we are delivered from our oflfences." " The flesh,"
^le says again, (de resurr. carnis. c. 8.) ** is anointed, tliat the soul
** may be consecrated." Origen again, in a different portion of the
Church, speaks of it in terms as universal, (hom. 8. in Lev. v. fin.)
** When men are thus turned from sin, they are cleansed by the
** means above named : but the gift of the grace of the Holy Spirit
•* is marked by the emblem of oil ; so that he who is turned from sin,
" may obtain not cleansing only, but be filled with the Holy Ghost."
And 80 it seems probable that Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, includes
AN APOSTOLIC RITE, AND ALLUDED TO BY ST. JOHN. 219
the material ointment, when he says, (Lib. i. ad Autolyc.) '* We are
" called Christians, because we are anointed with the oil of God;"
for, that it is a spiritual unction also, an unction of light and of the
Spirit of God, is but what is affirmed by all the like writers, and
belonged to it, as a part of Baptism. And thus we come so near to
the time, when St. John wrote his Epistle, that it seems far the most
probable, on this ground alone, that in the words (1 Ep. ii. 20. 27.)
he alluded to this rite. St. Cyril of Jerusalem, in discoursing on this
portion of Baptism, preaches on this passage of St. John, as being
the Lectionary or Lesson appointed by the Church. It were needless to
mention later authors, but for the uniformity of the distinction, whereby
regeneration is attributed to the washing of the water, the gifts of the
Spirit, (as in this passage of St. John,) to the anointing, as a part of
Baptism ; — an agreement, which, in so many different churches, implies
a common source of tradition : although it need not be said that in other
places they speak of the Holy Spirit as God's gift in Baptism as a
whole. Thus Cyprian, Ep. 70. or rather the thirty-one African Bishops,
(on the baptizing of heretics,) ** It is necessary that he who is baptized
" should also be anointed, that having received the chrism, i. e. the
** anointing, he may be the anointed of God, and have in him the
*' grace of Christ." And Ambrose de Sacram. L. iii. c. 1. ** Yes-
" terday we spoke of the fountain, whose form is a sort of sepulchre,
" into which, believing in the Father, the Son, and the Holy
** Spirit, we are received, and buried, and rise, i. e. are raised again.
** But thou receivest the fivpov, i. e. the ointment upon the head, and
** why ? because the wisdom of the wise is in his head, as Solomon
" saith ; for wisdom without grace is but a lifeless thing; but when
** it hath received grace, then its work beginneth to be perfected.
" This is called regeneration." And S. Cyril, in his discourse on the
Chrism, (Catech. Mystag. iii. init.) begins thus : ** Having been bap-
•* tized into Christ, and having put on Christ, ye have been con-
" formed to the Son of God ; for God, having predestinated us to
" the adoption of sons, conformed us to the body of the glory of
" Christ. Having then been partakers of Christ, ye are rightly
** called Christs (anointed) ; and of you has God said, ' touch not
" my Christs.' But ye became Christs, having received the
•' representation of the Holy Spirit, and all things have, as in an
*' image, taken place in you, since ye are images of Christ. For as
" when He ascended from the water, the essential descent of the
" Holy Spirit upon Him took place, the Like resting upon the Like,
" so when ye ascended from the pool of the holy streams, the chrism
'* was given you, the emblem of that wherewith Christ was anointed,
** and this is the Holy Spirit. He was anointed with the spiritual
" oil of gladness, (i. e. with the Holy Spirit, so called because He
** is the author of spiritual gladness,) and ye were anointed with oint-
2;>i0 " TUE ANSWER OF A GOOD CONSCILNCE" (I PET. HI. 2l.)
'* ment, having become partakers and communicants of Christ.
" And the body indeed is anointed with visible oil, but the soul sanc-
" tified with the Holy and hfe-giving Spirit. Having had this holy
•' chrism vouchsafed to you, ye are called Christians, verifying the
'* name by your new-birth. For, before this, ye deserved not this
" title, but were on your way towards becoming Christians." The
language of St. Gregory of Nazianzum has been already noticed.
Theodoret, in Cant. c. 1., says in like manner, ** They who are
'* received into Baptism after the renunciation of Satan and the con-
** fession of faith, being anointed with the Chrism of the spiritual
'* ointment, as with a royal mark, under this visible form of ointment
*' receive the invisible grace of the most Holy Spirit." And Johan-
nes Damascenus de fide L iv. c. 10. " Oil is added to Baptism, sig-
'* nifying anointing and making us Christs, and announcing to us
*• the mercy of God through the Holy Spirit." More to this pur-
pose may be seen ap. Bingham Christian Antiq. B. x. c. 9. B. xii. c.
1 and 3. and Bellarmine de controvv. t. ii. p. 411. sqq. (from whom
several of the above quotations are taken, but whose quotations, like
those of all Romanist writers, require sifting,) and Suicer art. Ba7rrt(T/ia,
p. 633. 'EXator, p. 1077- and Xpiafia. I have put these together only
to show how universal the practice of anointing, as a part of Baptism,
was in the early Church, and consequently how probable it is that St.
John alluded to some actual rite of Baptism. Besides the Lectionary
prefixed to Cyril's homily, the text is directly a})plied to Baptism by a
Scholiast ap. Matthaei N. T. ad loc. p. 220.
Note (H), on page 44.
This reference to the rite of interrogating candidates for Baptism,
as to their faith and their purjjose in coming to Holy Baptism, appeal's
to have been recognized by the Fathers generally, as St. Peter's meaning
(1 Ep. iii. 21), as also to be the only exposition which gives an adequate
sense to IrrfpibTtjua ; for had St. Peter meant simply to insist on the
necessity of having a good conscience, it had seemed sufficient had
KoKi) ^vveidj)<TiQ alone stood, whereas, the addition of tirtpurrifiaf
** questioning," appears to imply some more formal interrogatory as
to the faith of the individual, such as that implied in Philip's words,
** If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest." (Acts viii. 37.)
The words of XertuUian, de resur. Carnis, c. 48, "The soul is sancti-
*' fied, not by the washing, but by the answering" (Anima non lava-
tione sed respoiisione sancitur), are not only a comment on St. Peter's
words, (as Beza says, ad loc), but almost an authoritative one. 'J'he
Syriac Version, " confessing God with a pure conscience," gives us the
tradition of the Eastern Church at an early period ; at least, it again
8
AN ALLUSION TO BAPTISMAL INTERROGATORIES. 221
leads us to think of a public profession of faith, such as that made at
Baptism. And so also the Latin Church, in the 2d cent. " Conscientise
*' bona interrogation* Vulg. S. Gregory of Nazianzum, among the titles
given to Baptism, mentions it thus, ** enlightening, brightness of souls,
** change of life, interrogation as to the conscience towards God,"
omitting the word " good," and thereby laying the stress more upon
the "interrogatory" (Orat, 40, de Baptismo. init.) : so St. Augustine
(ap. Jewel's Defence of Apologie, p. 2170 quotes the passage in proof
that ** Baptism does not consist so much in the washing of the body,
" as in the faith of the heart ;" whence "the enquiry into a good con-
" science" must be " enquiry into faith :" and, in the passage above
cited (note F), Hom. 80, in Joann., St. Augustine quotes it, in proof
of the efficacy of the " word of faith" — i. e., the doctrine of the Blessed
Trinity, then professed and believed, and to be guarded and kept,
by God's help, through life. Again (c. Crescon. Donat. L. 4.
§ 16.), St. Augustine refers this enquiry expressly to the period
of Baptism. " But if there be not the interrogatory of a good
** conscience in the recipient, and faith itself, either in part or alto-
** gether, be tottering, you will not say that the Sacraments are to be
** annulled." So also c. Don. iv. § 3, 4. So also of moderns : Hooker,
(B. v. § 63, end) paraphrases " an interrogative trial of a good con-
" science towards God :" Jewel's Defence of Apologie, p. 218, "the
** examining of a good conscience before God :" Bucer de vi et effi-
cacia Baptisrai Christi (Scripta Anglic, p. 597), *' the Apostle by a
" figure places the * interrogation' for the whole Sacrament, wherein
" the persons to be baptized are interrogated, and answer as to their
" faith in the death and resurrection of the Lord ; which, if they do
" with a good conscience, they receive salvation through Baptism.
** For Baptism does not save adults, unless they be believers. Salva-
" tion, indeed, is oftered unto all in Baptism ; but adults do not
" receive it, except by faiith : infants by the secret operation of the
" Holy Spirit, whereby they are sanctified to eternal life :" add
Cave's Primitive Christianity, L. 1. c. ii. p. 306. Bingham, B. ii. c. 7-
§ 3. Lyranus, Gagnaeus, Joannes a Lovanio (quoted by Bellarmine, de
Controv. T. iii. p. 65.), Grotius, Hesselius, Estius, Tirinus, ad loc,
Parkhurst Lex. s. v. (ed. Rose), and others quoted by them. Other
renderings of iTrspujrijfia, are very unsatisfactory, except as far as they
come round to this : thus G^^cumenius, interpreting " a pledge and
*• earnest," speaks of persons " who longed for a holy life, enquiring
** after Baptism, as the means of purification, and so it was a pledge of
" sincerity." This comes to the same result, that " Baptism received
" in sincerity («. e., its holy efficacy not thwarted by our hypocrisy, or
" unbelief), saves us." J. Gerhard obtains the sense, that Baptism
saves us, by assuring us of God's mercy: thus, ** Baptism is an in-
*' terrogatory between God and the sinner who is baptized, which
h
222 BAPTISMAL INTERROGATORIES A PRIMITIVE PRACTICE.
" turns upon a good conscience towards God, on account of Christ ;
** i. €., how God is disposed towards the baptized, and what the con-
" science of the baptized may promise itself, as to the grace of God/'
(Loci Theol. de Sacram. § 88. cit. D. Chemnitz, c. 17. Harmon, p.
16.) Only one sees not then the force of the addition ** a good con-
" science," which implies something on the part of man, not merely, as
in this explanation, " a conscience tranquillized by God's mercy towards
" it." So Bullinger ap. Marlorat. These, however, still regard the
interrogatory, stipulation, or however they explain s7repwr»//ia, as con-
temporary with Baptism. Others, principally of the school of Calvin,
explain it of the conscience boldly interrogating God, whether His
favour be not obtained to them through the death of Christ. So
Piscator. Parens, ** most are outwardly washed only ; few so, that they
" can dare to call upon and address God with a good conscience."
Calv., "Peter requires a confidence, which may endure the sight of
" God, and stand at His tribunal." These, also, (as so many other of
Calvin's expositions,) do not bear to be brought in contact with the text;
for who could endure the paraphrase, " Baptism saves us ; not that
" which is outward in the flesh, but the confident appeal of a tranquil-
" lized conscience ?" for the confident appeal to God can save no one.
Rather, Baptism saves us, as the means appointed by God for remit-
ting sin, and imparting new life ; whereof, a " tranquillized conscience"
is an effect only. Hemmingius ad loc. thinks, that the Church adopted
the interrogatories in Baptism from this passage ; which is an inci-
dental admission, how obviously the interpretation above given con-
nects itself with it. The interrogatories at Baptism are alluded to, in
Justin Martyr's 2nd Apology, §61 ; and the remarkable verbal coin-
Qidence between the Eastern and Western Church, at an early period,
proves a common, and, I doubt not, an Apostohc origin of this rite.
(See the extracts, ap. Bingham, B. 11. c. 7, although any extract loses
much of the effect which the same passage has, when one hghts upon
a custom, hallowed to us by the use of our own Church, adduced by an
antient Father incidentally, to establish some doctrine, or rebuke some
unholy practice.) "Neither do I think it," says Hooker, 1. c, "a
" matter easy for any man to prove, that ever Baptism did use to be
"administered without interrogatories of these two kinds. Whereunto,
" St. Peter (as it may be thought), alluding, hath said. That the Bap-
" tism which saveth us is not (as legal purifications were) a cleansing
*♦ of the flesh from outward impurity, but ^Trtptiri/fia, an interrogative
** trial of a good conscience towards God.**
Note (I), on p. 47. [The references in p. 47 must be transposed.]
In the third place, in which the account of St. Paul's conversion is
given in the Acts (c. xxvi. 12. sqq.), itisrehited more compendiously;
and the times at which each portion of our Saviour's teaching was
ST. CHRYSOSTOM ON THE CONVERSION OP ST. PAUL. 223
imparted to him, are not distinguished. This is obviously occasioned
by its being addressed to king Agrippa. Before him, St. Paul sets
forth the broad outlines of his own history, and its more striking facts,
passing by the details vi^hich vi^ould to the king be less interesting,
and dwelling the more upon the high spiritual purpose of his mission,
*' to open men's eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, from the
" power of Satan unto God.'* To the Jews (c. 22), before whom he
was accused as a transgressor of the law, it was of the more moment to
dwell upon the mission of Ananias to kirn, " a devout man according
*' to the law, having a good report of all the Jews." Yet, because St.
Paul, in one place, gives the account thus compendiously, no one
should infer, that all which he there declares himself to have heard
from Christ, was delivered to him at that first appearance of Christ ;
for, on the two other occasions, circumstances here omitted are filled
up. Yet it seems in some such way, that persons have overlooked
one of the great features in God's conversion of St. Paul. I find the
view taken above (p. 47), in St. Chrysostom (Hom. i. in Actt. § 6. T. 9.
p. 10. ed. Bened.) " We cannot, cannot, obtain grace without vigilance.
" Not even upon Paul did grace come immediately ; but three days
*' intervened, in which he was blind, being purified, and prepared for
** its reception, by fear. For as the purple- dyers first prepare, by
** other means, that which is to receive the dye, that its richness
" may not fade : thus, here also, God first prepares the soul, by filling
" it with trouble, and then pours forth His grace ;" and again (Hom.
19. on Acts ix. 9. p. 157.), "Why did he neither eat nor drink ? he
** was condemning himself for what he had done ; he was confessing
"all; he was praying; he was calling upon God;" and (Hom. 20.
init.), " Ananias taught him nothing, but only baptized him. But, as
** soon as he was baptized, he drew down on himself a great grace from
"the Spirit, through his zeal and great earnestness." — "And why
" did not God blind his eyes themselves ? this was much more won-
" derful. They were open, but he saw not : which also had happened
*' unto him, as to the law, until the name of Jesus was put upon him
*' (i. e., until he was baptized.) ' And having taken meat, he was
*' * strengthened :' he had been exhausted, then, by the journey, his
" terror, hunger, and despondency. God then wishing to increase his
** despondency, allowed him to remain blind till Ananias came."
Note (K), on page 131.
Calvin, when treating expressly of the similarity and dissimilarity
between Circumcision and Baptism, affirms that they agreed in every
thing except the outward rite. And this he proves thus : — " When
** God was about to institute circumcision. He promised to Abraham
" that ' He would be the God of him and his seed :' herein is con-
" eluded the promise of eternal life, since ' God is not the God of
224 CALVIN BAPTISM NO HIGHER GIFT THAN CIRCUMCISION.
" ' the dead but of the living:' but the first entrance to eternal life is
•* remission of sins : therefore this promise corresponds to that of
" Baptism, our being cleansed from sin; ^d, God requires of Abra-
" ham to walk before him in sinceiity and innocence of heart, which
*' relates to mortification or regeneration. Moses also shows (Deut.
" XXX. 6.) that the real meaning of circumcision is that of the heart,
" and that this is God's doing. We have then the spiritual promise
*' given to the Fathers in circumcision, such as is given to us in
*' Baptism, since '\t figured to them remission of sins and mortification
" of the flesh. Besides, as we showed Christ to be the foundation of
" Baptism, so was He of circumcision. For He is promised to
*' Abraham, and in Him all nations shall be blessed. To seal which
** mercy the seal of circumcision is added. Now then it is plain,
** what is alike in these two seals, and what different. The promise
** (and in this I explained that the validity of the signs consisted) is
** the same in both : it is, namely, of God's fatherly goodness, of the
** remission of sins, of life eternal. Moreover the thing figured is
** one and the same in both, viz. regeneration. The foundation, on
** which the fulfilment of those things rests, is the same in both.
** Wherefore there is no difference in the inward mystery, from which
" the whole power and property of the Sacraments is to be estimated.
" The difference which remains, lies in the outward ceremony, which
** is the least portion, the greater part depending upon the promise
** and the thing sealed. Whence it may be inferred that whatever
** belongs to circumcision, belongs also to Baptism, except the dif-
** ference of the visible ceremony. And indeed the truth herein is
" palpable. For as circumcision, because it was a sort of badge to
** the Jews, whereby they were assured of their being adopted into the
** people and family of God, was their first entrance into the Church,
** now also we are dedicated by Baptism to God, being enrolled among
** His people, and vowing, in our turn, obedience to His name."
Institt. 4, 16, 3. 4. To this place Calvin elsewhere refers (4, 14, 21.)
for a full explanation of the comparative value of circumcision and
Baptism ; it presents then his deliberate views : and yet in reality it
leaves not a vestige of the character of a Sacrament : " Circumcision,"
Calvin says, " is the same as Baptism," because it was the seal of the
covenant, wherein God promised to be Abraham's God, because it
figured mortification which God would afterwards effect, and because
in that same covenant Christ was promised. It could hardly be said
more plainly that neither Baptism nor circumcision conferred any
grace, but that they sealed the covenant, wherein God promised to
confer grace. And with this agrees Calvin's view of regeneration,
which is, according to him, not a new birth, but a new state of being, —
not an act, like our natural birth, single in itself, though followed by
a life corresponding to it, if the individual doos not again die through
CHARACTERISTICS OF REFOKMKD THEORY OF SACRAMENTS, 'X2.)
sin,— bnt a habit, continually receiving accessions of growth through-
out life. (Institt. 3, 3, 9. 4, 16, 31.) So other writers of his school
consider actual (as opposed to initial) regeneration to extend over the
whole of hfe. (See above, p. 1 5 1 ). Regeneration is thus confounded with
sanctification, nor can any peculiar property be pointed out, which is in
this system left to regeneration as distinct from sanctification. And so
Calvin's theory, that under both dispensations regeneration was imparted,
(and that by means of the covenant, which was sealed by Baptism, or
circumcision,) becomes correct, since sanctification was so imparted :
but thereby also all the mysterious character of Baptism is effaced,
and its working brought down to a matter of experiment and human
reasoning.
Calvin, as was said, repeats elsewhere this equality of Circumcision
and Baptism, and that in the strongest terms. " We may not ascriiie
" to our Baptism more than the Apostle ascribes to circumcision,
** when he calls it ' the seal of the righteousness of faith.' What-
*' ever then is set forth to us now in the Sacraments, that the Jews
"also received in theirs, — Christ, namely, with His spiritual riches.
*' Whatever power ours have, that they felt in theirs, namely, that
" they were seals of the Divine good-will towards them, to the hope
" of eternal salvation.*' (Institt. 4. 14. 23) He admits (' concedimus')
indeed, that they so far differ, that " whereas both attest that the Fa-
" therly good-will of God in Christ, and the grace of the Holy Spj kit
** are offered to us, ours do so more plainly and fully. In both Christ
" is set forth ; but in these more largely and fully, according to the
•' general difference of the Old and New Testament." (lb. § ult.) What
language this for a Christian, to concede that his Saviour's Sacraments
set Him forth more clearly than the rites of the Old Testament !
Note (L), page 132.
The several indications of the Reformed theory of the Sacraments
are, 1st. The comparison of them, and assertion of their equality, with
the signs of the Old Testament. 2d. — with the written word, as being
a means of grace of the like kind. 3d. The mention of contemplation,
our faith being kindled by the sight of them, and the like. 4th. Their
being memorials, whereby God retains and renews the memory of
His benefits shown to man. 5th. Their being the means of conse-
crating, setting apart, a peculiar people, and showing what He required
of them. 6th. That God operates in, not bi/, or through His ordi-
nance. 7th. The mention of the elect, as alone partaking of them.
8th. Denial of the value of the words of consecration. 9th. Rejec-
tion of the idea of the Sacraments being bound, enclosed, &c. in
(the signs. 10th. Participation of Christ in and out of the Sacraments
ialtogether the same. 11th. (Ground of Baptism of Infants, that they are
22<) KliFORMED CONFESSIONS OF FAITH HELVETIC
ill the covenant, not because Christ commanded it. r2th. Sacra-
ments not ** efficacious" signs. 13th. The Body of Christ not said
to be given in the Lord's Supper. 14th. Sacraments signify ; or,
15th. attest grace only.
These are so many indications of the theory of Zuingh, or portions
of the statements wherewith he opposed the doctrine of the Church,
It is not to be supposed that they would all occur in each confession
of faith, since some of the Reformed Confessions touch very briefly
upon the subject ; whereas some of this language belongs to the con-
troversial, not to the positive statements of this school. In some con-
fessions also expressions are purposely generahzed.
1. They occur most fully in what is called the first Helvetic Confes-
sion, A.D. 1566, published in the name of all the Helvetic Churches,
except Basle and Neufchatel (Augusti Diss. Hist, de lib. Eccl. Reform.
Symbol, p. 622.) The whole language of this is Zuinghan; and in it all
the above " Notes of a Reformed Confession" occur, except the 12th ;
and yet, remarkably enough, in employing the word "efficacia" of the
Sacraments, it stands alone of all the Confessions of this school ; a sin-
gular instance of, what any one who carefully examines the language of
the *' Reformed" writers must observe, that they will use the words of
the Church's theory, although not in the meaning of the Church. In
this instance, it sounds well that they " do not approve of the doctrine
" of those, who speak of Sacraments as common, and not hallowed
** or efficacious signs." But *' hallowed" (sanctificata), with which
" efficacious" is joined as equivalent, and as opposed to common signs,
is explained in the same chapter (c. xix.) to mean only " separated
** from common, and set apart to sacred uses." And it is well known,
that none of the authors of this Confession believed the Sacraments
to be, in the Church's sense, " efficacious signs," i. e. instruments of
imparting the grace which they signified (see above, p. 117). So again,
a little above, it is said, " water, bread, and wine, are not common
" (vulgaria), but sacred signs;" thereby showing, that all which they
meant to assert, by denying that they were common, was, that they
were consecrated signs or symbols.
2. In the 2d Helvetic Confession (1536), which was compiled for the
express purpose of conciliating the Lutherans, and afterwards with-
drawn, as ineffectual for this end (Augusti. 1. c. pp. 622. 626.), it is said
weU, in general terms, that ** the Sacraments, or symbols of hidden
** things, do not consist of bare signs, but of the signs and things toge-
** ther. For in Baptism, water is the sign, but the thing, regeneration
*' and adoption into the people of God. In the Eucharist, the bread]
" and wine are the signs; but the thing is the communication of the]
" body of Christ, salvation, which had been obtained, and remissior
" of sins ; which are received by faith, as the signs are by the body."
" And the whole fruit of the Sacrament," it is added, " is in the thing.
DISGUISE THEIR CHANGE IN DOCTRINE OF THE SACRAMENTS. 227
This last expression already prepares us to find an unwarranted
separation of the sign from the thing signified ; and so when we come
to the explanation of the connexion between them, which is the point
wherein the doctrines of the '* Reformed" and the Church part, we
find only (§ 21.) that *'the washing of regeneration is exhibited or set
•* forth by God to His elect, by the visible sign, through the ministry
" of the Church ;" and the participation of the Body and Blood of
Christ is placed entirely in the contemplation of Him through faith.
** For this cause," they say, (§ 22,) *' we often use this sacred food,
" because, through its suggestion (monitu) gazing on the death and
** blood of the Crucified by the eyes of faith, and meditating on our
** salvation, not without a taste of heavenly hfe, and a true sense of
** life eternal, we are refreshed by this spiritual, life-giving, and most
" inward (intimo) food, with ineffable sweetness ; and we exult with
** unutterable joy for having found life, and we are poured out alto-
" gether, and with our whole strength, in giving thanks for this so
" wonderful benefit of Christ towards us." " Wherefore," they
subjoin, " it is very contrary to our deserts that some think that we
" ascribe too Httle to the sacred symbols. For they are holy and
" venerable things, as being instituted by Christ, the great High
" Priest ; and, received in their proper way, as we have said, they set
*' forth the things signified, give testimony of what has been done,
'* represent things so lofty, and by a certain wonderful analogy of the
'* things signified, throw a most clear light upon those mysteries. More-
'* over they give hold and aid to faith itself, and like an oath bind the
** person initiated. Soholily do we esteem the sacred symbols ! But
" the power and virtue of the Vivifier and Sanctifier we ascribe con-
** tinually to Him who is the Life, to whom be praise for ever and
** ever. Amen." In which words, if they had referred to our union
with Christ, out of the Sacraments, they had indeed been so far
insuflScient, in that they omit the original source, through which that
union is bestowed, but the union itself they describe most fervently
(perhaps too exclusively dwelhng upon feeling) ; but as describing
the value of the Sacrament of Christ's Body and Blood, they are
utterly inadequate, since they express nothing but the emotions of the
human soul, as acted upon by the external sight and suggestion of
the sacred elements. Here also much of the language is Zuinglian
(see above, p. 101), as indeed the authors were friends or disciples of
Zuingli. One can then but look upon it as an attempt, by high and
glowing terms, to conceal from themselves, or from others, the loss of
the Catholic doctrine.
3. The same must be said of the Scotch Confession ; for although
it speaks in the strongest terms of our " eating the body and drinking
•* the blood of Jesus Christ, in the right use of the Lord's Supper ;"
yet it also declares, of ** all the benefits of that Supper, that they are
a 2
228 SCOTCH CONFFi^SION — MODF.R.N USE OF ANCIENT I.ANGUAGE.
'* not girm to us then only ;" so that not only do we, by virtue of the
Sacraments, remain united with Christ (which is of course true),
but also have the same gifts, and in the same degree, imparted to us,
out of the use of the Sacraments as in them. And this agrees with
the way wherein the union with Christ in the Sacraments is explained
in this Confession (see above, p. 113, note j, viz. through contempla-
tion of Christ in heaven by faith. To the same result tends what
they say (Art. xxii.) of the right administration of the Sacraments;
for they affirm, not only that the Papists have mingled much that is
corrupt with the Sacraments (which is miserably true), but they deny
that the Sacraments themselves in that church are the " right Sacra-
" ments of Jesus Christ ;" and assert, that " on that account they
" avoid fellowship with it in the participation of their Sacraments."
And that, not only on account of the human additions, (which in
Baptism relate to things altogether indifferent, as the use of salt, or
oil, or the like,) but also because the ends of the Sacraments are not
rightly set forth. Whence also they require, in order to constitute a
legitimate minister (and this they regard as essential to the Sacra-
ments), that they should be such as " are lawfully elected in any
*' church, and appointed to the preaching of the word, and in whose
" mouth God hath put some word of exhortation." Which is conform-
able indeed to the doctrine of Beza, that " the explanation of the
" Sacraments is the main part of them," (see Note M,) but not with
that of the Ancient Church. Of Baptism again, the Scotch Confes-
sion says, that " thereby we are engraffed into Christ Jesus, and are
" made partakers of His righteousness, whereby all our sins an
" covered and remitted;" and such an expression, " thereby," occurs
only in the Gallican Confession besides, of all the Reformed Churches.
Yet the natural force of this expression is neutraUzed by the definition
of a Sacrament, to which this statement is appended viz. *' that the
" Sacraments both of the Old and New Testaments were not only to
** distinguish His people from those without the covenant, but also to
" exercise the faith of His sons; and that the participation of the
*' same Sacraments sealed in their hearts the certainty of His promise,
** and of that most blessed conjunction, union, and society, which the
" elect have with their head, Jesus Christ." Wlierein the " sealing"
must, in accordance with the known theory of this school, and with
the mention of the elect, (see above, p. Ill, sqq.) refer to the outward
attestation of God's promises, as opposed to the conveying (as instru-
ments) inward grace.
And 80 again, when they say that " Christ alone renders the Sacra-
'* ments efficacious to us;" this is opposed to their being " efficacious
*' signs of grace;" i. e. they mean that the Sacraments do not, as
Chr st's institution, convey grace to us, but that Christ employs
them as outward means to kindle our faith, whereby we become
united with Him.
THIRD HELVETIC ZUINGLIAISIZES. 229
4. The third Helvetic Confession, written at Basle, and promulgated
A.D. 1532, at Mulhaiisen, the iirst place in the Helvetic confederacy
which embraced the Reformation (Augusti. 1. c. p. 627), was origi-
nally composed by Oswald Myconius. He, although living in tlje
midst of the reformed school, and for 20 years chief pastor at Basle,
is said to have adhered to the ancient doctrine of the Sacraments, and
on account of these tenets to have received no degree from the univer-
sity of Basle, and at last to have resigned his office (Melchior Adamus,
p. 220). His Confession however, does not express the ancient view
clearly or unambiguously. He says, indeed, that " in the Lord's
" Supper, together with the bread and wine of the Lord, the true
" body and true blood of Christ, are set forth (prsefiguratur), and
" exhibited * to us through the minister of the Church;" yet he
speculates needlessly in denying that " the natural, true, and sub-
" stantial (substantiale) body of Christ, born of the Virgin Mary,
" which suffered for us, and ascended into heaven, is inclosed in the
" bread and cup of the Lord." In setting forth also our participa-
tion of Christ, he leaves it undecided whether this be bestowed
through the Sacraments. "We firmly believe that Christ Himself
" is the food of believing souls to eternal life, and that our souls,
** through true faith in Christ crucified, receive, as meat and drink,
•' fcibari et potari) the flesh and blood of Christ, so that we, as the
" members of His body, as our only Head, live in Him, and He in
" us :" wherein the language, compared with that of the reformed
school, would rather lead one to think, that the instrumentality of the
Sacraments, as effectual signs, is excluded ; at least there is no one
word in the whole Confession which implies it; and the turn of
expression seems rather contrived to set forth the benefits of true
faith in Christ, tacitly dropping the agency of the Sacraments.
Further, the language of his friends OEcolampadius and Zuingli
appears in his first description of the Sacraments. " In this same
" Church are employed Sacraments, namely. Baptism in the entrance
" into the Church ; and the Lord's Supper, at its due time in after-
** life, to testify faith and brotherly love, as was promised in Baptism."
And afterwards — " We confess that the Lord Jesus instituted His
" Holy Supper to commemorate His Holy Passion with thanksgiving,
" to show the Lord's death, and to testify Christian charity and
" unity with true faith." Yet his confession was still thought too
little "reformed;" and in the glosses added (A.D. 1581, after the
1 Offertur, in itself an ambiguous expression, is determined by its use in
the preceding sentence, wherein he says, that in " Baptism the washing
" from sins, which however is effected (perficitur) by the Father, Son, and
" Holy Ghost alone, is set forth (offertur), tiirough the minister of tht
'' Churcli."
230 GALLIC AND BELGIC VEIL THE THEORY OF THE SACRAMENTS.
death of Myconius), it is asserted, that *♦ Christ is indeed present
" in His holy supper to all true believers, but sacramentally , and hy
" the commemoration of faith, which lifts up the mind of man to the
" heavens, and does not draw down Christ, according to His human
*' nature, from the right hand of God." By this addition a Zuinglian
sense is given to all the ambiguous language of the Confession, and
the presence of Christ is confined to the mere operation of the
human mind. It is also very illustrative of the meaning of the term
** sacramentally" in the ** reformed" writers, and throws light upon
the Scotch Confession. With regard to Myconius himself (as far as
one may judge from his single work,) he appears to have suffered
from his intercourse with Zuingli and (Ecolampadius ; and while he
contended for a more literal acceptation of the words " This is my
Body,'' still to have had no, or scarcely any, higher notions of the
benefits of the Sacraments, than the rest of the reformed school : —
a warning, first, against familiar intercourse with those who hold
low notions on any point of Christian truth, as hkely imperceptibly
to influence us, even while we think ourselves opposed to them ; and,
secondly, to take heed, not only that we hold the truth, but how we
hold it, lest we deceive ourselves, and some subtle theory rob us of
all but the name.
5, 6. The Gallic and Belgic confessions again state, *' that through
•* these outward signs God operates by the virtue of His Holy
** Spirit," and the Gallic says that " that bread and that wine, which
" is given to us in the supper, really becomes our spiritual food,"
(than which nothing could seem a plainer declaration ; but this is
done away with, immediately, by the addition) ** inasmuch, namely,
*' as they set, as it were before our eyes, that the flesh of Christ is our
" food and His blood our drink." In like manner, although we are
said ** to be engraffed in the body of Chris-^ by Baptism," yet Bap-
tism is said to be " given us to attest our adoption," (t. e. not to effect
or convey it,) as is the Lord's Supper to ''attest our union with
** Christ." The Belgic, similarly, declares that the Sacraments were
added to the word of the Gospel, in order the more efficaciously to
exhibit to our outward senses, as well what He declares to us out-
wardly in His word, eis what He operates inwardly in our hearts,
** and thus renders so much the more assured the salvation which He
** communicates to us." Whereby the Sacraments become a mere
picture.
7. Even the Hungarian confession, (which is altogether pure Zuin-
gUanism, and in the highest degree offensive for its rationalist tone
and the coarse language in which it inveighs against the Lutheran
doctrine,) even this '* rejects their phrensy, who teach that the Lord's
•* Supper is an empty sign, or that the memory only of absent Christ
•• is cherished by these signs. For as Christ is ' Amen, faithful
5
HUNGARIAN RATIONALISTIC AND OFFENSIVE. 231
** witness, true, truth and life,' so the Lord's supper is the memory
** (memoria) of the jjresent and infinite and eternal Son of God, the
** Only Begotten of the Father, who offers and exhibits to the elect,
" who apprehend the Gospel of Christ with true faith. Himself and
" His good things, His flesh and His blood, i. e. living bread and
** heavenly food, through (ope) the Holy Spirit, by the word of the
" promise of grace." Yet of the elements it says, that the ** bread
'* and wine are, in regard to their object, the memory of the death
" Christ, i. e. signs admonishing of the death of Christ:" and the
•' presence of Christ in His sacramental institution, or in the pouring
** out of the Holy Spirit upon the elect," is paralleled as a presence
of the like kind, with that " by the union with the \6yog, or, in His
" promise by the word and faith, or in His dispensatorial office or in-
" tercession for the elect." Through this whole confession there runs
a strange, uncouth, barbarous strain of theology, a compound of Sa-
bellianism. Mysticism, Rationalism, such as no where else perhaps
occurs in any other document, of any body of men, professing Chris-
tianity. Yet they too keep the received protest, that " the Sacraments
are not empty signs," &c. (Of it Augusti says, 1. c. p. 635, '* the Czin-
" gerians [whose confession it is] are among all Calvinists the most
" vehement, and in the article of the Lord's Supper they utter so
** many harsh and odious things, that they can be approved of by
" neither party, Zuinglians or Lutherans," which is a mild sentence).
8. The Genevan Catechism expresses so precisely the doctrine and
language of Calvin, that to dwell upon its statements would only be
to repeat what has been already said (p. 108 sqq.) : the Catechumen is
told, not only that he *' must not cling to the visible signs, to obtain
*' health from them, nor imagine any power of conferring grace attached
*' or inclosed in them, but that the sign is to be accounted as a sort of
*' prop, whereby we may be directed straight to Christ, to seek
*' health and solid happiness from Him." He is told that *' infants
*' have the efficacy and substance of Baptism (so to speak) (before
'* they are baptized), so that a manifest injustice would be done them,
** if the sign (Baptism), which is inferior to the reality, were denied
** them." It is remarkable again that in this catechism, the Sacra-
ments are incidentally called " secondary instruments," which is a
sort of approach to the ancient language of the Church, although Calvin
strongly denied their being *' instruments " or " channels " in the
Church's sense,
9. In the confessions of the German " reformed" Church, or rather
Churches, there is a great difference. The Heidelberg Catechism (as
would be certain from its chief author, Z. Ursinus, with whom was
united Caspar Olivianus, Augusti p. 649.) expresses (as far as it
goes,) the Calvinistor Zuinglian doctrine: the use of the Sacraments
is confined to teaching. ** Whereby," it is asked with respect to
262 Hl'CKRi. AND Tin: I'.OHLMIAN CONI-i;SSION
each, ** art thou admonished and coujirmecl in Baptism [or the Lord's
" Supper] that thou art a partaker of that one only sacrifice of
" Christ?" The answer, in each case, amounts to this, that they
are " pledges to assure us of those benefits ;" but, that •' they are
'* means whereby we receive the same," there is no indication, but
the contrary.
10. In the Confessio Tetrapolitana (that presented to Charles V. at
the Diet of Augsburgh, 1 530, by the cities of Strasburgh, Constance,
Memmingen, Linden, and composed by Bucer), there is, on the con-
trary, scarcely a trace of the" reformed" language. It is said that" by
" Baptism we are buried into the death of Christ, put on Christ;
** that it is the washing of regeneration ; washes away sins, saves
*' us ;" and of the Lord's Supper, that " as often as this supper is
" renewed, as He instituted it. He vouchsafes to give through the
'* Sacraments His true body and true blood, truly to be eaten and
•* drunk, for the meat and drink of our souls, whereby they may be
" nourished to eternal life, so that henceforth He may live and remain
*' in them, and they in Him, to be raised up at the last day by Him
" to a new and eternal life, according to those His words of eternal
" truth ; * Take and eat, this my body,' &c." This positive statement
is qualified by no subsequent explanation : it is essentially opposed to
the "reformed" theory, in that it states that " Christ gives His true
*' body to be eaten and drunk through His Sacraments," a statement
which recurs in our own articles and catechism, but in no part of the
Zuinglian or Calvinistic school. They may hold that the Holy Spirit
by kindling our faith makes us to partake of that Body and Blood ; but
no where, that Christ gives it to us. The participation is, according
to them, through our faith, not by Christ's direct gift. It is added
indeed in the confession, " that the Clergy with all diligence recalled
" the minds of their people from all contention and curious disquisition,
** to that which alone profits, and was alone regarded by Christ our
" Saviour, viz. that being fed by Him, we may live in Him and by
" Him, a life well-pleasing unto God, holy, and therefore everlasting
" also and blessed ; and be all among ourselves one bread, one body,
" who partake of that one bread in the Holy Supper;" and again that
" they teach and exhort, that laying aside all comments and false
" glosses of men, each should with simple faith embrace these words
'• of the Lord ; and casting away all doubt and vacillation should give
•' up his mind to this meaning, and lastly receive the Sacraments
" themselves, to the life-giving nourishment of their souls, and the
" thankful commemoration of so great a benefit." This seems piously
and wisely said ; for this " embracing with simple faith the words of
*• the Lord, and rejecting the false comments of men," is not here
ntended (as is so often meant by language not dissimilar) to A'eil real
and essential difterence of opinion ; but rather, having fully embraced
NOT TO BE UECKONED AMONG THE CALVINTSTIC OR ZUINGLIAN. 233
the doctrine of tl^.e Ciiiuch Catholic, the author would dissuade from
ruiprofitahle «[)eculatioiis, as to the mode in which that doctrine was
to be reconciled to human intellect. This reconcilement was the
original object of Transubstantiation, which, to those who could once
accept it, left no further difficulty as to the manner in which we par-
take of Christ*s Body and Blood ; this has been, in their opposite way,
the error of the Lutherans and of the Zuinglians or Calvinists : the old
Church, on the contrary, and with her, our own, and Bucer, in this
place, assert simply the fact, that ** Christ doth really and indeed
** give His true Body to the faithful in His Supper," and thereA\'ith
closes up the question, without asking " How can these things be?"
11. The Bohemian Confession remarkably coincides with Bucer's,
both in its firm adherence to Scriptural truth, and in the absence of
speculation : " They believe," it is said, " that the Sacrament of the
Eucharist, is an administration instituted by Christ, and set forth first
' *' to the Apostles, and through them, by His grace and goodness, to
'* the whole Church, for the common use and health of all. Also,
'' that it is to be believed with the heart and confessed with the mouth,
" that the Bread of the Lord's Supper is the true Body of Christ,
" which was given for us, and the cup His true Blood, which was shed
" for us for the remission of sins, as Christ the Lord plainly saith,
" this is my body, this is my blood : also, that these words of
" Christ, whereby Himself pronounces the bread to be His Body,
" and the wine, specifically to be His Blood, no one should add,
" mingle, or take away from them ; but believe in simplicity these
'* words of Christ, neither declining to the right hand nor to the
" left." Accordingly the Bohemians receive the words of Christ
with a simple faith, which none of the Zuinghans or Calvinists do ;
as, indeed, this, their language, would not be adopted by those
schools. In consequence, we find, that, besides the attacks of the
Papists, they had, as they state in their confession, to endure those of
others, who " entitled this confession of faith on the Lord's Supper
" the dregs of popery, and themselves marked with the character of
** the beast, idolaters, Anti-Christs, or that whore of which John
*' prophesies in the Apocalypse," — language, which, obviously, never
would have been applied to any Zuinglian or Calvinistic school. Ac-
cordingly, it is also said, that at the time of the Communion, ** the
" ministers repeating the words of the Lord's Supper, exhort the
'* people itself to this faith, to believe, namely, the presence of the Body
" of Christ." Of the Sacraments generally, also, they state, (Art. IJ.)
that "they are (generally) necessary to salvation, and that, by them ^
" the faithful are made partakers of the merits of Christ." Bap-
tism, again, (Art, 12.) is said to be a " salutary ministration, instituted
*' by Christ, and added to the Gospel, whereby {i. e., by Baptism)*
"He purifies, cleanses, and sanctifies His Church, in His own death
JcS4 PECULIAR CHARACTER OF THE
'• and blood, as Paul says," Eph. v. 27- Here, again, the declarations
of Scripture are simply received, without any of the glosses of the
school of Zuingli j as, also, the Baptism of infants is founded upon
Matt, xxviii. 19, whereas, all the ** reformed " school found it on a
deduction from Gen. xvii. 10. Again, the Bohemians take literally
the Apostle's saying, that " whoever were baptized, had been buried
" thereby with Christ into His death, that he may walk hence-
" forth in newness of life.'* ** But if," (they add) ** from the
*' preachmg of the Gospel, they neither obtain a full confidence in
** God, nor love towards all those, who, by the washing of regenera-
" tion, are engrafFed into Christ, nor walk worthy of their calling,
*' watching diligently to please God, nor place their hope of eternal
** life in Him only; they show that they have received in vain, the
** grace of Baptism, and the name of the Holy Trinity, which was
" invoked over them. Which Scripture threatens that God will one
" day terribly avenge." In place of this salutar)' terror, the Reformed*
school would have denied that such an one had ever received that
grace.
The Three Confessions of the Reformed Church in Brandenburg and
PrussiUy the Confessio Marchica, Colloquium Lipsiacum, and the Decla-
ratio Thoruniensis, speak less explicitly and simply, and they all
labour under the disadvantage of having been written to express, not
merely the views of their authors, but — the first, to justify them out
of the writings of Luther ; the second, to approximate, as much as may
be, to Luther's views ; and the third is yet further embarrassed by an
attempt to conciliate the Roman Catholics, which necessarily gives
them a constrained and artificial appearance. They seem, however,
to express a belief in an actual communication of the Body and Blood
of Christ in the Lord's Supper, and so also of regeneration in Bap-
tism, and thus to be opposed to the Zuingli-Calvinist doctrines of
mere attestation or sealing.
12. The Confessio Marchica interprets Tit. iii. 5, and Joh. iii. 5, in
their plain and obvious sense ; and of the Lord's Supper it is said, that
" therein, the outward signs, bread and wine, and the true Body of
** Christ, which was given to death for us, and His Holy Blood, which
** was shed for us at the foot of the Holy Cross, are both present to-
'* gether, on account of the Sacramental union, in this holy action, and
" are together given (ausgespendet) and taken j'' " as (they add, how-
*' ever,) the spiritual manna or heavenly food of the word is spiritu-
*' ally received, and in Christ's kingdom (which is not of this
** world) all is spiritual. Thus, also, we believe, that the Holy Sup-
*' per is also a spiritual food of souls, whereby they are refreshed,
*' strengthened, and, (together with the body, whereunto they are
" joined,) are fed and preserved to immortality. We abide, therefore,
*• (without adding aught,) by the holy words of consecration, that the
GERMAN REFORMED CONFESSIONS. 2ii5
" bread is the true Body of Christ, and the wine His Holy Blood,
*' sacramentally, in the way wherein God has consecrated and or-
** dained the Holy Sacraments of the Old and New Testaments, to be
** visible and true signs of invisible grace; and the Lord Christ
** Himself shows, that the Holy Supper is a sign [ ? ] of the new
" covenant, [" My blood of the New Covenant," so the Evangelists]
" yet not an empty and void sign, instituted for the remembrance of
" Christ, or, as the Apostle Paul explains," (1 Cor. xi. 26) ** for a
** constant remembrance and announcement of His death, that it may
** be a memorial, uniting consolation, thanks, and love.'*
13. In the Leipzig Colloquy, both Lutherans and Reformed agreed
on " the necessity of Baptism, as a means ordained for our salvation ;
" and though the grace of God work not salvation through Baptism,
" ex opere operato, nor yet merely through the outward washing or
•' sprinkhng, yet, that it takes place by virtue of the word of conse-
** cration and promise, by the medium of Baptism." With regard to
the Lord's Supper, they agreed also, that, ** besides the outward
•' elements of bread and wine, there was present not only the virtue
•* and the efficacy or the bare signs of the Body and Bloody but
" that the true essential Body which was given for us, and the true
*• essential Blood of Jesus Christ Himself, which was shed for
•' us, are truly and presentially given distributed and received, by
" ^^rtue of the sacramental union, which consists not in the bare sig-
*' nifying, nor yet in the bare seahng, but in the entire, unseparated
*' distribution of the earthly element, and the true Body and Blood of
** Jesus Christ : yet, that this Sacramental union does not take
" place distinct from the action commanded by Christ, [the actual
" reception] but only in the same. Further, that, also, in the spiri-
" tual feeding, not only the virtue, benefit, and efficacy, but the
" essence and substance of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ
** Himself, in the use of the Holy Supper, which takes place here
** upon earth, is fed upon, that is, is spiritually through true faith
** eaten and drunk, and that this spiritual feeding is in the highest
*' degree necessary for the blessed use of the venerable supper. Fur-
** ther, that in the Sacramental partaking, the earthly elements and
*' the Body and Blood of Christ, are partaken of at the same time,
" together and unitedly (mit-einander)." The Reformed confessed
also, *' that, through the medium of the consecrated bread and wine,
" the true Body and Blood of Christ, was presentially received, yet
" not with the mouth, but only through faith, whereby the Body and
•' Blood of the Lord is spiritually united with those who worthily re-
" ceive the Lord's Supper; but to the unworthy, the Body and the
" Blood is only offered, but on account of their unbelief, not partaken
" or received by them, but rejected and repelled by them."
14. In the Declaration of Thorwn, the Zuingli-Calvinist view so far
appears, that Baptism is confined to *' infants born within the Qhurchy^
336 DSE OF SOIME REFORMFD LANGfAGE IN OUR
or adults, who made profession of their *' faith/' as, also, that it is
said to be administered in order to signify and attest internal absolu-
tion from or remission of sin by the blood of Christ : but it is
opposed to that view, in that it is added, " and at the same time to
♦* commence renovation or regeneration through the Spirit." On the
Lord's Supper, it states, that ** both the earthly and heavenly parts
" are in a different way, but each most truly, really and presentially
" exhibited to us, viz., the earthly, in a natural, corporeal, earthly
•* manner ; the heavenly, in a spiritual, mystical, and heavenly,
'• which, being inscrutable to sense and reason, we hold by faith only,
'* whereby we apprehend the words of promise and the thing itself pro-
" raised, viz. Christ crucified, with all His benefits " So much a Zuin-
glian, perhaps, might admit, aflSxing his o\vn meaning to the words ;
but then they proceed to state, (as in the Leipzig Colloquy) that the
" Sacramental union, consisted, not in the bare signifying, nor only in
*' the sealing, but also in that united and simultaneous exhibition and
•* communicating of the earthly and heavenly part of the Sacrament.
" although of diverse manners." Again, in half Zuinglian language,
they add, *' we by no means maintain that they are bare, empty, void
•* signs, but rather exhibiting that, which they signify and seal ;" but
then they subjoin instantly, *' as most certain means and efficacious
*' instruments, whereby the Body and Blood of Christ, and even
'* Christ Himself, with all His benefits, is exhibited or offered to all
" who partake of the element, but is conferred, given, to believers,
" and received by them as a salutary and life-giving food of the soul.''
They say again, that *' not only the virtue, efficacy, operation, or benefits
" of Christ, are presented and communicated to us, hut especially, the
" eery substance of the Body and Blood of Christ, or that very Victim,
** who was given for the life of the world, and slain upon the Cross, so
" that by a faithful communion of this Victim, and by the union with
'• Christ Himself, we are, consequently, partakers of the merits and
" benefits obtained by His sacrifice, and as He in us, so we remain in
" Him ;'* which, again, is opposed to the Zuingli-Calvinist view.
This use of the Reformed language, though not in the sense of
the Reformed, may help to explain a remarkable phenomenon in our
own Articles. "Whereas, namely, the language of our Baptismal
service, is entirely formed uj)on the model of the ancient Church, and
altogether ])ure from modern theories (see Note M) ; and again, our
('atechism says, that by the *• inward and Sj)iritual grace of Baptism,"
" we being by nature bom in sin, and the children of wrath, are made
" children of grace ;" both which statements the Zuingli Calvinist
denied ; much of the language of our Article on Baptism resembles
that of the Calvinist school, although none of the peculiar marks of
that school, above-enumerated, (p. 225,) occur in it. It is clear, that
our Articles also, do not express that view, inasmuch as they assert,
(Art. 25,) "that the Sacraments of C-HHrsr are effectual signs of
ARTICLE ON BAPTISM ACCOUNTED FOR. 237
*' grace, by the ivhieh He doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only
*• quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our faith in Him ;'' and,
again, (Art. 26.) that " they be effectual because of Christ's institu-
*' tion and promise ;" and, again, in the Article on Baptism itself,
they do not say only, that it "is a sign of regeneration or the New
" Birth," but " an instrument whereby they that receive Baptism
** rightly are grafted into the Church :" this being precisely the
point to which the Zuingli-Calvinist school objects : (for, of course,
no mere outward engrafhng into a visible church, is spoken of, and
an engraffing into the Church or Body of Christ, is an engraffing
into Christ ; for the Scripture speaks of engraffing into Him, not
into His Body only, and we know of no engraffing into His Body,
distinct from an engraffing into Himself;) — and, again, our Church
grounds the Baptism of infants on "the institution of Christ," (as
does the Bohemian and the ancient church) not (with the Zuinglians)
on the promise to Abraham and circumcision. Again, of the Lord's
Supper, it is said, that "the Body of Christ is given, taken, " and
eaten," which (as has indeed been lately pointed out with much
clearness, Knox's Remains, t. ii. p. 170 sqq.) could not be consis-
tently, and, as we have just seen, never is used in the Calvinist school.
What similarity, then, does exist, is to be accounted for, in part, from
the familiar intercourse of Edward the Vlth.'s Reformers with foreign
divines, whence they adopted, in part, their language, avoiding,
however, such as expressed their characteristic views. There were
also (as has been pointed out to me) at that time, hopes that the re-
formed Churches might be saved from abandoning Episcopacy, and
meet the English view of the doctrine of the Sacraments. Thus far
the use of their language must be looked upon as a concession ; to
which (though fruitless as all the like attempts have ever been) there
was, in the then absence of this experience, much temptation. And the
Reformers, under Elizabeth (while in framing our Thirty-Nine Ar-
ticles, they altered some things,) retained the old Article on Baptism,
as being sufficiently guarded from Zuinglianism, although not so
much after the form of the Ancient Church as our Baptismal service.
Another point to be observed is, that our Reformers view the Chris-
tian dispensation, as it is a system brought into the world, and as it
stands in relation to the creatures to whom it is proposed, to their pre-
vious state, moral condition, capacities, &c. in the abstract, rather
than as it applies to us individually, who have been educated in it.
For, thus, the character of the dispensation in itself, as a whole, could
best be exhibited. Thus the article on "Works before Justification,"
(Art. 13.) is of much importance in clearing the system, by setting
forth the relation of the Christian system to man's natural state and
his unassisted powers : but to us, individually, who have been born
within it, and who never were left to our mere natural powers, (having
had original sin remitted to us through Baptism in our infancy, and
Js38
RELATIVE ZUINGLIANISM OF REFORMED CONFESSIONS.
ha\'ing then been justified and cleansed from all sin, and had the
grace of Christ given, and fresh supplies pledged to us,) the state-
ment of the character of ** works done before justification and the grace
of Christ," does not, of course, directly apply. It describes to us the
state from which we were delivered by being brought into Christ's
fold ; and so ministers one cause of abundant gratitude, but does not
speak of a state in which we ever actually were. In like manner, our
Article on Baptism describes (in parts) the relation of that gift to one,
upon whom it should be conferred as a fully intelligent recipient, (not
to us as infants) for in such recipients only could "faith he confirmed
*' and grace increased :" and this is done, because the character and
power of Baptism in itself, is most conspicuously and plainly seen,
when brought in contact with man's full-grown powers, and capaci-
ties, and sins. But it would be a manifest perversion of the language
of the Article, to apply it, in a Zuinglian sense, to infants, as if sin had
already been remitted, " faith " already given, and *' grace " already
bestowed.
The relative prominency of the Zuinglian \'iews, in the several con-
fessions, may be, to a degree, seen, in the following table, referring to
the several marks of that theory mentioned at the beginning of this
note (p. 225).
1. Comparison
with the signs
of the Old Test.
Helv. 1566.
Helv. 1536
Helv. 1532
Gall.
Scot...... .
Belg
Hungar. . .
Heidelb. . .
Genev
Bohem. . . .
2.Withthe
written
word.
Efficacy explained
by reference to
sight, &c.
marg.
4. As Me-
morials.
5. Means of
consecrating
a people.
6. Grace given in, not
in fact by or through ;
see above, p. 97, &c.
Helv. 1566
Helv. 1536
Helv. 1532
Gall
Scot
Cenev.(see above p.230)
Hungar
Heidelb
Belg. (see above p. 230)
7. To
the
elect
only.
8. Denial of
efficacy of
words of con-
secration.
9. Grace not
inclosed in
the Sacra-
ments.
10. Participation
in and out of the
Sacraments the
COMPARISON OF ANCIENT AND MODERN BAPTISMAL LITURGIES
239
11. Children to be
baptized, because,
in the covenant,not
by virtue of
Christ'scommands.
Helv. 1566 .,
Helv. 1536...
Helv. 1532
Gall
Scot
Belg
Hungar
Heidelb
Genev
12. Sacraments not
said to be eflScacia.
in a different sense.
13. Body of
Christ not
said to be
given in
the Supper.
doubtful.
14. Effect of
Sacraments to
signify grace.
15. Sacra-
ment attes-
tation.
Note (M), on page 133.
The following synopsis of Baptismal Liturgies will probably impress
upon the reader (at least they did upon myself) several distinct
feelings. — First, a feeling of Catholicity and of oneness in the Ancient
Church, (in that, amid verbal variations, it all spoke so much the
same language,) and the conviction of the Apostolicity of traditions,
which (without such absolute uniformity, as would imply subsequent
imitation), are still alike in all but words. It is very affecting to find,
in an old formulary of a far distant Church, the very same form of
words with which our Church has guided our own devotions ; to light,
for instance, upon the incidental notices of the same renunciation of
the '* devil, and his works, and his pomps,'* as preceding Baptism,
in the ancient Churches of Africa Proper, Jerusalem, Asia Minor,
Egypt, Italy, and the East and West ; and to hear this renunciation,
as we now make it, urged by TertuUian, but two centuries after
Ghrist, as an incitement to Christian holiness. — Secondly, The con-
viction of the greater warmth and cheeringness of the formularies of
the ancient Church, and so of our own, in comparison with the timid,
didactic forms of the Reformed Church. — Thirdly, Increased conviction
of the deep piety of those who, without precisely copying, so trans-
fused the spirit of the ancient liturgies into our own. — Fourthly,
Thankfulness to God for having guided our Reformers to these more
ancient sources
With regard to the different liturgies quoted— for the more ancient,
I thought it quite sufficient to avail myself of the valuable researches
of Palmer's Origines Liturgicse, vol. ii. p. 166, sqq, ; from which
accordingly I have taken the prayers quoted, only translating them,
that the comparison might be the easier. The originals may be seen
in his important and interesting work. In one or two places only I
have added an original authority.
240 LUTIIEr's baptismal liturgy, from the old GERMAN.
The first prayer, however, in the Baptismal Service had hitherto
been traced up only to the Baptismal Service of Hermann, Archbishop
of Cologne, (see Archbishop Lawrence's Bampton Lectures, pp. 443,
sqq.) It was then a source of great interest to discover that this
also was derived from the Ancient Church. It stands, namely, as the
third prayer in the Baptismal Service which Luther translated from
the old Latin, A.D. 1523. In this service, also, Luther' professedly
" made scarcely any alterations, for fear of alarming tender con-
** sciences, as if he were introducing a new Baptism, or thought that
*' those before baptized had not been baptized rightly." The altera-
tions, which he then wished to make, he introduced in the next year,
1524, in the " Baptismal Book, revised by D. Martin Luther," which
has been incorporated into the lesser Catechism, in some editions.
The changes consist, for the most part, in the omission of certain
ceremonies, as the anointing the child with the holy oil, the forming
the cross a second time upon him, placing in his hand the light, as an
emblem of that which he was to keep burning till the Bridegroom
come, and some others. The prayer accompanying the very ancient
rite of Exorcism is also shortened, and two other prayers omitted.
The prayer in question remains unaltered. In the Baptismal Liturgy
drawn up in Latin under the name of Hermann, Archbishop of
Cologne (A.D. 1535), it again appears, yet not borrowed from this of
Luther, but from one previously in use at Niirnberg (" forma Norim-
** bergensis, exemplum Nor." Melancthon, Ep. p. 546, quoted by
Abp Laurence 1. c.) ; so that we have a second instance of its use
previous to the Reformation, and it probably was employed by the
whole German portion of the Church Catholic. Hermann's Baptismal
Service is part only of a larger work, bearing the title, " Nostra
** Hermanni, D. g. Archiep. Coloniensis et Princ. Electoris, &c.,
** simplex et pia dehberatio qua ratione Christiana et in verbo Dei
" fundata Reformatio Doctrinse, administrationis divinorum Sacra-
" mentorum, ceremoniarum, totiusque curae animarura, et aliorum
" Ministeriorum Ecclesiasticorum, apud eos qui nostrse pastorali curae
" commendati sint, &c." And it was (as in its title it professes) a
reformation of existing Services, (until a General Council should make
some regulations for the whole Church,) not a new Service. The basis
(as before said) was the form of Niirnberg. On this, however, Bucer,
who was mainly engaged in revising the Baptismal Service, had
engrafted long exhortations and expositions of Baptism, herein falling
1 Ludier's German translation of. the Baptismal Liturgy of tlie ancient
German Church is in vol. x. of his works, ed. Walch. col. 2627, sqq. with a
preface prcHxed by Luther. (The Latin original 1 have as yet searched for
in vain.) Luther's remodelled service follows immediately upon it, col.
24ifK\, sqq.
COMPARISON OF OUR AND HERMANN'S BAPTISMAL LITURGY. 241
in too much with the modern " reformed" notion of making the ser-
vice a method of instruction, and (as the case might be) a corrective
either of supposed superstitions, or of undervaluing of the Sacraments,
or (in some " reformed'* services) of inculcating their viev/ of the
whole scheme of Christian doctrine. He had also brought in some
of the modern theology, as, the parallel of the rite of Circumcision
with the sacrament of Baptism ; the resting the right of our children
t^ Baptism, in part, upon the promise to Abraham, and the like ; into
which persons had been betrayed by looking out for arguments and
analogies against the Anabaptists, instead of adhering simply to the
practice of the early Church. Bucer's prolixity herein is incidentally
noticed by Melancthon, his fellow-worker in the task of revising the
Cologne Service. (See Melancthon's Ep. quoted by Abp. Laurence,
l.c.)
The comparison of our own Baptismal Service with Archbishop
Hermann's is the more interesting, as illustrating the proceedings and
principles of the reformers of our Services. It seems certain that they
had this work before them. It had been translated into English the
year (1547) before the reformation of our Prayer book, and most pro-
bably with the very view of preparing men's minds for that reforma-
tion. It had been received with great interest, an amended edition
being published in the next year (1548), in which the reformation of
our Services was completed. The order also of Edward VI.'s First
Book agrees in some respects with Hermann's only ; as, in that the
Lord's Prayer and the Belief occur after the exhortation upon the
Gospel. One prayer, however, only, (the thanksgiving after the Gos-
pel, " Almighty and Everlasting God, our Heavenly Father," &c.)
was admitted from Hermann's Service, which has not been traced up
to the Ancient Church ; and this prayer is primitive in its character,
whether it be actually so or no. The excrescences, on the other hand,
abovementioned, which Bucer had introduced, are lopped off unspar-
ingly. Nothing is admitted in the way of argument, or proof, or
teaching, as it is more or less in Hermann's or Bucer's Service. When
any thing has been adopted from it, it has been in the way of hint,
not by directly incorporating it. With the exception of the above
prayer, nothing can be directly identified with the Service of Hermann.
The fev/ and earnest opening words in our Service are substituted for
a long exposition occupying several pages ; the exhortation following
upon the Gospel is enlarged, perhaps, from one in the corresponding
place in Hermann ; and the address to the god-parents before the
Interrogatories, condensed perhaps from a more diffuse one, which
followed upon them in Hermann. This is the whole which is not
derived from the early Church ; and here also it is remarkable, how
all exhortation is in our Service made subservient to prayer, and to the
direct object of the Sacrament, instead of being, as in the reformed
i
242 INFLUENCE OF BUCFK UPON OUR BAPTISMAL SKKVICE.
Services, something for its own sake. It is observable also, that parts
of our Service were derived directly from the old Church, without the
intervention of the German form j as the whole between the Interro-
gatories and the Act of Baptism.
The influence of Bucer upon our Service was negative rather than
positive. When the First Book of Edward VI. was framed, he had
not yet arrived in England ; and in the revision which took place in
Edward's reign, his objections were listened to, but the alterations
were introduced without his knowledge, and independently of him.
In the Baptismal Service the alterations were few, but they were all
unhappily of the same character. It was the omission of certain signi-
ficant rites, whereby either man's natural condition before Baptism, or
the pri\dleges bestowed through Baptism, and the duties consequent
thereon, were set before men's eyes. These were, that the first part
of the Service was performed at the church- door, and the child then
taken by the priest's hand, and brought towards the font, a blessing
being pronounced over it, in token that, being naturally aliens,
they were now " received into the holy household" of God. Again,
they were anointed, in token that they needed not regeneration only,
but the continual supply of " that blessed unction from above," which
" is comfort, life, and fire of love." Again, the '* white vestment"
was given them, in token of the " innocence then given them by God,"
and as an admonition to keep their baptismal purity unstained. Lastly,
there was the rite of exorcism, wherein, before Baptism, Satan was
commanded, in the name of the blessed Trinity, to depart from the
child, and " not to presume hereafter to exercise any tyranny over it."
We have lost by all these omissions. Men are impressed, by these
visible actions, far more than they are aware, or wish to acknowledge.
Two points especially were thereby vividly inculcated, which men
seem now almost wholly to have lost sight of — the power of our enemy,
Satan, and the might of our Blessed Redeemer. Men now believe
His power and willingness to receive again His lost sheep, who have
strayed ; but those who would claim to themselves the privilege of
most extolling His readiness to save, seem practically to disbelieve,
that after He has by Baptism brought His lambs into His fold. He
ever saves any of them from falling again altogether into the power
of the lion ; and so they are left unguarded, as if to endeavour to
rescue them were a hopeless effort. This had probably been much
mitigated, or perhaps prevented, had the rites of the Ancient Church
becH retained.
The reviewers of our Service could not foresee the evils of their
omission, and were to blame only in this, that they forsook the prac-
tice of the primitive Church, in compliance with the objections of a
modern reformer. Much, doubtless, might be speciously said before-
hand against the rite of exorcism previous to Baptism ; that it was
i
■
EVILS OF OMITTING THE RITE OF EXORCISM. 243
unnecessary, since Baptism, translating us into the kingdom of God's
dear Son, did in itself remove us from the power of the prince of
darkness. Nor did the primitive Church doubt this ; still she retained
the practice, and thereby attested her conviction that it did serve some
further ends. Although not a sacrament, and therefore no direct
means of grace, the exorcism was a vivid practical recognition of the
state of bondage to Satan, out of which we were delivered. It
impressed upon men's minds, far more powerfully than any words
can do, the fearful penalty of their natural corruption, the power of the
** prince of this world," his unceasing enmity against his delivered
captives and slaves, and the great peril of again falling under his
dominion. As often as a new member was brought over into Christ's
fold, it set before men's eyes the greatness of our deliverance, the
might and yet powerlessness of our enemy, the danger of being again
led captive by him. It could not have been foreseen that men's sense of
all these would be weakened by our omission of this rite ; and yet this
has unquestionably contributed much to the present unbelief in the
Scripture statements of a personal unseen enemy of men's souls, and
the indifference with which they view, or hear of, his visible agents
and servants, and the fearlessness with which they allow themselves
to sink gradually into his grasp, as if they could again free themselves
from it when they would. It has also fortified the present self-deifi-
cation of man, whereby, as he virtually makes himself his own
god, so he would make himself his own only enemy. And so the
very recognition of man's natural corruption or infirmity becomes a
source of pride, in that he thereby escapes from recognizing what he
would yet more abhor — the humiliation of acknowledging that he is
not his own master, but that if not engaged in the free active service
of God, he is in a state of bondage — not to his own passions simply,
but to a master more powerful, and as yet more wicked, than himself,
whom, unless God frees him, he must obey, here and for ever. Against
this scriptural statement man's pride revolts. It would have been
impugned doubtless by unbelief, even had the rite of exorcism been
retained (as it has in Germany and Denmark) ; and so will every
doctrine : but it would not so easily have been forgotten, which is the
far greater evil. It has doubtless been a device of Satan, to persuade
men that this expulsion of himself was unnecessary ; he has thereby
secured a more undisputed possession. Whether the rite can again
be restored in our Church, without greater evil, God only knoweth ; or
whether it be not irrevocably forfeited ; but this is certain, that, until
it be restored, we shall have much more occasion to warn our flocks
of the devices and power of him against whom they have to contend.
The rite is retained in the several branches of the Eastern Church,
as in the Lutheran portion of the Western, Denmark and Norway, as
well as Germany ; so that herein we have needlessly forsaken the
R 2
244 ENGLISH AND LUTHERAN SERVICE UNADULTEIIATED.
practice of the larger portion of the present as well as of the primitive
Church.
It stands happily as an insulated case.
Some other few sentences were also omitted, at the rcA-ision of our
Service in Edward's time ; but the earnest prayer that sin, extinct by
Baptism, may not again reign, and for the final perseverance of the
baptized, is so in accordance with the other parts of the Service,
that their omission cannot have proceeded from any change in doc-
trine. We have then great reason to bless God, that while those, to
whom our Church was then committed, were in some things inclined
to yield, almost all our Baptismal Sendee was retained, and that,
unadulterated by modern notions. Some things were omitted, which,
if retained, had been a blessing to us ; but all our Service which
remained came from the pure sources of Christian antiquity.
Of other modern Liturgies, to which I have at the moment access,
those of the Lutheran Church appear to be formed on the same model
as Luther's ; that of Denmark and Norway, which was reformed by
Bugenhagius in 1537, and submitted to Luther, adheres very closely
to the old form. It was translated into Latin in 170G, by Pet.
Terpager, whose preface contains notices of many modem Liturgies.
That of Mechlenburg (^revidirte Kirchen-Ordnung), revised under
John Albert, and Ulrich Dukes of Mechlenburg, is also formed upon
the old basis, with the addition only of some addresses, which are
more didactic and longer than our own. The Lutheran Church, as
well as ourselves, diminished the number of ceremonies, although
they retained that of giving the " white vestment" to the new-baptized,
with prayer, as well as exorcism : they also, as well as ourselves,
engraffed short addresses, (of which, however, there were some
models in the ancient Church,) but the substance of the Service in
both was essentially primitive and CathoUc.
In the " reformed school," on the contrary, almost all is new; the
account which Beza gives of the Genevan', in answer to a Pojnsh an-
tagonist, sufficiently represents them all. " According to the formula
** of our Churches, a sponsor of unblamed life and doctrine is always
" employed. The minister of the word asks of him before the congre-
•' gation of the Church, whether he wish to offer for baptism the child
*' whom he holds in his arms. He answers distinctly such is his mind.
•* A short and clear explanation of the institution and use of Baptism
'* out of the word of God, is subjoined, which is recited from writing
" in the vulgar tongue, so that all may hear and understand. Prayers
** are added that God would, by His Holy Spirit, seal in the child
** the adoption and ablution, which by outward Baptism is, as it were^
" submitted to our eyes. Aftenvard the same minister demands of
' Rcspons. ad F. Baldwin. Tractot. t ii. pp. 325, 6.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE REFORMED LITURGIES. 245
** the sponsor whether he will undertake that the child, when of a
''fit age, shall be instructed in the Christian doctrine and the
** Apostles' creed, which he recites distinctly. He assents to this
** doctrine, and undertakes to do so. The requisition is repeated, and
•* he is again required to undertake that the child shall be instructed
** in the whole doctrine of both Testaments and the law of Goo,
** whereof an epitome is then recited out of Matthew's Gospel, accord-
** ing to the precepts of which he may so form his life, as to dedicate
" himself entirely to the glory of (ion in Jesus Christ, and the edi-
** fication of his neighbours. He undertakes this, and then at last the
** child is baptized with pure water in the name of the Father, the
*' Son, and Holy Ghost."
**Now then, Baldwin," asks Beza, ** what blamest thou here ? We,
*' you see, have restored the principal part of Baptism, i. e. the explana-
" tion of the doctrine of it, which was taken away by your Catholics."
The Reformed Baptismal Liturgies are strikingly characterized,
and as strikingly condemned, by this triumphant appeal of Beza to
his antagonist, " we have restored the principal part of Baptism,
" viz. the explanation of the doctrine of it .'" Not then our blessed
Saviour's institution, not His words of blessing, not even the
prayers of the congregation, are the " principal part of Baptism,"
" but the explanation of the doctrine of it." And, indeed, how should
it be otherwise, when Baptism was considered no longer an instrument
of grace, but a mere outward seal of mercies already bestowed ?
With this statement of Beza, the very outward form of the " re-
formed" Liturgies remarkably coincides : in the French, the " expla-
nation" is three times as long as the rest of the service : in the old
Scotch (borrowed from the English at Geneva), the " exposition"
occupies seven pages ; an explanation of the Creed (which is alone added
to the Genevan form^ and is the only variation from it) fifteen and a half,
the Baptismal prayers one only ! in the Belgic the exposition equals
the length of all the rest of the Service ; in the Scotch directory (1645)
it is longer ; and so in the rest.
On the other hand the meagreness as well as coldness of the actual
Baptismal Service will probably strike every one accustomed, through
the use of our own, to the fulness, and depth, and warmth of the
Services of the Ancient Church.
Prayer, as Beza implies, was become, in the Reformed Churches, a
secondary part of the office ; and so again, in most of their offices^
there is but one short prayer previous to the act of Baptism, and a
thanksgiving subsequently. The Lord's prayer is omitted in the
Liturgies of Zurich, Belgium, Alasco's, and the Scotch Directory,
1645. In the Zurich and Polanus' form there is no thanksgiving, and
but a brief wish added ; in the Belgian a thanksgiving was but occa-
sionally offered ; in that of the French Protestants and Geneva, there
was neither. From an account given of the Scotch Service in 1644,
246 GRADUAL ABANDONMENT OF OLD FORMS BY THE REFORMED.
as an ensample to their brethren in England, the mere skeleton of the
old form appears to have been retained.
In other respects, it is remarkable to observe the gradual dereliction
of the ancient forms ; thus, Zuingli retained from the old Church the
introductory portion of the prayer, although he changed its doctrinal
portion, as no longer believing it ; and so also (from him) the Belgic
Service ; the latter Services dropped even this portion of the ancient
form, and so became entirely new. They were consistent in so doing ;
for this portion of the prayer referred to the Scriptural types of Bap-
tism, when God had delivered His chosen by water ; and these naturally
had no place in their system. Again, Zuingli (with the old Church)
retained the Gospel; Alasco and Polanus incorporated it into their
introductory exhortation as a sort of proof of Infant Baptism ; the
Belgian, Genevese, French, the old Scotch, and the modern Directory
altogether omitted it ; and again consistently, on their system, since
Baptism in their sight occupied the place of circumcision only. A
corresponding variation is observable even in the ceremonies of
Baptism, in that Zuingli's parting benediction implies that the rite o^
investing the new-baptized person with a white garment was yet re-
tained by him ; by the rest it is abandoned : so that in three several
instances Zuingli appears to have been the least innovator in the Re-
formed Churches.
Another slight but remarkable peculiarity in the outward arrange-
ments of the Reformed Churches, is the place which Baptism occupies,
as an appendage to the preaching of the word, in that it is placed after
the sermon, whereas our Church, by prescribing that it should take
place after the second lesson, connects it with the promises of God in
the Gospel itself. This regulation is also mentioned by Beza ' :
•* This is the custom of our Churches, that always after the sermon
** (and there is a sermon every day, and on Lord's days it is four times
** repeated in the city in the several Churches) infants to be baptized
" are brought to the pulpits, and are baptized in the congregation of
•* the whole Church." Baptism occupies the same position in the
Scotch Liturgy
In the following Tables, the ancient Liturgies, and those upon the
ancient model, are arranged according to their age : that of Edward
the Sixth's reign is inserted, as in some places adhering, in words
also, more closely to the ancient model : those of Denmark, Norway,
and Mecklenburg, in order to show the general agreement of this
I)ortion of the Church, amidst occasional variation.
The Services, on the " reformed" scheme, are arranged according
to the several modifications of that scheme ; they, as well as the more
ancient, are framed upon one and the same model, and agree together,
for the most part, almost in words, only that (as was before observed,
• Abstersio calumuianim T. Hcshusii, Tract. T. i. p. 33:J.
MUTUAL RELATION OF THE REFORMED LITURGIES. 247
pp.96, 110. sqq. 132), since the writers wished to persuade them-
selves that their views did not derogate from Baptism, they sometimes
speak of its benefits, although whenever they explain what they thereby
mean, it is the sealing only of benefits before received.
The Liturgy (if one may so call it) of Zuingli was adopted almost
verbally in Belgium ; the Service framed by Calvin was introduced by
Beza into France, and was adopted, with scarcely verbal alterations,
by Polanus among the German refugees settled at Glastonbury in Ed-
ward Sixth's time, and afterwards at Frankfort and Strasburg : the form
of the English at Geneva, afterwards adopted in Scotland, is longer in
its exposition, and briefer in its prayer, than that of Calvin ; but in
substance is borrowed from it. The Scotch Directory (1645) contains
no form at all, but only a sketch of the topics to be used in exposition,
prayer, or thanksgiving, expressing throughout the theory invented
by Zuingli and transmitted through Calvin. The Service which
Alasco drew up for the German Protestants settled under Edward VI.
in London is more peculiar in character, and appears to be indepen-
dent : he seems to have acted, more than the rest, upon the view of
rendering Baptism beneficial to the by-standers, since on this theory
it had ceased to be so to the child. Hence, instead of the ordinary
'* reformed" expression that " Baptism belonged not only to us but
** to our seed," it sets forth that it " belongs not only to their children^
" but to the whole Church ;" the prayer, accordingly, pre\dous to the
Baptism of the child, is mainly for ** those who look on the ministry
" of Baptism," and hardly and but incidentally for the child.
As in the Confessions then, so also in the Services, there are two
forms of language, Calvin speaking out much less openly than
Zuingli. Hence the French Liturgy was even claimed by some who
held that " regeneration was ordinarily conferred on Elect Infants at
*' Baptism," as expressing their views (ap. Witsius de efficacia Bap-
tism! § 42.) One would hardly argue against this with Witsius
(1. c. § 49.) that *' those accounted as the most consummate Theolo-
*' gians in France understood it otherwise, and held that elect infants
** were only visibly initiated by Baptism, and had previously re-
** ceived saving grace :" for it is well known how readily such a
document is bent to persons' previous views, as even our own Service
has been held not to contain the doctrine of Baptismal regeneration.
But, in truth, enough of the language of Beza's service is sufficiently
clear, although he speaks ambiguously of the " fruit and efficacy of
" Baptism." For one who prays God to confirm the grace given to
the child about to be baptized, " and to declare that He is His God
" and Saviour," evidently must hold that this grace was given before
the use of the Sacrament, which is the " reformed" theory, as opposed
to the doctrine of the old Church, that grace was giveji through it.
Thus in our own Baptismal service, we pray God to *' increase in vs
248 AUTHORITIES FOR THE SEVERAL REFORMED LITURGIES,
** the knowledge of His grace, and to confirm evefmore our faith in
" Him," but /or our Infants, we pray not for " confirmation of grace,'*
but that '* they may be born again, and made heirs of everlasting
** salvation."
The •* reformed" Liturgies have been taken from the following
sources, — that of Zurich from Zuingh's works, t. ii. f. 98, where he
quotes it to show '* how dexterously they had omitted every thing
'* which could not be proved by Scripture/' A translation was pub-
lished in English from the Helvetian, A. D. 1693, '* LiturgiaTigurina."
Compared with the Latin of Zuingli, it is wordy but not unfaithful ;
but it contains an exhortation, which, as being omitted by Zuingli,
must have been introduced after Zuingli's times, though quite in his
spirit. The Zurich Service was also published in Latin in the " Ritus
Ecclesia3Tigurinae,"by Lavater, 1702. The Liturgy of BeZ^iMm, (which
in verbal differences agrees most with the Ritus Eccl. Tigur.) is taken
from the *' Enchiridion for Young Preachers," pubhshed by authority,
1645. For the French Reformed Liturgy two editions have been con-
sulted— " La forme des prieres Ecclesiastiques," 1552, and that
appended to the version of the Psalms by Beza and Marot (Pseaumes
de David, &c.) It is also found in Calvin's works, t. viii. p. 32,
sqq. with such variations only, as would be occasioned by a free
translation into Latin. These have been marked underneath by the
letter C. That of Polanus is entitled " Liturgia Sacra, seu Ritus
Ministerii et Ecclesiae Peregrinorum profugorum propter Evangelium
Christi Argentinae, 1551 ;" and the 2d edition, " Liturgia, &c. peregri-
norum Francofordiae ad Maenum Ed. 2, Francof. 1558." There is no
variation between them There is much mention of this Liturgy in
Strype Eccl. Mem. vol. ii. B. 1, c. 29; and life of Cranmer, B. 2, c.
23. For the Scotch there have been used, an old edition, entitled " the
CL Psalms of David in English metre, with the form of Prayers, and
ministration of the Sacraments, &c. used in the Church of Scotland :
Edinburgh, 1575 :" also, ** The New Booke of Common Prayer, accord-
ing to the forme of the Kirk of Scotland, our brethren in faith and
covenant, (London) 1644 ;" and the modern " Directory." Alasco
published his under the title ** Forma ac ratio tota Ecclesiastic! minis-
terii, potissimum pro Germanorum ecclesia, instituta Londini in
Anglia per pientissimum Principem Angliae, &c. Regem Edvardum
VL &c." Francofurti, 1535.
In the following Tables I have placed, 1st, A, our present Baptismal
Service, as compared with the Ancient Church, and contrasted with
the *' Reformed" School. 2dly, B, Such prayers and rites as formed
part of our primitive Service, but were omitted at the instigation of
Bucer, and corresponding, or the same prayers, in the ancient Liturgies.
3dly, C. A prayer in Hermann's Liturgy, as a specimen of the way in
which the restorers of our Liturgy avoided the modern theology.
(A.)
ENGLISH BAPTISMAL LITURGY,
COMPARED WITH THOSE OF THE
ANCIENT CHURCH, AND LITURGIES ON THE ANCIENT MODEL;
AND CONTRASTED WITH
THOSE DERIVED FROM ZUINGLI AND CALVIN.
250
BAPTISMAL LITURGIES.— Introduction.
ANCIENT CHURCH
CHURCHES GENERALLY UPON THE ANCIENT
MODEL.
REFORi
Topics enlarged »
Ancient Gallic.
Hermann, Abp. of
Cologne — Exhorta-
tion to God-parents.
No. I.
Very dear Bre-
thren, let us, in the
venerable office of
the present mystery,
humbly pray our
Almighty Creator
and Restorer, who
deigned to repair,
through grace, the
gloriesof our nature,
lost through sin,that
He will transfuse
efficacy into these
waters, and by the
presence of the Ma-
No. 2.
Beloved in Christ
Jesus, we hear daily
out of the word of
God, and learn by
our owTi experience,
that all we from the
fall of Adam are
conceived and horn
in sins ; that we are
guilty of the wrath
of God, and damned
through the sin of
Adam, except we be
delivered by the
death and merits of
jesty of the Trinity, 1 the Son of God,
give" power to effe<^t Christ Jesu our only
the most holy regene- Saviour. Seeing then
ration ; that he will j that these present
break in pieces the ! infants be born in
head of the dragon j the same estate and
upon these waters ; | condition that we
and that the debtors j are, it is plain that
being buried with [ they also be spotted
Christ by Baptism, j with original sin and
the likeness of death : disease, and that
may so take place ; they be subject to
here, that the perish- j eternal death and
ing may be saved, i damnation. But God
and death may only | the Father, accord-
be felt in the des- | ing to His unspeak-
truction here on ', able gentleness and
earth (i. e. the death mercy towards man-
of the body ),th rough kind, sent His Son
Jesus Christ. to save the woi'ld.
Wherefore He will
also, that these in-
fants be saved. He
bare the sins of all
the world, and deli-
vered and saved, as
well the infants, as
ns which be of
greater age, from
sins, death, the de-
vil, and everlasting
damnation, who
would have the in-
£uit8 to be offered
unto Him, that He
might give them His
blessing (Matt.xix.)
Wherefore, according to your Chris-
tian godliness, take this child, bring him
unto Christ, and offer him with your
godly prayers, that he may obtain of Him
remission of his sins, and be removed
into the kingdom of grace, being deli-
vered from the tyranny of Satan ; and
that he may be msule heir of eternal sal-
v;ition.
Edward VI.
First Book.
1649.
No. 3. a.
Dear belov-
ed— Foras-
much as all
men be con-
ceived and
bom in sin,
and that *
no man born
in sin can
enter into
the kingdom
of God, ex-
cept he be
regenerate,
and born
auew of wa-
ter and of
the Holy
Ghost; I
beseech you
to call upon
God the
Father,
Mecklenburg,
(abridged).
No. 4.
Born in Adam's sin,
and under God's
wrath, unless we had
been helped by the
only-begotten Son of
God, our Lord Je-
sus Chiist.
This present child
polluted with the
same sin ; but God
the Father promised
mercy and pity to
the whole world,
and so to the child
as well as the old,
through His Son
Christ (Hermann),
the
Zurich,
(entire.)
Christ, that
of His boun-
teous mercy
He^v^ll
Who also bore
sins of the whole
world, and redeem-
ed the poor children
no less, yea, just as
much as the elder,
through our i from sin, death, and
Lord Jesus i damnation, and hath
made them blessed,
and commanded that
they should be
brought to Him,
grant to this '■■ that they may be
child that i blessed ; whom also
thing which i He most graciously
by nature he receives, and pro-
cannot have, i mises them the
that is to I kingdom of heaven,
say, that he | Wherefore do ye,
out of Christian
love, take compas-
sion on this present
poor infant; present
it to the LordChrist,
and for forgiveness
of sins, and help to
pray that it may be
received into the
kingdom of grace
and bliss; in un-
doubting confi-
dence that our dear
Lord Jesus Christ
will of His great
mercy accept of you
this your work of
love towards the
poor infant, and will
also assuredly hear
vour prayer, since
lie himself com-
manded them to
bring the young children unto
Him, and has jproDiiscd to rc-
may be bap
tized with
water and
the Holy
Ghost, and
received
into Christ's
holy church,
and be
made a
lively mem-
ber of the
same.
Present
English.
No. 3. b.
* Our Sa-
viour Christ
saith. None,
&c.
No. 5.
Think that
our Lord
and Saviour
wishes all
men to come
to the know-
ledge of the
truth,
through the
only Media-
tor Jesus
Christ, who
gave Him-
self for
many, for
their re-
demption.
He wills
also that our
prayers for
each other
may be
united, that
we may •
come to the
unity of the
faith and
knowledge
of the Son
of God our
Redeemer.
Let us pray
then the
Lord, that
He would
impart faith
to this in-
fant, and
that outward
Baptism
may become
inwardly, by
the Holy
Spirit, a
healthful
water. Pray
then thus. '
Belgium.
ceive them irito His kingdom.
No. 6.
Doctrine of B|
tism: 1. our naw
impurity, taught \
the dipping. — ^
Washing away >
sins by Jesus Chii
— 3. Duty of u
obedience.
And although 4
infants </o Jiot rem,
ifiese things, yet^
are not to be r^
ed from BaptM
since they are hi
unconsciously m
takers of damnaq
in Adam, and •
that cause are Ai
received in Ckn
into favour ; as Q
Himself testified
Abraham, thefatH
of all that belir
and therefore alip
us and of our oh
dren. Gen. xvil,
and Peter, Act!
39.
For this cause fli
commanded Um
to be circumdii
which was the •«
of the covenant a
of the righteousn*
of faith ; as Chr
also embraced the
and laid His ban
on them, and bless
them, Mark x.
Since, therefo:
Baptism has w
ceeded to circum*
sion, infants, as he:
of the kingdom
God and of His c
venant, are to
initiated in Baptisii
and parents a
bound to infiv
their children mp
fully of these tUtt:
when they be gam
up.
Therefore, th«tv
may celebrate Ui
divine ordinance '
His glory, our eoi
solation, and U
edification of ti
Church, let us ea
upon His holy
in these
ivorda. i
J
BAPTISMAL LITURGIES.— Introduction.
251
HKS.
Prefaces (see p. 245.) abridged.
.cneva — French
Protestant.
Polanus.
English at Geneva,
and old Scotch.
No. 10.
Begins with topics
No. 7—9. § 4. then
" Baptism not abso-
lutely necessary ;"
appointed for the
instmction of our
dull senses. Not
that we think any
such virtue or power
to be included in
the visible water or
outward action, (for
many have been bap-
tized, and yet never
inwardly purged) ;
but that our Saviour
Christ will effectu-
ally work in the
hearts of his elect,
in time convenient,
all that is meant by
the same. And this
Scnpture calleth our
regeneration, stands
chiefly in two points.
Then topics, §§ 1
and 2, — comfojt to
parents (as Calvin
above, p. 126), in
bringing them up
holily, provide in-
struction, &c.
No. 7.--9.
1. Doctrine.
The necessity of
•generation shows
le extremity of our
vtural corruption,
id our hatefulness
. God's sight ; our
Uy hope in entire
If-renunciation
id condemnation.
. Benefits of Bap-
tism.
Testifies remission
' sin — God's rea-
'hcss to purify our
luls — that He ivill
a parent to us,
id not impute to
i our sins, and aid
i with His Holy
pint, that we may
J able to resist the
jvil, sin, and the
•sts of our flesh,
itil we obtain the
ctory, that we may
ve in the liberty of
Js kingdom, which
the kingdom of
ghteousness.
i, Hoiv imjxirted.
We have no wash-
-g but in Christ's
ood, nor renewal
it in His death and
surrection ; but as
e imparts His
ches to viS by tlie
ord, in the same
anner by the Sacra-
efits.
4. To whom.
Not to us only,
it to our children,
at the beginning
■ His Church by
rcumcision, which
'jnifiedand slmwed
e same things which
'e now shown by
aptism. These be-
^jfits of circumci-
an not diminished
^ Christ's coming,
it extended over the whole earth;
herefore children are to be baptized.
ot St. Paul says they are holy, i. e.
parate from the children of heathen
id other infidels ; and Christ received
tie children brought to Him, teaching
. that thev are not to be excluded from
is Churcli.
Scotch— 1644.
No. 11.
The minister, de-
claring and setting
forth God's love,
desires them to take
notice and consider
the great charge that
is laid upon them;
telling them thus;
Dearly beloved.
It is your duty that
the children be in-
structed in all doc-
trine necessary ; but
chiefly to rest upon
the justice of Christ
alone, and to abhor
and flee all super-
stition, papistrj-, and
idolatry. And to the
intent that we may
be assured that you,
the father and the su-
rety, consent to the
perfonnance thereof,
declare here before
God and the face of
the congregation,
the sum of that
faith wherein ye be-
lieve, and will in-
struct this child.
I believe inGod,&c.
Scotch Directory.
Alasco.
No. 12.
Baptism instituted
by Christ, a seal of
the covenant. The
water representeth
Christ's blood ; bap- j
tizing signifieth the
cleansing thereby.
Promise made to
believers and their
seed ; children have
a right to the seal,
not less under Gos-
pel than law, the
covenant being the
same, the gi'ace more
abundant. Christ
admitted children
into His presence.
Children, by Bap-
tism, received into
the visUjle Church ;
distinguished from
the world ; united
with believers. The
baptized renounce
the devil, the world,
andflesh,and pledged
to fight against it.
Infants are Chris-
tians, federally holy
before Baptism,, and
therefore baptized.
Inward
No. 13.
Baptism to be observ-
ed, according to Christ's
institution, and 'iiot pro-
faned. Two things or-
dained by Christ : water,
and that in the name of
the Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit, i. e. that we
should testify and declare
that the whole Church
of Christ, with all its
members, belongs, with-
out doubt, to God the
Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit, being wholly
cleansed by the blood of
Christ the Lord ; so that
in it, with all its mem-
bers, no spot or WTinkle
can be seen before
God's sight. To show,
then, that we do baptize
all members of our
Church by this our mi-
nistry, in the name of
Christ, we attest this be-
fore you, as to Baptism :
1. That Baptism be-
longs not only to these
children, but to the whole
Catholic Church (1 Cor.
Eph.) ; so that it attests
that the whole of it, with
all its members every
where, is accounted, by
God the Father, altoge-
ther clean for Christ's
sake ; whence it belongs
grace not
tied to the very moment of administra-
tion ; fruit and power of it through the
whole course of life. Outward Baptism
not absolutely necessary to salvation, if
not despised.
Admonitions to those present, and to I to us, as much as to the
parents, &c. infants ; and we ought
to think of the gi'eatness
of God's mercy therein (Rom., Eph. ii., 1 Cor. xv.), and show
it forth by true repentance — not to be idle spectators of Baptism ;
for such profane it, and despise Christ.
2. This cleansing, which Baptism designates, not our own
(Tit. iii.), we are impure (Eph. ii. Ps. li.)
3. This cleansing, the free gift of Christ (Tit. iii.), by the
communion of righteousness, merits and glory gained by Him in
our flesh : this, the highest mystery of Baptism, designated by
that outward washing of water ; hence Baptism called washing of
regeneration and of remission of sins. The baptized are attested
to have put on Christ, and are baptized into the death of Christ
(Tit. iii., Actsix., Gal. iii., Rom. vi.)
4. Corresponding gratitude required from us ; and if we fall,
not to despond, but to look at our cleansing through Christ's
blood, which Baptism attests.
Then the topics? — 9. § 4. Gen. xvii. children not to be excluded
from Baptism on account of the infirmity born with them ; for if
they were to be excluded, because they cannot believe, and repent
of this infirmity, much more adults, since it is not every one of
these who can really and truly believe and repent. The rest as
in § 4.
152
BAPTISMAL LITURGIES.
BAPTISMAL PRA^
ANCIBNT CHURCH.
Ancient
Gothic.
1.
O God,
who ^tiidst
sanctify the
fount of Jor-
dan for the
salvation of
souls, let the
Angel of
Thy blessing
descend up-
on these wa-
ters, that
Thyservauts
being be-
dewed there-
with, may
receive re-
mission of
sins; and be-
ing born a-
gain of wa-
ter and the
Holy Spirit
may serve
Thee devo-
tedly for-
ever, thro'
Jesus
Christ.
Ancient Latin form
translated by Luther
1,523, unaltered in
his revision, 1524.
Almighty ever-
lasting GoQ, who t,
according to Thy
strict * judgment
didst^ condemn the
unbelieving world
through the flood,
and didst preserve^
faithful Noah, the
8th person, of Thy
4 great mercy, and
didst drown in the
red sea s obstinate
Pharaoh + with all
his + and leddest^
Thy people Israel
dry through ', that
this laver of Thy
Holy Baptism here-
after might be sig-
nified % and didst
hallow and conse-
crate with the Bap-
tism of9 Thy beloved
child our Lord Jesu
Christ, Jordan and'o
all waters to a' * bles-
sed flood and abun-
dant washing away
of sins : We pray
Thee through the
same Thy exceeding
mercy look favour-
ably upon this *^ N,
and endue him with
a right faith in the
Spirit, that 13 all
which was born in
Him of Adam, and
M'hich he has added
thereto, may be
dro^vned and •< des-
troyed by this '5
wholesome flood,
and he, being sepa-
rated from the num-
ber of the '6 unbe-
lieving, mav be kept
dry and safe in the
holy ark of '7 Chris-
tendom, may serve
Thy name always
fervent in Spirit,
{oyful in hope, that
le may be worthy
to attain '8 Thy pro-
mise of everlasting
life with all '» be-
lievers through Je-
sus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
CHURCHES UPON THE ANCIENT MODEL.
Hermann, Arch-
bishop of Cologne.
— everlasting
t in old time
' terrible
2 destroy the wicked
3 only the family of
godly Noah, 8 souls
* unspeakable
* hardened f the
king of the Egyp-
tians
t army and warlike
power
6 causedst to pass
over with dry feet
7 and wouldst sha-
dow in them Holy
Baptism the laver of
regeneration
8 furthermore who
didst consecrate
^ Thy son Christ
Jesu
'0 other waters
*i holy dipping
=abundant=:away
r= the same
'2 infant and give
him true faith, and
Thy Holy
'3 whatsoever filth
he has taken of
Adam, it
'4 put away in him
«5 holy
'6 ungodly
= dry and
*7 the Church, and
may confess and
sanctify Thy name
with a lusty and
fervent spirit, and
serve Thy kingdom
= be worthy
'8 the promises
'» the ungodly
Danish,
Norwegian.
No. 4.
* most strict
2 destroy by the
avenging water
of the
3 Thy faithful
servant, with
seven others
4 immense
6 as Hermann
7 whereby thou
shadowest
9 Thy beloved
Son
*o a bath which
should most a-
bundantly wash
away
" infinite
'7rzbc worthy
Edwai-d VL
May, 1549.
Eagli
prcscul 1
No. 5.
Almighty and
everlasting G od,
which of Thy jus-
tice didst destroy by
floods of water the
whole world for sin,
except eight persons,
whom of Tny mer-
cy (the same lime)
thou didst save in
the ark : and when
thou didst droAvn
in the Red Sea ^rick-
ed King Pharaoh
with all his army,
yet (at the same
time) thou didst '
lead Thy people the
children of Israel
safely through the
midst thereof,
whereby thou didst
figure the washing
of Thy Holv Bap-
tism, and by the
Baptism of Thy
well-beloved Son
Jesus Christf Thou
didst sanctify the
flood Jordan and all
other waters to ' this
mystical washing
away of sin. We
beseech Thee (for
Thine infinite mer-
cies) that Thou wilt
mercifully look up-
on these childrenf
and sanctify them
with 3 thy Holy
Ghost, that * by this
wholesome laver of
regeneration what-
soever sin is in them
maybe washed clean
away, that they be-
ing delivered from
Thy wrath may be
received into the ark
of Christ's Church,
and so saved from
perishing : and be-
mg fervent in spirit,
stedfast in faith, joy-
ful through hope,
rooted in charity,
may^cvcr scrveThee
and finally attain to
everlasting life, with
all Thy holy and
chosen people. This
grant us, we beseech
Thee, for Jesus
Christ's sake our
Lord.
BAPTISMAL LITURGIES.
253
3RE THE GOSPEL.
REFORMED CHURCHES.
rich.
Belgium.
No. 7.
mighty ever-
ig God, who by
st and "svorthy
nent didst des-
the whole un-
ving ^ and un-
• world by the
rs of the flood,
idst meanwhile
.line 3 unspeak-
niercy and
uess * deliver
a preacher of
cousness, with
souls ; who
pleased to
a the ungodly
hardened Pha-
with all his
. in the depths \
le Red Sea, but
lake Israel Thy
;n, to go over
hod, represent-
to us by these
{s, as by a type,
iver of Baptism,
us supplicants,
jring Thy mer-
and graciously
nildly look up-
lis Thy servant
at the light of
into his mind 6,
being iucorpo-
into Thy Son,
■iiricd with Him
death, he may
together with
to a new life,
ein healing
uUy the cross
upon him, he
continue to
in His ste])s,
cleave to Him
! with true faith,
hope, and ar-
fire of charity,
hat for Thy
•'s sake, he mav
?ar to lose, with
aken mind, this
which is more
to be called
1, and at the
judgment of
Son, may ap-
without dread
igh the same
Lord Jesus
5t, Thine only
ten Son, who
1 and reign eth
Thee, with the
of the Holy
t, one God.
n.
No.
Protestants of
France and
Geneva.
impenitent
3 gi-eat
* preserve
faithful
Noah the
8th person;
who didst
swallow up
the blinded
5 whereby
Baptism
denoted.
i 6 and by
I Thy Holy
j Spirit en-
gratf Him
, into ThySon
j that he may
i be buried,
' &c. as
I Zuingli.
No. 9.
[Old Preface
omitted.]
Loi'd God,
eternal and Al-
mighty Father,
since it has
pleased Thee of
Thine infinite
mercy, to pro-
mise that Thou
wilt be the Fa-
ther of us, and
of our children,
we pray that
it may please
Thee * to con-
Jinn this grace
in the present
infant, born of
parents whom
Thou hast call-
ed into Thy
Church ; and,
as he is offered
and dedicated
to Thee by
us, that Thou
wouldest receive
him into Thy
J holy protec-
tion i*, ^dedar-
ing that Thou
art his God and
Saviour, ^ by re-
jjj I mitting to him
original sin, —
_ I whereof the
Polanus.
\ whole line of Adam '• is guilty,
i and, 5 afterwards, sanctifying
him by Thy Spirit, that when
he shall come to years 6 of un-
derstanding, he may 7 know and
woi-ship Thee, as his only God,
Sgloiifving Thee during his
whole lifej, to obtain of Thee
always remission of his sins.
And that he may obtain these
mercies, may it please Thee to
incoiporate him into the com-
munion of our Lord Jesus,
that he may partake of all his
benefits, as one of the members
of His body. Hear us. Father
of mercy, that the § baptism
which xve impart to him ac-
cording to Thy ordinance, may
produce itsfruit and efficacy, —
such as it is declared by Thy
Gospel. Our Father, &c.
^ holy, Calv. ^ showing, C.
3 by, C. 4 bears the guilt, C.
5 besides, C. 6 capable of judg-
ing and understanding, C.
7 acknowledge s a Saviour,
giving that praise and glorj',
so that he may.
No. 10.
* that thou
wilt vouch-
safe to him
Thy good-
will and fa-
vour, and
wilt confirm
with him
Thy cove-
nant, who is
bom, &c.
f to be his
God.
X and as
often as he
shall ask
Thee, obtain
free remis-
sion of his
sins. Let
him then be
engraffed in
our Lord Je-
sus Christ.
§ that as, ac-
cording to
Thy com-
mand, he is
washed by
us, with this
English at
Geneva, and
Scotch.
No. 11.
Almighty
and ever-
lasting God,
who, of
Thine infi-
nite mercy,
hast pro-
mised unto
us that Thou
wilt be not
only our
God,butalso
the God and
Father of
our children
— we be-
seech Thee,
that,as Thou
hast vouch-
safed to call
us to be par-
takers of this
Thy great
mercy in the
fellowship of
faith, so it
may please
Thee to
sanctify with
Thy Spirit,
Scotch, 1644.
No. 12.
After reciting the
Creed, the minister
explaineth these
Articles, — going
through each par-
ticular branch there-
of, — which, being
ended, the minis-
ter, kneeling down,
prays for the cJdld^
concluding, — Our
Father, &c.
Scotch Directory.
symbol ofjand to re-
baptism, and I ceive into
lopted, so the number
Thy Holy
Spiiit work-
inginhim,he
of Thy
children this
infant.
may receive | ,vhom we
the fruit of shall baptize
all those j this day, ac-
good things \ cording to
which we
have learnt
from the
Gospel of
our Lord Je-
us in this
sacrament.
Thy word,
to the end
that he,
coming to
perfect age,
sus Christ, | may confess
are sealed in Thee, the
only true
God, and
whom Thou
has sent, Je-
sus Christ,
and so serve
Him, and be
profitable to
His Church
in the whole
course of his
life, that,
after this
life ended,
he may be
brought as a
lively mem-
ber of His body, unto
the full fruition of Thy
joys in heaven.
No. 13.
The minister is to
pray to this, or the
like effect:
That the Lord,
who hath not left us
as strangers without
the covenant of pro-
mise, but called us
to the privileges of
His ordinances —
would graciously
vouchsafe to sanc-
tify and bless His
own ordinance of
baptism at this time.
That he would join
the inward baptism
of His Spirit with
the outward bap- I J^-'^^ " ^7'r
tism of water :-Lh..i"'^'*
make this baptism ^[^Z^^";^^"^-
Alasco.
No. 14.
Almighty
eternalGod,
merciful Fa-
ther, who
hast taught
us, through
Thy only
begottenSon
our Lord
Jesus Christ
to call upon
Thee in all
our actions,
and hast
promised
that Thou
wilt always
hear us
when we
call upon
Thee in His
name ; re-
gard, we be-
seech Thee,
this congre-
gation of Thy
family,
which look-
eth on the
ministry of
thisBaptism
instituted
by Thy Son,
and upon
this our seed
which is of-
i feredtoThce
our
Church :
whose God
Thou hast
moreover
attested
Thyself to
be, and
whom Thou
vouchsafest
to embrace
and to bless;
and so go-
vern us and
our seed by
Thy Holy
Spirit, that
we may daily
advance in
true and salutary knowledge of
Thee and ourselves, that all may
know that Tliouart the God of us
and of our seed, and that we with
our seed are Thy people in Christ
JesusThy belovedSon ,wi th Whom
and with Thy Holy Spirit, Thou
livest and reignest, deus triunus,
blessed for ever.
to the infant a seal
of adoption, remis-
sion of sin, regene-
ration, and eternal
life, and all other
promises of the co-
venant of grace.
That the child may
be planted into the
likeness of the death
and resurrection of
Christ ; and that,
the body of sin being
destroyed in him,
he may serve God
in newness of life
all his days.
254
BAPTISMAL LITURGIES.
SECOND COLLECT.
ANCIENT CHURCH.
Sarisb. Eborac. (iu
two MSS. above
900 years old.)
Old German
ap. Luther.
1523.
No.l.
O God, the ever-
living ' protection
of all who ask,
the* deliverance of
those who pray, the 3
peace of tnose who
ask, the life of them
that believe, the re-
surrection of the
dead; I pray Thee
in behalf of this Thy
servant, N, who *,
seeking the gift of
Thy Baptism, longs
to attain eternals
mercy by spiritual
regeneration : Ac-
cept him. Lord ;
and, since 6 Thou
hast deigned to say.
Ask, and ye shall
receive, seek, and
ye shall find, knock,
and it shall be
opened 7 ; so give
now * the reward to
him that asketh, and
open the door to him
that knocketh, that 8
by the eternal bene-
diction of the 9 hea-
venly washing, he
may receive the pro-
mised 'o kingdoms
of Thy gift" ; who
livest and reignest
with God the Fa-
ther, in the unity of
the Holy Spirit,
God throughout all
ages. Amen.
No. 2.
' consolation
* deliverer
^ and peace
* seeks
5 Thp eter-
nal
6 as thou
hast said
7 unto you
8 he may
obtain
9 tliis hea-
venly
10 kingdom
'1 through
Christ our
Lord.
CHURCHES UPON THE ANCIENT MODEL.
Revised, 1524.
Danish,
Mecklenburgh.
No. 3— 5.
O Almighty Ever-
lasting God, Father
of our Lord Jesus
Christ
[" the deliverance —
the dead" omitted.]
No. 4 — Danish.
* that good thing
thy gifts.
he may obtain an
eternal benediction
in this heavenly
washing, and that
Thy kingdom, which
Thou hast solemnly
promised to us all,
for our Lord Jesus
Christ's sake.
No. 5.
Mecklenburg, as
Luther's revised
form.
Hermann, Abp. of
Cologne. 1
Edward VL
First Book.
No. 6.
As Luther, 1524.
I call Thee upon
this (N)
for whom the
Church requireth
the Sacrament of
Baptism, and therein
Thy grace and spi-
ritual regeneration ;
and as Thou saidst.
The same.
so give Thy grace
and mercy to this
child, as ThyChurch
prayeth, that he may
obtain the redemp-
tion of Thy Son,
and the inheritance
of everlasting and
blessed life, which
Thy congregation
seeketh for him
through Baptism,
Open to him the
gate of Thy king-
dom, at which Thy
Church knocketh
for him, through
Christ our Lord.
Amen.
No. 7.
Almighty and Im-
mortal God, the aid
No.
No fun
prayer "
of all that need, the I fore Ba]
helper of all that
flee to Thee for suc-
cour, &c. (as in An-
cient.)
We call upon Thee
for this infant, that
he, coming to Thy
Holy Baptism, may
receive remission of
his sins by spiritual
regeneration. Re-
ceive him, O Lord,
as Thou hast pro-
mised by Thy well-
beloved Son, saying,
&c.
so give now un^o ««,
that ask, &c.
open * thy gate, &c.
that this infant may
enjoy, &c.
of thy
and may come to
the eternal king-
dom, which Thou
hast promised by
Christ our Lord.
• " /A«" — present
form.
Gospel.
t. Matthew.
St. Mark.
St. Mark.
No. 9.
Zurich.
St. Mark.
No. 10.
Polanus and Alasco.
Gospel incorporated into preface,
> proof of Infant Baptism.
No. 11.
Belg. Geneva, French, Scot
finsyiol dropped.
BAPTISMAL LITURGIES.
EXHORTATION TO CONOR KG ATION UPON THE WORDS OF THE GOSPEL
AND PRAYER.
J. 1.
hich
nc
»s-
j we
0
shto
lyfor
No. 2.
Believe
these words &
this deed of
our Lord Jesu
Christ, upon
them, and
doubt not but
that He will
•eive your children
0, [in holy bap-
m,] and embrace
jm with the arms
His mercy, and
e tbem the bless-
; of eternal life,
i the everlasting
nmunion of the
igdom of God. The
ue Lord and our
viour Jesus Christ,
ifirm and increase
s your faith. Amen.
And be ye most cer-
u, that our Lord
3us Christ will mer-
olly regard this work
your charity gra-
usly towai-ds this
iant, and that He
1 hear your prayers,
He Himself thus
nraanded with His
rd, " Suffer the lit-
ones," &c. Introd.
hort.
No. .3.
Doubt ye not, there-
fore, but earnestly
believe that He will
likewise favourably
receive this present
infant &c.
and make him par-
taker of His everlast-
ing kingdom. Where-
fore, we, being thus
persuaded of the
goodwill of our hea-
venly Father towards
this infant, declared
by His Son Jesus
Christ, and, nothing
doubting,but that He
fjxvourably alloweth
this charitable work
of ours in bringing
this infant to holy
baptism, let us faith-
fully and devoutly
give thanks untoHim,
and say
Edward VI., First
Book, adds, " the
prayer which theLord
Himself taught, and
in declaration of our
faith, let us also recite
the articles contained
in our creed."
No. 5. No. 6.
(Addition in Eng- None,
glish Translation
A.D. 1693, Liturgia
Figurina) not in Zu-
ingli nor in the Ritus
Eccl. Figurina 1702.
[Forasmuch as you have
heard here, that it is the
Lord's pleasure that little
children be brought unto Him,
because He is their Saviour
also : therefore we will bring
unto Him this child as far as
it lieth in our power ^ i. e.,
through baptism we will receive
him into His Church, and give
him theearnest of the covenant
and of tlie people of God.
God give usHis grace thereto.]
No. 4.
If there is time and the child not
washed.
Beloved friends of Christ, we
hear, in this short Gospel, both
the great trouble and need, as
well of ourselves as of this child,
and again our highest comfort.
For, first, we are all through the
fall of Adam, so corrupted that
we are conceived and born again
in sin, and so are born the child-
ren of wrath, and for the sins' sake
belong to the kingdom of the devil,
to death, hell and damnation,
whereof the previous exorcism of
the unclean spirit was to remind
us. For all born of flesh is flesh,
and cannot inherit the kingdom
of God, unless it be bom anew,
and eome into the gracious king-
dom of Christ our
ord.
2. We hear of the greatest comfort for us and our children,
that Christ, the Son of God, our Lord, was so very ready and
willing, graciously to help the children which were brought to
Him, and all of us, who come to Him, so that He is even dis-
pleased, when they would have hindered, and not faithfully
brought them to Him.
3. He cares most mercifully for them, and takes their part
most lovingly, as if He were, (as indeed He is,) their natural
Father, takes them in His arms, embraces them, saves and re-
deems them from the kingdom of sin, the devil, death, and
hell, and lays His Almighty, Divine and Gracious hand upon
them, takes them into protection and defence against all
ill, and blesses them, so that they now with Him, shall be chil-
dren and heirs of His heavenly Father, and His co-heirs of bliss
and life eternal. And He warns us, the elders, to see to it, that
we also abide in simple faith, and walk as childern before Him
in the kingdom of heaven, (^. e. of grace and life,) and begin and
continue ever to live in innocence and purity, that we may not
be cast out of it for ever.
Since, however, all this (Christ's saving from sin and the
kingdom of the devil through the laying on of His hands, &c.)
besides this His word, is given, imparted, and thereby assured to
this child, as to us all, also in an outward sign, in Baptism,
namely, and the word of God, " In the name of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Ghost, we will now baptize it in the name
of the Lord, having first prayed. Our Father," &c.
THANKSGIVING AFTER THE GOSPEL.
Hermann.
Edward VI.'s First
Book.
Present
Form.
Reformed
Churches.
Almighty and everlasting God * we give thee f eternal
mks, that thou hast vouchsafed to call us J to this * know-
Ige of Thy grace and faith in Thee. Increase = and confirm
s faith in us evermore. Give Thy Holy Spirit to this in-
it, whereby § he may be born again, and be made an heir
salvation everlasting, which Thou hast promised to Thy
)ly Church, to the children and old men together for the
ce of Christ, of Thy grace and mercy through our Lord
3US Christ, who liveth and reigneth Avith Thee and the
)ly Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.
* heavenly Father.
t humble
X this
§ that
i=which Thou hast
promised — mercy.
» the
2 this
knowledge.
None.
256
BAPTISMAL LITURGIES.
EXHORTATION TO GOD-PARENTS.
CHURCHKS ON ANCIENT MODEL.
REFORMED CHURCHES.
Hermann (after the
Renunciation, &c.)
Edward VI. First
Book, (before the
Renunciation).
No. 1. No. 2.
Beloved in Christ, Well beloved
yesterday, by the friends, ye have
grace of God, we brought these chil-
hcard how exceed- dren here to be bap-
ing and unspeakable tized, ye have pray-
mercy is exhibited ed that our Lord
in Baptism. Ye Jesus Chnst would
have renounced Sa- vouchsafe to receive
tan and the world; them*, to lay His
ye have confessed hands upon them,
the faith of Christ, to bless them, to re-
and ye have pro- lease them of their
mised obedience to sins, to give them
Christ and the Con- the kingdom of
gregation : and ye heaven, and ever-
have required of lasting life. Ye
God the Father, have heard, also,
that for His Son's that our Lord Jesus
sake, our Lord Jesus Christ hath promi-
Christ, He will de- sed, in His Gospel,
liver these infants to grant all these
from the kingdom things that ye have
of darkness, and set- prayed for ; which
tie them in the king- promise. He, for His
dom of His beloved part, will, most
Son. You must re- surely, keep and
member these things perform. vVhere-
and doubt nothing, fore, after this pro-
but that we shall mise made by Christ,
receive all these these Infants must
things that we re- also faithfully, for
quire, if we believe, their part, promise
Therefore, lifting up by you, thatare their
your minds unto the sureties f, that they
Lord, appear ye here ^vill J forsake the
^vith all religion, as Devil and all his
in the sight of Al- works, & constantly
mighty God, the believe God's Holy
Father, tlie Son, Word, and obedi-
and the Holy Ghost, ently keep His com-
and receive ye, with mandments.
sure faith and
thanksgiving, the
benefit of regenera-
tion and adoption
into everlasting life,
of the one God,
Himself the Father,
the Son, and the
Holy Ghost. And
because the Lord
Himself command-—
od us to baptize in
the name of the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Ghost, undoubtedly God Himself
Itaptizeth our infanta, cleanseth them
Irom sins, delivereth them from ever-
lasting death, puttcth upon them His
<»wn righteousness, and giveth them life
eternal. We must acknowledge, with
true faith, and ever magnify these ex-
ceeding benefits of God, &c.
Present Form.
* — To lay His—
bless them.
+ Until he come
of age to take it
upon himself.
i Renounce.
Zurich.
No. 3.
At the
request of
the parents
ye offer this
child for
Baptism, as
being wil-
ling to ex-
hort him to
a holy life,
in the stead
of parents.
Wherefore
I exhort you
to consider
that our God
isatrueGod,
who wills
that we wor-
ship Him in
truth. As
then ye
bring this
child to
baptism,
and under-
take the
care of it, so
hereafter, as
need re-
quires, per-
form the
same as
much as ye
can ; and
give heed,
that this
child be
brought up
to the glorv
of God, to
whom ice
now offer
him.
Belgium.
Alasco.
No. 4.
To Parents, and
those present, ( omit-
ted in those Church-
es where the custom
of Parents, or God-
parents offering the
Children, is not as
yet introduced).
Beloved in the
Lord Christ, ye
have heard tliat
Baptism is a Divine
Institution, to seal
His Covenant to us
and to our seed,
wherefore it must
be used to this end,
not of custom, nor
of any superstition.
That it may appear
that this is your
meaning, ye shall
answer these things
Arithout hj-pocrisy.
No. 5.
Ye have heard.
Brethren, (see in
the preface,) that
the washing of Bap-
tism was instituted
by Christ the Lord,
in His Church, as
a sealing of the Di-
vine Covenant \di\\
us, from which our
children neither
ought, nor can be
withheld ; since it
is known that they
are comprehended
in it, unless the
whole Church be
wiling to undergo
the charge of neg-
lecting the Lord's
Institution, and its
Ministers of not
faithfully fulfilling
their Ministry. Since
then ye, in the name
of thiswholeChurch.
bring' these Children
to Baptism, I, as
bound by my minis-
ti'y, require of you
to attest, before the
whole Church, as
public witnesses
thereof, &c.
258
BAPTISMAL LITURGIES.
DECLARATIONS OF
ANCIENT CHURCH.
CHURCHES ON THE ANCIENT MODEL.
Various Ancient
Churches.
No. 1.
1. Renunciation.
Dost thou renounce
Satan ? and all his
works? and all his
pomps ? — (Roman.)
— and the pomps of
the world and its
pleasures ? — (Gallic.)
I renounce Satan,
and all his works, and
all his service, and
all his angels, and his
pomps, &c. (Constan-
tinop. and, with ver-
bal differences, Jerus.
Antioch, Alexand.)
see also TertuUian,
St. Cj-prian, St. Am-
brose, St. Basil, St.
Jerome, St. Cjril of
Jerusalem,ap. Palmer
p. 177.
2. Belief.
" In the Western
*' churches the imme-
" morial custom has
" been for the priests
" to interrogate the
" candidate for bap-
" tism or his sponsor,
" on the principal ar-
*' tides of the Chris-
" tian faith. Tbepro-
" fession was made in
" this manner inGaul,
" as we find by the
" ancient Gallican
" missal, which was
" used before the in-
" troduction of the
" Roman Liturgy and
" offices into France.
" Wealso find that it
" was customary in
" Africa, by the testi-
" mony of Cyprian ;
" and the ancient of-
" fices of the Roman
" Church exhibit the
" same. In the last,
" the sponsor or per-
" son to be baptized
" repeated the creed
" after the priest." —
Palmer, p. 180.
3. Wisfi to be baptized.
Wiliest thou to be
baptizx'd ? (Sarum).
4. Holy Life.
I confetw Tbee, Christ,
our God, and all Thr sala-
tanr law*, and all Thy life-
Kinng religion, and all
Thy worlu, which give
Old Latin
Form trans-
lated by
Luther.
Hermann.
Edward VI.
First Book.
No. 2.
Renouncest
thou the devil
and all his
works ?
and all his
■wnvR ?
I give np mytelf to the
venuneut of Chri«t.—
Others, ap. Bingham, B.
li. c. 7,t 8.)
«o
2. Believest
thou in God
the Father
Almighty,
Maker of hea-
ven and
earth ?
Believest
thou in Jesus
Christ, His
only Son, our
Lord, bom
and suffered.'
Believest
thou in the
Holy Ghost,
oue Holy Ca-
tholic Church,
the Commu-
nion of
Saints, &c.
The same.
No. 3.
Questions to Sponsors and Parents of Infants.
Do ye believe that those things be true which
showed you out of the word of God, concerning
the corruption of nature through original siu, and
concerning regeneration in Christ our Lord, ever-
lasting communion with God, which is exhibited
through holy baptism?— J. We believe.
Do you require then, with all your hearts, and
with true faith, that this, your infant, whom you
have brought and offered to Christ, be delivered
from this corruption of nature, through the merit
and virtue of Cnrist in baptism, and be reconciled
unto God, and bom again, into a new and perpe-
tual \iim? — A . We require it.
Do ye then renounce, in your own name, and
in the name of the child, the devil and all his
works? — A. We renounce.
And the world also, and all its concupiscence ?
— A. We renounce.
Do ye believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth ? — A. We believe.
And do ye believe that God will be a Father
to you and to this infant when it is baptized, and
that He will keep you from all evil through His
Almighty power, Avisdom, and mercy, and heap
benefits upon you, and that you ought to fear Him,
and love Him, above all things ? — A . We believe.
Do ye believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, His
only Son, who, to redeem us, became man, suf-
fered, and died, and was raised again from death,
ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right
hand of the Father, and from thence goveraeth
His Church, through His Almighty power, and
shall come in the end of the world, and appear
to all men, a judge of the dead and the quick?
— A. We believe.
Do ye confess out of this faith, that our Lord
Jesus Christ is also your Saviour and Saviour of
this child, who by His death hath also purged
your sins, and hath reconciled you to God, and
justified you through His resurrection, and will,
at length, fully finish up the image and life of
God in you, being cleansed from all sin.^* —
A . We confess.
And do ye believe, also, in the Holy Ghost,
&c. — A. We believe.
Out of this confession do ye believe that the
Holy Ghost will be your teacher and comforter,
and the teacher and comforter of this child ; and
that you be tlie true members of the body of
Christ our Lord, and of His Church ; and that
this child, bjr baptism, shall be a member of
Christ, and His Church, wherein he shall have
remission of sins, a sure hope of resurrection, and of life everlasting.' — A. W(
believe.
Will ye, then, be Godfathers to this infant, and count him for a vcrj' son li
God, a brother and member of Christ, and as soon as he cometh to the use of
reason, if, pcradventure, he shall lose his parents, or if they shall be neglitrent
in this behalf, will ye take the cliarge of him, that ho may learn the Ten
Commandments, the articles of our faith, the Lord's Prayer and the Sacraments,
both at home and in the congregation, that from his childhood he may begin
to understand the mystery of Baptism, and the benefits of Christ, given to him
therein ; and, afterward, wlicn he is well instructed in the religion of Christ, that
he, in the congregation, with his own mouth, confess his faith, that he, through the i
participation of Christ, give liimself to obedience towards God and the Church ?
—A. We will. I
No. 4.
Then shall
the priest de-
mand * of the
child, &c.
1. Dost thou
forsake the
Pre?.
Engl
devil and all
his works.' —
A . I forsake
them.
Dost thou
forsake the
vain pomp and
glory of the
world, with
all the cove-
tous desires of
the same .' —
A. I forsake
them.
Dost thou
forsake the
carnal desires
of the flesh, so
that thou wilt
not follow or
be led by
them.'— ^. I
forsake them.
2. Belief, di-
vided into 3
parts, as in the
ancient
church, the
assent ex-
pressed after
each.
No.
*of t
God-I
thers
Godn
thcrs.
1. In
que*'
2. ""■
d\^
retail:
but tl
assen'
ex]
att
oul
3. What dost
thou desire ?
— A. Baptism.
Wilt thou
be baptized ? |
—A. I will. I
3. \^
thou '
BAPTISMAL LITURGIES.
259
►R THE BAPTIZED.
REFORMED CHURCHES.
Belgium.
French Pro-
testants— Ge-
neva— Pola-
nus.
No. 7.
r. Although our chil-
dren are conceived and
bom in sins, and so ex-
posed to all sorts of
miseries and damna-
tion itself, do ye not
confess that they are
sanctified in Christ, and
so are to be baptized
as members of His
church ?
2. Do ye not acknow-
ledge, that the doctrines
comprised in the Old
and New Test, and the
articles of the Christian
faith, which is delivered
to thisChurch of Christ,
is the true and entire
doctrine of salvation ?
3. Do ye not pro-
mise and determine
that ye will educate
this child, or take care
that it be educated in
this very doctrine when
it grows up ?
4. Nothing.
No. 8.
Parents pro-
mise to in-
struct the child,
at years of
discretion,
3. according to
{ the admoni-
tions of the
Prophets and
the Apostles,
to renounce
himself and
his desires,
to dedicate
and conse-
crate himself,
to glorify the
name of God
and of Jesus
Christ, and to
edify his
neighbour.
2. in the doc-
trine, as it is
received and
approved by
the people of
God, and
summed up in
the confession
of faith, which
we all receive.
(Apostles'
Creed.)
Alasco.
Upon this jtw-o-
mise the child
is baptized.
3. to instruct
the child to
live according
to the rule
left us by our
Lord in His
law, to love
God with all
our heart, and
our neighbour
as ourselves.
72
No. 9.
Do ye offer these chil-
dren as the seed of this
our Church, to be bap-
tized lawfully here by our
ministry.'
Do you acknowledge our
doctrine, which ye have
heard of Baptism and its
mysteries, to be true, and
that our infants (and in-
deed all of us) were by
nature children of wrath
and death, but are now,
for Christ's sake, included
in the divine covenant
made with us by Christ,
and ought to be sealed
with the seal of His ac-
ceptance and righteous-
ness, viz. Baptism?
3. Lastly, do ye acknow-
ledge that it is the duty
of you and of the whole
Church, especially of you,
fathers, (if the fathers are
present) together with
your wives, the mothers
of these children, that
those infants offered, when
they shall grow up, be
instructed in the true
knowledge of God, and
religion ?
Old Scotch.
No. 10.
Finally, to
intent that
we may be
assured that
you, the fa-
ther and the
surety, con
sent to per-
formance,
declare here
the summe
of that faith
wherein you
believe, and
will instruct
this child
Scotch Di-
rectory.
No. 11.
The Mi-
nister is to
exhort the
parents '
To consi-
der the
great mercy
of God to
him and his
child; to
bring up the
child in the
knowledge
of the
grounds of
the Chris-
tian reli-
gion, and in
the nurtux'e
and admo-
nition of the
Lord ; and
to let him
know the
danger of
God's wrath
to himself
and child,
if he be neg-
ligent ; re-
quiring his
solemn pro-
mise for the
perform-
ance of his
duty.
260
BAPTISMAL LITURGIES.
PRAYERS FOR THE CHILD AFTER THE PROFESSION OF FAITH, &c. AND
BENEDICTION OF WATER.
Old Gallican.
No. 1.
1. O Lord, Eternal God — may this place
be made worthy to receive tlie influxes of
Thy Holy Spirit: let that old Adam be
buried here, the new rise again.
2. Let all which is of the flesh die — all
which is of the Spirit rise again.
3. Whosoever shall here renounce the de-
vil, grant him to triumph over the world.
4. Whosoever shall call upon Thee in this
place, do Thou acknowledge him in the
kingdom.
5. Let sins be so extinguished in this foun-
tain, that they may not rise again.
6. Whosoever shall here hegin to be
Thine, may he never cease to be Thine.
7. Whosoever shall here deny himself,
let him gain Thee.
8. May the people set apart to Thee by
our ministry, and Thy mystery, be set apart
by Thee {ad, ^c. Assem. Cod. Lit. t. ii. p.
39. leg. a te) to eternal rewards, through our
Lord Jesus Christ.
Benediction.
I bless thee (the water) also, through
Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord, Who
brought thee, together wth blood, out of
His own side, and commanded His disciples
that they who believe should be baptized in
thee, saying, Go teach all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and the
Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Be present, Almighty God, of Thy mercy
with us, who keep these commandments;
regard of Thy mercy, do Thou bless these
mere waters, that beside their natural power
of cleansing, which they can use for the
washing of the body, they may be efficacious
abo for the purifying of the mind. {Sarum.
Grefj. Gelas. )
Fill it (the child) with the grace of Thy
Holy Spirit, that it may not be a child of the
flesh, but a son of Thy bridal-chamber,
and an heir of Thv everlastine and never-
failing kingdom — -(Copt. Alejr?)
Edward VI.— First Book.
No. 2.
[The water being to be changed once
every month at least, these prayers were to
be said before any child was baptized therein.
Another prayer was also said, derived from
a different source, and now altogether
omitted.]
1. O merciful God, grant that the old
Adam in them * that shall be baptized in
this fountain may be so buried, that the
new man may be raised up in him. Amen.
2. Grant that all carnal affections may die
in him, and that all things belonging to the
Spirit may live and grow in him. Amen.
3. Grant to all them =:, which at this foun-
tain forsake the devil and all his works, that
they may have power and strength to have
victory, and to triumph against him, the
world, and the flesh. Amen.
4. Whosoever shall confess thee, O Lord,
recognize him also in Thy kingdom. Amen.
5. Grant that all sin and vice here may
be so extinct, that they may never more
have power to reign in Thy servants. Amen.
6. Grant that whosoever here shall begin
to be of Thy flock may evermore continue
in the same. Amen.
7. Grant that all they, which for Thy sake
in this life do deny and forsake themselves,
may win and purchase Thee, O Lord, which
art everlasting treasure. Amen.
8. Grant that whosoever is here dedicated
to Thee by our office and ministry may also
be endued ^\•ith heavenly virtues, and ever-
lastingly rewarded, through Thy mercy, O
blessed Lord God, who dost live and govern
all things, world without end. Amen.
Almighty Everlasting God, Whose most
dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ, for the
forgiveness of our sins, did shed out of His
miost precious side both water and blood ;
and gave commandment to His disciples that
they should go and teach all nations, and
baptize them in the name of the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Ghost ; regard, we beseech
Thee, the supplications of Thy congrega-
tion I ; and grant that all Thy servants
which shall be baptized in this water, pre-
pared for the ministration to Thy Holy Sa-
crament, may receive the fulness of Thy
grace, and ever remain in the number of
Thy faithful and elect children, through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Present
English.
No. 3.
♦this
child.
=: to all
them —
works.
Nos.4— 7
omitted.
tFor
"and
grant —
Sacra-
ment,"
" sanctify
this water
to the
mystical
washing
away of
sin, and
grant that
this child
now to be
baptized
therein."
Refom
BAPTISMAL LITURGIES.
261
SIGNING WITH THE CROSS.
Ancient Church.
Hermann.
(After the Exor-
cism.)
Old Latin ap.Luther
and Danish.
Edward VI. First
Book (before Exor-
cism).
Reformed.
No. 1.
Miss. Bobio, 1100
ears old. — Receive
he sign of the Cross
n the forehead and
he heart. Be ever
lithful. Enter the
'emple of God.
Vorship God the
'ather Almighty,
nd .Jesus Christ
[is Son, (who shall
5me to judge the
uick and dead, and
le world by fire,)
ith the Holy Spirit,
>r ever and ever,
men.
Constantinop. Let
■ le Cross of Thy
I nly-Begotten Son
\ 3 stamped upon
s heart and his
loughts, that he
• ay flee the vanity
I 'the world, and all
e evil attacks of
e enemy, and fol-
vw Thy command-
ents.
Sarum, I give
*-ee the seal of our
ord Jesus Christ,
at thou mayest
main in the Catho-
; Faith, and live
r ever and ever.
men.
St. Cyprian Ep.
\ . ad Thibaritan.
Let the forehead
guarded, that the
•ign of God' be
pt safe." De lap-
c. 2. " The fore-
ad pure, through
he Sign of God,'
uld not endure
3 crown of the
vil, hut reserved
i elf for the crown
\ the Lord."
No. 2.
Take the figure
of the Holy Cross
on thy forehead,
that thou never be
ashamed of God and
Christ thy Saviour,
or of His Gospel:
take it also on thy
breast, that the
power of Christ
crucified may be
ever thy succour
and sure protection
in all things.
The Lord be with
you and with thy
Spirit.
No. 3.
Receive the Sign
of the Holy Cross
both on the* fore-
head and the breast.
Thy Dan.
No. 4.
* Receive the Sign
of the Holy Cross,
both in thy forehead
and in thy breast, in
token tliat hereafter
f thou siialt not be
ashamed to confess
X thy faith in Christ
crucified, and man-
fully to fight under
His banner against
sin, the world, and
the devil, and to
continue § His faith-
ful soldier and ser-
vant unto his life's
end. Amen.
Present English
(after Baptism).
* We receive this
child into the con-
gregation of Christ's
flock, and do sign
him Avith the sign
of the Cross, in
token, &c.
the shall.
t The faith of.
§ Christ's.
Hooker, B. v.
" The Cross is for
" us an admonition
" no less necessary
" than for them to
" glory in the service
" of Jesus Christ, &
" not to hang down
" our heads as men
" ashamed thereof,
" although it procure
" us reproach and
" obloquy., at the
" hands of this
" wretched world."
No. 5.
Nothing,
Genevese (Calvin).
" We are not ignorant
that in other places very
many other ceremonies
are used, tvhich we deny
not to he very old. But
since they were devised
either by the will and
wilfulness of man, or,
at best, on some slight
gi-ound ; lastly, since
they were devised and
introduced without the
Word of God, and so
many superstitions have
also flowed from them,
we thought, without any
scruple, that they ought
to be abolislied and done
away, that the approach
to Jesus Christ may not
henceforth be closed to
any one."
T. Cartwright ap.
Hooker, B. v. c. %o § 6.
ed. Keble. " This use
" of crossing, as it was
" brought in upon no
" good ground, so the
" Lord left a mark of
" His curse of it,
" whereby it might he
" perceived to come out
" of the forge of man's
" brain, in that it began
" forthwith, while it was
" yet in the swaddling
" clouts, to be supersti-.
" tiously abused."
262
BAPTISMAL LITURGIES.
EXHORTATION TO THANKSGn
ANCIENT CHURCH
CHURCHES ON THE ANCIENT MODEL.
Old Galilean.
Luther's
Revision.
No. 1.
Let us give thanks
and praise to the
Lord, most dearly
beloved brethren,
that He has deigned
to increase the con-
gi-egation of our
Church by our be-
loved, who have just
been baptized. Let
us ask then of the |
mercy of the Lord,
that they may bear
the Holy Baptism
which they have re-
ceived, unstained,
inviolate, and unde-
filed, before the tri-
bunal of Christ.
Prayer.
Lord God Al-
mighty, Who hast
commanded these
Thy servants to be
bom again of water
and the Holy Ghost,
presei-ve in them the |
Holy Baptism W'hich
they have received, \
and be pleased to !
perfect them to the j
hallowing of Thy
name, that Thy !
grace may ever avail i
toward them, and
that what they have j
received by Thy
precious gift, they
may keep through
the integrity of their
life.
No. 2.
The God-
parents shall
then hold
the child in
the font,and
the priest
say, while
putting on
the white
garments :
Almighty
God and
Father of
our Lord
JesusChrist,
who has *
regenerated
Thee,
through
water and
the Holy
Ghost, and
has for-
given thee
all thy sins,
strengthen
thee with
His mercy
to everlast-
ing life.
Amen.
Danish.
Old Latin form,
ap. Luther, see p.
268.
No. 3.
Now
Hermann.
No. 4.
(End of long exhor-
tation before the In-
terrogatories : ) We
must therefore ren-
der bounden thanks
to God for His so
unspeakable mercy,
and pray moreover
that He will vouch-
safe ever to carry on
and finally to perfect
in us His work
which He hath be-
gun in us, and in all
whom He hath call-
ed unto Baptism.
CoJiduditig Prayer.
The Almighty
God and Father of
our Lord Jesus
Christ, who hath
begotten thee again
with water and the
Holy Ghost, and
hath forgiven thee
all thy sins, confirm
thee by His grace,
unto everlasting life.
Amen.
Min. — The peace
of the Lord be with
you always.
Ans. — Amen.
Then shall he sung
in German^ by the
whole Church, Gra.tes
nunc omnes, ^c. or
the Psalm Deus
misereatur nostri.
Aftertoards shall the
Minister proceed in
the office of theLord's
Supper.
Edward VI.
Second Book.
No. 5.
Seeing now,dearly
beloved brethren,
that these children
be regenerate, and
grafted into the body
of Christ's congre-
gation* let us give
thanks unto God for
these benefits, and
with one accord
make our prayers
unto Almighty God
that they may lead
the rest of their life
according to this be-
ginning.
We yield Thee
hearty thanks, most
merciful Father,
that it hath pleased
Thee to regenerate
this infant with Thy
Holy Spirit, to re-
ceive him for Thine
own child by adop-
tion, and to incor-
porate him into Thy
holy* congregation.
And humbly we be-
seech Thee to grant,
that he, being dead
unto sin, and living
unto righteousness,
and being buried
with Christ in His
death, may crucify
the old man, and
utterly abolish the
whole body of sin :
that as he is made
partaker of the death
of Thy Son, so he
may be partaker of
His resurrection ; so
tliat finally, with
the residue of thy
holy* congregation,
he may be inheritor
of thy everlasting
kingdom, through
Christ our Lonl.
Amen.
Present
English.
No. 6.
'Church
Church
BAPTISMAL LITURGIES.
263
VFTER BAPTISM.— AND THANKSGIVING.
ORMED CHURCHES.
Belgii
No. 8.
None.
[The following is
mitted in some
laces, as well as the
receding adni oni-
on to the parents.]
Almighty, most
lerciful God and
'ather, we give
'hee thanks, for
aat Thou lixist fur-
iven all our sins to
8 and to our chil-
ren, for the blood
F Thy beloved Son
esus Christ, and
2st adopted tis by
'hy Holy Spirit, for
lembers of Thy
>nly Begotten Son,
ad so also for sons,
ad that Thou seal-
tt this to us by Thy
[oly Baptism, We
ray Thee by the
ime. Thy well-
eloved Son, that
'hou wouldest con-
nually govern
lese infants by the
race of Thy Holy
pirit, that they may
e piously and
hristianly brought
p, and daily in-
••ease and grow in
' esus Christ, that
ley may confess
'hy fatherly good-
ess and mercy,
*hich Thou hast
lown to them and 1
» us all, and may
»s their life in all
ghteousness, under our only Pro-
let, King, and High Priest, and
^ht manfully against sin, Satan.,
id his whole kingdom, to praise
id glorify Thee, with Thy Son
98US Christ, and the Holy Spirit,
le Only and True God, for ever.
French
Protestant,
and Geneva.
No. 9.
Polanus.
Alasco.
No. 10.
No. 11.
English at
Geneva,
and Scotch.
Scotch Directory.
No. 12.
The Lord
our God
grant to this
child, whom
He has
created and
made in His
image, that
he may be a
true mem-
ber of
Christ, and
yield fruit
worthy of
the adoption
of sons of
God.
Depart in
peace.
We give Thee
thanks, Almighty
Father, through
Jesus Christ Thy
Son, that having j
freed us, with our
seed, from eternal
death, thou hast
brought us back to
eternal life, by the
testvnony of Bap-
tism, through the
free expiation of us
all, by the blood of
Thy Only-begotten
Son. And we hum- i
bly pray Thee, ;
through the same, |
Thy Son, for |
these our infants, i
who doubtless are
Thine by the testi-
mony of this Bap-
tism, that Thou wilt
vouchsafe also to
govern them here-
after by Thy Holy
Spirit, and (when
I they shall have
grown up) so to
adorn them with
His healthful gifts,
that they may here-
after acknowledge
this Thy eternal
kindness and good-
ness towards them
and us all, and that
they may live in all holiness and
righteousness, under Christ Jesus,
the King and Priest of us all, who
with Thee and Thy Holy Spirit, is
the True, One, and Eternal God,
to be praised for all ages. Amen.
Which hast not
only numbered
us among Thy
saiuts,but also of
Thy free mercy
dost call our
children, mark-
ing them with
this Sacrament,
as a singular to-
ken and badge
of Thy love.
We beseech
Thee to confii-m
this Thy favour
more and more
towards us, and
take this infant
into Thy tuition
and defence,
whom we offer
and present unto
Thee with com-
mon supplica-
tion, and never
suffer him to fall
into such un-
kindness,where-
by He shall lose
the force of Bap-
tism ; but that
he vaay perceive
Thee continu-
ally to be His
merciful Father,
through Thine
Holy Spirit, by
whose divine
power he may
so prevail over
Satan, &c.
No. 13.
He is to give
thanks, and pray to
this or the like pur-
pose.
Thanks.
That God not only
numbereth «s among
His saints, but
bestows also on our
children this singu-
lar token and badge
of love in Christ. In
His truth and special
providence He daily
bringeth some into
the bosom of His
Church, to be par-
takers of His ines-
timable benefits,
purchased by the
blood of His dear
Son, for the conti-
nuance and increase
of His Church. And
praying, that the
Lord would still
continue, and daily
confirm more and
more His unspeak-
able favour : that
He would receive
the infant now bap-
tized, and solemnly
entered into the
household of fitith,
into His fatherly
tuition and defence,
and remember him
with the favour that
He showeth to His
people; that, if he
shall be taken out of
this life in his infan-
cy, the Lord, who is
rich in mercy, would
be pleased to receive
him up into glory;
and if he live, and
attain the years of
discretion, that the
Lord would so teach
him by His word
and Spirit, and make
hisBaptism effectual
to him ; and so up-
hold him by His
divine power and
grace, that by faith
he may prevail
against the devil,
the world, and the
flesh, till in the end he obtain a full
and final victory, and so be kept by the
power of God through faith unto salva-
tion, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
264
BAPTISMAL LITURGIES.
FINAL EXHORTATION TO GOD-PARENTS.
Ancient Church.
Mecklenburg.
Danish and
Norwegian.
No. 2.
Optional.
Friends inChrist Je-
sus, ye who are wit-
nesses that this child
has now been baptiz-
ed in the name of the
Holy Trinity, should
remember your
office, 1st, to bring
to the parents of this
child the glad tid-
ings that their child
is now, throughHoly
Baptism, become
God's child, and a
member of Christ
and His Church,
and BO an heir of
eternal life. Admo-
nish them also, that
they therefore bring
up the child (if God
give it life) in the
fear of God, and
godly discipline,
to tne honour of
God, their own joy
and comfort, and the
good and eternal hap-
piness of the child.
2d, Ye ought to show
to this child, as your
god-child, all love
and kindness ; and
especially, if his pa-
rents depart too
early, be ye as fa-
thers and mothers
to it, and above all,
teach him the ca-
techism, exhort him
to piety and upright-
ness, remind him
continually of his
Baptism, and the
vow which he therein madetoGod,
so that through a pious Christian
life, and through Christ, he may
be happy for ever.
Rmrtc — not to delay Baptism
beyond the 2d or 3d day, that soon
after their birth of the flesh they
may come to the spiritual new-
birth, and to the communion of
tlie Lord Christ and His Church
and of the kingdom of heaven.
No. 3.
Beloved in
Christ, who
have now,
stood as wit-
nesses and
sponsors
unto Bap-
tism, be ye
witnesses,
in the name
of the holy
Trinity,that
he is bap-
tized. More-
over, know
also what ve
owe to this
infant, if it
chance that
his parents
die, before
he be come
to ripe age,
that if he be
present here
ye then in-
struct him in
the doctrine
of the ca-
techism, in
order, that
when he is
No. I.
" After this, the presbyter enjoineth
the godfathers and godmothers to tell the
parents, that for seven 3'ears the boy
should be kept from all dangers, and
that they should teach it as soon as
jwssible the Lord's Prayer, the Ave Ma-
ria, and the Belief" (Ancient Ritual of
Limoges, ap. Martene, t. i. p. 208, re-
ferred to by Palmer, 1. c.) The like
direction is given in the Manuale Ebor.
and Sarum ; only that they mention the
duty of the god-parents to guard the child
against temporal danger, if the parents
fail to do so : as also the duty of instruct-
ing it as above, and bringing it to con-
finnation, is directly enjoined to the god-
parents.
In the Ambrosian Ritual also (As-
sem. Cod. Liturg. ii. 48, 49), the
priest is directed, in conclusion, to " hold
a discourse according to the number and
circumstances of the persons present,
wherein, besides other things, he shall
set forth a Christian consideration, as to
the solemn vow which every believer
makes in Baptism, that such believers
as are present, being roused by the re-
collection of so sacred a promise, may
see and fulfil what they have solemnly
vowed."
" He shall also admonish the god-pa-
rents, and teach them the several parts
of their duty, which they ought to per-
form on account of their office, viz. as
St. Augustine admonishes, that they
should ever show to the infant the anx-
iety of a true love, and take heed that
he be instructed in the rudiments of
Christian doctrine, and warn him to
keep himself pure, refrain his tongue
from cursing and swearing, be not lifted
up with pride, envy not, keep not anger
or hatred in his heart, and other things
of the like sort."
" Lastly, he shall admonish them that
this day of Baptism be noted by the pa-
rents ; that the child may yearly keep
the day on which it was baptized, afkr
the ordinance of our fore/ath^rs, with
more fervent prayer, with alms-giving,
(if it have the ability), and by every work
and duty of charity, and by the celebra-
tion of spiritual joy ; recollecting that
the hand-writing of condemnation hav-
ing been effaced, it was made partaker
of a spiritual inheritance in Christ the
Lord. " Reconsider," says our most
holy father Ambrose, " what was demanded of thee, what thou answer-
" edst : thou renouncedst the devil and his works, the world, and its
*' luxury and pleasures ; take heed to these thy words, and may the pledge
*' thou gavcst never depart from thy mind."
Similar admonitions to god-parents are directed in the Roman Ritual,
collected from many ancient MSS. by Cardinal Sanctorius 8, Severino,
(ap. Asscm. 1. c. pp. 97. 116) ; and if at Easter there should not be time,
notice was to be given of a sermon on this subject, on some day in the
week following (ib. p. 107).
grown up,
he may re-
main in
Christ, as
he is now
planted in
Him by
Baptism.
Peace be
with you.
Amen.
Edward VI.
First Book.
No. 4.
Forasmuch as
these children have
promised by you +
to * forsake the devil
and all his works,
to believe in God,
and to serve Him;
you must remember
that it is your parts
and duties to see
that these infants be
taught, so soon as
they shall be able to
learn, what a solemn
vow, promise, and
profession they have
made by you. And
that they may know
these things the bet-
ter, ye shall call
upon them to hear
sermons. And
chiefly ye shall pro-
vide that they may
learn the Creed, the
Lord's Prayer, and
the Ten Command-
ments in the J Eng-
lish tongue, and all
other things which
a Chrlbtian man
ought to know and
believe to his soul's
health ; and that
these children may
be virtuously
brought up to lead
a godly and a Chris-
tian life, remember-
ing always that Bap-
tism doth represent
unto us our profes-
sion, which is, to
follow the example
of • our Saviour
Christ, and to be
made like unto Him.
That as He died for
and rose again for
us, so should we
which are baptized
die from sin, and
rise again unto righ-
teousness, continu-
ally mortifying all
our evil and corrupt
affections, and daily
proceeding in all
virtue and godliness
of living.
+hi8 suretit
♦renounce
(B.)
ANCIENT BAPTISMAL RITES,
RETAINED AT FIRST IN THE REFORMED ENGLISH LITURGY,
BUT EXCLUDED AT THE ADVICE OP BUCEB.
266
BAPTISMAL LITURGIES.
EXORCISM BEFORE BAPTISM IN T
Ancient Church.
Sacramentary of Gelasius,
from a MS. of the 7th or 8th
century.
No. 1.
•' I pray Thee, O Lord, to free
also these Thy servants, and
to vouchsafe to bring them to
the grace of Thy baptism :
•wherefore,thou accursed devil,
acknowledge thy sentence, and
give the honour to the true
and living God ; give it to His
Son Jesus Christ ; and to the
Holy Ghost, and depart from
this 1 His servant ; for our God
Lord Jesus Christ hath called
him to His holy grace and be-
nediction, and to the laver of
baptism through 2 His gift ;
and never venture 3 to destroy
this sign of the holy cross,
that we make on his forehead,"
(Ap.Assem.Cod.Liturg.p.6, 7.)
" have nothing to do with
these servants of God, who
now think of heavenly things,
and are about to renounce thee
and thy world, and to live
to a blessed immortality ||,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is about to come to judge
the quick and dead, and the
world by fire."
Also from two MSS. of the
Church of Turin, above 900
years old . (Assem. p. 44. See
alsopp. 46. 47.48. 50. 52.)
1 "from this servant of God."
— Sarum. Ritual Ebor.
2 " by the gift of the Holy
Spirit." — Sarum.
3 " thouacctirsed devil." — Sar.
Old Latin form
of the German j Exorcism of Infants from
Church ap. I Sacramentary of Gelasius.
Luther. j
Gothic and old Galilean Lituri
from a MS. more than iXH)
years old.
No. 2.
Beginning of
service.
Depart, thou un-
clean spirit, and
give place to the
Holy Spirit.
After the third
prayer.
Wherefore, thou
accursed devil,
&c. (as before.)
= " have," " im-
mortality."
II through Him,
who is hereafter
to judge, &c.
I adjure thee,
thou unclean spi-
rit, in the name
of the Father T,
and the Son t, and
the Holy Ghost t,
that thou come
out, and depart
from this servant
of Jesus Christ.
No. 3.
Forget not, O Satan, that
punishment awaits thee, that
torments await thee, that
the day of judgment awaits
thee, a day of misery*, a day
which shall come as a burning
furnace, and in which ever-
lasting destruction shall come
to thee and all thy angels.
Wherefore, thou damned onet
give the honour, &c. (as be-
fore to " Holy Ghost"), t
in whose name and power I
bid thee come out and depart
from this servant of God,
whom our Lord God Jesus
Christ hath vouchsafed this
day to call, &c.
that he may become His
temple by the water of rege-
neration for the remission of
all sins, T in the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ, who is
about to come, &c. — {Ap.
Assem. p. 17.)
also in Gregory's Sacramen-
tary, published from a Venice
MS. above 900 years old.
* " Endless misery." — Sa-
rum Ebor.
t " Damnate et damnande,
pro tua nequitia." — Sarum
Ebor.
J " he gives the honour to
the Holy Ghost the Comfor-
ter."— Sarum.
§ " Whoever thou art, thou
unclean spirit." — Sarum Pbor.
IT " his sins." — Sarum.
= " Through His gift."—
Sarum.
No. 4.
I address thee, most uncle
damned spirit — origin of sin, w
delightest in malice, sacrile^
adulteries, murders, We adju
thee, calling upon the name
our Lord Jesus Christ, by I
Majesty and Power, His Passi
and Resurrection, His Coming a;
Judgment, that driven forth
spiritual scourges and invisil i
torments, thou flee from this vt
sel which thou thoughtest to ha
dwelt in for thine own, and le»- •
it for the Lord, being purified aA
thy indwelling. Suffice it, that -
past ages thou hast ruled in tl
hearts of men, almost over tl
whole world. Now daily shall tl
kingdom be destroyed; and d.
by day to the end shall thy weapoi
fail. Of old were those thinj
which thou sufferest prefigure'
Thou wast spoiled in the plagm
of the Egyptians, &c. Thou art pi
to flight, art tortured, art d
stroyed by all saints, being assigi
ed to the eternal fire and infern.
darkness. Whence our Lord Je8i
Christ, in the second Adan
withdraws man from thee, whi
He triumpheth over thee. Depar
depart, wherever thou art, an
seek not again the bodies dedicatt-
to God. Be they interdicted t
thee for ever. In the name of th
Father, and the Son, and tlie Hoi
Spirit, and in the glory of tlie Pa-
sion of the Lord, by whose bloo
they were saved, whose comin
they wait for, whose judpnei
they confess, for the sake of Jesu
Clurist our Lord. — {Assem. p. 50.)
In Baptismal formularies also, when there is no direct exorcism or adjuration, there is far more mention of Satai
and his might, and the power which he had, and would, but for Christ, yet have over us, than in our own, whicl
through the interference of Bucer, has unhappily been maimed, the direct exorcism having been omitted, and nothin
substituted for it.
Thus in the Coptic (Assem. i. 153). " We beseech Thy goodness, Thou lover of men, that by the mystery of Th
*' Holy name, thou wilt repel and restrain all the adverse and wicked spirits and powers, for Thou hast called Tl
" servants, who come from darkness to light, from death to life, from error to acknowledgment of truth, and Iroi
" of idols to the knowledge of Thee, O God of truth. Search the secret corners of their hearts. Thou who
" Jerusalem with candles (Zeph. i. 12.), and permit not the evil spirit to lurk in them, but grant them i
" salvation ; give them everl2isting salvation, regenerate them with the washing of regeneration and remissh
♦' make them a temple for Thy Holy Spirit through Thy only begotten Son." (And again p. 156), " destroy in
" power of the enemy," &c. (and p. 157 and p. 162) " expel every work of Satan from him," (and p. 164, begin i
p. 153), " and if any wickedness of Satan lurk in him, lay it open and expel it from the soul and body of i
" ful servant, who believes in Thy Holy Name ; renew his life, and make him fit to receive the light and s,
•• Christ, and the gift of Thy Holy and consubstantial Spirit, and put on the robe of salvation, the shield of fai;
" which our enemy cannot prevail" (and p. 165) " Save, O Lord, this Thy creature, and free him from the sla\
" enemy" (and p. 166) " Let the angels of light guard his life, that he may be freed from all the evils of thi- ,
"from the demon ofthemid day (Ps.xc. 5,6. Sept.) and the arrow that fleeth at noon-day. Take away and rm
"him every unclean, every malignant spirit, which troubleth his heart; the spirit of error and of all wickcdiiis> ; t);
" spirit of love of money and idolatry ; the spirit of lying, and every foul thing, which is practised from the teaching o
" SaUn : make him a sheep of the holy flock of Thy Christ, an elect member of Thy holy Church," &c.
This varied and repeated reference to the doctrine of the power of the " prince of this world," over such as are no
rescued from his dominion, implies a conviction of its reality, as strong as even the direct and formal Exorcism.
In the Armenian Liturgy again (altogether very brief) is the prayer, " O Lord God, great and glorin
" creatures, this Thy servant, fleeing to Thy Almighty and terrible name, hath humbled his head to Thy 1.
" to which every knee of things In heaven, and In earth, and under the earth, doth bow ; that every tongue n
" that Thou, Jesus Christ, art the I^rd, in the glory of the Father and the Holy Spirit. May he be partaker ol
" that Thy terrible name, which hath repelled the snares of the enemy, and the perverseness of idolatry. :■■
" all the snares of the devil. Look upon him. O Lord, in Thy mercy, and through the all-powerful invocati..
" drive far away from him all secret thoughts, words, and works, which come from unclean spirits ; and
" whereby deceiving spirits are wont to deceive and destroy men, so that, terrified by Thy victorious might
" be restrained and tormented by invisible chastisements: let them be banished from him by (this) adjuration, -
" to return. Fill him with heavenly grace," kc— Assem. p. 170, 1.
BAPTISMAL LITURGIES.
NCIENT AND OLD ENGLISH CHURCH.
267
•eek Liturgy, from the
1st exorcism.
No. 5.
"he Lord rebuketh thee,
Satan, He who came
to the world, and taber-
cled among men, that
; might destroy thy ty-
ony, and free mankind,
10 on the cross tri-
aphed over the powers
the enemy, &c.
He now also command-
1 thee by us ; fear, go
t, and retire from this
jature, and return not,
r hide thyself in him,
r meet him, nor w^ork
him— but depart to thy
Ti hell, until the great
y of judgment ordained.
I forth, and depart from
isnewelectedand sealed
dier of Christ our God.
■part, and retire from
is creature, with all thy
•wer and thy angels.
>T the name of the Fa-
31, and the Son, and the
)ly Ghost is glorified,
•w and ever, and for all
js. Amen,
sem. T. i. p. 131—133.
: ''rom the 2d exorcism.
The Holy God, fearful
d glorious, who hath
idestinated to thee, O
tan, the vengeance of
:mal torment, through
, His unprofitable ser-
nts, bids thee and all
Y allied power to depart
I m this newly-sealed,
■the name of our Lord
■JUS Christ.our true God.
iidjure thee, therefore,
. in the might of Jesus
rist, who hath all power
i heaven and earth, who
• d to the deaf and dumb
irit, " Go out of the
m, and enter no more
0 him," depart, know
jr own vain strength,
'10 hadst no power even
sr swine; depart from
"H, who is preparing for
J J holy enlightening, I
jijure thee, by the saving
I 38ion of our Lord Jesus
rist, and His precious
' dyandBlood.andHister-
lle coming; for " He will
'ine, and will not tarry,"
Iging all the earth, and
U punish thee and thy
led power, casting thee
0 hell-fire, and to out-
t id darkness, where the
sleepeth not, and
i Are is not quenched ;
the might is Christ's
r God, with the Father,
d the Holy Spirit, now
1 1 ever.
rhe 3rd exorcism.
Lord of hosts, God of
Jacobite Syrians.
No. 6.
We call upon Thee, O Lord
our God, maker of all things,
visible and invisible, laying
hands on this Thy crea-
ture, and we sign him t in
Thy name — Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost — and in Thy most
Holy Name, rebuke all devils,
and unclean and evil spirits,
that they depart far away from
Thy creature and image, and
the work of Thy holy hands +.
Hear us, O Lord, and rebuke
them, and cleanse Thy serv-
ants from the working of the
adversary +. Hear also, thou
perverse and rebellious, who
injurest this creature of God t-
I adjure thee, thou enemy of
righteousness, and transgres-
sor of the divine and holy
laws, by the glory of the Great
King, depart with terror, and
be subject to the terrible Lord,
and by Him who has all power
in heaven and in earth ; by
Him, by whom all things are
created and preserved ; by
Him, by whom things in hea-
ven exist, and things on earth
are strengthened, &c. t- I
adjure thee by Him, who, with
divine power, said to the deaf
and dumb spirit, " Go out of
him, and enter no more into
him," &c. + Fear the future
judgment ; — tremble ; — ap-
proach not to the creature of
God, — for he is not the dwell-
ing-place of devils, but the
temple of God : for He hath
said, " I will dwell in them,
and walk in them, and I will
be their God, and they shall
be my people," &c. Be thou
rooted out, and scattered
abroad, and depart, accursed,
from the creature of God ;
thou unclean spirit, and spi-
rit of error, fuel for fire, —
hasten, and resist not. For
God the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit shall utterly
root thee out, casting thee
forth from every creature of
His, and out into fire un-
quenchable,— delivering this
work of His hands until the
day of redemption ; for His is
the power, and dominion, and
might, and to Him we now
ascribe the praise. (Assem.
T. i. p. 234 — 237 ; also in a Je-
rusalem Liturgy, derived from
the Apostles, ibid. p. 250. as
in that of Severus, Patriarch
of Antioch, ibid. p. 278. and
p. 45 sqq. ed. Fabricius.)
ael, who curest all sickness and 'all diseases, look upon
y servant, seek out, search and cast out from him all
; workings of the devil, rebuke the unclean spirits, and
ise them, and cleanse the works of Thy hands, put-
g forth Thy sharp might, bruise Satan under his feet
irtly, and give him victory over him and his unclean
rlts, that, obtaininff mercv from Thee, he mav be ad-
Liturgy of James Bishop of
Sarug.
Hermann.
The exorcism or ad-
juration.
No. 8.
I commandeall evil
spirits, in the Name
of our Lord Jesus
Christ, to depart from
this infant, and to do
him no hurt in any
manner of ways.
No. 7.
+ 1 adjure you and bind you, un-
clean and evil spirits, and all the
power of the enemy, in the Name
of God, mighty and powerful, who
created all things, (and after other
adjurations from the manifesta-
tions of God's power in the Old
Testament).
t I adjure you through Him,
Whom His own will brought to the
wood of the Cross,and to death,that
He might redeem Adam & his sons
from the slavery of death and sin.
t I adjure you by the might of
the mighty God, that ye depart
from this creature which is wedded
to the living God, and remove
from him, and return no more to
dwell in this child, who comes to
be an habitation for the Holy Spi-
rit, that He may dwell in it. But
do ye, evil spirits, flee from Him,
and as the evil spirit departed
from king Saul, when David played
on the harp, so + may Satan and
his power fly, O Lord, from this
thy servant, when Thy Majesty
descending in a cloud, abideth on
the waters of Baptism, so, O Lord,
let not the evil spirit remain in any
part of the soul, body, or spirit of
this Thy servant, who is called to
this mystery of Baptism.
t I tell you, demons and evil
spirits, the bridegroom rejoices,
the bride is made ready, and the
guests wait, and the streams burst
forth, and the heavens are opened,
and the angels stand in awe, and
the Seraphim cry •' Holy," and
the powers sing, and the hosts of
angels shout — the Father rejoiceth,
the Son is glad, the Holy Spirit
broodetli ; and Baptism is kindled
with fire and the Spirit, and the
mysteries are sealed, and the flock
standeth by, the Church trembleth.
Beware thou evil one, and pre-
sume not, lest thou perish in that
hour, when the King sitteth on
the throne, to execute judgment
on your presumption and rebellion.
Approach not to this servant, who
is called to the feast of the only
Son of God, and injure him not
whien thou departest from him.
But if thou presumest, and de-
partest not from the Holy Church,
the Holy of Holies, wherein the
Lord dwelleth, I bind t thee, and
anathematize thee in the name of
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, f
Be thou bound and anathematized
by the Holy Trinity, if thou ap-
proach with him to this Holy Bap-
tism, which burnetii with fire and
the Spirit ; but depart to the infer-
nal pit, where thy punishment is
prepared for ever.
+ I bind thee and anathematize
thee, Satan, by that hour, wherein
our Lord hung upon the Cross, and
stretched out His hands and feet
to the nails, and His side to the
lance,andHis mouth to the vinegar
and gall, for Adam and his sons.
t I adjure thee, and bind thee, evil Satan, by that hour,
wherein we priests stand, who are put in trust with the
treasures of the Father, from the mouth of the Father,
who baptizeth, and the Son, who receiveth, and of the Holy
Spirit, who broodeth. But now I seal f him, and protect
him from all the power of demons, in the name of the
Father, the Son. and Holy Snirit. now and for ever.—
Edward VI. in the
book after the 2d
prayer.
No. 9.
I command thee,
unclean spirit, in
the Name of the Fa-
ther, of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost,
that thou come out,
and depart from these
infants, — whom our
Lord Jesus Christ
hath vouchsafed to
call to His holy bap-
tism— and to be made
members of His body,
and of His holy con-
gregation. Therefore,
thou cursed spirit,
remember thy sen-
tence ; remember thy
judgment ; remember
the day to be at hand
wherein thou shalt
burn in fire everlast-
ing, prepared for thee
and thy angels.
And presume not,
hereafter, to exercise
any tyranny towards
these infants, whom
Christ hath bought
with His most pre-
cious blood, and by
this His holy Bap-
tism, calleth to be of
His flock.
268
BAPTISMAL RITES OF THE ENGLISH AND
RITE OF LEADING THE CHILD INTO
Sacramentary of Gelasius
and Gregory I.
No. 1.
The Driest puts the end of
the stole upon the infant,
and brings itinto theChurch,
saying, Enter into the temple
of God, that you may have
part with Christ to life eter-
nal. Amen. — Assem. t. ii.
p. 5 and 8.
(Italian Church, ap. As-
sem, p. 77.) — In the name
of the Father and the Son,
and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Enter into the Church of
God by the hand of the
priest, that, &c. — And see
Old Gallican above.
Old Ambrosian.
No. 3.
Enter, my son,
into the house of
God : hear thy Fa-
ther teaching thee
the way of know-
ledge.--( Assem. t.
ii. p. 46.)
Sarum.
No. 4.
Enter * into the
temple of God
that you may
have eternal
life, and live for
ever and ever
Amen.
* — into the
joyofthyLord,&
enter, &c. — Old
Ritual of Limo-
ges, ap. Assem.
t. ii. p. 86.
RITE OF PUTTING ON THE WHITE VESTMENT AFTER BAPTISM.
Old Gallican, from MS.
above 1100 years old.
The same.— .(As-
sem. t. ii. p. 47.)
Take this white vestment,
which thou mayest bear un-
spotted before the tribu-
nal of I Christ.— (Assem.
t. ii. p. 42, also pp. 71, 74,
76, 78, 81, &c.)
" Thou hast re-
ceived white gar-
ments, as a token
that thou hast put
off the mantle of
sins, and hast put
on the pure robes of
innocency." — (St,
Ambrose, de iis qui
initiantur.)
"Take the
white * and un-
spotted vest-
ment, to bear it
before the tribu-
nal of the Lord
Jesus Christ, to
life eternal."
* Our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Old Gothic, ib. p. 36.)
*" Holv and"
—Ebor. Old La-
tin, ap. Luther.
" That thou
mayest have
eternal life and
live for ever and
ever." — Ebor.
RITE OF ANOINTING CHILD AFTER BAPTISM WITH PRAYER.
Sacramentary of Gelasius.
Old Gothic.^ Assem. t. ii.
p. 34.)
Almighty God, the Fa-
ther of our Lord Jesus
Chnst,who hath regenerated
thee by water and the Holy
Ghost, and who hath given
unto thee remission of all
sins ', He anoint thee with
the ' unction of salvation in
Christ Jesus our Lord, unto
life eternal.— (Assem. p. 6.
See also p. 17. and in the
old Gallican Church, p. 39,
55, 58, 59, 63, GG, 70, 73,
76, 79, 81, &c. See also the
old German form, ap. Lu-
ther.)
' + " By the washing of re-
p:eneration and blood.* — Old
Gall., very old MS. ap.
Assem. p. 42.
a " With His Holy
Chrism." — Ibid.
" I anoint thee with the The same as col. 1.
unction of holiness, the robe
of immortality, which our
Lord Jesus Christ received
as delivered from the Father, that thou mayest
bear it pure and undefiled before the tribunal of
Christ, and live for ever and ever."
" Let us pray, very dearly beloved brethren, our
Lord and God, for His regenerated ones, that, as
they have been baptized, so, when the Saviour shall
come in His Majesty, He may clothe with ever-
lasting salvation, those whom iHo has regenerated
with water and the Spirit."
" We pray for the baptized and crowned in Christ,
to whom, asking, our Lord has vouchsafed to grant
regeneration, that, O Almighty God, they may
bear the baptism which they have received, unde-
filed to the end, through our Lord Jesus Christ."
as in col. 1.
f in the same
His Son Jesus
Christ. — Ebor.
ANCIENT CHURCH OBJECTED TO BY BUCER.
THE CHURCH WITH PRAYER.
269
Edward VI.
First Book.
No. 5.
No. 6.
No. 7.
No. 8.
"The Lord
vouchsafe to re-
ceive you into
His Holy house-
hold, and to
keep and govern
you alway in the
same, that you
may have ever-
lasting life."
Syriac.
Constantinopolitan,
For the rite of clothing
the newly-haptized in white
see Assem. t. ii. p. 213.
" The servant of
God is clothed with
the rohe of righte-
ousness, in the name
of the Father, the
Son, and the Holy
Ghost,now and ever,
throughout all ages.
Amen." — Ap. As-
sem. t. ii. p. 145.
" Grant me the
shining rohe. Thou
who puttest on light
as a garment. All-
merciful Christ, our
God. Amen." — ib.
" Take this
white vestment
for a token of the
innocence which
by God's grace
in this Holy Sa-
crament of Bap-
tism, is given
untothee,and for
a sign whereby
thou art admo
nished so long as
thou livest, to
give thyself to in-
nocency of liv-
ing, that, after
this transitory
life, thou mayest
be partaker of life
everlasting.
Amen,"
Coptic.
Syriac.
" I anoint thee with the
oil of gladness, a defence
against all the works of the
evil adversary, that thou
mayest be engraffed in the
root of the fruitful olive-tree
which is the Holy Catholic
and Apostolic Church of
God. Amen." — (Assem. i.
p. 163.)
" This lamb is marked in
the flock of Christ, who
hath come to Holy Baptism,
in the name of the Father,
Amen, of the Son, Amen,
of the Holy Spirit, Amen,
for all ages. Amen."
And again, as in the Cop-
tic, i. p; 240, and p. 254, and
ii. p. 304, and p. 285, "is
marked with oil of glad-
ness, that he may become
worthy of the adoption of
sons through regeneration,
in the name of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy
Ghost."— ii. 302.
" The sei-vant of
God is anointed with
the oil of gladness,
in the name of the
Father, the Son, and
the Holy Ghost,now
and ever," &c. —
Assem. ii. 142.
Same as col. 1 .
270
(C.)
SPECIMEN OF MODERN LANGUAGE,
INTRODUCED BY
BUCER INTO HERMANN'S FORM,
AND EXCLUDED
BY THE REFORMERS OF OUR BAPTISMAL LITURGY.
*' Almighty and merciful God and Father, Thou didst promise
" to Abraham our father, and the father of all that believe, and
" in him Thou didst promise us also, his children, that Thou wouldest
" be a God to us and our seed. Wherefore, as Thou didst receive the
** infants of the old people into grace, and into Thine own people, by
*' circumcision ; and Thy Son Christ Jesus, our Lord and Saviour,
** admitted children, offered unto Him, right gently, and blessed them,
" testifying that the kingdom of God pertaineth to such ; so let it be
** Thy pleasure to beget our infants again, to adopt them into sons,
" unto the fellowship of everlasting life, by the sacrament of Baptism.
** Grant then. Heavenly Father, that we may earnestly require so
" great riches of grace, set forth in Baptism for Thine infants, that we
" may acknowledge and receive them with true faith, being offered
" both in Thy word and in the sacrament. Finally, that we may ever
" thank Thee, and magnify Thee for them. And impute not to these
" infants the sin of Adam, issued into them and engendered by their
" parents; and regard not the merits of their parents, and of all this
" people ; but let the Death and Merit of Thy Son our Lord Jesus
** Christ prevail in them, and impute unto them His righteousness
" and obedience. Plant them into His Death and Resurrection ;
** make them members of His body ; put Him upon them, that they
" may be Thy sons and heirs, and continue for ever. Grant us also,
** that, after Baptism, we may acknowledge them Thy children, and
" members of the body of Thy Son ; that we may godly bring them up
** in the fear of Thee, unto Thy glory ; that we may help them in all
" corporal and spiritual things ; that also by them Thy holy Name
" may be the more magnified, the kingdom of Thy Son enlarged. Thy
" will be done in this earth as in heaven. Furthermore, keep them
** safe, give them bounteously the necessaries of life, and preserve
** them from all evil. Amen."
BENEFITS OF BAPTISM NOT LIMITED BY THE FATHERS. 271
Note (N) on page 144.
Burges (Baptismal Regeneration of Elect Infants) produces three
passages from the Fathers, to prove that though they speak of regenera-
tion as universEilly accompanying Baptism, yet they are to be under-
stood as limiting this to the elect. " It is true,'' he says, (p. 1290
" that the Fathers except none ; but this proves not that they therefore
** held none as excepted by God, nay they often declare the contrary."
The three passages he produces are of course the strongest he could
find : they are from St. Chrysostom, St. Jerome, and St. Augustine.
The passage of St. Chrysostom is mistranslated. Burges translates
** Some, when ready to breathe their last, run unto Baptism, and yet
** are never a whit the more purged by it ;" and argues that ** these
" persons are not such as resist the Spirit by a wicked heart and
*' corrupt life : but men, even at the point of death, apprehending a
** necessity of remission of sin by Christ, and hastening to initiationy
" which argues an earnest desire after the grace of Baptism, and yet
** they go away without it. Therefore they of whom he speaketh are
*•' not such as do resist the Spirit, when they are baptized." But St.
Chrysostom says, ** How am I pained when I see others hastening
** to their last gasp, and not even thence coming to a better mind 1"
And he is speaking of those who delay Baptism, and at last receive it
ungratefully, and " even if they recover, think that an injury has been
done them;" [in that they could not now again have the full remis-
sion of Baptism.]
St. Jerome, in Gal. iii. 27, is speaking manifestly of adults, of those
" who, whether heretics, or hypocrites, or living in sin, (qui sordide
** victitant,) appear to receive Baptism, but he doubts whether they
"have the clothing of Christ;" and with these he joins Simon
Magus, who ** had received (acceperat) the washing of water, but
** because he had not (habebat) the Holy Spirit, had not put on
" Christ." ** There are many washings," he says on Ezek. xvi. 4.
" which the heathen in their mysteries, and the heretics promise, who
** all give a washing, but not to salvation. Wherefore it is added,
" * and thou wast not washed in water to salvation.' Which may be
" understood not only of heretics, but of members of the Church, who
*' do not with full faith receive saving Baptism : Of whom it must be
** said, that they received water, but not the Spirit, as also that Simon
** Magus, who wished to purchase the grace of God with money, was
*' baptized with water, but by no means to salvation." St. Jerome
then looked upon Simon Magus' sin as commencing with his Baptism,
not as a subsequent relapse ; that he came to Baptism feignedly ; not
led by the Spirit of God, but for filthy lucre, and therefore he of
course received not its grace. This all Christians who adopted the same
view of Simon Magus' case (see above, p. 172 sq.) would alike hold.
But it is not thereby impHed that he failed of receiving that grace.
272 ST. AUGUSTINE — ELECTION TO BAPTISM.
because God had not chosen him to receive it : rather, he received it
not on account of his own sin.
The statement of St. Augustine is not taken directly from his works,
but (as Burges says) from Peter Lombard (Sent. L. 4. Dist. 4. A.)
and with some misgiving that " P. Lombard may have wronged him."
The statement is " Sacramenta in solis electis efficiunt quod figurant."
" The Sacraments work what they shadow forth in the elect only.**
And for this the * De Baptismo parvulorum* is alleged. This same
sentiment, in the same words, and probably on the same authority, is
also alleged to be St. Augustine's by Calvin, (Institt. 4. 14. 15.) But
neither in the three books ** de peccatorum meritis et remissione, et
** de Baptismo parvulorum,** nor in the Homily so entitled (Serm.
294. alias 14. de verbis Apostoli), nor, as far as I can discover, in
any other work of St. Augustine, is there any such sentiment. And
not this only, but it appears to be in contradiction with St. Augustine's
genuine sentiments. On the contrary he uniformly contrasts (as
above said, p. 88.) the case of infants baptized and those unbaptized,
the one being elected to the gift of regeneration, and so (if they die
early) to the kingdom of Heaven ; the other, as being unregenerated,
being * left.* " Rightly thou sayest, he answers Julian, * that justice
" lies in the depth of Deity.* In this depth is it, that it is * neither
" of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that
" showeth mercy.* In this depth is it, that that little one is adopted
" to honour by the washing of regeneration, that other is left in dis-
" honour, not to be admitted into the kingdom, where there is no
" merit or demerit in either by any choice of will. Behold, two little
" ones lie there ; one of them dies baptized, the other unbaptized :
** to which of them will you say that God is merciful ? If to the one,
" show wherein is the ill desert of the other, thou who deniest ori-
" ginal sin : if to both, show me any good deserts of the baptized,
*' thou who deniest grace, where there is no accepting of persons ; and
♦* say, if thou canst, why He would not adopt both, who doubtless
" created both in His own image ? Neither of them refused, so that
" you might suppose the Divnne power hindered by the demerits of
** the human will : here then to neither can God say, * I willed and
*• thou wouldst not.' And yet one is taken and the other is left,
** because great is the free mercy of God and true is the justice of
*' God. But why the one more than the other ? * The judgments of
" God are unsearchable.*** (Op. Imperf. c. Julian. L. 1. § 38, 9.)
And so he on each occasion shuts up the question by the appeal " Oh
" the depth of the riches !" (e.g. de Bapt. Parv. § 7.) but doubts not
that all baptized children are regenerated, and have the full benefits
of Baptism.
St. Augustine's opinions may be still further illustrated, by observ-
ing who, in his opinion, miss of the grace of Baptism, or receive the
grace without any benefit. They are two classes only ; first, those who
HINDRANCES TO ITS EFFICACV. 273
receive it with a wrong disposition, either unholiness in those within
or without the Church, or want of love in those who separate them-
selves from her ; 2d, those who having received it fall back into their
evil courses. He imagines then no other obstacles than the whole
Church would account such, want of sincerity and of charity : and
these the whole Church would regard as precluding the grace of
Baptism, as well as of the Communion ; as the whole Church (with
the exception of a very small section) would suppose that all grace, and
so that of Baptism might be forfeited ; but St. Augustine does not in the
least imply that God does not make His own Sacraments effectual means
of grace in those, who place no such obstacle. St. Augustine's views on
this point were particularly brought out by the Donatist controversy
The Donatists, namely, proceeding on their principle that the purity
of the minister was essential to the validity of the Sacraments, con-
tended that the Catholic Baptism was invahd, since their communion
was not pure ; and that their own communion must by the Catholics
be allowed to be pure, and themselves to be the true Church, since
these admitted the Baptism administered by Donatists to be valid,
(c. Donat. L. 1. § 13. 15.) The Donatists also had the further object
to show that it was safer to receive Baptism among them than in the
Church ; since the Catholics also allowed that their Ba])tism was
valid, while they disallowed that of the Catholics : thus they sought
to draw people over to their schism, by inviting people to accept as
truth what both parties were agreed in, the validity of Donatist Bap-
tism, and not to notice what was alleged by one only, either the actual
invalidity of the Catholic Baptism, which the Donatists asserted, or
the unprofitableness of valid Baptism in schism, which was maintained
by the Catholics, (lb. § 4.) St. Augustine answered, that the Sacra-
ment had its validity not of men but of God ; and that therefore it
was a valid Baptism, if rightly administered, but that it followed not
that it was efficacious to those who received it ; for that its benefits
might be intercepted or suspended. " Can a dead man give life to
•* any — a wounded heal — a blind enlighten — a naked clothe — a pol-
** luted cleanse ?" asked Parmenian, wishmg from these effects of
Baptism, administered through them, to prove that they were neither
dead, wounded, blind, naked, nor polluted, but the true Church. St.
Augustine answered, " Why claims he what is not man's to give ?
'• For the Lord raiseth the dead, the Lord healeth the wounded, the
" Lord enhghteneih the blind, the Lord cleanseth the polluted."
(c. Epist. Parmeniani, L. 2. § 32). Again they urged him, " If one
" receiving Donatist Baptism, receives the Baptism of ('hrist, he
" puts on Christ ; and if so, he is regenerate, and if regenerate, his
" sins are forgiven, and if this, then the Holy SpikitIs there present,
" (Mat. xxviii. 19. Job. xx. 22.) and then our communion is the ('hurch
*' of Christ, (since the Holy Spirit does not work the forgiveness of
** sins except in the Church,) and then also, since the Church of Christ
T
i874 ST. AUGUSTINB ORACB ALWAYS GIVEN AT BAPTISM,
*' is but one, your (the Catholic) communion is not the Church of
*' Christ." (Ibid. 9. § 15, 16.) St. Augustine answers this partly
by an appeal to their own principles, partly on his own. " What,"
he asks, " is the case of one who comes feignedly to Baptism ? Are
** his sins forgiven or no?" If the Donatists were to say they were,
then they could no longer urge the principle upon which they ob-
jected to Catholic Baptism, that " the Holy Spirit of discipline flees
deceit;" (Wisd. i. 5.) as if the Holy Spirit could not be imparted
through Baptism, when administered by an unworthy minister: —
if they answered they were not forgiven, St. Augustine again
asks, ** is such an one then to be re -baptized, if with real grief of
** heart he confess his hypocrisy? — and since it were madness to say
** this, then they must confess that a man may be baptized with the
** Baptism of Christ, and yet that his heart continuing in malice or
** profaneness (sacrilegio) would preclude his receiving remission of
** sins ; and so the Donatists might understand that in communions
** separated from the Church men might be baptized, where the
" Baptism of Christ was given and received according to the same
** form of the Sacrament, and yet this Baptism first begin to avail to
** the remission of sins, when one being reconciled to the unity of the
" Church, was freed from the sacrilege of dissent, whereby his sins
•* were retained and could not be remitted. As in the case of the
** hypocritical receiver, he is not baptized again, but that sinfulness is
*• cleansed by correction of life and faithful confession, which could
** not be without Baptism, so that what was before given them begins
** to avail to salvation, when that hypocrisy is removed by a true con-
'* fession : so also he, who being an enemy of the love and peace of
** Christ, has received the Baptism of Christ, (which they who have
** separated have not lost in a heretical or schismatical communion,)
** by which sacrilegious guilt his sins were not remitted, when he have
** corrected himself and come to the communion and unity of the
** Church, he is not again to be baptized, because by that very recon-
** ciliation and peace, the Sacrament, which received in schism could
" not profit him, now in the unity (of the Church) for the first time
** avails to the remission of sins." (lb. § 18.)
Another view of the Donatists gives occasion to a further explana-
tion, which throws great light on St. Augustine's views of Baptism.
** It may be," they said, (ib. § 19.) " the sins of him, who camehypo-
** critically to Baptism, may, through the holy power of so great a
" Sacrament, be for that moment forgiven, but return immediately
** on account of his hypocrisy ; so that the Holy Spirit were both
** present with the baptized, so that his sins should depart, and fled
" from his persevering hypocrisy, so that they returned ; whereby
" both sayings would be true ; ' As many as have been baptized into
'* Christ have put on Christ,* and ' the Holy Spirit of discipline
** will flee the feigned soul/ i. e. the holiness of Baptism would clothe
BUT MAY BE LOST. Z7 5
" him with Christ, and the evil of hypocrisy would strip him of
" Christ. As when one passes from darkness to darkness through
" hght, the eyes are constantly directed to darkness, but the light
** cannot but bedew him as he passeth through.' " This of course
admits of the same application to want of love as to want of faith ; and
St. Augustine so applies it: but in so doing, he enters more largely
into the subject, and justifies the position itself by the parable of the
unforgiving servant, whose debt was once forgiven, though he had
not yet forgiven his fellow- servant, but on his unforgivingness was
again required of him. ** Thus," says St. Augustine, '* the grace of
*' Baptism is not hindered, but that it remits all sins, yea, though he
** to whom they are forgiven continue to hate his brother in his heart.
'* For yesterday, and all before that, and also the very hour and mo-
*' ment before Baptism and in Baptism is remitted. But afterwards,
** he begins immediately to be guilty, not only of subsequent, but of
** past days, hours, moments, every thing which was forgiven, again
" returning ;" " and this" he adds, ** often happens in the Church.'*
(§ 20.) These cases then St. Augustine clearly puts forth, either that
a man may through some defect at the time, whether of faith or love,
prevent the effect of the Sacrament of Baptism, or after he have re-
ceived it, may again extinguish it; which last, unhappily, was a
frequent case in the Church. And this he expresses again (§ 24.)
most explicitly : ** At whatever time then in this life men begin to be
" such, that though they have been imbued with the Divine Sacraments,
" according to the dispensation of the times (Eph. i. 10.) they are car-
" nally minded, and hope and desire of God carnal things, whether in or
" after this life, they are natural men (animales). (1 Cor. ii. 14.)
" These are not to be despaired of:" but " whether they seem to be
** within the Church, or are openly without, that which is flesh is
** flesh : whether they continue on the floor in their barrenness, or on
** occasion of some temptation, are carried out, as by a wind, what is
*' chaff is chaff." C§ 26.)
These passages fully exhibit St. Augustine's views, as to what cha-
racters miss of or lose baptismal grace, as his writings against the
Pelagians (above p. 85 — 89) declare, whom hfe believed to obtain it,
and their privileges ; for, as has been observed, whereas the Greek
fathers principally regard Baptism with reference to the subsequent
life, and so as a birth, St. Augustine regards it mainly with reference
to the past condition of subjection to sin (whether by nature or
actual transgression), and so comprises all the blessings of Bap^
tism under that one, the remission of all sin, original and actual;
he considered Baptism principally as the " death to sin," whereof ** the
'* new birth to righteousness," was a part and a consequence, since
sin separates us from God; and the death to sin is reunion with
God : (as Bp. Davenant well says, ad Col. 2. 13. ap. Gat. p. 94.)
" With this forgiveness of sins, which restores life to the soul, there
t 2
27fi ST. AUGUSTINE ALT, BAPTIZED INFANTS REGENERATE.
** must always be understood as connected with it, an infusion of
** sanctifying grace, which, in another sense, gives hfe. For, when
** sin is remitted, not only is guilt taken away, but the will, which
** had been disordered by sins and slain, is restored to life and order
** through grace. An infusion then of grace is always united with
** forgiveness of offence.*') Often then as St. Augustine speaks of
those who miss of Baptismal grace, they are always these two classes,
those who are wanting in faith or love, hypocrites or heretics. (Ep. 93.
ad Vincentium Rogatistam, § 46. Ep. 108. ad Macrobium. In Joann.
Evang. c.l. Tract. 6. § 14. Serm. 268. § 2. c. Faust. L.'i2. c. 17. against
the unfaithful, Quaest. ad Num. L. 4. § 11. against both, in Psalm
77- § 2. Serm. 90. in Evang. Mt. 22. § 5.) and so also in this passage
of the Horn, de Baptisrao Parvulor. in Ps. 78. which alone has any
reference to the matter for which it is alleged — " and yet," he says,
'* the grace of Baptism is not alike to all," *' for,'* he adds, " heretics
'* have the same Baptism, and false brethren in the communion of the
" Catholic name." The parallel between these two- classes runs
through the whole of his books against the Donatists ; of which
might be named, especially, the De Baptismo contra Donatistas
and the Contra Cresconium Donatistam. If then, innumerably often
as he specifies these classes, he names no others, one should infer, on
this ground alone, that St. Augustine held, that all baptized persons,
of whatever age, received the benefits of baptism, those excepted
who placed a bar of unbelief in heart or life against it. Even
these, St. Augustine maintained to have received real baptism, (since
it could not be repeated,) and that its benefits lay, as it were, in
them, then to be realized, whenever they should, in heart and
mind, turn to God. " When Baptism," he says, "is given in the
** Gospel words, however perversely he may understand it, through
** whom it is given, or he, to whom it is given, it is in itself Holy, for
"His sake. Whose it is. But if he who receives it be a perverted
" one, neither does that which is given, avail such to salvation, and
" yet that which is received remains holy in him, nor is repeated to
" him, if he be reformed." (de Bapt. c. Don. L. 4. §. 18.) There
can, then, be no ground why we should limit St. Augustine's full and
positive language, wherein he declares the undoubted regeneration of
all baptized infants ; and if St. Augustine not only doubt not, but
assert thus earnestly, the Baptismal regeneration of all infants, it will
not be readily supposed, that any other teacher of the Ancient Church
hesitated thereon. Two short declarations of his belief may yet be
subjoined. *' In little ones born, and not as yet baptized, be Adam
" acknowledged : in little ones born and baptized and therefore (ob
" hoc) regenerate, be there acknowledged (Christ." Serm. 74. (al. 8. de
verbis Ap.) §. 9. " From the Uttle one just born, to the decrepit old
" man, as no one is to be kept from baptism, so there is none who
" does not die to sin in Baptism ; but little ones only to original, the
DID NOT HOLD INDEFECTIBILITY OF GRACE. 277
** elder sort to all those also, which, by living ill, they have added to
" what they brought with them by birth." Enchirid. c. 43.
St. Augustine's theory, namely, of Predestination, did not involve the
doctrine of the indefectibility of grace : this he explicitly and fully states,
(de Corrept. et Grat. §. 20.) *' Nor let that move us, that God does not
*' give that perseverance to some of His sons. Far be it that it
" should be so, if they were of those predestinated and called accord-
" ing to His purpose, who are truly the sons of the promise. But
** they, while they live piously, are called sons of God ; but because
" they are about to live impiously and to die in that impiety, the fore-
" knowledge of God does not call them sons of God. For there are
" some, who are by us called sons of God, on account of their having
** admitted grace, if but for a time ; but they are not so in God's
** sight ; of whom John says, * they went out from us, for they were
** * not of us J for if they had been of us, they would have remained
" ' with us ' — they were not sons, even when they had the profession
" and name of sons, not as if their righteousness were feigned, but
•* because they remained not in it For he does not say, * for if they
** had been of us, they would have maintained a real, not a feigned,
** righteousness with us,' but * would have remained with us.' Doubt-
*' less what he wished them to remain in was good. They were then
** in it : but because they remained not in it, i. e., did not persevere to
*• the end, they were not of the number of sons, even when they were
*' in the faith of sons." The very title ** deserter," with which St.
Augustine often says (e. g. in Ps. 39, 1. de Symbolo §. 15.) that
Baptism brands those who neglect to profit by it, or destroy its effi-
cacy by schism, attests his belief that they once had its grace.
In like manner his disciple and defender, Prosper of Aquitaine, who,
in some respects, carried his theory of Predestination further than his
master, yet says explicitly upon this point, (Prosper ad object. Gallor.
c. 2.) "He who denies that one who has relapsed, after Baptism, to
** infidelity and a wicked life, was freed from sin, thinks as falsely as
" he who asserts that he will not be condemned to eternal death. If
** any one recede from Christ, and ends this life, alienated from
** grace, what doth he but fall into perdition ? yet, he doth not fall
" back into that which was remitted, nor will he be condemned in
** original sin; but for his last sins, he will receive that death, which
** was due to him for those, which were forgiven him." And,
again, (pro Augustin. ad Capitul. Gall. Obj. 70 *' Of the rege-
** nerated in Christ Jesus, that some, abandoning the faith and a
** holy life, apostatize from God, and finish an impious life in aver-
** sion of Him, is, alas ! proved, by many examples." And this
dreadful truth furnished St. Augustine with matter of solemn warn-
ing to others, whom yet he held to have been regenerated. Hence,
also, it happens, ** that having fallen and abandoned themselves to
278 THE HOLINESS 1 COR. VII. BAPTISMAL HOLINESS.
" hurtful pleasures, not only do they cease to be temples of God, but
" become even ruins, in which evil demons dwell, whom they begin to
** worship and to serve, and * to them/ as was said, * the last state be-
** comes worse than the first.' Wherefore, ye who have ' been bom
" again of immortal seed,' " &c. (Sermo 353, in die octavar, Infantium,
T. 5. p. 1374) ; and again he thus concludes a sermon preached on the
day of a public Baptism, with a prayer for those who had just been
baptized.
" O Lord, hear us ! make us, for Thou hast made us. Make us good,
*' for Thou hast made us men enlightened. They, in white apparel, en-
•• hghtened, hear Thy word through me. For, enlightened by Thy grace,
•• they stand by Thee. * This is the day which the Lord hath made.'
" But let them labour and pray, that when those days are gone, they may
" not become darkness who are now made the light of the wonders and
** goodness of God." (S. 120. in Joann. al. de Divers. 84. fin.) The
solemnity of the warnings of the fathers are proi)ortioned (as is natural)
to the greatness of their conception of the gift bestowed upon us all.
This view is remarkably confirmed by the Baptismal Liturgies of the
Antient Church, wherein the title for the newly-baptized is the elect
** the newly-elect," as in the Latin Church (Assem. Cod. Lit.
T. i. p. 110, sqq.), and Greek (T. ii. p. 133). Election to Baptism
is also imphed in the Armenian (ib. p. 194. 199, 200) and the Coptic
(ib. T. i. p. 149. 160. ] 67.). They felt the blessedness of being elected
to be members of Christ, and sought no further.
Note (O), on page 16 1.
The holiness, which we learn, from 1 Cor. vii. 14, to belong to the
infants of a Christian parent, is, by the Fathers, generally understood
of " baptismal holiness ;" actual holiness conferred upon them in
Baptism : by the school of Calvin, generally of a covenant-holiness,
and so of a title to the privileges of the covenant. The two interpre-
tations nearly meet, except that the antients regard, more prominently,
God's institution, as the means whereby Christian holiness is first con-
ferred upon us ; these moderns regard children as being holy by the
will of God, whereof Baptism is the seal or attestation only. Yet,
though the expression used by some moderns, " those bom of faithful
*' or believing })arents," would be in itself ambiguous, it seems cer-
tain, that, under this name "beheving," all are generally meant to be
included who are, by profession. Christians ; and so this holiness
would belong to all children of Christians. This is, in fact, only to
say, that moderns, when expressly commenting on this passage, have
not ventured to limit the universality of St. Paul's declaration. The
antients, as was said, universally explain this " holiness" of the benefits
of Baptism. Thus, TertuUian— '* So, tmly is no birth, at least, no
EXPOSITION OF THE FATHERS. 279
** heathen birth, pure. Hence, also, the Apostle says, that of either sex
'* which has been made holy, holy children are born, as well through
" the prerogative of the seed, as by the control of the institution;"
** • otherwise,' says he, ' they were born unclean;' yet, wishing that
" the sons of believers should be understood as being destined for holi-
" ness, and thereby also for salvation ; so, as by the pledge of this hope
*' to maintain the marriages, which he judged right to be retained.
** Else he well remembered the saying of the Lord, * Unless one be
" born of water and the Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom
** of Heaven ;' i. e. shall not be holy. Thus, every soul is so long
'* accounted in Adam, until it be accounted anew in Christ ; and so
** long impure, until it be so accounted, and sinful because impure."
(De Anima, c. 39, 40.) St. Augustine further shows, that he under-
stood the former part, also, of the verse, ** hath been sanctified" of
Baptism. " I beheve," he says, ** it had already happened, that some
*' women had come to the faith through believing husbands, and hus-
** bands through believing wives [such had been the case with St.
•* Augustine's father] ; and although he does not name them, yet, by
" their examples, he strengthens his advice. Then follows. Else were
" your children unclean, &c. For already there were Christian little
** ones, who, either by the direction of one of their parents, or by their
•' united approval, had been sanctified" (baptized.) De Serm. Dom.
in monte, S. i. c. 1 6 *. In like manner, Pelagius paraphrases "are holy,"
by "are made Christians" (Ap. August, de Peccat. Merit. L. 3 c.
12.) St. Jerome relates, that this saying was verified in the family of
the daughter of a priest of Jupiter, whose father was a candidate for
the faith, his children and grandchildren believers. (Ep. 7- ad Laetam.)
Paulinus (Bp. of Nola) takes for granted, that the former part is to be
understood of Baptism. *' How," he enquures of Jerome, " are they
* St. Augustine, indeed, afterwards seems to think, that the Apostle's
words rather implied some sort of holiness, which belonged to the children
of Christian parents by their very birth, but does not explain what he thinks
it to be ; only he shows, from the very context, that it must be of such de-
gree, as *' did not suffice to make them Christians, and remit sins, unless
" they were made believers (fideles) by the Sacrament, according to the
" Christian and Church institution : since no one would contend, that the
" unbelieving husband or wife was, without being themselves baptized in
" Christ, freed from that iniquity which entails condemnation on all who
•* are separated from the kingdom of God." (De Pecc. Meritis, L. 3, c. 12.
Serm. 294. de Baptismo Parvulor. alias 14 de verb. Ap.) § 18. From the
above, it would appear how wrongly T. Cartwright (Confut. of Rhemish
Test.) alleges St. Augustine's authority. — "Augustine, interpreting the word
'* * holy,' saith, that they be Christians : so that they, being before Bapiisme
" Christians, by Augustine's judgment," &c.
280 REFORMED DIU NOT INFER FROM I COR. VU. THAT ACTUAC
" holy, who are born of believing, ». e., bai)tized parents, since, without
"thegift of grace (Baptism) afterwards received and kept, they can-
•' not be saved?" imagining, apparently (as Wall conjectures), St. Paul
to declare the children to be holy from their birth, whereas their parents'
hohness would not make them holy. And Theodoret — " Even if
'* either party continue in their disease, the seed shall partake of salva-
'* tion (t. e.y by admission into the fellowship with Christ, which is at
♦* Baptism) ;" so, also, the author of the Quaest. ad Antioch. Q. 114,
quotes this text, with Matt. xix. 14, in proof that " the infant children
*' of believers, if baptized, enter into the kingdom of heaven, them-
" selves spotless and believing."
Ambrosiaster also implies that this holiness arises from a dedication
to God. "They are holy, because born amid the worship of the
'* Creator. For, as whatever takes place amid dedication to idols is un-
" clean, so, whatever amid the profession of God the Creator, is holy."
(ad loc. ap. Ambrosii 0pp.)
The above are quoted by Wall, art. Tertullian, St. Austin (c. 15. § 2.)
Panlinus (c. 18. § 4.), Pelagian Controversy (c. 19. § 19.) In the
following, although he names the authors, he hardly does them justice ;
Chrysostom (ad Heb.) Spurious but ancient books, c. 23. § 3.
It is useful, however, for the present times, to show (as above stated,
p. 163), that the "reformed" writers, although they, for the most
part, exaggerated the holiness which the infants of Christian parents
brought with them into the world, still held that this belonged to
them, because their i)arents were outwardly in the covenant, not on
account of their personal holiness. — " Wee speake not of the inherent
" holinesse of the child as regenerate, t. e., immediately from God.
•* but of holinesse federal and ecclesiastical, which may be applyable
*♦ to persons unregenerate, as Ps. 1. 5. 16, 17- The parents visibly
** believing and inchurched, are instiTimentall causes of that holinesse
•* of their children ; yea, whether believers in veritie or onely visibilitie,
** it sufficeth thereunto; nor are httle ones thus in covenant with God
** and His Church, without the visibilitie of faith in the parents, either
** past or present : personal holinesse consisteth not with living in
** known sinnes, but federal hohnesse may. Ezek. xvi." Cobbet's
Vindication of the Covenant and Church Estate of Children of Church
Members, and of their right to Baptism, p. 20.
'* We say of our infants, that 'tis enough for us that their parents, or
** any other in whose ])ower they are, do present them to the Church."
P. Martyr. " The Apostle doth manifestly declare, that the children of
** believing parents are holy, yea, though but one of the parents be-
" lieveth; by which holiness nothing else can be understood, than being
*• within the covenant ; whereby holy jicrsons are distinguished from
" profane." Beiia. *' Upon this ground doth Paul strongly prove the
HOLINESS OF PARENTS WAS REQUIRED FOR BAPTISM OF CHILD. 281
** believers might keep their unbelieving wives, because the children
" which they had by such, were (by reason that one parent was a
** Christian) holy j to wit, with holiness of the covenant made with the
*' faithful and their seed. And in this respect, the children of those
♦* that are in the covenant are said to be born unto the Lord, and to be
*♦ His children. Ezek. xvi. 8. 20, 21. And so the children of the
" Church are called the holy seede, differing herein from the seed of other
** people. Ezra ix. 2, 3." Ainsworth, Censure of Dialogue of Anab. p.67.
" This holiness is believed to consist in their belonging to the Church
** of Christ. For they are reckoned, as if both parents were holy. But
" if you ask how the sons of Christians belong to the Church or to
** Christ, we answer, no otherwise than the sons of the Hebrews, be-
" cause they were of the posterity of Abraham, are said to be included
•* in the covenant of God. For God promised to be not only his God,
" but the God of his seed. Gen. xvii. Therefore, our children are bap-
** tized, as those of the ancients were circumcised, because they are
*♦ not to be accounted out of the Church." P. Martyr.
" Hereby is the phrenzy of the Anabaptists wholly condemned.
•* For St. Paul has pronounced the children to be holy, on grounds
** of which men can judge ; not from the working of faith, or
*' election, or confession of faith, Ijut from the promise of God, which
** was made to Abraham and his seed ; I will be thy God, and of
** thy seed after thee ; i. c, of the children who shall be born of thee.
" And we, in like manner, believe, that infants, born of believers, are
** holy ; and, on that account, receive them into the Church, when
" offered for Baptism ; yea, and offer remission of sins, which is of the
♦* promise of God, who, by that administration of the Sacraments, im-
" parts Himself and His grace to us. We, as St. Paul, do not herein
" look to election, which is known to God only, nor confession of the
** lips, which infants cannot make, and which is not always true in
** adults, but mainly the promise of God. Then we look to that of
** which men can judge ; that, namely, children who are born of a pa-
'* rent who calls upon God, are holy, and in the covenant of God, and
" therefore to be baptized." Bollinger ad loc. ; so also Aretius.
The distinction between the two states of our children, before and
after Baptism, is, in some measure, still expressed by Pareus (one of
the reformed of Germany), who well says, *' In the Church, we are born
•• not Christians regenerated, but Christians to be regenerated ;" and
Ainsworth, 1. c. p. Go. " The infants of the Church are, by the cove-
" nant of grace, of the body of Christ, even, as by nature, they are of
*' the body and stock of Adam."
Note (P) on page 199.
In presenting this parallel between the interpretations of the Zuin-
282
RESEMBLANCK OF SOCINIAN AND KEFORMKD
glian or Calvinist school, and the early Socinians, on the subject of
Baptism, no particular pains have been taken to select those in which
there was most verbal resemblance : on the contrary, the writer re-
collects that he observed many passages in some principal writers of
the reformed school, more exactly corresponding with the rationalist,
or apriori, maxims of the Socinians, than those which he subsequently
noted, and here exhibits : in other cases, he could not recover, without
loss of time, the parallel passages to the Socinian statements, which
had gradually drawn his attention to the similarity of the two schools.
This appeared however of the less moment, and not worth a laboured
research, inasmuch as it is the general similarity only of their mode of
interpretation and their maxims, which is here held out as a warning :
fuller identity, on this one doctrine of the Sacraments, might be estab-
lished ; but this, it is hoped, will suffice as a warning, and with that
end only should such a parallel be presented. If the investigation is
pursued as an historical subject, the interest which all inquiry, as
such, involves, is likely to make the exhibition cease to be painful,
and then it will probably be hurtful to those who engage in it.
Acts
Zuingli- Calvinists.
Piscator ad loc. ** *for the re-
mission of sins. '' A metonymy
of the subject: For it is not to
obtain the remission of sins by
this mean or instrument ; since
faith alone is that mean or in-
strument, whereby in the Gos-
pel we lay hold of remission of
sins;" and ap. Gat. p. 111.
That those words * for the re-
mission of sins,' do not mean
* to obtain by this act remission
of sins,' one may judge," &c.
Calvin ad loc. — " Although, in
the order of words, Baptism here
precedes remission of sins, in
reahty it follows, since it is
nothing else than the sealing of
those good things which we
obtain through Christ, that
they may be established in our
consciences. Since Baptism is
a seal, whereby God confirms
this benefit to us, it may rightly
ii. 38.
Socinians.
Quoted with approbation by
Wolzogen ad loc.
Socinus de Bapt. Aquce. c. 7. —
** Since it is most certain that
** sins are effaced by repentance
" and faith, and that each must
'* precede the baptism of water,
*' if rightly received, sins being
" washed away by water-baptism
** can mean nothing else, than
*• that it is declared by baptism
** that sins are already removed,
** and this is publicly as it were
" sealed."
*• The words washing, purging,
" cleansing, expiating, remitting,
•* &c. in Holy Scripture often
" mean not the thing itself, but
** the declaration of that thing ; so
*• F. Vatablus in many places of
•' the Old Testament."
" Peter by no means attributes
•' remissipn of sins to that Bap-
" tism, or solemn ablution, but
EXPOSITION OF SCRIPTURE ON BAPTISM.
283
Acts ii. 38-
Zuingli-Calvinists.
" be said to be given to us * for
*' the remission of sins.' "
Sclater, in Rom. ii. 25. ap. Gat.
p. 92. — " The meaning of Act. ii.
** 38. xxii. 26. is, that Baptism is
" to be received as a seal, for the
*• greater certainty of pardon.
" For had not the Jews believed,
** and Paul repented, before they
" were baptized ? But, who
** knows not that remission be-
" longs, by the Divine promise,
'* to those who believe and truly
*' repent ? Why then are they to be
*' baptized? For a fuller confir-
" mation."
Walceus, Disp. 44. de Bapt. Thes.
27. 29. ap. Gat. p. 97.—" Scrip-
" ture requires beforehand, in all
•* who are to be baptized, faith
" and repentance, and so the be-
'• ginning and seed of regenera-
** tion ; therefore regeneration
** cannot be begun in Baptism ; for the cause cannot be sub-
** sequent to the effect."
Malcolm, ad loc. ap. Gat. p. 92. paraphrases '* Receive Bap-
* ' tism, a sign of remission of sins.'*
Peter Martyr, ad. 1 Reg. 8. f. 73. v. — ** If the Divine Scrip-
" tures seem to attribute remission of sins or salvation to the
" outward symbols, that is to be understood as a metonymy,
" whereby what belongs to the things signified is given to the
** sign, and the things signified are expressed by their sym-
** bols." Ad Rom. p. 608. ibid. " Sacraments have the same
•* relation to justification, as the preaching of the Gospel and
** the promise concerning Christ, which is offered to us to
*' salvation. For frequently in the Sacraments, what belongs
" to the thing itself, is ascribed to the Sacraments."
Daneeus (adv. Bellar. t. ii. contr. ii. 42. c. 14. ad arg. ap. Gat.
p. 103.) in answer to the argument that " Holy Scripture attests
'* that Sacraments are instruments, not seals only," answers, —
** Instruments and signs, yea, though they only seal and attest,
" are said by a trope and metonymy to do that which they
8
(continued.)
Socinians.
'* meant to ascribe every thing to
" repentance, before named ; or,
** if he meant to take account at
" all of that outward washing, he
" did not mean the very remis-
** sion itself, but a sort of decla-
** ration and sealing of the remis-
" sion. And, in many places in
*' the New Testament, in which
" sins are said to be remitted, or
" the like phrase, this is either by
" a Hebrew idiom, or by a simple
" metonymy common to all lan-
* * guages, and they signify not the
" thing itself, but the declaration
" of the things. This by the way,
** which will not however be use-
'* less to the right understanding
" of all those places, where re-
*' mission of sins either is, or
'* seems to be, attributed to Bap-
" tism."
284^
RESEMBLANCE OF SOCINIAN AND REFORMED
Zuingli- Calvinists.
" seal." So Whitaker de Sacr. ib. p. 103. AmeSy adv. Bell, ib.
p. 112. DanauSy ib. *' Not to obtain, but to attest, a real
** remission of sins.'*
Acts viii. 37.
Zuingli- Calvinists.
Whitaker de Sacram, q. 4. cap.
2. ad Bellar. rat 1. ap. Gat. p. 104.
" The righteous are also holy
" [* and consequently regenerate/
" Whit.] before they are admitted
'• to the Sacraments ; for in adults
" holiness is previously required ;
** for faith is required, and holi-
*' ness always follows faith, for
" faith is holy, and makes those
** who have it holy." See others
above, pp. 118, 120, 122.
Socinians.
F. Socintis de Bapt. Aquae, c. 5.
0pp. t. 1. p. 720. '• Philip saith
** to the Eunuch, who wished to
** be baptized with water, (in
** Jesus Christ's name,) * if thou
" belie vest with all thy heart, thou
*• mayest.* He then, who would
** be rightly baptized in the name
** of Jesus Christ, must believe
*• with all his heart in Christ.
** Therefore that Baptism confers
** nothing which is necessary to
•* salvation, but only attests, that
** he who is baptized hath those
" things which are necessary."
Acts xxii
Chamier, t. iv. 1. 2. c. 3. § 15.
ap. Gat. p. 104. — " It is not ne-
** cessary that remission of sins
" should here be attributed to
*' Baptism; for there are three
" things, * Arise, be baptized,
" wash away thy sins.* Nor is
•• remission, or the power of re-
** mitting. necessarily attributed
*' to Baptism, more than Baptism,
** or the power of baptizing, to
** the * arising.' But if it be ab-
** surd to attribute that power to
" the * arising,' it certainly is not
•* necessary to attribute it to Bap-
" tism."
Piscator, ad loc. — ** He does
*• not mean, to obtain remission of
** sins by this mean or instrument,
" because faith alone is the mean
" or iuKtrument whereby we lay
*' hold on remission of sins in the
.16.
Wolzogen, ad loc. — " It is not
** hence to be inferred, that sins
'* are proj)erly washed away by the
•* very water of Baptism. For sins
** are the defilements of the soul,
*• not of the body ; therefore they
" cannot be effaced by material
•* water, which only washes the
** body. But by the Baptism of
** water, as an outward sign, a
** declaration is made of what
'* ought to take place within.
** Not unfrequently words which
'* signify purifying are used for
'* the declaration and attestation
" of purifying. This washing
*• away and effacing of sins, with
" their lemission by God, is not
•* to be attributed to Baj)tisin only,
" but to true faith, and profession
" of the name of Christ, whereof
" Baptism is an. adjunct. And
EXPOSITION OF SCRIPTITRT; ON BAPTISM.
285
Acts xxii. 16-
Zuingli- Calvinists .
'* Gospel. But Baptism is a
" mean or instrument which the
•' Holy Spirit uses to confirm
" faith." Willett, Synops. Pa-
pismi, contr. 11. q. 2. "Wee
*' answer, that the text joineth
" with the Sacrament the invoca-
" Hon of the name of God, to the
•* which salvation is promised.
** (Rom. X. 13). Wherefore that
** place (Acts xxii. 16.) maketh
** nothing to your purpose/' (that
the Sacraments wash away sins).
In nearly the same words, Fulke,
Rhem. Test. Zuingli, ad Fridol.
Dindov. t i. f. 204. *' Baptism is
" here ( 1 Pet. iii.) taken for faith,
*' for it alone saves us.*' Calv.
ad loc. " Paul's sins were already
" remitted to him. He was not
" then washed by Baptism, but
** had a new confirmation of that
" favour which he had obtained."
So Malcolm, ad loc. ap Gat. p. 104.
Seealso above, pp. 47. 119, &c.
(continued).
Socinians.
" those words, * wash away thy
" sins,' may be referred, not to
" the preceding, but to what fol-
" lows ; so that the washing away
*' of sins may be attributed, not
** to Baptism itself, but to the call-
'* ing on the name of the Lord,
** and what is contained under
*' it." Crell 0pp. Exeg. t. iii. p.
135. *' Remission of sins is attri-
** buted to Baptism, not by virtue
•* of the outward rite, but by the
** profession of the name of
** Christ, which is inseparably
'* united with this rite, if duly
*' performed." Socinus, de
Bapt. Aquae, c. 7. approves of the
last expedient, quoted above,
from Wolzogen, and again —
•* Though it should be admitted
** that Ananias, when he ex-
** horted Paul to be baptized, and
** wash away his sins, calUng ujwn
" the name of the Lord, meant
** that sins were washed away by
" Baptism, i. e. by that outward
** washing, it would not follow that he said that the sins them-
" selves were really efifaced by Baptism, but only that it was
'* openly shown, and as it were sealed, that they were effaced."
Gal. iii. 27.
P. Martyr, in 1 Reg. 8 f.73.v.—
** On the whole, this is to be held,
** that outward signs do not in
" anywise unite us with Christ,
*• but are given to us when so
** united. What is said to the
** Galatians is so to be understood.
** If ' to put on Christ,' is to be
** a member of Him, this precedes
" Baptism ; if to express, in ac-
** tion and life, the character of
** a son of God, this follows after
" Baptism."
Crellius, 0pp. Exeget. t. iii. p.
233.—" • To put on Christ,' is
" not only to take the disposition
" and actions of Christ, but His
" state and condition in the grace
" of sonship with Goo. Christ
" could and ought to be put on
" before Baptism, which took
*' place doubtless in the house of
*' Cornelius, to whom the Holy
*' Spirit was given before Bap-
*' tism (Acts X. 44.) ; and it may
" be repeated afterwards, as we
386
RESEMBLANCE OF SOCINIAN AND REFORMED
-(continued).
Sociniarts.
" learn from the Apostle's exhort-
" ation, Rom. xiii. 14. The
" Apostle, in that in this place
"he joins this 'putting on of
" Christ' with Baptism, or ra-
" ther with the baptized, does not
" mean that Christ is properly
" put on through Baptism itself,
" but that Baptism is an argument,
•' that they who received it have
" put on Christ j which itself,
*' lastly, is to he favourably inter-
" preted, not that it is always so,
" but that it ought to be, and is
" therefore by the charity [the ' ex
" judicio charitatis' of the Reform-
" ed school] which suspecteth no
" e\al, to be presumed to take
" place also, unless any thing pre-
** vent." 0pp. Exeg. t. i. p 44,
and ad loc. " The Galatians, by
" the means of the faith and reli-
" gion which they had embraced
" from his teaching, were altoge-
" ther united and engraffed into
" Christ. By Baptism, they at-
" tested that they put on Christ,
" ». e. thoroughly embraced His
" religion and manner of life,
" were conformed to Him, and so
" engraffed and united \v)th Him.
" For in fact, Christ is put on out of Baptism, chiefly by the
" very manner of life ; whence Paul exhorts the Romans, who
*' had long ago been baptized, to put on the Lord Jesus
" Christ ; but by a certain shadowing out and profession, it
*' takes place in Baptism." So also Slichtinyius, ad Rom. xiii.
14. F. SocinuSf although on the whole he inchnes to the inter-
pretation, " that the Galatians, when they were baptized into
** Christ, of necessity professed that they had put on Christ,
" and wished to put Him on ;" yet he is well content with
that other, which would deny any reference to water-baptism,
in that it had been said before, *' for ye are all sons of God
Gal. iii. 27-
Zuingli- Calvinists.
Fulke, Bhemish Testament. —
** The Apostle reasoneth from the
** signe to the things signified, to
** prove that by faith in Christ
** we are the children of God, be-
** cause Baptism, representing our
" putting on of Christ as a gar-
'* raent, is a seal of justification
" by faith, as circumcision was to
** Abraham — no cause, but a tes-
** timony of his justification. As
" also Cornehus, and they that
" were with him, had their hearts
•* purified by faith, and received
" the Holy Ghost. Whereby
** God testified that Baptisme
** giveth not grace, of the work
** wrought, but is a seal of grace/*
&c.
Piscator ad loc— " Baptism is
*' a divine testimony to behevers,
** that they have put on Christ,
'* or are engraffed into Christ.
" But they err who infer hence,
" that all who are baptized put
*• on Christ."
See also P. Martyr on Corne-
lius above, p. 138, Note.
EXPOSITION OF SCRIPTURE ON BAPTISM.
tS7
Socinians.
Gal. iii. 27 — (contmued).
" through faith in Christ Jesus." " Herein faith is expressly
" treated of, whereby we are made sons of God, which is
** obtained not by the Baptism of water, but of the Spirit,
" and without which there may be Baptism of water, but of
" the Spirit there cannot be. Whereas then there is imme-
** diately subjoined, * For whoever,' &c. ; which words are
'• the ground of the preceding, according to the force of the
" particle * for,' [see on the contrary Chrysostome above,
p. 30.] " not water Baptism, but some spiritual Baptism seems
** to be the subject."
Rom.
Zuingli- Calvinists.
Zuingli ad loc. — " In the out-
ward sign of Baptism ye may
understand how ill sins become
you. The dipping of your body
into the water was a sign, that
you ought to be engrafFed into
Christ and His death ; that as
He died and was buried, so you
also should be dead to the flesh,
and your old man, i. e. your-
selves."
Peter Martyr, ad loc, — '* Being
baptized into Christ, means
nothing else than to be initiated,
under His command, direction,
auspices. And by this figure
of speech it is signified that we
pass into Christ, so as to be
united with Him most closely
in faith, hope, and charity. As
soldiers to a commander, so
we are bound to Christ in
Baptism, and swear that we
never after will fall away to the
devil,"
vi. 3.
Socinians.
CrelL 0pp. Exeg. t. i, p. 342.
** Christians profess, by the rite
" of Baptism, that they wish to
" become as dead." Id. t. ii.
p, 122, 123.— "The Baptism of
" Christ not only represents re-
" pentance and remission of sins,
" i. e. is received as a sign of re-
** pentance to be performed, and
" remission of sins to be obtained ;
" but moreover as a sign that
" Christ is to be put on ; and
" with Him we must die to sin,
" and rise again to newness of
** life," — Slichtingius, ad loc. 0pp.
t. i. p. 210. " We bound our-
" selves by Baptism, yea, we ex-
" pressed, as it were, by a sort of
" figure and similitude, that we
*' would become partakers of
" Christ's death, or die with
"Christ. But what other death to
" which all we, who are Christians
" bound ourselves by Baptism,
" can be meant, than to die to sin ?
" This alone engraffs all Chris-
" tians into Christ by the like-
" ness of death."
Tit. iii. 5.
Piscator in anal. c. 3. Tit. Socinus Elenchi Sophistici.
God saves us by regeneration Fratr. Pol.t. 1. p. 644, "People,
288
RESEMBLANCE OF SOCINIAN AND REFORMED
Tit. iii. 5-
Zuingli- Caloinists.
*' and renovation of the Holy
** Spirit, as it were by a sort of
" bath, whereby we are cleansed
" from the defilement of sin, of
*' which bath, Baptism is a seal."
Ikes. Theol. vol. i. loc. 25. § 20.
" By ' the washing of regenera-
** tion' the Apostle does not seem
" to mean Baptism, but regenera-
*' tion itself, which he compares
" with a bath." Sclater in Rom.
ii. 15. (ap. Gat. p. 102.) " It is
" doubtful whether (Tit. iii. 5.)
** the Sacraments be spoken of, or
** the Spirit only." Zuingli resp.
ad Luther, confess. " That theo-
*' logians have, and do, greatly
** err herein, matters not. For
" they understand not that those
** sayings of Paul, Tit. iii. Ep. v.
** ' of the washing of water by the
*• word' and * the bath of regene-
" ration' are enallages, i. e. inter-
*' terchanges of functions, whereby
** there is attributed to the signs,
'* what they merely signify." Ga-
taker, 1. c. " It may well be
** doubted whether the Sacrament
** of Baptism or the internal
*• washing be here meant." Vors-
tius anti-Bellarra. ad t. 3. contr.
1. Thes. 1 et 2. ad rat. 2. ex Eph.
v. Tit. iii. (ap. Gat. p. 121.) p.
350. " Those of oi.r side answer,
** that these testimonies (Eph.
" v. 26. Tit. iii. 5.) are foreign
** to the purix)se, since they de-
" clare, metaphorically, the things
** which are signified in the Sa-
'* craments, but do not treat of
" the Sacraments properly so
" called." •• The Evangelicals
" (Calvinists) answer, that this
(continued).
Socinians.
" not observing the ambiguity,
" have believed that Baptism is
** meant by the washing of rege-
•* neration ; and that thereby, if
*' it be received rightly, men
" are regenerated ; whereas, un-
" less I am greatly deceived,
•* Paul, by the * washing of rege-
** neration,' means that regene-
" ration, whereby we are washed,
" ». e. cleansed from our sins,
** and that in two ways ; 1st, be-
" cause he who is regenerated
'* puts off his sins, and is thus
** freed from the defilements of
** sin ; 2dly, because he who is
" freed from sins escapes all pe-
** nalty for past sins. ' Crellius,
de Satisfact. Christi. 0pp. t. 4. p.
167. explains it " a bath of that
** sort, whereby we become new
•* men, yea, or new creatures in
*• mind, will, and actions, which
" washing St. Paul ascribes to
** the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor. vi. 11.
** For to this same action there
" concur the death of Christ, the
'* Holy Spirit, the word of the
" Gospel, which is proonmafely
" employed to effect it." And ad
loc. " The * Holy Spirit' im-
" plies that, whereby that wash-
'• ing takes place which produced
•* regeneration and renovation.
•* And this is nothing else than
*' the application to ourselves of
" what the Holy Spirit, putting
" itself forth in the word of Goo,
" dictates to us, and thus the
" laying aside of the defilements
" of the mind and will. Hence
** results a regeneration or reno-
" vation, i. e. such a change of
EXPOSITION OF SCRIPTURE ON BAPTISM.
:289
Tit. iii. 5-
Zuinyli- Calvinists.
*' is a petitio principii, in that
** those effects are referred to the
" outward water of Baptism,
" which, in the passages cited,
" (Eph. V. Tit. iii. &c.) are directly
'* adapted to Christ Himself and
** His blood and Spirit by the in-
" tervention of faith, conceived
**from the Gospel," Sfc. lb.
Contr. 2. thes. 6, 7- p. 376; and
again p. 367. ** They speak of
" the things signified by the Sa-
** crament, not of the Sacra-
** ment;" and p. 357- " There is
*' in the allegation of these pas-
** sages a fallacy arising from an
** ambiguous term, and a figure
*' of speech : since Baptism is
" often not the sacramental sign,
" especially taken apart, but
" the internal purifying or ab-
" lution of the mind, either
** alone, or again regarded toge-
** ther with its sign." P. Mar-
tyr ad 1. Reg 8. f. 73. v. " The
" soul, which is a spirit, and
'* incorporeal, is not cleansed
** with these palpable and bodily
" things." So Willett, Synops.
Papismi Contr. 11. Q. 2. and
Fulke, Rhem. Test. " God hath
" saved us by the renewing of
** the Holy Ghost, which is
'* testified by the Sacrament of
** Baptism," &c.
Lalvi ad loc.
Heb. X. 22.
'What follows
(continued).
Soeinians.
** the man, that, as to mind and
" will, you suddenly appear a
" new, yea, a different man : as
'* to the mind, by knowledge of
'* the Divine will, as to the will,
'* by executing it." Slichtingius,
ad loc. 0pp. t. 2. p. 287. " We
'* are saved, says the Apostle, by
*' a washing, which is regene-
" ration, whereby we are made
" other men, and renovation,
'* whereby we are made new men.
** He shows that he is not speak -
** ing of the washing of the body,
" which does not reach the mind,
** but of the spiritual washing,
** whereby the defilements of the
*' mind, not of the body, are done
** away. The defilements of the
*' mind are vices and sins. That
" the Holy Spirit is spoken of
*' as water, the word * washing'
" shows ; and that it is said to be
** poured upon us most abun-
'* dantly. He does not then here
" treat of material water, or water
" properly so called, which is
" employed in Baptism, but of
" the washing of water, which is
'* the Holy Spirit. For Christ
** alone has the power and efl5cacy
'* of regenerating and renewing
" us. The washing of water,
** which is contained in Baptism,
'* only so far belongs here, as it is
** a sign and Sacrament instituted
** by God of the washing of the
** Holy Spirit, or of the rege-
" neration and renovation which
** take place through the Holy
'* Spirit."
(1 Pet. iii. 21.)
Crelliiis ad Heb. 0pp. Exeget.
290
RESEMBLANCE OF SOCINIAN AND REFORMED
Heb. X. 22. (1 Pet.
Zuinijli- Calvinists.
" of the * body washed with pure
" water' most understand of Bap-
" tism, but it seems more probable
*' to me that the Apostle alludes to
'* the old ceremonies of the law,
•* and so under the name of water
" designates the Spirit of God,
** as in Ezek. xxxvi. 25. This
** is sanctification, not what con-
** sists in the visible pomp of
** ceremonies, but a firm faith, a
" pure conscience, cleanness of
** body and soul, which flows
" from, and is affected by, the
" Spirit of God. (Coll. 2 Cor.
** vii. 1.") Piscator ad loc. finds
the same reference to legal ablu-
tions only. Zuingli is, as usual,
the source ; (ad hbell. D. Baltha-
zar, f. 100.) He paraphrases
thus : " If ye wash your hearts,
** and so your inner man, by
** purity and innocence, then
" are ye indeed washed and puri-
" fied by a far better bath than
" those of old, (under the law,)
** who, washing away the filth of
" the body, neglected, altogether,
** the contagions and pollutions
" of the mind." The whole
argument of Crellius is indeed
what we have above (p. 98, 99.)
seen in Zuingli, who also speaks
of " the water that is the hea-
** venly doctrine." De Pecc. Orig.
Opp. t. ii. f. 121. v. and the
*' spiritual water." Ad loc. "toafer
" is the sym])ol of doctrine and
'* instruction.'^ Id. t. i. P. 2. p.
404. and p. 142, 143. 172. " Bap-
'• tism is teaching.'* De Bapt.
t. ii. f. 61, 78. de vera et falsa
relig. f. 201. v.
iii. 21.) — (Continued.)
Socinians.
t. ii. p. 176. " There is no occa-
*' sion, in this allegory, to suppose
" that any thing directly corre-
'* sponds to pure water, since the
" sacred author seems to allude
" to the custom, under the law,
** of washing the body with pure
'* water. But if any one seeks a
" fuller resemblance, the spirit
** and doctrine of Christ, or that
" spiritual water, wherewith
'* Christ bedews His, not ex-
" eluding His blood, will be to be
" understood. For by this water
'* is it, that the filth of sins are
" washed away. For water-bap-
" tism is only an outward sign
" and shadowing of that ablution
" which the author here means;
'* whereby neither our hearts can
" be sprinkled, nor the filth of
'* sins be really washed away.
" That Spiritual Baptism then,
" which indeed saves us, is here
** to be understood: that, I say,
"which, according to Peter, is
'* not the putting away of the
*• filth of the flesh, or the out-
" ward washing of the body, but
** the answer of a good conscience
"towards God, O Pet. iii. 21.)
** which is not effected by any
" elemental water, but by that
" heavenly and spiritual, whereof
" we spoke." So also Socinus de
Bapt. Aquae c. 12.
Crell. Respons. ad Grot. Opp.
t. iv. p. 218. " * To sprinkle from
" an evil conscience' is to free
" and purge the mind from sin,
"as to have * the body washed
" with pure water' is to be pure
" from outward sins, which are
" done in the body."
EXPOSITION OF SCRIPTURE ON BAPTISM.
291
1 Ck)r. xii. 13.
Socinians.
Socinus de Bapt. aquce, c. 8,
— " He sets forth the Baptism
** of the Spirit, which is wont
"to be opposed to the Bap-
" tism of water ; so far from
'* our being obliged, or justified
" in understanding a water-bap-
*' tism, when we find that expres-
** sion." — **And if any one would
" think with himself, and ab-
" stract himself awhile from in-
*' veterate opinions, he will see
*' and confess that Christians are
*' united into one body by the
** Baptism, not of water, but of
" the Holy Spirit. For, since
** water-baptism is an outward
*' thing and visible to all, it can-
" not be said to join together and
" form the true body of Christ-
** ians, (whereto the argument of
'* the opponents must needs re-
" late,) i. e. the true Church,
" which is not seen with bodily eyes ; but the Baptism of the
** Spirit, which is an interior thing, and can only be seen in
'* its effects, can rightly join together and constitute the Church
" of Christ, which is in like way invisible. For neither does
** the Baptism of the Spirit always accompany the Baptism of
'* water. But who will deny that he is indeed a Christian,
" who shall have been washed by the Holy Spirit, although
" (as we have read of and must believe to happen daily) he
" shall not have been dipped in the water-baptism which the
" Apostles used ? Some even of those, who thought that Paul
" in this place spoke of water-baptism, have seen that it is not
" through water-baptism that Christians are united into one
" body : so great is the power of truth : and treating of these
'* words of Paul, have said that they are not to be taken as if
" we passed into Christ's body by Baptism, for we first pass
*' over, and then are signed by Baptism to testify this."
" He (Castalio) saw, I suppose, two things ; 1st, that no
'* other Spirit is here meant than that which, for the most part,
** does not precede, but follows water- baptism, and through
** which Baptism is not received, but is declared either to have
Zuingli- Calvinists.
P. Martyr in 1 Reg. 8. ** This
** is not to be explained as if we
** first pass into the body of
" Christ by outward Baptism,
" since we were of the body of
•' Christ before, and were out-
** wardly baptized, that this
** might be attested and sealed,
** as the token given to a soldier
** does not enroll, but is given to
" him when enrolled."
Zuingli de Bapt. f. 62. " Those
** Baptisms (water, the Spirit,
** outward teaching, the whole
*' Gospel) do not always come
" together, nor is there any rea-
** son that they should."
Zuingli Hist. Dom. Ascens. p.
404. " The Baptism then of the
" Spirit, which is faith, follows
'* that of water."
292
RESEMBLANCE OF SOCINIAN AND REFORMED
1 Cor. xii. 13 — (continued),
been, or also that it may be rightly received, i. e. of si)irituai
gifts, as every one, reading the whole Chapter, accurately
may see."
1 Pet.
Zuingli- Calvinists.
Vorst Anti-Bellarm. ad t. iii.
contr. 1. thes. 6. § 4. " The tes-
*' timonies quoted, as to Baptism,
** are in truth altogether foreign
" (sc. Joh. iii. Eph. v. Tit. iii.
•* and 1 Pet. iii.) where the power
** of cleansing sins is not attri-
** buted to the outward water of
** Baptism, but to the word of
*' life, apprehended through faith,
** and to the internal renovation
*' of the Holy Spirit."
Zuingli in Hist, domin. ascens.
t. iii. P. 2. p. 404. " Ye have
** hitherto been baptized with the
** Baptism of John, but now ye
" shall be baptized with another
** Baptism, i. e. with the Holy
" Spirit." (The Baptism of
John and that of the Christian
Church he held to be the same).
Ad Fridol. Lindov. t. i. f. 204.
" Baptism does not save us, as
** far as it washes the surface and
** filth of the body, but as far as
" our conscience answers itself
'• well.
De vera et falsa relig. t. ii. f.
178. ** And that we may under-
•' stand not the water- baptism,
** but an internal change of the
** old man by repentance, he
** adds, this does not take place
** thereby that the filth of the
*' body is washed away, (for this
'* is all which water can do,) but
'* when the conscience, examin-
*• ing itself, answere itself satis-
*' factorily as toitsstate withGoD."
m. 21.
Socinians.
Crell. 0pp. Exeg. t. iii. p. 329.
** The Apostle teaches, 1st, what
** Baptism is not ; 2dly, what it
" is. 1. Not the putting aside
"the filth of the flesh. The
" matter is plain : wherefore they
*' are the more to be blamed,
** who, when they hear Baptism
** spoken of up and down in
** Holy Scripture, and that as
" a thing necessary to salvation,
** although there be no indica-
" tion of an outward water-bap-
" tism which washeth away the
** filth of the flesh, forthwith un-
" derstood this ? Why not rather
" the Holy Spirit, or spiritual
** Baptism which Peter explains
'* to us, and asserts that by the
** grace of God it bringeth sal-
" vation ? Or why not rather the
" Baptism of the Spirit, since
** this is the peculiar Baptism of
** Christ, and is opposed to the
" water-baptism wherewith John
" was wont to initiate his disci-
"ples?"
Slichtingius ad he. 0pp. t. ii.
p. 329- ** Baptism so far saves
" us, not as it contains any lay-
** ing aside of the filth of the
'* flesh, but as it contains that,
" whereof the outward washing
•' of the flesh is a sign and sacra-
** ment, namely, the interroga-
" tory of a good conscience to-
'* wards Gou."
Socinus de Bapt. aqua, c. 12.
" What else can ' Baptism saves
EXPOSITION OF SCRIPTURE ON BAPTISM.
298
1 Pet. iii. 21-
Zuingli- Cahinists.
Whitaker de Sacr. ap. Gat. p.
109. '* Faith is required in adults
" before Baptism, whence it is
•* manifest that it is faith which
" saves us, not Baptism."
(continued) .
Sociniajis.
" us,not,&c.'meanbut * a Baptism
** saves us, but by Baptism, I
** mean, not the putting off of the
** filth of the flesh, but the answer
'* of a good conscience,' * or a
** Baptism which is,' &c. ? So
** certainly the author of the
" truly golden notes on the New
'* Testament in the Bible of Vatablus ; as if he said, the Bap-
'* tism whereby we are saved, is not a washing whereby the
* filth of the flesh is washed away, but the declaration of a
* right and faithful mind towards God, whereby the filth of
* the soul is washed away, as by water that of the body. This
* explanation of the passage being retained, it is from this plea
' manifestly false that Baptism saves us ; so far from this
* assumption being confirmed by the testimony of Peter. Nor
* is it true that the Baptism of water saves us so far as that
* interrogation of a good conscience there takes place."
Eph.
Piscator, Thes. Theol. t. i. loc.
25. § 17. ap. Gat. p. 119. "By
*• the washing of water. Baptism
•* is not necessarily understood,
** since there may be understood
** blood compared to the washing
*' of water." Zuingli de Peccato
Orig. 0pp. t. ii. f. 121. v. " Bap-
** tism is sometimes taken for the
'* blood or passion of Christ ;
" in 1 Pet. iii., he meaneth not
** thewashing of water, but Christ
** Himself, or His blood and death ;
" so that the sign is taken for the
** thing signified. How absurd,
** then, any one, who contends,
" on account of certain expres-
'* sions, that we are washed from
** sin by the water of Baptism !
" So, also, Eph V. and Rom. vi.
** are not to be taken to the let-
" ter." Ad Fridol. Lindov. t. i.
f. 204. ** God ordered, that he who
V. 26.
Crellius de Satisfact. Christi,
0pp. t. iv. p. 167. " If the
*' Apostle had meant by * purify-
" ing' expiation or freeing from
** guilty and the punishment of
** sin, he would not have made
** mention of the * washing of
" water in the word,' but of
" * blood,' wherewith Christ ex-
" piated us, as is customary in
" Holy Scripture ; especially when
" so good an occasion was fur-
" nished by the mention of the
" death of Christ, the end of
** which he is explaining. But
** since he is speaking of the
" washing away and purifying of
'* the wickednesses themselves,
" and of that Baptism, which, as
** Peter says (1 Pet. iii. 22), is
" * not the putting away the filth
" of the flesh, but the stipulation
" of a good conscience towards
294
RESEMBLANCE OF SOCINIAN AND REFORMED
Eph. V. 26-
Zuingli — Calvinist.
** had already believed, should be
** dipped in water, not as if He
" meant, that in this way the soul
** should be cleansed, for how
** should an incorporeal svbstance
** be cleansed hy a corporeal ele-
''mentF'*
WiUett Contr. ii. Q. 2. "The
" outward element doth send and
** refer us back to the word and
** promise of God, whereof it is
** a scale."
Calvin Institt. iv. 15.2. "Paul
" did not mean that our washing
*• and saving (Tit. iii.) took place
** in the water, or that the water
** had the power of purifying, re-
** generating, renewing — for he
" unites the word of life and Bap-
** tism of water ; as if he said, that
*• by the Gospel, the tidings of ab-
" lution and sanctification were
" brought to us, and by Baptism
'* were sealed : and Peter imme-
'* diately adds, that that Baptism
** is * not the putting away of the
'* filth,' &c."
Vorstius, Anti-Bellarm. ad t. iii.
Contr. 1. Thes. 6. § 5. p. .356.
*♦ It were absurd to imagine, in
*' bare elements, a divine virtue ;
*• of penetrating, namely, into the
** very soul of man, and of wash-
" ing away sins."
Zuingli de vera et falsa relig.
t. ii. f. 198. V. ** Sacraments are
** signs and ceremonies (with de-
** ference to all, moderns and an-
** tients), whereby a man proves
** himself to the Church to be a
** candidate or soldier of Christ;
*' and they assure the whole
** Church of thy faith rather than
(continued.)
Socinian.
" God,* therefore he mentioned
" the bath of * water/ and that
" * in the word,' t. e., which bath
** takes place through the word
** of the Gospel, which is wonder-
** fiilly confirmed by the death of
" Christ." Id. 0pp. Exeg. t. i.
p. 276. " Washing of water,
•* which is His word or teaching,
*' for he explains that • washing
** of water' by apposition." F.
SocinuSy in 1 Ep. D. Johann. c. 5.
0pp. t. i. p. 237. "The mean-
" ing, to any unprejudiced per-
" son, is, that the word, i. e., the
** doctrine of Christ, has the
*' power of cleansing us from all
" our sins and stains, no less than
** water has the power of cleans-
** ing our bodies from all their
" defilements. They, then, are
** very far from the Apostle's
" mind, and the meaning of the
** words, who, deceived by the
" mention of * water,' think that
** the Baptism of water is men-
** tioned here ; whereas, no one is
** so dull, as not to see and ac-
*' knowledge, that a Baptism of
" water cannot effect such a cleans-
** ing:*
Socinus de Bapt. Aq. c. 3.
'* Which cleansing (so to speak)
•' takes place through the word,
** i. e., through the preaching of
** the Gospel, which produces faith
** (quoting Vatablus.")
*' What can be better under-
" stood (under Baptism) than
*• true repentance, which is the
** washing of tlie soul and spirit ?
** Or the pubhc profession of the
'* Gospel, and of the name of
EXPOSITION OF SCRIPTURE ON BAPTISM.
295
Eph. V. 26-
Zuingli — Calvinist.
** thee. By them we are in such
** way initiated, as in Baptism to
" enroll ourselves"
(continued.)
Socinian.
*' Jesus Christ, since the water-
" Baptism itself, used by the Apos-
'* ties, had principally for its ob-
** ject, that persons should enroll
*' themselves under Christ."
Col. ii. 11.
Zuingli de Bapt. t. ii. f. 96. v. Crellius 0pp. Exeg. t. i. p. 533.
What was circumcision to the
antients, than an outward sym-
bol, whereby they were bound
to become new men, and live
most innocently according to
the law ? Paul means, then, Ye
were circumcised, &c., when
ye put off the body of sin. But
ye were not less visibly circum-
cised than they of old, viz. , with
the circumcision of Christ,
which, while it plunges you in
the water, signifies the same,
which was of old indicated by
circumcision."
ad loc. " By Baptism, you pro-
**fessed and shadowed forth, that
" you wished to be buried and
*' rise again with Christ. But
" that resurrection takes place
" through faith. For he who be-
" lieveth that Christ is risen
" from the dead, hath that cause
" whence are derived all other
" things necessary to salvation."
Slichtingius, ad loc. 0pp. t. ii.
p. 189. " Since Baptism is the
" Sacrament, seal, and profession
** of that spiritual burial, or burial
" with Christ, which also obliges
" us to it. rightly does the Apostle
" say, that they, as also all Christians, were buried with Christ
" in Baptism. For, to die and be buried with Christ, is to
" die and be buried with sin. This has Christ wrought in
" us, by His so great love for us, that He did not hesitate to die
" for us. 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. Gal. ii. 20."
THE END.
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
BISHOP WILSON'S MEDITATIONS ON HIS SACRED
OFFICE.
No. VII.— SATURDAY.
ALMS.
Questions from the Office of Ordination. — Will you show your-
self GENTLE, AND BE MERCIFUL FOR ChRIST's SAKE TO POOR AND
NEEDY PEOPLE, AND TO ALL STRANGERS DESTITUTE OF HELP
?
AnS. I WILL SO SHOW MYSELF, BY God's HELP.
Luke xi. 41. " But rather give alms of such things as you
have, (or, as "you are able,) and all things are clean unto you."
That is, proportion your alms to your estate, lest God propor-
tion your estate to your alms. — Bishop Beveridge.
Luke xii. 33. "Sell that ye have and give alms: provide
yourselves bags which wax not old ; a treasure in the heavens
that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth cor-
rupteth. For, where your treasure is, there will your heart be
also." N.B. There is still a necessary Christian duty, whatever
men think of it ; to part with our worldly enjoyments for the
sake of Christ. ..." Give to the poor," said our Lord to the
rich young man whom He loved. Had there been a better
way of disposing of his estate. He would certainly have told
him
St. Bern. Ep. 2. Do not imagine that all that belongs to
your Church, belongs to you. You have indeed a right to live
by the Altar, but not in luxury.
Z TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
N. B. The Church has not had worse enemies, than such as
have been raised to estates out of her patrimony. This should
open the eyes of those who make no other use of Church livings
than to provide portions, raise estates and families, enrich rela-
tions, &c. : from which practices the good Lord keep me !
The goods of this world, much more the goods of the Church,
are mere depositums, put into the hands of men for the common
good — of the Church and mankind. Dr. More's Div. Dial.
Col. iii. 2. " Set your affections on things above." It is
more to our advantage to have the prayers of a poor good man,
than the smiles of the greatest man on earth. . . .
Mark x. 21. " Sell what thou hast and give to the poor ; and
thou shalt have treasure in heaven ; and come, take up the cross
and follow Me." My God ! we think we love Thee above all
things, when, without being sensible of it, we love a thousand
things better ; but as we hope for heaven, we must sacrifice even
what we love most. . . .
Matt. XXV. 40. ** Inasmuch (as often) as ye have done it
unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto
Me." As often! Who then would miss any occasion ? — The least!
who then would despise any object ? — To Me ! so that in serving
the poor, we serve Jesus Christ. O comfortable declaration ! . . . .
The last refuge of a sinner is Alms. It is an act of turning our
Master's goods innocently to our own advantage, and making to
ourselves friends of His; heaven being the patrimony and inheri-
tance of the poor ; and by our alms we engage them to solicit
the mercy of God for us. This is the only way to sanctify
riches, which are almost always either the fruit or the seed of
unrighteousness and injustice. And indeed we are more obliged
to the poor, than they to us. Earthly riches are almost always
abused, without an extraordinary grace.
Luke xviii. 12. *' I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all
that I possess." Be very careful not to be puffed up with the
thoughts of your alms. *' I give tithes of all that I possess,"
was the effect of a pride more prejudicial than the sins of a
publican. It is a stratagem of the devil to set before us a sight
of our own good works, and to deprive us of that humility which
alone can render us acceptable to Goo,
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 3
Luke xxi. 3. " Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow
hatli cast in more than they all." . . . The rich indeed may give
much, and reserve much for themselves. The poor, who gives
all, reserves nothing to himself, but faith in God's providence.
Shut my heart, O Jesus, against the love of worldly riches !
Horn. XV. 25. ** But now I go to Jerusalem, to minister (that
is, to carry alms,) unto the Saints." So great an Apostle is not
at all afraid that he should debase his character in carrying of
alms. . . . God often spares the rich for the sake of the poor.
To the poor, therefore, the rich stand indebted. A rich man, if
a good man, is more afraid of not finding fit persons to receive
his alms, than a poor man is of not finding persons to bestow
alms upon him. ...
John xii. 6. " This Judas said, not that he cared for the poor,
but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare (the money)
which was put therein." Our Lord trusts a thief with the little
money that He had for His own, or His disciples' necessities,
and for the poor, because he values it not much. My Saviour !
Thou who hast entrusted me with the revenues of the poor, make
me a faithful steward ; let me not be proud of the trust, since
Judas himself had once the same office ; but let me dread being
unfaithful, lest I draw upon me his cursed fate and end ....
We should always have enough for the poor, if we would but
moderate our vanity, and live according to the spirit of the
Gospel. . . .
Prov. xiv. 31. xvii. 5. "He that mocketh, and he that op-
presseth the poor, reproacheth his Maker ;" as if He did not
order what is best for all His creatures ....
1 Cor. xiii. 3. *' And though I bestow all my goods to feed the
poor, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." .... My
God, pour into my heart this most excellent gift, the very bond
of peace and of all virtue ! . . . .
The Apostles and their successors are the proper trustees for
the charity of Christ. . . .
The more a man gives to the poor, the more he receives from
God. The increase is like that of the five loaves and two fishes,
which produced twelve baskets of fragments, after five thousand
were filled . . ; .
4 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
Deut. xxvi. 12, 13. By this, it appears, that the proportion of
charity, appointed by God Himself to His own people for the
relief of the poor, was every year a thirtieth part of all their
incomes, or a tenth every third year ; to be laid Up every third
year as a fund for charitable uses ....
Hospitality does not consist in keeping a plentiful table, and
making great entertainments, but in providing a sober and suit-
able refreshment, for such as are in want, and for such as come
to visit us.
Oxford,
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
RECORDS OF THE CHURCH.
No. XIX.
THE HOLY CHURCH THROUGHOUT ALL THE WORLD DOTH
ACKNOWLEDGE THEE.
St. Cyprian on the Unity of the Church,
St. Cyprian was Bishop of Carthage, and was martyred in the
Valerian persecution, A.D. 258. His authority stands very
high in the Church, from his early date, and from the force and
magnanimity of his character. He was originally a teacher of
rhetoric, and was converted to Christianity by one Caecilius, a
priest, whose name he afterwards assumed. From the time he
was a Catechumen, (i. e. a candidate for baptism,) he devoted
himself to the stricter form of Christian obedience, believing that
in this way he should best arrive at the knowledge of divine
truth ; according to the text (John vii. 17.) " If any man will
do His will, he shall know of the doctrine," &c. Soon after he
was baptized he sold his goods to assist the poor. He was after-
wards ordained Priest ; and, on the death of the Bishop of Car-
thage, elected in his place. During the Decian persecution, he
was clamorously demanded by the populace at the heathen shows,
to be thrown to the wild beasts, and in consequence retired from
Carthage to a place of safety, where he remained till the fury of
the enemies of Christ abated. Some years afterwards the perse-
cution was renewed under the emperor Valerian, when he was
banished, by the Roman governor, to a city at some distance from
Carthage. Here he remained eleven months, and at the end of
this time was arrested by his persecutors, and beheaded in the
neighbourhood of his see, on September 14, A.D. 258.
His treatise on the Unity of the Church is especially valuable,
as showing the clear and complete view taken by Christians at
that early period, of the doctrine of the One Holy Catholic
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
Church, as confessed in the Creed, and maintained by the Church
of England, in her Prayer Book and by her great Divines, at
this day. It seems to have been written in consequence of a
noted religious disturbance of the day, called the Novatian Schism
1.
Heresy and Schism are snares of the Devil.
" Forasmuch as our Lord has given us these words of admoni-
tion, * Ye are the salt of the earth,' and commands us not only
to maintain an innocent simplicity of character, but to be prudent
as well as simple ; ought we not, therefore, my beloved brethren,
to keep ourselves ever on the watch, and by anxious and active
vigilance to detect and disarm the treachery of our spiritual foe ?
Let not us, who in Christ have been clothed with wisdom from
God the Father, yet prove ourselves to lack wisdom for the pro-
tection of our eternal interests. The servants of God have other
species of hostility to fear, besides that which would overthrow
them by direct opposition, and undisguised assaults. It is easy
to be cautious if the danger is before our eyes ; for when the foe
declares himself, the mind is forearmed for the battle. But fear
and caution become more needful, when the enemy steals upon
us in a lurking way, and deceives by pretence of amity : an
enemy that moves towards his ends by gestures of so subtle a
description as to have acquired therefrom the name of Serpent.
Such ever have been the arts of that being : such the dark and
insidious plots, by which he makes man his victim ; by such, in
the beginning of the world, he wrought his deceptions, and de-
ceived, with the blandishment of lying flatteries, the incautious
credulity of simple souls. And so too he tried to tempt the
Lord Himself, approaching Him by stealth, as if, for the second
time, he would gain his end by evading suspicion : he was how-
ever detected and overpowered, his repulse resulting from his
detection. Here, then, we have a lesson before us, of avoiding
the way of * the old man,* and treading in the footsteps of our
victorious Saviour ; lest we fall back, from incaution, into the
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 6
snares of death, and fail, through our neglect of prospective dan-
gers, to possess the immortality which has been gained for us.
And how can that immortality be ours, unless we keep those
commandments of Christ whereby death is driven out and sub-
dued ? For Christ Himself has warned us in these words, * If
thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.' And again ;
* If ye do the things I command you, henceforth I call you not
servants, but friends.' In fine, it is to those who act thus,
that he applies the distinction of strength and consistency ; and
speaks of them as founded in massive solidity upon a rock,
rearing themselves amidst all the storms and blasts of this world,
in tranquil and motionless stability. 'Whosoever,' He saith,
heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him
unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock : the rain
descended, the floods came, the winds blew, and beat upon that
house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock.' We ought
then to repose upon His mandates : all that he has taught and
done we ought to learn and to do. Yet how can any man say
that he believes in Christ, when he does not those things which
Christ has commanded him to do ? How shall the reward of
faith belong to the man who keeps no faith with the command-
ment? Such an one is surely tottering, and will fall away,
wafted about by the blasts of error, like dust in a whirlwind ; for
he who walks not in the way of truth, can make no advance
toward salvation.
" We must therefore, my beloved brethren, regard with sus-
picion, not only those dangers which are open and manifest, but
those still more, which steal treacherously upon us. And in these
times, when light is come unto the nations, and the beams of
salvation break forth to restore and save, when the deaf hear the
voice of spiritual grace, the blind open their eyes upon their
God, the sick grow strong unto eternal health, the lame hasten
unto the Christian communion, and the dumb break out in the
expressive accents of prayer, can there be any stronger instance
of treachery and stratagem than for this enemy, when he sees the
idols left alone, and shrines and temples deserted by the nations
of them that believe, to devise the novel artifice of deceiving the
credulity even of those who bear the name^d title of Christians ?
4 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
Heresy and schism are his invention, for the subversion of faith,
the corruption of truth, the division of unity. Those whom he
can retain no longer in the blindness of the former way, he cir-
cumvents by betraying them into deviation from their new pro-
gress. He tears men away from the Church ; and while they
imagine themselves to have come unto the light, and to have
escaped the night of this world, he secretly infuses a second ac-
cession of darkness ; so that they continue to call themselves
Christians, while they stand not by the Gospel of Christ, and
never heed or obey Him. They walk in darkness, and think
they have light; while the enemy flatters and deceives them,
transforming himself, as the Apostle says, into an angel of light,
and dressing out his emissaries as the ministers of righteousness.
These are the maintainers of night for day, of death for salvation,
of despair for proffered hope, of perfidy pretending honour, and
of anti-Christ instead of Christ. They invest falsehood in pro-
babilities, and employ stratagem for the frustration of truth."
2.
The Unity of the Church-system is represented in symbol by our
Lord's words to St. Peter.
" These results, my beloved brethren, will continue to operate,
so long as men neglect the source whence truth came, by never
looking back to the Head over all, or keeping up the form of doc-
trine, which was delivered to us by our Heavenly Teacher. With
those who will weigh the subject in their thoughts, and search it
out, it will not be necessary to employ any protracted considera-
tions or arguments. It is easy to argue with a faithful mind,
because truth in that case may be stated with brevity. The Lord
saith unto Peter, ' I say unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon
this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the
kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall
be bound also in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth,
shall be loosed in heaven.* And again he says to him, one and
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 5
the same, after his resurrection, ' Feed my sheep.' He builds his
Church on one. And though he gives an equal power to all the
Apostles, saying, * As my Father hath sent me, even so send I
you. Receive ye tjie Holy Ghost. Whosesoever sins ye remit,
they shall be remitted to him ; whosesoever sins ye retain,' they
shall be retained :' — yet in order to indicate the principle of unity,
he has by his own act established the origin of that unity in the
person of one individual. There was no distinction between St.
Peter and the other Apostles, but all participated together in
honour and power ; yet the selection of one individual is the first
act in the Church, that the Church may be itself shown to be
one : and this one Church the Holy Spirit hath in the Song of
Songs designated and declared, ' My dove, my spotless one, is
but one ; she is the only one of her mother, elect of her that
bare her.' "
3.
Episcopacy is a witness for Unity.
" He who holds not this unity of the Church, does he think
that he holds the faith ? When a man struggles against the
Church, and resists it, does he suppose that he continues to
belong to it ? For surely the blessed Apostle St. Paul teaches
the same thing, and indicates the sacredness of unity in these
words : * There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called
in one hope of your calling ; one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism,
one God.' This unity it is our duty to hold and vindicate with
firmness, especially we bishops who preside in the Church, that
we may approve our Episcopal authority to be founded in one
indivisible principle. Let no man injure the brotherhood by de-
ception ; let no man corrupt the truth of our faith by faithless
concessions. Episcopal authority is founded in one principle ;
and the tenure of this authority, however distributed, is associated
with a recognition of its indivisible principle. The Church, too,
is one, though multiplied far and wide by its naturally prolific
6 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
tendency : in like manner as the sun has rays many, yet one
light; and the tree has many boughs, yet their strength, from the
root upwards, is a single property ; and when many streams flow
from one head, a character of multiplicity may be developed in
the copiousness of their discharge, and yet the unity of their
nature must be recognised in the fountain they proceed from.
Divide the ray from the sun, and the principle of unity will nega-
tive their separation ; lop the bough from the tree, it will want
strength to blossom ; cut the stream from its fountain, the rem-
nant will be dried up. Thus the Church, invested with light
from the Lord, sends out her rays over the whole earth ; and yet
the light is one, disseminated every where, with no separation of
the original body : she stretches forth the rich luxuriance of her
branches over all the world, and pours out her onward streams,
and spreads into the distance ; yet is there one head, one source,
one mother, in all the instances of her eventful fecundity.*'
The Church is ordained by Christ as the fountain of spiritual life.
" It is from her we receive our birth : her milk is our nourish-
ment; her breath, our life. The spouse of Christ is a spotless
spouse ; she is incorruptible, and pure ; she recognises but one
home, and secures by her purity the sanctity of but one alliance.
She keeps us as the property of God, and vindicates to His sons
their royal inheritance. Whosoever separates from the Church
declares himself an alien, and cuts himself off from the inherit-
ance which the Church promises. He cannot obtain the reward
which Christ gives, who leaves the Church which Christ has
established : he is an alien : he is impure : he is an enemy. God
is no more our Father when we cease to be children of the
Church. If any one of those escaped who were without the
ark of Noah, then will he escape, who trespasses beyond the pale
of the Church. The Lord hath given us these words of warning,
* He who is not with me, is against mc ; and he who gathereth
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
not with me, scattereth.' He who breaks the peace and concord
of Christ, sets himself against Christ. He who gathereth else-
where but in the Church, scattereth the Church of Christ."
5.
One God and Saviour ^ one Church.
" The Lord saith, * I and the Father are one ;' and again, of
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, it is written, * and
these Three are One.' And does any man believe that this
unity, resting in strength from above, and formed by the
consecration of Heaven, can be cut asunder in the Church, and
separated by the opposition of clashing opinions? He who
holds not this unity, holds not the law of God, holds not the
faith of Father and Son, holds not the truth unto salvation. This
consecration of unity, this bond of union inseparably coherent,
is exhibited in the place in the Gospel, where the coat of our
Lord Jesus Christ is left entire by persons casting lots for it ;
so that the garment, instead of being parted, becomes a single
possession, and is delivered over complete and perfect. Holy
Scripture has these words ; " But for the coat, because it was not
sewed, but woven from the top throughout, they said one to
another, let us not rend it, but cast lots whose it shall be."
Here unity descended from the top, to denote that it proceeds
from heaven and from the Father. And it was out of the ques-
tion for the receiver or possessor of it to rend it, but he took pos-
session of the whole piece, as a complete and united substance.
He wears not Christ's garment, who cuts and sunders Christ's
Church. Now, on the other hand, when, on Solomon's death,
his kingdom and people were divided, Ahijah the prophet, meet-
ing Jeroboam the king in the field, divided his garment into
twelve parts, saying, take unto thee ten pieces ; for thus saith the
Lord, Behold, I rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon,
and will give ten tribes to thee, and two tribes shall belong to
him, for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem, the city
which I have chosen, to place my name there. When the twelve
7
8 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
tribes of Israel were divided, the prophet Ahijah rent his gar-
ment. But because Christ's people cannot be rent, his coat
being woven and conjoined throughout, was not divided by its
owners. United, conjoined, co-entwined, it shows the inseparable
concord of us, the people who put on Christ : so that in this holy-
instance of His garment, he manifests the unity of the Church."
(To be continued. J
Oxford,
The Feast of St. Andrew,
These Tracts are published Monthly^ and sold at the price of
2d. for each sheet, or 7s. for 50 copies,
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
RECORDS OF THE CHURCH.
No. XX.
THE HOLY CHURCH THROUGHOUT ALL THE WORLD DOTH
ACKNOWLEDGE THEE.
aS'^ Cyprian on the Unity of the Churchy (continued, )
6.
The one Church Catholic^ and one only, in every place.
Who then is the criminal and the traitor, who so mad and reck-
less a schismatic, as either to credit the practicahility, or ven-
ture on the attempt of putting asunder what God has made
one ; this garment of the Lord, the Church of Christ ? He
teaches. He warns us, in His Gospel, *' There shall be one fold,
and one shepherd." And does any suppose that there can be,
in one place, either many shepherds or many folds 1 So too the
Apostle, suggesting this same unity, implores and exhorts us ; " I
beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no schisms among
you ; but that ye be joined together in the same mind, and in the
same judgment." And again he says, " bearing one another's
burthens in love, doing all to preserve the unity of the Spirit, in
the bond of peace." Think you that any can stand and live, who
retires from the Church, and forms for himself other habitations
and a different home ? whereas, it was said to Rahab, in whom
was prefigured the Church, " Thy father, and thy mother, and
thy brethren, and all the house of thy father, thou shalt gather
unto thee into thine house, and it shall come to pass, whosoever
shall go abroad beyond the door of thine house, his blood shall
be on his own head." So the Paschal sacrifice contains this
simple mandate in the law of Exodus, that the lamb which is slain,
as prefigurative of Christ, must be eat in one house. *' In one
A
2 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
house shall ye eat it, saith the Lord : ye shall not send its flesh
abroad from the house." The flesh of Christ, the Lord's Sacra-
ment, cannot be sent out of doors : and believers have no other
home, but the Church only. This home, this hostelry of love,
the Holy Spirit designates and expresses in the Psalms, saying,
" God who maketh men to dwell with one mind in an house."
In the house of God, in the Church of Christ, men live together
with one mind, in concord and simplicity continuing.
Therefore, likewise the Holy Spirit descended in the form of
a dove : a simple and joyous animal, not mischievous in its nature
nor dangerous from the use either of its beak or talons ; recog-
nising in its affections one single home ; each pair nurturing toge-
ther their common ofispring ; consorting in their flight when they .
wander abroad, passing their lives in mutual intercourse ; indica-
ting by the gesture of their bills the peacefulness of their union,
and every way fulfilling the law of love. The same singleness of
mind ought to be seen in the Church, and the same intercourse
of affection be maintained ; our love of the brotherhood ought
to have its pattern in the doves ; our mildness and gentleness to
be copied from lambs and sheep. Has the spirit of a Christian
aught to do with the fierceness of the wolf, or the rage of the
dog, the deadly poison of serpents, and the untamed ferocity of
wild beasts ? We should rejoice that such foes are shut out from
the Church, lest they waste the doves and the sheep of Christ,
by their cruel and poisonous contagion. There can be no amal-
gamation, no co-union of bitter with sweet, of darkness with
light, of fair weather with foul, of war with peace, of plenty with
dearth, of drought with fountains, of calm with storm.
7.
Schism an evidence of presumption and perverseness.
Let it not be thought, that those are good men who withdraw
from the Church. The wind never carries away the wheat, nor
do storms overthrow the tree which has a solid root to rest od.
It is the empty straw that the tempest tosses, it is the sapless
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
tree that the blast of wind overthrows. It is men like these,
that the Apostle John points out with a reproach, " they went
forth from us, but they were not of us ; for if they had been of
us, surely they would have remained with us." Hence, often
have heresies arisen, and hence do rise, while the perverse spirit
puts a period to peace, and perfidy and discord exclude unity.
But the Lord permits and suffers these things to be done, main-
taining the continuance of individual free-will, that while the heart
and spirit are weighed in the balance of truth, the perfect faith of
them that are approved may be distinguished and ascertained.
The Holy Spirit forewarns us by the Apostle, and says, " it is
needful also, that heresies should be, that they which are ap-
proved may be made manifest among you." Thus are the faith-
ful approved, and thus the faithless detected : so that even before
the day of judgment the souls of the righteous are separated from
the unrighteous, the wheat distinguished from the chaff.-
These are they who take upon them, God not willing, to pre-
side over their rash companions, establish themselves in authority
without any lawful ordination, and assume the name of Bishop,
when no man gives them a Bishoprick. These the Holy Spirit
marks out in the Psalms, as sitting in the seat of the noxious :
a plague and infection of the faith, deceiving with the serpent's
mouth, wise to corrupt truth, breathing out poison unto death
*■
with pestilential tongues ; whose words eat like a canker ; whose
writings pour a deadly poison into every breast and heart.
Against these the Lord cries out, and reins back and recalls his
wandering people, saying, *' Hearken not unto the words of the
prophets which prophesy falsely, for the vision of their heart
maketh them vain. They speak, but not from the mouth of
the Lord ; they say to those who cast away the word of God,
there shall be peace unto you ; ^and to all that walk in their own
pleasures, every one who walketh in the error of his own heart,
evil shall not come upon him. I have not spoken unto them,
and they have of their own selves prophesied ; if they had stood
in me, and had heard my words, and had taught my people, I
would have converted them from their evil thoughts." These
same persons the Lord again designates and denotes, saying,
" They have deserted me, the fountain of living water, and have
8
4 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
made for themselves broken cisterns, "which cannot hold water."
There can be but one true Baptism ; and yet they think they can
baptize. They desert the fountain of life, yet hold out the
gift of a living and health-giving water. Men are not cleansed
by them, but rather are made filthy : their sins are not wiped
away, but verily are heaped up. They are born, not the sons of
God, but sons of Satan : they are gendered of perfidy, they have
lost the gift of faith, they cannot arrive unto the reward of peace,
for they have destroyed the peace of the Lord by discord and
fury.
8.
Conventicles have no claim to ChrisVs promised favours.
Let no man deceive himself by a mistaken interpretation of the
Lord's words, " wheresoever two or three are gathered together
in my name, I am with them." Those who corrupt and falsely
interpret the Scriptures, state the latter part of the passage, and
omit the former : they attend to one part, and the other they art-
fully suppress. As themselves are separated from the Church, so
do they sunder the purport of a passage whicli should be undivided.
For the Lord, in urging his disciples to maintain unanimity and
peace, saith, " I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on
earth, touching anything which ye shall ask, it shall be given you
by my Father which is in heaven. For wheresoever two or three
shall be gathered together in my name, I am with them." Showing
that a value is put, not on the number of those who pray, but on
their unanimity ; " If" He saith, " two of you on earth shall agree
together." Unanimity is put first : a peaceful agreement is the
previous premise ; He faithfully and firmly teaches, that we
must agree together. Yet how can any individual be said to agree
with another, when he does not agree with the great body and
general brotherhood of the Church ? How can two or three be
gathered together in Christ's name, when they are beyond ques-
tion separated from Christ, and from His Gospel ? We do not
leave them, but they leave us : and inasmuch as heresies and
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. O
schisms are naturally gendered of persons forming for themselves
separate places of meeting, they are therefore deserters from the
source and origin of truth. But the Lord speaks of His Church,
and says, in reference to those who are in the Church, that if they
be of one mind, if, in the words of his mandate and lesson, but
two or three of them gather together and offer up the prayer of
one heart, two or three though they be, they will be enabled
to receive from the Divine Majesty whatever they pray for.
"Wherever two or three are gathered together in my name, I,"
saith He, " am with them," — that is, with the single-hearted and
peaceful, those who fear God, and keep his commandments. With
them, He says that He is, though they be but two or three. So
was He, with the three children in the burning fiery furnace : and
because they had a single heart for God, and stood in concord to-
gether. He poured breezy dews over them, enveloped as they were
by the surrounding flames. So also with the two Apostles who
were shut in prison, because they were of one mind and one
spirit, He was present : and drawing back the bolts of their cell,
led them again into the market-place of the city, that they might
make known to the multitude, that word which- they faithfully
preached. When therefore He lays it down in His commandment,
and says, " when two or three are gathered together in my name, I
am with them," He divides not men from the Church, Himself its
Author and Maker, but reproaching the faithless with their discord,
and in expressive terms commending peace to the faithful. He
shows that He is more present wdth two or three that pray with
one heart, than with many persons nor agreeing together : and
that more may Ke gained by the united request of a few, than
from the prayers of many where discord is among them. It is
hence that when He gave rules for prayer He added, " when ye
stand and pray, forgive whatever ye have against another, that
your Father also who is in Heaven may forgive you your sins."
And any who comes with a quarrel to the sacrifice, lie calls back
from the altar, and tells him first to agree with his brother, and
then return in peace, and present his oblation to God : for neither
had God respect unto Cain's sacrifice ; for he could not have God
at peace with him, who through envy and discord was not at peace
with his brother.
6 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
9.
Schism is not expiated by Martyrdom.
What prospect then of peace have they, who are foes to the
brethren? What sacrifice do they think they celebrate, when
they become rivals of the priesthood ? When gathered together
beyond the pale of the Church, do they still believe that Christ is
in the midst of them ? Though men like these were killed in the
profession of their faith, not even by their blood would their spot
be washed out. The offence of discord is a weighty offence ; it
includes no expiation, and is absolved by no sufferings. He
cannot be a Martyr, who is not in the Church ; he cannot attain
unto the kingdom who leaveth her to whom the kingdom shall be
given. Christ gave us peace. He told us to be of one heart and
one mind : He directed that the alliance of affection and endear-
ment should be preserved unbroken and inviolate ; so that those
who do not maintain the love of brethren, can lay no claim to
the honours of martyrdom. The Apostle Paul supports this po-
sition by the language he has used : " and though I have faith so
that I can remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing :
and though I give all my goods to feed the poor, and though I
give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me
nothing. Charity is of lofty spirit, charity is kind, charity
envieth not, charity acteth not amiss, is not puffed up, is not
angered, thinketh no evil, is content with all things, believeth all
things, hopeth all things, endureth all things ; charity never
faileth." " Charity," he saith, ** never faileth." For it will con-
tinue to reign for ever, presenting an eternal ceAtre of union to
the brotherhood that circles around it. Into the kingdom of
Heaven discord can never enter. It meets with no reward from
that Saviour who said, " This is my commandment, that ye love
one another, even as I have loved you." He cannot belong to
Christ, who violates the love of Christ by faithless dissensions.
He who liveth not in charity liveth not in God. It is the word of
John, the blessed Apostle : " God," saith he, "is love : and he
who dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him." They
cannot remain witli God, who will not remain with one heart in
God's Church. Though they be cast to the flame and to tlie fire
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 7
to be burnt, or lay down their lives by being a prey to wild beasts,
they will gain, not the crown of faith, but the penalty of perfidy ; —
their end, not the glorious consummation of religious excellence,
but the death-blow of despair. Such men may attain unto death,
but never can attain unto the crown.
(To he concluded.)
Oxford,
The Feast of St. John the Evangelist.
These Tracts are jiuhlished Monthly, and sold at the price of
2d. for each sheet, or Is. for 50 copies.
LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,
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1835.
Gilbert & Rivington, Printers, St. John's Square, London.
(Ad Populum.) [Price 2d.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
RECORDS OF THE CHURCH.
No. XXI.
THE HOLY CHURCH THROUGHOUT ALL THE WORLD DOTH
ACKNOWLEDGE THEE.
St. Cyprian on the Unity of the Churchy (concluded. )
10.
False prophets have been foretold.
They profess themselves Christians after the manner in which
the Devil puts on Christ : as the Lord Himself forewarns us, and
says, '* Many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ." As
he is not Christ, though he deceives men with His name, so
neither can that man be called a Christian, who does not stand
in the truth of Christ's Gospel and in faith. To prophesy, to
cast out devils, to show great signs on earth, is a high and won-
derful thing : yet the man that does these things, possesses not
the kingdom of heaven, unless he walk in observance of the
strait and right way. The Lord hath uttered this denuncia-
tion. " Many shall say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have
we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name cast out
Devils, and in Thy name done great wonders : and then will I
say unto them, I never knew you : Depart from Me, ye that work
iniquity." Righteousness is the thing needful, before we can
gain the favour of God our Judge. We must obey His com-
mands and warnings, that we may be found meet for our reward.
When the Lord in the Gospel would point out with a compen-
dious brevity the path of our hope and faith, He says, *' the
Lord thy God is One : and thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength :
A
X TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
this is the first commandment ; and the second is like unto it,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two com-
mandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." He teaches,
according to His office, unity and love. In two commandments
he includes all the law and the prophets. But what unity does'
he keep, what love does he maintain, or have a thought for, who
in the mad heat of discord sunders the Church, pulls down its
faith, confounds its peace, scatters its love, and profanes its
sacraments ?
11.
Apostacy in the last times.
Long ago, my beloved brethren, this calamity arose ; but the
odious pestilence has now advanced in magnitude, and the
poisonous mortality of heretical perverseness and schism has
begun to stretch upward, and put out its luxuriance. Thus it
was to be in the latter day^ of the world, for the Holy Spirit so
prophesied and forewarned us by the Apostle. " In the last
days," saith He, " troublous days shall come, and men shall be
lovers of their ownselves, proud, boasters, covetous, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, ungrateful, impious, without natural af-
fection, trucebreakers, traitors, heady, swollen with stupidity,
loving pleasures more than God, having the form of godliness,
but denying its power. Of this sort are they which creep into
houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away
with divers lusts ; ever learning and never able to come to
the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jamnes and Mambres
resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth : men of corrupt
minds, reprobate concerning faith, yet shall they not much pre-
vail ; for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also
was." All that was predicted, is fulfilled ; and now that the
last days are arrived, the trial of our faith, in respect both of
men and times, is come upon us. As the fury of our adversary
increases, error deceives, ignorance exalts, envy inflames, cupi-
dity blinds, impiety depraves, pride inflates, discord exasperates,
15
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 3
and anger hurries men along. Let not, however, this gross and
unexpected unbehef of the many move or disturb us : rather let
our faith be confirmed through the confidence created by its
being announced beforehand. In the same way as some have
begun to be of this character, because it was before predicted,
so let the other brethren be on their guard against these men ;
for this too is predicted, the Lord having prepared us by saying,
*' but be ye on your guard ; behold T have told you all, before
it come to pass." I entreat you to avoid such men, and drive off
their pernicious converse from beside you, and from your hearing,
as though it were a mortal pestilence. As it is written, " hedge
thine ears with thorns, and be unwilling to hear a wicked tongue."
And again, " evil communications corrupt good manners." The
Lord teaches and admonishes us to retire from such men. He
speaks of the blind leading the blind ; if the blind lead the blind,
both shall fall into the ditch. That man ought to be avoided
and exiled from our society, who is separated from the Church.
Such a man is perverse, and a sinner, and condemns himself.
Does the man think himself with Christ, who strives against the
Christian priesthood, and separates himself from the converse of
Christ's clergy and people ? He is bearing arms' against the
Church ; he is fighting against God's ordinances, a foe to the
altar, a rebel against Christ's sacrifice, for honour faithless, for
religion sacrilegious, a servant without obedience, a son without
piety, a brother without love, setting at naught the Bishops, and
despising the Priests of his God, he audaciously builds another
altar, offers up the unhallowed accents of a separate prayer, and
profanes with false sacrifices the truth of the Dominical victim.
He is not permitted to be wiser, since he who strives against the
ordinances of God is punished for his temerity and daring by
divine reprehension.
12.
Korah, Dathan, and Abiram are a warning to us.
Thus Korah, Dathan, and iVbiram, who endeavoured to assume
to themselves a licence, to sacrifice in opposition to Moses, and
A 2
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
Aaron the priest, forthwith paid the penalty of their attempts.
The earth burst its fastenings, and opened the depth of its bosom,
and while they stood erect and alive, they were swallowed up by
jhe parting gulph. And not only were the leaders smitten with
the anger of an indignant God, but two hundred and fifty besides,
who were partakers and associates in the same mad undertaking,
and had gathered together with these in the same daring spirit,
were with speedy vengeance consumed by the fire that went
forth from the Lord : warning men, and proving to them, that
whatsoever bad men, by human will, attempt for the overthrow
of God's ordinances, is done contrary to God's will. Thus also
Azias the king, when he took the censer, and violently took upon
him to sacrifice, in opposition to the law of God, and on Azarias
the priest resisting, refused to be obedient and give way, con-
founded by the Divine anger, was marked by the Spot of leprosy
upon his forehead ; on that part of his body marked by his of-
fended Lord, on which they are marked who have found favour
in His sight. The sons also of Aaron, who placed strange fire
on the altar, which the Lord had not commanded, were at once
consumed by an avenging God. Now all these have their sect
and followers in them, who despise the tradition of God, and
follow after strange doctrines, clothing themselves with the
institutions of man's device ; these the Lord reproaches and
upbraids in His Gospel, saying, " Ye reject the commandment
of God, that ye may establish your own tradition."
13.
Schismntising Is more heinous than lapsing^ and nullifies
confessorship.
This crime is worse than that which backsliders appear to
commit ; and these indeed, when they revert to a state of peni-
tence, deprecate God's wrath by tiie necessary course. In their
case the Church is considered and appealed to ; in the other it
is opposed. In the former instance there may have been a force
introduced; in the latter free-will forms a proportion of the sin
in question. 'J'he backslider injures only himself; but whoever
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
attempts the commission of heresy and schism, betrays many by
drawing them after him. In the one case, one soul is brought
to fall ; in the other very many are in jeopardy. The backslider
is undoubtedly aware of his transgression, and laments and
mourns it ; the other, inflated, though guilty, and finding com-
placency in his sins, separates sons from their mother, entices
the sheep from the shepherd, and disturbs the sacraments of
God . Moreover the sin of the backslider is single, while the
heretic's is reiterated day by day ; and lastly, the backslider, if he
afterward attain unto martyrdom, may receive the promises of
the kingdom ; but the other, if put to death beyond the limits
of the Church, has no title to the rewards which to the Church
belong.
And let no man wonder, my beloved brethren, that certain Con-
fessors also adventure thus far, and thereby draw others into
enormities, so unspeakably great. For neither does martyrdom
involve a security from the crafts of the Devil, or offer a per-
petual immunity to men, while yet they remain, in this world,
against the world's temptations, dangers, assaults, and attacks.
Were it so, we should never witness in confessors those instances
of fraud, fornication, and adultery, over which we now groan and
grieve. Be a confessor who he may, he is neither a greater nor
a better man than Solomon, nor one more dear to God. As long
as Solomon walked in the ways of the Lord, so long he retained
that grace which God had given him : when he deserted the way
of the Lord, he lost also the grace of God, according to that
which is written, " and the Lord raised up Satan against Solo-
mon." Therefore also it is written, ** keep what thou hast, lest
another receive thy crown." Surely God had not threatened that
the crown of righteousness should be taken away, unless, when
righteousness ceases, the crown must cease also. Confession
opens an access to glory, but in itself merits not the crown. It does
not perfect praise, but opens the way to a good degree. And
since it is written, " whosoever perseveres unto the end, he shall
be saved," all that occurs before the end, is the step whereby we
mount to the height of salvation, not the end of the course, at
which the summit of the pinnacle is attained. Is any a con-
fessor ? His danger after a confession is greater, because the
A 2
6 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
adversary is more provoked. Is he a confessor ? He ought for
that very reason to stand by the Gospel of the Lord, having
through the Gospel attained unto the Lord's glory. For the
Lord says, " to whom much is given, of him shall much be re-
quired," the proportion of obedience required is measured by
the degree of dignity conceded. May none ever perish through
the example of a confessor ! May no man learn injustice,
insolence, or perfidy, from a confessor's conduct ! Is any a
confessor ? Let him be humble and peaceful : let him be
modest and disciplined in all he does. As one who is entitled a
confessor of Christ, let him imitate that Christ, whom he con-
fesses. For whereas He saith, " he who exalteth himself shall
be humbled, and he who humbleth himself shall be exalted ;"
and whereas He was himself exalted by the Father, because on
earth he humbled himself, as the Word, the Power, the Wisdom of
God the Father, how can He show favour to exaltation, who
has at once recommended us in his commandment to be humble,
and has received from the Father, in recompense of his humi-
liation, a name that is above every name ? Is any a confessor
of Christ ? it is only if the majesty and dignity of Christ be not
evil spoken of through him. Let not the tongue that confesses
Christ speak evil : let it not be found turbulent, or allow the
language of reproach and discord to be heard from it. Let it
not, after rightly speaking, hurl poison of the serpent against the
brethren and priests of God. But if a man afterwards become
guilty and hateful, if he betrays his profession by evil conver-
sation, and dishonours his life by baseness and profligacy ; if,
lastly, after bein^ a confessor he becomes a deserter from the
Church, sunders the concord of unity, and exchanges what was
I'aith before for unbelief afterwards, he cannot flatter himself that
by confession he is elected to the reward of glory, since from
this very cause have penalties more condign ensued ; for the
Lord elected Judas among His Apostles, and yet Judas after-
wards betrayed his Lord.
The faith and firmness of the Apostles did not fail in conse-
quence of the secession from their society of Judas the betrayer ;
nor is the sanctity and dignity of the confessors necessarily im-
paired, because certain o£ them break the faith. The blessed
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 7
Apostle in his Epistle thus speaks : " For what if certain of them
fell from the faith, does their faithlessness bring to nought the
faithfulness of God ? God forbid, God is " true, though every
man be a liar." The greater and better portion of the confes-
sors stand firm in the strength of its faith, and in the law and
teaching of the Lord. Those who feel that God has in the Church
thought them worthy to find grace, do not retire from the peace
of the Church : but from this very cause the title of their faith
becomes more illustrious, because withdrawing from the perfidy
of those who had been associated in the fellowship of their pro-
fession, they have come out from the contagion of guilt, and
being illumined by the true light of the Gospel, and irradiated
with pure and spotless lustre from the Lord, their glory is as
great in preserving the peace of Christ, as had been their tri-
umph when they fought against Satan.
14.
The duty of withdrawing from Schismatics,
It is my desire, most beloved brethren, and likewise I advise
and exhort you, that if it be possible, no brother perish, and that
ou^ joyful mother may embrace in her bosom the undivided as-
semblage of her consenting congregation. But if wholesome
counsel is unable to recall to the way of salvation certain leaders
of schism and authors of dissension, who stand fast in blind and
reckless madness, yet let those others among you, who are either
betrayed by simpleness or seduced by error, or deceived by the
artifices of some treacherous deception, withdraw from the snares
of falsehood, free your wandering steps from error, and recognise
the strait path which leads to heaven. These are the words
of the Apostle's exhortation : " We command you," saith he,
" by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from all
brethren that walk inordinately, and not according to that tradition
which they have received from us." And again he says, *' let
no man deceive you by vain words ; for because of these things
Cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
8 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
Be not ye partakers with them." We must remove ourselves
from them that walk aside : in any event we must avoid them,
lest while joining those who walk wrongly, and treading in the
paths of error and guilt, any man go aside from the way of truth,
and become entangled in their guilt. There is one God, there
is one Christ, one Church which is His, one faith, one people,
conjoined by the bond of concord in the solid unity of one body.
The unity cannot be sundered, the individual body cannot be
separated by the dissolution of its joints, or be torn in pieces by
the rending of its scattered elements. Whatsoever cometh forth
from the womb cannot live and breathe in separate portions : it
loses the source of existence. The Holy Spirit warns us and
says, " What man is there who wishes to live, and would fain see
good days ? Refrain thy tongue from evil, and thy lips that they
speak no guile. Eschew evil and do good ; seek peace and ensue
it." The son of peace ought to seek and to pursue peace; and
to refrain his tongue from the calamity of dissension ; if he has
felt and loves the bond of charity. Among His divine mandates
and salutary lessons, our Lord when nigh to His passion, added
this one : " Peace I leave with you ; my peace I give unto you."
This inheritance Christ to us hath given. All the gifts He out-
holds and the rewards he promises are involved in the preserva-
tion of peace. If we are heirs of Christ, let us continue in Christ's
peace. If we are the sons of God, we ought to be peaceable.
" Blessed," saith He, " are the peaceable, for they shall be called
the sons of God." Need is that the sons of God should be
peaceable, mild in heart, simple in language, united in affection,
faithfully attached each to the other by the bonds of unanimity.
This unanimity once existed under the Apostles : so that the
new assemblage of believers kept the Lord's commandment and
maintained its charity. Holy Scripture saith in proof, " the
multitude of them that believed acted with one heart and soul."
And again, " and they all continued with one heart in communion
with the women, and with Mary the mother of Christ, and with
His brethren." And therefore they prayed effectually, and were
with confidence enabled to obtain whatsoever they required of
their Lord's mercy.
I
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. V
15.
Suddenness of ChrisVs coming.
Among us, however, there is as great a defect of unanimity,
as there is a falling of in works of charity. Men in those days
gave houses and lands for sale, and laying up for themselves
treasure in heaven, presented the price to the Apostles, for dis-
tribution among the necessitous. But now we do not even give
tithes of our estates, and while the Lord saith " sell," we rather
buy and gather up. Thus is it that the power of faith languishes,
and the believer's strength sinks : and therefore the Lord, in
respect of this our age, saith in His Gospel, " When the Son of
man cometh, think you that He will find faith on the earth?"
We see that done, which He predicted. In the fear of Godj in
the law of righteousness, in love, in works, faith is not. No
man, in fear of the future, takes thought for the day of the Lord,
and the anger of God ; and no man contemplates the punishment
which is to come on unbelievers, and the eternal torments decreed
to the faithless. That which our conscience would fear if it
believed, because it believes not it does not fear ; if it believed,
it would become cautious ; if made cautious, it would escape*
Let us awake, my beloved brethren, as far as we can ; let us
break through the slumbers of our former sloth, and rise up to
observe and perform the commandments of our Lord. Let us
be such as He bade us to be ; " let your loins be girded, and
your lamps burning, and be ye like unto men who await their
Lord, when he cometh from the marriage, that when he cometh
and knocketh, they may open unto him : blessed are those ser-
vants, whom their Lord when he cometh shall find watching."
We must gird ourselves up, lest when the day of haste cometh,
he find us hindered and impeded. Let our light shine in good
works, let it so beam, as to lead us on from the night of this
world to the splendours of eternal glory. Let us be always
anxiously and cautiously on the wait for the sudden coming of
10 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
our Lord, that when He knocketh our faith may be found watch-
ing, and may receive the reward of vigilance from the Lord.
If these commandments are kept, and these warnings and lessons
maintained, it will not be for us to slumber, and so be subdued
by the wiles of Satan, but we shall reign in the kingdom of
Christ, as servants that have been found watching.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 11
ST. CYPRIAN'S ACCOUNT OF HIS BAPTISM.
(From his Treatise on the Grace of God, addressed to Donatus.)
For me, while I yet lay in darkness and bewildering night,
and was tossed to and fro on the billows of this troublesome
world, ignorant of my true life, an outcast from light and truth,
I used to think that second birth, which Divine Mercy promised
for my salvation, a hard saying according to the life I then led ;
as if a man could be so quickened to a new life in the laver of
healing water, as to put off his natural self, and keep his former
tabernacle, yet be changed in heart and soul ! How is it pos-
sible, said I, for so great a conversion to be accomplished, so
that both the obstinate defilement of our natural substance, and
old and ingrained habits should suddenly and rapidly be put off,
— evils, whose roots are deeply seated within ?
Such were my frequent musings ; — for whereas I was encum-
bered with the many sins of my past life, which it seemed impos-
sible to be rid of, so I had used myself to give way to my clinging
infirmities, and from despair of better things, to humour the
evils of my heart as slaves born in my house and my proper
offspring. But, after that life-giving water succoured me, wash-
ing away the stain of former years, and pouring into my cleansed
and hallowed breast the light which comes from heaven, after
that I drank in the Heavenly Spirit, and was created into a
new man by a second birth, — then marvellously, what before was
doubtful forthwith became plain to me, — what was hidden was
revealed, — what was dark began to shine, — what was before
difficult now had a way and means, — what had seemed impos-
sible now could be achieved,— what was in me of the guilty flesh
now confessed that it was earthy, — what was quickened in me
12 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
by the Holy Ghost now had a growth according to God. Thou
knowest, O my friend, thou knowest, thou canst recollect as
well as I, what was then taken from me, and what was given
by that death of sin, that quickening power of holiness !
Oxford,
The Feast of St. Matthias,
These Tracts are 'published Monthly ^ and sold at the price oj
2d. for each sheets or Is. for 50 copies.
LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,
ST. Paul's church yard, and Waterloo place.
1835.
<JiLBF.RT & RiviNGTON, Printers, St. John's Square, London.
(Ad Populum,) \^Price Id.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
RECORDS OF THE CHURCH.
No. XXII.
THE HOLY CHURCH THROUGHOUT ALL THE WORLD DOTH
ACKNOWLEDGE THEE.
Tertullian on Baptism.
The tract, of which the following are extracts, was written in opposition to
a sect of early heretics, of the Gnostic stock, called Caiani, or Cainites, from
the honour they paid to Cain ; or, rather, against one Quintilla, a female
preacher, who had belonged to this sect, and had added to its impieties the
special error of denying the use of baptism, on the pretence that faith was
sufficient for salvation without it. Tertullian's treatise was written about
A.D. 202.
Blessed is the Sacrament of Water, in which, when cleansed,
we are released from the sins of our original blindness, unto
eternal life ! . . . How great is the power of stubbornness, to
unsettle the Faith, or even to reject it altogether, when we find
it impugns it, on account of the very articles it contains. No-
thing so hardens men's minds, as that simplicity of divine works
which is seen in the doing of them, contrasted with the greatness
which is promised as the effect of them. For instance, in the
case before us ; since the candidate for baptism is plunged into
water in so simple a way, without many ceremonies, without any
novel ado, without cost, and is bathed with a few words said
over him, and then rises not much or not at all cleaner to look
at, therefore it is considered incredible that he can have gained
thereby an eternal gift. . . . Wretched incredulity ! to deny to
God His own characteristics, simplicity and power. What,
then ? is it not wonderful that even a bath should wash away
death ? surely ; but let us even be the more ready to believe, if
its marvellousness, forsooth, is made a reason for unbelief. For
what should be the character of divine works, but surpassing
marvellousness ? We, ourselves, marvel also, but because we
do believe. Incredulity marvels without believing ; at what is
simple, as being contemptible ; at what is great, as being impos-
sible. Be it so : yet the divine announcement has gone before,
2 TRACTS FOR THli TIMES.
and is sufficient to establish both what seems contemptible, and
what seems impossible. '* God hath chosen the foolish things
of the world, to confound its wisdom ; and what is of surpassing
difficulty with men, is easy with Him." . . . Mindful of this
announcement, as a principle to guide us, let us consifler the so-
called foolishness and impossibility of the doctrine, that we are
new made by water. . . .
It is said, " in the beginning God made the heaven and the
earth. And the earth was without form and void, and darkness
was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God moved
upon the face of the waters." My first reason, then, O man, for
reverencing water, is its antiquity ; next, the honour put upon it,
inasmuch as it was the abode of the Divine Spirit, and thus had
more of grace in it than the other elements then existing. For
as yet the darkness was unrelieved by the embellishment of the
stars ; there was the dreary abyss, the unfashioned earth, the
untempered heavens ; only water, a substance ever perfect,
bright, uncompounded, pure in itself, a worthy receptacle of the
presence of God. Moreover, when the world was to be brought
into form, it was by means of water, as the harmonizing prin-
ciple, that God effected it. He suspended the firmament of the
heavens, by dividing the waters ; and the firm land by separating
them ; and next, when the world was duly-shaped, and inhabi-
tants were to be given it, it was first commanded the waters, to
bring forth living things, water was the first substance to give
out the breath of life ; no wonder, then, that, in baptism, it has
the gift of quickening. . . .
The angel came in the midst, and moved the pool of Bethesda j
those who felt their sickliness, waited for his coming. . . That
figure of bodily healing intimated the healing of the soul, in the
way in which visible things go first, as the symbol of things
spiritual ; so, when the grace of God was accorded to men, more
came to them than mere water and an angel. Man receives that
Spirit of God which he had once received from His breathing on
him, but afterwards had lost by transgression. Not that we ob-
tain the Holy Spirit in the water ; but, by being cleansed in the
water from sin and guilt, we are prepared by the angel for the
Holy Spirit Next, on coming out of the water, we are
anointed over with the consecrated ointment according to the
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
ancient usage, by which oil was used as an introduction into the
priesthood, . . . Afterwards hands are laid on us, invoking and
calling down the Holy Spirit, by the form of benediction. . .
And then that Holiest Spirit willingly descends from the
Father upon the body thus cleansed and blessed : settles upon
the baptismal waters, as acknowledging its ancient dwelling-place,
as once He lighted on' the Lord in the figure of a dove, to show
His nature by its simplicity and innocence. For as, after the
waters of the flood, which washed away the old iniquity, after
the baptism (as I may say) of the world, the dove, sent out of
the ark, and returning with the olive branch, becamCj'the herald
of God's anger appeased, and has made the olive a sign; of
peace among the nations, according to a like appointment, the
spiritual influence, the dove of the Holy Spirit, flies to the
earth (that is, our flesh) when emerging from the waters after^its
old transgressions, bringing the reconciliation of God, sent from
heaven, where the Church is, the antitype of the ark. But the
earth sins yet again . . . and so is destined to the fire ; as man
also, who renews his sins after baptism ; so that here, too, we
may take the history as a warning. . .
John's baptism afforded our Lord the subject of a question
proposed to the Pharisees, viz. whether it was from heaven or
from earth ? They could return no sound answer, as not under-
standing, because they did not believe. . . . John supplied no
heavenly work, but ministered beforehand towards things hea-
venly, viz. as being the master of repentance, which is in man's
power. . . If, then, repentance is a human work, the baptism of
repentance is human ; it had supplied the Holy Ghost and
remission of sins, if it had been heavenly. God alone remits
sins, and vouchsafes the Spirit. . . That was not heavenly
which manifested nothing of a heavenly nature. Even the
spirit of prophecy, which for a season had been a heavenly gift
possessed by John, afterwards, when the fulness of the Spirit
was transferred to the Lord, so utterly failed him, that he sent
to ask whether He were really the Christ, whom He had before
foretold, and singled out on His coming
These miserable men say, *' Baptism is not necessary, because
faith is sufficient for the Christian ; for Abraham pleased God
by faith, without any sacrament of water." But in all things,
4 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
what comes last is the conclusive, and supersedes what went
before. Though salvation came by mere faith, before the Lord's
passion and resurrection, yet when faith is enlarged by the doc-
trines of the Nativity, Passion, and Resurrection, the covenant
receives an enlargement also, viz. the seal of baptism, as though
a sort of garment for faith, which before was naked, but now is
sanctioned by its peculiar appointments. For the appointment
of dipping is given, and a form of words prescribed. . .
We have but one Baptism, whether in Gospels or Epistles ;
there is one God, one Baptism, one Church in the heavens. . . .
Once only we enter the sacred water, once we wash away our sins,
because to repeat them is not a Christian's part. Israel, according
to the law, uses daily washings, as being daily defiled. To hinder
this practice in us, the doctrine of the one baptism has been set
forth. Blessed is the water which cleanses once for all, which sin-
ners cannot make light of, which receives no stain from the recur-
rence of defilement, so as to pollute those whom it washes. . . .
Easter is the most solemn time for baptism ; when the passion
of the Lord, into which we are baptized, was accomplished. We
may suitably apply our Lord's words, when He sent His disciples
to prepare for His last passover. " Ye shall find a man," he said,
" bearing a pitcher of water." . . . Next, the season of Pentecost.
Blessed are ye for whom the grace of God is waiting, what time
ye ascend out of that holiest bath of your new birth, and first
spread out your hands in your mother's presence with your bre-
thren ; ask of the Father, ask of the Lord who imparts His
many gifts, and says, " ask and ye shall find." For ye have
already sought, and ye have found ; ye have knocked, and it has
been opened to you. Only I pray, that when you ask, you
would also remember me, Tertullian, a sinner.
OXFORD,
The Feast of St. John the Baptist.
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TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
RECORDS OF THE CHURCH.
No. xxni.
THE HOLY CHURCH THROUGHOUT ALL THE WORLD DOTH
ACKNOWLEDGE THEE.
From the Acts of the African Martyrs.
" This is the account of the Martyrdom of the Holy Felix,
Bishop of Tubyza^, who for God's Law, was beheaded on the
18th of the Calends of February ^." [ccciv.]
In those days Diocletian and Maximian, (both surnamed Au-
gustus,) being Consuls, the former for the eighth time, the latter
for the seventh time , there went out a decree from these same
Caesars or Emperors over the whole face of the earth, and it was
set forth through all the colonies and cities to the princes and
magistrates, to each one in his place, *' that they should seize the
sacred ^ books of the Christians out of the hands of the Bishops
and Presbyters."
Whereupon this proclamation was published in the city of
Tubyza, on the day of the nones of January, [Jan. .5th.] Then
' Tubyza does not appear in the maps. In a list of persons present at a
conference held at Carthage, in the time of Honorius, (June, 411,) appears
'' Maurentius Tuburzicensis."
2 xviii. Kalendas Febr. i. e. the 15th of January. There must, however, be
some mistake, if the Programma was set forth on the Nones of January, (i. e.
the 5th,) as there were at least thirty-five days between that day and the
day of Felix's Martydom at Nola.
3 Libros deificos. — Tertull. Apol. §. 11. " Deum deificum." Cypr. Ep.
Ixviii. & De Zelo, " deifica disciplina." Ep. Ixxv. " spiritalis et deifica sanc-
titas." Crescens a Cirta, in Concil. Carthag. " testimonia ex scripturis deificis
descendentia."
Z TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
Magnilian, the mayor ' of tliat city, ordered the Presbyters to he
brought before liim (because Fehx, their Bishop, was gone to
Carthage,) he ordered, I say, Januarius, the Presbyter, and
Fortunatus and Septiraius, the readers, to be brought before him.
To whom Magnih'an, the mayor, said — *' Have you a Bishop ?"
Januarius, the Presbyter, answered — " We have."
Magnilian. — " Where is he ?"
Januarius. — " I know not."
Magnilian. — " Have you any sacred books V*
Januarius. — " We have."
Magnilian. — " Give them up that they may be burnt."
Januarius, Fortunatus, and Septimius. — " Our Bishop has them
at his own house," [or, " with him."]
Magnilian^ — " Well then, you must remain in custody till you
appear before Anulinus, the Proconsul, to answer for your
conduct."
But the next day Felix, the Bishop, came from Carthage to
Tubyza. And when Magnilian had notice of his arrival, imme-
diately he ordered him to be taken into custody, and brought
before him. Accordingly, he came with all possible speed, and
as soon as he was come, Magnilian said to him — ** Art thou
Felix, the Bishop of this city ?" Felix answered — "I am."
Magnilian. — " Deliver up to me all books or parchments of
what kind soever which may be in thy possession."
Felix. — " I have some in my possession. But I shall not
deliver up the law of my adored Lord and Master.''
Magnilian. — " What then, is' your God greater than our
gods ?"
Felix. — " Our God is great, and greatly to be feared. He it
is who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all things that are
therein. Whereas your gods are of stone, the work of men's
hands ; of whom it is written, * They have eyes, and see not.
They have ears, and hear not. They have mouths, and speak ^
not. They that make them are like unto them, and all who trust
in tliem.' "
Magnilian, — '* The Emperors' command is the chief thing to
> Curator, a High-Bailiflor Mayor, or perhaps Sherift
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 3
be attended to, and what thou talkest of is all nothing. So give
up all the books which thou hast, that they may be burnt with
fire, according to the decree."
Felix. — " It were better that I should give up my body to the.,
fire, than that the Lord's Scriptures should seem to be burnt by
my means. For it is good to obey God, the immortal, everlasting
King, rather than an Emperor of the world, when he commands
that which is wicked to be done."
Magnilian. — -" I have already told thee, that the Emperors'
command is the chief thing to be regarded, and not what you
talk of."
Felix. — " The chief thing is to keep the commandments of
God, rather than to obey men."
Magnilian. — " I allow thee a space of three days wherein to
recollect thyself. For if here, in thy own city, thou refuse to
fulfil the decree, thou must go to the Proconsul, and plead before
his court the things which thou hast now been saying."
After three days Magnilian, the mayor, commanded the holy
Bishop, Felix, to be brought into his presence. And when he
was brought in, Magnilian said, " Hast thou deliberated with
thyself, and come to any better determination ?"
Felix. — " My word is one and the same ; where it began, there
also by God's grace it shall finish. For the things which I said
at first, the same I now also say, and before the Proconsul, 1
shall not utter any thing else whatever,"
Magnilian. — " Well, then, thou shalt go straight to the Pro-
consul, and there give an account for thyself, as he shall examine
thee."
Then he thus spoke to his men. " Inasmuch as Felix the
Bishop is in no respect willing to act according to the decrees of
the Emperors, which they had graciously communicated to us,
let him be taken to Carthage, and do you accompany him
thither."
To which Felix answered, — " God be praised."
Then one Vincentius, a Senator ^ of the city of Tubyza, was
* Decurio, a Senator in the Colonics.
A 2
4 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
appointed to have the charge of liim, and so Felix set out for
Carthage.
When he was arrived there, he presented himself before the
Lieutenant of the Proconsul. And this Lieutenant said to him,
*' What is thy reason for not giving up these foolish writings '
(Scriptures') ?"
The Bishop answered, — " I confess I have them in my posses-
sion, but I will not part with them. The Scriptures which we
have are not foolish, nor can they on any account be given up
by us."
Upon this the Lieutenant ordered him to be put into the
dungeon. Into which when the Bishop was entered, he offered
this prayer to the Lord his God, saying,
" O Lord God ! Creator and Governor of all things ! O Lord
Jesu Christ ! I beseech Thee, do not forsake me, seeing that
for Thee and Thy Testament I suffer these things. Have pity
on ine, O Lord ! and receive my spirit ; let my mortal body
}>erish in this world, that according to Thy gracious promise I
may be counted worthy to be clothed with immortality with Thee.
For ever living in Thee, O Lord, death shall have no power
against me."
But sixteen days afterwards, at the fourth hour of the night,
the Bishop was brought forth from the prison, and at once intro-
duced into the presence of Anulinus, the Proconsul.
And Anulinus said to him, — " What is thy name ?"
Felix. — " I am a Christian."
Anulinus. — "I did not inquire concerning thy profession, —
but I asked by what name thou art called."
Felix. — " As I said before, so now I say to thee again, I am a
Christian and a Bishop."
Upon this, Anulinus being angry that he had refused to tell
him his name, said to him, — " Hast thou any foolish writings ?"
The Bishop answered, — *' I have some writings, but they are
not foolish, as thou dost assert ; and know thou for certain, that
I will on no account ever give them up."
Upon this the Proconsul ordered that he should be sent off to
Rome, to the Prefect of the Guard.
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 5
When Felix the Bishop had come thither, and had presented
himself before the Prefect, he ordered that he should be taken to
prison, and bound with greater chains.
But after twelve (iays, the Prefect of the Guard ordered him to
be put on ship-board, to sail after the Emperors.
So the Bishop went on board the ship very heavily laden with
chains, and was in the hold of the ship four days and four nights,
under the horses' feet, having no bread to eat, nor a drop of
water to drink. And in this famishing state he came to Nola.
Then the Chief Judge ^ of that city, as soon as the Bishop
came, ordered him to be brought into his presence loaded as he
was with very heavy chains.
And the Judge said to him, — "Felix, how earnest thou hither ?"
The Bishop answered, — " As it pleased God,"
Then said the Judge, — " If in thy own city, or at Carthage,
thou wouldst have given up your divine scriptures, thou wouldst
not have come all this way to me."
To whom the Bishop replied, — " I have, I confess, the divine
Scriptures ; but as thou art not ignorant of the answer I have
returned to others who have questioned me, so now to thyself I
make known with all possible assurance, that I shall on no account
whatever give them up."
The Judge answered, — " If thou dost not give up your sacred
Scriptures, thou wilt forfeit thy life."
The Bishop replied, — " I am more ready to forfeit my life than
to give up the Lord's books into sacrilegious hands."
Then the Judge bethought himself to have the Emperors'
decrees recited. And when they had been read by Vincentius,
the Secretary^ the Judge said : — *' Since this man hath remained so
long in the same confession, according to the decree, I give sen-
tence, that this same Bishop, Felix, shall be beheaded with the
sword."
Upon this, the Bishop raised his eyes to Heaven, and said,
*' O God, I thank Thee. Thou who hast graciously enabled me
to remain faithful to Thee in this world, during six and fifty
* CognUor, properly, a Froclor or Attorney, — here a Crinjinal Judge.
6 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
years. O Lord God of Heaven and Earth, Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, for the sake of Thee and Thy law, and for Thy
honour, I suffer this, and yield my neck to the slaughter. Receive
ray spirit, O Lord, out of this dying world ; for Thou art the
Living God, invincible and eternally glorious, world without
end. Amen,
Having finished his prayer, he was led away by the soldiers,
and in that same place, namely, in Nola, he was beheaded, on the
18th of the calends of Feb. [January 15, ccciv.]
l.<
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. J*:^
ACCOUNT OF THE MARTYRDOM OF ST. LAURENCE, ARCHDEACON
OF ROME. A. D. 258.
(From a Sermon of St. Augustine^ s.)
Laurence was a deacon, ministering to the Apostles, though
after their age. When then persecution, as prophesied in the
Gospels against the Christians, furiously raged at Rome as
elsewhere, and the property of the Church was demanded of
Laurence as Archdeacon, he is said to have made answer, " Send
with me carriages, in which to convey to you the treasures of the
Church. The appetite of avarice was forthwith roused ; but
wisdom the while knew what he was about. The order was
given ; as many carriages as he had asked were sent. He asked
for many ; so much the more was the hope of booty excited.
He filled them with the poor of Chris r, and so returned with
them. When asked the meaning of all this, he answered,
** These are the Church's riches." The baffled persecutor gave
command to kindle the fire ; he was not so cold as to be afraid
of it. So a fierce punishment consumed his body, while love of
the brethren burnt more keenly in his soul.
In a word, the iron hurdle (or gridiron) was brought, and he was
broiled upon it; one side at length caught fire, yet he is said so
serenely to have borne his torments, as to fulfil the Gospel precept,
" In your patience possess ye your souls." — Consumed in the
fiame, yet serene in his patience, he said ; " The meal is now
dressed ; turn me, and eat." " Such was his Martyrdom ; such
his glorious crown. Such his service to Rome, beyond price.
Of him Christ spoke, " He who shall lose his life for My sake,
the same shall find it." He found it by means of faith, contempt
of the world, Martyrdom. What must his glory be with God,
when even among men he had such excellent praise !
Let us follow his steps in faith, in contempt of the world. Not
Martyrdom only, but faith inviolate and perfect charity will secure
all heavenly blessings, for the followers of Christ * * * What is
more glorious than for a man to sell his possessions and buy
O TRACTS OF THE TIMES.
Christ theivwith, to offer up to God tlie most acceptable of
gifts, a poor mind, an unsullied devotion ? to attend on Christ,
when He shall come to take vengeance on His enemies, to sit at
His side when He is on the judgment-seat, to be fellow-heir with
Him, to be made equal with the* Angels, to rejoice with Patri-
archs, Apostles, Prophets, in the possession of the heavenly
kingdom ? What persecution, what tortures, have power to sub-
due such thoughts ? The mind is obstinate, brave, and stable,
which is trained in religious meditations ; the heart persists un-
moved against all the terrors of Zabulon, and the threats of the
world, when a sure and real faith in things to come braces it. The
eyes are shut in persecution, but heaven is revealed. Antichrist
threatens, but Christ protects. Death is inflicted, but immortality
follows. . . How great the honour and the peace, to go hence into
joy, to go through straitness into glory, to shut the eyes suddenly,
by which the world is seen, to open them again forthwith, and to see
Almighty God ! . . . . How great is the speed ! You are snatched
from the earth, you are laid up safely in heavenly mansions.
Let these be our thoughts and our consolations day and night ;
that when persecution comes on God's soldier, it may find in him
a virtue ready for battle, proof against defeat. Or if he be
summoned away first, that faith, which was prepared for mar-
tyrdom, will find its immediate reward, by the merciful judgment
of God. The crown is given in persecution to those who serve
gallantly in peace, to those who stand and wait.
Oxford,
The Feast of St. James.
These Tracts are published Monthly^ and sold at the jjrice of
2d. for each sheets or Is. for 50 copies.
LONDON : PRINTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,
ST. PAUl/S CHURCH VARD, AND WATERLOO PLACE.
1835.
Gilbert & Rivinoton, Printers. St. John's Square, London.
(Ad Seholas.) {Frke U,
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
RECORDS OF THE CHURCH,
No. XXIV.
THE HOLY CHURCH THROUGHOUT ALL THE WORLD DOTH
ACKNOWLEDGE THEE.
Vincentius of Lerins on the Tests of Heresy and Error.
Vincentius was a member of the Monastery of Lerins, a small island off
the south coast of France. He is famous for the treatise, parts of which it is
here proposed to translate for the English reader, as a fit companion to the
extracts from TertuUian's account of the Rule of Faith, which formed the
xvii. and xviii. Numbers of the Records. Vincentius wrote in the year 434.
1. (c. 1.2.)
I HAVE made frequent and earnest inquiries of a great number
of holy and learned men, how I might discriminate, that is, what
certain and universal rule there was for discriminating, between
Catholic truth and heretical pravity ; and I have ever received
something like the following answer, that whether 1 myself, or
any other private person, wished to detect the corruptions, and
avoid the snares of heretics who were springing up, and to remain
sound and whole in the sound faith, there were two ways, by
God's blessing, of preserving himself, — first, by the authority of
Scripture, next by the teaching of the Church Catholic.
Here some one perhaps will demand, why I need make men-
tion of the Church's understanding of Scripture at all, consider-
ing that the Canon of the Scriptures is perfect and self-sufficient,
nay more than sufficient for all things ? To which I answer,
that the very depth of Holy Scripture prevents its being taken
by all men in one and the same sensC; one man interpreting it
in one way, one in another ; so that it seems almost possible to
draw from it as many opinions as there are readers. Novatian,
A
2 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
Photinus, Sabellius, Donatus, Arius, Eunomius, and Macedoniiis,
Apollinaris, and Priscillian, Jovianus, Pelagius, and Celestiiis,
lastly Nestorius, each of these heretics has his own distinct
interpretation of it. This is why it is so necessary, viz. in order
to avoid the serious labyrinths of such various errors, to direct
the line of interpretation, both as to Prophets and Apostles,
according to the sense of the Church, and Catholic world.
[To apply this to the present day. Supposing a private and unlearned
Christian is made anxious, by witnessing the number of persuasions, as they
are called, among us. First let him not be alarmed at the difficulty of
choosing ; there were as many such in the early Church. Suppose he falls
in with a Socinian, or (as such a one will call himself) a Unitarian ; he will
probably find, on talking with him, that such a man does not admit the Scrip-
tures to be divine ; rejects some books or parts of books, speaks disparagingly
of tlie Old Testament, perhaps explains away the inspiration of the whole
Bible. Here then Vincent's rule at once detects the heretic : he will not
submit to have his opinions tried " by the authority of Scripture," much less
" by the teaching of the Church Catholic." Escaping this snare, our inquirer
next falls in the way of a Baptist, or Independent, each of whom professes to
go by Scripture, — but adopts his own private interpretation of it. Here the
second test applies ; the man in question rejects the Church's interpretation
of Scripture, for nothing can be more certain than that infant baptism and the
Episcopal succession have been received from the first all through the Church
Catholic. This rule then, provided by Vincent, greatly simplifies the diffi-
culty of deciding between parties ; indeed it reduces our choice to an alter-
native between two — the Church established among us, and to the Latin or
Roman Catholic communion. And, when we attain to this point, we shall
soon see our way quite clear.
If it be asked why should we go by this rule of primitive authority ? it
may be replied, first, that, on the very face of it, it is a very sensible rule ;
all of us admit the authority of Scripture ; again, all of us know that there
are various interpretations of Scripture, and, if so, which is so likely to be
right as that which was received, taught, and handed down in the early
Church ? But again St. Paul expressly calls the Church " the pillar and
ground of the truth ;" it was intended then to maintain and teach the trutli,
and when is it to be listened to, if not in the times following immediately on
the Apostles ? And it may be observed, that Vincentius says he had received
the rule from the teachers and religious men of his time; they not only
maintained one certain interpretation of Scripture, but did not allow that any
other interpretation could be put upon it — Of course : for the Divine Word
can have but one sense.]
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
2. (C. 3. 4.)
Again, much attention is to be paid in the Church Cathohc
itself, to maintain what has been believed everywhere, always,
and BY ALL. This is true and genuine Catholicism, as the very
word means, comprehending all truths every where, and truly ;
and this will be ours, if we follow in our inquiries Universality ,
Antiquity, and Consent. We shall follow Universality, if we
confess that to be the one true faith, which is held by the Church
all over the world ; Antiquity, if we in no respect recede from
the tenets which were in use among our Holy Elders and
Fathers; and Consent, if, in consulting antiquity itself, we attach
ourselves to such decisions and opinions as were held by all, or
at least by almost all, the ancient Bishops and Doctors.
What then will the Catholic Christian do, in a case where any
branch of the Church has cut itself off from the communion of
the universal faith ? What can he do but prefer the general
body which is sound, to the diseased and infected member of it ?
[This may be illustrated by the case of the Church of Geneva among
others, which near three centuries since broke off from the great Episcopal
communion, took to it a head of its own, new laws and customs, and in part
a new creed. It is our duty then, according to Vincentius, to keep fast by
the old stock of the Church Catholic, and guard against all infection of our
faith or discipline from such schismatical members.]
What if some novel contagion attempt with its plague-spots,
not only a portion, but even the whole Church ? Then he will
be careful to keep close to antiquity, which is secure from the
possibility of being corrupted by new errors.
[This case had been instanced even before Vincentius's time, in the history
of the Arians. In our own day it is fulfilled in the case of the Church of
Rome, which indeed has not erred vitally, as the Arians did, nor has infected
with its errors the whole Church, yet has to answer for very serious corrup-
tions, which it has not merely attempted, but managed to establish in a great
part of the Churches of Christendom. Here then apply Vincentius's tej^t,
Antiquity; — and the Church of Rome is convicted of unsoundness, as fully
as those other sects among us which have already been submitted to the trial.]
9
^ TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
What if even in antiquity itself there be two or three men, nay
one community, or even province, discovered in error ? Then
he will be careful to prefer to the rashness or ignorance of the
few (if so be) the ancient decrees {i. e. in Council) of the Uni*
versal Church. What if a case arises when no such acts of the
Church are found ? then he will do his best to compare and
search out the opinions of the ancients ; of those, that is, who in
various times and places, remaining in the faith and communion
of the one Catholic Church, are the most trustworthy authorities ;
and, whatever, not one or two, but all alike, with one consent,
held, wrote, and taught, and that openly and perseveringly, that
he will understand is to be believed without any hesitation.
[Take, for instance, the case of the Society of Friends (so called) ; they
reject baptism altogether ; so did some heretics of the second century, whom
Tertullian wrote against (vide Records, No. 22) ; yet that of course is no
defence of them against the general consent of the Doctors of the Church.
Or again, the authority of Jerome, who wrote in the fourth century, is brought
by some An ti- Episcopalians, to justify their rejection of Bishops : but, were
he ever so clearly for them, (which we by no means allow) yet his authority
would go for nothing against the consent of the ancient teachers.]
3. (c. 12. 14. 15. 39.)
Let us seriously dread to incur the guilt of altering the faith
and violating religious truth, which we are warned against by
the judgment of Apostolic authority as well as by the received
ride of the Church. All know how seriously, how sternly, how
forcibly the blessed Apostle Paul inveighs against certain light-
minded men, who had passed with strange rapidity from him who
called them to the grace of Christ, into another Gospel which
was not another, who had heaped to themselves masters at their
own pleasure, turning away the ear from the truth and converted
to fables, having damnation, because they had made void their
first faith. When, then, such men went about provinces and
cities, offering their lying doctrines for sale, and at length came
to the Galatians, and the Galatians seized somehow with a nausea
of Divine truth, and putting away the manna of the Apostolic
and Catholic doctrine, refreshed themselves with the lilth of
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 5
heretical novelty, then the authority of an Apostle was roused in
him, and he settled the matter with an unmixed severity.
" Though we," he says, " or an angel from heaven, preach any
other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto
you, let him be anathema, an accursed thing." What is the
meaning of his saying, " Though we ?" why not rather, " Though
I ?" This, viz. though Peter, though Andrew, though John,
though in a word the whole company of the Apostles preached
as the Gospel other doctrines than we have already preached, let,
him be anathema. Tremendous ban ! that he may maintain the
supremacy of the original faith, he spares neither himself nor his
fellow-Apostles ; — yet even this is not all. He adds, " Though
an angel from heaven, let him too be anathema." Not as if the
holy and heavenly angels can sin ; but he says. If that were
possible, which is impossible ; whoever he be, who would tamper
with the faith once delivered, let him be anathema.
But perhaps it will be said that this injunction was intended
for the particular time when it was given, and is not in force
now. If so, why should his other commandments be in force at
this day, such as " Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil
the lust of the flesh." But if the latter supposition is at once
profane and pernicious, it follows of necessity that, as the com-
mand to be spiritual is for all ages, so the sanction given to the
immutability of the faith is for all ages also. Therefore, to
preach any doctrine to Catholic Christians, besides what they
have received, was never lawful, is no where lawful, never shall
be lawful ; and to anathematize those who do preach a doctrine
besides that which was once given and received, was never but a
duty, is no where but a duty, never shall be but a duty. If this
be so, is there a person to be found so venturesome as to preach,
or so light of mind as to receive, doctrines in addition to those
which the Church has received and the Church preaches ! Let
him cry aloud, let him cry out again and again, to all, and in all
times, and in all places, by means of his Epistles, that elect
vessel, that teacher of the Gentiles, that clarion among the
Apostles, that herald on the earth, that guest of the third heaven.
If any one bring in any new doctrine, let him be anathema! And
6 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
on the other side let them raise their counter-voice, as the frogs
or flies of Egypt, or insects of a day, I mean such as the Pelagians.
Let them say, Take us for your authority, for your guides, for
your expositors, in condemning what you used to hold, in hold-
ing what you used to condemn, in rejecting the ancient faith,
your fathers' usages, the trust committed to you by your ances-
tors, and in receiving — what ? 1 tremble to say what ; so proud
are their words, that to pronounce them, nay even to refute them,
seems to involve some sort of pollution.
But it may be said, why then does Providence so often allow
distinguished persons in the Church to preach novelties to Ca-
tholics ? A fair and profitable question, which I shall answer,
not by any attempted explanation of my own, but by the authority
of the Divine law, and the example of an inspired teacher of the
Church. Holy Moses teaches us, why learned men, men who
by reason of their gift of knowledge are even called Prophets by
the Apostle, are sometimes permitted to preach their new
doctrines, or as they are called in the figurative style of the Old
Testament, " other gods." " If there arise among you a prophet,
or a dreamer of dreams," that is a teacher constituted in the
Church, whom his followers or hearers consider to speak as from
revelation. What then? he continues, " and he giveth thee a
sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass." It
is plain some great teacher or other is spoken of, one of surpassing
knowledge, so as to seem to his partizans to have the gift even
of foreknowledge, such as is attributed by their disciples to
Valentinus, Donatus, Photinus, Apollinaris, and the like. What
follows ? " And shall say to thee, " Let us go after other gods,
which thou hast not known, and let us serve them ;" *' Other
gods," that is, errors external to the Church . . . . " serve
them," that is, believe them, follow them. ** Thou shalt not
hearken unto the words of that prophet or that dreamer of
dreams." Now, why is it that God allows to be taught, what
He does not allow to be received ? Moses continues, " for the
Lord your God proveth youy to know whether ye love the Lord
your God with all your heart, and with all your soul." And
doubtless the temptation is great, when he whom you consider
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 7
to be a prophet, one of the sons of the prophets, a doctor and
champion of truth, and hold in highest veneration and love, when
he suddenly and secretly is the author of mischievous errors,
which the strain of teaching he has made familiar to you, inca-
pacitates you from quickly detecting, and affection for himself
seems to make it undutiful in you to condemn. ^
I say, whoever he be, how holy and learned soever, whether
Bishop, whether Confessor and Martyr, if he teaches aught beyond
or contrary to the doctrine of all the Fathers, let it be set apart
from the common, public, and general doctrine, which has authori-
ty, and numbered among his peculiar, hidden, and private surmises,
lest, at the extreme risk of eternal ruin, we fall into the ways
of heretics and schismatics, giving up the universally received
truth, and following the novel error of an individual.
[Augustine, who was contemporary with Vincentius, aflfords an instance in
illustration of the last sentence. His peculiar views of election were beyond,
not to say contrary, to those of the Church ever before him, and called for
precautions on the part of Christians, lest by mixing them up with Chris-
tianity, they acted like heretics, whose peculiar tenets have always been
originally the innovations of one or two subtle and venturous minds upon or
counter to what has been received.
As to cases of actual error, such as that of the false prophet introduced by
Vincentius, there has been since his time a most deplorable and astounding
instance of this in the corruptions of the Latin Church, whether they be
called heresy or not. Considering the high gifts and the strong claims of the
Church of Rome and its dependencies on our admiration, reverence, love,
and gratitude, how could we withstand it as we do ; how could we refrain
from being melted into tenderness and rushing into communion with it, but
for the words of Truth itself, which bid us prefer It to the whole world ? " He
that loveth father or mother more than Me, is not worthy of Me ;" How
could we learn to be severe, and execute judgment, but for the warning of
Moses against even a divinely gifted teacher, who should preach new gods ;
and the anathema of St. Paul even against Angels and Apostles, who should
bring in a new doctrine ?
And lastly, what a noble comment is here given us upon the prohibition of
Christ to call any one on earth our Master ! and how elevating a thought is
it to reflect that the precept so explained has ever been acted upon by the
Church Catholic ! "We have no human head in matters of doctrine, we
acknowledge every single Christian, however exalted, to be but an individual,
to have no intrinsic authority, no power, no influence except so far as he is
8 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
the organ of the whole body of Christian teachers. In this we differ from
lieretics and Dissenters. They follow particular teachers, and call themselves
after their names. We follow Christ only ; even in following the old fathers
we follow them, not as if they were commissioned expounders, but simply as
being witnesses of the truth once delivered, and to be followed simply
because and so far as they agree together. Their mutual agreement is the
test of their being faithful witnesses, which is all we seek after; we attribute
nothing to them as oracles of the truth, much less to individuals now a days.
Let a man be gifted with eloquence, ready talent, deep penetration, vigorous
grasp of mind; let him be amiable, sympathizing, winning; let him bear
upon him the evidence of earnestness and disinterested piety ; let him be
zealous, active, patient, self-denying ; let him have a noble heart, and a
resolute hand, and many followers, yet if he keeps to the ancient truth it is
well. But if he departs from it, that instant Mene and Tekel are written
upon his school. The ground crumbles from under him, his rod of influence
is broken, his glory is departed ; he is no more. He has what he had not
while he was a transmitter of Catholic Verities, a name ; and it is borne after
him by his party as a witness against him and them.
Oxford,
The Feast of St. James»
These Tracts are published Monthly ^ and sold at the price of
2d. for each sheets or Is. for 50 copies,
LONDON : PRINTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,
ST. Paul's churchyard, and wATfikLoo place.
1835.
Gilbert & Rivington, Printers, St. John's Square, London.
(Ad Scholas.) [Price 2(L
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
RECORDS OF THE CHURCH.
No. XXV.
THE HOLY CHURCH THROUGHOUT ALL THE WORLD DOTH
ACKNOWLEDGE THEE.
Vincentms of Lerins on the Tests of Heresy and Error,
(Concluded.)
4. (c. 25.)
It follows, that he is the real and genuine Catholic, who loves
God's truth, and the Church, and the body of Christ, who
makes all things second to divine religion and the Catholic
faith, whether the authority of private men, or their amiable
qualities, or their talent, or eloquence, or philosophy ; but not
regarding any of these, and remaining fixed and stedfast in
the faith, deliberately maintains that, and that only, which the
Church Catholic is known to have held every where from the
beginning; and considers as a temptation, not as a religious
truth, whatever novelty has been secretly introduced by some
private hand, beside, or even contrary to, the body of Saints.
And, above all, as being taught by St. Paul, he receives that
heresies must be, in order that the approved may become ma-
nifest among us, as if this were the reason why heresiarchs are
not at once taken away by divine Providence; that the con-
2 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
stancy of each of us, and fidelity, and steady love of Catholic
truth may be ascertained. And, in fact, on the bursting forth
of each novelty in its turn, then forthwith is discerned the vireight
of the corn, and the emptiness of the chaff ; and so, without
much trouble, the threshing-floor is cleared of whatever rubbish
was contained in it. Some fly off at the instant ; others are
driven a certain way, but are afraid of perdition while they are
ashamed to recant ; and so they continue wounded, half dead,
half alive, with just so much of the poison within them as is
neither fatal nor yet is thrown off; neither kills nor suffers to
live. Ah, miserable state of feverish and agitating anxiety !
At one time they are hurried aside as the wind drives them ; at
another they fall back again like ebbihg waves : now with rash
presumption they assent to doctrines which are but doubtful,
now again they have a superstitious dread of what is unques-
tionable ; uncertain whither to go, whither to return ; what to
seek, to avoid, to maintain, to give up. Surely, this trouble of
an unsettled heart is a medicine, if they are wise, sent to them
by divine mercy. They are tossed, and beaten, and almost
overwhelmed by the discordant currents of their own reason-
ings, while they remain out of the safe haven of the Catholic
faith, in order that they may learn to gather in the sails of their
pride, which are filled with the evil gales of novelty, and to
betake themselves again to the secure station of their serene and
loving mother, and to rid themselves of the bitter errors which
they have swallowed, and so to drink, in future, the streams of
living water. Let them unlearn worthily what they unworthily
learned, mastering the Church's doctrine as far as it is level to
the reason, submitting where it is above it.
[How accurate a description is the above of many amiable persons of the
present day, who, instead of a single and noble maintenance of Catholic truth,
try to unite in their creed things incompatible, and are ever spoiling their own
excellences by timidity, weakness, or presumption ! Nay, how true a descrip-
tion is it of our Church itself, not as it was intended to be, but as it actually has
become in these dark and secular days ! Do not we hover about oar ancient
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. $
home, the home of Cyprian and Athanasius, without the heart to take up our
abode in it, yet afraid to quit the sight of it ; boasting of our Episcopacy, yet
unwilling to condemn separatism ; claiming a descent from the Apostles, yet,
doubting of the gifts attending it ; and trying to extend the limits of the Church
for the admission of Wesleyans and Presbyterians, while we profess to be ex-
clusively primitive ? Alas, is not this to witness against ourselves, like coward
sinners, who hope to serve the world, without giving up God's service !]
5. (c. 27. 33. 34.)
*' O Timothy," the Apostle says, " guard the deposit, shun-
ning profane novelties of words !*' ... Who is Timothy in this
day, but the Church universal, or, in particular, the whole body of
its rulers, who ought both themselves to have and to teach others
the sound inviolate knowledge of religious duty ? What means
" guard the deposit ?" Guard it, he says, because of thieves,
of enemies, lest, while men sleep, they sow tares upon that
good seed of wheat, which the Son of man has sown in His
field. " Guard the deposit." What is the deposit ? That which
is committed to thee, not discovered by thee ; what thou hast
received, not struck out ; a subject not of talent, but of instruc-
tion ', not of private judgment, but of public tradition ; that has
come to thee, not from thee ; in which thou shouldest display
not originality, but safe custody, not as a master, but as a
scholar, not as a leader, but a follower. " Guard the deposit."
Preserve the talent of Catholic faith inviolate, entire. As thou
hast received it, so let it remain with thee, so let it pass from
thee. Gold thou hast received, be it gold that thou payest back.
I will have no base coin palmed upon me, no shameless lead,
no fraudulent brass, no outward seeming without the reality. O
Timothy, priest, expositor, doctor, if a divine gift has made thee
sufficient for these things, in ability, in practice, in learning, be
thou the Bezeleel of the spiritual tabernacle, polish the precious
stones of the divine word, set them with fidelity, embellish them
with skill, add brilliancy, elegance, beauty ; what was before
A 2
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
believed obscurely, be it illustrated by thy exposition ; what an-
tiquity but darkly venerated, let posterity learn from thee to
apprehend, ever remembering so to teach what thou hast learned,
that the teacher be new, not the teaching. " Shunning profane
novelties of words." " Shun," he says, ** as if a viper, or
scorpion, or basilisk, whose very sight and breath — not touch
only — may blast thee." Shun, in what way ? " With such a one,
no, not to eat." " If any one come to you, and bringeth not
this doctrine ;" — What doctrine, but the Catholic and universal,
that one and the same doctrine remaining age after age by an
incorrupt tradition of the truth, and]]ever so tOv remain on into
everlasting ages ? To proceed : '* receive him not into your
home, nor give him greeting ; for he ^who gives him greeting,
shares in his evil works." *' Profane novelties of words ;" that
is, such as have nothing sacred or religious in them ; such as are
altogether outside the Church's shrine, which is the temple of
God. " Novelties of words ;" that is, of doctrines, subjects,
statements, contrary to antiquity. If these be admitted, the
creed of the Sainted Fathers must necessarily be violated, in
whole or part ; all believers of all ages, all the saints, all the
religious brethren, and virgin sisters, all the clergy, Levitts,
and priests, so many thousand of Confessors, so many armies of
martyrs, so many populous cities and countries, so many islands,
provinces, kings, nations, kingdoms, families, nay almost the
whole compass of the world, incorporated, as it is, through the
Catholic faith, into Christ the head, in so long a series of years,
must necessarily be judged to have been ignorant, to have erred,
to have blasphemed.
" Profane novelties ;" such namely, as were never followed or
admitted by Catholics, but by heretics ever. For in good sooth,
when was there ever an heresy, which did not spring up under
a certain designation, at a certain place, at a certain time ? Who
ever established a heresy, except he first separated himself from
the accordant voice of Catholic universality and antiquity ? The
fact is clearer than day, as instances show. Who, before the
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
profane Pelagius, ever claimed such power for the will, as to
deny that the grace of God was necessary to aid it in the par-
ticular acts of obedience ? Who, before his marvellous disciple
Celestius, ever denied that the whole human race was brought
under the guilt of Adam's sin ? Who, before the blasphemer
Arius, dared to divide in his creed the Unity of the Trinity ?
Who, before the wretched Sabellius, to confuse the Trinity of the
Unity ? Who, before that cruel Novatian, ever taught that
cruelty belonged to Him, who willeth not the death of him that
dieth, but his turning and living ? . . . Numberless other instances
might be added, did space allow it ; all of which plainly and
clearly prove this one thing, as the peculiar and genuine mark of
heresy, that it is novel, dislikes antiquity, and is wrecked by the
captiousness of a pretended knowledge. On the other hand,
it is almost the distinctive mark of a Catholic, that he keeps
the trust and commission of the Holy Fathers, and condemns
profane novelties, in accordance with the Apostle's repeated
declarations, " If any one preach to you, what you have not
already received, l^t him be anathema."
[There is this difficulty in applying the doctrine of this extract to these times,
that the Church has forfeited in great measure its Catholicity; that is, in
matter of fact, it was unanimous in its whole creed in Vincent's day, and it is
not now. It now, alas ! has one doctrine in Greece, another in Rome, a third
in England, a fourth in Sweden. Moreover, since all of these cannot be true,
error must have been admitted in some or other of its branches, an occurrence
which Vincent never anticipated. He considers the Church to possess within
it that principle of health and vigour, which expels heresies out of its system,
without its suffering more than a temporary disarrangement from them.
The state of things is altered now in matter of fact ; though the Church of
Rome attempts to deny it, by cutting off from the Catholic Church such
branches as do not agree with itself. But this is arguing in a circle ; for its
members, after having cut oflf from them all who do not agree with them,
maintain they are Catholic, because they all speak the same thing.
However, there is a true and sufficient sense in which Vincent's doctrine
has been and ever will be fulfilled. In truth, he does not speak of all doctrine,
but of the "foundations" (as he terms them, c. 41,) of Christian doctrine.
b TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
That theChurch ever will teach these faithfully, is promised in Scripture (Isa. lix.
21.), and in matter of fact, it has taught them up to this day, has taught them over
the whole world, whatever may be the quarrels and schisms of its branches. These
fundamentals are contained in the creed, and have been expanded at various
times by the Catholic Church acting together ; such are the doctrines of the
Trinity, the Incarnation, the Atonement, and the like ; they have been held
from the beginning, and to this day are taught in the east and west, north and
south. Such too are many ordinances and usages of the Church. Accordingly,
in spite of our unhappy differences with Greece and Rome, we may say to the
Socinian, after Vincent's manner, " We know when your doctrine first appeared,
and it was protested against on its first appearance ;" to the Baptist, " We
can point to the very date when Infant Baptism was first denied ;" to the
Presbyterian, " We can prove the rejection of Episcopacy to be a novelty ;" to
the Zuinglian or Hoadleian, " We can trace the history of the denial of
Sacramental grace ; we know its rise, its course, its outbreaks, and its defeats ;"
and so with the rest.
Further, we may apply the argument against the Romanists themselves, un-
willing as we are to speak harshly of them. We consider we can give the history
of the corruptions in the Church, as well as of the heresies which went but of it.
We can give the very year when image worship was first established, and show the
opposition and protests made against it at the time. We can assign a date to the
doctrine of Transubstantiation. Nay, we are willing to receive all doctrines
which were in possession of the Church in the sixteenth century, except so far
as we can show a time when they were not in possession,]
6. (c. 35. 37.)
Here perhaps some one may ask, whether the heretics also do
not make use of testimonies from Holy Scripture? Yes, indeed,
they do use them, and lay great stress on them, for you may
see them ready quoters of each book of God's Sacred Law, — the
Books of Moses, of Kings, the Psalms, the Apostles, the Evan-
gelists, the Prophets. Whether indeed they are among their own
people, or among strangers, in private or in public, discoursing
or writing, at convivial meetings or in the open ways, they never
at all advance any of their peculiar positions, without attempting
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. /
to express it in Scripture language. Look at the treatises of Paul
of Samosata, of Priscillian, of Eunomius, of Jovinian, and those
other scourges of the Church ; you will find an infinite heap of
instances, so that scarcely a page occurs, which is not coloured by
some perverted passages of Scripture, the Old or the New. But
so much more are they to be avoided and dreaded, the more
they skulk behind the cover of the Divine Law. For they know
that the ill savour of heresy would scarce commend itself to any
one, if exhaled in its own simplicity ; so they sprinkle it with
the fragrance of a heavenly voice, that men who would be quick
in rejecting human error, may be slow in despising Divine
oracles.
Such were they whom the Apostle has stricken in his Second
Epistle to the Corinthians, saying, *' Of this sort are false
Apostles, deceitful workmen, transforming themselves into the
Apostles of Christ." What is *' transforming themselves into the
Apostles of Christ ?" This is meant by it. The Apostles
adduced texts from the Divine Law, so did they ; the Apostles
brought authorities from the Psalms, so did they ; the Apostles
appealed to the Prophets, so did they quite as much. But when,
what both parties had agreed in adducing, they differed in inter-
preting, then was the distinction seen between the innocent and
the deceitful, the honest and the counterfeit, the true-hearted
and the perverse, in a word, the true Apostles, and the false
Apostles. " And no wonder," he continues, " for Satan himself
transforms himself into an angel of light ; so that it is not a
great thing that his ministers are transformed into ministers of
righteousness." According then to St. Paul's teaching, as often
as false apostles, or false prophets, or false doctors, pervert texts
of Scripture into authorities for their errors, they are evidently
following the crafty device of their father, who, we may be sure,
would never adopt it, did he not well know that the pretence of
Scripture texts is the most successful mode of insinuating impious
doctrine.
Does any one ask, how we know that the devil is accustomed
O TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
to quote Scripture? let him read the Gospels, in which it is
written, — " Then the devil took Him up," that is, the Lord and
Saviour, " and placed Him on a pinnacle of the Temple, and said
to Him, " If Thou art the Son of God, cast Thyself down, /or it
is rvritten, He hath given His angels charge of Thee, to keep
Thee in all Thy ways.". . . We must especially heed and remember
the doctrine contained in this passage, that, when we meet with
men citing the words of Apostles or Prophets against the Catholic
Faith, we may take it as a Gospel sanction for being quite cer-
tain, that the devil speaks by their mouth If any one of
the heretics be asked, how he proves that we ought to abandon
the universal and ancient faith of the Church Catholic, he will
promptly reply, " It is written ;" and on the spot is ready with
a thousand texts and proofs, some from the Law, some from the
Psalms, some from the Apostles, some from the Prophets ; with
the view of precipitating the unhappy soul, by a new and perverse
interpretation of them, from the secure pinnacle of Catholicism
into the gulf of heresy. Moreover, they add promises which
wonderfully deceive incautious men. They dare to engage and
to proclaim that in their Church, that is, in their own meeting,
there is a certain great and special grace of God, belonging to
each of them personally, so that without labour, or endeavour, or
pains, without seeking, or asking, or knocking, all who belong to
their number, are so divinely ordered, that carried up aloft by
the hands of angels, they can never '* strike their foot against a
stone," that is, stumble in their Christian course.
[This warning is especially seasonable to us of this day, who are beset both
with the clamour, that " the Bible and the Bible only is the religion of Pro-
testants," and with a thousand discordant views, all professedly Scriptural, in
illustration of its unreasonableness. We may simply say, " that interpretation
shall be ours, which the Church has ever taught from the first day until now.
The whole body of saints, speaking unanimously, must be sounder and^more
certain in their doctrine, than any of these upstart and self-authorized parties."
If it be objected, that the Church Catholic at this day speaks different things ;
we may plainly deny this as regards the great points of faith, as above stated.
Whatever be our private differences with the Roman Catholics, we may join
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 9
with them in condemning Socinians, Baptists, Independents, Quakers, and the
like. But God forbid, that we should ally ourselves with the ofTspring of heresy
and schism, in our contest with any branches of the Holy Church, which main-
tain the foundation, whatever may be their incidental corruptions!]
7, (c. 28, 29, 30, 3h)
If it be asked, whether in saying that the Christian doctrine is
immutable, I maintain that Divine doctrine can make no advance
in the Church, let me answer at once that I maintain just the
reverse. Who indeed is so niggardly towards mankind, so aban-
doned by God, as to try to forbid it ? However, it must be such
an advance as is truly an increase of the faith, not a change.
That is, it is the property of an increase, that each particular part
has its own development ; but of a change, that some part or
other becomes what it was not before. Doubtless, then, there
should be in successive ages an increase, a great and effective
improvement, in the understanding, the knowledge, the wisdom
of all Christians, and of each of them, of the individuals and of
the whole Church, but only in the same form, that is, in the same
doctrine, the same meaning, the same expression.
The soul should observe the same rule which obtains in the
case of the body, which, in the course of years, unfolds itself into
its perfect proportions, yet remains the same as before. Great
as is the diiference between the flower of boyhood and the matu-
rity of old age, yet the very same individual who was a boy
becomes aged, the change in state and habit of that one and the
same being in no respect affecting the identity of his nature and
his person. Children at the breast have small limbs, youths have
large, yet the very same ones. Their number is the same, even
though they might before be in part undeveloped. This, then,
evidently is the legitimate and right rule of growth, the natural
and beautiful order of advancing, if years bring out into shape
those elements which Creative Wisdom had already implanted.
If, however, a change were made in course of time into some type
7
10 TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
of a different species, or the number of the limbs increased or
diminished, the whole body would necessarily fall to pieces, or
become monstrous, or, at least, be enfeebled. So, in like man-
ner, let the one message of Christianity follow the laws of growth ;
consolidated indeed by years, expanded, elucidated, but incorrupt
for ever, and inviolate^ and full and perfect in the entireness of
its parts, of its members, (as it were,) and its senses, but with
no alteration, no loss of its characteristic marks, no variety in
its definition.
For instance : our ancestors sowed of old in this corn-field of
the Church the seeds of true faith as of wheat. It were very
wrong and unseemly that we their children should choose, instead
of the genuine crop, the intrusive deceit of the tares. Rather, it
is right and fitting that the first and the last should not differ
from each other, but that the seed being wheat, the crop should
be wheat also . . . God forbid that, in that Spiritual garden, the
shoots of cinnamon and balsam should suddenly bear nettles or
aconite. Whatever, then, divine husbandry and ancient faith
have sown in our Church, must be cultivated and cherished by
the diligence of posterity ; must flourish and grow to ripeness ;
must advance and be perfected. It is pious to make accurate,
to refine, to polish those primitive doctrines of heavenly phi-
losophy ; it is impious to change them for others. Let them be
made intelligible, luminous, distinct ; but they ought ever to
retain their completeness, their entireness, their characteristic
nature.
For, should this license of impious deceit once be allowed, I
shudder to think of the risk, which will follow, of the excision
and destruction of religion. If but one portion of the Catholic
doctrine be renounced, another, and then another, and then again
others will be renounced also, as if by right and custom. More-
over, if the separate parts be repudiated, what is to hinder the
whole being at length repudiated equally ? On the other hand,
if new and old, foreign and native, profane and sacred, are once
mingled together in any degree, this evil must necessarily extend
13
TRACTS FOR THE TIMES. 11
to the whole, till nothing is left in the Church inviolate, nothing
undefiled, the shrine of holy truth becoming the impure dwelling
of impious and base errors. But, may God's pity avert this
curse from the hearts of His people ; rather be it the recom-
pense of the wicked !
[Alas ! since the Church divided and spoke different things, what part of it is
there which is not, in some respects, justly open to the description contained in
these last words ! How miserably contrasted are we with the One Holy Apostolic
Church of old, which *' serving with one consent," spoke "a pure language!"
And now that Rome has added, and we have omitted, in the catalogue of sacred
doctrines, what is left to us but to turn our eyes sorrowfully and reverently to
those ancient times, and, with Bishop Ken, make it our profession to live and
" die in the faith of the Catholic Church before the division of the East and
West ?"]
Oxford,
The Feast of St. Luke.
These Tracts are Published Monthly, and sold at the price of
2d, for each sheet, or 7s. for 50 copies,
LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,
ST. Paul's church yard, and waterlog place.
1835.
Gilbert & Rivington, Printers, St. John's Square, London.
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